Paul Jr Designs Skil Saw 75th Anniversary Edition Chopper

In 1924 SkilSaw invented the first wormdrive circular saw and was an instant hit. The Model 77 was introduced in 1937 and is now celebrating 75 years as one of America’s favorite circular saws. The name SkilSaw is often used on the jobsite as a generic term for all circular saw whether they are red, yellow, blue, whatever because it was the original. 

 

To celebrate this milestone Skil has enlisted the help of Paul Jr Designs to build a custom bike to commemorate the event.  Incorporating parts of a Model 77 SKILSAW throughout, the one-of-a-kind chopper boasted a built-in solid bronze worm gear, silver and red paint and a truly unique exhaust that demands attention once started. The housing of a Worm Drive SKILSAW circular saw was used to build the air cleaner and the headlight, while the chopper is emblazoned with “The Saw That Built America,” “SKILSAW 75” and “77” to honor the Worm Drive itself.

“Overall, [this is] unquestionably one of our most favorite bikes we’ve ever built,” said Teutul during the chopper’s unveiling. “We absolutely love this bike, we really do.”

Notably absent from the chopper were saw blades. “The easy way to do this would be to put saw blades all over it,” said Teutul. “We really wanted it to be about that Worm Drive 77.”

Source PaulJrDesigns.com. 

2012 Triumph Tiger Explorer

2012 Triumph Adventure Motorcycle

 

When Triumph replaced the Tiger 955 with the 1050 edition, all pretenses of off-pavement riding were eliminated.

The Tiger 800 XC was brought in to satisfy those with an appetite with the dirt, and the Tiger 1050 became tarmac-only.

The new 2012 Tiger Explorer shows that Triumph wants to take its big triple off-road again, thanks to dirt-usable tires and a plastic guard for the three header pipes. 

Also, the new motor will be larger than 1200cc and have shaft drive. Cruise control, switchable ABS, and traction control are standard.

2012 Triumph Tiger Explorer Quick Look:

• ENGINE TYPE: DOHC inline-3
• BORE x STROKE: 85mm x 71.4mm
• TRANSMISSION: 6-speed
• SUSPENSION: Kayaba
• WHEELBASE: 60.2"
• RAKE: 23.9 degrees
• WET WEIGHT: 570 pounds
• PRICE: $15,699

Gallery

 

 

2012 Ducati Diesel Monster

2012 Ducati Monster 1100 EVO

 

No, it's not a diesel-powered Ducati Monster. This newest Monster is the 1000 EVO with livery inspired by Diesel, a leading fashion clothing designer.

Underneath the cool "urban military chic" appearance, as Ducati describes it, it's still the 100 horsepower, air-cooled, two-valve naked bike we all know and love.

The low-slung dual exhausts on the right side give the big Monster a modern look, as do 10-spoke wheels inspired by the Streetfighter and 1198 Superbike. Marzocchi forks and a Sachs shock take care of the suspension, and Brembo brakes slow the 1100 EVO down.

2012 Ducati Diesel Monster 1100 EVO Quick Stats:

• ENGINE TYPE: Desmodromic L-twin
• BORE x STROKE: 98mm x 71.5mm
• COMP. RATIO: 11.3:1
• TRANSMISSION: 6-speed
• WHEELBASE: 57.1 inches
• RAKE: 24 degrees
• DRY WEIGHT: 373 pounds
• PRICE: N/A

Gallery

 

2012 Ducati Streetfighter 848

The long-awaited Streetfighter 848, based on the Ducati Superbike 848 EVO, is here. 

Powered by an 848 Testastretta 11° engine that puts out 132 horsepower at 10,000 rpm and 69 ft/lbs of torque 500 rpm earlier, Ducati claims the new Streetfighter will be conspicuous by "user-friendliness with a smooth and flexible power delivery, revised ergonomics and Ducati Traction Control."

The trellis frame is new and the geometry of the Streetfighter 848 is derived from the Superbike 848 EVO. 

Goodies like radially mounted front brake calipers and master cylinder show that the Streetfighter 848 will slow down as powerfully as it speeds up.

