Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126452
CN staffers went nuts over the Pro Cruiser. Men Lawwlil and his latest.creation. the Pro Cruiser bicycle. It's a lot of fun. but expensive. Mini-impression Lawwill-Knight Pro Cruiser bicycle By Dale Brown We got off on kinda the wrong foot when we began testing Mert Lawwill's latest creation. A twist of the right grip produced nothing - not even a twist. We searched for an explanation. Hmmm, no throttle cable looping past the steering head down to the - aha - no engine! Then . hi . his' b' I h It t US. t 15 ~ ICYC e, were 14 your own I~ substttute for th~ up and down actIon. usually proVIded by pistons and connecting rods. Having yo~r bod provide the ki~etic energy has Its .good and ~ad points. Horsepower mcrease IS usually cheaper, but infinitely more tiring. This is probably the only machine in the industry where horsepower levels go up with extended use. Going over the Pro Cru~r, you see that all the latest motorcycle technology has been employed, with minor exceptions. The forks are leading axle, however, there is no fork travel. None. The triangulated swingarm is similar in design to the Yamaha monoshock. However, while Yamaha bolts a shock absorber between the frame and swingarm, the Pro Cru~r's swingarm is welded directly to the frame. While this method offers a limited zero inches of travel, chain adjustment problems are vinually eliminated. Strumey-Archer drum brakes are utilized in both wheels, and even after repeated attempts, the rear brake refused to stall the motor. A two-mile uphill, on the other hand, might, A Shimano five-speed transmission connects the crank to the rear wheel. While the unit appears rugged enough for normal use, it might be a little on the spindly side if you decided to install a 500cc Maely speedway engine in the frame. The Pro Cru~r's designen oneupped Honda by utilizing a 26-inch front wheel, and two-upped everybody by going with a 26-inch back wheel as well. Carlisle 2~ 125 x 26 knobbies wrap around Ukai alloy rims. Swedish steel spokes keep everything together. Motorcycle-type handlebars and controls fmish off the package. But beware. Pulling in the right lever works to stop forward progress, as expected. But pulling on the left-hand lever does not allow one to freewheel, as expected. It can put you on your nose because it's the front brake lever. We wondered about the reversal of controls, but were told that it's standard bicycle practice. How strange, these bicycle guys. Once you hop on the bike - hop can be the word if you wish because seat height is adjustable so even folks stepping off a motocrosser with 13 inches of travel can feel at home you'll be impressed with the low-end response. Even going down as low as 25 rpm, we couldn't stall the bike. Try that with your 125cc two-strokei Once underway, however, the bike feels stt;ange. For years, motorcycles have had the annoying feature of frame tubes that slope upward from the seat/tank junction toward the vicinity of the steering head. The Pro C~r does away with that. It just takes a little getting used to, that's all. Continuing underway, you'll discover that the bike feels at home in all the normal city/suburban situations. Vacant lots become playgrounds. Sloping edges of driveways become launching ramps. There is no annoying tendency for the suspension to kick back after landing either. As we mentioned earlier, there is no suspension. If you should take the Pro Cruiser to work. by all means don't leave it where fellow employees can' see it_ Cycle News walls were left battered and b~. potted plants sent crashing right and left, and office workers carrying full cups of coffee sent tumbling, running or screaming in