The internet is full of riding advice, isn’t it? Do this. Do that. Hang off. Knee down. Elbow out(!). You get the picture. Now, allow me to add my two cents to the armchair debate, on the subject that’s arguably the most controversial among internet rider coaches everywhere – whether or not to trail brake. The short answer is yes, you should be trailing the brakes. But we’ll get to the reasons why in just a moment.

First, let’s recap what trail braking is in the first place. In case you don’t know, trail braking is when you are applying the brakes and turning/leaning the motorcycle at the same time. Simple physics says this is entirely possible, but somehow riders started to believe – and subsequently tell others – that the act of braking should be done while the motorcycle is completely up and down, with no lean angle, as to not overload the tires. Only after you’ve slowed the bike to your desired speed should you turn.

Debunking the myth

All tires have 100 points of grip. The better we understand how many points we can dedicate to braking and turning, the better we understand how to control the motorcycle.

While the explanation for not trail braking makes sense to the uninitiated, it’s simply not the most effective way to slow a motorcycle. To explain why trail braking is not only possible but preferred, let’s first revisit the concept that a motorcycle tire has 100 points of grip. A simple Google search for “100 points of grip” goes into great detail about what this is all about, but the concept really isn’t that hard to understand.

If you look at your tire, especially the front, as having 100 total points of grip to distribute between braking and turning, if you commit 75 points to braking you have 25 points left to turn the bike. Commit 90 points to braking then you have 10 left to turn. The inverse is true also; commit 60 points to turning then you have 40 for braking. You get the point here. If you add more of one then you take away from the other. And yes, if you commit 100 points to one then you have none to give to the other. You also don’t have to spend all 100 points each time you brake and/or turn, either (slowing for an uphill corner, for example, will let you use more engine braking and gravity to help slow you). And lastly, you always have 100 points of grip, but different factors can increase or decrease the value of those points. Weather, road conditions, tire condition, and the type of tire (sport tire vs. adventure tire vs. cruiser tire) are just a few examples affecting the value of those points.

With an understanding of the 100 points of grip philosophy, trail braking should make more sense. If you no longer have to separate braking and turning, you can brake later than you normally would if you stayed completely vertical for the entirety of the braking zone. As you apply the maximum amount of braking, using all 100 points, the bike is still upright. Then, as the speed comes off and the front tire is loaded, you can gradually release brake pressure, freeing up some points for turning until you reach maximum lean angle and use up all of the tire’s turning points without any brake points.

Notice the rider’s right finger on the brake lever. This is what it looks like to apply 98 points for turning and 2 points for braking.

Let’s move away from the extremes for a second because we’re rarely at the extremes of our bike’s controls. Instead, we’ll imagine ourselves on a mellow street ride approaching a downhill, wide radius corner. We only need to scrub a little bit of speed, so we only need to dedicate a few braking points to make the corner and keep the bike settled, but since we’re going downhill, gravity is working against us. So even though we don’t need a lot of brakes, we do need light brake pressure, longer. All while leaning the bike slightly. Still, in this scenario, the combined braking and turning points being used are less than 100. The point is that just because you have 100 points of grip, you don’t have to use all of them if you don’t need to.

Other Benefits

It’s easy to think of trail braking as having a real advantage in racing, especially considering the explanation above allowing the rider to brake later than before. But trail braking has benefits beyond the race track. For example:

• Keeping some amount of brake pressure helps load the tire, putting a bigger contact patch on the ground. 
• Trail braking, even a light amount, keeps the suspension loaded as well, steepening the rake angle and allowing the motorcycle to turn a smidge quicker. 
• Trail braking isn’t exclusive to the front brake. You can trail the rear brake as well; making it a useful tool for tightening a corner. 
• It’s useful in evasive maneuvers also, like when you’re riding through a corner and suddenly find something on the road, forcing you to change trajectory. In this instance you’re distributing the 100 points in an opposite manner from my example above. Depending on how many points you’re using for lean angle, you instead apply an appropriate amount of brake pressure until you’re able to come upright and use all your grip points to come to a stop, or use enough grip/brake points to change your direction and avoid the obstacle.

See? Trail braking isn’t limited to just the front brake, or even sportbikes. It applies to all motorcycles and the rear brake, too.

The point here is that braking and leaning are not mutually exclusive. Trail braking is not only possible, it’s encouraged and an effective way to stop, turn, and otherwise control your motorcycle. The key here is being smooth with your inputs so you load – but not overload – your tires. Practice it on roads you’re familiar with, or even big empty parking lots (I hear Coronavirus has turned mall parking lots into barren wastelands…), and see how you can lightly apply the brakes before gently applying lean angle. Then work backwards and gently use the brakes while you’re leaned over a small amount to see how the technique can be used in emergency situations. 

ABS (especially Cornering-ABS) are useful safety nets in case you get greedy with the brakes, but are definitely not technologies you should rely on. Get comfortable with the concept of trail braking, and you’ll be amazed at how much more control you have over your motorcycle.

Lastly, because watching the best in the world push to the extremes is mesmerizing, here’s Marc Marquez using all 100 points the front tire has for braking.

The post The Benefits Of Trail Braking appeared first on Motorcycle.com.

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Listen to sport riders talk about a corner on the track, or maybe their favorite road, and you’ll hear things like “I come in hard on the brakes, bang a couple of downshifts, and then bend it into the corner.” Let’s just focus on the word “bang” here. Riders are broken into a couple of different categories when it comes to downshifting technique. On opposite ends of the spectrum, you’ll find the ones who flex their ankle, precisely snicking each shift with the toe of their boot, and then there are the stompers who use their whole leg. Most of us are somewhere in between, neither babying nor beating our motorcycle’s transmission. No matter how strong modern transmissions are, they still contain parts that you can bend or break if you abuse them. That’s what Rottweiler Perfomance’s Transaver is supposed to prevent. 

EZ ADV Upgrades: Helping The Katoom Breathe Freer And Cleaner

Rottweiler Performance is a Southern California-based aftermarket design and development company for products that owner Chris Parker says helps riders modify their bikes “beyond what the factory engineers have set for their target audience.” With access to a full machine shop and armed with a creative bent for making KTMs go fast, Parker looks for areas where he can design products that other companies have overlooked. How’s it working out for him? The KTM 790 Adventure R he built was piloted by rider Wes VanNieuwenhuise to a mere 9 seconds off the overall podium after the six days of the 2020 Sonora Rally. Think of that, an adventure bike scrapping it out with pure race bikes weighing significantly less than it. Oh, and it ran a Transaver, too. 

The Transaver slots neatly in behind the rearset.

In its most basic form, the Transaver is a gas strut, which replaces the stock shifter linkage and prevents you from over-stressing the transmission. Up to a certain pressure, the shifter linkage functions completely normally, and you’ll never know that it’s there. Exceed that pressure threshold, and the strut compresses, making your shift lever feel like a noodle, well before the pressure could damage your shift fork. (It’ll surprise you the first time it happens to you out on the road.)

Installing the Transaver is a 15- minute affair. After all, you’re just swapping out the bar on your shifter linkage and retorquing everything back in place. You’ll use one of the heim joints on the stock linkage, but Rottweiler supplies the appropriate spacer for that heim joint and the gear shift lever. In fact, there are versions of the kit for the stock footpeg, the PowerParts rearset, and the Woodcraft rearset. 

This is the position my foot is in when the slack is taken up and the transmission is in first gear.

My time riding with the Transaver on my KTM 790 Duke has taught me a couple of things. First, I don’t downshift overly hard when riding on winding roads – even coming from a high-speed straight to a second gear corner. When the coronavirus lockdown is over, and trackdays resume, I’ll learn if I use the same technique on a closed course. Around town, however, I do subconsciously press down an extra time to make sure the transmission is in first gear. How do I know this if it is subconscious? About 40% of the time, I press hard enough to cause the Transaver to release, turning the shift lever into mush. So, I learned a little bit about how I ride. 

I’m sure that this product will spark a debate over whether such an accessory is really necessary. In all my years of riding, I’ve never had a transmission fail. Still, I can see a place for the Transaver. To me, the natural market is off-road riders. The big, heavy boots they wear lack the feel of road-going gear. Plus the rider is frequently standing. All of these conspire to make stomping on the shifter a more common event. 

And the foot position when the Transaver is doing its job.

For riders who know (or suspect) that they are downshift stompers,  Rottweiler’s Transaver provides insurance that they can never damage their transmission in this way. Is it worth $70? Only you can say, but it is certainly cheaper than replacing a bent shift fork. Personally, I like having the Transaver in place, and the awareness it’s given me of my around-town shifting habits will probably make me a bit kinder to my future bikes, too. The Transaver is available for both the KTM 790 Duke and 790 Adventure (other applications are in the works) from Rottweiler Performance’s website. 

The post MO Tested: Rottweiler Performance Transaver appeared first on Motorcycle.com.

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(WARNING! This is an opinion piece by MO’s Senior Content Editor and does not represent MO’s official position on anything at all.)

In these trying times for all of us, the worst part is the simply not knowing, the worrying about your loved ones, the frustration of trying to keep track of a nasty, invisible killer of hopes and dreams. Let me take this time, then, to put your mind at ease: I’m fine.

Okay, this is no time for kidding around, or is it? It is April Fool’s Day, but I’m really not in a hilarious mood. What are we talking about? Right, social distancing, the new phrase of the month. Some of MO’s salespeople had an office in LA, but I don’t think they do anymore – and as far as I know, we editorial types haven’t worked out of a central office since the beginning of the Duke era, circa 2007, when MO was acquired by the Canadian company VerticalScope.

We’re increasingly more of a loose-knit motorcycle club with an active newsletter than a real business ever since, exchanging plans and ideas via email and video conference, but really only meeting physically to go on motorcycle rides: Ever-progressing technology makes it not only possible but easy. About once a week, we spend an hour peering virtually into each others’ offices to plot our moves – bedheads, babies and all. Sharing documents for editing, images, and witty banter online couldn’t be easier thanks to Google and Dennis Chung.

My close friends and family, which number in the five or sixes, I mostly keep track of via text message. Facebook’s alright for fighting with everybody else, and our meals here consist mostly of simple peasant fare… Which is all to say, the COVID-19 has barely affected my “lifestyle” so far. We miss our ability to dine out a few times a week. Which is terrible, but it’s seriously reduced our bar tab, and having to get our food to go isn’t much like the actual suffering millions of people are going through – including the people who have to be at work to prepare it. Bless them.

We have been getting out on our bicycles a lot more lately and even our motorcycles, and when we pedal over the 22 freeway down here in Orange county, it’s stunning how many fewer cars there are, even at rush hour. If these are just essential workers commuting, it’s amazing how few of us are essential.

I mean, maybe we’re essential, but my own experience leads me to seriously question how many of us really need to be in an office every day? The ladies like the excuse to buy new shoes, and men find the office a convenient place to harass the women and drink free coffee. But now that we’re able to underbus each other remotely, why not work from home, plant a vegetable garden, and alleviate a bunch of societal problems at once? My doctor just sent instructions to reach him via video conference if I need to. Don’t come to my office!

Luckily my favorite Wahoo’s is still open, and has an outdoor patio we usually have all to ourselves. Something I said?

I know I burn probably a tenth as much gas compared to when I commuted to work. It adds up. All that money you save, and all the coop-upedness you need to relieve… Since this virus thing started, we’ve been seeing lots more people out walking and riding around on their motorcycles and bicycles, including a bunch of people who live in my ’hood I’ve never seen before in the five years I’ve lived here – many of them walking fat, confused dogs. Where we goin’ again and why?

The beach authoritarians have sprung into action, pushing the idea that a wide-open place with a constant fresh ocean breeze is a terrible place to avoid an airborne pathogen. What? But they can’t keep us out of the deserts and mountains, and all those inaccessible places where we motorcycle nuts have been the only ones going for decades. It’s actually a great time to be a rider.

Why, you can nearly see the deadly pathogens! Stay huddled in your dank hovels where it’s safe!

I really had no idea how much time I’d wind up spending plugging leaks in this 1963 house we bought five years ago. Last week I heard a mighty WHUMP while I sat at my desk I thought might be the beginning of an earthquake or Armageddon, which I then forgot about in the absence of any aftershock. But when I walked into the pantry later onto a fresh lump in the floor, I realized something in the subfloor had shifted. My first instinct was to freak and squeeze myself into the crawlspace to see what was the matter; my second instinct was to mix a large martini with three olives and get in the hot tub, which is what I went with. If I’m dying soon, I’m not gonna spend what time I have left in a crawlspace. All household projects are currently on hiatus, except the ones I enjoy. This is the first spring I’ve stuck tomato plants in the ground, then wondered if I’ll be around to eat them? Hey, let’s hop on the Burgman and ride around while they’re growing.

