Kawasaki updates entire motorcycle line for '09

Kawasaki has pulled the covers off its new motorcycle line for '09, and there's lots to discuss. A revised, lithe ZX-6R sheds about 20 pounds, much of it from the engine itself. It also gets updated Showa Big Piston forks and a new look based on its big brother, the ZX-10R. Speaking of which, Kawi's literbike sees only a few changes for '09, most notably a new green, white and black color scheme that looks excellent. Moving from the top of the performance ladder, the middleweight Ninja 650 gets a new fairing that brings it more in line with the rest of the Ninja line, plus a few engine mods to meet new emissions regulations. In a bit of really cool news, the U.S. finally gets the ER6-n, essentially a naked version of the popular Ninja 650 -- we likey.

On another sporty note, Team Green has unveiled the KLX250SF, a supermoto bike with a 250cc four-stroke engine, grippy 17-inch tires and long suspension travel. The 'moto is based on the KLX250S, a small-bore dual-sport bike that's finally 50-state emissions legal for '09. On a surprising note, the venerable Super Sherpa is back, along with its 250cc engine and old-school looks. Cruisers are still big sellers in the U.S., so the new 1700 Vulcans are likely to be a hit with a new V-Twin engine derived from Vulcan 2000's monster mill. The rest of the Vulcan line, along with the Versys, ZX-14 and Concours 14 see no real changes for '09 other than some new colors. And that about wraps it up. Look for the new Kawasakis in dealerships soon and check out our galleries of the new-for-'09 models below and after the jump.
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First Automated Motorcycle Wash Opens

With so many nooks and crannies for road filth to hide in, washing a motorcycle can be a tedious task. So consider us intrigued in Moto Express Wash, reportedly the country’s only fully-automated bike washing system.

According to its builders, this Indianapolis car wash system can wash and dry a motorcycle in five minutes, and the prototype machine even automatically rotates the wheels to ensure all of the bike's spokes are cleaned.

A computerized system controls blocks at the front tire and kickstand to hold anything from a scooter to a custom chopper upright, and a washing arm handles the pre-soak, wash, and spot-free rinse in a fashion not dissimilar to a traditional car wash. The bike is then air dried.

The creators of the system have a patent pending, and hope to build a nationwide business with this new system.


Source: Next Autos

2009 R1 with crossplane firing order

As is often the case when one of the big four Japanese bike manufacturers introduce a new literbike, there's way too many new features and detail improvements for us to include in a write-up. For the '09 Yamaha R1, though, there are some huge differences which are sure to become major talking points over the next few months. For starters, Yamaha is now the first manufacturer to move its modified firing order technology from the Moto GP tracks to your driveway. Featuring a staggered crossplane crankshaft that locates each connecting rod 90° from the one before it. According to Yamaha, this arrangement allows for the high RPM power of an inline-four with the steady powerband of a twin-cylinder bike. We look forward to finding out for ourselves how effective this is. Other useful technology is the adjustable power button which changes the engine map between three different settings.

Also new is a magnesium subframe, new projector headlamps with integrated ram air ducts and a stubby new rear tail section. Some of the styling changes will take a bit of getting used to, but we are pretty pleased that Yamaha has seen fit to offer a paint scheme from each of its past major color motifs: Yellow and black, red and white and the current blue, plus one thoroughly stealthy version in black and red. Check past the break for more, along with commentary from Yamaha racers including Valentino Rossi.More Photos

10th Anniversary Victory Vision sells out in 7 minutes

The classic touring bike style has seen only minor revisions since the 1940s or so, but that doesn't mean something spicy and different can't shake up the segment from time to time, as proven by the Victory Vision. Introduced last year, the Vision sports futuristic styling that's also very effective at keeping the wind and elements at bay -- exactly what you want from a long-legged steed. That the Vision is equipped with an extremely powerful 106-cubic-inch (over 1,700cc) air-cooled engine with 92 horsepower and 109 lb-ft of torque mated to a six-speed transmission is icing on the cake. To celebrate its 10th Anniversary, America's other motorcycle manufacturer threw everything but the kitchen sink at the Vision and ended up with a $29,000 two-wheeler bedecked in metallic red, black and chrome. Apparently, riders liked the result enough to snatch up all 100 Anniversary editions in the first seven minutes it was made available for purchase online. With that kind of response, maybe they should make a big deal about the 11th anniversary next year...
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Honda announces new CBR600RR and CBR1000RR Fireblade for U.K.

When it was introduced in 2008, the brand-new Honda CBR1000RR, known as Fireblade across the pond, won accolades from the the press and regular riders alike. Considering its market domination over the last year, we wouldn't be surprised if Honda simply left things pretty much alone for '09. There is one new feature, though, and it's a biggie: optional ABS brakes. This will be the first application of anti-lock brakes in a machine of this caliber, and early reports indicate that people are seeing improved lap times as a result. In addition to the brakes, expect to see some color changes and a Repsol race edition.


Moving on to Honda's smaller-bore machine, the CBR600RR will also get optional C-ABS along with engine changes designed to improve torque right in the middle of the power band, between 8,000 and 12,000 RPM. Along with these changes comes revised styling with flashy colors pulled straight from the mid-'90s. Apparently, neon green and electric blue are back. Why didn't somebody tell us sooner?


Source:autoblog

Roger Goldammer: Is familiar with the bicycle building official world champion

There seems to be a new trend in custom bike building, and it's one we're happy to see.


The best designers are creating machines meant to be ridden and to perform better than anything else available, and this year's winner of the Official World Championship of Custom Bike Building proves this. Roger Goldammer creates stunning designs


yet he doesn't let his creations sit in a corner collecting dust. Rather, his winning bike is a world record holder, averaging over 160 miles per hour last year at the Bonneville Salt Flats.


This year, official voting took place at the Sturgis Rally and was broken down into four separate categories. Goldammer won in the Freestyle class


The most prestigious award available, with his machine known as Goldmember. Equipped with a custom 960cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine using modified Harley-Davidson cases


A supercharger and nitrous in addition to its streamlined bodywork, Goldmember is simply amazing. You can see the rest of the winning machines here.
Source:autoblog

2009 Harley-Davidson CVO models

There is no doubting that Harley-Davidson motorcycles have stood the test of time. Though sales of both mainstream and higher-end models from The Motor Company are down, Harley-Davidson has seen fit to continue its line of factory custom models. Custom Vehicle Operations offers complete models featuring Screaming Eagle parts.


HD has no problems selling its entire allotment of CVO SE bikes each year despite their high cost of entry, so we surmise that folks looking for full custom bikes complete with Harley-Davidson warranties must have fairly deep pockets. Surely then, these machines had better be quite different from their more standard countarparts. Let's take a closer look.




Source:autoblog