Moto blog

EICMA 2013: Harley-Davidson Revolution X 750 & 500

The Street 750 and Street 500 from Harley-Davidson represent the first all-new platform from Harley-Davidson in 13 years. Built for urban environments, the Street series machines fall under the Dark Custom design and are intended for young, urban riders. The two motorcycles feature the new liquid-cooled Revolution X engine, a narrow, agile chassis with a low seat height (26.3 inches), new suspension, a wide handlebar and minimalist styling. Not all markets will get both engine sizes, but the U.S.

Vespa goes back to the future

IT'S been a while coming, but the gorgeous Vespa 946 - EICMA 2012's Best of Show - has finally introduced something to the two-wheeled world that our four-wheeled counterparts have had for a while.  I call this 'reverse retro-futurism' - the art of borrowing lines from models past and imbuing them with a sleek sense of future direction (as opposed to retro-futurism, the pre-1960s design trend of depicting the technology of the future. The term 'decopunk' may come close, but feel free to tell me if there's a more exact term.) It's what the New Mini and the New Beetle (both 1997 and 2012 versions) have done so well, and so successfully: building an all-new model as a tribute to a classic, something that's modern yet already timeless, with a widely-appreciated, inclusive aesthetic (and here we eliminate the Plymouth PT Cruiser from the conversation). The biking world is great at retro, indeed thrives on it, but not so good at adding in a taste of the 21st century.

Wesll Quad Prototype

A number of manufacturers have tinkered with various three-wheeled motorcycle applications over the years. Companies like Piaggio, Can-Am, Brudeli and even Harley-Davidson have produced unique trikes with ranging levels of success. The Wesll Corporation is attempting to do one better, literally, as it develops a four-wheeled mechanism that could be applied to many different kinds of bikes.