NEW MEGA TOURER HITS THE MARKETThe new 2008 Kawasaki GTR1400 Mega Tourer will be launched onto the international motorcycle market next month.
With a fuel injected four-stroke powerful ZG1400A8F engine, "the engine from the all-conquering ZZR1400, the world's most powerful hyper-sports retuned to make the 1400GTR mega-bike, sports tourer deliver the performance hardcore riders demand," according to Kawasaki.
Although it's a tourer, the GTR1400 has the performance qualities of a sports bike, and just like a super sports bike, it features Kawasaki's Ram Air System for high performance.
Unlike most tourers, it's very lightweight and slim. It's enclosed in an aluminium monocoque frame, enabling sportiness and great handling. It's also fitted with spacious panniers for long snug journeys that are roomy enough to house a spare helmet.
The GTR is available in neutron silver and metallic diablo black.
BATTERY POWER BREAKS SPEED RECORDS
A battery-powered motorcycle smashed speed records at the All Harley Drag Racing Association (AHDRA) drag strip in the US last month. The brainchild of Bill Dube and his team members, the Killacycle broke the electric quarter mile speed record with a hair raising 8.168 seconds at 155.78 mph. Weighing 619 pounds and powered entirely by 990 rechargeable Li-Ion battery cells, it can go from 0-60 mph in 1.04 seconds.
On average, drag bikes taking to this strip have around 1,000 horsepower but burn around four gallons of NitroMethane.
The Killacycle, in comparison, uses around seven US cents of electricity and takes only 10 minutes to fully charge. But the makers are not too cocky about their achievement, dubbing the word's quickest electrical motorcycle "a giant cordless drill with wheels." For more information, visit www.killacycle.com
MONDELLO PARK HOSTS SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP
Mondello Park will once again play host to an exciting fifth round of the Bennett's British Superbike Championship races next weekend, June 15th-17th.
"It's the only overseas venue on the British Superbike calendar and is the only Irish circuit ever to host the BSB," says Mondello's Fergus Brennan. The event was cancelled last year due to rain. "Last year's disappointing stoppage shouldn't happen again this year," says Mondello's managing director John Morris.
"We undertook a full review of the circuit's drainage system and identified areas where we felt we could extend, re-route or install additional drainage, which should help dissipate water from the track surface more efficiently than before." For further details on the event, log onto www.mondello.ie
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