Husqvarna 701 Motard concept

The 701 represents a concept from Husqvarna which could signal their return into the world of Supermoto.
Features include a trellis frame, 650cc single cylinder motor with 75hp, Brembo brakes and WP suspension.

The spec sheet therefore ticks all the extravagant options, but the best thing about this concept is that sexy tail end and that fabulous Akrapovic exhaust pipe. Wow.

The intergration of the pipe into the bodywork looks fantastic and now there can be no excuses for burning yourself on the hot exhaust pipe while you shift your body weight around.

BMW S1000R street fighter leaked

After the success of the S1000RR many have been looking forward to the release of BMW's street fighter to add to their growing motorcycle line up for 2014. Well here are a few spy images that were taken by oliepeil.com

There is also a short video clip of the S1000R Street Fighter. It looks menacing to say the least, especially with that gargoyle like front end.

Love the S1000RR but too afraid to use its insane power on the urban roads? Well here is your answer, it still is reminiscent of the S1000RR but perhaps slightly toned down, perfect for adrenalin junkies. 

2014 Honda CBR1000RR SP

The blade is back, well it was never gone, but now it comes with various additions that aim to make it a meaner track machine.

These additions are inclusive of names such as Brembo and Öhlins, and if you haven't been under a rock for the last few decades, you will know that those names are usually supplied to machines with one aim, and that is to make them quicker, here is the full spec sheet for the SP:

2014 Ducati Monster 1200 S

The Ducati Monster is in essence the basic DNA of the brand Ducati. Everyone knows of the monster, and everyone loves the Monster. Its affordable, stylish, unique and offers everyone a ticket into the world of one of the most desirable motorcycle manufacturers. 

2014 Kawasaki Z1000

The Kawasaki Z1000 has made an appearance courtesy of Mr. Bike, who has not only revealed what the Z1000 looks like in close up pictures but has also made a video showing the dash and revealing the engine note.

The Z1000 comes with traction control, and riding mode settings as can be seen in the video. Power is expected to be between 136 or 140hp depending on which powerplant Kawasaki decided to utilize.

Suzuki Recursion turbo concept W/Video

Ahead of the Tokyo Motor expo, Suzuki have shared with us one of the concepts expected to make an appearance. Named the Recursion, this Suzuki features a turbo-charged parallel twin engine with a capacity of 588cc.

Power is expected to be around 100hp at 8000 rpm and torque figures are suggested to be 100nm which is impressive given the output.

Fascinating video on electronics and Valentino Rossi's bike.

This video gives us a basic introduction into the highly complex world of electronics in MotoGP. For once this highly secretive world has been exposed and we can see Valentino Rossi and his electronic engineer Kazutoshi Saki explain what exactly the ECU does and how important it is in MotoGP.

This is the frontline of MotoGP today, the mechanicals between the various manufacturers is on a level playing field, if you want to win, you have to have a superior electronics package. Watch the interesting video below:

MotoGP: Motegi back up plan

Following bad weather disruption to the World Championship schedule at Motegi on Friday, which saw all practice sessions of the day cancelled, Race Direction has developed a series of contingency plans in order to ensure that all three classes are able to compete at the AirAsia Grand Prix of Japan.

On Friday, all practice sessions were called off as heavy cloud cover at Twin Ring Motegi meant the medical helicopters could not be operated. On the grounds of safety, the helicopters must be operable in order to cater for any medical emergencies that could arise. This was explained in a press conference on Friday afternoon.

Ducati 1199 Superleggera, the facts. With Video

According to Ducati the new Superleggera, of which only 500 will be made, produces the highest power to weight ratio in history for a production motorcycle. WOW, that's a big claim, and I am sure it will be true as Ducati wouldn't want a journo getting hold of one sometime soon and throwing it on the dyno.

Mind you, the chances of a journo getting hold of one and throwing it on the dyno are pretty slim, because as mentioned, only 500 are going to be manufactured and they are sold to a selected client base. So unless you received a shiny envelope in the post recently that came all the way from Italy, dry your eyes.

So about that power to weight ratio, well its claimed power output is 200hp and its WET weight is 177kg, that's about the same as a tea set, or your girlfriends handbag.

MotoGP: Will Marquez take the title at Japan GP?

