Euro Gossip July 2006

We start this month as with last on news that Europe is hatching plans that affect motorcyclists' freedom to choose. This time it is in relation to crash helmets and stems from a brief called Accident Prevention Options with Motorcycle Helmets and the from this the project has been codenamed PROHELM.

In the briefing, it states that motorcyclists account for 14% of all fatalities in the EU and that they will be looking at ways "of optimizing helmets for the cognitive needs of the wearer." So, this project will look at all aspects of helmet usage from the simple everyday actions involving the use of one and also include the psychological reactions of a rider, something that has not been done before.

There are also some other very positive points like noise cancelling earphones to help with overall noise reduction. Better ventilation is also on the list of positives, along with enlarging the visor area for better visibility. Thermo efficiency is also being looked at to keep you cool on a hot day and warm in the winter, and also the possibility of dark visors as a standard feature.

So it all sounds good apart from the fact that they want aerodynamic shapes like those used by cyclists and land-speed record breakers in the past. Totally sealed visors will cut noise and bright colors will be used so you can be seen day and night, and this will take away individual designs. The research is being spread across various different countries before being drawn together, but once completed it could mean new standards being imposed that will increase costs and have riders all looking the same. Compulsory clothing standards could follow!

Australia

The Vee Two Super Squalo that we reported on some months ago in this column made its action public debut in the UK at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Ridden by company founder and manager Brooke Henry, the only running prototype suffered with a slipping belt to the supercharger in only its second public appearance.

The bike is powered by a supercharged Ducati 999 motor, and the firm was not unhappy with the outing, appreciating they are likely to have some teething troubles. In tests they have already seen 200 bhp at the rear wheel with 130 lb-ft of torque, but there is still some work to do with the test model before it goes on sale priced at around $46,000. Just for comparison purposes the original (un-supercharged) Squalo was ridden up the course by British designer John Keogh (who has styled this latest machine as well as the original) (www.motorcycledesign.com) to the delight of the fans.

Austria

Rumors coming all the way from Nambia suggest that KTM may well be testing a BMW-style Telelever front end, now that the German patent is nearing the end of its 14-year protected period. If that is correct they could use the system without paying for the privilege.

Remember a few years ago there was talk that KTM wanted to produce a six-cylinder bike? Well rumor has it that there is a very special prototype in existence at the factory apart from some new single-cylinder machines that we have already mentioned in the past. I wonder!

China

Benelli as we all know is now owned by a Chinese firm despite its Italian heritage. Apparently they are planning to get into the off-road market with some single-cylinder machines as early as next year. It would appear that they are looking at the 450cc and 250cc classes, and the bikes would also be offered in Supermoto form as well.

Informed rumors also suggest that MotoGP is also a target for 2008 with an 800cc four-stroke bike to comply with the new regulations. If this is true it could help boost the interest and increase the grid size.

France

Peugeot is now claiming that the full power (6.2bhp) version of its RS12 moped is the fastest accelerating 50cc scooter in the world. Fitted with low-profile tires, an inverted expansion chamber, inverted forks and a spoiler as part of the styling exercise, it is also expensive at $2,755.

Germany

We have mentioned it before, but more details are gradually emerging about BMW's Traction Control system, which it plans to introduce to its range in 2007. Called Automatic Stability Control or ASC for short, it will initially be offered as an option, but if the take up is good, it could well become standard fare like ABS on most models. A light on the dashboard will give a warning to the rider that it is in operation, as BMW claim they will not notice the system operating. The GS range will have a slightly different system with an off-road setting in addition to an on/off stage, so it does not react so quickly when the bike is on loose surfaces when some wheelspin is inevitable. (More about this system can be found in MCUSA's feature article here.)

Thanks to all the new models BMW has recently launched, one appears to have slipped in under the radar almost unnoticed, but do not get too excited unless you are in law enforcement! They have just produced a 900cc Boxer-engined bike for its police range of RT machines. The bike has a claimed output of 83 bhp while being almost identical to the R1200RT in all other respects.

Staying with the police theme, German tuning firm AC Schnitzer is now offering some of their tuned BMWs with a paint scheme very similar to the 'Autobahn Polizei' green and white markings. As you might expect, there is more to the bikes than a paint scheme, and all carry a range of their tuning parts along with modifications to the suspension etc to improve handling. While all of these may make them a whole lot quicker than standard police fare, it is not recommended that this is proved to the authorities by practical demonstrations on the road!

