6. has
7. have voted
8. is
9. contributed
10. involves
11. unresolved
12. used
13. know
14. was
15. is, insist, will
16. was, povided
17. is
18. located
19. used
20. is
21. testing
22. used
23. does
24. approved
25. are
Senin, 23 Maret 2009
Tugas Bahasa Inggris 1
6. live, did not engage
7. have
8. have, are affilacted
9. are call, it is
10. was
11. removed, it will be, will be born
12. must decided
13. receives, will grow
14. is, is
15. died, lives, used
16. is, would be
17. is, lived, is
18. it is essential, is not elevated
19. consider, wrote
20. has, are
21. can be devived, is usually produce
22. is, includes
23. is
24. is
25. may serve, is limited
Senin, 13 Oktober 2008
2009 Suzuki Dealer Show Report
At its annual dealer meeting, held this year in Sin City, Suzuki came clean with its dealers, admitting a failure to supply enough product to sell in ’08. To make up for its miscalculations, Team S brought out a heavily revised Gixxer Thou, new Boulevard M90, a stripped down and styled-up version of the venerable SV650 called the Gladius (SFV650), and in an obvious attempt to capitalize on current economic woes, including those at the pump, the retro-looking TU250X rounded-out Suzuki’s headliners.
The underpinning theme throughout the opening evening of the conference was what seemed like a constant apology from Suzuki’s top Japanese brass, and a promise that the company would regain the trust and confidence of its dealers in the coming year. I was rather puzzled by this prostrating position, and came to learn that Suzuki reeled in its production forecasts last year in order to ride out the building wave of economic sorrows, attempting to be conservative and avoid overstocked showrooms. At the time what seemed like good, safe decision making was met with the unpredictable pain at the pump, and the subsequent demand from consumers for more economical modes of transpo.
For all its experience, Suzuki, like so many of us, was caught off-guard by rising fuel costs. The end result? Dealers were left hanging. Demand for two-wheelers was up but the supply of Suzukis was down, apparently way down.
The “official” theme of the event was 45 Years of Teamwork, and by unveiling the following new machines Suzuki hopes that dealers and consumers alike will stay with the team for 2009.
2009 GSX-R1000
We learned only days ago in our report from Suzuki’s 2009 model line unveiling in Paris that, what is in this day and age already old news, the mighty Gixxer Thou got hit with a heavy dose of updates, to the point of being very much a new machine.
Bore and stroke of 74.5 x 57.3mm are different from the K8 model’s 73.4 x 59.0mm but still yield 999cc. A reshaped combustion chamber and cylinder head, thanks in part to a shorter intake camshaft with a relocated cam angle sensor, now sees a compression ratio of 12.8:1 vs. 12.5:1, and a lighter and reshaped airbox works with downdraft intake manifolds decreased in length by 10mm.
Titanium intake and exhaust valves are marginally larger, by 1mm each: 30 to 31mm and 24 to 25, respectively.
One of the contributing factors to an engine that is 59mm shorter than the previous model is a more triangular arrangement of the tranny in relation to the crankshaft with the added benefit of simplifying crankshaft assembly, eliminating 16 screws and shaving weight. The counter-balance shaft was also reduced from 23 to 20mm. Further weight savings come from a unified clutch and starter motor cover; the clutch is now cable-actuated for improved feel and feedback.
Also, the radiator takes on trapezoidal shape as does the oil cooler for more efficient cooling while at the same time creating a narrower shape with new bodywork tailored around that new shape. These are all lessons learned from factory race teams.
The result of all this reshaping, tweaking, shaving, boring and stroking and so on is said to not only have increased top end performance (a natural result of more oversquare mills), but somehow, magically, more mid and bottom came with it.
American Suzuki’s Garrett Kai told me the ’09 1K will come with a (drum roll, please!)…14,000 rpm redline! Holy 600cc supersports, Suzukiman!
The clean sweep didn’t stop in the powerplant.
There are still two titanium exhaust cans, but, thankfully, they’ve been restyled and their performance is MotoGP-derived. I asked Kai if we can ever expect to see the now-trendy mid-ship under slung exhaust system on the 1,000. “Probably not,” was his response, citing the need to meet ever more restrictive EPA and Euro regulations. The revised exhaust is purported to keep weight fairly low, in effect achieving the same mass centralizing benefits of the under-bike exhaust systems. Fuel is squirted into the combustion chamber through new 12-hole injectors.
A more compact engine means that the chassis could get in on the redesign action. Reduced distance between steering and swingarm pivot allows for a longer swingarm, yet wheelbase is 10mm shorter than last year’s (less than half an inch off 55.7 inches). Generally speaking, handling has been honed to create (if you can believe this!) a quicker turning bike with increased stability.
Suspension is front page news with the new Big Piston Fork (BPF) from Showa. Thus far for 2009, the GSX-R1000 is the second bike we’ve seen with the BPF, but we must note that the Gixxer’s fork is 43mm and nitride coated as compared to the non-nitride coated 41mm BPF on Kawasaki’s all-new 2009 ZX-6R.
The Tokico Brakes are still radial-mount but are now monoblock forged-aluminum-alloy. Front and rear wheels are said to be lighter as well as the redesigned front brake rotor carrier. All the compactness of the mechanics means that bodywork saw some scalpel time. The fuel tank is narrower as is the bike’s waist; a new headlamp contour is joined by ram-air intakes that have moved closer to the bike’s centerline in order to take advantage of the higher pressure in that area (while the bike is in motion).
Lastly, the instrument package looks essentially the same with the tacho taking center stage, but the cluster, too, has been updated. Really, though, the biggest news with respect to the instruments is the relocation of the S-DMS toggle switch from the right switch gear to the left switch gear. But you’re sure to be easily fooled like myself and several dealers.
The big Mode toggle on the right bar that allowed the rider to flip between A, B and C is still there, but it now serves to toggle through the instrument panel modes and whatnot. The S-DMS is much more conspicuous. What was the passing light toggle on the left bar is now the Drive Mode Selector, with a second toggle doing the same duty, but located under the left switch gear housing. And the passing light now has a new toggle placed more atop the left switchgear housing.
According to Kai the redeployment of the S-DMS switch(es) was developed with the help of racers. A number of them stated the case for being able pull the top toggle like a trigger in order to go from A to B to C, while operating the lower switch seemed to make more sense for working backwards. This location, two switches or one, makes more sense than being on the right as it no longer interferes with throttle operation, but since that very same Mode toggle is on the right, many will be easily confused, just like me and the dealer.
After some of the drunken dealers cleared off one of the Thousands on display I was able to swing a leg over the liter weapon. The GSX-R was the better part of 30 pounds or more in deficit to the competition last year, and it still takes a good heave-ho to get it off the sidestand, and thus I couldn’t really perceive the claimed 11-pound weight loss for the 2009 model. That’s a good start, but I think many of us were hoping for more weight savings. Regardless, the cockpit feels much roomier, due largely to the narrower fuel tank that allowed endless amounts of room for my knees and legs to move around, creating what felt like more room in the rider triangle. I also perceived what seemed like a taller or repositioned windscreen that may be a tad wider too. Also, there’s ample room to move about on the seat.
This cozy and comfortable mount led me to ask Garrett Kai if any of the changes to the bike were focused on the street side of things. He said simply that the changes will always be dictated by and for improved track and racing performance. This new GSX-R, then, probably has a good chance of staying on top of the podium again in the coming year, and I’m sure it’ll do pretty well on the street, too.
