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| Year | 2011 |
| Engine | 2.3 litre 4-cylinder inline |
| Transmission | 6-speed RWD |
| Max speed | 170 mph |
| 0-60 mph | 2.8 seconds |
| Horsepower | 280 hp |
| weight | 540 kgs / 1,190 lbs |
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
BAC MONO
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Sunday, March 9, 2014
2014 Harley-Davidson Low Rider Review (Modern updates with a 1970s appeal)
When introducing a new motorcycle, many manufacturers lead off with all the technical marvels they’ve packed into their latest offering. Harley-Davidson often begins with talk of the style of its new motorcycle and how it ties to the company’s history. Being one of the largest motorcycle manufacturers in the world certainly says something about the success of the motor company’s development model.
So, when the representatives at a Harley new model press briefing mention styling first, it should come as no surprise. Reintroducing a model that was first released in 1977 (at Daytona Bike Week, no less) after it has been on a five year hiatus, Harley naturally calls upon the bike’s past heritage (by, maybe, introducing it at Bike Week) before outlining how it’s been modernized with a more powerful engine and a refined chassis.
1997 Harley-Davidson Dyna Low Rider – And A Brief History Of The Low Rider Models
In the Heritage Department, the Low Rider wears some unmistakable styling touches that were featured in the original FXS model of the Low Rider. Take a gander at the polished headlamp visor or eyebrow (as it was referred to in the press briefing). The polished fork and the tiny front fender carry a family resemblance. How about those split five-spoke aluminum wheels, featuring both machined aluminum and wrinkled black paint? Hey, the engine gets the same wrinkle paint, machined metal look, too. The chromed 2-into-1 exhaust has the same bad attitude of the original. Yep, theme duly noted here.
The design team’s attention to detail ties the Low Rider to its predecessors yet looks more modern at the same time.
The Low Rider has always been about hot-rod-styled performance wrapped in an attention-getting chassis (most recently the Dyna chassis) that just so happens to fit shorter riders. However, when addressing the FXDL’s past style, Harley’s engineers gave themselves some technological challenges to puzzle over. The biggest task was the desire to have the Low Rider fit riders ranging in height from 5’1″-6’1″. Yes, an entire foot difference in height. Most American riders don’t know that, although the Low Rider has been shelved domestically for the past five years here, it has continued to sell – and sell well – in the Japanese market. Since Japanese are typically shorter than Americans, the size spread begins to make more sense.
The Low Rider was designed to fit every body size between a Japanese female who measures in the 50th percentile of height for a Japanese woman while the 6’1″ top end of the equation settles in at the 90th percentile height of American men. So, the FXDL is supposed to fit riders ranging from a mid-sized Japanese woman to an above average height American man. Considering the variables of arm, leg, and torso length, this is an astonishing challenge. To find out what the needs of riders in the market for a bike like the Low Rider were interested in, Harley used the same customer-focused process they developed for Project RUSHMORE.
The puzzle presented by the Low Rider is really a question of ergonomics. How does a single motorcycle accommodate such differing body types? In the end, Harley did it with some good old American ingenuity, the key of which was the all-important rider triangle. The handlebar, seat and pegs constitute the primary contact points with the rider. Within these points the physical limitations of the differing body sizes needed to be accommodated. If the pegs were in a fixed location (though ultimately two inches forward from their previous location), then the points available to change by the riders themselves were the grips and the seat. Both were addressed in simple but clever ways.
Sometimes a simple solution is the best one. Take a look at how the same seat can support two different sized riders.
Using computer models, the design team was able to overlay the two extremes of the rider triangles onto the chassis in order to calculate the range that the two variables needed to support. Once those were determined, the trick was to make the bike easily adjustable. For example, Harley could have sold the Low Rider with a seat option for shorter and taller riders. Many manufacturers do this. Instead, a seat was created with a means of changing its size to fit smaller riders.
The FXDL’s seat has a spiffy chrome Harley badge inset into the lumbar section of the seat. However, what looks like a nice styling touch is really a cover. Lifting the seat reveals two screws positioning the badge. When these are unscrewed, mounting points under the badge are exposed that secure a bolster which moves the back of the seat 1.5 inches forward. Reaffixing the badge holds everything neatly in place. This mode of adjustment is much more convenient for both the customer (who isn’t forced to make a choice at the time of sale) and the manufacturer (who only needs to build and track one seat).
The handlebar position is given infinite variability within a 2.4 in. range thanks to a clever riser assembly. In an arrangement that looks somewhat like dog bone risers (only bent about 60 degrees), the adjustment comes from clamps located just above the triple clamp. Then the risers themselves pivot forward and rearward through the range of adjustment. Atop the risers a pair of clamps hold the handlebar itself. Adjusting the bar position is as easy as loosening two allen bolts and adjusting the tilt of the risers. Once they’re tightened in position, loosen two handlebar bolts and rotate the handlebar until the grips are in the desired location. Total time is just about two minutes!
Why don’t more cruisers have adjustable risers like this? Probably because nobody thought of this clever solution before now.
