Friday bike

Got deep pockets and like carbon fibre?

VanderHeide

All you need to know: 200 bhp (Aprilia RSV4 engine), 175Kg, and 150,000 Euros (= £135,000 = US$165,000).

Unusual front suspension

Even more unusual rear suspension

Manufacturer's website.

Every Picture Tells a Story #9 - the next bit

This is an extra bit leading on from a post on my brother's blog. I can't add a picture in the replies to his post, so I've posted it here.
Firstly, read his post here.

This is what happened next:

When we got to the campsite I laid my bike on its side and took the clutch cover off  It was clear what the problem was - the primary gear was missing about a third of its teeth! They must have broken off when I dropped the clutch and there was no way the bike was going any further under its own steam. I used to have a photo of myself standing over the dismantled bike - if I find it I'll post it later.

Lacking recovery insurance (a big mistake!) I had to leave the bike at the campsite and Stuart gave me a lift home. To make room for me he had to leave his 'luggage sack' behind. The following weekend I headed down in a hire van to collect my bike and Stuart's luggage. I was nearly at the campsite when the clutch in the van failed! This meant that it had to be recovered on an even bigger low loader, and I returned for the bike the following day in a replacement van. The bike was repaired with a spare gear from my 'huge pile of spares' and continued to be used for many more years.

The bike rally was organised by the Cossack Owners Club (for Soviet built bikes that were marketed under the Cossack name), and they gave me this wonderful 'Special Award'.

Coupes Moto Légende 2017

As regular readers will know, I went to the Coupes Moto Légende back in 2012. It was probably the best, and certainly the biggest, motorbike event I’ve ever been to.

For those that don’t know, it’s a huge classic bike event held every year at the Dijon-Prenoir circuit, just outside Dijon in France. There are lots of trade and club stands, old bikes being taken out on the track, stands selling all sorts of spares and accessories, as well as former racers taking bikes out for demonstration laps. They usually get about 30, 000 visitors so there’s plenty to see.

I’ve been meaning to return and as next year’s is the 25^th event, they might put on something special. There’s nothing on their website yet, but I saw this reply on their Facebook page:

(Note: it automatically translates 'coupes' as 'cuts'.)

Now that the date’s been set I can start planning my trip. I haven’t been for a proper holiday for a number of years, but I’m a bit more financially stable, have a nice Bonneville I want to go on, and my current job is very generous with holidays.

I’m intending going for 2 to 3 weeks taking in the Coupes and anything else that takes my fancy. There’s going to be an MZ rally at Ballacolla in Ireland round about that time. I’ve been previously and have been meaning to return for years, ironically on the first non-MZ I’ve had on the road in 28 years!

A previous Ballacolla Rally - you don't often get that many Skorpions together!

I had planned that if the MZ rally is the weekend before the Coupes, I could get the ferry from Rosslare (Ireland) to Cherbourg (France), ride around France for a week, go to the Coupes, then make my way home. However, I discovered an interesting car racing event in Pau (France) that is usually held the weekend before the Coupes.

Poster for this year's event

Cars are raced on a circuit laid out on the streets through the centre of Pau. I rather fancy the Historic Grand Prix, as there are classes for 60s and 70s sports cars, Minis, etc.

As you can see from this video, lots of interesting cars.

So the plan has been hatched – if everything works out and the events are on consecutive weekends, I will go to the MZ rally in Ireland, get the ferry to France, ride about for a week then go to Pau, followed by another week of riding about then going to the Coupes.  After that it’ll be an easy ride to Zeebrugge (Belgium) for the ferry home.

1. Ballacolla, 2. Rosslare, 3. Cherbourg, 4. Pau, 5. Dijon, 6. Zeebrugge, 7. Hull.

OK, the events might not work out as planned, some could clash and I’ll end up only going to two, the Pound could collapse more against the Euro and I’ll have to ‘trim’ the trip a bit, But you’ve got to start planning somewhere! If anyone else is going to any of these events, come up and say 'hello'!

 

Useful stuff:

Coupes website here.
Coupes Facebook page here.
Grand Prix de Pau website here.
Grand Prix de Pau Facebook page here.

My visit in 2012 here.

Friday bike

Not really my sort of thing.......

