Road Runner

If you’ve been wishing Harley-Davidson and Rizoma would do a collaboration already, we have good news for you. Rizoma is known for its high-quality products, with excellent fit and finish—and it’s crafted some blacked-out billet aluminum accessories to fit a wide range of Harley-Davidson bikes. Is the only problem with your blacked-out bike that it just isn’t black enough? No worries, that’s why Rizoma’s added both Harley and Rizoma logos to these pieces in—get this—black on black. Turn it to view from an angle and you’ll see what you’re looking for. Rizoma’s focus is the unique visual texture, and as you can see in the photos, it definitely draws your eye. Choose from a set of hand grips, rider footpegs, passenger footpegs, or mirrors in the Harley-Davidson by Rizoma product line. Of course, you can always mix and match to best suit your bike’s aesthetic, upping your blacked-out game just a little bit more. The hand grips have a texturized rubber grip, while both the rider and passenger pegs were also designed to enhance your boot grip and confidence when using them. Besides having a neat shape, the mirrors feature an aspherical outer portion to enhance both rear and peripheral reflection, showing you more of what’s going on around you. The one accessory in this collaboration that only fits a single bike is a blacked-out charge door exclusively made for your LiveWire. This piece features a tiny silver bar and shield logo in a circle, approximately where a keyhole would be on a piston-powered bike. The logo is about as big as that keyhole would be, too—small and unobtrusive, but still unmistakably there. Prices range from $199.95 for the hand grips or LiveWire charge door, on up to $279.95 for a set of the mirrors. You can see all pricing, availability, and fitment information—as well as place any orders you want—via Harley’s online store. Source: Harley-Davidson Let's block ads! (Why?) Source

It's a genuine motorcycle emergency. Bikes and Beards had to buy the least expensive running motorcycle they could find on Craigslist, and they only had eight hours to do it. Then they had to ride it home and hope it would make the trip. Otherwise, they would be forced to ride the cheapest scooter on Amazon the rest of the way. Naturally, since we're talking about cheap bikes, and since Craigslist is a wretched hive of scum and villainy, it took some doing to find an actual legitimate seller. They scored a deal on a 1979 Yamaha Special XS750 for $500, until the seller called them two hours later to say he'd just sold it for more. They made another deal for a 1989 Suzuki Savage, but once again, two hours later the seller decided not to sell. Occasionally, though, a good deal is a good deal, and this one came through—a 1986 Honda Gold Wing Aspencade. At $2,000, the price was certainly a bit higher than they'd planned on. The bike was absolutely perfect, though. It looked great, all of the gadgets and gizmoes worked, and there was absolutely no reason why the bike wouldn't get all the way home under its own power... until it didn't. It just sputtered out on the side of the road and wouldn't restart. So the 'Wing got loaded up on the trailer, and he rode the crummy Amazon scooter the rest of the way home. Fortunately, the problem wasn't serious. He simply ran out of gas. They could've turned around and immediately sold this bike for at least $3500. Instead, they decided to give it away on Instagram. Ryan, the lucky recipient, had been looking for a good clean older Gold Wing for a while and drove overnight from Detroit to come and get it. The truth is that these older Gold Wings are widely available and extremely affordable. YouTuber Shadetree Surgeon recently bought one for even less money. FortNine recently included this generation of the Gold Wing in his list of the five best cheap motorcycles. You may have missed your chance to get this one for free, but don't worry, there are many more cheap Gold Wings where this one came from. Let's block ads! (Why?) Source

