New riders, parents and pit racing zealots come in many size and experience levels, so why relegate them to simple one-sized machines? That’s exactly the question Kawasaki’s engineers pondered before creating the new KLX140 and 140L dirtbikes. To help satisfy a wide variety of riders in the small displacement off-road arena, this new model is offered in two wheel sizes, the more elementary 17″ front / 14″ rear wheeled KLX140 and the larger 19″ front / 16″ rear wheeled KLX140L. Both are designed to be friendly for beginners and novices, while also offering a roomy layout and enough performance to suit more-advanced riders.

An orange LED inside the on/off switch illuminates to indicate when electrical power is “ON” and the fun begins as soon as the rider’s thumb meets the KLX140’s electric start button. The high-revving, yet quiet, engine is wrapped in a high-tensile steel perimeter frame that uses the same upper tubes as the KLX250S and is covered by KX-like shrouds, while a two-tone seat cover and sharp, aggressive body work complete the modern KX-inspired design theme. The 140’s controls also share KX genes, from the same grips as the top-level MX racers to the narrow footpeg/frame relationship combined with large footpegs that make it easier for the rider to move around with a minimum of effort.

This model’s KX influence is more than skin deep; its development team not only included young test riders, but also pro SX/MX racers and Kawasaki’s motocross engineers to give the KLX140 the same pedigree as the World Champion KX models. The effects of this talented group are evident in the KLX 140’s ergonomically friendly layout, responsive engine power, five-speed transmission and dirt-worthy suspension.

Both variants have a 33mm fork with spring rate and damping settings specific to each version. The KLX140 rear shock features 5-way preload adjustability, while the larger KLX140L’s aluminum shock includes a piggyback reservoir, fully adjustable preload, 4-way compression and 22-way rebound damping to suit high speed operation by heavier riders. To provide more options for growing riders; the standard KLX140 is also capable of accommodating the more-advanced shock from the KLX140L.

Abundant power from the air-cooled SOHC 144cc engine flows through a five-speed, close-ratio transmission that contributes to the KLX’s accelerative performance. Its manual clutch offers young riders the chance to master full control over shifting. To promote an easy learning curve, the clutch features a spring damper that provides a progressive, two-stage engagement and facilitates half-clutch use while riding at extremely slow or idling speeds. Additional benefits of this system are a more direct clutch feel and increased durability.

RK EXCEL aluminum rims and high-grade die-cast hubs are another sign this isn’t your little sister’s play bike. A large 220mm front disc and 27mm twin-piston caliper at the front and a 186mm rear rotor grace the KLX140L with serious stopping power. Both use petal shaped discs, which help clean the brakes and reduce unsprung weight for better performance.

An ideal blend of small stature and big potential that simply equals fun for most rider sizes from kid to adult, the new KLX140 and KLX140L promise to rewrite the dirtbike rule book.

This article was taken from: MotorcycleUSA.com

Triumph’s new Street Triple looks just like a Speed Triple but with the engine out of the Daytona 675 - and it’s a revalation. The Street Triple is light, fast, fun, agile, sounds great, stylish, cool and cheap, too. Overnight the new Triumph has made its rivals seem like relics. The Street Triple isn’t just the best in its class it’s good enough and cheap enough to tempt all but the most performance-obsessed away from their sportsbikes. Not only that the little Triumph is comfortable enough to be an everyday town motorcycle, a first big bike or Sunday morning blaster. Like the new Triumphs of recent times, it seems like the firm from Hinckley once re-written the rule book.

Engine
It’s impossible to think of a better engine to power the Triumph Street Triple. The 675cc triple, lifted from the firm’s Daytona 675 offers absolutely everything you need whether you’re a new rider, do lots of town riding or you want to have fun out on the open road. The Street Triple motor is packed full of grunt, sounds great at full throttle and has enough power on tap to keep all but the most hardcore of riders entertained.

Ride & Handling
Although the Triumph Street Triple doesn’t have fully adjustable suspension, out of the crate it’s set-up perfectly to suit UK roads and UK-riders, which is more than you can say for its soft n’soggy Japanese rivals when they leave their factories. The lightweight Triumph floats over bumps but doesn’t tie itself in knots when you turn the wick up. The Street Triple’s spacious, upright riding position affords the rider lots of control while being very comfy at the same time.