2012 Ducati Streetfighter 848 Quick Stats:

• ENGINE TYPE: 4vpc L-twin
• BORE x STROKE: 94mm x 61.2mm
• COMP. RATIO: 13.2:1
• TRANSMISSION: 6-speed
• WHEELBASE: 58.1 inches
• RAKE: 24.5 degrees
• WET WEIGHT: 439 pounds
• PRICE: $11,995

Gallery

Peirspeed to Distribute Vectrix in US

VECTRIX (www.vectrix.com), the global standard bearer and leader in two- and three-wheeled electric vehicles, motorcycles, and scooters, announces the partnership with their new U.S. Distributor, Georgia-based Peirspeed. Through their extensive nationwide network of dealers, Peirspeed will be showcasing three Vectrix clean energy, all-electric scooters in 2012—the Vectrix VX-1 Li/Li+, VX-2, and VX-3 Li+. The clean energy Vectrix VX-1 Li/Li+ maxi-scooter was just named European “e-Scooter of the Year” for the second consecutive year and the 50-cc equivalent electric Vectrix VX-2, was named European “e-Scooter of the Year” for 2011. The revolutionary three-wheeled lithium-powered Vectrix VX-3 Li+ maxi-scooter is the only electric scooter with the patented Vectrix fully-articulating front suspension.

“Vectrix is proud to join forces with U.S. powersports leader, Peirspeed. Their professionalism, market reach, and creative approach to the American two-wheeled marketplace is an ideal fit for Vectrix,” said Brian Buccella, Vectrix Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Since 2006, Vectrix core technology has set the standard for electric scooters and motorcycles. Peirspeed customers across America will be able to experience three different styles of zero gas, zero emission riding options—the VX-1 Li/Li+, VX-2, and VX-3 Li+.”

“We are very excited to team up with Vectrix to distribute the industry’s best electric scooters,” said Bill Peirce, President of Cobra Powersports which owns the Peirspeed brand. “Electric vehicles have evolved into a viable, daily form of cost-effective transportation and Vectrix has led that progression from the beginning. As we like to say, ‘once you’ve ridden a Vectrix, no other electric bike compares.’”

About Peirspeed: Peirspeed (www.peirspeed.com)  is owned by Cobra Powersports of Kennesaw, GA. Cobra Powersports has a long history of providing top quality scooters and small displacement motorcycles. Products include Vectrix electric Scooters, Sachs Bikes, and Peirspeed Scooters. Peirspeed was founded in 1998 by Bill Peirce to sell custom auto wheels and tires.

About Vectrix:
VECTRIX (www.vectrix.com) was formed to develop and commercialize zero emission vehicle platform technologies and to set the global standard for electric vehicles. The singular focus of VECTRIX has been to provide clean, efficient, reliable, and affordable urban transportation for law enforcement/security, parcel/cargo delivery, and consumer markets. VECTRIX now offers professional and private customers a growing range of clean energy vehicles including the VX-1 Li/Li+, VX-2, and VX-3 Li+. In 2011, the VECTRIX VX-1 Li/Li+ and VX-2 were named European “e-Scooter of the Year” by CleanWeek 2020 at Belgium’s prestigious Circuit Zolder. In 2012, the VECTRIX VX-1 Li/Li+ won European “e-Scooter of the Year” for a second consecutive time at CleanWeek. VECTRIX has facilities in New Bedford, MA and Wroclaw, Poland. For more information, please visit www.vectrix.com, email media@vectrix.com, or call (508) 717-6510.

2011 Kawasaki Z1000 Project Bike Part 3

Raised on two wheels in the deserts of Nevada, the newest addition to the MotoUSA crew has been part of the industry for well over 15 years.Equal parts writer, photographer, and rider, "JDawg" is a jack of all trades and even a master of some.  

Previously we focused on shedding weight and increasing
power on the Z1000. Now it's time to get it under control

A fresh set of Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP tires quickened 

the handling and also increased the level of traction.

Dave Moss of Catalyst Reaction dialed in the suspension 
on our 2011 Kawasaki Z1000 with impressive results.

We love the Kawasaki Z1000 for its awesome mix of performance and comfort, and after spending a day at the track for our 2011 Streetfighter Shootout we decided to see how far we could push its performance on a race circuit. Dicing with full-fledged sportbikes at our favorite course was just too much fun to resist stripping the Z down and getting some performance enhancing parts installed. We really wanted to see if we could maybe even smoke a few of the more hardcore trackday warriors with a bike that was never intended to dominate a racing series. More than once we were asked, “Why?” The answer – Because we can, and it’s fun to be different.

In the first two installments of our project we installed a slew of hard parts, including a LeoVince EVO II Factory-R Slip-on Exhaust system, a Fast II Tuning Kit and a quick-shifter kit to bump up the engine performance. We then re-geared the Z1000 with Vortex sprockets for more punch out of the corners and added some bling with Rizoma and Kawasaki accessories. The removal of a pile of parts to shed weight for the track dropped 21 pounds from the green machine.

