Admin

I have been wearing the Knox Urbane Pro 2 for a couple of years now and find it incredibly versatile especially when touring when the climate can be changeable! Check out my review here: https://www.webbikeworld.com/knox-urbane-pro-mk2-ladies-armoured-shirt-review/ The post Knox Urbane Pro MK2 Ladies Armoured Shirt Review appeared first on BikerKaz. View the full article

The 2024 LiveWire S2 Mulholland. (LiveWire/) LiveWire, the electric motorcycle manufacturer with a Harley-Davidson majority stake, announces the immediate availability of the S2 Mulholland performance cruiser, the second model built around the company’s more affordable S2 platform. Next to the flat-track-inspired S2 Del Mar, the S2 Mulholland exhibits some of its Harley-Davidson cruiser heredity, but reinterprets it to suit the nature of the machine. Like the S2 Del Mar, the Mulholland uses a 10.5kWh battery pack capable of delivering “121 miles of city riding range and 73 miles of highway range at 55 mph,” according to LiveWire. Using Level 1 and Level 2 charging, the company says the battery can be charged from 20 to 80 percent in 5.9 hours or 78 minutes, respectively. Given its potentially addicting combination of light weight (432 pounds, according to LiveWire) and a claimed 84 hp and 194 lb.-ft. of torque, here’s hoping Level 2 charging is readily available for owners who can’t help but sap the battery every time they jump aboard. Minimalistic bodywork and fish-eye headlight give the Mulholland a distinct EV look. (LiveWire/) Performance isn’t the Mulholland’s only draw. With an eye toward sustainability—and the demographic that that most resonates with—the Mulholland is constructed with a number of renewable materials. First, its front and rear fenders are made using CAP hemp bio-composite, while its radiator shrouds and wiring caddies are made of Hylon Ocean, a recycled nylon made from old fishing nets. The seat is made from recycled silicone. To further highlight its hemp composite bodywork, it’s left unpainted in the Lunar White scheme. Paint is applied for the Liquid Black color. The power cruiser label suggests a return to the more conventional Harley-Davidson styling archetypes from which the S2 Del Mar and LiveWire One deviated, but the Mulholland’s minimalist style is a rethinking of the cruiser aesthetic, made possible by an electric powertrain and—more to the point—its lack of fuel tank. LiveWire’s press release says, “[the] S2 Mulholland’s design departs from traditional internal combustion motorcycles in the cruiser category—which typically celebrate the gas tank.” It goes on to say that the design team wanted to “prominently display both the brake lines and wiring harness, creating a stronger connection between the human interface of the rider and motorcycle.” The press release didn’t have a lot of detail, but we can see from this image that the Mulholland has a single disc in the front and a Brembo caliper. (LiveWire/) With a 6-inch handlebar riser that affords a more upright riding position than the Del Mar, and minimal bodywork substituting the fuel tank, the rider does seem to dominate the silhouette—at least in photos. Between the high bars and the swoopy seat, there’s something vaguely Schwinn Sting-Ray about it. Paring back the motorcycle’s form as much as possible emphasizes the electric powertrain’s greatest attribute: simplicity. The bisected sphere-shaped headlight lens and abbreviated rear fender complete the cruiser remix. The Mulholland runs on 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels shod in Dunlop Sportmax Roadsmart IV tires. The expansion of the S2 platform fills out the nascent brand’s offerings as its identity begins to take shape apart from the company’s Milwaukee roots. The LiveWire One remains its flagship, boasting a 15.4kWh energy-packed battery and a $22,799 price tag, but of all the models it looks the least “zen and the art of EV,” to co-opt the marketing-speak from its website. Whether or not EVs or LiveWire’s youth-focused marketing resonate with you, it’s exciting to watch the brand develop without having to shoulder the weight of the bar and shield. LiveWire promises a line of accessories that will include passenger seats and pegs, windshields, luggage options, and cosmetic pieces. (LiveWire/) The 2024 LiveWire S2 Mulholland is available in authorized US and Canadian dealers for $15,999; it will reach other markets beginning in 2025. The Mulholland is available beginning March 21, 2024, at authorized dealers. (LiveWire/) View the full article

Last year, Kawasaki reintroduced the Eliminator name to its lineup as a 451cc lightweight cruiser. Based heavily off the already existing Z400 and Ninja 400 platform, the Eliminator utilizes the same engine but with a 6.8mm increased stroke (to 58.6mm) giving it a larger 451cc displacement. Since the introduction of the Eliminator in late 2023, Kawasaki also announced the new 2024 Z500 and Ninja 500 that will feature the same larger-displacement parallel-twin engine. INSERT YT VID: https://youtu.be/jyEO1K2KcVg The 2024 Kawasaki Eliminator SE ABS ($7,249) features a 451cc liquid-cooled DOHC four-valves-per-cylinder parallel-twin engine. A lightweight steel-trellis frame derived from the Ninja 400 has been revised to achieve a shorter 28.9-inch seat height and longer 59.8-inch wheelbase. An aluminum swingarm bolts to the back of the engine, utilizing the powerplant as a stressed member. Suspension components include a nonadjustable 41mm telescopic fork providing 4.7 inches of travel and twin shocks with preload adjustment offering 3.1 inches of travel. Contributing to the Eliminator’s cruiser stance is an 18-inch front wheel, 16-inch rear wheel, and a 3.4-gallon tapered fuel tank. Braking components include a single 310mm disc with a dual-piston caliper up front and a 220mm disc with a single-piston caliper at the rear. The 2024 Eliminator SE comes standard with ABS, but Kawasaki offers the base-model Eliminator without ABS for $6,649. Kawasaki’s Eliminator SE utilizes all of the same hardware as the base models, but features exclusive color and graphics as well as a headlight cowl, fork boots, a USB-C outlet, and a two-pattern seat cover. 2024 Kawasaki Eliminator SE Dyno Chart. (Robert Martin/) Before hitting our in-house Dynojet 250i dynamometer, the 2024 Kawasaki Eliminator SE weighed 395 pounds on our automotive scales. On the Cycle World dyno, the Eliminator produced 47.22 hp at 10,430 rpm and 29.03 lb.-ft. of torque at 7,510 rpm. For reference, the 2019 Kawasaki Z400 produced 44.08 hp at 9,830 rpm and 25.12 lb.-ft. of torque at 8,250 rpm. The increased stroke of 6.8mm in the small-displacement twin was in an effort to increase low-end torque, according to Kawasaki, and that is clearly demonstrated in our testing. The 2024 Kawasaki Eliminator offers more horsepower than the previous iteration of this engine as well as providing riders with more available torque at a lower rpm. But despite the changes in displacement, the now 451cc parallel twin still maintains the smooth and linear power delivery as before. View the full article

Husqvarna reveals its new 2024 Svartpilen 801 at last. A new engine, chassis revisions, additional electronics, and fresh styling make the feature hit list. (Husqvarna/) Standard? Scrambler? Naked? Whatever you want to call Husky’s shape-shifting middleweight, it could never be referred to as a twin. Well, no more; the single-cylinder-equipped bike formerly known as the Svartpilen 701 that disappeared for a couple of years is now back in a bigger, more powerful iteration, propelled by a parallel-twin engine and weighing in at 399 pounds, as we confirmed earlier this month. It’s still the brand’s largest-displacement street model, and Husqvarna is calling the 2024 Svartpilen 801 “brand new,” but in fact, the spec sheet reveals striking similarities to the KTM 790 Duke, featuring the same LC8c engine stuffed into a steel frame and cast alloy swingarm suspended by WP Apex components; it’s just wrapped in the futuristic flat-trackery style seen on the other ‘Pilen models in the range. If that formula sounds familiar, it’s because Husky’s original Svartpilen 701 was based on another similarly displaced KTM: the 690 Duke. The scenario isn’t all that unusual when you consider the two companies both live under the same umbrella. Related: Husqvarna Svartpilen 801 Sneak Peek The new 801 gets a 799cc parallel-twin engine borrowed from KTM’s 790 Duke, good for 105 hp and otherwise mechanically identical. (Husqvarna/) As for this 799cc version of the KTM LC8c parallel twin, according to Husky it makes 105 hp at 9,250 rpm, with a claimed torque peak of 64 lb.-ft. (though the latter is tagged to the 790 Duke and the prototype rather than this production model). The company says the lightweight engine weighs only 114.6 pounds without oil and has been designed to extend service intervals to 15,000 kilometers (9,321 miles). In other words, there’s not much new under the hood, but a quick glance suggests that the Svartpilen’s skeleton—-if not its entire outward appearance—has been tweaked. Gone, for instance, is the distinctive trellis of the Gen 1 bike, replaced by a simpler steel frame with a more dynamic angle at the rear but still with that distinct division between the frame and subframe. Husky touts the simplicity of that one-piece cast aluminum subframe, saying the absence of plastic covers reduces weight, with the airbox sitting entirely inside the subframe. The trellis may be gone, but the triangular shapes in the new subframe were inspired by those previous models, and allow for the side air intakes to offer wider openings to take in more cool air. Trellis no more; the Svartpilen 801’s tube steel frame is now connected to a new cast aluminum subframe that holds the airbox. Wheelbase is now 54.6 inches. (Husqvarna/) The list of visual tweaks also includes a cleaner-looking and higher-set muffler, a lower, reshaped two-piece seat, and a bigger tank with a different profile. The slimmer bodywork has sharper edges and a tighter, refined flow, culminating at the revised front LED headlight arrangement with a light ring around the circumference. Reversible handlebar mounts provide two handlebar mounting positions with an adjustment range of 7mm (front to rear) and now there’s even an updated 5-inch color TFT display set above. Gone too are the fusty spoked wheels, with the Svartpilen now wearing more modern (and lighter) cast hoops shod with streetable Pirelli MT 60 RS rubber. From what we can discern, the distance between the tires is shorter too; 54.6 inches as opposed to 56.5 on the 2020 model. Taken together, all those updates combine to give the ‘24 Svartpilen 801 a fresher, more contemporary feel. Related: 2022 Husqvarna Norden 901 First Ride Sleeker and tighter bodywork freshens the look, with the new seat, tank, and two-piece stainless steel exhaust arrangement shedding visual weight (though the bike is heavier than Gen 1 thanks to larger engine and greater fuel capacity). (Husqvarna/) Suspending the newish frame are the familiar WP Apex 43mm upside-down cartridge fork with 5.5 inches of travel and a split damping function; compression and rebound can be adjusted using the easy-access five-step clickers located on top of the fork tube. Out back is a WP Apex monoshock that’s directly linked to the aluminum swingarm, and featuring adjustable spring preload and rebound damping (with included tools). The braking arrangement is a straight swap from the Duke too, with J.Juan components and dual floating 300mm discs clamped by four-piston calipers at the front, and a 240mm brake disc actuated by a two-piston floating caliper at the rear, both enhanced by a corner-sensitive Bosch ABS system (that can be deactivated at the rear). Advanced riders can toggle on a Supermoto ABS mode for a heightened level of braking feel and a closer connection with the road. The 5-inch TFT display lets you access the electronic goodies like three ride modes, ABS, and traction control. Anti-wheelie control and cruise control are optional. Handlebars are adjustable. (Husqvarna/) This newest ‘Pilen is also outfitted by a robust set of rider aids, like Husky’s motorsport-derived Easy Shift function, which allows for clutchless shifts of the six-speed transmission, as well as the Power Assist Slipper Clutch (PASC) system, which maximizes rear wheel grip under hard deceleration. You also get adjustable Motorcycle Traction Control (MTC) and cornering ABS, along with Street, Rain, and Sport ride modes included as standard; the optional Dynamic Pack adds Motor Slip Regulation (MSR) for controlled deceleration with the Anti-Wheelie mode limiting the maximum wheelie angle. New reshaped tank is now 3.7 gallons, making room for a straighter and lower saddle. (Husqvarna/) Naturally, there’s an app for even more functionality if you want to tether your phone. The Ride Husqvarna Motorcycles app enables phone and music functions, as well as turn-by-turn navigation and route planning, most available to be displayed on the TFT dashboard. New ride modes might encourage your inner hooligan, with Sport mode not being lean-angle sensitive, and not having anti-wheelie intervention. Lift off! (Husqvarna/) At its debut in 2019, the first-gen Svartpilen was understandably pilloried for a high markup (compared with the 690 Duke) and perhaps Husky took notes this time around; MSRP for the US version of the 2024 Svartpilen 801 is $10,899, a bit more on par with KTM’s 790 Duke, which carries a 2024 MSRP of $9,499. The company says the bike will be available in several colors, but it didn’t spell them out; as far as we can tell it’ll be silver/black and blue/black, but don’t quote us on that. Since it is a global release, Husqvarna says the 2024 Svartpilen 801 will start to be available in April of 2024, though it won’t hit US dealers until June 2024. Now it seems like all we have to do is wait for the corresponding Vitpilen 801. Some tweaks to the front LED headlight and surrounding environs sleeken the look without dumbing down the signature ’Pilen styling. (Husqvarna/) 2024 Husqvarna Svartpilen 801 Technical Specs MSRP: $10,899 Engine: DOHC, liquid-cooled parallel twin; 4 valves/cyl Displacement: 799cc Bore x Stroke: 88.0 x 65.7mm Compression Ratio: 12.5:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain Claimed Horsepower: 105.0 hp @ 8,000 rpm Claimed Torque: 74.0 lb.-ft. @ 6,500 rpm Fuel System: EFI w/ 46mm Dell’Orto throttle bodies, ride-by-wire Clutch: PASC slipper clutch; cable actuated Engine Management/Ignition: Bosch EMS Frame: Chromoly steel w/ cast aluminum subframe Front Suspension: WP Apex 43mm inverted fork, compression and rebound damping adjustable; 5.5 in. travel Rear Suspension: WP Apex monoshock, rebound damping and preload adjustable; 5.9 in. travel Front Brake: Radial-mount 4-piston calipers, dual 300mm discs w/ Bosch ABS Rear Brake: 2-piston floating caliper, 240mm disc w/ Bosch ABS Wheels, Front/Rear: Cast aluminum; 17 x 3.5 in. / 17 x 5.5 in. Tires, Front/Rear: Pirelli MT 60 RS; 120/70-17 / 180/55-17 Rake/Trail: 24.5°/3.8 in. Wheelbase: 54.6 in. Ground Clearance: 6.9 in. Seat Height: 32.3 in. Fuel Capacity: 3.7 gal. Claimed Dry Weight: 399 lb. Contact: husqvarna-motorcycles.com View the full article

