by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com We may not dare call this Harley-Davidson Street Bob a Lady, but a custom shop by the name of Thunderbike, and the customer who commissioned the build, sure do. In fact, this is the stage name for this German conversion that was completed a while back, in 2014. The motorcycle started life as a Street Bob, a machine Harley itself likes to describe as a “gritty, stripped-down bobber cloaked in black.” Now, the remade two-wheeler was christened Lady, but not before being gifted with tons of custom hardware and a unique paint job that kind of make the Harley description obsolete. But first things first. As usual with most other Thunderbike projects, this too received a host of improvements. These include the fitting of custom wheels, sized 21 and 23 inches, protected by bespoke fenders front and rear. We also get a special exhaust system by Dr. Jekill & Mr. Hyde, a new swingwarm, and a forward control kit. The paint job was the responsibility of a brand called Kruse Design, as usual in the projects signed by Thunderbike. In this particular case, the black of the wheels and engine was blended with a shade of crimson on the fuel tank, fenders and headlamp, offset here and there by touches of gold – and since we’re not given any other indication as to the origins of the build’s name, we’re left believing the paint job is the main reason behind it. As for the price of the project, that’s anybody’s guess. We spent some time going through the parts used by Thunderbike, and came up with an estimate of around 5,000 euros ($5,800 at the current exchange rates). That does not include the paint job, man hours and probably some other parts we are not being told about, so that sum could be just the starting point.

Protect Your Precious Ride When You Can’t Ride
from Twisted Road

I learned what needed to be done, and I’ve perfected this art of moto-hibernation annually over the past five years. So, I now bring you the 10 steps to winterize a motorcycle.

Click Here to read this detailed Winter Guide on Bikernet.

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by Silvian Secara from https://www.autoevolution.com

If Frankenstein’s monster was a one-off motorcycle, this would be it.

When seeking to create a stunning one-off cafe racer, the Harley-Davidson Sportster appears to be among many a workshop’s favorite picks (weirdly enough). Take, for instance, a 1999 model in HD’s feral Sportster 1200 range. This bad boy is put in motion by a malicious Evolution V-twin powerplant that prides itself with a gargantuan displacement of 1,200cc.

At around 5,500 revs, the air-cooled colossus is fully capable of producing up to 61 hp, while a brutal torque output of 65 pound-feet (88 Nm) will be supplied at 4,000 rpm. A five-speed transmission enables the engine’s monstrous power to reach the reach 16-inch wheel by means of a belt final drive, leading to a respectable top speed of 100 mph (160 kph).

Now, let’s take a second to drool over a bespoke ‘99 Sportster 1200 that manages to look just about as rugged as it gets. This tasty piece of two-wheeled machinery was nicknamed Mulato, and it hails from California’s Brawny Built – a revered workshop located in Long Beach. The project was completed back in 2012, over the course of three painstaking months.

The moto gurus kicked things off by treating the Sportster’s Evolution mill to a Screamin’ Eagle’s camshaft module, which improves the bike’s acceleration by adding a healthy dose of vicious twisting force at low rpm. Additionally, you will also find an Eagle’s top-grade air filter and an ominous two-into-two exhaust system that curls to form a pair of menacing loops.

At the rear, we notice a fresh subframe unit supporting an aftermarket leather saddle from Azteka Customs and a one-off tail section, which doubles up as an oil tank. Furthermore, Brawny removed the standard dual shocks to make room for a single shock absorber, sourced from a Honda CBR900. Up front, the bike’s new forks, triple clamp and 17-inch wheel were transplanted from one of Buell’s titans.

Last but not least, the finishing touches consist of clip-on handlebars, a custom headlight item and rear-mounted foot pegs. Unfortunately, there is no available information on pricing for this surreal conversion.

Now, to call it outlandish would be an understatement!

As votes continue to be counted and races decided here is an update on how some of our champions and allies fared on election day.

