MEET THE WILD R1100-BASED BMW KHAN CONCEPT BIKE

This radical, BMW R110-based dry lake LSR concept bike is called Khan. It’s the work of Mehmet Doruk Erdem. And, if you recognize the name, that’s probably because the Turkish designer has rendered “more than a few” concepts that have gone viral on the Internet, to steal a phrase from Jensen Beeler.

Seeing as how the Khan isn’t even really a concept, in the traditional sense– it’s more of a 3D virtual sculpture, at this point- there’s not much more to add. You can be sure, however, that I’ll be all over this if it ever makes it past the vaporware stage. Until then, it sure is pretty to look at. Enjoy!

BMW Khan Concept Bike

Source | Images: Inazuma Cafe, via Asphalt and Rubber.

4 New BMW Motorcyles Coming to EICMA (and 1 That Isn’t)

EICMA might be the biggest motorcycle show in the world, and BMW has plans to make a strong showing with four new and revised models set to make their debut. We have some ideas as to what those might be, but we know for sure, with complete metaphysical certitude, what won’t show up: this Rotax-engined BMW-based R12 ultralight aircraft concept.

Designed by Nicolas Petit, the Tribute R12 concept plays up the visual similarity between the BMW’s R12 parallel-twin and the Rotax aviation twin. At the same time, the BMW motorcycles’ roundel/propeller imagery is replaced with a literal propeller. It’s impossibly cool, and definitely more interesting than whatever it is BMW is actually going to build.

Or, is it?

The BMW R1200GS practically defines the high-end Adventure Touring class of bikes. For 2017, BMW motorcycles’ boxer twin gets a few tweaks to make it Euro4 emissions compliant and churn out a few extra horsepower. An visual refresh is also expected (think LEDs), as are some minor chassis refinements to make the bike a bit more highway-friendly.

BMW Motorcycles at EICMA | 2017 BMW G310S Spy Photo

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This will be BMW’s new entry-level GS bike. Built to visually resemble its larger, GS cousins, the G310GS is expected to carry the 313cc single-cylinder engine from the G310R. A long-travel suspension will ensure that the littlest G rides like the big boys do, too.

Speaking of BMW’s entry-level offerings, the company is expected to introduce a new, 400cc version of its C Maxi scooters. We’re big fans of BMW’s C scoots, and named them to our list of Best Fuel-efficient Motorcycles You Can Buy at least once. This newest BMW C will be more “touring” focused, which probably translates from German into “cushy seat, more trunk space”.

BMW Motorcycles at EICMA | 2017 BMW R Nine T Urban GS

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Finally, BMW is believed to be building a more “Urban GS” version of the highly customizable R Nine T. Styling is most likely a throwback to the Lac Rose concept (shown, above), which was designed to celebrate a time when the Dakar Rally actually concluded in Senegal. The bike should offer an ADV experience that is a bit more vintage/trendy than what the BMW R1200GS or R1200GS Adventure offer, which should bring it right in line with popular new bikes like the new-for-2017 Triumph Bobber.

So, what do you think? Do you think any of the new BMW motorcycles coming to EICMA are more exciting than Petit’s Flug death machine? Of course you don’t- but if you’d like to pretend you’d rather have a 313cc entry-level bike than a sci-fi/steampunk masterpiece, feel free to tell us why in the comments. We’re ready to believe you.

Source | Images: Nicolas Petit, Asphalt and Rubber.

The Motorcycle Touchscreen Is Becoming More Popular

When Tesla decided to mount a giant 17″ touchscreen in the middle of the dashboard of its cars, it caused the demand for such devices to soar. Now the touchscreen craze has come to the world of motorcycles as well. Is that a good thing? The debate about electronic driving aids is a hot topic these days, with many experts suggesting systems like Tesla’s Autopilot actually distract drivers more than they help.

Do we really want motorcycle riders checking their e-mail and Facebook accounts while driving? Someone on a motorcycle is already 26 times more likely to die in a crash than someone in a car, according to the most recent statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In 2013, 4,700 motorcyclists were killed, and another 88,000 were injured.

