Buyer's Guides

–We’re constantly on the look for great deals on motorcycle gear. We’ll be updating this post each week with the latest sales on gear and accessories, so keep checking here for new deals.

HEY! Did you know you could help support us MOrons by buying stuff at Revzilla? It’s true. Whenever you click on over there after seeing a thing here, we get a piece of the pie. It’s a win/win situation – especially when the thing is on sale. You get a deal on what you needed anyway. We get to keep eating. Here are a few of this week’s retail therapy opportunities.

Crashing sucks, but getting hurt because you weren’t wearing the right gear stings just a little bit more. You all know to wear your helmets, jackets, pants, gloves, and boots – but what are you wearing under all that? If you’re not wearing at least a back protector then you’re missing out on a relatively inexpensive piece of kit that can make a big difference. Add in a chest protector, and you have two components that can further absorb some of the impact energy of hitting the ground before your body does. 

If you aren’t familiar, back and chest protectors are basically plastic exoskeletons with multi-density, impact-absorbing padding. Back protectors look similar to an armadillo’s shell, with numerous layers that articulate with the movement of your back, but also are difficult to hyperextend or bend backward. Chest protectors are basically trapezoidal pads that rest between your jacket and chest.    

Here, we’ve compiled a list of back and chest protectors you might want to consider before your next ride. While these products are highly rated, they are just a sample of what’s out there. Before we begin, it’s worth mentioning that, if you have the means, we recommend wearing an airbag vest instead of a back and chest protector. The level of protection from an airbag is far superior. We made an airbag buyer’s guide to show you what options are currently on the market if you’re interested. Can’t pop for an airbag right now? No problem. Here’s the next best thing.

The first step in getting more performance out of an engine is to let it breathe easier, and if there’s one thing Harley-Davidson owners like, it’s the distinctive sound of their V-Twin rumbling beneath them. Achieving that sound and performance requires replacing a combination of parts, mainly the stock air cleaner and exhaust.

Here, we’re going to focus on the first part of that equation: a Stage 1 air cleaner (also known as an air intake). A Stage 1 air cleaner typically is best for an otherwise stock Harley with no internal modifications done to the engine. Once you start modifying your engine in search of maximum power, then moving to higher stage components might be in order – but that’s beyond the scope of this list.

Below, we’ve listed some top air cleaners for Harley-Davidsons. Since there are so many types of Harley engines spanning back through the years, it’s best to take advantage of the model finder in the links below to see if there is something applicable for your bike. The selection below is far from exhaustive, as there are tons of models that aren’t on this list. This is more of a representation of what’s available on the market. From round elements to conical, there are a plethora of different designs to suit nearly everyone’s tastes.

For generations, the image of bikers in black leather jackets and blue jeans has been a (somewhat accurate) stereotype of motorcycle fashion. Riders and non-riders alike donned this gear to portray this lone individualist image. In fact, the riding gear I wore during my first, formative motorcycle trip as a newly-minted rider was a black leather jacket and blue jeans. And for a long time, this plus boots, gloves, and a helmet were state-of-the-art for rider protection. However, technology has transformed motorcycling in more ways than just adding computers to bikes. Over the past five years or so, we’ve seen an entirely new market of riding apparel move from obscure to relatively commonplace. Riding jeans have moved from merely being denim jeans with a layer of abrasive-resistant material as an under layer to fully technical motorcycle gear with certified armor and a variety of styles and materials.

Naturally, we, here at Motorcycle.com, thought that it would be interesting to take a deeper look at what this popular class of riding apparel has to offer. In the end, we ended up testing 34 pairs of riding jeans. We spent months gathering them and coming up with a uniform way to look at them and convey their qualities, both good and not-so-good, to our faithful readers. You can go ahead and protest our failure to include your favorite model, but we know we didn’t get them all. It would have been impossible. Really, just getting 34 took a lot of effort.

If the Google machine dropped you directly on this page without seeing the introduction to MO’s Massive Riding Jeans Buyer’s Guide, and you are confused as to what’s going on, you should click here to read the introduction and the full listing of jeans. If you’re the adventurous type who just wants to jump to our individual reviews of 34 pairs of jeans, the Table of Contents below will only give you a direct link to jeans on this page. So, we still recommend that you go to the introduction. There’s a lot of good info to cover.

MO Tested: Massive Riding Jeans Buyer’s Guide – Introduction

If the Google machine dropped you directly on this page without seeing the introduction to MO’s Massive Riding Jeans Buyer’s Guide, and you are confused as to what’s going on, you should click here to read the introduction and the full listing of jeans. If you’re the adventurous type who just wants to jump to our individual reviews of 34 pairs of jeans, the Table of Contents below will only give you a direct link to jeans on this page. So, we still recommend that you go to the introduction. There’s a lot of good info to cover.

MO Tested: Massive Riding Jeans Buyer’s Guide – Introduction

If the Google machine dropped you directly on this page without seeing the introduction to MO’s Massive Riding Jeans Buyer’s Guide, and you are confused as to what’s going on, you should click here to read the introduction and the full listing of jeans. If you’re the adventurous type who just wants to jump to our individual reviews of 34 pairs of jeans, the Table of Contents below will only give you a direct link to jeans on this page. So, we still recommend that you go to the introduction. There’s a lot of good info to cover.

