2009 Honda CRF150R

ENGINE
MSRP: 0,000 USD
Model: CRF150RB-Expert / CRF150R
Engine Type: 149cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke
Bore and Stroke: 66mm x 43.7mm
Compression Ratio: 11.7:1
Valve Train: Unicam, four-valve; 26mm intake, steel; 22.5mm exhaust, steel
Induction: Keihin 32mm flat slide with throttle position sensor (TPS)
Ignition: Solid-state CD with electronic advance
Transmission: Close-ratio five-speed
Final Drive: #420 chain; 15T/56T (CRF150RB-Expert) / #420 chain; 15T/50T (CRF150R)
Suspension Front: 37mm fully adjustable leading-axle inverted Showa cartridge fork; 10.8 inches travel
Rear: Pro-Link fully adjustable Showa single shock; 11.5 inches travel (CRF150RB-Expert) / 10.8 inches travel (CRF150R)
Brakes Front: Single 220mm disc
Rear: Single 190mm disc
Tires Front: 70/100-19 (CRF150RB-Expert) / 70/100-17 (CRF150R)
Rear: 90/100-16 (CRF150RB-Expert) / 90/100-14 (CRF150R)
Wheelbase: 50.6 inches (CRF150RB-Expert) / 49.6 inches (CRF150R)
Rake (Caster Angle): 27°48' (CRF150RB-Expert) / 27°02' (CRF150R)
Trail: 96mm (3.85 inches) (CRF150RB-Expert) / 78mm (3.07 inches) (CRF150R)
Seat Height: 34.1 inches (CRF150RB-Expert) / 32.8 inches (CRF150R)
Ground Clearance: 13.2 inches (CRF150RB-Expert) / 11.9 inches (CRF150R)
Fuel Capacity: 1.14 gallons
Color: Red

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Yamaha Vino

Key Features:

* Cool retro style covers a modern overhead-cam, four-stroke engine; fashion and function.
* Upscale scooter components include a telescopic front fork and a front disc brake.
* There’s room for lots of gear and a passenger.
* Muffler incorpoates exhaust catalyst technology to reduce air pollution.
* The Vino 125 achieves fuel economy up to an estimted 96 mpg** with a fuel tank that holds 1.2 gallons of gas.

Engine:

* Sporty 124cc air-cooled SOHC four-stroke, 2-valve engine puts out strong, predictable power with incredible gas mileage.
* Forced air cooling system keeps engine temperatures reliably under control, even while idling at stoplights, for maximum efficiency and longer engine life.
* Easy, dependable, push-button electric start with backup kickstarter make getting on the road a breeze.
* Fully automatic V-belt transmission ensures easy, twist-the-throttle-and-go operation.
* CDI ignition system provides precise, high-voltage spark for seamless engine performance and excellent reliability.
* Mikuni BS26 carburetor with automatic choke and heater makes cold starting a snap.
* Special fuel tank emission system includes a sealed-type gas cap, rollover valve, and charcoal canister to control gasoline evaporation and reduce air pollution.
* Muffler incorporates catalyst technology to reduce air pollution.










Chassis/Suspension:

* 180mm front disc brake provides strong, reliable stopping power.
* 3.50-10 front and rear tires offer great traction.
* Open, step-through, steel-tube frame design allows easy mounting and dismounting.
* Telescopic front fork with 2.3 inches of travel delivers superb bump-absorbing performance and comfort.
* Rear single-shock suspension system with 2.1 inches of travel provides comfort and great ride quality.







Additional Features:
* Wide, thickly padded two-up seat ensures incomparable rider and passenger comfort and style.
* Huge underseat storage compartment can hold a full-face helmet and a rugged rear rack perfect for hauling schoolbooks or groceries.
* Cosmopolitan styling takes the Vino 125 to the next level with a chromed speedometer, mirrors, handlebar and cast aluminum alloy-styled three-spoke wheels.
* Large, single 12V 35/35-watt multi-reflector halogen headlight maximizes nighttime visibility and electroplated headlight housing enhances styling.
* Bright 8/27-watt single multi-reflector taillight for great visibility.
* Full-size floorboard and wide, sculpted front apron provide splash and wind protection and classic styling accent.
* Electronic fuel gauge keeps track of the gas level.
* Easy-to-read instrument panel features turn signal and high-beam indicator lights.
* Three-in-one main switch combines ignition, steering lock and seat lock opener for operator convenience.

