Hugh Janus

Scooter or motorcycle? Either way, the Golden Age concept is pretty clear about where it gets its design influences. (NMoto/)You could say Alexander Niznik is something of a BMW fanatic. Why else would a serial entrepreneur go to the trouble of starting his own design studio to recreate the iconic BMW R7 with an R nineT as the platform? His studio/shop NMoto won plaudits and worldwide recognition for that Nostalgia/R nineT project when it was released several years back, but now NMoto is on to a new concept. Dubbed Golden Age, the sleek prototype isn’t based on an iconic BMW model this time, but seeks instead to channel the Courtney Streamline motorcycle, a pure concept machine built in 1936 by one Orley Ray Courtney. That deco masterpiece used an existing machine—a Henderson KJ Streamline model—for its base, and NMoto’s Golden Age also relies on a modern foundation, with a C 400 X scooter to carry its curvaceous bodywork (and keep the BMW theme intact). Related: NMoto’s Nostalgia Channels The Iconic BMW R7 The long, flowing bodywork rides atop a BMW C 400 X scooter chassis. (NMoto/)The Courtney Streamline’s sleek profile was made possible by the Henderson donor bike’s compact inline four-cylinder drivetrain, and the finished prototype featured high-profile balloon tires to smooth out the ride. Courtney was a big fan of Chrysler’s just-released Airflow model which integrated the new streamlined art moderne style of the era, and his motorcycle prototype carried many of the same elements. The bike’s sheet-metal panels wrapping the modified Henderson frame and engine were meticulously shaped by Courtney himself with a power hammer, and the builder was awarded a US patent for his streamlined, one-off work of art. This one-off prototype by O. Ray Courtney served as prime inspiration for NMoto’s design. Underneath the sleek sheet metal is a 1930 Henderson KJ Streamline. (Andrew Cherney/)With the Golden Age concept bike, NMoto leveraged the C 400 X’s slim dimensions to similar effect, taking advantage of the midsize scooter’s simple tubular steel frame and single-cylinder engine layout as an accommodating base for all those flowing art deco-inspired forms. The liquid-cooled 350cc engine is rated at a claimed 34 hp, and the C 400′s dimensions and modern mechanicals fit the Golden Age concept too, with a 30.5-inch seat height and CVT gearbox promising accessibility and an easy-to-ride quality, all while providing thoroughly modern features like ABS and ASC (automatic stability control). NMoto’s concept rounds over the sleeker bits for a VW Beetle-like effect. Not sure if those rear pods are for storage or not, but the seat looks pretty plush. (NMoto/)NMoto says Golden Age’s low center of gravity, reasonable running weight (the C 400 X claims 450 pounds ready to ride), and ample power mean it will be nimble and practical for city streets, but we’re guessing the buyers of this thing will be pretty stoked on the visuals as well. “NMoto have always been inspired by art deco design. But we’re also futurists as much as we are classicists,” Niznik says. The C 400 X scooter comes with CVT transmission, ABS, and ASC as standard equipment, but we’re as yet unsure if its 6.5-inch TFT display will transfer to the NMoto model. (BMW Motorrad/)As the renderings show, the bike’s design is complete and the company says production of the first prototype is underway, but no pricing, specs, or details were available at this time. What we do know for sure is that Golden Age will look like nothing else out on the streets when it’s finally produced —though the Honda NM4 does have a similarly wild aesthetic and some closely related features too. Guess it all depends on what era you’re looking to riff on. NMoto says a public reveal will happen in spring of 2021. For more information, visit: nmoto.com/golden-age/. How’d you like to spot this BMW-shaped grille in your rearview mirror? (NMoto/)Source

2020 Triumph Street Scrambler (Triumph/)The Triumph Street Scrambler shares much with the Street Twin stablemate, but nestles its toes in the sand for some good dirty fun. It is powered by the same character-rich 900cc 270-degree-crank Bonnie engine, but it swaps the low-slung exhausts for “swan neck” duals for a scrambler-vibe and purpose. Spoked rims wrapped in dual-purpose rubber, a larger 19-inch front wheel, a wider spaced fork, wider handlebar, as well as off-road-friendly electronics further round out the multifaceted machine. The Street Scrambler pairs its full-bodied character with modern retro good looks for a wonderful taste of what it means to be a modern scrambler. 2020 Triumph Street Scrambler (Triumph/)2020 Triumph Street Scrambler Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition The recently revised 2019 Street Scrambler claimed test rider’s praise for the exhaust and its note: “The exhaust note of the Scrambler is more noticeable, again, adding a sprinkle of character, and, chasing a pair of them as the sun went down, I’d say the view from the rear of that distinctive high-level exhaust is memorable. It operates with a sweet-natured efficiency. It’s user-friendly in the extreme.” Competition includes the Ducati Scrambler Icon, Husqvarna Svartpilen 701, and BMW RnineT Scrambler. 2020 Triumph Street Scrambler (Triumph/)Triumph Street Scrambler Updates For 2020 No significant changes for the 2020 model year. Colorways available include Fusion White, Cranberry Red, and Matte Khaki/Aluminum Silver. 2020 Triumph Street Scrambler Claimed Specifications Price: $11,000 Engine: Liquid-cooled SOHC parallel twin Displacement: 900cc Bore x Stroke: 84.6 x 80.0mm Horsepower: 64.0 hp @ 7,500 rpm Torque: 59.0 lb.-ft. @ 3,200 rpm Transmission: 5-speed Final Drive: Chain Seat Height: 31.1 in. Rake: 25.6° Trail: 4.3 in. Front Suspension: 41mm cartridge fork; 4.7-in. travel Rear Suspension: Preload adjustable; 4.7-in. travel Front Tire: 100/90R-19 Rear Tire: 150/70R-17 Wheelbase: 56.9 in. Fuel Capacity: 3.2 gal. Dry Weight: 448 lb. Source

The Ducati Multistrada V4 will be making its way stateside in January of 2021, with a base MSRP of $19,995 (Ducati/)18 years and 110,000 units after the original Multistrada hit the market, the fourth generation 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 has been unveiled at Borgo Panigale by CEO Claudio Domenicali. Domenicali, as much an enthusiast as a corporate higher-up, laid out all the technical and functional details that set the new Multistrada V4 apart from its previous iterations and competitors. With the decline of superbike sales, Ducati has invested in the development of highly functional, practical, versatile bikes like the all-new Multistrada V4. And on paper, the V4 appears to be a platform built to meet the expectations of sport touring enthusiasts without the mythical exclusivity of the brand’s past. The heart of the Ducati Multistrada V4 is the 1,158cc Granturismo V4, sans that engine’s desmodromic valve train. The new powerplant is claimed to produce an impressive 170 horsepower at 10,500 rpm and 92.2 pound-feet of torque at 8,750 rpm while meeting the tightening Euro 5 emissions standards. One up-spec option of the Multistrada V4 is the S model, featured here. With semi-active suspension, a larger TFT dashboard, Brembo braking components, and more electronic adjustability, this model also comes from Ducati equipped with panniers. (Ducati/)Claimed numbers are impressive, to be sure; but Ducati also claims the new powerplant is more than two pounds lighter than the Testastretta DVT 1260cc V-twin engine in its predecessor. It’s more compact, too, allowing for optimal engine location for proper weight bias and neutral handling character. Wheelbase has also shrunk by one inch, to 61.7 in. Thermal comfort was analyzed while designing the Multistrada V4, resulting in strategically placed venting to improve heat dissipation, particularly at low speeds and while stopped. The engine also automatically shuts off the rear cylinders at low speeds to prevent uncomfortable heat build up underneath the seat. Harnessing the engine’s performance is a sophisticated electronic rider-aid package, with a six-axis Bosch inertial measurement unit (IMU) at the forefront. The system manages the Multistrada’s Ducati Traction Control (DTC), Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC), and Cornering ABS function on all Multistrada models, while the up-spec V4 S platforms incorporate Cornering Lights (DCL) and Vehicle Hold Control (VHC). A bi-directional Ducati Quick Shifter (DQS) is also fitted. The S model increases the TFT display size from 5 inches to 6.5 inches. (Ducati/)Multistrada V4 S models also incorporate an all-new radar system, co-developed with Bosch, allowing for Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) functions, as well as Blind Spot Detection (BSD) for more comfortable, safer riding. The system will reportedly be available in the United States in mid 2021; once certified, the pack will be offered as an $850 option. Inspired by Ducati’s Panigale superbike platform, the Multistrada V4 does away with the classic steel trellis frame and adopts a fully integrated cast-aluminum pyramid-shaped monocoque structure, although steel tubing can still be seen in the subframe. A new aluminum swingarm is featured, encompassing the base model’s Marzocchi gas-charged shock. A massive 50mm Marzocchi fork is used on the base model, and suspension travel is a respective 6.9 inches up front and 7.0 inches in the rear. Geometry-wise, the chassis features slightly reduced front end rake and trail compared to the outgoing Multistrada 1260. Rake is down from 25° to 24.5° and trail from 4.4 in. to 4.03 in. Being more compact, the engine is set higher, which is said to generate a more balanced and homogenous man-machine association for sure-footed feel at all lean angles, as well as allowing more generous clearance over rough terrain. A pair of beloved Brembo Stylema calipers and 330mm discs are fitted to the S model for superior stopping power. (Ducati/)A wind-tunnel developed front fairing inspired by the Panigale V4 improves rider comfort, while the 5.8 gallon fuel tank has been reshaped to offer an easier reach to the ground. Standard seat height is 33.0 inches, while lower (31.9 in.) and taller (34.5 in.) seats are offered by Ducati for a more custom fit. Ducati is offering the new platform in three different levels: the standard Multistrada V4; the Multistrada V4 S; and the Multistrada V4 S Sport. The two up-spec models include semi-active Marzocchi suspension with Ducati’s Skyhook technology and an auto-leveling system which automatically adjusts for extra load on the chassis (passengers, luggage, etc.). They also receive top-shelf Brembo Stylema calipers with larger 330mm discs (compared to 320mm on the standard), the radar system with adaptive cruise control and blindspot detection, additional riding and suspension modes, and a larger 6.5-inch TFT dashboard in comparison to the base model’s 5-inch TFT display. The top-tier Multistrada V4 S Sport gets an Akrapovič exhaust, carbon front fender, and unique livery. (Ducati/)The Sport model comes equipped with a unique livery, Akrapovič exhaust and carbon front fender. Ducati will offer additional accessory packs, the Enduro, Touring, Urban, Performance, and Travel, each designed with additional features to suit every rider’s needs. All in all, the Multistrada V4 is intended to be a real game changer in the sport-touring category, and Ducati does not want to miss a beat in creating the most diverse model line in its history; a model that might convince the Borgo Panigale-based manufacturer, led by enthusiast Domenicali, to increase the production numbers. MSRP for the 2021 Multistrada V4 begins at $19,995 in the United States, while the V4 S with Travel and Radar will cost $24,095. Each is expected to hit stateside dealerships in January of 2021. Source

The 2021 Ténéré 700 is Yamaha’s highly anticipated middleweight adventure motorcycle, which shares an engine with the popular MT-07 naked platform. It’s aimed at accessibility and affordability. In fact, the new Ténéré has a relatively low $9,999 MSRP, which is significantly less than the competing KTM 790 Adventure R’s $13,699. Powered by the same 689cc CP2 parallel-twin engine as the MT-07 and XSR700 models, the Ténéré offers approachable off-road power delivery. To achieve a more dirt-focused engine characteristic with a broader, more usable torque curve, Yamaha tuned the powerplant with dedicated ECU settings, a Ténéré-specific airbox, and new muffler. 2021 Yamaha Ténéré 700 dyno (Robert Martin/)Ahead of an upcoming comparison test, we ran the Ténéré 700 on our in-house Dynojet 250i dyno, recording 63.78 peak hp at 8,870 rpm and 44.09 pound-feet of torque at 6,640 rpm. For reference, the last time we ran the Yamaha MT-07 on the dyno, it produced slightly higher numbers: 67.60 hp and 46.54 pound-feet of torque, but the Ténéré 700′s torque curve is slightly flatter across the midrange. This offers more flexibility of gear selection needed for tricky off-road sections and romping around the city alike. The flexibility and usable power delivery of Ténéré's CP2 engine makes it a fun-loving platform with a ton of capability in every scenario. Source

Yamaha’s been busy of late, this time with a new triple-cylinder turbocharged prototype. (Japanese Patent Office/)We’ve known for a while that Yamaha’s R&D department has been working on turbocharged motorcycle projects, and now the company has revealed the first details of a prototype that further explores turbo technology. Last year Yamaha filed patent applications for a turbocharged parallel twin derived from the MT-09, but with one cylinder removed. However, the prototype is a bespoke 847cc three-cylinder turbo machine. Tests have shown impressive power and torque numbers for the prototype, with emissions far below that of comparable normally aspirated machines. (Japanese Patent Office/)While the 847cc capacity matches that of the 2014-2020 MT-09, the turbo bike’s engine is quite different—with a longer stroke (73mm) and smaller bore (67.5mm) to make for a relatively low-revving, high-torque design. During tests the bike hit a power peak of 180 hp at 8,500 rpm, along with a massive 130 pound-feet of torque on tap. Around 90 percent of that maximum torque turned out to be available all the way from 3,000 rpm to 7,000 rpm, easily outmuscling the V-Max’s numbers in the process. Also impressive is that this was achieved with 30 percent lower CO2 emissions than comparable normally aspirated engines and a vast reduction in carbon monoxide, NOx and hydrocarbon emissions, all coming in well under half the levels permitted by the latest Euro 5 rules being introduced in Europe from January next year. Direct injection and variable valve timing help the engine run cleaner as well. (Japanese Patent Office/)The turbo alone isn’t responsible for the improved emissions. The engine also features direct fuel injection, squirting gas straight into the combustion chambers rather than into the throttle bodies. The lower-revving nature of the turbo motor probably helps here, since making DI work on screaming normally aspirated motorcycle engines is known to be a tricky engineering task. Yamaha has also added variable valve timing to both the intake and exhaust camshafts, mimicking the sort of technology that’s commonplace on modern cars but has yet to make the leap to motorcycles. Related Content: Yamaha Developing Turbocharged Twin While the question of turbo lag has always hung over turbocharged motorcycles, with any delay in throttle response hampering the riding experience, Yamaha seems to have cracked that nut during the prototype’s development, using advanced boost-control electronics, so that during tests at 3,000 rpm in third gear it takes just over one second to reach 90 percent of peak torque. This prototype is meant simply to showcase the turbo technology rather than serving as a template for a production model. (Yamaha/)While the engine is a bespoke design, the prototype it’s bolted to draws heavily on MT-10 parts—using the standard production bike’s Deltabox beam frame, swingarm, fork, and even much of its bodywork, including the tank and tail unit. The side panels, which hide the turbo’s intercooler, are purpose-made for the prototype, while the water radiator hangs uncomfortably close to the ground underneath. However, bear in mind that this prototype is simply exploring turbo technology, not a design that’s destined for production in this form, or anything like it. With around 12.5 percent more power than an MT-10 and a huge 50 percent boost in peak torque, the fact that the prototype is around 44 pounds heavier than an MT-10 at 507 pounds isn’t likely to blunt its performance much either. With a purpose-made chassis to suit the engine, some of that excess weight could probably be trimmed too. Although the prototype is well within Euro 5 emissions limits, there’s a good chance Yamaha will wait for Euro 6 rules to be set before moving forward on the project. (Japanese Patent Office/)How far off is a turbocharged Yamaha production bike? That’s an unknown at the moment, but it’s worth noting that Kawasaki was busy filing patent applications and developing prototypes for its supercharged Ninja H2 a full five years before the production model was launched. With no firm introduction date or definite requirements set for Euro 6 emissions limits yet, it’s likely that Yamaha is biding its time until it knows where the target is before pushing ahead with this project. Suzuki is also working on turbocharged bikes at the moment, with the Recursion parallel twin slowly edging toward production, while both Kawasaki and Honda are nailing their colors to supercharging tech. Kawasaki is clearly leading the pack with its H2 range, while Honda recently filed patents for a supercharged Africa Twin. All the Japanese Big Four firms currently have turbo projects in the works. (Yamaha Motor Corp./)Source

Kevin Cameron (Robert Martin/)As a young adult, free at last to embrace the motorcycle, I began to drink in its culture through the British magazines on offer at a nearby news kiosk. Magazines and newspapers in every language were crowded together on four walls and some jostling was required to reach the titles I wanted. Soon I learned the litany of British motorcycle design: that a low center of gravity was the key to handling. It didn’t occur to me to ask myself, “What is handling?” because I had no experience—only interest. Only gradually would I learn that handling was something like rapid, stable, and predictable maneuverability. I learned also that motorcyclists were divided by strong and contradictory opinions. Riders of large, heavy machines tended to look down upon riders of British twins and singles as upstarts, newbies ignorant of what’s really important. The buy-British crowd loved the lightness, quicker maneuverability, and stronger acceleration of the bikes they rode, and regarded the heavyweights as relics of a 50-year tradition. Just beginning to appear in 1960 were small Japanese machines, hardly more than overgrown mopeds at first. For riders of heavy bikes, having a low center of gravity makes the machine feel lighter and requires less muscle to reliably support at stoplights or during parking maneuvers. The lower most of the weight is located, the less it moves off-center for a given angle of tilt, and the less it feels as if it might get away from you if it tips too much. You feel this apparent lightness by standing over the bike and rocking it from side to side; the lower the CG, the more manageable the bike’s weight feels. Outstanding in this respect is Honda’s Gold Wing, which feels much lighter than its 800 pounds because its six cylinders and its heads are at the same height as its longitudinal crankshaft. Honda’s Gold Wing feels much lighter than its 845-pound weight because of the low center of gravity. (Jeff Allen /)On the other hand, no one is going to pretend that the long wheelbase and weight of touring machines give them “rapid, stable, and predictable maneuverability.” Stable and predictable they are, but quick-steering they are not. That’s fine for their purpose, which is to cruise the highways in comfort. Another specialized activity in which low CG works is drag racing. Because front wheel lift sets the upper limit to acceleration, drag racers are built as low as possible, with their major masses far forward. This is a specialization not practical on street or highway because the low engine touches the pavement at even a modest angle of lean and the extreme weight on the front wheel makes low-speed steering heavy. Dragsters have traction not available on the street because their tires are preheated before each run. Let’s set aside the special cases of touring and dragbikes and consider the British twins that invaded the US after World War II. What many riders liked about them was their more athletic nature. They accelerated strongly and responded quickly to rider inputs. They made their riders feel more like they were on a quick-turning quarter horse than at the throttle of a thundering locomotive (clearly, both have their appeal). Elements of the difference were lower weight, shorter wheelbases around 54 inches (as opposed to over 60 for many heavyweights), and steering geometry biased toward quick response (around 27 degrees of rake and 4 inches of trail) than toward all-day cruising stability (30-32 rake, 4.5 inches trail). Another element was generally lighter wheels, whose lower gyro resistance to steering reduced control forces at the bars. Did British bikes have low CGs? In fact they did not, as their engines had to be mounted high enough not to ground during sporty turning. The British-made machines most praised for their handling—the classic single-cylinder roadrace bikes like Norton’s Manx and the Matchless G50 had tall vertically mounted engines—every one with its complex and heavy OHC head up high, right against the bottom of the gas tank. Off I went to the races as a know-nothing, to find that unquestioned beliefs and second-hand magazine wisdom weren’t much help. Things happened that those ideas couldn’t explain. Around 1971 everyone was nodding and smiling in agreement that the path to stability and control was longer swingarms. But the next year, there was our heroic Master of Wobbles, Yvon Duhamel, at an Ontario Motor Speedway test day, turning the gas to accelerate off corners with the prescribed long swingarm and spinning—not hooking up and going forward. Sliding out. Going slow. But when they switched to a shorter swingarm, turning the gas threw more weight on the back tire, it hooked up, and his lap times dropped. Could it be that there is a difference between handling and performance? The long swingarm certainly killed some wobbles and made bikes of that time easier to handle. But they went slow. The late Hurley Wilvert, a great rider/engineer in the best American tradition, rode a comparison test between his own Kawasaki H2R (whose low frame he had designed in the British low-CG style) and a bike with a much higher-set engine, built by team tech Randy Hall. Wilvert told me the stopwatch and his own perceptions didn’t lie. As much as he wanted to believe his own bike was on the cutting edge, he was faster on Hall’s tall bike. On his own low bike, when he fed throttle while leaned over to exit a corner, the tire spun rather than hooked up. But on the tall bike, during acceleration the extra height transferred more weight onto the rear tire, making it hook up and go forward. Sure, the front kept lifting up and letting the bike head for the outside, but it was definitely better to go faster on a bit of a handful than to go slow on a tour bus. In 1984, Honda brought its first NSR500 to Daytona, built in approved low-CG style with the fuel tank slung under the engine and the exhaust pipes (which are mostly empty space) routed over the top with the rider protected from their heat by an insulated dummy “tank.” Honda was funding a French group that was applying Formula 1 concepts to bikes. Very exciting. The new NSR’s problems didn’t appear until later in the Grand Prix season, when rider Freddie Spencer noted that it was sluggish in direction changing on twisty tracks. A test was laid on, consisting of a slalom course made with traffic cones. The rider would ride the slalom at successively higher speeds until he began to knock down some cones. Baseline was the best slalom time Spencer could achieve on last season’s three-cylinder NS3, a fast-maneuvering bike. Both bikes were tested with full fuel. When Spencer entered the cones on the new bike at the NS3′s highest entry speed, the bike knocked down the cones; it could not be manhandled through the direction change as quickly as the triple. Next, they removed all but a quart or two of fuel from the new bike’s underslung tank, and added roughly 35 pounds of lead weights above the engine, simulating a full top-mounted tank. This time, the new bike went through the cones just as quickly as had the triple. Why? Engineers had imagined that as a bike rolls in changing direction it is pivoting on a line through its two tire footprints. If that were true, putting the fuel on the bottom would make it easier to pivot because it would be swinging through a shorter arc than if it were up on top of the engine, farther from the ground. But that’s not what happens. At one track I could stand and watch bikes coming straight toward me, then turning right. In light rain I could see the trace of their travel as a line on the track. As the riders countersteered to their left to make their bikes flick to the right, the tire footprints moved to the left as the tops of the bikes tilted to the right: They were rolling, not around a line connecting the tire footprints, but around the center of gravity of bike, fuel, and rider, which is about 22 inches off the pavement. They were pivoting around their roll axes. Seen in this way, the slalom test result makes sense. Putting the fuel under the engine moved it farther from the roll axis, creating more resistance to the motion. Putting the fuel back above the engine reduced its distance from the roll axis by roughly half. No wonder fuel tanks in MotoGP have been changing their shape, growing a “foot” that extends back under the rider’s seat, where the fuel’s mass is right on the roll axis. At Laguna one year American Honda set out one of its RC45 V-4 750 Superbikes as a display. I went to it and measured its crankshaft height, wheelbase, and distance from front axle to crankshaft. Then I went to see Rob Muzzy and asked if he’d mind my doing the same with one of his team bikes. Result? Another upsetting, funny-shaped brick to somehow be fitted into the temple of knowledge. The Kawasaki, with its wide four-cylinder inline engine, carried its crankshaft some 2.5 inches lower than did the V-4, which was only two cylinders wide. How could this be? Doug Chandler’s riding style was high corner speed, so the Kawasaki was built for stability: long and low. Because Chandler’s apex speed was high, he braked and accelerated less. Miguel Duhamel, getting the “terrible 45” turned in point-and-shoot style, needed instant weight transfer to generate prompt rear traction to accelerate early and hard. Honda’s RC45 carried its crankshaft 2.5 inches higher than the Kawasaki ZX-7RR that it competed against, suiting Miguel Duhamel’s point-and-shoot riding style. (Cycle World Archives/)For me the final nail was the discovery that sometimes braking distances are shorter if a bike is made taller. As a bike accelerates from one corner to the next, its tires cool significantly, losing some grip. If the rider just pulls the lever at his/her braking point, the cooled front tire may lack grip and slide or lock. But make that bike just a bit taller, increasing the brake-induced transfer of weight to the front, and the extra load makes it grip. Most road and street riders wisely do not ride at a level that brings all of the above into play, but it does partly explain why powerful sportbikes are built as tall as they are, with higher riding positions than in the past. The rest of the explanation, of course, is that today’s much grippier tires allow lean angles that were impossible 20 or 30 years ago. That requires engines and footpegs to be placed higher to allow cornering clearance. Source

