Inspiration Friday: 0-60 Quarter Mile Living

Acceleration. Adrenaline. Torque. Power. Smoke. Noise. Introducing the 2021 BMW R18 Dragster, Triumph Rocket 3 and Yamaha VMax. The legendary film star Vin Diesel once said “I live my life a 1/4 mile at a time” and I can’t think of a better use of a motorcycle than 0-60 Quarter Mile Living. Total Motorcycle is proud to present this week’s Inspiration Friday on these three new bikes and highlighting not only BMW, Triumph and Yamaha but also motorcycle design icon Rolland Sands. I hope you enjoy today’s trip down the drag strip! And when you have a “need for speed” race on over to Total Motorcycle for the latest 2021 models, blazing good information and often duplicated but never imitated original style.

Personally, I just love watching drag racing, it is quite the rush and blend of man vs machine. The creativeness and passion that goes into a 0-60 time is incredible not to mention the personal and financial risk. Hats off to those who professional drag racers, weekend warriors and even the occasional stop-light-GP racer! I’ve rode the new Yamaha VMAX at full throttle and it is a true rocket and the Rocket 3R is on my short list to own. Maybe one day I’ll get to do more 0-60 Quarter Mile Living.

As always, be safe, be respectable and responsible. AGATT (All Gear All The Time).

And now, I bring you two wonderful new bikes, built by BMW, Triumph and Yamaha made for the strip, enjoy!

2021 BMW R18 Dragster – 0-60 Quarter Mile Living

The renowned custom bike designer Roland Sands stripped down the BMW R 18 to create a straight line dragster featuring the iconic and massive boxer powerplant. The result: the R 18 Dragster. He and his team have created a unique masterpiece built around the impressive 2-cylinder Big Boxer, giving their creativity free reign in the process. And the new 2021 BMW R18 Dragster lives up to the 0-60 Quarter Mile Living standard.

Roland Sands’ personal story served as a source of inspiration for his work on this bike. “With an engine that’s so visibly the center piece, I immediately thought of muscle cars. My family has always been into going fast and my dad was a drag racer, so I thought it made sense to strip the bike down to the essentials and shape it to go fast on a straight track,” the designer explains.

The new BMW R 18: a cruiser rooted in history.
With the new R 18, BMW Motorrad presented the brand’s first series production bike for the cruiser segment in April 2020. Like no other
BMW motorcycle before it, this model stands entirely in the tradition of historical BMW motorcycles – both technically and with regard to its design. It is based on illustrious models such as the BMW R 5 and shifts the focus back to the motorcycle essentials: purist, no-frills technology and the boxer engine as the center of riding pleasure. The “Big Boxer” continues the line of traditional air-cooled boxer engines that have offered inspiring riding since BMW Motorrad first began production in 1923.

• The frame has been modified completely removing the rear suspension for drag racing.
• Front and rear fenders have been slightly modified utilizing the stock sheet metal parts in order to keep the classic R 18 silhouette.
• The headlight has been taken from the original R 18 and is highlighted with the headlight bezel from the design collection of milled aluminium parts.
• The standard exhaust has been replaced with a hand fabricated Stainless Steel twin megaphone system utilizing the exhaust tips from the milled aluminium parts.
• The hydraulic front brake and clutch master cylinders are from Roland Sands Design.
• The tank has been taken over from the original R 18.
• The paint finish is a two tone metallic blue with classic white BMW pin-stripes by Roland’s long time painter Chris Wood.
• The fork has been taken from the BMW R nineT.
• The front braking system has been taken from the BMW S 1000 RR superbike.
• The seat has been built from scratch and is a RSD custom seat by Saddlemen.

The technical design process used by Roland Sands.

Roland Sands always starts by sketching his ideas on paper. This allows him to figure out the basics of the shape and what the stance and the geometry of the bike could look like. “In the end, the real magic happens when we bring the sketch to life”, Roland explains.

