Saturday, January 23, 2010
Harley returns to its roots with new Dark Custom motorcycle
The new Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight motorcycle joins the Dark Custom line-up
Motorcycle News RSS Feed - A free online motorcycle magazine Clutch and Chrome
January 23rd, 2010
Legendary motorcycle manufacturer isn't just yearning for the record sales of its glory days, but also looking to a classic model to help ride it back to better times.
The sunshine breaking through the clouds of troubling financial information for Harley-Davidson comes from a new model in the Sportster line, unveiled at the International Motorcycle Show taking place in New York this weekend.
The new Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight motorcycle is a factory custom in the legendary tradition of the hot rod Sportster line with the raw, elemental appeal of the Dark Custom™ bikes.
Riding low with a slammed suspension and featuring the classic 2.1-gallon "peanut" fuel tank, the Forty-Eight backs up its bulldog appearance with the performance of its blacked out and polished rubber-mounted Evolution® 1200 cc V-Twin engine.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
The low solo seat, under-mounted mirrors, side mount license plate, clean rear fender and tall and fat front tire emphasize the Forty Eight's focus on chiseled customization.
And while the Forty-Eight model may break bad when it comes to radical attitude and straight-on style, it won't break the bank starting at just $10,499 MSRP in Vivid Black.
Lying low from tire-to-tire, the Forty-Eight model showcases more of its black 1200 Evolution V-Twin engine with polished accents and other components with a clean look highlighted by the traditional peanut fuel tank, small solo seat and lightening holes in the backbone mounting bracket. The Forty-Eight has more than just custom cool styling with the smooth ride on new front fork sliders, a tall and fat front tire and slammed rear suspension.
With Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI) and performance tuning with a broad torque curve, the Forty-Eight motorcycle delivers a powerfully responsive ride with smooth clutch effort. The pipes on the chrome, shorty dual exhaust pound out the distinctive Harley-Davidson American V-Twin sound.
The new Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight motorcycle joins the Dark Custom line-up
Motorcycle News RSS Feed - A free online motorcycle magazine Clutch and Chrome
January 23rd, 2010
Legendary motorcycle manufacturer isn't just yearning for the record sales of its glory days, but also looking to a classic model to help ride it back to better times.
The sunshine breaking through the clouds of troubling financial information for Harley-Davidson comes from a new model in the Sportster line, unveiled at the International Motorcycle Show taking place in New York this weekend.
The new Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight motorcycle is a factory custom in the legendary tradition of the hot rod Sportster line with the raw, elemental appeal of the Dark Custom™ bikes.
Riding low with a slammed suspension and featuring the classic 2.1-gallon "peanut" fuel tank, the Forty-Eight backs up its bulldog appearance with the performance of its blacked out and polished rubber-mounted Evolution® 1200 cc V-Twin engine.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
The low solo seat, under-mounted mirrors, side mount license plate, clean rear fender and tall and fat front tire emphasize the Forty Eight's focus on chiseled customization.
And while the Forty-Eight model may break bad when it comes to radical attitude and straight-on style, it won't break the bank starting at just $10,499 MSRP in Vivid Black.
Lying low from tire-to-tire, the Forty-Eight model showcases more of its black 1200 Evolution V-Twin engine with polished accents and other components with a clean look highlighted by the traditional peanut fuel tank, small solo seat and lightening holes in the backbone mounting bracket. The Forty-Eight has more than just custom cool styling with the smooth ride on new front fork sliders, a tall and fat front tire and slammed rear suspension.
With Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI) and performance tuning with a broad torque curve, the Forty-Eight motorcycle delivers a powerfully responsive ride with smooth clutch effort. The pipes on the chrome, shorty dual exhaust pound out the distinctive Harley-Davidson American V-Twin sound.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Don't condemn every motorcyclist
Posted: 12/27/2009 01:00:00 AM EST
Editor:
In your [Dec. 20] letters section, "Nothing Christian about tormenting with noise," I can't believe that any sane person would make the generalization that all motorcycles are Harleys and therefore must be loud and obnoxious and if you ride a motorcycle it must be loud and obnoxious so you can't be a Christian.
