“Like a motorcycle, 50 years of motorcycling in Esplugues” is the title of the exposition organized by the Museum Can Tinturé with the collaboration of Moto Club Esplugues that counts with the support of the Esplugues Town Council and in addition of the Barcelona Deputation and the net of local museums.

Montesa Impala picture:

The Barcelonesse population of Esplugues of Llobregat has been very linked to the motorcycling during the whole XXth century. We don’t have to forget that the Montesa motorcycles factory was in this municipality since 1963 to 2002, year in the one that they transferred the factory to Santa Perpetua of the Mogoda.

Nowadays there is a neighborhood of the population that carries that same name, “Montesa” and we may say that a great part of the “Montesa” motorcycles that still circulate were manufactured in the Esplugues factory of Llobregat.

Besides, during many years the city had motocross races in the Finestrelles circuit and speed races in the Fontsanta neighborhood during a lot of years.

In the exposition we will make a little walk through the historic memory of the motorcycling in the city. We will be able to see closely into the 4 M 0002 Montesa the first that was commercialized and the most ancient that is preserved. We can also see a Montesa Cappra VE 414 Official, the prototype with the one that Michel Combes the french pilot from the Montesa drove.

We will be able see a OSSA ( prepared to play motoball ), a Bultaco and a mini motorcycle in addition to the diverse motorcycling material and graphic documents from the fifties of the motorcycling in Esplugues.

The exposition will be open until March 16, 2008 and you can visit it from Tuesday to Sundays from 10 to 14pm. Wednesday and Saturdays from 16,30 to 20 hrs. On Saturdays the entrance is free.

Kymco is offering the People 125 model for just 1,999 euros.

Stands out for his generous axle width ( 1.40 m ) and the size of his wheels that are the same that Kymco GT has with the 100/80 x 16′ and 120*80 16′ pneumatics at the rear. 260 mm front disc brake and rear cylinder with 130 mm double shoe brake .

The lighthouse counts with double optic halogenous, being the first one in building it into their category. The lighthouse situation in the tallest possible place guarantees a precise illumination and better visibility for the rest of the drivers. Also attracts our attention the wide rear, transparent lighthouse, in fashion with the actual car ‘tunning’ tendency. The new People S 125 is also pioneer in using leds in the winkers, more luminous than the traditional lightbulbs. Another unusual detail is the digital muti-function screen of the instrument board, than in addition to the clock and total and partial speedometer, alerts us the maintenance periods.

Benefits:

* Potency: 10.3 cv to 7.500rpm
* Top Speed: 100 km. per hour
* Average Consumption: 3.5 liters 100
* Acceleration: 0-100 m in 7.3 seconds

[ Interesting opinion from a Kymco People 125 proprietor ]

Piaggio extends their scooters gamma with this amazing Scooter GT with 125 and 250 c.c. motorizations. The Italian brand has found two concepts in this new models, for one side is a compact Scooter oriented to the urban traffic and by the other has all the stability and protection that the Maxiscooters usually offer.

The X7 is a four-cycle motor, cooled by water and with four valves. In the 125 c.c. version is fed by carburator and develops 14,9 CV. In the 250 c.c. version incorporates an electronic injection supply and develops 22 CV to 8,250 rpm.

The chassis is a double-cradle steel, rigid and capable to tolerate a bigger scooter motor, the suspensions are joined to a conventional front fork in front and to a couple of rear shock absorbers. The 260 mm front disc and 240 mm behind is on charge of the braked.

Tubeless Pneumatic: 120/70 R13 in front and 140/60 R14 behind.

The X7 inherits from his older brothers the X8 and XEvo a dome that protect us from the wind and from the winter cold when we are by the highway. Also offers a good comfort to the driver and companion, his seat is up to 79 cm of the ground and offers a good hole that can fit easily two whole helmets in. The passenger foot pegs are integrated at the scooter ground like in the case of the X8 or the XEvo.

The available colors of the X7 are white, gray, blue and black, all of them with metallic finishings.

We can equip the Piaggio X7 with a 44 liters rear coffer that can be opened with the same key than the contact, 4 mm screen acrylic glass, Tom Tom navigation system, case for the legs and electronic antitheft device.

The price is 2,999 the 125 version and 3,499 the 250 c.c motor version.

[ Official Piaggio Website in Spain ]

The Suzuki GSR 600 is an impressive sportive naked, a true pure and hard Streetfighter, above all for the design in the deposit which they integrate the front intermittents.

Has a complete instruments panel and the seat is enough comfortable to get to two passengers.

Technical features:

* Motor: 4 cylinders in line 599 cc.

* Electronic Injection 38 mm, double butterfly

*Electronic Ignition

* electric start.

* Potency: 98 CV to 12,000 rpm.

* Torque: 6.6 Kgm to 9,600 rpm.

* Deposit Capacity: 16,5 liters.

* Weigh : 183 kg.

* Price: 7,299 euros.

Cycle part:

Front suspension with telescopic inverted fork, spiral spring and totally adjustable spring preload.
Rear suspension with piston rods, hydraulics, helicoid spring dock preload, bounce and adjustable compression.

310 mm front brakes with double disco and four pistons.
Back brakes with 240 mm disc and a piston.

Front pneumatic 120/70 ZR 17MC and 180/55 ZR 17MC at the back.

Video: Suzuki GSR 600 test drive

[ Suzuki GSR Website ]

[ An extensive opinion from a Suzuki GSR 600 proprietor]

First of all: What is a Carver?

