Star V Star 1300 Deluxe

So it’s surprising to discover that Star’s new V Star 1300 Deluxe truly has zero competition. There simply isn’t another production, mid-size, quote-unquote bagger out there. Every other semi-dressed tourer on the market features a large-displacement engine, and any bagged bike with an engine in this displacement range has a windshield rather than a fairing and its saddlebags are likely leather – or, if they are hard-molded, leather-wrapped. Star noticed a hole in the façade of Bagger Nation, and this new motorcycle fills it nicely.


Featuring a fork-mounted batwing-style fairing and hard molded, color-matched saddlebags, the V Star 1300 Deluxe is a fully realized bagger whose engine is smaller and lighter than, say, a Street Glide’s or Vaquero’s, but still features plenty of power for the long haul. Further, because it’s in what Star execs referred to as the Casual Full Dress category, it has some, but not all, of the bells and whistles that make up a full dresser, keeping costs down.

Simply put, it’s a bagger that’s accessible to more than just baby boomer males. While it rocks comparable dimensions to the large displacement baggers – its 27.2-inch seat height and 66.5-inch wheelbase put it right up there with the big boys – it feels considerably lighter than any other production bagger on the market, and handles accordingly. And with an MSRP of $13,690, the 2013 V Star 1300 Deluxe costs anywhere from $3400 to $6000 less than any of them.

At first glance, the V Star 1300 Deluxe closely resembles the 1854cc Stratoliner Deluxe that Star has been offering since 2010. For MY2013, however, that bike was put on hold to focus on filling this mid-sized hole in the bagger marketplace.

Like the Strat D, the V Star Deluxe also has speakers and a GPS mounted into its fairing, but unlike its big brother these features are now fully fleshed out. The XM Satellite Radio- and Bluetooth-equipped Garmin Zumo 665 GPS is mounted into the dash, as on a car, and your iPod/iPhone/MP3 player now connects to a jack in the left saddlebag, safe from the elements and prying eyes.

The removable Garmin unit is conveniently high and front-and-center, and is easily actuated with gloved fingers. That’s important, because if you want to utilize the GPS or change the XM station, you need to touch the screen. Obviously, this is a function that should be performed while stopped but, considering the unit’s location directly under the windscreen, it’s not difficult to do while rolling straight and steady.

Unlike some other units we’ve heard, the V Star’s audio system kicks out plenty of crisp, clear sound that’s better, even, than the Stratoliner Deluxe’s. As far as sound quality, this may be the best production stereo this writer has ever enjoyed. Music, voices, and turn-by-turn directions are all easy to hear at highway speeds.

The addition of XM is genius for obvious reasons; owners of the Garmin 665 – and therefore, this motorcycle – would be foolish not to subscribe, if only for its local weather and traffic bands.

As for those highway speeds, Star’s new bagger is a heckuva runner. Its 1304cc V-Twin (same mill that pushes the Stryker) has plenty of pulling power for getting up the onramp and over into the fast lane. Its gears, actuated with a slick heel-toe shifter, are longer in the tooth at the top end than the Stryker’s – ideal for highway cruising and touring. The V-Twin comes up short in only one area. The ratio gap between second and third gears is large enough that neither cog feels ideal for mid-range speeds, especially when climbing a hill. We look forward to seeing how the Vee-Dee performs loaded with luggage and with a passenger on its pillion.

But this midsize bagger isn’t about performance; it’s about comfort and value – two qualities it has in spades. Its saddle is wide and cushy, and its appointments are more than just serviceable. The long floorboards are plenty wide, and the tall windscreen is extremely effective at pushing the elements around the rider’s head and torso. On our hot day test ride, I wished more air would come around it.


My only complaint is a personal nitpick, but because I’m an average-sized guy it’s worth pointing out: the windscreen tops out at just above eye level for this 5’11” rider. I could barely look over it, so more often than not I found myself slouching slightly to look through the Lexan. For a long-haul tour, though, it would be tremendous, and for many of the journalists on our one-day ride, it was fine just the way it is.

With 7.5 gallons of space in each saddlebag, cargo is ported by two of the largest compartments we’ve seen on any bagger; big enough, even, to close around my three-quarter lid while I tried out a new half-helmet.

In its current iteration, the VStar 1300 Deluxe lacks full-dress touring amenities like cruise control and ABS, which helps keep its cost down. But those haven’t been ruled out as optional accessories in the future. In the meantime, more than 130 accessories are available, many cosmetic for personalization and about half of them licensed from noted aftermarket manufacturers like Kuryakyn and Arlen Ness. Also available are backrests and passenger floorboards designed to enhance long-range touring comfort.
To call the V Star 1300 Deluxe the Stratoliner Deluxe’s little brother wouldn’t be far from the truth. Considering the vast improvements made here, don’t be surprised to see the Strat D return in MY14 with a similar dashboard layout. For now, its little brother is a more than capable semi-dressed tourer with the power, handling, technology and visual panache to satisfy any bagger fan. And it’s the only bagger out there with the accessibility in both size and price to attract new bagger fans who always thought themselves too small or too poor to have one of their own. And that’s no exaggeration.

Source : http://www.motorcycle.com/

Star V Star 1300 Deluxe

So it’s surprising to discover that Star’s new V Star 1300 Deluxe truly has zero competition. There simply isn’t another production, mid-size, quote-unquote bagger out there. Every other semi-dressed tourer on the market features a large-displacement engine, and any bagged bike with an engine in this displacement range has a windshield rather than a fairing and its saddlebags are likely leather – or, if they are hard-molded, leather-wrapped. Star noticed a hole in the façade of Bagger Nation, and this new motorcycle fills it nicely.


Featuring a fork-mounted batwing-style fairing and hard molded, color-matched saddlebags, the V Star 1300 Deluxe is a fully realized bagger whose engine is smaller and lighter than, say, a Street Glide’s or Vaquero’s, but still features plenty of power for the long haul. Further, because it’s in what Star execs referred to as the Casual Full Dress category, it has some, but not all, of the bells and whistles that make up a full dresser, keeping costs down.

Simply put, it’s a bagger that’s accessible to more than just baby boomer males. While it rocks comparable dimensions to the large displacement baggers – its 27.2-inch seat height and 66.5-inch wheelbase put it right up there with the big boys – it feels considerably lighter than any other production bagger on the market, and handles accordingly. And with an MSRP of $13,690, the 2013 V Star 1300 Deluxe costs anywhere from $3400 to $6000 less than any of them.

At first glance, the V Star 1300 Deluxe closely resembles the 1854cc Stratoliner Deluxe that Star has been offering since 2010. For MY2013, however, that bike was put on hold to focus on filling this mid-sized hole in the bagger marketplace.

Like the Strat D, the V Star Deluxe also has speakers and a GPS mounted into its fairing, but unlike its big brother these features are now fully fleshed out. The XM Satellite Radio- and Bluetooth-equipped Garmin Zumo 665 GPS is mounted into the dash, as on a car, and your iPod/iPhone/MP3 player now connects to a jack in the left saddlebag, safe from the elements and prying eyes.

The removable Garmin unit is conveniently high and front-and-center, and is easily actuated with gloved fingers. That’s important, because if you want to utilize the GPS or change the XM station, you need to touch the screen. Obviously, this is a function that should be performed while stopped but, considering the unit’s location directly under the windscreen, it’s not difficult to do while rolling straight and steady.