I will agree with the writer that many riders are disrespectful especially when riding in populated areas, and further agree that some motorcycles use straight pipes or competition-only pipes, which are illegal. But you can't condemn every motorcycle because some are loud.
Furthermore, you can't say I'm not a Christian because some motorcycles are loud. Where does that logic come from? I have several cars each year that pull out in front of my Honda Gold Wing, which by the way is probably quieter than the writer's car. So by the writer's logic all car drivers pull out in front of motorcycles and therefore cannot do anything good for our society.
I know many Christian bikers who have loud bikes and I know many that have quiet ones. It is a preference that I believe is still constitutional. There are noise laws in the books, and Congress as well as the motorcycling community are working together to further resolve the issue. Just last year they came up with the SAE (J2825) testing procedure to insure uniformity in testing.
I'm not sure whether the writer was anti-Christian or anti-motorcycle, but the Christian bikers I
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know don't brag about being sinless. The whole point is that biker or not, we have all lied at some point in our life or taken something that didn't belong to us. That makes us all sinners. What we try to do by going out is to show them the way to forgiveness.
John Crawford
E
Posted: 12/27/2009 01:00:00 AM EST
Editor:
In your [Dec. 20] letters section, "Nothing Christian about tormenting with noise," I can't believe that any sane person would make the generalization that all motorcycles are Harleys and therefore must be loud and obnoxious and if you ride a motorcycle it must be loud and obnoxious so you can't be a Christian.
I will agree with the writer that many riders are disrespectful especially when riding in populated areas, and further agree that some motorcycles use straight pipes or competition-only pipes, which are illegal. But you can't condemn every motorcycle because some are loud.
Furthermore, you can't say I'm not a Christian because some motorcycles are loud. Where does that logic come from? I have several cars each year that pull out in front of my Honda Gold Wing, which by the way is probably quieter than the writer's car. So by the writer's logic all car drivers pull out in front of motorcycles and therefore cannot do anything good for our society.
I know many Christian bikers who have loud bikes and I know many that have quiet ones. It is a preference that I believe is still constitutional. There are noise laws in the books, and Congress as well as the motorcycling community are working together to further resolve the issue. Just last year they came up with the SAE (J2825) testing procedure to insure uniformity in testing.
I'm not sure whether the writer was anti-Christian or anti-motorcycle, but the Christian bikers I
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know don't brag about being sinless. The whole point is that biker or not, we have all lied at some point in our life or taken something that didn't belong to us. That makes us all sinners. What we try to do by going out is to show them the way to forgiveness.
John Crawford
E
Thursday, January 14, 2010
SAY IT AINT SO!HARLEY COULD BE BOUGHT BY HONDA
Harley driven up by possibility Honda may buy it
Full story: Asbury Park Press Online
Investors think it's credible. They expect an announcement in the short term and a big move in the stock. Trading in options to buy shares of Harley-Davidson Inc. surged to a record on speculation that the biggest U.S. motorcycle maker may be acquired by Honda Motor Co., the world's largest maker of motorcycles. via Asbury Park Press Online
Full story: Asbury Park Press Online
Investors think it's credible. They expect an announcement in the short term and a big move in the stock. Trading in options to buy shares of Harley-Davidson Inc. surged to a record on speculation that the biggest U.S. motorcycle maker may be acquired by Honda Motor Co., the world's largest maker of motorcycles. via Asbury Park Press Online
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Home»2010 MV Agusta 990R/1090RR - Brute Force
2010 MV Agusta 990R 1090RR Right Side
2010 MV Agusta 990R/1090RR - Brute Force
Just When It Seems Like They've Dropped Off The Radar, MV Agusta Boldly Restates Its Presence With The Brutale 990R And 1090RR.
January 01, 2010
By Troy Siahaan
Photography by Milagro
2010 MV Agusta 990R 1090RR Lead Shot
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First Ride
This feels awfully familiar. Disembarking from my plane in Italy I know I've done this all before. The small group of American journalists were to be carted off from their hotel near Borgo Panigale-Troy Bayliss' second home-to the Misano Adriatico circuit to ride one of the latest offerings from one of the land's famous manufacturers. So far this feels like déjà vu. In fact, when we arrived at the track the vibe felt much the same. These bikes had trellis frames, were beautifully designed...and were red.
But this wasn't a Ducati.
2010 MV Agusta 990R 1090RR Rear View
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Nope, the shade of red was slightly lighter, the trellis frame cradled an in-line four, and the badge on the gas tank spelled something entirely different: MV Agusta. The "other" exotic Italian manufacturer made big waves earlier this year when it was announced that it would be acquired by Harley-Davidson, but the question as to what, exactly, Harley's influence would be was still unknown. As the dust is settling it seems as though the iconic American brand has a largely "hands-off" approach to its Italian counterparts. The main difference that the folks at MV will notice is the renewed vigor that comes from having capital to invest in itself. Simply put, that means we can expect to see big things (read: new models) coming from MV in the years to come.
2010 MV Agusta 990R 1090RR Right Side
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This view gives a good look...
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2010 MV Agusta 990R 1090RR Right Side
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This view gives a good look at the 310mm disks and Brembo calipers of the 990R. Ten millimeter larger discs come standard on the 1090RR with slightly larger monobloc calipers. Marzocchi forks measure 50mm and are fully adjustable. Much like the Ducati Streetfighter, the exhaust heat shield on the Brutale also protrudes outward, but it's not as extreme as the Ducati, allowing the rider to maintain natural footing. Note also the pillion grab handles integrated into the tail piece.
Ironically, what you see on these pages have been on the drawing board long before Harley stepped in. At the time, MV had to be careful where it invested its resources, and since the F4 line had exhausted the benefits of the 1078cc engine, it was time to turn the attention toward the Brutale. The result is two new bikes that seem similar on the surface, but are actually worlds apart: the Brutale 990R and Brutale 1090RR. Sure, you're looking at these pictures and thinking to yourself, "Hey, this Brutale looks just like the last one." Well...you're right; it does look like the last one. That was one of the design goals set forth by the legendary chairman and head of R&D for MV, Claudio Castiglioni. But in fact the 990 and 1090 are entirely new models-85-percent of which is completely redesigned. And if you own an older Brutale and think you can just swap on the new stuff-sorry, there aren't very many bits that are interchangeable.
We'll cover the changes to the two bikes in more detail in the tech sidebar accompanying this story, but in essence, MV realized that the major complaint with the older 910 and later model Brutale's was low speed fueling. "The engine characteristic was very 'on/off'," stated Andrea Goggi, head of engine engineering, with the accompanying hand motion mimicking that of the throttle. "So our focus was to improve low-speed driveabilitiy." He further stated that not much attention was paid to peak horsepower because the engine is plenty powerful as it is. Three other design goals were also in effect during this redesign: weight reduction through simplification of components, and a complete redesign of the cooling and lubrication system. Effective completion of these two elements would lead to the third design goal: reducing costs. So what's the deal with two separate bikes, you ask? Read on.
2009 HONDA VFR 1200f
2009 Honda VFR1200F Right Side
New 2010 Honda VFR1200F Officially Unveiled
New sport-tourer powered by 1237cc V-4, optional Dual Clutch Automatic transmission
October 08, 2009
American Honda officially unveiled the VFR1200F motorcycle today at its Torrance headquarters, although since news on the bike was leaked back in June (check out our spy shots here), Honda had no choice but to begin leaking information on the bike as time went by (Honda Europe had a teaser website up with little sound bites a week after the spy photos surfaced, and then the Honda corporate site posted info on the optional semi-automatic transmission back in September). Thus, the unveiling was kind of anti-climactic, as it was mostly a confirmation of what was already known. Still, plenty of interesting details about the bike surfaced at the introduction.
2010 Honda VFR1200F Left Side
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The new 2010 Honda VFR1200F...
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2010 Honda VFR1200F Left Side
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The new 2010 Honda VFR1200F is yet another technological (sport) tour de force from Big Red.
