Etc.
etc.
BRITISH BEEF?
Think Honda’s VTX1800 packs a powerful punch? That’s nothin’ if reports of Triumph’s 2200cc three-cylinder mega-cruiser turn out to be true. U.K. tabloid Motor Cycle News recently published computer-enhanced images of an alleged prototype, which appears to be powered by a liquid-cooled dry-sump engine mounted lengthwise in a tubular-steel frame. MCN says the so-called “Twenty Two” will be “the biggest capacity bike in mass production.” Triumph’s reaction? “No comment.”
WHAT TO WEAR, OR NOT
Former NHTSA buttinski Joan Claybrook, now president of the watchdoggroup Public Citizen, is at it again, this time lobbying the feds for what could be the first step toward regulating the gear motorcyclists wear. Motor-vehicle makers and their suppliers should report defects in riding apparel, she says, because it’s “the simplest and easiest way for NHTSA to maintain a usable database.” The AMA says the proposal is “unworkable,” noting that “bringing federal bureaucracy into the motorcycle marketplace could cripple an industry that has, on its own, made tremendous advances in rider-safety apparel stretching back several decades.”
BURNS RETURNS
Former CW Feature Editor John Burns is back on board as contributing editor. Burnsie departed eight years ago to toil away in the potato fields up north. His first contribution for us involves a oneoff $100,000 chopper with hand-shift and suicide clutch. Somehow, John survived to tell the story, which you can read elsewhere in this issue.
MALAGUTI BACK IN BIKE BIZ?
Italian scooter-maker Malaguti is considering re-entering the full-size bike business, a market it withdrew from decades ago. A throwback to scram-
blers of the 1970s, the Super Climber showbike may see production as early as next year. The prototype’s Yamaha XT600-based, fuel-injected Single is housed in a fancy-looking frame that features a single front downtube and four narrowly spaced perimeter tubes, two on each side. A tall handlebar, digital instrument panel, narrow seat and wire-spoke wheels complete the package. So far, no clue on price.
ONE-STOP TOURING
Chicago-based Lotus Tours has announced the formation of a global tour-group alliance that brings together seven companies from around the world. “MotoGlobal offers motorcycle enthusiasts more roads, more motorcycle brands, more choices of products and price ranges, more convenience and more fun,” said Diane Fitzgerald, president of Lotus Tours. MotoGlobal is headquartered on the Internet, and can be visited at www.motoglobal.com.
HONDA ON TOP
American Honda’s aggressive “Performance First” marketing campaign has returned nearly immediate dividends, as the U.S. arm’s 2001 retail motorcycle sales of 219,584 units topped those of all comers, including Harley-Davidson. Factor in ATVs and scooters, and Honda currently owns 31 percent of the market.