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Japan Motorcycle Ride Report

Riding a motorcycle in Japan was something I had wanted to try for some years and now am very happy to have succeeded in doing.

The roads were as I had thought - fantastic for riding and actually beyond my expectations. Despite some rain I have to rate it as some of the best riding I have ever experienced.

But I am getting ahead of myself, I shall try and give a overview and hopefully some useful details for people who may also wish to ride in Japan.


Following on from my last post I decided on a selection of roads in the Nagano Japanese Alps as my main target and around Mt Fuji as a secondary target if the weather was good. I sourced where to ride from a best 100 roads magazine shown in my previous posts - however I noticed in the newsagents there monthly motorcycle magazines that are focused on best riding places with a best 10 roads in each area so I purchased a couple and a good 'motorcycle' road map of the areas I would be riding in.

I had made a firm booking for motorcycle rental before flying out despite the weather forecast being rain and just hoped for the best. I rented a BMW 1150R from Kokubo in Hachioji-shi a suburb of Tokyo which lies a fair way out to the west. I chose them so as to avoid riding in the more busier areas closer to Tokyo's centre. Besides BMW's they also rent Buells and Harleys however they don't speak any English. The paper work you need to fill out is in Japanese only and you would need someone to assist despite it being a one page simple name, contact details, international license details, vehicle being rented and sign here procedure. You naturally need to present passport and international license. Cost was about $150 a day with full insurance, smaller motorcycles those 400cc and below are cheaper as is weekly rental.

I was given a document that I was told to present to police upon request and gather it to be some sort of statement about the vehicles registration/safety certificate. It was teeming down with rain but with a forecast of improvement so I traveled back east to where I was staying at Musashi-Sakai with the hope of a break in the weather. Riding a new to me motorcycle in very heavy rain with poor visibility in another country and feeling cold water leaking in my jacket at upper chest area I did for a moment wonder what the hell I was doing however there was too much focus needed so I was unable to dwell on things for long until I was safely back by which I had already decided it was better to try and fail than to just sit and wonder. Worse case scenario was it would be too wet and I would not get very far.

It rained heavy on and on well into the night but was dry the next morning so I set off early under cloudy skies. I had limited time since, and this ride was a trial to see if I could navigate without a GPS and manage with my very basic Japanese so I chose to ride straight out of Tokyo on the Chuo Expressway skipping Isu which I had originally wanted to ride. All the major highways in Japan are toll roads and rather expensive however they get you quickly to places that take much longer on slower local roads. Here are some photos of the Chuo expressway, the speed limit in Japan is 40kph in built up areas and 50kph everywhere else (yes even the countryside) and 80kph on the expressways. However I noted at 100kph I was still getting passed frequently and the fast lane was moving at an average of 120kph which I soon moved into and where I then stayed. Elsewhere I just rode to suit the conditions and in the towns you wont get much above 60k, in the mountains you can ride as the road dictates.

Just prior to entering the highway network you will need to stop at a toll both at the entry ramp to obtain a toll card and present the same at the toll booth on the off ramp when exiting. Expect to pay around $15 per hour of travel or thereabouts as a rough guide - note actually distance based charge however I don't have the exact details. The ETC marked lanes at toll gates are for vehicles with automatic toll payment systems so do not use them. Leaving Tokyo you will first pay a fee of 600Yen ($6.00) when entering the network which is the flat fee for any where out as far as Hachioji-shi where you will encounter large toll gate on the expressway itself and obtain a toll card at a automatic machine to continue.

I ran into rain within an hour and stopped outside one of the many huge highway tunnels in the mountains west of Tokyo to put on my wet weather gear. Exiting the mountains the weather improved and I stopped at one of the many highway service centres you will find on the Japanese highway network to get out of my wet gear and grabbed a quick coffee and took a photo of the valley looking back to the range.

