2009 LA Calendar Motorcycle Show weekend coming up

The 2009 LA Calendar Motorcycle Show - cool customs, hot chicks, food and drink, and a chance to party hard. What more could you want...


Pics: Fast Dates

The 2009 Los Angeles Calendar Motorcycle Show is scheduled for the 18th and 19th of this month and will be held at the Queen Mary Event park in Long Beach, California, in the US. This year, as many as 20,000 people are expected to attend the show, which is, according to its organisers, ‘America's premier custom, cruiser, performance and sportbike’ event. More than 250 manufacturers – motorcycles, parts and accessories, apparel and other bikes-related stuff – are also expected to be there at the Show.

Some of the world’s top pro and amateur streetbike builders will be in attendance to compete in the Performance Machine Calendar Show Bike Building Championship, which is offering a total of US$86,000 in cash prizes, in 11 Classes.

Spectacular motorcycles, loud music, hot girls and the chance to party hard – sounds good to us! We’ll bring you the full event report, pics and video on Monday…

2010 Honda GL1800 Goldwing gets C-ABS

The new Honda Goldwing looks as terribly dull as the old one, but we suppose it works even better, and with C-ABS and airbags, it's also safer than ever before
Via Motoblog

Honda have released pics and specs of the 2010 GL1800 Goldwing and the big news is… …the availability of new colours – white, silver, dark blue, metallic red, brown and black. Oh, well, there are also bits like an airbag, C-ABS and remote adjustable preload on the rear suspension (with memory settings). Plus, there’s the biggest, plushest motorcycle seat in the world, CD-player, integrated navigation system, multi-function display on the dash and a host of other toys for the long-distance motorcycle tourer.

The 1,832cc six-cylinder engine remains as before and should be competent as ever, if a bit dull. We also wish Honda had revamped the bike’s styling, which is still stuck in the 1990s. The bike is priced between US$23,000-28,000 (depending on the toys you choose) but Goldwing buyers should really wait for next year's model, for which Honda are said to be planning a complete revamp.

Grupo Francisco Hernando pull out of MotoGP, Sete Gibernau is left without a ride

Sete Gibernau's MotoGP comeback is over already...

Grupo Francisco Hernando have announced their retirement from MotoGP, due to financial constraints resulting from the ongoing economic recession. As a result of this, Sete Gibernau will not race in the remaining nine races of the 2009 MotoGP season.

‘I’m surprised at this decision. The team has fought hard to push this project ahead and on a personal level I believe we’ve met our targets at each race. It’s a pity that now, when we are getting closer to getting better results which we had hoped for, we have to leave,’ says Gibernau.

Hmmm... this is definitely a bad way to start to the week. And we don't suppose Gibernau has any chance of getting another MotoGP ride this year. Or even the next. This time, we guess he's retired for good... :-(

Titilla II: Valentino Rossi buys $1.15 million boat…

Rossi recently bought this Pershing 56 luxury yacht for a bit more than a million dollars and will pay about $13,000 per year in parking charges for the boat. Oh, the spoils of success... :-)

Via Motoblog

One of the highest earning sportspersons in the world, Valentino Rossi also knows how to live the good life – the reigning MotoGP world champ recently bought a brand new yacht for US$1.15 million. While Rossi’s last boat was called Tatilla, he’s named the new one (a Pershing 56) Titilla II. The luxury yacht is 56 feet long, has six beds (very useful, we’re sure…), can take up to 14 people and is powered by two engines that together produce 1,300 horsepower.

To keep his Pershing 56 Titilla II docked in the tourist bay of Vallugola, in Pesaro, and to keep a reserved car parking slot there, Rossi has to pay about US$13,200 every year. Hmm… if we didn’t so worship The Doctor, we’d almost be jealous. Anyway, time to go back to dreaming about the day when we can afford a new R1… :-((

Honda V4-engined super-tourer coming in 2010, may be called Pan European 1200

The new Honda V4-engined touring bike is coming next year...!
Pics: MCN

According to a report on MCN, Honda are working on the using the VFR1200’s V4 engine in an all-new touring bike, which is likely to be launched early next year. This bike, which could be called the Pan European 1200, will share its engine, chassis, shaft-drive, single-sided swingarm, ABS, traction control, some suspension components and suspension adjustability with the yet-to-be-launched VFR1200, but will have different bodywork and reworked, more touring-oriented ergonomics.

