ACE CAFE RADIO

    mercredi 22 avril 2015

    BSMC GEAR GUIDE #54


    BSMC Gear Guide #54
    Posted by  
    This week’s Gear Guide features a stunning retro carbon fibre lid and Red Baron style aviator goggles, some lovely burgundy bobber style gloves, Firestone tread iPhone 6 covers and a beautiful recreation of the iconic 59 Club Highwayman jacket.
    GPA-CARBON-SOLAR-OPEN-FACE-HELMET-1
    PRODUCT REVIEW  – GPA CARBON SOLAR OPEN FACE HELMET 
    GPA are a French helmet manufacturer that have a rich motorsport legacy. Formed in 1972 their helmets have been worn by  car racers Alain Prost, Nelson Piquet, René Arnoux, Jacques Laffite, Gilles Villeneuve, Jean-Pierre Beltoise to name a few, and bikers  such as Patrick Pons, Bernard Fau, Thierry Tchernine Gerard Choukroun, Christian Sarron, and Michel Vaillant.
    GPA-CARBON-SOLAR-OPEN-FACE-HELMET-3
    The Solar is a true 100% carbon shell helmet, with a leather and velvet liner with removable and interchangeable cheek pieces. It has a retractable ‘solar screen’ with an optional long screen. It’s fastened with a a double D ring. It’s certainly at the quality end of the open face spectrum.
    This a very light and well fitting lid, that has pretty good sound insulation, so I’m not constantly distracted by the mysterious rattles that emanate from my various cycles. Although not to everyone’s tastes, I like the retractable half visor, it sits well just above the nose, protects the eyes, and looks pretty cool too. It’s a useful alternative to goggles or shades and can be easily unclipped and removed. They’ve done a great job of streamlining the profile of the lid considering the visor needs to retract into it. The fit is snug so it doesn’t lift at speed.
    GPA-CARBON-SOLAR-OPEN-FACE-HELMET-2
    If I have one criticism it’s that it’s a little over branded, however, they’ve been very thoughtful about this as the gel logos are very easily removed to leave a great looking minimalist lid.
    The Carbon Solar is DOT and ECE safety approved.
     CED-MOTORCYCLE-GLOVES-1
    PRODUCT REVIEW BY THE BSMC’S GARETH CHARLTON – CED MOTORCYCLE GLOVES
    As I look out of the window at the glorious sun beating down and attempt to design an excuse for a swift hop on the bike I remember my lovely new gloves that require a review for the BSMC Gear Guide. Done, I’ll be back in half an hour…. Maybe longer.
    CED-MOTORCYCLE-GLOVES-3
    Cëd by Cëd is an artisan leather company based in Buenos Aires, where they are clearly familiar with the joy of a scorching day. Their gloves are refreshingly simple, un-lined supple cowhide in large panels with a ruched elastic cuff and blanket-stitching around the base. The colour is what makes them catch the eye, cerise, plum and burgundy would all be valid descriptions, a definite point of difference to the ubiquitous black and brown. Butted up against a dark jacket they make me smile every time I glance in their direction.
    CED-MOTORCYCLE-GLOVES-2
    On the bike they performed completely as expected, light and simple with more feel than any other gloves I own, The caveat being that grinding them down the road would inevitably see you through to skin quicker than a double layered or armoured alternative. But you make your choice and you ride accordingly. I am certain they will see much use as the summer takes hold and they mould and age to and with my paws. A lovely, simple piece of kit.
    DELUX-CHAMPION-IPHONE-CASE-1
    PRODUCT REVIEW BY THE BSMC’S ROSS SHARP – DELUXE CHAMPION IPHONE CASE
    Novelty phone cases aren’t really my thing. I don’t need a pair of cat ears or a bunch of diamantes to signify that I have successfully transitioned from the analog world of Nokia push buttons to the super efficient Apple way of being. But with one’s life revolving around 150 or so grammes of computing wizardry, going for a ride without protection is more than slightly churlish.
    DELUX-CHAMPION-IPHONE-CASE-3
    If like me, you use your iPhone as an office, media centre, torch, metric to imperial conversion calculator, broken part search tool and occasionally a telephone, then you’ll have definitely dropped, dunked or thrown your first world appendage at some point. Personally I like the feel of rubber and, touch wood, have never broken a screen to date, added to which, the gripping properties of rubber reduces the chance of a high-speed slip from a pocket. 