I continued to Suwa and exited there. I found navigation was reasonably easy. Most of the roads are numbered much like in Victoria here and other countries and most road signs are also in English. My greatest worry had been navigating however this really turned out to be no trouble at all, still I would not want to test that in one of the Japanese mega cities.

I found there are alot of full service petrol stations still in Japan where the attendants come to fill your tank and you will need to be able to say two things "man-tank' meaning full tank and 'hi-oct' meaning premium. There are also full auto petrol stations and these are a bit tricky. You need to insert money into machine, then select correct pump however they are not always clearly marked as to which one is premium, and then after filling select a button to get your change which comes from another machine centrally located in the middle of all the pumps. Best to go for the full service stations which I decided to use exclusively after trying one of these automatic stations to save a cent or two per litre and getting rather confused.

From Suwa I rode north and climbed my first mountain road destination, The Venus Line:

I ran into rain at the top of the incredible Venus Line road and it really was very heavy as I rode down the other side with rivers of water gushing across the road with visibility down to a few metres however this eased soon as I got below the cloud line and I had a reasonable ride down route 62 where I stopped and looked at the heavy rain in the mountains ahead and decided to turn back south on route 152 towards Suwa and try avoid further rain however ran into another heavy storm which nearly stopped me with the amount of water on the road deep in places.

I found my way out of this storm and into the town of Chino only to see more storm clouds and hear lots of thunder overhead so I pulled into a Dennys family type eatery where I sat for about 2 hours drying out and having a long late lunch and a couple of coffees until the storms and rain had stopped. After this it was too late to try another road so I went to find the place I was staying that night the Motive Lodge, which is mountain lodge catering to riders. The owner, Mr Morita has a web site with some of the best rides in Japan which is how I found the lodge. (I sort of try do the same with my blog for Australian roads however I wish I ran a rider lodge like he does) I found the place easy (another worry I had needlessly prior) so with some time to fill I took a look about the area and stopped off for a beer and rest at a local shop. (you can buy beer anywhere in Japan, even vending machines at reasonable prices)

After a day in saddle which I rode through two storms I was ready for a hot shower, now of course Japanese love baths and hot springs in particular so I was able to relax in a huge hot tub outside the lodge listening to the water rushing past a nearby stream - superb. I had to dig deep to try and communicate with the lodge owner as my Japanese is rather poor but two people with a love of riding and motorcycles we got by despite the language difficulties and I enjoyed a hearty dinner and relaxing in the inn's dining room which had a huge collection of Japanese motorcycle magazines. This place fills up on weekends with many riders from Tokyo coming up to ride the alpine regions.

It rained heavy again that night however the next day it was clearing with the sun shining - woohoo! I bid the Motive Lodge farewell with an nice early start and riding along the start of the Venus Line from the Lodge I had one of those rare moments when you feel a real joy inside and think how wonderful it is to be alive and stopped to take in the fresh clean air and think which way to tackle the days riding. I had planned to have completed the Venus line day one and then been north to Shiga Kusatsu by now and be ready wrap up by returning via route 299 and then ride around some of Mt Fuji including a ride up the Subaru-Fuji line road to finish however the rain had put me a long way behind, too much of course to try catch up so I decided to simply ride to Shiga Kusatsu and return via some more of route 40 which forms another part of the Venus line and if time permitted try take in another road I had thought to ride in the area called the Panorama line.

Riding north back over route 152 in the dry it's mountain sweepers were superb, this minor mountain pass doesnt rate a mention by the Japanese riders however it would make my top rides list easy back in Australia being something like longer version of the Burrinbah range. I got stuck in some traffic unable to find how to bypass Ooya the town north of Chino but then had a nice ride over yet another scenic mountain pass on route 94 and then could not find route 59 so lost more time before I eventually got onto route 292 , and my goal below:

I ran into light drizzle of rain at the top of Shiga Kusatsu which I thought might be just a passing cloud being that you are up over 2000m however after the last two days I decided to turn around and enjoy the superb road back down and forfeit seeing the rest of the range in case it closed in and made the descent wet.

After a false turn I found route 59 on the return and what a gem of a road this was, one perfect sweeping hotmix corner flowing into another and another, then I retraced my steps to route 94 which I was hooting along when my steering went very heavy and I realised I had a flat tyre on the way. I remembered seeing a petrol station at the start of the range so I rode back down as fast as I could before the tyre was completely flat and made it there with not a moment to spare.
Lucky the owner operator of this tiny rural petrol station went completely out of his way to help me phoning the bike rental shop back in Tokyo who gave a mechanics number who he then phoned and within 30 minutes someone was on the job and determined it was the valve so a simple matter to change over since same tubeless valves are used as in car wheels. Good thing BMW's have a centre stand which allowed the front wheel removal with ease. About an hour and half and I was repacked and on my way.

I then had to skip the Panorama line due to the lost time but didn't feel bad given the great assistance I had received to get on the road again and that I could have easy had been stuck on the top of the mountain on route 94 instead. I stopped for a quick bite to eat at a convenience store and for anyone going to Japan these places are your friend, you can get a good lunch or even a hot dinner for a few dollars and while you would not touch food in Australia from similar style shops it is basically impossible to get bad food in Japan. I'm embarrassed thinking about the Japanese tourists that come out here used to great food and service everywhere at 1/2 our prices and what they experience here.

After a small rest and coffee I went looking for the other part of route 40 to skip going back through Ooya and by sheer chance when about to give up found I had turned down it when looking to turn around. I followed this road and it was a bit tricky with no route numbers in a couple of intersections however got past that to what is I guess the first section of the Venus Line and what a great ride it was. Lots of sweepers before exiting a heavy forest to start the climb up to the upper part of the Venus Line which I wrote about above.

Happy to have ridden these two roads and out of time I turned for Tokyo back on the expressway and got to see a nice view of Mt Fuji on the way back. Wow its really high, the mountains at the base are 2000m jobs then it simply towers above them like they are foothills.

I had originally planned 3 days covering more roads but in the end was happy to have not suffered 3 days of rain and learned alot while still enjoying a few superb roads. These alpine areas have little traffic weekdays and have a low law enforcement presence. Japan offers great food and friendly helpful people and it is one of the safest places on earth to visit. Of course there is the history and culture to explore as well as great shopping for consumer goods at 1/2 our prices. Fuel and bike hire was slightly higher than here, however food, beer, accommodation is much cheaper and of a high standard. I shall definitely return to ride more of Japan in the future. Read more on this article...

Buell wallapers

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Buell Muster 2008

The once a year ride and meet of Buell owners and enthusiasts of the brand was held this year in the Northern Rivers area of NSW with the attendees staying in Tyalgum - right smack in the middle of the area I like to call motorcycle paradise.

I have not owned a Buell for 18 months but have remained a fan of the XB series and thought more than once about getting another at various times.

So it was I set out early on Saturday to meet up with the Muster folk and go on the ride, in fact I was going to assist with some of the route given my knowledge of the area.

However it nearly all went bad. It was a surprisingly cool morning so after I left home I realised I was going to be too cold with just my Cortech HRX jacket (minus liner) so I returned home and quickly grabbed the wind blocker jersey thinking it would be enough until the just on daybreak morning cool evaporated and not wanting to lose alot of time fitting the jacket liners for the first time. Well it was perhaps just a odd day as the temperature dropped even more as I left the CBD and then more the further south I rode. By the time I was at the coast I was cursing not having brought my full winter jacket and at my limit of tolerance so I refueled and stayed awhile over a hot coffee near the Tweed.

Heading off to Murwillumbah I was mindful I had lost a bit of time so turning into the road to Tyalgum I thought I might be a bit late when rounding a corner I had a freight train of Buells thunder past me in the opposite direction and then I realised oh crap its Daylight Saving in NSW- I was actually over 1 hour late!

Fortunately however I arrived at that point in time and not later so I could simply turn about and join the ride. A great display of machinery with riders from as far as Adelaide, Alice Springs, Melbourne and Sydney to mention a few. Here is a few photos from the ride, I will add some more soon.

