Motorsports

Anyone who knows Norton motorcycles knows what the brand stands for. A bike manufacturer with a perfect blend of 20th century nostalgia, woman-on-bike based advertising, a loyal following and dollops of class and respect.

Even looking at their current bikes, one would imagine they are stuck in the blast from the past and the good old Woodstock days are not yet over for them. So, time to tweak the good ‘ol brand image then …

Norton has proved it that a professor in a tweed jacket can still turn out to be a PS3 owner. Or something like that. No, what they have really done is built an electric bike. And it’s not just another two wheeler that goes slower than dial-up, it’s a TTXGP racer.

For the un-initiated, TTXGP is an electric motorcycle race that started in 2008 at the famous Isle of Man TT circuit. It’s also the event which has spawned a number of other electric bike races. No doubt, it’s an honour for any manufacturer to race a bike at this event. But Norton isn’t known to be just another manufacturer right?

So what Norton decided to do is to re-invent a 1951 Featherbed chassis to design the brand-new-yet-old-looking bike, Moto Electra. The sweet cherry on top is the fact that the bike managed to come in 7th in the incredibly competitive Laguna Seca 2011 event.

Please take your top hats off for the legend bike maker, Mr. Norton.

 

Moto Electra specifications:

* AC induction motor

* 62.86 PS and 156 Nm of torque

* Regenerative braking

* Carbon fiber wheels

* Top speed of 215+ kmph

 

One more feather in Rossi’s cap

 

Motorcycle racing is a taxing sport, and perhaps the most dangerous too. The strain that it puts on its top-tier riders are all too apparent, with most riders dropping out of the game in their early thirties. In such circumstances, Valentino Rossi – possibly the greatest MotoGP rider to ever walk the earth – has proven his mettle, repeatedly thrashing competitors far younger than himself.

And now, Valentino Rossi will make his 250th GP start at this weekend’s Sachsenring GP. In doing so, he will become just the sixth rider in the history of Grand Prix racing to reach the milestone of 250 GP starts. Up until he crashed and broke his leg in practice at last year’s Italian Grand Prix, Rossi had set a record for the largest number of successive GP starts – 230 in total. His close friend, Loris Capirossi, is the current leader in the former, with 321 starts to his credit.

In other news, Rossi recently gifted his mother, Stefania, a Ducati Monster 696 done up in his trademark yellow and red with the famous 46 decal on the tank. Stefy, as she is affectionately known in paddock circles, revealed that she had always dreamt of a Monster and been telling her son over the years that if he ever went to Ducati, he’d to get her a Ducati Monster.

That’s where we say, ‘Like mother, like son.’

 

One more feather in Rossi’s cap

 

Motorcycle racing is a taxing sport, and perhaps the most dangerous too. The strain that it puts on its top-tier riders are all too apparent, with most riders dropping out of the game in their early thirties. In such circumstances, Valentino Rossi – possibly the greatest MotoGP rider to ever walk the earth – has proven his mettle, repeatedly thrashing competitors far younger than himself.

And now, Valentino Rossi will make his 250th GP start at this weekend’s Sachsenring GP. In doing so, he will become just the sixth rider in the history of Grand Prix racing to reach the milestone of 250 GP starts. Up until he crashed and broke his leg in practice at last year’s Italian Grand Prix, Rossi had set a record for the largest number of successive GP starts – 230 in total. His close friend, Loris Capirossi, is the current leader in the former, with 321 starts to his credit.

In other news, Rossi recently gifted his mother, Stefania, a Ducati Monster 696 done up in his trademark yellow and red with the famous 46 decal on the tank. Stefy, as she is affectionately known in paddock circles, revealed that she had always dreamt of a Monster and been telling her son over the years that if he ever went to Ducati, he’d to get her a Ducati Monster.

That’s where we say, ‘Like mother, like son.’

Yes, the road test will hopefully come soon…

Confirming the news we broke earlier on Bike India, the UK based motorcycle has officially announced that it is entering the country. Here is what their official note has to say.

Iconic British motorcycle manufacturer Triumph has announced its intention to enter the Indian market.

First established in 1902 and now based in Hinckley, Leicestershire, UK, Triumph Motorcycles has in recent years been the fastest growing motorcycle brand in the world. For many years Triumph has produced a wide range bikes which perfectly blend design, character, charisma and performance. At the heart of Triumph’s philosophy is a commitment to developing truly unique motorcycles that offer a blend of distinctive design, intuitive handling and performance.

The innovation and engineering passion that gave birth to the iconic Bonneville of the 1960s has today created a broad range of bikes suited to all motorcycle riders, including the striking 2.3 litre Rocket III, the unmistakable Speed Triple, the award-winning Daytona 675 supersport machine and the recently launched Tiger 800. Remaining true to their heritage, Triumph combines the very latest design and manufacturing facilities with the character and design flair that has always been associated with the famous swooping badge.

Triumph has appointed Ashish Joshi as its Managing Director for India. Prior to joining Triumph, Ashish was heading the European operations for Royal Enfield and established the company’s business in Europe. He has over 16 years of experience in Asia and Europe.

Commenting on Triumph’s entry to the Indian market Nick Bloor, CEO of Triumph Motorcycles, UK said: “India is a very important motorcycle market and Triumph has assessed it carefully before deciding to step in. We see it as the next step in our global business model. The appointment of Ashish Joshi is a signal of our seriousness about success in India. I wish him the best and look forward to comprehensive growth from the Indian market.”

Words: Sarmad Kadiri

 

Yes, the road test will hopefully come soon…

Confirming the news we broke earlier on Bike India, the UK based motorcycle has officially announced that it is entering the country. Here is what their official note has to say.

Iconic British motorcycle manufacturer Triumph has announced its intention to enter the Indian market.

First established in 1902 and now based in Hinckley, Leicestershire, UK, Triumph Motorcycles has in recent years been the fastest growing motorcycle brand in the world. For many years Triumph has produced a wide range bikes which perfectly blend design, character, charisma and performance. At the heart of Triumph’s philosophy is a commitment to developing truly unique motorcycles that offer a blend of distinctive design, intuitive handling and performance.

The innovation and engineering passion that gave birth to the iconic Bonneville of the 1960s has today created a broad range of bikes suited to all motorcycle riders, including the striking 2.3 litre Rocket III, the unmistakable Speed Triple, the award-winning Daytona 675 supersport machine and the recently launched Tiger 800. Remaining true to their heritage, Triumph combines the very latest design and manufacturing facilities with the character and design flair that has always been associated with the famous swooping badge.

Triumph has appointed Ashish Joshi as its Managing Director for India. Prior to joining Triumph, Ashish was heading the European operations for Royal Enfield and established the company’s business in Europe. He has over 16 years of experience in Asia and Europe.

Commenting on Triumph’s entry to the Indian market Nick Bloor, CEO of Triumph Motorcycles, UK said: “India is a very important motorcycle market and Triumph has assessed it carefully before deciding to step in. We see it as the next step in our global business model. The appointment of Ashish Joshi is a signal of our seriousness about success in India. I wish him the best and look forward to comprehensive growth from the Indian market.”

Words: Sarmad Kadiri