good motorcycle site

Net-motorcycles.com: two million words on new and used bikes, 1000s of
riders' reports... at

http://www.umgweb.com


New Bike News

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bits and Bobs

Bikebandit has a huge database of new OE parts, quite interesting to
see how much a new frame or petrol tank costs. If you want to have a
new alloy tank built and don't mind going to Scotland, try The Tank
Shop. 100% Biker magazine has been going for yonks, mostly custom
orientated, loads of technical information on stuff like frame building
if you dig around in their forums. Fans of the remarkably resilient
Suzuki GS500E might like to have a look here. or even here. Book fans
into old Brits could do worse than have a look at Panther Publishing,
especially The Rugged Road. And, to get even more obscure, if you are
in desperate need of a Desmo head for a Velocette, or even some bargain
priced old Brit hacks, then try this one! Keep an eye on the UK bike
insurers, Bennetts, shorty to launch their Bennetts Babes, in which
visitors will have the chance to vote for the most attractive, er,
babe! Not yet up to speed with hardly anything for sale, you can
currently get a free listing at Motoyard. With approximately 200,000
unique visitors a month to this website, don't forget to get some free
publicity for your products or website by emailing us the details -
nasty comments, of course, still completely free of charge!.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ouch!

Kawasaki's ZX-10R weighs just 385lbs dry and looks rather amusing in
orange but those seats, man! And, the more I look at their ER6n the
more I want to rip the mill out of the overdone chassis and bung it in
a proper motorcycle.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number One!

The reptiles in the world's motorcycle press have voted the Suzuki
GSX-R1000 the International Bike of the Year, reckoning it so far ahead
of the game that other replicas simply don't get a look-in. Second
place, despite having no votes from the USA as it ain't on sale there,
went to the KTM Super Duke, with the Triumph Speed Triple coming in
third. Poor old Honda left gritting its teeth in dismay at not even
getting close, despite the sales success of things like the CBR600.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Big Buell

Latest Buell a 1339cc vee-twin with 150 horses in a 365lb production
racing chassis aimed at privateers in the USA; no doubt the odd lunatic
will add some lights and ride it on the road! More details of the XBRR
here. Maybe worth a look if you are veering towards the racing side of
things motorcycle, 2 Wheel Tuner magazine. Meanwhile, UK fans of
classic Jap motorcycles can hustle along to the Donington Park Classic
Jap Bike Show in the first weekend in February.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Six Grand 600's

Both Triumph and BMW have had record years, surging ahead on the back
of new motorcycle models and further refinement of their existing
machines - and looking forward to more stellar growth in 2006! Expect
the Japanese to retaliate with price cuts, Honda the first to do the
dirty by cutting four hundred quid off the cost of their CBR600, which
now retails for just over six grand sterling (compared with around
$8000 in the USA) - well under the six grand price barrier if you
talk nicely to the dealers. Expect prices to drift ever lower over the
coming years.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mellow Marauder

When you have a mere 12 horses and 125cc to play with, the fun comes
from minimal mass and a decent riding position, not as in the case of
the Marauder - one of many horrible Jap learner customs - which has a
laid back seating arrangement and 275lbs of heft. The only thing of
note with this character, its retail price of a mere two grand
sterling; rather less from the discounters and grey importers. Probably
not worth the effort of stripping it down to basics. Target point for
125cc learners should be 200lbs, 15 horses and 200mpg! Talking about
back to basics, the chaps at Dice Magazine are already up to issue 8,
with some well hallucinogenic covers along the way and plenty of cool
bikes that Marauder owners can only dream of.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vertical Violets

Whilst Yamaha must be kicking themselves for not developing their
TDM900 further, the guys at MZ more likely than not ****ing themselves
in fear, their litre twin no longer by any means unique and unlikely to
salvage the company whilst their low end bikes can't be produced at a
competitive price in Euroland, ending up as just another option from
the Far East; the whole low end market under increasing pressure from
the Chinese... even though the market for a lightweight (300lb-ish) big
vertical twin is still wide open. Back to the drawing board, lads.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bristol Boglands



The Bristol Classic Motorcycle Show used to have a nice buzz to it when
held in the city, its move to the Royal Bath and West Show Ground only
fun for the ancient mariners who would probably be just as happy
roughing it in an obscure Fenland bog. As well as the usual stuff on
Feb 11-12th, there's an auction of fine historic motorcycles (plus a
Suzuki GS500) and the chance to laugh at some of the clowns who spend
most of their time driving cars rather than riding (British) bikes.
Fans of the obscure who don't like Brit winters, may instead be
interested in having a look at this Sunbeam owners website. Nice bit of
history of the brand - never knew, for instance, that ICI used to
produce motorcycles!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Basic Bouncer

With the new Beemer and Kawasaki big vertical twins launched and
getting favourable reviews from the reptiles, even to the extent of
reporting fuel economy figures as good as those old sixties twins (most
likely due to the ever more stringent emission laws forcing finer
combustion chamber designs than any planned engineering input from the
various motorcycle companies), it's a pity not to mention that great
missed opportunity, the Yamaha TDM900. At 420lbs and 86 horses it is
still in the game, has a lovely alloy frame hidden beneath the awful
styling and really just needs a decent fuel tank, dumping the fairing
and general tidy up with a hopeful bit of resulting mass dissipation
getting it down below 400lbs. New 05 models still available for around
five grand sterling and one year-olds with a couple of thousand miles,
in perfect nick, can be had for less than four grand. Be an interesting
little fiftieth birthday project, maybe? BTW, saw a Kawa ER-6n front on
for the first time and thought it was a f..king scooter - tosser, Mr K;
off the list!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Marginal MV

Malaysian mega-business Proton sells off its majority stake in MV
Augusta after a mere year, having purchased it for 70 million Euro. The
new owners, some Geneva based finance company who paid a mere one Euro
for the purchase. Details are sketchy but it is apparent that MV has a
huge debt burden that will take some fiscal wrangling to sort out and
transform its fortunes. Sounds like a basket-case but may be saved by
the quality of its product. And Ducati ain't doing much better with an
imminent change of owners whilst the Laverda brand is on offer to
anyone with deep pockets. Meanwhile, in the USA, Norton America have
delayed production of the new Commando until 2007 and Indian
Motorcycles are looking for production facilities to restart
manufacture of their big vee's. Bear in mind, this is all going down at
a time of cyclic fall in demand for motorcycles and general economic
malaise in many countries; unlikely that the big multinational
companies will be able to continue working on the basis of selling
products for five times their factory gate cost, the subsequent price
gouging likely to knock out many of the smaller companies!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Big Boss

Boss Hoss still going strong with the 5700cc, 355hp vee-eight engined
motorcycle; a perfect manifestation of American capitalism gone wacko.
1100lbs of mass the price of doing an automotive transplant but it is
probably all good fun if you are bored with the usual hypersport
excesses.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pantera Pizza

At 45000 dollars the Pantera Dragster certainly ain't on my birthday
list, although I suppose the thought of a two litre vee-twin should
inspire some wallet twitching. At 550lbs the Pantera is an almost
lightweight for this kind of motorcycle and possibly worth its weight
in gold.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Voxan Vibes

Struggling Voxan still hanging on in there but having some problems
with component suppliers and lacking the funds to ramp up production.
Their litre, 72 degree vee-twin a plausible bit of kit, available in a
range of motorcycles, the Scrambler the least likely to do any damage
to aged bodies. The only option for small factories like this, to sell
directly over the web; a good starting point for Voxan to replace the
French verbals on their website with something most of the world can
comprehend.

Much more at:

http://www.umgweb.com