Stoner Stuns Paddock at Valencia Test

Two days after finishing on the podium aboard his Ducati, Casey Stoner set the fastest lap on the final day of testing at Valencia aboard his new Honda MotoGP bike. The paddock was stunned, not because observers do not already know how talented Stoner is, but because the bike was entirely new to him. Indeed, to do what Stoner did within 48-hours after leaving Ducati is probably unprecedented. Keep in mind that Jorge Lorenzo was again aboard his Yamaha, storming to the quickest time on day one of the post-race test (which was the fastest time overall during the test, but only a tiny fraction of a second faster than Stoner’s lap on day two). To put Stoner’s speed on his new Honda into perspective, note that his quickest lap on the new bike was superior to the quickest lap of any of his competitors during qualifying for the Valencia race two days earlier, including that of Jorge Lorenzo on his factory Yamaha.

Valentino Rossi, on the other hand, seemed to be cruising around on his new Ducati while setting the 15th quickest lap on day two. All signs point to the fact that the Honda factory bike is well dialed-in, and one has to wonder just how much faster Stoner can get as he gains more seat time.

During the second half of the 2010 series, all of the Honda riders seemed to step it up. Pedrosa won races when he was not on the ground or injured, and even rookie Marco Simoncelli started to run near the front. The Honda is good…very good. It is also, apparently, easy to ride.

A few years ago, Casey Stoner was an alien among aliens, taking a world title and routinely taking pole positions and race wins.. on a bike no one else could ride. One has to wonder what he might do in 2011 aboard a Honda.

VINTAGE RIDE
British motorcycle enthusiasts hit the road in 100-mile trek from Hansen Dam
By Dana Bartholomew, Staff Writer
Posted: 11/07/2010 05:55:01 PM PST

Scott Buehl of Upland says he gets bit of a draft wearing his kilt on his Triumph says "it's cool on hot days". Buehl arrved at the 31st annual All British Ride at Hansen Dam. British cycle buffs gathered for a 100 mile ride. (David Crane/Staff Photographer)
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There's a special drill to starting a classic British motorcycle - turn the key, tickle the carbs, kick over the engine with a mighty lunge. And pray.

The ritual roar was repeated hundreds of times Sunday during the 31st All-British Ride out of Hansen Dam, one of the biggest gathering of John Bull bikes in the nation, if not the world.

Dubbed the "best ride by a dam site," an estimated 900 mostly leathery baby boomers from across the country lit out under drifting clouds for a 100-mile rumble through the San Gabriel Mountains on such mostly bygone marques as Norton, BSA and original Triumph motorcycles.

"If you show up with a Teddy bear on your back, you're thrown out," said Bill "Bib" Bibbiani, self-professed "dictator" of the Southern California Norton Owners Club, and host of the event who wore a Rule Britannia T-shirt. "The point is to get out there and ride - no pretense. No rules.

"The sheer joy."

They came on machines once the envy of every kid who'd seen Marlon Brando swing a leg over a Triumph Thunderbird in "The Wild One." Or Sean Connery as James Bond scream through "Thunderball" atop a BSA Lightning. Or who'd fallen for the Norton Commando poster girl.

They were fast, though they leaked oil. They could handle, for their day. And they were oh-so-cool, with names like Gold Star, Rocket, Super Meteor, Bonneville, Venom, Manx and the invincible Black Shadow.

"It's the sound of the engines. The look of
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all the bikes. The period dress. It's 1964 all over again," said Craig Dillmann, 54, of West Hills, who rode his 1964 Triumph TR-6. "It's a throwback. It makes me feel like a kid."

"This is old-school, the real deal," added Walt Riddle, 57, of Winnetka, a Truimph guru whose restored Californian is on display at the Reagan Library. "Hundreds of years of riding experience. No wannabes."

The All-Brit ride was launched in 1980 by Pat Owens, Skip Van Leeuwen and Gene Cox, an executive of Triumph, as a way to encourage sales during the throes of a dying British motorcycle industry.

But what began as a Rose Bowl gathering with heaps of hot dogs and hamburgers soon moved to Hansen Dam, where hundreds of riders ogle English iron before sprinting toward the hills in clouds of rich-running motorcycle exhaust.

