Peon Maface

The Multistrada has always been an exciting machine. It showcases Ducati’s sporting heritage in an upright touring-focused package that has been an absolute weapon in the canyons for some time thanks to its sporty V-Twin and 17-inch wheel combo. The latter, however, is exactly why the big Ducati could never quite hang with its ADV rivals when the pavement ran out. In addition to the stonking Granturismo V4, which has been specifically designed for adventure touring, the `21 Multi now features a 19/17-inch wheel combo that makes all the difference when the road runs out. 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 Review – First Ride The new V4 Granturismo boasts a slightly larger, 1158cc displacement thanks to its 2mm larger bores. Stroke and compression ratio remain the same at 53.5mm and 14:1. The V4 Granturismo engine is said to weigh 147 lbs, making it a touch over two pounds lighter than the outgoing Testastretta DVT V2 and five pounds heavier than the Stradale V4. It’s also more compact than the V-Twin. The V4 is 3.3 inches shorter front to back and 3.7 inches shorter in height compared to the Multi 1260’s engine. Width has increased a tad by 0.8 inches. Ducati tells us the Granturismo V4 is cranking out 170 ponies at 10,500 rpm and 92.2 lb-ft at 8750. A further break with tradition – and a major talking/selling point of the new engine – is the switch to a spring-actuated valve train which allowed Ducati to boost time between service intervals to 37,282 miles (60,000 km). That’s more than double that of the previous Testastretta mill. An enticing feature for riders looking to circumnavigate the globe – which Ducati was quick to mention could be done 1.5 times before the valve train needs service. In addition to the already staggering list of electronic rider aids and adjustability – including electronic suspension on Ducati Skyhook equipped models – is the inclusion of radar technology not before seen on a motorcycle (a production motorcycle anyway). While we’ve seen this technology for some time in the automotive world, the addition of adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring is an exciting addition to a motorcycle meant to pound out the miles. But enough of these silly words, check out our first ride recap and brief discussion with Ducati North America’s Technical Director Richard Kenton, now in moving pictures. If you want the full story with all of the details and specs, you can find it right here on MO. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 Video Review appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/FtfQZFplY2kSource

Updated March 2021 Let’s consider the daily rider for a moment. Those hardy souls who choose to ride their bikes year ’round represent a small but important group of motorcyclists. Without them, many commuters wouldn’t know that motorcycles exist. These most frequent of all motorcycle flyers have needs that go beyond what your typical weekend warrior requires (though they, too, could benefit from the items listed below). Many of the recommendations are for combatting the elements, but others address common issues like flat tires and carrying things on a motorcycle. Read on to see our picks for the best motorcycle gear for daily riders, and you may find the special thing you are looking for. Table of Contents Aerostich R-3 Suit Aerostich Kanetsu Airvantage Electric Vest Innovv K5 Motorcycle Camera Oxford Heaterz Grips Photochromatic Visor Stop & Go 1001 Pocket Tire Plugger with CO2 Tank Bag Aerostich R-3 Suit What can we say about Aerostich Roadcrafter suits that hasn’t been said already? So, we’ll stick with the usual superlatives. Designed back in the Pleistocene Era as the most functional suit for everyday motorcyclists and anyone who values moto-function over the fickle finger of fashion, the Roadcrafter suit is the great-grandfather of most, if not all, of today’s modern textile riding suits. While always constructed out of Aerostich’s exclusive American-made mil-spec 500d Cordura Gore-Tex fabric, the R-3 expands on the previous generations by including rain-proof zippers, for full waterproofing – even in the vulnerable crotch area. Impact protection comes from Aerostich’s own TF-impact armor with optional back protector mounting. The beauty of the R-3 for daily riders is that it allows the rider to wear street clothes underneath, allowing the transition from biker to civilian to occur in mere seconds. The US-made Aerostich R-3 Suit is available in American sizes 34-54, starting at $1,197 and is only available directly from Aerostich. Shop Now Aerostich Kanetsu Airvantage Electric Vest Want to keep your core warm when the temperature really drops? Providing an external source of heat is the most efficient way. The Kanetsu Airvantage Electric Vest is constructed with a windproof outer layer to fend off cold drafts. The inner layer of the vest consists of the nylon liner that holds a wired heating element. Sandwiched in between those layers is a clever air bladder to provide insulation and a means of pressing the heating elements right up against their torso to more efficiently transfer the heat. A side benefit of the bladder is that it helps to apply an even pressure across the heated wires, eliminating hot spots. (Read our review here.) For those with jackets that don’t seal as well as they should, the Kanetsu Airvantage has optional sleeves ($97) to help block the breeze. Order your $247 Aerostich Kanetsu Airvantage Electric Vest direct from Aerostich. Those who live in truly bitter climates may want to go for the full-monty Aerostich Kanetsu AIRVANTAGE Electric Liner ($377). Shop Now Innovv K5 Motorcycle Camera Here at MO, we’ve been fans of Innovv’s motorcycle cameras for a while. Commuters especially need the protection of an always running camera in case someone does something stupid and then tries to lie about it. The new K5 takes everything we love about Innovv cameras and steps it up even more – including 4K Ultra HD recording. (You can read our full review of the K1 here.) For $458, you receive a DVR unit that powers two cameras (front and rear), a GPS receiver, remote control, external microphone, power converter, DVR/remote control mount, and even a card reader and an assortment of tools. With the 8-megapixel Sony camera in front, you can capture 4K Ultra HD footage at 30 fps. The DVR is waterproof, and riders can access the video files via a smartphone app and wifi connection, making the management of files much easier. The DVR has a great auto-looping feature that writes over the oldest files once the SD card is full, so that you always have the latest recording. Another cool feature is the Smart Parking mode which triggers automatically once the motorcycle is turned off and monitors your bike while you’re away. Shop Now Oxford Heaterz Grips Daily riders know the importance of keeping the digits warm and limber when navigating commuter traffic. This is where heated grips prove to be worth their weight in gold. The Oxford Heaterz line of grips is built for different classes of motorcycles, from cruiser to touring to adventure to whatever you ride. The grips are constructed of rubber with all-silicone wiring to prevent cracking in the cold. The key to the system is, however, the variable settings (five of them!) to tune the heat to your environmental needs. Additionally, the switch will power down if the battery’s voltage drops below 10.5 volts (though we recommend wiring it to switched power to prevent the possibility of killing your battery by failing to turn off the grips). Oxford Heaterz Grips range in price from $70-$100, depending on the application. Shop Now Photochromatic Visor Although more and more helmets feature internal visors, which eliminate the need to carry tinted and clear visors, photochromatic visors offer the ultimate convenience for helmets with only external visors. Recent releases have advanced to the point that the tinting of the shield is dramatically faster than it used to be. To date, there are only two major manufacturers of photochromic visors that we know of. We recently reviewed the $150 Bell ProTint Visor with very positive results. (Read the review here.) The ProTint fits Bell helmets with the Panavision eye-port (Pro Star, Race Star, Star, SRT and SRT-Modular). Order one from Amazon. The Shoei CWR–1 Transitions Shield is equally effective and is available for the RF-1200, X-Fourteen, and RF-SR helmets for a $170 retail price. (Read our review here.) Shop Now Stop & Go 1001 Pocket Tire Plugger with CO2 Flats happen. And they usually happen at the most inconvenient times. Just ask the bike commuter sitting on the side of a divided highway at peak traffic. However, you can take some of the sting out of it by carrying a Stop & Go 1001 Pocket Tire Plugger with CO2 kit in your tank bag. The CO2 cartridges don’t take up much room and can get you home in a pinch. Just be sure to check on the kit from time-to-time. There’s nothing more frustrating than sitting on the side of the road with a flat tire and a patch kit that has had its vulcanizing glue vulcanize inside the tube. (Read our review of the Stop & Go 1001 Pocket Tire Plugger with CO2 here). Shop Now Tank Bag Back in the day, you could only strap tank bags to your bike. Then magnetic bags changed everything. However, as aluminum tanks or plastic tank covers over airboxes became more common, straps came back into fashion. What hasn’t changed is how useful tank bags are for carrying stuff on motorcycles. The advent of Adventure styling with the sharply sloped tank back has also created a challenge for tank bag manufacturers. Wolfman has addressed that issue with the Blackhawk Tank Bag, a moderately-sized tank bag that allows you to stand on your adventure bike without hitting your knees on the bag. (Read our review here.) Touring riders who want a massive tank bag for larger flat gas tanks should take a look at the Tourmaster Elite Tri-Bag ($199 strap mount, $229 magnetic mount). This versatile 1680-denier ballistic polyester tank bag has a removable lower compartment that can be used as a mini-tank bag. The main compartment holds up to 20L of your gear and features convenient side pockets, a removable map pocket, and a weatherproof GPS compartment. (Read our review here.) Shop Now We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews. Learn more about how this works. The post Best Motorcycle Gear For Daily Riders appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/Es9I8CT9tS4Source

“E” for ETHOS is in the air, people are starting to take action instead of just saying they care about the atmosphere. Purchasing electric cars, reusable grocery bags, cups, paper straws, and the repurposing of man-made matter; recycling is on the rise everywhere. Serial 1 ebike is Harley Davidson’s delve into the e-ssisted bicycle – announced in November of 2020. It’s also a clear connection to the re-cycling of heritage, since Harley’s first motorcycle ever is referred to as Serial 1. Harley-Davidson’s engineering strength, production prowess, and resources reaped from the love of feeling the freedom of two-wheeled mobility inspires the clear connection between Harley-Davidson motorcycles and its brand new bicycle brand. In fact, Serial 1 is now its own Lehi, Utah-based company, with H-D holding a large part of the equity. At the museum: “Serial Number 1,” the oldest known Harley-Davidson motorcycle, c. 1903. Y’know, it actually does resemble these bicycles more than any modern Harley. Now a full line of ebikes have been designed to be ridden, recreationally and or daily, answering a new generation’s call for a viable eco-friendly health-conscious mobility choice. Also quite a few members of a more mature generation, including Burns and me a couple weeks ago, when famed former motojournalist and current Serial 1 Product Manager Aaron Frank dropped by with a pair of pre-production Serial 1s for us to sample: a MOSH/CTY and a RUSH/CTY Speed. The /CTY suffix, Aaron scoops us, indicates that these bikes are all part of Serial 1’s “city” platform, while also suggesting that other platforms might be on offer in the future. (Also, when all the good names are already taken, tacking on /CTY opens up a whole new world of possibilities.) MOSH/CTY, left, and RUSH/CTY Speed on the right Harley-Davidson Serial 1 ebikes Your MOSH is the more economical hooligan of the two, a stripped-down single speed. It’s the ultimate urban playbike, says Aaron and S1, “designed for trend-setting adults seeking a stylish and flexible way to move around their fast-paced urban environments.” The RUSH, as you might gather from its full fenders and cargo racks, is “the sophisticated commuter… a premium, full-featured eBicycle designed for more convenient and fun commutes. The easiest, most intuitive way to get anywhere, without breaking a sweat.” To MOSH or mush? That is the question. Automatiq hubbub You can indeed break a sweat on either one, but it’s not required. Both ebikes are powered by 250-watt Brose motors (the MOSH a TF-mag and the RUSH an S-mag) that produce 66 ft-lbs torque. Careful on that first pedal push if you’re on a loose surface; you can peel right out. The MOSH battery is 529 watt-hours while the RUSH is 706 Wh, which gives it a bit more range; MOSH is supposed to go 35 to 105 miles, depending, and the RUSH 35 to 115 miles. We pedalled about 15 miles, and still had 75% juice remaining according to both bikes’ electronic instrumentals. Supposedly you can get a full charge, from 0 to 100%, in 3 to 5 hours from your 110v outlet. The biggest difference between the two bikes is the RUSH’s Enviolo Automatiq intelligent auto-shifting hub. Whaaaaa?? This thing is a mini electronically controlled, constantly variable transmission inside the rear hub, that – just as the CVT in a scooter lets the engine operate constantly at its favorite rpm – lets you pedal pretty much constantly at your preferred cadence, from 0 all the way up to 28 mph – a speed that puts the RUSH in the Class 3 ebike category. (There’s a Class 1 non-Speed RUSH also, that only goes 20 mph.) Enviolo Automatiq hub is genius; built-in LED brake/ taillights are very bright even in daytime. 203mm hydraulic disc brakes front and rear are good to have on bikes this speedy. Who knew that’s why racing bicycles have 21 or more speeds? It’s so the rider can keep pedaling in their sweet spot all the time, like 90 or 100 rpm for professional racers. More like 45 to 60 for most of us. You can adjust the cadence via the Enviolo app, which connects to the hub via Bluetooth, to find what speed your legs like best. Wherever it was set the day we rode, the bikes seemed to agree with both of us. Simplify The MOSH, meanwhile, makes do with its single-speed hub. By the time you’re at its 20-mph top speed, you’re pedalling about as fast as you can unless you’re Lance Armstrong, but you’re also getting plenty of boost to help you do it – and pedalling faster is better for you than pedalling slower, according to the experts. It’s not hard to keep up a steady 20 mph on the MOSH. It is hard to watch Burns power away from you on the RUSH. The MOSH does weigh 11 pounds less than the RUSH, though, in the official specs, 48 lbs vs. 59. Frames are welded hydroformed aluminum, light and rigid. Batteries pop right there into the bend, for good mass centralization and handling, and can be charged in or out of the bike. Both bikes get swell little Kevlar belts that’ll never need adjusting, and both are turned out with a level of paint and fit-and-finish that makes them worthy of their H-D livery. Brake and electrical lines are routed internally through handlebars and frames. Let’s Pedal Cernicky: Serial 1’s “Intelligent Sizing” means that each of the four frame sizes has a unique geometry crafted to optimize rideability, and thanks to a standard-type upright riding position, our range of test riders remained comfortable and wouldn’t have objected to riding the rest of the day. Controls were ergonomically tax-free on our digits. Easily adjustable seats feel comfortable to the pants even without chamois in your shorts. The padding and width of the perch causes no inhibition of leg travel when churning out mileage. My feet didn’t slip off the pedals even when pedaling up a steep hill no-handed. MOSH The stout single-speed is built for hooliganical work; it’s stark raving, yet feels so solid and sure footed. Yes, kinda heavy, but even without suspension the wide SuperMoto tires stay seated with only 18 psi – which lets the sidewalls damp out terrible terrafirma, climb stairs, and jump curbs found in our uber-urban atmosphere. There’s plenty of Umph to climb the steepest grade in Sport mode with no hands. And after some lunacy along our 15-mile loop, only 25% of the full charge had been dispensed. Barbarians at the Gate The size Large Mosh, though, was too big for me. Nice to ride on the road, but any kind of bump jumping or wheelie popping and I’m sure my 5’7.5” self would have been better off on the medium-size framed version. Of course, with more time on this one – size M – I would raise the gearing so I could go faster. RUSH/CTY Speed The constantly variable transmission fits into the hub to sync with its rider’s cadence and maximizes human-powered torque input perfectly meshed with e-ssistance output to deliver a very enjoyable blend of exercise and getting somewhere, no sweat. This thing is an amazingly efficient transformer of pedal depression into good-times per revolution to make commuting fun (GTPRTMCF). Or even just riding around the back bay with no particular place to go like we did. It’s a social thing too. Where once we spent our two-wheeled lives locked inside our own helmets seeking speed, glory, and whatever else we were after, on these ebikes, well, we’re still after it. But now we’re not going so fast we can’t stop or at least slow down to sniff the spring daisies and duck guano. It’s a family affair. Daughter Maely Cernicky, 5-feet-Zero and 12 years old, got in a quick pedal on the midsize RUSH/CTY Step-Thru, also equipped with the Automatiq hub: “I like how you can adjust the settings based on how hard you want to pedal. Sport was my favorite setting, fast but stable and comfortable. And I liked the glossy white finish and shield light, I really enjoyed it.” Ever tried to pedal in sand? Fat tires and Brose propulsion make it easy. What Burns thinks, not that anybody cares: This is only my second brush with ebikes, so I’m far from expert. But these H-Ds are definitely different than the Yamahas we sampled before. The Yamahas felt more like really swift bicycles, the Harleys are quite a bit further along the motorcycle spectrum: pretty sure they’re substantially heavier than the Yamahas, yet with more e-boost to offset the mass. 2018 Yamaha EBikes First Ride Review Riding my Specialized hybrid (before it got stolen) or my trusty/crusty beach cruiser (nobody wants it) this same 15-mile loop around the back bay, I’d need a couple cold drinks and time on the couch to recuperate afterwards. But on the Serial 1s, Cernick and I both could’ve done another couple laps before beveraging, since these things carry their own fountain of youth. You still get a workout, but you can cover way more ground in the process; they’re almost as freeing as being on a motorcycle. And fast enough that my motorcycle traffic strategy still applies: It is better to come up behind your prey than to not know what might be gaining on you. I know where the hills are on this back bay route, and my ventricles quiver in fear at every approach: On the Serials, you lean into the pedals a bit and find yourself at the top, panting and sweating just enough to make you feel good (just barely in my case). Both my old Specialized and the Yamahas impressed upon me, quite literally, the worth of those padded bicycle shorts. I dragged them from the dresser that morning to ride the Serial 1s, and the other children all laughed at me. The seats on these may look racy, but they’re made for pedaling in regular clothing. No animals were harmed in taking this Rollie Free tribute photo except Cernicky. Ouch. The Automatiq-hubbed RUSH/CTY Speed is the Bomb, since it’ll go that much faster, 28 mph, and finding your body’s natural cadence is probably a really good thing. My legs felt good whatever we had programmed in there, I think 50-something rpm. Like everything in the modern era, you’ve got four ride modes: Eco, Tour, Sport and Boost provide incrementally increasing assist; toggle through on the fly as needed. (There’s also a Walk Assist mode, if you wind up taking the walk of shame.) It’s a dreamy feeling to start off from a dead stop, and quickly be going that fast without ever pedaling any faster. But 28 mph on a bicycle feels almost too fast; I only topped it out a couple times for the sake of science, and decided I liked the cheaper, 20-mph MOSH just fine, too. The MOSH’s single speed is a bit more work and feels more bicyclish, but it still packs plenty of epower. Twenty mph doesn’t sound like much to us motorcycle people, but on a bicycle it usually feels like enough, especially on a bike path with lots of kids and dogs. Since I’d only be riding for fun and have no commute, and since I’m cheap, the MOSH would probably be my choice. (Come to think of it, I’m starting to miss my commute; it used to mean riding motorcycles every day). Admittedly we didn’t go far, but I could’ve done another 15-mile lap. I’m not so sure about Cernicky, who can’t not revert to his BMX childhood whenever the opportunity comes anywhere near presenting itself, in spite of a pair of damaged ankles that had him couch-ridden for a couple of years not so long ago. Repeatedly hucking the MOSH in the air for several passes for the camera was above and beyond the call of duty (more the landings really), but it had us both laughing like little kids, even if it had MC on the Advils the next day. I think that’s what it’s all about, am I wrong? If you have a good place to ride a bicycle, these things are irresistible. They remind me of the Hodaka Combat Wombats and things the cool kids rode illegally in the woods when I was a kid. Cernicky concludes: The new age is waking up to the beautiful concept of getting exercise while feeling the freedom of e-bicycles. Don’t trust me, give them a try yourself before batting your eye at the price tag. Speaking of price tags, in spite of the fact that these wear Harley-Davidson branding, along with various high-end components and high-brow H-D engineering – the prices are totally in line with what you’d expect to pay for any premium, non-rattletrap eBike. The structural integrity is in place. Put the price tag up against: car or motorbike cost, gas, maintenance, insurance, parking, gym membership, special vitamins… and the savings might surprise you. Four Serial 1 bikes are going into production, and will begin rolling out soon: MOSH/CTY, $3,399 single-speed urban playbike (Class I, electric assist up to 20 mph), RUSH/CTY, $4,499 full-featured commuter with auto-shift CVT hub (Class I, electric assist up to 20 mph) RUSH/CTY Step-Thru, $4,399 with auto-shift CVT hub (Class I, electric assist up to 20 mph) RUSH/CTY Speed, $4,999 with auto-shift CVT hub (Class III, electric assist up to 28 mph) Serial1.com Interested in the Serial 1, Join our Serial 1 Forum. The post Harley-Davidson Serial 1 ebikes: MOSH/CTY and RUSH/CTY Speed Review – First Ride appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/k2V2r1miJDwSource

Add Moto Guzzi to the very short list of manufacturers able to say they’ve been in existence for 100 years. Today – March 15, 2021 – marks the 100-year mark for one of Italy’s famed motorcycle brands, which can also lay claim to having every single one of its models since the beginning roll out from the same door in Mandello del Lario. While we had originally intended on penning a brief history of the brand, highlighting major accomplishments along the way, Moto Guzzi’s own press release below does a good job of covering the brand’s last 100 years. As you can imagine, Moto Guzzi accomplished a lot over the past century, not least of which includes capturing 14 world championships, some land speed records, and successfully completing a trip to the arctic circle – in 1928. Today we don’t really think of the brand as one pushing the limits of technology and innovation but in Guzzi’s early years its motorcycles only had one cylinder and an external flywheel beside the rider’s left foot to keep the engine dimensions small. Moto Guzzi even experimented with a V8 engine – the Ottocilindri (eight cylinder)– for the 1955-1957 grand prix seasons. At only 500cc, the engine featured dual overhead cams, liquid-cooling, and a separate carburetor for each cylinder. It was able to reach 172 mph but was incredibly dangerous to ride, even for the time, as the tires, suspension, brakes, and chassis couldn’t keep up with the incredible speed the engine could produce. The project was ultimately scrapped, and it would take another 20 years before grand prix motorcycles could top the 172 mph mark. Today Moto Guzzi motorcycles are better known for their quirky (some would call it charming), laterally-mounted V-Twins. With each cylinder sticking out the sides, Moto Guzzis would tilt to one side as you rev them at a stop. Performance isn’t part of the appeal anymore, but character, style, and elegance are now the brand’s strong suits. It’s fair to say Moto Guzzi has aged well over the past century. Whether you like them or not, the brand holds a special place in motorcycling history. Check out the brand’s official press release below celebrating its accomplishment. There you can get a brief history of the company’s beginnings, as well as other milestones achieved throughout the years. After that, prepare yourself for a giant photo gallery with nearly 400 pictures highlighting the Mandello del Lario factory, the company’s founders, early racing pilots, and several models from over the years. Happy birthday, Moto Guzzi. Here’s to 100 more. Begin press release: On 15 March 2021, Moto Guzzi will celebrate its first legendary 100 years. A century of history, splendid motorcycles, triumphs, adventures and extraordinary personalities, who together built the legendary Eagle Brand. Moto Guzzi celebrates this exceptional milestone at a time when it is enjoying a fresh new season of success. The motorcycle range has been extensively renewed, with the deployment of state-of-the-art technical features in terms of electronic rider aids, while the brand values of style and authenticity have been kept intact. Each Moto Guzzi motorbike is constructed at the Mandello del Lario plant with craftsmanlike care and commitment to a unique, authentic identity, skillfully balancing the classic Moto Guzzi style with cutting-edge technology and reflecting a construction philosophy that creates an exclusive relationship between the bike and the rider. Piaggio Group Chairman and CEO Roberto Colaninno said: “The Moto Guzzi centenary is a proud moment both for the Piaggio Group, which was joined by the Eagle brand in 2004, and for Italian industry as a whole, not just the motorcycling sector. A capacity for innovation, boldness in moving ahead of the times, a competitive spirit, love for the product and meticulous attention to production quality are the skills that over the years Moto Guzzi has combined with its unique relationship with the local community. Ever since 1921, every Moto Guzzi bike that has gone out into the world has been built at the Mandello factory, the place where the company was set up exactly one hundred years ago. All this will continue through its second century of history. Moto Guzzi is an example of all-Italian excellence,” added Colaninno. “It has gone down in our country’s history without ever losing its youthful spirit and continues to inspire genuine passion among thousands of Guzzi bikers all over the world.” The eagle logo, the unmistakable Moto Guzzi emblem, has in itself helped to create the legend of a brand that has always been indissolubly tied to the history of Italy. The spread-winged eagle dates back to the military service of the company’s founders, Carlo Guzzi and Giorgio Parodi, in the Italian Royal Navy’s Aviation arm during World War One. It was during the war that the two friends, and pilot Giovanni Ravelli, decided to go into motorcycle manufacturing once the conflict ended. Ravelli was killed in an accident in 1919 and was never able to achieve his dream. Guzzi and Parodi chose the Eagle as their symbol to commemorate their companion. Over its one hundred years, Moto Guzzi has won victories on racing circuits around the world, raising the Italian flag for an impressive 14 World Championship Titles. It was the motorbike of the speed record, the symbol of growth of a country looking to the future, the motorcycle of the police force and the army, and extended its vocation to the international stage, equipping the Californian Police and, more recently, the police forces in Berlin and many other European cities, as well as the sovereign’s escort in Jordan. Moto Guzzi is also the motorcycle of the Corazzieri, the elite corps that escorts the President of the Italian Republic. From the very start, Moto Guzzi has been the motorcycle of choice for long-distance travel. It was 1928 when Giuseppe Guzzi reached the Arctic Circle on his GT “Norge”, starting a tradition that still continues, with travelers setting off on their Moto Guzzi bikes every day, somewhere in the world, bound for distant lands. Today Moto Guzzi is a core division of the Piaggio Group, Europe’s leading constructor of motorcycles and scooters, which has conserved Moto Guzzi’s original characteristics, promoted its values and returned it to a forefront position. The move back into competitive racing with the Moto Guzzi Fast Endurance Trophy, to be held this year on a European scale, and a new family of motorbikes have brought Moto Guzzi back to a prime market position and introduced its name to a younger public. The classic V7, which has just come out on the new 850 twin cylinder, and the classic enduro V85TT intended for travel and designed for comfort and easy riding, are the best-sellers of a brand that has been enjoying a revival for a number of years. Moto Guzzi has always been admired and respected by bikers all over the world, whatever motorcycle they own, and bikers will be the protagonists of Moto Guzzi World Days at Mandello del Lario from 9 to 12 September, the clou event in the festivities for the Moto Guzzi centenary, the main celebration for this special anniversary. Moto Guzzi World Days has always been an unmissable occasion for bikers and now makes its eagerly awaited comeback, ten years after the last edition. Tens of thousands of enthusiasts will arrive from every corner of the planet to enjoy a unique and unforgettable event, made possible thanks to the collaboration between Moto Guzzi, the Comitato Motoraduno Internazionale and the municipality of Mandello del Lario. ***100 YEARS OF HISTORY FOR THE MOST AUTHENTIC NAME IN WORLD MOTORCYCLING It was 15 March 1921 when the “Società Anonima Moto Guzzi” company was established, for the “manufacture and sale of motorcycles and any other activity related or linked to the metalworking industry”. That was the moment when the founders, Carlo Guzzi and Giorgio Parodi, chose the spread-winged eagle as the company logo, in memory of their comrade-in-arms Giovanni Ravelli. The trio had served together in the Royal Navy’s Aviation arm, where they had developed the idea of setting up a business to build innovative motorcycles once the war had ended. Ravelli died in 1919 during a test flight and his two friends decided to commemorate him with the symbol of the air division. The eagle has been the symbol of Moto Guzzi since then, and rapidly became a world-famous trademark. This was the beginning of an industrial enterprise based in Mandello del Lario – in the factory where Moto Guzzi bikes are still manufactured today – that has gone down in the history of world motorcycling, producing bikes that have become part of the collective imagination: bikes like the GT 500 Norge (1928) ridden to the Arctic Circle by founder Carlo Guzzi’s brother Giuseppe, the Airone 250 (1939), the Galletto (1950), which powered mass motorization in the postwar period. The 1950s saw the debut of the wind tunnel – a world first in the motorcycle industry, and still open for visits today at the Mandello factory – the brainchild of a close-knit team of extraordinary engineers including Umberto Todero, Enrico Cantoni and a designer whose name would quickly acquire legendary status: Milan-born Giulio Cesare Carcano, father of the incredible Otto Cilindri, or V8, with a top speed of 285 km/hour (1955), and the prototypes that won 15 world speed titles and 11 Tourist Trophy titles between 1935 and 1957. In the 1960s, after the lightweight two-wheelers Stornello and Dingo, Moto Guzzi brought out the 700 cc 90° V-twin engine with cardan shaft final drive, destined to become the symbol of the Mandello manufacturer on such legendary models as the V7 Special, the V7 Sport, the California and the Le Mans. The engine was consistently evolved on this architecture and today, flanked by cutting-edge electronic control features, powers the most popular Moto Guzzi two-wheelers, such as the V7 range, the V9 Roamer and Bobber, and the great V85TT tourer, the world’s first-ever classic enduro. To celebrate the centenary, the entire Moto Guzzi range is also available in the special Centennial Livery, in an exclusive edition for 2021 only, inspired by the legendary Otto Cilindri racer. The post Happy 100th Birthday, Moto Guzzi! appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/aaHtziUfYgYSource

The three sacred pillars of its 90%-new Generation 3 MT-09, says Yamaha, are value, torque, and agility. Value-wise, the bottom line has crept up $400 to $9,399, but that’s not bad for a brand new Yamaha with all the gewgaws this one’s got. As for torque, the retuned-for-Euro 5 Triple goes from 847 to 890 cc, gaining 6% more twisting force in the process. 2021 Yamaha MT-09 Review – First Ride Yamaha UK’s website pegs that at 68.6 lb-ft at 7000 rpm, and 117.4 horsepower at 10,000 rpm. That’s slightly less than a nice Kawasaki Z900 four-banger or KTM 890 Duke, but definitely in the ballpark. Agility-wise, the new MT weighs just 417 pounds, says Yamaha, which is a whopping 51 fewer than a 468-lb Z900 – and only 9 more than our 2020 Motorcycle of the Year KTM Duke 890 R. Lightness is expensive; the KTM is quite a bit more money than the Yamaha. Heck, Yamaha says the new MT-09 is only 11 pounds heavier than a MT-07. Along with that light weight and power, an all-new Controlled Fill aluminum frame continues the agility theme, adds stability at speed, and makes the new bike way easier on the orbs than the outgoing model. The new frame that ties the MT’s headstock to its (new) swingarm is a really graceful work of engineering art. Yamaha says the frame is but 1.7mm thick at its thinnest point, and designed for 50% more lateral stiffness as well as greater strength torsionally and longitudinally. Throw in better suspension than the 09’s ever rolled on before, a standard up/down quickshifter, a 6-axis IMU controlling the new traction control and lean-sensitive brakes – and the newest Master of Torque looks like an even better bargain than it’s always been since the first FZ-09 in 2014. And, the new MT-09 SP, which should be here shortly, might be an even better one, since it adds cruise control and upscale suspension including a fully adjustable Öhlins shock for only $1600 more: $10,999. Anyway, it wouldn’t be a road test without a video would it? So here it is. And here’s the written road test from last week in case you missed that. No trees were harmed in publishing it.  Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post 2021 Yamaha MT-09 Video Review appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/dpJJVe-LAiwSource

Updated March 2021 Non-riders will never understand that riding in the rain can be quite fun, provided you have a properly maintained bike and motorcycle rain gear. However, what constitutes proper rain gear covers many more items than just a slicker over your regular riding gear. You need to prevent more than just your body from getting wet. You’ve got both your feet and hands to consider if all-day, wet-weather riding is part of your plan. Finally, your ability to see in the rain needs to be considered. Cover all of these areas, and you’ve got a prescription for a fun day – or days – riding in the rain, and you can smile inside your helmet as car occupants look on with pity as you cruise down the highway. Motorcycle rain gear fits into a two different categories. First, there are items that augment your existing gear by simply providing them with a waterproof covering. The others have the waterproofing baked in for maximum versatility, making them ideal for long-distance tourers or riders who live in wet climates. Finally, these items represent a sampling of what is available out there for wet weather riding. They provide guidelines as to what to look for in quality rainy day riding gear. So, if you don’t find what you want here, take heart; find gear with similar features, and you’ll be set. Best Motorcycle Rain Suits Best Waterproof Motorcycle Gloves Best Motorcycle Touring Boots Table of Contents Alpinestars Men’s Hurricane Rain Suit – $120 Nelson-Rigg SR-6000 Stormrider Rain Suit – $68 Spidi Allroad H2Out Jacket – $600 Dainese Unisex-Adult Tempest D-Dry Long Glove – $115 Aerostich Triple Digit Covers – $47 Pinlock Visor Insert – $25-$35 Sidi Canyon Gore-Tex Motorcycle Boots – $325 Aerostich Boot Rain Covers – $67 Alpinestars Men’s Hurricane Rain Suit – $120 Since you’d be wearing this over your existing riding gear, the Alpinestars Men’s Hurricane Rain Suit is constructed from 100% waterproof polyurethane poly-nylon fabric, which according to the Alpinestars, won’t stick to the motorcycle gear the rider is already wearing, as does the zippered lower leg gusset. A poly-mesh lining improves air circulation assisting in rider comfort. Heat-sealed seams assure waterproofness. A twin slider main zip runs from thigh to chest for easy donning and doffing the suit, while hook-and-loop fasteners help to seal the wrists, and ankle openings benefit from an elastic hem securing the legs to the boots. The collar is also elasticized for a comfortable seal. Available in all Black and the highly-visible Fluo Yellow/Black. Reflective detailing assists visibility of rider in inclement weather. A storage bag is included. Bottom Line/One-piece rain suits offer the best waterproofing in torrential rains Shop Now Nelson-Rigg SR-6000 Stormrider Rain Suit – $68 The Nelson-Rigg SR-6000 Stormrider Rain Suit is a two-piece suit that comes in all Black or Hi-Viz Yellow/Black or Hi-Viz Orange/Black options. The soft polyester outer shell has a PVC backing for waterproofness and a corduroy inner collar for rider comfort. The collar also has a built-in hood. The jacket uses a full-length zipper with a self-fastening storm flap. Additionally, there are two outer pockets. The elasticized waist and self-fastening tabs on the cuffs to help keep the moisture out. The pants feature an elasticized waist and band and cuffs. The legs have oversized zipper gussets and elasticized boot stirrups. Reflective striping on both jacket and pants add night visibility. Comes with a two-year warranty. Bottom Line/Two-piece rain suits offer easier donning of the gear when you're in a hurry Shop Now Spidi Allroad H2Out Jacket – $600 The Spidi Allroad H2Out Jacket combines a rugged adventure-touring main shell with two independent liners to allow riding in a variety of combinations. The exterior uses Extra Tenax 6.6 three-layer nylon for abrasion and puncture resistance. The Allroad Jacket features roll down ventilation panels – including the entire back panel – for free-flowing air. Beneath this shell, CE Level 2 certified Force Tech shoulder and elbow armor protects from impacts. The next layer is Spidi’s unique InsideOut liner system, consisting of the proprietary H2Out membrane which can be worn inside the jacket during a light rain or outside the shell to prevent shell saturation. For cold weather a removable 100g full sleeve thermal liner keeps out the cold. The Allroad Jacket employs the Ergofit System: a generous number of slide and snap adjusters at the waist and arms to keep back and elbow protection securely in place. The main zipper and handwarmer pockets feature waterproof zippers, and an additional waist zipper allows the jacket to connect to the Allroad H2Out Pants or other Spidi touring trousers. Bottom Line/Riders who frequent rainy areas should consider waterproof riding suits instead of pull-over rain gear Shop Now Dainese Unisex-Adult Tempest D-Dry Long Glove – $115 If you have the ability to carry more than one set of gloves on a ride, having a waterproof pair is always a good idea in wetter climates. The Tempest Unisex D-Dry Long is an extremely versatile glove. Innovative features include: a Visor Wiper on the left thumb to Smart Touch fingertips for use with touch screens, and Dainese’s D-Dry® membrane. These gloves do run a little warm, thanks to their thermal padding. Impact protection is provided by a reinforced palm and Comfortech CE-certified Level-1 armor across the knuckles. The gauntlet gloves are held in place by an adjustable wrist strap and an additional gauntlet closure. Bottom Line/Riding with cold, wet hands compromises your safety. Carry waterproof gloves with you when you ride. Shop Now Aerostich Triple Digit Covers – $47 The great thing about glove covers is that they pack very small and can easily fit in a jacket pocket or tank bag. The Aerostich Triple Digit Covers get their name, not from the speeds you’ll be riding in the rain, but from the number of fingers each glove has. Constructed out of 3.5 oz/sq yd 40d 3 layer breathable-waterproof ripstop nylon, the thin fabric breathes enough during rain conditions to prevent clammy hands. The oversize gauntlets slide on easily and allow a secure grip when used over your everyday (crash protective) gloves. An elastic drawcord with a tethered cordlock keeps them in place. Hook & loop wrist cinches are ergonomically reversed and easier to use. There’s Scotchlite reflective for nighttime hand signaling, and a left thumb visor squeegee. Bottom Line/These covers pack small for ease in carrying with you every ride Shop Now Pinlock Visor Insert – $25-$35 The problem with rainy weather is that it is humid, which, in turn, makes the inside of your helmet’s visor fog up easily. Cracking the visor a bit, lets in more airflow – and more moisture. The Pinlock Visor Insert prevents the inside of your visor from fogging up in wet, cold, or wet/cold weather and is worth its weight in gold. You will, however, need a visor that has a pin for the insert to lock onto. After that, it works its magic in all but the most extreme situations. Bottom Line/Clear vision is essential to riding safely Shop Now Sidi Canyon Gore-Tex Motorcycle Boots – $325 The Sidi Canyon Gore-Tex Boots are perfect for daily commuting or touring in its many forms. The waterproof yet breathable Gore-Tex membrane is guaranteed to keep you dry and the top grain leather construction will certainly keep these boots in your stable for many years to come. The ratcheting instep buckle adjusts the fit to keep your heel firmly planted, and the thick soles provide comfort by damping road and engine vibrations. Protection is provided by a nylon plate and internally padded shin plate plus internal heel, ankle, and toe armor. The boot is double stitched in all high stress areas, while the non-slip lug type sole is bonded to the upper. A Velcro closure system above the ankle customizes the fit to a variety of leg sizes. The full-length inner gaiter assures dryness. Reflective panels provide nighttime conspicuity. Bottom Line/Riders who live in rainy climates understand the benefits of waterproof boots Shop Now Aerostich Boot Rain Covers – $67 So, the weather report called for warm and sunny. Too bad the environment didn’t oblige, and you’re out on a ride with your favorite pair of vented boots. The Aerostich Boot Raincovers have you covered, literally. Constructed of seam-sealed, three-layer ripstop nylon, these rain covers are strong enough to stop rain and road spray all day and still pack small enough to carry along on every ride. A reversed waterproof zipper makes them fast and easy to put on and remove. Each cover neatly stores into a built-in hook & loop closed pouch. Bottom Line/Like Aerostich's glove covers, these pack away easily for use on any ride Shop Now We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews and other articles. Learn more about how this works. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post Motorcycle Rain Gear: What You Need To Stay Dry In The Wet appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/OSsijyhzHNQSource

AMA Supersport racing starring Anthony Gobert and Aaron Yates, laps around Willow Springs… on the 59th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, Yamaha dropped the 2001 R6 on the American press and MO. Though the R6 empire did not last 1000 years, many think this was its finest hour. I mean, some people are saying it. Sheer Madness… By MO Staff Dec. 07, 2000 Rosamond, California, December 7, 2000 — It’s time to thank the technology gods – and invest in a healthy array of boxer briefs – since it’s now become far simpler to scare yourself into a soiled frenzy: Just get yourself a 2001 Yamaha R6. Wicked fast with sky-high revs and quick — one shake shy of twitchy — handling, this bike is a track monster and street sweeper rolled into a tight, 600cc package.Yamaha has made a number of modifications to their ’01 YZF-R6, the bike that was unilaterally the track favorite during last year’s World Supersport Shootout. We previewed these changes and told you of all the technical improvements in the 2001 Yamaha Preview, and we were ready for another year of YamaNation on the racetracks. Then we rode the 2001 Suzuki GSX-R600 at Road Atlanta and worried that Yamaha may have more of a battle on its hand than it bargained for. With just a tick over 103 horses at the rear wheel and a claimed dry weight of 359 pounds (49-state model), it looked like Suzuki had all but given the R6 the proverbial boot. All that was left was for Yamaha to go through the motions and concede the title to Suzuki, right? Well, don’t jump to conclusions just yet, ol’ boy. If you did things that quickly and reactionary on a racetrack, you’d be 500GP Champion right now. The ’01 R6 didn’t lose its stability. Sure, Yamaha’s new R6 still weighs six pounds more than the new Suzuki — even going on a five-pound diet. Sure, it’s still down three horsepower as well. But there are some things that cannot be quantified by the use of a scale or dynomometer. Things like feedback, brakes, and the ability to work a bike at or near its limit, lap after lap. These are the intangibles that will ultimately make or break a bike/rider combination.After getting the opportunity to sample the R6’s new clothes (and internals, natch’) at Willow Springs’ nine-turn roadcourse, we came away with a couple affirmations: Yamaha’s R6 may still be the class leader when it comes to letting a rider know what’s happening at the tire/pavement interface, providing what probably will be the platform for world (Supersport) domination. Second, Willow Springs is one fast mutha of a track! More power is always a welcome addition. During the opening presentation, Yamaha’s Kurt Morris and ‘safety officer’ Brad “crashing pitbikes really hurts” Banister went over the various changes to the new machine. Concurrently, we were handed various static representations of the bike to demonstrate the smaller new battery, black box and the lighter steering stem. There were little changes in all, but a five-pound weight savings, in a class that’s often decided by tenths on the racetrack and grams on the scales, is nothing to be bashful about.On the track, these changes amounted to what would definitely be considered progress, though not as significant as the previously mentioned Supersport contender that will be piloted by The Intimidator, Aaron Yates, this year. Still, Yamaha’s newest acquisition, Anthony Gobert, appears to have himself quite the tool available to him with which to conquer the class. For the record, we suspect the anxious-steering R6 and it’s rev-to-the-moon engine will fit Gobie well, and if he likes the bike, few people in the world can beat him. The big track at Willow Springs is extremely fast and there are only a few points where you get into the brakes, and this puts an emphasis on the feedback you get from both ends as you rail through turns well into the triple digits. It’s here that the Yamaha exhibits what may well be the most acute feedback of any bike we’ve yet to throw a leg over. Notice the revised tail-section. When peeling off the brakes and heading into the apex of turn one, a fast left hander, you’re able to get the throttle opened up and start driving out as soon as the bike gets settled in. Accelerate out and the entire time you’re feeling precisely what’s happening with the front and rear end. Need a tighter line on the exit? Be a little more stingy with throttle application. Want to run it wide? Let all the horses out of the gate, then. You’ll know exactly what’s going on at all times and be able to discern just how close you are to a ride to victory lane or the infield med’ center.This comes at a price, however. But when considering chassis dimensions, it’s no surprise that the littlest Yammie is prone to the occasional fit of the twitchies. More than one rider began playing with suspension settings after getting a little headshake wake-up call exiting a corner. We even had a little bit of this display while accelerating over a bump on the front straight at the start/finish line. Consider a steering damper mandatory equipment for racetrack use. It needs to be said, however, that this trait is not necessarily exclusive to just the Yamaha. Even at Road Atlanta, the GSX-R600 (which has a steering damper fitted as stock equipment) would get a bit loose under certain situations. But what do you expect from lightweight, high-horsepower bikes with steep steering-head angles and minimal amounts of trail on bikes that are designed only to win championships? Suspension and feedback were excellent. Through the bumpier sections of some of the corners, not only was the almost-telepathic front-end feel welcome, it gave us an opportunity to appreciate the excellent suspension.With stock settings, there was little need to change any of the settings even though a few journalists chose to do so. Their motive? More of a “how bad can we make it to appreciate how good it is stock” than anything else, it seemed. Most everyone agreed that the stock settings worked damn fine, even if they were a bit stiff for some of the lighter testers. It seemed as though it was sprung just right for a 165-pound rider of decent caliber. Some lighter and slower riders wished for things to be a bit softer, while some of the more tug-boat-esque among us stiffened things up just a click or two at both ends. Brake dive was manageable, and that’s a compliment considering how strong the front binders on this R6 are. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better set on a production 600 from any manufacturer. They provided excellent feel and the ultimate stopping power was enough to render the rear wheel airborne should a rider posses the skill (and sack) to do so. 99.6 hp @ 12,550 rpm 43.4 lb/ft @ 10,850 rpm With the motor being a key component in any racebike – and especially in 600 Supersport competition – we were pleased to find that the motor at least felt like it would be competitive with the offerings from Suzuki, Honda, Kawasaki et. al.The motor was typical 600 in that, despite an optimistic tach, the motor didn’t start to really get its groove on until about 9,000 rpm. From that point to about 14,000 rpm, though, the motor is putting some serious power down to the rear Dunlop. There’s even a nice spread of 90-plus horsepower that runs all the way from 11,000 rpm to redline. The ’01 R6 looks like it’ll hold its own this year. Can the others keep up? The transmission seemed well-spaced to take advantage of this power even if we did experience the occasional glitch in throttle response when cracking the throttle slides open as we bent in towards an apex. Oddly enough, this was mainly an issue going into turn three which is an uphill left-hander, similar to turn-one, that follows one of the heaviest braking zones and loads the suspension more than most of the other corners on this track. Other than that one glitch, though, the carburetion was flawless and fed the motor what it needed at the right times. As a complete package, it looks like the sharpened YZF-R6 will be a serious contender once more. It’s hard to tell for sure without back-to-back testing, but if our memory serves us correctly (as it usually does except in certain cases of alcohol consumption and matters of fidelity), this year’s World Supersport Shootout looks to be even tighter than last year.It’s definitely going to be a “mad, mad, mad, mad world” in the 600 Supersport class. And bikes like this new Yamaha – as well as the new Suzuki and Honda’s F4i – don’t make things much easier on us nit-picking scribes. Just when we thought things couldn’t get any better… The post Church of MO: 2001 Yamaha YZF-R6 First Ride appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/uXN9ARtF4YMSource

We’ve already expended a ton of pixels talking about the new Harley-Davidson Pan America, most recently here. But Harley put out even more detailed pics and info in this release a few weeks ago about the all-new 1250 Revolution Max, or “Revmax” V-twin engine, that’s going to power it. Eschewing the “not invented here” mentality it’s famous for, Harley included more sweet details in the new engine than you might’ve expected, including variable valve timing and scissors gear primary drive. Dual counterbalancers on a Harley? That’s correct, because: “Engine balancing contributes to weight reduction and motorcycle performance because engine components do not have to be designed to withstand stress inputs from vibration.” Though they couldn’t resist: “The balancers are tuned to retain just enough vibration to make the motorcycle feel `alive.’” Hydraulic valve adjusters are a thing seldom found on motorcycles but almost always on cars, and we don’t understand why (peak rpm is 9500 here). And though you should never have to remove these cams to adjust valves since they’re hydraulic, you are able to lift the cams out without disassembling the camshaft drive if you need to – ala, the old TL1000 Suzuki and current V Strom 1050 engine. Somebody’s using their noggin. Furthermore, H-D claims 150 horsepower and 94 ft-lbs torque (crankshaft) for its new engine, which is fully 30 hp and 7 ft-lbs more than Indian says its excellent liquid-cooled FTR1200 puts out. H-D’s not meaning to just provide comparable performance, but to blow its upstart competitor out of the water. Not that the Pan America and the FTR are quite in the same motorcycle category, but you know you’ll be seeing the Revmax in a bunch of new Harleys beyond the PA. We’ll have to wait for the dyno to tell the tale. Finally, contrary to what you may have read, Harley’s Paul James would like to point out that this is an entirely new engine, with no parts shared with the Revolution (V-Rod) engine or Revolution X (Street) engine. It was also not a partnered or purchased engine, but rather entirely designed and developed in-house by HDMC and made in Milwaukee. Harley-Davidson Press Release: MILWAUKEE (February 22, 2021) – The Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 and Pan America 1250 Special models are powered by the all-new Revolution Max 1250 engine, a liquid-cooled V-Twin designed to offer flexible, engaging performance with a broad powerband that builds to a rush of high-RPM power surging through the redline. The Revolution Max 1250 engine has been tuned specifically to deliver desirable power characteristics for the Pan America 1250 and Pan America 1250 Special models, with an emphasis on smooth low-end torque delivery and low-speed throttle control applicable to off-road riding. “Through its history Harley-Davidson has embraced technological evolution while respecting the heritage of our brand, with engines that produce real-world performance for real-life riders,” said Harley-Davidson Chief Engineer Alex Bozmoski. “The Revolution Max 1250 is a clean-sheet, advanced-design effort that will carry Pan America riders over new horizons with reliability, efficiency, and exciting performance.” A focus on performance and weight reduction drove both vehicle and engine architecture, material choices, and aggressive component design optimization. To minimize overall motorcycle weight the engine is integrated into the vehicle as the central member of the chassis. The use of lightweight materials helps achieve a desirable power-to-weight ratio. The Revolution Max 1250 engine is assembled at the Harley-Davidson Pilgrim Road Powertrain Operations facility in Wisconsin. Revolution Max 1250 Engine Displacement: 1250cc Bore x Stroke: 4.13 in. (105 mm) x 2.83 in (72 mm) Horsepower: 150 hp Peak Torque: 94 ft. lbs. Peak RPM: 9500 Compression Ratio: 13:1 Revolution Max 1250 Engine Technical Features V-Twin Architecture A V-Twin design provides a narrow powertrain profile that centralizes mass to enhance balance and handling, and also provides ample foot/leg room for the rider. A 60-degree V angle of the cylinders keeps the engine compact while providing space between the cylinders for dual down-draft throttle bodies that maximize air flow and increase performance. Reducing the weight of the powertrain contributes to lower motorcycle weight – reducing weight can enhance every aspect of motorcycle performance: efficiency, acceleration, handling and braking. The use of finite element analysis (FEA) and advanced design optimization techniques in the engine design stage minimized material mass in cast and molded components. For example, as the design progressed, material was removed from the starter gear and camshaft drive gears in an effort to lighten these components. Single-piece aluminum cylinders with nickel silicon carbide-surface galvanic coating are a lightweight design feature. Rocker covers, camshaft covers and primary cover are lightweight magnesium. Stressed Member Powertrain The Revolution Max 1250 powertrain is a structural component of the motorcycle chassis. Notice the big mounting lugs at the rear of both cylinders, and at the rear of the cases. “The cylinder heads are cast from high-strength 354 aluminum alloy. Because the heads act as a chassis mounting point, they are designed to be flexible at that mounting point but rigid over the combustion chamber. This is accomplished in part through targeted heat treating.” The engine serves two functions – providing power and acting as a structural element of the chassis. Eliminating a traditional frame significantly reduces motorcycle weight and results in a very stiff chassis. A front frame element, mid frame element and the tail section bolt directly to the powertrain. The powertrain is designed to be both strong and very rigid so that it can effectively function as a chassis component. The rider realizes optimized performance due to a significant weight savings, a rigid chassis and mass centralization. Liquid Cooling Heat is an enemy of both durability and rider comfort. Liquid cooling the engine maintains a stable and controllable engine and oil temperature for consistent performance in changing environmental and riding situations. Powertrain performance is enhanced by tight component tolerances that can be achieved when engine temperature is controlled (there is less expansion and contraction of metal parts). Desirable engine sounds – a stirring exhaust tone – can predominate because noise from internal engine sources is reduced by liquid cooling. The engine oil is also liquid cooled, which ensures that engine oil performance and durability will be maintained in challenging conditions. The cooling system is designed to be esthetically pleasing, easy to service and rugged. The coolant pump is internal and features high-performance bearings and seals for extended service life. Coolant passages are integrated into a complex stator cover casting to save weight and reduce powertrain width. A coolant drain plug is recessed and guarded by a foot peg to limit vulnerability to damage in off-road riding situations. Offset Connecting Rod Journals The two crankshaft connecting rod journals are offset by 30 degrees. Harley-Davidson leveraged its extensive experience in flat track racing to help inform the cadence of Revolution Max 1250 engine power pulses. The 30-degree offset creates a 90-degree firing order that produces a smooth power delivery, especially at higher RPM. The cylinders are offset slightly to accommodate the crankshaft design, with the rear cylinder positioned to the rider’s left on the crankcase, a choice made to enhance ergonomics. The rider may gain control and confidence because the power pulses of a 90-degree firing order may improve traction in some off-road riding situations. The 90-degree firing order produces a stirring exhaust beat. Forged Aluminum Pistons Piston crowns are machined for precise control of compression ratio. The 13:1 compression ratio improves engine torque at all speeds. This high compression ratio is made possible by advanced knock detection sensors. The engine will require premium-grade (91 octane) fuel to make maximum power, but will run on lower-octane fuel and is protected from detonation by the knock sensor technology. The base of the piston is chamfered so no piston ring compression tool is required for installation. The piston skirt has a low-friction coating. Low-tension piston rings reduce friction, which improves performance. The top ring land is anodized to enhance durability. Oil cooling jets are aimed at the bottom of the pistons to help dissipate combustion heat. Four-Valve Cylinder Heads Four-valve cylinder heads (two intake and two exhaust) permit the largest-possible valve area. The rider realizes an optimal performance profile for adventure touring – strong bottom-end torque with a smooth transition to peak power – because the flow of gasses through the combustion chamber is optimized to match the desired performance requirement and engine displacement. The exhaust valves are sodium-filled to better dissipate heat. Suspended oil passages within the heads are made possible by a complex casting technique, and reduce weight because the head wall thickness is minimized. The cylinder heads are cast from high-strength 354 aluminum alloy. Because the heads act as a chassis mounting point, they are designed to be flexible at that mounting point but rigid over the combustion chamber. This is accomplished in part through targeted heat treating. Double Overhead Camshafts (DOHC) The Revolution Max 1250 engine is equipped with separate intake and exhaust camshafts for each cylinder. The DOHC design facilitates higher-RPM operation by reducing valve train inertia, which produces higher peak horsepower. The DOHC design permits independent Variable Valve Timing (VVT) on the intake and exhaust cam, optimized for the front and rear cylinder, to broaden the powerband. Specific cam profiles are selected to produce the most-desirable performance characteristics. The drive-side camshaft bearing journal is part of the drive sprocket, a design that makes it possible to remove the camshaft for service or a future performance upgrade without disassembling the camshaft drive. The camshaft drive chain guides and sprockets have been optimized to reduce as much mass as possible. The chain tensioner is internally mounted and incorporates design features to minimize start-up clatter. Hydraulic Lash Adjusters The Revolution Max 1250 engine features roller-finger valve actuation with hydraulic lash adjusters. This design ensures that the valves and valve actuators (“fingers”) are in constant contact as engine heat changes. The hydraulic lash adjusters make the valve train maintenance-free, saving the owner time and cost – there is no mechanical adjuster. This design realizes a reduction in undesirable valve train noise, especially on cold starts. This design maintains consistent pressure on the valve stem, which facilitates more-aggressive camshaft profiles which can boost performance. Variable Valve Timing (VVT) The Revolution Max 1250 engine is equipped with computer-controlled Variable Valve Timing (VVT) on both the intake and exhaust camshafts. Through computer control, VVT advances or retards exhaust and intake camshaft timing independently through a potential range of 40 degrees of crankshaft rotation. VVT broadens the overall powerband and improves torque management and efficiency compared to the same engine with fixed valve timing. This allows the same engine to provide both low-end grunt for acceleration off the line as well as the thrill of high-RPM horsepower. VVT may improve fuel efficiency and increase range from each tank of fuel. The timing phaser is located between the cam drive sprocket and the camshaft, and uses a solenoid plunger to control ported hydraulics that change the cam timing. When the engine is shut down, VVT sets intake cams to full retard and exhaust cams to full advance to reduce compression for easier starting. Camshaft position pick-ups are located in the valve covers. Dual Spark Plugs The Revolution Max 1250 engine is equipped with two spark plugs per cylinder. Dual spark plugs improves ignition of the fuel charge across this wide-bore cylinder. The Revolution Max 1250 engine is equipped with “dual side strap” spark plugs that are designed to better manage high temperatures in the combustion chambers than a standard spark plug. Dual Down-Draft Throttle Bodies Separate throttle bodies are located between the cylinders, positioned to create minimal turbulence and impedance to air flow. High-velocity air flow into the combustion chamber is optimized for improved performance. Fuel delivery can be optimized individually for each cylinder, which can improve economy and range. The central location of the throttle bodies permits the ideal position of an 11-liter airbox over the engine. Airbox capacity is optimized for engine performance. The airbox is shaped to permit use of tuned velocity stacks over each throttle body that utilize inertia to pack more air mass into the combustion chamber, which can increase power output. The airbox is formed of glass-filled nylon with integrated internal ribs that help quell resonance and muffle intake noise. A forward-facing intake snorkel directs intake noise away from the rider. Silencing intake noise permits desirable exhaust tone to predominate. The circular base of the washable conical air filter provides an optimal seal to the airbox. Robust Oiling System The engine oiling system is scaled to perform well in challenging conditions. The engine features a dry sump oiling system, with the oil reservoir (or sump) incorporated into the crankcase casting below all rotating parts. This increases performance by reducing the parasitic power loss that can occur when a rotating part must pass through an oil bath. Triple oil scavenge pumps evacuate excess oil from three engine cavities – crankcase, stator cavity and clutch cavity. The rider gains optimal performance as parasitic power loss is reduced because internal engine components do not have to rotate through excess oil. A windage tray prevents the clutch from aerating engine oil, which could degrade oil delivery. The oil feed pump is fitted with a large-capacity screen able to filter debris for the lifespan of the motorcycle. The oil pump is designed to pull vacuum in the crankcase, which can further reduce internal engine friction because lighter piston ring pressure is required to minimize combustion blow-by. Oil delivery to main bearings and connecting rod bearings is delivered through the center of the crankshaft, a design that enables low oil pressure (60-70 psi) that reduces parasitic power loss at high RPM. Fully Balanced Powertrain Internal balancers cancel most engine vibration to enhance rider comfort and improve vehicle durability. Primary balancer: This spiral-shaped, chain-driven balancer located in the crankcase manages the primary vibration created by the crank pins, pistons and connecting rods, and also a “rolling couple,” or side-to-side imbalance, caused by the off-set cylinders. Secondary balancer: A small balancer located in the front cylinder head between the camshafts complements the primary balancer to further reduce vibration. The balancers are tuned to retain just enough vibration to make the motorcycle feel “alive.” Engine balancing contributes to weight reduction and motorcycle performance because engine components do not have to be designed to withstand stress inputs from vibration. Clutch and Transmission The Revolution Max is a unitized powertrain, meaning that the engine and six-speed transmission are housed in a common case. The clutch is mechanically actuated with a large-diameter cable for smooth, consistent disengagement and minimal drag. The clutch assist function offers a lighter feel at the clutch lever while maintaining the ability to transmit full torque and power to the transmission. The clutch features eight friction plates designed to provide consistent engagement at maximum torque throughout the life of the clutch. A clutch slipper function enables the rider to downshift without over-speeding the engine or slipping or hopping the rear wheel. To minimize NVH (noise vibration harshness) the primary gear assembly was designed to achieve the optimal balance of sound quality and performance. A custom-designed scissor gear reduces both backlash and gear meshing noise. Compensation springs in the primary gear smooth out torque pulses from the crankshaft before they reach the transmission, providing consistent torque delivery. The six-speed transmission shift system features roller bearings to support the shift drum and Teflon-coated shift shaft support bushings to minimize frictional losses and optimize shift quality. Internal shift components are durable but also as light as possible to improve shift quality and acceleration by minimizing power losses during shift events. The semi-dry transmission cavity reduces parasitic power loss and increases fuel economy for the customer because gears are not churning through oil. The post More Than You Probably Wanted to Know about the Harley-Davidson 1250 Revolution Max Engine appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/33cotg3BRV8Source

Updated March 2021: If you’re heading into the horizon in search of adventure, you need to be well-equipped. Your gear needs to be as versatile and ready as you are when the pavement ends and the terrain begins to change. Of course, adventure is in the eye of the beholder. Some may prefer more dirt mixed into their cup while others may be perfectly content staying the paved course. The key for choosing the best adventure motorcycle gloves is understanding what kind of adventure you plan to have and choosing the best option (or two) for your needs. We’ve put together a list of adventure motorcycle gloves that runs the gamut from off-road-focused to waterproof, leather and everything in between. Table of Contents 100% Cognito Glove – $40 Alpinestars Belize Drystar Glove – $180 Fox Bomber – $60 Held Sambia Glove – $120 KLIM Badlands Aero Pro Short Glove – $150 Racer Sprint $113 REV’IT! Dominator GTX Glove – $270 REV’IT! Sand 3 – $110 Scorpion Klaw II Glove – $55 Spidi Bora H2Out Glove – $120 Dainese Desert Poon D1 Glove – $55 100% Cognito Glove – $40 If you plan on taking your 500-plus pound motorcycle off-road, you had better plan on working hard once the riding gets difficult. Even on dedicated dirtbikes it doesn’t take much to work up a sweat when riding technical terrain. The 100% Cognito glove represents the off-road end of the spectrum when it comes to adventure riding. The D3O knuckle guard gives additional protection should the odd branch make it past your handguards or in the case of the inevitable tip over. The four-way stretch material on the top allows for maximum mobility, while the Clarino palm complete with silicone grip-enhancing graphics provides a durable and comfortable grip on the bike. A hook-and-loop-type Velcro closure combined with a neoprene cuff gives a positive and comfortable fit. If you’re wrestling an adventure bike in the tough stuff, the 100% Cognito may be the glove you’re looking for. Shop Now Alpinestars Belize Drystar Glove – $180 Adventure gloves should mean never having to turn around, right? Well, that’s what the Alpinestars Belize Drystar glove is all about. Whether you encounter cool temps, wet days, or difficult terrain, the Belize will have your back… er, hands. The Belize Drystar uses a sealed Drystar membrane for waterproofing with a leather outer for maximum abrasion resistance. Adding to the protection are TPU sliders found on the middle two digits as well as the palm and a solid matte carbon knuckle slider. The Belize also has localized perforation to provide better breathability from the Drystar membrane. The impact protection, leather construction, and waterproofing make the Belize Drystar a great option for all sorts of travel. Shop Now Fox Bomber – $60 The Fox Bomber gloves have been a staple of Fox’s off-road lineup for many years. The Bomber combines perforated goatskin leather with a breathable textile chassis to provide a durable yet breathable glove for whatever the trail has to throw at you. The Clarino palm has double layers in high-wear areas as well as silicone graphics for additional grip on the index and middle fingers. While they may only look like carbon fiber, the polycarbonate sliders on both the knuckles and fingers provide excellent impact and abrasion resistance. The Fox Bomber is a glove that lands nicely in the middle between street and dirt giving a versatile solution for both, and if you’re a KTM fan, you can get it in bright orange, too. Shop Now Held Sambia Glove – $120 The Sambia glove from Held is a comfortable yet protective offering from the German company. The palm of the glove is made up of goatskin and kangaroo leather for tactile user response as well as superior abrasion resistance. The edge of the glove, which is most likely to hit the ground first, is reinforced with Superfabric for an additional layer of built on protection. The upper portion of the glove is made up of a breathable stretch-polyamide with rubber inserts for impact absorption throughout as well as a hard plastic knuckle protector. A great option for warm weather ADV rides. Shop Now KLIM Badlands Aero Pro Short Glove – $150 “Built to meet the demands of the intercontinental adventurer,” says KLIM. The Badlands Aero Pro shares the same name as the company’s flagship adventure jacket/pant combo which has been used around the world by serious world-conquering ADV riders. The Badlands Aero Pro is made up of perforated goatskin leather as well as KLIM’s DWR Rodeo leather. On the knuckle and palm KLIM is using its Poron XRD material which provides similar characteristics to the D3O used in the Badlands jacket and pants. Over the top of the knuckle is KLIM’s own version of Superfabric for abrasion resistance. The Aero Pro glove also has a few creature comforts such as the visor wiper on the left index finger, large loops for pulling the gloves on, and a small snap to connect the gloves when you’re not using them. Whether you’re matching it to your Badlands kit or simply looking for a bada** glove, check out the Badlands Aero Pro Short Glove from KLIM. Shop Now Racer Sprint $113 Austrian-based Racer gloves are known for their comfort from day one and the Sprint is no different. The perforated goatskin chassis makes for a soft extremely comfortable glove that gets better with time. The Sprint’s rubber finger sliders, plastic knuckle protector, and padded palm add extra protection to the Sprint’s supple leather construction. With textile stretch panels between the fingers, the fit and breathability of the Sprint are top-notch. Check out our full review for a more in-depth look at the Racer Sprint. MO Tested: Racer Sprint Gloves Shop Now REV’IT! Dominator GTX Glove – $270 An all-weather option from the Dutch company, the REV’IT! Dominator GTX uses Gore-Tex technology as well as Gore Grip to ensure your hands stay warm and dry no matter the conditions. The outer of the Dominator GTX is made up of a few different technical kinds of leather. Goatskin leather that has been drum-dyed with a WR finish is used to provide a soft supple leather while the WR finish gives the goatskin water-repellent and soil-resistant properties without altering its natural look, feel, or breathability. Pittards WR100X Hairsheep Diamond leather is also used which provides excellent waterproofing and perspiration-resistance allowing the leather to stay soft and supple rather than getting stiff upon drying. Not to mention it provides fantastic grip while wet. In addition to the technical leathers used, hard sliders can be found on the fingers as well as full knuckle protection. The Dominator GTX is meant to provide excellent weatherproofing and protection no matter what type of adventure you throw at it. Check out our full review of the REV’IT! Dominator GTX gloves here. MO Tested: REV’IT! Dominator GTX Gloves Review Shop Now REV’IT! Sand 3 – $110 The REV’IT! Sand 4 is a fantastic warm weather glove that allows for great articulation, substantial breathability, and all-day, week, or month comfort. The Sand 4 is made up of goatskin leather that extends down the wrist and wraps the thumb and fourth fingers, as well as touch screen compatible fingertips, air stretch mesh, and PWR|shell 500D stretch. TPR impact protectors are found throughout the fingers, outer edge, thumb, palm, and knuckles and are all pliable to add to a protective yet comfortable fit. The TPR knuckle protector is designed to direct the airflow into the glove and onto the hands of the rider. We’ve put plenty of miles in the Sand 3 and 4 and they are some of our favorite go-to’s for adventure riding. Shop Now Scorpion Klaw II Glove – $55 The Scorpion Klaw II is a short cuff leather glove that punches well above its price point. The Klaw II is made up of goatskin and neoprene giving it a supple comfortable feel with TPU knuckle protectors and rubberized impact protectors on the fingertips. On the palm, Clarino is used for tactile grip on the controls and dense foam provides extra impact absorption. A great option for street-heavy budget-minded ADV riders. Shop Now Spidi Bora H2Out Glove – $120 The Spidi Bora H2Out provides a lightweight, waterproof adventure glove for those moist Spring rides. The Bora H2Out uses Spidi’s own H2Out to provide a waterproof, windproof, yet breathable membrane and combined with a 100g insulation, this glove is great for cooler weather. The goatskin leather, carbon knuckle, and reinforced padding throughout keep the Bora H2Out lightweight, yet protective, while also being waterproof and insulated. A great all-rounder for your ADV gear stable. Shop Now Dainese Desert Poon D1 Glove – $55 Designed to keep your hands cool and comfortable even in desertlike heat and urban stop and go traffic, the Dainese Desert Poon D1 Gloves are light short cuff gloves for warm weather riding. The synthetic suede palm provides an excellent feel on the controls. Open-weave perforated mesh panels on the fingers and backhand flow plenty of air while elasticated breathable fabric runs the perimeter of each finger for a flexible fit and additional airflow between the fingers. A neoprene cuff prevents discomfort where the glove meets the wrist. These gloves fall somewhere in between a traditional off-road glove and a lightweight summer street glove. Shop Now We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. 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Yamaha has been granted a 2022 CARB certification for one its most iconic model names: the YZF-R7. We know this because Motorcycle.com‘s very own Dennis Chung stares at CARB filings like other people stare at artwork. For anyone who has followed Yamaha’s sportbike history, the R7 holds legendary status as the ultra-rare, 750cc four-cylinder the company used to go Superbike racing with names like Haga, Gobert, and many others. Hearing of the model name’s revival, then, is understandably exciting. Except the new R7 won’t be anything close to a fire-breathing 750cc four-banger. Instead, the CARB filing lists the new YZF-R7’s engine as 689cc – the same size as the current parallel-Twin used in the MT-07, XSR700, and Tenere 700. This all but confirms the new R7 will likely be a fully-faired version of the MT-07 – or at least its engine. A fun and playful engine, Yamaha’s CARB filing shows the 689cc, twin-cylinder CP2 will power the upcoming YZF-R7. Ever since the demise of Yamaha’s beloved YZF-R6 four-cylinder supersport, many have wondered what Yamaha would do to fill the gap in its lineup. Other outlets and publications have speculated a fully-faired MT-07 would take up the mantle, but Motorcycle.com has held off on perpetuating those rumors until more solid evidence emerged. That time is now. Of course, there are many more details we want to know that CARB filings won’t tell us, but based on the model codes filed, they suggest the new R7 will have two color options: (Yamaha) blue, and black. Odds are, this, the MT-07, will be the basis for the upcoming YZF-R7. So, other than the fact that Yamaha has a new R7 coming for 2022 based on the existing 689cc, 8-valve, 270º parallel-Twin, the rest of this post will be purely conjecture based on what we’re hoping to see from the new bike. Chassis While there isn’t necessarily anything wrong with the MT-07’s chassis, you come to expect something a bit more refined and focused from Yamaha when you stick on the R prefix. The beauty of the MT-07 is its affordability, and designing, then producing, an all-new frame and swingarm to give the R7 proper track chops would likely drive up costs considerably. If you remember, one reason for the demise of the 600cc supersport class was their high price tags that nearly rivaled their 1000cc counterparts. The R7’s success hinges in large part on keeping with an attainable price. Suspension-wise, the MT-07 uses a traditional 41mm fork and a basic shock with hardly any adjustability. Like we just stated with the chassis, we’d really like to see the R bike use a fork that’s a little more stout, inverted, and with proper, adjustable cartridges inside. A shock with proper valving for sport riding and full adjustability would also be nice. On the braking front, you’ll find dual 298mm rotors on the MT-07, clasped by axial-mounted calipers. They’re actually decent for a budget bike, but once you start playing in sportbike territory, upping the ante to radial-mount calipers, radial master cylinder, and larger rotors is basically mandatory. Oh, and steel-braided lines would be nice, too. Electronics Of course, any new motorcycle these days – and especially a sportbike – is nothing without an array of electronic aids to help the rider go faster, safer. It’s only natural to expect an R1-inspired electronics package to make its way to the R7, complete with IMU-assisted traction control, cornering-ABS, and wheelie control, at minimum. Having a quickshifter that works in both directions would be a huge bonus, as would being greeted with a TFT display. Finally, having full LED lighting would add a premium touch. The trade-off, however, would be additional cost. Keep Dreaming People have been grafting fairings and transplanting R6 front ends to MT-07s to turn them into psuedo-sportbikes since the bike first came out in 2015 as the FZ-07. Now Yamaha is making it official – or at least we think so. Photo: Jim Sendy Again, it’s worth stating that the above wishlist of features is just what we’d like to see and not what Yamaha will (necessarily) deliver. However, when you consider that Aprilia has broken the mold in the sporty middleweight twins category with the RS660, one can only hope that Yamaha will answer the call with the new YZF-R7 – and maybe come in at a price that undercuts the Italian competition. More to come as this news develops. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post Yamaha Is Bringing Back The YZF-R7, According To CARB Certifications appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/-1F94eSniDISource

While we have previously covered the impending bagger and touring variants of the BMW R18, CARB filings have now confirmed plans to deliver these models to the buying public. As published last year with spy pictures, a touring version of the BMW R18 cruiser had been spotted sporting a fork-mounted windscreen and leather saddlebags. A potential competitor to the Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic, this touring model joins the cruiser and fairing-mounted bagger versions we uncovered in design filings in late February 2020. The model in the spy photos verifies a lot of the details we saw in the design filings for the cruiser version. The chassis, fork, fuel tank, fender, seat and single circular instrument nacelle appear to match what we saw in the cruiser. The test bike’s exhaust matches the designs from the bagger’s slash-cut exhaust instead of the cruiser’s bulbous fin-tipped silencers, but the tourer is otherwise identical with the addition of the bags, windscreen and additional lighting. The spied model also has the cruiser’s smaller fuel tank rather than the larger tank on the bagger. The bagger designs also show a thicker one-piece saddle and hard cases while the model in the photos has the cruiser’s smaller seat and leather-wrapped bags. Apart from the obvious addition of a large fairing, front fender and saddlebags, we notice some changes to the chassis. It appears BMW is using a modular chassis design, as the headstock for the bagger is significantly different from the cruiser. Beyond supporting the added weight of the fairing, the chassis change also resulted in a different rake and trail, with the R1800B bagger’s front wheel brought in closer to the header pipes. The standard R18 also has an additional frame component below the seat for mounting passenger foot pegs. The bagger also has a noticeably larger fuel tank and a significantly thicker two-up seat. The cruiser’s exhausts end in a rather bulbous pair of silencers with fin-shaped exhaust tips whereas the bagger has straighter pipes with a slash-cut tip, likely to make more room for the side cases. The R18 as we know it also sports wire-spoke wheels instead of the bagger’s cast wheels, giving the cruiser a more classic styling. The cruiser has one circular instrument nacelle while the bagger’s fairing incorporates four round dials above a rectangular panel which we assume will be the 10.25-inch Bosch TFT display we reported on last November. We spy BMW’s multi-controller dial on the left handlebar grip (absent on the cruiser), further suggesting a digital display. Flanking the instrumentation are two side panels, though it’s hard to tell if these are speakers or additional storage boxes. The fuel tank emblem on the test bike is covered up, but we do see “R18” embossed on the panel behind the rider’s calf, suggesting BMW’s new cruisers will go stick with that name rather than a R1800 nomenclature. After riding the production R18 in September 2020, we’re excited to see how these new variants will stack up. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post BMW R18 Bagger and Touring Variants confirmed by CARB Filings appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/KLdJn0rYXiASource

