Triumph

· HistoryIn 1887, two years after Siegfried Bettmann started his enterprise, he was joined by engineer Mauritz Schulte. Both decided the future lay in manufacturing their own machines and Schulte found suitable premises in Coventry, where production started in 1889.In 1902 the first motorcycle emerged from Triumph’s Coventry works. Known since as ‘No 1’, it was essentially a strengthened bicycle with a 2.25bhp Minerva engine hung from the front down tube. Drive was via a belt from the engine’s crankshaft to the rear wheel while the bicycle’s pedals, chain and crank were retained. Schulte chose the Belgian-made Minerva engine simply as a matter of quality – he was a perfectionist and, at that time, the cutting edge of internal combustion technology was coming out of continental Europe.Triumph motorcycles had now proved themselves worthwhile machines and in 1910, a new advance was made to make riding a Triumph even easier - the ‘free engine’ device. Essentially a small, foot operated wet drum clutch it meant that the engine could be started with the bike on its main stand, via the pedals, rather than either bump starting or pedaling furiously for 30 yards or so. Once the engine was firing the clutch could be disengaged, the bike placed on its wheels and the rear hub clutch selected for forward motion.By the outbreak of the First World War the Type A, as it was known, had a 550cc engine slugging out 4bhp. The British Government placed orders with Triumph in order to equip army dispatch riders at the front.The outbreak of WWII put a different complexion on Triumph’s commercial aspirations, as all production was geared up for the armed services. The 343cc Model 3H became Triumph’s warhorse, and was renamed the 3HW for service application. A prototype 350cc twin – the 3TW – was on the blocks and approved as the standard service bike when, on the night of the 14th November 1940 the Triumph factory was completely demolished in the blitz of Coventry. Undaunted, motorcycle production was resumed in temporary facilities in Warwick, while a brand new factory, in Meriden (the so-called centre of England) was built. The new plant opened its doors in 1942.Post war the range on sale consisted of three models - the Tiger 100 and Speed Twin, as they were six years’ previously but with the bonus of telescopic front forks (and a ‘sprung’ rear hub), plus the smaller ‘touring’ 349cc 3T.In next decades Triumph was growing as company and had the Glory Years from 1963 - 1972. But ten years after in 80's factory was destroyed among with the Triumph company.In 1990 at the Cologne Motor Cycle Show, six new Triumph models are shown, powered by three- and four-cylinder DOHC engines with high horsepower and torque, all liquid-cooled: Trident 750 and 900; Trophy 900 and 1200; Daytona 750 and 1000. 2,390 machines are sold this year, 974 into the UK. Triumph is back on line again.In 2005 Triumph offers bikes of 3 classes:Cruisers - Rocket III, Speedmaster, AmericaUrban Sports - Speed Triple, Daytona 650, Daytona 955i, Sprint ST, Tiger, Speed FourModern Classics - Thruxton 900, Bonneville, Bonneville T100

Streetfighter

What it is?Primary goals of "Streetfighter" is maximize horsepower, minimize weight, and raise the overall performance bar to a higher level, at the same time doing all that in a machine that expresses an individual's personality and style. The style of each bike will vary greatly according to the individual personality the machine is built for, to the left is our latest creation, which shows vividly the different styles that exist within the "Streetfighter" genre.