U.S. colors will be Metallic Triton Blue/Glass Splash White, Solid Black/Metallic Mat Black No.2, Glass Splash White/ Metallic Mistic Silver and Candy Dark Cherry Red/SolidBlack. MSRP is $12,199 and the bike is slated to be in showrooms in March 2009.
2009 SFV650 Gladius
The bike possibly more anticipated than the new Gixxer since its announcement last week in Paris is the all-new Gladius. It is what most of us suspected it to be, and that is a largely restyled SV650. The primary differences in the Gladius’ SV-derived 90-degree Vee is revised cam shape and valve lift along with a 10-percent increase in crankshaft inertia, “newly staggered intake and exhaust tract lengths,” and increased exhaust volume. As you’d imagine, engine tuning has been done with a bias toward more bottom and mid-range torque, yet it apparently hasn’t impeded top-end performance.
The trusty Twin is carried in a very stylish steel-tube trellis frame that’s matted to a cast aluminum lower section. The Gladius retains the SV’s 25-degree steering angle but picks up a nominal 2mm of trail at 104mm. Wheelbase is also longer by eight-tenths of an inch, but seat height is over half an inch lower (30.9” vs. 31.5”) on the Gladius.
The 41mm fork is adjustable for pre-load only; the shock connects to the box-section steel swingarm via progressive linkage and is adjustable for preload using a seven-position ramp style adjuster. Brakes are similarly budget-conscious with a pair of two-piston sliding-pin calipers clasping on to 290mm floating rotors.
I guess there’s no accounting for taste in style, as evidenced by all the grumbling in the Motorcycle.com forums about the looks of the Gladius, but I have to say that this is one very attractive looking machine when viewed in person. The obvious mpg-friendliness of the SV-based mill in the Gladius wasn’t played up as much as its stylish European look was. It seemed clear to me Suzuki’s unspoken goal was to tap into the growth of the female segment. From the Gladius’ sales brochure to the video that played during the bike’s introduction, most seen on this slick scoot were women riders, there scarves and golden manes flowing in the wind as they whizzed stylishly through European-looking backdrops.
This new kin to the SV is being aimed at those urbanites looking to move beyond the Vespa trend and onto something more commanding, both in presence and performance. Bring me a latte, and croissant; hand me my V-neck sweater and leather driving gloves then if that’s what it’ll take. I wanna ride one!
The Gladius will be available in February/March of 2009 with a U.S. retail of $6,499 in your choice of Metallic Triton Blue/Glass Splash White, Candy Ruby Magenta/Pearl Mirage White, Pearl Nebular Black/Metallic Lush Green and Pearl Nebular Black.
2009 TU250X
Shocker of the show was a motorcycle no one could have anticipated, that is unless you’re hyper-aware of the cost of a gallon of gas here in the U.S. The TU250X is Suzuki’s stab at riding the retro wave without having to come up with a whole new bike.
The TU250X is, in essence, a restyled GZ250. The GZ is a newbie’s dream with its simple Single 249cc air-cooled engine puttering riders around in cruiser style. The TU plays on the heart strings of those riders that grew up on UJMs. It’s powered by the very same Single as the GZ, but (hold to your keyboards…) is fuel-injected! Yes, you read right, a fuel-injected air-cooled 250. Be ye beginner or stingy with your spending on fuel, the tiny and simple standard might be your path to two-wheeled giggles.
And again, I dare say Suzuki is thinking of the ladies with this one. Seat height is only 30.3 inches, a mere 2.5 inches higher than the already low saddle height of its cruiser mate.
Additionally, the muffler carries a cat with an O2 sensor for cleaner exhaust. The little Standard loses about half a gallon of fuel capacity (3.17 vs. 3.4), but it appears to best the GZ’s “curb weight” by roughly three pounds (328 vs. 331 lbs).
I’d like to tell you what it was like to sit on, but it was kind of the star of the show as well as the show stealer. The thing was continually surround by a crowd of curious dealers. Reaction to the budget bike was mixed, as a number of dealers lamented the low-spec kit. I’ll venture a guess, though, that if the current state of economics in the U.S persists, Suzuki may have another high-demand model on their hands, and this time the dealers will know better than to not have enough of this bike on hand. The people will vote with their dollars. Cheng Shin tire-shod or not, the TU250X looks like a deal maker! Just not in California, yet…
The TU250X will be available in March at an MSRP of $3,499.
2009 VZ1500 M90
Suzuki’s double-digit cruiser line grows by one in 2009 with the addition of the M90. The sleek, minimalist cruiser is powered by a 54-degree V-Twin with a bore and stroke of 96 x 101mm for a “true” 90ci, or 1,462mm powerplant. The M90 is slotted in right behind the M109 range of muscle bikes. It rolls on a chubby 200mm tire out back, has a 5-speed tranny and looks every bit the part of the badass power cruisers that make up the Boulevard M line.
So what makes Suzuki so proud of the M90 in a world gone mad with cruisers? Probably the fact that it’s competitively priced at $9,999. Consider Honda’s VTX1300 at $9,599, Kawasaki’s Vulcan 1500 Classic at $9,699 or Star’s V Star 1300 at $10,290.
The powerhouse middleweight will be available October/November of this year and will come in your choice of Pearl Nebular Black, Metallic Triton Blue and Candy Sonoma Red.
Attitudes and atmosphere
The opportunity to chat with dealers didn’t present itself; viewing time on this first night was somewhat abbreviated and I was getting out of Dodge by sunrise the next day. It was hard to gauge the true feeling of crowd, but I couldn’t help but notice was generally a tempered response from the dealers during the meeting. And I did overhear one seemingly frustrated Suzuki dealer who is also a Kawi dealer vent a little frustration with Suzuki for not coming out with a bike comparable to the Ninja 250, another bike the dealer can’t keep in stock or get more of.
Hopefully for Suzuki’s sake the offering in the Gladius, and possibly even in the TU250X, will give dealers, and ultimately consumers, more practical two-wheeled choices in the coming year. Choices that for all of us are, in the end, fun.
The underpinning theme throughout the opening evening of the conference was what seemed like a constant apology from Suzuki’s top Japanese brass, and a promise that the company would regain the trust and confidence of its dealers in the coming year. I was rather puzzled by this prostrating position, and came to learn that Suzuki reeled in its production forecasts last year in order to ride out the building wave of economic sorrows, attempting to be conservative and avoid overstocked showrooms. At the time what seemed like good, safe decision making was met with the unpredictable pain at the pump, and the subsequent demand from consumers for more economical modes of transpo.
For all its experience, Suzuki, like so many of us, was caught off-guard by rising fuel costs. The end result? Dealers were left hanging. Demand for two-wheelers was up but the supply of Suzukis was down, apparently way down.
The “official” theme of the event was 45 Years of Teamwork, and by unveiling the following new machines Suzuki hopes that dealers and consumers alike will stay with the team for 2009.
2009 GSX-R1000
We learned only days ago in our report from Suzuki’s 2009 model line unveiling in Paris that, what is in this day and age already old news, the mighty Gixxer Thou got hit with a heavy dose of updates, to the point of being very much a new machine.
Bore and stroke of 74.5 x 57.3mm are different from the K8 model’s 73.4 x 59.0mm but still yield 999cc. A reshaped combustion chamber and cylinder head, thanks in part to a shorter intake camshaft with a relocated cam angle sensor, now sees a compression ratio of 12.8:1 vs. 12.5:1, and a lighter and reshaped airbox works with downdraft intake manifolds decreased in length by 10mm.
