Zwarte Cross Festival 2010 gaat gewoon door!

Ondanks het hevige noodweer van afgelopen maandag in Lichtenvoorde gaat de 14de editie van het Zwarte Cross Festival  aldaar gewoon door. De organisatie, De Feestfabriek Alles Komt Goed BV, werkt op dit moment met man en macht om de veroorzaakte schade te herstellen.

Windhoos op festivalterrein de Schans
Rond 13.45 uur vanmiddag barstte het noodweer los. In tegenstelling tot berichten op het internet is er geen brand ontstaan en zijn er geen dodelijke slachtoffers gevallen. Vier mensen zijn lichtgewond geraakt (drie personen met botbreuken en één persoon is ter plaatse behandeld vanwege snijwonden) en verder is er uitsluitend sprake van materiële schade.
Zwarte Cross gaat door!
Alle weggewaaide of ingestorte tenten worden opnieuw opgebouwd. Alleen in plaats van de Megatent wordt een buitenpodium gerealiseerd. Alle openingstijden, programmaonderdelen, etc. blijven ongewijzigd! De Feestfabriek en haar medewerkers zijn inmiddels weer helemaal van de schrik bekomen en uiterst gemotiveerd om al het materiaal weer te herstellen. Daarnaast wil De Feestfabriek graag iedereen bedanken die zijn hulp heeft aangeboden en zijn steun betuigd heeft. “Werkelijk hartverwarmend!” , volgens de organisatie. Een uitgebreidere reactie is er ook te lezen op de website van de Zwarte Cross:

bron:  http://www.nieuwsmotor.nl/motornieuws/7831-zwarte-cross-festival-2010-gaat-gewoon-door.html

MotoGP: 2010 Catalunya Preview

Lorenzo and Pedrosa are hungry for some home cooking

With the exception of maybe two guys, the racing world figures Fiat Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo to win the 2010 MotoGP championship. He leads the entire Sioux nation by 47 points after six races, a pace that would clinch the title at Sepang or Philip Island. The aforementioned two guys, incidentally, ride for Repsol Honda. Dani Pedrosa has spoken out, claiming a puncher’s chance of winning, while teammate Andrea Dovizioso, less publicly, believes he can beat Pedrosa which, in turn, implies he can beat Lorenzo. As Round 7 of the 2010 MotoGP season steams into Barcelona, at least one of these two guys needs to put his money where his mouth is.

Recent history at Montmelo is somewhat encouraging for the factory Honda team. Last year, Dovizioso went toe-to-toe with Casey Stoner for third place, only to get aced by the Australian by 5/100th of a second, and Pedrosa finished sixth. No one noticed any of this, however, as Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi put on a show for the ages, with Rossi stealing the win over his teammate in the final turn of the final lap in a sensational piece of racing. In 2008 Pedrosa won by three seconds over Rossi and Ducati Marlboro’s Casey Stoner, with Dovizioso alone in fourth place. Lorenzo, who had a note from his mom, sat out Catalunya in 2008.

This year, the main thing Lorenzo has going for him, other than a really fast bike and consummate skills, is Positive Mental Attitude, or PMA. Yogi Berra might say that racing is 90% mental and the other half is physical, and Lorenzo, with rival Rossi safely ensconced in his villa in Italy, is running free as a bird. This year, a bad day for Jorge is finishing second. Pedrosa and Dovizioso, on the other hand, must approach each race thinking they have to do something extraordinary – testing the absolute limits of adhesion – in order to overcome the machine-like Lorenzo. Where I come from, this is known as pressing, and it generally inhibits one’s performance. Lorenzo can take the track knowing he needs only to be good; Dani and Dovi must take the track knowing they have to be perfect. That kind of strain will wear on a man.

Casey Stoner Mouths Off

A third of the way through his worst season ever riding for Ducati, we hadn’t heard much from Casey Stoner until this week. Then, after his first appearance on the podium all year – and a third place finish at that – Stoner decides to go off on any number of subjects. Perhaps this was the first time all year he had journalists hanging around looking for sound bites rather than conducting post mortems. At any rate, he was happy to tell Suzuki, Yamaha and Dorna how to run their businesses. As in Suzuki should be forced (!) to field a second two-bike premier class team. As in Yamaha should be, like, banned from the sport for nominating a 41 year-old Japanese test rider as Rossi’s replacement for the middle of the season. As in Dorna should do whatever it takes – whatever that is – to put more bikes on the grid each week.

Here’s an idea, Casey. Go out and win a race. Better yet, go out and win a couple of races, right now, and put yourself back in the championship conversation. Your Ducati team has a grand total of one more podium this season than the poor schlubs at Suzuki. Yamaha is doing just fine, too, without your advice. Perhaps you have some free advice for the suits in Bologna – for whom you are an employee –

that might improve their racing program. Or maybe you have some suggestions for your future employers at Honda, whom, I’m sure, are just all ears. Next time you’re feeling froggy you might want to heed Abraham Lincoln’s words: It is better to keep one’s mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and resolve all doubt.

Just What We Need – Another Loud Australian

1987 world champion Wayne Gardner went on an unsolicited rant as well this week, referring to MotoGP as “a disaster” that features “the most boring races of all the GP classes.” Gardner criticized the riders for being prima donnas and Dorna for relying on the Rossi’s charisma to carry the series since it went to 800cc. Fortunately for the world, he believes the only thing that can save MotoGP is for Rossi to take his act to Ducati, which is appearing more each day to be a done deal.