Foundation, shmoundation.

Whether you’re atheist or Baptist, liberal or conservative, it would be hard not to observe that COVID-19 looks a lot like nature defending herself against our human onslaught. Suddenly, because of the virus, there’s a new respect for science again, a thing motorcycle people have always understood, especially us Kevin Cameron fans. Say, ahhhh, hate to disturb you Chief, but 99% of the scientists keep insisting the planet’s going to burn up soon if we don’t find a way to quit burning so many fossil fuels.

Meh, relax. It’s baloney.

Say, ahhh, now they’re saying millions of us, especially people over 60, are going to die in the next few months if we don’t completely shut down the economy immediately and send everybody a check for $1200.

WTF?! Sounds reasonable! Let’s do it right now!

Funny how a little personal fear focuses the attention. Is anybody in Congress younger than 60? Now that we’re talking about them, and not polar bears, it’s suddenly very serious business.

If one good thing is going to emerge from this, it’s that suddenly expertise is important again. It’s been all about the CEOs for years, but now it’s the boys and girls in the lab coats in the back room, the engineers and designers, scientists and test riders that will save our bacon, if it can be saved. It’s awesome when the CEO says we’re going to build 100 new motorcycles, but without the designers, engineers, and 10,000 other educated, qualified people to execute the plan, well ahhh, I… never mind. I really didn’t mean to pick on Harley-Davidson, whose stock is now below $20.

Anyway, it’s early days. We’re on lap 3 or 4 of this 25 lapper. Our tires are warm, and all we can do now is settle in, pay attention, keep calm and smooth, and try not to get rammed by Marquez. Worst case scenario, I won’t be expected to repair anything when I go gently wheezing into that great crawlspace for good. Good luck to us, one and all, and bless all of you who are keeping the world afloat while those of us who can lay low, do. It’s nice work if you can get it.

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One nice thing about the motorcycle market’s troubles is a resurgence of the kind of fun little cheap bikes the codgers are always pining for. Case in point: the MT-03, the naked version of Yamaha’s sweet little YZF-R3, and the newest member of its “Masters of Torque” naked-bike family – here to take the fight to the KTM Duke 390, Kawasaki Z400, BMW G310R…

Packing the same 321 cc parallel twin into almost the same steel frame as the R3, and using almost the same everything else but for a sit-up straight handlebar instead of clip-ons, the whole package weighs in at right around 373 pounds. That light weight means 35 horsepower at the rear wheel (what our last R3 made) are plenty for bombing around town, and even better for unwinding Texas backroads – which is the focus of today’s exciting video. (The written test went up a couple weeks ago; this kind of quality takes time.)

2020 Yamaha MT-03 Review – First Ride

What do you want for $4,699? The Kawasaki and the KTM make more power; the Yamaha counters with a surprising amount of comfort, especially for a small bike, including a nice set of suspenders that complement its broad, cushy seat while keeping things nicely lined up even when flogging the little engine for all it’s worth out of every bumpy second-gear corner on Austin’s Lime Creek Road.

That’s Master of Torque, not Monster, and even if the newest MT doesn’t have tons of it, that’s part of the beauty of small things. Riding it swiftly and well is going to require a little rider participation and frequent use of the really good six-speed gearbox and light clutch, good for the soul. Its light weight makes it easy to hop onto, easy to lift off the sidestand, easy on gas… easy to ride and to live with. And though beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I dig the Ice Fluo with red wheels. You?

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2020 Harley-Davidson Softail Standard

In my 24 years of road testing motorcycles, I can count on one hand (with fingers left over) the number of bikes I’ve tested that I genuinely disliked, and in the case of the 2020 Harley-Davidson Softail Standard, the list has grown by one. Take an otherwise solid motorcycle, give it an abysmal riding position, and it is possible to create a machine that sucks all the joy out of riding, which is saying something since the Softail platform, updated in 2018, is typically quite amenable. 

The sad truth is that there is a lot to like about the Softail Standard, starting with the Milwaukee-Eight 107 V-Twin engine. From the first time I rode the new Softail line in 2017, I was impressed with the smoothness provided by the two counterbalancers mounted on either side of the crankshaft, which is absolutely necessary for an engine that is solid-mounted to the frame. Although Harley is selling Milwaukee-Eights with significantly larger displacement than the 107 cu. in. here, the Standard’s power output is ample for a cruiser in this price range and would easily leave behind any similar model with the erstwhile Twin Cam engine of just three model years ago.

From the bobber styling to the solo seat, the Softail Standard is about elemental motorcycling. The Milwaukee-Eight 107 may be the smallest one available, but it still has plenty of power for this price range.

With a bore and stroke of 3.9 in. x 4.4 in. (100mm x 111.1mm) breathing through a four-valve head, the Standard’s 107 has spot-on fueling with immediate response to throttle inputs that are just this side of abrupt, meaning it feels like some other ride-by-wire bikes in sport mode. Shifting is a seamless affair, as it is with all Milwaukee-Eights. I like this engine a lot.

The same can be said of the Standard’s brakes. Although the lever still requires a stout pull, the power and feel are what you need to haul a claimed 655 lb. plus an American-sized rider down from speed. If you’ve ridden one of the new Softails, you know what the suspension is like. The fork provides decent bump absorption. The rear suspension, with its single directly activated shock hidden behind the engine, works well on smooth to moderately rough pavement. However, hit any larger bumps, and the limited rear-wheel travel becomes painfully obvious. The 26.8-inch seat height does the Standard no favors here.

Ryan is 5’ 8”, and his thighs are parallel to the ground, meaning that anyone with longer legs will have their pelvis tilted rearward.

If I am fond of the new Softails, why do I dislike the Standard so much? There are three corners to the rider triangle, and making a mistake with any single one can be mostly addressed by the other two. Unfortunately, in this case, all three corners are positioned such that, for a person of my size (5 feet 11 inches tall with a 32-inch inseam), they are well outside of the optimal positions. 

Let’s start with the seat. At 26.8 inches, the seat is extremely low, even for a cruiser. I’ve already mentioned the suspension compromises that are forced by that seat height, but it sets the tone for the rider triangle, too. The somewhat forward pegs are quite high (as necessitated by ground clearance requirements), folding my legs in such a way that my knees are higher than my hips. This has the effect of rolling my pelvis rearward and is a huge reason why the harsh suspension is so painful on the Standard.  Since I can’t use my legs to absorb bumps, they are transmitted directly up my curved lower back. A different seat or peg position, which allowed my spine to be straight, would make the riding position significantly more comfortable.

The minimalist instrumentation is easy to read while still being quite cool to look at.

The rider’s upper body is in an equally compromised position, thanks to the mini-apes on the Standard. The mini-apes place the grips just below my shoulders, which has the effect of leaning my torso slightly rearward. Now, this is fine when trolling around the boulevard at 45 mph, but if you try to accelerate hard or head out onto the highway, the only two options are to engage your entire core to lean forward with bent elbows or lean back with straight arms, letting your skeletal system do the work. Although it’s a great workout, clenching your abs gets old in about 15 minutes, and leaning back on your arms limits throttle control. Neither position allows you any relief from large bumps, making them a teeth-gritting affair.

In an effort to see if I was being overly harsh on the Standard, I asked Associate Editor, Ryan Adams, to ride it with me for a couple of hours. Since he is 5-foot, 8-inches tall and has a 30-inch inseam, his slightly different perspective would help to see if I was just too tall for the bike. His notes were:

”When ‘Ol Brasscanyons told me the position on the Softail Standard could ruin a good ride, I kind of brushed it off. He’s freakishly tall and long-legged, like moto-journo slender man of sorts. My more compact younger, supple frame would have nary an issue. I was sure of it! It wasn’t until Evans asked me to photo model for his review that I learned just how uncomfortable he could make me. All I could say to myself after hopping on the Softail Standard was WTF… over and over. It was as if the H-D engineers looked at the rider triangle and tweaked it in all of the wrong directions. The bike is otherwise good in nearly every other way, but whew, that riding position is the stuff of nightmares.”

Simply put, the Softail Standard’s rider triangle is a perfect storm of bad ergonomics.

Perhaps a different seat that allows taller riders to sit higher and more rearward would alleviate some of the comfort issues.

Harley is marketing the Standard two ways: First, as the least expensive entry into the Softail line, and second, as a blank slate for customizers. With regards to riders who want the cheapest entry into the Softail family, you should try riding one before you lay down your greenbacks – or at least have an extended sit on one in the dealership to see if your body type will mesh with it. Perhaps riders in the neighborhood of 5 feet, 6 inches and below will find it comfortable. Customizers probably don’t read MO, and they are free to ignore my criticisms of the Softail Standard. After all, they’re going to nip and tuck the bike, anyway. However, as it stands, I can’t recommend the Softail Standard to anyone in my and Ryan’s size range.

The 2020 Harley-Davidson Softail Standard is available now for an MSRP of $13,599. The optional ABS adds $795. The Standard is also available in four customization packages: The Performance Custom Package ($1,300) adds Heavy Breather Performance Air Cleaner, Milwaukee-Eight Stage II Torque Kit, Street Cannon Mufflers, and Pro Street Tuner. The Coastal Custom Package ($1,600) consists of Vivid Black Softail Quarter Fairing, 80GRIT Rider Footpegs with Wear Peg, Moto Handlebar (which could possibly mitigate some of the riding position issues), Tall Handlebar Riser, 1 in. Gauge Clamp, Clutch Cable and Brakeline, Bevel Two-Up Seat, and Passenger Footpegs. Day Tripper Custom Package ($1,050) features Passenger Pillion, One-Piece Tall Rigid Mount Sissy Bar, Backrest Pad, Passenger Footpegs and Mount, Single-Sided Swingarm Bag, and Standard Forward Controls (which, again, might improve rider comfort). Touring Custom Package ($1,700) rounds out the factory custom packages with H-D Detachables Saddlebags, Standard Height HoldFast Sissy Bar Upright, Compact Passenger Backrest Pad – Smooth Black Vinyl, Holdfast Docking Hardware, Sundowner Seat, Passenger Footpegs, and Wind Splitter Quick-Release Compact 14 in. Windshield.

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By all accounts, the KTM 790 Duke is a great little motorcycle. Light, nimble, and with a healthy amount of middleweight power, when MO was given a 790 Duke to test, it was so much fun our own Evans Brasfield bought the damn press bike. He then proceeded to turn the bike into his version of what a 790 Duke R should be (you can read about his exploits elsewhere on this site). Little did he know KTM was doing the same halfway across the globe in Austria.

The results couldn’t be more different. While Evans raided the KTM Power Parts catalog to tastefully upgrade his 790, KTM basically threw the script out the window and adopted the wholly American ethos of there being no replacement for displacement. What it came up with is this, the 890 Duke R.

KTM’s “Super Scalpel” (as opposed to just “The Scalpel” for the 790) is “KTM’s expression of the most extreme naked bike in the midweight segment” with the biggest difference being the bigger engine. But there’s more to the 890 Duke R than just the engine, so let’s take a deeper dive into all the changes. Here, then, are Six Things You Need To Know About The 2020 KTM 890 Duke R.

Potent Parallel-Twin

Sure there may be more to this bike than the engine, but the 890 Twin is pretty important and has gone through significant changes. Based on the 799cc parallel-Twin from the 790, bore has gone up from 88 mm to 90.7 mm, stroke has lengthened from 65.7 mm to 68.8 mm, and compression ratio increases from 12.7:1 to 13.5:1. Both intake and exhaust valves increase in size one millimeter (36 mm to 37 mm on the intake side, 29 mm to 30 mm on the exhaust), camshafts have a more aggressive profile with more lift and longer duration.

Moving deeper into the engine, there are new connecting rods and new forged box pistons with three rings and shorter pins. Surprisingly, the pistons are lighter than before despite the bigger size and carry a higher rev limit compared to the 790. Because of these higher revs, a new balance shaft helps keep vibrations under control.

Speaking of keeping things under control, the crankshaft now has 20% more rotational mass (read, is heavier). While in some circles heavier is a negative thing, this isn’t necessarily the case with crankshafts as more rotational weight means the engine isn’t as abrupt or jumpy, giving the rider more control especially at part or neutral throttle.

Ride-by-wire throttle remains on the 890 Duke R, as do the 46 mm throttle bodies. But the real interesting thing here is the collaboration with Dell’Orto to utilize sensors in each cylinder to analyze manifold pressure and adjust the air/fuel ratio for each cylinder independently. According to KTM, the new engine pumps out 121 hp and 73 lb-ft (99 nm) of torque.

On the transmission side, lighter springs and shorter lever travel means faster, easier shifting. Software within the optional Quickshifter+ has been tweaked also, resulting in smoother shifting up or down, without the clutch.

Next Generation Electronics

The 790 Duke already had an impressive electronics suite, but of course, KTM saw fit to upgrade the 890 R. A new 6D lean angle sensor (otherwise known as an IMU) helps aid in the Cornering ABS and Cornering MTC (Motorcycle Traction Control), the latter benefitting from the 6D’s ability to better understand the bike’s position in a drift situation. Cornering MTC also benefits from new programming and two independent sensors, a wheelslip controller and pitch angle controller, for better acceleration and more precise wheelie control. And for those who don’t like electronics limiting their drive or wheelies, all this can be turned off.

Rain, Street, and Sport are the standard ride modes, with an optional Track setting also available. Track setting lets the rider customize their traction control, wheelie, and throttle control settings. Motor Slip Regulation (MSR) is another optional feature that acts as an electronic slipper clutch, ideal for low-grip situations.

Upgraded Suspension

With more power comes the need to harness it, and the 790 Duke’s steel chassis only needed small tweaks to accommodate. Ride height goes up 15 mm, which also raises the swingarm angle for better anti-squat behavior, ultimately providing better drive and stability out of corners. Of course, higher ride height means higher seat height (32.8 in vs. 32.5 in).

While entirely decent, most, including KTM, would agree the 790’s biggest weak spot was its suspension. For the 890, WP is providing its higher-spec Apex suspension with fully-adjustable fork and shock, the latter also getting high- and low-speed compression damping adjustability. The Apex fork splits compression and rebound damping between the two fork legs and comes equipped with what KTM calls “linear springs,” which sounds like progressive rate springs to us. Time will tell, but hardcore track riders will likely want to upgrade to straight-rate springs instead. KTM/WP even leave an Easter egg for Duke R riders: a list of suggested settings stored under the seat. (For those who followed Evans’ upgrades to his 790, this level of Apex suspension, according to our contact at KTM, slots between the 790’s non-adjustable suspension and the WP Apex Pro suspension that Evans installed.)

MO Tested: WP Apex Pro 6500 Cartridges And 6746 Shock For KTM 790 Duke

All The Brakes

Evans has gone through quite a bit of effort to upgrade the brakes on his 790, which is too bad because all he had to do was wait for the 890. The R gets Brembo components over J.Juan, including 320mm floating discs compared to the 300 mm on the 790. Aluminum carriers shave off almost a full pound – per disc!

MO Tested: KTM PowerParts Wave Brake Discs

MO Tested: Brembo 19 RCS Corsa Corta Master Cylinder

Calipers get upgraded to Brembo Stylema units that optimize airflow into the caliper itself to help cool the pads and use less fluid. This combined with the Brembo MCS (Multi Click System) master cylinder, which provides an adjustable lever ratio, means you can have progressive feel at the lever or a nearly instantaneous reaction. When it’s all added up, the new brake system alone shaves 2.6 lbs of unsprung weight compared to the 790.

Ready-To-Race Ergonomics

Typically, the point of naked bikes is not to place the rider in a super-aggro sportbike position, with handlebars placed high and footpegs low. KTM has thrown that recipe out the window. The 890 Duke R, like all KTMs, embodies the Ready-To-Race ethos. New, flatter tapered bars are lower, further forward, and adjustable in four positions on the triple clamp. They can be further rotated three more positions from there. Footpegs, too, are new, higher and more rearward, though the pegs themselves are larger for more surface area.

Price

If all of the above didn’t get you excited about the 890 Duke R already, then maybe this will. KTM’s asking price is $11,699 USD – just a thousand bucks more than the 790. Having spent considerable time with the 790, we thought it was a good value at the time. Now, with the 890’s increased performance, we have no reason to believe it won’t be an even better value. Of course, all we have left to do now is ride it to see if our suspicions are correct. Once all this Coronavirus stuff is over and we can get a bike in our hands, we intend to find out. Who knows; if it goes well you might see Evans’ 790 go up for sale. Ha!

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Harley-Davidson has filed designs with the European Union Intellectual Property Office for two more models using the liquid-cooled Revolution Max engine powering the Pan America and Bronx. The two new designs, one a cafe racer and the other a flat track-inspired model, further add to the modular concept promised with the new engine platform.

Both designs clearly feature the DOHC Revolution Max V-Twin engine, though it’s unclear what the engine displacements will be. The Pan America adventure bike uses a 1250cc version of the engine and the Bronx streetfighter runs with a 975cc version. Harley-Davidson has previously said it plans to produce four different displacements, ranging from 500cc to 1250cc.

UPDATE: We’ve found photos of prototypes of both of these new designs from a Harley-Davidson investor presentation from September 2019. There are some slight differences between the prototypes in the photos and the drawings, but the overall designs are similar.

Flat Tracker Design

The flat track-inspired model looks like a natural rival to the Indian FTR1200. Like the Indian, it sports a tubular swingarm, and the high-mounted twin exhaust further reflects its flat tracker influences. In un-Harley-Davidson fashion, the design has fairly neutral foot position, with the pegs mounted behind the swingarm pivot.

Up front, the bike uses a single oval-shaped headlight, similar to the shape of the Fat Bob’s light. Above the light is a small flyscreen with three cutout grooves.

The designs show dual front disc brakes, though the dashed lines don’t provide a good look at the calipers. The front suspension appears to be an inverted fork, and from our measurements, appears to have a rake angle of around 23°. We can’t get a good look at the rear monoshock, though we can spot a linkage setup. Like the FTR, the Harley design uses rear tire-hugging license plate bracket attached to the swingarm by a tubular mount, though the angles and diameters of the tubing don’t look as elegant as on the Indian.

Other details we can make out include a small front fender, single seating and a single circular instrument nacelle.

Here’s a photo of a prototype from Harley-Davidson’s investor document. The prototype had a slightly different swingarm, a different radiator design and other minor differences.

Cafe Racer Design

The second design sports a cafe-style headlight fairing with a short windscreen. The exhaust follows a more traditional routing to a single silencer. The handlebars are relatively low (barely higher than the top of the fuel tank) and the foot pegs are higher and slightly further back than on the flat-tracker model.

This design shares the other’s dual disc brakes and inverted fork, but the rear has a more traditional swingarm suspended by dual shocks. Unlike the flat track design, the cafe racer has passenger pegs for two-up riding.

It’s hard to get a sense of scale between the two bikes, but assuming a similar sized front brake rotor, the cafe racer has smaller wheels than the flat tracker.

The cafe racer prototype looks similar to the bike in the design filings, but with some minor differences in the swingarm, radiator and exhaust shielding. The design drawings lack the prototype’s turn signals, but it also does away with that blocky mass under the seat between the rear subframe elements.

We’re still waiting for the Pan America and the Bronx to go into production later this year, with the Custom 1250 cruiser scheduled for next year. These designs show that Harley-Davidson has further models close behind.

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The title of this story pretty much sums it all, doesn’t it? Today’s flagship literbikes are getting increasingly expensive, putting them out of the realm of all but the most well off among us. So, let’s look at sportbikes at the lower end of the price scale, shall we? Mainly the Ducati Panigale V2. Ducati’s last V-Twin sportbike, the super-mid comes in at 955cc and $16,500 (well, $16,495 at the time I’m writing this). I had lots of good things to say about it when I got to sample it around the Jerez circuit at the end of 2019. Mainly, I was impressed with how easy it was to ride (a refreshing thing after hustling 200 hp beasts around lately. I know, I’m spoiled) and how well the electronics work. 

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However, at the end of my review this was one of my closing thoughts: The issue is the price. At $16,495, it’s swimming in the same waters as Japanese literbikes and even the Aprilia RSV4 RR, all coming in within a grand or so of the Ducati.

The Ducati Panigale V2 is a hell of a sportbike for $16,495, but there are others in the field with similar price tags.

It wasn’t until I could plop myself behind the computer screen again that a little digging revealed a motorcycle within four measly dollars of the Ducati – the 2019 Honda CBR1000RR. Coming in at $16,499, the Double-R is the base version of Honda’s superbike we in America will be getting alongside the pirate-approved CBR1000RR-R SP; and yes, it’s officially a 2019 model being carried over into 2020. With price tags so close, it only made sense to put these two against each other to see which offers more bang for the buck. 

Coming in at just four dollars more than the Ducati is the Honda CBR1000RR. So which is the better buy?

Before we go further, yes, the standard Suzuki GSX-R1000 undercuts the entire literbike field at $15,599 (again, as of press time) and offers a giant bang for not a lot of buck, but it doesn’t exactly fit the $16,500 challenge dictated by the Ducati’s price tag. So, it’s staying out of this one. However, by the end of this comparison, you should be able to get a good idea how it would have fared.

Hi. Did someone say bang for the buck?

The Numbers

Since the premise of this whole thing is predicated on a number, let’s take a look at some other numbers, too. At 998cc, the Honda bests the Ducati by 43cc (955cc), but also has two more cylinders. Being a Twin, obviously the V2 has a much bigger bore – 100mm vs. 76mm. Stroke measurements are 60.8mm for the Ducati, 55.0mm for the Honda. Interestingly, as far as four cylinder literbikes go, the CBR is considered a long-stroke engine. Most others are preferring more oversquare layouts to reach higher revs, and thus, more power. The CBR’s 13.0:1 compression ratio also out-squeezes the Ducati’s 12.5:1.

When thrown on the Motorsport Exotica dyno, the Ducati put down 136.1 hp at 10,980 rpm and 69.1 lb-ft @ 9,150 rpm. The Honda made 149.7 hp at 10,500 rpm and 76.1 lb-ft @ 10,000 rpm.

Not a huge surprise the Honda makes more power than the Ducati. What’s strange is the Honda’s flat spot at the top of the rev range.

It’s no big shock the Honda makes more power and torque than the Ducati, considering its displacement advantage, but here’s the catch: look at the dyno graph. Notice the Honda’s power flatlines around 10,500 rpm, extending all the way to its 13,500 rev ceiling. A little unusual, don’t you think? The only plausible answer we could come up with is an artificial neutering of the bike (presumably via the flapper valve in the exhaust) to meet EPA requirements. It’s unfortunate, but with an ECU reflash, another 10-20 horses should be on tap. Nonetheless, this was the Honda we were given.

On paper, things look even more grim for the Ducati. Taking the stated curb weights directly from the manufacturer spec pages (which have been fairly accurate whenever we’ve weighed bikes on our own scales), the Panigale V2 tips the scales at 441 lbs. Compare that with the CBR’s 428 lbs, and not only does the Honda weigh less, but it also has more power. Advantage: CBR1000RR.

Street Impressions

I’ll admit, I had preconceived notions going into this that the Honda would show its dominance swiftly. But this is why we put the rubber on the road; because we know motorcycles are more than a bunch of numbers on a piece of paper. How the sum of parts work together is something you can’t find on a spec sheet.

We’re fooling ourselves into thinking these are good street bikes. Consequently, the bulk of this test is track-oriented. However, since these are road-legal motorcycles, we did spend a little time on the street, too. This is where the Honda really shines for one simple reason: everything just works. Honda has built its reputation on quality, and it shows in the CBR1000RR. Turn the key, tap the starter, and the RR purrs to life, holding a steady idle. Its exhaust note is muted, but you know it’s ready to scream when given the chance.

By contrast, it sounds like the V2 takes a few more laborious turns of the starter motor to spring to life, and when it does, it initially roars into a high idle before dropping revs slightly. The whole time it sounds loud, and not in a good way. In addition to just the audible noise, which is strange considering the standard exhaust, you hear all kinds of mechanical noise, too. Speaking of the stock exhaust, it sounds guttural, not mean. Of course, this would no doubt sound menacing the moment you stick on an aftermarket exhaust. Where the Honda sounds like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, the Ducati ditches the disguising; it’s a wolf in wolf clothing, damnit. 

