Honda Develops World’s First Production Motorcycle Airbag System

OKYO, Japan, September 8, 2005 - Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Today announced it has succeeded in developing the world’s first production motorcycle airbag system.The new system, which can help lessen the severity of injuries caused by frontal collisions, is to be made available on the new Gold Wing motorcycle scheduled for release in late spring of 2006 in the US.
The Motorcycle Airbag System is comprised of the airbag module, which includes the airbag and the inflator; crash sensors, which monitor acceleration changes; and an ECU, which performs calculations to instantly determine when a collision is occurring. When a severe frontal collision occurs, the four crash sensors mounted on the front fork measure the change in acceleration caused by the impact and convey this data to the airbag ECU, which determines that a collision is occurring and whether or not it is necessary to inflate the airbag. If the calculations performed by the ECU indicate that airbag deployment is necessary, the ECU sends an electronic signal to the airbag inflator, which instantaneously responds by inflating the airbag. Inflating rapidly after the impact, the airbag can absorb some of the forward energy of the rider, reducing the velocity at which the rider may be thrown from the motorcycle and helping lessen the severity of injuries caused by the rider colliding with another vehicle or with the road.

By conducting extensive crash tests at its indoor omni-directional Real World Crash Test Facility, applying advanced computer simulation technology, and leading the way with the introduction of motorcycle rider test dummies, Honda has gathered and analyzed a wide array of data on the behavior of motorcycles during collisions. Honda has also taken full advantage of the experience of its automobile operations in the development of airbags, applying its expertise in the development of the Motorcycle Airbag System.

Motorcycle Airbag System: Principal Components

The airbag module, containing the airbag and inflator, is positioned in front of the rider.

The airbag ECU, positioned to the right of the module , analyzes signals from the crash sensors to determine whether or not to inflate the airbag.

Four crash sensors attached on both sides of the front fork detect changes in acceleration caused by frontal impacts.

Functions of the Principal Components


· The airbag module contains the airbag and airbag inflator.

· The airbag inflator receives an electronic signal transmitted by the airbag ECU instructing it to release nitrogen gas to inflate the airbag.

· The airbag starts to inflate, exerting pressure on the cover of the airbag module, forcing it to open.

· The size and shape of the airbag, the manner in which is secured to the motorcycle with tethers, and the function of the deflation vents all help to maximize the effectiveness with which the system absorbs the kinetic energy of the rider, helping control the velocity at which the rider may tend to be thrown forward from the motorcycle, and thus lessening the severity of any injuries resulting from impact with another vehicle or with the road.

· From the moment an impact is recognized as a collision to the moment of airbag inflation, only 0.060*1seconds elapses.


· The airbag ECU continuously monitors the data received from the crash sensors, and by comparing this data to standard vehicle behavior, determines whether or not it is necessary to deploy the airbag. The data from each sensor is evaluated independently, and if it is determined to deviate from programmed standards of safe vehicle behavior by a certain predetermined degree, an electronic signal is sent to the airbag inflator, which causes the airbag to inflate.


· The crash sensors which monitor acceleration changes are attached to the front fork legs to optimize the quickness and accuracy of their detection of frontal impacts. No alteration of the structure of the motorcycle is needed. To optimize the accuracy of collision detection, a set of 4 sensors are arranged—two on each side of the front fork.

*1 Side collision with a stationary vehicle(Honda Accord) at 50km/h


Source : http://world.honda.com

Honda Begins Sales of Flex Fuel Motorcycle CG150 TITAN MIX in Brazil

Brazil, March 11, 2009 - Moto Honda da Amazonia Ltda.(HDA),

a Honda subsidiary in Brazil responsible for production and sales of motorcycles and power products, announced it will begin sales in Brazil of the flex fuel CG150 TITAN MIX in mid-March 2009.
This small-sized motorcycle is equipped with a Mix Fuel Injection System, a flexible-fuel technology developed independently by Honda. This is the first motorcycle in the world to be equipped with flexible-fuel technology. The starting price is 6,340 real, and the company is planning to sell 200,000 units annually.With adoption of newly developed fuel supply and fuel injection control systems, Honda's Mix Fuel Injection System enables flexible mixture of environmentally-responsible bio-ethanol and gasoline fuels. Adoption of this technology helps reduce CO2 emissions, while reducing fuel costs for consumers as well.