Call It A Premonition…

But I have this strong sense that Dani Pedrosa is going to crash out of this weekend’s race. Several factors are coloring my thinking. One, although he says he’s still in contention for the title, he IS getting drubbed, knows it, and will be pressing. Two, he’s likely to be over-geeked in front of his family and friends – shades of Rossi at Mugello. Three, he’s overdue for a bruising, after suffering eight crash-related injuries over the past four-plus seasons, and not having crashed since Round 7 last year at Assen.

Meanwhile, Over at Moto2

Toni Elias, with another solid podium performance at Assen, stretched his lead over second place Shoya Tomizawa to 24 points as Tomizawa had to settle for fifth place. Andrea Iannone, with wins at Mugello and Assen, has scored 54 points in last three rounds to haul himself up to fourth in the standings. Thomas Luthi, nosed out of second place at Assen by Elias, settled for third to maintain his grip on third place for the year. Julian Simon, Jules Cluzel and Simone Corsi round out the top tranche in the junior circuit. Alas, my boy Alex de Angelis, angling to become the long-term replacement for Hiroshi Aoyama in the premier class, isn’t even on the Moto2 map. C’mon, Alex – DO something!

A Quick Look at Your Weekend Forecast

It will be warm in the greater Barcelona area this weekend, with temps mostly in the low 80’s. The best chance of rain is on Saturday, which may complicate qualifications. As for Sunday’s podium, I like Lorenzo, Stoner and Dovizioso.

source:  http://www.motorcycle.com/events/motogp-2010-catalunya-preview-89699.html

Lorenzo feeling “mentally strong” after third win of 2010

The World Championship leader was dominant in taking victory at the AirAsia British Grand Prix on Sunday, and celebrated in style at Silverstone

Jorge Lorenzo converted the tenth premier class pole position of his career into victory at Silverstone on Sunday and immediately commented on the instant feeling he had with his Fiat Yamaha M1 machine, which helped him click into a race rhythm that delivered his win by a margin of 6.743s.

“This was an important day for me and an important win, because I felt so strong and I enjoyed riding my Yamaha so much. I had a different feeling today; I felt that it was going to be a good race,” said Lorenzo, whose Championship lead now stands at 37 points over race runner-up Andrea Dovizioso after a third win of the 2010 campaign.

“I never dreamt of taking three wins from five races but here we are and I am feeling very strong mentally at this moment. I want to thank my team, Yamaha and Bridgestone for this victory.”

There was another unique Lorenzo celebration to mark the occasion, as he and three of his entourage donned Beatles costumes in tribute to the famous British band. “The Beatles celebration was something fun for the fans, I love their music and I thought it was nice to make a homage to them, since we’re in England!” he added.

Lorenzo’s substantial lead as he crossed the finish line came after he pulled away from the remainder of the field early on in the race, but he had to work hard in the opening laps to establish his advantage.

“It was quite hard to be fast at the start and the first lap with Dani (Pedrosa) was difficult, but once I got past him I felt very relaxed and comfortable,” said the 23 year-old, who started from pole for the first time this season. “I thought he would follow me for a bit longer but he didn’t and then I was on my own, so I just had to focus on myself; I didn’t even know who was behind me!”

source:  http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2010/Lorenzo+mentally+strong+after+Silverstone+win