Cruising along California’s iconic Pacific Coast Highway, the Continental GT 650’s ergonomics can be a bit aggressive for tall riders, but worth it for the custom style. (Royal Enfield/) Royal Enfield’s INT 650 and Continental GT 650 models weren’t begging for an update. Introduced in 2019, these models lean into classic styling and approachability rather than cutting-edge performance—so major changes are not expected to come incredibly often. As the company’s bestselling models for the last five years, customers have proven to agree with our assessment of the pair: One does not need huge amounts of power or expensive technology to experience pure motorcycling joy. So when RE invited us to Los Angeles to test the newly updated 2024 twins, we were eager to see and experience those updates, but also hoping that the company hadn’t done too much to the platform that has already proven to be so successful. The INT 650 in Barcelona Blue boasts ’70s-inspired styling, which fits well with the bike’s classic silhouette. (Royal Enfield/) We met up with Royal Enfield’s team at The Motoring Club—which is exactly what it sounds like: a club for automotive enthusiasts. The space is large, open, and well designed. A large disco ball floats over a blue BMW 2002 in the center of the room. Patrons sit along the outer walls with their heads buried in laptops. Christian Klien’s Red Bull F1 car sits next to a lawn-mower-engine powered go-kart in a similar style. It’s a lovely mix of things to look at, do, or just ignore completely while you try to get some work done. In the back is a members-only section where a new Continental GT and INT 650 sat waiting. Changes for 2024 The INT 650 is a standard motorcycle with a rounded gas tank and a straight, classic line from the bottom of the tank and through the flat two-up seat. The Continental GT shares the same frame, suspension, engine, and braking components, but in a cafe-racer-inspired style with a more squared-off gas tank, solo cafe seat, and more aggressive tucked-in ergonomics. These two models see updates already found on the 2024 Super Meteor and Shotgun 650 like cast aluminum switch housings and LED lighting, which are small but key components that do make the bikes feel higher quality. Each model now comes in two new blacked-out paint schemes, and the INT 650 adds two new colors to its traditional chrome-finished lineup. All models, blacked-out or traditional, now feature adjustable clutch and front brake levers, new Ceat tires, and improved seat designs with upgraded foam-mesh padding. On the Road: INT 650 We left The Motoring Club as a group, moving quickly through Los Angeles traffic and on to the highly congested I-10 freeway. First up was the INT 650 in the new Barcelona Blue variant, featuring a sunset gradient on the tank and nicely done metalflake base paint. Enfield describes the INT as a beach cruiser, but it feels more like a traditional retro standard than any sort of cruiser. Seating position is upright and comfortable, exactly what you expect when you envision a modern standard. Most riders will have a short reach to the handlebars and knees at a close-to-90-degree angle, comfortable and relaxed but ready and in control. Merging onto the highway, and being in California, we made our way to the fast lane to start splitting through traffic. With no changes to the platform’s engine or chassis, the ride was just as expected. The engine thumped along, rich in character but not buzzy, and responding to a twist of the throttle with satisfying haste from the 648cc SOHC air/oil-cooled parallel twin—just right for a classically styled standard, not too much and nowhere near too little. Several versions of the INT 650’s new foam mesh were tested before deciding on the production seat, and the updated comfort proves worth the effort. (Royal Enfield/) Turning off of the highway and following Mulholland Drive, we arrived at the Rock Store, an old stagecoach stop turned motorcycle hangout that’s only open on the weekends. Two gas pumps sit in front of the store, now just relics with meters that only reach 9.99 gallons and $.99, because who could ever need more than 10 gallons of gas and there’s no way it could ever cost more than a dollar a gallon. Kicking tires while taking a break, most riders in attendance favored the traditional chrome finishes over the new blacked-out style while Royal Enfield’s marketing leader strategically dropped the words “muscle” and “attitude,” to sway us otherwise. Choice in style is a good thing, and RE isn’t wrong to offer options for those not into chrome. I swapped keys for a Continental GT in Slipstream Blue, which features black base paint, white fenders, and a badging graphic with blue gradient detailing. With stop-and-go traffic, speed limits around 60 mph, and beautiful views throughout, Pacific Coast Highway proved an excellent road to experience the best that these 650cc models have to offer. (Royal Enfield/) On the Road: Continental GT Continental GT models look and feel custom, with racier ergonomics that will not fit everyone—including this tester. At 6-foot-4, I am just too big for clip-ons and rearset foot controls on this chassis and it wasn’t even 20 minutes before shoulder and hip pains started to set in. But I represent less than 2 percent of American males, so most riders will find themselves better suited for this setup. Once again, it’s nice to have choices in Royal Enfield’s 650cc lineup. The GT 650 in Slipstream Blue sports Enfield’s small wind deflector above its headlight, while the Apex Grey shows the bike’s stock style. (Royal Enfield/) As we descended Malibu’s canyons, the sun was settling into the Pacific Ocean, and the INT and Conti made it easy to relax and enjoy the scenery. Seating on prior models was somewhat stiff but not uncomfortable. Now, the updated INT 650 seat is plush, adding more comfort to the upright ride. We were only able to test an aftermarket touring seat on the GT; it’s a medium-firm pad that is high quality. Handling on both models is intuitive and no part of the standard 650′s ride is demanding of super focus attention at any moment. Keep your head up, cruise along, and soak in the scenery. Play some music in your headset—or enjoy the P-twin’s exhaust note. For either an experienced rider or someone who’s newer to riding, these bikes are easy to enjoy. 2024 Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 models with spoked wheels and chrome finishes, like the British Racing Green model shown here, have a starting MSRP of $6,349. (Royal Enfield/) The changes we see for 2024 offer a new style and more variety on platforms that we know and love. Prices of $6,849 for the newly blacked-out INT 650 and $7,149 for the GT model are within easily acceptable margins from previous base prices, and new Cali Green and Canyon Red models are only $6,149 with chrome and spoked wheels. Making our way back through Venice Beach to The Motoring Club at 4 p.m., we were met with LA’s dreaded rush hour. Traffic was, as always, a pain, but the bike’s easygoing character meant no stress or complication in the route. Back at The Motoring Club, interested car enthusiasts stopped to check out the bikes. Passing by at 30 mph, we could be a vintage club. We’re not quite that cool, but our ride-to-wrench ratio is certainly better. Verdict In the end, these are amazing bikes for the price tag. If you want options, you now have more of them. Pieces you need and use every day, like switch housings and a headlight, are now higher quality without passing on a great price increase to the customer. So it’s exactly what we wanted: subtle improvements while ample character, ease of use, and affordability we value so highly in these two models remain. The Touring Rider Seat for Continental GT models uses 3D net technology, which helps distribute your weight evenly across the saddle. (Royal Enfield/) 2024 Royal Enfield INT 650 and Continental GT 650 Specs MSRP: $6,149–$7,149 Engine: SOHC, air/oil-cooled parallel twin; 4 valves/cyl. Displacement: 648cc Bore x Stroke: 78.0 x 67.8mm Compression Ratio: 9.5:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain drive Cycle World Measured Horsepower: 40.9 hp @ 6,780 rpm Cycle World Measured Torque: 37.4 lb.-ft. @ 5,100 rpm Fuel System: Electronic fuel injection Clutch: Wet, multiplate slipper; cable actuated Engine Management/Ignition: Electronic ignition Frame: Tubular mild steel, double-cradle style Front Suspension: 41mm conventional damping rod fork; 4.3 in. travel Rear Suspension: Twin coilover shocks, preload adjustable; 3.5 in. travel Front Brake: 2-piston floating caliper, 320mm disc w/ ABS Rear Brake: 1-piston floating caliper, 240mm disc w/ ABS Wheels, Front/Rear: 7-spoke cast alloy or spoked aluminum; 18 x 2.5 in./18 x 3.5 in. Tires, Front/Rear: 100/90-18 / 130/70R-18 (INT) ; 130/70-18 (GT) Rake/Trail: 24.0°/4.2 in. Wheelbase: 55.0 in. Ground Clearance: 6.9 in. Seat Height: 31.7 in. Fuel Capacity: 3.6 gal. (INT) / 3.3 gal. (GT) Claimed Wet Weight: 478 lb. (INT) / 472 lb. (GT) Contact: royalenfield.com Gearbox Helmet: Arai Signet-X Gloves: Alpinestars Morph Street Jacket: Aether Apparel Mulholland Boots: Red Wing Iron Ranger View the full article

Triumph upped the horsepower on its 2024 Rocket 3 R Storm (shown) and Rocket 3 GT Storm. (Triumph/) Back in 2004 the cruiser market was in all-out warfare as companies battled to have ever-larger engines. Honda’s VTX1800 and Kawasaki’s VN2000 dwarfed the Harleys of the era. Then Triumph emerged with a vast 2.3-liter triple in the Rocket III and in a stroke ended the argument: It had the world’s biggest purpose-made motorcycle engine and has held on to that title ever since. With an inline engine layout reminiscent of pre-war Excelsior Hendersons or Indian Fours, the Rocket was unlike any Triumph before it and despite the British company’s obsession with heritage and focus on the ever-growing Bonneville range, the Rocket kept a spot in the lineup. Come 2019 an all-new version, now called Rocket 3 instead of Rocket III and packing an even bigger 2,458cc triple in a much lighter aluminum chassis, shifted the bike’s focus toward more muscular, modern cruisers like the Ducati Diavel. Power rose to 165 hp, backed by 163 lb.-ft. of torque and a limited-edition run of 750 exclusive, handmade Rocket 3 TFC machines pushed power higher still to 180 hp. The 2024 Triumph Rocket 3 GT Storm has a cruiser style compared to the R. (Triumph/) Now, 20 years after the Rocket III’s debut, there’s a new version: the Rocket 3 Storm. Like that limited-edition TFC version from 2019, it gets 180 hp—3 hp more than the current holder of the “most powerful Triumph” crown, the Speed Triple 1200, making it Triumph’s most powerful mass-made motorcycle. It’s always been the torquiest Triumph, too, courtesy of that vast engine capacity. Like its predecessor, the Rocket 3 Storm comes in two flavors. The R is the more aggressive-looking variant, with lower, forward-set bars and mid-mounted pegs, while the GT takes a more relaxed approach with pulled-back bars, a small screen, a lower seat, and forward foot controls. Both have the same performance and chassis setups, with the GT paying just a slight weight penalty for its extra equipment, coming in at 706 pounds compared to 699 pounds for the R. The R model of the 2024 Rocket 3 is lighter than the GT by 6.6 pounds. (Triumph/) Perhaps illustrating how under-stressed that vast three-cylinder engine is, the extra 15 hp gained by the 2024 Rocket 3 Storm models comes purely through changes to the engine management. These tweaks raise the peak revs, with the max power now arriving at 7,000 rpm instead of 6,000 rpm. Maximum torque is also slightly up at 166 lb.-ft. but arrives at the same 4,000 rpm as the previous model. The engine tweaks also ensure the bike meets the latest Euro 5+ emissions limits in Europe, slightly reducing its CO2 output. The chassis is unchanged, with the same aluminum frame bolted to a fully adjustable Showa 47mm USD fork and a single-sided swingarm with an offset Showa piggyback reservoir monoshock, also fully adjustable for compression and preload damping as well as preload. It’s the same story with the carryover brake setup, which was already impressive thanks to Brembo Stylema M4.30 four-piston radial front calipers on dual 320mm discs, backed up by yet another four-pot caliper—this time an M4.32—at the rear on a 300mm rotor. Cornering ABS is standard thanks to a six-axis IMU, which also enables several levels of cornering traction control and four riding modes. Other equipment includes cruise control and hill-hold control as well as keyless ignition, and the GT has heated grips as standard. The same grips are optional on the R, and both models can be personalized with an array of different bars, seats, foot controls, screens, and luggage options. On the tech side, an up/down quickshifter, a phone connectivity module for on-dash navigation and media, and a tire pressure monitoring system are all available as extras. The GT model of the Rocket 3 Storm has a more relaxed, cruiserlike riding position than the R. (Triumph/) Visually, the Rocket 3 Storm models take on a murdered-out style, swapping chrome and brushed or polished aluminum finishes for satin blacks on the hydroformed exhausts, which retain their distinctive three-muffler layout with one on the left and two on the right. New wheels save a couple of pounds of unsprung mass, giving a disproportionate benefit to handling, but retain the dimensions of the previous model with a 150/860-17 front and 240/50-16 rear. Metzeler Cruisetec tires replace the Avon Cobra Chromes of the earlier generation. Both rocket 3 Storm models get new Metzeler Cruisetec tires. (Triumph/) Each version of the bike gets three two-tone color options: red, blue or gray, each combined with black, but the pairs of colors are inverted on the GT. Despite the extra 15 hp, the price increase for 2024 is a fairly modest $1,200, pushing the Rocket 3 Storm R to $24,995 and the Storm GT to $25,795. Rocket 3 Storm Specs MSRP: $24,995 (R) / $25,795 (GT) Engine: DOHC, liquid-cooled inline three-cylinder Displacement: 2,458cc Bore x Stroke: 110.2 x 85.9mm Compression Ratio: 10.8:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/shaft Claimed Horsepower: 180 hp @ 7,000 rpm Claimed Torque: 166 lb.-ft. @ 4,000 rpm Fuel System: Fuel injection, ride-by-wire Clutch: Wet, multiplate, torque assist; hydraulically actuated Frame: Full aluminum Front Suspension: Showa 47mm USD fork, compression and rebound adjustable Rear Suspension: Showa piggyback reservoir monoshock, compression, rebound and preload adjustable Front Brake: Brembo Stylema M4.30 4-piston radial calipers, 320mm discs Rear Brake: Brembo M4.32 4-piston caliper, 300mm disc Wheels, Front/Rear: cast aluminum; 17 x 3.5 in. / 16 x 7.5 in. Tires, Front/Rear: 150/80R-17 / 240/50R-16 Rake/Trail: 27.9°/5.3 in. Wheelbase: 66.0 in. Seat Height: 30.4 in. (R) / 29.5 in. (GT) Fuel Capacity: 4.8 gal Claimed Wet Weight: 699 lb. (R) / 706 lb. (GT) Contact: triumphmotorcycles.com View the full article

Harley’s latest Icon Collection model is the 2024 Hydra-Glide Revival, a limited-edition bike paying homage to the 75th anniversary of the Hydra-Glide suspension. (Andrea Wilson/) One of the first actions Harley-Davidson undertook in 2021 after scrapping its “More Roads” strategy was to launch the Icons Collection, a limited-production line of motorcycles celebrating its iconic motorcycles and past designs. To qualify for the collection, the bikes would only be produced once in limited numbers and be priced reasonably, with each model celebrating a significant motorcycle or technology in Harley-Davidson’s past. Needless to say, Harley’s got a significantly deep catalog of candidates to draw from, and with the 2024 FLI Hydra-Glide Revival, the latest Icons bike, The Motor Company specifically calls out the 75th anniversary of the 1949 Hydra-Glide suspension for its E and F models. The 1949 Hydra-Glide was notable for its hydraulic telescopic fork (hence the name “Hydra”), which signaled a shift away from the springer front end on previous bikes—an impactful move at the time. And when Harley unveiled the new Revival at Daytona Bike Week, we were able to have a brisk chat with Director of Motorcycle Design Bjorn Shuster before jumping on the bike for a quick ride up the coast. Related: 2024 Harley-Davidson Hydra-Glide Revival First Look Based largely on styling cues from the 1956 Hydra-Glide, the new Revival model puts an even more nostalgic spin on the Heritage Classic donor bike. (Andrea Wilson/) Officially, the Hydra-Glide Revival borrows its styling cues most heavily from the ‘56 FLH Hydra-Glide, though Shuster says the Icons bikes are “not meant to be verbatim, literal replicas of any one model” but rather a celebration of a time period. The Revival bike also presented an opportunity for the company to incorporate some of the new postwar industrial design aesthetics that were starting to creep into the popular culture at the time. The classic two-tone red and white “slash” paint scheme on the current Hydra, for example, is inspired by the 1956 models, as is the classic medallion tank badge, which prominently features a large “V” to signify the V-twin design, also a common element for the time. Stylized Hydra-Glide font on the chrome-trimmed front fender echoes the period look. It might help to look twice; 1950s cues include stylized Harley-Davidson font with V flourish. Two-tone “slash” paint job is also lifted from the 1956 Hydra-Glide model. (Andrea Wilson/) Even the experience of sitting in the cockpit has echoes of the past with the tank-mounted analog-look round gauge wearing font ripped right from the ‘50s designs. There are a lot of textures at play on this Revival bike, and the dished solo seat goes all in with fringed leather valance with chrome studs and conchos, and a chrome rail to frame the contrast-stitched padding. And looking through that two-tone detachable windshield, color matched to the tank, is definitely a ride back to another time. Other period touches include a drum-look front brake with a chrome cover, which obscures the thoroughly modern disc lurking on the other side of the wheel, and a Screamin’ Eagle Hi-Flow pan-style air cleaner wedged between the jugs on the completely modern Milwaukee-Eight 114ci V-twin engine. Matching Hydra-Glide badging on chrome-trimmed fender betrays Streamline influences seen in the era. (Andrea Wilson/) That’s right, you won’t find a 74ci Panhead motor here; the Hydra-Glide Revival is based almost entirely on the current Heritage Classic, so under the 5-gallon fuel tank is a 1,868cc mill good for a claimed 94 hp at 4,750 rpm and 119 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,000 revs. In an unusual move, Harley decided not to badge the motor as such, which gives it an even more retro appeal. As usual, owners can further pump up the power with Screamin’ Eagle accessories. Sitting in the bike is also a trip back to the past, with a wide solo seat, leather tank strap, two-tone windshield, and analog-looking gauge taking up the view. Serialized “Hydra-Glide Revival” insert caps the handlebar riser. (Andrea Wilson/) If the standout feature of the original Hydra-Glide was its hydraulic damped front suspension, the Revival’s underpinnings are pure modern-day Softail, with a 49mm Showa dual-bending valve telescopic fork and a preload-adjustable shock hidden under the rear fender. The spoke wheels, tires, and brakes are straight off the Heritage Classic too. In keeping with the Icons theme, electronics on the Revival are minimal, though you still get the basics like ABS, cruise control, LED lighting, and locking saddlebags that are all found on the factory production Heritage, just stylized to pay homage to the past. With its Heritage Classic underpinnings, the Hydra-Glide Revival benefits from the same composed, comfortable, and thoroughly modern ride. (Andrea Wilson/) Shuster says the Hydra-Glide time period appealed to the team for its cultural significance, but certain visual elements like the long primary case, teardrop tanks, and pushrod arrangement have been a signature feature of Harleys for decades. So things didn’t need to look that different in 2024 to trigger that nostalgic remembrance of the past. The downside to the Hydra-Glide’s well-sorted thoroughly throwback vibe is the constant attention of other riders especially at stoplights or gas stations. “What year is that thing?” was a constant refrain we heard, as lookie-loos rolled up to squint at what they thought was a resto-mod or full-on vintage bike. The rigid locking weather-resistant saddlebags are based on the Heritage Classic units and feature the same capacity but are covered in conchos, studs, and fringe. Fun fact: Back in the day, fringe was used to channel water away from objects, not just as styling elements. (Andrea Wilson/) We’ve been on the Heritage platform countless times, so this bike, despite all the adornments and finery, felt like an old friend, with the composed manners, excellent ride quality, and enviable stability we’ve come to expect from that bike. Whether in low-speed turns or at extra-legal Florida highway speeds, the Hydra/Heritage is solid, well damped, and affords good protection thanks to the taller-than-stock shield. Ergonomics are near Goldilocks-level-right (for my 5-foot-7 frame, anyway), and you really can’t underestimate just how comfortable the Heritage is. With plenty of power, ample storage, good comfort, and decent protection, there’s not much to quibble about using this model as a donor bike. The Hydra-Glide Revival’s color-matched shield is about 2 inches taller than the stock Heritage unit, but is similarly detachable. (Andrea Wilson/) At the end of the day, the Hydra-Glide Revival toes the line between retro and modern pretty well. It manages to wear its period trappings authentically without feeling stuck in the past, choosing to highlight certain cues without going too hard on the nostalgia angle (depending on your fringe bias). This bike makes no bones about its theme, but underneath the rose-colored windshield lies a thoroughly competent motorcycle, with well-sorted components that have a proven track record for comfort and performance. Full-on throwback ’50s styling with modern ride quality; if those things appeal to you, the 2024 Hydra-Glide Revival is available in limited numbers, with an MSRP of $24,999. (Andrea Wilson/) Add to this a buy-in price that’s not outrageously steep—$24,999, or just $2,500 more than a base Heritage Classic—-and things start to look even better (provided the styling appeals to you). Also consider that just 1,750 units of the Hydra-Glide Revival will be built, all numbered and serialized, and we see no reason the latest Revival won’t sell as well as the first three (the series has been wildly successful, according to H-D insiders). Side note: In a happy coincidence, the Hydra-Glide is making its way to dealerships just before the release of the BikeRiders movie, a period flick set in 1950s Detroit starring Tom Hardy, which recounts the antics of an outlaw biker club, many of them riding Hydra-Glides. Harley reps swear it’s just a coincidence. 2024 Harley-Davidson Hydra Glide Revival Specs MSRP: $24,999 Engine: 45-degree V-twin; 4 valves/cyl. Displacement: 1,868cc Bore x Stroke: 102.0 x 114.3mm Compression Ratio: 10.5:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/belt Claimed Horsepower: 94.0 hp @ 4,750 rpm Claimed Torque: 119 lb.-ft. @ 3,000 rpm Fuel System: Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection Clutch: Wet, multiplate assist Frame: Tubular steel Front Suspension: 49mm telescopic, dual-bending valve; 5.1 in. travel Rear Suspension: Monoshock, spring preload adjustable; 3.4 in. travel Front Brake: 4-piston fixed calipers, floating 300mm discs w/ ABS Rear Brake: 2-piston floating caliper, 292mm disc w/ ABS Wheels, Front/Rear: Spoked steel; 16 x 3.0 in. / 16 x 3.0 in. Tires, Front/Rear: Dunlop Harley-Davidson Series, bias blackwall; 130/90-16 / 150/80-16 Rake/Trail: 30.0°/5.7 in. Wheelbase: 64.2 in. Ground Clearance: 4.7 in. Seat Height: 27.0 in. (unladen) Fuel Capacity: 5.0 gal. Claimed Wet Weight: 742 lb. Contact: harley-davidson.com View the full article

We copped a quick ride on the preproduction version of Buell’s Super Cruiser at Daytona Bike Week. (Andrea Wilson/) There’s not much you can learn about a brand-new motorcycle in an hour’s ride on strange roads to an unknown destination. Add in the fact that you’re on arrow-straight Florida tarmac in the midst of the chaos that is Daytona Bike Week while riding a preproduction model, and you come to realize that any kind of in-depth evaluation is wishful thinking. And, because this is the not-yet-validated version of Buell Motorcycle’s 2025 Super Cruiser, any discussion of final specification, finishes, or mechanical gremlins is pretty much a non-starter; you’re told to focus more on just what kind of riding experience the Super Cruiser is expected to offer. All right then; rather than a serious, deep-dive analysis let’s jump right into our initial impressions about the ride on Buell’s latest model. Club style meets superbike? Tall handlebars, mini-fairing, and one-piece saddle take their cues from Harley’s long-gone FXR. (Andrea Wilson/) Super Cruiser Concept In case you missed the unveiling, the new Roland Sands–designed Super Cruiser was revealed to the public back in February of 2023. Sands says he was tasked with “using as much of the standard Buell rolling kit” as was possible in initial meetings with Buell CEO Bill Melvin, so everything from the 1,190cc liquid-cooled ET-V2 V-twin to the adjustable fork to the 17-inch alloy wheels with signature perimeter braking system appears on the Super Cruiser. The challenge was in mashing those bits into cruiser-style packaging, and Sands had to engineer his own steel tube frame while getting the chassis to sync with the Buell 1190 platform’s swingarm, fork, wheels, and brake system. The Super Cruiser gets the same liquid-cooled 1,190cc ET-V2 V-twin as the 1190RX superbike with minor mods to the injectors and tune. The RSD-designed chassis rolls on 17-inch wheels. (Andrea Wilson/) If there’s any question about where the Super Cruiser’s styling inspiration comes from, think FXR. The Super Cruiser takes the profile of Harley-Davidson’s iconic model and adds a West Coast cruiser aesthetic to create what Sands calls “a superbike-powered high-performance club-style bike.” The blacked-out components, tall bars, and quarter fairing hint at that club vibe, but the Super Cruiser—at least in current form—is nearly mechanically identical to the current-gen Hammerhead 1190RX superbike, which itself is largely based on Erik Buell’s 1190RX from 2014 (there have been significant updates to the 72-degree Rotax Helicon V-twin-derived engine since then). In any case, the Buell/RSD concept bike generated plenty of buzz, and eager buyers plunked down an unprecedented $120 million in preorders once that window opened. The production version of the bike will come standard with the 175-hp engine map with a 50-state exhaust. (Andrea Wilson/) Super Cruiser Now Fast-forward to 2024 and our pre-ride meeting with Buell Motorcycle CEO Melvin, who gets me up to speed with a walk-around of the preproduction model before heading off on our ride to the calmer countryside, far from the deafening crowds. Cosmetically, the Super Cruiser’s FXR influence is abundantly clear, with a aerodynamic quarter fairing, a wide, shapely fuel tank (holding 4.5 gallons), raised handlebars, and tall, one-piece seat. This version looks damn close to the concept RSD bike, though it’s worth pointing out that the ET-V2 motor takes up a lot of real estate in the frame, and forgoes traditional cruiser aesthetics of machined fins and chrome covers. We expect that the hose and wire routing will be cleaned up before production, but it’s not the most stylish engine in the segment. Buell wisely chose to go with a black radiator cover on this bike rather than the aluminum RSD piece seen on the concept, and the preproduction bike also wears the same exhaust system used on the 1190 platform, with similar intakes; Melvin says there’s just slight differences in the tune due to the fact that the Super Cruiser will have the main port injectors but not the secondary shower head injectors seen on the Hammerhead superbike. In the grand scheme of logistics, that decision makes sense as it saves the fledgling company lots of R&D time and production costs. Tall, narrow bars hold switch gear and TFT display pilfered from Buell’s existing 1190 platform. The tank is new and has 4.5-gallon capacity. (Andrea Wilson/) Up front, the Super Cruiser uses RSD-designed risers with standard spacing patterns (as seen on many H-D models) so customers can use other compatible aftermarket parts if they choose. The bike we rode also had adjustable Öhlins front and rear suspension, though Melvin hinted that those might not appear in the final version; only that the suspension “would have a few adjustments so shorter and taller riders” would be able to dial in settings. Stylish quarter fairing does a decent job of keeping wind blast off your torso at speed. (Andrea Wilson/) Super Cruiser on the Road Jumping on the Super Cruiser sure doesn’t feel like saddling up a standard low-rider True to the marketing, you feel a bit more badass when you climb aboard, whether because the bike sits higher, or your hands reach out to a taller narrow-ish bar, or your feet fall onto mid-mount controls. You’ve got a commanding view with ergonomics that are upright but not necessarily relaxed in a classic cruiser-y sense, your arms just slightly bent at the elbow. Our test mule also wears a one-piece Saddlemen seat with a sharp right-angled bolster in club-style fashion, and it’s on the tall side for my 30-inch inseam, but plenty manageable at stops, and gives me plenty of support on quick launches. Melvin says the company is also working on a seat that will be more narrowly tapered at the nose to make the rider’s reach to the ground that much easier. Riding position is fairly upright, giving you easy access to handlebar inputs. Foot controls are mid-mounts, set slightly rearward. (Andrea Wilson/) Thumb the very generic-looking starter and the beastly motor pops to life, rumbling and popping beneath you. It idles impatiently, then quakes off idle, begging you to rev it out, and there’s never any doubt you’re sitting on a walloping engine. As you feed in the throttle and revs come up, the engine responds with a hint of growl in the midrange; there’s power everywhere, but you really don’t feel the rush until somewhere north of 5,000 rpm, when you hit the meat of the torque curve. Somewhere past 8,000 rpm, you’re really feeling the thunder and still only in third gear—but already rapidly approaching triple-digit speeds. When you remind yourself that this mill is a byproduct of the beastly 1190RX superbike, it starts to make sense: The 2014 EBR model produced 161.2 hp at 10,530 rpm and 87.1 lb.-ft. at 8,100 rpm on the Cycle World dyno, and has been updated since then. We’re told the Super Cruiser in current form makes a claimed 175 hp, and while torque numbers weren’t yet available, we assume it’ll likely be close to the 100 lb.-ft. number quoted on the brand’s superbike. For cruising average roads, the Super Cruiser has way more than enough street-crucial torque to spare from the high-revving twin. The 17-inch EBR wheels shod with sticky Dunlop rubber are fitted with Buell’s signature perimeter braking system with 386mm rotor clamped by an eight-piston caliper. We had Öhlins suspension on our testbike; Buell says that’s subject to change. (Andrea Wilson/) Back on the highway, the bike’s an easy operator, with a wet, hydraulically actuated clutch that engages progressively and a gearbox that shifts smoothly and positively. Melvin says a quickshifter option will be available too. The bike’s suspension feels firm but compliant, and there’s adjustment available on either end of the baseline settings so you can soften things up if need be. The roads we were on were in fairly good shape but unfortunately they were super straight, so we can’t tell you if the bike absolutely rails corners; let’s just say we didn’t spend a lot of time on the side of the tire. For what it’s worth, the bike feels nimble thanks to its 450-pound weight and light 17-inch wheels, and we can confirm it stops on a dime; those EBR rim brakes offer prodigious stopping power and the rear brake is a competent performer to boot. (There’s no ABS though.) Super Cruiser Ergonomics As for creature comforts, that’s not what this bike is about; the cockpit is compact with the narrow bars holding fairly generic switch gear and a clunky TFT display giving you basic info with a bar-type tach and simple digital numbers for speed. The mini-fairing gives a decent amount of protection to the torso, but you’ll still feel the wind blast at helmet level. If you’re looking for a hooligan, you’ve come to the right place. Slight differences in the RSD concept bike, which wore GP suspension and SC Project exhaust, among other things. (Buell Motorcycle/) A less than 100-mile half day on straight roads doesn’t come close to revealing the SC’s capabilities, but we did get a small window into what’s possible. If the Super Cruiser promises superbike-level performance with a cruiser-style ergos, there are some compromises that come with that. For one you can’t ride it like a cruiser; the 1190 mill lives at higher revs and only really starts to come alive at about 7K and up. And because many parts are sourced from the 1190RX superbike, they don’t necessarily lend themselves to cruiser styling. For instance, the 17-inch rear wheel and swingarm combo are fighting to be proportional to that massive rear fender. On the other hand, because the Super Cruiser uses everything but the frame, tank, and fenders from the 1190RX, it minimizes production costs because there are fewer new parts to order. Wheels are also typical 17-inch sportbike sizes, so go-fast rubber will be easy to find. And while it may not be traditionally “pretty,” the SC is more than 100 pounds lighter than most other bikes of this type with close to twice the horsepower, so it’s instantly intriguing. Seriously, for comparable matches of power-to-weight ratios, you’d have to tread far outside the V-twin cruiser world and look at something like the Ducati Streetfighter V4 S or Aprilia Tuono V4 Factory. Of course, those aren’t V-twins, nor are they cruisers… For the author’s 5-foot-7 frame and 30-inch inseam, the riding position was comfortable, offering a nice reach to the bars without an overly relaxed posture. (Andrea Wilson/) Melvin says additional testing and validation are still to be done before final EPA approval, but things are on track for a production start in 2025. Last year Melvin quoted mid-$20K as a price target and he’s sticking to that same MSRP, with the caveat that some of the components such as the suspension, stabilizers, etc., may change on the production model. The company is aiming for a first year production run of 2,000 to 5,000 units, and the bikes will come standard with the 175-hp map with a 50-state exhaust. All bikes will be available in just the black color, and Buell plans to have showrooms and service centers deployed in major metropolitan areas by year’s end. The Buell Super Cruiser is on schedule to hit the company’s Michigan production line in 2025, with an expected MSRP in mid-$20,000. (Andrea Wilson/) Conclusion It remains to be seen whether or not Buell can sustain the buzz around the Super Cruiser and deliver a viable (and reliable) product. Judging by the crowds around its semi at Daytona and the online traffic and commentary, lots of folks are ready to throw down the cash to find out. More details, some specs, and preorder info can be found on buellmotorcycle.com. Some armchair enthusiasts will probably knock the Super Cruiser for its aesthetics, while others will whine about the riding position. Still others will trash the bike’s lack of electronics, but those people miss the point: The Super Cruiser is unlike anything else we’ve seen in what’s an admittedly niche-y market. And despite the short time we had with the Super Cruiser, we can tell you it is an exhilarating ride. For reference, this is Buell’s current Hammerhead superbike. (Buell Motorcycle/) View the full article

The 2024 KTM RC 8C. (KTM/) For the third time in four years, KTM is offering its limited-production, track-only RC 8C to a handful of lucky customers. Since the first 100 examples were snatched up in 2021 (and 200 more in 2023), sportbike fans have hoped it was an augury of things to come: namely, a mass-produced sportbike based around the 889cc LC8c parallel twin (the same engine powering KTM’s middleweight Duke and Adventure models). That model has yet and, for all we know, may never come. So while news of another run of RC 8Cs is welcome, it is, alas, also salt in the wound. The good news is the RC 8C is the kind of aspirational motorcycle that gets the heart pumping. Like KTM’s dreaming-of-Dakar halo off-roader, the 450 Rally Replica, the RC 8C represents the heart of KTM’s “Ready to Race” philosophy. The 2024 model, limited to 100 models, will be ready for online preorder on March 20, 2024. The $41,499 price tag (that’s just $3,996 less than a Ducati Panigale V4 R!) gets you the most ready-to-race bike in KTM’s arsenal, though it’s essentially a Krämer restyled to resemble an RC16 MotoGP bike. That’s not to diminish the RC 8C’s merit. Krämer, based in Burghausen, Germany, founded by former KTM engineers, may not have the wide name recognition of its Mattighofen co-conspirators, but it’s certainly earned a sterling reputation for building the LC8- and LC8c-powered trackbikes that sportbike aficionados wish KTM would build in the first place. Krämer’s own top-end GP2-890RR retails for $39,995. Red Bull KTM MotoGP stars Jack Miller and Brad Binder put the RC 8C through its paces. (KTM/) KTM claims the breathed-upon LC8c produces 135 hp; increased performance is thanks to a raft of changes, including titanium valves, titanium connecting rods, and machined cylinder head ports and combustion chamber. The engine breathes through a bespoke airbox and gets its lifeblood via a fuel pump unique to the model. A full Akrapovič exhaust system lets the motor sing. If 135 hp doesn’t sound like a terribly impressive figure, consider the RC 8C weighs a claimed 313 pounds (dry). To achieve that number, Krämer developed a chromoly tubular frame and a rotationally molded fuel cell that does double duty as the subframe. Additional weight-saving parts include carbon-Kevlar bodywork and forged aluminum Dymag wheels. Krämer’s handiwork on full display. The trellis frame is constructed of 25CrMo4 tubular steel. (KTM/) For ultimate performance, the RC 8C has the highest-spec components from Brembo and KTM’s in-house suspension brand WP. At the front, there’s a fully adjustable 43mm WP Apex Pro 7543 closed-cartridge fork, and at the rear, a WP Apex Pro 7746 monoshock, adjustable for high- and low-speed compression and rebound damping, with a remote preload adjuster peaking out beneath the seat. In addition to Brembo Stylema calipers, the braking system uses Brembo’s 19RCS Corsa Corta radial master cylinder, which enables riders to adjust the bite point. Further, the master cylinder’s RCS (Ratio Click System) allows riders to select a fulcrum-to-piston distance of either 18mm or 20mm, thereby changing lever travel to deliver the familiar lever feel of a streetbike or the immediacy of a racebike. Like full-on racebikes, the RC 8C offers setup options not found on typical production bikes: triple clamp and steering head offset allow geometry changes to suit conditions, and seat height (via eccentric subframe mount), handlebars, and footpegs can be adjusted to suit rider preferences. The RC 8C’s electronics package includes power modes, traction control, and anti-wheelie, all of which are adjustable through an AiM MXS dashboard, which includes a datalogger with GPS functionality. Additional features include aerodynamic winglets and a swingarm scoop. Pirelli Diablo Superbike slicks come standard. The RC 8C rider’s office features a TFT display and datalogging from AiM. (KTM/) Customers who add on the Race Parts package are invited to book a spot at a handover event at the Algarve International Circuit in Portimão, Portugal. To get the most out of their bikes, technicians will help customers dial in their perfect setup. Not only that, unspecified “KTM racing royalty” will also be on hand. To top it off, a private dinner, the opportunity to take laps around the circuit in a KTM X-Bow race car with KTM factory drivers, and a world-exclusive product unveiling give RC 8C owners some serious bang for their buck. Last year, KTM sold out of all 200 hand-built RC 8Cs in under three minutes; two minutes and 38 seconds, to be exact. You’d think KTM would have gotten the hint that there’s more than a small amount of interest in a mass-produced KTM middleweight sportbike. Maybe all it suggests is that, yes, there’s a vocal group of motorcyclists who want a pure-bred middleweight sportbike, but it’s not a legitimate indicator of the number of potential buyers for a mass-produced middleweight sportbike. If only that exclusive product unveiling in Portimão were for the affordable mass-produced sportbike the rest of us have dreamed about since the demise of the 1190 RC8. Probably not, but we can dream. After all, the RC 8C is all about dreaming. And, OK, fast laps. New white livery distinguishes the ‘24 model from the predominantly orange model of 2021 and the black of 2023. Check out those Pirelli Diablo Superbike SC 1 slicks and the Brembo Stylema Monoblocks up front. (KTM/) 2024 KTM RC 8C Specs MSRP: $41,499 Engine: DOHC, liquid-cooled parallel twin; 4 valves/cyl. Displacement: 889cc Bore x Stroke: 90.7 x 68.8mm Compression Ratio: 14.0:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain Claimed Horsepower: 135 hp @ 11,000 rpm Claimed Torque: 72.3 lb.-ft. @ 8,250 rpm Fuel System: Electronic fuel injection w/ 48mm throttle bodies, ride-by-wire Clutch: Wet, multiplate, anti-hopping slipper; mechanically operated Engine Management/Ignition: Bosch EMS Frame: Chromoly steel trellis Front Suspension: WP Apex Pro 43mm inverted fork, fully adjustable; 4.7 in. travel Rear Suspension: WP Apex Pro shock, fully adjustable; 4.7 in. travel Front Brake: Brembo Stylema radial-mount 4-piston calipers, 290mm discs Rear Brake: Brembo 2-piston caliper, 230mm disc Wheels, Front/Rear: Dymag forged aluminum; 17 x 3.5 in. / 17 x 6.0 in. Tires, Front/Rear: Pirelli Diablo Superbike slicks; 120/70-17 / 180/60-17 Rake/Trail: 23.3°/3.9 in. Wheelbase: 55.1 in. Ground Clearance: 7.5 in. Seat Height: 32.3 in. Fuel Capacity: 4.2 gal. Claimed Dry Weight: 313 lb. Contact: ktm.com View the full article

A top speed of 182 mph was achieved by MotoAmerica’s King of the Baggers at Daytona. (Harley-Davidson/) The bare bones of Daytona’s two six-lap Baggers races are that Kyle Wyman (Factory Harley-Davidson Race Team) won them both from the chicane on the last lap, and that second in both cases was fast learner Troy Herfoss on an S&S factory Indian. Herfoss is fresh off his third Australian Superbike championship and had never seen Daytona. Some things have changed since last season, but let’s review by stating that this class has a minimum weight of 620 pounds. The hybrid-cooled Harley is allowed 131 cubes and the Indian 112, with a rev limit of 7,000 for the Milwaukee giant and 7,700 for the Indian. Horsepower? Maybe close to 185. The fastest top-speed number this weekend was 182 mph. Last year’s quickest lap was a 1:50.563, but this year Herfoss cranked out a 1:49.987. The two brands were reasonably matched on the banking, where drafting confuses the issue, but Herfoss was able—traffic permitting—to gain something extra through the infield. There was no procession at any time, always bikes pushing and shoving for position. These motorcycles weave. Not on the banking, but when lifting up from a corner or during direction changes, and riders are able to mostly ignore it. Although the weave makes some maneuvers spectacular, be sure the technicians and engineers are working on this. H-D’s Kyle Wyman took double wins in Daytona. (Harley-Davidson/) Last year the Indians were dragging their frames (just ahead of the crankcase) in corners, but amended rules now allow machining to correct this. Before this, Indian coped by raising ride height, but some riders couldn’t hold up such a tall bike at rest. Remember that these bikes were originally designed for a maximum lean angle of 32 degrees! It looks like both companies have updated their front “streamlining” to make it less of an “air dam” (one rider’s term for such mandatory obstructions). At one point Tyler O’Hara’s factory Indian needed a clutch, and MotoAmerica commentator Roger Hayden noted the replacement job was more difficult because “It’s so hot.” Last year I learned that upon rolling into the pit a Harley’s primary cover was a don’t-touch-it item—it was around 300 degrees Fahrenheit! In the case of this year’s factory Indians, the spec sheet calls out an Endurance Adler slipper clutch, which the team boss told me last year was much needed and coming soon. Is the high temperature just a “toll” on transmitting 185 hp to the gearbox (a 2 percent loss would be 2,700 watts of heat)? Or is slippage adding to the thermal load? Troy Herfoss leads teammate Tyler O’Hara ahead of a three-pack of Harleys. (Brian J. Nelson/MotoAmerica/) Why is a slipper clutch needed? If you are trail-braking into a corner, the rear wheel is driving the engine, whose engine-braking on closed throttle tends to drag the rear wheel, making the rear of the bike swing out. In both races, Herfoss appeared to have the win in hand approaching the V-shaped chicane, but inexperience with “Daytona chicane-craft” defeated him both times. In the second case (Saturday’s race), he braked late for the chicane, and ran wide in the right-hander, snatching a quick look over his left (outside!) shoulder. That was all the invitation Wyman needed to pass inside and exit onto the banking with the lead. He later said, “He had a friggin’ mile and he gave it to me!” Herfoss took second in both KOTB races at Daytona. (Brian J. Nelson/MotoAmerica/) Herfoss recited forthrightly, “I overshot the chicane.” It will be interesting to see how this man’s ability to gain ground through twisties will reward him. He adapted quickly to the completely strange-to-him bike, to a track he’d never before seen, and to a crew with whom he’d never worked. The field was 17 bikes and the health of the class is proven by the strong teams capable of running in the top group: the two factory teams, the Vance & Hines H-Ds of Hayden Gillim (the 2013 champion) and Rocco Landers, the Saddlemen H-Ds of Jake Lewis and Cory West, and the Roland Sands Indian of Bobby Fong. James Rispoli (Factory H-D) said it well Saturday afternoon, “This is what people want—two factories going head-to-head!” James Rispoli giving the fans what they want: great racing. (Harley-Davidson/) On the one hand, the liquid-cooled Indian Challenger is a 100 percent modern design backed by cooperation between Indian and S&S, and on the other, the 17 percent bigger but 9 percent slower-turning and half-air-cooled Harley is backed by that company’s potent new R&D center. The visual impact of this class comes from big raw problems (which are mostly solved in mature classes like Superbike) and from the shock of tour bikes running 180 mph. Weave messes with control, engine-braking messes with control, 620 pounds mess with control. It’s men wrestling with giant racers, and people love it. View the full article

The 2025 Triumph Daytona 660 has arrived and we rode it in Spain. (Triumph/) Sportbikes are making a comeback of sorts right now, especially in the middleweight class, albeit with lower-powered and more economical powerplants. Triumph hasn’t produced a normal production, fully faired sportbike since 2017, which was the final year of the Daytona 675R (the Daytona Moto2 765 was only made in limited numbers). Back then, Triumph—like the rest of its competitors—was still chasing supersport glory and building machines that put outright performance above everything else, even at the expense of practicality. For 2025 (available in April of this year), Triumph has released its brand-new Daytona 660. But does this bike live up to the fabled Daytona name? Or is it simply a reskinned Trident 660, the bike that it’s largely based on. The Triumph Daytona 660 in Satin Granite. (Triumph/) Without Supersport racing rules dictating displacements or engine configurations, the middleweight sportbike class has exploded with affordable, well-rounded machines. The Daytona 660 joins the likes of Yamaha’s YZF-R7, Aprilia’s RS 660, Honda’s CBR650R, Kawasaki’s Ninja 650 KRT Edition, and most recently Suzuki’s GSX-8R. The one thing that all of these machines have in common is the fact that they have been built to provide excellent real-world performance, and aren’t just racebikes disguised as streetbikes. If you’re looking for a motorcycle that can be a great commuter, has faired sportbike styling, and can tackle twisty mountain roads on the weekends or even the occasional trackday, this new breed of middleweights can deliver it all. Even better is the fact that without expensive components and engines tuned for maximum racetrack performance, this new era of middleweights offers value not seen in a long time. So how does the Daytona 660 stack up? We flew to sunny Alicante, Spain, to find out. Engine and Electronics The first thing to know about the Daytona’s engine is that although it’s based on the unit that powers the Trident and Tiger Sport 660, there are some significant differences that increase performance by a healthy margin. The Daytona’s inline-triple is unique to the class, which sets it apart from the competition. It displaces 660cc with 74.0 x 51.1mm bore and stroke dimensions and features a 240-degree firing order. An updated version of Triumph’s 660cc inline-three makes 17 percent more power than the unit in the Trident. (Triumph/) In an effort to generate more performance than the unit in the Trident, Triumph’s engineers made quite a few changes. Starting with the engine’s internals, there is a new crankshaft, new pistons and wrist pins, a new cylinder head with larger exhaust valves, and a different exhaust cam that provides more lift than the unit in the Trident. On the intake side, the Trident’s single throttle body is replaced by a trio of 44mm units and a larger airbox. At the other end is a revised exhaust system with tweaks made to the catalytic converter for better flow and sound. According to Triumph, these changes, and its increased redline (now set 20 percent higher at 12,650 rpm), have bumped horsepower to 95 at 11,250 rpm, which is a 17 percent increase over the Trident. Torque is also up, now at 51 lb.-ft., peaking at 8,250 rpm. But Triumph also says that more than 80 percent of the maximum torque is available from 3,125 to 11,750 rpm. More performance means more heat, so a larger and repositioned radiator is used to keep the engine running cool. An updated exhaust has been altered for the best possible sound and flow. (Triumph/) The drivetrain also received a bunch of changes, with a revised transmission that gets new input and output shafts and new internal gear ratios (taller first and second), and one less tooth on the countershaft sprocket. A new slip and assist clutch is used, while an optional up/down quickshifter can be ordered as an accessory. We had the opportunity to put about 120 miles on the Daytona 660 in the mountains of southeastern Spain. A nice variety of roads included some fast and flowing stuff and some very tight and technical sections. A tap of the starter button wakes up that familiar three-cylinder soundtrack that we’ve become so enamored with over the years. Heading out of town into the mountains through dozens of roundabouts and stoplights, the 660 instantly shows what a versatile and flexible engine it is. Torque is easily accessible right off the bottom, requiring very few revs to get rolling as you feed out the light, cable-actuated clutch lever. In this environment the engine purrs along smoothly and is incredibly easy to ride in urban stop and go. With such a flat torque curve, you can short-shift through the gearbox for a super-relaxed ride. The Triumph triple provides a great combination of low-down torque and top-end power. (Triumph/) But don’t let the engine’s mellow low-rev nature fool you; snap the bike up out of a corner when a straight opens up in front of you and it wakes up instantly. Revs build in a very smooth but aggressive manner when you grab a handful of throttle. This engine really provides the best attributes of its parallel-twin competition down low, but pulls and spins much more aggressively than those machines do up top. That right there is the beauty of a triple: all the bottom-end torque that makes it a great city bike, combined with a snappy high-revving top-end that makes sporting roads a total blast. For sure, the 660 doesn’t offer the performance of its 675R ancestor (which made 117 hp at a higher 13,180 rpm back in 2017), but the torque figures are almost identical to that eight-year-old model despite the fact that this new 660 delivers its peak at a considerably lower and more usable rpm. The left handlebar control pods feature a mode button and then an arrow pad to navigate the functions of the dash. (Triumph/) The Triumph Daytona 660 has a simple but effective rider-aid suite. It utilizes ride-by-wire throttle control, enabling three different ride modes: Sport, Road, and Rain. Additionally, the Daytona has switchable traction control and two options for the throttle map including Road and Sport. If there is a consistent fact about European roads, it’s that you can pretty much guarantee that roundabouts will be slick with diesel fuel residue. Thankfully the Daytona 660′s traction control effectively intervenes when necessary otherwise we’d likely have been skittled off to the ditch on a couple of occasions. The hybrid TFT/LCD dash displays all the necessary information, from bike info to modes and settings. (Triumph/) In short, the 660′s engine and electronics package deliver exactly the kind of performance that riders are telling Triumph they are looking for, and in a machine that is priced for the masses. We have to agree that it’s almost impossible to fault this excellent engine when you get out and ride it in the real world; it’s undoubtedly one of the better performing and best sounding engines in this class. Chassis The Daytona 660 chassis is where it’s obvious that Triumph had to make some tough decisions in terms of costs versus higher-spec components. Once again, we think back to the Daytona 675R, which came equipped with top-of-the-line Öhlins suspension and Brembo brakes. But those goodies came with a premium price tag of $14,000 back in 2017. Fast-forward to the 660; the bike is a much more simple machine, with a steel frame and fabricated steel swingarm instead of the 675′s aluminum unit. The frame is a tubular steel unit. (Triumph/) Here is another area where the Daytona 660 differs from its Trident cousin: The Daytona has a longer 56.1-inch wheelbase compared to the Trident’s 55.2, while front end geometry is more aggressive with 23.8 degrees of rake and 3.2 inches of trail (compared to 24.6 degrees and 4.2 inches). Much like the competition, Triumph has forgone fancy suspension components in favor of more affordable and basic units front and rear. At the front is a Showa SFF-BP fork without any provisions for adjustment, while at the rear is a Showa monoshock with preload adjustability. Travel measures 4.3 inches front and 5.1 at the rear. The 660’s swingarm is made of fabricated steel. The rear brake is a single-piston unit. (Triumph/) Around town where broken pavement, speed humps, and potholes are aplenty, the suspension provides a soft and forgiving ride. In this environment, there is very little to complain about. The bike is comfortable without dishing out the type of overly harsh ride quality that trackworthy suspension sometimes delivers. The same can be said once you hit a twisty road at a moderate pace where the suspension still offers a comfortable ride. Get really aggressive and you start to find the limitations of the suspension setup. We dialed in some more preload to the rear shock to stiffen up the chassis a bit, but there is nothing you can do to the fork. At a fast pace the fork simply doesn’t have the damping to control the compression under really hard braking, and lacks the rebound control to keep the fork from extending too quickly after that. Although the suspension package is basic, it actually does a good overall job considering the price and intended target audience—which isn’t the supersport racebike enthusiast. Up front are a pair of four-piston radial-mount calipers. The Showa SFF-BP fork is not adjustable. (Triumph/) While the Trident has a pair of twin-piston brake calipers up front, the Daytona 660 gets a pair of house-branded (looking a lot like J.Juan) radial-mount four-piston units with 310mm discs and stainless steel brake lines. Overall, the braking system, like the suspension, performs well right up to the spiciest of attack modes. Around town there is nothing to complain about; it’s only when you dial up the aggression that you yearn for just a bit more power and bite from the front calipers. There honestly is very little wrong here, it’s just a case of so many sportbikes coming fitted with top-end Brembos these days that has changed our perception of what modern brakes are capable of. Once again, we’ll point to the price and audience and cut the Daytona some slack. The Showa monoshock has preload adjustability. (Triumph/) The Daytona 660 comes with 17-inch five-spoke aluminum wheels front and rear. The standard tire is Michelin’s brand-new Power 6, which is a road-oriented sport tire not designed for track use. As we said before, the roads in Europe can be polished and slick with diesel, so finding the tire’s limits (and therefore the bike’s) wasn’t in the cards. The Daytona 660 is fun and responsive without being harsh or unforgiving. (Triumph/) But those roads provided a good test for the Daytona’s handling. The chassis delivers good stability on every type of road, while turn-in is crisp without being too twitchy. Part of this has to do with the narrower handlebars that don’t afford the leverage that you get on a bike like the Street Triple 765 R. Overall, the chassis is competent and fun for a wide range of roads, offering sporty and fun handling without being harsh or overly demanding. Ergonomics It’s here that the theme of a well-rounded sportbike is obvious. The riding position is very comfortable for a sportbike, with the handlebars mounted above the top triple clamp and providing a more upright seating position that doesn’t dump your weight onto your wrists. Compared to the Trident’s even more upright cockpit, the Daytona’s bars are more than 4 inches lower, narrower, and set a bit more forward. The standard seat height is set at a reasonable 31.9 inches, offering a comfortable and not overly cramped relationship with the footpegs, which put your knees at a gentle bend. Seat comfort is quite good and offers a nice kick up at the back that gives your back support without throwing you into the back of the tank. In the Triumph accessory catalog there is a low seat option that drops the height to 31.3 inches. The standard seat is set at 31.9 inches and is quite comfortable to complement the roomy riding position. (Triumph/) The cockpit is roomy, allowing you to move around to get comfortable but to also position your body and hang off when cornering. Around town, the seat is low enough, and the bike narrow enough between the knees to allow a firm footing at stops, at least for this 5-foot-11 tester. Like the bike’s overall target, the ergonomics are sporty without being unforgiving and purely track focused, which in this class is the new standard. Conclusion Those of us who’ve been around long enough to have ridden the bulk of Triumph’s middleweight sportbikes, from the original TT600 through the iterations of the Daytona 675, couldn’t be more excited for the arrival of the Daytona 660. To be honest, we were bummed out when the 675R got dropped from Triumph’s lineup, after all, it was perhaps the most road-friendly motorcycle of all the surviving supersports like the Yamaha R6, Suzuki GSX-R600, Honda CBR600RR, and Kawasaki ZX-6R. But with fewer and fewer consumers looking for middleweight repli-racers, the current interest in more versatile models like this Daytona 660 is encouraging. Hopefully it’s the ticket to a larger middleweight sportbike revival. The 2025 Triumph Daytona 660 in Carnival Red. (Triumph/) As for the Daytona 660 and its place among its new competitors, we have to give credit where it’s due. It would be so easy to complain about the bike’s few shortcomings, but when you put it all into perspective, this $9,195 motorcycle delivers a ton of performance, amazing styling, and just so happens to be one of the least expensive models among the competition, with only the $8,899 Kawasaki Ninja 650 KRT Edition costing less and the Aprilia RS 660, with adjustable suspension, almost $2,500 more. Priced at the lower end in its class, the Daytona 660 is a really fun sportbike. (Triumph/) But does the 660 live up to the famous Daytona name, a name that in itself represents one of the most famous racetracks in the world? In short, yes. It may not be a hardcore supersport racebike, but as an all-arounder it is a fun and spirited motorcycle that has none of the shortcomings that those machines have in real-world riding. The one thing that gives it undeniable credibility is the character-rich triple that powers it. That right there has earned it the right to carry the Daytona name. The footpegs are set at a sporty but not torturous level. (Triumph/) The styling on the Daytona 660 is really nice in person. (Triumph/) The 2025 Triumph Daytona 660. (Triumph/) 2024 Triumph Daytona 660 Specs MSRP: $9,195 Engine: DOHC, liquid-cooled, four-stroke inline-three; 4 valves/cyl. Displacement: 660cc Bore x Stroke: 74.0 x 51.1mm Compression Ratio: 12.1:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain Claimed Horsepower: 95 hp @ 11,250 rpm Claimed Torque: 51 lb.-ft. @ 8,250 rpm Fuel System: Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection w/ ride-by-wire electronic throttle control Clutch: Wet, multiplate slip/assist; cable actuation Engine Management/Ignition: Electronic Frame: Tubular steel perimeter Front Suspension: Showa 41mm inverted separate function big piston (SFF-BP) fork; 4.3 in. travel Rear Suspension: Showa monoshock, preload adjustable; 5.1 in. travel Front Brake: 4-piston radial-mount calipers, floating 310mm discs w/ ABS Rear Brake: 1-piston caliper, 220mm disc w/ ABS Wheels, Front/Rear: Cast aluminum; 17 x 3.5 in. / 17 x 5.5 in. Tires, Front/Rear: 120/70-17 / 180/55-17 Rake/Trail: 23.8°/3.2 in. Wheelbase: 56.1 in. Ground Clearance: N/A Seat Height: 31.9 in. Fuel Capacity: 3.7 gal. Claimed Wet Weight: 443 lb. Contact: triumphmotorcycles.com View the full article

