MOTORCYCLE NEWS

Knox Buxton jeans, etc

Actually, the heading should be "Knox Buxton & Brooke jeans with Spectra". But we didn't have the space for all that, so we abbreviated it. However, seeing as you're here now, we'll get on with the news item... These are new jeans from Knox. They're made from 12oz Cordura® Denim and feature an abrasion resistant lining called Spectra® "which is one of the world's strongest and lightest fibres". [More...]

SW-Motech Legend bags
 

Riders of Ducati Scramblers, Triumph Street Twins and similar retro bikes look this way and pin back your ears. SW Motech has just released details of its Legend Gear range of motorcycle luggage which includes "vintage looking" tank bags, side bags and a tail pack, all manufactured from waxed cotton and Napalon (imitation leather).

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Triumph "Blueprint" T-shirt
 

Here's the latest classic bike T-shirt from Sump. It's the second design in what we call our "Blueprint" range (well we gotta call it something), and it's aimed specifically at riders and fans of Meriden Triumph twins. But we're big hearted, so if you ride a Honda or anything else, we're still prepared to sell you a shirt. Or even two. This tee is silk-screen printed on heavyweight 100 percent pre-shrunk cotton and is available in M, L, XL and 2XL sizes. It's an original design, but we've recycled (or re-motorcycled) an older slogan of ours: LOOK BACK, MOVE AHEAD.

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Buffalo Navigator jacket
 

The Buffalo classic leather jacket is back. We didn't actually know it had gone anywhere, and to tell the truth, we don't even know what it is. Or was. Or whatever. But the main thing is that it's back. So if you've been missing it, dry your eyes. This one (we assume there are other's in the range) is called the Navigator. It's made from "natural milled leather" (whatever that is), so it's "soft and flexible, yet retains the inherent strength of the hide." We're also told that it's got "timeless appearance, with subtle touches like vintage-style zips and stud fasteners" and that it will suit riders of classic bikes or retro machines. There's a detachable thermal quilted liner, and there are armoured shoulders and elbows.

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Öhlins recall appeal

If you're running a bike fitted with an Öhlins shock absorber/damper, you might want to pay attention to this news item. In March 2015, the Swedish company initiated a recall having identified a locknut problem that, we understand, could cause the unit to come apart. The recall has managed to take hundreds, or even thousands of dodgy dampers off the roads. But it's not enough. Apparently, there are still a large number of units out there that Öhlins would very much like to have returned.

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London bus lane confusion
 

Thirty-six motorcyclists were killed on London's roads in 2015. That's an unacceptably high number and is wildly disproportionate (compared to general London road fatalities), and it's a number that Transport for London (in particular) would like to reduce. A recent survey of 1,200 motorcyclists in the capital revealed the chief concerns of riders, one of which is the inconsistency of regulations regarding access to London's bus lanes. Many of the lanes are controlled by individual London boroughs, of which there are 32. But many others are controlled by Transport for London (TfL). And it's between the two that the inconsistency lies. [More...]

Indian Springfield launched
 

This bike is an open secret and has therefore been anticipated for a while. But Indian Motorcycles has now released pictures and details of its new heavyweight Harley-Davidson bashing, highway-hugging cruiser.

It's called the Indian Springfield, so named after the town of Springfield, Massachusetts where Indian motorcycles were built between 1901 and 1953 (and today, Springfield is still the headquarters of Indian, although the bikes are currently built at Spirit Lake, Iowa). [More...]