Van Leeuwen bought a brand new Triumph at 16, then became a lifetime racing legend.

"They're lighter. They're faster. They handle better.," said Van Leeuwen, 73, who has a parts business that bears his name, in Arleta. "And they're a lot of fun."

"It's a disease, that's all there is to it," added John Ebert, 59, admiring his black Interstate Commando, with its gleaming sand-cast primary cover, who'd driven all the way from of Phoenix for the ride. "If you park this bike next to a row of Harleys, they'll all come down and look at your bike. I love it."

Chris Tucker, of Moorpark, piled his Pomeranian into a tank-box atop his Bonneville and took him along for the ride.

Scott Buehl, of Upland, donned a kilt for his dash atop a modern-day Triumph. "This kilt has been tested at 130 mph," said Buehl, 44, of Upland, who'd been given the Scottish plaid on a dare. "There's a bit of a draft, but it's great on a hot day. Or any day."

There were even young women riders from the Eastside Moto Babes, who were among the interlopers who rode in on non-British classic or other bikes. "Nice people ride Hondas," joked Jeannette Mekdara, 29, of Los Angeles. "I like British bikes. And British bikers."

Meanwhile, across the San Fernando Valley, an estimated 1,000 riders of mostly Harley Davidsons gathered in Glendale for the annual Love Ride for charity. Riders then headed up to Calamigos Ranch, while sidecar motorcyclists gathered at Griffith Park.

When Gideon Kotler was growing up in Israel, Triumph was the two-wheeled Rolls Royce of the desert. Now he's riding a black-and-gold Bonnevile that took a full three months to restore.

"It's the noise, it's the oil on your feet," said Kotler, 56, of Encino, smiling. "The bugs in your eyes. It's two cylinders, when it works. You can't buy that sound anywhere. Even your ex-wife, she can't growl like that."

"There's nothing like going 85 mph down the freeway on a 60-year-old motorcycle," said Tom Gross, 63, of Redlands, who'd ridden his Norvin, a hybrid cross between a Norton and Vincent motorcycle. "It makes you feel like you're shaking to death. It's great."

Robin, one of the few younger riders who rode in on a newer Ducati, said the annual event was a scene that may not be around in distant years.

"It's the love ... the love these guys have for their bikes," said Robin, 34, of Studio City, who declined to give his last name.

"They remind you of your dad. Guys in the 1960s, a more innocent time, when guys were cool and girls were girls."

BAD NEWS FOR AMERICA!!

Harley-Davidson plans to open a plant not on U.S. soil but in the burgeoning motorcycle market of India, the company said Tuesday.

An operation in the Indian state of Haryana that will assemble Harley motorcycles from component kits supplied by U.S. manufacturers will kick-start in the first half of 2011. It's the second Harley assembly plant to open outside the U.S.; the first opened in Brazil in 1999.

The new plant is "a natural next step for Harley-Davidson as we build our brand presence around the world," Matthew S. Levatich, president and chief operating officer, said in a release.

Initially, the Indian operation will mean little to Harley's operations in Springettsbury Township, spokesman Bob Klein said. Only Sportster motorcycles will be assembled there. The local factory, which produces mostly Softail and Touring models, will still ship its product to India fully assembled.

However, "as we gain more traction, it could lead to more opportunity" for the York County facility, Klein said. That means, if all goes well, the York County plant, in addition to building fully assembled bikes, could also build kits for assembly in India, Klein said.

In the short term, the move will reduce tariffs on motorcycles, Levatich said, which the company hopes will help draw stronger sales in India, where the company opened four dealerships in 2010.

"India's rapidly growing economy, rising middle class and significant investment in construction of new roads and highways are paving the way for leisure motorcycle riding," Levatich said.

Kawasaki cruises to cool with new bagger motorcycle
Monday, 25 October 2010 | Written by Digits | Print | E-mail

It may be hard for newer riders to appreciate, but when the term bagger was first used around motorcycles, it wasn’t exactly meant as a compliment.

But the days of bikers being embarrassed about having a range of accessories on their motorcycle to help ease them along those long rides seem to be fading into two-wheeled history. Nearly every motorcycle manufacturer that rides into cruiser territory has embraced the very rawness of the bagger bike.

