Times are tough with soaring fuel prices, and more and more people are using motorcycles and scooters for commuting. That’s true in the US, but also in other countries.
In the UK, the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA - www.mcia.co.uk) have asked companies to provide better facilities for their employees who ride their motorcycles to work.
According to Craig Carey-Clinch of the MCIA “There are clear indications that people have had enough of sitting in traffic jams, getting nowhere very (...)

We’ve already mentioned last week the high number of fatalities for the US armed forces stationed in Europe (link). But in the USA, things are even more grim.
Since October 2007, 32 Navy and Marines have died on their motorcycles. 30 out of the 32 were riding sports motorcycles!
This has caused the upper echelons of the Navy to mandate a training course for any sailor or marine riding a sports bike. The one day course teaches them safety on their motorcycles, from cornering and emergency (...)

Who knows, maybe you’ve got a spare Aprilia lying around. So what can you do with it? One thing you can do, is take it to custom shop MotoMorphic in San Rafael, California. There, they can transform your old and bland Aprilia into something more eye-catching.
Motorcycle manufacturers need to design motorcycle that appeal to a large group of potential buyers, while custom shops need to apply their trade to make one person happy; you the customer. So they can do more or less whatever they (...)

More than half a century ago, Honda started life as a motorcycle manufacturer, and migrated towards being one of the biggest car manufacturers in the world, while maintaining their dominant position as the largest motorcycle manufacturer.

Now it would seem, motorcycles are going to become a more important part of their corporate life again. According to Honda’s CEO Takeo Fukui (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takeo_Fukui), “Motorcycle business is the driving force of Honda’s growth and expansion, and it is one of the key strengths of Honda that other automakers do not have”. Fukui further said at his mid year speech held on the 21st of May in Tokyo, “Demand for motorcycles as a means of transportation is expected to continue to grow mainly in Asian and South American nations. In addition, considering the global high price of crude oil, there is a good chance that motorcycles will be considered not only in developing countries but on a global basis”.

Honda has seen the light (or smelled the rising cost of fuel), and is going to beef up motorcycle production. According to Fukui “Toward this end, it is important to strengthen motorcycle production. The new motorcycle plant at Honda’s Kumamoto Factory, which began operating in April 2008, will play a key role”,

What does this mean to us common bikers? Honda is going to come with many new models, from basic transportation motorcycles (like the new/old Super Cub) to off-the-wall motorcycles like the DN-01. Fukui reinforced this by saying “In order to efficiently produce approximately 60 models, from commuters to large-size motorcycles, Honda conceived and built from scratch highly efficient and ideal production lines to accommodate the unique characteristics of each model”.

60 motorcycle models?? The future looks good for motorcycle riders.

With escalating fuel prices, US soldiers stationed in Europe are being forced to purchasing and riding motorcycles. Fuel prices in the USA are high, but nothing compared to gasoline in Europe.

Since US soldiers stationed in Europe have the possibility of buying motorcycles at discounted prices (typically a Harley-Davidson will sell for US$2500 less than what you’d pay for it normally in the States), many are now flocking to these Powered Two Wheelers.

In 2006, 3,184 motorcycles were registered by the Armed Forces in Europe, today 3,125 were registered, but there are now 15,000 less US soldiers in Europe, so per capita, far more new registrations.

The biggest problem the officials face is safety. US soldiers receive a 2 day training in the US for their motorcycles and then return to Europe to ride their new bike. In comparison, a German motorcycle rider requires 39 hours of instruction, including riding their bike on freeways, rural roads and at night time. In France, 40 hours are required, half on special platforms, half on the public roads.

MZ (http://www.muz.de/) was the “other” German motorcycle manufacturer. We’ve all heard of BMW motorcycles, but very few will know of MZ, and now you’ll probably never will.

The current owner of MZ, Hong Leong Industries (http://www.hli.com.my/), has announced that it will stop production of MZ motorcycles.

MZ was a former East-German manufacturer, and like all former East-block countries that switched to Western life-styles, invested in their manufacturer industries. MZ motorcycle were updated, rejuvenated, and a new management was set in place.

Their 1000SF Street Fighter had a good acceptance by press and public. They even had an interesting 660 Supermoto.

Hong Leong Industries bought MZ in 1996, but never managed to turn a profit. Despite interesting motorcycles, it could not compete with BMW on one side, and cheap Japanese imports on the other.

So, after seeing life in 1926 under the trademark of DKW, MZ will be buried in 2008. This for a motorcycle manufacturer that at one stage had world’s largest manufacturer plant (in 1928 they produced 60,000 motorcycles). Sad.

X7. URBAN ENERGY. Piaggio presents us its latest proposal to the segment of GT scooter: an agile, compact scooter with maximum of fuctionality. A candidate to become a whole number one in sales.

"ROCKET SCIENCE. The VMAX has always been the muscle bike to end all other muscle bikes. Commanding respect, triggering fear. Now, the all-new 2009 VMAX. Re-thought, reloaded, with a major chip on its shoulder. The 2009 VMAX - We didn’t just improve a legend; We started a whole new one."

CARNABY, I FEEL GOOD! The last high-wheel scooter model from Piaggio, is meant to fill the gap between the Beverly GT scooter and the compact Liberty urban scooter. A stylish way to get away from urban traffic congestions.

