Behind each racer is a team – and every team is dedicated to running as smoothly and efficiently as possible.
In an environment where every second is valuable, marshals and technicians have taken to scooters to increase time efficiency – especially if things should go bottoms-up on the track.
And the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) has found an answer to their goals of increasing sustainability on the track by giving track scooters an electric makeover.
FIM has just partnered up with Swedish electric motorcycle maker, CAKE, to create the CAKE Ösa utility scooter.
Labeled as ‘the swiss-army knife on wheels,’ The scooter sports a unibar that allows riders to use a clamp-on system for bags, purses, and more to create over 1,000 different possible configurations.
And with three ride modes and two brake modes, it’s easy to see how this little two-wheeled munchkin will become FIM’s main mode of transportation around the track.
A report from RideApart states that both companies also have goals of eventually transferring that efficiency to the race machines themselves.
For now, though, care for the climate starts with small steps – and with the CAKE Ösa utility scooter on call, contributions to a smaller carbon footprint have become that much more reachable.
For more articles on sustainability at the track, head over to WebBikeWorld.
With promises of releasing as many as seven new models in India by August of this year, Chinese-owned Italian brand Benelli has been busy – and they’re about to drop a little treat for us rubberists.
According to RushLane, A new motorcycle with ties to both QJ Motors and Benelli has just been spotted in China via a spy shot – and it is expected that Qianjiang Motor will be releasing the new sportbike under the Benelli brand name.
As seen in the spy photo, the bike features a split seat setup, rear-set footpegs, and a clip-on handlebar, with a raised tail and compact upswept exhaust reminiscent of their 250cc superbike design.
Expected specs include a compact exhaust, USD forks at the front of the bike, a rear mono-shock, and a potential 500cc twin-cylinder motor – the same as the motor in Bellini’s Leoncino 500. It’s this last detail that has sparked rumors that the bike could sport ‘502R’ in the model name, rendering it the start of a new series.
Should the 502R harbor Leoncino’s motor, we would be looking at an engine with a hefty 46.8 bhp at 8500 rpm and 46 Nm of peak torque at 6000 rpm. That, coincidentally, would put the competition right up the alley of the Kawasaki Ninja 400 – and if it makes it across the seas, it will bring some throttle-twisting competition to today’s mid-range moto market.
Stay tuned for updates, and head over to WebBikeWorld for a peek at other comparable motors by Benelli.
Over the years, American motorcycle manufacturers have produced some of the most exciting and iconic models in the industry. Few motorcycles have managed to capture the imaginations of riders, both beginner and experienced, than the classic American architecture of a rumbling V-twin engine, a low-slung frame, and a relaxed pair of handlebars.
Today, there may only be a handful of American manufacturers still producing internationally renowned motorcycles, but they are some of the best in the world. To celebrate these beautiful and innovative machines, we’ve put together a list of some of the best motorcycles to come out of America, with examples taken from the past, and a few from the present day too.
Kicking off our list we have one of the most recognizable motorcycles from a brand that’s had its fair share of ups and downs over the years. We’re talking about Buell, of course. Back in 1983, former Harley-Davidson employee Erik Buell was a man with a vision, a vision to build performance-focused V-twin motorcycles using HD technology.
It was a dream that has spanned decades, with different shareholders, and a story that has everything from closures, rebranding, liquidation, reboots, and the full works. Buell Motorcycles, Erik Buell Racing, and now in 2021 we’re back to Buell Motorcycles with the promise of a limited run of new machines. It’s exhausting stuff, but the Buell story is anything but dull.
We’re not here to talk about the company. Or companies. We’re here to talk about the XB12R Firebolt: a sports bike of sorts that’s built using the same powertrain as the Harley Sportster. It’s classic Harley technology—a 1,203 cc V-twin engine—but in street fighter clothing. Boasting an aluminum frame, top-shelf components, and pure racing DNA, the XB12R is a true American great.
There are a number of Harley-Davidson motorcycles that could go on a list about American-made two-wheelers. The company is the backbone of the American industry and arguably the most recognizable motorcycle manufacturers on the planet. Founded in 1903, Harley-Davidson is one of the oldest motorcycle brands in the world, and the oldest continuously operating American motorcycle manufacturer.
Despite the brand’s long and illustrious history, we’ve decided to select only a single model to represent the legendary Bar and Shield brand. There’s no shortage of lists on Harleys, and while HD is a steadfast pillar of the industry, there are other manufacturers to highlight too. So, without further ado: let’s talk about the Harley-Davidson Sportster.
The Sportster has been with us since 1957, and it’s not going anywhere either. It’s an American icon in its own right. Today, the Sportster is available in two engine sizes: the classic 883 cc V-twin or the newer 1,199 cc V-twin. Both deliver an instantly recognizable ride experience, accompanied by a sound that other manufacturers have tried to imitate, but never succeeded in replicating.