2010 Honda Shadow RS Review

When manufacturers throw a never-ending stream of bigger-badder-better at us, it’s frequently easy to overlook the simple pleasures of riding that drew us into the hobby in the first place. But cruising along California’s Pacific Coast Highway on a sunny day aboard Honda’s easy-to-ride new Shadow RS, we were reminded of the elemental experience of simply piloting a motorized two-wheeler that brings a smile to the face of all riders. The new Shadow RS is an honest engine-and-two-wheels motorcycle, without some of the pretense of its new cruiser brother, the Shadow Phantom that shares the RS’s 745cc V-Twin. Rather than the Phantom’s stretched-and-blacked persona, the Shadow RS apes the appearance of the seminal Harley-Davidson 883, complete with a Honda version of Harley’s famous peanut tank. The Shadowster also take a cue from the original Sportster by the placement of its handlebars and footpegs, which are located as close to a “standard” riding position as is possible with a cruiser. Honda engineers wanted the handlebars placed where a rider’s hands would naturally fall, and their goal was accomplished by a comfortably neutral reach. Footpegs are set much more rearward than almost any cruiser, which is actually a more intuitive and controllable position for a rider. Adequate legroom is provided by a much taller seat height than is typical of modern cruisers. At 29.4 inches, the RS’s seat is 3.7 inches higher than the Phantom, but it’s still easily scalable for most. The shifted riding position allows for greater ground clearance than many other cruisers. Stylewise, the Shadow RS looks tidy and svelte. A chrome air cleaner and shotgun exhaust pipes are set off against blacked-out engine cases and cylinder barrels. An unsightly tank seam gives away the Shadow’s budget origins, as do the plastic fenders. The RS rolls on spoked wheels with chrome rims and nice alloy hubs for an authentic vintage appearance. Also vintage-esque are the brakes: a 298mm single disc and twin-piston caliper up front, and a low-tech drum brake for the rear. Despite their old-school looks, they do a decent job of slowing the Shadow within its humble performance limits. As with the Phantom, the Shadow RS also receives a Keihin fuel-injection system new to Honda’s 745cc V-Twin. Although no gain is power is claimed, the injected mill is efficient enough to earn an EPA rating of 56 mpg. So, despite the modestly sized 2.8-gallon fuel tank, the RS should be able to easily stretch more than 130 miles between fill-ups. Rumbling Around The EFI motor fires up easily, settling in to a loping cadence typical of narrow-angle V-Twins (52 degrees vs Harley’s iconic 45 degrees) with single-pin crankshafts. Cylinder fins and a small radiator nestled between the frame’s front downtubes help disguise the Shadow engine’s liquid cooling. Each cylinder is equipped with three valves and two spark plugs. The effort required to pull the Shadow’s clutch lever is exceedingly light, which is a boon for running around town. Shift effort from the 5-speed gearbox is just as light, making this one of the crispest cruiser trannies in production. Low-speed handling is also exemplary for a cruiser, undoubtedly aided by a fairly short 61.5-inch wheelbase, 3 inches tighter than the long and low Phantom. A 19-inch front wheel leads the way in front of a 16-inch rear, contributing to the steeper 32.5-degree rake of the RS compared to the Phantom’s 34.0 degrees and the significantly shorter trail (134mm vs 161mm, respectively). When the RS’s sportier chassis geometry is combined with less weight to carry around than the Phantom, the Shadowster is a much more agile machine. Honda claims a fuelled-up curb weight of 507 pounds, lopping off 36 lbs from the Phantom due mostly to the adoption of chain drive instead of the Phantom’s shaft. Its 100/90-19 front tire responds relatively quickly to steering inputs, unhindered by a fashionable yet cumbersome wide rear tire. Instead, a narrowish 150/80-16 Dunlop provides all the grip the Shadow’s mild V-Twin requires. Although the RS won’t win many bike-to-bike dragraces, its rider is rarely looking for more power. It excels when using its decent torque to easily outrun normal road traffic. The RS is very friendly when dialing on power, and together with its cooperative drivetrain, it’s a peach for newer riders and those not in a hurry. Acceleration is reasonably quick but nowhere near arm-stretching, and the motor reveals some vibration and gets a bit thrashy when it is revved out at full throttle. Best to slow down and enjoy its pleasingly burly exhaust note, which is louder than expected from an unassuming little Honda. Indeed, the Shadow RS was perfectly in its element cruising down PCH on a sunny day, its rider enjoying the fresh sea air derestricted by his rare use of a half helmet. No wheelies or rolling burnouts, just a man and machine unhurriedly slicing through the air. The newest Shadow has a springy, lightly damped suspension that provides a reasonably plush ride via a 41mm fork and traditional dual shocks, the latter offering 5-position preload adjustability as the only means to tweak the suspension. A thickly padded seat makes up for what the suspension lacks in sophistication. “The Shadow RS was perfectly in its element cruising down PCH on a sunny day.” A wide array of rider sizes were present on our ride, and the Shadow’s ergonomics seemed to please everyone. My 32-inch inseam legs are comfortably bent when at a stop, and the rear-set-for-a-cruiser footpegs allow a rider to take some weight through the legs for an active riding position. Even friend-of-MO Barry Winfield said his 6-foot-5 body fit without issues on the RS. A minor niggle is a pronounced lip for the pilot’s seat that prevents much repositioning and rubs the tailbone. A static test fit of the passenger seat revealed a rearward-sloping profile that would require a tight grip from your pillion to avoid being offloaded when accelerating. As is typical of cruisers, instrumentation is sparse. A large analog speedometer sits in a rider’s line of sight above the handlebar, and the only display options are for the twin tripmeters and clock. Self-canceling signals would be appreciated on a bike like this – or any motorcycle. Mirrors offer an unobstructed view rearward, and metal hooks hanging from the rear fender under the passenger seat area provide a couple of tie-down locations Trivia tidbit: Despite the distinctly American theme of the Shadow RS, it was actually styled and developed in Japan for the domestic home market. When reps from American Honda saw it, they decided to import it to our shores. Europe wants it, too. Still in production are the Shadow Aero and Shadow Spirit 750, both with a smaller MSRP of $6,999 but without the RS/Phantom’s fuel injection that vault their MSRPs to $7,799 and $7,999, respectively. Of the four 745cc Shadows, this new RS holds the most appeal in our eyes. It’s a real “knees in the breeze” motorcycle, one that needs no apologies for what it is and what it isn’t. Its style ethos, although derivative, is classic and will endure longer than the cruiser flavor du jour. “It’s a real “knees in the breeze” motorcycle, one that needs no apologies for what it is and what it isn’t.” We’re not the only ones smitten by this cruiser roadster. Honda dealer pre-orders were very strong, so the Shadow RS is set to add to the 250,000-plus Shadows sold since the original 750 debuted in 1983. Prior to our ride, American Honda’s assistant manager of motorcycle press, Jon Seidel, said, “It just puts a grin on your face,” to which I remained skeptical. However, just a few miles into our ride, the smile I was wearing demonstrated my agreement with Seidel’s succinct assertion. source: http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/honda/2010-honda-shadow-rs-review-89540.html

The New 2010 125cc Yamaha Mio

Motorcycle ReviewsThe Yamaha Mio 125, power and scooter are two words that don’t often go hand in hand, except when you’re talking about the new 125cc Yamaha Mio engine. Since the new 125cc Yamaha Mio was unveiled there has been nothing but praise for it. The concept of a machine with the practicality of a scooter, a more powerful engine, and excellent for tight city traffic.

The new 125cc Yamaha Mio is powered by a 124cc, liquid-cooled, SOHC 2-valve, 4-stroke engine. While the engine is surely an upgrade in technology, Yamaha didn’t use fuel-injection for there latest scooter, the Yamaha Mio 125 is equipped with a Mikuni BS26 carburettor. With the use of specialized air-filters, high-compression ratio, and shaped combustion chamber Yamaha is able to meet the latest Thai emission standards. The Thai emission standards are actually higher then we find in most countries around the world.