2021 Yamaha MT-09Editor Score: 89.5%Engine 18.5/20Suspension/Handling 13.0/15 Transmission/Clutch 9.5/10Brakes 8.0/10 Instruments/Controls4.0/5 Ergonomics/Comfort 9.5/10 Appearance/Quality 8.5/10Desirability 9.0/10Value 9.5/10Overall Score89.5/100MT-07, and its spunky 689 twin-cylinder motor, has always been a crowd favorite at MO. MT-10 was an immediate hit with its crazy crossplane 999 cc R1 motor… MT-03 is fine for getting your feet wet… but MT- (nee FZ)-09 has never seemed to quite exactly hit the mark, even though it was close enough to win MO’s coveted Best Value award in 2015. Actually, value is still a big deal with this bike, Yamaha says. The other two sacred pillars are torque and agility. Value-wise, the bottom line has crept up $400 to $9,399, but that’s not bad for a 90%-redesigned Yamaha (though for reasons we’ll get to later, it’s going to be more like $11k). As for torque, the retuned-for-Euro 5 Triple goes from 847 to 890 cc, gaining 6% more twisting force in the process. 2021 Yamaha MT-09 Getting Larger Engine To Meet Euro 5 Standards Yamaha USA’s not saying, but Yamaha UK’s website has it at 68.6 lb-ft at 7000 rpm and 117.4 horsepower at 10,000 rpm. That’s slightly less than a nice Kawasaki Z900 four-banger or KTM 890 Duke, but definitely in the ballpark. Team Yamaha Blue is nice too. Agility-wise, the new MT weighs just 417 pounds, says Yamaha, which is a whopping 51 fewer than a 468-lb Z900 – and 57 less than the 474-lb BMW F900R. Then there’s that other 890 cc elephant in the room, our 2020 Motorcycle of the Year. KTM’s Duke 890 R tipped our scales at 408, wet (when it beat up the 416-lb Triumph Street Triple RS in this comparo last June). Lightness is expensive; both those bikes are quite a bit more money than the Yamaha. Heck, Yamaha says the MT-09 is only 11 pounds heavier than MT-07. FRAMED! Along with that light weight and power, an all-new frame continues the agility theme, adds stability at speed – and to my orbs at least, makes the new bike way easier to gaze upon than the outgoing model. Yamaha have been masters of “Controlled Fill” vacuum die-casting since they first rolled out that technology 15 or so years ago, and sometimes it looked like the engineers were casting complex pieces more to impress each other than to look good on a motorcycle. But the new frame that ties the MT’s headstock to its (new) swingarm is a really graceful work of engineering art. Yamaha says the frame is but 1.7mm thick at its thinnest point, and designed for 50% more lateral stiffness as well as greater strength torsionally and longitudinally. The subframe is also aluminum now instead of steel, which reduces weight by 3.3 lbs. Lowering the steering stem 30mm slightly sharpens the MT’s angle of attack, but Yamaha says trail has actually increased 0.2-inch to 4.3, while rake remains the same 25 degrees as before. May as well have a new swingarm while we’re at it, whose pivot is now contained inside the frame rails instead of outside of it, for greater rigidity and top-whack stability. New “SpinForged” proprietary wheel tech removes 1.5 pounds per set, says Yamaha, enough to reduce rotational inertia 11%. Fitting End It’s been a few years since I’ve ridden an MT-09, but I don’t remember the old one fitting my bod as well as the new one; it seems like the new frame is narrower between your legs, and the new gas tank shape reinforces the feeling of being in a skinny but comfortable cockpit. Meanwhile, the seat’s broad and thick enough to the rear where you actually sit. To make the bike fit more people, the handlebars and footpegs can be adjusted to two different positions; handlebar clamps can be rotated 10mm forward, and the footpeg mounts can be raised 14mm higher and 4mm rearward. For 5’8” me, these are just about perfect ergonomics for a naked sportbike. The 32.5-inch tall saddle is just right and the classic all levers and controls fall readily to hand cliche fits. Taken together with the torquey powerband and lightness, this is about as good as it gets for squirting around in the urban maze. Heck, man, you even get a quickshifter, that does really good work both up- and downshifting. Rolling at 80 mph and 5000 rpm, things remain copacetic and comfortable. CP3 Gen 3 Fuelling was an issue for the first few years of the FZ-09’s life, with Yamaha applying various Band-aids in an attempt to get it right. By 2019 (second year of MT), they definitely had it down, as the XSR900 – also CP3 powered – was good enough to win our comparison against the Indian FTR1200 and Ducati Monster 1200 that year. Ducati Monster 1200S, Indian FTR1200 And 1200S Shootout At The Yamaha XSR900 Corral “Yamaha Chip-controlled Throttle” is a phrase they’ve been throwing around forever, too. But this one’s different: Unlike the system on former models that uses a cable to relay throttle inputs via a pulley, the 2021 MT-09 gets a new “Accelerator Position Sensor Grip” ride-by- wire unit that shaves a little weight while providing excellent throttle feel. With the APSG, says Yamaha, degree of throttle opening is detected by a sensor and magnet, which send signals to the throttle valve motor. “For good operational feel, the APSG is comprised of a spring, slider and gear and produces varying degrees of friction (resistance) to recreate a natural throttle feel during use. The construction of the APSG for the 2021 MT-09 is the same as the one on the 2020 YZF-R1/R1M but has model-specific settings for the degree of friction and throttle opening.” For me, it’s easier to just observe that “carburetion is spot-on,” like we used to do in the old days. Picking up the throttle from low rpm in slow corners is never not smooth, or when rolling it back open from any rpm, and the 6%-torquier, 43 cc-bigger Triple pulls hard toward 10,000 rpm with an even spine-tinglier howl thanks to an airbox re-jiggered for just that effect. Not that you usually rev it out all that far on the road. The fact that first and second gears are a bit taller than before (1st gear goes from 2.666 to 2.571; 2nd from 2.000 to 1.947), and the crankshaft is a bit heavier, probably also helps with smooth power delivery. The air scoops in front now actually do direct air toward the airbox openings, and the dual downward-firing woofers bounce sound waves off the ground and rock walls like your old Bose 901s. The wide seat makes your butt look less big than it is. Inside that engine, virtually every major component is new, including the pistons, connecting rods, camshafts, and crankcases. Stroke is 3mm longer than before, but connecting rods are 1.5mm shorter, which made keeping the same engine height possible. Compression ratio stays at 11.5:1. Now we’re Euro 5 compliant, and Yamaha says we’re even 11% more fuel efficient – up to 49 mpg. Which could come in handy since fuel capacity is only 3.7 gallons. All-new stainless steel exhaust and engine are 3.7 lbs lighter. The catalyst heats up quicker just aft of the headpipes, and the under-engine layout gives better mass centralization just like Erik Buell said it would. Sport Mode You get the usual modes, but they’re not labelled typically Sport, Road or Rain, as you wouldn’t want the consumer to grow complacent. TCS is, you guessed it, traction control. SCS is Slide Control System (MotoGP-derived says Yamaha), and LIF is lift, or wheelie control; 1 is less intervention, 2 is a bit more, Off is ahhhh, off. These functions are all informed by the MT-09’s first IMU, which is the same one as the 2020 R1’s but now 30% smaller. Independently of that, there are four “D-modes” for tailoring throttle response: Mode 1 gives the sharpest response, Mode 2 is slightly more mellow… mode 4 is the most tame throttle map, and the engine doesn’t get to full power in it. Rain mode is what every other manufacturer calls it. Finally, there are two BC, or brake modes, also R1-derived: BC1 gives you fixed ABS sensitivity. Mode BC2 has “ABS sensitivity increasing with bank angle and slip rate data from the IMU,” ie., lean-sensitive. Dunno why you wouldn’t just leave it in BC2 all the time, but there’s a lot to love here in a $9,400 motorcycle. For chasing our merry band of motojournalists and a couple of Yamaha test pilots around some nice SoCal canyons on a dry day with temps in the 60s, it was mode 1 all the way and BC2, and dang the torpedoes, full speed ahead. Once your Bridgestone Battlax S22s on their light new wheels are up to temperature, and even before that, the MT encourages spirited riding. Great ergonomics, big torque, and light weight. The new bike’s chassis feels lively but not loose, and feeds back really good road feel – just like that last XSR900 did, and a bit more. It’s fun to brake deep into corners, feeling the edges of the tires, and smoothly blend throttle back in with zero lags or hiccups. Your new Nissin radial master cylinder provides great front brake touchy-feeliness, if not the outright braking power from its 298mm discs of some of its competitors. You need two firm fingers for hard decel. Mash the rear too; with ABS, what could go wrong? The new bike has serious horsepower, too, and the excellent up/down quickshifter makes it easy and fun to use all of it, as you attempt to keep up with the pack while deciding if downshifting for the corners or concentrating on roll speed is faster? Screw it, downshifting is more fun, thanks to the quickshifter, and I take back what I said about seldom revving the Triple to redline as group dynamics take hold after lunch on Sand Canyon… The new 3.5-inch TFT clearly gets the job done, without being gaudy like some. We’re not watching the Superbowl are we? The tach changes colors as it climbs across the screen. Suspenseful We’re using the same basic 41mm KYB inverted front fork from before, “with new settings to match the character of the new compact frame for a smoother, more controlled ride. These settings slightly reduce movement in the pitch direction but make it easier for the rider to feel the suspension working while riding.” Our Yamaha rep is currently working on what that means exactly. Front and rear suspension are adjustable for spring preload and rebound damping; the fork is also adjustable for compression damping. Again, the XSR900 we tested two years ago had great suspension, better than the last MT-09 we rode – and these new MT units feel a lot like the XSR ones, perfectly capable for everything up to and including aggressive sport riding, even if they don’t have quite the plushness or control of some more expensive motorcycles over the bumps in a straight line. Accelerating WFO over bumps and expecting maybe a little headshake, the MT forges serenely ahead. On its side, it feels like that cool new frame is also absorbing bumps; its front engine mounts hang from the same kind of long “ears” as Yamaha’s MotoGP bike. They actually made the outer fork tube sections between the triple clamps thinner, to further “tune” the chassis. Crazy. Anyway, it’s a superfun, low-stress bike to fling around in the canyons: Powerful but not too powerful, light and comfortable, confidence-inspiring, highly tractable. Your KTM Scalpel (ie, 890 Duke) might have a few more horses and more sophisticated suspension, but I bet there wouldn’t be much in it between the two. But where’s the cruise control button? It’s on the MT-09 SP, fool. Other choice morsels on the SP include an upscale gold-tubed 41mm KYB fork adjustable for preload, rebound, and high- and low-speed compression – with Diamond Like Carbon (DLC)-coated sliders. Out back resides the holy of holies, a fully adjustable Öhlins shock with remote reservoir and preload adjuster. Yamaha says it provides stronger damping force compared to the base model while providing good comfort, and improved bump absorption “with less stroke feeling.” It’s still on the Dark Side of Japan, but the SP will be here soon. I was a bit miffed at Yamaha when they said the SP was going to be in the $12,000 range, because it would be BS! to charge people $2600 for cruise control! But maybe I misheard, because the SP has now appeared on the US website, and it’s bearing a $10,999 price tag. I guess that’s not so bad. Sadly, there were no SPs on hand for us to sample on our ride day last week, but $11k seems like a smoking deal for all the things the SP’s got going on – especially if that suspension is as good as it looks on paper. Of course we’ve got accessories, including this flyscreen. Heck, $9400 isn’t bad for the base model either, complete with quickshifter, IMU-based electronics, full LED lighting including new turn signals… but yours truly would definitely need the SP and the cc button for $1600 more. Naked 900s (or whatever this class is called now) is a vicious battleground, but it feels like Yamaha’s finally done right by its most excellent CP3 Triple, and by the motorcycling masses for keeping it cheap. Ish. Bring on the Scalpel, Euroweenies! Let’s rumble. 2021 Yamaha MT-09 + Highs Third gen’s the charm? Mucho moto for $9,399 Dunno about you but I’ll need the SP – Sighs Cruise should be a stand-alone $300 accessory Good brakes, but not great brakes… 3.7-gallon tank could be bigger In Gear Helmet: Shoei Neotec 2 Splicer $799 Jacket: Vanson AR3 $562.50 Gloves: Reax Superfly Mesh $69 Jeans: Trilobite Parado Elastic Men’s Jeans $219 Boots: Sidi Arcadia Tex $179 2021 Yamaha MT-09 Specifications MSRP $9,399 Engine Type 890cc liquid-cooled inline-three cylinder, DOHC, four valves per cylinder Bore and Stroke 78.0mm x 62.1mm Compression Ratio 11.5:1 Horsepower 117.4 horsepower at 10,000 (Yamaha UK claimed, crankshaft) Torque 68.6 lb-ft at 7000 rpm (Yamaha UK claimed, crankshaft) Transmission 6-speed; slip-assist clutch; up/down quickshifter Final Drive Chain Front Suspension 41mm inverted KYB fork; adjustable for spring preload, rebound damping, compression damping, 5.1-inch travel Rear Suspension Single shock; adjustable for spring preload and rebound damping, 4.8-in travel Front Brake Two 298mm discs, radial-mount four-piston calipers, lean-sensitive ABS Rear Brake 245mm disc, lean-sensitive ABS Front Tire 120/70-R17 Rear Tire 180/55-R17 Rake/Trail 25 deg/4.3 in. Wheelbase 56.3 in. Seat Height 32.5 in. Curb Weight (Claimed) 417 lbs. Fuel Capacity 3.7 gal. Colors Storm Fluo; Matte Raven Black; Team Yamaha Blue Warranty One year limited warranty The post 2021 Yamaha MT-09 Review – First Ride appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/uezeZkAiAc4Source

There’s a steep learning curve for anyone starting out in motorcycling – and that’s before you even start to talk about what gear to put on. If nothing else, there’s no more important piece of safety gear than a helmet, and even if you live in a state where wearing one isn’t mandatory, the Motorcycle.com staff can’t stress enough the importance of wearing one anyway. We get it. Helmets are expensive, with prices for some premium lids hovering close to a thousand dollars. But not to worry, there are several helmets out there with price tags that are much easier to swallow. We’re going to highlight some of them here. Before we begin, if you came here looking for half- or three-quarter helmets, you won’t find them in this list. All the helmets here cover the entire head, including the face. One last thing. If none of the ones you see here appeal to you and you end up on the hunt for an affordable helmet elsewhere, be sure to check that the budget helmet you’re looking at is DOT approved at minimum. It’s even better if the helmet meets the requirements for SNELL or ECE approval (they’ll usually have a sticker on the back saying as much). Table of Contents Bell Qualifier Full-Face Motorcycle Helmet - $115 LS2 Stream Street Helmet - $120 HJC CL-17 Full-Face Helmet - $130 Scorpion Exo EXO-R2000 Full Face Helmet - $130 LS2 Strobe Helmet - $130 Bell SRT Modular Full-Face Helmet - $170 HJC IS-MAX II Modular Helmet - $208 ScorpionExo EXO-GT920 Full Face Modular Helmet - $220 Bell Qualifier Full-Face Motorcycle Helmet - $115 The Bell name is synonymous with helmets, and the Qualifier packs features gleaned directly from the flagship Star line, but at an affordable price. Two vents at the top of the helmet and one at the chin flows a lot of air through to the rider’s head, while the NutraFog II shield is resistant to fogging and scratching. Combine that with its Velocity Flow ventilation, a removable, washable liner, integrated speaker pockets and a padded wind collar, and you’ve got a nice helmet at an affordable price. Helmet ships with clear shield. Shop Now LS2 Stream Street Helmet - $120 LS2 is a lesser-known helmet company in America, but the Spanish company is known in other parts of the world for its helmets. With the Stream helmet, LS2 is bringing a DOT and ECE approved full-face helmet for under $130. LS2 is able to do this because of its factory-direct pricing. Not only that, but the Stream also includes a built-in, drop down sunshield, too. Inside, it starts with a lightweight, aerodynamic shell made of LS2’s proprietary high performance HPTT polycarbonate alloy. The technical fabric comfort liner includes cheek pads cut from one solid piece of high quality foam using LS2’s 3D Laser Technology for a perfect fit and no “hot spots.” It’s fully removable and washable, too. The Stream has a tool-less quick release mechanism for fast shield changes, and the shields are scratch resistant, optically correct, and Pin lock ready. Covered by a five-year warranty, the Stream is ideal for intermediate oval head shapes. Shop Now HJC CL-17 Full-Face Helmet - $130 Despite its $130 price tag, the HJC CL-17 was developed using CAD technology (then again, aren’t they all?). It features a polycarbonate composite shell that’s lightweight and offers a comfortable fit. Inside the helmet you’ll find a fully removable liner and cheekpads with anti-bacterial, moisture-wicking fabric. For a truly custom fit, all sizes of cheek pads are interchangeable in all helmet sizes. To help keep your head cool, HJC employs what it calls its Advanced Channeling System for full front-to-back airflow to keep heat and humidity at bay. An anti-scratch Pinlock-ready shield also blocks 95% of the sun’s UV rays and can be replaced quickly and easily without tools. Meets or Exceeds SNELL and DOT standards. Shop Now Scorpion Exo EXO-R2000 Full Face Helmet - $130 The Scorpion EXO-GT3000 has established itself in the highly competitive fiberglass modular helmet category for offering premium features at an affordable price. Its impressive list of features starts with the TCT-Ultra prepreg shell that offers lightweight combined with an extremely aerodynamic profile. Also included are features such as ScorpionExo’s AirFit liner inflation system (think inflatable cheek pads) for a customizable fit, EverClear SpeedView drop-down sun visor for different light conditions, and Everclear No-Fog face shield. Additionally, the helmet easily accommodates most communications systems. One-handed operation of the chin bar and face shield means it’s easy to open and gives a positive lock when closed. From top to bottom, the EXO-GT3000 provides comfort, protection, and function. Shop Now LS2 Strobe Helmet - $130 Another LS2 helmet, and the first modular on the list, is the LS2 Strobe modular full-face motorcycle helmet. We opened this piece saying there were no three-quarter helmets on this list, but a modular helmet is almost a loophole, offering full-face coverage with the convenience of a three-quarter at a stop (most modular helmets are meant to be closed when riding). The full-metal latch system operates smoothly and offers a super secure closure for safety. It opens with a single button that’s easy to find and easy to use, even with a heavy winter glove. The chin bar has a secure detent when fully opened, so it stays in place. More than just a modular, the Strobe also has a built-in Twin Shield System Sun Shield, so you get the sun protection you want, and can quickly get more light when entering a tunnel or darker area by flipping it up and out of the way. The face shield is optically correct, scratch resistant, and has a tool-less quick release making it easy to change. Inside, the liner wicks moisture, and is removable and washable. 3D Laser Cut foam in the cheek pads make for a secure and comfortable fit, and a quick release strap makes it easy to get on and off. Shop Now Bell SRT Modular Full-Face Helmet - $170 Following the LS2 modular helmet is a version from Bell, the SRT Modular – also available as a non-modular version simply called the SRT. Both feature a fiberglass shell, recessed EPS speaker pockets, a broad range of sizing options and class-1 Panovision optics. The beauty of the modular version, obviously, is having the versatility and convenience of a modular helmet. An ideal sport-touring helmet, the SRT Modular is available in several different graphics. Or black, if that’s your thing. Shop Now HJC IS-MAX II Modular Helmet - $208 Modulars are popular on this list for good reason – they are very versatile. The is-MAX II from HJC is another example. Its polycarbonate shell and chinbar were designed in CAD to give optimum fit while still being lightweight. If you peek closely at the picture you’ll see a drop-down sun visor that pops in and out via a slider on top of the helmet, easily accessible with gloved hands. A single button at the chin opens the chinbar and is also easy to use. HJC’s Advanced Channeling Ventilation System (ACS) gives you full front-to-back airflow to dissipate heat and humidity as quickly as possible. A tool-less shield changing mechanism makes it easy to swap, though you probably won’t need to since you have the drop-down sun shade. Nonetheless, the shield blocks out 95% of UV rays and is ready to accept a Pinlock insert (sold separately). Shop Now ScorpionExo EXO-GT920 Full Face Modular Helmet - $220 Rounding out this list is the EXO-GT920 modular helmet from Scorpion. While there’s nothing wrong with the other modulars on this list, some might wish for a modular that has a more racy look. The EXO-GT920 is that helmet. With all the features of a modular helmet wrapped in a low-profile and sleek design of a race helmet, the EXO-GT920’s shell is constructed from advanced LG polycarbonate for light weight and strength, and features a modular chin bar. Beneath the shell lies a dual-density EPS liner for optimum energy displacement in a crash. Other features include a drop-down sun visor for bright daylight conditions, KwikWick II liner for moisture management and comfort, as well as aero-tuned ventilation to keep you cool and ventilated on hot days. Shop Now We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews. Learn more about how this works. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post Best Beginner Motorcycle Helmets appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/pK_0gZcHq5gSource

2022 Indian FTR R CarbonEditor Score: 91.25%Engine 19.0/20Suspension/Handling 14.0/15 Transmission/Clutch 8.25/10Brakes 9.25/10 Instruments/Controls4.25/5 Ergonomics/Comfort 9.0/10 Appearance/Quality 9.5/10Desirability 10.0/10Value 8.0/10Overall Score91.25/100Different is good. Change is good. Not fitting precisely into a predetermined category is good. That was the take-away from many when the Indian FTR1200 hit the market in 2019. Made in America with naked bike styling, a flat-track-esque wheel combo, and a rowdy performance-focused V-Twin engine, the FTR was unlike anything to come from an American manufacturer for quite some time – and arguably the best culmination of its mass-produced parts ever assembled Stateside. Sometimes though, being different for the sake of being different just isn’t practical. Indian, of course, brought the production FTR to market hot on the heels of its ongoing success in American Flat Track. With its launch, Indian wanted to imbue the production model with as much flat track DNA as possible. Win on Sunday, sell on Monday, right? The FTR’s raucous V-Twin and 19/18-inch wheel combo helped differentiate it from anything else currently on offer around the globe. Indian hasn’t exactly been tight-lipped with its plans of what now makes up most of the 2022 Indian FTR line, having hinted at a more street performance focused version back in 2019. Pilfered screenshots of an alleged Indian/Polaris presentation confirmed this with a 2021 model year designation. Also of interest was the inclusion of an FTR-based adventure model to follow in 2022. These timelines have likely been pushed due to COVID-related circumstances, but with the models we were fortunate enough to test in Arizona this month now surfacing, we’re hopeful that the rest of the purported plans are underway as well. 2022 Indian FTR The Indian FTR line has undergone a bit of rearranging. Three of the four FTR’s get the street-focused overhaul while the FTR Rally will continue on as it were – mostly. The FTR, FTR S, and FTR R Carbon are the new monikers. With the new names comes a welcome slew of changes to make the machines better on the street and easier to live with. To set up the FTR’s new street focus, the bike’s geometry was scrutinized. The new 25.3°-degree rake is a full degree steeper than the previous model thanks to the shorter suspension and smaller wheels, and trail is now just over a full inch shorter at 3.9 inches. This change combined with more standard 17-inch cast wheels (wrapped with Metzeler Sportec rubber) and less suspension travel – down from 5.9 inches to 4.7 – has resulted in a reduction to seat height of nearly 1.5 inches. We’re told the footpegs are ever so slightly higher for increased cornering clearance, and the handlebar is narrower (to the tune of 1.5 inches), while the former was negligible, the latter works in conjunction with the aforementioned changes to help transform the riding experience of the Indian FTR. These changes mark a vast improvement in the FTR’s approachability and the likelihood of more riders feeling comfortable with the machine. I recently read a comment on our site that a prospective FTR buyer who was short of inseam had his dreams of ownership dashed after throwing a leg over one at a local bike night. The bike was too tall. This should no longer be an issue for many interested parties. Mural Artist: Miguel Angel Godoy What I was most interested in couldn’t be ascertained from simply sitting on the new FTRs. There was one nagging issue that soured the Indian FTR for me when I first managed to pluck one away from my colleagues, and that was centered around fueling and throttle response. I had the chance to sample the base version, the race replica, and Rally at different times, and they all seemed to suffer from the same problems, but at varying severity. The base model that I had in my garage would die just seconds after being started every time I pulled it from the garage, sometimes more than once while waiting for the bike to “warm up.” (JB doesn’t remember having any issues with the bike dying, but they say memory is the first thing to go…) All of them suffered from abrupt throttle response at low rpm, though the Rally version that we tested back in October of 2020 seemed to be the least affected. I could look past it to enjoy the motorcycle for what it is while it was freely placed in my garage, but it wasn’t quite up to par with what the motorcycling public has come to – and should – expect from a major manufacturer these days. Tons of accessories are available including the pictured side covers and high pipes. So, naturally, when the Indian execs told us these issues – which they have heard from editors and customers alike – had been remedied, I could not wait to have a rip on the new and improved FTR. The Rally model will remain relatively unchanged with its 19/18 inch wire wheels and high handlebar but will receive the engine tuning updates as the other models have. Other updates for the 2022 model year include fully adjustable suspension: ZF Sachs on the FTR and S models with Öhlins bestowed upon the R Carbon model. Akrapovič silencers are now found on the S and R Carbon models as well. As before, moving up from the standard model gets you a 4.3 inch touchscreen display as well as IMU-based ABS and TC in addition to Bluetooth connectivity. TC is either on or off on these models, and ABS cannot be disabled. Otherwise, the machines are much the same as they were in previous years. Ready to rip Since producing an event of any type is hard these days, and given the measures that Indian went to in order for the assembled test riders to have a go at their new FTRs, I was forced onto the top-o-the-line FTR R Carbon for the duration of our test ride and did not have the opportunity to ride the S or base model while at the event. Woe is me. When I was told we would be based out of Phoenix for the press ride, I must admit I was curious how the riding would pan out. I’ve never spent a whole lot of time in Phoenix or the surrounding area so I didn’t really know what to expect. Turns out, the fact that we would have to do a bit of bobbling around town followed by time on the freeway to and from some spectacular riding gave a great all around test of the machine. One that even the afternoon’s treacherous haboob couldn’t sully. Cruise control is standard across all models. As you might expect, sitting on the machines is a completely different experience from the previous models. The low seat height and narrow bars feel a bit more in line with what one might expect from most standard/naked bikes on the market. The motorcycle’s weight feels nicely balanced as well. To further drive the point home of the difference in rider triangle and seat height, Indian had brought out a few Rally models for a seat-to-seat reference. While the handlebar bend is different, there is still a massive difference between the width of the grips and of course the seat height. Inching forward as we took off, the clutch engagement point is still really close to the handlebar, and it’s as grabby as it always had been. Still, it’s really something that you warm up to quickly and that I’ve come to enjoy. The front brake lever is adjustable whereas the cable-actuated clutch is not. Model shown with accessory fly-screen. Rolling around town at low speed through construction with a large group of riders quickly showcased that the low rpm abruptness in fueling was a thing of the past. It also fired up ferociously and without stumble – from cold – before we left. Had my prayers been answered? It seemed at that point my prior niggles with the bike had been worked out. With the rear cylinder deactivation feature turned on (which deactivates the rear cylinder when the bike is at a standstill), the bike never got too hot in town either. Just as we managed to get out of town onto some curvy roads, it was time for a break. The long sweeping corners we’d made it through didn’t do much to convey the potential performance enhancement that the smaller wheels would provide, rather it was just a tease. The last FTR we had around was the Rally model which weighed in at 522 lbs on the MO scales fully fuelled. Despite the ‘22 model’s new dancing shoes, its weight is still evident through switchbacks. Before too long we were separated into smaller groups and let loose on one of the most fun roads I’ve had a chance to ride recently, and I finally got a chance to test the FTR R Carbon’s performance. I’ve always likened the FTR to an American muscle car. Its snarling V-Twin lope is reminiscent of some big-block V8. The hit of acceleration that one experiences from the FTR is also similar. It is a beast, and now, with the stuttering fuel issues and abrupt throttle gone, one can take full advantage of letting the torquey V-Twin dip low into the rpm-range to rocket out of each corner. The smaller wheels do make the FTR feel like a more nimble dance partner, and the entire package feels slightly more refined as though its rough edges have been smoothed out just enough, but not so much as to take the excitement out of the machine. The same 3.4-gallon tank remains inside the bike’s subframe. Since mileage isn’t likely to be great thanks to the heavy hand you’ll be goaded into using, don’t expect much more than 100 miles to a tank. During our last comparison with the FTR Rally we returned an average of 33 mpg. For sporty riding, the Öhlins units on my R Carbon could have been stiffened up a bit, but overall, the stock setting was just fine. I felt the underside of the exhaust bottom in the middle of an apex with a nice dip in it, but the suspenders kept things copacetic. Still, damping was smooth and never felt harsh. Smooth is what you need to be with the FTR too. The S and R Carbon still have Rain, Street, and Sport riding modes. There were some on our ride who kept Rain selected the entire time as the kick in the seat from Street or Sport was too much. For the folks in our group it was Sport mode or nothing at all. This is where being smooth helps. The FTR is a serious motorcycle with a serious wallop of power low in the revs. In order to ride the machine fast, smoothness is preferred. Whack the throttle before you’ve given up enough lean angle and dire consequences are inevitable. Even TC won’t save you from yourself. While we aren’t peacocking Stylemas, the Brembo braking components, braided lines, and radially-mounted master cylinder and calipers do just fine to get the FTR’s 320mm front rotors slowed in a hurry. If I wanted to nitpick, the initial bite is somewhat soft, but the power is there promptly and confidently slows things down. Without a lot of weight over the rear it’s easy to dip into the rear wheel’s ABS, but again, the bike doesn’t have any issues stopping. On the FTR R Carbon, with a thoughtful right hand, the entire ride was a visceral experience. From idle to full throttle through the canyons, the 1203 cc V-Twin delivers performance and sound unlike anything else. Its delivery of torque is brutish and exhilarating, and while it peters out toward redline, a quick shift (not to be confused with quickshift because we’re still doing things manually in that department) brings the feeling back. The confidence-inspiring suspension and braking components allow the ride to be uneventful if you respect it. Not to mention the R Carbon is dripping in its namesake, and its metal flecked paint damn near had me drooling at every stop. She is a looker, no doubt. An emotional experience The emotion that the FTR stirs up inside of me is similar to that of the 2015 Aprilia Tuono V4R sitting in my garage that I bought new back in 2016. That’s not to say that the Indian could hold a candle to the outright performance of the Aprilia, but both powerplants, the level of finish, and the happiness that I get from riding them, or hell, even being around them are similar, but at the same time different. The R carbon that I rode in Phoenix is actually a fair bit more expensive than that Tuono. At $16,999, it’s not cheap. While the top-of-the-line FTR has remained unchanged in terms of pricing, the base and S models have dropped $500 putting them at $12,999 and $13,999, respectively. I don’t think the 2022 Indian FTR is about outright performance though. That’s not me making an excuse for the machine either because it doesn’t need any. It’s about how you feel when you’re riding it and what twisting the throttle does for you as you hustle through a set of curves. It’s about turning around for one last glance across the parking lot or garage as you walk away from it. It’s about being proud of an American brand pushing the performance envelope in a new way. If a motorcycle doesn’t make you feel some sort of way, what’s the point? As I said to my wife right before I started this review, “The FTR is just a lot of f*cking fun.” 2022 Indian FTR + Highs Rowdy V-Twin will have your back in a bar fight Looks to get the girl/guy In R Carbon trim, easily keeps its sh*t together – Sighs Not exactly a cheap date Drinks a lot Could stand to lose a few pounds In Gear Helmet: Shoei X-14 $770 Jacket: REV’IT! Mantis Jacket $460 Gloves: REV’IT! Prime Gloves $100 Jeans: Pando Moto Steel Black Jeans – Discontinued Boots: Dainese Axial D1 Air Boots $530 2019 Indian FTR1200 Specifications MSRP FTR, $12,999, FTR S $14,999 / FTR R Carbon $16,999 Engine Type 1203 cc liquid-cooled 60-degree V-twin, DOHC, four valves per cylinder Bore and Stroke 102 x 73.6mm Compression Ratio 12.5:1 Rear Wheel Horsepower 120 hp (claimed) Torque 87 lb-ft at 6000 rpm (claimed) Transmission 6-speed, slip/assist clutch Final Drive #525 chain Front Suspension 43mm ZF Sachs Fully Adjustable Inverted Telescopic Cartridge Fork 4.7 in. travel / 43mm Ohlins Fully Adjustable Inverted Telescopic Cartridge Fork. 4.7 in. travel Rear Suspension ZF Sachs Fully Adjustable Piggyback IFP, 4.7 in. travel / Ohlins Fully Adjustable Piggyback IFP, 4.7 in. travel Front Brake Brembo Dual 320mm t5 Rotor, 4-Piston Caliper Rear Brake Brembo Single 260mm t5 Rotor, 2-Piston Caliper Front Tire Metzeler Sportec M9 RR 120/70ZR17 58W Rear Tire Metzeler Sportec M9 RR 180/55ZR17 73W Rake/Trail 25.3°, 3.9 inch Wheelbase 60.0 in. Seat Height 30.7 in. Curb weight 514 lbs / 513 lbs (claimed) Fuel Capacity 3.4 gallons Warranty 2 Years, unlimited miles Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post 2022 Indian FTR 1200 Review – First Ride appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/3IBBgl5YcgQSource

Insta360 appears to be the first action camera company that has a real possibility of disrupting the giant action camera gorilla in the room that is GoPro. There have been other companies over the years that offered a quality video image and image control sometimes even surpassing GoPro, but none of them could compete with the ease of mounting and presence in the marketplace that GoPro has enjoyed. Perhaps this will change with the release of Insta360 second iteration of their tiny “GO” camera, the Insta360 GO 2. MO Tested: Insta360 OneX Camera Review Back in May, during the height of lockdown, I got the cushy video assignment of shooting a product review video in my living room on another Insta360 product. The OneX (reviewed here) was my introduction to Insta360 as a brand, as well as my introduction to using a consumer 360 degree camera. What struck me about the OneX is that they’re offering 360 video capture technology in a package that is instantly accessible to anyone with a computer or smartphone. While not perfect, I came away impressed with its ability to capture all the action around it while letting the user decide later what they want the audience to see (the whole point of 360 cameras). The phone app that Insta360 developed offered easy control of the camera and a host of ways to manipulate and share footage. Perhaps the biggest surprise was some of the novel approaches to capturing unique perspectives with video modes like Bullet-Time, Hyperlapse Time Shift, and Deep Track automatic subject tracking in post. Flow-State stabilization worked very well. Naturally, I had few criticisms, but you can read about them in the review. Shop for the Insta360 GO 2 here Much as the Insta360 OneX showed me how much I was missing out on the capture capability that is 360 video, the GO 2 showed me how useful it can be to have an always-ready-to-go action camera which fits discreetly in your pocket. For $300, this tiny 27 gram marvel packs 6-axis stabilization just like your $40,000 Panigale R, remote start/stop/power up, 120 fps slow motion @ 1080p, Timelapse, Time Shift Hyperlapse, HDR video, and resolution up to 1440p at 30 or 50 fps through a 120 degree ultra wide lens with adjustable view modes. Unlike your smartphone, this camera is tiny, rugged, easy to mount just about anywhere, and best of all, utilizes auto horizon leveling technology combined with Flow-State Stabilization to automatically keep your shots level and free of jitters and bounce. Does it replace traditional action cameras? Can 1440p resolution cut the mustard in a world of 4K, 6K, and 5.7K 360 cameras? Or does it fill its own niche? Click on the video link below to find out.  The post MO Tested: Insta360 GO 2 Review appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/ISQiHM-_ssYSource

Updated, March, 2021 There are two kinds of gloves in this world: those with gauntlets and those without. For the most protection from an unscheduled dismount, and from the weather, the gauntleted glove is the way to go, since its gauntlet is the part that extends up to protect your wrist and seal around the outside of your sleeve – in addition to a wrist closure. Chances of it coming off your hand in a crash are greatly reduced (which is why you’ll never see anybody on a roadrace bike in anything but gauntleted gloves), and the chance of a polar vortex blowing up your sleeve are also negated. When it comes to outright protection in glove form, racing gloves are the way to go. But if you don’t really need 150-mph crash protection, there are plenty of other gauntlet gloves you can choose from that are much more affordable than their full-race cousins and more suitable for everyday use. There are dozens upon dozens of gauntlet gloves to choose from that can handle everything from sport riding to touring and everything in between, including the occasional track day. Here are just a select few, presented in alphabetical order. Table of Contents Aerostich Elkskin Gauntlets – $87 Alpinestars SP-2 v2 Gloves – $140 Cortech Scarab 2.0 Gloves – $95 Firstgear Kinetic Gloves – $70 Five RFX3 Leather Gloves – $130 Held Air N Dry Gloves – $250-275 Helimot Buffalo Pro – $209 Joe Rocket Flexium TX Gloves – $90 Racer MultiTop 2 Waterproof Gloves – $150 Rev’It Metis Gloves – $130 RS Taichi GP-X Gloves – $110 Spidi STR-5 Gloves – $140 Aerostich Elkskin Gauntlets – $87 Like lots of things Aerostich sells to go the distance, these will need a bit of breaking in: Once that’s accomplished, lots of rider swear by these. These have elkskin palms, for great feel and durability. Supple deerskin in other areas provides lightweight protection and comfort. A knuckle impact pad adds further protection. Adjustable, gusseted gauntlets seal over jacket sleeves, and wrist closures use both an elasticized area and a reversed hook-and-loop strap for quick adjustability. The left thumb is equipped with a resilient visor squeegee. The Brown leather on the Brown/Natural version pictured has been specially treated to give these additional water resistant qualities compared to the Black and Natural models. These come in full and half sizes 8.5-13, insulated or not, and there’s a handy size chart on Aerostich’s site, where Mr. Objective thinks of everything. Or, try them on in person if you’re passing through Duluth. Bottom Line/Supple and simple Shop Now Alpinestars SP-2 v2 Gloves – $140 The second version of the SP2 glove (hence the V2), this is one of many do-a-little-bit-of-everything gloves from Alpinestars. The general construction of the glove was modeled loosely around Alpinestars’ race gloves, as you can see by the TPU injected knuckle armor, but the SP2 is entirely cow leather. Accordion panels across the fingers and thumb provide greater flexibility compared to its predecessor, and lots of perforation from wrist to tip provide air flow. Dual wrist closures help keep the glove in place, and synthetic suede reinforcements are placed in key areas to resist abrasion. An underappreciated, and easily overlooked, addition is the small elastic panel between the thumb and first finger that provides a little more comfort. Lastly, the tips of the thumb and first finger are touchscreen compatible to operate your touchscreen devices. Bottom Line/Racy style and everyday wearability Shop Now Cortech Scarab 2.0 Gloves – $95 At 95 bucks, the Scarabs are a lot of glove for the money. A comfortable, supple and tough goatskin shell contains a fleece liner, an Hipora waterproof liner and 100g 3M Thinsulate insulation – for three-season cold and inclement weather protection. Hitena knuckle and wrist guards provide impact protection, along with PU foam protectors on the fingers and heels of the hand. These too are touchscreen compatible, with a TPR shield wiper blade and 3M Scotchlite reflective piping for visibility. Bottom Line/Feature-packed bargain Shop Now Firstgear Kinetic Gloves – $70 These leather Firstgear jobs get high marks from everybody for their fit, comfort, and durability – also for their non-flashy, just-the-basics construction. Soft leather panels and articulated fingers give great mobility while the padded knuckle and finger armor and Knox SPS sliders mean solid protection. You also get smartphone compatible touch sensitive index fingers and thumbs, a shield wiper on the left index finger, and reflective details for after-dark visibility. Also – a two-year warranty. Bottom Line/A great, solid glove for only $70 Shop Now Five RFX3 Leather Gloves – $130 The RFX3 glove from Five takes heavy inspiration from its more race-oriented cousin with its goatskin construction providing suppleness, and TPR injection molding on the wrist and palm slider providing high levels of protection for those delicate areas. Of course there’s hard knuckle armor (wrapped in perforated leather), accordion panels across the fingers and thumb for flexibility, and dual wrist closures to keep everything in place. The RFX3 has a lot of the same features as a true race glove but at a much more agreeable price. Bottom Line/Racy but not pricey Shop Now Held Air N Dry Gloves – $250-275 Right, thanks to GORE-TEX 2in1 technology, these are basically two gloves in one. The first chamber is unlined and fully perforated for warm-weather breathability. The second chamber is 100% waterproof, thanks to the GORE-TEX lining. Outside, you’ll find abrasion-resistant, touchy-feely kangaroo palms allied with a DuPont CORDURA leather-detailed back lining. Impact protection takes the form of molded knuckle guards and SUPERFABRIC for an extremely high level of abrasion-resistance. Elasticated leather panels on back, thumb & fingers add to the gloves’ flexibility, 3M SCOTCHLITE reflectors add visibility. Bottom Line/Two gloves (or is that four?) for the price of one Shop Now Helimot Buffalo Pro – $209 Riders up and down the San Francisco bay area and Pacific Northwest will tell you Helimot is the best-kept secret in motorcycle protection. That’s because Helimot blends comfort and safety differently than the big names, and makes everything right here in the USA. Constructed from deerskin, the Buffalo pro is liner-less, but features a squeegee on the finger (you don’t know how useful this is until you try it) and reflective taping on the fingers for better visibility. The velcro retaining strap goes over the wrist unlike most other gloves that place it under, in a more vulnerable area, the fingers are pre-curved, and knuckle protection is via thick memory foam, not injection molded armor. Company founder Helmut Kluckner is committed to both comfort and safety, and will help tailor the glove to the customer or help with repairs in the event of a crash (repairs, he claims, are largely superficial most the time). Helimot customers drink the Kool-Aid, but only because the product works and lasts a long time. Bottom Line/Old-world, custom craftsmanship Shop Now Joe Rocket Flexium TX Gloves – $90 The Flexium TX glove is a no-nonsense gauntlet glove that won’t break the bank. Genuine cowhide leather is topped with double stitching throughout, and extra layers of leather are integrated into the palm and side to help resist abrasion in a crash. Injection molded knuckle armor features air vents for a little circulation while riding. Accordion panels across the fingers and thumb provide good flexibility, while a large velcro cuff is supported by a secondary wrist strap to keep the glove securely in place. Bottom Line/Great gloves at a great price Shop Now Racer MultiTop 2 Waterproof Gloves – $150 For sport-touring riders who are committed to riding twisty roads no matter the weather, the Racer MultiTop 2 Waterproof gloves should be right up their alley. On the surface, the MultiTop 2 has similar features to the other gloves on this list – leather outer with kangaroo palms, carbon fiber knuckle and finger armor, padded palm protectors with a kevlar underlining, plus extra grip material along the hand for better feel at the controls. What sets this glove apart is the waterproof/breathable lining, which provides a layer against wind and cold that the other gloves here don’t. This could be the difference between a three-season or four-season glove depending on your cold tolerance. Bottom Line/All-weather performance glove Shop Now Rev’It Metis Gloves – $130 Rev’It has the style game down, and the Metis is just another example. Derived from the company’s equally stylish race gloves, the Metis features goatskin construction for instant comfort and feel while still providing excellent abrasion resistance. TPU knuckle armor takes the hit should you fall, and Temperfoam underneath reduces the amount of impact energy reaching your hand. Little foam protectors can be found above the fingers, and generous use of accordion paneling across the fingers and metatarsals allow your hands to flex freely. Bottom Line/High-value targets from the Netherlands Shop Now RS Taichi GP-X Gloves – $110 For a glove barely tipping over the $100 barrier, the GP-X glove by RS Taichi is a very solid choice. Billed as RS Taichi’s entry level sport/street glove, the GP-X is a full-length gauntlet design with full leather outer construction and a polyester lining inside. It’s got more features than you’d expect: carbon knuckle protection, velcro closures, and flex paneling on the first three fingers for better range of movement. The “floating” knuckle armor allows the hand to move more freely, and strategic use of foam padding helps mitigate injuries in a fall. But what impressed us about the gloves when we reviewed them was how comfortable they were, instantly. Bottom Line/Japanese quality, exquisite comfort Shop Now Spidi STR-5 Gloves – $140 Arriving near the end of the alphabet, the Spidi STR-5 gloves draw their inspiration from the track, but are suitable for a wide range of street-focused riding. Constructed from 0.6mm – 0.8mm goat leather combined with high-resistance suede microfiber in reinforcement areas, the STR-5 promises great comfort combined with positive feel at the controls. Generous use of padding along the side and back of the hand keeps much of the impact energy away from your hand in a fall, and carbon knuckle protection is par for the course for gloves at this level. A large foam pad on the palms, again reinforced with suede microfiber, helps protect the key area that’s often the first part of the hand to touch the ground in a crash. Dual wrist closures ensure the glove stays put. Bottom Line/Italian style and performance Shop Now We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews. Learn more about how this works. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post Best Gauntlet Motorcycle Gloves appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/SixiHdHkt_USource

In between feedings for his newborn child, Motorcycle.com’s sleuth, Dennis Chung, has informed us that Harley-Davidson has filed a new trademark application in Europe for the name Nightster. Why do we care? Because the Sportster line has been discontinued in Europe, and in the US it only exists in three forms: the Iron 883, Iron 1200, and Forty-Eight – a far cry from the heyday of the Sportster line. Because of this, it’s hard to believe that Harley would simply let one of its most legendary model lines fade away into the depths of history. That Harley is using Nightster, a name for a previous Sportster, would suggest the Sportster line’s replacement will still be called Sportsters (this was always likely, but this further cements it). It’s hard to say with any more detail what Harley has up its sleeve at this point, but The Motor Company has also previously filed trademarks both in Europe and the US for 48X, which could be another potential new Sportster. This isn’t much of a stretch for the imagination, of course, considering the Forty-Eight we currently have. So, an evolution of the model is likely (hence the X in the name). The Harley-Davidson Custom 1250 concept has long been believed to be the successor to the Sportster, but we’ve got a hunch the liquid-cooled line will be separate from the air-cooled Sportster line, if H-D is able to pull it off. A little more interesting is the name Bareknuckle, which Harley has also registered previously. There was speculation this was going to be what ended up being the Bronx streetfighter, which debuted as a concept alongside the Pan America adventure-touring model. As we now know, thanks to Harley’s new ReWire plan, the Bronx will just be an interesting side note in the history books (and the Harley-Davidson museum). But what about the Bareknuckle name? If it ends up a Sportster, it would be the first new name in the revived Sportster line, and not a rehash or slightly revised name like Nightster and 48X. Where do we go from here? Only time will tell. When we know more, we’ll post it here. We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews and other articles. Learn more about how this works. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post Harley-Davidson Trademarks Nightster, Hinting At The Future Of The Sportster Line appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/UoYF0vwcJZoSource

In between feedings for his newborn child, Motorcycle.com’s sleuth, Dennis Chung, has informed us that certification filings in Australia have given us a little bit more information about the 2021 Harley-Davidson Livewire. The first of the major manufacturers to produce a full-fledged electric motorcycle, the Livewire brings with it some cutting-edge technology and performance. Eventually, though, every motorcycle needs to get updated and the Livewire is no exception. The Australian certification filing doesn’t necessarily tell us a great deal, but what it does tell us is pretty important: The weight has gone up and the power has gone down. According to the 2020 filing, the Livewire is listed at 249 kg (549 lbs) and 78 kW (105 hp) at 11,000 rpm. The 2021 filing shows revised numbers of 255 kg (562 lbs) and 75 kW (101 hp) at 10,500 rpm. If it turns out to be true, a slight dip in power in exchange for a bigger battery (and more weight) might be a fair trade. That’s all we know so far, but while initial impressions about more weight and less power are obviously bad, the reason behind it could be significant: more range via a larger battery. When it comes to electrics, consumers are always looking for more range. Obviously, a bigger battery is one way to get there. With a bigger battery comes some extra pounds, but we’re guessing Livewire enthusiasts won’t be complaining too much about these new changes. This is all speculation, of course. We don’t know a thing about other updates or changes made – and you know there will be more. Once more information is made available, we’ll be sure to post it here. Are you a fan of the Livewire? Join the HD Livewire Forum! We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews and other articles. Learn more about how this works. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post 2021 Harley-Davidson Livewire Adds Weight, Loses Power appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/E668KYv03aYSource

This February it was all about five middleweight adventure bikes; 20 Febs ago it was all about five middleweight sportbikes, in our annual World Supersport Shootout. Wait, four: We have no Kawasaki, but we do have a Ducati 748S. We also have tiny photos and solos by MO founder, Brent Plummer, and by Roland Sands and the usual fin de siecle MO suspects. And so, without further adieu… World SuperSport Shootout, Part I By MO Staff Feb. 09, 2001 2001 World SuperSport Shootout, Part ITorrance, California, February 9, 2001 — MO had a deep thought recently — really, we did. It was a sad day, for sure, but one prompted by our readers when you told us to quit ditzing around on the racetrack and make our 600cc test all about real-world riding instead of track performance like we often do. “What blasphemy is this,” spouted Managing Editor Brent Avis, “have they all gone mad?” The problem is that ranking sportbikes from quantitative times is easy and, more importantly, it’s definitive: ride ’em, go fast, pick the fastest. Minimal disputes, few flames, no thinking. And, equally pertinent to us at MO, it’s fun. Mat Mladin being passed by Carl Fogarty. Not. Associate Squid Kim, wishing he were Mat Mladin, not designated MO Slow Guy. Truth be told, the numbers way is also easy on us: Sportbike riders are the most judgemental, most cantankerous pain-in-the-feedback-ass group out there, bar none. No other group even comes close to the level of whine a Sportbike Squid can proffer forth. Believe us, after seven years and millions of posts and e-mails from whining squids, it gets old. But we digress. Sales figures show that the fastest bike is generally the one that has the most advertisements about winning races and, consequently, sells the best. So, a purely street-oriented test would neglect this clearly significant aspect of the numbers game. Conversely, y’all made it explicitly clear that the Old Way was lame. Many of you realized that you’ll never drag knee on a racetrack (or the street, for that matter) and want to base your buying decision on something that more closely resembles riding situations that fall in line with your own. Thus, here was our bright idea: Similar to MO’s Open Inlines winner Vs. Open Twins winner, we’ll take the race bikes out first, rank ’em, and bring the top two bikes over to test against the remaining “street” bikes — the later being machines that are unchanged-for-2001, or those that are likely to be of second-tier status in the confines of a racetrack. So here, now, you have Part One of MO’s 2001 World SuperSport Shootout: The Race Replicas. One of our sycophantic test-riders, caught in the act of actually leaning in hard for the opportunity to kiss Editor Brent Plummer’s ass. The contenders are Honda’s new CBR600F4i, Yamaha’s reworked YZF600-R6, Suzuki’s fuel-injected GSX-R600 and Ducati’s 748S (Part Two will pit the winner against Kawasaki’s ZX-6R and Triumph’s TT600). They all look fine and dandy, some mildly racier than the others, but it takes more than close inspection of bodywork to discern each bike’s true intent; unless, of course, you’re one of those aforementioned Squids that just wants the fastest bike made so you can feel cooler than your buddies. If that’s the case, this story is over: Get the GSX-R600. It’s the fastest track bike here, plain and simple, albeit it bests the R6 by a very narrow margin, it’s Numero Uno Squidly Ride this year. So, you’re done here, go play with the on-board racetrack videos and then tell the world how fast you aren’t. For the discerning consumer, the decision is harder. This class has become rather bi-polarized with some manufacturers choosing to produce a race-replica while others prefer a do-everything platform. Somewhere more towards the “comfort” side of the scale rests Honda’s CBR600F4i and, to a lesser extent, Yamaha’s YZF-R6. The Honda underwent a host of changes that we already previewed, and it does a nice job of combining track styling and performance-based ergos with the sort of civility that makes it the consistent top-seller in this class. Well, everybody. Not surprisingly, the two bikes that are narrowly track-focused are Suzuki’s GSX-R600 and Ducati’s 748S. Both bikes have riding positions that are not uncommonly referred to as “torture racks” by people who only take things at face value without ever exploring the method behind the madness. But of these bikes, only one makes the sort of triple-digit horsepower that’s necessary to conquer the Supersport classes while the remaining bike does things its own way and makes about 15 horses less. But which of these bikes is best for you? Glad you asked, since we had a lot of fun, er, did a lot of hard work in trying to help you make your next buying decision. To really suck the marrow out of the bone that is World Supersport competition, it’s important to remember that this is the class that many manufacturers hang their hats on. They sell more 600-class machines than any other. So, this is bread and butter time, folks. To that end, we explored the challengers at considerable length on both the street and the racetrack. Somewhere in all of this madness of logistics and mother nature eliminating our dragstrip runs (for now), we came out with a winner. Fourth Place:Ducati 748S With apologies to the poet: A Ducati waits for me, she contains all, nothing is lacking; Yet all were lacking if sex were lacking, or if the moisture of the right rider were lacking. — Confused by this caption? Ride one of these and all will be made clear. The poetry you’ll have to look up, though, because you read motorcycle magazines and therefore probably have no idea who Walt Whitman is. Insulted? Flame us. A strange thing happened — again. With all the changes to these Supersport bikes, Calvin still has a place in his heart for the Ducati even though it finished in last place. Calvin is, surprisingly, not alone this time, though. To say that more than a few testers praised the Ducati’s chassis would be an understatement. It still has one of the best chassis around. This, however, is not a surprise, given its lineage to Ducati’s own all-conquering 996. Our 748 was the “S” model which, compared to the stock bike, ups the ante with Showa suspension (complete with ti-nitride-coated forks), Marchesini five-spoke wheels and a rake-adjustable steering head. Tasty bits all, but they couldn’t do anything to help the bike in the department that needs the most attention: the motor. As good as a bike’s chassis may be, there’s just no making up so much lost ground when all the other bikes are so close together, or far ahead as this case may be. This doesn’t mean the Ducati is a bad bike, though. It has the sort of racetrack feel and precision that only the Suzuki comes closest to emulating. Only thing is, the Ducati requires a different riding style than the other bikes and quite a bit of money spent to bring the motor up to the levels that enable it to attain front-runner status in the World Supersport wars. Yes, in fact, we ARE shockingly immature. So screw you. Wheelies are cool and we’ll do them whenever we want. We rule. But they’re illegal on the street, so don’t go blaming us if you break your neck. We can’t help it if you long to be us. The Showa suspension required nary a moment of fiddling all day on the track, though we did prefer a few clicks less compression damping on the street. The original-fitment tires worked well — some of the best in test, these Pirelli Dragon Corses — and things only got better with the Metzeler race rubber at the track. Other than a lack of motor, about the only thing we can complain about with the Ducati would be that we would like brakes that are a bit stronger. They required quite the firm tug to get things slowed down. Handling and ground clearance was superb. If you touch anything down on the 748, your next ride will be either for the factory-supported World Supersport team or in the back of an ambulance. We loved the way the Ducati went about its business at the track, never letting you feel like you were anywhere near the bike’s edge, but that you were always well taken care of by seignore’ Ducati. On the street, however, the suspension provided a ride that was just too stiff to consider covering any real distance. And the motor, even on the street, could have used a bit more oomph, though we unanimously agreed that it made the most beautiful noises of any bike here. About the only edge the Duc’ has over its competitors, on the street at least, is in the visceral department. It turns more heads and tickles more senses than anything else. But track potential and sense-tickling are just not enough nowadays. Third Place:Suzuki GSX-R600 Roland, compensating for a small … engine. Or something. “The racers here all like the Suzuki best,” quipped Plummer after our testing was done, “but every time you rev it, it shakes so hard it feels like it’s going to blow up! It’s disconcerting, un-nerving and I just don’t like it. After riding all the other bikes back-to-back with the Suzuki, I’d never buy this for a street bike.” “True,” counters Avis, “it does feel like it’s going to blow up, but GSX-Rs never do. They’re the workhorses of American club racing.” Valid points, both, but at the end of the day two things remain: The Gixer shakes badly and vibrates harshly, not fun for longer rides, or even zips up to redline if you’re sensitive to that sort of thing. Second, real racers go fastest on the Suzuki, the rest of us mortals don’t. For this bike to be third is really a shame, but our readers (yeah, you, buddy!) wanted us to be more street-biased in our overall tally of things, leaving racers to read deep into our words to find their perfect race day mount. And for track days, this bike is about as good as they come from the factory. Associate Squid Kim proving that he can be passed just as well on his right as on his left. Pumping out 103 horses at the rear wheel, Suzuki’s latest 600 makes the sort of horsepower that some open-classers made less than a decade ago. The motor is then wrapped up in a chassis that’s second only to Ducati’s 748 in terms of feel and feedback, but at a price that’s significantly less. We loved the way the Suzuki felt at the track, with its precise manners on turn-in that were one-upped only by the bike’s mid-corner feel, leading into full throttle application on the way out as the motor spun up to its 14,500 rpm redline. The Suzuki’s mill, though it has the edge on the others at peak, seemed a bit flatter than the Yammie in the mid-range, coming off corners. Bottom-end power was right on line with the other contenders, and the transition from low to mid to top-end was littered with very few peaks or valleys of power that would ever threaten to break traction or excite pulses beyond the race track norm’. PAGE 2 The post Church of MO: 2001 World Supersport Shootout appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/OHxkGGixlE8Source

