The three-wheeled Yamaha Niken and the Ducati Diavel 1260 power cruiser have won Best of the Best awards at the prestigious annual Red Dot Design Awards in Germany.
Arlen Ness, the legendary custom motorcycle builder, has passed away at the age of 79. A post to the Arlen Ness Motorcycles Facebook page indicates that Ness passed comfortably alongside loved ones in his home.
Ness was born in 1939 and acquired his first motorcycle, a 1949 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead in the ’60s, which he set out to customize. He continued the work out of his garage in California until 1970, when he opened his first business. That first bike, however, had many of the elements that would define the Ness look for decades to come, especially the stretched tank and custom paint.
His paintwork was particularly striking, and was what afforded him some early notoriety. Soon after opening the shop, he also started to make custom parts and that, ultimately, is where he was able to make a living.
Alongside his wife Beverly (the two remained married to his death, 59 years), Ness built a business that encompassed all aspects of custom building, V-twin culture, and, most importantly, family. His son Cory worked with Ness for decades and now Cory’s son Zach is a significant part of the equation as well.
Arlen made an impact on people throughout the world, and a quote ascribed to Ness in the company’s Facebook post announcing his passing summarizes the way he looked at life:
“Motorcycling has been a great ride…my whole life since I’ve been motorcycling has been wonderful. I’ve met so many nice people. Friends all over the world…. We can go almost anyplace and stay with friends. It’s been great.”
We offer our condolences to the Ness family and friends at this time.
Off-road racing legend and industry veteran, Malcolm Smith will be honored at the 2019 Quail Motorcycle Gathering.
Begin Press Release:
Malcolm Smith Announced as 2019 Honouree
The premier motorcycling culture celebration will honor off-road racing icon Malcolm Smith as the 2019 Legend of the Sport, alongside a showcase of 300 priceless historic classics and incredible food.
Carmel, Calif. (March 25, 2019) – The Quail Motorcycle Gathering, a Peninsula Hotels’ Signature Motoring Event, has announced it will honor off-road racing legend Malcolm Smith, one of the winningest riders in the history of off-road endurance motorcycling and co-star of the historic motorcycling documentary “On Any Sunday”, as the 2019 Legend of the Sport at this year’s event.
“It’s an incredible honor to be named the 2019 Legend of the Sport,” said Malcolm Smith. “The Quail Motorcycle Gathering is a truly world-class event and being spotlighted here is one of the highlights of my career.”
Since his first race in 1956, Malcolm Smith has been a fixture in off-road motorcycling. Over the course of his career, Smith has won many top-level endurance off-road events, including six victories at the Baja 1000, four victories in the Baja 500 and eight gold medals in the International Six Day Trial, among many others. In addition to his success as a racer, Smith has become an ambassador for motorcycling in film, most famously as a co-star alongside legendary actor Steve McQueen in 1972’s “On Any Sunday”. He has also been a leading force in the motorsports business for the past 50 years and continues to leave his mark in Southern California and Baja, Mexico which inspired the creation of The Malcolm Smith Foundation.
“The Quail Motorcycle Gathering is thrilled to pay homage to Malcolm Smith,” said Gordon McCall, Director of Motorsports for The Peninsula Signature Events. “His career and legacy have done more to promote the sport of motorcycling than almost anyone else. We can’t wait to hear his stories.”
As always, the show will take place on the pristine lawns of Quail Lodge & Golf Club. Featuring a variety of activities for people of all ages to enjoy, guests can indulge in farm-to-table Mexican cuisine and goods from lifestyle vendors. Children, families and even pets are welcome at this inclusive and relaxed event.
Witness this celebration only at The Quail Motorcycle Gathering on Saturday, May 4, 2019. Pre-sale tickets are $85 and are available online at www.quaillodgeevents.com. Entry includes a gourmet lunch, parking, and gear valet service for those riding a motorcycle to the event. Doors open 9:00 AM for VIP Lounge ticket holders and 10:00 AM for General Public ticket holders. Learn more on the event website.
There are a number of things that must be adjusted properly on your carburetor in order for your motorcycle to run properly. And each of those things works in conjunction with each other, but in order for a proper air and fuel mixture, you must have fuel. Today on MC Garage we talk about the carburetor float.
Last week we ran through all the basics of a carburetor, touching quickly on what everything does. If you haven’t watched that video yet, stop right here and jump back to that vid. It will help with the entire picture of what is where.
The carburetor in the simplest of terms has just one function: Mixing air and fuel in the proper ratio. And to do that you need fuel. Fuel is delivered to all the carburetor’s circuits via the float bowl. It’s a pretty simple system, but if it’s not right, it can mess with everything.
How it works is fuel enters the float bowl via the fuel inlet fitting. From there it flows through a needle valve. That valve is then actuated by the float itself. When the level is insufficient, like when you are using fuel or the bowl is empty, the float hangs down and opens the valve. When the level is reached at full, the valve closes. Super-simple system, but there are some things that can go wrong.
