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Aug 17

Burt Munro Inducted Into Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Hall Of Fame

By General Posts

Landspeed Racing Icon & Record-holder Immortalized for Lifetime Achievements

An innovator, daredevil, and one of motorcycling’s greatest legends, Burt Munro is getting his respects from the Sturgis Museum Hall of Fame.

Indian Motorcycle, the first motorcycle company in America, is commemorating the induction of Burt Munro into the prestigious Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame. Revered as an icon in motorcycle racing and a holder of land speed records, Munro’s unyielding determination to etch his name into the record books has left an indelible mark on successive generations of riders.

Aaron Jax, Vice President of Indian Motorcycle, emphasized that the history of motorcycles would be incomplete without the mention of Burt Munro. His narratives have influenced the identity of Indian Motorcycle, as it persistently emulates Burt’s spirit by pushing boundaries, fostering innovation, and paving novel pathways.

Originally from Invercargill, New Zealand, Munro developed an insatiable appetite for speed, encapsulated in his famous saying, “You live more in five minutes on a bike like this going flat out than some people live in a lifetime.” Over the course of decades, Munro dedicated himself to restoring and fine-tuning his 1920 Indian Scout within the confines of his garage. His relentless efforts culminated in setting three world records at the iconic Bonneville Salt Flats. An astonishing feat came in 1967, when Munro, at the age of 68, established a record of 184.087 mph for under-1,000cc motorcycles—a record that remains unbroken to this day.

Gary Gray, Vice President of Racing, Technology, and Service at Indian Motorcycle, says of Munro, “Burt is a legend. His accomplishments, through trials and tribulations, inspire our racing efforts today.” While it may be overdue, it’s quite an achievement for Burt to be enshrined into the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame, and we’re incredibly proud and grateful to celebrate Burt Munro not just today, but everyday.”

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame pays tribute to exceptional individuals who have made enduring contributions to the motorcycle community. This Hall of Fame celebrates forward-thinking pioneers, showcasing their remarkable achievements and unwavering ardor.

Among the esteemed inductees for the class of 2023 are the 1981 Des Nations Team USA, Burt Munro, Chris Callen, Jay Allen, Roland Sands, Russel Radke, and Scott Jacobs. Further information can be found at SturgisMuseum.com.

(Press Release)

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Jul 09

Granddad Breaks World Speed Record With Steam Bike

By General Posts

Graham Sykes had a passion for speed for most of his life. He has been associated with motorsports since 1979 and turns 60 years old in 2023. Even his wife is involved in the engineering efforts of this engineer.

Sykes has created a steam-powered monster named ‘Force of Nature’ which clocked a 3.878-second, 163.8 mph standing start run on a 1/8 mile. This was at Elvington Speed Week in May 2023.

This is officially a new world record for a steam-powered motorcycle. It reached an exit speed of 163.8 miles per hour.

For racing this unique creation, water is heated using hydrogenated vegetable oil, keeping the pursuit of speed as environmentally friendly as possible. The granddad rider was zooming at 180mph while doing this, but that wasn’t part of this record-breaking achievement. It may not be surprising that he was riding his own ‘force’.

Certified by the UK and ITA governing body for UK and European Land Speed Records this machine was a journey that was 10 years in the making. Sykes had already set a British national speed record in 2015 for a three-wheeled vehicle. That V8-powered three-wheeler had a top speed of 180.3 mph with an average speed of 171.4 mph on quarter mile.

With 9 grand-kids, Sykes wanted to aim for a ‘Force of Nature’ that was environmentally friendly. He has no intention to stop the pursuit of speed and action. His next goal is to surpass the milestone of 200 mph on a standing 1/8-mile run.

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Jan 05

Honda RC213V-S Breaks Auction World Record

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An as-new example of Honda’s RC213V-S has just broken a new world record, becoming the most expensive Japanese motorcycle ever sold at auction.

Hosted by specialist automotive marketplace Collecting Cars, the ‘MotoGP bike for the road’ sold for a remarkable total sales price of £182,500.

The rare superbike has never been ridden and remains in its original flight case, with just one mile on the odometer. Having never left its shipping crate, the bike is totally pristine with absolutely no damage or wear.

Created with a focus on light weight and agility, the RC213V-S is a road-legal MotoGP bike, built around a hand-fabricated aluminium frame with carbon-fibre body panels and titanium fasteners, resulting in a dry weight of just 170kg.

Powered by a 999cc four-stroke V4 engine, this 2016 model also features the full HRC Race Kit, which comprises a recalibrated ECU, a titanium exhaust system, a front ram duct, a race-pattern quickshifter, a data logger and a remote control cable for the front brake lever. These upgrades reduce the bike’s total weight by 10kg and increase power output from 157hp to 215hp.

Also fitted are some of the highest quality components available, including Ohlins TTX front forks, powerful Brembo brakes and forged magnesium Marchesini Racing wheels.

Edward Lovett, founder of Collecting Cars, said:

“Honda’s RC213V-S is a thrilling, exquisitely crafted machine, and this example attracted global attention and extremely competitive bidding on Collecting Cars. We are proud to have achieved yet another world-record sales price – this time for an incredible road-legal MotoGP that will be a jewel in the new owner’s collection.”

To find out more information on this lot, visit Collecting Cars.
https://collectingcars.com/for-sale/2016-honda-rc213v-s-1

Compared to traditional car auctions, Collecting Cars offers significantly better value for sellers and buyers alike. For sellers, the detailed photographic presentation and professional descriptions mean their car is showcased in the best possible way, and is marketed to a huge captive audience of passionate enthusiasts. Furthermore, there is no listing fee, and they receive 100% of the hammer price.

For buyers, the premium on auction lots is levied at just 5% + VAT – substantially lower than traditional auction houses, which typically charge 12% or more – and is capped at £6,000. On hammer prices above £100,000 this means that the buyer’s premium is even less than 6%.

About Collecting Cars:
Collecting Cars is an online auction platform that curates consignments from around the world and markets them to a global audience.

The streamlined and transparent process makes buying and selling cars, motorbikes, and automobilia via its online auctions one of the most effective and hassle-free ways of transacting.

To date, the Collecting Cars platform has sold more than 5,300 lots, and total sales value generated for sellers exceeds £191 million. The multi-national auction company has headquarters in London, and offices in Munich, Sydney, and Los Angeles.

More than 90% of sales since launch have happened without a physical viewing, underscoring the significant trust that Collecting Cars has earned among its customers.

Visit Website at: https://collectingcars.com/

Nov 18

World’s Fastest Electric Motorcycle Upgraded, to Break Its Own Records

By General Posts

World’s Fastest Electric Motorcycle Has Been Upgraded, Wants to Break Its Own Records
from https://www.autoevolution.com by Cristina Mircea

The fastest electric motorcycle in the world aims to become even faster. Voxan recently unveiled its new and improved Wattman.

Venturi-owned electric motorcycle brand Voxan designed the Wattman with one goal in mind: to set new world speed records. The bike was initially supposed to prove its abilities on the biggest salt flat on Earth, in Bolivia. However, the global health crisis changed everyone’s plans, and the Wattman had to settle for breaking 11 world speed records on the runway at the Chateauroux airfield in France. Nevertheless, it achieved an incredible speed of 408 kph (253.5 mph), with world champion Max Biaggi at the helm.

But that was in the fall of 2020, and Voxan knows there’s always room for improvement. That is why the company announced a new version of the Wattman, which has just kicked off its first ultra-high-speed tests at Space Florida’s Launch and Landing Facility (Kennedy Space Center), one of the longest runways in the world, with a length of 15,000 ft (4.5 km).

Voxan brought some significant upgrades to the new Wattman in terms of weight, stability, and power. This new version weighs under 300 kg (661 lb), allowing it to compete in a new category. Voxan used a new battery design for its latest bike, both mechanical and electric, created in partnership with French manufacturer Saft.

Stability has been improved with the new Wattman, as the modified motorcycle now features an increased wheelbase of 1,957 mm (77 in) from 1,800 mm (70.8 in) with the previous version. The seat height has also been increased from 610 mm (24 in) to 685 mm (26.9 in). Voxan equipped the bike with custom-designed Michelin tires tailored to endure extremely high speeds.

In terms of performance, the new Wattman, which relies on the Mercedes EQ Formula E powertrain, can now deliver powers of 320 kW (429 HP), as opposed to 270 kW (362 HP), for the previous version. As for the torque, it has also increased at 1,360 Nm.

If everything goes according to schedule, the new Wattman will once again attempt to break its own records within the first six months of 2022.

PRESS RELEASE – 15 NOVEMBER 2021

Electric motorcycle brand Voxan, owned by high-performance electric vehicle specialist Venturi, presents the new Wattman. With world champion Max Biaggi at the controls, the brand is setting out to conquer yet more world speed records.

Closer to the stars
The Voxan Wattman was initially due to make its attempts on a Bolivian salt flat in July 2020, but the pandemic made travel impossible, and so it was on the runway at the Châteauroux airfield in France that the team broke 11 world speed records a year ago.

Asphalt proved to be an interesting surface, so the Wattman – modified accordingly – will continue its schedule on another strip. This time, the venue will be the Space Florida’s Launch and Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center (Florida, USA), where, from Monday 15 November, the first ultra-high-speed tests will get underway.

Weight – stability – power
The Wattman is now under 300 kilos in weight, allowing it to compete in this category. The weight difference is primarily down to a new Voxan-Saft battery design, which is both mechanical and electric. Saft, the French subsidiary of TotalEnergies, specialises particularly in high-performance, very high-power batteries. The pouch cells used make it possible to increase the batteries’ power by nearly 80 times, compared with around 10 times for standard products on the market. They are assembled in modules, enabling cooling to be managed with a recently patented process, resulting in an ultra-compact construction.

The bike continues to rely on the Mercedes EQ Formula E powertrain, which delivers power of 320 kW (compared with 270 kW for the previous version) and offers torque of 1,360 Nm.

Other notable differences compared with the previous Wattman include the motorcycle’s dimensions: to improve stability and air penetration, the wheelbase has been increased to 1,957 mm (from 1,800 mm previously) and the seat height is now 685 mm (up from 610 mm). In the event of significant crosswinds, the team will now have the flexibility to add a fairing that cuts wind resistance.

As for the tyres, longstanding partner Michelin has worked on designs specifically tailored to this challenge. The front 120/70-17 is a tyre from the MICHELIN Power GP range, which has been modified to tolerate extremely high speeds. For the rear 190/55-17, Michelin has relied on technology that has been proven in MotoGP to develop a tyre with improved grip. The challenge was to channel all of the extraordinary torque delivered by the Wattman’s electric engine, allowing the motorcycle to accelerate as fast as possible without skidding.

Once the new Wattman is ready, further world record attempts will be made – certainly within the first six months of 2022. As they did last year, Max Biaggi and Voxan will seek to beat the clock with two types of motorcycles in two separate categories: “partially streamlined” (traditional sports bike) and “naked” (roadster with no streamlined elements).

Sep 14

Crushing the Record for the World’s Longest Motorcycle the American Way

By General Posts

by Cristina Mircea from https://www.autoevolution.com

The title for the longest motorcycle in the world belongs to an Indian who built one that measures 86 ft and 3 in (26.29m). Bharat Sinh Parmar holds the Guinness World Record since 2014. That didn’t sit well with the guys from Bikes and Beards, who decided to bring that record to the United States, using a vintage Japanese bike.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, Bikes and Beards is the YouTube channel of SRK Cycles, a bike dealer based in Pennsylvania. This isn’t their first unusual vlog, as the whole purpose of the channel is to redefine the way you use a motorcycle and push the boundaries of human creativity. In case you haven’t slept well at night wondering if you can run a motorcycle underwater for 10 minutes, do browse their channel and you’ll find out.

