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Category: Motorcycles
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The all-new GSX-R1000 will be available to test ride from a series of biker cafés this year, as Suzuki embarks on a summer tour of some of the most popular haunts in the country. Starting at the Green Welly Stop in Tyndrum, Scotland, on June 3, the tour takes in seven weekends, ending at Suzuki’s local bike café, the Super Sausage in Towcester, on September 30.
 The new GSX-R1000 features a host of MotoGP-derived technology, including a clever variable valve timing system that gives the new sportsbike both 202hp and 117.6nm of torque. It gets a 10-stage traction control system governed by an inertial measurement unit that also controls rear wheel lift under braking. There are also three power modes and ABS, while the GSX-R1000R also gets launch control, lean angle-sensitive ABS, and a bi-directional quickshifter and auto-blipper, plus Showa’s race-proven Balance Free suspension.
Suzuki’s demo fleet will also feature the new V-Strom 650, which gets more power and torque for 2017, plus a two-mode traction control system – which can also be turned off – and a new design, as well as the bigger V-Strom 1000, which features lean angle-sensitive ABS and a two-mode traction control system.
Joining Suzuki’s GSX-S range for 2017 is a new GSX-S750, which takes its engine from the iconic GSX-R750. It gets the same dash and three-mode traction control system as the bigger GSX-S1000 and GSX-S1000F, and all three will be available to test ride as part of the café tour, along with the SV650 middleweight naked.
Suzuki GB marketing manager, Rob Cooper, announced the tour, saying, “This is the third year of our biker café tour, which has proven both immensely popular and successful over the last couple of years. By visiting the cafés we’re getting out there and bringing our bikes to a wider audience. As a result, we’re making the test ride experience even easier, and spending time with people we’re perhaps not currently seeing at other events or in dealerships. We’ve cherry-picked some of the most popular destinations across the country, and will be running two-day events at all of the cafés on the calendar. We’re now looking forward to the first event next month.”
Those wishing to book a test ride in advance can do so by clicking here.
Suzuki’s café tour dates:
3-4 June – Green Welly Stop, Tyndrum, Scotland
24-25 June – Super Sausage Café, Towcester
1-2 July – Squires Café Bar, Newthorpe, Leeds
15-16 July – Hartside Top Café, Alston, Cumbria
29-30 July – Loomies, West Meon, Hampshire
5-6 August – The Café at Llandow Circuit, Llandow
30 September – 1 October – Super Sausage Café, Towcester
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Kawasaki riders claimed podium finishes in all three race classes yesterday as the racing at the NW200 commenced – including the first International Road Race victory for the all new Kawasaki 650.
In the Supersport class, JG Speedfit Kawasaki rider James Hillier achieved the first Kawasaki podium of the evening after battling for the race win, he crossed the line in an impressive third position.
In the Superstock class, Dean Harrison showed his Silicone Engineering Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR had the pace to fight at the front as he battled hard with Lee Johnston, finishing in third place as the chequered flag was waved.
The last race of the evening was the Lightweight race, in which it was a clean sweep for Kawasaki, taking a top-ten lock down as the race ended.
Lightweight race winner, Martin Jessop, was aboard the brand-new 650cc machine which meant the 2017 model took its first win in this competitive class. Powered by a compact 650cc parallel twin, liquid-cooled engine both the Z650, and its sporty-faired brother the Ninja 650, are brand new for 2017.
Racing Co-ordinator for Kawasaki Motors UK, Ross Burridge, said: “What a great evening for Kawasaki! The Supersport class isn’t even James’ strongest, so to get a podium finish is fantastic. Dean is also continuing to prove he is a force to be reckoned with in all classes, so we can’t wait to see what they can both do on Saturday. The highlight has to be the Lightweight race though, a great win for Martin on the new 650, and taking a clean sweep of the top 10 places is awesome. We are now expecting to see many more new 650 Kawasaki’s – especially the Ninja 650 – on the Lightweight grid at the upcoming TT in June. For now, let’s hope the weather holds for more great NW200 racing on Saturday.”
For more information on the Kawasaki range, visit: www.kawasaki.co.uk
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Walking Dead actor, artist and photographer Norman Reedus leads a hectic work schedule, so you might expect his downtime to be a chilled out affair. You’d be wrong.
Instead The Walking Dead star is in an excitable and talkative mood for two reasons. One, he’s just taken delivery of his new, personalised Triumph Tiger 800 XCA and two, his other AMC show “Ride with Norman Reedus” has just been given the green light for Season Two.
“Yeah, I feel great about this. In the first season of Ride everything was new, we were constantly tuning it, figuring out what the show really was and I think we got it to a really good place. For Season Two we already have that short-cut and I’m only fine-tuning the rides, the places and the people. I’m excited for what we will do this season.”
Bucket list moments
Season One of “Ride” saw Norman tackle some the most popular biking routes such as the Pacific Coast Highway and the Blue Ridge Parkway, joined by variety of guest riders including Mr Easy Rider himself, Peter Fonda.
“I definitely had some bucket list moments in the first season – Peter Fonda! It’s hard to beat Peter Fonda. We’ll continue with some of the best parts from Season One and try to make it a little more personal. Not just custom bike shops, but incorporate people and experiences that follow the same culture, like Hot Rods, Rock n Roll and different parts of the world.”
"I rode the hell out of my first Tiger"
The blacked-out Tiger 800 XCA Norman rode in Season One of Ride has 33,000 miles on it. Now relocated to his Upstate New York home, he needed another bike for Season Two and his choice was a 2017 Tiger 800 XCA with some added accessories and personal touches, including his “Big Bald Head” logo and a totally blacked-out theme.
He says: “I just rode the hell out of my first Tiger. I love them. I’ll take it on trails, ride to work on it. It does everything. I rode it all the way to Nashville. In the rain. That was one of my best rides. For Season Two I’m planning on using my new Tiger in every single episode, like a cowboy always rides the same horse! It’s an awesome bike, I love the blacked out Darth Vader look with my logo on it. It’s so cool.”
Despite being better known for his role of Daryl Dixon in The Walking Dead, Norman is taking great pleasure in the positive feedback he’s gathering from Season One of Ride… and is inspiring people to get on two wheels.
He says: “One of the biggest joys from Season One is having people say to me: ‘I saw your bike show and want to get into motorcycles, I want to do the ride you did, explore the world, so I bought a bike’. I get that from young girls through to retired guys all over the place.
“It’s cool to have people watch the show and feel like they are on the ride with us. Travelling on a motorcycle is different to travelling in a car. Like Peter Fonda said “Those people are in cages”. You feel and smell a town when you go through it on a bike. You see all of it. It’s exploration. We will do more of that in Season Two, and in very different parts of the world. We have a lot of hopes and dreams with Season Two.”
I texted Robert Redford…
Clearly a true hardcore rider, Norman enjoys the chance to share his ambition to get out and ride some of America’s best roads. With North America having such diverse routes and geology, Norman has some bold ideas of the rides he wants to make and is clearly inspired by classic movies.
“I’d love to do Baja, but there’s one ride through Utah that I want to do. I’m a big fan of the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. We did an Episode of The Walking Dead when Daryl and Rick had a real Butch Cassidy moment. We watched the movie right before we started filming to get into it so I texted Robert Redford to say ‘We’re doing a Butch Cassidy thing’,” he says: “I’d love to do an episode of Ride where I go to all their hideouts, relive some of those film moments. Maybe I can steal a hat from Robert and pretend I’m him. If I could grow a moustache, that would be perfect!”
Norman is not only influenced by classic and cult movies, but carefully considers the right soundtrack to complement his riding and feature in Ride. When crushing a long trip, music becomes a key element to enhancing the riding experience.
Zone out
He explains: “During Season One I became friends with a music label called Easy Rider Records. A lot of their bands are perfect for motorcycle rides. Their band The Well did our opening soundtrack so I started to research other bands that I could use for my show. Bands like Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats or The Black Ryders are ones I Iisten to a lot. But sometimes you’ll just want to zone out and enjoy the ride.”
His Walking Dead character uses motorcycles as his preferred mode of Zombie-killing transport. Whilst not originally part of the narrative of his character, Norman didn’t miss an opportunity to make motorcycles a central aspect of his role.
He laughs: “That was something I pushed for. There was an episode coming up where they were going to put me on a horse and I was like ‘Man! I’m terrified of horses, I suck at riding a horse. With their big eyeballs, they can smell your fear’. There was this Chopper on set, a gnarly looking thing with stickers all over it. I was like ‘Whose bike is that?’ and they said that’s going to be your brother Merle’s, played by Michael Rooker.
“So I said ‘Well if my brother rides a bike, it makes sense that I ride a bike too and maybe I could do this episode on the bike instead of the horse?’ It was basically me being a chicken to avoid getting on a horse!”
With motorcycles being a huge part of Norman’s make-up and his enthusiasm for motorcycle culture, it’s no surprise that he’s influenced his fellow cast members into bikes.
“I got Steven Yeun, who plays Glen, into bikes. I talked him into it forever and by Season Three he finally got a Triumph Bonneville T100. But Geoffrey Dean Morgan, who plays Negan, has always ridden a bike. When he first came down to Georgia for filming he asked me which bike he should I bring. ‘All of them!’ I told him. We go riding all the time in Georgia. You can ride for hours and only see cows and horses.”
Fun and work
Despite his continual cycle of filming, promoting and creating art exhibitions, Norman continues to drive himself forward with a relentless passion and enthusiasm, as well as running a thriving restaurant business.
“I just don’t sleep, ever,” he says: “I’ll work on set and relax on set, but when I’m not filming I’m doing art shows, scheduling art shows or creating stuff for art shows, and I’m working on another book. With the motorcycle show it’s a weird combination of fun and work, because it’s a lot more work than I thought it would be. When you watch the show you think it looks easy, like a piece of cake, but it’s really hard to keep up your energy and not look like you want to take a nap because you’re exhausted. Sometimes I have to do things in fifth gear and some things only in second gear just so it balances out.”
He adds: “I also have a restaurant in Senoia, Georgia, called Nic & Normans. It’s all about gourmet burgers, pasta, fish, chicken, real southern feel-good food. It started off as just being a Dive Bar, somewhere that the crew can hang out after work, but somehow it turned into a restaurant. I don’t know much about restaurants, but I know it’s doing really well. We may open another in Atlanta – that’s the plan at the minute.”
Ride with Norman Reedus Season 2 is currently in production and aired on the AMC Network.
Article from FOR THE RIDE - Triumph
Links
AMC – Ride with Norman Reedus
Big Bald Head Production Company by Norman Reedus
Nic & Norman’s Restaurant
See more from FOR THE RIDE Trimph here - www.fortheride.com
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First UK customer to benefit from ‘plug in’ grant for e-motorcycles
The first electric motorcycle to be bought with the new ‘plug in’ subsidy will be on the road from today (March 1st).
The dealer, 21st Moto in Swanley, Kent, confirmed that 48-year-old Fred Murphy from Redhill in Surrey is the first customer in the UK to benefit from the subsidy, introduced by the Government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) to increase the uptake of electric vehicles. 
Mr Murphy bought a Zero FXS, which has an average range of 60 miles, a top speed of 85mph and costs the equivalent of a penny a mile to power. It can be charged using a household three pin plug, with faster charge options, which can reduce full charging time to 2 hours.
Up to now the ‘plug in’ subsidy has only been available for electric cars and vans, but it can now be applied to electric motorcycles and scooters, so long as they meet certain quality criteria. This includes having a battery with 5 years’ warranty and a good range.
