Latest Posts:
Asphalt & Rubber
Tag

Motus

Browsing
Bikes

Motus MST – Here Comes America’s Sport-Tourer

By 39 Comments

After much waiting, Motus Motorcycles finally launched its MST sport-tourer to the public today. Unveiled at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Motus’s hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, the American motorcycle manufacturer will head to Florida for the Progressive International Motorcycle Show on Thursday, March 10th for a more public showing.

Developed in conjunction with Pratt & Miller Engineering, the Motus MST features the KMV4 motor, a 1,645cc V4 push-rod style engine that include gasoline direct-injection technology (GDI). Power for the Motus MST prototype is said to be 161hp @ 7,800 rpm; 122 lbs•ft of torque @ 4,500 rpm, while the bike tips the scales around around 500 lbs dry. Motus will be riding the MST around the United States to show off their work, meet with supporters, and look for dealers interested in carrying the line.

Keep Reading
By
News

Video: Motus MST Stretches Its Legs on the Dyno

By 20 Comments

There might be snow on the ground for most of the United States, but things in the south are starting to heat up now that Motus has gotten its MST sport-tourer on the dyno, and for a quick ride in its latest video on YouTube. Letting the 1645cc gasoline direct-injection KMV4 motor “unleash the beast” as it were, the project seems to be coming together nicely as we’re given a rapid succession of quick-cuts on the MST’s build job.

We expect to see the built-in-America bike on city streets once the ice thaws (or Motus realizes it was 70°F in sunny San Francisco today, and makes a stop by the Golden State), and the video’s ending suggests we’ll get another installment while we wait for winter to subside.

We’re still going through the video to see if there’s any nuggets of info hidden inside. Call them out in the comments if you see something.

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

Sneak Peak of the Motus MST-01

By 12 Comments

The folks at Motus have been hard at work since we last brought you news of their progress in July, and have posted some photos of their progress on the MST-01 sport-tourer to the company’s Facebook page. Showing off its trellis frame and V4 pushrod motor, the Motus MST-01 is filling out nicely, and is sporting Öhlins suspension and what looks like a Two Brothers co-branded exhaust system.

At the heart of the MST-01 is the KMV4 engine, a 1645cc gasoline direct-injection V4 that will make at least 140hp according to Motus. As we told you back in September of last year, Motus will also be making a more powerful version of the MST-01, dubbed the Motus MST-R, which reportedly could make substantially more “umpf” over its base counterpart. Photos after the jump.

Keep Reading
By
News

Asphalt & Rubber’s Jensen Beeler Talks (a lot) on The Motorcycle Nation Podcast

By 5 Comments

It was a busy weekend in the A&R office, not only was John Adamo out talking on the EVcast, but our own editor Jensen Beeler took some time this Sunday talk (at length!) to Steve McQueen and the Motorcycle Nation podcast. Jensen and Steve cover everything from how Asphalt & Rubber got its start (spoiler alert: he lost a bet with Warren Buffett), A&R StreetLevel, electric motorcycle startups, American motorcycle companies, and just about anything else that came up in-between.

Listen to the podcast after the jump, subscribe to Motorcycle Nation on iTunes, and listen to Jensen learn what life is like on the other side of the interview table after the jump.

Keep Reading
By
News

Motus Motorcycles Gets Help From Pratt & Miller Engineering for MST V4 Sport-Tourer

By 3 Comments

Motus Motorcycles is back on the radar after their mysterious awakening back in April. Along with slightly less cryptic information about their MST V4 sport-tourer, Motus has announced their partnership with Pratt & Miller.

If you’re not familiar with Pratt & Miller, they’ve made quite a name for themselves in the automotive endurance racing scene developing chassis in the American Le Mans Series, Rolex Grand-Am series, NASCAR, and have won the 24 hours of Le Mans six times in the GT1 category. Pratt & Miller have also worked with the US military in developing missiles and other classified projects.

Keep Reading
By