Motorcycle Blog on 2040Motos

Used Review: Kushitani Daiki gloves

I used to work for a company that made motorcycle gear and supplied it to world class racers. I was always amazed at how one type of racer would come to us after a practice session and pore over every minute detail of the gloves they were wearing. This bit of stitching wasn't right, this finger was slightly too short, the strap wasn't tight enough.

Harley-Davidson at the 71st Annual Sturgis Rally

Harley-Davidson has announced its plans for the 2011 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Aug. 6-13 in the Black Hills region of South Dakota. Scheduled Harley-Davidson activities include the AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building, the XR1200 Racing Experience, Muscular Dystrophy Association pin sale and custom motorcycle raffle and the Harley-Davidson Ride-In Show.

Victory Motorcycles Announces 2011 Sturgis Rally Plans

Victory Motorcycles announced its schedule of events for the 71st annual Sturgis Rally, Aug. 8-14 in Sturgis, S.D. The Medina, Minn., manufacturer returns this year as an official sponsor for Sturgis events at the Legendary Buffalo Chip, with a special one-off Victory Kingpin customized by Klock Werks Kustom Cycle to be given away on the Buffalo Chip stage.

Recall for 2008-2010 Honda ST1300

Honda is recalling certain 2009-2010 ST1300 sport touring motorcycles due to a risk of a brake fluid leakage. According to documents released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the pre-formed hose supplying fluid from the rear brake reservoir to the rear brake master cylinder is routed in a way that puts it at risk of damage. When the Honda ST1300 is heavily loaded and ridden over rough surfaces, the rear suspension may bottom out, causing the hose to contact the swingarm.

New: Shark Race-R Pro

UPDATE: 2013 Shark Race-R Pro helmet review here. This year I've been racing in the 848 Challenge wearing my trusty Shark RSX, which I've worn for a couple of years. The RSX is a 5-star SHARP rated helmet but at 1.6kg, it's slightly weighty.

The high and lows of Monza

Why is it that everytime I visualise how something's going to turn out, it almost always unfolds in a completely different way? Monza was my second race in the 848 Challenge, my third race in total. I had high expectations for the track and thought that seeing as hardly any of us had been there before it would make a really interesting race with the odds being more, well, even.

Special Edition MV Agusta F3 Serie Oro Revealed

MV Agusta has revealed a special edition “Serie Oro” version of its upcoming 675cc supersport, the F3, for those who think owning a regular MV Agusta F3 isn’t exclusive enough. Following with company tradition, the “Serie Oro” (Italian for “Gold Series”) F3 features several upgrades over the standard model, and will be produced in a limited run of 200 units  to be released ahead of the regular F3. The MV Agusta F3 Serie Oro is distinguishable by its gold-painted swingarm and aluminum wheels, and gold finish on air intakes, vents and a gold chain, minimalist graphics and red-painted mirrors.

MotoGP should return to Suzuka

Suzuka was always one of the great circuits; unfortunately the Japanese track was dropped following the tragic death of Daijiro Kato in 2003 as the course was deemed too tight and dangerous for the rapid four-strokes. Owned by Honda, Suzuka is a magical place combining arching S-bends from the start of the lap, high-speed in the middle and finished off with the technical and oft racing deciding final chicane, the location of many fantastic last lap battles. However the death of Kato, and Honda’s major hope of a Japanese champion, placed a dark cloud over the 5.807 kilometres of tarmac.

Monza onboard lap - shifting issues

Last weekend the 848 Challenge series headed to Monza in Italy. The circuit is amazing, the atmosphere is the place is unlike any other circuit I've been to, although some parts of Oulton Park come close.. We had three morning trackday sessions and then three practice sessions in the afternoon.

VIR Tells Its Side of AMA Pro Racing Event Cancellation

Virginia International Raceway has issued a statement explaining the cancellation of a scheduled AMA Superbike round, contradicting some of the statements made by David Atlas, AMA Pro Racing chief operating officer. Explaining that there are two sides to every story, the VIR release claims AMA Pro Racing did not deliver a proposed contract for the 2011 event until early June 2011, leaving VIR without enough time to finalize the contract and begin promoting the event before the scheduled Aug. 12-14 date.

KTM 200 Duke, 350 Duke Announced … But Only for Emerging Markets

According to reports out of India, KTM Chief Executive Officer Stefan Pierer has announced the Austrian manufacturer will produce 200cc and 350cc versions of its youth-oriented 125 Duke. Unfortunately for us in North America, the two new Dukes will appear destined for emerging markets such as India, Brazil, Thailand and Malaysia. Speaking with the Indian press, Pierer says KTM is partnering with Bajaj Auto to develop the 200 Duke in 2012 with the 350 version to follow in 2013.

Monza: Brown and Morris share the spoils

After a month off, the Rapid Solicitors Ducati 848 Challenge took to the air for the second of its fly-away rounds this season; this time to the historic Monza circuit. Scene of so many memorable races, a quick glance at the circuit map surely raised the expectation just a little higher than normal as the riders faced the prospect of tackling one of Europe's fastest circuits. Free practice on Saturday afternoon was fought out in over 31 degree sunshine as the riders took advantage of the three sessions available to them to learn the circuit.

New: Scorpion EXO-1000 AIR Type E11

Back in the day helmets used to be simple, granted not very safe but simple none the less. A few quid would get you a hard shell, a bit of soft padding and buckle to hold it on your nonce. Thankfully, helmets have changed meaning our heads are a lot more secure when they come in contact with terra firma.

Rossi and Oakley join forces

Valentino Rossi has joined the Oakley family as a brand ambassador. One of the most successful motorcycle racers of all time, Rossi respects the unbeatable performance and unrivaled style of Oakley eyewear. “Valentino’s thirst for adrenalin fits the Oakley brand perfectly,” said Scott Bowers, SVP of Global Marketing and Brand Development at Oakley.

Zero Motorcycles Launches Dealer Network

Zero Motorcycles announced a new network of eight dealerships as the electric motorcycle company begins the transition from an online-based sales model to a traditional showroom sales model. Until now, Zero conducts its sales over the Internet with the help of a system of Independent Representatives around the country who use a handful of demo models instead of actual inventory to showcase the brand. As both demand and production have increased, Zero is ready to adopt a new dealer-based model.

Going Really Fast Really Slowly: Casey Stoner at 1000 FPS [Video]

Casey Stoner is one of the fastest man in MotoGP right now, currently leading the championship by 29 points. One of his sponsors, Red Bull, produced the following video featuring Stoner in super-slow motion with footage shot at 1,000 frames per second. Watch as Stoner leans into a corner with his elbow and knee seemingly brushing against the ground.

Recall for Victory Kingpin, Jackpot Accessory Seats

Polaris is issuing a recall for certain 2004-2011 Victory Kingpin and 2006-2011 Victory Jackpot motorcycles equipped with accessory touring seats. According to documents released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,the backrest supports on some accessory seats may separate from the motorcycle, potentially putting a passenger at risk of falling off. The recall campaign affects the Victory Kingpin Touring, Double Backrest seat (part number 2876641-01) and Victory Jackpot Touring with backrest seat (part number 2875961-01).

VIR Pulls Itself from 2011 AMA Pro Racing Schedule

In a surprising move, Virginia International Raceway announced it would not host its scheduled AMA Pro Racing round, just a month before the event was to take place. The Alton, Va., circuit was set to host AMA Pro Racing on Aug. 12-14 but VIR officials have now decided against hosting or promoting the event.

Stoner @ 1000 frames per second

Scraping the kerb effortlessly at 'nearly-horizontal' angles is expected from Casey Stoner, in full speed the force and aggression that the Australian is submitting the RC212V to is plain to see but slow the action down to 1,000 frames per second and the footage becomes fluid and poetic. Stoner is one of the best in the world at cornering, an achievement lauded on him by his peers, he describes his technique: "No two corners in the world that are the same. So to ride them in the same way, I think, may be what sets me apart sometimes from other riders, is the fact that I’ll attack each corner the way it needs to be ridden.

2012 Can-Am Spyder Roadster Lineup Announced

Bombardier Recreational Products announced its 2012 lineup of Can-Am Spyder Roadsters. The 2012 Can-Am Spyder Roadster line consists of two RS models and four RT touring models. All 2012 models come with a new amber-colored display, with the RS models receiving an LCD screen while the RT models get a Dot-matrix screen.