Who’s the most exciting motorcycle manufacturer in the world? It’s Kawasaki, and I wasn’t really aware of the fact until they loaned us a few supercharged motorcycles: an H2 SX SE a couple of years ago, followed up lately by an H2 Carbon sportbike, and now an Z H2 naked bike. What they all have in common is Kawi’s excellent supercharged 998 cc inline Four – an engine that made over 200 rear-wheel horsepower in the H2 Carbon without really even breaking a sweat: 205.5 hp @ 11,600 rpm. It helps that all the Rivermark-branded systems surrounding those engines are top-notch as well. Not that the supercharged motorcycle is anything new: BMW was force-feeding its boxers as early as 1925, and by the late `30s the 492 cc Type 255 was the fastest thing going. In 1936, Ernst Henne set a new land speed record of just over 169 mph on the autobahn between Frankfurt and Darmstadt. In roadracing trim, BMW said the Kompressor was good for 80 horsepower at 8000 rpm. But let’s face it. The H2s are all expensive motorcycles; the Z naked H2 is the cheapest of them, at $17,500. It probably wasn’t inexpensive to develop that supercharger. After they tried to farm the job out to the specialists and were told it couldn’t be done without a bulky intercooler, Kawasaki took things in-house and seem to have succeeded spectacularly. If history is any indication, these blown Kawasakis will be just as hard to kill as everything else the Japanese megalith builds, including the earlier GPz750 Turbo, which is to say very. BLOWHARDS! 1984 Kawasaki GPz750 Turbo Vs. 2020 Kawasaki H2 Carbon Vs. Ken Vreeke And JB Left: Kawasaki H2 charger is reasonably compact. Right: So was the BMW Kompressor’s, bolted to the front of the engine. Why’d they do it? Because they’re Kawasaki, and have a history of blowing up the status quo with irresponsible motorcycles. But in the 21st century, there are other forces at work also – legal ones that require ever-constricting combustion cleanliness, for which supercharged engines are particularly well-suited. If you follow cars at all, you’re already aware that those manufacturers have been getting lower emissions and better fuel mileage through the use of turbo and superchargers for a while. Even stuffed with extra fuel and air, smaller displacement engines still produce fewer noxious emissions than bigger ones. Heck, Volvo’s latest T6 Polestar engine uses a turbocharger and a supercharger to produce 362 horsepower, from just two liters. Which is good in car terms, but not as good as the H2’s 200+ horses from one liter. More rpm equals more problems… Motorcycle engines’ biggest emissions hurdle – especially high-revving ones – is in the hydrocarbons department, HC, where the requirement has dropped from 0.170 grams/kilometer under Euro 4, to 0.100 g/km under the new Euro 5 regs. Hydrocarbons are unburnt fuel, quite a bit of which escapes due to the kind of long valve overlap high-revving things like Kawasaki ZX-10Rs require in order to make 168 horsepower at 11,800 rpm (the last time we dyno’d one, in 2017). Alas, keeping up with the World Superbike Joneses hasn’t made life any easier: Kawi’s UK site says the new, 2021 ZX-10R makes max power at 13,500 rpm. The 2021 ZX-10R’s engine relies on high rpm to make its horsepower, resulting in more emissions. Making power at really high rpm means exhaust valves have to open early and close late to let all the gas out, which is great for power but not for emissions. Likewise intake valves; all that overlap, when both intake and exhausts are open at the same time, lets more fuel blow through without being burned. 2018 Kawasaki H2 SX SE First Ride Review Reviewing Kawasaki’s H2 SX SE a couple years ago (whose sport-touring tuned blown H2 only made a measly 172 horses to the H2 Carbon’s 205), we wrote: There are more powerful 1000cc sportbikes than the ZX-10, including the 180-hp Aprilia RSV4RR and 177-hp BMW S1000RR that duked it out in last year’s Superbike Shootout. But they make their power well past 13,000 rpm; you have to work for it a little. The H2’s artificial air inseminator lets its 998cc four-cylinder produce its peak at just 10,300 rpm. And even more to the point is the fact that the H2’s blown motor is making more torque way sooner – 89 pound-feet of the stuff at just 8600 rpm. The S1000RR puts out 80 lb-ft at 9600 rpm, the Aprilia 78 lb-ft at 11,300. Getting the same power with less rpm is a win/win situation for rider and environment. An H2 feels like it’s always rolling downhill ahead of a strong tailwind; the torque’s the thing most of the time on the street. And our 2018 H2 SX SE recorded 40 mpg, too – anywhere from 2 to 8 mpg better than the 2017 superbikes from that last big comparison. Carbon Dioxide Strangely enough, one of the nasty byproducts of combustion Euro 5 does not address is CO2, good old carbon dioxide. Maybe that’s because CO2 isn’t poisonous like the others? But, and it’s a big but, CO2 is the gas an increasing number of countries are basing their increasingly popular carbon taxes upon. On most European websites, “grams/kilometer of CO2” is now a spec in the chart along with “bore x stroke” and the rest of them, to allow dealers and customers to anticipate their bottom line. Here’s a sampling of them from Kawasaki’s UK website:You’d think, I would anyway, that two 1-liter inline four-cylinder Kawasaki engines making almost the same power would spit out the same amount of emissions. We’d both be wrong. The H2’s supercharger lets it use more conservative valve timing, and its lower-compression pistons also help it achieve a more complete burn. So complete, in fact, that the H2 isn’t much nastier than the old Vulcan 650 it makes over three times as much power as. As far as the noxious gases Euro 5 actually does control, the Z H2 continues to outperform, matching the ZX-10R’s 1.0 g/km of HC and NOX, and spitting out even less deadly CO – 1.23 g to the ZX-10R’s 1.457 (and again comparing favorably to the Vulcan 650’s 1.118 g/km of CO). Meanwhile at MV Agusta… We turned to our friend Brian Gillen, R&D Director of MV Agusta for enlightenment: Please note that HC, CO and NOx emissions requirements are ever-tightening and that during the WMTC (world motorcycle test cycle) emissions test, a lower geometric compression ratio with reduced squish can help reduce the NOx generation. Having a turbo/supercharger then allows you to recover the compression ratio by force, over-filling the cylinder and upping the effective compression ratio, and allowing you to reach the desired performance targets. At the same time, you can have very low overlap valve timing which helps eliminate the short-circuiting of fresh fuel/air directly from the intake tract to the exhaust, thus reducing HC emissions. It’s a win-win. Given all the benefits of supercharging, why did we stop doing it anyway? Mostly because when racing restarted in 1946 after WW2, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) banned forced induction from road racing. It was a way to keep both costs and fatalities down. And until very recently on the historic timeline, nobody gave a damn about cleaning up exhaust emissions. Lots of people still don’t. Before the war, everybody was supercharging engines, from BMW to Brough Superior to DKW and right across the board, in a crazy era when tires and chassis and fairings were learning how to deal with 160 mph plus speeds the hard way. Hmmm, not sure I want to go 274.181 km/h (170.3 mph) on the Gilera 500 Rondine, like Piero Taruffi did on 21 October 1937 on the Milano-Bergamo motorway. The Rondine won a bunch of international races in the years before WW2, as well as the world speed record. (Wikiwand photo) Mostly, motorcycles have been fast enough for most of us this last half century without the added complexity and expense of super- or turbocharging. The hands-on accessibility of bikes has always been a big part of the charm until not long ago. But now, as manufacturers begin coming up with more complex strategies like variable valve timing, in an attempt to meet Euro 5 and beyond (our man Dennis Chung wrote an excellent coping-with-Euro 5 article here two years ago), supercharging begins to look relatively simple – especially with the new electronic controls that didn’t exist when all the Japanese OEMs tried their hand at turbocharging in the early 1980s. The Copenhagen Connection Kawasaki deserves full credit for its revolutionary 2015 H2R and the later street versions of that beast, but its very cool planetary drive supercharger may not have been quite as groundbreaking as we were led to believe. Since the 1970s, a little-known company in Copenhagen (meaning, I didn’t know about it until Brian Gillen mentioned it) called Rotrex has been in the business of speed, and had its first supercharger drive patented in 1996. Kawasaki’s planetary drive system, illustrated here, looks quite bit like Rotrex’s “traction drive” one. Similar to Kawasaki’s unit, Rotrex’s advanced “traction drive” system is able to greatly step up impeller speed from engine speed, achieving impeller speeds way above 100,000 rpm. And like Kawasaki’s supercharger, Rotrex does it without the aid of an intercooler, which makes it easy to package on a motorcycle. It’s all about the “adiabatic efficiency,” according to this article in Hot Rod from 2005. Adiabatic efficiency describes an air compressor’s ability to compress air without increasing air-charge temperature. The higher the efficiency, the lower the intake-charge temperature and the higher the density of the compressed air-cooler… In a perfect world, a compressor would be 100 percent adiabatic efficient, but in the real world, adiabatic efficiencies range from a low of about 40-50 percent for a Roots-type supercharger to slightly above 80 percent for the most efficient turbochargers. A typical centrifugal supercharger is about 60-65 percent efficient, but according to Rotrex, the higher impeller speeds its units generate elevate them into turbocharger efficiency ranges of up to 80 percent or higher. Kawasaki’s H2 unit spins its impeller up to 130,000 rpm or so. How hard would it be to put one of these on a motorcycle? Not very, apparently, since Rotrex has been selling kits for a bunch of bikes for years – including Harley’s new Milwaukee 8s (and now defunct V-Rod). But Rotrex’s bread and butter is definitely automotive; kits for the Camaro SS on its site claim to take that 6.2-liter Chevy V-eight from 455 to 610 or 750+ horsepower. Maybe I’m reaching the stage where I’ve forgotten more than I ever knew about motorcycles? Now I remember seeing this Rotrex-charged Triumph in Austin a couple years ago. Its owner, Boris Loera, said it went from 96 hp and 82 ft-lbs, to 156 and 132. Rotrex sells the very nice kit for around $4000. Which jogged me into remembering this Rotrex-charged Mellow Motorcycles Thruxton we saw at the Cologne show in 2018. Interesting, isn’t it? All our man at Kawasaki is allowed to say is,“Kawasaki is always looking at the market and developing new product for our consumers. While we cannot comment on future models, our Supercharged family of motorcycles has been a huge hit in the market and we continue to look at this technology and future applications.” I think that means that after they went to all the expense to develop that supercharger tech, they’d be fools not to use it going forward. Lots of the magazines are full of conjecture about the possibility of a new supercharged Eliminator like the old ZL1000. And why not, since Kawasaki has now already built a naked H2, a few sporty ones, and the SX SE sport-tourer (my favorite). This artist’s rendering of what a new H2 cruiser might look like on the cover of Japan’s Young Machine a while ago got the chattering classes chattering. Where do we go from here? Personally, I’d be more excited to see Kawasaki supercharge a midsize bike to give it liter-bike power. A 135-horsepower ZX-6R wouldn’t be a bad thing, but an 80-hp Versys 650 ADV bike with about 70 lb-ft of torque, a low seat, and a cruise control button would be even better for me most days. After explaining to me the advantages of supercharging and calling it a win-win, Brain Gillen at MV Agusta closed with, “yes, we’ve been working on a project at MV for some time now!” and closed with a winking smiley emoji. All but one of MV’s models are powered by its excellent 798 cc Triple, with current horsepower claims ranging from 110 to 153 hp. Add 40% to those numbers for a general idea. Maybe BMW is just waiting for the 2025 model year to come around, which will be a nice, even century since it built its first supercharged motorcycle? This one’s a `29 WR750, with kompressor just beneath your mantackle. (Kawasaki says it was very careful to make sure the housing is strong enough to contain the shrapnel in the event of an impeller failure.) Who knows, but sometimes life has a way of reasserting why old sayings like “it’s always darkest before the dawn” still apply (though it may be time to throw out “there’s no replacement for displacement”). Weirdly, nearly all the Euro 5 bikes I’ve ridden run better in stock form than the Euro 4 versions did, but the screws are only going to tighten further going forward regarding exhaust emissions. And can we please bypass, in the Comments section, whether that makes sense or not? Governments gotta govern. The naysayers were certain emissions controls were going to bankrupt Detroit in 1970, when the US Congress passed the first Clean Air Act, which required a 90 percent reduction in emissions from new automobiles by 1975. There were definitely some dark years while the engineers figured it out (and while you could buy late-model muscle cars for like 5% of what they go for now unless you were a penniless youth), but current Detroit products will bury any Hemi Cuda, stock for stock, without asphyxiating following traffic or requiring toxic, leaded fuel. All to say, if you’re saddened by electric motorcycles, and already mourning the demise of internal combustion, you might be a little early to the funeral; a whole renaissance of highly advanced, yet 1930s-simple supercharged motorcycles might shortly be upon us. Related reading: Kawasaki Development of Supercharged Motorcycle Engines Turbocharging, Supercharging To Help In Engine Downsizing, Emissions Compliance Bonham’s: 1939 BMW RS 255 Kompressor The post The Amazing History of Supercharged Motorcycles: And What the Future Holds appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/XlJABkds0OsSource

Updated March 2021 All boots are not created equal. Like motorcycles, we can always find a reason to have one more in the garage. Of course, if we had to have one, the touring genre usually fits the bill for being pretty good at a lot of things. Touring boots are generally weatherproof, comfortable, and somewhat understated to work well in a variety of situations. We looked at the brands and offerings currently on the market and put together a list of some of the best motorcycle touring boots we could find to bring you a one-stop peek into what makes these boots stand out. Table of Contents Alpinestars Radon Drystar – $200 Cortech Turret WP Boots – $140 Dainese Dinamica D-WP – $230 Daytona Road Star GTX – $449 Icon Joker WP – $225 REV’IT! Discovery OutDry – $500 Sidi Canyon Gore-Tex – $325 TCX Clima Surround – $300 Tourmaster Solution 2.0 WP – $130 Alpinestars Radon Drystar – $200 The Radon Drystar boot from Alpinestars is a subtle technical touring boot complete with the Drystar waterproof liner to keep you warm and dry. The outer of the boot is made up of microfiber rather than leather to hold up better in adverse weather conditions and provide better abrasion resistance than leather in a lighter package. In terms of protection, the Radon features a TPU shin plate, a TPR panel on the lateral toe, internally reinforced toe box and heel counter, dual-density foam protectors on both sides of the ankle, and a reinforced shank through the footbed. To allow for a custom fit the Radon features two Velcro straps around the lower and upper ankle with the top closure using a Velcro fold-over type design. For just under $200, the Radon Drystar is a lightweight, waterproof offering that will keep you going mile after mile. Shop Now Cortech Turret WP Boots – $140 The Cortech Turret WP uses a three-layer HiPora waterproof, breathable membrane in addition to water-repellent leather, wear-resistant nubuck leather, and a PU upper to provide an all-season boot for your touring needs. Alloy buckles and a hook-and-loop Velcro calf closure provide a secure fit while the gusseted liner provides waterproofing all the way to the top of the boot. The TecnoGI thermoplastic heel cup and toe cap provide welcome protection while high-density foam and molded nylon protects both sides of the ankle. The Turret also uses an “unbreakable, anti-twist” molded nylon midsole to reinforce the bottom of the boot. Reflective 3M accents can be found on the heel for extra visibility, and the sole is made of oil- and gas-resistant vulcanized rubber. The Cortech Turret WP is a great option at a great price. Shop Now Dainese Dinamica D-WP – $230 The Dainese Dinamica D-WP is the shortest sporty offering on our list simply included for variety. Not everyone wants a knee-high. The Dinamica uses Dainese’s D-WP waterproof breathable membrane to keep your feet warm and dry in less than desirable riding conditions. The Dinamica uses a very sturdy heel cup and toe box for crush protection as well as a reinforced shank through the bottom of the shoe and ankle cups to protect your malleoli. A single zip closure in the rear makes this riding shoe easy to slip into. Unlike many of the blacked-out offerings on this list, the Dinamica comes in three colors: black with red accents, black with yellow accents, and of course, murdered-out black to the floor. If you’re looking for waterproof short and sport, look no further than the Dainese Dinamica D-WP. Shop Now Daytona Road Star GTX – $449 Daytona boots may not be as well known here in the states as Dainese or Alpinestars, but the German company has been producing quality boots by hand since 1968. The Daytona Road Star GTX is made of hydrophobic cowhide with a Gore-Tex membrane baked into the construction. Velcro closures and adjustment panels offer a wide range of fitment and the two zip fasteners on either side make donning these boots easy after you’ve set the Velcro where you want. Ankle protection is provided by plastic and open-cell foam as is the shin, while a plastic reinforced inner sole with a steel inlay makes for a sturdy sole. 3M Scotchlite heel reflectors are incorporated and non-slip outsole gives good grip. A billion euro motorcyclists can’t be wrong (this number has not been substantiated). Shop Now Icon Joker WP – $225 With the Icon designers hailing from the northwest, they know a thing or two about rain. The Joker WP is constructed from full-grain leather backed with a breathable waterproof liner. A waterproof YKK zipper on the back of the boot allows easy on/off. The shin and sole are reinforced and the ankles are backed by D3O to offer plenty of protection. These boots are not only available in all black, but can also be had in a wonderful light brown. Shop Now REV’IT! Discovery OutDry – $500 The REV’IT! Discovery OutDry boot is a juggernaut of all-weather touring technology packed into a substantial touring boot. REV’IT! says the Discovery OutDry is made for motorcyclists who need the stability and safety of off-road boots, the features and user-friendliness of a touring boot, and the comfort of a trekking boot. The Vibram outsole provides excellent grip while the multi-density EVA midsole absorbs shock. The ratcheting BOA closure system allows users to fine tune the fit while saving weight. Thermoplastic reinforcement can be found in the heel cup, toe cap, and shin guard while SEESOFT protectors are are also used throughout the shin and tongue area. The sole also features an integrated shank for torsion resistance and extra support while standing on the footpegs. REV’IT!’s OutDry waterproof breathable membrane is bonded to the outer material to achieve waterproofing without adding an extra bulky layer. The outside of the boot is made up of 500D Cordura, full grain cowhide, and suede leather. Inside of the boot, a silver-ion antibacterial 3D mesh liner is used to enhance breathability and keep your boots smelling fresh. The anatomically shaped ankle cup and footbed provide all day comfort as does the comfort collar on the top edge. They’re not cheap, but if you plan on spending a lot of time in the saddle, these boots will pay for themselves. Shop Now Sidi Canyon Gore-Tex – $325 Sidi makes a wide range of great boots, whether you’re looking for race boots, off-road boots, or in this case, touring boots. The Sidi Canyon Gore-Tex combines microfiber and split grain leather with a Gore-Tex membrane to offer a protective weatherproof touring boot. The Canyon contains internal heel, ankle, and toe protection. The Velcro and ratcheting strap closures provide a positive comfortable fit while the lugged outsole dampens any vibration while providing excellent grip. Check out our full long-term review of the Sidi Canyon Gore-Tex here. Sidi Canyon Gore-Tex Boots Review Shop Now TCX Clima Surround – $300 The TCX Clima Surround brings new technology to the table to provide motorcyclists with a whole new perspective of what a waterproof boot can be. The Surround technology was developed in coordination with Gore-Tex to add a level of breathability not yet seen on any other Gore-Tex motorcycle boot. The unique sole construction features openings at the side of the sole which channel airflow underneath the Gore-Tex lined footbed to allow the bottom of the foot to better breathe and shed heat through the ventilation grid in the midsole where it can then be expelled through the side ports. Reinforced protective panels can be found at the ankles, shin plate, and heel cup while the outer material is made of abrasion resistant Cordura and microfiber panels. If you constantly find yourself with sweaty feet even in Gore-Tex lined boots, the Clima Surround may offer the extra breathability you need. Shop Now Tourmaster Solution 2.0 WP – $130 The Tourmaster Solution 2.0 is just that, a budget-friendly solution to your touring footwear needs. The Solution 2.0 keeps you protected with a molded nylon shin and ankle guards as well as thermoplastic heel cup and toe cap. The HiPora liner, also found on the Cortech boots, is going to keep your dry and comfortable no matter what is happening outside. An auto-lock zipper and adjustable Velcro flap keeps the Solution 2.0 closed up tight and the orthopedically designed sole will keep your dogs from barking day in and day out. Shop Now We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews and other articles. Learn more about how this works. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post Best Motorcycle Touring Boots appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/mumVUNytagQSource