Titanium intake and exhaust valves are marginally larger, by 1mm each: 30 to 31mm and 24 to 25, respectively.
One of the contributing factors to an engine that is 59mm shorter than the previous model is a more triangular arrangement of the tranny in relation to the crankshaft with the added benefit of simplifying crankshaft assembly, eliminating 16 screws and shaving weight. The counter-balance shaft was also reduced from 23 to 20mm. Further weight savings come from a unified clutch and starter motor cover; the clutch is now cable-actuated for improved feel and feedback.
Also, the radiator takes on trapezoidal shape as does the oil cooler for more efficient cooling while at the same time creating a narrower shape with new bodywork tailored around that new shape. These are all lessons learned from factory race teams.
The result of all this reshaping, tweaking, shaving, boring and stroking and so on is said to not only have increased top end performance (a natural result of more oversquare mills), but somehow, magically, more mid and bottom came with it.
American Suzuki’s Garrett Kai told me the ’09 1K will come with a (drum roll, please!)…14,000 rpm redline! Holy 600cc supersports, Suzukiman!
The clean sweep didn’t stop in the powerplant.
There are still two titanium exhaust cans, but, thankfully, they’ve been restyled and their performance is MotoGP-derived. I asked Kai if we can ever expect to see the now-trendy mid-ship under slung exhaust system on the 1,000. “Probably not,” was his response, citing the need to meet ever more restrictive EPA and Euro regulations. The revised exhaust is purported to keep weight fairly low, in effect achieving the same mass centralizing benefits of the under-bike exhaust systems. Fuel is squirted into the combustion chamber through new 12-hole injectors.
A more compact engine means that the chassis could get in on the redesign action. Reduced distance between steering and swingarm pivot allows for a longer swingarm, yet wheelbase is 10mm shorter than last year’s (less than half an inch off 55.7 inches). Generally speaking, handling has been honed to create (if you can believe this!) a quicker turning bike with increased stability.
Suspension is front page news with the new Big Piston Fork (BPF) from Showa. Thus far for 2009, the GSX-R1000 is the second bike we’ve seen with the BPF, but we must note that the Gixxer’s fork is 43mm and nitride coated as compared to the non-nitride coated 41mm BPF on Kawasaki’s all-new 2009 ZX-6R.
The Tokico Brakes are still radial-mount but are now monoblock forged-aluminum-alloy. Front and rear wheels are said to be lighter as well as the redesigned front brake rotor carrier. All the compactness of the mechanics means that bodywork saw some scalpel time. The fuel tank is narrower as is the bike’s waist; a new headlamp contour is joined by ram-air intakes that have moved closer to the bike’s centerline in order to take advantage of the higher pressure in that area (while the bike is in motion).
Lastly, the instrument package looks essentially the same with the tacho taking center stage, but the cluster, too, has been updated. Really, though, the biggest news with respect to the instruments is the relocation of the S-DMS toggle switch from the right switch gear to the left switch gear. But you’re sure to be easily fooled like myself and several dealers.
The big Mode toggle on the right bar that allowed the rider to flip between A, B and C is still there, but it now serves to toggle through the instrument panel modes and whatnot. The S-DMS is much more conspicuous. What was the passing light toggle on the left bar is now the Drive Mode Selector, with a second toggle doing the same duty, but located under the left switch gear housing. And the passing light now has a new toggle placed more atop the left switchgear housing.
According to Kai the redeployment of the S-DMS switch(es) was developed with the help of racers. A number of them stated the case for being able pull the top toggle like a trigger in order to go from A to B to C, while operating the lower switch seemed to make more sense for working backwards. This location, two switches or one, makes more sense than being on the right as it no longer interferes with throttle operation, but since that very same Mode toggle is on the right, many will be easily confused, just like me and the dealer.
After some of the drunken dealers cleared off one of the Thousands on display I was able to swing a leg over the liter weapon. The GSX-R was the better part of 30 pounds or more in deficit to the competition last year, and it still takes a good heave-ho to get it off the sidestand, and thus I couldn’t really perceive the claimed 11-pound weight loss for the 2009 model. That’s a good start, but I think many of us were hoping for more weight savings. Regardless, the cockpit feels much roomier, due largely to the narrower fuel tank that allowed endless amounts of room for my knees and legs to move around, creating what felt like more room in the rider triangle. I also perceived what seemed like a taller or repositioned windscreen that may be a tad wider too. Also, there’s ample room to move about on the seat.
This cozy and comfortable mount led me to ask Garrett Kai if any of the changes to the bike were focused on the street side of things. He said simply that the changes will always be dictated by and for improved track and racing performance. This new GSX-R, then, probably has a good chance of staying on top of the podium again in the coming year, and I’m sure it’ll do pretty well on the street, too.
U.S. colors will be Metallic Triton Blue/Glass Splash White, Solid Black/Metallic Mat Black No.2, Glass Splash White/ Metallic Mistic Silver and Candy Dark Cherry Red/SolidBlack. MSRP is $12,199 and the bike is slated to be in showrooms in March 2009.
2009 SFV650 Gladius
The bike possibly more anticipated than the new Gixxer since its announcement last week in Paris is the all-new Gladius. It is what most of us suspected it to be, and that is a largely restyled SV650. The primary differences in the Gladius’ SV-derived 90-degree Vee is revised cam shape and valve lift along with a 10-percent increase in crankshaft inertia, “newly staggered intake and exhaust tract lengths,” and increased exhaust volume. As you’d imagine, engine tuning has been done with a bias toward more bottom and mid-range torque, yet it apparently hasn’t impeded top-end performance.
The trusty Twin is carried in a very stylish steel-tube trellis frame that’s matted to a cast aluminum lower section. The Gladius retains the SV’s 25-degree steering angle but picks up a nominal 2mm of trail at 104mm. Wheelbase is also longer by eight-tenths of an inch, but seat height is over half an inch lower (30.9” vs. 31.5”) on the Gladius.
The 41mm fork is adjustable for pre-load only; the shock connects to the box-section steel swingarm via progressive linkage and is adjustable for preload using a seven-position ramp style adjuster. Brakes are similarly budget-conscious with a pair of two-piston sliding-pin calipers clasping on to 290mm floating rotors.
I guess there’s no accounting for taste in style, as evidenced by all the grumbling in the Motorcycle.com forums about the looks of the Gladius, but I have to say that this is one very attractive looking machine when viewed in person. The obvious mpg-friendliness of the SV-based mill in the Gladius wasn’t played up as much as its stylish European look was. It seemed clear to me Suzuki’s unspoken goal was to tap into the growth of the female segment. From the Gladius’ sales brochure to the video that played during the bike’s introduction, most seen on this slick scoot were women riders, there scarves and golden manes flowing in the wind as they whizzed stylishly through European-looking backdrops.
This new kin to the SV is being aimed at those urbanites looking to move beyond the Vespa trend and onto something more commanding, both in presence and performance. Bring me a latte, and croissant; hand me my V-neck sweater and leather driving gloves then if that’s what it’ll take. I wanna ride one!
The Gladius will be available in February/March of 2009 with a U.S. retail of $6,499 in your choice of Metallic Triton Blue/Glass Splash White, Candy Ruby Magenta/Pearl Mirage White, Pearl Nebular Black/Metallic Lush Green and Pearl Nebular Black.
