2010 KTM 1190 RC8R Review The Austrians go Duc hunting!

I've fallen in lust with enough Ducatis over the years that I'm skeptical about competition from any other European V-Twin sportbike contender. How could any company compete with Ducati's legendary race history and artful, sensuous styling?
Well, KTM, long known only for its highly capable off-road bikes, is doing it by being different – mostly. One look at the 2010 KTM 1190 RC8R is all it takes to know that it wasn't designed by an Italian. KTM is based in Austria (as is designer Gerald Kiska who has worked with KTM since 1991) just a day ride over Stelvio Pass from Italy, but there's no mistaking KTM's non-Italian Teutonic design language. Perhaps the distinctive design of the RC8R is the result of Austria’s location snuggled between Italy and Germany: the cold, engineering-driven German influence blended with the romance of Latin Europe.

Opinions about the beauty of the KTM RC8R vary wildly, but no one will ever call it boring or uninspired.

The RC8R’s chiseled design creates a sensation wherever it stops. If an F-117 stealth fighter crashed into a motorcycle factory, the RC8R would be the likely result. Slim and angular, and swaddled with matte-black paint, it looks stealthy, even if its radar-evading qualities are dubious. Although few would describe the black and orange machine as “pretty,” we admire the courage to step outside of the well-worn sportbike design box with its bold origami shape. Opinions vary.
“Angular shapes and bold use of black, white and orange color scheme makes the KTM a clear standout in styling in the liter class, possibly rivaled only by BMW’s new S1000RR,” says MO’s Senior Editor, Pete Brissette.
“They say there’s a fine line separating genius from lunacy, and for the RC8 there’s a fine line between distinctive styling from downright repugnance – you choose,” observes Tom Roderick, MO guest rider and freelance journalist.

KTM’s compact LC8 V-Twin is used as a stressed member to augment the large-tube chromoly steel frame.

Like the Ducati, KTM’s top-line superbike is powered by a liquid-cooled V-Twin, although here, too, it is done a little different. Its cylinders are set at 75 degrees rather than the Duc's traditional 90-degree Vee for a more compact arrangement. The non-R RC8 makes do with 1148cc and 15 horsepower less than the R’s claimed 170 crankshaft hp made at 10,250 rpm. The R has several high-tech features such as titanium intake valves, a lofty 13.5:1 compression ratio and a low-friction DLC treatment on its camshafts’ finger followers. Peak torque of 90.7 ft-lbs from the Rotax engine is said to arrive at 8000 rpm. We discovered nearly 150 horses pushing the back wheel when we had four-time AMA tuner of the year Carry Andrew strap it to the Hypercycle dyno.
While KTM builds its own frames from large-tube chromoly steel, it sources high-end componentry from world leaders like Brembo and Marchesini across the Dolomite Mountains. Fuel injection comes from Keihin in Japan.

Adjustment Attitude

A nicely engineered brake pedal, complete with three-position adjustability to suit any size foot. This eccentric on the shock linkage allows easy ride-height adjustments. We’ve whined for years about the lack of ergonomic adjustments on motorcycles, a one-size-fits-all philosophy. Over the past couple of years, we’ve been lauding recently added features such as adjustable seat heights (BMW, Honda ST1300,Yamaha FJR, FZ6R) and foot controls (Suzuki GSX-R, Yamaha R1). Well, KTM has one-upped them all with the variety of ways to custom fit an RC8R to its riders. Here’s a list of components to adjust. Front brake lever: Nearly ubiquitous, so no major bonus points there. Clutch lever: Surprisingly still unavailable on many modern motorcycles. Handlebars: The conversion from almost sport-tour-y to racebike is accomplished with four bolts and fewer minutes. Seat: Not just the seat but the entire subframe, altering seat height from 31.7 to 32.5 inches in mere minutes. Footpegs: Lots of legroom when set in their lowest position yet still difficult to drag. Virtually unlimited ground clearance when in their high position. Shifter: Adjustable for length (3 positions), leverage and GP-shift conversion. Brake pedal: Nub adjustable for length in 3 positions. Rear ride height: An eccentric allows simple adjustment over a 12mm range. Gauges: Separate displays for street or track, most available via a pair of toggles on the left clip-on. The Road setting has displays for tripmeters, clock, fuel mileage, miles to empty (best- and worst-case scenarios), trip time and ambient temps. The track setting has displays for lap timers, top speed, max rpm and race duration.

With handlebars in their high position and pegs low, the RC8R has a surprisingly accommodating riding position.

Ergonomically, much depends on how the RC8R is set up (see above sidebar). With the subframe in its high position and footpegs low, the RC8 has more legroom than any supersports bike. Short riders will likely prefer the tailsection in its lower position to make flat-footing possible. With the clip-ons in their high setting, visions of a 500-mile day seem possible. A narrow but tall windscreen delivers a large amount of wind protection relative to other bikes in the class.

A compact and busy instrument cluster is sheltered by a fairly tall windscreen.

The RC8R is slim and menacing. Note the turnsignals in the mirrors.

