The original idea was to seek out the best roads in Arkansas, a task I realized would be impossible in the few days I had to spend here, even with the aid of my excellent Butler Map of the Ozarks. As it turns out, any road in Arkansas that’s not an interstate is a great motorcycle road; bike tires should wear evenly here from shoulder to shoulder with no need at all for a harder compound in the middle.

Fast moving vehicles lacking a roof, doors, a trunk, seatbelts, etc., are prone to stuff falling off them. No matter how dutiful you are in securing objects to your motorcycle you’re eventually going to lose something. Whether due to wind or vibration, a forgotten tab, unclicked lock, loose connection or unzipped pocket, something of value to you will find its way to a temporary roadside residence until found and claimed or junked by another.

Some people ride motorcycles to be seen. You know the kind, they pull up at Bike Night on their super-expensive bike with their matching motorcycle “outfit.” For these people, a motorcycle is just an accessory in their endless quest to attract attention. Then there are motorcyclists. They know that making sure you’re seen is an important part of riding a motorcycle. And we’re not referring to the “look at me while I ride this motorcycle” type of posing. Instead, the message real motorcyclists are trying to send is “Look at me. I’m riding a motorcycle, and I am entitled to this space in this lane.”

In today’s world of motorcycle racing, sponsors and corporations have had so much influence on the way a motorcycle racing team looks that the riders themselves have had very little opportunity to express their own personal style. Helmets are the one area it seems where riders still have the ability to express themselves – and boy do some riders get creative!

On a nondescript suburban street in the nondescript but perfectly nice city of Poway, California, sits a perfectly normal ranch house with a completely abnormal two-car attached garage. Inside it you’ll find, more often than not, Richard Pollock, the Mule behind Mule Motorcycles. If you haven’t heard of him, you haven’t been paying attention. Racer, rider, fabricator, dreamer, doer – Richard builds some of the finest custom motorcycles money can buy.

The breadth of Honda’s sportbike history is an amazingly diverse collection of engine configurations. From Twins to Sixes and Inlines to Vs, Honda has shoehorned just about every kind of motor into a motorcycle chassis. Some models are complex and expensive, while others are simple and affordable, but this list is devoted to the ones most worthy of our attention and praise.

This week’s Top 10 celebrates the work of Massimo Tamburini, who died Sunday from complications due to lung cancer. An undisputed legend in motorcycling, any discussion regarding the most beautiful motorcycle ever will undoubtedly feature a Tamburini design.

We all love to ride, but sometimes simply wanting to go for a ride just isn’t enough to get us moving. So, on those times when you need that little extra push to get out the door and onto two wheels (or when you need a way to get past the spouse’s radar), we’ve assembled some ruses that just might work for you. While these excuses range from the painfully obvious to somewhat obscure, we think that any rider should be able to crank out an endless list on demand once the pump is primed. Consider this an essential survival skill for motorcyclists to master.

Riding motorcycles is dangerous. So are all of the finer things in life. Luckily, there are things you can do to minimize the risk. These are the street survival skills I have learned during my three decades of riding to make the mean streets less angry – and I’m passing on to my offspring when he starts riding on the street soon. The ability to negotiate the big congested city on a motorcycle is one of the greatest gifts I think I can give him; it’s also terrifying.

Wait, what, really? Holy crap, MotoGP is already upon us as if the last round of the 2013 season concluded yesterday. Twenty-thirteen was an amazing season that saw the legend, Valentino Rossi, return to Yamaha with renewed vigor, and the crowning of the sport’s youngest ever champion. The year in which Marc Marquez demoralized his competition while destroying long-standing records is meaningless, though, once the curtain goes up on the 2014 season.

Many manufacturers have been making a big push lately to introduce new models that won’t take a massive bite out of your wallet. Makes sense, really, as our sport is still trying to recover from the darkest days of the economic meltdown. Since disposable income isn’t what it used to be, we’ve come up with a list of the 10 least expensive street-legal motorcycles you can buy in 2014.

Daytona Bike Week, that annual orgy of motorcycle excess, is upon us. So, we thought we’d take this opportunity to point out some of the must-see events that will be taking place over the next week or so. Many of these events are what keep bikers returning to Daytona Beach year after year, but sadly, not all of our favorites will be taking place in 2014. Case in point, the insanely fun motorcycle demolition derby at the New Smyrna Speedway is not on the calendar this year. We can always hope for 2015.

The Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area is the place to be if you want to ride in one of the biggest sandboxes you can find in America. Located in the southeast corner of California, Glamis, as it’s referred to locally, features sand dunes that stretch for more than 40 miles in length in a band that averages five miles in width. It’s infamous in SoCal culture for being a popular host to off-road-riding desert rats of every sort, from mild family getaways to wild, all-night partying. There’s simply no other place quite like it.

Every other year dozens of countries attempt to set aside geopolitical, ethnic, religious, and cultural differences in order to gather in one host nation so that a select few citizens from each nation may participate in that spectacle of sport known as the Olympics.

