Hugh Janus

China is entering the big-bore multicylinder fray with designs like this 1,000cc cruiser from Gaokin. (Gaokin Moto/)Just as the majority of Western and Japanese motorcycle firms are wrestling with the problem of how to switch from gasoline to electric bikes, the massive Chinese bike industry is turning toward large-capacity multicylinder engine designs for the first time. For years, China has churned out millions of small, uninspiring, single-cylinder bikes. They’ve served as transport for the masses rather than objects of desire. Now, though, as their customers become wealthier and increasingly turn toward riding as a lifestyle or pastime rather than simply the only available means of travel, the country’s motorcycle firms are rapidly switching toward the idea of bigger, faster bikes. Only last month we revealed that Zontes, a current manufacturer of single-cylinder machines up to 310cc, is planning a 1,000cc three-cylinder sportbike, but it turns out that’s just the tip of the iceberg, with a host of other firms exploring similar expansion plans. Related: Will We See a Triple-Cylinder Naked Bike From Zontes? Chinese firm Zontes has also confirmed it’s working on a 1,000cc triple naked, as well as 650cc model. (Zontes/)Zontes itself has now confirmed that the 1,000cc triple is just one of a range of such bikes, with a second three-cylinder engine—a smaller 650cc unit—also currently in the works. Both are likely to be unveiled later this year, though it’s currently not clear whether Zontes will show the engines alone or reveal entire bikes around them. While Zontes is a complete manufacturer, making entire bikes and their own engines, China also has several companies that specialize in designing and building engines to be sold to other manufacturers. Among these, Gaokin (GK) is a major player, and one of the companies leading the way toward bigger engines. The firm already manufactures parallel-twin and V-twin designs used in bikes, ATVs, and even aircraft, and plans to unveil its own 1,000cc V-twin motorcycle at the Chongqing Motor Show later this year. Related: Benda’s BD700 Four-Cylinder Cruiser Is Coming Although yet to be unveiled, the GK V1000 has been betrayed by the firm’s own patent applications for the design, revealing a belt-drive cruiser with a notably low seat and a DOHC 90-degree V-twin engine. The bike’s styling isn’t as successfully “innovative” as the recently revealed Benda LFC700 four-cylinder cruiser, but at least it doesn’t follow the usual route of slavishly copying an existing design from a rival company. GK is developing the GK V1000 (lead photo), as well as partnering with KSR Moto, which makes the Brixton bikes (Crossfire 500 pictured). (Brixton Motorcycles/)The V1000 isn’t GK’s only large-capacity bike project, as the firm is also a partner with Austria’s KSR Moto, building the machines that are sold worldwide under the Brixton brand. At the moment Brixton’s biggest offering is a 500cc parallel twin, the Crossfire, but in 2019 the firm showed a larger, retro-styled parallel twin as concept. Widely rumored to be in the region of 1,200cc, the retro design was clearly intended to be a rival to Triumph’s Bonneville, sharing a similar 1960s-rooted appearance and a water-cooled parallel-twin engine with dummy cooling fins to mimic traditional air-cooled designs. But Brixton (and GK) is also rumored to be developing a larger 1,200cc retro design to compete with Triumph’s Bonneville. (Brixton Motorcycles/)Brixton confirmed in 2020 that the concept will become a production reality, and now GK has patented the visual design of the engine it will use, revealing details that couldn’t be seen on the concept, including the fuel-injection throttle bodies and the subtle water pipes emerging from the cylinder head and lower cases to connect to a radiator that nestles between the front downtubes. Related: Benda LF-01 Concept Revealed Zeths is another Chinese firm that purports to be working on a larger literbike design. (Zeths Motorcycle/)Another Chinese firm that’s entering the big-bike arena is Zeths, a company that currently sells 250cc V-twin cruisers. It’s recently unveiled a 60-degree 1,000cc DOHC water-cooled V-twin engine that’s a far cry from the small motors in its current range, and while we’ve yet to see the bike it will be fitted to, it’s clear the company has big ideas for the future. Similarly, Weisenke—another of China’s engine-making firms—has taken the wraps off a new 796cc inline-four that’s expected to be offered to any bike builder that wants to use it. With a claimed 117 hp at 11,500 rpm and 69 pound-feet of torque at 9,500 rpm, the engine offers far more performance than most Chinese bikes can muster. All this is happening just as other Chinese firms are increasingly leveraging their Western tie-ins to forge ahead with big engine projects. Benelli, owned by Qianjiang, has launched its 1,200cc three-cylinder tourer, with an engine derived from the Italian triple used in the Tornado Tre. The firm has also struck a deal with MV Agusta to adopt its 1,000cc four-cylinder engine in future models. Chinese engine-builder Weisenke has also unveiled a 796cc inline-four 117 hp powerplant. (Weisenke Power Technology/)CFMoto, with close ties to KTM, has already launched its KTM-powered MT800 and the 1250TR-G tourer, which uses a purpose-made V-twin derived from the Austrian firm’s LC8 motor. Zongshen, having snapped up a license to manufacture Norton’s newly designed 650cc parallel twin, has beaten Norton itself to getting the engine into production and is rumored to be developing its own 800cc derivative for future models. While these initial Chinese big bikes aren’t likely to live up to the expectations of those of us used to riding big European, American, and Japanese machines from firms that have had decades to refine their engine-making skills, it’s clear that just as the internal combustion engine appears to be facing its curtain call from those established brands, it’s simultaneously getting a new lease of life in China. Related: Norton-powered Zongshen Cyclone RX6 Nears Production CFMoto’s KTM-powered MT800 is already in showrooms. (CFMoto/)Source

Harley-Davidson’s Heritage models have been around since 1986, but with the introduction of Indian’s new Super Chief Limited, competition has never been greater. (Jeff Allen/)As a kid, I’d always stay on my bicycle later and pass by my neighbor’s place a few more times if he was in the garage working on his bike. I’d sneak glances at the motorcycle parked under the center light, trying to understand my attraction to it. On weekday mornings, he would fire it up and ride to work with saddlebags and windscreen installed. On Sundays more bikes would gather outside, he’d pull down the driveway on his beautiful stripped-down machine and they’d all head out for a ride. It was business and pleasure, equal parts show and go. Just like the 2021 Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic 114 and 2022 Indian Motorcycle Super Chief Limited, two motorcycles designed to offer the best of both worlds, each manufacturer’s heavyweight cruiser platform in its highest level of trim, the result of competition that has spanned more than a century. Cruising along Southern California’s highways toward Mount Laguna in eastern San Diego County, there’s 30 feet and 25 years between Editor-at-Large Andrew Cherney and I. We have very different music playing in our helmets, but we easily agree on the Heritage and Super Chief. These bikes offer all the style and most of the convenience of hard-bagged touring machines built around each manufacturer’s big engine, but they’re lighter, more nimble, and more affordable. Remarkably similar in every measurable way, these two motorcycles were designed to perform the same basic task: Tour American highways and cast forth the beacon of freedom that has always been symbolized by Big Twins. Their job—and Americans love to define themselves by their job—is to represent decades of history from their respective companies while also employing modern technology and generally functioning at the level expected of today’s $20,000-plus machines. Editors Morgan Gales and Andy Cherney ride the 2021 Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic 114 and 2022 Indian Super Chief in the mountains east of San Diego. (Jeff Allen/)Head-to-Head Engine Comparison: Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic 114 vs. Indian Super Chief Limited The first major similarity in both performance and form are the engines, two large-displacement V-twins with pushrod-actuated valves. The Milwaukee-Eight 114 is air-and-oil cooled, has four valves per cylinder, and operates with a slightly smaller bore and longer stroke, whereas the Indian’s air-cooled Thunderstroke 116 runs with a half-point more compression (11.0:1) but only two valves per cylinder. They’re different roads to the same destination, strong and visceral but refined, shaking with muffled pops at idle and smoothing out as the revs increase. Laying the dyno charts over one another, we can say they’re as similar as we’ve ever seen from two different manufacturers. Laying the Harley and Indian’s dyno charts over one another shows the similarities are remarkable. (Jeff Allen/)Each engine’s torque curve powerfully establishes itself off idle and from around 1,300 rpm, where we start measuring it on our dyno, runs to a peak at 107 pound-feet near 3,000 rpm, then gradually slopes down afterward as the engines rev to redline. As touring riders tend to spend their time at lower revs with less vibration and a mellow beat from the engine, desire for peak performance at higher revs is outweighed by the need for comfort and immediate pull. Therefore these bikes were designed to provide power off the bottom-end, where the vast majority of users want it. And that’s where the first major disparity appears. Clutch and Throttle Feel For smooth, precise engine engagement off the line, good clutch feel and consistent throttle response are key. These are two of the Heritage’s greatest strengths; the Harley’s throttle is precise enough to gradually and carefully increase the lope off idle, and responds as expected throughout the rev range. But this area is also the Super Chief’s greatest weakness; there’s a delay in the Chief’s throttle response from idle, which varies depending on where the engine’s revs sit at the time of application. Communicative clutch lever feel also lets you know exactly when the Heritage’s friction zone is engaging the gearbox, but the Chief’s lever is springy and vague making it hard to be smooth and consistent. This leads to smoother launches with the Harley. With time and experience, Chief riders will undoubtedly learn the clutch’s engagement point and suss out the intricacies of how the throttle responds, but modulation of these controls will be more based upon motorcycle motion and engine sound than it is on feedback and feel. The feeling of connection to the machinery is an important part of cruiser motorcycles, and the Harley has that in spades. Indian’s air-cooled 49-degree V-twin, the Thunderstroke 116, and Harley-Davidson’s air-and-oil-cooled 45-degree V-twin, the Milwaukee-Eight 114. (Jeff Allen/)Quarter-mile times were within a tenth of a second, with the Harley finishing in 13.28 seconds at 100.93 mph and the Indian coming in after 13.37 seconds at 98.58 mph. Zero-to-60 speeds were nearly identical at 4.45 and 4.47 seconds, though the Indian was slightly faster off the line, reaching 30 mph in 1.68 seconds compared to the Harley’s 1.9. All times recorded are the best of several runs at our test facility. Fit and Finish In the cruiser world, fit and finish are just as important as a rider’s feeling of connection to their motorcycle. Harley-Davidson gets a lot of credit for setting the bar high here, and it has continued its good work with this Heritage Classic. As usual, special attention has been paid to routing wires, positioning clamps, and arranging other necessary but unsightly features to make sure that focus remains on the bike’s form as a whole. H-D’s VP of Design Brad Richards called it “cable hygiene” in a recent interview. The Super Chief looks excellent from a few feet away, its metallic blue paint deep and vibrant; but put it next to the Heritage and its shortcomings are apparent. A large wiring loom hangs near the steering head, obstructing the view of a tubular frame that was clearly designed to be seen. Worst of all, the chrome Indian badge on the gas tank was stuck on with foam adhesive that was peeling up on either side. At $20,849 for the Heritage and $21,499 for the Super Chief, these motorcycles are luxury vehicles; exactly how the badge is secured to the tank is a conversation that we shouldn’t need to have. The Super Chief Limited’s touch-screen gauge is easy to read and highly functional, bringing a luxury component of Indian’s hard-bagged touring models into its cruiser segment. (Jeff Allen/)Along that same line, small accents like chrome edges on the fenders, a chrome wheel hub cover, chromed top triple tree and riser clamp, and blackened nickel studs on the seat and tank bib give the Heritage a high-quality feel. Despite models being designated as Limited traditionally being Indian’s more chrome-drenched versions, the Super Chief lacks the same level of adornment; the exhaust pipes, engine covers, intake, and tank bib are in chrome, but most other functional components are muted with black finishes. Electronics and Technology As Big Twins are deeply rooted in traditional styling, gadgetry and tech aren’t things we have expected to see openly integrated until recently. The Super Chief does this very well, using a 4-inch touchscreen gauge system Indian calls “Ride Command” to display all vehicle information, Bluetooth connection, GPS, and more. It does all this while still retaining a simple round shape which seems no different from any other bar-mounted gauge when viewing the bike as a whole. The gauge on the Heritage is simple: an analog speedometer with a small digital readout in the middle displaying fuel level, alerts, and cycling (with a press of a button) between range, clock, trip or overall mileage, and tachometer. It seems dated and, next to the Indian, feels like the bike is missing a key component of a modern luxury touring machine, though the arrangement does keep things nice and tidy at the handlebars. Indian’s 2022 Super Chief Limited in Blue Slate Metallic starts at $21,499. (Jeff Allen/)Three power maps, Sport, Standard, and Tour, are available on the Super Chief Limited, selectable through the Ride Command system. Tour mode is mellow, smoothing out initial throttle application and aimed to assist with long-mile fuel economy. Sport mode is the most aggressive of the maps, ramping up quickly on initial throttle input; though it can be fun to burn some tire here, it only exaggerates the disconnected feeling from the throttle and clutch. Standard mode is the one testers preferred, as it allowed for the most linear and precise application. The Heritage does not offer ride modes, but neither did it really need them; Cherney specifically noted that power was accessible and linear, and the butterfly and therefore engine response matched right-hand movements consistently throughout the powerband. The one “mode” just works very well, and always as expected. Chassis and Handling Despite only a 14-pound weight difference favoring the lighter H-D, these two motorcycles feel quite different from the moment you pick them up off of their sidestands. The Indian feels heavier and seems to carry its weight higher, even though the Harley carries a gallon more fuel. The Heritage simply feels more nimble and manageable. In Black Jet Metallic, the Heritage Classic 114 starts at $20,849. (Jeff Allen/)Taking to the twisty mountain roads around our base at the Laguna Mountain Lodge, the Heritage was quicker to respond to steering inputs and would hold a cornering line without as much fight, due in part to the taller and better positioned handlebars but also due to the narrower Dunlop D401F rear tire. Because of the Super Chief’s 180mm-wide Pirelli Night Dragon rear tire, input to the rear brake or throttle while in a turn would want to stand the bike upright, making it more difficult at times to hold lean angle and maintain the intended line. The Heritage is still a large and heavy bike, but in direct comparison, its handling felt flickable and neutral. Roadside discussion and comparison helps break up long miles during test days. (Jeff Allen/)While maintaining lean angle through a turn, the hinged floorboards on the Heritage Classic have several degrees of give, letting the rider feel when they started to scrape, communicating that there was a little more lean available before touching the underside of the frame. The Super Chief Limited has some room beyond its floorboards, but not nearly as much, meaning that it picks up on hard parts more quickly when pushed beyond the initial “soft” touch point. At higher speeds, when lean angle is really appreciated, the Indian tended to wallow, like the front and back of the bike were out of stroke, an effect often caused by light suspension damping. This paired with the small margin between feeling the road with floorboards and scraping hard parts meant that the Super Chief felt unstable while being pushed hard, zapping rider confidence and making its limits known. While the Harley was well in its comfort zone, the Super Chief had to be muscled around; even then, carrying the same speed through turns required the rider to pick just the right line in order to limit lean angle and keep hard parts off the tarmac. Toward the end of our first riding day, Cherney noted, from the saddle of the Indian, that the added effort of following the Harley through a long stretch of twisty roads was felt after only an hour; he experienced noticeable shoulder pump from the combination of a long reach to the bars and the necessity of constant pressure on them. Suspension and Brakes Whether you’re hitting canyons like that for a couple hours or just mellowing out to ride long miles, suspension can make or break a touring motorcycle. Both bikes come equipped with a telescopic fork, though the H-D’s larger, Showa-manufactured 49mm dual-bending valve set is better calibrated for both sharp hits and minor bumps; this keeps the bike controlled and composed. The Indian’s ZF-made 46mm damper-tube fork provides adequate low-speed damping while carving smooth, twisty roads and loading up the fork to enter a turn, but at highway speeds the suspension mechanism is easily overwhelmed and feels harsh. Rear suspension on each bike is preload adjustable only, but this category was also firmly graded in favor of the Harley, with its 4.4 inches of travel compared to the Chief’s 3.0. There were a couple of times when I reached the limits of the Softail’s monoshock, but only when hitting significant bumps at speed. The Chief’s dual shocks were adequate through minor bumps, but coming across anything major or while the shock was already compressed would use up the full stroke and send the force through the seat and up your spine. Built for riding America’s highways in comfort and style, the Super Chief and Heritage Classic are different approaches to achieving the same goal. (Jeff Allen/)Brakes on the two bikes felt remarkably similar, as you’d expect from such similar weights and equipment. Each machine comes equipped with a four-piston caliper gripping a 300mm disc in the front, and a two-piston caliper in the rear. But as we’d also come to expect at this point, the Heritage just provided better feel at the lever and the pedal, allowing for more confident and precise application. Brake feel on the Super Chief was somewhat vague up front but especially so at the rear, making it a challenge to trail-brake well. In fact, rear-brake pedal travel was excessive and effort was high if you wanted to slow down rapidly. Despite brake feel leaning in the H-D’s favor, testing at our facility saw the Super Chief stop from 60 mph almost 4 feet shorter than the Harley-Davidson. Comfort and Ergonomics The ergonomic package of either bike is designed to be versatile and comfortable for the long haul with comfortably positioned handlebars and long floorboards putting the rider in a relaxed position. Both bikes achieve this goal, but back to back, minor differences decide the verdict. The Heritage’s floorboards sit flat, with mini apehangers providing a nice balance of height and pullback; we both preferred this setup, notable when considering the height difference between me at 6-foot-4 and Cherney at 5-foot-7. The Super Chief’s floorboards are more angled, with the heel down and toe up, and sit a little higher off of the ground. Its handlebars are low and wide, and even with their pullback were a little too much of a reach for Cherney. Reach on the Chief’s low bars wasn’t an issue for me, but the higher floorboards meant I had to move a knee out of the handlebar’s way in order to avoid pinching it against the gas tank while attempting to use full steering lock. Each bike’s saddlebags can be removed with two bolts a piece, but the squared off and lockable bags on the Heritage proved to be more spacious and convenient to use. (Jeff Allen/)Although seat heights are nearly identical, the bikes have a different look while parked and a different feel when riding. The Super Chief’s seat is more in line with the gas tank and is flatter, placing the rider more on top of the saddle, rather than down inside the bike. The Harley’s seat is lower than the gas tank with a steeper back, providing some support on acceleration and a more cradled feel while riding. Both seats were plenty comfortable for a full day on the bike, though testers preferred the H-D saddle, which offers a little more padding and its more contoured shape was supportive, increasing area of contact. Accessories Removable windshields and saddlebags are two of the defining components of each motorcycle tested here, adding to the long-mile capability of the base cruiser platform. The Indian’s windshield is taller and more upright than the Harley’s, providing better protection while riding. The Heritage’s bags are leather wrapped with blackened nickel studs, close from the top with a hinged lid and locking latch, and incorporate a rigid plastic inner frame to help them hold their form. The Super Chief’s bags are soft leather with a couple of structural plastic pieces inside, and close with adjustable cloth straps and plastic clips underneath the decorative leather straps on either side. The lack of internal support on the Indian’s saddlebags make them look more traditional, but they’re also less convenient, less secure, and just don’t match the bike’s high-end feel. The Harley also has the added bonus of fog lights, which greatly increase the rider’s field of vision at night. A chrome bar mounts the Heritage Classic’s fog lights and turn signals, with chrome headlight bezels and windshield hardware nearby. (Jeff Allen/)The Reigning Champ Remains After our spending a significant amount of time on each bike, the Heritage Classic simply felt like a more cohesive and thoroughly developed motorcycle. The handlebars, seat, saddlebags, and windscreen all fit the desired style while functioning beautifully, likely because this bike has been evolving since the first Willie G. Davidson-designed Heritage Softail was released in 1986. The Super Chief Limited is a new machine with a lot of potential, but it lacks refinement in many areas and feels like a first-year bike. There also seems to be a disconnect from design to engineering; for example, so much attention was paid to the Indian’s frame’s aesthetics only to be obscured by a large wiring harness. Also, some components, such as the gauge treatment, feel like high-end luxury, while others like the saddlebags and tank badging have been given notably less consideration. Although overall silhouettes are similar, differences in ride, style, and feel set the Heritage Classic and Super Chief apart. (Jeff Allen/)The Chief works well in its Dark Horse configuration: stripped down with mid-mounted foot controls, blacked out finishes, and intended for more aggressive solo riding. But as that’s translated into a convertible touring machine and more is asked of the platform, it doesn’t demonstrate the versatility and refinement the Heritage has achieved. Given more time to smooth out the bumps, we have no doubt that Indian will continue to improve on the Chief platform, though that won’t be until 2023, as this is already a 2022 model. For now, Harley-Davidson’s decades of building and improving upon Heritage models have led to a truly refined product that is a pleasure to ride in town and on the highway, and make it our clear winner here. Gearbox: Helmet: Hedon Heroine Racer Jacket: Spidi Originals WP Gloves: Spidi X-Knit Pants: Tobacco Archetype Riding Jeans Boots: Roland Sands Design x White’s Boots Gearbox: Helmet: Shoei JO Jacket: Roland Sands Design Ronin Gloves: Cortech Bully Boots: Roland Sands Design Mojave Specifications: 2021 Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic 114 2022 Indian Super Chief Limited MSRP: $20,849 (as tested) $21,499 (as tested) Engine: Air/oil-cooled 45º V-twin Thunderstroke 116 Displacement: 114ci 116ci Bore x Stroke: 4.016 in. x 4.5 in. 4.063 in. x 4.449 in. Compression Ratio: 10.5:1 11.0:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/belt 6-speed/belt Cycle World Measured Horsepower: 82.04 hp @ 4,700 rpm 80.3 hp @ 4,570 rpm Cycle World Measured Torque: 107.44 lb.-ft. @ 2,960 rpm 107.93 lb.-ft. @ 3,180 rpm Fuel System: Electronic sequential port fuel injection Closed-loop fuel injection Clutch: Wet, multiplate Wet, multiplate Engine Management/Ignition: Throttle-by-wire, electronic Throttle-by-wire, electronic Frame: Tubular steel Tubular steel Front Suspension: 49mm Showa Dual Bending Valve; 5.1 in. travel ZF Suspension 46mm telescopic fork; 5.2 in. travel Rear Suspension: Showa monoshock, spring preload adjustable; 4.4 in. travel Dual ZF Suspension shocks, preload adjustable; 3.0 in. travel Front Brake: 4-piston caliper, 300mm disc 4-piston caliper, 300mm semi-floating disc w/ ABS Rear Brake: 2-piston caliper, 292mm floating disc 2-piston caliper, 300mm floating disc w/ ABS Wheels, Front/Rear: Gloss black, steel spoked; 16 in. Gloss black, steel spoked; 16 in. Tires, Front/Rear: Dunlop D401F, 130/90B-16 / 150/80B-16 Pirelli Night Dragon; 130/90B-16 / 180/65B-16 Rake/Trail: 30.0°/5.5 in. 29.0°/5.2 in. Wheelbase: 64.2 in. 64.0 in. Ground Clearance: 4.7 in. 4.9 in. Seat Height: 27.7 in. 27.7 in. Fuel Capacity: 5.0 gal. 4.0 gal. Cycle World Measured Wet Weight: 727 lb. 741 lb. Availability: Now Now Contact: harley-davidson.com indianmotorcycle.com Performance Numbers: CW Measured Performance 2021 Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic 114 2022 Indian Super Chief Limited Quarter-Mile 13.28 sec. @ 100.93 mph 13.37 sec. @ 98.58 mph 0–30 1.9 sec. 1.68 sec. 0–60 4.45 sec. 4.47 sec. 0–100 12.89 sec. 13.88 sec. Top-Gear Roll-On, 40–60 mph 3.9 sec. 4.49 sec. Top-Gear Roll-On, 60–80 mph 4.73 sec 4.91 sec. Braking, 30–0 37.92 ft. 37.92 ft. Braking, 60–0 152.27 ft. 148.49 sec. Source

