So, we’ve shown you the machines aimed at the masses – the CBR300s, the CBR650Fs, the SR400s – but what if you want to blow your life’s savings on a motorcycle?
Well, if you work for CMG, you’re likely still going to be restricted to the beginner bike market, in that case. But if you’re a Bay Street lawyer or pro hockey player or something, here are bikes that might tempt you.
One big surprise at EICMA was a new lineup of machines from Caterham. The company is best known for their F1 racing team and a line of pricy sports cars, but now they’ve released three new motorcycles, one of which is the Brutus concept bike we saw at EICMA last year. That machine has a liquid-cooled DOHC 750 cc motor with EFI (with claimed 45 hp) and two-speed CVT transmission, and dry centrifugal clutch, an optional reverse, and a snow kit available, with skis.
Available accessories will include a sidecar, tow bar, winch kit and generator. Front forks are 43 mm units. Front and rear brakes are both 260 mm stainless steel discs with floating calipers. Saddle height is 850 mm, and front and rear tires are Maxxis Bighorns.
We have fewer details on their other bikes. They’re both battery bikes, and they’re both concepts at this stage. One of them, the Carbon E-Bike, is made of carbon fibre and seems to be made to appeal to buyers of high-tech flashy machines. Just look at the thing, and you’ll get the idea.
The other machine, the Classic E-Bike, is meant to be styled after machines from the dawn of motorcycling. When you get behind the bars, you’re supposed to feel like you’re aboard a Henderson or something … except it won’t leak oil all over your pants, thanks to the electric motor, and you’ll only have a 25-50 mile range, supposedly. That might sound pretty ridiculous, but in the old days, you’d probably have had to rebuild your top end at that point anyway.
Caterham says these bikes are coming next spring. There’s no price tag, but we’re sure they won’t be aimed at the beginner market. They also said they’ll be entering a team in Moto2 next year.
I do love the Brutus , would be great here especially with the snow kit and ATV riders would be less upset of seeing them on their trails with such tires.
More money than brain ??? Catheram are not that expensive.
These are the people that bring you the Caterham Super 7, the car for people with more money than brains. It looks like their 2 wheelers are cut from the same cloth…
AMA Superbike Champ Josh Herrin will be riding the Caterham moto2 bike in 2014.