Equipment
You don’t get much in the way of bells and whistles on the Triumph Street Triple aside from Nissin calipers a multi-function LCD display and underseat pipes, but to be honest the Street Triple doesn’t need any superfluous add-ons to make it the great motorcycle it is. There are a number of bolt-ons available from Triumph like a fly screen, belly pan, rear seat hump and carbon fibre parts.

Quality & Relliability
Some recent Triumphs, including the Daytona 675 have had question marks over their reliability and durability, which is why we haven’t given it a 5/5 rating, but overall none of this should put you off if you’re considering a Street Triple. For the price this motorcycle is very well made and has decent attention to detail.

Value
Costing just £5399 the Triumph Street Triple is fantastic value for money. It’s only £200 more than the GSR600, £100 more than the new Hornet and cheaper than the Ducati S2R and Kawasaki Z750. It beats of these bikes hands down when it comes to performance, usability, style, sound and handling - the Street Triple really is that good.

This article was taken from: Motorcycle News

The 2008 MCN London Motorcycle Show is set to be even bigger and better with the announcement that all of the major manufacturers will be showing their new motorcycles.

Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha, BMW, KTM, Ducati and Harley-Davidson will all have official stands at the show, which will go into its second year at the new ExCel venue in London’s Docklands.

Each manufacturer will be displaying all of their 2007 models, with everything from 125s to superbikes, commuter to desert-crossing adventure motorcycles.

The all-new 2008 model Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade will be dominating Honda’s stand.

Revealed in MCN last week, the all-new Honda Blade is sure to divide show-goer opinion with its radical new styling and tiny size.

Honda insiders say the new motorcycle is something special to ride. More new models are still to be announced by Honda at the end of this month, so watch www.motorcyclenews.com to see what else will be on display.

Kawasaki’s new ZX-10R will provide the main opposition to the Honda Blade - the extreme chassis and engine has received a few updates, but the styling will make show-goers jaws drop. The low, angular nose and raked up tail unit are joined by some of the sharpest bodywork you’ll see on a production motorcycle.

Kawasaki is also promising more new models (including a new range of 33bhp 250s, from a sportsbike to a mini adventure motorcycle) which they’ll be displaying at the show too.

Yamaha has revived the Tenere 660 adventure motorcycle, using the engine from the XT660 with a modern lightweight on/off road chassis, and the funky desert buster will be on the Yamaha stand.

The YZF-R125 is the other exciting new Yamaha - the funky learner sports motorcycle is likely to be surrounded by drooling teenagers. The R6 has been thoroughly overhauled despite looking almost unchanged, so you can try to pick out the hundreds of upgrades Yamaha has made.

Suzuki’s new Hayabusa and B-King will be on Suzuki’s stand, and as revealed in tomorrow’s MCN a new GSX-R600 and a still-unseen matching 750 are part of the 2008 range.

If you’re more of a cruiser fan, Harley-Davidsons’ 2008 model will be at the show. Make sure you check out the slick Rocker and Rocker C, and the funky Harley-Davidson Fat Bob.

KTM’s RC8 1190 is due to officially unveiled at the Milan Show, so the you’ll be able to compare it with it’s rival European KTM 1200 twin, the 1198cc 1098R.

The leftfield alternative to the liquid-cooled motorcycles will be BMW’s air-cooled boxer powered BMW HP2 Sport, boasting a World Superbike spec chassis with a 140bhp evolution of the familiar flat-twin. An BMW F800GS is also on the verge of being unveiled, and will be on the stand in London.

This article was taken from: motorcyclenews

For the 2008 NINJA® ZXâ„¢-10R, Kawasaki engineers aimed for an ideal superbike with engine and chassis performance capable of satisfying professional racers, combined with top-notch streetbike qualities for mainstream riders. It’s a delicate balance, but these aren’t your average engineers. They’ve been directly involved in the development of every 600 and 1000cc supersport machine since the 2003 Ninja ZX-6R, plus Kawasaki’s factory Superbike racing efforts, so they have the know-how to deliver the goods.

The result is an exceptionally communicative machine that provides the clean two-way rider and machine dialog demanded by professional racers. Placing the ZX-10R in the racing crucible and applying lessons from that unforgiving environment resulted in an ideal balance to satisfy the most demanding of riders.