For 2022 you can choose from three color options for the BMW R 18. There’s no more First Edition trim level. (BMW Motorrad/)BMW has released most of the announcements for its returning 2022 models, and to no one’s surprise, the R 18 cruiser is coming back to the lineup. It’s also no shock that the bike gets very few changes for the new model year, given its long buildup and impressively massive launch in 2020. In fact, the main tweaks come down to a series of new color choices, additional accessory options—some aesthetic, some ergonomic—and the dropping of the First Edition trim from the series. The FE, as you’ll recall, adds white pinstriping, more chrome bits, and special FE badging along with a welcome box with an assortment of BMW-branded accessories. The 2022 R 18 in Mars Red Metallic with the Option 719 Design Package Aero. (BMW Motorrad/)For the 2022 R 18 and R 18 Classic models, though, we’re chiefly talking about fresh colors and new accessory options for 2022. The new hues include Mars Red Metallic, Manhattan Metallic Matt, and the Option 719 Galaxy Dust Metallic/Titanium Silver 2 Metallic. Additional options include metallic black drivetrain and reverse assistance upgrades, though other Option 719 parts are available à la carte as well, including the quilted Option 719 seat and Option 719 wheel options. (Option 719 started out as BMW’s internal code for unassigned options; now it refers to up-spec Motorrad factory accessories.) Related: 2021 BMW R 18 First Ride Review You can get the 2022 R 18 in Manhattan Metallic Matt as well, for either the standard or Classic model. (BMW Motorrad/)The Option 719 Galaxy Dust Metallic/Titanium Silver 2 is notable for the fact that it can actually change color depending on existing light. The Galaxy Dust Metallic finish can morph from violet to turquoise blue, while the Titanium Silver 2 Metallic Mirror surface covers the fuel tank, surrounded by a classic white pinstripe. The Galaxy Dust Metallic paint can flip-flop from violet to turquoise depending on the light, and contrasts with Titanium Silver 2 Metallic Mirror on the fuel tank. (BMW Motorrad/)There’s also an entire Option 719 Design Package Aero which includes different cylinder head and front covers as well as intake snorkels featuring a swanky brushed finish and air vent details. A solid copper chrome-plated badge sits at the center of the side and front covers, with a partial white finish for added drama. Titanium Silver 2 Metallic on the fuel tank meanwhile gives a smoke-effect-like transition between the two surfaces (with the Galaxy Dust paint option). (BMW Motorrad/)Two Option 719 wheelsets are available as well, Aero and Icon. Aero brings a matt silver finish while Icon is in matt black; both are a cast alloy with a six-spoke design that features milled ribs. Related: BMW R 18 B and R 18 Transcontinental Slated For 2022 The Option 719 Icon alloy wheels feature a six-spoke design with milled filigree ribs on the spokes. (BMW Motorrad/)That Option 719 saddle meanwhile is an exclusive alternative to the standard R 18 saddle, bringing a special diamond quilting to the main surface with a BMW logo sitting right where your tailbone would go. Lastly, there’s also a geometric change on the lower luggage holder for the R 18 Classic. We were half expecting to see a new Transcontinental model added to the R 18 series for 2022 (based on reporting from sister pub Cycle World) but it looks we’ll have to wait just a bit longer. The Option 719 seat offers standard height, but switches up the upper finish and adds diamond-shaped quilted embossing. (BMW Motorrad/)While the new 2022 R 18 models are expected to hit dealerships sometime in autumn 2021, pricing has yet to be announced. The R 18 Classic is back for 2022, with its traditional touring cruiser accessories intact, including a touring windshield, pillion seat, leather saddlebags, LED auxiliary headlights, and 16-inch front wheel. (BMW Motorrad/) The Option 719 Design Package Aero includes brushed aluminum cylinder head covers with air vents and white paint enclosing the “719.” (BMW Motorrad/) Of course you can still get the base-model R 18 in basic black. No pinstripes though. (BMW Motorrad/) There are no changes to the 1,802cc boxer engine for 2022; additional chrome finishes are available as options. (BMW Motorrad/) A closer look at the touring shield on the 2022 R 18 Classic. (BMW Motorrad/) No confirmation of a new 2022 R 18 Transcontinental model just yet. (BMW Motorrad/) Built in Berlin. (BMW Motorrad/)Source

To quote AC/DC: “I ain’t foolin’ Can’t you tell: I’m a Live Wire, I’m a Live Wire, I’m a Live Wire. Gonna set this town on fire.” The LiveWire One debuts with a $21,999 price tag. No foolin’. (LiveWire/)Following Harley-Davidson’s announcement that it’s co-opting the LiveWire name for its all-electric sub-brand, the Milwaukee company is unveiling the LiveWire One, the latest version of the original LiveWire, an electric motorcycle that immediately stole headlines by giving diehards pause to consider the potential implications of H-D’s long-held nickname: “The Motor Company.” In addition to revealing changes to its flagship electric bike—mainly a significant price cut—Harley-Davidson’s press release also fleshes out relevant details of the Hardwire strategic reboot meant to see the iconic brand through the next 120-ish years. Some bikes just look good in black. (LiveWire/)In the press release, Jochen Zeitz, Harley-Davidson president, chairman, and CEO says: “As part of The Hardwire Strategy, we made a commitment that Harley-Davidson would lead in electric. We recognized the pioneering spirit and brand value in LiveWire for our community and took the decision to evolve the original LiveWire motorcycle into a dedicated EV brand. Today’s LiveWire One builds on the DNA of Harley-Davidson but with the electric focus and ambition of the new LiveWire brand. Harley-Davidson and LiveWire will continue to rewrite the motorcycle rule book and we are excited about this next chapter in our legacy.” LiveWire One Pricing OK, so the bike itself is mostly unchanged, but the LiveWire brand’s ambition, as Zeitz calls it, is clearly revealed in dollars and cents: The new model is $7,800 cheaper than the original. How’s that for ambition? As a halo model, the 2019 LiveWire came to market with a price tag of $29,799. Three years later, the LiveWire One starts at $21,999. Affordability is definitely a great way to express ambition, so well done, Harley…er, LiveWire. And for those keeping track, $21,999 puts it at the same price point as the Zero SR/S. LiveWire early adopters who dropped $30K may be less enthused by the news, though time will reveal if there’s something of consequence in having a first-run model in black and orange paint and the name of the company’s founders on the tank cover. The One has a sleek graphics treatment featuring the stylized “LW” LiveWire logo, and while it’s difficult to tell in photos, it appears as though there’s no Bar & Shield or “H-D” in sight. Revelation powertrain. (LiveWire/)The press release goes on to say: “with evolved software and hardware, LiveWire One builds on the experience of the original LiveWire and reflects the new identity of the LiveWire brand.” At the time of press, Harley-Davidson did not provide further details about the specifics of the “evolved software and hardware.” Buying a LiveWire Alongside news of the LiveWire One, Harley-Davidson reveals LiveWire will have a “hybrid omnichannel” retail model. Essentially, that means consumers will be able to seamlessly interact with the brand in traditional brick-and-mortar stores, online, and on social media channels. To the curmudgeonly among us (raises hand), that may sound like non-news, but in practical terms it’s kind of important. For those who’ve ever bought, say, a T-shirt online and subsequently tried to return it to a store, only to be denied because the digital and physical worlds of the brand don’t really mix, you’ve experienced the shortcomings of multichannel retail. What we want then is omnichannel retail, where parting with our money requires the most minimal of barriers because the virtual and physical channels are aligned. Sarcasm aside, omnichannel retail is the future and Harley claims to be the first of the OEMs to get there. To that end, visit livewire.com if only to get a glimpse of the brand’s identity. While the author’s rural internet connection is too slow to fully experience its bright-feathered allure, it does seem very hip. For those of us with slow internet, LiveWire is also opening 12 new dealerships in California, Texas, and New York with more sites planned for later this year. A LiveWire Experience Gallery “designed to facilitate a fully immersive brand experience”—whatever that may be—is also scheduled to open in the fall/winter of 2021. “Oh, stick this in your fuse box!”: AC/DC again. (LiveWire/)Look, traditionalists may scoff at all this fancy techy stuff (the website/social stuff, not the motorcycle) and pine for the days when your local H-D dealer, “Bif’s Bikes ‘N’ Stuff,” was just a grimy little spot with a hell of a mechanic and a lot of ancient wisdom, but you have to hand it to Harley-Davidson for deeply committing to its strategy for future profitability. Not everyone will like it. Some will. Either way, by speratating the dirt-under-your-nails world of internal combustion Big Twins, and the shiny, utopian world of LiveWire, Harley-Davidson seems to understand its markets and is trying to give the people what they want. Other than that, most people can agree that a top-line motorcycle that’s 26 percent cheaper than it was last year is very cool. Don’t see that everyday. The LiveWire One can be ordered today at—you guessed it—livewire.com. Source

BMW has released the CE 04 electric scooter for 2022, and it’s not all that different from the radically styled concept bike from 2017. (BMW Motorrad/)When BMW pulled the wraps off the Concept Link design study four years ago, few would have believed that a bike with cyberpunk styling would ever get the go-ahead for production. But now the firm has officially added the CE 04 to its 2022 lineup and it looks just as radical as its concept bike forebear. Styling carried over from the concept includes a flat seat hovering over a steel tube chassis covered in bodywork, with solid disc wheels. (BMW Motorrad/)There’s an accepted theory in the moto world that says motorcyclists as a whole are a conservative bunch wary of big changes in styling or technology, but BMW clearly believes the city-bound commuters it’s targeting with the CE 04 have a much more forward-looking, early-adopting mindset than the average rider. While other firms are trying their hardest to develop electric bikes that look the same as their combustion-engine equivalents, the CE 04 embraces the packaging changes that electric power allows and bristles with futuristic tech. Related: Production-ready BMW CE 04 Revealed in Patents BMW is arguably a step ahead of its rivals here. The firm has already gone down the route of building a conventional-looking electric scooter (the C evolution that made its debut a full decade ago) and learned from the intervening years of manufacturing and marketing it. So when the firm believes that the CE 04′s approach—with styling that’s somewhere between Blade Runner and Star Wars—is the way to go, there’s clearly research and experience behind that decision. Florian Römhild, the CE 04 project manager, said: “The new BMW CE 04 is the logical and at the same time rethought continuation of BMW Motorrad’s electromobility strategy. Urban areas are its element. This is where it sets a new benchmark—in terms of both technology and visual style.” Power comes from a liquid-cooled permanent magnet motor rated for 42 peak horsepower. ABS and stability control are standard. (BMW Motorrad/)Although we actually revealed the final production styling of the CE 04 back in March this year, and the original look dates back to a 2017 concept, the bike’s appearance is still arresting. The completely flat seat, which appears to hover above the main bodywork, the solid disc wheels, the floating front side panels which meld into the footboards and bellypan. Even the orange-tinted screen that was a hallmark of the original concept is available as an optional extra, along with the same graphics. Underneath all that lies a tubular steel chassis with a 60.6Ah, 147.6V lithium-ion battery pack running along its length. At the rear sits a liquid-cooled, permanent magnet synchronous motor, able to run at up to 12,300 rpm and putting out a peak of 42 hp at 4,900 rpm (though the rated “continuous” power level is 20 hp). That’s enough for a 75-mph top speed, making the CE 04 fast enough to keep up with highway traffic. Torque maxes out at 44 pound-feet at a mere 1,500 rpm, helping the CE 04 hit 62 mph in 9.1 seconds. As the motor is liquid-cooled there’s a radiator mounted conventionally at the front, but the battery is air-cooled via a finned heat sink running the length of the bike’s underside. Low but still pretty long and heavy, the CE 04 has a wheelbase of 66 inches, on par with that of a Triumph Rocket 3. An electric reverse helps riders back the 509-pound scoot out of parking spots. (BMW Motorrad/)Although the CE 04 looks compact, it’s not a small scooter. At 90 inches, it’s longer than the old C evolution, and the wheelbase, at 66 inches, is the same as a Triumph Rocket 3! The compact appearance is helped by the fact that the wheels, despite looking typically scooter-small, are actually 15 inches in diameter. With its size in mind, the CE 04′s 509-pound mass doesn’t seem that bad, and since most of that will be in the low-slung battery pack it’s sure to feel lighter to maneuver. Even so, BMW has added a reversing aid, whereby the electric motor will drive the bike backward at walking pace to help back into garages or parking spots. A large bright TFT screen offers up info on range—a claimed 80 miles on a full charge—battery status, and engine modes. The Premium package adds a Dynamic riding mode as well. (BMW Motorrad/)As with any electric bike, there’s sure to be a focus on range and recharging time. Here, the figures aren’t so impressive. On a full charge, the CE 04 is good for around 80 miles, though the way you ride will have a significant effect on that. The base range is measured in the bike’s normal Road mode, with full power available and a normal amount of engine-braking during which the motor acts as a generator to feed power back to the battery. There’s also an Eco mode that increases the engine-braking and regen effect and limits acceleration to stretch the range, and a Rain mode that softens the power delivery and cuts down the engine-brake effect to help maintain traction. A Dynamic riding mode that maximizes acceleration and regenerative braking effects is available as an option as part of the Premium package. Once your 80 miles are up, the recharging options are a normal Level 1 charge from a household 120V socket, which will take 4 hours, 20 minutes for a full charge, or a Level 2 240V wallbox or public charger, which cuts that recharge time to 1 hour, 40 minutes. On the go, a 45-minute charge from a Level 2 charger will take the battery from 20 percent to 80 percent, but even so it sounds like long-distance rides on the CE 04 won’t be straightforward. Of course, that’s not what it’s for, and for most commutes the home charging option will be more than good enough. Recharging options range from the usual Level 1 household socket to faster Level 2 chargers (the Premium option comes with a Level 2 cable), though longer trips will still be a challenge. (BMW Motorrad/)In line with the CE 04′s futuristic looks and the clear appeal to early adopters, there’s inevitably an accompanying smartphone app and plenty of connectivity between your phone and the 10.25-inch high-definition TFT dash. Navigation is built in, but there’s also a host of other options including media and calling controls, plus details of the battery’s state of charge and a live display of energy usage or recuperation to help eke out more miles. With the smartphone becoming an integral part of the experience, BMW has added a secure, splashproof storage compartment, with a built-in USB-C charging port and ventilation to make sure your phone doesn’t overheat when it’s in there. It also locks with the bike’s central locking system. The main storage is in the form of a side-opening, illuminated underseat compartment, big enough to swallow a helmet and—thanks to its unusual opening system—able to be accessed while you’re sitting on the bike. Main storage on the CE 04 is a side-opening underseat cubby large enough to cram a full-face helmet into. (BMW Motorrad/)LED lighting is standard, with adaptive lights coming as part of a Premium option package along with cornering ABS and dynamic traction control, plus tire pressure monitors, a heated seat, and the Level 2 charging cable. Normal Bosch ABS is standard, operating on two four-pot calipers gripping 265mm discs at the front and a single pot caliper on the same size rotor at the rear, along with ASC (automatic stability control). The suspension is more conventional than the bike’s appearance might suggest, with a 35mm fork up front and a direct-action monoshock at the rear, offset to one side so as not to intrude on the space needed for the motor and electronics. A standard 35mm fork is mounted up front, while rear suspension is handled by a direct action monoshock. (BMW Motorrad/)As you might expect, a BMW electric scooter isn’t cheap, though the CE 04 does undercut the old C evolution in markets where both have been offered. The base model starts at $11,795 MSRP. Also included is a clever splashproof phone compartment with a built-in charging port. (BMW Motorrad/) LED lighting is standard, while the Premium package will also get you adaptive lighting as well as cornering ABS, dynamic traction control, and a heated seat, among other perks. (BMW Motorrad/)Source

European type-approval documents have shed some light on the upcoming July 13 Harley-Davidson model announcement. The new Revolution Max 1250-powered bike will be called the Sportster S. (Harley-Davidson/)Harley-Davidson is planning a global reveal of its water-cooled 1250 custom—a bike that was first teased as a concept a full three years ago—on July 13. But details of the production version have now emerged ahead of schedule, courtesy of the firm’s official type-approval documents. We now know the new machine will go under the name “Sportster S,” confirming that this liquid-cooled DOHC machine is the successor to the long-running Sportster line of air-cooled pushrod V-twins. The model’s official designation is RH1250S, in line with the Pan America that shares its 1,252cc Revolution Max engine. The adventure model’s designations are RA1250 for the base model and RA1250S for the Pan America 1250 Special. A screengrab from Harley’s July 13 teaser shows the DOHC 1,252cc engine. Documents reveal it will make less power than the unit powering the Pan America 1250 adventure motorcycle. (Harley-Davidson/)The fact that Harley showed a concept for the new Sportster S in 2018, and has teased the production version overtly since then, means there are few surprises in store when it comes to the bike’s appearance. However, these are the first definite technical details to emerge. The 2018 concept for the Sportster S is very similar to the finished product seen in the H-D teaser video. (Harley-Davidson/)The engine might be essentially the same Revolution Max 1250 design used in the Pan America, but it has been detuned from the Pan America’s claimed 150 hp to 121 hp, with significantly lower peak revs. This might be a clue that the Pan America’s variable valve timing system isn’t used on the Sportster S, which would help reduce complexity and cost. But regardless of how the power reduction is achieved, it means the new bike’s max output arrives at 7,500 rpm instead of 8,750 rpm. Torque is also reduced, albeit by a smaller amount. The Sportster S manages 92 pound-feet at 6,000 rpm, whereas the Pan America is good for a claimed 94 pound-feet at 6,750 rpm. (On the Cycle World dyno, the Pan America 1250 Special produced 128 rear-wheel horsepower at 9,000 rpm and 80.8 pound-feet of torque at 4,200 rpm.) Despite a reduction in power and torque, the Sportster S isn’t any slower than the Pan America. Type-approval documents list its maximum speed as 137 mph, the same figure listed for the Pan America in its equivalent type-approval info. With peak torque arriving at lower revs, plus a significant reduction in weight, the Sportster S will probably outrun the Pan America in a race from the lights. The Sportster S has a type-approved weight of 503 pounds wet, including a full tank of fuel. That’s 66 pounds less than the Pan America 1250 Special in the same state and 37 pounds less than the base Pan America. Note that these are the European type-approval figures, not those claimed on Harley’s spec sheets. For the US, Harley quotes the Pan America Special at a slightly lighter 559 pounds (534 pounds for the base Pan America). If the same proportions apply to the Sportster S, the US version is likely to be around the 495-pound mark. European documents reveal a 503-pound wet weight, but it could come in slightly lighter than that. (Harley-Davidson/)As on the Pan America, the Revolution Max isn’t just the Sportster S’ engine but also a major component of its chassis, providing the main structure between the swingarm pivot and the separate upper frame section, which is bolted to the top carrying the steering head. That means its dimensions can’t stray too far from the Pan America’s, and documents show both bikes are identical in overall length at 2,270mm (89.4 inches). The new bike has a slightly shorter wheelbase at 59.8 inches compared to 1,580mm (62.2 inches) for the Pan America, but of course it’s substantially shorter and narrower overall; its total height is 42.7 inches, down from 59.4. With less mass, there’s a reduced need for braking power as well, so the Sportster S uses a single front disc instead of the Pan America’s twin disc setup. The original concept version was notable for its massively wide front tire, and the production Sportster S doesn’t scale it down. The front rubber is 160/70ZR-17—big enough for the rear of many streetbikes—while the back hoop holds a 180/70ZR-16. The Harley-Davidson Sportster S will sport wide front and rear tires and a flat and low stance. (Harley-Davidson/)Harley’s decision to use the Sportster S name for the RH1250S gives a couple of clues to the firm’s plans for the future. It suggests the bike is a genuine Sportster replacement rather than a parallel model, and shows that Harley-Davidson’s recent trademark application for the Nightster name wasn’t destined for this model (although it may yet be applied to a variation on the same theme). The fact that the initial version of the new Sportster is the “S” also hints that a lower-spec, non-S version of the bike may also be in the cards, perhaps built around the smaller-capacity 950cc version of the Revolution Max engine originally destined for the canceled Bronx streetfighter. The final questions will be answered at the bike’s official unveiling on July 13, at which point Harley’s plans for the future of the Sportster will surely be revealed at least a little further. Source

