Peon Maface

The Route Napoleon is considered one of the best drives across France. It starts near the French Riviera and runs up to the southern tip of the Alps. The route earns its namesake by following the path that the one-time French emperor used to covertly make his way north after escaping his first exile. Despite wet conditions with gravelly sections enroute and frost at higher elevations, it was a most excellent place to have our first dance with Suzuki’s new naked, the 2023 GSX-8S. The second of two 776cc Parallel Twin-powered models from Suzuki, the GSX-8S proved its mettle over just a single day’s ride in terms of being a contender in the middleweight naked category. Let’s get to it. 2023 Suzuki GSX-8S Suzuki’s new naked bike delivers a one, two punch with its excellent new Parallel Twin engine. Editor Score: 82% Engine 18/20 Suspension 10/15 Transmission 7.5/10 Brakes 7.5/10 Instruments 4.5/5 Ergonomics 9/10 Appearance 9/10 Desirability 8.5/10 Value 8/10 + Highs Punchy low to mid-range Just the right size overall Design and styling are a welcome update – Sighs Soft suspension Inconsistent qualities between bikes Driveline lash is a bit annoying As previously alluded to, the GSX-8S follows on the heels of the 2023 V-Strom 800 DE as the second model to use the all-new 800 platform. The two models share the engine and the steel main frame that the Twin bolts into as a stressed member. The 776cc DOHC Parallel Twin gets its capacity from a couple of 84mm bores with 70mm strokes, while the compression ratio comes in at 12.8:1. The 2023 Suzuki GSX-8S is said to produce 82 horsepower at 8,500 rpm, with 57.5 pound-feet of torque topping out at 6,800 rpm. Redline cuts in at 9,250 rpm. Ergonomics seem pretty spot on for a guy who’s 5-foot 8-inches tall with a 30-inch inseam (I could flat foot both boots). The name of the game with Suzuki’s new mill is its low- and mid-range power. After riding the V-Strom 800 DE about six weeks ago, I was actually surprised by the low-end punch on the GSX-8S. Suzuki told us previously that there was little change in mapping between the two bikes, but the 8S still feels punchier – if my perma-jetlagged brain can be trusted. This also makes it a wheelie machine in the hands of those well versed in the art. There is a noticeable hit of power in the mid-range as well around 7,000 rpm that tugs the corners of your mouth into a grin every time. That said, once you’ve made it much further into the rev range, power begins to sign off as you approach redline, so there really isn’t much reason to have the motor screaming at the top of its lungs. 776cc of brand spankin’ new Parallel Twin. Speaking of lungs, as it was on the ‘Strom 800, the 8S uses a horizontal six liter air box that is situated under the seat and breathes out of what Suzuki says is its first “short muffler” which keeps weight central and low. The cooling system uses a thermostat control valve which we’re told aids in quicker warm up times and more stable combustion temperatures, leading to reduced exhaust emissions. A dual-counter balancer is also used to quell unwanted vibration and does a good job up until the point where you probably don’t mind under liberal throttle twistage. The 3.7-gallon fuel tank is fairly common in this category, and although we weren’t able to verify mpg figures, it’s likely safe to assume the ballpark it’ll be playing in will be mid-40s. A non-adjustable fork and preload adjustable (with a tool) shock are both supplied by KYB,and both offer 5.1 inches of travel. The seat is a manageable 31.9 inches from the ground, and it’s a comfy perch, indeed. A couple of 17-inch cast wheels are right for this sporty steed and are shod in Dunlop Roadsport 2 rubbers. Trail and rake is 4.1 inches and 25 degrees, respectively. Combined with the 57.7 inch wheelbase, the chassis geometry leads to a stable, well-handling ride. Curb weight is said to be 445 drippin’ wet. Riding the GSX-8S is a thoroughly digital affair thanks to the ride-by-wire throttle. Unfortunately, cruise control was not bestowed upon the 8S. The GSX-8S features many of the same electronics, which Suzuki refers to as the Suzuki Intelligent Ride System (S.I.R.S.) seen on the V-Strom 800, and they’re controlled via the left switchgear through the five inch TFT display. S.I.R.S. includes the Suzuki Drive Mode Selector (SDMS) which gives the rider three options for throttle response, the Suzuki Traction Control System (STCS) offers three levels of intervention including off, and the bi-directional Quick Shift System (QS) does exactly what its name implies. SDMS and STCS can be adjusted on the fly. ABS has a single standard setting which can’t be altered, and none of the electronics are IMU-based. To the Route I can’t say the roads we spent time on didn’t play into most of the GSX-8S’s strengths – that’s why it’s always nice to get the bike back home for a follow up review or comparison test. Making our way inland from the Côte d’Azur toward the Route Napoleon required first navigating our way out of the maze-like small streets of a town whose official incorporation dates back to 43 BC. That is to say, the roads were tight, twisty, touristy, and offered varying levels of traction. In this, the GSX-8S’ low seat height, generally nimble low-speed handling, size, and low-to-mid-range power all made for an excellent machine to attack the busy city. I did find the SDMS A mode (the most direct throttle response) to be a bit much. I chose to crank up the TC to 3 and switch the mode to B while in town to have one less thing to think about as we navigated traffic in what I’m sure was a perfectly reasonable and legal manner for southern France. The people honking must have been tourists. Once we’d wrestled our way out of town, we set off to follow in the footsteps of the controversial French emperor. The road was bumpy, wet, and strewn randomly with gravel as we set off into the mountains, but the scenery was incredible. I managed to take in some of it between getting hard on the gas and then, likewise, on the brakes as we dove into hairpin after hairpin. The Nissin binders provide good initial bite and plenty of power as they squeeze the dual 310mm discs, even if feedback at the lever is dull. I kept the TC turned up and left the bike in B mode during this portion. The bumpy road also began to reveal the suspension’s limits all too quickly. Mind you, we were taking it at a fairly hot pace. The lack of sophisticated damping was quickly apparent as the bike compressed and rebounded all too quickly. Bringing up the rear with some preload certainly helped, but there’s no replacement for… damping. The GSX-8S might not handle as quickly as some others in the category, but it’s a more than willing dance partner. Eventually, we snaked our way higher up into the mountains, and although the temperatures dropped, the road was (mostly) clean and dry – A mode was selected, TC was backed off, and I never switched it back. The GSX-8S is an absolute blast to ride at a quick clip in the mountains. Yes, the suspension is a weak point, but it didn’t keep any of us from thoroughly enjoying the route that Suzuki France had planned for us. Even with the stout punch available from the P-Twin, it’s easy to modulate at the right grip. There is some noticeable driveline lash, but that could have likely been smoothed out somewhat by tightening up the chain (probably from all the journos before me pulling horn monos). During one of our photo passes, we started checking out each other’s assigned bikes and came to realize that despite all of the bike’s preload being set at “2” on the stepped preload adjuster, at least one of the other bike’s shock felt markedly stiffer. After we had the chance to swap machines, I also noted less driveline lash and a more sensitive quickshifter on another bike. These inconsistencies between at least three of the motorcycles at the introduction do give pause. Some of those things may be able to be adjusted out, or at least to the same effect, but the difference between shocks was puzzling. As far as the competition goes, the GSX-8S slots itself right between something like 12 bikes that can be considered “middleweight nakeds.” You have the bikes at the 650-ish cc range and, then, the upperclassmen around 900cc. At $8,850, the GSX-8S is reasonably priced for the bigger bikes, but somewhat expensive for the smaller ones. In terms of weight, 445 pounds is hefty no matter which end of the spectrum you’re looking at, though the bike masks the heft very well. Its power figures lean more toward the smaller middleweights, too. That said, the experience of riding the bike and the technology included, to me, have this bike punching toward the higher end of its weight class. Stepping back into my initial riding impressions and away from how the GSX-8S might compare to others in the category, I came away more impressed with the engine than I had expected. Despite the soft suspension, the bike maintains stability on smoother roads (and even bumpy ones if you’re willing to dial your right wrist back) and the electronics are useful without being over the top. Suzuki has a history of making excellent motors, and I think this 800 platform is an example of just that. In the GSX-8S, the engine steals the show, but the entire machine is a blast to ride, even with the nits that I’ve picked. In Gear Helmet: AGV K6 Jacket: Alpinestars AS-DSL Shiro Pants: Pando Moto Boss Dyn 01 Gloves: Alpinestars Chrome Boots: Red Wing Iron Ranger 2023 Suzuki GSX-8S Specifications MSRP $8,849 Engine Type 776cc, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC Parallel-Twin Bore x Stroke 84.0 mm x 70 mm Compression Ratio 12.8:1 Fuel System Fuel injection Starter Electric Lubrication Force-fed circulation, wet sump Ignition Electronic ignition (transistorized) Spark Plug Iridium type x 2 Clutch Wet, multi-plate type Transmission 6-speed constant mesh Final Drive O-ring style chain, 525 x 118L Front Suspension Inverted telescopic, coil spring, oil damped, 5.1 inches of travel Rear Suspension Link type, single shock, coil spring, oil damped, 5.1 inches of travel Front Brakes Nissin radial-mount 4-piston calipers, twin disc, ABS-equipped Rear Brakes Nissin 1-piston, single disc, ABS-equipped Front Tire 120/70ZR17M/C (58W), tubeless Rear Tire 180/55ZR17M/C (73W), tubeless Headlight Mono-focus LED x 2 Tail Light LED Turn Signals LED Length 83.3 inches Width 30.5 inches Height 43.5 inches Rake/Trail 25° / 4.1 inches Wheelbase 57.7 inches Ground Clearance 5.7 inches Seat Height 31.9 inches Curb Weight 445 pounds (claimed) Fuel Capacity 3.7 US gallons Color Pearl Cosmic Blue, Pearl Tech White, or Metallic Matter Black No. 2/Glass Sparkle Black Warranty 12-month unlimited mileage limited warranty Extension Longer coverage periods with other benefits available through Suzuki Extended Protection (SEP) 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 2023 Suzuki GSX-8S Review – First Ride appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Source

Modern motorcycle batteries have gotten so good that we largely don’t think about them until the sad day that we thumb the button and hear the starter struggle to get our Big Twin to crank through the compression stroke – or even worse, hear the dreaded click-click of a dead battery. Like it or not, batteries are consumable items on a motorcycle, and without proper care, can die on us at the most inconvenient times. So, if you suspect that your battery is getting ready to give up the ghost, we’re here to help you find a new battery to keep you headed down the highway. What to look for The reality of V-Twins is that they require a good bit of power to crank over, particularly when cold. So, you can’t just drop in any old motorcycle battery that will fit in the battery box and expect it to work. You’ll need to do a little research. One good way to measure a battery’s power is its Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) rating, which is a standardized measure that can be compared across battery models. While we, as riders of air-cooled motorcycles, probably won’t be riding the the 0 degree F environment the rating is measured in, it’s a quick way to be sure you’re making an apples-to-apples comparison among batteries. When it comes to CCA, your new battery should have, at a bare minimum, the same rating as the OEM one. This means that it has the power to crank your engine effectively. However, if you have done any performance modifications to your engine, like higher-compression pistons, going for a higher CCA rating is a good idea. Additionally, if you’re the type of rider who likes to sit and spend extended periods listening to the big stereo you installed, you’ll want to bump up your replacement battery’s capacity, too. Lead acid vs lithium ion Although this topic can get quite heated, both types of batteries have advantages and disadvantages. First, lead-acid batteries are significantly cheaper. By being used for so many generations, these batteries are essentially commodity items. They do have some drawbacks: they are heavy and lose power when stored for extended periods without a smart charger. Lithium batteries are newer to the scene, and while they initially had some growing pains, they are now a viable option for many riders. While lithium batteries are more expensive, they are also significantly lighter, and weight savings is always good – even on a blinged out bagger. They also typically offer more cranking power than lead-acid batteries of a similar size, which is a really good thing. The power loss during extended storage is also significantly lower with lithium. The biggest drawback, however, is that in extremely cold weather, they have a significant drop off in performance until they get warmed up. This shouldn’t be an issue for your typical three-season biker, though. In the end, the choice is up to you. Table of Contents Best AGM Battery: Yuasa YIX30L-BS AGM Battery Best Lithium Battery: Shorai Lithium Battery LFX36L3-BS12 BikeMaster Lithium Ion 2.0 Battery BMP21L-FP Yuasa GYZ32HL Factory Activated AGM High Performance Battery Best AGM Battery: Yuasa YIX30L-BS AGM Battery Here’s an American Made option for your American Motorcycle that comes from the largest motorcycle battery manufacturer in the world. Over 50 years of engineering expertise ensures high-quality construction for long and trouble-free service. Spill-proof design and construction have passed vibration and pressure differential spill-proof tests. The use of Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) Separators is an advanced battery technology that eliminates the need to ever add water, while the advanced lead-calcium alloy holds its specific gravity more than 3 times longer than conventional lead antimony batteries. This equates to a battery that can go much longer between charges when used in standby mode, like winter storage. A 385 CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) is available at the push of the starter button. 