Unlike some other units we’ve heard, the V Star’s audio system kicks out plenty of crisp, clear sound that’s better, even, than the Stratoliner Deluxe’s. As far as sound quality, this may be the best production stereo this writer has ever enjoyed. Music, voices, and turn-by-turn directions are all easy to hear at highway speeds.

The addition of XM is genius for obvious reasons; owners of the Garmin 665 – and therefore, this motorcycle – would be foolish not to subscribe, if only for its local weather and traffic bands.

As for those highway speeds, Star’s new bagger is a heckuva runner. Its 1304cc V-Twin (same mill that pushes the Stryker) has plenty of pulling power for getting up the onramp and over into the fast lane. Its gears, actuated with a slick heel-toe shifter, are longer in the tooth at the top end than the Stryker’s – ideal for highway cruising and touring. The V-Twin comes up short in only one area. The ratio gap between second and third gears is large enough that neither cog feels ideal for mid-range speeds, especially when climbing a hill. We look forward to seeing how the Vee-Dee performs loaded with luggage and with a passenger on its pillion.

But this midsize bagger isn’t about performance; it’s about comfort and value – two qualities it has in spades. Its saddle is wide and cushy, and its appointments are more than just serviceable. The long floorboards are plenty wide, and the tall windscreen is extremely effective at pushing the elements around the rider’s head and torso. On our hot day test ride, I wished more air would come around it.


My only complaint is a personal nitpick, but because I’m an average-sized guy it’s worth pointing out: the windscreen tops out at just above eye level for this 5’11” rider. I could barely look over it, so more often than not I found myself slouching slightly to look through the Lexan. For a long-haul tour, though, it would be tremendous, and for many of the journalists on our one-day ride, it was fine just the way it is.

With 7.5 gallons of space in each saddlebag, cargo is ported by two of the largest compartments we’ve seen on any bagger; big enough, even, to close around my three-quarter lid while I tried out a new half-helmet.

In its current iteration, the VStar 1300 Deluxe lacks full-dress touring amenities like cruise control and ABS, which helps keep its cost down. But those haven’t been ruled out as optional accessories in the future. In the meantime, more than 130 accessories are available, many cosmetic for personalization and about half of them licensed from noted aftermarket manufacturers like Kuryakyn and Arlen Ness. Also available are backrests and passenger floorboards designed to enhance long-range touring comfort.
To call the V Star 1300 Deluxe the Stratoliner Deluxe’s little brother wouldn’t be far from the truth. Considering the vast improvements made here, don’t be surprised to see the Strat D return in MY14 with a similar dashboard layout. For now, its little brother is a more than capable semi-dressed tourer with the power, handling, technology and visual panache to satisfy any bagger fan. And it’s the only bagger out there with the accessibility in both size and price to attract new bagger fans who always thought themselves too small or too poor to have one of their own. And that’s no exaggeration.

Source : http://www.motorcycle.com/

Star V Star 1300 Deluxe

So it’s surprising to discover that Star’s new V Star 1300 Deluxe truly has zero competition. There simply isn’t another production, mid-size, quote-unquote bagger out there. Every other semi-dressed tourer on the market features a large-displacement engine, and any bagged bike with an engine in this displacement range has a windshield rather than a fairing and its saddlebags are likely leather – or, if they are hard-molded, leather-wrapped. Star noticed a hole in the façade of Bagger Nation, and this new motorcycle fills it nicely.


Featuring a fork-mounted batwing-style fairing and hard molded, color-matched saddlebags, the V Star 1300 Deluxe is a fully realized bagger whose engine is smaller and lighter than, say, a Street Glide’s or Vaquero’s, but still features plenty of power for the long haul. Further, because it’s in what Star execs referred to as the Casual Full Dress category, it has some, but not all, of the bells and whistles that make up a full dresser, keeping costs down.

Simply put, it’s a bagger that’s accessible to more than just baby boomer males. While it rocks comparable dimensions to the large displacement baggers – its 27.2-inch seat height and 66.5-inch wheelbase put it right up there with the big boys – it feels considerably lighter than any other production bagger on the market, and handles accordingly. And with an MSRP of $13,690, the 2013 V Star 1300 Deluxe costs anywhere from $3400 to $6000 less than any of them.

At first glance, the V Star 1300 Deluxe closely resembles the 1854cc Stratoliner Deluxe that Star has been offering since 2010. For MY2013, however, that bike was put on hold to focus on filling this mid-sized hole in the bagger marketplace.

Like the Strat D, the V Star Deluxe also has speakers and a GPS mounted into its fairing, but unlike its big brother these features are now fully fleshed out. The XM Satellite Radio- and Bluetooth-equipped Garmin Zumo 665 GPS is mounted into the dash, as on a car, and your iPod/iPhone/MP3 player now connects to a jack in the left saddlebag, safe from the elements and prying eyes.

The removable Garmin unit is conveniently high and front-and-center, and is easily actuated with gloved fingers. That’s important, because if you want to utilize the GPS or change the XM station, you need to touch the screen. Obviously, this is a function that should be performed while stopped but, considering the unit’s location directly under the windscreen, it’s not difficult to do while rolling straight and steady.

Unlike some other units we’ve heard, the V Star’s audio system kicks out plenty of crisp, clear sound that’s better, even, than the Stratoliner Deluxe’s. As far as sound quality, this may be the best production stereo this writer has ever enjoyed. Music, voices, and turn-by-turn directions are all easy to hear at highway speeds.

The addition of XM is genius for obvious reasons; owners of the Garmin 665 – and therefore, this motorcycle – would be foolish not to subscribe, if only for its local weather and traffic bands.

As for those highway speeds, Star’s new bagger is a heckuva runner. Its 1304cc V-Twin (same mill that pushes the Stryker) has plenty of pulling power for getting up the onramp and over into the fast lane. Its gears, actuated with a slick heel-toe shifter, are longer in the tooth at the top end than the Stryker’s – ideal for highway cruising and touring. The V-Twin comes up short in only one area. The ratio gap between second and third gears is large enough that neither cog feels ideal for mid-range speeds, especially when climbing a hill. We look forward to seeing how the Vee-Dee performs loaded with luggage and with a passenger on its pillion.

But this midsize bagger isn’t about performance; it’s about comfort and value – two qualities it has in spades. Its saddle is wide and cushy, and its appointments are more than just serviceable. The long floorboards are plenty wide, and the tall windscreen is extremely effective at pushing the elements around the rider’s head and torso. On our hot day test ride, I wished more air would come around it.


My only complaint is a personal nitpick, but because I’m an average-sized guy it’s worth pointing out: the windscreen tops out at just above eye level for this 5’11” rider. I could barely look over it, so more often than not I found myself slouching slightly to look through the Lexan. For a long-haul tour, though, it would be tremendous, and for many of the journalists on our one-day ride, it was fine just the way it is.

With 7.5 gallons of space in each saddlebag, cargo is ported by two of the largest compartments we’ve seen on any bagger; big enough, even, to close around my three-quarter lid while I tried out a new half-helmet.

In its current iteration, the VStar 1300 Deluxe lacks full-dress touring amenities like cruise control and ABS, which helps keep its cost down. But those haven’t been ruled out as optional accessories in the future. In the meantime, more than 130 accessories are available, many cosmetic for personalization and about half of them licensed from noted aftermarket manufacturers like Kuryakyn and Arlen Ness. Also available are backrests and passenger floorboards designed to enhance long-range touring comfort.
To call the V Star 1300 Deluxe the Stratoliner Deluxe’s little brother wouldn’t be far from the truth. Considering the vast improvements made here, don’t be surprised to see the Strat D return in MY14 with a similar dashboard layout. For now, its little brother is a more than capable semi-dressed tourer with the power, handling, technology and visual panache to satisfy any bagger fan. And it’s the only bagger out there with the accessibility in both size and price to attract new bagger fans who always thought themselves too small or too poor to have one of their own. And that’s no exaggeration.