In the motorcycle industry, the name Michelin is most closely associated with tires. The French manufacturer’s products are regularly featured on the lists of best car and motorcycle tires on the market and in 2017, the company was even named official MotoGP tire supplier until 2023. Did you know that beyond rubber and compounds, Michelin also produces a series of touring guides that focus on worldwide accommodation and restaurant recommendations? The appropriately named “Michelin Guides” series has become a staple of any fine diner’s traveling kit and its three-star rating system is now the ultimate culinary achievement awarded to the most reputable restaurants in the world. Michelin’s travel division is now working on a new motorcycle touring guide that will map great riding roads with, of course, a few good addresses to check out. The first location on the list of Michelin Moto guides is France and the manufacturer turned to social media to recruit two-wheel travelers to help contribute to the book. If you like to ride, travel, and write, then Michelin has a job for you! On its Instagram and Facebook accounts, the company invited its followers to apply for the job by sharing a motorcycle road trip picture along with an interesting traveling anecdote. Michelin will then contact the candidates selected for the experience. The job requires the candidates to explore France by motorcycle from July to September 2020, and document the experience for the guide set to be published in March 2021. The hard work will obviously be compensated. The goal is to build a solid pool of rider-friendly eats, sleeps, and rides recommendations. Of course, you have to be in France and have access to your own motorcycle to make this happen. Cue the sad trombone. However, consider this: while most of us won’t have access to the French gig, we can certainly hope the series will expand to other countries. Maybe we’ll eventually be offered the opportunity to explore North America. Fingers crossed... Let's block ads! (Why?) Source

Royal Enfield’s Interceptor 650 is the perfect example of an all-around motorcycle. Never mind that it’s made in India, this machine has the best qualities of the UJM: reasonable price, sensible riding position, competent engine, and it’s not loaded with accessories that drive up the price. No worries, though—if you want to add some farkles to your new Enfield, Kappa is here to help. Italy-based Kappa just announced a range of accessories to transform your Interceptor into much more capable mile-eater. For starters, there’s a selection of windscreens, which makes an old-school naked bike like the Interceptor much easier to live with for longer mileage trips. In addition, Kappa developed an aft-mounted luggage rack similar to the behind-the-seat racks common on 80s-era UJMs. The rear rack is designed to work with mounting plates for the Monolock top case system, giving you quick-detach convenience. Kappa also offers a set of side racks designed to mount Monokey panniers. You could probably also use them as mounting points for soft throw-over saddlebags, but Kappa recommends against that. Considering the irritation of ill-fitting saddlebags, a set of side racks would be a welcome upgrade for most people considering serious touring. Finally, Kappa released an engine crash bar for the Interceptor. It’s nothing fancy, just a steel hoop, but it will save your engine in a tip-over, and also gives it a very period-authentic look. You could add highway pegs or maybe even auxiliary lights here, but that might be a bit silly-looking. Check out Kappa’s website for more details. As Europe’s moto-industry is just starting to reboot after the coronavirus pandemic, you have to wait a while for some of these accessories, especially if you’re ordering overseas. Let's block ads! (Why?) Source

Do you own a late model Honda Gold Wing? Do you also have an Android-powered smartphone? If so, Honda has some good news for you. If you’ve been jealous since March 2020 of all those Harley owners that now have seamless Android integration, fret no more. The House Soichiro built is bringing Android Auto to all current model Gold Wing motorcycles. As long as your Android phone is using Android 5.0 (also known as Lollipop) or later, you’ll be able to enjoy your music, phone calls, and messaging from the comfort of your ‘Wing’s infotainment system. Honda also specifically mentions that you’re required to utilize a Bluetooth headset with the system when riding. Bluetooth headsets are sold separately, and are not included as part of this update. This news was announced by Honda on May 12, 2020, with planned rollout of the update coming in mid-June, 2020. If you own a Gold Wing and a compatible Android phone, you should contact your Honda dealer of choice to find out more information. Honda does not mention whether this could be another software update that you could potentially install yourself with a USB drive and a few minutes of your time, like its March 2020 navigation update. Hopefully, Honda will issue more detailed information closer to its release. In the meantime, if you have questions or concerns, the best people to ask about this and all your other Gold Wing features are the folks working at your local Honda dealership. Reaching out electronically or via phone will probably get you the most useful information about upgrading your ‘Wing in the timeliest manner. This is just the latest in a series of improvements Honda has made to its latest-model Gold Wing, ever since it brought out the current generation in 2018. For example, the 2020 model features an improved DCT system and fuel injection to make your ride just a little smoother. It’s small but significant updates like these that can add up to a vastly improved rider experience. Source: Honda Let's block ads! (Why?) Source

