Hugh Janus

2020 Honda CBR650R (Honda /)The 2020 Honda CBR650R is a middleweight sportbike intended for the casual sport rider who is interested in painting the town with a Big Red streak, but not so ruthless as the liter-sized CBR1000RR. As Honda says, this is a machine that is “striking an ideal balance between performance and practicality” with its finely tuned chassis, punchy 649cc inline-four, LED lighting, aggressive riding position, and the like. Rider aids include ABS and the Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC). HSTC adjusts engine power to optimize torque at the rear wheel, ultimately reducing rear wheel slip. 2020 Honda CBR650R Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition In our 2019 first ride review of the CBR650R we found that it has a “sporty but not overly so riding position that’s well suited for day-to-day life on the street.” We also found that the 2019 model produced 80.1 hp at 10,950 rpm and 41.73 pound-feet of torque at 8,170 rpm on our in-house dyno. Competition for the CBR650R include the Kawasaki Ninja 650, Ducati Supersport, and Suzuki SV650. Sign up here to receive our newsletters. Get the latest in motorcycle reviews, tests, and industry news, subscribe here for our YouTube channel. Honda CBR650R Updates For 2020 While there are no significant updates to the CBR650R for 2020, it now comes with ABS as standard equipment. It is available in Grand Prix Red/Stripe. 2020 Honda CBR650R Claimed Specifications Price $9,699 Engine Liquid-cooled DOHC inline-four Displacement 649cc Bore x Stroke 67.0 x 46.0mm Horsepower N/A Torque N/A Transmission 6-speed Final Drive Chain Seat Height 31.9 in. Rake 30.0° Trail 4.0 in. Front Suspension 43mm fork; 4.3-in. travel Rear Suspension Showa single shock; 5.0-in. travel Front Tire 120/70-17 Rear Tire 180/55-17 Wheelbase 57.0 in. Fuel Capacity 4.1 gal. Claimed Wet Weight 458 lb. Source

2020 Honda CB300R (Honda /)With its café racer styling and modern tech, the lightweight 2020 Honda CB300R nods to both the past and present in a user-friendly package built for less-experienced or first-time buyers. Its styling cues are pulled from its big brother, the CB1000R, but is equipped with the compact, yet entertaining 286cc single-cylinder engine encompassed by a lightweight, nimble-handling chassis. And not to mention that ABS comes as a standard feature. 2020 Honda CB300R Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition The Honda CB300R debuted in 2019 and replaced the CB300F. Now, the CB300R continues to support the trend of Neo-Café models. Competition in the “neo-café” realm includes Husqvarna's Svartpilen 401 and Vitpilen 401, but if you are just interested in the general selection of minimally faired, small-displacement bikes, then the Yamaha MT-03 or past Ten Best Bike winners, the Kawasaki Z400 or KTM 390 Duke, can be worth a look. This naked bike comparison also lays out more of where the CB300R stands with the 390 Duke and Husqvarna Vitpilen 401. Sign up here to receive our newsletters. Get the latest in motorcycle reviews, tests, and industry news, subscribe here for our YouTube channel. Honda CB300R Updates For 2020 For 2020, the Honda CB300R is donned with a Matte Pearl Blue tank, as well as color changes to the wheels, shrouds, and headlight trim to “keep things fresh,” Honda says. 2020 Honda CB300R Claimed Specifications Price $4,949 Engine Liquid-cooled DOHC single-cylinder; 4 valves/cyl. Displacement 286cc Bore x Stroke 76.0 x 63.0mm Horsepower N/A Torque N/A Transmission 6-speed Final Drive Chain Seat Height 31.5 in. Rake 24.7° Trail 3.7 in. Front Suspension 41mm telescopic fork; 5.1-in. travel Rear Suspension Single shock; 4.2-in. travel Front Tire 110/70-17 Rear Tire 150/60-17 Wheelbase 53.3 in. Fuel Capacity 2.7 gal. Claimed Wet Weight 317 lb. Source

2020 Yamaha YZ450FX (Yamaha /)First introduced in 2016, the Yamaha YZ450FX lives in the 450 four-stroke cross-country dirt bike segment. The Tuning Fork brand designed the YZ450FX to be raced in the woods of the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series, where it’s campaigned by the AmPro Yamaha team in the premier XC1 Open Pro Class. Sign up here to receive our newsletters. Get the latest in motorcycle reviews, tests, and industry news, subscribe here for our YouTube channel. The YZF450FX is derived from Yamaha’s class-leading YZ450F motocrosser, but is tuned for backwoods riding with its dedicated cross-country suspension settings, five-speed wide-ratio transmission, 18-inch rear wheel, kickstand, and Dunlop Geomax AT81 tires. 2020 Yamaha YZ450FX (Yamaha /)2020 Yamaha YZ450FX Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition Although the Yamaha YZ450FX didn’t receive any mechanical changes for 2020, it was all-new the year prior and our colleagues at our dirt-only sister publication, Dirt Rider, attended the intro for the bike at Randy Hawkins’ private ranch in Union, South Carolina. Later that year, Dirt Rider conducted a 450 Off-Road Shootout, which included the Yamaha YZ450FX along with three of its main competitors in the 450 cross-country bike segment including the KTM 450 XC-F, Husqvarna FX 450, and Honda CRF450RX. The suggested retail price of the 2020 Yamaha YZ450FX is $9,599. 2020 Yamaha YZ450FX (Yamaha /)Yamaha YZ450FX Updates For 2020 New graphics are the only update the Yamaha YZ450FX received for 2020, but bLU cRU's flagship cross-country motorcycle received a major overhaul the year prior. 2020 Yamaha YZ450FX Claimed Specifications Price $9,599 Engine Liquid-cooled DOHC single-cylinder Displacement 449cc Bore x Stroke 97.0 x 60.9mm Horsepower N/A Torque N/A Transmission 5-speed Final Drive Chain Seat Height 37.6 in. Rake 27.2° Trail 4.6 in. Front Suspension 48mm inverted fork, fully adjustable; 12.2-in. travel Rear Suspension Fully adjustable; 12.5-in. travel Front Tire 80/100-21 Rear Tire 120/90-18 Wheelbase 58.3 in. Fuel Capacity 2.2 gal. Claimed Wet Weight 256 lb. Source

Kevin Cameron (Robert Martin/)Years ago I worked with a man who had exceptional skills in the “mechanic arts”—machining, welding, fabricating, and imaginative design. He taught me a lot. Although a graduate of a respected trade school, he had learned most of what he knew in the course of his work, finding practical solutions to experimental problems encountered by university researchers. Early in his extensive self-education he built himself a classic hot rod. Having spent about everything he had on this creation, he was not about to spring for brake fluid. He filled and bled the rod’s brake system with kerosene and set off for school. “Ha!” he thought to himself as he rumbled along. “Brakes work fine.” At the school he parked and went into class. Returning to his car at the end of the day he got in, started up, and upon trying to drive off found he could not. All four wheels were locked solid. The “innovation” of using kerosene instead of brake fluid had revealed why brake fluid exists: the ethylene propylene rubber (EPR) of which brake system seals and cups are made is hydrocarbon in origin, so the hydrocarbon we know as kerosene has a strong affinity for it. As the EPR absorbed the kerosene it swelled. Swelling of the master cylinder’s piston seal first blocked the return port (which normally lets fluid return to the reservoir when the brakes are released) and then its continued expansion and that of the piston cups in the wheel cylinders (his was a drum-braked car) applied the brakes and held them that way. Ethylene propylene rubber (EPR) seals will swell when subjected to hydrocarbon-based fluids. (Motorcyclist /)The entire system had to be disassembled and cleaned in a solvent compatible with EPR (polar solvents such as isopropyl alcohol—not hydrocarbons such as kerosene, gasoline, et cetera). Then every rubber part had to be replaced with new. It was a labor-intensive practical lesson. Brake fluid usually consists of a low-viscosity glycol ether liquid that remains easily fluid even at sub-zero temperature, plus a lubricant to allow easy piston movement. There is a compromise inherent in meeting that low temperature fluidity requirement; fluids that retain low viscosity down to low temperatures tend to have lower boiling points. Glycols are alcohols and so attract and retain water, which at sea level boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit. The moment you open a tin of brake fluid, it begins to absorb water from the atmosphere (stop breathing on my brake fluid!) and its boiling point falls. Once a container of brake fluid is opened, water will begin to be absorbed and the boil point of said fluid begins to decrease. Think twice about using that old, open can of fluid on the shelf. (Motorcyclist /)Brake calipers are designed to keep frictional heat from the pads from reaching the fluid, but get the fluid hot enough and it can boil. As anyone who has ever bled brakes can attest, even tiny bubbles of gas in brake fluid can make the lever spongy. Boiling fluid can push itself back to the master cylinder reservoir, leaving you with a lever that comes to the bar the next time you brake. This is why motorists are advised to replace their brake fluid with fresh at two-year intervals, in order to prevent a steady fall in fluid boiling point from absorbed water. This is also why Brembo’s latest calipers have their distinctive open design, which encourages the airflow that can reduce caliper operating temperature. Back in the 1970s I read about DOT 5 silicone brake fluid, which does not absorb water and has a reliably high boiling point. Gotta have it! Returning from the auto parts store with the miracle fluid, I flushed and filled my system. Hmm, that’s odd—the lever doesn’t return. The more I cycled the lever, the more I realized it wasn’t getting better. Then I pulled out my trusty copy of Gunderson and Hart’s Synthetic Lubricants. They didn’t want to step on the toes of the giant chemical firms, but it was clear from the data presented that silicones are far from first choice as lubricants. Okay, lesson learned. I again drained and flushed my brake system, then refilled with the DOT 3 fluid I had previously been using without problems more serious than its demonic ability to wreck expensive paint jobs. Source