MO Tested: Massive Riding Jeans Buyer’s Guide – Introduction

If the Google machine dropped you directly on this page without seeing the introduction to MO’s Massive Riding Jeans Buyer’s Guide, and you are confused as to what’s going on, you should click here to read the introduction and the full listing of jeans. If you’re the adventurous type who just wants to jump to our individual reviews of 34 pairs of jeans, the Table of Contents below will only give you a direct link to jeans on this page. So, we still recommend that you go to the introduction. There’s a lot of good info to cover.

MO Tested: Massive Riding Jeans Buyer’s Guide – Introduction

Adding a motorcycle GPS to your riding repertoire can expand your horizons beyond your imagination. There are products on the market to suit every rider’s needs, whether off-road, on-road, or adventure. All the units covered here are specific motorcycle GPS products or units otherwise lend themselves very well to use on a bike. Your typical automotive GPS units aren’t built to the same standard as motorcycle GPS units and the often harsh environments we find ourselves in. While it’s important to compare features of the units themselves, two key elements to maximizing the benefit of motorcycle GPS units are the mapping products available and the computer or mobile device user interface. As you get deeper into this technology, you will find yourself spending more time on your mobile device or computer laying out your next ride, exploring with Google Earth, and ultimately, downloading and editing tracks you’ve actually recorded on the ground. Choosing a motorcycle GPS with the type of maps you want and the pre- and post-ride user environment are key considerations before purchasing a specific unit.

Saying that these moto-minded bits of tech have come a long way since their inception would be an understatement. Some of these units do much more than just point you in the right direction like syncing via Bluetooth to your helmet, phone and even to accessory tire pressure monitors. As they say (maybe too often), it’s a good time to be a motorcyclist.

Here’s Motorcycle.com’s list of the best motorcycle GPS units.

Motorcycles seem to invite their owners to tinker with them. Maybe it’s the fact that often the components are easy to get to once the bodywork has been removed. Regardless of the reason, we, as motorcyclists, tend to maintain and modify our own machines, leaving only the most highly technical items to the mechanics at our local shop.

But what if you’re new to motorcycling? Where do you start? Most budding mechanics begin with a basic mechanics selection of tools: sockets, ratchets, open end wrenches, and a selection of pliers. If you shop carefully, you can score some good deals on quality tools. However, there are some specialized motorcycle tools that may not be readily apparent that can make your wrenching so much easier.

Read on to find out what the staff at Motorcycle.com considers to be the essential motorcycle tools in their garages.

In a perfect world, you’d probably park your motorcycle in your bedroom, where it’ll be nice and cozy, and well out of harm’s way. But, as we know, the world is not perfect, and many of us are left parking our beloved motorcycles outside, exposed to the elements and even the prying eyes of those with bad intentions.

Enter the motorcycle cover. While not as effective in protecting your bike from Mother Nature or vandals as keeping it parked inside, if you have to leave your bike outside, a cover is the next best line of defense. This is your guide to some of the different types.

There’s a surprising amount of variety when it comes to motorcycle covers, and while this guide is not intended to cover every single one of them, it should at least open your eyes to what’s available, and maybe even point you in the right direction as to which is the best motorcycle cover for you.

For ages, we didn’t think much about the batteries in our motorcycles. When you only have one option, the traditional lead-acid battery, there’s not a lot to think about. As long as it cranks the starter over and fires up the bike, you’re good. If not, time to shell out for a new one. But like all components on a motorcycle, eventually, new technology emerges to improve the breed. The battery is no different. With the emergence of the lithium motorcycle battery the consumer now has more options.

To the average consumer, a battery is a battery. What separates one from the other? For starters, the internal chemistry is very different between the two, but for the purposes of this guide, we’ll stick to the practical differences. Generally speaking, lithium’s biggest advantage is its drastically reduced weight and physically smaller size compared to lead-acid. Lithium also has a significantly lower discharge rate – the amount of charge lost simply sitting – compared to lead-acid, faster recharge rate, more cranking amps (compared to a similar lead-acid application), and safer handling due to its internal chemistry not featuring lead and, yes, you guessed it… acid. The tradeoff, of course, is a significantly higher price tag.

Despite this, there’s nothing wrong with lead-acid batteries, and if you’re looking for the lightest hit on your wallet to power your motorcycle, then by all means. However, if you’re looking for a performance edge and value slicing weight wherever possible, then read on as we highlight different companies in the lithium battery game. They’re listed here alphabetically, even though we normally rank products. The reasoning is simple: Batteries all essentially perform the same task, many are bike-specific, and choosing one isn’t necessarily any better than another.

In our Best Sportbike Tire series, we compiled a list of sportbike tires primarily suited for spirited street riding. In this, our Best Motorcycle Racing Tires series, we’re catering to the hardcore track rider, or even club racer, who still fancies the odd street ride. If you fall in that category, this list is for you. Here we’ve compiled some of the best track rubber you can find while still being approved by the Department of Transportation. In case you didn’t get the subtle hint, you won’t find any slicks on this list, but what we have here are nearly as good. As with many things in life, there’s a catch – some of these tires you’ll have to get through your local track vendor and can’t necessarily buy online. To put a positive spin on this scenario, at least you can feel good knowing you’re supporting a local business. Better still, your local track vendor will have the best advice as to what tire pressures to set for your local riding areas. Where possible, we’ve linked to Motorcycle.com staff member reviews of said tire(s), so here they are.

Updated March 2021

Let’s consider the daily rider for a moment. Those hardy souls who choose to ride their bikes year ’round represent a small but important group of motorcyclists. Without them, many commuters wouldn’t know that motorcycles exist. These most frequent of all motorcycle flyers have needs that go beyond what your typical weekend warrior requires (though they, too, could benefit from the items listed below). Many of the recommendations are for combatting the elements, but others address common issues like flat tires and carrying things on a motorcycle. Read on to see our picks for the best motorcycle gear for daily riders, and you may find the special thing you are looking for. 

Updated March 2021

There’s a steep learning curve for anyone starting out in motorcycling – and that’s before you even start to talk about what gear to put on. If nothing else, there’s no more important piece of safety gear than a helmet, and even if you live in a state where wearing one isn’t mandatory, the Motorcycle.com staff can’t stress enough the importance of wearing one anyway.

We get it. Helmets are expensive, with prices for some premium lids hovering close to a thousand dollars. But not to worry, there are several helmets out there with price tags that are much easier to swallow. We’re going to highlight some of them here. Before we begin, if you came here looking for half- or three-quarter helmets, you won’t find them in this list. All the helmets here cover the entire head, including the face.

One last thing. If none of the ones you see here appeal to you and you end up on the hunt for an affordable helmet elsewhere, be sure to check that the budget helmet you’re looking at is DOT approved at minimum. It’s even better if the helmet meets the requirements for SNELL or ECE approval (they’ll usually have a sticker on the back saying as much).

Sure you know Harley-Davidson is the goliath among motorcycle manufacturers. And in the back of your mind you knew The Motor Company has a huge apparel line. But have you ever stopped to think about how big the apparel line actually is? Probably not. It’s so big, H-D has its own Amazon store dedicated to just footwear. Yep, that’s more that just Harley-Davidson boots.

It’s so big that, here, we’re going to focus solely on Women’s footwear from the Bar and Shield (pun not intended). We’re going to take a look at the 10 most popular boots and shoes for women, brought to you by the dedicated folks in the apparel division of Harley-Davidson. These boots and shoes aren’t even necessarily for riding, either, though most of them seem plenty able to slip underneath a shift lever or keep you planted when you come to a stop.

Seeing as how Yours Truly is not anatomically qualified to be speaking in any definitive terms about this subject, this list of boots and shoes was determined strictly based on the number of reviews left for each of them on Amazon at the time of this writing. Unsurprisingly, there are dozens more boots in the Harley store that barely missed the cut.

So, without further ado, here they are.

Updated January 2021:

Saddlebags, side cases, panniers, bags. Whatever you call them, having luggage options for your motorcycle opens up a whole new world of uses for your motorcycle, like cross-country touring or grocery getting. We prefer the former. There are generally two perspectives when considering motorcycle luggage: hard or soft. Our opinion? It depends on the circumstance and your preference. Each has pros and cons. So, we put together a motorcycle saddlebags buyer’s guide to take a look at a few options from each side of the fence, but first, let’s consider some pros and cons.

Soft luggage generally costs less, weighs less, can be used interchangeably with many motorcycles or rack systems, and isn’t likely to get damaged, like a hard case, from a tip over. Conversely, soft luggage doesn’t offer the same security that a hard locking case has, can be more heavily damaged in certain crash scenarios, and doesn’t offer as convenient of access, as opening a latch, since they tend to have multiple straps and/or roll tops to be weatherproof.

To touch back on some of the points previously mentioned, hard cases offer better security as they are generally made out of metal or plastic or a combination of the two. Also, they can lock to your motorcycle and be locked shut. Mounting hard luggage also can help with stability as the cases are less likely to move around at speed. Hard luggage can provide better crash resistance in certain circumstances, but it really just depends on how it all goes down… literally.

For some, half the fun of motorcycles is wrenching on them, and for those who like to turn some spanners, having the assistance of pressurized air sweetens the deal even more. Let’s face it, who doesn’t like the sound of pneumatic tools?! Here we’ve gathered a list of the best motorcycle air compressors, as rated by the hundreds, if not thousands of, reviews on Amazon. And because an air compressor can be something as simple as a device to inflate some tires (or a beach ball), we’ve included a few of those in here as well. Clearly the list of compressors one can buy is far more expansive than what we have here, but we had to draw the line somewhere. Below you’ll find our choices, with the least expensive first. And remember, should you buy any of the compressors below, MO gets a kickback which allows us to keep making the motorcycle content you really came here for.

Updated January 2020

The basic concepts are easy enough: coil springs and compression damping determine how your suspension compresses. Rebound damping (and the same coil springs) determine how it uncompresses. The rates at which those two things happen and under what conditions is the complicated part. All I know is that when your suspension is right, it’s good, and when it’s not, it’s often uncertain what is exactly to blame.

Paul Thede of Race Tech, a big suspension player, used to say “the best you’ve ridden is the best you know,” and that’s exactly true. Some late-model bikes come really close right out of the box, I noted as I watched the shadow of myself rolling down a bumpy dirt road in Death Valley a while ago: the KTM 1190 Adventure’s tires were churning up and down like crazy, but you could barely tell from the saddle. If you’re trying to make that happen on an older machine, you might need a little help, and the fastest, cheapest way to get there in the end is to consult a specialist in the beginning. You might get there eventually on your own, but there’s something to be said for having a big database.

If you live for online shopping, you live for this day. Some call it Black Friday/Cyber Monday in July (it doesn’t quite have the same ring to it as “Christmas in July” does it?). All we know is you’re about to save a bundle on so many things you need. And a lot of stuff you just want. So go ahead, treat yourself; get shopping. But first, you’re going to want an Amazon Prime membership.

We’ll be listing deals for motorcyclists for Prime Day, but to get us started, here are some deals that are already available.

The deals on motorcycle gear keep coming and going, but just today we received the announcement that Revzilla is further slashing its prices on closeout Alpinestars gear, and there’s a lot of good stuff in the mix to choose from. In total the list runs 83 items long, including boots, gloves, jackets, and even a handful of full race suits. Granted some of these items are lower on the discount totem pole—in the 10-15% range, but there is still a lot to choose from in the 30-40% range, including many items that are not limited in terms of sizing and availability. Here’s a quick look at some of our favorite pieces in the sale.

Shop The Complete Alpinestars Sale Here

It’s safe to say you ride – or at least have an interest in – motorcycles, right? Of course. So by extension, the very fact you’re reading these words means you own an electronic device. Which also means you’re open to the idea of combining your ownership of motorcycles with the usage of electronic devices. Sure, we hear people say they ride their bikes to get away from the emails and phone calls and other electronic noise that bombards their everyday lives, but at the end of the day, technology is supposed to enhance our lives. If you’re one who believes in this idea, then read on, because in this motorcycle gadgets buyer’s guide we show you some cool and/or useful devices that will make your riding experience just a little bit better.

With the holidays fast approaching, some of which are in full swing, Motorcycle.com put together the following Holiday Gift Buyer’s Guide. Our comprehensive list of moto-related gifts is sure to put a smile on any enthusiasts face. Read on, for juicy gift ideas aplenty.

The Thanksgiving weekend is over, and people are heading back to work, but that doesn’t mean retailers are done offering big discounts. It’s Cyber Monday, but really, it’s just a continuation of Black Friday with many of the same sales still on-going. For Cyber Monday, we’ve compiled another list of some of the best deals for motorcyclists we could find.

We’ve been on Amazon all morning to find the best Cyber Monday Deals on TVs, tools, toys, home furnishings and more.

Here they all are—up to 70% OFF.

Thanksgiving means it’s time for family, football, turkey, and, of course, Black Friday shopping. While you’ve been scarfing down stuffing or watching the Bears down the Lions (spoiler alert!), we looked around and compiled a list of some of the best Black Friday deals for motorcyclists.

The deals are here early! We scoured Amazon.com and other sites to pull over 30 of the best Black Friday deals we could find. Scroll down for our curated list of over 30 of the Best Black Friday Deals from TVs and toys to pets and tools plus a few bonus deals at the bottom.

Happy shopping and enjoy that turkey…

It’s not Thanksgiving yet but Revzilla’s Black Friday deal is already live, with savings from 20-50% on a variety of products. We’ve highlighted some of the deals that caught our eyes below, including a selection of Dainese gear, but you can see the  full list of Black Friday sales on Revzilla.

While some brands are just starting to ramp up their Black Friday activations, it looks like Revzilla decided to hit fast-forward, instead launching their new Holiday Gift guide featuring all things motorcycle accessories. Not everything is on sale just yet, but the extensive list does have some reasonable savings packed into the list on items that would make great holiday gifts, stocking stuffers, or even just gifts for yourself.

You can find a cheap motorcycle phone mount all over the internet these days, but pricing versus quality don’t seem to run entirely linear. After a bit of digging the evidence is clear; yes you can spend $50-60 on a higher end mount that will be rock solid, but there are also a few great well-built buys out there that don’t break the bank. Enter the  Roam Universal Premium Bike Phone Mount for Motorcycles—a simple and sturdy mount currently on sale for $12.98 with free shipping via Amazon. with over 4,700 customer reviews and an average score of 4.4 out of 5, this mount is tough enough to do the trick on a budget. If you do a fair bit of off-road riding, even if just on bumpy logging roads, we’d suggest going the heavy duty route, but if you’re a commuter/highway cruiser there’s no sense breaking the bank here.

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This motorcycle helmet sale over at Cycle Gear is a big one, including a ton of our favorite helmet brands including Arai, Bell, HJC, Shoei, and many more. Literally hundreds of offerings are up for grabs for discounts ranging from 15% to over 60% off, covering a healthy mix of styles from full-face street helmets to helmets for motocross and ATV/UTV riders as well. Solid colors, race replicas, and bold graphic helmets are all part of the equation as well, and a quick skim revealed that a number of HJC’s Marvel Comics series helmets ( Captain America, The Punisher, Iron Man, and others) are up for grabs for a reasonable 20% off. If you missed the info on the Revzilla End of Season Clearout sale we covered a few weeks back (it’s still on!), here’s another chance to save big on new gear.

Helmets are a lot like shoes, and like a good pair of shoes, the right helmet can be incredibly versatile and can complement a variety of different outfits, or gear sets in this case, for an assortment of various riding disciplines. The Shoei VFX-Evo has been my number one go-to off-road helmet since the day I got it back in January, and I’ve been reaching for it almost exclusively anytime any sort of dirt riding is on the menu.

Adventure riding has no bounds. With a properly outfitted ADV bike, you can ride just about anywhere and everywhere so long as weather conditions and more importantly your riding ability allow for it. Speaking of weather conditions, you can find yourself riding in any number of them, and there are various gear options out there that will not only perform way better than your average dungarees and jacket, but will provide enhanced protection in the event of a mishap, too.

For our recent Adventure Tour, we were faced with heat more than anything else, with temperatures averaging over 100 degrees during the day. The funny thing about weather (unless you find some sort of shelter) is that there’s no escaping it, especially on a motorcycle, which is already hot on its own. So, it’s up to you to determine how you’ll fight the elements to keep comfortable, and it all comes down to what you’re wearing or carrying on your person. Here’s what us MOrons chose to bring on our adventure ride up to the Eastern Sierra.

In our Motorcycle Camping Gear Buyer’s Guide – The Basics, we gave you some ideas as to what you need to start camping on a motorcycle. However, we only scratched the surface. Like with riding gear, you really only need a few things to get started, but once you’re hooked, a whole world of gear options becomes open to you. Now, you don’t need all of this stuff to have fun out in the mountains on your bike, but they all serve an important purpose. With a little thought, you can pack your bike with gear that makes your camping experience even more fun.

When shopping for camping gear, most people think of the big chains, like REI, Eastern Mountain Sports, or similar outlets. However, these places are directed towards backpacking or car camping, and while you can find gear that applies to motorcycling, you have to figure out what will work on your own. If you want to shop from a vendor that has a motorcycle-centric approach to camping, you should visit the Aerostich website (yeah, that Aerostich, the home of the Roadcrafter riding suit). Here, you’ll find a wide array of camping accessories that have been pre-selected for use on motorcycles.

Motorcycles and camping go hand in hand, and it’s one of our favorite pastimes. There’s nothing like hitting the open road with everything you need to be self-sufficient strapped to your bike – it’s quite liberating in fact. It kind of makes you feel like a modern-day cowboy. Whether you’re camping overnight, for a few days, or an entire month, there are a few necessities you need to bring with you, and truthfully, not much else. When it comes to living off your bike, less is more.

It’s easy to overpack and bring more than what you need, and most of the stuff you thought you needed usually never even gets touched. Every rider is different, though. If you’re diabetic and need your insulin, why not try a few days without it? Just kidding, bring that, but you can leave your entire wardrobe at home and in the closet. One change of clothes is usually enough. Motorcycle camping is an ongoing learning process, even for the most experienced, but we’re here to share what necessities you’ll need to make your life on the road that much easier.

Lately, motorcycle riding jeans have been popping up like mushrooms on a well-fertilized lawn after a spring rain. That’s good news for riders who want protection but don’t want to look like they’re ready for the track or are wearing a space suit when they’re off their motorcycle. While we have to acknowledge that riding jeans don’t offer as much protection as more technical riding gear, the inclusion of aramid abrasion panels and armor makes them significantly better than the Levis that riders have been wearing for generations. Where selection of denim motorcycle gear was once so limited that we could count the quality riding jeans available on one hand, we’ve now got no less than nine pairs of jeans in one buyer’s guide. We know we’ve barely scratched the surface, but we only wanted to include jeans that we’re actually wearing on a regular basis.

Read on to see what riding jeans your friendly neighborhood MOrons choose to protect their hides when out testing motorcycles.

Sometimes manufacturers like to put most of their eggs in one basket. For example: Kawasaki has an awesome motocross model lineup, but there are no real comparable 250 or 450 cross-country or trail bike models to select from. Husqvarna (and KTM for that matter) is different because the company builds bikes for not only the avid motocrosser, but for the hardcore off-roader, too. And like the Husqvarna MX bikes, the cross-country bikes share all the same high-end componentry, though they’re tuned a little differently.

2019 Husqvarna Motocross Model Lineup First Look

The 2019 Husqvarna cross-country model lineup doesn’t take a backseat to its track-focused siblings and has received all the same love and updates – there’s no favoritism here. These off-road models are essentially high-performing motocrossers with slightly softened suspension and trail-specific dampening, 18-inch rear wheels (instead of 19), larger fuel tanks for extended range, wider ratio 6-speed transmissions and hand guards. There’s virtually no where these bikes can’t go, as evidenced by Graham Jarvis, multi-time enduro world champion and Erzberg Rodeo winner, and many other top professional and amateur riders alike.

Husqvarna is out for blood and is asserting itself as one of the top, if not the premier off-road manufacturer in the industry. Husqvarna spells it all out below.

Click here for all the specs.

Husqvarna:

This past 2018 Monster Energy Supercross season, Husqvarna took home both the 450 and 250 East Regional Championship Titles, as well as the 2017 250 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. Clearly, Husqvarna is onto something and is building some of the fastest and best handling dirtbikes money can buy. So, how do you take already great performing machines and make them even better?

Good question. We’re glad you asked, because we’re curious, too. Basically, Husqvarna shaved weight off wherever possible. The bodywork is completely new and redesigned, which thinned the bikes out, the cylinder heads are recast, weighing up to 500 grams less, the carbon composite subframe is lighter than before, shaving over two pounds, and there’s a new integrated cooling system that uses the frame as a part of the whole setup. Even the radiators were redesigned to not only help cool the coolant more effectively, but they were also repositioned closer to the bikes’ center of gravity.

