Batman Motorcycle Offered As Prize By The Hershey Company To Promote The Dark Knight Movie

If you have seen the trailer for the new Batman film, The Dark Knight, you know that the caped crusader keeps the Batmobile in the garage for a few scenes to ride a new bike called the BatPod.

As part of a promotion for The Dark Knight, The Hershey Company is masking some of their candies in a Batman-themed black and blue color scheme or unique bat shapes.

Hershey is also offering a contest prize of a Batman-themed, hand built MV Agusta F4 motorcycle.

(Bat-suit and secret cave filled with high-tech crime-fighting gear not included.)

Source: The Hershey Company

The Monster Motorbike: 15 Tons Of Car-Crushing Motorcycle

Here is a motorcycle that doesn't lane-split between cars, it simply goes over them. The Popular Science homepage features details on the Monster Motorbike, 10 foot tall a car-crushing motorcycle weighing in at 15 tons.

Driven by stuntman Ray Baumann, the Monster Motorbike rolls on tires from a Caterpillar front-end loader and is powered by a six-cylinder diesel engine.

YouTube features video of the Monster Motorbike doing what it does best: crushing whatever is in its way.



Source: PopSci.com and YouTube

The NASCAR 60th Anniversary Motorcycle Series

NASCAR is marking their 60th anniversary with 60 custom motorcycles, numbered No. 1 through No. 60. A limited number of the NASCAR bike will be available for public sale starting May 28.

According to NASCAR.com...

Bruce Rossmeyer -- CEO of 15 Harley-Davidson locations, including the World's Largest Harley-Davidson dealership located at Bruce Rossmeyer's Destination Daytona -- has teamed up with NASCAR to create the all new, one-of-a-kind officially licensed "NASCAR 60th Anniversary Motorcycle Series brought to you by Destination Daytona."

To commemorate NASCAR's 60th anniversary, Rossmeyer, in conjunction with NASCAR, is creating 60 custom motorcycles, each individually serialized No. 1 through No. 60. Each motorcycle in the officially licensed NASCAR 60th Anniversary Motorcycle Series brought to you by Destination Daytona will capture the true essence of NASCAR -- from the design to the speed.

While racing industry insiders have first dibs on this exclusive motorcycle, a limited number will be available for public sale starting May 28, with motorcycle No. 60 presented to Cup Series driver Kyle Petty. Petty will auction off Motorcycle No. 60 for charity in July during the Coke Zero 400. Source: NASCAR.com and Clutch and Chrome

Rucker Performance gears up for Shelby Motorcycle production

Rucker Performance is getting ready for production of the Shelby Motorcycle.

According to Rucker Performance...

The Rucker Performance manufacturing facilities are shifting gears as production begins on the Shelby Motorcycle. In January, Shelby Automobiles, Inc., and Rucker Performance announced plans to build “The Shelby”, a limited production Carroll Shelby/Rucker Performance motorcycle, which debuted at the Cincinnati V-Twin Expo in Cincinnati, Ohio, on February 2, 2007.

Twenty five collector motorcycles are now available for purchase from Rucker Performance, each numbered individually and complete with Rucker Performance’s signature custom paint. So far, five numbers have been claimed by individuals and dealers.

While the Shelby name is an American icon, the appeal of the Shelby Motorcycle is worldwide.

Two of these exclusive Shelby bikes will be traveling over 8,000 miles to debut in Russia through the dealership Custom American Motorcycles, LLC. Alexis Rezvi, owner of Custom American Motorcycles, LLC, put down a deposit as soon as he could to reserve the specific numbers he desired. Nationally reknowned motorcycle attorney Russ Brown also jumped on the opportunity to own the collector motorcycle. After years of working in the industry, Russ Brown has seen a range of motorcycles and is looking forward to owning such an exclusive bike.

Rucker Performance’s Chief Officer of Operations, Erin Rucker comments on the popularity of the Shelby and the recongnition it has brought to the company. “We continue to see the growing demand for the Shelby bikes and are excited to begin production. It has been an honor to work with race legend Carroll Shelby and his team.”

