AdventureMotorcycle.com - Backtrack Tuesdays - 2005 Honda XR650L - Long Run Test

Backtrack Tuesdays - 2005 Honda XR650L - Long Run Test Published in: Bikes Part 1: The First 500 Miles It stared at me from the trailer, one eye, never blinking, in the rear-view mirror. The brilliant red statuesque bike sparkled in the sunlight as it was transported from Honda North America back to DSN HQ. Its bright red shiny plastic reflected the sun. It was calling to me. “Let’s go riding” it said. “Damn right.” I thought. Shortly after unloading the long term test bike I affectionately nicknamed it The Red One. It wasn’t long before the bike was put into service as a DSN errand machine. Thus begins our long term test. The XR650L is a tall, rather thin machine. With a stated seat height at 37 inches my concern was that getting on and off the bike would be a bit awkward, if not uncomfortable, for frequent stopping around town. Indeed for the average 32 inch inseam person, the bike is a bit tall. However, over a few days of casual errand running, the charms of this bike’s performance and handling began to sink in. After some miles, I tended to forget about the stretch to touch-down at stops. However, mounting and dismounting remained slightly out of my comfort zone. A longish kickstand emphasized this, as it seemed to hold the machine nearly vertical when parking. These factors were the only disappointments I found during the first 500 miles of riding the machine. The XR650L is simply a treat to ride on the street. There are a number of reasons we can point to for this. One is the cockpit configuration, and how it influences the bike's handling. Relative handlebar, seat, and peg positions remind you of a motocrosser; everything is close in. With subtle application to the controls you experience deliberate predictable results at the bike's extremities. Well engineered and tuned suspension is one reason for this, especially when the machine has 11 something inches of travel. Another reason is the solid frame with proportions determined from years of offroad endurance and racing experience. A deliberate power source, with extensive torque is yet another. Throw in well tuned/engineered brakes with plenty of feel, and you're beginning to get the picture. It was now time to venture with the XRL off road. I loaded up the bike and decided to take it on a run with some buddies who were riding the Barstow to Laughlin this year. Still not quite broken in, I unleashed the bike out in the Mojave. Our crew was early to start. First we hit pavement for twenty miles, then the route turned off into the outback. We trekked our way along powerline roads for about an hour before the route led us into some deep, soft sandy washes. It took me a little while to feel the bike's desires as the terrain changed. Before long though, the bike began happily tractoring through the deep loose sand. We angled down a wide wash that untangled its way out of the mountains and, depending on our path, we'd run upon various densities of loose rock. Sometimes we'd be plowing, almost like sledding down the loose sandy trail. Then we would come to a rock section with varying degrees of length. With my weight over the rear tire, as long as I kept my hand in the throttle, the front tire would absorb the conditions gracefully. At times when the trail turned and narrowed, particularly on the downslope, we'd occasionally catch an edge or two, but this was normal. Several qualities impressed me about the machine. For one its weight, scoffed at by some, actually seemed to favor the bike when traversing these conditions. The terms 'tractor', or 'sledding' aren't too inappropriate here. Indeed, the bike's weight aided in its ability to blast through larger silty berms, which can often be a real advantage. Another feature, the long well tuned suspension, made for what might be considered a caddy-like ride. It’s downright luxurious by old school dirt standards. To enhance these qualities, a well-fit very responsive cockpit and controls, and a barrel full of torque put the icing on the cake. We tackled about 220 miles of powerline roads, trails, washes, and tarmac the first day, and the second day was even more fun. Day two, though only about 160 miles, featured more rugged terrain and some climbing and outlooks to throw in the mix. It was on this day the bike really caught my favor. One point in particular was while we wound up on some very loose rocky trails. By any standard, though not steep, these trails had grit. Anything from potholes, to gravel, to loose one foot rounders were strewn on the trail, and the bike bombed through it wonderfully. Torque and suspension made the work easier, and once again, the bike's responsive handling provided sure-footed, predictable trail riding. