Motorcycle Racing and Riding

I am simply copying Suzuki’s words for this post.  Unlike the Honda post where I actually wrote all but the list of bikes. Please see: a note about “press releases, news releases, and public service announcements”. Thank you.

Go here for the more-complete Honda 2009 Motor Show Article

Exhibition Models

Burgman Fuel-Cell Scooter

Having stunned the motorcycling world with the Crosscage fuel-cell bike at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, Suzuki applied the technologies to a more practical and accessible form of two-wheel transportation: a scooter. The result is the Burgman Fuel-Cell Scooter. The fuel cell is air-cooled and concomitantly light, compact, and structurally simple. A 70MPa hydrogen tank (the highest-pressure tank used on a bike thus far) allows a usable riding range. And the tank is mounted within a robust frame for safety.

Gladius 400 ABS

The Gladius 400 ABS is a stylish naked bike with a 400cm³ V-twin engine. It features a truss frame that combines rigidity with great looks. And its newly designed V-twin engine delivers plenty of power in a rider-friendly way. All told, the Gladius 400 ABS is great way to experience the nimble performance and classic throb of a V-twin machine.

Boulevard 400

Boulevard 400

The Boulevard 400 is a performance cruiser with aggressive bikini-cowled looks and a 400cm³ engine. Low, flowing body lines that give an unmistakable sense of performance are combined with inverted front forks and stylish cast wheels. The engine is a narrow-angle (45°), liquid-cooled V-twin with fuel injection.

Bandit 1250F ABS

The Bandit 1250F ABS is a fully faired tourer. Together with the compact body and torquey performance that make touring so enjoyable on the Bandit series, it has a sharply styled full fairing for heightened comfort.

Other Exhibition Model

Suzuki will also be showing a GSV-R racebike.

Production Models

The Suzuki booth will feature the following production models: Gemma; Skywave 250 Type M; DR-Z50; and Love SNA26.

Laurel C. Allen, from Road Racer X’s Senior Editor, shared this awesome Italian Police Bike Formation Demonstration Video with us via facebook.

Ernesto Fontana posted the following comment about the video on its boingboing.net page:

Hello Mr Pescovitz,

Thanks for posting those beautiful sequences of sync moto-riding. Only, I would like to be pedantic and point out that at 0:11 you can see some officials looking solemnly on, and the third from the left I believe is Giovanni Leone, at the time presidente della Repubblica. If correct, this would date the video between 1971 and 1978, Mr Leone’s period of office.

I dare say the Corazzieri guards (tall fellows with ornate uniforms, you can see one in the background at 0:11) confirm the presence of a president, and at 0:57 Mr Leone appears again right in the middle of the image, a focus of attention. Not as much as the riders anyway…

Best regards,
Ernesto Fontana (not anonymous-just too lazy to register right now)

We like the new Z1000’s looks better than the old Z1000’s looks.  We saw the videos on HellForLeather.com.  The pics videos, and words come from kawasaki.com.

One of the European Z1000s gets a snakeskin seat which is just-as-tacky as our etched dragon windscreen.  We would love to see bikes wear it. We don’t like the exhaust pipes though; they are tacky without irony.

The words-below were copied from various www.kawasaki.com Web pages, and put together here.  We also replaced the word “we” below with the words “Kawasaki” and “riders”, where appropriate. dangerismymiddlename.com is not related to Kawasaki.

2010 KAWASAKI Z1000 Videos

2010 Kawasaki Z1000 Presentation (US Version) Video:

2010 Kawasaki Z1000 Promo (High Quality) Video:

2010 KAWASAKI Z1000 For Italy “Snakeskin” Pic

2010 KAWASAKI Z1000 For USA Pics (Click on images for larger versions)

2010 KAWASAKI Z1000 Words

MSRP $10,499 as of 2009-10-07

Ergonomics

• With its smooth frame, sculpted tank and seat and upright ergoes, the Z1000 is just asking to be ridden hard.
• A dynamically designed steel gas tank, flared on the sides to let you grab it with your knees and trim at the rear for a snug fit, flows gracefully into a seat that’s low and narrow at the front to make ground contact easy, and wide and plush at the rear for a comfortable ride over uncomfortable pavement.

All-New Engine

• Liquid-cooled, DOHC, 16-valve 1,043cc inline-four offers greater torque and a stronger top-end rush than previous Z1000 models
• Bore and stroke of 77.0 x 56.0 mm were chosen to achieve the desired engine character —strong in the everyday rpm range most used by naked super bikes
• 38mm downdraft throttle bodies allow intake air to travel to the engine in the shortest possible distance
• Oval sub-throttles help keep the engine slim — a good thing since the throttle bodies are positioned between the rider’s knees
• Soft rev limiter provides good overrev; power doesn’t drop off suddenly at high rpm
• Crankshaft and transmission shafts are arranged in a straight line instead of a triangular layout, to maintain the design from the previous Z1000 — a design that offers the best look for a naked model
• The crankshaft was lowered to allow for a longer stroke without adding engine height
• A secondary balancer, driven off a gear on the sixth web of the crankshaft, eliminates excess vibration

Mass Centralization

• Moving heavy components as close as possible to the motorcycle’s center of mass makes it easier to turn.
• The Z1000’s mufflers, rear suspension, battery and rider are all packaged as near to each other as possible. With its wide handlebar and naturally positioned footpegs, it places the rider in a position of maximum command.

Cool Air Intake System

• The intake system routes cool air to the airbox from ducts above the radiator shrouds, minimizing performance loss due to heated intake air
• Positioning the ducts close to the rider allows the intake sound to be enjoyed by the rider
• A resonator inside the airbox reduces noise at low rpm, and enhances intake sound at high rpm

Exhaust System

• The exhaust system features a 4-into-2-pre-chamber-into-2 layout. Silencer end-caps maintain the quad-style image
• Main and pre-catalyzers ensure emissions are clean
• Thanks to the under-engine pre-chamber, silencer volume could be reduced. The silencers are also lighter. Overall exhaust system weight is about the same, but the new system offers much better mass centralization and contributes to a lower center of gravity
• Kawasaki carried forward the quad-pipe theme from the last Z1000 (and the first Z1), but an under-engine pre-chamber let the engineers use shorter mufflers for great looks, better mass centralization and light, quick handling.

Fuel Pump

• Slim-type fuel pump features an integral fuel gauge
• With revised fuel tank design and the slim-type fuel pump, dead volume inside the tank is minimized; fuel capacity is 4.1 gallons

All-New Over-the-Engine Aluminum Backbone Frame

• An aluminum twin tube frame designed specifically for the Z1000, similar in concept to the ZX™-10R unit, helps make the Z1000 a narrow, compact motorcycle  that is easy to grip with the knees.
• Lightweight and highly rigid, the frame uses the engine as a stressed member, for a firm, planted feel and enhanced stability. The frame is tuned to transmit the ideal level of engine feedback directly to the rider. The frame’s five-piece construction consists of steering stem, left and right main frames, and two cross pieces. The two main frame components have open, C-shaped cross sections. As much as possible, welds were eliminated for simplicity and appearance. The frame beams and swingarm brackets are now single die-cast pieces. The new frame uses four engine mounts; three mounts are rigid, the upper rear crankcase mount is rubber.
• The rear sub-frame is a three-piece aluminum die-casting construction, light, strong and good for mass centralization
• The sub-frame is an example of form and function combined, negating the need for side covers and allowing underseat narrowness for a shorter reach to the ground

Line-beam Headlight

Clean Rear End And LED Taillights

• The sub-frame is a three-piece aluminum die casting, light, smooth and beautiful.
• With its vestigial tail light bracket, spidery passenger peg brackets and smooth tail section, the Z1000 looks totally custom. At the same time, that wide radial tire out back and 5.4 full inches of plush and controlled rear-wheel travel serve up an outstandingly sweet ride.
• Red lights behind a red lens give the Z1000 excellent rear visibility.
• Its smooth, organic frame and plenty of negative space between the rear wheel and tailsection give it a fantastic, exotic bike look too. A fat, 190/50-17 radial tire backs up the take-no-prisoners image.

All-New Horizontal Rear Monoshock

• Visible from the outside, the horizontal monoshock rear suspension contributes to the aggressive appearance of the new Z1000. The Z1000’s new rear suspension positions the shock and linkage above the swingarm, where it’s less exposed to exhaust heat, and contributes to mass centralization. Linkage characteristics are the same as those of a standard UNI-TRAK® rear suspension, with a similar wheel movement to shock stroke ratio. The shock features rebound damping and spring preload adjustability, with overall wheel travel of 5.4 inches.

Inverted 41mm Fully Adjustable Front Fork

• The Z1000’s 41mm inverted fork is adjustable for compression damping, rebound damping and spring preload — and it’s semi-protected from the elements by a cool-looking shroud.
• Calibrated for a mix of sporty backroad performance and excellent comfort on the street, the inverted cartridge fork provides stepless compression and rebound damping adjustment, along with spring preload adjustment. Wheel travel is 4.7 inches.

Tubular Handlebar

• A rigid-mount honest-to-goodness handlebar provides plenty of leverage over the Z1000, contributing greatly to the bike’s sharp, direct handling.
• The bar’s wide, flat bend offers a design similar to those on off-road bikes, for excellent comfort and control. Tapered-type grips, like those used on supersport models, also provide direct feel.

Eccentric Chain Adjuster

• The eccentric axle is how riders adjusted Kawasaki drive chains back in the day, and the rear-caliper torque arm is how Kawasaki fed braking forces back into the frame. On the other hand, the petal rear disc and the fat 190/50-17 radial tire out back are cutting-edge current technology, adding both style and performance.

Brakes

• A radial-pump front brake master cylinder contributes superb control and feel to go with the outright braking power provided by those big discs and calipers. At the rear, a single-piston pin-slide caliper gripping a 250mm petal disc is mounted below the swingarm, where it’s located by a torque rod for a little vintage flair.
• The Z1000’s 300mm front petal brake discs are gripped by opposed four-piston radial-mount calipers. (Caliper piston size is 4×30 mm)
• The rear brake is a single piston, pin-slide caliper gripping a 250mm petal disc. The caliper is mounted below the swingarm, and located by a torque rod

Instruments

• A distinctive tilting instrument panel with multifunction LCD display behind an orange lens covers all systems
• The instrument panel can be angled in three positions to suit rider preference, without tools, using an adjuster knob on the left side. Meter functions include digital speedometer, bar-style digital tachometer, odometer, two trip meters, fuel gauge and clock.

Specifications and pricing are subject to change.

onthethrottle.com and Seamus Taaffe of Yamaha Factory Racing show us how to clean brake calipers.

Originally published 2009-10-12, edited 2009-12-26, content by Joe Salas and Paul Danger Kile.

Supermoto is a form of racing that combines on-road, and off-road, within the same track. The racers typically ride dirt bikes with road-racing parts added. What if one were to take an SV650 bike to a Supermoto race? It’s too big, right?

Dan Sewell races for CODE4Racing, is sponsored by Twin Works Factory, and teaches for Z2TrackDays. Here is his Web page. Below are images of Dan racing an SV650 in Supermoto. When does anyone do that? This may be the first time!

The photographer, Joe Salas, gave us permission to use the  images here.  Joe photographs track days, and races, and makes the photos available at 4theriders.com.

This content was provided by Ducati. It was originally published on 2009-09-23.

The Official launch video of the new Ducati Hypermotard 796

Motorcycle Consumer News Ducati Hypermotard Preview

Ahead of the EICMA International Motorcycle Show in Milan, Ducati release images previewing its newest model – the fun and versatile Hypermotard 796.

Just as aggressively striking as the 1100, the lightweight new Hypermotard 796 features a lower seat height and brand new smooth and flexible engine to make it the perfect urban assault vehicle.

A dry weight of just 167kg (368lb) and seat height of 825mm (32.5in) makes the Hypermotard 796 a sure-footed 20mm (0.8in) lower than the 1100 and inspires confidence however and wherever it’s ridden.

The completely new Ducati 796 engine has a bore and stroke of 88mm x 66mm, conforms to Euro 3 regulations and produces 81hp (59.6kW) of power and 55.7lb-ft (7.7kgm) of torque with the smooth and very economic rideability enjoyed from all Desmodue L-Twins.

The new power unit is also equipped with an APTC ‘wet’ clutch to give a ‘slipper’ type action that prevents destabilization of the rear-end during aggressive down-shifting and also gives the extra benefit of a super-light feel at the adjustable lever, a great advantage in stop-start city traffic or during longer journeys.

The new Hypermotard 796 comes in an urban-style Dark finish with matte black tank and beak section, black frame and black wheels or, alternatively, matte white tank with contrasting matte black beak, black frame and black wheels. For the purists, an 1100 look-alike with Ducati red tank with matching beak section, red frame and black wheels gives the 796 a traditional livery.

Whether it’s working the daily commute or attacking the open roads, the 796 will ride the common ground between

manners and madness by mixing Ducati’s unrivalled twin-cylinder power and sportbike heredity with the lightweight and minimalist supermotard concept. Available in Ducati stores from late October, a brand new way to go Hyper: The Hypermotard 796.

This fun music video is called Dray / Zabanov / lead “Dude on Gold”. The description’s translation is “Amazing Dude goes to the GOLD!”, and yes, I think that it’s great, even though I only understand one word in the whole video.

I don’t know Russian, but I imagine (this is where I make stuff up), that the woman is either asking the dude if she can have a ride on his Harley-Davidson, or saying, “I thought that the Wolf Brothers MC only rode two-wheeled Urals?” To-which he replies, “No, but the Ural | Wolf is named after the Russian Night Wolves MC.”

The Russian comments on the YouTube page are the usual Gold Wing = car, and only old people ride Gold Wings. The fact that such an amazing bike gets the same negative responses regardless of the language and culture barrier proves that people all over the world are unable to recognize excellence. Folks on Gold Wings lean just as far at a given turning radius and speed as everyone else does. Why people would assume that a more comfortable seat all of a sudden makes the bike less of a motorcycle is something that I will never understand. What are your thoughts?

I woke up this morning (November 9, 2009), checked out my calendar, and what did it say?

Ducati Multistrada 1200 Press Conference presentation @ EICMA 09
Pavillion 20, Fiera di Milano, Rho
2009-11-09 10:30am – 12pm Central Time

Really? If I had hopped a trans-continental flight yesterday, and showed up in Milan, would they have greated us as the pillar of media that we are?

Anyhow. The Ducati 1200 Multistrada is exactly as rumored. Some smart individuals realized that they were looking at a water-cooled engine in those spy-shots, and figured  the details out from there, but now its official, and its beautiful. We don’t like the ram-air intakes, and hoped that the ones on the test mule were “camouflaged”, but no, that was them, other than that, we can’t criticize the bike further without riding one.

Imagine a V-twin Superbike that doesn’t make you feel like you are doing pushups on the way to the Starbucks. Where you actually sit up. Where you are holding onto real handlebars. Where you have enough luggage space to put your helmet, and your Starbucks. Now imagine that it comes with ABS, a slipper clutch, a top-shelf suspension, and electronic rider aids. That’s what this is, and the fact that Ducati got here first is notable.

The bike comes in three versions. They are:

Multistrada 1200:

• Choose any of 4 engine modes via push button.
• Marzocchi upside-down 50mm fork
• V-twin: 150 Max HP @ 9250 rpm, 87,5 lb-ft @ 7500 rpm Max Torque
• Hydraulically activated, back torque limiting, wet clutch

Multistrada 1200 Sport Adds:

• Ducati Electronic Suspension system
• Carbon fibre components
• Öhlins suspsension
• ABS

Multistrada 1200 Touring Adds:

• Ducati Electronic Suspension system
• Side panniers
• Heated grips
• Center stand

Check out the videos and pics. Thank you. The assets below are property of Ducati, and are not owned by dangerismymiddlename.com. Click on each thumbnail picture to see a larger version:

We found this image on Charlie Boorman’s Facebook fan site.  I am a huge fan of this guy. Please see this Wikipedia article to learn all about Charlie’s World travels, TV shows, charity work, etc.

Well - looks like those cleansing ales did the trick after the bike ride thru Manila's traffic! Great to meet you and the crew. Trust your fishing boat up to Tawan was up to scratch. Hope to see you for the Mad Dog MC 15th bash October. R/ John Joe, MDMC