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tank slappers some can be riddin thru some cannot.
^^^
Happened to me once. I was lucky enough to pull out of it. Sure has a major pucker factor, couldn't have driven a needle up my ass with a sledge hammer.
Happened to me once. I was lucky enough to pull out of it. Sure has a major pucker factor, couldn't have driven a needle up my ass with a sledge hammer.
dam right bud they bloody scary ! Had a few myself over the years but never been down cause of one *touch wood*
Shit, never saw that on such an extreme level.
Once had a light imbalance at the front wheel on a Honda CB 250ccm, it came at 80 km/h and was gone at 90. No big deal.
MotoGP »
MotoGP: Suzuki seamless ‘like using a PlayStation’
17 December 2015
“It's like a PlayStation, like an automatic. It's amazing.”
MotoGP: Suzuki seamless ‘like using a PlayStation’
Riding with Suzuki's new seamless gearbox is like using a PlayStation, according to the factory's MotoGP test rider Nobuatsu Aoki.
The seamless is one of the main upgrades for what Aleix Espargaro has described as a 'complete new bike' arriving for 2016, including a new engine, chassis and gearbox.
Since Mugello, when Aprilia introduced its seamless gearbox, Suzuki has been the only manufacturer without the technology, which slashes the time taken to switch drive from one gear to the next by 'engaging' both simultaneously.
Former grand prix racer Aoki has been developing the gearbox, which Maverick Vinales tried for the first time during a private test at Sepang in November.
“A lot of difference,” Aoki told Crash.net. “Every single upshift the normal gearbox cuts [the drive]. But the seamless doesn't need to do that, so with every single upshift maybe you gain two metres. And it's very easy to ride! It's like a PlayStation, like an automatic. It's amazing.”
While the quicker shifts provide a small increase in acceleration, something Suzuki was notably lacking this season, riders often cite the smoothness of the gear changes as the main benefit of the seamless.
Aoki agrees: “For making one quick lap time maybe there is no change, but especially when the rear tyre grip drops and it starts to move around under braking, the seamless downshift is more stable.”
Aoki made 168 starts in 250GP, 500GP and MotoGP from 1990 to 2008, winning in 250cc and taking four podiums in the premier-class. He believes seamless shift gearboxes are the biggest innovation in motorcycling since traction control.
“I would say in motorcycle history it is a big, big step. Traction control was a big step and this is the next one,” he said.
Espargaro missed November's Sepang test due to injury and will get his first taste of the Suzuki seamless when official testing kicks off at the Malaysian circuit in February.
That outing will also mark the public debut of the new GSX-RR.
“I'm sure they'll like the new bike,” Aoki smiled.
Espargaro and Vinales finished eleventh and twelfth respectively in the world championship during Suzuki's comeback season.
The pair qualified first and second in Catalunya with the GSX-RR's best race result a sixth place, twice for rookie star Vinales and once for Espargaro.
Suzuki and Aprilia will be the only manufacturers still eligible for technical concessions next season, when a single ECU will be compulsory and all teams will have the same tyre allocation and fuel limit.
That leaves extra engine changes, testing and exemption from the in-season engine development freeze.
by Peter McLaren
MotoGP: Suzuki seamless ‘like using a PlayStation’
17 December 2015
“It's like a PlayStation, like an automatic. It's amazing.”
- StumbleUpon
MotoGP: Suzuki seamless ‘like using a PlayStation’
Riding with Suzuki's new seamless gearbox is like using a PlayStation, according to the factory's MotoGP test rider Nobuatsu Aoki.
The seamless is one of the main upgrades for what Aleix Espargaro has described as a 'complete new bike' arriving for 2016, including a new engine, chassis and gearbox.
Since Mugello, when Aprilia introduced its seamless gearbox, Suzuki has been the only manufacturer without the technology, which slashes the time taken to switch drive from one gear to the next by 'engaging' both simultaneously.
Former grand prix racer Aoki has been developing the gearbox, which Maverick Vinales tried for the first time during a private test at Sepang in November.
“A lot of difference,” Aoki told Crash.net. “Every single upshift the normal gearbox cuts [the drive]. But the seamless doesn't need to do that, so with every single upshift maybe you gain two metres. And it's very easy to ride! It's like a PlayStation, like an automatic. It's amazing.”
While the quicker shifts provide a small increase in acceleration, something Suzuki was notably lacking this season, riders often cite the smoothness of the gear changes as the main benefit of the seamless.
Aoki agrees: “For making one quick lap time maybe there is no change, but especially when the rear tyre grip drops and it starts to move around under braking, the seamless downshift is more stable.”
Aoki made 168 starts in 250GP, 500GP and MotoGP from 1990 to 2008, winning in 250cc and taking four podiums in the premier-class. He believes seamless shift gearboxes are the biggest innovation in motorcycling since traction control.
“I would say in motorcycle history it is a big, big step. Traction control was a big step and this is the next one,” he said.
Espargaro missed November's Sepang test due to injury and will get his first taste of the Suzuki seamless when official testing kicks off at the Malaysian circuit in February.
That outing will also mark the public debut of the new GSX-RR.
“I'm sure they'll like the new bike,” Aoki smiled.
Espargaro and Vinales finished eleventh and twelfth respectively in the world championship during Suzuki's comeback season.
The pair qualified first and second in Catalunya with the GSX-RR's best race result a sixth place, twice for rookie star Vinales and once for Espargaro.
Suzuki and Aprilia will be the only manufacturers still eligible for technical concessions next season, when a single ECU will be compulsory and all teams will have the same tyre allocation and fuel limit.
That leaves extra engine changes, testing and exemption from the in-season engine development freeze.
by Peter McLaren
Vale Eric Hinton | Family Statement
Vale Eric Hinton – 1934-2015 – Family Statement
Australian international racing motorcyclist Eric Hinton passed away peacefully in Sydney’s Westmead Hospital today, December 17th, surrounded by his family. He was 81 and had been in full-time care for several years with Parkinson’s disease and the effects of a stroke.
Prior to his illness, Eric and wife of 56 years Kathleen had lived in Baulkham Hills for 40 years and raised sons Peter and Tony.
Eric Hinton was the middle of three sons of Australian motorcycle racing legend Harry Hinton Snr and a toolmaker by trade. He was a multiple Australian TT and Bathurst winner and first travelled overseas in 1956 as a member of Australia’s official Isle of Man TT team. His nine-year international career included winning the 1959 Czech Grand Prix.
After returning home from Europe in 1969, Eric continued racing locally until the early 1970s, then helped prepare winning machines for younger brother Robert, and later for his sons.
He is survived by brother Robert, wife Kathleen, sons Peter and Tony and 4 grandchildren.
Funeral details to follow.
Eric Hinton – NSU 250 – Credit Circus Life
The Eric Hinton Replica Trev wore while riding across America in 2008
Vale Eric Hinton – 1934-2015 – Family Statement
Australian international racing motorcyclist Eric Hinton passed away peacefully in Sydney’s Westmead Hospital today, December 17th, surrounded by his family. He was 81 and had been in full-time care for several years with Parkinson’s disease and the effects of a stroke.
Prior to his illness, Eric and wife of 56 years Kathleen had lived in Baulkham Hills for 40 years and raised sons Peter and Tony.
Eric Hinton was the middle of three sons of Australian motorcycle racing legend Harry Hinton Snr and a toolmaker by trade. He was a multiple Australian TT and Bathurst winner and first travelled overseas in 1956 as a member of Australia’s official Isle of Man TT team. His nine-year international career included winning the 1959 Czech Grand Prix.
After returning home from Europe in 1969, Eric continued racing locally until the early 1970s, then helped prepare winning machines for younger brother Robert, and later for his sons.
He is survived by brother Robert, wife Kathleen, sons Peter and Tony and 4 grandchildren.
Funeral details to follow.
Eric Hinton – NSU 250 – Credit Circus Life
The Eric Hinton Replica Trev wore while riding across America in 2008
Home » Moto GP » The reason Rossi Wants Move to Suzuki in 2017 Future?
The reason Rossi Wants Move to Suzuki in 2017 Future?
Fnatic Sports
Monday, December 14, 2015
The reason Rossi Wants Move to Suzuki in 2017 Future? - The Italian rider, Valentino Rossi still have contact Movistar Yamaha racing together until the end of 2016.