In Brazil, penetration of flexible-fuel technology is well advanced, and approximately 90% of new automobiles sold in Brazil are equipped with flexible-fuel technology. However, CG150 TITAN MIX will be the first motorcycle model to be equipped with flexible-fuel technology.

Industry-wide new motorcycle registrations in Brazil reached approximately 1.91 million units in 2008, and Honda sales accounted for 1.326 million units of the total.


About Moto Honda da Amazonia Ltda.
Establishment: July 1975
Locationt: Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
Capital Investment: 557.747 million Brazilian Real (as of the end of June 2008)
Investment Ratio: 100% Honda South America Ltda.
Representative: Sho Minekawa, President
Business: Production, import, and sales of motorcycles and power products
Employment: Approximately 10,000 associates (as of the end of December 2008)
Major Products: CG150 TITAN, CG125 FAN, Biz125, NXR150 BROS, POP, HORNET etc.

2009 Big Dog Motorcycles Review - First Ride

Established 1994. You might recognize that as Motorcycle.com's latest motto. We’re in good company as Big Dog Motorcycles (BDM) uses it as well. And while MO was just inventing itself in 1994, Sheldon Coleman was rolling out “Old Smokey,” his own custom chopper and kernel for a successful business. Fifteen years later, Big Dog Motorcycles is the world’s largest producer of custom motorcycles and has come to produce over 25,000 rolling pieces of art in the process.

Raising motorcycle benchmarks with each model year, this coming annum they’ll introduce a wider spectrum to their lineup with the addition of three new models for a total of seven models in their catalog - six of which are available today. The seventh is slated to roll onto the showroom floor January 2009.

From pro-street to classic choppers to touring, Big Dog Motorcycles will soon have an award-winning motorcycle for you – if they don’t already. Their high-style high-performance motorcycle niche comes from within their 150,000 square foot factory in Wichita Kansas. BDM is proud of their engineering and craftsmanship, from the least expensive model to the top-of-the-line Wolf model. BDM also plans to soon grow out of its 100 national dealers and into the Canadian market with sights on the world market later in 2009. A slow but steady growth process, thanks in part to BDM Founder Sheldon Coleman's leadership, is responsible for growing the brand worldwide.

At Big Dog’s model introduction, held in their new factory store in Costa Mesa California, we got our paws on as many bikes as we could in one day. We also had yet another run-in with Johnny Law, but we’ll save that story for the Christmas party. Not having been on a Big Dog in nearly 5 years I didn’t hop on the headlining 2009 model right away - opting instead to experience the 117ci street rods with a ride on the rigid and retro-styled Pitbull. I have to admit it, the carnival flake paint scheme and stellar shining chrome grabbed my attention first. Surprisingly, the relatively short wheelbase (the shortest at 73-inches) pro-street cruiser was more comfortable than I could have expected with dual-mountain bike shocks stuffed under the saddle and a standard 41mm sleeved traditional fork.

Looking into the hearts of the machinery, we see the new tri-cam 121 cubic-inch OHV 56 degree X-Wedge engine, available only on the new top-of-the-line Wolf. That’s nearly a 2000cc EFI slap in the saddle – and it’s fully polished of course! The remaining five bikes come equipped with the 117 cubic-inch engine, and two models are available with an optional closed-loop EFI system. All are mated to the six-speed BDM Balance Drive introduced in 2005, bringing the final drive to the right side of the bike for better balance, cornering and maintenance.

At the heart of the 2009 BDM Wolf is the exclusive S&S 121 cubic inch X-Wedge engine.

At the heart of the 2009 BDM Wolf is the exclusive S&S 121 cubic inch X-Wedge engine.

Among the other notable cross-the-board features are a newly reduced-effort clutch, a smoother and quieter primary compensator sprocket, 41 mm telescopic forks in the front and hidden shocks in the rear (on some models), Performance Machine calipers and two-piece rotors, a speedometer with integrated LED tachometer, double barrel two into one exhaust and the famous super fat tires.

For the economic-minded rich kid that just bought a $40K chopper, BDM claims 42 mpg for all its motorcycles. For the record, we didn’t get to measure any of our own mileage reports. Although we did notice that the reserve allowance on the Pitbull will carry you much further than experienced on the 2004 Ridgeback. I learned that the hard way.

