The Kneeslider

Doers Builders and Positive People

They Don’t Build Motorcycles Like They Used To

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Do the best current motorcycles live up to the standards of old? Is a Honda or Harley in the dealer today, anything like those from years past? 20 years ago, the Edge Foundation gathered a group of thinkers and doers from a great many fields and each year asks a question of the assembled minds. The most recent question was “What have you changed your mind about?” As I … [Read more...]

Tata NANO – The Motorcycle Replacement

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Well, here it is, the Tata Nano, the People's Car we wrote about the other day. The fuel injected, all aluminum, 623 cc 2 cylinder engine puts out 33PS (about 32 horsepower) and drives the rear wheels. According to the press release below, it has crumple zones, intrusion-resistant doors, seat belts, strong seats and anchorages plus lower pollution levels than two-wheelers being … [Read more...]

Tata Wants to Replace Motorcycles with a $2500 Car

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There's a fair amount of anticipation in advance of this week's introduction of the People's Car in India by Tata Motors. The major selling point is the $2500 price tag. It's certainly not going to be a luxury ride, we're talking very basic transportation here but the 600cc 4 seater could have a major impact on the motor vehicle market in India, perhaps in other countries, … [Read more...]

How About Some Real Motorcycle Innovation?

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Picture this, your buddies are dragging knees and pushing hard on their favorite canyon road, the familiar sound of inline 4 cylinder engines in everyone's ears, then all of a sudden you're there, no one heard you approach from behind and all they hear now is a bit of a high pitched whine. You're riding an electric! Then someone else swoops in, this time the sound is deeper … [Read more...]

Ducati Financial Roller Coaster

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There's an interesting story on Portfolio.com about Ducati that follows the company from Cagiva to the purchase by the Texas Pacific Group and the eventual sale to the Italian Investindustrial Holdings equity group. The differing ideas about how to market the brand and what styling best suits the taste of buyers of this particular marque and how exclusivity affects who … [Read more...]

Roehr Motorcycles Gets Financing to Begin Production

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The 180 horsepower 1250cc supercharged version of the V-Roehr Superbike looks like it will be going ahead for 2008. Roehr announced today they've acquired a financial partner which will give them the necessary funding to complete development and begin production next year. The Harley Davidson Revolution powered sport bike looks very interesting and seeing this small U.S. … [Read more...]