Radial Engine Bike Built by Jesse James

This radial engine motorcycle was built by Jesse James at West Coast Choppers. For those who don’t know, radial engines were used in the past to power aircraft. The engine, 7 cylinder – 110 hp, was manufactured by Rotec Engineering in Australia and was purchased by the owner of the bike, Russell Ballentine from Kansas, who had the crazy idea of building bikes with aircraft engines (he even owns the patent). Ballentine asked mechanic Mike Redpath to modify the engine, bought more parts, and then brought it to Jesse James to build a prototype. The finished bike was painted in green but I also found photos before the paint job. 

Credits: http://blog.leatherup.com

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Student-designed Roskva electric motorcycle launched

Five Norwegian engineering students from the University of Life Sciences in Oslo have come together to design and build an electric motorcycle that's a little different from the rest of the field. Rather than construct the vehicle around a steel or aluminum frame (like the Brutus we covered last year, for instance), the Roskva bike features a carbon fiber monocoque frame that reportedly weighs less than 25 kg (55 pounds). Carbon fiber is also the material of choice for the wheels, single-sided swingarm and enclosed driveshaft.

The final Roskva design renderings were released in May 2012, after which Erik Olsvik (26), Hans Ola Krog (24), Lars J. Norberg (25), Odd Arne Skjong (team leader - 23) and Espen Kultorp (24) got to work building the first operational prototype. The electric motorcycle was officially launched at Oslo's Aker Brygge earlier this month.

During the formative stages of the development process, the team was considering maximizing aerodynamics by enclosing the whole of the front of the motorcycle (including the front wheel) inside a bullet-shaped fairing, but this looks to have now been abandoned in favor of a more minimal design with a beak-like, pointed affair.

Within the lightweight frame, which has been strengthened to take the weight of the whole motorcycle, sit 414 individual lithium iron phosphate cells in series for a total capacity of 6 kWh. The batteries power two Lynch D135RAGS electric motors from the LEM200 series that deliver 80 Nm (59 ft lbs) of torque and peak power of 96.6 horsepower.

An onboard Kelly controller on each of the two motors can handle a voltage of 120 volts and 600 amps at peak. All of which is claimed to give the bike a top speed of 180 km/h (110 mph), a range of 100 km (62 miles) and a zero to 60 mph (96.5 km/h) time of just three to four seconds.

Elsewhere, the Roskva electric motorcycle features a telescopic front fork with 120 mm (4.7 inches) of travel, Krarm integrated rear suspension, regenerative rear braking and dual disc brakes at the front.

The immediate future will see the team testing and tweaking the prototype Roskva in the steady move toward commercial availability.

"We will not be able (or willing) to sell any bikes before additional tests and revisions have been performed," Skjong told us. "It will also require additional safety testing. The prototype is not road legal, but it has been constructed with current and future regulations in mind."

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World's most famous traffic outlaw giving away his 499-horsepower turbo motorcycle

Of all the colorful characters in the motorcycle world, few polarize opinion as strongly as Sweden's mysterious "Ghost Rider." It's not hard to see why - with five DVDs full of heinous traffic law violations, including 300 km/h (180 mph) wheelies, police baiting and near-suicidal top speed time trials around the Swedish freeway system, he's probably the most famous flaunter of road rules the world has ever seen. And now, his most famous steed, a 499-horsepower turbocharged, naked Hayabusa, is being given away through a website lottery. Only ridden to church on Sundays, it's the perfect practical getabout to take down to the shops.

A little background for the uninitiated: Ghost Rider (widely believed, but never legally proven to be Swedish Wheelie Team member Patrik Furstenhoff, or possibly an amalgam of Patrik and his friends) is an ex-racer, stunt rider and generally rather handy chap behind the handlebars of a motorcycle.

He shot to Internet fame back in 2002 with the release of Ghost Rider: The Final Ride - a DVD video featuring an anonymous rider, clad in black leathers, black helmet and a dark visor, pushing a black GSX-R1000 to top speeds of around 300 km/h on public highways around Uppsala, Sweden. The images of this maniac weaving between traffic and almost magically avoiding lane changing cars and trucks that could never possibly have seen him coming were an instant sensation, for better or worse.

To some, he signified the pinnacle of skill and sheer cojones, an ethereal figure flashing through the grey mass of law-abiding commuters, flipping the bird at traffic police and leading them on high-speed chases until either he tired of the game or the helicopters came out, at which point he'd stop hanging around, hit the gas and vanish.

Of course, to the vast majority of people he was viewed as the worst kind of road menace - the kind with the genuine potential to cause serious harm to others and not just himself. To people looking to demonize the motorcycling community at large, he was a symbol of every reason why these damned deathtraps should be banned from public roads. As a result, the majority of the riding fraternity hate him for the way his actions reflect on bikers in general, while perhaps just being a tiny bit impressed.

But there's no questioning his skill or bravery - even in the legal world, Furstenhoff holds the official world record for high speed wheelstands, hitting a blistering top speed of 215 mph (346 km/h) on the back wheel. Anyone who's taken a sportsbike on a racetrack knows how powerful a force air resistance can be as you approach 180 mph (300 km/h) - the idea of raising the front wheel at those speeds is frankly terrifying. The air itself would be like a brick wall - you'd be hanging onto the bars for dear life, let alone trying to deal with that force getting under the bike and trying to flip it over backwards.

There's also no questioning the credentials of his machinery. The Suzuki Hayabusa was not only the fastest bike ever produced, with early models able to hit 200 mph (320 km/h) before they were reined back in to a governed top speed of 180 mph (300 km/h) in subsequent years - it was also massively over-engineered to make it a tuner's delight.

With relatively few modifications to strengthen engine internals, you could turbocharge a 'Busa engine and draw very serious power out of it - and that's what Ghost Rider did to build his most famous ride - the 499-horsepower, naked Hayabusa turbo in the photos here.

You can see the bike in full flight by searching "Ghost Rider BusaTurbo" on YouTube - we're a respectable publication, we won't link to such shenanigans here, but you can see the bike in question, painted flouro yellow, pulling ultra high-speed wheelies down a runway and then doing similar stunts on the highway.

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Purdue University students develop high performance electric motorbike

It doesn't seem too long ago when we were reporting on breakthroughs in battery technology that would allow electric motorbikes like the Brammo Enertia to travel as much as 45 miles (72 km) on a single charge. These days, we're seeing most of the recent arrivals (such as the 2012 Zero S range, for instance, or the gorgeous custom-built Brutus 2.0) flying past the 100 miles (160 km) barrier with relative ease, a range long enough to quieten even the most fervent of petrol-heads. Two Purdue University engineering students have recently completed the conversion of a Yamaha YZF600r to electric power that further pushes the envelope to more than 120 miles (193 km), using batteries cooled by phase change material.

Sean Kleinschmidt and Jim Danielson are no strangers to electric vehicle conversion. In 2009, the students transformed a red 1987 Porsche 924S (with a blown engine) into an electric-powered head-turner - with a lead-acid battery, and a forklift truck motor. It's fair to say that its top speed of just 55 mph (88.5 km/h) and range of 50 miles (80.4 km) didn't quite match its sporty looks, though. The pair then went on to co-launch the Purdue Electric Vehicles Club with fellow enthusiast Tony Coiro in 2010. The students also took possession of a 2000 Yamaha YZF600r with a bad transmission that same year.

The bike's engine and transmission were subsequently ripped out to make room for a battery pack, an electric motor, controller and other components, while the gasoline engine was sold to help fund the conversion project. While working on the Model S battery pack during an internship at Tesla Motors in California, Kleinschmidt managed to secure a donation of 1,512 Lithium-Ion batteries to make up a 10.6 kWh/117V peak battery pack. An internship at the Delphi Corporation was also of benefit to the project.

"Delphi was able to help out with not only a knowledge base but also by donating some of the electrical components such as the SAE J1772 standard EV charge plug," Kleinschmidt told Gizmag.

To help extend the life and the range of the battery pack, the build team began working with AllCell Technologies to incorporate the company's phase-change thermal management technology into the design. AllCell's custom phase change material-graphite composite surrounding each battery cell is said to absorb and distribute heat during discharge or when the motorbike is exposed to increased ambient temperatures.

"AllCell provided its phase change material (PCM) to thermally protect the batteries and we allowed them use our battery assembly facility to build the modules," said Greg Albright, Project Manager at All Cell Technologies. "PCM absorbs and distributes heat generated by the battery cells to maintain a low, uniform battery temperature, which is critical for cycle life. If one cell goes into thermal runaway (think Sony laptops, Chevy Volt) it prevents the neighboring cells from being triggered in a domino effect."

The electric YZF600r features a Battery Management System donated by Linear Technologies, and the battery pack delivers up to 72 kW of power to the 3-phase AC induction motor, resulting in around 100 horsepower and a top speed of over 120 mph (193 km/h).

As for the build pair's immediate plans - Kleinschmidt told us that he's just partnered with Purdue's Andrew Westrick and Tony Coiro to work on an electric bicycle for the Clean Energy Trust 2012 challenge. Danielson has started work on a new electric motor design with funding from the Thiel Fellowship.

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Roland Sands Attempts to Break 200 on Victory

“A personal goal of mine has been to go 200 mph.” So says custom bike builder and former AMA champion Roland Sands. And while breaking the 200 mph barrier on a motorcycle is itself a lofty accomplishment, simply breaking that barrier wouldn’t be enough for a man like Sands. To make it even more challenging, Roland set out to achieve his personal goal on an air cooled V-Twin Victory Motorcycle. 

The two have been working together on a little project called “The Road to 200" where they're creating a land-speed racer using a Victory as a base motorcycle to compete for a LSR in the Modified Partial Streamliner class. We saw the bike at the 2011 Victory Motorcycles press launch in its early stages. Roland had switched the bike’s standard controls for billet rearsets, threw on an Ohlins steering damper, some ultra-light prototype wheels, dropped the seat height, made an aerodynamic rear hump to match the arc of the rider’s back and converted the final drive to a chain. He dugout the top of the tank so he could tuck his chin in behind the rounded front fairing. Not soon after they did some preliminary test runs and reached a max speed of 151 mph. 

Since then, the engine has received a major makeover from the team at Lloyd’z Motor Workx, including the addition of a turbo charger. With the new engine work, Roland Sands and his team headed out with Victory to “The Monster Mile” at Maxton to see if they could break the 200 mph barrier. For the Maxton Mile, riders begin at a standing start over a road surface that has been deteriorating over the years.

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Honda to Unveil E-Concepts

While Japan’s big four OEMS have been fairly tight-lipped about their pursuit of electric motorcycles, Honda is one of the first to release plans for a production sportbike. Honda gave a glimpse into the future of the company when it announced its line of production and concept vehicles slated for unveiling at the 42nd Tokyo Motor Show. While most of the concept models dealt with personal mobility and offer up ideas on how people can get around in the crowded mega-metropolises of the future, it did reveal an interesting electric sportbike concept called RC-E. 

Scant details were released about Honda’s electric sportbike in advance of the show, but we do know the RC-E has the body of a 250cc racer. Its bodywork is a touch rounder and softer than the CBR1000RR, but it looks to be race-ready with its Mike Hailwood color scheme, Brembos mounted on big dual front discs, and Ohlins suspension. The lack of an exhaust leaves the tail section open and light. No word on the powerplant, but some form of a brushless synchronous motor seems to be the norm in e-motorcycles so far. We’ll know for sure December 3rd when the 42nd

The Honda Motor Compo has a removable battery designed for use in everyday applications and can be loaded into the Micro Commuter Concept shown below.

Tokyo Motor Show convenes. Until then, Motorcycle USA's Editorial Director, Ken Hutchison, wrote a bit more detailed account in his Honda RC-E Electric Superbike First Lookarticle. Below we published what Honda had to say about its electric sports bike, along with two other EV offerings slated for unveiling at the show. 

RC-E 
An EV version of a super sports bike that pursues the joy of riding. A powerful and smooth ride unique to an EV model is achieved with the 250cc-class compact body. Mike Hailwood colors. Brembo brakes, Ohlins fork and shock, it looks race ready. 

Motor Compo A compact EV commuter which offers the casual and convenient mobility of a two-wheeler, but also strives to be useful even when it is not being ridden. This model can be loaded in the MICRO COMMUTER CONCEPT, with the battery that drives this commuter detachable and designed to be used as a power source in everyday life. 

E-Canopy A quiet and comfortable next-generation commuter developed by installing an EV system on Honda's unique three-wheeled scooter. In addition to personal use, this vehicle can be utilized for business use such as a delivery service by adopting a rear trunk which can be built-in. 

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2011 Luxury Touring Motorcycle Shootout

In the grand scheme of things the luxury touring motorcycle niche is a relatively new category. Sure, motorcycles like Honda’s iconic Gold Wing have been around for decades, but it wasn’t until the last few years that this segment has seen dangerous competition from other brands. Fast forward to today and we’ve got three big name players from distinctly different parts of the globe represented in Motorcycle-USA’S first annual 2011 Luxury  Touring Motorcycle Shootout. 

Having invented the class in the mid ‘70s, the Honda Gold Wing is the benchmark when you consider the phrase luxury and touring. Although it certainly didn’t need it, engineers gave it a mild facelift for ’12 which we covered in detail during our 2012 Honda Gold Wing First Look, 2012 Honda Gold Wing Quick Ride and 2012 Honda Gold Wing Adventure Ride articles. 

Like before the new G-Wing ($27,099 as tested) continues to make use of a horizontally-opposed and liquid-cooled 1832cc six-cylinder engine that’s powerful enough to power many small cars. The engine is mated to a conventional five-speed manual gearbox that shifts power to the back tire via a shaft drive. The engine is mounted within in a twin-spar aluminum frame that utilizes technology gained from Big Red’s sportbikes including the CBR600RR and CBR1000RR (both two-time Supersport and Superbike Smackdown shootout winners, respectively). Well-calibrated front and rear suspension (with electronic pre-load adjustment) and strong, linked triple disc brakes (with optional ABS) ensure safety, comfort and, of course, performance. Sophisticated gadgetry consisting of an iPod and XM-compatible stereo (with CB and intercom functionality), optional GPS and airbag not to mention heated seats, grips and cruise control are all standard. 

Two years ago, Canadian-based powersports brand, Can-Am, released its curious Spyder RT which we test drove in the 2010 Can-Am Spyder RT First Ride. Based off its three-wheel Roadster platform, the RT ($28,099 as tested) was developed for persons looking for a new touring experience beyond what the two or four wheel worlds have to offer. 

Powered by a motorcycle-derived V-Twin engine that pumps out 998cc’s of liquid-cooled muscle, the RT utilizes two forward wheels with automobile-style suspension and brakes and one rear drive wheel. Either a manual five-speed transmission (with hand-operated clutch) or optional electronic sequential manual five-speed gearbox is available that puts power to the rear tire via belt final drive. The rider pilots the Spyder with a conventional handlebar. Copious storage capacity and touring-friendly amenities including heated seats/grips, cruise control and an electronically adjustable windshield are also part of the package. 

Though BMW has a far reaching history in the motorcycle touring segment, until this year it lacked a true luxury tourer capable of going head-to-head with the best from Japan and Canada. That changes with the introduction of its all-new K1600 GTL ($26,340 as tested). 

