Jensen Beeler, Author at Asphalt & Rubber

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Confirmed: 2012 Husqvarna Street Bike to Debut at EICMA

By Jensen Beeler 02/22/2011 12 Comments

Husky fans are going to have something to talk about for the next 8 months as BMW Motorrad VP Hermann Bohrer has confirmed that the Husqvarna brand would be dipping its toe into the street bike waters with a new bike launching at EICMA later this year. Said to have German technology with Italian design, the new Husky will be a middleweight adventure bike that features a BMW F800GS parallel-twin motor that’s been increased to 900cc in displacement, which makes it not too dissimilar from the Husqvarna Mille 3 concept (shown above) we saw last year at the Italian trade show.

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Rumors

New KTM Superbike Coming in 2012?

By Jensen Beeler 02/21/2011 9 Comments

With the announcements of KTM lopping $3,500 of the KTM 1198 RC8 R’s price tag, thus replacing the RC8 as the base superbike model in its line-up, and the new 2011 KTM RC8 R Race Spec track bike, something appears to be afoot with the Austrian brand. It’s no secret that with the down economy, RC8s (along with just about every other sport bike) haven’t exactly been flying off the dealer floors, which has lead to some speculation that the reduced price on the higher spec model could be purely to help spur sales of the “Ready to Race” awesomebike. We disagree in part.

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Bikes

2012 Honda Goldwing Gets Minor Tweaks

By Jensen Beeler 02/21/2011 9 Comments

There must be a new rule in the tourer market segment where “all new bikes” consist of minor revisions to existing machines, as Honda has apparently taken a page out of Harley-Davidson’s playbook, and done an exciting upgrade to the 2012 Honda Goldwing. While rumors were overly-hyped that an all-new Goldwing would be making an American appearance, it appears instead that the Honda engineers have gone on to further improve upon their design of the legendary touring motorcycle.

No longer built in America at Honda’s now defunct Marysville, Ohio plant, the Japanese produced 2012 Honda Goldwing comes with a slightly larger price tag, but boasts some improvements to justify the cost. Revamped bodywork, larger capacity luggage pieces, improved built-in GPS with iPod/MP3 player support, and revised suspension complete the changes for the new Goldwing. It’s hard to impress sport bike guys with a big bike like the Honda Goldwing, but if you’re interested in buying the gold standard (no pun intended) of motorcycle touring, things just got a bit more appealing we imagine.

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Bikes

F1 Tracker by Marcus Moto Design

By Jensen Beeler 02/21/2011 9 Comments

We really want to hate this F1 Tracker concept by Marcus Moto Design, we really do. While the BMX-style handlebars might be palatable, the huge 1970’s F1-inspired air scoop is not only awkwardly eye-catching, but could potentially make things interesting from a practicality point-of-view. So we won’t hold it against of our dear readers if the comments section is full of snarky anonymous posts blasting the F1 Tracker into motorcycling hell…honest.

But before you set phasers to kill, take a second look at this design, because there is some sheer brilliance in it. Air scoops aside (we must admit, it does grow on you after a while), the F1 Tracker’s lines have a great flat-tracker meets sport bike quality to them that makes you with the Italian company would pick-up on some of the ideas Marcus is putting down here…and then there’s the carbon fiber…everything. We like that.

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Bikes

2011 Yamaha YZR-M1 Technical Specifications

By Jensen Beeler 02/21/2011 8 Comments

Along with the official unveiling of the 2011 Yamaha MotoGP team & livery, the Japanese manufacturer has also released photos of the 2011 Yamaha YZR-M1, with accompanying technical specifications. Unsurprisingly, Yamaha is keeping many of its exact specifications close to the chest, but test reports indicate that a refined chassis, and a slightly more powerful motor have been added to the 2011 YZR-M1.