First is the issue of a stuck needle valve. Sometimes, the needle can get stuck, whether that is a piece of crud holding it open or it’s not sliding smoothly. When this happens fuel will continue to flow and overfill the bowl. When this happens the fuel will flow out of the overflow tube. A quick fix is to tap on the side of the bowl with something like a screwdriver handle to shake the crud loose. If that doesn’t remedy the situation, the carb is going to have to come apart. Which you should do anyway if the needle is sticking.
The next issue is the needle might be worn out, also leading to overflowing or incorrect metering. When you pull the needle out, the sealing surface should be smooth. Run your fingernail down the needle; if you can feel a ridge, it’s toast. Replace the seat at the same time; the needles usually come in a seat and only run about $15 to $20 per body.
Once you know the needle valve is good, you need to make sure the float is good. First thing, make sure the float, well, floats! Do this in gasoline, as it has a different specific gravity than water or some other fluid. After that make sure it moves freely and doesn’t bind up. Once those checks are complete. It’s time to check the level.
To check the level, you will need the proper spec from your manual. This measurement will be the point at which the float just closes the needle valve. You can use a clear external tube attached to the overflow that will show the level but that is a pain. You’ve already got the bowl off, might as well measure it manually.
You want to measure the height just as the float touches the needle. The easiest way to do this is to hold the carb at a 45-degree angle. Then watch the small metal tab on the float as you move the float up toward the body. Just as the float touches, that’s your level. If you hold it straight up and down, you will have an incorrect height. The float will impart too much pressure on the small spring under the pin in the needle. That is the biggest mistake people make when measuring float height. If you need to adjust the height, up or down, just slightly bend the tab that contacts the need in the correct direction.
That’s it. Once you have the float height correct you can move on to the next step, the idle circuit. Which we will cover next time on MC Garage.
Baja Designs will discontinue its dual-sport kits beginning August 1, 2019.
Begin Press Release:
Baja Designs Phasing Out Dual Sport Kits
Baja Designs Discontinuing Venerable Dual Sport Lighting Line Flagship Powersports Products To Be Phased Out In Favor Of Laser And LED Lighting Solutions
After more than 25 years of producing the light that started it all, Baja Designs is discontinuing its Dual Sport Kits. Orders for new Dual Sport Kits will be accepted until August 1, 2019, after which Baja Designs will continue to support the product line while components are available, with an anticipated total phase-out by Q1 of 2020. (Replacement parts will be determined by manufacturer availability and will require minimum order quantities.)
“It is a bittersweet decision,” expressed Alan Roach, founder of Baja Designs. “I engineered the first Dual Sport Kit in my garage.”
While Baja Designs has seen a slight down-shift in sales of Dual Sport Kits, the line still produces healthy numbers. With Baja Designs’ LED and Laser light sales growing exponentially, the company has decided to prioritize development and manufacturing of these technologies for the powersports and automotive segments.
For more information or for business-opportunity inquiries, please contact Baja Designs, 800.422.5292, www.bajadesigns.com.
Governing body still seeking government approvals for prestigious event.
Image: John Pearson.
Motorcycling Australia (MA) has confirmed the postponement of the 2019 Australian Four Day Enduro (A4DE) that was initially scheduled to take place on 1-4 May at Moruya in New South Wales, with a new date still to be determined.
Due to government approvals surrounding the environment in which the 2019 A4DE will be staged, the date for the prestigious off-road event has been delayed.
To ensure that the area spanning the event’s four days are supported and protected to best of the Motorcycling New South Wales Enduro Committee’s and Far South Coast Motorcycle Club’s abilities, this change in date is vital to the success of the 41st anniversary of the event.
The Moruya location was set to provide a picturesque backdrop for the highly anticipated event, while parc ferme was intended to be located at the Moruya Showgrounds.
Red Bull KTM talent third at the MXGP of Great Britain.
Image: Supplied.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle has emulated his senior teammate and reigning MXGP world champion Jeffrey Herlings by scoring a podium in just his second ever race in the MX2 World Championship.
The rookie performed strongly at Matterley Basin’s second round in Great Britain over the weekend, notching up an impressive 3-4 scorecard to round out the podium in third.
His overall placing mirrors that of Herlings’ maiden podium, which he landed in his second grand prix at the MXGP of Lombardia in 2010, finishing behind now AMA contenders Ken Roczen and Marvin Musquin.
“It was a really good weekend,” said Vialle. “I had ridden well during the week and it fed into the practice sessions and both motos. I’m really happy with my starts because being at the front helps me find my rhythm – it is so important.
“I think a very good winter has helped with my transition from EMX to MX2. My feeling on the bike is another positive thing. Today has been a big step for me.”