World Ducati Week 2024 (Ducati/) Ducati Press Release: Countdown begins for the 12th edition of the event, symbolizing the passion for Ducati in the world, which will be held from 26 to 28 July 2024 The Misano World Circuit and the Adriatic Riviera are ready to welcome Ducatisti and all fans of the world of motorcycling in an event full of excitement World Ducati Week 2024 is confirmed to host the “Race of Champions” in which Ducati riders will compete on the track in a world-class race Tickets to participate in the 2024 edition of WDW are available on the Ducati.com website Let’s start revving up the engines, the countdown has officially begun! Tickets are now available on the Ducati.com website to participate in World Ducati Week, the event showcasing the passion for Ducati worldwide. From July 26 - 28, 2024, the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” and the entire Adriatic Riviera will be lit up in Ducati Red once again thanks to the passion of thousands of enthusiasts who will undoubtedly make this 12th edition of the WDW unforgettable. World Ducati Week is a massive celebration that attracts people from every corner of the planet. Fans arrive in Italy driven by the euphoria of celebrating their passion for motorcycling and for the Red Bikes from Borgo Panigale. It is an unmissable event that combines riding experiences, life stories, new product launches, moments of fun, motorcycle parades, meet-and-greet sessions with riders, and many other initiatives created to fuel the passion of Ducatisti and fans of all ages. The event, organized by Ducati, continues to grow and improve over the years. Work has already started in Borgo Panigale with the aim of making World Ducati Week 2024 the best WDW ever. Fans can expect to see an ever-wider product range, a series of memorable experiences for participants, various entertainment events in both the daytime and evening programs, and a large space reserved for the Ducati Corse universe, which can count on a group of top-level riders in MotoGP and WorldSBK. The “Race of Champions” has again been confirmed as the highlight of World Ducati Week. On Friday, July 26, and Saturday, July 27, the Ducati riders will take to the track at Misano to compete in an unforgettable race. For motorcycle enthusiasts, this is a unique opportunity to see their idols in action up close and let themselves be carried away by adrenaline in a world-class race. Tickets to WDW 2024 can be purchased on the Ducati website. Biker Passes are for guests who attend with their Ducati, and Visitor Passes are available for those attending without a motorcycle. All passes are valid for one or all three days of the event. Both Passes give access to all public areas, with the possibility of taking part in many activities free of charge, from contests to talks with Ducati engineers, designers, and experts to autograph sessions with the riders. The 3-Day Pass also offers some unmissable opportunities, including the possibility of riding on the track with your own motorbike, test rides of Ducati models, and Riding Experiences (which can be booked later via a special platform using your ticket code). Furthermore, all WDW ticket holders can visit the Ducati factory and Museum in Borgo Panigale at a reduced cost. Admission to the event is free for accompanied minors up to the age of 18, for all participants coming from Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Oceania, and for people with disabilities and their accompanying persons. Tickets must be purchased through the ticketing platform ahead of time to secure your free admission. A discounted rate is reserved for DOC Members, available only to active members of the Ducati Official Clubs for the year 2024. For information, contact the official DOC in your area. Find the one closest to you. Tickets can also be purchased at a reduced price from dealerships in the Ducati network. Find the one closest to you. For further information regarding prices and how to purchase tickets, you can visit the dedicated section of the official Ducati website. Tickets are available exclusively in digital format and are nominal. All the latest news and updates will be available on the dedicated website, on the Ducati social media channels and on the official World Ducati Week Facebook page. Furthermore, an important new feature for this year’s event will be the launch of the WDW App, a mobile application available to everyone, which will act as a resource for all the useful information surrounding World Ducati Week. The WDW App can be downloaded directly from the Apple Store and Play Store. WDW IS FOR EVERYONE! #WDW2024 3-DAY PASS Biker Pass: $12 US Visitor Pass: $88 US DAILY PASS Biker Pass: $70 US Visitor Pass: $60 US 3-DAY PASS (AT DUCATI DEALERSHIP) Biker Pass: $98 US Visitor Pass: $82 US DAILY PASS (AT DUCATI DEALERSHIP) Biker Pass: $65 US Visitor Pass: $55 US Admission to the event is free for residents of Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Tickets must be purchased through the ticketing platform ahead of time to secure your free admission. View the full article

The 2024 Harley-Davidson Street Glide. (Harley-Davidson/) Ups Major model update includes a more powerful engine, lighter weight, and a ton more technology. IMU-managed rider aids. New batwing fairing doesn’t depart too far from the original icon. Downs New batwing fairing is still, well, a departure. $4,000 more expensive than last year’s model. Lighter, yes, but a heavy motorcycle nonetheless. Verdict The 2024 Harley-Davidson Street Glide features advanced rider aids, touring comfort, a sound system that’s probably better than what’s in your car, and an updated engine. This is the Street Glide moving into the future of Grand American Touring. Overview In 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon and Woodstock defined a generation and a cultural movement. And of considerably less consequence to the wider world, but massively important to the motorcycle world, Harley-Davidson introduced the batwing fairing. To this day, the Harley-Davidson Street Glide’s batwing fairing presents to oncoming traffic one of the most recognizable visages in motorcycling. While it debuted merely as an accessory for the 1969 FLH Electra Glide, it’s long since become an emblem of American touring—an accessory, if it can be called that, to Harley-Davidson’s legacy of style. If one’s imagination is fired by the picture of a solitary rider beneath a big sky moving at speed through the dusty expanse of the American West, there’s a good chance the motorcycle that’s the protagonist of the scene has a batwing fairing like that of the H-D Street Glide. For all the romance conjured by a motorcycle like the Street Glide, it’s nothing unless the reality lives up to the dream. For 2024, Harley-Davidson redesigned the Street Glide—batwing fairing and all—to keep the dream headed toward the horizon. In one of the most sweeping model updates in memory, Harley updated the styling, bolted in a more powerful Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine, included a 12.3-inch TFT touchscreen display with a new infotainment setup and sound system, revised the suspension, and gave it a full suite of electronic rider aids. The original batwing may be 55 years behind us, but Harley’s updates stay true to its legacy while giving it a new lease on life. On the road, the Street Glide is more poised than ever, with performance and technology absolutely unfathomable in 1969. Suddenly, ‘69, a landmark year in so many ways, is really starting to feel like an epoch ago. Updates for 2024 The Street Glide has reworked from batwing to taillights. Revamped styling is highlighted by the LED lighting. An omega-shaped running light and integrated LED “eagle wings” replace the bullet turn signals of the outgoing model. The redesign is more than just for looks, as aerodynamic improvements are intended to improve rider and passenger comfort. The Street Glide uses an updated Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine that’s different from the 117ci unit that powers other models like the Breakout 117 and Low Rider S/ST. Compared to the outgoing model’s 107ci engine, this M-8 117 produces 22 percent more horsepower and 19 percent more peak torque. Couple that with an 18-pound total weight reduction compared to its predecessor, and it’s clear performance gains were a big priority. H-D also updated suspension, utilizing longer-travel rear shocks for improved comfort and handling. More big changes include the new suite of electronic rider aids with ride-by-wire throttle control and selectable ride modes. The audio system has been upgraded with a new four-channel 200-watt amplifier and 5.25-inch Rockford Fosgate speakers. Pricing and Variants The 2024 Street Glide starts at $25,999. The CVO Street Glide (starting at $44,499), which debuted in 2023, is distinguished by its Milwaukee-Eight VVT 121 engine, a Rockford Fosgate Stage II four-speaker audio system powered by a 500-watt amplifier, a unique suspension setup, and a raft of styling changes. Competition The Street Glide’s biggest competition is arguably itself—in the used market. That and the new Road Glide. The 2024 Road Glide receives the same major updates as the Street Glide—engine, tech, etc. The Road Glide’s styling, frame-mounted fairing, and different ergos give it its own identity, but it is functionally very similar. There’s also some heavy competition from outside the family. The Indian Chieftain (starting from $23,999) is first to mind. The standard model has a 111ci engine which Indian claims produces 119 lb.-ft. of torque, ride modes, a power windscreen, and some useful tech. But to compare more favorably with the updated Glide requires upgrading to higher-spec Limited ($28,999) or Dark Horse ($29,999) models. Those models have larger 116ci engines producing a claimed 126 lb.-ft. of torque, Apple CarPlay integration, IMU-managed lean-angle-sensitive ride modes, and a host of additional convenience features. For a German take on an American classic, check out BMW’s R 18 B (starting at $19,945). The R 18 B uses a boxer engine displacing 1,802cc and producing a claimed 91 hp and 116 lb.-ft. of torque. The R 18 B has adaptive cruise control, which is unique to the category, but lacks some of the high-spec rider aids of the competition. Still, a Marshall-branded audio system, a 10.25-inch TFT dash, and a big rumbly engine hit some big-time bagger notes. Plus, even when it’s spec’d with the Premium Package, the R 18 costs a couple grand less than the Street Glide (closer to the base price of the Chieftain). Despite some stiff competition, the Street Glide packs some serious bang for the buck. To get a similarly equipped Indian requires going up the food chain, and the BMW isn’t available with some of the same equipment (namely IMU-managed rider aids). Plus, there’s a pretty big segment of the market that wants their bagger to have a bar and shield on the tank. The Street Glide uses a version of the Milwaukee-Eight 117 that produces a claimed 105 hp at 4,600 rpm and 130 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,250 rpm. (Harley-Davidson/) Powertrain: Engine, Transmission, and Performance The Street Glide uses a version of the Milwaukee-Eight 117, displacing 117ci (1,923cc) with 103.5 x 114.3mm bore and stroke dimensions and a 10.3:1 compression ratio. Harley says it produces 105 hp at 4,600 rpm and 130 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,250 rpm. A 50 percent larger airbox (4.0 liters), compared to the 107 and 114 engines, is mated to a redesigned intake tract with a new aluminum intake manifold that offers a smoother and more direct path into the larger 58mm throttle body (up from 55mm). Changes to the cylinder head include reshaped combustion chambers, oval intake ports with low-profile intake-valve seats for increased velocity, while a bump in compression from 10.2 to 10.3:1 enhances low-rpm torque and improves fuel economy. To improve heat dissipation, this Milwaukee-Eight 117 uses liquid-cooled cylinder heads (sourced from last year’s CVO Street Glide and CVO Road Glide models) in conjunction with a low-mount radiator that targets exhaust-valve cooling, circulating coolant first to the less-exposed rear cylinder head and then to the front cylinder. In his first ride review, Editor-at-Large Blake Conner says, “The counterbalanced Milwaukee-Eight is a soulful partner, providing enough character to remind you that it’s a giant 45-degree V-twin, while also being smooth at cruise, allowing you to relax over long-distance rides.” Ample torque at the bottom of the rev range makes it easy to launch off the line and keeps things fun between stoplights. The 117′s midrange torque is broad and robust, pulling the bike’s ample weight out of corners nicely. The six-speed transmission shifts with a solid and firm feel at the foot lever. Performance from the slipper/assist clutch is consistent and predictable. The Street Glide’s frame is maybe the most significant carryover from the previous generations. (Harley-Davidson/) Chassis and Handling The Street Glide uses a steel tube frame with a two-piece backbone and bolt-on rear subframe. Harley claims the Street Glide weighs 811 pounds ready to ride—some 18 pounds lighter than last year’s model, according to Harley. While the frame is essentially unchanged, new rear suspension has 50 percent more travel: 3.0 inches, up from 2.1 inches of rear-wheel stroke. Showa emulsion-technology shocks are adjustable for preload, and a conventional 49mm Dual Bending Valve fork up front has been retuned to work in unison with the rear shocks. While, it’d be nice to see electronically adjustable suspension on a bike at this price point, the suspension provides a comfortable ride that readily eats up road imperfections. When a set of fast sweepers arrives and the rider unleashes nearly 2,000cc of Milwaukee iron, the suspension is firm and controlled. Intuitive handling and turn-in response are impressive considering the weight. Midcorner, the bike remains planted and stable. As ever, cornering clearance is the limiting factor, though H-D’s touring models actually have more cornering clearance than other bikes in the segment. The new-look batwing fairing features integrated running lights and turn signals. (Harley-Davidson/) Brakes The Street Glide uses a pair of four-piston brake calipers and large 320mm rotors up front, and a single-piston rear caliper mated to a 300mm disc in the rear. Performance from the brakes is good, with progressive bite from the front units providing confident stopping power. Linked brakes manage front-to-rear application and ABS as needed. Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG We have not had a long-term unit to test for fuel economy at this time. Harley-Davidson claims the Street Glide delivers 44 mpg. LED taillights are sandwiched between the rear fender and saddlebags. Nearly 69 liters of luggage capacity gives the Street Glide some real utility. (Harley-Davidson/) Ergonomics: Comfort and Utility Harley-Davidson’s updates prioritized rider and passenger comfort; reworked cooling strategies improve thermal comfort, and aerodynamic changes to the windshield and fairing reduce rider fatigue. Air vanes in the fairing allow riders to adjust airflow to suit conditions. The Street Glide has a 28.1-inch seat-height. Harley reshaped the saddle to rotate the rider’s hips to a more neutral position and take pressure off the spine. Our tester noted that the seat was “amazingly comfortable,” providing great back support and ample cushioning for long stints on the road. Feet-forward comfort, a cushy perch, and smooth airflow over the helmet mean riders can blast through the contents of the Glide’s 6-gallon tank in one go. To help riders go the distance, they can blare their tunes over a new audio system that features a four-channel 200-watt amplifier and 5.25-inch Rockford Fosgate speakers. The Street Glide’s saddlebags have 2.42 cubic feet (68.5 liters) of capacity, which is pretty ample if you don’t plan on loading them with, say, T-shirts from every Harley dealership you’ve ever visited. The large TFT dash dominates the cockpit and replaces the old array of analog gauges. With Bluetooth capability and Apple CarPlay support, the Street Glide takes full advantage of the smartphone in your pocket—or stowed in the USB-C equipped drawer beneath the dash. (Harley-Davidson/) Electronics The Street Glide has a ride-by-wire throttle and a six-axis IMU that manages traction control and ABS. It also has Cornering Electronically Linked Brakes (C-ELB), a system that modulates brake pressure in the rear when only the front brake is applied, or vice versa. C-ABS, CTCS (traction control), and Cornering Drag Torque Slip Control (engine-braking control) are all tied to the six-axis IMU. On top of that it has Tire Pressure Monitoring and Vehicle Hold Control, which is especially handy for looking like a boss when taking off from steep hills, especially when the bike is fully loaded. Four preset ride modes—Rain, Road, Sport, and Custom—allow riders to tailor throttle maps and rider aids to their liking: Road mode has a mellower throttle response, decreased midrange power, and a high level of traction control and ABS intervention; Sport mode puts full power on tap with a direct throttle response, minimal TC, and engine-braking dialed up; Rain mode offers the mellowest throttle response with reduced power output, more intrusive TC and ABS settings, and less engine-braking; Custom mode allows riders to set each parameter. The Street Glide has a new Skyline OS infotainment system and a 12.3-inch full-color TFT display. The screen uses an anti-glare coating, and can be controlled via touchscreen or bar-mounted buttons. For $349.95, Harley offers an optional navigation package. Riders can also opt to use a third-party app. The system supports Apple CarPlay (but not Android Auto), but Apple requires voice control/helmet audio for the system to work, so you’ll need helmet comms. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are supported and there’s a USB-C connection for music and calls for both Apple and Android devices. Editor-at-Large Conner says: “Our experience with the system was almost completely positive with just a few quirks. Navigating the menus either via the left and right buttons is logical with well-laid-out menus to find everything from bike settings, tripmeters, modes, and audio control. Better yet is the ability to do most of this with gloved hands on the touchscreen. Most of the bike’s options can be accessed in motion, with just a few requiring the bike being stationary. Out on the open highway with the cruise control set, you can poke around and change your music playlist, or easily make other changes with very little distraction from the road.” Warranty and Maintenance Coverage The Street Glide has a two-year, unlimited-mileage warranty. Quality Harley-Davidson’s fit and finish is top-notch and dealer support is exceptional. The Street Glide can be spec’d in multiple colors and with either chrome or black trim to get the right look. Loaded with tech and features, the new Street Glide has a ton to offer. 2024 Harley-Davidson Street Glide MSRP: Starting at $25,999 Engine: Liquid-cooled, 45-degree V-twin; 4 valves/cyl. Displacement: 1,917cc Bore x Stroke: 103.5 x 114.3mm Compression Ratio: 10.3:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/belt Claimed Horsepower: 105 hp @ 4,600 rpm Claimed Torque: 130 lb.-ft. @ 3,250 rpm Fuel System: Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection, ride-by-wire Clutch: Wet, multiplate slipper/assist Frame: Steel tube w/ two-piece backbone and bolt-on rear subframe Front Suspension: 49mm dual bending valve; 4.6 in. travel Rear Suspension: Premium Low Hand-Adjustable, spring preload adjustable; 3.0 in. travel Front Brake: 4-piston fixed calipers, floating 320mm discs w/ ABS Rear Brake: 4-piston fixed caliper, 300mm disc w/ ABS Wheels, Front/Rear: Cast aluminum; 19 x 3.5 in. / 18 x 5 in. Tires, Front/Rear: Dunlop H-D Series bias blackwall; 130/60B-19 / 180/55B-18 Rake/Trail: 26.0°/6.7 in. Wheelbase: 64.0 in. Ground Clearance: 5.5 in. Seat Height: 28.1 in. Fuel Capacity: 6.0 gal. Claimed Wet Weight: 811 lb. Contact: harley-davidson.com View the full article

Here’s a list of events for 2024 that I shall be attending or organising: For more information or if you have an event you would like me to attend, please email me at: [email protected] WhenWhatWhereSaturday 30th MarchLadies DayOn Yer Bike, Aylesbury HP18 0JXWednesday 10th AprilBK Bike NightThe Village Swan, Ivinghoe Aston LU7 9DPSaturday 20th AprilDucati Start of Season EventOn Yer Bike, Aylesbury HP18 0JXSaturday 27th AprilDucati RoadshowOn Yer Bike, Aylesbury HP18 0JXWednesday 8th MayBK Bike NightThe Village Swan, Ivinghoe Aston LU7 9DPSaturday 11th MayAprilia Demo DayOn Yer Bike, Aylesbury HP18 0JXSunday 19th MayDistinguished Gentleman’s Ride The Red Lion, Marsworth HP23 4LUSaturday 25th MayItalian DayOn Yer Bike, Aylesbury HP18 0JXSunday 2nd JuneClassic StonyMarket Square, Stony Stratford MK11 1BESaturday 8th JuneJapanese DayOn Yer Bike, Aylesbury HP18 0JXWednesday 12th JuneBK Bike NightThe Village Swan, Ivinghoe Aston LU7 9DPWednesday 10th JulyBK Bike NightThe Village Swan, Ivinghoe Aston LU7 9DPSaturday 13th JulyDucati DayOn Yer Bike, Aylesbury HP18 0JXSaturday 27th JulyCafe Racer DayOn Yer Bike, Aylesbury HP18 0JXSaturday 3rd AugustLadies DayOn Yer Bike, Aylesbury HP18 0JXWednesday 14th AugustBK Bike NightThe Village Swan, Ivinghoe Aston LU7 9DPWednesday 11th SeptemberBK Bike NightThe Village Swan, Ivinghoe Aston LU7 9DPWednesday 9th OctoberBK Bike NightThe Village Swan, Ivinghoe Aston LU7 9DPSaturday 12th OctoberCoffee & Cake MorningOn Yer Bike, Aylesbury HP18 0JXSaturday 18th October Ducati End of Season EventOn Yer Bike, Aylesbury HP18 0JXSaturday 14th DecemberCoffee & Cake MorningOn Yer Bike, Aylesbury HP18 0JX The post BK Events 2024 appeared first on BikerKaz. View the full article

Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative Grants Exceed $1 Million in 2023 (Yamaha/) Yamaha Press Release: Yamaha Motor Corp., USA, is proud to announce the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative (OAI) contributed over $1 million in grant awards in 2023, marking the largest annual funding total since the program’s inception in 2008. This significant increase, nearly double from the previous year, reaffirms Yamaha’s position as a leader in the powersports industry, advocating for access to public lands for motorcycle, ATV, Side-by-Side, and e-bike owners, and enriching the greater outdoor recreation community. Steve Nessl, Yamaha’s motorsports marketing manager, stated, “Yamaha’s goal for the Outdoor Access Initiative is to serve as a meaningful resource to those supporting access to public land for all types of recreation. Investing $1 million in one year is a significant achievement. We remain committed to supporting those who work tirelessly to ensure riders and outdoor enthusiasts can continue to enjoy our nation’s outdoor spaces.” In the fourth quarter of 2023, the funding cycle focused on projects aimed at educating and inspiring the next generation of motorized and outdoor recreation enthusiasts. Two notable recipients were Cycle Kids, Inc. and the Strider Education Foundation, which engage elementary school-aged children in bike riding fundamentals as part of physical education curriculum. Additionally, the Sierra Foundation will provide local 5th and 6th grade students the opportunity to attend the Rich Oliver Mystery School 4-week Ride & Wrench camp to learn motorcycle riding and maintenance skills. “Riding a bike often marks one’s first taste of adventure and independence in an outdoor setting, and Yamaha is thrilled to provide kids with the chance to learn in a safe, structured environment,” Nessl added. “Fostering a love of outdoor recreation is central to our mission, and these grants to school-based programs mark the beginning of many students’ journeys.” Over $300,000 in grants were awarded in the fourth quarter of 2023 to organizations including: Colorado 500 Itasca County Land Dept. Lakeville SnoTrackers, Inc. Lutsen Trailbreakers Snowmobile Club Northwest Colorado Trail Corp Pennsylvania ATV Trail Development The Nature Conservancy – Tennessee Wild Rivers Coast Mountain Bike Assn. The application deadline for consideration in the first funding cycle of 2024 is March 31st. Visit YamahaOAI.com to learn how to apply for a grant and review the submission guidelines, as well as find the grant application form and an informative blog featuring project recaps for inspiration. View the full article

BMW is continuing work on advanced headlighting systems. The latest uses a gimbal design connected to the bike’s IMU to control movement. (BMW/) BMW has been at the forefront of the development of cornering headlight systems for several years, and has already come up with several ways to maximize light performance even as bikes pitch and lean. The latest idea, revealed in a new patent application, takes its inspiration from the gimbals used for cameras and could open the door to even more advanced headlight tech. BMW has already created lights that can move inside their housings to counter lean and pitch. The Headlight Pro adaptive cornering option on the R 1250 GS, for instance, allows the low-beam light to rotate up to 35 degrees in each direction to compensate for lean during corners, and corrects for pitch variations from changes in ride height and load. But the latest patent application takes the idea a step further forward by attaching the whole headlight unit on a three-axis gimbal that’s essentially identical to the systems that are widely available to keep cameras or smartphones steady while filming. Related: BMW’s Stereo Camera System To Serve Multiple Purposes The gimbal keeps the headlight in a level position as the bike leans and pitches. (BMW/) The first axis allows the headlight to remain level as the bike leans over. The second compensates for pitch to keep it level front to rear, and the third lets the light physically turn toward the apex of a corner, illuminating exactly the bit of road you’re heading toward. The whole system is controlled by the same inertial measurement unit (IMU) that’s already at the heart of many motorcycles and used to monitor the machine’s pitch, lean, and yaw. Just like the gimbals used for cameras, the result should be able to keep the headlight eerily steady even as the rest of the bike moves around underneath it. BMW has shifted away from the idea of physically moving the headlight during corners with the new R 1300 GS. On that machine, the optional Headlight Pro cornering light system uses a matrix of LEDs, turning individual lights on and off to point the beam in the right direction as the bike leans over. But there’s an additional element in the new patent application that explains the return to a moving headlight unit, there’s also a camera mounted inside the light. Related: BMW Laser Light and Helmet With Head-Up Display In this document you can see the unit’s camera, which might aid with rider-assist systems. (BMW/) The patent document doesn’t reveal the exact purpose of the camera, only saying that it’s “designed to capture at least one area of the environment,” specifically the part that’s illuminated by the headlight. We can speculate that the camera might be related to additional rider-assist systems, like lane assist, brake assist, or adaptive cruise control, but perhaps the most likely reason for its presence would be to enable the sort of adaptive matrix headlights that are being adopted by some modern cars. These have only recently been made legal in the US and essentially allow you to leave the high-beam headlights on, even when there’s other traffic, by selectively shutting off parts of the beam to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic while keeping the rest of the road illuminated as brightly as possible. Combining the gimbal, camera, and an LED matrix headlight into a single unit, as shown in the new BMW patent, opens the door to bringing that selective auto-dimming tech to motorcycles, and the self-contained gimbal design also makes it easier to mount the moving headlight onto an unfaired bike. Technology for technology’s sake or a genuine help when riding in the dark? We’ll only find out as and when the idea reaches a production bike. View the full article

The Harley-Davidson Road Glide receives major updates for 2024. (Harley-Davidson/) Ups Most significant update ever with a new engine, updated suspension, all-new styling, modern rider aids, and audio system. Huge 12.3-inch TFT display enables riders to adjust everything from rider aids to music and navigation. More of everything: power, comfort, and performance. Downs Although 16 pounds lighter than its predecessor, the ‘24 Road Glide still weighs a claimed 838 pounds. Tallish handlebars may not be to everyone’s liking. $4,000 more expensive than last year’s model. Verdict Modernized styling, a more powerful engine, and the adoption of high-tech rider aids secure the future trajectory of the definitive bagger. Overview When the Harley-Davidson FLTR Road Glide was first introduced in 1998, Cycle World called it “sort of a dresser that isn’t.” “To that end,” the story continues, “the Road Glide has spoked wheels, a front fender devoid of chrome and running lights, and no rear tour trunk. Most obvious is the new frame-mounted fairing, a downsized, streamlined version of the bodywork first seen on the Tour Glide of 1980. Housed behind its twin, plexicovered ‘reflector optic’ headlights are a redesigned, more powerful AM/FM cassette stereo, four analog instruments, and two sizable storage bins.” One can’t help but recognize the architecture of the updated 2024 Road Glide in that description, and even visualize the furrow of technological progress in its wake as it’s moved from the days of the “AM/FM cassette stereo and four analog instruments” to the plow break of today, in which the feature-rich infotainment system is controlled through a dazzling 12.3-inch TFT touchscreen display. That infotainment system isn’t the only big update for 2024. Harley-Davidson turned the page on the styling, upgraded the suspension, improved rider and passenger comfort, increased power with a revised Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine, and included a full suite of electronic rider aids. The changes are significant—especially so considering the importance of the Road Glide to Harley-Davidson’s lineup. Continuity of style and purpose have made the Road Glide loom large in the American motorcycling consciousness. Depending on where one lives, sometimes it can feel like damn near half the motorcycles on the road are Glides. Change is never easy. But when it’s right, it’s right. Fortunately, with the 2024 Road Glide, Harley-Davidson got it right. The new Glide lives up to its legacy—it’s still, you know, sort of a dresser that isn’t. Updates for 2024 The Road Glide has been poked and prodded from nose to tail. Revamped styling is highlighted by a new shark-nose fairing, in which a large LED headlamp is accompanied by a W-shaped LED running light incorporating the front turn signals. The redesign isn’t merely superficial either, as the changes are intended to improve rider and passenger comfort. The Road Glide uses an updated Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine that’s different from the 117ci unit that powers other models like the Breakout 117 and Low Rider S/ST. Compared to the outgoing model’s 107ci engine, this M-8 117 produces 22 percent more horsepower and 19 percent more peak torque. Couple that with a 16-pound weight reduction compared to its predecessor, and it’s clear performance gains were a big priority. H-D also updated suspension, utilizing longer-travel rear shocks for improved comfort and handling. More big changes include the new suite of electronic rider aids with ride-by-wire throttle control and selectable ride modes. The audio system has been upgraded with a new four-channel 200-watt amplifier and 5.25-inch Rockford Fosgate speakers. Pricing and Variants The 2024 Harley-Davidson Road Glide starts at $25,999. The CVO Road Glide (starting at $44,499), which debuted the future of Road Glide styling in 2023, is distinguished by its Milwaukee-Eight VVT 121 engine, a Rockford Fosgate Stage II four-speaker audio system powered by a 500-watt amplifier, a unique suspension setup, and a raft of styling details, from wheels to paint. New for 2024, the CVO Road Glide ST ($42,999) is a high-performance variant with a Milwaukee-Eight 121 High Output engine that produces the most horsepower and torque of any production Big Twin ever. The ST uses forged carbon fiber parts and a titanium-wrapped exhaust to drop weight by 25 pounds. It also uses fully adjustable Showa suspension. In the electronics department, there’s an additional preset ride mode, bringing the total to five (compared to the base model’s four). The audio system is unique to the CVO Road Glide ST and features a 500-watt amplifier and Harley-Davidson Audio powered by Fosgate Stage II 6.5-inch speakers. The Road Glide Limited, the top-box-equipped dresser, has yet to receive 2024′s model updates. Competition The Road Glide’s biggest competition is arguably itself—in the used market. Well, the used market and the Street Glide. The 2024 Street Glide receives the same major updates as the Road Glide—engine, tech, etc. The Street Glide’s styling, fork-mounted fairing, and different ergos make it its own bike, but it is functionally very similar. The closest non-Harley competition comes from, you guessed it, Indian. The Indian Challenger (starting at $26,499) has a 108ci engine that produces a claimed 122 hp and 128 lb.-ft. of torque. To get IMU-managed rider aids, the likes of which come standard on the 2024 Road Glide, requires moving up the food chain to the Challenger Limited ($29,999) and beyond. The Challenger is aimed squarely at the Road Glide in every way. And its aim is dead on. The recognizable shark-nose fairing has an all-new look and was designed using computational fluid dynamics to achieve improved aerodynamic efficiency. (Harley-Davidson/) Powertrain: Engine, Transmission, and Performance The Road Glide uses a version of the Milwaukee-Eight 117, displacing 117ci (1,923cc) with 103.5 x 114.3mm bore and stroke dimensions and a 10.3:1 compression ratio. Harley says it produces 105 hp at 4,600 rpm, and 130 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,250 rpm. A 50 percent larger airbox (4.0 liters), compared to the 107 and 114 engines, is mated to a redesigned intake tract with a new aluminum intake manifold that offers a smoother and more direct path into the larger 58mm throttle body (up from 55mm). Changes to the cylinder head include reshaped combustion chambers, oval intake ports with low-profile intake-valve seats for increased velocity, while a bump in compression from 10.2 to 10.3:1 enhances low-rpm torque and improves fuel economy. To improve heat dissipation, this Milwaukee-Eight 117 uses liquid-cooled cylinder heads (sourced from last year’s CVO Street Glide and CVO Road Glide models) in conjunction with a low-mount radiator that targets exhaust-valve cooling, circulating coolant first to the less-exposed rear cylinder head and then to the front cylinder. In his first ride review, Editor-at-Large Blake Conner says, “The counterbalanced Milwaukee-Eight is a soulful partner, providing enough character to remind you that it’s a giant 45-degree V-twin, while also being smooth at cruise, allowing you to relax over long-distance rides.” Ample torque at the bottom of the rev range makes it easy to launch off the line and keeps things fun between stoplights. The 117′s midrange torque is broad and robust, pulling the bike’s ample weight out of corners nicely. The six-speed transmission shifts with a solid and firm feel at the foot lever. Performance from the slipper/assist clutch is consistent and predictable. The Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine uses redesigned liquid-cooled cylinder heads. Compared to the outgoing model’s 107ci engine, it produces 22 percent more horsepower and 19 percent more peak torque. (Harley-Davidson/) Chassis and Handling The Road Glide uses a steel tube frame with a two-piece backbone and bolt-on rear subframe. Harley claims the Road Glide weighs 838 pounds ready to ride—some 16 pounds lighter than last year’s Road Glide Special, according to Harley. While the frame is essentially unchanged, new rear suspension has 50 percent more travel—3.0 inches, up from 2.1 inches of rear-wheel stroke. Showa emulsion-technology shocks are adjustable for preload, and a conventional 49mm Dual Bending Valve fork up front has been retuned to work in unison with the rear shocks. While, it’d be nice to see electronically adjustable suspension on a bike at this price point, the suspension provides a comfortable ride that readily eats up road imperfections. When a set of fast sweepers arrives and the rider unleashes nearly 2,000cc of Milwaukee iron, the suspension is firm and controlled. Intuitive handling and turn-in response are impressive considering the weight. Midcorner, the bike remains planted and stable. As ever, cornering clearance is the limiting factor, though H-D’s touring models actually have more cornering clearance than other bikes in the segment. The new design maintains the recognizable silhouette while treading new territory: Never before has the Road Glide received such significant styling changes. (Harley-Davidson/) Brakes The Road Glide uses a pair of four-piston brake calipers and large 320mm rotors up front, and a single-piston rear caliper mated to a 300mm disc in the rear. Performance from the brakes is good, with progressive bite from the front units providing confident stopping power. Linked brakes manage front-to-rear application and ABS as needed, which is a great safety feature. Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG We have not had a long-term unit to test for fuel economy at this time. Harley-Davidson claims the Road Glide delivers 44 mpg. LED taillights are nicely integrated between the rear fender and saddlebags. (Harley-Davidson/) Ergonomics: Comfort and Utility Harley-Davidson’s updates prioritized rider and passenger comfort; reworked cooling strategies improve thermal comfort and aerodynamic changes to the windshield and fairing reduce rider fatigue. Air vanes in the fairing allow riders to adjust airflow to suit conditions. The Road Glide has a 28.3-inch seat-height. Harley reshaped the saddle to rotate the rider’s hips to a more neutral position and take pressure off the spine. Our tester noted that the seat was “amazingly comfortable,” providing great back support and ample cushioning for long stints on the road. Feet-forward comfort, a cushy perch, and smooth airflow over the helmet mean riders can blast through the contents of the Glide’s 6-gallon tank in one go. To help riders go the distance, they can blare their tunes over a new audio system that features a four-channel 200-watt amplifier and 5.25-inch Rockford Fosgate speakers—but try to be a good ambassador and forgo the saltier of Lil Wayne’s oeuvre in the school zones. The Road Glide has 2.42 cubic foot saddlebags—naturally, a bagger wouldn’t be a bagger without them. The new TFT touchscreen display has plenty of room to simultaneously display pertinent riding data and navigation. Touchscreen functionality makes it intuitive to navigate menus. (Harley-Davidson/) Electronics The Road Glide has a ride-by-wire throttle and a six-axis IMU that manages traction control and ABS. Four preset ride modes—Rain, Road, Sport, and Custom—allow riders to tailor throttle maps and rider aids to their liking: Road mode has a mellower throttle response, decreased midrange power, and a high level of traction control and ABS intervention; Sport mode puts full power on tap with a direct throttle response, minimal TC, and engine-braking dialed up; Rain mode offers the mellowest throttle response with reduced power output, more intrusive TC and ABS settings, and less engine-braking; Custom mode allows riders to set each parameter. Other electronic features include Cornering Electronically Linked Brakes (C-ELB), a system that modulates brake pressure in the rear when only the front brake is applied, or vice versa. C-ABS, CTCS (traction control), and Cornering Drag Torque Slip Control (engine-braking control) are all tied to a six-axis IMU. The Road Glide also has Tire Pressure Monitoring and Vehicle Hold Control. The Road Glide has a new Skyline OS infotainment system and a 12.3-inch full-color TFT display. The screen uses an anti-glare coating, and can be controlled via touchscreen or bar-mounted buttons. For $349.95, Harley offers an optional navigation package. Riders can also opt to use a third-party app. The system supports Apple CarPlay (but not Android Auto), but Apple requires voice control/helmet audio for the system to work, so you’ll need helmet comms. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are supported and there’s a USB-C connection for music and calls for both Apple and Android devices. Editor-at-Large Conner says: “Our experience with the system was almost completely positive with just a few quirks. Navigating the menus either via the left and right buttons is logical with well-laid-out menus to find everything from bike settings, tripmeters, modes, and audio control. Better yet is the ability to do most of this with gloved hands on the touchscreen. Most of the bike’s options can be accessed in motion, with just a few requiring the bike being stationary. Out on the open highway with the cruise control set, you can poke around and change your music playlist, or easily make other changes with very little distraction from the road.” Warranty and Maintenance Coverage The Road Glide has a two-year, unlimited-mileage warranty. Quality Harley-Davidson’s fit and finish is top-notch. The Road Glide is loaded with tech and features, and dealer support is excellent. 2024 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Specs MSRP: Starting at $25,999 Engine: Liquid-cooled, 45-degree V-twin; 4 valves/cyl. Displacement: 1,917cc Bore x Stroke: 103.5 x 114.3mm Compression Ratio: 10.3:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/belt Claimed Horsepower: 105 hp @ 4,600 rpm Claimed Torque: 130 lb.-ft. @ 3,250 rpm Fuel System: Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection, ride-by-wire Clutch: Wet, multiplate slipper/assist Frame: Steel tube w/ two-piece backbone and bolt-on rear subframe Front Suspension: 49mm dual bending valve; 4.6 in. travel Rear Suspension: Premium Low Hand-Adjustable, spring preload adjustable; 3.0 in. travel Front Brake: 4-piston fixed calipers, floating 320mm discs w/ ABS Rear Brake: 4-piston fixed caliper, 300mm disc w/ ABS Wheels, Front/Rear: Cast aluminum; 19 x 3.5 in. / 18 x 5 in. Tires, Front/Rear: Dunlop H-D Series bias blackwall; 130/60B-19 / 180/55B-18 Rake/Trail: 26.0°/6.8 in. Wheelbase: 64.0 in. Ground Clearance: 5.7 in. Seat Height: 28.3 in. Fuel Capacity: 6.0 gal. Claimed Wet Weight: 838 lb Contact: harley-davidson.com View the full article

BMW Motorrad Motorsport Sets Course for Strategic Realignment (BMW/) BMW Press Release: With a new management structure, BMW Motorrad emphasizes its ambitions to significantly strengthen the brand’s commitment to motorsport. As of June 1st Sven Blusch will take over as the new head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport. Marc Bongers will fully concentrate on the operational management of the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) engagement. As the new head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport Sven Blusch will focus on the strategic realignment and enhance the solid base for successful motorsport in the future. Due to his previous responsibility for race and test organization at BMW M Motorsport, he contributes over a decade of motorsport expertise to his new role. Since joiningBMW M Motorsport in 2013 he has celebrated several motorsport successes with the teams. Blusch has also been highly successful in promoting young talent at BMW, developing Dan Harper, Max Hesse, and Neil Verhagen into BMW M factory drivers. His professional career also includes positions as a race engineer and data engineer, underlining his comprehensive understanding of racing dynamics. From June 1st Marc Bongers will focus on the WorldSBK and lead BMW Motorrad Motorsports factory engagements to further successes. He has built the base for today’s factory-supported teams in the WorldSBK and FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC), top-notch racers were brought to BMW Motorrad Motorsport, and the BMW Motorrad Motorsport project was set on track to success. The organizational changes underline BMW Motorrad’s commitment to a long-term and success-oriented motorsport strategy. The goal is clear: to continue living the racing spirit, to strengthen the brand on and beside the racetrack and to share the passion for motorcycle racing with fans and partners worldwide. View the full article

The 2024 Honda XR650L (Honda/) Ups In continual production for 31 years, the XR650L is as bulletproof as they come. $6,999 MSRP leaves room in the budget for mods—or for the cost of shipping the bike to Tibet for the round-the-world ride it deserves. Air-cooled and carbureted for convenient DIY trailside repairs. Downs 37-inch seat height is tall by any standard. Cramped riding position. Small gas tank limits range. What, no kickstarter? Verdict The XR650L represents adventure motorcycling in its purest form. Honda’s dual-purpose workhorse has three decades of proven reliability behind it, and still has a place in our hearts. Overview It would have been around 1990, when an employee of American Honda’s R&D department showed up at the Cycle World Trek—an annual industry ride hosted by the magazine’s advertising department—aboard a Frankenstein motorcycle with some familiar hardware. It had an XR600 dirt bike chassis that had been fitted with the electric-start motor from Honda’s “pre-ADV” NX650. After CW staffers rode the thing, they were convinced that it wasn’t just a Honda employee’s weekend passion project; they were sure it was nothing less than the prototype for a future production model. Two years later, Honda officially unveiled the XR650L as a 1993 model, now one of the longest-running, little-changed models in all of motorcycling. Thirty-one years of production have made the XR650L an air-cooled, carbureted anachronism. For some, the XR-L is a nostalgia trip—they can’t look at it without remembering the XR600R, which found unlikely racing success in the hands of the great Scott Summers. For others, it has timeless appeal. As a simple, utilitarian, dead-reliable single, it’s the bike they want to ride around the world. Who can blame them? If you’re going to have a breakdown in the Nyainqêntanglha Mountains of Tibet, you’d probably choose to have it happen on an XR-L that you can coax back to life with a hammer, a tube of J-B Weld, and a couple spins of a nearby prayer wheel. Last year marked 30 years of production of the trusty XR650L. It probably passed by with too little fanfare. We can only hope someone out there gave it the party it deserved; someone way out there, someone riding through the Tibetan Plateau with the classic thumper as their only company, their faith placed justifiably in decades-old Honda engineering. As long as there are those who value simplicity over technical innovation, durability over preciousness, and functionality over frills, there will always be a need for a bike like the XR650L. Updates for 2024 For 2024, the XR650L has new graphics: red and blue stripes on the tank replace the red and black ones of last year’s model. Pricing and Variants The Honda XR650L retails for $6,999. Competition The Honda XR650L is not the only simple, long-lived dual sport on the market. The Suzuki DR650S and the Kawasaki KLR650 have long been the XR-L’s main competition. The Suzuki ($7,099) is about 20 pounds heavier than the XR and has 10.4 inches of ground clearance (compared to the XR650L’s 13 inches of ground clearance). The DR’s slight street bias has its benefits though: Compared to the XR-L’s 37-inch seat height, the DR is significantly more accessible with a 34.8-inch seat height and an optional lowering kit that brings it down to 33.2 inches. In this group, the liquid-cooled fuel-injected KLR veers closer to ADV-lite than pure dual sport. While it’s about 115 pounds heavier than the XR-L full of fuel, part of that weight is down to its larger-capacity fuel tank (6.1 gallons versus 2.8 gallons). The KLR can be spec’d with ABS ($7,199) or without ($6,899) and includes an LCD display, fairing, and windscreen, which feel like luxuries compared to the bare-bones DR and XR. With 8.3 inches of ground clearance and a 34.3-inch seat height, the KLR is the most street-focused of the lot. In sum, the XR650L is the most off-road-worthy of the bunch; it’s the lightest and has the most ground clearance, but also the tallest seat. Compared to the competition, the big XR-L benefits from loads of ground clearance. (Honda/) Powertrain: Engine, Transmission, and Performance The XR650L uses a 644cc SOHC air-cooled single-cylinder that produced 34.05 hp at 6,120 rpm and 31.42 lb.-ft. of torque at 5,320 rpm when last on the CW dyno. Derived from the NX650 (long since discontinued), the engine uses a different cam for increased torque. It’s fed by a 42.5mm constant-velocity (CV) carburetor and has a five-speed transmission. A dry sump lubrication system uses the frame tubes to store oil; its filler cap is located on the backbone ahead of the fuel tank. The XR-L’s engine is relatively smooth-running, thanks to a gear-driven counterbalancer that allows just a bit of vibration to trickle through to the solid-mounted, serrated-metal footpegs. There’s abundant torque throughout the rev range and an extremely broad spread of usable power. It’s a good thing, too, because there’s no tachometer to help you decide when to shift. When the motor runs out of steam, you just click it up a notch. The XR-L is electric-start and has no kickstarter. It fires with the aid of a handlebar-mounted choke lever and a split-lobe camshaft that holds one exhaust valve open at cranking rpm to reduce compression. While electric start is convenient, the lack of kickstarter has always been a gripe for riders bound for the most desolate locales. A tall-in-the-saddle seating position means the XR-L affords the rider a great view over cars. The downside is inseam-challenged riders will struggle with the 37-inch seat height. (Honda/) Chassis and Handling The 2024 Honda XR650L uses a 43mm conventional telescopic Showa fork with compression damping adjustability and 11.6 inches of travel, a fully adjustable Pro-Link Showa shock with 11 inches of travel, and a semi-double-cradle steel frame. With full-size off-road wheels (21 front, 18 rear) and 13 inches of ground clearance, the XR-L is ready for the dirt. While the XR-L does feel very much like the old, much-loved XR600R, with its full complement of street equipment and electric starter, it’s some 50 pounds heavier. This is most noticeable in, for example, a slow-speed sandwash, where the XR-L feels a bit top-heavy and steers like a truck, or—it must be said—when picking it up from a tip-over. At a claimed 346 pounds fully fueled, the XR650L is a tank compared to more focused, high-performance dual sports, but it’s by far the lightest in its category. Its off-road-oriented geometry means it flies straight off jumps and slides predictably down gravelly fire roads. Street handling is much like that of other dual-purpose bikes, which is to say: surprisingly good—especially on tight and bumpy backroads, where the leverage afforded by a wide handlebar and the plushness of long-travel suspension let the XR-L defy expectations. Those elephant ears on the sides of the fuel tank direct air to the cylinder at highway speeds in the interest of long-term reliability. They’ve always looked goofy. Good looks are big Acerbis or IMS tank away. (Honda/) Brakes The XR650L has a dual-piston caliper with a 256mm disc up front, and a single-piston caliper with a 220mm disc at the rear. It’s not the highest-spec setup in the world, but is perfectly adequate for the intended use. Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG Honda estimates 52 mpg out of the XR650L. The XR650L may not be a lightweight dual sport, but it’s as robust as a sledgehammer. (Honda/) Ergonomics: Comfort and Utility There’s no way around it: The XR-L is a tall motorcycle. Coupled with high footpegs intended to maximize ground clearance, and a low handlebar, the ergos are fairly uncompromising considering dual-purpose motorcycles are all about compromise. The XR650L’s nicely padded, medium-width, motocross-style seat and short fuel tank allow riders to get their weight over the front end of the bike in corners for positive front-end feel. A small, 2.8-gallon tank is fine for around-town blasts, but for truly off-the-beaten-path travel, riders may want to consider larger aftermarket options. And yes, while the XR-L has a passenger grab strap and folding passenger pegs, two-up riding is best reserved for those emergency situations when you need to give your riding buddy a lift after their bike breaks down in the middle of the woods, a scenario that could probably have been avoided had they been riding a trusty XR. The bare-bones cockpit has nothing superfluous. The speedometer goes to 115 mph. The motorcycle’s top speed is pretty close to that as well. (Honda/) Electronics Electronics? What electronics? Aside from what’s required for ignition and lighting, the XR650L is devoid of modern rider aids, fuel injection, heated grips, etc. Warranty and Maintenance Coverage Honda covers the XR650L with a one-year transferable limited warranty. Additional coverage is available with a HondaCare Protection Plan. Quality You know how Honda built a reputation for reliability? That happened by building bikes like the XR650L. We’re not saying you could leave your XR-L submerged in a pond over the winter and expect it to fire up on the first go after dredging it up the following spring, but as far as urban myths go, there are far more outlandish ones, that’s for sure. It may have chintzy turn signals and switch gear, and rudimentary finishing, but 31 years of production means it’s a known quantity. It’ll take a beating. 2024 Honda XR650L Claimed Specifications MSRP: $6,999 Engine: 644cc, SOHC, air-cooled single-cylinder; 4-valve Bore x Stroke: 100.0 x 82.0mm Transmission/Final Drive: 5-speed/chain Fuel Delivery: 42.5mm diaphragm-type CV carburetor Clutch: Wet, multiplate Engine Management/Ignition: Solid-state CD Frame: Tubular steel Front Suspension: 43mm air-adjustable Showa cartridge fork, compression damping adjustable; 11.6 in. travel Rear Suspension: Pro-Link Showa shock, fully adjustable; 11.0 in. travel Front Brake: 2-piston caliper, 256mm disc Rear Brake: 1-piston caliper, 220mm disc Wheels, Front/Rear: Spoked wheels Tires, Front/Rear: 3.00-21 / 4.60-18 Rake/Trail: 27.0°/4.0 in. Wheelbase: 57.3 in. Ground Clearance: 13.0 in. Seat Height: 37.0 in. Fuel Capacity: 2.8 gal. Wet Weight: 346 lb. Contact: powersports.honda.com View the full article

Francesco Bagnaia starts off his 2024 MotoGP season on the right foot with a win after making changes in the morning warmup. (MotoGP/) Francesco Bagnaia on a 2024 factory Ducati did what most of us expected; he started well, took the lead on the first lap, and then easily controlled the gap to second-place Brad Binder on KTM. Binder, throughout the 21 laps (the race was shortened a lap after a start delay) played pass/re-pass with pole-sitter and Saturday sprint winner Jorge Martín (Pramac Ducati). In fourth was (you guessed it) Marc Márquez, having his first race on a Ducati. Bagnaia’s margin over Binder was 1.33 seconds at the end, with Martín another 0.6 second behind him. In Saturday’s Tissot sprint, it was Martín first, Binder second, with Aleix Espargaró (Aprilia) third, and Bagnaia fourth. First Win for Pecco Bagnaia Last year, Bagnaia learned the value of leading: It keeps your front tire from being baked by the heat of bikes ahead. Ducati team manager Gianluigi Dall’Igna said of two-time and reigning champion Bagnaia, “The way he managed the race was impeccable. “His race craft was simply perfect. There’s nothing he could have done better.” There are fans who don’t like racing as it is, and wish that every weekend could bring a new winner, a fresh passion, an underdog vindicated. That is how movies are made—from scripts. Reality has no discoverable script. Kenny Roberts actually did win three 500 world titles in a row, and then in the ‘90s Mick Doohan committed the unpardonable by winning five in a row. Those men knew how to win races, so that’s what they did. A switch in his riding style allowed Bagnaia to stay ahead of the pack the entire 21-lap race on Sunday. (MotoGP/) Remember that the present solid success is new to Ducati. After Casey Stoner’s 2007 championship on its 20,000-rpm 800cc bike, Ducati went backward, winning almost nothing during its “time in the wilderness.” Each constructor suffers periods like this. Honda and Yamaha are stumbling in the wilderness now (highest finish by a Japanese bike this time was Fabio Quartararo on Yamaha—in 11th). Between Bagnaia’s cautious statements and pit reporter Simon Crafar’s intelligent analysis, here’s the picture that emerges. Bagnaia said, “…here the grip level was so high that it was difficult to have a tire drop after 20 laps.” This goes far to explain why there was chatter at Losail. Chatter occurs most under conditions of high grip and high temperature. Ducati technicians, poring over their printouts (having eight bikes on the grid brings a lot of data) saw a trend. Chatter was occurring above a particular temperature (front and rear tire pressures are on the rider’s display, and reflect tire temperature). But, but, doesn’t Ducati have a chatter-preventing tuned mass damper in that weirdly shaped seat back? Maybe. A lot of people say so. But the amount of chatter energy such a thing can absorb is limited—look at the immense concrete moving masses used to damp the oscillations of tall buildings. The thing about chatter is that in general, you can’t “ride through it” because the harder you push, the more disturbing the chatter. As Colin Edwards said 20 years ago, chatter sets an upper limit on push. Bagnaia had encountered it in the sprint and it had to go. The medicine? To make the lap time in a different way—one that heated the rear tire less. That meant harder braking rather than higher apex speed: less dependence on tire-heating corner speed and more on braking and acceleration. As the story goes, Bagnaia had the 10 minutes of Sunday warmup in which to explore this switch of styles. Seems to have worked. In the race, “I tried to brake hard and waited an extra moment in order not to use the rear tire too much.” But wait, now. Didn’t Jorge Lorenzo take 18 months to functionally switch from his own pure corner-speed style to the Ducati’s point-and-shoot design? How could Bagnaia do this in 10 minutes?” Good question. Part of an answer might be Ducati’s laying on of much younger riders. Another part is the evolution of the bike itself, as it has been made to display not only strong braking and acceleration, but also growing capability in apex speed. This means those younger riders were having to adapt to constant change, not just sitting back as the bike was tailored to suit them. When Freddie Spencer was very young, he rode every WERA class every race weekend. Did he possibly learn something of value from that? Younger people learn languages and math fast, making young-and-adaptable into a strategy. Second Place Brad Binder Brad Binder is delighted to be closer to the top, but knows he and his improving KTM lack the reserve that Bagnaia has. Binder said, “It was like a carrot dangling and you just want to go for it. But I knew that if I attempted to push, I might catch up a bit but I would lose a couple of seconds in the last few laps. “The steps forward we have made in braking and [corner] entry are huge. “…we need to hook up better when I touch the throttle. “It’s always really good for the first three laps of the race, then…it has a little bit of a slump…” KTM is coming, but has yet to arrive. If and when it does, that will be exciting. “We are super close, but we haven’t shown that we can do it.” Jorge Martín’s Solid Weekend Martín, third, said, “I can’t complain about this weekend. I set the track record, the pole position, I won the sprint, and I got on the podium today.” Brad Binder and Jorge Martín rounded out the podium in second and third, respectively. Martín won Saturday’s sprint race and set the track record. (MotoGP/) But regarding the chatter, he said, “As soon as we solve that problem I can be much faster.” Speaking of Bagnaia, Martín said, “As soon as he went to the front he was pushing, not like hell, because we couldn’t due to the tire, but he was pushing a lot. “I tried to be fast but good on the tires, but then I had the battle with Brad, which wasn’t helping at all.” Marc Márquez and Pedro Acosta When two riders cut-and-thrust, it slows them down a bit, and Márquez and new sensation Pedro Acosta (GasGas/KTM) were just behind. Márquez said after the race, “I tried to push until the front tire gave out, at which point I gave up. “Most of the riders manage the rear, but I managed the front. My riding style, I push the front a lot. Still we need to find the correct balance to save the front.” Other faves? Enea Bastianini, fifth: “I couldn’t get the bike stopped the way I wanted, and that prevented me from pushing hard.” How about the super-promising Aprilia of Espargaró (eighth on Sunday)? Third in the sprint, but fading on lap one Sunday from second to ninth, he said, “Already on the warmup lap to the grid I felt that I had no grip at all.” Pedro Acosta and Marc Márquez both put in impressive rides on their new machines. (MotoGP/) Something wrong in every case. For the moment, Ducati has consistency (should there be a rule against it?), but we all know no one is immune to chance. A bad tire, a mistaken setup, too high a front tire pressure and you’re done. When those things happen, “Jist goin’ fer it” puts you in the gravel. 2027 Technical Changes Much anticipated was the Losail regulations meeting to discuss technical changes for 2027 and subsequent. I read, “The philosophy behind the new rules…is simplification. This will especially affect the aerodynamics. “The idea is to return to the DNA of the sport, with the focus on corner speed with a more flowing riding style, rather than on braking and acceleration as it is nowadays. “The idea is to simplify the machine so that the rider can return to being the protagonist.” The DNA remark is an opinion and not a statement of fact. Kenny Roberts brought the dirt-track-originated point-and-shoot style (“braking and acceleration”) to Europe 46 years ago and it wowed ‘em. The English and European press was full of comment, and as American riders continued to excel in Europe, their success was attributed to their dirt-track backgrounds. Dirt riding has now become an important part of rider training, and great champions such as Stoner and Márquez very much “have their feet in the dirt.” On the other hand, the pure “inscribed arc of maximum radius” style described in Piero Taruffi’s 1959 book The Technique of Motor Racing was revived once the Americans went home. Valentino Rossi and Lorenzo became great champions by riding “the great circle route.” This is as close as anyone got to Bagnaia on Sunday with his wire-to-wire win. (MotoGP/) Is one of these styles “correct” and the other “wrong”? Definitely not. Each is appropriate under particular circumstances. The European style originated from the need of low-powered bikes to avoid having to accelerate—50s, 125s, and 250s, plus the large number of British 350 and 500 singles that filled most GP grids up until 1967. The “American” style becomes a necessity when grip becomes inconsistent and/or inadequate for the power available. As pointed out to me by Roberts in the 1980s, the corner-speed style exposes the rider to high risk of grip loss all the way through the corner, whereas point-and-shoot reduces that exposure to just the zone of most rapid turning—the point of what Cal Crutchlow called “Honda’s V-shaped line.” At all other times, the point-and-shoot rider can modulate the grip with throttle or brake. This is why point-and-shoot remains the dominant big-bike riding style at present. Bear in mind also that in future, riders will learn to ride on production bikes equipped with whatever technologies the free market chooses. We’ll just have to let 2027 come. Racing begins as defined by a sanctioning body, then becomes the expression of riders’ and teams’ need to win. No success means no funding, and that requires trying to win (not upholding some unnamed person’s idea of purity). Portugal is next, in eight days. View the full article