Hailed as one of the most advanced touring motorcycles ever built, the K1600 GTL has big shoes to fill before we even threw a leg over it in this comparison. Fortunately for BMW, it seems to be living up to the hype per Editorial Director Ken Hutchison’s dissertation from South Africa in the 2012 BMW K1600GTL First Ride. As stated in 2011 BMW K1600GT First Look and BMW K1600GT Reveal at Jay Leno Garage articles, this new Beemer is powered by a high-tech, liquid-cooled 1649cc Inline-Six with a conventional manual-style six-speed gearbox. That marvelous engine is hung within a fairly lightweight chassis (for its class) that features the German company's proprietary Duolever front end and Paralever rear suspension that operates through a single-sided swingarm and shaft final drive. A slick, and very forward-thinking user interface allows the rider to control many of the gizmos including the height of the windshield, stereo, cruise control, seat/hand heaters, and suspension and engine power modes via buttons and a flick of the rider’s left wrist courtesy of the multi-function control. 

To evaluate the differences between these three machines we mapped a long 750-mile (one way) route from Southern California to this summer’s Red Bull USGP at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California. This two-day trek led us through an assortment of different road and weather conditions which made it quite clear where each of these bikes fits in the class. To help authenticate our opinions we ran each bike thorough our standard gamut of performance tests to give readers the most information as possible. Points were then assessed via our tried and true modified Formula One system thus revealing the ultimate luxury touring mount. 

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2012 Ducati Streetfighter 848

Ducati has finally confirmed (publicly) the release of the 2012 Streetfighter 848 – and here are the first officially released images of the brand new model, which we’ll ride later this month.

The new bike uses a re-engineered 848 Testastretta 11° engine in the existing Streetfighter chassis, plus a raft of improvements over its bigger brother with styling solutions for all those ugly bits we were never meant to see. The power delivery is claimed to be ‘smooth and flexible’, a consequence of the re-engineering of the motor, but power delivery is likely to still be typically aggressive. The Streetfighter 848 also gets Ducati Traction Control though, so it won’t be too threatening for less experienced riders.

The new bike will be available from November 2011 onwards, in red, yellow or “dark stealth”.

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Tron Lightcycle hits the streets

Practicality tends to take a back seat when you combine sci-fi cult status with custom chopper building - and there's no room for a pillion passenger on the Lightcycle. We first spied Parker Brothers Choppers Lightcycle project last year when it surfaced in gas-powered form, now the company has released video of a fully-electric version of the neon-packing two-wheeler in action. The electric motor may be quieter, but this one's still guaranteed to turn heads.

The Lightcycle is based on the conveyance from 2010's Tron: Legacy and in its latest real-world form it has undergone extensive body reworking as well as getting a 96 volt electric motor and lithium ion battery pack. Parker Brothers quotes an (impressive if true) top speed of in excess of 100 mph for and a range of 100 miles on a single charge with 35 minute recharge times.

There's no word yet on pricing or availability of All Electric Lightcycle, but the Suzuki 4-stroke driven model is still being sold through Hammacher Schlemmer for an the asking price of US$55K.

You might not find yourself lane-splitting or scraping the pegs while astride this beast, but - at least until landspeeders hit the market - you'll be hard pressed to find a more radical 21st century ride.

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F3 Adrenaline 3-wheel motorcycle

January 4, 2007 We've encountered a raft of exciting three-wheeled motorcycle designs in recent years including the Can-Am Spyder, Brudeli's Three-Wheel Leanster, the VentureOne plug-in hybrid and the T-REX from Campagna. More recently, scooter manufacturers have embraced the wide-track stability, braking power and cornering prowess of the two at the front/one at the rear configuration with the release of models like the Piaggio MP3. While many designs are still in prototype phase, it seems certain that the three-wheeled footprint will become an increasingly familiar site on the road with the latest example to cross our desk - the striking tandem seat F3 Adrenaline from San Diego based TriRod Motorcycles - now accepting reservations ahead of a Q2 2008 release.

Developed with the aim of creating "a radical new vehicle that would offer unparalleled performance... combining advanced technologies from Formula 1 racing, aerospace, and motorcycles", TriRod Motorcycles' A3 Adrenaline cuts a mean profile with its sleek naked design featuring black carbon fiber body panels, extensive use of chrome, fully adjustable Penske racing shocks, low profile tires and exposed F1 style suspension components.

“TriRod’s platform offers increased safety and stability over traditional motorcycles while adding a whole new level of thrilling performance”, says TriRod Motorcycles Co-founder and Chairman Robert Miller.

Power is delivered by an air-cooled, v-twin, fuel injected JIMS Twin Cam 120 cubic inch engine through a 125 Tooth, Kevlar reinforced belt drive and 6-speed transmission with 2 into 1 exhaust and a 20 inch rim with a Pirelli 325 tire at the rear. The A3 also features an optional (and practical) electric reverse drive.

The stability and rollover-resistance inherent in the 2-1 layout is boosted by the low-profile, low-center of gravity design and 60-inch track at the front.

The suspension system features double, unequal, non-parallel a-arms for maximum traction (over 1g in corners) with fully adjustable shocks mated to the a-arms through a pullrod and rocker to reduce unsprung weight and improve handling on bumpy tarmac. At the rear a high-performance motorcycle style mono-shock system attached to swing arm via a rocker and link is used. According to TriRod this design keeps the suspension soft and supple in normal conditions but firms up just before a big bottom out.

