June 2020

Wrangling Snakes and Dragons
There are many twisty roads in the Appalachian Mountains, and getting to the ones with reptilian names is as much fun as riding on them. My first pass from Marion down the Back of the Dragon in...
Read More
From Race Bike to Naked Bike
Yamaha’s race-proven YZF-R3, now shorn of its bodywork, has been stripped down to become an entry-level street fighter. I’ve always believed that when a motorcycle manufacturer takes a sport...
Read More
Fren Tubo
High-performance aftermarket brake lines that work. My 2018 Suzuki V-Strom 1000 has ABS, and a fine anti-lock braking system it is. Thanks to its five-axis Bosch IMU, the wheels won’t lock up, even...
Read More
Tragic Genius
A man with no formal motorcycle education designed and built one of the world’s most renowned motorcycles. The words “genius” and “tragedy” are often overstated, but it is surely beyond...
Read More
Abusing Our Bikes and Our Pride
There’s no greater satisfaction than completing a challenging off-road rally. “This is not a race.” Eric Russel’s stern tone rang in my head as I barrelled sideways toward a narrow trail...
Read More
New Genre, New Model
A crossover that bridges the gap between off-road-capable and hard-on-the-body sport bike. Methinks BMW likes inventing new vehicle classifications. Maybe they really do think they are inventing...
Read More