Articles by Mike Ryan

All about great looks and performance! In a market saturated with wannabes and clones, the Triumph Rocket III stands alone, thanks to its striking looks, and great performance.

Triumph's Speed Triple was launched back in 1994, delivering unparalleled attitude in a uniquely styled package. Over the years it has been constantly developed as the definitive factory streetfighter and the latest Speed Triple is the sharpest yet. The 1050cc fuel injected three-cylinder engine that powers the Speed Triple is key to the bike's brutish charm, pumping out a great surge of bottom end torque, followed by a massive mid-range punch and an impressive level of overall power, all of which is delivered to the rear wheel via a slick shifting six-speed gearbox.

With its dark, brooding lines and a pared down hot rod essence, the Speedmaster is a standout middleweight cruiser from every angle. Powered by a fuel injected, 27 degree crankshaft, version of Triumph's esteemed 865cc parallel twin engine, the stripped down factory custom delivers peak power of 62PS (61bhp) at 6,800rpm, with maximum torque of 74Nm available at just 3,300rpm.

Sporty sprint - The Sprint ST is a bike without compromise. As a sports bike, it covers distances in comfort, as a touring bike it can carve corners effortlessly, with a stunning blend of power and all round practicality.

The Triumph story. Triumph, one of the best recognised names in motorcycling, has a long and illustrious history. Today the marque offers a blend of design, character and performance that combines to create truly distinctive motorcycles.

Drawing on the spartan cafe racing machines of the Sixties and taking its name from the legendary racing Triumphs of that era, the Triumph Thruxton is a sleek machine seamlessly mixing the classic style with a modern attitude and technology. The Thruxton's fuel injected 865cc, air-cooled, twin cylinder power plant is the most powerful of Triumph's twin cylinder line-up, with a peak power output of 70PS (69bhp) delivered at 7400rpm and peak torque of 70Nm (52ft.lbf) arriving at 5800rpm. The engine shares the same 360' firing interval as the Bonneville but also features 'hot' camshaft profiles, a compression ratio of 9.2:1 and megaphone style exhausts.

The Australia Day weekend saw hundreds of enthusiasts descend on the 44th Victorian Hot Rod Show, held at the Melbourne Exhibition Building.

BMW will compete in the Superbike World Champion-ship this year with gun riders Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus.

A proven race winner around the world, Suzuki's GSX-R600 supersport machine has arrived in Australia with three brand new colours available for 2009.

A brand new 2009 limited edition version of Suzuki's flagship Boulevard M109R cruiser is now available in Australia.

When the 2009 Superbike World Championship begins at Victoria's Phillip Island on March 1, the grid will be practically unrecognisable from the one that lined up in Portugal's final round last year.

What are brakes for? Stopping of course! Is that all? Can they also be used for stabilising? Everyone knows that a bike is more stable when driving - right?