A lot of my old friends refuse to go on the Facebook for the same reason African tribesmen in the old days would not be photographed – fear of having their identity stolen. I suppose it’s a legitimate concern. I suppose Zuckerberg does have a lot of information on me, but I try to keep it to a minimum by not playing “Barnyard Animals” or “Words with Friends,” or whatever all that stuff was I ignored while arguing politics and chatting with guys like Graeme Crosby on the other side of the world. (I wrote to let him know I was a big fan of his autobiography.) It’s a shame, because there are some amazing places to go on FB, including to the home page (in his case the garage page) of a certain Englishman named Allen Millyard.

The Petersen Automotive Museum is one of the world’s premier car enthusiast destinations. Located in Los Angeles, the museum showcases automotive culture from around the world while celebrating Southern California’s rich history of automotive innovation, competition and design. The Petersen features exhibits primarily revolving around four-wheeled vehicles, but due to popular inquisition and demand, in addition to the vision and wealth of knowledge from the exhibit’s guest curator and motorcycle historian, Paul d’Orleans, the “Custom Revolution” exhibit was born.

Australian and later multi-time world roadracing champion; second only to Rod Laver in Australia’s 1969 Sportsman of the Year competition; mentor, tuner and team manager for Kenny Roberts and Yamaha; and later for Sea-Doo Watercraft, then Chaparral Yamaha’s supercross and roadracing teams – Kel Carruthers has done it all since 1938 but still isn’t done. Congratulations, Mr. C. Let `er rip, Dave Despain.

What makes pro riders pros, is their talent, their fearlessness, and perhaps more than anything else, their ability to feel. That skill applies to Freddie Spencer in more ways than one. A legend on two wheels, he had the magic touch, but he also had a feeling that led him to take a chance on Honda. And now he’s telling his story in his aptly named bio,  Feel.

Yeah, we know that we constantly say that you should buy the best gear you can afford. We think it’s time to show you some  glove bargains. So, we’re gonna pull back a little and show you how nice gloves that cost less than a C-note can be. In fact, some of these motorcycle gloves are almost inexpensive enough to buy two pair without breaking our self-imposed ceiling. Our reason for undertaking this exercise is to illustrate the breadth of gear available to riders who maybe just spent all their scratch on a new motorcycle and don’t have much left for gear.

If I had known Dennis was this famous when he was my boss at Yamaha’s ad agency, I would’ve shown him even less respect. Infinitely wise in the ways of motorcycles and the motorcycle industry, with a Rolodex like a hydro-electric generator and more stories than the Empire State Building (and master of the Rule of Three), Dennis is one of six moto luminaries inducted into the Trailblazers Hall of Fame April 7. Congratulations, Dennis! Fire up the foghorn, Dave Despain!

February 27, 2018
Potosí, Bolivia

Almost exactly one year ago, former EiC Kevin Duke penned (typed?) his review of the 2017 KTM 390 Duke. It came as no surprise to the MO staff when Kevin arrived home from Italy raving about the refreshed and revamped 390. The crew had already tested previous models and had found themselves smitten with the small orange machine, giving it the honor of Best Lightweight/Entry-Level Motorcycle of 2015 and 2016. It would then come as no surprise that the refreshed 2017 model would clench the threepeat with the Best Lightweight/Entry-Level Motorcycle Of 2017, and at $5,299, it would also snatch up our  Best Value Motorcycle Of 2017.

Well we missed the annual Trailblazers Banquet again, dammit, but that’s okay because they released a bunch of cool video short bios showcasing each of the six inductees for 2018. In no particular order but why not Ladies First, here’s Debbie Evans-Leavitt, “Queen of Trials” who began riding at six and has over 600 film credits on her very impressive resume. Take it away, Dave DeSpain…

Cal Crutchlow may or may not be your favorite MotoGP rider, Bruce Allen, but the outspoken 32-year old scrapper – following a highly professional win two weeks ago in Argentina – is the first Brit to lead the premier world championship since Barry Sheene 40 years ago. Next on the schedule is this weekend’s US MotoGP at Circuit of the Americas in Texas, a gruelling 20 laps around a bumpy 3.4-mile circuit loaded with long straights ending in heavy braking zones into slow, switchback corners. Fastest speed last year: Jorge Lorenzo’s Ducati, 214.7 mph.

One of the big stars of EICMA 2017 that we still haven’t quite managed to get our grubby little hands on is Honda’s Neo Sports Cafe E Pluribus CB1000R – which was ridden onto the stage in Milan by none other than Mick Doohan. Our friends at American Honda assure us that a US launch draws ever nearer, but the bike’s already out in Europe, so why not have a look at what details Honda’s UK website can share with us?

In Part I of this 2-part series, we reviewed a base Ford Transit T-250 and its suitability as a moto-hauler. In Part II, we’ll look at ways to get it ready for hauling motos, cutting interior noise levels for more pleasant driving, and towing.