Remember back in the day of group gatherings how hard it could be to find time in everyone’s busy schedules to congregate? To get together for a week-long ride or some other getaway? Without fail everything would start to slot into place just in time for your best friend to have something come up. You’d try to reschedule and that too would fall apart for one reason or another. The phrase “herding cats” comes to mind. Locking down this group of middleweight adventure bikes was kind of like that. It’s a test we’ve been attempting to schedule for six months. As is always the case, some “friends” are more reliable than others. But, none of that matters now because here we are with the MVPs of the scorchin’ hot middleweight adventure segment. Never you mind that these “middleweight’s” displacements have continued to swell as is tradition in motorcycling these days. Rather, focus on the real world functionality of these machines. These bikes are lighter, smaller, and more manageable than their 1200cc(+) counterparts, which, at least for me, makes them more enticing to push the envelope off-road.  Thanks to the popularity in this subcategory, riders are now able to get smaller machines with nearly the same level of technology, fit, and finish that was once reserved for larger, more expensive flagship bikes. The quintet of motorcycles featured here shows each manufacturer’s approach to adventure motorcycling. The differences are such that we decided to forgo our scorecard, which puts a bias on outright performance. Instead of telling you which bike is unequivocally numero uno, we’ll focus on comparing and illustrating what type of rider each one of these machines best fits. Everyone gets a participation trophy. No crying. I’ve had the opportunity to review and log a lot of miles on most of the bikes in this comparison, and it’s clear my intentions for adventure skew toward the dirt. If you’ve read the single bike reviews of these motorcycles, you’re no doubt tired of my blathering. We decided that rather than attempting to ride five motorcycles by myself, I’d invite the rest of our staff to join me for a two-day romp out in the wilds of Southern California. To level the playing field, we slapped Dunlop’s new Trailmax Mission tires on all five bikes. Once I had had my fun striking fear into the hearts of my cohorts with promises of bottomless sand and boulder crawling, I decided on a more family friendly route that we all could enjoy. Even my plans for camping at altitude were thwarted after it was discovered that temps would plummet to the low 30s overnight. These guys are making me soft (or they’ve just been around the sun enough times to realize there’s no reason to punish themselves unnecessarily). A full day of pavement, a night out in the bush, and a full day of dirt would (hopefully) give our merry men the time we needed to come up with something to say about these motorcycles. Perhaps a little camaraderie would be born out of it even. “Motherf*cker! F*ckin’ Bullsh*t! Stupid f*ckin’. Yeah! Let’s just do a million photo passes through the sand!” The words blasted out of JB’s mouth and into our ears through the Cardo headsets. I watched Sean Matic try to choke laughter so it wouldn’t come over the air while John picked up the KTM for the third time. Like I said, camaraderie! Now, let’s get to it! 2021 BMW F850GS Adventure By Evans Brasfield When I initially threw a leg over each of these adventure bikes, I would spend the first couple of minutes pondering what kind of rider the manufacturers designed each one for. With the BMW F850GS Adventure, as I rushed back onto the road, my thoughts were interrupted by the sprightly acceleration provided by the parallel-Twin in the bottom end and midrange. Why my surprise? There’s just no escaping how physically large the BMW is, and having a spec sheet folded up in my pocket, I knew that the F850GSA weighed in at a beefy 552 lbs. 2019 BMW F 850 GS And F 750 GS Review – First Ride Managing Editor Ryan Adams had a similar reaction to the F850GSA’s engine: Every time I jumped on the F 850 to carve through canyon roads, the motor’s low and mid-range torque surprised me. In dynamic mode, the big girl is pretty spunky. The engine runs out of steam as the revs progress, but it’s no slouch even in Adventure trim. Sean Matic concurs: I think my expectations were quite low for the motor, and I was pleasantly surprised with its mid-range punch, but I did notice it peters out early on top. The power delivery and the way it spins up doesn’t have the character and zip of the parallel twins in the KTM and Yamaha, however. Along with that weight, you do get the best wind protection of the bunch (a feature that, due to poor timing in the vehicle rotation, I was not able to enjoy on the 35-degree portion of our ride). Nor was I able to run the full 6.1 gallons through the engine in one sitting the way an owner would be able to on an extended tour. All of this brings me back to the question of who the F850GSA was built for, and the answer would be: someone who wants to rack up long days in the saddle, covering mostly paved roads. The BMW seems ideally suited for this job. Mr. Burns would appear to agree with me: I was immediately put off by the size of the BMW, but it’s not quite as heavy as it looks, and it’s reasonably low and easy to ride on both gelande and strasse. If you’re mostly sticking to the pavement, it’s the most comfy bike here for a rider and passenger. It’s turning low, smooth revs at 80 mph behind that big aero fairing, and both seats are sweet. Overall, though, its engine is a bit meh, a bit uninspiring next to the other bikes here. The whole bike, in fact, kind of suffers from personality deficit disorder. Something to do with being the little brother of the 1250, I suspect. John Nave, longtime friend of MO, had slightly different feelings from Burns: Very close to an 8/10s match of my ’18 R1200GSA which is an unbelievably good bike. The Adventure model does offer great wind protection if one is ok with the wide hips at the front. It carries 6.1 gallons, which provides a DTE of 275 miles. Great on-road behavior, and although heavy, it had good off-road manners for a 550-lb dirtbike. Ryan points out some important details about the BMW’s dimensions: Not only does the 850 GSA have the presence of the company’s larger 1250 models, it’s only 90 pounds lighter than the last 1200 GSA we weighed. In current company, the bike is nearly 50 pounds heavier than all but one of the other contenders in this shootout. Interestingly enough, most of that thicc front end is a series of complex bits of plastic fitting into one another to tie in the GS Adventure’s 6.1-gallon fuel tank that protrudes out high and wide. It isn’t all for naught though. As one might expect, the 850 GSA plows a comforting void through the elements giving it the best wind protection of the bunch. Heated grips help, too. But we are comparing adventure touring bikes, and while we most assuredly rode more miles on pavement, we did so because we live in the Los Angeles megalopolis and need to travel quite a bit to get to a suitable off-road testing ground. And let’s not forget that there was camping involved, so we wanted to get away from any hint of city lights. The essence of this shootout took place in the dirt, and here is where the players were finally ranked. An experienced rider can make just about any bike look like it’s got off-road chops, and we had three very qualified riders on this trip. Then there were Burns and myself, who stood in as the regular Joes. He was short of inseam and me, well, short of talent. While Burns has said his piece, I still have a little more to impart about the BMW. For someone traveling at the speeds I achieved on the less technical dirt sections, the extra weight didn’t prove to be the problem I anticipated it would be. (Though a misplaced foot at a stop almost spelled disaster on one occasion.) The Beemer is well balanced, and the electronic rider aids gave me the confidence to push ahead even after the F850 pitched me into the deep sand less than a quarter mile from our campsite the morning of our second day. The top-heavy nature of the bike with a full tank ascertained that there would be no saving it after the front end tucked. (Although I’m highly skeptical that I could have prevented my fall on any of these bikes, I would have at least momentarily considered the possibility as their handlebars began to twist.) John Nave: Traction control off/on helps the experienced rider get through tougher terrain, like sand, with less pucker. But Enduro mode (not Enduro Pro when the dongle is installed) allows ideal wheelspin and ABS offering very good control with 50/50 tires like the Dunlop Trailmax Missions (which I run on my GSA). The BMW features a non-adjustable fork and a Dynamic ESA with continuously adjustable preload and user-adjustable rebound damping at the hand wheel. The F850GSA also came up short with regards to the suspension. John Nave summed it up nicely with “Heavy but competent bike. The fork had no adjustment, and the front brake makes it dive substantially (I’m biased with a 1200 that doesn’t dive).” With 9.1 in. and 8.5 in. of travel front and rear, respectively, the problem was not absorbing the bumps but rather controlling chassis pitch. Sean’s thoughts regarding the suspension were: The bike is always game for comfort-filled, relaxed sporting fun. Just don’t try to clear that mini-double jump or blast over those braking bumps and everything will be ok. The BMW’s TFT display was in a class of its own. All of which brings me back around to exactly what activities the BMW F850GSA is designed for. If you’re the type of rider who likes to travel long distances on both paved roads and fire roads in maximum comfort with all the rider aids and the best TFT instrumentation in the class, go for it. You’ll love the bike. If you have the skills and also want to include occasional light single track, the BMW can do it, but you’d probably be happier with one of the more dirt-capable bikes in this story. We’ll give Ryan the final word about the BMW: The engine character is a reminder of the motorcycle’s off-road intentions. Its punchy Parallel Twin is well-equipped to provide low-end power necessary off-road, but the overall largeness of the Adventure model betrays how well the machine can handle duties in the dirt. If one were interested in the 850 GS and had plans of touring all sorts of terra, I would suggest the standard model over the Adventure without hesitation. In fact, we requested the standard model for this test just for that reason, and I think the GSA suffered in terms of off-road competence because of it. For a motorcycle that will spend much of its time on the street and only be tasked with trail work at moderate speed, the 850 GSA will foot the bill nicely, but for any more grand plans, you might consider dropping the A (or what it would be like to pick it up). KTM 890 Adventure R By Ryan Adams Here I am, once again writing about KTM’s middleweight adventure bike. Despite having spent a lot of time on this motorcycle (and the 790 ADV R), I was ecstatic at the chance to ride these five machines – all of which I genuinely enjoy – back-to-back. It’s true that there are some bikes in this group that compete in a more head-to-head fashion, but at the same time, each of these motorcycles have carved out a place for themselves amongst the field. Unsurprisingly, the KTM excels in the dirt. 2021 KTM 890 Adventure R Review – First Ride After riding all of these motorcycles in succession, nothing has changed in my opinion of the KTM’s off-road performance. The low slung 5.3-gallon fuel tank, WP XPLOR suspension and tubular chromoly steel frame work together to deliver the complete package when it comes to the chassis. And it is the chassis that provides some of the most important differentiators in this group. The low slung fuel tank – in addition to the compact 889cc LC8c Parallel Twin – keeps the motorcycle’s center of gravity low in a way no other motorcycle here does. I’ve talked about the benefits before, but it’s particularly helpful when riding technical terrain. You don’t get the top-heavy feeling that many adventure motorcycles exhibit. In addition to the low CoG, having that mass out of the way has allowed KTM to keep the motorcycle slim between the knees all the way up past the fuel cap which makes moving around on the machine much easier than the traditional layout. Even on the street, the KTM is the performance leader. Johnny B concurs: “The saddlebag gas tank keeps the cg low, which also makes it harder to topple over turning around off-road; I think I only did so twice – once per side. When I was riding it, it was easiest and most confident of all these, with the best suspension and power. If it’s performance you’re after, the KTM is the one. I, personally, don’t like orange. And for some reason, I’m not after outright performance in this category.” The XPLOR suspension components are fully adjustable and proven after being used not only in the adventure line-up, but also in KTM’s EXC dual-sport motorcycles for some time now. Speaking of EXCs, guest tester John N found some comfort in the shared components, “Highlight for me was the Thursday morning photo session with me on the 890 and Ryan chasing me. I felt nearly as comfortable riding very briskly on an uneven dirt trail as I do on my 450 EXC.” The 890 Adventure R just barely ekes out the rest of the field in terms of travel, with 9.4 inches at each end, but it’s really the damping that sets its suspenders apart. The WP units feel the most refined when it comes to quick hits from g-outs and bumps or when jumping the motorcycle. The XPLOR units don’t go through their stroke as quickly and offer excellent bottoming resistance. The steep, 26.3-degree rake helps with the quick handling, but borderlines on twitchy. Ergonomics feel very dirt bike-inspired and aggressive, more so than the Yamaha which I would say is the next closest in terms of layout. The thing about dirtbike ergos though is that they provide a pretty neutral seating position, so no complaints here. The seat is tall and firm at 34.6 inches, and despite the spec sheet showing the Yamaha’s seat at the same height, the Tenere 700 feels lower in part due to its slim midsection and suspension, which compresses slightly more when mounted. And then there are the electronics. A lot of bikes have ride modes, cruise control, and quickshifter these days, but the level of functionality and real-time usability show that KTM did its homework. The most useful ride mode the KTM has – and where it stands apart in this field – is Rally mode, which allows you to dial in eight levels of traction control on the fly with the left switchgear while also giving the rider three options for throttle response settings. The other motorcycles have ride modes that give you pre-determined ABS, TC, and throttle response settings, but none offer the adjustability of the KTM. The “Rally pack” is now an optional upgrade as is cruise control and Quickshifter+. If you’d like all three, which you will, plan on adding $550 to the $14,200 msrp. John Nave (whom you might remember from our 2018 Big Bore Shootout) also appreciated the KTM’s electronics package, “Excellent electronics. Off-road ABS and the Rally setting with adjustable on the fly traction control? Wow, one can find a perfect setting for most of the earth’s surfaces! As a street bike it is also very quick and surprising. With its genius fuel tank placement and adequate wind protection it has great potential for a cross-continent ride.” As far as the engine is concerned, it’s great. We were expecting greatness after riding the 890 Duke R, and KTM delivered. The bike has more torque and horsepower throughout the rev-range than its predecessor. That said, it’s not the only powerplant to shine in this group. I really appreciated the low-end torque of the Yamaha and the smooth power delivery of the Triumph’s Triple. Heck, even the Guzzi has its own muscle car-esque charm to it. “I managed to be on the KTM for about half a lap down Montezuma Grade (my favorite fast road in the West) and most of a lap up it,” says Burns, “and was hugely impressed; for an ADV bike, it feels really sporty on pavement. If those Dunlops don’t have quite the edge grip of sticky street tires, it barely matters since you’ve got great TC. Just twist the throttle. The 890’s got the most power here along with the parallel-Twin charm Gott didn’t give the BMW as it zings toward redline.” By far the hardest seat of the bunch. Even though the KTM has received a lot of praise, particularly for off-road performance and a spicy engine, something’s gotta give. During long days in the saddle, you’ll grow tired of the all-too-firm seat. Probably not helping matters is the sporty pretense of its suspension. Keeping the clickers in the “standard” setting did seem to give us a good baseline, but if you’re touring over bumpy or broken pavement, the suspension starts to feel harsh pretty quickly. I have no doubt this could be adjusted out of the suspension, but if you plan on keeping the pace off-road, you may be making those adjustments more than you’d like. This is a place I feel like the Tiger has once again done a commendable job. The Triumph’s suspension feels fun and sporty on canyon roads and still holds up when the going gets dirty. For those who aren’t ready to race, the KTM can seem like overkill: “I love the 890 parallel-Twin engine (no surprise), but the honest truth is I am so far outclassed by this motorcycle off-road that I’d be embarrassed to be seen riding it in the dirt without my coworkers around me. Welcome to Poserville. However, get it on pavement with the surprisingly grippy Trailmax Mission tires, and the Adventure R performs like it’s a sibling of the 890 Duke R. Which means it is a kick in the pants. The irony is that off road the 890 Adventure R has so many features that make it easier to ride – you know, things I would really benefit from – which means I probably should ride it when I leave the pavement. The low CoG, the impressive off-road ABS settings, and the grunty power will keep a tarmac-lubber from getting in too far over their head. (Meanwhile, the bike silently scoffs at the feeble attempts at piloting such a craft.) Yeah, the high capabilities of the KTM only serve as a constant reminder to me of how I don’t live up to them,” opines Mr. Brasfield. We even let our videographer Sean Matic loose on these bikes, a decision that may end up costly for him in the long run. “In a word, the KTM 890 Adventure R rocks! The parallel twin accelerates hard with a delicious raspy brap full of character from its 435° irregular firing order. It doesn’t hurt that it makes the most POWA of the bunch, handily beating even the Trumpet with its extra cylinder. The electronics are top notch and thankfully don’t flip the off-road purists back to nanny road mode every time the bike is shut off (the lawyers must have been on family leave the week they got that approved at KTM). The on-the-fly TC adjustment via the left switchgear buttons is the icing on the delicious modern electronics cake that KTM served up. The bike handles canyon twisties incredibly well for a bike outfitted with a 21 inch front wheel. As a matter of fact, all five of the bikes offered surprisingly good feedback when leaned over which must be a testament to the Dunlop Trail Mission tires as well. The suspension is definitely the firmest of the lot here and I could feel some bumps on the road transmitted to me, my gut tells me that backing off the preload and compression would have helped with that small niggle. On and off road the bike remained composed and always ready for more with a wry, “is that all you got man?” I ended up doing the two hour slog back home through temperatures as low as 34° on the 890, and while the cush seat and toasty heated grips of the Beemer were missed a little, the KTM was certainly tolerable freeway slogging. Its raucous performance everywhere else put the Adventure in this adventure ride in big heaping servings. Moto Guzzi V85 TT By John Burns The bike that probably wins this contest, performance wise, has to be the KTM. But it’s kind of a hard motorcycle for me to look at. Whatever happened to the nice blue they used on those first 900 Adventures? Things get slightly better in the swimsuit category with the other contestants, but just barely. Overall, this is a utilitarian category of motorcycles designed for long-haulish comfort, the ability to have cargo strapped to them, and the ruggedness to shrug off multiple trail mishaps. 2020 Moto Guzzi V85 TT Review – First Ride Then there’s the Moto Guzzi V85 TT, Tutto terreno. The original red-framed yellow/white Adventure version from last year was one of the best-looking motorcycles I’ve seen in years, and this Sabbia Namib one we’ve got now isn’t at all shabby either. No doubt, Guzzi can always be counted on to do things a bit differently. Three of these five are adventure bikes for competitive Type-A people, and a good rider can keep up with them on the Guzzi up to a point. But for the more casual or lone adventurer with nothing to prove, possibly with passenger and picnic basket, the Guzzi’s really in a class of one. For serious off-roading, the Guzzi’s not your first choice, since it doesn’t have the power or the more advanced electronics of the KTM or the Tiger. Then again, all the experts want to turn all the aids completely off anyway, so WTH? The biggest problem the experts have with the Guzzi is that you can’t disable its ABS, which is no bueno for heading down steep rocky trails. I did ride it down some slightly steep sandy hills, though, and both brakes worked well enough to keep my (slow) speed under control. (Supposedly there’s an Off-road mode that turns off rear ABS, but the TFT dash is all in Italian and I couldn’t figure out how at the time; surely you can turn it to English?) We did, however, figure out how to switch traction control off, and doing that allows the Guzzi to tractor through sand pretty well – made easier by the fact it’s got the lowest seat of the bunch, which for me is a huuge thing offroad. (I suppose it wouldn’t be as big of a deal if your offroad rides don’t include multiple photo passes like ours always do.) The Guzzi, I think, is the only one I didn’t topple over on even once. Despite having enough power to slow the 540-pound motorcycle, the front brakes feel numb at the lever, says Ryan Adams. I didn’t hear any complaints from anybody else. For me, it was surprising how not off-the-pace the Guzzi felt off-road, for being a much more street-biased motorcycle than the others – the only one here without a 21-inch front wheel, and with the least suspension travel. It’s also a much simpler, more elemental motorcycle – a pushrod, air-cooled V-twin with shaft drive, for God’s sake. It doesn’t have the convenience of being able to choose ten TC settings on the fly, but it does have the things you require, including the usual three ride modes and the cruise control button, for when it’s time to drone back to civilization. Buying an optional Bluetooth gizmo will also allow its new TFT screen to be used to screen your calls and provide navigation. Most dirt-road riding around here is all about the low and midrange power, and this is where the Guzzi’s all-new 853 cc engine delivers the goods, with peak torque claimed to occur at just 5000 rpm. Like Ryan Adams said in last year’s First Ride: Guzzi claims the engine pumps out 80 horsepower and 56 lb-ft of torque, but through first, second, and third, you’d think the torque figure was higher. Sadly, a small, ignominious fecal particle in the punchbowl takes the form of a little flat spot in the fuelling at around 2000 rpm or so, a slight stumble. When you’re flogging the Guzzi on pavement, you’re above that range, but offroad and at parking lot speeds it can be annoying. Maybe there’ll be a fix? It’s never really debilitating and it’s easily worked around – it just detracts from the high polish of the rest of the Guzzi. Speaking of which, the new clunk-free six-speed gearbox and slip/assist clutch are light-years ahead of every other Guzzi we’ve ridden. Guest tester John Nave, who’s an experienced 60-something motorcyclist and veteran of 19 Barstow-to-Vegas rallies, thinks: I have to concur with the oft-heard comment, “charming bike.” I liked it, even if ours had a part-throttle fueling issue that made dirt a little more challenging. That bike was stinking fun on asphalt, great handling if not terribly quick; maybe it was the sweet, sexy Italian sideways V-twin audio track that made the riding experience fun? It idles like a big-cam, big block Chevy in a slot canyon. The last 40 minutes of dirt spent on this bike with Sean on the KTM chasing me was a lot of fun: Controllable slides, the low seat height and low cG make the Guzzi more fun offroad than you might expect. The dash/electronics were a little more complex than others, with lots of menu searching for TC and ABS controls. But it turned the most heads on the ride (and most comments on my FB page too!) I’ll say it again: Something about longitudinal-crankshaft bikes makes me feel there’s some kind of self-righting, gyroscopic property at work, maybe even moreso on loose surfaces. But for only having 70-some horsepower, the Guzzi’s also more fun on the asphalt than you’d expect. It’s the only bike here with a 19-inch front tire instead of a 21, which is probably why it feels more snubbed down to Montezuma Grade than any of the others. That, and that it’s got less suspension travel, too, at only 6.7 in. at both ends. That means less fore-and-aft pitching on pavement (as well as surprisingly good bump absorption on the trail). Keep the gas on while in the fat midrange, keep the roll speed up, and the Guzzi can make serious time on Montezuma Grade. Sean Matic says: If I rode one in isolation in and around the city running errands with my girlfriend on back and the factory luggage holding a lasagna and a nice chianti, I’d really dig this bike. The low seat height compared to the others makes this bike a good choice for everyday getting around. The TFT dash is modern, and the chassis is also surprisingly up to the task in the canyons and even more in the dirt. But chasing the others up and down delightfully twisty Montezuma Grade, I found myself really wringing the old-tech air cooled longitudinal twin motor’s neck for dear life, spending a good deal of time buried to the throttle stop. Following John Nave on the V85 at the end of day two off-road filming, he mentioned a burnt clutch smell coming up from the Guzzi as well. While I can really dig and appreciate the Guzzi’s idiosyncrasies and Old World charm, I had so much fun hammering the KTM and Yamaha – for me, if I was going the adventure route, I wouldn’t want to give that up. Ryan A says: The V85 is a lot of fun to ride on twisty roads. It’s a bike that many will be able to use to its full potential both on and off-road, and that didn’t stop me from enjoying my time on it. Slow down and enjoy your surroundings on the Moto Guzzi because not every water bar needs jumped. Plan B, when you’re not in the company of MOrons, then, is to enjoy the Guzzi at a more serene pace. It doesn’t mind drama, but it’s better at la dolce vita than the other bikes here. Not a bad place to be for an extended period of time. Brasfield says: Now here’s an adventure bike I could take an extended voyage on. First, it’s got the cool engine characteristics that lope their way through the miles, and while the acceleration might not be as brisk as the other bikes on this ride, keeping the corner speed up can make for a surprisingly good time down a twisty road. However, attacking the corners – or the dirt, for that matter – is not what the V85TT is about. Pull it back a couple of notches, and the enjoyment of the ride becomes the primary experience. The exhaust note is comforting, and the weather protection means that you can travel further without getting worn out. The weather protection consists of a big non-adjustable plexiglass windshield and handguards which are pretty effective on the motorway with the cc locked in at a smooth 85 mph or so. Both rider and passenger seats are excellent, and the ergonomics transparent as long as your legs are short enough not to bang your knees into the cylinder heads. Ryan A: Just like the first time I rode the machine in Italy and all of the times since, the Guzzi’s “character” puts a smile on my face every time I hop on it. I am a big fan of the retro styling and chicks (my wife) dig it, too. Passenger comfort was also lauded on the V85 for short jaunts around town by said chick. It’s also the best looking motorcycle to come along in this class in years (maybe any class), has tons of character… and for those who like to maintain their own motorcycle, it’s again in a class of one thanks to shaft drive and cylinder heads that kind of make you want to adjust the valves (which is good, since the manual says you should do it every 6000 miles). As soon as somebody figures out how to tune out the little flat spot in the EFI and pack a few more horses on top, the V85 will be unpresidented! It already is, and I, JB, picked it as the one of these five bikes I’d most like to call my own. Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro By John Burns I think if we’re being practical, the Triumph wins this thing. But since we’re a group of grown men pooping in catholes in the desert and talking motorcycles, who knows? Practicality has so little to do with it. 2020 Triumph Tiger 900 GT Pro & Rally Pro Review – First Ride The more youthfully exuberant among us love the KTM for its most horsepower/torque, superior off-road performance and comparable on-road chops. The codger in all of us likes the Triumph for its all-around competence, and most of all for its more regal bearing of the editorial fundament to and from the dirt field of battle: If you have to be in the saddle for a couple of hours, it’s the Triumph or the BMW you want (or the Guzzi…) – and a quick glance at the dyno chart resolves that issue in favor of the Tiger. John Nave says: I don’t think I’ll ever forget passing the BMW and Guzzi from far behind on a long straight out of Borrego Springs. That 888cc motor is really strong. Love that bike on the road. Great power on road and rip-roaring off-road, says Ryan. The Triumph is only 34 pounds heavier than the KTM, but those extra pounds take the form of a cushier (heated) seat for rider and wingperson, an extra cylinder for superior acoustics, a centerstand that should actually be a requirement on a chain-driven ADV bike, and rugged good looks that aren’t derivative of a Playskool product. Brasscannons concurs: Of these five motorcycles, the Tiger 900 Rally Pro gets my vote as the Goldilocks bike of this shootout. And no, it’s not that I’m getting soft, and the Triumph has just about every touring amenity you could ask for – although the cruise control, wind protection, and heated everything do add to its touring prowess. For me, a street-focused performance rider, the fact that the Triple flat out kicks butt on pavement while still being comfortable on the long haul is a big plus. Then there’s the tidbit of the rider triangle being perfect for my size. Sean Matic likes it too: The Triumph does it all really well. The dash, menus, and its accompanying left handlebar joystick interface is a thing of beauty. Handlebar bluetooth start/stop of my GoPro too? Genius! The seating position is a nice split between the upright off-road oriented ergonomics of the KTM and Yamaha, and the low-to-the-ground, sit-in urban comfort of the V85 TT. If the brisk desert winter weather gets you and your partner’s hiney chilly, just flick on the only seat warmer in the class. Spinning up the triple on the freeway and twisties is smile-inducing, and just as the MotoGP Werks dyno confirms what my butt dyno says, only the all-conquering KTM can hang with the Trumpet when the revs climb north of 5,000 rpm. Even young Ryan is on board with the Tiger program: I’ve said it before, and after getting this group of machines together for a back-to-back comparison, my tune hasn’t changed. The Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro is what I would consider to be the most well-rounded middleweight adventure bike on the market. The Tiger boasts plenty of cutting edge technology and touring comfort while also providing exhilarating performance on twisty bits of tarmac that continues when the pavement runs out. The price tag isn’t cheap, nearly topping out in the group, but I would feel like I got my money’s worth with the Tiger Rally Pro. We made guest tester John Nave ride the Tenere the two hours from Burbank to Anza-Borrego so he’d be properly able to appreciate the Triumph later: Terrific road bike, long distance touring a breeze. Makes lovely sounds when thrust is requested. Coolest dash of the crowd. Off-road, I made it until the last turn-around for the last photo pass of the gloaming before I finally succumbed and toppled over on the Triumph, busting off the tip of its front brake lever and handguard. Drat. Speaking of handguards, all five of these bikes have at least rudimentary ones, which are crucial for riding through the gangs of vicious armed bushes and cacti which line our desert trails. They’re also nice for keeping your hands warmer. Everybody’s done their homework here. The Triumph’s seat isn’t terribly tall – 33.5 inches in the low setting – but it still packs 9.5 and 9.1 inches of travel into its front and rear adjustable Showa suspension units. For a thing that goes so well on the road, the Triumph’s not far off the pace on the dusty trail, either. Ryan thinks: The Triumph’s suspension does a pretty great job of handling all the jobs, and I would say is second only to the WP legs on the KTM when off-road. Back on the pavement, the story is the same as before, the Triumph’s suspension strikes a good balance of sporty stiffness with comfortable bump compliance. Sean is another hard charger off-road: When the surface turns to dirt the middleweight Tiger is still ready to rip in a way the Guzzi and Beemer just can’t match. It’s only when you approach really rough terrain like deep rain erosion ruts and exposed boulders that the Triumph suspension reaches its limits, unlike the KTM and Yamaha. Hauling the Triumph down from speed in the sand also exposes a slight top-heavy feel compared to the aforementioned off-road champs. I place the Triumph third, but if unlike me, you’re not taking a nostalgic mind trip back to your motocross racing youth, and you no longer get off on pushing you and your bike’s limits, the Triumph surely will be at or near the top of your list. As for me, If I’m gonna buy an adventure bike I wanna have an adventure and I don’t mean in the parking lot at Starbucks. Though its Triple can’t quite match the KTM’s parallel Twin for peak power production, the Tiger motor runs right with it below 5000 rpm (where the meek nearly always are on winding dirt roads), with instant, linear response to keep your front tire from washing out as needed. When in doubt in the loose stuff, gas it… The Tiger does feel a tad more top-heavy than the trail-busting KTM and Yamaha, because it is, But at a more prudent pace its excellent electronics are just what the Dr. ordered to keep the less skilled out of trouble. It’s easy to swap into Off-road or Off-road Pro modes. Ryan registered some ergonomic complaints: At 5’8”, the reach to the bars cants me forward to the point of being just slightly uncomfortable – which increases over time. Rolling the bars back helps though. Larger riders didn’t seem to have any problem with the stock configuration. The Tiger also feels the widest between the knees and ankles in our group. At the knee, the frame rails on either side of the tank were uncomfortable against the inside of my legs while standing. Although the Triple does feel wider than the others near the footpegs as well, it was never a problem for me. John Nave’s also 5’8”: Off-road the weight, even at 50-ish pounds less than the BMW, still felt unwieldy BUT… I liked it off-road standing up. Hey! I’m 5’8 too, and I liked the Triumph’s ergonomic triangle fine all the time, and appreciated its cushiest, best-shaped seat, too. Ergonomics are so personal. The Triumph is good enough to have Brasfield wanting to just chuck it all, and who could blame him?: When it comes to off-road riding, the Tiger has stout enough rider aids to keep dirt duffers like myself from getting hurt. This is a bike I could see myself riding all the way to the Arctic Ocean, like a friend is trying to convince me to do next year. Why? Because aside from racking up ridiculous miles, a trip to this part of the world means never knowing what kind of road is around the next corner, and the Dalton Highway is 414 miles (one way!) of mostly gravel. This is where my mind wanders to when I ride the Tiger 900 Rally Pro. Sign me up! Um, where do we sign? Yamaha Tenere 700 By Evans Brasfield As the dark rural highway’s miles flashed by and the relentless countdown from my compatriots crackled over my Cardo, “46 degrees…42…38…36…35!”, I found myself wanting, for the first time in two days of riding the Tenere 700, some electronic intervention. Visions of heated grips danced in my head. But alas, the Tenere has none. Almost freezing weather aside, a large part of the Yamaha Tenere 700’s appeal is its elemental, largely frill-free approach to motorcycling. Oh, and its $9,999 MSRP. 2020 Yamaha Tenere 700 Review – First Ride In a group of motorcycles where the next closest retail price is more than $3,000 higher and goes all the way up to $7,000 more, the Tenere represents a remarkable value. So, instead of focusing on all the gewgaws that the inexpensive 700 doesn’t have, let’s take a look at what you get for the money. The 689cc engine is the smallest of the bunch, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it makes less power. The surprise is that the power it does make is delivered in such a way that it feels less down on power than it actually is on the street, and in the dirt that 63.7 hp output means that it doesn’t need the nannies to tame the beast, like with the most technologically-equipped KTM and its 92.5 hp. Let’s hear Ryan’s opinion: The Tenere 700’s powerplant is great for an adventure bike. It has a smooth torquey low and mid-range while being extremely tractable to the point that TC would do nothing but drive up the cost of the machine. It doesn’t put down the kind of power that the KTM does, but it’s easy to ride off-road. The bike hooks up extremely well and builds speed progressively. Sean was similarly impressed: The little parallel twin with its uneven 270° firing order is zippy (now I finally understand all the praise lavished on the MT-07) and hooks up and propels you forward very well in the dirt and sand. On a 689cc twin producing 63.7 hp and 44.3 lb-ft of torque, traction control and power modes are superfluous to me – give me the full beans all the time, man! Just hitting one easy to reach button on the dash to disable ABS let’s me lock up the rear in the dirt and I’m ready to party. On the Triumph, BMW, and Guzzi, I’d be fiddling with buttons and submenus trying to turn off intrusive TC for another 5 minutes. Now, let’s consider the suspension. The Tenere comes with a fully-adjustable fork and a preload- and rebound-adjustable shock, allowing 8.3 and 7.9 in. of travel, respectively, and placing it mid-pack in terms of travel. When combined with the lowest measured weight of the quintet, the 700 becomes a formidable package off road. While it’s not advanced as the class-leading KTM, popular consensus ranked the Yamaha second in this crowd – and that’s saying something. Let’s check in with John Nave: Holy cow this bike is fun in the dirt. As much fun as the KTM on fast, curvy dirt roads. When standing up I feel like it is as agile as my sporty 450 EXC off-road. I would ride this on LA-Barstow-to-Vegas (I’ve ridden it 19 times) in a heartbeat. Mr. Matic concurs: Standing in off-road attack mode on the Tenere 700 feels the most like a proper dirt bike, even more so than the KTM thanks to the 700’s wider upright bar shape. 468 pounds fully fueled sure doesn’t hurt either. Ryan, on the other hand, sees the Tenere as a bike that needs a few changes to reach its full potential: There are a couple of mods that I would make to the Yamaha on day one of ownership: wider “rally” style footpegs and a wider handlebar. After that, I would run out the stock Pirelli Scorpion Rally STRs and spend the time working out a preferred setting for the stock suspension. Even if I were to spend the money on suspension work, I could do that and the aforementioned swaps with money left over compared to the other bikes here. While we’re looking at dirt capabilities, we need to consider one of the features that makes that 8-inch (roughly) travel front and rear possible. The Tenere’s seat height measures in at a lofty 34.6 inches, tying it with the KTM for the highest of the group. If 5’11”, 32-inch inseamed me struggled with reaching the ground, on occasion, what about shorter riders? It may be tall, but at least it’s comfortable. We’ll let Burns share his tale of woe: It’s got one of the highest seats here, which for short-legged me also puts it out of the running. Of all the bikes I dropped turning around for another photo pass, the Yamaha was the only one on the pavement. Which was more cambered than I realized, while I was at a greater altitude than I remembered. I have to admit I mostly avoided riding it in the dirt, mostly for that reason. I take the others’ word that it works great in the dirt. As the least dirt-experienced rider here, and one who has listed the off-road electronic aids on the other bikes as a positive, it may go against the grain for me to say the Tenere was my second favorite bike in the shootout. It all comes down to the friendliness of the package. The engine is unintimidating with its tractable power delivery – even sans traction control. The light weight makes it easy to maneuver, and what weight it has is well balanced. I was quite happy to ride the Yamaha off road, even with my skill set. Sean, a rider who cut his teeth in the dirt expounds: Wow! Only $10K can get you cross country on every type of asphalt from five lane freeways to serpentine canyons and then handily take you places off-road formerly reserved for 450cc dirt bikes weighing in well under 300 pounds. Yamaha knocked it out of the park with this one. Sure, the Tenere doesn’t have the power and stellar electronics of the KTM or the hand warming and butt soothing accoutrements of Tiger, but none of that takes away from the little Tenere’s ability to get you there in comfort and keep going when the terrain gets nasty. What the Yami delivers bigtime is smile-inducing fun. Ryan says it best: The Yamaha Tenere 700 is an approachable bike for new riders with its low price tag and predictable power while simultaneously being a great foundation for experienced riders to exploit. We know you’ve all been waiting for this, so we’ll let Burns bring it home: As a man of principle, I must stick to my statement that I wouldn’t buy any new motorcycle without cruise control, and I think the (least expensive) Yamaha is the only one without it. Now that I’ve seen electronics and heated seats and things, I can’t go back. What’s your definition of adventure? It’s easy to see just how differently each manufacturer has approached the middleweight adventure touring segment. We touched on it during our last ADV three-way in May 2020 with Eric Bostrom, each of these bikes is representative of a specific type of adventurist. It’s not like comparing thousand cc sportbikes where ultimate performance is key. The spectrum here ranges from off-road performance to touring comfort with the KTM and Yamaha on one end and the Tiger, V85 TT, and F 850 GSA on the other. Sure, there are bits illustrated above that will likely shine as more important to certain riders, like JB writing off the Yamaha entirely due to its lack of cruise control. On our way home, twisting and turning through the darkness like some sort unstoppable (mostly) LED-lit serpent, we slowed for no bend and passed unsuspecting motorists with the ferocity of Attila and his huns. We had been hardened by miles in the saddle and our single day of fire roads. The bitter 40-degree night we had endured in the desert had turned us from soft-handed journalists to soft-handed journalists with slightly sore backs. We had done the thing. We were now adventurers. It had been more than 36 hours since we’d been home warming our fingers over a hot keyboard– or in JB’s case, a hot tub. If that doesn’t sound like an adventure to you, maybe you’re right. We all have different ideas of what an adventure ride is. What it should be. Just like these five manufacturers, those ideas vary and the tool to conquer them just as much. As our chase truck – who had hauled all of our gear the entire time – pulled up at the gas station near the freeway, we decided grabbing a warm meal sounded like a good idea. Over burgers, guest tester John Nave mentioned a comment Sean M had made over our headsets. Along the way we had been sharing the temperature read out of our respective motorcycles which had been dipping into the low 30s during our descent. Not long after hitting our all time low, Sean said it simply, “I love motorcycles.” Nave mentioned he had been thinking the same thing at that same moment. I had been too. Don’t talk to me until I’ve had my Nespresso. For a brief period of time, I wasn’t thinking about my packed work schedule – or anything else, really – as we snaked through the shadows, relying only on what turned out to be pretty impressive headlights from the entire group, to light our way. I wasn’t even thinking about how cold I was (perhaps it was the V85’s heated grips, large windscreen and handguards). At that moment, I was very thankful for the last two days. At least three fifths of our crew felt the same thing, at the same time. If a motorcycle can deliver you through moments, however fleeting, in time and to places around the world and leave you with pure contentment, who’s to say that our measly trip wasn’t an adventure? Adventure is what you make of it and for those wanderlusting souls, these five bikes run the gamut. 2021 Middleweight ADV Specs BMW F850GS Adventure KTM 890 Adventure R Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro Yamaha Tenere 700 MSRP $14,545 (approx $17,500 as tested) $14,199 ($14,750 as tested) $13,390 $17,100 $9,999 Engine Type 853cc, Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke parallel twin engine 889cc 2-cylinder, 4-stroke, Parallel-Twin, liquid-cooled with water/oil heat exchanger 853cc Air-cooled longitudinally-mounted 90° V-Twin 888cc Fuel-injected, liquid-cooled, 12-valve, DOHC, inline 3-cylinder 689cc liquid-cooled Parallel Twin Bore and Stroke 84.0 mm x 77 mm 90.7 mm x 68.8 mm 84.0 mm x 77.0 mm 78.0 mm x 61.9 mm 80.0 mm x 68.6 mm Fuel System Electronic Fuel Injection Bosch EMS with RbW, 46mm throttle bodies Electronic injection; 52 mm single throttle body, Ride-by-Wire Multi-point sequential electronic fuel injection EFI Compression Ratio 12.7:1 13.5:1 10.5:1 11.27:1 11.5:1 Valve Train 4 valves per cylinder, DOHC, dry sump lubrication DOHC, four-valve OHC two valves per cylinder (titanium intake) 12-valve, DOHC DOHC; 8 valves Peak HP 77.2 hp @ 7700 rpm (measured) 92.5 hp @ 8300 rpm (measured) 80 hp at 7750 rpm (claimed) 85.5 hp @ 8800 rpm (measured) 63.7 hp @ 8900 rpm (measured) Peak Torque 56.1 lb-ft @ 5300 rpm (measured) 64.1 lb-ft @ 7100 rpm (measured) 59 lb-ft. @ 5000 rpm (claimed) 58.8 lb-ft. @ 7200 rpm (measured) 44.3 lb-ft. @ 6500 rpm (measured) Transmission 6-speed 6-speed 6-speed 6-speed 6-speed Final Drive Chain 520 X-Ring Chain Shaft O-Ring Chain Chain Front Suspension 43mm upside-down telescopic fork, 9.1 inches of travel Fully-adjustable WP XPLOR-USD, 48 mm, 9.4 inches of travel 41 mm hydraulic telescopic USD fork, with adjustable spring preload and hydraulic rebound, 6.7 inches travel Showa 45 mm upside down forks, manual preload, rebound damping and compression damping adjustment, 9.45 inches travel KYB 43mm inverted fork, fully-adjustable; 8.3-in travel Rear Suspension Cast aluminum 2-sided swing arm, WAD strut (travel related damping), spring pre-load hydraulically adjustable (continuously variable) at handwheel, rebound damping adjustable, 8.5 inches of travel Fully-adjustable WP XPLOR monoshock, 9.4 inches of travel Double-sided swingarm in box-type aluminum with a single shock on the right side, with adjustable spring preload and hydraulic rebound, 6.7 inches travel Showa rear suspension unit, manual preload and rebound damping adjustment, 9.06 inches wheel travel KYB Single shock, adjustable preload (w/remote adjuster) and rebound damping; 7.9-in travel Front Brake Dual floating disc brakes, two-piston floating calipers, diameter 305 mm Dual 320 mm discs with radial-mount four-piston calipers Double 320 mm stainless steel floating discs, Brembo radial-mounted calipers with 4 opposed pistons Twin 320 mm floating discs, Brembo Stylema 4-piston monobloc calipers. Radial front master cylinder, Optimized Cornering ABS Brembo Dual 282mm hydraulic disc; selectable ABS (on/off) Rear Brake Single disc brake, diameter 265 mm, single-piston floating caliper 260 mm disc with two-piston floating caliper 260 mm stainless steel disc, floating caliper with 2 pistons Single 254 mm disc. Brembo single-piston sliding caliper. Optimized cornering ABS Brembo 245mm hydraulic disc; selectable ABS (on/off) Front Tire 2.15 x 21″ / 90/90 – 21 90/90-21 Continental TKC 80 2.50” x 19” / 110/80-19 90/90-21 90/90R21 Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR Rear Tire 4.25 x 17″ / 150/70 – 17 150/70-18 Continental TKC 80 4.25” x 17” / 150/70-17 150/70R17 150/70R18 Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR Rake/Trail 28° / 4.9 in. (124.5mm) 26.3° / NA 28°/ 5.04 in. (128.0mm) 24.4º/5.7 in. (144.8mm) 27.0º/4.13 in. (104.9mm) Wheelbase 62.7 in. 60.2 in. 60.2 in. 61.1 in. 62.8 in. Seat Height 34.4 in. 34.6 in. 32.7 in. 33.5-34.3 in. 34.6 in. Curb Weight 552 lbs. 469 lbs. 540 lbs. 503 lbs. 468 lbs. Fuel Capacity 6.1 gal. (23 liters) 5.3 gal. 5.5 gal (including 1.3-gal reserve) 5.3 gal. 4.2 gal. Observed MPG 36.5 mpg 43.7 mpg 38.6 mpg 44.2 mpg 38.1 mpg The post 2021 Middleweight Adventure Motorcycle Shootout appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/T9jVzG5Em2QSource