2009 TU250X
Shocker of the show was a motorcycle no one could have anticipated, that is unless you’re hyper-aware of the cost of a gallon of gas here in the U.S. The TU250X is Suzuki’s stab at riding the retro wave without having to come up with a whole new bike.
The TU250X is, in essence, a restyled GZ250. The GZ is a newbie’s dream with its simple Single 249cc air-cooled engine puttering riders around in cruiser style. The TU plays on the heart strings of those riders that grew up on UJMs. It’s powered by the very same Single as the GZ, but (hold to your keyboards…) is fuel-injected! Yes, you read right, a fuel-injected air-cooled 250. Be ye beginner or stingy with your spending on fuel, the tiny and simple standard might be your path to two-wheeled giggles.
And again, I dare say Suzuki is thinking of the ladies with this one. Seat height is only 30.3 inches, a mere 2.5 inches higher than the already low saddle height of its cruiser mate.
Additionally, the muffler carries a cat with an O2 sensor for cleaner exhaust. The little Standard loses about half a gallon of fuel capacity (3.17 vs. 3.4), but it appears to best the GZ’s “curb weight” by roughly three pounds (328 vs. 331 lbs).
I’d like to tell you what it was like to sit on, but it was kind of the star of the show as well as the show stealer. The thing was continually surround by a crowd of curious dealers. Reaction to the budget bike was mixed, as a number of dealers lamented the low-spec kit. I’ll venture a guess, though, that if the current state of economics in the U.S persists, Suzuki may have another high-demand model on their hands, and this time the dealers will know better than to not have enough of this bike on hand. The people will vote with their dollars. Cheng Shin tire-shod or not, the TU250X looks like a deal maker! Just not in California, yet…
The TU250X will be available in March at an MSRP of $3,499.
2009 VZ1500 M90
Suzuki’s double-digit cruiser line grows by one in 2009 with the addition of the M90. The sleek, minimalist cruiser is powered by a 54-degree V-Twin with a bore and stroke of 96 x 101mm for a “true” 90ci, or 1,462mm powerplant. The M90 is slotted in right behind the M109 range of muscle bikes. It rolls on a chubby 200mm tire out back, has a 5-speed tranny and looks every bit the part of the badass power cruisers that make up the Boulevard M line.
So what makes Suzuki so proud of the M90 in a world gone mad with cruisers? Probably the fact that it’s competitively priced at $9,999. Consider Honda’s VTX1300 at $9,599, Kawasaki’s Vulcan 1500 Classic at $9,699 or Star’s V Star 1300 at $10,290.
The powerhouse middleweight will be available October/November of this year and will come in your choice of Pearl Nebular Black, Metallic Triton Blue and Candy Sonoma Red.
Attitudes and atmosphere
The opportunity to chat with dealers didn’t present itself; viewing time on this first night was somewhat abbreviated and I was getting out of Dodge by sunrise the next day. It was hard to gauge the true feeling of crowd, but I couldn’t help but notice was generally a tempered response from the dealers during the meeting. And I did overhear one seemingly frustrated Suzuki dealer who is also a Kawi dealer vent a little frustration with Suzuki for not coming out with a bike comparable to the Ninja 250, another bike the dealer can’t keep in stock or get more of.
Hopefully for Suzuki’s sake the offering in the Gladius, and possibly even in the TU250X, will give dealers, and ultimately consumers, more practical two-wheeled choices in the coming year. Choices that for all of us are, in the end, fun.
2009 Suzuki Dealer Show Report
At its annual dealer meeting, held this year in Sin City, Suzuki came clean with its dealers, admitting a failure to supply enough product to sell in ’08. To make up for its miscalculations, Team S brought out a heavily revised Gixxer Thou, new Boulevard M90, a stripped down and styled-up version of the venerable SV650 called the Gladius (SFV650), and in an obvious attempt to capitalize on current economic woes, including those at the pump, the retro-looking TU250X rounded-out Suzuki’s headliners.
The underpinning theme throughout the opening evening of the conference was what seemed like a constant apology from Suzuki’s top Japanese brass, and a promise that the company would regain the trust and confidence of its dealers in the coming year. I was rather puzzled by this prostrating position, and came to learn that Suzuki reeled in its production forecasts last year in order to ride out the building wave of economic sorrows, attempting to be conservative and avoid overstocked showrooms. At the time what seemed like good, safe decision making was met with the unpredictable pain at the pump, and the subsequent demand from consumers for more economical modes of transpo.
For all its experience, Suzuki, like so many of us, was caught off-guard by rising fuel costs. The end result? Dealers were left hanging. Demand for two-wheelers was up but the supply of Suzukis was down, apparently way down.
The “official” theme of the event was 45 Years of Teamwork, and by unveiling the following new machines Suzuki hopes that dealers and consumers alike will stay with the team for 2009.
2009 GSX-R1000
We learned only days ago in our report from Suzuki’s 2009 model line unveiling in Paris that, what is in this day and age already old news, the mighty Gixxer Thou got hit with a heavy dose of updates, to the point of being very much a new machine.
Bore and stroke of 74.5 x 57.3mm are different from the K8 model’s 73.4 x 59.0mm but still yield 999cc. A reshaped combustion chamber and cylinder head, thanks in part to a shorter intake camshaft with a relocated cam angle sensor, now sees a compression ratio of 12.8:1 vs. 12.5:1, and a lighter and reshaped airbox works with downdraft intake manifolds decreased in length by 10mm.
Titanium intake and exhaust valves are marginally larger, by 1mm each: 30 to 31mm and 24 to 25, respectively.
One of the contributing factors to an engine that is 59mm shorter than the previous model is a more triangular arrangement of the tranny in relation to the crankshaft with the added benefit of simplifying crankshaft assembly, eliminating 16 screws and shaving weight. The counter-balance shaft was also reduced from 23 to 20mm. Further weight savings come from a unified clutch and starter motor cover; the clutch is now cable-actuated for improved feel and feedback.
Also, the radiator takes on trapezoidal shape as does the oil cooler for more efficient cooling while at the same time creating a narrower shape with new bodywork tailored around that new shape. These are all lessons learned from factory race teams.
The result of all this reshaping, tweaking, shaving, boring and stroking and so on is said to not only have increased top end performance (a natural result of more oversquare mills), but somehow, magically, more mid and bottom came with it.
American Suzuki’s Garrett Kai told me the ’09 1K will come with a (drum roll, please!)…14,000 rpm redline! Holy 600cc supersports, Suzukiman!
The clean sweep didn’t stop in the powerplant.
There are still two titanium exhaust cans, but, thankfully, they’ve been restyled and their performance is MotoGP-derived. I asked Kai if we can ever expect to see the now-trendy mid-ship under slung exhaust system on the 1,000. “Probably not,” was his response, citing the need to meet ever more restrictive EPA and Euro regulations. The revised exhaust is purported to keep weight fairly low, in effect achieving the same mass centralizing benefits of the under-bike exhaust systems. Fuel is squirted into the combustion chamber through new 12-hole injectors.
A more compact engine means that the chassis could get in on the redesign action. Reduced distance between steering and swingarm pivot allows for a longer swingarm, yet wheelbase is 10mm shorter than last year’s (less than half an inch off 55.7 inches). Generally speaking, handling has been honed to create (if you can believe this!) a quicker turning bike with increased stability.