Erik Buell Racing 1190RS and KTM RC8R Make AMA Superbike Debuts

The July 8-10 Mid-Ohio round of the 2011 AMA Superbike series featured the debut of two new superbikes, the Erik Buell Racing 1190RS and the KTM RC8R Race Spec. Chris Fillmore (11) finished an impressive seventh place in a red-flagged Race One for KTM-HMC Racing while Geoff May (99) placed eleventh on the Amsoil EBR 1190RS. The second race saw both riders finish in the top ten with Fillmore in ninth and May in the ten spot.

Two Recall Campaigns for 2009-2011 Indian Motorcycles

Polaris issued two separate recalls for 2009-2011 Indian motorcycles, one for a problem with the headlight and another with the kickstand. According to documents released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the kickstands on 2009-2011 Indian motorcycles may not fold up and to the rear if the motorcycle is moving forward with the stand deployed. As a result, the kickstand fails to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No.

Recall for 2011 Yamaha FJR1300

Yamaha is initiating a recall campaign the 2011 FJR1300, just a week after a separate recall for the 2006-2009 versions of the sport touring motorcycle. Like the earlier campaign, the recall for the 2011 Yamaha FJR1300 is for an electrical issue,  this time for the brake lights. According to documents released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, brake light on affected units may not illuminate when the front brake lever is applied because the activating mechanism in the brake switch can bind.

All eyes on Rossi

At the last MotoGP round at Mugello Valentino Rossi kept with the home-race tradition of changing his routine to feature a new helmet design - featuring his baby-blue eye atop of the AGV helmet. In a design collaboration with Aldo Drudi, Rossi's pupil was incorporated into a design that featured the Italian flag, in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy, together with a caricature of Valentino's dogs. Typical with the helmets of the seven-time champion the latest design featured a message to anyone listening, much like the wooden design from 2004 in reference to his string of fourth place finishes, or the heart to signify that he still had a passion for racing in 2007.

Two-tone hugger for Kawasaki Versys

One of Pyramid Plastics' best sellers has been the rear hugger for the Kawasaki Versys, they have now enhanced upon the original product as it is now painted to match the various colours of the bike. The Hugger is manufactured from “High-Grade Reliability PlastiK” and matches the silver swingarm, while a painted style has been adopted for the top shell. Priced at £104.99 for Pearl Solar Yellow and Metallic Imperial Red, other options include Gloss Black, Carbon Look and Atomic Silver.

V.I.P treatment for first Dainese D-Air customers

To celebrate the release of the D-Air race suit in the UK, Dainese are offering the first 20 customers to order a complete V.I.P treatment at the upcoming World Superbike round at Silverstone. The iconic safety brand will have each of the customer's suits personally tailored, with measurements undertaken by a Dainese D-Air engineer from the factory in Italy. Following this, the first 20 customers to register will receive a hospitality lunch, garage tours of the Aprilia, BMW and Kawasaki teams with the opportunity to meet the Dainese riders and rub well protected shoulders with the big names of the WSB paddock.

BMW bling and new mittens

An hour and a half in my shed was all it took to bolt two boxes of goodies from R&G Racing on to my S1000RR. The casing covers (£190.00), cotton reels (£25.49 ), frame inserts(£21.00) and crash protectors (£67.99)are a doddle to bolt on and come with all the necessary allen bolts. The multi adjustable rearsets (£350.00) are equally as easy to fit (they must be if I can do it) and also come with clear instructions.

Suzuki to Relocate R&D Facility to Lower Tsunami Risk Area

Suzuki is considering moving its motorcycle research facility from its current coastal location to its main factory in Hamamatsu, Japan, to decrease the risk of damage from future tsunamis. According to a report in the Nikkei business daily, Suzuki is acquiring more land in Hamamatsu to house the research center and other facilities. Suzuki CEO Osamu Suzuki first brought up the idea to relocate some of its higher risk coastal properties during its 2011-2012 fiscal year forecast report.

BMW Posts Record First-Half Figures

BMW Motorrad sold a record 60,580 motorcycles over the first six months of 2011, a new record for the German manufacturer. First half figures were 6.3% higher than the 57,015 units sold in the same period in 2010. BMW reports strong demand across all its models, with the Boxer engine R-series models leading the way.

2012 Piaggio MP3 Touring Unveiled

Piaggio has revealed a new touring version of its three-wheeled MP3 scooter. The 2012 Piaggio MP3 Touring will be produced with four engine options, 125cc, 300cc, 400cc and 500cc. The 500cc version will be available in Sport or Business trims.