Motorcycle Reviews

Sep/Oct '22

Review: 2022 Energica Experia

I’m riding through one of the world’s most famous playgrounds for motorcyclists and outdoor enthusiasts alike. As I zoom past hundreds of fellow riders, their jaws drop. My bike silently whizzes by them. I’m part of a small group of journalists riding Energica Experia—the world’s

Sep/Oct '22

Review: 2022 Triumph Tiger Sport 660

Adventure style motorcycles tend to be more comfortable and versatile than most other machines. That’s part of the reason their popularity has skyrocketed in the last decade. We saw manufacturers enter a race for the biggest and baddest ADV on the market, but riders didn’t follow that logic

Sep/Oct '22

Review: 2022 Indian Pursuit Limited

The first thing I noticed upon straddling the 2022 Indian Pursuit Limited was that it’s built with size in mind. Endeavoring For Touring SupremacyWith my derriere against the back of the seat, my arms were at full lock, gripping a handlebar that’s among the widest I’ve ever

Motorcycle Review

Review: 2021 Honda Trail 125 ABS

The 2021 Honda Trail 125 ABS is a ridiculous motorcycle. Its 125cc thumper motor is underpowered and slow. Its centrifugal clutch is clunky. It’s only got four speeds. Its suspension is crude: I have kitchen stools with thicker legs than the forks and rear swingarm on the Trail. Did

Motorcycle Review

Review: 2022 Yamaha XSR900

The first small turn of the throttle as the XSR900 warmed up served as an enticing preview of what the new Yamaha had in store beneath its retro-styled aesthetics. The high-performance CP3 cross-plane triple-cylinder configuration of its engine possesses an enthralling sound and a quick-revving demeanor. Once underway, the bike’

Jul/Aug '22

Review: 2022 Triumph Trident 660

Even in pleasant southern California, some of the best roads close for the winter. That’s because they’re foolish, whimsical ribbons that we would never build today. More than 80 years after the invention of the American superhighway, our mountain roads make no sense. They connect small tourist villages

Motorcycle Review

Review: 2022 Aprilia Tuareg 660

For many years after the retirement of Aprilia’s ETV 1200 Caponord, the Italian company lacked an adventure touring bike in its line-up. Finally, we got the Aprilia Tuareg 660 which we tested in Sardinia. The Italians have chosen to name the bike after their legendary Tuareg 250 Rally bike

Jul/Aug '22

Review: 2022 Suzuki GSX-S1000GT+

There’s a transformation unfolding in motorcycling. It’s driven by those who have enjoyed a history with sport bikes, but are now expanding their focus—riders accustomed to the high performance achieved in the past few decades seeking a more versatile package. This new niche is reflected in Suzuki’

May/Jun '22

Review: 2022 LiveWire ONE

LiveWire, the one-time harbinger of Harley-Davidson’s electrified future, was relaunched last year as a standalone original equipment manufacturer (OEM) with the titular name of ONE gracing its only model offering. The financial repercussion of this seismic rebranding was an MSRP decrease of $7,800 from $29,799 to $21,

Motorcycle Review

Review: Oset 24.0 Racing

Los Angeles was already a little rough around the edges; it didn’t need a years-long pandemic. But despite ourselves, the lockdown looked good on us. We were more polite and patient, even when the streets weren’t so pretty. Delivery drivers stripped their latex gloves into gutters, and paper

May/Jun '22

Review: 2022 Zero SR

Imagine you’re ready to upgrade your motorcycle to make it go faster or farther. Thoughts immediately go to aftermarket parts, or maybe just replacing it with the latest wunderbike. Now imagine simply picking up your phone, opening your motorcycle-specific app, and giving it a couple of swipes. You pay

Motorcycle Review

​​Comparison: 2021 Indian Chieftain Elite vs. 2022 BMW R 18 B

Baggers are big business. New bikes are coming from some interesting quarters in the industry, including the typically cruiser-averse BMW with the new R 18 B. Indian, conversely, has been making touring motorcycles practically since the dawn of time—and certainly since they were restarted by Polaris back in 2011.

Mar/Apr '22

Review: 2021 Can-Am Spyder RT & RT Limited

In case you’ve not seen one in the wild, the Can-Am Spyder RT is a three-wheeled machine biased toward touring and travel with enough storage for two—especially on the RT Limited. In a nutshell, both of them are capable and very comfortable touring machines.The 2021 Spyder RTs

Mar/Apr '22

Review: 2022 Husqvarna Norden 901

Another highly anticipated adventure bike is on showroom floors for 2022, this time from Husqvarna. It was only a matter of time before Husky joined the quest for adventure, and they came out swinging with the introduction of the 2022 Norden 901.Sweden is the original home of Husqvarna and

Mar/Apr '22

Review: 2022 Ducati Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak

The sun was dropping fast and taking the temperature with it, but we were at the bottom of Hwy 243, one of the best stretches of twisty pavement southern California has to offer. And just because none of the other journalists (except the Canadian, of course) bothered bringing heated gear,

May/Jun '21

Review: 2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport

Excellent motorcycles abound in this era, where even the mediocre ones are pretty dang good. This general moto competence puts a greater focus on the value equation, which is where this latest Tiger—a compelling European bike—really purrs.The Tiger 850 Sport has an odd name. Neither its engine

Jan/Feb '22

Review: 2021 Yamaha Tracer 9 GT

Hwy 2 connects what Los Angeles used to be with what it is today, cutting a confused line through dozens of disparate neighborhoods as it climbs from the Santa Monica coast to the high desert, past seven-figure homes and the glowing edges of the Sunset Strip. On the way, it

Jan/Feb '22

Review: 2022 Kawasaki KLR650 Adventure

Allowing for a couple of model year omissions, the Kawasaki KLR650 has been in constant production for a total of 35 years. Not many motorcycle models can claim that kind of longevity. It has remained desirable for its ability to be both freeway-capable and dirt-worthy, while being affordably priced.By

Jul/Aug '21

Review: 2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special

After riding the new Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250, we’re going to have to reprogram our expectations for vehicles from the Motor Company. This impressive new machine shares absolutely nothing with H-D’s existing products and vaults firmly into the hotly contested adventure market.To put this intriguing bike to

Nov/Dec '21

Comparison: Yamaha Ténéré 700 vs KTM 990 Adventure

There are varying approaches to designing a motorcycle, and naturally, there are people that prefer each approach. Some prefer sport bikes, while others prefer cruisers, but regardless of the flavor, it’s becoming common to see motorcycles equipped with more and more technology. Many are equipped with a slew of

Nov/Dec '21

Review: 2022 BMW R 18 B and R 18 Transcontinental

BMW made a bold gambit in 2020 when it introduced the R 18—a retro machine that embraced the brand’s illustrious heritage. The bike cradles a daring incarnation of the legendary Boxer engine (boring it out to an incredible 1800cc) with a design mandate unabashedly targeting the American landscape.

Sep/Oct '21

Review: 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa

When the original Suzuki Hayabusa was introduced in 1999, it was the fastest kid on the block and wasn’t shy about it—remember those “Ultimate Predator” ads? But times have changed and we now have touring bikes making more than 150 hp, 1,000cc sportbikes pushing 200 hp, the

Sep/Oct '21

Review: 2020 Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE

Leaning over, throttling down, I sling the bike under me, light up the rear wheel, and carry a drift through the grass. When it bites, I’m full throttle. My cheeks are surged back as I rip through my half-acre backyard toward the end of the property line. I give

Jul/Aug '21

Review: 2022 Indian Chief

Indian Motorcycles has reinvented the Chief, the bike that launched the company’s rebirth under Polaris in 2014. Gone are the flowing fenders and the aluminum frame seen since its debut in 2014. Instead, we’ve got a lean and stripped-down Chief for the 2022 model year.Three Chiefs, actually,