Hugh Janus

Will the Versys 1000 SE grow to 1,100cc, or do documents just show a change to the bike’s name? (Kawasaki/)New approval documents filed in Australia show that the 2025 Kawasaki Versys 1000 S (very similar to the Versys 1000 SE LT+ we get in the US) will be replaced with a new Versys 1100 S in the near future, but the biggest change might turn out to be the bike’s name. Kawasaki has been granted type approval for the new bike, with the marketing name “Versys 1100 S” and the model code KLZ1100B, but at the moment there’s a lack of additional information on the paperwork. Normally, these documents include some fairly detailed specifications including power, dimensions, tire information, and even photographs of the bike that the approval covers but, in this instance, there are simply blank spaces in all of those areas. In the US, we currently get one version of the bike called the Versys 1000 SE LT+. (Kawasaki/)However, there are clues that suggest the new Versys 1100 S won’t be hugely different to the Versys 1000 S that precedes it. Not least because the documents say that the KLZ1100B is simply a variant of the existing KLZ1000B. The paperwork lists multiple reference numbers to other documents, each proving that the bike meets specific areas of the required standards, and all those additional documents have reference numbers starting with KLZ1000B instead of KLZ1100B. From them, it appears that elements like the lights, mirrors, and instruments are all carried over, as are the brakes, tires, and dimensions. Most intriguing, even the documents related to meeting noise requirements are marked KLZ1000B, hinting that despite the change of name, the “1100″ might retain the same capacity as the existing Versys 1000. That wouldn’t be without precedent. Most recently, we’ve seen Suzuki’s V-Strom 1000 become the V-Strom 1050 despite retaining the same capacity (1,037cc). Since the Kawasaki Versys 1000 is actually slightly larger at 1,043cc, it’s conceivable that the bike could be renamed as an “1100″ without actually changing the size of the engine. From a marketing point of view, with rivals including the V-Strom 1050 and Honda’s Africa Twin 1100 and NT1100—all badged as having larger engines than the Versys, despite being within a handful of cubic centimeters—there’s a clear incentive to make the change to the Versys 1100 name. Since the same 1,043cc four-cylinder is also used by several other Kawasakis including the Ninja 1000SX and the Z1000, if the engine is increased in size, it’s logical to assume that the other models will also benefit from similar upgrades. The Australian documents only list the Versys 1100 S and not the base or SE variants, but that’s likely to be because the Versys 1000 S is the only model of the bike currently sold in the Australian market. In other parts of the world, where the base and SE versions are offered, they’re surely due to get the same 1100 rebranding in 2025. Source

Kevin Cameron has been writing about motorcycles for nearly 50 years, first for <em>Cycle magazine</em> and, since 1992, for <em>Cycle World</em>. (Robert Martin/)Here I’m not talking about “show wheelies,” in which the rider yanks upward on the bars while opening the throttle. I’m talking about pure power wheelies, in which the rider smoothly rolls on throttle until the front wheel rises off the pavement. When the front wheel rises, that sets the upper limit on acceleration. Further throttle opening just starts the process of flipping over backward. The rate of acceleration at this point is the wheelie-limited acceleration. A wheelie occurs when two opposite torques become equal. One torque is that exerted by the mass of bike, fuel, and rider, multiplied times a lever arm whose length is the distance from the center of the rear tire’s footprint, forward to the vertical projection of the center of mass of bike, rider, and fuel onto the pavement. This torque presses the front tire onto the pavement. The farther the center of gravity is from the pavement the less torque is required to lift the front tire. (Jeff Allen/)Opposing that is another torque: that of the driving thrust of the rear tire, acting at ground level, acting on a lever arm that is the height of the just-mentioned center of mass. This tends to lift the front tire. This thrust which barely lifts the front wheel is the maximum thrust that can be used to accelerate the bike. Thus, to achieve and maintain maximum acceleration, the rider (or some electronic system) must adjust thrust to the amount that barely lifts the front—any more than that and the front wheel lifts faster and faster until the bike flips over backward, breaking an expensive and likely back-ordered taillight lens. This is why drag bikes accelerate fastest with their front wheels just hovering, barely off the pavement. It also explains why drag bikes are built as low as possible, for reducing center-of-mass height allows the wheelie limit thrust to be increased. Many a novice drag racer, after wasting entry fees in runs ruined by uncontrollable pop-up wheelies, has lowered the bike by removing spacers from the front fork tubes and fitting either shorter rear shocks or struts. This, by lowering the height of the center of mass (which is the “lever” on which rear tire thrust acts to produce wheelies), increases the maximum thrust that can be used without lifting the front. The lowered bike is easier to control because it’s harder to lift the front. Result: straight, quick runs, free of embarrassing pop-up wheelies. Suspension travel in motocross has quadrupled over the past 50 years, with the result that today’s MXers are very tall. That raises their center of mass, giving tire thrust greater leverage to wheelie more easily, thereby reducing maximum acceleration. Because nailing the start is so important, someone found a way to temporarily lower the front of a bike just for the start. This was a latch that would hold the front suspension down (large helpers compress the front end until the latch engages). This, by lowering the bike’s center of mass a bit, allows the bike to accelerate harder—without lifting the front wheel—when the gate drops. It stays latched down until the rider unlatches it with a yank on the front brake lever. Ideally, this gives the rider so-equipped the holeshot, leading into the first turn. This latch system was given the name “holeshot device.” MotoGP teams not only adopted this holeshot device, they did more. They also lowered the rear. If you follow MotoGP at all, you’ve seen photos of bikes with their bellypans nearly scraping the pavement. When lowered front and rear in this way, the bikes are too low to go around corners without grounding, jacking the bike off its tires, and low-siding. Riders need the bike high for corners, low for acceleration and braking. Related: The Wheelie Is The Enemy While the lower center of gravity helps riders get off the line, there needs to be traction as well. (MotoGP/)If it gives an advantage at the start, it should also give an advantage every place on the track where significant hard acceleration takes place. But how can both ends of a bike be repeatedly lowered to make this possible? There is also a MotoGP rule forbidding the use of electrical or hydraulic means to alter ride height on the track (I’m told the rule was made when the electrical rear ride height adjusters, once used to compensate for fuel burn-off during races, were found to be wearing out a lot more quickly than expected). What could power MotoGP variable ride height (VRH)? When Giulio Cesare Carcano (who designed Guzzi’s famed 500cc V-8 of 1955–57) needed to pump fuel from a low tank to a high carburetor, he used swingarm movement to power it. Something similar may drive VRH systems on current MotoGP bikes, possibly charging a pressure accumulator that “retracts the wheels” to lower center-of-mass height for harder acceleration or braking. Rules to go into effect in 2027 will ban such systems, based upon the fact that because all teams have them, they are no longer an advantage to anyone—just an unnecessary expense. On the other hand, VRH has produced some impressive reductions in lap time. The VRH systems now available on one or two ADV models serve a different purpose. All types of off-road bikes have become taller with the increase in suspension travel. Because some of these bikes prevent the feet of height-challenged riders from reaching the ground, a factory optional VRH system can lower the bike at low speed or when stationary. Harley’s Pan America the first ADV with a VRH system. (Kevin Wing/)Look much further back for the original VRH idea. In California many years ago the lowness of dragsters and other race cars drove a fashion for extreme lowering of street rods (check the height with a feeler gauge). When officers responsible for public safety began to issue tickets to operators of these cars, they responded in improvisational hot-rod fashion—by designing hydraulic systems to lower the car where being cool was important, and raising it where police observation could be expected. Lowering such a VRH-equipped car until it struck streams of sparks from the pavement was called “laying a scrape.” Source

Royal Enfield will bring its first electric motorcycle to market in 2025. (Royal Enfield/)We’re a year away from the market launch of Royal Enfield’s first production electric motorcycle according to a new interview between the company’s chief executive and the Financial Times. RE’s CEO, B. Govindarajan, explained that the motorcycle will make its debut during the 2025 financial year and dropped a few hints to the bike’s design, including the fact that it will have a fixed battery with fast-charging ability rather than taking the swappable battery route. He also said that the bike will be “gorgeous looking” and “very differentiated” while explaining that while other companies currently struggle to make money from electric vehicles, the Royal Enfield will be competitive and, presumably, profitable when it hits the market. So what will the new Royal Enfield EV be like? From what we can glean, there are currently at least two active electric motorcycle projects underway at the company. One is the electric Himalayan, which was shown as a prototype last year and described as a “glimpse of what to expect from us in the future.” The other is a lightweight, city-oriented electric bike with retro styling cues, more akin to the Maeving RM1 in terms of its style and performance. Royal Enfield’s Electric Himalayan prototype has been undergoing testing in the same rugged Himalaya mountains where the new ICE model was developed. (Royal Enfield/)It’s this latter machine that’s increasingly looking like it will be the first electric Royal Enfield to be launched into the market. Not only has the styling for the model recently appeared in official design registration paperwork from the company, but two potential contenders for the bike’s name have emerged, either Royal Babe-E or Flying Flea. We’ve already reported on the possible revival of the Flying Flea name, which has been the subject of over 20 trademark applications globally by Royal Enfield’s patent company, Eicher, since 2020. The other possible title—Royal Babe-E—appeared, without direct reference, on a slide in the background of an investor relations presentation by Royal Enfield in 2022. If you have 3.5 hours to kill, the whole presentation is on YouTube here, but has amassed only a little over 400 views in the two years since it was posted. Caught in a presentation on YouTube is a prototype called the “electriK01.” Will this bike be called the Flying Flea when it hits production? (Royal Enfield/)The slide, which appears more than an hour and a half into the presentation (here), is used as an example of Royal Enfield’s development process but refers directly to the electric bike project. It describes the machine as having “Original Styling—Standout, Striking” with “Uniqueness such as…girder fork…large diameter wheel, elegant lines, narrow body.” Other elements mentioned included: “high-quality, tactile finishes and touch points” and a “neo vintage/classic” style. All these things match the recent design registration, and later in the same presentation a photograph is shown of a concept bike—badged “electriK01″—with similar attributes that had probably been used for the customer clinics, as it hasn’t been shown in public. When it comes to the name, the Flying Flea title appears to be the favorite but the 2022 presentation slide included a logo reading Royal Babe-E with the word “Royal” adopting the same font used for the Royal Enfield badge, accompanied by “Babe-E” in a more modern font underneath it. Royal Enfield has more than 20 trademark registrations around the world for the name “Flying Flea.” (Royal Enfield/)That badge appears to be a play on the name of a short-lived lightweight model, the 125cc Royal Enfield Royal Baby, or RB, which debuted in 1939. It was essentially a copy of an earlier DKW design, the 100cc RT, with a two-stroke single and lightweight design, that was developed for the Dutch market. The timing meant only around 190 RBs were made before World War II, but it lived on as the WD/RE (for War Department/Royal Enfield), a lightweight combat bike for paratroopers better known as the Flying Flea. It’s also conceivable that the Royal Babe-E name could be intended for a whole sub-brand of electric models (hence the emphasis on the “E”) with the Flying Flea as its first offering. This is supported by the fact that the 2022 presentation slide also showed a second electric bike logo—the traditional winged RE badge but with a lightning strike through it—alongside the Babe-E one. While the lightweight, city-oriented electric Royal Enfield, whether called the Flying Flea or Babe-E, makes sense in the current economic climate—small, electric city bikes are selling more strongly than larger, longer-range ones—the electric Himalayan project is clearly also well developed and has been ongoing for a substantial amount of time. Indeed, even though the prototype was officially shown only late last year, it also appeared in the same presentation that revealed the Babe-E/Flying Flea in 2022, with Royal Enfield’s design chief Mark Wells introducing a brief video of the bike in action here. Source

Kevin Cameron has been writing about motorcycles for nearly 50 years, first for <em>Cycle magazine</em> and, since 1992, for <em>Cycle World</em>. (Robert Martin/)Our intuition whispers to us that actual combustion, in which gas temperature quickly jumps up by 2,600 degrees Celsius soon after ignition, must be the biggest source of heat flowing into the cylinder head. Exhaust Port Heat But actual experiment shows that half of the cylinder head’s heat inflow is picked up through the walls of the exhaust port. How can this be? The temperature of combustion gas at peak pressure is much higher than that of gas expanded through the power stroke (giving its energy to the piston, which drives the load), then further expanded through the fast-lifting exhaust valve(s). What gives? It turns out that conditions for heat transfer are very good at the exhaust port walls. Gas temperature in the exhaust port, while lower than in actual combustion, is still quite high.The combustion chamber surface facing combustion is somewhat insulated against hot combustion gas by the presence of a thin layer of gas that has become stagnant by energy-losing collisions with the cooler metal wall. In the exhaust port, any such “boundary layer” is greatly thinned by the very high exhaust velocity, scouring it away. This loss of insulation accelerates heat flow.We know that if the exhaust gas were stationary, it would rapidly cool as it lost heat to the metal it was in contact with. This cooling would reduce the temperature difference (<a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/story/blogs/ask-kevin/motorcycle-engine-cooling-explained/">Delta-T</a>) between the hot gas and the port wall. This would quickly reduce heat flow, for heat flow is proportional to Delta-T. But if the gas is moving, and especially if the flow is turbulent, that motion constantly replaces cooling gas at the port wall with fresh, hot gas, thereby keeping the temperature difference (and the heat flow into the metal) high.Because of all this, when Harley-Davidson’s “Evo” engine was designed, it was given the shortest possible exhaust ports. The late Jim Feuling (who created the Harley “V3″) made good money persuading automakers to adopt his smaller, shorter exhaust ports and smaller valves. Why would automakers care how much heat enters their cylinder heads? Just stick on a bigger water pump and radiator, right? On the other hand, the more heat that pours into the cylinder head, the more careful the designer must be to prevent formation of hot spots where slower-moving coolant boils. Where can we put all these head bolts, ports, and drainbacks? Everything’s in the way! Reduce heat inflow and such problems are solved at lower cost. Feuling’s exhaust ports and valves were conveniently small, yet flowed very well. Once when visiting the Brooklyn shop of vintage racing impresario and historian Robert Iannucci, he showed me a cylinder head from one of MV’s late fours, the racing engines designed as successors to Giacomo Agostini’s favorite: the MV triple. I saw that thin steel exhaust port liners, fitted with an insulating air gap, were present in each exhaust port. In the present day, engines designed for turbocharging are sometimes given insulating ceramic port liners for the same reason: to reduce the heat flow into the cylinder head. The less heat that enters the head, the less cooling it requires (airflow through fins, circulating water, or circulating oil) and the less likely it is to distort, possibly causing valve seat deformation (with leakage) or loosening. There’s a lot of heating happening in the short run after the exhaust valve to the pipe. (Ducati/)Direct Heating From Combustion The other source of heat flowing into the cylinder head is combustion. The larger the cylinder bore, the greater the area of the combustion chamber, and the greater the area picking up heat from hot combustion gas. At one time, short strokes and big bores were the excitement in vehicle engines. Big bores made room for the big valves that could fill cylinders at high rpm, and so make more power. Short strokes reduced piston acceleration at any given speed, helping to make high rpm mechanically safe. In Formula 1, this idea drove design for a long time, resulting in extremes such as 96 x 41.4mm during the V-10 era (a bore/stroke ratio of 2.32). As the era of controlled emissions and fuel consumption arrived for production vehicles, design went in the opposite direction, toward smaller bores and longer strokes. Why? To reduce energy loss in the form of heat, by reducing cylinder bore and increasing stroke. This is why production auto engines now tend to have strokes greater than bores, and why the new parallel-twin motorcycle engines are moving (albeit more slowly) in that same direction. Another way to reduce combustion heat loss into cylinder heads is to reduce the number of cylinders, thereby reducing the total surface area inside of engines that is exposed to hot combustion gas. This effect, too, is driving the move from fours to twins or triples. Why not just coat piston crowns and combustion chamber surfaces with insulating materials such as zirconium oxide? Wouldn’t that satisfy the need for energy conservation, allowing us to continue enjoying big-bore, short stroke four-cylinder engines? Here Comes the Blanket Analogy When we lie down to sleep at night, we cover ourselves with a blanket or comforter because its high insulating value allows its outside to remain close to the temperature of room air, while its inside surface, in contact with ourselves rises to nearly our skin temperature, keeping us from rapidly losing heat. The same happens with an insulated piston crown. The bottom of the insulation remains close to piston temperature, while the surface facing combustion warms up to approach hot gas temperature. That hot insulating surface heats the next fresh charge entering the cylinder and being compressed within it, driving the temperature of the last bits of charge to burn toward the detonation threshold. Don’t want! Fortunately, the new breed of parallel twins delivers a kind of performance never available from the high-revving fours: torque at almost any rpm level, which makes better riders of us by not requiring that we split our attention between the tach and the road ahead. Source

2024 KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo. (KTM/)Overview There is no question that the Super Duke is KTM’s flagship sportbike, and it just so happens to be a naked. For years, the 1290 Super Duke has been an overachiever. And while no one ever accused the bike of being soft, for 2024, KTM decided to put more chips into the pile, or in this case more cc’s of displacement, more power and more of what has made this bike so potent. Meet the 1390 Super Duke R Evo. The Super Duke has always been a purpose-built hooligan machine, and instead of being based on a sportbike that’s been stripped down, it is the bike that other models in KTM’s lineup use as a platform. That’s because this beast has so much raw energy. Despite the naming protocol, the 1390 actually has a new 1,350cc version of the LC8 V-twin, which is 49cc larger than the 1,301cc “1290″ it replaces. Bore has been increased by 2mm from 108 to 110mm, while utilizing the same 71mm stroke. Claimed power is 190 hp at 10,000 rpm and 107 lb.-ft. of peak torque at 8,000 rpm. The previous 1290 made a claimed 177 hp and 103 lb.-ft. of torque. In order to increase power and still maintain emissions compliance, KTM has added variable valve timing to help achieve strong low-rpm torque, while not sacrificing top-end performance. A new airbox with more volume, a new ram-air system, and larger 60mm throttle bodies feed the engine mixture. The chassis features a frame that is very similar to the previous generation’s. But the suspension is KTM’s latest gen-three version of WP’s Semi-Active Technology (SAT). Riders can choose between five suspension damping modes including: Auto, Comfort, Rain, Street, and Sport. Opting for the Suspension Pro package adds Track and Pro modes. Braking is handled by top-of-the-line Brembo Stylema Monoblock radial-mount four-piston calipers with 320mm discs up front, and a twin-piston caliper and 240mm disc at the rear. With a bike this gnarly, electronic rider aids are a must. Standard nonadjustable modes include Rain, Street, and Sport. Once again, opting for an optional package adds additional modes including Performance and Track modes, which allow customization of areas like traction control, wheelie control, engine-braking, and so on. All-new bodywork, styling, and lighting complete the big changes for 2024. 2024 KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo in black. (KTM/)Pricing and Variants The 2024 KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo is available in orange or black starting at $21,499. 2024 KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo. (KTM/)Competition <a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/story/buyers-guide/2022-bmw-s-1000-r/"><b>BMW S 1000 R, starting at $14,295</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/story/motorcycle-reviews/bmw-m-1000-r-first-ride-2023/"><b>BMW M 1000 R, starting at $21,695</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/ducati/streetfighter-v4/"><b>Ducati Streetfighter V4, $22,095 to $68,000</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-reviews/hyper-naked-motorcycles-comparison-test-review-part-2-2023/"><b>Aprilia Tuono V4 Factory 1100, $19,599</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/story/motorcycle-reviews/yamaha-mt-10-sp-first-ride-review-2022/"><b>Yamaha MT-10 SP, $16,999</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/story/motorcycle-reviews/mv-agusta-brutale-1000-rs-first-ride-review-2022/"><b>MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RS, $29,998</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/story/motorcycle-reviews/triumph-speed-triple-1200-rr-review-2022/"><b>Triumph Speed Triple RR, $20,950</b></a>News and Reviews <a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-reviews/ktm-1390-super-duke-r-evo-first-ride-review/"><b>2024 KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo First Ride</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-reviews/hyper-naked-motorcycles-comparison-test-review-part-2-2023/"><b>Naked Comparison: Aprilia Tuono V4 Factory vs. BMW M 1000 R vs. Ducati Streetfighter V4 SP2</b></a>2024 KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo Claimed Specs MSRP: $21,499 Engine: DOHC, liquid-cooled, four-stroke 75° V-twin; 8 valves/cyl. Displacement: 1,350cc Bore x Stroke: 110.0 x 71.0mm Compression Ratio: TBA Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain Claimed Horsepower: 188 hp @ 10,000 rpm Claimed Measured Torque: 107 lb.-ft. @ 8,300 rpm Fuel System: EFI w/ 60mm throttle bodies; ride-by-wire Clutch: Wet, PASC slipper; hydraulic actuation Engine Management/Ignition: Keihin EMS/dual-spark ignition Frame: Tubular chromoly steel Front Suspension: 48mm WP Apex SAT inverted fork, electronically adjustable; 4.9 in. travel Rear Suspension: WP Apex SAT shock, electronically adjustable; 5.5 in. travel Front Brake: Brembo Stylema 4-piston Monoblock caliper, 320mm floating discs w/ Bosch ABS Rear Brake: 2-piston caliper, 240mm disc w/ Bosch ABS Wheels, Front/Rear: Cast aluminum; 17 x 3.50 in. / 17 x 6.00 in. Tires, Front/Rear: Michelin Power GP; 120/70-17 / 200/55-17 Rake/Trail: 24.7°/NA Wheelbase: 58.7 in. Ground Clearance: 5.9 in. Seat Height: 32.8 in. Fuel Capacity: 4.6 gal. Wet Weight: 441 lb. Contact: ktm.com Source

Harley-Davidson Celebrates 1 Million Riders Trained Milestone (Harley-Davidson/)Harley-Davidson Press Release: Harley-Davidson, Inc. (NYSE: HOG) announced today that it has trained one million riders through its Riding Academy program, cementing its status as the largest rider training program in the United States “We’re proud to hit one million riders trained – and it’s a significant milestone for the Harley-Davidson Riding Academy. Promoting rider education and training, for riders new and old is an important part of the overall riding ecosystem. At Harley-Davidson, we’re committed to building ridership and deepening our connection with customers, ultimately reinforcing our goal to be the most desirable motorcycle and lifestyle brand in the world,” said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, CEO and President, Harley-Davidson. Launched in 2000 as Rider’s Edge, the program was rebranded in 2013 as Harley-Davidson® Riding Academy. Today, Harley-Davidson Riding Academy provides training through a network of more than 225 Harley-Davidson dealerships in 43 U.S. states, making it the largest rider training network in the United States and the only nationwide rider licensing program sponsored by a motorcycle manufacturer. With a suite of premium rider development experiences designed to enhance and enrich any rider’s journey, Harley-Davidson Riding Academy is a leader in providing lifelong motorcycle riding skills development. The foundation of Riding Academy training is the New Rider Course that helps students to achieve their dream of riding a motorcycle. Riding Academy also offers courses for intermediate level riders, those wanting to learn how to operate a 3-Wheel vehicle, Adventure Touring riding, and Skills Practice for riders wanting to gain skills on their own motorcycles. In most states, successful completion of the New Rider Course, Intermediate, or 3-Wheel Course earn the student a license waiver to get a motorcycle endorsement on their license at the state DMV. The majority of Harley-Davidson® Riding Academy coaches are dual certified by Riding Academy and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) to ensure they adhere to the highest standards of professionalism, safety, and adult-learning principles. Riding Academy is proud to have more than 1,500 certified coaches in its network. If you are interested in learning to ride a motorcycle, you can find a Riding Academy location near you at riders.harley-davidson.com. Source