The MXGP World Championship heads to Valkenswaard in The Netherlands this weekend for round three of the series.
Yamaha Racing Team pilot winds up fifth at the second round.
Image: Russell Colvin.
Daniel Falzon believes qualifying position amongst the competitive premier class is key to landing a strong finish in each and every stop of this year’s Motul Pirelli Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK).
Falzon qualified P5 at Wakefield Park’s second round on the weekend in New South Wales, finishing 0.560s off pace-setter and Yamaha Racing Team partner Cru Halliday.
The talented South Australian navigated his way to a 4-5 results sheet in the two outings on Sunday, granting him fifth overall while promoting him to eighth in the championship standings.
“The weekend was positive in many ways and in the right direction after round one,” Falzon commented. “I need to get a better qualifying position so I can be up the front from the get go, and that is something I will work on before the next round.
“I think if I can get track position early in the race, the results will improve, and I can get on the podium. That’s the goal for the next round and being in my home state in South Australia, I really want to be at my best and make a big charge up the championship table. I was on the podium there last year and it would be amazing to win there at the next round.”
Reigning champion Troy Herfoss (Penrite Honda Racing) pulled through with a double-victory at Wakefield Park, leading a podium that consisted of Supersport champion Halliday and former multi-time ASBK title holder Wayne Maxwell (Team Suzuki Ecstar Australia).
The Frenchman was handed a seven-point penalty and forfeiture of his prize purse for the costly error, however Team Honda HRC’s Roczen has downplayed the incident, taking little concern from not being awarded the win – which would’ve been his first of the year – and rather drawing satisfaction from his rebound performance.
The German talent has experienced an undiagnosed illness in recent weeks that has sapped his energy and saw him finish an uncharacteristic eighth at Indianapolis, bouncing back at the weekend with commanding runner-up result.
“I’m just happy with how I bounced back this weekend,” Roczen stated. “As it happened, I noticed it, but after it, we had the whole main ahead of us, and even when we went to the finish line I forgot about it until somebody said something. It is what it is – he won, and overall, I just feel I rode a solid main and kept it on two wheels.
“I’m still not 100 percent with whatever is going on with my body, but the feeling that I had on the bike was good all day. It was the same for the races—I just tried to go out there and have fun, and I rode really well. I had a good heat race with the win and then got a good start in the main.”
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’d Cooper Webb continues to lead the championship standings, with Musquin’s penalty ensuring the advantage remains at 14.
Thailand has become one of the powerhouses in the automotive world, manufacturing motorcycle brands as diverse as BMW, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Triumph and Royal Enfield.
It’s now the largest automotive manufacturer in South East Asia and the 12th in the world, thanks to protective tariffs, corporate tax breaks and a central location wth several ports for export.
Powerhouse
Every dual-cab ute and Honda car, plus small Mazdas, Fords and MG sold into Australia are made in Thailand.
There are also more than 1800 automotive parts manufacturers in Thailand including the premium Swedish Ohlins suspension and BMW batteries for electric cars, scooters and future motorcycles.
BMW’s Thai EV battery factory
Motorcycle manufacture is also growing in leaps and bounds with Royal Enfield the eighth to announce it will open a factory in the country.
In 2015, Thailand made 1.8 motorcycles, with domestic sales of 1.6 million and exports of 350,000 units.
At the moment, the only motorcycles exported to Australia from Thailand are 80% of the Triumph range and some small- and medium-capacity Japanese bikes and scooters.
“As we explained when we announced this project in 2017, we intend to utilise it to make more of our products accessible to customers and targeted international market,” he says.
However, Harley-Davidson Australia spokesman Keith Waddell says the company has confirmed to them that “motorcycles for Australia will not be assembled in Thailand”.
That could change in years to come.
Thailand skeptics
Troy Bayliss tours the Ducati factory in Thailand (Image: Ultimate Motorcycle
When Honda announced it would be importing most of its cars from a new factory just outside Bangkok about a decade ago, there was some skepticism among Australian motoring journalists that they would be accepted by Aussie motorists.
So Honda Australia organised a tour of their factory which I attended.
I was surprised to find a state-of-the-art facility built on a greenfield site with supervisors walking around wearing white gloves and a floor so clean you could eat your dinner off it.
One supervisor told me the quality was strictly controlled, but the humid environment actually cured plastics and rubber better for a longer life than in vehicles made in Japan.
However, another manufacturer told me the humidity destroys some rubber very quickly.
To Aussie drivers, there now seems no problem with Thai-made cars. In fact, our top-four-selling vehicles are all Thai made.
The vehicles are good quality and the Thai-Australian free trade agreement makes them good value.
Likewise, there should be little concern with Thai bikes.
However, some say the recall problems Triumph has suffered in recent years are a result of Thai production.
Rather than a lack of quality production facilities, it’s more likely the rush to get new models on to the market as is the case with most motorcycle manufacturers.
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