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.”

Best commuter motorcycles? It all depends where you’re commuting really, and how far you have to travel every day. If you’re in a congested part of the world that allows lane-sharing, you want something on the narrow side. If you’re in Texas, you might as well go big. If you’re covering 100 miles or more round-trip, you want something reasonably comfortable and with enough power to not get rear-ended. And if it’s going to be chilly, you want some wind protection. Since filling your tank every day gets old, more fuel capacity is better, and so is more mpg. Or electric.

The hot topic in motorcycle performance these days is flashing your ECU. You hear the term “flashing” brought up all the time – and no, we’re not talking about spring break antics, either. But while the term is gaining in popularity, and is often associated with big gains, we wanted to know – what the heck is ECU flashing, anyway? For that, let’s start with a little back story.

Triumph’s Street Scrambler is just what the name implies. If you want to blaze a two-wheeled path to freedom off-road, there are Scrambler 1200s XC and XE. But the more approachable (and affordable) Street Scrambler is for more urbane adventures, with Triumph’s less powerful, 900 cc twin, less suspension travel, and a lower seat height that’s accessible to nearly everybody. For 2022, just like the upscale Scramblers, the SS is now Euro 5 compliant, and along with that come a few subtle yet tasty upgrades. 

Like many motorcycle brands, KTM had a challenging 2020, with sales shrinking in the face of COVID-19 and the economic toll it exacted. The Austrian brand sold 212,713 motorcycles through the year, a 9.3% decrease from the pre-pandemic world of 2019.

Waking your bike from its long winter’s nap is one of those good news/bad news moments. The good news is that, if you prepared your bike for the winter, getting back out on the road is pretty darn simple. The bad news is that, if you didn’t, you could be in for a bit of work (or more) before your motorcycle is ready to ride. While it may seem counter-intuitive, leaving your bike idle without preparing it is actually quite stressful on it. The volatile components in gasoline will separate and evaporate. The chemicals used to store electricity in the battery self-discharge. The air in the half-empty gas tank forms a microclimate in which any moisture has a chance to work its oxidizing magic on the exposed metal in the air pocket. Any corrosive materials left on a dirty bike get to gnaw away at it unchecked. Ozone will age the rubber parts. All of these are bad things.

Following on the heels of the recently updated Superveloce range for 2021, MV Agusta has now announced a refresh for the Turismo Veloce family, which includes the Turismo Veloce Lusso, Lusso SCS, RC SCS, and Rosso. MV’s take on a sport-touring motorcycle, the updated 2021 range is more of an evolution of the family rather than a revolution – spurred primarily by the need to keep up with Euro 5 emission standards.

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it, so Triumph didn’t. They’ve sold over 10,000 modern Scramblers since the XC and XE were new in 2018, and Scrambler 1200 XC even won MO’s revered Best Standard Motorcycle award last year. But they did have to make the bikes Euro 5-compliant for 2022, and with that came a few tweaks and the gaining of a few pounds – about 13 of them in fact. But hey look! There’s a new Steve McQueen Limited Edition! 

Jan Brady was a middle sibling in the `70s sit-com The Brady Bunch, who got no respect as a result of her Coke-bottle glasses, lack of acting skills, and that none of the three Brady sisters on the show could hold a candle to the beauty of Alice the housekeeper. Which is kind of the situation the Honda XR250R found itself in 25 years ago – smaller-pistoned and therefore less desirable than the XR400 and XR650. Anyway, all those air-cooled beasts were unkillable when you could get them to (kick)start, and Honda will still sell you a brand-new XR650 if you desire one as Alice desired Sam the butcher.

MV Agusta today announced an updated range for the Superveloce family. What started as a limited-edition motorcycle with eye-catching styling inspired by MVs from the past has received so much fanfare that MV has pumped it into full production. So, what does a new year bring? Not much, except for one major improvement.

Congratulations! You’ve decided to do your first track day. Welcome to what will likely be your next addiction. Riding on the racetrack is a ton of fun and allows you to explore your limits in a much safer environment than the street. Your friends and riding buddies have probably told you this before, and we’re guessing it’s why you’ve decided to sign up for your first outing. You’re understandably excited, and probably nervous, too. Don’t worry, your friendly MO staff are here to help.

