Peon Maface

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. Table of Contents 1. Editor's Pick: REV’IT! Offtrack jacket $439.99 REV’IT! Offtrack pants $329.99 2. Aerostich Roadcrafter R-3 3. Aether Divide Jacket & Aether Divide Pants 4. Alpinestars Revenant Jacket Tech Air Compatible & Alpinestars Revenant Pant 5. Firstgear Kathmandu Jacket & Firstgear Kathmandu Pants 6. Icon Raiden jacket & Icon Raiden pants 7. Klim Badlands Pro Jacket $999.99 Klim Badlands Pro Pants $699.99 8. Rukka Realer jacket $1,299.00 Rukka Realer pants $899.00 9. Spidi 4Season jacket $549.90 Spidi 4Season pants $399.90 1. Editor's Pick: 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. MO Tested: REV’IT! Offtrack Jacket & Pants Shop Now 2. Aerostich Roadcrafter R-3 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 Now 3. Aether Divide Jacket & Aether Divide Pants Made using GORE-TEX Pro fabric and fully seam-sealed, the Divide Jacket is abrasion resistant and waterproof. It’s also breathable, thanks to pit zips and zippered back vents that allow air to enter and exit through the jacket, an important feature for rides in which the climate may change a few times. For maximum protection in high-impact areas, the jacket features a double layer of fabric at the shoulders and outer sleeves with D3O providing impact protection and shock absorption. For maximum comfort, the elbow pockets are adjustable. A two-way front zipper on the Divide Jacket allows the wearer to adjust the bottom hem while seated. In an effort to think of everything, branded snaps with thumb loops on the front placket enable the rider to easily close the jacket with one hand, gloves on or not. In case you encounter a rainstorm, the jacket features an interior gaiter at the neck that can be cinched down to prevent water from getting in. There is also lamb leather detailing at the neck opening for additional comfort. The Divide Motorcycle Jacket also features plenty of storage options, including chest, hand, and patch pockets with weatherproof zippers, as well as an interior zippered pocket. Adjustable Velcro tabs at the bicep, forearm, and waist allow the jacket to be cinched down for a slim fit or loosened when cold temps call for extra layers. Additionally, Velcro cuffs can be adjusted to accommodate gloves, and a wind-cuff detail at the sleeve opening helps keep the elements out. A cinch at the bottom opening of the jacket allows the rider to customize the fit. Designed in tandem with the Divide Motorcycle Pant, a zipper attachment allows the two pieces to be worn together as a full-body suit. For riding at night, a JRC Reflex reflective strip and piping have been incorporated into the sleeves and back. This material reflects bright white when lit by a pair of headlights. The Divide pant features similar construction and features to the jacket. Shop Now 4. Alpinestars Revenant Jacket Tech Air Compatible & Alpinestars Revenant Pant 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 Now 5. Firstgear Kathmandu Jacket & Firstgear Kathmandu Pants “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 Now 6. Icon Raiden jacket & Icon Raiden pants Icon’s Raiden line of gear was the company’s first expansion into the growing adventure category of gear. The Raiden jacket and overpant are comprised of a DuPont Teflon three-layer nylon shell with 10k/10k waterproofing. Impact areas are strengthened by 500D Cordura panels. D3O armor is included in the shoulder, elbows (three-position adjustable), back, hips, and knees (also three-position adjustable) for impact protection. The Raiden jacket features a full-length removable liner for warmth. Once things warm up, the jacket has two vents on the chest, two vents on the back, and armpit vents. Other niceties include routing for a hydration pack, 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 blue or grey/hi-viz yellow. Shop Now 7. 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 Now 8. 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 Now 9. 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 Now What is the best motorcycle touring jacket? Whether standard touring or adventure touring, your gear’s versatility is what can make or break a trip. Touring jackets are designed to keep you comfortable in a range of weather and situations. Adventure touring gear puts an emphasis on the mobility needed to ensure the rider has the flexibility to move around on the machine when riding off-road. As with motorcycles, the best touring jacket is the one you will use and are comfortable in. That said, our list above is a great place to start. Choosing which features are most important to you and which types of gear apply to the area where you typically ride will help narrow down which gear is best for you. What is the best adventure touring motorcycle? That’s a loaded question. But, as we saw in our last middleweight adventure motorcycle shootout, there seems to be a machine for every type of rider these days in the ADV segment these days. Whether your focus is getting dirty or sticking to the tarmac, there is an adventure motorcycle well-suited for your needs. For 2020, Motorcycle.com chose the 2020 Triumph Tiger 900 as our Best Adventure Motorcycle of the Year for its versatility and performance both on-road and off. Runner-up was the off-road-focused KTM 790 Adventure R which was lauded for its superior off-road performance. Additional Resources Best Adventure Motorcycle Helmets Best Adventure Motorcycle Boots Best Adventure Motorcycle Gloves Best Adventure Motorcycle Tires Recent Updates: New products added, FAQ, updates, and additional resources added We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews. Learn more about how this works. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post Best Adventure Motorcycle Touring Suits for Braving the Unknown appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/gLMKXjmzjwgSource

Human beings are predisposed to collect pictures of their exploits. From back in the time of cave dwellers with their wall art to oil painting to the camera obscura to film to today with our digital cameras, we have an innate desire to create physical manifestations of our memories, and while we now carry important photos in phones instead of our wallets, this need to capture moments and try to relive them later seems to be undergoing a heretofore unseen level of growth. Unfortunately, most of these images are quick grabs without much – or any – thought put into the process and how to make the image as visually pleasing as possible. They are just frozen slices of time. But they can be so much more. 155 mm, 1/800@ f/6.3. If you’re one of those people who has spent almost as much time looking at the photos as you have reading the text of motorcycle publications, then maybe you’d like to try your hand at photographing motorcycles, too. You really can start doing it with almost any DSLR you may happen to have. Who knows, you may find a new hobby to go alongside your love of riding motorcycles. After all these years, I have no regrets for transporting cameras for many thousands of miles on my back, in tank bags, or panniers. It was well worth the effort. Finally, before we move on to the photography tips, I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that the act of shooting motorcycles often requires multiple passes back and forth in front of the camera. Remind your riders to do it safely, even if it means riding down the road a quarter mile or more to a pull out. Believe it or not, the most dangerous thing we do as motojournalists is make U-turns on winding two lane roads. Visibility is limited, and often the road is quite narrow, which makes turning around a challenge on big bikes. Be safe out there. (Another option is to hang out in a corner on a popular road and shoot everyone who comes by.) 1. It’s about the technique, not the camera Don’t get me wrong, there’s a reason why professional photographers spend a small fortune on camera gear, and you can run up a bill of more than $10,000 in the blink of an eye. Still, for the motorcycle and camera enthusiast, you don’t have to have the latest and greatest gear or the biggest sensor to capture stunning motorcycle photos. For example, during six of my seven years at MO, I was using an 8.2 megapixel camera. (My iPhone had 50% more megapixels for years.) Many of the photos used in this article were shot with a camera that was 13 years old when I retired it last Fall. My beloved Canon 1D Mark II N, battered and bruised and ready for retirement after 13 years of hard use. The battery even had to be held in with gaffer’s tape for the last six months while I waited for Canon to release the camera I’d chosen to replace it. So, what do you need for motorcycle action photography? If you’re just taking shots of your bike sitting still in beautiful locations, any digital camera will do. Capturing action is what challenges your camera’s capabilities. First, quick autofocus is essential. Being able to move the focus point around the frame will be a plus because it allows you to be creative with your framing. Although I started shooting motorcycles with a camera that could only shoot six frames per second, eight to ten FPS is a pretty common starting point in cameras today. Sensor size is another feature to consider. Both full frame and cropped sensor cameras have their strengths and weaknesses, but for someone starting out in motorsports photography, a 1.6 crop sensor will give you a longer reach with your lenses. They also have the benefit of typically being less expensive than full frame cameras. 420 mm, 1/800 @ f/6.3. Lest you think that you need an expensive camera to shoot motorsports, this photo of Eric Bostrom was shot in 2006 with a Canon 20D and a rented 300 mm lens plus a 1.4x adapter. And now to megapixels. Yes, having more megapixels allows you to crop into your images further. However, as I learned when I jumped from 8.2 mp to the 45 mp of the Canon R5, having more resolution also meant that there was more detail pointing out the flaws in my technique. Then again, when the photos are sharp, they are amazing. Personally, I think anything from 12-20 mp is fine for most uses. In fact, I know of many pro action photographers who are using 20 mp with results that I aspire to. Finally, the question of DSLR or mirrorless. With a DSLR, you are actually looking through the lens, thanks to a mirror that flips out of the way when the photo is captured. Mirrorless cameras have the sensor exposed to light when turned on, and the photographer has an electronic viewfinder for framing while shooting. Viewfinder lag is the biggest issue facing mirrorless cameras, and naturally, the more expensive ones have the least lag. While mirrorless is certainly the future of digital photography, camera manufacturers are making the best DSLRs ever, right now. So, there is nothing wrong with using a DSLR. 70 mm, 1/500 @ f/5.6. This type of photo could be captured with any point-and-shoot camera – even a smartphone (although the image quality might be compromised). That’s the basics, but we could go way off into the weeds discussing mechanical versus electronic shutter (and it’s rolling shutter effect) or the best cameras for shooting in low light or RAW versus jpeg. If you get into motorcycle photography, you’ll eventually go there. Trust me. 2. Use a long lens, mostly In my motorcycle photography kit, I have three zoom lenses: 24-70mm, 70-200mm, and 100-500mm. However, the vast majority of my photos are taken with the 70-200mm, which is just about perfect for standing on the side of the road to capture passing bikes. Being able to step back away from your subject makes it easier to pan with it because you don’t have to rotate your body as far or as fast as the bike passes in front of you. For head-on shots, a longer lens allows you to compress the background, giving it a more graphic look. Also, longer lenses have a shallower depth of field to blur the areas of the frame that are not specifically in focus – something I do quite a bit in beauty shots. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of uses for wider focal lengths. While I typically use a wide lens for more scenic, landscape shots featuring a motorcycle parked in a spectacular location, a wide lens can also be used for action. It’s just significantly harder to capture. When the bike is featured large in the frame, you have to be very close to it, and when it is small in the frame, the slightest miscue with your pan can diminish the bike’s sharpness considerably. Also, it’s fun to be able to distort how things appear in a wide lens by putting the subject extremely close to the lens and letting it’s tendency to accentuate distances play out. 150 mm, 1/1000 @ f/5.0. There is just enough blur to the front tire to give the sense of motion. The way the double yellow frames the rider adds to the sense of speed. Using a super-telephoto lens also brings its own set of challenges, the biggest of which is that, at the long end of the zoom range, tracking the subject can be a challenge. That’s why if you watch professional photographers at the race track, you’ll see them supporting their big glass on a monopod. For my purposes, I tend to use the 200-300mm the most with my longest lens, saving the really long millimeters for special circumstances. I lean heavily on technological aids, like monopods and image stabilization, when shooting with longer lenses. The ability to minimize errant movement of the lens can’t be downplayed, particularly in pan shots. 70 mm, 1/800 @ f/4.5. This is as wide as my favorite lens gets, but it’s still long enough to have the bike large in the frame, keep me a safe distance from the bike, and still give some locational context. 3. Freeze the action Although we call it still photography, that is really a misnomer. As photographers, we are really dealing with differing slices of time in our exposures. The higher the shutter speed, the smaller the slice of time represented within the image and, hence, the greater the appearance of stillness. The manipulation of the appearance is where photographic skill comes into play. With enough light, you could shoot everything at 1/2000 of a second and get consistently sharp images of motorcycles. Unfortunately, they’d be pretty boring. Everything would look like it is standing still, and the biggest attraction of motorcycling, it’s dynamism, would be left out. So, the trick – and the fun – of shooting bikes is the management of the stillness and movement within the frame. 30 mm, 1/800 @ f/3/2. Freezing the image at peak action is the goal for this photo. Still, there’s just enough blur in the tires to give a feeling of movement. When shooting head-on or front three-quarter shots (or rear shots, too), you want the bike to be as crisp as possible. However, use too high a shutter speed, and you’ll completely freeze the tire tread or brake discs, destroying the sense of motion. Use too slow a shutter speed, and the photo may appear just the slightest bit soft. This is where the creative dance with the subject matter takes place. For street action, I typically shoot these shots from 1/800 sec to 1/1200 sec, depending on the closing speed. 4. Blur the action Pan shots are a different challenge. Here, you’re trying to keep the motorcycle sharp but have the background and the moving parts of the bike blurred. To do this, you lower the shutter speed. However, since you’re shooting a larger slice of time in which the subject is (presumably) moving across the frame, you have to pan the camera to keep the bike in the exact same place in the frame, a simple idea, but it is maddeningly complex in practice. Pan shots are where the photographers who have surgeon-like steadiness in their hands can excel and mere mortals (and people like me who have very shaky hands) can only dream. Still, if I can shoot pan shots, even with my essential tremor, you can, too. It just takes practice. 363 mm, 1/400 @ f/7.1. Although she is riding here, I inadvertently used too fast a shutter speed, making the bike look like it is standing completely still. On the street (track shooting usually requires higher shutter speeds), start at around 1/320 sec, acquire focus early, pan with the subject, and actuate the shutter just before the rider reaches the point where you want to take the shots. In the beginning, you’re going to shoot way more shots than you need, and most will have a focus or motion-blur issue. Initially, your hit/miss ratio will be disheartening. Don’t worry, you’ll get there. Gradually, you’ll want to start lowering your shutter speed to bring progressively more blur into your shots. Note: Your rider doesn’t need to be traveling particularly fast to make it look like they’re flying. You do it with a slow shutter speed, which photographers call dragging the shutter. 168 mm, 1/160 @ f/11. Although the low shutter speed adds to the sense of motion, making the wheels’ spokes disappear, having a wall close behind the rider makes the motion even more apparent. Here’s a trick to make action shots easier: enable back button focusing, which means you separate the focus function from the shutter release. You’ll find this in the custom settings on your camera, and it allows you to use your thumb on one of the buttons on the rear of the camera to begin autofocus, freeing your index finger to only actuate the shutter. This will initially mess with your head, but it’s much easier to use two fingers rather than trying to hold the shutter release down halfway while you pan. 5. Highlight your subject You want to find ways to make your subject stand out from the background. Think about it. That’s what you’re doing with the blur in pan shots. While whole books have been written on this topic, some basic tricks can be used to bring the viewer’s eye to your subject. The first is the depth of field, or how much of your photo is in focus. With a wide aperture (how far the iris in your lens is open), the area in the frame that is in focus gets smaller. The focal length of the lens also plays a role, which is why I frequently use 200 mm and f/2.8 as my settings for beauty shots of a motorcycle’s profile, making it tack sharp and everything else soft. (Remember, the smaller the number of the f-stop, the larger the aperture opening in the lens.) 300 mm, 1/800 @ f/5.0. Even with the rider wearing black, the front-lit subject stands out from the darker background. Focus isn’t the only way to make the photo’s subject stand out. Having the brightly lit bike and rider in front of a dark background or silhouetting them against the sky are just two ways to use light to your advantage. One of my favorite ways to draw attention to the motorcycle is to use graphic elements within the frame. A curving double-yellow line or the shape of objects on the background can frame the motorcycle within the image’s borders, making the subject stand out. 90 mm, 1/100 @ f/4.0. This shot was staged specifically because of how the shape of the tree matched the Victory Magnum X-1. 6. Consider the background This point is really just an extension of the previous one. Nobody wants to see a telephone pole sticking out of their motorcycle’s seat or a big piece of garbage in the road. Unfortunately, like when you first started riding, the newer you are at this kind of photography, the more of your concentration is eaten up with just managing camera settings. As you get more comfortable shooting bikes, your vision will widen to see so many more things. 120 mm, 1/160 @ f/ 9.0. Although the rider is only going about 25 mph, the low shutter speed and the angle of the sunlight in the background helps add to the feeling of movement. 7. Crop for composition I always give myself a little breathing room in my framing when I shoot. Even though I often do it in camera, sometimes I want to give a shot a little more (or less) Dutch angle to make the shot more dynamic. Also, sometimes I see the shot quite differently in post processing than I do in the moment of capturing the image. Other times, a dramatic crop can take a surprising capture and make it something dramatic. The amount of cropping you can do is dependent on the resolution of your camera, so you’ll need to learn the amount of breathing room you can give before you compromise image quality. 24 mm, 1/200 @ f/7.1. Click here to see how heavily cropped the image is. (It works because of how blurry the action is already.) Note: This is a very dangerous shot to take. Not only am I standing in the middle of the road, but I’m also directly in the impact zone should something go wrong. 8. Post processing is your friend When you first start shooting motorcycle action, you’re going to generate hundreds, if not thousands, of image files. You’re going to need a way to view and cull your files, or you’ll get overwhelmed by them. Although there are other, less expensive (or free) asset management and image editor applications out there, Adobe has, in my opinion, the strongest pairing with Lightroom and Photoshop for your average recreational shooter. You can have access to both of them for about $120 per year. Although Adobe is really pushing the cloud-based version of Lightroom, I recommend Lightroom Classic to keep all your files on your desktop/laptop. 35 mm, 1/250 @ f/8.0. An example of the room I leave for cropping in post. This shot was framed specifically to include the rock formation in the background. With Lightroom or another asset management system, you can quickly look through your photos from a day’s shoot, mark the ones you want to keep, and move on to color correcting, cropping, spot removal, and other massaging of the pixels. Remember, they are called RAW files for a reason. The files are just a starting point for what the finished photo will look like. As with motorcycling, there is always something new to learn in image processing. Over time, you’ll find that your definition of what a properly post-processed photo looks like will change. That means you’re getting more accomplished. Oh, and always backup all your photos after a shoot. Once you become proficient in Lightroom, you may want to try your hand at a deeper level of retouching in Photoshop. Go for it! 9. Be careful. It’s addicting! While I have been interested in photography all my life, digital photography opened the world to me because making mistakes (and learning from them) doesn’t cost anything, unlike film processing in the past. Much of becoming a competent shooter is simply clicking the shutter many, many times and learning from the results. Photography has brought me closer to motorcycling, and my friends have benefited by receiving photos of themselves looking like wing-footed deities (as Burns would say). Happy shooting! 150 mm, 1/800 @ f/5.6. 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The chin bar. Quite literally, it’s what defines a full-face helmet. However, in the case of the Arai Defiant-X that we have here, it’s a bit of a departure from the rest of Arai’s full-face lineup. We’ll get into the specifics in a minute, but let’s take a step back and look at where the Defiant falls into line. Long known as a racer’s helmet company, Arai is well established among the go-fast crowd. But as any financial expert will tell you, it’s best to diversify your assets. It’s that same mentality Arai used as the approach for the Defiant-X. It’s marketed towards, shall we say, non-sportbike riders. It’s own introduction video was targeted specifically at cruiser riders (even though Freddie Spencer features prominently in a non-speaking role…), but riders on naked bikes and touring bikes also apply. And yes, sportbike peeps aren’t excluded, either. Why is this? It comes back to the chin bar. Take a look at some of the other full-face helmets marketed towards this crowd – mainly the Bell Eliminator and the Simpson Bandit series. Notice a similarity? Unlike the other full-face Arais, the Defiant-X has slits for its chinbar air intakes instead of more traditional vents you can flip open or close. This subtle difference changes the shape of the Defiant’s chinbar compared to its siblings up and down the family tree, for what some might call a cleaner, smoother shape. You can still control the amount of air coming in through the chin vents, of course, only now it’s done with sliding tabs inside the helmet. From here, however, the Defiant-X is every bit the Arai we’re familiar with. The Arai Philosophy Clearly, Arai is going after a different customer with the Defiant-X, but in helmets, racing still improves the breed. In this regard, you’ll find lessons used in other Arais spread throughout the Defiant-X. It may sound silly to focus so much on a chinbar of a helmet, but the Arai philosophy has always been on keeping the helmet’s shape as round as possible to allow it to maintain the “glancing off” effect – a term Arai coined to describe how its shape glances off the ground in a slide, with very little chance of the helmet catching on something that could further hurt the rider. A graphic that Arai uses to support its glancing theory. The round shape won’t “catch” on the protrusion in the ground like other, more angular shapes have a chance to do. This brings us to the next point: to fully understand the Defiant-X, it helps to understand how it’s made. If you haven’t already, read Evans’ in-depth look behind the scenes at Arai. Here you’ll see the craftsmanship and handiwork that goes into each helmet. The guiding principle, however, is the R75 shape. This refers to each shell’s continuous curve radius of at least 75mm, with no exaggerated protrusions or sharp angles (protrusions like air intakes and spoilers on top of the helmet are designed to break away in a crash, maintaining the helmet’s shape). Arai applies this curve above the test line SNELL uses for its impact testing, which is basically a circumference line originating from just above the chinbar, going upward. From here, shells are made by the hands of a certified Arai master technician (read more about these individuals in Evans’ piece above, it really is fascinating) using proprietary fibers Arai says are 30% stronger than fiberglass and six times more expensive. This helps preserve the helmet’s tensile strength. It’s held together with resins developed in-house. Arai’s own AR Mat is a non-woven material for added strength with minimal weight that is then sandwiched with Zylon and two Super Fiber “bird’s nests” to help create the shell. Super Fiber belts then strengthen the shell like the bands of a barrel to fight the effects of cracks wanting to widen during impact. A Shell Expert demonstrates how he places the multiple fabric components of the shell in the mold. As E-i-C Brasfield reminds us, the process requires that he reach several times into molds that are heated to 200° F. Each helmet has its own series of molds CNC machined in-house from steel billet. The process of creating a mold doesn’t stray from Arai’s handcrafting approach, though. Each helmet model’s shell is designed by hand and carved out of clay. Once finalized, the prototype is 3D scanned and optimized for the machining of the molds. Next, the one-piece multi-density expanded polystyrene (EPS) liner is also hand made, with varying thicknesses used depending on the impact location – areas commonly struck during impact receive a thicker amount, while less-prone impact zones get a narrower amount. These zones are determined by studying decades worth of crash data and examining where riders get hit the most. Since the EPS is the first point of contact when our head hits the ground, Arai uses soft EPS liners, backed by a strong outer shell. The Dreaded Arai Shield System You either love or hate Arai’s shield system. Personally, once you get used to it, it really isn’t too bad. However, it is a little different than most other helmets. Arai places the entire shield mechanism, called the Variable Axis System (VAS) outside the helmet’s shell in order to maintain the R75 shape. Slim side pods then cover the mechanism. Compared to Arai’s previous mechanism, the SAI, the top of the side pods are nearly an inch lower, which also lowers the shield’s pivot. The result is a smoother, rounder shell shape. The eyeport is 10mm wider than before, too.  With the SAI system, shield changing was done mostly blind – and with considerable force. It’s enough to worry first-timers and even skilled veterans. With the VAS system, which all X-series Arai helmets use, once you open the side cover, you can see all the internal pieces, making shield changes far less scary. Just watch the video above to see how easy it is. Back To The Defiant Coming back to the Defiant-X, like mentioned at the top, the chin vents are the most obvious difference compared to other Arai helmets. They can open in different stages, allowing full airflow if you wish, or smaller amounts to, say, clear out fog inside your visor – a problem you shouldn’t have to worry about since the shields themselves come with a Pinlock insert. The smoother profile of the chinbar thanks to the vent slits gives the Defiant-X a cleaner look compared to its siblings. Less noticeable is an internal ventilation channel located at the base of the eyeport, just ahead of the visor mechanism. These are non-adjustable, but channel air through exhaust vents integrated into the chin bar and out the rear of the helmet. Up top you’ll find two adjustable air ducts. When open, obviously you’ll get a stream of fresh air coming in. But when closed the ducts act as an exhaust and allow hot air to be pulled through the helmet. At least that’s what Arai says. Could I feel any hot air being pulled? No, but I certainly noticed fresh air coming in when the vents were open. Inside, you’ll find a plush interior highlighted by several vents, including ones above the chinbar, at the eyebrows, but also just behind the base of the cheekpads. The airflow streams best when the rear duct (encompassing three holes) is open. A sliding tab opens or closes the gate for the holes and controls the amount of air coming in. When fully open, the top air ducts, rear duct, visor ducts, and the exhaust channels through the chin bar and neckroll do an impressive job of circulating a constant stream of air. There’s a noticeable difference with all the vents closed. This is all well and good, but the important thing riders want to know is how it fits. To that end, the Defiant-X is meant for intermediate oval head shapes, slotting itself in nicely between the Signet-X, which is meant for long oval head shapes, and the Quantum-X for round oval heads. Personally, I happen to be an intermediate oval head (as are most people). If you fall between different head shapes, the interior padding – which is odor resistant and washable – is available in several different thicknesses (sold separately) to help accommodate a better fit. A clever feature Arai includes is additional padding within both sides of the headliner and within the cheek pads. Remove them and you free up 5mm of interior width, which is hopefully enough to negate the need to buy different pads. Even on naked bikes, the Defiant-X cuts through the wind nicely. If you’re at all familiar with Arai helmets, then wearing and riding with the Defiant-X will feel instantly recognizable. The padding is soft and plush, yet supportive where you need it. If you’re coming from less expensive helmets and stepping up to an Arai, you’ll feel the difference in the interior as soon as you put it on. From a noise standpoint…I honestly can’t tell you, since I wear earplugs under all my helmets which drowns out nearly everything except the important things like engine noise. Riding with the Defiant-X, the eyeport is nice and wide. On my particular helmet I had to put in some effort to hear and feel the shield “click” as it locked into place, though this hasn’t been an issue with other Arais I’ve used. On the bright side, the large shield latch system is easy to reach and operate with gloved hands. Lift the latch slightly and the shield will crack open just enough to let in cool air and get rid of the fog. Pop the latch all the way and you can continue the upward motion with your thumb to raise the visor to the top. Track riders are not who the Defiant-X is marketed towards, but there’s no reason why a track rider can’t wear one. As mentioned before, airflow is dependent on whether the vents are open or closed, but no matter what position they’re in, aerodynamically, the Defiant-X is very stable. Even riding the Yamaha MT-07 with its minimal bodywork, my head easily sliced through the wind at highway speeds (which is more than I can say about my chest). Checking over my shoulder for lane changes was simple enough, too. Final Thoughts You know a helmet fits well when you don’t even notice it on your ride. For me and my head shape, when I’m wearing the Defiant-X it simply fades away into the background. Granted, I haven’t taken a fall with the helmet, nor do I plan to, but from a safety standpoint, the Defiant-X sacrifices nothing compared to the Corsair-X all of Arai’s MotoGP and World Superbike riders wear. Long story short, it’s a very comfortable helmet inside and out, aimed for the rider with an intermediate-oval head, who wants a clean and simple full-face Arai. Yeah, you’re paying a premium – solid colors start at $660 and go north of $800 for graphics – but as the saying goes, how much is your head worth? Shop for the Arai Defiant-X here Arai Defiant-X + Pros Very comfortable (if you have an intermediate oval head) Decent ventilation Typical Arai quality – Cons Chin vents are a little harder to close since the tabs are inside Changing shields can still be intimidating for the uninitiated Pricey for the category FAQ Where are Arai helmets made? Arai takes pride in the fact all its helmets are made in Japan. With all the helmets made in-house, it allows for exceptional quality control. The trade-off, of course, is a higher price. Not only that but the shells are made by hand by master technicians that spend years apprenticing to develop their skills. It really is a big deal to be promoted to shell maker. Why are Arai helmets so expensive? As mentioned, Arai doesn’t outsource its helmet production or use factories in other parts of Asia. Combined with the fact that skilled artisans (read humans) personally have a part in the creation of each helmet – from shell making to the painting process – the extra cost compared to other helmets makes more sense. What does Arai mean? It’s the family name. Hirotake Arai founded the company over 60 years ago since there were no helmet manufacturers in Japan at the time. Even today, three generations later, the company is still family-owned. Arai Defiant-X Specifications Price $659.95-$809.95 Sizes XS-2XL Weight 3 lbs, 10 oz. Colors White, Black Frost, Black, Modern Gray, Gun Metallic Frost, Carr Orange Frost, Carr Silver, Outline Black, Outline Red, Diablo Yellow Frost, Diablo Red Frost, Shelby Black, Shelby Red, Dragon, Number Blue, Number White Additional Resources Arai: The Philosophy Behind The Helmets MO Tested: Arai Regent-X Review MO Tested: Arai Ram-X Review MO Tested: Arai Corsair-X Review We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews. Learn more about how this works. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post Arai Defiant-X Review appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/iWkK5JyEsU4Source