Thereafter, Rossi was still uncertain whether it will still race or choose to retire, whether to stay at Yamaha and MotoGP or choose another race, or he chose to move the team and the manufacturer.
But there are mentions that there will no longer Rossi at Yamaha and plans to join another team, namely Suzuki.
"In the spring of 2016, all can expect a lot of changes and emergence of new enemies to be reckoned with. As Suzuki became one of the successful examples of taking a step forward this year," said Rossi admitted.
While the current two Suzuki riders, Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales are little riders capable of racing with a resounding note in the Michelin tire tests at Valencia last.If true Suzuki was able to demonstrate a fairly rapid growth in 2016, it is certain that they are ready to bring a top rider for next season, including the name of Rossi.
Coupled with the presence of the figure of Davide Brivio, who is a former high-ranking Yamaha is currently in Suzuki. It is increasingly corroborate rumors that Rossi could have turned to Suzuki in 2017 and Yamaha forget.
When Rossi completely change a blue uniform with a blue uniform Yamaha Suzuki, it means that Rossi once again extend the unique record as a driver with a lot of teams. So far the new Rossi defends Honda, Yamaha and Ducati.
The reason Rossi Wants Move to Suzuki in 2017 Future?
Fnatic Sports
Monday, December 14, 2015
The reason Rossi Wants Move to Suzuki in 2017 Future? - The Italian rider, Valentino Rossi still have contact Movistar Yamaha racing together until the end of 2016.
Thereafter, Rossi was still uncertain whether it will still race or choose to retire, whether to stay at Yamaha and MotoGP or choose another race, or he chose to move the team and the manufacturer.
But there are mentions that there will no longer Rossi at Yamaha and plans to join another team, namely Suzuki.
"In the spring of 2016, all can expect a lot of changes and emergence of new enemies to be reckoned with. As Suzuki became one of the successful examples of taking a step forward this year," said Rossi admitted.
While the current two Suzuki riders, Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales are little riders capable of racing with a resounding note in the Michelin tire tests at Valencia last.If true Suzuki was able to demonstrate a fairly rapid growth in 2016, it is certain that they are ready to bring a top rider for next season, including the name of Rossi.
Coupled with the presence of the figure of Davide Brivio, who is a former high-ranking Yamaha is currently in Suzuki. It is increasingly corroborate rumors that Rossi could have turned to Suzuki in 2017 and Yamaha forget.
When Rossi completely change a blue uniform with a blue uniform Yamaha Suzuki, it means that Rossi once again extend the unique record as a driver with a lot of teams. So far the new Rossi defends Honda, Yamaha and Ducati.
Cycle Awards 2015
Share
Section: General Post: Alex Gobert
CycleOnline.com.au's third annual Australian awards feature.
Back again for a third consecutive year are the CycleOnline.com.au Cycle Awards, where we name the stars of the season past in a reflection of Australian and international racing. CycleOnline.com.au’s Cycle Awards are done purely for entertainment purposes, pieced together via what we witnessed during the year both within Australia and abroad.
Image: Russell Colvin.
National Rider of the Year – Troy Herfoss:
Riding the race-proven Team Honda Racing CBR1000RR SP, Troy Herfoss won both the Australasian Superbike Championship and Australian FX-Superbike Championships this year – fending off the almighty factory Yamaha combo of defending champ Wayne Maxwell and Glenn Allerton.
International Rider of the Year – Jorge Lorenzo:
It came down to the wire and eventually it was Jorge Lorenzo who claimed a third MotoGP World Championship. It wasn’t an overly popular win after a dramatic end to the season, but he’s a deserving champion when all’s said and done.
Rookie of the Year – Maverick Vinales:
Claiming Rookie of the Year was never the real target, but Maverick Vinales did an impressive job on the brand new Suzuki GSX-RR in 2015. With a talented line-up of MotoGP rookies, Vinales was the one who etched his name into the record books for 2015.
Race Series of the Year – MotoGP World Championship:
There are few words that describe just how good MotoGP was this season. It was surprising to see Marc Marquez lose the crown like he did after being so dominant in 2013 and 2014, but the Movistar Yamahas of Lorenzo and Rossi were in their own title fight pretty much all year long. Oh, the drama!
