speed

Eight of the Fastest Street-Legal Motorcycles You Can Buy in America

by Todd Halterman from https://www.autoevolution.com It begins with the story of the legendary Suzuki Hayabusa. When that beast launched back in 1999, it triggered a hurricane of anxiety among various manufacturers – and it all came down to the top speed of the bike – a stunning 194 mph. The Hayabusa represented a quantum leap in speed and made it the fastest motorcycle you could buy and ride on the streets. In fact, it took the title away from the already insanely fast Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird, and it did it by a startling 14 mph. In answer, Kawasaki announced the creation of the Ninja ZX-12R, and it promised a top speed of more than 200 blistering miles per hour. That announcement led regulators to consider tamping down the lust for speed among manufacturers, and it also led to what’s come to be known as The Gentleman’s Agreement among the top motorcycle manufacturers across the globe. As the story goes, the “agreement” called on manufacturers to set the upper limit on motorcycle speed at 200 mph. Since then, that agreement has been violated to varying degrees, and here are some of the motorcycles that flirt with – and exceed – the barrier posited by The Gentlemen’s Agreement. The Yamaha YZF-R1M, which purports to achieve a top end of 185.7 mph, has itself become legendary for its on and off-track precision and power. The R1 line and the street legal R1 models achieve their punch following a power-and-less-bulk formula. Offering lightweight carbon-fiber construction and powered by an explosive 998cc, liquid-cooled “cross-plane” inline-four, the R1 creates 200 hp and offers 89.2 lb-ft torque. When that kind of juice moves through its 6-Speed manual, the R1M does 0-60 mph in a snot-loosening 2.3 seconds. One of these beasts will set you back just […]

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Delfast Dnepr Electric Motorcycle Sets Record at Bonneville Speed Week 2021

by Cristian Curmei from https://www.autoevolution.com The current electric movement is extending further than anyone may have previously imagined. One company pushing electric speed limits is Delfast with their most recent speed record setting action at Bonneville Speed Week 2021. If you haven’t heard of Delfast yet, it’s time to catch up as this team is breaking all kinds of barriers. Since the Ukrainian-based manufacturer of e-bikes set a Guinness World Record for “Longest Range” back in 2017, the company has fallen under the attention of many a circle, even providing their EVs to police forces around the world. Their most recent achievement, and one worth the attention, is their newest speed record achievement at Bonneville. Now, they did go out there with an e-bike, but alongside said e-bike, with an electric motorcycle based on a previous Bonneville visitor, the “Dnepr Electric” motorcycle from back in 2018. This bike set the record at 104.78 mph (168.62 kph) in the “A” Omega category. The rider of the vehicle back in 2018 was Serhii Malyk, a Ukrainian racer and multiple title champion that just so happens to love hanging out at Bonneville and kicking up salt on just about anything that’s fast. Ever heard of Dnepr? Well, this Soviet-ran manufacturer’s history began before WWII. However, it wasn’t until 1952 that the company ran full steam ahead. With a design focused primarily on military use, these puppies are still found today, some still sporting the sidecars of their time. What really brought fame to this brand was their attempt in copying an existing motorcycle design, the BMW R-71. Without any apparent documentation, Soviet engineers decided to copy the BMW model. With a 22 hp engine, four speeds, and shaft drive, the Soviet’s named it the M-72. Well, a most recent acquisition of the Dnepr

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MotorcycleMania motorcycle drag race at Eddyville Raceway Park

MotorcycleMania Breaking Out in Eddyville. MotorcycleMania motorcycle drag pre-race news release event: MotorcycleMania sponsored by Trick-Tools when: August 13-15, 2021 where: Eddyville Raceway Park, Eddyville, Iowa, USA Eddyville Raceway Park will experience a severe outbreak of MotorcycleMania when the Trick-Tools sponsored event spreads through the Eddyville pits on August 13-15. Two full days of intense motorcycle drag racing is the prognosis, and the only known cure is to attend as either a racer or fan. What makes this event extra manic is that all classes will qualify and eliminate on each day—that’s two full races in one weekend! “Makes it worth the drive for people,” said Trick-Tools’ boss Bruce Van Sant. “It’s something we racers don’t get to do very often, but it’s pretty common at Eddyville.” A major highlight is Iowa’s first staging of the hottest motorcycle drag racing class in the country—Grothus Dragbikes Pro Ultra 4.60. The best 4.60 racers in the nation will be hustling nitrous-huffing or turbocharged two wheel beasts to the eighth mile stripe in the world’s quickest motorcycle index class. $2000 to win, $800 runner-up, $200 semis, $200 entry, all run, laddered by qualifying—EACH DAY! Schnitz Racing Top Gas 5.10 index, BB Racing Super Comp 5.60 index, Certified Auto Sales Super Gas 6.00 index, The Cycle Shop Outlaw No Bar will all pay $1000 to win, $400 runner-up, $100 semis for $100 entry. All run fields, laddered by qualifying—EACH DAY! The Cycle Shop Outlaw No Bar is heads-up, no wheelie bar, anything goes. Rally at the Valley Hi-Roller Box/No-Box Bracket class will pay $2000 to win, $800 runner-up, $200 semis. $100 entry with $40 buybacks after first round. Box/No-Box paired separately until one class runs down to one. Low Roller No-Box bracket class (AKA Street ET) pays back 80% of entry fees ($50 entry

