Latest Posts:
Asphalt & Rubber
Tag

video

Browsing
Lifestyle

The Miracle That Is Cornering ABS, Explained

By No Comments

Cornering ABS, it’s the hot new thing on motorcycles rights now. So important is this braking technology, one industry CEO explained it to me in the following terms: in terms of safety, it does to the front wheel what traction control has done for the rear wheel.

I won’t make the bold statement that IMU-powered (that’s inertial measurement units for the uninitiated) braking systems make it impossible to tuck the front wheel of a motorcycle, but they do make it exceedingly difficult to do so, especially by use of the brakes.

Not surprisingly then, we see a number of motorcycle brands offering this technology now, usually on their more premium models. KTM was the first do so, getting an exclusive from Bosch, one of the leaders in this space.

Since then though, cornering ABS has come to virtually every brand (strangely, none of the American motorcycle brands offer a motorcycle with cornering ABS right now), and we see several players offering systems to these OEMs, with Bosch and Continental leading the pack.

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

Triumph All But Shows Us the New Speed Triple RS

By No Comments

We continue our wait for the updated Triumph Speed Triple, which our sources say will be getting a mild refresh (more power, less weight, electronics, etc), similar to what we’ve seen with the rest of Triumph’s modern sport bike lineup (Street Triple, Tiger 800, and Tiger 1200).

To help tease us into this “new” model, Triumph has enlisted the help of two pretty famous blokes: Carl Fogarty and Gary Johnson.

In their teaser video, the two racers duke it out in some sort of race through an airfield, which is fine and all, but in the process of it, Triumph gives a pretty good glimpse of the 2018 Triumph Speed Triple RS.

The overall design of the new RS model is pretty close to the 2017 edition, though a couple subtle changes are noticeable. We will get full details next week. Until then…

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

A New Triumph Speed Triple is Coming…Finally!

By No Comments

I never thought this day would come, a day where Triumph finally updates its venerable Speed Triple. The three-cylinder streetfighter has long held its own, but it has also seen the super-naked category walk away from the British model over the past 13 years of its sloth.

Yes, there have been updates over the past decade or so, but the model hasn’t strayed too far from its original form from 2005. That is set to change however, as a teaser video and CARB filings give us word that a new Triumph Speed Triple is on the way.

Judging from the video that Triumph released, we don’t think that the new Speed Triple will be a revolutionary change. The chassis seems relatively similar to the previous edition, and the overall design seems roughly the same.

Meanwhile, CARB filings show that the engine size will remain 1050cc and that the trim levels will be designated as “R” and “RS”. We can expect more power and other internal changes though, as Triumph chases machines like the KTM 1290 Super Duke R and Aprilia Tuono V4 1100.

Keep Reading
By
MotoGP

How To Make a Kalex Moto2 Chassis

By No Comments

If you want to go racing in the Moto2 World Championship, then you better grab yourself a chassis from the German engineering brand. This is because the “Kalex Cup” – as some have come to call it – sees a grid replete with Kalex-framed machines each racing Sunday.

Some of this is a nod to the fine work that Kalex produces, I have yet to see anyone with a wholly negative view of the company’s work. But, a portion of the brand’s dominance is surely due to the conservative nature of motorcycle racing teams.

That is to say that while the Kalex chassis is certainly very good, that does not mean that other worthy alternative do not exist. Racing doesn’t always improve the breed, you see. We digress.

Still, making a racing chassis is no small undertaking, and Kalex is one of the best in the business. Certainly a large part of it is science, but there is a certain art to the process as well.

Thankfully, Kalex has put together a short video showing how they make their Moto2 chassis. It’s pretty interesting to watch.

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

The TVS Apache RR 310S Is Finally About to Drop

By No Comments

We have been patiently waiting for the TVS Apache RR 310S (formerly known as the TVS Akula 310) to debut in India, though probably not for the most obvious of reasons. Now, with only a matter of hours before it officially debuts, we have some thoughts on the newest sport bike from India.

While we are intrigued by the new motorcycles that debut in India, the TVS Apache RR 310S is a bit more special for Western riders.

Built in collaboration with BMW Motorrad, the TVS Apache RR 310S gives us our first glimpse into what the German brand’s 300cc-class sport bike will look like, which should hopefully debut late-2018.

