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,

Speed The Wheel

Motorcycle Smells

Of the five primary senses, smell enjoys a privileged connection with the brain, capable of drawing up memories with unnerving clarity. Marcel Proust, the esteemed French stream-of-consciousness writer, once commented that it was “by taste and smell alone” that the memories of his childhood came rushing back. His novel, In

Shop Talk Premium Content

How Much CAN Can a CAN Bus CAN?

It seems everything has become increasingly computerized in the past decade or so. We have everything from network-connected refrigerators to pet feeders you can monitor from across the globe and cars that drive themselves (until they don’t). Naturally, our motorcycles have followed suit. Gone are the days of cleaning

Tips

How to Create and Edit GPX Files with GPX.Studio

These days, most motorcycle touring riders use GPS routes and tracks to navigate on motorcycle tours. Whether you use your phone or a dedicated navigator, the routes typically come as GPX files. Finding pre-made GPX tracks can be easy. RoadRUNNER, for example, offers print subscribers GPS files back to the

Letter from the Editor Premium Content

Technology Ebbs and Flows—A Letter From Florian

Not that many years ago, every time I ventured out on a motorcycle tour for the magazine, I brought along a dizzying array of tech. Most importantly (at the time), my Garmin had the planned route, and if something came up along the way, it didn’t take me long

News

KTM Offers Warranty Extensions to All Street Bike Models

KTM is contacting you about your motorcycle’s extended warranty. More precisely, your 2024 street bike’s warranty period can almost double if you get it serviced. The Austrian moto manufacturer has announced that it’s extending the warranty periods of certain 2024 KTM street motorcycles equipped with the LC8

News

2024 Harley-Davidson Lineup: Glides and CVOs

Harley-Davidson has produced enough classic motorcycles that it could probably never again introduce anything new and still be perfectly fine. Yet, the Motor Company isn’t resting on its laurels and has announced some significant updates. The 2024 Harley-Davidson Street Glide and Road Glide models have received a fairly comprehensive

Speed The Wheel Premium Content

Speed the Wheel: A Father, a Son, and a Motorcycle

The object of my adolescent desires and unflinching obsession was the Honda Trail 70. A photo collage of the bike adorned the wall above my bed. But how were I to acquire the funds needed to purchase said motorcycle at the age of 12? My father solved that puzzle by

News

Royal Enfield Shotgun 650—First Look

Custom motorcycles—some riders like them, some dislike them, and some would like to like them but getting started with one can be daunting. Royal Enfield’s machines have always been fertile ground for customizations, thanks to their intentionally simple design. Now, the company is making it even easier to

Tips

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough

We’ve all (hopefully) been there, out on a mountain ride and feeling absolutely gobsmacked by the scenery. So, you stop and snap a photo, hoping to capture the power and grandeur of the mountains. But when you look at your picture the mountains look tiny (like hills at a

Events

First VA All Female Ride Takes to Hampton Roads in July

Virginia is calling every motorcycle-riding woman this summer. The first Virginia All Female Ride will see crowds of lady motorcyclists take to the streets of the Hampton Roads area from Portsmouth, VA, on July 19-21. This female-centric riding event is open to all women riders, no matter when you started

Columns

A Life of Design: Heinrich Full Interview

Edgar Heinrich worked at the BMW Motorrad Design Studio, apart from a short interruption, since 1987. At the end of 2023, he decided it was time to retire from his leading position and handed the design department’s reins over to Alexander Buckan. Without any conspicuous image cultivation, at his

Shop Talk

Keep Your Bolts Bolted

It’s truly a marvel that the clockwork cacophony of motorcycle parts—all designed, manufactured, and arranged so precisely—hold together and continue to function for thousands and thousands of miles. However, something as simple as one bolt coming loose can absolutely wreck your engine or other critical system on