Two years ago, I took a 300-mile motorcycle road trip from Toronto, Ontario to Cleveland, Ohio. Why Cleveland, you might ask. The cute answer could have been that I wanted to check out the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame and explore Ohio. However, the real answer was that I wanted to see how good a tourer the Kawasaki Ninja 1000 was and I needed a reasonably-distanced destination (ideally that I hadn’t visited yet) to make it happen. Two days and 600 miles later my theory was confirmed: despite its sportbike image, the Ninja 1000 was also a superb sport-tourer. That conclusion surprised most people I discussed it with (mainly non-initiated) who immediately pictured wheelies and burnouts as soon as the name "Ninja" was uttered. I had to work through the whole rice rocket image and break it down for them. They accepted my opinion with varying degrees of skepticism. So, when I stumbled upon SRK Cycles’ video about how the Ninja 1000 and how great a tourer it is, it finally felt like I belonged. Someone finally understood me. To be specific, the bike Sean of SRK Cycles talks about is the 2011 Ninja Z1000SX, back when the model was a dressed-up Z1000 with more affirmed touring tendencies. Though things have evolved over the past nine years, one thing hasn’t changed: the Ninja 1000 still is a great all-around bike. As Sean discusses in the video, the big Ninja checks a lot of boxes in both the sport and the sport-touring segments. It is a sportbike both in behavior and in looks but its ergonomics aren’t as extreme as, say, the ZX-10R. The handlebar is taller which means the weight isn’t all on the hands and the wrists which results in a more comfortable ride. The bike’s gravity center is relatively low which makes it easy to maneuver despite weighing in at 514 pounds (503 pounds for the 2011 version Sean test rides). The one-liter inline-four is an extremely versatile and well-behaved engine. It can be as smooth and gradual or as wild as you want it to be. The throttle is well-tuned for that purpose—it’s not so sensitive that you risk lifting the front wheel every time to twist it by a millimeter but if you need (or want) to punch it, it easily unleashes the engine’s 138 ponies. On the modern model, the light clutch makes the bike easy to ride about town. The adjustable windscreen makes it equally comfortable on the highway. I’m telling you guys, don’t underestimate the Kawasaki Ninja 1000. Behind that crotch-rocket façade hides a well-rounded motorcycle. Let's block ads! (Why?) Source

When it comes to the level of freedom motorcycles give you, the sky's the limit. To some, the prospect of cruising down the open road aboard a cruiser embodies this freedom. While to others, clocking in hot laps on a high performance sportbike on the track gives them a dose of freedom unlike anything else. The thrills of motorcycling undeniably come in many ways, shapes, and forms, but one particular trend that we’ve stumbled across is pretty interesting. Traveling across the country in a camper isn’t exactly a rare thing. In fact you’re bound to come across a camper or RV parked in a mall parking lot, or cruising the open road almost any day. How would you fancy a motorcycle sidecar camper, though? Yup, you read that right. Some ingenious motorcycle enthusiasts have managed to create mini campers for their bikes. As far as safety is concerned, I’m not too sure any of these things will be meeting any international standards. Nonetheless, they’re pretty cool to look at, make for pretty cool customs, and just go to show the lengths at which people can stretch their imaginations to achieve most anything on motorcycles. Here are a few of the coolest ones we’ve seen. Let's block ads! (Why?) Source

