by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com When it introduced the retro styled roadster called R nineT back in 2014, German bike maker BMW said it is the embodiment of “customization possibilities.” There are now a wide range of extras that can be added right from the start, but none of the modifications that can be specified from new are so extreme as the ones seen on this build here. Named Cobra, the bike is the result of serious work done by Dresden-based Hookie Co, a garage that specializes in providing motorcycles made by BMW, Yamaha or Honda with that special flavor factories are unable to provide. To date, Hookie has designed parts and a scrambler kit for the R nineT, but this time they went in full throttle and came up with the Cobra, the bike with a “bionic primeval shape.” Based on the 2020 model year R nineT, the bike packs the same 1,170 cm3 engine that powers all the other of its kind, with no technical modifications that we know of. However, it sits inside a body that looks significantly different from stock. First off, the stance of the bike is way different. Whereas the standard R nineT looks like, well, a standard motorcycle, the Cobra seems to be running for its life even when standing still. That is due to the new frame rail it is fitted on, which is much straighter than what BMW usually has to offer. Then, there’s the rigid shape of the fuel tank that no longer comes as a rounded piece of hardware, but as a straight-lined build wrapped in special paint. Lastly, there are the sportbike front fender that ends in a LED headlight, and the slightly raised rear end that gives the Cobra the road-hungry appearance we mentioned earlier. The Cobra R nineT will be a very rare sight on the world’s roads. Only ten of them will ever be made – five are completed, of which one sold, and the other five are coming this fall – each in a different color scheme. The price of each Cobra is €34,900.

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

Aside from its general purpose, a motorcycle is visually defined by its fuel tank. This hardware is in many cases the central element of a build, one on which the creativity of the designer can run rampant. Almost always there is only one idea that can be expressed on a bike’s fuel tank, however.

That’s not the case with the 1982 BMW R100 RS we have here. Created by a garage called Deus Customs, the motorcycle comes not with one, but two fuel tanks that can be exchanged depending on the mood of the rider.

The base of the build was the said Bimmer motorcycle that according to the garage spent most of its life tucked away somewhere, nearly forgotten. When work on it began, despite the many years since its production, the motorcycle had run for just 4,000 km (2,485 miles).

The modifications made to the bike are mostly visual, and we are not told if there are any mechanical improvements made to the air-cooled engine. But the visual chances are extensive.

Riding on massive wheels that seem capable of tackling most types of terrain, the bike sports an exposed black and chrome engine. On one side of it, Deus fitted an additional headlight, complementing the main one that is hidden behind a cut metal plate.

The red leather seat is there to contrast the coldness of the metal parts, including that of the very different fuel tanks available: one comes as a slim piece of hardware, painted white and boasting a reinterpreted version of the BMW M stripes, and the second a much more massive build, painted black and wearing the Deus logo to the sides.

According to the garage, changing between the two is as easy as it gets:

“All you need is a screwdriver and wrench, and you can enjoy setting it up yourself depending on your mood that day, be it sporty or modern. It’s easy, like choosing an outfit.”

by Dustin Wheelen from https://www.rideapart.com

Even before the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020, many financial experts were speculating on the impact of the global crisis. Once motorcycle manufacturers and dealerships closed their doors to observe social distancing orders and promote public safety, we knew that the market could undergo a massive reduction in productivity and sales.

Now that economic reports for the month of March are available, we’re able to assess the impact on the industry—and it isn’t good. We all knew that global motorcycle sales stumbled in 2019, but with the advent of the novel coronavirus, we could see a further decline for markets like India and a contraction of previously growing sectors in Europe.

In India, the world’s largest motorcycle market, domestic manufacturers saw steep downturns in March. Year-over-year sales figures declined for Hero MotoCorp (-43 percent), Royal Enfield (-44 percent), Bajaj (-55 percent), and TVS Motor Company (-62 percent) during the third month of 2020.

Foreign makes weren’t immune to the economic slowdown with Suzuki India selling 42% less units during the period as well. Not all the news was bad though, as Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India managed to increase sales by 10 percent. Despite the bleak numbers, Suzuki India Managing Director Koichiro Hirao emphasized the company’s responsibilities during the global pandemic.

“At present, our first and foremost priority is to ensure the health and safety of the employees and all stakeholders,” said Hirao. “As the industry fights the COVID-19 pandemic by implementing shutdowns and taking precautionary measures, we believe that industry will overcome this difficult time and bounce back with positive growth in the coming months.”

Though Suzuki India is enduring its own woes during this time, the company still reported a 5.7-percent increase in sales during the 2019-2020 fiscal year.

“We are pleased to close this financial year on a positive note with 5.7 percent growth amid the precautionary measures taken in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic,” stated Hirao.

In Europe, Italy’s motorcycle market crumbled with sales numbers plummeting by 66 percent. Scooter and moped purchases fell by 62 percent while motorcycle sales collapsed with a 69-percent reduction. However, the country’s motorcycle market also experienced growth in the first and second month of 2020.

Calculating the overall sales for the first quarter of 2020, Italy only dropped 24 percent compared to last year. Regardless of the meager returns, the BMW R 1250 GS sold the most units—presumably to those looking for an apocalypse-appropriate motorcycle.

With the majority of factories and dealerships still shuttered, who knows what April’s sales data has in store. Manufacturers are keeping an optimistic eye on the future with hopes that the industry will bounce back once closures and social distancing measures are rolled back. Until we reach that post-COVID-19 world, we’ll have to continue speculating about the future of the motorcycle industry.

from https://www.reuters.com

April 15 (Reuters) – Harley-Davidson Inc said on Wednesday it had temporarily laid off most of its global production employees and implemented salary cuts in a bid to lower costs as the coronavirus pandemic has hurt its business.

The announcement comes weeks after the motorcycle maker withdrew its earnings forecast for this year, saying pandemic-induced disruptions could dent its ability to supply and sell motorcycles.

Harley’s shares were down 6.9% at $18.02 in afternoon trading.

As part of the cost cuts, its chief executive officer and board of directors will forgo their salaries, the company said, though it didn’t say for how long.

Salaries of the executive leadership would be cut by 30%, while most other salaried employees would see a reduction of between 10%-20% in their paychecks.

Outside the United States, it will take similar actions.

Harley said salary reductions will be reassessed at the end of the second quarter.

The company said it will also not hand out merit increases for 2020 and will freeze hiring. (Reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh; Editing by Bernadette Baum)

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

Back in 1948, soon after proving its worth on the world’s battlefields, Harley-Davidson began the hard work of making motorcycles for the peacetime years everyone was anticipating. And that meant both coming up with new models, and remaking all of the company’s most successful engineering.

Several years before, in 1936, Harley had introduced the knucklehead engine as first overhead-valve, top of the line powerplant. The moment is still considered a turning point in motorcycle manufacturing and despite lasting for about a decade, the engine inspired all that came afterward.

The panhead, named so because the chrome rocker covers kind of looked like cooking pans, replaced the knucklehead in the lineup in 1948, and it too proved to be a revolutionary piece of engineering. Fitted in two displacements on the EL, FL and FLH bikes, it stayed in production until the Shovelhead took its place in 1965.

Right from the first year of production some incredible machines based on this engine were built. The EL such as this one here, for instance, equipped with the smaller displacement 61ci engine, is still one of the most coveted Harley products in the eyes of collectors and fans.

The bike pictured in the gallery above, part of the Eddie Vannoy collection of vehicles that will go under the hammer this summer at the hands of Mecum, is one of the first-year ELs that probably looks even better than it did when new.

Pitch black, shiny chrome and vivid red combine on the motorcycle to create a visual treat we don’t get to enjoy very often. The bike is, of course, the result of some restoration work, but that doesn’t diminish its appeal in any way.

The restoration work was done while trying to keep as close to the original as possible. The springer forks and rigid frame for instance were retained, but the bike received a Police Special speedometer that goes as high as 100 mph (162 kph).

by Geoff Hill from https://www.mirror.co.uk

Same engine, frame and brakes as the F900R, but a very different bike

Small changes can make a huge different to a machine and the adventure version of this middleweight Beemer proves it by being much better than the naked roadster version, says Geoff

Sometimes small is big.

And before you think I’ve come over all Zen and am sitting on the stone floor of a hut halfway up Mount Fuji contemplating my hara and coming up with koan riddles, I mean that even small changes to a motorbike can alter its character completely.

This can be a good thing, such as when Triumph moved the bars back on the Rocket III, and the pegs back and down very slightly, to create the Roadster.

It was only a matter of an inch or two, but it made for a much sportier ride.

It can also be a bad thing, like when Ducati moved the footpegs forward on the Diavel to create the XDiavel, effectively emasculating a brilliantly macho machine.

Which leads me, naturally, to the BMW F900 XR. I’d just got off its stablemate the F900 R, which was good but not memorable, and although the XR has the same engine, frame and brakes, it feels like a completely different bike.

Whereas the F900 R is a naked roadster, the XR is an adventure tourer and it feels like it from the moment you sit on it, with wider bars, and a more upright and neutral position, which not only means all-day riding comfort, but better visibility all round, including a better view in the mirrors.

The TFT screen is the same simple but effective model as on the R.

