Motorcycles

May/Jun '18

Review: 2018 Royal Enfield Himalayan

A Brand New, Old School Adventure Bike > Like many others, I’ve been drooling over photos of the Royal Enfield Himalayan since they first began circulating around the internet a couple of years ago. A retro-styled, middle-weight adventure bike off-the-shelf. Did they make this just for me? How did

May/Jun '18

Review: 2018 Yamaha Star Eluder

Eluding Convention > Elude: to evade or escape from, as by daring, cleverness, or skill. The allure of escape has always been synonymous with motorcycles. The appointed destination of any trip often holds less importance than the act of traveling the roads between points A and B. A motorcycle will

May/Jun '18

Comparison: 2017 Honda Africa Twin CRF1000L & 2017 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT

Jim’s Riding Impressions 2017 Honda Africa Twin CRF1000L This Africa Twin had the Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT), which allows either completely automatic gear shifting or pushbutton sequential shifting. The combination of a torquey two-cylinder, liter-sized engine and the DCT’s propensity for upshifting at relatively low RPMs, when in

Mar/Apr '18

Review: 2018 Honda Gold Wing

Accomplice to Wanderlust > In motorcycling, there are a number of inexplicable cliques specific to brands and models that have spawned subcultures unto themselves. Harley-Davidson enjoys a stranglehold on cool; Moto Guzzi riders exude obsessive emotions; and BMW’s illustrious GS attracts global legions of adventure-seeking cohorts. But perhaps the

Mar/Apr '18

Review: 2018 KYMCO Xciting 400i ABS

Suburban Mobility > Small displacement two-wheelers are the preferred method of transportation in most cities around the globe, except here. Wide lanes and no particular shortage of space, along with certain perceptions about scooters have kept them off our roads to a large extent. Bigger is not always better, however,

Mar/Apr '18

Review: 2018 Ducati Multistrada 1260S

Gentleman’s Agreement > Fans of Ducati’s Multistrada will be pleased with the refinements the Italian manufacturer incorporated on the 2018 incarnation, specifically the 1260S, which combines a satisfying mix of rider aids and creature comforts with the soul of a superbike. Beneath the reshaped, wedged bodywork resting in

Mar/Apr '18

2018 Kawasaki H2SX/SE and Z900RS

> You’ve gotta hand it to Kawasaki. In the midst of a lot of industry handwringing over declining sales and questions about how to draw new riders to the fold, Kawasaki used the IMS show in NYC to double down on their bread and butter: fast bikes. They had

Jan/Feb '18

Review: 2018 Aprilia Shiver 900 and Dorsoduro 900

> You (or your grandad) may have had a UJM—Universal Japanese Motorcycle—in the ’70s or ’80s. It could do it all, and there are plenty of good standard models out there today, but what if you want something with a dollop of Italian panache? Aprilia has offered a

Jan/Feb '18

2018 Harley-Davidson Touring Lineup: The New Softails

> Earning a reputation for fulfilling open-road dreams of freedom since 1903, Harley-Davidson enjoys mythical status in motorcycling. The one criticism the Milwaukee brand has suffered over the years has been their dependence on aging design and technology, with changes to their original machine being few and far between. Ironically,

Nov/Dec '17

2018 BMW K 1600 B: A Fresh Perspective

> Since its earliest days, BMW motorcycles have fostered a reputation as touring mounts, the machines synonymous with world travel and adventure. There is really only one category in which the German marque hasn’t had a presence: the realm of heavy cruiser in the great American landscape. That’s

Nov/Dec '17

Review: 2017 Suzuki V-Strom 650 & 2018 Suzuki V-Strom 1000

> It’s not every day that a motorcycle manufacturer holds a press launch for two motorcycles of different model years. Yet, that’s exactly what Suzuki did recently, high up in California’s lovely San Bernardino Mountains. Both 650 V-Stroms—the standard and XT versions—are listed as 2017

Sep/Oct '17

2017 BMW R nineT Pure and Racer: Sibling Rivalry

> The Racer has a half-fairing with a small windshield, clip-on handlebar, and a solo saddle. It is intended to recall the superbike era of the 1970s and ‘80s, which featured models such as the R90S, and its engine is reminiscent of the powerplants used in the BMW Motorrad Boxer