Suzuki

· History Suzuki Loom Works was founded by Michio Suzuki in Hamamatsu, Japan in 1909. In 1920 the company was incorporated with Michio Suzuki as President.In 1952 the company, headed by Shunzo Suzuki, the second President, developed a breakthrough product, the "Power Free Bicycle", a forerunner of today’s motor scooter. This bike, with a small engine nestled within the frame above the pedals was a major success on the Japanese domestic market.Suzuki stunned the motorcycle world in 1962 when it won the prestigious Isle of Man TT Motorcycle race. The favorable publicity generated by that event encouraged the company to promote its motorcycle products through competitive events. Since then, the Suzuki name has become synonymous with leading edge performance. The company has repeatedly matched its products against the world’s best and often been judged number one.Suzuki’s first outboard motor was introduced in 1965. All Terrain Vehicles (ATV’s) were added to the line up in 1982.Suzuki motorcycles were first sold by Suzuki Canada Ltd. in 1973. In 1979, the LJ80 (below, far left) was first imported into Canada. This was the forerunner of the popular four-wheel drive Samurai (below, second from left), Sidekick (below, second from right), Sidekick Sport (below, far right) and now Vitara Convertible, 4 door Vitara and Grand Vitara.Today Suzuki engines power Arctic Cat snowmobiles, personal watercraft and even Toro lawnmowers. The steady growth in terms of product diversity and consumer demand enabled Suzuki to sell over a million automobiles to overseas markets for the first time in 1995/96. Overall, Suzuki has surpassed 23 million total automobile produced since production started. Suzuki’s next challenge is the new target of "GLOBAL 5"; 2.5 million annual sales worldwide, this would represent 5% of total annual automobile sales of all makes worldwide today.In 2005 Suzuki Auto offers: XL-7, Grand Vitara, Verona, Aerio Sedan, Aerio SX, Forenza, Forenza Wagon, Reno.Suzuki offers bikes in 9 classes: Sportbike, Cruiser, Motocross, Touring, Standart, Dual Sport, Supermoto, Off-road, Kids. New line of cruisers - Boulevard is the top to look for.· Suzuki Auto official sitewww.suzukiauto.com· Suzuki Motorcycles official sitewww.suzukicycles.com

Yamaha

· HistoryYamaha Motor is Born When Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. was established in Japan in July 1955, it was a relative latecomer in a market where as many as 150 motorcycle manufacturers competed for survival. New ones were starting up and others were folding at a tremendous pace, and few survived the challenge. In Yamaha Motor's story, you will recognize the spirit of challenge in these early years that forged the company into the global corporate group we are today, in pursuit of the perpetual goal of being best in the world market.It all began when then president of Nippon Gakki, (now Yamaha Corporation,) Genichi Kawakami, put to use some machining equipment used in the production of metal airline propellers to develop the first Yamaha motorcycle. It was the YA-1, nicknamed “Aka-tombo” which means red dragonfly. With a starting capital of 30 million yen, 274 employees and two single-story wooden factory buildings with a capacity to turn out 200 motorcycles a month, the fledgling company dared to confront competition, a will that came to forge the company spirit of challenge. Yamaha entered the first YA-1 in the Mt. Fuji Ascent Race and won. From there on, our employees moved with determination from one challenge to the next, working as a team, sharing victories and setbacks.Yamaha's in-depth knowledge of 2-stroke technology led to the Company's diversification in 1960 into the outboard engine market. 1970 witnessed the launch of the 650cc XS-1, Yamaha's first 4-stroke motorcycle, and during this decade the company diversified into the manufacture of a range of new products including All Terrain Vehicles, golf cars, generators and industrial robots.This was followed in the 1980's by the development of high-performance car engines and water vehicles.1998 will be remembered by motorcyclists for many years to come, because it was the year that Yamaha launched the YZF-R1, widely acclaimed as the most remarkable supersport model of the decade. Equipped with race-bred engine and chassis technology, the R1 further underlines Yamaha's commitment to offering products that generate "Kando" the first time, and every time. In 2005 Yamaha offers bikes of 7 classes: Touring/Cruiser, Scooter, Super Sport, Dual Purpose, Motocross, Off-road, Super Sport Touring.· Official sitewww.yamaha-motor.com

BMW

· HistoryBayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW), German manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and aircraft engines. Based in Munich, Germany, the company is the leading auto exporter in Europe. The English translation of the company's name is Bavarian Motor Works.The company traces its origins to 1913, when a Bavarian named Karl Rapp began an aircraft-engine shop in Munich named Rapp Motoren Werke. In 1917 Rapp resigned and the company, led by Austrian engineer Franz-Josef Popp, changed its name to Bayerische Motoren Werke. That same year chief engineer Max Friz designed the company's first aircraft engine, the six-cylinder Type IIIa, which created strong demand for BMW engines. When the 1919 Treaty of Versailles prohibited German companies from producing aircraft and aircraft engines, BMW switched to making air brakes for railway cars. In 1923 Friz developed the company's first motorcycle, the R32, a model that held world speed records for motorcycles during most of the 1930s. In 1928 the company entered the automobile business by acquiring Fahrzeugwerke Eisenach (Eisenach Vehicle Factory), a maker of small cars based in Eisenach, Germany. In the 1930s BMW began producing a line of larger touring cars and sports cars, introducing its highly successful model-the 328 sports car-in 1936. After World War II ended in 1945, Allied forces dismantled the company's main factories. BMW made kitchen and garden equipment before introducing a new, inexpensive motorcycle to the German market in 1948. The company's return to auto production in the 1950s resulted in poor sales. In the 1960s the company turned its fortunes around by focusing on sports sedans and compact touring cars, and it began to compete with Mercedes-Benz in the luxury-car markets of Europe and the United States. BMW's U.S. sales peaked in 1986 but then dropped steeply, partly due to competition from two new luxury cars-Lexus, made by Toyota Motor Corporation, and Infiniti, made by Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. The 1989 collapse of the Berlin Wall led to a boom in car sales in Europe, and in 1992 BMW outsold Mercedes-Benz in Europe for the first time.In 1990 BMW formed a joint venture with the British aerospace company Rolls-Royce PLC to produce aircraft engines for business jets. In 1992 BMW broke ground for a major automobile plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, its first automobile plant in the United States. In 1994 BMW acquired 80 percent of the Rover Group-a British manufacturer of small cars, luxury cars, and Land Rover sport-utility vehicles-from British Aerospace PLC. The $1.2 billion acquisition brought the company into new markets.· Official sitewww.bmw.com· BMW Motorcycles official sitewww.bmwmotorcycles.com· MiscellaneousBMW Logo on CarLogo.info

Aprilia

· HistoryAprilia is a dream come true. The dream of an enthusiast, Ivano Beggio, who made up his mind to create a motorcycle company which would become famous throughout the world. And to become famous in the motorcycling world, racing and winning at maximum level is indispensable. Madness at a time when, one after the other, the great Italian and English companies were starting to disappear with the formidable Japanese in hot pursuit.The distinctive characteristic of Aprilia is the genius, the passion, the creativity and the faith common to Ivano Beggio and his closest collaborators, from the first motorcycles made by hand at the end of the 1960s, one-offs assembled with the heart, to enter the third millennium with a range going right up to 1000 cc and acquisition of a piece of international motorcycling history, Moto Guzzi.In 1985, thanks to an agreement with Rotax, the first Aprilia four-stroke, the ETX 350, was launched, followed by the 600. True to the company's spirit, participation was also stepped up in the African raids such as the Pharaoh and the Dakar. In 1985, the adventure of the World Speed Championships began with Loris Reggiani. You can find the full story of Aprilia on the tracks year by year in the racing section of this site.At the same time, the commitment to motocross and trials was still strong. With the TX 311, Diego Bosis came second in the World Championship, winning in the United States.On August 30, 1987, Loris Reggiani won the first 250 cc Grand Prix with the AF1. In the meantime, the road "derivation" model, reaching 30 hp thanks to the RAVE (Regulation Aprilia Valve Exhaust), was an enormous hit among young people - not to mention the later "Sintesi". Aprilia was making an ever greater name for itself on the international motorcycling scene, thanks to its characteristic innovation, image and flexibility.It was not long before launch of the Pegaso 600, one of the mainstays of Aprilia production, and the Amico, the colourful, easy to ride scooter which confirmed Aprilia's gift for anticipating market trends and needs.In 1992, Aprilia won its first world championship title - or rather, its first three. The Finnish rider Tommi Avhala won the rider's title and contributed to the constructor's title. A few months later, Alessandro Gramigni won the World 125 Championship.In 1993, the new Scarabeo 50 was launched, becoming an unequalled success, followed in 1995 by the Moto - designed by Philippe Starck - with its absolutely unique styling. It is no accident that it is displayed at the New York Museum of Modern Art.The same year also saw the birth of the exceptional RS250, one of the most successful sports motorcycles of all times. In 1996, the Leonardo - the maxi-scooter characterised by an ultra-efficient four-stroke four-valve engine - was launched.In 1998 it was the turn of Sonic, the brightly coloured micro-scooter aimed at a young public and in 1999 of the RSVMille. This signalled Aprilia's entry into the maxi-motorcycle world, astonishing everyone with its extraordinary ridability and immediately becoming a standard setter in its class.In the meantime, the company had already won a further thirteen world championship titles.Aprilia began production at the end of the 1960s with the Amico and the Daniela, the first small diameter wheel mini-scooters. These were soon joined by the Colibrì, the first Aprilia hinting at that sporting spirit which would soon become so familiar - tapering, with a distinctive exhaust, forcing the rider to adopt a position as uncomfortable as it was sporty and aerodynamic. Despite the success of these early products, the most famous Aprilia in this initial period was the Scarabeo which made Ivano Beggio's first passion abundantly clear - motocross.It was on the dirt tracks that the structure today so well-known and admired throughout the world as "Racing Aprilia" made its debut. It's true that in place of the multi-coloured TIRs, there was a Fiat 238, but the attention paid to graphics and a highly original image was patently obvious. Ivan Alborghetti was the Valentino Rossi of those years, in 1977 winning Aprilia the Italian 125 and 250 titles. Victories which led to a boom in replica bikes. After the Italian Championship, Aprilia went on to compete in the World Motocross Championships with Corado Maddii in the 125s. Few will remember that wearing the team colours in the 250s was the Japanese rider Torao Suzuki.In the meantime, the Aprilia Development Department threw itself into another field very popular at the time, trials. This proved highly satisfying. From the racing experience came a number of highly attractive road bikes, in particular the liquid-cooled 125 ST with single arm suspension. The more sporty STX immediately found a place in the competitive 125 road bikes market.The 50 cc market also smiled on Aprilia and the company introduced motorcycles distinguished by an attention to detail and dimensioning extremely rare in the competition as can be seen in the AF1 or the ET.· Official sitewww.aprilia.com· Aprilia Racing official sitewww.racingaprilia.com