Source : http://www.motorcycle.com/

Star V Star 1300 Deluxe

So it’s surprising to discover that Star’s new V Star 1300 Deluxe truly has zero competition. There simply isn’t another production, mid-size, quote-unquote bagger out there. Every other semi-dressed tourer on the market features a large-displacement engine, and any bagged bike with an engine in this displacement range has a windshield rather than a fairing and its saddlebags are likely leather – or, if they are hard-molded, leather-wrapped. Star noticed a hole in the façade of Bagger Nation, and this new motorcycle fills it nicely.


Featuring a fork-mounted batwing-style fairing and hard molded, color-matched saddlebags, the V Star 1300 Deluxe is a fully realized bagger whose engine is smaller and lighter than, say, a Street Glide’s or Vaquero’s, but still features plenty of power for the long haul. Further, because it’s in what Star execs referred to as the Casual Full Dress category, it has some, but not all, of the bells and whistles that make up a full dresser, keeping costs down.

Simply put, it’s a bagger that’s accessible to more than just baby boomer males. While it rocks comparable dimensions to the large displacement baggers – its 27.2-inch seat height and 66.5-inch wheelbase put it right up there with the big boys – it feels considerably lighter than any other production bagger on the market, and handles accordingly. And with an MSRP of $13,690, the 2013 V Star 1300 Deluxe costs anywhere from $3400 to $6000 less than any of them.

At first glance, the V Star 1300 Deluxe closely resembles the 1854cc Stratoliner Deluxe that Star has been offering since 2010. For MY2013, however, that bike was put on hold to focus on filling this mid-sized hole in the bagger marketplace.

Like the Strat D, the V Star Deluxe also has speakers and a GPS mounted into its fairing, but unlike its big brother these features are now fully fleshed out. The XM Satellite Radio- and Bluetooth-equipped Garmin Zumo 665 GPS is mounted into the dash, as on a car, and your iPod/iPhone/MP3 player now connects to a jack in the left saddlebag, safe from the elements and prying eyes.

The removable Garmin unit is conveniently high and front-and-center, and is easily actuated with gloved fingers. That’s important, because if you want to utilize the GPS or change the XM station, you need to touch the screen. Obviously, this is a function that should be performed while stopped but, considering the unit’s location directly under the windscreen, it’s not difficult to do while rolling straight and steady.

Unlike some other units we’ve heard, the V Star’s audio system kicks out plenty of crisp, clear sound that’s better, even, than the Stratoliner Deluxe’s. As far as sound quality, this may be the best production stereo this writer has ever enjoyed. Music, voices, and turn-by-turn directions are all easy to hear at highway speeds.

The addition of XM is genius for obvious reasons; owners of the Garmin 665 – and therefore, this motorcycle – would be foolish not to subscribe, if only for its local weather and traffic bands.

As for those highway speeds, Star’s new bagger is a heckuva runner. Its 1304cc V-Twin (same mill that pushes the Stryker) has plenty of pulling power for getting up the onramp and over into the fast lane. Its gears, actuated with a slick heel-toe shifter, are longer in the tooth at the top end than the Stryker’s – ideal for highway cruising and touring. The V-Twin comes up short in only one area. The ratio gap between second and third gears is large enough that neither cog feels ideal for mid-range speeds, especially when climbing a hill. We look forward to seeing how the Vee-Dee performs loaded with luggage and with a passenger on its pillion.

But this midsize bagger isn’t about performance; it’s about comfort and value – two qualities it has in spades. Its saddle is wide and cushy, and its appointments are more than just serviceable. The long floorboards are plenty wide, and the tall windscreen is extremely effective at pushing the elements around the rider’s head and torso. On our hot day test ride, I wished more air would come around it.


My only complaint is a personal nitpick, but because I’m an average-sized guy it’s worth pointing out: the windscreen tops out at just above eye level for this 5’11” rider. I could barely look over it, so more often than not I found myself slouching slightly to look through the Lexan. For a long-haul tour, though, it would be tremendous, and for many of the journalists on our one-day ride, it was fine just the way it is.

With 7.5 gallons of space in each saddlebag, cargo is ported by two of the largest compartments we’ve seen on any bagger; big enough, even, to close around my three-quarter lid while I tried out a new half-helmet.

In its current iteration, the VStar 1300 Deluxe lacks full-dress touring amenities like cruise control and ABS, which helps keep its cost down. But those haven’t been ruled out as optional accessories in the future. In the meantime, more than 130 accessories are available, many cosmetic for personalization and about half of them licensed from noted aftermarket manufacturers like Kuryakyn and Arlen Ness. Also available are backrests and passenger floorboards designed to enhance long-range touring comfort.
To call the V Star 1300 Deluxe the Stratoliner Deluxe’s little brother wouldn’t be far from the truth. Considering the vast improvements made here, don’t be surprised to see the Strat D return in MY14 with a similar dashboard layout. For now, its little brother is a more than capable semi-dressed tourer with the power, handling, technology and visual panache to satisfy any bagger fan. And it’s the only bagger out there with the accessibility in both size and price to attract new bagger fans who always thought themselves too small or too poor to have one of their own. And that’s no exaggeration.

Source : http://www.motorcycle.com/

Reasons To Choose A Japan Imported Car Over An American One

Not too long ago, the words “auto manufacturer” meant dealing with the “Big Three” – the American manufacturing companies like General Motors, Chrysler and Ford. Everyone bought their cars and they were clearly industry leaders – powerful companies that ranked high in customer satisfaction, made quality vehicles and were the most popular cars to own. Times have definitely changed. Not only are the “Big Three” not as powerful as they once were, they have lost the loyalty of so many Americans who now look toward other manufacturers for better value and better prices, even if it means ignoring American pride and going after imported cars instead. Check out the list we’ve compiled for you below from Alljapantours.com.

When I think of importing a vehicle from, say, Japan, I’m not talking about those that are really made in the U.S.A. – cars like Toyotas, Hondas or Nissans. I mean an actual imported vehicle that comes from Japan and is shipped overseas through the efforts of an automobile exporter.

I have several reasons why I think these imported autos from Japan are better than those made here in the U.S. One big reason is the exchange rate. It’s more attractive financially to obtain a car directly from Japan, even when you include the extra fees and monies you pay for shipping and taxes. It’s simply cheaper to buy a car directly from Japan than it is to buy a similar car made in the U.S. In addition, I can afford a much nicer car if I buy straight from Asia. The price difference can be in the range of thousands.

If I am in the market for a used car, I’ll get a better deal from those shipped over from Japan. The Japanese car owners don’t rely on their vehicles on a daily basis like we do in the U.S. They use scooters, public transportation or simply walk instead of using their cars. Often, Japanese cars are saved for weekend trips so they aren’t like these high-mileage used cars you’ll find here. I can buy a car from Japan that is several years’ old, pay a reasonable price and I won’t be looking at inheriting a steep mileage on the car. What’s more, you won’t find many of these models made in the United States so their rarity makes them far more special than your average “foreign car”.

