David Burbach

Columns

A Motorcycle Reunion: Reviving a '75 Honda CB750F

When I was in college, say around 2006, my brother called me up and asked, “Do you want to buy a running motorcycle for $400?” Though I never had the chance to ride dirt bikes growing up, and I’d never ridden a motorcycle before, there was no hesitation as

Buyers Guide

The Best Motorcycle Tire Pumps

Keeping the Rubber Side Round They are one of the few pieces of motorcycle gear that you’d be happy never to use, but if you do find yourself needing a tire pump [http://imp.i104546.net/XPM24] one day, you’ll be beyond happy you made the investment. Flat

Nov/Dec '16 Premium Content

Lexington, Kentucky Shamrock Tour®: Four Roads Through Horse Country

Cool, moist air seeps from the acres of perfectly manicured greenery as the sun tiptoes closer to the horizon. The sky is already a clear blue and a few mists still linger in the hollow places of the hills. Kentucky waits with open arms. Chasing Daniel Boone The rising sun

Jul/Aug '16 Premium Content

Florida, Alabama, Mississippi: Shadowing the Gulf

America’s Gulf Coast is lined with miles of pristine, white sandy beaches lapped by the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico’s shallow continental shelf. The persistently warm weather and beautiful beaches attract tourists in droves, but we haven’t come for a tan. A Tale of Two

May/Jun '16

Review: 2015 Triumph Trophy

> All it takes is a quick glance at the Triumph Trophy to know who and what its designers were targeting when they built it. If you squint a little, the bike is hard to distinguish from its rival, the BMW R 1200 RT. Yet, the Trophy is its own

May/Jun '16 Premium Content

North Carolina: A Triple Dose of the Coast

When most motorcyclists think about North Carolina, their minds instantly turn to the misty peaks of the Great Smoky Mountains, the undulating twists of the Tail of the Dragon, or the sweeping beauty of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Understandably so. But while the roads in the western part of the

Mar/Apr '16 Premium Content

Northern California: Golden State Warriors

Northern California is a land of superlatives. There seems to be more of the “biggest,” “tallest,” and “most” here than any one state has a right to. Of particular interest to motorcyclists are NorCal’s roads, which more than warrant a bit of hyperbole. These supremely twisty and technical thoroughfares

Jan/Feb '16

2016 Harley-Davidson Lineup: The S Series, New Sportsters, and the Road Glide Ultra is Back

> The S Series, New Sportsters, and The Road Glide Ultra is Back! Unlike most other OEMs, Harley-Davidson likes to unveil an entire model year’s worth of bikes all at once, instead of one at a time. For 2016 that means a dizzying array of mechanical upgrades, new

Sep/Oct '15 Premium Content

Folkston, Georgia Shamrock Tour®: Sand in the Swamp

Stretching across the Florida-Georgia border lies an impenetrable wall of stoic old oaks draped with Spanish moss and rooted in the dark, murky waters of the Okefenokee Swamp. With rumors of unexplained and supernatural phenomena, the swamp is full of secrets to be discovered. Sand Belongs on the Beach

Jul/Aug '15

Review: 2015 Yamaha YZF-R3

> Major manufacturers build motorcycles for one reason—to sell them. Lots of market research goes into determining a manufacturer’s product portfolio, and Yamaha recognized their lineup had a hole in it. The sub-500cc motorcycle class has been growing of late. Prior to the introduction of the all-

Jul/Aug '15

City Escape: Jacksonville, Florida

> The low-lying coastal region surrounding Florida’s largest city isn’t home to lots of curves that many motorcyclists crave. However, what a rider will find along this day ride from the city are lovely little seaside towns, southern swamps, and quiet rural communities to give one a

Jul/Aug '15 Premium Content

Wisconsin: A Finger in the Lake

On the northern tip of the Door County peninsula, the waters of Green Bay meet those of Lake Michigan creating a particularly dangerous stretch of water known to the region’s first French explorers as Porte des Morts Passage or the “Way to the Door of the Dead” (aka Death’

