Supermoto

KTM confirmed it will reveal a new 890 SMT model, adding a new supermoto-inspired middleweight sport-tourer to its 2023 lineup. Spy photos of a prototype popped up last October and again in January, and we now know the new SMT will be revealed on April 24.

GasGas officially revealed two new single-cylinder streetbikes, the ES 700 dual sport and the SM 700 supermoto. Both models will be released internationally as 2022 models, but North American consumers will have to wait for the 2023 model year.

GasGas is preparing to reveal its first street-legal models tomorrow, but photos of one of the models have already leaked online.

As motorcycles become more reliable and maintenance intervals get more spread out, one consumable remains on a fairly frequent interval for motorcycles. Tires have made tremendous advances in the last decade, but they are still the most frequent maintenance items for motorcyclists. With the rates for mounting and balancing tires going through the roof (My local shop charges $60 for a pair of tires with the wheels off the bike.), buying a tire changer makes a lot of sense. I’d been eyeing No-Mar Tire Changers for quite a while before pulling the trigger and installing one in my garage. In less than a month and after changing a dozen tires, we’d have already spent about 35% of the cost of the No-Mar Classic HD Motorcycle Tire Changer at our local motorcycle shop, but what’s most important is how convenient it is having a tire changer in my garage available when I need it. I no longer have to load my wheels into my truck, drive to my local shop, wait an hour (or more) for them to be ready, and finally take them home to reinstall on my bike. 

My experience with the 6D ATS-1R started at WSBK weekend at Laguna Seca where I bumped into Bob Weber, who I worked with 20 years ago at Petersen Publishing. Since then he’s gone on to become one of the cofounders and the CEO of 6D Helmets. Bob asked me if I’d seen the latest version to the ATS-1, and I sheepishly admitted that I didn’t know it had been updated. I knew that Tom Roderick had really liked the original 6D ATS-1 back in 2016 when he tested it, but that was all I knew. 

KTM released the 790 Duke as a 2019 model in the U.S., but it was available to much of the rest of the world for a year longer. In that time, reports of shifting issues have circulated among Duke owners. While some riders report false neutrals between the higher gears, others have said that, although the quickshifter cuts the ignition, the shift occasionally doesn’t happen. Factory Pro has seen this before, calling the issue lazy shifting, and has created a kit to almost completely resolve the matter on a wide variety of motorcycles, including the 790 Duke. However, to understand what makes this kit special, we first need to discuss how a motorcycle changes gears. 

It’s on rainy, cold nights like this one that I’m glad I have a garage. Looking at your motorcycle parked outside as it’s pelted with rain, sleet, hail, mud and other unpleasantness can make you weep with impotent rage. Cover it? Motorcycle covers are a hassle to put on and remove. First, you have to wait until the bike cools to avoid melting the cover to the exhaust. Plus, they can blow off your bike, get shredded and messy-looking, and trap moisture underneath, which can cause rust and mold. Nasty!

Like me, you probably know Aerostich as the company making funky one-piece motorcycle oversuits that go over your regular clothing. Well, that suit is called the Roadcrafter, there are many derivations of it, and it’s basically the class uniform for veteran moto-journalists. However, many people don’t know Aerostich also makes much, much more. Like this, the Protekt jeans.

“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes, the ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things. They push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the people who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

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.

Upcoming Weekly Motorcycle Racing and Events Viewing Guide: August 3 – 10

Upcoming Weekly Motorcycle Racing and Events: June 8 – 15

Racer’s newest short-cuff glove is the Racer Sprint, a well-ventilated summer glove that should offer plenty of protection to keep your digits comfortable and safe. We received the Sprint glove mid-September of this year, and they have been my go-to hand protection ever since. Being that California has relatively warm temperatures, I have had no issue using these gloves during press launches, shootouts, and personal rides.

I asked around at the launch of the Dorsoduro (and Shiver) 900, why was this bike named “Dorsoduro”? I know what the Dorsoduro is and have visited the district in the Italian city of Venice on two separate occasions, but I was looking for an answer full of emotion and history which I have come to expect from Italian manufacturers (and their marketing departments). To my surprise, everyone began to tell me what the name was rather than why it was named as such. Well, after having ridden the 2018 Aprilia Dorsoduro 900, it is clear to me why the Italian manufacturer would look to one of Italy’s most iconic cities and why they would choose the sestieri of Dorsoduro as its namesake.

There’s no denying that Supermoto is one of the most intriguing forms of motorcycling. It combines the best of motocross, flat track and road-racing. The light weight, speed and agility of a dirt bike paired with the glue-like traction of road-racing slicks can make any Average-Joe feel like a MotoGP superstar. Add professional skills into the mix and you’ve got yourself one helluva two-wheeled spectacle.