When I initially thought of the idea, I didn’t think it would be worth the extra hassle and I wasn’t sure how much extra it would cost to directly import and ship a Japanese vehicle. I thought it would take forever and I didn’t know if I could trust any of the importers. Finally, I did my homework and found an exporter that I felt comfortable with and who had a decent reputation. Once I discovered it wasn’t that big of a deal, I made the leap and bought an automobile I liked. It took a while to be shipped overseas, but my efforts were rewarded with a car I truly liked.

My personal advice is to dump the usual set of cars made here in the U.S. and think about buying an import from Japan that is reasonably priced and in good condition. Check out Alljapantours.

Imola 200 Revival: Reliving Ducati's Greatest Day

2012 was both the 40th anniversary of the first Imola 200 and the 40th anniversary of the first-ever race victory by a Ducati desmo V-twin. The design made its racing debut in the 1972 Imola race, which it dominated with rider Paul Smart narrowly leading factory teammate Bruno Spaggiari, on an identical bike, across the line for a 1-2 finish.

A sunny weekend on Sept. 22-23, 2012, in Italy’s Emilia Romagna region saw the third running of the Imola 200 Miglia Revival, with more than 400 classic race bikes taking part. A celebration of the historic 200-mile “Daytona of Europe” road race that was held annually from 1972 to 1984 on the 3.05-mile Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari track on the outskirts of Imola, the Revival event was organized by Christian Jupsin’s DG Sport organization, which also produces the annual Bikers’ Classic nostalgia-fest held each July at Belgium’s legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

Ducati’s two works riders were reunited at the 2012 Imola Revival, where they were joined by Fredmano Spairani, the man who back in 1972 set the Bologna brand on its way to becoming the modern era’s predominant European sporting marque. Race-winner Smart led a huge array of classic race bikes — many of them Ducatis — in a series of 20 minute parades recalling the 13-year running of the Imola 200. MC

Source : http://www.motorcycleclassics.com/ 

Ducati patents frameless roadbike

Last year when we did an extensive feature on Ducati’s motogp carbon fibre semi-monocoque frame, we lauded its groundbreaking technology. Though Casey Stoner’s illness prevented the Desmosedici GP9 from challenging for the title, four wins showed it to be worth our plaudits. Now it seems Ducati is so pleased with its handiwork that the semi-monocoque design looks set to replace Ducati’s trademark trellis frame on its road bikes in the future too.

A recent patent application designed to protect Ducati’s GP9 and GP10 design which uses a structural airbox to bolt the steering head to the engine at the front of the motor, and to the sub-frame and swinging arm at the rear. The patent includes several references to roadbikes and production which clearly indicate that the design will be used on roadbikes in the future.

The main benefits of the frame are lower weight (a saving of at least five kilograms is envisaged over the existing road bike frames), greater rigidity, and greater design freedom.



The patent application can be found here.

Source : http://www.gizmag.com/ - By : Gizmag Team

Radical zecOO electric motorcycle headed for production

Ongoing advances in all-electric drive trains have opened up some radical design possibilities for e-bikes, and while many of the electric motorcycles we've seen stick to a conventional layout, others are definitely looking to push into territory where only highly-customized bikes dare to tread - Britain's Agility Saietta, Canada's Lito Sora and now out of Japan - the zecOO.

Designed Kota Nezu of Znug Design, the zecOO was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in March and is reportedly headed for small scale production.

The zecOO immediately grabs you with its single sided swing-arm, hub-center steering and long, raking (if not practical) windshield, but the performance specs aren't quite as bad-ass as the low-rider aesthetic. The bike makes 55 to 85 miles (88 and 136 km) on a single charge, has a 75 mph (120 km/h) top speed and takes six hours to charge ... so while it's not exactly in the superbike club, it still stands-up in the all-electric crowd.

The price stands out to - the zecOO is expected to cost around 6 million Yen (US$70,000).

Source : http://www.gizmag.com/ – By : Noel McKeegan

Ducati Supersport 750

There are no high-tech materials to gawk at; only retro chrome-moly steel, some aluminum and other simple alloys. Yet, drawing on their decades of experience, Ducati has -- once again -- introduced to us a bike that stirs the soul in the purest sense.

A generous mix of technological engineering is mixed with good old-fashioned know-how in the Ducati 750 Supersport, resulting in a bike that is far greater than the sum of its parts would ever let on.
Being on a Ducati, we never get tired of being asked whether or not we like the bike. We like attention and this bike draws it in spades. Nevertheless, when asked to justify our opinion, we are always hard-pressed to support our statements with facts like we are usually able to do. The way you fall in love with this bike is not by staring at peak dyno numbers, a spec-sheet or even the beautifully hand-welded trellis frame and inverted forks. You fall in love with this bike by doing to it what very few bikes appreciate -- you ride it hard.

Specifications

Manufacturer: Ducati
Model:  Supersport 750
Price: $8.295 USD (Half Fairing), $8,995 (Full Fairing) 
Engine: 90°, V-twin
Compression ratio: 9:1
Bore and Stroke: 88 x 61.5 mm
Displacement: 748cc
Fuel Delivery: Marelli CPU 1.5 EFI
Transmission: 5 speed, constant mesh
Tires/Front: 120/70 ZR 17
Tires/Rear: 160/60 ZR 17
Wheelbase: 55.3 inches
Seat Height: 33.5 inches
Fuel Capacity: 4.2 gal
Claimed Dry Weight: 403 lbs. (183 kg)

Source : http://www.motorcycle.com/

Harley-Davidson Seventy-Two

Harley-Davidson is masterful at crafting new cruisers from its many existing model platforms, and it seems the company has a wellspring of material to work with in its Sportster line. For several model years now Harley has routinely looked to the past when adding new bikes to its stables. With the introduction of the Seventy-Two earlier this year the Sportster 1200-based bike’s ‘70s-era motif continues Harley’s retrospective styling themes.

As a modern representative of the early chopper scene, the Seventy-Two bears some key chopper cues, like its 2.1-gallon peanut, round air cleaner cover, solo saddle, side-mounted license plate, mini-ape hanger handlebar, staggered dual exhaust, wire wheels rolling on white-wall tires, chopped rear fender and of course, metal-flake paint. Purists (and cranky old dudes) might argue that the Seventy-Two is more false pearl than carbon copy of an original chopper of the time. But we say H-D did an excellent job of seamlessly pressing signature chopper elements of yore into a modern machine. The base MSRP of this semi-custom is only $10,499, cementing the Seventy-Two as a genuine bargain not only from The Motor Company, but in just about any segment of cruiserdom.

Source : http://www.motorcycle.com/

Honda develops a more fuel-efficient scooter

Rapid economic development around the world in recent years has seen the bicycle increase its lead as the most prolific form of transport, with the motorcycle quickly catching the automobile for second place. Interestingly, only one country (China) has so far seen the wisdom of the electric two-wheeler, with more than 25 million electric two-wheelers produced in 2011.

Honda still dominates motorcycle sales in the remainder of the globe, and appears to be concentrating on continuing to develop the internal combustion engine as the primary motive force for its scooters and commuter machinery.

Today the Japanese giant has announced new SH125i and SH150i scooter models to go on sale in Europe later this year. To be produced in Italy, the new models feature a new internal combustion engine architecture dubbed eSP (enhanced Smart Power), which uses a stop-start micro hybrid system and a range of low friction technologies to offer quite remarkable fuel economy: 47.4km/litre for the 125cc and 43.8km/litre for 150cc (based on the Worldwide harmonized Motorcycle emission Test Cycle).

