Nov/Dec '06 - RoadRUNNER

RoadRUNNER

Nov/Dec '06

November/December 2006

Brazil: From the Amazon Basin to Rio

Nov/Dec '06 Premium Content

Brazil: From the Amazon Basin to Rio

With the crossing by canoe of the rocky waters of the Mamoré River, we leave the tropical north of Bolivia and resume our two-wheel journey, heading north into a new and fascinating world called Brazil. A five-hour ride on intensely hot pavement takes us through lush fields to the town

Italy: Two By Two Through Tuscany

Nov/Dec '06 Premium Content

Italy: Two By Two Through Tuscany

"The traffic rules in Italy aren't so much rules as suggestions," our tour guide says at our pre-ride briefing. "You can pass cars anywhere, just do so safely. Drivers here don't care; in fact, they expect it of you." Despite my lingering haziness, brought on by a sleepless overnight flight,

New York Scooter Tour

Nov/Dec '06 Premium Content

New York Scooter Tour

Stand on a New York City subway platform in the summer and you'll know how Dante felt at the gates of Hell. Down there, beneath the melting tarmac, the air is so thick with heat it can be cut with a plastic knife. The subway cars are air-conditioned, but the

Classic Roads: Highway 191 - Utah

Nov/Dec '06 Premium Content

Classic Roads: Highway 191 - Utah

As the remaining miles of Arizona's claim to Highway 191 dwindle to single digits, we look back on all we've seen. From its cool, high-mountain passes to sweltering, wind-blasted deserts, the Copper State has presented some of the most imposing scenery we've ever encountered in all our travels. A little

Pennsylvania's Great Lakes Region

Nov/Dec '06 Premium Content

Pennsylvania's Great Lakes Region

Pennsylvania's historic Oil Heritage Region and its border on lovely Lake Erie beckon us northward from central Ohio for a three-day motorcycle tour. Running late, we fly up Interstate 71 toward Cleveland, then head northeast on I-90 toward the city of Erie, Pennsylvania, and I'm wondering whether the price of

Shamrock Tour® - Lexington, Virginia

Nov/Dec '06 Premium Content

Shamrock Tour® - Lexington, Virginia

According to the road signs, we're closing in on Natural Bridge, Virginia. Normally, it's a good thing to be nearing the night's comfort zone, especially after nine hours of riding on a hot summer day. But this evening is different. Kathy and I are at one with the nimble Honda

Northeast California

Nov/Dec '06 Premium Content

Northeast California

It's 6:00 a.m. when I awaken in my room at the River Inn in Redding, California, the sun streaking through a gap in the drapes. It's early summer and the city is sleeping off the pyrotechnic display and festivities of last night's Fourth of July celebration. But I

Special Victims Unit

Special Victims Unit

> I can still remember opening my copy of Motor Cycle News and seeing BSA's announcement of their motorcycle range for 1966. I was fifteen, motorcycle crazy and a big fan of motocross, which was then called 'scrambles.' Jeff Smith had just won his second successive world championship on the

BMW K1200GT and BMW R1200GS

BMW K1200GT and BMW R1200GS

> As I sweep through the delicious medley of flowing curves that climb to Fairfield Ski Resort just outside Flagstaff, Arizona, I run through my mental checklist. Power delivery: smooth; brakes: smooth with a nice bite; gearshift: crisp, yet smooth; clutch: light and smooth…damn it - my critique of BMW's

Honda 599 - Long-term Evaluation

Honda 599 - Long-term Evaluation

> When you're caught up in this whole motorcycle touring business, it's really easy to get spoiled. After all, only a fortunate few are given the first crack at riding the latest models of such fine purpose-built mounts as the Gold Wing, Ultra Classic, Concourse, and Vulcan Nomad to name but

Yamaha FJR1300A/AE

Yamaha FJR1300A/AE

> That is the question facing potential buyers interested in the 2006 edition of Yamaha's exceedingly popular FJR1300. Laurel-resting certainly wasn't on the year's agenda over at Big Blue. And topping the list of cool refinements on the sport-touring world's top dog is the novel option of escaping the clutches of