Kevin Cameron has been writing about motorcycles for nearly 50 years, first for <em>Cycle magazine</em> and, since 1992, for <em>Cycle World</em>. (Robert Martin/)Hydrogen power for bikes seems like a great idea. The only product of reacting hydrogen with oxygen is water, so regulated emissions are zero. If you like the sound of internal combustion engines, they make the same sound on hydrogen as on gasoline. If you prefer the hum of electric motors, run high-purity hydrogen through a fuel cell to produce electricity and go that way. First problem is, there’s no hydrogen on Earth in a free, chemically uncombined state. If, as many assume, there will soon be gobs of extra electric power from wind and solar, we can use some to electrolyze hydrogen from water. Trouble is, to liberate hydrogen this way, we have to put in more energy than we can later realize from either burning the hydrogen or using it to make electricity in a fuel cell. What this tells us is that hydrogen is not a fuel. It is an energy carrier. Carrying liquid hydrocarbon fuel—gasoline—on a bike is straightforward: We go to the gas pump and fill our 7–10 pound steel gas tank with it. NASA engineers used to say, “Hydrogen is huge.” If we compress the hydrogen that we’ve electrolyzed from water to 10,000 psi, it takes six times the volume of the pressurized gas to equal the energy in one volume of gasoline or other liquid hydrocarbon fuel. That means to functionally replace 4 gallons of gasoline with hydrogen at 10,000 psi, we must carry 24 gallons of hydrogen. That is why images of hydrogen-powered bikes of the future look like tourers with what appear to be side bags and top trunk but are actually packed with long slender pressure tanks. Related: Hydrogen Suzuki Evolves Tanks for storing hydrogen need to hold six times the volume to be equal to gasoline. (Kawasaki/)When I Googled the weights of such pressure tanks I found that volume-for-volume they weigh about nine times what gasoline tanks weigh. OK, but didn’t NASA reduce the volume of hydrogen required on the space shuttle a lot by liquefying it and carrying it at atmospheric pressure? It did, but to compress and refrigerate hydrogen to the liquid state at minus 410 degrees Fahrenheit uses energy equal to about 40 percent of what’s in the hydrogen to begin with. Yeah, but isn’t there some kind of catalyst that can separate oxygen and hydrogen from water at next to no energy cost? Catalysts can speed up or slow down chemical reactions but they are not a substitute for energy. If such a cat existed, we could just put it in the exhaust from our hydrogen-burning piston engine or fuel cell, it would separate the hydrogen and oxygen, and we could run that back to the intake and ride forever. Perpetual motion. Hydrogen differs considerably from gasoline vapor. Accidentally released hydrogen in an enclosed space rises, accumulating at the ceiling. Gasoline vapor, being heavier than air, settles to the floor. The ignition energy threshold for hydrogen is much lower than that of gasoline vapor, and hydrogen’s ignitable mixture limits are wider. We don’t give much thought to the safety hazards presented by gasoline, but where possible, above-ground parking structures have no walls, allowing vapor from any gasoline leakage to be carried away. The same applies to hydrogen. A general rule for storage and handling of compressed gases is to locate it outdoors (like gas stations). Related: Kawasaki Demonstrates Hydrogen Prototype Kawasaki has demonstrated its hydrogen-powered sport-tourer recently. (Kawasaki/)Equipment for transferring high-pressure hydrogen to vehicles will be more expensive than present-day gas pumps because assuring adequate and highly reliable sealing of the refueling coupler will not be trivial. The word “aerospace” comes to mind. The trucking industry has shown interest in hydrogen, probably because refueling is expected to be much quicker than battery charging, and because hydrogen and its tankage are much lighter than battery energy storage. Trucking is highly competitive, so every pound carried that is not payload is revenue lost. Advocates of battery trucking are not generous with numbers, but estimates run from 6,000 to 15,000 pounds of battery to be carried. Hence hydrogen’s appeal. Before the present focus on electrification, there was much interest in a future “hydrogen economy” (Google “Rocky Mountain Institute, hydrogen economy”). Reviving that concept will require the confidence of large investors in its profitability. Cross your fingers on that one. The bottom line? Remember the cheerful GI phrase: “If we had some ham, we could have ham and eggs. If we had some eggs.” Hydrogen as an energy carrier for transportation faces similar problems: There is no free hydrogen.There is no hydrogen infrastructure to supply it to consumers.Source

2024 Husqvarna Svartpilen 401. (Husqvarna/)Overview Husqvarna’s Svartpilen is a scrambler-style motorcycle that is packed with panache. At a glance you would never know that it’s an über-affordable entry-level machine. There isn’t anything else like it—outside of its stablemate the Vitpilen 401—in the entry-level world of motorcycles. The bike’s styling, fit, finish, and features make it a bike that you won’t soon grow out of. Built to excel around urban environments, yet fully capable of exploring outside of it with its knobby tires and scramble features, the Svartpilen 401 is a truly versatile bike. It’s powered by a 399cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine with fuel injection, ride-by-wire throttle control, and multiple ride modes. It even comes with an up/down quickshifter standard. The chassis features a steel-trellis frame, WP Apex suspension with 5.9 inches of travel at each end, a pair of ByBre brakes with a radial-mount four-piston caliper and 320mm disc at the front and a twin-piston 240mm disc setup at the rear. Bosch cornering-sensitive ABS is standard. Other features that are rarely seen at this price include the 5-inch full-color TFT display, Bluetooth connectivity, and LED lighting. Pricing and Variants The 2024 Svartpilen 401 has a $5,899 MSRP. Competition <a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/bikes/husqvarna-vitpilen-401-and-svartpilen-401-first-look/"><b>Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, $5,899</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/2018-bmw-g310r-naked-motorcycle-first-ride-review/"><b>BMW G 310 R, $4,995</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-reviews/triumph-speed-400-and-scrambler-400-x-review/"><b>Triumph Scrambler 400 X, $5,595</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/story/motorcycle-reviews/royal-enfield-scram-411-first-ride-2023/"><b>Royal Enfield Scram 411, $5,099</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/honda/scl500/"><b>Honda SCL500, $6,799</b></a>News and Reviews <a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/bikes/husqvarna-vitpilen-401-and-svartpilen-401-first-look/"><b>Svartpilen 401 First Look</b></a>2024 Svartpilen 401 Claimed Specs MSRP: $5,899 Engine: DOHC, liquid-cooled single; 4 valve/cyl. Displacement: 399cc Bore x Stroke: 89.0 x 64.0mm Compression Ratio: 12.6:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain Fuel System: DKK Dell’Orto w/ 46mm throttle body; ride-by-wire Clutch: PASC slipper clutch; mechanically operated Frame: Steel trellis w/ bolt-on cast-aluminum subframe Front Suspension: 43mm WP Apex, compression and rebound damping adjustable; 5.9 in. travel Rear Suspension: WP Apex monoshock, spring preload and rebound damping adjustable; 5.9 in. travel Front Brake: 4-piston radial-mount caliper, 320mm disc w/ ABS Rear Brake: 2-piston caliper, 240mm disc w/ ABS Wheels, Front/Rear: Spoked; 17 in./17 in. Tires, Front/Rear: 110/70-17 / 150/60-17 Rake/Trail: 24.0°/NA Wheelbase: 53.9 in. Ground Clearance: 7.1 in. Seat Height: 32.3 in. Fuel Capacity: 3.4 gal. Wet Weight: 351 lb. Contact: husqvarna-motorcycles.com Source

2024 Husqvarna Vitpilen 401. (Husqvarna/)Overview Husqvarna’s Vitpilen is a more asphalt-oriented variation of its close sibling, the Svartpilen 401. Like that scrambler motorcycle, the Vitpilen is über stylish and packs a ton of features for an entry-level machine. Where its stablemate features spoked rims and knobby tires, the Vitpilen wears road-oriented rubber on its cast-aluminum wheels. And while this machine is much happier keeping the rubber on the tarmac, it’s otherwise equally as versatile. It’s powered by a 399cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine with fuel injection, ride-by-wire throttle control, and multiple ride modes. It even comes with an up/down quickshifter and anti-theft device as standard. The chassis features a steel-trellis frame, WP Apex suspension with 5.9 inches of travel at each end, a pair of ByBre brakes with a radial-mount four-piston caliper and 320mm disc at the front and a twin-piston 240mm disc setup at the rear. Bosch cornering-sensitive ABS is standard. Other features that are rarely seen at this price include the 5-inch full-color TFT display, Bluetooth connectivity, and LED lighting. Pricing and Variants The 2024 Vitpilen 401 has a $5,899 MSRP. Competition <a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/bikes/husqvarna-vitpilen-401-and-svartpilen-401-first-look/"><b>Husqvarna Svartpilen 401, $5,899</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/2018-bmw-g310r-naked-motorcycle-first-ride-review/"><b>BMW G 310 R, $4,995</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-reviews/triumph-speed-400-and-scrambler-400-x-review/"><b>Triumph Scrambler 400 X, $5,595</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-reviews/royal-enfield-guerilla-450-first-ride/"><b>2025 Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450, $TBA</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/honda/scl500/"><b>Honda SCL500, $6,799</b></a>News and Reviews <a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/bikes/husqvarna-vitpilen-401-and-svartpilen-401-first-look/"><b>Vitpilen 401 First Look</b></a>2024 Vitpilen 401 Claimed Specs MSRP: $5,899 Engine: DOHC, liquid-cooled single; 4 valve/cyl. Displacement: 399cc Bore x Stroke: 89.0 x 64.0mm Compression Ratio: 12.6:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain Fuel System: DKK Dell’Orto w/ 46mm throttle body; ride-by-wire Clutch: PASC slipper clutch; mechanically operated Frame: Steel trellis w/ bolt-on cast-aluminum subframe Front Suspension: 43mm WP Apex, compression and rebound damping adjustable; 5.9 in. travel Rear Suspension: WP Apex monoshock, spring preload and rebound damping adjustable; 5.9 in. travel Front Brake: 4-piston radial-mount caliper, 320mm disc w/ ABS Rear Brake: 2-piston caliper, 240mm disc w/ ABS Wheels, Front/Rear: Cast aluminum; 17 in./17 in. Tires, Front/Rear: 110/70-17 / 150/60-17 Rake/Trail: 24.0°/ N/A Wheelbase: 53.9 in. Ground Clearance: 7.1 in. Seat Height: 32.3 in. Fuel Capacity: 3.4 gal. Wet Weight: 341 lb. Contact: husqvarna-motorcycles.com Source

