from https://www.oaoa.com Zero Motorcycles Reveals New 2021 Lineup Featuring Updated Design and Engineering Elements for an Elevated Riding Experience Zero Motorcycles, the global leader in electric motorcycles and powertrains, has announced the model year 2021 lineup. The updated product line is headlined by the reintroduction of the transformational SR/S, released earlier this year. The SR/S is Zero’s first fully-faired motorcycle, and is engineered to reward riders with 13% improvement in highway efficiency and range versus its un-faired sibling, the SR/F. The SR/S sets the benchmark in both technology and experience standards for premium motorcycles, and its most visible feature is the functionally advanced full-fairing. Along with this update, the aesthetic evolution for the brand can be seen in the updated colors and graphic options throughout the model line. Additionally, all Zero electric motorcycles for the 2021 line are powered by Zero’s cutting-edge Cypher II and Cypher III operating systems. Industry-leading engineering and technology combine to create a ride with effortless power, control, and connection. “Despite the challenges of 2020, Zero Motorcycles has continued to see impressive growth. The unprecedented interest in the new SR/S has been matched by the building momentum in our enduro and dual sport model sales,” said Sam Paschel, Zero Motorcycles CEO. “In spite of the challenges and closures due to pandemic-related lockdowns and recent wildfires this calendar year, we’ve continued to meet the fast-growing demand for our products and maintain our position as the brand that leads and defines the future of the electric motorcycle category.” 2021 STREET MODELS Zero’s 2021 Street lineup, which features the FXS, S, SR, transformational SR/F, and is now headlined by the category redefining SR/S. Inspired by aerospace design and crafted with cutting edge computational fluid dynamics (CFD), the look of the SR/S is defined by its aerodynamic fairing. Like all things Zero Motorcycles, form follows function. When a rider leans into the cockpit, the stunning fairing will reward the rider with 13% more highway range with the SR/S versus its award-winning sibling, the SR/F. Sitting up and riding more upright allows riders to enjoy the elevated comfort of the SR/S’s thoughtfully designed riding posture and custom-tuned suspension. The 2021 SR/S is available in both blue and grey, with standard and premium models retailing for $19,995 and $21,995, respectively. The award-winning SR/F, which changed the course of the electric vehicle industry, will be updated with all new colors: black & silver as well as mint & red. New for 2021, the SR/F standard and premium versions will each come with a low-profile fly screen. The aluminum bar ends, heated grips and a 6 kWh on-board charger remain part of the premium version. The standard and premium 2021 SR/F retails for $19,495 and $21,495, respectively. The SR, the original Zero hotrod street bike capable of up to 223 miles of riding with 116 ft-lbs of torque, will be equipped with a 14.4 kWh power pack and available with new red and black colorway for a price of $15,495. For the ultimate balance of power to weight for entry-level riding, the S, Zero’s original naked electric bike, is available in updated gray and blue colors for $10,995. Finally, the agile 2021 Zero FXS is the only companion you need when battling traffic on the city streets. Light, nimble, and obscenely fun to ride, the 2021 FXS comes in a new striking grey and gold colorway. Available with a modular 3.6 kWh power pack for $9,295, or an integrated 7.2 kWh power pack and on-board charger for $11,295. 2021 DUAL SPORT MODELS Zero Motorcycles is the only electric manufacturer to devote half of its product line to creating transformational experiences on any terrain. The cultural importance of dual sport riding is paramount to the company born on the trails of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Now, with the steadily and rapidly increasing interest in electric vehicles from riders across the globe, the off-road enthusiast has never before had as many options for effortless adventure than Zero offers right now. Zero’s 2021 Dual Sport lineup, which features the FX, DS, DSR, and DSR Black Forest bikes in all-new colorways and graphics, is perfect for the rider looking to unlock adventure, even if that means taking streets to get there. The 2021 Zero DSR Black Forest leads the pack and is the unequaled option for effortless adventure. Outfitted for any possible trail, the DSR Black Forest is available in all black design for $18,995. For riders looking for ultimate adventure and the best range available, Zero’s 2021 DSR offers up to 223 miles per charge. The bike combines thrilling performance with an unparalleled array of parts and accessories for the dual sport rider who wants to be ready for whatever the terrain throws his or her way. Available in matte brown and gold, the DSR retails for $15,495. Zero’s 2021 DS is the perfect entry-level dual sport electric motorcycle and serves as a gateway into an adventure. More capable and more customizable than virtually any internal combustion engine competitor with class-leading integrated storage, the DS will be available in all-new matte grey/green colorway, retailing at $10,995. Finally, light, fast, and capable, Zero’s 2021 FX is the perfect electric bike for finding an escape from the daily challenges presented by this past year. The FX can navigate virtually any obstacle for up to 91 miles and will be available in a new Black/Green colorway with a modular 3.6 kWh or with an integrated 7.2 kWh power pack and internal charger for $9,295 and $11,295, respectively. All 2021 Zero Motorcycles models are available at any one of the hundreds of dealerships across North America and Europe and are shipping right now from Zero’s headquarters in California. Additionally, effective until December 31, 2020, consumers are eligible for a 10 percent federal tax credit of up to $2,500 maximum with the purchase of any bike from Zero’s 2021 model lineup in the United States. See the Zero Motorcycles website or your local dealer for details. About Zero Motorcycles: Zero Motorcycles is the global leader in electric motorcycles and powertrains. Designed and crafted by hand in California, Zero Motorcycles combines Silicon Valley technology with a traditional motorcycle soul to elevate the motorcycling experience for intelligent, innovative riders around the world.