Based around the same 313cc engine (34hp) that is found on the BMW G310R and BMW G310GS, that TVS Apache RR 310S is expected to be a BMW G310RR wrapped in different bodywork.

Keep Reading
By
Dirt

Get Ready for the 2018 Dakar Rally

By No Comments

Track days are winding down, the new machines for next year have already been revealed, and the cold of winter is upon us. For the motorcycle industry, this is the low-point of the season.

There is something to look forward to in the off-season, however, and it’s the Dakar Rally.

In just about one month’s time, the world’s top off-road racers will take part in what is called the most grueling motorcycle race on the planet.

The 2018 Dakar Rally is the 40th edition of the iconic rally raid, and once again it will take place far from its namesake, with competitors racing through Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina.

This year’s route will take racers to the Pacific Ocean, through the Huacachina sand dunes, and beyond, until they finish in Córdoba.

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

Something Interesting from Ducati’s Wind Tunnel Testing

By No Comments

At the beginning of this month, Ducati posted a promo video for its new Panigale V4 superbike. The video shows the new machine testing in a wind tunnel, touting the tagline that the motorcycle was “shaped by the wind.”

Surely this access to a high-speed wind tunnel for development purposes is the byproduct and one of the benefits of Ducati being part of the Volkswagen Group.

Though, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has all but made wind tunnels obsolete, making such things more of a show of engineering, and thus marketing. We digress.

What is of note though in this video, however, beyond the interesting glimpses of Ducati’s physical fluidic analysis, is that it is a glimpse at one of the Panigale V4’s very early designs.

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

The KTM 790 Adventure R Prototype in Action

By No Comments

I am always kind of amazed that when KTM shows its hot new bikes at a trade show like EICMA, the Austrian brand does such a bad job sharing the media it creates. Such is the case with the KTM 790 Adventure R prototype.

As such, only a handful of studio shots were released to the public upon the bike’s debut in Milan, Italy. But yet, KTM has clearly gone through the trouble of doing photo shoots with the middleweight ADV machine, and still the “Ready to Race” brand isn’t spreading the love.

Fortunately, we do have a couple photos of the KTM 790 Adventure R prototype, lifted from KTM’s Facebook page, and they do entice.

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

Yamaha 07GEN, Because You Need a Steampunk Tricycle

By No Comments

Let’s just say that Yamaha’s concepts are a bit…ambitious. Take the Yamaha 07GEN concept, for example – a three-wheeler from the Tokyo Motor Show that we seemingly overlooked.

What a colleague called like a “tribute to Miyazaki“, this oddly styled electric three-wheeled motorcycle for urban travel is a interesting mix of new-world technology with old-world aesthetics. It might even be too hippy for the hippest of hipsters…maybe.

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

Husqvarna 701 Svartpilen Concept to Debut at EICMA Too

By No Comments

To compliment the Husqvarna 701 Vitpilen becoming a production model, Swedish marque Husqvarna will show a new concept bike at this year’s EICMA show in Milan. Unsurprisingly, that bike will be the Husqvarna 701 Svartpilen.

We know this because Husqvarna had not-so-subtley teased the new model on its Instagram account: giving us the name, size, and numerous detail shots of the motorcycle concept.

As such, we know that the Husqvarna 701 Svartpilen will carryover many of the design elements found on the Husqvarna 701 Vitpilen. Like the other Svartpilen models though, the 701 Svartpilen will be a scrambler-styled bike, complete with Pirelli MT60 RS tires.

Given its preamble in Milan, we can expect that Husqvarna 701 Svartpilen to be a 2019 model year motorcycle…that is, if Husky can get its act together, as we are long overdue on the two 401 models becoming available, after their release at the 2016 EICMA show.

Keep Reading
By
Bikes

Husqvana 701 Vitpilen Finally Going into Production

By No Comments

On its Instagram account, Husqvarna is teasing the fact that its next Vitpilen model is finally going prime time. That’s right, the Husqvarna 701 Vitpilen will be unveiled tomorrow at EICMA as a production.

This shouldn’t be too big of a surprise for anyone following the Swedish brand (or who read our EICMA preview story), but considering the reception that the Husqvarna 701 Vitpilen concept got at last year’s show, we would expect the Husqvarna stand to be pretty crowded in Milan.

Keep Reading
By