Red Bull's Robbie Maddison Jumps London's Tower Bridge-- With a No-Handed Backflip!
Monday July 13, 2009

Those thrill-seeking Red Bull riders are at it again: this time, Robbie Maddison—known for his record-setting 350 foot long jump and Arc de Triomphe step-up maneuver, among other two-wheeled acts sure to boost his life insurance premium—performed a no-handed backflip over London’s Tower Bridge.
Hitting an approach speed of 40 mph, the 27 year-old Australian pulled off the stunt at 3:55 am from the north side of the bridge, while the English city was snoozing the morning away.
“People say I’m crazy,” Maddison said later, “but I just want to push the boundaries of my sport and my body to the limit and I love taking on these huge challenges.”
For footage of the wild jump, check out this YouTube clip.
Related:
Photo © Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Red Bull;
Click to enlarge
More 2010 Honda Motorcycle Info Revealed
Monday July 13, 2009

In addition to the
Elite,
SH150i and
Fury, Honda's released info on a couple more 2010 models: the CRF250R and Gold Wing. The CRF250R (pictured here) is priced at $7,199-- a $200 bump over the '09 model-- and gets an all-new electronically fuel-injected engine that's more powerful and compact. The quarter liter motocrosser also receives a new twin-spar aluminum frame, a single exhaust can, and a Honda Progressive Steering Damper, all while dropping the curb weight a click to 226 pounds.
The Gold Wing (priced between $22,899 and $27,999) has yet to get its highly anticipated redesign (due for the 2011 model year) but touring enthusiasts are assuaged by new Metallic Red and Metallic Black paint, and "luxury package options for GPS navigation, airbag, cold-weather comfort and XM Radio with NavTraffic and NavWeather." In other news, I'm happy to report that my long term updates will be relevant for a little while longer...
Related:
Photos © Honda
Thursday July 9, 2009

You might expect Italy's most popular scooter to come with an
Aprilia,
Piaggio, or
Vespa nameplate, but the top selling step-through in the land that invented
la dolce vita is actually the Honda SH150i.
New to Honda's lineup as an early 2010 entry, the 153cc two-seater has a fuel-injected, liquid-cooled powerplant, linked brakes, and available accessories like a top case and a tall windshield.
I'm still recording fuel economy data and noting riding impressions, so I won't be posting a review right away. In the meantime, take a look at shots of Honda's new entry in my 2010 Honda SH150i Photo Gallery.
Related:
Photo © Basem Wasef;
Click for 2010 Honda SH150i Scooter Photo Gallery
Harley-Davidson Offers 100% Sportster Trade-In Value for a Year
Wednesday July 8, 2009

Harley stock is still
down in the dumps, but that's not stopping the Motor Company from standing behind the value of their Sportster lineup, which includes the
XR1200,
Nightster, and
Iron 883.
A just-announced promotion enables new Sportsters bought between July 1, 2009 and August 31, 2009 to be traded in within a year for one of the brand's twenty so-called "Big Twins" or three V-Rod models. Those who choose to trade up will get full MSRP for their Sportster, regardless of how much they spent on the bike. Sportster buyers should note that the calculated MSRP includes factory equipped options, but excludes parts and accessories, taxes, titles, licenses, set-up/prep charges, Extended Service Plan, GAP coverage and any dealer add-ons.
For more, visit h-d.com/ridefree.
Related:
Photos © Harley-Davidson;
Click for reviews