The eager V-Twin always fires up in less than one second, quickly emitting a staccato bark from the under-engine muffler (thanks, Erik Buell). Throttle response is incredibly immediate, exhibiting minimal flywheel effect as the revs climb and fall instantaneously. An LCD bar-graph tachometer is placed at the top of the techie gauge panel but is too small to be readily seen. Optimal upshifts are enabled by a prominent shift light.
The RC8R was introduced two seasons ago but didn’t make the trip to America until the 2010 model year. Revisions to the original model include stiffer clutch springs to better transmit the 5 extra horsepower on tap. Pull from the radial-mount clutch master cylinder is moderate, but we wish its engagement point wasn’t at the end of its travel. Still, a wide engagement zone aids quick launches, and gobs of low-end steam will have the front wheel off the ground before you’re halfway across an intersection.
But you will need a practiced set of hands to be smooth on the Katoom. A light throttle spring and negligible flywheel weight conspires with snatchy fuel injection to make for a herky-jerky ride if not finessed, and it surges at low rpm while putting around town.
“At the low end of the rev range, the KTM is incapable of providing a smooth transition from no or minimal throttle to corner-exiting acceleration,” says T-Rod. “This could be a problem with the fuel injection or the throttle itself as there is next to no spring tension when twisting the grip, making smooth throttle application a chore even for an experienced motorcyclist.”
But once underway, the Twin is nothing but enthralling. A massive amount of low-end twist causes the front end to easily come up in first gear, even with the throttle at 50%. Bang an early upshift to keep it from flipping over and orange-crushing its rider, and the front wheel comes up again, although this time a little slower.
With the engine spinning just under 5000 rpm at 80 mph, roll-on power is astounding – it pulls so hard that I several times prodded the shifter up to access another gear that wasn’t there, yet another reason why we like gear-position indicators and why we wish the RC8 had one.

Knowing the RC8R has nearly 150 horsepower at the wheel, it will come as no surprise to learn that front tires will last a lot longer than rears.

Vibration from KTM’s V-Twin is more prominent than from the smoother 90 degrees of a Ducati Twin and its perfect primary balance, and this presents itself through the handlebars and footpegs at various engine speeds. It’s more noticeable than objectionable for most. “Although a rider can acclimate to vibration produced from the KTM’s 75-degree Vee,” Pete notes, “the vibe is notably more than on a Ducati 1198.”

Early RC8s were chastised for a sub-par gearbox, so KTM made several internal transmission mods to improve shift quality for 2010 models. Shift effort is light and mostly precise, although clutchless upshifts were occasionally but not always reluctant. Accessing neutral at a stop was often frustrating.

The RC8R turns in with an eagerness not found in any other 1200cc motorcycle.

When it’s time to hit some twisty roads, the RC8R responds with agility heretofore unknown from a liter-sized V-Twin. A reduced triple-clamp offset increases trail from 91mm to 97mm for better front-end feel, but its rake is set at a very steep 23.3-degree angle. It steers nicely, arcing quickly and gracefully through corners. “With the RC8R’s sharp and precise steering,one can change direction just by a slight shift of his/her body,” comments perennial test rider and all-around good guy Kaming Ko. “I absolutely love riding this bike.”
The RC8’s composure is aided by dampers from WP suspension, a subsidiary of KTM. A premium 43mm inverted fork leads the way, and a titanium-aluminum-nitride coating on its sliders contribute to a responsive ride. A high-end WP shock suspends the RC’s rear, and its piston rod is also finished with the TiAIN low-stiction coating. The fork has three modes of adjustment (compression and rebound damping and spring preload), while the shock separates the compression damping into high and low speed circuits and has the aforementioned ride-height adjustability. An adjustable steering damper completes the WP fitment.

The WP suspension performed admirably once it was set up for the weights of our riders.

As delivered, the suspension was firm yet relatively compliant on the smooth roads of northern San Diego County, but we judged the setup was too stiff once we traversed bumpier pavement. Too stiff, also, for the gnarled tarmac at Buttonwillow Raceway with our lightweight riders aboard. Thankfully, Race Tech’s Lenny Albin was at the track, and a few twists and turns of his expert wrenches quickly yielded a much more compliant ride.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: A properly set-up suspension can transform an evil bike into a dreamboat, so be sure to spend the time and/or money to get yours dialed in for your weight and riding style.
The RC8R’s suspension is encumbered by a minimal amount of weight, as KTM has spent money on lightweight parts where they matter most. The RC8's cast-aluminum wheels are upgraded with forged-aluminum hoops from Marchesini. The 6-inch rear is only 0.7 lb lighter, but the front is a massive 1.6 lbs less weighty, and this pays dividends with reduced steering effort and better suspension control. Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP tires are each 100 grams lighter than the Supercorsa Pros on the regular RC8, and a carbon-fiber front fender knocks off another 100 grams. KTM says the RC8R scales in at 401 lbs without fuel, so we expect it to weigh nearly 430 lbs with its 4.3-gallon tank full. It averaged nearly 40 mpg in our hands.

Lots of good stuff seen here, including Brembo radial-mount monoblock calipers, a high-end WP fork with anti-stiction coating, and lightweight forged-aluminum wheels.