A unique purpose-built chassis using a 3-inch diameter sweeping tube as the main frame member was developed for the vehicle and 6061-T6 billet aluminum parts are used throughout (including shock bodies, rocker arms, pull rods, brake calipers and foot and hand controls) along with forged aluminum rims.

The F3 Adrenaline is the first of a planned line of tandem seat three wheel performance motorcycles which will also include a touring version known as the X-Plor™.

Orders now for TriRod Motorcycles' 2008 F3 Adrenaline ahead of a production release in the 2nd quarter of 2008. Pricing has been set at USD$54,995) for the 2008 Adrenaline model with the USD$34,995 Touring model to follow. Stay tuned to Gizmag for further specs updates as they become available.

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Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14: the most powerful and the fastest production motorcycle in history

For several years now, the 178bhp Kawasaki ZX12 has had the most horsepower of any production motorcycle, though it has played second fiddle to the 175 bhp Suzuki GSX1300 Hayabusa (named after the Japanese Peregrine falcon, one of the few animals on the planet which can travel at 300km per hour which it does during a dive) because the Hayabusa has a higher top speed – the Suzuki’s aerodynamics enable it to more than make up for the slight horsepower deficit and it has now held the title of the world’s fastest production motorcycle for six years since it launched. The Hayabusa’s top speed as measured by the Guiness Book of Records is 317 km/h. But Kawasaki’s just announced ZX14 company flagship boasts 1400cc, much slipperier aerodynamics and the most horsepower and highest top speed of any production motorcycle EVER! The publicity conscious Kawasaki is keeping mum on the exact figures but the rumours emanating from Japan indicate we are just about to see the world’s first 200bhp production motorcycle. 

A manufacturer is defined by the motorcycles it makes, and the defining characteristic of Kawasaki motorcycles has always been power - lots of power. It became the horsepower king waaay back when it released the H1 500cc three cylinder two-stroke triple in the late sixties, and built on that reputation with the 750cc H2 three cylinder two-stroke triple and finally the Z1 900cc four cylinder machine and the family of big four cylinder four-strokes that bike spawned – the Z1000, Z1-R, GPZ900R and all the way through to the modern hyper-bikes like the ZZ-R1100 and Ninja ZX-12R, Kawasaki’s flagship machines have set performance standards.

There’s absolutely no doubt that Kawasaki has been getting ready to take on the Hayabusa for several years – the ZX12 was expected to be a Hayabusa-beater and despite its ram air induction system inflating real horsepower from 178 at low speed to 190 at high speed (the forced air induction acts has the same effect as a supercharger), its aerodynamics let it down. But the ZX14 has obviously spent a lot of time in the wind tunnel as Kawasaki prides itself on the performance factor and it wanted to be the fastest of the bunch again. And there is absolutely no doubt that despite the big K’s coyness, the new Ninja ZX-14will be the most powerful and the fastest ever and continue the tradition by delivering as-yet-unheard-of levels of performance and excitement. Its aerodynamics reminds users that Kawasaki is indeed an aircraft manufacturer.

Kawasaki engineers and designers have created a motorcycle that turns its Ram Air and fuel-injected engine into the core of a powerful, torque-producing, aerodynamic stunner that will draw attention from onlookers whether on the road, or parked on the roadside. The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14 is a 1352cc motorcycle, that is its most powerful ever, and succeeds in setting the performance standards for others to follow.

This all new in-line four has evolved from the Ninja ZX-12R and features a bore and stroke of 84 x 61mm packed into a purposefully designed compact outline that minimizes engine width, leaving it at virtually the same width as the 12R.

A twist of the throttle delivers a seamless spread of torque that is so linear, the "power band," per se, ceases to exist. Riders will pay particular attention to the impressive response that kicks in once the motor exceeds 6,000 rpm. Those that have ridden this newest Kawasaki flagship marvel at the torque response that makes pulling away from a total stop in almost any gear a possibility.

The engine uses a secondary balancer to tame unwanted vibrations, and a direct-actuation shift lever is lighter than conventional linkage-type set-ups, offering a more direct feel for the rider.

The ZX-14's chassis design is every bit the equal of its power plant. It is an advanced version of Kawasaki's unique aluminum monocoque frame, lightweight and very strong. This sophisticated approach gives the ZX-14 a responsive handling quality and incredible highway stability. By utilizing this frame technology, engineers were able to concentrate on delivering, as mentioned, a very slim, compact package. Inherently more rigid than twin-spar frames, and with the engine rigid-mounted, the monocoque's strength is greatly increased.

With the engine positioned forward in the frame, engineers were able to carefully select the wheelbase and front/rear wheel weight balance to achieve both high speed stability and responsive handling. The ZX-14 uses an inverted 43mm cartridge fork and new Uni-Trak linkage rear suspension to complement the highly rigid frame, thus offering both great controllability at high speeds and superb road holding when sport riding on twisting hill roads.

Does this ultimate combination of engine performance and chassis design make the Kawasaki ZX-14 rider-friendly?

The engineers and designers sought to combine the utmost elements of today's motorcycle technologies, yet still provide a package that is both approachable-and usable. The ZX-14 delivers seamless power, a smooth ride, and friendly ergonomics. Together, these characteristics are manifested in a ride that is surprisingly non-intimidating, yet still maintains the heart of the rebel so much a part of Kawasaki's brand heritage.