February 25, 2018
Uyuni salt flats, Bolivia

Icon has become known for producing over-the-top videos highlighting super-human stunt riders and equally impressive custom motorcycles. The newest addition to its video line-up is the Moto Vlogger Takedown Challenge. A video which parodies the current social media landscape and vloggersphere trending on YouTube and across other social media channels.

This has been an eventful fortnight. It started with the catastrophic death of my old car and ended with me purchasing a new car, having second thoughts, and then third thoughts, and then saying what the hell and keeping it. And then hitting snags with my clutch-slave replacement project on my EBR, which has made me question my whole relationship with possessions. More ups and downs than a pogo-stick tournament. Anyway, I bought a new car, which is always fun for me.

Cristina has been around powersports her entire life. Motorcycles, four-wheelers, UTVs, etc. She grew up in a family where she watched her father and his brothers grow their motorcycle business from a small shop shipping Harley-Davidsons overseas, to three multi-line dealerships and a parts distribution business that supplies over 3,000 independent shops with OEM parts.

Looking for a new moto-hauler but don’t like the idea of shelling-out $35-50 large? There’s a great option out there as long as you’re not hell-bent on having a brand-new vehicle. Ford has been selling the new-style Transit Van in Europe and other markets for a while now, but it only came to the U.S. in 2015. To be clear, we’re talking about the full-size Transit Van, not the Transit Connect. The Connect is the mini-van style and not really suitable as a moto-hauler.

February 22, 2018

Are you an American? Are you a motorcyclist? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then you absolutely owe it to yourself to go and visit the Harley-Davidson Museum. You could also be neither, and I would still encourage you to check it out. You will not be disappointed, I promise you that. By now, if you’ve read any of my articles, you already know I’m a big H-D fan. I grew up on and around Harleys and their chopper variants my whole life – it’s in my blood – so visiting the Harley-Davidson museum has been on my bucket list since forever, and I’m glad to have finally crossed it off.

You know, the cool aluminum small-block Chevy ones you’ve had on the shelf since the `90s. When Steven Brown needed a gas tank for his custom, ahh, something or other, in Doncaster, UK, hew knew just what to do with them.

A big part of it’s probably the fault of all the movies, especially the rags-to-riches ones, so Americanly popular, where the underdog comes from nowhere to lead the pack here at Augusta, a real Cinderella story. If you only watched people play golf on TV, you’d think it would be a simple matter to go out there and break 80. Sometimes Cinderella works hard and gets a little training, but usually natural talent, a little persistence and a lucky break are the only requirements to make it to the top in the movies. Seldom is there any actual study or much practice involved. (Of course, if you’d read the book instead of just watching the movie, you’d know better.)

If you were wondering what had happened to our intrepid South American correspondent, you weren’t alone. After hearing of the problem with his right eye reoccurring in the  sixth installment on February 20, I feared the worst – that Bob had caught a flight back to the US and his trip had come to a disappointing end. My emails to him went unanswered. Then, last night as I was checking for something else in my Junk file, guess what? How does that work, you’ve been corresponding with a person for years, and all of a sudden gmail decides they are Junk? Anyway, with no further ado, Part VII.

In which California Highway Patrol heroes Ponch and John rescue a guy in the days before Xanax. Man, TV was good in the good old days when you could rent a freeway full of Pintos and Beetles! Thanks for sharing, Gabe.

When the first Monster rolled off the assembly line, Bill Clinton was POTUS, the Brady Bill was signed into law, the Branch Davidians were getting a taste of tough love in Waco… other Texans were faring better: Doug Polen was kicking butt on a Fast by Ferracci Ducati in WSBK and the AMA, while Kevin Schwantz was winning the 500cc championship on a two-stroke Suzuki. Beanie Babies were hot, as were Phil Collins, Nirvana, Snoop Dogg, Boris Yeltsin and my ex-wife. So long ago… but we’re talking Ducati Monsters right now. Eyes on your own paper, everyone. Does anybody have to go to the bathroom before we start?

You know what they say, “Bad news travels fast,” and a few months ago, it seemed like the motorcycle industry was full of it. Every day felt like there was a new report painting a gloomy portrait and claiming the motorcycle industry was doomed if we didn’t do something about it. How could something so awesome as motorcycling be destined for failure?

Road racers live in a world of numbers. It is all about the numbers; split times, lap times, finishing positions, championship points, tech violations by a fraction of an inch, and classes delineated by years. It is also my birthday next week. Well, one of my birthdays anyway. It all boils down to the numbers.

This week, we take a look at what our readers are wearing to shield their faces while on the road. From full face helmets to riding glasses, there’s something here for all conditions. What sort of gear do you sport for a typical ride? Let us know in the comments.

Now what used to bill itself as “The World’s Biggest Motorcycle Magazine” has been  redesigned, and goes from a monthly to a four-times-a-year coffee table book – with a single issue price of $11.99 (though it looks like you can subscribe for a year for just $9.75).

Maybe I’m not your typical motorcyclist because I absolutely love riding in the rain. I find that it heightens all my senses and can turn a mundane ride into one that becomes an intensely-focused experience. Perhaps my love of rain riding comes from the fact that, the very first time I commuted on a motorcycle, it rained – and I was prepared. (I was also terrified, but I’d only been riding for a few days.)

For this new series, we’re taking a peek into the Amazon shopping carts of our readers. By exploring what you’re buying, we’ll get a better idea of the brands you trust and what products you deem essential. Here are some of the most popular bike accessories with the Motorcycle.com community.

John Burns sure has impeccable timing, doesn’t he? Just as he was penning his piece about the revolving door that is the moto industry, I was penning my deal to make my return to Motorcycle.com. Of course, it was far too soon to be announcing anything to my MO compatriots (or anyone else, for that matter), but as I read JB’s Whatever column I couldn’t help but let out a little chuckle. “If only he knew…” I thought.

Two weeks ago we got the opportunity to ride the all-new Alta Motors 2018 Redshift MXR, as well as the Redshift MX for comparison. It was my first time riding an Alta, and an electric dirtbike for that matter, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. How easy would it be to ride and how would it compare to a regular gas-powered dirtbike?

No motorcycle in Harley-Davidson’s 115-year history has been as successful or versatile as the Sportster. The Sportster line has been in production now for over 60 years and has left its mark on just about every genre of motorcycling you could possibly imagine. From dirt tracking to road racing, hill climbing to commuting, chopping to touring and everywhere in between – there is very little the Sportster can’t do.

Ah, beige. Like the apocryphal story about Eskimos having 18 different words for snow, so do car companies have many, many words for beige. There’s Stone; Bisque; Ash; Caramel; Camel; Smoke; Champagne; Linen; Almond; Shale; Sepia; Buff; Sorrel; Harvest; Sky Cool Gray and one for the fellas: Alloy. Those are just the interior colors. For the hard candy shell, Lexus sports Truffle Mica, Audi has a Beluga Brown, Porsche offers Cognac Metallic and Toyota, without irony, shows off its Toasted Walnut minivan.

Hopefully, you watched the video above to get you in the mood to learn more about the 2019 Yamaha Niken. Back in October 2017, we got our first look at Yamaha’s three-wheeler via the Tokyo Motor Show.

Spy photographers have spotted a new BMW R1200RT undergoing testing with what looks like a new Boxer engine and other minor changes from the current model.

As the rain made its way between my mismatched waterproof motorcycle gear and we climbed in elevation through southern Spain’s pristine backroads, I thought to myself, there still isn’t anywhere I would rather be at this moment than atop the 2018 Yamaha MT-07 in the Spanish countryside.

Modern technology is great and all, but there was once a time when you couldn’t just Google something or watch a ‘How to’ video on YouTube demonstrating the proper technique to do whatever it was you were trying to do. There were books back then, and these places called libraries were full of them. Fortunately, printed, hard-copy books are still around, and there’s a certain variety of them called manuals that any motorcycle, or vehicle owner for that matter, must own to accompany whatever type of bike they have.

What’s the least fun thing to spend money on? Insurance. It costs a bunch of money, and then you don’t really get anything for it… until you need it. But then, you really need it. So yes, it’s no fun, but you should have it anyway. Here are some basics if you are new to this very-not-fun, yet very-necessary product.

Remember the days when stretching a custom-built chopper as far as the eye could see while arguing with your kid could land you a sweet TV deal that would span more than 10 years? The Teutuls do. American Chopper debuted in 2002 and at its high, was bringing in 3.4 million viewers an episode. Times were good for the motorcycle industry, you could be building choppers, stretching swingarms, or simply selling motorcycles to anyone and everyone.

We’ve all heard about them, talked about them, and maybe even looked them up on Google, but in the end, most of us probably figured a full-size electric dirtbike is an expensive and impractical novelty motorcycle only those with deep pockets could afford to add to their toy collection… until now. Alta Motors has just released an upgraded 2018 Redshift MX model as well as its all-new Redshift MXR, and we finally got to throw a leg over both, not only to see if they lived up to the hype, but how they stack up to their gas burning rivals.

Hello. Is it safe to stick my head up out here yet? Yes, it’s true. Big Dirty Sean Alexander and Kevin Duke have Left the Building (not that MO actually has a building) – also our compadre Scott Rousseau from sistership Dirtbikes.com. As the wise man once told me on my way out the door, don’t think of this as a door closing, but as another one opening. Ahh… why not? The bad news is we don’t get to work with those guys anymore. The good news is they’ll be fine; Duke’s already slogging away making videos for a large marketing company with oceanfront offices – his strong suit, really. The other good news is that my direct deposit is still depositing. C’mon, that’s a joke. I’m gonna miss those big lugs.

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 these days, having an accident and crashing is always a looming threat that can never be eliminated, only mitigated. 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.

Surely there’s some kind of online calculator that can tell you how far apart to place the take-off and landing ramps when you’re attempting to jump an ’87 Harley-Davidson FXR? If so, our hero failed to consult it: Who knew a thing that big could fly so high and far off of a ramp that didn’t look like it would stand up to the launch in the first place? Our hero really did stick the landing, but walked away in spite of it, and lives to fly another day.

When Kawasaki redesigned its smallest Ninja for 2018, the engineers went back to the drawing board and while the motorcycle on your screen may look like a revision in styling, the Ninja 400 has, quite literally, undergone changes from the ground up.

Thelush sceneryverdant woodlandsurban bustlecomplete lack of atmosphereofMalibu, CaliforniaCartagena, SpainBogota, Colombiathe Sea of Tranquilitywas the perfect setting forHonda MotorcyclesSuzuki MotorcyclesDucati Motorcyclesour Alien overlordsto introduce the new-for-this-yearredesign of the CBR1000RRBNG edition GSX-R600slightly different Scramblershape-shifting hoverbike. There’s been a lot of buzz surrounding this bike since it was introduced at last year’s Milan show – will it measure up to the hype when we ride it on real roads?

There’s a lot of old and barbaric punishments for certain crimes that most people in our ever-softening current society would consider to be too cruel or unjust by today’s standards. One such practice is cutting off a thief’s hand(s), which I think can be quite appropriate depending on what was stolen.

The faster you go, the more important slicing through the air becomes – and racers have been working on ways to improve their aero for almost as long as there’s been racing. For 2018, things seem to be reaching critical mass at the next-to-last preseason MotoGP test at Chang International Circuit in Thailand. The final test is March 1-3 in Losail, Qatar – and after that everybody’s bodywork will need to be approved before the first race there March 18.

Round 1 is Phillip Island, Australia, February 23-25, and if preseason testing is any indication, why isn’t Jonathan Rea riding a MotoGP bike? It definitely looks like it’s time for the fastest man in testing to move up a class. Ever since jumping on a Kawasaki ZX-10R for 2015, the 31-year old Rea has been unstoppable, the first ever to win three consecutive WSBK titles. Still, Phillip Island is a nice place to visit from the couch, and spring can’t be far away.

Photos by Robert Higdon

The POTUS is angry about unbalanced trade around the world, and his latest target is India via Harley-Davidson.

Well, this is awkward, a supposed wordsmith struggling to find adequate words. I hadn’t realized how difficult it would be to say goodbye to the countless readers who have enjoyed my work on the pages of Motorcycle.com for nearly 11 years.

Kawasaki may have just found the sweet spot with its new Ninja 400. At a glance, the new motorcycle has undergone a substantial weight reduction treatment, a displacement boost of 103cc, and a sexy styling redesign – all while remaining at the exact same price point. Non-ABS models start at $4,999 while ABS is an additional $300. Kawasaki was out for blood when it went back to the drawing board for its new entry-level motorcycle.

Photos: Vincent Cummings

Lucky us/we/I got the invite up to Buttonwillow Raceway in California to get a look at what Chuck Graves and Yamaha have in store to conquer MotoAmerica’s new Junior Cup series, which replaces last season’s KTM 390 class. KTM s are still welcome, but now they’ll be duking it out with Kawasaki Ninja 300s and 400s, Honda CBR500Rs, Suzuki GSX250Rs – and nine teenagers receiving factory-ish support from Graves Motorsports.

Not only did Jack Ehret’s Vincent Black Lightning break the Australian land speed record in 1953, at 141.5 mph, it also became the most expensive bike sold at auction last month in Las Vegas, when it went for $929,000 at Bonham’s.

It’s bad enough our fellow human beings find us seemingly irresistible to run into, and now it appears they may have sent their machines after us too.

Riding south #4: Por fin (Finally)

In the last couple of weeks, MO has covered hints surrounding the 2018 Triumph Speed Triple S and RS no less than three times. While we were able to pull a few smidgens of information about the new models from CARB filings and teaser videos, the time is finally at hand. Triumph has officially released the specifications for the new Speed Triples – and they should make the bikes’ fans happy.

Last year, Maverick Viñales won three of the first five MotoGPs and finished second in the 6th. Beginning with the seventh round, though, the wheels almost literally came off for the wonderboy in his first season as Rossi’s teammate on the MoviStar Yamaha. Why? Michelin changed its tire construction, and Viñales never found his happy place for the rest of the season.