Cooped up by COVID? It’s a great time to get those long-forgotten bike projects in order—or start a new pastime. (Joe Hitzelberger/)Shelter at home. Self-quarantine. PPE shortages. Social distancing. Even if you’re hunkered down in a panic room near the basement, you’re probably hearing those ominous buzzwords on a daily basis. The ever-growing list of mandated actions (or inactions) and recommended responses to the novel coronavirus is daunting, and everyone’s still trying to figure out how their daily lives (whether personal or professional) are supposed to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic and stay sane—or in the case of businesses, solvent. You’ve already heard some of the bigger events and companies have slowed their roll or even shut facilities—The Quail Motorcycle Gathering, Harley’s factory closures, and MotoGP season cancellation are prime examples—but for every depressing action, surely there’s a corresponding ray of light? We dug around to find more than a dozen examples of silver linings in this virus madness. Some of them are just feel-good videos, and some of them are awesome acts of generosity, but when taken together, they’ll all help get us out of this funk. Uplifting stuff, to be sure. Working Through It One way to deal with a stay-at-home order: Enter a bike contest. (Roland Sands Design/)Sheltering in place? Sounds like the perfect time to build a bike. Roland Sands, bless his heart, has responded with a pitch-perfect, kick-in-the-pants activity we all needed to distract us from the deepening anxiety, and help, you know, flatten the curve. His answer to COVID-19 is the CoronaVirus Bike Build-Off (CVBB). Sands told us, “The CVBB was a call to arms to not sit idly in your home and rot while this virus takes from each of us. At the end of this, if you are stuck in your home and you have the ability to at least accomplish something you’ve been putting off, it can turn into a positive experience. I know I started piecing together some long ignored projects and it still makes me feel good to see a motorcycle go together.” To enter, all you have to do is post your project on social media with the hashtag: #coronavirusbikebuildoff. Various companies are stepping in with cash and prizes for the competition, including Motul, Dunlop, Bell Helmets, Fox Suspension, and Paughco, and there’s a good chance more will jump in as the word spreads, so stay tuned. Things are still pretty open-ended as the contest evolves, but as RSD puts it: “We are all in this together; borders and oceans may separate us, but the heart of the two-wheeled culture is alive and well and lives through the CoronaVirus Bike Build-Off.” Details will continue to come from @RolandSandsDesign on Instagram, and you can follow along with #coronavirusbikebuildoff or get more details at rolandsands.com. Nothing like a good book to pass a rainy day—or a self-quarantine. (Octane Press/)In a time of enforced social isolation, for some, reading can be good therapy. Octane Press, a small publishing house based in Austin, Texas, has been on the gas harder than ever. “This is no time for book publishers to sit on their heels. We are proceeding with business as usual. I’ve been through a couple of economic downturns as a book maker, and motorheads have typically bought books at solid levels when the economy is down. We’ll make some changes to price points and formats and also are actively seeking books that are good for the times, particularly compelling books that offer compelling reads about travel and adventure,” owner and publisher Lee Klancher told us. Some shops and dealerships are open, but if they are, they probably have strict distancing rules in place. (Andrew Cherney /)Legion Motorcycle Company, a compact DIY shop in Portland, Oregon, is normally a hub of activity, with a retail section that sells parts and apparel, a DIY garage space available for rent, and even an onsite barber shop as well as a cocktail lounge. Alas, all those sections are now closed due to public health measures, though the vet-owned business is still providing motorcycle services; Legion says it will work on bikes by appointment only, and in an email, owner Alex Glover sounded cautiously optimistic: “Our service work has not stopped at all, but we've changed how we're working with customers by eliminating face-to-face interactions. We've moved our service to by-appointment only. Our paperwork and billing is all digital now, so all people need to do is call us and drop off their bike. It's definitely not ideal, but it's how we think we can continue to work and keep decent odds that we won't get sick. It's been hard seeing people roll up to just hang out and shoot the s—t, they see the sign on our door, and then ride away. I think we will be able to make some good moves in the coming months.” Smaller manufacturers like Arch have more flexibility to adapt to supply chain issues and continue producing. (Courtesy Arch Motorcycle/)And at Arch Motorcycle, the feeling is similar; representatives say Arch is operating to the best of its abilities while still recognizing and adhering to the government directives in place. Company rep Jordan Mastagni told us, “…[The pandemic]…is probably easier for an agile outfit like Arch to negotiate than it is for bigger companies. Our whole business centers around relationships—with customers, with suppliers, and with colleagues—so we are able to flex with the times. We manufacture and purchase parts in batches and expect to have enough inventory to be able to continue business for the medium term with no impact on supply. The production side of the business [is] rotating shifts to observe safe distances. Arch’s factory is over 100,000 square feet so practicing social distancing is not an issue whatsoever. The show must go on.“ Their physical locations are shuttered, but See See is still cranking out coffee. (See See Motor Coffee/)See See Motorcycles also chose to pivot its business practices slightly. Thor Drake and his merry band of motorheads isn’t taking this whole virus thing on the chin; they’re fighting it with caffeine. More specifically, with coffee—since the brick-and-mortar side of the biz has had to shutter, they’re starting a subscription coffee model, featuring See See Scrambler Blend, which they say is “proudly roasted in the great NW with our pals at Proud Mary Coffee.” Which makes sense. After all, See See’s full business name is See See Motor Coffee Co. A few service-oriented dealerships are open, but on a very limited basis. (Cascade Moto Classics/)Some motorcycle dealerships have had to get creative—if they’re still open at all. Portland, Oregon, area Triumph dealer Cascade Moto Classics is disinfecting all public surfaces in an effort to still allow test rides. Even more helpful is its offer of no-contact pick-up and delivery within a 25-mile radius of the store (with a minimum purchase requirement, naturally). It’s a hell of a nice service in a time of social distancing, especially if you’re stuck at home with a non-operational bike. Vanson Leathers has adapted by using its facilities to make protective masks for health care workers. (Vanson Leathers/)Giving Back After being forced to close its doors as a “nonessential business,” renowned gear company Vanson Leathers in Massachusetts repurposed its facilities to produce face masks for local hospitals. With a staff that was still willing to work, Vanson spaced its machines at least 6 feet apart and applied for consideration as an essential business. Willing employees were brought back to work and are making masks built with two layers of 152-gram cotton with rayon straps, which exceed the International Red Cross requirements. The masks have started shipping out to local hospitals. See more here. This virus is so nasty, turns out eyewear is a crucial tool in the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) arsenal. The 100% eyewear company has stepped up to help first responders in the battle against the virus by donating eyewear in early March to over 2,000 health care and first responders. The shortage of PPE is severe so the company also sent a shipment of “performance protective eyewear” (its words) to the United Fire Fighters of Los Angeles City, and is also preparing PPE eyewear for frontline personnel in New York City, Denver, Phoenix, and others. There’s also its partnership with Goggles for Docs, an effort encouraging brands and individuals to donate new and used goggles to help fulfill demands for PPE. Get more info here. Cycle Gear and parent company Comoto are chipping in with donations of supplies for frontline health workers. (Comoto/)When a bunch of PPE-strapped, dirt bike-riding nurses in Central California told Rodger O’Keefe, Cycle Gear’s vice president of retail store operations, that medical staff could actually use motorcycle goggles to help protect them from the novel coronavirus, he told his higher-ups. O’Keefe’s boss at Comoto Holdings (parent company of Cycle Gear and RevZilla), CEO Ken Murphy, decided Comoto would donate $50,000 worth of inventory to hospitals and emergency management offices to help in the COVID-19 fight. Anyone interested in getting involved with further assistance can contact Martina Mansell at martina@revzilla.com. No one’s calling Honda a small business, but it is stepping up as well. With auto production halted, Honda of America Manufacturing is putting its North American 3-D-printing capabilities to create protective face shields for medical providers, and is investigating additional ways it can help with the critical need for medical equipment. Beyond redeploying work, Honda also is redirecting supplies. The company said it has inventoried its stock of personal protective equipment throughout North America and has donated much of it, including N95 face masks, to frontline health care workers. Kawasaki fired up its big 3-D printer to help create new face shields for local hospital staff. (Tyler Furman/)Kawasaki’s had to adapt as well—big time. When Kawasaki Motors Mfg. Corp. USA in Lincoln, Nebraska, shut down its assembly lines last week amid escalating COVID-19 concerns and supplier shortages, the plant found a way to help one of the largest hospitals in the area by supplying them with key ingredients for hand sanitizer (the hospital was granted FDA approval to make their own). Kawasaki donated two 55-gallon barrels of isopropyl alcohol and two 55-gallon barrels of hydrogen peroxide so the medical staff could create hundreds of gallons of the much-needed sanitizer. Kawasaki also stepped in to help the Nebraska Innovation Studio in its quest to 3-D print face shields for local hospital staff. Even though the plant had shut down, Kawasaki’s engineering group fired up its large 3-D printer and is printing face shields at a rate of about 12 a day, and will continue until other supply sources can catch up. Doing Right With more and more people staying at home and driving less, there have been fewer accidents and fewer insurance claims. And the prospect of paying claims is what insurers base their rates on, so some insurers are sending refunds to customers. Allstate Corp. (one of the largest US insurers) recently said it would return more than $600 million in premiums; most policyholders will receive a “payback” of 15 percent of their monthly premium in April and May, according to the company. State Farm and Progressive Insurance, also heavy hitters in the US vehicle insurance world, are looking into “considering how to best return some premium to customers,” representatives for the companies said. We’re still waiting to hear back from them on whether this applies to motorcycle insurance as well. Virtual Bonuses And then there are the virtual bonuses—web content that’ll get your mind off reality, entertain you, or even smarten you up in the form of photos, videos, and music. Indian Motorcycle has put out a series of Spotify playlists to keep DIY mechanics in the right mood while they’re wrenching away in the home garage. Listen to Volume 1 here. MotoAmerica is streaming past races on YouTube for free. Check them out here. While the Harley-Davidson Museum campus is currently closed, Harley has a virtual tour of its museum as well as other cool bike videos on Facebook—for free. In an effort to stay connected with fans and enthusiasts, the Harley-Davidson Museum social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) are featuring stories and videos about the museum collection and Harley-Davidson history. https://www.facebook.com/hdmuseum/videos/532974310691607/ Lastly, there’s Senior Editor Justin Dawes’ daily video recommendation on Cycle World, just to keep things light and beat the funk (and keep us from working—thanks!). Titled CO-VIDs, the series compiles a wide gamut of motorcycling-related videos, with virtual unknowns to big names like Keanu Reeves. It’s a tasty distraction. Check it out here: Videos To Replace Your Rides During Coronavirus Lockdown Resources A lot of small businesses are crunching some difficult numbers these days, having to furlough or even lay off workers in the face of the coronavirus outbreak. The federal government has stepped in with a relief package dubbed the CARES Act, $376 billion in relief meant to support small businesses (generally fewer than 500 employees), with more on the way. Rules and details vary, so see if you qualify and get more info at sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources. The MIC is stepping up too, acting as an aggregator of info and resources for riders and businesses; check out its COVID page here: https://mic.org/#/covid. Many riders are still on the road, and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation is also contributing by offering a wide variety of digital content that can help while training sites and RiderCoaches are unavailable. Get content here. And if you’re flat out bored, our sister pub Popular Science has a handy recipe for homemade hand sanitizer. (Yeah, the commercial stuff is mostly sold out in our local stores too.) popsci.com/story/diy/diy-hand-sanitizer/ Meanwhile, stay alert, keep your distance, and ride safe. And wash your hands. Source

BMW does top-tier motorcycles, oftentimes at the detriment of affordability to younger or first-time buyers. With the all-new F 900 R and F 900 XR middleweight models, however, it plans to change that by offering quality and performance you’d expect from the German manufacturer in user-friendly and cost-effective packages. All without cutting the corners you might expect in an entry-level motorcycle. Instead, these models carve them. Basic engine architecture remains the same as the F 850 GS parallel-twin powerplant, though the F 900 sees an increase in cylinder bore by 2mm, bumping displacement to 895cc in comparison to 853cc. Likewise, the new powerplant sees additional tweaks, including a redesigned cylinder head for better flow, forged pistons, an increased compression ratio of 13.1:1, and updated fuel mapping. The result? A powerplant that BMW claims is worthy of 99 hp at 8,500 rpm. For reference, that’s 10 percent more powerful than the 90 hp BMW says the F 850 GS produces. The BMW F 900 R enters the market as a capable middleweight naked at a competitive base price—just $8,995. (Kevin Wing /)Opening the throttle of our F 900 R test unit uncovers a friendly, yet entertaining engine character, while sounding an intriguing exhaust note. Initial power delivery is impressively smooth, yet responsive, with the parallel twin making power readily available from 3,000 rpm. Midrange power comes on strong, offering an entertaining acceleration rate while shifting through its well-spaced-ratio six-speed transmission, but not as much to make the F 900 an instinctively rowdy machine—(cough) but with enough clutch work the Bavarian will quickly point its nose to the sky. The middleweight Beemer is a comfortable highway slogger too. Settling into a leisurely 75 mph, the engine smoothly churns along just under 5,000 rpm without irritating vibrations. BMW’s 6.5-inch TFT dashboard is easily readable and intuitive with experience, not to mention a nice addition to an economical platform. (Kevin Wing /)Motorrad fit the F 900 with an electronic rider aid suite that’s been derived from its more premium and technologically advanced models, meaning the F 900 is equipped with two selectable ride modes (Rain and Road) with preselected traction control, throttle response, and ABS settings. Modes are easily switchable via a push button on the right handlebar. The BMW’s large 6.5-inch TFT dashboard is a nice touch, and even allows smartphone connectivity via the BMW Motorrad Connectivity app—not what you’d expect to find on a sub-10 grand BMW. Upgrading the F 900 R with one of several packages (Select is $1,000; Premium is $925; and Premium Tech is $1,850) offered by BMW will bring additional features, including the Ride Modes Pro option that adds Dynamic and Dynamic Pro riding modes. The former offers more direct but not overly sensitive throttle response, and less-intrusive ABS and traction control settings, while the latter allows customization of the rider aid settings to your preference. The Gear Shift Assist Pro add-on also allows wide-open upshifts and clutchless auto-blip downshifts under deceleration, while cruise control and heated grips are also available. We put the performance of the BMW F 900 R under scrutiny on the winding roads of central California. (Kevin Wing /)Both models—the naked R model and the adventure-oriented XR—employ the same steel-bridge frame and nonadjustable 43mm fork. Out back is a single shock, capable of adjustable rebound damping and a remote spring-preload adjuster. The XR model, however, receives an additional 1.4 inches of travel up front and 1.2 inches in the rear. BMW’s semi-active Electronic Suspension Adjustment (ESA) is available for both F 900 models, but requires the purchase of the aforementioned Premium Tech package. Lifting the F 900 R off its sidestand shines light on its rather hefty 472 pounds measured on the Cycle World scales—for reference, a KTM 790 Duke weighs 414 pounds; yet its real-world handling characteristics prove that the motorcycle is light when in motion. This middleweight Beemer is light on its feet, comfortably carving the twisties and tackling side-to-side transitions quickly, and the OE-fitted Bridgestone Battlax S21 tires offer ample amounts of grip that are required for shredding. Rear suspension on both models comes in the form of a single shock capable of rebound damping adjustment and variable spring preload via the remote adjuster. Upgrading the F 900 with the Premium Tech package (an additional $1,850) will equip the shock with BMW’s Electronic Suspension Adjustment among other features. (Kevin Wing /)Suspension action was less impressive however, with the fork suffering from a lack of small-bump compliance and no available adjustment. The result is a motorcycle that consistently jostles underneath you when road conditions are less than ideal. But maybe it was my lightweight 145-pound stature, as heavier testers denied any similar issue, suggesting the fork could be oversprung for my weight. Brembo four-piston calipers employed on the F 900 R provide adequate stopping power and good feedback at the lever. The cornering ABS intervened nearly unnoticed, only slightly pulsing at the lever under the hardest braking sections or panic situations. Steel-braided lines are a surprising touch for this budget-class competitor. I was quite impressed with the F 900 R’s ergonomics, noting that its 32.5-inch seat height allowed my 5-foot-7 stature to easily reach the ground and help to navigate dense traffic flow. Similarly, a rather upright bar offers enough leverage for midcorner inputs, while combating against awkward wrist pressure on longer rides. The reach to the footpeg is aggressive enough to engage leg muscles in maneuvering the motorcycle underneath you, but still allows comfortable legroom. The up-spec and up-priced F 900 XR slides itself into the middleweight adventure segment with longer-travel suspension and a half fairing. Pricing for the XR begins at $11,695. (Kevin Wing /)So what about the XR model? What are the differences? The adventure-oriented model shares the same engine, frame, and most part numbers with the F 900 R, but receives changes aimed at tackling the occasional dirt road or long haul. The aforementioned suspension travel increase and accompanying 33.7-inch seat height add back-road sporting capability, while the larger 4.1-gallon fuel tank (compared to the 3.4 gallons of the R) slightly extends its range. Additionally, the XR model comes with a half fairing with a two-position windscreen that offers decent blast protection on the open road, as well as factory-equipped hand guards. Michelin Road 5 GT tires also replace the R model’s Battlax rubber, but are less impressive carving the same roads. Oh, and not to mention an additional $2,700 markup added to the R model. A steep offering for what’s offered? I think so. The F 900 R is a worthy option for first-time buyers, while offering enough entertaining performance to hold as a final destination for some BMW buyers. (Kevin Wing /)But at the base price of $8,995 for the F 900 R, you would be hard-pressed to find a motorcycle with a better blend of capable performance, user friendliness for less experienced riders, and value. What you get is a motorcycle of top-shelf quality that you would expect of BMW Motorrad, but at a price that requires a double take. Despite a lack of small-bump suspension compliance, the BMW F 900 R is a performer in the corners via its lightweight handling and sticky Bridgestone Battlax S21 rubber. (Kevin Wing /)SPECS MSRP: $8,995 Engine: 895cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled parallel twin; 8-valve Bore x Stroke: 86.0 x 77.0mm Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain Claimed Horsepower: 99 hp @ 8,500 rpm Claimed Torque: 67 lb.-ft. @ 6,500 rpm Fuel System: Electronic fuel injection Clutch: Multiple-plate wet clutch, mechanically operated Frame: Steel bridge Front Suspension: 43mm inverted fork, nonadjustable; 5.3-in. travel Rear Suspension: Single shock, adjustable spring preload, rebound damping; 5.5-in. travel Front Brake: Brembo 4-piston radial-mounted calipers, dual floating 320mm discs w/ ABS Rear Brake: 1-piston floating caliper, 265mm disc w/ ABS Wheels, Front/Rear: Cast aluminum; 3.50 x 17 in. / 5.50 x 17 in. Tires, Front/Rear: Bridgestone Battlax S21; 120/70-17 / 180/55-17 Rake/Trail: 29.5°/ 4.5 in. Wheelbase: 59.7 in. Ground Clearance: N/A Seat Height: 32.5 in. Fuel Capacity: 3.4 gal. Cycle World Measured Wet Weight: 472 lb. Availability: March 2020 Contact: bmwmotorcycles.com Source