If you need that translated into a more familiar measure, the new SH125i's 47.4 km/liter equates to an imperial 133.9 miles per gallon or 111.5 miles per gallon in the United States, while the SH150i's 43.8 km/liter is 123.7 mpg (UK) or 103.0 mpg (US).

Details of the new SH-series scooters are thin at this stage, but they will be lighter than previous models with a new frame, a flat floor, 16-inch wheels, and ABS (anti-lock braking makes a huge difference for inexperienced riders on wet roads).

One other significant first is that the under seat storage area on the new SH models has been increased to accept a full-face helmet - a major drawback with most scooters currently in the marketplace is that the underseat storage area has been designed to accept only open-face helmets.

Though the internal combustion engine of the Honda SH models will never be as cheap to run as an electric scooter, the rest of the world is yet to vote with its wallet for two-wheeled electric power and Honda is likely to continue to develop the internal combustion engine for the massive Asian scooter market for the forseeable future.

In particular, Honda is now finally beginning to get some traction in the Indian market where its former partner, Hero, sells more than five million scooters a year.

Source : http://www.gizmag.com/ - By : Mike Hanlon

R Makes All The Difference

It’s amazing the difference high-end suspension, better brakes and lighter wheels can make in transforming a motorcycle. Whereas the standard Speed Triple is more than capable to handle the rigorous testing we performed, when judged against the R it suddenly feels soft. Still, that doesn’t detract from its user-friendliness, as all three testers noted how the Speed Triple R is a familiar, comfortable and capable steed.

On the technology front, some might say the Speed Triple R lacks amenities some of its rivals carry, like traction control. However, with ABS standard, Tom makes a strong case towards not needing much else. “Assuming this bike will be ridden among the hazards of freeways and surface streets, ABS is the preferable technology,” he says.

At $16,000, the Speed Triple R costs $4300 more than the standard model, which begs the question: Is it worth it? The easy answer is: absolutely, assuming you’ve got the money to spend. “Top-shelf Brembo monobloc brakes, Öhlins NIX30 fork and TTX36 shock live up to their reputations and help justify the $16,000 asking price,” Tom notes. Although he added, “For 16 large I’d like to see more than 122 rear-wheel ponies.”

However, for just suspension updates (albeit significant ones) and no additional power, Kevin has a harder time justifying the cost. “I could make a good case for the Triple-R to be judged as an ultimate streetbike, but I’d balk at paying $4300 more for it than a non-R version,” he says. “For my weight, I could live with the standard suspension, so the only really covetous part of the S3R to me its lightweight wheels.”

Personally, I’d agree with Tom. Try to piece together the suspension, wheels and brakes separately and you’d spend much more than four grand. You’d also have a weapon that could not only own the streets, but would also be a riot at a trackday. Which, coincidentally, is exactly where we’re taking the Speed Triple R next, along with two of its contemporaries in the naked bike category, the Aprilia Tuono V4R and MV Agusta Brutale R 1090. Stay tuned for our Euro Streetfighter Shootout to see how they all fare.

BMW R1250GSa

Look closely and you’ll see the addition of radiators hidden under air shrouds – a dead giveaway that the new engine is liquid-cooled. This is huge news considering the air-cooled Boxer has been a BMW staple for almost 90 years.

Liquid-cooling allows a quicker warm-up time, reducing critical post-start-up emissions, while also lowering operating temps. This will help achieve stricter Euro 5 standards slated to begin in 2015. Liquid-cooling also enables increases in power, so along with a bump in displacement to around 1250cc, we expect a bump in power to compete against the latest batch of challengers to the adventure-touring throne.
The R1250GS engine is an all-new design, sharing no common parts with its predecessor. It’s also carried higher in the frame, increasing its ground clearance. It’ll be interesting to see how this affects handling.

Also different on the new engine is the orientation of the cylinder heads. Now rotated 90 degrees forward, throttle bodies are situated above the combustion chambers while the exhaust exits from underneath the cylinder heads instead of from the front. We predict exhaust shields to be among the first of the aftermarket accessories to be offered.

Chassis differences and modifications aren’t as noteworthy as those seen in the engine bay. The frame is steel and looks similar to the one it replaces, as does the Telelever front and Paralever rear suspensions.

Front braking is enhanced with the use of radial-mount front brake calipers. ABS will be standard equipment, as evidenced by the wheel-speed ring on the front wheel, which will undoubtedly play a role in a new traction-control system. We also expect an updated form of BMW’s ESA electronic suspension adjustment.

A new transmission sends the Boxer’s power through a shaft drive now on the left side, forcing the exhaust to now terminate on the right side of the bike. The rear tire appears wider, up from 150mm to handle a bigger load capacity. A staggered headlight remains, now with an LED running light. These pictures would indicate the large fuel tank hasn’t gone anywhere, and neither have the spacious saddlebags.

Life at the top was nice for the BMW R1200GS line. As BMW’s best-selling model worldwide, the air-cooled, horizontally opposed Boxer-Twin engine is loved by many for its quirks, and the bike’s jack-of-all-trades attitude has endeared it to fans worldwide.

Then again, its success could partially be attributed to the fact that there really hasn’t been anything else like it. Not anymore; with motorcycles like the Ducati Multistrada 1200, Yamaha Super Tenere and the upcoming Triumph Tiger Explorer all looking to share — if not hog — a piece of the adventure-touring segment pie, BMW has reacted.

BMW still hasn’t officially recognized this bike or these photos, but clearly the company has been working hard at beefing up its most iconic model. It will be interesting to see how it compares with the GS we already know – and how the air-cooled GS devotees react to comprehensive changes to their icon.

Kawasaki Drifter 1500

The bike you are gazing at is not what you think it is, but your confusion is just what its designers intended. What you are looking at is the 1999 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Drifter. What you are seeing is a late 1940's Indian Chief.

What you a looking at is SOHC, digitally fuel injected and water cooled. What you are seeing is side-valved, carbureted and air cooled. What you are looking at is Japanese. What you are seeing is quintessential Americana.

The Drifter is Kawasaki's latest heavyweight cruiser. It follows a decades-old design philosophy that started with their very first Vulcan 1500, a child of 1970's chopper stylings.

Next came the 1950's styled Vulcan Classic followed by the Nomad with its 1960's leanings. Seen in this light, the Drifter's 1940's image is a logical design result. And what better way to reflect the elegance of the era than by incorporating two deeply skirted fenders?

Long, sweeping, cromulent and curvaceous fenders that look positively ostentatious. Fenders that are however so large that they seem to overwhelm the rest of the bike, a fact that is enhanced by the almost complete lack of chrome.

Chrome that would help draw your eye to other elements of the motorcycle. There is more to this ride than its deep wheel wells. The first thing we noticed after thumbing the starter button was the new and much improved 1500cc Vulcan engine. To start with, the Drifter received the first digital fuel-injection Kawasaki has ever incorporated into one of their V-twin engines. Add a 9:1 compression pistons and dual plug ignition and your ride starts with a whopping claimed 85 ft-lbs of torque... at 2500 rpm!
Torque that will leave all other Vulcan owners crying. Why? Because there is no way to upgrade other Vulcan mills to the new system, one which also includes new pistons, dual spark plugs, a 6250 rpm rev limit, no petcock and digital fuel injection. By the way, there is also no "reserve tank." The only thing that lets you know you are about to run out of gas is a small, car-styled idiot light. Personally, we're partial to the large measure of safety a "reserve tank" offers. We don't care if it has a gas gauge or idiot lights, we'll still run it dry given half a chance! The water-cooled 1470cc engine is complemented with rubber mounts and a geared counter balancer. These facts, coupled with a short-stroke big-bore design creates an incredibly smooth V-twin. Almost no vibration gets through the handlebar or floorboards. This can be seen as good or bad, depending upon how you like to feel your cubic inches. Getting all this technology to the pavement is a slick transmission that offers not one but two overdrives! This translates to a smooth 90 mph cruiser and an easily verifiable 115 mph indicated top speed as well as a 5th gear that demands you go at least 65mph if you want to think about accelerating.

