Touring

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Motorcycle Touring: The Long and Winding Road

Motorcycles, which breathe life into so many of us, are the result of a long evolutionary process. You could argue it all started with the invention of the wheel, which to best current archeological understanding happened in Mesopotamia in 5000 B.C.  Jump ahead a few thousand years, and you

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Your First Overnight Ride

There are some similarities between the causes of plane crashes and the reasons for motorcycle accidents: it’s often a combination of factors, or risks, that cause incidents in both cases. And in both, the fundamental cause can usually be traced back to “human error.” Just as in doing a

Roundtrip Tour Premium Content

Touring the National Parks

I feel that national parks are in my blood. Growing up in Alberta, Canada, I was spoiled by the proximity of the Jasper and Banff National Parks. I caught my first fish in the turquoise-blue waters of a glacier-fed mountain lake. During my teen years, I summited multiple glacier-capped peaks

Destinations

37 Years Ago: Route 66 Decertified

June 27, 1985, was historically a rather uneventful Thursday. But it did mark the end of an era for riding and driving Americans. On that day, U.S. Route 66 stopped being Route 66. Without much fanfare, the Mother Road was removed from the U.S. Highway System. The end

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

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

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.

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,

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

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

Jan/Feb '20

2020 Indian Motorcycle Upgrades

With the arrival of the Milwaukee-Eight motor from Harley-Davidson two years ago, boasting 107 and 114 cubic inches of displacement, Indian’s Thunder Stroke 111 suddenly wasn’t the baddest cruiser engine on the market. The balance of power shifts back to Indian with the arrival of the Thunder Stroke

Jan/Feb '20

2020 Harley-Davidson CVO Lineup

Not Just Premium, “SuperPremium” > If you’re looking for the highest-end traditional American motorcycle, you’ll be shopping in Harley-Davidson’s Custom Vehicle Operations aisle. Since it was launched in 1999, the CVO lineup has offered features, finishes, and paintwork unavailable on “lesser” Harleys. For 2020, the CVO line

Jan/Feb '20

Can-Am Refreshes Spyder RT for 2020

Can-Am has introduced an updated version of its Spyder RT, what it describes as the ultimate luxury-touring road-trip vehicle, which now offers enhanced comfort and additional convenience items. In addition to its new contemporary appearance with LED headlights for enhanced visibility, the Spyder RT features a redesigned cockpit with a

Nov/Dec '19

Review: 2020 Zero SR/F

This is the Noise That Speed Makes Now > Riders who have not experienced an electric motorcycle might think the power output will be quaint, like that of a supercharged electric toothbrush or perhaps one of those ubiquitous city scooters. Despite warnings to the contrary, these same riders have a

Jul/Aug '19

Review: 2019 Yamaha Niken GT

Two Swords > Few motorcycles elicit such strong emotional responses from riders and nonriders alike. Whether it’s interest, confusion, anger, or excitement, I was on the receiving end of the whole range while testing the Yamaha Niken GT over a two-day period on the wet roads of California’s

Jan/Feb '19

Review: 2019 Can-Am Ryker

All-new Chassis, Engines, Entry Level Pricing > Can-Am has taken aim at a previously untapped market with the introduction of its all-new 2019 Ryker. Designed as a lower-priced model for local and day-trip use, it is intended to attract new and more youthful buyers to the brand, which until now

Nov/Dec '18

Review: 2018 Yamaha Star Venture vs. 2018 Honda Gold Wing

> Transcontinental touring has become a significant category in motorcycling, so named to describe the many two-wheeled wanderers out there who lean toward long-haul, high-mileage outings. To accommodate this free-spirited mindset, Honda and Yamaha have steadily refined the machines in their respective luxury stables, producing two motorcycles which, though designed

Jul/Aug '18

Review: 2018 Star Venture

Tradition Meets the Future > 2018 will be remembered as the year Yamaha unveiled a new range of luxury touring in the form of the Star Venture. The bike is a deliberate cross between tradition and modernity with an alluring mix of big bore V-twin character augmented with the latest

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

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

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

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

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,

Jul/Aug '16

Review: 2016 Yamaha FJR1300A and ES

> Sport Touring Just Got More Refined! With the introduction of the new 2016 FJR1300A and FJR1300ES models, Yamaha’s flagship sport-touring line has again been upgraded. Let’s start with a little history review. The FJR1300 series was originally introduced in Europe in 2001, but wasn’t imported to

May/Jun '16

Review: 2016 Indian Springfield

> Named after the birthplace of Indian Motorcycle—Springfield, MA, back in 1901—the new 2016 Springfield combines nostalgic styling cues with modern touring amenities like a tall windscreen, cruise control, and remote-locking hard saddlebags. Merging Old-School Looks with New Technology At a casual glance, the Springfield may appear to