The future of flying motorcycles is still up in the air after a French company, Lazareth, unveiled their jet-powered motorcycle which failed to take off at the launch party.
However, at the opening ceremony, Lazareth failed to rise, unlike Lazarus!
It only managed to get the front a few centimetres in the air.
The LM496 or “La Moto Volante” (the Flying Motorcycle) is based on Ludovic’s Lazareth LM847 with a 350kW, 4.7-litre Maserati V8. It was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2016.
Its wheels rotate outwards when the bike is on its centre stand and then pivot so that they are horizontal.
Turbine jets
Then German Jetcat turbines in each wheel fire directly downward to elevate the bike, like a Harrier Jump Jet or a manned drone.
Note that at the launch party, the rider/pilot was tethered in case it took off and he couldn’t control it!
There is no word from Ludovic on when the project will “get off the ground”, how high it will fly or how much it will cost.
However, with a Maserati engine fitted, as well as four jet turbines, it is bound to cost a fortune.
It’s not that this will be the first flying motorcycle nor the first commercially available.
The Russian Hoversurf Scorpion hover bikes are now available for sale at $US150,000 (about $A212,500), which is nearly twice the price of the MV Agusta limited-edition Claudio F4.
Bigger doesn’t always mean better, and fortunately for those of us looking for a fun, affordable motorcycle there are more choices than ever. Nearly every manufacturer now offers at least one model that will fit just about any rider’s size and/or budget.
Scroll down for Rider’s 2019 list of Best Bikes for Smaller Riders and Budgets. When possible we’ve included a link to our review, making it easy for you to get a real ride evaluation. We’ve also included the 2019 model year’s U.S. base MSRP (as of publication), seat height and claimed wet weight (when a wet weight was not available from the manufacturer, the claimed dry weight is listed). For more details, you can read our review, which includes comprehensive specs, or click on the bike’s name to be taken directly to the manufacturer’s page.
BMW F 750 GS
2019 BMW F 750 GS (Photo by Kevin Wing)
BMW F 750 GS
$10,395
32.1-inch seat w/ optional 31.1-inch seat or 30.3-inch seat
493 lbs.
Rules changes designed to even the rest of the field up to the dominant Indian FTR750 should make the 2019 AFT season even more interesting, and running up onto the famed tri-oval at Daytona will reveal pretty quickly how effective those changes are. The season kicks off March 14.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 5, 2019) – On March 14, 2019 at legendary Daytona International Speedway (DIS), American Flat Track will host what will arguably be the most unique and anticipated professional flat track race in history – the third annual DAYTONA TT.
The hook is that the totally redesigned racetrack, constructed in the iconic Daytona International Speedway tri-oval, will utilize the legendary tri-oval start/finish asphalt straightaway as part of the actual racing surface, and form its high-speed front straight.
Not only will some of the world’s fastest riders launch their AFT Twins presented by Vance & Hines and AFT Singles racing machines out of the DIS eastern dirt corner and drift onto the asphalt, they’ll rip across the legendary start-finish stripe at over 100 mph, elbow-to-elbow and wheel-to-wheel – and mere feet from fans sitting along the Daytona International Speedway tri-oval.
In many ways, American Flat Track’s unique, dirt-and-asphalt DAYTONA TT season opener brings the sport of Grand National Championship motorcycle racing full-circle. Recall, of course, the legendary DAYTONA 200 beach-and-asphalt races of the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s, which featured motorcycles racing up the beach in a northern direction and then South again on the asphalt beach road, with untold thousands of fans watching it all unfold from the dunes and bleachers.
The DAYTONA 200 eventually moved to the freshly-built Daytona International Speedway facility in the early 1960s (quickly becoming the world’s biggest and most anticipated motorcycle race), but those decades of epic beach racing have lodged themselves in the collective memories of the motorsports community ever since. Full circle, indeed.
Since the reinvention of the series in 2017, American Flat Track has yet to present a multi-surface racetrack. The new, improved DAYTONA TT has been designed in collaboration and consultation with riders and race professionals to proactively address the design challenges inherit in the construction of an asphalt-to-dirt racing surface. Former professional flat track riders have been contracted to ride the surface and prove the design prior to the running of the race on March 14.
This year’s track layout also features enlarged and faster bookend corners, which offer faster straightaway speeds and more passing opportunities – the perfect thing for fans sitting along the front straight or in the enlarged-for-2019 trackside bleachers.
All of these changes combine to amplify the race’s Bigger, Better, Faster moniker to unheard-of levels.
With new teams and riders, new sponsors and manufacturers, some fresh thinking and a tsunami-like wave of excitement and expectation, the 2019 American Flat Track season is bound to be the most exciting ever.