6 month manufacturer’s warranty. Check Price Best Lithium Battery: Shorai Lithium Battery LFX36L3-BS12 Shorai LFX Lithium motorcycle batteries are some of the lightest and most powerful replacement batteries available. How does a whopping 540 Cold Cranking Amps sound to you? Additionally, the battery can weigh as little as one-fifth as much as a comparable lead-acid battery. Ease of maintenance is a big issue for motorcycles that are only periodically ridden. Shorai LFX have a much slower self-discharge than the best lead acid batteries (1/6 to 1/7, on average), they do not sulfate as capacity drops, and they are the ultimate “deep cycle” battery. This means that they can still crank your vehicle even if the remaining capacity is quite low. A fully charged LFX can sit for a year or more and still retain adequate starting capacity, without damaging the battery. As such, any vehicle which has no current flowing when the key is OFF should not need a tender. At most this battery only needs to be charged every 6 to 12 months, depending on the use and average storage temperature. Check Price BikeMaster Lithium Ion 2.0 Battery BMP21L-FP The BikeMaster Lithium Ion 2.0 Battery delivers heavyweight power in a featherweight package with a full 420 CCA available. Its internal battery management system provides individual cell voltage protection and cell balancing function. This system also allows the battery to charge to 90% capacity in 6 minutes. An entire BikeMaster Lithium Ion 2.0 Battery can weight up to 70% lighter than a traditional lead-acid battery along with the benefit of eco-friendly and noncombustible materials. The built-in voltmeter is a nice touch that allows you to easily check on the charge status of the battery. The internal battery management system automatically maintains the internal cell balance. LiFePO4 cells provide power and safety in a non-combustible cell. Check Price Yuasa GYZ32HL Factory Activated AGM High Performance Battery Factory-activated batteries are perfect for riders who don’t want to have to deal with the initial acid setup of a new battery. This new generation of maintenance-free batteries delivers 500 cranking amps for vehicles that require extra starting power from the largest motorcycle battery manufacturer in the world. Over 50 years of engineering expertise ensures high-quality construction for long and trouble-free service. Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) Separators – an advanced battery technology that eliminates the need to ever add water. Advanced lead-calcium technology that holds its specific gravity more than 3 times longer than conventional lead antimony batteries. This means much longer periods between charges when the battery is used in a standby mode, like winter storage. Leakproof valve and heat-bonded case prevent corrosion. Check Price FAQ How long should my Harley battery last? A lead-acid battery should last 2-5 years with proper care. However, extended idle time without a smart charger or repeated running of the battery flat will dramatically shorten the life span. Lithium batteries should last significantly longer. In our testing, we’ve had a lithium-ion battery last as long as nine years. How many Cold Cranking Amps does a Harley need? We’d always recommend getting the minimum CCA of the OEM battery, but if you lack that information, 300 CCA is a good minimum starting point. Go up in CCA if you have electrical accessories or engine performance modifications, like high-compression pistons. Should I keep my Harley on a smart charger? If you have a lead-acid battery in your Harley, yes, you should use a smart charger to keep the battery in top condition if you’re not riding regularly. Smart chargers have the ability to sense when the battery is fully charged, thereby preventing them from overcharging and killing your battery. Additional resources Lithium Motorcycle Batteries: Myths VS Realities – Updated Lithium Motorcycle Battery Buyer’s Guide Battery Charger Buyer’s Guide Lead-Acid Batteries Still Have It 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 Battery For Harley-Davidson Motorcycles appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Source

BMW is preparing to add a new model to its 1,802cc boxer family, receiving type approval in Switzerland for a new variant called the R 18 Roctane. The type approval data for the Roctane shows much in common with the existing R 18 models, but with some notable differences. For one, the R 18 Roctane has an internal model code of “0N61,” while the model codes for the R 18, R 18 Classic, R 18 B, and R 18 Transcontinental all have model codes beginning with “0L.” This suggests the Roctane differs from the other models in a fairly significant way, either with a chassis update or a different form factor. The variant’s name appears to be a combination of the “R” branding and “octane,” so a more performance-focused model may be in store. This brings to mind the Concept R 18 /2, which BMW revealed in 2019. The “Slash Two” was presented as the stylistic opposite of the retro-inspired concept that eventually became the R 18. BMW described it as “a modern, dynamic custom cruiser with a performance appeal that is somewhat rougher round the edges” We’re not too crazy about the Roctane name, but it does seem a fit for the R 18 /2. Performance focus or not, we do know the Roctane is powered by the same 1,802cc air-cooled Boxer as the rest of the R 18 range. The homologation filing confirms the same engine code and peak performance numbers as the other models: a maximum power output of 67 kW (90 hp) at 4,750 rpm, and 116 lb-ft. at 3,000 rpm. As with the rest of the range, BMW has also gained type approval for a 35 kW (47 hp) version suitable for European A2 licenses. The filing also confirms the Roctane has the same silencer code as the Classic, B, and Transcontinental models, so we can expect the same straight pipes and not the bulbous fishtail exhaust on the regular R 18. The Roctane’s wheel sizes (including accessory options) are the same as the other R 18 models. The type approval data makes no mention of suspension, and the braking data only confirms dual front brakes and ABS. If the Roctane is indeed more of a performance cruiser, we expect these to be different from the rest of the R 18 family. The filings are a bit more helpful when it comes to the bike’s dimensions. The Roctane has a 67.7-inch wheelbase, putting it somewhere between the 66.7-inch wheelbase of the touring R 18s and 68.1 inches of the cruiser models. A different fork rake and trail could account for this difference. At 103 inches long, the R 18 Roctane is about 7 inches longer than the R 18 and R 18 Classic, but 2 inches shorter than the R 18 B bagger, and 1 inch shorter than the R 18 Transcontinental. This suggests the Roctane does not have side cases or a top case of the touring models, as the luggage on the B and Transcontinental extend well past the tip of their exhausts. The listed gross vehicle weight rating further suggests the Roctane will not have luggage. At 1,234 pounds, the Roctane has the same GVWR as the R 18 and R 18 Classic, compared to 1,389 pounds for the R 18 B and R 18 Transcontinental which have non-removable cases. The filings include a laden weight, which is the claimed curb weight plus some ballast to represent the weight of a rider and some accessories. For the R 18 models, this typically means an extra 180-186 pounds above the claimed curb weight. The R 18 Roctane is listed at 1,009 pounds, so we estimate a curb weight of around 826 pounds. This places the Roctane as being lighter than the touring models but heavier than the cruisers. Again assuming no luggage, we surmise some of the weight difference may be due to a fairing. Model Laden weight Claimed Curb Weight Laden Weight – Curb Weight R 18 946 pounds 761 pounds 185 pounds R 18 Classic 985 pounds 805 pounds 180 pounds R 18 B 1058 pounds 877 pounds 181 pounds R 18 Transcontinental 1127 pounds 941 pounds 186 pounds R 18 Roctane 1009 pounds ? ? There is no hint of when BMW may reveal the R 18 Roctane. Since withdrawing from the major trade shows, BMW has spaced its product reveals throughout the year, but the type approval documents may suggest an official announcement may come soon. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post BMW R 18 Roctane Confirmed in Homologation Filings appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Source

Writing about Ducati’s 2023 Streetfighter V4S is nice and all, but while at the Andalucia racetrack riding the bike, I also attached a GoPro to my helmet and spun some laps. This happened for a few reasons: first was so you, the viewer, could hear the amazing roar of an 1103cc V4 at 13,000-plus rpm. Next was to get an idea of the different challenges the Andalucia track poses. The camera doesn’t quite do it justice, and I never did figure all of them out, but the experience reaffirmed just how remarkable the 2023 Ducati Streetfighter V4S really is. 2023 Ducati Streetfighter V4S Review – First Ride  Motorcycle.com would like to thank Motorcycle Mechanics Institute | MMI for sponsoring this video. After hopping off the bike and collecting my thoughts, an actual professional camera crew was gracious enough to put me in front of their expensive equipment, attach a lavalier to my collar, and have me attempt to talk about the bike and my experience. So, if you want a raw and unfiltered view of the new Streetfighter V4S after a day of riding at the track, I suggest you watch the video above. Ray Gauger did an excellent job editing this video to make it seem as if I’m talking from a continual stream of consciousness, but behind the scenes, I really had to think about it because there really was a lot to take in – that V4S is capable of so much. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post 2023 Ducati Streetfighter V4S – Video Review appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Source

The first step in getting more performance out of an engine is to let it breathe easier, and if there’s one thing Harley-Davidson owners like, it’s the distinctive sound of their V-Twin rumbling beneath them. Achieving that sound and performance requires replacing a combination of parts, mainly the stock air cleaner and exhaust. Here, we’re going to focus on the first part of that equation: a Stage 1 air cleaner (also known as an air intake). A Stage 1 air cleaner typically is best for an otherwise stock Harley with no internal modifications done to the engine. Once you start modifying your engine in search of maximum power, then moving to higher stage components might be in order – but that’s beyond the scope of this list. Below, we’ve listed some top air cleaners for Harley-Davidsons. Since there are so many types of Harley engines spanning back through the years, it’s best to take advantage of the model finder in the links below to see if there is something applicable for your bike. The selection below is far from exhaustive, as there are tons of models that aren’t on this list. This is more of a representation of what’s available on the market. From round elements to conical, there are a plethora of different designs to suit nearly everyone’s tastes. Table of Contents Performance Machine FastAir Air Cleaner For Harley Roland Sands Venturi Domino Air Cleaner For Harley Joker Machine Finned Air Cleaner For Harley K&N RK Series Air Intake System For Harley S&S Cycle Mini Teardrop Stealth Air Cleaner Kit For Harley Arlen Ness Velocity 65 Air Cleaner Kit For Harley Rinehart Moto Inverted Air Cleaner For Harley Vance & Hines VO2 Blade Air Intake For Harley Cobra Cone Air Intake For Harley Screamin’ Eagle Performance Machine FastAir Air Cleaner For Harley This Made-in-America Performance Machine FastAir Air Cleaner looks aggressive with its forward-facing conical filter element. It features an internal crankcase breather system and the well-known K&N air filter. All mounting hardware is included, and so is a rain sock. It’s available in Contrast Cut or Chrome finishes. Check Price Roland Sands