BMW R-Series Motorcycles in Trabuco Canyon, page #40

Moto blog

Zero Demonstrates Technology to U.S. Secretary of Transportation

U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood received a personal demonstration of Zero Motorcycles’ 2011 product line in San Francisco. “We are honored to be here and to see the interest from Secretary LaHood.

My S1000RR has stopped but it's only a broken chain.

I know there has been a lack of blogging on my S1000RR recently and that’s because it’s broken, but only a little bit. On July 18th I was at Silverstone looking after some Bahnstormer BMW customers, when late in the afternoon something hit me on the back as I was charging down the Wellington Straight. At that precise moment I also thought I had hit a false neutral but it turns out the chain had snapped.

BMW Concept e Electric Scooter Revealed

This post has been updated with new photos thanks to BMW finally getting around to moving its concept models off the show stage and out to the better lit outdoor exhibit area. Details are still to come but these are our first pictures of the new BMW Concept e electric scooter. The electric maxi-scooter concept rode onto BMW’s main presentation stage along with the Husqvarna E-go youth-oriented electric motorcycle concept.

James Toseland Announces Retirement from Racing

Two-time World Superbike Champion James Toseland announced his immediate retirement from motorcycle racing due to a debilitating injury to his right wrist. Signed with the BMW Motor Italia racing team, Toseland has been limited to just seven of 20 races in this season’s WSBK Championship due to the wrist injury initially suffered during a private test at Spain’s Aragon circuit in March. After undergoing an operation for the injury, Toseland made two attempts at returning to racing, first at the Miller Motorsports Park round in May and again at the Silverstone round in July.

BMW and Husqvarna to Unveil Concept Models at Frankfurt Auto Show

BMW will unveil an electric scooter concept model and an entry level Husqvarna streetbike concept at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show. The BMW concept, shown in the teaser sketch above, will likely be a version of the E-Scooter electric maxiscooter concept announced in July. BMW claimed the E-Scooter’s liquid-cooled electric motor offers performance similar to a 600cc combustion engine, while the battery casing itself will form the body of the frame.

MSF Begins Year-long Real World Motorcycle Safety Study

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation has started what it calls the first-ever naturalistic study of motorcycling, with 100 motorcycles equipped with data logging equipment to record real-world riding situations over the course of a year. The information will valuable data that will help shape the MSF’s rider education and rider training program and other safety initiatives. “Our priority with this research is to observe the participants on a day-to-day basis,” says Dr.

Öhlins Introduces Electronically Adjustable Suspension System Replacement for BMW R1200GS ESA

Öhlins has introduced what it is calling the world’s first replacement electronic suspension system, with a new aftermarket replacement kit for the BMW R1200GS’s Enduro ESA system. Like BMW‘s ESA and ESA II technology, Öhlins’ system lets riders adapt a motorcycle’s suspension with the push of a button. Öhlins’ system works with the R1200GS’s ECU and the existing user interface.

BMW Reports Q2 2011 Results

BMW posted another record quarter, reporting sales of 37,471 motorcycles in the three months ended June 30, 2011. First quarter unit sales were 3.6% higher than the 36,175 motorcycles sold in the same quarter of 2010. Combined with a record first quarter, BMW has sold 60,580 units in the first half of the year, a 6.3% increase over 2010.

US Motorcycle Sales First Half 2011 Results

The U.S. motorcycle industry saw a 4.6% decrease in year-on-year sales over the first six months of 2011, thanks mostly to a 17.3% drop in ATV sales. Motorcycle and scooter sales however saw a 1.7% bump in the first half .

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.