A while back, we were reporting on a proposal that requires motorcyclists to have EPA-compliant exhaust systems on their model year 2011 and newer motorcycles. The bill has passed and is now heading to the desk of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. If the bill is approved by the Governor, riders caught riding model year 2013 or newer motorcycles without a specific stamp would be issued "fix it" tickets by law enforcement officers. “The noise caused by illegally modified motorcycle exhaust systems is a major quality of life issue across the state,” said the bill's sponsor, Senator Fran ...Read more.

The North American division of BMW Motorrad recently announced the launch of a new promotion for US Military personnel. The promotion runs until December 31, 2010, and offers a free safety package with any purchase of a new BMW S 1000 RR supersport motorcycle. The package includes Race ABS & Dynamic Traction Control and it's worth $1,480. Also, active members of the US armed forces are entitled to a $400 rebate on any eligible S 1000 RR that is not equipped with option 129 via the existing 2010 Military Purchase Program. “To show our gratitude and appreciation to our men and ...Read more.

A federal traffic safety agency is offering law enforcement agencies hundreds of thousands of dollars to set up checkpoints that target only motorcyclists, and the AMA wants to know why. The AMA has asked the agency, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), to suspend the grant program until questions raised by the motorcycling community are addressed. "How do motorcycle-only checkpoints increase the safety of motorcyclists?" Ed Moreland, AMA senior vice president for government relations, wrote in a letter to NHTSA Administrator David Strickland on Aug. 9. ...Read more.

Two Brothers Racing has taken the guesswork out of extracting the maximum horsepower that is readily available for your motorcycle by combining TBR’s extensive tuning knowledge and performance product lineup into one ready-to-go kit: The TopTune Kit.TBR’s new TopTune Kit complements all of TBR’s performance exhaust systems and takes the guesswork out of the final stage of dialing-in your bike for maximum performance after you’ve installed a pipe. Performance and convenience are the key to the TBR TopTune Kit. Dyno testing and track-based feedback provides TBR with the essential ...Read more.

Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. launched the new 2011 Ninja 400R, a 400-cc sport-model motorcycle with full fairing, in Japan on August 1st. In response to market demand, Kawasaki started selling of the Ninja 400R, a general sport-model with genuine full fairing inherited from the super-sport Ninja series to give it both aggressive styling and refined functional beauty and make it ready for anything from sport riding to touring. With its compact and highly rigid diamond-shaped steel frame chassis, the Ninja 400R combines superior riding performance with easy handling. Its ...Read more.

Ducati is recalling certain 2010 Multistrada models under three separate campaign numbers. All the recalls are expected to begin this month. The first campaign (Ducati safety recall No. RCL-10-001) potentially affects 396 units. The throttle cables may come into contact with the upper edge of the radiator during normal operation. This could cause them to become chafed by the radiator. Cable damage could adversely affect throttle operation, reducing the rider’s ability to control speed. Dealers will secure the throttle cables to the frame above the radiator to prevent ...Read more.

Roland Sands has just released this video of his Victory Project 200 bike road testing in California. Aptly named Mission 200, RSD is aiming for a modified partial streamlining (MPS) record, and a 200mph benchmark. Currently the bike features a stock Victory 106ci motor, but to reach the 200mph mark RSD plans to turbo the Victory v-twin motor out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49yeo-bEZ5g Source Roland Sands For more discussion on Motorcycle News go to ...Read more.

We all knew that Valentino Rossi's switch to Ducati would be just a matter of confirmation time, especially since it was announced that Casey Stoner will leave the Italian manufacturer for a place at Honda starting the 2011 season. However, when Ducati decided to wait until the Czech Republic GP at Brno to make it all public, it seems CEO Gabriele Del Torchio was not in the building. In an interview with Cycle World earlier this week, Del Torchio let slip the news that Rossi will partner with American rider Nicky Hayden for the 2011 campaign of the MotoGP. So not only did he confirm ...Read more.