Suspension is front page news with the new Big Piston Fork (BPF) from Showa. Thus far for 2009, the GSX-R1000 is the second bike we’ve seen with the BPF, but we must note that the Gixxer’s fork is 43mm and nitride coated as compared to the non-nitride coated 41mm BPF on Kawasaki’s all-new 2009 ZX-6R.
The Tokico Brakes are still radial-mount but are now monoblock forged-aluminum-alloy. Front and rear wheels are said to be lighter as well as the redesigned front brake rotor carrier. All the compactness of the mechanics means that bodywork saw some scalpel time. The fuel tank is narrower as is the bike’s waist; a new headlamp contour is joined by ram-air intakes that have moved closer to the bike’s centerline in order to take advantage of the higher pressure in that area (while the bike is in motion).
Lastly, the instrument package looks essentially the same with the tacho taking center stage, but the cluster, too, has been updated. Really, though, the biggest news with respect to the instruments is the relocation of the S-DMS toggle switch from the right switch gear to the left switch gear. But you’re sure to be easily fooled like myself and several dealers.
The big Mode toggle on the right bar that allowed the rider to flip between A, B and C is still there, but it now serves to toggle through the instrument panel modes and whatnot. The S-DMS is much more conspicuous. What was the passing light toggle on the left bar is now the Drive Mode Selector, with a second toggle doing the same duty, but located under the left switch gear housing. And the passing light now has a new toggle placed more atop the left switchgear housing.
According to Kai the redeployment of the S-DMS switch(es) was developed with the help of racers. A number of them stated the case for being able pull the top toggle like a trigger in order to go from A to B to C, while operating the lower switch seemed to make more sense for working backwards. This location, two switches or one, makes more sense than being on the right as it no longer interferes with throttle operation, but since that very same Mode toggle is on the right, many will be easily confused, just like me and the dealer.
After some of the drunken dealers cleared off one of the Thousands on display I was able to swing a leg over the liter weapon. The GSX-R was the better part of 30 pounds or more in deficit to the competition last year, and it still takes a good heave-ho to get it off the sidestand, and thus I couldn’t really perceive the claimed 11-pound weight loss for the 2009 model. That’s a good start, but I think many of us were hoping for more weight savings. Regardless, the cockpit feels much roomier, due largely to the narrower fuel tank that allowed endless amounts of room for my knees and legs to move around, creating what felt like more room in the rider triangle. I also perceived what seemed like a taller or repositioned windscreen that may be a tad wider too. Also, there’s ample room to move about on the seat.
This cozy and comfortable mount led me to ask Garrett Kai if any of the changes to the bike were focused on the street side of things. He said simply that the changes will always be dictated by and for improved track and racing performance. This new GSX-R, then, probably has a good chance of staying on top of the podium again in the coming year, and I’m sure it’ll do pretty well on the street, too.
U.S. colors will be Metallic Triton Blue/Glass Splash White, Solid Black/Metallic Mat Black No.2, Glass Splash White/ Metallic Mistic Silver and Candy Dark Cherry Red/SolidBlack. MSRP is $12,199 and the bike is slated to be in showrooms in March 2009.
2009 SFV650 Gladius
The bike possibly more anticipated than the new Gixxer since its announcement last week in Paris is the all-new Gladius. It is what most of us suspected it to be, and that is a largely restyled SV650. The primary differences in the Gladius’ SV-derived 90-degree Vee is revised cam shape and valve lift along with a 10-percent increase in crankshaft inertia, “newly staggered intake and exhaust tract lengths,” and increased exhaust volume. As you’d imagine, engine tuning has been done with a bias toward more bottom and mid-range torque, yet it apparently hasn’t impeded top-end performance.
The trusty Twin is carried in a very stylish steel-tube trellis frame that’s matted to a cast aluminum lower section. The Gladius retains the SV’s 25-degree steering angle but picks up a nominal 2mm of trail at 104mm. Wheelbase is also longer by eight-tenths of an inch, but seat height is over half an inch lower (30.9” vs. 31.5”) on the Gladius.
The 41mm fork is adjustable for pre-load only; the shock connects to the box-section steel swingarm via progressive linkage and is adjustable for preload using a seven-position ramp style adjuster. Brakes are similarly budget-conscious with a pair of two-piston sliding-pin calipers clasping on to 290mm floating rotors.
I guess there’s no accounting for taste in style, as evidenced by all the grumbling in the Motorcycle.com forums about the looks of the Gladius, but I have to say that this is one very attractive looking machine when viewed in person. The obvious mpg-friendliness of the SV-based mill in the Gladius wasn’t played up as much as its stylish European look was. It seemed clear to me Suzuki’s unspoken goal was to tap into the growth of the female segment. From the Gladius’ sales brochure to the video that played during the bike’s introduction, most seen on this slick scoot were women riders, there scarves and golden manes flowing in the wind as they whizzed stylishly through European-looking backdrops.
This new kin to the SV is being aimed at those urbanites looking to move beyond the Vespa trend and onto something more commanding, both in presence and performance. Bring me a latte, and croissant; hand me my V-neck sweater and leather driving gloves then if that’s what it’ll take. I wanna ride one!
The Gladius will be available in February/March of 2009 with a U.S. retail of $6,499 in your choice of Metallic Triton Blue/Glass Splash White, Candy Ruby Magenta/Pearl Mirage White, Pearl Nebular Black/Metallic Lush Green and Pearl Nebular Black.
2009 TU250X
Shocker of the show was a motorcycle no one could have anticipated, that is unless you’re hyper-aware of the cost of a gallon of gas here in the U.S. The TU250X is Suzuki’s stab at riding the retro wave without having to come up with a whole new bike.
The TU250X is, in essence, a restyled GZ250. The GZ is a newbie’s dream with its simple Single 249cc air-cooled engine puttering riders around in cruiser style. The TU plays on the heart strings of those riders that grew up on UJMs. It’s powered by the very same Single as the GZ, but (hold to your keyboards…) is fuel-injected! Yes, you read right, a fuel-injected air-cooled 250. Be ye beginner or stingy with your spending on fuel, the tiny and simple standard might be your path to two-wheeled giggles.
And again, I dare say Suzuki is thinking of the ladies with this one. Seat height is only 30.3 inches, a mere 2.5 inches higher than the already low saddle height of its cruiser mate.
Additionally, the muffler carries a cat with an O2 sensor for cleaner exhaust. The little Standard loses about half a gallon of fuel capacity (3.17 vs. 3.4), but it appears to best the GZ’s “curb weight” by roughly three pounds (328 vs. 331 lbs).
I’d like to tell you what it was like to sit on, but it was kind of the star of the show as well as the show stealer. The thing was continually surround by a crowd of curious dealers. Reaction to the budget bike was mixed, as a number of dealers lamented the low-spec kit. I’ll venture a guess, though, that if the current state of economics in the U.S persists, Suzuki may have another high-demand model on their hands, and this time the dealers will know better than to not have enough of this bike on hand. The people will vote with their dollars. Cheng Shin tire-shod or not, the TU250X looks like a deal maker! Just not in California, yet…
The TU250X will be available in March at an MSRP of $3,499.
2009 VZ1500 M90
Suzuki’s double-digit cruiser line grows by one in 2009 with the addition of the M90. The sleek, minimalist cruiser is powered by a 54-degree V-Twin with a bore and stroke of 96 x 101mm for a “true” 90ci, or 1,462mm powerplant. The M90 is slotted in right behind the M109 range of muscle bikes. It rolls on a chubby 200mm tire out back, has a 5-speed tranny and looks every bit the part of the badass power cruisers that make up the Boulevard M line.
