Browsing the Sportbikes category!

Demotivation 3.0: 35 More Demotivational Posters For Your Enjoyment

Your mortgage (or your rent) is late, the job you hate is on thin ice and your 15 year old beater car is on it’s last legs. There are no jobs, the economy is in shambles, our cars are trying to kill us and everything you eat, drink or breathe contains something to ensure you die a slow, horrible death. We’re about a year away from killing each other in the streets for food, and no matter how many guns or how much ammo you own, it still isn’t enough.

So what else can you do but laugh about it? We’ve got you covered with 35 more demotivational posters, just in time for the collapse of Western society (or the weekend, whichever comes first). Enjoy!

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T-Rex: Three Wheeled Sports Car or Motorcycle

This three-wheel, two seat “motorcycle” is created by the Canadian auto/bike manufacturer Campagna Corporation in Quebec. Although the T-Rex is classified as a motorcycle, with the an altered seating position and the angle of the steering wheel, along with the suspension, makes it feel and drive more like a sportscar.  The interior has two seats with three point retractable seatbelts and is protected with a tubular steel roll cage for maximum safety and protection. With a 1.4 L, four cylinder engine, the T-Rex can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds and has a top speed of 157 mph. The amazing acceleration is due to the streetbike technology available today that Campagna  uses to their advantage. This motorcycle has been in production since the mid 1990’s however they’ve just recently gained recognition and popularity due to some television shows such as MTV’s Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory, where it is possible to see a white T-Rex in use. The three wheeled monster is available at the suggested retail price of $43,190 and can be purchased directly from http://www.campagnamotors.com/. For the average person who wants the thrill of driving a motorcycle but is looking for a little more safety and security, the Campagna T-Rex is waiting for you.

2010 Singer Porsche 911 is Classic Hotness Reinvented [PICS]

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Classic Porsche 911s have been in the midst of a retro-mod renaissance lately, with lots of money going into taking fuzzy, sentimental visions of grainy oversaturated ’70s awesomeness and transforming it into a real-world rolling art. R-Gruppe cars, love ‘em or hate ‘em, are the ultimate Porkers in this genre. However, Singer Vehicle Design of Los Angeles has jumped into the fray, seriously reworking an air-cooled long-wheelbase 911 into a modern performance car, doing what Porsche couldn’t (as they switched to water-cooling with the 996). As Singer puts it, “… have the evolved water-cooled 911’s proven more enjoyable? Is the drive more fulfilling? What of the magic behind the wheel?” It’s inarguable that the package Singer has put together answers all of those questions. Click through for a HUGE gallery of pics and more info.

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Mission Electric Motorcycle Breaks 150MPH

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Electric motorcycles are so new that it’s hard to put their performance characteristics into perspective. Mission Motors, one of the new breed of electrified two-wheeled manufacturers, has accomplished the mechanical equivalent of sprinting a couple of weeks after you’re born: breaking the 150 MPH mark (and unofficially breaking the electric motorcycle land speed record) less than two years after the company was founded. Mission’s baby took to the Bonneville salt and hit a two-way average of 150.059 MPH, with an earlier unofficial sprint of up to 161 MPH. The bike is still a prototype; however, it’s the same bike that took 4th place at the TTxGP “Green Grand Prix” at the Isle of Man earlier this year.

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Bajaj Pulsar 220cc Commercial Releases Deadly Earworm

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I usually like to harbor a healthy disdain for marketing subterfuge, and it began about ten years ago with a particularly compelling commercial for the Chevrolet Tahoe. The 30-second spot featured a poem by Patrick O’Leary entitled “Nobody Knows It But Me” read by the bass-voiced James Gardner, and so convincing was the delivery it was almost possible to overlook the Tahoe scaling the mountain in the foreground. Unfortunately, it later came to light that the poem had been written specifically for the commercial, thereby killing any perceived artistic patronage assigned to Chevy. From that point forward, I vowed to never again allow myself to be ensnared by a crafty advertising campaign and, Volvo ads notwithstanding, I’d been pretty successful. Then, a few weeks ago, I was assaulted with “The Fastest Indian,” a 1-minute commercial for the Bajaj Pulsar 220 cc set to, bar none, the catchiest song since “Eye of the Tiger.”

Hit the jump to view “The Fastest Indian” Read more!

The Magical Modular Design of the Boxer SSR

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An obscure French motorcycle company named Boxer Design has this handy little model called the Boxer SSR. You may have noticed that there are two bikes in the picture above. That’s because–they are actually the same bike! (Collective gasp!) Thanks to a clever modular design technique, motorcyclists who were once confounded by having to choose between a super sexy full-fairing sportbike and a leaner, meaner naked urbanite have a viable solution in the Boxer SSR. A simple (but possibly complicated) parts-swap will have you ready to surprise all your buddies at an actual parts-swap meet.

Released in 2005, the Boxer is powered by a 997cc V-Twin mill found in previous Boxer models, and makes use of quality components typical of low production models, like Ohlins suspension, Brembo brakes, and Marchesini wheels. No word yet on pricing for the SSR, nor how many bikes have actually been produced.

For more pictures, check the gallery after the jump.

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A Ninja For the Aged But Not Yet Retired

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Yes, it seems that bikers aren’t the only ones with mid life crisis. The thing is, though, is that a Corvette comes with a nice cozy seat to rest your potbelly and arthritic back, whereas a sport bike is all scrunched up and bent over. Not good for long distance touring. Unless you’re stubborn and rather inventive, in which case, you get what you see above–a Ninja outfitted for leisure and relaxation.

More commentary following the jump.

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Castrol “Flossie” Bot Can Learn To Ride Any Bike

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Castrol has a special little helper to assist the performance tests of their oils in motorcycles. “Flossie,” a lovely–if headless–robo biker chick, allows testers to analyze engine performance over extremely long periods of time while riding on an extremely loud dynometer without incurring any worker’s comp. lawsuits or calls from the Geneva convention.

That’s because “Flossie” is the perfect woman: able to perform under adverse conditions without complaint. Her A.I. drive also allows her to learn the subtle nuance of clutch take-up and throttle control, meaning she can learn to ride any motorcycle or scooter. She’s also consistent, allowing her to duplicate precise inputs and enabling Castrol to repeat performance runs without variation.

To see a video of “Flossie” in action, follow the jump. Read more!

That’s Not a Sidecar, THIS is a Sidecar!

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Francois Knorreck has got to be the most hospitable biker in history. How else would you explain the accommodations of his bad ass sidecar, the Snaefell? Custom fabricated over the last 10 years and with over $20,000 of his own money, the Snaefell was pieced together from various cars and attached to a 1000cc Laverda motorcycle. Both occupants will find a fully functioning dashboard with stereo, air conditioning and a handcrafted interior. What, no Blu-ray player? I’m waiting for next year’s model. More pics ahead.
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Mac Motorcycles Offers 4 Minimalist Designs With Buell Engines For BMW Prices

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Someday, we’ll all look back on this decade and think of it as the real “Golden Age” of motorcycles. The Big Four Japanese makers have set a furious pace of competition–effectively obsoleting models more than two years old–and made the annual Supersport and Literbike comparo shootouts something of a Superbowl/UFC competition every spring. But progress comes at the cost of more weight, more complexity, and more technological interference. For those who like insane performance, that’s a good thing. For those who like riding, well, it’s not.

“What underpins Mac Motorcycles’ philosophy is the belief that the riding experience and the stories that go with motorcycle journeys seem to have been hijacked by technology and plastic,” says Ellis Pitt, the creator of the upstart British Company responsible for the minimalist designs you see above and after the jump in the gallery, designs which get you back to “what it’s all about.”

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