For ages, we didn’t think much about the batteries in our motorcycles. When you only have one option, the traditional lead-acid battery, there’s not a lot to think about. As long as it cranks the starter over and fires up the bike, you’re good. If not, time to shell out for a new one. But like all components on a motorcycle, eventually, new technology emerges to improve the breed. The battery is no different. With the emergence of the lithium motorcycle battery the consumer now has more options. To the average consumer, a battery is a battery. What separates one from the other? For starters, the internal chemistry is very different between the two, but for the purposes of this guide, we’ll stick to the practical differences. Generally speaking, lithium’s biggest advantage is its drastically reduced weight and physically smaller size compared to lead-acid. Lithium also has a significantly lower discharge rate – the amount of charge lost simply sitting – compared to lead-acid, faster recharge rate, more cranking amps (compared to a similar lead-acid application), and safer handling due to its internal chemistry not featuring lead and, yes, you guessed it… acid. The tradeoff, of course, is a significantly higher price tag. Despite this, there’s nothing wrong with lead-acid batteries, and if you’re looking for the lightest hit on your wallet to power your motorcycle, then by all means. However, if you’re looking for a performance edge and value slicing weight wherever possible, then read on as we highlight different companies in the lithium battery game. Table of Contents Antigravity BikeMaster Bosch Full Spectrum Power Shorai Western Power Sports Antigravity Antigravity has become one of the most recognized names in the lithium battery world, as it has products in a wide array of industries, not just powersports. Built in the USA, Antigravity batteries feature an all-brass terminal design, can be installed in any orientation, and in the case of the AG-801 seen here, weighs only 1.5 pounds. Antigravity says its batteries can hold a charge for up to one year, provided there is no parasitic draw while the bike is off (alarms, GPS, heated grips, etc.). Because the batteries are physically smaller than comparable lead-acid types, Antigravity batteries come with adhesive-backed foam strips to fill in the gap in your battery box. The AG-801 is rated at 240 cranking amps and 9 Ah, but there are several different varieties to choose from for your specific application. Shop Now BikeMaster You might know BikeMaster for the numerous parts, tools, and accessories it sells. Included among those is its own private label line of batteries, including lithium varieties. Backed by a two-year warranty, BikeMaster backs what I said in the intro paragraphs, claiming its batteries weigh a third of the weight of conventional batteries but still have enough power to crank even the most stubborn V-Twins. These batteries utilize cylindrical cells (as opposed to plates in other batteries) and, in the case of the DLFP-5L-BS seen here, vital stats are as follows: Voltage: 12 Capacity: 3Ah Dimensions: 114Lx70Wx105H Height With Terminals: 105 Battery Weight: 1.5 pounds Normal Amps: 1.5 Max Amps: 6 CCA (-18c ): 90 Search the BikeMaster site for the appropriate battery for your application. Shop Now Bosch If there’s an electrical component on your motorcycle, chances are Bosch had something to do with it. So it only seems right that Bosch also has its own line of lithium-ion batteries. Like the other batteries here, its lithium chemistry means there are no poisonous lead or acid components. The battery lid on the Bosch batteries features a voltage tester and Battery Management System, the latter balancing the voltage level among the cells when charging or discharging. The voltage tester works in conjunction with the charge-status display to tell you how healthy (or unhealthy) your battery is. Shop Now Full Spectrum Power The big talking point surrounding the Pulse IPT battery is the IPT Reset feature. Basically, if you somehow leave something on while the bike is turned off – like your lights or heated grips, for example, the battery’s internal circuitry can recognize the parasitic drain and will initiate a power cut off before it’s drained below 12 volts. This way the battery still has enough power to start your motorcycle again. In essence, this eliminates the need for a jump start and means you won’t be stranded. Pulse IPT batteries come in all shapes and sizes to fit several different applications, and all have the following features (from the Full Spectrum Power website): * IPT Battery Management System (BMS) – Every Pulse IPT battery comes with an integrated BMS which controls the function and behavior of the battery. This means better performance, longer life, and emergency start capability. * IPT Reset – Intelligent Pulse Technology does two things: 1. Leave the key in the “on” position for a few months? Press the IPT Reset button, and you will be able to start your bike. You will need to recharge your battery by either riding the bike, or putting it on a charger- but there will be enough power to start your bike once. 2. It will prevent the battery from being drained, and damaged beyond repair. Lithium batteries can be damaged beyond repair if they are drained below 12 volts. The IPT will prevent this from happening. * Universal Charger Capability – Most commercially available battery chargers work with the Pulse IPT batteries. *Advanced Case Design- Lighter and stronger than our previous case, it rejects heat, vibration, gas and oil. *Advanced Cell Design- We designed the Pulse IPT cells to cope with the demands of motorsports. Every component of our cells were designed and optimized for motorsports, based on a decade of experience building engine start batteries. These are only available from Full Spectrum Power. * V Direct Multi Terminal – Our solid copper terminals have 4 threaded mount holes. Attach your accessory wires without having to use long screws on one small terminal. * V Sleeve Silicon Terminal Covers – Color coded for polarity, our silicon terminal covers protect against short circuits. Shop Now Shorai Shorai has been in the motorcycle battery business since 2010. In that time the company has gone from relatively obscure, to a major player in the battery biz. In fact, our own John Burns, and former E-i-C Kevin Duke, put one in their own Yamaha R1 and Ducati 900SS, respectively, and had mostly nice things to say. Like nearly all the batteries here, Shorai has a complete line to fit whatever motorcycle is in your garage. Using the $99.95 LFX07 shown here as an example, it measures 4.45in. x 2.28in. x 3.50in, weighs 0.97lbs., and provides 102 cold-cranking amps. Shop Now Western Power Sports Western Power Sports is better known as a distributor for many of the powersports products we know and love, but did you know the company also has a line of private label lithium batteries, too? As you can see in the image above, the batteries are called Featherweight, and with a name like that it better deliver. WPS says its 6.2 in. x 2.8 in. x 4.6 in. battery comes in at 1.7 lb. But what makes the WPS battery different from the rest is its on-board LED test gauge that will indicate the battery’s charge at the push of a button. It’s not quite as helpful as, say, the Pulse IPT battery that will leave enough juice for you to start your motorcycle, but it’s still a nice feature. Shop Now We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews. Learn more about how this works. The post Lithium Motorcycle Battery Buyer’s Guide appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/kVTww51Z6a0Source

Sounds like the Elephant Ride is an ongoing annual thing, held on the second Sunday of February in Colorado. What? Dang, we just missed it. Sounds like a lot of fun, 25 years ago. As for 2021, maybe there’s a couch viewable YouTube version? Remind us again on the third Monday of February, 2022. The weather gods smiled, and Elephant riders celebrate By Dave Tharp, Virtual Museum Curator Apr. 23, 1996 Unfortunately, the weather in Colorado was fine. Daytime highs were in the 70s, and the roads were clear and dry all along the Front Range. The Eighth Annual Elephant Ride — arguably the kookiest motorcycle event in North America — was in danger of being boring. Then the weather gods smiled.The origins of the Elephant Ride are lost in obscurity. Some say it began as an inebriated challenge issued by some BMW riders to a group of Harley riders in a dive bar in Denver. The pachydermic name commemorates Hannibal’s crossing of the Alps with war elephants during the Second Punic War (218 B.C.). More likely it was patterned after the “Elefanten Treffen,” a wintertime motorcycle/sidecar meet held every winter in Austria, originally a rally for Zundapp enthusiasts who affectionately nicknamed their steeds “Gruene Elefanten” (Green Elephants). By Dave Tharp, Virtual Museum Curator. Greg Ray’s 1947 Knucklehead That Morning … I think I can get through here This ain’t so hard The Elephant Ride is a Saturday night sub-freezing camp-out and shenanigans at Grant, Colorado, in the mountains 65 miles southwest of Denver, followed next morning by an attempt to ride 27 miles to Georgetown, over the top of Guanella Pass (11,669′).The previous year’s event featured 18 inches of powder snow and a temperature of minus eight degrees Fahrenheit, but the dirt road over the 11,669 foot Guanella Pass was dry this year, and people had been driving over it in Geo Metros. But February weather in the Central Rockies is notoriously wild. The die-hard fans and participants (who return year after year to challenge the elements) were hoping for the worst. And an odd group of participants it certainly is. They arrive in little clumps, a few from the Norton club, a handful of BMW enthusiasts, a gaggle of roadracers, some denizens of the Internet, or a group of enduro riders. This is not a mainstream event. These people are looney-tunes. The only uniting theme seems to be the uncontrollable desire to do something silly with motorcycles. When we arrived at 3 PM at Grant, the roadracer group (mounted on dirtbikes of all descriptions) had already set up an oval course on the campsite’s pond, and were holding impromptu outlaw ice races. They merrily roosted plumes of slush on each other, crashed into the snow berms, and took a terrible toll of clutch levers. Hundreds of sheet-metal screws driven into the knobbies provided amazingly good traction, and enough speed for some spectacular wipe-outs. But there wasn’t any snow. “The weather report said there was a chance for 1 to 3 inches of snow in the central Rockies on Sunday,” said one weather-watcher in an attempt to raise spirits, but the everyone thought the ride would be dry, dusty and dull. Opinion varies widely on what sort of equipment to use on the Elephant Ride. Bikes included BMW GS’s, an excellent Norton Atlas, a scruffy BSA 441 Victor, and dirtbikes ranging from a DT-1 Yamaha to an XR600 Honda. Sidecar rigs, highly favored by those who don’t like to fall down so much, were well represented, with a couple of BMW’s, a two-wheel-drive Neval (British export version of the Russian Ural), and a pristine ’47 Harley Knucklehead rig. Paul Uhmacht, a perennial Elephant Rider, had ridden his Honda Transalp in from San Franciso, and “Dr. Moto” Gregory Frazier had trailered up a knobby-tired ’36 Indian Sport Scout for the event. The red-menace Neval rig had been brought on a trailer by Jack Wells from New Jersey, for its second attempt on Guanella, after toasting its clutch in deep snow the previous year. After dark, the campout conformed to motorcycle norms all over the world, with bench racing, story telling, and beer. Campsite owner Al Gross offered his large metal garage for a gathering place, complete with the luxury of electricity, and a small propane burner. After considerable consumption of beer, one of the Indian riders performed a snow dance, and although he only managed a few steps before losing his equilibrium, we hoped it would work. And, starting at about 3:00 AM, it did. A few flakes began to fall. The temperature was mild in the morning, but we awoke to three inches of snow and the sound of engine starts. At the 11am start, although the sun had come out, and melted the road in the staging area, snow pack was encountered after only a few hundred feet. Starting out in the rear of the pack, with a handy sidecar to keep us upright, we were treated to a scene of double, triple, and quadruple getÐoffs, with bikes in every conceivable orientation except upright. This is a normal occurrence at the Elephant Ride, and riders who have not yet fallen, eagerly stop and help, knowing that they’ll need reciprocity within the next few minutes. The snow began to get deeper as we motored our way along, periodically losing traction and swinging the tail of the rig around in a series of arcs. We began to have to push snow with the sidecar, and its smaller-diameter wheel began to bog down. After about five miles, we partially solved the problem by moving the passenger from the chair to the rear position on the motorcycle, which unloaded the sidecar tire, and provided additional ballast for traction. As we continued, the snow became deeper, the slopes became steeper, and we constantly rode on the edge of bogging down. Finally, we had to push. With the back tire spinning, one of us pushed at the handlebars, while the other pushed on the back of the sidecar. We made the next crest. Oops! Half riding, half pushing, we climbed to the last switchback before the long, steep final climb to the top of the pass, at about the 10,000 foot level. We could go no further. The snow was too deep, and we were exhausted.Dr. Moto pushed, pulled and dragged his ’36 Scout up the same hill we had just made. He collapsed for a few minutes at our switchback, then got out a box of screws and a nutdriver, and started replacing the screws in his rear knobby. “These things aren’t worth a damn,” he stated. “They just get thrown off after a mile or so.” I didn’t have the heart to tell him that everybody else was using 7/16″ long screws, not 3/16″ screws. He then kicked the old Indian to life, and up he went. By now, many dirtbike types had made the top, and were on their way back, so they stopped and told us what it was like. “MAN! The snow’s about two feet deep, and the wind is blowing 40 miles an hour! We barely made it!” About then, the another Indian, a ’46 Chief bob-job, ridden by Justin Hill, slid into our switchback, closely followed by the two-wheel drive Neval rig, by now with chains on both driving tires. The Neval churned around the corner and disappeared up the road, without a sign of slippage or loss of traction. Justin hung out for a few minutes of rest, then started up the slope, roosting a nice fan of snow, and fishtailing like a shark in a feeding frenzy. And we could go no further The ride back to Grant was uneventful for the sidecar-equipped, although the sun had come out at lower elevations, and turned the road into a muddy morass. A little mud never hurt anybody. We hung around the base camp for a while after the ride, and chatted with the participants.A very few (including Paul Uhmacht on his Transalp) had made it all the way across, and all the way down to Georgetown. Twenty or so had made it to the top, mostly on screw-equipped dirtbikes. The Neval rig made it, both Indians made it, and an ancient 750 Honda made it. Unfortunately, Greg Ray’s Knucklehead rig had shed a few gearteeth from the transmission, repeatedly losing and regaining traction. But smiles were evident on every participant’s face, vows to “be here next year” were exchanged, and good-natured insults were hurled. Nobody complained of the cold, snow, exhaustion, pain, bad luck, or mud. They LIKED it. The post Church of MO: “Be Careful What You Wish For …” The 1996 Elephant Ride appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/hO6o4XTJOFASource

The obvious choice to follow-up the RS660 in Aprilia’s lineup, the Noale-based factory has now officially released details on the 2021 Tuono 660. Taking a page from the RSV4/Tuono V4 playbook, the smaller siblings share the same relation, as the Tuono 660 is essentially a “stripped down” version of its RS brother, meant first and foremost to be ridden on the street.Everything You Want To Know About The Aprilia RS660 (Except What It’s Like To Ride) We use quotes around stripped down because, just like the V4 Tuono, there’s still quite a bit of plastic to be found with the Tuono 660, including the double fairing up front with the hidden winglets. What’s interesting is that, during the RS660 press briefing, Aprilia downplayed the winglet’s downforce effect and played up rider comfort, saying the winglets were primarily to channel hot air from the engine away from the rider. In its press materials, Aprilia still says the winglets move hot air away from the rider, but also “contributes to optimized stability at high speeds.” Nonetheless, Aprilia is claiming the little Tuono to be the lightest bike in its class, with a claimed curb weight of 403 lbs. Combine that with its 100 hp output and Aprilia is also claiming the best power-to-weight ratio too. Stylistically, the relation between RS660 and Tuono 660 is clear. The triple-beam headlight is distinct, while the accompanying components beneath it are reduced on the Tuono. The LED headlight itself features a daylight sensor that will activate the low beams at night. In the rear, the turn signals will flash in an emergency braking situation. If you go with the optional IMU, the headlights will “bend” and light up the inside of a turn as you lean.2021 Aprilia RS660 Review – First Ride Other than looks, the biggest separator between RS and Tuono is the ergonomic triangle. You get a handlebar on the Tuono 660 instead of the clip-ons of the RS660. The handlebar is higher and slightly swept back, while the pegs are a little lower and covered with rubber (unlike the RS). Combined, you have a more relaxed riding position compared to the RS660. From here, much of the components between the Tuono and RS are the same or very similar. The modular frame featuring spars that are bolted together (instead of welded) gives you the same 24.1º rake as the RS. One difference, however, is the frame features two anchor points to the engine on the Tuono – one less than the RS660 – for a slightly different handling characteristic. As before, the engine is a stressed member of the chassis. 2021 Aprilia RS660 Track Review The swingarm is still bolted through the engine, and attached to it is a rebound- and spring preload-adjustable shock (no compression adjustment). Up front you have a Kayaba 41mm inverted fork, also adjustable for spring preload and rebound damping. Braking components are the same between RS and Tuono, which means two 320mm discs and radial calipers and master cylinder from Brembo. On the tire front, Pirelli outfits the bike with its Diablo Rosso Corsa II rubber, which compliments the bike’s street-first performance. The star of the show, the 659cc parallel-Twin is small, compact, and packs a punch. Note the slotted swingarm pivot. Of course, the highlight of the entire 660 range is the 659cc parallel-Twin engine. Featuring an 81mm bore, 13.5:1 compression ratio, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, and the distinct 270º firing order, it just oozes character as it revs mightily to its 100 hp (at the crank) peak and 11,500 rpm redline. You get 50 lb-ft of torque at 8,500 rpm, with 80% of that available as low as 4,000 rpm. Just as the RS660, the Tuono 660 comes with the latest APRC suite and features Aprilia Traction Control, Wheelie Control, Cruise Control, Engine Brake control, and different engine map settings (three for street, two for track, just like the RS). As alluded to earlier, one of the many options available on the Tuono 660 is the six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU). By now we don’t need to explain what it does, but if you get it for the Tuono it then enables Cornering-ABS (with different levels of intervention), as well as the “bending” headlights mentioned at the top of the page. Another feature worth getting, in our opinion, is the optional quickshifter. Lastly, all of the Tuono 660’s vital information can be seen through the color TFT display, which can show you both Road and Track screens, along with the Aprilia MIA multimedia platform that allows you to connect with your smartphone and use the bike’s screen to control several different functions, including calls, music, and even turn-by-turn navigation. The app also allows the rider to save completed trips and analyze the data directly in the app using geo-referenced telemetry. The Tuono 660 will come in three colors: Acid Gold, Iridium Grey, and Concept Black. In the US, the Tuono 660 will be available at the end of March, with pricing set at $10,499 for Grey and Black. Opt for Acid Gold and you’ll be set back $10,699. Aprilia Tuono 660 – Technical Data Sheet Engine type Aprilia forward-facing parallel twin-cylinder, four stroke, liquid-cooled with radiator and water-oil heat exchanger, DOHC with silent chain on the right side, four valves per cylinder Bore and stroke 81 x 63.93 mm Engine capacity 659 cc Compression ratio 13.5:1 Maximum power at crankshaft 100 HP (70 kW) at 10,500 rpm Maximum torque at crankshaft 67.0 Nm (6.83 kgm) at 8,500 rpm Power supply Airbox with front air vent. 2 Æ48 mm throttle bodies, Ride-by-wire management Starting Electrical Lubrication Wet sump Transmission 6-speed. Aprilia Quick Shift (AQS) System up and down (available as optional accessory) Clutch Multiplate wet clutch with slipper system Secondary drive Chain, drive ratio 17/43 Electronic management APRC suite that includes ATC (traction control), AWC (wheelie control), AEB (engine brake) AEM (engine mapping), ACC (cruise control) 5 riding modes (Road and Track, 3 pre-set and 2 customizable) Chassis Aluminum dual beam chassis with removable seat-supporting subframe Front suspension Kayaba Æ 41 mm upside down fork with top out spring, Aluminum pins to fasten radial calipers. Rebound and spring preload adjustment on a single stanchion. Wheel travel: 110 mm Rear suspension Asymmetrical aluminum swingarm. Single shock and top out spring with rebound and spring pre-load adjustment. Wheel travel: 130 mm Front brake Rear brake ABS 320 mm double disc; Brembo radial calipers with 4 horizontally opposed Æ 32 mm pistons. Radial pump and metal braided brake hose 220 mm diameter disc; Brembo caliper with two Æ 34 mm separate pistons. Master cylinder with separate reservoir and metal braided hose Multimap ABS (Cornering ABS available as optional accessory) Wheels Aluminum alloy Front: 3.5”X17” Rear: 5.5”X17” Tires Radial tubeless, Front: 120/70 ZR 17 Rear: 180/55 ZR 17 (alternatively 180/60 ZR17) Dimensions Wheelbase: 53.9 inches / 1370 mm Length: 78.5 inches / 1995 mm Width: 31.6 inches / 805 mm Saddle height: 32.2 inches / 820 mm Headstock angle: 24.1° Trail: 4.1 inches / 104.7 mm Weight 403 lbs curb weight (172 lbs dry weight) 183 kg curb weight (169 kg dry weight) Emissions compliance Consumption Euro 5 4.9 liters/100 km CO2 emissions 116 g/km Fuel tank capacity Color range 3.9 Gallons (including 1 Gallons reserve) 15 Liters (including 4-liter reserve) Concept Black, Iridium Grey, Acid Gold The post 2021 Aprilia Tuono 660 – First Look appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/8Zd-IvVuz9MSource