1200 Sport Harley-davidson 2003 on 2040-motos

Moto blog

Vespa goes back to the future

IT'S been a while coming, but the gorgeous Vespa 946 - EICMA 2012's Best of Show - has finally introduced something to the two-wheeled world that our four-wheeled counterparts have had for a while.  I call this 'reverse retro-futurism' - the art of borrowing lines from models past and imbuing them with a sleek sense of future direction (as opposed to retro-futurism, the pre-1960s design trend of depicting the technology of the future. The term 'decopunk' may come close, but feel free to tell me if there's a more exact term.) It's what the New Mini and the New Beetle (both 1997 and 2012 versions) have done so well, and so successfully: building an all-new model as a tribute to a classic, something that's modern yet already timeless, with a widely-appreciated, inclusive aesthetic (and here we eliminate the Plymouth PT Cruiser from the conversation). The biking world is great at retro, indeed thrives on it, but not so good at adding in a taste of the 21st century.

Top-Selling Motorcycles in US in 2013: Harley-Davidson Street Glide Special and Breakout

It’s almost automatic every time we write about Harley-Davidson that the company’s critics jump out to say how its bikes are heavy or assembled from parts bin leftovers or technologically decades behind its competitors. What these naysayers either forget or completely ignore is that Harley-Davidson motorcycles continue to sell. In its first quarter 2014 financial report, Harley-Davidson reported a 5.8% increase in motorcycle sales including 3.0% in the U.S.

Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Team Unveils Restyled V-Rod Drag Bikes

The Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle/Vance & Hines racing team unveiled its restyled V-Rod drag motorcycles ahead of the first Pro Stock Motorcycle round of the 2012 NHRA Full Drag Racing series. Reigning champion Ed Krawiec and Andrew Hines will compete for the Harley-Davidson team on new V-Rod drag bikes, restyled to more closely resembled the Night Rod Special production model. This marks the first restyling of Harley-Davidson’s NHRA competition bikes since the V-Rod entered the competition in 2002, and comes as The Motor Company celebrates the V-Rod’s 10th anniversary.“The goal was to make the drag racing motorcycles look more like the current production Night Rod Special motorcycle,” says Kris Schoonover, Harley-Davidson racing manager.