by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com So, a decade and some change ago, the world’s favorite motorcycle builder, Harley-Davidson, decided to do something crazy: come up with a factory-build dragster that would shred the hell out of the competition on the strip. This is how the VRXSE Destroyer was born, a CVO-handled monster of a two-wheeler powered by a chunky Screaming Eagle engine. 1,300cc in displacement, the powerplant churns out 165 hp and, aided by things like stroker crankshaft, high compression pistons, a racing transmission with a multi-stage lock-up clutch, and two-stage launch control, it had enough punch to shoot the missile to the end of the quarter-mile distance in under 10 seconds. Initially, Harley planned to make at most 300 units of the thing, but the impact it had it was (naturally) immense, and before you knew it, the production run doubled in size to 600 units. The motorcycle had such an appeal that not everybody bought one to race it. In fact, there are quite a few people who paid the little over $30,000 asking price just to have sit around in a garage somewhere, as a museum piece. This is what happened to this here Destroyer. Now available for sale at the hands of Porsche specialist Canepa, it shows “no miles, no driving, no wear, nothing,” as its description says. The bike was purchased new and sat for a very long time in a larger collection of dragsters, in the select company of a Kent Fuller nitromethane dragster and the likes. It then ended up over at Canepa, who is selling it for an undisclosed price. Now, don’t go thinking this is the only Destroyer on the market. There are others, of course, but most of them, if not all, have been put to some use in the past, and are not quite as pristine as this one. We only hope whoever buys it chooses to enjoy it the way it was meant to, not only visually.

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

Russia, the land of all possibilities in terms of all-terrain-capable vehicles, regardless of size. Russia is also the home of what has been described as the toughest motorcycle that ever was: Tarus.

Tarus first made headlines way back in 2013, when videos showing a rather crudely made prototype started making the rounds. In just a short while, the videos had reached the farthest corners of the world and, with them, the excellent news that the company behind the Tarus prototype was looking into bringing it to production.

This happened only some six years later, in 2019. Tarus is now officially called Tarus 2X2 and remains the toughest-looking and apparently the virtually unstoppable motorcycle. It’s also relatively dirt cheap, at just $1,700. The bad news (because there has to be a piece of bad news, you just knew it) is that Tarus doesn’t ship outside of Russia.

There is a silver lining, though, and it makes up the reason for this coverstory: according to the makers, there are plans to start shipping these 2X2 bikes to Europe and maybe even the U.S. Of course, when and if that happens, the price won’t remain as low and the makers can’t offer an estimate on how much it would increase.

The Tarus is a fat-tire motorcycle that stops virtually at nothing. It’s so powerful and capable that it’s often described as a two-wheeled ATV, with the mention that even some four-wheeled ATV have had trouble making it through the terrain where this one handled itself brilliantly.

The two videos at the bottom of the page should offer you an idea of just exactly it can do. The first one is a proper review by a Russian publication of the production model, while the second is of the prototype being shown for the first time.

Tarus is incredibly light, weighing only 93 kg (205 pounds) when it’s fueled and ready to go. It sits on massive 25E12-9 KingTyre tires with very low pressure, which offer excellent grip and offset the lack of suspension. Indeed, there’s no suspension on either end, which means riding on this thing in the wilderness for more than two or three hours can become quite a pain. You do get spring suspension in your seat, though.

Luckily, you will have run out of gas by then: there’s a 4-liter (1.05-gallon) tank for gas that’s good for two to three hours of fun. The fuel tank is made of plastic, to further help with keeping the overall weight down.

Tarus is full-wheel drive, thanks to a front wheel chain drive that connects to a shaft-drive system hidden under the frame. The full-wheel drive, in combination with the low weight and low tire pressure in the massive tires, makes Tarus capable of tackling every obstacle with ease, whether it’s tree trunks, ankle-deep mud, ice and snow, or even entire flights of stairs.

Tarus can also float on water because of its weight and tires. In fact, the makers recommend washing it by dipping it into the pond and using the throttle to spin the wheels.

The seat is lower to the ground, allowing the rider to stretch out his legs and reach the ground for balance in this type of situation. Power comes from a Honda’s 210cc four-stroke GX-210 engine, while the prototype was powered by an Ural chainsaw engine, for which reason it only weighed some 50 kg (110 pounds).

That said, with just 7 hp and three-speed transmission, this motorcycle doesn’t go any faster than 35 kph (21.7 mph). It will get you wherever you want to be, alright, but it won’t do it in a particularly fast manner.

Not that all of the above isn’t impressive enough, but the highlight of this motorcycle is the fact that it’s collapsible. You can take the Tarus apart in a matter of 5 minutes, removing one bolt in order to start taking out parts. At the end of it, you can also deflate the tires and pack the whole thing neatly in a carrier bag, just perfect for the trunk of your small city car. Even if you leave the tires as they are, you can still fit it into the trunk of an SUV.

Made in Kaluga, Russia, the Tarus is not road-legal, but it is the ideal vehicle for off-roading, hunting, fishing or whatever other activity you prefer in the wild. It goes perfectly with your Sherp, too.

 

by Jarleene Almenas from https://www.ormondbeachobserver.com

Preparing for Biketoberfest: Destination Daytona is confident in its itinerant vending plans

The 150-acre property is one of the largest venues in Volusia County.

Come Biketoberfest, Destination Daytona in Ormond Beach believes it can host itinerant vendors and outdoor events in a way that adheres to COVID-19 safety measures.

In its permit application to the city, Dean Pepe, general counsel for Destination Daytona, stated that motorcycle rally events “are critical to the survival of our businesses here at Destination Daytona, our hundreds of employees and also to our entire community.” Some of the measures Destination Daytona will implement include one-way lanes inside stores, spacing outdoor tables apart to promote social distancing and requiring all vendors to wear masks. Bikers frequenting businesses inside the 150-acre event venue will also be asked to wear masks indoors.

“We’ve developed our own message, which is ‘Protect and respect our city, mask up and distance,'” Pepe said. “That’s going to be our message to everybody that comes here.”

When the City Commission in mid-August decided to hold off until September on making a decision to allow event permits for the motorcycle rally, Pepe said they were disappointed, but that they understood the reasoning.

“There was an understanding there that these people were trying to make a good decision,” Pepe said. “The thought of not having it with our normal setup would’ve been disappointing, but we would’ve had to roll with it and come up with an alternate plan.”

They also knew that if the commission reached a decision on Sept. 9, they had time to gather vendors and make preparations for Biketoberfest, even if they had to scramble a bit, Pepe said.

“We were very, very excited and pleased to hear that the city staff and representatives helped this decision,” said Shelly Rossmeyer Pepe, general manager at Bruce Rossmeyer’s Harley-Davidson in Destination Daytona.

‘We want to do right by the community’

Itinerant vendor revenue is one of the largest components for the year at Destination Daytona, said Pepe, which is why it’s important to hold these events twice a year for Bike Week and Biketoberfest, respectively.

While Pepe acknowledged that COVID-19 hasn’t gone away, he also expressed that “livelihoods are important too.” In addition to their own staff, another 30 people or so will be hired to help with the event. In previous years, that number has been higher, but due to the pandemic, Destination Daytona is not expecting the typical large crowds.

What they are anticipating is an increase of vendors, as the city of Daytona Beach has opted against issuing permits. Destination Daytona is also not planning any large concerts to keep crowds manageable, Pepe said.

Rossmeyer Pepe said they’ve traditionally been a daytime venue anyways, as most vendors wrap up in the early evening. Daytime traffic may go up a bit because of the lack of outdoor events in Daytona Beach, but she expects their nighttime traffic will not. She said it’s important for them to “do right” by both the community and the visitors.

“We’re going to do everything to try to maintain a very positive reputation, so they’ll come back,” she said. “We feel good and confident that our customers and our visitors are going to respect the situation we’re all in.”

If the situation was like it was in March, Pepe said perhaps Destination Daytona may not have had enough information to be able to hold events safely, as he is confident they are able to do now.

As a business, they need to be open, he said.

“You have to at some point,” Pepe said. “We can’t not operate our businesses forever hoping that this goes away completely.”

David Uhl has worked with Billy Lane (Choppers, Inc) on a few different projects in the past couple of years. He completed two watercolor paintings of Billy, one of which is him racing (Sons of Speed in Florida).

David is now offering prints of both images via a 24-hour Flash Sale.

Signed, numbered prints are now available on watercolor paper at incredible prices. But, they will only be available for 24 hours. At 11:00 am (Mountain Time) tomorrow, Thursday September 17th, we will close the edition.

Print edition specifics for either piece:

** Image size appx 11 x 15, $95.00 unframed

** Image size appx 15 x 20, $295.00 unframed

NOTE: Framing is available for $250 on either size

The original watercolor paintings are available as well. For anyone wanting to own a beautiful David Uhl original at a very reasonable price, this is your chance. Serious inquiries only.

We anticipate shipping all of the prints will take a few weeks – – edition (print) numbers will be assigned and prints will be shipped according to when orders are placed, so we encourage you to move quickly if you want this one!

Prints will come hand-signed by David and numbered, along with Certificate of Authenticity.

You can place your order by return email, or by calling me at 303-913-4840. Email greg@uhlstudios.com

Uhl Studios

15801 W. Colfax Avenue

Golden, CO 80401

303-913-4840

Uhl Studios Website

“Climate change and its policy implications are complex issues depending on a vast context of knowledge, not only about science, but also about morality, sociology and political theory,” said Parler strategic investor Jeffrey Wernick. “Moreover, the economic impact of some of the policies that have been suggested—e.g., requiring net zero carbon emissions, as Facebook has announced it plans to achieve—could be devastating, and disproportionately borne by the poor. In order for individuals to make up their own minds, to achieve a real understanding for themselves, about policy decisions with significant implications, we must allow for a broad and open debate, engaging as many points of view as possible. Facebook does not want that, apparently. They want to cow you with their predigested ‘science-based information’ and policy conclusions offered by ‘leading climate change organizations’.

“What qualifies as ‘science-based information’? And which are the ‘leading climate change organizations’? Facebook is telling you, in effect, ‘You don’t need to worry your pretty little head about such questions, because we will tell you what to think.’ As usual, Facebook wants to silence those individuals and organizations who dare to offer perspectives that do not line up with their agenda, and therefore drive policy decisions as they see fit. What’s next, government regulation requiring net zero carbon for all social media companies, just to make absolutely sure no one can compete with them?

“Environmentalists, scientists, analysts, skeptics, conservationists, scholars, ethicists, economists, activists, conservatives, and progressives all offer a wealth of Climate-Change information and a range of policy prescriptions. All have the right to be heard, and we have a right to hear them, and then make up our own minds. Parler rejects the notion that technoauthoritarians can predigest vast quantities of information for us, that they can decide what we should accept as truth. We invite all who want to speak freely and think for themselves to #Erasebook, #Twexit, join the discussion and make their case on Parler.”

Parler was founded in 2018 and has over 3.8 million users. The platform is committed to free speech, does not mine or sell user data and does not censor content based on politics or ideology. Parler continues to stand with the People and against Technoauthoritarianism.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is proposing new certification fees to OEs and aftermarket manufacturers. Their current proposal calls for raising California certification fees to more than 900% of those assessed by the US EPA for some on-highway motorcycles, and more than 500% of EPA fees for some off-highway recreational vehicles. The MIC has submitted comments opposing these fees, but CARB needs more information from affected companies. If your company has not already weighed in, we need you to do so in the next week, or risk facing high fees due to a lack of input to CARB. Our response provided an overarching business case for why the proposed fees would be damaging to the powersports industry, but CARB needs specific company data from you.

