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DESTINATION DAYTONA BIKETOBERFEST 2020

  

 
 The city of Daytona restricted vendor permits during Biketoberfest this year. Bummer. They attempted to shut the event down, but the riders kept coming.

A result of severe lock-down meant no vendors at the speedway, boardwalk, main street etc. Events did not happen or were moved.

 But wait! Destination Daytona was open and had a good turn out Friday, the day I rode over.

 It was hot and I stopped to get a bottle of water. Yes, I did say Water. While drinking it, I checked out some of the bikes in the ride-in bike show.
 My bad, I do not have a lot to report on it. Remember, I was drinking Water…
 
 
 

 I did take time to check out the entry by Steve Cole, of the Raycycle, originally made by Miami Motors of Middletown, Ohio.

 

 A single cylinder, belt drive motorbike I believe made in the pre-teens.

 

 Steve did an excellent job restoring it, and it did win a trophy. You can see why if you look at the photos.

 

I liked a trike with a late model engine and transmission.

 

 

There were also a lot of baggers. Okay, I needed some whiskey to be in the correct mood. But between the city restrictions and water, I wasn’t in the best of moods. I’m sure Shelly’s Destination Daytona web site can help. 

 

 

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The Batman Set Photos Show Penguin Racing Catwoman in a High-Stakes Motorcycle Chase

by Jon Fuge from https://movieweb.com

Several set photos show Colin Farrell’s The Penguin in an action-packed high-speed chase through Gotham City.

It looks like Colin Farrell’s take on The Penguin will be more than happy to stick his beak into the action come director Matt Reeves’ The Batman. Several new set photos show what is likely the actor’s stuntman, under heavy make-up, of course, taking flight on a motorcycle in a high-speed chase. Riding through the streets of Gotham City, it is possible that the shots are part of a similar chase scene that has been filming with the Caped Crusader and Selina Kyle AKA Catwoman.

A lot of attention has been paid to Colin Farrell’s villain, with the actor having undergone a complete transformation courtesy of the make-up department. While many have compared the look of Penguin to actor Richard Kind, there is no denying the skill that has gone into turning the handsome actor into a pretty comic-accurate version of the deformed crime boss.

In fact, so convincing is the transformation, that Farrell’s co-star Jeffrey Wright, who plays Jim Gordon in The Batman, did not even recognize him. “I’ve worked with that makeup artist before and it’s just incredible,” Wright said earlier this year. “Colin walked on to set one day and I walked right passed him [laughs] I was like ‘ok, hey dude what’s happening, where’s Colin are we going to shoot.’ It was, it’s pretty remarkable.”

The Batman wrapped production in the United Kingdom and moved to Chicago last week. Since filming started up again following a pause in production, several images from the set have appeared online, including some that show what look to be extras dressed as other DC heroes such as Superman and Wonder Woman, suggesting that The Batman might not be as insular a story as previously thought. Of course, it’s also very possible that they will just be a nice easter egg for fans to spot amid the crime fighting chaos.

The Batman has been described as a noir-driven story that will pick up with a tortured Bruce Wayne around two years into his crime-fighting career. Young Bruce has become disheartened by the lack of impact he is having on crime in Gotham, when suddenly a series of murders occur at the hands of The Riddler. Lead down a path that will reveal dark secrets about his beloved parents, Bruce is forced to confront the corruption going on in the shadows of his city, all while trying to catch The Riddler before he kills again.

Starring Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader, The Batman has amassed an all-star cast including the likes of Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman, Paul Dano as Riddler, Colin Farrell as Penguin, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, John Turturro as Carmine Falcone, Peter Sarsgaard as Gil Colson and Jeffery Wright as Commissioner Gordon.

The Batman had originally been slated for release on October 1st, 2021, but due to the long pause in production and ongoing theater closures amid the global situation, this will sadly no longer be the case. Instead, The Batman will now not hit theaters until March 4, 2022. These images of The Penguin were first reported by The Daily Mail.

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M8 Carbon Fibre Conversion

I’m struggling. Because it is difficult to portray in words how the rider, who’s fitted carbon fibre wheels, can instantly feel changes in unsprung and especially rotational weight. How can I describe how much better the brakes suddenly work? Or how much dramatically lighter the bike feels around corners? How the suspension suddenly feels smoother over small bumps, while feeling more controlled and responsive over larger ones?

