Some sliding shots

Yeah, I am a biker first. But lately, I have been having a blast with cars as well.
Here are some shots taken in the last couple of months. Don't they say, rally drivers do it sideways :D

The Chevy Captiva

The new Fiat Palio Multi-Jet

The Honda CR-V 2.0 L

2008 Ducati Monster 696+

Ducati's new Monster 696 isn't due in the UK till May, but Ducati has already launched another version of the Monster 696 - the Monster 696+.

The 696+ will come already accessorised with two of Ducati's aftermarket parts. At the front the 696+ will have a micro-bikini fairing that surrounds the digital dash.

At the rear there will be a colour-matched seat cowl to make the bike look sportier. The cowl can be removed quickly to accommodate a pillion.

The new Ducati Monster 696+ will be available for £5,750.

SOURCE : MCN

Knievel's canyon jump to happen again

MICHAEL “Mad Mike” Hughes, a stuntman and media chaser, has launched plans to replicate the world's most famous stunt - Evel Knievel's canyon jump.

Hughes is set to launch his Skylimo stunt, a steam-propulsion unit that may eventually launch in the Grand Canyon but is likely to first launch where Knievel's landmark event took place, at the Snake River canyon. Hughes, a chauffeur for 12 years, is building his Skylimo vehicle - which is being design and fabricated by Bob Truax, the ex-NASA engineer who invented and holds the patents on steam-rocket engines and built both of Evel Knievel' s SkyCycles.

Like Knievel's Skycycle, the Skylimo rocket will reach a height of 3,500 feet and an air speed of 350 miles per hour. The team's plan is to launch Mad Mike in the Skylimo to clear the Snake River Canyon, and during a later jump, Grand Canyon West.

SOURCE : VISORDOWN.COM

New 500cc 2-stroke motor revealed

A POLISH design company has developed and patented a new engine, and designed this radical motorcycle around it.

The JJ2S X4 500 is a 2-stroke, 500cc radial lump housed in a cafe racer-style chassis with fairly-conventional, if beautifully styled chassis parts around it.

The bike is currently being shown in this early prototype form and there is a planned runner to be out on test tracks by the end of the year.

Ever get the feeling that this is how Ducati should have re-designed the Monster?

SOURCE: VISORDOWN.COM

Adventure version of the KTM RC8 planned

A report on Motorcycle USA claims that KTM are prepping an adventure bike that uses the RC8's 1148cc v-twin. KTM boss Stefan Pierer also confirmed the launch of the RC8 Venom naked sportsbike.
There's also new models come from KTM's tie-up with Indian firm Bajaj. The Austrian company is planning to build a new range of 125, 250 and 500cc bikes, each in road enduro and supermoto versions. They’ll be built by Bajaj in India. The 500cc engine is all-new and will be a v-twin.
The tie-up with Bajaj will help KTM expand to become the largest European manufacturer, rivaling the Japanese in key markets. Pierer’s goal is to ramp production up to 200,000 bikes a year by 2020.

Related Posts:
KTM RC4 1
KTM RC4 2
KTM RC4 3
KTM X-BOW

May issue of Superbike magazine

Here is what Superbike have to say about the May issue
Just a quickie…no, really. In spite of the fact that the May issue of SuperBike is our fattest (phattest?) of the year so far, I'll just take a minute, if I may, to point out that the May issue is bursting out of your local global-mega-hypermarket magazine racks. And corner shops too, if there are any left down your way.

Anyway, it's the May issue of SuperBike and it features our once a year 1,000cc group test. We ran the numbers on the new Honda Fireblade and Kawasaki ZX-10R as well as those old dogs, the Suzuki GSX-R1000 and Yamaha R1. And the winner is a bit of a surprise.

In addition, our very own fun-lovin' Jonny Pearson, the wild man of British motorcycle journalism, went to Misano to ride the new Suzuki GSX-R600 K8 and you can read all about it too.

There are also stories on fitting a new rear shock, slipper clutches are explained, we've got riding tips for the start of the riding season, old versus new tests and an interview with British legend Ron Haslam. There's tons of stuff.

But, if you'd rather look at pictures than read words, I'll tell you that we've uploaded some new wallpaper in the SuperBike gallery.* It’s here http://www.superbike.co.uk/gallery/main.php

*I have to point out that viewers of a sensitive or nervous disposition who lived through the war of the sexes in the 1970s might find themselves conflicted.

As I write, the sun is shining and I’ve got to go and pick up a new long term test bike in the shape of a Kawasaki ZX-10R. In orange. More on that later, but for the moment, life is sweet.