For every poignant motorcycle movie there exists at least 10 poorly scripted, low-budget alternatives. But whether big-budget or low-budget, money can’t buy funny. With that in mind, we selected some of the best gut chucklers we could find from both the profound and the shallowest of biker films. As with any good Top 10 the laughs get better as the numbers decrease. But if you’ve a funnier biker film quote than what we’ve compiled here we’d love to hear it.

If you’re reading this, then you understand the excitement of motorcycle racing. The technology behind the equipment is bested only by the talent and dedication of those bold enough to pilot them. And we can’t get enough of either.

In the modern world, riding a motorcycle is one of very few things that justify wearing the classic bandana. The bandana and the leather jumpsuit, that is. Take full advantage. Wearing full leathers every day might be pushing it, but there’s no excuse not to tie on a tasteful bandana.

Both music and motorcycles appeal to us on a visceral level. They seem to reach down below the thought and behavior that makes us human. Instead, they appeal to our baser side, the side of ourselves that we often lack complete control over. Perhaps this is why so many motorcycle songs have a more hard-nosed rock-n-roll vibe.

We’re now a couple of weeks into 2014 but we thought we’d take one more look back at 2013 and revisit some of the oddest stories from the motorcycling world.

For the last 40-some years motorcycle manufacturers have enjoyed an era of relative stability. The Big Four Japanese (Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha), Harley-Davidson and BMW remain unremitting and seemingly indestructible.

A motojournalist’s life isn’t quite as glorious as it might seem. Endless hours chained to our computers, researching and cranking out words for your education, illumination and, hopefully, entertainment steal time away from what we most enjoy – riding motorcycles. A colleague of ours, Aaron Frank, succinctly described a motoojourno’s job thusly: “It’s the best job in the world two days a month.”

Another new year has begun, and with it comes a fresh crop of motorcycles to lust after. We’ve already gotten a jump on 2014 products with recent introductions such as MV Agusta’s rapier-like F3 800 and KTM’s beastly 1290 Super Duke R, plus a pair of exciting and capable Kawasaki literbikes, the Z1000 ABS streetfighter and the sporty-touring Ninja 1000 ABS.

With 2014 just around the corner, it’s time to take a look back at the year that was and revisit the top news stories from the motorcycling world in 2013.

“Stay-away from that front brake or you’ll go-over the bars!” There is an abundance of information available to today’s riders, but some of it is plainly false and even harmful, like that misleading front-brake chestnut above, or the old “Lay her down!”

We now come to the upper echelon of our holiday gift guide, for those who are just rolling in cash and are willing to spend it on a loved one who’s the hardest of hardcore motorcycle enthusiasts. We’ve looked at gift ideas for different budgets up to $1,000, but what if you want to give something even more extravagant, and have the means to do so?

Well, it’s that time of year, again. Those who care for riders are searching for the perfect moto-gift. Even if you don’t have a lot of scratch, you can still find a ton of nice presents for under $50. If you don’t believe us — or if you simply need some inspiration — take a look at the list below. We’ve tried to choose items that will appeal to a broad spectrum of riders, but with only 10 slots available on the list, we’ve necessarily left out many, many other good options. Don’t see your favorite bike-related item on the list? Share the love with MO readers by leaving a comment. (Or you could just vent your spleen and call us jerks, but remember Santa is watching.)

This time our Top Ten List moves up the scale to gift items between $100 and $200. This price range moves you to a different level of options for your favorite rider. Now, we’re starting to move away from the bargain basement into the beginnings of premium gear, and you’ll see that, while some items may have much cheaper competitive options available, a closer inspection reveals what makes these items superior.

Continuing our lists of Top 10 Motorcycle Holiday Gifts for you or a loved one, this week’s list focuses on items ranging in price between $200 and $500. Here we’ve compiled a bevy of items for both the rider and motorcycle alike. Whether the gift is for a person or a two-wheeled companion, either way, we’re sure with one of these items the recipient will be happy. We tried to cover a broad spectrum of riders and machinery, but narrowing the options to just 10 was no easy task. If you have a suggestion for this list, or simply want to add something you really want, say so in the comments section below. Who knows, Santa might grant your wish this year.

If you really want to make the motorcyclist in your life eternally happy and you have more disposable income that most of us, we’ve collected some holiday gift ideas ranging from $500 to $1000.

Recently, we compiled a list of the Top 10 Cruisers for tall people. The premise was simple: you’re a tall fellow (or lady), and the majority of motorcycles out there just don’t feel comfortable to you. Your knees rub against your elbows, and the bars can be too low for your liking, placing unwanted weight on your wrists. Cruisers provide a great solution for those gifted (cursed?) with extra inseam, as the foot forward position helps spread the body out some. But cruisers also place more weight on a rider’s tailbone, which can cause comfort issues.

