Motorcycle Blog on 2040Motos

Tomizawa replica. Japan only.

Shoei have produced a replica helmet in tribute to the late Shoya Tomizawa, but it's only available in Japan. The X-Spirit II will be produced in limited numbers, will cost around £550 and will only be sold in Japan from April this year. Shoei have stated that some of the money raised from the sale of these helmets will go to Tomizawa’s family and will also support young Japanese road-racers.

Visordown art curation

I'm finding it difficult to appreciate art at the moment, especially with all the modern art nonsense. I guess I just don't understand it, but these pieces look worthy of Tate Bike (that is if it existed). They're from young female artist, Guenevere Schwien, who grew to love motorcycles at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.

No snow here folks!

An erratic work schedule combined with a full season of kids racing means, there aren’t many opportunities during the summer months for the Mackenzie family to grab a holiday. Instead, we tend to save our pennies and head off somewhere sunny for Christmas. I love doing this as it shortens the UK winter but more importantly it means I miss the festive frenzy.  I do like Christmas, but I hate how everyone gets caught up in the retail madness that kicks off just before Halloween, then has everyone stressed (and skint)before Santa has even hitched up his sleigh.

Remembering Those We Lost This Year

2011 is just around the corner but we thought we’d take a moment to look back and remember some of the figures in the motorcycle industry we lost in 2010. Danny “Magoo” Chandler Motocross legend Danny “Magoo” Chandler was one of the most popular racers in the ’80s. Chandler was the first rider to win both the Motocross des Nations and the Trophee des Nations in the same year.

Michael Alan Duff/Michelle Ann Duff

Spotted the link to this short film on a Dutch blog. It's beautifully shot/directed and captures GP rider Mike Duff's recovery from a horrific hip and pelvis injury suffered at the Japanese GP which cost him a six month stay in hospital. Watching him push-start makes you wince just imagining the pain he must have been in.

Three-year-old donuts

This is the son of stunt riding genius Christian Pfeiffer, Hannes, who at the age of three can already do donuts better than you. Not only is this the most adorable thing to ever feature on Visordown but it seems as though the genes run in the family as young Hannes Pfeiffer is making his dad proud on a 90cc Yamaha quad.

Chris Pfeiffer Plays Chicken on a BMW G450X Against a Bobsled [Video]

When I first saw this video, I thought it had to be a trick. Like the Gillette video of Roger Federer knocking a can off a man’s head with a tennis serve or the Nike ad with a couple of Dutch soccer players and an air vent, the first reaction is it has to be fake. But then I remember this is BMW stunt rider Chris Pfeiffer we’re talking about here.

Inside Look at the 2011 Suzuki GSX-R600 [video]

Suzuki boasts that the GSX-R600 has long been America’s top selling sportbike, so when it undergoes a major overhaul everybody takes notice. For 2011 the GSX-R600 underwent a plethora of big changes, all of which resulted in a weight loss of about 20 pounds. Helping this middleweight supersport shed pounds is a new frame, a 41mm Show Big Piston Fork, radially mounted Brembo monoblock brake calipers, as well as smaller axles and wheel hubs.

Happy Holidays from Nicky Hayden and Ducati Corse

Twas a few days before Christmas when all through the house, not a creature was stirring … except for Nicky Hayden. The Kentucky Kid dropped by Ducati’s head office in Bologna, Italy, but when he arrived, there was no one to be found. No, it wasn’t because of one of those month long holidays Italians are known for.

How to wheelie ten tonnes of Z1300

Yes, the video may be old (that's Barry Sheene doing the voice-over) but it's still worth seeing. This mad Fin was the inspiration for every stunt rider you've ever seen. Forget the White Helmets or Dave Taylor, he practically invented stunt riding all by himself.

Yamaha Pro Am madness, the best one make championship ever?

I’m biased of course, but the best one make road race championship has to be the Yamaha RD 350LC Pro Am series. Back in the days when manufacturers had spare cash (1980 to be precise), Mitsui Yamaha organised this televised championship at major British race meetings to promote the recently launched, and now iconic, Yamaha RD350LC. Twenty four riders (twelve established and twelve rookies) were chosen by a panel of experts then given a completely free season of racing with a very generous prize fund thrown in.