And so it’s entirely fitting that this year’s unique DAYTONA TT, which features that unique mix of dirt and asphalt, and which pays homage to the visionary promoter who brought motorcycle racing to the sands and streets of Daytona Beach 82 years ago, leads things off in March.
The history-making 2019 DAYTONA TT. Bigger, Better and much Faster!
Fans looking for an in-depth view of the most-exciting DAYTONA TT track ever can visit the link below:
American Flat Track will kick off its 2019 season with its bar-banging DAYTONA TT in appropriate fashion – during the wild Bike Week festivities in Daytona Beach. The 2019 DAYTONA TT happens Thursday, March 14 once again under the lights of the iconic Daytona International Speedway. Tickets start at just $35 and are available now at https://tickets.americanflattrack.com.
NBCSN and FansChoice.tv are the official homes for coverage of American Flat Track. For the 2019 season, NBCSN’s coverage of AFT moves to highly-coveted, weekend afternoon programming slots within two weeks of each event. The complete schedule for AFT on NBCSN can be viewed at http://www.americanflattrack.com/events-nbcsn/. FansChoice.tv remains a cornerstone of AFT’s digital strategy, providing live streaming coverage of every event on AFT’s live page while previous events and exclusive features are available on AFT’s VOD page.
German contender equal second in 450SX title fight.
Image: Supplied.
Team Honda HRC’s Ken Roczen has expressed a sense of relief to exit the initial west coast rounds of the 2019 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championships in full health.
Saturday’s fifth stop of the current series at San Diego saw Roczen push through the muddy conditions to earn his third podium of the year, equalling him on points with Marvin Musquin (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) in the championship standings.
“Today was a really weird day,” Roczen reflected. “We didn’t even get on the track until after 5pm and only had the one qualifying practice. I got 12th, which wasn’t great, but the conditions were absolutely brutal. I got off to a pretty good start in the heat race and ended up winning, which was great.
“Going into the main and being able to pick whatever gate I wanted was huge. I got off to such a good start, it was crazy, and actually almost went down in the first turn because it was so slippery but pulled it off; then I actually went down in the second turn, which I was really bummed about.
“In those conditions, you don’t want to be anywhere but in the front. Going back to fourth or so was not what I wanted and just made it harder on me. I thought I was third most of the time but I guess I was second, and then Marvin [Musquin] got by me with just a turn left so I was pretty bummed.
“There was so much craziness going on, you can lose 10 seconds in a lap – or gain it, for that matter. I’m glad to be on the podium and be getting out of here safe. It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten out of the West Coast healthy, so I’m happy about that and looking forward to the rest of the season.”
The AMA Supercross series heads to Minneapolis in Minnesota this Saturday for the first east coast round of the championship.
Phillip Island PB motivating for Halliday in Superbike return
Yamaha pilot still coming to grips with increased speed of premier class contender.
Image: Russell Colvin.
A personal best lap-time of 1m33.211s at Phillip Island has offered Cru Hallidy a boost of motivation in his return to the premier class in 2019.
The Island’s official Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) test at the weekend presented Halliday with just his second opportunity to ride the larger Yamaha Racing Team YZF-R1M since capturing the Supersport crown last year, having previously completed a one-day test at Morgan Park in January.
The New South Welshman displayed promising progress throughout each and every session, recording his fastest lap in the final outing of the weekend to position himself eighth in the times – less than one second off pace-setter Wayne Maxwell (Team Suzuki Ecstar).
“It was pretty good and I wasn’t really sure what to expect down there,” Halliday explained to CycleOnline.com.au. “I rode the bike once at Morgan Park before the official test, but that was mainly tyre testing rather than set-up. Phillip Island is a track I’ve struggled with in the past on a 1000cc, but I came to terms with it on the 600cc.
“So I had confidence coming into the test – I did a PB down there by two tenths, so I’m happy with it. Day one down there was trying to get adjusted to the speed and riding style of the bike – I think I still struggled with that going into day two, and halfway through I got to grips with it.
“The speed difference is 40kph down the first straight – it doesn’t sound like much, but when you’re tipping into turn one it’s a big difference. Every session I went out, I was about three tenths quicker. It’s just stepping stones. We were trying to take minute steps every session, which we did. Overall I’m happy and very confident.”
The opening round of the ASBK is scheduled for 21-24 February at Phillip Island, which will run in conjunction with round one of the FIM Motul Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK).
Australian contender earns season-best result at round five.
Image: Supplied.
Two-time champion Chad Reed has indicated he had more to give in Saturday night’s fifth round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship in San Diego.
The mud-filled encounter saw the JGRMX Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing rider charge through the demanding conditions, winding up in an impressive fifth for his best result of the season.