In the final round of the triple-header at the AirAsia Grand Prix of Japan in Motegi, Repsol Honda Team’s Marc Marquez will get another shot at taking the title if he beats Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jorge Lorenzo by more than seven points. Marquez, who in the previous round was disqualified due to a team error regarding the then-compulsory mid-way bike swap, will be looking to make amends at Honda’s home track. And with the stop-and-go nature of the Motegi circuit, both he and his teammate Dani Pedrosa will be two of the favourites for victory. Yet Lorenzo will be buoyed by the fact that the championship is once again in his reach, and will no doubt be a force to be reckoned with after his convincing victory in Phillip Island last time out. The Yamaha man knows that nothing but a win will do, making the race with the Repsol Hondas yet another exciting prospect. His teammate Valentino Rossi will be looking to make further strides towards the three at the front, and once again challenge for a podium. Monster Yamaha Tech3’s Cal Crutchlow, who only narrowly missed out on the podium in Australia to Rossi, will hope to overhaul the Italian this time out, whilst also keeping GO&FUN Honda Gresini’s Alvaro Bautista at bay. Bautista was a podium-sitter in Motegi last year after an entertaining battle with Crutchlow, and will be an outside favourite for yet more success at the track. LCR Honda MotoGP’s Stefan Bradl, who fractured his right ankle in Malaysia and was unable to race in Australia, will be assessed by track doctors before the race weekend to check if he is fit enough to take part in FP1. Tech3’s Bradley Smith will aim to make further strides towards the front after an impressive outing in Phillip Island, whilst Ducati Team riders Nicky Hayden and Andrea Dovizioso will look to squeeze the most out of their Desmosedicis. In the CRT class it will be Avintia Blusens’ Hiroshi Aoyama who will aim to put on a show for his home fans on his FTR-Kawasaki. He has been showing some good form recently, and will hope to make it into the top-CRT spot that so far has eluded him. He will however face the stiff challenge from the Power Electronics Aspar riders in the form of Aleix Espargaro and Randy de Puniet, as well as NGM Mobile Forward Racing’s Colin Edwards. There will be one wildcard taking part on a Yamaha M1 in the shape of Katsuyuki Nakasuga with the Yamaha YSP Racing Team. Due to many riders suffering braking issues in last year’s race due to the hard-braking nature of the track, the technical rules for this weekend have been altered to allow the use of 340mm carbon brake discs – a 20mm increase from the regulation size. Some of the teams, including Ducati, have already carried out tests with the bigger brakes in the Misano test this year.

World Championship Standings MotoGP™ 1- Marc Marquez SPA Honda 298 2- Jorge Lorenzo SPA Yamaha 280 3- Dani Pedrosa SPA Honda 264 4- Valentino Rossi ITA Yamaha 214 5- Cal Crutchlow GBR Yamaha 179

MotoGP Phillip Island, take a deep breath

Today saw an action packed Phillip Island main race, in fact action packed is an understatement of note. We begin with the revised race format from race direction, largely thanks to Bridgestone, who were unable to guarantee their rear tyre post 10 laps. This is probably due to Phillip Island having recently been resurfaced.

BMW R NineT full specs and pics

The R NineT was created to celebrate 90 years of BMW motorcycles. As a result it features an air-cooled boxer twin, a favored motor used by BMW in many of its successful models. Power output is around 110bhp and 119nm. 

Video: Casey Stoner tests Honda RCV1000R

Recently it emerged that Casey Stoner was testing the RCV1000R and RC213V back to back at the twin ring Montegi circuit.

Honda's 2014 Dakar Rally CRF450

Honda have revealed their rally bike that is built to take on the toughest rally of them all, the Dakar. The CRF450 Rally will also be sold to other teams partaking in the event which is the most grueling motorsport event on the planet.

2014 Ducati 1199 Panigale S Senna

From June 2014, Brazil will receive a limited edition Panigale S Senna edition. The special edition motorcycle marks the 20th anniversary since Senna's tragic death and is made in honor of the exceptionally talented F1 racing driver.

The next Fireblade to have V4 configuration?

With Casey Stoner recently testing the Honda RCV1000R at the Twin Ring Montegi, motorcycle fans are looking forward to seeing the production racer in the hands of various privateer teams on the MotoGP grid. This V4 spec bike will be sold to privateer teams and is said to be worthy of RC213V times around the track, according to Stoner.

2014 BMW R1200GS Adventure

In South Africa, the adventure bike market is the largest and amongst the various adventure bikes available, the BMW GS range is the most popular. However in recent times, the likes of KTM, Yamaha, Triumph and even Suzuki are increasing their efforts in pursuit of an equal share of the Adventure pie, as I shall call it.

Ducati 1199 Panigale RS

You think the 1199 is cool then check out the Ducati 1199 Panigale RS. only available for superbike teams, the RS features carbon fibre pieces in abundance, Brembo brakes, Öhlins suspension and a full system Termignoni exhaust.

Ridden: Kawasaki ZX10R 2011

Upon unloading the new 200hp ZX10R in the drive and slipping into some leathers, I decided I will put on some music and go for a ride through the leafy suburbs to get a feel for the new Ninja. However the first song that started to play on my iPod was ‘take me to the hospital’ by Prodigy. Hmmmm surely this wasn’t a sign of things to come. Anyway after cycling through some tracks to find an appropriate tune to accompany me on the new ZX10R I set off down the road.

