Showing posts with label motorbike. Show all posts
Showing posts with label motorbike. Show all posts

Thursday, July 9, 2015

I Believe I Can Fly: Dicer Bikes’ motorized bicycle


If you’ve spent any time in the Far East, you’ll have seen a Flying Pigeon. It’s the omnipresent bicycle owned by every middle-class Chinese family. Over 500 million have been made, but few are as quick as this one: a powered version with a boardtrack vibe and a top speed of 70 kph.
The Screaming Pigeon is the twisted brainchild of Australian adman Brad Wilson, who’s built three prototypes so far. And if there’s enough interest, he’ll put the motorized bicycle into low-volume production under his Dicer Bikes brand.

“It’s a little bit of East meets West,” says Brad. “The bikes start life as an 1950s Flying Pigeon roadster, the kind you see old gents ride around on in Chinatown in Singapore. The attraction for me is the unique twin-bar frame: this becomes the focal point when designing a fuel tank.” After stripping a Flying Pigeon down, Brad keeps the the frame but re-spokes the steel wheels and cuts, flips and welds the handlebars upside-down.

The engine is a generic single cylinder 50cc putting out a couple of horsepower. Yes, that’s two horsepower. But it’s enough to push the bike to 40 mph, more than the urban speed limit in most cities.
There’s a bona fide motorcycle throttle and the super-cool grips are from a jackhammer, with reverse levers underneath. The somewhat ineffective rod-style brakes of the standard Pigeon have been replaced by a 21st-century disc brake up front.
The fuel tank slots over the second frame member and is made from stainless 1.5mm tubing. There’s a seat bracket over the rear wheel as a nod to the early boardtrack racers, but also a sprinkling of modern components—including a sealed bottom bracket and a very classy Brooks seat. Next on the development list, Brad reports, is an internal throttle setup.

For zipping around town, we can’t imagine anything better. Any takers out there for this fine example of old school style? Dicer Bikes | Facebook | Images by Scott Newett

First published by bikeexif.
I Believe I Can Fly: the Screaming Pigeon motorized bicycle.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Silverman Museum Ducati Collection To Hit Auction Block

Silverman Museum Racing Ducati Collection Shot


Bonhams Press Release:
Following the recent news of the Pierce Museum collection of Harley-Davidson’s headlining January’s Las Vegas motorcycle auction, Bonhams is very pleased to announce the addition of another truly impressive collection, that of Silverman Museum Racing.
Comprised of Italian thoroughbreds, the Silverman collection is renowned for having the best of the best. Like the world-famous Silverman collection of Native American artifacts, universally regarded as one of the best in existence, the collection of Ducati motorcycles is likewise second to none.
Following the owner’s passion for racing and, indeed, the DNA of the marque itself, most of the collection is built around competition models. For instance, featured is a 1973 750SS Imola Short Stroke.
Based on the motorcycle that roared to victory in the 1972 Imola GP capturing both first and second places with factory riders Paul Smart and Bruno Spaggiari, this is the model that launched the Ducati legend. As Classic Driver wrote, with “an engine note as moving as an opera by Verdi and curves as beguiling as Sophia Loren’s” it is the all-time favorite model from the Bologna manufacturer.
Then there is a rare 1974 750SS Green Frame Round Case – never sold new in the US – with its boisterous symphony, powerful motor and low production numbers that represents one of the finest and most desirable of all Ducati’s.
And a brand new 1978 Ducati 900 NCR, the same model that propelled legendary racer Mike Hailwood to a victorious comeback (after an 11 year hiatus!) at the Isle of Man and Mallory Park.
Perhaps most noteworthy, however, is the original condition 1984 750SS TT1 campaigned by Pablo Real. In addition to being the progenitor of the extremely successful four-valve Ducati racers that paved the way for world Superbike domination, TT1 models are nearly as rare as hen’s teeth and never come up for sale, let alone one with documented race history. Better still, not one but two TT1s are being offered!
Other multiple same-model machines from this astounding collection include two or more TT2s, F1 Desmos and F1 Montjuics, something that is practically unheard of, in addition to the many other fine examples from the group.
Truly one of the greatest collections of Ducati’s assembled, the Silverman Museum Racing collection will share center stage with the Pierce Museum collection in January, each representing Bologna and Milwaukee with machines that are diametrically opposed in style and purpose yet symbolize the epitome and benchmark of their respective genres.
The Bonhams Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction will take place at Bally’s Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip on Thursday 9 January 2014.
For more information: www.bonhams.com

