General Posts

Yamaha has confirmed that the PES1 sports bike and the PED1 dirt bike will be available to the public ‘in the near future’.   The PES1, which stands for ‘Passion, Electric, Street’ will compete against US-made sports bikes such as Zero S and Brammo Empulse. Yamaha is yet to release concrete performance figures for the bike, but a kerbweight of around 100kg would make it considerably lighter than rivals. The PES1 will also allow riders to switch between manual and automatic transmission modes. Yamaha’s second offering will cater for the enormous dirt-bike market. The PED1, or ‘Passion, Electric, Dirt’, features the same changeable transmissions as its road-biased sibling but is built to a traditional off-road blueprint. Both will feature a lithium-ion battery supplying a brushless DC motor. Visor Down reports that the two electric motorcycles will be in production by 2016. No power figures have been released, but the PES1′s relatively low kerbweight suggests that Yamaha will use a small lithium-ion battery pack. It means performance should be excellent, although range will be compromised.

Creator of the “Rolls Royce of motorbikes”, and born and raised in Nottingham, George Brough had his factory in the Haydn Road area of the city, where the Brough Superior SS 100 was produced between 1924 and 1940. George lived in the Basford area of Nottingham, and it was here that two plaques were unveiled in honour of his memory – at his birthplace on 10 Mandalay Street, as well as the house in which he lived with his wife, 101 Arnold Road. The ceremony was attended by the sheriff of Nottingham and councillor Ian Malcolm, alongside the Nottingham Civic Society and the Brough Superior Club. Prior to this event George Brough’s legacy had been largely forgotten, despite his many achievements. The Brough Superior SS 100 was known for its speed, with British racer Eric Fernihough setting a motorcycle land-speed record on one in 1936, reaching a speed of 163.82 mph. The Brough Superior was associated with some of the most famous people of its day and fans included George Bernard Shaw and World War One army officer, TE Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia. Each bike was meticulously crafted, and assembled twice, once to fit the components, and then again to paint the parts in accordance to the customer’s preference. Every bike was also test ridden to ensure the highest level of performance. Brough Superiors continue to fetch high prices at auction today. Of George’s legacy, Terry Hobden, of the Brough Superior Motorcycle Club, told BBC News Nottingham: “George was an engineer, a showman, and an entrepreneur. He set out to make something significantly different.”

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    Four wheels move the body, two wheels move the soul. Hey, Interesting chilly day in the shop. I’m trying to honor the dharma, but the back of the shop is open to allow the dogs access and the sun in, so if a fly lands on my computer, he or she is toast. I can’t help my violent self. I went out with a beautiful buxom Italian last night. I was still buzzing from a road trip with a 1916 Reading Standard, and a 1916 Excelsior four to Port Lavaca, Texas and back. The return trip included 1,505 miles and a 22 hour straight run back to Los Angeles, plus lots of trail mix. For the first time since I started to mess with my Spitfire Girder, it is working well with a new Ikon shock and a 250 pound rated spring. Yesterday I was tempted to peel for the desert run in Laughlin, but we just experienced rare rain and the following low turns the desert into a massive, wind-swept, sand blaster. Besides I want to put a few more miles on my new system. CLICK to read more  

  Let me introduce you to the Evil Road Spirits. By Mistress Chris Have you ever noticed those little silver, brass or chrome bells that often hang from motorcycles? Ever wondered why bikers would hang a small bell on their bike? They certainly are not going to be able to hear the tiny ringing of the bell over the rumble of the exhaust! Have you ever experienced strange things happening to your bike? It won’t start, or your clutch suddenly needs adjusting, your timing is off, the gears are not shifting quite right, or loose wires keep appearing? Let me introduce you to the Evil Road Spirits…..   Click to read  

Germany is know for its wonderfully designed motorways without speed limits, but now you will need to pay for the privilege. At least, if you have a foreign registered vehicle. In line with its neighbors Switzerland and Austria, Germany will be selling an annual road tax sticker which all foreign cars must have in order to circulate on their Autobahn. You’ll be able to buy the sticker at the borders or at foreign sales points like automobile clubs. The current price foreseen is €100 per car per year, but ‘green’ cars will get a discount. Luckily, motorcycles go for free! The new money-making scheme comes into effect the 1st of January 2016. But already many countries are protesting the new rule, since it’s targeted to foreign cars only.

