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Apr 24
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Honda CBR300R ABS 2022 : Road Test

By General Posts

by Kyle Smith from https://www.hagerty.com/

Picture this: You’re hanging around the Rock Store at the top of Mulholland Highway with your rental Camry the day before you fly home. The leather-clad crowd around praises the virtues of the GSXR600 chassis and the electronics package on the R1 for what seems like hours before a voice from the ether comes down and declares that, in fact, all of that sucks. Instead the holy follow the real truth of Slow Bike Fast.

This truly enlightened rider who belongs to that voice is astride a miniscule machine that looks like a sportbike that stayed in the dryer just a bit too long and has an exhaust note like a mix of an old enduro machine and the Singer your mom used to repair your jeans way back when. Is this person insane or a prophet? There’s only one way to say for sure. I took the Honda CBR300R out for a week of playing in the canyons alongside some high-horsepower (and highly capable) machines to see if it truly held up.

This 250cc-400cc market segment is now a packed class, with the KTM RC390, Yamaha R3, Kawasaki Ninja 400, and Suzuki GSX250R all competing for both attention from new riders and track rats alike. That is two very different subsets of buyers but it all boils down to similar wants and desires: Reliability, approachability, and fun factor.

Honda comes right out and calls the 300 a commuter machine in some of its press materials. It is an evolution of the CBR250R which lived from 2011 to 2015, after which the engine was upsized to the current 286cc. The non-ABS equipped model comes in at $4,899 plus $600 in destination and freight charges. Add in the well-tuned ABS, as seen on our test bike, and the price rises to just $5,099. Either trim can be had in grand prix red or matte gray metallic.

The engine is not the main reason I would recommend this bike though. It’s the chassis that gives the baby CBR the most fun character. A scant 30” seat height is the first thing that stood out when I threw my leg over the bike for the first time. My 32” inseam means that I am rarely bothered by seat heights, but the CBR’s lower seat combined with the narrowness of the chassis to feel playful to me. Riding through twists and turns was an absolute delight.

Straight line speed was not astonishing, but the Honda still moved quickly enough to be safe and fun. Unfortunately, those canyon roads were a place the CBR’s suspension really showed its pricepoint and intended use case. The fork is sprung on the soft side and the rear begs for more rebound damping.

The dash consists of a simple analog sweep tachometer and LCD display for speed, distance, and other necessary measurements. Simple and functional. A cable-pull clutch and hydraulic front brake round out the rider touchpoints.

The ready-to-ride weight comes in at just 354 pounds and it very much feels like it. The single front brake measures just 296mm diameter, with 220mm rear disc and the combination has no problem slowing the CBR. The ABS threshold is fairly high, as we had to work to get it to intervene but it cycled quickly and consistently once engaged.

(Editor’s note: I think the 320cc Yamaha R3, which I’ve ridden quite a bit, feels even lighter on its feet — Jack Baruth)

The CBR is a delight to ride just about everywhere. The only place it fell short was highway riding. Honda claims a top speed just shy of 100mph, but 70mph felt busy on the little machine and the tach needle fluttered in the top third of its range. Will it do it? Yes. If that is your main use though, the larger CBR500R is likely a better fit.

Once off the superslab we had no trouble racking up miles on the comfortable seat. The bike just was not tiring to ride like most small-displacement bikes tend to be.

The low seat height and light weight combine with smooth controls to make a very beginner-friendly package.

It’s also one that veteran riders will find playful to ride–this is the core of “Slow Bike Fast.”

The little CBR is not the perfect motorcycle, but it is a great second (or third) bike; delightful to ride, and once you have one you will likely find yourself reaching for its keys more than you would think.

Mar 01
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Motorcycle Tires Vs. Car Tires

By General Posts

What are the Differences?

by Isabella Brown

When most people think about tires, they think about the rubber that sits underneath their car or motorcycle.

They might not give a lot of thought to the different types of tires available on the market, but there are a lot of options out there for both cars and motorcycles.

What are differences in design, traction, tread life, price, maintenance that make it ideal for particular vehicle or motorcycle?