Source: Supplied.
Most Anticipated Model – Honda RC213V-S:
Honda officially launched its RC213V-S during a press introduction on the eve of this weekend’s Catalunya round of the MotoGP World Championship. Three years in the making, Honda has detailed the release of its road-going MotoGP entry, which will be available in limited numbers to allow customers to get “the ultimate MotoGP experience”. We’re hearing its as good as promised.
Hottest Topic – Rossi vs. Marquez:
Friends turned foes was the case of grand prix giants this year. It really started at Phillip Island during the race where Rossi felt Marquez was purposely playing with him in favour of Lorenzo winning the title and it escalated from there. Malaysia was where the major controversy hit, resulting in the #SepangClash and from there, all hell broke loose.
Top Team – Movistar Yamaha:
Yamaha engineers nailed it in 2015, developing its YZR-M1 into a MotoGP World Championship winner once again after the crown went down to the wire between Lorenzo and Rossi. We can’t say enough about their 1-2 result this season.
Best Event – Australian MotoGP:
Over 32,000 fans packed into the grandstands witnessed one of the most exciting races in the history of the world championship as Marquez was involved in a race-long scrap with title rivals Lorenzo and Rossi, plus the Ducati of Iannone. Marquez won, but to give you an idea of how close it was, just a second separated the four across the line.
Image: Russell Colvin.
Most Surprising Moment – Stoner’s Ducati homecoming:
Whispers of a Stoner return to Ducati first emerged during the post-race Valencia MotoGP test and it was confirmed soon afterwards. He’ll test and we may see him do wildcards, but don’t expect a fulltime racing return from the Aussie legend. Another major surprise was Troy Bayliss racing the opening WorldSBK rounds out of retirement!
Social Standout – Wayne Maxwell:
Like last year, Maxwell delivered a consistent recollection of his season and events all year long. The multiple national champion puts a lot of effort into this area of his career, which is paying dividends when it comes to marketing his brand.
Special Mention – Brookes the BSB champ:
We followed Josh Brookes’ progress closely all year long in the British Superbike Championship. Armed with a new YZF-R1 for this year, he essentially dominated the series after a long time of trying. Next year he will move to WorldSBK with the exact same team, albeit on BMW machinery.
Share
Section: General Post: Alex Gobert
CycleOnline.com.au's third annual Australian awards feature.
Back again for a third consecutive year are the CycleOnline.com.au Cycle Awards, where we name the stars of the season past in a reflection of Australian and international racing. CycleOnline.com.au’s Cycle Awards are done purely for entertainment purposes, pieced together via what we witnessed during the year both within Australia and abroad.
Image: Russell Colvin.
National Rider of the Year – Troy Herfoss:
Riding the race-proven Team Honda Racing CBR1000RR SP, Troy Herfoss won both the Australasian Superbike Championship and Australian FX-Superbike Championships this year – fending off the almighty factory Yamaha combo of defending champ Wayne Maxwell and Glenn Allerton.
International Rider of the Year – Jorge Lorenzo:
It came down to the wire and eventually it was Jorge Lorenzo who claimed a third MotoGP World Championship. It wasn’t an overly popular win after a dramatic end to the season, but he’s a deserving champion when all’s said and done.
Rookie of the Year – Maverick Vinales:
Claiming Rookie of the Year was never the real target, but Maverick Vinales did an impressive job on the brand new Suzuki GSX-RR in 2015. With a talented line-up of MotoGP rookies, Vinales was the one who etched his name into the record books for 2015.
Race Series of the Year – MotoGP World Championship:
There are few words that describe just how good MotoGP was this season. It was surprising to see Marc Marquez lose the crown like he did after being so dominant in 2013 and 2014, but the Movistar Yamahas of Lorenzo and Rossi were in their own title fight pretty much all year long. Oh, the drama!
Source: Supplied.
Most Anticipated Model – Honda RC213V-S:
Honda officially launched its RC213V-S during a press introduction on the eve of this weekend’s Catalunya round of the MotoGP World Championship. Three years in the making, Honda has detailed the release of its road-going MotoGP entry, which will be available in limited numbers to allow customers to get “the ultimate MotoGP experience”. We’re hearing its as good as promised.