Despite being in the lineup for 10 years now, The Pitbull has had a complete overhaul in 2008 and returns again in 2009 for it’s 11th model year with not many changes. If it ain’t broke… Declared a best of the best by industry leading magazines, I had to get a taste of the rigid board-tracker for myself. The 20-inch/280mm rear-end matched with a 23-inch/130mm front tire sandwich a frame with 33 degrees of rake and 6-inches of trail.

Board tracker style and dripping with candied green paint, the 2009 BDM Pitbull is a rigid yet friendly street rod.

Board tracker style and dripping with candied green paint, the 2009 BDM Pitbull is a rigid yet friendly street rod.

After lunch at the biker friendly Cooks Corner, friend-of-MO Steve Bohn and I traded off a pair of bikes for the photo stops and remaining miles in our day. The too-cool-in-blue Wolf and Coyote models both shook our bones and filled our egos with admiring female onlookers along our ride.

As the “entry” level chopper and model replacement for the MY08 Mutt, the Coyote ain’t no joke. Upgrading the model and dropping the price a thousand bucks, the new Coyote swaps a spoked wheel for a billet one, includes modified shocks, an updated exhaust, a longer kickstand and softer seat. The Coyote comes with the same 117ci engine and 6-speed Baker tranny available on all the other Dogs in the kennel. Even the seat height is the same, yet it feels like a small bike when you compare it directly to the Wolf, which is 10-inches longer and one inch higher. The only thing small about the Coyote is the price, at the bottom of the spectrum at $23,900. “When we approached the Coyote, we had one goal,” explained Paul Hansen, BDM Marketing Director, “To build a motorcycle that would appeal to a broader range of riders, namely through a more attractive price, but not compromise the design, style, and performance that has been expected from Big Dog Motorcycles for fifteen years. At less than $24,000, the Coyote succeeds on all counts.”

Happier than a clam in a hot butter bath at the Chart House restaurant….

Happier than a clam in a hot butter bath at the Chart House restaurant….

At the opposite end of the spectrum for Big Dog is the 2009 Wolf. Taking up $35,900 on your credit card statement, this shining masterpiece is a surprisingly well-balanced pro-street dream at over 9 feet long. Long and low, with a ground clearance of 3.8 inches, the Wolf packs the BDM exclusive S&S 121-inch X-Wedge engine. The 56-degree, tri-cam engine, with its 4.25 square bore & stroke, boasts a 21-percent reduction in vibration and 30-percent fewer parts. This makes for a stronger, quieter and smoother V-Twin for a killer overall package. “This is a particularly agile bike, even by Big Dog Motorcycles’ standards,” Hansen explained. “With the Wolf’s narrower tire and purposeful frame design, when you get behind the handlebars, it’s almost impossible to believe that you’re riding a bike that is over 9-feet long and tips the scales at over 800 lbs. It is unlike any other Big Dog out there.”

Surrounding the massive powerhouse is a new single downtube 45-degree raked frame and a shallower, more radical swing arm design meant to compliment the sleek long and low overall design.

Not yet available, but meant to expand the touring capabilities of the Wolf, are detachable hard saddlebags which you can see in the CAD drawings in the gallery. Of the three bikes I’d ridden that day, the saddle of the Wolf had been the hardest on the tailbone. You might be interested in the accessory saddles right from the get-go.

The soon-to-be-released 2009 BDM Bulldog will be the factory’s first full-time touring motorcycle complete with a rubber-mount engine, fairing, hard bags, driver floorboards, and passenger seat and foot pegs.

The soon-to-be-released 2009 BDM Bulldog will be the factory’s first full-time touring motorcycle complete with a rubber-mount engine, fairing, hard bags, driver floorboards, and passenger seat and foot pegs.

Also returning for 2009 are the top-selling K-9 and Mastiff chops, both available as either a carbed or EFI version and the fattest tire bike, the Ridgeback. The 2009 Ridgeback sports a short 17-inch rear wheel with Big Dog's widest available tire, a big fat 330. That's a 1-foot wide rear tire trailing a hidden shock suspension to provide a beefy chopper style.

In the end, we only had time to check out the ProStreet lineup but we’ll get back in the saddle later this year and bring you a report on the newest tourer when Big Dog gets the Bulldog ready for the market in the spring of 2009.