2020 KTM 350 XCF-W (KTM /)Although the KTM 350 XCF-W was dropped from the Austrian manufacturer’s lineup in 2017, the orange 350cc four-stroke enduro bike has returned for 2020. This model fills a void for KTM enthusiasts looking for a mid-displacement enduro platform, coming equipped with a six-speed transmission and a WP Xplor PDS shock. Say no more to stripping an EXC-F dual sport model of its street-legal parts to make it more suitable for enduro riding. This is ready to rip straight off the showroom floor. 2020 KTM 350 XCF-W Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition Our dirt-only sister publication, Dirt Rider, reviewed the 2020 KTM 350 XCF-W and was especially impressed with the bike’s chassis, and even though the engine is rather choked up in stock trim in order to make it a 50-state-legal bike, that can be a positive quality, as test rider Allan Brown noted: “The KTM 350 XCF-W’s all-around balance of stability and tight trail maneuverability are great. The super-smooth engine allowed me to focus more on my riding technique and not having to worry about losing control of the bike.” Sign up here to receive our newsletters. Get the latest in motorcycle reviews, tests, and industry news, subscribe here for our YouTube channel. The 2020 KTM 350 XCF-W retails for $10,499, and some of its competitors would include the Husqvarna FE 350, 2020 Honda CRF450X, 2020 Yamaha WR450F, 2020 Suzuki RMX450Z, 2020 Beta 350 RR Race Edition, and 2020 TM EN 300 Fi. KTM 350 XCF-W Updates For 2020 In its return to the market in the new decade, the KTM 350 XCF-W features a plethora of updates with the main changes being a stiffer frame, a longer subframe, new engine mounts, revised suspension settings, a redesigned engine, and new bodywork. 2020 KTM 350 XCF-W Claimed Specifications Price $10,499 Engine Liquid-cooled DOHC single-cylinder Displacement 350cc Bore x Stroke 88.0 x 57.5mm Horsepower N/A Torque N/A Transmission 6-speed Final Drive Chain Seat Height 37.8 in. Rake 26.5º Trail N/A Front Suspension 48mm inverted fork, fully adjustable; 11.8-in. travel Rear Suspension Fully adjustable; 4.5-in. travel Front Tire 90/90-21 Rear Tire 110/100-18 Wheelbase 58.3 in. Fuel Capacity 2.25 gal. Claimed Dry Weight 232 lb. Source

2020 Honda CRF450RX (Honda /)The CRF450RX was introduced as an all-new model to Honda’s lineup in 2017. It serves as Big Red’s flagship cross-country competition bike that is designed to be employed in off-road races such as Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) and the World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS). How does it vary from the MX-specific CRF450R? The CRF450RX model comes equipped with off-road-focused parts, such as an 18-inch rear wheel, kickstand, larger-capacity fuel tank, and softer suspension settings. 2020 Honda CRF450RX (Honda /)2020 Honda CRF450RX Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition Since the CRF450RX first hit the market in 2017, we have ridden it, dyno’d it, and tested it in race settings such as the Adelanto Grand Prix and the Lake Elsinore Grand Prix. In 2019, our dirt-only sister publication, Dirt Rider, conducted a 450 Off-Road Shootout, which pitted the CRF450RX up against its three main competitors in the 450 cross-country motorcycle segment including the Yamaha YZ450FX, KTM 450 XC-F, and Husqvarna FX 450. As far as pricing, the CRF450RX costs $100 more than the YZ450FX, $900 less than the 450 XC-F, and $1,000 less than the FX 450. 2020 Honda CRF450RX (Honda /)Honda CRF450RX Updates For 2020 The Honda CRF450RX received a few minor changes for the new decade such as the addition of Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC), a new battery position, and internal suspension updates. Sign up here to receive our newsletters. Get the latest in motorcycle reviews, tests, and industry news, subscribe here for our YouTube channel. 2020 Honda CRF450RX Claimed Specifications Price $9,699 Engine Liquid-cooled SOHC single-cylinder Displacement 449cc Bore x Stroke 96.0 x 62.1mm Horsepower N/A Torque N/A Transmission 5-speed Final Drive Chain Seat Height 37.8 in. Rake 27.4° Trail 4.6 in. Front Suspension 49mm inverted fork, fully adjustable; 12.0-in. travel Rear Suspension Fully adjustable; 12.4-in. travel Front Tire 90/90-21 Rear Tire 120/90-18 Wheelbase 58.2 in. Fuel Capacity 2.25 gal. Claimed Wet Weight 255 lb. Source

2020 Beta 500 RR-S (Beta/)The Beta 500 RR-S is the Italian manufacturer’s flagship dual sport bike. Even though the 500 RR-S’ displacement is actually 478cc, it’s still the largest engine in Beta’s street-legal dirt bike lineup; the others include the 430 RR-S, 390 RR-S, 350 RR-S, and 125 RR-S. 2020 Beta 500 RR-S Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition Beta doesn’t want just a piece of the dual sport market; it wants to produce the best street-legal dirt bikes on the planet. Did it? For our 2020 street-legal dirt bike comparison, we bumped engine size from 450cc to 500cc and headed south of the border to Baja California, Mexico, to see which motorcycle reigns as king. Stay tuned to cycleworld.com in the coming weeks to see if the Beta 500 RR-S can take the coveted victory. 2020 Beta 500 RR-S (Beta/)Competition for the 2020 Beta 500 RR-S would include the 2020 KTM 500 EXC-F, 2020 Husqvarna FE 501s, and 2020 Honda CRF450L. With its retail price of $10,899, the 500 RR-S is priced $500 lower than the 500 EXC-F, $600 less than the FE 501s, and $500 more than the CRF450L. Sign up here to receive our newsletters. Get the latest in motorcycle reviews, tests, and industry news, subscribe here for our YouTube channel. Beta 500 RR-S Updates For 2020 Beta’s flagship dual sport bike received a major overhaul for 2020. The most notable updates to the 500 RR-S include a redesigned frame, an all-new engine design, and an updated subframe, seat, fuel tank, and bodywork. 2020 Beta 500 RR-S (Beta/)2020 Beta 500 RR-S Claimed Specifications Price $10,899 Engine Liquid-cooled DOHC single-cylinder Displacement 478cc Bore x Stroke 100.0 x 60.8mm Horsepower N/A Torque N/A Transmission 6-speed Final Drive Chain Seat Height 37.0 in. Rake N/A Trail N/A Front Suspension 48mm inverted fork, fully adjustable; 11.6-in. travel Rear Suspension Fully adjustable; 11.4-in. travel Front Tire 90/90-21 Rear Tire 140/80-18 Wheelbase 58.7 in. Fuel Capacity 2.4 gal. Claimed Dry Weight 243 lb. Cycle World Tested Specifications Seat Height 37.2 in. Wet Weight 265 lb. Rear-Wheel Horsepower 47.0 hp @ 8,100 rpm Rear-Wheel Torque 32.6 lb.-ft. @ 7,200 rpm Source