Hottest Topic – Rossi vs. Marquez:
Friends turned foes was the case of grand prix giants this year. It really started at Phillip Island during the race where Rossi felt Marquez was purposely playing with him in favour of Lorenzo winning the title and it escalated from there. Malaysia was where the major controversy hit, resulting in the #SepangClash and from there, all hell broke loose.
Top Team – Movistar Yamaha:
Yamaha engineers nailed it in 2015, developing its YZR-M1 into a MotoGP World Championship winner once again after the crown went down to the wire between Lorenzo and Rossi. We can’t say enough about their 1-2 result this season.
Best Event – Australian MotoGP:
Over 32,000 fans packed into the grandstands witnessed one of the most exciting races in the history of the world championship as Marquez was involved in a race-long scrap with title rivals Lorenzo and Rossi, plus the Ducati of Iannone. Marquez won, but to give you an idea of how close it was, just a second separated the four across the line.
Image: Russell Colvin.
Most Surprising Moment – Stoner’s Ducati homecoming:
Whispers of a Stoner return to Ducati first emerged during the post-race Valencia MotoGP test and it was confirmed soon afterwards. He’ll test and we may see him do wildcards, but don’t expect a fulltime racing return from the Aussie legend. Another major surprise was Troy Bayliss racing the opening WorldSBK rounds out of retirement!
Social Standout – Wayne Maxwell:
Like last year, Maxwell delivered a consistent recollection of his season and events all year long. The multiple national champion puts a lot of effort into this area of his career, which is paying dividends when it comes to marketing his brand.
Special Mention – Brookes the BSB champ:
We followed Josh Brookes’ progress closely all year long in the British Superbike Championship. Armed with a new YZF-R1 for this year, he essentially dominated the series after a long time of trying. Next year he will move to WorldSBK with the exact same team, albeit on BMW machinery.
The helmet is interesting, I just looked into a catalog to search for prices of advanced helmets in general; holy cow, you can spend up to 700€ in a shop nearby.
I'm using an old 'just for show' helmet, they're forbidden meanwhile. Not very safe, but the mopeds I ride aren't really fast.
The helmet is interesting, I just looked into a catalog to search for prices of advanced helmets in general; holy cow, you can spend up to 700€ in a shop nearby.
I'm using an old 'just for show' helmet, they're forbidden meanwhile. Not very safe, but the mopeds I ride aren't really fast.
View attachment 238905
hey bud.
I like the idea of the helmet in the vid but I would like to know how the tested it to make sure it dont get ripped off in an accident and then expose your head and face to the accident in motion. One other thing that would be strange is no chin strap. You and I ( and everyone else who lives in a helmet ) are used to the reassurance of that feeling we get from a nice tight chin strap gives and anyone who's popped their head up out of the screen at 200 + knows just how violent and massive hit that first rush of air is and the hit your helmet shoulders and arms take and just how much that chinstrap tightens for a few seconds.
as for your lid mate . . .. . . . . . .
I disagree strongly with your choice of helmet. But I do understand your financial situation, but I also know the fucking traffic you ride in is probably more dangerous than me and the boys speeding thru our hill runs with a blood alcohol limit that would not only get us jailed but would result in a loss of license for a few years. But we all wear the 700 euro helmets you looked at and proper boots and gloves, and we might die in any manor of ways, but none of us will be in hospital getting the wire brush and dettol to get the gravel out of our skin. we ride to live and survive the ride.
Here's a few pics of my lids.
the one on the left is the first big dollar lid I bought and it saved my life, I'm told the accident that killed the Beattie rep was huge I was being chased at the time by the cops for speeding and I was splitting lanes at high speed and zigged when I should have zagged and clipped a plumbers van or rather the bike entered the back of the plumbers van and I bounced around and in between a few cars and got some air so I was told in the court case. I remember standing in the middle of a circle of cops in my full gear telling them to stick the ambulance up their fucking arse and if they put down the night sticks I'll take off my lid and it will be a fair fight needless to say I was mugged by the cops and thrown in the back of a van. Long story short once they took a blood sample a few hours later blood alcohol was .017 and the only injuries I had was I lost 2 teeth on the upper right jaw. I rekon I swallowed them both, I was also apparently a right prick when I was in the cells overnight and when I woke up in the afternoon I had no idea of why I was in a cell let alone where my bike was.
The helmet on the right is circa 1979 it came with the first z900 ( which had four inch over forks and pull back bars, and I bought it from a guy who knew I was underage and and also knew I did not have a license ) I cant remember how long I used it for but I dont remember it hitting the ground hard with it.
these are the helmets I use now, notice they are only Aria and Shoei. I know that many of the racers I follow and cheer on do not wear these lids (brand ), bayliss,stoner, ianoe , bradle, miller.
the black Aria cost $1200 australian and its 15yrs old and I love it, I feel the security when I wear this helmet it gives me confidence and a mental strength every time I put it on, and have gone well over 100,000 k's in it if not more it's never hit the road. I have done work time with the one in the middle no more no less, the end lid is for one person. Kato, Daijiro Katon it's not a tribute lid as far as I know but it is a replica of the one he lived and died in. Sadly Kato passed due to a malfunction. I own and ride with his lid cause you sometimes need to remind yourself of those we have lost ,the reason Kato lost his life was machine failure, FACT.
And my point after all this, is, the correct gear has kept me and my mates alive sure there has been broken bones, skin grafts stays in the hospitals and deaths. But the deaths were from a impact bone, crushing organ splitting impacts but they died doing what they loved and their family s understood.
whats next bud ? gloves ? boots ?
Published on December 24th, 2015 | by Boris
2
2016 MV AGUSTA DRAGSTER RR – SEX BOMB
Look at it.
Just look at it.
Astonishing, isn’t it?
Oh..you sexy, sexy, sexy thing…
You might have seen me at the Sydney Bike Show next to the MV stand. I was the one with the slack jaw and the tent in my pants.
It’s just a magnificent creation.
If I behold it long enough I run out of descriptors and resort to swearing. The good kind.
Still, one has to wonder what it’s like to ride.
Panties in one neat pile, please, ladies.
Because if it disappointed in that area, then there would be more swearing. The bad kind.
It would be like admiring a Victoria’s Secret model on the runway, then suddenly finding her in your hotel room, all sparkle-eyed and ready to slurp…and then discovering she tastes like an old jackal, smells of turpentine and you’d have more fun straddling a rolled-up floor rug.
The all-show-but-no-go paradigm. Molto deludente, as the Italians say, despite the fact that you can still fap to it.
Now I am no stranger to MV Agustas. I am, in fact, a bit of a fan boy.
I had a long-term F4 some years back. It was the only bike I’ve ever ridden to more than 300km/h (indicated). I commuted on it. I toured on it. And I put more than 20,000km on it, much to the surprise of myself and the MV mechanics who were servicing it. It remains the only real-life long-term test of the F4 that I am aware of anywhere on earth.
I have ridden several Brutales and I put some miles on them too, and I spent a very happy evening with Brother Silverback hammering a race-piped 750 Senna up and down the Putty Road until the werewolves came out.
The bikes were not without their issues.
The F4 cooked me like ham in traffic and crippled me with ergonomic cruelty.
I loved it anyway.
The Brutales were more comfortable, but had strange electronic glitches and one in particular kept shedding its number-plate, which in retrospect was probably a good thing given the shit I was getting up to on public roads back then.
I loved them, as well.
And I loved them because they went like screaming missiles, handled (once they were set up correctly) like racing bikes, sounded like hatred manifest, and looked like metallic sex.
More importantly, they made me feel very special.
Here is me felling special.
They were compromise-free. They were angry; pure and venomous – which, by extension, made me, the rider, feel like I was riding somewhere beyond the herd; even if I wasn’t in terms of actual riding skill.
It didn’t matter. Pretty girls would smile winsomely at me as I sat in traffic roasting like an almond. Blokes in cars and trucks would tell me I was riding the sexiest bike they had ever seen. Wherever I parked an MV, people would stop and stare at it and ask me enviously if it was mine. Of course, I would lie to them and tell them it was. They would then nod and smile and tell me it was beautiful, implying that I was a man of great good taste with divine mastery of my universe.
