First motorized vehicle to cross the U.S. wasn’t a car – it was a bike
by Jeff Peek from Hagerty.com
George A. Wyman made a name for himself as a bicycle racer, but he reached legendary status 119 years ago.
He rode a motorized two-wheeler from San Francisco to New York to become the first person to cross the North American continent aboard an engine-powered vehicle.
Celebrating 25 years of www.Bikernet.com
Monster Energy’s UNLEASHED Podcast Welcomes Motocross Champion Adam CianciaruloCORONA, California – January 10, 2022 – Kicking off the 2022 Supercross season with a special treat! Monster Energy is proud to host 2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Series Champion and dirt bike racing prodigy Adam Cianciarulo on Episode 22 of the sports and pop culture podcast UNLEASHED with The Dingo and Danny.
Released today across Monster Energy’s social media channels, this latest one-hour episode interviews the 25-year-old Team Monster Energy Kawasaki rider from Montverde, Florida.
“I’m glad that I’ve reached this point that I’m able to go out there on Saturday nights and live my dream. Sports are always going to be up or down with results or injuries. But at the end of the day, there is nothing in my life that I would rather be doing. It has been a crazy journey,” said Monster Energy’s Cianciarulo on the new edition of the UNLEASHED podcast.
Fans can now get the inside story of Cianciarulo’s pro motocross journey in this latest episode of UNLEASHED. Released today, the new podcast starring Adam Cianciarulo and special guest interviewer “Dirt Shark” Ash Hodges is streaming on all major platforms, including Spotify, iTunes, and YouTube.
Cianciarulo has been riding dirt bikes for as long as he can remember. He started on his first minibike at age 3 and began racing one year later. His natural talent earned the native Floridian eleven AMA Amateur Motocross National Championships – still an unsurpassed record! As a pro, the Team Monster Energy Kawasaki rider kept collecting trophies, including the 2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Series Championship and the coveted AMA Pro Motocross Rookie of the Year award.
Speaking to the two UNLEASHED podcast hosts, Australian action sports personality Luke “The Dingo” Trembath and professional snowboarder Danny Kass, Cianciarulo shares his perfectionist mindset as a pro racer and endless passion for motocross.
Raised in Port Orange near Daytona Beach, Florida, Cianciarulo was born with a need for speed. “My whole existence is really around dirt bikes. I got a bike when I was three years old and just started shredding around on it. I started racing locally when I was four and was pretty naturally gifted at it right away. So my parents were always super supportive and did everything to help me,” he said on the episode.
Soon enough, Cianciarulo’s natural talent allowed him to dominate far beyond local races and attract sponsors at a young age. “It kind of snowballed and became my life, I guess,” said Cianciarulo, who decided to pursue a career as a professional early on. “At age ten, I knew that’s all I wanted to do. I kind of understood the gravity as I get older. But in the moment, I just wanted to win! I just had that drive for it.”
In an unparalleled reign as an amateur racer, Cianciarulo became the winningest minibike rider in amateur motocross history. He clinched eleven AMA Amateur National Championships at Loretta Lynn, considered the Super Bowl of amateur motocross racing. But he always had his eyes set on fulfilling his lifelong dream of turning pro: “Any accomplishment in amateur racing was always about, how can I be a good pro? I wasn’t counting championships or counting checks. I was always like, how can I be one of those guys racing Supercross every Saturday night? I was just so focused on the process that success came naturally.”
In 2013, Cianciarulo turned pro for Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki and soon became a force to be reckoned with in the 250 division. After years of battling for the top spot and a heated rivalry with Frenchman Dylan Ferrandis, he finally earned the national AMA championship in 2019. “I just have this desire to win dirt bike races. There is just something about me that I’m obsessed with it. I enjoy that feeling. I wake up every day, how the hell am I going to win?”
Since joining the 450 division in 2020, Cianciarulo has overcome injuries and worked tirelessly to perfect his racing skills. Speaking on the ultra-competitive league, he said on UNLEASHED: “The one thing about the 450 class is that the top fifteen guys have all won championships on 250s. So your margin for error is just so small. The races are a little bit longer, the tracks are rougher. All the little things you don’t do well show ten times more!”