More than any other motorcycle, the new R 18 offers a highly customizable design. It features an easily removable rear frame and a simple-to-dismantle painted parts set. This gives the customer a high degree of freedom for easily converting the rear end of the new R 18 to suit personal preferences. In addition you can also change the paint finish to suit your personal taste. “The electronics were definitely the most difficult task we had to deal with as we put in nitrous oxide, stripped out the stock exhaust and changed the intake drastically. It was a bit of an experiment, but we dialed it in! The final product is impressive and characterised by a high level of craftsmanship, as can be expected from BMW Motorrad. Right from the beginning, I couldn’t wait to get customizing!” Roland points out.

For the the R 18 Dragster, the team around Roland Sands retained the stock neck geometry of the R 18, removed the bike’s rear end and turned it into a drag racer. Moreover, they chose to modify the front and rear fender to fit the modified frame. The whole customizing process took about three and a half months. The bike then headed to the workshop for final assembly and a day at a drag strip.

“Every bike needs different sources depending on the build, special materials or parts. Every new bike concept is a bit of a learning process even after having built over 200 bikes. We always want to understand the genre of the bike we are building in, it’s the key to keeping it authentic and functional,” explains Roland Sands.

Aside from the R 18 Dragster custom bike, Roland Sands also created two different design collections of milled aluminium parts for the launch of the R 18 Cruiser: “Machined” and “2-Tone-Black”. The “Machined” and “2-Tone-Black” ranges include front and rear wheels available in different dimensions than the standard sizes. In addition, the range of these exclusive milled parts includes speedometer housings, handlebar clamps, risers, handlebar grips, hand levers and mirrors as well as engine housing trim elements, filler caps, intake silencer covers and much more.

For the R 18 Dragster, Roland Sands used the milled parts design collection “2-Tone-Black” to customize levers, wheels, valve covers, breast plate, headlight and gauges. The front end was taken from the BMW R nineT. The seat as well as the exhaust were created from scratch.

Roland Sands: The man behind the designs

By his own account, Roland Sands basically grew up on a motorcycle and motorcycling is in his blood. His dad was a drag racer who built custom bikes and parts. As a result, Roland was brought up surrounded by cool bikes. It wasn’t long before he, too, was riding dirt bikes, taking them apart and rebuilding them. He had a racing career of his own that spanned ten years.

Today Roland is a world famous designer of custom bikes and motorcycle apparel with customers in all corners of the world.

The designer is best known for combining styles and creating new genres in the process. “Combining a racing aesthetic and function with a custom style – this is what we are probably best known for. We like to make stock machines perform better,” says Roland.

For Roland Sands, motorcycling is not simply a job. “It’s really hard to describe in a few sentences. Riding a motorcycle to me is like becoming one with the machine. My motorcycle is my life, it’s everything, it’s what I do.”

2020 Triumph Rocket 3R – 0-60 Quarter Mile Living

The ultimate high-performance muscle roadster 

Launched in 2004, Triumph’s legendary Rocket III was a pure original with more muscle, presence and torque than any of the competition. Now, the all-new Rocket 3 R and Rocket 3 GT line-up heralds the genesis of a new motorcycle legend. What a 0-60 Quarter Mile Living powerhouse!

With the world’s largest production motorcycle engine at 2,500cc, the new Rocket 3s deliver more power, 11% up on the previous generation, and the highest torque of any production motorcycle you can buy with 221Nm @ 4,000 rpm. Combining imposing muscular stance and magnificent style, the highest levels of technology, Triumph’s class-leading handling, all of the Rocket’s world-renowned presence and all-day easy riding capability, the new Rockets are in a class of their own.

Two new class-defining Rocket 3s

• Rocket 3 R – The ultimate muscle roadster, with instantaneous world-leading torque, incredible control, comfort and capability.
• Rocket 3 GT – Astonishing performance and presence, with sublime comfort,laid-back cruiser riding attitude and even more effortless touring capability.