Once you get moving, the Honda stays true to the wolf in sheep’s clothing theme. The clear power advantage is evident from the moment you slip the clutch. Power comes on strong and linear – assuming you have the Power Mode in setting 2 (of 5). Mode 1 is too abrupt. You still have to shift the old fashioned way, there’s no quickshift or autoblip, but the Honda does it cleanly. So, it’s really not that bad. As for that flat spot in the upper limits of the rev range, on the street it doesn’t matter one bit.

The Ducati’s clutch is a touch more grabby than the Honda’s, needing higher revs while you slip to avoid stalling, but once you’re rolling, there’s really no complaint about how linear the V2 applies power. The obvious difference here is the lack of power in comparison. Ducati partially makes up for this deficit with shorter final drive gearing compared to the Honda (which is geared tall), letting you launch off the line with similar quickness to the CBR. The autoblipper lets you shift in either direction without the clutch, and while this is more important on the track, it’s a nice benefit on the street, too.

However, we can end all the street talk right here for one simple reason: The Ducati is a fireball of heat under your legs. A longstanding complaint with recent Ducati V-Twin superbikes, the rear cylinder’s exhaust routing goes right under the seat and radiates heat right to the rider’s legs. Despite some rides in chilly weather, the heat was annoying at best. Having experienced past Ducati exhaust heat in the dead of summer, there’s no reason to believe the V2 would be any better.

This alone makes the Honda the bike I would pick for the street. Nevermind the fact the Honda also handles well and hardly radiates any of its heat to the rider.

Track Thoughts

Getting down to the business both bikes were really meant for, we ventured out to Chuckwalla Valley Raceway to join the folks at SoCal Trackdays for some no-sessions trackday fun. For this portion, Pirelli graciously provided each bike with its amazing Supercorsa TD tire. Designed specifically with trackdays in mind, the TDs don’t require warmers, get up to temperature within a lap, and provide unbelievable grip. 

Like on the street, on track the power difference is immediately noticeable. But in this case I actually initially preferred the Ducati over the Honda, as the V2 was much more manageable and less aggressive. With the Honda there’s a lot of brain power focusing on taming the beastly power delivery.

That’s when I realized the error of my ways. Power Mode was set to 1, meaning power delivery was way too aggro for my tastes. I caved and switched to Power Mode 2, which took a lot longer than expected. The TFT display on the Honda is clear enough, but the button sequence to change settings is far from intuitive, unlike the Ducati. Once there, the CBR became much more enjoyable to ride around Chuckwalla. The tall gearing left me between gears in certain areas, but with its healthy amount of torque you mainly need second and third gears, only dabbing fourth for a hot second.

You’re using second through fifth gears on the Ducati, thanks to its shorter gearing and power deficit, but despite the fact you’re shifting more, the autoblipper makes the task less taxing on the rider. You definitely feel the lack of power relative to the Honda, but the more sophisticated electronics, especially the traction control, gives you greater confidence to dial in the power earlier to try and make up the gap as its intervention is hardly noticeable. Meanwhile, the Honda’s crude TC (in comparison) cuts in earlier and harsher than I’d like.

Helping to make up the gap are the V2’s steel braided lines and Brembo brakes. Like the traction control system, the Ducati’s brakes are firmer and more confidence inspiring than the Tokico calipers and rubber lines on the Honda (which are still surprisingly competent, all things considered).

In typical Honda fashion, the bike turns in easily and feels eager to flick. The bigger surprise was how the Ducati matched the Honda for chassis feel despite being heavier by 13 pounds, having a longer wheelbase (56.6 in vs. 55.3 in.), and a longer rake angle (24.0º vs. 23.3º). Both bikes come equipped with Showa’s 43mm Big Piston Fork, while the Honda keeps the Showa love alive with its Unit ProLink shock. The Ducati, meanwhile, wears a Sachs shock. Chuckwalla’s curvy nature is also riddled with bumps throughout, which makes for a good test of the suspension and chassis tuning. You’re on the side of the tire for a long time at certain spots on this track, and we were at the extremes of the clickers on both bikes just to get something resembling a compliant ride.

On the Honda, when you’re ready, you can simply twist your wrist to get a launch out of a corner and pull away from the Panigale. Don’t get too greedy, however, as the crude (in comparison to the Ducati) TC will cut in harshly and kill your drive, even in the lower settings. It’s because of this less sophisticated electronics package on the Honda that you’re forced to work harder for a smoother lap. The goal is to avoid the electronics intervening, while on the Ducati you can be slightly more carefree with the finesse, knowing the safety net has your back and is far less intrusive.

So What’ll It Be?

This is the kind of test that proves what we already know: motorcycles are more than just specs and numbers on a piece of paper. Motorcycles have soul and their own distinctive character, even if, as is more common these days, that character is electronic rather than mechanical. When it comes to drawing conclusions, I’m left with no clear-cut winner.

The Honda’s power advantage and nimble chassis are going to win out over the Ducati. However, the CBR’s weak points, relatively speaking, are its brakes, and electronics, including the lack of even a quickshifter. Meanwhile, the V2 has stronger brakes, a far better electronics suite, and a chassis on par with the Honda.

It comes down to this: If I were to pick a bike to set one hot lap on, the CBR1000RR is it. If consistency over, say, 20 laps is the target, I’d say the Panigale V2 would manage it quicker. But since we’re often forced to pick winners and losers in these comparison tests, I’d pick the Honda. If for no other reason than the desire to unlock its hidden potential. An ECU reflash would bring back the lost power and maybe refine some of the TC parameters, too. Add in an autoblipper and a spring change/revalve in the suspension and it could be a dramatically different motorcycle than how it came off the showroom floor. However, if all you want to do is put gas in and ride consistently to your heart’s content, go Ducati.

Just not on the street. It’s so freakin’ hot.

The post The $16,500 Challenge: 2020 Ducati Panigale V2 vs. 2019 Honda CBR1000RR appeared first on Motorcycle.com.

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And so it goes; only four years after Ashley came down from the mountain with the MO tablets, and had gained some traction with the holy men and the moneychangers in the temple of Motorcycling, and had enough money to hire a real photographer – along comes Minime and Roland to kickstart the me-too movement years ahead of its time and trash the Suzuki. Luckily, the world little noted, nor long remembered what they said here, but it can never forget what they did. Somehow, we survived anyway. This current crisis, too, shall pass, and when it does, may MO have a new birth of freedom, amen. 

Los Angeles, April 12, 2000 — Food is a funny thing. You can line up five chefs, give them all the same ingredients, and you’ll end up with five different dishes. Motorcycles, it turns out, are much the same way.In this year’s World Supersport shootout, three of the five bikes are completely unchanged from 1999, only one model has been revised, and only one model is included that was omitted before. Still, even with so many similarities, we came up with a completely different end result than what we had last year. That’s what you get for having different chefs stir your pot.

We’ve gathered together the main contenders for the World Supersport title: four 600cc four-cylinder machines from Japan and one 748cc V-twin from Italy. All bikes compete head-to-head not only in what often turns out to be the most-competitive race of the weekend but also on showroom floors and back roads as more and more consumers opt for agility and light weight over a 130 horsepower motor pushing around a far more portly mass of semi-precious metals.

While Honda’s CBR600F series motorcycles have generally been regarded as the best all-around 600-class machines made, Suzuki’s GSX-R600 has long been the cream of the crop in racing circles. Last year Yamaha followed up its amazing YZF-R1 with the YZF-R6 that did to the 600-class what its big brother did to the liter-bike class. This year Kawasaki completely redesigned its ZX-6R in order to better compete with the rest of the 600 Supersports and, hopefully, secure the title for Team Green.

Where does the Ducati fit into all this madness, then? After all, can a bike that has an additional 150cc on its nearest competitor yet is still down on horsepower be taken seriously? Or is the chassis, which is almost identical to the all-conquering 996, enough to place the Ducati at the head of the class?

We went into this test with the goal of finding which machine is the absolute best all-around 600 Supersport motorcycle made. We took into account not only racetrack prowess, but also street-skills and drag strip times so that no matter what is your preferred domain, we hope to provide you with the info you need to chose the right mount.

Just like Clark Kent, MO’s Jeff Rheaume emerges from the dark to the amazement of onlookers.

We thought it would be a duel between the Yamaha and Honda. We were wrong.

Fifth Place: Ducati 748

Is that Foggy or Minime? We’ll never tell.

Before this shootout even started, the Ducati 748 was a favorite among staff members. Its scrumptious bodywork and superb back road manners made up for a very stiff ride. The Duc’s motor makes only 89.6 horsepower but all of it is readily available anytime you twist the throttle. Such is the nature of a twin.The Ducati was in its element at the racetrack. Roland Sands, the 1998 AMA 250 GP Champion, said that no matter how fast he went on the 748 he felt like there was a whole other level of performance. Most testers agreed and said that no matter how fast they rode, the Ducati still had something left, even if they didn’t. Despite this, the Ducati’s average lap times were over one second per lap slower on average than all other bikes. This might have to do with the way the motor makes its power or the way the chassis prefers high cornering speeds instead of the more squared-off cornering line preferred by bikes with more power. Given enough track time, most riders would be able to alter their riding style and, on a tight track like the Streets of Willow, at least match the lap times of the Japanese fours.

Once a rider adapted to the Ducati he was one with the universe.

We expected the Ducati to fail miserably at the drag strip. Its dry and grabby clutch seemed destined to conspire with meager horsepower numbers to make this a walk down the grocery aisle instead of a hell-bent run up the quarter-mile. The Ducati did finish last at the drag strip, posting times that were more than one-half second behind the class-leading Yamaha, but it was the easiest bike to launch and the maligned clutch seemed impervious to even the most ardent abuse.
Fourth Place: Suzuki GSX-R600The Suzuki was a pleasant surprise. After making only 90 horsepower we expected the GSX-R to be slow on the track and at the drag strip. Even after so few changes over the past few years, the Suzuki’s first few laps at the track had riders commenting on how “right” the bike felt. Roland Sands commented how he could “hold it open more than any other bike” in part because of the relatively mild power output, but also because of how stable and balanced the bike felt. Most testers generally spoke of the Suzuki within the context of a race track, noting how easy it was to ride fast.

Unfortunately, the GSX-R took a little trip to the infield infirmary, needing attention after Sands flicked the bike down the track, mid brain-fart, thinking he could do same things on the Suzuki as he does on his 250 GP bike. This wasn’t good news for some testers who wanted more time on the bike, but it spoke volumes about how confident a rider became aboard the Suzuki. It also spoke volumes about Sands as his eyes looked like saucers when he realized we might have to pay for the damage. Roland, the bill is in the mail.

Roland, after you tossed the bike, we don’t think anyone wants to come give you a high-five.

On the street, the GSX-R was a fairly decent ride. The ergos are definitely more suited to race tracks and twisty back roads than a trip down the 405 freeway, but the bike offers solid wind protection and a motor that’s smooth. The placement of the controls are well-thought out and everything works fluidly, rarely necessitating a second thought or a change of any sort. Overall the Suzuki GSX-R600 is race-worthy straight out of the box. It’s biggest flaw is that the competition is so intense.
Third Place: Honda CBR-600F4

Calvin’s looking pretty sharp these days…

The Honda CBR600F4 won last year’s shootout and looked poised for a repeat performance. As a street bike the F4 is about as good as they come; only the ZX-6R and its superior wind protection and broad power range was preferred. As far as ease of riding goes, everyone agreed that no other bike offered a platform that was as friendly or easy to negotiate as the Honda. Its smooth and powerful motor, comfortable ergonomics and decent wind protection make this one of the easiest to ride Supersport motorcycles. It is easy to feel comfortable quickly on the CBR600F4.On the track the Honda exhibited the same characteristics as it did on the road. Most testers got up to speed quickest on the F4 and it drew comments such as: “If you’re not an expert, this bike is the best choice.” Lap times were typically one second per lap faster than the Ducati.

…but he’s still no Roland Sands.

At the drag strip, the CBR was slightly more than three-tenths quicker and two miles per hour faster than the 748. The F4 was relatively easy to launch although its upright seating position made it tough to get our weight up over the front end to help keep the front tire on the ground. The motor pulled strong, making it easier to keep the rear tire from spinning as violently as on some of the other bikes. But, once out of first gear and into second and third, the main complaint was a rev-limiter that seemed to cut in too early. Where most other bikes’ power began to taper off near red line, signaling a shift-point, the Honda’s mill kept pulling harder as the revs increased and we repeatedly found ourselves blowing a perfectly good launch by hitting the rev-limiter and not shifting soon enough.Second Place: Yamaha YZF-R6

This is Roland after our lunch buffet at the Indian food restaurant.