Speaking of which there is a new Buell forum that you should be aware of Buellersdownunder.com I wont go into the politics of it all however that's the place to read about this years Muster.

I had a great time meeting everyone at the Muster who made me feel very welcome despite not riding a Buell these days and I hope everyone had a good time.

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Chupa Chups: to suck is good for you!

Out of curiosity I have searched Chupa Chups, the big logo displayed on Lorenzo’s X-Lite helmet to discover that it’s a Spanish lollipop created by a certain Enric Bernat in 1958 and now owned by the Italian-Dutch corporation Perfetti Van Melle. The simple, essential and straightforward logo was designed by the surrealist Salvator Dali’, in what could be a perfect example of less is more. The name Chupa Chups originates from chupar, Spanish verb meaning to suck.

As Rossi has openly admitted in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Stampa, he had request Yamaha to postpone the acquisition of the new young talent, however it was not possible so, even though he has still “ to get in front” of him, once it will happen, Lorenzo will be an extra stimulus to improve.

The Spaniard has already let people know that he will not be the Colin of the past: he is in MotoGp to win. His skills and potential are proven, but so far he has struggled in getting the right feeling from the M1 to lower significantly his lap time. Lorenzo has justified his results with a lack of confidence in the front end coumpounded by an annoying vibration. As Jim has written in his blog Armchairbikefan, there is a good chance that Jorge will have to change his riding style, maybe shaving a bit of entrance speed to focus more in accelerating at the exit of the turn using the traction control at its full potential. Lorenzo should keep in mind that Stoner has won a World Championship by skyrocketing out of the turns while his ex teammate Capirossi, consistently faster than him in the first part of the corners, finished the season with a meager 7th position.
Normally a new and young rider would keep a low profile in order to absorb or better steal as much as he can from the more experienced teammate, but this is not the case of Lorenzo. He is openly in competition with everybody starting from Rossi. That’s why they have separated their garages with a wall or they have recently had an “accident” when one of Rossi’s crew-members was invited to leave immediately Lorenzo’s pit area.
The swellheaded Lorenzo will undoubtedly add salt to the coming season, but his egocentric attitude is going to draw a lot of attention and critics: anything less than an exceptional performance will remind us of the English meaning of chupar Read more on this article...

MotoGp: Gran Premio de Espana

Jerez was a Spaniard affair, a domestic matter between the humorless and grey Pedrosa and the flashy Loren-show. The recent 250 World Champion was hoping to consolidate the fantastic start of the season in 800cc after collecting two pole positions and a strong 2nd place in Quatar behind the untouchable Stoner. In his own track he was dreaming of challenging in one event everybody, from Stoner to Pedrosa going through Rossi. The authority that he had shown during the qualification tests was definitely stimulating, if not supporting, his dreams, but yesterday morning, once the traffic light became green he must immediately have come to conclusions that it was only a dream.
Danny Pedrosa started like a bullet, in an obvious mission to play the game in his own way, by taking the lead and building on it. He has done it so many times in 250 in a fashion that reminds to all of us the “old” Biaggi. When leading a race, Danny is able to ride at 100% until the end without loosing concentration or making even the slightest mistake. Yesterday, his body, so petit even for the new “miniature” Honda, worked relentlessly to detach his bike at the exit of each turn to whack-open the throttle in a fashion that belongs more to the past than to today’s electronic traction control era. The new 800 machines cannot be managed with the traditional skills, particularly those ones requiring use of the hands or body. Ask Melandri or Capirossi if they agree with my claim.
Today a rider is required an extra dose of courage or willful blindness in the tool, the magic triad of suspension set up – electronics – tires. The modern centaur, once released the brakes after the turn point, has to hold the breath and open the throttle with a full trust in the magic of the electronics, with the faith that tha paratrooper would have in his parachute before jumping from the areoplane. Do you remember Rossi, Gibernau, Capirossi or Melandri a couple of years ago? They were able to compensate the wearing-off of tires by sapiently edging bike and throttle to put down power at the exit of each turn. Sensitive buttocks and skilful wrists were making the difference between an average rider and a champion. Today if the triad equation is not solved and tested nobody can win. Rossi and Capirossi have learned it in the last two years. Indeed the new WSBK star Biaggi was the first one to claim electronic issues a long time ago. Last year, Rossi on his end could evidently blame Michelin, but the poor Capirossi on the Red Missile Ducati, even though was faster than his teammate Aussie up to the apex of a corner, he wasn’t able to match the acceleration of Stoner at the exit of it. A lot of people were using as justification his age if not the fact that he had recently become father, as to say that he had not more the guts to take the extra risk to stay on the front of the field. The same sunset have been pictured for Rossi, with the extra malicious comment that the Tavullia champion had finally stop receiving a favorable treatment by factory teams and Michelin. In Quatar, the same people were very quick in calling his end, stating that “ …you see… even with Stoner’s Bridgestone he cannot stay in the front ..”.



Last MotoGp race has brought back some logic! Stoner proved to be very human, if not childish during the weekend while trying to solve normal technical issues. I say normal and not usual because since last year, he has never experienced any relevant technical issue with a Ducati that has worked for him with the consistence of a trustful videogame. Why childish? Well was it really necessary to kick that foot after passing his ex teammate Capirossi? Yes, he blamed the Italian for ruining his best lap, but what to say about all those mistakes during the race? And his obvious desire to “hide himself” by wearing the helmet while seating on a chait after the race? To my eyes Stoner has still to learn how to lose before reaching the status of well weathered old time champions.
On the other end, Sunday the other ex World Champion, Nicky Hayden confirmed to be a top rider, able to adjust his style to an ever changing machine obviously tailored to his blazoned teammate Pedrosa. In the last part of the race Nicky seemed to be able to challenge Lorenzo's third position. Unfortunately he trail-braked a bit too much losing the front grip and jeopardizing his attack to the third position. Curiously in Jerez both Hayden and Edward were able to save a clear low side by leveraging their elbows. The spectacular move proves the incredible results achieved by the tire companies (in this case Michelin) in improving grip and shoulder flexibility. I remember a few years ago while riding the yellow Honda Nastro Azzurro, Rossi was able to save a low-side by resting on his knee, and not on his elbow.
Last but not the least, I want to stress the incredible performance of Toseland and Capirossi. The first one looks totally at home in MotoGp and his overtaking technique going to the apex, tested in Quatar with Lorenzo and in Jerez with Dovizioso, is becoming his signature. He was an obvious protagonist of the battle for the 5th place, but at the end it was a determined Capirossi on his new Suzuki to win the dicing.

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2009 Honda CRF250X Pictures, Specs & Video

ENGINE
MSRP: 0,000 USD
Model: CRF250X
Engine Type: 249cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke
Bore and Stroke: 78mm x 52.2mm
Compression ratio: 12.9:1
Valve Train: Unicam, four-valve; 31mm intake valve; 26mm exhaust valve
Induction: Keihin 37mm flat-slide carburetor with Throttle Position Sensor (TPS)
Ignition: CD with electronic advance and lighting coil
Starting: Electric and kick
Transmission: Wide-ratio five-speed
Final Drive: #520 T-ring-sealed chain; 13T/49T
Suspension Front: 47mm inverted Showa cartridge fork with 16-position rebound and 16-position compression damping adjustability; 12.4 inches travel Rear: Pro-Link Showa single shock with spring preload, 17-position rebound damping adjustability, and compression damping adjustment separated into low-speed (13 positions) and high-speed (3.5 turns); 12.4 inches travel
Brakes Front: Single 240mm disc with twin-piston caliper
Rear: Single 240mm disc
Tires Front: 80/100-21
Rear: 100/100-18
Wheelbase: 58.3 inches
Rake (Caster angle): 27.54o
Trail: 118mm (4.7 inches)
Seat Height: 37.7 inches
Ground Clearance: 13.6 inches
Fuel Capacity: 1.9 gallons
Color: Red
Curb Weight*: 253 pounds

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