I’m also struggling to keep the crazy shit-eating grin off my dial every time I roll out of my driveway. You see every curve and corner is a delightful experience, as I swoop through them with a flickability and stability never previously experienced on a 353 kg (778 lbs) bagger. Or any Harley for that matter. Like wow! This modification is truly that good.

Click Here to read this Tech Article at Bikernet.

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M8 Carbon Fibre Conversion

I’m struggling. Because it is difficult to portray in words how the rider, who’s fitted carbon fibre wheels, can instantly feel changes in unsprung and especially rotational weight. How can I describe how much better the brakes suddenly work? Or how much dramatically lighter the bike feels around corners? How the suspension suddenly feels smoother over small bumps, while feeling more controlled and responsive over larger ones?
 

I’m also struggling to keep the crazy shit-eating grin off my dial every time I roll out of my driveway. You see every curve and corner is a delightful experience, as I swoop through them with a flickability and stability never previously experienced on a 353 kg (778 lbs) bagger. Or any Harley for that matter. Like wow! This modification is truly that good.

But the incredible transformation in the handling of my bike is contributed to, in no small measure, by the Brock Performance alloy swing arm, a beautifully machined unit that is both aesthetically pleasing and superbly constructed; a mechanical work of art that has managed to combine form and function seamlessly.

Of course, I had been aware of the benefits of reducing unsprung weight for a long time, but it wasn’t until Sturgis 2019 that I became aware of the very fast growing popularity of performance baggers, bikes ridden hard and fast for big miles.

 

And, in one of several chats with Brock Davidson, head honcho of Brock’s Performance in Ohio, it was explained to me how his interest in becoming involved in performance products for Harley-Davidsons came about, after years of focussing on high performance Japanese models.

It seems that some of his buddies were stepping off their Yamahas, Suzukis, Ducatis and so on and throwing a leg over Harleys. And while generally happy with the Motor Company bikes’ comforts, were very dissatisfied with the performance. Which led to many requests that Brock put some effort toward helping Harley riders to take their riding enjoyment to another level. Which he has done in fine style, and now offers a brilliant range of products from his own extensive range as well as from leading manufacturers.

There are some great guys in the Harley aftermarket industry and Brock is one of them, who’s impressive drag racing history includes becoming the first rider of a street legal motorcycle to run into the seven-second zone (quicker than 8.00 seconds) over the quarter mile. I was fortunate enough to sit with him at the annual Hamster Dinner at Spearfish last year and over several hours got a great insight into his mindset. It says something about him that he trademarked the term ‘Stupid Fast.’

By the end of the night we had worked out a deal where he was going to supply me parts for the Milwaukee Eight bagger that I had recently purchased from Brumby. These included BST carbon fibre wheels, which don’t come cheap, but the benefits are amazing. As one leading Aussie bike journo said after fitting them, “the benefits are so great and varied, affecting so many aspects of the bike, that they are worth every cent”.

Blair Freeth’s Adelaide Harley-Davidson Bike Works was my choice for the fitment of these items and long time Harley-Davidson technician Craig Carling got the task. After removing the stock exhaust, rear wheel and stock swing arm he prepares the BST rear rim for tyre fitting.

And now fits a new tyre to the BST rear wheel.

The new swing arm fitment begins.

With the wheel now in place, Craig inserts the new axle.

After having adjusted the belt tension, having snugged up the axle nut it is time to approach fitting the front wheel. Before doing so, however, Craig weighs it, as we did earlier with the rear wheel. The stock front wheel weighed in at 10 kgs, whereas the BST was only 6.5 kgs – a substantial saving. The stock rear wheel came in at 8.5 kgs with the BST at 6.5 kgs. The stock swing arm weighed 10 kgs whereas the Brock unit was just on 5 kgs. In total that added up to a substantial 11.5 kgs (25.3 lbs) in unsprung weight.

At the time of fitting these wheels the bike was still registered in Victoria and to get it re-registered here in South Oz I had to present it for a numbers inspection, which necessitated fronting up with stock mufflers. Which caused a minor problem, as the stock mufflers were a touch wide.

So with the aid of an oxy torch and a hammer a minor modification was made. And after successfully passing the government inspection an aftermarket pair of mufflers was refitted.

As I stated in the first paragraph, the ride is now sensationally improved. For bagger owners wanting more performance, I would put fitting these wheels and the Brock swing arm ahead of any engine mods. Seriously.

