Motorcycle Blog on 2040Motos

Givi Baby Ride

The Baby Ride S650 from Givi is made for children ages 5 to 8 and is suppose to fit most scooters. I can’t see this being legal in your state but its obviously legal in Italy where they are sold, I know for sure the helmet that kid is wearing would not pass any inspection in the U.S., those Europeans sure know how to live on the edge! Source

MV Agusta F4CC

Developed by heavyweight designer Massimo Tamburini and Claudio Castiglioni, the director of MV Augusta, the F4CC will be the most expensive and limited sportbikes made so far. Parts for the bike will be 90% hand crafted out of titanium and carbon fiber, only 100 vehicles will be produced which will feature a 200 hp, 1078 cc engine with a top speed of 195 mph and a Curb weight of 412 lbs. For 100,000 Euro (about $135,00 US), if you order now, not only will you get the bike of your dreams but they will also throw in a Girard-Perregaux Swiss watch and a limited edition leather jacket by Italian fashion house Trussardi, operators are standing by… Source

The Steve McQueen Desert Racer

There are few motorcycle icons within pop culture that have endured as vividly as that of the late, great Steve McQueen. A man who was at one time the highest paid actor in Hollywood, he avoided the limelight in favor of immersing himself within his passion for motorcycles. Never afraid of getting dirty, McQueen was at his happiest flogging a bike around the track with fellow racers or tinkering with the machines himself.

Body-Connected Bike

Innovation and experimentation will probably be some of the major factors in helping us out of the current economic meltdown but desperate times don’t always need desperate measures. You have to respect the effort and thought that goes into creating something from nothing (note the water bottle: they even thought about keeping hydrated!) but I am afraid this idea will most likely not see the light of day, I guess you just never know for sure, anyone want to invest? Source

Gymnast on a Harley….Wow.

What happens when you take away a smokin’ hot gymnast’s balance beam and replace it with a Harley-Davidson Fat Bob? It’s only 30 seconds but who’s to stop you from playing it over and over again? Now what would be even more amazing is if there was a dude riding that bike on the highway while she did that.  What would be a million times more amazing would be if that dude was me.

Bombardier Designs Alternative-Fuel Unicycle

Not only has Bombardier designed and built snowmobiles, planes, trains and the Can-Am Spyder, the privately held Quebec-based company also tinkers with prototypes like the Embrio – the French Canadian answer to the Segway Human Transporter and resembles closely to the “Uno”. Unlikely to ever see actual production, this one-wheeled concept uses gyroscopic technology to balance its rider. The vehicle was allegedly designed to demonstrate what we bipedal humanoids might be using for transportation in the year 2025.

World’s First Motorcycle

Here at Motorcycle.com, we spend an awful lot of time searching out and covering stories about the motorcycles that will shape the future of the industry. Sometimes it is also a good idea to turn around and look back at just how far we’ve come. The first known motorcycle in existence was constructed back in 1885 by German inventors Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach near Stuttgart.

Ducati Monster is Kids Play

My parents never indulged my fascination and passion for motorcycles as a kid, hoping it was merely a passing phase that I would grow out of like wetting the bed. Well nearly 30 years later, I no longer sleep on plastic sheets, but I am just as crazy about motorcycles as ever. If you don’t want to make the same mistake with your kids, Peg Perego has developed a Streetfighter for little ones.

Private Racetrack Plan Divides Neighborhood

Alan Wilzig, heir to a banking empire, began planning a racetrack at his country estate in Columbia County several years ago but the issue really started to heat up once his neighbors discovered the scope of the project. The mile-long track would be a “recreational sporting course” where he could drive his collection of 60-plus motorcycles with reckless abandon. While town officials are adamant that any commercial use would be illegal, a rather spirited and outspoken group of residents are determined to wave the black flag on Wilzig’s plans.

Motorcycle Garage Design

This apartment was designed and built in Tokyo, Japan by three architects, Yuji Nakae, Akiyoshi Takagi and Hiroshi Ohno. The mini garages for motorcycles or scooters on the ground level have direct access to the apartments above, cool concept and a great design. Look for more images after the jump.

