Random International News thread

[blizviz]

Re: Suzuki GSX-R Worldwide Recall: xBhp News

Officially Official: Ducati 1199 Superleggera

Ducati has finally released photos and information about the 2014 Ducati 1199 Superleggera — the company’s “super light” limited edition superbike. A halo bike for Borgo Panigale, the new Superleggera slots into Ducati’s lineup above the homologation-purposed Ducati 1199 Panigale R.
Only 500 Ducatisti worldwide will have the chance to own a Ducati 1199 Superleggera, and that ownership will mean having a superbike with a dry weight of only 155kg (341.7lbs) — 177kg (390.2lb) at the curb with at least a tank that is 90% full. Ducati officially rates the power at “over 200hp” as the Superleggera revs an extra 500 rpm’s off its modified motor.
To make these weight savings, Ducati has used a good portion of the periodic table to find the lightest components possible. As such, the Superleggera features a magnesium monocoque frame and forged Marchesini magnesium wheels, a carbon fiber rear sub-frame and bodywork (with integrated R-spec aero-kit), a lithium-ion battery, a full titanium exhaust system with stainless steel headers, and many of the bolts and fasteners on both engine and chassis are also made from titanium.

[NewsReaper]

Suzuki GSX-R Worldwide Recall: xBhp News

Suzuki has launched a worldwide recall of its GSX-R models produced since 2004.

The recall affects GSX-R600s and GSX-R750s made since 2004, and GSX-R1000s made since 2005.

The bikes will have their front brake master cylinder replaced free of charge.

Suzuki GB's Denis Houston -

Source: Massive worldwide GSX-R recall - Motorcycle news : General news - Visordown

[B7ACKTHORN]

Re: Skully demonstrates GPS, rear-view camera in motorcycle helmet

Spied: Triumph Entry-Level Street Bike Caught Testing

No, that isn’t a Street Triple. Look closely and you’ll see that’s a single-cylinder motor, likely 250cc in capacity. This is the new Triumph entry-level street bike.
Photos By: Chris Doane Automotive LLC
A basic, steel tube frame holds the liquid-cooled motor, connected to a basic, box-section swingarm. Up front, those bug-eye headlights — the same as the 2013 Triumph Street Triple — provide a familial connection that’s also provided in the large exhaust canister.
The rest is a much more generic, budget bike. A bulbous tank and plastic radiator shrouds lack any defined shape, as does the large seat unit. This will be a practical motorcycle — a one-piece seat creates adequate room for rider and passenger, while the latter also benefits from prominent grab rails.

Running gear is very basic. Thin, RWU forks hold a single brake disc and two-piston, sliding caliper. Tires appear to be the same IRC Road Winner bias ply items fitted to the Suzuki GW250, Honda CBR250R and Kawasaki Ninja 300. Those three bikes will be the Triumph’s main rival in the U.S. and in Europe, but it will also target developing markets in Southeast Asia and South America.
It’s likely that the majority of the bike’s parts will be manufactured in Triumph existing factory in Thailand, then assembled in its new facility located in Chennai, India. This arrangement helps avoid import tariffs in both countries, which are both massive motorcycle markets.
It’s been rumored that this bike could form a platform for multiple models, some as large as 350cc and form the lynchpin of Triumph’s efforts to it’s expand global sales volume to 250,000 units annually by 2016. The move will make it over twice the size of BMW, dwarfing Ducati and its current 44,000 annual unit volume. Both those companies are pursuing similar expansion in developing markets, just not as quickly as Triumph seems to be.
Stay tuned to RideApart for more on this story in the coming weeks and months.

By Wes Siler

New Triumph Entry-Level Street Bike

New Triumph Entry-Level Street Bike

New Triumph Entry-Level Street Bike

New Triumph Entry-Level Street Bike

New Triumph Entry-Level Street Bike




Cheers!
VJ

[Divya Sharan]

Re: Skully demonstrates GPS, rear-view camera in motorcycle helmet

Skully will show off the P1 helmet this week at the Demo 2013 conference in Santa Clara, Calif. The company did not say when the helmet would become available, or list a retail price.

Source: Skully demonstrates GPS, rear-view camera in motorcycle helmet | The Car Tech blog - CNET Reviews

I smell Iron Man.

[The Monk]

Skully demonstrates GPS, rear-view camera in motorcycle helmet

Using GPS on a motorcycle usually involves looking down at a portable navigation device on the handlebars, but Skully Helmets wants to update that experience. The company developed the Skully P1 motorcycle helmet, which gives riders a heads-up display and integrates not only GPS, but a rear-view camera, hands-free phone system, and voice command.
According to Skully's press materials, the display is not in the rider's primary field of vision, and appears as if it were floating 6 meters ahead.
The helmet runs a modified version of the Android operating system, which comes loaded with navigation and Bluetooth connectivity. With the helmet paired to a smartphone through Bluetooth, the rider can use voice command to make phone calls and start music playback.
The heads-up display can also show the image from an integrated rear-view camera. Skully notes that this camera has a 180 degree field of vision, so the rider can also see when it is safe to change lanes.
Skully will show off the P1 helmet this week at the Demo 2013 conference in Santa Clara, Calif. The company did not say when the helmet would become available, or list a retail price.

Source: Skully demonstrates GPS, rear-view camera in motorcycle helmet | The Car Tech blog - CNET Reviews

[B7ACKTHORN]

Re: 2014 Honda CBR150R Announced In Indonesia

Thank for the undercover cop, else it would have been a lot worse. Bike vandalism will be prominent as long as there are bikes, and wannabe thugs.