Back to the future? New patents show Yamaha is exploring hybrid motorcycle designs once again. (Japanese Patent Office/)Most people seem to forget, but Yamaha embraced hybrid motorcycles early on. Do a quick rewind to the early part of the 21st century and you’ll see the company was one of the strongest proponents of the idea of hybrids at the time; in fact, if it wasn’t for the 2008 financial crash, it might well have been selling them for a decade by now. RELATED: Where Are The Hybrid Motorcycles? But Yamaha’s hybrid project ground to a halt around 2009-2010 as bike firms worldwide slashed R&D expenditure, and there’s been no sign of a revival for the idea until now. A new patent application in Japan has revealed that the firm is once again ramping up its hybrid efforts. Yamaha’s latest idea is for a series hybrid rather than a parallel design. The single-cylinder engine is attached to a generator, which powers the battery. (Japanese Patent Office/)To get an idea of how strongly Yamaha believed in hybrid bikes, we need to go back to the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show, where the firm revealed its Gen-Ryu cruiser concept. It was powered by the 600cc four-cylinder engine from the R6 sportbike, driving through a planetary gear transmission like that of a then-current Toyota Prius, thus allowing a large electric motor/generator unit to either take up drive on its own, assist the combustion engine, or to regenerate electricity. The high-concept four-cylinder Gen-Ryu concept of 2005 revealed the high level of Yamaha’s interest in hybrids. (Yamaha Motor Corp./)Although clearly a pretty wild concept, the Gen-Ryu’s technology was based on a real R&D project at the time, which emerged four years later—again at the Tokyo Motor Show—as the much more down-to-earth HV-X. However, unlike most show concepts, the HV-X wasn’t trumpeted by Yamaha, and indeed it has only been revealed by the firm as a cutaway model at the Tokyo event and in a video showing the bike in action. However, design patents at the time revealed a surprisingly production-ready machine. It appears that Yamaha’s low-key unveiling, which came just as the motorcycle industry retracted in the face of the financial crisis, was due to the project being shelved at around the same time. The Gen-Ryu begat the HV-X concept bike in 2009, which used a CVT transmission to tap both gas and electric power. (Yamaha Motor Corp./)Like the Gen-Ryu, the HV-X used a Prius-style planetary gearset to create a CVT transmission that could seamlessly mix gas and electric power. This time the engine was a 250cc single allied to a 15kW (20 hp) electric motor and bolted into the frame from an XP500 TMAX. A 300V battery sat between the rider’s legs, with a gas tank under the seat. The HV-X design called for a 250cc single paired with a 15kW electric motor bolted onto the frame of a TMAX scooter. (Yamaha /)Since 2009 there’s been no sign of Yamaha’s hybrid project until the publication of a new patent application in Japan showing the idea is once again in development, albeit in a very different form. Yamaha’s new design patent relates mainly to the chassis layout, which uses the single-speed gearbox as a structural element. (Japanese Patent Office/)The Gen-Ryu and HV-X projects of the time were so-called “parallel” hybrid designs, where both the combustion engine and electric motor were able to drive the rear wheel, but the new design is of a series hybrid. That means the ICE (internal combustion engine) can’t drive the vehicle, instead powering a generator that charges the battery. The single-cylinder engine sits where you’d expect on a scooter-style vehicle, but it’s attached to a generator that’s bolted alongside it (numbered “42” in the patent images). Behind it an electric motor (51) is mounted on a single-speed reduction gearbox that drives the bike’s front sprocket. A fairly large battery (60) sits under the seat. The patent itself relates to the layout of the chassis, which uses the reduction gearbox as a structural part, with a frame ahead of it to support the steering head. It’s basically the same chassis idea the TMAX scooter uses and that the HV-X intended to borrow, just reworked to suit a series hybrid design. Using the chassis design of an existing model but with a different power source could be Yamaha’s way into the electric market. ( Japanese Patent Office/)With electric bikes still remaining niche vehicles, in part because of the range anxiety that comes with the knowledge that you can’t simply top up a fuel tank when the power runs out, hybrid bikes like this could still have a viable future. Combustion engines might be more complex than electric motors, but they’re cheap thanks to a century of mass production, and a series hybrid could get away with a smaller battery or use cheaper, less energy-dense battery technology to reduce weight or cost compared to a fully electric bike of similar performance and range. Hybrids might not be as cutting-edge as they were when Yamaha first started working on the idea around 20 years ago, but it might yet get them into mainstream use one day. Source

Kawasaki’s latest patent application shows a complete rethinking of motorcycle engine basics. (Japanese Patent Office/)Despite revealing its decade-long electric bike development project a year ago, Kawasaki has since emphasized that it had no production plans for a purely electric-powered motorcycle. Now the company’s R&D appears to be increasingly focused on hybrids that combine conventional gas engines with electric motors to improve performance, economy, and emissions without the need to lug big, heavy batteries around. Kawasaki’s patents show a traditional manual transmission with clutches to connect the combustion engine, the electric motor, or both. (Japanese Patent Office/)Over the years Kawasaki has worked on several hybrid projects, ranging from economical single-cylinder machines to superbikes that could benefit from an electric boost. None have even reached the show stands, let alone production, but recently the firm’s research activity on the subject has accelerated. The latest set of patents show an array of new developments including increased concentration on controlling a bike with not just one but two power units on board. Related: Where Are The Hybrid Motorcycles? As with many hybrid cars, the idea is to make a machine that can run on its combustion engine alone, on purely electric power, or with both systems working together for maximum performance. Relatively small batteries can be charged via regenerative braking or by using the internal combustion engine to ensure there’s always electricity on tap when needed. However, while cars such as Toyota’s Prius often combine their power units using an automatic gearbox or continuously variable transmission, Kawasaki is keen to keep the rider involved on any hybrid bike it develops. Hence the normal, manual transmission is retained, with clutches to connect the combustion engine, the electric motor, or both to its input shaft. The electric motor’s batteries can be charged via regenerative braking, so there’s always electricity (and torque) on tap if needed. (Japanese Patent Office/)That decision aligns with the all-electric prototype Kawasaki showed last year. Unusually, it combined an electric motor with a conventional foot-shifted transmission and hand-operated clutch, with the intention of creating a familiar riding experience. However, the prototype’s electric motor was relatively small, lacking performance compared to current state-of-the-art electric bikes from firms like Zero. If that electric prototype is only half of the equation, and Kawasaki intends to combine that low-powered motor with an internal combustion engine, it makes a lot more sense. Another patent detail reveals plans for a performance-enhancing boost button near the throttle grip. (Japanese Patent Office/)One of Kawasaki’s latest patents focuses on the controls for a future hybrid bike, revealing a four-way rocker switch for riding modes attached to the throttle twist grip, allowing a rider’s thumb to remain on it at all times. Even more intriguing is a separate “boost” button fitted below the mode switch. The patent explains that hitting that “boost” will allow several seconds of additional performance from the electric motor. Various safety nets would stop the boost when it’s not needed, such as when the rider rolls off the throttle or hits the brakes. An electric motor’s max torque at zero revs, combined with a gas engine’s different torque curve, can yield the best of both worlds. (Japanese Patent Office/)Another of the company’s new patents shows how the electric motor uses its main performance benefit of maximum torque at zero revs. It combines with the gas engine’s torque curve, which rises with rpm, to give the best of both worlds, as electric torque drops off rapidly at higher speeds. How Kawasaki envisions the hybrid’s different motor and system scenarios in operation. (Japanese Patent Office/)Kawasaki started developing its electric bike around 10 years before showing a prototype in public. Patents for the firm’s supercharged H2 started to emerge a full five years prior to its launch. So the recent rush of hybrid patents doesn’t mean we’ll see the fruits of Kawasaki’s labors right away. In five years or so, though, they could be a reality. Source