    Whilst on a trip downunder I caught up with Geoff from Return of the Café Racers, who not only runs a longstanding and successful blog, has opened a motorcycle bar and workshop space, and somewhere along the line found time to develop a range of accessories. One being this Firestone inspired phone case. The tread pattern of the Deluxe Champion hasn’t changed in decades and is perhaps the most recognisable tyre within the custom scene. These phone cases are a true recreation of this pattern, the grooves perfectly matching those you’d find on your bike, the injection moulding teat bits are even present.
    DELUX-CHAMPION-IPHONE-CASE-2
    The design has been tweaked countless times to ensure the 100% silicon rubber is a tight fit around the phone. Those of our crew with Apple’s latest model have been complimentary about the fit compared to cheaper rubbers used in budget cases. Power and volume buttons are covered but remain fully functional. Cameras, headphone jack and power ports are exposed for quick access and aren’t partially covered by annoying flappy bits that end up tearing off. The back of the case is curved, replicating the inspiration and fitting the hand more comfortably.
    We tried the iPhone 6 case but for those of you dragging a 4 kicking and screaming through the latest iOS upgrades, there’s an option for you and everyone in-between.
    AERO-HIGHWAYMAN-59-JACKET-5
    AERO HIGHWAYMAN 59 JACKET
    Aero’s 59 Highwayman is a modern re-interpretation of the Rivetts 1950 and 1960s original classic cafe racer style jacket. It’s named after the famous 59 Club. It is made from a soft but thick British steerhide. In fact, the leather is very similar to the Connolly hide that, sadly, is no longer produced.
    AERO-HIGHWAYMAN-59-JACKET-4
    As with the original, Aero uses genuine ball and chain zippers on the pockets and cuffs. The zippers in the cuffs have been sewn into the seams for a neater look, and the waist adjustment uses the pronged side buckles that were a popular feature at the time. The lining, of course, is a Royal Stewart tartan.
    AERO-HIGHWAYMAN-59-JACKET-2
    Many of the traditional British tailoring techniques that have been employed in the construction of the ’59 Highwayman will not be discernible to the untrained eye, but you can rest assured that no corners have been cut. This is one of the most authentic Ace Cafe style biking jackets you will find anywhere. The fact is that they don’t make them like this anymore. Well, except for Aero, who do.
    AERO-HIGHWAYMAN-59-JACKET-1
    Aero Leather Clothing Ltd, based in Scotland,  is a family buisness which was founded by Ken & Lydia Calder in 1981, who still help to run the company and are still the major shareholders. Every Aero garment is individual – a classic in its own right – each made by one highly skilled leatherworker taking a pride in his or her finished garment, not made on a time and cost saving production line.
    AERO-HIGHWAYMAN-59-JACKET-3
    The jacket comes in array of colour. If you want the jacket in brown and black, look to Motolegends, who have a ‘two jackets a week’ contract with Aero, so if they don’t haver your size in stock, are likely to get it quicker than the 6-8 week wait if you order from Aero direct.
    This is a very tough jacket that will protect you ell in the event of an off, but it’s not armoured. It, won’t however, disintegrate if you have the unfortunate slide up the tarmac.
    EMGO-ROADHAWK-RED-BARON-GOGGLES-2
    EMGO ROADHAWK RED BARON GOGGLES – PRODUCT REVIEW BY FRIEND OF THE BIKE SHED SABRINA NOVA
    The EMGO Roadhawk Red Baron are a very reasonably priced classic retro aviator style goggle that work well with open face lids. They have a comfortable black, extra-soft, close-fitting face cushion that insulates the eye sockets against the wind and debris.
    The flat black metal or stainless steel frames have replaceable, lightly tinted acrylic lenses, that are scratch-resistant and have an anti-fog coating to give you a clear view of the road. They’re big enough to be worn over prescription glasses if needed. They also offer UV400 protection, and when riding on long sunny days is a critical.
    EMGO-ROADHAWK-RED-BARON-GOGGLES-1
    They have a three-position lens adjuster, with air vents and fully adjustable elastic headband that’s long enough to wear over the helmet. Test riden by friend of the Bike Shed Sabrina Nova she says:
    These awesome vintage feel goggles are really comfortable, even riding in the Florida heat. These sit snug on my face without ever pinching. They fit neatly in the Gringo, and have more cushion for the pushin’ Love them. ” Whatever must she mean?