Everybody wants to win the heritage war, including Royal Enfield, who claim they’re the oldest motorcycle marque out there in continuous production – since 1901. Does it matter that about half those years were in India? I guess it shouldn’t. Do car manufacturers battle it out to be the oldest?

From the brand that has brought you some of the most innovative aftermarket accessories for your motorcycle, Rizoma has done it again. Taking inspiration from the world of aeronautics and merging it with its massive racing experience, Rizoma has created a supersport mirror unlike any other – the Stealth.

The first thing you need to know is that we are not trained professionals. The second thing you need to know is that we’re not trained medical professionals either. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, we wanted to put together a basic overview of what a macro look at motorcycle-specific first aid and best safety practices might entail. We won’t be touching topics like, how to clean wounds, how to splint a leg, or how to reattach an appendage. I mean, yea, we’ve seen Frankenstien, we could probably stitch someone back together. Seems easy enough, but we’ll leave that to the pros and mad scientists. 

Being the resident sportbike guy at MO didn’t just happen overnight. I’ve been fortunate enough to have some good mentors in my early days of riding that prevented me from riding myself straight off a cliff. Then, through the perks that come with a job like this, I’ve been extremely lucky to receive the coaching of some of the best riders – and teachers – this sport has to offer.

The Aprilia Tuono 660 is a bike that I’ve been eager to ride since I first laid eyes on the pretty production-ready looking concept at EICMA 2019. Even through what was left of my tired red occhi, dried from so many hours of planes, trains, and automobiles (what I would give for that now!), I was digging the “naked” version of the RS660 more than the sportybike itself.

The 2021 Kawasaki KLX300SM might be the best new beginner motorcycle on the market. Did that get you fired up? Lemme ‘splain. It’s obvious that the new KLX300SM can be a lot of fun for riders of all levels, but there are some clear advantages of a supermoto-style motorcycle for the uninitiated. 

So you want to drag your knee, huh? We get it. Scraping your knee puck on the ground looks cool, and if you’re in the business of looking cool on motorcycles like we are, then it helps provide a little bit of job security. But putting your knee on the ground is not just a way to get more likes on the ‘gram, it can also be a useful tool to gauge how far over you’re leaning your motorcycle. In this tutorial, I’ll tell you how.

In recent years, motorcycles like the 2021 Kawasaki KLX300 have become increasingly more popular, not only due to its small displacement, but also because it gives riders the versatility of having a mount that’s street legal while being able to handle duties in the dirt without being too intimidating. The KLX update couldn’t come at a better time for folks interested in dual-sport motorcycles. In a world ravaged by COVID-induced change, motorcycling – particularly the off-road segment – has enjoyed a welcome surge of interest for those looking for a new way to fill their time while still maintaining a safe distance from their fellow humans. 

Triumph has managed to squeak by without much fanfare regarding its TE-1 electric motorcycle prototype for the past two years, partially because it has distracted us with rollouts of so many new or updated models, all with internal combustion engines. Triumph also pulled it off by releasing a press release in 2019 stating its TE-1 project… then staying virtually silent about it all this time later. The onset of a global pandemic also helped steer people’s minds away from the project, but today Triumph has announced it has completed phase 2 of its TE-1 electric motorcycle project, and the details, while still a little vague, already look very promising. It should, considering the talent behind the project. 

You have to be careful what you say in meetings. We were yukking it up over unlikely Top 10 ideas the other day, when I threw out “Most Revolutionary Harleys.” A few weeks later, here we are. The joke’s on me. After a little investigation and contemplation, it turns out a bunch of Harleys were pretty revolutionary, in the context of Harley-Davidson at least. And when you start bagging on Harley for being a bit hidebound, you also need to step back and try to remember the last time Honda ventured outside its box? Or Suzuki? The bigger and older the company, the more things stay the same – mostly because that’s how the customer likes it. But not so much these ten things:

The Multistrada has always been an exciting machine. It showcases Ducati’s sporting heritage in an upright touring-focused package that has been an absolute weapon in the canyons for some time thanks to its sporty V-Twin and 17-inch wheel combo. The latter, however, is exactly why the big Ducati could never quite hang with its ADV rivals when the pavement ran out. In addition to the stonking Granturismo V4, which has been specifically designed for adventure touring, the `21 Multi now features a 19/17-inch wheel combo that makes all the difference when the road runs out.

