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

It’s a time of complete transformation over at BMW Motorrad. The Bavarian bike maker, a steady and powerful presence in markets around the world, just expanded its lineup with the introduction of its brand new cruiser, the R 18 Big Boxer that should give Harley a bit of a hard time. And electrifications efforts are being made as well, as the motorcycle industry is beginning to slowly shift to this type of propulsion.

Back in the summer of 2019, during the #NEXTGen event in Munich, BMW unwrapped the crazy-looking Vision DC Roadster. The two-wheeler was shown as a preview of a possible future when BMW would drop the use of the nearly century-old boxer engine in favor of a battery and electric motor, all wrapped in the (almost) classic body of BMW bikes.

At the time, BMW did not say anything about the future of the DC Roadster, but recent filings with the German Patent and Trademark Office uncovered by Electrek could suggest a production version is being considered. This assumption is based on the fact that in the list of desired trademarks, nine of them include DC as relating to motorcycles.

Securing the trademark for certain ideas is not something unheard of in the industry, and it doesn’t necessarily mean something is going to get made. In this case, however, chances are the Germans are indeed working on an electric bike.

Unlike electric cars, electric motorcycles are still taking their first shy steps. Lost in a flood of failing startups that promised to revolutionize the industry, Harley-Davidson is the only major bike maker to have released a bike powered by electricity.

And even if the LiveWire is not exactly the sales hit Milwaukee was hoping for, its capabilities are undoubtedly incredible. And we will all get to experience them that on September 18, when Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman’s Long Way Up hits Apple TV+.

So yes, maybe it’s not the right time for electric bikes to be made, but soon enough it will be. And it doesn’t hurt to be prepared.

The BMW trademark filings do not reveal too much about the electric bike. In concept form, it used a vertically mounted battery, complete with cooling ribs and integrated ventilator, and a motor underneath the battery. A tubular structure that includes the seat is in the place usually occupied by the fuel tank.

No actual performance figures for the electric powertrain were released at the time of the concept’s presentation.

We blasted to the Badlands for the Rally. We shipped Dr. Hamster’s new 1950 Pandemic project. I installed one of our cool 5-Ball Dayrolls, but we needed tools. We ended up ordering two Cruz tool kits, one for the Pandemic and one for his 1981 Evo bagger.

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What can you give someone as a gift who deserves the world? An experience to remember. What kind of experience can you gift someone who loves to ride? You can rent a motorcycle for them in a beautiful place that they’ve never ridden—and plan some awesome routes. Here is a little about my experience with Twisted Road; maybe you’ll find inspiration to give someone the gift of a motorcycle trip (or treat yourself to one!).

A Little Backstory & Our Dilemma

My name is Avory, and I grew up in Michigan; my whole family still lives there. But for me, that cliché thing happened where “the mountains called,” and you know… Colorado got me. For my mom’s birthday this year, I wanted to share the beauty of Colorado’s canyon roads, rivers, and mountains with her. She’s been riding basically her whole life, but she hasn’t ridden outside of a few midwestern states. I figured the best way to do that was to throw motorcycle exploring into the mix.

Then comes our dilemma: for the sake of time and convenience, I didn’t want to have my mom ride her baby, an Indian Chief Classic, all the way from Michigan to Colorado by herself. Renting her a bike was the first thought I had. While there are a few motorcycle rental companies out there, I found that Twisted Road provided the best inventory of motorcycle brands and model choices. Everyone has their preferences, and my mom is loyal to her Indian Motorcycles. Through Twisted Road, I found the only Indian for rent in all of Colorado—and it was perfect for her.

The Reservation & Rental Pickup Experience

Finding the bike on Twisted Road was easy—the website is very user friendly, and for those looking for something specific, the filters come in very handy. I was able to filter by brand to find the Indian Scout, and was very excited to see it available.

When we went to pick it up, the owner, Derek, was really cool (as most everyone I’ve met in the motorcycle community has been!). He did a walk-around and explained the aftermarket parts he’d put on, checked the air pressure in the tires, and let us know to call or text him with any questions. It was a super easy process! Kickstand up and we were on our way.

Our Riding & Adventures in Colorado

We only had 2.5 days of actual riding, but managed to get out to some pretty awesome places. We rode Rist Canyon through Stove Prairie up to The Mishawaka for dinner out on their deck over the water; it’s a must. Sunset above the canyon and Cache la Poudre River is incredibly beautiful. The Poudre Canyon out to Estes Park was also an awesome experience. My mom’s face when she got off of her rented Indian was like a kid on Christmas; it was the best gift I could’ve given her. She said it was the best ride she’s been on in her life.

Overall, it was an incredible experience that we’ll never forget. I think everyone could use some throttle therapy this year. There are so many beautiful places to go see, and doing so by motorcycle makes them all the more enjoyable. Whether you’re able to fly or road-trip, this is your sign that you need to pick a spot on the map and find a bike to ride for when you get there. You won’t regret it.

As mentioned before, the motorcycle community has brought some really amazing people into my life. If you’d like to connect, follow me on Instagram, @_aaaves!

CHECK OUT https://www.twistedroad.com

from https://www.history.com

September 01, 1985

Seventy-three years after it sank to the North Atlantic ocean floor, a joint U.S.-French expedition locates the wreck of the RMS Titanic. The sunken liner was about 400 miles east of Newfoundland in the North Atlantic, some 13,000 feet below the surface.

Efforts to locate and salvage the Titanic began almost immediately after it sank. But technical limitations—as well as the sheer vastness of the North Atlantic search area—made it extremely difficult. American oceanographer and former Navy officer Robert D. Ballard, who was based out of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, led his first search expedition in 1977, which was unsuccessful.

In 1985, along with French oceanographer Jean-Louis Michel, Ballard again set out to locate the wreck, this time with an experimental, unmanned submersible called the Argo, developed by the U.S. Navy. The Argo traveled just above the ocean floor, sending photographs up to the research vessel Knorr. In the early morning of September 1, Argo was investigating debris on the ocean floor when it suddenly passed over one of the Titanic‘s massive boilers, lying at a depth of about 13,000 feet.

The next day, the body of the ship was discovered nearby. It had split in two, but many of its features and interiors were remarkably well-preserved. Hundreds of thousands of bits of debris were scattered in a 2-square-mile radius around the ship. The wreck was subsequently explored by manned and unmanned submersibles, which shed new light on the details of its 1912 sinking.

The Titanic is now routinely explored, and several thousand artifacts have been recovered. Ballard—who was celebrated as a hero after the discovery—has led several more high-profile search expeditions, including of the RMS Lusitania and the USS Yorktown.

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

When it comes to the number of modifications made to models year-over-year, the motorcycle industry is by far more dynamic than the auto one. Almost every bike model of any maker suffers changes year-on-year, and that means that regardless of the size and scope of these changes, motorcycles always look fresh.

On the other side of the spectrum, the number of new models born into the industry is far lower compared to their four-wheeled counterparts. New bikes come to be at a much slower pace, and that means excitement is very high when they do.

Last week the Brits from Triumph got us all hyped as they previewed the future Trident, (a model wearing this name started being made by Triumph back in the 1990s), one that should usher in the new design era over in Hinckley.

Show in a pure-white design prototype form at the London Design Museum, the new Trident is supposed to be according to the bike maker “an all new contemporary take on Triumph style & attitude,” featuring a minimalistic form over a proven triple engine, a type of powerplant that powers, among others, the Street Triple.

What you see in the gallery above is just a prototype, completed at the end of four years of hard work. The actual production version Trident will surface in early 2021.

For now, the bike maker did not go into the technical specifics of the motorcycle, leaving us guessing as to what exactly it will be all about. But even with this complete lack of information (all that’s been said on the Trident can be found in the press release section below), we’re guessing the engineers working in the Japanese motorcycle industry are pretty troubled by this.

‘’The Trident design prototype marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Triumph, where the brief was all about fun, from the look to the ride,” said in a statement Steve Sargent. Triumph Chief Product Officer.

“With its pure minimalist form, clean lines, Triumph design DNA and more than a hint of our Speed Triple’s muscular poise, this gives the first exciting glimpse at the full Trident story to come. Ultimately our aim was to bring a new take on character and style, alongside the accessible easy handling and quality Triumph is known for – at a price that’s really competitive.”

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

Back in early 2020, Harley-Davidson announced the introduction of the Screamin’ Eagle 131, a V-Twin described as “the biggest, most powerful street-compliant engine Harley-Davidson has ever created.”

At a time of its introduction, the engine was advertised as being made specifically for Touring bikes manufactured starting with 2017. Now the Milwaukee bike maker announced the powerplant should work just as good and is available on select Softail models.

More specifically, the bolt-in 131 is the perfect replacement for the Milwaukee-Eight engine fitted from the factory on 2018-later model Harley-Davidson Softail motorcycles.

“Our adrenaline-seeking riders asked for thrilling power and torque with reliability,” said in a statement Harley-Davidson Product Manager James Crean. “The Screamin’ Eagle 131 Crate Engine delivers exactly that. Developed by the Screamin’ Eagle performance team and factory-assembled at Harley-Davidson Powertrain Operations to ensure the highest quality standards, this high-performance engine is genuine Harley-Davidson.”

When the engine was introduced, Harley advertised an output of 121 hp and 131 ft-lb of torque at the rear wheel when paired with Screamin’ Eagle Street Cannon mufflers, but in the Softail configuration we’re told the powerplant would churn out 124 hp and 135 ft-lb of torque, also when combined with Street Cannon mufflers.