The 2024 Yamaha Bolt R-Spec ($8,899). (Yamaha/)Overview The search for a classically styled middleweight cruiser has traditionally started and ended at Harley-Davidson’s Sportster, but with Harley-Davidson taking a more modern approach with its latest-generation Nightster and Sportster S, bikes like the Bolt R-Spec are creeping back into the cruiser spotlight. Hardware is not the main talking point here, but a quick pass through the Bolt’s features highlight’s Yamaha’s less-is-more approach. Power comes courtesy of an air-cooled 60-degree V-twin. And while that engine may lack the bark of Harley’s finely tuned Sportsters of yesteryear, it offers near seamless fueling and plenty of low-end grunt for casual around-town cruising. Yes, there are some vibrations as you near 80 mph on the highway, but those settle down to something best described as “character” when cruising around town. Just what you want on a mid-displacement cruiser. Hopefully you’re a fan of the Bolt R-Spec’s blacked-out look. The bike is only available in this Raven color. The keyword to this design is “simple.” (Yamaha/)There’s not an abundance of room in the Bolt R-Spec’s compact saddle, but the bike’s modest dimensions mean it’s an easy motorcycle for newer riders to get comfortable on. Well-positioned mid-control footpegs make it a comfortable mount for the type of riding it was intended for too. That includes short jaunts around town with the occasional stretch down the open highway. Relatively light handling and sporty shocks offer just enough performance for when the pace picks up. While that hardware is important and Yamaha is quite good at building seamless machines, the focus for a bike like the Bolt R-Spec is styling, and Yamaha has done a great job of incorporating the classic lines you’d expect from a V-twin cruiser. A 3.4-gallon teardrop tank, dual piggyback shocks, 12-spoke cast-aluminum wheels, and blacked-out finishes fit the bill. Plus, there’s very little badging. While the Bolt R-Spec’s classic lines are appreciated, there’s a decent number of aftermarket options for the bike. (Yamaha/)More benefits come in the form of a low, 27.2-inch seat height and modern LED lighting. And while Yamaha hasn’t tweaked the formula much in recent years, the Bolt R-Spec’s straightforward design is what makes it so appealing. Pricing and Variants The Bolt R-Spec is available in any color you’d like so long as it’s black (with a small red accent on the tank). MSRP is $8,899. Intimidating dimensions and a V-twin engine with good low-end grunt make the Bolt R-Spec a great bike for newer riders. (Yamaha/)Competition <a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/story/buyers-guide/2020-kawasaki-vulcan-s/"><b>Kawasaki Vulcan S, $7,349 to $8,499</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/story/buyers-guide/2020-suzuki-boulevard-c50t/"><b>Suzuki Boulevard C50, $9,299</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/story/bikes/royal-enfield-super-meteor-650-first-look-2023/"><b>Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650, $6,999 to $7,499</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/harley-davidson/nightster/"><b>Harley-Davidson Nightster, $11,999 to $12,299</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/2015/12/02/2016-indian-scout-sixty-cruiser-motorcycle-review-first-ride-photos/"><b>Indian Scout Sixty, starting at $11,749</b></a>2024 Yamaha Bolt R-Spec Claimed Specs MSRP: $8,899 Engine: SOHC, air-cooled, 60º V-twin; 4 valves/cyl. Displacement: 942cc Bore x Stroke: 85.0 x 83.0mm Compression Ratio: 9.0:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 5-speed/belt Fuel System: Fuel injection Clutch: Wet, multiplate; cable operation Frame: Steel tube Front Suspension: 41mm telescopic fork; 4.7 in. travel Rear Suspension: Dual piggyback shocks; 2.8 in. travel Front Brake: 298mm disc Rear Brake: 298mm disc Wheels, Front/Rear: 12-spoke cast aluminum; 19 in./16 in. Tires, Front/Rear: Bridgestone Exedra; 100/90-19 / 150/80-16 Rake/Trail: 29.0°/5.1 in. Wheelbase: 61.8 in. Ground Clearance: 5.1 in. Seat Height: 27.2 in. Fuel Capacity: 3.4 gal. Wet Weight: 542 lb. Contact: yamahamotorsports.com Source

Husqvarna’s travel-oriented Norden 901 Expedition sees a modest price bump compared to the Norden 901. MSRP is $15,799 versus $14,499 (Husqvarna/)Ups Upgraded with higher-spec Xplor suspensionA whole catalog of accessories included as standardMinimal price increase for all of the significant upgradesDowns Included bags not very durableWindscreen fixed and not adjustableHave to buy different bag mounts if you want hard casesVerdict There are so many options in the adventure-bike class that it can be overwhelming. However, middleweight, multicylinder models offer an ideal balance between power and weight that makes them very appealing. Husqvarna’s newest member of the Norden family, the 901 Expedition, is an upscale-trim version of the base model that’s more travel oriented and worth a look for those riders who enjoy longer adventures. Similar to the Norden 901, the 901 Expedition shares much of its hardware with KTM’s 890 Adventure models, but all of that hardware is wrapped in bodywork that’s less aggressive than what you’d find on the KTM. (Husqvarna/)Overview Husqvarna hit the road running with its original Norden 901 thanks in large part to its ties to sister brand KTM and the 890 Adventure models that serve as the bones for the Norden. But while the Norden 901 shares an engine and chassis with the KTMs, Husqvarna took a different direction with the styling, replacing the knife-edge angles of the KTM with smooth, modern lines that spark memories of classic Paris-Dakar bikes of the ‘80s and ‘90s. The look is entirely Husqvarna; a round LED headlight sits high above the front wheel, flanked by integrated fog lights and a steeply angled windscreen. The Norden’s personality was intended to be equally as refined, Husqvarna deciding that the bike should be less aggressive and better suited to the everyday adventurer. By introducing the Expedition model right after, Husqvarna expanded on that concept by retaining much of what made the Norden 901 so great, but increasing its appeal with more travel-oriented hardware. Where the Expedition truly distinguishes itself from the Norden 901 is in componentry. It shares the more stout Xplor suspension with KTM’s 890 R, gets a burly skid plate, as well as touring amenities like a more protective windscreen, centerstand, and luggage as standard. While the Norden 901 Expedition is great off road, it’s equally as capable on pavement. (Husqvarna/)Updates for 2023 While the Norden 901 Expedition was an all-new model for 2023, it’s based heavily on the standard Norden 901, which was introduced as a 2022 model and has yet to see any updates. The big news here is the move to WP Xplor suspension. Comfort and convenience upgrades include heated grips and rider seat, a taller windshield, centerstand, soft luggage, and Connectivity Unit (optional on the base Norden), which allows you to connect your smartphone via Bluetooth to the motorcycle. Added protection comes in the form of a heavy-duty aluminum skid plate. Pricing and Variants The Norden 901 Expedition starts at $15,799—a modest price increase over the $14,499 Norden 901. The bike is available in just one color. Upgraded suspension and added protection mean the Norden 901 Expedition is up for serious adventure. (Husqvarna/)Competition The middleweight ADV category continues to grow in terms of popularity, and manufacturers have found different solutions to the same problem, meaning there are multiple options with a range of features. Entries into this space include the Yamaha Ténéré 700 ($10,499), KTM 890 Adventure ($13,949), BMW F 850 GS ($12,595), and even the standard Husqvarna Norden 901 ($14,499). Ducati’s DesertX ($17,695) is a legitimate contender with some serious off-road chops, while Triumph has a range of Tiger 900 options available ($14,995 to $17,395). More aggressive adventure models include the KTM 890 Adventure R ($15,199) and BMW F 850 GS Adventure ($13,595). Note: Listed MSRP are the starting price, and costs will vary depending on features. The 889cc LC8c engine borrowed from KTM’s 890 Adventure models delivers a broad spread of torque that allows the rider to choose a couple of different gear options. (Husqvarna/)Powertrain: Engine, Transmission, and Performance The power unit in the Expedition is identical in every regard to the base Norden. It’s the same 889cc LC8c parallel twin that also powers KTM’s 890 Adventure and 890 Adventure R. The liquid-cooled DOHC eight-valve engine produces a claimed 105 hp at 8,000 rpm and 74 lb.-ft. of peak torque at 6,500 rpm. The last KTM 890 Adventure R we ran on the Cycle World dyno cranked out 86.5 hp at 8,320 rpm and 58.1 lb.-ft. of torque at 6,870 rpm at the rear wheel. Service intervals are set at around 9,500 miles. “The LC8c engine that the Norden shares with the orange bikes is, straight up, an awesome adventure-bike powerplant,” Editor-at-Large Blake Conner said in his Norden 901 Expedition review. “It comes down to the balance between on-road and off. What do you intend to ride and where? On the road, the Norden feels sporty and quick, easily lofting the front wheel in second gear and acting like a hooligan. When making a quick pass, a downshift from sixth to fifth (or maybe fourth) wakes it up nicely and allows you to blast past. “Off-road, there is no denying that the LC8c is stout, not to the degree of the latest 1,200cc-plus monsters, but it doesn’t leave you wanting much more. In this era of awesome electronics, getting the most out of the engine is simply a matter of dialing in the intervention you’re comfortable with. That right there makes this bike a great choice for a huge range of riders. Expert riders will be totally happy letting it eat with big throttle openings and very little interference from the electronics, while others can find confidence through mellower delivery and more traction control.” The Expedition gets WP’s high-spec Xplor suspension front and rear. (Husqvarna/)Chassis/Handling The Norden 901 Expedition has a chromoly-steel frame that utilizes the engine as a stressed member. Rake is set at 25.8 degrees, with 4.2 inches of trail. Out back is a die-cast aluminum swingarm that utilizes a linkless PDS shock. A spoked 21-by-2.5-inch front and 18-by-4.5-inch rear wheel with tubeless design are mounted with Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires in 90/90-21 and 150/70-18 front and rear sizes. What separates the Expedition from the standard model are the more off-road-friendly WP Xplor suspension units front and rear. At the front, the base model’s WP Apex 43 (43mm stanchion) fork is swapped for the Xplor 48 fork with much larger 48mm stanchions. While the Apex fork has provisions for compression and rebound, the Xplor adds preload to the mix. Similarly, at the rear, the Apex shock is swapped for an Xplor shock. The Apex unit on the standard model has preload and rebound damping, while the Xplor unit is fully adjustable with preload, compression, and high- and low-speed rebound damping. Travel increases from the Apex’s 8.7 inches at the front and 8.5 inches at the rear to 9.4 inches at each end of the Expedition. This in turn increases the Expedition’s ground clearance 0.7 inch to 10.6, while also increasing the wheelbase slightly from 59.5 to 60.1 inches. “For such a large machine, weighing more than 500 pounds fully fueled, the Expedition carries the weight well,” Conner said. “Like its cousin, the 890 Adventure, the Norden’s saddle fuel tanks put the mass down low. This really pays off when snaking through the sand and makes the bike feel a lot lighter than the numbers would lead you to believe. “On the roughest terrain, soft and plush is the ticket. A few sections on our South Africa test included beat, ledgy, rock-strewn climbs, where momentum is key. Getting bounced off line by too-stiff suspension would have consequences, so the stock suspension setup on the bikes for the event proved to be really good. Picking a line through the biggest rocks isn’t a big deal as the Expedition tracks well as it sucks up the hits, and if you need to plow straight into some others to keep from losing that flow, so be it. After all, there’s no use in having that extra travel if you don’t utilize it, right?” Consider also that, as good as the Pirelli tires are for most conditions, a more aggressive knobby front tire is worth considering for those who plan on riding a lot of sand. A comfy but still fully supportive seat makes it easy to rack up miles on the Norden 901 Expedition. An added benefit is that the seat can be adjusted to two heights, either 34.4 inches in the low position or 35.2 inches in the high setting. (Husqvarna/)Brakes The mechanical details of the braking system include J.Juan (a Brembo sub-brand) radial-mount four-piston calipers up front with 320mm discs, while a twin-piston caliper and 260mm disc reside out back. Bosch’s 9.1 MP Cornering ABS utilizes an IMU to determine the bike’s lean angle and intervene accordingly when switched to the standard mode. In Offroad mode, ABS is turned off at the rear wheel so it can be completely locked, while the lean-sensitive function is turned off and ABS intervention reduced. Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG Fuel mileage numbers are not currently available for the Norden 901 Expedition. While soft bags are a nice standard feature it doesn’t take much for them to show signs of wear and tear, and the rigid part of the bag that holds the attachment hardware isn’t stiff enough to keep them from deforming. There are other options in Husqvarna’s accessory catalog, but they don’t utilize the same mounting hardware, so you would have to invest in that as well. (Husqvarna/)Ergonomics: Comfort and Utility “An area that Husky has done a great job finding balance is the riding position and ergonomics,” Conner said. “With a bunch of time spent off the asphalt, there is a lot of standing on the pegs. Placement of the bars is really good (they can be adjusted to six different positions with 30mm of fore and aft adjustment). While standing, getting a good view over the extra tall touring windscreen is not an issue, but in some other sections, when seated, seeing through that towering muddy screen is really difficult. We’d likely shop the accessory catalog for a lower screen if riding off-road on a regular basis was the plan. On the road, the windscreen provides excellent protection from the wind and the small air vent three-quarters of the way up does its job of reducing buffeting, even with an off-road helmet on. “Husky really delivered the touring comfort that the Expedition name promises. When seated, the reach to the bars is quite comfortable, and the seat is not only very supportive but quite comfy, and can be adjusted to two heights, either 34.4 inches in the low position or 35.2 inches in the high setting. The Expedition comes standard with a heated rider seat (sorry, no passenger) and grips. With the seat in the lower position, knees are bent just a bit past 90 degrees, which basically means that long hours in the saddle are totally doable.” The layout for the TFT display is well thought out, making the display easy to navigate even while riding. (Husqvarna/)Electronics The Husky’s brain is a Bosch engine management system with ride-by-wire throttle control. The system allows the rider to choose between four distinct modes including Street, Rain, Offroad, and Explorer. The latter is a user-customizable mode in which the rider can individually tailor traction control, throttle response, peak-power output, and ABS preferences to their liking. The Cornering MTC traction-control system is lean-angle sensitive and has nine levels of intervention for rear-wheel slip. The MTC also provides wheelie control depending on the chosen mode. Motor Slip Regulation manages engine-braking electronically to work in concert with the slipper clutch. Another nice feature that is possible with the ride-by-wire system is cruise control, which comes standard on the Expedition. All lighting is LED including the headlight, a pair of fog lights, and slim turn signals. A 5-inch TFT display is the rider’s portal to the bike’s menus and information screens. Warranty and Maintenance Coverage Husqvarna’s street models come with a 24-month limited warranty. Quality Fit and finish appear excellent, but it’s worth tracking any issues with the Norden 901′s stablemates from KTM to understand any mechanical issues that might arise in aggressive or long-distance riding. 2023 Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition Specs MSRP: $15,799 Engine: DOHC, liquid-cooled parallel twin; 4 valves/cyl Displacement: 889cc Bore x Stroke: 90.7 x 68.8mm Compression Ratio: 13.5:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain Claimed Horsepower: 105.0 hp @ 8,000 rpm Claimed Torque: 74.0 lb.-ft. @ 6,500 rpm Fuel System: EFI w/ twin 46mm Dell’Orto throttle bodies Clutch: PASC slipper clutch; cable actuation Engine Management/Ignition: Bosch EMS w/ ride-by-wire Frame: Chromoly-steel Front Suspension: WP Xplor 48mm inverted fork, fully adjustable; 9.4 in. travel Rear Suspension: WP Xplor PDS shock, fully adjustable; 9.4 in. travel Front Brake: Radial-mount 4-piston calipers, 320mm disc w/ Bosch ABS Rear Brake: 2-piston floating caliper, 260mm disc w/ Bosch ABS Wheels, Front/Rear: Tubeless aluminum spoked wheels; 21 x 2.5 in. / 18 x 4.5 in. Tires, Front/Rear: Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR; 90/90-21 / 150/70-18 Rake/Trail: 25.8°/4.2 in. Wheelbase: 60.1 in. Ground Clearance: 10.6 in. Seat Height: 34.4–35.3 in. Fuel Capacity: 5.0 gal. Claimed Dry Weight: 473 lb. Contact: husqvarna-motorcycles.com Source