MV Agusta returns to roadracing in World Superbike series

MV Agusta is returning to international roadracing in a deal with Russian team Yakhnich Motorsport.
For now, it sounds as if the Italian manufacturer only intends to contend in supersport racing for 2014, with the F3. If that’s the case, they’ve hooked up with the right race team, as Yakhnich Motorsport took the 2013 Supersport championship.
However, they’re expected to be ready to race in the World Superbike championship with their F4 RR by the 2015 season. They’ll have two Supersport racers, and one Superbike racer.
“The official return to racing is a very important and ambitious step for MV Agusta,” said Giovanni Castiglioni, MV Agusta president. “However, my decision came directly from my heart. Racing was always my father’s greatest passion and he led his companies to victory in every form of racing – from the 500 GP Class and the Paris-Dakar with the legendary Cagiva, to the first world championships won in Superbike with Ducati, as well as off-road with Husqvarna. But his true dream was to see MV race again. I am very proud to be able to see this happen.”
While the company’s recent lean years have meant an interruption in their racing endeavors, MV Agusta was a dominant force in roadracing in decades past.

First published by Canada Moto Guide


Designer turned entrepreneur invents electric motorbike that 'goes like stink’

Ex-Formula One and aerospace engineer Lawrence Marazzi has spent five years building the ultimate electric motorbike.

It’s been called the “Storm Trooper bike” and been likened to the kind of technology that could be found in science fiction series Red Dwarf. Meet the Saietta R.
Saietta R is made by Agility Global, headquartered in the UK and founded in 2008 by Mr Marazzi with the sole purpose of shaking up the motorcycle market.
It leaves other electric bikes behind, going from 0mph to 60mph in under four seconds, and is safer than traditional engines.
“Petrol bikes feature Victorian plumbing.” Mr Marazzi explained. “You’ve got a highly carcinogenic, massively explosive liquid called petrol inches away from a 900 to 1,000-degree exhaust pipe. If you tried to do that experiment in a lab, people would think you were nuts.”
The Saietta looks nothing like existing electric motorcycles. It’s been called the “Storm Trooper bike” and been likened to the kind of technology that could be found in science fiction series Red Dwarf.
“We’re the only electric bike using Formula One composite technology,” said Mr Marazzi. “This also makes it light, weighing just 200kg, strong and allows the Saietta to run 100 miles with a 12-mile reserve on a single charge.” 
Electric motorcycles are a fast-growing segment of the market. In 2010, the world produced 60m motorbikes that ran on fossil fuel and 32m electric and hybrid ones. With annual growth of 20pc, electric-powered models will close the gap by 2015, with both versions producing 70m units each.
Mr Marazzi considered taking on the electric car market initially but it was too mature, even back in 2007, and the costs were prohibitive.
“The capital costs in creating a significant motorcycle business are much smaller than those for cars,” he said. “But the product price can be just as high. Put it this way, if you’re selling a £15,000 Ford Focus, it’s a shed load more work than selling a £15,000 motorcycle.”
Agility’s founder has invested £1.1m in seed capital following an equity round to fund development. It has also won three generations of Technology Strategy Board investment, which was fund-matched by private investors and totalled £300,000. Mr Marazzi also made a significant investment himself.
This has been a labour of love for the designer turned entrepreneur. Agility Global built seven prototypes before settling on the current model. “Coming from an aerospace background, five years is pretty quick,” Mr Marazzi said.
He is hoping to sell 9,500 units by 2018. “We designed the Saietta in a way that would allow us to scale production very quickly,” he said. 

Its core markets are the EU and US. “These territories have incredibly high early adoption rates. There are also strong incentives in place to go electric. Gas motorcycles are taxed at up to 150pc. Electric ones aren’t taxed at all.” 

It seems that the bike will be available in two packages: R and S. The S has a short range of 50 miles and costs £9,975 ($16,090 U.S). The R has a longer range of 100 miles and ships for £13,975 ($22,540) and already available for sale on the site. There will be a choice of body panels, tamer red version a black one, full white and (not confirmed) a highly reflective chrome .


