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Mugen’s Secret Weapon for the Isle of Man TT

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The Bothan Spy Network is strong this week, as we have learned some more about Mugen’s latest TT Zero entry, the Mugen Shinden Nana.

Unveiled to the public at the Tokyo Motorcycle Show, three riders – McGuinness, Johnston, and Anstey – will compete at the Isle of Man TT onboard the Mugen Shinden Nana.

Mugen was tight-lipped on its spec-sheet for the Mugen Shinden Nana though, with the specs for the Nana mimicking those seen on last year’s bike, the Mugen Shinden Roku. That isn’t exactly the case, however.

Yes, Mugen will run its special aerodynamic fairing for the 2018 Isle of Man TT, which is a piece that has been under development for over a year now. But, the Japanese brand has other tricks up its sleeve as well.

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News

RevZilla Launches Its Own Motorcycle Apparel Line

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Don’t look now, but RevZilla has quietly launched its own motorcycle apparel line, under the name REAX.

The news has yet to hit the PR wires, but the new brand is featured on the RevZilla homepage, with 12 items (5 jackets, 4 gloves, and 3 pants) debuting for the product launch.

Almost two years in the making, RevZilla says that the REAX brand comes from the company’s experience selling and reviewing motorcycle apparel for the past decade. 

Drawing from the experience, and the bounty of customer feedback that they have access to, the REAX brand aims to bring quality motorcycle gear, at an affordable price point.

From the early indications so far, the REAX team has seemingly achieved that very goal. From the product photos, the pieces look well-designed, and come with minimal branding.

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Racing

IOMTT: Michael Dunlop Riding with Tyco BMW

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What happens when an immoveable object joins forces with an unstoppable force? The result might look like the latest news from the Isle of Man TT, where this year’s race will see Michael Dunlop onboard with Tyco BMW.

Of course, Michael Dunlop is a top favorite to win at this year’s TT, and the Tyco squad is certainly no stranger to making the BMW S1000RR go lightning fast around the Mountain Course.

To make matters worse for the competition, the BMW S1000RR is already a machine that Dunlop has shown good results with, in past TT fortnights, and as such we expect big things from the collaboration.

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Products

AGV Just Made the Lightest Modular Helmet Ever

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AGV has a new helmet out for the 2018 riding season, which by itself isn’t a big news item. But, this isn’t your typical helmet, as the Italian brand has made the first all carbon fiber modular helmet. They call it the AGV Sportmodular.

The advantages of a carbon fiber helmet design should be obvious, as there are significant weight savings that come with composite construction designs. AGV calls the Sportmodular the lightest modular helmet on the market.

By our scales though, the Sportmodular is lighter than even the featherweight Pista GP R – the AGV’s top-of-the-line track-focused helmet that Valentino Rossi wears – which would make the AGV Sportmodular one of the lightest helmets on market..if not the lightest.

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News

Mugen Debuts V-Twin Engine Concept

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The Tokyo Motorcycle Show wrapped up this weekend, but the Mugen Shinden Nana isn’t the only surprise that the Japanese brand has in store for us. Mugen also debuted this interesting engine concept.

Mugen is pretty tight on details, but word out of Tokyo is that this is a 1,400cc, four-valve, air-cooled, push-rod motor design that Mugen is considering putting into production as a crate engine for bike builders, with a delivery date somewhere in 2020. 

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MotoGP

Here Is a Healthy Dose of Valentino Rossi Fanboy Love

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Do you bleed neon yellow? Then we have got the Valentino Rossi video for you. A production by the folks at GoPro (who sponsor Rossi), this 11-minute short film tries to capture Rossi’s tumultuous 2017 season.

It’s not really a documentary though…more like a VR46 love-fest, featuring The Doctor, his ranch, and his hometown. Still, if you are a fan of the nine-time world champion, this video will brighten your day.

If you are a MotoGP fanatic who is equally excited for the 2018 season, which is already off to a good start, this video will hit your joy button.

…But if you are part of the Catalan MotoGP Mafia and wear ants on your helmet…well, you might just want to move along. There’s nothing for you to see here.