Rob Francis, Dealer Principal of 21st Moto, which has now sold a total of three zero motorcycles since the grant was introduced, says the system of claiming the subsidy is extremely easy for customers:
“The dealership does all the work, so there are no forms to fill out, or paperwork to complete. The dealer makes the application direct to OLEV and the price is reduced by £1500 or 20% of the total purchase cost, whichever is the smaller number.”
Customer Fred Murphy, who hasowned and ridden motorcycles for more than 25 years, has traded in a petrol bike for his electric one. He said enjoyment and an interest in new technology was the motivation behind his purchase and that he will be commuting to work on it:
“As an ‘electronics geek’ and an early adopter, I have always been interested in electric bikes and tried my first zero back in 2012, so when the ‘plug in’ grant finally came in, this was enough to justify my jump to electric.”
Steve Kenward, CEO of the Motorcycle Industry Association, which lobbied for the subsidy, says motorcycles and scooters will help cut congestion:
“Whether electric or not, a motorcycle, scooter or moped benefits from reduced journey times, easier or free parking, no congestion charge and is normally cheaper to run and insure. There is also the added benefit that it’s just more fun than other modes of transport.”*
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- Background: A plug-in grant for cars was introduced in January 2011. In 2015 it was announced this would be extended to motorcycles by the Coalition Government. The details were finalised in October 2016. Manufacturer/importers with qualifying products apply direct to OLEV to be included. If they qualify, the grant is applied at the point of sale and customers are just asked to fill out a questionnaire.
- Eligibility criteria also includes a range of at least 30km for mopeds and 50km for motorcycles between charges and a top speed of at least 40 kilometres per hour. Machines must be registered with the DVLA, require a driving licence, be insured and the rider must wear a protective helmet. The full requirements can be found here
- The number of motorcycles licensed for the road (and licence exempt) has increased from 720,000 in 1994 to 1,330,000 for the last quarter, which is the highest number since 2009. (See Department for Transport table VEH0301).
- The model bought was a Zero FXS 6.5 version. It can be ridden on an A2 license. Full spec can be found here
- Travelling to work on a motorcycle, scooter or moped is one of the least likely modes of transport to affect your well-being according to a one-off government travel survey by the Office for National Statistics. It found that for journeys up to 30 minutes there was no ill effect on levels of anxiety, happiness and satisfaction for those who rode a motorcycle, scooter or moped. In contrast, those who walk, cycle, drive a car or take the bus all experience an adverse increase in all or some of the factors measured after just 15 minutes.
- The Motorcycle Industry Association, Highways England and the National Police Chiefs’ Council recently launched a joint whitepaper exploring the motorcycling opportunity. See www.motorcycleframework.co.uk
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Think of a motorcycle manufacturer and chances are Harley-Davidson comes to mind. From humble roots to becoming one of America’s most iconic brands, join Custom Lids, retailer of Bell motorcycle helmets, as they delve into some of the key moments in the rich history of the world’s best-loved biking brand:
1901
The Harley-Davidson story begins in 1901, when William S. Harley — one of the brand’s founding fathers — drew up a blueprint of an engine that can fit into a bicycle. Designed for use on a regular bicycle, the engine would offer a displacement of 7.07 cubic inches and four-inch flywheels.
While variants of the motorcycle existed prior to this point, it was certainly an important moment in biking history, giving rise to what would become one of the world’s biggest motorcycle manufacturers.
1903
In 1903, the world got one step closer to Harley-Davidson as we know it today. William and his friend Arthur Davidson decided to work together to make the blueprints a reality and manufacture a motorcycle.
Unlike the futuristic production lines of our times, the very first Harley-Davidson was built in a 10ft by 15ft wooden shed. The first Harley-Davidson motorcycle the public could get their hands on was designed to race, with a 3-1/8 inch bore and 3-1/2 inch stroke. One of their first customers was an old school friend, who bought his bike direct.