Best-looking rear-wheel ever.
Adjustable handlebars and steering damper.
For shifting with power.
No other sportsbike or naked ever had (or has) the same effect on people who know nothing about motorcycles.
Fellow motorcyclists, most of who had never ridden or will ever ride an MV, were likewise overcome with admiration.
There’s just something special about an MV Agusta – some ineffable cachet that transcended other motorcycles.
A year or so ago, MV Agusta decided it wanted to splash in a smaller capacity market and introduced its in-line three-cylinder engine. So it built a triple that out-tripled all other triples.
It also created what is arguably (and you can argue all you want because it will fall on deaf ears) the most stunningly beautiful naked bike on the market today – the Dragster RR.
But, and this is a big but, not only is the RR stunning to behold, it is actually quite magical to ride. This, I discovered when David Wooju Song from Moto Tecnica (Sydney’s MV dealer) gave me one for a week. I guess if you follow someone around the Sydney Bike Show for long enough, crying tears of desire loud enough, you get results. In the end, David gave me the bike to shut me up. My tears dried upon the instant and I went back to following promo girls around.
Yeah, I’d bin the collector box.
A few days later, I was riding away from the bike-porn shop that is Moto Tecnica on the red-and-black RR (there’s a red-and-white version too), and feeling very special-sexy.
It is small. It looks small and feels small when you climb on, but it’s not cramped. Somehow, MV have taken the already compact Brutale and compressed it even further. It took me some time to wrap my head around how compact it is. The ergos were good, it’s just that the bike itself felt tiny and light. Similarly, black holes are much smaller and more condensed than the giant galaxies they swallow. There is a very large amount of bang in the RR’s relatively slight package.
It weighs an eye-opening 168kg dry, chugs out 86Nm of torque and 140 horses at 13100rpm. There is no more powerful engine in this class. This is it – and it weighs just 52kgs.
And what an engine it is. I would not even consider buying the not-the-RR Dragster (and not just because the wheels are cast and not spoked), which is 15 horses down and a few injectors short on this jewel; this rev-geysering scream-fest is a delight of smooth, useable power that is just exhilarating to play with. It’s perfectly fuelled, with none of the hunting the bigger and earlier models were afflicted with at low speed. Throttle response is immediate, like good vengeance.
The details are stunning.
Couple it to an outstandingly precise and smooth gearbox with an up-and-down quickshifter, and you have thrill made incarnate. It’s quite the howling madman-motorcycle of your dreams.
The front wheel is under your sternum, your girlfriend is either a child of 12 or following you in her car. It steers as quick as thought, despite the fat back tyre, and the wide flat bars and steering damper all contribute to make that fast steering a pleasure rather than a question.
It comes with four engine modes and an eight-setting traction control, and great, useable road-friendly suspension (at last!). It is on the firm side, but at no time did it get jittery or cause me to pee from my bottom in fright. The RR tracked sure and true, every time.
I even let Boon ride it. Just to watch him smile.
Yeah, it’s got issues. Of course it does. Perfection is not given to mortals lest they become arrogant and grotesque in the merciless eyes of the Road Gods.
The bar-end mirrors make it awkward (and expensive) to lane-split, which is annoying because the bike itself is razor slim. But they do fold in, and there’s a road-variant of the MotoGP-style front brake- and clutch-guard curled around the front of each, and that’s kinda cool.
It’s just a joy to swing through corners.
Be a bit hard to French some blinkers into there.
The dash is complicated and hard to read. Much like some women I have known in my time. I still went out with them, but – because they looked really good in bikinis. If all you care about is the speed you’re going to jail for, you’ll be fine. But if you need to peer at the other info for any length of time, best you pull over and stare at it.
There have been unkind words said about the mudgaurdy, cockroach-looking thing that hangs astern of the rear wheel – which is itself a work of art worthy of hanging in the Louvre. And yes, from an aesthetic point of view, the black scab jars the eye. Sadly, it’s not just a matter of hacksawing it off and throwing it into the street. The blinkers live in it. Happily, there are tail-tidies available for the Dragster, but it will not be a cheap thing to do. Still, if you’re buying MVs, then you’re not about cheap, are you? Personally, I’d leave it there. It would be like Cindy Crawford’s face-mole – a slight imperfection that actually enhances her glory.