Benda has released the 680cc four-cylinder LFC 700 cruiser in China, with distribution in Europe coming soon. (Benda Motorcycles/)China’s motorcycle industry might continue to pose some problems in the future given its history of plagiarism and reputation for cheap, low-quality machines, but there’s no denying it’s currently one of the fastest-moving in the world, with a growing number of brands striving to create large-capacity models that can compete on the world stage. Benda, a brand that was barely known a year ago, is at the forefront of this new Chinese charge, and it’s surprising many by not only promising new bikes and greater international access, but actually delivering on those vows. Now the firm has officially launched the production version of the LFC 700 cruiser powered by its own new 680cc four-cylinder engine, but also unveiled a second model, the LFS 700, that plants the same motor in a flat-track-inspired roadster. The LFC’s styling is unique, with four exhaust exits, a long wheelbase, and a huge rear tire. (Benda Motorcycles/)The LFC 700, which was first previewed by Benda’s LF-01 concept last year, is barely altered in showroom form and has now gone on sale in China, with the European market to follow in the near future. Like the original concept, the production bike has comically vast dimensions, with an enormous 67.7-inch wheelbase and a 310/35-18 rear tire, to give the sort of proportions more associated with one-off custom bikes than showroom models. There’s no denying that it’s attention-grabbing, with its quadruple exhaust exits and unique turbine-style air intake surrounding the LED headlight, and perhaps more importantly, it’s not a bike that can be accused of copying others in terms of style. The engine is a 680cc DOHC liquid-cooled V-twin, available in two versions. (Benda Motorcycles/)The engine does appear to have a few similarities to Honda’s CB650 four-cylinder, with the same bore and compression ratio, but its castings are unique and the crankshaft’s throw is 2mm longer to give the 680cc capacity. Two versions are being offered, a cheaper model with 84.5 bhp available at 10,000 rpm and a higher-spec, pricier version with 92.5 bhp at 11,000 rpm, equipped with a slipper clutch and Brembo brakes instead of Nissins. Both models have KYB suspension front and rear and Bosch ABS electronics, plus a TFT dash with phone connectivity for navigation and media. How much for all that? In China, the prices are remarkably low. The cheaper version’s 45,800 yuan price equates to around $7,000, while the Brembo-equipped, more powerful bike is 46,800 yuan, or around $7,200. Benda released the LFS 700 model at the same time, which features the same engine as the LFC, but stuffed into a smaller package with roadster styling. (Benda Motorcycles/)While the LFC 700 had been expected, Benda’s launch of the LFS 700—due to go on sale in China in October—comes as a surprise. It features the same engine as the higher-powered LFC, with 92.5 bhp at 11,000 rpm, plus the Brembo brakes and KYB suspension, but gets more conventional proportions, with a part-alloy, part-steel tube frame instead of the LFC’s huge cast alloy design. The wheelbase shrinks to 1,480mm (58.3 inches), and the tire sizes are conventional, with 17-inch wheels at both ends with a 120-section front and 180-section rear. With its smaller dimensions, the LFS enjoys a significant weight advantage over the LFC, coming in at 480 pounds wet instead of 518 pounds, and its top speed is listed as 130 mph. And the price? In China, the LFS 700 will be just 38,800 yuan, which equates to $6,000. The smaller, lighter, and lower priced LFS 700 also brings some interesting styling choices to the table, including angular side panels and oversize number boards. (Benda Motorcycles/)As with the LFC 700, the LFS’ styling is distinctive, even if it might also prove divisive. Angular side panels extend forward of each side of the fork, with LED turn signals built into them, and those exaggerated number boards on each side of the tail work to hide a duo of underseat exhaust end cans, each with a flattened profile and vertical, slotlike exit. The rear turn signals are also melded into the number boards, with an L-shaped design to make them visible from the side and rear simultaneously. The LFS 700’s underseat exhaust also features a unique flattened shape with vertical exits. (Benda Motorcycles/)Although we’ve yet to hear any plans for Benda to bring its bikes to the USA, the company has already started to establish dealer networks in Europe, with a Spanish operation already in place and bikes expected to reach Italy later this year. The brand has teased several future models as well, including the small-displacement VTR-300 Turbo. (Benda Motorcycles/)Even more intriguing than Benda’s existing models are the company’s plans for the future. At the start of 2021, the firm released a teaser image showing the silhouettes and names of three upcoming models. One of these was the LFS 700, now available in China, and another was the VTC-300, a small V-twin DOHC water-cooled cruiser that was also unveiled last week. The third new model, expected to appear before the end of the year, was dubbed the VTR-300 Turbo, and the silhouette clearly showed a fully faired sportbike. Will it really be powered by a turbocharged 300cc engine? Having seen Benda’s other new models, it seems increasingly likely. Source

The Honda Rebel 300 is the smallest displacement in the line of Big Red’s cruisers and is wholly approachable. (Adam Campbell/)The Honda Rebel has a beginner-friendly pedigree like no other motorcycle cruiser. Since its launch in 1985, this small-bore hero has been introducing riders to motorcycling with its likable, easy-to-handle character. While the 2021 model remains unchanged after its 2020 updates, it retains the approachable nature for which it is very well known: a plucky engine with performance that won’t be outgrown too quickly, a low seat height that new and shorter-statured riders will feel comfortable swinging a leg over, and a low-slung chassis that’s easy to handle on the road and while stopped. The 286cc liquid-cooled single produced 25 peak horsepower and 17.6 pound-feet of torque on our in-house dyno. (Adam Campbell/)The Rebel’s 286cc liquid-cooled engine acts as a stressed member within what Honda calls a diamond-type steel frame. Its 25 Cycle World-measured peak horsepower put out by the quick-to-rev DOHC single is entertaining—but not quick to intimidate. The engine can hang at low speeds a gear high without bucking or shuddering and then sings at higher rpm and speeds. During testing we saw a high of 91 mph indicated on the LCD dash, just enough to keep up with California motorists while holding additional power in reserve for passing. With a CW-recorded quarter-mile time of 16.53 seconds at 75.93 mph, the Rebel covers the quarter more quickly than some of its competition. It gets up to 60 mph in 7.85 seconds, keeping most econoboxes off your tail off the line; engine performance is impressive for its small displacement and allows riders to improve their skills as they push the bike harder. It’s clear that Honda intends to keep the learning curve climbing too, with offerings in the 500 and now 1100 segments. Shifting through the gears is precise. No false neutrals. (Adam Campbell/)The throttle is easily modulated; the Rebel’s delivery of power is predictable and smooth thanks to well-sorted fuel mapping. The clutch lever pulls with minimal effort thanks to the cable-actuated slip and assist clutch. Shifting gears through the six-speed gearbox is precise; the Rebel does not give off a deep “thunk” confirming the gear-changing action like that made by some larger V-twins. It’s doing its job without fanfare or fuss. With the darker colored paint scheme and blacked-out detailing, the Rebel makes a bold statement. (Adam Campbell/)The Rebel carries over styling cues first seen in the 2017 redesign. Its 3.0-gallon peanut tank has bobberlike lines leading down to a 27.3-inch low solo seat. Blacked-out paint covers nearly every inch of components south of our test unit’s Pearl Blue tank and fender. The LED lighting package, which saw a redesign in 2020, is in typical high-quality Honda fashion and gives this bike a modern cruiser appearance. A wide 130/90-16 Dunlop D404 front tire leads the way. (Adam Campbell/)While the seat height and peg location cramps my 32-inch inseam slightly, the seat-to-bar stretch is more roomy. A shorter 5-foot-6 tester with a 31-inch inseam agreed that the seat was very low and the pegs high, though the reach to the bars was not an issue for him either. Seat cushioning, however, is firm and dense, contributing to a numb butt after about an hour and a half of riding. Its composed chassis helps boost rider confidence in the turns. (Adam Campbell/)The suspension is also on the firm side, with a sporty feel from both the 41mm telescopic fork and dual shocks allowing the rider to explore their limits on snaking roads. Small-bump compliance is good for soaking up minor imperfections in the road; it’s only when hitting large bumps that the rear finds the bottom of the Rebel’s 3.8 inches of travel. The bike carries its light 372 pounds hunkered down low, making it very maneuverable and quite fun on winding backroads. If the Rebel had a résumé, it could add “excellent communication” to the list. The rear brake, specifically, communicated its actions very well to the rider. (Adam Campbell/)Applying the Nissin brakes (296mm and 240mm discs, front/rear) demonstrates well-controlled fore and aft weight transfer, again thanks in part to the Rebel’s sub-400 pound mass. This also helped us record a 141.3-foot stopping distance from 60 mph to zero. Furthermore, both the front and rear brakes have a wonderful feel that lets you know when you are approaching imminent assistance from the ABS system. The rear brake has impressive power and can bring the bike to a purposeful stop on its own. Our test unit was equipped with ABS (MSRP $4,899); a non-ABS model is available for a total MSRP of $4,599. The Rebel 300 (with ABS) is listed at a reasonable $4,899. (Adam Campbell/)Motorcycle models come and go, but the Rebel’s 36-year run goes to show that approachability is always in demand. Riders who are just beginning to grow and develop their skills will find this bike a great place to start their motorcycle journey. 2021 Honda Rebel 300 ABS Specs MSRP: $4,899 (ABS) Engine: DOHC, liquid-cooled single-cylinder; 4 valves/cyl. Displacement: 286cc Bore x Stroke: 76.0 x 63.0mm Compression Ratio: 10.7:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain Clutch: Wet, multiplate; cable actuation Engine Management/Ignition: Electronic fuel injection w/ 38mm throttle bodies Frame: Diamond-type steel Front Suspension: 41mm telescopic fork; 4.8 in. travel Rear Suspension: Twin shocks, preload adjustable, 3.8 in. travel Front Brake: Nissin hydraulic caliper w/ 296mm disc w/ ABS Rear Brake: Nissin hydraulic caliper w/ 240mm disc w/ ABS Wheels, Front/Rear: Cast aluminum; 16 x 3.0 in. / 16 x 3.5 in. Tires, Front/Rear: Dunlop D404; 130/90-16 / 150/80-16 Rake/Trail: 28.0º/4.3 in. Wheelbase: 58.7 in. Ground Clearance: 5.9 in. Cycle World Measured Seat Height: 27.3 in. Fuel Capacity: 3.0 gal. (0.6 gal. reserve) Cycle World Measured Wet Weight: 372 lb. Contact: powersports.honda.com 2021 Honda Rebel 300 ABS Performance Numbers CW Measured Performance Horsepower: 25.01 hp @ 7,640 rpm Torque: 17.59 lb.-ft. @ 7,320 rpm Quarter-Mile: 16.53 sec. @ 75.93 mph 0–30: 2.42 sec. 0–60: 7.85 sec. 0–100: N/A Top-Gear Roll-On, 40–60 mph: 9.22 sec. Top-Gear Roll-On, 60–80 mph: 12.49 sec. Braking, 30–0: 35.27 ft. Braking, 60–0: 141.3 ft. GEARBOX: Helmet: Arai Regent-X Jacket: Pando Moto Capo Cor 01 Pant: Pando Moto Kusari Kev 01 Gloves: See See Street Glove Boots: Cortech Women’s Slayer Riding Shoe The Pearl Blue paint is one of two colorway options for the small-displacement Rebel. (Adam Campbell/) The Rebel has a 58.7-inch wheelbase, 28-degree rake, and 4.3-inch trail. (Adam Campbell/) A close-up of the Rebel’s brake pedal and right peg. (Adam Campbell/) The exhaust that sings out the single’s tune. (Adam Campbell/) A Nissin caliper squeezes on a 296mm disc for front-end stopping power. (Adam Campbell/) The four-bulb LED headlight that illuminates the road ahead. (Adam Campbell/) A close-up of the radiator gives you a glimpse of the plumbing required to cool the Rebel engine. (Adam Campbell/) Honda does a very admirable job of neatly wrapping wires and directing said wires to the appropriate locations. (Adam Campbell/) A simplistic gauge shows pertinent information on a contrasting white-on-black LCD screen. (Adam Campbell/) Many bikes have the ignition switch located by the instrument cluster, the Rebel’s is located on the left side just under the tank. (Adam Campbell/) The 41mm telescopic fork has 4.8 inches of travel. (Adam Campbell/) Dual shocks provide 3.8 inches of travel. (Adam Campbell/) Decent lean is achieved before pegs start to scrape. (Adam Campbell/) Looking for chrome? Well, there ain’t much. Only a small amount can be found on the fork tubes. (Adam Campbell/) I want my, I want my, I want my LED. That’s how it goes, right? (Adam Campbell/) A solo saddle gives the Rebel its bobberlike look, but the firmness of the cushion is uncomfortable on longer rides. (Adam Campbell/) Knees up and arms outstretched make up the Rebel’s ergonomics. (Adam Campbell/) The single-cylinder engine helps keep the bike slim. (Adam Campbell/) A diamond-type frame holds the engine in place. (Adam Campbell/) Fill ’er up. The Rebel has a 3.0-gallon fuel capacity. (Adam Campbell/) The Rebel’s low center of gravity makes it easy to tip into turns. (Adam Campbell/) Overall approachability makes the Rebel a-track-tive to new riders. (Adam Campbell/) Cast aluminum wheels are shod with Dunlop rubber (Adam Campbell/) Both front and rear wheels have 16-inch diameters. (Adam Campbell/) With a 0–60 time of 7.85 seconds, the Rebel has impressive acceleration for its engine size. (Adam Campbell/) A color-matched steel rear fender looks sleek. The plastic front fender, however, seems like a cost-saving touch. (Adam Campbell/) In stock form, the Rebel is for the solo rider, however, there are accessories available that can cater to the two-up travelers. (Adam Campbell/) Here’s a decent view of the Rebel’s underbelly. (Adam Campbell/) The three most common final drives are belt, shaft, or chain. The Rebel is fitted with an O-ring-sealed chain. (Adam Campbell/) Despite all the plumbing for the liquid-cooling there is still some negative space between the engine and frame. (Adam Campbell/) The Rebel clocked a 16.53-sec quarter-mile time at 75.93 mph. (Adam Campbell/) Who can ever say no to a winding road? (Adam Campbell/)Source

Fabio Quartararo extended his point lead after his win at Assen. (MotoGP/)By handily winning the Dutch TT, Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo took the lead in the MotoGP championship with 156 points, over second place Johann Zarco’s 122 and the 109 points of Francesco Bagnaia in third (both on Ducatis). Although it was a surprise to see Maverick “Mr. Up-and-Down” Viñales topping most practices after finishing 10th at Sachsenring, it was only an illusion brought about by his hot single laps versus Quartararo’s crushing consistency. In FP4 Quartararo unrolled eight 1:32 laps to two by Viñales, while Bagnaia produced steady 33s. Bagnaia, who came sixth in the race, said, “In FP4 my pace was not too bad, but looking at the pace of the Yamaha, [I’m] five- or six-tenths slower. “I didn’t expect to struggle so much this weekend. The Desmosedici is difficult to handle in the fast corners because it moves a lot. “I will try to stop them in the first few laps [Quartararo and Viñales] but it will be difficult to stay with them for the whole race.” Quartararo assessed the competition: “…Bagnaia is good at tire management and he will be there, as well as the Suzukis and [Miguel] Oliveira—difficult to know who will be the main opponent.” Everyone agreed that Assen’s new asphalt gives outstanding grip. Viñales noted, “My problem is grip. When it’s there, I’m fast. When it’s not, I suffer.” The racing this year has shown that it’s essential to get away in the first group, get into clear air free of hot, tire-killing slipstreams, take the lead, and go away. Bagnaia gamely gave it a try even without the pace to win. He led four laps, but Quartararo’s repeated attacks eventually succeeded and the Frenchman broke away to win by 2.7 seconds over Viñales. Quartararo made the pass on Bagnaia on lap 4. (MotoGP/)Many in the paddock speak of how close the competition is now, the result of every rider having thorough training and being aboard fully engineered factory racebikes. Can competition be too close? Luca Marini (Valentino Rossi’s half brother) said of present MotoGP, “It’s different from Moto2. Last year I fought for the championship until the end of the season but it was a completely different situation. [In MotoGP] the stress is much higher. “…in Moto2 I was never tired. In MotoGP you start the weekend already tired.” Other riders spoke of having to ride at the limit the whole time. Oliveira, who finished fifth, said, “I was on the limit since the start to the finish.” Zarco said, “Today I raced really to the limit, the front end closed and to recover I was pushing [on the pavement] with my elbow. “Even at Sachsenring I pushed to the limit but I took pole there, while here it wasn’t enough.” Zarco finished fourth. What of Marc Márquez, who thrilled us all by winning Sachsenring? A snap highside in practice effectively thumped him very hard. Unbroken, he gathered himself to finish seventh. Márquez noted, “The thing is, only Honda riders have these kinds of highsides. In Portimão, Álex and Pol. Here, me. “But the traction control didn’t keep the slide.” As the back end started to go, he waited for the intervention but it never came. Marc Márquez finished seventh at Assen—a commendable finish considering the massive highside he had in practice. (MotoGP/)Despite two changes of crew chief, Viñales has now asked for early separation from Yamaha (his existing contract includes 2022). “Somehow I start to feel when I come to race that it starts to be a nightmare. I have for three years the same comments [to Yamaha].” Maverick Viñales finished second on the weekend he announced his request for an early departure of the Yamaha squad. (MotoGP Race News/)Losing three positions at the start, Viñales set about getting past Takaaki Nakagami (Honda): “For sure I destroyed the tires a lot behind him. I didn’t find the way to overtake until he lost grip.” What has happened to other previous winners such as Joan Mir, Jack Miller, and Oliveira? Mir’s 2020 consistency has been eclipsed by Quartararo on the improved Yamaha, yet he did forge his way into third this time. Miller crashed at turn 5. Oliveira said, “Our goal was to make the bike [KTM] agile, but making it agile and stable at the same time is not an easy result to achieve.” Joan Mir finished third on the day in Assen. (MotoGP/)Zarco had earlier noted, “The fourth sector is the most complex for our bike—there are high-speed changes of direction.” The Yamahas have always excelled at direction changing, but the usual means of speeding up the process, through reduced steering rake and trail, can provoke oscillatory instability—wobble or high-speed weave, which riders call “pumping.” Is chassis oscillation what riders now mean when they complain of “shaking”? Quartararo spoke of shaking beginning out of turn 12 until turn 15, and Bagnaia noted that while Quartararo was faster in sector three, “I’m always faster in some corners like the fast ones in sector four. I know that maybe for the setting his bike is shaking more and I can control it better.” MotoGP is no picnic, as American World Supers rider Garrett Gerloff, standing in at Yamaha for the injured Franco Morbidelli, said: “The bike is so rigid and the tires have so much grip that it just reacts off of every imperfection in the track. “…there isn’t much middle ground. Either you push or you don’t push. You need balls.” Gerloff finished 17th. Garrett Gerloff stood in for an injured Franco Morbelli and finished 17th. (MotoGP/)This is close to the reaction former MotoGP rider Ben Spies and crew chief Tom Houseworth voiced at their first GPs: The bikes are much stiffer than Superbikes and offer much more grip. This season and last, first one rider and then another moves to the front in a steady succession, suggesting that, in a paddock where everyone in the top 10 has a winning pace, winning has become a lottery. Quartararo has emerged as a force, but even so, we won’t be surprised if the Ducatis return to strength at tracks that favor them. We can guess, but nothing is certain. What if tires are more complex than the simple-minded model that says “baby them in the early laps so there’ll be something left at the end”? What if they behave more like old-time engine break-in? Piston rings might never seat properly unless loaded to, say, 70 percent of maximum in cycles of heavy throttle, alternating with rest. “Babying” the rings just resulted in arrested break-in, leakage, and disappointing power. How did Casey Stoner get his tires to operating temperature so fast in the first three laps and still have winning grip at the end? What did Andrea Dovizioso learn at Ducati that allowed him to use that maker’s tremendous power without shredding his tires? How did Marc Márquez arrive in MotoGP already able to postpone his tire drop beyond what veterans Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo could manage? How does Quartararo make his Yamaha win races when the finish record of the factory’s other three riders has been so up-and-down? We have to reject the idea that MotoGP has become a “tire lottery” in which the winning strategy is trusting luck to issue you two good ones for Sunday afternoon. Quartararo’s wins would be an unlikely result. From early 1950s experiments with silica as a tire tread reinforcement (in partnership with carbon black), it was 40 years before Michelin released its “Green Tire” revolution in 1992, employing rubber that paradoxically combined high wet and dry traction with much reduced rolling resistance. It was a breakthrough. Tread compound development is scientific, but it is also slow because understanding the effects of so many ingredients and processes takes time. The result is yearslong programs of exhaustively testing every small variation. There is no such thing as full knowledge in this business. Rossi (who lost the front and crashed out) said of Michelin on Saturday, “They don’t know which tire will work either. “[Piero] Taramasso expected no one to use the hard tire on the rear, but in FP4 with that [on] I had a pace that was sixth-tenths better than [with] the medium. “But this is valid for today. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow in the race.” Quartararo won on the medium/hard that many riders chose. We instinctively seek reliable truth but we enjoy the uncertainty and surprises of racing. Now comes the monthlong summer break. Will MotoGP resume at Austria’s Red Bull Ring as it is today? Or will everything change again? As Rossi put it, “…the cards are always shuffled.” We’ll know more on August 8. Source

From model years 2017 to 2019, Husqvarna’s four-stroke enduro bikes were absent from its lineup. Consumers who wanted an off-road-only model designed for high-level trail riding could purchase a dual sport model, but they would either have to compromise by riding a slightly heavier and less powerful bike or stripping it of components added to make it street legal, remap the ECU, and add a less restrictive exhaust system to make it as light and powerful as the enduro models. Riding the 2021 Husqvarna FE 501. (Mark Kariya/)While that’s not an incredible amount of work, it’s more labor-intensive than just buying an enduro model. Luckily, that dilemma ended when Husqvarna brought its four-stroke enduro motorcycles back to its lineup for 2020. We swung a leg over the Austrian manufacturer’s 350cc four-stroke enduro and dual sport models last year, and got the opportunity to test this year’s big-bore FE 501, Husqvarna’s flagship four-stroke enduro motorcycle. As Husqvarna’s flagship enduro model, the FE 501 shares lots of components with the FE 501s dual sport motorcycle but is aimed at high-level enduro riding. (Mark Kariya/)2021 Husqvarna FE 501 Engine Despite the FE 501′s model name, it’s actually 511cc in displacement. The foundation of the engine is the same as the FC 450 motocross model with the same bore but a longer stroke to give it the additional 61cc. The FE 501 is equipped with an exhaust system fitted with an O2 sensor connected to the header pipe for its closed-loop EFI system. The muffler has a United States Forest Service (USFS)-approved spark arrestor, but it’s not the same fully restricted silencer that comes on the FE 501s dual sport. The bike also has a reed valve in the airboot to help keep the noise within EPA regulations. Being that it’s a 50-state-legal off-road motorcycle, the FE 501 sacrifices some engine power and weighs more than its FC and FX model counterparts. It churned out 44.5 hp and 31.6 pound-feet of torque on the Dirt Rider dyno, and hit our automotive scales at 253 pounds wet. (Mark Kariya/)Even though the FE 501 meets the requirements to make it California green-sticker-eligible and 50-state legal, two things which can severely limit a bike’s overall power, it seems to have as much torque as a small tractor. With its 12.5:1 compression ratio and six-speed gearbox, the big-bore Husqvarna has ready power and the right gear for almost every situation. In comparison to the 450 motocrosser, the powerband signs off much lower in the rpm range, likely due to its longer stroke and engine modifications made for it to meet EPA requirements. There is a reed valve in the airboot to help keep the engine noise level below EPA requirements. (Mark Kariya/)The inertia of the bigger engine is noticeable, but the bike does not feel that heavy overall, especially in comparison to some other big-bore enduro models. Despite the somewhat restricted exhaust and the reed valve in the intake, the engine still produces an impressive 44.5 hp and 31.6 pound-feet of torque. It chugs along quietly, but is always ready to pull you up and over whatever hill or obstacle you may encounter. Overall, with its combination of a flexible powerband and six-speed gearbox, this engine package delivers exactly what a fun enduro riding experience needs. RELATED: 2021 Husqvarna FE 501 Dyno Test Because of the engine’s longer stroke than the FC 450 and the restrictions to make it a 50-state-legal bike, the FE 501 signs off a little early in the powerband compared to the motocross model. (Mark Kariya/)2021 Husqvarna FE 501 Suspension The FE 501 comes with a WP Xplor 48 fork which is adjustable for compression damping, rebound damping, and spring preload. It uses an open cartridge design with a coil spring in each leg. Compression damping is controlled in the left leg and rebound damping in the right, with a range of about 30 clicks each. The WP Xact shock uses a linkage design and has adjustable low- and high-speed compression damping, rebound damping, and spring preload. Both the front and rear suspension have 11.8 inches (300mm) of travel. The stock settings are definitely designed for comfort, offering a plush ride that will suit a wide range of riders. The external adjustability of this suspension is helpful in this regard, though if you are more than 185 pounds and an intermediate or better rider, you might benefit from going with stiffer springs as the bike rides a little low in the stroke, even for a 170-pound rider. The FE 501 feels like it has more torque than a John Deere tractor. It offers big-bore power without the big-bore feel. (Mark Kariya/)2021 Husqvarna FE 501 Chassis/Handling The FE 501 chassis is the exact same as the motocross model’s, with a chromoly steel frame and a composite carbon fiber subframe, but is spec’d with a larger 2.2-gallon fuel tank. The greatest feature of the chassis is that while the fuel tank is bigger, it’s not noticeable while sitting or standing on the motorcycle. The Husky also has a seat 0.4 inch (10mm) lower than its KTM competitor, complete with a standard non-gripper cover. With its remarkable amount of suspension comfort, Husqvarna’s largest-displacement enduro bike allows for long days of riding with less fatigue. (Mark Kariya/)The stock skid plate and hand guards are well-designed and quite durable. Dunlop Geomax AT81s, a premium off-road tire, comes standard. Brakes are Magura with a 260mm front and 220mm rear rotor. The ProTaper handlebar can be placed in four mounting positions atop the 22mm-offset triple clamps. There is a very usable multifunction odometer with several trip, speed, and fuel consumption displays. With its mellow-mannered engine and plush suspension, the FE 501 delivers a planted feeling along with much more traction than expected. Riding the bike with both feet on the pegs, standing as much as possible, you can use its torque to get through obstacles that would normally require much more effort. The same can be said for climbing hills; used correctly, the torque of this engine will carry you up most slopes like they’re not even there. Naturally, during braking, especially downhill, there is a little more mass to account for, requiring you to think about your braking zone a little earlier than on a smaller-bore machine. The ability to adjust spring preload on the fork certainly aids in making this bike fit a wide range of riders and riding styles. Minimal adjustments are needed off the showroom floor to start enjoying it. (Mark Kariya/)2021 Husqvarna FE 501 Overall Impression This bike, in short, is a big-bore enduro motorcycle with tractor-like torque and Cadillac-like ride comfort. It easily fulfilled my expectations. Note that this is not an FE 501s dual sport model but more of a competition enduro bike; while the EPA requirements for off-road are similar to a street-legal bike, this model does not have the added catalytic converter, turn signals, and other components needed to adhere to DOT regulations. The FE 501 is best suited for more open trail riding, casual riding, and long-distance rides in its stock trim, and riders from novice up to expert should equally enjoy riding this bike in standard form. If you’re looking for more out of the big-bore Husqvarna, it would be a great starting point for hare & hound, desert racing, and long-distance events. With its big-bore engine, six-speed gearbox, and linkage-type suspension, the foundation of the FE 501 opens it up to a world of possibilities for a serious off-road racer. If you were to install a performance exhaust and ECU, you would immediately turn this machine into a closed-course-competition fire-breather. The personalization options for it are almost limitless. (Mark Kariya/)Gearbox Helmet: Fox Racing V3 Goggle: Fox Racing Vue Jacket: Fox Racing Legion Jersey: Fox Racing Legion Gloves: Fox Racing Legion Thermo Pants: Fox Racing Legion Boots: Fox Racing Instinct 2021 Husqvarna FE 501 Specifications MSRP: $11,299 Engine: SOHC, liquid-cooled single-cylinder; 4 valves Displacement: 511cc Bore x Stroke: 95.0 x 72.0mm Compression Ratio: 12.75:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain Dirt Rider Measured Horsepower: 44.5 hp @ 8,400 rpm Dirt Rider Measured Torque: 31.6 lb.-ft. @ 6,900 rpm Fuel System: EFI w/ 42mm throttle body Clutch: Wet, multiplate Damped Diaphragm Steel (DDS); hydraulic actuation Frame: Central double-cradle chromoly steel Front Suspension: WP Xplor 48mm fork, compression damping and rebound damping adjustable; 11.8 in. travel Rear Suspension: WP Xact shock, spring preload, high-/low-speed compression damping, and rebound damping adjustable; 11.8 in. travel Front Brake: Magura 2-piston caliper, 260mm disc Rear Brake: Magura 1-piston caliper, 220mm disc Wheels, Front/Rear: 21 x 1.60 in. / 18 x 2.15 in. Tires, Front/Rear: Dunlop Geomax AT81; 80/100-21 / 110/100-18 Rake/Trail: 26.5°/NA Wheelbase: 58.5 in. Ground Clearance: 14.2 in. Dirt Rider Measured Seat Height: 37.4 in. Fuel Capacity: 2.2 gal. Dirt Rider Measured Wet Weight: 253 lb. Availability: Now Contact: husqvarna-motorcycles.com Source

Harley’s rolling out an all-new new bike next month based on the Revolution Max platform. (Harley-Davidson/)Late last year, we witnessed what we thought was the death of Harley-Davidson’s much anticipated Bronx model, a powerful (and presumably nimble) streetfighter-styled naked motorcycle that looked like a tantalizing addition to a Motor Company portfolio previously dominated by long, low and heavy cruisers. Word on the street was it would be nimble, with sporting ergonomics, come in two engine displacements, 975 and 1250cc, each claiming prodigious power numbers and featuring the engine as a stressed member, with upspec components to match. But after reading a just-dropped announcement from Harley-Davidson, we’re wondering if rumors of its demise may have been greatly exaggerated. There’s some speculation it could be the canned Bronx streetfighter... or maybe something else entirely. (Harley-Davidson/)Harley’s pre-launch announcement, of course, is maddeningly vague, saying only that H-D will be hosting a new mid-season motorcycle reveal called “From Evolution to Revolution.” The release then reads, “This new model follows the exciting arrival of the Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250…” but the only real info about the bike’s positioning is barely touched upon in the next paragraph, where CEO Jochen Zeitz adds “...we are excited to reveal another all-new motorcycle, built on the Revolution Max platform in the sport segment, showcasing unmatched Harley-Davidson technology, performance and style.” The ‘sport segment’ phrase in the middle of that sentence is the telling part; the Bronx, as you may recall, was a bike largely seen as Harley’s exploratory thrust into new markets, designed to go up against the likes of Indian’s FTR1200 and other streetfighter-style machines when it was unveiled at EICMA in 2019 alongside the Pan America. There was speculation of it having a 975cc twin making 113hp and 70 lb-ft of torque, although a 1250cc version with 143hp and 90lb-ft was also on the cards. It had its own web page, product photos and more, so clearly product development was pretty far along at that point. It had all sounded more than acceptably sporty then, so...was the Bronx being given a new life now? The attached teaser photo suggests a cruiser-style machine however, like this previously announced “High Performance Custom.” (Harley-Davidson/)Not so fast. An accompanying image with H-D’s press release shows a close up of the engine bay with the 1250 Revolution Max engine front and center, but it’s framed by elements we’ve previously seen on the “1250 performance custom” model, which we always assumed was going to be the next bike launched using the Revolution Max powertrain anyway, and which has already been confirmed by Harley as a 2021 model. You can clearly see the configuration and sweep of the pipes, particularly the header from the front cylinder, which mimics that of the cruiser model, and it’s clear that’s the bottom edge of a cruiser-style fuel tank above the cylinder heads as well. Images of the Bronx showed a different cluster of elements in the same locatio RELATED: Harley-Davidson Looks to Revive the Nightster Nameplate Then there’s the title of the launch event itself; “From Evolution to Revolution.” If that’s not a hint that the Sportster’s long-running Evolution engine is getting replaced with the new Revolution power plant, we don’t know what is. The 1250 “High Performance Custom” has long been rumored to be the new face for Harley’s aging Sportster line, and Zeitz’s mention of the “sport segment’ could just be a thinly veiled reference to that transition. Add all those clues to The Motor Company’s previous confirmation along with that teaser image, and it’s safe to say we’ll likely see the 1250 custom model next month rather than the Bronx; a four-valve liquid-cooled V-twin with the potential for 100-plus hp would definitely qualify as “sporty” in the cruiser world. Especially if it’s called a Sportster. As with the Pan America, the new intro will be virtual, taking place on July 13. At the time, H-D says it will release more details of the new model and include presentations by Harley-Davidson leadership and product experts. Get more info at www.H-D.com/JulyReveal and stay tuned for our report after the release. Might we see the Bronx model in 2022 then? Stay tuned. (Harley-Davidson /)As for the Bronx, the company’s official statement last year was: “Harley-Davidson’s immediate new product focus in 2021 will be on the launch of Pan America, our first Adventure Touring motorcycle. We will not be launching the Bronx next year.” RELATED: Why Harley-Davidson Looks Down But Not Out Notice they didn’t say they wouldn’t launch it the following year. To our mind, the Bronx was never officially cancelled – just put on the back burner and left to marinate a while longer. The success of the new Pan America could also be a determining factor, so as far as we’re concerned we may see a streetfighter from Milwaukee yet. Just not this year. Just out of curiosity: which model do you all think it will be? Source

Honda’s announced the return of the Monkey and Super Cub 125 to the European market for 2022. (Honda/) Honda recently announced updates to its Monkey 125and Super Cub 125models for the European market for 2022, which bodes well for those of us in the States looking for revisions to those same miniMotos when/if they appear in Honda’s lineup here. With new air-cooled—and cleaner—engines along with minor chassis tweaks to boost comfort and a few new colorways (of course), two of Honda’s most accessible—and fun—bikes are set to return for 2022. Many of those changes were reflected in the new 2022 Grom we just rode in the US (read it here) so it stands to reason we’ll be seeing some of the same updates on the US-spec Monkey as well, given that it shares the same platform. New air-cooled engine is cleaner and more fuel efficient, while the five-speed gearbox is a welcome addition for 2022. (Honda/) For instance, the European-market 2022 Monkey now gets the same new air-cooled 124cc Euro 5-approved engine and five-speed gearbox the European Grom received, which we also just experienced on the new US Grom (sans emissions tweaks; it’s good for 9.7 hp and 7.7 pound-feet of torque). That new-ish 123.9cc motor features slightly different bore and longer stroke dimensions, with an airbox reshaped specifically for it, along with a new intake and revised catalyzer. That all adds up to an output of 9.25 bhp, says Honda, which is unchanged from last year, though fuel economy is said to be marginally improved. The rangier five-speed gearbox also has lower overall gearing, making for a less buzzy experience at higher speeds. A pair of new two-stage shocks are added to improve ride quality. (Honda/) Otherwise that funky Monkey style is left alone, with mini-ape handlebars, chromed fenders, high-mounted muffler, and a fat padded seat riding on chunky 12-inch tires, for an instantly recognizable profile. A new blue colorway joins the now-classic red and yellow schemes. Bikes are supposed to be available in Europe sometime in August. Mini-apes take center stage in the surprisingly well-appointed cockpit, which also features a digital full LCD meter. (Honda/) The Super Cub also gets a new engine, though the transmission is unchanged. (Honda/) As for the Honda Super Cub—the world’s bestselling motorcycle—it retains its familiar retro silhouette though you can clearly pick out the added passenger seat and matching footpegs, which are now standard. It too gets changes to the SOHC engine, though this one is effectively a new design, with a new bore and stroke (as on the Monkey), revised ECU settings, and just a wee bit more power (a claimed 9.7 hp). The four-speed transmission remains unchanged, with power put down via a centrifugal clutch. Fuel economy also remains the same, all while meeting new Euro 5 standards. To match the engine improvements, the Super Cub dials up the comfort level with new springs in the fork and shock to smooth out ride quality. The Super Cub is the world’s bestselling motorcycle, having moved well over 100 million units. (Honda/) A new pillion seat takes up the rear, done up in classic red as an homage to the original. (Honda/) Modern touches include LED lighting, keyless ignition, and a proximity fob, while the classic red seat pays homage to the original model. The Super Cub 125 motor may be all retro style on the outside, but the cockpit features some nice modern touches like keyless ignition and a proximity fob. (Honda/) For 2022, the European-spec Honda Monkey features a new blue colorway option. (Honda/) The Monkey manages to be modern yet totally retro from every angle. (Honda/) With the new Grom now in the Honda’s US lineup for 2022, we’re assuming the same updates will carry over to the US Monkeys (Monkees?) later this year. [This cool riding video from Honda will have to hold you over in the meantime. Source

Marc Márquez returned to the top step at the German GP. (MotoGP/)Marc Márquez has lived through his year of injury and emerged triumphant, with a win at Germany’s Sachsenring, a circuit where he has won 11 straight events. At the start he came under Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo from the second row, forcing him to lift, and led every lap thereafter. Then came rain. “When I saw a few drops on lap four or five, I said ‘It’s my race.’ Then at that point I pushed and kept the same race pace as before.” This is what great champions in all forms of racing do—they instantly make ground while others’ minds are diverted. Years ago a rider said to me, “If you see the ambulance move, you go—while the others stare.” “Even when it started the second drops,” Márquez said, “I pushed even more, and I said it was time to take a risk. “Then [began] the second race with Miguel [Oliveira]. He pushed. It was hard, was really hard to keep concentrated.” Márquez’s comments from earlier in the weekend revealed that although Sachsenring’s ten lefts and three rights favored his uninjured side, he was far from certain of what was possible. “Before I come in this weekend I say, OK, I will try to fight for the podium. I will try to be close to the top guys,’” Márquez said. “But the victory was low possibility. But I say, ‘If it’s the perfect condition, I will try.’” When asked if he would bet 10 euros on his winning, he said, “No, I would not bet 10 euros. That’s why I didn’t put on the soft tire [in qualifying; he qualified fifth]. I didn’t have the power to ride for pole, even if it was planned.” Again, as in previous races this year, qualifying times were very close, and a tenth of a second could set a rider back an entire whole row. Yet there remained Márquez’s incredible record of wins here—an unbroken string stretching back to 2010. Against that were ranged the Ducatis and their new turning capabilities—with Johann Zarco on pole and Jack Miller fourth—and the fast-improving Aprilia of Aleix Espargaró along with Oliveira’s KTM and its powerful new grip (which Miller characterized as “incredible”). Where was previous wonder-worker Quartararo and his strangely fast (because the other three are so slow) Yamaha? He had been quick through practice but lacked confidence in the front. At the start he fell back to sixth but was able to recover to third by the end, finishing 6.77 seconds out of first and behind Oliveira. Fabio Quartararo finished nearly 7 seconds behind Márquez in third. (MotoGP/)“We knew that in the second sector at turns six and seven,” Quartararo said, “we would have some problems, and so it was also in the race.” Márquez and Oliveira were not his focus (with 16 and 54 points respectively, to his own 115), but rather the Ducatis that follow him in the championship, second, third, and fourth. “I concentrated on finishing the race well, trying if possible to finish in front of the Ducatis.” Oliveira (KTM) said, “…the key moment of the race was when the rain came down and as we know Marc was able to understand quite quickly the grip level and he made the gap there. “Then when I got to the second place I tried hard. I put the pressure on him. “…but I didn’t have the best situation to manage the tire because I used a lot to…get to him.” Miguel Oliveira pushed hard to close the gap on Márquez, but it was not enough. (MotoGP /)Márquez was careful to say, “This victory gives me further motivation, but I’m still not the same Marc I was in 2019. It’ll take time and I already know that I’ll struggle in Assen.” The Dutch TT is next weekend—after which comes the summer break until August 8. He spoke of a half-hour phone call from five-time 500 GP champion Mick Doohan: “I was just listening, he was speaking everything. He was explaining his situation [when he was badly injured], but he was also like he was explaining my situation.” Singing my life with his words. Think what these men have overcome in order to return to their full abilities. Many a rider has, after a major accident, never fully returned. As Richard Gabriel described in his book, No More Heroes, something in the inaccessible part of the mind can become unwilling to again unlock that person’s full abilities. Longtime race watchers saw it happen to Freddie Spencer. After his accident he remained fast, graceful, and experienced—but he was not the trans-human force he had been. Think of being told your injury requires a second operation. Think of having to consider a persistent infection. That a third operation is needed. We can’t know what Márquez’s interior story has been, but we must respect his strength in coming this far. Onto something entirely different, which presents itself for our consideration. Recently, some riders have complained that using the holeshot device (which lowers ride height for the start) to enhance acceleration through a whole race creates a danger. During acceleration and the run down a straight, the suspension is in the low (dragster) position, but as the rider brakes, he releases it, allowing the bike to rise to normal ride height. Here’s the problem: At the same time the front is diving under braking force, the rear is rapidly rising from its previous latched-down position, and the two add up to such a rapid forward pitch that when the fork springs finally stop the motion, the remaining momentum can make the back end light or even lift it off the pavement. A dedicated rebound damper inactivated when the bike achieves normal rear ride height can mitigate this. That rebound damper can be adjusted, slowing the rate of rise back to any desired degree. Even now, it remains spooky to see one of the Ducati riders, preparing to make a practice start, reach up to the fork crown and twist something. Immediately some mysterious force pulls the rear of the bike down to its “dragster” position. And it works—the starts some riders are getting are a tremendous advantage; think of all the times riders have wasted their tires trying to make up ground lost at the start. If technology—winglets, spoons, fork fairings, variable ride height—makes you nervous, then you’re casting a vote for MotoGP to become a static vintage class while production bikes adopt the self-same advanced features. Mr. Dall’Igna at Ducati and the managers of all the other factory teams now encourage their engineers to propose blue-sky ways to boost performance, using R&D money that would traditionally have been spent on engines (which are for the moment “frozen”). Why didn’t we see Márquez’s win coming in the form of the usual predictor—long, fast tire evaluation runs in practice? Because he knows his stamina is not yet at 100 percent, and he can’t afford to squander his energy. It’s no different than saving your tires. But the other riders saw his improved level and were not surprised. You can be sure there was pressure aplenty. Racing costs every factory many millions. Did an HRC big cheese show up at Barcelona to personally evaluate the situation? Possibly. It’s not for nothing that so many riders now have psychological trainers to help them focus on what is possible rather than digesting themselves with performance anxiety. The present competitiveness in MotoGP has been a long time in creation, and now that it’s here it brings fresh problems. (Eat your hearts out, Formula 1.) Again there are complaints of riders riding qualifying slowly on or near the racing line in hope of picking up a tow. There is no guaranteed employment continuity in this business—its love is strictly conditional. Idling along waiting for a tow has long been the rule in Moto3, and we all know that the tighter the groups of bikes, the more likely it becomes that someone’s small mistake will bring them all down. Will Dorna have to add a system that continuously monitors everyone’s speed and electronically issues “tickets” to violators? I much prefer racing to courtroom drama, and hope a way forward can be found without more petty punishments and penalties. Onward to Assen. Source

2021 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 (Royal Enfield/)Ups The beginner cruiser market gains one more competitorImpressive, well-balanced handlingEngine power may not be jaw-dropping, but its mild-mannered delivery and lack of vibration provides a very relaxed rideWell-cushioned seat provides all-day comfortOozes timeless charmThree-year warrantyDowns Brake dive is noticeableBrakes have mushy communication and poor performanceSloppily-wrapped wiringVerdict Timeless good looks, impressively neutral handling, and all-day riding comfort is enough to sell many on the Meteor 350, and the sub-$5K price makes it even harder to resist. 2021 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 (Jeff Allen/)Overview Small-displacement cruisers are wonderful bikes that appeal to newer riders because of characteristically low seat heights, approachable power, and cool cruiser aura. The 2021 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is one such bike, and it has a distinct cruiser charm and pleasingly smooth single-cylinder engine to attract any rider or skill level. Its air/oil-cooled single brings the currently reigning liquid-cooled singles some competition. Updates for 2021 The Meteor 350 is a new model for 2021. Pricing and Variants The blacked-out base Meteor, known as the Fireball trim level, is available for $4,399 with the upper trims increasing by $100. Stellar trim, which has chrome details and includes a passenger backrest, has an MSRP of $4,499, and the Supernova (also chrome details and passenger backrest, but adds front windshield) is priced at $4,599. Powertrain: Engine, Transmission, and Performance This small-displacement cruiser is powered by a 349cc air/oil-cooled electronically-fuel-injected single-cylinder engine that produces very smooth, approachable power for easygoing cruising. And we mean easygoing as the Cycle World-measured peak horsepower is 17.4 and peak torque is 18.2 pound-feet, but don’t let that discredit the mild-mannered engine since getting up to freeway speeds is doable, but tops out around 75 mph. The engine is notably vibration free thanks to a balance shaft. Shifting presents some mild issues since the toe-heel shift lever was difficult for test rider Serena McKnight to wedge a toe under, but the heel shifter was a suitable alternative to clicking through the five-speed gearbox. The clutch lever is meaty, but the pull is easy, McKnight reports. 2021 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 (Jeff Allen/)Handling The Meteor’s handling is impressive. The 41mm telescopic fork and twin downtube chassis remains incredibly steady through turns and that boosts confidence. The suspension provides excellent small-bump compliance for tackling the rough roads, and the center of gravity of the measured 418 pounds is low and stable. A criticism that McKnight points out is the soft rear twin tube emulsion shocks wallow in wavy pavement troughs. Taking leisurely cruises down urban roads and scenic byways is the Meteor’s happy place, but it is also a comfortable ride on the freeway with its straight-line stability. Brakes Braking is done by ByBre, specifically, a two-piston floating caliper and single-piston floating caliper grip on the 300mm and 270mm discs (front and rear respectively). McKnight reported mushy brake feel, but overall stopping power is adequate. Standard-issue ABS is there to help in panic-braking scenarios. 2021 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 (Royal Enfield/)Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG Real-world miles per gallon is currently unrecorded. Fuel capacity is 4.0 gallons. Ergonomics: Comfort and Utility Who can say no to all-day comfort? McKnight wrote that due to its fanned out, well-cushioned seat, the Meteor is superbly comfortable for all-day riding. The low 29.7-inch seat height is complemented by a relaxed reach to the bars, and pegs are slightly forward for a laid-back riding position. 2021 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 (Jeff Allen/)Electronics While its main competitors have full LED lighting systems, the Royal Enfield features a halogen headlight, with an LED running light and LED taillight. Where the Meteor outshines its competitors lies with the standard Tripper Navigation unit which displays turn-by-turn directions on a color gauge beside the larger analog speedometer gauge. ABS is also standard with the braking package. Warranty and Maintenance Coverage The three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty gives the owner one less thing to worry about. Three years is a substantial time frame especially considering competition often has one or two years’ worth of coverage. Quality Sloppily wrapped wiring is a bit of an eyesore, but overall the timeless, classic motorcycle look is executed nicely. 2021 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 (Royal Enfield/)2021 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Claimed Specifications MSRP: $4,399–$4,599 Engine: 349cc, SOHC, air/oil-cooled single Bore x Stroke: 72.0 x 85.8 mm Transmission/Final Drive: 5-speed/chain Fuel Delivery: Electronic fuel injection Clutch: Wet, multiplate Engine Management/Ignition: N/A Frame: Twin downtube spine Front Suspension: 41mm telescopic fork; 5.1 in. travel Rear Suspension: Twin tube emulsion shocks, preload adjustable; 3.5 in. travel Front Brake: 2-piston floating caliper, 300mm disc w/ ABS Rear Brake: 1-piston floating caliper, 270mm disc w/ ABS Wheels, Front/Rear: Alloy Tires, Front/Rear: 100/90-19 / 140/70-17 Rake/Trail: N/A Wheelbase: 55.1 in. Ground Clearance: 6.7 in. Seat Height: 30.1 in. Fuel Capacity: 4.0 gal. Wet Weight: 421 lb. Contact: royalenfield.com Cycle World Tested Specifications Seat Height: 29.7 in. Wet Weight: 418 lb. Rear-Wheel Horsepower: 17.4 hp @ 6,090 rpm Rear-Wheel Torque: 18.2 lb.-ft. @ 2,860 rpm Source

Vespa’s 75th anniversary calls for a special model—and a celebration! (Piaggio/Vespa/)Italy has given the world countless beauty icons: actresses, great paintings, cathedrals, and some of the most gorgeous motor vehicles in the world. Today most motorcyclists think of Ducati when it comes to sexy bodywork, but it’s arguably little Vespa that deserves the credit. Recognizable worldwide, and now 75 years old, the Vespa not only mobilized the Italian workforce from the rubble of the second world war but did it in style. Best of all, a new Vespa is as beautiful today as it was with Audrey Hepburn sitting on the saddle decades ago. But let’s start at the beginning. Before Vespa there was Piaggio, founded back in 1884 by Mr. Rinaldo Piaggio, a gallant 20-year-old entrepreneur. Western countries were at last moving away from coal and steam, exploring oil and internal combustion. It was a time rich with incredible opportunity and ripe for a new generation of visionaries, businessmen who believed in their own capabilities. The French called it La Belle Époque, the beautiful age. Located in the port of Genoa, the original Piaggio company started out supplying interior components and furniture to the local shipyards, soon expanding its production to locomotives and railway carriages. When World War I erupted Rinaldo Piaggio looked to the sky and aircraft production, building new factories in Pisa and then in Pontedera. Between the first and second world wars, Piaggio grew to become one of the most prominent Italian aviation manufacturers, specializing in large, multi-engine aircraft. The company also established ties with Pratt & Whitney, manufacturing a number of R-1830 Twin Wasp engines under license; American readers will know the R-1830 powered the B-24 Liberator and C-47 transport. Piaggio went on to develop its own P.XII RC35, a twin-row 18-cylinder radial putting out 1,500 hp; four of these engines powered the Piaggio P.108, Italy’s only four-engined bomber. The man who started it all: Enrico Piaggio. (Piaggio/Vespa/)Speaking of bombers: Piaggio’s Pontedera factory employed up to 10,000 people until the B-17s and Pratt & Whitney-powered B-24s visited. After the smoke cleared the factory was in ruins. It was time to rebuild with a new vision. Enter Rinaldo Piaggio’s sons, Enrico and Armando, and their two-tiered approach to getting back to work. Armando was focused on the aviation business and rebuilding the Finale Ligure aircraft factory; Enrico took one look at the post-war Italian economy and saw no market for aircraft. He believed Italy really needed basic transportation. This would be the focus of the Pontedera factory. In the beginning, the Vespa factory (shown here in 1947) was pretty basic. Today, many readers have home garages that are better equipped! (Piaggio/Vespa/)Dr. Corradino D’Ascanio, aerospace engineer and Piaggio employee, was still at his desk in Pontedera. Known and respected for his creativity and ingenuity, he was on the team which built Italy’s first helicopter. Now his job was to design a two-wheeled vehicle, more accessible and utilitarian than a contemporary motorcycle, able to cope with the awful Italian roads. Ducati had Taglioni, but the father of the Vespa and the engineer who crafted its timeless style was Corradino D’Ascanio. (Piaggio/Vespa/)D’Ascanio didn’t really care about motorcycles, but thought something like a motorized scooter would work. A step-through frame would make it practical, but nothing available was inexpensive, reliable, or offered any weather protection. The very first Vespa prototype from 1946. All the elements are already in place. (Piaggio/Vespa/)With his aviation-engineering background, D’Ascanio started by drawing a unitized steel chassis/body. He gave it an engine/transmission/final-drive “power egg” and stuffed that under the center-rear section of the unibody and seat. The front of the vehicle was a one-piece element, a floorboard that ramped up to become a leg shield. This floorboard/leg shield featured a central backbone section to stiffen up the assembly and brace the steering axis. Contrary to legend, D’Ascanio never adapted the P.108′s tailwheel suspension to the new scooter’s front suspension, nor did its 98cc two-stroke engine have anything to do with the starting system of the P.XII RC35 radial. A single-sided trailing-link front suspension held an offset front wheel, making it easy to fix flats. The same was true at the rear. The engine was offset to the right of the swingarm/rear-wheel assembly, which explains the classic Vespa bulbous rear section: On the right sits the protected engine and transmission; on the left, a removable cowl covering the spare wheel. That bulbous rear section also inspired the new scooter’s name: Vespa. When Enrico Piaggio first saw it, he thought it looked like a wasp. Piaggio was granted its patents on April 23, 1946, and went into production just a few months later. The original version was powered by a 3.3 hp 98cc two-stroke single; a hand selector on the left handlebar controlled the three-speed transmission, along with a clutch lever. Check out this Vespa streamliner, which in 1950 set world speed records at Montlhéry, France, in the 100-mile, 500-mile, and 1,000-kilometer events. (Piaggio/Vespa/)The small two-stroke engine had a mean tendency to overheat and seize; again D’Ascanio came to the rescue, incorporating a forced ventilation cooling system including a fan and cylinder-head baffling. Production was just 2,484 units in 1946, but Enrico Piaggio sensed he had a winner and went all-in, betting his company on the Vespa. It was a magnificent gamble; the next year, 10,535 Vespa 98s rolled off the line, and a year after that 50,000. Piaggio then introduced a 125cc version with improved suspension and expanded internationally, signing licensing contracts with Hoffman-Werke in Germany and Douglas in Bristol in the UK. More licenses followed in France and Spain. By 1953 the 125cc engine was delivering 5 hp, and sales reached past 170,000 units. Vespa, not yet an icon, was succeeding purely on its practical merits, winning hearts and minds with its functionality and reliability. Thousands of Vespa fans started Vespa clubs, with enthusiasts from Italy to Argentina flogging their Vespas over insane distances: Milan to Tokyo, Copenhagen to Bombay, USA to Tierra del Fuego, London to Australia. Then, in 1953, came the film Roman Holiday, with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn flashing through the streets of Rome on their Vespa. Now the whole world was watching and falling in love with the little wasp. The iconic machine that introduced Vespa to the world: the 1951 Vespa 125 which appeared in the film Roman Holiday. (Piaggio/Vespa/)Vespa’s continued improvement and innovation through the 1950s is best epitomized by the Vespa 150 GS, a machine inspired by the 10 very special Vespas that had taken part in the 1951 International Six Days Trial endurance event (now the ISDE). Like all previous Vespa engines, the 150 GS was a classic two-stroke with cylinder-port induction and forced-air cooling. But its 148cc displacement came from “square” 57mm by 57mm bore and stroke construction. A high-turbulence head and a new flat-topped piston helped it deliver 8 hp at 7,500 rpm through a four-speed gearbox. The wheels had grown too, up to 10 inches from the previous eight. Top speed was 101 kph (62.7 mph) The styling department gave the 150 GS a more muscular look with a broader, more stylish front shield and rounder rear bulges. A new cast-aluminum handlebar replaced the old steel-tube element and incorporated the headlight in its design. Given the generously rounded hips, the enthusiasts promptly called the Vespa 150 GS “Vespone”—the “-one” suffix denoting something bigger or larger. The 150 GS is the model most coveted by Vespa collectors. In 1964, D’Ascanio took on his last Vespa project, the tiny Vespa 50. This model was conceived to take advantage of a new traffic law allowing 14-year-olds to ride motorized two-wheeled vehicles up to 1.5 hp and capable of speeds up to 40 kph. The Vespa 50 is significant for two reasons: First, it exploited a new market segment, and introduced more young riders to the company. Second, the new engine canted the cylinder at 45 degrees (the earlier models set the cylinder horizontally). Most important of all, induction was now through the crankcase, with one of the crankshaft cheeks shaped to act as a sort of rotary valve. Simple and extremely functional, this new layout improved lubrication so efficiently that the premix ratio dropped to 50:1. Race Paris-Dakar on a Vespa? It’s been done! Note the spare fuel can on the rear, and the desert-spec air filter. (Piaggio/Vespa/)Full-sized Vespa models were facing a new challenge from the automotive side: Fiat had recently introduced the tiny Fiat 500. So the Vespa 50′s new engine architecture began to spread throughout the larger models, with a new 125cc unit going into production in 1966. At the same time the classic 150 GS grew to 180cc and then to 200cc. The latter was a real gas-guzzler, however, more of a pig than a wasp. To cover the 130 miles separating Bologna and Milan, I had to refuel twice, and I won’t even start about the lack of seating comfort. In 1968 Vespa shoehrned a new and more compact 125cc engine inside a slightly modified Vespa 50 body; enter the Vespa Primavera. And just in time: The larger Vespa models were declining in popularity, and the Primavera proved to be another great marketing intuition, and was Vespa’s financial lifeline from 1968 to 1978. Piaggio had acquired Gilera, but it never brought in much cash. The Agnelli family, of Fiat fame, came to the rescue, and Umberto Agnelli became Piaggio’s new CEO. As an example of how dire things became under Agnelli, his brightest idea was to change the name from Vespa to Cosa (Thing). Thankfully, in 1976 Chief Project Engineer Dr. Lucio Masut got things under control, refining the Primavera with a three-transfer-port cylinder and an electronic ignition to create the Vespa Primavera ET3. Two years later came the new PX series of 125, 150, and 200cc models, the latter with a separate lubrication system, obviating the need for premix. The Vespa PX is still in production in small batches because the die-hard traditionalists rate it the most classic Vespa of all time, an absolute must for any collector. In 1983 Vespa introduced the new Vespa junior model (PK), in 50cc and 125cc. The PX and PK are the last of Vespa’s two-stroke engines. Post-apocalyptic Vespa: Built for French paratroopers in the 1950s, the Vespa TAP 150 mounted a 75mm recoilless rifle on the scooter for anti-tank use. (Piaggio/Vespa/)In 1996 came Vespa’s first four-stroke, the ET4 125, which took the European market by surprise. More four-stroke models followed; in 2000 the ET4 50 set records for ultra-low fuel consumption, going 500 kilometers (310 miles) on a single tank. By 2003, Masut finalized his four-stroke revolution with the Granturismo 200L and 125L models. These were new machines from the ground up, featuring a new and much stiffer unibody structure that greatly improved handling. The steering response was vastly more precise, and teamed a front disc brake with an anti-dive front suspension. The engine, a modern liquid-cooled SOHC four-valve unit design, featured a highly oversquare bore and stroke (72mm x 48.6 mm) and producing 19.7 hp at 8,500 rpm. Gone was the hand-shifted four-speed, replaced by a modern automatic CVT. In 2006 the Vespa GT 200L passed the torch to the GTS 250, i.e., a solid improvement in terms of engine displacement and performance with further refinements to the unibody structure and chassis. The new liquid-cooled SOHC 250cc engine had the same 72mm bore of the 200, but with a longer 60mm stroke. In addition, it featured electronic fuel injection and a marginal power increase to 21 hp at 8,500 rpm. The GTS 250 also featured major braking upgrades: a rear disc and two-channel ABS. The growing success of the GTS 250 and 300 let Vespa do a little celebrating, and the team introduced a limited edition featuring touches of retro styling: The headlight moved back down onto the front fender, historical colors and graphics were used, and typical accessories of the past were offered. More meaningful evolution came from adopting 12-inch wheels and fatter tires. And of course, modern electronics, including a traction control system were employed, interfacing with the Vespa Mia app allowing personalized adjustments and controls. The latest Euro 4 updates helped the 300 gain almost three extra horsepower as well as more torque, making it the most powerful Vespa ever. Vesparados! Vespas have always had a huge fan base, inspiring rallies all over the world. This is in Mantua, Italy, in 2014. (Piaggio/Vespa/)The Vespa junior series went through a series of name changes, going from Primavera to S and back to Primavera, but there were no real substantial differences. Their big evolution came in 2014 with the new air-cooled SOHC three-valve 125/150cc engine, a modern design which replaced the previous air-cooled SOHC two-valve. Its 155cc displacement featured a square 58.0mm x 58.6mm bore and stroke, generating almost 13 hp. Two models, the Sprint and Primavera, were separated by minor details, the most meaningful being wheel size: 11 inches for the Primavera and 12 inches for the Sprint. The junior models also got front and rear disc brakes, ABS, and Vespa Mia. Finally, in 2015, the Vespa 946 went into production. The 946 was based on an ultrarefined concept bike featuring sheet-aluminum unibody; however, when it came time to put it into production, the marketing department opted for steel construction to keep the price in line. Still, it retained a number of solutions that set it apart from other Vespas: the right-side cowl complete with air intake and its seat design being the most evident. The 946 uses the excellent air-cooled SOHC three-valve 150cc engine. Lovely and expensive, it remains a limited-production model. The latest evolution of the Vespa is the Elettrica. While not specifically conceived as an electric vehicle, it shares the same basic steel unibody structure of the Primavera; after all, a Vespa must look like a Vespa, even when propelled by a 4kW motor, the most powerful allowed for a “moped” under Italian law. The Elettrica benefits from low insurance rates and no yearly road tax. When riding through urban traffic its lack of top-end power is meaningless, more than offset by the torque characteristics of an electric motor. The complete electric power unit was developed by Piaggio, including the air-cooled 4.2 kWh lithium-ion battery. While an appropriate addition for the times, the Elettrica’s sales numbers are modest. Still, about the time Vespa celebrated its 75th anniversary, it also topped a sales record of 19 million total units. Vespa’s electric-powered Elettrica model doesn’t use a gasoline-powered engine, but keeps the classic Vespa lines. (Piaggio/Vespa/)In those 75 years, Vespa has gone from using a cheap 3.3 hp two-stroke power unit to a modern and efficient 23 hp four-stroke; from rolling on 8-inch wheels to 12-inch rims; from tiny drum brakes to disc brakes and ABS. The list goes on. But at its heart, the most important aspect still remains: A Vespa is still a Vespa, unique and identifiable from miles away. They’ve always been practical. They’ve always been agile. They’ve always perfectly reflected the times. And most important, they’ve always made us smile. Source

Kevin Cameron has been writing about motorcycles for nearly 50 years, first for <em>Cycle magazine</em> and, since 1992, for <em>Cycle World</em>. (Robert Martin/)Cycle World’s readership continues to surprise. I never expected the growing stream of comments on my recent flat motors story, which discussed engines such as BMW’s boxer twins and the Honda Gold Wing’s fours and sixes. As it happens, right around the time that Max Friz was laying out the BMW R32, several makers around the world, including Mercedes, were making or planning small opposed-twin aircraft engines. The design was clearly in the air at that time, and BMW’s lasting faith in the layout attests to its fitness. Reader lumpy rightly reminds me that VW and Porsche have built a great many successful flat engines. In their case, cooling is accomplished by use of a large blower that pushes cooling air through the fins of all cylinders equally. BMW’s R 1200 GS was the first boxer from the brand that featured water-cooling to critical areas of the engine. (BMW/)In aircraft use, the pressure required to push that cooling air through fins spaced as closely as 0.132 inch (in the case of the forged-and-machined heads of late postwar Wright R-3350s) had to come from the ram pressure of the aircraft’s speed through the air. B-29s really needed to be going 200 mph to ensure adequate cooling. In some cases even that was deemed insufficient, as Germany’s Fw 190 fighter and the US-built six-engined B-36 bomber had engine cooling fans. RELATED: The Advantages of Flat Motorcycle Engines Another reader, RZ500, shows admirable compassion for the rear cylinders of the four-row, 28-cylinder Pratt & Whitney R-4360 air-cooled radial (used on the aforementioned B-36, among other aircraft). “How to cool the rear cylinders?” he asks. At one time I had three of those engines in my shop, and can tell the tale. Between each slightly curving array of four cylinders and the next was a diagonal sheet-metal divider. One side of it, acting as the cold duct, brought cold air from the front of the engine, that air flowing sideways through the fins of each of the four cylinders it served. Subsequently, that heated air emerged into the next row’s “hot duct,” which also contained its exhaust pipes. The cold ducts tapered, largest at the front, smallest at the rear, while the hot ducts expanded from small at the front to wide at the rear, ultimately joining to flow out the ring of adjustable cowl flaps. Design chief Luke Hobbs had several alternative cooling schemes thoroughly rig-tested before choosing that as the best. The frequently commenting Ricardo Juliet called attention to the wonderful combination of a König flat-four liquid-cooled racing outboard powerhead and a Norton gearbox in a rather long motorcycle chassis, ridden by the late Kim Newcombe in the early 1970s. Newcombe and wife Janeen went to Europe in 1969; he worked at König and developed the idea of putting the engine in a bike. Have a look at the heartbreaking 2006 film Love, Speed, and Loss. Newcombe was able to give 500-class-dominating MV and Giacomo Agostini real competition, some of the first glimmerings that two-strokes could succeed in the 500 class. Our appreciated engineering scholar Basil presents the concept of “the in-line boxer” (q.v.) which avoids the problem of rod offset in a 180-degree flat twin by having three crankpins. The center one carries a single con-rod linked to one piston, while two other crankpins at 180 degrees to the first carry two con-rods linked to the other piston. This places both pistons in the same plane. Longtime BMW riders will remember that, as the original 500 flat twin was enlarged in steps to its present 1,250cc size, its oscillation around a vertical axis through the crankcase (known to me as “BMW buzz”) increased with growing piston weight to the point that the makers now provide a balancer to cancel it. Erica writes to say that the Bavarian flat twin “feels like riding a tractor.” My chemist friend who values his BMW as a platform for mind-clearing revels in his BMW’s “steadiness,” and was clearly sincere when he said to me, “I just can’t understand why anyone would want any other make of motorcycle.” But Erica clearly does, and sales of such things as blazing 600 sportbike fours revving to 16,000 rpm were lively for years. To each his or her own. Ed wants us to remember rotary engines, but doesn’t say whether he means Wankel rotary-piston engines or the World War I aircraft rotary radials whose crankcase and cylinders whirled around while their crankshafts were stationary, bolted to the firewall. Why such craziness? Two reasons: First, the whirling engine was its own flywheel; second, cylinder heads whirling about at 200 or more feet per second could still be well-cooled even though early-war aircraft barely had any airspeed at all, putt-putting along at 60 mph. Saddle Burns writes to remind us that there’s a difference between low center of mass (useful on heavy tour bikes because they try less hard to fall over at stoplights) and mass centralization. Erik Buell had fancy mass properties rigs in his factory to make sure that his bikes could change direction quickly. The analogy is between a 24-pound ladder, 8 feet long, and a 24-pound cannonball, just under 6 inches in diameter. The cannonball has excellent mass centralization! Reader keechmabreeks would have liked to see mention of Douglas motorcycles, which were twins with one air-cooled cylinder forward and the other backward. And there they were, in the last paragraph of my “flat motors” article. Douglas oriented the cylinders of its flat twin front to back. (Gérard Delafond / Wikimedia Commons/)A parting shot from RZ500 calls attention to video of a Short Brothers Stirling bomber, its quartet of Hercules sleeve-valve 14-cylinder radials visibly smoking on takeoff as it drags a troop-carrying invasion glider into the air. Only a part of that smoke came from lube oil: to increase engine power for takeoff, the fuel mixture was enriched 20–30 percent as a means of limiting flame temperature and avoiding detonation (an abnormal and destructive form of combustion) while on high supercharger boost. That extra fuel released the black free carbon you see in the exhaust. You’ll see the same for any of the other great air-cooled radials, roaring and laboring down the runway on takeoff power. It was similar for air-cooled motorcycle engines, especially in racing. Engines were run one or two sizes rich. Why? Tuners had discovered that although best-power jetting made the first three laps really fast, jetting rich (more fuel in relation to air in the mixture) could lessen the slow-down that resulted from overheating. Fuel-cooled. The variety of these reader responses gives assurance that none of us ever need be bored, and for that we should all be thankful. Source

The 2022 Grom adds more than new colors. An extra gear, a new oil filter, and bigger tank are part of the changes. (Honda/)This is the land of $100,000 pickup trucks with bed rails that come to your eyebrows. Of Big Macs and bigger gulps. Of superhighways and megayachts. Where the word “small” might as well have four letters. Despite this, Honda has built an empire by selling Americans an armada of tiny motorcycles. None of it makes any sense. How could a nation with Manifest Destiny tattooed on its eyelids fall in love with any machine with less horsepower than your lawnmower? But Honda has sold around 10,000 Groms per year in the US since the tiny bike bowed in 2014. A higher 10.0:1 compression ratio and longer stroke help add power down low while maintaining the Grom’s excellent fuel economy. (Beth Bowman/)That makes it one of the best-selling motorcycles in America. And this year, Honda debuted the bike’s first real mechanical refresh. The 2022 Grom has a new higher-compression 124cc engine, jumping from 9.3:1 to 10.0:1. It’s good for a dazzling 9.7 hp and 7.7 pound-feet of torque. Engineers decreased the bore and increased the stroke for more grunt lower in the rev range without dinging the bike’s baffling 155-mpg estimated fuel economy. And the engine comes with a removable oil filter for the first time (earlier models made do with an oil spinner). The transmission is now a wide-ratio five-speed, replacing the old four-speed. All right, but none of that explains the draw, how a machine with a cylinder smaller than a coffee cup could woo us all and find a home in the hearts of longtime and first-time riders alike. Part of the charm is the bike’s complete lack of ego. It has exactly nothing to prove, leaving tired superlatives like “fastest” and “most powerful” to other idiots. Its new, wider seat is low and comfy. The bars are tall, so the rider sits upright. Everyone wants to throw a leg over it. And they can; the physical barrier to entry is lower than a ten-speed bicycle, which explains why Honda says 30 percent of Grom buyers are new riders. This thing is a riding gateway drug. SP trim nets you gold fork legs, wheels, and calipers, plus the red, white, and blue livery. (Honda/)For the rest of us, it feels like those machines we knew as kids. The Z50s and XR50s. Spend five seconds behind the bars, and you’re high on that same illicit thrill you got blitzing through your neighbor’s backyard just before dark. That little voice, long dormant, begins whispering in your ear again. “You can take this anywhere.” We spent a few hours ripping around the hills near Barber Motorsport Park in Leeds, Alabama, a handful of grown men laughing like jackals as we clung to our momentum through each corner, drafting each other on the exit in a desperate press for 65 mph. It’s hard to ride the thing without hearing the Wicked Witch’s theme in your ears. When was the last time you blitzed past a cop at wide-open throttle and he didn’t even bother to look up? (Honda/)At a claimed 227 pounds for the non-ABS model, it weighs next to nothing. Seems like you could pick it up and put it in your pocket. That combination of low mass and low power makes the Grom friendly for beginners and an accomplice for everyone else, turning otherwise level-headed riders into hooligans. But even at its most naughty, you’re never exceeding the speed limit. Cops look on and shake their heads, laughing. Like all good Hondas, the Grom’s engine is happiest when it’s screaming its head off. Claimed output numbers show peak torque comes on at 5,500 rpm, and peak horsepower comes along shortly after at 7,000 rpm, but the single is happy to pull all the way up to its 9,000 rpm fuel cutoff. Acceleration isn’t quick, but it’s more than enough to contend with modern traffic in town. The ’22 Grom now has a 38-tooth rear sprocket, up from the 34-tooth piece on earlier models, and it helps the bike get up to around 63 mph of its own accord. Tuck in behind a buddy, get a big downhill on your side, and you might be able to squeeze another 10 mph out of the bike. I promise you: 73 mph has never felt faster. Handsome? Sure. In a sentient vacuum kind of way. (Beth Bowman/)Riding with a group of Groms feels like Mario Kart made real. When you’re playing with single-digit horsepower, missing a shift can be the difference between keeping pace and watching your friends ride off into the sunset. Likewise, acing an apex can close a gap in a heartbeat, and skipping dessert at lunch might just put you at the head of the pack. There’s no massive swell of power to hide your sins, so you better ride tidy. The Grom turns every two-lane into your own GP course while never coming close to exceeding the speed limit, more fun per pound than anything else on two wheels. Nothing about the Grom is cutting edge, and that’s fine by us. (Beth Bowman/)An adorable 31mm inverted fork keeps the front end up while a single shock serves the rear. None of it is space-age stuff, but there’s so little mass to the machine that it doesn’t matter. Same with the brakes. A tiny two-pot caliper squeezes a 220mm disc up front, while a single-piston piece works a 190mm disc in the back. They wouldn’t look out of place on a golf cart, but they do the job of bringing the Grom down from top speed well enough. Base models start at $3,399, but I’m a sucker for a gold fork and wheels, so the SP trim gets my vote at $3,499. ABS will cost you another $100, plus a few pounds. Depressed? Bored? Take two and call us in the morning. (Beth Bowman/)That’s shockingly little money for the amount of joy the Grom brings to the world. Everywhere we rode onlookers were glad to see the little bikes, kids and adults waving or laughing. I’ve never seen anything like it. Maybe that’s what motorcycling has been missing all these years. Maybe that’s what Honda figured out early and never forgot: that bigger rarely means better. 2022 Honda Grom Specifications MSRP: $3,399 (base) Engine: SOHC, air-cooled single; 2 valves/cyl. Displacement: 124cc Bore x Stroke: 50.0 x 63.1mm Compression Ratio: 10.0:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 5-speed/chain Claimed Horsepower: 9.7 hp @7000 rpm Claimed Torque: 7.7 lb.-ft. @ 5500 rpm Fuel System: PGM-FI Clutch: Wet Engine Management/Ignition: Electronic Frame: Steel mono-backbone Front Suspension: 31mm telescopic fork; 3.9 in. travel Rear Suspension: Single shock; 4.1 in. travel Front Brake: 2-piston caliper, 220mm disc Rear Brake: 1-piston caliper, 190mm disc Wheels, Front/Rear: 10-spoke cast wheels; 12 in. Tires, Front/Rear: 120/70-12 / 130/70-12 Rake/Trail: 25.0°/3.3 in. Wheelbase: 47.2 in. Ground Clearance: 7.0 in. Seat Height: 30.0 in. Fuel Capacity: 1.6 gal. Claimed Wet Weight: 227 lb. (non-ABS) Availability: Now Contact: powersports.honda.com Source

2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 S (Ducati/)Ups Engine update to spring-operated valves, plus the engine produces more powerDucati keeps the electronics coming with new radar systemLonger service intervalDucati-level quality standardsDowns No more desmoPriceyTired of tech? This model may have too much tech for someVerdict The Multistrada continues to meet the demands of a wide range of uses as a heavily revised, tech-laden adventure-tourer, arguably one of the most tech-rich on the market. This Ducati continues its engine’s developments with the drop of desmo for the conventional spring-valve configuration. 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 S (Ducati/)Overview The Ducati Multistrada enters its fourth generation with some major changes for the 2021 model year, namely with the new V4 Granturismo engine. As the flagship adventure-tourer of the Ducati lineup, the Multistrada straddles the line of a dual terrain conqueror and practical, daily sport-tourer. Long-travel suspension, large 19-inch front wheel, and low-end response of the engine aids in the dirt, while new integrated navigation and cornering lights support the tour or daily use. Get your adventure gear ready. Updates for 2021 Ducati’s flagship adventure-tourer, the Multistrada faces the major change of replacing its well-known desmodromic valve engine with the conventional spring-operated valved V4 Granturismo engine. Other updates include a new double-sided swingarm, shorter wheelbase (now 61.7 inches), new cast-aluminum pyramid-shaped monocoque chassis (with reduced rake and trail), improved subframe, an integrated navigation system, and the industry’s first front and rear radar. 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 S Sport (Ducati/)Pricing and Variants The base Multistrada starts at $19,995, followed by the $24,095 V4 S, and then the V4 S Sport at $26,095. The S variant offers two color options and two different wheels (alloy or spoked—pricing varies depending on color option and wheel type), cornering lights, vehicle hold control, Ducati Skyhook suspension, Ducati Quick Shift, 6.5-inch TFT display with Ducati Connect and full-map navigation system, and a full LED headlight. The V4 S Sport has the same electronics equipment as standard on the S, however, takes the package even further with model-specific livery, Akrapovič exhaust, and carbon front fender. Powertrain: Engine, Transmission, and Performance The Multistrada’s headlining change lies in the powerplant, now the V4 Granturismo engine. The Multistrada, and many Ducatis, are well-known for the desmodromic valve timing, but this swap has been made in order to increase the service interval (now 37,250 miles), meet Euro 5 standards, and ultimately be cost effective. Cycle World’s Italian correspondent Bruno dePrato considered this engine change a “very logical choice.” Ducati claims this engine will produce 170 hp at 10,500 rpm and 92.2 pound-feet at 8,750 rpm. When Motorcyclist reviewed the V4 S, test rider Adam Child reported: “On the road, fueling is perfect and the V4 is smooth and chilled. In the dedicated Urban riding mode [one of four available], it’s particularly easy and user-friendly to ride, while the new chassis has none of the top-heavy, intimidating feel of some adventure bikes. With the manually operated screen fully upright there is little wind noise, and comfort and ride quality are all-day excellent. In fact, with the BSD system watching your back and the ACC managing and monitoring the traffic in front, the Multi V4 S experience is super relaxed.” 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 S (Ducati/)Handling In terms of handling, Motorcyclist’s Adam Child stated: “The V4 S does not turn like a ponderous, 536-pound adventure bike running on a 19-inch front tire either. Instead, steering is accurate and the bike deceptively nimble, even at speed, while refined cornering ABS and powerful Brembo Stylema front brakes are always on hand if you should dive in a little too hot.” Brakes And that transitions into brakes; the V4 stops with Brembo Stylema four-piston calipers with a 320mm (330mm for V4 S and V4 S Sport) front disc, 265mm rear disc, and three-level adjustable cornering ABS. As Adam stated, the brakes are powerful and the cornering ABS is refined. Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG Real-world miles-per-gallon figures are currently unavailable. 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 S (Ducati/)Ergonomics: Comfort and Utility “The slim seat allows you to move freely whilst standing up, the high bars are more accommodating, the mirrors don’t get in the way of your arms, and there is lots of peg room for bulky boots,” Adam Child covered. If adjustments are needed to the handlebar position, that adjustment is easily made. Electronics When it comes to electronics, the Multi has a long free-flowing list that is worn as a badge of honor. This model’s IMU manages electronics such as the cornering ABS, wheelie control, traction control, and the S version’s cornering lights. The S also sees vehicle hold control, semi-active Ducati Skyhook suspension, and a new left-handlebar joystick to navigate through the menu on the adjustable 6.5-inch TFT unit (5-inch unit on base). A USB connector is also located in the tank compartment. The radar system is one of the newest technological components of the Multistrada and the manufacturer says this allows the use of Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Blind Spot Detection (BSD). Warranty and Maintenance Coverage The Multistrada has a two-year unlimited-mileage warranty. Roadside assistance is also available within the Limited Warranty coverage period. Quality Ducati’s quality is second to none, and that is reflected in the continuous advancement of the Multistrada. The revised engine, chassis, and integrated tech continue to keep this rig at or very near the top of the adventure-touring segment food chain. 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 S (Ducati/)2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 Claimed Specifications MSRP: $19,995–$26,095 Engine: 1,158cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled V-4; 16-valve Bore x Stroke: 83.0 x 53.5mm Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain Fuel Delivery: Fuel injection w/ 46mm throttle bodies Clutch: Wet, multiplate slipper clutch; hydraulic actuation Engine Management/Ignition: N/A Frame: Aluminum monocoque Front Suspension: 50mm USD fork, fully adjustable; 6.7 in. travel Rear Suspension: Marzocchi monoshock, fully adjustable; 7.1 in. travel Front Brake: Radial-mount 4-piston caliper, 330mm disc w/ cornering ABS Rear Brake: 2-piston caliper, 265mm disc w/ cornering ABS Wheels, Front/Rear: Alloy cast wheels (base/S/S Sport), alloy spoked (optional on S); 19 x 3.00 in. / 17 x 4.5 in. Tires, Front/Rear: Pirelli Scorpion Trail II; 120/70-19 / 170/60-17 Rake/Trail: 24.5°/4.0 in. Wheelbase: 61.7 in. Ground Clearance: 8.7 in. Seat Height: 33.1–33.9 in. Fuel Capacity: 5.8 gal. Dry Weight: 478 lb. (base/S Sport)/480 lb. (S) Contact: ducati.com Source

