Reviews

Ride-by-Wire 90-Degree V-Twin

Listen in as we join the Motorcycle Radio Network while riding the 2009 Aprilia SL 750 Shiver. Yes, we bring this new in-house 90° V twin motorcycle with Ride-by-Wire electronic throttle control to our secret test track. We talk about the Piaggio Group to start and then give you our live Shiver riding impressions. Simply click into the story and hit the listen link. The audio file will open in a separate window.

As the custom motorcycle business adjusts to challenging market conditions, Honda is forcefully re-asserting its presence in the cruiser class. The early-release 2010 Honda Fury is the company's first venture into the high-neck chopper bazaar, featuring a 38-degree rake, a narrow 21-inch wheel, and the longest wheelbase ever on a Honda motorcycle-just a hair under six feet.

The "Sweet" Power

Listen in as we join the Motorcycle Radio Network to review our 2009 Yamaha YZF-R1 test bike. You will hear about our riding impressions of this all new R1. We discuss a number of new features including the exciting new crossplane crank engine that was developed directly from Valentino Rossi's Yamaha M1 MotoGP Race Bike.  Simply click into the story and hit the listen link. The audio file will open in a separate window.

Aprilia RSV4 Factory, the bike that brings Aprilia back into the 2009 Superbike World Championship, is the product of this immense technical know-how.

Monster Motorcycle Project Bike

What do you enjoy most about motorcycles?  We asked our Ultimate Motorcycling readers this question and found a few common themes.  First, you love your motorcycle for individual reasons--freedom, exhilaration and self-expression.   Second, it's the social aspect--meeting for a morning ride, a stop at a favorite café, story swapping or a simple wave from a passing stranger.

Having surrendered the AMA 600cc Supersport title in 2008, Kawasaki is clearly anxious to get it back. The previous Ninja iteration was a good machine, but the all-new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R is in a different league altogether, as we found out at Autopolis--Kawasaki's spectacular racetrack just outside Kumamoto, Japan.

The Solution When Rain Appears (and when it disappears)

This test is a long-time coming. I’ve had these Solution Waterproof road boots for a few of years and have worn them for at least 100 rides. In fact, they date back to the time when they were sold under the Cortech banner (a sister company to Tour Master).

Motorcycle Boot Review

Style in modern motorcycling apparel is born from a heritage of function with the advantage of technological advancements. Sidi’s On-Road Gore-Tex boots superbly demonstrate this principle.

Instant and Abundant Motorcycle Fun

I was a little late leaving the Miramar Beach Hôtel on France's beautiful Côte d'Azur, and about to ride hard on a motorcycle I had never been on before. As it turned out, there was no reason for concern; Ducati's new Monster 1100 is intuitively easy to ride.

Route D1098 (now that is a weird coincidence!) twists and turns between Miramar and Sainte-Maxime, but happily, the French drivers are forgiving of motorcycles so passing is an easy task-provided the bike you're riding has instant and abundant torque.

Monster Looks For New Riders.

Despite the undocumented risk that CPSC sees that motorcycles are toys (they most certainly are not) and that children will try to eat them (they aren’t that tasty, even with green sauce), the Kawasaki KLX110 is an outstanding mount for the up-and-coming young motorcyclist.

Vintage, as in wine, is the production of one particular year's grapes into a fine wine. From their 1971 model, Moto Guzzi (maybe because of their Italian heritage) did a fine job with this California Vintage model.

A Virile Motorcycle Imagination

Harley-Davidson is applying an exclusive twist to the old commercial aphorism-"give the people what they want"-with the return of the FLTRSE3 Road Glide to the company's 2009 Custom Vehicle Operations (CVO) line.

Italian with Austrian Power

Versatility and flexibility are virtues never to be under-estimated. In a world of fragmented off-road riding opportunities, the high-performance dual-sport machine has become the necessary alternative to obsolescing dirt-only motorcycles.

Bike Review

The sluggish economy and wild gasoline prices have had a positive effect on at least one thing: entry-level sport motorcycle sales. Lower MSRPs, excellent fuel economy, less expensive insurance all mixed with good looks, seem to be the recipe for success.

Motorcycle Review

Take note President Obama, American motorcycle manufacturing is alive with the new 2009 Victory Vegas Jackpot. Much like the Harley-Davidson Rocker C, at least two American motorcycle manufactures are producing high-quality factory stock motorcycles with a custom look and feel.