2021 Yamaha MT-07Editor Score: 84.5%Engine 17.5/20Suspension/Handling 11.0/15 Transmission/Clutch 9.0/10Brakes 8.0/10 Instruments/Controls3.5/5 Ergonomics/Comfort 8.0/10 Appearance/Quality 9.0/10Desirability 9.0/10Value 9.5/10Overall Score84.5/100 There’s something about inexpensive twin-cylinder middleweight naked bikes like the Yamaha MT-07 (and former FZ-07) that appeals to us. Their simplicity and practicality, combined with their spirited riding attributes make them hard not to love. Clearly, the riding public feels the same, as other manufacturers are starting to get in on the action, making the choices in this category bigger and bigger. Through it all, the MT-07 has been a mainstay since its introduction in 2015. 2015 Yamaha FZ-07 First Ride Review In fact, since its introduction, Yamaha has sold more than 25,000 FZ/MT-07s, proving just how popular the bike is. Looking deeper into the rider demographics, Yamaha revealed a nearly identical percentage of owners spanning different age groups ranging from 25-55, with most owners in their early 30s, but only by a few percentage points. Back in 2015, this was called the FZ-07. It was great back then, and it still is now. The same even split can be found in the riding experience of the various owners, with a nearly identical percentage of owners reporting less than five years of riding experience as those with over 20 years of riding under their belt. Best Value Bike Of 2014 With such a vast field of owners, Yamaha clearly understands that it has a popular model in its hands. However, looming Euro 5 regulations are forcing every manufacturer to update their models to suit. Yamaha’s response with the MT-07? KISS – or Keep It Simple, Stupid. So, What’s New? In this sense, the newly updated 2021 Yamaha MT-07 is very much the same bike we’ve come to know and love for all these years. The same basic chassis remains unchanged, and in fact, most of the motorcycle will be fairly familiar to many. From a visual standpoint, the 07’s styling has now been revamped – including the wasp-like LED headlight – to more closely match the MT-09. To that end, full LED lighting is now found throughout the MT-07. Say goodbye to the bulky orange pumpkin turn signals! Best Value Motorcycle Of 2017 Inside the engine bay, the same 689cc CP2 parallel-Twin with uneven firing order remains, but with subtle changes. There’s a revised air intake duct design and optimized fuel-injection settings, as well as a new 2-into-1 exhaust with the collector routed much closer to the exhaust port for more efficient expelling and burning of the spent gasses. This is topped with a new ECU. Inside the engine you’ll find new valve seats on the exhaust side and different cut angles for the dog gears in the transmission. The former helps with engine reliability while the latter improves shift feel. There are a lot of little changes made to the engine, but you can’t see most of them. The biggest visual difference is the new exhaust, with the collector positioned as close to the exhaust port as possible. Hence the heat shield. The result, says Yamaha, is more linear engine response and a smoother torque curve. For those also concerned with the vanity of their engines, the 2021 engine also features new Crystal Graphite engine covers as well as a new silver-colored exhaust pipe and new muffler and exhaust protectors. Power always gets the attention when it comes to almost any vehicle, but when it actually comes time to ride, it’s usually the brakes you’ll appreciate most – cuz, you know, you gotta stop eventually. For 2021, Yamaha ditched the 282mm wave-type rotors in favor of 298mm discs in the usual round shape. Calipers are still axial-mounted, but it’s not like this bike has ever needed the radial-type. Some might call that a cost-saving measure, but then again, a very affordable price point has been the name of the game with the MT-07 since the beginning. ABS comes standard on the MT-07, again a result of mandatory regulations in Europe. Bigger, round brake discs replace the smaller, petal-type discs for improved stopping power. Note the (standard) ABS ring in the center. When the rubber meets the road, as they say, those duties will be handled by new Michelin Road 5 tires, replacing the Bridgestone rubber used before. A change riders will likely notice is the new, 32mm-wider handlebar. They’re also a little bit higher, too. Yamaha says this comes as the result of “numerous evaluations of clay models and many test rides using riders with different physiques.” The new LCD gauge display is inverted from the previous model, with a black background and white lettering. The tachometer, speedo, fuel gauge, and gear position are easy to see at a glance. Lastly, we see a change in the LCD meter, with larger readings and the ability to access the display via buttons on the left bar instead of pushing the dash itself. Riding It Make no mistake – from a manufacturer’s perspective, those changes are fairly significant. The cost, R&D, and all the other factors that come into making any change on the production line are taken seriously. However, from where we’re sitting, the results are rather minor. This is a good thing, though, because the MT-07 is a bike we’ve loved from the start, so keeping its character the same is actually the goal. You can’t help but be lured by the 07’s inviting nature. The lack of bodywork and unassuming stance is a large reason why the bike has sold so well among young and/or inexperienced riders. But even someone like me, an old jaded hack, can treat the MT like a play bike. The 31.7-inch seat height isn’t hard to throw a leg over, and the slim midsection of the bike makes it easy to put my feet on the ground. Or at least the balls of them. 2018 Yamaha MT-07 First Ride Review Even simply sitting on it, the fit and finish is nice for a budget-minded motorcycle. No panels are out of place, no wiring is sticking out, and all the touch points solid and secure. There’s nothing flimsy about it. Of course, these are things we’ve come to expect from the established Japanese brands. Turn the key and thumb the starter and you might keep your thumb pressed for too long. The engine is so quiet at idle you can carry a casual conversation. In fact, as I pulled up alongside boss-man Brasfield on his slip-on-equipped 790 Duke, his twin cylinders completely drowned out the meager purrs coming from the little Yamaha. Pay no mind to the sound of other bikes around you, and the riding experience is nice and pleasant from the MT. Clutch pull is light, the gears shift into place with firmness, and the clutch engagement point is perfectly placed (and not too grabby) to modulate clutch release as you apply the gas. The 689cc CP2 engine still sounds nice despite its quiet exhaust, with an equally cool induction noise when you open the throttle. Obviously, that sound is met with some pickup, and the healthy torque the engine makes gets the bike moving along with ease. Power delivery is smooth as ever, though I did notice a little drop-off in power high in the revs. A screamer this engine isn’t, so it’s best to keep it in the midrange and stay in the sweet spot. Live With It: 2018 Yamaha MT-07 Moving along through the city, the new bars keep you upright and give a commanding view of the road ahead. Despite the wider width, the MT-07 is still a very narrow and slim motorcycle, so slicing through traffic and filtering between cars was never an issue. The wider bars give you better leverage, but the MT-07 rewards smoothness over force. Hop onto the freeway and there’s no problem getting up to speed quickly. The traditional 41mm fork and single shock are damped nice and soft to give a comfortable ride, though I did notice the rear gives a stiff initial jolt over medium-sized bumps in the road. Those with a little more heft may not even notice. However, the biggest downside of the new bar position – at least for my 5-foot, 8-inch frame – is it turns my chest into a sail by 80 mph. The lack of any wind protection doesn’t help either and I’m forced to scoot back and tuck my head down to get any relief. Yeah, I know that’s the price you pay for riding a motorcycle without a fairing, but other naked bikes are still able to either shield the rider and/or place them in a slightly better position to cut through the wind. The surprising thing? Once I cut the speed down a few mph, the sail effect was dramatically reduced. At least for my frame, the new riding position taxes the upper body at highway speeds. Wider bars mean more leverage to bend the bike to your will. At a claimed 406 lbs fully fueled, it’s not like the MT-07 is a heavy motorcycle, but the little extra width was nice to have when bending into corners. Despite its soft suspension, it tracks through corners just fine assuming the road itself isn’t too beat up. If it is, then things get a little more hectic as the suspension and flexible chassis start protesting. The name of the game with the MT-07 is to stay smooth and flowing. Ironically, wider bars tend to encourage manhandling of a motorcycle, but in this case it’s better not to. 2021 Yamaha MT-07 First Look Stopping power has never been a huge issue with the MT, but the bigger discs up front definitely scrub off speed nicely for such a budget setup. The initial bite isn’t overwhelming (which is good considering the soft suspension), and once you get past that stage, things slow down with good feel and control. The adjustable brake lever is a nice touch (the clutch is non-adjustable), and ABS has your back if the conditions turn south. Final Thoughts Like we said at the top of this review, the MT-07 has been a perennial favorite here at MO for its easy-going nature, character-laden ride qualities, and, of course, its price. With this latest version, none of the magic is gone and the price has remained very reasonable – it has to if it wants to compete with the growing number of competitors in this field. What’ll it cost, you ask? Retail price is $7699, and it’s available in three colors: Storm Fluo (seen in these pics), Matte Raven Black, and Team Yamaha Blue. If you have your eyes set on a MT-07 then you really can’t go wrong. However, as we’ve been alluding to, the competition is stiff in this field. Which means it’s time to get the players together and see how they stack up. Stay tuned for another MO Mega Test! 2021 Yamaha MT-07 + Highs Same lovable engine, now Euro 5 compliant Better brakes Surprisingly comfortable – Sighs Suspension’s a bit harsh over rough terrain Rider becomes a sail at highway speeds That headlight is a little weird In Gear Helmet: Arai Defiant-X Dragon $810 Jacket: Alpinestars Bomber Jacket $250 Airbag: Klim Ai-1 Motorcycle Airbag Vest $400 Pants: Alpinestars Crank Riding Denim DISCONTINUED Gloves: Alpinestars SP-2 v2 Gloves $140 Boots: Alpinestars Faster 3 Rideknit Shoes $180 2021 Yamaha MT-07 Specifications MSRP $7,699 Engine Type 689cc liquid-cooled, DOHC, 4-stroke, 4-valves per cylinder Bore and Stroke 80.0mm x 68.6mm Compression Ratio 11.5:1 Transmission 6-speed; wet multiplate clutch Final Drive Chain Front Suspension 41mm telescopic fork; 5.1-in travel Rear Suspension Single shock, adjustable preload and rebound damping; 5.1-in travel Front Brake Dual 298mm hydraulic disc; ABS Rear Brake 245mm hydraulic disc; ABS Front Tire 120/70-17 Rear Tire 180/55ZR17 Rake 24.5 deg Wheelbase 55.1 in. Seat Height 31.7 in. Curb Weight (Measured) 406 lbs. (claimed) Fuel Capacity 3.7 gal. Colors Storm Fluo, Matte Raven Black, Team Yamaha Blue Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post 2021 Yamaha MT-07 Review appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/9nCBd5FDAroSource

Our full-length 2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special review spanned more than 4,000 words to fully describe Harley’s new adventure bike. That’s a lot of words, but there is a lot to cover with a brand new motorcycle in a hot category like the adventure segment – and even moreso when a manufacturer, whose entire line exists of cruisers, builds a bike outside its wheelhouse. 2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special Review – First Ride Harley-Davidson had a video crew on-site during the model introduction and let me blabber to the camera after two long days of riding that left me tired, sweaty, dirty, and sunburnt – but also thoroughly impressed. The result is a mildly coherent rambling of what stood out to me at that time (and still does, thankfully). When the Pan America’s First Look came out it was pretty exciting stuff. Doing just a spec sheet comparison, the H-D looks closer to its European rivals than its own recent product offering – as it should. Its 1250cc V-Twin engine is said to spit out 150 hp at 9,000 rpm and 94 lb-ft at 6,750. We hope to toss the bike on the dyno as soon as we’re able, but we can report that when you mash the throttle, the bike accelerates with ferocity. This new Revolution Max engine is no joke. In addition to its power output, the other standout feature for Harley’s new mill is its hydraulic lash adjusters that make its valvetrain essentially maintenance-free. Our time was spent on the Pan America 1250 Special which was equipped with electronic semi-adaptive Showa suspension components front and rear. Also equipped, was the adaptive ride height adjuster which lowers the motorcycle when it’s coming to a stop, therefore alleviating one of the biggest barriers to entry for the ADV market – seat height. The feature worked flawlessly and was hardly noticed by our group as it did its thang during our first day of riding. Those features combined with an electronics package that allows tailoring of the engine characteristics, TC adjustments, ABS tweaks, and plenty of other technological wizardry puts H-D’s latest machine right on par with other heavyweight adventure offerings. Speaking of weight, Harley-Davidson says the base model comes in at 534 lbs ready to ride which, if we look back to our last big ADV shootout spec sheet, would slot it in as the lightest machine in the group. Of course, we didn’t test the base model here. We tested the 1250 Special with optional cast wheels and extra protection which sees it coming in around 574 lbs. Still, the machine doesn’t feel as top-heavy off-road compared to plenty of the other models in the category. I can’t wait for the opportunity to throw a Harley into our next big ADV comparison. Who thought that would ever be a sentence? Hopefully, we’ll get a hold of the Pan America for a bit more long-term testing asap. For now, enjoy the video. 2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Specifications Pan America 1250 Pan America 1250 Special Engine Revolution Max 1250 Valves Chain-driven, DOHC, hydraulic self-adjusting lifters, intake & exhaust VVT; four valves per cylinder Bore x Stroke 105 mm x 72 mm Displacement 76.3 cu in (1,252 cc) Compression Ratio 13.0:1 Fuel System Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI) Air Cleaner Downdraft intake, tuned velocity stacks, washable filter media Exhaust 2-into-1-into-1; catalyst in header Lubrication System Pressurized Wet Sump Horsepower 150 hp at 9000 rpm Torque 94 lb-ft. at 6750 rpm (claimed) Final Drive Chain, 19/48 ratio Clutch Mechanical, 8 plate wet, assist & slip, 1090N Transmission 6-Speed Frame Stressed-member, high strength low alloy steel trellis frame; stamped, cast, and forged junctions; MIG welded; aluminum forged mid-structure Swingarm One-piece cast aluminum Front Fork 47mm inverted fork with compression, rebound and spring preload adjustability. Aluminum fork triple clamps. 7.5 inches of travel. 47mm inverted fork with electronically adjustable semi-active damping control. Aluminum fork triple clamps. 7.5 inches of travel. Front Fork Option N/A 47mm inverted fork with electronically adjustable semi-active damping control and Adjustable Right Height (ARH). Aluminum fork triple clamps. Rear Shocks Linkage-mounted, piggyback monoshock with compression, rebound and hydraulic spring preload adjustability. 7.5 inches of travel. Linkage-mounted monoshock with automatic electronic preload control and semi-active compression & rebound damping 7.5 inches of travel. Rear Shock Option N/A Linkage-mounted monoshock with automatic electronic preload control and semi-active compression & rebound damping and Adjustable Ride Height (ARH) Front Brake Radially mounted, monoblock, 4-piston caliper, 320mm rotor Rear Brake Floating, single piston caliper, 280mm rotor Front Wheel 19-inch aluminum cast, satin black Rear Wheel 17-inch aluminum cast, satin black ABS Standard Tires Michelin Scorcher Adventure, Radial Front Tire Size 120/70R19 60V Rear Tire Size 170/60R17 72V Rake / Trail 25° / 4.3 inches Wheelbase 62.2 in. (1,580 mm) Maximum Lean Angle 42° left, 42° right Lights Daymaker Signature LED headlamp, low and high beam with signature position lighting. LED tail lamp, LED bullet turn signals Daymaker Adaptive LED Headlamp with 6-segment LED banking lamp, LED tail lamp, LED bullet turn signals Fuel Capacity 5.6 gal. (1 gal. reserve) Fuel Economy 46 mpg (5.1 l/100 km) Warranty 24 months (unlimited mileage) Instrumentation 6.8 inch viewable area TFT display with speedometer, gear, odometer, fuel level, clock, trip, low temp alert, side stand down alert, TIP over alert, cruise, range and tachometer indication BT capable – phone pairing to access phone calls, music, navigation (H-D App ONLY) 6.8 inch viewable area TFT display with speedometer, gear, odometer, fuel level, clock, trip, ambient temp, low temp alert, side stand down alert, TIP over alert, cruise, range and tachometer indication BT capable – phone pairing to access phone calls, music, navigation (H-D App ONLY) Length 89.2 in. (2,265 mm) 89.2 in. (2,265 mm) Overall Width 38 in. (965 mm) 38 in. (965 mm) Overall Height 59.4 in. (1,510 mm) 59.4 in. (1,510 mm) Seat Height, Laden 31.8 in. (807 mm) 31.1 in. (789 mm), 30.4 in. (772 mm) with optional suspension Seat Height, Unladen 34.2 in. (869 mm) 33.4 in. (850 mm), 32.7 in. (830 mm) with optional suspension Ground Clearance 8.3 in. (210 mm) Weight, As Shipped 503 lb. (228 kg), claimed 527 lb. (239 kg), claimed Curb Weight 534 lb. (242 kg), claimed 559 lb. (254 kg), claimed The post 2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special Video Review – First Ride appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/UxeRz81Ojm4Source

Harley-Davidson reported a 9% increase in motorcycle sales volume and 12% increase in sales revenue over the first quarter of 2021, encouraging signs that the new Hardwire business plan is paying off. According to its first quarter 2021 report, Harley-Davidson reported sales of 44,200 motorcycles, compared to 40,400 motorcycles sold in the same period last year. The increase was fueled almost entirely by North American sales, which saw a 30% jump to 32,800 units over the quarter. This was enough to more than offset a 36% decline in European sales, which was impacted by the company’s decision to stop selling Sportster and Street models in those markets. Harley-Davidson’s European sales dropped from 7,700 to 4,900 over the first quarter. The decision to stop offering Sportsters in E.U. markets contributed to the decrease. Motorcycle sales generated $1.02 billion in revenue, up from $899 million in the first three months of 2020. Smaller gains in parts and accessories plus general merchandise raised the total revenue to $1.23 billion compared to $1.10 billion last year. Overall, Harley-Davidson reported a net profit of $259 million in the first quarter, up from $70 million in Q1 2020. “I am very pleased with the pace of recovery that we have seen across our business, as demonstrated by the strong financial results this quarter,” says Jochen Zeitz, chairman, president and CEO, Harley-Davidson. “We can see the initial signs of consumer excitement and optimism returning and I am confident Harley-Davidson in 2021 is a significantly leaner, faster, and more efficient organization which is ready to win and successfully deliver on our 5-year Hardwire strategy, as the most desirable motorcycle brand in the world.” The first quarter financial report wasn’t all good news, though, as Harley-Davidson faces a new challenge with European Union import tariffs on its products about to jump from the current 6% to a staggering 56% as of June. Since 2019, Harley-Davidson operated with what are called Binding Origin Information (BOI) credentials which allowed it to import products to E.U. markets at a 6% tariff rate. As of April 19, however, the E.U. revoked the BOI, raising the tariff to 31%. Barring any changes, that figure is set to increase to 56% as of June 1. The tariff applies to all Harley-Davidson products imported to E.U. states, regardless of their place of origin. By comparison, motorcycles from European OEMs shipped to the U.S. face a 1.2% tariff for displacements up to 800cc and 2.4% for motorcycles with larger engines. In Italy, the 2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special is priced at €18,700, a competitive price compared to, say, the €18,150 BMW R1250GS. A jump in tariffs from 6% to 56% may force Harley-Davidson to raise its prices in Europe to a much less competitive level. “This is an unprecedented situation and underscores the very real harm of an escalating trade war to our stakeholders on both sides of the Atlantic,” says Zeitz. “The potential impact of this decision on our manufacturing, operations and overall ability to compete in Europe is significant. Imposing an import tariff on all Harley-Davidson motorcycles goes against all notions of free trade and, if implemented, these increased tariffs will pose a targeted competitive disadvantage for our products, against those of our European competitors.” Ironically, the BOI was revoked just days after the 38th anniversary President Ronald Reagan signing Presidential Proclamation 5050 which placed a 45% tariff on motorcycles imported to the U.S., a move that Harley-Davidson petitioned for. Harley-Davidson will be lodging a legal challenge on the revoking of its BOI. If the petition fails, a 56% tariff would severely affect Harley’s ability to compete in Europe. The recently launched the Pan America 1250 was in part designed to attract customers in Europe where adventure bikes dominate sales. With the additional E.U. tariffs, Harley-Davidson expects to see an operating income margin of 5-7% for 2021, but the outlook is a rosier 7-9% if it is successful in mitigating the tariffs. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post Harley-Davidson Records Positive Q1 2021 But EU Tariff Threat Looms appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/Efl049Ks2LISource