Sep/Oct '17

2017 Kawasaki Ninja 1000 ABS: Better Than Ever

> Kawasaki’s Ninja 1000 ABS sport-touring model was first introduced in 2014. For 2017, the model has been revamped and updated in a number of significant ways. The bodywork and gas tank have been redesigned with a sharper cowl, more closely resembling Kawi’s supersport models, along with updated

Sep/Oct '17

2018 Kymco New Model Lineup: Smaller Displacement, Still as Fun!

> Now in its 54th year of manufacturing, Kymco continues to be a global leader in producing scooters and small motorcycles under its own name, and engines for the likes of BMW and Kawasaki. The last few years, the Taiwanese company has sold many side-by-sides and ATVs and has even

Jul/Aug '17

Review: 2017 KTM 1090 Adventure R

> It’s the most off-road-capable model bearing the Adventure name. The 1190 is no longer, having been replaced by the 1290 Super Adventure R with an increase in displacement. Visually, the Super looks similar to the 1190. The lighter, more agile 1090 Adventure R is more enduro than travel

Jul/Aug '17

Comparison: 2017 Honda CMX300 & CMX500H

> Back in the 1960s and ‘70s, Honda introduced America to the fun of smaller-displacement motorcycles. With its “You meet the nicest people on a Honda” advertising campaign—and a slew of low-cost and lightweight machines—the company put the Baby Boomer generation on two wheels and made lifetime enthusiasts

May/Jun '17

Review: 2017 Ducati Multistrada 950

> It’s a great time to be an adventure motorcyclist. The options are nearly endless, with every OEM offering an iteration of the do-everything, go-anywhere motorcycle. Lately, however, there has been a push for smaller displacement ADV bikes, with manufacturers like Honda, Kawasaki, and BMW offering sub-500cc styles. In

May/Jun '17

Review: 2016 Suzuki Boulevard C90T

> Suzuki’s top-of-the-line touring V-twin hasn’t changed much in the past few years, but it’s a solid platform for effortless roaming of backroads, with plenty of opportunity for customization. This model has been tested over the past year, mainly in the Southeast, with plenty of curves in

Mar/Apr '17

Review: 2017 Yamaha FZ-10

Activate Your Fazer > Yamaha’s FZ1 has had a good run since 2001, but it has been replaced by the FZ-10 this year. Still, with a YZF-R1-based engine at the center, the most notable change is a visual one. This doesn’t look like your dad’s FZ1. Welcome

Mar/Apr '17

2016 Zero DSR: Riding Toward the Future

> In the hills above Santa Cruz, the yellow diamond sign with the thick, curved black arrow pointing left says “20 MPH.” I roll off the throttle and the 2016 Zero DSR washes off speed like it’s a big V-twin, but instead of the bark of an engine under

Jan/Feb '17

Review: 2017 Moto Guzzi MGX-21 Flying Fortress

> The name begs explanation, and the PR folks explained the rather unusual MGX-21 moniker as Moto Guzzi Experimental, with 21 referring to the front wheel diameter and the year the company was started (1921). The nickname Flying Fortress came from early viewers’ comments about the hulking appearance of the

Jan/Feb '17

2017 Harley-Davidson Touring Rollout: The Motor Company Does a Heart Transplant!

> Harley’s Twin Cam engines have been around since the last century—heck, the last millennium—so it was time for a change. Change has come in the form of a new powerplant dubbed the Milwaukee-Eight, for its eight valves (four per cylinder, up from the prior two) and,

Nov/Dec '16

Review: 2016 Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin

> With enduros enjoying a continued rise in popularity for not only their off-road capabilities but long distance comfort, many riders are already familiar with what’s on the market. But Honda’s long-awaited big adventure bike spells trouble for the competition. Carefully planned and expertly engineered, the Africa Twin

Nov/Dec '16

Review: 2016 Yamaha XSR900

> With its latest XSR900 model, Yamaha has spawned an exciting sibling from the FZ-09, one with a neo-retro look that’ll make you nostalgic for the ‘70s. Two Wheels, Three Cylinders, High Fives! The reason for the XSR900’s styling is to appeal to young—and young at heart—

Sep/Oct '16

Review: 2016 Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro

> Somebody said something about a revolution. But revolutions change things radically; Ducati just put a bigger front wheel and a larger tank onto the Multistrada and called it the Multistrada 1200 Enduro. At least that’s what I thought when I heard about the new bike. My expectations were