Offering a very relaxed sport riding position, it is compact without being cramped, and the bars are positioned so riders don't have to stretch to reach them. The narrow engine, monocoque frame, and fuel tank make it easy for the rider to keep his knees close together in any riding conditions. Footpegs are low-set to give ample legroom and the low seat height and narrow seat front make planting feet on the ground when stopped a cinch.

And when the rider is stopped, the motorcycle will be the center of attention. Because the monocoque frame goes over the engine and doesn't protrude through the fairing, the fairing design lines are uninterrupted, giving it a smooth, flowing appearance, from front to rear. Quadruple projector beam headlights adorn the ZX-14's front cowl, with the outer lights containing position lamps and high beams. Low beams are located in the two center lamps. The front and rear turn signals are integrated into the fairing and rear cowl, and the all new LED tail lamp features a unique "V" design.

Other key features of the Kawasaki ZX-14:

- Instrument cluster with easy-to-read, white-faced dual analogue speedometer and tachometer. - Shift indicator light and clutch engagement light. - Multi-function LCD digital display includes fuel gauge, gear indicator, dual trip meters, odometer, and clock. - Large diameter petal brake discs, radial mount front calipers and a radial pump brake master cylinder for impressive braking performance and superb feel. - Hydraulically operated clutch features a radial mount clutch master cylinder for worry-free, silky smooth clutch operation. - Fuel tank features a flush-surface tank cap. - Idling speed control system contributes to easy starting capability. - Lightweight Denso radiator with high-density cores provides efficient cooling. - Massive head pipe casting contributes to frame rigidity. - Airbox located in the frame, contributing to a very compact layout. - Engine and chassis components designed to maximize mass centralization. - Newly designed wheels feature center ribs which are slightly offset so that tire balance weights can be located at the wheel centerline.

All told, Kawasaki has once again brought its engineering and design expertise to the forefront of motorcycle creation. The Ninja ZX-14 lives up to its predecessors, and far surpasses them, as the meaning of the word "ultimate" has found a new definition, at least as far as roadgoing motorcycles go.

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The Babyblade is back!: 2011 Honda CBR250R

Twenty years ago, quarter-liter sportsbikes ruled the roost in many regions, offering a mix of racy looks, light weight and snappy performance. But in recent years, with all the other major players leaving the segment, Kawasaki has enjoyed unchallenged sales success with its sharp-looking, yet friendly Ninja 250. But the mini-ninja will soon face stiff competition from Honda's totally re-conceived babyblade CBR250R, equipped with a 249cc single-cylinder, fuel injected engine, a tasty fairing that mimics the CBR1000RR and the first instance of optional ABS to grace the market segment. This will be a killer learner machine and a great introduction to the sport for legions of young riders. It's good to see the quarter-liter segment getting some love again. Oh, and check out what the aftermarket's already coming up with for these new machines.

Back in the early 1990s, the 250cc class was red-hot -– Honda's CBR250RR battling it out with Kawasaki's ZXR250 and Yamaha's YZF250 in a stand-up mini racebike brawl that saw power figures escalating to ridiculous heights. 45 horsepower from a quarter liter, 4 cylinder 4-stroke? That's a heck of a lot, especially considering we're talking more than 20 years ago, when top-flight liter bikes weren't making much more than 130 horses.

But that's what the kids wanted: bikes that looked fast and had lots of power. And the 250cc 4-strokes fit conveniently within learner license regulations in countries like Japan and Australia. They sold like hotcakes.

But like any hard-edged sports machine, they took a lot of skill to ride. You can't make big horsepower from a 4-cylinder engine without sacrificing a lot of low-end torque, so the CBR250s of old were very easy to stall. Low-set clip-on bars would crush your thumbs against the tank as you tried to do u-turns. These things were great on the open road, but a right pain around town – and I think it's fair to say they put a fair few learners off the idea of riding altogether. They had their shiny, fast-looking bikes, but they just couldn't get their heads around how to ride the things.

Fast-forward 20 years to the learnerbike market of today -– while many countries have graduated license schemes based on power-to-weight ratios, allowing learner riders to get on big, friendly bikes like the GS500, GSX650F, CB400 and the like, the bike that has really been setting sales figures alight is the Kawasaki Ninja 250.

And the Ninja got a lot of things right; it looks fast, but it's not as highly strung as the old ZXR. In fact, it's based on the old faithful GPZ and ZZR bikes that rounded out Kawasaki's 250cc offering for decades. Practical and rewarding machines that always seemed to play second fiddle to the racier looking machines.

The Ninja 250 put a coat of glamor on top of the fantastic GPX platform, creating a learnerbike that was both desirable AND rideable, that drew new riders into the sport but gave them something encouraging and friendly to develop their skills on. Released in 2008 and more or less unchallenged in its segment, it's still selling like crazy.

So the real question here is: why did it take Honda four years to catch up?

Catch up might not be the right word; Honda's upcoming 2011 CBR250R release will push the game a little further on from the little Ninja, but it takes a few big cues from the Kawasaki's success.

First of all, it looks great, every bit the younger brother of the popular CBR1000RR and VFR1200F with its glossy paneling, triangular exhaust and underpants-shaped headlight. It looks quick and it looks *now*.

The engine choice is an interesting one – Kawasaki has had great success with the Ninja 250R's parallel twin, but Honda has opted for a single-cylinder 249cc 4-stroke, fuel injected and very much oversquare, with a bore of 76mm and a stroke of just 55mm.