The hot topic in motorcycle performance these days is flashing your ECU. You hear the term “flashing” brought up all the time – and no, we’re not talking about spring break antics, either. But while the term is gaining in popularity, and is often associated with big gains, we wanted to know – what the heck is ECU flashing, anyway? For that, let’s start with a little back story.  If you’re of a certain age, then you might remember the nights spent in the shop, turning wrenches and busting knuckles trying to add more power to your motorcycle. There’s an art, some might even call it a cathartic undertone, to pulling a carburetor and adjusting float levels, changing jets, moving clips, and reading spark plugs. Get it right and it’s certainly rewarding. Get it wrong (which is much more often the case), and you have to pull it all off and try again. It’s annoying and time-consuming, to say the least, and often you walk away greasy, dirty, smelling like gas, and a little pissed off. Odds are you probably lost your 10mm socket, too. All that just to gain five horsepower, if you’re lucky. Readers of a certain age might not know what these are. Behold, the carburetor. A pretty genius invention, actually. Despite the romance of it all, the digital age of motorcycling is just…better. Electronic fuel injection is better than the carburetor. Same goes for ride-by-wire throttles. The precision each bit of tech offers is far superior to its analog counterparts. But therein lies the rub; change is hard, and technology can be intimidating to some people. Especially when it comes to making a motorcycle better. Enter the world of ECU flash tuning. What Is Flash Tuning? Modern motorcycles rely on the Electronic Control Unit (or a series of ECUs) to provide basically every necessary electronic input to make the bike perform. For the purposes of this article, we’ll focus on the delivery of fuel, spark, and air. With modern fuel injection and electronic throttles in stock trim, what we’re requesting with our right wrist isn’t always what the motorcycle is delivering. Modern road-going motorcycles now rely on a computer, fuel injectors, and a number of sensors. Like a carb, we can still adjust what they do and how they do it. Only now the process is a little different. OEMs spend a great deal of time developing specific lines of code to meet certain requirements, primarily emissions-related, in order to make authorities happy and to be able to sell the bike all around the world. By definition, however, those settings compromise maximum performance in order to meet government regulations. This much hasn’t changed between analog bikes and digital. Whereas in the past we’d have to get our hands dirty and physically alter or change a part, today we can gain back a considerable amount of performance by simply plugging in a computer and altering specific lines of code set by the OEM. How It Works To guide us into the world of ECU flashing, we turned to Shiv Pathak, proprietor of Open Flash Performance. While Pathak mainly deals with tuning ECUs for the car world, he’s no stranger to motorcycles. “Bikes are way more fun,” Pathak says, “but the car business pays the bills.” Tuning starts with a run on the dyno to establish a baseline. Upon receiving a new bike, the first step Pathak takes is to put it on the dyno to get a baseline run. Peak power and torque are fun numbers to talk about, but Pathak is more curious about the entire curve. Dips, flat spots, and irregularities generally point to areas of improvement. A quick peek at the air/fuel ratio throughout the rev range could also clue us in on spots to improve. As the saying goes, the devil is in the details, and it’s here that Pathak clues us in on a fallacy. While many aftermarket exhausts will have a bung to attach an O2 sensor and read the air/fuel mixture, the reading you’ll get from it is generally useless information. Unless you have a single-cylinder motorcycle, the sensor is located so far downstream that you’re getting an average reading from all the cylinders. “That’s not very helpful,” says Pathak. “I want to know what each individual cylinder is doing.” To do this, Pathak installs individual sensors at the header pipes, as far upstream as possible, and especially before the exhaust gasses reach any cross-over pipes. Getting the most accurate air/fuel readings requires sensors to be placed as far up the exhaust route as possible. Behind the scenes is where ECU tuners earn their pay. To keep this as layman-relatable as possible, the OEMs write their ECUs with their own language. Gaining access inside the ECU is one thing, but identifying, understanding, and then making changes using that language is another. After over two decades in the business of ECU tuning, Pathak has the hardware, software, and know-how to do it. Generally speaking, we’re looking at fuel tables – how much fuel is being fed to the engine at any given rpm, ignition timing, and throttle mapping – the correlation between how much you twist your wrist versus how much (and how quickly) the actual throttle bodies open. With a baseline dyno pull as a reference, oxygen sensors installed, and access to the ECU established, it’s time to go to work. Where The Magic Happens Unlike the bikes of old that required altering a physical part in the search for power, ECU tuning is as clean as it gets. Though there’s a balance. In general, the process involves adding or subtracting ignition timing and/or fuel until any further changes result in a loss. Getting to that point, however, takes several dyno pulls to discover. If the readings from the oxygen sensor(s) reveal improper fueling, adding or subtracting fuel is a good place to start – which can be done for the whole engine or a specific cylinder, or even at certain engine speeds. The principles of engine tuning remain the same as always, and running slightly rich on the fueling is a safe bet for longevity. This is what tuning looks like now. Reading the fuel tables, Pathak will identify (based on the air/fuel reading on the dyno pull) where in the rev range fuel can be added or subtracted, and with the push of a button, the change will be made – no more bloody knuckles and the constant need to open up a carburetor to change something. Successive dyno pulls will tell him when to stop. The same is true for ignition timing. A button press can advance or retard timing, and dyno pulls will reveal which direction to go. Usually, but not always, a degree more timing will net a little more power. The caveat, of course, is being careful not to trigger detonation, especially with pump gas. Once again, dyno pulls will reveal whether a change is working or not. This brings up another point: race gas. Or more specifically, fuel with a higher octane rating. Depending on the wants and needs of the owner, and their willingness to fill up with fuel not normally found at the pump, pushing the limits of the engine via ignition timing can be explored. Keep in mind, too, we’re talking about an otherwise standard engine with stock components. Throttle Mapping Another trick OEMs employ – usually to get around emissions requirements – is to limit the amount of throttle opening independent of the amount you’re actually twisting your wrist. In some cases, especially on sportbikes, twisting your hand to the stop doesn’t amount to the butterflies opening all the way. There are several reasons OEMs do this, but the result is there’s horsepower left on the table. In its US configuration, the 2020-present BMW S1000RR offers very abrupt throttle response. Flash tuning, including the tunes performed by Pathak, solve that issue. Pathak, and other reputable ECU tuners like him, can read the throttle tables and find where the actual amount of butterfly opening doesn’t match what’s being asked from the handlebar. Then, by simply changing those values via software, can reclaim not only power, but in many cases also better throttle application and driveability. The most egregious offender in recent memory is the 2020-present BMW S1000RR. Blatant butterfly restrictions in the midrange (at least in US trim) make it truly appalling in stock trim. After adjusting the throttle tables to properly let the engine breathe, Pathak was blown away. “It’s a whole new motorcycle,” he says, “with a torque curve thanks to the Shift Cam [Variable Valve Timing] technology that’s insanely impressive.” Why Would You Flash an ECU? What About Piggyback Tuners? After reading all this you might be wondering whether an ECU flash is for you. First and foremost, check the laws in your state about what modifications can be made to your motorcycle. An ECU flash produces the greatest benefit on a modified bike, but even a bone-stock motorcycle can benefit, which means your standard emissions-related hardware would all still be intact. Nonetheless, government agencies make it difficult to legally upgrade your vehicle. Arm yourself with knowledge before deciding. Also, while a flashed ECU can easily be returned back to stock settings, dealers may still be able to trace if changes were made (via the CAN port) and could then decide whether or not to void your warranty. Obviously, that would be a bad thing. Pathak’s Open Flash Performance tablet is just that – a tablet you plug in to your (eligible) motorcycle. With the press of a button, it will flash your motorcycle’s ECU. However, legalities out of the way, flashing an ECU is generally a cheap and effective option to pick up easy power and generally improve a motorcycle’s overall performance. As mentioned before, this is especially true if you have other power-adding modifications done. That said, if you’re happy with your bike the way it is, then there’s no need to spend the extra cash. And what about piggyback tuners, you ask? In general, piggyback tuners are basically intermediaries between your ECU and the rest of the motorcycle’s subsystems. The piggyback unit will take signals from your ECU, then send slightly modified signals to the subsystems (generally related to fuel or ignition). Meanwhile, products like a Power Commander (and others like it) don’t interfere with your ECU at all and instead send an altered signal to the subsystems downstream. The biggest issue with piggyback tuners is that, on some bikes, entire portions of the rev range are “locked out” (what’s called Closed Loop) and piggyback tuners have no influence in these sections. Flashing does away with the middle-man and gives full access to the rev range. However, since piggyback units don’t alter your original ECU at all, they shouldn’t affect your warranty. Real-World Testing/Results Now that you have an understanding of what flash tuning is and how it works, you probably want to know how it works in the real world. To do this, we rode Pathak’s personal Ducati Streetfighter. In stock trim, it made 182 horsepower and 81 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheel. With just a flashed ECU, those numbers rose to 189 and 83.1, respectively. After swapping the stock exhaust with a slip-on unit from Arrow and flashing again, the final numbers come out to 195 hp and 83.3 lb-ft. As you can see in the dyno graph, both times the bike was flashed, the result was not only more power up top, but also a noticeably smoother power curve from top to bottom. The Ducati Streetfighter in stock trim was already an impressive motorcycle. But by definition, a stock tune is full of compromises. Flash tuning sharpens the bike to the rider’s preferences. The Ducati Streetfighter V4 isn’t a vehicle I’ve necessarily felt needed even more power, but when you’re equipped with 13 more horses than standard, most of it situated at the top of the powerband, the only natural place to test something like this is at the racetrack. Honestly, the bump in power is insanely impressive – and it’s not like the stock Streetfighter was lacking. The lack of any wind protection made hanging on at high speeds the biggest challenge. Also impressive was the linearity power delivery as you build through the revs, especially as you’re just cracking the throttle open coming out of a turn. The connection between hand and engine felt much more natural – which was a surprise since the stock bike wasn’t too bad to begin with. This just goes to show that there’s always room for improvement. Here we have the results of Pathak’s tuning on his Ducati Streetfighter – all done with 91 octane pump gas. The blue line is the baseline run with the completely stock bike. The red line is what’s called Stage 1, with just an ECU flash on an otherwise stock bike. The green line is a Stage 2 tune after installing an Arrow slip-on exhaust. Even with the Stage 1 tune, gains can be seen from the mid-range through redline. Tuning, The Easy Way There you have it. A rundown on ECU flashing. Compared to the tuning methods your dad used to use, typing in keystrokes is far easier than turning wrenches. Not to mention your knuckles won’t get bloodied, your hands won’t get dirty, and your clothes won’t smell like gasoline. That said, I’ll admit carbs themselves are pretty easy to work on, which is especially important if you need to work on one out on a ride. The prevalence of carbs still on the road today is fairly significant, and that number rises considerably in the dirtbike world since it’s still common for even new dirtbikes to have them. A big demerit for flash tuning compared to carbs has been the fact that the average garage mechanic can’t do it themselves. Typically, flashing involves sending the bike or the ECU to a specialty shop to have them flash it and send it back to you. The new era of tuning (at least for some street bikes) really is as simple as pushing a button. This is the difference between Pathak’s Open Flash Performance tablet and the rest. Pathak is in the business of selling hardware (a tablet), which comes pre-installed with the map files for your particular motorcycle (assuming it’s one Pathak has developed a tune for). All you have to do is plug it in and push a button. This is easily done from the comfort of your own garage. Should any future maps be created or updates made, those files (and any others) are available for free. However, not all bikes can be flashed as tuners tend to target popular models to crack the ECU’s code. Other bikes have security lockouts that are difficult to crack. If your bike falls into one of these categories, a piggyback tuner is the way to go. Assuming your bike’s ECU can be flashed, it’s an attractive option to unlock power and have a nicer power curve. The post ECU Flash Tuning – What Is It? appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/WPQjCqqmpqgSource

Triumph’s Street Scrambler is just what the name implies. If you want to blaze a two-wheeled path to freedom off-road, there are Scrambler 1200s XC and XE. But the more approachable (and affordable) Street Scrambler is for more urbane adventures, with Triumph’s less powerful, 900 cc twin, less suspension travel, and a lower seat height that’s accessible to nearly everybody. For 2022, just like the upscale Scramblers, the SS is now Euro 5 compliant, and along with that come a few subtle yet tasty upgrades. Triumph says the SS has been pretty dang successful for it also, with nearly 14,000 sold since the 2017 debut. The bike shares the High torque version of the 900 cc parallel Twin with the excellent Street Twin, and Triumph says the cleaner new Euro 5 version hasn’t lost any power as a result of its newfound cleanliness: 59 lb-ft of torque at 3,250 rpm and 64 horsepower at 7,250rpm is the claim. Like the bigger engine, the 900 also gets a 270-degree crankshaft that brings soulful sounds to the picnic along with abundant torque. Fuel efficiency is another strong suit: The claim is 54.7 miles per gallon of gas, and 10,000-mile service intervals keep operating costs down as well. The downside, also just like the bigger Scramblers, is a slight weight gain as a result of the bigger new catalyzer and exhaust plumbing: about 3 kg, says Triumph. That 6.6 pounds brings our wet total to 492 lbs., which is 15 less than the Scrambler 1200. Fans of compactness will also appreciate the Street’s seat is just 31.1 inches from the pavement, versus 33.1 and 34.2 in. for Scramblers 1200 XC and XE. Part of that lower-ness is down to the Street Scramblers rolling on 19- and 17-inch wheels/Metzeler Tourance tires instead of the 1200s’ 21-/17-inchers. One place where Triumph economized, sadly, is in the wire-spoke wheels: The Street Scrambler versions need tubes inside them to keep the air in. Anyway, Triumph held the line on price. In most markets, including the USA and Canada, prices are unchanged from last year. Street Scrambler Sandstorm Limited Edition Triumph says: The unique and stylish new 2022 Street Scrambler Sandstorm limited edition celebrates the timeless bloodline of Triumph Scrambler desert rides from El Mirage to the Mojave, to Barstow and the legendary Baja Peninsula. It takes the latest generation Street Scrambler, which is updated for 2022, and adds a unique and contemporary Sandstorm Edition paint scheme and even more rugged style and detailing, with a host of premium accessories fitted as standard. The custom Sandstorm paint scheme incorporates Matte Storm Grey and Ironstone accents on the tank in a unique new tri-tone style, plus a Matte Storm Grey factory-fitted high-level front mudguard. Adding to the contemporary urban scrambler style, the Sandstorm limited edition features the premium Triumph accessory tail tidy as standard, incorporating a compact LED taillight and number plate light (market restrictions may apply), plus a heavy-duty aluminum sump guard, a stylish headlight grille with subtle Triumph branding and protective rubber knee pads on the tank. All of these are factory-fitted accessories that come as standard only on the Sandstorm limited edition. Only 775 of the Street Scrambler Sandstorm limited edition will be produced worldwide, and adding even more exclusivity, each will come with a unique personalized certificate of authenticity stating the bike’s VIN. The Sandstorm edition of course also benefits from the same upgrades and enhancements that have been introduced on the standard Street Scrambler for 2022, including the update to the thrilling torque-rich Bonneville engine, and the new premium custom styling details. Here’s the rest of the Triumph Press Release: More premium custom style and detailing The new 2022 Street Scrambler delivers the unmistakable scrambler style and silhouette, born from the original Triumph Scramblers, which started the entire desert racing scene in the 1960s. Maintaining that authentic character and timeless DNA, the Street Scrambler features distinctive wide-spaced forks, high-level twin exhaust, minimal bodywork, wide handlebars, and wire-spoked wheels with black hubs and rims. For the new 2022 generation, additional premium touches and details have been added, including the new aluminum number board with an embossed Street Scrambler logo, incorporated into the new side panel. The throttle body finishers, heel guards, and headlight brackets, all of which feature a brushed aluminum finish, are also new for this latest generation of the Street Scrambler, as well as the new leather and textile inspired seat covering. Additional Scrambler-defining details include the high grip ‘bear trap’ adventure style foot pegs, the elegantly shaped tank with lockable cap, and the minimal front mudguard. As with all the bikes in Triumph’s Modern Classic family, the Street Scrambler’s black coated engine features the signature-shaped Bonneville engine covers with their Triumph makers-mark badge, complimented by a finned head and header clamps. The 2022 Street Scrambler is available in 3 premium paint schemes: the classic Jet Black, a new contemporary Urban Grey, or the new twin color Matte Khaki and Matte Ironstone scheme, featuring distinctive new tank graphics. Premium specification & equipment for enhanced rideability The Street Scrambler’s dedicated chassis set-up delivers its commanding riding position with a unique frame, wide aluminum handlebars, and mid-position foot pegs – a combination that inspires confidence and gives great visibility in traffic. Excellent stopping power, with great bite and feel, is provided by the high specification Brembo 4-piston front brake caliper. With 120mm of front and rear wheel travel, the high specification 41mm cartridge forks and preload adjustable twin shocks enable the rider to feel confident and comfortable on longer journeys or when tackling light off-road surfaces. The long-travel forks are finished with traditional rubber gaiters, while the rear suspension features grey springs and black shrouds, adding to the bike’s iconic Scrambler style. The Street Scrambler’s 19” front and 17” rear blacked-out wire-spoked wheels are equipped with dual-purpose Metzeler Tourance tires for great grip, durability, and precise handling in all conditions. The low 31” seat height adds to the confident feel and is complemented by a narrow stand-over width, enabling riders to comfortably reach the ground when stationary, making this model extremely accessible, easy to maneuver, and fun for every type of rider. Advanced rider-focused technology The new 2022 Street Scrambler maintains all of its high level of advanced rider-focused technology, ensuring the best riding experience while maximizing safety and control. Switchable ABS and switchable traction control are fitted as standard, optimizing torque delivery when traction is compromised. Three riding modes (Rain, Road, and Off-Road), enabled via the ride-by-wire technology, which adjusts the throttle map and traction control settings to suit riding conditions or rider preference, ensuring optimum performance in wet or dry conditions. The Off-Road mode turns the ABS and traction control off, enabling the rider to have complete control over the rear wheel when on loose surfaces. A torque-assist clutch for light and easy operation is also fitted as standard, which represents a particular advantage when riding in heavy traffic or when enjoying light off-road riding, making the bike easier to ride for longer. The clocks feature an analog speedometer and a digital menu system, which is easily accessed via intuitive handlebar-mounted buttons. The under-seat USB charger, key-fob-incorporated immobilizer, and the compact, power-efficient and elegant LED rear light complete the high specification technology package. Built to personalize with 120 Genuine Triumph Accessories As with all Triumph Modern Classics, the new 2022 Street Scrambler is built to personalize, with a huge range of 120 genuine Triumph accessories for additional protection, comfort, off-road style, enhanced capability, and security. These include a range of rugged and durable luggage options, plus accessories for greater everyday usability, like heated grips, center stand, short and tall screens, adjustable levers, and engine protectors. Accessories for additional off-road focus include the high-level front mudguard, headlight grille, stainless steel sump guard, and adjustable piggyback Fox rear shocks, while the traditional Scrambler style bench seat and machined handlebar clamp add even more premium custom style. All Genuine Triumph Accessories have been designed and engineered alongside the bike for perfect integration and are tested to the same exacting quality standards. They all come with a two-year unlimited mileage warranty. PRICING AND AVAILABILITY Street Scrambler – Starting at $11,000 USD / $12,450 CAD – Available July 2021 Street Scrambler Sandstorm – $11,750 USD / $13,300 CAD – Available May 2021 SPECIFICATIONS ENGINE Type Liquid cooled, 8 valve, SOHC, 270° crank angle parallel twin Capacity 900 cc Bore 84.6 mm Stroke 80 mm Compression 11.0:1 Maximum Power 64 HP (47.8 kW) @ 7250 rpm Maximum Torque 59 LB-FT @ 3250 rpm Fuel System Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection Exhaust Brushed stainless steel 2 into 2 exhaust system with twin high-level brushed stainless-steel silencers Final Drive O ring chain Clutch Wet, multi-plate torque assist clutch Gearbox 5 speed CHASSIS Frame Tubular steel, with twin cradles Swingarm Twin-sided steel fabrication Front Wheel Spoked steel rims, 19’’ x 2.5’’ Rear Wheel Spoked steel rims, 17’’ x 4.25’’ Front Tire 100/90-19 Metzeler Tourance Rear Tire 150/70 R17 Metzeler Tourance Front Suspension 41mm forks with cartridge damping. 120mm travel Rear Suspension Twin shocks with adjustable preload. 120mm rear wheel travel Front Brakes Single 310mm floating disc, Brembo 4-piston fixed axial caliper, ABS Rear Brakes Single 255mm disc, Nissin 2-piston floating caliper, ABS Instruments Analogue speedometer with LCD multi-functional display DIMENSIONS & WEIGHTS Length 283.6 in (2125 mm) Width (Handlebars) 32.8 in (835 mm) Height Without Mirrors 46.5 in (1180 mm) Seat Height 31.1 in (790 mm) Wheelbase 56.8 in (1445 mm) Rake 25.6 ° Trail 4.3 in (109 mm) Wet weight 492 lb (223 kg) Fuel Tank Capacity 3.2 gal (12 liters) FUEL CONSUMPTION Fuel Consumption 54.7 MPG (4.3 liters / 100 km) SERVICE Service interval 10,000 miles (16,000 km) / 12 months The post 2022 Triumph Street Scrambler Line Includes New Sandstorm Edition appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/QkmEkNC_IgMSource