KTM surprised the US market with the introduction of the small-displacement 200 Duke this summer. It may be an unassuming new model, but an attractive $3,999 MSRP is awfully enticing to first-time buyers or as a low-budget bike for everyone else. Powering the 200 Duke is a compact DOHC, 200cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine with a four-valve cylinder head. KTM employs a Bosch electronic fuel-injection system for smooth running and runs it all through a close-ratio six-speed transmission. 2020 KTM 200 Duke dyno (Robert Martin/)The moment we had our hands on the baby Duke, we rolled it onto our in-house Dynojet 250i dyno, where the KTM produced 22.17 hp at 10,090 rpm and 13.13 pound-feet of torque at 8,060 rpm. These friendly peak figures and flexibility make for an ideal platform for less-experienced riders to hone their skills before moving onto faster, larger-displacement bikes. For reference, the Duke 200′s peak output is roughly half of the 40.53 hp at 8,850 rpm and 26.10 pound-feet of torque at 6,920 rpm that the larger-displacement 390 Duke produced, emphasizing a similar power-to-displacement ratio by KTM. This means that just because of the smaller displacement, it isn’t lower tech. The KTM 200 Duke’s rider-friendly power and low cost of entry make it a worthy option for less-experienced riders. Source

2020 KTM 690 Enduro R (KTM/)The KTM 690 Enduro R is a favorite among big single-cylinder adventure riders. And for good reason: The Enduro R blends off-road focus with streetbike functionality (namely ride by wire, rider aids, and even a quickshifter) for an anywhere-anytime attitude. It is powered by KTM’s 690cc LC4 engine that delivers usable on- and off-road power, and is equipped with large 21- and 18-inch wheels and fully adjustable WP Xplor suspension to flaunt its prowess when the asphalt ends. 2020 KTM 690 Enduro R Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition Dirt Rider tested the 2019 machine and found that, “While riding at highway speeds the bike feels more like a twin than a single; its smooth character is capable of slaying comfy miles.” Further, “This updated LC4 engine proves to be the best yet with its plentiful torque, smooth delivery, and extremely tractable power. It has an exhilarating engine character that is capable of third-gear wheelies and cracking triple-digit speeds.” We ran the 2019 690 Enduro R on our in-house dyno to find the rear wheel numbers recorded: 59.2 hp at 8,200 rpm and 43.4 pound-feet of torque at 6,800 rpm. Competition includes its Husqvarna stable mate, the 701 Enduro, Honda XR650L, and Suzuki DR650S. KTM 690 Enduro R Updates For 2020 It was highly revamped in 2019, but no major updates for 2020. It did increase in price by $200 from 2019. 2020 KTM 690 Enduro R Claimed Specifications Price: $11,899 Engine: Liquid-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke Displacement: 693cc Bore x Stroke: 105.0 x 80.0mm Horsepower: 74 hp @ 8,000 rpm Torque: 54.2 lb.-ft. @ 6,500 rpm Transmission: 6-speed Final Drive: Chain Seat Height: 35.8 in. Rake: 27.7° Trail: 4.6 in. Front Suspension: 48mm inverted fork, fully adjustable; 9.8-in. travel Rear Suspension: Fully adjustable; 9.8-in. travel Front Tire: 90/90-21 Rear Tire: 140/80-18 Wheelbase: 59.1 in. Fuel Capacity: 3.6 gal. Wet Weight: 322 lb. Source

2020 KTM RC 390 (KTM/)First imported to the USA back in 2015, the KTM RC 390 is the company’s lightweight, street-legal supersport machine. Powered by the same 373cc single-cylinder as its 390 Duke naked bike sibling, the RC is a perfect option for less-experienced riders who are looking for a more aggressive, sport-inspired option or an entry-level trackday ripper. In fact, the RC also served as a platform for spec-class racing in MotoAmerica and various series around the world. Shredding apexes? No problem. 2020 KTM RC 390 Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition Competition both on the tracks and on the street for small-bike models include these from the Big Four: Yamaha YZF-R3, Kawasaki Ninja 400, Honda CBR300R, and Suzuki GSX-250R. 2020 KTM RC 390 (KTM/)KTM RC 390 Updates For 2020 New colors, trim, and graphics for 2020. The new look is available for $5,549. 2020 KTM RC 390 (KTM/)2020 KTM RC 390 Claimed Specifications Price: $5,549 Engine: Liquid-cooled DOHC single-cylinder Displacement: 373cc Bore x Stroke: 89.0 x 60.0mm Horsepower: 44.0 hp @ 9,500 rpm Torque: 25.8 lb.-ft. @ 7,250 rpm Transmission: 6-speed Final Drive: Chain Seat Height: 32.3 in. Rake: 23.5° Trail: 3.5 in. Front Suspension: 43mm inverted fork; 4.9-in. travel Rear Suspension: Single shock; 5.9-in. travel Front Tire: 110/70ZR-17 Rear Tire: 150/60ZR-17 Wheelbase: 53.3 in. Fuel Capacity: 2.5 gal. w/ 0.4 gal. reserve Dry Weight: 329 lb. Source

The 2021 MSX125 Grom as it will appear across the pond. (Honda/)American Honda has confirmed there will be a new Grom for the US market. The US subsidiary offers no additional information, saying it will provide a full briefing in the new year, but Honda’s global press sites give us an idea of what to expect. In global markets, the Grom will be available as a 2021 model, the MSX125 Grom. Outside of the US and Japan, the Grom was previously known as the MSX125 (Mini Street X-treme 125). The new Grom, at least as it will appear in other markets, has new bodywork, a Euro 5-spec engine with a five-speed gearbox, IMU-managed ABS, and a new LCD dash. Check out the new seat and bodywork. The low seat height remains unchanged. (Honda /)The bodywork, which more than ever has a toy-like aspect, attaches with just six fasteners per side, each accentuated by a recessed surround. One imagines a Lego Technic version would look incredibly lifelike. Up front, there’s a new LED headlight and LCD dash that includes a tachometer and gear position indicator. In addition to complying with Euro 5 emission regulations, the 125cc two-valve engine has a smaller bore and longer stroke (50mm x 63.1mm compared to 52.4mm x 57.9mm), and should deliver more torque at lower rpm. It also has a higher compression ratio of 10.0:1, compared to 9.3:1 in the previous generation. With the addition of a fifth gear, Honda was able to add a larger 38-tooth final-drive sprocket (up from 34 teeth) to improve acceleration without sacrificing top speed or high-speed cruising comfort. Customizers should be pleased to hear that the muffler is now bolted to the exhaust pipe for painless slip-on installation. Big Red’s little red. (Honda /)While the frame and suspension are unchanged, the European press release says ABS is managed by an IMU. It just goes to show how cornering ABS, which was considered high-end as of, like, yesterday, is trickling down to even entry-level bikes. The keen minimoto rider will know that the Honda Monkey ABS is also equipped with an IMU, so it’s really no surprise to see it debut on the Grom, which has sold 750,000 units since its debut. Will the US market’s Grom be any different? (Honda /)Interestingly, Honda teased an HRC-fettled Grom on its @hondaracingcorporation instagram account. The post is written in Japanese, so for all I know, it could say, “stupid journalists who can’t read that this says ‘photoshop mockup’ are going to go nuts for this,” but it’s worth taking a look at in case you’re trying to find inspiration for your own Grom customization project. New LED headlight. (Honda /)When we find out more information about the US Grom, we’ll be sure to keep you updated. Source

2020 Kawasaki KX100 (Kawasaki/)As your young rider continues to grow they need a dirt bike that can be there for when they make the transition from the small bikes to a full-size motocrosser. Enter the 2020 Kawasaki KX100. The KX100 continues the two-stroke line of engines from Kawasaki, and is actually the only two-stroke model on the market with 99cc. To create a smooth transition to full-size motocrossers, the KX100 is fitted with 19-inch front and 16-inch rear wheels (in comparison to the 17-inch and 14-inch wheels on the KX85), as well as an adjustable handlebar mounting system. Not to mention the KX100 is a prominent platform for Team Green’s amateur racing program and serves as a steppingstone for racers looking to move to the 125 two-stroke or 250 four-stroke class. 2020 Kawasaki KX100 (Kawasaki/)2020 Kawasaki KX100 Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition Being the only two-stroke in its displacement level, the Kawi doesn’t have many bikes that act as its competition. The KTM 85 SX and Husqvarna TC 85 models are offered in two wheel sizes—17/14 inches and 19/16 inches—with the latter serving as the KX’s competition. More rivals would be Yamaha YZ85, Suzuki RM85, and TM MX 85, as well as the Honda CRF150R and CRF150R Expert models. 2020 Kawasaki KX100 (Kawasaki/)Kawasaki KX100 Updates For 2020 A minor update includes the swap of color on the number plate—it is now green for 2020. 2020 Kawasaki KX100 Claimed Specifications Price: $4,599 Engine: Liquid-cooled two-stroke single-cylinder Displacement: 99cc Bore x Stroke: 52.5 x 45.8mm Horsepower: N/A Torque: N/A Transmission: 6-speed Final Drive: Chain Seat Height: 34.3 in. Rake: 29.0° Trail: 4.3 in. Front Suspension: 36mm inverted fork, compression adjustable; 10.8-in. travel Rear Suspension: Fully adjustable; 10.8-in. travel Front Tire: 70/100-19 Rear Tire: 90/100-16 Wheelbase: 51.6 in. Fuel Capacity: 1.3 gal. Wet Weight: 170 lb. Source

2020 Kawasaki KX85 (Kawasaki/)The 2020 Kawasaki KX85 is a staple in the 85cc motocross competition. Serving as a steppingstone between the KX65 and full-size motocrossers, the 85cc class offers a small-displacement opportunity for riders to cut their teeth before more power and more weight. The KX is powered by a 84cc two-stroke engine and rides on the same 17-inch front and 14-inch rear wheels that are standard in the class. For those looking for something larger or a transition to full-size bikes, stepping up to the bigger-displacement KX100 adds an extra bump in power, as well as larger wheels. 2020 Kawasaki KX85 (Kawasaki/)2020 Kawasaki KX85 Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition The KX85 has stiff competition, namely the Yamaha YZ85, KTM 85 SX, and Husqvarna TC 85. Suzuki also steps in with the RM 85 as does TM with the MX 85. It’s important to mention the Honda CRF150R four-stroke, which fits in the same motocross class. 2020 Kawasaki KX85 (Kawasaki/)2020 Kawasaki KX85 Updates For 2020 No updates were highlighted for 2020. 2020 Kawasaki KX85 Claimed Specifications Price: $4,349 Engine: Liquid-cooled two-stroke single-cylinder Displacement: 84cc Bore x Stroke: 48.5 x 45.8mm Horsepower: N/A Torque: N/A Transmission: 6-speed Final Drive: Chain Seat Height: 32.7 in. Rake: 29.0° Trail: 3.8 in. Front Suspension: 36mm inverted fork, compression adjustable; 10.8-in. travel Rear Suspension: Fully adjustable; 10.8-in. travel Front Tire: 70/100-17 Rear Tire: 90/100-14 Wheelbase: 49.8 in. Fuel Capacity: 1.3 gal. Wet Weight: 165 lb. Source

2020 Kawasaki KX65 (Kawasaki/)Youngsters who have sights set to the circuits and want a fully geared machine to begin their ascent to the big leagues of racing will look for something like the 2020 Kawasaki KX65 (get ready, mom and dad). It has been a staple of Team Green’s amateur racing success. Its 65cc two-stroke engine with a six-speed gearbox offers a steppingstone between 50cc and 85cc motocross classes, while also packing adjustable suspension and a lightweight chassis. The relatively low 29.9-inch seat height makes the KX65 approachable to a wide range of riders. 2020 Kawasaki KX65 (Kawasaki/)2020 Kawasaki KX65 Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition Competing in the same league with the KX65 are the Yamaha YZ65, KTM 65 SX, and Husqvarna TC 65. The KX comes at a lower $3,699 price tag where the competition is priced at $4,599, $5,049, and $5,149, respectively. 2020 Kawasaki KX65 (Kawasaki/)2020 Kawasaki KX65 Updates For 2020 No updates for 2020. 2020 Kawasaki KX65 Claimed Specifications Price: $3,699 Engine: Liquid-cooled two-stroke single-cylinder Displacement: 64cc Bore x Stroke: 45.5 x 41.6mm Horsepower: N/A Torque: N/A Transmission: 6-speed Final Drive: Chain Seat Height: 29.9 in. Rake: 27.0° Trail: 2.4 in. Front Suspension: 33mm telescopic fork, rebound adjustable; 8.3-in. travel Rear Suspension: Preload and rebound adjustable; 9.4-in. travel Front Tire: 60/100-14 Rear Tire: 80/100-12 Wheelbase: 44.1 in. Fuel Capacity: 1.0 gal. Wet Weight: 132 lb. Source

2020 Kawasaki Concours 14 (Kawasaki/)When the tour needs a bit more thrill a sport-tourer comes to the rescue, one such as the 2020 Kawasaki Concours 14. With its Ninja blood running deep—from the monocoque aluminum frame to the 1,352cc engine—the Concours will navigate through highway and city traffic and demonstrate its athletic capabilities on the canyon roads. The riding position is more relaxed and upright compared to its ZX-14R compadre. Kawasaki says the handlebars are four inches higher and further back than the sportbike. Rider aids include traction control and Kawasaki’s K-ACT ABS system (a linked brake system that distributes the ideal brake force to front and rear calipers during braking). Heated grips, locking storage, standard hard luggage, adjustable windscreen, and even small details like keyless ignition and a power outlet make this ride tour-ready. 2020 Kawasaki Concours 14 front right (Kawasaki/)2020 Kawasaki Concours 14 Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition Aside from putting a few Cycle World Ten Best awards into its trophy case (see 2008, 2009, and 2010 Best Sport-Tourer excerpts) for its smooth performance, versatility, and handling, it also received praise in a 2015 review for its excellent comfort, predictable braking, and its reasonable MSRP (which has only increased by $100 since 2015). Look to the KTM 1290 Super Duke GT, Ducati Multistrada 1260/1260 S, Yamaha Tracer 900 GT, and BMW K 1600 GT as competition in the sport-tourer realm. Kawasaki Concours 14 Updates For 2020 No updates for 2020. 2020 Kawasaki Concours 14 (Kawasaki/)2020 Kawasaki Concours 14 Claimed Specifications Price: $15,599 Engine: Liquid-cooled DOHC four-cylinder Displacement: 1,352cc Bore x Stroke: 84.0 x 61.0mm Horsepower: N/A Torque: 101.0 lb.-ft. @ 6,200 rpm Transmission: 6-speed Final Drive: Shaft Seat Height: 32.1 in. Rake: 26.0° Trail: 4.4 in. Front Suspension: 43mm inverted fork, preload and rebound adjustable; 4.4-in. travel Rear Suspension: Preload and rebound adjustable; 5.4-in. travel Front Tire: 120/70-17 Rear Tire: 190/50-17 Wheelbase: 59.8 in. Fuel Capacity: 5.8 gal. Wet Weight: 673 lb. (w/o saddlebags)/690 lb. (w/ saddlebags) Source

2020 Kawasaki Z900RS (Kawasaki/)Throwing it back in terms of styling is commonplace among many of the manufacturers nowadays, just look at all the retro and café racer renditions out there. Retro sport motorcycles like the 2020 Kawasaki Z900RS and its café sibling, the Z900RS Café, are a couple samples from Team Green. While it is true the Z900RS pays homage to the 1973 Z1, that doesn’t mean it is remiss of modern features. Take the 948cc inline-four engine, for example. It’s the same powerplant found in the Z900, but optimized more for low to midrange power where the Z900 encourages a higher-rpm operation, the manufacturer says. And let’s not forget the host of electronics (LED lighting, ABS, and traction control), and adjustable suspension as examples of its modern machinery. Collect miles between your local haunts or up and down the winding roads, either way, do so in modern/vintage style. 2020 Kawasaki Z900RS Café (Kawasaki/)2020 Kawasaki Z900RS/Café Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition In his 2018 review, Morgan Gales, stated, “From the classic paint scheme to the iconic tailsection, the Z900RS harkens back to the glory days of superbikes while still looking and performing like a modern motorcycle. We love the aesthetics and think this bike has incredible potential once the engineers work out that twitchy throttle!” Like we said above, the segment is full of modern throwbacks. These include: Honda CB650R, Triumph Street Twin, Yamaha XSR900, Ducati Scrambler Café Racer, Royal Enfield Continental GT, Suzuki SV650X, BMW R nineT Racer, and even Kawasaki’s own W800 Café. Kawasaki Z900RS/Café Updates For 2020 The 2020 Z900RS sees an updated TFT with smartphone connectivity and a new Candytone Green paint. MSRP starts at $11,199. The Z900RS Café adds a front cowl, drop-style handlebars, café racer seat, brushed silencer, and a Vintage Lime Green/Ebony paint scheme for a café aesthetic at $600 more than the base model. 2020 Kawasaki Z900RS (Kawasaki/)2020 Kawasaki Z900RS/Café Claimed Specifications Price: $11,199–$11,799 Engine: Liquid-cooled DOHC four-cylinder Displacement: 948cc Bore x Stroke: 73.4 x 56.0mm Horsepower: N/A Torque: 72.3 lb.-ft. @ 6,500 rpm Transmission: 6-speed Final Drive: Chain Seat Height: 31.5 in. (base)/32.3 in. (Café) Rake: 25.0° Trail: 3.9 in. Front Suspension: 41mm inverted fork, fully adjustable; 4.7-in. travel Rear Suspension: Preload and rebound adjustable; 5.5-in. travel Front Tire: 120/70ZR-17 Rear Tire: 180/55ZR-17 Wheelbase: 57.9 in. Fuel Capacity: 4.5 gal. Wet Weight: 472 lb. (base)/474 lb. (Café) Cycle World Tested Specifications (Café) Seat Height: 32.4 in. Wet Weight: 479 lb. Rear-Wheel Horsepower: 94.65 hp @ 8,590 rpm Rear-Wheel Torque: 63.51 lb.-ft. @ 6,040 rpm 0–60 mph: 3.5 sec. 1/4-mile: 11.85 sec. @ 116.54 mph Braking 30–0 mph: 34.6 ft. Braking 60–0 mph: 132.1 ft. Source