The numbers were achieved by matching the 4.5-inch stroke of the Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine with new 4.31-inch bore cylinders and fitting high-lift camshaft, high-performance cam bearing, high-compression forged pistons, a 64mm throttle body and intake manifold, and high-flow fuel injectors.

Harley offers the engine through authorized dealers and comes in two finish treatments, Black and Chrome or Black and Gloss Black. Making sure everyone know what V-Twin your bike is packing is 131 Stage IV badging on the cylinder heads and timer cover.

Harley sells the crate engine from $6,195 for the oil cooled variant and $6,395 for the Twin-cooled one. Depending on the bike it is intended for, there might be need for a new oil pump or clutch plate kit.

by Cristian Curmei from https://www.autoevolution.com

Electric vehicles are probably going to be the way of the future. Everyone seems to be getting in on the action, no matter what history of manufacturing they may have had. From automobile to motorcycle manufacturers, companies like GM, Lamborghini, Honda, and even Harley-Davidson are starting to apply their accumulative knowledge of mechanics, design, and production into EVs.

But this one isn’t about those big brand guys. This one’s about a little shop down south in Aussie land named Ed Motorcycles. Before we go any further, allow me to explain why it’s always best to work with a small production shop. Limitless. Yup just one word. Because production isn’t large, these shops can push the limits on their vehicles in terms of road regulations, and attention to detail remains quite high. With this in mind, continue reading.

She’s been named Concept Z. I know, a bit uninspired, but don’t fold your hand just yet, she’s a beast! This might undoubtably be the strongest electric motorcycles from a mom and pop shop. Look. I’m just gonna lay it out flat. She has a top speed of 93 miles per hour (150kph). Even the new Kuberg hits half that. How she does it, we’ll get into in a minute.

As with most other EVs, her acceleration and torque curves are near linear and give it an undisclosed 0-60 time that’s considered one of the fastest in the world. How she does this is due to a motor and controller that regulates how power is distributed and when. The motor is an air-cooled, radial flux, interior magnet brushless motor that comes with minimal maintenance level.

The brain behind the power is operated by a Sevcon Gen 4 775amp controller. This little device offers the rear axle a power of 850 Nm of torque and 52 kw.

Now think about this for a second. You go out with your buddies on a Saturday ride, and you show up on this rudimentary stallion. You all gather round and get ready to hit the streets. Everyone’s revving their engines, while you wait in silence.

Everyone leaves the parking lot and you’re the last one out. You accelerate and hear nothing more than the wind under your helmet. In under 30 seconds, you’ve reached the front of the line like a ninja heading for the lead ronin. No one heard you coming, everyone saw you go. Until that point you didn’t get much attention. But now, everyone is asking you what’s under the hood.

And you tell them all that she’s electric. With blah blah and a 99V lithium-ion battery. On the front she’s got a 4-piston 298mm disc brake, and a single piston 220mm disc on the rear.

Suspension is taken care of by a huge 43mm front telescopic fork and huge rear coil over shock. This should take care of any bumps in your road, but also offers as much traction and handling as possible. If this isn’t enough for you, take into consideration the direct drive train of 5.4:1.

The aesthetic design however is classically simple, sharp and fully functional, with a chain-driven functionality. Why put anything else on it?

by Pradeep Shah from https://www.financialexpress.com

Harley-Davidson 338R which will be the American bike maker’s most affordable motorcycle has been snapped very recently. However, the same may or may not be launched in India for a number of reasons. Read to know!

Harley-Davidson’s highly-awaited bike that will be its most affordable offering might soon be a reality. A spy image of the said motorcycle has recently emerged on the web, image courtesy Bennetts. According to the picture, the said model will be called the Harley-Davidson 338R. The upcoming Haley-Davidson 338R will be based on the Benelli platform and is being made by Qianjiang (QJ). If you remember the sketches of the most affordable Harley-Davidson that flooded the internet in 2019, well, if you look closely, you will find many similarities with that design. The said Harley-Davidson 338R will share most of its cycle parts including brakes, frame, suspension and wheels with the 302S.

Coming to the powertrain, the engine on the HD 338R will be sourced from Benelli with a larger bore and stroke. The power output and specs of this motorcycle are currently a mystery, however, we believe that the power should be in the region of 40hp. The said model is meant to go on sale in China and some of the Asian markets but India launch remains uncertain for a number of reasons. With the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the American bike maker announced a new strategy called ‘Rewire’ under which job cuts and reducing the number of future products by 30 percent are being implemented.

That said, it is not clear at the moment if the said most affordable Harley-Davidson 338R will be able to see the light of the day or not! Moreover, there have been rumours about Harley-Davidson shutting down its production facility in India and hence, its products will now might arrive through the CBU route. That said, if the 338R comes here via the same route, it might lose its price benefit to a certain extent. If such a situation arises in the future, the company might very well axe the HD 338R launch plans. More details on the upcoming Harley-Davidson 338R expected to reveal soon, so keep watching this space for all the action!