In the chassis and handling department, certain areas of the frame were reengineered for more optimal torsion, the triple clamps have been reshaped and stiffened to work in concert with the increased longitudinal rigidity of the frame, and the WP AER 48 front fork and rear shock received updated valving and settings adjustments. The four-stroke models feature variable fuel-map selection as well as traction control – yes, traction control – to help the rider optimize power output and wheel spin depending on the conditions.

Additionally, a lot of the bikes’ components have been reengineered to help make working on and servicing them easier. These are just a few of the highlights, but for the full detailed description, Husqvarna lays it all out below.

Click here for all the specs.

Husqvarna:

The news just keeps getting better. Alta has announced the latest addition to its growing family of electric-powered dirtbikes. This time it’s the ‘R’ version of the Bay Area-based manufacturer’s fully street legal dual-sport, the 2019 Redshift EXR.

A couple months ago, we got to see how Alta’s motocrossers, the Redshift MX and MXR, stood up and compared to regular gas-powered bikes, and we came away impressed. It’s crazy how easy and intuitive riding the Redshifts is. It takes a couple minutes for your brain and moto-senses to recalibrate and forget there’s no clutch or gears to click through, and there’s a whole new set of sounds to get used to as well (or lack thereof). However, as soon as you get over all of that, everything falls into place and you feel like you’re riding a bike no different from anything else. It’s kind of a trip…

2018 Alta Motors Redshift MX and MXR First Ride Review

With all-new model announcements and major revisions and upgrades to already great machines from various manufacturers so far, the 2019 new off-road model season has yet to disappoint, and has delivered good news to pique just about any rider’s interests. The latest manufacturer to pull the veils off of what they’ve been cooking up is Kawasaki, and their biggest news comes in the form of an all-new, completely-redesigned 2019 KX450.

It would probably be easier to list what Kawasaki hasn’t changed, but to give you an idea, this is biggest update the KX450 has received since its introduction in 2006. Also, notice that it’s lost the ‘F’ as well. Now in its fifth generation, the 2019 features an all-new chassis, frame, swingarm and bodywork. Also brand new is its ground-up redesign of the engine, hydraulic clutch (first Japanese manufacturer to do this – kudos, Kawasaki), suspension componentry and… electric start! Anyone who’s watched any motocross or supercross in the past couple of years knows Eli Tomac has been kicking some serious ass on his KX450, so we know some pretty sweet upgrades will have trickled down from everything Kawasaki’s Factory Racing Teams have learned over the years – including from its road-racing teams, too! More on that below.

For those looking for bikes that breathe a little less fire than the premier class 450, the KX250 (again, no ‘F’) as well as the two-stroke KX100, KX85 and KX65 are back for 2019. And for those looking for even more trail-friendly, low maintenance and easy-to-ride off-road bikes, the KLX line has multiple model variations to fit every rider, including the little ones. Scroll down for all the new tech and in depth innovations Kawasaki is offering us for 2019.

Kawasaki:

The 2019 off-road new model bike season is in full swing, and Yamaha is the latest manufacturer to announce its full lineup of motocross and cross-country motorcycles. Over the past couple of seasons, Yamaha has made big steps in expanding its model range with the introduction of the FX models in both 250 and 450cc configurations. Additionally, it’s the only Japanese manufacturer to continue producing full-size two-strokes, including the YZ125 and YZ250 motocrossers, as well as the recently introduced cross-country oriented YZ250X.

The bLUcRU hasn’t forgotten about the little guys either. The all-new YZ65 was announced just a couple months ago, and the YZ85 has received extensive upgrades for 2019, too. But this season, it’s the YZ250F that’s received the most love. Last year, the 2018 YZ450F got a major overhaul, and it was only a matter of time before those upgrades trickled down to its 250cc little brother.

For 2019, the YZ250F gets an all-new engine, with updated cam profiles, piston, cylinder geometry, throttle body, a larger diameter clutch and electric start. The chassis is redesigned too, with modifications to the frame and bodywork to improve handling and make the overall feel of the bike slimmer and more nimble to move around on. Additionally, the entire model range received upgrades and updates to its KYB suspension components, with larger fork cartridges and damping rods. And possibly 2019’s crowning jewel, most four-stroke models now feature a wireless smartphone based engine tuner – scroll down to find out more.

What’s missing, unfortunately, is a street-legal YZ450F-inspired dual-sport. After Honda’s recent announcement of its CRF450L, we’re hoping a blue version comes along soon..

Yamaha Motor Co.:

Honda just stepped its game up big time for 2019, with the release of the ‘CRF Collective.’ There are three all-new models to look forward to including a CRF250RX, a CRF450RWE (Works Edition), and get this, a long-awaited and only dreamed of before, CRF450L dual-sport. (!!!) If that wasn’t exciting enough on its own, Honda just about completely redesigned its ‘King of the Trail’, top dog, Baja-dominating CRF450X. The rest of the CRF lineup got the full treatment as well, with significant upgrades and improvements to the CRF450R, CRF450RX, CRF250R and CRF150R models.

For years now, KTM and Husqvarna have been trying to corner the off-road and dual-sport market with a model for just about any rider in every discipline, while Japan took a backseat and watched its market share fall. Well, Honda just brought out its big guns and fired back in a big way. Of these seven new and/or improved models, The 450L is perhaps the most exciting, to us at MO anyhow, given that it’s now street-legal.

