Gaudy Moto Apparel

Over the weekend my mom and I ran a bizarre mash-up of errands together. Out of the Dance Supply Store, Turner's Outdoorsman and Chaparral Motorsports we had the biggest laugh at the last stop. I must take a moment and start my first (of many to come, I'm sure) blog rant about the ridiculousness of women's motorcycle apparel. I mean just look at this..

My mother was busting out with laughter every 3 or 4 pictures, super professional as my model. Do people really think this is what women want to wear? The bright lavender leather, tacky stars and fringe, a "smoking" magnum revolver, and a patch right on the chest with Hookers Headers embroidered on it. Needless to say it was on the clearance rack and Hookers really should just stick to headers, mufflers and exhaust systems.

The Batpod

If you haven't checked The Dark Knight Rises you must go see it at Rave Cinemas! It features a wall to wall and floor to ceiling curved silver screen with cushy seating. Ok, now onto the BatPod; this sick bike has 20" front and rear tires and is powered by a water-cooled, single-cylinder engine. The exhaust is routed through the hollow steel/aluminum/magnesium tubing used for the frame of the bike. For the film, the bike is armed with grappling hooks, canons, and machine guns. The best feature for me, hands down, is that the wheels roll against their normal access for added stability through sharp turns and for instant change in direction. Boom!

Image via capesonfilm

It is hard to believe that the Batpod started off as a Batcycle, 1965 Harley Davidson with a sidecar, in the 1966 Batman TV series.

Oh Phillip..

Why can't you design motorcycle saddlebags??

The 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli bag

Image via Barneys

Ducati Diavel AMG

I was going through some pics from last year's LA Auto Show and came across this beauty..

The Diavel AMG was created to celebrate Ducati's partnership in MotoGP with AMG. This rare beast was hand-built (as with all Ducati motorcycles) and is dressed in matte black carbon fiber bodywork with AMG’s very own “Diamond White Bright” stripe and frame color contrasted with black wheels. The special edition wheels, seat and exhaust end-caps are all AMG branded while “AMG” is also laser-engraved into the air-duct panels either side of the fuel tank.

With Audi's purchase of Ducati earlier this year, questions about the status of the special-edition 1198cc V-Twin power-cruiser were raised when AMG’s parent company, Mercedes Benz, released the following statement: 

“Since the end of 2010, a successful marketing cooperation has existed between AMG and Ducati. The company takeover by a rival car manufacturer has understandably resulted in the end of any further collaboration. The takeover of Ducati was never our aim—our focus lies clearly in developing and producing premium performance cars, and we will be concentrating all our energy on this.”

Ducati says the Diavel AMG has been produced and plans to start deliveries this summer at a price of $26,495..clearly this is going to be a collector's dream bike.