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The Route Napoleon is considered one of the best drives across France. It starts near the French Riviera and runs up to the southern tip of the Alps. The route earns its namesake by following the path that the one-time French emperor used to covertly make his way north after escaping his first exile. Despite wet conditions with gravelly sections enroute and frost at higher elevations, it was a most excellent place to have our first dance with Suzuki’s new naked, the 2023 GSX-8S. The second of two 776cc Parallel-Twin-powered models from Suzuki, the GSX-8S proved its mettle over just a single day’s ride in terms of being a contender in the middleweight naked category. Let’s get to it. 

Due to the popularity of Harley-Davidson’s open-class adventure bike, the Pan America, it was only a matter of time before we’d start seeing the aftermarket bursting with all sorts of choice upgrades to enhance the stock machine. Among those companies is, of course, Akrapovič. The company already produces aftermarket exhaust components for the majority of the adventure motorcycling segment, and now you can get a high quality titanium and carbon fiber slip-on for your Harley-Davidson, too (an optional link pipe is also available if emissions compliance is not necessary for your application).

Cardo Systems has been a leading manufacturer of motorcycle communicators since 2004 when it introduced the first Bluetooth headsets designed for riders. The latest from Cardo is the Packtalk Edge, a new flagship product offering faster connectivity, improved sound quality, and a more compact chassis.

Founded in 2010, Shorai was one of the earliest manufacturers of lithium powersports batteries. Shorai has since established itself as a major player thanks to its proprietary lithium-iron phosphate (LiFePO4) cells. MO first tested Shorai’s LFX in 2011, and it impressed us enough to give it an honorable mention for that year’s MOBO awards for the Best New Product category.

Akrapovič has released a new Slip-On Line (Titanium) exhaust system for the 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa, claiming an 8.6-pound reduction in weight compared to the stock exhaust.

We’re big fans of motorcycle airbag technology here at MO, especially our own Troy Siahaan who learned first hand how effectively an airbag can protect a rider in a crash.

Akrapovič had been offering full exhaust systems for the MT-09 since 2016, but the bike’s recent upgrade to a 890cc engine called for a new product. Enter the new Akrapovič Racing Line full exhaust system, an upgrade that claims increased engine performance and a pure racing sound.

John Smith was cleaning yet another reusable air filter one day, when he noticed that after shaking it out, it still held a lot of water. As anyone would, he started throwing it in the air, spinning it as fast as he could to remove more water. That worked well, and then came the brainstorm: “So I walked into my garage and found my hand-held rotary seed/fertilizer spreader. My dog (Prince) had already chewed up the top, so I finished the job and cut the rest off. I duct taped the filter to the spinning part and started spinning the crank: The faster it spun, the more water came off.  So, I started working on a design that would automate the whole process.”

Leather vests have been a staple of the motorcycle scene for generations. Go to any rally, and you’re going to see a wide array of vests – all in black. While they may be customized in the form of patches with organizational affiliations or pithy slogans, the vests are largely a variation of black-on-black. First MFG wants to shake up the vest market in a big way with its custom vests.

We’ve all been there, dragging out the hose to try and get rid of a plague of bugs we collected on our latest ride. The process is always the same: hose down and scrub away at chrome, lenses, and pretty much any surface that has become coated with dust, dirt, and grime from the last ride out. But what if there were a different way? What about doing all that, without any water?

You know what they say: If it flies, floats, or fluctuates, you’re better off renting. Is that true of motorcycles too? Not long ago motorcycles needed lots of love and personal attention just to keep running, in the same way a toddler or puppy needed constant guidance and assistance with personal hygiene. New bikes, though, seem sprung from the womb fully formed and ready to be emancipated. They need fresh oil now and then and other normal wear items. But for the most part, you just hit the button and go.

Unlike cars, it’s not as easy to walk in to your local motorcycle dealership and take a bike for a test ride. And what do you do if you’re looking at buying a used model you can’t easily find in dealerships? Well, wonder no more. Thanks to the internet and the share economy it has helped create, companies like Riders Share let you easily rent a wide variety of popular motorcycles with a few taps of your phone screen, allowing you to test drive til your heart’s content. Go ahead – give it a try! But once you’ve got the bike in your hands, what sort of things should you be paying attention to?

Adam Sandoval is a name that’s been all over the motorcycle news recently, and for good reason. Earlier this month, he led the world’s largest parade of Harley Davidsons – 3,497, to be exact – beating the previous world record by over 1,000 riders.

Have you ever wanted to grab an oblivious motorist and scream “CAN YOU SEE ME NOW?” after narrowly avoiding a crash? There’s no doubt that the number-one cause of multi-vehicle crashes involving motorcycles is a car violating a motorcycle’s right of way at an intersection. “I didn’t see him!” is the frequent excuse. “He came out of nowhere!” Sure. “MAYBE IF YOU WEREN’T INSTAGRAMMING YOUR LAUNDRY LIST YOU WOULD HAVE NOTICED ME,” you scream in your fantasy dialogue. What can we do to combat the motorcyclist’s arch-nemesis: the distracted driver?

When you love your bike, you’ll try anything to keep it running longer—motorcyclists around the globe are constantly on the lookout for new and innovative ways to prolong the life and enjoyment of their machines. We’re all searching for the same thing: longer engine life, reduced wear, increased performance, and smooth operation. But knowing what to look for is one thing. Where to find it is another issue entirely.