With 193 crankshaft horsepower and a claimed dry weight of 404 pounds, BMW says the S1000RR has the best power-to-weight ratio of any production bike. And, by the way the S1000 lofts its front wheel onto Portimao’s front straight at 150 mph, we’re becoming believers!

But BMW’s RR isn’t just a monster motor. Turn-in response is brisk, its brakes are ferociously powerful yet provide excellent feedback, and the entire package is remarkably easy to handle for a hyperbike with such elevated capabilities.

BMW has never been afraid of incorporating the latest technologies, and the S1000s we rode were equipped with high-tech features such as traction control, race-level antilock brakes, multi-mode engine tuning selections and BMW’s Gearshift Assistant that allows full-throttle upshifts without backing off the throttle or using the clutch.

What is especially amazing is how BMW has instantly become competitive with Japanese literbikes that have been developed over a decade or more. While we’re not yet prepared to to say the S1000RR can beat the best from Japan and Italy without riding them back to back, we can say with confidence BMW’s RR will give any of its established rivals a run for the money.

BMW has fired a potent salvo into the literbike market, and it will surely shake up the pecking order of its competitors. Check back with Motorcycle.com on Monday for our full report.

The flat black sets the tone on this aggressively styled chopper with a hardcore edge that is keeping with tradition by including the same top quality components you have come to expect from Big Bear Choppers. The S&S 100 inch motor is here, as well as Baker 6 speed overdrive raw transmission with polished covers making sure the gas from the14 gauge steel 3.5 gallon custom designed fuel tank makes it to all the right places. Progressive softail suspension helps support the steel 12 gauge fender that covers the 18×250 rear tire. The 1 inch rear axle along with the chain drive and heavy duty clutch complete this strong drive train for the guy who wants to lay rubber.

BBC premium machined raw billet triple trees and BBC billet lower legs along with Performance Machine brakes and calipers are all standard on this Bear.

“This is a serious rider’s ride” commented Kevin Alsop CEO and President of Big Bear Choppers “This Bike is built around the drop seat configuration for a low center of gravity adding stability at high speeds. This bike is comfortable, reliable and built for the customer who doesn’t want to worry about chrome or paint, Its Hard core it’s the real deal, just maintain and ride!”

“This new bike represents what our focus is for the 2010 lineup, top quality, low price” commented Mona Alsop Vice President of BBC, “People are ready to start having fun again, this Bear Bones bike will help them do just that”. The goal of BBC is to drive this market forward and deliver a product line to their dealers that is not only sellable in the market of today, but will be in high demand by the new demographic of consumer for the future. Just wait and see what’s next from Big Bear Choppers.

Complete specifications are available at www.bigbearchoppers.com or at any authorized Big Bear Choppers dealer.

About Big Bear Choppers: Big Bear Choppers is located in Big Bear Lake California.

Yamaha Motor Co. announced Monday that it is cutting the ringers from its company rugby team.

The Yamaha Jubilo rugby club competes in the Top League, the highest level Japanese Rugby Football Union pro league.  The team currently sits fifth out of 14 teams with a 3-2-2 record with a roster of 17 professional players including nine non-Japanese imports.

That will change next season however as Yamaha Motors announced on its corporate site the team will only be made up of full-time Yamaha employees as of April 2010. Yamaha made the decision to cut costs after “a careful review of its team management amid the harsh business environment that has developed since 2009.”

According to Reuters, ringers who are also part of Japan’s national team will be offered corporate contracts. It’s not yet known what roles within the company the players will be assigned, but it’s expected Valentino Rossi’s receptionist job and Jorge Lorenzo’s janitor duties are safe.

Money saved from eliminating ringers from Yamaha’s rugby team is expected to fund the next album from WSBK racer James Toseland’s band Crash.

In other news, Suzuki’s three-legged race team is awaiting test results of the B sample after the first test came up positive for human growth hormone while Honda is considering withdrawing from egg toss competition.

[Source: Yamaha, Reuters]

Harley-Davidson announced yesterday that the final bike built by Buell, a Lightning XB12Scg, rolled off the production line on October 30. This marked the 136,923th motorcycle built by Buell in its 26 years of operation.

On October 15 Buell’s parent company, Harley-Davidson, announced that the Buell line-up would be discontinued effective December 18, 2009. The move, along with ditching its investment in MV Agusta, was seen as necessary by Harley.

This desperate act was done solely to keep Harley’s “84.1 percent decline in net income and an 84.5 percent decline in diluted earnings per share from the year-ago [3rd] quarter” from plummeting even further.

Buells will be for sale at dealers until stock is depleted. Current Buell owners can rest peacefully knowing that Buell, or rather Harley, will continue to supply Buell parts for another seven years as mandated by federal law.

Regardless of your opinion of Buell motorcycles, you can’t deny this is a dark day for all of motorcycling, and not just Harley-Davidson.