No power figures are quoted as yet, but that engine configuration suggests a very torquey bike, easy to get off the line and quick to build revs. It's also light, tipping the scales at 161 kg wet. Seat height is a fair bit higher than the Ninja 250R, at 78 cm versus the Kawasaki's 74.5 cm.

Most significantly, the Honda CBR250R will be the first bike in the segment to offer an ABS braking system – in this case, Honda's Combined ABS system, which in addition to managing wheel slip, also makes a proportion of the rear pedal braking pressure activate the front brakes.

It cannot be overstated what a good idea this is on a learner bike. I've had my reservations about motorcycle ABS systems in the past, but the simple fact is, you can grab and stomp the brake levers like a baboon in the pouring rain and Honda's ABS system will get you safely to a stop. And the combined braking system will nurse learners through that ubiquitous period where they're too afraid to get on the front brakes hard because of all the weight transfer issues. This combined ABS system alone will certainly save a legion of young riders from expensive and painful drops and crashes they would have had without it.

ABS is an optional addition, adding additional cost and 4kg of weight to the package. I would thoroughly recommend it.

So there you have it; in some ways, you might look at the new CBR250 and see it as a step backwards from what we had in the late 80s and early 90s. It will certainly not match the stratospheric power figures of that era, but as an entry machine into the world of motorcycling, it will serve new riders much better – without sacrificing the desirability factor of the older machines.

The aftermarket is already getting in on the act, anticipating this machine will be a big hit. The recent Thai Motor Expo saw big-name players like Mugen and Moriwaki showcasing an array of aftermarket gear for the new babyblade, including a couple of full fairing kits to make race replicas. Expect this part of the market to take off even harder when MotoGP's 125cc 2-strokes leave the grid forever, replaced by 250cc 4-strokes. Check out the prototypes below:

The only thing that remains to be seen is how the new CBR goes against the Ninja 250R – and you can bet your hat there'll be a rash of comparo tests hitting the magazines and the Web the second the CBR250R becomes available – which will be in Q2 this year. Whichever one takes off quicker from the lights, my vote's with the Honda and its ABS system.

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Kawasaki goes all-in: the 200+bhp 2011 Ninja ZX-10R

Kawasaki has stamped its foot; Team Green is sick of playing catch-up in World Superbikes, it will no longer be content to languish at the back of the field. But defeating the monstrous Aprilia RSV4 and the ominous BMW S1000RR is going to require a motorcycle leagues ahead of what Kawasaki has been rolling out in 2010. Behold, motorcycle fans, the new king of the castle. Ripping out a terrifying 210 horsepower and weighing just 198kg full of fuel and fluids, the 2011 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R leap-frogs to the front of the power and power-to-weight charts. But it's not just muscles that make this bike so special, it sports a completely redesigned chassis aimed at improving handling and racetrack lap times – and a traction control/ABS setup that ditches all notions that such systems are for safety. On the new Ninja, the intelligent electronics are all focused on making you faster than ever before on the road or track. Wouldn't it be an amazing turnaround if this machine could catapult Kawasaki back into World Superbike contention? Either way, this is one of the most exciting bikes we've seen in lime green for a lot of years, and it's a signal to the other Japanese manufacturers that near enough is no longer good enough.

There's no overstating the size of the rocket that BMW fired up the backsides of the Japanese motorcycle manufacturers when it launched its class-dominating S1000RR superbike contender last year. While unsuccessful on the racetrack thus far, the Beemer entrusted its rider with nearly 20 more horsepower than any of the Japanese bikes, breaking the magical 200-horsepower barrier, and came with a set of race- and road-ready electronics that put it leagues ahead of the rest in pretty much every comparo test on the planet.

Now, finally, the Japanese are firing their first salvo back at the Germans – and if the BMW came out of nowhere, this latest monster comes from even less auspicious origins. Kawasaki is a fallen empire in motorcycle racing history; the renowned tractor, jet-ski and train makers were regular podium and race winners throughout the early days of world Superbike racing in the 1990s, but in recent times, results in top level racing have been nothing short of embarrassing.

Kawasaki fans have long memories and undeniable passion, but for the last 6 or 7 years, lime green bikes have regularly languished right at the back of the pack both in World Superbike and MotoGP.

So as a Kawasaki owner myself, it's with considerable excitement that I look at the first Kawasaki in more than a decade that looks like a real leap forward – the 2011 ZX-10R Ninja. The bike that lured MotoGP race-winner Chris Vermeulen to waste a season circulating at the back of the field in the prime of his career with the slowest team in World Superbikes. The bike that Kawasaki believes will turn its racing fortunes around. And it looks like an absolute ripper.

Unveiled yesterday afternoon at Intermot Cologne, the new big Ninja packs a jaw-dropping spec sheet and an electronics package that's got one simple goal: this Kwaka wants to be the fastest thing on the road. Let's take a look inside its lunchbox:

200 horsepower - and that's before Ram Air

The 998cc inline-4 engine has been lightened and strengthened all over the place - but that magical 200.1 metric horsepower (PS) is what's going to count at the sales desk. Add in Kawasaki's famous affinity for ram air - that is, using aerodynamic fairings to force extra air down the engine's throat at high speeds - and you're looking at somewhere around 210 horsepower from a bog-stock motorcycle, comprehensively trousering the BMW and the vastly more expensive top shelf MV Agustas.