Kawasaki engineers relied on the assistance of a professional Superbike rider to push the new ZX-10R’s engine and frame components to the limits in actual competition. Parts that met with the racer’s approval were then tried on the production test bike, tweaked, retested on the race bike and adjusted again. This process was repeated throughout the development cycle for the all-new 2008 Ninja ZX-10R.

Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. (KMC) markets and distributes Kawasaki motorcycles, ATVs, personal watercraft and utility vehicles through a network of more than 1,500 independent retailers, with an additional 7,700 retailers specializing in power products and general purpose engines. KMC and its affiliates employ nearly 2,400 people in the United States, with 400 of them located at the Irvine, California headquarters.

Kawasaki’s tagline, Let the good times roll.â„¢, is recognized worldwide and the brand has become synonymous with powerful, stylish motorcycles for over four decades. Information about Kawasaki’s complete line of recreational products and Kawasaki affiliates can be found on the Internet at www.kawasaki.com.

2008 Kawasaki Ninja® ZX™-10R Specifications

Engine: Four-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, inline-four
Displacement: 998cc
Bore x stroke: 76.0 x 55.0mm
Maximum torque: TBD
Compression ratio: 12.7:1
Fuel injection: DFI with 43mm Keihin throttle bodies with oval sub-throttles, two injectors per cylinder
Ignition: TBD
Transmission: TBD
Final drive: TBD
Rake / trail: TBD
Front tire: 120/70 ZR17
Rear tire: 190/55 ZR17
Wheelbase: TBD
Front suspension / wheel travel: 43mm inverted fork with DLC coating, adjustable rebound and compression damping, spring preload adjustability and top-out springs / TBD
Rear suspension / wheel travel: Bottom-Link Uni-Trak® with top-out spring, stepless, dual-range (high/low-speed) compression damping, stepless rebound damping, fully adjustable spring preload / TBD
Front brakes: Dual semi-floating 310 mm petal discs with dual four-piston radial-mount calipers
Rear brakes: Single 220mm petal disc with single-piston aluminum caliper
Overall length: TBD
Overall width: TBD
Overall height: TBD
Seat height: TBD
Dry weight: TBD
Fuel capacity: TBD
Color choices: TBD
MSRP standard / Special Edition: TBD / TBD
Warranty: TBD

This article was taken from: Road Racing World

This is Yamaha’s aggressive new drag-style XV1900 Raider custom cruiser, which will only be available in the USA.

The 1854cc air-cooled v-twin motorcycle engine powering the Yamaha Raider is from the Yamaha Midnight Star - but only the engine is carried across - the chassis and bodywork is all-new and unique to the Raider motorcycle. An aluminium cradle frame and swingarm is used, and a rear monoshock is hidden for a hardtail look. Skinny right-way up forks are raked out and hold a tall, narrow section five spoke alloy front wheel, and the matching rear wheel has a smaller rim diameter but with a fat tyre.

The Raider’s brakes are Yamaha’s four-piston monobloc calipers used on several generations of Yamaha sports motorcycles, but with chromed piston covers in place of the more familiar anodised blue caps used on sportier motorcycles.

The teardrop tank, ducktail mudguard, seat and side panels all follow a line down to the rear tyre - even the silencers tilt down to accentuate the shape of the motorcycle. A pillion seat is fitted - but the small surface, flat top and high pillion pegs mean it’s only meant for urban cruising rather than two-up touring. The riding position isn’t entirely practical either - the wide straight bars, forward set footpegs and relatively thin seat won’t give the levels of comfort seen on the softer Yamaha Midnight Star.

This article was taken from: Motorcycle News

The Fireblade has always solicited drewling aplenty. With two special edition models available now, it is as good a time as ever to get one of your own.

There’s never been a better time to purchase one of Honda’s special edition CBR1000RR Fireblades. Considered the benchmark superbike by many, the Fireblade has an enviable reputation for blazing performance, response and refinement - and the two special-edition models add further appeal to the package.

Both the Repsol Honda Racing and the HRC editions link eye-catching livery and exclusivity to the proven dynamics of the ‘Blade.

Spanish oil giant Repsol YPF and Honda have had a long and successful association at the cutting edge of motorcycle racing, starting with Mick Doohan’s 1995 World Championship title onboard a Repsol Honda GP racer.