If the Saietta lives up to its name, market penetration should be very swift. “Saietta means thunderbolt in an Italian dialect,” Mr Marazzi explained. “But it actually comes from a turn of phrase that means, 'That goes like stink!’” 

First published  in www.telegraph.co.uk

Saturday, November 16, 2013

NIce motorcycles Nice girls


I found on Pinterest some nice photos.
I would love to share with you

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/1d/53/26/1d5326604336cda288f30a78a2abaaf0.jpg 



http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/05/6d/c8/056dc8fa75210ef287ee0817f128798a.jpghttp://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/cf/97/18/cf971858bfb8450d43c0fda7e26700a8.jpg

EICMA hangover and analysis CMG- part 2

We are continuing the article prepared by the Canadian MotoGuide team about the EICMA 
First part here.  
All these new bikes will be presented also in Birmingham starting 23 Nov until 1st of Dec at Motorcycle Live. We will be present there- keep looking here for more updates and coverage

AND THE UPDATES

The R1200T gets BMW's new water-cooled boxer motor.
The R1200T gets BMW’s new water-cooled boxer motor.

As one would expect from a german company like BMW, updates come in a very logical manner, at least when it comes to the R range. New Boxer motors always appear in the flagship GS but then trickle down the range over the next few years before reaching the end, and then up pops a new motor. Second in line in the R throne is the R1200RT tourer which now comes with the new liquid cooled motor and has a new hill starting doo-dad and electric gear shifter for those too lazy to do either.
Honda has also been busy, with an update to the CBR1000RR (does anyone remember when those were happening every two years?) that boasts more power. What’s more surprising is their new track-orientated SP version with Ã–hlins suspension, four-piston Brembo monobloc brake calipers, a revised frame and new top and bottom steering yolks with less flex. There’s also a long-awaited update to the VFR800 which essentially has remained untouched since the V-TEC addition in 2002. No word on whether the V-TEC remains but there has been a boost in power and a significant drop in weight of 10 Kilos. Might be a good opportunity for Honda to bring it back into Canada.
The Z1000 is back, with new looks.
The Z1000 is back, with new looks.

Kawasaki also updated their Transformer styled Z1000 to make it even more Transformer-like, Yamaha added some tweaks to the motor on its Super Tenere as well as a ZE version with some additional trinkets including electronically adjustable suspension. Oh and as we mentioned earlier, Triumph made some more variations of its big cruiser Thunderbirds.

LET’S NOT FORGET THE ELECTRICS

The Zero SR has more range and more power again. Every year, their bikes get more and more competent.
The Zero SR has more range and more power again. Their bikes get more and more competent.

The knock against battery bikes has always been limited range. Zero continues to tackle this problem; now, they’ve announced updates to their lineup (an optional add-on battery pack) that will enable riders to get a claimed 275 km of city riding; combined city and highway riding will get you as much as 210 km. Cruising around 90 will get you a 170-km range, and cruising around 110 will get you around 140 kms of range.
At least, that’s what Zero claims – we’ll wait until real-world users start posting their results before we get too excited. Still, this is an important step forward. Every year the Zero lineup adds a few kilometres of range, and hopefully one day they’ll be competitive with gasoline bikes, as long as costs are reasonable.

WHAT’S COMING NEXT?

Sure, the upcoming 2014 models are exciting, but what’s coming down the pipe long-term? Well, a couple interesting concept machines were shown off at EICMA, including a new supermoto from Husqvarna.
The Husqvarna 701 prototype shows the company hasn't forgotten their supermoto models.
The Husqvarna 701 prototype shows the company hasn’t forgotten their supermoto models.


