BMW S 1000 RR

In recent years BMW has gone to great lengths repositioning its motorcycle division from a position of building motorcycles for bearded, pipe-smoking eccentrics to be more inline with its performance-derived automotive group. BMW silenced its critics with the BMW S1000RR, the company’s first modern sportbike that delivered more performance than established Japanese OEMs who have building sportbikes for decades.

In 2009, after months of teasing initial reports, BMW entered the brand new S1000RR in the World Superbike Championship finishing the season in 13th position with Troy Corser. In 2010 Corser gave the BMW S1000RR its first World Superbike pole position and two third-place podium positions. More impressive is the fact that, also in 2010, Aryton Badovini won the Wold Superstock championship on a BMW S1000RR, losing only a single race all season — an incredible feat for a brand new sportbike. The BMW S1000RR was also made available for public consumption in 2010.

Since its introduction the BMW S1000RR has been lauded by the motorcycle press due to the bike’s amazing performance in stock trim. With 175 rear-wheel horsepower generated from its liquid-cooled, dual-overhead cam, 16-valve, inline four-cylinder engine, the BMW S1000RR was substantially more powerful than its Japanese counterparts. The 999cc engine has a very oversquare bore and stroke of 80 x 49.7 mm. This is the largest engine bore of any liter-size sportbike on the market.

Its retail price of $13,800 wasn’t much more expensive than its Japanese rivals. For an additional $1,500 BMW offered an electronics package including ABS, selectable engine-mapping (Rain, Sport, Race, Slick) and traction control. In addition to wheel speed sensors, the BMW S1000RR also incorporated bank angle sensors and throttle position sensors making its traction control system the most advanced system on a production bike. The BMW S1000RR’s ABS system features a front-wheel-only mode allowing the rider to lock the rear wheel to help initiate a rear-wheel slide.

According to BMW, the S1000RR has an asymmetrical front fairing not just for styling purposes but also because the high-beam and low-beam headlights differ from each other in size and weight, and to emphasize each one’s performance BMW constructed the fairing accordingly.

The BMW S1000RR features dual front Brembo four-piston radial calipers gripping 320mm rotors, and in the rear a single-piston Brembo caliper grabs a 220mm disc. The instrument cluster is comprised of an analog tachometer and digital speedometer. There’s also a built-in lap timer that’s operated by the high beam light switch on the left handlebar. The lap timer also records brake pressure and throttle openings.

To help market the new BMW S1000RR and showcase the bike’s acceleration, BMW created a video where a tablecloth from a 20-seat dining table was attached to the S1000RR. The BMW S1000RR launched from a standing start, yanking the tablecloth from the table without disturbing the place settings. The video went viral with more than 3 million views, but its authenticity was later debunked by the television show MythBusters.

BMW Motorcycles

BMW motorcycles include the GS adventure touring motorcycles such as the R1200GS, F800GS and G650GS, S1000RR sportbike, R1200R street motorcycle, R1200RT sport tourer and six-cylinder K1600GT and K1600GTL touring motorcycles. 

BMW entered the motorcycle business only after it was forced to abandon the aircraft industry after Germany signed the Treaty of Versaillles. BMW’s first motorcycle – the 486cc R 32 – was unveiled in 1923 and since then it has garnered a well-earned reputation for producing machines that stand the test of time. BMW is best known for its hugely popular GS line of on- and off-road motorcycles – a segment that accounts for almost 30% of BMW motorcycle sales worldwide. Despite its success with the GS family, the German marquee has recently made a huge splash in the streetbike segment with its impressive S1000RR. In its very first year the S1000RR topped Motorcyle.com’s annual literbike shootout. 

Honda CBR

The Hurricane, released in 1987, was Honda’s first CBR and the company’s first inline, four-cylinder, liquid-cooled sportbike. Wearing a slippery, full-fairing covering the entire motorcycle, producing 83 bhp and weighing 397 lbs. dry, the new Honda CBR was an uncontested sportbike success. That same year the American Motorcyclist Association initiated a new racing class expressly for 600cc motorcycles and the newly minted Hurricane won every race that first season.

Launched at the same time as the 600cc Hurricane was its big brother, the Hurricane 1000. Much heavier than the smaller bike and with no national racing outlet the 1000cc motorcycle was regarded more as a sport-tourer. Like its sibling, the Hurricane 1000 utilized an inline four-cylinder liquid-cooled engine.

By 1989 Honda decided to drop the Hurricane name and go with just the alphanumeric designation, so the two bikes became known to the public as the Honda CBR600F and Honda CBR1000F.

By 1991 a new version of the Honda CBR was ready for introduction, the Honda CBR600F2 raised the bar for 600cc sportbike performance so high other manufacturers were scrambling to catch up. The Honda CBR600F2 struck an almost perfect balance of performance and comfort.

Right on the heels of the CBR600F2 was Honda’s next literbike, the Honda CBR900RR (the first Honda CBR to wear the double-R designation).

Like the Suzuki GSX-R750 before it, the Honda CBR900RR was unmatched in terms of light weight and high horsepower – it weighed only a few more pounds than the CBR600F2 yet produced 122 hp at the rear wheel. Besides its stunning performance, the original CBR900RR was also known for its distinctive fairing holes (said to aid side-to-side transitioning) and its controversial 16-inch front wheel.

Over the years both bikes would be upgraded as they kept pace with the changing performance climate. The Honda CBR600F2 became the F3 in 1994, the F4 in 1999, and the F4i in 2001. In 2003 Honda launched the CBR600RR, a racier version of Honda’s middleweight. It was made lighter and faster in its 2007 redesign.

The bigger Honda CBR maintained its CBR900RR designation, despite receiving an engine upgrade in 1996 increasing from 893cc to 919cc. In 2000 another engine displacement increase came with a new designation emphasizing the new bike’s larger engine, and Honda CBR929RR was born. This only lasted until 2002 when another model, the Honda CBR954RR, displaced the one from only a couple years prior. The 900 series finally came to end when in 2004 Honda launched the CBR1000RR, a ground-up new model meant to compete in the changing atmosphere of superbike racing.

From 1996 to 2003 the Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird competed against top-speed sportbikes like Kawasaki’s ZX-11 Ninja and Suzuki’s Hayabusa. For a couple years the Super Blackbird held the title of world’s fastest production bike, but the Hayabusa relieved Honda of that title in 1999 and has held on to it ever since.

In 2011 Honda brought to the U.S. market the CBR250R, the first small-displacement sportbike from Honda meant to compete against Kawasaki’s Ninja 250.

Honda Motorcycles

Honda motorcycles include the CBR1000RR and CBR600RR sportbikes, Gold Wing touring motorcycle, VFR1200F sport touring motorcycle and Fury chopper. Honda’s off-road offerings include the CRF450X enduro and the CRF250R motocross bike. 

Honda produced its first real motorcycle, the Model D, in 1949. Since then Honda has gone on to become one of the world’s leading motorcycle manufacturers. In fact, more than 50 million units of the venerable Honda Super Cub were sold in less than 50 years, making it the most popular motorcycle in history. Today Honda offers an enormous lineup of class-leading motorcycles and is regularly adding to and improving its fleet. From it’s CBR line of sportibkes to its CRF line of off-road funsters to the luxurious Gold Wing Touring motorcycle, Honda has a bike for just about everybody. You can also see Honda motorcycles competing at almost every level of two-wheeled racing. 

Scorpion On Track for '10 with CVR

Although Scorpion has made a name for itself with cutting-edge innovations, edgy advertising and in-your-face designs, providing protection is what the company is really all about. In keeping with this fundamental philosophy, Scorpion Sports was more than happy to support the all-new Chuckwalla Valley Raceway (CVR) as it kicks off a series of track days in 2010. 

“CVR was created to provide a safe, centrally located facility for motorsport enthusiasts to come and enjoy their passion,” explains Paulette Dorland, Chuckwalla’s director of operations. Located in Desert Center (near Palm Springs) CVR offers a first class facility for the Southern California roadracing fan. “At ultimate build-out, CVR will have three racetracks, hot pits, a clubhouse with a swimming pool and long term garages, among other amenities,” Dorland says. 

The media and diehard racers will get a sneak preview of the brand new facility on April 2nd. “We are proud of what we have built and want to get the word out,” adds CVR’s Micky Grana. “We hope that CVR will become the destination track for racers from all over the state.” “We are proud to support Chuckwalla Valley Raceway,” says Scorpion Sports West Coast sales manager Jon Eide. “It makes the perfect place for Scorpion’s new Hurricane one-piece suit to blow into the SoCal area! Seriously, Scorpion Sports is committed to safety and we believe in riders taking it to the track to test the limits… and when they exceed their limitations we believe in our EXOskeletal protection built into all our riding gear and helmets.” For full details on the new track and a 2010 schedule of track days, click on: www.chuckwallavalleyraceway.com. Be like CVR and join Team Scorpion! More information about the full range of ScorpionExo™ Helmets and Scorpion Sports, Inc.’s complete ScorpionExoWear™ line can be found at www.ScorpionUSA.com.

“Practical, stylish, and highly reliable, the ix20 offers spacious and flexible family transport at a very competitive price.”

The Hyundai ix20 is a stylish new addition to the mini MPV segment, and is a generously equipped and practical small car that's hard to fault. Build quality is on a par with Japanese rivals like the Toyota Versoand Nissan Note. With seating for five, there's plenty of space inside, and a sliding rear bench and big boot makes it a great choice for busy families. Quiet and comfortable on the motorway, the ix20 is easy to drive. Hyundai's unlimited five-year warranty means ownership is a hassle free experience. There's lots of equipment fitted as standard across the three trim levels. Both the 1.4-litre engines get Stop 

& Start technology to improve fuel economy and give class-leading emissions figures, making it very cheap to run.

Drive (With a six speed gearbox, the diesel is better for longer journeys)

There are three engines available – a 1.4 and 1.6-litre petrol and a 1.4-litre diesel. The 1.4-litre engines both come with 89bhp, the petrol is nippy around town, but thanks to an additional 83Nm of torque and a six-speed gearbox, the diesel is better for longer journeys, but has to be worked quite hard to make progress. The 123bhp 1.6-litre is only available with a four-speed automatic gearbox, and can’t match the class-leading fuel economy of the smaller engines. The ix20 has plenty of grip and corners well, but isn’t quite as poised as some rivals. The steering is light enough to make it easy to manoeuvre but isn’t as direct or accurate as rivals like the Nissan Note, and it feels like a big car to park.

Reliability (The neat interior is well built and sturdy)

The ix20 has yet to be crash tested, but the i20 hatchback on which this car is based scored a maximum five Euro NCAP stars overall, performing well for both adult and child protection. An electronic stability program is fitted to all models, as are anti-lock brakes, twin front airbags and Isofix child seat mountings. There is also a hill-start assist that gently applies the brakes when stopped on an incline, preventing the car from rolling back. The neat interior is well built and sturdy, and the materials used all give a reassuring air of quality.Hyundai has a growing reputation for reliability and the i30 hatchback was the overall winner of the 2010's Driver Power Survey. 

Practicality (The wide, flat loading bay makes loading bigger items easy)

The 440-litre boot is above average size for this kind of car, and what's more, it swells to an impressive 1,486 litres when the back seats are folded flat. The wide, flat loading bay makes loading bigger items easy, and the rear seats slide independently from each other, allowing you to adjust the amount of space in the back. The glovebox is large and there are plenty of storage spaces dotted around the dash. The boot can be also be split in two via a handy dividing panel, and the wide-opening doors make it simple to get in and out. 

Value for money (Even entry level ‘Classic’ models get air-conditioning, and traction control)

The ix20 is one of the best value mini MPVs around, undercutting rivals like theVauxhall Meriva, and offering more equipment as standard. Even entry level ‘Classic’ models get air-conditioning, and traction control. For an extra £1,100, the mid-range Active adds 16-inch alloy wheels, leather steering wheel, all round electric windows and reversing sensors and Bluetooth to the extensive kit list. Top spec Style models get a panoramic glass sunroof, front fog lights and folding door mirrors. The diesel and petrol engines are similarly powered, but there's a £1,400 premium on the more efficient 1.4-litre CRDi. Thanks to the superb warranty, resale values should be strong across the range.

Running costs

The Hyundai ix20's 1.6-litre petrol automatic is the most expensive to run, but even that offers 43.6mpg and emissions of 154g/km - that means it falls into Road Tax Band G, which costs £155 a year. Lowest running costs come with the 1.4-litre diesel with ISG, it returns a massive 65.7mpg and 114g/km, so Road Tax costs only £30 per year. The other petrol engine falls in the middle of these two, so none of them will be costly to run. Across the range, insurance is around two groups lower than major competitors, making the ix20 one of the most affordable cars of this type.

Hyundai Elantra - What the Auto Press Says

The 2011 Hyundai Elantra ranks 1 out of 33 Affordable Small Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 16 published reviews and test drives of the Hyundai Elantra, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.

Hyundai updated the Elantra for 2011, and now this car offers a complete package: great performance, exceptional fuel economy ratings, impressive features and jazzy exterior styling.

Hyundai changed almost every aspect of the Elantra for 2011, and reviewers say that the Elantra is no longer overshadowed by top affordable small cars like the Honda Civic, Ford Fiesta and Chevrolet Cruze. How did the Elantra go from a car that was good, but forgettable, to a compact that competes with the best?

Hyundai updated the Elantra’s exterior styling to match the Hyundai Sonata’s fluidic sculpture design. Not only is the 2011 Elantra attractive, but it looks expensive, despite its $14,830 base price. Although it’s fitted with some hard interior plastics, overall, the Elantra’s interior is nice too. It’s spacious enough for large passengers and offers a wide range of optional interior features that includes navigation, a rear view camera and heated leather back seats -- a first among affordable small cars.

While reviewers don’t label the Elantra “fun-to-drive” like the Mazda3 orHonda Fit, the 2011 Hyundai Elantra makes a great daily driver. It has precise steering, accurate braking and it’s modestly powered engine has class competitive fuel economy ratings of 29/40 mpg city/highway. "You won't mistake the Elantra for a Volkswagen GTI or a BMW 3-series from behind the wheel, but as a practical commuter, there's not much to complain about,” says AUTOMOBILE Magazine. “And that's what this type of car is about -- comfortable, economical, and practical. Right now, it's without question at the top of its class, and until the next Ford Focus goes on sale, we have no doubt that it'll remain there."

Other Cars to Consider

Reviewers compare the 2011 Hyundai Elantra to the Honda Civic, the Chevrolet Cruze, the Kia Forte and theFord Fiesta -- all of which are very similar to the Elantra in terms of daily driving capabilities.

The Honda Civic is a favorite in terms of practicality. It’s affordably priced at $15,805, reliable and has a generous trunk, but it’s becoming archaic in a class that’s spicing things up with higher fuel economy ratings, more standard tech features and unique exterior styling. The Civic has lower fuel economy ratings -- it only gets a maximum of 26/36 mpg city/highway -- but there is one reason to choose it over the Elantra: reliability. Hyundai may offer the most comprehensive warranties, but as a brand, it doesn’t have the reliability reputation that Honda does. If you want the most trustworthy daily commuter, get a Civic.

The Kia Forte challenges the Elantra in terms of standard interior features and price. The base sedan starts at $14,995 and has SIRIUS Satellite Radio, USB and auxiliary input jacks, Bluetooth connectivity and steering wheel mounted audio controls. It also has a long warranty. It’s powertrain warranty lasts for ten years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.

If you’re looking at the Elantra, take a peek at the Chevrolet Cruze, too. Starting at $16,275, it’s more expensive than the Elantra, but it has standard air conditioning. But to match the Elantra’s fuel economy ratings, you have to get the Eco model, which starts at $18,175, making the Elantra more affordable even after you add air conditioning for a total of $17,080. The Ford Fiesta is similar to the Cruze. It’s spacious, looks good and has a quality interior, and like the Cruze, you have to upgrade to the Fiesta SE to get fuel economy ratings of 29/40 mpg city/highway. Prices for those models start at $14,320. This price is still a lot cheaper than the Cruze or Elantra, so if you’re on a budget, the Fiesta is a good option. However, if you’re an adult who doesn’t want exterior that looks like it’s designed for a college student or teenager, the Elantra is a better choice.