Motorcycle Reviews

May/Jun '22

Review: 2022 LiveWire ONE

The New Electric CompanyLiveWire, 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,

Motorcycle Review

Review: Oset 24.0 Racing

The Quarantine Dream MachineLos 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

May/Jun '22

Review: 2022 Zero SR

Pay-to-Play UpgradesImagine 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

Motorcycle Review

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

The Battle of the PushrodsBaggers 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

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,

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

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

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

Yamaha Ténéré 700 vs KTM 990 Adventure

Rally-Inspired Adventure BikesThere 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

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: 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

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

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,

May/Jun '21

Review: 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 S

Media launches are typically filled with platitudes about the latest and greatest motorbikes from manufacturers. The Multistrada V4 event was no exception. “It has the widest range of use for any Ducati ever,” proclaimed Jason Chinnock, CEO of Ducati North America, at the Multi’s ride event.Chinnock’s statement

Mar/Apr '21

Review: 2021 Aprilia RS660

Middleweight sportbikes are phenomenally fun on a race track, but their sporty breeding makes them suffer in routine street duties and during longer-distance riding. All four of the Japanese four-cylinder 600s are thrilling rides, but none of them are as comfortable or as technologically advanced as the Aprilia RS660.This

Mar/Apr '21

Review: BMW R 1250 RS vs. Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX

The sport-touring class of motorcycles was once robust, with manufacturers offering a variety of touring bikes that were faster and more agile than yachts like the Gold Wing and Road Glide. But then the adventure-bike segment flourished when long-haul riders learned to appreciate the sporting chops and comfort of ADVs,

Jan/Feb '21

Review: 2020 KTM 890 Duke R

The newest Duke is pointed up an enticingly twisty road, tugging at its leash. It begs to scamper and effortlessly lunges up the hill, its motor’s bark rising briskly before being interrupted momentarily with a pop from its quickshifter. A corner looms, and hitting hard on the brakes, you

Jan/Feb '21

Review: 2020 Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES

Discussions about big adventure bikes regularly center on BMW’s iconic GSs and KTM’s Adventure models, which is a disservice to Honda’s updated Africa Twin. When introduced in 2016, the Africa Twin (AT) excelled in off-road situations but fell short of its European rivals in terms of features,

Nov/Dec '20

Review: 2021 Yamaha Ténéré 700

New Standard for Adventure Research and development for a new motorcycle takes several years. OEMs usually give us a few months’, maybe even a year’s heads-up about a new model. Yamaha went against the grain and announced the Ténéré 700, or T7, four years ago, right around the same

Nov/Dec '20

Review: 2020 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide FLTRXSE

Factory-Made & Modified It is no secret that Harley-Davidson owners like customizing their bikes. The practice has spawned more than a few niche parts businesses and has added to the OEM’s bottom line through sales of its own popular Genuine Parts & Accessories catalog for decades. But some folks

Sep/Oct '20

Review: 2020 Suzuki V-Strom 1050XT

The Reasonable AdventurerSince you’re reading this magazine, you obviously enjoy traveling to interesting places on a motorcycle. When it comes to choosing a mount for two-wheel travel, adventure-touring bikes are the hottest segment on the market and can’t be ignored. Time aboard the 2020 V-Strom 1050XT reminds us

Sep/Oct '20

Review: 2020 Triumph Rocket 3 GT

A Peerless MOTORcyclePresence. It’s a nebulous term not easily or objectively defined, but the new Rocket 3 definitely has it. The motorcycle’s imposing size is only part of what gives it presence. Its rich finish detailing draws eyes closer and makes them linger. Mmmm, that machined rear wheel