CLICK HERE To Read this Article on Bikernet.com

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Mar 01
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Alt-Rock Cruisers: BMW targets American brand’s market

By General Posts

by Jack Baruth from Hagerty.com

BMW R18 meets Indian Challenger and Harley Heritage Classic

The slightly ridiculous 1800cc, two-cylinder, leather-saddlebag, CHiPs-windshielded cruiser I’m trying to force through six stopped lanes of Los Angeles traffic can’t be taken as anything but an admission on the part of the Bayerische Motoren Werke that Harley-Davidson knows

a) what boys like;
b) what men want …

in America, anyway.

CLICK HERE To Read a comprehensive Road Test & Review of the cruiser models from the 3 motorcycle brands.

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Feb 21
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Ride Review: Harley-Davidson Touring ST Models for 2022

By General Posts

by Dustin Wheelen from https://www.rideapart.com/

Balancing the raceway and the roadway.

Automotive and motorcycle dealers popularized the term “Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday” in the 1960s. While both motorsport and vehicle sales tactics have evolved over the decades, most manufacturers still leverage on-track supremacy for showroom success—including Harley-Davidson.

From the hillclimb to the drag strip, from board tracking to flat tracking, racing has been in the Motor Company’s DNA since Walter Davidson won the 1908 Endurance and Reliability Run. However, Harley’s Post-War production lineup made the brand synonymous with cross-country tourers in the latter half of the 20th century. Despite the XR750 becoming the winningest motorcycle in AMA (American Motorcycle Association) history and the company’s countless NHRA drag racing titles, the FL Touring platform remains the Bar and Shield’s top seller.

When MotoAmerica introduced the King of the Baggers (KotB) Invitational in 2020, the one-off race merged Harley’s flagship tourers with its racing lineage. Unfortunately, the MoCo’s first outing fell short of the top step, but the Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson team seized the 2021 KotB championship with Kyle Wyman in the saddle. H-D is wasting no time—or development dollar—following that title run, equipping the 2022 Street Glide ST and Road Glide ST with track-worthy components.

To test just how much race-bred technology has trickled down to its production models, the Motor Company invited us to Wilcox, Arizona to spin some laps around the inimitable Inde Motorsports Ranch. Harley certainly handled business on Sundays this previous season, and with the new ST range, it hopes to also dominate the competition on dealership floors.

Turning A Corner
With the U.S.’s interstate system crossing vast expanses of land, the Street Glide and Road Glide families prioritize comfort and convenience. Packing a six-gallon fuel tank, sub-27-inch seat heights, and a 64-inch wheelbase, the long-distance tourers allow travelers to munch miles to their heart’s content. On the other hand, track duty calls for a different set of attributes, and Harley outfits the ST models accordingly.

The design team lightens the load by trimming the front fender, adopting low-profile engine guards, and ditching the passenger pegs and seat. Harley developed the new saddle specifically for the ST tourers. That single-seat locks the rider in a more commanding position. The leather cover also allows users to smoothly slide across the saddle, easing side-to-side transitions through chicanes and back-to-back corners.

Gone are the Special trim’s stretched bags too. That decision may reduce luggage capacity from 2.7 cu-ft to 2.3 cu-ft, but it also supports the MoCo’s weight-cutting regiment. The efforts pay off as well, with the Road Glide ST saving 11 pounds at 842 pounds and the Street Glide ST coming in 13 pounds under its Special counterpart at 814 pounds.

To raise the ride height, H-D engineers exchanged the standard Street Glide and Road Glide rear shocks for units found on the Road King. The suspension swap bolsters rear wheel travel from 2.1 inches to 3 inches and stiffens the chassis for spirited direction changes. That nearly extra inch of travel may not increase maximum lean angle (31 degrees left, 32 degrees right), but it does modestly reduce trail to 6.7 inches.

What doesn’t show up on the spec sheet though is the confidence that the borrowed shock provides. In fast, sweeping bends, the STs feel planted and stable, encouraging riders to incrementally increase speed with each lap. Under acceleration, the shocks also accurately communicate grip, notifying the rider of the slightest slip of the rear wheel.

Both ST Glides retain the 49mm Dual Bending Valve Showa front end featured on all H-D Touring models, but the new rear suspension is a noticeable upgrade on the track. Performance-oriented customers will undoubtedly spring for the Screamin’ Eagle and Ohlins co-branded front and rear suspension upgrades in the long run, but the stock equipment does surprisingly well in the meantime.