The biggest production motorcycle engine in the world 

• The all-new 2,500cc triple engine delivers incredible acceleration and performance
• The highest torque of any production motorcycle you can buy with 221 Nm @ 4,000 rpm
• Thrilling power with 167 PS @ 6,000 rpm, 11% up on previous generation
• Distinctive new hydroformed exhaust headers, delivering a deep growling triple sound

Pure muscular presence and magnificent style

• Dominating new Rocket 3 imposing silhouette, poise and stance
• Signature design features, including twin LED headlights, innovative sculpted 3-header exhaust run, hidden folding pillion footrests and 20-spoke cast aluminium wheels with imposing 240mm rear tyre
• Comfortable and interchangeable twin and single seat set-ups
• Premium finish and detailing

Phenomenal handling and commanding ride

• More than 40kg lighter than its predecessor
• The highest specification of equipment, including top spec Brembo Stylema® Monobloc brakes and adjustable Showa suspension
• Ride-enhancing technology, including  2nd generation TFT instruments with illuminated switch cubes, Optimised Cornering ABS & Traction Control, four riding modes (Road, Rain, Sport and Rider-configurable), all-LED lighting, Hill Hold control, cruise control, keyless ignition and heated grips as standard on the GT (heated grips are accessory fit on the R)

Two Magnificent Choices
The new Rocket 3 line-up introduces two amazing all-new model choices. The Rocket 3 R delivers instantaneous world-leading torque, incredible control, comfort and capability, while the Rocket 3 GT is built to go even further, in more comfort, with even more effortless touring capability.

The Biggest Production Motorcycle Engine In The World
Both new Rocket 3 models are equipped with the all-new 2,500cc triple engine, which offers even higher capacity and performance than its predecessor – for amazing acceleration and all-day any-gear effortless riding, two-up or on your own.

The new Rocket 3 engine brings an amazing step up in peak power with 167 PS @ 6,000 rpm, which is 11% up on its predecessor. With more power from a low 3,500rpm, and all the way up to a higher red line of 7,000rpm, the new Rocket 3 delivers a staggering level of performance.

The Rocket 3 engine also has the highest torque figure of any production motorcycle available to buy, with 221 Nm – an astounding 71% more than its closest competition. With an incredibly flat and rich torque curve, reaching a peak at 4,000rpm, it holds maximum torque all the way through the mid-range, delivering effortless acceleration and response in any gear.

This is the world’s biggest production motorcycle engine featuring several mass optimised performance enhancements; including a new crankcase assembly, new lubrication system comprising dry sump and integral oil tank and new balancer shafts – together giving an 18kg engine weight saving over the previous generation.

The distinctive hydroformed three-header exhaust run is an iconic design detail on both the Rocket 3 R and Rocket 3 GT. This has been innovatively engineered for the perfect exhaust routing, flowing from the header into the combined cat box and onto the triple exit silencer, delivering a distinctive and unique deep growling triple Rocket soundtrack.

For exceptional levels of rider comfort and a commanding level of control over the Rocket 3’s powerful performance, a new ’torque assist’ hydraulic clutch provides the rider with a light clutch action by reducing lever effort. Furthermore, the Rocket 3’s all-new high-performance six-speed helical-cut gearbox is precision-engineered to be smoother, stronger and lighter than a standard gearbox, and is designed specifically to allow for the increased torque capacity of this new generation.

Just like all the latest range of Triumphs, the Rocket 3 engine delivers modern capability with ride-by-wire throttle, as well as a sensitively incorporated liquid cooling system for enhanced performance and an even more efficient ride.

Both Rocket 3 models feature a high first major service interval of 10,000 miles/16,000 km.

Pure Muscular Presence And Magnificent Style
With beautifully distinctive details, such as the new signature twin LED headlight, including Triumph maker’s mark triangle branding and the sculpted 3-header exhaust run, the new
Rocket 3 line-up has an incredibly imposing poise and stance.

In addition, the all-new lightweight multi-spoke cast aluminium wheels enhance the muscular contemporary style, with the Rocket 3 R’s wheels featuring a beautiful blacked-out finish, while the Rocket 3 GT model goes one step further with exposed machining on rim and spokes. Both models are also fitted with Avon Cobra Chrome tyres, developed especially for the new Rocket 3, with an imposing 240mm rear wheel width. The new tyres have exquisite detailing, and both feature a new tread pattern developed for great grip and high mileage durability.