    Sealine Cross Country Rally ; Defending Dakar champions Al-Attiyah and Coma increase leads in Sealine Rally


    SCCR - Stage 3
    • Nasser Al-Attiyah moves further clear of his troubled rivals after three days 
    • Clever tactics assist Honda’s Paulo Gonçalves to take a first stage win 
    • Poland’s Sonik snatches quad lead after Abu Issa’s navigational mistake
    • X-raid’s Erik van Loon and Harry Hunt crash at same 153.27km point of stage 

    SEALINE (Qatar): Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and Spain’s Marc Coma increased their leads in the car and motorcycle categories of the Sealine Cross-Country Rally, after the third 392.52km selective loop section through the Qatar desert on Wednesday.




    Marc Coma lost the virtual overall lead to Joan Barreda Bort during the day’s stage and then fought back to set the third quickest time and extend his overall advantage over new second-placed Jordi Viladoms to 10min 12sec. It was another impressive performance by the five-time Dakar winner and means that he can now manage his race strategy over the next two days.


    Coma said: “It was a difficult day again. We start in the dunes, but the last part was like a different stage, rocky, a lot of pistes and (we have to) follow the cap. I had a good rhythm all day. The feeling was good. I know Joan (Barreda Bort) was pushing, but to push and not to make a mistake is a fine balance.”

    Portugal’s Paolo Gonçalves changed his tactics on Tuesday to upset the running order and the decision worked well for the Team HRC rider. He won the stage by a margin of 2min 04sec from Pablo Quintanilla and climbed to fourth overall.

    “With these new rules we have to use them as best as possible. After yesterday’s result I knew I had a little advantage. I really do well and I catch them all and make a lot of time. Now I can choose my starting position. I will try again and see what happens at the end,” said Gonçalves.

    Stage opener Barreda Bort attacked from the start, but time loss before the fourth passage control was costly for the Spaniard. “I have a navigation mistake. To go all day alone is so difficult. I was opening and pushing real hard. I try. I know it is not easy with this situation. I try to change,” he said.

    Al-Attiyah extended his overall lead in the car category to 22min 19sec with a third successive stage win. “We did a good job today. I am quite happy. We had to open the road and keep a good speed. We were a little cautious in places just to find the right way. We pushed a little in the dunes to make a gap and then it was a case of not getting a puncture.”

    Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al-Rajhi blotted his copybook early in the stage and lost over five minutes, but still reached the finish in third place and maintained second overall.


    “After about 14km we stop in some easy place, stuck, and we were passed by (Reinaldo) Varela and (Vladimir) Vasilyev,” admitted Al-Rajhi. “Then we pass them again and I was scared then not to make a mistake or get a puncture. But I am quite happy with this position. The points are the important thing for second place.”

    SCCR - Stage 3

    Dutchman Erik van Loon and Briton Harry Hunt lost their fourth and ninth places in the overall standings after crashing 153.27km into the day’s stage on Qatar’s western shoreline.

    Poland’s Rafal Sonik has been battling for the odd second with Qatar’s Mohammed Abu Issa for over 12 hours of racing in the quad category and the pair were separated by just two seconds in the overall standings at one control point on today’s stage. Abu Issa led the Dakar champion for much of the day, but a navigational mistake cost him dearly and this has handed the Pole a lead of 2min 01sec going into the final two days.

    “Not a good stage, sighed Abu Issa. “I got lost at km240 trying to get a lead on Sonik. I was with him the whole time. Then I came back at waypoint 250 and I think I got some time back.”

