MIDALU FGR 2500 V6 - Aiming for the Sky

When one talks about Czechoslovakia and Motorcycle in the same breath, the name of CZ JAWA comes to mind. The brand is very much active, thank you but now there is a new brand coming out from the Czech Republic which will make people stand up and notice. For fans that follow the 125 Moto GP circuit, you might be familiar with the brand name of MIDALU. This brand has a 125 cc Moto GP bike which came out 2 years back and now they are venturing out to the complete other side of the spectrum. They have come out with a prototype with a V6 engine displacing a humongous 2500cc claiming it to be the world’s most powerful production motorcycle in the world. It is said heavy he feels who wears the crown and so why would a 125cc manufacturer come out with a Boss Hoss kind of a machine?
And talking about crown, just last year we saw the Vyrus and Asphalt motorcycles claiming to be ‘Fastest Production Motorcycles’ and now we have the ‘Most Powerful Production Motorcycle’. I believed that crown was held firm by the Munch Mammut, so let us take a peek as what is this about the MIDALU FGR 2500 V6.

Midalu is a family-run business in Czech Republic. Miroslav Felgr incepted the idea of producing the biggest displacement bike in a mass production stage back in 2004. A designer by profession, along with Oldrich Kreuz, he began working on motorcycles in 2005, but he started out with the Moto GP bike, the FGR 125 GP. Moto GP bikes are very complicated to make as it involves a huge amount of dynamics and ergonomics to scream at those high speeds. By February, 2007, they had their first motorcycle ready to run. The motorcycle was showcased in the MOTOCYKL 2008 exhibition and in the same event, it was announced that Midalu is planning for a much much bigger bike. A completion was held for interested designers to design the proposed 2.5 liter engine along with the bike. Out of 45 proposals, 11 were shortlisted for round 2 and finally 3 were selected by February 2009. Stanislav Hanus, Ladislav Skoda and Petr Vanek later joined hands with Hanus, the winner, taking the lead and started working out from base up. It was pre decided as to what they needed to work with in regards to engine size and capacity, so the motorcycle had to be built with that in mind. The frame came first, followed by the forks and things started adding and stacking up on it. Of course the final design saw varied changes and finally everything fell into place last year and they were ready with their first prototype. There, the first Midalu FGR 2500V6 was born.

The 2442cc V6 engine is said to belt out 240HP, and something like 150lb/ft of torque. The V-Twin is configured at 90-degree adequately supported with liquid cooling technology. The supposed icing on the cake is the very tempting mileage figures of is 12 to 16km/l depending on how you run the bike. The enthusiasm of the Midalu family is very evident from the displayed prototype. The bike has been designed with the finest materials available in the market. Not only the design and accessories, it has some of the best cutting edge technology to assist many innovations going inside the bike and the engine. Keeping it naked, which of course highlights the massive engine, the bike has a very clean, yet distinctive look to it. Styling is minimal and with the trellis frame, it will remind you vaguely remind you of a Ducati Monster added with that Ducatisque headlamp, but just that, this is a real big Monster. Interestingly, since the family was not a big name, finance was always an issue when you think about such a big project. So they had approached the Ministry of Industry for grants, initially not for the FGR 2500 V6, but for the FGR125 GP. After listening out, the Ministry not only approved the 125 GP project but also gave the go ahead with the v6 project.

The 4-stroke engine, supported by a tubular chassis, has a six-speed gearbox, slipper clutch and carbon tank built into the saddle, with a capacity of 18.5 liters. The 6 cylinders will go through bore and stroke dimensions of 90 x 64 mm with a compression ratio of 9.9:1 to get to those claimed power figures. Dry weight of this beauty is 269 kg. The bike was unveiled mid-January, 2011 and this year, the prototype will undergo track and road testing. Launch of the bike is scheduled for 2012. Of course, the bike will have a premium cost and will probably cost anything around 50, 000 USD. Whether the FGR 2500 V6 will be able to beat the 2000cc, 260 hp, 295 Nm, 86mm bore engine of Munch Mammut, we will only get to know it by next year, but rest assured, you will be getting one hell of a hell –ride!
You may visit the FGR 2500 V6 Official website for more information. All photos courtesy of the Gallery section of the website.

