Tag: Adventure Motorcycles
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The Colonel
What makes travel by motorcycle so memorable is how visceral it is. You are open to the elements, and by being so, more susceptible to its proclivities. Wind, rain, snow, intense sun, and heat are all part of the journey, all part of the fabric of travel. It requires concentration, attention, and situational awareness. But…
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Rides to Remember
Characters Fill Motorcycle Seats This June I’ll be riding down to the National Moto Guzzi Rally in John Day, Oregon. Although I’ve been to Oregon, I haven’t had the chance to discover the beauty of the state in enough detail to truly say I’ve been there. To have a feel for a place you need…
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What Happens When the Chinese, Out-Japanese the Japanese?
How History Repeats Itself Fifty-six years ago, I was a fifteen-year-old Grade X high-school student who wanted freedom and cool transportation that was reliable, at a price I could afford. For me, that boiled down to only one of two possibilities. Either buy an old car and spend all my spare time and money on…
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So, You Want to Buy Your First Bike?
Just My Take Buying your first bike, ever, or your first bike in a long time can be an interesting journey. It depends on a range of factors, and none of them should be overlooked. Some, depending on your age or physical health, are obvious, while others are more dependent upon one’s mental state. I…
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CFMoto Ibex 800T
Impressive Features, Excellent Warranty Today I got the opportunity to look over the CFMoto Ibex 800T, and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. It’s obvious that CFMoto’s partnership with KTM has paid big dividends, and its competitors, such as the Kawasaki Versys 650 ($14,000 without a number of accessories found on the CFMoto and…
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Moto Morini Coming to Canada?
According to Canada MotoGuide.com they Are. Moto Morini is a company that many Canadian motorcyclists will never have heard of. Now wholly owned by China’s Zhongneng Vehicle Group, the bikes are made in China as well. Though the motorcycles have a long lineage in Italy (1937), the company has changed hands numerous times with incremental…
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2024 BMW F900 Review
Redesigned for 2024, the F900 is in the hottest segment of motorcycling. Mid-weight adventure bikes are hardly new to BMW, having been in their lineup since 2009. And not surprisingly, according to Rider Magazine, the F900 is the finest iteration of the mid-sized GS to date. With a displacement of 895cc’s delivering 105 hp, the…
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Moto Guzzi Stelvio Review 2024
If Moto Guzzi is your cup of tea, and you are looking for an Adventure-Tourer versus a mile-eating Sport-Tourer, you may find that the Stelvio is more to your liking. With the same 1042 power plant as the Mandello, the Stelvio’s 115 hp 77.4 lb-ft of torque is mostly available at very low rpm (82%).…
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I Want a Swiss Army Knife of a Bike!
These days, motorcycles seem to fall into distinctive categories. So much so, that when a person buys a bike, they seem to buy it for a ‘specific’ purpose. Interestingly, I’ve actually wondered if a smaller bike offers advantages that outweigh many of the obvious disadvantages, particularly if you want to travel off-road. First, most adventure…
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Do You Hear Something?
About 52 years ago I took an extensive road trip on a Triumph T100R that I had arranged a loan on, and for which I had provided that individual with my car in lieu of payment. A buddy of mine, Dick, was a novice motorcyclist, and the two newbies that we were decided to take…