The new VFR1200F is powered by a 1237cc, 76-degree V-four, with the two rear cylinders located on the inner portion of the crankshaft and the two front cylinders framing them on each side—this narrows the middle of the bike between the rider’s knees. Because of the unusual cylinder location, the crankpin phasing is offset by 28 degrees in order to eliminate primary engine vibration in conjunction with the 76-degree Vee angle. Assymetrical exhaust header lengths work with the cylinder phasing to help tune power characteristics. The 44mm throttle bodies are controlled by a ride-by-wire engine management system, a first for Honda.
Borrowing technology from its motocross/off-road brethren, the VFR1200F engine uses the same Unicam setup for the top end valve actuation. Instead of two camshafts separately operating the intake and exhaust valves, the Unicam system uses a single overhead camshaft that drives both sets of valves via rocker arms. This allows the cylinder heads to be significantly smaller.
As we stated back in September, the VFR will be available in a version with the Dual Clutch automatic six-speed transmission as an option. By using a pair of clutches (one operating 1st, 3rd, and 5th gear, with the other operating 2nd, 4th, and 6th gear), the next gear can be already “pre-engaged”, allowing no cut-off in power and seamless gearshifts. For an explanation of how the Dual Clutch transmission works, click here. There will be a fully automatic mode (with two sub-modes, one for economy and the other for sport), and a semi-automatic mode that allows the rider to shift via paddles on the left handlebar. The manual shift version of the VFR will come equipped with a slipper clutch to ease downshifts. The Dual Clutch transmission adds 22 pounds to the bike, with that version weighing 613 pounds full of fuel ready to ride.
Prices had not been set at post time.
Specifications
* Engine Type: 1237cc liquid-cooled 76° V-4
* Bore and Stroke: 81mm x 60mm
* Compression ratio: 12.0:1
* Valve Train: SOHC; four valves per cylinder
* Induction: PGM-FI with automatic enrichment circuit, 44mm throttle bodies and 12-hole injectors
* Ignition: Digital transistorized with electronic advance
* Transmission: Six-speed (VFR1200F) / Six-speed automatic with two modes and manual mode (VFR1200F with Dual Clutch Automatic Transmission)
* Final Drive: Shaft
* Suspension
Front: 43mm cartridge fork with spring preload adjustability; 4.7 inches travel
Rear: Pro Arm single-side swingarm with Pro-Link® single gas-charged shock with remote spring preload adjustability and rebound damping adjustability; 5.1 inches travel
* Brakes
Front: Dual full-floating 320mm discs with CBS six-piston calipers with ABS
Rear: Single 276mm disc with CBS two-piston caliper with ABS
* Tires
Front: 120/70 ZR17 radial
Rear: 190/55 ZR17 radial
* Wheelbase: 60.8 inches (1545mm)
* Rake: 25°30’
Trail: 101.0mm (4.0 inches)
* Seat Height: 32.1 inches (815mm)
* Fuel Capacity: 4.9 gallons
* Color: Candy Red
* Curb Weight (all fluids including fuel, ready to ride): 591 pounds (VFR1200F) / 613 pounds (VFR1200F with Dual Clutch Automatic Transmission)
Story and photos by Shan Moore.
James Stewart won the opening round of Monster Energy AMA Supercross at Anaheim, California.
For 17 laps it looked like Ryan Dungey might have James Stewart covered, the Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider kicked off his first full season in the 450 class by bolting into the lead at the start of last night’s main event, putting four seconds on the defending series champ by the eighth lap of the race. And after the nightmare he experienced in last year’s series opener, who would blame Stewart if he settled for second? But Stewart caught a second wind and with the help of a Dungey bobble, put his San Manuel Yamaha at the front, eventually holding Dungey at bay to win the opening round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series at Anaheim, California’s Angels Stadium.
For Stewart, his 37th career win was a big relief, especially after the kind of fall he’s had – missing out on winning the King of Bercy title after he became ill just before the final race of the weekend. After consulting a doctor, Stewart cancelled trips to race in Australia and Italy.
“For me, this is my first race in a while, and my first race on the new bike, and this is a lot better than last year’s outcome,” Stewart said, referring to the DNF he suffered at Anaheim 1 last year. “I didn’t really know where my health was, coming in, but I think I proved it’s good. I DNF’ed last year and still came back and won, so this is a lot better start to the year.”