D1200R Demonstrates Innovative Design

What do you get when you combine a BMW R1200R and a Buell XB12? The D1200R! A former employee of Lamborghini by the name of Pablo González de Chaves Fernández has turned his attention from four wheels to two and has begun creating innovative design improvements to existing motorcycles with the help of Juan Elizalde Bertrand.

2009 Daytona Bike Week Recap and Video

If you couldn’t make it to Daytona Bike Week, don’t worry. Motorcycle.com was there, video camera in hand.  If you were there, watch the video below and sigh, wishing that every week was Daytona Bike Week. If you are looking for more then a video montage, check out our coverage linked below: Girls at Daytona Bike Week Kick back and enjoy the show!

Marble Motorcycle

One of the great things about cheap production costs in China (other than cheap products for us) is they can create products that the rest of the world could only joke about. This marble motorcycle out of China is a good example; even the wheels are made of marble. I guess we will have to live vicariously through China.

Honda CG150 TITAN MIX

While there are certain countries around the globe that are known for their significant contribution to technological innovation within the motorcycle industry, Brazil has never been one of them. Until now, it seems. Brazilian Honda subsidiary Moto Honda da Amazonia Ltda., recently began sales of the CG150 TITAN MIX, a 150cc bike with the world’s first production flexible-fuel technology.

Girls at Daytona Bike Week

Daytona Bike Week would be not nearly as fun if the girls stayed in hibernation, Daytona Beach is famous for gorgeous girls from Bike Week to Spring Break to all summer long. We have set up a photo gallery of all the babes we saw at Daytona for you after the jump, enjoy! Girls at Daytona Bike Week – Photo Gallery

Bikes at Daytona Bike Week

Thousands of bikers from across the United States and around the world converged on Daytona Beach for the unofficial start of motorcycle season – Daytona Bike Week. Motorcycle.com was there with a camera in hand and we put together a photo gallery of all the interesting, crazy and cool machines on two, three and even four wheels! The link to our 170-picture gallery is after the jump.

World’s Most Effective Speed Trap

A total of $8,200 in speeding fines were issued in Australia in a single weekend earlier this month to 41 motorcycle riders. That doesn’t sound so remarkable until you learn the 41 riders were World Superbike and Supersport racers and the highly effective speed trap is located along pit lane on the Phillip Island Circuit in Victoria, Australia. Item 14 in section 1.22 of the official 2009 WSBK rulebook says a $200 fine will be issued to riders who exceed the 60 km/h (37.2 mph) speed limit in pit lane during race practice.

Fur Helmets in Fashion?

Fashion mogul Karl Lagerfeld, designer for Chanel and Fendi, noticed the popularity of scooters last year so he couldn’t resist adding the mink-covered helmet to his winter 2010 ready-to-wear collection. “Now everyone is on scooters, even chic women, so we had to do the helmet,” said Lagerfeld. The helmets are “road ready” and are even equipped with an iPod connection.

The Ride of a Lifetime by Paul Teutul Sr.

According to the New York Post, David Letterman is a big motorcycle fan and could watch the same bike being built all week long. One of Letterman’s bikes did appear in the September 2008 issue of American Iron Magazine and he also wrote the forward to Paul Teutul Sr.’s new book “The Ride of a Lifetime” so I guess he walks the walk and talks the talk. If you don’t already know who Paul Teutul Sr.

Springtime Riding Gear

For a motorcyclist, waiting for spring is as tedious and frustrating as watching paint dry. With all the anticipation of a kid waiting for Christmas in July, I have grown bored of the usual distractions that normally keep my attention away from the fact that I am not able to ride. Day dreaming of sunny days and future adventures for months now, I am determined to hop in the saddle the first time the roads are clear.

One Week

Get the Flash Player to see this player. Short Synopsis: When a young man is confronted with his mortality, he takes a cross-country road trip on a vintage motorcycle (a Norton Commando). One Week tells the story of Ben Tyler (Joshua Jackson), in his mid-twenties, who flees from the confines of his life—an impending marriage, a job he’s not entirely happy with and a recent diagnosis—in order to attempt to live more fully.

Wind Harnessing Helmet

Out of Malaysia, designer Wai Hoong Leng has come up with this interesting concept. The Wind-Helmet uses the wind while your riding to move the built-in propeller to charge the battery cell which in turn can charge your cell phone, iPod, GPS or whatever digital device you have onboard. Detailed diagrams after the jump.

Music and Motorcycles Exhibit

The four-day “Music and Motorcycles” exhibit, presented by the Long Island Music Hall of Fame (LIMHOF), will be on public display at the Lighthouse Harley-Davidson dealership in Huntington Station, NY. The exhibit will feature memorabilia and motorcycles from many inductees from the LIMHOF including, Joan Jett, Billy Joel, Dee Snider, The Ramones, Darryl McDaniel of Run DMC and more. Billy Joel will be supplying several custom bikes, Twisted Sister have agreed to loan one of their motorcycles and a gas tank signed by Jett, Snider, Peter Tork of The Monkees, Gary U.S.

Motorcycle Cancer?

Canadian author, Randall Dale Chipkar, has published a book that claims very high electromagnetic and radiation levels have been measured coming off motorcycle seats. “I have read up to 500 milliGauss of ELF EMF radiation above motorcycle seats. In contrast, many doctors raise cancer concerns involving 3 to 5 milliGauss of ELF EMF exposure from hydro power lines and other sources,” adds Chipkar.

Roger Hayden to miss Daytona 200

Roger Hayden will not compete in the 2009 Daytona 200 after being granted a leave of absence by the Monster Energy Kawasaki race team. Mike Preston, Kawasaki Road Racing manager, says the leave is due to personal reasons. “Roger is a valued member of the extended Kawasaki family, and the relationship is one of mutual respect and understanding.

Enertia Electric Motorcycle Available at Best Buy

According to greentechmedia.com, Best Buy and Brammo (the maker of the Enertia electric bike) have plans in place to sell the $12,000 Enertia electric motorcycle at five of the electronic chain’s West Coast stores in May. Back in September, Best Buy Venture Capital invested $10 million Brammo so this deal was the next logical step. If all goes well, the distribution will spread across the Best Buy chain of 1,200 stores in the U.S., some stores in Europe and China will also to get some supply.

Homemade Diesel V6 Motorcycle

Get the Flash Player to see this player. For as long as motorcycles have been around, so too has there been an interest in modifying them. While many people opt for pin striping or aftermarket exhaust pipes, Michael Sturtz decided to drop a diesel V6 engine into his motorcycle.

Rukka Mia Jacket

Rukka as a brand is known for quailty and this jacket doesn’t disappoint, the detail everywhere is great with a soft neoprene collar, well seated thermal liner, ability to attach to trousers, it does the lot. Compared to other brands this jacket is very light, something that is impressive considering how well it performs in wind, rain and cold. The high performance is reflected in the high price, but to justify in part it has a 5-year warranty, so split it down to £90 a year and it doesn’t sound so bad.

New: Ixon XN Witty Thermal top and bottom

Unsuprisingly these are warm, with wind stopper panels in all the right places. They surprised me being slightly baggier in style than other thermals, but stopping for a coffee and taking my jacket off I suddenly wasn’t self-concious of the rolls of tummy being exposed, excellent. The bottoms have a zip, so no holding of breath needed when putting them on, and a fairly good size waist elastic.

New: Ixon Pro Glitter HP Gloves

This hardy winter glove, moulded with a soft shell and concealed knuckle guards, makes for an elegant winter glove. They’re as warm as toast and the chunkiness doesn’t impare flexibility due to the soft shell outer layer, but I find it hard to ride with winter gloves, to such an extent that I’ll compromise my warmth for feeling on the levers. But if I had to choose, these would be up there, even though the fingers come out around 1cm too long on me.