Heading into the 2022 season alongside teammate Jason Anderson, the prodigy is laser-focused on perfecting his skillset through daily training. “I figured out along the way that the joy is in the doing. To fall in love with the process of what you’re doing every day. And the results will come.” Asked what he most looks forward to in the 2022 Monster Energy Supercross season, Cianciarulo replied: “Winning!”
But better hear the full story yourself! Head over to the landing page to access Episode 22 of the UNLEASHED with The Dingo and Danny Podcast featuring Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Adam Cianciarulo.
Episodes of UNLEASHED are filmed on a special set inside Studio M at Monster Energy headquarters in Corona, California. The podcast is hosted by the dynamic duo of Australian action sports personality Luke “The Dingo” Trembath and professional snowboarder Danny Kass. Known for their deep roots in action sports culture, the two starred in the beloved cult TV show ‘The Adventures of Danny and The Dingo’ on Fuel TV for five action-packed seasons in the early 2010s. Both hosts have walked the walk as pro snowboarders and possess the interview skills to find common ground with guests from any type of background – sports and pop culture. Always look out for new episodes dropping bi-weekly on Mondays.
The UNLEASHED with The Dingo and Danny Podcast is here to celebrate the personalities behind the Monster Energy lifestyle. With each episode dedicated to a unique guest or topic, listeners learn about living on the edge and advancing the state of the art in the world of high-energy sports as well as music, games, and pop culture from individuals at the top of their game. More than a drink, Monster Energy is a way of life lived by athletes, sports, bands, believers, and fans – and the podcast is an extension of this unique DNA.
For more on Adam Cianciarulo and our team of motocross athletes visit www.monsterenergy.com. Also follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok for exclusive content and athlete features.
About Monster Energy
Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes and musicians represent. More than a drink, it’s the way of life lived by athletes, sports, bands, believers and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at www.monsterenergy.com.
Johnny Lewis Scores Top-Five At Peoria TT. The 74th Peoria TT marks a first for Royal Enfield at the legendary venue.
The 74th Peoria TT, round 11 of the 2021 American Flat Track championship, marked a first for Royal Enfield—the first time the 120-year-old brand has ever fielded a factory racing effort at the historic PMC Race Park in Peoria, Illinois. It was another show of consistency and determination from Johnny Lewis and the Moto Anatomy X team aboard the rapidly progressing Royal Enfield Twins FT race bike, as Lewis brought home another top-five finish in the Production Twins class.
Peoria marked the second TT race for the Lewis and the Twins FT, and the two seem to be finding their groove together, both on the dirt and in the air. Lewis ran well all day, placing second in the semi, giving him a front-row start for the main.
Following a few hours of rain delays, the main event got underway, and Lewis ran third in the opening laps of the race, ultimately hanging on to claim fifth on the night. The finish marked Lewis’ fifth top-five finish in the highly competitive Production Twins class, including a win at the Lima Half-Mile.
“This was our first time at the legendary Peoria TT as a team,” commented Breeann Poland, Marketing and Communications Lead – Royal Enfield Americas. “Both Johnny and Crew Chief Dave Lloyd had been there in the past so they were equipped to know what we were up against. Johnny rode solid all day to bring home a fifth. We continue to develop the program and each time out we learn more and see more progress with the program.”
Johnny Lewis and the Moto Anatomy X Royal Enfield team will be back in action at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina for the Half Mile on October 8. They will be once again joined by the women of Royal Enfield BUILD. TRAIN. RACE. at the final stop of the 2021 American Flat Track Championship.
About Royal Enfield
The oldest motorcycle company in continuous production in the world, Royal Enfield made its first motorcycle in 1901.
