Autoblog

Slovakia gets super with Praga R1 [w/video]

Zach Bowman — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Europe, Specialty, Racing

Yes, bare-bones roadsters like the Ariel Atom and KTM X-Bow are nice, but we can't help but feel those machines are held back by their (quasi) street legal status. What we want is a carbon fiber track animal. Something like the Praga R1. The Slovakian-built racer reads like a personal wish list for going faster. With a curb weight of just 1,261 pounds dry and 210 horsepower from a Renault four-cylinder mounted amidships, the R1 should be a blast to fling around a road course. A six-speed sequential transmission puts power to the rear wheels and a set of AP Racing brakes brings the contraption down from speed.

Praga also seems concerned with keeping its buyers in one piece. Six-point race harnesses, neck restraints and an integrated OMP fire suppression system are all part of the package. There's no word on how much the R1 will set you back, but we imagine it won't be cheap. You can watch it whip around a track in the video below.

Continue reading Slovakia gets super with Praga R1 [w/video]

Slovakia gets super with Praga R1 [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Dec 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Harley-Davidson V-Rod hits the 'Ring while Yamaha R1 sets new lap record

Zach Bowman — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Europe, Videos, Motorcycle

It's been 10 years since Harley-Davidson decided to stick a pinkie toe into new product development with the V-Rod. The crew from Bridge to Gantry decided to celebrate the liquid-cooled V-Twin's birthday by taking it out for a little fun around the Nürburgring.

If it seems odd to pair the V-Rod with one of the world's most challenging road courses, it is. Technically, Porsche lent a hand in developing the 60 degree, 130-horsepower engine at the heart of the modern cruiser, but punishing the carousel probably wasn't high on HD's list of development goals. We imagine it ranked in the same neighborhood as taking the gold in the Paris-Dakar.

Even so, the bike has plenty of power on hand just waiting to throw machine and rider down the course's longer straights, but as Bridge to Gantry points out, it just isn't at home kissing apexes. That's not to say the 2012 V-Rod isn't an improvement over its predecessors. With new Michelin tires, Bridge to Gantry says the bike can now take better advantage of its suspension for some relatively reasonable handling.

So, now that we know that a V-Rod isn't the most desirable weapon with which to tackle the 'Ring, what is? You could certainly do worse than starting with a modern liter-bike, like the lightly modified 2005 Yamaha R1 used by Andy Carlilse recently to set a new two-wheel lap record of seven minutes and 10 seconds.

Scroll down below to watch both machines blaze their own distinct trails down the snaking Nürburgring.

Continue reading Harley-Davidson V-Rod hits the 'Ring while Yamaha R1 sets new lap record

Harley-Davidson V-Rod hits the 'Ring while Yamaha R1 sets new lap record originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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185-mph Vancouver joyrider's motorcycle impounded [w/video]

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:28:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Videos, Motorcycle, Canada

We're losing track of how many top gunners post high-speed-run videos on public roads on YouTube and then get busted. Police take that tomfoolery personally, and you'd think they put the entire department on the case judging by how quickly the perps get caught.

Latest on the list is a Canadian motorcyclist who took his Yamaha on the Trans-Canada Highway and ran it to about 300 kph. CBC News now reports that the unidentified rider in question is 25 years old, unlicensed, riding an uninsured Yamaha R1 registered in his mother's name. Then there's the small matter of his 25 previous infractions.

Police wasted no time tracking down YouTube poster "Joe Blow," but he's been uncooperative up to now. We have no idea why he wasn't in jail already after 25 violations, but we're guessing his Internet handle will soon be changed to "Three Hots and a Cot." Scroll down to refresh your memory with a video demonstration of his stupidity.

Continue reading 185-mph Vancouver joyrider's motorcycle impounded [w/video]

185-mph Vancouver joyrider's motorcycle impounded [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vancouver motorcyclist's 185-MPH ride has cops' attention

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:57:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Videos, Motorcycle

In the pantheon of bad ideas and even worse ideas, capturing yourself on video gratuitously breaking the law and later flaunting your indiscretions to the local constabulary ranks right between sticking your face into a diesel truck's tailpipe and standing atop a motorcycle shooting off a gun on city streets.

In other words, it's dumb.

Funny thing is, people seem to make this egregious mistake rather often. Exhibit A: This motorcyclist in Moscow. Exhibit B: The video you'll see below.

First off, it's seriously stupid and irresponsible to risk your own life and the lives of others by riding at speeds of up to 185 miles per hour while weaving your way through traffic. But it takes even fewer brain cells to share video evidence on YouTube, especially considering that we can all see that you're riding what appears to be a 2006 Yamaha R1 painted up in factory blue.

According to CBC News, Vancouver Island police are trying to track down the rider in this clip. Scroll down below to see the video for yourself.

