The CR&S VUN Blog

Hot Rod

2012-02-19T05:44:00.000+01:00

A little humor to lighten your day...

MV Augusta F3 Enters Production

2012-02-06T01:26:00.000+01:00

It looks like they have done it! MV Augusta's sexy 675cc, three cylinder F3 pocket sports bike is now in production. MV Augusta announced that the limited edition F3 serie oro (gold edition) would hit the showroom floor some time this March and, judging by this video, it looks like they will hit that target. Well done!

In addition to all the goodies you will find on a standard model F3, such as fly by wire, counter-rotating crank, etc, the serie oro model gives you a bike with top-rated Öhlins suspension, Brembo monobloc calipers and the usual carbon fiber body pieces. You will also have a whole year of exclusivity until the standard model goes on sale. This exclusivity comes at a price though. The serie oro will cost nearly two times more than a standard F3.

Ducati 1199 Panigale

2011-11-23T20:19:00.001+01:00

A great technical explanation of Ducati's new 1199 Panigale by Ducati's superbike race chief, Ernesto Marinelli. This video includes some beautiful footage and track testing by multiple world superbike champion Troy Bayliss.

I'm not typically a fan of hyper-performance superbikes anymore but this is an exceptional bike with enough technological innovations to make it much less intimidating to ride hard. I also appreciate the fact that Ducati understand the need for light weight. The Panigale is 10kg lighter than Ducati's previous superbike, the 1198, which, until now, was already the lightest superbike in its class.

Dai Facci Godere

2011-11-17T21:41:00.001+01:00

Clair de Lune

2011-11-15T16:27:00.001+01:00

Released in conjunction with the CR&S participation at the Milan International Motorcycle Expo (EICMA 2011), this video is a beautiful explanation of the DUU, its philosophy and purpose. In Italian but worth watching for non Italian speakers just for the visual beauty and passion evident in this film and the bike it describes.

Sorry about the popup advert near the beginning of the video. These things are becoming annoyingly pervasive in YouTube videos these days.

Il Panigale

2011-11-08T04:40:00.004+01:00

Ducati are made in the town of Borgo Panigale, Italy. Once a satellite town, now a suburb, of the Italian city of Bologna. The doors have opened (for the press) at the Milan Motorcycle Expo EICMA 2011and details are starting to emerge. Ducati's latest redefinition of the superbike is called the 1199 Panigale. It is really something, well done Ducati!

Doubtless you will be able to read the specifications and see the photos on nearly every blog and every motorcycle magazine in the coming months so there is no point me repeating them here. But to get a good feeling of what Ducati has created check out this video...

CR&S at EICMA 2011

2011-11-04T01:40:00.000+01:00

CR&S is once again participating in Milan's annual International Motorcycle Exhibition (EICMA 2011). EICMA is the most important motorcycle exhibition on the calendar. I runs from November 10-13th.

If you are staying in Milan the easiest way to get there is via the Metro subway. Take the red line in the direction of Rho - fieramilano. This is also the name of the stop where you will get off the train. If you are traveling by car or motorcycle then get a navigator. For further details follow this link.

The exhibition is huge. The CR&S stand will be located in Hall 2, Booth I-33. They will be exhibiting a tasty selection of their VUN & DUU motorcycles. The CR&S stand is not the largest in the show but it is always one of the finest and most interesting stands.

Unfortunately I cannot attend this year's show. Among all the other goodies I will be missing out on will be MV Agusta's F3 and the new F3 Brutale (naked), as well as the unveiling of Ducati's much anticipated new Superquadratta Superbike.

Marco Simoncelli Riposa in Pace

2011-10-23T11:58:00.001+02:00

Grazie http://www.motoblog.it/ per l'imagine

MCN, Cathcart and the DUU

2011-09-14T19:35:00.001+02:00

CR&S have posted a reproduction of Alan Cathcart's article in the English motorcycle magazine, MCN, where he reviews the new DUU.

Click here to view the article.

Below, a bonus video animation of the DUU.

More on Cathcart & the DUU

2011-09-07T23:04:00.017+02:00

The first official test ride of the CR&S DUU was held on the outskirts of Milan before the Italian Ferragosto vacation in August. The test rider was freelance journalist, Alan Cathcart.

As it was during the development of the VUN a few years ago, Cathcart had a reserved seat when it came to testing and reviewing the new DUU. Alan Cathcart has undisputed credentials as a test rider and maintains a close affinity to the CR&S management. Incidentally he was also first to suggest using the S&S X-Wedge engine to Roberto Crepaldi way back when the DUU was just an idea and some rough drawings.

A short video of this test was posted in an earlier Blog entry.

In the final week of August, during the Manx Grand Prix, CR&S also organized a series of DUU test rides at Isle of Man. Participating were journalists from all the leading European motorcycle magazines. Expect to see DUU test articles hit your newsstands soon.

As I gaze out of my window at the rain and cold in the north of Holland, these photos make me pine for the warm dry riding conditions of the Italian autumn.

To finish, some words from Roberto Crepaldi:

I hope you had a nice summer. For us it was definitely satisfying as the first DUU motorcycles were finally delivered ...

Allow me to submit my thoughts: autumn is the best time to take out your motorcycle. Enjoy it for as long as the mountain passes are still open. Not too cold nor too hot, there's not too much traffic and the asphalt holds well...

Made in VΨRUS

2011-09-03T22:26:00.006+02:00

A clever and amusing video made entirely from still photographs. It documents the creation of a single VΨRUS 986 M2.

VΨRUS are a small manufacturer of exotic hub-center steered sports motorcycles based in Rimini, Italy (naturally). The 986 M2 is intended as a customer-spec Moto 2 race bike. VΨRUS also intend to create a street-legal version using the Honda CBR600RR engine.

To Beta or not to Beta

2011-09-03T00:00:00.003+02:00

R.I.P. Claudio Castiglioni

2011-08-24T00:16:00.012+02:00

I wish I had the time to write this last Wednesday when I first read of the death of Claudio Castiglioni aged 63. Who was Claudio Castiglioni? I will always remember him as the business man come motorcycle enthusiast who...

With his brother rescued the Aermacchi motorcycle brand from Harley-Davidson in 1978 re-branding the company as CAGIVA.
Saved Ducati from bankruptcy in 1985 nurturing from a basket-case it into a World Superbike Championship wining company with a proud line up of models and massive improvements in quality and reliability.
Built a successful 500cc GP team that competed with distinction winning many races and reaching third in the world championship in 1994.
Resurrected the legendary MV Agusta brand in the early 1990's. MV's first gift to the world (in 1997) was the fantastic MV F4 superbike.
Had to sell the Ducati brand in 1996 due to financial difficulties. But thanks to the Castiglioni Ducati went on to become one of the most iconic brands in motorcycling.
Due to more financial problems, was forced to sell MV Agusta in 2004 to a Malaysian investment company for €70 million.
In 2006 Castiglioni was able to find an Italian investor to buy back MV Agusta for just €1.
After some years of being unable to find enough outside investment to launch new models MV was again sold to Harley-Davidson in 2008 for €70 million.
Harley-Davidson invested serious money into the brand only to be smacked by the 2009 recession. Harley, desperate to get rid of any non-core cost centers sold the entire MV Agusta brand back to... you know who, for €3. Hey that's 3-times more than the Malaysians got!

Now the MV brand seems to have the reinvestment it needed, no debts (thanks Harley) and one of the sexiest new motorcycles I have ever seen (the new F3) due to be launched this year.

What a story, what a lifetime of achievement. What a wonderful legacy has been left in the younger hands of Claudio's son Giovanni Castiglioni.

The CAGIVA C595 took John Kocinski to third place in the 1994 500cc championship.

Cathcart Tests the DUU

2011-08-21T18:34:00.004+02:00

World famous motorcycle journalist and Italian motorcycle aficionado, Alan Cathcart, test rides the CR&S DUU on the twisty Milanese country roads that surround the CR&S factory. Check the next issue of your favorite motorcycling magazine for a full review.

Tired Hero

2011-08-21T18:20:00.001+02:00

Jule Thiel after a ride in the side-car. Courtesy Thiel Motorsport.

Just for fun :-)

VΨRUS Moto 2 - Track Test

2011-08-05T20:55:00.005+02:00

In this video MCN test ride the new VΨRUS 986 M2. This bike is being prepared for the Moto 2 race series and uses the standard 600cc four-cylinder Honda race engine specially prepared for this series.

DUU Assembly Notes

2011-08-03T21:51:00.008+02:00

While visiting the CR&S factory two weeks ago I checked out the progress at the DUU assembly line.

Delivery of the first production DUU motorcycles is running a few months behind schedule. Problems with parts supplies and sorting out the final few niggling problems have been the main causes according to Roberto Crepaldi.

While I was at the factory I saw three DUUs in the assembly area, racks of S&S v-twin engines in crates, new frames having just been TIG-welded, rows of new suspension units and a new (since my last visit) parts store which looked full of parts ready to be turned into DUU motorcycles...

Freshly welded DUU frames ready for assembly.

DUU front suspension units decorate the entrance to the assembly storage area.

Considering CR&S motorcycles are hand made for a limited annual production this seems like a serious investment, no doubt encouraged by strong pre-orders for the DUU.

Background: Domenico Lavorata inspects a DUU in the assembly area.

Roberto Crepaldi with the DUU production prototype, ready for another test ride.

Italian manufacturing usually closes each year for the month of August, but Roberto says that will not apply to CR&S this year. Due to the DUU production delays, this year's VUNIC meeting was also cancelled (sad). The bright spot is that next year's ride will undoubtedly include a full contingent of DUUs.

VUN Rossi Tribute

2011-08-01T21:58:00.011+02:00

During a recent visit to the CR&S factory in Milan I was generously given permission to wander around freely, camera in hand. There were plenty of new and interesting things to poke my nose into since I last visited the factory in December of last year.

I will be sharing some my factory vistas over the next few posts to this blog. To begin with, here is a delightful curiosity that was on display in the CR&S factory's new reception area...

It is, of course, the frame, suspension and swing-arm of a VUN. Nice, but what makes this one worth a second look is the plaque bolted to the steering head (click to enlarge).

A rough translation of the plaque reads... To Valentino Rossi for the pride in knowing that you are one of us. Nice gesture. Rossi sure is admired in Italy, especially in the north.

The reason for the factory visit was to pick up my VUN which had been in for its 10,000 km service, some paint work (partly to repair some crash damage from last year) and to fit some new parts. Here are the results (click to enlarge).

Apart from adding more red to the paintwork I added a front light protector (part number FLP) and replaced the steel rear subframe with the lightweight alloy version (part number RCAS). One more step on the road to an ever-lighter, ever-prettier VUN.

Thanks to the staff at CR&S for the quality of their service and mechanical changes, and the skilled staff at Kaos Design for the excellent paint work.

Green Machine at The Green Hell

2011-07-30T11:36:00.003+02:00

I don't usually post stories about regular superbikes, but this is a track that I have ridden. I know something about its dangers and how much skill and courage (lack of self preservation) it requires to go fast there.

In this video a Kawasaki superbike films a lap of the Nurbürgring using a gyro-stabilized camera.

It's the speed and enormous acceleration that gets me. As the rider hits fourth and fifth gears the barriers seem to just close in around him.

No Accounting for Taste

2011-07-08T10:01:00.001+02:00

I'm wrong again. After seeing the bike at Milan's EICMA motorcycle show in 2010, I predicted Ducati's new Diavel would be a flop. Motoblog.it reports today, however, that the Diavel has been selling well, in fact Ducati has sold 5,000 Diavels in five months, which is a record for the company exceeding Ducati's own expectations.

What do I know

I like the way you move

2011-06-25T17:30:00.007+02:00

Videos are now circulating on the internet of MV Agusta's magnificent new 675cc, three cylinder, F3. This bodes well for MV's goal to begin production in Autumn of this year. Fingers crossed.

DUU Production Begins

2011-05-16T20:17:00.009+02:00

CR&S announced today that production of their new DUU model is now underway.

The company's initial target was to begin production early March. Completion of strict EURO 3 vehicle certification and tooling up for low volume production had pushed this date back three months but now the first three frames have been loaded onto the assembly bench and are in production.

These first three bikes, once completed, will be used to promote the bike, in showrooms and the print media. This will be followed by the initial batch of bikes that will go out to eagerly awaiting customers.

Robert Crepaldi with the DUU undergoing homologation testing

Testing the DUU two-up (Conlatusa)

Braking test with wet disk simulator

The DUU's X-Wedge motor undergoes final dyno-testing

The first three DUUs on the assembly line

Roadson 550 - Beat That!

2011-04-17T11:51:00.000+02:00

L'incroyable histoire de la Roadson Superleggera by moto-journal

In French

Short film of how two racing enthusiasts with few resources were able to prove that lighter is better. A 550cc Aprilia SXV derived race bike weighing less than 100 kg (wet) competes the against modern superbikes. Just look at how the Roadson is able to corner so much faster and more efficiently than its competitors.

Fun to watch, even if you don't understand French.

Coco Mademoiselle (updated)

2011-03-18T23:55:00.009+01:00

I know it's fake and she isn't really riding the bike but... I can't help but love this video clip.

Happy Birthday Italia

2011-03-17T10:18:00.015+01:00

CR&S celebrate the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy with the construction of the VUN Tricolore.

I Mille (the one thousand)

On this day, one hundred and fifty years ago, the peninsula of Italy was united as one nation. One of the decisive acts in uniting the disparate Italian states was the famous march of Giuseppe Garibaldi. In 1860, with a force of just 1000 volunteers (the redshirts), Garibaldi sailed from Genova (in the north) to conquer the island of Sicily. After decisive victories, and with his army swelling in numbers, he crossed to the mainland and marched north conquering Naples and uniting with the Piedmontese army from the north. This campaign led to the eventual unification of the Italian peninsula and its freedom from various foreign powers of the day (France and the Habsburg empire).

Giuseppe Garibaldi

Il Tricolore

Il tricolore, the three colors (green, white and red) of the Italian flag, originate from the days of the 'first Italian republic'. This was comprised mainly of the northern Italian regions of Lombardia and Romagna (i.e. CR&S territory).

The VUN Tricolore will be on display at the "Esperienza Italia" exhibition in Turin. The event celebrates the anniversary of the Italian Unity. After one month of exposure, the VUN will will be substituted by a Tricolore version of the CR&S DUU.

Italy in Crisis

The Italian leadership of today seems blithely out of step with current world events: The Italian premiere fawns over and publicly kisses the hand of Muammar Gaddafi, who upon returning to his kingdom of Libya, begins to brutally repress and murder his people; Japan struggles to prevent a major nuclear disaster, while Italy prepares to hold a referendum on whether to allow the construction of nuclear reactors on Italy's earthquake-prone territory (the referendum is worded in such a way that if you are against changing the law to allow nuclear reactors you must answer "yes" - 'furbo').

Today, in Italy, it is difficult to find someone who is enthusiastic about 150 years of Italian unity. The nation seems increasingly divided into various factions: north vs south, communists vs fascists, AC Milan vs Juventus. And while public attention is diverted over such intractable divides, political and global business interests are exporting the country's industrial heart. The place and status of women in Italian society is being undermined and eroded at all levels by the mainstream media, the advertising industry and of course the scandalous acts of its political leadership. The once proud performing arts are being axed, even the ancient excavated city of Pompeii has begun to collapse, building by building, through bungling and neglect.

Perhaps it is time, once again, to remember the fateful words of Giuseppe Garibaldi: Qui si fa l'Italia o si muore.

VUN photos gratefully supplied by motoblog.it.

Second Hand VUNs Online

2011-03-13T05:22:00.004+01:00

CR&S is now hosting a second hand VUN market on its company website. The site is a service to current VUN owners who want to connect with future VUN owners. If you are looking for a VUN motorcycle at a more affordable price then this is a good place to start.

There are currently two VUNs on sale at this site:

These VUNs are selling at €11,800 and €12,500 respectively. Every VUN is unique with its own specification and customization. For more details visit the CR&S second hand web page.

The motorcycles listed on this site are certified to be original CR&S motorcycles. CR&S Motorcycles is not directly involved in the trade-ins. The page is only a service for CR&S customers.

VUN Eye Candy

2011-02-14T09:17:00.005+01:00

Oliver Thiel, of Thiel Motorsport, is planning a new "big bike killer" VUN. The all important graphic design details are being finalized and if these are anything to go by this VUN will really turn heads.

The design is by Steven Flier from Stuttgart, Germany. Steven was recently responsible for this iconic BMW 1000RR design...

Oliver's plans include a target weight of 120kg with 70-75HP.

Motus MST

2011-02-12T05:35:00.003+01:00

The Motus motorcycle company has just released this video of the sports touring bike they have been developing over the past few years. The project is coming along nicely, and that V-4 engine sounds great.

Sounds like they are using a "big bang" firing order as per the current Ducati Desmoseidici Moto GP bike. But the Motus has a longitudinally-mounted crankshaft (a-la Moto Guzzi) powering the rear wheel via a drive shaft rather than a chain.

Given that a small team of enthusiasts can get this far on a shoestring, seems to me that Moto Guzzi just haven't been trying in recent years (decades). Bad for them, and the countless Moto Guzzi fans around the world... good for Motus.

Jungle Boogie

2011-02-11T07:45:00.007+01:00

Below: Deus Ex Machina's new Temple of Enthusiasm in Bali.

Deus Ex Machina - Temple Of Enthusiasm, Bali from Deus Customs on Vimeo

1978 XS650 from Deus Customs on Vimeo

Above: the simple essence of motorcycling + I want a t-shirt like that!

VUN Marathon in Circulation

2011-02-05T06:08:00.002+01:00

CR&S enthusiast and friend, Maurizio Primo, is #27 in the growing line of DUU customers. Maurizio recently fulfilled his wish to participate in Germany's famous wintertime "Elephant Rally" (Elefantentreffen), on a CR&S motorcycle. Since the DUU is still preparing to go into production, CR&S made their VUN Marathon available for Maurizio's trip.

The VUN Marathon was last in action during Claudio Zanoni's 18,000km round trip of Europe in just 29 days!!

The Elephant Rally takes place on the first weekend in February or the last weekend in January each year in the Bavarian Forest of Germany. It is organized by the Federal Association of Motorcycle Riders in Germany. Each year between 5,000 and 10,000 riders from all over Europe brave the winter conditions to participate in the rally.

More on the VΨRUS 986 M2

2011-01-25T22:46:00.001+01:00

In this video (in Italian) VΨRUS motorcycle's Ascanio Rodorigo, talks about the new VΨRUS 986 M2 project. He says that 2011 will be a development year for the race bike project therefore we cannot expect to see VΨRUS compete in Moto 2 until the 2012 season. However, private enthusiasts will be able to purchase track versions of the bike this year and street versions by September.

Pricing for the street version should be €25,000 and €55,000 for the track model. The track version will weigh in at 135kg with around 136CV peak power (nice square figures).

VΨRUS Moto 2 Race Bike

2011-01-25T09:15:00.010+01:00

News at this month's Verona Bike Expo was that VΨRUS motorcycles has produced a Moto 2 race bike for this year's Moto 2 race series.

For those who don't know who VΨRUS is, it is a boutique motorcycle manufacturer out of the coastal Italian town of Rimini who produce hand-built hub-center steered motorcycles. Until now, all of their models used either Ducati 4-valve superbike or Ducati 2-valve supersport engines. The company was born out of the ashes of the collapse of the Bimota factory (one of the many collapses). Design plans and technical staff were available at the time to advance one of Bimota's most ambitious projects, a hub-center steered superbike.

Now Bimota too has risen from the ashes and is also producing a hub-center steered, Ducati engined superbike. This leaves VΨRUS in a difficult situation. There are now two boutique companies based in Rimini who both produce a Ducati-engined hub-center steered superbike, based on the same original design.

Producing a Moto 2 race bike using their hub-center steered designs is a logical and extremely ambitious move for VΨRUS. It proves that they believe in their hub-center steered concept and are willing to put their ideas to the ultimate test. All Moto 2 race bikes must utilize the same Honda 600cc engines and engine management systems. Thus chassis, setup, aerodynamics, tires and rider ability are the deciding factors in who wins or looses. This makes Moto 2 the perfect format for advanced and alternative chassis designs. It is interesting, and somewhat disappointing, that no one else competing in Moto 2 has taken the opportunity to think out of the box. More kudos to VΨRUS for being the first.

To top it all off, VΨRUS has now announced plans to put a street-legal version of this bike into production by September this year! It should be amazing!

With the introduction of MV Agusta's F3 last November, Triumph's already successful 675cc Daytona, and now the VΨRUS 600 - middle-weight sports bikes are where all the most exciting developments are occurring right now. This is logical given the weight and handling advantage a middle-weight has over a full-sized 1000cc plus superbike. The only advantage a superbike has is in horsepower, but this is hardly an advantage on normal roads when you are comparing say 130hp against 190hp. With 130hp you are drinking from the garden hose on full whereas with 190hp you are drinking from a fire hose. Either way you can't drink all that water, but the fire hose will make you a lot more than just wet.

Thanks to MotoBlog.it for allowing the use of this photo.

CR&S at the Verona Bike Show

2011-01-17T22:00:00.004+01:00

CR&S is proud to announce its presence at the Verona Motor Bike Expo (from 21 to 23 of January, Hall 2 Booth 18F - www.motorbikeexpo.it ) where they will exhibit street production versions of both the VUN and DUU motorcycles.

The DUU models on display have previously only been shown last November at at the EICMA 2010 as a preview to the production models. The Verona show will be exhibiting final production versions.

Così Non Va

2011-01-16T09:01:00.020+01:00

Something is just not right with this promo photo of Valentino Rossi sat across a Ducati Diavel. It just seems something of a mismatch, kind of like watching health food guru, Nancy Kalish, appear in a McDonald's TV add or something.

Now this is a bit more like it...

...not the snow mobiles part, just the photo op at the end with the new GP11 desmoseidici.

I think that Ducati has made a mistake with the Diavel. I thought it was an April Fools prank when I first heard Ducati was developing a big lazy cruiser. Something tells me that the market for this kind of bike just won't buy into the Ducati brand. The Diavel is big and ugly, but Ducati seems to think that this will appeal to the cruiser buying public. Offering more performance than a Harley is not difficult, but if peak horsepower was important to these riders then Harley would have provided some.

I think what the cruiser and custom bike buying public want is to make a connection with 'real' motorcycles. That means a machine where the engine is the center of attention and where all the parts are sculpted from metal in an aesthetically pleasing and balanced way.

When I look at the Diavel, I only see bulky plastic covers, tubing, ducts and frankly whacky styling. It looks more like an overweight Bimota Mantra (one of the most horrible bikes I ever saw) than something that you might park in your garage next to a 1966 Ford Thunderbird.

Bimota Mantra vs Ducati Diavel. Whacky 1990's styling makes a comeback.

Ducati staff might comment privately that they did try to copy the new CR&S DUU, but they needn't bother, it is obvious. Although the two bikes compete in a similar market (muscle bikes), aesthetically they are completely different...

I think CR&S made a wise choice to use a traditional, U.S. built, narrow angle, V-twin engine. This gives the bike a lot of credibility in the worldwide muscle-bike market. The S&S X-wedge engine is a real grunt machine. Beautiful design and exquisite detailing do not detract from the fact that this bike also handles really well.

Something like the DUU could probably never be made at Borgo Panigale. It would be unacceptable to use anything but a 90º desmodronic v-twin to start with. Perhaps this is simply a market that Ducati should never have tried to enter. If it is ever a success, it will certainly dilute their brand as a top of the range sports-bike (no matter how many times they make Valentino Rossi sit across it).

The DUU Unveiled

2010-11-26T20:39:00.008+01:00

Production versions of the new CR&S DUU come in two standard formats: The solo seat (Deperlù) and the twin seat (Conlatusa). Pricing details for each are as follows...

DUU Pricing (5-speed)
Deperlù	€19,000 (plus tax)
Conlatusa	€20,700 (plus tax)

The Conlatusa is more versatile. The twin seat model can be configured as a solo seater by simply removing various parts. The reverse it not so easy as it would require replacing the solo seater's rear sub-frame. So if you think you will ever need to use your DUU to take that pretty girl from the local bar for a ride (or to carry your grandmother home from her Bridge night), then the extra €1,700 is worth spending.

The standard DUU uses a 5-speed gearbox which is more than enough for a 2-litre V-Twin. However, if you think you might want to try the DUU out at the local drag strip then there is also a 6-speed gearbox available for an extra €900.

Equipment

The chassis is a compound structure. The main element consists of a stainless steel large section tube (107.5 mm). It is a backbone chassis that also forms part of the fuel tank. All the other chassis elements are stainless steel and TIG welded. Stainless steel resists life, and gives an excellent. All of the chassis components are connected by machined light alloy parts. The seat holder is a light alloy box structure, a CR&S’ patent. It is TIG welded and forms the remainder of the fuel tank.

The single sided swingarm is also fabricated from large section stainless steel tube (90 mm), reinforced with a stainless steel welded structure box. The light alloy fork yokes are machined from solid. The twin seater version’s shock absorber has a manually adjustable spring preload. The compound wheels are made in light alloy with cast hubs.

The tire sizes have been chosen to offer sporty handling capabilities, with excellent rider control (max lean angle 43°) : they are radial tires, with sport-racing compound (the rear tire has a three-zone compound).

Powertrain
Brand / Model	S&S X-Wedge
Type	4 stroke, 56° V-Twin
Displacement	117" (1916 cc)
Valves	Pushrod activated, 2-valves per cylinder
Cooling	Air
Chassis
Frame	Stainless steel with large section tubes. Machined stainless steel engine cradle and holders.
Swingarm	Single-sided arm in large section stainless steel tube.
Front Suspension	Upsidedown telescopic fork with 48 mm diameter. Adjustable hydraulic damping and spring preload. 120mm travel.
Rear Suspension	Hydraulic progressive mono-shock. Adjustable hydraulic damping and spring preload. 127 mm travel.
Front break	320mm Wave double floating disks, each with radial 4-piston calipers.
Rear break	260mm single disk with 2-piston floating caliper.
Front wheel	4 stroke, 56° V-Twin
Front tire	120/70-ZR17"
Rear wheel	6.00 x 17"
Rear tire	190/55-ZR17"
Dimensions / Weight
Length	2197 mm
Width	770 mm
Wheelbase	1576 mm
Seat height	800 mm
Weight	245 kg (dry)
Gas tank	15.5 litres (4 litre reserve)

Technical Specs

The DUU's power delivery graph is visible on the tachometer.

This extra information allows you to view the max power vs RPM as you ride.

The S&S X-Wedge is a traditional engine, but built with modern technology and materials. It is a pushrod actuated 2-valves per cylinder head with hydraulic self adjustment and three belt driven camshafts (one intake and two exhaust). The bottom end has a one piece machined crankshaft with twin conrods.

The ECU is developed by S&S. A catalyzed stainless steel exhaust system with 2 lambda meters.

Gearbox is a Baker unit available with 5 or 6 speeds.

Performance Details
Max Power	71 KW at 5100 rpm
Max Torque	148 Nm at 4300 rpm
Max Speed	Over 125 mph (over 200Km/h)

Deperlù "Grisa"

The structural body parts are made from carbon fibre. The remaining parts are made in VTR, ABS or carbon fibre. The fuel tank is divided into two parts: the chassis’ backbone and the seat holder box structure.

Deperlù "Sbirluscenta"

As the pictured models suggest, a wide variety of modular customizations are available. I will be covering these in more detail in a future Blog article.

Conlatusa "Nera"

BeOn SXV GP

2010-11-20T17:24:00.010+01:00

BeOn Automotive unveiled the latest in its series of track bike kits during the final MotoGP round at Valencia.

BeOn track bike kits can be used to convert your KTM, Honda, Suzuki, etc. motocross, chicken chaser, into a serious little track day rocket. Their latest kit is the one I have been waiting for: the Aprilia SXV 550 conversion.

Convert one of these...

...into one of these.

Or have both. BeOn say that the conversion is easily reversed giving you both a track bike and a supermotard for the price of... well one and a half. The kit costs €4,450 plus tax, then you have the cost of the donor bike.

I wrote a previous blog article about the BeOn kits. This kit converts the iconic Aprilia SXV 550 (or 450 if you are that way inclined) into an exciting bike with an output of around 70 hp and an approximate weight of 120 kg.

Automotive BeOn says it is also working on certification of the SXV-GP for the street.

EICMA 2010 Highlights

2010-11-06T19:16:00.031+01:00

EICMA 2010, this year's Milan International Motorcycle show (yes they have bicycles too but who really cares), finishes tomorrow. There was a 25% increase in attendance and all of the big brands were present this year. All good signs, but some important and interesting brands were missing. No Bimota, no Vyrus, no Morini, no Buell (the last two in this list are sadly no longer with us).

There were plenty of new motorcycles on show, but not too many that were interesting to me. Among this year's main attractions: production versions of the CR&S DUU, the Brammo Empulse electric motorcycle and the MV Agusta F3.

I have already covered the CR&S DUU and will write more about it soon...

Brammo

At last year's show I was hoping for a showcase of electric motorcycle technology, and was disappointed. This year there was half a pavilion devoted to green technologies with some serious-looking electric scooters and one production electric motorcycle which stood out from all the rest: the Brammo Empulse.

Here is the first production electric motorcycle that can stand proudly next to almost any petrol-engined motorbike. It weighs just 160kg (with 'fuel'), is capable of 160km/h, strong and smooth acceleration, and has a range of 100, 130, or 160km (depending on battery configuration). It has serious running gear (frame, wheels, suspension and brakes) and it looks great.

A TTXGP racing version of the Brammo Empulse

Times are changing, motorcycles of the future will be cheap, clean, silent, low maintenance, reliable, easy to ride, powerful, fun and electric.

An inside look at the Brammo's other model, the Enertia

MV Agusta F3

I remember, years ago, passing a boutique shoe store on one of Milan's famous shopping streets. There was something special and unique about that store, it has stuck in my memory while everything else from that day has faded. In the display window stood a white pedestal before a white backdrop. On top of that pedestal was a single, elegant, lady's black shoe. There was no signage, no price tag, no flashing lights, just a single black shoe.

The MV Agusta stand at EICMA 2010 was a white illuminated cube with the MV logo on it. From the outside that was all you could see. Only a limited number of people were allowed to go in at a time and inside was a white pedestal carrying just a single MV Agusta F3. No flashing lights, no free brochures, no technical sheets, no loud music. Just one motorcycle... and, of course, the girls - this is Italy remember.

And what a bike it is. For me the F3 was the sensation of the show. It could well become the pinnacle of combustion-engined sports motorcycles. A marvel of mechanical engineering, refined design and beautiful styling. I just hope that MV Agusta can put it into production while petrol-engined motorcycles are still relevant. The MV Agusta F4 took years to move from showroom prototype to production, but there is a good chance that things will be different with the F3. Harley-Davidson poured a lot of money into MV Agusta and then gifted the company back into the passionate hands of the Castiglioni during the financial melt-down. Let's hope the combination of passion, and recent investment is enough to get things rolling at Varese.

Best of the Rest

Last year, Moto Guzzi showcased some wonderful prototypes, including the beautiful, retro-styled Le Mans concept. This year they had the production version on display. If I had a magic money tree I think this would definitely be one bike in my collection.

CR&S and Moto Guzzi Dealer in Germany,

Bernhard Peintner tries the new Moto Guzzi

Bernhard finds a sports bike which is even lighter than the VUN.

This scooter also caught my eye.

Can't remember what it was called though.

Ducati had an enormous stand. The star attraction this year was their new 'Diavel' cruiser. Last year's ugly duckling, the multi-strada, went on to become a commercial success, but I can't believe many people outside of Italy would seriously consider buying one of these.

Remember the last time Ducati tried to enter this market? Does the Ducati Indiana ring a bell? If you don't know what I mean, click here (but be prepared to behold a bike that received a fair whack from the ugly stick).

Two New DUU Models

2010-11-05T21:20:00.021+01:00

CR&S has released two beautiful new DUU models at this year's Milan International Motorcycle expo (EICMA): The Deperlù (on your own), a single-seat version and the Conlatusa (with the girlfriend) which, as the name suggests, has a pillion seat.

The DUU Conlatusa (two-seater)

The new DUU Deperlù (single-set)

Personalization and Modularity

The DUU has been designed to be fully customizable and a large variety of factory options are available including: different headlight configurations, pillion set support, mini wind breaker, bellypan, paniers, turn signals, brake and suspension components, 6-speed gearbox and wheel design.

You can also select the factory finish including: custom colors, polishing and plating, leather finish, etc.

These are just some of the standard factory options. You can also consult directly with CR&S and have them build a DUU to your exact specifications.

Four DUU's at EICMA

The CR&S stand at EICMA had four DUU's on display. Two Deperlù (single-seat) models and two Conlatusa models. Each of these demonstrated completely different factory configurations.

Conlatusa!!

Another interpretation of the DUU Deperlù

CR&S's Roberto Crepaldi presents the new DUUs at EICMA 2010

The DUU engine and chassis

The DUU Breaks Cover at EICMA

2010-11-02T21:28:00.000+01:00

First pictures of production versions of the new CR&S DUU have emerged from the Milan International Motorcycle Show EICMA, which opened today. These photos were posted on MotoBlog.it. Check out their site for more photos and information...

Homologating the DUU

2010-11-02T20:48:00.005+01:00

Check out Roberto Crepaldi skillfully smoking the back wheel at the end.

Since he owns the company he's allowed to have such fun with the only

production prototype in the world :-).

A short video showing the DUU production prototype undergoing emission testing (Italian style). I'm not sure if smoking rubber is part of the emission standards....

MV Agusta F3

2010-11-02T11:11:00.008+01:00

MV Agusta's new 3-cylinder, 675cc, middleweight is proof positive that the company was well worth saving from the brink of Harley-Davidson.

Harley's much-needed cash infusion followed by Claudio Castiglioni's timely and cunning reacquisition has bought us a motorcycle that is so beautiful that it makes the iconic MV Agusta F4, which preceded it, look positively old and clunky. Just compare these two images (the old vs the new).

1998 MV Agusta F4

2010 MV Agusta F3

I can't wait to see it in the flesh at this week's EICMA motorcycle show in Milan. Below, small is beautiful...

EICMA 2010 Opens Next Week

2010-10-29T20:45:00.003+02:00

Milan's annual international motorcycle show EICMA 2010 opens next week and runs from Tuesday, November 2nd, to Sunday, November 7th. The first two days (2nd-3rd of November) are for press and trade visitors so you would need a special pass. The remaining days are general admission which costs € 18 or € 12 after 6pm.

CR&S will be there and on this year's stand you can expect to see a selection of production-ready DUU models as well as a display of VUNs.

It will be interesting to compare the DUU with Ducati's Diavel. Both bikes are new, Italian and are trying to define a new market niche, which is, a muscular cruiser style machine with good handling and a focus on technology over bling. MV Augusta have said that they will have a small, closed stand to display their new 675cc triple. I'm hoping for better things from the Electric Motorcycle pioneers this year. EICMA 2010 will have a special pavilion called Green Planet giving some focus to zero emission motorcycles.