Mad Italian - a must see

This vid' just in. I watched it on my own and laughed out loud. Hope you do too.

John Reynolds: Riding Masterclass

When I first started racing about a thousand years ago, my local stomping ground was a place called Three Sisters near Wigan.  It wasn’t glamorous but it was brilliant. An hour from home and with about a million corners crammed into just a km of tarmac. The Three Sisters was a reference to the three coal slag heaps that had once occupied the site before.

Alpinestars Quark DNS glove

There are still about four months until the weather starts to pick up again and for those of you who are legendary bikers, still commuting through the winter, Alpinestars have released the new Quark glove with you in mind. Designed for the determind commuter, the Quark uses Alpinestars' Dual Nano system (DNS), in short a Hydrophonic textile upper construction that helps block out external moisture from entering the glove, and the company's patented Drystar technology, a membrane that ensures the glove remains 100% waterproof whilst enabling the glove to breathe for riding comfort. In terms of protection the Quark DNS glove features a reinforced palm to resist abrasion in the essential areas and an inner knuckle foam padding for impact protection.

2011 ZX-10R onboard lap.. worked out nice

I've been playing around with video cameras in the office here for a good year with varying degress of success. The GoPro we use is great - when it's behaving. But I've had too many sessions where it doesn't like the SD card I fed it, the batteries die as you're leaving pit lane or you record a perfect lap, but with the camera pointing at the sky, or the tank.

What Has James Stewart Been Up To? [video]

The last time we checked up on James Stewart, he wasn’t having a good year. First, there was the season-ending injury in the second round of the 2010 AMA Supercross campaign, an ill-advised comeback at the Unadilla National, and then a much-panned open letter after getting left off Team USA for the Motocross of Nations. In all, Stewart took part in just three races in 2010.

See the CBR250 in Action [video]

You’ve read the review from India, the technical report from the U.S., and even took a look at the Canadian unveiling. Now you can see Honda’s brand new CBR250R in action in a video. Honda put together a video that is clearly aimed at new riders, but it gives us our first shots of the thumper taking on the tarmac.

£14,795 for a one-off Harley Sportster

A UNIQUE Harley-Davidson motorcycle – the only one in the UK – has been created by a Scottish dealership. Glasgow-based West Coast Harley-Davidson’s customised Bobber style XL1200 Nightster screams style and individuality, with a Harley-Davidson Factory Radical Paint set and a host of added accessories. Named Devil’s Infantry, the paint kit on the striking machine is one of just five across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Who's a silly boy then?

A MOTORCYCLE-RIDING thief who stole at gunpoint gambling chips worth a reported £1.5million from a Las Vegas casino has fallen foul of his own crime after the stolen chips were deemed to be valueless.It's reported the man entered the Bellagio casino earlier this week, wearing a full-face motorcycle helmet, before pulling a gun on staff. After bagging £1.5million in gambling chips, the suspect then ran back out to the motorcycle and fled at high speed.MGM Resorts, which owns the Bellagio, confirmed the robbery happened but refused to give further details.

Xmas gift for Haslam fans

A LIMITED-EDITION Leon Haslam print has gone on sale and captures the moment the Alstare Suzuki rider took his first World Superbike Championship race victory – at Phillip Island, Australia on February 28 this year. Winning Start has been painted by Isle of Man artist Alan Perkin and the limited edition run of 250 prints are already selling on the online store of Leon Haslam’s website; www.leonhaslam.com. All of the prints are signed by Haslam and Perkin and are priced at £39.95. “Alan Perkin has produced a really nice painting and we wanted to get something out there in advance of Christmas and at an affordable price,” said Haslam. He continued: “The print has pride of place in my house, Phillip Island was my first pole position, my debut on the Alstare Suzuki and my first race win – a memorable start to a great year.” The print measures 630mm x 490mm and is available from the Leon Haslam website or by calling 01332 882584.