Dungey got the best jump at the start of the main event and had the better line in the first turn, exiting with the lead – just ahead of Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto and Stewart. Chad Reed’s day ended in the first 30 yards of the race, when Suzuki’s Austin Stroupe got squirrelly off the start and clipped the wheel of Reed’s Kawasaki, breaking enough spokes to force a DNF.
“I was at the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Reed. “The pace is really high right now, and there was nothing that I could do. I was trying to pass another rider and our lines came together.”
Ryan Dungey led Stewart late in the race, but the 450 rookie wasn't able to hang on.
Stewart got around Villopoto in short order, but Dungey had already taken advantage of the clear track and had pulled a good gap. The gap got bigger when Stewart botched his line on subsequent laps.
“I kind of struggled in the beginning part of the race,” admitted Stewart. “I messed that rhythm section up three or four laps in a row. But I knew my conditioning was good so I wasn’t worried. I just put in a few hard laps and I was able to close up on him and make the pass. I just went on the inside of him right before the whoops section – I dove down and got a better run than him at the whoops.”
Dungey certainly didn’t back down after Stewart took the lead on the 17th lap. He stuck tight to Stewart’s rear wheel, and even jumped ahead of Stewart for a few feet, but Stewart retaliated and took the checkers with a good gap over Dungey.
“I got a little lazy and messed up in the whoops,” said Stewart. “Ryan got me but I got him right back. It’s not over ‘til it’s over, and I just stepped up my game and took the win.”
Despite the close loss, Dungey was happy about his performanc
James Stewart won the opening round of Monster Energy AMA Supercross at Anaheim, California.
For 17 laps it looked like Ryan Dungey might have James Stewart covered, the Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider kicked off his first full season in the 450 class by bolting into the lead at the start of last night’s main event, putting four seconds on the defending series champ by the eighth lap of the race. And after the nightmare he experienced in last year’s series opener, who would blame Stewart if he settled for second? But Stewart caught a second wind and with the help of a Dungey bobble, put his San Manuel Yamaha at the front, eventually holding Dungey at bay to win the opening round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series at Anaheim, California’s Angels Stadium.
For Stewart, his 37th career win was a big relief, especially after the kind of fall he’s had – missing out on winning the King of Bercy title after he became ill just before the final race of the weekend. After consulting a doctor, Stewart cancelled trips to race in Australia and Italy.
“For me, this is my first race in a while, and my first race on the new bike, and this is a lot better than last year’s outcome,” Stewart said, referring to the DNF he suffered at Anaheim 1 last year. “I didn’t really know where my health was, coming in, but I think I proved it’s good. I DNF’ed last year and still came back and won, so this is a lot better start to the year.”
Dungey got the best jump at the start of the main event and had the better line in the first turn, exiting with the lead – just ahead of Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto and Stewart. Chad Reed’s day ended in the first 30 yards of the race, when Suzuki’s Austin Stroupe got squirrelly off the start and clipped the wheel of Reed’s Kawasaki, breaking enough spokes to force a DNF.
“I was at the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Reed. “The pace is really high right now, and there was nothing that I could do. I was trying to pass another rider and our lines came together.”
Ryan Dungey led Stewart late in the race, but the 450 rookie wasn't able to hang on.
Stewart got around Villopoto in short order, but Dungey had already taken advantage of the clear track and had pulled a good gap. The gap got bigger when Stewart botched his line on subsequent laps.
“I kind of struggled in the beginning part of the race,” admitted Stewart. “I messed that rhythm section up three or four laps in a row. But I knew my conditioning was good so I wasn’t worried. I just put in a few hard laps and I was able to close up on him and make the pass. I just went on the inside of him right before the whoops section – I dove down and got a better run than him at the whoops.”
Dungey certainly didn’t back down after Stewart took the lead on the 17th lap. He stuck tight to Stewart’s rear wheel, and even jumped ahead of Stewart for a few feet, but Stewart retaliated and took the checkers with a good gap over Dungey.
“I got a little lazy and messed up in the whoops,” said Stewart. “Ryan got me but I got him right back. It’s not over ‘til it’s over, and I just stepped up my game and took the win.”
Despite the close loss, Dungey was happy about his performanc
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