300 km/h motorcycle ride shocks Vancouver Island police

Police on Vancouver Island are trying to track down a motorcyclist who made a video recording of himself travelling at extremely high speeds on a busy highway outside Victoria.

In the video, the driver could be seen weaving between vehicles, sometimes passing them along the centre line on the road. At one point, the motorcycle speedometer hits a speed of close to 300 km/h.

The video, which was posted to YouTube a week ago under the account name Joe Blow, has shocked even veteran traffic officers, and investigators say it's lucky no one was killed.

Saanich police say they are now looking for the driver of the blue Yamaha bike and are prepared to recommend several charges. Anyone with information is asked to contact them.

Source;
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/04/16/bc-speeding-motorcycle-video.html

Honda Integra Reborn As Unusual Scooter/Motorcycle Hybrid

Good news: The Honda Integra lives again! Bad news: instead of the small, sporty you’ve come to know and love as an Acura, the new Honda Integra is instead a big, funky-looking scooter.

Perhaps scooter isn’t exactly the right word for it. Honda dubs the Integra a “midsize motorcycle,” although its seating position, which puts the rider’s feet further forward than on a conventional bike, echoes the company’s large Silver Wing scooter.

Mechanically speaking, the motorcycle term is perhaps a bit more fitting. While the Silver Wing tops out with a 582-cc two-cylinder engine, the Integra utilizes a new liquid-cooled, 670-cc inline-twin. Power figures have yet to be released, but Honda says the engine delivers considerable low- and mid-range torque, catering to owners who prefer to ride at moderate speeds. A crankshaft with a 270-degree throw allegedly provides the “feel and character of a V-twin” while retaining the compact dimensions afforded by its inline configuration.

Unlike the Silver Wing, which uses a belt-based continuously variable transmission, the Integra is the second production Honda motorcycle to utilize a dual-clutch transmission. As is the case with the larger VFR-1200F, the Integra’s gearbox is a seven-speed unit with both manual- and automated shift modes, but this second-generation design is reportedly more responsive to inputs, and can adapt its shift logic parameters to the rider’s habits.

Honda says the Integra will formally debut at the EICMA Motorcycle Industry show in Milan, Italy. Presently, there’s no word on whether or not the bike will make its way to North American Honda showrooms – or if the Integra name will stick should it be sold in our market.

Source;
http://rumors.automobilemag.com/honda-integra-reborn-as-unusual-scootermotorcycle-hybrid-83095.html

Honda CBR250R is first entry-level motorcycle with ABS

If you’re looking forward to celebrating warmer weather by getting into motorcycle riding, Honda may have the bike for you. The company just introduced a new entry-level sport bike, the CBR250R, to compete with Kawasaki’s popular Ninja 250, which we tested (and liked a lot) in 2008.

Previously, Honda’s only entry-level bike this small and affordable was the Rebel 250, a cruiser which we also tested then. All our riders preferred the Ninja for its precise handling; smooth, free-revving engine; and slick-shifting six-speed transmission. Some riders also found the Rebel 250 too small and cramped.

Now the CBR250R offers a sport-bike seating position in an affordable, entry-level package starting at $4,500. Better yet for new riders, the CBR250R is available with antilock brakes, which the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has shown reduces motorcycle crashes by as much as 37 percent.

Consumer Reports would like to see ABS offered on more motorcycles, especially affordable models aimed at newer riders. We welcome Honda’s introduction of the CBR250R as a first step in that direction and consider the $500 premium for the optional antilock brake system to be money well spent.

Source;
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2011/01/honda-cbr250r-is-first-entry-level-motorcycle-with-abs.html