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Bikes

Mugen Shinden Nana Debuts with Curious Aeros

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Take a good long look at it, because here is the electric motorcycle that is going to win this year’s TT Zero race at the Isle of Man TT.

That might seem like a presumptuous thing to say, but with Mugen fielding a three-rider lineup, and no real competition coming out of the woodwork, it would be hard to imagine a different result.

The question of course is which riders will be onboard the Mugen Shinden Nana when it takes the #1 position? John McGuinness? Bruce Anstey? Or, Lee Johnston?

Your guess is as good as ours, as all three road-racers are more than capable of putting down a race-winning lap on the Mugen.

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Podcast

MOTR Podcast #3 – MV Agusta CEO Giovanni Castiglioni

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In Episode 3 of the MOTR Podcast, I sit down with MV Agusta CEO Giovanni Castiglioni, for a one-on-one talk about his iconic motorcycle company.

As you can imagine from the events over the past few years, our conversation focused on where MV Agusta has been, where it sits now, and where it is heading for the future.

During the interview, Castiglioni explains the issues MV Agusta has faced, and outlines the firms new, new business plan going forward. The conversation is an interesting insight into MV Agusta’s business workings, and the young CEO is more than candid.

You may have already seen the news regarding MV Agusta’s superbike future, the firm’s plans for Cagiva and electric motorcycles, and that we will see that start of the new four-cylinder lineup late this year.

We broke the news on those stories, and now you can hear in full detail the audio behind those headlines. We think you will find it a very interesting conversation.

You can find the latest episodes of the MOTR Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, SoundCloud, or via your RSS feed, and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter as well.

If you’re not already, you should also listen to our sister podcasts, the Two Enthusiasts Podcast and The Paddock Pass Podcast.

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Racing

Two-Stroke Suter Racing at IOMTT with Lougher Onboard

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The sound of two-stroke race bikes will once again thunder through the streets on the Isle of Man, as Ian Lougher is set to race the Suter MMX 500 at this year’s Isle of Man TT.

The 576cc V4 two-stroke Suter has already made its debut during the TT, last racing during the 2016 edition of this iconic road race, though with lackluster results (121+ mph best lap) due to mechanical issues.

Hoping to right that wrong, Lougher will once again climb aboard the Suter MMX500, and no matter what the result sheets say, we are sure the fans along the Manx hedgerows will enjoy his effort.

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Bikes

A Bike Like No Other, The Watkins M001

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To steal a phrase from my Two Enthusiasts Podcast co-host Quentin Wilson, this bike is pinnacle weird. And while the Watkins M001 is certainly one strange duck, it is also incredibly alluring, with its boxer engine, metal plate frame, and funky front-end design.

The work of Jack Watkins, an engineer by trade, the Watkins M001 is nine years in the making, a date that is helped measured by the air-cooled BMW R1150RT engine that resides at the machine’s center.

The hub-center steering design is inspired by Stellan Egeland’s BMW Harrier, which first caught out attention back in the early days of Asphalt & Rubber, again a nod to how long Jack Watkins has been working on his custom, in his spare time.

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Podcast

Two Enthusiasts Podcast #73 – Prince Albert

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Episode 73 of the Two Enthusiasts Podcast is out, and it was worth the wait, as it’s a good one.

An omnibus of topics, we start out with some racing items from the MotoGP and Isle of Man TT paddocks, with a focus on newly crowned “MotoGP Legend” Randy Mamola, and a surprise announcement from John McGuinness.

We the turn our attention to Harley-Davidson’s bizarre brake fluid recall, and speculate what the Bar & Shield brand is up to. The iconic American brand was also present in Portland’s One Moto Show, which we discuss as well.

The conversation then shifts to the continually changes in the motorcycle media landscape, which has seen no shortage of movements in recent months.

The show concludes with a deep-dive into the issue of umbrella girls in racing, as the Formula One series has banned the practice from the 2018 season onward. We’re sure the conversation will stir some debate amongst the two-wheeled community.

You can listen to the show via the embedded SoundCloud player, after the jump, or you can find the show on iTunes (please leave a review) or this RSS feed. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter as well. 

We hope you will join the conversation, and leave us some audio comments at our new email address: twoenthusiasts@gmail.com.

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