Shop Talk

Don't Overlook Basic Motorcycle Maintenance

Unfortunately, you can’t just hop on your bike and ride without performing proper maintenance and checks. If you do, you shouldn’t. Pilots check their aircraft before takeoff to mitigate any chance of an unscheduled landing. Motorcycle pilots should be no less diligent. A catastrophic failure on a motorcycle

News

Moto Guzzi’s Northeast Demo Tour in Full Swing

Some motorcyclists may have already visited the iconic Italian motorcycle marque Moto Guzzi on its Northeast Demo Tour. If not, you still have several chances to go try the company's latest and greatest machines. The 2024 Moto Guzzi Northeast Demo Tour aims to bring the brand to the

The Iron Boys Premium Content

Iron Boys Part 3: Meeting the Guys

Most people can recall a time when they could just kick themselves for being so dull or self-absorbed. I have four of them and they all involve famous racers. The first was when I was 21 and living in Georgia. It began with my brother’s 1956 Harley-Davidson Panhead chopper.

News

Preview: 2024 Special Collectors Issue

The 2024 RoadRUNNER Special Collector's Issue is now available to PRE-ORDER. This issue highlights eight completely new motorcycle tour stories, alongside trip planning information and stunning photos. This collection of articles takes you from the (surprisingly snowy) desert canyons of Arizona to Jolly Old England. Follow our moto

Tips

Mitigation Strategies When Riding in Extreme Heat

Extreme heat is when temperatures and/or humidity levels are noticeably above historical averages. In 2001 some 300 deaths were, reportedly, caused by excessive heat exposure. As we roll into the middle of summer, thermometers already have reached record highs in many parts of the country. Heat Related Health Risks

The Iron Boys Premium Content

Iron Boys Part 2: Minibikes and Shoeburners

The greatest movie of all time, On Any Sunday, is about those blonde-haired, blue-eyed, godless boys of sunny Southern California. Now, just hear me out. It’s not that we didn’t like the movie, up there in the black culm hills of northeastern Pennsylvania. We loved it, we idolized

The Iron Boys Premium Content

Iron Boys Part 1: The Iron Boys of Northeast Pennsylvania

These cobalt blue skies of September, so typical of Colorado, are much rarer an occurrence in the northeast of Pennsylvania between Scranton and Carbondale. Still, they transport me back to the days of riding motocross bikes with the iron boys. We, that piloted them, were the grandsons of Ellis Island

News

Royal Enfield Launches Rentals and Tours Operation

Royal Enfield is looking to offer riders an easier and more convenient way to get on tours—naturally on Royal Enfield motorcycles. To this end, the company has launched Royal Enfield Rental and Tours, an international program providing motorcycles and travel options in various locations. At launch, the Rentals and

Columns Premium Content

Interview: Markus Flasch, Head of BMW Motorrad

Markus Flasch, born in 1981, took over as the head of BMW Motorrad on November 1, 2023. He succeeded Markus Schramm, who had been in charge of the company since 2018. After studying automotive engineering, this Austrian manager’s career got off to a flying start at engineering service provider

News

Mosko Moto's Bates Mototel Opens for the Season with BDR Parking

The prime summer riding season is here, which means the Bates Mototel is now open to motorcyclists. If you’re heading out to Washington state this summer, this campground makes for a great home base for exploring the northwest. The Bates Mototel, operated by motorcycle luggage manufacturer Mosko Moto, is

Navigation

Navigating Off-Road with Digital Topo Maps

Barry is an expert yacht builder and adventure motorcyclist from Maine. Although we share many similarities and a passion for riding, in many ways he is my alter ego. I’m always trying to be on the cutting edge of digital technology, surrounded by e-stuff as I design and develop

Shop Talk

Riding Gear Care

So many of us spend time and money cleaning and maintaining our motorcycles. But what about the protective armor that keeps you safe while astride your steel steed? Your riding gear is something you hope you never need. It’s easy to ignore gear maintenance, especially if you’ve never

News

Vanson Leathers Celebrates 50 Years of Jackets

The year 1974 was a good one for American motorcyclists. That year, Vanson Leathers opened its doors. Since then, Vanson’s name has become synonymous with high-quality leather motorcycle jackets, not to mention its racing suits and other apparel. This year marks the company’s 50th birthday, and Vanson is

Columns

The Meaning Of It All

The following is a transcription of a handwritten letter that arrived at the RoadRUNNER office in early March. The letter caught us off-guard with its directness and honesty, and while our original plan was to only respond to the writer, we thought you might also want to hear his story.

Letter from the Editor Premium Content

Community—A Letter from Florian

Riding a motorcycle represents the ultimate freedom, yet most of us crave human interaction. The lone wolf heading into the sunset far from civilization doesn’t tell an accurate story. Sure, many of us prefer to ride alone, but as soon as the lone wolf stops, the human connections are

Tips

Two-Up Touring

Part of the enjoyment of motorcycle travel is sharing the experience with others, particularly doing so with non-riding passengers  who are experiencing the exhilaration of motorcycling for the first time. Whether it’s a trip around the block or a journey cross-country, it’s important for a rider to properly

Columns

Fantastic Plastic

Acerbis, a motorcycle components manufacturer and pioneer in plastic fuel tanks, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary with an entry in the Guinness World Records. The company’s founder Franco Acerbis took me on a journey through time during this interview. Ever heard of a motorcycle with a 28-gallon fuel tank?

Columns Premium Content

Motorcycles and 3D Printing: What to 3D Print For Your Bike

Modern 3D printing technology is opening new doors not just for motorcycle manufacturers, but also for riders. As I detailed in the Dec ‘22 issue, these once-futuristic machines have become so accessible and affordable that practically anybody can buy one. A 3D printer can turn your garage into a mini

WEB Exclusive Premium Content

BMW ASA Transmission—A Smooth operator

BMW is gearing up to launch  the Automated Shift Assistant (ASA) automatic transmission for the GS motorcycle family in the second half of 2024. In an ASA-equipped GS bike, the foot shift lever is still present, but the clutch lever is missing. This technology has already been incorporated into the

News

Industry Spotlight: Taco Moto

Taco Moto is a well-known motorcycle parts and accessories vendor, located in North Las Vegas, NV. On a quest for the ultimate adventure ride, my partner Jason and I turned to them for the bike setup, entrusting our 500 EXC-Fs to their expertise. Beyond modifying these torquey machines with enough

Events

COG Celebrates Its 35th Anniversary with 2024 National Rally

If you’re a fan of the Kawasaki Concours/GTR motorcycles, you’re surely aware of the Concours Owners Group (COG). This volunteer organization has been serving the interests of Concours fans worldwide for quite a while—three and a half decades, in fact. This year marks COG’s 35th

Shop Talk

New vs. Used Motorcycles

There are a ton of things to consider when buying a motorcycle. The list is long and you have to ask yourself all kinds of questions. What sort of riding do you want to do?  What size engine do you need? What seat height is too tall? What’s your

Letter from the Editor Premium Content

I Remember My First Road Trip—A Letter From Marisa

I've been riding motorcycles since I was a young child. That said, it wasn't until college that I started traveling on one. In the first few months of being out on my own, I made several weekend moto camping trips with friends, but nothing too far

News

REV’IT! Opens First Physical Store in Denver, CO

REV’IT! is a popular motorcycle gear store, but so American motorcyclists have only been able to buy its products online. Now things have changed and riders can shop at REV’IT! physically at the company’s first U.S. store. The first REV’IT! retail location opened its doors

Columns

Moto Morini: Up from the Ashes

The year was 1914. Italian teenager Alfonso Morini had just opened his motorcycle repair shop when World War I broke out and the youth was whisked off to serve in Italy’s 8th Motorcycles unit in Padua. After the war, Morini got back to his passion job and, in 1925,