“E” for ETHOS is in the air, people are starting to take action instead of just saying they care about the atmosphere. Purchasing electric cars, reusable grocery bags, cups, paper straws, and the repurposing of man-made matter; recycling is on the rise everywhere. Serial 1 ebike is Harley Davidson’s delve into the e-ssisted bicycle – announced in November of 2020. It’s also a clear connection to the re-cycling of heritage, since Harley’s first motorcycle ever is referred to as Serial 1. Harley-Davidson’s engineering strength, production prowess, and resources reaped from the love of feeling the freedom of two-wheeled mobility inspires the clear connection between Harley-Davidson motorcycles and its brand new bicycle brand. In fact, Serial 1 is now its own Lehi, Utah-based company, with H-D holding a large part of the equity.

AMA Supersport racing starring Anthony Gobert and Aaron Yates, laps around Willow Springs… on the 59th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, Yamaha dropped the 2001 R6 on the American press and MO. Though the R6 empire did not last 1000 years, many think this was its finest hour. I mean, some people are saying it.

We’ve already expended a ton of pixels talking about the new Harley-Davidson Pan America, most recently here. But Harley put out even more detailed pics and info in this release a few weeks ago about the all-new 1250 Revolution Max, or “Revmax” V-twin engine, that’s going to power it. 

MT-07, and its spunky 689 twin-cylinder motor, has always been a crowd favorite at MO. MT-10 was an immediate hit with its crazy crossplane 999 cc R1 motor… MT-03 is fine for getting your feet wet… but MT- (nee FZ)-09 has never seemed to quite exactly hit the mark, even though it was close enough to win MO’s coveted Best Value award in 2015.

Different is good. Change is good. Not fitting precisely into a predetermined category is good. That was the take-away from many when the Indian FTR1200 hit the market in 2019. Made in America with naked bike styling, a flat-track-esque wheel combo, and a rowdy performance-focused V-Twin engine, the FTR was unlike anything to come from an American manufacturer for quite some time – and arguably the best culmination of its mass-produced parts ever assembled Stateside. 

This February it was all about five middleweight adventure bikes; 20 Febs ago it was all about five middleweight sportbikes, in our annual World Supersport Shootout. Wait, four: We have no Kawasaki, but we do have a Ducati 748S. We also have tiny photos and solos by MO founder, Brent Plummer, and by Roland Sands and the usual fin de siecle MO suspects. And so, without further adieu…

Who’s the most exciting motorcycle manufacturer in the world? It’s Kawasaki, and I wasn’t really aware of the fact until they loaned us a few supercharged motorcycles: an H2 SX SE a couple of years ago, followed up lately by an H2 Carbon sportbike, and now an Z H2 naked bike. What they all have in common is Kawi’s excellent supercharged 998 cc inline Four – an engine that made over 200 rear-wheel horsepower in the H2 Carbon without really even breaking a sweat: 205.5 hp @ 11,600 rpm. It helps that all the Rivermark-branded systems surrounding those engines are top-notch as well.

Remember back in the day of group gatherings how hard it could be to find time in everyone’s busy schedules to congregate? To get together for a week-long ride or some other getaway? Without fail everything would start to slot into place just in time for your best friend to have something come up. You’d try to reschedule and that too would fall apart for one reason or another. The phrase “herding cats” comes to mind. Locking down this group of middleweight adventure bikes was kind of like that. It’s a test we’ve been attempting to schedule for six months. As is always the case, some “friends” are more reliable than others. 

The obvious choice to follow-up the RS660 in Aprilia’s lineup, the Noale-based factory has now officially released details on the 2021 Tuono 660. Taking a page from the RSV4/Tuono V4 playbook, the smaller siblings share the same relation, as the Tuono 660 is essentially a “stripped down” version of its RS brother, meant first and foremost to be ridden on the street.Everything You

No category in motorcycling right now is as hot as the middleweight adventure bike category, with the flames ignited by the likes of the KTM 890 Adventure R and Yamaha Tenere 700. Two very different motorcycles with one common objective, the MO crew has finally been able to gather the KTM and Yamaha together for a right ‘ol shootout. While we were at it, we brought the BMW F850GS Adventure, Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel, and Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro along for the ride in a classic MO extravaganza. 

We’ve come a long way in 20 years, brothers and sisters, not only in terms of motorcycles but also in terms of how we describe the feelings they arouse. Speaking of aroused, you’ll have to forgive MO for some of its sexist descriptors herein; 20 years ago, we had not yet undergone gender sensitivity training. We’re better now. If anything, we deserve credit for avoiding any hint of racism, even though 20 years ago the Open Class Shootout was an all-Japanese affair, a classic Big Four blow-out. (Dunno why there’s no Ducati 998?) In any case, looking backward at six months before 9/11/2001, the world was our far less-tense, eight-wheeled oyster.

Motorcycle journalists have it good. Getting to ride the latest and greatest motorcycles is clearly a dream, and every once in a while, the result of us spending so much time with a particular model is it eventually becoming a permanent part of our collection. Obviously, a handover of cash has to happen, but there really isn’t a better way to get to know a motorcycle before buying it.

I’ve been fortunate enough to attend the last two Ducati Multistrada press launches for MO. In late 2017, I was in Gran Canaria putting the then-new Multistrada 1260 through an endless series of switchbacks up the side of a volcano. I came away thoroughly impressed with the chassis and quickness of that big adventure/sport/touring bike. In addition to the motorcycle’s natural ability, the electronics suite allowed the ride to be tailored to fit a large swath of rider preferences. From the throttle response to the suspension – all was easily adjusted with the handlebar’s switchgear. It was the swiss army knife of motorcycles, I thought.

One of the hardest things about growing old is seeing all your friends die off, okay, acquaintances. Also, some of the motorcycles we’ve grown up with and loved. Unlike discontinued humans, at least these motorcycles will still be around for years, and some will even be great bargains. But once the dealers sell them all, that will be that. For some of them, it’s good riddance; for others, we may have to shed a little tear… But, you know there will always be other exciting new bikes sprouting up to replace them. It’s the circle, the circle of life.

It says something when the biggest talking point about an updated motorcycle is the electronics package, but that’s exactly where we’ll begin as today MV Agusta has announced its updated Brutale and Dragster lineup for 2021.

If you’ve been following the minimoto space, you’ve probably heard of the Ohvale name. The Italian company pumping out mini road racers has been a hot topic of conversation in trackday and racing circles. We all know that riding big bikes on a racetrack is a thrill unlike any other. But it’s also true that riding full-size sportbikes at trackdays can be pretty expensive – up the ante even more if you decide to go race. Beyond the cost of the bike itself, you’ve got trackday fees, fuel costs, and tire bills. The costs go up even more if you have to schlep it a long way from home and find lodging for a night or two.

I get it. I understand all of us don’t want to be seen in public, especially in certain publics, on a Honda NC750X virtue signalling our tiny, 745cc 60-mpg carbon footprint. Nor does everybody want to assert their elite adventurousness aboard an Africa Twin in $2000 worth of Gore-Tex® regalia if they’re not all that interested in striking off into the hinterlands – especially if they already live there. You might get away with those things in California, but everybody doesn’t live in Lala-land. Only 12% of Americans. And plenty of them aren’t interested in being Power Rangers either.

You want more Harley content, you got it. Render unto MO what is Caesar’s. In this mercifully short, action-photo free H-D Springer Softail review from 25 years ago, Fortune’s son guides us along the road to simpler times, on a bike that’s “good as long as the road is smooth, and the distance to travel short.” Amen.

Back in December, I included the KTM 890 Adventure R in our selection of most anticipated motorcycles of 2021. This was a list of the staff’s most anticipated bikes, mind you. As I mentioned there, the bike was hot on my mind because I knew I would have the chance to swing a leg over it soon. I mean, how could I not be excited about a motorcycle that is capable of long days of travel while simultaneously being able to tackle the toughest terrain you’re willing to take it over. Folks the likes of Chris Birch and Quinn Cody have shown that the KTM isn’t likely to be the limiting factor. If you have the talent, the Adventure R will get it done. 