2011 Honda CBR125R Makes Canadian Debut

As we posted earlier this week, Honda Canada invited CBR125R owners to its corporate headquarters for the Canadian debut of the new CBR250R. But that wasn’t the only unveiling, as the 2011 edition of the CBR125R was also revealed. While the new 250 was the star of Honda Canada’s launch event, the 125 owners in attendance reacted positively to the updates for the 2011 CBR125R model.

Stocking filler suggestion: 3

Before going out on my high-powered motorcycle I always like to make sure that I'm wearing clean boxers with good elastic. Having once been admitted to A&E in a tatty pair of shreddies that weren't only on inside out (improved mileage) but were also on back to front (got dressed in the dark) and - if that wasn't already embarrassing enough - the elastic in the waistband had gone, too. Deep shame.To avoid any similar thunder-pant faux-pas, Red Torpedo have decided to run a Christmas offer so that everyone can get a pair of funky Crawford pants in a tin to put in their stocking as well as a "pick your own" brand new PRIMO quality t-shirt all for £25 - a festive saving of ten, whole English pounds.

AMA Awards Motorcyclist of the Year to its Most Harmful Opponent

Taking notes from a liberal progressive organization, the ordinarily conservative American Motorcyclist Association has decided to export some good old passive aggression from its humble offices in Ohio back to California. Specifically, the AMA has named Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger as its Motorcyclist of the Year.

Kawasaki Z1R.

These two beautiful Z1R Kawasakis appeared at the annual Mooneyes Yokohama Custom show last weekend. With one sporting a street/strip look (spot the belly-scraping ride height and rigid rear struts) and the other undergoing a sort of modernisation, they both reminded me just how handsome and unique the original slab-sided Z1R was.  Judging by some of the other wild and weird exhibits I made a mental note to myself: must make sure I'm in Japan this time next year.

2011 Honda CBR250R Unveiled In Canada

Honda Canada revealed the new 2011 CBR250R last night, and from the looks of things, the Japanese manufacturer is expecting big things from its new entry level sportbike. The new 2011 Honda CBR250R will be available both in Canada and the U.S. in Spring 2011 with an aggressive pricing plan that places the  Kawasaki Ninja 250R directly in its sights.

Thumbs up for a chilly N.E.C.

Apart from the freaky weather I have to say last week’s Carole Nash Motorcycle Live N.E.C. show was the best Birmingham event I've attended in the ten years. I really appreciate the fact that manufacturers chose to ignore the recession giving us great stands to cater for every enthusiast young and old.  Aprilia made a welcome return and I don’t know anyone that didn’t enjoy admiring the WSB RSV4, surely the the most gorgeous bike on the planet? The Honda stand rarely disappoints and this year was no exception with banking bikes providing fun for all the family.

Motorcycle Routes and Destinations in Ontario

Located on a Northern Ontario motorcycle touring website, we found a listing of nineteen different detailed routes and destinations you can travel to on your motorcycle in Northern Ontario, Canada.  They have also included an event listing along with a video gallery so you can checkout the first person view of all the beautiful scenery and motorcycle friendly roads.

Get Mugged for a tenner!

Like any self-respecting Anglo Saxon, I take my tea seriously and often in great volumes. I say Anglo Saxon but being the mixed race society that we are, much of our language - particularly Northern dialect and slang- stems from the mother tongue of those hairy Viking invaders - Norse, Swedish and Danish, f'rinstance.So with that in mind, I can safely say that this Guy Martin tea container is in fact a mug, not a cup as he states so firmly (yet incorrectly) in print on the face of the mug. As this particular beverage container holds  a whole pint of tea it is therefore a 'mugfull'.

Aero-engined Custom

I can't imagine that you're planning on mounting a radial aero engine in a bike any time soon. However, if you were, I thought you'd like to see what it would sound like when you first frapped it up. The bike in the video was built by John Levey of JRL in the States.

Stocking filler suggestion: 2

When football played second fiddle to speedway in the late sixties and early seventies, the David Beckham of the shale tracks was certainly Barry Briggs. The very fact that his old mate Bernie Ecclestone wrote the foreword speaks volumes about the high life that Briggs has lived. 'Wembley and Beyond' is Briggo's self-penned life story and any self respecting speedway fan's bookshelf would be incomplete without this illustrated 464 page epic.