In wet conditions, factory road racers don double-thick, high-traction knee pucks.  The thickness is so they can use the same body position in the wet weather even though lean angles are reduced. The high-traction TPU compound gives riders a better feel of the track surface in wet weather.  The Wet Slider has been tested by Alpinestars’ factory racers.

To buy the Wet Sliders, head to Alpinestars.

From Fast Bikes

The three-cylinder, 2300cc Triumph Rocket III is already a beast. It makes 140 bhp, weighs 704 lbs, and wears a 240-width Metzeler ME880.

The boys at Carpenter Racing saw the Rocket III and decided it needed a bit more power. 240 bhp, to be exact. Their kit—which turns the bike into something they call a Silverback, which runs 8.99 in the quarter—includes the following:

• CNC Ported Head
• Custom-Ground Proprietary Cam
• Slotted Adjustable Cam Sprockets
• 12 Custom, Shim-Under Tappets
• Custom Titanium Retainers
• Custom Valve Springs
• Custom-Forged, Domed, Semi-Slipper pistons
• Custom Clutch springs
• Custom Centrifugal Fuel Pump

A so-equipped bike can beat Hayabusas. At the strip, it starts in 2nd gear and revs to 9000 rpm—the stock limiter is at 5800 rpm—and completes the quarter in 8.99.  It does all this on the stock Metzeler ME880.  Streuth.

]]> http://us.ridexperience.metzeler.com/2013/05/carpenter-racings-240-bhp-triumph-rocket-iii-runs-me880s-and-8-second-quarter-miles/feed/ 0 http://us.ridexperience.metzeler.com/2013/05/metzeler-leads-all-classes-of-the-fim-world-enduro-championship/ http://us.ridexperience.metzeler.com/2013/05/metzeler-leads-all-classes-of-the-fim-world-enduro-championship/#comments Tue, 21 May 2013 16:12:42 +0000 Mr. Wheel http://us.ridexperience.metzeler.com/?p=3757

Torre Vedras, Portugal – 20 May 2013 – The Spain-Portugal round of the FIM Enduro World Championship is now over. Held in Puerto Lumbreras (Spain) and Torres Vedras (Portugal), the Grand Prix of Spain and Portugal allowed Metzeler to confirm the excellent results of the season start!

Enduro 1′s leader, Antoine MEO (KTM), has grabbed 3 wins of 4 available and builds a bigger gap with his rivals: “The very first day, I could only finish 5^th due to a big crash during the beginning of the day. But then I managed to continue my winning way and my Metzeler Six Days Extreme tires helped me a lot to create a good progression over  the other riders.”

The other Metzeler riders of the class had different fortunes: Cristobal GUERRERO(KTM) signaled a great return in Spain (3^rd/4^th) but then had more difficulties in Portugal (9^th/6^th). Simone ALBERGONI (HM Honda) never found the rhythm during those two weeks of racing (9^th/7^th and 11^th/11^th) and will have to be back very quickly if he doesn’t want to fall in the general standings.

But once again the Alex SALVINI (HM Honda)! Indeed, the HM Honda rider clinched 2 wins out of 4 and increased his lead in the Enduro 2 standings. Also equipped with Metzeler tires, Alex SALVINI scored precious points in Puerto Lumbreras and then was on fire in Torres Vedras where he never let any hope to his rivals!

Ivan CERVANTES (KTM) came back in Europe with a double during the first week and two good second rankings during the second that placed him as runner-up of the Italian with only 15 points behind! Johnny AUBERT (KTM) on his side grabbed precious points and had made shine his Metzeler Six Days Extreme tires in this E2 class.

Nothing changed in Enduro 3 thanks to defending Champion Christophe NAMBOTIN, who grabbed 4 victories. The Metzeler Six Days Extreme tires of the KTM permitted the Frenchman to build a bigger lead and to get closer to a second title. Metzeler rider Manuel MONNI (KTM) clinched a second podium (3^rd) during the first day of this tour.

During this Iberian tour, the Metzeler Six Days Extreme tires confirmed their domination as they lead the three categories E1, E2, E3 – and Metzeler riders achieved 11 wins and 5 podiums.

General standings after 4 rounds:

ENDURO 1:

1) Antoine MEO (Metzeler) 150 pts

2) Matti Seistola 117 pts

3) Juha Salminen 116 pts

…

7) Simone ALBERGONI (Metzeler) 68 pts

ENDURO 2:

1) Alex SALVINI (Metzeler) 149 pts

2) Ivan CERVANTES (Metzeler) 134 pts

3) Pierre Alexandre Renet 121 pts

4) Johnny AUBERT (Metzeler) 116 pts

ENDURO 3:

1) Christophe NAMBOTIN (Metzeler) 150 pts

2) Joakim Ljunggren 116 pts

3) Aigar Leok 115 pts

….

