Yamaha set to manufacture global models in India

Japanese giant Yamaha is all set to make the ‘made-in-India’ tag global. The bike-maker company has decided that it will develop and manufacture its ‘global models’ in India, which would then be sold in emerging Asian markets, as well as European markets and in Japan.

Hiroyuki Yanagi, the President and CEO of Yamaha Motor Co said that India was low-cost market, and it would be ideal to develop stylish global models from this country and sell them in European and Asian markets. Yamaha was eager to make India a manufacturing location for bikes powered by 100cc-200cc engines. Other than Europe and Asia, there would be a few other markets for these bikes as well, such as South Africa and Yamaha’s home market, Japan.

Yamaha had been a popular and highly favored brand in India till the late nineties, after which it started losing out to competition from Hero Honda (now Hero Motocorp; the partnership being broken), Bajaj Auto and TVS.

The Japanese company is now looking at various ways to enhance its market rankings by launching a slew of new models for both the domestic and global market. One sector where it is flourishing is in the scooter segment, with the Ray model for women becoming highly popular and had to be complemented by the addition of the Ray Z for men.

Yanagi said that he expected sales in the Indian market to rise gradually, despite the base being relatively small now.

Yamaha has recently undertaken a very ambitious project by starting development for very cheap scooter models and motorcycles – below Rs. 27000 – in India. China would be one among the markets where these low-cost models would be exported, making Yamaha the first company to take a ‘made-in-India’ original automobile to China.

Compare Honda motorcycles NC 700 X vs Suzuki DL650 V-Strom

X with NC 700, Honda introduced a very special way to glimpse the trail mid-displacement, economic rational … But what is the strategy address the tenors, more conventional, category? First game here against the V-Strom DL650 2012, before an upcoming duel to read very soon. Action!

Honda NC 700 X vs Suzuki DL650 V-Strom: The comparative

The arrival of the new Honda NC 700 X Will it revolutionize the category of mid-displacement trails? It’s possible. This bike comes with also a step ahead if we take into account its relevance to the future reform of the European who helped set a limit to 35 kilowatts for beginners Category A2 from January 2013. The NC700X opens the opportunity for a brand new engine block, which relies on arguments unusual for the genre motorcyclist design taking into account the reform of the permit, ultra low average fuel consumption, driveability, accreditation-like current; performance general, often rely forward in all arguments, then move into the background. Orientation “motomaubile” would it intended to appeal especially … “motomobilistes” or bikers as motorists? So, failing to find him a true rival front that does not exist yet, we have chosen to oppose the Honda NC700X neither more nor less than the reference time in mid-displacement road trails: the new Suzuki DL650 V-Strom 2012.
Ergonomics between the crossover from Honda is just
Honda NC 700 X is a motorcycle called “cross over“ by Honda at the crossroads so. It resembles in some ways a trail, a road by other … and it is verified once on board. With 830 mm seat height to the shape cleverly worked, the new Honda Trail consumer proves far more accessible than the 2012 Suzuki DL650, which itself rises to just over 5 mm. The gap seems therefore once installed. Honda gives pride to the relaxed, low footpegs, narrow generally handle very high. The Suzuki has an equally relaxed ergonomics, but the legs are more bent and the feeling of being away from the direction betrays his older design, more voluminous.
The first laps are not less instructive: first, the more compact size, the large handlebars, ultra easy direction, are of a Honda motorcycle extremely intuitive. You’ll notice that it’s usually the sort of home, but this facility fully meets the ambitions of the NC 700 X to apply to “first-time buyers“. If Suzuki can also be the first large displacement of many beginners, its height and his size does not necessarily make a bike easier.

The City facilitates NC700X
After a few urban developments, we quickly notice that Honda was made to walk the boulevards: it shines even better than the Suzuki DL650 V-Strom and has orders for greater sweetness. He was awarded 20/20 for the city then? No, not quite. Firstly because the gearbox Honda does not compete with the best of its kind – the Suzuki is then almost level on this point – but also because its brand new engine, announced as very docile at low revs, no ultimately proves no more flexible than the excellent V-twin Suzuki.
650 on the DL, you can drive in the third city in almost no change of speed, even by taking up to 2 000 r / min. While the Honda barely drop below 2500 r / min without hitting … A highlight for this architecture to 270 ° generally praised for its high mechanical flexibility (see Yamaha TDM 900, the Triumph Bonneville). Nevertheless, between the docility and the roundness of its engine, its ease of driving, his helmet in the wrong tank (great and certainly focusing on the long run!), The Honda does not lack for argument unless the appeal most of us everyday.

Suzuki expands on the road
In town or at the usual times on peri-urban highways, Honda NC 700 X shows so at ease. The throttle response is more immediate and it does not feel like riding a motorized in spite of its power of only 47.5 horsepower (to 670 cm3). However, accelerating the interim reports, you find yourself quickly reach the rev limiter … which makes the motorcycle jump to 6500 rev / min! Then comes the moment “to confront“ a hostile slope on the A4 just steps from Reims. With the headwind, the Honda NC700 X then shows some difficulties in increasing the pace … Suzuki DL650 V-Strom does not have this restraint and immediately made ​​the cannons and the extension very expressive of its 69 horses to more than 8500 r / min … Unsurprisingly finally, there is a real gap between the two trails of the same capacity, even during testing times. Whatever the report and speed – even with the DL 650 in the sixth and fifth in NC700 X- Suzuki forget the Honda.

Honda changes your behavior
However, if one recalls the pleasure of driving – and is it not important today? – The Honda is not dropped. The engine responds quickly to commands and this, on occasions the county are far from being ridiculous, cross just 4000 r / min to 130 km / h is a real pleasure riding the serene NC 700 X. Simply, the engine requires a manual that departs from the conventional schemes. We must shift gears quickly enough because the extension is limited, and use the flexibility to adjust its pace to better-looking legal … and finally common. We discover a twin and then filled enough reagent. Certainly, next accreditation, Suzuki and his “old” engine whose base was in 2002, arose there. Flexibility, torque, longer angry, few blows, obviously, this engine proves just as effective, even in 2012!