Continue reading Vancouver motorcyclist's 185-MPH ride has cops' attention

Vancouver motorcyclist's 185-MPH ride has cops' attention originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watch this rolling cliché of motorcycle drifting, stunting, fast cars and hot models

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 20:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Nissan, Motorcycle, Specialty

If you film it, they will watch.

Apparently, a video featuring a heavily modified Graves Motorsports Yamaha R1 ridden by stunt rider Bill Dixon isn't enough of a draw to attract the easily wandering eyes of the YouTube crowd. So, in addition to the blacked-out bike, which Dixon describes as "the epitome of badass," the film crew also brought along a couple cars, all of them black, including a Stillen-modified Nissan GT-R and some sort of supercharged-Hemi-powered police car.

Not enough? Fine. How about aerial shots from a helicopter and a couple of leggy models named Angela and Destiny, dressed in both impossibly skimpy (NSFW!) bikinis and Holloween-ready police girl outfits?

Yep, this video's got all the chichéd stereotype boxes checked. All that's left to do is watch. You'll find it after the break... and remember, it's probably best not to do so at work.

Continue reading Watch this rolling cliché of motorcycle drifting, stunting, fast cars and hot models

Watch this rolling cliché of motorcycle drifting, stunting, fast cars and hot models originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Mar 2012 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Moscow motorcyclist's crazy high-speed commute

Jeff Glucker — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Motorcycle, Russia

Morning commute in Russia on a Yamaha R1 - Click above to watch video after the jump

Driving to work in the morning can be a tedious and annoying affair. At least, we imagine it is, since we are chained to the wall of a basement staring at a computer screen for 23.5 hours per day. One vehicle that can make any commute quicker is a motorcycle... perhaps even a stupid-fast literbike like the Yamaha R1.

Combine a rider with a need for ~~death~~ speed, a 25-mile commute through Russian traffic and a powerful two-wheeled samurai sword, and you get a video showing the "quick" way to work. Sometimes this two-wheeler even becomes a one-wheeler as rare empty stretches of road disappear when the nose goes skyward.

According to our tipster Andy (Thanks!), the title translates to "A couple minutes of my life could be more interesting than the whole life of the other people." It's certainly interesting, but we prefer pushing vehicles to our limit on a track. Regardless, the music choice is excellent and the riding would make Trinity jealous. We don't condone this type of action, but that doesn't mean we can't all check out the video, which you can watch after the jump.

Gallery: 2009 Yamaha R1

[Source: The Insider - (Russian language site)]

Continue reading Video: Moscow motorcyclist's crazy high-speed commute

Video: Moscow motorcyclist's crazy high-speed commute originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Watch a 911 GT3 chase a Yamaha R1 on the 'Ring

Chris Shunk — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 10:31:00 EST

Filed under: Videos, Supercars, Porsche

We've seen quite a few videos on Autoblog of exotic sports cars tackling the ring, but motorcycles don't make much news here. MCN road-tester Michael Neeves braved the 'Ring back in April in a Yamaha R1 while his brother Ben followed close behind in a Porsche 911 GT3. In the wide-open, the R1 tears the lightning-fast GT3 a new one, but the Porsche consistently caught up in the twistier sections.

The 8:48 lap time pulled in by the Neeves brothers was pretty impressive considering the major traffic on the track and the two accidents that needed to be traversed. Hit the jump to check out the two-wheeled action.

[Source: Motorcycle News]

Continue reading VIDEO: Watch a 911 GT3 chase a Yamaha R1 on the 'Ring

VIDEO: Watch a 911 GT3 chase a Yamaha R1 on the 'Ring originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Jun 2007 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Smart vs. Ferrari

Damon Lavrinc — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 15:25:00 EST

Filed under: Videos, Smart

If you stick an engine that can rev well into five-digits in any article of wheeled transport, we start getting weak in the knees. Although we've already seen what happens when you stick a 'Busa motor in DC's diminutive Smart ForTwo, we haven't seen this particular transplant recipient until now.

Peter Bee found the 60-ish horses available from his ForTwo inadequate for his daily duties (no, we have no idea what his duties entail) and sought the help of the British firm Z Cars to add a little boost to his compact commuter. Z Cars are the blokes that have the dastardly tendency of throwing R1 motors into classic Minis and they graciously accepted the challenge that Mr. Bee laid down.

The result is a ForTwo equipped with a 180-hp GSXR1000 motor that can run the 1320 in 12.4 and reaches 60 in a few shakes above 4 seconds.

What do you do with that kind of forward progression? Naturally you meet up with a Ferrari F430 and challenge it to a drag.

Want more information about the "Diablo" and its creators? It's all available with a simple click of 'Read' below.

VIDEO: Smart vs. Ferrari originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Sep 2006 15:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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