Top-shelf braking components also grace the RC8R. A radial master cylinder actuates Brembo’s terrific monoblock calipers to bite on 320mm discs, the latter being slightly thicker than the RC8’s to better dissipate heat from high-speed use. The front brake has a greater amount of initial travel than what we’ve become accustomed to from Ducati’s similar binders, but their ultimate power is never questioned.
One high-end feature notably absent is a slipper clutch. If a 600cc sportbike from Japan can have one, so should a $20,000 European exotic. This is especially true for a high-compression V-Twin with a touchy throttle and a light flywheel.
In day-to-day use, the RC8R has a split personality. Its ergonomics and wind protection are enviable, and its hard seat feels thinly padded, but it's not entirely masochistic over long distances. Speaking of the seat, we found it to be a bit slippery, especially when wearing jeans or textile pants.
“During canyon carving or on the track, I noticed I had a tendency to slide forward on the seat into the tank, ultimately putting what seemed like undue weight on both hands,” Pete commented, adding that lowering the subframe might’ve resolved the issue.
We like the RC8’s stylish mirrors with integrated turnsignals, but we weren’t so keen about them when our forearms blocked the rearward view that is occasionally blurred. On a related note, a rider’s gloves can catch on the mirrors when the bars are turned and are in their upper position. And while we’re in bitch mode, we’ll complain about a considerable amount of heat emanating from the radiator ducting and rear cylinder, despite the insulation wrap on the forward header pipe. Finally, the slab sides of the RC8 seem susceptible to crosswinds.

The RC8R lives for twisty canyon roads.

Its one glaring glitch is its jumpy throttle response, a situation exacerbated whenever the road is bumpy. KTM’s press materials say “new mapping noticeably improves on/off throttle behavior,” but there’s still work to be done to smooth response. A cam-shaped throttle tube will be fitted to all production RC8Rs, which we didn’t test but should alleviate the problem somewhat. Perhaps it also needs a heavier flywheel and throttle spring, or maybe an FI re-remap.
The 2010 arrival of the RC8R is indicative of the renewed push from KTM to gain traction in the streetbike market. Considering the company’s dirty roots in the off-road realm, the RC8R amazes for its ability to be mentioned in the same breath as legendary Ducati, a brand which has been making V-Twin sportbikes for nearly 40 years! Its innovative design with adjustable ergonomics is a leap forward, and to even be able to run with a Ducati 1198 is a huge accomplishment.
The RC8R will retail for $19,998 when it hits U.S. dealers in February 2010. That’s a big bump from the standard RC8’s $16,498 MSRP, but considering the R’s extra performance and features, it’s a relative bargain. Easy for us to say.

In the RC8R, KTM has delivered a sophisticated and capable sportbike that can hang with any of the established players from around the world.

http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/ktm/2010-ktm-1190-rc8r-review-89053.html

2010 Bennche Megelli 250R Review UK-designed, Chinese-made, courtesy of Texas

The introduction of the 2010 Bennche Megelli 250R to the U.S. motorcycle market is a move at least as bold as its provocative, red-hot looks.
This Chinese-manufactured 249cc motorcycle emulates a 7/8-scale hypersport machine, and represents perhaps the furthest-yet encroachment into a domain up until now owned by Japanese and European manufacturers.
But while online venues have been asking whether the 250R might be a “Ninja 250 killer,” the man responsible for Bennche says he is not trying to compete with the Japanese.
At least not in all respects, that is.
Johnny Tai says his Bennche company of Carrolton, Texas prices its products significantly lower than its most likely rivals. Even so, the intention is clear, and the Megelli 250R cannot be seen as anything other than a competitive entry-level motorcycle.

The Bennche Megelli 250R strikes a dramatic pose.

As one of the brashest contenders to yet come from a country of 1.3 billion people, which produces an annual estimated 27 million powered two wheelers, a more appropriate question would be: Will we soon see a new chapter in motorcycling?
For the moment, others might ask whether this is a fair question, because the 250R is marketed emphasizing its “European” design and attempts to distance itself from China. It can arguably do that, because technically, it is an English creation.

The Bennche Meggelli 250R is marketed as a Brit bike.

Not Your Father’s Brit Bike

Will we be seeing more such creations coming our way? Fact: China makes 27 million powered two-wheelers per year. The factory this bike came from says it can make 1.1 million per year. Last year North America purchased 627,000 motorcycles and scooters in total.

The 250R is actually a bored and stroked version of the otherwise nearly identical Megelli 125R, which is not imported to the U.S.
Megelli conceptualizes and engineers its motorcycles north of London in Lincoln, UK. It says its UK/European-based brain trust and advanced technological facilities conceived and created its finished products inside of three years.
The 250R was particularly commissioned to satisfy consumers in the U.S., and is manufactured to Megelli’s specifications in Chongqing, China by the Chongqing Huansong Industrial Co., Ltd. (aka Hsun).
The privately-held Hsun company boasts substantial assets, over 2,500 employees, and capability of producing 1.1 million motorcycles annually. It says it has good working relations with Japan’s Fuji Heavy Industries, and European and American companies, including Wal-Mart.
The Megelli 250R is the first of three 250cc four-stroke, single-cylinder street bikes to be imported to the U.S. by Bennche, which has just sold its first production run of 100 units, and projects 3,000 unit sales for 2010, and 6,000 units for 2011.
While the Megelli 250R is distributed in the U.S. under the Bennche name, it is also sold in Iran, with more countries expected to come online next year.
Astute readers may recognize the 250R as the 2009 Qlink Megelli 250R. But if you wonder why that bike was never reviewed, it’s because it was never imported or sold here.

This was supposed to be a Qlink brand motorcycle, but this year the water-cooled 250R is at the forefront of the new Bennche line.

