Wednesday Afternoon Moto News - Design, Ninja 650R & Chad Reed

The man responsible for the jaguar-themed motorcycle custom - you remember it, it's the one with a huge faux jaguar body as the frame - Barend Massow Hemmes, is at it again. His next project, which is part of the same concept, is a bull. A very red bull acts as the frame and the forks with a seat tacked on to the bull's ass. Take a look. At least he is thinking creatively!

http://tinyurl.com/ydm7mxt

Now, we also finally get our hands on a riding impression of the 2010 Kawasaki Ninja 650R. The bike is billed as an entry-level machine for beginning riders, but it is also a light and quick canyon bomber for experienced riders. There are many changes to this machine, and all of them work towards making it an even better motorcycle. For the full review and some great photos, take the link.

http://tinyurl.com/yexcbqu

We also hear that AMA Supercross star, and Monster Kawasaki's lead rider, Chad Reed has broken his hand. He will be out of the series for up to six weeks! The incident happened at the Phoenix round when James Stewart and him collided in the race. This is not good news for the sport as he is one of, if not the, best racers out there now.

http://tinyurl.com/ydr2f9r

Tuesday Afternoon Moto News - Bill Werner and a Comparo

Legendary flat track tuner Bill Werner has turned his talents on a Kawasaki Ninja 650 and turned it into a competitive in the AMA Grand National Twins class. And, to add to it all, Werner managed to hire former Harley-Davidson Wrecking Crew member Bryan Smith to tackle this challenge. The idea is to make it affordable again to race in the series. As it is, Harley-Davidson motorcycles, who dominate the series, are incredibly expensive to run for a full season and many amateurs simply cannot afford to keep up the maintenance on the race machine.

http://tinyurl.com/ycjm2dy

Now I will direct your attention to a shootout between sub-US$8K cruisers. They put the H-D 883 Iron, Moto Guzzi V7 Classic, Yamaha / Star V-Star 950, and the Triumph Bonneville through the paces to see which one of them is the best at what they do and the best value. See which one wins...I'll give you a hint, it's not the American one.

http://tinyurl.com/yb9ypbc

First Look: 2010 Kawasaki Ninja 650R

It is a press release, but this bike does have a sort of 'exciting appearance' about it - especially in that radioactive green color. I am not sure what Kawasaki calls it but I like it. It is a great bike for a beginner or a commuter who likes to take the long way home every day. The Ninja 650R is a good machine and, actually, a well-designed motorcycle (a bit underpowered). The sleek lines and very compact engine really make this bike look like a 250 - so, a wolf in sheep's clothing. (I do wish they would re-do the EX500 - it could be a great middleweight.)

http://tinyurl.com/y9292gl

First Look: 2010 - Revamped - Kawasaki Versys

The motorcycle which has won many accolades from the moto press, including a "Motorcycle of the Year" award, is back and better than before. The 2010 Kawasaki Versys has new bodywork, less engine vibration, new headlight and much more. It looks as if Kawasaki is really working hard to gain more of the adventure touring market...and they probably will! Don't forget that this is the same basis as the Ninja 650R and the ER-6n, which are also both updated for 2010.

http://tinyurl.com/yzaud7y

2010 Kawasaki Ninja 650R - Twin-Cylinder Entry-level Machine

The Ninja 650R is already a well-known quantity these days. It is aimed directly at beginning riders and is styled to even impress long-time riders. The light, compact machine can make short work of the twisties in any road. Have a look...

http://tinyurl.com/yjhyuqz

2010 Kawasaki ER-6n - A Great Beginner (and Even Expert) Motorcycle

OK, so you may wonder why I called it an 'expert' motorcycle - or, at least, I think it is a good bike for expert motorcyclists. This bike shares the friendly nature of the Ninja 650R and the Versys, and it has the very smooth 649c.c. engine which powers those. So, it does not matter if you are a newbie or someone who has been riding for 30 years - this motorcycle is fun, handles well, and makes carving backroad canyons as easy as walking to your mailbox. See, an 'expert' motorcyclist will still enjoy all of that - and they don't have to compensate for a bike which is over-powered or too stiffly sprung. A newbie will just enjoy the ease of use, the great fuel mileage and the same factor which would drive any motorcyclist to like it - the GRIN factor!

http://tinyurl.com/yefs5op