Yamaha did not lose the MT-07′s easy-to-like character in the updated 2021 model. (Jeff Allen/)The most impressive thing about Yamaha’s MT-07, now updated for 2021, is who’s been buying the prior versions. The MT has been one of Yamaha’s best-selling motorcycles in the US since it was introduced, as a FZ, in 2014, with a total of 25,000 sold. It’s been purchased by almost as many members of Generation Z as by boomers. And while 27 percent of the owners have just bought their first motorcycle when they picked up their MT-07, even more (36 percent) of them have been riding for more than 20 years. What is it about this machine that gives it such broad appeal? And has Yamaha sustained it with the new version? The appeal starts with the concept. According to Aaron Bast, senior product planner at Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA, the MT-07 has always been focused on delivering three things: easy sports excitement (defined by torque and agility), easygoing character, and smart value. The purchase price was perhaps the thing that most defined the first 07: It was introduced seven years ago at what was then a mind-blowing suggested retail of $6,990. Even the 2021 version, with its LED headlight, standard ABS braking, and other upgrades, has only gone up from that number by 10 percent, to $7,699. The Yamaha MT-07′s pricing has increased 10 percent in the seven year since it’s introduction. The 2021 MT-07 has a MSRP of $7,699. (Jeff Allen/)2021 Yamaha MT-07 Engine Details As engineers like to point out, it’s harder to build a really good inexpensive bike than a high-priced, high-performance superbike. From the beginning, Yamaha was focused on keeping the MT-07′s design simple, doing only what added value and nothing else. Take the 07 engine: It’s a 689cc twin-cylinder in the same family as the three-cylinder MT-09 engine; the two share a four-valve combustion chamber, a valvetrain design, and their general layout. But the MT-07 goes for a proportionally longer stroke, with valve timing that even further emphasizes midrange over high-rpm power. This engine is the product of a company that never gave up on the parallel twin, a company that reinvigorated the configuration with a 270-degree crankshaft that gave it the firing order and much of the feel of a 90-degree V-twin. It’s an engine whose mild tuning has allowed Yamaha to continue to use, even in 2021, standard rider-controlled throttle bodies rather than more expensive throttle-by-wire. Yamaha’s plucky CP2 engine gets updates to conform to Euro 5 regulations. (Jeff Allen/)The engine changes for 2021 are focused on what had to be done to meet Euro 5 regulations, including a new intake system with shorter intake runners, a redesigned exhaust with the catalytic converter moved forward for quicker warm-up, and a couple other minor changes for rideability and durability. The exhaust-valve seats are made of an alloy with higher cobalt content to handle the higher heat brought by the Euro 5-compliant calibration, and the dog spacing on second and third gear has been tightened by about 5 percent for less drivetrain lash. The new valve seats also allow the valve check interval to be moved out to 26,600 miles. When we dynoed the 2021 machine, we found that the power and torque were very similar to past years, with a peak of 67 hp and 42 pound-feet. Short gearing and a flat torque curve ensures the MT-07′s hooligan character remains intact. (Jeff Allen/)How Does the 2021 Yamaha MT-07 Ride? Riding the 2021 reassured us that the bike’s hooligan character remains unchanged. With relatively short gearing and a torque curve that stays above 40 pound-feet from 3,500 to 8,800 rpm, the MT-07 rockets away from traffic lights. It’s a machine that feels strong anytime 4,000 shows on the tach; a machine that you can ride like a supersport, keeping the rpm high, or relax a little and let the torque pull you along with less engine speed. The twin-cylinder feels relaxed on the freeway, only starting to get a little buzzy if the speed is pushed above 80 mph in sixth gear. It’s a 407-pound bike that feels much lighter. Some of that is because the 2021 got a handlebar that’s 1.3 inches wider and is positioned about half an inch higher and closer to the rider, for a slightly more upright riding position and more steering leverage. The MT feels like you can place it anywhere on the road at any time. It’s quick and responsive and agile, a motorcycle that will make any rider feel as if his skills have improved just by hopping on. You can place the MT-07 anywhere you want it on the road with ease. (Jeff Allen/)The front brakes are also noticeably more powerful, as the front discs have grown to 298mm (up 16mm from prior years), and ABS is standard on all US 07s. There are still limits to what $7,700 will buy you, and the MT hasn’t gained any of the sophisticated traction control, lift control, or cornering ABS of its 900cc stablemate. Neither has it received the inertial measurement unit (IMU) that would enable those systems to function. But the discs are now round rather than wave-rotor shaped, and the standard ABS system prevents wheels from locking and kept the rear wheel on the ground during the few stops that were hard enough to engage the front ABS. The front brake rotors have increased in size to 298mm and are round rather than wave or petal shaped. (Jeff Allen/)The LED headlight, though, is cosmetically similar to the MT-09′s projector unit, and is one of the more controversial styling features of the 2021 MTs. It’s a clever headlight, with its low beam controlled by two projector lenses and the high-beam shaped through an internal reflector and the big front lens. The compact headlight allows the entire front of the bike to be pulled closer to the fork, a compact look that Yamaha stylists very much wanted. Not everyone is prepared for the stark modernity of the small headlight. But no one will complain that the headlight is brighter or has a better beam pattern, just as no one will dislike the more compact LED turn signals the new 07 has received, or the two LED running lights that bracket the headlight. Similarly, the 07 foregoes the full-color TFT dash of the 09, but gets a revised cluster of its own with white numerals and bars on a black background. It has an analog tach gauge, a digital speedometer, a bar graph for fuel level, and a gear indicator. The tripmeter can be set with controls on the left-hand switch cluster. 2021 Yamaha MT-07 Chassis Details Much of the chassis remains unchanged. The tubular steel chassis is dimensionally similar, and the Kayaba rear shock and 41mm Kayaba standard front fork return; the shock is still stroked directly by the swingarm, without a linkage. This is certainly one of the things that helps Yamaha meet its value target. And very occasionally, say when riding over sharp-edged bumps, you might wish for a more sophisticated suspension system. But generally, the MT’s suspension just works, and it won’t leave you worrying about whether you have set it up correctly. Only the shock offers choices, with preload and rebound damping adjustments available. The MT-07′s shock is adjustable for preload and rebound; the fork is non-adjustable. (Jeff Allen/)A lot of the MT-07 is like that: The specifications may be a little disappointing if you’re looking for the newest and the latest with all the clicks and contrivances. But the bike is so much fun to ride and its engine is so charismatic that you find yourself not caring. Yamaha’s new YZF-R7 sportbike, built around this same basic engine, gets a dual-acting slipper clutch, for example. But on initially riding the new MT, we weren’t even sure whether it had a slipper clutch or not, even when downshifting under hard braking in an attempt to get the rear wheel to hop or disobey, only to find it stayed resolutely in line. The answer: It doesn’t have a slipper, and it doesn’t really need one. The MT-07 feels new but still familiar as the good-times machine it has always been. (Jeff Allen/)As many, many motorcyclists have found, Yamaha has reduced the motorcycle to its sporting core in the MT-07 by giving you the things that you really need, the things that reward you, and then stripping almost everything else away. It’s a brilliant job of engineering editing. For 2021, the Tuning Fork engineers have changed enough to make the MT seem new while keeping everything that has made a broad array of motorcyclists happy before. Bravo. 2021 Yamaha MT-07 Specifications MSRP: $7,699 Engine: DOHC, liquid-cooled parallel twin; 4 valves/cyl. Displacement: 689cc Bore x Stroke: 80.0 x 68.6mm Compression Ratio: 11.5:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain Cycle World Measured Horsepower: 67 hp @ 8,700 rpm Cycle World Measured Torque: 46.3 lb.-ft. @ 6,250 rpm Fuel System: Fuel injection Clutch: Wet, multiplate; cable actuated Frame: Tubular steel double backbone Front Suspension: KYB 41mm right-side-up fork; 5.1 in. travel Rear Suspension: KYB shock, preload and rebound damping adjustable; 5.1 in. travel Front Brake: Advics 4-piston calipers, dual 298mm discs w/ ABS Rear Brake: Nissin 1-piston caliper, 245mm single disc w/ ABS Wheels: Cast aluminum Tires, Front/Rear: 120/70ZR-17 / 180/55ZR-17 Rake/Trail: 24.8°/3.5 in. Wheelbase: 55.1 in. Ground Clearance: 5.5 in. Seat Height: 31.7 in. Fuel Capacity: 3.7 gal. Cycle World Measured Wet Weight: 407 lb. Availability: Now Contact: yamahamotorsports.com Source

2021 Yamaha WR250F (Yamaha/)Ups Very little clutch use required thanks to well-spaced gear ratios and sufficient roll-on powerHighly praised stock suspension is softer than the YZ250F, but maintains plenty of bottoming resistanceLower gears are useful when navigating technical terrain; second gear in particular has good low-speed capability and can pull longer than expectedDowns Engine is difficult to start when in gearAdjustments to the ergonomics are preferredNo stock hand guardsVerdict When you pull DNA from the top-of-the-class YZ250F, there aren’t many downsides. The WR250F is a capable four-stroke enduro with plenty of power, suspension comfort, and handling capability for great trail riding. 2021 Yamaha WR250F (Yamaha/)Overview The 2021 Yamaha WR250F is based on the YZ250F motocross platform, but with an enduro, trail-focused spin. It differs from the YZ-F by including a skid plate, 18-inch rear wheel, 2.2-gallon fuel tank, radiator fan, sealed O-ring chain, enduro meter, steel rear sprocket, different ECU tuning, spark-arrestor-equipped muffler, a headlight, taillight, and kickstand. The combination of these qualities make the quarter-liter WR-F ready and willing to tackle technical trails. Updates for 2021 Seeing as the 250 enduro received several updates last year, the only changes seen are in its appearance, namely in the form of a blue headlight, blue side number plates, black fork guards, and new graphics. Pricing and Variants At $8,599, the WR250F is $300 more than the bLU cRU’s motocrosser of the same displacement. Powertrain: Engine, Transmission, and Performance Accelerating the WR250F up and down trails is a 250cc liquid-cooled four-stroke engine. In order to make it suitable for enduro-style riding, it is equipped with a spark-arrestor-type muffler approved by the Forestry Service and unique ECU tuning. Other than that, the engine is the same as its off-road model counterpart, the YZ250FX. In his review on Dirt Rider, Allan Brown noted that the engine runs very well, but its muffler does decrease power output, making it produce 1.7 and 2.9 hp lower than the YZ250FX and YZ250F, respectively. When this enduro-focused machine was put on the in-house Cycle World dyno the result was 36.1 hp at 12,000 rpm and 17.9 pound-feet of torque at 8,100 rpm at the rear wheel. First and second gears of its six-speed gearbox are particularly useful, Brown writes, because when in second gear throttle response was not lost at crawling speeds and that gear could be used longer than expected. This made for reduced shifting in low-speed, technical trail sections. Fourth, fifth, and sixth have a little more of a noticeable gap on the wide-ratio gearbox. Brown continues, “The 2021 WR250F engine has received a clutch basket update for durability, and the overall performance remains very good. Even though the engine is slightly restricted, clutch fade is almost nonexistent due to good gear ratios and sufficient roll-on power to make abuse of the clutch unnecessary.” 2021 Yamaha WR250F (Yamaha/)Handling In short, the WR250F is very comfortable to ride. Its highly praised KYB Speed Sensitive System (SSS) coil-spring-type fork and KYB shock have different valving and spring rates specific for enduro, and have a softer feeling compared to the motocross version, but offer plenty of bottoming resistance. Suspension travel is listed at 12.2 inches (front) and 12.5 inches (rear). Because suspension is softer, Brown reports that it helps the bike “corner well without losing any of the Yamaha trademark stability.” “Straight off the showroom floor,” he said, “I was able to ride the WR250F to 90 percent of my comfort zone and enjoy every minute of it.” Brakes With a front Nissin two-piston caliper, 270mm disc and rear Nissin single-piston caliper, 245mm disc, the WR-F has a 5mm larger rear disc than the YZ250F, which we reported had plenty of stopping power, but its brakes were not as strong as the KTM 250 SX-F’s and Husqvarna FC 250′s Brembos. Still, the WR250F’s Nissin brakes are some of the most progressive on the market. 2021 Yamaha WR250F (Yamaha/)Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG While miles per gallon is currently unlisted, the WR250F has a 2.2-gallon fuel tank which is 0.6 gallon larger than the YZ250F motocrosser. This tank size fits within the confines of the bodywork without any unusual protrusions. Ergonomics: Comfort and Utility Test rider Brown would prefer a slightly taller seat for the WR250F, but the aftermarket is a great source for those types of modifications. Riders taller than 6 feet would also consider repositioning the handlebar in order to open up the cockpit. Being an enduro machine, we would have also liked to see hand guards come stock. 2021 Yamaha WR250F (Yamaha/)Electronics The WR250F features electronics such as an electric starter, headlight, taillight, and an enduro meter that lists two tripmeters, and a race mode that features an average speed display and timer. Warranty and Maintenance Coverage The 2021 WR250F comes with a 30-day limited factory warranty. Quality With YZ250F DNA coursing through this enduro-tuned 250cc liquid-cooled four-stroke machine, the WR250F provides usable power for technical riding. Many trail riding features are stock, but patrol the aftermarket for a taller seat and hand guards. 2021 Yamaha WR250F (Yamaha/)2021 Yamaha WR250F Claimed Specifications MSRP: $8,599 Engine: 250cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder four-stroke Bore x Stroke: 77.0 x 53.6mm Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain Fuel Delivery: Mikuni fuel injection w/ 44mm throttle body Clutch: Wet, multiplate Engine Management/Ignition: N/A Frame: Aluminum bilateral beam Front Suspension: KYB Speed-Sensitive System (SSS) coil-spring fork, compression and rebound damping adjustable; 12.2 in. travel Rear Suspension: KYB shock, spring preload, high-/low-speed compression and rebound damping adjustable; 12.5 in. travel Front Brake: Nissin 2-piston caliper, 270mm disc Rear Brake: Nissin 1-piston caliper, 245mm disc Wheels, Front/Rear: Spoked wheels; 21 in. / 18 in. Tires, Front/Rear: Dunlop MX3S; 80/100-21 / 110/100-18 Rake/Trail: 27.2°/4.6 in. Wheelbase: 58.3 in. Ground Clearance: 12.6 in. Seat Height: 37.6 in. Fuel Capacity: 2.2 gal. Wet Weight: 254 lb. Contact: yamaha-motor.com Cycle World Tested Specifications Seat Height: 37.6 in. Wet Weight: 254 lb. Rear-Wheel Horsepower: 36.1 hp @ 12,000 rpm Rear-Wheel Torque: 17.9 lb.-ft. @ 8,100 rpm Source

2021 Yamaha YZ250FX (Yamaha/)Ups The 250cc four-stroke engine excels at midrange torque and even nips at the heels of 350cc enginesFree Power Tuner app expands the engine’s versatilityWell-balanced handlingConfidence-inspiring suspensionDowns Slightly wide compared to competitionPocketed seat limits rider maneuverability when sittingHas difficulty starting in gearVerdict Although it may feel wider and also place the rider further back in its seat, the Yamaha YZ250FX provides a confidence-inspiring suspension package and manageable power for a ride that has the capability to conquer the off-road terrain and its competition. 2021 Yamaha YZ250FX (Yamaha/)Overview The Yamaha YZ250FX is the cross-country version of the YZ250F. It is designed with Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) and Hare Scramble races in mind with its six-speed transmission, 2.2-gallon fuel tank, 18-inch rear wheel, and skid plate. The front-intake, rear-exhaust engine design is what Dirt Rider’s Allan Brown says helps make the bike so powerful by 250F standards and contributes to it being a very versatile bike in stock trim. Updates for 2021 For 2021, the YZ250FX sees no mechanical changes after being heavily updated the year prior. However, it does have an aesthetic change with different number plate and fork guard colors. Pricing and Variants The YZ250FX is available in Team Yamaha Blue for an MSRP of $8,499. Powertrain: Engine, Transmission, and Performance The FX powers across GNCC-style terrain via its 250cc liquid-cooled four-stroke single-cylinder engine. Test rider Brown said that this engine, which is based on the YZ250F motocross model, has “amazingly broad power and strong durability,” and is even considered to be just about flawless, and it could compete with larger-displacement models such as the Husqvarna FX 350. When put on our in-house dyno, this single sent 37.8 hp at 12,200 rpm and 18.3 pound-feet of torque at 8,400 rpm to the rear wheel. One complaint Brown had was that the 250 has difficulty starting, especially in gear, but an upgrade to the battery and keeping the clutch cable snug are two solutions he recommends. 2021 Yamaha YZ250FX (Yamaha/)Handling Like the carryover of the engine, the FX plucks the chassis from the F model as well. Brown reports, “The bike’s broad, easy-to-use engine power, good stock suspension settings, and equal balance of stability and cornering make it very easy to get comfortable on.” Suspension components include a fully adjustable 48mm KYB Speed Sensitive System (SSS) coil-spring-type fork and fully adjustable KYB shock. Suspension is confidence-inspiring with its proficiency at tackling a variety of technical trails and higher-speed terrain, and offers adjustability useful to riders of varying weights and skill levels. Brakes Front brake feel from the Nissin two-piston caliper/270mm disc combo is reported to be the most progressive in the market, Brown stated. Some might love that and others might not—that choice comes down to personal preference. A Nissin one-piston caliper and 245mm disc serves as stopping power out back. 2021 Yamaha YZ250FX (Yamaha/)Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG Fuel economy numbers are not listed by the manufacturer. Fuel capacity is listed at 2.2 gallons. Ergonomics: Comfort and Utility Ergonomics are easily identifiable as Yamaha with a “distinguishable handlebar bend and noticeable pocketed seating position.” This pocketed seating position is a small complaint Brown has, as it makes the rider slide back easily. 2021 Yamaha YZ250FX (Yamaha/)Electronics One of the more notable tech features is the bike’s compatibility with the Yamaha Power Tuner app, which allows the rider to make fueling and ignition timing changes via the smartphone app. Additionally, a handlebar-mounted switch makes preselected engine map swaps a cinch. Powering on the bike is simple with the electric start button. Warranty and Maintenance Coverage The FX comes with a 30-day limited factory warranty. Quality Some gripes about starting in gear and seating position when riding, but overall our test riders place this bike among the top 250F off-road competition models due to its quality suspension and powerful engine. 2021 Yamaha YZ250FX (Yamaha/)2021 Yamaha YZ250FX Claimed Specifications MSRP: $8,499 Engine: 250cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder four-stroke Bore x Stroke: 77.0 x 53.6mm Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain Fuel Delivery: Mikuni fuel injection w/ 43mm throttle body Clutch: Wet, multiplate Engine Management/Ignition: N/A Frame: Aluminum bilateral beam Front Suspension: KYB Speed Sensitive System (SSS) coil-spring fork, compression and rebound damping adjustable; 12.2 in. travel Rear Suspension: KYB shock, spring preload, high-/low-speed compression damping, and rebound damping adjustable; 12.5 in. travel Front Brake: Nissin 2-piston caliper, 270mm disc Rear Brake: Nissin 1-piston caliper, 245mm disc Wheels, Front/Rear: 21 in. / 18 in. Tires, Front/Rear: Dunlop MX3S; 80/100-21 / 110/100-18 Rake/Trail: 27.2°/4.6 in. Wheelbase: 58.3 in. Ground Clearance: 12.6 in. Seat Height: 37.6 in. Fuel Capacity: 2.2 gal. Wet Weight: 245 lb. Contact: yamaha-motor.com Cycle World Tested Specifications Seat Height: 37.7 in. Wet Weight: 246 lb. Rear-Wheel Horsepower: 37.8 hp @ 12,200 rpm Rear-Wheel Torque: 18.3 lb.-ft. @ 8,400 rpm Source

2021 Suzuki RM-Z450 (Suzuki/)Ups Cheaper MSRP compared to others in its classExcels in corneringNew MX-Tuner 2.0 offers engine-character adjustabilityDowns No electric startShowa 49mm fork is good, but is held back by the Showa Balance Free Rear Cushion (BFRC) shockHeavier than the competition in both feel and actual weightVerdict Although it hasn’t seen a major overhaul in recent years, the RM-Z450 is fun to ride and is less expensive than its competitors. 2021 Suzuki RM-Z450 (Mason Owens/)Overview The 2021 Suzuki RM-Z450 is the Japanese manufacturer’s one and only 450cc dirt bike. In last year’s Dirt Rider shootout, staff determined that the RM-Z450 was “a good motocross bike in a segment filled with greats.” Noticing the RM-Z’s potential, Dirt Rider improved its power and suspension with aftermarket products in its 2021 Suzuki RM-Z450 Project Bike build in order to make the good bike even better. It’s a bargain at $8,999, which gives some room for improvements, especially if the end user plans on racing. Otherwise, the ideal demographic of the stock trim version are casual trail riders, vets, or even mom/dad going on the occasional weekend trip with their kids. Updates for 2021 The bodywork’s graphics are new, but no mechanical updates for the 2021 engine. There is, however, engine tunability with the MX-Tuner 2.0 system and smartphone app. This app allows the user to change fuel delivery and ignition system settings. Pricing and Variants At $8,999, the full-size Suzuki motocrosser sits well below the $9,399 MSRP of the Kawasaki KX450 and Yamaha YZ450F, which are the lower-priced models in the competitive 450 class. Powertrain: Engine, Transmission, and Performance The 449cc liquid-cooled four-stroke engine continues to power the 2021 RM-Z450. As mentioned, the powerplant is tunable with the help of the MX-Tuner 2.0 app where EFI can be adjusted via four preprogrammed maps and custom fuel and ignition maps can be built. Upon review, Dirt Rider observed that the bike is heavier than its competition both in its measured 250-pound weight and hefty feel on the track, the latter of which is attributed to its heavy engine character. Luckily, the MX-Tuner app helps lighten these engine characteristics. Prior to playing with the engine maps, it ran on our in-house dyno where it produced 50.2 hp at 8,800 rpm and 33.2 pound-feet of torque at 7,600 rpm at the rear wheel. Compared to others of its class this is not a “fire-breather” as test rider Allan Brown put it, but it makes good torque that “is responsive enough off the bottom, and revs just high enough to not feel flat.” Shifting through the five-speed transmission is reported to be smooth and clutch fade is minimal. 2021 Suzuki RM-Z450 (Mason Owens/)Handling This 450 motocrosser’s chassis provides excellent cornering, and overall handling is “decent despite its rigid feeling,” Brown says, but this stiffness does result in decreased comfort. The RM-Z450 features a Showa 49mm twin-chamber coil-spring fork and Showa Balance Free Rear Cushion (BFRC) shock, both of which have remained largely unchanged since they debuted on the bike in 2018. The shock specifically is what needs an update most. Test rider Brown wrote that if this motocrosser is used more casually it will probably do, but more aggressive riding or racing requires modifications. Because the chassis is so rigid, the rider is inclined to soften the suspension. However, softening the settings causes pitching which was resolved when Brown nearly fully closed the compression and rebound adjusters and also set the sag close to 100mm. The resulting high rear-end stance, however, did add some harshness to the fork. Brakes Braking is done with a Nissin two-piston caliper and 270mm wave-style front rotor and Nissin single-piston caliper and 240mm rear rotor. The same caliper size and disc diameter is seen on the Yamaha YZ450F. Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG No real-world miles-per-gallon figures, but the RM-Z’s 1.7-gallon fuel tank is the same size as the Honda CRF450R, 0.1 gallon less than the Austrian competition, and 0.1 gallon larger than its Team Green and bLU cRU competitors. Ergonomics: Comfort and Utility The cockpit feels a bit smaller than other bikes in its class and is fine for riders 6-foot and under, but taller than that and the rider may want to look at a taller handlebar or lower footpegs. 2021 Suzuki RM-Z450 (Mason Owens/)Electronics While it has EFI and new MX-Tuner 2.0 connectivity, one downfall is that there is no electric start. Other electronics include Suzuki Holeshot Assist Control (S-HAC) and a traction management system. Warranty and Maintenance Coverage No warranty is available. Quality Although its suspension needs attention and its measured weight is heavier than the competition, the RM-Z is still fun because it corners well and has usable, now easily tunable, power. 2021 Suzuki RM-Z450 (Suzuki/)2021 Suzuki RM-Z450 Claimed Specifications MSRP: $8,999 Engine: 449cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke Bore x Stroke: 96.0 x 62.1mm Transmission/Final Drive: 5-speed/chain Fuel Delivery: Electronic fuel injection w/ 44mm throttle body Clutch: Wet, multiplate; cable operation Engine Management/Ignition: N/A Frame: Twin-spar aluminum Front Suspension: Showa 49mm coil-spring fork, compression and rebound damping adjustable; 12.0 in. travel Rear Suspension: Showa Balance Free Rear Cushion (BFRC) shock, spring preload, compression damping, and rebound damping adjustable; 12.3 in. travel Front Brake: Nissin 2-piston caliper, 270mm disc Rear Brake: Nissin 1-piston caliper, 240mm disc Wheels, Front/Rear: Spoked wheels w/ black anodized rims; 21 in. / 19 in. Tires, Front/Rear: Bridgestone Battlecross X30; 80/100-21 / 110/90-19 Rake/Trail: 27.8°/4.7 in. Wheelbase: 58.3 in. Ground Clearance: 13.0 in. Seat Height: 37.8 in. Fuel Capacity: 1.7 gal. Wet Weight: 247 lb. Contact: suzukicycles.com Cycle World Tested Specifications Seat Height: 37.5 in. Wet Weight: 250 lb. Rear-Wheel Horsepower: 50.2 hp @ 8,800 rpm Rear-Wheel Torque: 33.2 lb.-ft. @ 7,600 rpm Source