2012 Kawasaki KX450F Review - First Impressions

Though it won races, the KX’s large rider ergonomics, excessive weight, abrupt (some would say rude) low-end power delivery and less than sharp cornering manners have traditionally held the KX450F from winning popularity contests. After we rode the 2011 version on everything from frozen lakes to motocross to cross-country to flat track, we pretty much had the bike figured out. When we learned about the changes Kawasaki made to the KX450F for 2012, we couldn’t wait to try it at its press launch at the famous Red Bud track in Buchanan, MI.

Kawasaki addressed the too big complaints in a variety of ways. First, there's a new, slimmer frame, but more importantly the handlebars can be adjusted to four different settings thanks to new triple clamps, while footpegs can be raised or lowered to fit your personal preference. If the KX450F still feels a little big, there's an optional suspension linkage that drops seat height 6mm. The end result is the most ergonomically adjustable motocross bike in recent memory.

Kawasaki also worked to improve reliability by including a thicker first gear, a revised crankshaft designed to improve low-end throttle response and engine balance, and thinner piston rings to improve throttle response. They cut small bits of weight all over the bike, going so far as to install a lighter fuel pump. A revised fuel injection system makes EFI tuning easier than ever. A new exhaust system was designed to cut weight, boost performance and still meet AMA sound regulations. Something totally new is the Kawasaki Launch Control System. It is designed to improve traction and rideability off the starting line before it kicks back into ‘normal’ mode when the rider selects third gear.

Red Bud is an amazing motocross facility, with nicely groomed grounds and a world-class motocross track. Obviously you can’t do a ‘real world’ motorcycle test on one perfectly groomed national-level motocross track with factory technicians looking over your shoulders. We tried to find varied riding conditions in addition to the motocross track, but this is more of a ‘first impression’ report than a proper motorcycle test. Our first impression, after having spent so much time on 2011 and 2010 KX450Fs, was how the 2012 model felt much smaller and lighter than its predecessors.

One thing that helped cornering and overall rideability on the 2011 KX450F was to recalibrate the milder fuel injection mapping at the bottom end of the powerband. Fuel-injection tuning on previous KX450Fs was complicated, requiring special programs and adaptors. On the 2012 model swapping between three basic EFI maps takes 10 seconds with no special tools. Kawasaki has three color-coded EFI plugs, soft terrain, intermediate-normal, and hard terrain that simply click into the wiring harness. The hard terrain map is designed for low-traction conditions, so it’s actually the ‘softest’ powerband of the three. At first we were embarrassed to admit we preferred the softer-hit of the ‘hard pack/no traction’ map, but found out later that most of the other magazine editors liked the gentler map better too.

Even brand new, with zero-time on the clock, the 2012 KX450F shifted nicely under power and the clutch worked well. We did notice a sizable gap between second and third gear ratios that was a little too big. Adding a tooth or two to the rear sprocket would be an improvement. The light and progressive clutch feel really helps the manners of the KX450F, but how long that clutch will last remains to be seen. Kawasaki has upgraded the 2012 to use slightly stiffer clutch springs to cure the well-publicized premature wear problem they had with older models. In the two days we rode the 2012 the clutch never faded or needed excessive adjustment. First gear is even low enough for off-road use, especially considering there is so much torque on tap.

It was a blistering 97F on day-two. When we were going slow and pretending to be Endurocrossers, we cooled off the KX450F by splashing through some water, but we didn’t need to. The radiators gurgled a little in slow running but never boiled out their coolant. That’s another improvement over the 2010 and 2011 models. Sometimes when the engine got really hot it would flame out at low rpm and take several kicks to restart. That’s something we never had a problem with last year and could likely be cured with careful EFI tuning. Aside from the three basic ‘plug and play’ maps the new Kawasaki fuel injection system is infinitely variable through a normal Windows PC.

Despite some major changes to the chassis, vague cornering remains as one of the KX450F's traits. This is a big, powerful motorcycle that likes to be steered with the throttle. When ridden aggressively it will power around turns quickly, but it won’t rule the inside line. The 2012 KX450F will turn sharply, but you have to work at it and the bike does wander more than we’d like.
We tried to improve cornering by adjusting fork height, fork rebound and compression settings, rear suspension sag and high-speed compression and handlebar positioning to find the ideal balance between traction, stability and turning ability. Cornering improved but was never great. That being said, the big Kawasaki is exceptionally stable at speed. The rear brake on the KX450F is excellent but the front remains average. We bled the front brake and tried different lever adjustments but never got rid of the touchy ‘on or off’ feel. Different pads or a different rotor might help. We’d like to try a different front tire as well, which could potentially improve both cornering and braking performance

The 2012 KX450Fs suspension did beat us up over smaller square-edged impacts on the track. It was difficult to get the shock preload backed off enough to get 95-100mm of sag with a 160-pound rider. Heavier riders didn’t complain as much, but it’d be nice if Kawasaki equipped the 450 with the SFF preload-adjustable forks it uses on the 250F. Kawasaki changed the shock linkage this year to improve rear wheel traction. Careful chassis set-up was essential, and when we backed off the compression to absorb chop the bike became more difficult to jump. Bottoming resistance was always excellent, and even when the suspension bottomed out the impact was never overly harsh.

Keeping in mind that we are probably lighter than the average 450 rider, here were our favorite chassis settings at Red Bud:

2001 Yamaha Vino, Modified

More than likely, you've read our first ride report of the Yamaha Vino. As such, the main points derived from that report are: 1) the Vino is a very practical machine and 2) its not very fast. We like the first point, though we're not too keen on the second point.

When we informed a local Yamaha dealer of our findings, he informed us that the Vino could be easily modified to become a much more "vigorous" machine. A week later, when we took delivery of a different Vino with some of Yamaha's numerous accessories bolted on, we decided to go ahead and pursue this Vino-plus, as it had been related to us.

At first glance, you'll notice the different color paint as well as the windscreen and basket. The windscreen proved to be useful and functioned extremely well. For stylistic purposes, we would like to have the screen raked back approximately five degrees. Below the headlight, a basket constructed of brown vinyl-coated metal wire can be found. A spring-loaded lid keeps contents from flying out. We would have preferred to have the basket chromed, though. Nevertheless, the basket performed admirably, faithfully carrying various foodstuffs and beverages from nearby vendors. We found the lack of a solid latch on the basket to be a problem, albeit a small one.
  However, upon starting the machine and embarking on a voyage around the surrounding neighborhood, the power modifications became readily apparent.

But first, a brief summary of the modifications completed. Remember that these modifications are not condoned by Yamaha Motor Corporation and are likely to void any warranty. Motorcycle Online, on the other hand, only moderately condones these changes. Heh, heh.