First impressions are excellent. The new Ninja accelerates smoothly with excellent power delivery and bags of power and torque. Twist the throttle and the black monster shoots up the road in a blur of dust and excitement. The 2011 Ninja has been one of the most highly anticipated bikes of the year due to its monstrous power output. (between 185 and 200hp). However that being said the power is manageable but one does sense that this much power is just too much for the road and huge levels of concentration are required when taking a ride to the shops.

However with the monstrous power output the Ninja can be tamed. There are 3 power map settings that can be changed and although not much of a difference is noticed low down the RPM range, when the revs climb higher the power delivery differences become VERY apparent. In addition to this the new Ninja comes equipped with race derived traction control (S-KTRC) and ABS. The traction control has 4 different settings with level 1 being designed for track use on racing tires. When accelerating hard off the line one can hear the traction control kicking in. In laymen’s terms it works by retarding the ignition until both front and rear wheel speeds are matched.

Indeed it is awesome to have such a powerful bike matched up to traction control which allows us mere mortal riders to get close to the limit without flying headfirst into a tree. For all its power and aggression the new Ninja definitely feels smooth and safe…ish. The traction control system though does not interfere with your riding style and does not nanny your behavior. It acts merely as an assistant which is awesome because at the end of the day you are still the rider and in control.

The engine has basically remained the same from the previous model, however some of the internals have been remodeled slightly. The inline four has an astronomical redline at 14000rpm and produces 114Nm’s of torque. In addition to this the new Ninja has lost a considerable amount of weight compared to the previous model and the handling characteristics have changed allowing for more feedback to the rider and improved road holding. Confidence is significantly improved when riding the new Ninja thanks to the awesome traction control and power delivery. The six speed gearbox is also a dream to shift thtrough and the movements are short and sharp. Ergonimic changes include:
- A lower seat (by 17mm), adjustable footpegs moved slightly lower (by 5mm) and forward (by 2mm)
- Lower seat makes it easier to reach the ground
- Newly shaped fuel tank offers an even better ergonomic fit with the rider’s forearms and inner thighs when riding
- Adjustable foot pegs can be lowered an additional 15mm when street riding or touring.

Indeed Kawasaki has gone the full distance to produce an awesome bike. From the streamlined looks to the ergonomics and mechanics, the 2011 Ninja takes some beating. It is also offered at a competitive price and you receive a lot of bike for your money. (R160 000 estimated). Without a doubt my choice for 2011.

Pros:

Ease of use

Traction control

Power

Chassis

Cons:

Orange rev display takes some getting used to

The amount of fuel you’ll burn on a breakfast run

Engine	Liquid cooled, four stroke, transverse four cylinder, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder.
Capacity	998
Bore x Stroke	76 x 55 mm
Compression Ratio	13.0:1
Induction	DFI® with four 47mm Keihin throttle bodies with oval sub-throttles, two injectors per cylinder
Ignition  /  Starting	TCBI with digital advance and Sport-Kawasaki Traction Control (S-KTRC)  /  electric
Max Power	185 -200 estimated
Max Torque	114.3 Nm @ 1150 rpm
Transmission  /  Drive	6 Speed  /  chain
Rake / Trail	25.0 degrees / 109.9mm
Front Suspension	43mm Big Piston Fork (BPF), rebound, compression and spring preload adjustability 4.7in wheel travel
Rear Suspension	Horizontal Back-link. High/low-speed compression, rebound and preload adjustable. 4.9in wheel travel
Front Brakes	2x 310 mm petal discs, radial-mount  4-piston calliper
Rear Brakes	Single Single 220mm petal disc
Front Tyre	120/70 ZR17
Rear Tyre	190/55 ZR17
Seat Height	812 mm  /  32 in
Weight	198 kg
Fuel Capacity	17 Litres  /  4.5 gal

Top Gear South Africa 2011: The Review

You may be aware that Top Gear is receiving a lot of criticism lately due to the show hosted at Kyalami grand prix circuit this past weekend. (17th to 20th March 2011).

It also just so happens that before making my way to the show on Friday the 18th of March 2011, I had written an exam on operational management. So, with the subject fresh in my mind, I came back from the show, not disappointed with the efforts of the Top Gear team but instead with the organizers; Brand Events and the logistics, or lack thereof.