Husky’s future in street bikes was in doubt after their sale to KTM president Stefan Pierer, but the company appears to have a return to basics in mind. For years, the only street bikes they made were supermotos, and the new 701 concept follows that vein. Sure, it’s got trick bodywork, LED headlights and other trick parts, but it really appears to be a dirt bike with street tires at heart.
The Yamaha Tricity scooter concept will make it to production.
The Yamaha Tricity scooter concept will make it to production.
Will the 701 make it to market? It’s tough to imagine Husqvarna not bringing their supermoto lineup back, especially after seeing this, although we’re sure the street-legal models will be neutered versions of the concept, as always.
Yamaha had the other most interesting concept, the Tricity scooter. Basically, it’s a leaning three-wheeler, similar to existing machines like Piaggio’s MP3, but cheaper and lighter with a 125 cc motor. Yamaha actually says they’re going to bring this to market, with a projected cost of 4,000 Euros across the pond.

And let’s not forget the quirky Brits! Some firm has decided to resurrect Brough Superior, with an undated Steam Punkesque interpretation of the SS100, all for a mere 100,000 Euros, and British car makers and Formula 1 race team, Caterham, has decided to try its luck with bikes, introducing three models, one gas-powered and the other two electric.
While they’re all on the quirky side, we haven’t seen any real quirkiness since the market went south with everyone’s cash. Surely a sign that good times are a coming, even if they’ll likely never go on sale in North America.
The Caterham Classic E-Bike has a faux V-twin motor and a very short range.
The Caterham Classic E-Bike has a faux V-twin motor and a very short range.


 

Friday, November 15, 2013

Weekend - Go back to your love to ride it :)

Is your relationship with your bike a May-September romance? The love affair doesn’t have to end just because the mercury is dropping!

Iggy Pop once sang, “She's a motorcycle that I can't ride, She's a precious jewel that I can't buy, She's a scene I'm playin' in which I die, And I'll never fall in love again.” If this sounds like how you feel at the end of an epic riding season, don’t despair. Yes, there is indeed life after summer.

There are quite a few good reasons to keep riding in the autumn. First of all, traffic is usually lighter, especially in the parts of the country that are usually swamped by tourists in the warmer months. This not only translates to fewer accidents, but a more enjoyable experience on the road overall.
Secondly, your otherwise hot and sweaty safety gear is now the perfect temperature for riding. While you may look cool in a leather jacket and pants in the summertime, the fall is when you can look cool AND be cool. (Plus safety is always in style.)

Also, the smells and sights of autumn are always better on a bike. Do yourself a favor and take a nice relaxing ride through a wooded area. You will see the leaves changing color, smell the far-off scent of campfire, and feel the cool breeze that reassures you that autumn really is your favorite season.

If you’re planning on making a date with your bike this autumn, here are three things to remember:
Check the weather. In some parts of the country -- like along the eastern seaboard -- autumn means hurricane weather. And if there is one time in your life you do not want to be out riding your bike, it is definitely in the middle of a hurricane.


Check your gear. Did you remember your gloves? Long pants? A sturdy jacket? Autumn riding may be the best you ever experience, but if the sun goes down and you’re caught off guard in just your vest and short sleeve t-shirt, look out!

Check the road. Falling foliage might mean a Kodak moment… or it could mean the wipe-out of your life. When the road is slick, especially with wet leaves, riding can be hazardous. Always be on the lookout and stay aware of your surroundings.


Since it’s unlikely many of you will be able to cruise like you want to toward the end of the year, get all the best riding in now, during the optimum months for riding. And until they make snow chains for motorcycles, autumn is the best season to “hold onto that feeling”, as Journey put it.

So just like Freddy Mercury says… “Get on your bikes and ride!”




text by heather.hawkins


Fake Vespas seized at EICMA 2013

Chinese imitations of consumer products is not new. It is now learnt that Piaggio was in for a rude shock when Chinese manufacturers displayed imitations of its premium Vespa scooters at the recently concluded EICMA 2013.
11 scooters being displayed by seven Chinese exhibitors were seized by the Mobile Unit of the Rho division of the Guardia di Finanza which is the financial law enforcement arm of the Italian military police. The vehicles that were seized had breached the exclusive right constituted by the three-dimensional trademark registered by Piaggio. It protects the characteristic shape of the Vespa and the design of the global and iconic scooter.
The fake Vespas being confiscated at EICMA
The fake Vespas being confiscated at EICMA

There are two models here- the Vespa and the Vespa VX. The VX was launched earlier this year in July and is the pricier model of the two. Both the scooters are powered by a 3-valve single-cylinder four-stroke engine that generates 10PS of power and 10.06Nm of peak torque. A disc brake, modified speedometer, new pillion grab rail,  beige seat cover and tubeless tyres were added features to the VX.