Recognised for his heroic performances in muddy circumstances, the Australian believes it wasn’t his best outing, although he’s still satisfied to accept the result.
“San Diego is always a race I really enjoy,” Reed commented. “I had a great week in California leading up to the race. It was a rain schedule, which is always challenging. There was a lot of sitting around going on. The track was gnarly. My heat race start was okay, but I was splashed with mud and couldn’t get clear vision quickly enough.
“I had to stop, but I came back to seventh. The main event wasn’t my best mud performance, but I’m really happy to get up into the top five. I’m back in North Carolina this week and looking forward to continue working with the team to get up on that podium.”
The main event was taken out by newly-appointed red-plate holder Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Kawasaki), followed by Marvin Musquin (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Ken Roczen (Team Honda HRC).
Following an enduring 2018 campaign, the Italian ace is eagerly awaiting this week’s test at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, which will offer his first opportunity to sample the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team’s off-season developments.
“I‘ve taken a bit of time to relax and train these last couple of months, but, like the fans, I‘ve mostly been looking forward to starting the new season,” Rossi explained. “The upcoming test in Sepang is very important, because it‘s the first opportunity for the team to get together to try everything Yamaha has been working on over the winter.
“Our performance improved towards the end of last season, but we want and need to make some more big steps, so we need to get to work. I‘m sincerely looking forward to the new season and to riding again, I want to get back aboard my M1.
“I feel as good and determined as ever, nothing changed in that area, and I believe that, with some hard work, we can improve upon last year and be back on top.”
Testing this week will commence on 6 February before concluding on 8 February. The opening round of the 2019 MotoGP World Championship is scheduled for 10 March at Losail International Circuit in Qatar.
Second DNF of 2019 demotes factory Yamaha rider to seventh in the points.
Image: Supplied.
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia was forced to prematurely exit Saturday night’s main event in San Diego, as extremely treacherous conditions caused a technical malfunction with his YZ450F.
Admittedly frustrated with his recent turn of misfortune, the number 51 is targeting a podium return when the series heads to the first east coast stop of 2019 at Minneapolis in Minnesota.
“It was a crazy day, lots of rain so the track was super wet,” Barcia explained. “I got a bad start in the heat race and got some water under my goggles, so I had to ditch them in the first turn and ended up stalling as well. I came from about last to fourth, so, ultimately, I was super happy with that ride.
“In the main event, I had a much better start than I’ve had lately. I felt like I was riding well enough to contend for a podium, or battle for the win, but I had a technical issue, and it took us out of the race.
“I just have to move on from this weekend and stay positive and keep on doing the things I have been doing and return to the podium sooner rather than later. The goal is Minneapolis, to get right back there. It’s been a tough few weeks but we’ll keep charging and never give up.”
Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac won the enduring encounter, granting him the championship lead over Marvin Musquin (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Ken Roczen (Team Honda HRC), which also represented the top three in San Diego.
Official team presentation takes place at Ponte San Pietro.
Image: Supplied.
Aruba.it Racing – Ducati has officially launched its team for the 2019 FIM Motul Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK), showcasing the Panigale V4 Rs that will be piloted by Chaz Davies and Alvaro Bautista in a team presentation in Ponte San Pietro, Italy.
There are two major changes for the Italian squad regarding both the bike and the riders, as it lines up for the 32nd season of world Superbike racing with the all-new Panigale V4 R, while former MotoGP talent Bautista joins the outfit alongside regular Davies.
“I can’t wait to start this new adventure,” Bautista stated. “The balance of the winter tests is really positive. The project is a new one and there’s still a lot of work to be done but lap after lap we found a good base to work on.
“I still have to adapt to this new technical situation, particularly the tyres, but the performance shown in just six days of testing is undoubtedly encouraging. Phillip Island is a spectacular track and I’ve always liked it, there couldn’t be a better place to begin this exciting new adventure and we’ll do our best to be ready.”
Davies added: “I’m very excited and motivated about the season that’s about to start. After five years and many great memories with the twin-cylinder bike, the time has come to begin a new challenge and I can’t wait to get back on track with the Panigale V4 R.
“My last tests were hampered a bit by the twinge I felt in my back, but my overall physical condition is much better than last year and in any case we managed to complete our test schedule. We’ve still got two more days of testing left and they will be fundamental to define the last details, and then finally we’ll be racing again.
“The start of the year is going to be even more exciting than ever, and having a new bike – as well as a new team-mate – is going to be extra motivation for me.”
Phillip Island will host an official test on 18-19 February, which takes place days prior to the season-opener at the iconic Australian venue, scheduled for 22-24 February.
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