The 2009 Bulldog will bring back a rubber mounted engine after a nine year hiatus – packing the 117ci six-speed engine with BDM Balance drive. It will be BDM’s full-time touring bagger with paramount design and comfort. From an iPod/satellite radio-ready dash, minimal gauge fairing and lockable hard luggage large enough for a half-sized helmet, the Bulldog is meant to go the distance. Completing the package with floorboards, chin fairing, a 5-gallon gas tank, smooth and controllable 250mm rear tire and a passenger-ready design with a price estimated at $37,900.

ProStreet
Coyote $23,900
Mastiff $27,900
Pitbull $26,900
Wolf $35,900

Chopper
Ridgeback $27,500
K-9 $28,900

Touring
Bulldog $37,900 (estimated)

For those sugar-momma’s out there, hint hint. Christmas is just around the corner!

For those sugar-momma’s out there, hint hint. Christmas is just around the corner!

To make your Big Dog more eye-catching, or blinding in the noonday sun, BD offers a chrome upgrade package for $2,000 that comes standard on the ’09 Wolf. Also standard on the Wolf, an option for the other models, is the electronic fuel injection for another $2,000. California buyers will need to add yet another package for emissions: $750 for EFI or $1000 for the carburetion kit.

Big Dog also offers more than twenty color packages that range form $400 to $550 to take your dream bike further into fantasy land.

In The Company DNA

The family enterprise that created the Coleman lantern began with a pressurized-gas personal lantern, moving into the electric age when the world changed around the market. Now-a-days, Coleman lanterns burn more than one fuel in order to keep up with the ever-changing market. Bobbing and weaving with the public demand is one trait Sheldon Coleman has carried from his childhood into building this modern day luxury item. Just as sleeping out of the home was an unusual-come-commonplace occurrence over the second half of the last decade, today’s dispensable cash is spent on what has grown up within a tighter arc of publicly accepted (and now publicly wanted) chopper motorcycles.

Diversity helped Sheldon Coleman’s father save the family business through the first national depression by creating and changing his product portfolio and catalog to reach out to world markets. The founder and CEO of Big Dog Motorcycles, Sheldon Coleman, carries out the same diversification lesson and continues to successfully operate the world’s first and largest production chopper outfit in today’s tumultuous world market.

Official: Honda To Manufacture Electric Motorcycles by 2010

File under Honda Ecology Electrical
Author: Mike Werner

So far there have been many speculations and unofficial releases, but now Honda have released a press statement:- Honda will make an electric motorcycle by the year 2010!

Honda's President and CEO, Takeo Fukui stated that the company is currently developing a CO2-less motorcycle. According to their CEO, Honda needs to move into this technology in order to sustain its business for the next 100 years.

According to Honda, motorcycles are better suited for battery operation (ed: then cars), since most motorcycle are used on relatively short distances.

Honda have in the past (2004) produced a prototype ecological scooter (pictured above), with a 50cc hybrid scooter powered by a 360 kW battery. but those efforts never materialized in a real production vehicle. Now, Honda is serious, and next year we should see the first model appearing.

Lithium-Ion Motorcycles

Better batteries are making electric motorcycles possible, providing a cleaner alternative to pollution-spewing gas-powered bikes.Advanced battery technologies are enabling a much cleaner alternative to pollution-spewing gas-powered motorcycles and could help promote a larger-scale move toward electric vehicles. Yesterday, an electric scooter with motorcycle-like performance made by Vectrix, based in Newport, RI, was delivered to its first customer. And next year at least two motorcycles powered by advanced lithium-ion batteries will be sold in the United States.

Although conventional motorcycles get extraordinary gas mileage--with many getting more than 50 miles per gallon--they emit more pollution than even large SUVs because they aren't equipped with equivalent emissions-control technology. Indeed, with new emissions standards, SUVs are 95 percent cleaner than motorcycles, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. So while motorcycles could help reduce oil consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions, these gains come at the price of dirtier air. Electric motorcycles eliminate tailpipe emissions, keeping pollution out of the city, and they can be powered with clean sources of electricity. What's more, electricity costs less than gasoline. Vectrix estimates that it will cost riders just a couple of cents a day to operate its scooter.

All three battery-powered vehicles are limited in speed. The fastest is the Vectrix scooter, which can go 65 miles per hour. The speeds could be increased if the manufacturers were to change the gear ratio, which is currently designed for urban settings and motocross, for which acceleration is more important than sustained high speed.