The Sportster is one of the best American motorcycles to come out of the 50s, one of the best to come out of the 20th century, and possibly even one of the best ever made.
Today, Indian often plays second-fiddle to Harley-Davidson when we talk about big American heritage brands, but technically Indian has a longer history. Unfortunately, since the marque folded and the brand was inactive for a long time, it’s often overlooked since Harley can boast being in continuous production for its entire lifespan. Still, there was a time when Indian, and nor Harley, was the biggest American motorcycle manufacturer.
Beginning life as the Hendee Manufacturing Company in 1901, before changing its name to Indian Motorcycle in 1923. Shortly before the name change, the company pulled the covers off of a new motorcycle that would capture the attention of the American riding public: the Indian Chief. When it rolled onto the scene in 1922, this big twin, the biggest in the catalog, caused a sensation.
In its original form, the Chief drew power from a huger 1,000 cc V-twin, but over time that evolved into a 1,210 cc unit, and then on to a massive 1,300 cc engine. When Indian closed down production in 1953, the legendary Chief seemingly died with it. However, thanks to the Polaris-backed reboot of the brand, the Chief is now back with us, though with little in common with its ancestor. The modern Chief uses a 1,811 cc Thunderstroke 111 engine, but the overall spirit of the motorcycle harkens back to the glorious Indian machines of yesteryear.
The Victory Octane was without doubt one of the best power cruisers ever made. Now, the Victory nameplate may no longer be with us, but the spirit of the Octane lives on in the Indian Scout. Still, we’re awarding this space to Victory because when it came to innovation, Victory really pushed the envelope. Or rather, it pushed the envelope within the cruiser segment. There were many people who dismissed Victory as just another cruiser manufacturer, and while they did certainly make cruisers, they offered serious performance too.
The Octane was designed alongside the brand’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb racer, the Project 156. It featured similar DNA, but rather than being channeled into a performance bike, it was injected into a new breed of cruiser. The Octane featured a powerful 1,179 cc V-twin engine that produced 88.6 hp and 66.9 lb-ft of torque, with a nimble nature and modern aesthetic. Unfortunately, we’ll never get to see how good it could’ve been, as Victory shut its doors in 2017.
Still, the technology lives on in the form of the Indian Scout. Which is still a great motorcycle. However, it would’ve been great to see what a brand with a vision like Victory’s could have done with it. Even so, it still deserves to go down in history as one of the great American motorcycles.
Keanu Reeves might be Canadian, but his bike brand, Arch Motorcycle, is all-American. Founded in 2011 by actor Keanu Reeves and motorcycle designer Gard Hollinger, Arch Motorcycle produces made-to-order performance cruisers that are quite unlike anything else on the market. The brand’s flagship model, the KRGT-1 began life as a private commission, when Reeves set Hollinger the task of building him a performance cruiser with American values.
Fusing comfort and aggression together in equal measure, the KRGT-1 can be ridden furiously on the track, or for laid-back cross-country cruises. The bike is built around a burly 2,032 cc S&S T124 V-twin that produces a massive 121 lb-ft of peak torque, held in place by a lightweight tubular steel and aluminum chassis.
Naturally, it features premium parts, including Öhlins suspension, BST carbon wheels, ISR brakes, and more. But as each model is somewhat made to measure, no two KRGT-1s are the same.
The only negative part of the KRGT-1 is the price tag. With ticket prices of around $85,000 a go, they’re not cheap. But you’re not just buying a motorcycle. Instead, you’re investing in the future of the American motorcycling dream. Or an actor’s impressive vanity project. Since very few of us are ever going to own one, the price doesn’t really matter anyway.
Gone but not forgotten: the Motus Motorcycles brand name only enjoyed a short life but it left a lasting impression. Motus was founded in around 2008 by Lee Conn and Brian Case, but it took a few years before the first prototype broke cover. It was called the MST and going against American convention, it wasn’t a cruiser with a V-twin engine. Instead, it was a sport touring motorcycle, with a V4 powerplant instead.
The brand got a bit of bad press for using pushrod engine design, considered outdated at the time and the wrong direction for a performance bike, but the MST (and its more powerful sibling, the MST-R) boasted impressive performance.
The MV4 1650 V4 engine produced an impressive 165 horses (MST) or 180 horsepower (MST-R) depending on what model you chose. Still, it wasn’t enough to make buyers look past the price tag. These things weren’t cheap, and that’s what ultimately led the brand to close its doors.
With the company shutting down in 2018, the MST and MSTR models could be considered something as a failure rather than some of the “best motorcycles to come out of America,” and that’s true to a degree. However, Conn and Case tried something wild and it kind of worked. Sales might not have gone through the roof, but the guys at Motus certainly did break the monotony of seeing another American V-twin manufacturer. They dared to be different.
