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Introduced on the new 2014 R1200RT and K1600GTL Exclusive is BMW’s latest electronic rider aid, Hill Start Control. HSC is a technology any touring rider who’s struggled with a weighted motorcycle at a graded stop will immediately recognize as beneficial.

If you’re at the Sturgis Rally in South Dakota or the National Bikers Roundup in Tulsa, Oklahoma, you’re in luck! If not, you’re probably reading this and wishing you were at one of these two rallies. Why? Because Harley-Davidson is revealing, and offering test rides on, the new 2015 Road Glide and Road Glide Special at each rally weeks in advance of announcing the company’s complete 2015 model lineup.

Baggers are a big deal these days, making up something like half of the cruiser market according to Victory’s experts. Victory’s newest attempt to supply what the market demands is this highly customized version of its pre-existing Cross Country, dubbed Magnum.

Indian has said – repeatedly since its release of its first models under Polaris’ ownership – that it plans to expand its model line beyond just the Chief and Chieftain. Well, today, the company announced its latest addition at its dealer meeting. A few weeks ago, Indian invited a few members from the moto-press to visit the Polaris Product Development Center in Wyoming, Minn., to meet the people behind the development of Indian’s newest motorcycle, the Roadmaster.

Big-time MO congratulations to our favorite San Diegan racer Jeremy Toye, who celebrated the Kawasaki Ninja’s 30th anniversary in style by riding a ZX-10R (actually two ZX-10Rs) to victory in this year’s Pikes Peak International Hillclimb.

I don’t have any tattoos. Nothing against them, not even worried about needles. Nope, I suppose I’ve just never felt strongly enough about anything to have it permanently inked into my skin. Oh, I’ve come close before. For maybe the past eight years or so I’ve often had this recurring thought about inking myself with a design that pays homage to my Indonesian ancestry, but alas, I’ve never gone through with it. Whether it was a lack of funds, a change of heart, or simply putting it off, the design never made it onto my body.

Tom Sykes entered the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca round of World Superbike as the defending 2013 champion (after only missing out on the honor in 2012 by half a point) and the current series leader with a 41-point advantage. Add that to the attention the Ninja 30th Anniversary celebration that Kawasaki kicked off at Laguna Seca has attracted, and Sykes has a lot to be smiling about.

When the new BMW R1200RT fell through, recalled because of a possibly faulty rear shock shaft of all things, we almost decided not to take these four lovelies on a little three-day binge up along California’s eastern Sierra, through Bishop, Yosemite and back the long way. But we’re glad we did. The weather and scenery couldn’t have been more perfect, and it’s hard to imagine motorcycles more cut out for a long weekend than these four – all with hard sidebags, great wind protection, shaft drive and everything you need to take your show on the road.

On sale in Europe since 2006, Suzuki’s Burgman 200 is finally coming to the U.S. in 2014, completing the Burgman trifecta with the existing Burgman 650 and Burgman 400 models. To clear up any confusion, the Burgman 200 tells you its engine displacement right in clear view: the 200 is…a 200, not a 199cc, a 205cc or any other odd number. It’s fuel-injected, liquid-cooled and, according to Suzuki, focused on giving healthy mid-range power. Its traditional CVT delivers the power from the engine to the tires without any shifting necessary from the rider. And yes, it’s freeway legal.

Previously, I covered how to install a Powerlet accessory electrical socket. While having access to constant power for accessories is convenient (particularly for maintaining your battery with a smart charger), it has a major drawback: If you leave your electronics on when you shut down the engine, you can easily kill your battery. The best way to prevent this from happening is to make the socket switch itself off with the ignition. Although the task is fairly simple, you’ll need to perform a little detective work before you start.

We all love a little trackday fun, but the truth is they can be expensive. It’s at least a C-note to get you in, plus the early wake-up call and long drive to the track. There’s gotta be a better way. Supermotard (Superbikers if you’re really old-school) is the answer. Essentially dirtbikes with street tires, they’re virtually bulletproof, and tires last way longer. Additionally, kart tracks – where their torque-happy engines are better suited – are closer to civilization and much cheaper to enter than full-size racetracks. It was the perfect solution for Tropical Fishtank editor, Tom Roderick, and myself to spend a day outta the office.

Harley-Davidson’s 2014 model-range was comprehensively overhauled, as part of the company’s “Project Rushmore,” which endowed many of their bikes with upgraded engines, suspension, brakes and infotainment.  When the 2014 bikes were revealed, the shark-nosed Road Glide – previously a popular model – was a glaring omission from the line-up.

Some of us remember a time when you didn’t have to be folded up like a preying mantis to ride a 600cc supersport bike. What Millenials, Generation Z, Plurals – or whatever the heck the media is calling the desirable, young market segment this week – may not know from personal experience is that something was lost in the sportbike wars over the last 20 years. Yes, we’ve seen some amazing technological advancement in power delivery and handling, but as the manufacturers went through their two year cycles of ground up reimagining of their hottest middleweights in search of the all-important racing titles across the globe, the relentless sharpening of the performance envelope has come with some costs.

A weird thing happened to me during the U.S. launch of Yamaha’s latest motorcycle, the FZ-07. As we were rolling through the backroads of Bainbridge Island, just off the coast of Seattle, it hit me. “I think I like this bike more than the FZ-09.” Before the ride, I was expecting a middleweight sporty bike, with performance comparable to the Suzuki SFV650 or Kawasaki Ninja 650. I figured, after riding the FZ-09 and loving its fun-per-dollar quotient, there was no way the 09’s little brother, with one less cylinder and less displacement, could be nearly as fun.

The TT racing at the Isle of Man is one those rare events that you have to see to believe. Racing on public roads at speeds approaching 200 mph is spectacular on a level that’s almost unbelievable. Or, to some, sheer lunacy.