The MIC team is available to help you prepare for your calls and join on your call if you would find it helpful. Please reach out to Eric Barnes and let him know what support you need. Scott Schloegel is also available to provide Government Relations support.

PREPARING FOR THE CALL
CARB requested specific economic impact statements from affected companies. You should address impacts to your specific business and demonstrate the downstream effect it will have, including discontinuing products, not selling some products in California, reducing staff, relocating facilities to other states, etc.

NOTE: CARB has informed us there is more flexibility for off-highway recreational vehicles than for on-highway motorcycles.

Anticipated Questions–CARB is likely to ask these questions:

If CARB poses a question you are unprepared for, offer to follow up with a written response. It’s OK not to have all the answers.

• Will the fees affect product lines, and if so, how? [Be prepared to speak to product lines you will need to discontinue, reduce, move to another manufacturing plant, delay in launching, etc.]
• In cases where the proposed fees create a cost differential between products sold in CA and the other 49 states, what is the cost differential?
• What products have price elasticity issues and therefore need reduced fees (and why)? [Do not assume CARB staff is familiar with your supply chain, costs of raw materials, skilled labor, etc.]
• What specific products are low volume and low sales, and therefore need to have lower fees?
• If CARB agrees to lower fees, what is a reasonable amount? [Let CARB staff know you will follow up with a written response. Then please contact MIC to discuss.]
• What is the development cost? Lifespan of product line? [Remember to state that the information you are providing is Confidential Business Information.]
• Smaller displacement – what needs addressing? [This was part of a discussion on determining costs based on engine displacement tiers.]
• Are there products without a proposed carryover fee, but for which CARB should consider one?
• When you reference “cost sensitive products and lower cost products,” we need to know what those products are. [CARB wants specific information from each OE and aftermarket manufacturer about what models would likely be pulled from California.]
• Are there price differentials between OFMC, ATV, and UTV? [Please provide information. Are there important price points for sales justification?]
• How much lead time is needed? [The industry will need several years to be able to implement the new fees.]

DURING THE CALL
It is important to maintain a positive and cooperative working relationship with CARB. You’re providing them data so they can justify a different plan and approach for these certification fees to their superiors and their Board.

Be sure to stress that all information provided on the call is Confidential Business Information. Also, label any written materials as “Confidential Business Information.”

ASK FOR HELP
The MIC team stands ready to help you prepare for or assist on the call. Please let us know how we can best assist your teams to have a productive call.

Please email us at MICGR@mic.org

Eric Barnes, vice president technical programs

Scott Schloegel, senior vice president of government relations

from https://www.financialexpress.com

The Bimota Tesi H2 is built around the Kawasaki Ninja H2 power plant and features the iconic Bimota hub-center steering design chassis covered with a carbon fiber bodywork.

Kawasaki H2 had to be the craziest thing there was in the motorcycle world but if you hand one to Bimota, the result is something on the lines of Looney Toons’ Taz. The Bimota Tesi H2 has been revealed in its production self and will be heading for a limited production run this month. It is the first production-ready motorcycle from the Italian manufacturer since Kawasaki purchased a 49.9% share of the company last year. The Tesi H2 uses Kawasaki’s 228 bhp supercharged 998cc four-cylinder engine from the Ninja H2.

The bonkers Tesi H2 was planned earlier but had to be moved to September 2020 due to the pandemic. Things now seem on track in Rimini as Bimota have also announced that the Tesi H2 can be pre-ordered. Not just that, Bimota have also released specifications of the Tesi H2 and here’s why most are calling it bonkers.

