Monday February 21, 2011
Honda's venerable Gold Wing touring bike has effectively skipped the
2011 model year, receiving upgrades and earning the first spot in the Japanese manufacturer's 2012 lineup.
The refreshed Gold Wing features updated styling, more luggage space, better wind protection, and revised suspension for a smoother ride. ABS, navigation and an airbag are still available, though the 2012 model Gold Wing adds an updated GPS system which can be programmed to share favorite ride routes online. A built-in MP3/iPod interface also incorporates new SRS CS Auto surround sound system.
When it hits showrooms this May, the 2012 Honda Gold Wing's prices will range from $23,199 to $28,499-- significantly more than the new BMW K1600 GT ($20,900), and GTL ($23,200.)
Having spent a year with the Gold Wing, I'm curious to see how the new 'Wing stacks up against its predecessor... but more telling, of course, will be how it compares against the cheaper six-cylinder Bimmer.
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Photo © Honda; click to enlarge
Friday February 18, 2011
Got a few gazillion bucks burning a hole in your biker wallet, or just wanna dream?
If you were made of silly money, you'd forget off-the-shelf superbikes and scoff at run-of-the-mill cruisers, opting instead for wild options that constitute this list of the world's priciest production motorcycles.
The list includes everything from a carbon and kevlar-tanked, supercharged naked bike to a ride that incorporates a particularly effective use of a helicopter turbine engine... so without further ado, here's our list of The 10 Most Expensive Motorcycles in the World.
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Photo © Ecosse; click for 10 Most Expensive MotorcyclesThursday February 17, 2011
Naked middleweight motorcycles once occupied a nichey segment of the
motorcycle spectrum. But thanks to entries like the
Aprilia Shiver,
Ducati Monster 796,
Triumph Street Triple R and
Yamaha FZ8, that particular flavor of bike is no longer an endangered species.
Which brings me to the BMW F800R, a bike with surprising amenities available (including a tire pressure monitoring system, heated grips, trip computer, and ABS), and a pricetag that's premium, but not as stratospheric as you might expect.
You may recall my F800R/Blackline/Bonneville ride report (which followed my double-booking conundrum), but for a more in-depth account of this middleweight German bike, check out my 2011 BMW F800R Review.
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Photo © BMW; click for reviewThursday February 17, 2011
We love the nostalgic
potato-potato-ness of our Harley-Davidsons, but a company called GaugeFace injects a dose of technology to the equation by gleaning information from the engine ECU and displaying it on an iPhone.
The $250 GaugeFace package comes with a cable that connects the bike's data diagnostics port and an app which enables tachometer, engine temperature, gear indicator, signal indicator, and speed information to be displayed.
The system is compatible with 2001 or newer Harleys equipped with EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection) based Delphi ECUs, though 2011 Softail models (like the Blackline) won't work, since they use a new data connector. The kit doesn't include mounting hardware, but GaugeFace recommends RAM Mounts for those wishing to create a virtual dashboard.
Any Harley riders considering this product? Let us know!
Source: Engadget, GaugeFace
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Photo © GaugeFace; click to enlarge