ICON SHEENE - An Icon...as Barry, Like No Other

British businessman Andrew Morris’ vision was to create the ultimate road-going motorbike and he also thought of paying tribute to his boyhood hero by creating the ultimate road bike. So what do we have here now? This is the ICON SHEENE, the self professed ‘World’s Most Costly World’s Most Powerful Production motorcycle’. Although the claim is open to debate, the word ‘production’ does come into plat here. Only 52 of these motorcycles will be built and of course it can be customized, but it will be a ‘production’ bike. But before starting the debate and finalizing the verdict, let’s get to know the beauty of a bike. This particular model from the ICON SHEENE brand is referred as the Sheene Ultrabike.
Of course, you know the bike has been named after the legendary Barry Sheene and you also probably know that the bike was officially debuted at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this summer (2nd to 4th July, 2010). The bike was introduced by Freddie, Barry’s son and he himself took part in the hill climb event. And as expected, the 200mph, 250+BHP bike took centre stage at the event. This turbo charged monster-hiding-in-a-catwalk-model-dress is priced at £107,000 (€ 120,000 / $170,000) onwards.
The Sheene family has provided their full support to the project and the52 bikes will also have Stephanie’s (Barry’s wife) signature on the tank along with her late great husband.

Stephanie says “The ICON SHEENE captures everything he stood for and I take great comfort in knowing that it will be a unique tribute to an extraordinary man. To have a motorcycle designed, built and dedicated to the memory of Barry is the ultimate accolade.
I know he would have had fun being involved with this project whilst at the same time putting his own special stamp of approval on the detail. If you are lucky enough to become an owner of one of these rare motorcycles, remember: life is for living and bikes are for riding.” The brain behind the idea of paying tribute to the legend is Mr. Andrew Morris. The firm is of course located at Nottingham, UK, Barry’s country. The Ultrabike is not just a collaboration of Mr. Morris with the Sheene family but many engineers, mechanics and friends of Barry have also contributed their expertise to the motorcycle. Another name that needs a mention for building up this stunner is Mr. Steve Parrish, Barry’s ex team mate and long time friend. Josh Niclolas is the project manager for the Ultrabike.

Andrew Morris, founder of Icon Motorcycles says, “Barry Sheene was a hero – of mine and everyone else. Supremely talented on a high speed race bike, courageous, determined, magical to watch in action, he was also irrepressibly cheeky, funny and seemed never without a smile. He did things his own way, and always with passion and spirit.
When I decided to create the world’s ultimate road bike, the image of Barry and all he represents was foremost in my mind; I believe the Icon Sheene is a fitting tribute to this remarkable man, and I’m very fortunate to have his family’s backing for the project.
And because Barry was so extraordinary, I knew my bike had to be, too. So it’s handmade. In Britain. It features extreme levels of power and performance. And it’s massively entertaining to ride hard. And in creating it I’ve felt proud and humble to work alongside many of the talented individuals and companies who helped Barry to win two World Championships.
The Icon Sheene, of which just 52 will ever be made, is a new breed of road bike, the Ultrabike. I think Barry would have approved!”

This bike has been designed for easy handling in a manner that you won’t feel out of place either in a road or on a track. Bu the looks and images of the riders, the bike seems more road focused. Steve Parrish has been the main test rider for the Ultrabike and he said that the bike has quite a lot going for it even if you consider that this is a 200 mph motorcycle. I have very little doubts that on the road this bike will perform exceptionally well, but such a powerful bike, it would be really interesting to find its mettle on the track. So how does it work on the track? Well, motorcycle’s premier magazine MCN tested the motorcycle at Silverstone but mentioned that there is still plenty of development work to be done. Michael Neeves, one of the world’s most respected bike critics of this generation mentioned that the bike is still not meant for track racing the powerband was found to be narrow and the fact that the bike did weigh a lot didn’t help for the tracks either. The bike took two years in the making and Mr. Morris says that the bike Neeves rode was the first of the 52 that are to be produced. Things will only start getting better hence forth. And anyway, the foremost idea was to make a road bike which it probably has met.