Contributing to the Rocket 3’s clean, uncluttered styling are the beautifully engineered single-sided swingarm, with offset monoshock suspension and high-value finishing on the bevel box, The stylish internally wired handlebars further reinforce the bike’s muscular feel and commanding riding position. The Rocket 3 R model features roadster-style handlebars, while the Rocket 3 GT model has touring-oriented handlebars enhancing its touring comfort and capability.

Both new Rocket 3 models come with a sculpted rider and pillion saddle, featuring cast aluminium finishers under the seat and creating a unique flowing line through the bike. The set-up for each Rocket 3 has been designed to be easily changed from twin to single seat set-up with optional addition of an accessory infill pad available to further enhance the single seat look. The Rocket 3 R features a roadster rider and pillion saddle, with a low 773mm seat height, while the Rocket 3 GT features a touring rider and pillion saddle set-up with an even more accessible 750mm seat height. The Rocket 3 GT additionally benefits from a brushed aluminium pillion backrest.

For maximum comfort for every rider, each Rocket 3 model offers a range of rider-adjustable ergonomics. The mid-foot controls of the Rocket 3 R have two vertical position settings to choose from (0mm / -15mm), while the Rocket 3 GT offers feet-forward foot controls with three horizontal position choices (-25mm / 0mm / +25mm), and also a height adjustable pillion backrest.

The new Rocket 3 range also benefits from Triumph’s class-defining level of finish and detailing, contributing to its magnificent style. These beautiful features include a muscular sculpted fuel tank with Triumph’s signature design DNA, brushed stainless steel tank strap and beautiful aluminium Monza-style cap, brushed aluminium air-box cover, brushed aluminium Monza-style coolant and oil caps, machined fins on the crankcases, head and cam cover, brushed exhaust heat shields and end caps, and elegant hidden folding pillion footrests with unique foldaway design.

2020 Yamaha VMax – 0-60 Quarter Mile Living

BORN WITH MUSCLES

An iconic machine that carries clout with its powerful 1679cc V4 engine delivering drag racing style and performance.

Unlike any other motorcycle available today, the VMAX is truly in a class of its own. The awesome acceleration and muscular beauty combines with sporty handling and Yamaha’s electronic engine management technologies to offer an incredibly exhilarating riding experience.

///Power

The VMAX’s liquid-cooled, 1,679 cc, DOHC, 16-valve, 65°, V-4 engine has no equal in its class. The compact engine design has allowed the engineers to place the engine in the sweet spot of the frame to optimize handling.

///Performance

DOHC 4-valve “pent roof” cylinder head design provides optimum breathing efficiency for incredible engine performance. Valve actuation is via under bucket shims. Compression ratio is 11.3:1

Key Features

1 . Power Unrelenting
The ultimate power cruiser delivers unmatched performance from its 65-degree, four-valves-per-cylinder, 1679cc V-four—producing eye opening amounts of perfectly controllable acceleration, flowing from a compact engine that looks as powerful as it is.

2 . Advanced Ride- by- Wire Throttle
Downdraft four-bore fuel injection with YCC-I® intake technology and YCC-T® fly-by-wire throttle provide awesome acceleration throughout
the broad powerband.

3 . High- Tech Aluminum Chassis
Lightweight aluminum chassis puts the engine low and forward for mass centralization, resulting in a machine designed to handle curves as well as straightaways.

4 . Performance Technology
Borrowing liberally from advanced sportbike technology, VMAX® features a slipper clutch, wave-style brake discs, ABS, and complete suspension adjustability front and rear.

5 . Unmatched Fit and Finish
Functionality and forward-thinking style uniquely combine with features like oxidized-titanium-coated 52mm front fork tubes, magnesium engine side covers, fluorinated polyethylene fuel tank and the organic electroluminescence multifunction display.

I hope you enjoyed this week’s Inspiration Friday: 0-60 Quarter Mile Living, stay tuned next week for yet another Inspiration Friday article to get you excited about riding, motorcycling and getting out there! Thanks as well to BMW, Rolland Sands, Triumph and Yamaha for inspiring us to bring this week’s 0-60 Quarter Mile Living article to you!