210 horsepower is a magnificent and terrifying figure, and one that most car owners will struggle to put in any sort of perspective. Let's put it this way – since the Ninja ZX-10R now weighs only 198kg dripping wet (a humiliating 6kg lighter than the Beemer), it's now got a horsepower-to-kilograms ratio of greater than 1:1. If you take a Mini Cooper S, which is a fairly lightweight and zippy car, you'd need to give it roughly six and a half times more power to compete with the barnstorming Kwaka. As Mr. Burns would say: "ex…cellent."

New Chassis

As nice as it is to be able to boast face-melting power figures, it wasn't ever insufficient ponies that held previous ZX-10R contenders back on the racetrack. So what's likely got Vermeulen and his team excited is the new Ninja's revised chassis.

The new frame arrangement brings the centre of gravity down lower by around 3cm, which is important for getting the bike from kneedown right to kneedown left as fast as possible. The front end geometry has also been steepened with a reduced rake for even faster steering. The new bike puts even more weight over the front wheel than before, which should give it additional stability under brakes and vastly improved feel at the front wheel. This will also reduce the ZX-10R's tendency to wheelie – but enthusiastic throttle jockeys needn't worry, it'll still wheelie until the cows come home if you want it to.

Traction control and ABS with a focus on speed, not safety

A lot of the top superbike contenders are now rolling out into the showroom equipped with some form of traction control and/or ABS. Typically, the other factories sell these features as safety additions to help save riders from their own ham-fisted use of the throttle and brake.

Not Kawasaki, however. Team Green is giving you these features so you can go faster and ride closer to the bike's limits, whether it's on the road or the track. Both systems have been modified to make sure they don't get in the way of the rider achieving maximum performance.

The big Ninja's new S-KTRC traction control system, for example, recognizes that the quickest acceleration actually occurs when you've got the perfect degree of rear-wheel slip. So it monitors front and rear wheel speeds every 5 milliseconds, then intervenes by controlling the ignition advance to keep the rear wheel slipping at just the perfect amount. Kawasaki claims that S-KTRC works and thinks faster than other traction control systems, which makes it operate smoother, thus cutting down on harsh interventions and excessive slip. This keeps the rider confident and helps to exploit every last bit of grip available.

The system takes a similar approach to wheelies, permitting a controlled degree of power wheelie out of a corner (again in the name of maximum acceleration), but intervening when the front wheel seems to be coming up too sharply. It's 3-mode adjustable to suit your riding conditions and size of cojones.

Likewise, the Kawasaki Intelligent anti-lock Brake System (KIBS) takes advantage of super-fine sensor readings to provide what the company believes is the fastest-thinking ABS system in the motorcycle world. With speed comes the ability to make much finer adjustments to braking pressure, avoiding the suspension-hammering lock-release-lock-release action of the typical ABS system to provide much smoother stopping. That lack of locking and grabbing should also help keep the rear wheel down under hard braking, as there's less pitching around on the edge of traction than with other systems. But Kawasaki isn't selling this as a safety feature - nope, it's there to get you to maximum braking power and keep you there as securely as possible so that – you guessed it – you can go faster.

Traction control is standard, ABS will be optional.

Suspension and Braking

You name it, it's there. Big Piston Forks, radial brake calipers and master cylinders (although Kawasaki has stopped short of equipping the ZX-10R with monobloc calipers), fully adjustable Showa shock… although it's worth nothing that the shock has been tipped over on its side and mounted horizontally.

This is designed to help centralize mass, as well as to alter the suspension action rate in different parts of the stroke for improved roadholding. It also clears a bigger channel behind the engine for cooling airflow.

Dashboard Gadgetry

This is a completely new instrument panel, and it looks very cool. For starters, there's a multicoloured LED-backlit tacho bar that can be set to flash as a shift indicator. Then there's a dual-mode main readout, which can be set to road or race mode, with lap timer, gear position indicator, clock, speedo and all the usual suspects, plus a nod to environmentally friendly riding with the Economical Riding Indicator that rewards you for making fuel-efficient choices with the throttle and gear levers. It's a thoughtful touch, but running down the list of Kawasaki riders I know, I doubt it will make much of a difference to Kwaka fans' riding habits.

Styling

There's more than enough photos in the gallery for you to make up your own mind about the looks of this new big daddy Ninja. But it's a clear departure from the previous model, and from what the rest of the Japanese crowd are doing. Heavily forward-biased, hunched over and angular, the ZX-10R is coming off the blocks with a distinctive appearance that gives more than a little hint about its evil intentions. Stealth ride this is not, especially in that famous, evil lime green.

There's a huge difference between a roadbike and a superbike race machine, for sure, but this does indeed look like a revolutionary new Kawasaki. Vaulting 10 horsepower clear of the BMW S1000RR is no small statement, the electronics package is fascinating and the overall package looks great – but more importantly, it's the first time in a lot of years that Kawasaki doesn't look like it's playing catch-up.

Chris Vermeulen and a horde of rabid Kawasaki lovers will be pinning high hopes on this machine - and wouldn't it be an amazing story if this one two-wheeled berserker could turn Team Green's racing fortunes around? We can only hope.

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