The Vyrus. The motorcycle. Watch how 750 parts create the lightest motorcyle in the world. I’m not so sure about that but I know that they argue to be the lightest. 157 kg (346 lbs) dry weight is nevertheless so impressive.

Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) proves that he has taken a liking to America and the Miller Motorsports Park circuit, scoring two third place finishes here today in impressive style on board his Ducati 1098 F08 machine. A less than perfect start in both of this afternoon’s races failed to deter the young Italian rider and he powered his way through the field in Race 1 and again in Race 2 to eventually earn third place finishes in both. Unfortunately the day was not so lucky for fellow Ducati (...)

Thierry Van Den Bosch, along with his Aprilia SXV 4.5, reconfirmed his leadership of the World S1 Supermoto Championship. After winning the European Grand Prix one month ago, he was able to repeat that result in the second international round of the season: the Italian Grand Prix at Castelletto di Branduzzo (Pavia). On Saturday, Van Den Bosch put everyone in their place on the dry track, marking the best time in the qualifying round. He repeated that performance on Sunday morning when he (...)

Casey Stoner played a starring role in the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello, where he claimed an outstanding second place following a hard-fought battle with Dani Pedrosa. Unfortunately his team-mate Marco Melandri was forced to retire on the fifth lap after running straight into the gravel when avoiding a stricken Randy De Puniet, who had crashed in front of him following contact with Chris Vermeulen.
Stoner stormed to his first Mugello podium in MotoGP, his third of the season, and a result (...)

The sun also shines for the 250cc qualifying practice defining the Italian GP starting grid. Riders extensively tested their bikes’ set-ups for dry conditions, which are also foreseen for tomorrow’s race. Aprilia performed brilliantly placing two RSAs in the first two positions ad six bikes in the first ten.
Hector Barbera, on his RSA of the Toth team, got the pole with the time of 1’52”675, setting the new record of the Tuscan circuit. The Valencian rider proved to be very fast these two (...)

The organizers of the AMA/Maxxis EnduroCross Championship and auto insurance leader, GEICO, are proud to announce the 2008 GEICO Triple Crown. A $50,000 check will be awarded to the Maxxis EnduroCross expert class racer who can win all three GEICO Triple Crown events. This one-of-a-kind motorcycle racing trifecta lays the exciting foundation for “the biggest payday in Off-road racing!”
2008 GEICO Triple Crown:
(Aug. 16) Guthrie, Okla.; Lazy E Arena
(Oct. 4) Columbus, Ohio; Ohio State (...)

World Championship leader Mika Kallio reveals the secrets behind his success in this year’s 250 cc campaign: A small and efficient crew of engineers, new developments for his KTM FRR 250 - and cold blood in the heat of the battle.
You have a comfortable lead in the championship. Are Mika Kallio and KTM the best combination in this year’s 250 cc championship?
Obviously, it looks like that at the moment. But it’s difficult to say exactly why we are leading so clearly. Everything just went very (...)

Harden will be joined by five other industry icons on October 11, 2008 in Columbus, OH for the annual induction ceremony. In his 35 years of working on, with and racing motorcycles, Harden has become one of off-road racing’s most well-known champions. Amongst his racing accomplishments Harden has collected 3 Baja 1000 Championships, 3 Baja 500 Championships, 3 ISDE medals, and 2 SCORE International Championships. He also won the1987 Djerba 500 Rally – Tunisia and Rallye de Atlas in Morocco. (...)

Here’s a lesson that all of us could take: it’s the rider not the bike that makes the difference and you can have a blast on a mid-size motorcycle too. To convince you, here’s a video where a Kawasaki ZX-R ...400 competes against three other bikes but the weird thing is that the 400cc is far from its place in this pile of cubic centimeters and watts.

Before you watch this video I must remind you that the 400cc has a maximum power output around 57HP while the other three at least three times more.

Yamaha has been really able to sustain the suspense. Submitted for the first time at the Salon of Tokyo 2005 at the prototype stage, the new generation of the Vmax was later seen several times on various shows throughout its development.
But, it is finally here! Mark your calendars because Yamaha’s European web site displays out over several days a detailed statement announcing a (happy) event: The 2009 Yamaha V-Max will be unveiled on June 4th at 8pm CET.
Yamaha Europe is now running a (...)

With gas prices quickly rising and the recent Vespa S press ride in New York, Vespa has generated a lot of press. Here are some recent news coverage.

The Ducati MotoGP Team is preparing itself for one of the most popular events of the season for the teams, riders and fans this weekend, as the Grand Prix of Italy takes place at the Mugello circuit, located less than 90 kilometres from the factory’s headquarters in Borgo Panigale.
As has become tradition the factory’s red army of fans will again gather in the Ducati grandstand at the Correntaio corner for both qualifying and the race, with 3,000 of them giving their passionate support to (...)

The Ducati Xerox Team will tackle a new track this weekend as the Superbike calendar takes them to America and the Miller Motorsports Park of Salt Lake City, Utah. Having successfully hosted the AMA American Superbike series on two previous occasions, Miller this year steps up to the challenge of organising the Superbike double-header, with both the World Superbike and national Superbike teams racing at the circuit over the weekend.
The World Superbike series last came to America in 2004 (...)