Last year, Yamaha’s R6 tied with the F4 for the top spot in our shootout and, like last year, the R6 ruled the track, drawing comments like, “I just didn’t expect that,” when describing the R6’s handling characteristics.Average lap times were in the neighborhood of one second faster per lap than any other bike, regardless of the rider. Both the brakes and the motor are strong while offering the amount of user-friendliness commonly found on less hard-edged motorcycles. The suspension has the same sort of balance that makes the Suzuki such a great track bike, but the R6 ups the ante with better components, more power and lighter weight for a sharper-edged package. While the R6 is designed for the experienced rider, even intermediate riders and novices may also appreciate the Yamaha’s virtues.

Here’s Jeff gettin’ down to business. The R6 responds well to talented riders … and riders like Jeff.

The YZF-R6 is an excellent street bike, although the seating position is a bit more racing-oriented than the 6R or F4. Also, both the Kawasaki and the Honda offer better wind protection. The R6’s motor is a awesome in the upper revs, but there is a lack of bottom-end power that makes passing cars a shift-before-you-go proposition. The suspension soaks up the road nastiness better than we’d expect from a bike with such exemplary track manners, and it looks as sexy as any Japanese 600 ever has.At the drag strip we discovered another niche for the R6. While we expected the Kawasaki to rule while the R6 struggled with wheelies, we found that because the R6 had the most top-end power, it could pull out a good E.T. even if the launch was sub-par. The only problem we had

The R6 responds well to hacks like Minime, as well.

was the gearshift lever position that caused a few missed shifts during the initial runs. When we simply raised the lever one notch to get a better pull on the linkage, the problem went away.Even the clutch, which we expected to be fragile, lasted far longer than we expected, withstanding repeated full-throttle, clutch-slipping runs down the quarter-mile. It’s nice to see that Yamaha, in their quest for ultimate performance, didn’t sacrifice much if anything in the way of durability to eek out the last 100th of a percent of performance.

First Place: Kawasaki ZX-6R

Kawasakis have often been considered as horsepower bikes that tended to lack refinement. With its total make-over for 2000, the Kawasaki ZX-6R looked poised to trounce all-comers on the track just as it had on our dyno, posting an impressive run of 96 horsepower, tops in the lot above Honda’s F4 (95.5 bhp) and Yamaha’s R6 (93 bhp).

The Kawasaki and its rider, gloating in victory. Shameless.

Kawasaki puts a lot of stock in its AMA/ProStar drag racing effort so we expected the ZX-6R to be the king of the drag strip. However, on a hot day in the high desert the clutch wasn’t up to the abuse. With a best run only two-tenths of a second faster than the Suzuki, the Kawasaki fell three-tenths of a second behind the R6, although it posted a trap speed only one mile per hour slower, hinting that if we were able to get a better launch, the 6R may have ruled the strip. When the ZX wasn’t spinning the rear wheel, the clutch slipped so much that the motor over-revved with each shift since the clutch was unable to hold the next gear.On the street the Kawasaki was our clear favorite. The fantastic motor made beautiful sounds and, matched to a smooth transmission, the upright-yet-still-sporty seating position made any sort of roadwork a

Nigel doesn’t like to wheelie. The ZX-6R does. Nigel learned to adapt.

pleasure. The seat is soft and, coupled with well-damped suspension and great wind protection, the ride seemed more VFR800-like than a race-track weapon.Once on the track, however, the ZX-6R showed that the changes made to the bike over the past year add up to more than just a higher MSRP. Without any changes to the stock suspension settings the front end felt fine, although the rear end moved around more than we would have liked. Because the bike turned well into the corners, we left the ride-height adjuster alone and increased the compression a few clicks. This helped settle things down, but the bike never quite attained that balanced feel of the 748 or the GSX-R600.

The Kawasaki’s lap times were only a few clicks off of those posted by the R6 even though some testers felt they just couldn’t get the suspension totally dialed in to their likings. The motor made good power off the bottom and that allowed the bike to attain high velocities down the following straight. Mid-corner the bike would touch down occasionally, though no hard parts dragged. In all, the ZX-6R is a tremendous all-around package.

Conclusion:

Your bike is somewhere in this line-up. All you have to do is decide what’s most important to you.

At the end of it all, the Kawasaki wins by virtue of its all-around package. Much like the Yamaha YZF-1000 that ruled the open class a few years ago, this Kawasaki does everything well and nothing bad. It has excellent street manners, fully adjustable suspension that has potential to improved lap times considerably, and a motor that is without a doubt the best in class. It’s true that any of these bikes here would put a smile on anybody’s face: But nothing here covers as many different types of riding and pleases more riders than the Kawasaki.The Yamaha was a close second because it’s such a kick-ass bike that makes you feel like a hero when you ride it. It’s hard-edged (though not as much as the Ducati) and not bashful about it. A great bike for sure, but it lacks the ZX-6R’s all-around usefulness. The same could be said about the Suzuki, but it’s still toting around a few too many pounds and it needs an infusion of horsepower. That’s OK though, we hear a new GSX-R600 is on the way for next year.

The Honda and the Ducati are exact opposites; most testers wished the Ducati had more of the CBR’s user-friendliness and that the Honda was a bit more focused. We know, we’re a tough bunch to please but when you’re splitting hairs we can’t be bashful, can we? And at the end of it all, we kept coming back to the ZX-6R. Different testers, a few changes and look at what happens to the pecking order in the Magic Kingdom of World Supersport.

Page 2 

The post Church of MO: Year 2000 World Supersport Shootout appeared first on Motorcycle.com.

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If you were paying attention to American roadracing in the 1990s (more and more resembling a golden era), the name Martin Adams might ring a bell. Martin begat the Commonwealth Racing team, which in 1989 won its first AMA title: That would be the AMA Pro Twins GP championship (at the last corner, at the last round of the Series (Topeka), with Randy Renfrow in the saddle of the Commonwealth Honda RS850).

Later, when Camel sponsorship came to town in 1991 (remember tobacco?), Commonwealth became known as Smokin’ Joe’s Honda, winning four 600 AMA Supersport championships over the next seven seasons as well as more than a few Superbike races. When Honda’s new RC45 arrived on scene in 1995, Martin’s team won 19 0f 21 Superbike and Supersport races entered that year, with Miguel Duhamel taking both championships on the Smokin’ Joe’s RC and CBR600F3. Not bad.

Those were great motorcycles, too, but this story isn’t about them. It’s about Martin’s first racer, and our introductory Reader’s Ride: the Commonwealth Racing Norton he campaigned in 1984 and ’85. Our recent news posts about Norton’s current fiduciary woes started him down the memory lane of his own Norton misdeeds. Take it away, Mr. Adams:

“The name came from my being from the Commonwealth of Kentucky, our rider being from Great Britain, while our crew was Australian – the British Commonwealth of Nations. I knew just enough about Nortons to make myself dangerous. I had a Dunstall Commando. This was a Norton short-stroke 750 with bigger pistons, revised “squish” combustion chambers, and a one-piece lightened crank, netting – whatever! I had no dyno!! It seemed fast at the time!

“The twin contained a C.R. Axtell cam, increased inlet length (torque) with two late-model Amal concentric carbs (38mm, I think). Total loss ignition. A five-speed Quaife gearbox, with diaphragm dry clutch using a Gilmer belt for primary drive. Dry sump with oil cooler. Hand-made tank and seat from Norman White (UK). Marzocchi magnesium 38mm forks. Works Performance 18-inch rims. Performance Machine brakes… And a hugely modified fairing comprising a Norton top section and a Yamaha TZ750 lower. Exhausts were built in the UK by Mick Grant. The frame was a John Caffrey “Vendetta” from Wales (also UK). Norman White was principal builder.

John Caffrey, Daytona, 1987, with a later version of his Vendetta chassis containing the Honda flat-track V-twin that would evolve into the Commonwealth RS850.

“It was light, about 325 pounds. Slippery aerodynamically. And, we assumed, ready to trouble old-style Ducatis. It WASN’T! Our rider, many times UK Historic Champion Dave Pither, was aboard at Daytona for the launch. He came in after a few laps looking paler than usual, and reported that it was nearly impossible to “hold a line of six feet” on the banking!

“I thought the shocks were not up to the banking’s loading. I stiffened them front and rear and right, back out you go! No improvement. Now, I realize the frame was likely flexing on the banking. This bike ran conventional slicks. But WORSE, we discovered the “potato chip consistency” of the motor’s crankcases… they actually cracked!!!

Seems the engine was “stressed” enough on its own before anybody even thought about making it part of the frame. Don’t you wish you had a Dodge Omni?

“We raced it one or two more times after, working like Trojans on its tissue paper crankcases. They were unable, I think, to contain the pressures of a set of 850cc pistons at 7-8,000 rpm. Its cases were “pumping/breathing” without benefit of a proper breather; you could almost see it if you squinted. It was failure.

“I sold the bike to a US Navy missile engineer. I was broke, hugely disappointed, and trying to learn lessons… the main one was a word that repeated itself in my head: reliability! Thus began the eventual build of Commonwealth Racing’s Honda RS850/D, upon which Randy Renfrow won the 1989 Pro Twins GP Championship. Defeat is a two edged sword; discover the benign edge…”

Still, Martin doesn’t hold a grudge against British motorcycles: “In 1990 we won the Isle of Man Historic GP with a Triumph Trident we ran in the UK under the Team Commonweath Racing GB banner. We won so many championships/races there I cannot remember the total, also the Manx GP a few years earlier, with none other than Dave Pither. Live and learn.”

We’re suckers for nice photos and descriptive words and reasonably decent pics of your favorite motorcycle, or maybe just your most memorable one for all the wrong reasons? Send yours to contact@motorcycle.com, title it “Readers’ Rides,” and see yourself in this spot one of these weeks.

The post Readers’ Rides: Martin Adams’ Commonwealth Racing Norton appeared first on Motorcycle.com.

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Honda revealed a new concept model based inspired by the CB900F. The Honda CB-F Concept is based on the Neo Sports Café-styled CB1000R, but with a decidedly more retro vibe. The CB-F Concept was originally intended to be a part of Honda’s display at the Osaka and Tokyo Motorcycle Shows, but due to COVID-19, was instead revealed in an online “Virtual Show” along with other models like the new CT125 Hunter Cub.

The CB-F shares much with the CB1000R, as the juxtaposition below illustrates. The steel mono-backbone frame, 998cc Inline-Four engine, wheels, single-sided swingarm and swingarm pivot plates appear similar to the production bike, but the headlight, fuel tank, silencer, rear subframe and tail are completely new.

Honda only released to photos of the CB-F concept, neither of which show the left side of the bike, but Honda’s video presentation gives us a better look at the headlight design as well as the LED taillight.

The CB900F (along with the Japanese market version, the CB750F, pictured below) that inspired the concept was first introduced in Europe in 1979 before arriving in North America in 1981. It was produced through 1983 when it was replaced by the CB1100F, returning in 2002 with a more contemporary design as the CB900F Hornet.

Honda introduced the CB750F in Japan in 1979, with Europe and the U.S. getting the similar but larger CB900F.

At the moment, Honda hasn’t indicated any plans of putting the CB-F into production. There is a little matter of Honda’s current retro roadster, the air-cooled CB1100F, being on its last days due to Euro 5 restrictions. A new Honda CB1000F could make for a suitable replacement, and competition for the likes of the Kawasaki Z900F and Suzuki Katana.

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Part of the fun of riding motorcycles comes from the mastery of controlling an unstable machine. Without their riders, motorcycles can’t stand up by themselves at a stop. When it comes to riding motorcycles, being able to precisely place your motorcycle where you want it on the pavement comes from practice and understanding how motorcycles turn. That technique is countersteering.

During the seminal 1981 Hurt Report, which is officially titled Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures, the accident study’s findings noted, “Motorcycle riders in these accidents showed significant collision avoidance problems…. The ability to countersteer and swerve was essentially absent.” In fact, in some cases, the riders actually steered their bikes into the object they were trying to avoid. While we can’t avoid the fact that target fixation probably played a role in some of these instances, the Hurt Report indicated that many accident-involved motorcyclists didn’t know how to properly countersteer.