Electric motorcycles are practical today because of advances in battery technology. Lead-acid batteries, which have been used in electric motorcycles in the past, are very heavy, provide a short range, and last for only a couple of years. The Vectrix scooter ($11,000) uses nickel metal hydride batteries--the same type used now in the popular Toyota Prius hybrid. This type of battery is lighter than lead-acid batteries and more durable: Vectrix claims it has a 10-year lifetime. Lithium-ion batteries, in turn, are lighter than nickel metal hydride, and new chemistries have made them durable as well, lasting as long as or longer than nickel metal hydride batteries. The Vectrix scooter weighs about 200 kilograms, while the lithium-ion-powered Enertia ($12,000), made by Brammo Motorsports of Ashland, OR, weighs just 125 kilograms. Brammo hopes that the lighter electric motorcycles will be appealing to those who would be intimidated by a heavier bike.

The batteries' light weight also makes them appealing for motocross bikers. Zero Motorcycles, based in Scotts Valley, CA, sells an off-road motorcycle ($7,000) that easily makes 20-meter jumps and will be featured in the extreme-sports showcase X Games, says Neil Saiki, who invented the motorcycle. It weighs just 54 kilograms, which is made possible in part by leaving the battery charger off the motorcycle. The company plans to sell a street version next year that includes the charger. The batteries Zero Motorcycles uses are known for their high power. They come from A123 Systems, of Watertown, MA, the company that makes the batteries used in a record-holding electric drag-racing motorcycle that can finish a quarter mile in just 8.17 seconds, reaching 156 miles per hour. The Enertia uses battery cells and packs from Valence Technologies, based in Austin, TX, whose cells have been used in the Segway personal transport.

In the past, using lithium-ion batteries in a motorcycle would have been a bad idea because of safety concerns. Conventional lithium-ion batteries--the type used now in laptops and cell phones--can overheat and explode, which has led to massive product recalls and at least one death. In one of the electrodes, those batteries use cobalt oxide, a material that makes it possible to cram a lot of energy into a battery. But cobalt oxide is also volatile. If it begins to overheat, the material gives off oxygen, which feeds reactions that lead to "thermal runaway" and flames.

But the new lithium-ion motorcycles rely on advanced lithium-ion chemistries that don't catch fire. The new batteries use phosphate- rather than oxide-based electrodes. It takes much higher temperatures to release oxygen from phosphates, making the batteries very difficult to set on fire, even in safety tests designed to do so.

The motorcycles are limited in range, however. That's in part to keep down costs: big battery packs are expensive. Also, even lithium-ion batteries don't approach the energy density of gasoline. So while the safer lithium-ion batteries enable durable, light, and clean urban motorcycles, they're not going to allow electric motorcycles to compete with gas motorcycles for cross-country touring. The Zero motorcycle is now available with a 40-mile-range battery, and it will have an optional 80-mile pack, Saiki says. The Vectrix scooter can go up to 60 miles on a charge, while the Enertia can go up to 45 miles.

The greatest potential impact of electric motorcycles on greenhouse gases and pollution will likely be in China, where scooters are already a popular form of urban transportation. Electric-motorcycle use could increase there because the Chinese government has cracked down on conventional scooter emissions, according to electric-vehicle market analyst Peter Harrop of IDTechEx, based in the UK. Genevieve Cullen, vice president of Electric Drive Transportation Association, based in Washington, DC, says that electric motorcycles could also play a role in helping bring down the cost of advanced batteries by increasing the market for them.

Source : http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/19069/page2/

Metzeler Roadtec Z6 Interact Tire Review

Everyone – including us bikers – is looking to save a buck these days, or at least find more or better values. New guy, Obama, sure seems to be working furiously to calm the raging tempest that is our current economy, but by his repeated admissions, it ain’t gonna happen overnight.

Tire giant Metzeler may be able to help sport and sport-touring riders keep their pocket books in their pockets a little longer with the introduction of the company’s new sport-touring tire, the Roadtec Z6 Interact.

Like a number of tire makers, Metzeler has taken notice of the increase in performance of today’s sport and sport-touring machines. BMW, as an example, is claiming 175 hp and 103 ft-lbs from its new K1300S, with the K1300GT not far off that mark at a claimed 160 hp and 99 ft-lbs. Adding complexity to making a tire for such powerhouses is the fact that these types of motorcycles typically handle as well as they go fast. The Interact is Metzeler’s answer.