Sidebar
 

Now Brock highly recommended World Wide ceramic bearings for these wheels and there is a considerable amount of great information on these bearings on Brock’s web site including a torture test video well worth a look. In summary, these ceramic bearings are some 60 percent lighter than conventional bearings and exhibit 40 percent less friction. Technically, they are a hybrid, with steel outer and inner races that contain the ceramic ball bearings. A normal steel bearing can fail at around 300 degrees F, whereas these can take up to 2000 degrees F. They are 30 percent denser and thus can take more load and have a lifetime of between three to five times that of conventional steel bearings.

Brock Swing Arm
 

Normally motorcycle swing arms are far from being viewed as objects d’ art, with their design and manufacture generally putting function well ahead of form. But for this Brock beauty, I make an exception, seeing well above average aesthetic beauty in its design and construction. And as for function, it’s a bloody ripper!

I thought it worth sharing a little of the engineering that goes into its construction.

 
Betty’s Back!
 
Long time readers will remember that beginning quite some years back I named all my baggers “Betty”. This began when the song Black Betty was hot on the airwaves and I named my first bagger “Black Betty”. Then along came an orange CVO that naturally became Orange Betty. Betty da Silva followed and then Ugly Betty. This latter name was conceived as my bike was the first Road Glide to be imported into Oz and there was resistance against the look of the shark nosed fairing. But I had fun with the various Betty’s and now – having taken this one over from Brum – I’m renaming her Betty Redux.
–Doc
 

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Laureti Develops the World’s First Mobility Operating System

LONDON, Oct. 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Laureti, a pioneering mobility technology company, reveals MiRA.OS– a first-of-its kind mobility operating system designed to deliver a dedicated passenger-centric experience. The central rationale of the operating system supports passenger wellness, productivity and connectivity– in fact the whole in-vehicle experience. This innovative technology manages the passenger experience across multiple vehicles within a network that can provide the highest levels of privacy, data security and complete digital freedom.

”Experts proclaim that the future of mobility is autonomous, digital and fleet-focused. If this statement is even half true then simply replacing every vehicle with an electric version is not the answer. The case for autonomous and future urban mobility demands a heavy focus on the passenger experience as much as on the vehicle systems. Through MiRA, we have the real possibility of serving as many as 50 million users with as few as 50,000 vehicles; and that particular user experience will travel beyond their vehicle door. That to me is not only efficient but also sustainable,” says Macus Paleti, CEO of Laureti group.

EV companies and tech firms are increasingly relying on commoditising user data to future-proof their profits. The uniqueness of Laureti’s solutions is rooted in its philosophy and ethical standing on privacy and digital freedom. “In the age of autonomous mobility and artificial intelligence, technology will get better at accessing the most personal and sensitive aspects of human life: we are talking here about aspects such as health data, emotional condition, our intents and possibly even our thoughts. Data security and privacy will have to be a more important aspect of our service than any industry offerings presently available. When the time arrives, we believe it won’t be enough for customers to hear that the key to their ‘user data’ vault is safe. So, that’s why we are building a system that doesn’t have a key in the first place, simply because it won’t have the door,” says Ganesh Padmanabhan responsible for Laureti’s tech development program.

Laureti has confirmed that the current development phase has completed the architecture and secured its OS platform. It plans to showcase the MiRA experience along with its electric vehicle, ‘Laureti DionX’, at its initial reveal. ”Although it may take until 2023 for our vehicles to get to the market, we are exploring ways to introduce our technology even earlier. There is a lot of excitement and expectations around our product. Ideally, we hope to see a consolidated delivery plan that can bring our brand experience as a whole sooner than later. What’s more important for us, however, is to get the product right rather than showing shiny prototypes,” said Paleti.

Thanks to early support from companies such as Tata Technologies and Faurecia, Laureti was able to get its initial validation of the concept from industry influencers. The technology and business concept has also impressed officials at the Elysee Palace to the extent that they have softly committed to support the project as and when necessary.

Laureti Mobility was initially conceived with the idea of taking part in the EV movement with the sole focus on vehicle development. Now, its ‘passenger first’ approach has led the company to reimagine the mobility needs of the obvious future. With a heavy focus on technology and digital mobility solutions, its business offering has fundamentally transformed from becoming a vehicle seller to providing customers an access to a seamless and sustainable mobility network across the globe. In financial terms, Laureti’s competitors have to sell their vehicles in volumes in order to make profits; whereas Laureti, can additionally benefit from helping users to produce the most out of every mile.

About Laureti

Laureti is a mobility technology startup that produces passenger-centric innovative solutions including electric vehicles and mobility-focused technologies. The company is currently developing MiRA.OS, the operating system focused on passenger mobility and Laureti DionX, Laureti flagship electric vehicle. The company has a presence in the UK, India and Luxembourg.

  Hang on. –Bandit

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The Sexiest Bespoke BMW R75/5

by Silvian Secara from https://www.autoevolution.com

The gurus over at Cognito Moto go about their daily business in Richmond, Virginia. Ever since its foundation in 2012, the enterprise amassed a plethora of aftermarket components built in-house, such as gauges, subframe kits and even wheels. Besides developing some of the juiciest modules on the market, Cognito’s surgeons also specialize in the magnificent art of motorcycle customization.

For a clear demonstration of this crew’s surreal abilities, let’s take a second to analyze one of their drool-worthy undertakings. This gorgeous piece of machinery is based on a 1971 model in BMW Motorrad’s R75/5 lineup and the building process was completed back in 2019. Honestly, this sexy beast is a showstopper in the truest sense of the word!

Cognito kicked things off by transplanting a BMW R nineT’s forks onto their bespoke entity and installing new triple clamps to accommodate these items. They proceeded to equip an assortment of aftermarket parts, such as Renthal handlebars and an LED headlight gripped by Motodemic brackets, as well as a fresh front fender shaped by Meyerbuilt Metalworks and a plethora of electrical units from Motogadget’s inventory. These include a Chronoclassic gauge, M-Blaze turn signals and an M-unit Blue that runs the whole show.

On the other hand, there’s absolutely no shortage of remarkable upgrades in the performance department, either. R75/5’s four-stroke boxer-twin was treated to a Siebenrock module that increases its displacement all the way up to 1000cc. Additionally, the behemoth received a pair of high-compression pistons and Dell’Orto carburetors with 38 mm (1.5 inches) throttle bodies.

Stopping power is supplied by a selection of top-grade Brembo parts and state-of-the-art brake discs on both ends. As to the bike’s suspension, its front setup is joined by dual Ohlins Street Line shock absorbers at the rear. The stock hoops were removed to make room for a set of laced wheels from Cognito’s very own range. Furthermore, the wheels are enveloped in high-performance Dunlop K180 Flat Track rubber.

To top it all off, they tasked New Church Moto with upholstering a delicious quilted leather saddle and fabricated a custom subframe to support the one-off seat. Lastly, the stainless-steel exhaust headers and mufflers hail from a Triumph Street Twin.

Quite frankly, this has to be one of the prettiest R75/5s that’s ever existed!

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Insane No Time To Die Stunt

by Jessica Rawden from https://www.cinemablend.com

Insane No Time To Die Stunt Created By Daniel Craig Needed James Bond, A Motorcycle, and 8,400 Gallons Of Cola

At this point we’ve heard so much about James Bond’s upcoming 25th outing on the big screen No Time To Die, it may feel like we know everything about the movie already, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Case in point: We recently learned there will be a major sequence involving a sticky street doused with Cola James Bond will need to navigate …and it was outgoing Bond actor Daniel Craig’s idea.

Thanks to a profile in Total Film, we learned about yet another No Time To Die stunt sequence (it should not be a spoiler that there will be several) and how it was accomplished for the big screen. Apparently, at one point, as James Bond is chasing down a lead on a motorbike, Daniel Craig figured out a way to get his stunt double, a man named Paul Edwards, to hit a ramp and land on cobblestones.

Cobblestones are apparently pretty slippery generally, so the film crew had to device a way to make them stickier. Enter: Coca-Cola, which for a price did the trick. Apparently, the production spent €60,000 or more than 70K in U.S. dollars to pull off the one quick stunt, with stunt head Lee Morrison revealing that 8,400 gallons of the brown stuff was also used.

“I spent nearly €60,000 spraying Coca-Cola around Matera. I’ve been spraying Coca-Cola on slippery surfaces for a very long time.”

The James Bond franchise has been a fan of product placement in the Daniel Craig era, including some memorable shots in Skyfall of Craig drinking a Heineken instead of his usual martini, shaken not stirred. This time around it seems as if it is Coke getting the shoutout – and also worked as a cleaning agent on the cobblestones to boot.

Still, motorcycle stunts in general can be the most difficult portions of a movie to film, so it’s great the team on 007’s latest had a trick up their sleeves. Though it is helping me understand how the latest Bond film may be the most expensive to date.

There are a ton of YouTube videos devoted to Coca-Cola’s alternate purposes, so none of this comes as a huge surprise, but now when No Time To Die hits theaters, finally, you’ll be able to spot the cool motorcycle moment and already know more about its origins during filming.

