New 2010 Motorcycles
This week, live on the Motorcycle Radio Network, Todd B puts his traveling boots on and heads down to the Big Apple for a visit to the 2010 Cycle World International Motorcycle Show (IMS). Bill is still laughing because Todd B drove two hours, spent two more hours on a train, then walked over a mile from the train station to the Jacob Javits Convention Center because he had the opportunity for a free press pass.
That’s our Todd B – always working to pinch those pennies until Honest Abe Lincoln screams for mercy. Anything for the making of the live motorcycle radio show and podcast.
2010 BMW S1000RR
Speaking of screaming for mercy, BMW has put a world of hurt on all other Superbike manufacturers with their spectacular new 2010 BMW S1000RR. No fewer than 3 examples of the lightest-in-class liter bike were on display-a silver model decked out with enough accessories that it causes a dent in the US Trade Deficit, a virtually indescribable color BMW marketing accurately refer to as "Acid Green" (obviously referring to the stylist’s recreational pursuits), and a drop-dead gorgeous Motorsport red white and blue version.
Missing somewhere is a model with a dark gray color scheme, which is probably out being tested by our buddy Pazzo Miguel at UltimateMotorCycling.com. After all, who could resist the opportunity to ride a motorcycle that tips the scales at 404 pounds dry (with ABS!) and spins the dyno rollers up to the tune of 193 horsepower? That’s the kind of music that belongs in everybody’s iPod! Listen to the podcast from of the NY Motorcycle Show here and see if you can hear Todd B starting to hyperventilate as he gets to swing his leg over the seat while he describes this fully street-legal race bike.
Ultimate MotorCycling Magazine’s publisher Arthur Coldwells has already gotten a chance to ride this stunning new 2010 BMW S1000RR, and he calls it the real deal. You can check out his impression here of the 2010 BMW S1000RR here.
2010 Victory Cross Country / Cross Roads
From there, Todd B headed over to the Victory Motorcycles booth for two major announcements from a company that truly listens to its very passionate customer base! Victory’s experience has taught them that motorcycle riders are a bold, adventurous bunch who have very unique ideas about what makes a great road trip, so they are asking riders to submit a short video to them telling them YOUR definition of the True American Road Trip.
The Victory crew will judge all the entries and choose the top 10 submissions. Every one of those top 10 will be given the use of a new Victory Cross Roads or Victory Cross Country motorcycle for a year so they can record their True American Road Trip for everyone to see on a variety of different online sites. Entries must be received no later than March 31, 2010, so get busy with your video camera for what is undoubtedly one of the coolest prizes ever given to a group of 10 lucky riders! Here’s a link to the Victory Motorcycles contest info…
2010 Victory Vegas LE
Also at the Victory booth, the wraps were pulled off of the Victory’s new version of the classic American hot rod formula. They have taken their lightest chassis, the Vegas, and stuffed their biggest engine into it and then given the resulting bike a racing-inspired paint scheme that pays homage to hot rods everywhere and named it the Vegas LE.
That’s LE as in Limited Edition because Victory is only going to take the first 100 orders, and they are cutting off the sales on February 15, 2010 at the latest. Ordering your very own LE is simple, but choosing between the Fireball Red, Competition Yellow, Pearl White or Turbo Silver is going to be a struggle as all of the colors will do this motorcycle justice. Here’s a link with all the details about the 2010 Victory Vegas LE.
2010 Honda VFR1200F
Honda showed off 13 new street-legal vehicles for this year ranging from scooters all the way up to the spectacular new VFR1200F. We recently spoke with Ultimate MotorCycling Magazine’s publisher Arthur Coldwells about Honda’s new technical tour de force on the Motorcycle Radio Network and he told us to hold judgment on the look of the motorcycle until we saw it in person.
As usual, Arthur’s comments were spot on about the 2010 Honda VFR1200F – American Honda showed both the manual model ($15,995) and the revolutionary Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) versions and the motorcycles are so beautiful in person that I found myself drawn back to them several times.