It looks like there will be enough new and interesting things to justify me going this year. Last year I wrote this Blog article with information about EICMA and how to get there. You should check it out if you are planning on going, specially if it's your first time.

VUN PPP Returns to the Track

2010-10-28T21:38:00.002+02:00

Franco Cavina track tests the VUN PPP

The VUN PPP made a return to the race track recently in the hands of Franco Cavina. Franco has been testing the bike and turned 300km at the Tolmezzo track in the north of Italy.

Among other things this particular PPP has a close ratio gearbox. Franco says that the fuel map needs some optimization but the engine is powerful and has fluid delivery. Franco is planning to enter this bike in next year's "Roadster Cup" race series in Italy and is currently looking for a talented young rider.

VUN PPP on Display in Bologna

2010-10-27T18:51:00.005+02:00

Thomas Salomoni (Dainese Bologna), Franco Cavina and the VUN PPP

Last weekend was the first anniversary of the Dainese "D-Store" on via Stalingrado, in Bologna. To celebrate, the store threw a party with free barbeque food, discount vouchers, an exotic motorcycle display and the inevitable long legged girls to keep a smile on your face.

The VUN PPP was part of the in-store display and will be there over the next few months in-between track testing engagements (more on that to come...).

PPP stands for Pronto Per la Pista, or "track ready".

Vundes Vun van a Man

2010-10-18T17:53:00.000+02:00

"Eleven VUN (riders) Go to the Isle of Man", the documentary recounting the journey of 11 VUNICs to the Isle of Man, riding their CR&S VUN motorcycles, has won “best foreign documentary” at the "All Sports Film Festival” in Los Angeles and was ranked second overall.

For more details follow this link...

TTXGP 2010

2010-10-17T03:07:00.003+02:00

The world's first electric motorcycle championship the 2010 TTXGP, in Europe, has been won by Italay's CP Racing, taking three victories out of four races.

Here they are taking victory and the title at Brands Hatch raceway last weekend.

Glemseck Moto Show Report

2010-09-09T21:17:00.007+02:00

Bernhard Peintner (left), Oliver Thiel (right), and his VUN (below)
being interviewed at the Glemseck 101 moto show

Oliver reports from the Glemseck 101 moto show, near Stuttgart, Germany that:

There was a cafe´racer sprint, an old timer riding show, a scooter race of 200 meters, body painting, a playground for children, and for visitors admission was free. A Weißbier €3, Steak €3.50, Würstel €2.50.

...not bad.

Click these links for a full review (in German) and a photo pictorial...

Glemseck 101

2010-09-01T19:46:00.007+02:00

The DUU prototype is back in Germany this week and will be on display at this weekend's Glemseck 101 Motoshow from Friday 3rd until Sunday 5th of September.

This year CR&S dealer Oliver Thiel, of Thiel Motorsport, will be displaying the DUU plus four of the nicest VUNs you will find anywhere.

The Glemsek 101 show is held at the historic “Solitute” racetrack near Stuttgart. No longer in use, this track had a long and illustrious life from 1903 until 1965, typically hosting more than 400,000 spectators on a race weekend.

If you are in Germany and want to find out all about the VUN or if you've yet to see the DUU or maybe you just like the T-shirts and would like to buy one, this weekend is a good chance to do so.

Scenes from the Futa Festival

2010-08-30T01:37:00.013+02:00

This weekend's Motohad Futa Festival had five VUN's on display and for the first time in the Bologna region the DUU prototype. Below are some scenes from the CR&S stand at the Futa Moto Festival...

The DUU

The VUN PPP (Pronto Per la Pista)

The VUN Polizia

The VUN Blue Flame

VUN & DUU at Futa Moto Festival

2010-08-27T22:20:00.007+02:00

Today I rode up the Futa from Bologna to Loiano to prepare my bike for the CR&S stand at the Futa Motorcycle Festival in Loiano this weekend. Cavina Racing are running a stand and will have five CR&S VUNs plus the DUU prototype on display.

It was hot as I rode out of Bologna along Via Muri wearing just a casual T-shirt and Jeans. At the last traffic lights, as you exit Bologna, two bikes pulled alongside. A Suzuki streetfighter (I don't know what), and a new looking Aprilia RSV. The Aprilia rider, in his new Dainese race suit gave an "aww how cute" glance at my VUN then pulled a big wheelie as the lights turned green. I knew he was headed for the Futa...

I pulled in behind them keeping close as we took the long, straight bypass to Pianorro at the beginning of the Futa. The Aprilia rider was impatient to get to the twisting Futa pass as he slowed to pull wheelie after wheelie along the way. My adrenaline began to rise as I anticipated what I was going to do when we got there...

At last we reached the long steep ramp that plants you just past the base of the Futa. The Aprilia rider was stretching his leathers and swerving left to right to warm his tires, then pulled one last wheelie. I knew it would not help him...

The Suzuki took off first, with the Aprilia soon passing him. I followed closely to watch the riders in front and guage how hey might react when I come past. I took the Suzuki on a medium right-hander, round the outside pulling away up the hill and tucked in tight behind the Aprilia. After pulling alongside a few times I finally "showed him the hammer" (as Oliver likes to say). Three corners later and I never saw them again in my mirrors. This is my definition of fun!

If you are in the area (Emilia-Romagna) and want to see a collection of beautiful, hand crafted sporty singles that can hand out this kind of punnishment to an Aprilia superbike, then come along to the Futa Motorcycle Festival (aka Motohad) in Loiano this weekend.

The Green Hell

2010-08-25T21:56:00.014+02:00

If Hockenheim was a bit mad, with 250+ bikes together on the track, then the Nurbürgring was mental as anything. We rode the old track which winds its way through 21 km of Germany's Eifel mountains. There are over 300m of altitude changes. Few corners have a run off so only the crash barriers stop you from going into the trees.

Track outings function in the same way as a ski run. You purchase a ticket for the number of laps you want, after each lap you must stop and pass your ticket through the gate before you can start the next lap. I purchased 4-laps for a total of 84km.

A track day at Nurbürgring is a kind of battleground, with super quick Porsches mixing it together with hot fours, track cars, superbikes, VUNs, and everything in-between. We were happy to have Oliver take us out in his V8 Dodge truck to learn the track before donning armor and joining the battle.

The pace we chose was somewhere between a fast sports ride on a mountain road and the pace you might do on a track day at a more sane track like Hockenheim. Once again Oliver, who has a lot of experience at the Nurbürgring (both good and bad), led us round and set the pace, going a little faster each lap. This felt comfortable and relatively safe, except for those moments when a Porsche Carrera vs Mercedes SLK struggle comes at you from behind. The wise (and polite) thing to do is to move over, but this also requires you to drop concentration for a moment so you need to be careful.

Oliver Thiel

Yours truly

Franco Cavina

There were several car wrecks throughout the day where drivers had dropped their concentration, or exceeded their skill, but I did not see any bikes go down, which is a good thing.

Watching a Porsche Carrera in capable hands passing you and going hard down a dip and through the S-bend is amazing. Those things change direction damn fast and are glued to the track!

Nurbürgring was a blast! Many thanks to Oliver Thiel, of Thiel Motorsport, for organizing the day and for having the patience to show us the ropes.

Hockenheim vs VUN

2010-08-24T22:40:00.025+02:00

Last week Christina Baio, Franco Cavina & I took our VUNs over the alps to Germany for some track time. We were kindly hosted in Heilbronn by Oliver Thiel of Thiel Motorsport, VUN dealer for this part of Germany. Oliver has plenty of racing experience at these tracks and joined us to make it four VUNs. First up was Hockenheim...

Martin (who was with us on his Morini 1200), Cristina, Franco and Oliver
pose with the VUNs just before our first session at Hockenheim.

Hockenheim is a fast track. The parabolika is over 800m long and the rest of the track is a mix of fast, slow and medium speed curves. Our track day was organized into 1/4 hour slots alternating between bikes and cars. The first session was crowded, I was just trying to learn my way around while avoiding hitting anyone. Other than us four VUNs, it seemed everyone was on 1000cc plus superbikes which was intimidating at first. Christina, Oliver and Franco are experienced and successful racers, I felt timid and outgunned by comparison.

For me, the second run felt much better, but this time it was really crowded with around 250 bikes, mostly superbikes, on the track. The parabolika is not much fun in this situation: On the VUN you can take the medium speed left-hander leading onto the parabolika at full throttle which gives you a head start, but before you can reach top speed, those 180hp superbikes come blasting past 60km/h faster (or more) than you. If you are good, then the ones you don't catch at the hairpin at the end of the straight you will get on the next high speed right-hander, where the VUN is flat out, while most of the superbikes are panic braking. It is amazing how fast a bike comes towards you in this situation.

Cristina's bike after her slide... not too bad considering.

With around 250 bikes on the track, crashes are inevitable. I saw plenty go down but the ambulance was never called out, which is a good thing. Unfortunately Cristina low-sided her VUN on turn 7 about 80m in front of me. It seems that she hit a 2m long slight dip in the track at the apex that is notorious among experienced riders at Hockenheim. She and her bike slid a long way with Cristina tumbling a few times, but neither sustained any serious injury.

Later, the session was closed due to a Ducati that had blown its motor spreading oil over a large section of the track (possibly a contributing factor to Cristina's fall). The oil was bad enough to close the track for the rest of the day. Big pity because after gaining some confidence, it was a lot of fun dicing with superbikes on a racetrack.

We returned that evening to Heilbronn, Cristina licking her wounds while we prepared for the Nurbürgring on the following day... (to be continued)

RocknRoad Track Training

2010-08-08T22:12:00.003+02:00

Last week I posted some photos from our track day at the Tolmezzo track in Udine (IT). The track day was organized by Barry Rivellini of RocknRoad Racing. Barry is a professional riding instructor and test rider for some major Italian brands as well as a successful racer in his own right.

When the VUNs hit the track Barry was there and kindly provided some free informal instruction to those of us with limited track experience. The following videos capture some of these moments.

Barry explained body positioning and foot placement then had us practice slow tight turns until we were dragging our knee all the way round.

Later we tried our new skills on the track while Barry followed along with his camera.

Thanks Barry, Fabian & I had a safe and enjoyable track day and we both learned a lot!
For more information about RocknRoad's training courses and track days visit their web site. http://www.wix.com/rocknroad/rnr

Video editing by Tany Cas

Scenes from the Factory Floor

2010-08-05T16:00:00.005+02:00

Last month, following the VUNIC meeting, I dropped by the CR&S factory in Milan where they are busy filling orders for new VUNs and preparing the DUU for production. They were not too busy, though, to share a coffee or two and let me take a few photos:

Various VUN's, including old prototypes and customer bikes,
line up in front of a rack of new VUN engines.

VUN swingarms just after being TIG-welded.

The DUU is compact for a 2-litre V-twin. Just how compact?
Compare it to the size of this scooter!

Boxes of brand new S&S V-twin engines had just arrived, ready for DUU production.

VUNIC at the Nurburgring

2010-08-03T14:40:00.001+02:00

CR&S dealer and VUNIC member, Oliver Thiel offered his wide track experience to support VUNIC and organize a VUN track test at the Nurburgring on August 19th & 20th (that's less than 3-weeks away).

If some VUNIC members would like to try their VUN on the world famous Nurburgring's "Green Hell" track with 20,832Km of crazy bends and up-and-down, then contact Oliver. He will be there to support VUNICs during this challenging experience.

The Nürburgring, Nordschleife is open on August, 19 from 17:45 to 19:30 and on August, 20 from 14:15 to 19:30. Oliver can assist with tickets for these two days. A package including hotel at Ringwerk (with museum, cart racing, lunch, etc) is also possible.