So what makes Suzuki so proud of the M90 in a world gone mad with cruisers? Probably the fact that it’s competitively priced at $9,999. Consider Honda’s VTX1300 at $9,599, Kawasaki’s Vulcan 1500 Classic at $9,699 or Star’s V Star 1300 at $10,290.
The powerhouse middleweight will be available October/November of this year and will come in your choice of Pearl Nebular Black, Metallic Triton Blue and Candy Sonoma Red.
Attitudes and atmosphere
The opportunity to chat with dealers didn’t present itself; viewing time on this first night was somewhat abbreviated and I was getting out of Dodge by sunrise the next day. It was hard to gauge the true feeling of crowd, but I couldn’t help but notice was generally a tempered response from the dealers during the meeting. And I did overhear one seemingly frustrated Suzuki dealer who is also a Kawi dealer vent a little frustration with Suzuki for not coming out with a bike comparable to the Ninja 250, another bike the dealer can’t keep in stock or get more of.
Hopefully for Suzuki’s sake the offering in the Gladius, and possibly even in the TU250X, will give dealers, and ultimately consumers, more practical two-wheeled choices in the coming year. Choices that for all of us are, in the end, fun.
Source : http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/suzuki/2009-suzuki-dealer-show-report-86942.html
The underpinning theme throughout the opening evening of the conference was what seemed like a constant apology from Suzuki’s top Japanese brass, and a promise that the company would regain the trust and confidence of its dealers in the coming year. I was rather puzzled by this prostrating position, and came to learn that Suzuki reeled in its production forecasts last year in order to ride out the building wave of economic sorrows, attempting to be conservative and avoid overstocked showrooms. At the time what seemed like good, safe decision making was met with the unpredictable pain at the pump, and the subsequent demand from consumers for more economical modes of transpo.
For all its experience, Suzuki, like so many of us, was caught off-guard by rising fuel costs. The end result? Dealers were left hanging. Demand for two-wheelers was up but the supply of Suzukis was down, apparently way down.
The “official” theme of the event was 45 Years of Teamwork, and by unveiling the following new machines Suzuki hopes that dealers and consumers alike will stay with the team for 2009.
2009 GSX-R1000
We learned only days ago in our report from Suzuki’s 2009 model line unveiling in Paris that, what is in this day and age already old news, the mighty Gixxer Thou got hit with a heavy dose of updates, to the point of being very much a new machine.
Bore and stroke of 74.5 x 57.3mm are different from the K8 model’s 73.4 x 59.0mm but still yield 999cc. A reshaped combustion chamber and cylinder head, thanks in part to a shorter intake camshaft with a relocated cam angle sensor, now sees a compression ratio of 12.8:1 vs. 12.5:1, and a lighter and reshaped airbox works with downdraft intake manifolds decreased in length by 10mm.
Titanium intake and exhaust valves are marginally larger, by 1mm each: 30 to 31mm and 24 to 25, respectively.
One of the contributing factors to an engine that is 59mm shorter than the previous model is a more triangular arrangement of the tranny in relation to the crankshaft with the added benefit of simplifying crankshaft assembly, eliminating 16 screws and shaving weight. The counter-balance shaft was also reduced from 23 to 20mm. Further weight savings come from a unified clutch and starter motor cover; the clutch is now cable-actuated for improved feel and feedback.
Also, the radiator takes on trapezoidal shape as does the oil cooler for more efficient cooling while at the same time creating a narrower shape with new bodywork tailored around that new shape. These are all lessons learned from factory race teams.
The result of all this reshaping, tweaking, shaving, boring and stroking and so on is said to not only have increased top end performance (a natural result of more oversquare mills), but somehow, magically, more mid and bottom came with it.
American Suzuki’s Garrett Kai told me the ’09 1K will come with a (drum roll, please!)…14,000 rpm redline! Holy 600cc supersports, Suzukiman!
The clean sweep didn’t stop in the powerplant.
There are still two titanium exhaust cans, but, thankfully, they’ve been restyled and their performance is MotoGP-derived. I asked Kai if we can ever expect to see the now-trendy mid-ship under slung exhaust system on the 1,000. “Probably not,” was his response, citing the need to meet ever more restrictive EPA and Euro regulations. The revised exhaust is purported to keep weight fairly low, in effect achieving the same mass centralizing benefits of the under-bike exhaust systems. Fuel is squirted into the combustion chamber through new 12-hole injectors.
A more compact engine means that the chassis could get in on the redesign action. Reduced distance between steering and swingarm pivot allows for a longer swingarm, yet wheelbase is 10mm shorter than last year’s (less than half an inch off 55.7 inches). Generally speaking, handling has been honed to create (if you can believe this!) a quicker turning bike with increased stability.
Suspension is front page news with the new Big Piston Fork (BPF) from Showa. Thus far for 2009, the GSX-R1000 is the second bike we’ve seen with the BPF, but we must note that the Gixxer’s fork is 43mm and nitride coated as compared to the non-nitride coated 41mm BPF on Kawasaki’s all-new 2009 ZX-6R.
The Tokico Brakes are still radial-mount but are now monoblock forged-aluminum-alloy. Front and rear wheels are said to be lighter as well as the redesigned front brake rotor carrier. All the compactness of the mechanics means that bodywork saw some scalpel time. The fuel tank is narrower as is the bike’s waist; a new headlamp contour is joined by ram-air intakes that have moved closer to the bike’s centerline in order to take advantage of the higher pressure in that area (while the bike is in motion).
Lastly, the instrument package looks essentially the same with the tacho taking center stage, but the cluster, too, has been updated. Really, though, the biggest news with respect to the instruments is the relocation of the S-DMS toggle switch from the right switch gear to the left switch gear. But you’re sure to be easily fooled like myself and several dealers.
The big Mode toggle on the right bar that allowed the rider to flip between A, B and C is still there, but it now serves to toggle through the instrument panel modes and whatnot. The S-DMS is much more conspicuous. What was the passing light toggle on the left bar is now the Drive Mode Selector, with a second toggle doing the same duty, but located under the left switch gear housing. And the passing light now has a new toggle placed more atop the left switchgear housing.
According to Kai the redeployment of the S-DMS switch(es) was developed with the help of racers. A number of them stated the case for being able pull the top toggle like a trigger in order to go from A to B to C, while operating the lower switch seemed to make more sense for working backwards. This location, two switches or one, makes more sense than being on the right as it no longer interferes with throttle operation, but since that very same Mode toggle is on the right, many will be easily confused, just like me and the dealer.
After some of the drunken dealers cleared off one of the Thousands on display I was able to swing a leg over the liter weapon. The GSX-R was the better part of 30 pounds or more in deficit to the competition last year, and it still takes a good heave-ho to get it off the sidestand, and thus I couldn’t really perceive the claimed 11-pound weight loss for the 2009 model. That’s a good start, but I think many of us were hoping for more weight savings. Regardless, the cockpit feels much roomier, due largely to the narrower fuel tank that allowed endless amounts of room for my knees and legs to move around, creating what felt like more room in the rider triangle. I also perceived what seemed like a taller or repositioned windscreen that may be a tad wider too. Also, there’s ample room to move about on the seat.
This cozy and comfortable mount led me to ask Garrett Kai if any of the changes to the bike were focused on the street side of things. He said simply that the changes will always be dictated by and for improved track and racing performance. This new GSX-R, then, probably has a good chance of staying on top of the podium again in the coming year, and I’m sure it’ll do pretty well on the street, too.