New Kid in Town
Motivating the Megelli 250R is a liquid-cooled, carbureted engine. Bore and stroke are now 77mm x 53.6mm – more over-square and aggressive than the 125cc version – with compression ratio set at 11.5:1.
In contrast, the Megelli 125R’s air-cooled engine is 56.5mm x 49.5mm, utilizes a 10:1 compression ratio, and is sourced from the Taiwanese manufacturer Sym.
The 250R’s engine is made by Hsun, and is considered potent by Chinese standards. It is not known to power other motorcycles, but Tai says Hsun extensively tested it on stress-inducing treadmills and on R&D mules ridden to at least 10,000 km (6,200 miles) prior to production.
Estimated crankshaft horsepower is 27; other fact sheets put peak rear-wheel output at 16.2 hp and 17.8 ft-lbs torque. We hadn’t run it on a dyno ourselves in time for this posting. Redline is 10,000 rpm, and it operates through a traditional wet clutch and six-speed transmission.
The bike’s claimed dry weight is 248 lbs, and wet weight feels somewhere around 275-295 lbs, adding up to a respectable power-to-weight ratio.

The welded alloy swingarm matches the welded steel trellis frame.

It employs a cleanly-welded steel trellis frame and a unique T6-alloy trellis swingarm. Wheelbase is 53.5 inches, and seat height is 31.5 inches.
Brakes are stylized single discs fed by braided steel-wrapped lines. Up front is a 300mm rotor pinched by a twin-piston caliper, and the rear is 238mm, utilizing a single-piston caliper.
The front Chen Shin (CST) Magsport 49H tire is 100/70-17, and the Magsport 62H rear is a 130/70-17.
Suspension consists of a non-adjustable telescopic front fork and preload-adjustable rear monoshock.
Fuel capacity is 3 gallons, and we observed 41.9 mpg during a mix of canyon riding, as well as more docile around town and highway usage.
Look At Me!
The extraverted 250R was penned for maximum eye-appeal, and looks like a studied conglomeration of design elements from some of the most successful sportbikes of the last decade.

This bike is a head-turner…

Looking down and askance at its wasp-like front façade, resemblance to a Yamaha R1 can be seen. From other angles it evokes thoughts of a Ducati 916, albeit without the single-sided swingarm. Its welded tubular frame reminded us of an MV Agusta.
“The Megelli hits a style homerun with its contemporary Euro design,” Ed-in-Cheese Kevin Duke enthuses. “Its frame and swingarm could nearly pass for a Benelli or cut-rate MV Agusta.”
From every angle, the bike looks sharp, and its presence is more aggressive than Japanese OEMs would normally give to a bike of its performance level.
Riding around town, its loud and barking CBR-like undertail exhaust, and arrest-me-red-colored flash-appeal turned heads from people in cars around us, and on sidewalks.
It’s too bad that all that pretty plastic is brittle.

It would have been prettier without the packing tape holding a cracked fairing together.

We discovered this when our bike was shipped to us loose in a crate, so its pressing weight completely cracked its belly fairing attachments and caved out some plastic.
A 250R we previously had also inadvertently fractured its lower fairing with seemingly greater ease and more severity than we think a Japanese bike would.
Once we got our test bike taped together, however, it did begin to redeem itself by handling well, at least on smoother pavement.
And whether the speedo is accurate or not, we crept up to an indicated 94 mph, with perhaps a notch further to go. At speed, the 250R chassis tracked straight, with no shake or twitchiness, and would surely handle more power.

The 250R’s undertail muffler makes big noises. It is stamped EPA-legal, but we were still wondering how it got through.

Its suspension lacks rebound damping, and is on the stiff side however. Rolling down the superslab, it would momentarily bounce riders off the seat when crossing rough spots.
According to Tai, the spring rates were selected for American riders which he told Hsun can weigh as much as 200-300 lbs. Formerly, this bike had been too soft, he says, set up for the Asian market average closer to 150 lbs.
Given the lack of adjustability, maybe they overdid it? If this were ours, we might go looking for new springs and revised fork oil, if not a whole new multi-adjustable front end and rear shock to retrofit.
We say this because the bike is compelling. Low end torque was respectable from this thumper, and while the unbroken-in gearbox was notchy and imprecise – it offers a kind of fun you cannot experience on a larger sportbike without wondering whether the cops have seen you yet.

Left-handers would be no problem, if not for the sidestand that strikes down early.

The Megelli’s racer-like ergos and good handling made us wonder how much enjoyment we could have on tight, twisty tracks if it were dialed in. It fit test riders up to 6-feet tall with no complaints, and ought to work for somewhat taller riders as well. Its unknown-to-us tires never let us down, and the Megelli 250R now has a new fan on the MO staff.

Cornering on smooth pavement to the right is fun once you learn to trust the Magsport tires.

“The Bennche rails 'round corners like a 125 GP bike!” Pete raves, “Steering response is light with neutral but responsive handling. I was immediately reminded of my time aboard the Aprilia RS125 and Moriwaki MD250 Honda during our comparison of those two moto sprites.”
But before you form a conclusion, we’ll qualify that Pete’s impressions were also mixed, and we will document a few more factors for you to mull over.
The sidestand – a usually innocuous accessory – in this case juts outward and downward a couple inches, prematurely striking the pavement on an otherwise narrow and flickable chassis.
Kevin learned the sidestand does not yield when it began to lever his wheels off the road mid-corner on a mild left-hander. Just for the camera, he and the Megelli were captured in a wiggly dance and could have crashed into a low wall, and possibly down a near-vertical canyon hillside, but he gracefully – or luckily – saved it.

