Champion Trikes and sister company Champion Investments Inc. has assumed operations of Lehman Trikes, saving the company from closing.

Trike conversion kit producer Lehman Trikes suspended its operations March 21 after failing the find investors. The South Dakota-based company began running into trouble in 2010 when Harley-Davidson cancelled its contract with Lehman Trikes which had been supplying components and conversion services. Lehman Trikes had been working with Harley-Davidson since 2008 and was hit hard when the Motor Company decided to move its three-wheeled motorcycle production in-house.

Another blow came with the passing of founder John Lehman in January. Continue Reading »

Dave Molyneux and passenger Patrick Farrance won the second Sidecar TT race to sweep the sidecar class in the 2012 Isle of Man TT. The duo won the first Sidecar TT race earlier in the week where they led every lap but this time Molyneux and Farrance had to mount a comeback on the final lap for the win.

The Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle led after the opening lap on an LCR Honda sidecar with a time of 20:16.09, averaging 111.692 mph. Molyneux and Farrance were just four seconds behind with the brother-team of Ben and Tom Birchall another five second behind. All three of these teams held the lead at various points on the opening lap.

The second lap saw Reeves and Sayle again in the lead with a lap time of 20:00.47 for an average speed of 113.146 mph. Molyneux and Farrance reduced the lead to under a second with a lap time under 20 minutes. Meanwhile the Birchall brothers fell behind and settled comfortably in third place with a lap remaining. Continue Reading »

Dave Molyneux won his 15th career Isle of Man TT race with a victory in the first Sure Sidecar TT race of the 2012 festival. The win comes in Molyneux’s return to the Isle of Man TT after sitting out last year’s competition.

By far the most successful Sidecar racer in TT history Molyneux is third overall among riders in any class, behind Joey Dunlop (26) and John McGuinness (18). The win in the first of two Sidecar races at the 2012 TT was however the first for Molyneux’s passenger, Patrick Farrance.

Molyneux and Farrance never trailed in the three-lap race, riding a Kawasaki-powered sidecar rig. They led by almost 14.96 seconds after Lap 1 and 29.47 seconds after Lap 2. Molyneux eased up on the final lap to win with a time of 1:00:04.29, which equates to an average speed of 113.055 mph. Continue Reading »

As the World Superbike championship makes its next stop at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah this weekend, Aprilia USA will be on hand and is inviting everyone to be a part of the “Aprilia Experience.” Continue Reading »

Honda, the largest (by volume) motorcycle manufacturer in the world has launched one of its least expensive motorcycles.

Made specifically for the booming two-wheeler market in India, the 109cc Dream Yuga is set to retail for 44,642 Indian rupees. That price wouldn’t translate directly here in the U.S., but a simple currency conversion at today’s monetary values equates the rupee cost to $830.

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Remember the Honda U3-X? Unveiled in 2009, the U3-X was Honda‘s personal mobility device concept, essentially a self-balancing electronic unicycle that can move in any direction by simply leaning. Honda has created an updated version it calls the UNI-CUB.

The UNI-CUB uses the same “Honda Omni Traction Drive System” (or “HOT Drive System”) introduced on the U3-X, using a large ring as its main wheel with several much smaller wheels along its rim. The UNI-CUB adds a second, smaller wheel, mounted perpendicular to the main wheel. This second wheel adds stability while also aiding with turning, either around corners or even on the spot.

Honda also added a new saddle which looks much more comfortable than the fold-away seat found on the U3-X. The saddle is height-adjustable from 29.3 inches to 32.5 inches, placing the rider’s eyes at the same level as other pedestrians while making it easy for the rider’s legs to comfortably reach the ground when needed. Continue Reading »

Bombardier Recreational Products is issuing a recall campaign on 2010 Can-Am Spyder RT roadsters because of a risk of brake failure.

According to documents released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a pin used to secure the brake pedal connecting rod may disengage and fall off, resulting in a total loss of brake function. Continue Reading »

Yamaha is once again hosting a custom sportbike competition for both amateur and professional builders. Up for grabs are MotoGP tickets, cash, trophies and bragging rights.

For amateur builders the competition begins in the digital world by submitting your entry at yamaha-motor.com/customshowdown. Yamaha will select 150 entrants and award them with 3-day passes to either Laguna Seca or Indianapolis for the MotoGP race. The top twenty winners will be invited to display their bikes at the Custom Bike Shows being held in conjunction with two USGPs.

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Who says a motorcycle show has to contain Concours-level machinery? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and the 2012 One Motorcycle Show, sponsored by Bell, celebrates motorcycling in a rather unusual way. Continue Reading »

A new marketing campaign from Aprilia USA is intended to “connect riders with the brand’s heart, soul and racing DNA” via a new multi-media strategy that includes videos, online trivia with user rewards, an infographic featuring company firsts and its race achievements, plus news about its test-ride tour for the incredible Tuono V4 APRC we fell in love with in our European Literbike Streetfighter shootout. Continue Reading »