Starting tomorrow, some of the world’s best motorsports competitors will descend upon Middle Earth for a race from the Shire to Mount Doom, winner take all.  Okay, maybe not Middle Earth, but New Zealand is as close as they could get.  The 2008 Repco Rally New Zealand will run from August 28th to the 31st for its 39th year.  If we were crazy enough to enter (we’re not), we’d want to be behind the wheel of the new 2008 Mitsubishi Racing Lancer.  While this one is not quite ready for the dirt track quite yet, it promises to be one hell of a competitor in the forthcoming Cross-Country Rally World Cup in Portugal in October.  If you’ve yet to catch a Rally on television, we wholly suggest checking one out.

This classic Italian stallion is among the most coveted track bikes of the fixed gear movement.  The Bianchi Pista Track Bike and its signature aqua-colored frame can be found weaving through traffic in cities across the globe.  The Pista features a double-butted chrome-moly frame and fork, available in the classic “gang green” shown above or a silvery chrome.  While considered Bianchi’s “budget bike”, the Pista is adored for its simplicity and loved for its performance on the road.  We’ve covered the fixed gear movement quite a bit here on GearCrave.  If you’re looking for your “in”, this might just be it…

Buy: $579

(images courtesy: williamhsu and stupidpony, via flickr)

Those of you who have been lusting after the KTM X-Bow will be very happy about this news.  KTM has announced today that they will be shipping 500 KTM X-Bows to the United States.  The best part?  They’ll be fully street legal in 50 states.  If this beast is new to you, you’re likely already drooling over the images.  The KTM X-Bow is a light, fast, pavement hungry street beast powered by a turbocharged 2.0L engine.  The X-Bow weighs just over 1,500 pounds due to a carbon-fiber body– keeping this baby light and firm.  Whether you’re driving in the city, the track or the freeway, the X-Bow will tear up the pavement and turn heads along the way.  “Holy hell, I think I just saw the Batmobile!”  [thanks autoblog]

Buy: ~$70,000

What good is a dash-mounted GPS if you don’t have a dashboard?  How can you take a phone call without removing your helmet?  The technology is there, but has it been developed for motorcylcists?  Thanks to the good people at Nolan Helmets, it finally has.  The Nolan N102 N-Com Motorcylce Helmet features a modular communication system that adds bluetooth connectivity a la carte.  While the base model itself is an aerodynamically designed full-face flip-up helmet, there are modular options that can be added to your Nolan N102.  First, the Basic N-Com Kit includes a microphone and earphones.  The Bluetooth Kit allows for a hands-free connection to your mobile phone or iPod.  Add the Garmin Zumo 550, and you’ll have GPS navigation commands sent to the N-Com system via bluetooth.  If you’re going for a long weekend ride, bring your GPS, music and mobile phone with you– and run it all through the N-Com helmet command system.

Buy: from $320

Let’s face it, most performance and protective bikewear looks nothing short of goofy. Those tight shorts, those “extreme” bike helmets are all a bit embarrassing. Its about time that some savvy designer did us cyclists a favor and gave us a line of performance wear that we can be proud to don. The good people at YAKKAY, however, are revolutionizing cycling headgear by adding something it has sorely lacked– style. The YAKKAY Bicycle Helmet is a two-piece system that includes the basic bike helmet and a series of hat pieces that fit over the helmet’s business end. There are presently four hat styles available, the Tokyo, the Izmir, the Dublin and the Paris (images after the jump). While we’re concerned about adequate cooling, we love the look. We’ll save the standard headgear for the long rides, and strap a YAKKAY to our head for our urban commute. [thanks coolhunting]

Buy: $120

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For those who prefer the latest in tech over vintage appeal, the Fuji Track Pro is one hell of a fixed gear beast.  Built for the velodrome but ready for the streets, this track bike uses a quaternary alloy phase frame with Aero shaped tubing and an integrated head tube.  The Fuji straight blade integrated carbon fork holds the front Alex Crostini tire, connected with a Formula High Flange Hub.  The squeamish can add a brake if they like, while the die hard riders can go without.  The rear wheel can be flipped to run as a single-speed, available for those who prefer a coasted, brake-friendly ride.  In short, Fuji didn’t hold back on components, frame structure and performance enhancements.  Just a few turns of that crank, and you’re at top speed…

Buy: $1220

(images courtesy: juliusbulius and matt-hurst via flickr)

Fans of the Jaguar SF may want to take note– custom German Automobile developer Arden has displayed its Arden AJ21 supercar, a customized, elite version of the Jaguar XF.  Like Mustang Saleens and Porsche Ruf CTRs, the Arden AJ21 pushes the limits of the original vehicle in both performance and luxury.  The 4.2L V8 of the XF has been bored out to 4.5L, providing 500 horsepower for a lot more get-up-and-go-and-don’t-look-back.  Custom interiors are available for the AJ21, just like any other Arden mod of Jaguar and Range Rover models.  While price details are still a little foggy, its obvious this vehicle will be the envy of Jaguar drivers all over the world.  It has us green with envy, that’s for sure…  [thanks autoblog]

Buy: $TBD

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Quick question…How many of you ate pavement when learning how to ride a bicycle?  We certainly digested our fair share… The shift bicycle is the brainchild of proud parent Scott Shim.  Fed up with watching his four year old tumble off his bike, Scott decided to do something about it. At rest, the Shift bike’s two back wheels tilt in at the top to form a stable, balance-assisting “A.” When the rider leans forward-a natural tendency when pedaling faster-the weight shift activates a tension band that unites the bottom of the rear wheels into, effectively, a single wheel. As the rider slows, the wheels split again. Even though this is only a concept, expect to see it on the streets very soon…

Buy: $TBA

This one might just make the batmo-bike piss its pants. The 2009 Star VMAX Motorcycle is a serious street ride, a bundle of muscle and pavement-hungry speed wrapped in a sleek black package. This 4-cylinder, 1679cc engine moto gives off a mean, low rumble with a flick of the wrist. While its performance numbers are still a little mysterious, we’re already aching to hop on this thing and see what it can do. The only stat that confused us about this bike is the color– its available in “intense black”. We hear this is a big upgrade over the “pussy black” color that comes standard on most Suzuki mopeds…

Buy: $17,990

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