Fully satisfied with the performance gains we achieved from our long-term bruiser, we turned our attention to taming the beast and making it easier to ride. Pirelli sent us over a set of Diablo Supercorsa SP tires to increase the grip after we had shagged the stock meats. Pirelli’s premium top-tier road tire, the Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP is one of my favorite tires, and come standard on bikes such as the 2012 Ducati 1199 Panigale and the 2012 Triumph Speed Triple R. There is no denying that these new skins would elevate the Z1000’s game.


When the rubber met the road, er, race track, right of the bat it was obvious the more aggressive profile of the 190/55-17 rear tire reduced the effort to turn-in the green meanie. Now the bike almost dropped into the corner on its own, and changed direction with a quickness that we never expected to get out of the Z. The taller profile of the back tire (55 versus 50) also quickened the steering response by steepening the rake of the front end ever so slightly. We’ve always praised the Supercorsa SP for the excellent level of feel, and it was no different on the Z. Not only was the grip increased across the board, but also it was easier to put that grip to use. The margin for error diminished dramatically.


One side effect of getting more grip was how the suspension was now taxed to the maximum in the corners. We could get the Kawasaki into the corner harder and faster than ever before, but now the rear end would begin to wallow and buck as we picked up on the throttle. It was obvious that if we wanted to make full use of the increased power and tires we needed to work on settling down the chassis. At most of the Southern California trackdays you can find suspension guru Dave Moss of Catalyst Reaction toiling away on suspension set-up on a myriad of machines, helping out pros to beginners with dialing in their rides. After spending the first session hucking and bucking in the turns, we brought the Z over to Dave for some much-needed adjustment.

Right off the bat, Dave diagnosed the root of out troubles – the rear sag. I knew the rear-end was soft for my 225-pound frame, but during the first adjustment Dave just shook his head and laughed. “You’re a brave man,” he said. After adding several turns to the spring preload adjuster he had me sit on the bike to confirm the proper ride-height. He then turned his attention to the front fork, adding in more compression and slowing the rebound. He sent me out to test his handiwork and told me to come straight back to him with the suspension hot.

Immediately the Z was a whole new machine. Within one lap, it was obvious how much better the Kawasaki behaved. As the laps increased so did my confidence in the bike. I was able to carry more corner speed with less work, the feel from the tires increased even more and gone was the wiggle from the rear end.

After I returned to the Catalyst Reaction truck Dave took a look at the tires while quizzing me on the performance on the track. He then slowed the rear rebound down by two clicks and sent me out again. The fine tuning brought even more stability to the Z1000. At this point I was completely satisfied with the result and spent the rest of the afternoon, flogging the Kawasaki at a level I never thought possible. If you are at the track and see Catalyst Reaction is there, do yourself a favor and have Dave set-up your bike. It is one of the best things a rider can do to increase on-track performance.

After all was said and done the transformation of our project Kawasaki Z1000 was a dramatic one. We took it in a direction that not many would and learned how much fun it can be to ride a standard bike to its absolute limit. In the process we built one killer track bike and turned some heads. Now it’s time to return the Z back to Kawasaki, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t more than a little sad to see it go.

2012 Piaggio X10 350 Review

The new Italian flagship maxi-scooter

It’s got the lines of an Italian supermodel’s legs and we got the VIP treatment at a suave scooter launch with the Italian Embassy in Paris, serving as the runway. The Piaggio X10 is the famed scooter producer’s new flagship model and it’s aimed at a grown up market that knows how to appreciate everyday comforts. 

 

Rain was expected in Paris on my riding day so I packed my Gore-Tex jacket in the 52-liter (13.7-gallon) capacity underseat storage compartment. The compartment, which includes a light, will take one full faced helmet at the front and an open faced helmet at the back but it’s not quite big enough for two full faced lids as the rear compartment isn’t deep enough. 

The Italian Embassy in Paris offers an elegant backdrop for the launch of the Piaggio
X10,  the Italian manufaturer's new flagship maxi-scooter.

Under the front console, Piaggio added three glove compartments, with the left compartment housing a USB plug and a 12volt power socket. Just above these compartments, Piaggio added the buttons for Anti-Slip Regulation (i.e. Traction Control), hazard lights, seat lock and fuel cap lock. The speedometer console includes a central LCD screen with plenty of info flanked by two analog clocks showing speed and revs.