Remember when life was simple. We thought about Weed, Whiskey, Women and of course Wheels. We didn’t much care about four wheels just two and mostly choppers.

Hell, in my day, we would jump off a building to see how it felt. I know guys who went into a bar just to see how long it took before they got into a fight. We were bikers and nuts, loaded on reds flying down a freeway on a bike held together with bailing wire. Fuck it, let’s ride.

We partied and slept on the beach, ran from the cops, slept with the mayor’s old lady, it didn’t matter. We loved being on the edge. When I was in Jr. High, we snuck into any local building or government facility that wasn’t locked down. We didn’t fuck with much, except to steal a gearshift knob. I remember running home being chased by the cops. Scared shitless, I lay in bed waiting for the cops to pound on the front door and arrest my ass.

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by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com

Motorcycle shows and the Internet as a whole are suckers for heavily modified bikes. The more extreme the build, or the more different from what it used to be, the more applause and recognition the makers and two-wheeled machines get.

Unfortunately, this year we had a lot fewer chances of experiencing custom bikes. Most of the 2020 shows were canceled due to the health crisis, and custom garages, having been closed for a few months, didn’t come up with as many new exciting things as before.

Luckily, our generation has the Internet, and ideas like that of Harley-Davidson of bringing 60 builders from 10 countries together on Youtube, in short and separate videos meant to present all the hot builds of 2020 and the past years. Called The No Show, the event brought to light back in June some of the finest creations in the industry.

As you already guessed, most of them were hardcore modifications of existing production bikes, or in some cases rough builds made from scratch. That’s not the case with this kind of pure XLCH Sportster.

Part of the family that was born in Milwaukee in 1957, the XLCH was nicknamed Competition Hot due to its potent 883 cc engine fitted in the frame (1,000cc from 1972) and its sportier appearance: it was less embellished than its siblings, almost stripped-down.

The same can be said about the bike in the video below. Presented during Harley’s The No Show by Dan Sheridan from Sandy Hook, Connecticut, it is less of a custom build and more of a rescue project.

Allegedly the bike sat for an unknown number of years stored away by some Harley dealer, before being rescued. It was sold to Sheridan close to two years ago, and he tended to it with enough care as to make it ready for a number of motorcycle shows in 2019.

The rebuild, says Sheridan, was inspired by photos of bikes from the 1960s that showed custom meant just a few modifications here and there meant to make the two-wheelers not necessarily unique, but special to the one who rode it.

By the looks of things, Sheridan managed to achieve what he set out to do, as the bike does look like a blast from a much simpler and brighter past.