Riding off, it feels right from the start, with perfect low speed balance which on the road translates into sweet and neutral handling, with less of a nudge needed on those wide bars to get it tilting into corners with aplomb than on the R version.

Whereas I’d ridden the top-of-the-range SE version of the R, with quickshifter and four riding modes – Rain, Road, Dynamic and Dynamic Pro – this was the base model of the XR, leaving me with the unbearable hardship of using the clutch to snick through the slick six-speed gearbox.

It also had only two riding modes, Rain and Road, and after a good seven seconds of Rain, I got bored and switched to Road, which changed progress to sporty without being too aggressive, with a nicely linear power delivery for effortless cruising, but a satisfying rush at the top end of the power band for some happy hustling through some twisties.

If you want even more excitement, go for the top-of-the-range TE model, with Dynamic and Dynamic Pro riding modes, and semi-active Electronic Suspension Adjustment which, at the touch of a button, changes the suspension from plush Road mode to more sporty Dynamic.

The heated grips are just as good as on the R, to the extent that even on a freezing day I had to turn them down from 3 to 2, and with a bigger tank than the R, the range is about 200 miles compared to the 130 or so of the R.

There’s also an A2-compliant version for newbies who want a big bike but are limited to 47bhp.

So although it’s over a grand more than the R, for me, it’s no contest. The XR is a much more enjoyable machine.

Bike supplied by BMW Motorrad Belfast charleshurstgroup.co.uk/bmw

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

Police departments were never slow in adopting emerging technologies. Given the nature of their work, these organizations had to adapt and use hardware that, if not more advanced than the one used by bad guys, and least on par with it. And motorcycles are no exception.

In the U.S. one of the preferred suppliers of motorcycles for the police force is Harley-Davidson. The company has been providing bikes for the force since the first years of the 20th century, when the Detroit PD was the first to commission and use the Harleys of that time. As you might imagine, at the time there were no police packages for bikes and not even cars for that matter, so these early police bikes were nothing more than civilian models with PD logos here and there.

That would change starting with the 1920s, when the fight against the villains of the era intensifies. Things like sirens and lights start being fitted on Harleys as they chase down bad guys, but it was not until the end of World War II that police Harleys would become norm.

That is all owed to the Army-specced WLA model, a no-nonsense machine based on the civilian version that was known at the time as the WL. The way in which the WLA handled itself during the war made police departments look to the WL with new interest.

The motorcycle you see in the gallery above is one of post-war police WLs, and is currently on the list of vehicles on sale during the Mecum Eddie Vannoy Collection sale in June. We’re not being told what police department it served back in its glory days, but we do know it comes with the customary siren and lights.

The bike as seen above is of course a restoration, one draped in black and red hues that are not the customary police colors but suit it beautifully, and powered by a restored 45ci engine linked to a 3-speed manual transmission.

by Faith Ridler from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service: Classic motorcycle ridden by George Lazenby to the set of his only James Bond film goes on sale for £30,000

• George Lazenby bought BSA Rocket III in 1969 and rode it on 17-mile commute
• He lived in Bayswater, London while filming On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
• Mr Lazenby, now 80, sold his motorcycle after the release of the sixth Bond film

A classic motorcycle which George Lazenby used to ride to the set of his only James Bond film has emerged for sale for £30,000.

The actor bought the BSA Rocket III in 1969 and rode it on his 17-mile commute from Bayswater, London to Pinewood Studios near Slough, Berkshire during filming for On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

Mr Lazenby, now 80, went on to sell the motorcycle after the release of the sixth James Bond film later that year.

The Australian actor was the second to play the British secret service agent after Sean Connery in You Only Live Twice, who took on the role again in the 1971 film Diamonds Are Forever.

Little is known about what happened to the bike after it was sold by Mr Lazenby until it was bought by its current owner, a collector based in Kent, in 2007.

The unnamed vendor only discovered the machine was previously owned by the actor when he approached the BSA Owners Club, who revealed Mr Lazenby bought the motorcycle new in the 1960s.

The collector has now fully restored the bike, with an engine and gearbox rebuild, new chrome and a repaint.

During the restoration, a sidecar which had been installed after Mr Lazenby sold the bike was also removed.

It will now be sold by Charterhouse Auctions in Sherborne, Dorset – who say they are expecting a huge amount of interest from James Bond fans.

Richard Bromell, of Charterhouse, said: ‘Today the market for Bond films is bigger than ever, with many fans waiting patiently for the now postponed release of No Time To Die.

‘We all have our favourite Bond actor. Having watched from a young age, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is one on my favourites.’

A spokesman for the auctioneers added: ‘Living in an apartment in Bayswater, Lazenby bought the bike to commute to Pinewood Studios for filming the new Bond film.

‘He was a keen motorcyclist and this was one of the very first new Rocket IIIs to be sold.

‘Not much is known about its history after Lazenby sold the bike until it was bought by our vendor 13 years ago – although at some point a sidecar was added.

‘The current owner is a collector of British motorcycles and purchased the Rocket with a view to restoring it to its former glory.

‘The BSA underwent a full program of restoration and was subject to an engine and gearbox rebuild, new chrome, and a repaint.

‘During the restoration the sidecar was discarded and it is now in great condition for the new owner.’

by Abhinand Venugopal from https://www.rushlane.com

Suzuki’s new Burgman 200 churns out 17.7bhp and 18Nm of torque from a 200cc liquid-cooled engine

Suzuki Motorcycle has unveiled its new Burgman 200 for global markets. The 2020MY max-scooter might not make it to our market (in the foreseeable future) unlike its lesser 125cc sibling, Burgman Street. The Suzuki Burgman Street (now in BS6 format), although not exactly a Burgman sibling but an Access 125 in a different avatar, introduced a new genre of scooters to the wider Indian mass. This was something which the old, large and expensive Kinetic Blaze could not do.

The 2020 Suzuki Burgman 200 is mechanically identical to its previous version. A 200cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder generates 17.7bhp and 18Nm torque while mated to a CVT. It gets 13-inch and 12-inch alloy wheels at the front and rear, respectively. The scooter boasts of dual-channel ABS thanks to twin 240mm discs at the front and a 240mm rotor at the rear. Suspension duties are carried out by conventional telescopic forks and a monoshock.

In its global spec, the maxi-scooter is available in three colour choices: White, Black and Silver. As mentioned before, the chances of it coming to our market are slim especially when considering the current state of affairs. Global automotive industries have been badly affected by COVID-19 and many brands are trying their best to minimise losses. In India, automakers are collectively losing about Rs 1000 crore each day. On the other hand, several dealerships are on the verge of shutting shops forever.

Thanks to BS6 emission norms, the Indian scooter market has witnessed a rapid evolution. Besides offering new features and styling, almost all the new BS6 scooters come with FI. Some scooters have a lost a bhp or two but let’s face it, most of the mainstream scooters feel exactly the same to ride.

Still, there are certain ‘sporty’ choices to appeal to a smaller group of buyers. Examples include the Aprilia SR 160, TVS NTorq 125 Race Edition and to an extent, Yamaha Ray ZR Street Rally. Meanwhile, Piaggio’s Vespa range is a premium and elegant choice. Sales of these scooters are relatively less but just enough to remain on the market. Hence, there is a small potential for premium scooters in India.

However, the shift towards high-displacement CVT scooters should be gradual for them to be sensible alternatives to motorcycles coming at a similar price range. At the moment, 125cc scooters are the best performers on the sales chart and it would take some time for the market to see the same demand for 200cc scooters.

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

For more than a century, manga comics have been enchanting fans all over the world. The unique style of this type of Japanese drawings has been used to tell all sorts of stories, from far-fetched science fiction to historical dramas. And manga has even been used to tell the tale of Honda’s founder, Soichiro Honda.

The Japanese engineer’s life, from his exploits during World War II to the establishment of the company and the efforts made to take it international, is being told in six episodes lasting between 10 and 20 minutes.

The series was initially launched in 2015 and released well into 2019 as the Honda Soichiro Hon Den manga. Given there aren’t many things to do these days given the global circumstances, Honda decided it’s time to revisit the artwork and pitch it to the global audiences in need of some boredom cure.

The creation is not your usual manga, as it blends the iconic Japanese-style cartoon drawings with actual audio files and historic photographs to create something unique, and is available in both English and Japanese.

What we know today as Honda started life as the Honda Technical Research Institute in 1946, after its founder spent several years taunting the auto industry by making parts for Toyota. The entity as we perceive it today came to be in 1948.

Honda’s first product was a motorized bicycle powered by the company’s first ever mass-made engine. That first motorcycle, known as the Type A, would then grow into the Type D, the product that gave birth to the Dream line of two-wheelers.

Slowly, Honda grew into being perceived in some circles as the maker of some of the best motorcycles in the world, and has been leading the industry in terms of volume since the last years of the 1950s’ decade.

Honda also entered the auto industry, but it did so rather late in its life. The first four-wheeler made by the Japanese was the T360 kei car, in 1963, the same year when another model, the S500, was also introduced.

You can watch the entire manga series on Honda’s life and exploits below this text.

https://youtu.be/JVENopKz3M0