Daring to be different is the heart of Zero Motorcycles’ business model. While the American motorcycling legend might be built on top of brawny V-twin engines with massive displacements and huge power, the industry’s future looks quite different. Swapping internal combustion engines for electric motors, Zero has been leading the charge for electric motorcycles in the USA.
Founded in 2006 by former NASA engineer Neal Saiki, Zero designs and builds electric motorcycles with real-life usability and capability. The first production model was the brand’s Zero S model, but if we had to choose one that really defines the brand and the state of the electric motorcycle movement in the USA, then it would have to be the Zero SR.
Introduced in 2014, the Zero SR (Street Racing) features a futuristic powertrain with real performance. In stock form, the motor and battery can provide a usable range of up to 179 miles, and produce a top speed of 95 mph, complemented with 70 horsepower and 116 lb-ft of torque. If you’re looking for an American-made electric motorcycle with a versatile nature, the Zero SR should be the bike for you.
Now, if you’re interested in electric mobility but also demand exclusivity, then Curtiss Motorcycles have something for you. If you’re not familiar with Curtiss, you’ll be familiar with the brand’s former name “Confederate Motors.” Confederate built a reputation for building some of the most exotic, exclusive, and expensive motorcycles in North America, and now that they’ve changed their name and business model, they’ve added an extra “E” into the mix: electric.
The brand ditched its name and direction a few years ago, but since Curtiss rose from Confederate’s ashes, we hadn’t heard much. We knew that the brand would only build electric motorcycles in the future, and we knew that it would work in partnership with Zero. But it has only been recently that we’ve seen what the future of Curtiss will look like. This is it. This is “The One” – an electric machine with eye-watering performance and a unique aesthetic.
The One is a low-volume production bike from Curtiss that uses a fully customizable frame, CNC-machined components, a radial battery case, and a powertrain that produces 217 horsepower, 272 lb-ft of torque. And what does it cost? £115,000. But that’s a small price to pay for such a unique, innovative and outrageously American motorcycle. Maybe?
Yes, we’ve got another electric motorcycle here. The whole electrification of motorcycles can be an opinion divider, but whether you agree with it or not, it’s happening—and America is very much at the forefront of development. In terms of performance, the USA’s Lightning Motorcycle Corp is hard to beat. Why? Because the brand’s flagship motorcycle, the LS-218, is the fastest production bike in the world, either gas or electric. And if that’s not something to celebrate, then what is?
Lightning was founded in 2006 by Richard Hatfield. Hatfield formed the company to focus on electric mobility, and after designing a number of interesting vehicles, the LS-218 was born. It’s an all-electric sports bike with a 12 kWh battery pack that can deliver an impressive range, and even more impressive performance. It has competed at Pikes Peak and numerous other competitions, but its crowning moment was setting its top speed record at the Bonneville Speedway: proving that it was capable of hitting 218 mph.
That kind of performance is pricey, but when compared to other high-end electric motorcycles, the LS-218 isn’t actually that expensive, with a price tag of $38,888 US. It’s electric, it’s fast, and it’s a titleholder—which is why it’s one of the best American motorcycles ever made.
Rokon Trail-Breaker
Credit: Rokon
Disagree all you like, but the Rokon Trail-Breaker is a true American icon. It’s a tough-talking, utilitarian machine with a pioneering spirit, with plenty of American grit and attitude. It might not be as well-known as a Harley-Davidson or as fast as the Lightning LS-218, but when the apocalypse comes, it’s the bike you want on your side.
The first Trail-Breaker prototype was built in 1958. It was an all-wheel-drive, all-terrain utility vehicle designed for conquering the great outdoors. And it delivered! So much so that the Trail-Breaker went into full production in 1960…and it’s still very much in production today. But what makes it special?
Equipped with a lightweight 7 horsepower motor, the Trail-Breaker doesn’t sound like much. However, it has AWD, it has hollow drum wheels that can float in water or store liquids, shod with huge tractor-like tires, and what’s more, it can tow up to 2,000 lbs.
It can climb rocks, cross rivers, carry huge loads, and accelerate to a modest top speed of 35 mph. It might be lacking in the performance department but it truly is a do-all workhorse that won’t let you down. Plus, you can buy a Trail-Breaker for around $7,775—which is a small price for such a versatile, and 100% American motorcycle.
Suzuki has its 100-year anniversary coming up. The motorcycle company has a limited edition GSX-R1000R that it has created for the occasion.
Only 100 of the limited-production machine will be made and the price for one of these will be £16,999 ($22,000 USD). The bike comes with a retro-inspired livery that is featured on the GSX-RR MotoGP bike. This means you get a blue slate silver color scheme that pays homage to Suzuki’s racing motorcycles.