It gets Kawasaki’s liquid-cooled 998cc supercharged inline-four mounted to an aluminum chassis with the same bore and stroke as the H2 at 76 x 55 mm but a compression ratio of 8.3:1 more like the H2 R than the SX. Power has been bumped up to a healthy 231 hp at 11,500 rpm and 141 Nm of torque at 11,000 rpm, and it is a freaky 242 hp with ram-air boost. All this in a motorcycle that weighs in at 207 kg (dry).

The front and rear swingarms are made of aluminum with four inches of travel at the front and 5.11 inches at the back. The 17-inch wheels are armed with two 330mm discs at the front and a single 220mm disc at the back. For those of you who will commit to a new Tesi, deliveries of the first batch of 250 bikes will start shipping in October.

from https://www.thesundaily.my

YAMAHA’s first “hyper naked” (Ed: That sounds a bit naughty!) motorcycle, the MT-09 took the Asian market by a storm when it was launched, just as the naked bike category popularity grew.

Here in Malaysia, there has been a significant increase of interest in the street naked category and on Saturday, Hong Leong Yamaha Motor announces its fulfillment of this void with the launching of the Yamaha MT-25.

Introduced with the usual Yamaha fanfare at the Sofitel Hotel and Resort in Kuala Lumpur, the new model promises to be another hot item in the Yamaha model range.

“The Yamaha MT-25 packs aggressive styling and notable performance and is indeed a cutting-edge new addition to Yamaha’s class-defining naked bike segment,” said the company.

“With high torque performance, high handle bar and upright riding position, the MT-25 will be a comfortable ride in the city. It has all the original Yamaha MT-Series DNA built in with a multitude of innovative features.”

Powered by the tested and proven performance-driven with features ranging from liquid-cooled 249cc,four4-stroke, in-line two-cylinder, DOHC, eight-valve, fuel-injected power plant capable of producing 35.5hp at 12,000rpm of power and a torque of 23.6Nm at 10,000rpm, the MT-25 is “a force to be reckoned with in its class”.

The new “Master of Torque” uses inverted front forks that not only provides sure cornering performance but also supports an agile and comfortable riding style while it’s predator-type dual slant LED position lights plus a central mounted LED headlight, full digital LCD meter panel with shift timing light, sleek LED signal indicators with hazard light functionality makes it an impressive looking bike.

In addition to this, the MT-25 is equipped with the dual channel anti-lock braking system (ABS) for both front and rear wheels, a sought-after feature most Malaysian riders have been waiting for.

Priced at an affordable RM21,500 excluding insurance & registration fees, the Yamaha MT-25 comes in two distinctive MT Series colours – Ice Fluo and Yamaha Blue and will be available at all Yamaha Big Bike dealers from Sept 18 onwards.

Hong Leong Yamaha Motor will so be giving away an exclusive First Edition MT Series pewter key chain for every purchase of the new MT-25.

Crafted by Royal Selangor, the world-renowned pewter craft smiths, the sleek arrow-shaped keychain design symbolises speed, dynamism and movement. In addition to this, every new owner of the MT-25 will receive a safety disc lock with their purchase.

With the constant evolving of the Yamaha Hyper Naked segment, specifically in terms of styling, high tech engine, and electronics, guests at the launch event were also given a sneak preview of another Master of Torque masterpiece, the MT-15.

The single-cylinder, 150cc MT-15 will only be made available in the market in November 2020, when the price will also be announced.

by David Shepardson from https://www.reuters.com

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. judge late on Monday approved a revised settlement with Harley-Davidson Inc over excess emissions that dropped a requirement that it spend $3 million to reduce air pollution.

In August 2016, the Milwaukee-based motorcycle manufacturer agreed to pay a $12 million civil fine and stop selling illegal after-market devices that caused its vehicles to emit too much pollution.

It also agreed to spend about $3 million to retrofit or replace wood-burning appliances with cleaner stoves to offset excess emissions.