MRF Legislative Champions:

• Senator Ron Johnson (Wisconsin) – Not Up for reelection in 2020
• Senator John Thune (South Dakota) – Not up for reelection in 2020
• Senator Joni Ernst (Iowa) – Won reelection to new 6-year term
• Senator Gary Peters (Michigan) – Won reelection to new 6-year term
• Congressman Tim Walberg (Michigan)- Won reelection to new 2-year term
• Congressman Michael Burgess (Texas) – Won reelection to new 2-year term
• Congressman Collin Peterson (Minnesota) – Lost reelection
• Congressman Troy Balderson (Ohio) – Won reelection to new 2-year term

All four co-chairs of the House and Senate Motorcycle Caucuses were successfully reelected. In the Senate the co-chairs are Senator Ernst and Senator Peters. The House co-chairs are Rep. Burgess and Rep. Walberg.

Congressman Peterson, a longtime friend and ally to the riders in Minnesota was defeated. He has served in Congress since 1991. We at the MRF wish him well and thank him for his countless years looking out the interests of all motorcyclists.

Benchmark

One of the important things the MRF has done over the last two years is drive cosponsors to H. Res 255 regarding profiling. Not only does adding cosponsors help in passing the resolution but it is a great way to build new relationships with lawmakers. Additionally, it raises the profile of the MRF on Capitol Hill and shows us which Congressional offices have an open mind to our concerns.

As of election day we have 139 cosponsors of the resolution. How many of those will return in January for the opening of the 117th Congress?

• Returning Cosponsors: 124
• Defeated Cosponsors: 5
• Retiring or Ran for Other Office: 10

Remember, as more votes are counted these numbers could change slightly. Nevertheless, we should see nearly 120 lawmakers who supported one of our main priorities returning to the House of Representatives next year.

A MRF Member in Congress?

On Tuesday, Lisa McClain was elected to Congress to represent the 10th District of Michigan. A handful of riders in Michigan connected with Ms. McClain early in the year, supported her during the Republican Primary and attended her victory party this week. Not only did they talk to Ms. McClain about motorcycle issues, they convinced her to join the MRF! In October she became an official member of the MRF and in January she will become a U.S. Congresswoman! Congratulations to her and the folks in Michigan for their hard work.

It’s Nuts But We’re Going to Have a Blast.

Have a helluva weekend and Ride Fast and Free!

–Bandit

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by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com

Custom motorcycles (and custom cars, too) are like wine: the older they are, the more valuable – that’s why it’s very hard to find a unique two-wheel project from decades ago that is not capable of still turning heads.

Take the Harley-Davidson Street Bob we have here. Well, it used to be a Street Bob, as now it’s called Pimp Bob thanks to some bold changes made to it by a very lucrative German garage called Thunderbike.

The bike is 13 years old. Thunderbike presented it for the first time at the 2007 Custombike festival in Germany. Why we’re talking about it today? Well, like we’ve already said, we do this because unlike Orange County Choppers, for instance, Thunderbike did not have a Discovery Channel-backed show to highlight its builds – and that’s a shame, because a lot of them deserve their time under the spotlight.

As usual with Thunderbike creations, what we have here is a bike that sports not only visual, but also mechanical and chassis modifications.

The bike was lowered, its fork got shortened, and of course new wheels (with whitewall tires) were installed. Go to with the new stance Thunderbike either created some custom parts, or sourced them from Harley itself. The front and rear fenders, for instance, are made by the Americans, but the seat, footpegs, rims (and the brake discs than stop them from spinning) are German-made. The paint job is the work of Thunderbike’s favorite partner in this segment, Kruse Design, and brings a certain vintage vibe to the whole thing.

The engine of this thing is still the stock 96ci unit. The difference is that it now uses an upgraded exhaust system, and breathes better through a new air cleaner.

We are not being told how much it cost to make the motorcycle. Also, because it is more than a decade old, we have no info on its whereabouts and exploits.

by Fraser Addecott from https://www.mirror.co.uk

German firm’s adventure bike ticks all the right boxes in all the right categories.