Just like anything else, motorcycles are continually evolving and getting lighter, faster and more powerful with each passing year. Despite improvements to how well bikes handle and perform, having an accident and crashing is always a looming threat that can never be eliminated, only mitigated – especially off-road. Fortunately for us riders, there are engineers working hard to keep our heads and bodies as safe as possible so we can continue to enjoy riding motorcycles – both on- and off-road – with confidence in knowing that we have the best chance in decreasing the amount of damage a potential crash can cause.

We here at MO are proponents of ATGATT (All The Gear All The Time), however, if you’re only going to buy one piece of equipment, you better make it a helmet. Below is a list of the best dirtbike helmets money can buy today in 2018:

Hands down, Husqvarna has the most complete line of off-road bikes of any manufacturer. Whether you’re a track, trail or dual-sport rider, Husqvarna has a bike tailor-made to your needs. The company has already pulled the veils off its 2019 minibikes for the up-and-coming youngsters, and now they’ve just announced their 2019 big-boy lineup. Ranging from the 125cc TX 125 and the all-new 150cc TE 150 two-strokes, all the way up to the 511cc FE 501 thumper – these new Huskies are the most technologically advanced enduros and dual-sports on the market. To top it all off, Husqvarna just won both the 450 and 250 East 2018 Monster Energy Supercross Championships. Needless to say, Husqvarna knows how to build a darn good motorcycle.

There’s a lot that’s new for 2019, including the introduction of the TE 150 being perhaps the biggest news, however, all the bikes have received significant upgrades. Some of the highlights include:

Updated August 2020

At Motorcycle.com, we’ve been on the forefront of electric motorcycle news for as long as we can remember. Long heralded as the future of two (and four) wheels, nearly silent propulsion via electrons instead of gasoline appears to be well underway. On the motorcycle side, the big OEMs are seemingly slow to follow the trend the car guys have taken, though Harley-Davidson has jumped in the waters. This, however, has opened the doors for smaller companies to take over the electric bike market and innovate on their own.

The problem with being a niche electric motorcycle manufacturer is that often the general consumer doesn’t realize you exist. You’d be hard-pressed to find a motorcycle rider not familiar with the name Honda or Harley-Davidson, but if you ask the average rider to name one of the best electric motorcycles, chances are, you’ll be met with a blank stare.

Discuss this story more at our Electric Motorcycle Forum

Which is where we come in. Here, we present Motorcycle.com’s 2020 electric motorcycle buyer’s guide, wherein we give you a quick snapshot of each electric motorcycle available today. This guide is presented in alphabetical order by manufacturer and only includes motorcycles. Other things you won’t see here are the seemingly endless amounts of electric two-wheelers coming from China. For the purposes of this guide of the best electric motorcycles, we’re choosing to exclude them.

*Update* A lot has changed in the e-motorcycle landscape since this article was originally published in 2018. Harley-Davidson finally released the production version of the Livewire, and Zero launched both the SR/F and SR/S models. Unfortunately, we’ve lost a few players also. This, sadly, includes Alta, the BMW C-Evolution scooter, and the Lito Sora. Below is a recap of who’s left.

There comes a point in every motorcyclist’s life when they reach a certain level and realize that tires aren’t all created equal. I’ve owned and ridden on just about every major manufacturer’s off-road offerings, but I never really gave too much thought to tire selection beyond condition type and price point. I always figured, if the knobbies still had a decent edge, I was getting about as much traction as I could get. I just chalked the faster guys up to being better, more skilled riders – which is true of course – but I didn’t realize how much of a difference a particular tire could make until one of my riding buddies, an ex-Factory Honda rider from the late ‘80s/early ‘90s, told me to check out the Dunlop Geomax MX3S.

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Entering turn one, the new Dorsoduro 900’s wide handlebar would allow me to easily point the big supermoto toward the apex and then quickly afterward, get it pointed toward the next. Out of the corner of my eye I saw coach Can Akkaya wheelie-ing through the shortcut on the track to make his way in front of me. Can would tap the rear fender of his KTM 450 supermoto shod with race slicks, indicating I should follow his lines closely around the track. As we made our way around the tight little Stockton 99 Kart and Motorcycle track, coach Akkaya would point to each apex and then up to the outside of the track and then back to the next apex while, in between, motioning to keep my eyes up and moving from corner to corner.

Coach Can Akkaya created his Superbike-Coach school after being surprised and underwhelmed by the training motorcyclists were receiving in the United States. He tells an interesting anecdote about easily finishing the DMV motorcycle test shortly after arriving in America, just after another applicant had been docked points on nearly every maneuver. In the end, their paperwork was mixed up and the DMV passed the inexperienced student by accident. This situation would cause Can Akkaya to look into the training opportunities available for new and experienced riders around the country.

Much as there is a difference between the performance of an Aprilia V4 and a Royal Enfield single, donning the proper timepiece is a necessity in the world of professional motorsports. Certain watch elements are handy for spectators wishing to monitor laptimes, including accuracy, durability and readability. Stopwatch functions (which most non-moon phase chronographs have integrated), sapphire crystals (for the scratch resistance necessary in harsh trackside environments) and reliable illumination (for night and/or endurance races) are critical. Whether sprinting the quarter mile or tackling a 24-hour attempt, here are the top 10 watches for motorsport enthusiasts.

