Degraded fuel presents a major maintenance issue because it can form varnish, gum and insoluble debris that clog carbs, fuel injectors and fuel filters. Carbon buildup can form on the tops of pistons and lead to pre-ignition, rough idling and poor throttle response. There is an easy defense however. Quickshot fuel additive focuses on the three major fuel-related issues plaguing small engines and powersports equipment: ethanol, water and dirty pump gas. It’s been formulated to thoroughly clean and restore peak performance in small engine fuel systems while addressing the issues associated with the three culprits of poor engine performance. Quickshot also stabilizes fuel between uses and during short term storage periods.
$8.80/8 ounce bottle
amsoil.com

All new for 2012, The Transition Series 3 is a major update to one of Tour Master’s most successful and popular jackets. Featuring ≤ styling, a number of color ways and more features than you can shake a stick at, the Transition 3 offers serious touring, sport touring and street riders a great

Ducati announces today that it will return to The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb this July. To celebrate the return, as well as demonstrate what an amazing event PPIHC is, Ducati has put together a short film documenting last year's race.

The Official MotoGP™ Test in Malaysia saw the reigning World Champion heading the times by the end of the day, with Yamaha Factory Racing’s Ben Spies and Jorge Lorenzo his closest rivals.

The new Storm loses the “Euro” look in place of a more aggressive shape suitable for American streets. While the Storm comes in glossy solid colors, the graphic-rich options scream off clean lines with an aerodynamic theme. With going fast in mind, Vemar rolled out the red carpet for safety.

The first Official MotoGP™ Test of 2012 kicked off in Malaysia today with Jorge Lorenzo leading the timesheet at the end of day one, while World Champion Casey Stoner sat out the first day of testing after injuring his back while warming up for his first ride.

SANTA CRUZ, Calif., (Jan. 31, 2012) - Zero Motorcycles, the global leader in the electric motorcycle industry, today announced it achieved the highest overall results in an independent study conducted by Pike Research. The study, called the Pike Pulse Report, evaluated the competitive landscape of both the electric motorcycle and electric scooter markets and named only one company as the overall leader. The study was based on 12 distinct categories that measured an Original Equipment Manufacturers' (OEM) ability to compete on a global level. Zero Motorcycles scored higher than many notable names, including Honda and KTM.

Chino Hills, CA, (January 27, 2012) - As part of it's commitment to professional racing, Bazzaz has partnered with AMA Pro Racing and agreed to offer over $50,000 in racer contingency awards for the 2012 season.

Calling Poland home, 25-year-old Rafal Pasierbek has led the charge in spreading the stunt scene to places hard to pronounce. An impressive style has garnered him wins across the globe, from American XDL to Euro StuntGP events. A blend of acrobatics, smooth combos and unbelievable bike control make him a stunt rider worth putting on your radar.

SANTA CRUZ, Calif., (Jan. 26, 2012) - Zero Motorcycles, the global leader in electric motorcycle manufacturing, recently celebrated the start of production of its ground breaking 2012 model line with the rollout of its first new 2012 Zero DS. Management and staff greeted the arrival of the stunning new Zero DS motorcycle on Dec. 15, 2011 (it was an early Christmas present) with applause and excitement. Additionally, Zero Motorcycles announces that the entire product line is in full production and dealers and consumers alike can expect to see the motorcycles hitting the marketplace throughout the first quarter of 2012. Zero recently debuted the all-new 2012 product line to a very positive response this past November at the 2011 EICMA Motorcycle Show in Milan, Italy.

Serious style is only attained when the unnoticed is transformed into a point of admiration. Take for instance, bland OEM components like the gas cap, oil filler cap and fork preload adjusters. The stock parts get the job done but they’re rather unremarkable. That is, until a replacement from the aftermarket is substituted.

Lisa Joy
Ethnicity: Caucasion
Age: 26
Hometown: Newton, MA
Shout Outs: To all of my friends and family who make me smile and give me hope.

Custom paint jobs can get repetitive—it seems like tribal slashes, flames and skulls appear on everything from T-shirts to motorcycle fairings and very few artists stray far from the standard theme. Garwood Custom is one shop that has done well to give customers loud, in your face spray jobs that normally utilize standard elements such as tribal and skull patterns. Garwood knew it was taking a chance when it laid down this striking scheme, but it paid off tremendously and demonstrated that there’s deep interest for unique yet subtle paint.

Like stamping a butterfly on a bubbly blonde’s lower back, spraying meaningless shapes and symbols across a bike’s bodywork is no way to stand out in the custom paint game. Without that twist of creativity, the thrill will most certainly wear off with the clearcoat. Noe Quintana dreamt of rocking a parking lot parader that still raged through the corners but feared a wrong move with the color scheme would forever forsake his 2007 GSX-R750 into the realm of “so what.” Before clicking buy on go-fast parts, he stewed over the best alternative to OEM graphics:

The 1998 Yamaha R1 was to sportbikes what Michael Jordan was to the NBA—a game changer. In a time when 120 HP literbikes were the norm, Yamaha scrapped the playbook and jumped into the fray with a mighty warrior that handled like a 600 and wheelied off the throttle in third gear. Top-end power was impressive with 138 HP at the wheel, but it was the 71 LB-FT arriving at a low 7750 RPM that made for midrange twist so strong it put many inexperienced riders on their butts. Wrapped in a featherlight package with a stubby wheelbase, it was simply a vicious streetbike.

Even though Momma always said, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch,” Kawasaki fans have been telling us otherwise. Rumor has it that by connecting a few wires and completing the “jumper mod,” your ZX-6R will instantly gain free top-end power. According to the myth, not all ZX-6Rs have the hidden power locked within—just the 2005-2008 models. With evidence aplenty across the Internet it was hard to believe this rumor might be pure hogwash, but we hit the dyno to confirm or refute it anyways.

Admittedly, two of the categories for the Best of 2011 are totally subjective and you’re well within your rights to write us objectionable emails explaining how clueless we are. Custom paint jobs and pretty girls aside, we make our selections for the other categories based on facts. If a particular jacket or boot takes top honors from one of the editors, it’s not going to be because it simply has nice colors—form and function must equal each other and have a purpose.

2011 Honda CBR1000RR
Miles done: 1155
Mods: Leo Vince EVO II exhaust, Dynojet PCV and quickshifter
Contact: leovinceusa.com, powercommander.com
Price: $839, $369.95

The idea was simple; go as fast as a 1000 on a 600 with just a dash of cash tossed at it. The definition of fast is as broad as the sport of motorcycling, so instead of qualifying the statement by saying “it’s fast for a 600,” this budget bomber had to legitimately run with the big dogs.

Since its introduction in 1998, the R1 has been a universal favorite. Smooth lines and an aggressive face have made the R1 a popular starting point for customizers and track junkies alike. This was precisely the reason Krystos Efantis of MSP Motorsports Performance picked one up. The challenge of rewriting the rule book on what’s been done thousands of times before was too hard to resist: “There are tons of built ‘07-‘08 R1s, so I wanted to do one completely different since it’s really popular. I wanted to make something that was an appealing eye catcher but still 100 percent reliable and rideable.”

MotoGP, the world’s premiere motorcycle racing championship, drew the attention of millions during the 2011 schedule, and for each of the 18 tracks worldwide that meant a ridiculous amount of preparation. SSB explored just how much goes into getting ready for this experience through the eyes of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Catering to over one hundred thousand spectators, media, race teams and vendors who all converge on the same weekend is a balancing act of budgets, communication and presentation. Pulling off the venue’s largest event of the year is a revolving door of activity that begins soon after the pits clear.

How quick is the fastest streetbike in the world? Try this on for size; in the amount of time it takes to read this sentence—roughly 4.5 seconds—the HTP Performance Hayabusa can reach 170 MPH from a dead stop. Still not comprehending the magnitude of this machine? Now consider this; it takes just 650 feet (roughly two city blocks) for it to achieve this speed. Forget $1,000,000 supercars hitting 0-60 in under four-seconds, this monster will triple that figure in the same span. The quarter-mile drag strip has been the proving ground of choice for years and all things motorized are measured there. The HTP ‘Busa rewrote the record books recently when it scorched the strip with a six-second pass—breaking through the long-standing seven-second barrier with authority. The record breaking run as Ryan Schnitz, HTP Performance’s pro rider explained, was destined to happen. On a brisk September day at Maryland International Raceway, Schnitz rolled the bike through the burnout box just as he had thousands of times before. As in every pre-stage ritual, he brought the sticky Michelin tire up to temp with a smoky burnout before rocketing towards the tree on his dry hop. First came the forward beam, then the second, and in that moment before the green lights dropped, Schnitz knew he was on the verge of something big, “The conditions were nearly ideal, a combination you don’t get that often.” The air was cool and dry—perfect for big power—and the track had tremendous traction, something you don’t often get when the temperatures are down.

VP Gears Up for 2012 Season

Buffalo, NY: As the official tire of AMA Road Racing, Dunlop has continued to develop new products, and in keeping with that commitment Dunlop proudly announces its newest premium race tire, the 190/60ZR17 D211GPA. Built for racing in the AMA Daytona SportBike and SuperSport classes, this new tire will be available initially in two compounds, and a third compound will be released later in the season.

Cupertino, Calif. (January 19, 2012) - Ducati North America today announced 2011 motorcycle sales growth of 43 percent compared to 2010 and a record market share in all of it's territories: US, Canada and Mexico. This result established North America as Ducati's number one market for the first time ever.