Like many motorcycle brands, KTM had a challenging 2020, with sales shrinking in the face of COVID-19 and the economic toll it exacted. The Austrian brand sold 212,713 motorcycles through the year, a 9.3% decrease from the pre-pandemic world of 2019. Despite the decrease in orange bikes, not to mention a two-month interruption in motorcycle production, parent company Pierer Mobility actually saw an increase in market share, thanks in large part to its other two motorcycle brands: Husqvarna and GasGas. Husqvarna sales increased from 45,650 units in 2019 to 49,046 units in 2020, while GasGas sold 8,648 motorcycles in its first full year as part of Pierer Mobility. That wasn’t quite enough to make up the 21,736 decrease in KTM sales, but it did help cushion the blow. Photo by Rudi Schedl. A History Lesson Pierer Industries acquired Husqvarna in 2013, purchasing the Swedish brand from BMW. At the time, Pierer Industries also owned Husaberg, another Swedish brand that splintered off of Husqvarna when the company was acquired by Cagiva in 1988. Pierer then merged the two tre kronor brands under the Husqvarna name. In 2015, KTM was reportedly in discussions to purchase GasGas after the Spanish brand filed for bankruptcy. Employees of GasGas were, shall we say, less than welcoming. The Torrot Group stepped in instead to keep GasGas afloat, but that only lasted a couple of years before the brand met financial trouble once more. This time, Pierer Industries stepped up and purchased a 60% share of GasGas in 2019. In July 2020, Pierer Industries, now renamed Pierer Mobility, acquired the remaining 40%, assuming full control over GasGas, adding it completely to its portfolio alongside Husqvarna and KTM. Pierer Mobility’s three-brand approach, sharing technology across its Orange, White and Red brands, holds a unique place in the industry. We’ve seen this more often in the automotive industry, with companies like General Motors, which controls sub-brands Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC, or Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, which includes U.S. brands Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram plus Italian marques Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia, and Maserati. You also have automakers splintering a luxury brand from the main company, like Toyota and Lexus, or Honda and Acura. In the motorcycle world, the closest comparison is the Piaggio Group, which include Aprilia, Vespa, Moto Guzzi, Derbi, and Gilera. While there is a lot of shared technology across Piaggio’s scooters, its motorcycles, most notably Aprilia and Moto Guzzi, have completely different engine philosophies. With KTM, Husqvarna, and GasGas, each brand offers similar models, sharing nearly identical engines and frames. It’s easy to assume their products are all the same, just with different colors and graphics, but Pierer Mobility makes some changes to differentiate between its three brands. KTM has the widest range of models of the three brands and the only one at the moment using the large 1301cc V-Twin, most recently used on the limited edition 1290 Super Duke RR. Photo by Rudi Schedl. KTM remains the company’s main brand, and it’s where we usually see the results of the company’s R&D first. Historically the oldest of the three brands, Husqvarna is its premium marque, but not at the expense of accessibility. Husqvarna’s streetbikes in particular draw on a different aesthetic, balancing modern design with a retro vibe. The Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 shares a platform with the KTM 390 Duke but has a distinct style from the orange bike. Photo by Rudi Schedl. As Pierer Mobility describes it, “every motorcycle in the [Husqvarna] range is trimmed to the bare essence of the necessary functionalithy, yet still attractive, sophisticated, and smart enough to appeal to discerning riders.” GasGas is a relatively lesser-known brand, previously known most for its trial and enduro bikes. GasGas is positioned as the entry-level (Pierer Mobilty’s word choice is “enabler”) brand, with an emphasis on fun and accessibility. Visiting the websites of all three brands, the writing on GasGas’ site is noticeably more casual and more energetic than the more stoic and technical language on Husqvarna’s and KTM’s websites. Pierer Mobility has ramped up GasGas’ international motorsport presence, most notably in Moto3 and at the Dakar Rally. Photo by RallyZone. All together, Pierer Mobility’s three brands combine to compete for the title of Europe’s largest motorcycle manufacturer against its German rival, BMW. Lineup differences Of the three brands, KTM has the widest product portfolio, with a range of off-road motorcycles and streetbikes. Husqvarna offers a number of dirt bikes but a more limited range of street models, primarily with its Duke-based Vitpilen and Svartpilen nakeds, and it’s expected to add a range of adventure bikes starting with the Norden 901. Under Pierer Industries, GasGas recently introduced its first motocross models. At one point, Pierer Mobility was considering adding some adventure and naked models to the GasGas lineup, but at the moment, the company positions GasGas as its entry-level off-road brand. Despite only taking over the brand in September 2019, KTM was able to quickly develop and mass produce GasGas motorcycles by leveraging a shared platform with its other two brands. GasGas introduced its very first motocross models under Pierer Mobility ownership. Looking at just the off-road lineups, KTM still offers the widest range of displacement options. Offerings may differ for each market, but the Austrian brand’s motocrossers include 450, 350, and 250 four-strokes, plus two-strokes in the 250, 150, 125, 85, 65, and 50 classes. Husqvarna’s lineup is similar, but it lacks a 150 two-stroke model. GasGas’ motocross range is even smaller, omitting the 250 and 150 two-strokes as well as the 350 four-stroke. It’s the same story in the enduro and cross country ranges, with KTM offering a full range and Husqvarna and GasGas having a more selective choice of displacements. What are the differences between KTM, Husqvarna and GasGas models? Though all three brands offer similar models, there are some notable differences between them to create some market separation. There’s also a bit of a price difference, with Husqvarna models typically priced $100-$200 higher than their KTM counterparts, while GasGas models can run about $600 cheaper than the equivalent KTM. For example, GasGas’ 450-class motocrosser, the MC 450F, comes in at $9,399 U.S., compared to the $10,199 KTM 450 SX-F and the $10,299 Husqvarna FC 450. Pierer Mobility made subtle changes to its platform to differentiate between KTM, GasGas, and Husqvarna bikes. Photo by Mitterbauer H. The engines are essentially the same across all three brands, though the exhausts on four-stroke GasGas models lack the resonance chamber on Husqvarna and KTM header pipes. The chromium molybdenum steel frames are the same across brands – with the exception of the orange, blue or red powder coatings, of course – but Husqvarna’s off-road models use carbon fiber composite subframes which it claims weighs just 3.1 pounds. The carbon subframes give Husqvarnas a different weight distribution than the aluminum subframes employed on the KTM and GasGas models. GasGas models use forged triple clamps instead of the pricier machined triple clamps found on their Swedish and Austrian cousins. GasGas models also do not come standard with bar-mounted engine map switches, though they are available as optional accessories. Further contributing to bring the prices down, GasGas models typically come with Maxxis tires instead of the more expensive Dunlops found on KTMs and Husqvarnas. Brembo supplies most of the brakes to all three brands except for Husqvarna’s enduros which use Magura brakes. Magura also supplies the clutches for all off-road Husqvarnas, while Brembo is the supplier for KTM and GasGas. The most notable difference with Husqvarna models is the use of a carbon composite subframe. Photo by Kiska. Husqvarna models also use Renthal handlebars whereas KTM and GasGas models use Neken bars. There are also some variations to the fuel tank designs across brands. In the two-stroke 125cc motocross class, for example, the GasGas MC 125 has a 1.8 gallon fuel tank compared to the KTM 125 SX’s 2.0 gallon tank and the Husqvarna TC 125’s 2.1 gallon tank. That’s three different sized fuel tanks on bikes with essentially the same engine and frame. The bodywork differs between the three brands, with KTM models usually having a more aggressive shape. Husqvarna off-road models also adopt a different airbox cover design with inlet ducts it claims reduces drag and air flow deformation. WP Suspension is part of the Pierer Mobility family, so it’s no surprise its supplies suspension for all KTM, Husqvarna, and GasGas motorcycles. Photo by Kiska. All three brands use WP suspension systems, which comes to no surprise as WP is also a subsidiary of Pierer Mobility. Though the components are the same, there are some differences to the internals, tuned for each specific model. Most of KTM’s off-road models have the rear shock connected directly to the swingarm whereas the Husqvarna and GasGas versions use a linkage system. What about the street bikes? Of the three brands, KTM offers the widest range of street-legal motorcycles, with a selection of nakeds, adventure bikes, sport-touring, and sportbike models in various displacements. The middleweight 790 Adventure and Duke models have been perennial favorites here at MO, and they look to be superceded by the new 890 models. The Husqvarna Norden 901 concept debuted at EICMA in 2019. We expect the production version to arrive for the 2022 model year. Husqvarna’s street lineup actually shrank this year, as the Vitpilen and Svartpilen 701 models were not refreshed to meet Euro 5 restrictions. We expect Husqvarna will replace them with new 901 models at some point, following the release of the Norden 901 adventure bike. At the moment, GasGas is a purely off-road brand, and Pierer Mobility appears intent to keep it that way. Shortly after GasGas was first acquired, Pierer Mobility prepared a presentation for investors that showed potential naked and adventure models, but the company has since pivoted away from those early sketches. GasGas’ debut Moto3 season is off to a strong start with Izan Guevara currently sitting fifth overall after two races. Still, there remains a possibility of road bikes from GasGas in the future. GasGas recently began competing in international road racing for the first time, entering the 2021 Moto3 World Championship with the Aspar racing team. There’s a natural synergy with a Spanish brand joining a Spanish race team with a pair of Spanish riders, but you have to wonder why an off-road only brand is competing in the highest levels of road racing. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post KTM, Husqvarna, and GasGas – Pierer Mobility’s Three-Pronged Attack appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/e8kFOjMNEAcSource

Updated April, 2021 We’re constantly saying that you should buy the best gear you can afford, but that doesn’t mean you have to break the bank. We’re gonna pull back a little here, and focus on how nice gloves that cost less than a hundred bucks can be. Some of these motorcycle gloves are almost inexpensive enough to buy two pair without breaking our self-imposed ceiling. Even better, buy two different pairs: one for hot dry summers, and one for cool, rainy falls and springs. Your hands will thank you. That’s because, after your helmet, gloves are the most important piece of gear you can buy. It’s a natural reaction to put out your hands to break a fall, and realizing yours are bare as you reach for the asphalt at 50 mph is the wrong time to realize that gloves, any gloves, are an excellent investment in yourself and those you love. The things you can’t do while waiting for scabbed-up fingers to heal is long and humiliating. (Say, I can’t think of a better place for this link.) So, dive in and see what we’ve rooted out (in alphabetical order, no less) from the tubes of the internet: 10 (or so) great motorcycle gloves under $100. Table of Contents Aerostich Competition Elkskin Ropers – $70 Alpinestars SMX-2 Air Carbon v2 Gloves – $90 Dainese Tempest Unisex D-Dry Short Gloves – $100 Klim Dakar Pro – $70 Icon 1000 Axys Black – $85 Olympia 103 Easy Rider Classic – $58 Pilot Motosport Ventor Mesh/Carbon Gloves – $38 Reax Castor – $89 REV'IT! Striker 3 Women's Gloves – $90 Spidi X4 Coupe – $100 Tourmaster Dri Perf Gel – $62- $77 Aerostich Competition Elkskin Ropers – $70 Aerostich’s Competition Elkskin Ropers address all the downsides of riding with standard work gloves. First, elkskin is extremely durable – just ask any working cowboy. Second, the inclusion of TF3 impact-foam knuckle pad protects your joints in a tumble. Finally, the wrist closure keeps the gloves in place when you need them. Oh, and there’s a squeegee on the left thumb to clear your visor. Bottom Line/Amazingly supple yet tough Shop Now Alpinestars SMX-2 Air Carbon v2 Gloves – $90 The SMX Air Carbon v2 is an evolutionary glove, a precurved-finger easy ingress short glove that offers excellent flexibility via microfiber and PU grip inserts strategically positioned between palm and thumb. The carbon compound and injected TPR knuckle protectors offer impact protection and style, while the carbon compound and injected TPR sliders on palms and fingers handle abrasion in sensitive areas. The main shell is constructed of full-grain leather with a 3D mesh on the back of the hand for airflow, with premium quality suede palms and landing reinforcement. Modern conveniences include, of course, touchscreen compatible index fingertips. Bottom Line/Great everyday protection and convenience Shop Now Dainese Tempest Unisex D-Dry Short Gloves – $100 Both men and women can appreciate a glove that can be worn in almost any weather condition, especially cooler ones. The Tempest features a waterproof/breathable D-Dry membrane and a visor wiper to handle rainy rides. Smart Touch fingertips will enable you to fondle your vital electronics, and CE Certification means you can ride with the knowledge that these elasticated fabric/Amica Suede/Digital Suede numbers will have your back in a digital mishap. Bottom Line/Great for cool, rainy conditions Shop Now Klim Dakar Pro – $70 Klim’s most roadworthy dual-sport glove is now more comfortable than ever, thanks to a perforated goat leather palm and breathable, stretch-woven backhand. Rider Grip Articulation means fingers are pre-curved, and Reduced Finger Seam stitching adds more comfort. XRD Impact Protection means perfed foam knuckle padding, a palm pad, and armored fingers and thumbs. There’s also a built-in squeegee, e-touch screen functionality and a bunch more features that make these heavy-duty Klim’s a great deal. Bottom Line/Klim quality, K-mart price Shop Now Icon 1000 Axys Black – $85 Designed for mild to cold weather, the Icon 1000 Axys Black is constructed of French cow and quilted goatskin for a soft, supple fit that doesn’t compromise abrasion resistance. Protection of your hands and digits comes courtesy of D30 knuckle inserts while your palms receive multiple layers of the aforementioned goat hide. The hook-and-loop closure and accordion expansion gussets allow free movement, great flexibility, and easy on-and-off. Bottom Line/French cows are more sophisticated Shop Now Olympia 103 Easy Rider Classic – $58 Just as the name implies, these are basic black mid-weight deluxe drum-dyed cowhide gloves pretty much like the ones Marlon Brando wore in The Wild One. Reinforced nylon stitching is going to keep the glove’s structural integrity for many seasons, padded flex knuckles and palms add flexibility and protection, and a Velcro-equipped leather strap is going to keep them securely in place. Bottom Line/Basic black style and protection Shop Now Pilot Motosport Ventor Mesh/Carbon Gloves – $38 Best known for its racing leathers, Pilot Motosport also makes a line of reasonably-priced street-focused gear. The Ventors are a prime example. These are for warm weather; the back of the hand is a 3D foam mesh, and fingers have Thermal Plastic Rubber (TPR) air intake vents that double as protectors. Calfskin provides the abrasion resistance on the palm and fingers, a carbon fiber knuckle mold protects the back of your hand. Form-fitting Trek Dry material keep your paws cool and comfortable, and the fingers also support touchscreen use. Bottom Line/A lot of glove for 38 bucks, no? Shop Now Reax Castor – $89 Constructed of 0.8mm – 0.9mm thick cowhide on back, with tough, flexible goat leather palms in an ergonomic pre-curved construction, these short gloves are packing a lot of safety and comfortable performance. Fingers are shielded by TPR inserts over the knuckles, with more leather in impact areas, and and outseam reinforcement. Perforated finger fourchettes let your fingers breathe, and a moisture-wicking poly tricot lining keeps them dry and happy. Reflective material adds visibility. Fingers and thumbs are touchscreen compatible. Also available: a fully perforated version. Bottom Line/A solid, seriously protective glove Shop Now REV'IT! Striker 3 Women's Gloves – $90 The Rev’It Striker 3 is the, that’s right, third iteration of a lighter weight touring glove that offers a great mixture of protection and comfort. The outer shell is drum-dyed goatskin, which is combined with 2-way stretch spandex fabric. Protection of your hard parts comes from 3D Seesoft knuckle armor and TPR-injected finger knuckle protectors. The fingers have ventilation panels and smartphone-ready connect fingertips on index finger and thumb. The wrists closes with hook-and-loop fastener. Rev’It Striker 3s are also available for men. Bottom Line/Expensive glove for a bargain price Shop Now Spidi X4 Coupe – $100 Another light glove for warm-weather use, these combine goatskin, Clarino palms, mesh fabric and elastic fabric for a high level of comfort, lightness and excellent ventilation. Carbon protection on the knuckles and strategically placed padding add safety, while the stretch fabric and accordion inserts on the fingers aid flexibility. Touch screen compatible index fingertip, Velcro straps on the wrists for secure closure. Bottom Line/Italian flair and comfort Shop Now Tourmaster Dri Perf Gel – $62- $77 Can a glove really be both perforated and waterproof? According to Tourmaster, the Dry Perf Gel glove pulls off this feat, thanks to its perforated goatskin outer and waterproof, breathable E-Dry inner membrane. Additionally, EVA foam padding on the outside of the fingers combines with hard knuckle armor for impact protection. The index finger and thumb feature touchscreen compatible overlays, and the whole shebang is held in place with a hook-and-loop gauntlet closure. Bottom Line/Breathable and dry, even in the wet Shop Now We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews. Learn more about how this works. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post 10 Great Gloves for Under $100 appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/91mqP64xswISource

Waking your bike from its long winter’s nap is one of those good news/bad news moments. The good news is that, if you prepared your bike for the winter, getting back out on the road is pretty darn simple. The bad news is that, if you didn’t, you could be in for a bit of work (or more) before your motorcycle is ready to ride. While it may seem counter-intuitive, leaving your bike idle without preparing it is actually quite stressful on it. The volatile components in gasoline will separate and evaporate. The chemicals used to store electricity in the battery self-discharge. The air in the half-empty gas tank forms a microclimate in which any moisture has a chance to work its oxidizing magic on the exposed metal in the air pocket. Any corrosive materials left on a dirty bike get to gnaw away at it unchecked. Ozone will age the rubber parts. All of these are bad things. Prevent Metal-on-Metal Violence If you didn’t before the winter off-season (and even if you did), now is a good time to change your oil. Most of the crud in the oil has settled down into the oil pan, so you can get it out by draining it before you start the engine for the first time. The oil will be thick, so let it take its time in draining. Once you’ve added the new oil and filter, take it easy on the engine’s first start. Don’t crank up the choke or fast idle. Just let it run at the minimum rpm that it will idle smoothly. Remember, until the oil gets pumped back up the high points in the engine, there is the potential for metal on metal contact – which is a Very Bad Thing. Run your engine until it reaches its normal operating temperature before you ride. We Have Ignition When it comes to your electron depository, you want to make sure the battery has a good charge on it. If you stored your battery on a smart charger, congratulations, your battery is ready to party. If you didn’t, before you even think about turning the key on your motorcycle’s ignition, you need to fully charge the battery. Be prepared for it to need replacement because of the neglect. Since it’ll probably take a few cranks to get the engine running, you want the battery to be as strong as possible. To make it easier on the first start, be sure that the headlight is on low beam and any accessories you may have installed are turned off. (Having the first ride of the season thwarted because of a dead battery has made many folks firm believers in battery chargers.) Photo Credit: Shutterstock/ThePowerPlant Fill’er Up The gas tank of a properly winterized motorcycle is filled to the brim and treated with Sta-Bil or some other fuel stabilizer. In theory, all you need to do with a bike that was stored like this is start up and go. Some cautious riders will go through the extra step of draining the tank of this (still good) fuel and pouring it into their car’s tank where it will be diluted. Then they fill the bike’s tank with fuel fresh from the pump. This makes sure that everything is fine from the first compression stroke. Another popular – and much more fun – method is to simply go for a long ride to burn up the winter fuel in the tank. Then you get to put in fresh gas with a smile on your face. If your tank was only partially filled and had no stabilizer in the fuel (Shame on you!), you absolutely should drain your tank. The volatile components that make your engine easy to start will have evaporated, leaving thicker, less combustion-friendly fuel behind. The thickness of the fuel can clog fuel injectors, leading to rough running, or worse. Another issue is that, if your bike is carbureted, you should drain all the float bowls before trying to start the engine. While this may help prevent the jets from getting clogged when you first turn the engine over, varnish may have already settled in those tiny orifices as the bike sat throughout the winter, and you’ll need to pull the carbs apart to clean them. Basic Maintenance If you’re one of those people who couldn’t keep your mitts off your bike during the winter, you may have already done this, but it’s always nice to start the riding season with the basic maintenance chores complete. Lube the cables and all pivot points. Wash the chain with WD-40 or a chain cleaner and lubricate it after your first ride. If you didn’t change the brake fluid before the winter break, consider swapping it out now so that you get maximum performance out of the most important system on your motorcycle. Tires tend to lose pressure over time, so you must absolutely adjust your tire pressure to factory specifications. And why not give your bike a quick wash and wax to strut your stuff in the spring. Have a great riding season! We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews and other articles. Learn more about how this works. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post Long Winter’s Nap: Taking Your Motorcycle Out Of Storage appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/FZgTdHDmlBoSource

Updated April, 2021 Here’s a dirty little secret: The typical motorcycle journalist rarely pays for a helmet, which is the reason we’re seldom seen with our heads shoved in anything less than the latest luxurious offerings from Shoei, Arai, AGV, etc. Were we doing this on our own dime, believe me, you’d be seeing us in a lot more of the helmets on this list. And truthfully, that wouldn’t be a bad thing. Though the expensive lids are definitely the Porsches and Mercedes-Benzes of the helmet world, we know from experience you can have just as much fun flogging a nice Mustang or last year’s Corvette. Maybe more, since you’re less concerned with scratching them up. What you’re paying for in the high-end stuff is exemplary fit-and-finish, top-shelf materials and graphics, prestige – and sometimes hand assembly by old-world craftsmen. That’s all great if you have $800 to drop on a helmet. But the number-one thing that defines a great helmet, in the end, is how it fits your head, and there are a surprising number of helmets in the sub-$200 category that will ensconce your skull very nearly as comfortably as the expensive imports. Well, they’re mostly imported also, often from places where labor is cheaper, but you get the picture. Buying a helmet is best done at a brick/mortar store where you can wear the thing for 10 or 15 minutes to see if your head begins to throb – and just about all bike shops still standing will match your online price if only you ask. If you’re buying online, be sure to check the return policy of the seller. Then there’s the whole safety component of the thing, of course, but every helmet here carries at least an official DOT (Dept. of Transportation) sticker that means it’s passed USA safety tests. Some take it further by going above and beyond to meet the voluntary (and controversial) SNELL standard: It’s really going to be up to the consumer to decide which safety standard they’re compatible with. Anyway, with no further ado: Table of Contents Vemar Sharki – $199 AGV K1 – $180 LS2 Breaker – $120 HJC IS-17 – $160 Icon Airmada – $150 FLY Sentinel – $125 Speed and Strength SS5100 – $145 Biltwell Gringo – $175 Scorpion EXO-R710 – $166 Vemar Sharki – $199 Okay, your paint and graphics aren’t up to Shoei/Arai standards, but again, not that far behind at all given the huge price difference – and one of the things that keeps the price down is there’s really only this one design in the Matt Black/Yellow “Hive” seen here, or Matt Black/Orange or Matt Black/Gray. The Sharki is a modular, which means the whole faceshield and chinbar flips open – a style we’ve come to love, and it comes with a retractable interior dark visor as well. This is my first Vemar, but it’s not Vemar’s first rodeo by any means. They’ve been at it since 1975 in Tuscany, Italy, though the helmet is made in China; you can read all about Vemar’s history here. In addition to the mandatory DOT sticker, every Vemar helmet is engineered to Europe’s ECE-22.05 standard. MO Tested: Vemar Sharki Helmet Review Head shape: Intermediate Oval Sizes: XS to XXL Safety Standards: DOT, ECE Shop Now AGV K1 – $180 AGV’s latest entry level helmet takes its aero shape, ventilation, and spoiler directly from the wind-tunnel tested Corsa R and Pista GP R worn by Valentino himself. The shell and spoiler are said to provide aerodynamic stability at speed, while five front vents and two rear extractors, ah, extract hot air as you ride, which leads AGV to claim league-leading ventilation for this lid. A fully removable and washable 3D inner liner and cheek pads made of Dry-Lex fabrics keeps the interior comfy and cleanish. Two shells sizes cover everybody from XS to 2XL. For a few dollars more, the K1 is available in a bunch of highly stimulating graphic treatments. Head shape: Intermediate Oval Sizes: XS, SM, MS, ML, LG, XL, 2XL Safety Standards: DOT, ECE Shop Now LS2 Breaker – $120 The LS2 Breaker helmet brings a host of features at a great price point. Three different sizes of its Kinetic Polymer Alloy shell keep it light, and a wide eye port increases peripheral vision. To keep things cool the Breaker has two closable air vents up front and one open vent in the rear. LS2 uses its Fog Fighter shield on the Breaker to prevent fogging, and the helmet also includes a drop down sun visor. A nice feature not found on many helmets regardless of price point is the quick-release ratchet closure system which allows you to get the helmet fastened or removed quicker than using the typical D-rings. The Breaker comes in a host of graphics, all of which are available for well under $200; that’s the Breaker Pinball Glow in the Dark shown. Head shape: Intermediate Oval Sizes: XXS, XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL Safety Standards: DOT, ECE Shop Now HJC IS-17 – $160 The HJC IS-17 is another helmet that offers many features at a great price point. IS stands for Internal Sun visor and 17 is the predecessor to the IS-16, a straight-forward naming scheme once you know. The IS-17 uses two shell sizes to allow users a smaller shell for smaller sizes. Former editor Thomas Roderick, had the chance to review the IS-17 and found it to be a great helmet at its price. This helmet can be had in a bunch of different graphics for under $200, including the Arcus version pictured. If you can do without the internal sun shield, and are in the market for a lightweight, Snell-approved fiberglass-shelled lid, check out also the very popular FG-17, also a serious bargain from HJC under $200. HJC IS-17 Helmet Review Head shape: Intermediate Oval Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL Safety Standards: DOT Shop Now Icon Airmada – $150 If you have a longer head, you might want to try on the Icon Airmada for fit. This one’s been around for a while but has been recently overhauled with a new and better shield system. It’s come in plenty of wild graphics over the years. Wild is still available, but if you want to keep it under $200, you’ll be choosing black or white. The lightish polycarbonate shell comes in four sizes to provide a compact aerodynamic signature across a wide range of head sizes. Icon Airmada Volare Review Head shape: Long Oval Sizes: XXS, XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL Safety Standards: DOT, ECE, SAI, SG Shop Now FLY Sentinel – $125 Off-road enthusiasts may be more familiar with the FLY brand, as the company has produced all sorts of off-road gear from helmets, to jerseys, pants, and gloves for quite some time. FLY not only produces street helmets but also entire lines of other street gear. The FLY Sentinel helmet is a good sub-$200 price point even including its four graphic styles. The helmet offers a drop-down sun visor, removable liner, easy-to-change shield, and six adjustable vents. Head shape: Intermediate Oval Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL Safety Standards: DOT, ECE Shop Now Speed and Strength SS5100 – $145 Taking design cues from race helmets, the Speed and Strength SS5100 Helmet offers a smooth aerodynamic experience thanks to the integrated rear spoiler. With a crown vent, two brow vents, chin vent and rear exhaust vents located at the base of the shell and integrated into the rear spoiler, the SS5100 flows air to keep you cool and comfortable. The SS5100 also features a dual-density EPS liner and removable and washable comfort liner. Head shape: Round Oval Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL Safety Standards: DOT Shop Now Biltwell Gringo – $175 Ah, the Bitlwell Gringo. The Gringo comes without a shield unlike its more expensive S compatriot. The Gringo is slightly rounded in its head shape. Biltwell helmets are fairly devoid of extra features, focusing more on the simple styling cues of days gone by, along with plenty of interesting color options for the Gringo, which makes them a favorite among the hipster set. Jon Langston reviewed the Gringo for MO a few years back, and that can be found here. Head shape: Round Oval Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL Safety Standards: DOT Shop Now Scorpion EXO-R710 – $166 The Snell-rated EXO-R710 uses a fiberglass/Aramid shell, which is generally a lighter way to build helmets compared to the more common polycarbonate found on helmets at this price range. The 710 boasts a removable liner, anti-fog shield, quick-release cheek pad system, pockets for communication system speakers, four vents up front with one in the rear, and three shell sizes to keep the helmet as light as possible. For only about $10 more, the R710 is available in a bunch of cool graphic designs. Bargain. Head shape: Intermediate Oval Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL Safety Standards: DOT, Snell Shop Now We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews. Learn more about how this works. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post 10 Best Motorcycle Helmets Under $200 appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/C8jM4LqZfhsSource

