#RyanAdams

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.

It’s rare that a manufacturer debuts two new models at the same time unless there are multiple trims such as the Aprilia RSV4 RR and Factory versions. When MO found out we would be riding both Aprilia’s new Dorsoduro and its Shiver 900, I was actually looking forward to the novel opportunity. It would be interesting to see how different the motorcycles would feel while sharing many of the same components, most notably, the same 896cc 90-degree V-Twin engine.

KTM North America decided to let us know they would be live streaming the global launch of the 2018 KTM Freeride E-XC and the company’s vision of E-Mobility as a whole from Austria at about the same time I was searching for a topic for this week’s Top 10 list. Thankfully, the presentation was full of interesting information that I shall now parse out for you in 10 easy-to-read slides. Grab yourself a cold Steigl and enjoy.

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.

When Aprilia invited Motorcycle.com to the press introduction for the 2018 Shiver 900 first ride, I thought, hadn’t that model been announced at EICMA 2016 as an upcoming 2017 model? If so, the model had been selling for a while already, right? It had. But as is typical, those lucky Europeans got it first and we had to wait. After the bikes made their journey across the ocean, braving Hurricane Harvey, and worse yet, meeting homologation, the new 900s arrived state-side. A few weeks later, the introduction of the new 2018 Aprilia Shiver 900 would commence.

Alpinestars Crank Riding Jean delivers a subtle, euro-styled, option for those looking to find a balance between safety and style.

Reparto Veicoli Speciali #1, which was designed in coordination with the Castiglioni’s own C.R.C. (Castiglioni Research Centre), translates to, “Special Vehicles Department #1”. When a motorcycle manufacturer whose slogan is “Motorcycle Art” assigns a department to something special you can bet on the production of a unique, and extreme machine.

A few weeks ago Suzuki invited us to the launch of its GSX250R. During the event we were briefed on Suzuki’s plans for bringing new and returning riders back into the sport with this new motorcycle. Many critics, upon hearing news that Suzuki was coming to market with a 250, were asking why not a 300 like most of the other bikes in its class. Whatever Suzuki’s reasoning may have been for the decision, it should be notedthat the 2018 GSX250R is a great bike. It may not be the lightest or fastest but it does an adequate job of being a practical sportbike that looks good.

New for the 2018 model year, Suzuki has released its quarter-liter sportbike, the GSX250R. Some may say Suzuki is a bit late to the game and ask: Why not a 300? In fact, everywhere I have ridden the GSX250R, fellow motorcycle enthusiasts have asked that question. Suzuki reps tiptoed around that elephant in the room and were quick to mention performance isn’t the main selling point with 250cc motorcycles, even to the point of not providing horsepower or torque numbers. They insisted price, style, practicality, and ease of ownership are where customers are making decisions when purchasing these bikes.

When I was invited to the 2018 Suzuki GSX250R introduction I had mixed feelings. I have only owned one personal motorcycle under 995cc. Small bikes just aren’t really my thing. While I have plenty of reasons for my bias, I was willing to go into this bike launch with an open mind and I am glad I did. This lightweight bike was tons of fun.

ISDE veteran Scott Bright plans to show the world just how versatile the KTM 1090 Adventure is, whether rallying through the desert or cruising the Baja Peninsula. Bright plans to do both. Colorado native Scott Bright has been competing in various forms of motorcycling racing for more than 20 years. Focusing his efforts on rally and enduro-style events over the past years, Bright has been a force to be reckoned with in the art of off-road racing. After winning the Baja Rally Championship in 2014, Bright took a nasty spill while filming an Icon Raiden promotional video a couple years later, suffering two broken arms among other injuries. That didn’t stop the determined racer, and months later after plenty of painful rehab, Scott competed in his first ever Dakar Rally, finishing 53rd overall.

While working moto-retail, you start noticing a trend in questions asked, as I did in my previous job. You also start picking up on common cases of misinformation. Any good employee should notice these things and do their research diligently to be fully armed with true information to help their customers make the best possible decisions for their specific needs.

Being the international man of mystery that you are, you must be in need of an exquisitely designed and meticulously crafted melding of leather and metal that transcends transportation to get you from that hilltop villa overlooking the French Riviera, to your luxury yacht waiting below to take you and your supermodel “friends” out to sail the Côte d’Azur.

For the cruiser category of Motorcycle.com’s Best Of awards, we have two new motorcycles representing different arenas of the cruiser spectrum. These bikes will help to bring new motorcyclists into the fold for different reasons. They aren’t the most technologically advanced or most powerful, nor would they be the best pick for riding across the country. However, they represent some new thinking about desirable aspects to what makes a cruiser cool.

Racing fans regularly compare genres of racing to one another, and at the top level of motorsport is F1 and MotoGP. Thankfully for us, Brembo supplies the entire current MotoGP paddock as well as many teams in F1 and has compiled some analytical data from the Red Bull Ring in Austria that may fascinate you.