Italy

Aprilia will launch their new 250cc road-legal enduro bike later this year. The single-cylinder machine is based on the unit that powers the 450 range and will be offered in several guises like the bigger bike. To compete with the competition on an even footing, the bike will need at least 35 bhp, which should be achievable if it uses the same technology as the 450.

We mentioned it before and now it appears that the Cagiva Supermoto designed by the legendary Massimo Tamburini, who designed the iconic Ducati 916, does exist - at least on paper. The new bike will be the first to feature an adjustable frame on a road bike. It would appear that MV has ditched plans to launch the bike as a Husqvarna with one of their motors fitted, and instead re-launch the Cagiva brand. Rumors have it that it will now be powered by an 800cc twin-cylinder Rotax engine rather than one designed in-house and be ready for a launch early in 2008.

The new Ducati to replace the 999 has been spied testing at Mugello and has given rise to the belief that it will be launched at the Milan show in November. Spy shots show a single-sided swingarm with twin exhausts exiting under a slightly wider seat/tail unit. Ohlins forks are used with cast-aluminum carriers for the Brembo brakes, but there is little else that can be seen thanks to the extensive disguise being used to mask the bodywork. Not details of the engine capacity have been leaked, but insiders hint at 1100cc rather than the 1200cc muted before.

Russia

A recent bike show organized by the Moscow chapter of the Outlaws gang in Maloyaroslavets managed to attract 15,000 bikers over the duration of the weekend show, making it the largest in Russia to date.

Sweden

Swedish firm Coming Through has developed a special foldaway system for the rear of a Honda Goldwing to allow it to tow cars! A patented 'Force Control' system carries the front wheels of the car onto the trailer once it is lowered from the rear of the bike. The system is fitted with a brake linked into those of the car it is towing. This is so that when going downhill the car cannot push the motorcycle forward and there is always enough stopping power available.

With the Honda's torquey six-cylinder motor putting out a 120 lb-ft at 4,000 rpm, it supposedly has little trouble coping with the added weight of a car behind it. And those that have ridden it state that, when solo, the extra weight on the rear is no different to riding a standard bike fully loaded with luggage and pillion. There is already some considerable take up by breakdown firms who see not only a saving on trucks, but also the ability to offer a faster service, not only to the driver, but to police if the disabled vehicle is causing a traffic jam.

UK

Claims that the government has been misleading people with regard to motorcycle bike accidents are being levied by researchers at Oxford University. They claim that some injuries were being left out of the reporting system to show a decline in line with government targets!

There have been sightings of the road-going version of the 900cc Foggy Petronas WSB machine at Ricardo engineering. This would give rise to the belief that there are still plans to offer the bike for sale at some stage in the future when the cooling issues have been sorted out.

Plans have been abandoned to put a blanket speed limit on all of the Isle of Man roads. Critics believed that this would not help road safety and would certainly reduce visitor numbers to the TT and Manx GP races, which bring in a lot of money to the island's tourist industries.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed took place in early July (see last years report on MCUSA), and this year the bike focus was on the race machinery from MotoGP and World Superbike. As a result, the likes of James Toseland, Troy Corser, Troy Bayliss and others rode their bikes up the hill in front of the stately home owned by Lord March.

One rider, though, did not get to the top, and that was Bob Heath, the owner of the 350 Honda Four that was raced by Mike Hailwood. This priceless machine which had been restored by Bob, with help from the Honda Collection, ended up needing more attention after he crashed halfway up the hill in what has been reported as one of the most expensive motorcycle crashes on record!

Triumph has come under fire from leading business experts for its decision to open a new manufacturing plant in Thailand. Triumph has said that all European bikes will still be assembled in the UK and that the other plant is to help them compete on price in other world markets.

Production of the seminal 955i has now ceased and its replacement could be two years away according to inside sources. This is because work is taking place on other model ranges, which is stretching the factory's limited R&D. When a replacement does arrive, look for a 1200cc Triple!

And finally, 

A 350 Manx Norton that finished 24th in the 1968 Isle of Man Junior TT has just been sold for a record (for this model) $41,840. The fully restored 1961 model was fought over by five bidders during the recent auction.


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