It’s about a vehicle that is driven like a car but in the curves behaves like a motorcycle and can turn up to 45 degrees. Imagine the sensation of drive a sports car + a motorcycle + a fighter plane, is an unique experience going approximately at full speed at the level of the ground.

It bends down from the left to the right side in just one second. His unequalled agility is ideal for emergency situations in order to avoid obstacles and for having a good and intense time.

His sports motor provides of enough power for his weight reaching a top speed of 185 km/h and maintaining an average fuel consumption of 6 L/100km.

[ More pictures ]

The Carver video demonstration

The achievement: Going over 4,300 km at the wheel of a Carver One around all Spain in less than 48 hours ( obeying speed limits ). The journalist Manuel Andújar will start from the Plaza of the Obradoiro of Santiago of Compostela the next March 3 with the aim of demonstrate the reliability and resistance of the pilot as well as the one of this hot and unique vehicle. The cabin and front wheel of this vehicle equipped with a 660 c.c. and 68 CV motor oscillates automatically toward the inside of the curve in the moment that we turn the steering wheel.

A surprisingly new, agile and fun vehicle to drive. The idea of his design came up in the late 80’s when Anton Van den Brink wondered if really 2.5 tons of iron to transport a person were really necessary.That way he begins to develop a prototype that obtains the permission to circulate by Dutch roads in 1997 and shortly afterwards in September 1999 he showed up his vehicle in the Frankfurt Auto Show, Germany.
In the year 2002 the Carver got the homologation from the European Union.

The distributors of the Carver One in Spain are “Carver España”.

You can have your Carver One from 39.247 euros, VAT and registration TAX included. 2 years guarantee.

Ducati presents, 15 years after the first naked designed by Miguel Galluzzi the new Monster 696. A true ’street fighter’ that the users will appreciate so much as for its design as for the few drivers experience.

His 4T bi-cylindrical 696 c.c. motor with electronic injection gets 80 CV to 9,000 rpm. It’s air-cooled and have a clutch with anti block system.

The multi tubular chassis has been redesigned completely by the engineers but now with bigger diameter tubes and a thin wall. The sub chassis is made completely in aluminum and it goes screwed in his underside and that grants bigger rigidity and a modern aspect.

The front suspension is in charge of a ‘Showa’ inverted front fork without possibility of regulation but the rear simple shock absorber with progressive system from the Sachs brand can be adjusted in preload and extension. We can stand out his oversized 320 mm front brakes with radial anchoring system.

All the new changes to the Monster 696 have been enabled to reduce their weight to 163 kg ( 7 kg less than the predecessor ).

Due to the quality of the materials with the ones they manufacture each Ducati 2008, Ducati assures in their Website that the time between the maintenance operations and the the refill costs had been reduced on each of the revisions, reaching in this way to a major cost saving up to 50 %.

An excellent animation that show us how do we should dress and how to protect ourselves from the cold when we are riding a motorcycle. The explanation is very simple and very graphical, besides you can download it to your computer or send it to a friend through email.

[ Watch the informative images ]

The new R 1200 GS Adventure offers in the new 2008 version lots of news and important characteristics that place it between one of the best motorcycles to travel worldwide.

Besides of the new design elements the new R 2008 GS Adventure 1200 benefits in a 5% of more potency having now 105 CV. A taller windshield, adjustable seat and extra width in addition to the optional ABS system makes that the long journeys be comfortable and pleasant. A generous fuel tank allows to cover great distances without worrying us in refuel.

Charley Boorman in action on a BMW R 1200 GS Adventure

The most significant technological development from the R 1200 GS Adventure is optional. Its all about the Enduro ESA ( Electronic Suspension Adjustment ). This characteristic offers the possibility of custom the motorcycle at your pleasure. It doesn’t matter what road we are going to travel, the IT Enduro system allows to adjust so much the front suspension as the rear. The configuration of this vehicle includes the sportive mode, Comfort and normal and even a off-road mode that adjust the frontal and posterior side of the preload and enlarges the ground for the inevitable potholes.

A perfect motorcycle for the ambitious drivers whose passion implies abandoning the beaten paths and uncover the savages and unknown places.

The Consumer magazine have an interesting article published the 12 of February of 2008. The particularities at the time of hiring an insurance for the motorcycle or quad.

The contract preparation for insurances purposes of two-wheeled vehicles and quads has been increased since October 2004 the decree allowed to the drivers that owned the ID card 1 to drive the 125 c.c. motorcycles. Besides points the increased circulation at the big cities that they put on reserved area the parking of cars placed in blue zones( of payment ).

The insurers wanted to attract these new drivers incrementing between them the competition and consequently an declination in the insurance prices. At the moment in Spain the average price for a third part insurance is 494 euros a year.

[ Complete article ]

The Rapier is a 2 plazas homologated quad. The single DOHC 4 valves cylinder motor and 450 c.c. is water refrigerated by a 42 mm. carburator. Reach a top speed of 80 km/h and offers 52 CV potency to 8,500 rpm in his delimited version. Mount a 5-gear gearbox and reverse gear.

Cycle part:

• Front AT 21 X 7-10 ( 175/75-10 25N ) tires.
• At the back AT 20 X 11-9 ( 255/55-9 38N ) tires.
• The front and back double multi-adjustable muffling suspension system with preload regulation in preload, compression and return.
• Front 170 mm. double disco brake and at the back a 240 mm. disc.

Price : 5.799 €

[ Hyosung Rapier TE 450 ]