Yamaha’s Raptor 250 continues to earn individual and industry praise as one of the best new ATVs of 2008. The all new ATV has completely raised the bar for the entry-level class with superior design and performance.
Press reviews of the machine have been overwhelmingly positive, the new Raptor 250 now shows up (and wins!) at national and regional racing series, and ATV Sport magazine has now named it the “Best Of Class” for 2008.
Unlike other entry-level sport ATVs, which are typically (...)

A Harley-Davidson Softail Springer Classic features prominently in the new Indiana Jones movie ’Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’ opening in theaters across the country today.
Directed by Steven Spielberg, the latest in the series of cult Indiana Jones movies stars Harrison Ford and Shia LaBeouf along with a 2007 Harley-Davidson Softail Springer Classic customized to reflect the movie’s 1957 period setting. The bike’s starring role comes during one of the film’s signature (...)

0Powerful and Agile on Highways or Unpaved Roads0
The new Buell Ulysses Police XB12XP offers government agencies and private security firms a quick and very nimble "special duty" patrol vehicle that is capable of travel over a variety of terrain, from open highways to city streets to unpaved back-country roads.
Based on the versatile Buell Ulysses adventure sportbike, the Ulysses Police features long-travel suspension, generous ground clearance and aggressive tires that allow it (...)

Vito Ippolito, the new president of the International Motorcycle Federation came to Borgo Panigale to visit the Ducati factory and to meet with Gabriele Del Torchio (Ducati CEO) and Claudio Domenicali (CEO Ducati Corse). President Ippolito was accompanied by Guy Maitre (FIM CEO), Oliver Godallier (FIM Marketing Director) and Ignacio Verneda (FIM Sports Director).
This courteous and informal visit was a clear sign that the new FIM President intends on keeping up a good relationship with (...)

Cumulative worldwide production of Honda Cub series motorcycles reached the 60 million-unit milestone at the end of April 2008. Honda Super Cub C100, first introduced in Japan in 1958, has gained worldwide acceptance both as a business-use motorcycle and for daily transportation, and has been being enjoyed by customers in more than 160 countries around the world. This August will mark the 50th anniversary of launching of Honda Cub series.
When Super Cub was originally launched, the (...)

On July 4-6 it will once again be the time of year when motorcycle fans from all over the world come together to party. BMW Motorrad looks forward to welcoming many riders and friends of all motorcycle brands, particularly after last year’s BMW Motorrad Days attracted more than 34,000 visitors to Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
0What is there for this year’s visitors to look forward to?0
The show: Defending title holder of the Indoor Streetbike Freestyle World Championships, Chris Pfeiffer, will (...)

A second day of post-race testing at Le Mans concluded early when the Ducati Corse engineers, studying the data in their possession, singled out the component that caused the breakdown of Casey Stoner’s engine in the Grand Prix de France. It was therefore decided not to continue with the test in the afternoon in order to avoid further damage to other engines. Engineers back at the Borgo Panigale factory will now replace the component in question before the team’s home race at Mugello in just (...)

The Ducati MotoGP Team have concluded day one of testing at Le Mans today in cool and cloudy conditions. Thankfully the weather did not interrupt the riders’ programme and both Casey Stoner and Marco Melandri were able to work on various aspects of the set-up of their GP8 machines, as well as trying a variety of new Bridgestone tyres.
Stoner completed 50 laps on race tyres and worked on the electronics with the aim of improving engine performance. During a five-laps run, in which the (...)

The Ducati Xerox Team made a strong start to the weekend’s proceedings in the first qualifying session this afternoon at Monza, with Troy Bayliss and Michel Fabrizio attaining respectively the second and seventh fastest times. Bayliss and his factory squad were able to clock up some consistently fast laps during both this morning’s free practice and the afternoon’s qualifying while Fabrizio spent time learning how best to approach the track on board the Ducati 1098 F08.
0Troy Bayliss0 (...)

Here’s the commercial video for the 2008 Moto Guzzi V7 Classic, the revival of Giulio Cesare Carcano’s ’67 Moto Guzzi V7.

In appreciation of the commitment and sacrifice of the men and women serving in the US armed forces, BMW Motorrad USA is pleased to announce a special motorcycle purchase program for all active members of the US armed forces. The program — which runs through December 31, 2008 — is designed to help military personnel purchase the BMW motorcycle of their choice for personal use.
To be eligible for the program, purchasers must be active members of the US Armed Forces. Active members include (...)

Thrill seekers rejoice! The BMW HP2 Sport has arrived at U.S. BMW Motorrad retailers. The same high-performance sport bike that Richard Cooper and Brian Parriott rode to fifth and sixth place finishes in last month’s Daytona 200 is now available in limited supplies for serious motorcycle enthusiasts. The high-performance (HP) two (2)-cylinder Boxer — customized to meet the requirements of the ambitious sport rider — has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $25,375 (excluding taxes, (...)