Mo’ Powah!
The Street Glide ST and Road Glide ST may not boast the massive 131ci (2,151cc) Milwaukee-Eight V-twin powering the firm’s 2022 KotB race steed, but the performance baggers join the new Low Rider ST as the only non-CVO models touting the company’s 117ci (1,923cc) engine. Thanks to the mill’s 10.2:1 compression ratio, camshafts, high-flow air intake, and exhaust, the V-twin pumps out 127 lb-ft of torque and 106 horsepower.

Those numbers may sound daunting on the spec sheet, but the STs’ fueling and linear powerband make big-bore V-twin surprisingly tractable. The powerplant still offers gobs of torque on demand, but the smooth roll-on makes most of that 127 lb-ft (at the crank) quite useable. Again, those pushing for performance can always bump displacement to 128ci (2,097cc) or 131 ci (2,151cc) with the Screamin’ Eagle catalog.

Following a morning spent nailing apexes on the track, we rolled the Street Glide ST and Road Glide ST onto the surrounding highways, testing the performance baggers’ touring prowess on the open road. The 117ci engine may soup up the STs to set new lap records, but the V-twin remains ultra-smooth at speed.

In sixth gear, the Milwaukee-Eight spins just over 2,500 rpm at 70 mph and just below 3,000 rpm at 75 mph. Minor vibrations only course through the floorboards at 3,500, and the bars faintly buzz at 4,500. However, with the air/oil-cooled V-twin’s 5,500-rpm redline, those negligible tremors never become troublesome over the long haul.

While that even-keeled nature may be perfect for road trips, it can become problematic under heavy acceleration, especially in the lower gears. Due to the smoothness, I frequently hit the rev limiter before realizing I was banging on the 5,500-rpm redline. With time and practice, owners will be able to bypass that issue, but it squandered drive and momentum more than a few times on the road and track.

Middle-of-the-Road
Most Harley bagger fans have a preference between the Street Glide and Road Glide models. Chalk it up to aesthetics, creature comforts, or fairing coverage, but Harlistas typically favor one FL over the other. While ST variants offer the same track-oriented upgrades, they still have a personality all their own. For that reason, the Street Glide ST performed best on the track while the Road Glide ST proved its merit on the interstate.

With its fork-mounted fairing, the Street Glide ST offers enhanced visibility on track, allowing riders to keep their eyes on lines, apexes, and corner exits. However, the Street Glide’s short windscreen introduces turbulent buffeting to the rider’s helmet on the highway. That’s a problem that Harley’s Parts & Accessories (P&A) catalog can easily remedy but it’s never an issue on the raceway, where pilots frequently duck behind the fairing on long straights.

Conversely, the Road Glide ST’s frame-mounting fairing stretches away from the rider, providing comprehensive wind protection. That attribute comes in handy while touring, but the broad fairing also obstructs visibility on the track. In addition to wind protection and visibility, weight will play a role on closed courses. The Street Glide ST may shed 13 pounds off the Special trim, but its 814-pound wet weight is nearly 30 pounds under the Road Glide ST’s 842-pound curb weight.

That’s no small difference on the circuit, where every advantage matters, but most owners will use the ST models for long-distance trips, weekend canyon rips, and the occasional track day. With premium features like a Boom! Box GTS system, 6.5 TFT display, and two 5.25-inch speakers, we highly doubt that owners will want to risk sending their $29,999 bagger into a gravel trap. Instead, the ST line functions as a great starter kit for those interested in starting a performance bagger build, not a dedicated race bike.

Conclusion
Ultimately, the Street Glide ST and Road Glide ST are balanced entries into the performance bagger genre that don’t sacrifice too much on-road practicality for on-track performance. Despite lacking touring-friendly features like heated grips and stretched bags, the STs allow owners to ride to the track in the morning, spin laps all day, and cruise back home at sunset.

While the Street Glide and Road Glide may dip their toe into the performance end of the pool with the ST range, bagger racing is still in its infancy. If the MoCo continues to win on Sunday and sell on Monday, we can expect even more performance-focused components from Harley’s P&A and Screamin’ Eagle arms. Brembo radial master cylinder, a quickshifter, and 17-inch wheels come to mind first, but we’ll have to wait and see what the Motor Company cooks up following the 2022 King of the Baggers season.

Sep 18
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Spec Showdown: Harley-Davidson Sportster S Vs. Indian Scout

By General Posts

by Dustin Wheelen from https://www.rideapart.com

An American middleweight melee.