Erik Buell had an undeniable passion for his products as viable and competitive (even superior if you ask him!) alternatives to other brands in the sportbike segment. If you’ve ever met Erik or heard him speak, you’ll understand.

Don’t know ‘bout you, but this photo gets me all choked up, as if I, too, have suffered a personal loss. In fact, I think all of us in the U.S. motorcycling community have suffered an immense loss.

Buell Motorcycles Shut Down [video]

Details and a promotional video after the jump.

Its as easy as 1, 2, 3.  The first step is pick a postcard on the Harley site, make your statement of thanks and submit for all to see.  There are also some cool retro calendars available featuring Marisa Miller but will only be available to active military and veterans starting November 11th, there are posters and postcards available for everyone starting November 1st.

More detail available on Motorcycle.com, the contest runs through December 13th, click here to get started!

The TAG Heuer Bonneville features a unique blue and orange paint scheme that was inspired by the Porsche sports car driven by Steve McQueen’s character in the movie Le Mans (1971). McQueen wore TAG Heuer’s Monaco watch in the movie, and today TAG Heuer is celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the watch.

McQueen rode Triumph motorcycles personally and in movies such as The Great Escape (1963). Triumph Motorcycles continues that relationship with McQueen’s estate to create vintage styled McQueen apparel. For 2010, the Triumph clothing range includes a jacket and t-shirt reminiscent of when McQueen raced a Triumph in the International Six Days Trials in Germany.

“We are delighted to play our part in this exciting project. The Triumph Bonneville and TAG Heuer Monaco are both timeless masterpieces, celebrating their respective 50th and 40th anniversaries this year,” said Neil Morley, Triumph’s Head of Brand Communications. “We also both have a natural connection with Steve McQueen, who famously wore a Monaco watch in the film Le Mans and was renowned for his love of our bikes, making this a very natural collaboration.”

The special Triumph Bonneville was unveiled in Paris by Lewis Hamilton, the 2008 Formula One world champion and TAG Heuer brand ambassador, and can be seen at various watch shows and TAG Heuer retailers throughout Europe.

The Triumph Bonneville was born in 1959 to recognize Johnny Allen’s land speed records at the Bonneville Salt Flats. The Triumph Bonneville was an instant hit in America and the UK, and 50 years later continues to be one of Triumph’s most iconic motorcycles. Despite its classic appearance, the new Triumph Bonneville motorcycles feature state-of-the-art design and performance.

The full range of Triumph motorcycles are available at authorized Triumph dealers throughout North America. To find your local Triumph dealer, please visit www.TriumphMotorcycles.com.

Battling against experienced racers, a muddy track and humorous rider-to-motorcycle ergonomics, I managed to outshine all of the racing glory at the nearby Infineon raceway by taking home the gold, shoes. Top prize for endangering my life in a battle of laughter and pocket-sized Singles was a pair of size 13 sneakers spray painted gold. Still got ‘em on the shelf! I even had Gary Nixon sign them for me.

Three years later, with suspension and power increases, Team Green throws down another event, tomorrow at the Fox Racing Design Headquarters in Irvine, CA. Introducing the 2010 Kawasaki KLX110 & KLX110L, I’ll be there once again to represent Motorcycle.com.

Review now on Motorcycle.com.

During the U.S. intro of the new Concours 14 I had a little chitchat about the ’10 Z with some of my buddies at Kawi. Although I don’t think they’ve seen the attached Euro market video, from what little they told me about the bike’s performance, the opening minutes of this video seem to corroborate what the Kawi staff here said after they rode the bike.

In case you’re not readily familiar with the history of the Z in the U.S., we have it here largely at the behest of management at Kawasaki Motors Corp., USA, as the bike is primarily for the European market. And we only have ourselves to blame. The Z, despite being a sales dominator in Europe, is a sales eliminator in the States.

Nevertheless, Kawasaki U.S. A. has once again gone out on a sales limb and asked that the Z1000 be delivered to America after having seen what the new Z is and what it’s about.

I know there’s a lot of pissing and moaning on the Net about the new style of the Zed (for ma’self, I like it!), but remember that it really isn’t made for us, but for Europe, ‘cause apparently, for some silly reason, we don’t buy naked standards in the same volumes as cruisers and repli-racers.

Stepping down of my soapbox now…

I rather enjoyed the most recent iteration of the Z, so I’m even more geeked to ride the new one. I’ll be slipping ol’ Duke man some sleepy time pills in his Diet Coke just to ensure I get the invite to the U.S. launch of the new Z, and not him.

For youz bitchin’ about the Z’s new colors, turn your head away near the end of the video when a quick glimpse of a secondary Euro color of what looks like a very sultry and subtle deep maroon with a crazy faux snakeskin seat cover. That seat can go in a minute, but the alternate color is sharp!