 

Remember when life was simple. We thought about Weed, Whiskey, Women and of course Wheels. We didn’t much care about four wheels just two and mostly choppers.

I watched a documentary called the Social Dilemma recently, about the upsurge of unregulated social media platforms. The documentary was made up of a series of interviews from ex-social media execs and professionals in psychology, behavior, etc. They blame all the problems in our society from BLM riots, to political infighting on Facebook, twitter, YouTube and the others. They said that these companies are making more money and taking up more of your time than anything on the planet. They are basically making all their wealth off you, your habits, hobbies and personal data.

The largest factor in the equation is the lack of benefit to anyone except financial gain to them and so far, legislators have not figured out how to regulate them or protect your privacy. They admitted over and over to fake news being fed to the public all in order to keep you on the platform so they can sell ads. Okay, what the fuck am I going to do?

I don’t have anything to do with twitter and dislike Facebook, but we have a couple of accounts. I don’t go to the You tube channel, but I do look at You tubes folks send to me. Very rarely do I run a link to a You Tube clip or video on Bikernet. Bottom line, I’m going to back off my use of all these platforms as much as possible.

My grandson uses Instagram and shopify exclusively. He thinks that platform is the shit. I like content. I like to be able to go into the internet and search for something and get the whole story, not a snippet. I like to search for parts, find them easily and get back to the shop.

That depressing film examined how social media messes with kid’s minds. The conceived peer pressure is insane. Suicides have gone through the roof. Kids are afraid to do anything, afraid to go outside and afraid to get a driver’s license. They are afraid to date, to interact with other kids or trust adults.

Hell, in my day, we would jump off a building to see how it felt. I know guys who went into a bar just to see how long it took before they got into a fight. We were bikers and nuts, loaded on reds flying down a freeway on a bike held together with bailing wire. Fuck it, let’s ride.

We partied and slept on the beach, ran from the cops, slept with the mayor’s old lady, it didn’t matter. We loved being on the edge. When I was in Jr. High, we snuck into any local building or government facility that wasn’t locked down. We didn’t fuck with much, except to steal a gearshift knob. I remember running home being chased by the cops. Scared shitless, I lay in bed waiting for the cops to pound on the front door and arrest my ass.

Motorcycles were special. They were sorta violent, like a nasty long-barreled revolver and sexy like a woman. I think, if I hadn’t gotten into choppers, I would have become a pimp. It was women or custom motorcycles. With motorcycles I got a taste of both power, freedom and sex.

I had a conversation recently with a chopper-rider and family man. There was a time when the two didn’t mix well. We were too busy ripping up the streets to deal with families. My dad kicked me out, when I first became a biker. That was fine with me. If we had gone to blows, I might have hurt the nasty bastard.

So, we all ultimately got married and some brothers settled down. Some ol’ ladies forced brothers to stay away from clubs or even give up their motorcycles. Some did, some said fuck it, and rode into the sunset and into the arms of another broad.

I’m sure a lot of guys don’t like my marital record, my five wives and all the broads in between. Believe me, there are some situations I wish had slipped in a different more tender direction. Each to his own, although I do feel strongly about kids. Once you get in the kid game you need to stick around for them. It’s critical to the growth of kids. I was once on the board of directors of some group homes for abandoned boys, or kids who had alcoholic or drug addicted folks. Those homes were the last stop before detention camps.

These kids looked as if you had just chopped off one of their legs. They were incomplete without their folks. And a single mom just doesn’t have enough hours in a day to handle a couple of kids and teach them like a mom would love to.

I wish I knew where the hell I was going with this? I had a blast and never stopped. And women were my drug, like snorting a massive line of cocaine. Riding to a woman’s side was heaven on earth. Gives me chills just thinking about the lure, the touch, the chase, the adventure and the tenderness. But when I needed to peel out, the road called, and I had to move.

I woke up this morning thinking about the above topics and how they played out in Easyriders Magazine and now in the current Choppers Magazine. Something dawned on me. A couple of times I sent my books to Clint Eastwood. I felt he was the man to turn Chopper riding stories into the westerns of the 21st Century. No one ever got back to me.