For decades, the Harley-Davidson Sportster dominated the American middleweight V-twin class, mostly by dint of being the only American middleweight V-twin. Without a top contender to challenge its reign, the Motor Company only issued modest upgrades since 1986. However, that all changed when the Indian Scout burst onto the scene in 2015.

Heavily based on the Victory Octane, the revived Scout paired Indian’s rich heritage with thoroughly modern equipment. The liquid-cooled, DOHC, 1,133cc V-twin was the antithesis of Harley’s ancient air-cooled Evo engine. Compared to the Sportster’s signature teardrop tank and engine cooling fins, the Scout’s low-slung stance and neo-bobber aesthetic presented a viable alternative to Harley’s aging platform.

Facing a formidable foe and new emissions regulations, the Bar and Shield telegraphed its counterpunch when it revealed the Custom 1250 in July, 2018. Nearly three years later, that haymaker finally landed when Harley officially announced the 2021 Sportster S.

Complete with a liquid-cooled, DOHC, 1,252cc V-twin, the new Sportster’s spec sheet now stands toe-to-toe with the Scout. Of course, we won’t know who wins the battle in the showroom until the Sportster S arrives at dealerships. For now, however, the tale of the tape tells a fascinating story.

Overview
2021 Harley-Davidson Sportster S – Vs – 2021 Indian Scout

Middleweight Might
Featuring Harley’s shiny new Revolution Max 1250T, the 2021 Sportster now produces 121 horsepower and 94 lb-ft of torque. While the Scout previously set performance benchmarks for the category with 100 horsepower and 72 lb-ft of torque, Indian’s entry cruiser now looks outgunned. Of course, the Revolution Max V-twin touts a larger displacement, which helps the Sportster S steal that performance feather from Indian’s cap.

On top of that power deficit, the Scout lugs around 59 extra pounds, weighing in at 561 pounds compared to the Sportster’s 502-pound wet weight. Straightline acceleration and top speed define a motorcycle not, but agility goes to the Hog as well. With a 59.8-inch wheelbase, fully adjustable USD fork, and a linkage-equipped monoshock, the Sportster S outmaneuvers the Scout’s 62-inch wheelbase, conventional front end, and dual rear shocks.

Indian does outfit the Scout with a 16-inch wheelset shod in sticky Pirelli Night Dragon rubber while Harley opts for a 16-inch rear and 17-inch front. We could surmise that the smaller wheelset gives the Scout a handling edge if it weren’t for the Sportster’s specially-developed Dunlop GT503 tires. Thanks to an aggressive profile and sticky compound, the Dunlops compensate for the Sportster’s larger front wheel, helping to deliver a 34-degree lean angle compared to the Scout’s 29 degrees.

Novice-Friendly
Though Indian no longer holds the performance edge, the Scout still has a fighting chance. At 29.6 inches, the 2021 Sportster’s perch is a full four inches about the Scout’s 25.6-inch seat height. Most riders won’t have an issue with the Sporty’s seat height, which sags to 28.9-inches in the saddle, but even less will have problems with Indian’s low-slung seat. Of course, novice and inseam-challenged riders benefit most from a low seat height and the Scout is good option for that reason.

Conversely, Indian only offers optional ABS on the Scout while the Harley flaunts rider aids like traction control, cornering ABS, ride modes, and engine braking settings. On top of the full electronics suite, the Motor Company’s new round, four-inch TFT display also outshines the Scout’s analog speedometer and digital tachometer combo. Of course, you could reason the Scout’s spartan accommodations help beginners learn the ropes with a less cumbersome system, but it’s usually better to have rider aids and not need them as opposed to the other way around.

If we’re going to make any case for beginner-appropriate features, however, it should start with the brakes, and the Sportster delivers yet again. Championing a full Brembo braking system with a radially mounted four-piston front caliper, floating single-pot rear binder, and master cylinder, the Sportster S stops surprisingly well. On the other hand, the Scout’s single two-piston caliper up front and single-piston clamper in the rear don’t deliver as much stopping power as its counterpart.

The Final Decision:
Though the 2021 Harley-Davidson Sportster S walks away with nearly every round in its pocket, we still have to consider one very important detail: price. At $14,999, the souped-up Sporty is $3,000 over the Scout’s MSRP. Coupled with a 121-horsepower V-twin, Harley’s asking price could easily put the Sportster S out of most beginner’s grasp. When price is taken into account, the two cruisers stack up much more evenly, and may even cater to different customers/budgets.