More recently, at the EICMA, Vespa drew the covers off the new Primavera, which could replace the LX lineup. It shares the base powertrain with the LX series, with a few tweaks, but uses sharp new styling and a reworked frame to make the scooter more stylish. Vespa says there will be 125cc and 150cc 3-valve SOHC fuel-injected engines – based on the LX engines – in the Primavera. The engines have a new crankshaft, roller-rockers and a new bore and stroke to ensure better torque. The spark plug position in the combustion chamber has also been altered in the interest of economy, performance as well as improved cooling and easier maintenance. The new engine is lighter than before.

First published on overdrive.in

Bike HUD – Motorcycle Helmet Heads-Up Display

A British company is set to launch an innovative motorcycle helmet heads-up display system, similar to Google’s Glass technology, that will go on sale in the U.S. by the end of the year.
Motorcycle Information System Technologies (MIST) has spent the past three years developing an in-helmet dashboard display unit that will be unveiled at the forthcoming NEC Motorcycle Show (November 23 – December 1) in Birmingham, England.

Called the Bike HUD (heads-up display) it fits inside any motorcycle crash helmet and consists of a small screen that displays a motorcycle’s speed, engine revs, gear and time. Unlike other systems that are in development or already available, you do not need to buy it already installed in a helmet but can switch Bike HUD between helmets of your choosing. MIST anticipates that Bike HUD will retail around $480 – $560 when it goes on sale in the U.S.


Bike HUD
Bike HUD mounts a small screen inside your helmet. This is visible in your peripheral vision, but is said not to obscure sight.
“We have spent a lot of time and money researching the technology and usability of Bike HUD,” explained Dave Vout, Managing Director of MIST. “One thing that was apparent when we started out three years ago is that there are systems already available with similar technology, but you have to buy the whole package including a helmet.
“With our system you only need the hardware and computer and can fit it to whichever helmet you choose. At the moment, it can be used on any full-face motorcycle helmet. But by the end of next year we will release Bike HUD for open face helmets too.”




Bike HUD: motorcycle heads-up display

Bike HUD is a heads-­up display (HUD) system that shows motorcycle riders key information such as speed, engine revs and gear selection via a helmet-mounted display.
Bike HUD aims to make riding safer by increasing road awareness. It would reduce the need to look down at instruments and helps ensure correct gear selection for overtaking/pulling away from junctions – in short, it lets motorcyclists concentrate on the road rather than their instruments, making riding safer and more fun.
The system communicates speed, RPM, gear, revs and turn indicators using text, graphics, colour and sound, all without distracting the rider from the traffic conditions and riding environment.

Bike HUD consist of three parts; the display, which is fixed inside the helmet and is mounted below either the right or left cheek and is visible in the bottom corner of a helmet’s visor.
“We looked at projecting the information onto the inside of a visor but there are some drawbacks to this. In bright sunlight you can’t read it, which why we have opted for a small display screen, “ said Vout. “There’s a flexible brace for the HUD that fits inside a helmet and the display is mounted in such a way that the rider looks over the top of it so they keep their head up and their eyes on the road ahead.”


Bike Heads Up Display
Bike HUD collects its information from an on-board computer and GPS unit.
 
Bike HUD is connected from the helmet via a single cable to an onboard computer and GPS unit, fitted under the seat of a motorcycle. A toggle switch, which can be used with motorcycle gloves, is mounted on a bike’s handlebars and allows a rider to scroll between the information pages that they want displayed.
“The HUD’s computer is about the size of a cell phone,” explained Vout. “It’s straight forward to install on a bike and you don’t need to be an expert technician to mount it and it will work with any motorcycle’s electrical system.
“We opted to use GPS on the HUD, as like other heads-up that use cell phone technology which updates once every second, GPS does this five to ten times a second and is more accurate.”
At the moment the GPS element of HUD is only for monitoring vehicle speed but MIST plans to roll out a full GPS mapping system by the end of 2014 that will provide regular map information on the in-helmet display screen too.
HUD currently has three riding modes to choose from including commuting, touring and track days. Commuting mode will show gear selection, indicators, speed and revs, while touring mode will add gas mileage and range. In track day mode it will be possible to see instantly your lap times and to mark certain points on a circuit to compare your speed and time. It is similar to computer telemetry used in race cars and the information can be downloaded from the HUD computer afterwards to study lap times and cornering speeds.
“We wanted to make Bike HUD as simple for the operator to use as possible, said Vout. “For example, when turning and you forget to cancel the turn signals, the speed display will flash until you turn them off.”
“You can also choose different background colors for the bike’s speed. So, if you’re in a 35 mph speed restriction zone it will be white, but it will then change to blue from 35-45 mph and so on.
“That way you just need to glance out of the corner of your eye at the display to know how fast you are going by checking the color,” said Vout. “It’s the same for the engine revs, which relies on a single horizontal bar. You can choose a color for normal running but over certain speeds the bar will change to a different color. This means you can keep your attention on the road and only monitor the display with your peripheral vision.”
Bike HUD will be shown to the public for the first time at the NEC Motorcycle Show at the end of this month in the UK and will go on sale immediately afterwards. For further information about Bike HUD and final U.S. prices and shipping costs visit the company’s website.

And most important it was tested and is CE accredited 

Information  published on rideapart.com

Thursday, November 14, 2013

The UNTITLED Motorcycles Of Camden Town



Video Screenshot, © LEAP FILMS
LEAP films have proved last year that in just 90-seconds, they can make you come…. out of your comfort zone and into the world of riding, in search of your true soul. Directed by Darren Statman, the ad for the London based bespoke motorcycle maker ‘ Untitled’ has completely mesmerized us. Shot as a journey through a desolate London wasteland and reminiscent of a Fellini masterpiece, Statman wanted to create a film that treats the bike as a presence, using the roar of the rebuilt bikes’ engine to tell a narrative of the bikers whilst portraying the experience of riding a bike itself as a shortcut through.... Hell!; a hell that seems so desirable and passionate that you want to ride the bike together with the man on it..


Mark Lonsdale who produced this creation together with Lucian Evans describes the film as ‘a striking and memorable road movie set in a lost London which makes people want to watch it again’. Of course what makes this final product so enticing is the sexual roar of the rebuilt bikes’ engine together with the view of these bespoke once run down neglected pieces brought back to life. The history, care & timelessness of these restorations instantly create a feeling of utter sensitivity and passion towards anyone who rides these bikes; a feeling which is all so desirable. Instantly with one mere glimpse, you understand that the riders are these motorcycles’ protectors. It is a connection akin to that of a lover, mother or brother that can only be understood by their creators.
photo © Damian McFadden
photo © Damian McFadden
Untitled Motorcycles’ consists of two guys and a girl. Rex Martin the chief mechanic, Anita his assistant and Adam Kay who is in charge of fabricating parts, putting bits of the bike back together and who is responsible for all social media. ‘Untitled’ does not focus on elements such as speed or urban cool. Instead, they seek to build motorcycles that speak to the soul. They bring old unloved motorcycles back to life and recycle them into classics. Being a pair of BMW Motorran enthusiasts from Camden Town, UK, Adam & Rex are quickly becoming some of the country’s best-known custom builders. The philosophy for customization as Adam says is ‘to create a machine that is highly individual which however, maintains the usability which is one of the best features of BMW’s motorbikes. We find inspiration in classic British machines, as well as American dirt bikes and flat trackers. We believe that our work speaks for itself through the beauty of handmade parts and BMW’s great engineering’. However, in addition to their custom made machines, notice must also be given to Untitled’s entrepreneurial gut. In a relatively short time, they’ve proven themselves to be ambitious contributors to the motorcycle aficionados‘ world - through their sharing of moto pictures, stories and content daily with their social media.
As a conclusion there is nothing to say but Rex, Anita & AdamGod bless you’.
photo © Damian McFadden
photo © Damian McFadden
photo © Damian McFadden
photo © Damian McFadden
Video Screenshot, © LEAP FILMS

Confederate Motorcycles R131 Fighter

Not a new one- but definitively an impressive one..

