On the 2nd part will be continued discussion of the most desirable motorcycles since his prowess in terms of shape, engine performance and toughness on the racecourse and others.
Motorcyclists can not resist debating the greatest bike of all time, so we will kick start a conversation with the second list of motorcycles that fill our fantasy garage as motorcycle world's most desirable.
Falcon Motorcycles Black Falcon
The Black Falcon is the third in boutique builder Falcon Motorcycles Concept 10 series. The heart of this one-off custom is a 1952 Vincent Black Shadow engine.
The
Black Shadow is a legendary machine, one that essentially set the
benchmark for performance through the 1950s. This particular engine was
discovered in pieces, having led a long hard life in a drag bike. Ian
Barry and the crew at Falcon meticulously restored it.
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| Black Falcon. (Picture from: http://www.wired.com/) |
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| Black Falcon. (Picture from: http://lostinasupermarket.com/) |
Honda RC30
There
are classic race bikes, and then there’s the Honda RC30. Honda built
the RC30 from 1987 until 1990, but it remained a dominant force on the
track through the early 1990s.
The 748-cc V-4 made just 85 horsepower, but the powerband was about a mile wide.
The 748-cc V-4 made just 85 horsepower, but the powerband was about a mile wide.
The
RC30 was a race bike homologated — i.e. sold to the public — for the
World Superbike race series. It was, in other words, a racing machine
with mirrors and turn signals. Anyone with pockets deep enough could
throw a leg over an RC30, and the bike proved popular among privateers,
particularly at the Isle of Man TT.
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| Honda RC30. (Picture from: http://www.wired.com/) |
In the hands of a talented privateer, the RC30 could beat damn near anything in its day. Honda built around 5,000 of them.
The
XR won the AMA Grand National Championship in its first year and went
on to score more wins than any other bike in AMA history.
It also was the weapon of choice for Evel Knievel, which only adds to its coolness.
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| Harley Davidson XR750. (Picture from: http://www.wired.com/) |
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| Harley-Davidson XR750 in full flight. (Picture from: http://www.nationalmotorcyclemuseum.com.au/) |
Moto Guzzi V-8
The
Moto Guzzi V-8 “Otto Cilindri” was a marvel of motorcycle engineering
designed specifically for the company’s grand prix racing team.
The
engine weighed just 45 kilos, and the entire bike weighed a scant 148
kilos. With 78 horsepower — an unheard of number for a motorcycle in
1955 — on tap, the Otto had a phenomenal power to weight ratio. The bike
was once clocked at 275 kmph at Spa-Francorchamps.
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| Moto Guzzi V-8. (Picture from: http://www.wired.com/) |
The
complex engine proved to be an unreliable maintenance nightmare, and
its unprecedented power overwhelmed contemporary tires and suspension.
Few riders could be persuaded to touch an Otto by 1957, when Moto Guzzi
withdrew from grand prix racing.
Britten V1000
The
Britten V1000 is the best motorcycle you’ve never heard of. But in
motorsport-mad New Zealand, John Britten is a household name, if not a
legend. Rightly so. The V1000 has been called the greatest motorcycle
ever built, and it slayed giants.
Britten
designed the bike in 1991, and it was a showcase of innovation. It
featured a carbon-fiber chassis and wheels, a double-wishbone front
suspension and engine data logging. The 999-cc eight-valve V-twin put
down more than 160 horsepower and the bike had a top speed of 303
km/hr.
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| Britten V1000. (Picture from: http://www.wired.com/) |
The
Britten was a formidable racer, beating factory-backed racers in Battle
of the Twins races in the early 1990s and setting several land speed
records. The Britten Motorcycle Company built just 10 motorcycles before
Britten died of cancer in 1995. (Back to Part-1.) *** [WIRED | TECHFLESH
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