The Honda V4 touring bike is also likely to be fitted with a semi-automatic gearbox that could offer clutchless manual shifting and which may even have a CVT-type fully automatic mode. Like the VFR12, the new tourer will also feature cylinder deactivation, where the V4 engine will be able to function as a parallel-twin, when the rider chooses to deactivate two of the engine’s cylinders.

In a move aimed at boosting its bikes’ fuel-efficiency, Honda is quite likely to offer the cylinder deactivation feature on its bigger sports-tourers and full-dress touring machines. This technology, which allows the rider to effectively deactivate half the engine when the extra performance is not needed, helps cut down on fuel consumption. Of course, the system automatically activates all cylinders when it senses that the rider wants full power – shift down a gear or two and wrench the throttle open, and everything comes back on, and off you go…

We’ll admit that none of the above has been officially confirmed by Honda but we’re also willing to bet that most – if not all – of it will turn out to be true when Honda’s new V4 bikes are officially unveiled later this year. Stay tuned for news on this one!

Randy Mamola rides BQR-Honda Moto2 bike, likes it

Randy Mamola says Moto2 bikes can be great fun...

Pics: Motociclismo

Randy Mamola, the former ‘Clown Prince’ of 500cc motorcycle grand prix racing, recently got to ride the BQR-Honda Moto2 bike and quite liked it. ‘I liked the idea of Moto2 from the beginning and now after having ridden the bike, I can confirm that Moto2 bikes are fun,’ said Mamola, speaking to Motociclismo. ‘The engine sounds like something from Formula 3 and it’s intoxicating.’

‘If you compare Moto2 bikes with 600cc supersports machines, I would say this is a real racing bike. I’ve been lucky to test many types of bikes and I can say that Moto2 cannot be compared to anything. The closest thing is a supersports machine, but the Moto2 bike’s level of performance and the way it works is completely different,’ says Randy.

‘A supersports racer is fast and goes well, but can be slow to respond on the track, as the chassis is essentially designed for street use. In Moto2, the chassis is designed for racing and the way it works – in terms of rigidity and being able to respond to the rider’s inputs – is completely Grand Prix,’ he adds.

So how does a Moto2 machine compare with a two-stroke 250 GP racer? ‘Compared with a 250, it’s much easier to ride – anyone who moves from two-stroke 250s to Moto2 will be surprised. Yes, 250s are incredibly responsive – more so than the Moto2 bike – and they are lighter and ‘racier.’ But it’s also easier to make mistakes on those bikes. The great thing about this is that Moto2 lets you get closer to the limit without being on the edge all the time,’ says Randy.

‘I think Moto2 will see some great battles. Just imagine a grid of over 30 bikes and the noise... this is going to be very good,’ says the man who’s probably ridden anything and everything with two wheels and a powerful engine. Hmmm… we’ll admit we haven’t been too happy with the idea of Moto2, its ‘control’ engines from Honda and many of its proposed rules and regulations, some of which seem completely outlandish to us. Still, we respect Mr Mamola’s opinions. Maybe Moto2 won’t be so bad after all? Next year, we’ll find out…

Mamola used to race fire-breathing two-stroke 500s, so we have to respect what he says about Moto2 machines. Contrary to what we first thought, maybe Moto2 will be more than just a bunch of tricked-out, heated-up CBR600s tearing around a track... :-))

BQR-Honda Moto2 race bike: Tech Specs

Engine: Liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, 16-valve, DOHC, 599cc inline-four
Power: 140bhp
Gearbox: Six-speed
Chassis: BQR-designed aluminium beam frame
Suspension: 43mm USD fork, monoshock
Brakes: Twin 300mm discs with four-piston radial-mount callipers (front), single 200mm disc (rear)
Wheels: 17-inch
Tyres: 125/80 (front), 190/55 (rear). Tyres will be supplied by Michelin or Dunlop.
Weight: 135-137kg

Riding impression: Hyosung GT650R

Pics: Motomag

For those who may be looking for a budget-spec sports 600, the Korean-made Hyosung GT650R looks like a good bet. Well, at least it does on paper. But does it measure up in the real world? Here are some excerpts from Motomag’s riding impression of the bike:

On paper, the Korean bike provokes enthusiasm. But in the real world… things turn out to be a bit different. Close up, the bike looks and feels cheaply put together and lacks refinement. On the move, it quickly informs you of its dynamic limits. The suspension simply isn’t very good and the bike doesn’t feel stable in bends. Also, the engine’s fuel-injection system needs more work – throttle response is inconsistent and getting on and off the throttle at higher revs can be jerky.

The Hyosung GT650R isn’t exactly terrible, but it’s simply not in the same league as, say, a Suzuki SV650 or Kawasaki ER-6. To sum up, the bike, which is barely 100 euros cheaper than an SV650, isn’t worth it. This verdict may seem harsh, but in a market where competition is strong, the Hyosung simply doesn’t have any special talents to recommend its case.

Hyosung GT650R: Tech Specs

Engine: Liquid-cooled, 8-valve, DOHC, 90-degree, 647cc v-twin

Power and Torque: 82bhp at 9,000rpm, 61Nm at 7,600rpm

Transmission: Six-speed

Brakes: Twin 300mm discs (front), single 240mm disc (front)

Dry weight: 191kg

Price: € 5,490

Riding impression: Harley Davidson VRSCF V-Rod Muscle

The Harley-Davidson VRSCF V-Rod Muscle looks good, goes hard...

Our no.1 favourite Harley is definitely the XR1200, but the VRSCF V-Rod Muscle isn’t too far behind. Well, we’d still rather take a V-Max or B-King if we had the choice, but since we don’t… and since Solomoto have done this handy little riding impression of Mr Muscle, here are some excerpts:

They used a Harley-Davidson Fat Boy in the second Terminator movie, where that bike was used for all kinds of stunts. However, if the Terminator were to ride a Harley today, it would have to be the VRSCF V-Rod Muscle. The V-Rod has seen several versions being launched over the last few years and the engine capacity has been bumped up from the original 1200cc to 1254cc, but really, the Muscle is the first major ‘new’ model in the series.

Without detracting in any way from the traditional V-Rod styling ethic, the Muscle is now the most attractive and contemporary looking bike in the V-Rod series. With its huge 240mm rear tyre and side-mounted exhaust pipes, the bike looks an intimidating dragster… yes, people will be turning their heads to look at your machine and be prepared for the questions from passers-by when you finally stop to park the bike!

The Muscle’s instrumentation is more comprehensive than most other Harleys – in addition to the usual fuel gauge, you also get a speedometer and tachometer, which is useful. Around town, the Muscle can be less than ideal because of its weight, length and shape of it handlebars. Still, for a dragster-like bike with a 240mm rear tyre, the bike is at least reasonably agile. And then, without any doubt, you’ll be the King of traffic lights, which should be great fun. Indeed, the engine provides strong acceleration from above 2,000rpm and unlike most other slow-revving Harley engines, this one revs up pretty quickly.

The V-Rpd Muscle's riding position makes you stretch your arms far ahead and air protection is nil, which isn’t very comfortable on the long haul. Fortunately, 60-degree V-twin doesn’t vibrate and the rider’s seat is wide and comfortable, which helps matters. On the flip side, the pillion seat is small and thin, the footpegs are not insulated with rubber and there are no grab handles, which, depending on who’s riding with you, may not be such a bad thing…

On the move, you have to muscle the Muscle into corners – with its long wheelbase and massive rear tyre, you need to plan for corners well in advance and use full body English to get the bike to turn. Do this, however, and it’s possible to corner quite hard on the bike. However, the suspension is a bit soft – especially the rear shocks – which can compromise the handling somewhat. Also, the low-ish footpegs can grind out on the tarmac pretty quickly, if you get too ambitious with your cornering speeds.

To sum up, this is a ‘different’ Harley, one that’s not aimed at the Sportster, Fat Boy or Road King buyer. No, the Muscle is for those who want a Harley but who will not sacrifice performance for spectacle. Yes indeed, the Harley-Davidson VRSCF V-Rod Muscle would be the ideal bike for the new Terminator...

Muscle +

Aesthetics
Powerful engine
Good brakes
Comfortable seat
Stability

Muscle -

Not very agile
Heavy
Extreme riding position
High prices