For more information contact Oliver Thiel:

Thiel Motorsport
Von-Klug-Str. 11
D-74078 Heilbronn

Tel: 07066/4993
Fax: 07066/4993

web: www.Thiel-Motorsport.de
mail: info@Thiel-Motorsport.de

Franco Cavina & I are planning to attend with our VUNs and a van. If you are based in Italy and you would like to co-ordinate with the logistics of getting there, carrying gear, bookings etc then get in touch. E-mail me or leave a message.

Five VUNs Hit the Track

2010-07-31T15:02:00.017+02:00

Last Monday, following the VUNIC meeting at Bassano del Grappa, five VUN owners split off to join a track day organized by Rock n Road Racing at the Tolmezzo track nestled between the mountains in Udine (IT).

Left to right: Fabio "Cicci" Segato, Fabian, Franco, Barry, Me, Moreno

Me and my VUN exploring this lovely little track.

This track is situated in a breathtaking location among the mountains near the Italian border with Austria.

There were some seriously good riders out there enjoying the modestly powered but nimble and competent VUNs. Both Franco Cavina & Barry Rivellini are real racers with many victories under their belts at the highest levels.

Pictured below: Franco & Barry duke it out at the end of the day. Franco is riding his VUN Carbon, Barry is riding a VUN PPP (Pronto Per la Pista).

Thanks to Barry Rivellini for organizing the track and sharing his knowledge as a racing instructor. Thanks also to CR&S and Cavina Racing for providing most of the bikes including that little rocket the VUN PPP.

Next up: Germany's Nurburgring! Details soon...

Sak Art's Electric Superbike Concept

2010-07-30T07:58:00.000+02:00

More VUNIC Meeting Photos

2010-07-29T23:15:00.004+02:00

Club VUNIC Hit the Dolomites

2010-07-28T23:29:00.027+02:00

Last Saturday, members of the VUN International Club (VUNIC) met at Bassano del Grappa to help celebrate the 25th anniversary of Club Pompone (Italy's largest club dedicated to Italian motorcycles).

Passo Rolle - Dolomites

These are the stated objectives of the VUN International Club:

No snobbery. Lots of biking, lots of bends, fine locations and, at sunset when we stop, somewhere good to eat, a comfortable room, without spending more than necessary. The sole aim being to have fun amongst people with the same elective affinities.

Roberto Crepaldi - the summit at Monte Grappa

Roberto and his friends have been organizing motorcycle tours across Europe and North Africa since the mid 1990's. After the birth of the CR&S's VUN in 2007 this group was extended to include all VUN motorcycle owners. Now the trips regularly include owners from Italy, Germany, France and elsewhere.

Bernhard Peintner outside the hotel at Bassano del Grappa

CMM's Paolo Biraghi

Last Saturday's ride took us to the top of Monte Grappa, down to Pedavena to visit the CR&S exhibition at the Club Pompone meeting, then deep into the Dolomites for a lakeside lunch and across the wonderful mountain pass at San Martino. After Passo Rolle an aggressive ride across Passo Manghen on a tight B-road then back to Bassano for diner. A glass of grappa on the Ponte Vecchio and a walk around the old town completed a true day to remember.

The view at Monte Grappa

VUNic Lineup at the Club Pompone stand...

Cristina Baio: 2004 champion, Italian female superbike series

Franco keeping the DUU prototype upright.

Brammo Empulse

2010-07-16T00:42:00.010+02:00

U.S. based electric motorcycle manufacturer Brammo, has released details about its second generation electric motorcycle, the Brammo Empulse and... it's alright!

...more than alright. Until now, Brammo were associated with the competent, but rather boring, commuter-style Brammo Enertia. Three years later and technology has taken a leap forward. Twice the range and nearly double the top speed at around the same price as their 2007 commuter model. This bike uses quality components and has an aggressive modern styling.

The best thing is that this is not just a prototype or an expensive racebike. This bike is going into production next year, pricing starts at $9,000 and you can drop down $100 to reserve your place right now.

Check out this promotional video and the extensive article about this bike on Gizmag.

MAD Celebrate New Moto Museum

2010-07-04T23:58:00.008+02:00

Recently the Milan photo studio of Giovanni Cabassi was host to the celebration of a new residential project, Cascina Concorezzo 16 km south of Milano. Part of this residential complex will become the new permanent home to the prestigious and eclectic Moto Art Design (MAD) motorcycle museum, also known as Collezione Motociclistica Milanese (CMM).

CR&S's Nicolò Koschatzky and Donato Cannatello in the courtyard garden during the Cascina Concorezzo celebration.

The cream of the MAD collection were on display:

Lucifer's Hammer - a Harley Davidson engined racebike from the 90's. Commissioned by Christchurch Motorcycles and constructed by New Zealand's talented Ken McIntosh.

A Confederate B120 Wraith and the CR&S DUU prototype compete for attention.

The CR&S commissioned Britten lives on in the Collezione Motociclistica Milanese.

A VΨRUS 987 4V mini moto. Now I've seen everything... cute.

Ahhh an original Ducati Supermono. Bellissima.

The Cascina Concorenzzo residential project could be the ultimate location for a moto appassionato. The complex will boast stylish housing and loft living, the MAD Museum, a master school of motorcycle design, a motorcycle restoration center, a motorcycling technical library, bar and restaurant, pool and gymnasium. Pretty tempting isn't it? You can find out more by registering your interest at www.milanofiorinord.it

Sak Art Ducati Hypermono

2010-06-30T18:21:00.020+02:00

A few months ago the designer's at Italy's Sak Art released conceptual drawings for a modern interpretation of the wonderful Ducati Supermono of the 1990s'.

This design makes intelligent use of the new Ducati Monster's frame and swingarm. Being a 'hyper' sports model it deserves top-rate equipment. This is provided via a carbon fiber tank and bodywork, Ohlins suspension, Brembo brakes with 305mm rotors and 17" Marchesini wheels.

The engine is configured in the same way as the original Supermono. That is, utilizing an existing Ducati Superbike engine, but instead of the vertical cylinder a counterweight is attached to the vertical con-rod. This provides the natural vibration damping of a 90° v-twin allowing the engine to achieve much higher RPM than possible from a normal single. It also has the advantage of creating an all new engine configuration while reusing most of the existing Superbike engine parts. This was the stroke of brilliance afforded to the original Supermono by, then Ducati chief engineer, Massimo Bordi.

Sak Art produced a series of playfully styled variations of the supermono theme in homage to various Ducati race bikes of the past.

Orange/Black reflects some vintage models of the 70s including the 350 mono.

The version presented above is devoted to a Ducati 175 F3 that won a host races between the '50s and '60s, and honors Francesco Villa who rode to victory in Monza ('58-'59-'60) in this 175 category. His number (16) was the number used in Villa's first victory in 1958.

Finally, the "Desmo Racing" version is a tribute to the 450 Desmo single "king of the mountain" that dominated championships in the early 70s.

Sak Art's ernest hope in producing this concept was to spark 'grass roots' interest in their lovely design in the hopes that someone at Ducati is taking notice and maybee, just maybee put into production the bike they could have given us twenty years ago.

To this day, the only serious supermono sports bike in production is the CR&S VUN. In the mean time, Ducati seem much more interested in entering the market already defined by the CR&S DUU (as witnessed by recent spy shots).

Mimicry is flattery I guess...

Orange Passion

2010-06-24T00:57:00.005+02:00

When Cesare Sottocornola ordered his CR&S VUN he wanted it to reflect the passion he has for his classic 1971 BSA Rocket.

The BSA Rocket (and subsequent Triumph Trident) was perhaps the last British superbike of the classic era.

Cesare's VUN perfectly matches the color and style details of his BSA.

With its spoke wheels, polished alloy tank and minimalist sports styling, Cesare's VUN is a true modern interpretation of the classic British cafè racers of the 1960's and early '70s. Versatile and well traveled this VUN has toured Italy, Germany, the Isle of Man, Tunisia and Libya with fellow VUNIC members and will see many new adventures in the future.

BSA Rocket (1971)

Engine
Engine type	Air-cooled, inline 3-cylinder
Displacement (cc)	750cc
Special Features	Amal concentric big bore carburetors, Carrillo con rods, Koelliker race camshaft.
Transmission
Type	Quaife 5-speed.
Brakes
Front	250mm Fontana drum

CR&S VUN (Orange Passion)

Engine
Engine type	Water-cooled, Rotax single-cylinder
Displacement (cc)	650cc
Special Features	CDR Racing radiators
Suspension
Front	Ceriani Racing
Rear	Ohlins

CR&S Forum Now Online

2010-06-14T19:39:00.002+02:00

A CR&S forum has now started on the Italobikes.de web site. The forum is in German but I believe that postings in English are also welcome.

This could be a good place to organize rides or ask questions about the CR&S brand and its bikes.

The forum address is...

http://www.italobikes.com/de/foren/24-crs-forum

VUN Presentation in Bologna

2010-06-13T22:31:00.006+02:00

The following slide-shows are from a recent presentation of VUN motorcycles at Mamolo Cafè in the center of Bologna (usually Ducati territory).

The presentation was organized by Franco Cavina, CR&S dealer for Emilia-Romagna, Italy and was kindly hosted by Paulo at Bologna's coolest biker friendly bar, Mamolo Cafè.

DUU Modularity

2010-06-12T22:58:00.005+02:00

Below is a study drawing for a DUU front wheel option.

The DUU, that goes into production early next year, will be the basis for a series of substantially different variations using a modular component approach.

Below is a study rendering for the seductive cafè racer version of the DUU.

Strike One

2010-06-12T00:34:00.003+02:00

A few years ago I lent my Ducati Monster to a friend so he could take his license test. I know this sounds mad, but it was impossible to get through the 'tight maneuver" part of the test on his Ducati 748. Anyway he was gone for a few hours longer than expected and when he finally returned he walked through the door holding a broken indicator saying: "this should explain everything".

Likewise, today I can present you the new shape of my left handlebar end cap. It should explain everything...

Nothing too serious, my first in 10-years. Riding the Futa Pass at speed at 4am wasn't too smart in hind sight.

DUU Production Prototype

2010-06-10T07:33:00.014+02:00

A third DUU prototype is currently being prepared at CR&S. The first prototype was a running prototype to understand the layout & dynamics of the machine. The second prototype assembled all of the visual components and studied the packaging. This is the version that was unveiled at last November's international motorcycle show in Milan. The third prototype is a production prototype and is used to finalize the overall design of the machine and detailed layout so that it is ready to put into production.

There is a world of difference between building one bike and building a bike that can be put into production. Thousands of details need to be thought through: supply of parts, reliability, safety, maintenance, cost, compliance with regulations. It is a complex and daunting task.

The production prototype is well on its way to completion and will be doing the rounds at various motorcycle shows later in the year. Full production of the DUU is scheduled for 2011.

Roberto Crepaldi fires up the production prototype.

TTZero at IOM Hots Up

2010-06-08T10:28:00.012+02:00

This year's all-electric TTZero race at the Isle of Man is shaping up to be an exciting and technically interesting race.

The MotoCzysz bike is definitely one of the most beautifully sculpted bikes, of any type, I have seen and seems to go as fast as it looks. Yesterday's second practice saw the MotoCzysz 'zeroing' in on 100mph (160kph) average lap speed which is a good improvement on last year's record of 87.5mph set by Team Agni. A £10,000 prize will be awarded to the first all-electric bike to crack 100mph average speed at the Isle of Man.

The main limit to performance still seems to be battery storage and the need to conserve power. This is why you don't see the electric bikes flying off the start line, even though they are capable of it. It is the highest average speed that wins the day.

Speaking of Team Agni, this year's bike is sporting a dustbin fairing which is allowed under the FIM rules for electric motorcycles.

