Friday, August 21, 2009

this is BAD ASS!

eniCycle
click for video


Enicycle via Core77 via DVICE via gizmodo

continue reading this is BAD ASS!...

how to ride a Honda CRF450

esd stunter
click for video


This looks like a whole load o fun.

continue reading how to ride a Honda CRF450...

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Kawasaki KX450F with Christini All-Wheel-Drive conversion

Don Williams review at Ultimate Motorcycling of a Kawasaki KX450F with Christini All-Wheel-Drive conversion.

"When the KX450F was switched back to AWD, the bike easily and controllably topped the hill, making the rider wonder if an entirely different bike has been substituted. Quite simply, the difference in these sorts of situations (mudholes are another), the difference cannot be overstated. It's the difference between painless success and unqualified failure."
I sort of have an ongoing fetish for these Christini rigs.

continue reading Kawasaki KX450F with Christini All-Wheel-Drive conversion...

Friday, August 14, 2009

Rise of the (chinese) machines - qlink motorcycles

Anyone who knows anything about bikes knows this: Bikes are all about sexy.

Power, handling, economy - whatever other reasons we have are all secondary. The bike has to look hot. And for those few super-perverse ones (like myself), a hot mess of duct tape, Krylon, rust and dirt looks pretty hot too.

One of the reasons why Chinese bikes have not taken off here is that most of them are styled like "sooo yesterday". Of course there are other reasons: limited dealer networks, bad reliability reputation, etc.

But Fugliness is the maker-breaker factor. With Suzuki now having 2 factories in China, you can be sure that China's well-honed industrial espionage moles are in full swing. What they learn from the Japanese will likely help improve manufacturing and quality control throughout the sector.

Once they improve reliability on the higher-power 250cc class powerplants, and on up into the 400-600cc motors - we'll see a horrendous shakeup in the global motorcycle industry. China's motorcycle manufacturing capacity is greater than the whole rest of the world combined... by a LARGE margin. They are like the U.S. in 1946 on steroids.

Very soon, these non-ugly semi-knockoff-styled machines are hitting our shores.

As a bike lover, and cash-strapped consumer, I'm pretty stoked.
qlink megelli 250r   qlink megelli 250mqlink megelli 250s

I, for one, welcome with open arms our new Manchu Overlords.

Qlink USA here

continue reading Rise of the (chinese) machines - qlink motorcycles...

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Now it's on. Chinese Motorcycles invade Bed Stuy Brooklyn

qlink xf200 supermoto
These Bad Boys
are showing up in Bed Stuy.

There are 2 dominant types of motorcycles in Bedford Stuyvesant: 1) sport bikes and 2) Enduros... specifically, KLR650 Kawasakis.

The Japanese Sport bikes are sometimes blinged out - polished and chromed, painted, aftermarket pipes... though many fly with stock setups.

The KLR650 seems to be the most popular bike here. Really the KLR650 should just be renamed "The official motorcycle of Bed Stuy". Last summer it seemed everyone-and-their-mother was blasting around on one of those big thumpers. Though I'm seeing a few more Honda XRs this summer and I have yet to spot a Suzuki DRZ400SM this year. Not sure what happened to those few DRZs that were wheelying around like crazy last year.

The real Leading Indicator bike spotting event was the 200cc Chinese Supermoto I saw on Malcom X Boulevard last night. The owner said he "imported it from New Jersey" - a beautiful little orange scoot with very little "sticker clutter" on the tank. The color was a little lighter and brighter than KTM orange... more plastic-ey looking. Reminded me of 1970's Chrysler muscle cars: over-the-top tones. Nicely done.

manufacturer's site: here

...annnnnd you can buy them on the Internet. Though I recommend finding a dealer (for ANY bike).

At $2299.00, they might just be the most affordable little city bikes available. At that price, I expect a lot more to be appearing in the hood.

A good starter bike. You know: for the kids. Light and nimble... for avoiding those ubiquitous always-reckless-and-speeding Car Service taxis that infest the streets of Brooklyn like roaches at a Crack House.

continue reading Now it's on. Chinese Motorcycles invade Bed Stuy Brooklyn...