No stranger to helping their customers go the distance, Kawasaki have revealed a model for 2011 that romances the open road as well as the eternal image of the wandering biker.

Looking to the Spanish word vaquero, which means “cowboy”, Kawasaki have apparently designed the hulking bagger under the mantra of ‘whatever it takes’, at least to get riders into this new machine.

Featuring a massive 1,700cc SOHC liquid-cooled V-twin engine, the Vulcan Vaquero hides its powerhouse technology with retro looks, even as it delivers 108 foot-pounds of torque. The Vaquero’s advanced electronic fuel injection reportedly optimizes engine response without detracting from its distinctive V-twin throb. A water-cooled alternator produces a staggering 46.8 amps, plenty to power a selection of electronic accessories to enrich motorcycle travel. The Vaquero offers true touring-bike convenience in the form of its electronic cruise control system, conveniently operated from the right handlebar and usable at any speed between 30 and 85 mph in any of the top four gears.

Kawasaki's Bagger

The engine’s features include an overhead cam design, high compression and a long-stroke dimensional design that results in the sort of effortless low- and mid-range thrust that’s so desirable and useful in a big-inch cruiser. Vaquero’s throttle valve system works with the advanced electronic fuel injection to optimize engine response without detracting from its distinctive V-twin throb. The system utilizes an Accelerator Position Sensor (APS) and a Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) that feed data to the ECU, which adjusts the throttle plates to tailor intake airflow accordingly.

Kawasaki's BaggerFollowing in the standard for cruisers, Vaquero’s 1700 cc engine runs it power through a six speed transmission with overdriven 5th and 6th gears, which contributes to a relaxed ride and excellent fuel economy at highway speeds.

Design-wise, the latest offering from Kawasaki highlights its sparing chrome against powder black components wrapped with fairings reminiscent of muscle cars from the 1970’s. While not design as radical as Victory’s Vision when first introduced some years ago, Kawasaki have made the lines of its Vaquero just different enough to catch the eye.

Coming in black, sorry Ebony and Candy Fire Red on the abbreviated fairing, sculpted tank and curvaceous bodywork is finished with a wildly shaped rear fender that integrates equally stylish taillight and turn signal assemblies.

Among the sweeping lines is a scooped saddle with a minimalist passenger pad. The seat height is just 28.7 inches and along with sporty one-piece seat the overall look is a low, long classic cruiser look. The frame holding all this hardware together is a single backbone, double cradle unit designed to be as slim and light as possible for an easy reach to the ground and optimal handling.

Kawasaki's Bagger

The fairing that has the muscle car vibes is supposedly lower than a traditional windshield or full fairing, but Kawasaki promises it still cuts a decent-sized hole in oncoming atmosphere, giving the rider a useful still-air cocoon in which to enjoy the ride.

Kawasaki's BaggerWith all the obvious effort that has gone into the over look and feel of the Vulcan Vaquero, it’s no surprise it sports hard-case side bags that lend themselves to the low, long, ultra stylish lines.

The cost of all this cool? The Vulcan Vaquero 1700 has a recommended sticker price of $16,499 with a webpage full of accessories to keep any biker confident their ride will look different from any other similar model they may come across in their travels.

Kawasaki seems to have married the current ‘chop-shop’ trend with their own distinct touch, and motorcycle manufacturers are finding the most success with touring models. Consequently, it should be interesting to see how the riding world takes to Kawasaki’s latest sleek offering.

DO YOU BELIEVE THIS CRAP FROM HARLEY!!!

Harley-Davidson Tries To Quiet Motorcycle Noise - Loud Pipes' Cost
By Art Friedman

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In a message entitled "Something We Never Want to Lose" on his company's website, Harley-Davidson Motor Company President and CEO Jim McCaslin tackles the issue of motorcycle noise and the increasing backlash motorcycling is experiencing as the result of loud pipes. Citing a four-fold increase in negative media coverage during the last decade, bans on motorcycles in some communities, attempts to curtail major motorcycle events, anti-tamper legislation, and other limitations of freedom for motorcyclists as the result of complaints about loud pipes, McCaslin says, "We all, every Hog lovin' one of us, must do everything we can to protect our sport and keep it as strong as it is today."

In other words, it's time to pipe down.

