Whether it’s learning a language, picking up an instrument or mastering a sport, the earlier you start, the more proficient you’ll be later on down the road. This proves especially true when it comes to motorcycle racing, as the World Superbike and MotoGP champions of today are often getting their first laps in just about…
Much like the big American auto companies don’t really build compact cars anymore, the big American motorcycle brands don’t really make small-displacement bikes. Largely responding to a market where 75% of bikes sold are 750cc or larger, Harley and Indian don’t currently sell anything smaller than 975cc. That’ll change, for Harley at least, beginning next…
Read More “This Super-Affordable Retro Bobber Is Guaranteed to Turn Heads (in a Good Way)” »
Having made such a name for itself at the highest levels of motorcycle racing, Ducati makes it easy to forget they make bikes for people who don’t spend their days dragging knees in full racing leathers. But take a step back and you’ll see the Italians offer an impressive lineup of rides for everything from…
Read More “Ducati Just Rolled Out an Absolutely Stunning Retro-Styled Scrambler” »
Whether or not you grew up in a motorcycle family, if you know the Indian brand, chances are pretty good that it’s because of Burt Munro. The 68-year-old New Zealander historically rode his home-brewed 1920s Indian Scout streamliner to a land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats back in 1967. In 2005, Anthony Hopkins…
Honda originally produced the CB350 as a twin and a four-cylinder (the latter of which was known as the CB350F) in various capacities from 1968 to 1974. Eventually, however, the Big Red phased out the model in favor of the CB360, a bike which was then supplanted by the even larger CB400T. In any case,…
Read More “Honda Dropped a New, Affordable Retro Motorcycle That’s Dripping with Classic Cool” »
Along with much of the motorcycle world, I’ve been prematurely holding my breath for the arrival of Buell’s highly anticipated Super Cruiser for some time now. After all, the bike first appeared back in February of 2023, leaving moto journalists and fans to spend well over two years like Eric Cantona’s proverbial seagulls, chasing morsels…
Read More “The Best-Looking Cruiser I’ve Seen in Years Is Finally Here” »
Having spent all of yesterday at New Jersey Motorsports Park, my mind really is racing this afternoon. While I saw loads of two-wheeled action, the highlight was a behind-the-scenes hang with Harley-Davidson as team rider Kyle Wyman officially claimed MotoAmerica’s King of the Baggers title. Telling me it was “the ultimate individual team sport,” Wyman,…
The high-octane wizards at Suzuki just announced so many new and updated 2026 motorcycles, I’m not sure where to begin. From dirt and adventure bikes to sport and touring motos, it’s a veritable smorgasbord of petrol-powered delight. I’ve already discussed one of the halo products, the Special Edition Hayabusa, which we now know has a…
Read More “Is This Stunning Updated Suzuki Bike Now the Street Fighter to Beat?” »
If you’ve been reading my motorcycle blatherings lately, you’ve probably seen me lament America’s obsession with big bikes, which causes us to miss out on a lot of small wonders available elsewhere. I stand by that position, but I also recognize that, as great as small-displacement bikes are, it is possible to outgrow them. So…
Certain styles of motorcycle are, frankly, harder to screw up than to get right when it comes to aesthetics. I’m thinking here of the cruiser, roadster and scrambler, among others, where the basic template just kind of naturally sings. Due to the range of technical requirements — and, you know, beaks — involved, I would…
Honda’s heavily anticipated new CB500SF may have stolen Chongqing, China’s CIMAMotor show over the weekend, but it wasn’t the red brand’s only notable reveal. See, they also raised the curtain on a new sport bike with similar bones but a much different skin. Dubbed the CBR500R Four, it’s arguably even more noteworthy than its retro-styled…
Read More “Honda’s Dazzling New Sport Bike Just Might Be the Easiest Rider Yet” »
Good things come to those who wait, right? That’s what I kept repeating to myself as rumors continued to swirl about Honda’s follow-up to the (discontinued) CB400SF, a super-approachable retro standard four-banger. Honda waited so long, in fact, that upstart brand ZXMoto jumped the gun, revealing its own preemptive dupe earlier this month. Over the…
In case you missed it, the motorcycle world is absolutely exploding with activity lately — and running the gamut in terms of size, style and even power source. In the past few weeks, we’ve seen notable news with bikes as small as 125cc and as big as 1,999cc. We’ve seen lots of traditionally powered two-wheelers…
Read More “14 Awesome New Motorcycles Rolling Out Right Now” »
Just a little over two decades ago, Honda rocked the motorcycle world with an eye-catching cruiser called the Rune. Because of the model’s striking looks, many innovations and expansive footprint, it proved to be an ambitious project and a tough sell. While it was never meant to be a high-volume bike, Honda pulled the model…
Read More “This Eight-Cylinder Cruiser Apes One of Honda’s Most Ambitious Motorcycle Designs” »
The trouble with aphorisms is, they can sometimes be completely contradictory. I mean, how can I “go big or go home” if “good things come in small packages”? That particular paradox might be geographical, at least as far as vehicles are concerned, with the US embracing the former phrase and most of the rest of…
The world of motorcycles is defined by variety — for every bike that adheres to a particular style or type, there are just as many that march to the beat of their own drum. Still, even the most casual of two-wheeled enthusiasts would be hard-pressed to mistake a motorcycle for a scooter. Between the differences…
Read More “Could This Scooter Be the Most Interesting Motorcycle Release of the Year?” »
The very thought of modifying a motorcycle can be simultaneously exciting and terrifying. The excitement emerges from the notion of giving your bike a whole new look and feel. The terror, meanwhile, conjures up images of lighter wallets and questionable “improvements…. Check out the original article: [Gearpatrol] The Custom Harley-Davidson Motorcycle of Your Dreams May…
Read More “The Custom Harley-Davidson Motorcycle of Your Dreams May Be Closer Than You Think” »
When it comes to pure fun factor, few types of motorcycles can compare to a supermoto. Between their low weight and torquey engines, they’re easy to flick around and even easier to wheelie. Of course, ‘Sumos’ are essentially loosely adapted dirt bikes shod with street-going rubber and dressed in the bare necessities for road legality…….