    Sonik remains focused: “It was tough. I did a couple of mistakes but they were not big, fortunately. The biggest one was when I was following Mohammed. He’s extremely fast, but making navigation mistakes. Sometimes he does not match the speed with the navigation. We keep an eye on each other and he was pushing and I had to keep an eye on the right path. Now I hope I gained some good time.”

    SCCR - Stage 3


    SS3 – as it happened

    Twenty-seven cars, 22 bikes and four quads were given start times for the third 392.52km selective section. There was no wind but temperatures were forecast to climb into the high thirties and it was 25°C when the first of the bikes left the bivouac for the short 3.58km road section to the start.

    Around 30km of sand dunes featured from the start on this occasion, before the stage crossed Qatar from east to west along the northern extremities of the Inland Sea, before heading to the west of Qatar and then moving up the west coast. The stage then wound its way through the heart of the south of the country to a finish near Sealine.

    The rules meant that Barreda Bort and Sunderland were forced to open the road and the Spaniard was in impressive form to reach PC1 1min 49sec in front of Sunderland and 2min 28sec ahead of Coma. It meant the Honda rider had claimed the virtual stage lead from Coma by 25 seconds. Abu Issa managed to hunt down Sonik and reached PC1 54 seconds in front of the Pole to reduce the Dakar champion’s virtual quad lead to just four seconds.

    Gonçalves continued to lead the motorcycle group through PC2, although Coma was in a competitive pace and Barreda Bort’s virtual lead was pegged back to just two seconds. Portugal’s Joao Rolo Simoes retired from the over-450 motorcycle class and recurring issues from Tuesday’s arm injury forced Jeremias Esquerra to call it a day on his factory Honda.

    Al-Attiyah remained in a class of his own in the car category and was 5min 59sec faster than Al-Rajhi through PC1. Roma was the Qatari’s closest rival after Vasilyev lost a little time in the sand dunes.

    Erik van Loon and Harry Hunt both crashed heavily after 153.27km. The two Minis were damaged, none of the four team members were injured, but the Dutchman and the Briton lost fourth and ninth overall as a result. 


    SCCR - Stage 3

    Coma had regained the virtual motorcycle rally lead by PC3 and went on to finish the stage in third position, with the stage win falling to Gonçalves. The result also meant that Gonçalves’s strategy of slowing on the previous day had worked perfectly and the Portuguese moved up from eighth to fourth in the general classification. Barreda Bort lost substantial time with a navigational mistake before PC4 and slipped to sixth overall.

    The controversial new motorcycle ruling will take effect again on Thursday, with the stage winner able to choose a favourable starting position rather than having to open the road. “We normally all finish the stage in a group and the guy at the back makes up the time. That’s how it works,” said seventh-placed Sam Sunderland.

    Al-Attiyah cruised to the stage finish to secure a third successive special win and duly extended his lead in the car category to 22min 19sec over Al-Rajhi. Vasilyev set the second fastest time in his Mini after Brazil’s Reinaldo Varela sustained three flat tyres and lost his chance of finishing the stage as runner-up.

    “The stage was very tough, with a lot of stones and rocks after the dunes,” said Varela’s co-driver Gustavo Gugelmin. “All day we had flat tyres. Three punctures altogether and one just five kilometres from the end of the stage.”

    This year’s Sealine Cross-Country Rally is being organised by the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) with support from GAC and the Salam International Group.

    Tomorrow (Thursday), the penultimate 406.78km stage of the Sealine event is the longest of the entire rally. It starts 940 metres from the bivouac and finishes 4.32km away and uses sections of other stages and different combinations of tracks, sand flats and dunes.