Interact is the next evolution of the successful Z6. In this latest iteration, Metzeler has bucked the current multi-compound trend in favor of using a single compound that “interacts” with a unique new tire carcass.

Metzeler’s patented 0-degree steel belt radial structure received a neat twist, literally, in the design of this latest tire. Briefly, the outer layer of steel “threads” in a tire’s structure – the portion of the tire beneath the rubber that contacts the road surface – is said to be a 0-degree belt construction when the steel threads run, or more correctly are wound, in the same direction as the tire's rotation. A primary benefit of such construction is said to be a high level of stability at high speeds. Metzeler’s patent in this process is that the winding is a single steel thread wrapped continuously to form the belt.

What makes the Interact’s steel belt different is the steel thread itself. The thread is more like a twisted cable, similar to a guitar string, rather than being a solid wire. With this construction the ability to control thread tension in specific areas of the tire is possible, therefore controlling temperatures of the tire compound in those areas.

They are approximately 120 steel threads that make up the steel belt. The number and spacing of threads allows for a progressive reduction of the winding from center to edge, with more thread in the high tension center and less thread in the lower tension/higher grip edge. Metzeler staff explained that this progressive winding method helps contribute to consistent feel and performance when transitioning into a lean or turn.

A do-it-all tire?

The perfect multi-tasking street tire would be one that retains high mileage without sacrificing grip or ride comfort. By placing more steel windings closer together in the tread center more tension is created meaning less flex in this area. Less flex means less friction, less friction means less heat, ideally meaning less wear. Conversely, in the shoulder area, more space between the steel windings means more give or flex, and as we just noted above, more friction means more heat. More heat means softer rubber which usually means better grip, in this case right where it’s needed.

Complementing this new carcass is a new, high silica content compound containing a 35-percent higher silica ratio than the previous Roadtec Z6. Claimed improvements here are better wet and dry grip, as well as consistent wear through the tire’s life.

The claimed end result of the technology in the new Interact is a single-compound tire that functions similar to a multi-compound tire while at the same time avoiding what Metzeler calls the “step effect.” The tire company defines the step effect as the different rates of wear between the different (softer on the shoulder, harder in the center) compounds on multi-compound tires, claiming the Interact’s single-compound will wear and perform more consistently from center to edge.

Mmmm… Tire taste test

Though the Interact was launched in Europe a few months ago, the new tire made its official U.S. debut last week. American journos were invited out to always-sunny Palm Springs, CA, for a taste test of the new Interact.

A variety of roads were sewn into our route: city surface streets; smoothly paved, wide-open and flat country roads; undulating, tight radius canyon corners with plenty of rough pavement. My volunteer steed for this tire sampling was a 2009 Ducati Multistrada 1100S. Though it’s impossible to fully assess a tire’s character in a single day, my sense was that the Interact operates just as advertised.

The buns came up to temp quickly, allowing as much lean angle as I dared – I did go all the way to the rear tire’s edge, in case you’re wondering. However, the two traits I was most impressed by were overall handling and ride comfort. Tipping into a turn from full upright to boot toe-scraping angles was one fluid motion, with no detectable transitions in the tire’s profile. That quality means a predictable ride, and a predictable ride equals confidence.

A 150-mile journey from Palm Springs meant plenty of superslab droning for me. This is an excellent environment in which to get a sense of how a tire impacts a bike’s stability, and if it can isolate the rider and bike from road imperfections without numbing feel. I’m happy to report that the Interact scores high marks in both areas. The tires soaked up as much cracked and jagged pavement I could throw their way at more than 80 mph, without protest.

So what’s the correlation between our current economy and the new Interact? Seems mighty Metzeler was able to bring this all-new tire tech to market with a nominal 2-percent price increase over the previous Roadtec Z6. Prices vary widely between vendors, so do your homework and comparison shop. Furthermore, Metzeler claims the Interact will meet the same mileage as the old Z6 but continue to perform at optimum levels all the way to the end, thereby adding value to the new Interact.

Metzeler for President!
Sizes currently available are: 120/70-17 fronts; 160/70-17, 170/70-17, 180/55-17 and 190/50-17 rears. Metzeler says a wider selection will be available by this summer.