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Speaking of naked bikes…
Published March 14, 2011 | 
The major manufacturers aren’t the only ones bringing a naked bike to the US market. US startup Motus Motorcycles has not only unveiled the new MST-01 sport-tourer, but they’ve also got a naked version of the bike, dubbed the MST-R, naturally.
Motus MST-R
It’s the exact same bike, it just doesn’t have all the smooth plastic bits. Frankly, it looks kind of…mean.
The naked bikes are back
Published March 14, 2011 | The American love affair with motorcycles, such as it is, has not extended to the naked bikes in recent years. They sell like hotcakes to our cousins across the pond, but in the US…not so much. We like our cruisers and repli-racers and sport-tourers.
For the 2010 and 2011 model years, that has changed drastically, with a whole slew of naked standards, big and small, coming back to the US in a big way, and from nearly every manufacturer. Kawi completely redesigned the big Z1000 for 2010, Triumph has been pushing the Street Triple, and now Yamaha weighs in with the new FZ8, while BMW is trying to recapture the magic of the F800ST with the new F800R.
Motorcycle USA has stacked up some of these bikes against each other in a new comparo. What makes this one interesting is that the three bikes chosen, other than being middleweight standards, are powered by completely different powerplants. The F800R is a twin, the Street Triple is–as the name implies–a triple, and the FZ8 is an I-4.
So who wins? Is it the thumpy Twin of the BMW, the silky smoothness of the Yamaha I-4, or does the Street Triple offer a sporty compromise between the two that makes is a superior bike to ride?
Apparently, there are a lot of things about the Street Triple that catches the testers’ hearts.
2012 Motus MST-01 studio pics
Published March 10, 2011 | Motus Motorcycles has released some high-resolution studio images of the new MST-01 sport-tourer. Thumbnails are below.
If you like the looks of the MST-01, you’d probably like some clue about the price. We don’t know it yet, but considering the specs of the bike and the components included, it’s hard to see how you shove the price down below $20k. So, expect a price in the BMW range.
My own (temporary) ATK GT650R (Updated)
Published March 9, 2011 | ATK CEO Frank White informs me that he is setting aside one of these for me to pick up on Saturday:
ATK GT650R
Except mine is red, i.e., the fast one. It looks like I’ll be driving up to Orange County first thing on Saturday to pick it up. I’ll be keeping it for at least a week, so I’ll be able to give a fairly detailed review of it.
I suspect riding this V-Twin supersport will be…slightly different from my FJR1300.
UPDATE: Not so fast. There’s been a delay on getting the bike to the dealership, so it looks like another couple of weeks before this will happen.
Motus Motorcycles MST-01 debuts
Published March 4, 2011 | 
2012(?) Motus MST-01
Motus Motorcycles, an Alabama-based startup, has been working on a completely new, American-made, sport touring motorcycle. We’ve seen glimpses of the engine, as well as artist concepts of the bike, but now, Motus has finally debuted the complete bike, in the flesh.
The MST-01 is built around a completely new engine, designed by racing powerplant builder Pratt & Miller. Named the KMV4, the direct-fuel-injected engine has a claimed output of 160HP and 122 lb-ft of torque at redline. That power comes, however, without a significant weight penalty, with the engine weighing 130 lbs, and the 6-speed transmission adding about another 70 lbs. This results in a claimed wet weight of just 530 lbs.
Brakes are by Brembo, and suspension is by Öhlins, so pretty much all of the bike is built with top-flight components. This componentry comes at a cost, however, so the price will probably be siognificantly higher than the main Japanese competitors, the FJR1300 and Concours14.
Mor info and pictures are available at The Kneeslider, and Motorcyclist Magazine.
Quick Hits
Published March 3, 2011 | Motorcycle Daily joins the list of motojournalists who’ve tested the BMW K1600GT/GTL. They like it.
The Icon waterproof Patrol jacket seems very nice, if a bit pricey.
The Hyosung GT650 seems like a decent naked standard, considering its price.
Another decent photoshop rendering of the upcoming MV Agusta Brutale B3 675 triple.
Talk about electric vehicles all you want, but they aren’t ready for prime time, if the sales figures are any clue.
Wes Siler thinks the 200-ish horsepower BMW S1000RR would be a great first bike. For beginners. Who just started riding.
For 2011, Suzuki gave the Gixxer 600–one of the most popular sportbikes ever produced– a complete overhaul. How good an overhaul is it? Motorcycle.Com’s Pete Brissette took it out on the track to see.
I think I know what I want
Published March 1, 2011 | 
2009 Buell 1125R, Arctic White
I’ve pretty much decided what bike I want for a used 2nd bike. That’s it right over there on the left.
I want the 2009 Buell 1125R, in Arctic White, with the blue screen and wheels. I don’t want the 2010, with ugly “R” on the intake cowlings and the blue stuff blackened.
I want that bike in that color.
I’ve ridden it, and it has fantastic handling. You’d think the steep rake would make it twitchy, but it isn’t.
It’s a vibey, growly twin that weighs 450lbs wet, and, in stock configuration, puts 130 HP and about 75 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheel, according to Sport Rider. It’d be a big change from my FJR, that’s for sure.
It also has really comfy ergos for me–in sportbike terms, at any rate, and would be great little commuter, especially on the winding roads through Bonsall that I ride twice a day.
The only possible problem I can see is that, looking at Cycle Trader today, there is exactly one available. In the entire US. And it’s 3,000 miles away in Florida. So, there is the slight possibility that finding exactly this bike, in decent shape, may have some degree of difficulty attached to it. But I remain stupidly optimistic that this obstacle can be overcome.
At the moment, it’s not really an obstacle at all, since I wouldn’t be able to buy so much as a creme-filled donught until I pay of my income tax bill for this year. But, perhaps in late summer…
By the way, I’ve been perusing Craigslist, Oodle, and Cycle Trader a lot over the past week or so. Here’s an observation for prospective motorcycle sellers. Just because you had a custom paint job consisting of electric blue and gold skulls and half-naked ladies on the fairing, and then chromed the swingarm and all exposed engine parts doesn’t mean that your seven year old CBR1000RR is worth $8,000. Seriously. Trust me on that.
It’s a Photoshop…but it’s a good Photoshop
Published March 1, 2011 | Aprilia will be revealing a new bike as a successor to the Tuareg, called the Aprilia Caponord 1200. Essentially, it’s a bit of a worked over Dorsoduro 1200. There were some spy shots of the thing floating around yesterday, but..you know spy shots. They suck.
So, Moto-Infos.com got busy with Photoshop and produced this recreation of the bike in the spy shots.
2012 Aprilia Caponord 1200
It’s probably fairly close to what the bike will look like, but I have to wonder what the actual bike will be like. The big competitor for Aprilia here is the massively wonderful Ducati Multistrada 1200, which not only lays down a cavalry company’s worth of horses at the rear wheel, but also boasts all sorts of electronic goodness like traction control, electronic suspension adjustment, three ride modes, etc.
Details on the Caponord are going to be really sketchy until the EICMA show in Italy this fall, so we’ll have to wait and see if the bike’s electronics and internals will be anywhere near as impressive.
BMW K1600 GTL Review
Published March 1, 2011 | Since I didn’t get invited to South Africa for the launch of BMW’s new Inline-6 touring bikes–and couldn’t afford to go if I did–I have to wait for another 2 months or so before I can even get a chance to look at one, much less ride one. Motorcycle.Com, on the other hand, suffers from no such limitation, so they have a review of the the big K1600GTL touring model.
I don't think you're supposed to do this. Or be able to do this, for that matter.
They seem impressed. Indeed, judging by the picture, too much so.
They rave on and on about its Gold-Wing-ass-kicking power, the cool electronics, and just about everything else they can think of to indicate how much better it is than the Gold Wing.
Things they loved:
- Handling
- Power
- Brakes
- Suspension
- Chassis
- Rider comfort
- Air management]
- Ergos
Things they hated:
- Smaller passenger accommodations than the Gold Wing
Other than that, though, they think it’s a home run.
Its six-cylinder engine is sex on wheels with power to spare. Its agility and athleticism is positively shocking for such a big girl, and its suspension and brakes are best in class. What’s more, its array of standard and optional equipment put it in a league of its own.
Brit motorcycle journolist Kevin Ash has come up with another little niggle about the GT version, however, which is that, despite the higher torque of the I-6 powerplant, it actually doesn’t pull as hard in lower RPM ranges as the bike it replaces, the K1300GT, with its I-4.
For me, the 703 lb wet weight already made it a far less desirable bike, so I doubt if the new BMW is anywhere in my future. Great concept though. Shave 200 lbs off it, and call it the K1600S, though, and I might be willing to take a second look.
Another Diavel ride report
Published February 25, 2011 | Motorcycle Daily has weighed in with their first impression of the Ducati Diavel. Unlike some other reviews, they seem impressed by the handling–even at low speeds.
But perhaps the best impress in comes from one of the article’s commenters, who quips that it looks like somebody finally made a V-Rod that works.
I need two motorcycles
Published February 25, 2011 | I’ve decided I need a smaller, funner motorcycle to go along with my big, fun, FJR. I’d like something that’s sporty and fun, but commute-y. I don’t want to spend a lot of money, so I’m thinking about used bikes that I can scour Craig’s List for a good deal on. I’d love a new Ninja 1000, but that’s out financially.
These are the options I’m thinking about.
Yamaha FZ1. Fast and fun, but maybe a bit weak down in the lower end of the rev range, where a lot of my commuting would be.
Bandit 1250S. Gobs of torque, but, sadly, flops like a lead balloon on the top end.
GSX-R1000. Screw it. Just go pure sportbike. But not one with an excessively committed riding position.
Those are my top three choices for a used second bike. Any other suggestions?
UPDATE: I forgot about the Buell 1125R. I wouldn’t mind one of those, either.
2012 Honda Gold Wing breaks cover
Published February 21, 2011 | 
2012 Honda Gold Wing
Honda has announced the new 2012 Gold Wing, which I guess is the premier, non-Harley touring bike.
There was some talk that Honda would be coming up with a big redesign of their flagship bike, but…not this year. The changes are essentially these:
- Less curvy, more angular styling
- Increased wind protection, which I didn’t actually think was possible.
- New saddlebags with 7 liters more space
- Redesigned dashboard
- tweaks to the suspension.
Other than that, it’s pretty much unchanged.
The base model pricing comes in at $23,199, which is 1 shiny dollar cheaper than the Wing’s new competition, the BMW K1600GTL.
Honda, of course, has an entirely different take on the amazing amazingness that is the 2012 Gold Wing, and if you want to read that, Honda’s press release is below the fold.
Continue reading
Could the big Sport-Touring bikes be any smaller?
Published February 21, 2011 | Someone’s always complaining about weight on the big sport-touring bikes. The FJR & Connie are both almost 700lbs wet. The new K16GT is just over 700, as is the ST1300. Now, I can understand wanting a lighter, more maneuverable bike–I want one myself–but I’m not sure the big tourers can be any smaller.
I mean, physics are physics. Once you assume the requirement for HP and torque of a certain level, you’ve assumed an engine of a certain size and weight. Once you’ve decided you need 1000-1200lbs of Gross Weight, you’ve assumed a frame of a certain size, stiffness, and, hence weight. Once you’ve decided to stretch the wheelbase a couple of inches for highway stability, you’ve increased the size of the frame/subframe/swingarm, which is more weight.
Take a look at the new Ninja 1000, which is about as stripped down to basics as a sporting streetbike gets–no ABS, no bags, no electric windscreen, smaller engine, no shaft drive–and the wet weight is 500lbs. The old ZZR1200, with no bags or shaft, was 600lbs.