Daytona Bike Week 2020 was the setting for testing three new Harley-Davidson models. (Robert Martin/)At Bike Week 2020 held in Daytona Beach, Florida, Harley-Davidson introduced three new 2020 motorcycle models, from the stripped-down Softail Standard, to the burly full-featured Fat Boy 30th Anniversary, up to the CVO Road Glide, each bike is for a different use by different riders and each available at widely differing prices. As you might guess, this introduction took place in a room with not one but a few elephants, one of which was about to break into a stampede. But let’s stick to the motorcycles here. 2020 Harley-Davidson Softail Standard, $13,599 The 2020 Harley-Davidson Softail Standard is a lean, price-point bike based on the essentials of the Softail chassis, providing a ready-to-ride platform for personalization. It is powered by the Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine that’s blacked out and accented with polished aluminum rocker, timer, and primary covers. It features an LED headlight, a discreet, scrollable, digital gauge on the handlebar mount that provides a surprising amount of information, and the bike is available in the classically preferred Harley-Davidson color: Vivid Black. Built only in black, the 2020 Softail Standard is ready for customization. (Brian J. Nelson/)Because the Softail Standard is built to be built by owners, the Harley accessories catalog provides a wide selection of customizing options, starting with four packages designed around different themes: Day Tripper for a scaled up bobber style; Coastal for a West Coast style; Touring for the long road; and Performance for a more aggressive throttle response and improved midrange. The Day Tripper ($1,049.95) leans toward a classic bobber style. It’s a social package with a passenger seat and a 21-inch, detachable sissy bar with a pad, passenger footpegs, forward foot controls to replace the mid-controls, and a 450ci black leather single-sided swingarm bag. Sign up here to receive our newsletters. Get the latest in motorcycle reviews, tests, and industry news, subscribe here for our YouTube channel. The Coastal kit ($1,599.95) is for a West Coast performance look, featuring a Softail quarter fairing, black-anodized aluminum Moto Bar handlebar with a matching 5.5-inch-tall riser, Bevel two-up seat and passenger footpegs, plus BMX-style rider footpegs for the rider from the 80GRIT Collection. The Touring package ($1,699.95) includes the Sundowner two-up seat and passenger footpegs, a 14-inch-high light-smoke quick-release windscreen, black Detachables saddlebags, and a 14.5-inch detachable sissy bar and backrest pad for your riding partner. The 2020 Harley-Davidson Softail Standard is powered by the Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine. (Brian J. Nelson/)Lastly, the Performance package ($1,299.95) upgrades the throttle response and midrange acceleration with a Screamin’ Eagle Stage II Torque kit and a Screamin’ Eagle Pro Street Tuner for proper mapping. This kit features a free-flow Screamin’ Eagle Heavy Breather Performance Air Cleaner and Screamin’ Eagle Street Cannon mufflers. Ba-boom. This kit is a 50-state street-legal, factory-engineered performance upgrade that retains the OEM warranty when installed by an authorized Harley-Davidson dealer. The Softail Standard suspension was, as you likely know, new for 2018 and it features a single shock with spanner-adjustable preload. More about this is below in the Fat Boy review, as they share the same chassis and suspension basics. A mono seat is just one of the stripped-down features of the 2020 H-D Softail Standard. (Brian J. Nelson/)The geometry of the Softail Standard features long rake, lots of trail, and a 19-inch front wheel, for a classic aesthetic. The mono seat adds to the bike’s look as does the subtle ridge down the center of the 3.5-gallon fuel tank, complemented by the stripped-down no-gauge look. 2020 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy 30th Anniversary, $21,949 Building on the 2018 redesigned Softail chassis, the limited-edition Fat Boy 30th Anniversary is bold, brawny, and black all over. The production is limited to 2,500 units and its black-on-black finishes include not just the frame, body parts, seat, and tires but also the engine, air intake, exhaust system, fork legs, triple clamps, handlebars, wheels, gauge mount, and fasteners. Machined highlights on the wheels and bronze highlights on the engine help riders have a hint of where their bike is after the sun sets. An added touch is the unique logo with a five-point star on each side of the fuel tank, picking up the bronze on the engine’s heads. Black on black: the 2020 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy 30th Anniversary. (Brian J. Nelson/)The satin blacked-out aluminum wheels are Lakester solid discs, doubly adding to the hefty look of this onyx machine. Of course, it being a Fat Boy, the front end also features a fat tire for a further look of boldly bigness. Is there any chrome at all? Nope. An LED headlight illuminates the way and an LED taillight shines back at where you’ve been. A Milwaukee-Eight 114 fit with dual pipes powers the Fat Bob 30th Anniversary. (Brian J. Nelson/)The Fat Boy 30th Anniversary’s engine is the beefy Milwaukee-Eight 114, featuring a claimed 119 pound-feet of torque at 3,000 rpm, exhaling out through 2-into-2 pipes for a meaty look and sound of H-D power. Rear suspension is handled by a single shock with hydraulic-adjustable preload. Riding The 2020 Softail Standard And Fat Boy 30th Anniversary Reviewing any Harley-Davidson is more difficult than reviewing any other brand of motorcycle because most of its models tend to be exactly what they’re supposed to be, which is something that no other brand of bike can be: a Harley-Davidson. Today’s new liquid-cooled, wider V-twins, and the electric LiveWire finally complicate that issue. But for these 45-degree, V-twin-powered machines, Harley’s heritage of sight, sound, and feel is all there. Everything works on both of these motorcycles and the clichéd ancient complaints are invalid. With balancers and the means by which engines are mounted even vibrations are of no concern. The 2020 Softail Standard is just what is meant to be: a solid and simple platform. (Brian J. Nelson/)The Softail Standard has a slight bit of fall-in on slow maneuvers due to the tall front wheel and the trail, which is a feel that’s not present on the Fat Boy 30th Anniversary with its 18-inch wheels at both ends. Nonetheless, both bikes feel firmly planted, albeit the Fat Boy feels a bit more so with its hefty, solid feel. Neither of these bikes are heavy steerers; they’re both just plenty stable despite having far-differing trail numbers with the Softail Standard’s trail at 6.2 inches and the Fat Boy 30th Anniversary’s at 4.1 inches. That’s quite a big difference. The new Softail chassis has a single shock mounted high in the frame under the seat and it compresses when the chassis is in a downward motion, as per what we consider “normal” for shocks. It is also worth noting that the shock is attached to the swingarm without any additional linkage, which is why it has such a high-weight spring, and the frames and swingarms do differ today from each other due to the Fat Boy’s wider rear wheel, though both have 30-degree steering heads. Lastly, the reengineering of the chassis has allowed for a considerable loss of weight without compromise to strength. Stable and planted, the 2020 Fat Bike 30th Anniversary has a slightly heavier feel than it’s Softail Standard sibling. (Brian J. Nelson /)This refined chassis is a grand improvement over the original Softail chassis. It is maybe unfortunate that Harley-Davidson carried forward the Softail name of it because this version is a champion compared to its predecessor. But it does look, by intent, like a Softail, so what could H-D do? On the Softail Standard the seat has to be removed to change the preload with a spanner, but on the Fat Boy 30th Anniversary a handy knob for the hydraulic adjuster is right below the seat on the right side of the bike. The rear shock spring on each bike is progressive and the stroke is long enough that only the craziest of bumps test the shock travel. Good job on this. The refined Softail chassis is a vast improvement from the original Softail, with better suspension action and ride quality. (Brian J. Nelson/)Again, for both of these bikes, they always look better when you’re riding them because their aesthetics are also within their feel. Also, though knowing, as is stated above, that nothing really matters other than these Harley-Davidsons being Harley-Davidsons, one reasonable and practical bit of missing detail is that none of the classic models have adjustable hand levers. Otherwise, these two bikes are refined and ready to ride. 2020 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide, $40,999 The Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide is built on the 2017-updated touring chassis that features greatly improved suspension. It’s driven by Harley-Davidson’s biggest and most powerful factory-installed engine, the Milwaukee-Eight 117, which produces a claimed 125 pound-feet of torque at 3,750 rpm. Only outpriced at Harley-Davidson by the CVO Ultra Limited, the CVO Road Glide is limited in production and features the best of the best of H-D’s performance, infotainment systems, and custom finish, on the frame-mounted-fairing chassis. Limited in production, the 2020 CVO Road Glide drips in Harley-Davidson performance parts, infotainment, and custom finishes. (Brian J. Nelson /)That low front fairing with even its short screen keeps the wind mostly above a 5-foot-10 rider, providing minimal buffeting at highway speeds. Out front is a 21-inch front wheel for a custom look and on the back an 18-inch rear wheel for performance. The two rear shocks—as with all of the touring chassis since 2017—have differing springs rates with compression valving handled by one side and rebound by the other. The preload is adjusted only on the left side where the heavier-weight spring is located. This is because the weight of the bike is basically supported by the spring on the left side even though damping duties are split between the shocks. The Premium Boom! Audio system includes a Boom! Bluetooth headset and Box GTS infotainment system. Also standard on this and the Limited CVO and Street Glide CVO is the Daymaker Adaptive headlight system. The 2020 CVO Road Glide is fit with H-D’s Premium Boom! Audio system with Box GTS infotainment. (Brian J. Nelson/)The Reflex Defensive Rider Systems (RDRS), which is also standard on all CVOs, provides traction assistance when accelerating, decelerating, and braking. It’s also standard on the Tri Glide Ultra, Freewheeler, and LiveWire. The system is optional on all of the other Touring models, except for the Electra Glide Standard. Other standard features include low fuel warning, cruise control, ABS, tire pressure monitoring system indicator, traction control, Rain mode, and hill hold. The information features here can all be scrolled to on the touchscreen, and the hill hold feature is set by a tight squeeze on the front brake lever after coming to a stop. An amber light indicates when it is activated. The CVO Road Glide is available in the premium Sand Dune monotone paint with a pearl topcoat, which is impossible to know (or describe) what it looks like until you see the bike in person. Android Auto is now available, next to the existing iPhone option, for all Touring models with Boom! Box GTS infotainment systems, allowing a wider number of riders to perform actions by voice. For customizers who desire more performance in an authentic Harley-Davidson powerplant, the 131 crate motor has 131ci (2,147cc), maintaining the stroke of the 114 while sporting an increased bore to 4.31 inches, supplying 131 pound-feet of torque at 3,700 rpm and 121 hp, when paired with a set of Screamin’ Eagle Street Cannon mufflers. This motor is backed by a 12-month limited warranty when customer installed, or 25-month limited warranty when dealer installed. The 117ci of Milwaukee-Eight motivate the 2020 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide. A 131ci crate motor is available to boost power with a 12-month warranty. (Brian J. Nelson/)Engine Stage IV upgrades are also available for building up from the bike’s original block, of 131 or 128ci. The 131 has the same performance as the 131 crate motor, while the 128 features 126 pound-feet of torque and 121 hp, also when matched to a set of Screamin’ Eagle Street Cannon mufflers. The standard H-D Connect for the CVO Road Glide is a subscription-based smartphone app that monitors the motorcycle’s status, adds security, service reminders, and charging status for the LiveWire. Available information includes riding statistics, available range, battery status, vehicle location, tamper alerts, and stolen vehicle tracking. Riding The 2020 CVO Road Glide The first thing noticeable on any Harley-Davidson touring bike is that passengers like them. So sit up straight or bring the one who you love with you. The subtle finish of the CVO Road Glide is extra cool with its black and white contrasting satin finish. It's Rick’s Café on wheels, not just any gin joint in any town. It’s totally a Harley. As for actually what it’s like to ride, it goes very nicely with great gusto. That pile of torque it pumps out is well felt and appreciated, particularly when passing a line of cars. At 65 mph you can ride in fifth or sixth gear, depending on how much of that grunt you want to have at the ready in your hand. Also, some will feel that the higher revs produce a slightly smoother ride. This, of course, can also be accomplished by just going faster. Comfort is king on the 2020 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide with a plush rider area and a button or control for everything and anything you need. (Brian J. Nelson/)The cockpit is plushly comfortable, and the controls are well located for ease of use. There are many controls, and they do many things; as with any bike that you live with, once you get to know them they will be automatically efficient. Plus, the infotainment screen is a touchscreen, but some features cannot be accessed while in motion. The touring chassis was redesigned in 2017, and this too deserves a revisit as with the Softail chassis. For any who have done a lot of miles on the previous touring chassis, the improvements will be instantly noticed. Both ends of this machine are vastly improved over the pre-2017 suspension. The rear shocks are not rebuildable, have limited adjustability, but are absolutely capable of immediate long tours. The front fork also has improved internals, and the bike is a nicely balanced package. This CVO can totally handle spirited riding down twisty mountain roads, as well as uneven expansion joints on expressway bridges. H-D deserves credit for seriously stepping up its suspension game on these big bikes. The CVO Road Glide is a balanced package built for covering miles while being able to cut up twisting mountain roads. (Brian J. Nelson/)The bottom line for all three of these bikes is, they are classic but better Harleys for better days. 2020 Harley-Davidson Softail Standard FXST Specifications Price $13,599 Engine 1,746cc, 45-degree Milwaukee-Eight 107 V-twin; 4 valves/cyl. Bore x Stroke 3.937 x 4.374 in. Compression Ratio 10.0:1 Fuel Delivery Electronic Sequential Port fuel injection Transmission/Final Drive 6-speed/belt Claimed Torque 110 lb.-ft. @ 3,000 rpm Front Suspension 49mm telescopic fork w/ dual bending valve; 5.1-in. travel Rear Suspension Coilover monoshock, adjustable for preload; 3.4-in. travel Front Brakes 4-piston fixed caliper, 300mm disc Rear Brake 2-piston floating caliper, 292mm disc Wheels, Front/Rear Chrome, steel-laced; 19 x 2.5 in. / 16 x 3.0 in. Tires, Front/Rear Dunlop bias blackwall; 100/90B-19 / 150/80B-16 Rake/Trail 30.0°/6.2 in. Wheelbase 64.2 in. Seat Height 25.8 in. Claimed Wet Weight 655 lb. Fuel Capacity 3.5 gal. 2020 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy 30th Anniversary Edition Specifications Price $21,949 Engine 1,868cc, 45-degree Milwaukee-Eight 114 V-twin; 4 valves/cyl. Bore x Stroke 4.016 x 4.5 in.,(102.0 x 114.0mm) Compression Ratio 10.5:1 Fuel Delivery Electronic Sequential Port fuel injection Transmission/Final Drive 6-speed/belt Claimed Torque 119 lb.-ft. @ 3,000 rpm Front Suspension 49mm telescopic fork w/ dual bending valve; 5.1-in. travel Rear Suspension Coilover monoshock, adjustable for preload; 3.4-in. travel Front Brakes 4-piston fixed caliper, 300mm disc Rear Brake 2-piston floating caliper, 292mm disc Wheels, Front/Rear 18 x 4.5 in. / 18 x 8.0 in. Tires, Front/Rear 160/60R-18 / 240/40R-18 Rake/Trail 30.0°/4.1 in. Wheelbase 65.6 in. Seat Height 25.9 in. Claimed Wet Weight 699 lb. Fuel Capacity 5.0 gal. 2020 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide Specifications Price $40,999 Engine 1,923cc, 45-degree Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-twin; 4 valves/cyl. Bore x Stroke 4.075 x 4.5 in. (104.0 x 114.0mm) Compression Ratio 10.2:1 Fuel Delivery Electronic Sequential Port fuel injection Transmission/Final Drive 6-speed/belt Claimed Torque 126 lb.-ft. @ 3,750 rpm Front Suspension 49mm telescopic fork w/ dual bending valve; 3.6-in. travel Rear Suspension Dual shocks, adjustable for preload; 2.2-in. travel Front Brakes 4-piston fixed caliper, dual floating 300mm discs Rear Brake 4-piston fixed caliper, fixed 300mm disc Wheels, Front/Rear Split-seven spoke; 21 x 3.5 in. / 18 x 5.0 in. Tires, Front/Rear Dunlop bias blackwall; 130/60B-21 / 180/55B-18 Rake/Trail 26.0°/6.8 in. Wheelbase 64.0 in. Seat Height 25.9 in. Claimed Wet Weight 893 lb. Fuel Capacity 6.0 gal. Source