Being located in the heart of Italy’s Motor Valley — in close proximity to the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati — Ducati is all too aware of the importance of speed and acceleration. As such, you’ll find it’s rare that the outfit ventures beyond its usual bread and butter of high-octane sport bikes, naked…
Read More “Ducati Just Dropped Its Quickest Production Motorcycle to Date. It’s Not a Sport Bike” »
Despite Honda’s many automotive and powersport ventures, the brand hasn’t rushed into the EV game. Quite the contrary. On the car side, Honda has an active presence, but the Prologue remains its sole all-electric offering in the United States…. Check out the original article: [Gearpatrol] Honda’s Newest Motorcycle Is Unlike Any Production Bike It’s Built…
Read More “Honda’s Newest Motorcycle Is Unlike Any Production Bike It’s Built Before” »
When it comes to top-tier heavyweight adventure touring bikes, it’s pretty tough to beat the Germans and the Italians. By that I mean BMW and Ducati, of course, and even more specifically, the 1300 GS and the Multistrada. Both bikes are available in a number of variants, depending just how premium you want to get…….
Read More “One of the Best Adventure Touring Motorcycles Just Got Even Better” »
Eliminator. It’s not just the title of arguably ZZ Top’s best album — and certainly the band’s most commercially successful one, on the strength of “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” and “Legs. ” Nope, it’s also the nameplate of a classic Kawasaki cruiser…. Check out the original article: [Gearpatrol] This Gorgeous Entry-Level Cruiser…
Two fun related facts: First, hayabusa is Japanese for “peregrine falcon,” a bird of prey whose vertical hunting dive can reach 202 mph, faster than any other flying fowl. Second, in 1999, the Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa did its namesake proud — and shocked the entire two-wheeled world — as its top speed of 194 mph…
Read More “Suzuki’s Legendary Super-Fast Motorcycle Has Never Looked Better” »
Born in the mid-1960s, Giallo is a uniquely Italian genre of horror film, characterized by high style, suspense, gore and an oft-masked killer whose identity only emerges late. Coincidentally enough, it appears that when gas-powered motorcycles ultimately fall, the slayer may be revealed as … Italian. That’s the only conclusion I can draw upon beholding…
Read More “Ducati’s Latest Innovation Could Fundamentally Change Motorcycles Forever” »
Born in the mid-1960s, Giallo is a uniquely Italian genre of horror film, characterized by hight style, suspense, gore and an oft-masked killer whose identity only emerges late. Coincidentally enough, it appears that when gas-powered motorcycles ultimately fall, the slayer may be revealed as … Italian. That’s the only conclusion I can draw upon beholding…
Read More “Ducati’s Latest Innovation Could Fundamentally Change Motorcycles Forever” »
“Actions speak louder than words” is one of those adages that has really held up over time. It’s also how I feel Zhang Xue might respond to any Honda exec who dared asked him WTF is going on with his eponymous new moto brand’s upcoming launch. Because as the whispers get louder about a new…
Read More “The Best-Looking New Retro-Styled Honda Motorcycle Isn’t Made By Honda” »
All other things being equal, no country has shouted, “hey, we make motorcycles too!” more loudly of late than the Sleeping Giant. That particular nickname for China no longer really applies in the two-wheeled space; the beast has awakened with the likes of QJMotor, Voge, Kove, Hanway and Benda making noise alongside Chinese-backed heritage brands…
Read More “This Super-Affordable Retro-Styled Cruiser Is an Entry-Level Delight” »