For more information on Royal Enfield North America, visit www.RoyalEnfield.com/us/en/, www.Instagram.com/RoyalEnfield_NA, www.Facebook.com/RoyalEnfieldNorthAmerica.
by Sebastian Toma from https://www.autoevolution.com
Ducati is celebrating 20 years since Troy Bayliss won his first World Superbike championship. A special edition of the Panigale V2 has been made, and it comes with several goodies on top of the regular model. It had to be painted red, and Bayliss’s race number is also on the special edition Panigale, which also features graphics inspired by the 2001 championship-winning bike.
The special edition of the Panigale V2 ditches the stock Showa and Sachs suspension system in favor of an Öhlins kit. The front is taken care of with the NX30 fork, while the rear is kept under control with the TTX36. Öhlins’ influence on this bike does not end here, as the Swedes also make the steering damper. Right next to that part, on the triple clamps, one can observe the production number of each bike.
For maximum weight reduction, the special-edition Ducati Panigale V2 1st Championship 20th Anniversary comes with a lithium-ion battery, as well as a single-seater configuration. The saddle is sewn with contrasting red stitching, and the craftspeople at Ducati also embroidered Bayliss’ race number, 21, along with the Italian flag.
Thanks to the lightweight components, the bike lost about three kilos (6,6 lbs.), adding up to 174.5 kilograms (385 lbs.) Seat height is 835 mm (32,9 inches), which may be tall for some, but being tall enough is just one of the things one must consider before buying a motorcycle in this segment.
Ducati fans will also remark a set of sport grips, a titanium and carbon fiber exhaust system, and Troy Bayliss’ autograph on the fuel tank. The latter also reminds us of each of the three years when Bayliss won the championship title.
The extras with the special edition of the Panigale V2 end here, but future owners will still have a great bike to ride. Ducati’s Panigale V2 comes with slide control, wheelie control, ABS, traction control, and various other systems to help keep the rider with both wheels on the road.
The red Italian super sport bike comes with a 995 cubic-centimeter V-twin engine called the Superquadro, with four valves per cylinder and the famous Desmodromic valves. The unit can provide 155 HP at 10.750 rpm and a maximum torque of 104 Nm (76.7 lb-ft) at 9.000 rpm. The famous Ducati V2 sound is standard.
For those of you who do not know who Troy Bayliss is, you should know that he is one of the most loved motorcycle racers of our time. He managed to get the World SuperBike Championship title three times in his career, in 2001, 2006, and 2008. To this day, Troy Bayliss is the first rider to have won a Moto GP and WSBK race in the same season.
by Ian Randall from https://www.dailymail.co.uk
Guy Martin will attempt to break the 376.3 mph motorcycle speed record in a 30-ft-long vehicle incorporating a Rolls Royce engine used in helicopters
A 30ft-long vehicle sporting a Rolls Royce engine normally used in helicopters will attempt to reclaim the motorcycle land speed record for Britain.
Engineer and ex-racer Alex Macfadzean, 77, and his team designed the ‘streamliner’ bike which will make its record attempt next year at the Uyuni Salt Flat in Bolivia.
Behind the wheel will be motorcycle racer turned TV presenter Guy Martin, who will attempt to beat the current record of 376.3mph and cross the 400mph threshold.
To try to advance the record, Mr Martin will run the new streamliner on a mile-long course twice in opposite directions, as per official land-speed record rules.
The bike’s 1,200 shaft horsepower Rolls Royce engine is the same found within the Westland Lynx helicopter once employed by the British Army and the Royal Navy.
The first official motorcycle land-speed record was set in 1920 by the American racer Gene Walker 103.5mph, building on unofficial efforts dating back to 1903.
Britain last held the record for six months in 1937 after Eric Fernihough broke 169.72mph on his Brough Superior-JAP.
But Italy’s Piero Taruffi took the title by an extra 3.31mph in the October of 1937.
The title has changed hands amongst Germans, Italians and Americans ever since.
At present, the motorcycle land-speed record is held by American racer Rocky Robinson, who claimed his title at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah in 2010.
‘It is a great target and just one of those things I have to do,’ Mr Macfadzean told the Telegraph.
‘I was asked recently where the line was between commitment and obsession.
