Motorcycle Blog on 2040Motos

The Diavel rocks!

The Diavel is my new bike of the year. Not being a huge Ducati fan, when I was thrown the keys of this monster at Silverstone on Tuesday I was expecting an ill handling, weighty beast that would run out of revs and scare me to death. Well I couldn’t have been more wrong as I had an absolute blast.

Kenny Roberts and Jay Leno to Auction Yamaha 50th Anniversary R1

A special one-off Yamaha R1 that “King” Kenny Roberts will ride at Laguna Seca at this year’s U.S. Grand Prix will be auctioned off to benefit an arts school in New York. The GYTR-equipped R1 with Yamaha’s 50th anniversary red and white paint scheme will be sold at Mecum’s Motorcycle Auction, Aug.

Ben Bostrom Draws Wild Card for Laguna Seca MotoGP Race

MotoGP racing team LCR Honda seems to love America. For the second straight year, the Monaco-based team is enlisting an American racer to compete in the U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca.

Aprilia USA Creates Video Honoring Space Shuttle Program [Video]

Aprilia released a video tribute to the NASA Space Shuttle Program a day in advance of the program’s final mission. On July 8, 2011, Space Shuttle Atlantis lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:29 a.m. EDT, ushering in the end of a “30-year program of exploration, which launched great observatories, built an International Space Station, and taught us how humans can live, work and thrive in space,” says a brief description on NASA’s website of the final flight.

Polaris Reports Q2 2011 Results – Victory Sales Revenue Up 99%!

Polaris Industries reported a 99% increase in on-road vehicle (i.e. Victory Motorcycles) sales, and a 90% increase in overall net income over the second quarter of 2011. For the quarter ended June 20, 2011, Polaris reported $30.9 million in product sales from its on-road division which consists primarily of Victory Motorcycles.

Harley-Davidson Reports Q2 2011 Results

Harley-Davidson reported a net income of $190.6 million over the second quarter of 2011, thanks to the first year-on-year quarterly improvement in the U.S. market in nearly five years. For the three months ended June 26, 2011, Harley-Davidson’s operating income totaled $301.9 million, a 38.0% increase from the $218.8 million reported in the same period of 2010.

RC45 envy. Pure and simple.

I spotted this RC45 in the garages at the Spa Bikers' Days Classic. I couldn't find the owner so I'm afraid I don't know anything about it, other than what you can see here. It's been nudged into this century with Ohlins superbike forks and Brembo monobloc brakes and an Ohlins rear shock.

Used Review: Arai Axces helmet

My first Arai was an Astro R Schwantz replica in 2003, I still wear it today. Since then I've owned an RX-7 Corsair, which I wrote off in a smash in 2010 and then replaced it with an RX-7 GP, Arai's new top of the range lid. The trouble with going up the ladder is that it's hard to come back down but when Arai introduced the Axces mid-way through 2010, I had to get one in to check it out.

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.