More roadster than trail, the X
Particular it is true for driving, the Honda does not require any re-learning so far. With a low center of gravity, a pair of 17 inch wheels like any roadster, road pavement tires Bridgestone BT 23, the NC 700 X reveals an excellent dynamic behavior: heading hold large curved stability of the angle, neutrality in the great sinuous, she gives a smile as soon as triangular panels announcing turns emerge. On the efficiency of the cycle part, she did better than the Suzuki and it was not a foregone conclusion given the potential of DL650. This requires more involvement in the changes of direction and is less rigid when it triggers a late shift. Rest assured, the Suzuki DL650 V-Strom 2012 is none the less a piece of choice in the winding. We would like to find the best Suzuki gums series (Bridgestone Trail Wing) or braking at the Honda (despite its single disc front brake while ABS Honda is more transparent, resulting in very rare rebounds in the brake pedal for example). But once again the Suzuki’s delay in step motorway over 170 km in one go thanks to the comfort saddle and suspension, and his royal protection.
Is it still trails … or something else?
Aboard the Honda NC 700 X and Suzuki DL650 V-Strom we could not prevent us to draw straight into the campaign at the right time, just to check if the appellation trail, with ergonomics that can drive up (that are not enduro either, no exaggeration), was still valid … But a very bold ground is quick to give us ideas in place. Once the sculptures of his tires filled with mud trails, the Suzuki DL650 does almost no advantage apart from a suitable ground clearance … And it will end flat in the mud, probably too high for your servant. Certainly, these bikes can walk paths rolling, but little else. The functionality of the trails is a distant memory, these bikes are actually more comfortable on road.
Conclusion: Accreditation daily, price, performance, difficult to decide
The first match, which calls another (next week) … allowed us to better understand the new Honda NC 700 X in a real context. Designed primarily to meet the demands and needs of new customers from 2013 (because European license), it has something to finally look more broadly. Taking into account its current accreditation-like, its easy to drive, its consumption, its ingenious helmet, its very good handling, the NC700 X has enough to meet the needs of more particularly those that count. Displayed to € 6,490 with ABS as standard, this should leave something to equip it with a bubble high to approach the comfort provided by the Suzuki DL650 V Strom costing her € 8,199 with the ABS as standard. Nevertheless, it is not wrong target. Because in that first game, the recent Suzuki DL650 V Strom has played the role of “Mrs. more”: more performance, more character, more comfort on long-term, short, versatility undoubtedly even better, what it is here to dominate the points … but not necessarily in the hearts of everyone.
Honda NC 700 X

Suzuki DL650 V-Strom

MOTORCYCLE MODIFICATION | Extreme Modification Motorcycle2013

of the motorcycle 2, we can keep score. that the two were in bike into the category of extreme modification because he has a strange appearance. when compared with the modification of another motorcycle.

XTREME MODIFED MOTORCYCLE

Extreme Modifed Harley Davidson

of the motorcycle 2, we can keep score. that the two were in bike into the category of extreme modification because he has a strange appearance. when compared with the modification of another motorcycle. harley davidson of color in the paint with air brush has a unique character. namely using the concept of choper. and the blue harley davidson was using the concept of the modern modifications. because we can see a lot of accessories that use high technology, such as the audi system installed on the bike. please if you are interested in, treat your eyes to look at this bike.

Download workshop manual aprilia rs 125

This manual provides the information required for normal servicing. This publication is intended for use by aprilia Dealers and their qualified mechanics; many concepts have been omitted on purpose as their inclusion would be superfluous. Since complete mechanical explanations have not been included in this manual, the reader must be familiar with basic notions of mechanics, as well as with basic repair procedures.

Without such familiarity, repairs and checks could be ineffective and even hazardous. Since the repair and vehicle check instructions are not exhaustive, special care must be taken to avoid damage and injury. Piaggio & C. S.p.A. undertakes to constantly improve the design of its products and the relevant literature to ensure maximum customer satisfaction. The main technical modifications and changes in repair procedures are communicated to all aprilia dealers and agencies worldwide. Such modifications will be entered in subsequent editions of the manual. Should you need assistance or clarifications about the inspection and repair procedures, please contact the aprilia SERVICE DEPT., they will be glad to give you any information on the matter, or supply you with any detail on updates and technical changes applied to the vehicle Download workshop manual aprilia rs 125here
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Custom Motorcycle Mirrors Fits Most Harley Davidsons, Suzuki, Honda, Kawasaki Cruisers, Touring Bikes, Sport Bike, Cafe Racers, Electric Scooters side rear view mirrors motorcycle - Free Adapters

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motorsport | motoGP news update | superbike | motorcycle modification | Looking ahead to Rossi's last day at Yamaha

The attention is on Valentino Rossi's impending switch to Ducati, but Toby Moody considers the Yamaha team he's leaving behind. And also assesses 125cc sensation Marc Marquez

Seven years ago this weekend, Valentino Rossi got his backpack, jumped on his Austin Powers Repsol Honda for the very last time and rode into the history books as an ex-works HRC rider. He walked away, of his own volition, from HRC who'd made the three cylinders forward, two cylinders back Honda V5 that had conquered every race but three from two seasons in MotoGP.

We all thought it was brave, even I thought he might win three races at a push during his first season on a Yamaha, but he proved me wrong and smoked 'em. Max Biaggi rode the race of his life at Welkom in 2004 and still finished second.

We go to Valencia for the final MotoGP race of 2010 already knowing Valentino will ride for Ducati, following the August announcement by Gabriele del Torchio

As one Ducati person said to me this week: "We are trying to prepare for it all, but we really don't know how big it's going to be."

Valentino Rossi © LAT

I said that even if it's not big, it'll still be massive. He knew exactly what I meant, making his eyes wide open, staring into the distance in the realisation of what his workload is going to be like in 2011.

The Mohammad Ali of motorcycle racing is joining Ducati, and it's getting closer and closer for them - under a week to go before he tests the GP10 on Tuesday and Wednesday.

However, as the first half of this column has thought about 2011, spare a thought for the Yamaha guys who are losing a rider, an inspiration, a friend. For some of the more emotional Yamaha people, it'll be akin to watching a recently lost girlfriend/boyfriend move in next door with their new one.

But just like the emotion of Rossi breaking his leg at Mugello, no-one's died, the world will keep spinning the right way, and back in Tavullia those close Italian friends still at Yamaha will still see him and text him, albeit not quite be the same.Yamaha has put a historic effort into turning itself around to win five titles in seven years. But just as it did it for Rossi, it's still doing it for Jorge Lorenzo now, while Ben Spies hopes that in 2012 he might take the title in his third year of MotoGP - just as Lorenzo did.

One has to admire the foresight of Yamaha to sign Lorenzo and put him into the lion's den with Rossi and let them battle it out - which led to the hardest decision of all, letting one of the greatest marketing devices walk out the door for whatever reason it was.

So spare a thought for not what is going to happen next Tuesday when Rossi throws his leg over a Ducati for the very first time, but for the Yamaha guys this Sunday afternoon when he rolls into the garage for the final time - or, they hope, into parc ferme as the winner just like he did on the Honda in 2003. In fact, it's probably just as well there isn't any testing on Monday as many may struggle after a huge party following a long season.Hold that thought. Now, not since 1997 have I given so much time during a season to ferreting around a 125 team's garage while on my paddock wanderings. It's the Finnish-run Ajo Motorsport garage with Marc Marquez and the super-nice German-with-the-Italian name, Sandro Cortese that I've visited. There are some great guys in the garage from all over Europe - Finns, Germans and Spaniards. Young guys, old guys, new guys, race-winning mechanics and a world champion with Emilio Alzamora who's trying to 'win it' all over again with Marc, some 11 years after he won it himself at Buenos Aires in 2012.

Talking about nationalities, my hero when growing up was, like Aki Ajo, a Finn. Keke Rosberg won the 1982 F1 title; I couldn't put my finger on why I liked him, but this 10-year-old just thought he was cool. Scruff of the neck sideways driving, Ray Ban Aviators, golden locks over an Ibiza tan and pretty girls. To then sit in his 1983 Monaco-winning car when I was just 11, it fixated me on motorsport to this day.

In the mid-'90s I worked for many years in rallying at the British and world level, and I got to work with the Finns with their no bull, 'just get it done' attitude. Life was just great around them.

125cc team boss Ajo is a very humble Finn, but when he's talking he has that slightly broken English with the odd word missing; those long 'verrrrrys' and 'Silverrrrr-ston' pronounciations I think are great, sparking memories in my head.

However, I've had to urge myself to not hark back into the depths of my memories where everything is rose coloured due to the spectacles, but instead remember what a tremendous battle this year's 125cc championship has been, irrespective of the outcome between Marquez and Nico Terol this Sunday. Pol Espargaro has put the line in the sand for having the most amount of speed, but alas at times not quite enough of it tempered.

Terol is a wise cookie though, with more experience than the others he's battling. Is he now regretting not riding at the Sachsenring even though he got the all clear for his still-recovering bad back. Maybe he had a chat to Kevin Schwantz who was there that day and had a look at his crippled wrist. Fair play to Nico though, it takes a brave man to shy away from racing when there is the chance of a championship; see Niki Lauda at Fuji in 1976.

Marc Marquez © LAT

From Le Mans this year, round three, Ajo was not quite gushing, but massive in his praise for his new rider. Little did we know at that point that he would go on to beat Rossi's records - he had yet to even win a race! Into the autumn after being knocked off at the first turn at Aragon, and having a proper teenager's strop in the gravel trap as the field sped away, Marc fought back in Asia with three victories.

75 points as the others rode out of their skin and still got beaten. They probably went to the airport never so disappointed to have ridden the best race of their lives. Welcome to Max Biaggi's world from Welkom 2012This kid is really something special. A jewel who could well be beating a 30-year-old Lorenzo in 2017. Just as Lorenzo won his first ever 125 race seven years before winning the MotoGP title, so Marquez could do the same.We're more than a decade on from Valentino Rossi smoking the 125cc class; Marc Marquez is the new star. Anyone who drops it into the gravel trap on the out lap, limps it back to the pits where, for a moment, proper chaos ensues, and then keeps cool enough to not play it safe, fights hard and risks his points lead to cut through and win on the last lap, is someone exceptional.All this from a lad who isn't even old enough to order a pint of beer to celebrate. Indeed, have we ever had a Spaniard with a Finnish head? Aki Ajo and Emilio Alzamora may well have found one.

Roll on Valencia and appreciate it before we get into next season, Yamaha and 125cc championship alike.

2012-2013 Ducati Monster 796 test drive

His insatiable thirst for life is only surpassed by his monthly fuel bill. Whether rocketing on land, flying through the air, or jumping the seas, our Associate Editor does it all and has the scars to prove it.
Italian motorcycle manufacturer, 2012 Ducati Monster 796 First Ride has released its first new model of the season: the 2011 Ducati Monster 796. This mid-range street bike fills the void between the entry-level personality of the Monster 696 and the advanced road performance of the Monster 1100. With a base price of $9995, the 796 is a sensible choice for motorcyclists looking for an amusing and easy-to-maneuver motorbike that’s ideal for jaunting in-or-around the city.

The beauty of the Monster line is that the basic architecture of the bikes, including the chassis, air/oil-cooled V-Twin engine configuration, and sleek minimalist body panels are shared between models. However a closer look reveals there are some key differences between this one and its siblings.

The primary difference that distinguishes the mid-level Monster is its use of a 4-valve, 803cc V-Twin, identical to the unit employed in the Hypermotard 796 street bike. Compared to the other Monsters this engine is in a higher state of tune, employing an 11.1:1 compression ratio (versus the Monster 696/1100’s 10.7:1 ratio) courtesy of pistons with a different crown shape. Fuel is received from a 3.8-gallon fuel tank through 45mm throttle bodies, each equipped with a single fuel-injector. Exhaust is piped through a 2-1-2 stainless-steel configuration that terminates with twin shorty-style under-tail mufflers. Each header pipe is fitted with an oxygen sensor which ensures optimum engine running conditions.
A six-speed transmission and a hydraulically-operated APTC clutch control the engine’s power through a chain drive. Furthermore the clutch is bathed within the engine’s oil supply enhancing reliability and reducing noise as compared to the racing-style ’dry’ clutches used on the 1198 Superbike. The clutch also incorporates a slipper/back torque limiting functionality which helps prevent the rear wheel instability during downshifts at high rpm.

The engine is cradled in a lipstick-red steel trellis frame. It attaches to a reworked subframe which is compatible with passenger grab handles that are available as a Ducati accessory ($129). The 796 also gets the same well-crafted single-sided aluminum swingarm as used on the more expensive 1100 model.

Suspension is comprised of a Showa inverted fork and an Sachs hydraulic shock that is mounted directly between the frame and swingarm without a linkage. Although the fork doesn’t offer any damping adjustment, the shock provides spring preload and rebound tuning abilities.

The 796 rolls on a pair of beautiful black 5-spoke cast-aluminum wheels featuring a small red pin stripe around the edge to draw attention to them when in motion. Attached to the front wheel is a pair of 320mm brake discs clamped by a radial-mount four-piston Brembo calipers. Rear brake consists of a solo 245mm disc pinched by a twin-piston caliper. Both brake systems are powered hydraulically through stainless-steel lines. Anti-lock brakes are also available as an option on the new machine however pricing is TBD. Lastly, the wheels are shod with Pirelli Diablo Rosso tires in sizes 120/70-17 front and 180/55-17 rear. Hop into the seat and the first thing you’ll notice is how similar it feels to the smaller 696 model. The bike feels short and skinny, which makes it easy to manhandle on the road. The seat height measures 31.5 in. above the ground which is 0.4 in. lower than the 1100, and 1.2 in. taller than the 696. Grabbing a hold of the aluminum handlebar isn’t as much of a stretch compared to other Monsters courtesy of the bar risers that elevate the bar position by nearly an inch.

Thumb the starter button and the new Ducati fires to life with deep, thumping exhaust note. Surprisingly, the 796 doesn’t get the same sleek slimline switch gear as used on some of the Italian manufacturer’s other new street bikes, including the Streetfighter. Instrumentation is comprised of a small, yet functional, white-backlit LCD display that is both easy to read and quickly operated via the switchgear on the left handlebar.Clutch lever pull is light and offers 4-way lever position adjustment to accommodate different sized hands. The clutch also delivers an ample level of feel for riders who might not have a lot of experience launching a motorcycle. The lower first gear ratio only adds to its user-friendly demeanor when pulling away from a stop. Switching between the remaining five gears was smooth and trouble-free, though we wish the gearbox felt tighter.

Twist the throttle and this Monster delivers a much more robust spread of power compared to the smaller 696. Sure, it won’t win any drag races against a modern liquid-cooled sportbike, yet it will still surprise you with just how much torque it cranks out at low-to-mid rpm. The engine has plenty of juice to loft the front wheel in first gear and is capable of bursts of speed whenever it’s revved out to redline. While the engine delivers a bit of vibration, it never becomes annoying, even at freeway speeds.

In terms of handling the 796 feels every bit as nimble as its smaller sibling. Direction changes can be accomplished with a light touch of the handlebar. The center of gravity also feels low which aids in steering and railing around corners. Though suspension spring rates are calibrated for lighter riders, when pushed this Monster still delivers enough grin-inducing performance for even an experienced, sport-oriented pilot. The bike we rode came equipped with the optional ABS system. By default the system is always on, but you can disable it easily by navigating through the menu system on the instrument display. Braking power and feel is adequate and we appreciated the added confidence provided by the ABS. But we were more impressed by the fact that you can quickly turn it off with a few clicks of a button if you‘re feeling mischievous. We also appreciated that the position of the brake lever could be moved based on rider preference.

MOTORCYCLE MODIFICATION | NEW DUCATI MONSTER 796 ( 2012)

The 2012 Ducati Monster 796 will be slotted into the calendar amid the 696 and 1100 models, both of which will still be produced. The new Monster is powered by an air-cooled Desmodue 796 engine, which aboriginal debuted in the Hypermotard 796 in backward 2009.

DUCATI MONSTER 796 ( 2012) PICTURE

( 2012) DUCATI MONSTER 796

According to Ducati, the Monster 796 produces 87 hp at 8,250 rpm and has 58 ft-lb. of torque at 6,250 rpm, compared to the Hypermotard 796’s 81 hp at 8,000 rpm and 55.7 ft-lb. at 6,250 rpm.Like its beyond sibling, the M1100, the Monster 796 has a single-sided swingarm. The Ducati Monster 796 will be accessible in backward April as an aboriginal 2011 model.

The Ducati Monster 796 will be available in June at a price of $9,995. The Logomania Monster Art accessories are available for $599.99, but Ducati North America is offering a free kit with the purchase of a new 2009 or 2010 Monster 1100 or 1100S at participating dealers until June 30.

Aprilia RSV4 WSBK In 2012end R Street Version

Aprilia which went on to become champions in the arena of the World Superbike Championship (WSBK) last year, are now bringing their racing technology to a mass version of the RSV4 R 2011.
Technology nicknamed Aprilia Performance Ride Control (APRC), this is a multifunctional regulator that has applications traction control, wheelie control, launch control until the quick shifter.
For information, traction control made by Aprilia is the only system that can be set up to eight different step without having to release his grip while driving gas. So while speeding, the rider can still setting his horse!
Then there’s the wheelie control, which serves to reduce the symptoms or the front wheel wheelie by lowering the front of the motor. This function itself can be set with three different step.
While the launch control function is intended for maximum acceleration without any motor symptoms more spin, and quick application to function as a gear shifter shifter is ultra fast.
Not only that, the motor development in the lubrication system, and the teeth of three who claimed to have better acceleration than the previous version. Even a lighter exhaust system was also implemented in RSV4 R 2011.
by the way, the APRC had previously been introduced in the arena EICMA Show 2010 on models sold RSV4 Factory APRC limited. But for the version of the RSV4 R 2011, the APRC has become his standard system.

Motorcycle RSV4 Factory APRC 2012-2013

Created with the single-minded goal of being simply the best on the track and on the road, since its inception the Aprilia RSV4 has astonished the world with its looks, technology and performance.