The sidestand strikes easily on left-handers and was being ground away by the road.

“Cornering clearance on the right side is excellent, as a true sportbike should be,” Duke says. “But flop it over to the left side, and you’ll find the sidestand’s foot digging into the ground at very modest lean angles, perhaps just 30 degrees. Worst of all is that the stand doesn’t even retract far enough to reach a horizontal position. A good fabricator could easily improve the design with just an hour or two of tweaking.”
"Kevin learned the sidestand does not yield when it began to lever his wheels off the road mid-corner..."
Riders also complained about the Megelli’s front brake. Its stiff lines offer solid lever feel, but as Kevin put it, “Its strength is closer to adequate than powerful.”
As the pads started to bed in, braking did improve, and we’ll note our un-prepped test bike came with a warped front rotor that did nothing to make positive impressions.
This bike also comes with not-usually-seen grease zerks on the steering head and swingarm pivot points. Assuming the bearings will otherwise last, these may be a valuable feature permitting maintenance without a more expensive teardown.
Features we did not welcome, however, were an all-but-useless tach needle that bounced over a few-thousand rpm range, insufficiently adjustable mirrors, and a rear license plate/turn signal bracket that shook like a leaf in the wind.

Turn the key, and the tach sweeps and instrument lights simulate what you see during a pre-start-up diagnostic check. In operation the tach on our test bike would not stay steady, and overall, we found the cluster to be too small.

The bike’s twin 55-watt H1 halogen headlights, while adequate, are made to look like projector lights. Their standard spade connectors lost their grip when we removed them, and one low-beam connector had melted insulation. They needed to be squeezed tight again with pliers to stay on.
Maneuvering the bike at parking lot speeds, the upper fairing will deliver a mean bite to the right index finger at full steering lock, if you are not careful.

One of the leads to the H1 halogen bulb had started to get too hot.

Report Card
Just like a parent brandishing a bumper sticker saying, “All of our kids are honor students,” we’re going to grade this as-delivered bike on a curve.
The 250R had been rushed to meet a deadline, and in addition to having cracked its fairing in transit and a bent brake rotor, it hampered our testing with a poorly-tuned carburetor that affected drivability and caused the bike to frequently stall.
Our bike also exhibited excessive throttle slop, loose steering head bearings, and a non-functional gas tank vent hose that compelled us to ride with the filler cap open. 

Made in China by Hsun; signed off by Uncle Sam.

Ordinarily, a dealer would correct these issues before delivering a bike to a consumer. The Megelli series has an 18-month, unlimited mileage warranty.
Bennche’s dealer network is small but growing, and Tai says more dealers are being sought that will emphasize good customer service.
In speaking with Tai, he said the sidestand design, front brake power, and plastic will be under review soon too, and he considered them as fixable at the factory level. If this were so, it would whittle our nitpick list down, but we’ll still leave the jury out.
What we will say is – focusing only on inherent flaws and not the fixable ones – we think at $3,399, the 250R displays enough promise that one day, established OEMs may need to look over their collective shoulder. 
We do not doubt Bennche wants to succeed. Its marketing copy and people say all the right things about being consumer focused, and we were thanked for our early feedback.
We’ll also point out that decades ago Honda was looked at as cheap junk by the established players for a while, and did not exactly take over the world its first time out either.
Today, the growth curve toward parity could be a mere fraction of the time for Chinese manufacturers, if they truly adapt and respond to the expectations of U.S. consumers.
As it is, the Megelli 250R is a decent first try, and Bennche shows confidence in attempting to launch an unknown motorcycle in this economy.
We’ll be curious to see how it fares long term, and in the short term – even though Bennche says it doesn’t officially compete with the Japanese – we plan to pit the Megelli 250R against a Ninja 250R.
Stay tuned.

 http://www.motorcycle.com/gallery/video.php/v/videos/reviews/2010-bennche-megelli-250r-review/Megelli-250R_768kbit.flv.html

http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/2010-bennche-megelli-250r-review-89622.html

Sachs MadAss Review A scooter sized motorcycle with a dirt bike attitude

Brand new and full of contradiction for 2010 is the Sachs MadAss 125. It’s compact and agile, yet stout and wildly aggressive looking, sort of like a pissed-off badger. Sachs went with a different animal analogy, a wild donkey. They also went with a different adjective, “mad” meaning furious or deranged. That, my friends, is how they came up with this fantastically eyebrow raising name. Are you sure it’s a motorcycle? Well, you could call it the smallest naked street bike you’ve seen. You could almost hide it in a pack of bicycles chained to a bike rack. You could also call it the largest, manual shifting moped. The MadAss design draws a good bit of inspiration from an early relative, a 1939 moped called the Presto Saxonette. After 70 years of evolution we get a fresh new design that has built quite a feverish following since its inception back in 2004. Here’s why:
Mad Genius
The genius of the MadAss lies in its simplicity. Weighing in at a sprightly 220 lbs, this bike would make even the most naked motorcycle blush. No fuel gage, no center stand, no storage compartments, racks or windshield, it’s “motorcycle” distilled to its purest form. Propelled by a 119.7cc, 4-stroke, 4 speed engine the MadAss is capable of reaching 56 mph right out of the box. A bone-stock MadAss is definitely no speed demon, but I found the riding performance to be fine for navigating the cityscape. I’ve been told that a handful of inexpensive bolt-on upgrades could push the upper limit to 75 mph without cracking the engine case.