    2015 Sealine Cross-Country Rally – positions on SS3 (unofficial @ 14.00hrs):

    Cars

    1. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Matthieu Baumel (FRA) Mini All4 Racing          
    3hr 59min 49sec        
    2. Vladimir Vasilyev (RUS)/Konstantin Zhiltsov (RUS) Mini All4 Racing              
    4hr 08min 11sec        
    3. Yazeed Al-Rajhi (SAU)/Timo Gottchalk (DEU) Overdrive Toyota Hilux          
     4hr 09min 05sec
    4. Reinaldo Varela (BRA)/Gustavo Gugelmin (BRA) Overdrive Toyota Hilux    
     4hr 12min 50sec        
    5. Joan Roma (ESP)/Alex Haro (ESP) Mini All4 Racing                                   
     4hr 13min 35sec
    6. Marek Dabrowski (POL)/Jacek Czachor (POL) Overdrive Toyota Hilux       
     4hr 18min 07sec

    Bikes

    1. Paulo Gonçalves (PRT) Honda CRF 450 Rally
     4hr 29min 46sec
    2. Pablo Quintanilla (CHI) KTM 450 Rally Replica
     4hr 31min 50sec 
    3. Marc Coma (ESP) KTM 450 Rally Replica
    4hr 33min 45sec
    4. Matthias Walkner (AUT) KTM 450 Rally Replica
     4hr 35min 57sec 
    5. Jordi Viladoms (ESP) KTM 450 Rally Replica
     4hr 37min 48sec 
    6. Sam Sunderland (GBR) KTM 450 Rally Replica
     4hr 41min 47sec 
    7. Joan Barreda Bort (ESP) Honda CRF 450 Rally
     4hr 43min 39sec 

    Quads

    11. Rafal Sonik (POL) Honda TRX 700
    5hr 27min 38sec 
    12. Mohammed Abu Issa (QAT) Honda TRX 680
    5hr 28min 41sec


    2015 Sealine Cross-Country Rally – positions after SS3 (unofficial @ 13.50hrs):


    SCCR - Stage 3

    Cars

    1. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Matthieu Baumel (FRA) Mini All4 Racing
     9hr 36min 04sec 
    2. Yazeed Al-Rajhi (SAU)/Timo Gottchalk (DEU) Overdrive Toyota Hilux
     9hr 58min 23sec
    3. Vladimir Vasilyev (RUS)/Konstantin Zhiltsov (RUS) Mini All4 Racing
    10hr 02min 47sec
    4. Reinaldo Varela (BRA)/Gustavo Gugelmin (BRA) Overdrive Toyota Hilux
     10hr 24min 28sec 
    5. Joan Roma (ESP)/Alex Haro (ESP) Mini All4 Racing 10hr
    24min 42sec
    6. Marek Dabrowski (POL)/Jacek Czachor (POL) Overdrive Toyota Hilux
     10hr 37min 49sec
    7. Miroslav Zapletal (CZE)/Maciej Marton (POL) H3 Evo 7 10hr
     38min 42sec
    8. Yuriy Sazonov (KAZ)/Arslan Sakhimov (KAZ) Hummer H3 Evo
     11hr 29min 07sec
    9. Adam Malysz (POL)/Rafal Marton (POL) Mini All4 Racing
     11hr 29min 22sec

    SCCR - Stage 3
    Bikes

    1. Marc Coma (ESP) KTM 450 Rally Replica
     10hr 54min 02sec
    2. Jordi Viladoms (ESP) KTM 450 Rally Replica
    11hr 04min 14sec 
    3. Pablo Quintanilla (CHI) KTM 450 Rally Replica
    11hr 04min 15sec 
    4. Paulo Gonçalves (PRT) Honda CRF 450 Rally
     11hr 04min 35sec 
    5. Matthias Walkner (AUT) KTM 450 Rally Replica
    11hr 05min 10sec 
    6. Joan Barreda Bort (ESP) Honda CRF 450 Rally
     11hr 05min 59sec 
    7. Sam Sunderland (GBR) KTM 450 Rally Replica
    11hr 07min 00sec 
    8. Mohammed Al-Balooshi (ARE) KTM 450 Rally Replica
     12hr 14min 32sec 
    9. Armand Monleón (ESP) KTM 450 Rally Replica
     12hr 40min 38sec

    SCCR - Stage 3
    Quads

    10. Rafal Sonik (POL) Honda TRX 700
     12hr 54min 06sec 
    11. Mohammed Abu Issa (QAT) Honda TRX 680
     12hr 56min 07sec

    WRC, Argentine : Ca redémarre en automne ! / fast-forward to autumn!