In a sense, the western story line has never changed. It’s still the loner approaching an unfriendly town, run by outlaws, an unscrupulous lawman and the gangster landowner who wants it all. It’s about single characters who looked for love in all the wrong places.

In simplistic words, the Western didn’t ever change, and wasn’t forced to shift with the times. Hell, history says the old west only lasted about 20 years, before trains, planes and automobiles came into the picture. But the true western still lives on 100 years later.

Easyriders magazine tried to change with the times, and I was apart of the transition. And now the Chopper Magazine arena is being tested. The new ER owners don’t know what to do or how to do it. But in the hearts and minds of the true outlaw, we understand. In our guts we know the code of the West and still relish the symbol of the outlaw, the untamed, the never-say-die notions and creeds of the loner. In our hearts nothing has ever changed. The wind, the open road, the whiskey and the women will never stop calling us.

–Bandit

by Elena Gorgan from https://www.autoevolution.com

Imagine a situation in which you can customize your dream vehicle based on your preferred position of riding. Then, imagine being able to further customize that vehicle and have it easily managed, carried and stored, without having to worry about storage or whether you’re strong enough to carry it. A POIMO would be just right for what you’re looking.

POIMO stands for “POrtable and Inflatable MObility,” a concept by Mercari R4D. The first iteration of the POIMO was unveiled earlier this year and now designers, in collaboration with the Kawahara and Niiyama labs from the University of Tokyo, have come up with the second model. It’s the customizable inflatable vehicle mentioned above, and it could be either an electric motorcycle or a manual wheelchair.

The idea is to create a means of transportation that would be easy to carry and put together, offer none of the downsides of having a solid frame related to parking or storage, and still be as efficient. Being customizable from a single picture of the rider’s posture would also be a plus, one that fixed-framed vehicles won’t have.

Designers say that everything on the bike would be made of the same inflatable material, even the wheels. That may be the case with the manual wheelchair, but we assume an electric motorcycle would require at least some components not made from fabric, no matter how durable it was.

Riding on inflatable wheels also seems a strange proposition for a motorcycle, but the designers promise you won’t feel the difference between this one and the real thing. In theory. Let’s not even get into how safe this would be in traffic. That balloon material will absorb shocks and bumps alright, but it will still be like sailing on an inflatable swan into a speedboat convention.

In case you’re wondering how this would work, the theory is this:

“For example, when designing an electric motorcycle type POIMO, the user first imagines the motorcycle he wants to make and then poses to ride it using a chair or the like,” the designers explain.

“The software extracts 3D information of posture from it, automatically designs a vehicle of shape and size according to the user’s pose, and displays it on the screen as a 3D model. Based on the proposed design, users can further customize the steering wheel, seat position, etc. at this time, the design parameters are automatically adjusted by the software so that the strength, stability, and operability are not impaired. The final design that has been adjusted is output as data that can be ordered as it is.”

One could argue that sitting on a motorcycle (or a bicycle, for that matter) has little to do with sitting on a chair as regards body posture, so even if you were to design an inflatable two-wheeler using this customizable method, you have no guarantee for a comfortable ride. But the idea behind the project is to try and offer customizable vehicles – and it stops at that. “Even if you are not an expert, you can easily design personal mobility,” the designers say.

An inflatable vehicle would also come with considerable advantages in terms of convenience. In crowded urban areas where it would be used, like Tokyo, people live in small apartments where they don’t have space to store a bicycle, or they can’t afford risk having their motorcycle stolen from the parking lot. Neatly packing your ride into your backpack after you get to your destination would surely do away with this issue.

Available at the bottom of the page is a video demonstration of the new POIMO iteration, the electric motorcycle and the wheelchair. They both look ridiculous, to be sure. But it’s important to stress – and remember – that this is research into a concept that serves as possible learning experience, and not an actual product that will be sold as such. The research will be presented at UIST 2020.

 

Women’s Racy Leather Hoodie Jacket

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

Are you ready to meet the grooviest Sportster Forty-Eight that’s ever roamed our roads?