2020 Kawasaki KLX140L (Kawasaki/)Step up, step up, and step up. The Kawasaki KLX140 and its two other variants, L and G, suit varying heights with increased wheel dimensions and ground clearances for an approachable trail platform. Its 144cc single-cylinder four-stroke engine places it in the middle ground between average playbikes (125cc and below) and full-size dirt bikes, making it suitable for newer riders who have sights set on local trails. In fact, this dirt bike is suitable for newer adult riders seeing as Dirt Rider stated that the G, for example, has “big bike feel in a fun-sized, minibike package.” 2020 Kawasaki KLX140/L/G Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition Upon riding the 2017 KLX140G, our Dirt Rider test rider stated, “It’s obvious the engineers worked to make this bike friendlier to new riders by shaving off the heavyweight feeling that most bikes in class have.…… The narrow frame really makes the bike’s appearance stand out from the standard wide-trailbike look, and Kawasaki even noted that it was designed with inspiration from the KX motocross bike.” Competition for this dirt bike includes the Honda CRF125F/Big Wheel ($3,099), Yamaha TT-R125LE ($3,349), and Suzuki DR-Z125L ($3,299). 2020 Kawasaki KLX140 (Kawasaki/)Kawasaki KLX140/L/G Updates For 2020 No key updates were announced for 2020. The KLX140 comes in three variants: base ($3,099), L ($3,399), and G ($3,699). The L sees an increase in wheel diameter to 19 and 16 inches and therefore increases the dirt bike’s ground clearance. The G increases to full-size off-road 21- and 18-inch wheels. 2020 Kawasaki KLX140 (Kawasaki/)2020 Kawasaki KLX140/L/G Claimed Specifications Price: $3,099 (base)/$3,399 (L)/$3,699 (G) Engine: Air-cooled SOHC single-cylinder four-stroke Displacement: 144cc Bore x Stroke: 58.0 x 54.4mm Horsepower: N/A Torque: N/A Transmission: 5-speed Final Drive: Chain Seat Height: 30.7 in. (base)/31.5 in. (L)/33.9 in. (G) Rake: 27.0° Trail: 3.3 in. (base)/3.8 in. (L)/4.6 in. (G) Front Suspension: 33mm telescopic fork; 7.1-in. travel (base and L)/7.5 in. travel (G) Rear Suspension: Preload (base) and rebound adjustable (L and G); 7.1-in. travel (base and L)/7.9 in. travel (G) Front Tire: 70/100-17 (base)/70/100-19 (L)/2.75x21 (G) Rear Tire: 90/100-14 (base)/90/100-16 (L)/4.10x18 (G) Wheelbase: 71.7 in. (base)/74.6 in. (L)/78.9 in. (G) Fuel Capacity: 1.5 gal. Wet Weight: 205 lb. (base)/209 lb. (L)/218 lb. (G) Source

2020 Kawasaki KLX110 (Kawasaki/)Is your kid new to the dirt? An unintimidating, small-displacement dirt bike like the Kawasaki KLX110 serves the beginner rider with an automatic clutch for ease of use and also has an easy reach to the ground with a low 26.8-inch seat height. The KLX110 isn’t alone in getting new riders on the dirt either. It comes with a larger sibling in the KLX110L. The KLX110L, as the “L” implies, has a taller 28.7-inch seat height, longer suspension travel, and an extra 1.9 inches of ground clearance, and a four-speed transmission with a manual clutch. 2020 Kawasaki KLX110 (Kawasaki/)2020 Kawasaki KLX110/L Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition Both the KLX110 and L are primarily offered for kids, but who said adults don’t like to have some fun on these minibikes too? The L version, however, does take the cramped feeling out while leaving all the fun intact in this midsize kid-O bike, Dirt Rider had reported in the past. Some competitors of the KLX110 include the Honda CRF110F and Yamaha TT-R110LE. 2020 Kawasaki KLX110 (Kawasaki/)Kawasaki KLX110/L Updates For 2020 No significant updates were made to the 2020 model. 2020 Kawasaki KLX110/L Claimed Specifications Price: $2,299 Engine: Air-cooled SOHC single-cylinder Displacement: 112cc Bore x Stroke: 53.0 x 50.6mm Horsepower: N/A Torque: N/A Transmission: 4-speed automatic (base)/4-speed manual (L) Final Drive: Chain Seat Height: 26.8 in. Rake: 24.8° Trail: 2.0 in. Front Suspension: 30mm telescopic fork; 4.3-in. travel Rear Suspension: Nonadjustable; 4.3-in. travel Front Tire: 2.50x14 Rear Tire: 3.00x12 Wheelbase: 42.3 in. Fuel Capacity: 1.0 gal. Wet Weight: 168 lb. Source

2020 Kawasaki KLX250 (Kawasaki/)Despite dual sports being around since the ’60s, they have recently seen another spike in popularity in recent years for their do-it-all characteristics and lighter weight than larger adventure motorcycles, so it makes sense for manufacturers to have a couple of models in their lineups. The Kawasaki KLX250 is Team Green’s highest-displacement dual sport for 2020, the other offering being the air-cooled KLX230. What the KLX250 offers is still a new-rider-friendly mount that borrows from the KX line for dirt capability with long suspension travel, high ground clearance, and large-diameter tires, but this has a slightly-shorter-than-dirt-bike seat height at 35 inches. Further, its slim design makes it easy to maneuver down both dirt roads and through the urban jungle. 2020 Kawasaki KLX250 (Kawasaki/)2020 Kawasaki KLX250 Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition When the KLX250 returned for the 2018 model year after a four-year break, we had to throw a leg over the returning dual sport. Our test rider found the bike to be very smooth and mild in the power department. “The meat of the power is found in the midrange, and, if you keep it there by keeping up your momentum and flowing down dirt roads, the 250 is pleasantly capable,” test rider Sean Klinger reported. Yamaha comes at the KLX250 from two sides with the WR250R and XT250, and Honda follows suit with the CRF250L and CRF250L Rally. If you don’t mind a slight dip in displacement, Suzuki also has its DR200S and Yamaha its TW200. 2020 Kawasaki KLX250 (Kawasaki/)Kawasaki KLX250 Updates For 2020 No significant changes were announced for the 2020 model year. The KLX250 is available in two colorways: green ($5,399) and camo ($5,599). 2020 Kawasaki KLX250 Claimed Specifications Price: $5,399/$5,599 (camo) Engine: Liquid-cooled DOHC single-cylinder Displacement: 249cc Bore x Stroke: 72.0 x 61.2mm Horsepower: N/A Torque: N/A Transmission: 6-speed Final Drive: Chain Seat Height: 35.0 in. Rake: 26.5° Trail: 4.1 in. Front Suspension: 43mm telescopic fork, compression adjustable; 10.0-in. travel Rear Suspension: Fully adjustable; 9.1-in. travel Front Tire: 3.00x21 51P Rear Tire: 4.60x18 63P Wheelbase: 56.3 in. Fuel Capacity: 2.0 gal. Wet Weight: 304 lb. Source

2020 Kawasaki Versys-X 300 (Kawasaki/)Adventures aren’t limited to big-displacement, long-haul motorcycles. The fun can be found at the smaller level too. For new or returning riders who tackle the urban city streets and freeways, back roads, and the occasional trail, the 2020 Kawasaki Versys-X 300 is a small-displacement adventure-tourer suitable for a variety of terrain. Within the city the low-to-midrange-focused 296cc parallel-twin engine and the assist and slipper clutch make for an easy off-the-line pull, while longer miles down the tarmac are made comfortable with upright ergos and a windscreen. Its rigid frame and 19-inch/17-inch wheels with longer-travel suspension tailor this machine to rougher conditions as well. 2020 Kawasaki Versys-X 300 Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition 2020 Kawasaki Versys-X 300 (Kawasaki/)Compared to the Honda CB500X, the Versys-X “feels nimble and accurate while picking along a single-track trail,” and further, “It’s an awesome little machine, capable of almost any adventure, and truly excellent value for less than $6,000.” The Honda CB500X and BMW G 310 GS serve as competition, and now for 2020, KTM’s 390 Adventure does as well. Kawasaki Versys-X 300 Updates For 2020 No major changes were announced. Not a lick of green on this Team Green model, it comes in a Pearl Blizzard White/Metallic Matte Carbon Gray colorway in ABS and non-ABS forms. 2020 Kawasaki Versys-X 300 (Kawasaki/)2020 Kawasaki Versys-X 300 Claimed Specifications Price: $5,499 (non-ABS)/$5,799 (ABS) Engine: Liquid-cooled DOHC parallel twin Displacement: 296cc Bore x Stroke: 62.0 x 49.0mm Horsepower: N/A Torque: 19.2 lb.-ft. @ 10,000 rpm Transmission: 6-speed Final Drive: Chain Seat Height: 32.1 in. Rake: 24.3° Trail: 4.3 in. Front Suspension: 41mm telescopic fork; 5.1-in. travel Rear Suspension: Preload adjustable; 5.8-in. travel Front Tire: 100/90-19 Rear Tire: 130/80-17 Wheelbase: 57.1 in. Fuel Capacity: 4.5 gal. Wet Weight: 382 lb. (non-ABS)/ 386 lb. (ABS) Source

2020 Kawasaki Versys 650 (Kawasaki/)The versatile Versys. Nimble enough to take on commanding twisties, yet comfortable to take on the tour and potentially some gravel roads, the Versys 650 is a sport-touring machine that can clock in many a mile and allow the rider to do so in upright riding position comfort. A three-way-adjustable windscreen accommodates a variety of rider heights, and a slew of accessories allow the machine to be tailored to different preferences. Powered by a compact 649cc parallel-twin engine, the Versys 650 and Versys 650 LT, the bag/bar guard-equipped twin, deliver a claimed 47 pound-feet of torque at 7,000 rpm. 2020 Kawasaki Versys 650 (Kawasaki/)2020 Kawasaki Versys 650 ABS/LT Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition In 2018, we touted this as the minimalist’s adventure bike because while its 17-inch wheels/tires and low-slung exhaust deem it more appropriate for the street, its relatively narrow engine design and upright riding position make it appropriate for the gravel road as well. Comparable adventure-tourers could be found in the BMW F 750 GS, Honda NC750X DCT ABS, and Suzuki V-Strom 650. Kawasaki Versys 650 ABS/LT Updates For 2020 Nothing new was highlighted for the 2020 models. Two variants of the Versys 650 include the ABS and LT versions. The LT being the more touring-ready of the two comes with 28-liter saddlebags and hand guards. It comes in at an MSRP of $9,199 in comparison to the $8,299 ABS version. Both models come in a single colorway: Pearl Blizzard White/Metallic Carbon Gray. 2020 Kawasaki Versys 650 (Kawasaki/)2020 Kawasaki Versys 650 ABS/LT Claimed Specifications Price: $8,299 (ABS)/$9,199 (LT) Engine: Liquid-cooled DOHC parallel twin Displacement: 649cc Bore x Stroke: 83.0 x 60.0mm Horsepower: N/A Torque: 47.0 lb-ft @ 7,000 rpm Transmission: 6-speed Final Drive: Chain Seat Height: 33.1 in. Rake: 25.0° Trail: 4.3 in. Front Suspension: 41mm telescopic fork, preload and rebound adjustable; 5.9-in. travel Rear Suspension: Preload and rebound adjustable; 5.7-in. travel Front Tire: 120/70-17 Rear Tire: 160/60-17 Wheelbase: 55.7 in. Fuel Capacity: 5.5 gal. Wet Weight: 476 lb. (ABS)/496 lb. (LT) Source