The common approach for others who’ve tried to build a long motorcycle has been to place the engine and the drive train on the front, then add a long swingarm and then the wheel in the back. But there’s a simpler way to do things, which is to build two square tubes at both ends of the bike and have them welded on the motorcycle. The long frame would then get connected to those tubes.

The guys’ bike, a 1980 Honda CB750 Custom motorcycle, ended up measuring 108 ft, which was a success, not to mention the fact that everything was accomplished within one week.

In order to break the record, the motorcycle had to prove it can actually handle itself on the road, taking turns and everything. Bharat Sinh Parmar had to ride his for 308 ft (93.8 m) without putting his feet down, to break the previous record. But the Bikes and Beards guys took their stretched bike for a 1,058 ft (322 m) ride, crushing the Indian’s record.

Have A Look At The VideoBlog:

Mar 23

Harley-Davidson LiveWire Breaks 24-Hour Distance Record

By General Posts

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

One of the main complaints lodged against the Harley-Davidson LiveWire is the short range offered on a single charge, of just 140 miles. That doesn’t mean it’s not made for touring, though.

Swiss rider Michel von Tell has just set a new world record for the longest tour in under 24 hours for an electric motorcycle, covering over 1,000 miles on a LiveWire. The bad news is that the record won’t be recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records, as von Tell did not have Guinness officials present.

Electroauto-news reports (via Electrek) that von Tell started in Zurich, Switzerland and covered four countries and a total of 1,723 km (1,070 miles) on the LiveWire, in 23 hours and 48 minutes. He reached Stuttgart, Germany and then traveled to Singen, before heading to Ruggell, Lichtenstein, the final stop on his journey.

He used Level 3 DC Fast Charge for charging stops, which considerably cut down stop times. Level 1 on the LiveWire uses a regular wall outlet and takes an entire night for a full charge. Level 3 guarantees a faster charge: a nearly full battery in 40 minutes or so. According to the media outlet, von Tell would stop for charging on Level 3 for an average of 25 minutes whenever he needed to.

The previous 24-hour record for an electric motorcycle was set in 2018 on a Zero S fitted with optional Charge Tank and using a team of riders, on a test track. Von Tell traveled in traffic, on the highway and was all alone.

While he couldn’t afford the Guinness fee, which would have ensured officials were on hand to confirm the record, and didn’t have a method to do the electronic self-recording required for Guinness confirmation, von Tell did provide signed witness accounts as confirmation. This makes his LiveWire 24-hour tour the unofficial record holder for the longest on an electric motorcycle to date.

Oct 06

Paris Harley-Davidson, Adam Sandoval set new world record

By General Posts

by Macon Atkinson from http://theparisnews.com

Paris Harley-Davidson and philanthropist Adam Sandoval have set a new Guinness World Record for continuous Harley-Davidson motorcycles on parade.

In an event dubbed Bring it Home 2019, 3,497 motorcyclists from across the country rode their Harley Davidson bikes through Paris on a 3.5 mile ride, the Guinness official announced. The record has been taken from Hellas Motorcycle Club of Patras, Greece, which previously held the record set May 22, 2010, with 2,404 Harley-Davidsons making a 2.8-mile trip.

Paris’s parade raised money for Motorcycle Missions, a nonprofit that helps first responders with PTSD. The $15 per bike registration fee was donated entirely to the nonprofit, with over 3,400 pre-registrations, said event organizer Molly Beaudin, who is also a dealer development manager for Paris Harley-Davidson.

“I don’t even know what to say. Let’s hear it for America. We officially brought it home,” Sandoval said.

See Sunday’s edition of The Paris News for more coverage of the parade.