Barhopper Challenge

barhopperchallenge.com

Category: Classic Motorcycles

Classic Motorcycles / News

Horex VR6 Cafe Racer 33 ltd. unveiled


At 33,333 euros, it certainly isn’t cheap, but the Horex Cafe Racer’s VR6 engine is unique in the world of motorcycling 

Horex have announced a new variant of their 1200cc six-cylinder motorcycle – the VR6 Cafe Racer 33 ltd. “The bike’s purist design and cafe racer styling feature simple lines with high-energy ergonomics. The VR6 Cafe Racer 33 ltd. brings the ‘Roaring 60s’ era of sportbikes to life,” says a press release from Horex, which adds that only 33 units of this cafe racer will be built.

With its 126-horsepower and 120Nm six-cylinder engine (more details of the ‘VR’ layout here), fully adjustable Öhlins 43mm FGRT upside-down fork and TTX 36 monoshock, milled-from-alloy clip-on handlebars, rearset footrests, covered tailpiece, black-anodized spoked wheels from Kineo and brown-silver paintwork, we think the Horex VR6 Cafe Racer 33 ltd. looks quite cool. The bike weighs 249 kilos dry, has a claimed top speed of 250km/h and carries a price tag of 33,333 euros.

Classic Motorcycles

2015 Yamaha YZF-R3 finally gatecrashes Kawasaki, Honda, KTM party

2015 Yamaha YZF-R32015 Yamaha YZF-R32015 Yamaha YZF-R32015 Yamaha YZF-R3
The 2015 Yamaha YZF-R3 looks good, but can it take on the Ninja 300 and the KTM RC390…?

Yamaha have taken the wraps off their brand-new YZF-R3, which is powered by a new 321cc DOHC 4-valve parallel twin that uses forged aluminium pistons and carburized conrods, and produces 41 horsepower and 30Nm of torque. “The concept behind this was to create a supersports machine you can ride every day, and the architecture of the new powerplant is designed to ensure good rideability in the low to mid-speed range, together with a strong and responsive character at higher rpm,” says a press note from Yamaha.

The new YZF-R3 gets a diamond-type tubular steel chassis which, according to Yamaha, has been developed using the latest structural analysis technology. Using the bike’s engine as a stressed member, the chassis is supposed to offer predictable handling that’s ideal for riders who might just be stepping up from the 125cc class. The Yamaha R3 weighs 169 kilos, features 50:50 front:rear weight distribution, rides on 17-inch alloy wheels (shod with 110/70 and 140/70 rubber), and gets 41mm front forks and ‘monocross’ rear suspension. Braking duties are handled by a single 298mm disc at the front and 220mm disc at the back, while ABS is standard.

Yamaha are actually late to the 250cc sportsbike category. Kawasaki, with the Ninja 250, and Honda, with the CBR250R, have already staked a claim in this segment for quite some time now. These two have already moved things forward with the Ninja 300 and the CBR300, while KTM have upped the ante in a very big way with the RC390. We have to admit, the new Yamaha R3 also looks quite good, but will it be able to take on the other three – especially the RC390 – remains to be seen. Expect to see the R3 in Yamaha showrooms worldwide, in April 2015.
Read more »