The first 65° V-4 engine ever in a sports production bike, a chassis worthy of a 250 GP, Ride By Wire, multimap engine management: all these are accomplished achievements for the Aprilia RSV4, that tops unique architecture and specs with Aprilia’s signature excellent rideability brought to the next level.
But records are made to be broken. Thanks to the unrelenting efforts of the Aprilia R&D department and a very close collaboration between Racing Department and production, the Aprilia RSV4 has made a giant leap forward.
The RSV4 Factory APRC is a milestone in the history of super sport bikes. All of the racing expertise and indications gathered during the successful 2010 season of World Champion Max Biaggi were brought together in a bike that sets a new standard for future road bike development.
Unique adjustable traction control capable of self-adjusting to suit different types of tyres, wheelie control, launch control, quick shift: these are the RSV4 Factory APRC’s new features that raise the bar in track performance even further up.
Aprilia’s technological supremacy meant that every aspect of the electronic management system for the RSV4 Factory SBK, with which Max Biaggi dominated the 2010 World Superbike Championship, could be developed in house. As a result of the innovative know how developed on the circuit and the close collaboration between the team, the Racing Division and the manufacturing division, the transfer of this technology from the track to production was practically instantaneous. This is how the Aprilia people were able to turn out the fastest, most effective bike on the track, a bike whose only goal is to post the fastest lap.
State of art technology
This new technology is brought together in the APRC (Aprilia Performance Ride Control) package, basically the state of the art in dynamic performance control, a multi-patented system that makes Superbike winning technology available to professional racing riders and hobby riders alike. All this comes in an easy to use, intuitive package.
Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC’s improvements are not limited to the electronic management system. The 65° V4 engine offers improved lubrication and closer spaced gears for better acceleration. The new, lighter exhaust features an advanced butterfly valve management system to suit the Ride By Wire mapping for improved breathing and efficiency throughout the RPM range.
In addition, the Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC is the first super sport bike sporting the homologated new-generation extra performance dual blend 200/55 tyres developed in collaboration with Pirelli based on the expertise gathered on World Superbike racing circuits.
All of the innovations on the Factory APRC
The new features introduced in the Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC in detail:
APRC Aprilia Performance Ride Control, the electronic management package including:
- ATC: Aprilia Traction Control automatically adjusts to different types of tyres, with 8 settings conveniently selectable while racing from a joystick on the left handlebar without turning down the throttle;
- AWC: Aprilia Wheelie Control with three settings;
- ALC: Aprilia Launch Control, for use on the track only, with 3 settings;
- AQS: Aprilia Quick Shift, for ultra-fast shifting without closing the throttle or using the clutch.
Dual display mode for instrument panel display: ROAD and RACE;
New exhaust is lighter and offers improved performance;
Optimised gear ratios for the utmost track performance;
Improved engine lubrication;
New, exclusive 200/55 dual blend rear tyre.
APRC APRILIA PERFORMANCE RIDE CONTROL
This is the most significant among the new features of the Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC, a technology platform that is one step above any other systems available in the market, not yet available on all racing bikes. The transfer of know-how from racing to production has resulted in an electronic management system that is extremely sophisticated but also intuitive and very user friendly.
The APRC package uses an automotive inertial sensor platform with two gyrometers and two accelerometers allowing the ECU to recognise the dynamic conditions of the bike and adapt the engine management parameters accordingly. The rider can adjust any component of the APRC system independently at will.
ATC: the traction control system of the future
The ATC- Aprilia Traction Control undoubtedly is one of the greatest strengths of the APRC package. This is a fully innovative traction control system developed from an Aprilia patent, mainly focussed on helping the rider improve his lap times. Thanks to the inertial platform and the Ride By Wire pioneered by Aprilia, the ATC not only reduces torque when the rear wheel slips but lets the rider control tail sliding when exiting a bend, giving him a better feel for throttle control, depending on lean angle.
Aprilia ATC is quickly, easily activated from the instrument panel menu and offers 8 settings. When the ATC is enabled, the rider can change setting in an instant at any time using a joystick on the left handlebar to suit track, pavement or tyre conditions, without closing the throttle and keeping his hands on the handlebar, as in professional motorcycle racing. This way, the system can adjust to every single bend of any track so as to meet the specific requirements of any rider, including the most expert ones.
The other incredible achievement of Aprilia technology is the system’s “learning capacity”. Current traction control systems are designed and optimised for a single size and type of tyre. This limit frequently cancels the benefits of traction control. Aprilia Traction Control (ATC) has overcome this limit: a procedure activated by the rider enables the system to learn the tyre radius and final ratio adopted on the bike to obtain fine-tuned traction control.
AWC: stability at top acceleration
Exploiting the full power of modern superbikes down to the very last HP is every rider’s dream. Aprilia’s AWC (Aprilia Wheelie Control) has achieved extraordinary results. Thanks to the exclusive Aprilia patented Wheelie Detection System, the AWC is able to “tell” when a wheelie begins and ends and kicks in to smoothen wheel contact with the road. Smooth, soft wheelie management avoids harsh power cuts or pick-up, providing perfect acceleration control. Again, the AWC system is activated from the instrument panel and can be adjusted independently from other control systems choosing from three settings to better meet rider requirements.
ALC: the best holeshot
The perfect start is yet another racer’s dream, because a good start frequently means you’re half way towards a victory. When the lights go out, handling the huge power of modern superbikes is no easy task. Unless the bike handles it itself to offer its best starting performance. The ALC (Aprilia Launch Control) system ensures an instant start as the lights go out, applying full power to the road to assist the rider in this critical moment of the race. All the rider needs to do is give full throttle and release the clutch as he normally would and shift gears. The ALC has three settings that can be selected from the instrument panel menu, then it must be “armed” at standstill, by squeezing both traction control buttons on the left handlebar joystick at the same time.
AQS: record-breaking shifting
When you’re after the utmost lap performance, you can’t afford to waste even one thousandth of a second in an apparently simple operation like shifting. RSV4 Factory APRC is the first Aprilia bike that comes with the Aprilia Quick Shift as standard. Basically, the quick shift shortens spark advance for an instant and then gradually restores it, making for super-fast shifting with no need to close the throttle or use the clutch. The system works hand in hand with the new closer spaced gearbox to limit RPM drop during shifting for faster lap times. To optimise AQS performance, Aprilia engineers have fine-tuned power cut timing based on shifting RPM.
THE MOTORCYCLE