    Après trois épreuves organisées dans l’hiver boréal, le Championnat du monde des Rallyes FIA redémarre en automne… austral ! La 35e édition du Rallye d’Argentine devrait se dérouler dans de bonnes conditions météo, mais les pistes défoncées ont forcé les organisateurs à raccourcir la plus longue spéciale.
    Une semaine après la 3e manche de MotoGP 2015 remportée par Valentino Rossi sur le circuit Termas de Rio Hondo, l’Argentine accueille donc une seconde épreuve internationale d’affilée.
    Le Rallye d’Argentine a certes été avancé de deux semaines par rapport à 2014, mais voilà quand même plus de six semaines que les pilotes WRC n’ont pas pris le volant en course ! Un break qui s’explique par le repositionnement du Rallye du Portugal au mois de mai et par la logistique : il fallait laisser suffisamment de temps pour que containers puissent rentrer en Europe après le Mexique. Le Rallye d’Argentine avait été initialement programmé le week-end dernier, avant d’être repoussé d’une semaine.
    Cette 35e édition devrait se dérouler sous un soleil d’automne, au moins jusqu’à samedi où quelques passages nuageux sont attendus. Les températures maxi devraient osciller entre 20°C et 25°C. Des conditions météo parfaites, qui n’excluent cependant pas du brouillard matinal vers La Cumbre…
    En revanche, les conditions de roulage ne seront peut-être pas idéales. Les fortes pluies tombées en février dans les montagnes Traslasierras ont dévasté certaines pistes, forçant les organisateurs à modifier le parcours. Ainsi, Villa Bustos-Tanti (ES3/5) passe de 20,31 à 19,71 km et surtout San Marcos-Characato (ES8/10), la plus longue spéciale du rallye, est raccourcie de 14,27 km, passant de 56,77 à 42,50 km.
    Les pilotes WRC vont devoir se remettre rapidement dans le rythme du WRC car avec 12 spéciales, le Rallye d’Argentine s’annonce intense. Sébastien Ogier tient à remporter cette épreuve qui manque à son palmarès et qui lui permettrait d’égaler un record de Loeb. Jari-Matti Latvala et Kris Meeke doivent se relancer après un début de saison difficile, Thierry Neuville et Dani Sordo peuvent créer la surprise et Ott Tanak doit se remettre à flot...
    Hier (mardi), premier jour des reconnaissances, on a appris le forfait de Robert Kubica pour, selon certains médias, restructurer son équipe RK WRT. Le Polonais devrait être de retour au Portugal.
    The first three rounds of the 2015 FIA World Rally Championship took place in the northern hemisphere – in winter. The southern hemisphere’s Rally Argentina marks a switch to autumn, which tends to be pleasant in this part of the world. The stages are very rough, however, and the organisers have shortened the longest test.
    Just a week after Valentino Rossi’s victory at Round 3 of the 2015 MotoGP World championship at Termas de Rio Hondo, Argentina is about to host another world class motorsport fixture.
    The 2015 Rally Argentine has been brought forward two weeks compared with last year, which is probably just as well, since the WRC regulars haven’t competed in anger for more than six weeks! This gap is due to a later date, in May, for the Rally de Portugal and also logistical considerations. Indeed, there needed to be sufficient time for the shipping containers to return to Europe after Rally Mexico. The Argentine round had initially been programmed for last weekend but was eventually postponed a week.
    Forecasters predict sunny weather for the 35th Rally Argentina, at least until Saturday which could be cloudier. Maximum temperatures are expected to range between 20°C and 25°C, although early morning mist could form near La Cumbre…
    The conditions of the stages themselves probably won’t be ideal, however. February’s heavy rain in the Traslasierras Mountains has severely damaged some tracks and compelled the organisers to modify its route. ‘Villa Bustos-Tanti’ (SS3/5) has been shortened from 20.31km to 19.71km, and the longest test (‘San Marcos-Characato’, SS8/10) has had 14.27km chopped off to reduce it from 56.77km to 42.50km.
    The crews will need to hit the ground running, since there are only 12 stages in total, and the competition is likely to be intense. Sébastien Ogier will be out to add the South American fixture to his personal record and take him level with Loeb’s sequence of six straight victories. Jari-Matti Latvala and Kris Meeke will be hoping to show some strong form after a tough start to the season, while surprises could come from Thierry Neuville and Dani Sordo. Meanwhile, Ott Tanak will want to stay on terra firma!
    The first day of recce was Tuesday when we learned of Robert Kubica’s withdrawal. According to some colleagues, the Pole is looking to restructure his team RK WRT ahead of Portugal.

