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AMA Pro Superbike Champion Miguel Duhamel Shot in Head with BB Gun While Cycling

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Former AMA Pro Superbike champion Miguel Duhamel got more than a surprise while cycling near Red Rock Canyon outside of Las Vegas, as he was struck in the head with what is suspected to be a BB gun pellet as a car passed by him.

“A car came behind me like they always do but this one came up and I heard a shot, like air disperse, it went pow!” said Miguel Duhamel, talking to FOX5 Las Vegas.

The incident left Duhamel bloodied, as the BB pellet passed through a vent on his bicycle helmet, penetrated a sweat cap, and punctured his skin. 

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Bikes

Is Your Next Motorcycle Going to be Inflatable?

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Here is an interesting concept that has us thinking about the future of transportation: inflatable vehicles.

It sounds strange to consider, but some students at the University of Tokyo have an intriguing proof of concept (dubbed POIMO), and the aerospace has already proven out these ideas further.

The concept is basic, the body of the vehicle (think: frame, bodywork, seat, etc) is actually an inflatable bag that when pumped with sufficient pressure, becomes a rigid structure.

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News

Indian Wants You to Cool Your Tushy – Debuts Heating/Cooling Seat

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The year is 2020, and at best, the climate control systems for motorcycles are rudimentary. Only a handful of motorcycle models come from the factory with heated grips or heated seats installed, but if you want to cool down, the options are even more scant.

The best bet for motorcyclists who want to cool down is to look to the apparel market, where vests made from freezer pack border on our best option…unless you want put a backpack sized A/C unit on your passenger seat, and run a hose into your jacket.

Thankfully, the eggheads at Indian Motorcycle have been thinking about this very issue, and have developed a pretty clever solution to tackle motorcycle air conditioning.

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Bikes

Check Out This Life-Sized Lego Build of a Ducati Panigale V4 R

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It was just two months ago that we were talking about one of the latest build kits from Lego, as it was a Technic set for the Ducati Panigale V4 R (kit #42107).

As such, our love for the little Danish bricks should be well known, especially when it intersects our love for motorcycles.

Today, we again see nice overlap of those two worlds on the Venn diagram, as Lego artist Riccardo Zangelmi has created this 1:1 replica of the Ducati Panigale V4 R, in order to celebrate the launch of Ducati’s much smaller Lego kit offering.

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A&R Pro

What We Know So Far About the Upcoming KTM 490 Series

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There is quite a lot of buzz going on right now regarding KTM’s upcoming 490 series of motorcycles – some of it is new information coming to the light, but most of it just rehashing old stories to fill in a dearth of headlines.

So, we figure we would sort wheat from chaff, and share everything we know and suspect so far from KTM’s next engine platform, and put it into one place for our A&R Pro subscribers.

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Bikes

Husqvarna Quietly Drops Pricing on the Vitpilen & Svartpilen 701

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When the Vitpilen 701 and Svartpilen 701 bikes first debuted at the EICMA show in Milan, we were excited. Husqvarna had taken the KTM 690 Duke and made it into a cool-looking retro-modern creation.

A couple years later, when the production bikes hit the asphalt, we were surprised to see that the different bodywork on this single-cylinder street bike came with a hefty price increase.

Whereas the KTM 690 Duke retailed for $9,000, these new 701 models from Husqvarna commanded a 33% markup – $12,000 MSRP.

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WSBK

Jonathan Rea Renews Multi-Year WorldSBK Deal with Kawasaki

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In a move that surprised no one today, Jonathan Rea has inked another multi-year deal with Kawasaki in the WorldSBK Championship.

The news was expected as Rea has been unstoppable ever since he joined the Kawasaki Racing Team (KRT) in 2015, which has led to a record-breaking five WorldSBK titles in a row for the Northern Irishman.

One of the most talented riders on any track right now, Rea is the man to beat in the production-based paddock, and KRT has honed the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR into an absolute weapon for its riders.

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Podcast

Paddock Pass Podcast #149 – Peter Bom Explains Motorcycle Data

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Episode 149 of the Paddock Pass Podcast is out, and this one is a special show that dives into everything you ever wanted to know (and more) about electronics and data as it pertains to motorcycle racing.

As such, this episode sees David Emmett hosting a special guest on the show, data engineer Peter Bom, who is a former crew chief and data recording engineer for the Moto2, Moto3, and WorldSBK classes, as well as an analyst and commentator for Dutch Eurosport

Admittedly, we had some technical difficulties with the recording, so it might be a bit rougher than you would normally expect from the Paddock Pass Podcast, but what Peter has to say is incredibly insightful and interesting, and certainly well worth the effort.

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Bikes

Come Watch a Ducati Superleggera V4 Get Built

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Those two-wheeled smut peddlers in Bologna are at it again, bringing you more NSFW content that will have you diving for the power switch should anyone walk by your workstation.

Releasing a video today that shows extensively the build process that goes into making a Superleggera V4 superbike, Ducati is promoting the fact that the carbon-fiber-everything machine has started production.

We also get word that Asphalt & Rubber will be swinging a leg over this bike in about a month’s time, and putting the Ducati Superleggera V4 through its paces at the Laguna Seca circuit in California.

Until that time, we can enjoy this not-so-short video that Ducati has produced.

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Rumors

Report: Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R Makes 40hp+ at the Wheel

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It is a little strange that Kawasaki has yet to release any specifics about the Ninja ZX-25R model, especially when markets around the world are gearing up for their order and delivery. After all, customers need to know what they are buying.

One of the key pieces of missing data, what everyone is anxious to know, is how much power this quarter-sized four-cylinder engine can produce, as it screams its way to 17,000 rpm.

We seem to have that answer today though, albeit unofficially, as a report is quoting a dyno run that saw 41.4hp at 15,350rpm and a peak torque output of 15.3 lbs•ft (20.8 Nm) at 12,700rpm.

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Bikes

This Honda CBR750RR Concept Looks Very, Very Nice

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With all the talk of the possibility of a new Honda CBR600RR-R supersport debuting later this year (we are still dubious, but going with it so far), one intrepid soul has wondered what a 750cc variant might look like.

The 750cc sport bike category is an interesting one, since they typically don’t have a home when it comes to racing, but provide the best of both worlds for those who think that a track day is a good use of a weekend.

Light and nimble like a 600, but with the brawn closer to a 1000cc, the category is defined by the Suzuki GSX-R750 and currently lead (in our opinion) by the Ducati Panigale V2.

With bikes like the MV Agusta F3 800 and Triumph Daytona Moto2 765, the segment has no shortage of potent and intriguing motorcycles. So, could Honda fit in as well?

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