1904
Just one year later and Harley-Davidson’s success began to snowball. The first Harley-Davidson Dealer, C.H. Lang of Chicago, is established and sells the first three of the brand’s production motorcycles ever made.
1905
As well as their size, the performance of Harley-Davidson motorcycles started to make headlines in 1905. July 4th saw one of the brand’s bikes win a 15-mile race in Chicago.
1909
The first V-twin powered Harley-Davidson motorcycle is introduced, offering displacement of 49.5 cubic inches and a horsepower of seven. The cylinders were arranged in a 45-degree layout — a now iconic feature of motorcycles.
1920
By 1920, Harley-Davidson was the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world, with 2,000 dealers in 67 countries around the world.
1925
In 1925, gas tanks were modified to have a distinct tear-drop gas tank, which would go on to become one of the bikes’ most iconic features.
1931
By 1931, Harley-Davidson’s superior quality motorcycles, class-leading innovation and exceptional sporting performance had seen off all other American brands expect Indian (Hendee Manufacturing). The pair would remain the only two American motorcycle manufacturers for more than 20 years to come.
1933
A reaction to the Great Depression, all Harley-Davidson gas tanks are painted with a now-iconic eagle design, which triggered the start of graphic design on the bikes.
1941-1945
In 1941, America and the rest of the world was rocked by World War II, with the production of military bikes now taking priority over civilians’. Over the coming years, Harley-Davidson dedicates their business and manufacturing to supporting the US’ war efforts. Activities included:
- 1941 — Service School converted to aid the training of military mechanics.
- 1942 — XA750 bike was produced, designed for desert use although the contract was terminated early when war combat moved away from North Africa.
- 1943 — Wins the first of four Army-Navy “E” Awards for excellence.
- 1945 — Over 60,000 WLA models were produced during the war. After the war ends, civilian bike production resumed in November.
1947
Harley-Davidson created and retailed the now essential and iconic black leather motorcycle jacket.
1953
Harley-Davidson’s 50th anniversary. In the same year, Hendee Manufacturing goes out of business, leaving Harley-Davidson as America’s sole motorcycle manufacturer — a position they would occupy for the next 46 years.
1957
The world was introduced to what would become the first of Harley-Davidson’s superbikes. Named the Sportster, it featured a 55 cubic inch overhead valve engine.
1960
The first (and last) Harley-Davidson motor scooter was produced — the Harley-Davidson Topper. In the same year, the company partnered with Aeronatica-Macchi to form Aermacchi Harley-Davidson. The European division produced single-cylinder bikes.
1962
Harley-Davidson began manufacturing its own parts using fibreglass.
1970
As well as introducing the XR-750 Sportster-based motorcycle, 1970 saw racer Cal Rayborn break the world land speed record set by a motorcycle. His 16ft streamliner — which was powered by a single Sportster engine — reached just over 265mph.
1981
Thirteen Harley-Davidson executives bought the company back from AMF, with the purchase finalised in June 1981.
1983
Harley Owner’s Group was formed; the world’s largest factory-sponsored motorcycle club. By 2000, the club had reached 500,000 members.
1986
Harley-Davidson was listed on the American Stock Exchange.
1993
Harley-Davidson celebrated its 90th anniversary in Milwaukee. The motorcycle parade contained an estimated 100,000 riders.
1998
Harley-Davidson reached its 95th anniversary, where 140,000 riders joined the celebrations.
2001
The VRSCA V-Rod was introduced, inspired by the racing version of the bike. It combined fuel injection with overhead cams and liquid cooling, delivering horsepower of 115.
2008
A new frame was introduced for the Touring family. It delivered a lower seating position, improved manoeuvrability and had a longer wheelbase.
2009
Expansion into India announced.
2011
HD-1 is announced, giving riders the chance of a factory-built custom motorcycle.
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