In fact, I think we’ve already seen this amazing leap in the early footage for No Time To Die. James Bond’s on a motorcycle and he’s scaling some wall and clearly looking to land on what seems to be cobblestones. You can take a look at the moment in the early trailer for the movie, below.

Bond 25, aka No Time To Die was initially expected to hit theaters in the spring. Its release was pushed several times, at one point landing in November and now more likely to come in April of 2021 – nearly one whole year after it was initially expected to hit theaters. Anticipation for the film is still high, but as we move closer and closer to 2021, we’ll have to keep an eye on how crowded the theatrical schedule for next year is getting.

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BIKERTOBERFEST REPORT from DAYTONA

Thousands of motorcycles — most of them Harley-Davidsons, of course — rumbled down the roads and streets of Volusia and Flagler counties Saturday, marking the busiest day of this year’s Biketoberfest.

But on a sunny day with a gentle breeze, when the temperatures remained in the low 80s, the crowd seemed much smaller this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Still, Main Street in Daytona Beach was packed by late afternoon with bikers and gawkers.

But the City Commission, concerned about close-packed crowds during the pandemic, had declined this year to issue permits for outdoor vendors and music acts. Perhaps as a result, by late afternoon the normally packed large parking areas next to the Peabody Auditorium and behind the Ocean Center were less than half full.

“Not good,” said a parking attendant collecting $10 a vehicle who spoke on the condition that a name not be used. “Thousands of dollars down. It’s definitely down.”

Bob Davis, president and CEO of the Lodging and Hospitality Association of Volusia County, said the smaller biker crowd was reflected in lower-than-normal occupancy of area hotel rooms.

“Basically, we all knew it wasn’t going to be a big Biketoberfest,” Davis said. “I don’t hear anyone complaining, but it’s nowhere near last year. But we’re thankful for what we get.”

–Abigail Mercer

For the whole story check the Daytona Beach News Journal Website. –Bandit

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Top-grade Japanese engineering meets outstanding German craftmanship

by Silvian Secara from https://www.autoevolution.com

Daniel Schuh’s Espiat deals with just about anything from logo design and woodwork, to meticulous motorcycle customization. In terms of bespoke two-wheeled goodness, this one-man enterprise stacked up on a plethora of remarkable creations that’ll soothe each and every last corner of your moto-loving gearhead soul.

As I was browsing Schuh’s portfolio, I came across a phenomenal street tracker-style creature based on Yamaha’s beloved XJR1200. This fascinating piece of machinery was completed back in 2017, and it just so happens to be my personal favorite out of the whole bunch! I’ll tell you what, let’s dive in for a closer analysis of this graceful masterpiece.

For starters, the project’s mastermind went about tweaking XJR’s subframe to accommodate a hand-crafted tail section and a pair of fresh side panels that keep things looking rad. Additionally, the rear end incorporates a custom LED lighting kit to complement the clutter-free aesthetic.

On the opposite end, we notice a one-off number plate front fairing, which hugs the bike’s forks and triple clamps. This module was painstakingly built in-house and it hosts an eccentric halogen headlight unit, as well as a new speedometer. You will also find a pair of aftermarket handlebars and rear-mounted foot pegs that round out the updated riding stance.

As to XJR1200’s performance, the inline-four powerplant was treated to a four-into-two exhaust system with megaphone mufflers. The craftsman even ventured as far as sculpting a set of inlets that’ll feed the engine with a constant flow of cool air. Furthermore, the suspension received a selection of top-shelf components, such as state-of-the-art progressive springs up front and nitrogen shock absorbers at the back.

Last but not least, the bodywork was enveloped in a timeless color scheme, consisting of an intricate blend between gold and metallic black, joined by a chrome finish on XJR’s forks, exhaust and rims. Sure enough, this paintwork will remind you of the iconic John Player Special F1 racing livery, which may have served as Schuh’s main source of inspiration.

In conclusion, I’ll have to admit this handsome entity had me lost for words! Oh, how I’d love to take it for a spin…

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ARCH MOTORCYCLE WITH KEANU REEVES AND GARD HOLLINGER

The wraps are off, and CD Projekt Red has partnered up with Keanu Reeves and Gard Hollinger to include ARCH motorcycle in the forthcoming Cyberpunk 2077 video game. Go behind the scenes with “Johnny Silverhand” and his partner Hollinger as the real world intersects with cyberspace.

–from DealerNews

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