Since then, Repsol and Honda have won nine of the last 13 world championship crowns, with the most recent being Nicky Hayden’s 2006 title on the Repsol Honda RC211V. Together, HRC and Repsol have scored 96 race victories and 163 podium finishes.

Honda’s association with YPF Repsol was recently extended with the announcement that Repsol will continue its title sponsorship of the Honda factory MotoGP team for the 2008 and 2009 seasons.

The special-edition Repsol Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade is an eye-catching and exclusive celebration of this proud racing tradition and is likely to become a sought after collector’s item in years to come.

The same can be said of the HRC edition. While mechanically identical to the standard CBR1000RR, the HRC features the blue, white and red livery of Honda Racing Corporation - the racing and tuning division of Honda motorcycles.

HRC is the custodian of Honda’s motorcycle racing heritage. As a division of the Honda Motor Company, it not only participates in motorcycle racing, but also plays a vital role in the research and development of the many race-proven technologies employed on road-going Honda motorcycles.

The HRC Edition of the Honda Fireblade celebrates the contribution of HRC to Honda’s technological prowess, and its close association with the world of motorsport.

Honda has confirmed that the Repsol and HRC versions will not be repeated when the next-generation Fireblade debuts, further underscoring their rarity.

Both editions are based on the current CBR1000RR Fireblade, a superbike many believe is the most successful and desirable version of the Fireblade to date.

Benefiting from the same race-proven DNA that propelled the RC211V MotoGP bike the Fireblade boasts a host of race-developed technologies, including dual sequential fuel injection, a mass-centralised chassis configuration and an electronic steering damper.

The all-aluminium frame is based on the RC211V race bike, ensuring high levels of stiffness and reduced weight, while the centrally located fuel tank is one of the key factors in the frame’s extremely compact dimensions.

The Fireblade has an inverted, fully adjustable fork, and Honda’s race-proven Unit Pro-Link rear suspension with gas-filled HMAS damper and equally comprehensive adjustability. The 17-inch wheels are ultra-light, hollow-spoke aluminium alloy designs.

The 998 cc four-cylinder engine features dual overhead cams and 16 valves, and produces a healthy 126,4 kW and 114,5 Nm. The power-to-weight ratio is an impressive 621 kW/ton.

It allows the Fireblade to rocket from 0 to 100 km/h in under 3 seconds, and to reach topspeeds approaching 300 km/.h.

The gearbox features a cassette-type, close-ratio six-speed manual transmission, while the compact, tough clutch is an eight-plate design employing durable friction plate material.

The Fireblade’s searing performance potential is matched by excellent brakes. The radial-mounted 320 mm front discs are cross-drilled and served by four-pot callipers, while there is a single 220 mm rear disc with single-piston calliper.

Also on the Fireblade’s list of talents is its exceptional refinement and ease of use. Its inherent balance and carefully tuned suspension ensure a perfect mix of responsive handling and comfort - one of the reasons why the CBR1000RR is considered one of the world’s great all-rounders.

More good news is that Honda is offering a free track day with every purchase of a special edition Repsol or HRC Honda Fireblade. The training is conducted by Honda’s On-Road Academy, and is valid for all Honda superbike customers, ensuring that they are able to safely extract the maximum pleasure possible from their steeds.

Both the Repsol and HRC Special Edition Honda Fireblades are available in limited quantities from accredited Honda Motorcycle dealers nationwide, at a recommended retail price of R112 000.

This article was taken from: Wheels 24

Andrew Aldridge fitted the Datatool text alert system to his Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle to add security as he had no option but to park his Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle outside his house.

Although when Andrew Aldridge, from the West Midlands, fitted the device, it’s hardly likely he wanted the system to be used so soon.

Last year, Aldridge had sat down to watch TV when he received a text message informing him the Datatool motion sensor had detected movement, swiftly followed by a second text informing Andy the alarm had been activated, despite not being able to hear it.

Aldridge sprung into action, tearing into his backyard he was met by a group of youths who were trying to steal his motorcycle. When the youths spotted him they immediately fled the scene leaving Aldridge’s Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle behind and in one-piece.

Following the event Andrew Aldridge said I am certain without Datatool’s text alert my motorcycle would have been stolen as there was no way I could have heard the alarm going off.

It’s good to know that if anyone goes near the motorcycle again text alert will immediately tell me.

The Datatool Text Alert retails at £199.99.

This article was taken from: Motorcycle News