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In this Alpinestars-provided video, Dani Pedrosa sits down and answers some questions from fans in a new series A-Stars calls “Ask Me Something.” The premise is simple: users submit their questions via social media, and the athlete answers the popular or unique submissions in front of a film crew. Continue Reading »
A recall initially announced in Canada for turn signal stems on certain 2012-2013 Triumph motorcycles has now been announced for the U.S., affecting 3,799 units. According to documents released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the recall affects the Triumph Tiger 800, Tiger 800XC, Tiger 1050, Speed Triple, Street Triple and Daytona 675, as well as their various R versions.
As described in the Transport Canada recall, the supports for the front and rear turn signals may be prone to fracturing. In the case of a brake, the turn signals will remain attached to the motorcycle, but instead of staying in position, they would dangle by their electrical wiring. This not only puts a strain on the wires, it may also prevent other motorists from seeing the turn signals, creating a safety risk.
Triumph attributes the problem to a manufacturing error. According to documents released by NHTSA, Italian lighting supplier ECIE used an incorrect raw material that contains an excessive amount of ethanol. The material is prone to fracture after short periods of time.
26 fewer deaths. If Michigan had not repealed its mandatory helmet law last year, a University of Michigan researcher estimates 26 fewer people could have died in motorcycle crashes in the state, MLive reports.
Those 26 fewer fatalities would represent a 21% reduction from 2011, said Carol Flannagan, a researcher at U of M’s Transportation Research Institute. Using the same analysis, Flannagan said there would have been 49 fewer serious injuries, an 8 percent reduction. Her comments were made during the first public analysis of 2012 Michigan motorcycle crash data on Thursday. Continue Reading »
Transport Canada has announced a recall for the 2012 and 2013 Triumph Daytona 675, Speed Triple, Street Triple and Tiger 800 because of a flaw in their turn signals. Several members of the Motorcycle.com forum network’s TriumphRat.net community have reported issues with turn signals breaking off, and this recall appears to address the issue.
According to Transport Canada, the supports for the front and rear turn signals were incorrectly manufactured and may break. In such a case, the light assemblies would dangle from their mounts by their electrical wiring. This may damage the wires but perhaps more importantly, the turn signals may not be clearly visible to other motorists, increasing the risk of an accident.
The recall notice only lists the non-R versions of the Daytona 675, Speed Triple and Street Triple, but we suspect the recall will include the R versions as they likely use the same turn signal components. The same applies for the Tiger 800XC which was not specifically listed by Transport Canada but is likely also included. Continue Reading »
Talk about targeting your demographic. Arai claims its rider research shows that Americans have longer, narrower head shapes than riders of other nationalities. The company calls its Signet-Q helmet “The American Helmet” not because of its distinctive stars-and-stripes graphics, but because it was specifically designed for American heads and the American market. The Signet-Q’s interior fit is more elongated front to back, giving more room in the forehead area; the fit is also more narrow side to side.
Full details about the Signet-Q design plus a video interview with Arai’s legendary Bruce Porter can be seen in our article here.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has levied a $125,000 fine against Southern Honda Powersports following an investigation into allegations the Chattanooga, Tenn., dealership sold unrepaired recalled models. Southern Honda Powersports bills itself as the “World’s largest Honda powersports dealer”.
Federal laws require dealers to stop selling models that are recalled until the defect or noncompliance issue has been remedied. A NHTSA investigation concluded Southern Honda Powersports had sold and delivered 329 recalled motorcycles between 2007 and 2012 without inspecting or repairing any defects.
Southern Honda Powersports denies the allegations, which were sparked allegations raised last October. The dealership reached a settlement with NHTSA to pay a sum of $125,000 to the U.S. Treasury in installments of $25,000 a year until 2017. Under the terms of the agreement, Southern Honda Powersports admits to no liability or culpability. Without this agreement, the dealership faced a potential fine of up to $6,000 per vehicle, which could have amounted to $1,974,000. Continue Reading »
X Games organizer ESPN announced it is discontinuing the extreme sports event’s Moto X and Snowmobile Best Trick competitions.
The announcement comes six weeks after the death of Freestyle Snowmobile competitor Caleb Moore who succumbed to injuries on following a crash Jan. 24 at the Winter X Games at Aspen. Moore was attempting a backflip on his snowmobile but instead under-rotated. Moore was thrown from his sled which, after catching on the ground, landed on him. Moore was able to get up under his own strength and was treated for a concussion, but it later turned out he suffered from a heart contusion and a complication with his brain. Moore died Jan. 31, a week after the accident.
ESPN says the decision to cancel the Moto X and Snowmobile Best Trick events was not directly tied to Moore’s death. Continue Reading »
Earlier this week, we wrote about reports in the Italian media of a delay on deliveries of the 2013 BMW R1200GS because of an issue with the suspension. Transport Canada has now issued a recall notice on BMW‘s new GS – the third to come from the Canadian government agency – that would explain the delay.
According to Transport Canada, the threaded plugs securing the fork tubes to the upper triple clamp may come loose over time on some units. This may cause a fork tube to detach, posing a serious crash hazard. According to MotorradOnline.de, the issue was discovered during BMW’s internal testing, after a GS was put through 60,000 km on the test bench.
The solution seems simple enough. BMW will crimp-lock the fork tubes’ threaded plugs, creating a more secure connection. Continue Reading »
Taking a certified motorcycle safety course is an important first step when learning to ride, but then what? Our 10 tips are things the MO staff has learned from our years of riding.
Motorcycling is a fun and exciting endeavor, but it has its dangers. From inattentive drivers to a little dirt in the road, there are countless scenarios that can present hazards, especially to less-experienced riders. As a new rider, possibly fresh out of the MSF course with a fresh motorcycle endorsement on your license, you should know the real world poses challenges you simply don’t experience in an empty parking lot.
The Motorcycle.com staff is full of highly experienced riders, but we were all beginners at some point. Over the years we have learned many tips and tricks that have helped us stay safe when we’re riding a motorcycle, so we decided to put together a list of things to keep in mind when you’re out riding. Most any rider will find kernels of wisdom here, but we’re focusing in on the “noob” segment to teach tactics that will help short-cut the learning process.
Notice the phrase “riding tips.” We’ll focus on things you can try while actually riding your motorcycle and assume you’re already wearing the best helmet and gear you can afford. Now, here are 10 riding tips we wish we knew when we were starting out.
MV Agusta announced it will offer ABS-equipped versions of its four-cylinder Brutale 1090 models. The addition of ABS should come as no surprise, considering the European Union’s recent move to make the technology mandatory for all new models larger than 125cc by 2016.
The 2013 MV Agusta Brutale 1090, 1090 R and 1090 RR will be available with the Bosch 9MP, an ABS that’s becoming popular with a number of manufacturers due to its lightweight and compact packaging. The small size of the unit was particularly helpful given the little amount of space available on the compact Brutales.
The Bosch unit uses data from internal pressure sensors as well as wheel speed sensors to calculate the optimal amount of brake pressure to prevent the wheels from locking. Continue Reading »