The newest Yamaha Mio 125 did get some ‘useful’ gadgets, which include a remote starter, which works from about 6 to 7 meters (we normally not care about gadgets like this). Lucky none of the creature comforts of a scooter have been sacrificed, either, with the Yamaha Mio 125.

The under seat area has the usual interior storage space big enough for a open face helmet or some other useful stuff you want to have near when you ride around town.

If you are after something more practical than the average scooter, with the benefits of a bit stronger engine, and you love riding a Yamaha two-wheeler, have a run on a Yamaha Mio 125. As the Yamaha Mio is almost identical to the Yamaha Fino, only big difference is the plastic body work, we expect a 125cc Yamaha Fino to be introduced soon.

source:  http://www.motorcycle.in.th/article.php/The-New-2010-125cc-Yamaha-Mio

2010 Kawasaki ZX-10R Review

Kawasaki’s ZX-10R has always been one of the most lively and animalistic literbikes of the bunch. These qualities define the big Ninja, for both good and bad.

For the 2010 model year, Team Green has made a few subtle refinements to the 10R, although its fundamental mechanical bits are unchanged.

The most distinguishable change is the adoption of new ZX-6R-inspired bodywork that makes for a slimmer appearance.  The ZX looks lighter, even if its wet (fully fueled) weight of 459 pounds is unchanged since it debuted as an all-new model in 2008.

Along with the new upper, center and side fairing panels, the big Ninja’s overall look is also tweaked by an embossed metallic gray coating on its titanium muffler that visually shrinks it in size to minimize its awkward shape. Trim pieces around the fairing’s cockpit area cleans up the rider’s eye view.

We’ve had no complaints about the 10R’s transmission since the 2008 iteration, but Kawi has changed shift ratchet assembly, shifting arm and springs and collars to inhibit friction at the shift-shaft pivot. Boring stuff to read about, but fans of smooth gearboxes will really enjoy what is probably the slickest literbike tranny ever. A very competent slipper clutch aids sloppy downshifts.

One of the continued characteristics of the ZX-10R has been its animalistic persona, and this latest version has the rumpity and menacing idle that portends the ready availability of hyperspace mode. EFI ensures it fires up cleanly and is quickly ready to ride away, but the engine enters a growly, vibration-intensive region from 3000 to 4000 rpm followed by a wicked intake snarl that might make a timid rider question his ability to control this missile once its fuse is lit.

But considering there are nearly 160 raging ponies at the back wheel, the Ninja’s motor is actually quite manageable. Throttle response is sharp but controllable, aided to some extent by KIMS (Kawasaki Ignition Management System), an anti-wheelspin system that Kawi says “curtails sudden spikes in engine speed” but isn’t comfortable describing it as traction control. There is a slight abruptness dialing in throttle from the closed position, feeling like engine vacuum is holding the butterflies closed, but it’s easy enough to be smooth.

Other than the 3000-4000-rev vibe zone, the inline-Four has negligible vibration. It’s amazingly smooth at freeway speeds, and tingles are suppressed to such an extent that it would be possible to zoom comfortably at 80 mph in fourth gear, verified by a handy gear-position indicator. Impressive freeway roll-on grunt is available without downshifting from sixth gear.

Despite the minimized bodywork, there is surprisingly good wind protection, and it seems like the turnsignals in the mirror stalks deflect wind from a rider’s hands. The 10R is entirely tolerable for an hour while commuting to work or to the canyons, even for our tallest (6-foot) test rider. We appreciate how the mirrors/signals and tailpiece can be easily removed for track days, but both our shorter and taller testers wished the mirrors had a broader range of adjustment.

The Ninja’s instrumentation is quite legible and comprehensive, but we’d like to see a second tripmeter and a fuel gauge to augment the lap timer, clock, and engine temp readouts. The gauges’ shift light is small but readily visible.

It’s difficult to find places to unleash the massive power from the 10R on the street, and we found a similar experience even on a racetrack. There are only a couple of places on the Streets of Willow Springs where the ZX’s throttle cables could be fully stretched, and the big Ninja never even gets out of third gear! And yet its chassis and brakes are so good that it comported itself well in the tight confines of the bumpy California track.

The ZX’s fuel tank cutouts provide good grip for knees when charging hard, and I liked how my arms drape across the tank when hanging off, supplying extra feedback.

“The combination of the fuel tank and frame spar shapes create a genuine feeling of a light, narrow-waisted sportbike, almost like a supersport,” Pete reports. “The sensation of a smaller, lighter motorcycle could help a rider feel more confident with what is a very powerful bike.”

Another tweak for 2010 is the addition of a new Öhlins steering damper atop the upper triple clamp, distinguished by its titanium color and laser-etched Öhlins logo. The previous generation ZX also had an Öhlins damper, but it couldn’t be clamped down racer-tight. This new one uses additional spring and oil pistons for stronger damping along its 18 clicks of adjustment.

As on the street, the DLC (Diamond-Like Coating) treated fork sliders proved to be exceptionally compliant over smaller bumps, and the suspension is responsive to adjustments. Braking power and modulation remain excellent. Bridgestone BT016 tires warm quickly, grip well, and provide neutral steering manners.

For 2010, the 1000cc Ninja is available in only two color choices. The standard edition is painted in Metallic Spark Black and retails for $12,999. An extra $200 will buy the Special Edition (Lime Green/Pearl Stardust White) version of our test bike that also includes pinstriped wheels – it drew many positive comments during our rides. It ships with a green passenger seat; shown is the accessory seat cowl which costs $119.95.