    The Race of Gentlemen

    Malle London went down to the "Wildwood" for The Race of Gentleman (2014). Two days of vintage racing on the beach, with racers trying to avoid the ever increasing tide. The only rule of the race; the older the machine the better. 


    DUCATI SCRAMBLER ICON VS. TRIUMPH SCRAMBLER – COMPARISON TEST


    Is motorcycling's past morphing into its future? We scramble to find out.


    Ducati Scrambler and Triumph Scrambler desert action at sunset
    One of the motorcycle’s best qualities is its ability to trigger your mind to build a pleasing image around the machine. For this pair of Scramblers, one from Ducati and one from Triumph, the image is idyllically rustic, backlit with hazy-warm golden light complete with lens flares. Much like the cozy cross-generational visions you’re looking at on these pages now. These are images evocative of times and feelings that may or may not have actually existed, though if you ask a riding enthusiast who lived and loved through the scrambler heyday of the ’60s and ’70s, there’s no doubt it was real.
    And there is no doubt it is real right now, on the highways and dirt roads of America. Good times, accessible motorcycles, and decent pricing are what fueled the boom times first time around, and both of these Scramblers offer a lot of bike for the money.
    Ducati Scrambler desert action
    Step one to good times was sending our pair of pro-racer photo models for a real scramble in the California desert near Pioneer Town, not far from Joshua Tree National Park in California. Ryan Dudek’s skills are well documented in these pages, and he was joined by AMA Pro SuperSport East champ Hayden Gillim. That’s Hayden on the Ducati (above photo), dragging a footpeg while dirt-tracking on a dry lake bed. It was totally impractical and all about fun, but if you happen to be a pro-level rider and want to slide one of these bikes on dirt, both of our guys picked the agile, light, and quick Ducati.
    But back to reality.
    Triumph came to this retro-scrambler land first, way back in 2005 (if you don’t count pre-unit and unit-construction scramblers it made during the company’s first life). If you missed it, the Scrambler is based on the love-object Bonneville, which I first rode on its introduction in England in 2001, when the weather forecast was so bad that the lady on the telly said, “Don’t leave your homes!” Could have used the Scramblers’ Bridgestone Trail Wings on that ride back then.
    Triumph Scrambler static side view
     UPSDOWNS
    Triumph Scrambler
    • The modern original
    • 270-degree crank for sweet sounds
    • So comfortable
    • So porky
    • Time to get more power
    • And a brake upgrade, please
    We didn’t have any such weather troubles even though it was “winter” out here in Southern California. Sunny and warm, just like the personalities of these great bikes.
    That said, the Triumph has that almost exclusively English property of being stylish and elegant while also getting its frump on a bit. This latter point comes mostly from the basic “thickness” of the bike, both in its width from the high-mount pipes and from the shape of the fuel tank and engine. Its weight and power output also give it some of that staid character. If you haven’t picked up 106 pounds in a while, give it a go and ask yourself if you’d like to not have to lift it. Better yet, try running with that load. One hundred and six pounds is how much more the Triumph weighs than Ducati’s exceptionally light Scrambler Icon, and you feel that difference in every movement of these bikes.
    “The Triumph has that almost exclusively English property of being stylish…while also getting its frump on a bit.
    The power situation is also decidedly skewed: The Triumph’s 51.6 hp from its 865cc parallel twin is delivered in measured fashion, thanks to the abundant flywheel inertia and bottom-end-centric power delivery. Its 46.2 pound-foot torque peak is essentially equal to that of the 803cc V-twin Ducati, but it’s delivered at 2,800 rpm, where the Duc’s peak is at 5,570. That’s it in a nutshell, but I’d be remiss not to point out the Ducati revs to 9K, 1,000 rpm higher, and belts out 69.7 vigorous horsepower along the way. It’s a completely different tuning ethic at work.
    To the Triumph’s credit, it is exceptionally easy to launch, thanks to its torque character, smooth throttle response, and lighter-pull clutch.
    But there will be no power wheelies.
    Triumph Scrambler on-road action
    This helps make the bike a friendly commuter, and its time-travel nature is accentuated by a pair of “carburetors” that house the fuel injectors. There is even a manual fast-idle pull-knob down on those carb-like things. It’s quaint and way cleaner than tickling an Amal Concentric. If you’ve never done that and want to experience it, every time you start your bike cold, go dip your finger in gasoline and pour some on the back of the engine so it drips onto the ground. Then pull the plug wires off and push the starter button until the battery dies, reconnect the plug wires, then push-start the bike. If you’re lucky. Breathe more gasoline fumes. That’s a roughly accurate approximation.