Venturi Domino Air Cleaner For Harley Roland Sands’ contribution to this list is the Venturi Domino Air Cleaner. The round shape is iconic, but also slim, so your legs won’t hit it if you have forward controls. Again we see a K&N filter for great airflow – but also enhancing airflow is the backing plate that helps smooth the air as it enters the carb or throttle body. It also has a hidden internal crankcase breather and a new tight seal oil separator. Made in the USA and available in a Contrast Cut finish, the faceplate can be changed out to any number of RSD plates for complete customization. Check Price Joker Machine Finned Air Cleaner For Harley Another slim and round option, the Joker Machine Finned Air Cleaner is a particularly compact air cleaner for those who want a performance gain but want to keep their Harley trim and neat. Case in point: the filter element (another K&N piece) has a 4-inch diameter. Joker’s exclusive baffle plate crankcase breathing system is included, along with all the hardware you’ll need for installation. Made in the USA from CNC machined billet aluminum, you’ll need a rain sock (sold separately) if you plan on riding on wet roads. Check Price K&N RK Series Air Intake System For Harley If K&N is providing air filters for virtually every air cleaner assembly in existence, it might as well get in the business of making entire air cleaner assemblies, too. The RK Series is built specifically around the company’s hi-flow filters and includes a powder coated, billet aluminum backing plate that does away with the need for external breathers. It also features a built-in, dyno-tuned velocity stack. What you’ll feel is more power, but also a discreet look – the RK series keeps the stock air cleaner cover so you can maintain that sleeper status. Check Price S&S Cycle Mini Teardrop Stealth Air Cleaner Kit For Harley S&S is well known for its teardrop-shaped air cleaners, but for those who want a smaller version so their knees don’t get banged up, there’s now a miniature version. You’re responsible for the air filter itself (which S&S will be happy to sell you separately), as the kit includes the backing plate, hardware, and the teardrop cover. As for the cover, it’s die-cast and has vents all around to take in as much air as possible. The built-in stinger core directs air straight to the throttle body and reduces turbulence and increases flow in the process. Made in the USA, the kit is also CARB approved. Check Price Arlen Ness Velocity 65 Air Cleaner Kit For Harley If the S&S air cleaner above is for those who value their knees, then the Arlen Ness Velocity 65 speaks to those who want to throw caution to the wind. The 65 in the name is in reference to the degrees in which the conical filter is angled away from the bike. This puts the filter out in clean, cool air for high airflow. Arlen Ness says the forward facing design means your knees are still safe from accidental head butts, but we have our doubts. The synthetic stainless jacketed filter never needs oiling and the patented Big Sucker hidden breather technology ensures peak performance. Check Price Rinehart Moto Inverted Air Cleaner For Harley Rinehart says its inverted air intake for Harleys is packed with patented technology. Exactly what those are we don’t know, but what we do know is that this round air intake is likely a bit more sensible to most than the Arlen Ness piece. The inverted pleated top and sides maximize airflow from all angles. The forged aluminum machined cover is lightweight and also adds protection. Best of all, the synthetic filter is water-resistant and washable, meaning you don’t need to worry about rain socks or re-oiling. Check Price Vance & Hines VO2 Blade Air Intake For Harley One of the most trusted names in the motorcycle aftermarket Vance & Hines contributes this – the VO2 Blade. Slim, round, and compact, this is another option for those who don’t want a huge air intake to possibly bang their knees into. The VO2 Blade is made in the USA and includes a high-flow filter that’s washable and reusable, as well as a large inlet backing plate. Check Price Cobra Cone Air Intake For Harley Another well-known name in the exhaust world, Cobra also has an array of air intakes to let your Harley breathe in, too. The Cobra Cone intake has an internal venturi design that speeds up the air getting into your engine, resulting in more power. As you can see, this one has the conical shape, but it’s tucked close to the engine and pointed forward, making it pretty difficult to smash your knee into it. Check Price Screamin’ Eagle Of course, we couldn’t finish this list without mentioning air cleaners from the folks who built the bike in the first place. The Screamin’ Eagle catalog is full of air intakes for a wide variety of Harley models – round or conical, slim or not. If you have a (relatively) recent Harley, there’s a good chance there’s a Screamin’ Eagle air cleaner built just for that bike. The beauty of going with a Screamin’ Eagle kit is you know it works, integrates with existing software, and is supported by your local dealer. Check Price 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 Stage 1 Air Cleaners for Harley-Davidsons appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Source

You’ve read the review (maybe), now watch the video! Skirting through beautiful twisty bits of tarmac intertwined with rocky fire roads, the Suzuki V-Strom 800DE’s excellent new Parallel Twin engine is a peach. On road, the Twin powers out of corners with all of the punch expected of a 776cc 270-degree crank-driven Twin. Suzuki tells us the new engine puts out 84 hp at 8,500 rpm and 57.5 lb-ft of torque at 6,800 rpm. Off-road, the new power plant puts traction to the ground smoothly via the RbW throttle and is easy enough to modulate that traction control can easily be flicked off and forgotten about. The engine is the star of the show, but the V-Strom 800DE is an excellent sum of its parts and is the most off-road focused ‘Strom yet – this excites us (me). 2023 Suzuki V-Strom 800DE Review – First Ride There’s not much point going into too much detail with words here, as we’ve already done plenty of blabbing over on that other page. Give the video a gander and let us know what you think. Share it with your friends and family, on your social profiles, with people you don’t even know! Take to the streets, spread the good word! Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post 2023 Suzuki V-Strom 800DE – Video Review appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Source

For miles, we rode into a dense cloud of ruddy South African dust. Those dusty roads connected rocky trails and choice stretches of pavement like the famed Franschhoek pass which, on a Saturday, was reminiscent of California’s own Angeles Crest Highway. We watched eclectic groups of open topped roadsters interspersed with an equally varied slew of two-wheelers strafe from apex to apex while we made photo passes. Husqvarna had invited the world’s press to experience the new Norden 901 Expedition amongst epic terrain at the southernmost tip of the African continent. 2023 Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition Husqvarna’s Norden 901 is now more capable of long haul travel and challenging terrain off-road thanks to the Expedition trim. Editor Score: 92% Engine 19/20 Suspension 14.5/15 Transmission 8.5/10 Brakes 9/10 Instruments 4.5/5 Ergonomics 9/10 Appearance 9/10 Desirability 9.5/10 Value 9/10 + Highs Upgraded suspension makes the Norden more capable in a wider variety of terrain Stout skid plate from the factory An excellent value for those looking for more off-road performance – Sighs Electronic gremlins on pre-production bikes Soft bags were falling apart after a few days of riding Windscreen might be a touch too tall for shorter riders and those planning to push the bike off-road The Norden 901 Expedition is little more than the base model with bolt-on bits from the accessory catalog. The thing is, that “little more” makes a big difference. Since its inception, I’ve been a fan of the Norden, in theory anyway. Admittedly, I hadn’t spent much time on the bike ahead of this trip. That said, the Norden is heavily based on the existing KTM 890 Adventure platform which I’ve spent a lot of time with and find myself gravitating toward as a fan of the pointedly off-road end of the ADV spectrum. When reading Scott Rousseau’s (former EiC of Dirtbikes.com) tongue-in-cheek “letter” to me/review of the Norden 901, his words “gentlemanly character” struck me the wrong way. A gentleman, I am not. Word of the WP Apex suspension’s limits off-road spread and my interest feigned. A fantastic street bike with a proven foundation and its own unique style, undoubtedly, but a redressed base 890 Adventure simply didn’t sway me. 2022 Husqvarna Norden 901 Review – First Ride The Expedition model has since reignited my vigor. The Norden 901 Expedition comes standard with useful bits and bobs like a center stand, taller windscreen, soft bags with the requisite rack, Bluetooth connectivity and heated grips and rider seat. All of these things are nice to have, but where my interest piqued was the inclusion of the uber-customizable Explorer ride mode (Rally in KTM speak), a substantial 4mm thick aluminum skid plate, and most of all, WP XPLOR suspension. Considering that the Expedition model only carries a $1,300 premium over the base model – and that the accessories not including the suspension retail for much more than that amount – the new Norden variant should be an excellent choice for those looking to eke out more off-road performance from their Swedish-gone-Austrian adventure bikes. Getting amped for an Expedition Husqvarna once again brought out the adventurous duo of Mike Horn and Cyril Despres to discuss their more recent voyage through Mongolia to promote the new Norden 901 Expedition. Inspiring on their own, professional adventurer Mike Horn’’s accolades include things like crossing both poles, using a hydrospeed to travel 7,000 km down the length of the Amazon river, and plenty of sailing trips around the globe. Mike is an inspiration and has a view of life and adventure that has landed him motivational coaching gigs. Of course, Cyril Despres might be more familiar to a motorsports audience as a five-time Dakar champion with a hard enduro background who has now contested the famed race 24 times on two and four wheels. It’s hard not to get excited listening to these two unlikely friends banter. When I met Horn he nearly crushed my soft editor hand with his grip strength and I watched him do the same to my compatriots as he made the rounds introducing himself. Watching Horn jump over motorcycles during the presentation and listening to him tell stories from their expedition while also throwing gibes Cyril’s way for using pampers (while he raced, of course), Mike exudes a youthful immaturity that lights up the room and gets you excited to be in it with him. Back on track… or trail Cyril and Mike would be with our chase riders during our two days of riding, but after some fun during the technical presentation, it was time for the Norden 901 Expedition to shine. During the morning of our departure we were advised that it would likely be quite warm during portions of our ride since summer had just ended in the southern hemisphere. We only needed to pack for an evening of glamping so the roll-top Givi-made 18L (each) soft luggage attached to my machine was mostly full of GoPro equipment, and later, extra layers that I had peeled off as the temperatures rose. Not only does the five-gallon tank keep the bike’s CoG low resulting in excellent off-road handling, it also keeps your feet from getting splashed when riding into a lake. The two-position adjustable seat height on the Norden Expedition can be set at 34.4 or 35.2 inches, a stretch for some, but being a mere 5-foot 8-inches tall with a 30-inch inseam, most of these bikes are a stretch for me – I’m just used to dealing with it. The seat is quite wide toward the rear which makes it comfortable during longer stints, but also the curve from the front to rear allows you to securely hold onto the bike with your legs while standing as well. The windscreen is nearly three inches taller than that on the base model and it ended up being more of a detriment when riding off-road than it was useful, in my experience. That said, I didn’t have any buffeting even while using an off-road helmet. At one point as I slipped into a center rain rut and popped the bike up out of it on the other end, I didn’t account for the windscreen height and smacked my helmet’s chinbar hard. Also, once the windscreen was dirty, it was hard for a lil guy like me to see around the front of the bike. The Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition’s valves should be spec’d every 15,000 km (9,320 miles). The 48mm XPLOR fork offers 9.4 inches of travel and is adjustable for compression, rebound, and preload whereas the 43mm Apex units of the base model offered only compression and rebound with 8.7 inches of travel. Out back, the XPLOR PDS monoshock also delivers 9.4 inches of travel with adjustability for high and low speed compression, rebound, and preload. The base model’s Apex shock provides 8.5 inches of travel with rebound and preload adjustment available. Husqvarna and WP told us that while the suspension is similar to the stuff on the orange-clad R bike, the Norden does get bike-specific valving, though better hydrostop bottoming resistance has been worked in across the WP board for 2023. The Norden 901 Expedition can now handle more abuse thanks to its WP XPLOR suspension and beefy skid plate. That said, it didn’t keep one of the guys in our group from bending his kickstand after a hard hit. Despite the frame-mounted steering stabilizer, myself and more than a few riders complained of head shake at speed on the Expedition. I opted to add a bit of preload to the shock to help get some more weight onto the front tire and slowed down the rebound a few clicks, too. While this was a step in the right direction, it would have been nice to spend a bit more time working through the copious amounts of adjustment the suspension offered. In the twistier road sections, one of the bigger guys on our ride ended up dragging his center stand as the pace heated up (his suspension was set in the “standard” settings). The LC8c motor is just as much fun on-road as it is off. The same can be said for the tubeless Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR rubber which delivers an excellent balance of performance in both scenarios. On a most excellent stretch of tarmac, Franschhoek pass, the Norden shined as the excellent streetbike it is capable of being. With perfectly neutral ergos and a stable chassis, the punchy 889cc Twin engine and adjustable electronics made the Norden a fantastic bike to jump between dirt and pavement. It was another reminder that the LC8c engine is just as adept at slaying apexes à la Duke, as it is ripping off-road. Husqvarna says the Expedition is meant to be more of a 50/50 bike compared to the more street focused base model. Fork preload is adjustable at the top of each leg while the separate function damping sees compression on the left and rebound on the right. Shock preload requires a 5mm allen wrench. The J.Juan brakes provide good bite and plenty of power, even if they can feel somewhat vague. On road, the fork does tend to dive under hard braking, but for a bike pulling double duty, it seemed like a reasonable compromise. Speaking of brakes, the dual-channel ABS modes (Street and Off-road) are now linked to the ride modes (this will be standard across all Husqvarna and KTM models moving forward). Street and Rain modes use the Street ABS function while Off-road uses, you guessed it, Off-road ABS which reigns in intervention at the front and disables the cornering function as well as completely disabling ABS at the rear wheel. The Explorer ride mode is the only mode that allows the rider to choose between Street and Off-road ABS though it defaults to Street. As expected, the suspension and Explorer ride mode – which lets you tailor traction control on the fly between nine levels, gives you three options of throttle response, and adjustable ABS – were the Expedition’s features I found most useful. The only thing I would really feel the need to change would be the windshield, so I would (hopefully) be less likely to smack myself in the face off-road. Every bike in our group had a seam on the soft luggage failing at the exact same spot. Unfortunately, the soft luggage on every bike in our group had begun to tear at the top seam. Clearly this wasn’t a one-off issue. The metal buckles were pretty slick in their action initially, but perhaps too intricate as they became harder to use once they were inundated with dust. I was told these were pre-production, but they look pretty similar to Husqvarna luggage that was previously available for the Norden and I found reviews describing the same issues. We also had some electronic bugs with ride modes changing after the bike was keyed off. Husqvarna reps told us everything should remain in the selected settings (TC and ABS included) when the bike is keyed off or turned off with the kill switch and that our pre-production machines were, just that, pre-pro. “We’ll work out the kinks,” the reps promised. During my time on the #16 Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition, I was pretty happy with the transmission and the up/down quickshifter. I had little to no issues aside from when I was being perfunctory with the lever. Things mostly worked as they should, but still not so slickly snickety as the best of moto-trans these days. More worrying was another rider echoing the same transmission issues I experienced during the latest KTM 890 Adventure test that saw the bike being intermittently difficult to get into gear and falling out of second when it would shift. Since we all know Pierre is sourcing parts from the same pool, it wasn’t terribly surprising to hear of the same issues I had previously, as the issues appear to be somewhat sporadic. KTM mentioned that it was likely the quickshifter calibration, but I can’t say for sure. Even with a few niggles, the Norden 901 Expedition is the Norden that I always wanted – and apparently I wasn’t alone in this. Myself and like-minded dudes and dudettes are interested in adventure bikes for their off-road prowess, so bolstering that makes this model more enticing. The trend in adventure motorcycling of manufacturers adding touring accoutrement but then also off-road upgrades is somewhat puzzling but, whaddya gonna do? This stylish bike can now handle the rigors of some willing participant to smash his or her new $15,800 investment through terrain their skill can or perhaps can’t cash, while hoping the bike’s prowess will help keep them upright. I think the adv scene is all the better for it, after all, more choices is more better. In Gear Helmet: Fly Racing Formula Jacket: REV’IT! Component H2O Jersey: REV’IT! Sierra Armor: REV’IT! Proteus Pants: REV’IT! Peninsula Gloves: REV’IT! Massif Boots: TCX Comp EVO 2 2023 Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition Specifications MSRP $15,799 Engine Type 2-cylinder, 4-stroke, Parallel-Twin, liquid cooled with water/oil heat exchanger Displacement 889 cc Bore x Stroke 90.7 mm x 68.8 mm Compression Ratio 13.5:1 EMS Bosch EMS with RBW Horsepower 103 hp at 8,000 rpm (claimed) Torque 73.8 lb-ft. at 6,500 rpm (claimed) Starter Electric starter Lubrication Forced oil lubrication with 2 oil pumps Clutch PASC antihopping clutch, mechanically operated Transmission 6-speed Final Drive 16:45 Chain 520 X-Ring Frame Chromium-Molybdenum-Steel frame using the engine as stressed element, powder coated Front Suspension 48 mm WP XPLOR-USD fully-adjustable inverted fork, 9.4 inches of travel Rear suspension WP XPLOR PDS fully adjustable monoshock, 9.4 inches of travel Wheels Front/Rear Tubeless Aluminum spoked wheels 2.50 x 21”; 4.50 x 18” Ground clearance 10.6 inches Front brake 2x radially mounted 4 piston caliper, 320 mm discs Rear brake 2 piston floating caliper, 260 mm disc ABS Bosch 9.1 MP (incl. Cornering-ABS and offroad mode, disengageable) Rake 25.8° Trail 4.2 inches (106.9mm) Triple Clamp Offset 30mm Wheelbase 60.2 inches ± 0.6 in (1529mm ± 15 mm) Seat Height 34.4 / 35.2 inches (875 / 895 mm) Weight 472.9 pounds (without fuel, claimed) Fuel Capacity 5.0 gallons Fuel Economy 52 mpg (claimed) 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 2023 Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition Review – First Ride appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Source

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but we’re big fans of the Ducati Streetfighter V4 around here. The do-it-all naked bike is fast as hell when you want to get crazy, but as docile as a puppy when you don’t. For years, fans of naked bikes have yelled to the hilltops for a manufacturer to build one that was a sportbike without fairings. No neutering, no “re-tuned for torque” BS, just pure naked power – and a handlebar. Ducati has firmly delivered with the Streetfighter V4 and we’ve sung its praises endlessly. Which begs the question: what on earth could Ducati possibly do to warrant yet another press intro and new model launch? 2023 Ducati Streetfighter V4S It seems like Ducati won’t stop refining this bike until it becomes telepathic to ride. Editor Score: 90% Engine 20/20 Suspension 14/15 Transmission 9.5/10 Brakes 9/10 Instruments 4.5/5 Ergonomics 7.5/10 Appearance 9/10 Desirability 9.5/10 Value 7/10 + Highs What an incredible engine Electronic improvements just keep getting better Still as stunning as ever – Sighs I kept sliding back in the seat at high speeds The new tank shape doesn’t give my leg much to latch onto Seriously consider wind protection if high speed tracks are in your future The answer: make it even easier to ride. Ducati, like nearly all manufacturers of big-engined superbikes, understands the rat race to make big power and impress on the dyno sheet, but they also understand that today’s era of 200-plus horsepower motorcycles are a handful to ride. Making them easier to tame will result in not only being able to go faster, but more people being able to go faster, consistently. And when things are easy, people are happy. As the old adage goes, power is nothing without control, and Ducati has taken this to heart. Now it employs a different approach to all its models, but especially its high-end superbikes and super nakeds. Chasing power is one thing, but the big push is to make it easier for the rider to get the most out of them. This, of course, comes down to electronics. And, right now, Ducati is the best in the game. This brings us to the 2023 Ducati Streetfighter V4S. Constant Revisions The evolution of the Streetfighter closely follows that of the Panigale V4, and if you’ll remember, that bike got a hefty update in 2022 as detailed in Mark Miller’s First Ride Review. The goal? Making it easier to ride via refined electronics. It achieved this goal with help from the Ducati Corse racing team engineers. Mark came away extremely impressed with the Panigale V4, calling it “perhaps the best turnkey trackday bike ever built.” Naturally, the next step was to transfer those changes to the Streetfighter V4S. When you break down what it means to make a motorcycle easier to ride, we’re essentially talking about making the connection between the rider’s right wrist and the back tire as telepathic as possible. As you can imagine, that’s not easy when the path from wrist to tire goes through a fire-breathing V4 engine. Fine-tuning of the ride-by-wire mapping is where a lot of this magic happens. The 1103cc Desmosedici Stradale V4 engine in all its glory, not hidden behind fairings. Ducati used the term “Decrescent torque correlation law” when describing its fine-tuning of the throttle. In plain English, the tuning revolves around not only how much power to deliver, but when to deliver it. It’s relatively easy to tune for wide-open throttle – you just give it all the berries. The challenge is calibrating the throttle everywhere else, especially neutral/constant throttle with lean angle thrown in. Unlike a car, whose tire diameter stays constant, a motorcycle tire’s diameter effectively changes as the contact patch moves toward the edge of the tire during lean, this in turn causes the rpm to pick up. With more revs comes a request for more power from the engine, which you may not necessarily want, especially if your right wrist didn’t ask for it (if you were maintaining steady throttle, for example). This extra spike in power, applied when risk is higher (at lean), could upset the tire and cause any number of problems – problems you, the rider, will have to deal with. That makes for a tricky bike to ride. Of course, rider aids like traction control can, and do, help recover some of those instances, but it would be better if you didn’t have to rely on TC in the first place for a moment that’s preventable. That was Ducati’s goal. Its latest revision for the throttle settings takes lean angles into account, especially during neutral throttle, to maintain the amount of power asked for even when tire diameter changes. We instinctively adjust our throttle hand to decrease revs slightly when we don’t want it, but Ducati’s trying to do that for you. Further contributing to smoother power delivery is Ducati’s ability to now control torque limits in each individual gear. In the past, High and Medium power modes on the Streetfighter and Panigale would still feature torque limits in the first three gears – partially to make the bike easier to manage, but also because Ducati’s internal software would only allow torque limits in groups of three gears (1-3 and 4-6), not individually. New breakthroughs in Ducati’s software tuning have allowed them to tune torque values in each gear, further refining how power is applied. For those who’ve been clamoring for all the beans, all the time, Ducati’s heard your plea: New for 2023 is the Full Power Mode. As you can guess, this delivers everything the Desmosedici Stradale V4 has, with only a little power and torque reduction in first gear. Because Full power mode is serious business, it’s not attached to any of the Riding Modes. Instead, you have to manually select it on the menu screen. Actually, there’s another new Power Mode – Low. Sitting at the opposite end of the Full mode, Low restricts the bike to 165 horsepower and is intended for low-grip situations. Ready to party? Then Full power mode is where you need to be. Ducati purposely didn’t tie Full power mode to any of the riding modes, forcing you to choose it within the menus. Basically stating that you’ve willingly accepted the responsibility. More revisions come in the way of Ducati’s Engine Brake Control EVO2, which takes into account the load placed on the rear tire. For example, under hard braking, there’s very little weight on the rear tire. The new Engine Brake Control settings factor that in when applying engine back torque. The Ducati Quickshift system is refined, too, also taking riding conditions into account – especially the slower engine speeds seen on the street. Many times quickshifters, even factory ones, are tuned for the track and fast shifts are crisp only at high rpm. Ducati says this new software makes for smoother shifts at street speeds. The last electronic change is the introduction of the new Track EVO info mode on the TFT dash. Lifted directly from the Panigale, Track EVO mode features a few key components: First is the large gear indicator that sits front and center on the screen. Second are the individual boxes on the right of the screen corresponding to the different rider aids – traction control, wheelie control, slide control, and engine braking. Whenever any of these aids are activated, the individual box will illuminate. This can help the rider fine-tune the level of intervention if they felt one of the aids kicked in too much (or not enough). Third, the green/red shift light at the top of the dash is easy to see. And finally, the lap timer to the left of the gear indicator is large and operates automatically, without the need for the rider to push a button each time they cross start/finish. The Track EVO display is the newest display option available for the Streetfighter and lays out everything you need to know while you’re out on track. Look closely and you’ll see the redline is at 15,000 rpm. Except this only applies in sixth gear. The other gears are capped at 14,500 rpm. What’s (Mostly) The Same Mechanically, the Streetfighter V4S doesn’t change much from before. The general shape and silhouette is instantly recognizable, and at the heart of it all is Ducati’s Desmosedici Stradale 1103cc V4 engine, pumping out 208 horsepower (claimed), or 176 horses at the wheel the last time we had one on the dyno. Fine-tuning was done in the form of increased tailpipe diameter for reduced exhaust back pressure. The cooling fan also comes on earlier to help not only keep the engine temps under control but to also push the heat away from the rider sooner. Rear cylinder deactivation is still here, but unlike the version used on the new Diavel, the two cylinders only shut off at idle. There’s a new fuel tank shape with a slightly flatter profile and streamlined shoulders. This new shape also adds one liter, or 0.26 gallons, of extra fuel capacity. The seat is also a little flatter, and while seat height remains the same at 33.3 inches, Ducati says it’s been able to add some more foam for a cushy ride. The new fuel tank shape isn’t drastically different from before. It does let you tuck in a little tighter, but I wasn’t a fan of its lack of support for the outside leg while leaned over. On the suspension side, Öhlins is still providing the EC 2.0 electronic suspension for the V4S, but for 2023, the valving is tweaked slightly for a little more firmness. Springs remain the same as before. And while it doesn’t seem like much, the big change is a relocated swingarm pivot, 4mm higher than before. This improves the anti-squat effect when getting on the gas coming out of a corner, resulting in a more planted, stable motorcycle. It’s the same treatment the Panigale V4 received in 2022. You still get Brembo Stylema calipers, 330mm discs, steel braided lines, a Brembo master cylinder, and cornering ABS. The last change is a switch to the latest Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa IV tires, which promises to provide excellent grip, stability, and longevity on the street. Except we didn’t travel to Almeria, Spain to go ride on the street… Mere mortals like us probably can’t feel a 4mm higher swingarm pivot, but Ducati’s expert test pilots can. And they say it’ll help us, too. (Track) Riding Impressions In Ducati’s own words, the Streetfighter’s street manners haven’t changed. The changes implemented on the new bike were all done to make the bike easier to ride on the track. Which is why the world’s press gathered at the Andalucía Circuit in southeastern Spain. A new track to most of those in attendance, including Yours Truly, the five-kilometer long track was designed by former Moto2 champion Tito Rabat. It’s a long and technical circuit with elevation changes, deceiving corners, and multiple decreasing radius turns that will test the abilities of any rider. There’s also a sixth gear back straight to let the Desmosedici Stradale engine eat. The track poses lots of challenges, including learning it in the first place. In short, the track is hard. That’s why Ducati felt this would be the best place to test the merits of the new, easier-to-ride, Streetfighter V4S. To Ducati’s credit, the Streetfighter proved to be a great dance partner. Then again, having spent a lot of time on Streetfighters in the past, I won’t discount my familiarity with the bike as having a part in my easy learning curve. Still, as we started the day in Sport mode to learn the track, the smooth power delivery meant there were no surprises and I could just focus on the lines former MotoGP rider, Moto2 race winner, and now Ducati ambassador, Karel Abraham was showing our group. Actually, I couldn’t. You see, a certain Josh Herrin, 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport champion and winner of the 2023 Daytona 200 aboard a Panigale V2, was also in my group. As you can imagine, he and Abraham took off after one lap. Leaving me to figure it out on my own – which actually turned out for the better. Instead of trying to follow the leader, I could concentrate on my own ride and figure out the lines for myself. This inherently meant I was slow as I inched my way around. But the beauty of the Streetfighter, as we’ve said before, is that it’s completely fine riding at a mellow pace, which goes against what we’re used to from motorcycles with superbike bloodlines. But instead of sounding like a broken record, let’s get down to business – what’s it like when the Streetfighter decides to party, especially with these new changes? I can tell you, after one session to figure out where I was going – the bike flat-out rips. Even though it has the same engine as the Panigale, something about not having any wind protection makes 208 horsepower feel way more powerful. Going full tilt through Andalucia’s sixth-gear back straight, the wind blast is hectic and wanted to pull me off the bike, only enhancing the sensation of speed. The flat shape of the seat didn’t help, as I kept sliding backward. Suddenly, I found myself playing a game of chicken with the SFV4S; was I going to back off and give my neck and arms a break, or hang on and listen to the V4 scream in top gear as the speedo climbed towards 160 mph? I’m already sitting all the way back, and as the speed picked up, I found myself on the passenger seat cowl. BTW, when you buy a Streetfighter V4S it will come in this monoposto configuration. If you insist on taking a pillion, your purchase will also include a passenger seat and pegs. You can probably guess which option I picked. Pride kept getting the best of me and I hung on for all I was worth. Having a seat hump or block to physically stop me from sliding backward would have been nice. Instead, my arms slowly stretched further and further, and I was sitting on the forward edge of the passenger seat cowl by the end of the straight, my outstretched arms being as careful as I could not to accidentally twist the throttle. At the end of the straight lies a second-gear hairpin (or a connecting road to the adjacent Almeria circuit), which means pulling up out of the bubble while getting hard on the brakes and dropping four gears. The Brembo stoppers and Ducati Quickshifter work great for this task, but the energy exerted to hang on and subsequently brake hard gave me arm pump in only a handful of laps. I never get arm pump. I tried my best to spread the braking forces to other parts of my body by squeezing the tank with my legs and knees, but the new shape of the tank isn’t well contoured to my legs and didn’t give much real estate to clamp my knees onto. Oddly enough, the taller/bigger riders in our group didn’t complain about any ergo issues. The beauty of having Panigale steering geometry and Streetfighter handlebars means the V4S turns nicely, aided by the leverage provided by the bars. Of course, it helps that we were riding on Pirelli SC1 slicks instead of the Diablo Rosso IVs, and though the new tank shape also left my outside leg searching for something to latch onto, the stability and communication from the chassis were fantastic. This is the kind of confidence you need when you’re learning a new, technical track. Especially on something this powerful. Could I tell any difference with the repositioned swingarm pivot? Who knows. We didn’t have a 2022-spec Streetfighter to compare against, and even if we did, I’m not sure I have the skill to tell the difference in the first place. Nonetheless, the new bike felt extremely stable and composed both leaned over and on the throttle. Considering much of my brain space was taken up by learning a new track, which I never did come even close to mastering, there wasn’t much space left to thoroughly evaluate the Öhlins electronic suspension. Conversely, the other way to think of it is that its default settings were good enough for my pace that it simply faded into the background during my track sessions. However, I was sharing my bike with another journo who decided, at the last session, to add more braking and acceleration support (the new lingo with semi-active suspension as adjustments are thought of as event-based and affect both ends simultaneously). Being a larger rider than myself, he came back with positive feelings. I came back after a lap and could clearly feel the difference. Both ends were far less compliant over bumps, tiring me out faster and zapping my confidence. As the day went on, we switched the Streetfighter from Sport mode to Race mode, then after a few sessions switched to Full power mode in the Race settings. You can feel subtle differences in how eager the V4 wants to lay the power down each time, and even though Full power mode unleashes an absolute beast of a Desmosedici engine, Ducati’s throttle mapping expertise makes it surprisingly easy to manage (assuming you have the requisite skills in the first place). Evolution Improves The Breed The whole point of Ducati introducing this bike at a circuit was to prove the new changes make it easy to ride in difficult conditions (ie. learning a new track). Despite the Andalucia track being one of the most technical I’ve ridden, the Streetfighter guided me through like a familiar friend, encouraging me to push where I felt comfortable, but totally fine holding back in those spots I still hadn’t figured out. Being a gear too high in spots wasn’t much of an issue, since the V4 had plenty in reserve to push me through – and if I did go for a downshift, the autoblipper made sure there was minimal drama coming from the back tire. Then, when it was time to put the hammer down, the Desmosedici Stradale reveled in the chance to unleash all of its 208 Italian horses. All of this stems from confidence, and confidence came from the Streetfighter being smooth. Credit for that goes back to the continual evolution of Ducati’s electronics package that brings the connection from wrist to tire as close to telepathic as we’ve seen so far. Color options for the Streetfighter V4S are Ducati Red and the new Grey and Nero livery you see in these pictures. The former will set you back $27,595 and the latter adds another $200 to the price tag. Hefty amounts, but what you get in return is, yet again, one hell of a motorcycle. In Gear Helmet: Arai Corsair-X Nicky Reset Suit: Alpinestars GP Plus v4 Race Suit Airbag: Alpinestars Tech-Air 5 Gloves: Alpinestars GP Tech v2 Boots: Alpinestars Supertech R 2023 Ducati Streetfighter V4 S Specifications Engine Type Desmosedici Stradale 90° V4, rearward-rotating crankshaft, 4 Desmodromically actuated valves per cylinder, liquid-cooled Displacement 1,103 cc Bore x Stroke 81.0 mm x 53.5 mm Compression Ratio 14.0:1 Power 208 hp at 12,750 rpm (claimed) Torque 90.4 lb-ft. at 11,500 rpm (claimed) Fuel Injection Electronic fuel injection system. Twin injectors per cylinder. Full ride-by-wire elliptical throttle bodies. Exhaust 4-2-1-2 system, with 2 catalytic converters and 4 lambda probes. Gearbox 6 speed with Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) up/down EVO 2 Primary drive Straight cut gears; Ratio 1.80:1 Ratio 1=38/14 2=36/17 3=33/19 4=32/21 5=30/22 6=30/24 Final drive Chain 525; Front sprocket 15; Rear sprocket 42 Clutch Hydraulically controlled slipper dry clutch. Self-bleeding master cylinder Frame Aluminum alloy “Front Frame” Front suspension Öhlins NIX30 43 mm fully adjustable fork with TiN treatment. Electronic compression and rebound damping adjustment with Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 event-based mode Front Wheel 3-spoke forged aluminum alloy 3.50″ x 17″ Front Tyre Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa IV 120/70 ZR17 Rear suspension Fully adjustable Öhlins TTX36 unit. Electronic compression and rebound damping adjustment with Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 event-based mode. Aluminum single-sided swingarm Rear Wheel 3-spoke forged aluminum alloy 6.00″ x 17″ Rear Tyre Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa IV 200/60 ZR17 Wheel Travel (Front/Rear) 120 mm (4.7 inches) – 130 mm (5.1 inches) Front Brake 2 x 330 mm semi-floating discs, radially mounted Brembo Monobloc Stylema 4-piston calipers with Bosch Cornering ABS EVO. Self-bleeding master cylinder Rear Brake 245 mm disc, 2-piston caliper with Bosch Cornering ABS EVO Instrumentation Last generation digital unit with 5″ TFT color display Dry Weight 392 pounds (claimed) Kerb Weight 434 pounds (claimed) Seat Height 845 mm (33.3 inches) Wheelbase 1.488 mm (58.6 inches) Rake 24,5° Trail 100 mm (4 inches) Fuel Tank Capacity 17 l – 4.49 gallon (US) Number of Seats Dual seats Safety Equipment Riding Modes, Power Modes, Bosch Cornering ABS EVO, Ducati Traction Control (DTC) EVO 2, Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) EVO, Ducati Slide Control (DSC), Engine Brake Control (EBC) EVO, Auto tire calibration Standard Equipment Ducati Power Launch (DPL), Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) up/down EVO 2, Full LED lighting with Daytime Running Light (DRL), Ducati Electronic Suspension (DES) EVO with Öhlins suspension and steering damper, Quick adjustment buttons, Auto-off indicators, Marchesini aluminum forged wheels, Lithium-ion battery, Passenger seat cover Provided Equipment Passenger seat and footpegs Ready for Ducati Data Analyser+ (DDA+) with GPS module, Ducati Multimedia System (DMS), Anti-theft, Heated grips Warranty 24 months unlimited mileage Maintenance Service Intervals 12,000 km (7,500 miles) / 12 months Valve Clearance Check (Desmoservice) 24,000 km (15,000 miles) 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 2023 Ducati Streetfighter V4S Review – First Ride appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Source