Actually, statistics show that the number of fatal motorcycle accidents has fallen slightly since the introduction of the touchscreen for motorcycles began a few years ago. BMW was the first company to offer them to its customers when it released its Navigator V device. The system was developed in conjunction with Garmin. Harley-Davidson followed a year later with its Boom! Box system. It comes standard on about half the bikes the company sells in the U.S. according to Harley CEO Matt Levatich.

This week, Polaris Industries, which manufactures both Indian and Victory motorcycles, unveiled a new 7 inch touchscreen system dubbed Ride Command. It is capable of giving turn-by-turn directions, syncing to smartphones, and finding the nearest gas station when the tank is low. The handlebar computer, which can be “pinched” just like an i-Phone, will come standard on Indian’s new Chieftain and Roadmaster bikes. Together, they account for about half of the company’s motorcycle sales.

“We’re really pumped up about this,” said Steve Menneto, president of motorcycles at Polaris. “We’re opening up a huge part of the market for ourselves.”

Even more than the driver of an automobile, a motorcycle rider needs to keep both eyes on the road at all times. The slight drop in motorcycle fatalities since the advent of touchscreens may be a result of new technology being better than how things have been done traditionally.

Up until now, motorcyclists who ventured far from home had to rely on maps stuffed inside waterproof bags strapped to the gas tank. Reading one of those maps required taking eyes off the road for several seconds or pulling over. Today, GPS can guide a rider around traffic, bad roads, and inclement weather. The systems can also give important mechanical alerts. BloombergTV reporter Matt Miller says BMW’s infotainment unit may have saved his life when it alerted him to a fast deflating tire while he was riding on an interstate highway.

Harley’s Matt Levatich said his team went to great lengths when developing Boom! Box to design intuitive handlebar controls and fast loading software. The goal was to make sure riders never have to look down or touch the screen. “It’s not about technology for technology’s sake,” he said. “When I’m riding, I do everything I need to do with my thumbs, or when I have my helmet on, with my voice.”

“When you have these discussions, you always think of rider safety,” Mennetto said. “But it’s in such demand from customers. And once you get your new toy home, and you’re settled in with how it works, it just gives you a lot more confidence.”

Source:  Bloomberg  Photo credit: Indian Motorcycles

Yamaha 04GEN Scooter Concept Wins the Style War - VIDEO

Meet the 04GEN- a new concept bike from Yamaha that sees Vespa’s bet on the 946 Emporio Armani and raises, going all-in. Yamaha is so far gone with the heady fumes of Sharpie markers that even the PR people are getting in on the wild design action when they write that the scooter, “evokes the image of women, with an air of dignified elegance and grace in mind and body.”

Yamaha debuted the 04GEN last week at the first Vietnam motorcycle show. The company- which is developing an all-electric ecosystem of bikes to take riders from the cradle to the grave, metaphorically speaking- wanted to make a splash. I think they succeeded, too- because, in my memory, there has never been a scooter as comprehensively designed as the Yamaha 04GEN.

From the headlight to the taillight, every aspect of the Yamaha 04GEN concept has been considered and rendered in loving detail. It isn’t so much the shape of the bike, however, that draws attention. It’s the shimmering, translucent skin that the bike, itself, is made of.

That “skin” gives the 04GEN something like a crystalline, insect-like quality that gives it an otherworldly vibe. It looks gorgeous. It looks like it’s from the future. It looks like I’ll buy one within hours of it being available in the US.

What about you guys? Would something like this Yamaha concept scoot get you riding on two wheels or is the whole flutter-by wing gimmick just too, well, gimmicky? Let us know what you think in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

Yamaha 04GEN Scooter Concept

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Source | More Photos: Yamaha, via Auto Evolution.

Kawasaki Ninja 250 Gets a Retro Redo

Kawasaki’s smallest Ninja has been “first bike” standard-bearer for over a decade, if not longer. Still, while the high-revving 250 cc twin and willing chassis can provide some great thrills while you’re on the steepest part of the learning curve, there’s something about the bike’s aggressively plastic bodywork that can leave some people- myself, included!- cold. That’s where the Bluster 250 comes in.

Built by an outfit called Studio Motor in Indonesia, the Bluster re-imagines the Kawasaki Ninja 250 as a “scrambler” type bike (per the website), with a retro look that is more in keeping with the bike’s upright, UJM-style riding position. Other changes include wire wheels, fatter, all-season tires, dual disc brakes up front, and a heavy helping of chrome on the (inverted) front forks, which were sourced from a crashed Suzuki GSXR-600. The Bluster’s builders finished off the custom bike’s “scrambler” looks with a deep metallic paint job and aesthetically “correct” seat … all of which were sourced from other bikes.

What that means to you, dear reader, is that you could probably build something pretty similar to the Bluster with an entry-Honda or Kawasaki of your own, and probably for a lot less than you’d need to pick up a vintage Scrambler or WS650 that’s near as nice as this. What do you think of it? Think you can do better? Let us know what your “Bluster” would look like in the comments, below- until then, enjoy these photos of the bike, courtesy of the bike’s builders. Enjoy!

Sources | Photos: Studio Motor, via Ottonero and Motorpasion.

I Can’t Decide How I Feel About the New Harley Street Bikes

The new Harleys are global products with cleaner emissions, better gas mileage, more recycled materials, and a lower price than the current ‘Hogs, but I still can’t get behind them. From the cheap, aftermarket-looking air cleaner to the rubber sleeves on the front forks to the JC Whitney-spec heat shield on the exhaust, the newest bikes from Harley-Davidson seem to scream “budget bike”.

Mind that that, in itself, is not a bad thing – in fact, I happily owned one of Harley’s last budget bike offerings, a Buell Blast with a 500-ish cc air-cooled single that was more than a match for Florida’s A1A and occasional trips up to Orlando. Despite the plastic body panels and suspicious-looking welds, though, I never felt like the Blast was cheaply made.

These new Harley Street 500 and 750 models, though? Take a look at those wires behind the headlight for yourself and tell me what you see. I’ll wait …

… to me, that looks like a big ‘ol rat’s nest of wires. Granted, these are pre-production bikes that the Motor Company trotted out for photos, and aren’t necessarily what we should expect once the bikes hit dealers early in 2014, but if you were introducing a whole new line-up of bikes that utterly up-ended your target demographic and seemingly spun your corporate design philosophy 180 degrees the other way, wouldn’t you want to put your best foot forward? Even worse: what if this is as good as it gets?

Getting back to that design philosophy thing, you might have noticed something in that photo up there that you don’t regularly see on Harley street bikes. I’m talking, of course, about the Street 750′s radiator, which seems hastily bolted in front of the frame tubes and not at all “integrated” into the upward bend/slope of the tubes. The fact that it’s there at all, after more than a century of predominantly air-cooled Harley-Davidson motorcycles, is a big deal that would probably turn off Harley’s traditional clientele. The fact that it looks like an afterthought, though?

Not good.

Harley Street 500/750 is Made in India

Another thing that bugs me about these bikes is the fact that they’re made in India. I know, I know- I can already hear you crowing on about “they’re assembled in ‘Murica!”, but what does that mean? Only some of Harley-Davidson’s manufacturing jobs were outsourced to India? Is that something to celebrate these days?

I can’t bring myself to get excited about the new Asian Harley-Davidsons. Fords built in Turkey, Chevys made in Korea, and Chryslers made in Italy I can somewhat get behind, if only because those are global brands that don’t trade on an all-American image. Harley, though? Where would Harley-Davidson be today without the Hell’s Angels and the myth of the American motorcycle outlaw?

In the dustbin of history as just another company that got out-Darwined by Honda, Yamaha, et al., that’s where.

As for these new Harley-Davidson Street 500 and 750 models, I’ll reserve my final judgement until I’ve ridden one. Still, the reports coming in from those few who have ridden the new Harleys are far from positive. What do you think, dear readers? Are these new Harleys going to be the brand’s saviors, or the straw that finally breaks this Baby-boomer-driven camel’s back? Let us know what you think in the comments, below.

Sources | Photos: Harley-Davidson, RideApart.