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Harley-Davidson Rolls Out Serial 1 E-Bikes In Europe And North America

by Dustin Wheelen from https://www.rideapart.com Available at H-D dealerships soon. 2021 is a watershed year for Harley-Davidson. The Motor Company introduced its first adventure bike, the Pan America, and updated the decrepit Sportster range with its lively Revolution Max engine. On the coattails of those two successful launches, Harley will now turn its attention to the urban/electric mobility sector for the first time with its Serial 1 electric bike lineup. Originally announced in October, 2020, Harley’s new e-bike spin-off introduced a concept based on the company’s first-ever motorcycle in 1903. However, the production models do away with the nostalgia in favor of a stripped-down, utilitarian aesthetic. All four Serial 1 variants feature a lithium-ion battery integrated into a hydroformed aluminum frame. While all models utilize a Gates carbon drive belt mated to a mid-mounted Brose electric motor, some trims boast more power than others. Full LED lighting comes standard on all Serial 1s and riders will benefit from the four ride modes (Eco, Tour, Sport and Boost) and walk-assist function. The MOSH/CTY represents Serial 1’s base offering. Without the Enviolo Automatiq auto-shifting hub found on the premium RUSH models, the single-speed reaches a top speed of 20 mph with a 250W motor. The MOSH/CTY’s 529Wh li-ion battery nets between 35-105 miles and requires four hours and 45 minutes to recharge. The MOSH/CTY retails for €3,499 and $3,799 in the U.S. In contrast, the RUSH/CTY includes premium features such as an odometer display, storage compartment, and 4-piston brake calipers. The model also earns a 706Wh li-ion battery which achieves a maximum range of 115 miles but calls for 6.6 hours on the charger. Serial 1’s RUSH/CTY STEP-THRU model shares the same features as the standard RUSH/CTY but opts for a 529Wh battery unit good for 90 miles and 4.75 hours to

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Brainerd MotoAmerica BUILD TRAIN RACE

ROYAL ENFIELD BUILD. TRAIN. RACE. ROAD RACING FEATURED AT BRAINERD MOTOAMERICA CJ Lukacs shines as BTR Road Race women take on the Brainerd, Minnesota opening round Milwaukee, WI (Monday, August 2, 2021) – Royal Enfield’s The Brainerd MotoAmerica round was host to the opening round of the Royal Enfield BUILD. TRAIN. RACE. (BTR) Road Race Program where seven women, who have spent months designing, building and training aboard their Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 motorcycles, finally got to chase the checkered flag. The historic exhibition, showcasing the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 and an all-women field of builders/racers, was featured alongside the pro ranks of MotoAmerica, the premiere motorcycle road racing series in North America. Starting with Thursday’s Dunlop tire test, all the way through to Sunday’s exhibition race, the BTR Road Racing women took part in all of the practice and qualifying sessions. With only two official training dates on their Continental GT 650 race bikes, the ladies were thrilled to gain the added track time on Thursday. Dunlop stepped up with a fresh set of tires for the BTR participants—a welcome surprise that was above and beyond Dunlop’s original commitment to the program. Ohlins was on hand for the BTR women with suspension support, helping the racers make adjustments throughout the practice sessions. A standout star rose to the top throughout the weekend—BTR Road Race’s CJ Lukacs stormed to a dominant victory on Sunday ahead of Becky Goebel and Trisha Dahl. Lukacs led every lap and was able to take the victory, despite a hard get-off in Saturday’s practice session that sent her tumbling. The former pro motocross racer was a bit sore, but able to get her Royal Enfield sorted out in time for qualifying, and ultimately the final race on Sunday. “I am overcome with emotion,”

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Electric dream: Horwin CR6 reviewed

by Fraser Addecott from https://www.mirror.co.uk Sales of electric two-wheelers are booming and with manufacturers producing bikes like this one, it’s easy to see why. It seems difficult to keep up with the number of new electric two-wheelers coming on to the market these days. The trend was already under way and has only been accelerated by the pandemic, with commuters and others looking for alternatives to public transport. Figures from the Motorcycle Industry Association show sales of electrics for June up 155% compared to the same month last year. Sales for the year up until last month are also up 210% compared to the same period in 2020. That is impressive growth, with the majority of bikes sold falling in the 50cc and 125cc equivalent categories. Artisan Electric is a British company established in 2016 with a “mission to change the face of electric motorcycles and scooters with industry-leading innovation and product quality”. The company offers a range of seven electric bikes and scooters – and the one I am testing here is the CR6. This is a 125cc-equivalent machine, with a pretty cool retro-meets-futuristic look. The air-cooled electric motor is powered by a 3.96kWh Panasonic lithium-ion battery. Careful riding will produce a range of around 60 miles. Haring around flat out – top speed is about 55mph – will cut your range to around 30 miles. That may not sound much, but the CR6 is aimed at commuters and for jaunts into town, so it’s perfectly adequate. A full charge from zero takes around four hours, but bear in mind you’ll hardly ever be charging from completely flat, so shorter times are more realistic. Charging is via a standard three-pin socket and a socket in the side of the bike. The battery comes with a reassuring three-year warranty. On

