Victory Motorcycles is bringing back its roaring Magnum X-1 for 2016, but this time, it’s even more striking. The “loudest Victory Bagger ever built” returns as the Stealth Edition, and it’s packing some hardware to separate it from the pack. The 2015 X-1 was the first in the series, and it sold out upon release.
Stealth gray paint (given the bike’s raucous sounds, this is likely the source of its name) is unique to this model, and is finished in a suede luster. The monochrome styling extends to color-matched hinges, fender fillers, lower frame covers, dash, speaker grilles, and the headlight bezel. The Stealth Edition offers the largest OEM front wheel at a freeway-consuming 21 inches. Each billet wheel is machined from a single block of aluminum to maintain strength and a low weight.
The X-1’s smoke-tinted LED headlight is brighter than Victory’s standard halogen bulb, and thin-blade LED turn signals and a flush LED tail lamp ensure that you are spotted by traffic as well as by prospective admirers.
This year, a 200-watt 10-speaker audio system lets you hear your tunes above the roar of the 1731cc V-twin motor. Two 6×9 woofers, two 5.25-inch mid-bass speakers, two 2.5-inch mid-ranges, two tweeters in saddlebags, and two tweeters in the front fairing combine to deliver auditory overdrive. The audio system can fully integrate with any Bluetooth device, and can be controlled through an informational display.
The X-1 further features a 6-speed overdrive constant mesh transmission, inverted cartridge front fork, and air adjustable rear suspension. In the front are dual 300mm front rotors with four pistons, while two-pot calipers grip the single 300mm rear rotor. ABS is standard.
The outlay for a limited edition Magnum X-1’s MSRP has been dropped this year by $1,000 to a starting price of $24,000, and will hit dealer showrooms this month. The bike will be featured as a demo model at the company’s display during Daytona Beach Bike Week in March. To learn more about the Stealth Edition and to customize your own, visit the company website.
Volkswagen’s newest EVs in China are making its American and European models look unusually conservative.
With Xpeng’s help, VW has introduced 800-volt charging and advanced urban driving assistance. The new VEGA technology package brings its locally developed vehicle platforms and CEA electronic architecture under one umbrella. Bloomberg reports that Volkswagen intends to update VEGA every three months. Western buyers can find pieces of that package, but not the whole thing in a Volkswagen.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?