Rene Maehr, KTM’s newest factory rider talks about racing just before competing in his third International Superstock Series at his favourite circuit of Monza. Rene is riding the newly launched KTM 1190 RC 8 motorcycle in its debut year of racing.
What are your goals and expectations for Monza?
Firstly, it is always fantastic to come here to Monza. The venue and all the atmosphere here is unique. Its pure racing feeling! There’s a very good reason why Monza is my favourite circuit. As far (...)

0Harley-Davidson’s latest racing success shows inspiration behind new model launch0
In 1970 Harley-Davidson introduced a new 750cc, 4 speed, 90 bhp V-twin engine motorcycle specifically for flat track racing, the XR750. Little did the engineers realise that the bike they had produced would go on to become the world’s most successful flat track bike, destined to dominate championships from the early 1970’s through to the present day.
The XR750’s success was underlined again (in 2007) with (...)

Yesterday, in occasion of the Barcelona Motorcycle Show, Husqvarna presented as worldwide preview TC 450 and TE 310 MY 2009. Husqvarna MY 2009 models make their debut as a worldwide preview at the Barcelona Show with the TC 450 and TE 310. The new TE 310 takes the racing Enduro four stroke range up to 4 models. The displacement is very well known and requested by those who enjoy Enduro riding, but not as professionals, and look for a higher displacement than 250, but with the same (...)

The Ducati Xerox Team looks forward to the first of three “home” races on the 2008 Superbike calendar, to take place this weekend at the Monza park circuit. A special track for both the Ducati Xerox riders, the weekend is sure to be as thrilling as ever, with Troy Bayliss and Michel Fabrizio both hopeful of being able to rely on the fantastic support that the Italian fans and Ducatisti always provide.
Bayliss cites Monza as one of his preferred tracks and his results here over the past (...)

KTM, continuing in its role as the world leader in sports motorcycles is present at the trendsetting Motorcycle Fair in Barcelona, Spain with the latest models in the successfully launched ATV series, including the new benchmark in the category SX ATV.
This model is the 2008 showcase for the SX model ATV series and represents the entire research and development effort of the Austrian manufacturer. The SX ATV is fully dedicated to motocross conditions, reinforcing KTM’s leading market (...)

The British-built three-cylinder machine saw off competition from its supersport-class rivals at the Almeria circuit in southern Spain. The Triumph set faster lap times than the four-cylinder machines from the Japanese manufacturers which, combined with the testers’ favourable comments, gave the Daytona 675 a clear advantage.
Supertest is an annual event organised by 15 leading motorcycle magazines in the world with representation from Europe, Asia and the Americas. Each publication sends a (...)

The partnership between Bosch Professional Tools and Ducati Corse has been renewed for 2008. This year Bosch will once again present its newest line of Professional Tools during the three Italian appointments of the World Superbike Championship. The circuits of Monza (8-11 May), Misano (26-29 June) and Vallelunga (18-21 September) will host a Bosch truck furnished with display items and test stations for live demonstrations, with which the German company will introduce its products to the (...)

Nearly 105 years in the making, the Harley-Davidson Museum, located near downtown Milwaukee, will open its doors to the public on Saturday, July 12. Grand Opening festivities will kick off with a Harley-Davidson-style ceremony at 10 a.m. and will continue throughout the weekend.
The 130,000-square-foot Museum will add a whole new dimension to the Harley-Davidson experience. Visitors will get a feel for the freedom, camaraderie and pride that Harley-Davidson riders experience every time (...)

The Airwaves Ducati team kicked up a gear and leave Oulton Park first and second in the championship after Shane Byrne recorded a double race win and Leon Camier achieved two 3rd positions in today’s races.
In a restarted wet race one both Airwaves Ducati riders got a good start, maintaining consistent pace to find themselves in 2nd and 4th position respectively by lap 8. Shane took the lead on lap 11 with Leon Camier moving into the final podium spot. Shane held off a brief challenge to (...)

Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing’s Ryan Dungey capped off the 2008 AMA Supercross Lites season by not only winning the Dave Coombs Sr. East/West Shootout for the second year in a row, but by also being honored with the Rising Star Award as well. In the Las Vegas season finale event, Dungey finished second in his heat race and then came from behind to take the win in the 15-lap SX Lites main. Later in the weekend, he was honored with the new Rising Star award at the Live Nation awards (...)

0Introduction0
A tribute to a legend
In 1967, the motorcycle market reeled in shock at the appearance of the first Italian maxi motorcycle: Created by the legendary Giulio Cesare Carcano, the Moto Guzzi V7 marked the debut of the transverse V90 twin-cylinder 703 cc engine that set a record at that time. The V7 was enthusiastically acclaimed by the press and public. This success helped the worldwide promotion of Moto Guzzi’s image as manufacturers of an exclusive, elegant, comfortable and (...)

Although it was only opened on 17 October last year, BMW Welt in Munich, Germany, has already become one of the city’s top five tourist attractions. In fact, the millionth visitor has already passed through the facility, taking less than five months to exceed the 850,000 visitors expected in the first year.
It’s no surprise that the BMW Group’s huge branding exercise has been dubbed the ’ultimate customer experience’. Situated right next to the company headquarters in Munich, BMW Welt is so (...)