“After a year of not having ridden the ZX,” says Pete, “riding it was almost like riding it for the first time. Experiencing its light steering effort, light and snappy throttle response, communicative chassis and rush of top-end acceleration was a thrill all over again!”

Indeed, the ZX-10R is an impressive machine, and the updates for the 2010 season only make it better.

Our 2009 Literbike Shootout narrowly ranked the ZX ahead of the Suzuki GSX-R1000 and Yamaha YZF-R1, both of which are unchanged for 2010, so the Ninja’s next challenge will be to take on the updated Honda CBR1000RR and the potentially game-changing BMW S1000RR in our upcoming inline-Four literbike comparo.

Has Japan Inc. done enough to stay ahead of the scintillating German upstart? It’s sure to be a thrill finding out!

Source:   http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/kawasaki/2010-kawasaki-zx10r-review-89333.html

2010 Indian Chief Vintage Review

As the flagship for the recently revived Indian Motorcycle Company, the 2010 Chief Vintage presents a synthesis of 1940s-era styling in modern running form.

It and all the lavishly-executed moto creations from an American brand that was born in 1901, two years before Harley-Davidson, have been known to command a variety of visceral reactions.

From an aesthetic perspective – even though the new Indian Motorcycle Company only bought the name in 2004, and produced its first bikes in 2009 – it could be argued that this bike already deserves a page on a wall calendar of beautiful motorcycles.

From a nostalgic view, all the new Indians have been said to evoke memories for old-time riders and those who had fathers or uncles or grandfathers who rode an original one decades ago.

And from a critical perspective, some are wondering whether the upscale motorcyles made in the name of a once-great marque can be revived in this economy, and in spite of failures by others who have tried to restore Indian before.

Like every one of the seven variations of the Chief, the Vintage is hand assembled by a pair of master bike builders – “craftsmen” – at Indian’s factory in Kings Mountain, N.C., which was established in the fall of 2006 by its owners, London-based Stellican Private Equity Group.

Among its approximately 45 employees, the company has three of these two-man teams to assemble the engine and the rest of the bike. In all, they can produce two motorcycles per day, and Indian expects to turn out a total of 500 Chiefs (of all sorts) this year.

All of these bikes are based on the same chassis, 105 cubic inch engine, and six-speed transmission. They are built to order, and able to be outfitted in a variety of paint schemes, fender styles, wheel options, leather saddle and bag designs, and more.

Our Chief Vintage – a factory demo on show at this year’s Daytona Bike Week – wore perfectly applied Plains Sky Blue and Winter White paint, one of nine color choices. While all versions come with leather saddles, this one had a $499 optional fringed “distressed leather” saddle and bags and backrest.

Its acre’s worth of chrome was so flawless, we wondered whether Indian had found alchemists who’d replaced mere chromium with magically-applied liquid mercury instead. “This might be the best quality chrome on a production bike I’ve seen to date,” quipped Pete on the Chief’s high-luster shiny stuff.

Likewise, the leatherwork looked and felt like it had been produced by a high-end boutique. The seat is actually supplied by Milsco, the same Milwaukee-based saddle-maker that had outfitted early-1940s and later Indians for some time before the original company ceased production in 1953

In short, the more we examined, the more it became apparent that fastidious attention to detail is being applied to every aspect of this and all the Chief sub-models. And while everything is new to these machines, the company consistently asserts itself as a bona fide producer of authentic American motorcycles and boasts of its heritage.

In keeping with its purchased pedigree, Indian’s one engine is named after an early-20th century trademark design, the PowerPlus. In present form, it reportedly delivers about 72 hp at 5,000 rpm and 100 ft-lb of torque at 3,200 rpm at the crank. It is actually based on a Harley-Davidson 45-degree pushrod V-Twin that in turn had been modified by the previous owners of the Indian name that operated from 1999 to 2003 in Gilroy, Calif.

According to Chris Bernauer, GM at the North Carolina factory, the new company’s engineers left nothing untouched in an effort to radically improve quality in a design that had been plagued with reliability issues. “Pretty much everything in the engine had to be rebuilt,” he says, “The entire engine from tip to tail has been completely redesigned.”

Many of the company’s 20 or so engineers had been experienced hands at Harley-Davidson or Victory, Bernauer says, and they threw the parts book at the project along with untold man hours of R&D time to get it right this time around.

Included in the engine’s makeover was an overbore of the formerly 100 cubic-inch powerplant to 3.966 inches in diameter, and it cycles through a 4.25-inch stroke. The two-valve-per-cylinder mill now uses forged pistons running in Nikasil-lined bores instead of cast-iron sleeves. They are mated to a plain-bearing crankshaft via knife-and-fork style connecting rods.

Bernauer also pointed out that they went with a new heat-treated flywheel, oiling system, redesigned cylinder head, new valves, seals, keepers and more.

The engine utilizes no counterbalancers, is rigidly mounted, and is fed by a Magneti Marelli EFI system via a single 52mm throttle-body, which is mounted Indian-style on the left instead of on the right as H-D would do it.

Its “Coke bottle cap” style rocker covers were retained, and Bernauer said overall, the engine was left visually similar to the Gilroy design, although there are very few interchangeable parts.

“We love the styling of it,” Bernauer says, adding that while some air-cooled V-Twin experts were recruited from other companies, several asked to be part of the ground-up revival of this historical brand. He said a lot of pride and passion has therefore gone into creating a labor of love while attempting to cut no corners.

According to Indian’s President, Steve Heese, this design philosophy is in keeping with Stellican’s formula for success familiar to himself and the equity group’s CEO and driving force, Steve Julius.

Together, they have revived other distressed iconic brands, and with Indian, they do not aim to compete head to head with H-D or Victory, but instead Heese says, “We’ve carved out a niche above their heads,” and they aim to let Indian’s products speak for themselves.

Heese notes the move up-market, against otherwise formidable competition, was the only viable way to go for the small company.

So to give the impressive engine an equally impressive bike to push, the $35,499 (base price) Chief Vintage is rounded out by such features as a Fox rear gas shock and Paioli inverted 41mm fork set at a relaxed 34-degree rake.

It has a sturdy steel backbone frame to tie it all together, and state-of-the-art electronics to keep things running reliably.

Twin Brembo four-piston front brake calipers are mated to a rear Brembo single piston caliper. These put the squeeze on front and rear 11.5 inch (292mm) floating rotors that are specially chromed in the U.S. for Indian. Instead of hollow rivets holding the discs to their carriers, shiny eye-pleasing buttons are used.

Although these bikes are made in North Carolina, all paintwork is done in Arizona because Indian feels its painter there is the best available, according to Marc Pomerantz, manager of sales and marketing.

The majestically appointed motorcycle’s instrumentation is uncluttered; a round analog speedo is accompanied by separate right and left turn-signal lights on the tank-mounted cluster and are hidden – actually somewhat obscured – behind stylish chromed beauty grilles. There is also a neutral indicator, low-fuel light, high beam and oil pressure lights.

New for 2010, a turn-signal cancellation warning indicator has been added, as has more data from the LCD readout which can be toggled from the handlebar to display trip data, engine speed, time, and more.

The easily removable windscreen and saddlebags were designed to leave no trace of unsightly mounting hardware, so if you want to parade your beauty queen dressed with or without her extras, she is just as pretty either way.

How it all comes together

Okay. By now you get the point that this is intended to be a very special motorcycle. But assuming the quality is as good as they say, the bottom line is whether it rides and functions just as well.

The short answer is, yes, it does – in most respects.

The bike fires up easily and settles into a pleasant sounding idle through its stainless steel exhaust system. The heel-toe shifter positively engages first gear, and on the gas, the engine sounds muted but potent. Up shifts (or down shifts) from the Baker transmission are crisp through the range.

Power is adequate for spirited getaways, and on the highway, the engine lopes along in fifth or sixth with enough motivation, and accelerates well enough, but does lack the grunt of some larger H-D models and left us wishing for a little bit more.

While navigating a bike that costs about as much as an entry-level Infinity around the packed streets of Daytona, or out on I-95, the rarefied air I felt I was breathing was confirmed by the admiring comments and questions other riders had regarding the bike everywhere we went.

It is obviously a heavy motorcycle, but its approximately 750 pounds are manageable. Behind the tall windscreen, the sense of being in the bike instead of on it never left me. When exiting the interstate at 75 mph, although it was not intimidating, I didn’t want to push too hard, and imagining what it would be like to throw this massive showpiece away at this speed made for a steady hand that preferred to err on the side of caution.

Around town, its whitewall Metzelers gave enough grip to where I probably could have began scuffing the chrome off the bottom of the footboards, but I did not have the heart to. By the way, our bike’s footboards were not leather fringed, but this high-performance option is available from dealers.

Braking was excellent, and the sound from the drilled Brembos reminded me of a sportbike’s brakes as the machine quietly buzzed to a smooth stop from any speed. Considering some early Indians came with rear brakes only, and no front brakes, here is one place where we were happy for technological progress as applied to a classic design.

“Such good braking performance is remarkable and refreshing in the big cruiser segment, especially so on a classy retro job like the Chief,” said Pete.

Unfortunately, we can not compliment some of the other buzzes this bike’s engine induced. It visibly shook the tank, and audible resonation came possibly from the windshield – or maybe it was just the tank? In top gear at cruising speed with earplugs in, it was still audible. Specifically, the buzz began at around 2,600 rpm, and discouraged us from wanting to rev it anywhere near its 5,250 rpm redline.

After riding the Vintage on the highway, Pete said he felt like his feet might vibrate off the floorboards, but I did not feel this affect as strongly. Further, Bernauer mentioned the company has done work to isolate the floorboards, and the model we rode was made prior to this update, so we don’t know if newer Indians will have this issue.

While the inherent vibration of a large V-Twin does not mean the bike lacks quality, it could be a potentially touchy issue to some, including other motojournalists who have also commented on the Indian’s vibrations.

In response, Bernauer said Indian’s engineers have done as much to reduce the natural vibrations as possible in their close-tolerance build. But he also admitted they are considering a counterbalancer or rubber mounting in the future, although he gave no specifics as to which or when.

It should be noted that Harley-Davidson now either counterbalances its big Twins or rubber mounts them, but it has not always and that never prevented their popularity. Pomerantz pointed out that until 2004, H-D sold around 75,000 Sportsters per year with rigid mounts and no counterbalancers.

Furthermore, Bernauer and Heese both said the new Indians are being raved over by existing customers, and they are “not losing sleep” over things as they stand. “The vibration is in the eye of the holder,” Bernauer says, adding the company’s waiting list for new bike delivery is about two-months.

And it is undisputed that Stellican does have a track record of flying in the face of critics and proving them wrong. Furthermore, by every other measure we were able to research – and according to the company’s own representatives – it seems Stellican is on its way to doing it again in spite of the recession.

According to Bernauer, the future “looks bright,” as Indian focuses on top quality, sticks to its guns, and lets the top-of-the-range Chief Vintage lead the way toward continued pride in the company’s slogan: “America’s First Motorcycle.”