The excitement of this year's Isle of Man race is providing a much needed 'shot in the arm' for electric motorcycle racing. There are two competing electric bike world series being run this year: the TTXGP series and the FIM's e-Power.

The first round of this year's e-Power series, at Le Mans, was a dismal display with only 6-bikes turning up (one of them an electric scooter) and only 5 of those managing to get to the start line.

The first 2010 TTXGP round at the US Infineon track, in May, was not much better. The electric bikes were shuffled to the side and made to race on the little-used infield track, out of sight and out of mind of the crowd who had turned up to watch the superbikes. The most exciting electric-bike related thing to happen was probably the Hell for Leather crew's antics with an electric supermoto in the woman's bathroom (for which they were thrown out of the paddock).

Update: The MotoCzysz E1PC won this year's TT Zero event at the Isle of Man with the Agni bike coming in a respectable second. The MotoCzysz came close to but did not break the 100 mph (160 kph) average speed. Perhaps next year. If you want to read a good overview of the MotoCzysz bike and it's development then check this story on the Popular Science website. It's worth a look for the pictures alone.

VUN Cavina II

2010-06-05T17:39:00.014+02:00

From Concept to Reality

Each VUN motorcycle is built at the factory according to individual customer specifications. To achieve your perfect VUN You can work with the CR&S design team to produce conceptual artwork before manufacturing begins.

Earlier this year VUN dealer for Bologna (IT), Franco Cavina recently commissioned a new VUN. Working with Donato Cannatello at CR&S they produced this concept (below).

Once Franco was happy with the the concept a detailed specification was prepared, an order made and the bike went into production.

Recently, Franco & I visited the CR&S factory to pick up the finished bike....

CR&S use Kaos Design (located next door to the CR&S factory) for all their custom paintwork. This bike has been finished with a polished alloy tank overlaid with a deep pearl color, lucid gold frame and polished engine covers.

A belly pan has been added from the technical options catalog and the standard mirrors and indicators have been substituted with Rizoma units.

CR&S Expo at Club Pompone

2010-05-26T10:13:00.006+02:00

Saturday July 24, another day to stick in your diary.

Club Pompone (Pompone means big pump or engine with large cylinders) will be holding its 25th anniversary celebrations in Pedavena, Italy. The festival will be honoring Italian motorcycle brands and CR&S will be there with their VUN & DUU models.

S&S Factory Visit

2010-05-25T21:58:00.033+02:00

Earlier this year, in March, a CR&S delegation traveled to the S&S Cycle factory in Viola, Wisconsin, aka "The Ranch".

left to right: Georgio Sarti (CR&S), Roberto Crepaldi (CR&S), George Smith (CEO S&S), Giuseppe "Beppe" Bulla (DUU project engineer), Giovanni Cabassi (CR&S), Shane Whitty (S&S OEM Manager)

CR&S has enjoyed strong advance orders for their new DUU model since it was unveiled at last November's EICMA motorcycle show in Milan. The DUU uses S&S Cycle's new 2-litre X-Wedge engine. Face to face meetings are important to ensure good OEM agreements and a steady supply of engines. This, and CR&S's recent move into larger premises, show CR&S seem serious about meeting the higher production capacity needed to supply demand for the DUU.

The S&S X-Wedge Engine

Above: Some of S&S's production facilities at their Viola, Wisconsin "ranch".

Above: An S&S pro-stock drag racing cylinder head ready for shipment. As you can see from the photo, these heads are CNC machined from solid alloy billet. On the left, the solid billet before machining.

Roberto Crepaldi: Why S&S's main factory is located in a ranch close to Viola, a small village in the middle of Wisconsin? (Wisconsin is a green empty state full of farms). Because this is the Smith family ranch where they once repaired their tractors and tuned their own racing H-D in their own workshop while they do farming. Then they invented the S&S big bore carb for HD and the workshop [grew] and [grew] till the actual dimension of 200 workers... Their main business is always tuning parts for HD, but they produce a wide range of engines too. The X-Wedge is their [latest] one, completely coming from S&S technology and knowledge.

Paton vs VUN PPP

2010-05-20T22:41:00.017+02:00

Last weekend's ASI Classic motorcycle event at the Autodromo di Varano de’ Melegari (Italy) hosted a track demonstration pitting the awesome 1968 Paton BIC500 Grand Prix bike against a VUN PPP (Pronto Per la Pista).

Roberto Pattoni readies the VUN PPP for the track.

While the Paton is wheeled onto its starting rig

The Paton BIC500 (1968)

Engine
Engine type	Two-cylinder 4-stroke, 4 valves per cylinder
Displacement (cc)	498.8cc
Bore x stroke	78x52.2
Max power	74 hp at 11,000 rpm
Transmission
Type	Six speed cassette gearbox
Chassis
Frame type	lightweight steel double loop frame
Suspension
Front forks	35mm Ceriani
Rear shock	Twin Ceriani R units
Brakes
Front	210mm Fontana drum

The VUN PPP (2009)

Engine
Engine type	One-cylinder 4-stroke, 4 valves per cylinder
Displacement (cc)	720cc
Max power	85 hp at 8,500 rpm
Transmission
Type	Five-speed gearbox
Chassis
Frame type	Steel tubes and machined light alloy plate
Dry weight	125 kg
Suspension
Front forks	42mm Ceriani
Brakes
Front	320mm radial Brembo single disk

On paper, these two bikes should be pretty evenly matched. At least in terms of power to weight. It was a delight to see them together on a race track. Unfortunately the track conditions were wet and slippery calling for caution, so we didn't get to see them going hard at it.

Giovanni Cabassi with the VUN PPP

According to the programme for the weekend's events there was supposed to be a VΨRUS on track with these two which would have made for a wonderfully eclectic mix of exotic Italian bikes. I am guessing that the terrible weather was the reason for the VΨRUS staying indoors.

The Vuncent

2010-05-15T21:33:00.014+02:00

Today the Autodromo di Varano de’ Melegari (Italy) held the annual ASI Classic motorcycle event. This is Italy's largest classic motorcycle meeting featuring many rare and important motorcycles from around the world representing each historic period.

This year the Italian Vincent HRD Owners Club hosted a lovely collection of motorcycles including (of course) a beautifully restored Vincent HRD, a racing VUN PPP, the CR&S DUU prototype, and a road-going VUN designed as a special tribute to the Vincent Black Shadow... The VUNcent.

This bike features the classic Vincent black & gold color scheme, complemented by playful tank logos. Wire spoke wheels complete the picture for a fitting tribute.

If you are in the region, there is still time to visit this wonderful collection of bikes. The ASI Classic motorcycle event finishes on Sunday May, 16th. (Below, the real thing).

DUU Orders Surpass 100

2010-05-12T21:38:00.001+02:00

CR&S announces that pre-orders for their new DUU model have exceeded 100. This is a positive result for such a small company especially when you consider that the model was launched in the middle of a financial crisis. Production and first deliveries for the DUU are expected from 2011.

Goodbye TT2, Hello VUN

2010-05-06T16:21:00.154+02:00

Last week I said goodbye to my Ducati TT2 and Triumph 675 Daytona. My beautiful TT2 was sold, the Daytona gave me four months of fantastic riding and is now in storage for the New Zealand winter.

This week I returned to Northern Europe and I'm getting reacquainted with my VUN. My first ride involved pushing her three city blocks from the garage to my apartment. It was a cold winter here and the lightweight Lithium Ferrous battery I installed last year was dead flat. At one point I attempted bump starting it down a gentle slope.

A bump-start technique for 650 singles:

Find a gentle slope, or a steep slope. Not too steep or you will loose traction on the rear wheel. Remember that if it doesn't start you will have to push it back up.
Put the bike into 3rd gear. This lowers the amount of engine breaking so your rear wheel doesn't lock up.
Rotate the engine until the piston is just before top dead center. This ensures that the engine will be ready to fire as soon as it starts turning. This requires a bit of feel... top dead center is the point of maximum compression.
Turn off the lights, check the kill switch (important), and turn on the ignition.
Sacrifice a chicken (optional).
Still in 3rd gear, pull in the clutch and run beside the bike, get up to your maximum running speed.
Jump onto the seat (side saddle style). At the moment your ass slams onto the seat, let out the clutch and pray to the gods of speed. Timing is important here. You want to put as much weight as possible onto the back wheel before letting out the clutch. This requires a bit of balance, do not fall down, with any (lots of) luck it will start.

Slamming your weight onto the seat helps to prevent the back wheel from sliding. If this happens, don't panic, just pull the clutch back in. If you still have enough speed and are still going down hill then throw your leg over the seat and stand on the pegs. Now push all your weight on the pegs (start to fall onto the seat then stop the fall with your legs). Let out the clutch again when there is maximum weight on the back wheel.

Bump starting a VUN on your own is pretty difficult but I managed to start mine. Unfortunately, after riding about 20 meters I had to stop at an intersection and the engine died (I was now at the bottom of the hill). That was my first short ride on the VUN for 2010.

Here is a short list of what makes my VUN different from the standard model:

Marvic magnezium wheels,
Breaking "wave" front & rear disks,
Ohlins rear shock absorber,
Racing "sterio" lightweight radiators,
LSL clip-on handlebars,
Lightweight Speedcell lithium iron battery (now fully charged),
High-flow air filters, free flowing headers pipes (no catalytic converters),
Rizoma LED indicators,
Rizoma mirrors,
Custom paint.

This year will bring another series of modifications starting by replacing the rear subframe with a lightweight alloy one. As ever, the goal is to reduce weight, improve handling and (less importantly) increase power.

Rapid Art

2010-04-27T11:32:00.034+02:00

F1E Motorcycle Works is a New Zealand based company dedicated to producing racing prototypes and some very special race-bred road bikes. F1E Motorcycle Works specialize in building and racing Ducati TT2 replicas which what first drew my interest to this company.

Owner Steve Bridge is at the same time a superb engineer, brilliant designer and a successful racer. He has developed his Rapid Art range of performance motorcycle accessories for a wide variety of street bikes.

I visited Steve's workshop recently where I got a first hand look at some of his latest projects...

Steve's successful TT2 post-classic race bike

Steve's Ducati 999 / 900 Superleggera hybrid

The little beauty shown above uses a Ducati 900 superlight engine fitted to a Ducati 999 frame, tank and seat. A custom exhaust, special bellypan, mini-fairing and a lot of detail fitting and special parts creates a bike which exceeds the sum of its parts.

It was Steve Bridge who transformed the 500cc Pantah engine, Verlicchi TT2 Frame and bodywork I had laying around in the garage, into my dream Ducati TT2 road bike (shown below...).

As a modern replica, this bike has been updated with upside down front suspension, lightweight 17" wheels and 4-pot front brake calipers. The addition of Rapid Art, components a lot of special fitting and superb attention to detail has produced a standout Ducati road bike.

Sadly, as I am soon returning to Europe, I have decided to sell this bike. Anyone interested in buying it should contact me at the e-mail address shown below. I will be writing more details about this bike and its pending sale in a future Blog article.

Update: The TT2 has been sold. To all who contacted me, thanks for your interest.

One Man's Dream

2010-03-31T03:39:00.002+02:00

Compulsory viewing.

A nine-part video documenting New Zealand designer & engineer, John Britten, and his heroic effort to create a world beating superbike.

Sam Britten's VUN Video

2010-03-30T03:53:00.001+02:00

This video was created by Sam Britten, son of New Zealand motorcycling legend John Britten.

VUN Undercarriage Concepts

2010-03-29T10:14:00.009+02:00

The VΨRUS 987 4V uses underslung, side-mounted radiators. This arrangement neatly reduces the visual impact of having side-mounted radiators while also lowering the center of gravity (as shown below).

The VΨRUS 987 4V

The following conceptual drawings show how this arrangement could be utilized on the VUN to achieve the same results (improved visual appearance and lower center of gravity).

Note: These drawings also use the VUN front fairing concept from an earlier Blog article.