Source: Rucker Performance

2008 Raider from Star Motorcycles offers hand-built quality with a lower price

If you want a custom-built motorcycle, you might need a fat wallet or the skill and tools to build it from scratch. For those who are cost conscious or don't even own a complete set of wrenches, there is an alternative.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the 2008 Raider from Star Motorcycles is a "cheaper build-your-own" bike.

According to the LA Times...

Even the name of this metric cruiser is more menacing than anything the Yamaha Motor Corp. cruiser brand has ever produced. Add a little rake, some state-of-the-art engineering and a couple of dozen new accessories, and you've got what Star's billing as a new breed of bike: the modern performance custom.

What that means in practical terms is that you get a more manageable and reliable ride than you would with a hand-built bike, and for less than half the price.

Over 36 different accessories are available for the Raider, ranging from engine guards to luggage racks.

Source: Los Angeles Times and Yamaha

Gold Wing tour bikers ride the road in comfort

The Gazette-Times reports on the Gold Wing Touring Association and luxury bikes they ride.

Goldwings are known for their comfort features, from heated seats, ample cargo room, and even airbags.

The GWTA has over 9,500 members who love to roam the roads on their customized bikes.

Making off-road bikes street legal

NCtimes.com features a story on how making off-road motorcycles street legal became a business for one rider.

Alan Roach, an off-road bike enthusiast, developed a kit that adds lights and turn signals to off-road bikes. Not all states welcome "dual-sport" bikes as street bikes. California has strict laws limiting off-road bikes.

Roach made the first conversion kit for his own bike, eventually turning his garage business into a company called Baja Designs.

The custom cycle with a heart...literally

Biker News Online features a story on a custom bike built by Paul Yaffe for the founder and medical director of the Arizona Heart Institute in Phoenix.

The bike is called The Heart Bike because the gas tank looks like a human heart, right down the texture of the muscles and the color of the blood vessels.

The one of a kind bike took nearly two years to complete.

You can see pictures of The Heart Bike on Biker News Online's site, but a word of caution, the detail is VERY realistic.

Rucker Performance introduces new Superform Aluminum gas tanks

Here is an image of new Superform Aluminum gas tanks offered by Rucker Performance.

Rucker Performance has partnered with Superform USA to introduce a patented process and distribute innovative aluminum motorcycle gas tanks.

According to Rucker Performance, Superform USA has patented a new aluminum tank used in the Rucker Performance Assassin production model.

The superplastic forming process of the aluminum can be tailored to particular shapes and formed in a range of alloys. The process and tanks do not exist anywhere else in the V-Twin motorcycle industry.

The Shelby Motorcycle fuses the power of legendary cars and custom bikes

Here are some pictures of the high performance Shelby motorcycle, developed in partnership between the Carroll Shelby International Inc. and Rucker Performance: a leading designer and manufacturer of custom American muscle production motorcycles.

The Shelby motorcycle rivals the power to weight ratio of the famed Shelby Cobra 427 S/C.

How did this combination of automotive power and custom bike come together? Here's some information sent to us from Rucker Performance.

“It’s no secret that stuffing a powerful American motor into a lightweight chassis has been my formula for success,” noted Carroll Shelby, CEO of Shelby Automobiles. “Working with Bill Rucker and his team, we’ve taken this same approach on the new Shelby motorcycle. My team at Shelby Automobiles has worked closely with Rucker Performance to create a motorcycle that offers the same thrill as driving my Cobra.”

Fellow Texan Bill Rucker is famous for building spectacular two wheeled motorcycles that are among the most exciting vehicles in the world. He is Founder and CEO of Rucker Performance, a manufacturer of high performance American muscle and chopper motorcycles.


“We built the ultimate American high performance motorcycle,” said Bill Rucker, President of Rucker Performance. “From the initial design to the innovation of new parts, every aspect of this motorcycle was created with that goal in mind. It’s a lightweight, fire-breathing ride that’s as inspiring as the four wheeled vehicles that wear the Shelby name.”

You can read more about the Shelby Motorcycle on the Rucker Performance site.