What do you do when you’re confined to your garage during a lockdown caused by a global pandemic? When you’re Italian custom bike builder Lorenzo Frugaroli, you get creative and build a custom motorcycle, of course. While you’re at it, you might as well draw inspiration from the situation and dedicate this special build to your people as a testament to its resilience. That’s exactly what Frugaroli did with his “Italian Resilience” project, built from a stripped down 1993 Yamaha GTS 1000. Now, if there’s one Yamaha you should remember, it’s this one. The GTS was a short-lived sport-tourer that featured a quirky front swingarm instead of a fork. Whether you think it’s really cool or just plain weird—either way, you likely have an opinion about it. The builder beefed up the front suspension by swapping the original shock with a spring grafted from a Yamaha YZF-R6. At the back, the dual-sided swingarm was replaced altogether by a single-sided unit borrowed from a Honda VFR, teamed with a Buell Cyclone Showa shock. Not even the wheels are original: Frugaroli combined the spokes of a Honda NSR with the rims of a VFR to create an entirely new—and very custom—set of wheels. The GTS’s 1000cc inline-four remained untouched but the electronic fuel injection (EFI) was replaced by a rack of carburetors taken from a 1987 Yahama FZR 1000—a logical pairing considering the GTS used a modified version of the FZR’s engine. With the now bulkier engine, the designer had to figure out a way to accommodate the carbs so he chose to remove the fuel tank which he replaced by a purely aesthetic fairing component. He added a small plexiglass window on the righthand side, offering a peek at two of the carburetors. A new tank was integrated into the custom tail unit. The GTS’s fairing was removed, exposing the bike’s quirky suspension setup, and a coat of bright red paint highlights the original model’s c-shaped frame. A Piaggio Beverly light pod boxed in a custom shell replaced the original unit. Now that the bike is completed, Frugaroli plans to enter it in the AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building set to take place in October 2020—assuming it won’t be postponed or cancelled like most other events on the 2020 calendar. You can check out all the pictures on Inazuma Café. Source: Motociclismo Let's block ads! (Why?) Source

The Ninja 1000's new electronics suite is pretty impressive. A fancy-schmancy Bosch inertial measurement unit (IMU) measures inertia along five axes and feeds that data to a trio of high-tech Kawasaki systems—the Kawasaki Traction Control System (KTRC), the Kawasaki Intelligent Anti-Lock Brake System (KIBS), and the Kawasaki Cornering Management Function (KCMF). The KTRC uses IMU data to provide three riding modes—Sport, Road, and Rain—that adapt timing, throttle response, fuel/air mixture, and various other elements to current riding positions. A fourth "Power Mode" setting allows a rider to dial in their own custom settings to match both current riding conditions and their own personal riding style. The KIBS is the same base unit off the Ninja H2 and ZX-10R with modified programming to better match the Ninja 1000's performance. The system works by having the engine ECU talk to the ABS ECU (that's a lot of acronyms, sorry about that), a unit that monitors wheel speed and front caliper hydraulic pressure. Combined with a clutch system that suppresses ABS during downshifts and an internal system that Kawasaki claims provides a more consistent lever feel than traditional, non-Kawasaki ABS systems, KIBS gives the Ninja 1000 some serious whoa to go with its go. Kawasaki's Corner Management Function is a kind of master system, an overseer that controls both the KTRC (traction control) and KIBS (pitching and corner braking control). Touted as a "total engine and chassis management package", KCMF takes data from the other two systems and uses it to keep a rider's line straight and true through even the tightest corners. Riders control all this techno-wizardry through the Ninja's new instrument panel and handlebar control binnacles. The IP is a big, bright, TFT display that provides all the info a rider needs in an easy-to-read package. Riders can choose between white and black backgrounds and the IP can be set to display only the basics—speed, revs, water temp, range, etc.—or to display every bit of data the bike can generate. That latter setting is more for hardcore nerds racers and track days than for regular mortals. To top it all off, the bike is Bluetooth enabled and can be communicated with and controlled by Kawasaki's proprietary Rideology App. With Rideology, riders can do everything from check their fuel level and service interval to select riding modes. Similar to apps by other companies, Rideology provides yet another level of control and connectivity to the Ninja 1000's rider. Let's block ads! (Why?)