Custom motorcycle maker Confederate Motorcycles has unveiled its latest limited-edition model, the R131 Fighter. Built strong but light from aircraft-grade aluminum, the bike weighs only about 460 lbs, and combined with its sleek black and silver finish, lives up to its aircraft namesake. Equipped with a larger than average for its class 2146 CC engine, the motorcycle features a fuel capacity of 3.5 gallons, a 5-speed transmission, and carbon fiber wheels with 4-piston Brembo brakes. Limited to a production of only 10 models, each hand-built model costs $100,000 USD and is available for special order through the maker’s website.

Image of Confederate Motorcycles R131 Fighter

Bandit9 Nero MKII Motorcycle

Beijing-based workshop Bandit9 is pretty serious about its motorcycles. Following up on the Nero model released last year, the company has lifted the garage doors for a sleek upgrade onto the streets. Beautifully finished with a matte black paint, the bike features a custom-fit gas tank, handlebars, fork and footpegs, all of which are completely exposed to reinforce the raw, utilitarian aesthetic. Interested parties will want to submit their requests sooner rather than later, as the roaring machine is limited to nine models worldwide. Check out the Nero MKII on Bandit9′s website now.

One of the most attractive parts of riding a motorcycle is standing out from the pack of minivans, subcompacts, and SUVs that dominate the roads — you want to look original, different, independent. And you'd be hard-pressed to find anything on two wheels that looks as distinct as the Bandit9 Nero MKII Motorcycle ($TBA). This completely custom ride is one of just nine models available, and looks so unique most people won't even understand what they're seeing. With a custom gas tank, rear cowl, handlebars, fork, and foot pegs, as well as the curved dual exhausts, exposed suspension, and completely matte black paint job, you're definitely bound to turn a few heads (and get a few jealous stares).
Source: Uncrate

Image of Bandit9 Nero MKII Motorcycle

Nero MKII Bandit9

Nero MKII Bandit9

Nero MKII Bandit9

Five Books Every Motorcyclist Should Read

Everyone’s got a favorite book on motorcycles. Also, thanks to audio books and Bluetooth communicators, there’s nothing stopping you from listening to a story as you ride. Have you ever ridden that stretch of I-40 from Tucson to Tucumcari? One of these books would have made the ride better. Here’s five books every motorcyclist should read.

hells-angels
Hell’s Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs by Hunter S. Thompson
In the mid-60s, the father of gonzo journalism spent nearly two years riding and reveling with the notorious Hell’s Angels. Thompson paints a vivid portrait of the era, when foreign wars and counterculture movements were gripping the nation and dividing generations.
Better, Thompson’s first book (published in 1966) is not a made-for-television family drama. While Hollywood was using melodrama to popularize and demonize the biker lifestyle, Thompson was documenting the scene with an exuberance and verve that would ultimately become his trademark style and, some say, the voice of a generation of writers.
Best, it’s a kick in the head to read.
Sample Quote: “California, Labor Day weekend…early, with ocean fog still in the streets, outlaw motorcyclists wearing chains, shades and greasy Levis roll out from damp garages, all-night diners and cast-off one-night pads in Frisco, Hollywood, Berdoo and East Oakland, heading for the Monterey peninsula, north of Big Sur…The Menace is loose again, the Hell’s Angels, the hundred-carat headline, running fast and loud on the early morning freeway, low in the saddle, nobody smiles, jamming crazy through traffic and ninety miles an hour down the center stripe, missing by inches…like Genghis Khan on an iron horse, a monster steed with a fiery anus….”

proficient-motorcycling
Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well by David L. Hough
Yeah, I know: reading a book to learn how to ride is like watching a circus to learn how to juggle. Still, there’s a lot to be gleaned from those who have been there and done that. And few have been further and done more than legendary motojournalist David L. Hough.
Culled from his renowned column of the same name that ran for years in Motorcycle Consumer News, the lessons in this book make for a thorough primer for the beginning rider.
If you’ll indulge me an anecdote: When I first started in motorcycle journalism, as an assistant editor at a national magazine (with regional distribution; go figure), a copy of Proficient Motorcycling was one of the first items of swag I was gifted. As my colleagues were trying on brand new gear and planning sponsored trips to exotic locales, “Oh goodie,” I remember thinking. ”A book.” Here I was, stuck in the cubicle with a copy of Proficient Motorcycling and the only demo the boss would, at that point, let me ride: a 250cc cruiser. Yet, between that bike and others, I became a pretty good motorcyclist that summer.
Granted, there’s likely nothing in here an experienced rider shouldn’t already know. But, if you’ve got a newbie on your Christmas list, here’s a fine, fine gift idea.
Sample quote: “Personally, I’m not willing to gamble my life that the blind curve ahead isn’t blocked by a fallen tree, logging truck, or wandering horse.”