2024 Honda SCL500 in Candy Orange. (Honda/)Overview Honda had the ideal platform for a scrambler-style motorcycle already in its lineup in the Rebel 500. A few styling and chassis changes and the SCL500 was born. A high-mount muffler, neutral and relaxed riding position, lots of suspension travel with gaiter-protected fork tubes, and 19-inch front and 17-inch rear tires provide the look of classic ‘60s scramblers. Power comes from Honda’s 471cc liquid-cooled parallel twin, which features double-overhead cams and four valves per cylinder. It is fed by programmed fuel injection. A six-speed gearbox and assist/slipper clutch send power to the rear wheel via a chain final drive. A 41mm fork with 5.9 inches of travel, and a pair of preload-adjustable shocks with 5.7 inches of travel make up the suspension package. Braking comes from a twin-piston front caliper biting a 310mm disc and a single-piston and 240mm disc at the rear. Both are ABS equipped. 2024 Honda SCL500 in Matte Black Metallic. (Honda/)Pricing and Variants The 2024 Honda SCL500 is available in Matte Black Metallic, Candy Orange, or Matte Laurel Green Metallic for $6,799. 2024 Honda SCL500 in Matte Laurel Green Metallic. (Honda/)Competition <a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/kawasaki/eliminator/"><b>Kawasaki Eliminator, $6,649 to $6,949</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/story/buyers-guide/2020-yamaha-xsr700/"><b>Yamaha XSR700, $8,899</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/story/buyers-guide/2021-ducati-scrambler-icon/"><b>Ducati Scrambler Icon, $10,995</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-reviews/triumph-speed-400-and-scrambler-400-x-review/"><b>Triumph Scrambler 400 X, $5,595</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/bikes/husqvarna-vitpilen-401-and-svartpilen-401-first-look/"><b>Husqvarna Svartpilen 401, $5,899</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/story/motorcycle-reviews/royal-enfield-scram-411-first-ride-2023/"><b>Royal Enfield Scram 401, $5,099</b></a>News and Reviews <a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-reviews/honda-scl500-first-ride-review/"><b>Honda SCL500 First Ride</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/bikes/honda-scl500-dyno-test-2023/"><b>Honda SCL500 Dyno Test</b></a>2024 Honda SCL500 Claimed Specs MSRP: $6,799 Engine: DOHC, liquid-cooled parallel twin; 4 valves/cyl. Displacement: 471cc Bore x Stroke: 67.0 x 66.8mm Compression Ratio: 10.7:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain Fuel System: PGM-FI w/ 34mm throttle bodies Clutch: Wet, multiplate; cable operation Frame: Steel diamond Front Suspension: 41mm telescopic fork; 5.9 in. travel Rear Suspension: Twin shocks, preload adjustable; 5.7 in. travel Front Brake: 2-piston caliper, 310mm disc w/ ABS Rear Brake: 1-piston caliper, 240mm disc w/ ABS Wheels, Front/Rear: Cast aluminum; 19 in./17 in. Tires, Front/Rear: 110/80-19 / 150/70-17 Rake/Trail: 27.0°/4.3 in. Wheelbase: 58.4 in. Ground Clearance: 6.1 in. Seat Height: 31.1 in. Fuel Capacity: 3.2 gal. Wet Weight: 423 lb. Contact: powersports.honda.com Source

The 2023 Honda XR150L is a fuel-sipping, beginner-friendly dual sport powered by a bulletproof 149cc air-cooled single-cylinder engine. For shorter and inexperienced riders who want to ride from home to trail, the XR is an open door to adventure. At $2,971, it’s a door that’s wide open. (Honda/)Ups MSRP of $2,971 makes it nearly $2,000 less expensive than a Yamaha TW200As friendly of a motorcycle as you’ll find: beginner-friendly, budget-friendly, fuel-friendly, and short-of-inseam-friendlyOn- and off-road versatilityDowns Modest performance limits ultimate usabilityNo fuel injectionVerdict The Honda XR150L is a staple in Asian markets, and in Australia and New Zealand it’s known as a farm bike. Introduced to the US market for the first time in 2023, the little XR’s hard-working character will surely be up for the playbike tasks most riders will use it for: cruises to the beach, quick runs to the store, and exploratory jaunts on your local fire roads. Overview Honda is all-in on affordable, small-displacement, beginner-friendly motorcycles. Just consider: its current minimoto lineup is more complete than its once-expansive sportbike line. The Grom, Monkey, Super Cub C125, Trail125, and Navi are all street-legal and priced below $4,300 (the Navi is only $1,807). Extending the same approachable qualities to its dual sport line, which already includes the CRF300L, Honda opens the door to all riders with its XR150L. While the little dual sport is a new addition to the US market, it’s been a staple in Asian markets for some time. According to EPA data, the XR150L is produced in Mexico by Sundiro Honda, Honda’s Chinese joint venture. Well suited to around-town jaunts, scenic backroads, and casual off-road riding, the XR150L is powered by a carbureted 149cc air-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke engine, intended to offer the same reliability and toughness XRs are known for but with excellent fuel efficiency and smooth, predictable performance. Honda claims a tested 346 miles of fuel range from the 2.8-gallon fuel tank. That’s 124 mpg, or 124 reasons to reconsider that ebike you’ve been looking at. OK, call us internal combustion zealots. The XR150L has a low 32.8-inch seat height and weighs a claimed 282 pounds, which makes it ideal for beginners or riders lacking confidence off-road. Best of all, with an MSRP of $2,971, you’ll have plenty of gas money leftover—not that you’ll need much. If the diminutive XR looks like the kind of bike you’d rent on a vacation in Vietnam, that’s because it is. Produced in Mexico by Sundiro Honda, the 150L wasn’t originally designed for the North American market, but you’ll be glad it’s here. This will be a great bike for around-town commuting, casual off-road riding, and everything in between. (Honda/)Updates for 2023 The XR150L is new for 2023. Pricing and Variants The XR150L retails for $2,971 and is available in black or white. Competition Small-displacement dual sports are popular because they’re inexpensive, fun, reliable, and versatile. As such, the XR has plenty of competition. In terms of seriousness—if that word can even apply to these unpretentious, fun-loving cycles—the XR150L sits somewhere between the Kawasaki KLX230 ($4,999) and the Yamaha TW200 ($4,899). The former has an off-road-oriented 21-inch/18-inch wheel combination for better capability in “rugged” terrain, while the latter uses balloonlike 130/80-18 front and 180/80-14 rear wheel sizes that make it a fun-loving, endearing run-around. Honda’s own Trail125 ($3,999) and CRF300L ($5,399) are also viable alternatives. The XR150L is significantly more affordable than the lot. Generations of riders learned to ride on motorcycles with engines that looked a lot like this. As such, that 149cc single-cylinder engine comes with a certain amount of nostalgia. Honda is equally known for these bullet proof singles, of which it’s built millions and millions, as it is high-performance twins, fours, and sixes. (Honda/)Powertrain: Engine, Transmission, and Performance The XR150L is powered by a carbureted 149cc air-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke engine with a five-speed gearbox. According to data from the EPA, it produces 12.5 hp. In other words, if you’re asking how much power it has, this bike may not be for you. While the engine is technically capable of highway speeds, the bike is very clearly built for around-town riding and dirt roads, so keep the distance between trails or stopping points within reason. Chassis/Handling Honda knows a thing or two about building tough, durable frames for its Baja-winning XR models, and that continues to be the case with the steel frame used on the XR150L. Suspension consists of a 31mm right-side-up telescopic fork with 7.1 inches of travel and a Pro-Link monoshock (adjustable for preload) with 5.9 inches of travel. Honda notes that travel is carefully balanced to ensure there’s enough bump absorption, but that the seat height doesn’t become too tall for newer or shorter riders. With Honda’s Pro-Link rear suspension, initial rates are soft for smooth action over small bumps, while increasingly stiffer rates resist bottoming and maintain rear-wheel control over rougher terrain. The XR runs on 90/90-19 and 110/90-17 spoked wheels. The 9.6-inch ground clearance is enough to provide some light off-road fun. Honda claims a 282-pound curb weight. The XR150L uses a basic steel cradle frame and nonadjustable suspension (save preload in the rear). (Honda/)Brakes The XR150L has a 240mm single disc with a dual-piston caliper in the front and a 110mm drum brake in the rear. Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG The XR150L has a 2.8-gallon fuel tank that Honda claims is enough to provide an impressive 346-mile range. That’s 124 mpg. Your mileage may vary. Between the standard rear rack and Honda’s accessory throw-over saddlebags, the XR150L is ready for adventure. (Honda/)Ergonomics: Comfort and Utility The XR150L checks all the right boxes for the casual rider, with its relaxed, upright riding position and well-padded but low seat that will enable most riders to get a stable footing when they come to a stop. For added utility, there’s a rear cargo rack that riders can load up with everything from a gym bag to tools or whatever else they might need to transport around town. Honda also offers a long line of accessories that includes saddlebags, hand guards, a skid plate, and more. In Australia and New Zealand, the XR is marketed as a farm bike. In fact, Honda’s Australian website calls it “an essential piece of equipment for any farm.” Calling a motorcycle a piece of farm equipment should provide a bit of a chuckle for US riders (and farmers), but it does allude to the bike’s ruggedness and utility. The dash has a speedometer, odometer, tripmeter, and an array of dummy lights—everything you need and nothing you don’t. Electric-start eliminates the most frustrating thing about XRs of old—getting them to kick over on a cold day. (Honda/)Electronics The XR150L is as simple as they come, meaning there are no electronics across the package. Warranty and Maintenance Coverage The XR150L has a one-year limited warranty. Quality Honda’s XR150L is a no-frills little motorcycle that’s as bulletproof as they come. Give it fresh gas and routine oil changes and it’ll practically go forever. The XR150L is one of the most approachable dual sports on the market, making it a great option for riders looking to explore the outskirts of town. (Honda/)2023 Honda XR150L Claimed Specs MSRP: $2,971 Engine: 149cc air-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke Bore x Stroke: 57.3 x 57.8mm Transmission/Final Drive: 5-speed/chain Fuel Delivery: 22mm piston-valve carburetor Clutch: Wet, multiple disc; cable operation Engine Management/Ignition: Cable-operated/CDI Frame: Steel-tube chassis Front Suspension: 31mm telescopic fork; 7.1 in. travel Rear Suspension: Pro-Link single shock, spring preload adjustable; 5.9 in. travel Front Brake: 2-piston caliper, 240mm disc Rear Brake: 110mm drum Tires, Front/Rear: 90/90-19 / 110/90-17 Rake/Trail: 27.0°/4.0 in. Wheelbase: 53.5 in. Ground Clearance: 9.6 in. Seat Height: 32.8 in. Fuel Capacity: 2.8 gal. Wet Weight: 282 lb. Contact: powersports.honda.com Source