Motorcycle? Scooter? Moped? Maybe "MadAss" is the best way to describe it after all.

Of course those sorts of shenanigans would reduce the 85+ mile per gallon fuel efficiency and possibly raise some environmental concerns. Exactly to what degree, you ask? We’ll continue conducting research on this as soon as our kit arrives. If you’re the tuning type, you’ll know that this particular engine design has been around for ages and lends itself to a plethora of bolt-on performance parts.

The Sachs MadAss 125 takes minimalism to another level. It doesn't even have a fuel gauge.

So, back to the subject of fuel, Sachs continues the “Mad Genius” theme by hiding the 1.3 gallon fuel tank in the bike’s tubular, steel spine frame. When the tank is empty, you get the sputter warning (remember there’s no fuel gauge) which tells you to switch over to the one pint reserve, at which point you’ve got 20 miles to find a gas station. When you finally do pull over and unlock your aircraft styled gas cap to begin refueling you’ll stand a pretty good chance of hearing someone say “Wow! That thing is cool!” or “Whoa, what is that?”. People know fun when they see it.
The MadAss features a light-weight, banana swingarm rear suspension, connecting to a preload adjustable mono shock, connecting to the bike’s frame all in a single, narrow plane. The front suspension is a standard hydraulic fork set up and one of few areas for improvement that I discovered. Hang on to that because I’ll summarize my improvement’s list in just a bit.
The 55w stacked projector beam headlights are straight out of the Streetfighter Bike Builder’s handbook. I prefer a wider field of view and found the low beam lighting to be a bit insufficient for my tastes. This gives me an excuse to begin customizing, I suppose.
The MadAss rides on a nice, sticky set of 16” tubeless tires mounted on alloy rims (yes, I agree, that a gnarly set of knobbies would be beautiful) and stops solidly thanks to an oversized set of front and rear hydraulic discs.
I had not done any long term testing for reliability, but my concerns there were quickly diminished after reading about a recent US coast-to-coast journey from a team calling themselves Dr.MadAss. A three thousand mile journey is pretty impressive and that’s nowhere near the 10,630 MadAss miles ridden by Australian motorcycle courier Nick Healey. It sounds like as long as you’re doing the maintenance, the MadAss will be doing the mileage.
Looking a gift horse in the mouth

Soft front suspension, lack of luggage space and finicky carbs may turn away some, but the MadAss may make a fun tuning project for others.

Ok, it seems we’ve gushed a bit much in that first segment. Now let’s review the other side of this coin. What could be improved? The only storage on the MadAss is for gasoline. There are a couple of different luggage racks available currently and chances are pretty good that you’ll see lots of new accessories for the MadAss this spring, but you may want to get a good backpack if you need to haul a laptop.

The Sachs MadAss 125 easily hides in the shadow of a cruiser.

Heck, the MadAss can nearly hide in the shadow of a bicycle!

Next on my list is the front suspension. The MadAss really dips during emergency stops and you’ll definitely want to stay away from the front brake if you find yourself having to brake around a turn. I recommend asking your dealer about swapping out the front fork oil for something a bit heavier; luckily a pretty inexpensive fix. If it’s still too soft you could consider upgrading the springs; also not very expensive.
Now on to ride comfort, which has been improved over the original MadAss with a bigger, better padded seat but it’s definitely not meant for touring. If you take a break every hour or so then rider fatigue shouldn’t be an issue.
While performance was satisfactory, I found the MadAss to be cold natured. There were times where I lost my riding group while choking the bike to warm it up. I’m told the issue here is that the carburetor needs a “fatter” pilot jet as well as some adjustments to the air / fuel mixture to fix the issue. I’ll be toying with these inexpensive options first to see if they make a difference.
Lastly, I did notice a couple of minor electrical glitches. The kickstand safety switch only killed the engine intermittently. Sometimes I’d put it down and the engine would stop, other times it just kept on putting. Also, after a few days of rapid up and down shifting, my neutral indicator light switch got stuck in the “on” position. These shouldn’t be issues at all, but they also sound like pretty quick fixes.
Let’s pin a tail on this donkey
Scooterists won’t like that there’s no storage or wind protection, motorcyclists won’t like that it gets more miles per gallon than miles per hour. But if you are new to the world of motorcycles or just need a light and nimble little campus bike, the MadAss fits the bill. The MadAss is also a great option for two-wheel commuters who had considered a scooter back in 2008, but just couldn’t imagine themselves riding one.
Overall I’m pleased with the MadAss. It’s simple to maintain, easy to tune, inexpensive to upgrade and looks great. I personally wouldn’t mind testing this bike as an automatic, not because I’m too lazy to shift, but as a benefit for riders coping with tendonitis or carpal tunnel syndrome.

One thing's for certain, the MadAss is an eyecatcher.