                                                                                                         ...but so well done!

2017 Triumph T120 Bobber

Triumph have just announced the Bobber which uses the 1200cc 'High Torque' engine from their T120. Very neatly done with an adjustable single saddle, a fake 'hard tail' style rear end, and lots of stylish details.

Love how the fuel injectors look like Amal Monobloc carbs with 'pancake' air filters! There's also a 'battery box' on the other side complete with steel retaining strap.

Triumph have announced hundreds of official accessories and no doubt all the aftermarket suppliers will be producing them as well.

Not sure about the bars on the one on the right!

What amazes me is that despite its stripped down look, it still has ABS, traction control, 'ride by wire' throttle, etc - where do they fit all the bits?

Delivery should start in the UK in March 2017 and I found a dealer listing them with a guide price of £10,500 = 11,800 Euros = US$12,800.

Here's a video with a couple of Triumph promos and an impression of the bike:

Friday bike

I'm always interested in bikes that are a bit 'different', so here's the Indian market Honda Navi.

It's an unusual scooter/bike mixture with the engine and transmission from the 110cc Avtiva scooter married to motorcycle type styling.

I think it's quite funky looking with its small wheels and the very noticeable space below the tank...

... makes the idea place to carry luggage, as on this trail tyred version.

As it's aircooled and uses a carburettor it's very unlikely to pass European noise and emissions regulations, But who knows, we might get something similar one day.

Dimensions (Length x Width x Height)	1805 mm x 748 mm x 1039 mm
Wheelbase	1286 mm
Kerb Weight	101 kg
Ground Clearance	156 mm
Engine Displacement	110cc single-cylinder air-cooled
Power	7.83 BHP @ 7,000 rpm
Torque	8.96 Nm @ 5,500 rpm
Transmission	CVT (Automatic)
Top Speed	81 km/h
Suspension	Front – TelescopicRear- Spring Loaded Hydraulic Rear- Spring Loaded Hydraulic
Brakes	Front – 130 mm DrumRear – 130 mm Drum Rear – 130 mm Drum
Mileage	40-50 kpl (approx.)

You can tour on a small single....

..... then ride it round a racetrack!

A lot of riders have ridden to the famous Nurburgring circuit in Germany and ridden round it, but doing it on a 110cc 8bhp Honda Super Cub!

That's what this rider did, and he went the long way - 18,000 km (11,000 miles) from South Korea!

Found this article on him, and his Instagram feed (in Korean) is here. (Lots of photos).

Now, what's that about needing a big bike to go touring.......?

Friday bike

Yamaha SCR950

Another new bike I really like the look of, the Yamaha SCR 950. Powered by a 942cc V twin engine with belt final drive, (based on their XV950), the SCR has a sort of 60s 'street scrambler' look. Yamaha use the phrase 'Sports Heritage'!

It's been on sale in the US since the summer, but will be coming to the UK, and probably other European countries, in February next year. Price in the US is $8,699 = £6998 = 7785 Euros, probably be different when it arrives due to local taxes and the continued decline of the pound.

SCR950 Features

• Air-cooled, 942c,c 60-degree, V-twin engine
• Class-leading torque output: 79.5Nm (8.1 kg-m) @ 3,000rpm
• 5-speed transmission with quiet, low-maintenance belt drive
• Slim and flat low-profile dual seat with increased 830mm seat height
• Spoked 19-inch front wheel and 17-inch rear wheel
• 145mm ground clearance
• Wide scrambler-style steel handlebars with cross brace
• Aluminium rims
• Bridgestone heavy-duty TW101 100/90-19 front tyre and TW152 140/80-17 rear tyre
• 298mm floating front wave disc, 298mm rear wave disc
• Steel front and rear fenders
• Black coloured engine and components
• Flangeless 13.2-litre fuel tank with classic colour scheme
• Vintage number plate style side panels
• Circular LED tail lamp
• Circular LCD speedometer with smoked lens
• Aluminium footrests
• Twin rear reservoir-type shocks with specific SCR settings
• Smooth-action, 41mm front forks with rubber gaiters
• 135mm front suspension travel, 110mm rear suspension travel
• 2-1 exhaust with upslanted muffler

Colours
Vivid Red
Yamaha Black
Availability
February 2017