Otherwise, the motorcycle has the same variable valve timing system and the suite of electronics that the GSX-RR has. That includes 10 traction control settings, a quick-shifter, auto-blipper, launch control, and lean-angle-sensitive ABS.
The bike has a four-stroke 100cc engine that makes 199 hp and 86.7 lb-ft of torque. It weighs 488 lbs (203 kg). It can do a 0-60 mph sprint in just three seconds.
“With just 100 of these bikes available in the UK this is a unique opportunity to own and be a part of Suzuki history. The GSX-R range, and the 1000 in particular, has long been the flagship range of sportsbikes with an illustrious history both on-road and on the race track. To mark 100 years of our Suzuki company it was only fitting to adopt the retro-inspired livery of bikes that have achieved and contributed so much to our history,” said Suzuki GB’s head of motorcycles, Jonathan Martin.
It’s fantastic to see Suzuki celebrating its 100-year anniversary with a special bike like this. The motorcycle is a special machine and anyone who’s a GSX-R fan or a sportbike fan, in general, should be pretty excited about this machine. It will be on sale in the UK next month.
The first fully faired sports model from Chinese motorcycle manufacturer CFMoto, the 300SR, has arrived in Australia.
Importers Mojo Motorcycles say the 300SR is available in Nebula Black or Turquoise Blue for $5790 ride away with a three-year warranty.
In fact, all CFMoto bikes purchased from until the end of the year receive the extended warranty up on the standard two-year factory unlimited km warranty.
The main rivals to the 300SR are the Honda CBR300R at $5749, KTM RC390 ($5995), Suzuki GSX250R ($5790) and Yamaha YZF-R3 ($6299).
CFMoto 300SR features
The novice sports bike has low handlebars and an aggressive riding stance and is powered by a 300cc single-cylinder engine with 21kW (29hp) at 8750rpm and 23.5Nm of torque at 7250rpm.
It features all LED lighting and a new colour TFT display with Sport and Eco modes and auto-adjust screen brightness that matches ambient light.
The display offers integrated functions such as rpm, gear, speed and even mobile phone connectivity.
If you think coronavirus is scary, how about the Italian Vyrus Alyen 988 with its origami bikini fairing and tailpiece with a host of winglets?
It’s a rather unfortunate name for an Italian bespoke motorcycle company given the horrendous impact of the coronavirus on that country.
But Vyrus has been around for a while and even Hollywood actor Tom Cruise, who began riding at the age of 10, owns a Vyrus 987 C3 4V worth more than $100,000.
Tom on his Vyrus 987
Their latest bike is the Aylen 988 which features a hoist of winglets in styling that looks more like origami than motorcycles.
The Alyen 988 is powered by a Ducati Panigale 1299 L-twin which is actually 1285cc and has output of 207hp at 11000rpm and 142Nm of torque at 9000rpm.
In this bike, power is down slightly to 2305hp, and there is no indication of the torque output.
Nor do they mention price.
In fact, their website only features some images, tech specs (below) and the word “Request” which takes you to a form to fill in to request a quote.
If you have to ask, you can’t afford it.
It is likely to cost around $100,000 given the lashings of carbon fibre on the body, tank and exhausts, plus the rather complex hub-centre steering.
That is understandable as Vyrus worked with Bimota on their Tesi model which features similar steering.
While motorcycling is experiencing a global downturn in sales that will be exacerbated by the current pandemic, it seems there is always space for esoteric bikes for the rich and famous.
Vyrus Alyen 988 tech specs
Origami tail
Engine type
Ducati L-twin shaped 90° Desmo drive
Bore
116mm
Stroke
70.8mm
Displacement
1285cc
Compression ratio
11,3:1
Lubrication system
forced by gear pump
Cooling system
Water-cooled
Power
205hp @ 10.500 rpm
Gearbox
6 speed
Clutch
wet clutch
Fuel injection
Electronic Injection
Front suspension
Push Rod Twin Pivot Vyrus
Rear suspension
Push Rod Twin Pivot Vyrus
Frame
Vyrus Magnesium double omega design combined with a self-supporting composite Body
An Italian company plans to build a motorcycle with a howling, 150kW, upside-down, two-litre, triple engine and is seeking crowd-funding for the wacky idea.
While many motorcycle manufacturers are trying to build bikes with a lower centre of gravity for more stability, Nembo Motociclette says mass centralisation as featured in MotoGP bikes is more important.
With a rider on top of the bike, an upside-down engine with the heavy crank at the top would centralise mass.
Nembo say the bike will have 150kW of power, 210Nm of torque and weigh just 160kg.
They say it would be great for racing, but the video doesn’t seem to prove its speed or handling prowess. However, it does sound fantastic!
Upside-down history
The upside-down Nembo has been around for a while and was first publicly featured at the 2012 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este” at Lake Como, Italy.
Ducati MotoGP winglets
Origami tail
