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Airlite Lowers – form & function & durable

Soft Lower Leg Warmers? It’s not the ’80s anymore Story & Photos by Koz Mraz https://www.kozmoto.com/ Engine Guard Lowers, Engine Chaps, Rain Guards, Soft Farings…Leg Warmers? Whatever you want to call those things that go on engine guards to stop the rain, cold air, wind, and flapping pant legs from sanding the hair off your calves. Sometimes you want the airflow, sometimes you don’t. There are a plethora of options and they all come in two parts, left side, right side, just like those 80’s leg warmers—except one. Airlite’s one-piece, full cover soft lowers can be installed and removed quickly. There are many reasons riders need soft lowers. They cut down the cold wind and rain, keeping boots and legs dry. They can extend your riding season so you can cruise earlier – cruise later – cruise longer – cruise safer. Because of its one-piece design, Airlite claims that air is captured, screened, and directed exactly where it belongs; into the radiator and/or cooling fins. They also claim that wind buffeting around your upper body is reduced. They’re efficient and form-fitting in the highway bar cover with no gaps, so there’s no cold and wet wind slapping onto the rider. The soft lowers are constructed with vinyl used on car bras which means they can be in the sun and wind 24/7 and don’t harden and crack like upholstery vinyl. The soft woven fabric backing material makes it impossible to tear or rip. The screen is made of a heavy-duty mesh for bug and rock chip protection. It’s the same material that dump trucks use to cover loads. Poly webbing that snugly surrounds the bars is also used in seat belts. Airlite uses the same nylon thread employed in aircraft upholstery and a computerized long arm sewing machine allows for topstitching. With […]

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Veterans Day Bikernet Weekly News for November 11th, 2021

It’s Crazy It’s Wonderful The world is nuts. Did you see that Germany won’t sign the declaration to eliminate internal combustion vehicles? Yet, none of our internal combustion organizations or publications in the United States, like the AMA, Rider Magazine, SEMA, MRF, Dice Magazine, NCOM, Easyriders, NHRA, Auto Club, MIC or the NMA will even question the elimination. If they don’t motorcycles will be toast in a decade. I don’t think our Veterans fought for this. They fought for open debate. They fought for men and women to be able to stand up and question the government. Ride Fast and Free Forever and never give up. I’ll leave it at that. Let’s hit the news: –Bandit CLICK HERE To Read the Weekly News only on Bikernet.com Join the Cantina for more – Subscribe and Support Riding Free !!! https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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Showtime Bikernet Weekly News for November 4th, 2021

It’s all Wild and Free It’s another magnificent day here in Deadwood, South Dakota. The deer are cleaning the fields, the sky is amazing blue and clear and if you step into the sun, you would think it was summer again. We started to take hikes. It’s all good. In the meantime, Ride Fast and Free Forever. — Bandit CLICK HERE To Read the Weekly News only on Bikernet.com Join the Cantina for more – Subscribe Today. https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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Indian Motorcycle introduces 2022 Lineup

Indian Motorcycle introduces 2022 Lineup featuring Updated Technology. New Ride Command Update, Adaptive Headlight for Scout. All-New Accessories for Cruiser, Bagger & Touring. Prices, Paint and Specs announced. “Rider feedback continues to be at the forefront of what drives refinements and enhancements for our model year offerings, and that is once again the case for 2022. With the help of customer feedback, we aim to consistently enhance and improve the lineup with new technology and wider-ranging accessory options like these for 2022.” – Mike Dougherty, President for Indian Motorcycle CLICK HERE To See the Full 2022 Indian Motorcycle Lineup Info and Photos. Join the Cantina for more – Subscribe Today. https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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Tiny Triumph Motorcycle Range in Prototype – targets 200 to 750cc engine market segment

by Todd Halterman from https://www.autoevolution.com Tiny Triumphs and EV Motorcycle Range in Prototype Now With Indian Firm Bajaj Triumph is now teasing the development of a series of smaller displacement motorcycles that the company plans to build with Indian manufacturing giants Bajaj. As far back as early 2020, Triumph announced that it reached an agreement with Bajaj – one of the largest motorcycle firms in the world – to develop and build an all-new range of so-called ‘baby’ Triumphs that would fill in the 200 – 750cc engine displacement category. While the plan called for the companies to roll out the first models in the collaboration in 2022, the project has been pushed back as a consequence of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that the pandemic crisis seems to be loosening its grip, both parties say they’re back on track to develop the bikes. Triumph Head of Brand Management Miles Perkins says prototypes have already been created and plans are back in the offing. “That’s going great guns, I have seen the development motorcycles – and the prototype for those – it’s all on track,” Perkins says. “We haven’t yet confirmed exactly what the bikes are and exactly when we will launch them but the news is forthcoming soon.” And fear not, though Triumph hasn’t confirmed exactly which the partnership will create models, it has said the resulting bikes will be sold globally rather be sold only in Asian markets more conducive to sales of cheaper, small capacity motorcycles. According to Perkins, Triumph found the ideal partner in Bajaj. He says the company’s large market share in India and experience working with KTM and Kawasaki were key to the deal. “The relationship with Bajaj and conversations I have had with the team over there and the engineering team