So, what is countersteering? The simple definition is that you turn the handlebar in the opposite direction of the way you want to turn. Want to go right? Turn the handlebar to the left. This counterintuitive turning process illustrates why it is so important to learn countersteering. Simply put, riders who don’t completely grasp countersteering – down to the muscle-memory level – run the risk of crashing themselves into the car, truck, pothole, deer, or pedestrian they want to avoid. (For a great example of this, watch the slow-motion section of the video below. You can see him try to steer the bike away from the truck and actually wrestle with the handlebar.)

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On more than one occasion, back when I was a motorcycle safety instructor, I was challenged over countersteering by “experienced” riders who brought their wife/girlfriend/teenaged offspring to take the course. In those instances, I told them to try a simple exercise on their ride home. Ride down the street going fast enough to stabilize the bike, place the palms of their open hands on the grips, and press forward with one of the hands – and tell me what happened when they saw me next. Some actually came back amazed at how it worked, leading to a fun discussion of how they had always been countersteering subconsciously, but now, they had a new tool to use in crash-avoidance situations. The others just avoided me to their detriment (IMO). 

What’s happening when you turn the handlebar to the left – or press forward on the right grip – is both quite simple and really complex. Being a single-track vehicle, the front and rear wheels follow the same track when traveling in a straight line. When you press right/turn left, the front wheel moves to the left of that single track. Since the bike’s inertia wants to try to continue in the previous straight line, the bike pivots around its center of gravity in its attempt. The result is the bike is leaning to the right, and we know that you make motorcycles turn by leaning them. (There are other forces in play during countersteering, like gyroscopic precession, which is comparatively minor. So, I’m leaving that out. If you want to go down the rabbit hole on all the physics involved in turning a motorcycle, there is a chapter devoted to it in Tony Foale’s Motorcycle Handling And Chassis Design.)

Practicing is easy. You can set up a cone weave like this rider, or you can simply practice swerving around marks on the road as you ride.

Countersteering is simply a very efficient means of making a motorcycle lean. So, how do we make it work for us? The mnemonic “press right, go right” is a great way to commit the idea to memory, but the key is to practice consciously countersteering. Riding down the road you can dodge the dotted white line when it’s safe. You can practice swerving to avoid painted directional markings in your lane. If you want to go all out, set up a cone weave in an empty parking lot. 

Keep working on your countersteering until it becomes second nature. I can guarantee that it will save your hide at some point in your riding career.

Countersteering makes it possible to transition from one turn to the next quickly and precisely.

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Updated March 2020:

Adventure riders know that choosing a jacket and pant that will offer versatility in a wide variety of scenarios is paramount to enjoying the ride. Fortunately for us, most manufacturers now make matching jacket and pant combos to offer suits that integrate seamlessly from a fit and function standpoint. It’s always a good idea to be realistic of your intentions when considering new gear, but thankfully with adventure gear, like adventure bikes, most are designed to do a little bit of everything. Below is our list of the best adventure suits on the market today.

Aerostich Roadcrafter R-3 $1,197.00

The Aerostich Roadcrafter has been around since the dawn of time. Shortly after the stone wheel was created, Andy Goldfine of Aerostich created the Roadcrafter. Ok, that may not be entirely true, but the Roadcrafter has been around for quite some time and is widely known as one of the most convenient touring suits on the market. Like the modular helmet, it’s easy to call the Roadcrafter nerdy or not stylish enough. But, like the modular helmet, once you use one, it’s hard to go back to whatever you were doing before. The R-3 is the third generation of Roadcrafter and is said to be 100% waterproof and will likely outlast your motorcycling years. Made of 500D Cordura Gore-Tex fabric bolstered by 1000D abrasion-resistant panels in key areas, the R-3 is meant to last through many a slide.

Not only is the R-3 built to last, but it’s built to be convenient. A zipper runs the length of the suit from collar to boot making it easy to jump in or out of. The R-3 features nine pockets for whatever you need to bring with you, vents for warm days, 3M Scotchlite panels for visibility in low light situations, and fit adjustment at the wrists, waist, and ankles. With men’s and women’s offerings in a plethora of sizes including short, regular, and tall versions, it’s easy to find the right size. Of course, if you do find yourself full fraught with questions you can read our review of the Roadcrafter here. If you still have questions, give the folks in Duluth a call and they’ll be happy to get you squared away.

Shop for the Aerostich Roadcrafter R-3 here

Aether Expedition Jacket $750.00 Aether Expedition Pants $595.00

Aether has brought subtle style and immense functionality to the motorcycle market which has rarely been seen before. Its stylish garments are much more than a pretty facade featuring D3O suites of armor, weatherproofing, and breathability on par with some of the most technical jackets from other major manufacturers. The Expedition jacket and pants are made from a three-layer abrasion-resistant, waterproof yet breathable Japanese field nylon. Both the jacket and pants are fully seam sealed to ensure waterproofing. Articulated elbows and shoulders along with a slight stretch in the pants allow the Expedition jacket and pants to have a tailored fit while remaining comfortable. Ventilation on the jacket is substantial with two vents on the front running almost the full length of the torso as well as two equally large vents on the back. Large armpit vents are also included.

On the pants, two vents are located on the inner thighs. Storage is ample with eight different pockets on the jacket and four on the pants. As mentioned previously, the Expedition jacket and pant receive the full D3O armor suite including shoulders, elbows, chest, back (CE level 2), knees, and hips. Visibility is enhanced by reflective piping throughout the garments. The jacket can be had in black, graphite, or poppy while the pants are available in black and graphite.

Shop for the Aether Expedition Jacket here

Shop for the Aether Expedition Pants here

Alpinestars Revenant Jacket Tech Air Compatible $949.95 Alpinestars Revenant Pant $649.95

The Alpinestars Revenant jacket and pants are juggernauts of the Alpinestars Tech Touring line. Four season capability, Gore-Tex Pro, Tech Air compatible, this touring suit is loaded with features and technology. Gore-Tex Pro uses a three-layer system which is bonded to ensure waterproofing without adding bulk while Armacor is used as reinforcement in the elbows, shoulders, knees, and lower legs. The jacket can be adjusted in numerous areas to ensure a great fit though if you plan not to use the Tech Air system, sizing down may be an option to consider. Large intake and exhaust vents can be found on the jacket and pants to allow air to flow in and out of the garments.

The Revenant uses CE-certified Alpinestars Bio-Air protectors at the shoulders and elbows and VE-certified protectors are also included at the knees. Both the jacket and pant offer plenty of large storage pockets including some of which are waterproof. The jacket also includes routing and a pocket for a hydration bladder. Reflective accents can be found throughout both the black and black/grey/red colorways. Keep in mind, the Revenant is designed as a technical shell. BYOBL: bring your own base (and/or mid) layers.

Shop for the Alpinestars Revenant Jacket Tech Air Compatible here

Shop for the Alpinestars Revenant Pant here

Firstgear Kathmandu Jacket $349.95 Firstgear Kathmandu Pants $299.95

“A favorite of ’round-the-worlders and those who ride beyond the horizon, the Kathmandu jacket and pants are a great combination for taking the road less traveled,” says Firstgear. The Kathmandu jacket and pant represent the more reasonable budget-conscious end of the adventure gear spectrum. Made from 420-denier ripstop nylon and 300-denier high-density nylon with Hypertex treatment for waterproofing the Kathmandu is built to withstand whatever your adventure calls for. D3O protectors are included in the shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees while the included back protector is made from a EVA foam. For warmer temperatures, the thermal insulating liner can be removed on both the jacket and pants while vents on the chest, back, armpits, and thighs can be opened for airflow. The collar features an adjustable closing mechanism as well as a rain hood to wear inside of the helmet to prevent rain from dripping down your neck.

Also included is a removable 1.5 L hydration pack with routing for the tube to the right or left side of the jacket. Storage is plentiful with waterproof pockets to keep your stuff and things dry. The jacket and pant can zip together, have multiple points of adjustment throughout, and the pants come with suspenders. The jacket is available in either black and grey or high-viz yellow, black, and grey. The pants are available in any color you would like, as long as it’s grey. Also something to keep in mind, the pants are designed to be overpants rather than tighter fitting dedicated pants.

Shop for the Firstgear Kathmandu Jacket here

Shop for the Firstgear Kathmandu Pants here

Icon Raiden DKR jacket $395.00 Icon Raiden DKR Pants $285.00

Icon’s Raiden line of gear was the company’s first expansion into the growing adventure category of gear. The Raiden DKR jacket and overpant are made from a DuPont Teflon coated 800D and 1200D honeycomb ripstop material backed by a mated Hycor waterproof membrane. D3O armor is included in the shoulder, elbows (three position adjustable), back, hips, and knees (also three position adjustable) for impact protection. The DKR jacket features a full length removable Thermolite liner for warmth. Once things warm up, the DKR jacket has two vents on the chest, two vents on the back, and armpit vents. Other niceties include routing for a hydration pack, 3M reflective accents throughout, removable suspenders and stirrups, and subtle styling that Icon hasn’t always been known for. Both the jacket and pant are available in black or grey.

Shop for the Icon Raiden DKR jacket here

Shop for the Icon Raiden DKR Pants here

Klim Badlands Pro Jacket $999.99 Klim Badlands Pro Pants $699.99

When most of us think of hardcore adventure gear, one brand comes to mind ahead of the others. Klim. Klim has been making bombproof gear for motorcycle and snowmobile riders since 1999. The first Badlands jacket and pants were released five years ago and is now in its third iteration. The Badlands Pro is the flagship model for the company. The amount of tech, features, and thought that went into the Badlands Pro can make your head spin. This is just a brief overview. The Badlands Pro is constructed of FPL 400, 500D Karbonite ripstop, and Superfabric all backed with Gore-Tex Pro top-of-the-line waterproofing throughout. Aero Pro D3O armor is used in the shoulders, elbows, knees, and hips while traditional D3O is used in the back (CE level 2) and coccyx.

To be a true four season suit, you need to able to hunker down in it during the bitter cold and open it up when riding through sweltering heat. The Badlands Pro jacket has a staggering 12 vents throughout while pants have four. Intake vents allow air in to circulate as the exhaust vents on the back allow warm air to escape. Storage is also plentiful with a total of 16 pockets on the jacket and two cargo pockets on the pants. There is a pocket and internal routing for a hydration system and an internal kidney belt to help stabilize the load should you fill even half of those 16 pockets. Reflectivity has been placed strategically throughout the garments for low light visibility. The jacket is available in black, grey, light grey, and tan. The pants are available in black, grey, and tan. For more information on the laundry list of features that make the Badlands Pro so badass, hit up www.klim.com.

Shop for the Klim Badlands Pro Jacket here

Shop for the Klim Badlands Pro Pants here

REV’IT! Offtrack jacket $439.99 REV’IT! Offtrack pants $329.99

The REV’IT! Offtrack jacket and pants are designed to be a more off-road focused three season jacket and pant. Although this suit leans toward use in warmer climates, depending on where you plan on riding, you could easily use the Offtrack year round. Both the jacket and pants have separate removable waterproof liners and thermal liners. Should you find yourself in warmer weather with the liners removed you have a large panel of 3D mesh across the shoulder blades that wraps around to the front of the collar bones. This panel coupled with the large adjustable chest vents are going to allow for plenty of airflow through this jacket. The outer shell is comprised of 450D, 3D air mesh, polyester 600D, polyester ripstop, Softshell 3L, and PWR|shell mesh. REV’IT!’s Seeflex CE level 2 protectors are used at the shoulders, elbows, and knees with Seesmart hip protectors. The back protector is not included but the Offtrack jacket is compatible with the Seesoft CE level 2 insert from REV’IT!. The Offtrack jacket is available in four colors: silver/green, silver/blue, silver/red, and sand whereas the pant is available in black or black/silver.

Shop for the REV’IT! Offtrack jacket here

Shop for the REV’IT! Offtrack pants here

Rukka Realer jacket $1,299.00 Rukka Realer pants $899.00

Just when you thought it couldn’t get more expensive, the Rukka gets Realer. At a combined $2,200, the Rukka Realer jacket and pants top this list for the most expensive adventure suit. The Rukka Realer is designed to be an all-season touring suit leaning toward cooler temps. The outer shell is made up of Gore Stretch and Armacor with Gore-Tex Pro three-layer waterproofing. D3O Air protectors are found in the shoulders, elbows, chest, hips, and knees while the Rukka All Back protector meets CE level 2 for back protection. The Gore Stretch material allows for a svelte fit without encumbering movement. Full length thermal liners are included in both the jacket and pants and can be worn on as a standalone jacket and pants if you wish. Four waterproof pockets are found on the jacket with two on the pants. From a ventilation standpoint, the jacket has four chest vents and two vents on either side of the torso while the pants have vents across the thighs.