    Rallye de France : 9 spéciales en Corse / 9 stages in Corsica


    Le Rallye de France 2015 (2-4 octobre) devrait comprendre neuf épreuves spéciales, allant de 15 à 45 kilomètres, avec départ et arrivée à Ajaccio, passage à Bastia et Porto-Vecchio, et parc d’assistance à Corte.
    Depuis l’annonce du retour du Rallye de France en Corse, les rumeurs allaient bon train sur le format de l’épreuve. Les plans initiaux était de proposer un parcours de seulement 5 spéciales, dont certaines mesuraient plus de 70 km. Mais organisateurs, constructeurs et promoteur n’étaient pas vraiment d’accord.
    Finalement, le parcours du Rallye de France-Tour de Corse, 11e manche du WRC 2015, comprendra 9 spéciales, 3 par jour, lesquelles ne devraient pas excéder 50 km chronométrés.
    Les cérémonies de départ (jeudi 1er octobre) et d’arrivée (dimanche 4 octobre) se tiendront à Ajaccio.
    Le rallye fera halte à Bastia vendredi soir, et à Porto-Vecchio samedi soir, alors que le parc d’assistance principal sera installé à Corte vendredi et samedi (il n’y aura pas de service park dimanche).
    The 2015 Rallye de France (October 2-4) will feature just nine stages ranging in length from 15 to 45 kilometres. The event will start and finish in Ajaccio and will visit Bastia and Porto-Vecchio, with the service park in Corte.
    There have been rumours since the announcement of the Tour de Corse’s return to the world championship about the French rally’s proposed format. It was initially believed there would be just five stages, of up to 70km in length, but the organisers, manufacturers and promoters failed to find common ground.
    In the end, the Rallye de France-Tour de Corse, round 11 of the 2015 World Rally Championship, will feature nine stages – three per day, of a length not exceeding 50km.
    The start (Thursday, October 1) and finish (Sunday, October 4) will take place in Ajaccio.
    Friday’s overnight halt will be in Bastia, Saturday’s will be in Porto-Vecchio, and the main service park will be based in Corte on Friday and Saturday (no service park on Sunday).

    What’s hiding beneath this Mad Max-style Rolls-Royce Phantom?


    Rolls-Royce has today unveiled the first road-legal test mule for its forthcoming four-wheel-drive offering, currently known as Project Cullinan…
    Despite being fully road legal, Rolls-Royce states that this sinister-looking, four-wheel-drive test mule has been designed solely to develop the model’s all-new suspension system. Featuring a shortened Phantom Series II body complete with an outlandish rear wing, the test bed would not look out of place on the set of cult apocalyptic action film, Mad Max.
    According to Rolls-Royce: “The body may hint at the size of the production model, but it features no design aspects of the eventual high-sided, all-terrain motor car announced by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in February this year.” And relax.
    The test mule uses an early version of the model’s all-new suspension set-up, which Rolls-Royce promises will offer its hallmark “magic-carpet” ride not only on the road, but off-road too. The first series of tests will focus on delivering impeccable stability, putting the design through its paces on a wide range of international road surfaces – one of which includes Belgian Pavé.
    Photos: Rolls-Royce
    You can find many modern and classic Rolls-Royces for sale in the Classic Driver Market.