We found much to admire during our time on Indian’s flagship, most notably its impeccable build quality that compares favorably with Harley’s vaunted CVO series of high-end cruisers. And its expressive, big-fendered styling never failed to draw attention, even among jaded Bike Week riders.

However, it’s difficult for us to rationalize the significant vibration emitted by the non-counterbalanced PowerPlus V-Twin. The vibes won’t be an issue for someone who buys the Chief for short casual rides, or profiling down at the coffee shop, but some riders who are serious about covering a lot of miles at a gulp may wish for something smoother.

Source:   http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/2010-indian-chief-vintage-review-89344.html

XT1200Z Super Ténéré – Go Beyond

Adventure travelling takes skill, courage and endurance – as well as faith in your machine. Faith that it’ll love rocky river crossings and dirt roads as much as you do. Faith that it’s going to be comfortable on a long freeway haul. Faith that it’s got what it takes to carve up twisty mountain roads.

The all-new Yamaha Super Ténéré is built from the ground up to be the most exciting next-generation adventure tourer, combining Yamaha’s Dakar-bred toughness and reliability with light, easy handling and advanced rider assist technology.

For 2010 the Super Ténéré is only available as a special ‘first edition’ version, including a thrilling adventure pack. This is only available through online reservation starting at the beginning of March.

source:   http://www.yamaha-motor-europe.com/products/motorcycles/adventure/xt1200z-super-tenere.jsp

2010 Motorcycle Events

Look no further for motorcycle event information – local, regional, national and international.

March
Date     Event     Venue/Location     Contact Details
7     International Motocross     Hawkstone Park     www.hawkstonemx.co.uk
12-14     Race Retro     Stoneleigh Park, Coventry     www.raceretro.co.uk
20-21     MCN Scottish Show     Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh     www.scottishmotorcycleshow.com
28th     World Superbikes     Portimao, Portugal     www.worldsbk.com

April
Date     Event     Venue/Location     Contact Details
5th     British Superbikes     Brands Hatch     www.britishsuperbike.com/
11th     MotoGP     Qatar, Losail     www.motogp.com
11th     World Superbikes     Valencia, Spain     www.worldsbk.com
15-19th     Advanced Motorcycle Workshop – Training     Normandy, France     www.advancedmotorcycletours.co.uk
18th     British Superbikes     Thruxton     www.britishsuperbike.com/
23-25     Team Sober MCC’s 1st Newt In Shining Armour St Georges Day Rally     Blackmoor Lane, Haxey, Nr Doncaster, DN9 2LH
www.teamsobermcc.com
25th     MotoGP     Motegi, Japan     www.motogp.com
25th     World Superbikes     Assen, Holland     www.worldsbk.com
29-2nd May     JtheB’s ‘Twist & Go!’ Weekend (Weekend of Guided Ride Outs for Advanced Riders)     Normandy, France     www.jthebs.com/tourevents.htm

May
Date     Event     Venue/Location     Contact Details
2nd     MotoGP     Jerez, Spain     www.motogp.com
3rd     British Superbikes     Oulton Park     www.britishsuperbike.com/
9th     World Superbikes     Monza, Italy     www.worldsbk.com
15-16     BMF Show     East of England Showground, Peterborough     www.bmf.co.uk
16th     World Superbikes     Kyalami, South Africa     www.worldsbk.com
21-24th     JtheB’s French Moto GP Weekend     France     www.jthebs.com/tourevents.htm
23rd     MotoGP     Le Mans, France     www.motogp.com
23rd     British Superbikes     Cadwell Park     www.britishsuperbike.com/
27-30th     JtheB’s ‘Twist & Go!’ Weekend (Weekend of Guided Ride Outs for Advanced Riders)     Normandy, France     www.jthebs.com/tourevents.htm
31st     World Superbikes     Miller Motorsport, USA     www.worldsbk.com

June
Date     Event     Venue/Location     Contact Details
4-5th     Diesel Motorcycle Rally
Bat & Ball, West Sussex     http://www.dieselbike.net/Rally-Info/rally.htm
4-6th     66th. D-Day Anniversary Weekend     Normandy, France     www.jthebs.com/tourevents.htm
6th     MotoGP     Mugello, Italy     www.motogp.com
11-14th     JtheB’s Balade du Coeur Weekend (Charity Bike Run: 5000 bikes!)     Normandy, France     www.jthebs.com/tourevents.htm
12-13th     BMF Show     Kent Showground, Kent     www.bmf.co.uk
13th     Lincoln Bike Fest
Brayford Waterfront, Lincoln City Centre
www.woldsbikers.net or call 07799 368 160
20th     MotoGP     Silverstone, UK     www.motogp.com
26th     MotoGP     Assen, Netherlands     www.motogp.com
27th     British Superbikes     Mallory Park     www.britishsuperbike.com/
27th     World Superbikes     Misano Adriatico, San Marino     www.worldsbk.com

July
Date     Event     Venue/Location     Contact Details
2-4th     Chinnor Bike Dayz XIV – Wycombe MAG\’s annual rally
Little Horsenden Farm, B4009, Princes Risborough, Bucks     www.wycombemag.co.uk/chinnor
4th     MotoGP     Catalunya, Catalunya     www.motogp.com
4th     British Superbikes     Knockhill     www.britishsuperbike.com/
8-11th     2010 ‘British Bike Riders Weekend     Normandy, France     www.jthebs.com
10-11th     BMF Show     Springwood Park, Kelso, Scotland     www.bmf.co.uk
11th     World Superbikes     Brno, Czech Republic     www.worldsbk.com
18th     MotoGP     Sachsenring, Germany     www.motogp.com
18th     British Superbikes     Snetterton     www.britishsuperbike.com/
25th     MotoGP     Laguna Seca, USA     www.motogp.com
29-1 Aug     Rock and Blues Show     Coney Grey Showground, Chesterfield Road, Pentrich, Derbyshire     www.rockandblues.uk.com