Ultimately, the features on the Sport-Tourers make the weight inevitable. Start off with a repli-racer like the R1, which has a wet weight of 454 lbs. Add a shaft, add 100 lbs. Add ABS, add 10lbs. Add Bags, add 20 lbs. The list goes on. Adding just those three items alone has increased the R1′s wet weight to 584lbs–and we still haven’t beefed up the frame or suspension to support a 2-up, touring capable load weight, or increased the wheelbase to make the handling more stable. Or, for that matter, given it a pillion seat that your chick is gonna want to ride for 20 minutes.
A given volume of aluminum and steel is gonna weigh a given amount. If you want a lighter bike, then you have to give up either a large engine, a shaft drive, max GVW, physical size, or any of a hundred other features that the big sport-tourers have as a standard.
Either that, or build the thing out of carbon fiber and titanium, and pay $40k+ for it.
Yeah, they’re heavy bikes. But it’s difficult to see how they could be lighter, and/or smaller, and still offer the specs that they do.
First Review: BMW K1600GT/GTL
Published February 20, 2011 | UK Motorcycle journalist Kevin Ash has posted what I believe is the first ride review of the new 6-cylinder BMW K1600GT/GTL motorcycles. This torque-monster of a motorcycle (129lb.ft) has been highly awaited as BMW has trickled out all sorts of press releases about the technology. Is it worth the wait? Well, maybe…
What you’ll be hoping for then is a bike laden with well thought through gadgets, a super smooth engine and real muscle from idle upwards. You get most of that, but not quite all…
The big complaint about the bike seems to be the way it performs at the lower end of the rev range.
The motor is a little disappointing at lower revs, especially in the 2,000-3,000rpm zone where you find yourself a lot, as the gearing is tall and the engine so smooth it will trickle down to idle even in the high gears without complaint. Given the fat torque curve you’d hope to be able to snick the smooth-changing transmission into top and leave it there until you switch off at the end of the day, but in practice typical 50-70mph (80-110kph) overtakes demand a couple of downchanges if you’re going to despatch with slower traffic rapidly. And that’s solo, with a passenger, full luggage and steep mountain roads to negotiate (which is the point of a bike like this) you’ll be using the gearbox a fair bit more than you might have expected.
Other than that, Ash lauds the smoothness of the engine, the low weight (relative to the various accouterments, the handling, and, happily, the banshee scream of the inline-6 when you push it into the higher rev ranges. One surprise to me, having ridden the K and R series bikes, is that he’s not all that impressed with the performance of the suspension when set to the harder “Sport” mode.
In Sport the ride gets harsh and choppy and the lack of compliance means you’re not only more comfortable staying in Normal even when going for it, the bike feels happier too. I’d even go for the plushness of the Comfort setting in preference to Sport when riding fast, as stability doesn’t suffer too much and aside from some floatiness over undulating bumps, the wheel control remains good.
Maybe the K1600-series is different, but on the R and earlier K bikes, I prefer the Sport mode for hard riding. Maybe this is one of those subjective assessments that can only be confirmed–or denied–through personal testing…which I intend to accomplish, and relate to you, as soon as these bikes make it to Southern California, and are available for testing.
At any rate, Ash’s ride review make for interesting reading, and make me lick my chops for a chance to unleash that I-6, myself.
Erik Buell Racing 1190RS
Published February 17, 2011 | The secret is finally out! Here is the high-res image of the new 1190RS from Erik Buell.
Erik Buell Racing 1190RS
As you can see, it’s a race bike, albeit one that has mirrors and turn signals grafted on to make it street legal. The body is all lightweight carbon fiber, and a small number–just enough for racing homologation–will be hand-produced. No word on the cost yet, but you can bet the price will be in the jumbo jet altitude. More reasonably priced street models are planned for later, although that will take investors and production facilities.
I do have to say, though…that exhaust isn’t doin’ it for me.