‘I laughed, because I couldn’t say.
‘I guess I have always been too obsessed to have noticed.’
Mr Macfadzean has worked with engine builders for Formula One and Moto GP racing, and designed the vehicle that broke the 200 mph threshold in the British motorcycle land-speed record back in 1991.
A decade later, he also aided US driver Don Vesco who set a four-wheeled speed record of 458.4mph in the ‘Turbinator’ — a car which, like Mr Macfadzean’s streamliner bike, was also equipped with a helicopter engine under the hood.
For their streamliner — which began construction in 2008, and is still being refined — Mr Macfadzean acquired a Westland Lynx engine from military surplus.
Before Mr Martin takes his shot at breaking the motorcycle land-speed record, the new streamliner will first be assessed both on the road and in a wind tunnel in order to refine its aerodynamic design, which was inspired by RAF Tornado aircraft.
Following this, the bike will undergo relatively ‘low-speed’ tests at 200mph on a former RAF airfield.
Mr Martin is no stranger to record-breaking rides.
In 2016, he reached 274.2 mph on a specially-designed Triumph — the highest speed ever achieved by the British motorcycle manufacturer.
by Geoff Hill from https://www.mirror.co.uk
It may be an evolution rather than a revolution, but the latest version of this popular naked streetfighter looks good and is tons of fun, with a great engine and a very attractive price tag
Question: A naked streetfighter is
a) A football fan after the bars shut in a nudist colony.
b) Someone who thinks that naked streets should be brightened up with those nice hanging baskets full of petunias.
c) The small green thing on which I’m hurtling around a corner with a smile on my face.
The answer, of course, is c – in other words, a sports bike which has been stripped bare of any fairings, folderols and fripperies to look more lean, mean and aggressive.
Or in this case, the latest incarnation of the Z900, a very nice 32,000 of which Kawasaki has sold since introducing it in 2017 as an evolution of previous 750 and 800cc versions.
To be honest, it didn’t really need to update this one apart from the pressure of Euro 5 emissions demands from Brussels, but the Kawasaki boffins thought they may as well take the opportunity to tweak a few other things while they had their sleeves rolled up.
They started with the aesthetics, reshaping the nose, side panels and fuel tank for a more aggressive look, and sticking in LED headlights while they were at it.
Thankfully, they didn’t muck about with the seating position, which, while slightly compact for anyone of 6ft 7in like me, is perfect for smaller folk, canting you forward slightly to leave your hands resting lightly on the wide bars and needing only the hint of a nudge to leave you carving into bends like a cornering craftsman or woman on their way to a BBQ for a bit of LOL.
It’s one of those bikes on which you only need to think of where you want to go, and you’re already there.
Anyway, where was I? Ah yes, admiring the new TFT screen, which although only 4.3n compared with some of the 7in monsters out there, shows all the information you need at a glance, including which of the four riding modes you’re in – Rain, Road, Sport or Rider if you want to reduce the ABS or the newly added traction control.
Or even switch the latter off completely if you like the smell of burning rubber in the morning, and your dad owns a rear tyre shop and gives you mate’s rates.
It being the sort of bright, sunny day which makes you glad to be half alive, I spurned Rain, since that reduces the power and I usually get bored with that after five seconds, and launched straight into Road. I know, call me a wild, impetuous fool, but my family motto is Carpe Diem. That’s Latin for Seize the Fish, since you ask.
Anyway, where was I before I interrupted myself again? Ah yes, enjoying the splendidly brisk progress, aided and abetted by a light clutch and slick gearbox and accompanied by a civilised snarl, like a well-brought-up lion.
With a bigger catalytic converter and exhaust, it definitely sounds better than the previous version to my ears, well tuned over the years by waiting for the rare sound of incoming cheques hitting the doormat.
The clutch and gearbox are so good that while a quickshifter would be a nice option, it’s not necessary and would remove that very attractive eight at the start of the price tag.
Time to switch to Sport mode with a quick press of the button on the left bar, and…there was no difference at all, since as I later discovered, all it does is reduce the traction control.
Either way, there’s so much grunt from the engine that you can quite happily spend all day in the top three gears.
With decent Nissin calipers and big twin discs up front, braking is great, although there’s poor feel and bite from the rear brake. Mind you, most sporty riders I know aren’t even aware that bikes are fitted with rear brakes.
The suspension, meanwhile, is nicely balanced between firm and plush, keeping the bike stable in corners but soaking up rough patches without having a panic attack.
All in all, looks good, loads of fun, great engine and a very attractive price.
Now if you’ll excuse me, the bars have just closed, so I need to get my kit off and go out to start a street fight.
The Facts: Kawasaki Z900
Sharp: Restyled front end gives it a more aggressive look
Engine: 948cc liquid-cooled inline four
Power: 124bhp @ 9,500rpm
Torque: 99 lb ft @ 7,700rpm
Colours: Grey/black; white/black; green/grey, black
Price: £8,899
by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com/
Try as you might, you will not find many high-quality customized Suzukis out there. But when luck strikes, something like the GS650GL in the gallery below might pop up.
The GS series was born as the bike maker’s first proper range of 4-stroke engined motorcycles in the late 1970s. In this series, the GL represented cruisers, backed by a larger engines and several unique technical and visual features.
The bike displayed here is a GS650 GL from early on, in 1981, taken to a whole new level by a garage called Upcycle. Work on it ended last year, and the bike just popped up on a specialized auction website, with the current bid standing at just $7,500.
The bike modified this way was named by its builder the Beach Cruiser, and sports enough changes to make it stand out in a crowd of other GS series.
First, the body, or at least the lack of. The GS is barely dressed in any body parts, which are limited to the fuel tank and the tiny little rear fender. The frame, which includes a custom subframe holding a one-rider saddle, houses a 673cc engine, linked to a five speed manual transmission and good for 73 horsepower.
There have been other modifications made to the stock Suzuki to transform it into the Beach Cruiser. There’s a reworked swingarm, the fork has been lowered, and a stainless exhaust system was added. At the rear, the motorcycle uses a 2003 Yamaha R6 shock and linkage.
As a touch of class, Upcycle relocated the position of the speedometer alongside the fuel tank, and clip-on handlebars with push-button were used to replace the stock ones.
The bike has barely been used. Since new, the odometer moved to just 1,400 miles (2,250 km), and only 400 miles of that (643 km) were used up since the rebuild of the bike took place.
by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com
Back in 2014, a German motorcycle racing team known back then as Kodewa introduced the Lotus C-01 concept, a “menacingly retro-futuristic” two-wheeler with 200 hp coming from the engine of a KTM Superbike. Some time later, the concept inspired a custom build in the most unlikely of places.
Penned by Daniel Simon, the man behind vehicular designs in movies like Tron: Legacy, Oblivion or Captain America, and more recently the autonomous racing car that goes by the name Robocar, the C-01 was supposed to sell for around for €100,000 (roughly $110,000), but never managed to get into a serious production run.
It did inspire others into coming up with their own versions of the C-01. Somewhere in the Indonesian city of Bali there’s a custom bike garage that goes by the name of Smoked. The Lotus concept served as inspiration for one of the group’s builds, one they call Bronco Racer.
The starting point for the new machine was a naked 2006 Kawasaki Ninja 650R, more precisely the ER-6n variety. Around its frame, Smoked designed a new body and several other custom elements that make the Bronco the finished product you can see in the gallery above.
The metal shell of the build was constructed in such a way as to mimic that of the 2014 Lotus concept. It includes elements like fenders, panels, headlight housing and even the fuel tank.
The Ninja was perched on top of custom wheels, a new saddle has been fitted on it, and the paint choice was made in such a way as to mimic that of the inspiration bike. Some work had to be done to the rear frame, which has been cut and rebuilt as well.