August
Date     Event     Venue/Location     Contact Details
1st     World Superbikes     Donington Park, UK     www.worldsbk.com
8th     British Superbikes     Brands Hatch GP     www.britishsuperbike.com/
12-15     Bulldog Bash     Shakespeare County Raceway, Warwickshire     www.bulldogbash.eu
12-15     JtheB’s ‘Madone des Motards’ Weekend (Bike Run: 20,000 bikes!)     Normandy, France     www.jthebs.com/tourevents.htm
15th     MotoGP     Brno, Czech Republic     www.motogp.com
29th     MotoGP     Indianapolis, Indianapolis     www.motogp.com
30th     British Superbikes     Cadwell Park     www.britishsuperbike.com/

September
Date     Event     Venue/Location     Contact Details
5th     MotoGP     Misano, San Marino     www.motogp.com
5th     World Superbikes     Nurburgring, Germany     www.worldsbk.com
12th     British Superbikes     Croft     www.britishsuperbike.com/
18-19th     BMF Show     Lincoln Showground, Lincoln     www.bmf.co.uk
19th     MotoGP     Balatonring, Hungary     www.motogp.com
23-26     JtheB’s ‘Twist & Go!’ Weekend (Weekend of Guided Ride Outs for Advanced Riders)     Normandy, France     www.jthebs.com/tourevents.htm
26th     British Superbikes     Silverstone     www.britishsuperbike.com/
26th     World Superbikes     Imola, Italy     www.worldsbk.com

October
Date     Event     Venue/Location     Contact Details
3rd     World Superbikes     Magny Cours, France     www.worldsbk.com
6-10     Intermot Show     Cologne, Germany     www.intermot-cologne.com
10th     MotoGP     Sepang, Malaysia     www.motogp.com
10th     British Superbikes     Oulton Park     www.britishsuperbike.com/
14-17th     JtheB’s ‘Untold Stories 1944 Weekend’     Normandy, France     www.jthebs.com
17th     MotoGP     Philip Island, Australia     www.motogp.com
31st     MotoGP     Estoril, Portugal     www.motogp.com

November
Date     Event     Venue/Location     Contact Details
4-7     Dirt Bike Show     Stoneleigh Park, Coventry     www.dirtbikeshow.co.uk
7th     MotoGP     Ricardo Tormo Valencia, Valencia     www.motogp.com
26-5 Dec     International Motorcycle & Scooter Show     NEC, Birmingham     www.motorcycleshow.co.uk

source:   http://motorbike-search-engine.co.uk/calendar.php

Yamaha Sterilgarda reveals 2010 WSBK livery

Yamaha WSBK Team

The Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team today unveiled their new livery for the 2010 racing season. The team launched the new design on location at the Sterilgarda headquarters in Castiglione delle Stiviere to an audience of international journalists and sponsors.

Riders James Toseland and Cal Crutchlow revealed their 2010 Yamaha YZF-R1 racebikes then took time to answer questions about their upcoming season. Both two-time World Superbike champion Toseland and reigning World Supersport champion Crutchlow have the potential to fight for the championship title this year.

New racing developments to the 2010 bike based upon the production crossplane crankshaft Yamaha R1 include:

• Increased engine power – Maximum engine power increased by 8hp, considerable power benefits over the full rev range.
• Weight reduction – Overall bike weight reduced by 3kg without losing the electric starter.
• Different radiator shape – For increased cooling capacity and also to reduce drag.
• Different fuel tank – Now made entirely from carbon fibre with greater capability and lighter.
• Re-designed bottom fairing – Narrower design for less drag, design allows for easier heat dispersal
• New exhaust system – For increased power in the middle of the rev range.

James Toseland Speaks… Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team

“The first race is coming up in two weeks and testing has been really promising after riding a GP bike for two years. After the test in Phillip island personally and machinery wise everything should be set to compete at the front from the first race.”

Cal Crutchlow Speaks… Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team

“I’m looking forward to the year ahead, it’s going to be a good challenge, but tough! Testing has gone well, hopefully we can turn that into good results from the first few races and build from there. I know we can do a good job.”

Laurens Klein Koerkamp Speaks… Yamaha Motor Europe Racing Manager

“After an incredibly successful season last year it’s back to business. We have two new riders and we’ve taken the bike to the next level over the winter, we want to keep the world title at Yamaha. The grid is looking really tough this year but we have two of the toughest guys at the front.”

Nando Sarzi Speaks… Sterilgarda Alimenti Spa CEO

“We were delighted to be able to join up with Yamaha in Monza in 2009, it was amazing to be able to share the year of successful racing together. We are very excited about 2010 and are looking forward to more success and our relationship continuing to develop.”

Sterilgarda joined up with Yamaha as a key Sponsor midway through the 2009 race season at the Monza round in Italy. The relationship has continued to grow successfully with Sterilgarda sharing in the championship success of 2009. For 2010 Yamaha and Sterilgarda have remained committed to strengthening their partnership further and continuing to work closely together, sharing a common passion for racing and the desire to be the best.

http://www.motorcyclingmag.com/2010_Yamaha_Sterilgarda_WSBK_Livery

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