Basem's Motorcycles Blog

If you remember my last Honda Gold Wing Long Term Update, I had a jammed side trunk, a clean bike, and a desire to put more miles on my Titanium-colored 'Wing.

After finding the release latch (thanks to the knowledgeable folks in our Motorcycles Forum) and visiting my local Honda dealership, I was ready to take the 'Wing on the road and see what kind of fuel economy I could pull.

How did it go? Read my Honda Gold Wing Update #5 to find out (there's a not-so-subtle hint in this blog headline), and check out these previous long term updates:

• Honda Gold Wing Update #4: Washing the 'Wing
• Honda Gold Wing Update #3: Riding the 'Wing Like a Sportbike
• Honda Gold Wing Update #2: Jason's First Impressions
• Honda Gold Wing Update #1: Welcome the 'Wing!

Photo © Basem Wasef
Click for Long Term Update #5

I was riding the new MV Agusta F4 RR 312 1078-- a sort of poor man's version of the $120,000 F4CC-- down particularly tasty stretch of Sunset Boulevard when an oncoming car-- a red Ferrari F430, to be exact-- flashed its lights at me. Was this a friendly gesture from one Italian exotic to another, or a signal that law enforcement was lurking around the bend? A quick tap of the brakes made me grateful for my caution, because sure enough one of L.A.'s finest was at the bottom of the hill pointing a LIDAR gun at my two-tone MV Agusta.

It may have been tempting to ride the 1078 fast, but living with the bike proved a bit more challenging than I expected. Find out why Harley-Davidson, MV's new owners, have their work cut out for them in my 2009 MV Agusta F4 RR 312 1078 Review. And also check out these related pieces:

• 2009 MV Agusta F4 RR 312 1078 Photo Gallery
• 2007 MV Agusta F4CC Full Review
• 2007 MV Agusta F4CC Photo Gallery

Photo © Basem Wasef

Environmental issues have sent everybody from dabblers to heavily funded corporations in search of more efficient bikes, and the results include oddball DIY projects, a slick electric dirtbike, an ambitious hydrogen and electric number, and even a teenager-built electric unicycle.

The next two-wheeled dream for the eco-conscious appears to be compressed air power. An MCN story cites two Taiwanese researchers, among others, who have built a compressed air motorcycle that produces zero emissions. Though energy is required to compress the air, the bike makes an honest attempt at cleaning up Taiwan's air pollution, 20% of which reportedly comes from motorcycles.

Is this a viable future technology? Maybe if and when the bikes' cruising range extends significantly beyond their current figure of less than a mile; until then, I'm not quite holding my breath for compressed air-powered bikes.

Photo © MCN

Not long ago I was waxing poetic over the lure of lightweight bikes.* On another note, I sure hoped BMW would do cool things when they acquired Husqvarna just over a year ago... but a BMW-owned company building the self-proclaimed world's lightest single-cylinder engine? I wouldn't have seen that one coming, especially back when certain Bimmers were coined "Flying Bricks" and other ponderous sounding pseudonyms.

A new single-cylinder, 250cc four-stroke powerplant, which will appear in the 2009 Husqvarna TC250 motocross bike, boasts titanium radial valves, occupies 13% less space than the competition, and weighs a mere 48.5 pounds. It will be built at Husqvarna headquarters near Varese Lake, Italy, and is expected to give the competition plenty to worry about when and if it competes in the 2009 MX2 Motocross World Championship. With a dry weight of just over 202 pounds, the consumer version of the TC250 should attract plenty of buyers interested in getting as close to a trials bike's weight as possible while offering enough zoom for serious motocrossing. Sound like fun? You betcha! Who said corporate mergers only benefit corporations?

* And what's the point of an argument without an equal and opposite counterargument?

If you've ever been on the receiving end of an annoyingly loud motorcycle, you know how aggravating noisy pipes can be. But according to a recent news item, 53 year-old John Moore took his anger one step too far when he shot 20 year-old Jamil Roberts in the face because of his bike's loud exhaust.

No motorcycle brand was identified in the story, and the victim-- now in stable condition-- was fired at in his car following several altercations over the noise. "Apparently, the suspect, Mr. Moore, was aggravated with him for driving the motorcycle and being too loud with it," said police detective Brian Miller.