I rode the RR for a week. In that time, one of the tail-lights recessed into the tail-piece ceased to tail-light. The other one worked fine, but the dashboard duly informed me there was a tail-light malfunction.
Did I really care about any of this?
Not really. I’m just telling you what’s what. There are leading experts who wouldn’t, but that is a matter for them.
Now that I have you alone…
…it’s time to take my pants off.
I loved the RR. It’s special. There is an even more special variant of it, called the Dragster RR LH44 (after Lewis Hamilton, the Grand Prix driver), which comes with more exotic bling than a Russian trophy wife, but no added performance. That should not stop anyone from buying one of the 244 signed and hand-crafted models for a nano-second. I certainly would if I could rob enough servos.
I will respect you in the morning.
For mere mortals, the RR is certainly more than sufficient. It’s unique in so many ways, but its looks are the clincher. It is simply breathtaking. I could forgive it so very much more than the few little niggles it has if it performed half as well as it did.
Given the way it does go?
One requires no brain at all to get the Dragster RR’s transcendental siren-song.
It is, quite frankly, one of the most inspiring and exciting motorcycles I have ever ridden.
HOW MUCH? $24,490 ride away.
GO HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.
The dash is complicated and hard to read. Much like some women I have known in my time. I still went out with them, but – because they looked really good in bikinis. If all you care about is the speed you’re going to jail for, you’ll be fine. But if you need to peer at the other info for any length of time, best you pull over and stare at it.
There have been unkind words said about the mudgaurdy, cockroach-looking thing that hangs astern of the rear wheel – which is itself a work of art worthy of hanging in the Louvre. And yes, from an aesthetic point of view, the black scab jars the eye. Sadly, it’s not just a matter of hacksawing it off and throwing it into the street. The blinkers live in it. Happily, there are tail-tidies available for the Dragster, but it will not be a cheap thing to do. Still, if you’re buying MVs, then you’re not about cheap, are you? Personally, I’d leave it there. It would be like Cindy Crawford’s face-mole – a slight imperfection that actually enhances her glory.
I rode the RR for a week. In that time, one of the tail-lights recessed into the tail-piece ceased to tail-light. The other one worked fine, but the dashboard duly informed me there was a tail-light malfunction.
Did I really care about any of this?
Not really. I’m just telling you what’s what. There are leading experts who wouldn’t, but that is a matter for them.
Now that I have you alone…
…it’s time to take my pants off.
I loved the RR. It’s special. There is an even more special variant of it, called the Dragster RR LH44 (after Lewis Hamilton, the Grand Prix driver), which comes with more exotic bling than a Russian trophy wife, but no added performance. That should not stop anyone from buying one of the 244 signed and hand-crafted models for a nano-second. I certainly would if I could rob enough servos.
I will respect you in the morning.
For mere mortals, the RR is certainly more than sufficient. It’s unique in so many ways, but its looks are the clincher. It is simply breathtaking. I could forgive it so very much more than the few little niggles it has if it performed half as well as it did.
Given the way it does go?
One requires no brain at all to get the Dragster RR’s transcendental siren-song.
It is, quite frankly, one of the most inspiring and exciting motorcycles I have ever ridden.
HOW MUCH? $24,490 ride away.
GO HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.
I prefere 2000$ PCs then expensive helmets..
Many buddies here have a paper from a doctor, who allows them to ride without a helmet . It was on vogue some time ago, but the most did it inner city/summer only, not on the autobahn.
I prefere 2000$ PCs then expensive helmets..
Many buddies here have a paper from a doctor, who allows them to ride without a helmet . It was on vogue some time ago, but the most did it inner city/summer only, not on the autobahn.
I get where you want to spend your money on, and I respect that. I'm only asking your buy a proper helmet so I/we get to enjoy your company for years to come.
One bird hitting one of your mates in the head even at 40 miles an hours is gonna cause a huge indecent. I have hit a few with a helmet on and the shock of the hit travels into your neck real quick.
either way fella take care.
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