Motorcycles

German-born Honda Racing Corporation team hero Ken Roczen is a Supercross warrior. After a daunting broken arm sustained in a dirt bike crash at the 2017 Monster Energy Supercross Championship at Anaheim, Roczen was sidelined due to his brutal injury. About a year later, the former Red Bull KTM rider was injured again while riding …

Even before the supercharged 200-hp Ninja H2, Kawasaki offered some pretty powerful motorcycles. And that includes cruisers. Today, the idea of a ‘power’ or ‘muscle cruiser’ isn’t that unusual. Harley-Davidson, Ducati, and (arguably) Triumph offer bikes that fall into those categories. But the 1976 Kawasaki KZ900 LTD was the first. How the Kawasaki Z1 led …

The modern café racer trend arguably got its start with the Ducati Sport 1000. But Honda actually beat the Italian motorcycle company to it by a few decades. And the Honda GB500 Tourist Trophy didn’t just ape the styling of the 50s and 60s racers. In some ways, it’s arguably a more-accurate throwback than anything …

Quite a few so-called scrambler motorcycles have the style, but not a lot of off-road substance. The Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled, though, isn’t one of them. And just like Triumph did with its Scrambler, the Italian company has shown that through racing. In fact, in this year’s Mint 400, a Ducati Scrambler won its inaugural …

When it comes to 2020 motorcycles, liter bikes are the most exciting. Each of these superbikes boasts a powerful 1 liter-displacing engine and trickle-down race technology. But we already know all of these sportbikes are fast. Which ones are the fastest and baddest of all? Here are the leading liter bikes of 2020. Everyone has …

Before the Panigale V4, Ducati’s sportiest bikes all used the Italian brand’s 90° V-twin, aka ‘L-twin,’ engine. And, to be fair, it’s not like the company abandoned that engine completely. The rest of its lineup, from the Scrambler to the Diavel cruiser, all use L-twin engines. And you can still get a Panigale with it. …

Harley-Davidson is one of the most iconic motorcycle brands in the world. But recently the company has been struggling.

High-RPM redlines and more cylinders are usually how motorcycle companies increase performance. But Yamaha is going to use something that, while common in cars, isn’t really seen in bikes: forced-induction. Not a supercharger, like on the Kawasaki Ninja H2, though. Instead, Yamaha is re-introducing turbocharging to its motorcycle lineup. The Yamaha turbocharged bike news Performance …

When it comes to fast and famous sportbikes, the Japanese big four are often the first liter bike manufacturers that come to mind. But in 2011 everything changed. The Supertest World Association awarded ‘Bike of the Year’ to the German BMW S1000RR after its first year of production––on Japanese soil––and European motorcycle fans were validated, …

There are a number of excellent affordable motorcycles that you can take off-road. However, some may be nervous about bringing a brand-new bike to get banged up off-pavement. However, as is the case for most beginner bikes, the simple solution is to get a used motorcycle. It’s likely already been beat-up a bit. Plus, buying …

Off-roading on 2 wheels can be tricky—but it doesn’t have to be expensive. There’s a wide selection of modern affordable motorcycles with a degree of off-road prowess. But the best-suited are adventure motorcycles and dual sports. And, if you thought off-road adventures were outside your budget, the bikes described below sticker for under $10,000. Best …

Preparation is key for off-roading a truck or SUV. And it’s even more important if you’re going off-road on a motorcycle. However, getting ready for an off-pavement motorcycle adventure doesn’t have to be intimidating. Here’s what you’ll need. Picking an off-road motorcycle The first step is figuring out what kind of off-road motorcycle you’ll need. …

Though it makes a motorcycle with a 200-hp supercharged engine, Kawasaki also offers bikes with engines better-suited to newer riders. Bikes like the Z125 Pro, and the Ninja 400 sportbike. And as bikes like Honda’s RC166 show, sometimes the smallest engines are the most impressive ones. That’s a sentiment the upcoming Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R clearly …

Buying a motorcycle is often as much about style as it is about performance or practicality. In terms of looks, Triumph does well on the retro front, with bikes like the Thruxton café racer. But the company also has sportier offerings, like the Triumph Street Triple R. I recently bought a 2012 model to serve …

Most recommended beginner bikes are fairly small so newer riders aren’t intimidated at balancing on and handling them. That’s in contrast to some of Harley-Davidson’s bikes. Even its cheapest bike, the Street 750, is about 100 pounds heavier than my Triumph Street Triple R. But Harley may have a solution that could attract new customers …

The 2020 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R is a top performer among others in its class. The ZX-14R motorcycle enjoys a loyal and loving fan base––and for good reason. This Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle is a powerful machine and buying it new is all too tempting. But if you want to save some money, you are probably already …

The all new Ducati Panigale V2 is a magnificent motorcycle that offers unmatched performance. What did critics love about this new bike?

Despite a few minor annoyances, I’m enjoying riding my Triumph Street Triple R. It doesn’t have the classic styling of the Bonneville or Thruxton. Nor is it off-road-capable like the Scrambler. However, the naked motorcycle does have its own positive points. Shifting and throttling the 2012 Triumph Street Triple R One key take-away from taking …

After passing my motorcycle safety course, I spent some time test-riding different bikes before eventually buying a used Triumph. Specifically, a 2012 Triumph Street Triple R naked bike, in-between a standard and a sportbike. And although I’ve enjoyed riding it overall, there are a few places where it could be improved. The turn signals This …

On the surface, Triumph and Harley-Davidson can seem somewhat similar. Both motorcycle companies offer bikes that lean on nostalgia and retro designs, after all. And both also derive quite a bit of revenue from apparel sales. However, while Triumph these days seems to be doing OK, Harley-Davidson is decidedly not. And, as YouTuber Different Spokes …