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Ghost Rider: Travels On The Healing Road by Neil Peart
If you’re a music fan and you’re reading RideApart, then you’re probably familiar with the heartbreaking story of Neil Peart, the drummer and lyricist for legendary Canadian prog-rock trio Rush.
In a 10-month period, Peart’s 19-year-old daughter, Selena was killed in a car accident and his wife Jackie died of cancer. In an attempt to sort out the tragedy, he set out on his GS from his home near Toronto for a head-clearing ride to Alaska. Problem was, by the time he arrived his head was (understandably) still muddled, bitter and angry. So he kept riding and writing, down the western half of the U.S., through Mexico to Belize and back again. Ghost Rider is the moving, heart-rending document of that trip.
The story has a happy ending; Peart is still the drummer for Rush, but is also now the author of several books and hosts a rather entertaining (strictly FFO) website, NeilPeart.net. Unlike most other classic rock bands who every other year seem to trot out yet another “farewell” tour, Rush is still playing and recording original music.
Sample Quote: “I used to think, ‘Life is great, but people suck.’ But now I’ve had to learn the opposite: ‘Life sucks, but people are great.’”

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Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry Into the Value of Work by Matthew B. Crawford
There’s an anecdote in Matt Crawford’s paean to skilled manual labor where he tells the story of a guy with a leaky faucet. The man calls a plumber and, when the hulking giant gets on his hands and knees and sticks his head under the sink, sure enough the infamous plumber’s buttcrack appears. The man and his wife joke about it — until they get the repair bill.
“Everyone laughs about plumber’s crack,” Crawford writes (and I paraphrase). “But amid all the laughter, no one stops to think about why this supposed cretin makes eighty bucks an hour.”
For anyone who’s ever felt hustled first to college then into the cubicle, Shop Class as Soulcraft seeks to restore the honor of the manual trades. Those of us who sit in an office often feel a lack of connection to the material world, and find it difficult to say exactly what we do all day.
Crawford points at the advent of the assembly line in the early 20th century and the separation of Thinking from Doing — or, as he puts it, “the work of the hand from that of the mind” — and explains how, because each is reliant on the other, that division saps individual accomplishment from the work being done.
If it sounds convoluted, it can be; at times the book admittedly reads like a Master’s Thesis. But here’s the best part, Crawford is a motorcycle mechanic, and he uses examples based on his own experience to illustrate his points.
Shop Class As Soulcraft changed the way I think about work, and I’m guessing it will for anyone who’s wrenched in the garage till long after midnight and still dreads going to the office in the morning.
Sample Quote: “We’re not as free and independent as we thought. Street-level work that disrupts the infrastructure (the sewer system below or the electrical grid above) brings our shared dependence into view. People may inhabit very different worlds even in the same city, according to their wealth or poverty. Yet we all live in the same physical reality, ultimately, and owe a common debt to the world.”

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Jupiter’s Travels by Ted Simon
If you haven’t red this yet, you should now. In a world filled with boastful around-the-world-on-a-bike books, Jupiter’s Travels was among the first and remains one of the best.
In it, Simon recounts 78,000 miles through 45 countries on a 1973, police-spec ,Triumph Tiger T100P, traveling down the length of Africa, north through South and Central America to California. Then he went around Australia and rode overland from Singapore to Europe, planting rugged dreams in the minds of two-wheeled travelers everywhere. You can ask Ewan and Charley: without Jupiter’s Travels, there would have been no Long Way Round/Down.
Since first being published in 1978, the book has sold nearly 500,000 copies and spawned the Ted Simon Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports the adventures of overland travelers through resourcing and assistance.
Sample Quote: “I am learning, as I make my way through my first continent, that it is remarkably easy to do things, and much more frightening to contemplate them.”

First published on rideapart.com