The opinions expressed by Mr. Allen do not reflect the views of the editorial staff here at Motorcycle.com. In fact, we would be surprised if they reflect the views of anyone remotely familiar with the sport. Grand prix motorcycle racing – MotoGP to aficionados – is a Eurocentric parlor game for the rich and not-so-famous. It involves undersized riders holding on for dear life to 1000cc bikes with astonishing power-to-weight ratios on road courses at venues on four continents, several of which are in countries one is not anxious to visit. It is almost impossible to find on American television. Riders receive trophies for finishing third. It is the little brother of F1. It is NASCAR’s mentally challenged foreign cousin. However, for the few of you still reading, at its best, MotoGP is the best racing on the planet, a series of hair-raising encounters between riders and machines traveling at well over 100 mph in unbanked turns, separated by inches, with the difference between winning and not winning often measured in a few thousandths of a second. (By comparison, the autonomic blink of an eye takes around 100 milliseconds.) Fabio Quartararo, looking for the contact lens he dropped on the previous lap. These guys are fast. Ridiculously fast. Incomprehensibly fast. The engines on the big bikes retail for around a million dollars per, rotate at, like, 17,000 rpm, and are built to tolerances that defy description, at least with the few words in my vocabulary. The noise they make is equally difficult to describe, resembling, in my mind, the sound a nuclear-powered pencil sharpener might make. Round One of 2023 lifts off this weekend in Portimao, Portugal. Let the games begin. A Look Back at 2022 Pecco Bagnaia made an improbable comeback to take last year’s title, and will look to continue his winning ways. 2022 was the year Italy completed a hostile takeover of the premier class. Italian manufacturer Ducati Corse won its first world championship since 2007. An Italian rider, Francesco (Pecco) Bagnaia, won it all for the first time since the legendary Valentino Rossi in 2009. Ducati won the constructor’s title for the third consecutive year, in part because they had more bikes on the grid – eight out of 24 – than any other builder, placing five of them in the top nine. Bagnaia, left for dead in mid-season, trailing defending champion Fabio Quartararo by 91 points, mounted the largest comeback in history for the title, sealed at the season finale in Valencia. It was the most competitive, most compelling season in recent memory. Moto2 is, in layman’s terms, the junior varsity in MotoGP. All the bikes are powered by 765cc Triumph Triples, with teams providing the rest of the components from various manufacturers. Spaniard Augusto Fernandez took the 2022 championship in Austrian monolith KTM colors, ahead of Japanese rider Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Asia team) and Spaniard Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40 team). Fernandez was exceptionally strong in mid-season, at one point winning four races out of six. Ogura, his main challenger during the final two months, choked at season’s end, scoring five (5) points over the final three rounds. Fernandez was the only Moto2 rider rewarded with a promotion to MotoGP for 2023. He will ride for the #2 KTM (GasGas) team, ensuring a second division finish. Augusto Fernandez was the lone rider to graduate from Moto2 to MotoGP, racing for the Tech3 GasGas team. Photo by Rob Gray (Polarity Photo). I forgot to mention Pedro Acosta, the young Spanish fast mover who will, according to my forthcoming prediction, take the Moto2 title in 2023 and graduate to MotoGP in 2024 where he will soon become A Force to be Reckoned With. Torturing the analogy, Moto3 is, like, the MotoGP freshman team, although the 250cc bikes are fast and loud. Lap times are a few seconds slower than Moto2, which are, in turn, a few seconds slower than the premier class MotoGP bikes. Moto3 is annually populated by a cadre of upwardly mobile teenagers and a roughly equal number of grizzled veterans who have embraced The Peter Principle and who will never see the saddle of a MotoGP machine. The 2022 title was won by Spanish teenager and rising KTM star Izan Guevara, who will turn 19 this coming June. The Next Great Spanish Rider soundly beat teenaged teammate and countryman Sergio Garcia and Italian Dennis Foggia (Honda) for the title. All three were promoted to Moto2 at season’s end. David Muñoz won’t turn 18 until after the French Grand Prix Photo by Rob Gray (Polarity Photo) 2022 Moto3 rookies who had notable seasons include Daniel Holgado, who turns 18 in April, and my personal favorite, David Muñoz, who will turn 17 this year and may be the Next Next Great Spanish Rider. Premier Class Teams and Riders For 2023, moto-social Darwinism and economic constraints reduced the number of teams from 12 to 11 and, accordingly, the number of riders from 24 to 22. The riders and teams play musical chairs every year in MotoGP. A few get promoted from the underclasses, others change teams, seeking greener pastures, and the dregs get consigned to the rubbish heap. This year, mixing metaphors, the deck was re-shuffled more than usual due to the demise of the factory Suzuki team. And while only one rider, Augusto Fernandez, had his ticket punched from Moto2 into MotoGP, a larger number than usual headed for the other side of the hill, as follows: Suzuki ended its MotoGP program on a high note, with Joan Mir winning the 2022 season finale at Valencia. Suzuki’s departure from the series was one catalyst in the reshuffling of rider lineups heading into this season. Yamaha shut down their hopeless satellite team and Aprilia added a hopeful one. Yamahan Darryn Binder was shown the door, while Andrea Dovizioso retired. Aprilia recruited former KTM pilots Raul Fernandez and Miguel Oliveira, to rep their new #2 team. The two riders’ prospects appear to have improved with the switch. Aprilia, having recovered from the loss of Gigi Dall’Igna to Ducati ten years ago, is an ascendant program of late. Rookie Augusto Fernandez will team up with veteran Pol Espargaro, late of the factory Repsol Honda team, on the #2 (KTM) Tech 3 GasGas team, under the careful supervision of jovial French guy (pronounced ghee) Herve Poncharal. Aussie Remy Gardner was advised he was “insufficiently professional” (read: insufficiently Spanish or Italian) and made his way, with a pocketful of sour grapes, to the tacitly less professional World Superbike championship series. Joan Mir, 2020 World Champion with a couple of asterisks, was left without a seat when Suzuki folded its tent and chose to join the Repsol Honda team alongside Marc Marquez. Exhibiting questionable decision-making skills, this compares to an infant leaving a comfortable bassinet, complete with mother’s milk, to ride alongside Mad Max in the Thunderdome. Former teammate Alex Rins, also revealing impaired judgment, moved on from the comfort of the smooth-riding Suzuki to LCR Honda, whose version of the RC213V is as difficult to ride as the Repsol bikes but slower. His teammate there will be Mr. Cellophane, Takaa Nakagami. It promises to be a long year for Mir and Rins. It is always a long year for Nakagami. Joan Mir goes from Suzuki to Repsol Honda to race alongside Marc Marquez. Australian veteran Jack Miller, realizing his own pedigree was insufficiently Italian, chose to leave the factory Ducati team on his terms rather than theirs, and landed squarely on the factory KTM team, joining skeletal South African mercenary Brad Binder on the only entirely Anglo team on the grid. Miller’s initial bubbly optimism about the move lasted until the first test in Sepang. Such is life. In a classic MotoGP three-way, once Miller vacated the factory Ducati crew, Enea Bastiannini got promoted from Gresini Ducati to replace him alongside world champion Pecco Bagnaia, and Alex Marquez escaped from LCR to Gresini, where it is thought, at least here, he will scout the Ducati ecosystem as an advance man for his brother Marc, who has only so many years left to await Honda’s return to respectability. Alex will be welcomed by returning Gresini up-and-comer Fabio de Giannantonio, who is single handedly causing a shortage of lower-case Ns amongst the journalists covering the sport. (We decided last season to refer to him as FDG to conserve consonants.) The remaining four teams made no changes in their rider lineup this season. Aprilia #1 with a resurgent Maverick Viñales and Aleix Espargaro. The hobbled Yamaha team of Fabulous Quartararo and an enigmatic Frankie Morbidelli. Rossi’s Mooney VR46 Ducati team with Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi, and Pramac Ducati with whiz kid Jorge Martin and aging Frenchman Johann Zarco. If I had to make a prediction for 2024, I would expect Morbidelli and Zarco to exit the premier class stage after this year, followed soon thereafter by Aleix. Aleix Espargaro gave Aprilia its first ever win in the MotoGP class, and he returns with Maverick Viñales. Sprint Races? C’mon, Man In the face of declining fan interest in the sport, The Powers That Be decided to put on flattering imitations of the sprint races found in World Superbike and, on occasion, F1. Essentially, these will be half-length tilts run on Saturdays in the place of the execrable FP4 sessions. In the past, cumulative fast times in the first three practice sessions determined which 10 riders would pass automatically into the QP2 pole shootout, with the remnant having to slug it out in QP1 for the top two slots which would then pass GO into QP2. As of 2023, these determinations will occur after FP2, throwing a real sense of urgency into Fridays. That’s the good news. The results from QP1 and 2 will determine starting positions for both the sprints and the full distance races on Sundays. This year, the last event on Saturdays will be premier class sprint races. The top eight finishers will score points – 9, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 – while the other 14 will put hours on their engines and chew up a set of tires. No changes have been made in engine allocations, despite the fact that the number of race laps the engines will have to complete will increase by half. Look for penalties to be assessed late in the season as teams run out of operational engines. While the fans, at least those still sober at 3 pm, will get to see riders competing in anger on Saturdays, the pilots and crews will pay the price, especially in the autoclaves of Thailand, Malaysia, India and Indonesia. (I’m torn between using “autoclave” and “blast furnace” to depict the hellish conditions in these places.) The older riders – notably the Espargaro brothers and Zarco – will suffer more, despite the chilling effect of 200 mph headwinds. And nobody gives a hoot about the brolly girls and what they will have to endure, in full pancake makeup and leather trousers. Personally, I get the feeling that the sprint races, as currently configured, will be a full-blown cluster, most notably in October, with three races in three weeks, including Indonesia and Thailand. I also get the feeling, for the record, that the Indian Grand Prix will not make it onto the final calendar due to construction issues, that the 21- round season will eventually be reduced to 20. Just sayin’. The Big Questions: Will Borat Attend the Kazakhstan Grand Prix? And Where Can We Find His Sister? Tranches A healthy Marc Marquez is always a threat, but can he get enough out of the Honda RC213V? One has to be a moron to try to predict the eventual 2023 MotoGP standings when there’s still snow on the ground. Undeterred, and using my proprietary and well-worn SWAG (Sophisticated Wild Ass Guess) predictive software, here goes: Pecco Bagnaia. A formidable combination – the second coming of Jorge Lorenzo on the best bike on Earth, the 