“5 Dual-Sport Bikes Take on Death Valley: Test Drive - Popular Mechanics” plus 4 more |
- 5 Dual-Sport Bikes Take on Death Valley: Test Drive - Popular Mechanics
- Coda Automotive Appoints Former Volkswagen and MINI USA Head of ... - Earthtimes
- EV Maker Coda Automotive Appoints Former Volkswagen and MINI USA Head ... - The Auto Chanel
- Officers Elected to American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation Board of ... - Who Won
- Groppetti tries new approach for motorcycle sales in Visalia - Visalia Times-Delta
| 5 Dual-Sport Bikes Take on Death Valley: Test Drive - Popular Mechanics Posted: 18 Aug 2009 04:49 AM PDT Watch out for the decreasing-radius hairpin turns when you're blasting down Death Valley's Titus Canyon. I'm the lead rider in our group of five, my helmet and hands buzzing from the KTM's torquey 449-cc four-stroke. Every twist of this serpentine, dusty trail hides a surprise, and any hamfisted moves with the throttle could mean a side trip into the unforgiving brush—perhaps worse. Suddenly, the trail snakes abruptly to the right; I barely make the turn and drift wide into the soft, sandy shoulder as the prickly branches of the desert sagebrush graze my pant legs. Whew. Death Valley is notoriously unforgiving. It's remote, dry and, yes, very hot—134 F is the record temperature. There's good reason auto engineers arrive here every summer for hot-weather testing in camouflaged prototypes. If the air conditioning works in Death Valley, it works anywhere. As inhospitable as this place may be, its topography is like an amusement park for hikers, campers and gearheads looking to get a little dirty. This 3.4-million-acre national park on the California–Nevada border has trails ideally suited to our mission: testing dual-sport motorcycles. Dual-sport bikes are like the crossover SUVs of the motorcycle world. They are off-road bikes toned down and made legal for road use. Since weight is the enemy of off-road riding, they are all "thumpers"—torque-rich, single-cylinder machines that conservatively sip fuel. So, they've become popular bikes for commuting. In fact, last year, the dual-sport segment grew 23 percent. Impressive, considering that the motorcycle market as a whole declined by 3.3 percent. Our group of riders rambles into Death Valley National Park and convenes at the rustic Furnace Creek Ranch one early spring weekend to kick up some dirt. Our skill levels are as diverse as the bikes we're testing. The Honda CRF230L and Yamaha XT250 represent the popular entry-level class. The Kawasaki KLX250S and Suzuki DR-Z400S are two consecutive upward steps in capability. Finally, at the extreme end of the performance envelope sits the KTM 450 EXC, a race-ready dirt rocket. Professional tester Danny Coe has blasted each one down the quarter-mile at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, Calif., before we arrive in Death Valley. So we have an idea which ones will take a more experienced hand. And our guest rider has spent a large part of his life on two wheels. Joining our team for this three-day trail test is part-time motorcycle rider and full-time MythBuster Jamie Hyneman. Jamie gravitates right to the fire-breathing KTM—it became his favorite steed on this trip.
Rocky RoadsThe trails of Death Valley radiate outward likE A pinwheel from our Furnace Creek home base. Dual-sport bikes don't have to be hauled to the trailhead like a dedicated dirt machine. You just saddle up and ride. And to get in a full day of riding, we begin at the coldest part—early morning.The stunning, snow-covered Panamint Range is a welcome distraction from the chill. Still, a 30-mile pavement ride reminds us that these bikes do have some drawbacks. There is no bodywork to shield you from wind. The seats pack all the comfort of a park bench. And the knobby tires put little rubber on the tarmac. So these bikes certainly aren't cushy cruisers. But it's that upright riding position that makes dual-sport bikes so maneuverable—and perfect for the dirt. The packed gravel road leading to Titus Canyon drops into an ever-narrowing switchback canyon. The road itself is mild. A rental car could make it—very slowly. But at the speed we're going, the constant washboard bumps would probably shake a car dashboard into a pile of crumbled plastic. These bikes have suspension travel to spare, so they soak up the ridges and allow us to race through to more challenging terrain. All of these bikes occasionally spit fist-size rocks. But when you're dressed in a suit of armored Alpinestars gear, as we are, you're nearly bulletproof. Down in the canyon, as we slice between the high rock walls, the Honda and Yamaha ease us back into the sport. Just about anyone can throw a leg over these bikes; the learning curve is short. But dirt riding requires a subtle touch. It's tempting to stiffen your arm muscles and make small, frantic steering corrections. Not only will you wake up the next morning with sore shoulders, but these bikes won't respond well to this busywork. The best way to ride on this terrain is to guide the bikes and forget about small course corrections. It's easier to stand and use your body weight to steer. Once you're in a groove, the moves are graceful, satisfying and quite relaxing. Our group hits that mark as we close in on our lunch stop and glide past the rusty brown and slate-gray canyon walls. The KLX packs a surprisingly hefty punch. There's a good balance between suspension travel and seat height. And the powerplant is more highly tuned than the other 250s here, so once you spin the motor to its 10,500 redline, hold on. The deeper we go, the tighter the canyon gets. And nobody wants to let up. The big Suzuki and the KTM both have a wonderful overload of power. The Suzuki is equipped with slightly more street-oriented tires. Yet the motor is ferocious, so lifting the front wheel is just a twist of the throttle away. But the KTM is really in another class. Even with the dirt-specific tires, this bike effortlessly breaks traction, power-slides and sends up a sky-high roost of dirt. We quickly nickname it the Big Block. For those of us with less experience, the KTM can be a bit intimidating. But Jamie can't get enough of it. (By this time, the MythBuster has long since dispelled any doubts about his riding prowess—the man has serious off-road chops). The KTM is "a barrelful of monkeys," he says, in one of those anachronisms that somehow sounds natural coming from under a handlebar mustache. "It gives me everything I can handle." We gas the bikes through the last of the switchbacks, dirt-track style, with the rear ends swinging wide. On the street these would be hooligan moves, but in the dirt, it's just the right way to ride.
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| Coda Automotive Appoints Former Volkswagen and MINI USA Head of ... - Earthtimes Posted: 12 Aug 2009 10:04 AM PDT |
| EV Maker Coda Automotive Appoints Former Volkswagen and MINI USA Head ... - The Auto Chanel Posted: 12 Aug 2009 10:54 AM PDT SANTA MONICA, Calif., Aug. 12, 2009 -- Coda Automotive, a California-based electric car and battery company, has hired Kerri Martin as Chief Marketing Officer in preparation for the launch of its four-door, five-passenger, all-electric sedan in 2010. Prior to joining Coda, Martin was Director of Brand Innovation and Marketing Communications at Volkswagen of America. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090812/LA60690LOGO) "Kerri is a welcome addition to the Coda team and will be instrumental in architecting a fully integrated, customer-centric Coda brand experience," said Kevin Czinger, President and CEO, Coda Automotive. "With a history of taking an innovative approach to automotive marketing and not settling for industry standards, Kerri's leadership style aligns perfectly with our entrepreneurial business model." Martin has more than 15 years of experience as a creative marketing executive, launching, building and reinvigorating some of the world's most iconic pop culture brands including Harley-Davidson, BMW Motorcycles, MINI and Volkswagen. "I'm thrilled to be part of the electric vehicle movement, especially with Coda, a company that is intent on disrupting the category conventions and has the vision to reinvent the car buying and ownership experience," said Martin. Martin, 39, held various executive marketing positions at MINI USA and Volkswagen from 2000 to 2007. From 1997 to 2000, she led the repositioning of the BMW Motorcycles brand and managed the Harley-Davidson MotorClothes marketing programs from 1993-1997. Martin graduated cum laude with a BA in Marketing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was the first client ever elected to the Board of Directors of The One Club. She began her career with advertising and public relations agency Laughlin Constable. About Coda Automotive: Headquartered in Santa Monica, Calif., Coda Automotive is a manufacturer and distributor of all-electric cars and transportation battery systems. Launched in June 2009, the company designs, brands, markets and distributes electric vehicles utilizing a manufacturing partnership strategy which allows Coda Automotive to develop vehicles rapidly in a flexible manner - avoiding the traditionally capital-intensive nature of the automobile business. Coda Automotive's first vehicle, the Coda sedan, will be delivered in 2010. Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090812/LA60690LOGOhttp://photoarchive.ap.org/ PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Officers Elected to American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation Board of ... - Who Won Posted: 14 Aug 2009 12:25 PM PDT Friday, August 14, 2009 Officers Elected to American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation Board of Directors by Pete terHorst PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is pleased to announce the results of officer elections for the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation (AMHF) Board of Directors, which raises money for the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Groppetti tries new approach for motorcycle sales in Visalia - Visalia Times-Delta Posted: 17 Aug 2009 04:46 PM PDT Don Groppetti is trying a new way to sell motorcycles. His Kawasaki motorcycle dealership at 730 E. Mineral King Ave. in Visalia will hold its first-ever liquidation auction from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. About 100 motorcycles, quads, SUVs, scooters and watercraft will be available, and Groppetti said he's willing to take losses to get the cash flowing. "We just have a little extra inventory," said Groppetti, owner of Groppetti Automotive. Most models will be 2008, Groppetti said, but some 2006 models will be included. "Motorcycles are different than cars in that there's not much distinction between model years," he said. "So, in a lot of cases, there's little or no change [from one year to the next]." A preview is planned for 8 to 10:30 a.m. Friday at the showroom on Mineral King Avenue. A second preview will be held from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday. The auction begins at 11 a.m. No bids will be taken ahead of time, but an auction Web site has been set up at www.GAMotorSportsAuction.com with reduced pricing, he said. Though financing will be available at the auction, Groppetti said he's "hoping to bring some cash buyers out." "The motorcycle business is not much different than the car business, and financing is a challenge," he said. "It has certainly taken its toll on traffic."  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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