First, remove the restrictive choke pipe from the exhaust header. If you remove the header and exhaust assembly from the engine you should be able to see it tack-welded inside the tube. Reasonable applications of force should remove the piece from the assembly. Our consultant recommends a large screwdriver to accomplish the task. When you reattach the exhaust assembly, we recommend loosely threading the two bolts that hold the pipe to the exhaust hanger. Then, after making sure the exhaust gasket is in place, snug down the two bolts that hold the muffler to the engine. Finish the job by tightening all four bolts that hold the exhaust system in place.

Our modified Vino looks quiet enough.

Second, you can increase the top speed by removing a washer from the primary drive clutch assembly. This can be accomplished by removing the kick-starter and the plastic transmission guard. After that, you will be able to remove the snap ring on the kick-starter shaft and the bolts that hold the clutch cover in place. Be advised, you may want to drain the transmission oil first. Finally finish the disassembly by removing the clutch assembly from the shaft. You'll see a washer that limits the pulley's lateral range of motion. Remove this washer and then bolt everything back together. Don't forget to use a new gasket for the clutch cover and to refill the transmission oil. After this modification, your primary drive will be able to achieve a higher range of gear ratios.
The cute basket up front belies the monster motor out back.

The cute basket up front belies the monster motor out back.
  With these two simple modifications (estimated completion time for both modifications is approximately one hour), your Vino will be transformed from a sedate scooter, to a vigorous vehicle capable of keeping up with faster traffic. Noticeable increases in mid-range power are prevalent as power wheelies are now possible with correct weight placement and a little tug on the bars. Slightly more low-end power allows for quicker launches off the line as well. However, the transition from low- to mid-level power ranges is abrupt and could startle a novice rider. As "professionals," though, we like this and refer to it as giving the bike a bit of "character."

The windshield provided good protection, even for 6'2" tall Minime.

The windshield provided good protection, even for 6'2" tall Minime.
Thanks to the revised clutch, top speed is significantly increased. While the stock Vino could only muster an indicated 29 mph, our new machine can reach speeds of approximately 45 mph. Not surprisingly, with the increased speeds you begin to realize that the high speed handling characteristics are somewhat lacking. But you must realize, that the Vino is still just a scooter after all and, as such, proved stable enough.
  Overall, the engine modifications were extremely cost effective (free, if you don't count the transmission oil and gasket) and combined with the windscreen and basket, increase the effectiveness of the Vino as a close-quarters urban assault vehicle.

Weekend Bucket List: Explorer's Edge, Temiskaming Loop, and Algoma Country

The lake-filled countryside around Algonquin Park is one of Ontario’s most well-known and beloved regions. Start early Friday afternoon before rush hour hits, and an hour later you’ll be cruising the long sweepers, banked corners, and dips and rises of one of the most fun highways in Ontario; the Buckhorn Road. Starting in the town of Flynns Turn, about 40 km north of Peterborough, follow Highway 507 north to Gooderham.

Looking down the barrel of the famous Buckhorn Road.

You’ll want to stay the night in one of the many comfortable Bed and Breakfasts in the Haliburton Highlands, and get an early start north on Saturday morning to catch the morning sun on the glittering lakes along Highway 35 on the way in the heart of Explorer’s Edge, the world-famous Algonquin Park.

A BMW GS taking a break on Highway 60 in Algonquin Park.

Highway 60 through the Park is a great cruising road, with easily accessible beach turnoffs. On the other side, grab lunch at the Mad Musher in Whitney before heading south to ride the glorious Elephant Lake and Peterson Roads. The historic Peterson Road, one of the best riding roads in Southern Ontario, begins in Maynooth. The long sweeping tree-lined curves meet the sparkling blue waves of Baptiste Lake and continue as Elephant Lake Road for another 15km to the small town of Harcourt.

The Mad Musher Restaurant in Whitney, ON – amazing burgers!

But the fun’s not over – Regional Road 48/Dyno Road between Highways 118 and 28 adds another 5km of tight little twisties through a sun-dappled green canopy overhead, ending right at Silent Lake Provincial Park.
On your ride home on Sunday, stop at the Petroglyphs Provincial Park for a look at the pre-Columbian rock carvings. Take the backroads home through Keene, near Rice Lake, for the best BBQ of your life at Muddy’s Pit. Or if you’re looking for something a little fancier, the Riverhouse Company in Lakefield is a treat.
Northeastern Ontario

Eau Claire Gorge, on Highway 17 near Bonfield.

For those looking for a weekend adventure further afield, try the Temiskaming Loop around Lake Temiskaming, through Ontario and Quebec. The stunning combination of geography – with scrubby bush giving way to rolling farmland surrounded by massive cliffs and mountains and the boreal forest – is rare in North America.
Starting as early as you can from Toronto, head up Highway 11 to North Bay, and make your way east on Highway 17 to Mattawa. If you can, don’t miss the spectacular Eau Claire Gorge Conservation Area along the way.
The road in is a little rough – a ride that can handle gravel is definitely required. Staying the night in Mattawa sets you up for a morning ride up the Mattawa shortcut, Highway 533. It’s a bit of a wild ride – if you’re on anything with decent ground clearance, long travel suspension and some tires with aggressive tread, this will be some incredible fun. Those on a Goldwing or Harley will want to take the 63 north to Temiskaming, which is easily one of the most scenic in the province, as the road runs directly beside the Ottawa River.

Maison Pierre Moffat, Ville-Marie, QC

At Temiskaming, you’ll cross the lake into Quebec. Highway 101 north winds you through golden canola fields and the historic town of Ville-Marie to Notre-dame-du-Nord and the bridge back into Ontario. Make your way around the Lake to your room at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites in New Liskeard, where they take good care of riders.

Lac aux Brochets, QC

Sunday morning, cruise your way around Lake Temiskaming to Haileybury, and head south on Highway 11 to North Bay. Have a late lunch or dinner at Winnie’s Pub before heading back to the big smoke.

Highway 101, QC

Grand Algoma Ride
For those who like to pack on the miles, the loop of the Grand Algoma Ride gives you almost 2000 km on some of the most epic roads in the province. Six hours north of Toronto, the tiny town of Thessalon is the starting point for Ontario’s Tail of the Dragon, Highway 129, which weaves through incredible landscape that changes as rapidly as the technicality of the road.

Ontario's Tail of the Dragon - Highway 129

Starting with lush farmers’ fields and long gentle sweepers, soon you’ll be looking over boreal forest with sharper, never-ending sweepers and dramatic descents surrounded by massive cliffs and endless forest valleys. A 10 km stretch of incredibly tight turns next to a beautiful river caps off the route. There is a two-mile patch of gravel, so if you’re on a heavy touring bike, be prepared to stand up!

Stocking up on snacks and treasures at Young’s General Store in Wawa.

Continue north to the historic logging town of Chapleau for lunch at Gus’s Family Restaurant, then head west on Highway 101 to Wawa. If it’s a hot one, stop at Potholes Provincial Park to soak your feet in the ice cold river.
In Wawa, plan to spend at least an hour at Young’s General Store, chockablock full of intriguing gift ideas, local snacks, fishing accessories, and a giant pickle barrel. It’s a must-see, from the stuffed moose on the porch to the jalapeno fudge. And don’t forget to snap a photo of the iconic Goose on your way out of town.
The ride between Wawa and Sault Ste Marie is one of the most exhilarating parts of the Lake Superior coastline. In 230 km, the road goes inland just once – through the deep green of Lake Superior Provincial Park – before you come out again at the absolutely stunning Agawa Bay, where peach-colored sand stretches out for miles. 

Approaching Agawa Bay on Lake Superior.