Cheers!
VJ

[blizviz]

Re: 2014 Honda CBR150R Announced In Indonesia

Insane Video of a Bikejacking at Gunpoint in Brazil

Seems that some people would go to any length to get what they want these days!

From A&R

"Honda CB600F Hornet, this Brazilian motorcyclist gets a surprise as he merges into a new lane, a pair of hijackers pull-up next to him on another bike, grab his handlebars, and demand to have his motorcycle at gunpoint.

Offering no contest to the bikejackers and their desire for his motorcycle, the rest is all a bit shocking as it unfolds in the middle of the busy intersection. Catching everything with a helmet-mounted camera, we imagine this footage will end up as evidence in a Brazilian court, as an off-duty police officer jumps out of his car and fires two shots at one of the robbers.

Dropping to the ground after being shot, the thief’s partner takes off on the getaway motorcycle. Police cars then arrive to sort out the situation, and deal with the assailant. From what we understand, he survived his injuries. Nevertheless, what follows below may disturb some readers. In other news, who steals a motorcycle wearing sandals???"

[B7ACKTHORN]

Re: 2014 Honda CBR150R Announced In Indonesia

It is some sort of perimeter/beam frame, for sure, since it goes around the engine compartment. But Honda calls it "twin tube diamond".

No it's basically a diamond tube, but with enclosed perimeter surrounding the engine, so it can be called a perimeter, but still it's a diamond and same goes for the CBR 250R

Cheers!
VJ

[blizviz]

Re: 2014 Honda CBR150R Announced In Indonesia

is that a perimeter frame... was it there earlier, coz CBR250 doesn't have it.

Nah! I don't think so, it's still the twin tube diamond, but I guess due to the refreshed paint scheme you've got confused.

Cheers!
VJ

It is some sort of perimeter/beam frame, for sure, since it goes around the engine compartment. But Honda calls it "twin tube diamond".

[B7ACKTHORN]

Re: 2014 Honda CBR150R Announced In Indonesia

is that a perimeter frame... was it there earlier, coz CBR250 doesn't have it.

Nah! I don't think so, it's still the twin tube diamond, but I guess due to the refreshed paint scheme you've got confused.

Cheers!
VJ

[princesirohi]

Re: 2014 Honda CBR150R Announced In Indonesia

is that a perimeter frame... was it there earlier, coz CBR250 doesn't have it.

[blizviz]

2014 Honda CBR150R Announced In Indonesia

Official….Honda rilis warna baru CBR150R. Banderol terkoreksi naik…. | Iwanbanaran - All about Motorcycle

detikOto - Baju Baru untuk Honda CBR150R

Honda Indonesia has launched an updated version of the CBR150R for 2014.

So far, the only difference seems to be only superficial, with fresh new colours and decals.

[princesirohi]

Re: Human-powered speed record falls at Battle Mountain

thats pretty fast for a cycle. good.

[NewsReaper]

Human-powered speed record falls at Battle Mountain

It's with considerable interest that Gizmag has followed cyclist Graeme Obree's latest quest to break the human-powered speed record on his self-designed and self-built bicycle, Beastie. On Friday at the World Human Speed Championships at Battle Mountain, Nevada, Obree finally made the attempt. Though he fell short of that ultimate record, he did break the world prone record (for cycling head first, face down) with an impressive speed of 56.62 mph (91 km/h). Yet the overall speed record was broken during the event, by a team from the Delft University of Technology and VU University Amsterdam.



The crew at the finish line verify the weeks speeds and times (Photo: Rick Robson)Unlike Graeme Obree's Beastie, the Delft and Amsterdam bike was a recumbent (Photo: Rick R...The Delft and Amsterdam team takes a moment out to browse computer monitors online (Photo:...
Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland, Obree revealed that the record fell after a number of incremental improvements from the 47 mph he achieved at the beginning of the week. "The timekeeper announced it is a new official world record, and that's a strange feeling," he said. "I've not heard that for 20 years." That was when Obree set the one-hour cycle distance world record on another bike he designed and built himself, Old Faithful.

Listening to the interview, it sounds as if Obree is reconsidering whether a prone bike can compete with the speed of recumbents, an idea he borrowed from the way skydivers dive.

He may have been partially convinced by the efforts of cyclist Sebastian Bowler and his team from Delft and Amsterdam, which managed to add 0.6 km/h to the existing human-powered speed record with a new and formidable pinnacle of 133.78 km/h (83 mph). Technically this is for a single rider in the 200 m flying-start category, but as the shortest distance of those contested, this tends to be the fastest category at Battle Mountain.

The Delft team had its own technical problems to overcome during the course of the week, finding that the high speeds achieved deformed the outer shell, compromising its aerodynamics. The team was able to fix the problem, and went on to break the record, set in 2009 by Canadian cyclist Sam Wittingham.

Though Graeme Obree's own achievement fell short of the 100 mph barrier he'd hoped to break, he sounds satisfied to hold the prone speed record. Yet Obree remains convinced that 100 mph is achievable. "I do still believe 160 km/h [or] 100mph is possible in the next 20 years with the developments I've seen here this week," he tells Cycling Weekly. "There is absolute cutting-edge technology here and brilliant, friendly people."

Source: Human-powered speed record falls at Battle Mountain

[NewsReaper]

BMW to produce E Scooter in 2014

BMW Motorrad's C Evolution, the electric scooter design will be produced come 2014.

BMW Confirms Production E Scooter for 2014 - Motorcycle USA