MOTORCYCLE NEWS

Moto Guzzi MGX-21
 

If you're into aggressive, macho, sinister, futuristic special forces stuff like Black Ops, stealth vehicles, and Batman, then Moto Guzzi's new MGX-21 Flying Fortress might just be the high-mobility terrain-muncher you want for that next deep cover mission into ... well, we can't give out the precise location. But you know exactly what we're talking about. This motorcycle has just been unveiled at the 2016 76th Sturgis Bike Rally in South Dakota, USA (and we can tell you that everyone who witnessed it has been sworn to secrecy, etc). Here's the latest intel...

The MGX-21 is based upon the current Moto Guzzi air- and oil-cooled 1400 California platform which actually displaces 1,380cc (84 cubic-inches). This 4-valve (per cylinder), 90-degree rubber-mounted transverse V-twin is claimed to churn out around 90lbs-ft of torque @ 3,000rpm. The bore is 104mm. The stroke is 81.2mm. The compression ratio is 10.5: 1. Maximum power is a thumping 95hp @ 6,500rpm. [More...]

Enfield's Watford concept

Royal Enfield has opened its third "concept store" in the UK. The first was at TTT Motorcycles in Bethnal Green, East London. The second was at Hartgate Motorcycles in Mitcham, South East London. The third store is at Watford, Hertfordshire which is North West of London. And you can figure out for yourselves in which direction the next store is likely to be. The store trades as: www.themotorbikemanlondon.co.uk

Royal Enfield motorcycles are currently distributed by importer MotoGB which is, naturally, "delighted" with the new store. The interior design is based upon an established corporate layout focussed around a dismantled RE Continental pinned to the wall and surrounded by the firm's growing range of accessories ranging from crash helmets to leather jackets to T-shirts to saddlebags to tool rolls. The company, owned by Eicher Motors and fronted by biking CEO Siddhartha Lal, is increasingly hungry and ambitious and is presently posting impressive financial results.

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Harley-Davidson fined
 

Harley-Davidson has been clobbered with a huge fine for flogging its Screamin' Eagle Street Performance Tuners, or ignition remapping modules. The US Environmental Protection Agency, whilst working with the Department of Justice, decided that the tuner, although marketed as an aftermarket accessory largely for off-road use, violated the spirit of the law if not the law itself. The agency took its complaint to Harley-Davidson, and Milwaukee's most famous son, faced with a messy law suit from a dangerous litigant with deep pockets (and friends in high places) agreed to settle out of court to the tune of £9.1million (around $12million), plus an additional slap on the wrist of £2.1million (around $3million) which will be used to support an anti-pollution project. But Harley-Davidson, take note, has not accepted liability. Moreover, according to the EPA, the firm "... also manufactured and sold more than 12,000 motorcycles that did not undergo proper EPA certification to ensure they meet federal clean air standards."

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Guy Martin speed attempt

Speed obsessed motorcycle racer and serial crasher Guy Martin is once again set to attempt the 400mph land speed record if the above Triumph Infor Rocket streamliner is everything the designers have intended it to be. Powered by two turbocharged Triumph Rocket Three engines, the output is said to be 1,000hp @ 9,000rpm. Guy Martin will make the attempt sometime this month (August 2016) when the conditions at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah are considered right. Developed between Triumph Motorcycles, Hot Rod Conspiracy and Carpenter Racing, this two-wheeled Kevlar and carbon fibre torpedo is 25.5 feet long, 2 feet wide and 3 feet tall. The fuel is methanol, and the bike is competing in the Division C (streamlined motorcycle) category. The current backers include cloud technology and applications firm, Infor, and Belstaff clothing.

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Woolf camera alert band
 

We really ought not to give this device the oxygen of publicity. But there are other implications here that make it worthy of a mention. Barely. It's a wristband for bikers that talks to your mobile phone via the Bluetooth thingy hook-up system, and it vibrates to warn you of approaching speed cameras, whether fixed or mobile. And not just speed cameras, but red light traffic cameras. It's a crowd-funding project looking for some development cash, and the promise is that once it goes to market it will save you cash thereby helping us all continue our speeding antics. The guys, and girls, behind this latest techno law-flouting device are a quintet of youthful Italians. At least three of 'em ride high powered sports bikes, which will probably surprise no one. They're looking for €90,000 to get this thing off the ground and onto as many wrists as possible. They're promising all backers that in the event that the crowdfunding project fails, everyone will get all their dosh back. [More...]