That’s the swingarm pivot at the top, with the axle holders at the bottom. Each beam of this Suter arm (provided by Graves Motorsports) is vertically deep to provide stiffness against twist. But each beam is thin to provide some flex that can keep the tire hooked up midcorner. The shape is ­organic to prevent cracking. (Jeff Allen /)The first motorcycles had no formal suspension, front or rear. ­Suspension allows the wheel to independently move up and down over bumps, supporting the chassis and rider through a spring or other elastic element without transmitting all its motions to the chassis. Front suspension came first out of necessity—to prevent larger bumps from wrenching the bars out of the rider’s hands. The rear wheel, passively following the front, could get by as on any bicycle—by being rigidly attached to the frame. RELATED: Suspension Setup Guide Because rigid frames give a hard ride, two solutions beckoned. One was easy: to support the rider’s seat on springs. The other—to free the rear wheel to move up and down over bumps—proved difficult. Many rear-suspension schemes were tried, but as the bicycle’s original “diamond” frame was already too limber for the drive-chain pull forces of the larger early engines, adding even more flex in the form of a rear suspension produced wobbling and could even run the drive chain off its sprockets. Sign up here to receive our newsletters. Get the latest in motorcycle reviews, tests, and industry news, subscribe here for our YouTube channel. As always happens in the early days of a technology, there were plenty of ideas. In 1913, Indian offered a swingarm rear suspension, controlled by quarter-elliptic leaf springs above. Because it was poorly supported at its pivot, it was too flexible laterally and didn’t sell. In 1919, the British Coulson-B motorcycle offered a rear suspension consisting of short trailing links attaching to pivots where a bicycle’s rear axle would normally be. It improved comfort, but the short links and axle bolted to them lacked twist rigidity, letting the wheel tilt in the frame, sapping rider confidence. Engines were gaining power ­rapidly now, and the effects of bump impacts grew as the square of the bike’s speed. The two Guzzi brothers, Carlo and Giuseppe, responded in 1928 with a true swingarm: two beams that went forward from the rear axle to a connecting tube ahead of the tire, braced beneath against twist as modern swingarms are, and mounted to pivot between plates that bolted to the back of the engine. This was first offered on Guzzi’s 497cc Gran Turismo production bike. When we see techy looking items like this KTM 1290 Super Adventure R swingarm, we can’t know for sure how much is styling exercise and how much is backed by dynamic FEA analysis and hours of prototype testing. Probably both here. (Jeff Allen /)In 1929, young Phil Vincent—having bought the failed HRD ­company—began to build bikes with a top-braced triangulated swingarm rear suspension. An alternate approach to the problem was the sliding pillar, or “plunger,” rear suspension. Sprung axle carriers moved up and down on tubular guides mounted at the rear of the frame, one per side. This system provided limited travel but was widely used between 1930 and 1950. Throughout this time, veteran riders continued to assert that “nothing steers like a rigid,” and sadly, they were right. The crucial moment came in June 1935, when Stanley Woods won the Senior TT at the Isle of Man on a Guzzi with swingarm suspension. This couldn’t be ignored—even Norton race boss Joe Craig stated publicly that Woods’ stunning last lap could not have been achieved on a rigid. The following year, Velocette put three-piece swingarms (two beams splined to a single, pivoted cross-tube at the front) on its factory TT bikes. Here’s a single-sided swing-arm executed by BST in super-stiff carbon fiber. Bearings for the stub axle fit inside the big ring. (Jeff Allen /)Such simple swingarms, even when welded together rather than keyed or splined, remained less stiff than frames as a whole. Yet when strongly supported between the two frame loops of the 1950 Norton “Featherbed” frame, they worked better than anything previous. It was clear that the swingarm, supporting the bike through twin oil-damped rear shocks, was the future. The twist-resistant ­triangular bracing of Vincent’s original ­swingarm returned as Yamaha’s “Monoshock” rear suspension of 1973. Twin shocks were out; single-shock suspension was in. As roadracing bikes passed the 100 hp level, sanctioning bodies acknowledged the continuing weakness of stock three-tube swingarms by allowing them to be “modified or replaced.” On racing and sportbikes, three-tube construction was displaced by bridgelike structures or by welded box fabrications. ­Single-sided swingarms of large cross-section appeared. Composite prototype swingarm from BMW is meant to show what’s possible. Not on a production bike yet, but... (Jeff Allen /)Direct connection to a single spring/damper suspension unit was replaced by linkages making possible any desired spring-and-damping curve. The high multiplied forces in such linkages now had to be carried on rolling bearings to preserve smooth action. In the new century, swingarms came to resemble aluminum tents. Side beams grew in height and shrank in lateral thickness, combining high twist resistance with lateral flexibility that allowed such arms to act as “sideways suspension” at high lean angle. As lateral flexibility was increased, the by-now-usual aluminum material began to crack, in some cases forcing designers to experiment with more-fatigue-tolerant carbon fiber. A practical limit to side flex was reached in 2018, when Honda’s MotoGP bikes occasionally ran their chains off. Each new solution reveals fresh problems. What next? Could laterally flexible wheels supplement the suspension action of tire sidewalls? Is there a role here for sensors and electronics to keep chain sprockets aligned? Development never ends. n Source

Kevin Cameron (Robert Martin/)Riders who read the motorcycle press are accustomed to seeing new bikes with 12-to-1 or even 13-to-1 compression. They are surprised to see that BMW’s new 1,802cc (110ci) “Big Boxer” has “only” 9.6 compression. This big engine peaks at low revs (90 hp at 4,750 rpm) and is aimed at riders who love to use handfuls of low-speed torque. That means big throttle openings at low revs. That in turn means ideal conditions in which detonation (engine knock) develops easily. This happens when temperature-driven reactions in the last parts of the air-fuel mixture chemically alter it into a sensitive explosive. Give those reactions enough time and those bits of mixture auto-ignite and burn at the local speed of sound, generating shock waves that we hear as engine knock, and creating pressure spikes that damage pistons and crankshaft bearings. Slow engine speeds and big pistons mean longer combustion times; this gives more time for detonation to materialize with higher compression ratios. (BMW /)The slower an engine turns and the bigger its pistons are, the more time combustion takes, and the easier it is for the conditions that cause detonation to mature. To alter those conditions enough to prevent detonation, compression ratio in large slow-turning engines must be reduced somewhat. Sign up here to receive our newsletters. Get the latest in motorcycle reviews, tests, and industry news, subscribe here for our YouTube channel. BMW worked hard to speed combustion in this engine, providing secondary air ports on the inlet side that generate flame-accelerating charge swirl at low throttle. At higher throttle, squish areas between piston and head generate last-moment jets of mixture as combustion progresses. Peak engine horsepower is at 4,750 rpm for the R 18; this means big throttle openings at low revs, which is a perfect scenario for detonation. (BMW/)Although it’s a rule that raising compression boosts torque, the Big Boxer has plenty of the latter—116 pound-feet at 3,000 rpm, which corresponds to a highway speed of 70 mph. Twist and go. Source

The Airbag Vest (Illustration by Justin Page/)The full-face helmet is only about 50 years old. And not to be too obvious, but before that, not one person ever used one on a motorcycle. Today many riders wouldn’t ride with anything less. Could wearable air bag ­protection in your riding jacket or race suit become the safety standard in the same way? Leading gear companies Dainese and Alpinestars have been working over the course of the past two ­decades to make it so, and motorcyclists have enjoyed the fruit of this rivalry that has created the most ­technologically advanced safety standard to date. The race in earnest began in 1995, when Dainese initiated developmental work on its air bag system—­later named D-Air. Alpinestars arrived at the party in 2001 with its Tech-Air project. Work for both companies began primarily in the regulated and semipredictable space of Grand Prix racing, where each company steadily collected the data used to improve algorithms and the rate of crash detection. By 2009, both Alpinestars and Dainese had fully functioning prototype systems being used by racers in MotoGP. The first race-situation activation of D-Air was triggered at the 2007 Valencia GP by Italian racer Simone Grotzky. Dainese’s Smart Jacket is capable of a single deployment. Following activation, the system must be taken to an official D-Air dealer for maintenance and recharging—the service costs $249.99. (Dainese/)Wearable air bag protection was made publicly available in pre-equipped race-focused suits and expensive jackets by both Alpinestars and Dainese in 2011, although neither system hit the US market until 2015 due to varying standards on electronic devices. But finally, MotoGP-level protection was available for all. The objective of air bag systems is to detect and protect against an injury before any impact has actually occurred—chances are, before you even realize you’re crashing. To be able to do this, the brain of the latest D-Air system, or Intelligent Protection System, uses seven sensors, including three accelerometers, three gyroscopes and a GPS unit. In current systems, Dainese claims the sensors autonomously scan to detect a nascent accident 1,000 times per second. In the event the system determines that a crash is imminent, the system inflates within milliseconds, with the goal of being completely expanded prior to impact. This last point is arguably the most important factor. Weighing in at roughly 4 pounds, the Smart Jacket is lightweight and easily stowable. Versatility is key. (Dainese/)Once triggered, a rush of gas from charged, ­high-pressure cartridges fills areas surrounding the shoulders, chest, ribcage and back on the most advanced systems —a volume as large as 11 liters on the street-based D-Air Road system. And how does this compare to the protection of traditional equipment? Dainese says there is a 90 percent reduction in force transmitted to the body. Or as Alpinestars expresses it for the Tech-Air system: It’s the same level of protection as wearing 18 back protectors in the area covered by the air bag. The next step in air bag development? Leading ­companies have objectives of improving the versatility of systems while making them more affordable. Meet the recently introduced Dainese Smart Jacket and ­Alpinestars Tech-Air 5 systems. Both are slim, ­self-contained systems with the capability of fitting under street jackets, matching brand or not. The only requirement is roughly 2 inches of free space in ­circumference underneath your chosen garment. Sign up here to receive our newsletters. Get the latest in motorcycle reviews, tests, and industry news, subscribe here for our YouTube channel. These systems are serious steps in the right direction. What you get is the latest safety technology derived from MotoGP racing, millions of real-world testing miles, and thousands of analyzed air bag deployments—all optimized with algorithms specialized in detecting accidents found in real-world scenarios, even at a standstill. And in the case of the Dainese Smart Jacket, it’s priced at a relatively affordable $699.95. Crash detection is vital to maximum protection. Here, my D-Air Racing suit has activated—notice the inflated shoulders—prior to impact. (Corey J Coulter/)Personally speaking, investing in air bag protection is a no-brainer. At the 2018 season-opening MotoAmerica Supersport race at Road Atlanta, a wicked slide catapulted me to the biggest highside of my racing career, triggering the inflation of my D-Air Racing suit before hitting the tarmac. The injuries? Double sprained ankles and a knock to the head—but zero injuries to my collarbones, chest or shoulders, not even the one with an existing, nagging injury. The air bag protected me in a huge crash and is the reason I was healthy enough to compete at the following race only two weeks later. I’ll never race without an air-bag-equipped suit again. Alpinestars says the air bag will inflate between 20 to 40 milliseconds after a crash has been detected. (Alpinestars/)KTM factory MotoGP racer Pol Espargaro sums it up best: “Once you’ve tried D-Air, it’s something that you can’t do without,” the Spaniard says. “At one time, not wearing a helmet was the norm. Now it’s mandatory to wear one, and you can’t do without one. It’s the same with the air bag.” Yeah, exactly. Source

The 2020 KTM 500 EXC-F is the brand’s leading dual sport model and a highly capable one at that. Proof? It’s hard to deny its credentials, including being named Cycle World’s Best Enduro/Dual Sport five times in the past 10 years. It’s powered by a liquid-cooled, SOHC, 511cc four-stroke engine, and comes fitted with premium components like Brembo brake calipers and WP Xplor suspension. All the pieces needed for a leading dual sport bike. 2020 KTM 500 EXC-F Dyno Chart (Robert Martin/)Ahead of an upcoming dual sport comparison, we ran the 500 EXC-F on our in-house Dynojet 250i dynamometer to determine horsepower and torque measurements. The big-displacement KTM recorded 39.4 hp at 8,100 rpm and 27.7 pound-feet of torque at 5,200 rpm. RELATED: Honda CRF450L vs. KTM 500 EXC-F vs. Husqvarna FE 450 vs. Beta 430 RR-S Source

2020 Honda CRF250RX (Honda /)The Honda CRF250RX is Big Red’s 250cc four-stroke cross-country competition bike. It has many of the same features as its motocross stablemate, the CRF250R, but sees changes like a larger fuel tank, 18-inch rear wheel, kickstand, O-ring chain, and modified suspension settings to extract more off-road performance. Sign up here to receive our newsletters. Get the latest in motorcycle reviews, tests, and industry news, subscribe here for our YouTube channel. 2020 Honda CRF250RX Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition After testing the 2019 Honda CRF250RX at the bike’s intro at Cahuilla Creek MX in Anza, California, we logged more than 400 miles of off-road and motocross riding on it and were impressed with its performance. After getting to know its characteristics in stock trim, we added some aftermarket parts to it that improved its worth as an all-around MX and off-road bike. 2020 Honda CRF250RX (Honda /)Some competitors for the 2020 Honda CRF250RX include the 2020 Yamaha YZ250FX and 2020 KTM 250 XC-F. As far as pricing, the CRF250RX costs $8,299, which is $200 less than the YZ250FX and $1,200 less than the 250 XC-F. Honda CRF250RX Updates For 2020 The Honda CRF250RX was first introduced in 2019, but received a slew of changes for 2020 including a new exhaust cam profile, an optimized combustion chamber shape, and the addition of a gear-position sensor. On the exhaust system, the resonator on the header pipe was removed. Also, the bike’s air filter size was increased by 10 percent and the left-side radiator was enlarged. Among other revisions to the transmission and clutch, the CRF250RX received a lighter frame and swingarm, newly shaped footpegs, and the battery was repositioned 28mm lower. Multiple parts of the rear brake were new along with the graphics. 2020 Honda CRF250RX (Honda /)2020 Honda CRF250RX Claimed Specifications Price $8,299 Engine Liquid-cooled DOHC single-cylinder Displacement 249cc Bore x Stroke 79.0 x 50.9mm Horsepower N/A Torque N/A Transmission 5-speed Final Drive Chain Seat Height 37.8 in. Rake 27.4° Trail 4.5 in. Front Suspension 49mm inverted fork, fully adjustable; 12.0-in. travel Rear Suspension Fully adjustable; 12.4-in. travel Front Tire 80/100-21 Rear Tire 110/100-18 Wheelbase 58.5 in. Fuel Capacity 2.25 gal. Claimed Wet Weight 244 lb. Source

