Sport

Sophisticated Twister

In 1911, the widow “Mama” Theresa Benelli gambled the family assets on the Benelli Garage, a modest Pesaro workshop that she hoped would marshal the talents of her six sons repairing automobiles, motorcycles and quaintly enough, firearms. Through the 1920s, the Bros. Benelli were famous for building and racing motorcycles. By the 30s, Benelli had ascended to the Italian Pentarchia (the big five of the bike industry) along with Garelli, Moto Guzzi, Gilera and Bianchi.

A brave ride from the ashes.

Yamaha R1 LE

Liter-sized superbikes have been measured in recent years by the standards of Yamaha's awe-inspiring R1. Fast and supremely capable, the Graves Motorsports-fettled machine continues to dominate the AMA Superstock class with only minimal upgrades. Yamaha has now seen fit to produce a special, limited-edition (LE) version of the bike that is packed with premium components.

The 950 Supermoto continues KTM's move from the dirt to the street.

A deeper look at the significance of BMW's K bikes.

Whether at the heart of the motorcycling craze of the early Seventies or loitering on its periphery, most motorcyclists remember when Ducati's first big-bore machines burst onto the scene. The Super Sport 750, with its striking metallic-silver fairings and sea-green frame, blended proven racing ability with road-going sensibility. The Sport 750, meanwhile, was notable for its bright yellow tank and clip-on handlebars; essentially a production-based café racer, it came from the factory with a raucous, street-savvy personality.

Accelerated ZX-10 Superbike

A funny thing happened to me on the way to the racetrack, or so it goes. Recently, on my way to Thunderhill Park Raceway in Northern California, I decided to visit the Monterey Peninsula and say hello to my friend Dan Kyle of Kyle Racing Engines. In a conversation about what's new, Dan showed me the daily ride he's using to get back and forth between home and shop. At first look, in the dark confines of the shop, I thought it was merely a cleaned up Kawasaki ZX-10.

Monster S2R Review

The tangerine red Ducati Monster S2R parked in front of a small café in the hills outside Fermignano, Italy, quickly attracted the admiration of two stout, elderly men. One of them furrowed his brow in deep concentration, carefully choosing words from his charming economy of English. “In America, Harley-Davidson is patriotism; in Italy, Ducati is religion.” That elegantly encapsulated the reverence with which Italians regard Ducatis, an esteem that verges on the sacrosanct.

Revival of an Italian legend.

Triple Play

Triumph came of age in 1998 when the British manufacturer—which John Bloor had brought back from the dead in 1990—launched the sports touring Sprint ST. This first model of Triumph's post-modular era featured dedicated chassis and engine design rather than the mix-and-match formula Bloor had previously employed while getting his historic marque up and running.

MotoCzysz C1 Review

We all fantasize about creating the ultimate bike, one that combines the improbable ideas we dream up during commutes, long flights, or while lying on a beach. For most of us these chimeras remain unrealized, but occasionally someone surfaces with the drive, determination, and—above all—the resources to build a dreambike.

Victory Motorcycles is taking the next logical step in the evolution of production custom motorcycles by marrying the comfort and rideability inherent in an American cruiser with the high-performance aspects of a sportbike. The resulting machine is raising the bar in the emerging power cruiser market. The impressive 2005 Victory Hammer is a stylish, big American V-twin with bold paint schemes and plenty of chrome that is as at home cruising the boulevard as it is navigating twisting roads.                                

Moto Masterpiece

Fire up the radial-valve 998cc 4-cylinder motor of the MV Agusta F4 Tamburini (MT4), and you will know that this masterpiece of design, bristling with technological innovation, must be Italian.

Since the reintroduction of Triumph motorcycles in the mid-1980s, the English motorcycle manufacturer has continued to make pragmatic, measured movement forward with its motorcycle model lineup. Its engines have grown gradually larger and more powerful, the styling slowly has become more modern, and sales figures have continued to climb. Triumph built its loyal fan base with reliable, enjoyable motorcycles, but it also established a reputation for having a relatively conservative nature.

When the conversation turns to German motorcycles, three letters usually spring to mind: BMW. Possibly the most famous acronym in the two-wheeled world, the Bavarian Motor Works has been producing solid, reliable motorcycles for more than 80 years. Not as recognizable in the United States, though, is another German manufacturer that has been producing motorcycles for just as long. Simply known as MZ (Motorradwerk Zschopau), the company traces its roots to the once-glorious DKW Company, which first began producing small two-stroke engines for bicycles in 1920.