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Ducati to Make Electric Motorcycle for MotoE World Cup

by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com Ducati to Make Electric Motorcycle for MotoE World Cup, Road Machines to Follow. To date, despite the advances electric mobility is making in the world of motorcycles, there is only one major bike maker that has embraced electric drivetrains: Harley-Davidson, with its LiveWire. But soon, there will be more, and Ducati seems to be keen on becoming the next one. The Italian company announced this week it is officially entering the electric motorcycle segment, but it will not be doing so with a bike that can be sold to the general public. Instead, the Borgo Panigale manufacturer will become the sole official supplier of motorcycles for the electric class of the MotoGP World Championship, the FIM Enel MotoE World Cup. The deal between Ducati and the organizers of the competition, Dorna Sports, will come into effect in 2023 and will run through 2026. That means we’ll probably have to wait some more before we get to see official details and images of the electric bike, but Ducati tried to give us a glimpse of that by releasing a teaser rendering of the two-wheeler (main pic of this piece). What’s more important is that Ducati promises the MotoE bike will influence “the evolution of the product range,” hinting the electric drive is something now under consideration for the general public. “The goal is to study how to produce, as soon as the technology allows, a Ducati electric vehicle that is sporty, light, thrilling and able to satisfy all enthusiasts,” the Italians promised. MotoE came into existence in 2019 and is presently using Energica Ego Corsa motorcycles. Sadly, the series became famous not for the achievements of these electric machines, but on account of a fire back in 2019 that destroyed all the motorcycles before racing could

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Turning a Cuddly Honda Super Cub into a Beast

by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com Cuddly Honda Super Cub Turns Into Beast, Looks Meaner Than Some Harley-Davidsons Like it or not, even the many fans of the Honda Super Cub have to admit this particular two-wheeler is not exactly custom material. The underbone machine is a huge customer favorite, but most of the time we don’t get to see the results of investments made in customization processes. The Super Cub is one of the longest-running nameplates in the Japanese bike maker’s portfolio. It was introduced all the way back in the late 1950s, and since that time, it sold over 100 million units, becoming in effect the world’s most-produced motor vehicle (and that includes cars). Given the huge number of them on the market, it was only natural for some owners to customize their rides even if, as said, we don’t get to see such projects all that often. Yet this week, thanks to a garage called K-Speed, we’re treated to exactly that, a too-good of a Super Cub not to discuss. The Japanese say this is their first custom Super Cub C125, but even so, they seem to have nailed a look that might even put some Harleys to shame. The conversion rides closer to the ground than its stock siblings, the front end has been completely restyled, and much larger wheels than we’re used to were fitted front and back. The rear end has been chopped as well, making the motorcycle look more like a vintage bike than an overgrown scooter. The black paint spread head to toe enhances that impression even more. Click Here to See Details of this custom Honda Super Cub by K-Speed. K-Speed says no changes were made to the thing’s engine and brakes, but even so, the price is about three times higher

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Buell Motorcycle introducing new Buellvana® online reservation system