Over the past decade, women have increasingly embraced the sport of motorcycling - seeking the freedom and empowerment associated with riding solo on the open road. Today, in celebration of the growing presence of women in the sport, Harley-Davidson is participating in International Female Ride Day and encouraging female riders around the world to allocate time to hit the open road.
International Female Ride Day is devoted to women riders of all ages and experience levels—spotlighting their (...)

For the first time, the most famous vintage road rally on two wheels comes to Monterey, California for a July 13, 2008 departure from historic Cannery Row. "Motogiro America" stops include: Paso Robles and a lap on the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in honour of the MotoGP Championship to be held on July 20, 2008.
Following the landmark success of the Motogiro D’Italia, Dream Engine, the Bologna-based entertainment company specialised in motor sports, is thrilled to announce (...)

Bakersfield, CA police officers are now patrolling the bikeway along the Kern River with greater ease and safety, thanks to two new BMW G 650 Xchallenge motorcycles recently delivered to the department by Valley Cycle and Motorsports in Bakersfield.
According to Frank Stevens, Authority Program Manager for BMW Motorrad USA, the Bakersfield Police Department is the first law enforcement agency to purchase the G 650 Xchallenge for patrol purposes.
“We have sold the F 650 GS-P — also an agile, (...)

If you are on the other side of the planet and a few feet in the water and you think you can not satisfy your passion for two-wheelers, here’s the submarine scooter, the Thunderbolt971, which offers you that possibility under water.

The sea horse is a revolutionary new way to move easily under the water and admire the beauty of the world of silence. Its battery provides a range of 50-minute walk at a speed of 2 to 5 knots.

The bubble of glass is fed without interruption with air from the diving bottle and it can be doubled for the more experienced which can enjoy diving also during the night thanks to the integrated lights.

Before the start of the Central Europe Rally, many people were convinced this new rally would offer the best opportunity to finally break the dominance of the KTM Rally bikes.
Short distances, tracks more suitable to enduro bikes and easy navigation. Despite these ingredients KTM choose to race the 690 Rally Bike, and the results proved them right.
0Teammanager Hans Trunkenpolz0
“We’re more than satisfied with the results, as 8 from 9 in the top 10 placed KTM riders were using the Rally (...)

Michel Fabrizio returned to Italy immediately yesterday after the weekend’s Superbike round in Assen, to undergo a fasciotomy surgery on his right forearm. Michel had been suffering from forearm flexor muscle compartment syndrome for a few months and was therefore operated on yesterday evening at the Villa Serena clinic in Forlì by Doctor Giorgio Gondolini. The surgery was a success and Michel came away with 26 stitches.
The Italian rider will now undergo further therapies and treatments to (...)

Red Bull KTM Factory rider David Knight won his third GNCC in a row marking his fourth overall win for the season at the 5th round of the GNCC Series at the Loretta Lynn’s Ranch.
The day started off well for Knight and his Red Bull KTM teammate Nathan Kanney as they both got great starts and were up front early. Knight came around the first turn in 3rd position, but by the time he came around to complete the first lap he had already maneuvered himself into 1st place. Kanney stayed within (...)

After a brief two-week pause in the calendar the MotoGP World Championship fires up again this weekend in Shanghai. The Grand Prix of China represents the start of the most intense section of the season, with the transcontinental trip to the Orient immediately followed by an extensive European road trip that leads through to the summer.
Casey Stoner has taken the opportunity to spend a week at home in Australia with his wife Adriana, resuming his training programme as he aims to tackle the (...)

Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) and his Ducati 1098 F08 took provisional pole in this afternoon’s qualifying session at Assen’s TT Circuit. Despite a bad fall while training on his bicycle in Montecarlo two days ago, Bayliss was the only Superbike rider to lap in under 1m40s today. Dry conditions meant that all riders were nevertheless recording some very quick times with the 19 fastest riders behind Bayliss all lapping within a second of each other. Fellow Ducati Xerox Team rider Michel Fabrizio (...)

A bit unusual in rally-raid, but the competitors in the Central Europe Rally had to tackle exactly the same special as yesterday. Cyril Despres was inimitable and won the stage almost 2 minutes ahead of Jaroslav Katrinak who was second fastest.
David Casteu lost only 11 seconds and will start the last special on Saturday in a comfortable lead of 4 minutes in front of Francisco Lopez.
Cyril Despres: “As I wasn’t the first to start, I was less worried to find another competitor coming from (...)

Harley-Davidson took an important step toward its goal of increasing its customer base in Africa and the Middle East with the opening of a new subsidiary office in Cape Town, South Africa this past February.
"Our dealers in the Middle East and Africa have become the benchmark for the region’s motorcycle industry," Stuart Farrell, Managing Director, Middle East and Africa says. "Their commitment, coupled with the exciting Harley-Davidson brand, has appealed to customers who (...)

A few days ago, the new Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 was introduced to the international press for a first ride contact.

This unique, elite bike applies all of Aprilia’s vast racing experience to just one mission: pure riding enjoyment. 92 HP and exclusive Tri-Map ride-by-wire technology mean that the lightweight and powerful SMV 750 Dorsoduro can satisfy even the most experienced riders in search of a state-of-the-art bike.