To a 5’11″ rider, having the risers in the foreword-most position feels a little like the reach to a drag bar. In the full rearward position, the grips feel a bit too rearward to the same rider. Fine tuning to find the sweet spot takes seconds. Adjusting the seat only takes a phillips head screwdriver though this only moves the rider forward. The seat height itself is a modest 25.4 in. The narrowness of the front of the seat gives the rider the feeling of an even lower seat.
The upgrades to the Dyna chassis focused on the suspension bits. The stated goal was to find the right balance between riding comfort and control. Given that the FXDL is viewed as a performance model, when the conflicting goals conflicted with each other, the nod was given in the direction of control. Both the fork and the shocks have tri-rate springs. The initial rate is quite soft to address rider comfort over smaller road irregularities. The next two rates are progressively firmer, allowing better control over larger bumps. In the 49mm fork, the firmer spring rates also minimize brake dive into the 5.1 in. of travel, giving the rider more confidence during aggressive braking.
The riding position is relaxed for a 5’11″ rider, but we wish Harley had included an inch of fore/aft adjustment for the footpegs.
Visually, the shocks are striking with their black body and springs capped with chrome. The firmer of the three spring rates are directed more towards handling. If the springs are too soft, the bike will be wobbly under cornering forces. Too firm and the ride will be overly harsh. The adjustable rear preload is designed to move the suspension to the firmer spring rates earlier as the Low Rider is asked to carry heavier loads. With only 3.1 in. of travel, the rear suspension doesn’t have a lot of room to work its magic. Still, in our day’s ride on the Low Rider worked well in a variety of riding conditions.
Finally, a cruiser with a tachometer! The warning lights are hidden in the instrument faces. The LCD display offers tons of information, including gear selection.
While never feeling harsh for a 170 lb. rider on the interstate, highway or around town, truth be told, the roads we covered in rural Florida were pretty smooth, so it’s hard to get a feel for how the FXDL will behave in bumpier environments. Will the shocks bottom easily, like other Dynas we’ve tested? We did manage to navigate the eleven corners in the entire state of Florida, and again, with this limited sampling, the only thing holding the Low Rider back in corners is ground clearance typical of cruisers. The pegs drag, giving the rider some warning – a particularly important one on the right side, where the leading edge of the muffler can touch down hard. Steering response is good for a big, heavy cruiser regardless of whether we were changing lines mid-corner or changing lanes on the freeway. We look forward to get a unit for a proper test in the future.
Cornering clearance is about average for a cruiser, but the muffler touches down shortly after the peg.
One area that the fun factor is immediately apparent is the Twin Cam 103 engine, which is standard in most Dynas. We’ve sampled this 103/Dyna combination before and have always come back impressed. The exhaust note is throaty for a stock unit. The engine’s rubber mounts quell most of its vibration even at elevated highway speeds. The torque curve means that, if you’re feeling lazy as you roll through one of those quarter-mile-wide towns you find on rural highways, you don’t really have to downshift and can chuff through the reduced speed zone before rolling back up to speed.
The Low Rider’s dual 300mm front discs deliver whoa-power when you need it. The four-piston calipers offer plenty of feel and ease of modulation. Steering under braking is easy, thanks to the fork and the carcass shape of the Michelin Scorcher tires. The two piston caliper and 292mm rear disc are unremarkable, simply getting the job done without any fuss. The optional $795 ABS on the model tested worked as you’d hope it would – unobtrusively. However, the location of the brake pedal leaves a lot to be desired. The pedal is difficult to operate because it is slightly below the foot peg and almost requires that the heel be lifted off the peg. The smoothness of the pedal surface exacerbates the problem in the wet where, without a heel hooked on the peg, the rider’s foot can slip off the pedal. It’s hard to believe that the same company that created the clever handle bar risers on the Low Rider is responsible for the brake pedal.
If you need an attitude adjustment, the Low Rider’s Twin Cam 103 would be happy to oblige.
Overall, our short time with the Low Rider revealed a bike that has tons of attitude and the performance to back it up. With a base price of $14,199 in Vivid Black, the FXDL is cool looking, but you owe it to yourself to pop for the two-tone Brilliant Silver/Vivid Black or the stunning Amber Whiskey/Vivid Black for $14,929. The 2014 Harley-Davidson Low Rider has made an entry into the market that is worthy of the original model. Go try this bike’s attitude on for size.
Horex VR6 Cafe Racer 33 Ltd. Revealed
Things have been fairly quiet of late with German manufacturer Horex. We’re still waiting for Horex to produce the supercharged version of its VR6 Roadster, not to mention the eventual expansion to North America. That’s why we’re glad to hear about the latest motorcycle to come out of Augsburg, Germany, the Horex VR6 Cafe Racer 33 ltd.
Following the original VR6 Roadster and the VR6 Classic, the new Cafe Racer shares the same 1218cc engine with twin offset banks of three cylinders arranged in a 15-degree V configuration. Horex claims an output of 125 hp at 8500 rpm and 88.5 ft-lb. at 7000 rpm, matching the Classic’s numbers but down from the Roadster’s claimed 158 hp and 101 ft-lb. As its name implies however, Horex will only produce a limited run of 33 units, each priced at €33,333 (sensing a theme here?)