Steve Parrish talks about his buddy and the motorcycle, saying “I am so very pleased the Icon Sheene has been sculptured, a living, shrieking, whirlwind of a tribute to a great man: for me, Barry was like having a father, brother and mate, all wrapped in one amazing person.
Now 52 lucky people can revel in a legacy that will remind them of how Barry Sheene inspired the whole motorcycle industry around the world.
Barry would have been very proud to see this astonishing piece of British engineering excellence, unique in every way, just as he was, being owned and ridden fast by like-minded people.
Barry’s last words to me were: ‘Stavros, at least we are not going to die wondering.’ Which meant that if you ever wondered what something was like, you ought to experience it for yourself. That was the philosophy we lived by. Another of his famous insights was: ‘Never wait for your ship to come in; there are times when you have to swim out to meet it.’With these two thoughts in mind, now is time for you to start swimming towards ownership of one of these fabulous machines.”

Now getting on to as what could possibly make the claim to be the ‘world’s most powerful production motorcycle’? For starters, the engine is outsourced from the SUZUKI GSK1400. Well, half the battle for the crown already goes to ICON SHEENE. Why the GSX 1400? Well, history will tell you that Barry won his two 500cc World Championship titles on Suzuki. The GSX 1400 gets a boost turbocharging the engine to belt out over 250 BHP of power. But how do you justify the high tag price. Let’s analyze. The engine, beside being hand built, is turbocharged by Garrett. Garett is a brand which leads in turbocharging technologies. Its piostons are made by CP Carrillo, a brand with almost 50 years of experience in making pistons and rods. Pistons are from the house of Wiseco, a brand which has become synonymous with pistons, thanks to their 70 years of experience. Spondon Engineering makes some of the world’s best frame kits and Andrew found them to be a perfect partner since they are also from the same city. The frame used for the Ultrabike is an all-aluminum, purpose-built tubular frame, with an aluminum swingarm made by FTR Moto and the rear suspension and forks coming from the house of the Italian firm of Bitubo.

Everything going in the bike is world class. It has hand made carbon fibre bodywork, a hand made aluminum tank, hand-crafted aluminum oil coolers, and a handmade stainless exhaust. It has carbon-fiber race wheels, ISR calipers, discs and levers, Bosch Motronic engine management system, digital instrumentation, keyless starting and F1-spec wiring. If you still think the price tag is little bit higher, well how about that each motorcycle will flaunt etched and engraved plaques and yokes, a hand-painted 1940s style pin-up girl and will bear Sheene’s lucky ‘7’ embroidered to it. The design is just unique and there can be just no mistaking the bike for any other. Well, it is just not possible. Plus you know that the engine will make 250bhp with 133lb/ft is claimed at the rear wheel, all in all this is as much a show as much it has the go. Unless we have a proper test, the crown for the ‘world’s most powerful production motorcycle’ may be debatable, but you just can’t deny the ICON SHEENE for the run towards the crown.

Why only 52 will be built? Actually Barry lived for only 52 years, from 1950 to 2003 when he lost the battle to cancer. Another nice feature the ICON SHEENEs will have is that each 52 bikes will have one card from the 52 deck of playing cards that will be hand-painted by Mike Fairholme, the artist who decorated Sheene’s helmets. As one can expect, each of the 52 bikes will be hand-built and tailored to the customer specification. It actually is very true to the character of Barry. Barry was considered as the wild one who was equally sweet yet lived his life loud and beautiful. Look at the bike, you will see all of Barry’s characters. This bike is not anyway trying to hide its image, it is vibrant and it is refreshing. It will stand out no matter where you place it. This bike will attract crowds for no reason whatsoever just like Barry for whatever he did. Barry always did things his own way and that was his unique character and just like Barry, the Ultrabike is just unique given the way it looks. It is a unique tribute to a unique icon. ICON SHEENE is currently taking orders and you can place yours too to become part of a motorcycle legacy like no other.