Back in December of 2020 I wrote about the second coming of the Lightfighter electric superbike I’ve been fortunate enough to pilot over the course of the past two seasons. For those unfamiliar, in early 2019 two electric motorcycle die-hards – Brian Wismann and Ely Schless – designed and built a battery-powered racing motorcycle in their free time focusing on a geometry-first design ethos as opposed to the battery-first design that had basically become de rigueur in the e-bike world. 

Customization is a staple of motorcycle ownership, and when it comes to sprucing up the looks of modern sportbikes, there’s no better way to get dramatic and eye-catching results than to turn to aftermarket fairings. Then again, maybe you’ve had the unfortunate fate of crashing your sportbike and damaging the stock bodywork. Aftermarket fairings are a great way to replace your damaged bodywork at a fraction of the cost of new, while also injecting some personalization at the same time. Whatever your reason, you should look to Monster Fairings for your aftermarket bodywork needs.

Right, this is my list. Okay, my list with quite a bit of input courtesy of a little social media crowdsourcing and consultation with my Motorcycle.com brethren. Some things to bear in mind include that as motojournalists, we never lived with any of these for more than a few months at most, so the list isn’t about long-term reliability or cost of ownership. It’s more like dislike at first ride that gets no better with time. Most of the things that relegate a bike to Ten Worst of the Modern Era might be remediated, given enough time and money: Every worst bike here, with the proper amount of love, money, and squinting, could be transformed into someone’s else’s dream bike – just not mine. If one of the bikes on my worst list is your baby, I humbly apologize in advance. Post pics in the Comments at the end to prove I’m a MOron.

Harley-Davidson announced the bulk of its 2021 lineup in a virtual launch event last week, highlighting the updates to its Softail, touring and CVO models. The launch was different for Harley-Davidson in two ways. For one, it was held completely virtually in a 40-minute video, a necessity during a global pandemic. It was also unusual in that it was held in the middle of January instead of the traditional September. As outlined in Harley-Davidson’s Rewire plan, this looks to be a permanent change moving forward, positioning the new model launch closer to the start of the riding season.

Good news, dual-sport fans; the Kawasaki KLR650 is back. One of Kawasaki’s most popular models since its introduction in 1987, the return of the KLR650 for the 2022 model year (to be released in the 2021 calendar year – yeah, we know it’s confusing) is sure to bring a huge smile on the faces of those who are intrigued by the rise of adventure bikes lately, but want something more… utilitarian.

The OG naked/ hooligan/streetfighter has received a ground up redesign for the 2021 model year. Triumph tells us it has left no stone unturned with every single component new from tip to top. From the chassis to the new 1160 cc Triple, the latest Speed Triple RS is said to be the, “Fastest accelerating, most powerful, highest torque Speed Triple ever with a hair-raising new sound.”  

Now that we can use our phones for so many things, they rarely leave our side – or hands in many cases. You can use your phone to pay at the grocery store, to hook up with randos via dating apps, and, of course, for GPS. Other bits of info you might want access to while you ride may include your music or seeing who’s calling/messaging or perhaps some cool new app from your motorcycle manufacturer. Other motorcyclists don’t want to have anything to do with their phone while riding, but even those Luddites need directions from time to time. With Rokform’s rugged case and universal mount, you get a solid mounting option that will connect to any Ram Mount-style ball receiver, and a stout phone case that attaches to it. 

For a couple of years there’ve been rumors suggesting there’s a new Hayabusa on the way, and with that old warhorse currently MIA from Suzuki’s list of returning 2021 models, the buzz has grown a bit louder that Suzuki’s fixing to spring a new World’s Fastest Production Motorcycle on the world. This time we’ll be a bit less unsuspecting than we were in 1999, and this time, it won’t be so easy a feat for Suzuki to pull off, given the existence of the Kawasaki H2 Carbon, which made an honest 206-rear-wheel horsepower on our dyno last November.