2023 title is his to lose. Enea Bastiannini. Young, smooth, easy on tires and fearless. The teammates appear ready to dominate the season the way Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello did F1 in 2002. Marc Marquez. #93 is, for the moment, 100% healthy. Despite being stuck with the crappy Honda RC213V, he will finish the year on the podium. At age 30, his days of dominance are numbered. But, as Nick Harris used to say about Valentino Rossi, “Ignore him at your peril.” Maverick Viñales. Going out on a limb here, Pop Gun showed a few flashes of his old form last year, and the Aprilia has become a credible contender. He will finish ahead of aging, arm-pumping teammate Aleix Espargaro. Fabio Quartararo. As gifted as Fabulous is, the Yamaha doesn’t appear yet to provide him with enough grunt to compete for a championship. This is his final contract with the Iwata factory. As for the rest of the field, I’ll just let the software do the predicting: Jorge Martin Aleix Espargaro Marco Bezzecchi Brad Binder Luca Marini Fabio di Giannantonio Joan Mir Jack Miller Miguel Oliveira Johann Zarco Alex Rins Pol Espargaro Raul Fernandez Alex Marquez Franco Morbidelli Takaa Nakagami Augusto Fernandez And the 2023 Winner Is… Moto3: Jaume Masia Moto2: Pedro Acosta MotoGP: Pecco Bagnaia For Those of You Who Think I Don’t Know What I’m Talking About Photo by Rob Gray (Polarity Photo). No argument here. You will find more informative articles on any number of other sites. We’re willing to settle for cheap laughs, mostly at the expense of the authority figures in a sport that seems to take itself way too seriously. Most of you reading this drivel are riders who view the statement, “I want to grow up and be a motorcycle rider” as a choice. The punchline is you can’t do both. Having made your decisions, I’m here to give you the opportunity to engage in civil discourse. Reader engagement is the currency of life on the web. We hope you will take the time to share your opinions without dropping a lot of F-bombs, as we jealously protect our PG-13 rating. I will post results from each of the 21 rounds this year at Late-Braking MotoGP (www.motogpfordummies.com). Keep the shiny side up. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post MotoGP 2023 Season Preview appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Source

After years of success with the 765 cc Moto2 spec engine, Triumph would be foolish to ignore all that it has learned on the international racing stage, and the 2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 R and RS are proof that the engineers have been paying attention. While most of the focus was on increasing power, some select chassis changes made it into the mix. My ride on the roads of southern Spain and on the track at the Circuito de Jerez made it clear that Triumph wants to dominate the middleweight naked class. 2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 R/RS Review – First Ride While the engine changes were significant, the bulk of them were focused on the combustion chambers and getting the fuel charge in and out of them more efficiently. To that end the compression ratio was bumped to 13.25:1. A machined head interfacing with machined, not gas, pistons provide that increase while also allowing for higher valve lift. New rods and pins were required to handle the increased power, while the intake and exhaust got freer breathing capabilities courtesy of shorter intake trumpets and a single, less restrictive catalyzer, respectively. Shorter gearing in second through sixth gears increases the engine’s spunkiness. For the first time, the Street Triple gets an IMU and all of the associated electronic safety features, like cornering ABS and lean-sensitive traction control, that we have come to expect in modern motorcycles. Additionally, an up/down quickshifter is included as standard across the three-member Street Triple family. The chassis also benefits from a few upgrades, particularly for the RS model, which had its rake shortened to 23.2° and 3.82 in. of trail. With a slightly higher tail section, the RS’ turn-in is noticeably quicker on the street and track without compromising stability. The RS also sprouts a pair of Stylema calipers controlled by a Brembo MCS master cylinder. The 41 mm Showa fork in the RS has a higher spec than the R, and the RS gets an Öhlins STX40 shock. The final difference in rolling gear between the R and RS is the R’s Continental ContiRoad and the RS’ Pirelli Supercorsa SP V3 tires. Sure, you could read all about this – in more detail – in the written review, but you’re not here for that. Take a look at the video below to see what I think when I’m fresh off the motorcycle instead of in my office going over my notes. Motorcycle.com would like to thank Motorcycle Mechanics Institute | MMI for sponsoring this video. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post 2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 R/RS – Video Review appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Source

Riders of a certain age can remember when tank pads first gained wide popularity, moving from being little more than stickers guarding the interface between the abrasive zippers of riding gear and the delicate paint of the gas tank. The genesis of intricate pad designs was the advent of the high-backed tanks that appeared during the height of the sportbike wars, which required the rider to spoon their bodies around the tank’s curves. However, it wasn’t long before those early bits of plastic sprouted wings and grippier materials that wrapped around the sides of the tank to allow the rider to maintain better contact and control of the bike with their inboard knee while cornering. Today, the best motorcycle tank pads offer both style and function. A quick search around the web will net you a swath of tank pads that range from little more than decorative thongs to highly-intricate, model-specific traction devices. There’s no one-style-fits-all, and like tattoos, many riders use them to express their individual flair. What we have collected below is a grouping of some of the most interesting and/or functional designs we’ve discovered. With so many variations of tank pad out there, this listing can hardly be definitive, so pipe up in the comments if we’ve missed your favorite. Table of Contents Editor’s Choice: Stompgrip Tank Pad The Serious Challenger: TechSpec Snake Skin Tank Pads Puig Tank Pads Oxford Tank Pads Giant Loop Vinyl Protective Film Niche Players Editor’s Choice: Stompgrip Tank Pad Stompgrip just might be credited with the surge in popularity of grippy tank protectors. Each pad is constructed of a non-abrasive material that won’t harm your expensive riding gear. Instead, the pads rely on an aggressive bump pattern to give you a surface to grip with your knees and thighs during braking and cornering. Each Stompgrip set is designed for a specific motorcycle model, but universal cut-your-own kits are available. However, the model-based kits offer pre-molded rounded edges to help the pads resist peeling. The pads themselves are offered in both clear (to allow paint and graphics to show through) or black. Once mounted up to your bike and allowed to cure, the 3M adhesive will hold tenaciously. Check Price The Serious Challenger: TechSpec Snake Skin Tank Pads Representing the top of the TechSpec line, the Snake Skin Tank Pad features the most aggressive pattern TechSpec produces. Still, this pattern combined with the grippy material will not damage leathers. Snake Skin is a thin, .125” medium durometer “rubber” material that offers a secure, comfortable grip, durable protection and a clean stock look. One notable feature of the Snake Skin pads is they utilize a special adhesive backing that allows the pads to be removed and repositioned if necessary. As with many tank pads, Tech Spec Snake Skin kits are model specific and are pre cut for easy application. Check Price Puig Tank Pads Puig has jumped on the universal tank protector market in a big way, making pads that range from clear to carbon fiber look to intricate designs in their catalog of 20 available protectors. All of these designs will typically fit your bike’s tank without modifications. Still, Puig features measurements of the pads in their product descriptions. For those interested in carrying over the pad design to other parts of the tank, Puig also offers fuel cap protectors in many styles, too. Check Price Oxford Tank Pads Oxford is another well-known motorcycle brand that produces tank pads in a variety of styles in a universal application. From the company’s original Spine Tank Pad to the cool Transformer Spine Tank Pad, you should be able to find one that suits your tastes. Some patterns come with a textured surface for increased grip and a mounting template to ease application. The pads stick securely, thanks to their 3M adhesive backing. Check Price Giant Loop Vinyl Protective Film Prior to all these fancy tank protectors, the original means of protecting tank paint was clear vinyl film, which can protect a variety of surfaces, not just tanks. Giant Loop’s protective film is heavy-duty 12 mil film delivered in three 12-in. x 14-in. sheets. This way you can protect your tank or other delicate surfaces, like your side panels from the abrasion of soft luggage on a weekend tour. Installing the sheets is as simple as adding a drop of dish soap to 16 oz. of water and spraying the sheets and the mounting surface. Squeegee the bubbles out, let dry overnight, and you’re good to go. Removal is just as easy. Check Price Niche Players There are tons of motorcycle tank pads available out there, and if you didn’t see any that appealed to you out of this name-brand selection, you can always take a trip to the flea market that is Amazon for more obscure brands and styles of tank pads. Check Price 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 The Best Motorcycle Tank Pads Do More Than Just Protect Paint appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Source

Harley-Davidson has officially revealed the X 350 for the Chinese market, a small displacement flat track-inspired roadster produced with Qianjiang Motor (QJ Motor). As of this writing, the X 350 is only confirmed for China, though a modified variant known as the X350RA will be used in Harley-Davidson Rider Academy programs in the U.S. QJ and Harley-Davidson have been working on the X 350 since 2019, though the motorcycle traces its lineage a little earlier to the TNT300 from QJ-owned Benelli. The X 350 is powered by a liquid-cooled, eight-valve Parallel-Twin engine, which may be as much heresy to the Harley faithful as its Chinese origins. The engine has a 353cc displacement, achieved via a 70.5 mm bore and 45.2 mm stroke. That’s the same stroke as the TNT300’s engine, but the Benelli has just a 65.0 mm cylinder bore. Harley-Davidson claims a peak output of 36 horsepower (at an unspecified engine speed) and 22.9 lb-ft. at 7,000 rpm, though as we previously reported, the Riding Academy models bound for the U.S. claim just 23 hp. Harley-Davidson claims a curb weight of 430 pounds for the X 350, while the X350RA comes in at 440 pounds, but much of that weight is from the addition of tip-over protective bars. Apart from oddly different use of spaces in the model names, the X 350 and X350RA are mostly identical. Combing through Harley-Davidson’s official parts catalog, we note a few differences to meet local regulations, such as a speedometer with metric or imperial units, reflectors, and mirrors. The ECUs are different, which makes sense with the restricted power output for the RA. The parts catalog also indicates the suspension components are also different, and we suspect the difference is to give the RA model a shorter seat height. Harley-Davidson China lists the seat at 32.1 inches from the ground, which would be higher than any current model in the lineup except the Pan America. The official X350RA owner’s manual lists the height at just 30.0 inches, which would make it a little easier for beginners. The X 350 is equipped with a 41mm inverted fork with adjustable rebound damping, and a single rear shock offering adjustable preload and rebound damping. The tire choices are also different between the two models. Pirelli provides the X 350’s Angel ST tires, with a 120/70-ZR17 tire up front and a 160/60-ZR17 for the rear, while the the X350RA uses Angel CT tires, with a 110/70-ZR17 and 150/60-ZR17 combo. The steel trellis frame appears similar to the TNT300’s, but the shape of the 3.6-gallon fuel tank, seat and tail give the X 350 lines that draw inspiration from Harley-Davidson’s XR750 flat track racer. The handlebar sits on a riser, and the positioning of the grips lends itself to an upright riding position. The footpegs are placed below the seat, much farther back than what you would find on any pretty much any other motorcycle bearing the Bar and Shield. The front wheel is equipped with dual four-piston calipers, which is a small marvel as many of Harley-Davidson’s larger, more powerful models employ just a single front brake. Anti-lock brakes come standard, though there’s no mention of traction control. The 2023 Harley-Davidson X 350 will be offered in three colors: black, orange or silver, with a price tag of ¥33,388, which is about US$4,840. 2023 Harley-Davidson X 350 Specifications Engine Type Liquid-cooled, eight-valve Parallel-Twin Displacement 353cc Bore x Stroke 70.5 mm x 45.2 mm Compression Ratio 11.9:1 Fuel System Electronic Air Intake Fuel Injection (ESPFI) Exhaust 2 in 1 short out Horsepower 36 hp Torque 22.9 lb-ft. at 7,000 rpm (claimed) Main Drive Chain, 82/31 Gear Ratios 1st – 3.167 2nd – 2.056 3rd – 1.556 4th – 1.333 5th – 1.19 6th – 1 Front Suspension 41mm inverted rebound adjustable Rear Suspension Oil-air separation, rebound damping adjustable, preload adjustable shock absorber Front Brake Twin Fixed Four-Piston Calipers Rear Brake Single Sliding Piston Front Wheel Cast aluminum Rear Wheel Cast aluminum Front Tire Pirelli Angel ST 120/70-ZR17/58W Rear Tire 160/60-ZR17/69W Lighting All LED Instrumentation Combined Electronic Instrument Stepper Motor Indicates Vehicle Speed, Digital Indicates Speed, Hour, Total Travel, Two-Way (A+B), Km/Mile Indication Ground Clearance 7.3 inches Rake 24.8° Trail 5.5 inches Length 83.1 inches Wheelbase 55.5 inches Seat Height 32.2 inches Fuel Capacity 3.6 gallons Oil Capacity (With Filter) 0.8 gallons Maximum Lean Angle 51° left, 52° right Fuel Economy 47.5 mpg (claimed) Curb Weight 430 pounds (claimed) Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post 2023 Harley-Davidson X 350 Revealed for China appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Source