The seat is both comfy and spacious with an adjustable lower back rest for the rider. Taking off from the embassy I learned how to appreciate the tall windscreen straight away as there was a drizzle in the air. It was easy to get complete wind protection without crouching down too much.

The tall windscreen provides more than adequate wind protection.

The new Piaggio 350cc single cylinder four stroke engine produces a max power output of 32.5 hp and 23.7 ft-lb. The big 500cc version has 8 horsepower more and electronic rear suspension adjustment but this wasn’t ready yet for our Paris test session. The X10 350i also has an ECO mode which reduces horsepower with the purpose of reducing fuel consumption. I never bothered actually testing the ECO mode but it will make the X10 just slightly faster than the 15 horsepower 125cc version according to reports. I can see this being a cruel tool for an owner lending out their X10 to a friend.

The rudimentary traction control system proved to be a bit obtrusive
on the wet streets and riding over painted lines.

Piaggio being the mother ship for high-tech Aprilia, there’s been some transfer of traction control technology to a GT scooter for the first time. The traction control isn’t on par with Aprilia’s top-end APRC package but more a rudimentary version of what’s on offer in Aprilia’s Dorsoduro models.

The system retards the ignition once rear wheel slip is detected and gradually released to full performance as grip increases. It’s not the fastest traction control system in the world but sufficient for the 33hp X10. On my Paris test there was plenty of rear wheel slip over white zebra crossings and wet roads and I found the traction control to be quite obtrusive but not so much so that I wanted to turn ASR off.

Leaving the many busy traffic-light crossings in Paris, the X10 350 provided all the flexibility needed to stay way ahead of other traffic. The small engine responds well from the word go and the new CVT variable transmission is as seamless as it should be. The suspension works well and is comfortable in most situations but the rear struggled a bit over some of the cobbled streets in Paris. 

The cobblestone streets of Paris proved to be a challenge for the X10's rear suspension.

On open motorways the X10 350 will do a claimed 140 kph (87 mph) top speed and the 15-liter (4-gallon) fuel tank can achieve a claimed range of 400 km (248 miles) before a top up is needed. The service intervals are 20,000 km (about 12,500 miles) with oil changes every 10,000 km (about 6200 miles) making it cheaper and easier to maintain than a motorcycle.

With a double set of 280mm discs at the front and a 240mm disc at the back there’s plenty of stopping power and it’s a linked ABS set up. The X10 Executive (ASR+ABS included – Pearl white exclusive paint job) version weights a claimed 200 kilos where four of those are additions because of the ABS system (that’s 441 pounds with ABS making up 8.8 pounds.) 

Ample storage, large grab handles and roomy floorboards make the X10 a practical option for two-up riding.

Should you wish to take a pillion passenger the X10 have a lot of amenities such as the storage capacity, an 820mm long well-padded seat, large grab rails and spacious footboards. The rider seat height 29.9 inches while the pillion is 4.3 inches higher, providing a view of the surroundings or the Eiffel tower if you’re riding around Paris like me.

The front of the new Piaggio X10 is quite extravagant and houses a triple headlamp where the middle is a LED running light. 

Conclusion

Carefree in the city is pretty much what the Piaggio X10 set out to be and that’s exactly what I found after my day in the saddle. At standstill there are some vibrations from the engine reaching the handlebars but that’s pretty much my only niggle along with rear rebound damping that sometimes were overwhelmed by the cobble streets.

The brakes are great and the ABS and ASR makes the X10 one of the safest maxi-scooters there is. The comfort level is very high and the 350cc single cylinder engine performs like a bigger engine with near perfect transmission. 

The Piaggio X10 350 is a comfortable and practical scooter with an engine that 
performs better than its displacement would suggest.

2010/2012 Custom Star Stratoliner Deluxe Review

What you’re looking at here is not what you think it is. Judging by outward appearances one would think this is a 2012 Star Stratoliner Deluxe. A customized one, sure, but a 2012 no doubt. Wrong. A closer look at the build stamp will find this ‘Strato Deluxe was built in late 2009 as a 2010 model-year machine.

 

So what’s the deal? Star has kept this bike in the test fleet for a while, and when it came time to choose a machine for its annual charity raffle to benefit the Feed the Children Foundation, Star/Yamaha’s preferred charity, this Strato Deluxe made the perfect candidate for a full makeover. 

What started life as a 2010 Star Stratoliner Deluxe has been upgraded to 2012 components and given the full custom treatment. Meaning lots of chrome.