This is the second stage of Harley-Davidson's campaign against loud exhaust pipes. Its initial effort last year was directed at and through dealers, with posters and literature that attempted to educate dealers and riders about the negative consequences of loud pipes. Harley-Davidson spokesman Paul James also told Motorcycle Cruiser that during the next few months Harley will cease shipments to dealers of racing exhaust systems that can be fitted to street models. We could no longer find any racing exhaust systems listed on the company's accessory website. However, Harley-Davidson still offers dozens of accessory exhaust systems that are street-legal (and therefore acceptably quiet), including for use in California.

Industry concern over the problem of loud exhaust pipes is nothing new. The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has long warned riders that attitudes shaped by complaints about loud pipes frequently compromise the AMA's efforts to battle anti-motorcycling legislation and regulation. That same concern was echoed by the Motorcycle Riders Foundation a few years ago when it adopted the AMA's stance against loud pipes. The Motorcycle Industry Council has conducted anti-noise campaigns for over 30 years.

These days, the loud motorcycle you hear roaring past is likely to be a modified Harley-Davidson. This is somewhat ironic because Harley was among the first motorcycle makers to tackle exhaust noise a century ago. In the early days of internal-combustion vehicles, many vehicles were annoyingly loud as delivered, but the threat of anti-motor-vehicle legislation soon had automakers fitting mufflers to their vehicles. As McCaslin's message points out, quieting motorcycle exhaust pipes posed greater difficulties because there is no room for a bulky muffler on a bike. However, Harley engineered an effective silencer, and the resulting bike became known as The Silent Gray fellow. Its relative quiet contributed to its reputation as an elegant, advanced machine and helped distinguish Harley-Davidson Motor Company from dozens of rival American motorcycle makers.

Changing to an aftermarket exhaust system has become almost a knee-jerk reaction for many cruiser buyers. However, unless labeled as meeting federal and state standards, all of these exhaust systems are illegal and virtually all are illegally loud. There are exceptions, such as systems offered by Harley that meet requirements for all 50 states or all states except California. Exhaust pipes are changed for a variety of reasons. One is the search for performance improvements, although, as McCaslin and the AMA point out, not all deliver--and some increase power in a portion of the power band while reducing it in others. Some motorcycle owners change exhaust pipes to personalize the appearance. And many who modify their bikes' exhaust systems simply want the noise, often for vanity's sake. Some motorcyclists profess to believe that "loud pipes save lives," although research tends to contradict that popular axiom. (Few of those who say they want exhaust noise for safety's sake use other means--such as brightly colored apparel--which have been proven effective.)

Harley-Davidson's current stance actually puts it on the cutting edge of corporate responsibility regarding exhaust-noise. It is the only company that has both taken an anti-noise stance and offers street-legal accessory exhaust systems as an alternative to loud aftermarket pipes. Honda, Kawasaki, and Suzuki have never offered nor endorsed accessory systems for their cruisers. Both Victory and Yamaha offer exhaust systems that are not illegally loud as "racing" modifications, though no effort is made to qualify customers by asking for racing credentials. You have to find and click on footnote notices on their sites to learn that that the systems are not legal for the street, and the disclaimer page on Yamaha's site was not working when we visited. Neither company offers legal accessory exhausts. We also asked Yamaha if it had any plans to follow Harley-Davidson's lead on this issue, but we had received no reply to our email a few days later.

As the leader in the cruiser market, Harley's public stance on loud exhaust pipes may finally signal a turning point for an issue that continues to put motorcyclists in a very bad light and prompts increasing calls for restrictions on motorcycles and motorcyclists. Though some riders will try to contend that their noise doesn't really bother anybody, that they have some sort of right to annoy everyone they ride past, or that their noise protects them, such arguments have to sound increasingly hollow when the biggest cruiser-motorcycle maker points out that they are actually risking all motorcyclists' freedoms and asks them to "think about the consequences our actions have on others, before others take action against us."

Harley-Davidson is not simply speaking out about the problems that illegal loud pipes cause for the entire motorcycling community. The Motor Company also offers street-legal accessory exhausts systems and exhaust components for its various motorcycle model families. An alternative to universally loud aftermarket exhausts, the Harley accessory pipes, such as the these 50-state-legal slip-ons for Dyna models, provide a legal option for riders who want to customize.