BMW Motorrad positions the S1000XR in its range of “adventure” models, but, in truth, it should be in the “all-rounder” category – if there was one.

In fact, it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what sort of bike this is – but only in a good way.

That’s because it offers sportsbike performance, adventure-bike styling and road presence, and tourer comfort and technical features.

It’s a great-looking bike, with sleek lines and a wave-like curve to the silhouette.

There’s a choice of three colourways and the paint quality is excellent.

On board, the seat is nicely cupped and not too wide, nor too high, which means you can confidently plant both boots on the tarmac.

Nevertheless, the ride position feels high and commanding, but extremely comfortable at the same time, with wide, upswept bars.

It fitted me perfectly and I felt I could ride all day.

The large TFT dash is clear and easy to use, and indicates which of the four ride modes you have selected – Rain, Rode, Dynamic or Dynamic Pro.

Each of these adjusts the throttle response and the amount of torque in the lower gears.

There’s also cornering ABS and traction control.

Start up and the engine let’s you know it’s credentials with a sound that’s more sportsbike than adventure.

On the road, the adjustable screen and fairing do a fine job of protecting you from the wind, and the mirrors offer a clear view past your elbows.

This engine is a real beauty.

It has all the power and torque of the superb S1000RR, but delivered in a more refined and manageable way.

The upper gears are long and the torque is smooth and power-delivery linear.

But don’t underestimate it. The acceleration if you open it up is awesome and you’ll be thankful for the (adjustable) wheelie control.

Suspension is via BMW’s D-ESA system which electronically adjusts the forks according to the conditions and has selectable rear spring-load setting for the monoshock.

There is also an upgraded D-ESA Pro, which offers a stiffer Dynamic damping mode and instead of the preload settings, has an automatic function to adjust the shock according to the load.

Through the bends, the S1000XR is an absolute joy.

It’s light and flickable, but also super sure-footed and confidence inspiring.

Braking, with 320mm front discs and four-pot calipers is extraordinarily powerful yet sensitive.

The superb D-ESA means you can brake quite hard into corners with no fork dive – and no rebound as you ease off and accelerate out.

As with all BMWs these days, there is a large range of configurations and optional extras available – mine came with separate Sat-Nav and fog lights.

Overall, this is a truly fantastic machine. The consummate allrounder.

by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com

It’s been 18 years since Ducati introduced the Multistrada series of motorcycles, and since then some 110,000 units of them have been made. For the industry, that number is huge, and reason enough for the Italian bike maker to continue to offer new and better technologies for the range.

This week, Ducati finally pulled the wraps off the fourth-generation Multistrada V4, one that brings not only a brand new engine to the table, but also more high-tech hardware than most of the players in the segment have to offer.

First, the engine. The powerplant (dubbed by Ducati Granturismo) animating the two-wheeler was shown in mid-October, but this is the first time it is featured where it belongs, in the frame of the Multistrada. Smaller than the version it replaces, it weighs 66.7 kg (147 pounds), comes with a displacement of 1,158cc, and more importantly, develops 170 hp at 10,500 rpm and a maximum torque of 125 Nm at 8,750 rpm.

Techwise, the new Multistrada is the first production motorcycle in the world to feature both a front and a rear radar. These will be used as part of either the Adaptive Cruise Control (AAC) technology, or as a means to alert the rider when a vehicle approaches from behind at high speed.

As for the design of the bike (you can check out the gallery above for more details on that), we’re told the Italians went for a functional-meets-refined look, built around an aluminum monocoque frame. The bike sits 220 mm above the ground, perched on 19-inch wheels, and weighs 215 kg (474 pounds, dry).

There will be more variants of the Multistrada offered – V4, V4 S, and V4 S Sport – with the most important one, the V4 S Sport, coming with dedicated livery and the standard Performance package with Akrapovi exhaust and carbon front fender.

Ducati says the new Multistrada V4 will arrive in dealerships at the end of this month. Pricing was not announced.

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