Did you ever wish you could just rent a Honda motorcycle to try it out? If you’re in Japan, you may be in luck, because Honda introduced its HondaGO motorcycle rental scheme at designated Honda dealers across the country. What can you rent? What can’t you rent is the better question. From Super Cubs up to CBR1000RR-R Fireblades, your choice of the current Honda motorbike lineup in Japan seems to be available. Prices will clearly vary, but the scheme is pretty simple. Renting a small-displacement bike for a short period of time costs less than renting a premium bike for a long journey of several days and nights. The HondaGO rental program is pretty well-thought-out, and seems built to inspire confidence in even new riders. Minors can’t rent bikes, but new riders can. Insurance and 24/7 roadside assistance using a special HondaGO hotline is included. You can also rent any motorcycle gear that you might not already have, including helmets, jackets, pants, boots, and gloves for an additional charge. All in all, it seems to work in a pretty reasonable way. If your bike breaks down, or you have a crash, you need to notify the proper authorities and also call the Honda 24-hour hotline to report what happened. If you don’t do this, you’ll be liable for any charges related to whatever happened to the bike and/or you and your passenger. Also, HondaGO asks that you fill up the fuel tank before returning it, which just seems like a good rule of thumb in general. The prices are quite reasonable, especially considering that they include insurance. If you want to take a 50cc bike out for less than two hours, it’ll cost you just ¥ 1,500, or just under US $14. HondaGO’s Premium class includes Gold Wings, CRF1100 Africa Twins, and CBR1000RR-Rs, and those come with premium prices. A Premium bike costs ¥ 16,000 for a sub-two-hour rental, or just under US $148. If you want to take a HondaGO bike for a longer trip, there’s the LongGOGO plan that covers journeys over 55 hours in length. Prices for that service range from ¥ 8,500 (or US $78.50) for a 50cc bike, up to ¥ 51,000 (or US $471) for a premium bike. It’s unclear whether track use is mentioned somewhere in the fine print, but Honda seems to have considered most other contingencies, so it’s probably in there somewhere. Sources: YouTube, Honda, HondaGO Let's block ads! (Why?)

BMW of North America issued a recall for a potential pivot pin problem and for a non-conforming brake fluid reservoir cover. Here are all the details of these two recalls. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published two recalls issued by BMW for issues potential present on U.S.-bound models. The first recall (20V165000) is for a possibly faulty pivot pin and affects four vehicles. The models involved are the following: According to the defect notice, it is possible that the pivot pin connecting the final drive to the swing arm wasn’t produced in compliance with the manufacturer’s specifications. The vehicles presenting the faulty pin have potentially been sent to the re-work station where the pin has been torqued a second time, an action that could have damaged it. Should the pin be damaged, it could cause the connection between the drive and the swingarm to loosen up and to affect the vehicle’s stability. The second recall (20V166000) is for an optional, color-specific brake fluid reservoir cover that doesn’t meet the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). According to the defect notice, “If the text on the brake fluid reservoir cover was confusing or misunderstood, it could lead to an improper maintenance procedure.” BMW estimates that 365 motorcycles are affected. These are the models involved in this recall: 2019-2020 BMW R 1250 GS 2019-2020 BMW R 1250 GS Adventure 2020 BMW R 1250 R 2020 BMW R 1250 RS 2019-2020 BMW R 1250 RT 2018-2020 BMW R nineT Scrambler 2018-2020 BMW R nineT 2019-2020 BMW R nineT Pure 2018 BMW R nineT Racer Both recalls will start on May 11, 2020, and owners will be invited to visit their BMW dealership to get these issues taken care of (the manufacturer doesn’t go into details about what the remedy for either problem is). Should they have any questions or concerns, owners are invited to contact the BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 to have their VIN verified. The NHTSA also offers a hot line service that can be reached at 1-888-327-4236. Source: NHTSA Let's block ads! (Why?)