I don’t know and please don’t ask if that motorcycle jacket comes with those wings included. I know neither the type of that jacket nor the maker. But I figured something from that photo: the guy (or angel) is having a blast.
PS: Don’t try this at home (or on the streets) unless you have a jacket with wings like those in the photo. If you have a jacket like that please contact me as soon as possible. I would like to give it a try.

This is why you should pay attention to the traffic and especially this why those airbag suits will come in handy.
Let this be a lesson to all the riders out there. . . don’t crash into parked cars! And for all the drivers: please take your time to look at junctions or to do a shoulder check before turning.

Two more stages to go in the first edition of the Central Europa Rally, and from today we know victory will be decided between David Casteu and Francisco Lopez.
The winner of the 5th stage is David Casteu, who extended his lead with 2 minutes.
The weather was a lot better compared to the last three days, although it was still pretty cold at the start in the early morning. Finally a special which was a bit longer compared to the rest of the week, but still not long enough to the liking of (...)

The Ducati Xerox Team moves on to Assen for Round 4 of the World Superbike championship this weekend. Having extended his championship lead on board the Ducati 1098 F08 with two second place finishes in front of a record number of spectators at the latest round in Valencia, Troy Bayliss is eager to see his success continue in The Netherlands. Team-mate Michel Fabrizio has also visited the podium at the Dutch TT Circuit more than once in the past and is therefore equally as enthusiastic to (...)

Cyril Despres was back on the pace again with a second place in the stage behind Slovakian rider Jaroslav Katrinak, who was on the attack with his KTM EXC 530.
It was raining hard when the bikes left at 06.00 this morning and visibility was poor in the mountains. The stage consisting of 2 specials was the same as yesterday, but in reversed direction. Although the track was very muddy with many water puddles this didn’t necessarily mean riding conditions were more difficult compared to (...)

Airwaves Ducati leave the first race of 2008 1st and 4th in the championship, after Shane Byrne won race one and came 2nd in race two on board the Ducati 1098 R. Leon Camier started his season well with a 4th and 5th place finish.
In the first of the two 20 lap races Shane Byrne had dropped a few places from his pole position start but moved through the field, taking the lead on lap 13. He pulled away in the final laps to take his first win for the Airwaves Ducati team. Having struggled (...)

"Terrible" Chareyre brothers hit the jackpot in Latina
The second race Supermoto Italian Championship was held in Latina, near Rome, last weekend. All the riders from the World Championship were there to fight for the first places on the fast "Il Sagittario" circuit, including Husqvarna CH Racing Team. Young riders Thomas and Adrien Chareyre, in wonderful shape, conquered both races in their respective class, thanks to unbelievably fast starts and a great feeling with (...)

At the debut race of the Italian SBK Championship at Mugello, Luca Scassa and his MV Agusta F4 R 312 run by the UnionBike Gimotorsports team were at the front of the pack.
Following an excellent performance in qualifying where he got second place on the grid, Luca attacked the field from the start. Fifth at the first corner he rapidly gained ground finally taking the lead seven laps from the end. At that point Luca and Claudio Corti (riding the official Yamaha R1 of the Italian Importer) (...)

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. has invested a total of approximately 6.4 billion yen to construct a new test course in the Tanno area of Kikugawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, in response to increased demand for motorcycle development in the growing markets of Asia, Central and South America and other regions.
Construction on the new "Yamaha Motor Kikugawa Test Course" is scheduled to begin in October 2009, and end in the second half of 2012. Six courses will be constructed over (...)

Ducati entered the world of fine wines with the introduction of a new vintage, Desmorosso 2006. This exciting creation features a unique blend of grapes purposely created with the Ducati class and spirit of excellence in mind.
Officially licensed by Ducati, Desmorosso is a wine that blends all the values typical of made in Italy, such as creativity, meticulousness, innovation and tradition, professionalism and the search of the highest quality and the passion.
For the motorcycle (...)

Here’s an awesome video that made me smile. Check out the Trans AM part and the stunts during the winter. That guy really loves the snow :)

With a world-wide edition of only 25 pieces this blue matt and anthracite matt MZ 1000 SF with its unique MZ logo is something very special!
When ordering this motorcycle you will get a Touratech soft bag carrier system for free.
Don’t miss the exclusivity on 2 wheels and contact your MZ-dealer today!

Zoombak is launching another package for its convenient little Zoombak GPS locator device for all those in need of a convenient, easy-to-use, real-time solution to locate and recover their missing bikes. The new universal carrying case is designed to let you mount the device to just about anything else you’d care to track.
Here’s the press release:
Zoombak LLC (www.zoombak.com) announced its plans to debut its Zoombak Universal GPS locator at RetailVision 2008, the leading technology event (...)

The Ducati MotoGP Team ended a four-day spell at the Estoril circuit today with a testing session that took place in warm and sunny conditions, with track temperatures reaching 40ºC.
Stoner worked hard all day and ended the session satisfied with his progress after setting a consistent pace in the 1’37s on race tyres and concluding an intense programme of development in positive fashion. The World Champion now returns home to Australia for a well-earned rest before heading on to China for (...)

When the checkered flag dropped in front of the Finnish BMW factory rider Simo Kirssi at the finish line of the GCC-Race in the Sandpit of Tollwitz the whole team of BMW Motorrad Motorsport was overcome by a wave of relief. After the hard work of the last months they could celebrate a victory at the first race of the German Cross Country Championship which is the off road series with the most participants in Europe.
GCC 2008 Runde 1 TollwitzIt was hard work in Tollwitz for the 28 year old (...)