Oh, and another advantage to being tiny is that the MadAss is forgiving. Studies show that over 40% of motorcycle accidents involve no other vehicle. The MadAss is less likely to “get away” from you and if it does, you just pick it up, dust it off and keep going.
The 2010 MadAss comes in both a 50 and a 125 with your choice of Bright Silver, Flat Black, Sun Yellow, or Graphite. Look for an MSRP of $2,699 on the MadAss 125 and $1,999 for the MadAss 50.






http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/2010-sachs-madass-review-88985.html

2011 Dainese AGV USA Collection Preview

To highlight the launch of its 2011 collection, this week Dainese AGV USA displayed some of its coolest styles in the company of some of its coolest sponsored American riders. The event at the D-Store Orange County has become an annual one for Dainese, which was founded in Italy by Lino Dainese in 1972.
In 2007 Dainese acquired helmet maker AGV – which itself was founded in 1947. From their inception, the two now-united concerns have equipped some of the greatest riders of all time.

Do you recognize these American stars?

“Racing is in our DNA,” said a Dainese/AGV representative to a crowd of journalists in the closed-door meeting. “Racing is for us the only field where we can test at the maximum level and stress at the maximum level and be ready for the consumer in the mass market.”

“Ever since I have used this product I’ve loved it. I’ve had no scars, no problems which is important,” said AMA road racer Steve Rapp, “You don’t think about it when things are well; when everything works, but when it doesn’t, trust me it gets your attention quick.”

It’s a time honored process: In the course of using supplied safety gear, racers lend back some of their own star factor thereby anointing the products with their prestige. At a more basic but equally important level, top-tier racers actively participate in ongoing research and development for new designs and technologies.
Earlier racing greats who lent their talents to Dainese or AGV or both include Barry Sheene, Kevin Schwantz, Eddie Lawson, and Giacomo Agostini - who was the first to represent both. These and other now legendary riders enabled Dainese and AGV to carve out a legitimate place today as a premier gear and helmet maker.
Dainese says as far back as the early 1980s, it was the first to put now commonplace innovations into production, including integral knee sliders and back protectors. More recently, it has also pioneered carbon fiber protective pieces and many other exotic materials for both its off-the-rack and custom leathers.

Rising star, seventeen-year-old 600cc Supersport racer Elena Myers – who’d signed on with Dainese in recent days – tells the audience why she feels good about the decision.

No word was given from the stage regarding the D-Air suit, but that 10-plus year project is still progressing. Dainese says the wireless air-collar-equipped leathers have since gone on sale to amateur and pro racers in Europe as a prelude to their U.S availability – first to racers, with a street version to follow.
At this stage, European track riders who crash are asked to return their custom-fitted D-Air suits to Dainese for data collection (and presumably re-packaging of the airbag and repairs) as it continues its R&D process right up to the end user.

This bright, young, unassuming chap is a man named Ben Bostrom. He too rides in Dainese gear.

The company now also makes gear for bicycling, skiing, and other extreme sports, but to drive home the motorcycling theme for this day, a cross sampling of great American riders stood up to endorse the quality of Dainese and AGV.

Nicky Hayden got laughs when, with exaggerated fashion model strides, he strutted about the stage showing off a Dainese jacket to the crowd.

“I know Dainese has a long history, you know a couple fast guys have worn Dainese in their life,” said MotoGP star Nicky Hayden with a chuckle at his understated remark, “I’ve tried the leathers, I’ve been there [to the factory], seen all the technology before I made the decision to go that way. I’ve seen the products, seen the science that goes into it, and I’m on board.”
2011 Collection
Dainese and AGV have too many products for street, dirt, touring and casual uses to be comprehensively covered, but the styles featured drove home the point that they are pushing the frontier in all arenas.

Shown: Laguna Seca Pro one-piece leathers in new color for 2011: Blue. Boots are new Axial Pro “In” design (In means that they go inside the leather.) Joust gloves. Laguna Seca Pro suit $1199 The Laguna Seca Pro suit is race-worthy – and essentially the same as a 2010 version I have worn since last summer. It is well designed and constructed. Supple D-Skin leather is used in conjunction with co-injected shoulders with aluminum inserts and composite protectors on the elbows, shins and knees. The suit features Dainese’s localized perforation, in which individual leather panels are perforated only where needed, but not where they will be sewn through because needle holes plus perforated holes could compromise the garment’s tear-resistance. The speed hump has an air inlet, and the localized perforation works with a NanoFeel liner to facilitate airflow. Bi-axial elasticized inserts assist with fit and freedom of movement. The legs feature two zippers each to facilitate either outside-the-leather “Out” boots or inside-the-leather-style “In” boots (as shown).

Tattoo Lady perforated suit (for summer) and Pro Carbon Lady gloves plus Torque Pro In boots. Ladies’ Tattoo suit $1099 The full product description for the ladies’ Tattoo suit includes the Italian word “Estiva,” meaning “for summer.” It is pro-quality and features many innovations Dainese employs in several of its technical racing leathers. And, as proven in the photo, it is styled to flatter the female form. Included features are homologated shoulder, elbow, knee and side protectors. Localized perforation on the cowhide combines with bi-axial elastic S1 fabric for stretch and freedom of movement. Dainese’s signature double zippers are on the legs to allow for In or Out boots.