5) Manuel MONNI (Metzeler) 97 pts

Coleraine, Northern Ireland – 19 May 2013 – Metzeler riders ensured a perfect start to the road race season at the North West 200. Metzeler rider and “Wee Wizard” Alastair Seeley was the indisputable protagonist, winning both the Supersport race and the Superstock class, followed with third place on the podium in their respective classes by Metzeler riders Guy Martin and Gary Johnson.  Finally–and also on Metzelers–was James Hillier in the Supertwins 650cc class.

In the Supersport class, four of the first six riders used Metzeler tires, and in the Superstock three riders out of the first four finishers were on Metzelers.

The North West 200, is one of the fastest road races.  It’s run on the “Triangle”–a course which extends over 14.325 km on town and country roads through the towns of Portrush, Portstewart and Coleraine.  It is a real road race, in contrast to the Tourist Trophy, where the riders start one at a time racing against the clock.  In the NW200, participants start in two groups, the first 21 qualified and after a gap of twenty seconds the others.

This year the competition was badly affected by the weather which forced the organisation to cancel the second races of each class (with the exception of the Supersport which however was abandoned after two laps with the red flag) planned for Saturday among which the Superbike races, both scheduled for yesterday.

In adverse weather conditions the role played by the tires was even more fundamental and crucial for victory.

Just before the Supersport race, a violent rainstorm struck the area, forcing both Guy Martin and Alastair Seeley to mount Metzeler Racetec Rain tires both on the front and on the rear, despite the fact that the track was slowly drying out and could therefore make the use of wet tires difficult and risky.

The courageous decision of the two riders and of the Metzeler technicians soon turned out to be the winning strategy, enabling Seeley to make an incredible comeback: on the first lap the Kawasaki rider took the lead of the second group, and two laps from the finish he closed up on Michael Dunlop who led him by 8 seconds, a gap which on the next-to-last lap fell by a further 3 seconds and enabled Seeley to pass his opponent and go on to win the race with a lead of 1.312 seconds. Martin finished third with his Tyco Suzuki team GSX-R600, his first podium at the NW200 since 2008.

The third and last race, the Superstock 1000, had as its protagonist once again the Metzeler rider Alastair Seeley. Yet again, owing to some puddles along the route, the strategy for the tires to be used was decisive for the final result. Gary Johnson, at the starting grid in fifth position with Metzeler wet tires, while Alastair Seeley opted for dry tires. With the circuit still wet, Johnson stood out and caught up with Seeley who started in pole, but as the circuit slowly dried out and owing to a small mechanical fault for Johnson, the Northern Irishman got the better of him equalling the result obtained in the Supersport and leaving to Johnson an excellent third place in front of Guy Martin, fourth.

Results of the races for each of the 3 classes:

SUPERSPORT

1. Alastair Seeley (Metzeler)

2. Michael Dunlop +1.312s

3. Guy Martin +24.937s (Metzeler)

4. Bruce Anstey +38.560s

5. Stuart Easton +40.727s (Metzeler)

6. Dean Harrison +42.044s (Metzeler)

SUPERTWINS

1. Jeremy McWilliams

2. James Hillier +0.864s (Metzeler)

3. Jamie Hamilton +1.582s

4. Ivan Lintin +3.340s

5. Lee Johnston +25.064s

6. Michael Rutter +32.069s

SUPERSTOCK

1. Alastair Seeley (Metzeler)

2. Bruce Anstey +0.274s

3. Gary Johnson +16.679s (Metzeler)

4. Guy Martin +20.583s (Metzeler)

5. Derek Sheils +23.036s

6. Conor Cummins +23.422s

To know how Metzeler riders are training for Tourist Trophy and next road roacing rounds please visit:http://roadracing.metzeler.com

Videos are also available on Youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/metzelermoto.

Nice weather, thousands of V-Twins, and general beach shenanigans. What could be better?  Come on out to Myrtle Beach where the tire seller is Easy Eddie’s from Huntersville NC offers some great prices and service.  It’s all happening at Myrtle Beach Bike Week in Myrtle Beach, SC.

We have all the latest tires for sale, including the new Triple 8 Marathon Ultra. Come check out the blue tent, say hello, and maybe grab a set of fresh tires for the riding season.  Hope to see you there!

Here’s a link to the Myrtle Beach Speedway, and the location.

Munich, 13 May 2013 – The new Metzeler Tourance Next was on the top step of the podium in the street enduro tire review organized by the authoritative German magazine Motorrad which put the latest addition to the Tourance family up against the Michelin Anakee 3, Bridgestone Battle Wing 501/502, Continental TrailAttack 2, Dunlop Trailmax TR91 and Pirelli Scorpion Trail. All of the tires tested were 110/80 R19 and 150/70 R17 sizes, and mounted on Triumph Tiger Explorer motorcycles.

