1987 Bmw R-series on 2040-motos

BMW R-Series tech info

Engine Size (cc):1,000 Type:cafe racer

Moto blog

When is a 500 Not a 500? – Question of the Day

When it's a 451, d'uh. In our last Question of the Day, we asked about some of the more… questionable names given to motorcycles (Hondas seemed to come up fairly often in the replies, which is both interesting and somehow not surprising.) I mentioned how it’s generally safer for a manufacturer to stick to a combination of letters and numbers. While that’s generally true, apart from the occasionally comical practice of tackling on another “R” to make a model sound sportier ( looking at you again, Honda), it does bring the focus onto yet another common pet peeve: motorcycles with misleading numbers in the name.

Kevin Ash, one year on

I’ve lost dozens of friends in bike racing over the years, and while each death was a shock and incredibly sad, I’ve always had some kind of internal coping mechanism that allowed me to carry on relatively unaffected.  Maybe it’s because I was always extremely passionate and committed when taking part in my dangerous sport so was also prepared to pay the ultimate price should things go wrong.  Rightly or wrongly I’ve taken comfort from the fact that these unfortunate racers have checked out while doing something they love.   I’ve also lost a few journalist friends in bike accidents over the years but for some reason these have hit me harder.  The worst and possibly as it is the most recent is Kevin Ash who was killed last January while on a BMW launch in South Africa.  Starting in 2001, over a period of ten years, I was in Kevin’s company on countless new bike launches in pretty much every corner of the world.  At times he was cocky and occasionally irritating but always entertaining with a wicked sense of humour.  He was many things but no one can deny he was a brilliant journalist and his technical knowledge was second to none.  I always appreciated his complete enthusiasm to all things biking as he would ride through any weather on a daily basis to jobs or airports and seemed to always be tinkering with winter projects (mainly Ducatis) at home.  I also admired how much work he got through as he had columns in more than one weekly publication plus all his launch and web work. He was a competent safe rider who was certainly quick enough to evaluate any new bike thrown his way.  Kevin also drove a Porsche but then none of us are perfect!   I looked to Kevin as a wise Owl so not long after I started working with TWO/ Visordown, I asked him on an R1 launch in Australia he thought the motorcycle industry was currently in a good place.  His reply was, ‘we’ve just been flown here business class, been taken by speed boat to our five star hotel under Sydney Harbour Bridge, Yamaha have wined and dined us and furnished us with expensive gifts each day, what do you think Niall?  How times have changed.  On the subject on air travel he once told me, ‘when travelling business or first class it’s not about the pampering, comfy beds or fine dining, the important part is looking smug as you walk straight past all the people lining up at the cattle class check in! On more than one occasion I had food or drink spurt out when Kevin would deliver unexpected one line funnies at the dinner table.

Competition Accessories Steps Up Sponsorship of Foremos/Pegram Racing AMA Superbike Team

Competition Accessories, the well known direct merchant of motorcycle parts and accessories and Other Accessories has stepped up its promotional support for Larry Pegram and the Foremost/Pegram Racing BMW S1000RR campaigning in the AMA American Superbike Championship for 2011. In addition to increasing its traditional long-term level of support for the team, Comp-A® is sponsoring the distribution of specially designed (see image) 50th Anniversary shirts for several hours each race day from the Pegram Racing Transport / Garage area. A minimum of 1,000 shirts will be available for distribution at each race weekend.