U.S. colors will be Metallic Triton Blue/Glass Splash White, Solid Black/Metallic Mat Black No.2, Glass Splash White/ Metallic Mistic Silver and Candy Dark Cherry Red/SolidBlack. MSRP is $12,199 and the bike is slated to be in showrooms in March 2009.
2009 SFV650 Gladius
The bike possibly more anticipated than the new Gixxer since its announcement last week in Paris is the all-new Gladius. It is what most of us suspected it to be, and that is a largely restyled SV650. The primary differences in the Gladius’ SV-derived 90-degree Vee is revised cam shape and valve lift along with a 10-percent increase in crankshaft inertia, “newly staggered intake and exhaust tract lengths,” and increased exhaust volume. As you’d imagine, engine tuning has been done with a bias toward more bottom and mid-range torque, yet it apparently hasn’t impeded top-end performance.
The trusty Twin is carried in a very stylish steel-tube trellis frame that’s matted to a cast aluminum lower section. The Gladius retains the SV’s 25-degree steering angle but picks up a nominal 2mm of trail at 104mm. Wheelbase is also longer by eight-tenths of an inch, but seat height is over half an inch lower (30.9” vs. 31.5”) on the Gladius.
The 41mm fork is adjustable for pre-load only; the shock connects to the box-section steel swingarm via progressive linkage and is adjustable for preload using a seven-position ramp style adjuster. Brakes are similarly budget-conscious with a pair of two-piston sliding-pin calipers clasping on to 290mm floating rotors.
I guess there’s no accounting for taste in style, as evidenced by all the grumbling in the Motorcycle.com forums about the looks of the Gladius, but I have to say that this is one very attractive looking machine when viewed in person. The obvious mpg-friendliness of the SV-based mill in the Gladius wasn’t played up as much as its stylish European look was. It seemed clear to me Suzuki’s unspoken goal was to tap into the growth of the female segment. From the Gladius’ sales brochure to the video that played during the bike’s introduction, most seen on this slick scoot were women riders, there scarves and golden manes flowing in the wind as they whizzed stylishly through European-looking backdrops.
This new kin to the SV is being aimed at those urbanites looking to move beyond the Vespa trend and onto something more commanding, both in presence and performance. Bring me a latte, and croissant; hand me my V-neck sweater and leather driving gloves then if that’s what it’ll take. I wanna ride one!
The Gladius will be available in February/March of 2009 with a U.S. retail of $6,499 in your choice of Metallic Triton Blue/Glass Splash White, Candy Ruby Magenta/Pearl Mirage White, Pearl Nebular Black/Metallic Lush Green and Pearl Nebular Black.
2009 TU250X
Shocker of the show was a motorcycle no one could have anticipated, that is unless you’re hyper-aware of the cost of a gallon of gas here in the U.S. The TU250X is Suzuki’s stab at riding the retro wave without having to come up with a whole new bike.
The TU250X is, in essence, a restyled GZ250. The GZ is a newbie’s dream with its simple Single 249cc air-cooled engine puttering riders around in cruiser style. The TU plays on the heart strings of those riders that grew up on UJMs. It’s powered by the very same Single as the GZ, but (hold to your keyboards…) is fuel-injected! Yes, you read right, a fuel-injected air-cooled 250. Be ye beginner or stingy with your spending on fuel, the tiny and simple standard might be your path to two-wheeled giggles.
And again, I dare say Suzuki is thinking of the ladies with this one. Seat height is only 30.3 inches, a mere 2.5 inches higher than the already low saddle height of its cruiser mate.
Additionally, the muffler carries a cat with an O2 sensor for cleaner exhaust. The little Standard loses about half a gallon of fuel capacity (3.17 vs. 3.4), but it appears to best the GZ’s “curb weight” by roughly three pounds (328 vs. 331 lbs).
I’d like to tell you what it was like to sit on, but it was kind of the star of the show as well as the show stealer. The thing was continually surround by a crowd of curious dealers. Reaction to the budget bike was mixed, as a number of dealers lamented the low-spec kit. I’ll venture a guess, though, that if the current state of economics in the U.S persists, Suzuki may have another high-demand model on their hands, and this time the dealers will know better than to not have enough of this bike on hand. The people will vote with their dollars. Cheng Shin tire-shod or not, the TU250X looks like a deal maker! Just not in California, yet…
The TU250X will be available in March at an MSRP of $3,499.
2009 VZ1500 M90
Suzuki’s double-digit cruiser line grows by one in 2009 with the addition of the M90. The sleek, minimalist cruiser is powered by a 54-degree V-Twin with a bore and stroke of 96 x 101mm for a “true” 90ci, or 1,462mm powerplant. The M90 is slotted in right behind the M109 range of muscle bikes. It rolls on a chubby 200mm tire out back, has a 5-speed tranny and looks every bit the part of the badass power cruisers that make up the Boulevard M line.
So what makes Suzuki so proud of the M90 in a world gone mad with cruisers? Probably the fact that it’s competitively priced at $9,999. Consider Honda’s VTX1300 at $9,599, Kawasaki’s Vulcan 1500 Classic at $9,699 or Star’s V Star 1300 at $10,290.
The powerhouse middleweight will be available October/November of this year and will come in your choice of Pearl Nebular Black, Metallic Triton Blue and Candy Sonoma Red.
Attitudes and atmosphere
The opportunity to chat with dealers didn’t present itself; viewing time on this first night was somewhat abbreviated and I was getting out of Dodge by sunrise the next day. It was hard to gauge the true feeling of crowd, but I couldn’t help but notice was generally a tempered response from the dealers during the meeting. And I did overhear one seemingly frustrated Suzuki dealer who is also a Kawi dealer vent a little frustration with Suzuki for not coming out with a bike comparable to the Ninja 250, another bike the dealer can’t keep in stock or get more of.
Hopefully for Suzuki’s sake the offering in the Gladius, and possibly even in the TU250X, will give dealers, and ultimately consumers, more practical two-wheeled choices in the coming year. Choices that for all of us are, in the end, fun.
Source : http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/suzuki/2009-suzuki-dealer-show-report-86942.html
Senin, 05 Mei 2008
Technical Aspects
Construction
Motorcycle construction is the engineering, manufacturing, and assembly of components and systems for a motorcycle which results in performance, cost and aesthetics desired by the designer. With some exceptions, construction of modern mass-produced motorcycles has standardised on a steel or aluminium frame, telescopic forks holding the front wheel, and disc brakes. A one- to eight-cylinder gasoline powered engine coupled to a manual, five- or six-speed sequential transmission drives the swingarm-mounted rear wheel by a chain, driveshaft or belt.
Fuel economy
Motorcycle fuel economy benefits from the relatively small mass of the vehicle. This, of course, relates to how the motorcycle is used. One person on a small motorcycle travelling a small distance is generally very economical. However a large motorcycle generally has bad aerodynamics compared to a typical car, poor aerodynamics of exposed passengers and engines designed for goals other than fuel economy can work to reduce these benefits. Riding style has a large effect on fuel economy. Some riders report being able to double fuel economy by using low accelerations and lower speeds than usual, although this is the extreme case.
Fuel economy varies greatly with engine displacement and riding style ranging from a low of 29 mpg (US) (12 km/l/35 mpg imp) reported by a Honda VTR1000F rider, to 107 mpg (US) (45 km/l/129 mpg imp) reported for the Verucci Nitro 50 cc Scooter. A specially designed Matzu Matsuzawa Honda XL125 achieved 470 mpg (US) (200 km/l/560 mpg imp) "on real highways - in real conditions."