A combination of superior mechanical and electronic technologies can only lead to excellent rideability. “Factory” is the key word that evokes the world of racing and special bikes, for special riders who demand top sport riding performance. Prestigious materials, an ultra-sophisticated suspension and the APRC system make the RSV4 Factory APRC quite simply the most advanced and highest performance sports bike on the track.
The RSV4 Factory APRC aims to be the perfect tool for riders who demand top track performance from their bikes. Sophisticated, valuable, refined – this bike is the best in motorcycling technology worldwide. In addition to the structural and mechanical refinement of the RSV4 Factory – in this MY2011 – we have prestigious materials, modifications to make it lighter and increase engine performance, and the APRC package which allows dynamic management of the bike on a professional level with an easy and intuitive interface.
This project is designed for those who want top riding performance on the track at a price/equipment ratio unequalled in its class.
RSV4 Factory APRC is the RSV4 at the nth power, direct descendent of the World Superbike winner.
RSV4 Factory APRC highlights:
• APRC fitted as standard
• Fuel system with variable length intake ducts
• Advanced exhaust butterfly valve management
• 3-point adjustable chassis
• Öhlins fully adjustable front fork
• Öhlins fully adjustable shock absorber
• Öhlins adjustable steering damper
• Wheel rims in forged aluminium
• Carbon parts
THE ENGINE
While the incredible APRC system is without a doubt the most important new feature introduced with this latest version of the RSV4, there has also been a raft of significant updates made to the engine of the RSV4 Factory APRC, drawn from experience in competion to improve its already legendary technical and mechanical characteristics.
Aprilia RSV4 is the only production super sport bike using a narrow 65° V four-cylinder engine with unique features. Extremely compact, as slim as a twin-cylinder to fit in an ultra-compact chassis, the 65° V4 engine was and still is the epitome of Italian engineering ingenuity.
The Aprilia 65° V4 engine specifications in short:
Engine capacity: 999.6 cc
Architecture: 65° V4
Crankcase: monobloc with integrated crankcase liners
Timing system: 4 valves per cylinder (Titanium and Nymonic) operated directly by a camshaft driven by a mixed chain/gear system, lateral timing chain, central gear train
Fuel system: Electronic injection with 2 injectors per cylinder and integrated independent Ride by Wire system for each bank. Three mappings selectable from handlebar.
Antivibration countershaft
Compression ratio: 13:1
Transmission: 6-speed direct-control cassette type gearbox
Clutch: Multiplate wet clutch with mechanical slipper system
Electronic management: Magneti Marelli control unit managing ignition, injection and Ride by Wire system, and variable length intake ducts
APRC system for dynamic control
The narrow V architecture translates into an engine that is incredibly compact in length, offering advantages in terms of mass centralisation and an extremely high performance chassis (short wheelbase, long swingarm).
The innovative timing system (with the chain camshaft driving only the intake camshaft, which in turn drives the exhaust camshaft via a gear) has made extremely compact heads (just 250 mm at the rear of the engine) especially in the area beneath the frame spars, which are thus much narrower than would otherwise be possible.
A countershaft dampens vibrations even more than in a 90° V engine.
The monobloc crankcase with integrated aluminium cylinder liners ensures maximum rigidity and consistent performance.
The electronic management system is another example of the 65° V4 engine’s technological supremacy. Full Ride-by-Wire technology eliminates any direct connection between the throttle grip and the throttle valves, which are entirely controlled by a latest generation Marelli control unit that also controls the ignition and the 8 injectors (the 4 secondary fan pattern injectors come into play at high loads).
Each bank has a dedicated servo unit actuating its own two throttle bodies only. This means that the aperture of the throttle valves and, as a consequence, the quantity of fuel injected, can be controlled independently. This solution, applied here for the first time ever in a production bike, opens up practically infinite possibilities for power delivery control and works hand in hand with the APRC system.
The transmission has also been designed to the meet most advanced criteria to offer the maximum performance possible. To underscore the racing soul of the 65° V4 engine, it is mated to a cassette gearbox with a wet sump lubrication system (with oil in the crankcase). The wet clutch features a mechanical slipper system for optimised engine braking torque control and stability under hard braking.
The 65° V4 was one of the most advanced engines in the world at the time of its debut. The new RSV4 Factory APRC underwent a number of refinements and further improvements based on the world superbike racing experience with the factory bike. The new exhaust and engine mappings make for optimal power delivery. Lubrication has been improved at critical points, the countershaft runs in ball bearings rather than plain bushings and the head cooling circuit has been reviewed for optimal operating temperatures and long-term reliability.
Combustion chambers and cylinder-piston fits have also been revised for optimal engine performance. The three lowest gears are spaced closer for extra speed out of bends. The advanced exhaust butterfly valve management system improved delivery in the low rpm band and reduces emissions while preserving the engine’s thrilling sound.
CHASSIS
The bike retains the unique chassis and swingarm solutions that make it the world’s first “race ready” V4 superbike. In order to boost chassis performance and make it match the rider’s tastes, or features of the track, Aprilia RSV4 Factory ensures a combination of adjustments that are pretty much infinite. The multi-adjustable suspension, taken for granted on a motorcycle of this level, are combined with three chassis adjustments: headstock position and rake (through interchangeable bushings), rear end height, swingarm pin height and the engine position in the frame.
Suspension
The Öhlins Racing upside-down fork has 43-mm diameter stanchions and is titanium nitride coated to minimise friction. The wheel travel is 120 mm. As on a racing bike, the fork allows millimetre-precise adjustment for hydraulic compression and rebound damping and spring preload.
The Öhlins Racing rear shock absorber was developed from experience learned directly on the track. It features a piggy back nitrogen canister (separate and mounted on the body of the unit) and adjustable spring preload, compression and rebound damping and length, allowing the height of the rear end of the bike to be altered to modify the set-up to suit different riding styles and tracks. Wheel travel is 130 mm.
Wheels and tyres
The effort to shed as much weight as possible and offer the best feeling led to implementation of new, ultra-light forged aluminium rims.An almost obsessive pursuit of top performance resulted in an exclusive, innovative dual blend tyre developed in collaboration with Racing Department, R&D and Pirelli. The racing sized 200/55 ZR17 tyre offers a better contact pattern in bends, shaving precious tenths of a second of lap time – a technology unique to this bike.
Componentry
A real Superbike is special not only as far as performance is concerned but also for the care it is built with. With regard to the RSV4 Factory APRC, the details say it all: no other “race ready” motorcycle has ever been built with such care and attention. The attention paid to its construction not only satisfies the desire for beauty. A motorbike built like the RSV4 Factory APRC is in any case gorgeous, but most of all aims at achieving the goal: to win. This is why every detail was thought out to increase performance and functionality, reducing the weight and considerably increasing the product’s quality and finish.
The livery is impressed on the contrast between red and black, the Aprilia sports colours, with a third “nuance” represented by the visible carbon fibre theme generously distributed on this precious Factory APRC version.
Interesting to read please now

Aprilia RSV4 Factory Road OVERVIEW 2013

A revolutionary project and a unique history of victories on the racetrack have come together to create the RSV4. A supersport with absolutely exclusive racing technology, developed around the 4 narrow V cylinder engine developed from the technical knowhow that has led Aprilia to victory on racetracks all over the world. Aprilia RSV4 hits the racetrack and the roads with one goal only: to win.

Aprilia RSV4 Factory Road 33 championships, 254 MotoGP World Championship wins and 8 Superbike victories : over the last two decades Aprilia has become a modern motorcycling legend. The bikes from Noale have dominated tracks the world over thanks to the genial design, courage and extraordinary abilities of the technicians who pursued innovative solutions by experimenting, innovating and sometimes revolutionising technical schemes that seemed to be unchangeable. Aprilia RSV4 Factory, the bike that brings Aprilia back into the 2009 Superbike World Championship, is the product of this immense technical knowhow. It is a highly technologically advanced motorcycle, conceived for racing and for this purpose designed and developed by Aprilia together with the marque’s Race Division, the largest and most advanced of its kind in Europe and one of the most important in the world.

Aprilia RSV4 Factory Road is a racing machine that, in line with the Aprilia tradition, follows a completely innovative approach in its design and construction. Its narrow V engine, the use of stateoftheart electronics,plus its lightness and extreme compactness are only a few of the features that make it unique in the world. Aprilia RSV4 Factory is designed and built with the same philosophy adopted by the Aprilia race division. This is why RSV4 Factory is the most “complete” Superbike racing replica, ready for those who want to venture onto the track with a class leading motorcycle.

Aprilia RSV4 Factory Road The engine of the RSV4 Factory is the most innovative and powerful Aprilia has ever built. It is a super compact 999.6 cc 65° Vfour cylinder engine designed for maximum power (180 CV), where powerplant engineering comes together with the finest materials and the most advanced electronic control solutions. Aprilia’s engine, in fact, uses a Ride by Wire multimap technology, a solution that opens up new frontiers for engine management, with practically infinite possibilities for further development. Besides the triple map Ride by Wire system, a sophisticated electronic injection system with two injectors and adjustable height ducts are fitted.

Aprilia RSV4 Factory Road is an absolute supersport motorcycle, the most complete bike available on the market for bike fans, and its chassis confirms this: designed for the racetrack, it has adjustment features that are typical of racing motorcycles. The adjustable geometry chassis allows parameters such as the position and inclination of the headstock, the height of the swingarm pin and even that of the engine to be changed. The construction technology is also motorsportsderived: the RSV4 Factory chassis and swingarm are made of aluminium with variable section castings and pressings. The components are the stateoftheart in motorcycling technology: Öhlins Racing fork, rear monoshock and steering damper, Brembo monobloc callipers, forged aluminium rims.

'HOW YOU FIND THEM' MANX FOR SALE

A 'barn find' 1956 Norton Manx 30M, featured on The Vintagent two years ago, will appear at the Bonhams Petersen Museum auction on November 13, 2010.  This machine was catnip to me when a friend forwarded the photos - a full-blown racer on the road! - but queries about a sale were rebuffed.  Now it appears the owner has changed course, and the story revealed behind the machine and its modifications for the road make it all the more desirable.

The text of the Bonhams catalog bears repeating, as its charmingly written:

"The argument over best-loved automotive writer of all time would last far into the night, but among the finalists has to be Henry Manney III. No finer wordsmith ever grasped a steering wheel or set of handlebars. For decades his pieces were required reading in Road & Track magazine, especially his "At Large" column, which often signed off with his trademark shorthand coda, Yr Faithfl Srvnt. It was Manney who famously characterized the sexy-swoopy Jaguar E-type as the "greatest crumpet-catcher known to man." He also wrote for R&T's sister magazine Cycle World, where his good humor, keen wit and wonderfully obtuse writing style were always welcome entertainment.

Manney, a trained dancer in his youth, was comfortable rubbing shoulders with the Grand Prix greats in Monaco or touring deep in the American South driving some European import the locals had never heard of. His personal garage often included at least one exotic four-wheeler from Italy, but on the motorcycle side he favored the Queen's Iron, as illustrated by the four Britbikes on sale in this auction.

Flagship of the motley fleet has to be his Manx Norton. As befits Manney's slanted view on life in general and transportation devices in particular, this is no ordinary Manx. In silhouette, all the familiar components are there. The overhead cam motor with its right-side bevel-drive tower and exposed valve springs. The innovative all-welded frame so ahead of its time it was said to ride "like a featherbed," a name that stuck. The bread-loaf gas tank and bum-stop seat, known to legions of privateer roadracers learning their craft, not least of which was a young Mike Hailwood. The conically shaped brake hubs, the front with a jutting scoop to collect cooling air. All standard Manx fare.

But look closer and you'll discern Manney's grand plan for his Norton. First clue is the Smiths speedometer alongside the usual tach. Gone are the low-mounted clip-ons, replaced my more comfortable tubular handlebars. A custom alloy bracket on one of the frame's front downtubes holds an alternator intended to be belt-driven from a pulley attached to the crankshaft. The engine breathes through a filtered Mikuni carburetor, easier to start and keep idling than the proper remote-float Amal GP (which is included in this sale). The rear fender is drilled and wired to accept a taillight. In deference to neighbors and the local constabulary, a sound-deadening flapper valve was fitted to the megaphone exhaust, cable-operated from the handlebars. Yes, Manney intended this Manx to be street-legal and road-ridden! 

His untimely passing in 1988 put a stop to the project. Since then, all of Manney's bikes have been in the care of son Henry IV, stored in a shed for decades and only recently brought back into the light of day. Obviously, it would take very little to put the machine back in race trim, but what fun to continue where Manney left off, complete the transformation and end up with a cafe-racer ne plus ultra, a genuine road-going Manx Norton with literary provenance."

Mike Jackson, former 'Sales Mangler' for NVT (NortonVilliersTriumph), relates the following:

"Denis Jenkinson [another giant among motoring writers] first knew Henry when he was based in Paris at some time in a late 1950s, at which time he was riding a Manx on the road.  It was so high-geared that as a result he coined the phrase, 'One Bang per Lamp-post*'!   Well, there's a chance that this Manx might be that very machine."

What a terrific provenance, and I wish Henry Manney IV had sold it to me then!