All photos, info and video courtesy: ICON Motorcycles

Elenore - Prepare Yourself for a DUCATI L8

How do you like a L-Twin Ducati? Well, that is rather a really silly question really, as who on earth would not love a Ducati L-Twin? So, how about a Ducati L-4 like the awesome Desmosedici RR? Of course, probably none of us reading this blog has even set atop the Desmosedici. But nonetheless, doesn’t just the idea of sitting atop a 4 engined Ducati give you the goosebumps, right! And so, then how about a L-8 Ducati? Yes, yes, like you know 2 Desmosedici in one… And no neither am I out of my mind and nor am I kidding. So how do you get or have or acquire a Ducati with 8 engines? Of course, Ducati has never tried it on any prototypes either but that hasn’t stopped a German gentleman who just went ahead with this crazy idea and has made a Ducati L-8.

In Ducati language, the number 16 has quite a big relevance. In Italian sedici means 16. And in Ducati language, when you say Sedici, it usually refers to the Desmosedici as the 4 cylinders have 4 desmodromic valves each, totaling 16 valves and that is the reason it is called Desmo – Sedici. This particular German gentleman took the same language instructions but gave it a totally new perspective since he has 2 valves in each of the 8 cylinders and so that too makes 16 valves. And that is how you make an L-8. Dieter Hartmann Wirthwein’s is the name of that man and his innovative Ducati L-8 has its first public showing at the Intermot 2010 show.
The L-8 engine is fitted to a 900SS rolling chassis. The bike has been on the news since a year back and there were quite a few skeptics who though this would probably never make it. But within the last 12 months, Mr. Wirthwein has completed the patent application process for his innovative connecting rod scheme that allows an original 900SS crankshaft to be used and consequently the powerplant can fit in a 900SS frame.

I believe it is not fully ready to try it out on the roads or tracks. Anyway, the world officially took notice of the bike at this year’s show in Cologne, Germany. Imagine the sound of any Ducati L Twin and now imagine what 4 Ducatis would sound like, all at sync! I haven’t been able to find any video of the bike on run but I am sure the sound would be absolutely awesome. The only video I found related to this bike is a diagrammatic representation of how the connecting rods would work. Here is the link. Surprisingly, the valve actuation is not desmodromic.This German engineer is of course and has to be a Ducati fanatic. And if you look at his website, there are quite a few interesting projects of Honda, BMW and Bultaco up his sleeve. You might like, actually try it, you will most definitely like his ‘Monkey’ project. He has named this Ducati bike as ‘Elenore’ of course meaning 8 referring to the cylinder numbers. The engine uses cylinders with a bore and stroke of 56 and 44mm respectively for a total capacity of 868cc.

There are not much details on his website or anywhere else, so in case you come over more information, please share. The time line for this project is by the end of the year by which time, it will be fully functional and we can listen to its roar. As per the specifications, the bike has a good compression ratio of 11:1 and that would be helpful for a relatively low power output of 80 bhp strictly speaking in Ducati lingo. Anyway, we can surely wait for a month more and let Wirthwein do his magic in the mean time and I am sure we will be quite happy with the final product if the production stage gives any indication.
His workshop is in Rimbach, Germany (Staatsstrasse 51, 64668 Rimbach).You can visit his website, for some additional info and pictures. You can also contact him through email or phone (06253 238488) to learn more about his projects.