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Racing

Yamaha’s 2011 MotoGP Livery Unveiling

By Jensen Beeler 02/21/2011 21 Comments

Yup, it’s official folks: Yamaha will run without a title sponsor for the 2011 MotoGP season (at least initially), as the team’s official race livery was unveiled at Sepang today (actually, we’re releasing these photos ahead of the official announcement, so in a way this post is coming from the future), along with the official unveiling of the 2011 Yamaha YZR-M1 MotoGP race bike.

Trading a corporate sponsor for a “50th Year in Road Racing Championship Grand Prix” emblem, Yamaha has seemingly been unable to woo a title backer onto its carbon fiber fairings after Fiat’s departure, despite winning the team, rider, and manufacturer Championships in the 2010 season. Check out the full gallery after the jump.

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Bikes

Motorcycle Lust: KTM/Vyrus Frankenbike

By Jensen Beeler 02/19/2011 10 Comments

This has to be the most impractical motorcycle ever conceived…but we absolutely have to have one. A mixture of the KTM Dakar 450 & KTM Freeride concept, and the Vyrus 987 C3 4V, this Frankenbike not only grabs our attention for its outrageous design, but for its handy work in Photoshop as well. You’d think with the combined forces of KTM‘s proven Dakar winner, Ducati’s stout 1198cc v-twin power plant, and Vyrus‘ hub-center steering chassis design, this would be the last word on all things two wheeled, but as its creator points out, that’s likely not to be the case.

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Bikes

The EPO-Pocket Bike is for the Kid in All of Us

By Jensen Beeler 02/19/2011 1 Comment

Our good friend Christian Amendt has a project that he’s sharing with us this week. Taking a break from his EPO-Bike electric racing motorcycle that he’s campaigned in the FIM e-Power series, the German student has built something a bit smaller, but equally fun. Complete with a 7kW brushless DC motor and .9kWh of battery on-board, we’re dubbing this electric pocket bike the “EPO-Pocket Bike” until Christian comes up with a more suitable name for the pint-sized terror.

The EPO-Pocket Bike is good for about 15-20 minutes of ride time with its current configuration, and according to Amendt is a lot more fun, with less vibration, that its ICE counterparts. Amendt’s creation is geared to 40 mph, but power wheelies are possible all the way to 25 mph with a crack of full-throttle.

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News

Victory Headed to the Indian Market in 2012

By Jensen Beeler 02/18/2011 2 Comments

Victory Motorcycles is looking to continue its strong sales growth by taking its Harley-Davidson alternative of a product line to the Indian market. Expecting to enter India in Q2 of 2012, Victory will first import fully-assembled motorcycles into the huge Indian market. Victory also plans on setting up an assembly plant, so the company can import partially-constructed machines into the country, and thus sidestep the massive tariffs India levies on fully-assembled motorcycles imports.

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News

For Sale: One Italian Motorcycle Company – Slightly Used

By Jensen Beeler 02/18/2011 10 Comments

Moto Morini’s bankruptcy has been going painfully slow, but it’s all about to come to a head, as the Italian company will be put up on the auction block April 13th. The Super-Saver Moto Morini package includes all the appropriate intellectual property, assets, and equipment (sans motorcycles, which are being sold separately) for the cool sum of €5.5 million. Should no one want the whole kit ‘n kaboodle, a cheaper price of €2.6 million will be set for the production complex with two years use included. These prices are of course the auction’s guide prices.

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Bikes

Honda NSF250R Moto3 Race Bike Breaks Cover

By Jensen Beeler 02/18/2011 17 Comments

Honda has finally given us an unshaded photo of its 250cc four-stroke Moto3 race bike, dubbed the Honda NSF250R. Despite the clearer view, there are no real surprises here (this actually looks like the same photo as used before, sans photoshopping), as the majority of the bike is still covered by the primer-painted fairing. Honda says the new NSF250R is designed to be like the RS125R it replaces: high-performaning, lightweight, and compact. This should make the switch from two to four-strokes easier for young riders, and limit the need to adjust riding styles for the new machine.

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