CR&S Move to Larger Premises

2010-03-27T22:41:00.008+01:00

From the first of April, O.M.M. srl (owner of the brands CR&S, VUN and DUU) is moving to new headquarter in Cusago (Milano).

The new premises will make room for an increased production capacity in order to meed demand for the new DUU model.

In related news CR&S are reported to have produced a third prototype version of the DUU as the new bike undergoes further development and testing prior to going into production. Details will be posted as more information comes to hand.

The address and contact for CR&S's at their new location is..

O.M.M. Srl (Officina Meccanotecnica Milanese)
Viale Europa 67
20090 Cusago (Milano)

BeOn - Affordable Track Bikes

2010-03-26T08:23:00.023+01:00

Have you ever wished for a dedicated track bike that would be cheap enough to thrash around your local circuit without worrying too much about the costs when it all goes wrong?

An enterprising Spanish company, BeOn Automotive SL, may just have what you are looking for. They are producing a kit that will convert your 450 off-road single-cylinder chicken chaser into a serious track bike. One of the cool things about this kit is that it is non-intrusive, meaning you can convert your track bike back into an off-road at any time.

Turn this...

Into this...

With this!

The intention of this kit is to provide cheap and plentiful bikes for the new 450 GP race class. The 450 single cylinder class now is becoming popular in Europe and around the world.

At just over 100 kg, the BeOn 450 is similar in weight and power to a 125 GP bike. With slick tires, good suspension and brake components it would be a heck of a lot of fun to take one of these out on a track day. You could definitely give a fright to the average Joe on his super powerful, super heavy, super street bike.

Currently the kit is available for the current models...

KTM SXF 450 version: '07 - '10
Kawasaki KXF 450 version: '06 - '10
Yamaha YZF 450 version: '07 - '10
Honda CRF 450 version: '05 - '10
Suzuki RMZ 450 version: '08 - '10

This is perfect if you want to compete in the 450 GP class. Personally, I would prefer to have a nimble little thing to thrash about on track days. In that case it would probably be better to fit the kit to a KTM 530 EXC model which has pretty much the same frame, swingarm, suspension and other critical components as the KTM SXF 450, but has a slightly larger and more torquey engine.

So, just how easy is it to convert your KTM 530 EXC into a serious track bike? The video clip below shows you how it can be done in less than 2 minutes... assuming you can work in fast motion.

A VUN at the Futa Pass

2010-03-24T12:15:00.003+01:00

Spring is in the air. It is time to start planning your dream ride for the northern summer and what better place to be than riding a VUN across Italy's famous Futa Pass, just outside Bologna...

Love, Speed and Loss

2010-03-18T23:50:00.011+01:00

This is the story of New Zealand 500cc GP racer Kim Newcombe. Kim built and raced the first König 500cc GPs bikes in the late 1960's to early 1970's. Kim was engineer, mechanic, test rider and a successful racer.

In 1973 he competed against such legends as Phil Read and Giacomo Agostini, winning in Yugoslavia and was only one point short of winning the world championship when he was tragically killed at Silverstone raceway. Kim was posthumously awarded second place in the world championship that year.

This four-part video is story is about grit, determination, great passion and love. Ultimately is it a story which leads to tragedy, loss and regret. This was a period in motor racing history when the march of technology and racing speeds outpaced the consideration for safety.

More from CR&S at IMOT 2010

2010-03-06T03:55:00.001+01:00

CR&S Tour Germany

2010-03-04T23:27:00.007+01:00

CR&S VUN & DUU motorcycles have been touring Germany recently. Bernhard Peintner, of IWAN-BIKES Gmbh, reports February's IMOT show in Munich was a resounding success. The DUU, in particular, enjoyed an enthusiastic reception on its German premier.

DUU & VUN bikes at Munich's IMOT 2010 bike show in February

The bikes went on to feature at the Ilshofen bike fair near Stuttgart (see below) and are currently being exhibited in Dortmund.

The BSL 500 MotoGP Effort

2010-03-03T02:58:00.033+01:00

Readers of this Blog aside, only a minority of Moto GP fans know much about Italy's valiant Paton 500GP motorcycle GP effort (read here for some background). Fewer still will have heard of another privateer 500cc GP bike from the opposite side of the world: New Zealand's BSL 500.

In 1999, after 3-years of development, Aucklander Bill Buckley - businessman, motorcyclist and owner of engineering firm Buckley Systems Limited, realized his dream to compete with his own bike at the pinnacle of motorcycle racing, the 500cc Grand Prix.

Utilizing Buckley System's numerous CNC milling machines, lathes and other advanced industrial machinery, Buckley assembled a team including Kiwi engineers from Kenny Roberts' similar KR3 project and others from the Britten V1000 project.

A V-Three engine configuration was chosen to take advantage of the lower weight allowances. The minimum FIM weight limits for 500cc GP bikes in 1999 was: 101kg for singles and twins, 116kg for triples and 131kg for four or more cylinders. Unfortunately achieving the minimum weight proved difficult so that initially the BSL carried a power disadvantage without the benefit of a lower weight.

Reliability was also an early problem with piston seizing and overheating problems dogging the project. As New Zealand race tracks enforced a 95db noise limit, testing and exhaust development had to be done outside New Zealand. This made testing slower and more difficult than it should have been which could explain the team's inability to finally get on top of the reliability problems.

Never the less the BSL 500 was entered and competed in the 1999 and 2000 500cc world championship with Australian riders Mark Willis and John Allen and Kiwi rider Stephen Briggs. Unfortunately, the bike suffered from its reliability and lack of development.

Despite being entered for the 2001 season, development frustrations and the pending introduction of 1000cc 4-strokes to the MotoGP class caused the team to pull out of the world championship after the 2000 season. Lack of foresight and support from Motorcycling New Zealand did not help. After successfully competing in New Zealand's premier Formula 1 racing class in 2001 the BSL found itself banned from the 2002 season as Motorcycling New Zealand changed the rules to allow only mass production-based machines. This rule change would have also effectively excluded New Zealand's own Britten V1000 from the championship had it still been competing. Nice way to support innovation in your own country guys!

Motorcycle racing need spirited engineers like Bill Buckley and Giuseppe Pattoni. Despite all the setbacks and frustration Bill Buckley and his BSL team can be proud even to have competed at the highest level.

Specifications

Engine
Engine type	Two-stroke liquid cooled V3 (BSL)
Displacement (cc)	498cc
Bore x stroke	56x56
Max power	162 hp (2003), 110 hp (1999)
Transmission
Type	Six speed cassette gearbox (BSL)
Chassis
Frame type	CNC-machined alloy twin spar (BSL)
Steering rake	21.5 degrees, variable
Swingarm	Linkged CNC-machined alloy (BSL)
Wheelbase	1380-1410 mm
Weight (dry)	116 kg
Suspension
Front forks	USD 42mm Ohlins
Rear shock	Ohlins
Wheels
Type	17" PVM, 3.5" front, 5.25" rear
Brakes
Front	Brembo 4-piston callipers
Front discs	Mitsubishi 320mm carbon discs

Electric Superbike 'Leap Forward'

2010-02-28T07:21:00.029+01:00

MotoCzysz, have announced the availability of its Electric D1g1tal Dr1ve (eDD) kit, which could be suitable for manufacturers or teams wanting to develop an electric race bike for this year's inaugural TTXGP electric world series. MotoCzysz press release follows...

MotoCzysz Electric D1g1tal Dr1ve System
MotoCzysz announces the most integrated electric drive available. The first product from a family of integrated drives being developed by MotoCzysz is designed and engineered specifically for high performance electric motorcycles. The eDD system integrates advanced technologies with new proprietary industry first solutions. For individuals, teams and companies interested in building a high performance electric motorcycle, the new MotoCzysz Digital Drive system is the most advanced integrated electric drive system available.

MotoCzysz power, your imagination
Electric drive systems are rapidly moving beyond the resources available to individuals and small teams, but the vision and ability to build a next generation e motorcycle has not. With the MotoCzysz eDD system an individual or team can use their imagination and build a highly competitive proprietary race bike or utilize parts from a donor bike to build the electric motorcycle of their dreams.

Motor
The MotoCzysz liquid cooled 75kW/100hp electric motor is one of the highest torque/density motors in the industry (250+ft/lbs/340+Nm continuous 77lbs/35kg). The integrated permanent magnet solution generates more torque while being more efficient than any comparably sized AC induction motor. The MotoCzysz cooling system elevates the motor’s nominal power output closer to the motor’s peak power output. The MotoCzysz motor can deliver a continuous 75kW (100hp) and is 93% efficient under continuous heavy load (140C). The motor is available to accommodate either right or left hand chain drive.

Controller
The MotoCzysz LQ 240V 85kW Controller is specifically optimized for the motor, in both function and packaging. Accepting 240V and 350+ amps the sealed Controller contains ALL the high voltage components and plugs directly into the motor, resulting in a nearly completely wireless (high voltage) system. The Controller receives battery motor and rider command data and adjusts current accordingly.; The Controller software has multiple embedded maps for setting or customizing functions like torque contouring and overall power settings.

Batteries
The new Digital battery pack utilizes high density, high discharge LiPo (Lithium Polymer) cells. Each pack is embedded with monitoring capability that sends vital data wirelessly via infrared to a Digital Vehicle Management System and ultimately to the Controller. Additionally, each battery pack houses an LED display that indicates the overall pack as well as individual cell group data. Each battery pack weighs less than 18lbs and effortlessly “snaps” into the “suitcase” chassis. The “suitcase” holds 8 battery packs for a total energy storage of 10kWh.

Chassis
MotoCzysz has designed the “suitcase” chassis to optimize the mass location and vehicle’s overall on board energy density. The chassis accommodates virtually any modern double sided swingarm from a 1,000cc motorcycle. The suitcase also ships with a matching top plate for the mounting/fabrication of a new or existing front end.

MotoCzysz Electric Digital Drive Specifications:

Motor:
Voltage 240V+
Power 75kW/100hp (continuous)
Weight 77lbs/35kg (complete with pump and mounts)
Diameter 254mm/10″
Width 190mm/7.5″
Cooling liquid (oil)
Efficiency 93% (under continuous load at 70C)

Controller:
Voltage 240V
Current 335A
Power 85kWh
Weight 17lbs/7.7kg
LxWxH 335×205x90mm/13.2×8.0×3.5″
Cooling Liquid (water)
Efficiency 95%

Battery Pack: individual
Voltage 29.6 (nominal)
Capacity 40Ah
Weight 17.5 lbs/8kg
Energy Storage 1.25kWh (1.2kWh nominal)
Discharge 10c peak
High voltage direct contact to buss
Data Link via infrared
Hot swap yes
Voltage monitoring yes
Thermal monitoring yes
Digital readout yes
Alarm status LED’s yes

Total ESS:
Voltage 240V
Capacity 40Ah
Weight 140lbs (17.5lbs X 8) /63.5kg
Energy storage 10kWh (9.6kWh nominal)

Complete eDD System:
Total Weight 255lbs/115kg
Total Length 635mm/25″
Total Width 320mm/12.5″
Total Height 675mm/26.5″

Price:
Complete Electrical Digital Drive System W/ 10kWh ESS $42,500
(motor, controller, suitcase chassis, 8 battery packs)

Complete Electrical Digital Drive System W/O ESS $24,500
(motor, controller, suitcase chassis)

Piha Vistas

2010-02-27T01:59:00.006+01:00

Lookout point on a Saturday morning ride for coffee. Piha Beach, West Auckland. Good coffee, great ride.

TTXGP Electric World Series 2010

2010-02-18T23:34:00.005+01:00

A teaser promotional video for the inaugural TTXGP world series for electric bikes. History in the making.