Dynamics
Motorcycles must be leaned in order to turn. This lean can be induced by a method known as countersteering, in which the rider turns the handlebars in the direction opposite of the desired direction of turn. In other words, press forward on the handgrip in the desired direction—press right to go right, press left to go left. This concept is counter-intuitive and often very confusing to novices—and even to many experienced motorcyclists.
Short wheelbase motorcycles, such as sport bikes, can generate enough torque at the rear wheel and enough stopping force at the front wheel to lift the other wheel off the pavement. These actions, if performed on purpose, are known as wheelies and stoppies respectively. If carried past the point of recovery the resulting upset is known as "looping" the vehicle.
Additions
Various additions may be attached to a motorcycle or come as an integral part of a motorcycle from the factory.
Fairing / screen
A plastic or fibreglass shell, known as a "fairing", is placed over the frame on some models to shield the rider from the wind, aid in aerodynamics and protect engine components in an accident. Drag is the major factor that limits motorcycle speed, as it increases at the square of the velocity, with the resultant required power increasing with the cube of velocity. As evident in the streamlined appearance of new performance motorcycles, there is much aerodynamic technology included in the design. Since the 1958 FIM ban on motorcycle designs that cover the wheels or the rider, e.g., "dustbin" fairings, no major manufacturer has provided fairing to overcome the effect of the turbulence caused by the spinning front wheel, which prevents the motorcycle from cutting a clean path through the air. "Dustbin" fairing can improve aerodynamic performance without substantially compromising the rider's ability to control the machine, if the fairing is designed and tested for the effects of side winds.
Screens, also called windshields or windscreens, can be built into a fairing or be attached to an otherwise unfaired bike. They are usually made from transparent high-impact acrylic plastic. They may be shaped specifically to direct air flow over or around the head of the rider even if they are much shorter than the seated rider.
In the absence of a fairing or screen, a phenomenon known as the windsock effect occurs at speeds above 100 km/h (62 mph), where the rider becomes a major source of drag and is pushed back from the handlebars, tiring the rider. However, these motorcycles still effectively push their way through the atmosphere with brute force. A cabin cycle, which has a hull that wraps around the basic cycle frame, solved the problem of aerodynamics by isolating driver from outside air.
Modern fairings on touring and sport-touring motorcycles dramatically improve a rider's comfort and attention on long rides by reducing the effect of the wind and rain on the body. They also help keep a rider warm in cold weather or high wind chill conditions, reducing hypothermia. Heated hand grips, and even heated seats, also improve rider comfort in cold weather. Motorcycles from a number of manufacturers now have electric screens, introduced on the 1986 BMW K100LT, which raise and lower the screen with the push of a button to the optimum height for conditions.
Saddlebags or panniers
Saddlebags or panniers mount on either side of the rear wheel behind the saddle to carry parts, tools, and/or travel gear. They can be made of fiberglass, ABS, leather, Cordura, or other appropriate sturdy material. They are normally standard items on touring motorcycles, but are usually optional on other types of motorcycles. They can be model-specific and available from a motorcycle's manufacturer, or after-market and designed to fit on numerous models.
Heated hand grips/seats
As motorcycles lack climate control or proper protection from the wind, some manufacturers offer heated seats or hand grips to relieve the discomfort of low temperatures experienced during night riding or the colder months. They can also be added on as after-market accessories and are powered by the bike's electrical system.
Luggage rack
A common addition to many bikes is an attachment onto which bags or other luggage can be fastened. This removes the need for rider backpacks and is generally a more secure and safe way to add carrying capacity to a motorcycle.
Sidecar
A sidecar is a one-wheeled device attached to the side of a motorcycle, producing a three-wheeled vehicle. Early sidecars were removable devices that could be detached from the motorcycle. Sidecars gradually superseded forecars and trailers. The forecar comprised a two-wheeled attachment at the front of the motorcycle. The trailer was just that, pulling the passenger along behind. In neither case could rider and passenger converse easily, and early sidecars were often called 'sociable' attachments.
Trailer hitch
A trailer hitch or tow hitch is a device mounted on a motorcycle that enables it to tow a motorcycle trailer, usually to haul additional gear. No motorcycle manufacturer recommends trailer towing because it creates safety hazards for motorcyclists.
Trunk
A motorcycle trunk is a storage compartment in the vicinity of the seat, other than panniers or saddlebags. A trunk mounted above and at the rear of the seat is called a top box.
Motorcycle History
The inspiration for arguably the first motorcycle was designed and built by the German inventors Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in Bad Cannstatt (since 1905 a city district of Stuttgart) in 1885.[1] The first petroleum-powered vehicle, it was essentially a motorised bicycle, although the inventors called their invention the Reitwagen ("riding car"). However, if one counts two wheels with steam propulsion as being a motorcycle, then the first one may have been American. One such machine was demonstrated at fairs and circuses in the eastern U.S. in 1867, built by Sylvester Howard Roper of Roxbury, Massachusetts.In 1894, Hildebrand & Wolfmüller became the first motorcycle available for purchase. In the early period of motorcycle history, many producers of bicycles adapted their designs to accommodate the new internal combustion engine. As the engines became more powerful, and designs outgrew the bicycle origins, the number of motorcycle producers increased.
Until the First World War, the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world was Indian, producing over 20,000 bikes per year. By 1920, this honour went to Harley-Davidson, with their motorcycles being sold by dealers in 67 countries, until 1928 when DKW took over as the largest manufacturer.
After the Second World War, the BSA Group became the largest producer of motorcycles in the world, producing up to 75,000 bikes a year in the 1950s. The German company NSU Motorenwerke AG held the position of largest manufacturer from 1955 until the 1970s.
NSU Sportmax streamlined motorcycle, 250 cc class winner of the 1955 Grand Prix season.
In the 1950s, streamlining began to play an increasing part in the development of racing motorcycles and held out the possibility of radical changes to motorcycle design. NSU and Moto-Guzzi were in the vanguard of this development both producing very radical designs well ahead of their time. NSU produced the most advanced design, but due to the deaths of four NSU riders in the 1954–1956 seasons, they abandoned further development and quit Grand Prix racing. Moto-Guzzi produced competitive race machines, and by 1957 nearly all the GP races were being won by streamlined machines.
From the 1960s through the 1990s, small two-stroke motorcycles were popular worldwide, partly as a result of East German Walter Kaaden's engine work in the 1950s.
Today, the Japanese manufacturers, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha dominate the motorcycle industry, although Harley-Davidson still maintains a high degree of popularity in the United States. Recent years have also seen a resurgence in the popularity of several other brands sold in the U.S. market, including BMW, KTM, Triumph, Aprilia, Moto Guzzi and Ducati.
Outside of the USA, these brands have enjoyed continued and sustained success, although Triumph, for example, has been re-incarnated from its former self into a modern world-class manufacturer. In overall numbers, however, the Chinese currently manufacture and sell more motorcycles than any other country and exports are rising. The quality of these machines is asserted to be somewhat lower than their Japanese, European and American counterparts.
Additionally, the small-capacity scooter is very popular through most of the world. The Piaggio group of Italy, for example, is one of the world's largest producers of two-wheeled vehicles. The scooter culture has, as yet, not been adopted widely in North America
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