During the run up to the show, I collected my media passes from the offices of Brand events. They looked at me in dismay as I strolled into their office and I was questioned numerous times about who I had spoken to, what was my name and what exactly I was doing there. After I explained that I had attended the previous 3 Top Gear shows as media and I was a member of the South African guild of motoring journalists and I had spoken to numerous people at brand events in the past about the show, I then was allowed to collect my tickets. I was also informed that I would have to utilize the park and ride facilities at Waterfall estate. (read on)

This was to enable all visitors to the top gear show to be bussed in and out of Kyalami grand prix circuit. Makes sense, as there would be a traffic nightmare if everyone and their Hilux double cab fought each other for the closest available parking spot at the circuit.

As this is a motor show you would assume that most who visited Kyalami, enjoyed their cars and as a result people would be arriving in supercars, sports cars, historic cars etc. However waterfall estate was not the best place for this as it resembled a 4×4 track more than anything. So after smashing in my sump numerous times and rearranging the dynamics of my exhaust on my car with average ground clearance, I eventually found a parking approximately 800 meters from the buses.

My girlfriend and I then proceeded to walk to the buses in the thick mud caused by the unfortunate heavy downpour during the day. By the time we reached the buses, the seats were soaking wet from the earlier crowds. The bus then filled up and we proceeded to be transported to Kyalami circuit, where to my amazement we were stuck in a traffic jam. I thought the whole point of the buses was to eliminate this, however there was too much emphasis placed on ‘VIP’ guests by the organizers and as a result, the bus had now come to a complete stop at the single gate of the circuit. Even though they were letting VIP guests drive into the circuit in their own cars, there has been much criticism over the treatment of VIP guests. I understand the tickets were hellishly expensive, but unfortunately you got ripped. Go buy some more commodities or build casinos or something.

Anyway I will not bore you with the details, but after a prolonged period of time, the bus dropped us off at the top of the circuit in another mud bath, we then proceeded to walk through the tunnel which created a bottleneck, then down past the Lumina drifting cars, and to the arena entrance where there was yet another bottleneck.

Problem analysis:

• Too many people
• One entrance and exit to the arena
• One entrance and exit to the circuit
• One entrance and exit to and from the buses.
• Numerous bottlenecks
• Disrupted flow of traffic
• Buses being kept stationary at the main entrance for too long
• Poor parking facilities
• Poor staff management
• Unclear staff roles

(There are more, this is just from my short experience on the day).

I might come across very negative and demeaning, however don’t get me wrong, the actual show on paper looked spectacular and I sure was impressed with the Top Gear team and their stunts. I was also impressed with the array of cars on display and the Red Bull F1. Unfortunately many people did not get to see the F1 due to the heavy rains experienced on the weekend. However I must point out that it rains almost without fail at this time every year, so surely that is something the organizers must take into consideration.

I understand the rainfall affected proceedings of the Top Gear show, however that aside, the actual organization of the show left a lot to be desired.

Alternative solutions:

• Host the event at a different location, the country has spent billions of infrastructure for the 2010 world cup, what’s wrong with say Soccer city?

• Create multiple entrances and exits to and from the circuit and arena as well as for the buses

• Place more emphasis on directing and guiding the masses comfortably and efficiently instead of making sure a handful of VIP’s are well catered for.

• Allow the public to park their motorbikes at the circuit (like when World superbikes visited kyalami in 2010). This would eliminate hundreds of cars coming close to the circuit

• Ensure better parking facilities at the park and ride

• Help ease traffic flow by allowing buses to drive without stopping for a delayed period to the drop off zone

• Have multiple collection points

• Have multiple drop off zones

• Allow pedestrians to walk from the main entrance

• Don’t have a VIP ticket (money making scam)  resulting in very irritated customers

Once again there are numerous other solutions that could have eased the traffic flow and congestion, these are just off the top of my head.

After watching the show, with the rain and lightening approaching in the distance, my girlfriend and I decided to make our way to the exit, where once again we were forced to wait in a queue with everyone else as the rain started to pour. Due to the ridiculously narrow exit path, my girlfriend was almost knocked off her feet by who could only have been Os Du Randt’s obese cousin.  Psychologists would say conditions were ripe for a huge brawl, but not one for waking up in the morning having had reconstructive facial surgery; I simply sighed, offered the man a Boerewors roll accompanied with an ice cold Castle lager and proceeded to play out my role as jimmy jammer; the sardine who didn’t get away.

By the time we had arrived home, I was exhausted, tired, hungry, thirsty, wet, irritated muddy and my car required Xzibit to come sort it out. In amongst the grade 10 leadership camp a small car show did break out, but sadly it was overshadowed by an overall draining experience.

Anyway, after many people spent a lot of money on their tickets and had there whole day disrupted by the weather and the changing organizational plans of Top Gear I’m sure I am not the only one who feels that something should be said and done.

I am the worlds biggest petrol head and I really love the fact that Top Gear comes to South Africa, I just wish the show was more Top Gear and less unorganized.