Whoever said you can’t put a price on love obviously hates America. Of course you can, and the more you spend, the more love you can get. But why fight the holiday crowds when you can sit there on your laptop and gather unto yourself pallets of love by giving your favorite motorcycle aficionado one of the following superb gifts? The true spirit of the season begins kicking in right at the $100 threshold. Set jinglebells to stun, Mr. Sulu.

Looking for the perfect moto-gifts to give your loved ones this holiday season? Your trusty MO crew is here with some ideas for your motorcycle-loving friends and family. We start with stocking stuffers priced up to $50 and go up to higher price points each week.

And, hey, if you’re one of those go-getters who took care of all of their holiday shopping early, feel free to use this gift guide to drop some hints for some of your less pro-active loved ones. After all, ’tis the season for giving.

Can you believe it’s holiday season again already? This time of year always seems to creep up on us unexpectedly, and this year’s no different. But as always, your trusty MO editors are here to help you with gift ideas for the moto friends and family in your life. Last week, “Big Guns” Roderick brought you some gift ideas ranging from free-ninety-nine to $50. This week we continue the list of ideas, upping the prices from $50-$100. You know, for those people you like enough to buy something nice, but not too nice.

It’s time once again for the annual conundrum of what to gift to the motorcyclist in your life. As always, we begin our annual Holiday Gift Guide on the affordable end of the spectrum with a selection of some practical, and some not-so-practical gift ideas. This year’s list begins at $5, and ratchets-up in incremental dollar amounts to our $50 limit. If you don’t find something here, and are willing to bestow a more financially substantial gift on your beloved biker, other MO editors will be following this list with $50 to $100, $100 to $250, and above $250 lists in the coming weeks. Happy shopping!

If our two previous Father’s Day buyer’s Guides ( $25 And Under, $25-50) didn’t have quite what you’re looking for, maybe this price range does. From beverage bags to gift baskets, there’s a little something on this list for motorcyclists of all kinds. If you don’t find that perfect Father’s Day gift here, next week we’ll be publishing our big spender guide of gifts above $100. Happy shopping and Merry Father’s Day!

You’ve been given one of the greatest gifts there is if your old dad’s a motorcycle guy and passed the gene onto you. If you’re lucky enough to still have him around in all his grouchy glory, bestowing some small token of your esteem upon the paterfamilias is the right and customary thing to do.

Mother’s Day is fast approaching – it’s this Sunday, May 8, in case you didn’t know – and if you’re still struggling to find that perfect momma’s day gift for the moto-riding mom in your life, Tom’s got you hooked up with 10 gift ideas.

Of course you can’t leave dad out, but since his day is a little later, June 19, you have a little more time to think this one through. Here we’ve put together 10 items for the moto-riding dad in your life, and since some of you reading this may be strapped for cash (or downright cheapskates), we’ve capped the items on this list at $25. But hey, it’s the thought that counts, right?

Well, if people are in the habit of bestowing gifts worth more than $500 upon you, please friend us up on the Facebook and evite us over for the festivities, won’t you? For us at MO, it’s generally a lump of coal or nothing (which we’ll also like). We get most of our gifts spiritually, from the love that pours in through our USB ports from our loyal readers and Dick Ruble. In the dream world of online shopping though, here’s a short list of great motorcycle gifts for those of you lucky enough to be lounging on the dock – your ship or oil well having “come in.” Good for you. Say hello to the Donald from us.

If your fiscal power of gift giving exceeds our previous $0-$50, $50-$100, and $100-$250 Holiday Gift Guides, we want to be your friend. For the platinum crowd, John Burns is providing the above $500 Gift Guide next week, and I’d like to preemptively befriend those folks, too. The following is more than just some random gift guide, it’s my personal Christmas wish list, so I put more effort into this than I would for a gift guide I didn’t stand to benefit from. I hope my current and future family and friends are paying attention.

If you’re willing to spend at least a C-note on someone this holiday season, we’ll take it to mean you probably like them, at least a little. But if you’re willing to go the extra mile and spend two and a half C-notes on them, we’ll guess you really like this person… or you owe them big time. Either way, Motorcycle.com is here to help. Here are a few items spanning the $100 – $250 price range to either repay your riding buddy you convinced to help you move, or to give as a gift to butter your friend up to help you move again. If you act quickly, you might even be able to take advantage of extended Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals, too.

OK, so you’ve budgeted between $50 and $100 for a few moto-friends, you’re strapped for time – and you want to attend your local International Motorcycle Show. Well, you’d be amazed how much cool, bargain-priced gear you can find in the last 45 minutes of the day at an IMS event. (That way you can spend the rest of the day ogling all the new hardware on display at the manufacturers’ display areas.) Let’s just say that we understand how that could happen. So, with time ticking down, our mad dash to find a selection of MO-worthy gift ideas illustrates that you can have your cake (seeing next year’s bikes) and eat it, too (taking care of holiday shopping). And if some of the frosting (accidentally purchased items for yourself) just happens to end up in your gear bag, that’s OK, too.

Remember, the prices listed here are show prices and often contain a discount off the retail price – sometimes a very significant discount. So, you might end up looking like you spent more money for your present than you actually did. We’d call that a win-win! We’ve listed these products in the order in which we encountered them on the show floor so as not to play favorites.