Stark Future Challenges MXGP Proposal for Segregated Electric Support Class (Stark Future/) Stark Future Press Release: Following numerous questions, comments, and opinions, Stark Future would like to offer its take on the recent Press Conference held at VILLA LA ANGOSTURA (Argentina) on 8th March 2024, during the first MXGP event of the season. Stark Future, a prominent innovator in motocross, firmly opposes MXGP/ Infront’s proposal to introduce a separate Electric Support Class alongside MXGP events. While recognizing the goal of driving technological advancements, Stark Future believes that segregation is not the solution. Instead, seeing integration as an opportunity for all sides to thrive. By embracing new technologies at the highest level of racing, Stark Future envisions making racing more captivating for fans while fostering the strongest technological improvements across the board. With a commitment to pushing the boundaries of motocross performance and innovation, Stark Future firmly believes in true competition and integration, where the fastest machines go head-to-head, driving innovation and pushing the sport to new heights. The vision of Stark Future is to build the fastest motocross bike in the world and demonstrate that Electric is not a compromise but a formidable contender. Stark Future understands The creation of a separate class for electric bikes, as proposed by MXGP, compromises the essence of competition and risks stifling progress. Instead of fostering innovation, this approach fragments the championship and dilutes the level of competition. Stark Future advocates for the integration of electric bikes into the existing MXGP grid framework, which would promote innovation and benefit the broader motocross community while offering better viewing figures for MXGP programs. Stark Future recognizes the importance of innovation in the future of motocross. Integrating electric bikes into MXGP would revitalize innovation within the sport and address challenges such as noise pollution, maintenance costs, and accessibility. In conclusion, Stark Future urges MXGP/ Infront to reconsider the proposal for a separate Electric Support Class and explore avenues to seamlessly integrate Electric bikes into MXGP and MX2 grids. Stark Future is ready to embrace this challenge, and invites industry stakeholders to join in promoting innovation and ensuring that motocross continues to thrive for generations to come. View the full article

Lightweight, well-ventilated, and safe—what more could you ask for? View the full article

Josh Herrin won his third Daytona 200. (Ducati/) Like Mount Everest, Daytona gets our attention “because it’s there.” A lot has changed since the early days, but the Daytona 200-mile motorcycle roadrace carries on. Last Saturday’s win by Josh Herrin on a Warhorse Panigale 955 Ducati was not really a surprise, but his achievement of a third 200 win establishes him as one of the distinguished multitime winners who know how to stay durably fast on this track through a long afternoon. He also showed the truth of what Kurtis Roberts told us in the entryway of the old Benny Kahn press room years ago: All those miles aren’t racing so much as they are a time for surviving and planning. The final two laps may turn out to be the real race, when the rider who best understands the dynamics of drafting will cross the line first. This time, Herrin won without last-lap drama. Herrin (center) won his third Daytona 200 without last-lap drama. Tyler Scott (left) was second and Hayden Gillim (right) took third. (Ducati/) Years ago I spoke with five-time 200 winner Scott Russell, asking him what is central to survival and success in the 200. His words were roughly: “When you come off a corner, you want to open up, accelerate hard, spin the tire. At Daytona you can’t. You have to control yourself and think of the tire.” Another essential Daytona skill is getting past the clumps of lappers—not being held up, not using any of your nine lives. I well remember the barely contained fury of Miguel DuHamel, who, having nearly been killed by an erratic slowpoke, was surrounded by Honda handlers trying to keep him from saying things they might regret. He explained clearly: “The slow rider has the extra grip to make sudden moves. The fast rider is using all his grip to go fast, so he’s committed to his line.” The race is long and the track is “not especially smooth.” You see the bikes’ suspension working all the time, and riders are constantly jolted. It’s physical. Pit Stops Every team hopes to execute two routine, professional gas and tire stops. MotoAmerica pit reporter Hannah Lopa had it right when she said a successful stop calls for “…not so much physical speed but precision. The crew must be smooth and deliberate.” In the improvised pre-race “pit-stop contest” with $7,500 to win, I saw what happens so often on race day: fumbles from trying too hard. In one case, the rear axle wasn’t tight and in the other, the team began to push before the air wrench was off the axle. Both were DQ’d. In the race, Herrin’s team did the work professionally. Fuel Management Fuel management means someone on each team must be a competent soloist on the hand-held calculator. What mileage are we getting through practice? Tank capacity limit is 19 liters, or 5 US gallons. When Richie Escalante (M4 Suzuki GSX-R750), running second, ran out of gas during his final lap he did what we’ve all done when a bike has cut out: tried leaning and sloshing, hoping to push remote pockets of fuel to the pump inlet. Rider after rider passed him—a bad dream as a sure second became fifth (he was later advanced to fourth). Previously, he had led third place by a comfy 40 seconds. Word had it they refueled 21 laps from the end. Did they know their tank volume accurately? Were they sure of 100 percent fill-ups? Escalante later commented, “I don’t think this place likes me.” Fuel calculations are key to success at Daytona. (Ducati/) I have seen people take the empty tank to a gas station and “measure it” by filling it from a gas pump. It’s a clever improvisation, but is it good enough? Bobby Fong, one of the early leaders, was disqualified for a slightly oversized fuel tank. Dick Mann on one occasion suggested that a high-finishing rider who knows his tank may be “a little big” would be excused for expressing his joy by punching the fuel tank (only works on metal tanks, of course). Having a 4-liter graduated cylinder enables keeping track of consumption through practice, and it also provides actual knowledge of tank volume. Herrin’s engine cut just after entering pit lane on one of his stops, but he was able to reach his crew. Brandon Paasch (M4 Team Hammer Suzuki) led, then his engine stuttered, and he just made it to his first stop. All went well until the fuel can was lifted, at which point the dry-break valve on the can failed to fully close, the resulting spray making it look like a huge fuel-injection nozzle. He rode away wet. We were told by the dry-break manufacturer to use new O-rings, lubricated, because there could be cases in which the spring is unable to close and seal the valve. Tyler Scott finished second at the 2024 Daytona 200. (Suzuki/) The difference between the strong, prepared teams at the top and the rest of the field is magnified at Daytona: in 1978, the year of the notorious intake restrictors, Kenny Roberts lapped the field. Near the end of this year’s race, Josh Herrin was lapping ninth place. Changes Over the Years How has Daytona changed? For years, displacement formulas were in force. Back when it was Triumph versus Harley-Davidson, it was 500cc for overhead valve engines and 750 for side-valves. The 1968 Competition Congress reset to a straight 750 formula beginning in 1970, and racing became international, with Triumph, BSA, Honda, and Harley-Davidson factory teams. Daytona became the one race every manufacturer yearned to win. Through the two-stroke years (1972–1984) displacement still ruled: Lightweights were 250s, pro bikes were 750s. Daytona’s driving force in those factory-team days was the hope of pushing product into the world’s greatest market. And how they tried! Honda won it in 1970, BSA the year after, but in both cases it was the race savvy of Dick Mann making it possible. As the two-stroke era began in 1972, the number of Japanese engineers in each team became the yardstick of power. One top crew chief at the time joked that somewhere in the back of the Yamaha garage were two unopened crates. One was stenciled, “Open this one if it won’t run under 2:02,” and the other, “Open this crate if it won’t speed-trap over 190.” Production-based four-stroke 750 Superbikes became the Daytona 200 class in 1985, and the coming of supersport continued the idea of displacement-limited racing: 600 and 750. When the class became 750 two-stroke, 1,025cc four-stroke in 1980, Honda for 1982 entered its tire-eating V-4 “FWS,” and riders Mike Baldwin and Freddie Spencer led effortlessly. Honda came prepared, with trick hardware to enable rapid tire changing. It proved no match for what Daytona can do to rubber. Tire changes have been the norm in the 200 ever since. When it was decided for 2009 that nothing should run over 180 mph at Daytona, 600 Supersport replaced Superbike in the 200. That was when Mat Mladin referred to the 600s as “minibikes.” Richie Escalante ran out of gas on the last lap while running second. He crossed the line fifth, but was awarded fourth after Bobby Fong was DQ’d for an over-capacity fuel tank. (Suzuki/) When sportbike sales augured in after the 2008 economic crash, 600 sales collapsed. Whatever shall we do if Japan stops building 600s? A fresh idea emerged: Let’s race bikes of similar lap time, not of identical displacement. This is Supersport Next Generation, which includes Ducati 955 twins and Triumph and MV triples, along with the usual 600s, Kawasaki’s 636s, and Suzuki’s GSX-R750—all subject to periodic performance adjustments. Superbike remains MotoAmerica’s premier class at all other events. Present-day Daytona lap times can’t be compared with those of earlier times because the need for more motorhome parking has caused shortenings of the first infield horseshoe. The chicane has also evolved. Is nothing sacred? Answer: Yes. The drama of Daytona never changes: Who can survive all the potential chaos to be in the top group at the end? Or better yet—to do what Herrin did this year—to run a sustainable pace, keeping the tires sweet, that carries the winning rider out of reach. 2024 Daytona 200 Results Josh Herrin (Ducati) Tyler Scott (Suzuki) Hayden Gillim (Suzuki) Richie Escalante (Suzuki) Karel Hanika (Yamaha) View the full article

Defending NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Champion Gaige Herrera (1) backs up his incredible 2023 season with a dominant win at the 2024 Gatornationals on the Gen 3 Hayabusa. (Matt Polito/) Suzuki Press Release: Reigning NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle World Champion Gaige Herrera opened the defense of his 2023 crown Sunday with a dominant win aboard his RevZilla/Mission/Vance & Hines Suzuki Gen 3 Hayabusa at the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida, the first round of the 2024 season. Race Highlights: Gaige Herrera qualified No. 1 and set a new track elapsed time record earning a second-consecutive season-opening win at the Gatornationals, the 12th win of his career. Richard Gadson qualified sixth in his rookie NHRA season debut and advanced to the second round of eliminations. Following one of the most dominant seasons in NHRA history, Herrera picked up in Gainesville right where he left off at the end of 2023, a year that saw him set class records for wins (11) and number-one qualifiers (14). Herrera led qualifying with a 6.746-second/200.50mph run to earn the top starting spot for the 15th time in his career and the tenth race in a row dating back to last year. In round one, Herrera defeated Joey Gladstone (6.949 seconds/194.16mph) with a 6.639-second/204.35mph pass to set a new Gainesville elapsed time track record. Herrera reset that mark in round two against John Hall (6.801 seconds/201.37mph) with a blistering 6.629-second/204.54mph pass, the second quickest in class history and only 0.002-seconds slower than the national record he set last season in Dallas. Herrera now owns the top 10 quickest passes in NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle history, all on a Gen III Suzuki Hayabusa. In the semi-final round, Herrera ran 6.684-seconds at 202.27mph to defeat Angie Smith (6.735 seconds/202.91mph), setting up a final-round matchup against her husband, Matt Smith. Herrera defeated Smith (6.748 seconds/200.83mph) with a 6.636-second/204.39mph run to notch the 12th win of his career and second straight at the Gatornationals. A year ago, Herrera rolled into Gainesville as a relative unknown. Now with a history-making season of superlatives behind him, he stands atop the class with a target on his back and high expectations for his sophomore season in the class. ”I put a lot of pressure on myself coming into this race. I set pretty high expectations for myself, wanting to duplicate what I did last year. I came focused and ready to go, whereas last year I came here just not wanting to make a fool out of myself,” Herrera said. “I had a great feeling all weekend beginning in Q1. My Hayabusa is very consistent and rides like it’s on rails. Andrew Hines and the rest of the team worked extremely hard during the offseason to make sure our motorcycles run great, and it shows. Once I’m in the burnout box, all I focus on is what I need to do as a rider. There’s nothing better for my mindset than having that kind of confidence in the team.” Richard Gadson, who joined the RevZilla/Mission/Vance & Hines Suzuki team in the offseason, is riding the Gen 3 Suzuki Hayabusa previously piloted and now tuned by four-time NHRA champion Eddie Krawiec. Although technically a rookie with only two previous Pro Stock Motorcycle starts to his credit, the Philadelphia native and nephew of legendary drag racer Ricky Gadson, brings the experience of multiple AMA Pro Star series championships and consistent success in high-stakes grudge racing to the team. Gadson qualified in sixth position with a 6.817-second/198.32 mph run. He achieved the primary goal of his season debut by turning on the win light in round one with a career-best 6.724-second/201.97mph victory over Kelly Clontz (6.829 seconds/197.39mph). In round two, Gadson left the starting line too soon, resulting in a redlight loss to LE Tonglet and an early end to the weekend. “Coming up against a tough competitor in the second round, I felt like I had to go hard on the tree, and I ended up on the wrong side of it, Gadson said. “It’s a new bike, new team, new everything for me. We’re still working to find the best chassis and clutch setup that works for me. We came to Florida early with the intent to test but Mother Nature had different plans. The lack of testing set us back a little on that, but I still ran my personal best, had my first-round win, and made my first 200mph pass. You can’t wipe the smile off my face.” With leading motorcycle parts retailer RevZilla assuming a primary sponsorship alongside Mission Foods and Suzuki this season, crew chief Andrew Hines was happy to begin the season in strong form and eager to show that last year was no fluke. “The weather we had today was just what the doctor ordered for our four-valve Hayabusas. Working off the notes from last year, we didn’t have to change much in the setup for Gaige’s bike and here we are back in the winner’s circle,” Hines said. “You can’t ask for a more fantastic way to start a season, with new people on board and new partnerships that are pushing us to keep raising our level of performance. Striking these new deals over the winter was pivotal in our ability to continue running a top-notch program. We have Richard on board now taking Eddie’s spot on the bike, and it’s just a matter of time before we get everything clicking with him. It’s exciting.” After the first of 16 races in the 2024 season, Herrera and Gadson sit first and sixth in the Pro Stock Motorcycle standings with 127 and 54 points, respectively. The RevZilla/Mission/Vance & Hines Suzuki team returns to action April 26-28 at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway in Concord, NC. View the full article

Gus Rodio Rides Aprilia RS 660 to Victory in MotoAmerica Twins Cup Season Opener at Daytona (Brian J. Nelson/) Aprilia Press Release: Aprilia rider Gus Rodio’s campaign to clinch the MotoAmerica Twins Cup title he narrowly missed out on in 2023 could not have started in a better way. The Hammonton, N.J., resident piloted his Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering Aprilia RS 660 to two victories by impressive margins at the season-opening round of MotoAmerica’s 2024 Twins Cup at Daytona International Speedway. Rodio’s two wins were just a couple of the successes Aprilia RS 660 riders had on Friday and Saturday on the iconic facility’s 3.51-mile motorcycle road course layout. Rodio’s teammates – Twins Cup rookie Alessandro Di Mario and veteran Ben Gloddy – and TopPro Racing’s Avery Dreher scored two podium finishes and three additional top-five finishes between them. In total, Aprilia riders claimed 11 of the 20 total Top-10 finishes on the double race weekend. Rodio’s eye-popping pace was evident from the first on-track session of the round, as his best lap in the Thursday practice session was more than 1.5 seconds faster than the rest of the field. Dreher posted the second-best time, followed by Gloddy in third, Di Mario in eighth, Dreher’s TopPro Racing teammate, Romeo Chiavini, in ninth and Righteous Racing’s Ray Hofman in 10th. The first of two qualifying sessions took place later Thursday, and Rodio was again at the top of the time sheets with a lap time that more than a second faster than his best time in practice. Dreher was third-fastest in the session, with Gloddy sixth-fastest, Di Mario seventh-fastest, Chiavini ninth-fastest and Hofman 10th. Qualifying concluded on Friday morning with Rodio having secured the first pole position of the 2024 MotoAmerica Twins Cup season by 0.822 seconds. Dreher qualified third, giving Aprilia two machines on the front row of the grid. Gloddy ended up qualifying fifth, Di Mario seventh, and Chiavini 10th. Friday afternoon’s Race 1 saw Rodio gradually pull away at the front while Dreher, Gloddy and Di Mario battled it out with two other riders for the last two steps on the podium. Rodio narrowly missed out on taking the holeshot but had assumed the race lead by the end of Lap 1 and led every lap thereafter – taking victory by a margin of more than 11 seconds. Gloddy, Dreher and Di Mario found themselves in a four-way – and in the closing laps five-way – fight for the podium, as the group took turns drafting and re-drafting each other during the nine-lap race. On the run to the finish line, Dreher edged out Di Mario for the last step on the podium by 0.087 seconds. Gloddy finished sixth, missing out on a top-five finish by 0.343 seconds. Other Aprilia riders who finished in the Top-10 include Chiavini in eighth and Hofman in 10th. In Saturday morning’s Race 2, it took Rodio a little longer to break away from the field – but the result was the same. Like in Race 1, Rodio slotted into second place as the field reached Turn 1 for the first time and moved into the lead later on the first lap. Though another front runner drafted by Rodio to lead at the end of Lap 1, Rodio reassumed the lead on Lap 2 and led the remainder of the race. Unfortunately for Dreher, an incident on Lap 1, Turn 1, caused him to crash heavily, and he was unable to rejoin the race. When the rider running in second place retired from the race on Lap 4, it allowed Gloddy, Di Mario and two other riders to have a four-way go at the last two podium places. Like in Race 1, riders in the group took turns drafting and re-drafting each other. Di Mario finished in third place – 0.044 seconds behind the second-place rider – and Gloddy clinched a top-five finish. The other Aprilia riders who scored top-10 finishes include Hofman in eighth and Chiavini in ninth. After two races, Rodio has amassed a 19-point lead in the points standings. Di Mario sits in third place in the standings, Gloddy fifth, Dreher eighth, Chiavini ninth and Hofman in 10th. Of the 26 riders registered for MotoAmerica Twins Cup at the Daytona round, 12 were slated to compete with Aprilia RS 660s. The next MotoAmerica Twins Cup race takes place April 21-23 at the Road Atlanta circuit in Braselton, Ga. Gus Rodio / Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering “I’m super happy with a perfect weekend in Daytona. We couldn’t ask for anymore, and I’m excited to keep this momentum going into the next round.” Alessandro Di Mario / Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering “I’m really happy with how my first time at Daytona turned out. It was a challenging weekend for sure, but we were able to get some solid points for the championship. I want to thank the team for all the work they did behind the scenes, and I am really looking forward to the next rounds. Bring on Atlanta!” View the full article