The November edition of Motorrad explains that the six tire models were tested at two different times: first when the products were completely new and then after 4000 km in order to verify wear and mileage of both the front and the rear. Tests were also conducted on the road at high speeds (motorway and highway) and there was also a wet-weather test.

For the dry weather test, the scored categories were handling, steering precision, stability in turns, grip in leans, traction in acceleration, stability on a straight line under full load, performance with a passenger, performance in conditions at the limit and maintaining the trajectory when braking in turns.

For the testing in the wet, in addition to the parameters above, Motorrad also took into consideration the braking distance at a speed of 100 kph, the average travel speed and lap times.  The Metzeler TouranceTM Next came out on top over the competition.

In conclusion, the Motorrad testers voted the Tourance Next as the best enduro street tire because it is the one that demonstrated the best balanced performance in all the conditions taken into consideration during the tests, specifically thanks to the excellent performance on the dry combined with the excellent features which shone through in the wet and its high mileage.

Click here to read more about the Tourance Next.

The military has special demands, and Zero’s new MMX military motorcycle can cross terrain in near silence, with nearly no heat signature.  Think of it as a stealth motorcycle.  Check out the safety cover on the headlight switch, and the front and rear IR switches.  Very cool.

Here are the special features of the MMX, from the press release:

2013 Zero MMX Military Motorcycle – Key Features

• Specialized military dash for quick and centralized mainline controls
• Keyless ignition engaged with dash toggle for quicker departure
• Modular and quick-swappable power packs
• Wet operational abilities in up to one meter submersion
• Switchable headlight for night-time stealth
• Integrated wiring to accommodate quick installation of front and rear infrared systems
• Safety override and reserve power capabilities to extend range during extreme situations
• Aggressive foot pegs and hand guards for optimal control
• Tie down eyelets with integrated tow cable and rear seat strap

It’s based on the Zero MX, which is a high-performance, all-electric motorcycle that makes 54 bhp and 68 lb-ft of torque.

Here’s a video of that bike in action:

Changing a motorcycle chain is one of those jobs that needs doing about every 10,000 miles, and a lot of riders don’t own a chain tool.   But a broken chain out on the trail can mean a very long walk home. In the desert, it can be dangerous.

Our old chain:

Meet the Terra-X chain breaker and riveting tool.  It’s small, lightweight, and can break even the most reluctant master link.   It can also put together both clip and rivet type master links. It’s light and compact becuase  chain tool needs two wrenches in order to operate it 117 and ideally, I small adjustable wrench.  Here’s the proper technique:

From the website:

Simply stated, this is the smallest, most effective chain breaking and riveting tool we’ve ever used.  We carry one aboard our chain driven KTM and BMW.  Using this tool we can make trail side repairs in the event of a broken chain or deraillment. We also carry a spare master link, rivet link, and a short piece of spare chain.

This tool drives the rivet out and peens the replacement rivet in place. Terra-X isn’t cheap because they insist on producing the tools in Australia, where manufacturing and labor costs are high.  Those Aussies are pleasantly stubborn – they won’t compromise on quality or dependability.  They refuse to send manufacturing offshore where costs would be lower but quality would be reduced.  We like that.We’ve confident that if you invest in these tools you won’t be disappointed. You get what you pay for.

We used it to change the chain on our Ducati 900SS, and it worked beautifully.

The Terra-X chain tool is made in Australia — find it here in america at BestRest Products

Motorcyclist magazine sat down with Metzeler Global Test Manager salvo Pennisi to chat about what goes on behind the scenes when developing a tire like our ME888.

Motorcyclist: What role does testing play in Metzeler’s R&D process?

Salvo Pennisi: We have a strong test department that works step-by-step with R&D to continuously improve our tire technology. Our test department rode over 1,000,000 kilometers developing the new ME888 Marathon Ultra. Wet miles, dry miles, cold tests in Europe, hot tests in Brazil, even track tests. Why track tests for a cruiser tire? We always test at the limits. That last 1 percent is the difference between crashing and not crashing.

MC: Some new mileage claims—a 30-percent increase for Metzeler’s Tourance Next, for instance—are remarkable. What accounts for these improvements?

SP: We invested heavily in new tire-building machinery. A new compound-mixing machine makes a better dispersal of polymers and carbon black, for better abrasion resistance. We also have a new philosophy of tire profile contour, to optimally distribute force and footprint. This contour was difficult to achieve with the old machinery, so we developed new machinery for the ply line, too. It’s not enough to design a good tire—you also have to have the right equipment to make it.

To read the whole interview, head on over to Motorcyclist.

Most motorcycle jackets have elbow and shoulder protection, and do a great job of protecting the rider from abrasion. Until recently, however, little thought was given to spine and chest protection. These back protectors can be worn under a jacket to lower the risk of spine and chest injuries.

Spidi Defender Back&Chest Evo:

Dainese Hybride Impact Guard:

Forcefield Pro SL1 Combo:

To read the full article and see the rest of the armor featured, click here