Like so many other motorcyclists, my Dad was directly responsible for getting me involved in motorcycling. But the sport gave us much more than just the fun of sharing a hobby…it gave us the opportunity to become “best friends.” Larry Barnes tells the story of an Indian Scout that’s been in and out of the family for decades. Read more.  

After a hiatus of too many years, the Southern California Harley-Davidson Dealers Association has returned to Laughlin this year, by making the Tropicana Laughlin its host hotel. It’s too late to buy a room package through one of the dealer association’s 25 members, since they all went in a quick month due to unprecedented demand. But the fun is just beginning; non-stop biker activities will take place at the Tropicana from Thursday through Saturday, April 24 through 26. The Harley Davidson Motor Company has stepped up in a BIG way to showcase their 2014 product line including the exciting new Street 500 and 750 bikes. They are also bringing an expanded Demo Ride presence, so if you want to check out their whole line of 2014 motorcycles by demo riding them, stop on by. For those folks that want to try out the Harley-Davidson riding experience, but don’t have a license yet, you need to try the JUMPSTART Rider Experience! And to relax, the Dark Custom Lounge display is for you. Want to buy some genuine Harley-Davidson tee-shirts, accessories, and other licensed products? Mother Road Harley-Davidson from Kingman, Arizona, has brought their accessories and merchandise trailer so you can buy those hard-to-find Harley-Davidson products in one, convenient place in the front of the Tropicana. The H.O.G. Pin Stop is also back at the Tropicana. I mean, you rode so far, you might as well get your 2014 Laughlin ride pin, or join H.O.G. if you’re not already a member. The Tropicana is very proud to be the Harley-Davidson dealers’ host hotel and is also pulling out all the stops — put on the feed bag and quench your parsed lips at the hotel’s outdoor Harley-Davidson Plaza Biker BBQ Fest, and watch the Laughlin Biker action up close, almost curbside from

Polaris is canceling the 2014 American Victory Rally due to extensive transformation of manufacturing lines at the company’s Spirit Lake, Iowa facility, home of the Victory product line and annual rally.  “All of us at Victory are disappointed that we are unable to host the rally this year as we know our riders are passionate about their bikes and the opportunity to connect with each other, the Spirit Lake community and Victory employees at the annual rally,” said Marcy Bosch, committee chair, American Victory Rally. “We will be transforming our manufacturing lines this summer to keep up with the demands fueled by the continued enthusiasm for Victory bikes and our other products, which means we won’t be able to free up the facilities and dedicate the resources necessary to support a quality rally. We are grateful to our riders and the Spirit Lake community for their continued support and passion for the Victory brand.” While the American Victory Rally won’t be happening this year, Victory owners regularly organize local rallies across the country. Rally attendees are encouraged to talk to their local dealers for information on other rallies or Victory events that might be happening in their area.

That’s right, the Harley-Davidson Riding Academy is a national rider training program hosted by Harley-Davidson dealerships and conducted on an all-new Harley-Davidson motorcycle.  “For years we’ve been delivering a life-changing, freedom-inspiring training experience,” said Angela Thundercloud, Harley-Davidson Rider Training Manager. “Now, we’re taking rider training to a new level by incorporating a Harley-Davidson motorcycle that students will want to keep riding long after class is over.” its inception in 2000, Harley-Davidson’s rider training program has successfully trained more than 350,000 new riders with a premium Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF)-approved rider training experience that guides students on their journey from the classroom to the street with an emphasis on building student confidence on their road to independence. The Harley-Davidson Riding Academy’s New Rider Course provides nearly everything students need to take the first step on their motorcycle riding journey, including MSF-certified instructors, use of a motorcycle to learn on, and a minimum of 20 hours of combined classroom and range training with a guaranteed 6:1 student/instructor ratio. All students need to bring to class is appropriate riding gear. Harley-Davidson Riding Academy students will learn to ride on the new Harley-Davidson Street 500 motorcycle. Its confidence-inspiring handling and agility, smooth powertrain and authentic Harley-Davidson Dark Custom styling not only appeal to young, urban riders around the world, but also make it an ideal vehicle for learning to ride. Additional features developed specifically for use in the Harley-Davidson Riding Academy include an industry-first Power Limit Calibration that puts a ceiling on the vehicle’s low-gear speeds, allowing only the maximum rate a student needs in the course, and a unique Vehicle Protection Kit that allays student fears of damaging the vehicle in a tip-over. “Instilling confidence is vital to preparing new riders to move from the classroom to the open road,” Thundercloud said. “We