2021 KTM 890 Adventure. (KTM/)We don’t know about you, but when KTM announced the 890 Adventure R and 890 Adventure R Rally models, we were a bit perplexed that it made no mention of a base model. It seems as though the Austrians were merely leaving us in suspense, as today word comes from Mattighofen that the base model will be arriving in dealerships worldwide starting in December 2020. While the Adventure R and Rally R specs are impressive machines, not least of all for their off-road capability, we’re glad the base model returns to dial back some of the hardcore off-road features. As such, in addition to being less expensive, the base-model 890 Adventure has a more reasonable seat height (adjustable between 32.7–33.5 inches) and shorter-travel suspension that also has increased adjustability for 2021. Tall screen, shorter-travel suspension travel, and all the electronic goodies make the base-model 890 a big-time middleweight ADV favorite. (KTM/)While the 790 Adventure’s suspension performed admirably, its lack of adjustability—other than adjustable rear preload—marked it as a victim of the accountant’s pen stroke. They’ve gotta cut margins somewhere, after all—is that what Austrian economics is? Probably not. Anyway, for 2021, the 890 Adventure gets a new WP Apex rear shock, adjustable for both preload and rebound damping. Baby steps, people. Front suspension is unchanged. Like the previous model, the 890 has 7.9 inches of travel, or nearly 3 inches less than the Rally R and some 1.5 inches less than the Adventure R. Again, the base model doesn’t have the top-shelf items of its R siblings. Do you want better suspension or do you want your feet to hit the ground? With the base and R models, you can take your pick. Make no mistake, the 790 Adventure is a handy piece of a kit, but we always wished its engine had a bit more grunt off the bottom. Super-slow speeds off road require the rider to feather the clutch more than on other bikes (see: the übertractable Yamaha Ténéré 700). So, while 105 hp and 74 pound-feet (claimed) are solid, attractive figures, more than anything else, we’re excited to see if the 898cc LC8c engine is more tractable than its predecessor. And it sounds promising. What do you think of the stealthy new colorway? (KTM/)In its press release, KTM says: “The 20 percent extra rotating mass of the crankshaft brings an improved feeling at low revs while augmenting the centralized sensation and traction through corners.” While “augmented centralized sensations” doesn’t seem like it has any relevance here (hey, this is a family magazine!), the rest sounds like exactly what we’re hoping for. As with the previous generation, the 890 Adventure comes equipped with a 5-inch TFT dash, LED lighting, cornering ABS, updated lean angle-sensitive traction control (MTC), selectable ride modes, and a host of useful options available through the PowerParts catalog, including an up/down quickshifter, cruise control, and heated grips and seat. The 890 Adventures sporting Akrapovič exhausts from the PowerParts catalog. (KTM/)Here’s the thing. While the Adventure R steals the headlines for all its beaky off-road prowess, the not-so-lowly base model may actually hit a broader swath of potential buyers, particularly if they don’t necessarily need their motorcycle to project: “I think I’m Toby Price.” Next to a lot of adventure bikes, the 790 looks and feels quite small—more like a standard or sportbike—which has some real merit on the street. And if your inseam is less than, say, 30 inches, you may be more comfortable on the base model (unless you’re Gaston Rahier). And that taller windscreen goes a long way in improving touring comfort. Anyway, there’s a lot to be excited about with the Mk. II KTM ADV middleweight. There’s no word yet on pricing. Panniers are available in the PowerParts catalog. (KTM/)2021 KTM 890 Adventure Specifications MSRP: N/A Engine: 889cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled parallel twin Bore x Stroke: 90.7 x 68.8mm Transmission/Final Drive: 6-speed/chain Clutch: PASC slipper clutch, cable operation Fuel System: Fuel injection w/ 46mm DKK Dell’Orto throttle body Frame: Chromoly tubular steel w/ chromoly steel subframe Front Suspension: 43mm WP Apex inverted; 7.9-in. travel Rear Suspension: WP Apex monoshock adjustable for spring preload, rebound damping; 7.9-in. travel Front Brake: Radially mounted 4-piston calipers, dual 320mm discs w/ cornering ABS Rear Brake: 2-piston floating caliper, 260mm disc Wheels, Front/Rear: Spoked; 21 x 2.15 in. / 18 x 4.00 in. Tires, Front/Rear: 90/90-21” / 150/70-18” Avon Trailrider Ground Clearance: 9.2 in. Seat Height: 32.7/33.5 in. Fuel Capacity: 5.3 gal. Availability: December 2020 Contact: ktm.com Source