The issue of noisy motorcycle exhausts appears to be bigger than ever, with laws tightening in order to quiet the loudest offenders. The Oakland P.D.'s motorcycle division has even stirred up more controversy by going with the "loud pipes save lives" mantra... but somewhere amidst the cacophonous debate we've got to meet halfway, right?

Photo © Basem Wasef
Click to enlarge

The 2009 Harley-Davidson lineup has officially been unveiled, and two new bikes-- the V-Rod Muscle and the Tri Glide Ultra Classic-- have joined the family, bringing the grand total of Harley models to 33.

The lineup now ranges from the cheapest Harley-- the $6,999 Sportster 883 XL Low (which happens to be one of our 10 Great Beginner Bikes)-- to the priciest, the $35,499 CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide (ouch!). Other changes to the 2009 Harley lineup include a new frame, swingarm, and 2-1-2 exhaust system for all touring bikes, four CVO models, and more.

Check out the whole scoop on every new Harley in our 2009 Harley-Davidson Buyer's Guide, and take a look at these related items:

• 2009 Harley-Davidson CVO Buyer's Guide & Gallery
• 2008 Harley-Davidson Buyer's Guide & Gallery
• 2008 Harley-Davidson Cross Bones Review
• 2008 Harley-Davidson Fat Bob Review
• 2007 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 Nightster Review

Photos © Harley-Davidson
Click for 2009 Harley Buyer's Guide

"I never saw them coming" is one of the most common things drivers say after they've struck a motorcyclist, and whether it's last week's unfortunate news or this powerful TV ad, riders need to use every tool possible to ensure they're seen on the road.

Check out my list of 10 Ways to be Seen on a Motorcycle, and feel free to share any techniques you employ to maximize visibility while you ride.

Related reading:

• Motorcycle Safety Gear
• How to Ride Safely in a Group

Photo © Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
Click image to read 10 Ways to Increase Your Visibility While Riding

Engine displacement and dry weight aren't the only factors that differentiate beginner and advanced beginner motorcycles; a crucial part of the equation is seat height, and BMW just made an announcement that will attract more riders to their Bavarian brand of bikes.

According to the Bimmer website, R 1200 GT, R 1200 R, R 1200 RT, and F 800 ST models will be available with a $175 package that drop seat height to as low as 29.5 inches. For those born without Teutonic gigantism, the lower seat height should open up a whole new set of choices for sporty, touring, and adventure-oriented riding.

Related reading:

• 2007 BMW F800ST Full Review
• 2007 BMW F800ST Photo Gallery

Photo © Basem Wasef
Click to enlarge

Andrea Pininfarina, CEO of the famed Italian design firm and the man responsible for countless iconic automotive designs, died at age 51 when his Vespa collided with a car. According to an International Herald Tribune obituary, the driver of the car said, "I didn't see him. I was going slowly and I really didn't see him."

The grandson of company founder Battista "Pinin" Farina, Andrea was a giant in the design world. His creations included the Ferrari Testarossa, Maserati GranTurismo, and countless other watershed automotive designs. He is survived by his wife and three children.

Mr. Pininfarina's passing is an unfortunate reminder of how easily scooters and motorcycles can be missed by motorists; please remember to stay safe and visible when you ride.

Photo © Pininfarina
Click to enlarge

MCN is making bold projections about Honda's future products, and Visordown.com is doing its best to debunk the claims, asserting that "Honda UK's General Manager for motorcycles quashes MCN's front cover fantasy of V5 VFR1000 road bike."

Motorcycle News suggests the upcoming VFR will feature a radical V5 engine with a "Ferrari-style pushbutton gearchange," and they're also claiming that Honda will produce their sexy 1100F concept as a 2010 model. The soon-to-be-released issue can be previewed online, and also suggests that Honda will build a 250cc Kawasaki Ninja 250R beater-- bold and exciting claims, indeed.

What will the future hold for Honda's motorcycle portfolio? I know that if I called my Honda contact I'd probably get the usual "We don't discuss future products" response, but these possibilities certainly do pique my interest.

Related reading:

• 2007 Honda VFR Interceptor Full Review
• 2007 Honda VFR Interceptor Photo Gallery
• 2008 Honda CBR1000RR Full Review
• 2008 Honda CBR1000RR Photo Gallery
• 2008 Honda Gold Wing Long Term Tests

* Special thanks to Pete-- frequent commenter and our unofficial Canadian Motorcycle Envoy-- for tipping me off to the MCN story.

Photo © MCN
Click to enlarge