Specifications:
Engine: 868 cc, 2 valves per cyl, air-cooled eight-cylinder four-stroke engine
Bore x Stroke: 56mm x 44mm
Compression ratio: 11:1
Power Output: 80 bhp (60 KW)
Fueling: Four, 28mm flat-slide carburetors
Valve operation: Single cam belt
Crankshaft: Wirthwein’s patented connecting rod

ITN - BENELLI, HUSQVARNA Hots Up EICMA

The current hot news in the world of motorcycling is of course the EICMA in Milan Italy that got concluded yesterday. By now you must have known about all the latest machines from the Diavel to the new Daytona. Anyway, for those who attended the EICMA, some of the biggest buzz came from relatively two smaller players, Benelli and Husqvarna, small in terms of production and not small in terms of magnitude anyway. While the Diavel was expected as was the new range from Kawasaki and the Honda Crossover among others, what surprised the visitors was the Husqvarna Mille 3. Husqvarna is more known for their Motocross & Supermotard and currently doesn’t have any street or orther bikes in production. So it was rather surprising to see this unique three-cylinder concept motorcycle dubbed the Husqvarna Mille 3 Concept. Husqvarna has fused three dirt bike cylinders of 331 cc singles mated to a common crank to develop the mill displacing 993cc. It is actually a V3 or V-triple, but you get to see it as a twin but that too from far looks like a single and the other one is almost hidden. That is because there is a vertical cylinder and the other one actually having two cylinders. How it performs, as of now beyond the point as it is shown as a prototype just to display what Husqvarna is capable of and the office mentions that it has no plans for production as of now. The design cues are very reminiscent of its dirt and motard line.
The styling is most definitely Husqvarna. The bike has a low-slung chassis which will make you recall Husqvarna central "tubone" design, the single-piece tubular form, spoked rims matted to fat street tires, double rear beam, with aluminum stays fitted to the outside of the chassis uprights. The wheelbase is long, and the seat height seems ideal for daily riding. But then again, the rearward position of the footrests along with the kind-of off-road handlebars make the riding position an aggressive one and in total gives you the impression that this bike has an attitude of a street dragger cum go anywhere bike. According to Husqvarna, the Mille3 is a "concept study demonstrating Husqvarna's ability to design with highly diverse technical solutions, creating a dynamic and seductive contrast.” As of now, this Swedish firm, owned by a German firm (BMW) and having its base in Italy is probably judging the people’s view and of course they are getting a lot of press which is anyway a good thing since the likes of Husqvarna (read companies into dirt and motorads) do not make many headlines in events or expos. But then, should we not wait for some time because I do expect that certain piece of good news and opening of a completely new genre.

Benelli, the Italian firm, now a days more known for its high priced up market niche products was established in 1911. The brand which gave the world ‘The Sei’ will be completing 100 years or rather hitting the ‘Century’ in two months time. To commensurate the grand occasion, Benelli decided to celebrate the anniversary with some interesting new products on display at this year’s EICMA in Milan, Italy. Among the products, the bike which made the most rattle is the TNT Century Racer. The bike carries the genes of the 899 Racer TNT with a new frame and the new ‘Centenary’ colour. TNT, as you would be familiar stands for Tornado naked Tre, Tre standing for its in line three engine.
The TNT 899 Century Racer will replace the TNT 899 (regular in white and red colours) by the first quarter of next year. The outgoing model parts that will continue include the front Marzocchi 50mm fully adjustable black anodized shocks, disk brakes with Brembo radial calipers (320mm front and 240mm at the rear) while at the chassis, there will be the addition of ZF SACHS rear shock, fully adjustable and a change to the mapping unit.
Another addition to its portfolio includes the R160 that was also showcased last year at the EICMA. The R160 has already made it to the company website with its striking red colour with its matt titanium frame. The new TNT R160 will also be available in February 2011. For the 68th edition of EICMA, Benelli also unveiled a new scooters, Mace CaffèNero 125 and a bigger 150 cc version.