The latest evolution of TNT family is already at your dealer. Engine’s architecture is always the same but the capacity has been decreased to 899 cc radically upgrading the reliable three cylinders engine.
It keeps the older sister’s large torque. Perfect for everybody who is approaching Benelli’s World.

Ducati dealers from coast to coast will be celebrating the 2008 Ducati Apparel Collection with fashion shows and displays on April 25-26. Ducati Apparel Collection fashion shows were introduced in 2006 and have since become highly anticipated events at dealerships, motorcycle races and other venues across the nation.
The night of Friday, April 25 will kick things off in style with fashion shows from Southern California to Toronto. Fashion shows and Ducati fashion displays will continue (...)

During the presentation of the 2008 Italian Championship, the team that will run the official MV Agusta bikes presented it’s racing program for the upcoming season.
Thanks to the hospitality of UnionBike, a large motorcycle parts and accessories retailer who is also a historical sponsor of the team, after the successful test at Monza the team met-up with journalists at the store in Lissone near Milan, where team manager Gigi D’Esposito thanked everyone present and gave his view on the season (...)

Riders who are willing to buy the best naked bike out there and for whom money are not an obstacle, the best offering enters the scene: the Bimota DB6R An exclusive and brand new model, the Italian naked goes up against the British in an attempt to dethrone the Speed Triple which is considered the naked of the masses thanks to its affordability. Let’s get rolling!

Last year saw BMW Motorrad Motorsport’s return to World Championship motorcycle racing at the classic ‘24 Heures Moto of Le Mans’, where they won their class and finished a superb 16th overall. Despite their HP2 1200S Boxer being down on horsepower, compared to their 1000 cc multi-cylinder rivals, Thomas Hinterreiter, Rico Penzkofer and Markus Barth were able to hustle the twin-engined bike round the 4.18 kilometre Bugatti circuit for 776 trouble-free laps. It was a tremendous achievement, (...)

Motori Minarelli S.p.A., the Italian motorcycle engine manufacturing subsidiary of Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., celebrated the manufacture of its 10 millionth engine since the company’s founding at a ceremony held at its headquarters in Bologna on April 11. Representing Yamaha Motor at the ceremony was President and Chief Executive Officer Takashi Kajikawa.
Motori Minarelli was founded as a company manufacturing engines in 1951. In 1986, Yamaha Motor’s European subsidiary Yamaha Motor Europe N.V. (...)

The muddy 12-mile loop was one of the most challenging so far. The rain poured down all day and stopped right before the main event but left the course quite wet. McGill, who has been known for his good starts so far this year, had the opposite luck when the flag dropped. "I rounded the first turn in 18th! I just put my head down and started to pass people," remarked McGill about his start.
Fortunately, a bottleneck at the start of the race helped McGill pass quite a few riders (...)

After dominating the opening free practice session for the Grand Prix of Portugal on a damp and cold morning at Estoril, Casey Stoner struggled to seventh place this afternoon as the track dried out and temperatures rose slightly. The World Champion was one of a number of riders who fell victim to the tricky track conditions, crashing on the exit of the chicane but escaping injury as he laboured to find a good feeling with the front end of his Desmosedici GP8.
Marco Melandri experimented (...)

Club Italia 6.5 is again starting up a series of gatherings for the owners of Philippe Stark’s mythical creature. They have set the date and location for the 2008 national meeting in the splendid scenery of San Marino. In less than a month, they will bring together the lovers of the 6.5 for a 3-day meeting that will be full of discovery.
Thus the engagement for the Moto’ and their owners is April 25-27th. For all information and to sign up, just visit Club Italia 6.5’s website (...)

You know your company’s slogan is perfect when people not only start repeating it, but living it. So when Star Motorcycles coined the term, “We build it, you make it your own,” we figured that many riders would step up and personalize their own Road Star, Roadliner or Raider cruiser to suit their own tastes. And they have. But the message has hit even a more powerful chord as some historically important custom bikes have already been created around Star Motorcycles, taking Best in Show at some (...)

Official KTM UAE rider Sebastian Husseini earned an impressive victory on his KTM 525 XC Sport ATV in the last round of the Baja Desert Championship series.
The Dubai Desert Baja race took place on Friday, April 4. Competitors raced 12 laps through the gruelling terrain on the tough 8 mile loop. Husseini dominated the event crossing the finish line in first place with a remarkable five minute lead over his nearest competitor.
By winning the last round of the Baja Desert championship (...)

This video is for all those who missed the STK 600 race in Valencia and of course… the big fire!

In a year of milestones for Suzuki, the manufacturer’s Georgia-based ATV manufacturing facility celebrated the production of its 250,000th ATV on March 31, 2008. Suzuki will also celebrate 2008 as the 25th anniversary of it production of the industry’s first 4-wheeled ATV - the 1983 Suzuki LT-125 - with anniversary events scheduled throughout the summer.
In May 2002, Suzuki Manufacturing of America Corp. (SMAC) opened in Rome, Ga., as Suzuki’s only U.S.-based manufacturing facility and began (...)