New patents show that Yamaha is working on an electric sportbike and trying to maximize how it utilizes space inside the frame, while also managing weight. (Yamaha/)New designs revealed in Yamaha patent applications show that the company is working on ideas for a relatively high-performance electric motorcycle with a focus on maximizing the space for batteries and minimizing weight. There have been plenty of false dawns when it comes to the idea of electric sportbikes from major ICE motorcycle manufacturers. There was a flurry of exciting electric concepts more than a decade ago, including Honda’s RC-E that was unveiled back in 2011, and Yamaha’s PES1 and PES2 from 2013 and 2015, respectively, but so far such machines have remained conspicuously absent from showrooms. That’s despite genuine intentions to accelerate electric-motorcycle plans. As far back as 2013, Yamaha’s official plan (published in its annual report at the end of that year) was to launch “EV sports motorcycles” inspired by the PES1 concept within two years. That document was later edited to change the two-year time frame to “in the near future” when it was clear the two-year schedule wasn’t viable, but it’s been more than a decade now and there’s still no electric sportbike in Yamaha’s range. Related: Honda, KTM, Piaggio, and Yamaha Form Electric Battery Consortium Yamaha showed its PES2 electric concept all the way back in 2013. <i>Yamaha</i>Does that mean the idea has been dropped altogether? It appears not, as a new Yamaha patent application reveals that work is underway on an electric bike that’s clearly much more focused on performance than any of the company’s existing battery-powered models. The patent shows a sportbike with a conventional-looking chassis combining a trellis-style front frame with a swingarm pivot that appears to be aluminum, but it wraps around a huge, finned case that contains batteries and electronics rather than a combustion engine. The design is clearly intended to maximize battery space, as the electric motor is mounted as far back as possible, driving the front sprocket via a reduction gearbox. The motor position means the rear suspension needs an unusually high shock unit to clear it. This illustration shows a fully faired sportbike-style machine in the patent applications. (Yamaha/)However, the focus of the patent is the battery case. While some high-performance electric motorcycles use liquid-cooled batteries, the Yamaha design opts for air-cooling in the pursuit of simplicity and reduced weight. Just as there are arguments for and against liquid- or air-cooling in combustion engines, the same applies to EV batteries. EV batteries are sensitive to temperature, operating best within a narrow range—often requiring heating when they’re cold or cooling when they’re hot to maximize their potential. Liquid-cooling helps keep them in that sweet spot, but at the expense of requiring arrays of radiators, pipework, pumps, and sensors. Air-cooling, meanwhile, has the benefit of reducing weight, cost, and complexity, and with future generations of batteries expected to be able to cope with a broader spread of temperature, it could make more sense—particularly on motorcycles where space and weight are at a premium. The focus of the new patent is the battery case and batteries and how they are laid out. (Yamaha/)Yamaha’s design simplifies the battery case, using a large central casting and tub-shaped upper and lower sections. It’s a design that’s intended to minimize the number of seams, reducing the opportunities for water ingress. Inside, there are four platforms, each carrying two battery modules. The sides and bottom of the battery case are finned for cooling, as are the undersides of each of the internal platforms. Those fins increase the surface area for cooling but also add more rigidity without increasing the weight. Inside the top section, the bike’s control electronics and battery management system sit on top of the upper battery modules, while the inverter that changes the battery’s DC output to AC to feed the electric motor hangs underneath in the bike’s belly. The on-board charger sits under the seat. How powerful would a bike like this be? That’s unknown, but Yamaha already has its own in-house EV powertrain business, supplying motors from 35kW (47 hp) to 350kW (470 hp) to external customers. With well over a decade of largely unseen development on electric bikes under its belt, it seems likely that Yamaha—like several of its rivals—is now simply waiting for the right market conditions to enter the arena for large, high-performance EVs. Source

2024 Honda Shadow Aero. (Honda/)Overview Honda’s Shadow Aero is a classically styled metric cruiser with a fully modern powertrain. For 2024 it received a disc brake at the rear, which was previously only available on the ABS version. Buyers will still have to choose between the non-ABS or ABS model (California buyers can only buy the ABS version). The two-tone paint is also new for 2024. Power comes from a liquid-cooled 745cc V-twin that produces good low-down torque. Programmed Fuel Injection ensures excellent response and efficacy. The Aero uses a five-speed transmission and sends power to a low-maintenance shaft final drive. An ultralow 26-inch seat means a wide range of riders can get their feet firmly down at stops or maneuvering in parking lots. Pricing and Variants The 2024 Honda Shadow Aero is available in one color, which Honda calls black but is really a two-tone fade on the tank and side covers. The non-ABS version is set at $7,949, while the ABS model is $8,249. Competition <a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/story/buyers-guide/2020-yamaha-bolt-r-spec/"><b>Yamaha Bolt R Spec, $8,899</b></a><b>2025 </b><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/story/buyers-guide/2020-suzuki-boulevard-c50t/"><b>Suzuki Boulevard C50, $9,299</b></a><a href="https://www.cycleworld.com/story/buyers-guide/2020-kawasaki-vulcan-900-classic-lt/"><b>Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic, starting at $9,399</b></a>2024 Honda Shadow Aero / Shadow Aero ABS Claimed Specs MSRP: $7,949 / $8,249 (ABS) Engine: SOHC, liquid-cooled V-twin; 3 valves/cyl. Displacement: 745cc Bore x Stroke: 79.0 x 76.0mm Compression Ratio: 9.6:1 Transmission/Final Drive: 5-speed/shaft Fuel System: PGM-FI w/ 34mm throttle body Clutch: Wet, multiplate Frame: Steel Front Suspension: 41mm telescopic fork; 5.5 in. travel Rear Suspension: Dual shocks, preload adjustable; 3.6 in. travel Front Brake: 2-piston caliper, 296mm disc (w/ ABS) Rear Brake: 1-piston caliper, 276mm disc (w/ ABS) Wheels, Front/Rear: Spoked; 17 in./15 in. Tires, Front/Rear: 120/90-17 / 160/80-15 Rake/Trail: 34.0º/6.3 in. Wheelbase: 64.6 in. Ground Clearance: 5.1 in. Seat Height: 26.0 in. Fuel Capacity: 3.9 gal. Wet Weight: 560 lb. / 570 lb. (ABS) Contact: powersports.honda.com Source