As of 2010, a gifted aftermarket wizard named Winston Yeh founded Rough Crafts in the Taiwanese capital of Taipei. His enterprise specializes in developing an extensive selection of aftermarket items, as well as creating some of the raddest custom two-wheeled masterpieces you’ll ever have the honor to encounter.

Generally speaking, the workshop’s range tends to revolve around Harley-Davidson’s creations, but the RC team will gladly tackle just about any motorcycle brand on their magnificent bespoke exploits. As I was navigating through the firm’s portfolio, I stumbled upon a glorious creature based on a 2012 Sportster Forty-Eight.

This build was completed back in 2015 and served to let everyone know these folks aren’t playing around. It features an intricate display of meticulous craftmanship that’ll leave you genuinely speechless. In fact, let’s take a minute to examine what’s at hand here.

The donor is put in motion by a malicious Evolution V-twin behemoth, with an astronomical displacement of 1,199cc. At approximately 4,000 rpm, this nasty piece of air-cooled machinery will generate up to 79 pound-feet (107 Nm) of ruthless twisting force. A five-speed transmission channels the engine’s unholy power to a belt final drive.

Rough Crafts kicked things off by outsourcing a retro Dunstall GT front fairing replica and reshaping its windshield to fit the desired aesthetic. Instead of discarding its factory gas tank, the crew went about sculpting a pair of knee dents that complement the lines of the aftermarket front fairing.

Ultimately, these refinements add up to a stunningly fluid design language. At the rear, we notice a single-seater quilted leather saddle and one handsome cafe racer-style tail section, which houses the bike’s relocated oil tank.

Next, RC browsed The Speed Merchant’s inventory to obtain a custom triple clamp. You will find that it grips a Sportster 883R’s forks, offering a considerable suspension upgrade. Additionally, the brakes were also treated to a comprehensive makeover, receiving a blend of top-shelf Lyndall Racing Brakes units.

Forty-Eight’s Evolution V-twin is allowed to breathe with ease thanks to a Super E S&S carburetor and a fresh two-into-one exhaust system that manages to look the business. The latter wears a stainless-steel reverse megaphone muffler fabricated in-house.

Lastly, the finishing touches consisted of equipping clip-on handlebars, a grille headlight and rear-mounted foot pegs, besides a new filler cap and a set of sinister levers that round out the updated appearance.

If you’re digging this XL1200X Sportster Forty-Eight as much as I am, then I’d strongly encourage that you head over to Rough Crafts’ Instagram and Facebook pages. Their remarkable works of moto art will have you drooling!

by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com

It was only at the end of August that Harley-Davidson announced the availability of “the biggest, most powerful street-compliant engine Harley-Davidson has ever created,” the crate Screamin’ Eagle 131. But since a complete engine swap might seem a bit extreme for some, here come some upgrade kits for a slightly smaller tuning job.

There are a number of them made available this week by the Milwaukee bike maker, dedicated to Softail bikes manufactured from 2018 and Touring motorcycles made from 2017.

The biggest and most extreme is the 114ci to 131ci upgrade, one that is described by the company as “the largest Harley-Davidson bolt-on engine upgrade to any Milwaukee-Eight motor.” Sporting things like CNC-ported heads with 1 mm bigger valves, high-lift SE8-517 cam, high compression pistons and a 64 mm throttle body and intake manifold, the kit gets the engine’s power all the way up to 124 hp and 135 ft-lb of torque – these levels are achieved when the upgrade kit is backed by the Screamin’ Eagle Street Cannon Mufflers.

Next up is the 107ci to 128ci upgrade, featuring, naturally, about the same changes. In this case, the output levels go to the same horsepower rating as with the larger kit, 124 hp, but torque output is somewhat lower, at 127 ft-lb of torque – Screamin’ Eagle Street Cannon Mufflers are needed here as well.

The 114ci/117ci to 122ci upgrade also brings increased power. Depending on the bike it is used on, there are up to 15 percent more horsepower and 13 percent more torque squeezed out of the engine. Last but not least is the 107ci to 119ci upgrade that adds 23 percent more horsepower and 17 percent more torque.