Aermacchi Racing

2010-02-12T05:08:00.019+01:00

Remember those wonderful Aermacchi 250-500cc horizontal singles from the late 60's and early 1970's? A small company from Holland, Aermacchi-Racing, has been keeping that memory alive by offering Aermacchi parts, sporting kits, race bikes and specials made to order.

Dutchman Jan Kampen Jr's company has been supplying Aermacchi parts and services since 1984. For me, most interesting, are the road bikes they build using original Aermacchi engines and frames but employing modern wheels, brakes and suspension (and hopefully modern electrics too).

Groene (green) Cafe Racer

Available either as a kit or a complete bike using the 500cc, 51 bhp engine with 6 speed gearbox and Metisse replica frame using Manganese-Molybdenum 531 tubing. Front suspension is Girling 35 mm, upsidedown forks, the wheels are 2.75x17 in front, 4.00x17in. rear and front braking is provided by a single Brembo 320 mm disk with 4-piston calipers. Dry weight is 112 kg, and remember there is no water cooling for this engine.

All together these are pretty high specification bikes providing an excellent power to weight ratio. They should be incredible fun to ride and they look very cool.

For those wanting a bit more performance, Aermacchi-Racing produce some hot parts, including this double overhead cam cylinder-head and the race-spec dry clutch (pictured below).

CMM Exibition Extended

2010-02-06T03:46:00.004+01:00

The wonderful Collezione Motociclistica Milanese (CMM) exhibition that was due to close at the end of last year has been extended until March 14th.

This exhibition contains the best collection of Patton race bikes you will ever see. In addition to the usual excellent lineup of modern and historic bikes (including a VUN) CMM are currently featuring the DUU prototype and from the 16th of February there will be the New Zealand made CR&S Britten V1000.

CMM
Viale Col di Lana, 8
20136 Milano
Phone (+39) 02 8395011
Fax (+39) 02 89427994

VUN & DUU on Italian TV (TG5)

2010-02-06T03:00:00.008+01:00

This interview, in Italian, features a short interview with Roberto Crepaldi with footage at the CR&S factory and the Collezione Motociclistica Milanese (CMM) museum.

In the video they talk about the "made in Milan with the heart and with the hand" aspect of VUN & DUU motorcycles. Unfortunately the video cuts off before the end of the interview.

2010 KTM LC4 Single Cylinder

2010-02-05T09:50:00.027+01:00

Compact, lightweight, powerful and reliable. The 2010 KTM 690cc LC4 engine would be a fantastic unit to use in the VUN.

Weighing only 38kg and putting out 70hp the LC4 is in a different league than any other single cylinder engine on the market. The VUN's Rotax 650 only puts out 54hp by comparison.

A single overhead camshaft to operate the 4-valves keeps the cylinder head compact and light while the central balance shaft keeps primary vibrations to a minimum.

The engine also features an anti-slip clutch which is an important feature for large, single-cylinder engines. This ensures maximum control when entering a corner at speed by preventing rear wheel chattering.

Putting it to the test

This all sounds great on paper but what is this engine actually like to use? Is it a good peak performance engine at the expense of ridability or is it strong all round?

To help answer these questions I took a 2009 specification KTM 690 Duke on a test ride through the winding forested roads of Auckland's Waitakere Ranges.

First up: a start-stop ride through city traffic and a quick pit stop at the Hardware Cafe on the southern end of Auckland's Scenic Drive.

The LC4 engine proves to be tractable with plenty of acceleration at low RPM. This makes it very easy to ride in city conditions. But it is on Scenic Drive, the tortuously tight and twisting road that passes over the Waitakere Ranges where the KTM really proves its worth. Riding a light weight, nimble single on these roads reminds me exactly why I chose to buy a VUN. It is just one heck of a lot of fun.

The LC4's power is impressive. It is plentiful at low RPM but when you wind up to around 8,000 rpm you really feel a good kick of acceleration. It is hard to believe that all this power is coming from a single-cylinder engine. The 2009 model I rode has about 15% less power than the new 2010 model so this year's model must be really something.

The Duke handles really well and it is an all-round nice bike, well built with top quality components. For me the riding position felt too high and too upright. I prefer to sit into the bike and I am used to the prone sports bike riding position. The whole time I was riding this bike I just kept thinking... imagine this engine in my VUN.

A big thank you to Auckland Motorcycles and Power Sports (AMPS) for entrusting me with their test bike. Anyone in the Auckland region wanting a good deal on the last KTM Duke they have should head down to their showroom in Newmarket right away.

eCRP Race Bike Promotion

2010-02-05T09:42:00.001+01:00

Fully Charged

2010-01-19T01:18:00.028+01:00

Above is a trailer for the new Mark Neale documentary Charge. The movie is narrated by actor and motorcycle fan Ewan McGregor and documents the world’s first electric motorcycle race, the TTXGP, at the 2009 Isle of Man TT.

The movie does a great job of describing the excitement and technical challenges of producing an entirely new breed of racing motorcycles. 2010 looks like it is going to be a watershed year in terms of motorcycle technology. It now seems inevitable that electric technology will displace internal combustion engines in the coming years. Remember photographic cameras that carried rolls of film? What about cathode ray tube computer monitors and TV screens? In a decade or so I expect that exploding petrol as a means of propulsion will seem rather quaint and young kids will scratch their heads and wonder how it was ever possible.

Mavizen Factory Training and Support

Mavizen, winners of the inaugural 2009 TTXGP (electric MotoGP) race are now offering a 4-day technical training course on electric propulsion systems throughout 2010. The course compliments the TTX02 race bikes they produce that are now on sale. Course topics include: Batteries, Motors, Controllers, Chargers, Battery Management Systems, Safety Systems, Construction & Wiring Considerations. The course is currently advertized at £900 for all four days. Visit their web site for more details.

eCRP Race Bike Unveiled

Pictured left to right: Azhar Hussain (TTXGP), Lord Drayson (UK Minister for Science), Livia Cevolini (CRP), Franco Cevolini, (CRP) and Giampiero Testoni, (CRP)

CRP Racing have released details of the TTXGP electric race bike they have built based on the Mavizen TTX02 electric propulsion system...

Source TTXGP Press Release:

On January 14th Lord Drayson, UK Minister for Science and Innovation, unveiled the super sports electric motorcycle built by CRP Racing. CRP Racing is very pleased to unveil its ground-breaking motorcyle in terms of innovative technology. This has been demonstrated with the project of the bike eCRP 1.0, where the UK-based company, TTXGP, has collaborated with the Italian company CRP Racing.

eCRP 1.0 represents the Italian style and design with a strong "racing" look, easy to handle for its dimensions and shape, whose colours remind the Italian flag with the aim to promote that values leading the made-in-Italy a unique and distinctive factor.

Left: eCRP 1.0 technical specs.
click image for a larger view

For more information visit the CRP Racing web site.

Virtual VUN - Update

2010-01-17T01:49:00.001+01:00

Above is a rendering of the latest update to the Virtual VUN project. This image adds the front instrument/fairing support shell and a partially complete sub-frame at the rear. These were added last December, just before I left Prague. Unfortunately further work on Virtual VUN is now on hold until I return from New Zealand in April.

CR&S at Verona Bike Show

2010-01-15T12:08:00.002+01:00

If you live near Verona, Italy or happen to be passing through over the next few days then don't miss the chance to check out the CR&S stand at the Verona Motorbike Expo.

The show is open from 15th to 17th of Janary (that's now folks) and boasts 600 exhibitors, but most importantly, you will have the chance to check out CR&S VUN and DUU bikes at close range.

Deus Ex Machina

2010-01-15T09:39:00.026+01:00

Deus Ex Machina (roughly translated "A God in the machine") presents an idyllic blend of design, urban style, cafe culture and passion for motorcycles. Passion, not just any old bike, but for motorcycles stripped down to the essence of the café racer style: hand crafted, elegant and retro but not obsolete.

Deus was founded in the Parramatta suburb of Sydney, Australia in 2005 by messers Dare Jennings, Ron Hunwick and Carby Tuckwell. Their core business is the manufacture and sale of motorcycles and parts. In addition you can find branded clothes, performance bicycle parts, books, paintings, artistic objects and generally lots of cool stuff.

Deus Grievous Angel, SR400-based single cylinder café racer.

Deus now has a branch in New Zealand. It is located in a restored warehouse off Wellesley Street in central Auckland. The large open space is divided into quarters with a stylish café at the front, a gallery area, a branded clothing outlet, and a motorcycle/bicycle parts store. Deus manufactured motorcycles are scattered throughout alongside a collection of significant and beautifully restored classic bikes.

At the back, separated from the front section by a large glass window, is the assembly area where you can watch new Deus machines being created over a lunchtime salad and cappuccino.

Any VUN owner would surely feel at home here

If you are looking for a lightweight, elegant, simple and sure handling motorbike with moderate power, or perhaps just a cool place to hang, meet friends and soak in some culture, then head down to Deus Ex Machina. They have major stores in Sydney and Auckland plus smaller outlets in Melbourne, Los Angeles and Milano, or just check out their wonderful web-site.

The Roadson BT550 Superleggera

2010-01-11T02:16:00.028+01:00

Only 97 kg 'wet' (including oil and water), this 550cc 4-stroke v-twin race bike has been developed by French specialists Roadson, formerly known as 'Tuscon' (it's a long story involving corporate lawyers).

As you may have guessed already, this little beauty is powered by Aprilia's extremely light and compact 77° v-twin. This engine has seen great success on their multi-championship winning RXV motocross bikes.

77° V twin four-stroke. Liquid cooled. Single overhead cam with rocker operated exhaust valves. 4 valve heads with titanium valves.

In my opinion this is the best 4-stroke motorcycle engine ever made. At 33kg, 42 cm long, 43 high, 29 wide, and 70 hp it is the perfect compromise between weight, complexity, size and horsepower. So it is a pity that nobody has had the foresight to make use of it in a road legal, superlight sportsbike. I guess that Aprilia are simply not interested in undermining their high profit, but unusable, hyper-bikes by producing a small capacity sports bike at half the cost that is more fun to ride and would spank any large capacity superbike on a winding road (end of rant).

Kudos then to engineer and owner Jeff Robert and the team at Bako Design for seeing the potential of exploiting such a compact engine. They have created a racer with 125 GP dimensions that is quick enough to compete against much more powerful Ducati and Aprilia superbikes the pro-twins race series.

Jeff Robert:

"We have used the fact the the rear cylinder is not in the middle of the bike, but on the right side to place here the rear suspension. The front the cylinder is on the left, (because the 2 connecting rods are side by side). [Here] we used the free [space] to put the battery. So most of the weight (engine battery and shocks) is in the center of the bike. We also put the tank under the [rider]."

"Tires are another cornerstone of our project. With narrow (125 GP) tires, we reduce the frontal area and therefore drag. But that's not all. They reduce the rotating mass and gyroscopic effect. Mounted on narrow and lightweight wheels, they help improve maneuverability and acceleration of the bike."

Voltage	240V+
Power	75kW/100hp (continuous)
Weight	77lbs/35kg (complete with pump and mounts)
Diameter	254mm/10″
Width	190mm/7.5″
Cooling	liquid (oil)
Efficiency	93% (under continuous load at 70C)

Voltage	240V
Current	335A
Power	85kWh
Weight	17lbs/7.7kg
LxWxH	335×205x90mm/13.2×8.0×3.5″
Cooling	Liquid (water)
Efficiency	95%

Voltage	29.6 (nominal)
Capacity	40Ah
Weight	17.5 lbs/8kg
Energy Storage	1.25kWh (1.2kWh nominal)
Discharge	10c peak
High voltage	direct contact to buss
Data Link	via infrared
Hot swap	yes
Voltage monitoring	yes
Thermal monitoring	yes
Digital readout	yes
Alarm status LED’s	yes

Total Weight	255lbs/115kg
Total Length	635mm/25″
Total Width	320mm/12.5″
Total Height	675mm/26.5″