1993 Harley Davidson Fxst on 2040-motos

Moto blog

Vespa goes back to the future

IT'S been a while coming, but the gorgeous Vespa 946 - EICMA 2012's Best of Show - has finally introduced something to the two-wheeled world that our four-wheeled counterparts have had for a while.  I call this 'reverse retro-futurism' - the art of borrowing lines from models past and imbuing them with a sleek sense of future direction (as opposed to retro-futurism, the pre-1960s design trend of depicting the technology of the future. The term 'decopunk' may come close, but feel free to tell me if there's a more exact term.) It's what the New Mini and the New Beetle (both 1997 and 2012 versions) have done so well, and so successfully: building an all-new model as a tribute to a classic, something that's modern yet already timeless, with a widely-appreciated, inclusive aesthetic (and here we eliminate the Plymouth PT Cruiser from the conversation). The biking world is great at retro, indeed thrives on it, but not so good at adding in a taste of the 21st century.

Metzeler Me888 Marathon Ultra Introduced At V-Twin Expo

    At V-Twin Expo in Cincinnati this past weekend, Metzeler released the ME888 Marathon Ultra, a high-mileage tire with increased wet and dry performance intended of complement the top-selling ME880 Marathon. Also known as the Triple 8, the ME888 Marathon Ultra features newly processed compounds, updated structure and an innovative tread pattern, resulting in increased mileage while maintaining stability, handling, traction and safety in wet conditions. “We fine-tuned all the features that made the ME880 such a success, and then focused on significant mileage improvement,” Chris Wall, Metzeler Director of Marketing and Key Accounts, said.

Donation of Photos and Memorabilia to Harley-Davidson Museum Reveal Glimpse of Early Days at Harley

Harley-Davidson Museum today posted on its Facebook page a selection of photos it received as part of collection of images and memorabilia donated by a former Harley employee. According to the Facebook post former H-D employee Bob Jameson donated “ two scrapbooks, numerous photographs, news clippings and other company related materials” for the museum’s collection. Jameson, following in his father’s footsteps, worked for The Motor Company, and in 1960 helped develop a motorcycle suited for use in the Vietnam war.