Honda

· HistoryAs of today, Honda Motor Company is a major manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles in the world. In addition to producing superior automobiles and motorcyles, Honda also produces power equipment such as lawn mowers, ATVs and portable generators. While having facilities throughout the world, Honda Headquarters is based in Tokyo, Japan.A genius, a man before his time who led to the birth of a great motor company, we all should know as Honda. That man is the founder of Honda, Soichiro Honda. He was a mechanical engineer who was very devoted to automobile racing and motorcycles. Honda was very successful in the motor industry. He produced and received a patent for his innovative metal wheel spokes. He also made piston rings and sold it to Toyota.You see, everyone knew that Honda knew what he was doing, even before he made it big. In 1948, Honda founded Honda Motor Company and made motorcycles. With Honda behind the wheel of the compnay, he managed to double the horsepower of the conventional four-stroke engine. This accomplishment put them ahead of everyone else for approximately 20 years. No one could touch them.In 1959, America was blessed with the creations of Honda, and Honda Motor Company was established to sell motorcycles. It all started as a little shop in Los Angles. During the 1960s, the company branched out and began producing its first automobiles and trucks. In 1972, Honda began claiming the automobile world with the introduction of the Honda Civic. Later that year, Honda introduced the higher-priced and more powerful Honda Accord. The Accord became one of the best-selling cars in the US, and currently, it is still one of the most bought cars in the US and throughout the world.In the 1980s Honda launched its Acura division to produce luxury cars. By 1990 Honda was the third-largest Japanese automaker, behind Toyota and Nissan. However, Honda started to share in the decrease of sales due to new American automakers designs and the growing popularity of the SUVs. This did not shake Honda. They took a deep breath and began with a new plan. Sales for the Accord and Civic started to pick up again, and Honda began to introduce their own line of SUVs. They were the Honda Passport (StepWGN, I believe in Japan) and the Honda Odyssey.In 2005 Honda offers: Accord Sedan, Accord Coupe, Accord Hybrid, Civic Sedan, Civic Coupe, Civic Hybrid, Civic Si, CR-V, Pilot, Odyssey, Insight, S2000, Civic GX, Element.In 2005 Honda offer bikes in 5 classes: Touring / Sport Touring, Cruiser / Standart, Sport, Motocross, Off-road.· Honda Auto official siteautomobiles.honda.com· Honda Motorcycle official sitepowersports.honda.com/motorcycles