The Justice Department in July 2017 cited a new policy by then-U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and an ongoing review of the penalty by a government auditor in proposing to drop the $3 million mitigation project.

More than four years after the settlement was announced, U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan approved the settlement over the objections of environmental groups and a group of 10 states, including New York, Illinois, Maryland, Vermont, Washington and Massachusetts.

While the earlier agreement “containing the mitigation project might have been the ‘best’ resolution of

Harley-Davidson’s alleged violations, the court cannot say that the decree lodged before the Court is not within ‘the reaches of the public interest,’” Sullivan wrote in approving the consent decree.

Harley-Davidson and the EPA did not immediately comment Tuesday.

The settlement resolved allegations that Harley sold about 340,000 “super tuners” enabling motorcycles since 2008 to pollute the air at levels greater than what the company certified.

Harley-Davidson did not admit liability and has said it disagreed with the government, arguing that the tuners were designed and sold to be used in “competition only.”

Even though the settlement had not yet taken effect, Harley-Davidson has said that since August 2016, it sold only tuners certified by the California Air Resources Board and halted sale of the tuners in question and destroyed tuners returned by dealers.

from https://motorcycles.einnews.com

GURGAON, HARYANA, INDIA, September 15, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ — Tourism may seem improbable now given the fears concerning Covid-19 but that has not stopped tour operators and companies from doling out fresh adventures, new routes and customized itineraries to woo travellers.

Wild Triumph, a Gurgaon based motorcycle touring company, this week announced customized theme tours and new adventures in there pre-existing motorcycle tour package. Considering the uncertainty around travel, the offer allows for modifications and is fully refundable. “The amenities have been tailor made for the post Covid scenario. Motorcycle enthusiasts seeking travel experience through the sub-continent terrains can now opt for a bike of their choice, a pre-designed tour package, and customize it as per their preference.” said a company official.

The country welcomes millions of tourists every year, and lately a new type of traveler has started arriving — motorcyclist. With regards to this emerging sector a unique motorcycle tour connecting Manali, Spiti Valley and Ladakh has been introduced by the Tourism Department, for riders seeking history and culture to accompany adventure.

“Nature’s beauty seems so much closer from the seat of a saddle” said Mohit Chauhan, Director of Wild Triumph. “We take our group of riders off the beaten tracks and into the valleys of astounding landscape. The picturesque and majestic view along the ride leaves the riders spellbound. Besides, touring through motorbike offers a more intimate connection with the people of the places you pass through.”

For travelers who want to ride in India and the neighbouring countries of Nepal, Bhutan, and Mongolia the bikes currently on offer are Royal Enfield, Triumph Tiger, BMW, and KTM. Prices per person for Royal Enfield Classic and Himalayan start from 1800 US Dollars for a 9-day trip to Himalayas of Ladakh, likewise for a 14-day Gobi Desert Bike adventure in Mongolia the price starts from 4000 US Dollars.

The tour is pre designed for every riding style: A 12-day luxury tour of Rajasthan & Taj Mahal that gives a completely different experience to riders compared with the Himalayan adventure, a bike trip through South India commonly known as the “Spice Route” and the 13-day Royal Enfield cultural tour of Rajasthan, Varanasi & New Delhi.

While these are some of the fixed itineraries for riders to choose from, the company also customizes the tour as per the budget and duration requested by the group. Something that amazes most of the riders!

Riders also have the option to rent safety gear, helmets, cameras and GPS. For multi day itineraries, the company installs saddle bags to carry personal belongings and a backup truck to carry spares, luggage, camping gear, tech support, medical first aid, etc. These tours usually come along with a mechanic, tour leader and a guide to get you along the places really well.

About Wild Triumph

A specialist in motorcycle tours, Wild Triumph organizes bike tour adventures across India, Nepal, Bhutan, Thailand and Mongolia. With a well-certified team of over 100 employees having experience of more than a decade in motorcycle tourism industry, they are working hard to provide the finest services.