Updated April 2021 Well, there really is no “best touring glove,” because when you’re really going places on your motorcycle for days, the climatic conditions are liable to change more often than your underwear. From baking desert to bone-chilling mountaintop and all points in between, we know of no gloves with adjustable ventilation systems. Touring also implies that you’re probably on a bike with enough storage to carry more than one pair of gloves, which is really the way to go. Having heated grips gives way more flexibility to your glove selection as well. With them, behind handguards or a fairing, you can probably get away without needing really heavy winter gloves. There are tons of gloves with the features to deliver the comfort and protection from the weather and mishaps that you’ll need out on the long and winding road. What makes a touring glove a touring glove is the ability to be worn comfortably for extended periods. Just like with a helmet, there’s no substitute for trying them on in an actual motorcycle store – most of which will gladly match your best online price. Add multi-weather adaptability. Finally, you need crash protection. All of the gloves featured here have these qualities in spades. Here are more than a few of our favorites, in alphabetical order. Table of Contents Aerostich Luxury Deerskin Three Season Gloves – $227 Alpinestars Stella Tourer W-7 Drystar Gloves – $90 BMW Genuine Motorcycle Riding Two In One Gloves – $199 Dainese Desert Poon D1 – $47 Firstgear Navigator Gloves – $25 Fly Racing Street Subvert Fracture – $50 Held Air N Dry Gloves – $295 Klim Vanguard GTX Short Gloves – $130 Latex Surgical Gloves – $24 for 100 Olympia 04352 All Season II Touch Gloves – $67 Racer Mickey – $122 REV’IT! Summit 3 H2O Gloves – $140 Thermosport – $79 Tourmaster Dri Perf Gel Gloves – $62 Aerostich Luxury Deerskin Three Season Gloves – $227 While the Aerostich Luxury Deerskin Three Season Gloves won’t do you much good in the rain or during the winter, they are just about perfect for those ideal touring days in the saddle when the sun is shining and all is right in the world. Since they’re constructed out of deerskin, you know they’ll be supple and break in by the end of the first ride. Perforations and vents along the knuckles and palm help keep hands cool while sturdy reinforced knuckles, palm and gauntlet provide protection. Imported from Japan, Aerostich says these are “the most gorgeous, luxurious gloves in this catalog”– which is saying something since that catalog has a lot of great gloves across all price points. Check also Aerostich’s various Elkskin Ropers, all for way less money. Bottom Line/The "most gorgeous, luxurious gloves" Aerostich sells Shop Now Alpinestars Stella Tourer W-7 Drystar Gloves – $90 TheAlpinestars Stella Tourer W-7 Drystar Gloves takes a combination of premium leather, suede, softshell and stretch textile to construct this comfortable women’s glove. The stretchable shell allows freedom of movement while the animal hides deliver protection. Impact absorption is provided by the ergonomically profiled soft viscoelastic material across the knuckles. Fingertip touchscreen allow access to your phone’s GPS so you can plan your ride, and if the weather gets wet, Drystar is there to keep your fingers out of the elements. Bottom Line/Keep your ladyfingers warm and dry Shop Now BMW Genuine Motorcycle Riding Two In One Gloves – $199 The BMW Genuine Motorcycle Riding Two In One Glove utilizes what it calls 2-chamber technology. The Proof chamber is breathable, waterproof and windproof with a Gore-Tex membrane and has an insulating thermal liner. The Grip chamber features extra-thin and tear-resistant kangaroo leather for excellent tactile feedback and crease-free fit. Crash protection comes from hard-shell armor on the knuckles and foam padding on the backs of fingers. The double layers of leather on the edge of the hand protects from a slide. Bottom Line/Two great gloves in one Shop Now Dainese Desert Poon D1 – $47 How could I not include these? An ultra-light short cuff glove with Dainese quality and style. Synthetic suede palms provide excellent feel, while perforated mesh panels on the fingers and backhand flow as much air as possible – and a neoprene cuff is nice and soft where glove meets wrist. Dainese smart touch on the index finger lets you order pizza from the saddle. Kidding. Never do that. One of many great Dainese offerings. Bottom Line/As much fun to say as they are to wear Shop Now Firstgear Navigator Gloves – $25 The Firstgear Navigator Glove is more of a cool-weather gauntlet-style touring glove – waterproof and breathable, with a Hipora membrane lining. The outer shell is full leather construction, and the rubberized hard-knuckle cap provides additional protection. To keep the elements on the outside a drawstring wrist closure can be secured with one hand. A visor squeegee on the left thumb will help keep your vision clear. At this price, you almost can’t afford not to stow a pair of these for inclement weather. Bottom Line/Helluva lot of glove for the $$$ Shop Now Fly Racing Street Subvert Fracture – $50 Fly Racing is more known for its off-road gear, but that seems to translate into pretty rugged, reasonably priced stuff when it comes to street gear, too. Whether Fracture is a good name is up for debate, but these get high marks for mostly warm-weather street use. When the weather’s nice, you want gloves that are easy to get off and on, and the short cuff design with TPR wrist closure gives you that. Four-way stretchy material on the backs makes these super comfortable and breathable, but molded hard knuckle protection provides protection. Palms are leather, fingers offer touch screen technology, and these sport fun graphics including plaid. Bottom Line/Lightweight yet heavy-dutyish Shop Now Held Air N Dry Gloves – $295 Lots of people love their German-made Helds. The Held Air N Dry Gloves are an innovative, warm weather, waterproof touring glove, which features Gore-Tex 2-in-1 technology with two separate chambers. In warm weather, the unlined and perforated chamber keeps you cool. The second, Gore-Tex chamber is for when the sun isn’t shining. The index finger has a convenient visor wipe. Molded knuckle guards and SuperFabric offer an extremely high level of abrasion-resistance as does the leather that covers the remainder of the shell. A hook-and-loop closure keeps the gauntlet closed. Bottom Line/For warm and dry, and cool and wet... Shop Now Klim Vanguard GTX Short Gloves – $130 Easy ingress and egress is also important when touring. The Klim Vanguard GTX Short Gloves are easy to slip on and off, thanks to the short cuff design and Kwik-access dual adjustment entry. Next comes the Gore-Tex waterproofing and index finger visor wiper. Poron XRD offers palm and knuckle protection, and the goat leather keeps the pavement on the outside. You even get Mult-E-Touch smart device functionality. Bottom Line/Top-notch construction, easy on/off Shop Now Latex Surgical Gloves – $24 for 100 What, you don’t already have a box of these in the house or garage? You should have, and you should carry a couple pairs whenever you’re riding far at all. Slipping a pair of these on under your gloves provides way more warmth when temps and/or precipitation unexpectedly drop. Also very nice to have to deal with messy roadside repairs or should anyone need an emergency roadside exam. Bottom Line/Dryness and warmth in a pinch Shop Now Olympia 04352 All Season II Touch Gloves – $67 The Olympia All Season II Touch Gloves’ design goal was to be warm enough to wear in the 40-degree range without being bulky, to have touchscreen functionality, and deliver the palm comfort of gel padding. Oh, and if that weren’t enough, how about windproof and water resistant. You also get a three blade visor wiper and reflective knuckle trim. Not bad for a reasonably-priced glove, and there are plenty more in men’s and women’s sizes in the Olympia line-up. Bottom Line/Great all-weather glove for the money Shop Now Racer Mickey – $122 High marks for these light touring gloves from the MO peanut gallery. This mid-length sport glove combines leather and mesh construction to produce a really convenient and cool yet still protective glove. Clarino palm with silicone finger-grip diamonds, Super-Fabric covered scaphoid and knuckle protectors, and one quick Velcro closure. Racer makes great gloves. Bottom Line/Very nice, cool and comfortable Shop Now REV’IT! Summit 3 H2O Gloves – $140 The REV’IT! Summit 3 H2O Gloves are what you want when you’re touring through warm, wet weather. Thanks to the Hydratex waterproof membrane, the elements stay on the outside – where they belong. Still, there are plenty of safety features, including TPU hard palm sliders and Temperfoam on the knuckles. The touring fit will remain comfortable on a long day, while the laminated reflective material increases conspicuity. The shell itself is constructed of drum-dyed goatskin, PWR|shell 500D, PWR|shell 500D twill stretch, flock PU, and PU-coated fabric. You even get a digitally compatible fingertip. Bottom Line/Waterproof without the bulky Shop Now Thermosport – $79 Like the intrepid honey badger, British riders tend not to care if it rains or freezes, long as they’ve got good gear. That’s where these Thermosport gloves come from, England, and the claim is they’re 100% waterproof, with Thinsulate thermal lining, Kevlar reinforcement, carbon knuckle guards and side palm protection – all in a Grade A semi-aniline leather shell at an excellent price. Find these and lots of other excellent curated British gear at BritishMotorcycleGear.com. Bottom Line/For British conditions, `nuff said Shop Now Tourmaster Dri Perf Gel Gloves – $62 The Tourmaster Dri Perf Gel Glove provides a combination of cooling air flow while still maintaining waterproofness in case you run into summer showers. Gel inserts also reduce the tiring effects of vibrations on your hands. EVA foam padding on the fingers and outside of wrists team up with hard knuckle protectors to disperse impacts. The precurved gloves also have stretch panels for comfort, and the fingertips will work with your smartphone. Bottom Line/Gel inserts to combat vibration Shop Now We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews. Learn more about how this works. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post Best Motorcycle Touring Gloves appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/zGz6cb5RkAISource

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it, so Triumph didn’t. They’ve sold over 10,000 modern Scramblers since the XC and XE were new in 2018, and Scrambler 1200 XC even won MO’s revered Best Standard Motorcycle award last year. But they did have to make the bikes Euro 5-compliant for 2022, and with that came a few tweaks and the gaining of a few pounds – about 13 of them in fact. But hey look! There’s a new Steve McQueen Limited Edition! In a possible effort to avoid mentioning the weight gain, Triumph for the first time in memory gives us the bike’s wet weight in the specs – which it says is 507 lbs. Our own scales said 498 for the Scrambler 1200 XC we tested last year, so it’s really no big deal. Most of that weight is courtesy of a revised high-mount exhaust. The claim is that power output is unchanged, but making that happen required a bigger catalyzer with more precious metals. And while the engineers were wrestling with that, they moved the catalyzer further forward in the system and rejiggered other sections to improve heat dissipation. We didn’t have any real heat issues with the previous version, but on hot summer days around town or slow going off-road, one’s right leg could get a bit toasty. With the relocation of the cat and a few more pounds of heat sink in the system, here’s hoping for the best. Power remains the same, says Triumph, with peak torque of 81 lb-ft at just 4,500 rpm, and 89 horsepower at 7,250 rpm. (MotoGP Werks’ Dynojet had it at 74.5 hp at 6500 rpm and 67.7 lb-ft at 5000 rpm, at the rear wheel, last year.) Scrambler 1200 Steve McQueen Edition As long as Triumph is building motorcycles, the legendary actor will never die. For this limited edition model, Triumph’s copywriter revs it way up and dumps the clutch: Celebrating the most famous movie star, stunt and motorcycle in history, the new Scrambler 1200 Steve McQueen Edition brings all the new-generation 2022 Scrambler 1200 XE’s category-dominating specification, go-anywhere adventure-bike capability and state-of-the-art technology, and adds its own premium Steve McQueen paint scheme and extensive list of beautiful unique details. Fully equipped with a selection of premium Scrambler accessories, fitted as standard, the McQueen Edition is now officially the highest specification Scrambler 1200 ever. Inspired by a genuine motorcycle legend Inspired by the original competition-spec Triumph TR6, made famous by the legendary barbed wire jump in the iconic 1963 Second World War classic “The Great Escape”, the Scrambler 1200 Steve McQueen Edition has been developed in partnership with the McQueen family. Chosen to ride in the film by McQueen, over a period-correct German military motorcycle, the Triumph TR6 used in the jump was created by a British Triumph dealer and ISDT Gold Medal racer Ken Heanes, with an ISDT suspension set-up designed for robust stunt work. Unique limited edition With just 1,000 Scrambler 1200 Steve McQueen Edition models available worldwide, each bike is individually numbered on the beautiful billet-machined handlebar clamp, which also features a laser etched Steve McQueen signature. For even greater exclusivity, each bike comes with a unique certificate of authenticity stating the bike’s VIN number, and carrying the signatures of Triumph’s CEO, Nick Bloor, and also Chad McQueen, son of the legend himself, Steve McQueen. Exclusive details and finish The unique paint scheme features a Competition Green tank with brushed foil knee pads, exquisite hand-painted gold lining, gold heritage Triumph logos, dedicated Steve McQueen tank graphic, brushed aluminum Monza cap and brushed stainless steel tank strap. The distinctive Steve McQueen Edition will also feature the aluminum high level front mudguard as standard, which, along with the rear mudguard, will also be painted in Competition Green. In addition to the standard 1200 XE’s class leading specification, the Steve McQueen Edition comes fitted with engine protection dresser bars, which add another layer of ruggedness. Fabricated from stainless steel tubing, these have an electro-polished finish and offer additional protection to the clutch and alternator covers. A laser cut and pressed aluminum radiator guard, with laser etched Triumph branding, also comes as standard, giving additional protection from loose stones while optimizing air flow. The Steve McQueen Edition also features a premium brown bench seat, with stitched ribbing and Triumph branding, which further enhances the overall classic style and elegance. Aside from movie stardom, Steve McQueen was also renowned for his Triumph Scrambler desert racing, which makes the Scrambler 1200 XE the perfect base for the exclusive edition, thanks to its class-defining capability both on and off-road. The new McQueen Edition shares all of the acclaimed XE specification and performance, including the 2022 engine and exhaust system updates. Being a genuine cross-over motorcycle, it has all the capability of a full-on adventure bike with the iconic style inherited from its legendary Scrambler lineage. The new Scrambler 1200 Steve McQueen Edition is also pre-enabled for the accessory My Triumph Connectivity System. This allows the rider to access phone calls, operate music, use turn-by-turn navigation and manage a Go-Pro through the intuitive handlebar controls and TFT interface. How much would you expect to pay? The Scrambler 1200 Steve McQueen Edition will sell for $16,400 USD / $17,800 CAD, and will be available in June. Scrambler 1200 XE and XC Scrambler 1200 XC in Cobalt Blue For all the other sad Scrambler buyers outside of the chosen 1000, who must do without the Steve McQueen model, the song remains the same other than the new Euro 5 measures. The XE remains the more dirt-worthy of the two, but both share that same High power 1200 cc Bonneville twin with dedicated Scrambler tune and 270-degree crank. Both get 21-/17-inch tubeless wire-spoke wheels for serious off-road work. Both get long-travel Öhlins fully adjustable shocks out back and a long-travel Showa fork in front – one key difference being that the XE gets longer-travel units, correspondingly more ground clearance, and a higher seat to match. Scrambler 1200 XE in Matte Khaki Green gets fully 9.8 inches front and rear suspension travel to the XC’s 7.9 in. travel – and a 34.2 in. seat height to the XC’s 33.1 in. The XE swingarm is also longer, with a shot-blasted and anodized finish. Both XC and XE get IMU-controlled rider aids including lean-sensitive ABS and traction control, with the XE going the XC one better with an Off-Road Pro mode in addition to the XC’s Rain, Road, Rider-configurable, and Off-Road programs. Everybody also gets this cool TFT display with illuminated switchgear, all-LED lighting, keyless ignition, single-button cruise control, and a USB charging socket. Scrambler 1200 XE also comes with handguards, Brembo MCS brake lever, gold forks… And either bike can be outfitted with the 70-some Genuine Triumph Accessories in the catalog, including luggage, a new Dakar-inspired fly screen, a high front mudguard or “front fender” as we Yanks call it, handlebar brace, headlight grille, centerstand, fog lights, heated grips… How much? 2022 Scrambler 1200 XC: $14,000 USD / $15,200 CAD, and2022 Scrambler 1200 XE: $15,400 USD / $16,300 CAD. Say, those prices are exactly the same as for last year’s models, so good on Triumph for holding the line. Expect these to all be loitering around your Triumph dealer in June, probably not for long. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post 2022 Triumph Scrambler 1200 Line Includes Steve McQueen Special Edition appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/mDRABQmTYSoSource

2020 MV Agusta Superveloce 800Editor Score: 82.0%Engine 17.0/20Suspension/Handling 13.0/15 Transmission/Clutch 8.5/10Brakes 7.5/10 Instruments/Controls5.0/5 Ergonomics/Comfort 6.0/10 Appearance/Quality 10.0/10Desirability 10.0/10Value 5.0/10Overall Score82/100Motorcycle art. MV Agusta’s tagline for years, if there’s one thing the Italian company is known for, it’s pumping out motorcycles that never fail to grab your attention. And while the Tamburini-designed F4 still ranks as one of the most stunning motorcycles ever made, I’m going to rank this, the MV Agusta Superveloce, as the first MV since the F4 to even come close to capturing hearts the same way. Unlike the F4, however, which was basically a clean-sheet design Tamburini had nearly free rein to do what he wanted with, the Superveloce essentially takes the bones from the existing F3 800 and repurposes it. In that regard, MV Agusta design director Adrian Morton deserves some credit, as recreating an existing model – with the deadlines and politics surrounding modern corporations – into something this beautiful is no easy feat. So, let’s take a closer look at the MV Agusta Superveloce. We’ll talk about what it is, what it isn’t, and what it’s like to ride. You’re forgiven if you skip a few words because you were looking at the pictures here instead. But I encourage you to pay attention. My final thoughts on this bike may not be what you think. A Rich Heritage Motorcycle gearheads will recognize the Superveloce and instantly be reminded of an era gone by. If you’re one of those people who can relate, you’re probably looking at the Superveloce as a modern interpretation of old grand prix bikes – and that’s exactly the point. See the resemblance? Even if you’re not as familiar with MV’s past, if you dig the looks of the Superveloce, then you’re about to get a crash course in why it looks the way it does. Morton and his team took inspiration for the Super-V from MV’s own grand prix racers from the 1960s and 1970s, before the company dropped out of grand prix racing in 1976. Immediately you notice the rounded nose and swooped windscreen, reminiscent of those old racers. Old race bikes didn’t have headlights, of course, but the single, small, round LED headlight on the new bike slots into the tip of the nose like a number plate. Having such a sharp crease that splits between the upper fairing and the side fairing would look awkward in many cases, but in this case it forms a natural break to apply the gray tone – itself a throwback to the past. As your eye gazes along, the folds and creases that make up the fuel tank and tail section admittedly look thoroughly modern (some might even say complex), though the leather belt strap atop the tank is a blatant homage to the past. You know, when fuel tanks were actually held on with leather straps. Whether it fits in this context I’ll leave for you to decide. The MV gets back in line with its heritage when we reach the back of the bike. The slim tail section can’t be ignored. Proportionately, it’s clear the inspiration came from racers of the past. It’s so diminutive, and yet it ties the bike together nicely. The single round LED taillight, like the headlight in front, is simple. And that’s what makes the whole thing work. Visually, it isn’t weighed down by having to carry turn signals and a license plate – those are mounted separately on an arm attached to the swingarm to give a “floating” appearance. Perhaps the belt strap is to disguise the fact this is basically an F3 800 tank. Together, the Superveloce is nothing short of stunning. This is how you style a modern sportbike with a flair for the past. What’s Inside? As was mentioned before, the Superveloce is basically an F3 800 with different clothes. Some might be disappointed that MV didn’t start with a fresh sheet of paper for this one, but for pragmatic (and financial) reasons, it should be obvious why MV chose the path it did. Underneath the Superveloce clothing lies a similar 798cc three-cylinder engine you’ll find in the F3 800. Gold trellis frame is also similar and similarly good looking. Still, the 798cc Triple is one sweet engine. With 12 valves, six injectors, 13.3:1 compression, a counter-rotating crankshaft, and an oversquare bore and stroke (79 mm x 54.3 mm), MV says it pumps out 148 horses (at the crank) at 13,000 rpm – that’s healthy. Full ride-by-wire means you also get traction control (adjustable to eight levels, and off), four ride modes, and cruise control(!). You also get other electronic goodies like Continental ABS, and a quickshifter in both directions. On the suspension side, we see a 43mm Marzocchi inverted fork with rebound, compression, and spring preload adjustment. A Sachs shock is in the rear with the same level of adjustment. Dual 320mm discs are paired with Brembo M4.34 radial-mount calipers, with a single 220mm disc and Brembo 2-piston caliper in the back. Nothing super exotic as far as brakes and suspension go, but they work well enough. If this sounds awfully similar to the F3 800, that’s because it is. Riding It Of course, looking at a motorcycle is one thing. Actually riding it is where it counts. With a name like Superveloce, this is a bike that likes to be ridden super fast. Naturally, I was happy to oblige. With a trip out to the race track, the MV is in its happy place. This makes sense considering its grand prix inspiration (though I’ll stop short of calling it “heritage”). When all 148 horses are galloping at full tilt and the three-cylinder is wailing, the Super-V moves along at a quick pace – but not a frightening one like a 200 hp literbike would deliver. It’s fun and manageable, made even better by the clean, linear fueling and throttle mapping. Each twist of the wrist is met with an appropriate amount of thrust. Kudos to MV, because it wasn’t long ago when I couldn’t say such a thing about MVs… Photo: Caliphotography Speaking of mapping, keeping the bike in its most aggressive Race ride mode wasn’t intimidating. Again, the clean fueling does wonders here. And considering the perfect riding conditions, there was no need to drop to a different mode. Not that you’d really need to. The quickshifter is a godsend as long as you’re deliberate with each shift. Linger with your foot around the shifter and you could be met with an accidental ignition cut. So, either use the shifter or keep your foot back on the peg. With the underpinnings of the F3 800, the Superveloce’s manners through a corner are sweet. It tips into a corner with ease, on or off the brakes, which is likely helped by the counter-rotating crank. Once leaned over it holds its line and reacts to inputs nicely. This really is a sweet little track bike. Well, almost. Photo: Caliphotography On the track there were three glaring issues that kept bothering me. First is the lack of room. While yes, the slim tail section is visually appealing and attractive, in practical terms the small seat doesn’t give the rider much room to scoot back in a tuck. So even at 5-foot, 8-inches, I couldn’t get comfortable on it. Not a huge deal on a tighter track, but anywhere with a long straight, this could get annoying pretty quickly. Second, the brakes. While I’d prefer a little more feel and linearity at the initial application of the brakes, there’s actually plenty of stopping power. And that’s the problem. On track the ABS intervenes much sooner than it needs to, which then leads to a pulsing lever, and you left wondering if you’re going to make the corner or not. To make matters worse, ABS is always on. It’s adjustable, but even in its least intrusive setting it kicks in far earlier than is needed. Photo: Caliphotography The third is traction control. This complaint isn’t so much about what it is, but more about what it isn’t. The 2020 Superveloce doesn’t have an IMU, so it’s old-school, which may or may not fit the old-grand-prix-racer theme. The reactive system (as opposed to predictive) actually works as well as a reactive system can. But it’s the unfortunate reality that modern sportbikes are now judged by the robustness of their electronics, and this one falls short. UPDATE: Well, this is awkward. As I sit here typing this review of the 2020 MV Agusta Superveloce, just yesterday MV announced an updated version of the Super-V for 2021, complete with a big addition I wish the current model came with – an IMU. On the street, the Superveloce finds itself in an awkward position. It thrives when it’s being revved and the sweet motor is singing. Get it up in the hills and you’ll enjoy hearing the unique three-cylinder wail bounce off the canyon walls. All the attributes that make the bike a nice handler on track transfer over to the street, too, and being able to adjust the suspension for the rougher environs of publicly maintained roads is obviously a benefit. What’s more, the generally slower pace of a canyon ride means the ABS intervention isn’t much of an issue. Obviously, there’s a “but.” The MV’s sweet spot is very narrow. Normal riding brings out other flaws. First, there’s the hard seat. Other than the addition of the IMU in the 2021 update, MV also added more seat foam, though we can’t imagine it’ll make a drastic difference. On our 2020 tester anyway, the seat was very hard, making a trip to Starbucks about as far as we wanted to go at any one time. To make matters worse, the creases from the body panel beside the seat pad bend at a sharp angle, which just so happens to be right where the rider’s thighs are. So not only is the seat hard, but you have hard plastic biting into you as you’re rolling down the road. Next is the engine. It clearly likes to rev. So when it’s not, the ride suffers. Cruising along at about 5500 rpm, the bars emit this medium-frequency vibration that slowly creeps in and makes your hands fall asleep. Luckily, a dab of the cruise control will let you shake your hands free (assuming it’s safe to do so, of course!) There’s a decent amount of torque even when you’re down that low in the rpm range, but the Triple isn’t as eager to spring into action until the revs pick up. As fun as it is to keep the engine singing and move the bike from side to side, that’s only a small part of most street rides. The rest of the time you’re headed in a mostly straight line with the engine in an efficient (read not screaming) zone. Here, the Superveloce’s hard seat, sharp creases, and hyper engine loses some of its appeal. Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beholder Sometimes you give up something in the name of beauty and vanity. The Superveloce, while no doubt a head-turner, will require some dedication if you actually plan to ride it. Of course, if this is an object of your desire, you might be willing to make those concessions for the trade-off it gives you each time you stare at it. I am not one of those people. The addition of an IMU for 2021 will certainly go a long way towards addressing the effectiveness and modernity of the bike’s electronics package, but a little more seat foam likely won’t do much to improve comfort. Nor does it add any more space to scoot back. But if you’re one who loves the looks (who doesn’t?), and is willing to wring the bike’s neck, you’re sure to get a thrill ride. 2020 MV Agusta Superveloce + Highs Stunning looks The engine’s a ripper! Impressive handling – Sighs That seat is pretty hard Doesn’t appreciate going slow Electronics a bit outdated (but hopefully fixed for 2021!) In Gear Helmet: Arai Defiant-X Dragon $810 Jacket: Alpinestars Bomber Jacket $250 Airbag: Alpinestars Tech-Air 5 $700 Pants: Alpinestars Crank Riding Denim DISCONTINUED Gloves: Alpinestars SP-2 v2 Gloves $140 Boots: Alpinestars Faster 3 Rideknit Shoes $180 2020 MV Agusta Superveloce Specifications Engine Type Three cylinder, 4 stroke, 12 valve Timing system DOHC with mechanical chain tensioner Displacement 798 cc Compression Ratio 13.3:1 Starting Electric Bore x stroke 79 mm x 54.3 mm Horsepower 148 hp at 13000 rpm (claimed) Torque 64.9 lb.ft. at 10600 rpm (claimed) Cooling system Cooling with separated liquid and oil radiators. Engine Management Integrated ignition – injection system MVICS (Motor & Vehicle Integrated Control System) with six injectors Engine control unit Eldor EM2.0, throttle body full ride by wire Mikuni, pencil-coil with ion-sensing technology, control of detonation and misfire Torque control with four maps, Traction Control with eight levels of intervention Electronic Quickshift MV EAS 2.1 (Electronically Assisted Shift Up & Down) Clutch Wet, multi-disc slipper clutch Transmission Cassette style; six speed, constant mesh Frame ALS Steel tubular trellis, aluminum swingarm pivot plates Front Suspension Marzocchi 43mm inverted telescopic hydraulic fork with rebound-compression damping and spring preload external and separate adjustment; 4.92 inches of travel Rear Suspension Progressive Sachs, single shock absorber with rebound and compression damping and spring preload adjustment; 4.84 inches of travel Front Brake Double floating disc with Ø 320 mm (Ø 12.6 in.) diameter, with steel braking disc and flange, Brembo radial-type monobloc, with 4 pistons Ø 34 mm Rear Brake Single steel disc with Ø 220 mm (Ø 8.66 in.) dia., Brembo with 2 pistons – Ø 34 mm ABS System Bosch 9 Plus with Race Mode and RLM (Rear wheel Lift-up Mitigation) Front Wheel Aluminum alloy 3.50 ” x 17 ” Rear Wheel Aluminum alloy 5.50 ” x 17 ” Front Tire 120/70 – ZR 17 M/C (58 W) Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa II Rear Tire 180/55 – ZR 17 M/C (73 W) Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa II Fairing Material Thermoplastic Wheelbase 54.33 inches Overall Length 79.92 inches Overall Width 28.74 inches Saddle Height 32.68 inches Ground Clearance 4.72 inches Trail 3.89 inches Dry Weight 381.4 lbs. (claimed) Fuel Capacity 4.36 gallons Other Features Exclusive content: Dashboard TFT 5” color display – Cruise control – Bluetooth – GPS – App MVride for navigation mirroring, app-controlled engine, rider aids setup – Fuel Cap (with leather strap). We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews. Learn more about how this works. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post 2020 MV Agusta Superveloce Review appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/UuFC-PRiO3QSource