BMW motorcycles has plans for India

MUNICH: German luxury car and bike maker BMW, which has been shying away from re-entering the Indian motorcycle market, is now looking to source parts for engines and chassis for its high-end two-wheelers from the country.

"Already we have been sourcing motorcycle parts such as handle bars and die cast from India. Now we are exploring to source components for engine and chassis parts," BMW Board Member (international parts sourcing) Herbert Diess said here.

He said the company, which set up an international purchasing office (IPO) in India between 2006-07, has been running a pilot programme to increase component sourcing from India.

"In the past few months we have visited over 100 suppliers and we are still in the monitoring stage for increasing sourcing of car components from India," Diess said.

BMW has started sourcing from India in a small quantity for cars as well, like software parts and has been closely working with vendors such as Mico Bosch and Conti, he added.

Diess, however, declined to comment on the value of components that were bing currently sourced from India and possible quantity that BMW was looking to procure from the country.

The company's IPO currently has a strength of five people and is likely to be further enhanced, he added.

Diess said the company was currently not looking at re-entering the Indian bike market after its initial attempts failed.

The bike market in Indian being primarily for commuting, and didn't suit BMW's products, he added

But, we all know what we need, dont we? The R1 is already here, the Hondas and Suzukis will follow soon, with the Ninja going on sale in a couple of months time. Whats keeping BMW from coming here with the bikes then?

Naked BMW F800?

It might not be much of a surprise, but BMW is expected to introduce a naked version of the F800 this Fall. The parallel twin 800 is now available as a tourer, sport and enduro (the recently introduced F800GS). Apparently, BMW believes the F800 models will continue to offer an attractive price point for potential BMW purchasers.

Source : MotorcycleDaily

Moto Guzzi Releases Details on Production Stelvio

We had told you about the Moto Guzzi Stelvio way back on 2nd August 2008 and 2nd November 2008.
The company has released more info on the bike along with engine specs too. The bike will be powered by a 1151cc 105Bhp engine.

More pics and info here - Motorcycle Daily

After Market Exhausts for the 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 250R

Lot of after market pipes are already out for the 2008 Ninja 250R. While searching the net, I came across www.areapnolimits.com and their 2X1 exhaust for the bike.

According to their website:
-Large increase in power averaging over 18%.
-At peak, there is a 28% increase in power.
-Power increase starts immediately from 2500 rpm and carries through peak at 12500 rpm, which is over 2000 rpm higher than the OEM exhaust.
-Very linear on both hp and tq.
-The stock fuel curve was slightly wavy from lean to rich, but still within acceptable specs. Changing the jetting to flatten out and optimize the fuel curve may further increase power.

The Graph


Prices for the set up:
US$495.00 Carbon Fiber
US$450.00 Stainless Steel

Yamaha YZF-R250 ?

UPDATED on 14th sep 2009 : SEE THE IMAGE HERE

Yes you read that right. Remember we told you about Suzuki working on smaller 125cc version of the GSX-R as well as a GSX-R250? (CLICK)

News is that Yamaha too are working on a 250cc version of the YZF-R125 to take on the likes of the new 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 250R. It will be called the YZF-R250. We strongly believe that Yamaha will use the 250cc engine currently being used in the YZ250 moto-cross machine. That, as we all know, is a killer of a machine. The styling of the YZF-R250 might not be very different than the YZF-R125, but we can expect changes like may be fatter tyres etc.

MCN's 5th March edition also carries some more news on the same. We shall keep you updated! Meanwhile, you might want to read related stuff

Kawasaki Ninja 250R
LINK 1
LINK 2

Yamaha YZF-R125
LINK 1

Yamaha R15 ( India )
LINK 1

Honda to end US motorcycle production, shift work to Japan plant

Honda Motor Co. plans to stop making motorcycles in the United States next year and transfer the work to Japan, pulling the plug on its first U.S. plant.

The 330,000-square-foot (30,657 sq. meter) Marysville, Ohio, plant, built in 1979, turns out large Gold Wing touring and VTX cruiser motorcycles. The work will be shifted to a plant in Japan that can produce bikes more efficiently.

Read the whole article HERE

Honda DN-01 goes on sale on 7th March

The much awaited DN-01 goes on sale on the 7th of March in Japan. It will follow in other countries soon. Honda have also released the full specifications for the bike.

As expected, it will be powered by a 680cc engine pumping 61 horses and 64Nm of torque. This to be true aint enough for a bike that weighs a porky 270kgs!

For more, see kneeslider