There are many reasons why motorcycles (unfortunately) get put away to storage: repairs, restorations, and sometimes life in general means you have to put the bike away for a while. For most of us though, winter is the most obvious reason motorcycles get put away, and as we type this winter has begun to rear its ugly head in the way of snowstorms and bitter cold in many regions of the US. Unfortunately, for many motorcyclists, that means a long depressing few months of storing away your beloved two-wheeled friend from the elements. For long-term storage, it’s best to get yourself a smart battery charger to maintain the optimum voltage level to be sure your bike’s battery voltage doesn’t drop to potentially damaging levels, leaving you unable to ride when that first nice day comes around. Remember, you want to avoid the cheap chargers that continuously charge your battery without any regard for its current voltage. These “dumb” chargers can actually damage your battery and should never be used.

Updated to clarify suspension specification.

The 2021 Kawasaki KX250X is essentially the same motorcycle as the ‘21 KX250(F) with a few necessary changes to convert the motocrosser to an off-road racing machine. That’s not a bad thing by any means, particularly because the KX250F just received a major overhaul this year. Since this “new” model marks Kawasaki’s focus on off-road racing – a genre it has had major success in in the past – we couldn’t wait to get our hands on this latest model. 

The good news is Aprilia has given the 2021 RSV4 and Tuono some major updates. The bad news is these two photos are all we currently have of the two bikes.

The worst-kept secret in the moto world for 2021 is finally here, as we now have official information about the upcoming 2021 Aprilia Tuono 660. I say it’s the worst-kept secret because Aprilia itself teased the bike back in November of 2019, and the official photos you’ll find all over this story don’t look too far removed from the ones back then. 

With news of the Yamaha R6 going the way of the dodo bird, we thought it fitting to take a look back through the Motorcycle.com archives to see all the things we’ve written about Yamaha’s mighty little sportbike. Like the R6, Motorcycle.com has gone through a few changes since its inception in 1994, but fortunately for us, we’ve (barely) been around just long enough to see the R6’s journey. What follows is a trip through time with all the R6 stories that haven’t been lost during various server changes in MO’s history.

If you’ve been following me on social media at all in 2020 (I’m @motrizzle, in case you’re wondering), you’ve probably noticed my feed is littered with pics of a certain orange motorcycle. It’s not that common for a single bike to dominate my feed considering the different number of bikes I get to ride (pre-pandemic, anyway). But this one is different. Both literally and figuratively. The Lightfighter electric superbike plays such a dominant role in my feed because I have a personal stake in it. I helped develop it. And now, for version 2.0, a physical object built around my feedback would be the proof in the pudding to determine whether I have any idea what I’m talking about.

There are just a few days left in 2020, which means there’s enough time for yet another year-end list. We’ve already gone through our most read reviews and shootout comparisons of 2020, and now we continue with the most read motorcycle news from the past 12 months.

I wondered out loud the other day, during a MO conference call, how many new motorcycles still have carburetors? Not much more than a day later, Dennis Chung shared an Excel spreadsheet with all of them. It’s about what you’d expect: Three Rokon Rangers, Suzuki and Yamaha DS and TW200s, Honda’s XR650L soldiers on alongside Suzuki’s DR-Z400s and DR-650s… the Honda Ruckus still has a carburetor. Beyond that, there are a bunch of Kymco and lesser-known small-displacement scooters you’ve never heard of. I have never had the pleasure of seeing, much less riding, Taizhou Handa Engine Science Co., Ltd.’s Adonis, Defender, Discovery, Excursion, Falcon, Falcon R, Super, Super R, Vestalian, or Wasp.

Even before I first rode the Aprilia RS660, I feared this would finally be the bike that made my beloved Suzuki SV650 obsolete. Other bikes have tried – namely the Kawasaki Z/Ninja 650 and Yamaha’s MT-07 – but none have truly made me believe the ‘ol SV’s time in the spotlight was done. 

At Motorcycle.com, we do everything we can to get our greasy mitts on the latest and greatest motorcycling has to offer throughout the year. That includes shootouts, gear testing, and single motorcycle reviews. Even in a year as fraught with challenges as 2020, our staff continued to work hard, actually doubling our normal content generation during the first half of the COVID-induced lockdowns. The self-isolating nature of motorcycling also made it easier for us to continue with business as usual when it came to testing and shooting in order to keep fresh content flowing to Motorcycle.com.