MV Agusta today announced an updated range for the Superveloce family. What started as a limited-edition motorcycle with eye-catching styling inspired by MVs from the past has received so much fanfare that MV has pumped it into full production. So, what does a new year bring? Not much, except for one major improvement. Hello, IMU New for 2021, the Superveloce family finally joins the modern era of sportbikes and receives an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit, in case you didn’t know). However, instead of teaming up with a more well-known company like Bosch for the IMU, like many other manufacturers have, MV instead has partnered with a firm a little closer to home – Milan-based e-Novia. An IMU isn’t very exciting to look at, but it’s a vital tool on corner exits. The addition of the IMU brings with it the advantages you expect: Cornering-ABS and lean-sensitive traction control chief among them, both of which can now act in a more predictive manner instead of reacting strictly on variance in wheel speeds. The Front Lift Control (FLC) also takes advantage of the IMU to give maximum drive. Also new is the Launch Control feature, letting the rider launch the bike at full throttle, with the clutch the only thing they have to navigate. Of course, while not new for ‘21, cruise control is back. Much to everyone’s delight (or at least those of us on the MO staff). Other electronic updates include new firmware and mapping to give the rider more precise and refined throttle control, and a third-generation of MV’s EAS QuickShift function that works in both directions, with revised settings for more precise shifts. From a multimedia perspective, the 5.5-inch TFT screen is still there, and the bike is still compatible with the MV Ride app. But now a new joystick on the left handlebar makes it easier to navigate the menus. The new cockpit. Pretty similar to the old one, really. And while MV suspects loving eyes will gaze upon the Superveloce, it’s doing its best to make sure nefarious eyes are thwarted by including the new bikes with its MobiSat tracking device, which allows you to locate the bike’s whereabouts anywhere in the world. But What About The Rest Of The Bike? Maybe the big news other than the IMU is the fact that the Superveloce is now Euro 5 compliant. Better still, MV says it hasn’t lost any of the 147 horsepower it made before. Credit there goes in large part to the all-new exhaust system from the headers all the way back to the silencers, though you can’t see any of that other than the triple-pipes out the back. There’s a whole new exhaust system from front to back, though the triple pipes would be the only giveaway. Inside the engine, improvements were made primarily to make the bike more efficient. DLC valve tappets and sintered valve guides help reduce friction, while new titanium valves lighten up the reciprocating mass upstairs. Down below we see new crankshaft main bearings, piston rod bearings, and countershaft bearings. Again, to reduce friction. Other changes include new fuel injectors, capable of 0.5 bar more injection pressure, and a new twin-flow oil cooler MV claims is 5% more efficient than the previous version. A new, stronger clutch basket is a notable change on the transmission side. Not to be outdone, however, MV has graced the new Superveloce with new seat foam(!) to give your buns a little more cushion. And finally, a new color – Pearl Metallic Yellow/Matt Metallic Graphite – joins the existing, classic Ago Red/Silver combination. Now marginally more comfortable! Superveloce S The newest addition to the family is the Superveloce S. Benefiting from all the changes the standard Super-V sees, the S version brings the flair for the elegant up another level. There’s nothing different about the S model’s lines, but when it’s adorned in white, for some reason it adds even more class to the package. Maybe it’s the additional gold lettering. Then again, the black wire-spoke wheels with gold rims also bring a cool style all their own. MV says the spoke wheels are a “tribute to the bikes of the past, but with all the efficiency and weight of a modern wheel.” Whatever that means. Another stylistic change is a switch to a brown Alcantara seat, for that ultimate in luxury feel. A racing kit is available for the S model, which does away with the passenger seat (but keeps the Alcantara for the rider), adds a dual-outlet Arrow exhaust, and features a dedicated ECU mapping. Feast your eyes on the MV Agusta Superveloce S. Pricing and availability of the Superveloce and Superveloce S were not available as of press time. So instead, enjoy the photo gallery below. The post MV Agusta Updates The Superveloce Range For 2021 appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/Q9cYbJN8fgcSource

Updated April, 2021 Wearing a one-piece leather suit can be such a commitment; they’re a chore to put on, you’re stuck in a racer-like position even when you don’t want to be, and what do you do when nature calls? That last reason must be why apparel manufacturers decided to make two-piece leathers. That, or lots of people just want to wear the jacket most of the time, saving the pants for sporty rides and track days. Two-piece suits offer nearly the same amount of protection as their one-piece counterparts, but they’re way more convenient for those who only see the track once or twice a year. Or never. As you can probably guess, two-piece suits consist of a jacket and pants that zip together in the middle via a circumference zip. Some jacket/pant combos out there connect via a zip connection that’s only six inches or so in length, in the back. We don’t trust them as much as a zipper that goes all the way around, and most sanctioning bodies won’t allow them on the race track. What we have below is a collection of dedicated two-piece offerings from a few of our favorite, trusted manufacturers. Table of Contents Alpinestars Missile 2-Piece Race Suit For Tech Air Race – $1000 Dainese Avro D2 Two-Piece Women's Race Suit – $1150 Joe Rocket Speedmaster 5.0 Two-Piece Race Suit – $700 - $730 Spidi Sport Warrior Touring – $1050 Vanson V932 Mark3 – Velocity Custom Two-Piece Leather Motorcycle Racing Suit – Price Varies Aerostich Transit – $1864 Alpinestars Missile 2-Piece Race Suit For Tech Air Race – $1000 If you’re looking for an airbag suit, the Missile one-piecer represents the lowest cost of entry into Alpinestars’ Tech-Air compatible airbag system. Fortunately for those who require a two-piece, the Missile also comes as a jacket/pant combo, and the jacket is still Tech-Air compatible (the air vest is sold separately). Premium 1.3mm leather makes up the main chassis, with large accordion stretch panels at knees and shoulders. Stretch fabric on the sleeves and inner thighs helps provide the feeling of a custom fit and increases freedom of movement. The speed hump is sculpted for ideal airflow at track speeds. CE certified protection at the elbows, shoulders, and knees absorb impact energy. The pants, like the jacket, are pre-curved and come with a calf-expansion gusset to better accommodate different body types. There’s a full mesh inner liner and a waterproof inner pocket to keep important documents safe. Natch, the jacket can be worn as a standalone item. Sorry ladies, the Missile is only available as a one-piece in womens’ sizes. Bottom Line/Air bag means maximum safety Shop Now Dainese Avro D2 Two-Piece Women's Race Suit – $1150 The women’s version of the excellent tutu leather Avro D2 utilizes S1 bielastic fabric at the back of the knees, crotch, arms and back for a unparalleled flexibility. Inside, the Nanofeel liner is treated with Silver Ion antimicrobial technology to enhance comfort and ensure that the interior of your suit stays like new no matter how hard you ride (as in, perspire). On the hips, you’ll find Pro-Shape soft protectors certified to the EN 1621.1 standard, while composite protectors and co-injected shoulder armor are topped with aluminum inserts. The suit itself is certified to the CE – Cat. II – 89/686/EEC directive. There’s one inner pocket, and of course a (nearly) full circumference zipper. Bottom Line/Haute couture moto Shop Now Joe Rocket Speedmaster 5.0 Two-Piece Race Suit – $700 - $730 The least expensive option on this list, the Joe Rocket Speedmaster 5.0 two-piece suit is derived from the one-piece version – a very popular suit in its own right. Constructed from 1.2mm-1.4mm cowhide, it features titanium reinforcements on the shoulders and CE armor in the usual spots: shoulders, knees, and elbows. There’s a removable spine pad which can be replaced with an optional CE spine protector (sold separately). Complete with speed hump and ventilation system, the pre-curved legs and sleeves help the suit feel comfortable on the bike. Heavy duty YKK zippers keep everything in place and secure. Bottom Line/Solid suit at a great price Shop Now Spidi Sport Warrior Touring – $1050 The Spidi Sport Warrior Touring Suit is designed for use both on the track and on the road. Certified to the CE prEN 17092-4:2017 Class AAA standard, the Warrior’s defensive weaponry includes shoulder, elbow, hip, and knee Warrior Lite Armor certified to CE Level 1 En 1621-1:2012. For those who want even more, there are internal pockets for both a back and chest protector. Constructed from 1.1 to 1.3mm thick bovine leather, flex panels at the knees, elbows, and ribs keep you comfortable and prevent bunching and pinching. A pair of removable and replaceable knee sliders are included, and the suit’s speed hump provides optimal aerodynamics along with a pocket for a Hydroback bag and straw (sold separately). That’s a feature you’ll love on a hot day, and one none of the other suits on this list offer. Bottom Line/Another fashionable and functional Italian Shop Now Vanson V932 Mark3 – Velocity Custom Two-Piece Leather Motorcycle Racing Suit – Price Varies Custom-made leather suits are typically of the one-piece variety because usually only racers go the custom route. But if you’re after a two-piece that’s made to measure, Vanson will be happy to help. There are a few different options in the Vanson catalog for both men and women, but we’ll use the V932 Mark3 as an example, as it’s Vanson’s top-of-the-line custom single-zip two-piece suit for road racing. This custom made suit is constructed of a single layer of 1.4mm competition weight cowhide, Powerstretch, and PROperf leather. Little touches include shoulders and sleeves being rotated forward for easier reach to the controls, brass zippers, and raw edge leather at the wrists and ankles to reduce the amount of bulk in your boots and gloves. Vanson’s patented F.A.S. Armor (Floating Armor System), is located in the shoulders, elbow/forearms, knees and back pad. The Armor is constructed of closed cell foam padding with molded plastic inserts sewn onto the foam. The edges of the plastic are covered with leather for safety. The hips bear CE-approved armor, and Vanson’s patented floating system allows it all to move with the rider for maximum protection. Bottom Line/Heavy-duty, made in Massachusetts protection Shop Now Aerostich Transit – $1864 Do we really need to be racing everywhere we go? No. Aerostich is famous for its textile Roadcrafter suits, but the Transit is as stylish and technical as it gets. Combining specially treated high quality leather with an integrated waterproof laminate results in a material called CORIUM+, which Aerostich claims provides exceptional levels of protection and comfort in all types of weather. This unique, supple, and luxurious leather doesn’t soak up moisture so it never gets heavy, and dries immediately after riding through severe rain. Meanwhile, millions of micro-vents across the surface of the leather insure that the moisture on your skin will evaporate right through, even with the jacket fully zipped closed. Aerostich says only the finest cows are chosen to be made into Corium+, quite an honor. Design updates for the latest ‘3’ version include waterproof underarm vent zippers, a slightly larger pocket on the right forearm (perfect for toll-road money, house keys, etc.), a fold-away reflective cover over the dual-slider zipped back vent, and a near-full circumference (270°) pant-to-jacket zipper. Bottom Line/A lot of dough, but one suit for all seasons – probably forever Shop Now We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews and other articles. Learn more about how this works. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post Best Two-piece Motorcycle Leathers appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/b3ThvsZbZ1YSource

The first thing you need to know is that we are not trained professionals. The second thing you need to know is that we’re not trained medical professionals either. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, we wanted to put together a basic overview of what a macro look at motorcycle-specific first aid and best safety practices might entail. We won’t be touching topics like, how to clean wounds, how to splint a leg, or how to reattach an appendage. I mean, yea, we’ve seen Frankenstien, we could probably stitch someone back together. Seems easy enough, but we’ll leave that to the pros and mad scientists. Really, this article is meant to be a broad overview of some of the tools and tips to get you on your way to being able to handle and administer first aid should the circumstance call for it. Also something to consider, get your riding buddies in on the idea, because if you’re the only one well-prepared and something happens to you, all your training and preparedness (or at least most of it) will be for naught. Take a class Take some first aid training classes, and/or refresh previous training or certifications. This is the best way to ensure you’ll be ready to deal with an unfortunate situation should one arise. You’ll have the correct tools, not just in your first aid kit, but in your toolbox of knowledge, too. Embed from Getty Images There are a lot of first aid and first responder classes available. These training classes can cover everything from situational awareness to how to treat specific injuries. Some programs cover all of the above. A quick Google search will yield dozens of results, but there are also a few motorcycle-specific programs that put a focus on motorcycle safety – like the programs that Road Guardians run. First Aid Kits They’re not all created equal. Not to mention, if you’ve never opened that cheap one you got from Amazon that immediately got thrown in your pack for a long trip, it’s probably not going to do you much good when you need it. Even if you did do a bit of research and secured yourself a first aid kit that actually includes useful items that aren’t cheap junk, if you don’t know how to use said items, you’re not going to be prepared when the time comes to use it. Companies like My Medic build comprehensive first aid kits with quality products. Chances are, if you look for the cheapest kit you can find, even if it has all of the tools you think you’ll need, those tools may not be reliable when you need them most. Devices Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) or satellite messaging devices provide great peace-of-mind should the unfortunate happen. The crew here at MO have used Spot devices in the past during stories and while testing off-road in the desert. Evans was even able to rent a Spot tracker back in 2018 to use during his ride from Texas to California on the then-new Honda Gold Wing. MO Tested: Spot Gen3 Rental Review PLBs are satellite linked devices that send an SOS signal of your location. These SOS calls are monitored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) which are then filtered through different agencies to alert local response teams. PLBs must be registered and typically do not require a subscription like satellite messaging devices. Satellite messengers, like the Spot devices mentioned above, also use satellites to send SOS messages; additionally, these devices can offer a wide range of communication options aside from just sending SOS messages. Garmin’s inReach technology is another example of a satellite messenger. Spot and Garmin both offer a plethora of products ranging from simple to high-tech, such as Garmin’s Montana 700i, which incorporates its inReach technology into a GPS unit. Most of these units will allow communication with others either two-way or one-way that can help keep your friends, co-workers, or family up to date with your situation in addition to providing SOS capability. These units usually have rechargeable batteries whereas PLBs do not – but they do require plans to activate and use which vary widely. At the scene After the spit hits the fan, or pavement, or what have you, it’s good to have a plan in your head of what needs to go down, rather than just freaking out and running to your fellow rider’s side. First things first, you can’t help someone if you get injured yourself. Get yourself and your motorcycle out of the danger/impact zone, and turn your emergency flashers on if you’ve got `em, blinkers if not. Then evaluate the environment further to try to make it as safe as possible, such as letting oncoming traffic know there has been an incident and to slow down or stop. This is particularly important if you’re in a twisty road environment with blind curves on either side or if it’s dark outside. Embed from Getty Images Try to keep calm and check in on the injured rider, and don’t move them or let them move, unless absolutely necessary – at least until you and the patient both agree their neck and back feel okay. Best case, the victim is conscious and coherent. Worst case, if they’re not awake, you’ll need to check to see if they’re breathing, and if not you’ll really wish you’d had real first-aid training. You can even take a Red Cross online CPR course here. Try to evaluate the best you can with that class you took (you did take a class, right?). If the injury may be life-threatening or you’re unsure, it may be time to bust out your Spot (or Garmin inReach, or other related devices) and make the call for help. Embed from Getty Images If the injury isn’t as severe and you can determine it to be isolated, you can probably use that well-thought out first aid kit to provide some relief until emergency personnel arrive. Keep in mind that you may want to hold off on administering pain medicine if possible and let the professionals make that call on scene, as some medications can limit a doctor’s ability to treat you immediately. If you do administer any medication, keep track of what it was and when it was given to relay to the medical pros. If you’re unsure at all about where all someone may be injured, do not attempt to remove gear. A general rule of thumb is to, again, wait for the EMTs to arrive to assess the situation. If it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to get an ambulance to your location – say if you’re riding off-road – start developing a plan as soon as possible to get the person back to civilization to receive treatment. The best advice I’ve ever been given was, “Include a doctor in your riding group.” Seems easy enough, right? I had an orthopedic surgeon in my group for my first 8-day ride in Baja. While that sounds comforting, it’s best that everyone in the group has first aid training, because you never know who might run into an issue. The truth is, we are trained professionals, some classically, and some by the school of hard knocks. Really, who else but the Evans-in-Charge could make sliding through the gravel look this good?! We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews. Learn more about how this works. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post Motorcycle First Aid: What You Need To Know appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/pzLpArk7prgSource