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Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP Races its Superbike Counterpart

by Sebastian Toma from https://www.autoevolution.com Honda has pitted the new CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP against its racing version on a track to prove how fast it can be in the right hands. With slick tires, the sport bike is as close to a street-legal MotoGP racer as possible. The resemblance between the two is normal, as British Superbike rules mandate that the race bike must be developed from the homologated production motorcycle. Therefore, the chassis and the engine are identical, but the race bike has a few tweaks within regulations to allow it to be even faster. According to the rulebook, the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP’s racing version must have a spec ECU, which allows it to rev even higher than its street-legal brother. The gearing can also be changed according to various necessities, depending on the track and rider preference, along with a minimum weight of 168 kg (370.37 lbs.). To prove just how fast the street-legal version of this bike can be, Honda Racing UK British Super Bike racer Glen Irwin took both bikes on the same day at Oulton Park International Circuit. We are talking about a 2.69-mile (4.33 km) track in the UK and identical riding conditions. Honda even fitted both bikes with the Pirelli Diablo Racing slicks (SC0 compound) to allow a direct comparison between the two bikes. The street bike was still fitted with the stock mirrors, standard toolkit, and everything else one gets when buying a new Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP. The slick tires were the only change from the stock condition, and the team did not alter any settings on the bike. Glenn Irwin rode each bike for six laps, and he managed to set a time of 1’39.054 on the production CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP, which is just 2.872 seconds more than what

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Johnny Lewis at Flat Track and Build-Train-Race ladies

JOHNNY LEWIS TAKES HARD-FOUGHT FOURTH AT PORT ROYAL HALF-MILE Women of Royal Enfield BUILD TRAIN RACE battle on at second BTR exhibition race Milwaukee, WI (Monday, July 26, 2021) – On the heels of their historic win at Lima Half-Mile, Johnny Lewis and the Moto Anatomy X Royal Enfield Team were looking to start a hot streak aboard the Royal Enfield Twins FT at the inaugural Port Royal Half-Mile, round eight of the Progressive American Flat Track Championship at Port Royal Speedway in Port Royal, Pennsylvania. While the all-new venue held its share of challenges for Lewis, he and the Moto Anatomy X crew fought for every inch throughout the day, ultimately coming in fourth overall in the AFT Production Twins main event. “Days like today remind me what a great crew we have,” said Johnny Lewis, “Today had its ups and downs but our Moto Anatomy crew never stopped working hard. It was a bit of a battle for us, but we had competitive lap times in the end; it just showed that our work throughout the day paid off. It was great to end tonight on a positive note.” After a hard-fought battle with Dan Bromely for fourth in the main event, Lewis was able to edge him out by 0.007 seconds at the checkered flag—an incredible sight for the Port Royal fans. “Within the team, it was a success!” Lewis added. “Johnny puts every ounce of himself into each race weekend and you could see it at Port Royal,” commented Breeann Poland, Marketing and Communications Lead – Royal Enfield Americas. “After battling some issues throughout the test and earlier in the day he was able to push through to a fourth-place finish today. We were proud to see this level of passion and dedication from the whole

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Davinci DC100 Is a Two-Wheeled Robot Disguised as an Electric Motorcycle

by Elena Gorgan from https://www.autoevolution.com 0 to 60 mph (100 kph) in 3 seconds top speed of 124 mph (200 km) peak power 135 hp and peak torque 627 ft-lb (850 Nm) ride range of 222 miles (357.51 km) fast-charging to full charge in 30 minutes The motorcycle of tomorrow is, according to makers Davinci Dynamics, the DC100, or its fancier, more expensive version, the limited-edition, hand-crafted masterpiece DC Classic. Introduced this week in Beijing (hat tip to New Atlas), it is said to be the culmination of seven years of hard work, the first step toward the electric two-wheel revolution that the world has been hoping for but is yet to fully witness. Big words for an equally big moment, but you don’t get the chance to stand out from everyone else if you don’t show cojones, figuratively speaking. Hopefully, Davinci Dynamics can back up the impressive claims with a futuristic cafe racer to match, because, on paper, the DC100 sounds like a dream. It’s more than just an electric motorcycle, the company says: it’s a two-wheeled robot disguised as an elegant, futuristic, electric cafe racer. The DC100 rides on a monocoque aluminum alloy chassis. It has a single-sided swingarm and a cover for the giant lithium 17.7kWh battery pack that gives it a boxy but still streamlined appearance. It rides on Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tires, and it’s painted in muted gray or bright orange, making it feel as if it belongs in a video game of some sorts. On paper, the DC100 delivers solid performance, meant to “rival the performance of their 1000cc gas-powered counterparts:” you get 0 to 60 mph (100kph) acceleration time of 3 seconds, peak torque of 627 ft-lb (850 Nm), and a top speed of 124 mph (200 kph). The hub motor delivers

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Ducati Panigale V2 Bayliss 1st Championship 20th Anniversary Honors a Legend

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

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