Also on display was a full set of accessories including color-matched 29 liter saddlebags that mount without additional brackets, a nicely sized (33 liter) color-matched rear trunk, an adjustable windscreen deflector and wind deflectors, a set of heated grips that Honda custom-designed to put more heat in the area where your palm and fingers are, and a centerstand.
There are additional accessories available, including a lower (.8") seat, nylon inner bags for the hard luggage, a ballistic nylon waterproof tank bag and a rear fender hugger that should keep some of the road gunk off this beautiful motorcycle. Turning your VFR1200F into the perfect sport-touring model is as easy as turning pages in the Honda Accessories catalog.
During the press launch for this model, it was interesting to hear the reactions of people to the DCT. Although Honda was up front in telling us that the transmission answered a question that wasn’t yet asked, many of the journalists were asking why no other manufacturers have taken the step in this direction as they realized how nice this enhancement will be in the urban atmosphere they battle every day. Now after seeing the new VFR in person, we are certain that 40 years from now we’ll look back at this model and consider it to be as significant a step in the evolution of the motorcycle as the CB750K was in 1969.
Ducati Multistrada 1200
Ducati went all-out this year with the full model line on display including the controversially styled new Multistrada 1200 positioned on a podium in the center of their expansive booth. Starting with a fashion show starring models so thin you could fit 6 of them on the seat of a Hypermotard, Italy’s best-known manufacturer backed up all their Italian style with a solid showing of the reason they draw the passion from owners worldwide.
From decked out Monsters to the eye candy 1198S, from the leaned in a corner Streetfighter to the still-show-stopping Hypermotard family, and all the way to the Desmosedici MotoGP bike and its Kentucky Kid pilot Nicky Hayden, Ducati went all out for the New York City stop of the Cycle World International Motorcycle Show. We’re probably fortunate Bareback Bill was stuck in Phoenix this week, because he would have missed the entire show just to spend quality time with the models instead of the bikes.
Nicky Hayden discusses the challenges of being a Ducati MotoGP star. Did he say shifter karts on studded tires in Europe?
2010 Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight
Harley-Davidson Motor Company drifted in from Milwaukee with a truck full of attitude, and the attendance in the booth showed that nobody appreciates attitude more than New Yorkers. America’s oldest motorcycle manufacturer not only had examples of each bike situated for people to try, but they also uncorked a very special vintage of Sportster – the new Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight.
Cued around the iconic peanut tank that first appeared on Harley middleweights in 1948, the Motor Company’s stylists and design team took a 1200 Sportster and went wild. The latest member of H-D’s "Dark Custom" line is easily distinguished by an enormous 16" front wheel – a wheel so big that it screams Bad Ass from the moment you first lay eyes on the bike.
Backing this aggressiveness up is a pair of bobbed black fenders, black fork legs, black handlebars, headlight and offset taillights and even the black and polished engine. A new retro seat (made possible by a relocated ECM) and some tone-on-tone graphics on the fuel tank finish up what is sure to become the a tremendous addition to the Sportster family – especially at the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $10,699! You can check out a great video of the 2010 XL1200X Sportster Forty-Eight here at Ultimate MotorCycling.com.
2010 Can-Am Spyder RT-S with Trailer
Can-Am made the trek down from the Great White North to display their infamous Spyder RS and its new made for touring big brother, the Spyder RT. These well-integrated machines are loaded with state of the art electronics, cavernous integrated saddlebags, rear box and front trunk, and an available trailer that is so large it will change the way motorcyclists travel.
It’s probably only a matter of time before someone makes an attachment for the trailer that allows Todd B to put his beloved Golden Retriever in a spiffy set of CanineStars leathers and take him along wherever he goes. In addition to the RT models, the updated for 2010 Spyder RS was shown in its new white paint scheme and we have to say that this may be the most dramatic makeover to ever come from just a graphics change. The bike is stunning!
The Spyder RS gets a minor cosmetic makeover that yields major results. The new Pearl White edition just oozes sex appeal.
Thanks to everyone for making our visit to the New York Cycle World International Motorcycle show such a great time. We also want to thank all our fans for listening, and to remind you to catch up with us next week for another show that rides right into the heart of the motorcycle industry in America.