What better way to shoot the new retro Harley-Davidson Forty Eight than with a pack of roller derby girls? There’s probably a lot of better ways, but that’s besides the point. Our neighbors to the north have a different perspective on things, and who are we to question them? Blame it on the poutine and long winters.
Racing blinged out quads? Um, no.
My earlier post about the Red Bull F1 car on the beach got me thinking about racing series that I’d like to see. Some won’t happen, since no one in their right mind would sign up to drive (or ride ) in them, but others are a distinct possibility. As with any other sport, all it takes is sponsorship dollars, two or more racers and enough spectator interest to give the fledgling series a green light.
Now that both IRL and NASCAR have evolved into spec series with little difference between the cars or teams, I say let’s add some excitement back into racing. Let’s create a few new series that fans will actually want to watch, instead of ones that are just driven by corporate advertising budgets. Here are my top five suggestions for new racing series, but I’d love to hear you own ideas.
XR1200X in Black Denim. Photo: Harley Davidson
Like the Harley-Davidson XR1200, but want a bike that offers a fully adjustable suspension? Want better brakes than the XR1200 offers? Can you not get enough black on your bike? Then head on down to your local Harley dealer to put down a deposit on the 2011 XR1200X, because the bar and shield brand just built your bike.
Available in Black Denim (matte black) and White Hot Denim (matte white, presumably), the XR1200X features a Showa Big Piston Fork adjustable for rebound and compression damping, Showa rear shocks with compression and rebound damping and Nissin four piston caliper front brakes. The motor is identical to the XR1200, but features a black powdercoat finish. The 2-1-2 exhaust has been repositioned for better cornering clearance and is finished in matte black. See a theme here?
Made by a pissed-off fan of Buell motorcycles, this video spoof is the Harley- Davidson equivalent of “draw Mohammed day”. Too bad people were’t this passionate about Buell when the brand was still around, because they had some pretty damn innovative ideas on how to build motorcycles. Maybe selling the brand to another company would have been a better option than killing off America’s only in-production line of sport motorcycles.
I’m sure the videographer is being hunted by death squads of Harley-Davidson lawyers, since they really don’t have a sense of humor about stuff like this. There must have been half a dozen Harley trademarks that were blasphemed in this video, hence, heads must roll and cease-and-desist orders must be delivered. Enjoy it, or not.
Found on Two Wheels Blog
Kain Saul Backflips a Harley-Davidson XR1200
The Harley-Davidson XR1200 is a beautiful bike, and it’s the first Harley that I would love to have parked in my garage. I’ve seen them set up for everything from touring to roadracing, but this is the first time I’ve seen used as a motocross bike. To put things in perspective, a bike typically used for stunts like this weighs around 250 pounds. An XR1200 weighs 580 pounds; can you say, “Zero margin for error”?
Mike Price, an automotive engineer from Auckland, New Zealand had a brainstorm while attending the funeral of a friend five years ago. His friend was a biker who didn’t drive a car, but was transported to his final resting place in a Ford LTD. Mike thought that there had to be a more fitting hearse for those who prefer two wheels over four, so he sketched out his idea for a motorcycle hearse.
Price sent his design concept to Harley Davidson, who replied with a lengthy and restrictive contract before they would even take a look. Rather that drag lawyers into it, Price built the prototype with his own money in his free time. He now hopes to begin limited production if he can find an interested backer.
Source: Autoblog
A report by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) shows that motorcycle thefts decreased nationwide by 13% in 2009. In 2008, a total of 64,492 motorcycles were reported stolen; in 2009, this number dropped to 56,093. Contributing to the decline, however, was a reduction in the number of motorcycles available to steal: new motorcycle sales dropped by 40% in 2009.
The top five brands targeted for theft were Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Harley-Davidson; combined, these brands accounted for over 77% of the motorcycle thefts in 2009. The states with the highest incidence of theft were California, Texas, Florida, North Carolina and Georgia; clearly, there’s a correlation between length of riding season and the likelihood of having a bike stolen.
Then try a twin-engine Harley top fuel drag bike, running nitromethane with open exhausts. Guaranteed to set off every car alarm in the neighborhood, and probably crack a few windows as well.
The guy’s got balls for sure – I wouldn’t go near a nitro fueled bike without three layers of Nomex, let alone sit on top of one. Safety first, though: he does put the safety lanyard around his wrist just in case the bike gets away from him.
Found on: BangShift
Don't you want to do the same thing in the desert with a Jeep?
The basic formula for a Japanese haiku is simple: it’s composed of three lines, the first having five syllables, the second having seven and the third having five again. You don’t get many words, but if you choose them carefully they say a lot.
Bugatti Veyron
Will sell liver for my own
Sadly, no takers
Read More…
Harley-Davidson has reported a 24.3% decrease in U.S. sales during Q1 2010, compared to Q1 2009. Worldwide, the motorcycle manufacturer has seen a sales drop of 18.2% in the first three months of 2010, despite modest sales increases in Europe and Canada.
The global powersports industry is suffering from a weak global economy and tightening credit. The heavyweight segment of the motorcycle industry appears to be taking the biggest hit, as bikes in this category are rarely purchased as alternative transportation for commuters concerned over rising fuel prices.