May/Jun '15 Premium Content

North Carolina: Boone Town Mountain Loop

Back in RoadRUNNER’s August 2014 issue we introduced our Budget Touring Project Bike. The goal was to prove how affordable motorcycle touring can be by purchasing the cheapest road worthy motorcycle we could find and take it on tour. We bought a 1984 Honda Shadow 700 for $ 1,000

Mar/Apr '15 Premium Content

Ontario, Canada: Riding Explorers' Edge

It’s early afternoon, and the sky is overcast with intermittent drizzle filling the air. I’m in the little town of Severn Bridge, ON, about 60 miles north of Toronto preparing to “Ride the Edge.” Up here, the locals still don’t think they’re that far north, citing

Jan/Feb '15

City Escape: Charlotte, North Carolina

> Leaving the hustle and bustle of the Queen City, it doesn’t take long to find curvy, scenic mountain roads that will delight any motorcyclist. There are several interesting stops along the way, but this loop is all about the ride. The area’s moderate climate makes this route

Sep/Oct '14

Review: 2014 Indian Chieftain

When it comes to touring on the Chieftain, let’s get the worst out of the way immediately. It needs more range. Though my observed fuel economy was a respectable 39mpg, I found myself stopping for gas every 150 miles or so at best. I think this is primarily the

Sep/Oct '14

Review: 2014 Triumph Thunderbird LT

For a British bike, the Thunderbird LT looks awfully American. Not that that’s a bad thing; it’s beautiful with its two-tone paint, whitewall tires, and abundance of chrome. Unlike the Thunderbird Storm and Commander, the LT ditches the twin headlight setup that’s a dead giveaway for

Sep/Oct '14 Premium Content

Tallahassee, Florida Shamrock Tour®: Prospecting in the Panhandle

Reportedly searching for the Fountain of Youth, Juan Ponce de León landed on North America’s most prominent peninsula in 1513. He named it La Florida, or the flowery land, as he arrived around Easter. Roughly 500 years later, we’re not here to look for any magical waters; we’

May/Jun '14

Review: 2014 Suzuki V-Strom 1000 ABS

> Let’s get this over with. No, the new V-Strom is not a BMW GS clone. Yes, it has a beak, but it could be argued that BMW copied said beak from Suzuki’s 1988 DR-BIG and DR-Z. Who copied whom aside; Suzuki does have a

Jan/Feb '14 Premium Content

Salem, Oregon Shamrock Tour®: Over the River and Through the Woods

Dense stands of old-growth conifers line ribbons of smooth asphalt that climb from the crashing waves and rolling fog of the Pacific Ocean to the desolate lava fields and craggy peaks of the Cascade Range. Despite 30-degree temperature swings, the weather is perfect. Welcome to Oregon. Early on

Nov/Dec '13

2014 Kymco MYROAD 700i: The New King of the (Scooter) Hill

> Lately, there seems to be a displacement war going on in the most unlikely of motoring segments: scooters. There are now at least five companies in the U.S. selling scooters with displacements of 500cc and up, but there can be only one displacement king. And here it is—

Nov/Dec '13 Premium Content

Huntsville, Alabama Shamrock Tour®: Rocket City Road Trip

The Deep South is a region of rich history, agriculture, and charm. But there’s more here than you may know. One southern city has been reaching into the solar system for more than a half century. As motorcyclists go, we’re a bit of an odd couple. My good

Jul/Aug '13

2013 Kymco Xciting 500i ABS: Scooting Redefined

> Most scooters are designed with one task in mind—urban commuting, and it is a role that suits them well. There are, however, some scoots that are capable of much more, even some for whom words like “highway” or “tour” aren’t so dirty. One of these is the

Jul/Aug '13

City Escape: Atlanta

> A scenic jaunt through the southern Appalachians and rural northern Georgia, this route contains an abundance of natural beauty. The best times to go are April to June and September to November. Length Approximately 226 miles Meet-up Spot Starbucks, 12330 Crabapple Rd, Alpharetta, GA. Lunch Stop Hofer’s