Buell is back and introducing Buellvana®, the new online reservation system making it easy to reserve, buy, and ride a new Buell. Buellvana® Reservation System Goes Live Nov. 1, 2021 Grand Rapids, Mich. – Buell is Back…and on Monday, November 1, 2021, is introducing the new Buellvana® online reservation system allowing customers to reserve a production slot for their new Buell motorcycle. In today’s digital world, customers expect simplicity when placing an order along with easy delivery. Buellvana® achieves both in an innovative way for customers and dealers. In 3 simple steps, customers can 1 – Reserve a production slot for $25, 2- Confirm their configuration, and 3 – Make final payment and arrange local delivery. “We have tested the Buellvana model over the last 3 years and it works flawlessly,” said Bill Melvin, CEO of Buell Motorcycle Co. “Customers want an easy transaction and product delivered right to their community. Dealers want satisfied customers, a manufacturer that helps them solve issues, with an opportunity to maintain their profit margin. Buellvana achieves that and will be a model of the future for manufacturers.” What is Buellvana®? Well, if nirvana is owning and riding a Buell, then Buellvana® is the ease of purchasing a Buell Motorcycle. The new Carbon Fiber Hammerhead 1190 will start at $18,995 retail, the Carbon Fiber 1190 SX will start at $17,995 retail, and increase with additional options, including an option for an extended warranty. Here is how it works in three easy steps: 1. Go to www.BuellMotorcycle.com and place a $25 dollar reservation for a production slot, plus receive a limited-edition Buell hat. 2. When your production slot nears, the Buell sales team will call to discuss and confirm the exact model configuration. In addition, your local delivery location and local service dealer will be identified.

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First Ride Review of 2022 BMW R 18 B

by Dustin Wheelen from https://www.rideapart.com A Tour(ing) De Force – Conquering California’s coast with a Bavarian bagger. BMW made no bones about moving in on the Harley-dominated cruiser market when it launched the R 18 in April, 2020. Drawing from the Motor Company’s Softail Slim, the Bavarians literally took a page out of Harley’s book to attract buyers. BMW then returned to the well in October, 2020, introducing the R 18 Classic. Equipped with leather bags and a large windshield, the variant shared more than a moniker with Harley’s Heritage Classic. That first offensive wasn’t BMW’s endgame, however. To truly hit the Harley where it hurts, the company went after the Bar and Shield’s bread and butter: the grand touring segment. Released in July, 2021, the R 18 B added long-distance comfort and convenience to the platform’s repertoire. BMW did more than just slap on a full-size fairing and hard bags though. The House of Munich re-engineered the chassis to suit the cruiser’s new touring ambitions as well. A 19-inch front wheel steps in for the R18’s 16-incher, the rake tightens to 27.3 degrees, and the wheelbase shrinks to 66.7 inches. That revised double-loop frame not only accommodates two-up touring but also lightened the standard model’s heavy steering. BMW addressed another common R 18 complaint when it increased the bagger’s rear suspension travel to 4.7 inches while adding position-dependent damping and hydraulically adjustable ride height. The advanced technology doesn’t stop at the tail end though. The new front fairing houses the IMAX of all motorcycle displays, a 10.25-inch-wide, HD resolution (1920 x 720) TFT dash. On the left switchgear, BMW’s trademark WonderWheel makes its R 18 debut, allowing riders to scroll through the bike’s diagnostics, settings, and available navigation. The Marshall stereo system encourages users to jam out to local

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Kawasaki Unveils Gas-Electric Hybrid Prototype Motorcycle

by Dustin Wheelen from https://www.rideapart.com Kawasaki Lifts Cover On Its Gas-Electric Hybrid Prototype Bike A peek behind the curtain/fairings. We’ve been following Kawasaki’s hybrid motorcycle development since the firm filed patents in July, 2019. By November, 2021, Team Green gave us a peek at its progress with a short video laying out the philosophy behind the project. Then, an April, 2021, patent revealed Kawi’s new 48V hybrid battery design. Now, Kawasaki has pulled back the curtain (and the fairings) on its latest hybrid build while committing to a 2025 gas-electric hybrid production models. Due to the chassis, front headlight configuration, and exhaust system, the prototype looks like it’s based on the Ninja 400. Kawasaki hasn’t officially confirmed our suspicions, but leveraging the entry-level sportbike aligns with current hybrid technology limitations. In automobiles, it’s easier for manufacturers to pair electric and internal combustion powertrains. In motorcycles, however, space is a much more limited resource. As a result, the firm couples its existing small-capacity parallel twin with a compact electric power unit. From the beginning, Kawasaki has developed its hybrid project with the idea that riders would utilize the powertrains in different environments. The internal combustion engine suits highway riding, while the electric motor works best in urban environments. On a twisty road, both would work in concert to deliver the best of both worlds. It seems like the small-bore Ninja-based prototype would satisfy those requirements while also providing enough room to accommodate the new apparatus. Of course, with two powertrains, the transmission will have to play nice with both systems, and Kawi’s automated gearshift smooths that transition. The new feature consists of an automated clutch, servo-powered shifter, and push-buttons for the user to operate. With so many European cities introducing zero emissions zones lately (and only more to come), the hybrid

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