2020 Honda Monkey (Honda /)The 2020 Honda Monkey is a true throwback of the original hit from the 1960s. This is a minibike that houses the compact 125cc single-cylinder engine that is also seen on the Grom. Its short wheelbase, low seat height, and small engine displacement will continue to appeal to new riders or those of us who want to harken back to the good old days. 2020 Honda Monkey Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition Because of its Grom base and rich nostalgia, as soon as the 2019 Honda Monkey was unveiled it had already stolen our hearts like a teenage girl and her favorite boy band heartthrob. In fact, Cycle World contributor Peter Jones noted in his first impression of the Monkey that, “The immediate riding impression of today’s Monkey is one of pure, visceral, monstrous fun. It’s a barrel of let’s-do-it-again fun,” he wrote. “It’s a little bike that makes every rider a kid.” Yeah, exactly. Sign up here to receive our newsletters. Get the latest in motorcycle reviews, tests, and industry news, subscribe here for our YouTube channel. There are a few competitors within this mini moto space, including the Honda Grom, Honda Super Cub, and Kawasaki Z125, but nothing quite packs the reminiscent punch like the Monkey. 2020 Honda Monkey (Honda /)Honda Monkey Updates For 2020 It will now be available in Pearl Glittering Blue in addition to the Pearl Nebula Red. This small bike comes at a small starting price of just $3,999 or $4,199 with ABS. 2020 Honda Monkey Claimed Specifications Price $3,999 Engine Air-cooled SOHC single-cylinder Displacement 125cc Bore x Stroke 52.4 x 57.9mm Horsepower N/A Torque N/A Transmission 4-speed Final Drive Chain Seat Height 30.6 in. Rake 25.0° Trail 3.2 in. Front Suspension 32mm inverted fork, nonadjustable; 3.9-in. travel Rear Suspension Twin shock; 4.1-in. travel Front Tire 120/80-12 Rear Tire 130/80-12 Wheelbase 45.5 in. Fuel Capacity 1.5 gal. Claimed Wet Weight 232 lb. Source

2020 Honda Grom (Honda/)When a motorcycle can serve the dual purpose of bringing new riders into motorcycling and making veteran riders smile from ear to ear, you know you have a model that will maintain its beloved nature year after year. And such is the Honda Grom. Originally introduced in 2014, this little 125cc bike brought smiles to many of the editors’ faces with the moto shenanigans that it invites. With its unintimidating, approachable power and overall small-bike nimbleness, the Grom continues to be a great around-town runner. 2020 Honda Grom (Honda/)2020 Honda Grom Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition The 2020 Grom’s base MSRP is $3,399 and is contested by the Kawasaki Z125 PRO’s $3,199. Both in engine displacement, approachability, and price, these two can be considered neck and neck. 2020 Honda Grom (Honda/)Honda Grom Updates For 2020 No major changes for 2020. You can continue to choose from either the standard or ABS forms. This upgrade to the rider-aid-equipped version only adds $200 to the standard’s MSRP, though it will cost you a few colors to choose from. The ABS version is only available in Cherry Red whereas the standard is available in Cherry Red, Blue Raspberry, Halloween Orange, and Incredible Green. Sign up here to receive our newsletters. Get the latest in motorcycle reviews, tests, and industry news, subscribe here for our YouTube channel. 2020 Honda Grom (Honda/)2020 Honda Grom Claimed Specifications Price $3,399 Engine Air-cooled SOHC single-cylinder Displacement 125cc Bore x Stroke 52.4 x 57.9mm Horsepower N/A Torque N/A Transmission 4-speed Final Drive Chain Seat Height 30.0 in. Rake 25.0° Trail 3.2 in. Front Suspension 31mm inverted fork, nonadjustable; 3.9-in. travel Rear Suspension Single shock; 4.1-in. travel Front Tire 120/70-12 Rear Tire 130/70-12 Wheelbase 47.2 in. Fuel Capacity 1.5 gal. Claimed Wet Weight 229 lb. Source

2020 Honda CRF50F (Honda/)The 2020 Honda CRF50F is the ultimate learning tool for young riders. Its automatic clutch makes one less thing for the little one to manage, but the three gears still allow them to learn the importance of shifting via the shift lever. Don’t want your kid to head off into the hills? The adjustable throttle limiter and keyed ignition are safety features that help you maintain control. Looking for a tricked-out pitbike? The CRF50F serves as one of the original platforms for pitbike racing. Several companies offer hop-up kits for this Honda, including big-bore kits, upgraded suspension, and customized aesthetics. Sign up here to receive our newsletters. Get the latest in motorcycle reviews, tests, and industry news, subscribe here for our YouTube channel. 2020 Honda CRF50F Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition The CRF50F does have some competition in the Yamaha PW50 ($1,499) or TT-R50E ($1,699), Suzuki DR-Z50 ($1,749), and KTM 50 SX ($3,849) or 50 SX Mini ($4,349). As you can see the CRF50F’s $1,549 pricing is challenged by the competition as well. Honda CRF50F Updates For 2020 There aren’t any changes for 2020, even the graphics remain unchanged. 2020 Honda CRF50F Claimed Specifications Price $1,549 Engine Air-cooled SOHC single-cylinder Displacement 49cc Bore x Stroke 39.0 x 41.4mm Horsepower N/A Torque N/A Transmission 3-speed w/ automatic clutch Final Drive Chain Seat Height 21.6 in. Rake 25.0° Trail 1.3 in. Front Suspension Inverted telescopic fork; 3.5-in. travel Rear Suspension Single shock; 2.8-in. travel Front Tire 2.50-10 Rear Tire 2.50-10 Wheelbase 36.0 in. Fuel Capacity 0.7 gal. Claimed Wet Weight 110 lb. Source

2020 Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition (Husqvarna /)Having first hit the market in 2018, the 2020 Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition is the Austrian manufacturer’s third iteration of the limited-edition machine. The mechanical changes the FC 450 Rockstar Edition receives each year usually serve as a preview of what the following year’s motocross models will come with in terms of updates. The FC 450 Rockstar Edition always features a number of aftermarket components and Husqvarna Technical Accessories such as a factory triple clamp, FMF Factory 4.1 RCT muffler, and a Rekluse clutch cover just to name a few. 2020 Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition We rode the 2020 Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino for the introduction of the special-edition machine. Off-Road Editor Andrew Oldar was impressed with the bike’s stronger power delivery and firmer suspension settings in comparison to the standard FC 450 model. “The 2020 FC 450 Rockstar Edition’s updated maps give it a more aggressive power delivery, yet the bike still maintains its easy-to-ride and controllable nature. The bike’s suspension is more of a race setting than what the standard 2020 FC 450 model offered, and is more of a well-rounded setup for a variety of different tracks.” 2020 Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition (Husqvarna /)There are two other special-edition motocross bikes each year that serve as competition for the 2020 Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition including the 2020 KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition and the 2020 Honda CRF450RWE. At $11,199, the FC 450 Rockstar Edition is the most expensive of the three; it’s $100 more than the 450 SX-F Factory Edition and $1,800 pricier than the CRF450RWE. 2020 Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition (Husqvarna /)Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition Updates For 2020 For 2020, Husqvarna updated its FC 450 Rockstar Edition with suspension changes and new ECU mapping. The WP Xact air fork has a new oil bypass in the outer tube of the damping leg, a 10mm longer bypass in the air leg, a smaller rebound spacer to increase the air volume in the negative chamber, a new mid-valve damping system, a new adjuster for the rebound on the bottom of the fork, a new elastomer end stop, and a new air piston. The WP Xact shock also received changes in the form of a higher spring rate, a new O-ring in the link piston, and new low-friction linkage seals. 2020 Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition Claimed Specifications Price: $11,199 Engine: Liquid-cooled SOHC single-cylinder Displacement: 450cc Bore x Stroke: 95.0 x 63.4mm Horsepower: N/A Torque: N/A Transmission: 5-speed Final Drive: Chain Seat Height: 37.4 in. Rake: 26.1° Trail: N/A Front Suspension: 48mm inverted fork, fully adjustable; 12.2-in. travel Rear Suspension: Fully adjustable; 11.8-in. travel Front Tire: 80/100-21 Rear Tire: 120/80-19 Wheelbase: 58.5 in. Fuel Capacity: 1.9 gal. Claimed Wet Weight: 223 lb. Source

Patent drawings show Honda looking at wishbone-style front suspension for future models, like the CB1100. (Japanese Patent Office/)In adopting double-wishbone front suspension for its range-topping Gold Wing in 2018 Honda embraced the same thinking that pushed the likes of Norman Hossack and John Britten into ditching telescopic forks, and now it looks like the company has ideas to spread the technology further across the range. The firm has filed patent applications in Japan for wishbone-style front suspension on bikes at extreme ends of its range. One shows the system adapted for an across-the-frame four-cylinder—in this case the CB1100—while the other reveals how the design can be modified to fit the C125 Super Cub scooter. Unlike the Gold Wing, the CB1100 relies on a retro-heavy overall design that favors a conventional fork arrangement, making a wishbone arrangement challenging. (Japanese Patent Office/)The Wishbone-Equipped CB1100 Honda experimented with a variety of alternative front suspension systems while developing the latest Gold Wing before settling on a Hossack/Fior-style arrangement that’s not a million miles from BMW’s Duolever system, as used on the K 1600. The idea was always to combat the braking dive of the heavy Gold Wing, to reduce the strain on the headstock section of the chassis and to ensure a consistent wheelbase throughout the suspension travel, in turn allowing a shorter wheelbase to be used. And since the idea worked on the Wing, it makes sense the firm is looking at whether other bikes might benefit. The CB’s engine position required Honda to rethink the lower wishbone’s front pivot point; the engineers moved it forward. (Japanese Patent Office/)The CB1100 might not be an obvious candidate for wishbone suspension. As the most overtly retro offering in Honda’s range—complete with air-cooled engine and twin rear shocks—its styling and engineering are heavily biased toward a conventional telescopic front suspension system. But perhaps that’s why Honda chose that bike to experiment with wishbone suspension; if it can work on the CB1100, it can probably be made to work almost anywhere. Although the basic layout is similar to the Gold Wing’s, there are significant changes for the wishbone CB1100. Most importantly, the engine’s position doesn’t allow the lower wishbone’s rear pivot to be mounted as far back as on the Wing. On the Gold Wing, the lower wishbone is mounted further back than the upper one, allowing the lower link to be significantly longer than the upper. To achieve the same ratio of link length, Honda had to rethink the idea for the inline-four CB1100. RELATED: 2018 Honda Gold Wing Tour vs. BMW K1600B Grand America With the engine getting in the way of having the lower wishbone’s rear pivot mounted a long way back, Honda’s solution is to move the lower wishbone’s front pivot point forward. That keeps the lower wishbone long relative to the upper one—around twice the length—but means it must reach around the upright above the front wheel bracket extending from the front. The CB’s bars were also a challenge, as they are positioned directly on top of the fork. Honda’s solution was to use a two-part linkage. (Japanese Patent Office/)Another change compared to the Gold Wing is the steering system. On the Wing, the bars are mounted much further back, which means Honda could use a simple linkage running parallel with the upper wishbone to connect the bars to the fork. On the CB1100, with the bars mounted directly above the top of the fork, that’s not possible so the firm has opted to use a two-part linkage that concertinas as the suspension compresses. This is the same solution used by BMW for the similar Duolever front end on the K 1600. RELATED: Honda Adds Super Cub And XR650L To 2020 Lineup As with all wishbone-style front suspension systems, another advantage is that a single coilover shock can be used to do the springing and damping, which puts the CB1100 seen here in the odd position of having a single front shock and two rear ones—the reverse of a typical modern motorcycle. At the opposite end of Honda’s range is the Super Cub, a smaller and lighter model and also an unlikely candidate for a wishbone setup. (American Honda Motor Co./)The Wishbone-Equipped C125 Super Cub While the theoretical advantages of a wishbone front end remain the same regardless of the type of bike, putting the system on the C125 is testing it at the very opposite end of Honda’s range compared to the Gold Wing currently using the idea. Not only is the C125 a much smaller machine, but it’s far lighter and features a completely different chassis design with different materials and a different engine layout. That’s probably why it’s been used as another guinea pig for Honda’s experimentation. In fact, the latest Super Cub is a late adopter of the telescopic fork; earlier iterations like the C50 and C90 used leading-link front suspension instead, but the Hossack-style wishbone setup seen here is a complete departure for the bike. With a low-mounted single-cylinder engine it doesn’t have the same geometry problem as the CB1100 when it comes to where the rear wishbone pivots are attached. However, here Honda has opted for equal-length wishbones top and bottom. The argument for using the wishbone front end on the C125 is that it gives more freedom for the position of the bars in relation to the front wheel, allowing a small bike to have a more spacious riding position than if it was fitted with conventional forks. With the Super Cub’s more favorable geometry, Honda could use the same length wishbone both top and bottom. (Japanese Patent Office/)Will these ideas lead to production bikes? Just because a firm files patent applications for an idea doesn’t mean it will make it to production. However, it is a clear indication of what the company’s R&D department is working on. In the case of the Gold Wing, Honda filed multiple patent applications for several different alternative front suspension systems before settling on the Hossack-style design that reached production. What was clear was that the firm wanted to get away from the limitations of telescopic forks, and it tested several solutions before choosing one that worked best. We’ll keep an eye on Honda’s patents over the coming months to see if the firm continues to develop this idea. A wishbone setup would be a complete departure for the C125, but it would allow for greater freedom in handlebar positioning. (Japanese Patent Office/)Interestingly, as Honda moves toward alternative front suspension, BMW—the firm that pursued odd front ends for years with the Telelever and Duolever setups—has moved back toward telescopic forks. These days the majority of BMWs use telescopic forks, with just the Duolever K 1600 and Telelever R 1250 GS staying with alternative front ends. Source

