Motorcycles

[riverflow]

Definitely going to make a case for a track day membership. Might have to sell my Z and get something more economical

which also means I could probably buy a built track bike

I'd suggest getting something like an SV650 to start with. The 600 class is full of squids, plus with a little less power you'll be forced to learn how to ride the corners better. And you won't mind so much if you dump it.

 

[TRINI]



do any of you have any BMG or Belstaff gear?

I have a Belstaff Trialmaster with Forcefield armor in the back, shoulders and elbows.

Definitely going to make a case for a track day membership. Might have to sell my Z and get something more economical which also means I could probably buy a built track bike

The KTM R390 is making waves as a purpose-built track bike...

 

[akatsuki]

Has any news been announced on a US release of an RC390?

 

[TRINI]



Has any news been announced on a US release of an RC390?

I'm hearing that they're coming to the US and Canada as 2015 models.

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

No talk about the Kawasaki H2? Engineering feat? Total overkill for the streets? Insurers nightmare?

Trellis frame
Single sided swingarm
998 cc supercharged inline 4
300 hp in race form

 

[otc]



I've only been pulled over once on mine, no ticket though. I was coming home from working nightshift and going 44 in a 25...


But back on track, do any of you have any BMG or Belstaff gear?

I have the BMG Montana jacket. I like it.

 

[akatsuki]



No talk about the Kawasaki H2? Engineering feat?  Total overkill for the streets?  Insurers nightmare?

I think it is track only, right? Looks kind of cool in a Tron-esque sort of way.

 

[Cool The Kid]

H2 is gonna be dumbed down for the street. Will only make 200 HP on the road, but that is nothing and the tuners will go ape ****.

I think it's a cool idea and kind of a look to the future, though I'm not sure it will trickle down to a bike that matters to me. If a supercharger could net me 50-60 MPG and more performance instead of the 40-45 I'm getting now as well as the "just enough" oomph of my 650 that would be cool. Beyond that, meh

Someone on Jalopnik summed it up perfectly...

Incredible bike. And possibly the most effective natural selection device ever produced. Many, many bros will meet their demise on this crotch rocket.

Almost a haiku, such a good summary/assessment.

Reminds me of a quote from Keiichi Tsuchiya when he drove the 600HP Mine's R34 around some track. "Its fast enough to make a dead man scream".

I'd be happy with an ~11 second quarter mile, good handling, comfort for the wife and torque.....

 

[riverflow]

No talk about the Kawasaki H2? Engineering feat? Total overkill for the streets? Insurers nightmare?

Trellis frame
Single sided swingarm
998 cc supercharged inline 4
300 hp in race form

Absolutely ridiculous. It's a fly and ride MotoGP bike. A lot of them are going to get bought and more will find the bike's crashing potential well before its riding potential.

That said, I really enjoy the proof of concept, and from an engineering standpoint it's fantastic. I can't wait to see a forced induction 450 triple or the likes.

I think it is track only, right? Looks kind of cool in a Tron-esque sort of way.

This one is track only, thought it could theoretically be made street legal. Supposedly they're releasing the street version in about a month. Or so I've heard.

 

[Cool The Kid]

Summary of Intermot (motorcycle show where H2 debuted)- of the bikes I give a **** about

Ducati Scrambler- has the air cooled 796cc twin, gonna be cheap.

Kawasaki H2(R)- limited edition supercharged literbike. 300HP and not street legal in R form, rumored to be 200HP in normal street form. Possibly an indication of Kawi's next phase of engine development

Suzuki GSX-S750/S1000/S1000F- standards using old "street tuned" GSX-R engines. 750s are carryovers from Europe.

S1000F

S1000

S750

Interestingly the GSX-S750 is 8K... same price as the SFV650 and Ninja 650, and FZ-09. Kawi needs to do something with the 650. Make it a triple. Make the smallest bike a single, bump the 300 up to a 500.

Yami is also rumored to be debuting a new R1 concept.

Few other bikes there I couldn't care less about (adventure bikes and ****). These are the biggies.

 

[MarkI]

Cheap is how cheap for that duc

 

[Cool The Kid]

$8,500 which doesnt seem like a bargain when the Monster 696 is only $700 more

It looks what what the Sportster is supposed to be though. I see this being huge with hipsters

 

[epb]



$8,500 which doesnt seem like a bargain when the Monster 696 is only $700 more

It looks what what the Sportster is supposed to be though. I see this being huge with hipsters

I'm pretty far from being a hipster but think they've got something with this bike. It's got decent power compared to the SR400, TU250X, and Royal Enfield Bullet or Continental GT; it's a lot lighter than the Bonneville, or CB1100; it's got better ride height than the Bolt, Sportster and their analogs. Really, my sole criticism is pretty mild - they shouldn't have called it a Scrambler. Calling it a GT75 or GT800 would have fit their history and left expectations open. I want and Icon with the seat from the Urban (I think).

 

[Cool The Kid]

I wasnt trying to use hipster as a pejorative term. I see my biker buddies from NY & CT being all over these things. They are like Sportsters before Harley got all fat and 'Mrrcn. And while they aren't exactly cheap they are a bargain. Def a wildcard for ~$8K compared to a more generic FZ09 or GSX-S750. I'd still go with one of the Japanese standards but I respect what Ducati is doing. They should bring back the GT but make it a cheap bike, not a special edition. I feel like those would do better than the Monsters.

 

[BostonHedonist]

Honestly, Ducati's new Bonneville will probably perform much better than the ones Triumph make. I am utterly unimpressed with Triumph's hipster bikes.

My Triple however.... well that's another story.