I’ve been wearing Alpinestars Copper Denim Pants in one form or another for seven years, and while I’ve been quite happy with how they looked like traditional jeans and provided comfort off the motorcycle, none of our staff of MOrons have put them to the ultimate test until now. If you’ve read my recent 2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 R/RS Review, you know I did a little pavement surfing on an Andalusian highway. Naturally, to further my embarrassment over my first crash at an introduction since 2015, I need to document the condition of every piece of gear that contacted the pavement so that you, dear reader, can judge the efficacy of the protection provided by my riding kit. The short version is that the Alpinestars Copper 2 Denim Pants sacrificed themselves so that my legs could escape unscathed. MO Tested: Alpinestars Copper Denim Pants 2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 R/RS Review – First Ride Alpinestars Copper 2 Denim Pants Comfortable and discreet off the bike and equipped with street-reasonable protection, the Alpinestars Copper 2 Denim Pants are worth their cost when you’re sliding down the road. Aesthetics 9/10 Protection 8/10 Comfort 9/10 Value 8/10 Weight 9/10 Innovation 8/10 Quality 9/10 Options 8/10 Weather 8/10 Desirability 10/10 Editor Score: 86% + Highs Protected me in a 50 mph crash Comfortable and look like street clothes Kevlar panels and CE-approved armor – Sighs Quality gear isn’t cheap Will never be as protective as leather or heavier textile pants One-and-done when crashed Shop for the Alpinestars Copper 2 Denim Pants here  Cleverly disguised as a pair of traditional denim jeans, the Copper 2 Denim Pant features a classic straight leg denim fit and soft quality outer fabric. Abrasion protection is provided by the internal panels of Kevlar across the hips, buttocks, and knees. To make for a comfortable fit, the rear and knee panels float loosely, allowing them to move relative to the rider and jeans for a more natural feel. The Bio-Flex knee armor offers CE Category II protection while remaining comfortably flexible to the point that it’s easy to forget there is armor in the jeans while walking around. Additionally, the significant amount of perforations keep heat from building up under the armor in warmer weather. Finally, all seams are triple stitched to hold together in a mishap. The knee area took the brunt of the impact. My crash was a classic low side where I lost the front end, having the bike slide out from underneath me. Consequently, my shin and knee touched down first before the slide moved up to encompass the rest of my body. The photos will show minimal sliding damage to everything except the primary point of impact, my knee. Here the denim is worn through and the Kevlar backing even received a dime-sized hole where it was trapped between the pavement and the armor. My knee didn’t even bruise. The light spot on the armor is where the Kevlar wore through and the knee pad continued the protection from the pavement. The denim up my thigh to my hip shows significant abrasion but it never wore through completely. Across the seat of the jeans, there is minor scuffing. The Alpinestars Copper 2 Denim Pants did their job properly, and I could see myself being tempted to use them in the future. Still, for safety’s sake, I’d consider them a one-and-done product since it’s hard to tell how compromised the seams are from the slide. The abrasion on my thigh and hip never broke through the denim. Given the extensive use I’ve gotten out of my Alpinestars Copper Denim Pants over the years, and now with actual experience with their protective qualities, I recommend them with even more highly than I did in my first review in 2016. Consider them to be $240 well spent. The Alpinestars Copper 2 Denim Pants are available in blue or black Euro sizes 28-40. Shop for the Alpinestars Copper 2 Denim Pants here FAQ Are regular jeans OK for motorcycle riding? No. While being constructed of a relatively sturdy fabric, which is why work clothes have been made from denim for years, regular jeans offer little abrasion protection and no impact protection for a rider in a crash. The advent of jeans manufactured specifically for riding has been a boon to riders. Riding jeans feature Kevlar or similar abrasion-resistant fabrics plus, in many cases, impact-absorbing armor at the knees and hips. This specially-designed armor provides protection while not calling attention to itself when off the bike. What is the difference between riding jeans and regular jeans? Riding jeans have abrasion-resistant materials, like Kevlar, in the knees and seat, which are vulnerable to abrasion in a slide. Additionally, they should offer knee armor, at a minimum, since your knee is one of the first places to hit the ground in a crash. How should riding jeans fit? Riding jeans should fit comfortably, but not too loosely, around the waist to hold in place in a crash. When standing, the knee armor will have its top mid-knee or slightly lower so that when the knee is bent in a riding position, the armor completely covers it. The legs should be a little long to keep them from riding up above your boots when sitting on the bike. Additional Reading MO Tested: Massive Riding Jeans Buyer’s Guide MO Tested: Alpinestars Copper Denim Pants MO Tested: Aerostich Protekt Jeans Review MO Tested: REV’IT! Ladies Maple 2 Jeans Review We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. 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Fresh off of winning the 2022 MotoAmerica King of the Baggers championship, Indian has gone and done it – Indian is offering a super-exclusive opportunity to actually buy yourself a Challenger RR. This is an exact replica of the bike Tyler O’hara used to win the KotB championship. Yes, an exact replica. Meaning if you had the skill that Tyler has, you could go and win bagger races with it. This is a full-on, non street legal, racing machine that just happens to look like an Indian Challenger (well, loosely…). How exclusive is this? Indian is only making 29 of them, in honor of O’Hara’s racing number. Hurry up and buy them before his competitors do. What’s the price, you ask? Oh, just a healthy $92,229. The number play with O’hara’s race number is thick, but there’s a number of you out there that have mentioned that Indian should make one of these available to the public. Well, be careful what you wish for. If you’re one of the many who can’t fork over a cool 93-large for a race bagger, or even worse, if you’re customer number 30 on the list, the next best thing is to read my review (and watch the video) of my time spinning a few laps on the sister bike, piloted by racing legend Jeremy McWilliams. Check out the full press release below. INDIAN MOTORCYCLE CELEBRATES 2022 KING OF THE BAGGERS CHAMPIONSHIP WITH ULTRA-LIMITED INDIAN CHALLENGER RR An Homage to Tyler O’Hara’s #29, Only 29 Indian Challenger Race Bikes Offer Rare Opportunity for Riders & Collectors to Own the Undisputed King of the Baggers MINNEAPOLIS, MN – March 9, 2023 – In celebration of Indian Motorcycle Racing and S&S Cycle’s 2022 King of the Baggers championship season, America’s First Motorcycle Company today announced the retail availability of 29 highly exclusive Indian Challenger RR motorcycles. Built to 2022 race spec by the same S&S hands that wrenched Tyler O’Hara’s #29 championship-winning bike, each purpose-built Indian Challenger RR is available for die-hard track riders and collectors for a premium price of $92,229. The Indian Challenger RR marks the first-time fans can purchase a purpose-built race bagger. Hand crafted and race-tuned with the same setup that won O’Hara’s second King of the Baggers championship, Indian Motorcycle, and S&S are offering fans and collectors the unique opportunity to own a piece of history. “Originally, the thought of road racing baggers was perplexing to many and even downright offensive to some road racing purists. But in just three short years, King of the Baggers has emerged as the hottest thing in motorcycle racing as these bikes have rapidly evolved in their sophistication, and we thought it would be awesome to give people the opportunity to own the bike that holds the crown,” said Gary Gray, Vice President – Racing, Technology and Service for Indian Motorcycle. “We’re excited to embrace the fandom of bagger racing and celebrate our second title with this highly exclusive, special run of Indian Challenger RR motorcycles. This bike is the real deal, much like when we released the venerable FTR750, the Challenger RR is a true race bike and is not street-legal. Put in the right hands, it will reach the podium in MotoAmerica’s Mission King of the Baggers race series.” Specs for the Indian Challenger Race Replica include the following: S&S 2-1 race exhaust 17″ race rims Dunlop race tires S&S billet adjustable triple clamps Ohlins FGR250 forks TTX Ohlins rear shock S&S chain drive conversion Carbon Fiber saddle bags Fiberglass rear fender Saddlemen raised race seat S&S adjustable fairing mount Aero headlight insert Aero windshield S&S belly pan S&S rear set foot controls S&S camshafts 112 CID big bore cylinder/piston kit S&S air intake system with 78mm throttle body CNC ported cylinder heads S&S Billet adjustable rocker arms Hayes rear caliper, EBC rear rotor, SBS pads Brembo M4 front calipers, 330mm rotors, SBS pads S&S automatic chain tensioner Maxx full adjustable ECM AIM DL2 data logger/dash Quickshifter kit S&S billet clutch cover S&S adjustable handlebars S&S race modified swingarm Racing, and winning, has long been a core element within the Indian Motorcycle brand DNA. Founded by racers, driven to innovate by a desire to go faster and win races, Indian Motorcycle has been racing, and winning, for 122 years. From Oscar Hedstrom’s endurance racing dominance at the turn of the century to O.C. Godfrey winning at the famed Isle of Man in 1911, to Burt Munro’s land-speed records, to the original Wrecking Crew’s dominance in the ‘50s and the modern Wrecking Crew’s six consecutive American Flat Track Championships from 2017-2022, to the 2022 Super Hooligan Championship on the FTR, and the brand’s two King of the Baggers Championships in 2020 and 2022 – the list of history-making racing milestones for Indian Motorcycle is unparalleled. Riders can learn more by visiting IndianMotorcycle.com The post Indian’s Offering An Ultra-Limited Challenger RR Race Bike appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Source

Indian Motorcycle and Jack Daniel’s have once again partnered together for a limited edition model. Developed once again in partnership with Klock Werks Kustom Cycles, the latest model is based on the Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse, and will be limited to a production run of just 177 motorcycles worldwide. Like the previous models, the 2023 Jack Daniel’s Limited Edition Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse comes in an exclusive custom paint scheme. For the first time, however, the Jack Daniel’s connection goes further than simple branding: the Super Graphite Metallic paint itself is mixed with Old No. 7 whiskey. The dark paint is offset by the Indian Motorcycle Script “I”, giving it a throwback look, while the non-machined cylinders and heads, Cloud Silver painted rockers and pushrod tubes help create a raw metal look. Mechanically, the Jack Daniel’s model is similar to the regular Chief Bobber Dark Horse. It remains powered by a Thunderstroke 116 engine with a claimed peak output of 120 lb-ft. of torque at 2,900 rpm. The steel tube frame, cast aluminum subframe, telescopic forks, preload-adjustable dual rear shocks, and brakes are all identical to the regular model. Apart from the paint, the limited edition model adds white center rims, a solo seat stamped with the Old No. 7 stamp logo, a tinted Klock Werks windscreen, and a Pathfinder 5¼ Adaptive LED headlight. The Jack Daniel’s Limited Edition Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse is priced at $24,499, a hefty $5,500 premium over the regular production model. Orders will be accepted through Indian dealerships beginning March 14 at noon EST. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post 2023 Jack Daniel’s Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse First Look appeared first on Motorcycle.com. Source