Just because we’re California weenies doesn’t mean we don’t get rained on now and then. In fact, our arid lifestyle makes us even more sensitive when our dogs get dampened. You don’t have to be a veteran of trench warfare to know your feet are happiest when they’re dry. Especially if it’s not particularly warm, and especially if you’re whipping up a nice wind-chill factor for yourself at the same time. Now that Gore-tex and copycat breathable waterproof membranes are here, the days of plastic bags over your feet are over. Though that’s still an option. Naturally, these all come in various sizes to fit most feet, and many come in womens’ sizing as well. Here’s a light sprinkling of our favorite waterproof motorcycle boots. Table of Contents Alpinestars Men's Campeche Drystar Motorcycle Riding Boot – $250 Sidi Adventure 2 GoreTex Mid Boots – $350 TCX Explorer EVO Gore-Tex Boot – $215 - 251 Tour Master Solution 2.0 WP Women's Boots – $130 Stylmartin Cruise Boots – $265 KLIM Outlander GTX Motorcycle Boot – $300 Dainese Fulcrum GT Gore-Tex Boots – $300 Forma Adventure Low WP Boots – $230 FLY Racing M16 Waterproof Riding Shoes Alpinestars Men's Campeche Drystar Motorcycle Riding Boot – $250 Alpinestars alone makes a veritable plethoria (sic) of alleged rainproof boots, “Drystar” being its own version of Gore-tex (“Campeche” being a Mexican state on the Yucatan peninsula adjacent to the Mexican Alps). We can’t vouch for all of them, but our dogs have stayed dry through a couple of reasonable deluges in Campeches. (And E. Brasfield can vouch for the A’Stars Supertouring Gore-Tex numbers he’s wearing in our lead photo.) Features include thick, oiled leather construction, easy entry via zipper and Velcro for a snug fit (avoid these if you don’t really enjoy lots of Velcro), reinforced toe box and heel counters, polypropylene insole with steel shank, and soft, grippy, replaceable anatomical EVA footbeds that make these quite comfy but also quite warm. CE certified. Bottom Line/Waterproof and warm too Shop Now Sidi Adventure 2 GoreTex Mid Boots – $350 Our Sidi Canyon GoreTex boots have been going strong for a couple of decades now, and are still a fine choice. But for adventurous riders who’d like a bit more protection, there’s these newer Adventure 2 GoreTex numbers – basically a shorter version of Sidi’s full-height Adventure 2 Boot. Shorter shafts and lighter weight make these way better for off-bike activities. But there’s a rigid, shock resistant, anatomically shaped heel cup and stronger toe boxes for serious foot protection. Genuine Gore-Tex means really good ventilation and waterproofing. Bottom Line/Sidi, never seedy Shop Now TCX Explorer EVO Gore-Tex Boot – $215 - 251 This latest EVO version is updated with a wider metatarsal and lower to enhance comfort, while still providing the CE-level protection you want. That means malleolus reinforcement, a reinforced heel counter, and micro-injected shift pads and shin plates. Elastic zippers and wide Velcro-brand fastener bands make for easy ingress/egress. Once inside, your feet will enjoy replaceable, anatomic foot beds and that Gore-Tex Extended Comfort lining behind abrasion-resistant Cordura uppers with micro injected inserts that provide breathable coolness and dry feet. Bottom Line/Another Italian winner Shop Now Tour Master Solution 2.0 WP Women's Boots – $130 Water-repellent leather and PU uppers outside, a HiPora waterproof, breathable membrane inside, and preformed orthopedic insoles combined with stretch panels are all about keeping your feet snug, warm and dry. Molded nylon shin and ankle guards backed with shock absorbing material, and TecnoGI thermoplastic heel cups and toe caps bring the impact protection. Easy in-and-out comes courtesy of auto-lock zippers covered with adjustable Velcro flaps, and 3M ScotchLite out back adds night time safety. Bottom Line/Solid, fashionable, and affordable Shop Now Stylmartin Cruise Boots – $265 For those looking for something in a more cruiserish style, here you go. In addition to the full-grain water repellent leather upper and waterproof/breathable liner, the Cruisers offer internal malleuolus protection on both sides of the ankle, anatomic, antibacterial, and replaceable footbeds, and anti-slip, oil-resistant rubber soles. Bottom Line/Looking good is also important Shop Now KLIM Outlander GTX Motorcycle Boot – $300 These look more like something you’d put on your Sherpa, but we’ve been impressed with just about everything Klim makes, and they’re getting lots of good reviews. Half motorcycle boot and half hiking boot, with a Gore-Tex lining, these sport D30 protection in the ankles and tongue, reinforced toes and heels and reinforced rubber in high wear areas. Nestfit technology with a quick BOA lacing system with open lace guides make the Outlanders a snap to get in and out of quickly, while a full-length lasting board provides support when you’re standing on the pegs. Bottom Line/Top-quality and genuine Gore-Tex Shop Now Dainese Fulcrum GT Gore-Tex Boots – $300 Dainese makes very nice stuff, and these cowhide supple full-grain leather uppers are backed up by a genuine Gore-Tex waterproof membrane, as well as CE-certified inserts for both weather and crash protection. Like most of these boots, there are reflective inserts. Elasticated inserts provide a secure fit, a thermoformed insert protects the shin, and the differentiated design rubber soles provide secure footing in the wet. Bottom Line/Full-length protection and dryness Shop Now Forma Adventure Low WP Boots – $230 When you find yourself riding more on fire roads than freeways, says Forma, you might be ready for these Adventure EVO Lows. Oiled full-grain leather uppers are jam-packed with moto levels of protection, but comfortable thanks to soft polymer padding with memory foam. Also, you’ll find a Drytex membrane inside to keep rain out and let sweat evaporate. Replaceable footbeds sit atop double density anti slip/rubber soles that are stitched on, making them also easily replaceable. Bottom Line/Rugged and dry is a good combo Shop Now FLY Racing M16 Waterproof Riding Shoes Well, more shoe than boot, but these offer way more protection than your Nikes thanks to dual-density ankle protectors and reinforced toe and heel boxes. And dryness, too, via waxed black leather uppers and a HYDRAGuard waterproof breathable membrane. They also sport a breathable mesh liner, removable comfort insoles, and a composite shank to isolate your feet from vibration. Bottom Line/Look cool, be dry Shop Now We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews. Learn more about how this works. We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews and other articles. Learn more about how this works. The post Best Waterproof Motorcycle Boots appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/m2pHhXqrUMISource

2021 Kawasaki KLX300SMEditor Score: 86%Engine 17.0/20Suspension/Handling 13.5/15 Transmission/Clutch 8.5/10Brakes 8.25/10 Instruments/Controls4.0/5 Ergonomics/Comfort 8.5/10 Appearance/Quality 8.25/10Desirability 9.0/10Value 9.0/10Overall Score86/100The 2021 Kawasaki KLX300SM might be the best new beginner motorcycle on the market. Did that get you fired up? Lemme ‘splain. It’s obvious that the new KLX300SM can be a lot of fun for riders of all levels, but there are some clear advantages of a supermoto-style motorcycle for the uninitiated. First, the price isn’t bad. It’s not the cheapest, with even Kawasaki’s own Ninja and Z 400 undercutting it by a grand, but $5,999 isn’t too expensive either. Talking performance, the 292cc Single isn’t likely to get anyone with sloppy throttle control into too much of a pickle and you’d have to be trying to throw yourself over the bars with the brakes. Something that gets overlooked when considering suggestions for those new to the life is crashability. Tip-overs happen. For new riders – or most riders really – it’s a bummer to see a big ol’ scuffed fairing due to a silly mistake. The KLX300SM will take that damage just like a dirtbike – meaning better than any street bike laden with plastic fairings. Even if you do go down you’ll probably scuff some small areas and maybe break a lever (install wrap-around handguards to lower this potential). Even if it happens, your bill for replacement parts will be nil. And then there is maintenance. Most single-cylinder machines are easy bikes to cut one’s teeth in the art of motorcycle maintenance, but a supermoto like the KLX300SM will be about as easy as it gets when performing open-head surgery (which will need to be done every 7,600 miles) on a four-valve DOHC engine. Don’t agree? I know you’ll let me know in the comments, but for now, let’s take a closer look at the 2021 Kawasaki KLX300SM. More than a few choice changes As one might expect, the two new KLXs share more than a handful of components, but there have also been quite a few changes to point these motorcycles toward their intended purposes. Kawi spent the time making the changes necessary to deliver a sporty supermoto-style 300. 2021 Kawasaki KLX300 Review – First Ride Most obvious of course, are the 17-inch tube-type wheels front and rear with 110 and 130 section IRC Road Winner RX-01 tires. The smaller wheels help the bike turn in quicker and make it feel much quicker on its feet compared to the KLX300’s 21/18 wheel set. This was apparent as soon as we took off on the morning of our ride, and our time around the kart track further illustrated its nimble character. Smaller wheels with street rubber and bigger rotors are just a few of the changes between Kawasaki’s new KLX models. A larger, 300mm front brake rotor is used to provide better braking power up front from the two-piston caliper both KLXs share. In the rear, the same 240mm disc and single piston caliper are carried over from the dual-sport model. ABS is not available, but really, on a supermoto that would just spoil the fun and drive up the cost. While the frame is the same, the steering head angle is now 1.7-degrees steeper at 25° and trail has been reduced to 2.8 inches, making the KLX300SM effortlessly agile. Concurrently, the wheelbase has been slightly reduced by 0.2 inches. The bike feels even lighter than its 304.3-pound (claimed) curb weight while in motion, too. Again, the overall size of the bike and how slim it is should help to make the KLX300SM an intriguing choice for new riders. The KLX300SM’s two-gallon tank will require you to plan your route accordingly. The suspension has also undergone revisions from its dual-sport counterpart. Travel has dropped about an inch front and rear, to 9.1 and 8.1 inches respectively, while the spring rates have gone up considerably. The fork now uses a 10.8 n/mm spring rate while the rear has been bumped to 66.5 n/mm. This stiffens up the ride quite a bit to provide better stability for sporty riding on tarmac. It also means you’ll feel bumps coming through the seat and bars more. The fork still offers 16-way adjustable compression damping, while preload, compression (20-way), and rebound (30-way) are adjustable on the Uni-Trak linkage-type shock. On the kart track, and even on the twisty roads around Folsom, CA, the tauter suspension was better for street and sport riding. Road imperfections weren’t swallowed up like on the dual-sport model, but less dive under hard braking was appreciated. The seat is 1.3 inches shorter on the SM model, at 33.9, and it’s fairly comfortable for a dirtbike style one-piece seat. The lower seat height in conjunction with the overall slimness of the motorcycle helps riders touch the ground easier as well. Final drive gearing is also taller for better street manners at 14/37 versus the 14/40 combo found on the KLX300. The gearing, counter-balancer, slimmer handlebar, and rubber footpeg inserts all help the KLX300SM feel surprisingly smooth at highway speed – moreso than the standard KLX300. The 292cc Single still puts out nice mid-range torque and will rev out fairly high before hitting the rev limiter. Color choices are Oriental blue or Lime green. The price has gone up from the standard model with these changes to $5,999, which still seems pretty reasonable for how much fun can be had on the KLX300SM. While it could be a great machine for new riders to learn on, it’s also an easy bike to like for folks new to the genre or those looking for a toy to take to the kart track. Under an experienced rider, the SM can be tossed around and pushed to its limits in a fashion that will have even the most jaded moto-journo smiling – or at least that’s what the experienced riders tell me. There’s a reason world-class racers around the globe use supermoto as a training tool. Really though, we’ve said it a dozen times, a dozen different ways – going to a track will help anyone be a better rider and it allows one to test the limits of their machine in a safe environment. A supermoto is probably the easiest and cheapest way to get on track and again, will be the best off should the unfortunate lowside occur. Don’t forget to have fun Despite most manufacturers giving up on their street-legal supermoto models over the past couple decades, we’d like to think a resurgence of the category is just over the horizon. Kawasaki obviously does too. The supermoto is the modern interpretation of a motorcycle that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s not a big deal if you crash it, you can take it on-road, off-road, on-track, or jump it off of the loading ramping behind your local Wal-Mart (Motorcycle.com accepts no liability for damages to property or person during the act of supermoto-induced hooliganism, nor are we responsible for legal fees caused by having fun on two wheels). Interested in having a sit for yourself? The 2021 Kawasaki KLX300SM is already in dealerships. Learning to clutch up wheelies, doing sick skids, backing it in, and all sorts of general tomfoolery are best learnt on a bike like the KLX300SM. Of course, you could just ride it around like a responsible adult too. Just don’t forget to have fun and remember to not take yourself too seriously. 2021 Kawasaki KLX300SM + Highs Agile Resilient to damage A good bike for learning (to be a hooligan) – Sighs Suspension can feel a bit jarring over poorly maintained roads Could always be less expensive In Gear – Street Helmet: Shoei Hornet X2 $600 Jacket: REV’IT! Mantis $460 Gloves: REV’IT! Sand 4 H2O $140 Boots: Dainese Axial D1 Air $530 In Gear – Track Helmet: Shoei Hornet X2 $600 Suit: Dainese Misano 2 D-Air $2500 Gloves: Dainese Druid D1 Discontinued Boots: Dainese Axial D1 Air $530 2021 Kawasaki KLX300SM Specifications MSRP $5,999 Engine Type 4-stroke single, DOHC, liquid-cooled Bore x Stroke 78 mm x 61.2 mm Displacement 292cc Transmission 6-speed Clutch Return shift with wet multi-disc manual clutch Starter Electric starter Final Drive chain Frame High-tensile steel, box-section perimeter Front Suspension 43mm inverted cartridge fork with adjustable compression damping /9.1 in Rear Suspension Uni-Trak® gas-charged shock with piggyback reservoir with adjustable rebound damping and spring preload/8.1 Front Brake Single 300mm petal disc with a dual-piston caliper Rear Brake Single 240mm petal disc with single-piston caliper Front Tire 110/70-17 Rear Tire 130/70-17 Tires IRC Road Winner RX-01 Rake/Trail 25°/2.8 inches Wheelbase 56.5 inches Ground Clearance 9.3 inches Seat Height 33.9 inches Fuel Capacity 2 gallons Curb Weight 304.3 pounds (claimed) Colors Lime Green/Ebony, Oriental Blue/Ebony Warranty 12 months Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post 2021 Kawasaki KLX300SM Review – First Ride appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/u0F6YoMrymsSource

So you want to drag your knee, huh? We get it. Scraping your knee puck on the ground looks cool, and if you’re in the business of looking cool on motorcycles like we are, then it helps provide a little bit of job security. But putting your knee on the ground is not just a way to get more likes on the ‘gram, it can also be a useful tool to gauge how far over you’re leaning your motorcycle. In this tutorial, I’ll tell you how. The Legal Stuff If you’re going to try this, then you’re doing it at your own risk. Don’t blame us if anything goes wrong. But first, a disclaimer. Learning and practicing any new motorcycle technique should be done in a controlled environment, like a big empty parking lot or a racetrack. Your local canyon road, or worse, your freeway on-ramp, is NOT the place to practice any motorcycle technique. Ensure your motorcycle is in proper operating condition – no leaky fluids, no bald tires, etc. – before beginning. And if we have to remind you to wear all your gear, especially knee pucks and/or protection in this case, then we highly advise you to stop reading now and not try this at all. Lastly, Motorcycle.com accepts ZERO responsibility for any harm, damage, or injury that may occur to you, your motorcycle, or other property. You, and you alone, are responsible for your actions. Now, Let’s Begin For the sake of this guide, we’ll assume you’re riding a sportbike or a sporty-type motorcycle. Basically, cruisers need not apply, though we’ve seen cruiser riders get their knee on the ground on occasion. Getting into the details of proper ergonomics and the placement of the controls on the motorcycle is out of the scope of this article, so we’ll save that discussion for another time. Don’t resign yourself to thinking you have to ride a sportbike to drag a knee. Like any new skill worth learning, picking it up means starting with the basics. A common misconception is the amount of speed needed to drag a knee. Contrary to popular belief, putting a knee on the ground can be done at low speeds under the right environment. In a large parking lot setting, all you need to reach is a speed where the bike is stable and not under threat of falling over. This low speed is a good place to start, since mistakes aren’t going to be met with disaster. How do you know if your speed is right? Try riding in a circle at whatever speed is comfortable to you, at whatever body position you normally use. Don’t try sticking your knee out yet. Whatever that speed is, it’ll be enough to get your knee down. You may not realize it, but when you’re going round and round, maintaining a neutral throttle (not accelerating or decelerating, just staying constant) is what’s keeping you literally running around in circles. This will be important when it comes to knee dragging practice. The easiest place to start learning a new riding technique is in a big, empty lot. Now that you understand what the bike will be doing, let’s turn the attention to you and one of the most popular topics riders talk about – body position. We could easily go down a rabbit hole talking about body position, but the fundamental element here is scooting your butt off the seat to the side you intend on turning (move your butt off to the left if you’re turning left and vice versa). A good rule of thumb is to have the balls of your feet on the pegs and the edge of the seat “between your cheeks,” if you catch our drift. If you’re able to scoot even more off the seat, the easier getting a knee down will be – but only if you’re comfortable. Once your lower body is set, your upper body will be “leading” you into the turn. The simple way to think about it is to pretend you’re kissing whichever mirror is on the side you’re turning while concurrently squaring your shoulders towards the turn. If you’re on a sportbike, and assuming your head is leading into the turn and your shoulders are square, being able to rest your outside arm across the gas tank is a good indicator your upper body is in the right place. Don’t worry if you can’t drape your arm over; different bikes place your arms in different positions and resting your arm on the tank isn’t always possible. But that’s the idea. Notice how much of the rider’s backside is off the seat and how his head and shoulders are leading him into the turn. Now The Fun Part With a stable speed and your body in the right position, the next step is… sticking your knee out. From here maintain neutral throttle and gently initiate the turn. If your area allows, use an even bigger circle to start with to get more comfortable. From here, keep leaning steadily until you feel and hear that magic *scrape* sound. Remember to maintain your speed and neutral throttle. The first time you touch down will scare the bejesus out of you. That’s normal. Afterward, try some more until you’re able to tighten your circle, and definitely try it in both directions, even doing figure-eights if you feel ready. Gradually keep leaning and/or tightening your radius until you hear that magic scraping sound. Then you’ll have graduated into the knee-dragging club! What Not To Do Congrats! You’ve successfully touched your knee to the ground. It’s a cool feeling, right? Now go practice some more. Before you get too excited, there’s one important thing to remember NOT to do. First and foremost, don’t introduce any sudden inputs to the motorcycle. Everything you do should be smooth, controlled, and deliberate. Don’t stab the brakes, whack the throttle, or any other jerky motion. Remember, as you’re using the tire to lean, you’re incrementally taking away its ability to do other things like stop or go. Sudden inputs can overwhelm a tire. Slow, deliberate inputs do not. There’s Way More To It Than That Fast Freddie Spencer won multiple world championships without ever hanging off like Marq Marquez. Proof that there are several ways to get a knee down. However, note Spencer’s lower body is off the seat like the rest of the riders shown here. Touching a knee to the ground isn’t the end-all, be-all of how to ride a motorcycle quickly. In fact, this is a good time to dispel a common myth: dragging your knee doesn’t automatically make you a faster or safer rider. There are plenty of great riders who never put a knee on the ground and racers who can go a whole season on the same set of knee pucks. Touching a knee down is simply a tool for judging lean angle – or for cool social media pictures. In fact, if getting faster really is what you’re after, dragging knee isn’t the goal at all, but simply a byproduct of the process. There are more nuances to the art of dragging knee than are shared here, like how to use trail-braking to tighten your radius, and thus touch down. But the deeper we go into the weeds, the more complex and convoluted this discussion becomes. We’ll save the lesson on elbow dragging for another time, but the basics are similar to getting a knee down. This tutorial is meant for the rider who has never touched down before and is simply looking to do it for the first time. As they say, you never forget your first, so go to a large lot and give it a try. The post How To Drag Your Knee: What Every Rider Should Know appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/PBvYkqxnXt4Source

2021 Kawasaki KLX300Editor Score: 85.75%Engine 17.0/20Suspension/Handling 13.25/15 Transmission/Clutch 8.5/10Brakes 8.25/10 Instruments/Controls4.0/5 Ergonomics/Comfort 8.5/10 Appearance/Quality 8.25/10Desirability 9.0/10Value 9.0/10Overall Score85.75/100In recent years, motorcycles like the 2021 Kawasaki KLX300 have become increasingly more popular, not only due to its small displacement, but also because it gives riders the versatility of having a mount that’s street legal while being able to handle duties in the dirt without being too intimidating. The KLX update couldn’t come at a better time for folks interested in dual-sport motorcycles. In a world ravaged by COVID-induced change, motorcycling – particularly the off-road segment – has enjoyed a welcome surge of interest for those looking for a new way to fill their time while still maintaining a safe distance from their fellow humans. The off-road, adventure, and dual-sport segments have been showing growth even before the world was tossed into a tailspin by the pandemic. It’s human nature to want to explore the unknown and dual-sport motorcycles provide the best mix of off-road capability and on-road legality. New to Kawi’s 2021 line-up is the KLX300SM. Stay tuned for the review of this lil’ ripper. Not only has the KLX received a boost in displacement, Kawasaki also brought a new model to the line with the 2021 KLX300SM. Made up of most of the same components, the 300SM focuses on street performance with choice revisions to make it an excellent runabout that is a bushel of fun on the tightest of twisty roads, but you can read about that here. For now, let us focus on the KLX300 dual-sport. 2021 Kawasaki KLX300SM Review – First Ride What’s new with the KLX300? For those familiar with Kawasaki’s dual-sport line, the KLX namesake is a familiar one. Sure, certain models have gone on sabbatical throughout the years, but some iteration has been around since 1979 when the three letters were first used to denote Kawi’s trail bikes back in the day. The 2021 KLX300 should remind you a lot of the outgoing 250 because it is basically the same motorcycle. The boost in displacement is essentially the only real change, but it’s a change that makes an obvious improvement in performance. Electric start and a 34mm Keihin throttle body fires the 292cc single to life with the push of a button. Stepping up from the 250 to 300 – 292cc, to be exact – we now see the KLX300 using the same power plant from the KLX300R that we reviewed last May. The increase in displacement was achieved by widening the bore 6mm to 78mm. Stroke remains the same at 61.2mm. The more aggressive cam profiles of the 300R engine lend a quick-revving nature while the larger displacement and 14/40 final gearing give the KLX300 a decent punch of low-end torque that’s helpful both off-road and around town. That’s not to say that you won’t see the LCD speedometer start to fall flat should you find yourself heading up a long gradual climb, but it gets to 70 mph and stays there without issue. Top speed registered on flat ground was 83 while a face-melting 87 mph was indicated heading downhill. Electric start and fuel injection help ease the learning curve for new riders and are a welcome nicety to anyone who’s spent time without. Kawi tells us the KLX’s cold-blooded nature has been addressed which was apparent on our cool morning start as the bike had no issue firing right up and settling into idle confidently. More than a few riders experienced weak battery issues during our ride caused by leaving the key on at stops, mind you those stops weren’t very long and I hadn’t experienced this issue in other settings. Hopefully, this little niggle was confined to our group of test motorcycles. We call this look, “black to the floor”. Let’s not forget the one other area aside from graphics that has changed: MSRP. Starting at $5,599 in Kawasaki green, the KLX300 can also be had in Fragment Camo Gray for an extra $200. The hip camo bike also comes blacked out from its swingarm and frame to fork and wheels, giving the murdered out look that the cool kids crave. I did happen to notice that the camo option seemed to scratch easily under my knee braces leaving white scuffs under the graphics. The KLX300’s cockpit isn’t a bad place to spend time. I wasn’t tired of it by the end of our hard day’s rockin’, at least. Other than that, the KLX is largely the same as the model it replaces. We still have 10.1 inches of suspension travel from the 43mm inverted fork with 16-way adjustable compression damping. The Uni-Trak linkage-type rear suspension has 9.1 inches of travel and is 20-way adjustable for compression and 30-way adjustable for rebound while also offering pre-load adjustment. All of that ends up giving the rider just over 10 inches of ground clearance, though the larger the rider, the less you’ll end up with once geared up and cruising down the trail. Seat height may be an issue for those short of inseam at 35.2 inches, but the light weight and slim hips of the motorcycle make it less intimidating than the numbers on the specsheet would suggest. Kawasaki claims 302 pounds full of juice. Dunlop D605s work pretty well in all of the terrains. A 21/18 wheel combo gives riders dozens of options for tire choice, though the Dunlop D605s equipped from the factory provide pretty great traction off-road without feeling ponderous on asphalt. Single rotors front and rear are used with a 250mm disc up front gripped by a dual-piston caliper and a 240mm one in the back squeezed by a single-piston caliper. Initial bite on both can feel a bit touchy if I’m nitpicking, but I try not to because braking power is perfectly adequate for a machine with this amount of power. Having adjustability in the suspension of a bike at this price should be something everyone can enjoy. KLX250 riders around the ‘net report anywhere from 50-70 mpg with their bikes so expect somewhere between 100-140 miles of range out of the KLX300’s two-gallon tank as well. This is, of course, as always dependent on the heft of your wrist. Versatility at a (low) price As mentioned up top, dual-sport bikes provide a nearly unparalleled level of versatility. Arguably more than any other segment in motorcycling. It is of course, always a trade-off. Adventure bikes are comfortable for touring and can deliver pretty great performance on-road and off. It’s only once you get far to either end of the spectrum that you find their weaknesses on the trail or trying to keep up with your peers on sporty machines (the rider makes the biggest difference here most of the time). Dual-sport motorcycles are much the same. The KLX300 isn’t a surprising motorcycle. It does exactly what you expect it to and it does it well. The motor is tractable for riding off-road and delivers power in a totally unintimidating way that anyone could be comfortable with. Having adjustable suspension at this price rarely happens and opens the door to a larger swath of riders to feel comfortable on the machine. It’s not rewriting the books on suspension performance, but like the brakes mentioned earlier, it does the job and offers adjustability where many others don’t. For larger riders, it will feel under sprung and for smaller, the opposite, but being able to adjust damping settings will at least help riders get closer to optimum settings before they have to consider swapping springs. That said, at stock settings, the bike kept itself tracking straight through whoops sections and gobbled up rocks like a Cadillac. I did bottom both ends under more extreme conditions and managed to whack the bottom of the tiny skid plate, but overall, I think the stock setup is commendable. At 5’8” I didn’t have an issue with seat height or riding whilst sat, but when standing off-road I found myself wishing the bars were higher. Some handlebar risers should take care of that easily, though. The footpegs are somewhat small, but I didn’t have much issue during our day of trail and street riding. The slimness of the entire bike and relatively low weight made it an easy machine to maneuver through anything we threw at it – also for when the inevitable happens and you need to pick it up. All in a day’s ride Our morning started off brisk. Layers were donned, and then more layers, and probably a buff or two. We took off out of town and jumped on the nearest freeway to transport ourselves to more tranquil and serene surroundings. On the freeway, the bike gets up to speed with ease, not necessarily quick, but not too slow either. Cruising at 75 isn’t difficult for the KLX300 and it still had a little more to give with me on board. Once we came to a long gradual uphill though, the speedo slowly began to give up miles, settling in around 70 or just under. I was happy to end our short freeway stint, mostly because it was chilly, the bike felt pretty smooth at speed, not busy like one might expect. Scooting through small towns and backroads on the KLX300 began to illustrate the motorcycle’s intended use. Even the Dunlop D605s held their own on twisty bits of tarmac without squirming much. We peeled off onto a gravel road and kept on truckin’. Small rocky trails on either side of the road offered fun, quick excursions. At speed, trying to traverse bumpy terrain without slowing probably isn’t wise, as you will run out of clearance and suspension travel, but slow things down and you’ll be rewarded with a plush, comfortable ride. Later in the day, when we got to poke around an OHV park, the motor’s torque was adequate in most conditions, and as long as momentum was maintained, tackling short climbs or long reasonably steep ones was relatively effortless. The suspension again showcased its plushness over trails lined with softball to grapefruit-sized rocks and kept tracking straight without deflecting. Again, check your speed and you’ll be fine. If you start trying to hammer through the aforementioned sections or slamming through whoops, you’ll find the bike’s limits quickly. Keeping a slower pace also allows you to “stop and smell the roses” or in our case while in northern California, listen to the frogs croak in the creek beds and enjoy the cool morning as the sun sifts through gnarled tree branches as you snake between green hills alongside moss-covered boulders continuing down dirt roads. Exploring just to explore and knowing that you probably won’t get yourself in over your head too easily. At the end of the trail For families looking for a bike to share whether its to use around town or around a farm, the KLX300 should be an easy bike to keep in the garage. Not to mention that its dirtbike-style setup means it’ll take a lickin’ and keep on kickin’. Servicing the machine should be a cinch as well and easy for those new to maintaining motorcycles. Having a day out riding trails with your friends and exploring is what it’s all about, and being able to run errands around town when you’re not is what makes the KLX300 attractive to many. Our own E-i-C, Brasfield is planning to ride one alongside his daughter as she learns to ride a small dirtbike. It will be a great learning experience for both of them (stay tuned for that heartwarming story). Just another scenario that Kawasaki’s KLX300 is perfectly suited to. 2021 Kawasaki KLX300 + Highs More displacement gives the KLX the little boost it needed Pretty well hits its intended purpose Stock rubber strikes a good balance – Sighs Ergos while standing might need work for taller riders Not a lot of range Camo graphics scratch easily In Gear Helmet: Alpinestars Supertech M8 $580 Jacket: Alpinestars Venture R Jacket $220 Jersey: Alpinestars Venture R $50 Armor: Alpinestars Bionic Pro $192 Pants: Alpinestars Venture R $150 Knee braces: Asterisk Ultra Cell $693 Boots: Alpinestars Tech 10 $600 2021 Kawasaki KLX300 Specifications MSRP $5,599 – $5,799 Engine Type 4-stroke single, DOHC, liquid-cooled Bore x Stroke 78 mm x 61.2 mm Displacement 292cc Transmission 6-speed Clutch Return shift with wet multi-disc manual clutch Starter Electric starter Final Drive chain Frame High-tensile steel, box-section perimeter Front Suspension 43mm inverted cartridge fork with adjustable compression damping /10.0 in Rear Suspension Uni-Trak® gas-charged shock with piggyback reservoir with adjustable rebound damping and spring preload/9.1 in Front Brake Single 250mm petal disc with a dual-piston caliper Rear Brake Single 240mm petal disc with single-piston caliper Front Wheel 3.0″ x 21″ Rear Wheel 4.6″ x 18″ Tires Dunlop D605 Rake/Trail 26.7°/4.2 inches Wheelbase 56.7 inches Ground Clearance 10.8 inches Seat Height 35.2 inches Fuel Capacity 2 gallons Curb Weight 302.1 pounds (claimed) Colors Lime Green, Fragment Camo Gray Warranty 12 months Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post 2021 Kawasaki KLX300 Review – First Ride appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/cy7r7D6i0ukSource

Twenty-five years ago the Aprilia RSV1000 Mille won our Open Twins shootout, the SL1000 Falco was a staff favorite, and the Scarabeo 150 scooter was “practically Italian sex in a practical package.” Wait, what? Anyway, the Futura was and is a great sport-tourer, but maybe not great enough, since Aprilia pulled the plug after 2005. Have they built a sport tourer since? I think not. Shudder to think how good a thing to ride an RSV4 Futura might’ve been. A serious sport tourer from the little company that can. By Motorcycle Online Staff Mar. 16, 2001 Torrance, California, 22 June 2001 Initially, the opening line of this story was going to read: “Pardon us if we don’t gush all over Aprilia’s all-new RST 1000 Futura like people expect us to.”After spending the perfunctory getting-to-know-you period with the Futura, we were less than amazed. Not that there was anything wrong with the bike, mind you. It just didn’t tickle our nether regions like we expected it to. But once we started to spend some more time on the bike, we began dispensing of hundreds of miles at a time and, almost magically, our opinion of the bike changed. Right now, Aprilia is really doing the biz, popping out bikes left and right, seemingly with each one going straight to the top of its class. In addition to their numerous championships in various two-wheeled disciplines, the success of their recent entries into the street bike market have caught a number of people by surprise. Including us. Aprilia’s Mille won our Open Twins shootout, their Falco quickly became a staff favorite and their Scarabeo 150 is practically Italian sex in a practical package. All juicy, emotional stuff, no doubt. So why the lack-luster initial response to the Futura? Not Just a Mille With Bags When we first heard about the Futura last year, we were sold on the bike — based purely on technical merit and our growing love affair with the Italian company. On paper, it would appear that the Futura has all the ingredients we look for in a serious sport-tourer.The Futura’s “V990” motor has Mille bloodlines, though it has been altered to make it more appealing to the touring crowd. The motor is in a more sedate state of tune than even the SL1000 Falco. Aprilia claims that this re-tuning makes the new motor, “not just suitable, but rather ideal,” for sport-touring use. Still displacing 997.62 cubic centimeters, the 60-degree v-twin features four valves per cylinder and camshafts driven by a combination gear/chain system, just like on the Falco and Mille. Similarly, the motor retains Aprilia’s Anti Vibration Double Countershaft (AVDC) balancing countershaft and also uses their patented Pneumatic Power Clutch (PPC) that keeps the back wheel from chattering on downshifts during hard braking. On paper, it would appear that the Futura has all the ingredients we look for in a serious sport-tourer. We’re pleased to say that it’s pretty good on the road, too. While the core of the motor is the same, there have been quite a few significant changes made elsewhere. Starting with the intake system, the Futura uses different throttle bodies that are designed for torque instead of high RPM power as on the Mille. Their diameter still checks in at 51 mm, but they work with a new intake pipe to keep the focus on producing power at low revs.The entire electronic fuel-injection system gets a serious once-over as well, courtesy of the people at Sagem. This all starts with the control unit taking note of things every 10-degrees of crankshaft rotation. Their control module is able to sense acceleration or the release of the throttle in order to optimize the fuel-air mixture for the smoothest delivery of power. The fuel mapping is, of course, changed from the Mille and Falco, and is different in each cylinder to make sure things burn as efficiently as possible. At the heart of the beast lies a motor whose bloodlines are pure RSV Mille. The frame is similar as well, though the single-sided swingarm is unique to the Futura. Another nice feature of this new control system is that you’ll notice the choke lever missing from the left grip. Start-up chores are now taken care of by Sagem so you don’t have to. There’s also a larger generator that works with all this electro-trickery to smooth out the torque delivery and to provide a constant, uninterrupted flow of electricity. Wrapped around the new motor is a frame that resembles that of the Mille, though it features a number of important changes. For starters, the steering stem has been lengthened by four millimeters while the lower triple clamp has been brought forward by five millimeters, increasing the wheelbase and the amount of rake. The engine also finds itself in a new location within the frame. Of course, the purpose of these changes is to tailor the bike’s road behavior towards the touring end of the spectrum, without detracting too much from the sort of track duty the RSV Mille has become known for. Hanging off the rear of the Futura you’ll find a nice bit of eye candy in the single-sided swingarm, made of aluminum alloy. Aprilia claims they’ve used a one-armer because it allows swift removal of the rear wheel (only one nut holds it in place) and because it allows them to use a nifty, under-seat exhaust system. Because of the trick under-seat exhaust, there is barely enough room under the seat for the supplied tool kit, let alone a U-lock or the usual flotsam. The exhaust is a two-into-one-into-two-into-one system that features an overall volume of 15 liters (3.3 gallons) thanks to a portion of the system residing under the motor. A catalytic converter is incorporated and a helps to not only keep things quiet, but emissions remain low enough that the Futura will pass all noise and emissions tests throughout the world. The use of this system also allows the standard hard luggage to fit in tightly, keeping the Futura’s overall width nice and narrow.Suspension-wise, the Futura uses 43 mm Showa forks up front that feature adjustable preload and rebound, though they are devoid of any sort of provisions to alter compression externally. Aprilia claims they’ve set up the suspension for “riding comfort” targeted at sport-touring instead of the sportier settings used on either the Mille or Falco. Rear suspension is handled by a Sachs shock that is, again, adjustable for preload and rebound damping, though there are no signs of a compression adjuster back here either. The rear suspension works through a linkage and the rear shock features a nifty knob located under the left side of the seat for on-the-fly preload tweaks. 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Updated March, 2021 If there’s a piece of apparel most associated with motorcycling, it’s undoubtedly the leather motorcycle jacket. The leather jackets is part of our uniform, but even non-riders search the bins for cowhide when it’s time to dress up for Halloween. No matter what you ride, the leather jacket is versatile enough to look at home nearly anywhere, and on nearly anything. The beauty of leather motorcycle jackets is they will likely never go out of style, and the more you wear them, the more comfortable they will feel – there’s just something about leather that other materials can’t match. Bountiful and ubiquitous, with seemingly endless options to choose from, it would be impossible for us to feature every single jacket out there. So here, we’ve gathered a small sampling of what the market has to offer, listed in alphabetical order. Table of Contents Alpinestars Dyno v2 Jacket – $530 Belstaff Ivy 2.0 Jacket – $1650 Dainese Lola 3 Women's Jacket – $600 Icon Hypersport 2 Prime Jacket – $425 Rev’It Vintage Glide Jacket – $530 Roland Sands Design Maven Leather Women's Street Motorcycle Jacket – $547 Schott Perfecto Steerhide Leather Motorcycle Jacket – $775 Spidi Super R Jacket – $490 Vanson AR3 Jacket – $539 Alpinestars Dyno v2 Jacket – $530 The original Dyno jacket from Alpinestars was one of the first leather jackets the company ever made. It became a best seller, and the updated version 2.0 carries on the tradition. Fully CE-approved, the Dyno v2 is made from supple leather with stretch panels across the chest for greater mobility. Two exterior pockets are paired with a waterproof internal pocket, and snaps at the waist help make for a better fit. CE certified Bio-Armor sits in the shoulder and elbow pockets for impact protection. A modern take on a vintage-ish jacket, the Dyno is classically understated but still has plenty of pop. Bottom Line/Italian stallion Shop Now Belstaff Ivy 2.0 Jacket – $1650 From the absurdly expensive department comes the Ivy 2.0 from Belstaff. At $1650, it’s the most expensive jacket on this list, and could be useful for showing your SO what a bargain the $500 jacket you want is if nothing else. But what does a giant wad of cash get you? In short, extravagance. Bull leather construction from 1.0-1.1mm thick hide, the Ivy 2.0 also gets cotton/viscose lining. The diamond pattern on the shoulders and elbows (along with CE approved armor underneath) is a signature Belstaff feature, while the collar is corduroy-lined, with hardware made from vintage nickel. There are two zippered side pockets and an embroidered logo on the sleeve. Looking at this jacket, the classic leather jacket look is clearly still there, with the offset zip being a clue to the classic design. The Ivy 2.0 is a little shorter than the version 1.0 to make it better suited for sportier motorcycles. Bottom Line/Dress to impress Shop Now Dainese Lola 3 Women's Jacket – $600 Dainese is code for slim-fit Italian fashion and top-notch protection. Iride matte leather, S1 bielastic stretch panels, and Pro-armor impact panels come together in a vintage-inspired ladies’ jacket. A TechFrame internal liner provides increased air circulation on hot days. Safety stitching and reinforced construction help the Lola 3 meets prEN 17092 motorbike protective jacket certification, and there’s a pocket for an optional back protector as well. (For the latest in protection, google up Dainese’s D-Air line of airbag-equipped gear.) Bottom Line/Safety and bellissima Shop Now Icon Hypersport 2 Prime Jacket – $425 Icon has a good rep for high quality at reasonable prices, and the Hypersport 2 Prime is at the top end of its performance envelope. Thick, 1.1-1.3mm TracSpec cowhide, designed with strategically sewn accordion leather flex zones, results in Icon’s “Attack Fit,” for high speed work. Your D3O impact protection package handles impact absorption – and an internal waist zipper connects to the matching Hypersport Prime pants. Deep chest pockets double as chest vents. Reinforced perforation zones let the breeze in as needed, and the microfleece-lined collar adds, ah, comfort. Bottom Line/Good bang for buck Shop Now Rev’It Vintage Glide Jacket – $530 The REV’IT Glide Vintage Jacket contains modern protection – CE-Rated armor at the shoulders and elbows, with a pocket for an optional back protector – inside an understated, vintage-inspired old-school jacket. MotoGP-inspired, the jacket incorporates a connection zipper to attach to any REV’IT pants. The standard removable sleeveless liner makes this a three-season jacket as well as one that looks great off the bike. Bottom Line/Euro chic Shop Now Roland Sands Design Maven Leather Women's Street Motorcycle Jacket – $547 Styled after RSD’s popular Ronin jacket, the Maven is a basic cafe racer style jacket form fitted for the female anatomy. Airbone leather is RSD’s premium cowhide offering. Pre-curved sleeves, relaxed collar and a dropped back are all part of the performance riding fit; an adjustable zip waist and comfort flex panels under the arms are designed to let women further tailor the Maven to their form. Inside, there’s a satin poly lining. If you want impact protection, though, you’ll pay a bit more for armor to fit into the jacket’s shoulder, elbow, and back protector pockets. Shop Now Schott Perfecto Steerhide Leather Motorcycle Jacket – $775 Remember the jacket Marlon Brando wore in The Wild One? This is it. The Original. The Perfecto. Schott and Brando defined the leather motorcycle genre with this jacket. Constructed from U. S. sourced, drum dyed, hand cut, heavyweight 3-3.5 oz. steerhide leather, the Perfecto is the standard by which all others are judged. For example, the offset zipper and slash cut front zip pocket are now iconic, just like the huge back panel design, Other signature touches include the snap-down lapels and attached belt with nickel plated buckle. There’s not actually any armor or padding inside, but for many people, especially ones who don’t ride, that may not be an issue. Bottom Line/What are you rebelling against today? Shop Now Spidi Super R Jacket – $490 With the Spidi Super-R jacket we move away from the old school and into something thoroughly sporty and modern. In place of the Schott’s offset zipper, the Super-R brings offset coloring. The chassis itself is made from full-grain 1.1-1.3mm bovine leather and there’s Spidi’s Warrior Tech external elbow sliders – ostensibly for promoting a slide during a crash, which is likely to happen if you try your best Marquez impression instead. ForceTech armor inserts are included at the elbows and shoulders and an optional Warrior protector can be worn in the back. Flex inserts on the arms give natural range of motion. The Super-R features a full zipper to be used with riding pants, and a snap system to use if you’re wearing riding jeans. Bottom Line/Italian flair, real-world protection Shop Now Vanson AR3 Jacket – $539 An iconic American brand, Vanson is known for its leather jackets. Go on the company website and prepare to be bombarded with a variety of different options. The AR3 is Vanson’s first leather jacket, but updated with CE-approved F.A.S. armor at shoulders and elbows, and the ability to accept the optional backpad. The action back segues into a dipped back and kidney panel for a windtight fit. Hardware is brass, zippers are metal. Vanson uses a specially formulated hot wax recipe dating back before WW2 to give it its distinct sheen and look. To quote Vanson, “This is a living material that changes with use and time all the while gaining a fine patina from use.” Bottom Line/A MO and crowd favorite Shop Now We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews and other articles. Learn more about how this works. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post Best Leather Motorcycle Jackets appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/XLo96vTuz-8Source

You have to be careful what you say in meetings. We were yukking it up over unlikely Top 10 ideas the other day, when I threw out “Most Revolutionary Harleys.” A few weeks later, here we are. The joke’s on me. After a little investigation and contemplation, it turns out a bunch of Harleys were pretty revolutionary, in the context of Harley-Davidson at least. And when you start bagging on Harley for being a bit hidebound, you also need to step back and try to remember the last time Honda ventured outside its box? Or Suzuki? The bigger and older the company, the more things stay the same – mostly because that’s how the customer likes it. But not so much these ten things: 1919 Model W Sport Twin Photo: Lars-Göran Lindgren Wiki Commons Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: The Model W was a new middleweight entry-level model designed to grow the motorcycle market by appealing to new riders! Its 584 cc side-valve flat-twin (like a BMW boxer but running fore-and-aft) was ahead of the game at the time: H-D’s first flathead was also its first bike with the (3-speed) gearbox inside the engine cases, which served as a stressed frame member. But all that tech meant the small Hog cost almost as much as a Big Twin. It was big in Europe! But when Indian introduced its first Scout in 1920 – faster, cheaper and cooler than the W – it was removed from the menu after 1923. 1936 EL Knucklehead Harley-Davidson Museum Archive Photo The Great Depression saw Harley sales plunge from 24,000 units in 1929 to 3700 by 1933, and nobody knew how bad it might still get. While there was nothing to do but worry, the MoCo developed its first overhead-valve V-twin, a 45-degree 60-inch (988cc) all-new engine with valve covers reminiscent of clenched fists. Valves were operated via push rods driven by a single, multi-lobed camshaft, and a recirculating lubrication system replaced primitive total-loss oiling. The new engine was rated at 40 horsepower. The EL framed the look for the next 85 years, right up until the present, with its chrome pushrod tubes, gas tank-mounted instruments, and that straight hardtail-line from front to rear axle. The EL pulled Harley out of the Depression, through WW2, and by 1947 the company was moving 20,000 units per year again – 11,000 of which were Knuckleheads. (The Harley-Davidson Story: Tales from the Archives, $19, Aaron Frank) 1957 Sportster XL Harley-Davidson Museum photo H-D’s response to the British invasion of the early `50s, when Triumph, Norton, and BSA were drinking its milkshake through a big straw, was the 1952 Model K. The K was the sportiest bike Harley had ever built, and when it still couldn’t outperform the 650 British twins, the ante was upped: The 1957 Sportster XL and its new 883 cc Ironhead OHV V-twin was a match for anything English, and it got plenty of Americans to return to the home team. The Sportster was Harley’s biggest seller by 1970, introduced God knows how many youths to motorcycling, and soldiered on until ahh, sounds like this year could be its last; if so, 64 years was a helluva run. 1971 FX Super Glide Harley-Davidson Museum Photo Before the Super Glide, there were big Harleys (FL touring bikes) and small Harleys (XL Sportsters). The Super Glide changed all that, mating small Harley parts (mostly the whole front fork assembly) to the big Electra Glide engine and chassis, to create what is generally agreed upon as being the first factory custom motorcycle. This Glide led directly to every Harley since that’s not a touring bike or a Sportster. Here’s Cycle magazine’s conclusion from 1970 (read the whole thing here): Visually, like it or not, the Super Glide is a dazzler, and H-D’s commitment is a dazzling commitment. With the exception of the sickening failure of the brakes(!), the Super Glide is everything mechanically that it promises visually to be; and it will succeed in this country like no machine H-D has ever made or dreamed of making. 1978 MX250 Photo courtesy Iconicmotorbikeauctions.com H-D had a relationship with the Italian bike maker Aermacchi since about 1960, and at some point in the mid`70s, it couldn’t help noticing how many MX motorcycles the kids were snapping up. In 1978, the MX250 was sprung. Motocrossactionmag.com tells us around 900 were built before the plug was pulled, many of which went unsold if they were even lucky enough to have made the journey from the Italian factory. Serial #1, pictured here, made the crossing. Iconic auctioned it off at $18,500! It is unlikely that the regular clientele at Harley dealerships was interested in dirt bikes or that motocross racers would have wandered into a Harley-Davidson dealership looking for a dirt bike. After the 1978 debacle, Harley sold Aermacchi to the Castiglioni brothers who changed the name to Cagiva… Motocross Action did not test the 1978 Harley MX250 because Harley-Davidson was afraid of critical tests (although they did advertise the bike in MXA). The retail price was $1695. – MXA 1981 Project Nova JB Archive This one was so revolutionary it didn’t get built. Porsche built the 135-horsepower liquid-cooled DOHC V-four engine, Milwaukee did the rest. A couple dozen running engines were built and put into a dozen prototype motorcycles, which put in many dyno hours, wind-tunnel testing, and 100,000 road miles. But making the jump to putting the Nova into production, the lore goes, was too great an economic leap for H-D to be able to make at the end of the flat-broke AMF era: The hard decision was made to stay on the V-twin path and develop new Evolution V-twins instead. If there had been funding, the Nova would’ve beaten Honda’s first V45 Sabre to market by one year. 1984 FXST Softail Harley-Davidson Museum photo If the Nova was Captain Tom Hanks in Saving Private Ryan, the new FXST Softail was Private Ryan – trying hard to earn its existence under a heavy burden of guilt. The very first Softail, with twin shocks hidden under the transmission to give a hardtail look without the hardtail ride, was also one of the first Harleys with the new, all-aluminum Evolution V-twin for which command had sacrificed the entire Nova squad. The Softail was an instant hit, and pulled the Motor Company’s wagon out of the ditch once again. From 1984 forward, Harley’s been stamping out Softails in iterations too numerous to remember, and continues to do so today (even though the Softail frame was completely revised for 2018). The FXST didn’t just revolutionize an industry, says the great Terry Roorda, it created one. 2002 VRSC V-Rod Of the first revolutionary Harley built in the MO era, we said “it’s a Harley for people who hate Harleys.” Calling again upon the Porsche connection from the Nova era, the VRSC became the first street-going H-D with a modern, DOHC liquid-cooled engine. Matter of fact, the 1131cc V-twin was called the Revolution engine, and was situated in an artistically hydroformed steel perimeter frame. Inspired by Harley’s VR1000 roadracer and by the H-D dragrace contingent, this power cruiser was also pretty good at going around corners. More to the point, for a company whose motorcycles are largely style-driven, the V Rod was a radical departure. The V Rod was liked, but not well-liked. Several variants appeared, but after the 2018 model year, the V-Rod was gone. 2019 LiveWire The official word is that Harley wants to lead the world in electric motorcycles, which is not something we would’ve expected. Our man Duke first sampled a LiveWire in June of 2014, but bikes weren’t sold to the public until 2019, which is a thing that makes you immediately say hmmmmmm… I’ve yet to spot one of the $28,000 electric wonderbikes in the SoCal wild, but then all electric motorcycles are few and far between. New H-D CEO Jochen Zeitz is on record as being fully behind the LiveWire and Harley’s electric future. Last October, the Milwaukee Business Journal quoted Zeitz: “It’s still an emerging category so sales volumes are relative. But from what I can see through all this we actually believe that LiveWire is the best selling on-highway or dual-electric cycle in the U.S. — actually selling more than double the next-highest electric motorcycle.” 2021 Pan America Once again between a rock and a financial hard place, H-D is swinging for the fences with an all-new model in a new-to-it market teeming with very experienced sharks in a sea of mixed metaphors. But on paper, the Pan America 1250 (and Pan America Special) look like they know exactly what they’re diving into, and they seem to be packing all the gear they need to succeed: 150 horsepower from an all-new nearly maintenance-free engine with variable valve timing, the latest in IMU-controlled electronics (and even electronic suspension on the Special), and the long-range niceties sophisticated riders expect. All of it wrapped up in a distinctive, not-too heavy package wearing what so many riders crave – that famous bar and shield logo. Feel free to bet against the Pan America. The fun part of little historical journeys like this one is remembering how many times in the last century people have lost that bet. It’ll be fun to watch, as always. Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. The post Top 10 Most Revolutionary Harley-Davidsons! appeared first on Motorcycle.com. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Motorcyclefeed/~4/MWoA6QBZic0Source