Following on from a fruitful day of testing after the second round of the season at Jerez, which allowed the Ducati MotoGP Team to resolve some of the problems experienced during the weekend in Spain, the riders and staff are now ready to tackle the third instalment of 2008 at the Estoril circuit in Portugal.
The Autodromo Fernando Pires de Silva is notorious for its lack of grip and it promises to be another tough challenge for the team. However, the technicians and riders are as prepared (...)

KTM, which has only just celebrated the rollout of the brand new 1190-RC8 Street Superbike, will have it on the track in Valencia on Sunday to compete in its first professional FIM Superstock 1000 World Cup race.
The move underlines the KTM philosophy of always being “Ready to Race” as well as the company’s entry into the most competitive and sophisticated motorcycle segment. The RC8, eagerly awaited by the market and very positively received, will have young Austrian Rene Maehr onboard (...)

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. began construction today on a new motorcycle factory in the Lima Industrial Park in Batangas State, the Philippines, having invested 960 million pesos (approx. 2.5 billion yen) for construction. Manufacturing operations are scheduled to begin in January 2009 with a starting production capacity of 150,000 motorcycle units annually and an initial workforce of approximately 270.
The new factory under construction is located approximately 75km south of Manila on a (...)

Tour in style and comfort this year with the Rocket III Touring now available at your local dealership.
Authentic custom-touring style with all new frame, wheels, tank, lights, bars and footboards. Suspension tuned for touring provides sumptuous ride quality. Low seat and centre of gravity makes for easy handling. Full size quick release screen, huge 36 litre panniers, and clean as a whistle shaft drive help you arrive relaxed yet ready to go.
What does it have in common with the rest of (...)

It is certainly no easy matter to take the lead in a class as fiercely competitive as the middleweight naked class. A class where the battle is not just about technology and performance, but also design, component rationality and riding ease and pleasure, elements which are not always compatible and are particularly demanding for designers and engineers.
Aprilia accepted this challenge and addressed it by applying its own successful philosophy to a completely new design, destined to set (...)

Motorcycle enthusiasts who appreciate the very latest in performance and technology can now find it on the new BMW HP2 Megamoto, now available at BMW Motorrad retailers. The ABS system is available as a factory-installed option through U.S. BMW Motorrad retailers at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $1,000.00; and, like the HP2 Sport, the system can be completely turned off.
The street version of the mighty HP2 Enduro, the Megamoto is armed with tons of power in the form of a 113 (...)

Michael Schumacher, one of the most successful ever Formula One racing drivers on Sunday completed his first ever competitive motorcycle race onboard a KTM Super Duke.
The now retired German racer succumbed to the need for speed when he rode a 990 KTM Super Duke in the 10-lap KTM Trophy race.
He recorded a time of 1 minute.49.612 in the race, more than a second and a half faster than his time in the morning practice session and finished in fourth place. The German F1 legend also recorded (...)

The Ducati MotoGP Team concluded their visit to Jerez de la Frontera on Monday with a day of tests that both Casey Stoner and Marco Melandri rated as highly positive, despite the Italian having ended the session early due to a crash.
Melandri was not seriously injured in the crash, escaping with damage to a nail on his left hand, and was just disappointed that he didn’t get to complete an otherwise satisfactory day of set-up work that had only just begun to bear fruit.
Casey Stoner was (...)

The 250cc Spanish GP was absolutely breathtaking. The wide audience on the hills of Jerez de la Frontera was incredulous up until the end, when the race turned out in the most unthinkable way. Aprilia performed brilliantly, but has to be contented with the second step of the podium.
The race began quite monotonously with Bautista starting well from the pole followed by a tiny group of riders. Right from the second lap he managed to outdistance the others together with Simoncelli who, by (...)

Take a ride to the dark side with Triumph’s Matt Black Speed Triple.
Triumph Motorcycles has introduced a mean and moody Matt Black colour option to further accentuate the popular Speed Triple’s aggressive, stripped down looks and make it stand out even further from the crowd.
The 1050cc 2008 Speed Triple is the sharpest yet, featuring a raft of chassis refinements including radial-caliper four-piston Brembo front brakes, Magura tapered bars, an all-new subframe and redesigned multi-spoke (...)

It certainly wasn’t an easy Grand Prix of Spain for the two Ducati MotoGP Team riders at the tricky Jerez circuit but a show of character and determination. For Casey Stoner, who was never completely comfortable with the set-up of his GP8 all weekend, his desire to give 100% combined with a touch of bad luck saw him run into the gravel twice.
After a superb start lifted him to third place on the opening lap, the World Champion’s first off-track excursion came on the third lap and saw him (...)

0Despres’ Dakar-winning KTM 690 Rally Bike; Kallio’s GP 250 racing helmet.0
The countdown is on for the close of the Wings for Life Charity Auction on eBay, a unique opportunity to acquire some unique motorcycle memorabilia, including Cyril Despres’ Dakar winning KTM 690 Rally bike and Mika Kallio’s GP 250 racing helmet.
The auction, which raises funds for the Wings for Life, the foundation engaged in spinal injury research, closes on March 30 and offers a dazzling array of memorabilia from (...)