With that said, we can’t wait to see how the Sportster and Scout duke it out in the future. Will Indian fight back with an even punchier V-twin? Will Harley offer a cheaper Sportster option without diluting too much performance? The middleweight cruiser class is a much more competitive environment these days, and we can’t wait to see Sportster and Scout continue to battle it out in the future.

Sep 14
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Ducati Multistrada V4 Outshines Competition at Alpen-Masters Contest

By General Posts

by Benny Kirk from https://www.autoevolution.com

Engineers and designers from Ducati must be riding high lately as their Multistrada V4 S took an overall victory in its class at the Alpen Masters competition, winning over a slew of competition from different manufacturers.

For those unfamiliar with Alpen Masters, it is an annual competition sanctioned by Motorrad, a German motoring magazine. In this comparison motorbikes for a wide range of segments gather to be put through a rigorous and demanding series of tests to determine which bike is the best manufactured that year.

This year’s test came from the Grossglockner Pass, one of the most famous alpine passes in the world, especially for motorcycles. These tests range from the mundane, like basic acceleration, braking, and handling tests, but also a couple of challenges meant to see what the bikes tested can do under adverse conditions.

The Multistrada V4’s clever new 1,158 cc (1.1 liter) V4 engine performed admirably throughout the battery of tests presented. The engine was lauded for its smooth power delivery and efficient operation under adverse load conditions. As was the in-house developed six-speed quick shift gearbox.

The engine elasticity test, for example, monitors a bike’s acceleration from 25kph (15.5 miles per hour) to 75 kph (46 miles per hour) going up a steep incline with a passenger on board. Against strong competition from brands like BMW, Kawasaki, KTM, and even another bike from Ducati, the Monster.

The Multistrada V4 performed better than all other competitions and placing first overall. It marked the first time such a competition was won by a manufacturer based outside of Germany or Austria.

Ducati announced in May of this year that the Multistrada V4 family has already sold 5,000 units worldwide. If it continues to win high-profile comparisons like the Alpen Masters, that publicity is sure to skyrocket even more.

PRESS RELEASE:

Every year, the prestigious German magazine Motorrad organises the Alpen-Masters, an important comparative test in which motorbikes from various segments compete against each other on the backdrop of the Alpine mountains, undergoing various tests. These include classic challenges such as acceleration, but also the engine elasticity test, which measures how quickly a motorbike in second gear can go from 25 km/h to 75 km/h with a passenger on board while riding up a steep incline, as well as a series of other components such as comfort level, aerodynamic protection and technical equipment. Over the years, the Alpen-Masters has become one of the most prestigious comparative tests in the world, and in 2021 the Ducati Multistrada V4 S came out on top.

Since its presentation in the first episode of the Ducati World Première 2021, the Multistrada V4 family immediately aroused extraordinary interest, being the logical evolution of a successful bike such as the 1200/1260 series, but with new features that immediately made it one of the references in the sector of the so-called Big Duals, i.e. bikes with a strong touring character, but also capable of off-road riding.

The setting for this year’s Alpen-Masters was the GrossGlockner, one of the most famous Alpine passes, especially for motorcyclists. Much appreciated both for the variety of the route and the impeccable condition of the asphalt surface, it remains one of the best roads to test and evaluate the qualities of a motorbike. Here the Multistrada V4 S was found to be very ready and was judged the best bike of the lot with the following motivation: “Mission accomplished. Bologna will be happy, as they have worked so hard to achieve this result. The Multistrada V4 is an excellent touring-enduro. Equipped to the max, it is a tireless companion both for daily commuting and for fully loaded motorcycling holidays. And you can even imagine yourself with it doing a few rounds on the track without being out of place. It was a narrow but well-deserved victory”.

For the record, the new Ducati Monster was also present at the test, where it performed well, finishing in the Top 5. The Multistrada V4 S joins a long list of successes that in previous editions had gone to only German and Austrian bikes, and this recognition is even more important precisely because it was issued by a German-language magazine. This comparative test is also published by other European magazines, including the Italian In Moto.

The Alpen-Masters is just the latest of the awards obtained by the Multistrada V4, which has been able to impose itself in various comparative tests all over the world, confirming the absolute value of the product and proposing itself as a complete bike at 360°.