2021 Suzuki DR-Z400SM (Suzuki/)Ups Simple and reliable single-cylinder engineEasy to rideRetro vibesAffordable price tagMirrors provide a great look behind the rider and offer plenty of adjustabilityWith its long run on the market there are plenty of accessories availableDowns Retro lighting and dash in an advanced-tech worldFootpegs provide not a whole lot of real estateMaster cylinder needs to push more fluid through to the hydraulic brakes to enhance stopping powerVerdict Retro from the overall design to the speedometer cable making its way to the front wheel, the DR-Z400SM provides some old-school charm for those looking for entertainment on a street-legal supermoto. Overview Since its production in the early 2000s, the Suzuki DR-Z400SM has been bringing fun to the pavement as Suzuki’s supermoto spinoff of the DR-Z400 dual sport. Its reasonable price in the market, tried-and-true engine, and flickable characteristics make it an attractive offering in the supermoto realm. Its street legality makes the world your go-kart track. Updates for 2021 The DR-Z400SM flaunts different graphics as well as a black colorway that replaces last year’s gray one. It also sees a $100 price hike from the previous year. Pricing and Variants Suzuki’s supermoto has an MSRP of $7,499 which is more than a few thousand dollars cheaper than KTM’s returning 450 SMR and Husqvarna’s FS 450 (both $11,299) competition-only models. Kawasaki’s new KLX300SM, however, has a cheaper retail price of $5,999. Powertrain: Engine, Transmission, and Performance The DR-Z400SM is powered by a carbureted 398cc DOHC liquid-cooled single. Yes, carbureted. This helps Suzuki pass emissions and sound regulations and contributes to an overall smooth-running engine. A couple of years ago we ran the DR-Z400S dual sport on our in-house dyno where it delivered 32.4 hp at 8,400 rpm and 24.6 pound-feet of torque at 5,900 rpm, so similar numbers can be expected with the SM’s single. “It definitely has some zip in the lower gears…and a top speed of around 93 mph,” Motorcyclist’s Adam Waheed recounts in his MC Commute. The clutch does not require a heavy grasp, making it friendly for novice riders. 2021 Suzuki DR-Z400SM (Suzuki/)Handling “It is very light, very maneuverable, very easy to put where you want. You definitely feel some of the big bumps through the suspension, but in all the other smaller stuff the suspension goes over the bumps fairly well,” Adam Waheed stated. The 49mm inverted Showa fork is sourced from the old RM250, and the swingarm and rear Showa shock is pulled from the RM-Z. One unique element of the SM is that it has tubed tires, the reason other manufacturers might forgo the tubed tire option is that there is less reciprocating mass and less weight at the wheels. Tubed tires do have their advantages in that if the dreaded flat does occur, a simple tube swap is all that is needed to go about your business. Brakes Stopping the bike are hydraulic disc brakes, front and rear. The front brake has enough power to slow down the bike, but the master cylinder doesn’t have the power to push fluid through it and requires a firmer grasp at the lever to really slow the bike down, Waheed said. The brake lever and brake pedal are both adjustable. ABS is not equipped on this machine. Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG The 2.6-gallon fuel tank (2.5 gallons for California) is large compared to the KTM 450 SMR’s 1.9-gallon fuel tank, for example. Miles-per-gallon figures are currently unavailable. Ergonomics: Comfort and Utility When Waheed rode the bike, he stated, “When sitting on the bike it feels like a dirt bike. That’s because it is a dirt bike.” He loved the slimness as well as the Renthal Fatbar with its upward bend that results in a commanding stance. One main complaint Adam fielded was with the small footpegs. A little more room would provide more of a base to stand up on. The 35-inch seat height may also be somewhat intimidating to newer riders, but it is slightly lower than the DR-Z400 dual sport’s 36.8 inches. Electronics Following suit of its retro vibe, the bike offers rider aids and tech that are kept to a minimum. No ABS, no LED lights, no fancy gauge. The speedometer can be calibrated to varying tire circumferences if a swap is made, which is a nifty feature. Sometimes the bare essentials are all you need to have fun. Warranty and Maintenance Coverage This supermoto has a one-year unlimited-mileage warranty. Quality Some may be looking for a fully up-to-date supermoto, but the charm of the Suzuki DR-Z400SM is its retro looks, reliable engine, and street-legal fun. 2021 Suzuki DR-Z400SM (Suzuki/)2021 Suzuki DR-Z400SM Claimed Specifications MSRP: $7,499 Engine: 398cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled single; 4-valve Bore x Stroke: 90.0 x 62.6mm Transmission/Final Drive: 5-speed/chain Fuel Delivery: Mikuni BSR36 carburetor Clutch: Wet, multiplate; cable operation Engine Management/Ignition: N/A/Electronic ignition (CDI) Frame: Steel Front Suspension: 49mm inverted Showa fork, compression and rebound damping adjustable; 10.2 in. travel Rear Suspension: Hydraulic Showa shock, fully adjustable; 10.9 in. travel Front Brake: Axial-mount 2-piston caliper, floating 300mm disc Rear Brake: 1-piston caliper, 240mm disc Wheels, Front/Rear: Die-cast aluminum; 17 x 3.5 in. / 17 x 4.5 in. Tires, Front/Rear: Dunlop Sportmax D208; 120/70-17 / 140/70-17 Rake/Trail: 26.2°/3.7 in. Wheelbase: 57.5 in. Ground Clearance: 10.2 in. Seat Height: 35.0 in. Fuel Capacity: 2.6 gal. Wet Weight: 322 lb. Contact: suzukicycles.com Source

Kevin Cameron has been writing about motorcycles for nearly 50 years, first for <em>Cycle magazine</em> and, since 1992, for <em>Cycle World</em>. (Robert Martin/)Why do we ride motorcycles? Is motorcycling, as marketing people have so long insisted, just another leisure activity, like watching sports on TV or stargazing? Hmmmm, don’t know what to do with myself for the next couple of hours. Maybe I’ll cool down my photomultiplier tube and have a quick gander at Epsilon Aurigae. While it may be like that for a few riders, for most of us the motorcycle is not an elective time killer. It is a permanent state, a part of our lives. For most of those who take up riding, motorcycles become a permanent part of their lives. (Jeff Allen/)For some, the wind and the 360-degree view of the world provided by motorcycles remind us that life is not a video game. For others, it’s the practice of skills in an unforgiving environment. For still others, it’s the rush of acceleration and cornering. Although tolerance for motorcycles increased after the era of “You meet the nicest people,” there remains, especially in the case of parents, wide disapproval, fear, or outright prohibition. This, naturally, only increases the appeal of these machines to young people. As they seek to find their place among the many, the motorcycle becomes an instrument of resistance toward the humid smugness of a conforming majority: the <i>Rebel Without a Cause</i> aspect. When I bought my first motorcycle, a BSA Bantam hardly worthy of the name, I was told, “Well of course, you’ll have to sell it. Those things are just too dangerous.” Needless to say, I did not sell it, and I did get safely through the critical first six months. Young people are naturally drawn to activities that fight conformity, motorcycles fit that bill. (Jeff Allen/)Older self-styled experts assured me that the law of averages dictated the longer I rode, the more certain I was to be injured or killed. I knew that was stupid nonsense, otherwise no airline pilot could ever reach retirement age. The simple fact is that the more a rider rides, and the more flight hours a pilot accumulates, the more secure they become, thanks to their ever-increasing experience. The first reason to ride is that it looks like fun, and is. Would you rather be skiing or riding in the resort’s snow tractor? On skis, once you’ve acquired the basic skills, you are free to transmute height into velocity and back again, and you can play the powerful forces of turning against gravity. In the snow tractor, with the heater and CD player blasting, you’re just self-loading freight. Some riders I’ve known just got it from the beginning. They were the naturals whose existence former GP racer Mike Baldwin has always denied. (“Everything I know how to do on a motorcycle, I had to learn.”) One of the naturals was Bill Dutcher, who for years ran the Aspencade Rally. He has always declared, “A motorcycle is a motorcycle,” meaning that once you’ve attained some proficiency in one discipline, say, motocross, you will find the other disciplines, such as trials, roadracing, or enduro, to be closely related. He demonstrated over and over that he could ride anything, on or off-road. Another was Anthony Gobert, who seemed to jump on a bike and win races effortlessly, no thought or analysis required. Sitting on a hillside with him, overlooking the track at Laguna Seca, I asked him how he’d got his skills. “I didn’t,” he said. “I could just always ride a motorbike.” Gobert has not had an easy life since, but his riding ability was remarkable. For some others, learning the necessary skills was the first problem that really focused their interest. Nick Richichi took his Z1 Kawasaki streetbike to Loudon, crashed it, and painfully sprained a foot. To many, this would have been a disaster, but Richichi was delighted! “No cops, man! Go as fast as you want!” But he wanted more, to run with the really fast people, and he was persistent and methodical about learning how to excel. In the simplest of terms: Motorcycles are fun. Plain and simple. (Jeff Allen/)Can any of us admit, even a little bit, that the motorcycle can also be the elk’s antlers or the peacock’s plumage, attracting attention? (Cough, cough, chrome, cough.) Riding a motorcycle can drain life’s pond of distractions, revealing with clarity the bare bones. A BMW rider I knew was a chemist. When confronted with a problem he wasn’t able to solve in his office chair or by awakening at 4 a.m. in where-am-I confusion, he would just get on his bike and ride, heading out of town and onto some go-anywhere rural roads. Over a period of three hours, the concentration riding required would gradually push aside the mess in his mind and shake the problem down to essentials. A solution would appear. And it worked over and over. The motorcycle is also play, and play is rehearsal for life. When it has rained steadily for days and now the sun comes out, horses that have been standing in stalls are let out to pasture. They gallop, they leap straight in the air, they turn, kicking up clods of earth, and they lie down and roll. They are excited to be in the open. This is nature’s way of honing our survival skills: by making them enjoyable. How different is an office cubicle from that stall? A part of every one of us longs—needs!—to leap and gallop. On one of my trips to visit Continental Tire in Germany, my guide waved toward a glass-sided office building and said, “What you must understand about these salarymen is that they know too much about their future: when they can afford to marry, to own a car, how much their pensions will pay. Life is good, but a prison. So for them, the motorcycle is a door. They will never open the door to ride across Africa to Dakar, but it is there, quietly reassuring them. That is a freedom.” A motorcycle in the garage promises the ability to go anywhere, anytime. It is freedom. (Sebas Romero/)The motorcycle binds together freedom and responsibility. Manage the freedom or fall. That bargain stays with every rider. What happens to us during our first six months on a motorcycle? We either learn the alert vigilance of squirrels, mountain climbers, and combat soldiers, or we quit. I once visited a friend in the hospital after his third urban motorcycle crash. He gave this evidence against himself: “Every damn time, I’ve had the right of way.” There is no right of way for the motorcyclist. We alone can assure our own security. So many motorists just don’t see motorcycles at all, and others are barely conscious, texting. Constant alert vigilance is the only security. Just as the horse takes delight in running up and down, so we are refreshed by exercising this high state of awareness that is so underused in our daily lives. The motorcycle, product of human imagination, magnifies our own limited animal speed and strength. This power and expansion of being fills us with excitement, as it did those unknown adventurers who, more than 50 centuries ago, first learned to ride horses. Many of my friends are unable to separate that excitement from the process of trying to get the most from motorcycle performance. I think of the distinguished rider-engineers, such as Bill Lomas, Hurley Wilvert, Albert Gunter, and Kel Carruthers. And for myself, the motorcycle has been the Christmas tree on which the decorations are the many technologies I need to study in the process of seeking the most from the machine. The late Ian Gunn, eminent creator of the Gunn diode, a microwave-source-on-a-chip, was a physicist at IBM Watson and a lifelong motorcyclist. One day people from the hard-drive group appeared in his office. They explained they were having trouble reducing the time taken by hard-drive read heads in flicking from data track to data track. (Today, solid-state drives eliminate those read heads and spinning discs.) Taking a torn-open envelope from his desk, he sketched a read-head arm of minimum polar moment, tapering from wider at the pivot to narrow at the head, with a tapering series of lightening holes through it. They took the envelope and returned to their section. Weeks later they came back to thank him, saying his sketch had produced a much faster drive. He was puzzled. “Why did you bring this question to me?” “Because we see you sometimes in the parking lot, doing stuff to your motorcycle, so we thought you might have some idea about this kind of thing.” They were right to ask him, because a motorcycle requires practical understanding and practical skills. Being just a pair of wheels, an engine, and a place to sit, it reveals the principles that make it possible. Motorcycles require grace. The late Big Sid Biberman, builder and poet of Vincent motorcycles, once said to me, “I’ve always been big. In my whole life, the motorcycle was my first experience of grace.” Big Sid Biberman, 1930-2013. (Cycle World Archives/)Grace: elegance or refinement of movement. A state in which varying forces are continuously in balance. Physical grace fosters a mental state of grace. Others say this more simply: Speed is life. Speed is life. (Larry Chen/)Big Sid brought this back down to earth by saying there is nothing better than motoring along a country road on a fine day, on a long-legged motorcycle, seeing everything. That too is a state of grace. More of the clarifying power of the motorcycle was revealed by a friend who is a published poet. His written words said to me that when his mind was distressed and stopped by the problem of finding sense in life, he rode his motorcycle. It combed the nonessentials, the do-loops from his mind, streamlining his thought process. It left him in alert vigilance, aware of everything around him, safe, clear-headed, and alive. That, and more, is why we ride. Source

2021 Kawasaki KLX300 (Kawasaki/)Ups A boost in engine sizeUltra linear power deliveryWell-tamed engine vibrationNeutral-handling chassisMinimal buffeting thanks to cowlDowns Suspension handles off-road terrain well, but limits may be found with more aggressive ridingTall 35.2-inch seat height requires a single-footed stoplight stance (at least for our 5-foot-10 test rider)Verdict The new KLX300 offers more power in the form of its 292cc single-cylinder engine. Combine that with a lightweight chassis carried over from the previous KLX250, and agreeable ergonomics for street and off-road riding fun. 2021 Kawasaki KLX300 (Kawasaki/)Overview A dual sport’s versatility is a driving factor in its appeal. A beefier 292cc motor too? Things just got even more interesting for Kawasaki’s KLX dual sport. For 2021, Team Green has given a boost to the previous 249cc engine of the outgoing KLX250 with the help of a 6mm larger bore. Some other dimensions have also changed (noted below), but what is still prevalent is the bike remains a viable offering for riding around town and slogging around in the dirt whenever the urge arises. Updates for 2021 New year, new engine. The KLX is now equipped with a larger, 292cc engine that has a 6mm larger cylinder bore than the previous KLX250. Rake and trail also vary from last year’s model. This year the rake and trail specs are now 26.7 degrees and 4.2 inches. Other differences that Dirt Rider noted the current model has compared to the previous model year include a 0.2-inch taller seat, 0.4-inch less ground clearance, 0.4-inch longer wheelbase, and 2-pound less claimed wet weight. 2021 Kawasaki KLX300 (Kawasaki/)Pricing and Variants The KLX300 is available in Lime Green ($5,599) and Fragment Camo Grey ($5,799). Looking to skid around supermoto style? Check out the KLX300SM ($5,999). Powertrain: Engine, Transmission, and Performance Within the confines of the high-tensile steel, box-section perimeter frame lies the new digitally fuel-injected, 292cc four-stroke single. In his review of the 2021 model, test rider Don Canet wrote that it “churns out ultra-linear delivery from bottom revs to its 10,500 rpm limit. Power is accented with a whisper of top-end surge that comes in around 8,000 rpm and can be felt in the bottom gears of the six-speed gearbox.” Engine vibrations are also reported to be well tamed with the engine’s gear-driven counterbalancer, so regardless of putting the dual sport on the pavement or dirt, the ride will be relatively smooth. On our in-house dyno, the KLX300 recorded 23.4 hp at 8,140 rpm and 15.4 pound-feet at 7,950 rpm. 2021 Kawasaki KLX300 (Kawasaki/)Handling The chassis is carried over from the KLX250 resulting in a similar wet weight. The claimed curb weight is 302 pounds and, sure enough, that’s exactly what the KLX300 weighed on our automotive scales. Keeping the handling in check is a 16-way compression-adjustable 43mm inverted cartridge-style fork and a preload-/rebound-/compression-adjustable piggyback shock. On the winding roads of the press ride, Canet said that just a hint of steering input was needed to tip into corners and on his switch to gravel roads he wrote that the chassis “continued to track straight and true at speed whether seated or standing.” Brakes Braking is handled with single discs (250mm front, 240mm rear) with a front two-piston caliper and rear one-piston caliper. Kawasaki did not skimp on the rear rotor size as 240mm is a common spec for many motocross and off-road bikes including Kawasaki’s KX450X, KX250, and KX250X. The 250mm front rotor is a bit smaller than the current KX models however; the last time the KX450 used a 250mm front rotor was in 2014. 2021 Kawasaki KLX300 (Kawasaki/)Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG Fuel tank capacity is 2.0 gallons. Currently no real-world miles per gallon is recorded. Ergonomics: Comfort and Utility The KLX’s 35.2-inch seat height is fairly tall, but Canet’s 5-foot-10 stature managed getting toes to the ground after the suspension compressed under his weight. Stable, one-footed stops were managed throughout the ride and backing the bike out of parking spots was easily done. In regard to comfort, ergonomics are spacious and the padded seat hints at longer riding comfort, though this cannot be definitive regarding the 70-mile test ride. A stubby cowl above the headlight does help prevent wind buffeting at the head and shoulders, reports Canet. Electronics The engine, as mentioned earlier, is digitally fuel injected, which helps in all-season starting with a tap of the electric starter button. Otherwise, electronics are kept to a minimum with the digital instrument panel displaying a bar-graph tachometer, digital speedometer, dual tripmeters, and clock. Warranty and Maintenance Coverage The KLX300 is covered under a one-year warranty. Quality A new engine size within the previous generation’s chassis makes for a more powerful middleweight dual sport. 2021 Kawasaki KLX300 (Kawasaki/)2021 Kawasaki KLX300 Claimed Specifications MSRP: $5,599 Engine: 292cc DOHC liquid-cooled single Bore x Stroke: 78.0 x 61.2mm Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain Fuel Delivery: DFI w/ 34mm Keihin throttle body Clutch: Wet, multiplate Engine Management/Ignition: CDI Frame: High-tensile steel, box-section perimeter Front Suspension: 43mm USD fork, compression adjustable; 10.0 in. travel Rear Suspension: Uni-Trak piggyback shock, preload, rebound, and compression adjustable; 9.1 in. travel Front Brake: 2-piston caliper, 250mm petal disc Rear Brake: 1-piston caliper, 240mm petal disc Wheels, Front/Rear: Spoked; 21 in./ 18 in. Tires, Front/Rear: Dunlop D605; 21 x 3.0 in. / 18 x 4.6 in. Rake/Trail: 26.7°/4.2 in. Wheelbase: 56.7 in. Ground Clearance: 10.8 in. Seat Height: 35.2 in. Fuel Capacity: 2.0 gal. Wet Weight: 302 lb. Contact: kawasaki.com Cycle World Tested Specifications Seat Height: 35.2 in. Wet Weight: 302 lb. Rear-Wheel Horsepower: 23.43 hp @ 8,140 rpm Rear-Wheel Torque: 15.40 lb.-ft. @ 7,950 rpm Source