The 2021 Yamaha Ténéré 700 in Woodstock, Vermont. ( Rob Bandler /)“They might as well call it the ‘Can’t Get There From Here Route,’” I joked with my friend Rob, after unfurling the Butler Map of the Northeast Backcountry Discovery Route (NEBDR) he’d just handed me. “We should probably take it as a sign that the first road out of Hancock goes southwest—the exact opposite direction we want to go,” Rob pointed out. From there, the NEBDR ends at the Canadian border in New Hampshire, following unpaved and back roads through six states and covering some 1,300 miles—or nearly three times the distance of Google’s most direct route. Rob, a serial bike buyer and my frequent travel companion, decided to ride his KTM 790 Adventure and, as luck would have it, a 2021 Yamaha Ténéré 700 showed up for me a couple of days before our departure. Yamaha even outfitted it with parts from its accessory catalog: aluminum panniers and racks, centerstand, heavy-duty skid plate, radiator guard, tank protector, and engine guards. It was ready to go. And I was too. Somewhere in New Hampshire. (Rob Bandler/)Like many of us, I’d been stuck at home, daydreaming about a motorcycle trip. During the pandemic, I became a full-time stay-at-home dad to my 2-year-old son. I struggled seeing beyond the bounds of my constricting purview as my long-term aspirations became subjugated to the immediate needs of caring for my family. Dishes. Laundry. Putting together the same 12-piece puzzle with my son again and again. Time unmarked by accomplishment made one week indistinguishable from the next. A day seemed like a week; a week seemed like a day. While I was losing my bearings in momentless time, my son was discovering a life of remembering. He’d wake up from his nap exclaiming about the occasion, months ago, when a moth landed on the wall by his crib. Or he’d become animated when recalling a dog he once saw at a park. If memory is a vehicle for moving forward, for me, the motorcycle is its most expedient purveyor. It was the beginning of September and the morning was cool and gray. My wife was holding my son and they waved as we rode down the driveway. I couldn’t be away for too long, so Rob and I decided to skip the first section of the BDR and beeline to Prattsville, New York, in section 2. By the time we got there, we’d been riding in the rain for a few hours. We stopped for coffee and breakfast and put more layers on beneath our Gore-Tex gear. To begin the BDR proper, we headed north out of town and turned on an unpaved road bordering Schoharie Reservoir. Pavement feels numb, but you can feel gravel and dirt through the tires and handlebars. It’s mud you can’t feel until it’s too late. The Ténéré's smooth throttle response made it easy to find traction and drive forward up slippery hills and we were careful not to get drawn into the washouts forming on the sides of the roads. It’d be easier if the bike wasn’t fully loaded. I added a few clicks of preload in the rear to compensate, but I could still feel the weight when the bike moved off center at low speed. Fog in section 2. (Rob Bandler/)It stopped raining in the afternoon, and we ended section 2 in Copake Falls on the border of Massachusetts. We got a campsite at Taconic State Park, pitched our tents, and put the bikes on their centerstands to lube the chains. We started making dinner on our camp stoves when a large family pulled into the spot across from us. They piled out of their beat-up Explorer, leaving every door open, and turning up the car stereo. “Looks like the campground DJ is here,” I said, as I took another swig of bourbon from my flask. Rob’s eyes narrowed over his MRE. “At least it’s not raining. There’s nothing worse than packing up a wet tent.” Two hours later, we’d had all we could take. Rob suggested we break camp. We carried our freestanding tents through the trees to a vacant spot and re-set up by the light of our motorcycles' headlights. Beneath the darkening skies we couldn’t see the gathering clouds. Riding past a typical stone wall in New England. (Rob Bandler/)I awoke to rain so loud I couldn’t hear my own voice over it. I picked up my phone, texted Rob “It’s raining,” just to pester him, and checked the forecast. There was a flood watch in effect for the next three hours. The soft pine needle duff was good to bed down on, but I imagined it slowly swallowing the Ténéré's kickstand and toppling the bike into Rob’s KTM. The rain’s insistence made me alert even though my body was tired. I rummaged for my copy of Hemingway’s The Nick Adams Stories and read “Big Two-Hearted River” until I dozed off. I woke up cold in a humid tent, not knowing if I wanted to wear more layers or fewer. The bikes were still standing and the Ténéré's panniers kept my food and gear dry inside. We boiled water for coffee on our camp stoves and started getting our gear together. “There’s nothing worse than packing up a wet tent,” Rob reiterated into his coffee cup. Setting up camp. (Rob Bandler/)By late morning, we were in the Berkshires and riding October Mountain. The trail was rocky and wet. Rob was riding lead, yelling unprintable exclamations through our Sena headsets as he approached deep mud pits and rock-strewn ruts. “There should be a different word for puddles this big,” I mused through the headset. “'Puddle' sounds like ‘piddling,’ which these things definitely are not.” Rob cursed again. “Must be another mud pit ahead,” I thought to myself. Later in the day, we took the unpaved backroad up Mount Greylock, Massachusetts' tallest peak, before heading for Woodford State Park to camp for the night. A gravel road in Vermont. (Rob Bandler/)We crossed into Vermont and got on Route 8, a rolling paved road through the woods east of Bennington. The air was cool and fragrant and the gentle light of a coastal sky here in the mountains lent a melancholy feeling of dissociation. Wild apples were ripening in the hedgerows and the smell of the first dropped fruit fermenting unseen in the ditches mingled with the turn of the leaves. Vermont was blessed with autumn’s graces and we were here for the first blush. The clouds glowed in the pale light as we set up camp in a quiet evening before walking a few hundred meters to Adams Reservoir. The park rangers dropped off firewood at our site and we talked and thought around the campfire. Adams Reservoir at Woodford State Park. (Rob Bandler/)The next day took us through unpaved roads through the Vermont countryside. Miles of gravel led past tidy homesteads and Colonial homes with views of the Green Mountains. We crossed the Vermont Long Trail, which I attempted to through-hike with my college buddy, Nick, one summer. I’d quit my first writing job and left my girlfriend (now wife) back in Austin, Texas, to start hiking. My knees gave out a third of the way up the trail and we had to stop. Nick and I walked through life-altering events together before that hike, but it turned out to be the last time we’d really know each other. Catching up is the most we can hope for now. Grafton Village Store. (Rob Bandler/)Rob and I made our way to Grafton for hot sandwiches at the Grafton Village Store. Polite kids on bicycles enjoyed ice cream cones on the front porch and we ate beneath the leafy canopy of the store’s tree-lined patio. I imagined what it would be like to live in an old brick Federal home in a town without a stoplight or gas station. Like other towns we’d passed in Vermont, Grafton seemed almost unnaturally quaint and preserved. “Where’s all the vinyl siding?” I wondered aloud to Rob, considering our own rural region in upstate New York, which is clad in the stuff. That night, we’d booked a room in Woodstock, Vermont. For all its brick houses, boutique shops, and overpriced restaurants it could be Georgetown or Arlington (if it weren’t for the covered bridge downtown): a little too bourgeoisie for two guys traveling by motorcycle. After checking in, the first thing I did was wash my undies in the bathroom sink and hang them on the Ténéré's handlebar to dry in the sunny parking lot. Covered bridge in Woodstock, Vermont. (Rob Bandler/)Tourism, evidently, is the town’s bread and butter, and this time of year there are normally 10 tour buses a day, all of which have been canceled during the pandemic. Still, people were out and about. Rob and I walked around downtown, past the WASP-y couples in polo shirts and tennis skirts, and peered at restaurant menus with pricey dishes like “magret of duck” and “pan-seared barramundi.” We were about to give up before wandering into the Woodstock Inn. The place looked like the poshest place in town, but it turns out its tavern had the cheapest burger in town—for a princely $18. Still, cheaper than magret of anything. Downtown Woodstock. (Rob Bandler/)When we awoke the next morning, it was the Saturday of Labor Day weekend. Every campground we could find was booked solid. Rob found a chain hotel on the outskirts of Barre and got us a room straightaway. Halfway through the morning’s ride, Rob received a voice message from the hotel saying it had canceled our reservation because the number of COVID cases in our home county had risen past 400 cases per million residents. We were no longer allowed to camp or lodge in Vermont without quarantining for 14 days. But it was a beautiful day and aboard the easy-to-ride Ténéré, the world seemed a felicitous place; it would surely offer us a scenic place to pitch a tent. Braintree Hill Meetinghouse, a congregational church built in 1845. Braintree, Vermont. (Braintree Hill Meetinghouse/)The Ténéré is such a friendly, intuitive motorcycle to ride that it can disappear if you just want to doddle around and enjoy the scenery. I didn’t have to think about being in the right gear, or nailing a shift, or trail-braking toward apexes. The bike seemed to carry me along, through the unwinding narrative of Vermont’s rolling hills and quaint villages. But it didn’t lead to any place to put up a tent. Like a good motorcycle, a good story can make one feel too optimistic. For Nick Adams and Hemingway’s other “worthy men” the world conforms to their needs. All they have to do is know where to look for what they want. The good fisherman can upend a log and find hundreds of grasshoppers to use as bait, the expatriate can find a bar that pours good whiskey for cheap in any outskirt town. But I’m no Nick Adams, and in 2020, Hemingway’s world seemed as delusional as his worthy man. In place of resourcefulness and grit, we’ve got smartphones and credit cards. (Caption)-[2021-yamaha-tenere-700-nebdr-11]: Perfect riding weather. We crossed into New Hampshire where travel restrictions were less strict than in Vermont and found a chain hotel in Lebanon, 40 minutes down the freeway. That night we had Domino’s delivered to our dimly lit room and watched an old MotoGP documentary. In the morning, we had the typical continental breakfast: danishes cold from the fridge and weak coffee. We started section 6 on forest roads before hitting pavement crowded with weekend tourists. Stuck behind RVs, Subarus, and fair-weather riders looking at the scenery, we couldn’t ride like we were in a hurry. Which I guess we weren’t. By the time we reached Mount Washington, there was a huge line of cars waiting to drive up, so we turned around and rode into Gorham for fuel and a snack. Note: heavy-duty skid plate, panniers, and engine guards from Yamaha’s accessory catalog. (Rob Bandler/)“Let’s get out of here. There are too many people,” I said. “This is the end of the section, so we can get a headstart on tomorrow’s route,” Rob suggested. “Maybe tonight we’ll have more luck finding a place to pitch a tent.” By the time we crossed into Maine, we’d broken the back of the holiday leisure seekers. The route went through some OHV areas, and the only people we saw were riding quads. By sunset, we were getting tired and hadn’t seen a place to pitch a tent all day. “What are the odds we’ll come across one now?” Rob wondered. We pulled over and I looked at the map. “There’s camping at Mount Blue State Park,” I said, pointing at a green spot on the map just north of us. As luck would have it, it had space. And no one inquired about COVID numbers in our county. Route planning. (Rob Bandler/)The sky was dark under the trees by the time we finished setting up our tents and stowing our gear. We ate dinner by the light of our headlamps. After a long day, we were too tired to start a campfire, too tired even to talk about the music coming from the campsite next door. When our neighbor’s playlist hit “I’m Coming Out,” I’d had enough. I went in my tent and grabbed my earplugs from my riding jacket pocket. I read some Hemingway propped on my elbows. My shoulders were sore and I could feel the cold ground through my sleeping pad. I knew it was going to be a long, cold night so I popped a Benadryl, hoping it would knock me out enough to prevent me from waking up shivering. It didn’t work. I woke up early, cold, and with an antihistamine hangover. We packed our bikes as quickly as we could to get our bodies warm, while a light rain began to fall. I was still groggy by the time we started to ride. My dark visor fogged up inside and was covered with droplets on the outside. Pretty soon we were off road and I felt uneasy. “Let’s take it easy this morning, Rob,” I said. “I’m not feeling it. Let’s finish this thing well.” Maine. (Rob Bandler/)Ten minutes later, I hit the ground. I couldn’t see through the fog of Benadryl or my foggy visor, and I tucked the front in some sand in a slow uphill corner. I jumped up to see the Ténéré's brake lever buried in sand and gravel. Rob and I heaved the bike up, our grunting comically doubled through the headsets. The bike was undamaged except for a broken mirror. I was thankful Yamaha installed engine guards on it. By afternoon, the sun came out, and my Benadryl fog lifted. The final push to the Canadian border took us through gravel roads lined with trees and golden leaves falling like confetti. The tires bit into the surface and I felt confident again. Roadside visor change in Maine. (Rob Bandler/)The route was supposed to end at New Hampshire’s Rhubarb Pond but multiple trees had fallen over the trail and we couldn’t ride to the northernmost terminus. Still, we were close enough to the border that Verizon put me on a Canadian cell tower and charged me for the privilege. And just like that, the BDR ended and we turned for home. For all its pleasures, a motorcycle trip doesn’t change anything back home. I returned to the myopia induced by being homebound, bored, and powerless; to the utter sameness of days; to the dimming hope of tomorrow. The end of the road just south of the border. (Rob Bandler/)But there’s no doing quite like a motorcycle trip. It’s moving and feeling and remembering. It’s setting up camp. It’s picking up a dropped motorcycle. The vividness of impressions places a rider so distinctly in time and place that no one trip resembles another, yet each one is connected like one bright autumn to the next. My 2020 will always have the Yamaha Ténéré 700 and the NEBDR. As the pungency of all its little details germinate in memory, the trip’s connections to the past are unfurled while trips yet unknown are transposed through its lens. It’s the syllogism of two-wheeled travel, the hope for tomorrow. A hope that, until this trip, I couldn’t see my way to. But beyond that? Well, you can’t really get there from here. Source

Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE LT+ (Kawasaki /)In 2019, the Versys 1000 added not only lettering to its name to make it the Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE LT+, but experienced a full ground-up redesign to defend the claim that it was truly a do-it-all sport-touring bike. Features like the electronic suspension control, quickshifter, ride modes, and electronic cruise control, not to mention the well-balanced 1,043cc inline-four engine, propel this bike down the road in comfort. While coming at a $17,999 price, this sport-tourer does offer well-rounded versatility for short or long hauls, twists or straightaways, loaded or unloaded, passenger or solo. Hmm, maybe it does deserve that do-it-all title after all. 2020 Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE LT+ Reviews, Comparisons, And Competition Riding down the open highways and curvy mountain roads in Arizona, test rider Don Canet stated, “No question the [2019] Versys 1000 SE LT+ provides refined power delivery, improved handling for more varied riding conditions, enhanced creature comforts, and a previously unavailable degree of riding safety. The question is whether or not consumers are willing to ante up for what they wished for.” Priced at $17,999, the Versys 1000 SE LT+ has competition in the Yamaha Tracer 900 GT, Ducati Multistrada 1260 and KTM 1290 Super Adventure. Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE LT+ (Kawasaki /)Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE LT+ Updates For 2020 No updates for this year. Emerald Blazed Green/Pearl Storm Gray is the only colorway available for this model. Its MSRP is $17,999. Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE LT+ (Kawasaki /)2020 Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE LT+ Claimed Specifications Price: $17,999 Engine: Liquid-cooled DOHC inline-four Displacement: 1,043cc Bore x Stroke: 77.0 x 56.0mm Horsepower: N/A Torque: 75.2 lb-ft @ 7,500 rpm Transmission: 6-speed Final Drive: Chain Seat Height: 33.1 in. Rake: 27.0° Trail: 4.0 in. Front Suspension: 43mm inverted fork, adjustable for compression,rebound, preload; 5.9-in. travel Rear Suspension: Fully adjustable; 5.9-in. travel Front Tire: 120/70-17 Rear Tire: 180/55-17 Wheelbase: 59.8 in. Fuel Capacity: 5.5 gal. Wet Weight: 567 lb. Source