If you finish for the day in Sault Ste Marie – about 600 km from Thessalon – the Water Tower Inn is a good place to rest your head. Ask for one of the Trailhead rooms that has handy hooks for helmets and gear. From the Soo, you can head home the way you came, or dip down along Highway 6, one of the prettiest roads in the province, over the hundred-year-old swing bridge, and ride through the rolling hay fields of Manitoulin Island, the largest freshwater island in the world. Stop in Little Current for lunch, or if you arrive on Saturday night – for a 900km day – there are a few motels on the Island, including several in the lovely town of Mindemoya.

Lake Superior

From the island harbour of South Baymouth, hop on the Chi-Cheemaun Ferry to Tobermory and enjoy the view of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay stretching into the horizon. The quaint villages and quiet countryside of the Bruce Peninsula and Grey County offer a peaceful finish to a weekend on the road.
No matter what your riding preference, from the renowned Highway 60 through Algonquin Park, to the ride along the Ottawa River in Northeastern Ontario, or the epic scenery and long distance touring options in Algoma Country, I’m confident in saying, once you go north your weekends will never be the same.

2000 H-D Screamin' Eagle Road Glide

Los Angeles, June 13, 2000 -- Remove your brain. Right now. Read not another word unless you have already done so. Why? Put plainly, Harley-Davidsons, in general, are viewed as unique, overpriced, modern antiques. Not much reason in that, really. So when you take one of their bikes which retails for over $15,000 in stock form and let Harley's Custom Vehicle Operations program (CVO) "showcase Screamin' Eagle high performance parts," to "reflect Harley-Davidson's racing heritage," what you have is a recipe for some hard-core eyebrow raising and head scratching that would make the Three Stooges proud: $22,495 and it won't comfortably seat a family of four or win a World Superbike title? Pardon us while we remove our own collective brain. 

Our new CEO, Philip Strauss, has owned a number of bikes over the years and more than one of them has been a Harley-Davidson. Always eager to check out the latest addition to the MO stable, Strauss took the Screamin' Eagle Harley home for the weekend to do a little bit of personal taste testing. When he pulled up to the Rock Store (a local biker hangout) on Sunday morning, he encountered something he's never received on any motorcycle prior: laughter. Well, he'd encountered laughter before, but usually it was directed at him, not his ride.

This weekend's incident included more than just an isolated snicker. There was a myriad chuckles from men and women, young and old, directed at our CEO aboard the nearly $23K steed. Harley-Davidson reportedly looked to the Screamin' Eagle Pro Stock race team for inspiration in building this limited edition (only 1500 will be made) FLTRSEI. So what's so special about this bike? For starters, on top of the standard Road Glide, you get more than $7,500 in Genuine Harley-Davidson custom accessories and a choice of two paint schemes, both featuring the Screamin' Eagle on the front fairing. In addition to the paint and chrome bolt-ons, there are also a few performance-enhancing modifications which have been performed to elevate the Road Glide from Floundering Beagle to Screamin' Eagle status.

Harley says the powertrain uses Screamin' Eagle performance parts, "configured in a special street-legal package," that includes big-bore cylinders, flat-top pistons, more aggressive cams, an intake calibration cartridge and an air cleaner. The changes result in a ten-percent increase in horsepower and a 14-percent gain in torque. Compared to Philip's personal Fat Boy, we expected the Screamin' Eagle Harley to be the Big Boy on the street and leave the Fat Boy behind even though it had a high-flow air filter, Vance and Hines pipes, re-mapped ignition and a Mikuni Smooth Bore carburetor. With a big-bore kit and so many modifications (not to mention, again, the price and "influenced by the drag-race team" statement) we expected the Fat Boy to get eaten alive by the Road Glide. Unfortunately for Harley-Davidson, a lightly tweaked Fat Boy beats up on the bigger bike at every opportunity. Not to mention the fact that it sounds a lot more brutish and appropriately obnoxious.

Which brings us to another complaint we had about the Screamin Eagle Road Glide; it's too quiet! This thing's supposed to be a lion but it sounds like a tabby cat who's had a bit of vicodin mixed into his Friskies. We're all against the "loud pipes save lives" argument (we think caution and rider skill saves lives), but what's the point in building a free-breathing motor if you're going to keep things plugged up at the back end and effectively negate all the hard work? When you come up with the answer, please drop us a line.

All this arm-chair quarterbacking and that's not what this bike is all about. The Road Glide was meant for the open road. Load up a few garments, a wife, and head out for a weekend away from all the chaos that is the day-to-day shuffle. Here the bike shines as you start to look at both it and the world in front of you in an entirely different way. What is a heaving, wheezing horse-drawn wagon around town becomes a thoroughbred once it breaks out of the gate and gets an opportunity to stretch its legs. At 75 mph, this bike is in its element. Everything is just about perfect here except for the odd bit of buffeting from the relatively short windscreen. Harley has a taller windscreen than the tinted one that was fitted on our particular bike and, though it may not be as aesthetically striking, it would probably be the hot ticket for sustained cruising at speeds over 70 mph. When the dash-mounted speedometer clears 80 mph, the motor stays smooth and encourages even more rapid progress, but the buffeting from the rushing wind made riders over six feet tall feel like they were doing a headstand on top of an unevenly loaded washing machine.

Surprisingly, the buffeting lessens with a passenger aboard. What was miserable at 80 mph is now tolerable, and the Screamin' Eagle motor has no problem pulling a passenger along. You hardly notice anybody is back there. But the passengers were quick to notice their right calf toasting and their butt getting sore. People complained when we did not include this bike against the BMW K1200LT and the Honda GL 1500 Gold Wing but we had good reason; the Harley is not nearly as comfortable or competent as is either offering from competing manufacturers. At speeds above 90 mph the Harley started to "float" on the road. Where most ground-based vehicles are engineered with some degree of downforce above a certain speed, the harder the pilot twisted the Road Glide's throttle, the more the bike felt disconnected with the road's surface. The motor would willingly pull beyond 110 mph, but those speeds became far too sketchy for any sort of real rider comfort. Still, if our touring plans were more localized and placed an emphasis on outlaw style and a high "ooh - aaah" factor, the Eagle would be our choice.
The layout of the gauges is extremely tidy and features classy, chrome-bezels. The radio features only a tape deck, but the audio quality is on par with that of Honda's Gold wing, though only as loud as the BMW K1200LT which is just a shade quieter than the Honda. We would appreciate a CD-player option on this Road Glide, and the passenger would certainly appreciate a set of speakers mounted someplace on the back of the bike since, at speeds above 45 mph, the music becomes indistinguishable from ambient noise. As for the mufflers themselves, they're too quiet to make beautiful music on their own, yet just loud enough to drown out the music. Harley should make them quieter or just ditch the stereo and give us something that sounds like the Screamin' Eagle moniker would suggest.

Harleys are about emotion, and not rational thought processes. Sure, there's resale value, but we have a grandfather clock with good resale value. So what? Harleys are about the feeling you get when riding one. They're about pulling into a parking lot and being on the
receiving end of admiring glances. This bike will definately garner its fair share of glances and comments even if they're not all positive. The motor is not modified to suit the faint of heart or weak of spirit. Obviously, neither is the paint job.

Harleys are still about style first and performance second. And while this bike is no slouch in the style department, its Screamin' Eagle upgrades bring the performance closer to where they belong, though still fall a little short of expectations. But if a brash, in-your-face attention grabber is what you seek, then this Screamin' Eagle is just what you're looking for and you can put your brain back in now and enjoy the ride.