Designed with the help of German parts developer LSL Motorradtechnik, the Cafe Racer shares the same frame as the original Roadster, but with a leaner, deeper cut seat that Horex says makes it easier for the rider to shift his weight. Horex removed the standard Roadster’s rear fender while trimming the front fender.
A lower CNC-machined triple-clamp and footrests pushed 10 mm back create a more aggressive riding position with a low horizontal profile highlighted by the new tail cover.
While the Roadster and Classic models come with 48mm WP forks and Sachs monoshocks, the Cafe Racer is equipped with an Ohlins 43mm fork and TTX36 rear shock. Ohlins also supplies the 16-way adjustable steering damper. Brakes are the same Brembo four-piston monobloc calipers and 320mm disc up front and two-piston rear caliper with 264mm disc at the rear. Like the other Horex models, Bosch 9MB ABS comes standard.
Honda Trademarks Design For Naked CBR300R
Earlier this week, we uncovered Kawasaki‘s design trademark for a naked version of its 250cc single-cylinder Ninja RR Mono. It now looks like Kawasaki isn’t the only Japanese manufacturer with a small-displacement naked model on the way.
Honda has registered a trademark on the design for a new motorcycle that appears to be a nakedCBR300R or CBR250R. Registered with the European Union’s Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market on Dec. 20, 2013, the design at first glance resembles the Honda CB500F, especially with its single headlight design.
Upon closer inspection however, we see the design varies significantly from the CB500F, especially the telltale single pipe exiting the engine suggesting just the one cylinder. Look at the renderings next to a picture of the CBR250R without its fairing and we can see a similar engine, frame and wheel design as the entry-level sportbike.
Here’s a detailed rendering from the trademark filing:
And here’s the stripped-down CBR250R. See the similarities?
We’ve long been expecting Honda to release a naked version of the little CBR ever since the company first introduced the 250 in 2011. Last September, we broke the story about allegedlyleaked internal Honda document that revealed several model names including the VFR800F,CTX1300, CBR650F, CB650F and a redesigned CBR250R. In the ensuing months, we’ve seen all of those models come to light, including the revamped 250 and a new CBR300R for developed markets.
The only new model from that document yet to be revealed was the CB250F, which leads us to believe that will be the name Honda will use for this new model, with some markets likely getting a 286cc CB300F.
There’s no indication when Honda will official announce this new naked model, but we expect to hear something soon.
Cory West To Ride EBR 1190RX In 2014 AMA Superbike
Erik Buell Racing (EBR) has announced that they will be expanding their presence on the AMA Superbike grid. Along with partnering with Amsoil and Hero to support Pegram Racing’s Foremost Insurance entry, they will field an Amsoil/Hero entry for Cory West to compete in the AMA SuperBike in 2014. The new entry will campaign EBR’s 1190 motorcycles as Team Amsoil/Hero, and are joined by additional sponsors Shorai, K&L Supply and Foremost Insurance.
According to Erik Buell, having an 1190RX in the hands of Larry Pegram, running the Foremost Insurance livery was one thing, “but we were really hoping to continue the tradition of an Amsoil/Hero EBR bike on the grid. With the additional support of Shorai, K&L and Foremost, we have been able to put that together as well.” Pegram and West will be pitted next to each other this season and their partnership will go far in the development of the EBR 1190RX.
The 2014 AMA Pro SuperBike season begins March 13-‐15, 2014, at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. A total of five events are scheduled with a possible sixth event being added in the upcoming weeks. Confirmed events are as follows:
March 13 - 15 -‐ Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Fla.
May 30 - June 1 -‐ Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis.
June 21 ‐ 22 -‐ Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Ala.
July 19 ‐ 20 -‐ Mid-‐Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio
September 13 ‐ 14 -‐ New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, N.J.
May 30 - June 1 -‐ Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis.
June 21 ‐ 22 -‐ Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Ala.
July 19 ‐ 20 -‐ Mid-‐Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio
September 13 ‐ 14 -‐ New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, N.J.
CFMoto Fined $725,000 By EPA, Agrees To Recall 993 Vehicles
Chinese manufacturer CFMoto has reached a settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency for the alleged illegal import of more than 12,000 vehicles and insufficient control of gasoline vapors in approximately 1,000 vehicles.CFMoto and its U.S. distributor, CFMoto Powersports, agreed to pay a combined civil penalty of $725,000 for allegedly importing more than 12,000 motorcycles and off-road vehicles between 2007 and 2013 without certification from the EPA. Of those vehicles, 993 units had uncertified fuel tanks that the EPA says do not properly contain gasoline vapors and approximately 1,400 vehicles were imported without emission control information labels.Under the terms of the settlement, CFMoto agreed to recall the 993 units and replace their fuel tanks with new, certified tanks that meet the legal standard for gasoline vapors. CFMoto will also provide emission control labels on the 340 units still within the company’s possession that did not have them.“Enforcing emission standards is a critical way we protect clean air for all Americans,” says Cynthia Giles, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “The upgrades and changes required by today’s settlement will help reduce harmful air pollution that can cause respiratory illnesses, aggravate asthma and lead to smog.”
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