[* Ribald phrase; in pre-internet days, Parisian hookers could be found leaning on lamp-posts as their 'turf']

BROUGH BACK AT BONNEVILLE

It appears the revived Brough Superior is feeling its oats and wanting to test its mettle at the Bonneville Salt Flats, after an absence of 60 years, when Noel Pope made an ill-fated attempt with a streamlined B-S to take the motorcycle Land Speed Record (which would make an excellent post...).  Mark Upham has no such ambitions with this proposed foray onto the salt, but would like to 'see what she'll do'  - she being an SS101 'Pendine' model (apparently, 'Bonneville' is taken...) with a specially-tuned JAP engine, which will be redubbed the 'Retro'.

Alistair Gibson (above), who was present at the Men's File party in Paris, is heading up the team, and brings considerable experience with F1 race team management, and prior experience with speed attempts at Bonneville, having broken a record with his Honda F1 car in 2006 (below).

Depending on the speed achieved by the 'Retro', replica machines with tuned engines may be dubbed 'SS120', or 'SS127.543'...  In any case, The Vintagent will be present to document the experience, and hopefully grab saddle time on the salt.

Here's the press release:

"Mark Upham, CEO of Brough Superior Motorcycles Ltd [above, with Gibson], is delighted to announce the firm will be contesting Bonneville Speed Week next year with a new machine based on the existing 1927 SS100 Pendine model, which was first unveiled at Pebble Beach in August 2009.  The machine will be known as the Brough Superior SS100 Retro; it will be running on pump fuel, un-streamlined.  Design, style, and construction will be the direct responsibility of Alistair Gibson, formerly chief mechanic for Honda Formula One, and lifelong 2-wheel enthusiast. After a quarter century working for several Champions in F1 Alistair now works from his own design studio near Oxford.  “When Mark approached me with the idea of a “Retro” machine for Bonneville I was immediately fired up; I know the extent of the challenge, having previously been deeply involved on the salt in 2006, with the Honda F1 car that broke the existing record for the category!” 

The motivation for this exciting project comes from Mark Upham himself, who confirms that the project is to be funded by Brough Superior Motorcycles Ltd.  In anticipating the machine’s final completion and testing by July it is then intended the “Retro” will be despatched to Jay Leno’s Big Dog Garage in Los Angeles where, after re-assembly, it will be shown for the first time.  The “Retro” will then be displayed on the Brough Superior stand at Pebble Beach in mid-August, prior to shipment to the Bonneville Salt Flats towards the end of that month. The “Retro” machine’s progress can be followed on the firm’s website: www.brough-superior.com

Mark Upham says, “Alistair has been helping us for the past two years; I am therefore delighted to have him so closely involved with the “Retro” project, which effectively, is Brough Superior’s first return to Bonneville after an absence of 60 years!”

[Below, Noel Pope with his streamlined B-S, at the Salt Flats, 1949.  He crashed the thing, vowing 'never to ride a streamlined motorcycle again.']

CRAZY GEORGE DISTEEL

George Disteel, towards the end of his life

 It was a rumor which floated around the San Francisco 'old bike' community for years - the crazy old guy whose son had been killed on a Vincent Black Shadow, went crazy, and spent the rest of his life hunting down Vincents, which he squirreled away in chicken shacks on his property.

Vincent Black Prince

The rumor was, as far as anyone can tell, based on the real life of George Disteel.  George was an avid motorcyclist, a fan of Vincent motorcycles, owning a Black Shadow named 'Sad Sack', and apparently a rider of some skill.  Born in 1904, he discovered Marin county in the 1940s after serving in the military - a motorcyclist paradise, full of empty, twising roads and year-round mild weather.  No one today knows what machines George owned before the Vincent, but he seems to have purchased his Shadow brand new, and created an impression in the local motorcycling community, not only for his riding ability and choice of the World's Fastest Production Motorcycle (as it said in the Vincent advertising), but of his increasingly erratic behavior, and appearance.

 ca.1947 Velocette KSS mk2 'bob-job'

A man of great personal discipline, George walked or bicycled many miles per day, and kept up a rigorous exercise routine.  He was also fond of wearing little clothing, quite possible in sunny Marin, and his ever growing beard usually served as his only upper-torso modesty.   Sometime in the late 1950s, his behavior became erratic, and he confided in an apprentice (Disteel was a master carpenter) the story of his 'son', who was tragically killed riding a Vincent at 20 years old.  George was never married, although he did have a few liasons earlier in his life, but no-one seems able to corroborate whether he had a son, or a paternal relationship with a young man.  In a sense, it doesn't matter, as this story became his justification for bizarre actions, such as stuffing every nook and cranny of his home and jobsites with paper and old cloth, and searching northern California for fast motorcycles, especially Vincents, to buy and hide away, preventing the death of another unsuspecting youth.

 Royal Enfield Interceptor700cc

 George eventually amassed something like 18 Vincents, two KSS Velocettes, a Norton International, two Moto Guzzi Falcones, an R51 BMW, Sunbeams, DKWs, Royal Enfields, plus a lot of rifles, clocks, oddments, antiques, etc, all of which he paid for by canny investments in real estate, making him quite rich.  He didn't appear rich at all though, with his near-nakedness, lack of bathing, and odd behavior.  Although he owned 23 properties in Marin county, he lived for a while in a '52 Hudson car filled with trash.  Eviction from the car meant moving to a Tenderloin residence hotel in San Francisco, after taking a sledgehammer to the car and having it towed.   Towards the end of his days, with cataracts making reading difficult and driving impossible, he wore a pirate's eyepatch made of gaffer's tape, switching from side to side in order to see better.

He collapsed on the street in SF in 1978, aged 74, and a keen-eyed coroner realized he was no indigent, which began a chain of discovery of the man's multiple homes, lands, sheds, hidden caches of motorcycles, storage units, etc.  As no heirs could be found, the motorcycles were sold at Butterfields auction house in San Francisco, where the Vincents fetched from $800 - $1500... Some of these motorcycles were brand new or nearly so, and many merely needed a good clean after their years packed in rags within sealed toolsheds.  A few of my friends own these bikes, so I'm fairly sure the story is true...at least, the Vincent-in-a-chicken-coop part.

 Moto Guzzi Falcone

Bobber motorcycle

History of the Old School Kikker Bobber Style Motorcycle

The Bobber motorcycle was the first of all customized motorcycles. Even before the choppers or the big cruisers of today. Service men recently returned from the war wanted bikes like the European ones they had seen during the time at war. These bikes were custom and spoke to the attitudes and self expression of the great courageous men. With the recent surge in popularity of the Bobber Motorcycle.. AKA Old School Hardknock kikker there are many things you may not know about the history of these great bikes