This bike is no stranger to us, as Pete reviewed it during its launch in 2010 and raved about its stellar engine. When the rest of the MO gang got its hands on it during the 2011 Bagger Shootout again the powerful V-Twin and confidence-inspiring chassis stood out, ultimately losing out overall because of the little details like an empty cockpit behind its batwing fairing. 

These teardrop mirrors on each side may not give as much
view behind as the stock bits, but, damn, do they look cool.

Since the only difference between the ‘12 and its predecessors is bodywork and trim pieces (engine and chassis remain the same), the ‘10 test mule laying around the Star offices received the full updated treatment. That’s not all, as simply changing bodywork hardly counts as customizing a motorcycle around these parts. Star then added no less than 43(!) items straight from its accessories catalog to make this 2010/2012 hybrid stand out from the rest.

Wherever you see chrome trim on this Strato, you can bet it came from the catalog. Every engine cover gets the shiny stuff, as do the wheels, shift lever and rod, mirrors, backrest support, light bar, license plate holder, floor boards and much more. Individually, the impact is hardly noticeable, but together the new pieces give the bike a striking appearance.

Virtually every chrome bit you see here is from the Star accessories catalog. 
 Note the cool new shift lever and rod, doing away with the heel-n-toe shifter on the standard model

Famed Star customizer, Jeff Palhegyi, performed the transformation then handed the bike to Benny Flores for this subdued yet striking pearl red paintjob. All told, when you add the cost of the bike ($17,490 in 2010), the accessories ($10,275.61), the Metzeler ME880 tires ($551.90) and of course the paint job ($3200), this custom Stratoliner Deluxe is worth $31,517.51.

We were invited to ride this Star creation to the 2012 edition of the Laughlin River Run to show this isn’t a trailer queen, but an actual custom that begs to be ridden. Structurally speaking, there’s not much to say about the engine and chassis that hasn’t already been said. In our Bagger shootout last year, the 1854cc air-cooled V-Twin pumped out 84.5 horses at 4750 rpm and a stump-pulling 107 ft.-lbs. at just 2000 revs. 

A trailer queen she most definitely is not. This Stratoliner begs to be ridden.

Such massive power at only two grand begs the rider to twist the throttle, and when you do there’s no shortage of acceleration. Regardless of which of the five gears you’re in, the Strato Deluxe leaps with gusto when asked. It’s a rather infectious sensation, made all the more impressive by how smooth the engine is thanks to its dual counterbalancers. 

Previous Strato’s have had iPod connectivity, but now a handy door keeps it from flying out at speed.
Sound quality is excellent, with volume increasing with speed. Look closely and you’ll spot 
the Zumo GPS device hard-wired and mounted directly onto the fairing.

My 5-foot, 8-inch frame fit the saddle just fine, with the bars at a natural drop for my hands — no crazy ape hangers here. Wind protection from the massive front wind deflector was as you’d expect from such a big device. Even riding through a brief rain shower, the fairing kept all but my shoulders dry. If you’re the lucky winner of this machine and about my size, opt for a taller windscreen — at 70 mph the buffeting around my head was enough to blur my vision.

Otherwise, this custom Strato ticks most the boxes cruiser riders look for in a long-distance tourer. It’s comfy (with a pillion backrest, too), makes gobs of power, has easy-access saddlebags with liners for convenient transport of your things once at your destination, it looks awesome and has a Zumo GPS unit and iPod dock built in. So now you can go wherever you want without getting lost and have tunes to boot. However, the same handlebar-mounted volume and track selector remains, meaning it’s impossible to track through different menus. 

For the cruiser set looking to travel long distances in style, this is the bike for you. Literally, this very bike. During the 2012 Star Days convention in Reno, Nevada, July 17-20, Star will be auctioning off this custom Stratoliner Deluxe with proceeds going directly to Feed the Children as mentioned earlier.

The combination of the candy pearl red paint job and all the chrome trim really pop when hit with direct sunlight. A comfy seat secures the rider in place and reach to the bars is natural.

This is your chance to own a unique motorcycle knowing your money is going to a good cause. Star has thrown virtually every chrome bit at this bike and yet has kept it completely rideable. Take your significant other for a trip around the country, or just park it and admire, the choice is yours. Either way, you’ll own something to be proud of. 

More information can be found about this and the rest of the Star lineup at StarMotorcycles.com, including information on Feed the Children and the Star Touring and Riding Association.