The Realer pant uses Rukka’s Antiglide material on the seat to help from sliding and Aircushion to provide a climate buffer between the rider and the seat which helps to regulate temperature and condensation during long days in the saddle. The pants come with detachable suspenders and can be zipped to the jacket. For a suit of this price point, we strongly urge you to do more research to learn the details and nuances of this garment more thoroughly than we could delve into here. We hope you dig black, because there are no other color options. Thankfully there is plentiful reflective material throughout that is incorporated tastefully to help you be seen.

Shop for the Rukka Realer jacket here

Shop for the Rukka Realer pants here

Spidi 4Season jacket $549.90 Spidi 4Season pants $399.90

The Spidi 4Season H2Out jacket and pants are made for just that, touring year-round. The 4Season H2Out accomplishes this by using multiple technical layers for those riding in a variety of conditions. The polyamide outer shell is equipped with dynamic vents that flow air directly through the shell. If you find yourself caught in a downpour, the H2Out waterproof liner should keep you dry. To keep you warm through the coldest of temps, the 4season comes with a 100g thermal liner which can be worn with the waterproof liner for ultimate in weatherproofing against the harshest of climates.

Spidi’s Force-Tech armor and compatibility with the Spidi Warrior chest, back and thorax protectors give the 4Season jacket and pants a substantial amount of impact protection. Our man, Evans Brasfield has spent many miles through adverse conditions in the Spidi 4Season H2Out jacket and pants and wrote a thorough review of the garments which can be read here.

Shop for the Spidi 4Season jacket here

Shop for the Spidi 4Season pants here

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The post Best Adventure Motorcycle Touring Suits appeared first on Motorcycle.com.

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Poor Ducati. It seems as though the mystical powers that be simply have something against its new model, the Streetfighter V4. After all the hype surrounding a naked version of the mighty Panigale V4, nothing has gone to plan. First was the death of Carlin Dunne while en route to a commanding victory at the Pikes Peak hill climb, then came the cancellation of the international press intro for the SF V4 at the Ascari Circuit in Spain due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Nonetheless, as the saying goes, the show must go on and Ducati is doing its best to make lemonade out of lemons; holding a livestream presentation for the Streetfighter. In it, lead designer Jeremy Faraud explained the concept behind the style of the Streetfighter. After, Ducati’s lead test rider Alessandro Valia – quite possibly the fastest factory test rider out there – took a deep dive into the technical aspects of the Streetfighter. 

Alex Valia, Ducati’s official test rider, knows the Streetfighter, and the rest of Ducati’s lineup, better than most.

Getting a peek behind the curtain, so to speak, to learn about a motorcycle from the people who actually designed, engineered, tested, and ultimately made it is always revealing. This Streetfighter live stream, while definitely different than the norm, left us with a few key takeaways. Here, then, are 8 Things You Need To Know about the 2020 Ducati Streetfighter V4. Once the world has recovered from this unprecedented Coronavirus pandemic and opened its doors again, we can’t wait to actually ride the Streetfighter and see for ourselves if the hype is warranted. When we do, we’ll be sure to tell you our thoughts. Until then, read on to learn more about one of the most anticipated bikes of the year.

Designed After The Joker

As Faraud put it, the design inspiration for the Streetfighter came from the Joker – yes, the one from Batman – because of his split personalities. In the Streetfighter’s case, this is a machine that’s calm and elegant on the street, but can get wild and aggressive on the racetrack. Faraud explained how the angled LED daytime running lights form the angry eyes while the black space below occupying the air intakes give an aggressive, Joker-like appearance. From the side view the Streetfighter had to clearly resemble a naked bike, but with obvious inspiration from the Panigale V4. Exposing the V4 engine and front frame was the obvious first start, then the remaining bodywork takes the same angular shapes and lines as the Panigale V4. Faraud likes to think of the Streetfighter as having a floating body above the mechanical components.

F1-Inspired

Look at the path air would travel through the radiator and you can see how the extractors would divert the hot air away.

Moving hot air is hard to do on a bike with minimal fairings, but the Ducati Streetfighter incorporates F1-inspired extractors behind the radiator to move hot air away from the rider. It also has a secondary benefit as the mounting points for the wings. More on that in a moment.

Longer than the Panigale

Since the Streetfighter is meant to be more relaxed and (slightly) easier to manage than the Panigale, its wheelbase is extended compared to Panigale 0.5-inch (15mm), making it 58.3 inches. This should reduce the tendency to wheelie and make the Streetfighter a little more stable.

Wings!

If the Panigale V4 sets the bar with one set of wings, then the Streetfighter ups the ante with two! The biplane wings are mainly the result of wanting to reduce the width of the bike compared to the huge wings seen on the Panigale. Meanwhile none of the downforce was lost in the process. Ducati says there’s already 4.4 lbs (2 kg) of downforce at 31 mph (50 kph), while 168 mph (270 kph) equals 62 lbs (28 kg) of downforce. Interestingly, Ducati claims the downforce distribution, in this case, is 44 lbs (20 kg) on the front and 18 lbs (8 kg) on the rear. The purpose is to add mechanical grip, reducing the tendency to wheelie, while adding stability at high speed, including those first moments when you get on the brakes. The wings also increase airflow through the water and oil radiators by 2% and 10% respectively.

A 200-hp Nakedbike?!

We all know the Streetfighter V4 shares the same 1103cc Stradale V4 engine as the Panigale, but it’s still crazy enough to warrant another look. This 90º, 1103cc V4 features Ducati’s tried and true desmodromic valve actuation and stays true to Ducati’s V-Twin heritage by essentially coupling each bank of cylinders together. Cylinders 1 and 2 fire 90º apart, then the crank rotates another 200º before cylinders 3 and 4 fire, 90º apart. The result is 208 hp, slightly down from the Panigale’s 214 claimed horses, though still a monstrous amount. Ducati even says 70% of the bike’s torque is available from 4000 rpm. Because there’s so much power on tap, power is actually curtailed to certain degrees in the first three gears, before full punch is on tap from fourth gear on. A shorter final drive ratio vs. the Panigale V4 will give the rider the feeling of a more powerful launch when the throttle is twisted.

Panigale V4 Electronics

A superbike sans fairings, the Streetfighter promises to be a beast for the reasons described above. Thankfully, the Streetfighter will also come equipped with the same electronics package as the Panigale V4, all centering around the Bosch 6-axis IMU. That means:

• ABS Cornering EVO
• Ducati Traction Control (DTC) EVO 2
• Ducati Slide Control (DSC)
• Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) EVO
• Ducati Power Launch (DPL)
• Ducati Quick Shift up/down (DQS) EVO 2
• Engine Brake Control (EBC) EVO
• Ducati Electronic Suspension (DES) EVO (S model only)

As I noted in my Panigale V4 review, this latest generation of Ducati electronics is some of the best in the business, a direct result of Ducati’s racing division, Ducati Corse, working in conjunction with the production side to fine tune the software and algorithms controlling the rider aids. For example, DTC EVO2 has been refined to the point you can hardly feel any oscillation from the rear when the tire spins and the system kicks in. Also, the throttle mapping will actually reduce revs if it detects slip during neutral throttle. Typically, if you’re maintaining neutral throttle and the rear wheel slips revs will rise, making an already sketchy situation even harder to control. 

A Focus On Rider Comfort

A Panigale for those who don’t want to commit themselves to the Panigale’s ergonomics, the Streetfighter relaxes things a little. It starts with the bars, which raise the rider up, ends at the pegs, which are 24mm lower than the Panigale, and meets in the middle with a seat that has 60mm of foam. This comfort comes at the expense of short people, as the SF’s 33.3-inch seat height might deter the vertically challenged.

Light As A Feather

If Ducati’s stated curb weight is to be believed, then the Streetfighter V4 has a leg up on its main rival. Ducati says the Streetfighter weighs in at 439 lbs full of gas (392.4 lbs dry)  – and this is for the S model with Öhlins electronic suspension! The standard model is 443 lbs. Divide that by the claimed 208 hp, and you have a power-to-weight ratio of 2.1 lbs per horse! Taking a look at the Streetfighter’s main competition, the Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 Factory, it’s stated curb weight is 460 lbs. Divided by its claimed power rating of 175 hp, and you have a power-to-weight ratio of 2.6:1.

Of course, now that everyone’s appetites have been thoroughly whetted, the only thing left to do is ride the thing.

The post 8 Things You Need To Know About The 2020 Ducati Streetfighter V4 appeared first on Motorcycle.com.

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Way back in the old days of early March 2020, a huge crowd assembled among gathering clouds. The Supercross at Daytona ran on schedule to packed stands. It would be the last major motorcycle race for the foreseeable future, but we didn’t know that. The witnesses were mostly young and beautiful: These are the people who will carry the world forward when our boomer lungs fill with pus, and we utter our final, intubated gurgle. We saw the crazy reports of toilet paper hoarding circulated on social media. We weren’t blind. We knew something was coming. On this, our last night of innocence, we sat shoulder to shoulder blasting out throaty cheers to over-modulated rock music and watched Eli Tomac slowly reel in and then pass Ken Roczen to take the win. Then the shit hit the fan.

Roczen is ahead of Tomac in this shot but not for long.

Daytona’s remaining races were first declared off limits to spectators. I checked in with Speedway officials and found my Motorcycle.com media passes would allow me access. Then a day later Speedway officials declared the races off limits to everyone. The show was canceled. The huge, motorcycle-product tent city erected in Daytona’s parking lots began to thin as vendors packed up their wares. The whole town seemed to lose its will to go on – except for the Harley riders whose exhausts raged on, impervious to fear. I still had a loaner Indian FTR1200 Rally for a few days. Shelter in place was the directive. So, I decided to clear out with everyone else and explore the lonely tracts of the Ocala National Forest.

The Cross Florida Barge Canal is a centuries old idea. The on-again, off-again attempt to create a water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico via Central Florida is off at the moment. I’m not fully convinced the game is over, as the partially completed canal seems a hard thing to resist for politicians seeking boondoggle money. Slicing through Florida’s shallow aquifers, mixing sea water with fresh, the canal project had environmental issues from the very beginning and has been repurposed into a natural path called the Cross Florida Greenway. That’s where I took Indian’s new FTR1200 for a little sand-to-sand combat.

Normally I don’t go for the stink bug look, but the Rally is more flat track than stink bug.

Eastward from Highway 19, the Greenway gets dirty. The COVID-19 virus will have a hard time finding me on this road of compacted sand. It’s a smooth-ish high-speed dirt road mixed with loose sugar sand. The FTR has such a luxurious amount of power 6th gear roll-ons send long roostertails of sand slashing through the pine scrub. It’s a wonderful feeling to never want more, and in the dirt, the FTR gave me all the power I could possibly want.

Let me clear this up right now: the FTR1200 Rally is not a dirt bike. It has knobby tires, but one look will tell you it’s a streetbike. The thing is, the definition and dimensions of an off-road bike have changed greatly since the advent of large, heavy ADV motorcycles. Going by the new, 600-pound-ADV standard, the FTR is a relative lightweight at 500 pounds and a nimble machine to boot. Deep sand, the kind of sand you get on the tight corners of The Greenway, were best taken at a walking pace. Other than that, I had no problem hustling the sturdy little 1200cc bike down graded dirt roads at 50 to 80 miles per hour. The Rally could go faster in the dirt but not with me at the controls.

After 20 miles the Greenway intersected pavement, and I turned the FTR north towards another tenuous canal tie-in. Only a century after Philip II, the King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, and Sicily first proposed the Cross Florida Canal, work began in 1672 on the Castillo De San Marcos fort in Saint Augustine, Florida.

The Castillo De San Marcos in St Augustine, Florida. This is as close as I got for fear of contracting coronavirus.

The fort is a huge tourist attraction, and as this was still in the early days of virus alerts, the place was crowded with sweaty, sunburnt, disease vectors. I thought with the government order to close everything I could sneak in to see the fort, but the lines were long, people were close-coupled. I didn’t want any part of that scene.

The FTR pulls hard up to an indicated 130 miles per hour before the electronic speed limiter kicks in; 130 in 6th gear is only 7200 RPM. The speedometer number spacing tightens up over 120 mph, making it hard to tell exactly what speed you are traveling, but really, at that pace, your eyes should be on the road. The FTR will do 130 in 5th gear, also electronically limited. The remaining gears hit the rev limiter around 9000 rpm. It’s a hard cut-off that gets annoying if you live near redline, and the Rally gets to redline quickly in whatever gear you choose.

The numbers crowd in on themselves after 120 miles per hour. This makes it difficult to see your speed while keeping an eye on the road.

I made it back to the safety of the Ocala Forest pretty fast, burning through gasoline at the rate of one gallon for every 40 miles traveled. The most fuel I put in the FTR’s 3.4 gallon under seat tank was 2.5 gallons, and the low fuel light never illuminated.

By the next morning, hard-core capitalists were talking about handing out free money to everybody, the stock market reached new lows, verified cases of COVID-19 doubled, schools closed, and grocery stores were stripped bare by a frightened public intent on hoarding whatever they could get their hands on. It wasn’t a good look for America. We like to think of ourselves as heroic cowboys, never ruffled, always true. We became The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly rolled into one.

Butt Head Farms. A good place to escape to when your world is tumbling down.

Outside, it was like any other beautiful March day in Florida. The sun rose; the warmest Daytona Bike Week weather I can remember continued, hitting 90 degrees. I took advantage of the dry weather to explore Kismet Road, a route that had stopped me in the past due to deep water. The water level was down, replaced by sections of deep sugar sand. I dropped the FTR into first gear and paddled through. The FTR’s weight is low and balanced making footwork fairly easy. Kismet exits onto Highway 42, the closest thing to twisties you’ll find in Central Florida.

Hanging on the front of the FTR Rally’s engine are a few things you shouldn’t smash into rocks. There’s an oil cooler on the right, and on the left is the battery with a finned aluminum voltage regulator. The battery is inside a plastic box. So, I don’t think a stray rock kicked up by the front wheel will hurt it. Rock crawling or curb hopping could do some damage.

There are quite a few low hanging bits on the front of the Rally. You’ll want to avoid rock crawling.

The FTR Rally has less electronic widgets than the full-boat FTR. The instruments are analog instead of touch screen, there are no power settings (it’s full power all the time), and the ABS system cannot be turned off like the touch screen model. All things considered, I like the simpler Rally except you really need to be able to turn the ABS off in the dirt. With ABS activated the rear brake is useless in sand or traction-compromised situations. Luckily, most ABS front brakes seem to work well in the dirt, and the Rally’s front brake was no exception.

If you’re shaped like me: short, fat, and neck-less, the FTR Rally will fit perfectly. I loved the handlebar/seat/foot peg relationship. The thing was like Posturepedic designed a motorcycle. On the Rally I was tilted slightly forward with my feet directly under my butt. The handlebars were plenty wide and right where I wanted them. The Rally has a mildly aggressive stance, but it put me in mind to try anything. I didn’t fear deep sand bogs or tight trail u-turns like I would have on a bigger motorcycle with a cruiser-ish, feet forward, spine-curving slouch. But then what are you doing out in the woods on that type of motorcycle?

I can’t see any parts from the Scout on the FTR Rally. Maybe a few internal bits, but I’m not taking the thing apart. It’s an entirely new motorcycle kind of based on the Scout.

The Rally’s seat is narrow at the front then grows wider a few inches back. Being chimp-of-leg, the foot peg location blocked a firm stance when stopped, but I could still reach the ground okay thanks to that narrow section. It felt like a dirt bike for sure. There is a ridge cutting across the seat that forms a bucket for the rider. It’s comfortable on the street and good during hard acceleration, but I would prefer a flatter seat which would allow me to put more weight on the back tire in off road situations. That hump hampers my movement, man.

A motorcyclist must have laid out Highway 42 because the pavement gently sways for no reason at all. Florida is amazingly flat yet some unsung hero took care of us motorcycle riders for a few miles. On the street, the FTR is supremely composed. Braking is strong. There are no wobbles, the bike is never out of sorts. The Rally feels like solid material instead of built up from individual parts. Cracking the throttle in the first two gears causes the front wheel to come off the ground. The bike hits so hard in first gear that the tire spins. It does a wheelie and then smacks into the rev limiter all at the same time and within what seems like 30 feet.

This tag holder/blinker holder/compliant fender thingy has got to go.

I really like this motorcycle. The Indian FTR Rally is so good it joins the thinly populated ranks of modern motorcycles I would own. Indian sells an accessory rear rack that I would buy before I left the showroom. Another thing I would do before leaving the dealership is remove that awful rear hugger/turn indicator/license plate holder thingy. It looks like something the Borg would attach to assimilate your motorcycle. Indian needs to find the designer who drew up that hugger and transfer him to the toaster division of Polaris. (Then again, there’s already an accessory in the Indian catalog to get rid of it: Item# 2884060.)

By Saturday the entire world was completely freaked out. Italy was overrun with coronavirus victims. I started to worry about getting home to New Mexico. What if the government blocked interstate travel? What if gas stations closed up? In all this confusion, could I keep the Rally without Indian noticing? Would motels take guests? Would grocery stores have food? It was that kind of crazy. I rode the FTR Rally back to Indian’s Main Street location. I was just in time because the crew had their sprawling Indian parking lot display broken down and mostly packed away. The Saturday of the 200 is normally the busiest day during Bike Week, but this Saturday was lost to the chaos engulfing America.

A tiny virus, COVID-19 has beaten Daytona this year. Hang in there MOrons, because Bike Week 2021 is already spinning our way, cutting a graceful helix through the dark infinite universe. We will arrive and one day the sound of racing motorcycles will again rip through the balmy Florida night and throaty cheers will blast from strong, beautiful fans packed shoulder to shoulder.

Pavement Ends means the fun begins on Indian’s sort of dirt, sort of adventure, sort of flat track motorcycle.

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Since the 2021 CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP was announced in November, we’ve been eagerly waiting for Honda to release horsepower figures for the U.S. market, hoping it wouldn’t be far off the 215 hp claimed for the European-spec model. Thanks to VIN documentation Honda submitted to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, we can now report the American-spec CBR1000RR-R will only produce 188 hp.

While that’s a good improvement from the previous generation CBR1000RR which NHTSA filings list at 169 hp, it’s still down significantly from the Fireblade European customers will be getting. While we’ve been used to seeing a power drop-off for U.S. spec models, the news is still disappointing, especially compared to bikes such as the BMW S1000RR which claims 205 hp in its NHTSA documentation.

At 188 hp, the Fireblade SP is much closer to its Japanese brethren. Per NHTSA, the U.S. version of the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R claims 186 hp and the Suzuki GSX-R1000 is listed at 185.3 hp (data on the current Yamaha R1 isn’t available through NHTSA yet but the 2018 model claims 187.4 hp).

The 2021 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP is priced at $28,500, with availability scheduled for June 2020.

The post US-Spec 2021 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP Claims 188 hp appeared first on Motorcycle.com.

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Read enough motorcycle reviews and you’ll inevitably hear people like the MO staff talk about two things: Rake and Trail. It’s mentioned so much because rake and trail have a major role to play in the way your motorcycle handles, and the people who design these motorcycles are well aware of this when going from CAD drawing to real-life machine. 

So, let’s take a closer look at what rake and trail is and why it’s important. While some of you may already understand rake and trail, newer riders may not. And besides, what harm is there in a refresher course, anyway? We’ll start with the basics of rake and trail, then go a little deeper into each topic later.

What is Rake?

This drawing of the Honda CBR1000RR-R explains rake angle concisely (ignore the other measurements, for now), as the arc created from the head stock to an imaginary line perpendicular to the ground, passing through the front axle. In this case, it’s 24º.

The definition of rake (also known as caster angle) is the angle of the steering axis in relation to the vertical axis. In other words, rake is a measurement – in degrees –  from the headstock of your motorcycle to a vertical line drawn through the front axle of your motorcycle. If you want your motorcycle to steer quickly and with little effort, like a sportbike or a dirtbike, you go for a smaller number (to a point). Sportbikes generally have rake numbers in the low- to mid-20s. Buells were notorious for having some extreme rake angles bordering close to the teens. The tradeoff with a small rake number is stability, but we’ll get to that in a minute.

While sportbikes tend to have small rake angles for quick handling, cruisers tend to go the other direction for more stable handling. The Honda Fury is an extreme example.

As you’ve likely seen on those wild biker build-off shows, some cruisers can have huge rake angles that are downright ridiculous. Not only does it look silly, it can take a lot of effort to steer. The tradeoff, of course, is a stable motorcycle once you do get it leaned over. Other forms of motorcycles, like Adventure bikes, scramblers, sport-tourers, etc. find a sweet spot in the middle to achieve their desired goals.

What is Trail?

In this illustration of the Honda CB1000R we get a better understanding of trail, or the distance from an imaginary line drawn through the head stock to the ground and the front contact patch (which is usually, but not always, in line with the front axle). In this case it’s 100mm. Note also that, despite having the same wheelbase (1455mm), the CB1000R and CBR1000RR-R have different rake and trail numbers.

Take a line and draw it through the steering axis until it meets the ground. Now, draw another line perpendicular to the ground down through the front axle (or, more specifically, the front contact patch, as they’re not always the same point). The distance between where the line from the steering axis meets the ground and the line from the front contact patch is trail, measured in both inches and millimeters.

Trail is what makes the front tire want to self-center and is usually what we’re referring to whenever we say a bike feels stable. More trail equals better stability, less trail gets you a more nervous motorcycle. Hopefully by now you can see how rake and trail are interconnected, as rake automatically has an effect on trail – less rake means less trail, and vice versa.

Rake is Dynamic

It’s not often any of us get to ride on a banked oval, but the combination of high speed and banking naturally compresses both the fork and shock, altering geometry.

Adding a bit of complication to this is the fact rake angles are not static; when a fork is compressed under braking, this is effectively changing the rake angle of the front end, making it steeper. Conversely, as the motorcycle is accelerating the fork is extending, increasing the rake angle slightly.

This can be a lot to process, but the important thing to remember is that we can take advantage of this dynamic rake to make the bike handle a certain way. The most extreme example of this is in racing. Hard braking will nearly collapse the front end, temporarily creating a very shallow rake angle, making the bike steer quicker. Trail braking into a corner helps keep the fork compressed (and control the rate at which it rebounds) to maintain your intended arc.

Conversely, you might have experienced trouble finishing a corner, experiencing a feeling as if the bike wanted to run wide. At the end of a corner, naturally the instinct is to accelerate. But if we accelerate too early, the fork extends as we’re already running wide, making it harder to turn. That explains one of the reasons why we have to let off the throttle to help place the motorcycle in the intended direction.

Offset

On most production motorcycles you can’t change the fork offset without going to some extreme measures, but certain high-end motorcycles allow you to rotate a concentric head stem insert, resulting in altered trail.

Offset is a look at two axes: the axis of the steering head and the axis of the fork tubes. Most of the time the two are parallel to each other. However, this isn’t always the case. Some motorcycles have concentric inserts to place inside the head stock to change the offset between the steering axis and fork tubes, thereby changing trail without changing rake. Some aftermarket companies also produce triple clamps that effectively achieve the same result. For ultimate tunability, concentric inserts and different triple clamps can be used together to dramatically alter a motorcycle’s handling.

Other Adjustments

Note how far the fork tubes are sticking out above the triple clamp. You can also go the other direction – up to the point where the fork tube sits flush with the triple.

On this Öhlins TTX shock, the rear ride height is adjustable via the threaded collar at the bottom.

Now that we’ve established quicker steering is achieved through steeper rake and/or shorter trail, and better stability is the result of more relaxed rake angles and/or longer trail numbers (and we have not even begun to discuss how wheelbase affects a motorcycle’s handling), what can you do to your motorcycle to change these numbers?

Alternatively, some higher-end motorcycles have shocks or linkages that allow for rear ride height adjustment. Raising or lowering the rear has a similar effect to raising or lowering the front, and again, there is a finite and limited amount you can raise or lower the rear, too – if you can at all.

Pandora’s Box

There’s lots to digest when it comes to a motorcycle’s handling. Rake and trail are just two parts. Swingarm length, chassis rigidity, fork spacing, and many other variables are also taken into consideration.

Like mentioned at the start of this piece, rake and trail are important aspects in determining how a motorcycle handles, but there are many more variables to take into consideration that go beyond the scope of this article. There are many great books on the topic of motorcycle steering geometry if you’re interested. For now, this should give you a base understanding to hopefully help you understand why your motorcycle handles the way it does.

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