The new kits are already out, and you can find more information about them on the bike maker’s website. You should note that Harley offers 24-month vehicle limited warranty when the kits are dealer-installed within 60 days of vehicle purchase, or 12 month otherwise.

by Morgan Gales from https://www.cycleworld.com

Hiding from the rain, smoking a cigarette outside a bar in Milwaukee, J. Shia’s eyes flicker and dart as she talks about the pull-start BSA she had brought to the Mama Tried Show that year. The passion in her words is curling her shoulders forward and bursting from her fingertips as she speaks.

“This bike reminds me of Brad Pitt from Fight Club,” Shia says of her BSA custom—the first member of the dysfunctional motor­cycle family she is building. “This little, scrappy street-fighter kid, soccer-player kid. The pull-start is so aggressive. I was like, I wonder what his mom would be like…”

Shia continues, half remembering her concept and half creating it as she goes: “He’s an assh—e, but his mom would be this mean, old, chain-smoking, back-alley, ­London cobblestone b—h. I’m like, I need to build his mom. So the bike I built is his mother.” And so, Devil’s Advocate, bad mother to a street-fighting kid, was built.

It’s not your average custom-build backstory, but Shia is not your average custom builder. Her heritage is Lebanese and Syrian, and she is descended from tinsmiths. Devil’s Advocate is a 1957 Royal Enfield Indian that’s been cut, stretched, lowered, and reworked in a way that truly justifies the name of Shia’s Boston workshop: Madhouse Motors. It’s a bike that lies somewhere between sculptural artwork, historical significance, and a functional machine. It’s self-expression on two wheels in a way that only Shia does. It doesn’t look like other motorcycles, and with a foot throttle and tank shift, it doesn’t work like other motorcycles.

So, how is this bike both a Royal Enfield and an Indian? When Indian Motorcycle declared bankruptcy in 1953, the company was liquidated, but the brand name was sold to a British company called Brockhouse Engineering. For years it continued to export Royal Enfields to the US, lightly customize them, and rebrand them as Indians, with names like Apache and Tomahawk. The largest of the imported models were 700cc parallel twins like the bike that became Devil’s Advocate.

As the owner and builder at Madhouse, whose bread-and-butter business is the restoration, repair, and main­tenance of classic motorcycles, Shia is an enigmatic creative with broad interests. From hands-on welding and fabrication, to maintenance and delivery, to her other passions like photography and raising her son, she is a storyteller above all else. Tattoos adorn her body from neck to knuckles, showing her cultural heritage, her past, or just serving to help define her through decoration. As you study any of her custom bikes, you’ll find obscure, even weird details—each inevitably with a story of its own. Like the egg slicer she stole from her grandmother’s kitchen to make into a taillight, or the old foot-sizing device that was sawed in half to make a kind of footpeg.

Shia continues to describe Devil’s Advocate and the reasoning behind the foot throttle: “She’s too dominant to even function the way other bikes function. She’s lazy. That’s why she uses her foot.”

Other details include handlebar risers adapted to lower frame tubes that function as rearward-facing mounts for the footpegs and handmade throttle pedal. The original swingarm was extended, and two tall shocks were installed beneath the seat, both lowering and lengthening the bike. The front end was dropped and resprung to suit the new stance. The headlight is a repurposed spotlight from a police vehicle that retains its handle, allowing manual adjustment of the beam. Spring-wrapped handlebars and spring-filled exhaust pipes were fabricated in-house by Shia, with open windows in the latter to show off the springs. A manual gearshift lever extends through a slot in the tank.

The bike wasn’t meant to be pretty or fast, it was meant to upset the status quo. To be different. To push the envelope and do something new, and just like Shia, it does all of that in a uniquely elegant fashion. And she’s only just begun: “Next, I’m going to build the twin brother, the little sister, this whole dysfunctional family.”

The passion in her words means you know this story is going to be good and completely unexpected.

 

 

 

 

 

BE THERE BE THERE BE THERE.

–BANDIT