Shown: D-System D-Dry jacket, D-System pants, Visoke D-WP boots, 2-Stroke gloves. D-System D-Dry jacket and pants $549 and $299 Adventure tourers, commuters, or just those wanting to look less racy but still wanting a snappy appearing and protective outfit might consider the D-System D-Dry jacket and pants. As is the case for many Dainese garments, these water-resistant pieces zip together to form a single ensemble. The Cordura fabric jacket and Mugello fabric pants feature removable armor, removable D-Dry water-resistant liners, air vents, adjustability at neck, waist, wrist, and lots of pockets. The jacket has two waterproof pockets. Visoke D-WP boots ($359) also shown are sort of a hybrid using offroad-inspired boot technology along with Dainese’s water-resistant liner material.

Shown: Adina Gore-Tex Lady jacket, Adina Gore-Tex pants, Lola Gore-Tex lady boots, Sprog-S Lady Gore-Tex gloves. Adina Gore-Tex Lady jacket and pants $429 and $329 For those women intending to ride in cooler temperatures, or just wanting to stay dry in the rain, Dainese has begun using genuine Gore-Tex in select pieces. The armored Adina jacket and pants zip together, and meet EN Standard 1621.1/97 for safety. The flared-cut styling is intended to be flattering, while functional, with adjustability at the neck, waist, and wrist. The jacket has a pocket to accommodate a BackSpace G. back protector. Reflective inserts are added for safety, and plenty of pockets make for practicality.

Shown: Avro Professional suit, Axial Pro In boots, FMP gloves. Avro Professional suit $1599 Dainese says the Avro Professional suit features elevated safety along with excellent ergonomics thanks to its exclusive “Second Skin construction,” which Dainese says “combines the bi-axial elastic properties of S1 fabric with the resistance of the leather to which it is laminated in the points that required greatest protection.” The suit also features localized perforation, armor throughout, dual zip legs for In or Out boots, and the usual great attention to detail for which Dainese is known.

Shown: Air-Frame textile jacket for ladies and men; new Drake Air Tex pants for ladies and men. Manaus shoes for the lady and Shift shoes for the man. Motodon Evo lady gloves and Air Tex gloves. Air-Frame jacket and New Drake pants $249 and $259 Staying cool on casual rides in the heat of summer is quite possible with breathable, lightweight outfits like these men’s and women’s versions. Removable armor in the jacket and pants provides impact protection to the EN 1621.1/97 Standard. Mesh inserts in the jacket and vents in the pants provide airflow. A wind-blocking removable jacket insert stops the air when the weather is cooler. The jacket will accommodate a G-type back protector.

To get to the stage Supercross and X-Games phenomenon, Travis Pastrana gunned a tricked-out bike across the retail store back clothing wall, laying down a long strip of rubber on the floor. “I was going to do a flip, but I needed a helmet,” he said to laughs as he stepped off the bike. Once on stage they gave him a helmet – his own official replica one – but alas, no further stunts were performed. Rossi replica version of the AX-8 helmet. AGV AX-8 helmet $349.95-$399.95 This new carbon fiber helmet was developed with feedback from Travis Pastrana and Davi Millsaps. Shown is the Valentino Rossi replica. (Although Rossi is a road racer, Dainese says their people liked the graphics so much they made it anyway. The number 46 has been removed from the design.). The photo of Pastrana shows his TP199 Signature edition of the AX-8. Other color schemes are White, Gloss Black, Spyder White/Black, Spyder Black/White, Kaleidoscope and Beat Red, Beat Blue and Beat Black. It meets DOT and ECE specifications.

T-2 Helmet. Giacomo Agostini replica shown. AGV T-2 Helmet $449.95-$549.95 One model down from top of the range, the DOT and ECE-certified T-2 helmet is a track-worthy lid that uses the same tear-off-compatible shield as AGV’s GP-Tech helmets, along with most of its technical design features. The shield utilizes AGV’s easy on-off XQRS (Extra Quick Release System) for tool-free removal and replacement. I have personally tested this helmet, and find it to be comfortable, very high quality, reasonably quiet, with good through-flow ventilation that can be opened or closed easily. The screen itself is optically correct, and includes an anti-fog treatment. Inside the helmet is a washable and removable Cool Max comfort liner. More than a dozen color schemes range from solid white to racer replica versions such as the Giacomo Agostini version shown. New graphics this year are Warrior (black and white), and Sergeant (white and black).

Shown: After sweater and Yamato cotton pants.

Conclusion
On the world scale, Dainese and AGV equip talented racers from 125cc to MotoGP, including its most renowned star, Valentino Rossi, and World Superbike champ, Max Biaggi.
The company’s gear has always been characterized by a European stylistic flair, and a push toward more and more technology to assist in the ultimate goal of light weight, proper fit, and safety.
Our experience with Dainese has always been a good one. While there are other gear makers also offering high-quality products, one thing we’ve noted is Dainese is pushing to expand its U.S. acceptance and market share as a purveyor of high-end products.
As such, its customer service and the collective attitude of its people have been very professional, knowledgeable and helpful in all the times we’ve dealt with them.
For more info, check out Dainese and AGV online.

Seated left to right: Davi Millsaps, Travis Pastrana, Nicky Hayden, Steve Rapp,

http://www.motorcycle.com/products/2011-dainese-agv-usa-collection-preview-90375.html