No change was made to the engine, though. The motorcycle is powered by the stock 649cc (39.6ci) liquid-cooled engine that develops a little over 70 hp and 48.7 lb-ft of torque.
by Abhinand Venugopal from https://www.rushlane.com/
Kawasaki’s Ninja ZX-25R Racer Custom is a track-only version of the brand’s new 249cc four-cylinder sportsbike
Kawasaki has unveiled the all-new Ninja ZX-25R Racer Custom ahead of its official debut event which had to be cancelled due to COVID-19. The pandemic has caused a lot of confusion among global automotive industries with back-to-back plant shutdowns, event cancellations and rising losses. However, manufacturers have taken social media as an effective platform to introduce their latest products.
Coming back to Kawasaki’s latest product, the Racer Custom variant is essentially a track-focused, track-bred and track-only version of the Ninja ZX-25R that was unveiled last year. The sportsbike’s main highlight is its power plant — a 249cc DOHC liquid-cooled ‘inline-4’ engine that can rev up to a cool 17,500rpm!
So far, Kawasaki has not shared the exact engine specifications of the ZX-25R or its track-only avatar. Various reports state that it could generate around 45bhp and a lot of acoustic drama (way more for the Racer Custom variant). In fact, Kawasaki had shared the exhaust note of its new light-capacity four-banger. To many, it wouldn’t make any sense to split a displacement of roughly 250cc into four cylinders, but for the very few who likes to ride a motorcycle at its absolute limit (in a safe environment) will find a fun machine in Kawasaki’s new ZX-25R.
Kawasaki also plans to introduce a new one-make championship next year with the ZX-25R (and NOT the track-only Racer Custom variant). The race will be open to anyone regardless of their track hours. Meanwhile, Kawasaki has introduced a host of performance and cosmetic upgrades for potential ‘25R’ buyers. This includes racing cowls, tank pad, track tyres (Dunlop Sportmax ?-13SP), Showa suspension, new chainset, performance exhaust, carbon bits and many more.
Sources suggest that Kawasaki’s ‘baby ZX-10R’ will first hit the Indonesian market, after which it will be filtered down to further potential markets in Asia and Europe. India may not get it and we don’t expect Kawasaki to make the effort.
Even though the concept of low-capacity four-cylinder motorcycles is relatively unheard among the wider scenario, such motorcycles have been around since the late 20th century. Kawasaki’s iconic ZXR250 could be considered as the virtual predecessor of the new ZX-25R. One might find 40-45bhp to be a normal figure in this day and age, but these motorcycles require an expert to harness their full potential by shifting correctly in extremely narrow peak power bands.
by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com
It’s known as the Screaming Eagle Destroyer. It’s a factory, non-stree-legal, purpose-built drag racing motorcycle capable of doing a quarter mile in under ten seconds as if it’s nothing. And it’s incredibly rare.
The motorcycle you see in the gallery above is the drag race-bred VRXSE Screaming Eagle Destroyer put together by Harley’s Custom Vehicle Operations (CVO) back in 2006. One that, unlike most others of its kind, has been kept locked up and never used on the strip.
In all its history, there were just a little over 600 units of the Destroyer ever built, and even that was a stretch given the fact Harley initially planned for a production run that was about half that size. So, yes, they are rare, and ones that have been kept as museum pieces can be considered non-existent. But thing is there is at least one such motorcycle in perfect condition, and it’s for sale, on the luxury-oriented DuPont Registry website.
Just like all others of its kind, this dragster motorcycle is powered by the same 79ci (1,300 cc) 165 hp V-twin engine, only it features a wide range of race equipment, including a long stroke flywheel, high compression forged pistons, a pneumatic shifter, and larger throttle bodies, among others.
The bike also comes with other extra features envisioned by CVO, including a stroker crankshaft, a racing transmission with a multi-stage lock up clutch, programmable shift light, and two-stage launch control.
Unlike all other bikes of its kind, it has been kept by its owner in a “museum-like” condition alongside other dragsters, meaning it’s dying to go out and have some fun on the tarmac.
The price for the bike is not listed on the said website, but given the fact one sold as new back in the day for a little over $30,000, don’t expect this one to be a lot cheaper.
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