2020 Harley-Davidson Fat Bob (Harley-Davidson /)We became big fans of the Fat Bob 114 right from the launch in 2018 because it offered seemingly impossible dynamics from a chunky-tired chassis and big-bore engine. Despite its unique looks defined by the signature horizontal LED headlight and 2-into-1-into-2 exhaust (H-D designers say they built this bike “for the zombie apocalypse”) the muscular, Softail-based cruiser represents a seismic shift from The Motor Company’s traditional V-twin profile. But if the Fat Bob 114 stretches The Motor Company’s styling DNA the most, it also pushes the boundaries of expected performance, with a steep 28-degree rake, dual disc brakes, and a solidly mounted 114ci Milwaukee-Eight V-twin engine giving it a combination of power and agility you don’t find on most cruisers. 2020 Harley-Davidson Fat Bob (Harley-Davidson /)2020 Harley-Davidson Fat Bob 114 Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition The Fat Bob 114 was so much fun to ride, we picked it as Cycle World’s Best Cruiser of 2018. Sign up here to receive our newsletters. Get the latest in motorcycle reviews, tests, and industry news, subscribe here for our YouTube channel. The last time we ran it on the Cycle World dyno, the portly Softail made 82.3 hp and 111.39 pound-feet of torque, so it matches well against other beefy models in the musclebike category, such as the Ducati Diavel, Yamaha’s evergreen VMAX, and Triumph’s new Rocket 3, due similar category positioning and intent. We matched up a couple of those models in a power cruiser shootout last year. 2020 Harley-Davidson Fat Bob (Harley-Davidson /)Harley-Davidson Fat Bob 114 Updates For 2020 When it was first launched, the Fat Bob was available in both 107 and 114ci engine options, but for 2020 it only rolls with the Milwaukee-Eight 114, and ABS and security comes standard.There are new color options and pricing as well. Manufacturer Claimed Specifications Price $18,799–$19,749 Engine Air-/oil-cooled, OHV V-twin; 4 valves/cyl. Displacement 1,868cc Bore x Stroke 102.0mm,x 114.0mm Horsepower N/A Torque 118 lb.-ft. @ 3,500 rpm Transmission 6-speed Final Drive Belt Seat Height 27.7 in. Rake 28.0° Trail 5.2 in. Front Suspension 43mm inverted fork; 5.1-in. travel Rear Suspension Preload adjustable; 4.4-in. travel Front Tire 150/80-16 Rear Tire 180/70-16 Wheelbase 63.6 in. Fuel Capacity 3.6 gal. Claimed Wet Weight 676 lb. Source

2020 Honda CRF150R (Honda/)The Honda CRF150R and CRF150R Expert were introduced in 2007. The 150 four-stroke machines replaced Big Red’s long-standing CR85R and CR85R Expert two-stroke models that year and have remained as the Japanese manufacturer’s two youth motocross bikes ever since. Sign up here to receive our newsletters. Get the latest in motorcycle reviews, tests, and industry news, subscribe here for our YouTube channel. 2020 Honda CRF150R Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition Some competitors of the 2020 Honda CRF150R include the Suzuki RM85, Yamaha YZ85, KTM 85 SX, Husqvarna TC 85, Kawasaki KX85, and TM MX 85. The 2020 Honda CRF150R has a suggested retail price of $5,099, while the CRF150R Expert is $5,299. 2019 Honda CRF150R Expert (Honda/)Honda CRF150R Updates For 2020 The Honda CRF150R did not receive any changes for 2020. In addition to the CRF150R, which has a 17-inch front wheel and a 14-inch rear wheel, Honda also offers the CRF150R Expert, which has a 19-inch front wheel, 16-inch rear wheel, a taller seat height, and a longer wheelbase–offering an ideal steppingstone to full-size motocrossers. 2020 Honda CRF150R Claimed Specifications Price $5,099 Engine Liquid-cooled SOHC single-cylinder Displacement 149cc Bore x Stroke 66.0mm x 43.7mm Horsepower N/A Torque N/A Transmission 5-speed Final Drive Chain Seat Height 32.8 in. Rake 27° Trail 3.1 in. Front Suspension 37mm inverted fork, fully adjustable; 10.8-in. travel Rear Suspension Fully adjustable; 10.7-in. travel Front Tire 70/100-17 Rear Tire 90/100-14 Wheelbase 49.6 in. Fuel Capacity 1.1 gal. Claimed Wet Weight 185 lb. 2020 Honda CRF150R Expert Claimed Specifications Price $5,299 Engine Liquid-cooled SOHC single-cylinder Displacement 149cc Bore x Stroke 66.0mm x 43.7mm Horsepower N/A Torque N/A Transmission 5-speed Final Drive Chain Seat Height 34.1 in. Rake 27.8° Trail 3.8 in. Front Suspension 37mm inverted fork, fully adjustable; 10.8-in. travel Rear Suspension Fully adjustable; 10.7-in. travel Front Tire 70/100-19 Rear Tire 90/100-16 Wheelbase 50.6 in. Fuel Capacity 1.1 gal. Claimed Wet Weight 187 lb. Source

There’s a buzz within Cycle World headquarters lately. The hum of electric motorcycles charging during the workday can be heard in the halls as staff members have plugged into the merits of two-wheeled EV transportation. Whether zapping to and from work or effortlessly whistling about the greater Los Angeles area without so much as pulling a clutch or toeing a shift lever, EV bikes have proven to be a viable mode of urban transportation. Enthusiasm has been recently supercharged with the simultaneous arrival of the 2020 Harley-Davidson LiveWire and Zero SR/F Premium, a pair of preeminent models within the segment and the natural makings of a heads-up comparison. The current crop of EV motorcycles leading the charge—the class benchmark Zero Motorcycles SR/F Premium and Harley-Davidson’s all-new LiveWire. (Jeff Allen /)These full-fledged roadbikes are each endowed with chassis specifications, ergonomics, and styling well in line with a contemporary petrol-powered liter-class sport naked. Both feature comprehensive IMU-based rider aids with lean-sensing traction control, cornering ABS, and have selectable ride modes for Sport, Street, Rain, and Eco that tailor throttle response, peak power output, regenerative braking, and TC sensitivity. Both have a TFT dash display providing a wealth of info to monitor charging status, estimated range, state of charge, ride mode selection, and more. The physical size and load capacity of these bikes facilitates use of a larger lithium-ion battery pack than any EV motorcycle we’ve tested in the past. Each bike’s power pack is encased in an aluminum heat-sink housing, lending a stylistic appearance along with the strength and rigidity to serve as a stressed member of the frame. Zero employs a tubular steel-trellis frame wrapping its 14.4kWh Z-Force battery unit, while Harley’s frame structure is composed of aluminum cast members bolted to its 15.5kWh Rechargeable Energy Storage System (RESS) that join at the steering head. Built for the urban confines, but still capable canyon carvers. The hills of central California exposed the true sporting characteristics of each. (Jeff Allen /)While both are propelled by an interior permanent-magnet brushless AC motor, their powertrain configurations are fundamentally different. Zero’s ZF75-10 motor is a passive air-cooled design mounted with its power shaft horizontally across the frame, using a final-drive pulley attached directly to the motor’s shaft. The Revelation motor of the Harley-Davidson resides beneath the RESS in a longitudinal arrangement, features a liquid-cooling jacket, and employs gear-ratio-reducing spiral-bevel-gear primary drive that transmits torque to its perpendicular countershaft/sprocket arrangement. Measuring power output at the rear wheel on the Cycle World dyno revealed an interesting contrast in engineering approach. Viewing each bike’s peak torque value alone would lead one to surmise that the Zero’s 146.5 pound-feet flat buries the 74.0 pound-feet Harley. The LiveWire’s high-level fit and finish is what you’d expect of an established premium motorcycle manufacturer that’s been building motorcycles for more than a century. (Jeff Allen /)First, note that the LiveWire motor spins beyond 14,000 rpm, while the Zero tails off around 7,000 rpm. Horsepower produced at higher revs mathematically equates to notably less torque than when the same horsepower value is produced at a lower rpm. Comparing the two at a dyno drum speed of 55 mph, we found the Zero produces 80 hp and 120 pound-feet at 3,500 rpm, while the Harley dealt 91 hp and 68 pound-feet at 7,000 rpm. It’s much like your classic gas-powered matchup of a big-inch twin and high-revving inline-four. Harley-Davidson’s role reversal of leveraging revs while the competition leans on low-rpm torque truly is a Revelation. Tipping our scale at 502 pounds ready to ride, the SR/F Premium would also appear to enjoy a power-to-weight advantage on the 544-pound LiveWire. The Harley has 8-percent more energy storage capacity however, justifying the additional pounds that also pencils out at 8.4 percent. Flat-out acceleration on these EV motorcycles is impressive and highly addicting. Beware, however, battery range is highly dependent on riding habits. (Jeff Allen /)Putting rubber to the road at our test facility, the acceleration runs measured with a VBox GPS datalogger provided more surprises. The LiveWire sprinted the quarter-mile in 11.54 seconds with a 110.63-mph trap speed, putting the Zero in its mirrors with a best pass of 11.83 seconds at 116.2 mph. Comparing trap speed is a telling clue the LiveWire accelerates quicker, flexing shorter overall gearing that’s clearly illustrated in the comparative 0–60 mph time. Here the LiveWire’s 3.12-second showing crushes the Zero’s 3.65-second 0–60 time and accounts for the overall ET. The LiveWire also narrowly edges the Zero in measured roll-on times from 40–60 mph and 60–80 mph, a performance metric in which both bikes easily beat the top-gear acceleration of every gas-powered bike Cycle World has ever tested. To be fair however, it’s an apple-to-oranges comparison; toe a literbike down a couple of gears and see who bears fruit. No petrol cap here. This cover hides the LiveWire’s Type 1 SAE Combo (CCS) DC fast charge inlet. (Jeff Allen /)Seamless, nearly silent acceleration beats a banana in the tailpipe by any measure, but operating range remains the most important EV performance metric. To this end Cycle World Road Test Editor Michael Gilbert methodically tested battery consumption by repeatedly riding a 48-mile loop that includes a blend of 18 freeway miles, stop-and-go city streets, a stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway, and a canyon road. Ridden in similar fashion, each bike completed a lap in Sport, Street, and Eco ride mode settings with the battery fully charged at the start of each lap. The average one-lap consumption for the LiveWire was 48 percent of its battery capacity versus 57 percent aboard the SR/F Premium. Viewed another way, the Harley consumed 7.440 kWh while the Zero used 8.208 kWh per lap. A regimented testing plan meant eliminating battery consumption variables, with both motorcycles ridden on an identical loop, in similar traffic conditions, and comparable weather conditions. (Jeff Allen /)Another consideration is charging options provided by each bike. Both offer Level 1 charging that simply involves plugging the included charge cable into a standard 120-volt household outlet. We found the Zero takes under 9 hours to fully charge from empty on Level 1 while the Harley’s larger RESS requires upward of 12 hours. Things get more complicated when using fast-charge capability. Zero employs Level 2 charging while Harley has opted for faster Level 3 DC Fast Charging technology. Level 2 is currently more widely supported at commercial EV charge stations, and while you can hook the LiveWire up to a Level 2 charger, it will only replenish the battery at the Level 1 rate. With its 6kW integrated charger connected at Level 2, our SR/F Premium required 1.5 hours to achieve a 75-percent charge. Expect upward of an additional hour to reach 100-percent SOC as the Zero’s rate of charge slows when nearing a full charge state to prolong battery service life. While the LiveWire wowed us with a Level 3 recharge from zero to 100 percent in 58 minutes, it comes with a caveat: Harley recommends a 4:1 ratio of four Level 1 charges to every Level 3 fast charge to reduce stress on the RESS. Expending electric energy among oil rigs. (Jeff Allen /)Limiting these electron burners to city life is a disservice to their sporting potential as each comes equipped with fully adjustable Showa suspension, dual four-piston radial-mount calipers up front, and sticky sport radial rubber. A plan was hatched to conduct the final test phase carving some Central California back roads. I met up with Gilbert and our photography/video team in the Central Valley town of Taft for two days of back road bliss. For reasons of practicality the bikes arrived in the Cycle World Nissan van with a full charge. Having ridden the LiveWire at the bike’s Portland, Oregon, international press launch, I was getting my first glimpse of a Zero SR/F in the flesh. The Harley-Davidson’s 4.3-inch TFT dashboard is simple and user-friendly. Additional information is easily accessible and there’s an optional speedometer display with a traditional analog dial gauge. (Jeff Allen /)A brief walk-around of the California-built Zero didn’t provoke love at first sight. The paint finish on our Zero had an uneven overspray texture and unsightly staples visible in an inch gap between the leading edge of the saddle and faux tank give an unfinished appearance. Even the mirrors are flimsy compared to those of the more polished and refined LiveWire. The Zero’s handlebar switch gear appears to be Chinese knockoffs of Aprilia Shiver parts, while the LiveWire makes use of rider-interface components found on premium Harley touring models, utilizing dual thumb-operated joysticks for dash menu selection, phone, and music management, as well as turn-by-turn navigation. The clincher came when I saddled up for my first ride on the Zero and gripped its bars to discover sloppy free play in the left grip, something akin to the slack felt in a throttle twistgrip. Why? The majority of the first of two ride days was spent doing photo passes among an army of grasshopper oil pumps that dominate the Taft landscape. Artistic irony pitting ebikes against a crude backdrop explained veteran staff photographer Jeff Allen. Whatever the case, riding back and forth while trying to remain in focus just doesn’t get any easier than doing so aboard a twist-’n’-go EV with no clutch or gearshift to manage. Burning electrons instead of gasoline has its positives, including ripping without any unnecessary attention. (Jeff Allen /)The best fun came at the end of the day riding a stretch of tight curves in the hills west of McKittrick. Just as Gilbert and I had begun to explore the handling performance and swapped bikes for comparative impressions, the sun set in concert with both bikes’ diminished state of charge as we rode them to empty intentionally. Van loaded, we relocated to an Airbnb in Bakersfield for a night’s rest and recharge. Finding the garage of the residence bursting at the seams with property-owner stuff, we rolled the bikes into the living room for an outlet and awoke 10 hours later to a fully charged Zero and 72-percent state of charge on the Harley. Sign up here to receive our newsletters. Get the latest in motorcycle reviews, tests, and industry news, subscribe here for our YouTube channel. Utilizing the ChargePoint app installed on his mobile phone, Gilbert pinpointed the nearest Level 3 charging station. Fortune smiled as the hookup located in a parking stall of Café Rio Mexican Grill was adjacent to Bagels & Blenderz, allowing us to graze during the bike’s 28-minute top-up. Washing down a gourmet breakfast burrito with a high-octane double-shot latte sparked a dim thought in my noggin; for every penny saved at the pump, how much retail expenditure and calories consumed does an EV owner incur? The Zero is the lighter of the two bikes—tipping the CW scales at 502 pounds—and its lighter weight is proven in how it feels during side-to-side transitions, though it lacks a sure-footed feel at full lean. (Jeff Allen /)To preserve our charge for a stint of high-energy depletion in the Sierra foothills, we once again loaded the bikes in the van. Gilbert and I conducted back-to-back runs on each bike through a choice stretch of curves along state Route 155. Here, it became apparent the LiveWire tracks corners with more confidence and precision than the Zero. Tip the Harley in and it holds your chosen cornering line with steadfast conviction while a similar act aboard the Zero results in an uneasy wallow and wiggle when the road surface isn’t billiard-table smooth. Maintaining a relaxed grip on the bars and consciously avoiding leaning upper body weight onto the Zero’s wide one-piece bar helped minimize unwanted steering input. The LiveWire doesn’t require any such kid-glove treatment. Unleash the stopping power. The Zero’s J.Juan four-piston calipers and lighter weight just won out in braking performance, stopping from 60 to 0 in 131.9 feet and 30–0 in 33.6 feet, and with more brake feel at the lever. (Jeff Allen /)Gilbert found the Harley’s Sport mode throttle response most natural and better connected at the right wrist, while also favoring its more pronounced off-throttle regeneration (engine-braking feel) for the lessened reliance on brake pressure to slow to a halt. Important because the LiveWire’s classic wide-blade shaped lever found on its V-twin cruisers feels out of place on this sporty platform, and robs brake feel when you need it most. I preferred the lighter regen of the Zero’s Sport mode, finding it a bit reminiscent of a two-stroke coasting on corner entry. I also found Zero’s two-stage regen interesting in that it increases regen effect when the front brake is applied, delivering a clever form of linked braking. The good news is both bikes offer the ability to adjust certain parameters to your liking and save them to a custom ride mode. The LiveWire customizable settings include power, throttle response, and regen settings from 0 to 100 percent, along with three levels of traction control plus TC off. The Zero’s custom ride modes offer more adjustability—including max speed, power, max torque, closed-throttle regen, and brake regen, as well as three TC settings (Street, Sport, Rain) plus off—but is only accessible through the mobile app, and only allows one custom mode to be loaded at a time. The Harley has three custom presets easily accessible on the dash that can be selected while riding. The end of the road. Draining the battery on either will leave you stranded and searching for an outlet. Thankfully the EV charging network is growing at a rapid pace. ChargePoint—North America’s largest network—is expanding by 2,000 places of charge per month. (Jeff Allen /)I was aboard the Zero late in the day, enjoying the flow with light-handed finesse through the remaining good twisty bits when a sudden loss of power ensued. The Zero goes into limp-home mode for the last 10 percent of charge, with maximum power and peak speed tailing off ever so steadily with each remaining mile. Imagine your liter-class four dropping a cylinder, then another until it’s running on one lung over the final mile before coasting to an anticlimactic halt. The Zero was dead at 67 spirited miles, while the Harley had 12 miles of range remaining and also delivered full performance to the last watt. Again, it was our intent to test comparative range and we intentionally rode them to the end, but if not for the chase van, I can only imagine being stranded roadside with the charge cord in an outstretched hand hoping to flag down a passing motorhome. Owners will certainly learn to plan their rides. Sticker shock aside, these two motorcycles are paving the way for EV motorcycles. (Jeff Allen /)At $21,495 (as tested), reduced sticker shock favors the Zero SR/F Premium. But that isn’t grounds to avoid an honorable discharge and second-in-class ranking. Superior acceleration, sure-footed handling, more range (combined with a quicker charging option), a more complete and intuitive TFT suite with music and navigation all wrapped in an exquisite fit and finish befitting a bike costing $30,149 (as tested) add up to the Harley-Davidson LiveWire being a four-star general of electrics. Dyno numbers on the 2020 Harley-Davidson LiveWire. (Jeff Allen /) Dyno numbers on the 2020 Zero Motorcycles SR/F Premium. (Jeff Allen /)SPECIFICATIONS Harley-Davidson LiveWire Zero Motorcycles SR/F Premium MSRP: $29,799; $30,149 (as tested) $19,495; $21,495 Premium model (as tested) Motor: Revelation internal permanent-magnetic synchronous w/ water-jacket cooling Z-Force 75-10 air-cooled AC motor Battery: 15.5kWh Rechargeable Energy Storage System (RESS) 14.4kWh lithium-ion battery Final Drive: 1-speed/belt 1-speed/belt Cycle World Measured Horsepower: 92.8 hp @ 9,900 rpm 100.2 hp @ 4,480 rpm Cycle World Measure Torque: 74.2 lb.-ft. @ 5,900 rpm 146.5 lb.-ft. @ 1,220 rpm Frame: Cast aluminum Steel trellis Front Suspension: Showa 43mm Separate Function Fork - Big Piston (SFF-BP), fully adjustable; 4.5-in. travel Fully adjustable 43mm Showa SFF-BP; 4.7-in. travel Rear Suspension: Showa Balance Free Rear Cushion-lite (BFRC-lite), fully adjustable; 4.5-in. travel Fully adjustable Showa monoshock; 5.5-in. travel Front Brake: Dual radial-mounted 4-piston Brembo Monoblock calipers, 300mm discs w/ ABS Dual radial-mounted 4-piston J.Juan calipers, 320mm discs w/ Bosch ABS Rear Brake: 2-piston caliper, 260mm disc 1-piston J.Juan caliper, 240mm disc Wheels, Front/Rear: 3.50 x 17 in. / 5.50 x 17 in. 3.50 x 17 in. / 5.50 x 17 in. Tires, Front/Rear: Michelin Scorcher; 120/70-17 / 180/55-17 Pirelli Diablo Rosso III; 120/70-17 /180/55-17 Rake/Trail: 24.5°/4.3 in. 24.5°/3.7 in. Wheelbase: 58.7 in 57.1 in. Ground Clearance: 5.1 in. N/A Seat Height: 31.3 in. 31.3 in. Cycle World Measured Wet Weight: 544 lb. 502 lb. Contact: harley-davidson.com zeromotorcycles.com PERFORMANCE NUMBERS CW Measured Performance Harley-Davidson LiveWire Zero Motorcycles SR/F Premium Quarter-Mile 11.54 sec. @ 110.6 mph 11.83 sec. @ 116.2 mph 0–30 1.47 sec. 1.72 sec. 0–60 3.12 sec. 3.65 sec. 0–100 7.35 sec. 7.70 sec. Top-Gear Roll-On, 40–60 mph 1.17 sec. 1.23 sec. Top-Gear Roll-On, 60–80 mph 1.71 sec. 1.73 sec. Braking, 30–0 33.45 ft. 33.61 ft. Braking, 60–0 133.27 ft. 131.91 ft. Source

2020 Honda CB650R ABS (Honda /)The 2020 Honda CB650R delivers sporty performance in a standard-style package. Its inline-four engine is derived from the popular CBR600RR, but it’s tuned for optimum performance on the street. A notable mid-level machine for riders in the market for a spirited streetfighter. Sign up here to receive our newsletters. Get the latest in motorcycle reviews, tests, and industry news, subscribe here for our YouTube channel. 2020 Honda CB650R Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition Honda made the big change to its middleweight standard in 2019, giving it the “R” moniker in place of the “F” and upgrading numerous components throughout. Looks upgrades made it fit nicely among Honda’s “Neo-Sports Café” machines, and improvements to the four-cylinder engine provided a much more enjoyable ride during our first test on the revised machine. That ride also revealed that updates to the CB650R’s suspension resulted in a nicely composed bike through the twisties. It’s a competitive entry against its twin-cylinder rivals in the class from Yamaha (MT-07) and Kawasaki (Z650), though its cost and upgraded components puts it more in league with models like the Ducati Monster 797 and Triumph Street Twin. Honda CB650R Updates For 2020 Honda made no updates to the CB650R in 2020. It’s only available in Chromosphere Red with ABS. 2020 Honda CB650R Claimed Specifications Price: $9,199 Engine: Liquid-cooled, DOHC, four-cylinder Displacement: 649cc Bore x Stroke: 67.0 x 46.0mm Horsepower: N/A Torque: N/A Transmission: 6-speed Final Drive: Chain Seat Height: 31.9 in. Rake: 32.0° Trail: 4.0 in. Front Suspension: 41mm fork; 4.25-in. travel Rear Suspension: Single shock; adjustable preload; 5.0-in. travel Front Tire: 120/70-17 Rear Tire: 180/55-17 Wheelbase: 57.0 in. Fuel Capacity: 4.1 gal. Claimed Wet Weight: 447 lb. Source

2020 KTM 500 EXC-F (KTM/)The 500 EXC-F is KTM’s largest-displacement dual sport model. It’s no secret that we think highly of the 500 EXC-F for its powerful yet controllable engine character, well-rounded WP suspension, nimble handling, light weight, and top-shelf Brembo brakes. In the past 10 years, it has been named Cycle World’s Best Enduro/Dual Sport five times (2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, and 2019). 2020 KTM 500 EXC-F Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition The KTM 500 EXC-F won Cycle World’s 2019 Dual Sport Shootout, which took place in Moab, Utah. While we were riding the red rocks of Moab, we took the time to compare the 500 EXC-F to its smaller-displacement sibling, the 350 EXC-F as well. “The KTM 500 EXC-F is the dual sport to which all others are compared, with the broadest performance envelope,” Cycle World Senior Editor Justin Dawes wrote. “It really is the dual sport for anywhere and everywhere.” Yeah, exactly. Sign up here to receive our newsletters. Get the latest in motorcycle reviews, tests, and industry news, subscribe here for our YouTube channel. The 2020 KTM 500 EXC-F retails for $11,399. It costs $100 less than the 2020 Husqvarna FE 501s and $500 more than the 2020 Beta 500 RR-S. KTM 500 EXC-F Updates For 2020 The KTM 500 EXC-F was granted a multitude of changes for 2020. KTM also offers a 500 EXC-F Six Days edition, which is priced at $12,399 and features orange triple clamps, different colored plastics, and special graphics. 2020 KTM 500 EXC-F Claimed Specifications Price $11,399 Engine Liquid-cooled SOHC single-cylinder Displacement 511cc Bore x Stroke 95.0 x 72.0mm Horsepower N/A Torque N/A Transmission 6-speed Final Drive Chain Seat Height 37.8 in. Rake 26.5° Trail N/A Front Suspension 48mm inverted fork, fully adjustable; 11.8-in. travel Rear Suspension Fully adjustable; 12.2-in. travel Front Tire 90/90-21 Rear Tire 120/90-18 Wheelbase 58.3 in. Fuel Capacity 2.25 gal. Claimed Dry Weight 240 lb. Cycle World Tested Specifications Seat Height N/A Wet Weight 255 lb. Rear-Wheel Horsepower 39.4 hp @ 8,100 rpm Rear-Wheel Torque 27.7 lb.-ft. @ 5,200 rpm Source