The stage is being set for the most important motorcycle exposition of the year, the EICMA show in Milan, Italy. EICMA is so large and so important that we’re making the trek to the Continent to give it our full coverage, including video updates from the media-only days, November 5 and 6.

Asking a motorcyclist to name his/her favorite Harley-Davidson is like asking a music fan to name his/her favorite song: ask a hundred people and you’ll get a hundred answers.

Okay, I admit it. I’m a wheelie-holic. I’d practice wheelies on my bicycle, but I’ve been absolutely addicted to them since discovering an engine’s anti-gravity effects on a dirt bike’s front tire when I was 12 and abusing my amazingly durable Suzuki DS80 on the Canadian prairie.

There’s more to the world of motorcycle racing than what happens on the track. Behind the scenes, rumors are flying and motorcycles are ever-changing. But we sometimes forget that the riders, too, have lives just like the rest of us. Now, thanks to social media, and Twitter specifically, we have more access to the racing world, and the people in it, than ever before. We can get the latest news, gossip and rumors straight from the most knowledgeable sources in the sport. What’s more, many athletes are active on Twitter as well, allowing us the inside line into their everyday lives outside the racetrack.

Grand Prix motorcycle racing celebrates its 64th birthday this year. Since its introduction in 1949 many facets of the sport have changed except for the constant ability of one man to dominate his competitors. There have been, in fact, only 25 premier class champions in motorcycle Grand Prix’s 64 years of existence.

For a motorcycle enthusiast, the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, in Birmingham, Alabama, is mecca. Touting the largest collection of motorcycles in the US, and possibly the world, the Barber museum houses something like 1500 motorcycles, less than half of which are on display at any given time.

It’s no secret; like clothes, the majority of motorcycles are designed and built for people of average height. Also like clothes, it’s not uncommon for someone to buy something that just doesn’t fit. More often than not, said garment or motorcycle ends up collecting dust rather than getting use, and that’s a shame.

All motorcyclists dream of riding in exotic locales. That longing, it’s in our blood. Sometimes we see movies like Long Way Round/Down and think, “I’d love to ride there.” Other times we’ll see a beautiful landscape or glorious stretch of road while flipping through our favorite magazines or watching some movie or television show, and fantasize wistfully about what it would be like to be one with nature in that locale – with a motorcycle between our legs, of course.

Of the numerous expressions, mottoes, proverbs, colloquialisms, etc., related to motorcycling some can be inspirational, such as “When life throws you a curve, lean into it,” while others – “Loud pipes save lives” – simply foolhardy.

The motorcycle party of the year, Harley-Davidson‘s 110th Anniversary celebration, is coming up at the end of August. If you are lucky enough to be heading to Milwaukee to take it all in, we’ll do our best to make sure you get the most out of your trip.

It’s a dangerous game, motorcycling. Cagers think they get it, and that’s why they don’t ride. But no one can really comprehend the risk involved in two-wheel travel until they’ve had to swerve to save their skin. Motorcyclists know the truth better than anyone: There are no mere fender-benders on a bike. Escaping a motorcycle crash without an injury is a rarity.

Last month, we showed you the RC-X Mini Vintage Racer, a heavily-modified Grom by Honda’s Thai affiliate that transformed the modern monkey bike into a Mike Hailwood-era grand prix racer.

At Motorcycle.com, we love play riding in the canyons and enjoy a day at the track, but we realize the majority of time we spend on bikes consists of commuting from point A to point B, darting through the city and handling whatever errands possible that don’t require a four-wheeler.

Being “vertically challenged” is rough: you’re hard to spot in a crowd, you can’t see squat at concerts, and it’s a struggle to hop on many of the rides at the amusement park. The worst part of all is trying to find a motorcycle that’ll allow you to touch the ground. Some of the saddles on today’s motorcycles are so high only basketball players dare throw a leg over.

It’s the Fourth of July and we’re marking the occasion by taking a look at some very patriotic motorcycles. But we didn’t just pick from a bunch of motorcycles with flashy star-spangled paint jobs like Patriot Edition 1290 Super Duke R (pictured in the image above) KTM revealed earlier this week.

Ever since man bolted a motor to a bicycle, touring has been one of the true joys of motorcycling. Sure, bouncing around town from errand to errand is easy, and commuting to work is practical – but travel by motorcycle expands the mind, relaxes the spirit and enriches the soul. There’s nothing quite like it.

Is there a cooler two-wheeled ride than a Vespa? Doubtful. Clearly, we’re just like celebrities, because the bold and the beautiful agree – as evidenced in the following gallery.

From Silver Lake to Wicker Park, from Williamsburg to the Mission District, from Portlandia to Austin and on the industrial outskirts of every college town in between, these annoying hipsters are everywhere you turn. You stand by and sigh as they slouch and smirk in their skinny jeans and perfectly tousled hair, grilling the barista on whether or not their $4.50 coffee is Certified Fair Trade (meanwhile, they have no problem paying $5 for a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon).