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Like it or not, regulatory agencies around the world are cracking down on vehicle emissions and imposing some of the strictest rules we, the motoring public, have ever seen. One of these rules includes restricting, or even banning, petrol-powered vehicles through portions of some European cities. Naturally, rules like this hit the auto industry the hardest and present a fundamental change in how the industry as a whole operates. As a result, it seems as though all of the world’s major auto manufacturers have decided to abandon the internal combustion engine and are phasing it out over time in favor of purely electric vehicles.

There’s a collection of bikes on the market that doesn’t seem to fit neatly into one category or another. One of these odd beasts is the Ducati Multistrada. Like its Island of Misfit Toys brethren – Suzuki V-Stroms, Kawasaki Versys, Yamaha TDM, Triumph Tiger, and a few others – the upright Duc causes division among bike fans with its ambiguous intention and quirky styling. Is it a dual-sport? Is it a streetbike that’s meant to look like a dual-sport?

An Indian take on a uniquely American form of motorcycling

The arc of the aging sportbike rider goes a little something like this: In their youth, going fast and taking chances is the name of the game. Sportbikes are the status symbol that fulfills this desire and is the closest thing to a two-wheeled land missile they can get their hands on. Not to mention it costs a fraction of what supercars go for. The aggressive position of clip-on bars and rearset pegs adds to the sensation of speed and places the young rider in a position of power they may not have experienced yet in their young lives.

In case you haven't noticed, Royal Enfield is on the up and up. While it might not seem so in the US, globally (and primarily in its home country of India) sales are growing – and growing fast. So much so that the company is making a big push into the US and North American markets. So what better time to take a look back at one of MO's first experiences with a Royal Enfield – the Royal Enfield Continental GT from back in 2014. Astute readers or RE fans will already note that this is an old model, which doesn't share much with the current Continental GT. And that's a good thing, because as Tom Roderick tells us, the 2014 version was a bit rough around the edges.

With Suzuki's recent announcement that it was adding more road-going versions of its new V-Strom 800 to the lineup, we thought it a good time to look back into the MO archives and read up on the OG V-Strom – the one with the 650 V-Twin also used in the SV650. So, in this Church feature, we look back at Sean Alexander's ride aboard a first-generation V-Strom 650. Sean being Sean, it even comes with an obligatory wheelie shot, too.

With Kawasaki's recent announcement that it is releasing electric motorcycles for the European and US markets in 2024 (along with a hybrid, but that's another story), we thought we'd take a look back at the last time Kawi shook up the little bike market – arguably a class it helped shape. Back in the day, the Ninja 250 was the beginner bike to have. Mostly because it was the only option available unless you wanted a cruiser. After a decades-long run, Kawi finally upgraded it for 2013 by making it bigger... by a whopping 50cc. And thus, the Ninja 300 was born. Now comes the time that I date myself, because I was there at the introduction of the bike and now I bring to you my own words from ten years ago. Sheesh.

In this time of loss, we (his friends, family, colleagues, and the motorcycle industry as a whole) have created a support fund to help with any pressing financial needs, as well as those unforeseen needs coming out of such a tragic situation. In addition, Karin has a dream of using any surplus funds to develop a more formal motorcycling initiative - in keeping with Evans’ lifelong passion of motorcycling and motorcycle safety, and honor his undeniable legacy.

The Vulcan S Now Has A Sibling

It's ugly and it's weird, but holy moly is it dependable and extremely practical. We're talking of course of the Honda NT700V. Back in 2010, Honda decided to bring this oddball commuter motorcycle to the US after sales of the bike in Europe were very strong. Unsurprisingly, it didn't see the same fate here. It goes without saying that use cases in Europe are very different than they are here, but we're sure for those people who bought one with the intent of getting to and from the office – with maybe the occasional weekend tour thrown in – the bike was a fantastic companion. Here, former MO staffer, and all-around great guy Alfonse Palaima tells us what the NT700V is like to ride.

In recent years, what it means to be a supersport motorcycle has gone through a dramatic change. It had to – sales of traditional 600cc supersports have tanked since the Great Recession, and most of the old guard have either stopped selling their 600s in the US, or haven’t updated them in years. Why should they? Instead, we have a smattering of motorcycles with sporty intentions – some with fairings and others without. The only common denominator is they all have engines under 1000cc.

In light of our upcoming First Ride review of the 2024 Kawasaki ZX-6R, we thought it would be a good time to revisit one of the first sportbikes to shake up the establishment – the original 2003 ZX-6R, powered by a 636cc engine. At the time, the supersport wars were starting to heat up and each of the Big Four Japanese manufacturers were trying to out-do the other. The 636 turned heads because of the bigger displacement compared to the competition (a standard 599cc version was also made to appease the racing rule-makers).

Harley-Davidson’s CVO line has always been for the company’s biggest fans, the riders who want the best that is available for any given model year and are willing to pay a premium to get it. Typically, the CVO line comes with exclusive paint and accessories along with other choice upgrades like a premium sound system. For the powertrain, Harley historically graces the CVO with the largest production units available, which will typically start to become standard a model year or two on. Of course, that means that the next CVO needs an even bigger engine. Lather, rinse, repeat. Well, this year, besides bumping the displacement up to 121 cu. in. from the now paltry 117 cu. in. of the previous year, other huge changes were mixed in, giving an advanced look at what we predict the bulk of the Milwaukee-Eights will be like in the not-to-distant future. If the fact that the 2023 Harley-Davidson Road Glide CVO and Street Glide CVO models both feature this new mill weren’t enough, there are a plethora of other changes to the bikes. So, let’s get started.

To most North American motorcycle riders, China-based motorcycle maker CFMOTO is a newcomer when it comes to street bikes. Elsewhere, it’s a familiar face, especially in Australia, the Philippines, and the UK, where CFMOTO’s sub-300cc motorcycles and scooters have been sold for decades. But CFMOTO is now making a play for a share of the street bike market in America, and the new 2023 450SS is one of the high-profile new “bigger bikes” beginning to arrive at over 300 CFMOTO motorcycle dealerships across the nation.

In 1999, Yamaha blasted the liter-class sportbike doors wide open with the YZF-R1. It made quick work of all the competitors around it and launched the epic sportbike wars that would continue for the next decade or so. The first challenger to Yamaha's throne? Another mighty motorcycle – the 2001 Suzuki GSX-R1000. By no means is the Gixxer slow, but as we look back at this review from the track intro at Road Atlanta more than 20 years ago, it's amazing that today's 1000cc sportbikes are making 50 more horses from the same displacement. But it's also these early bikes that remind us how lucky we are today to have rider aids like traction control, wheelie control, and slide control to save us from ourselves.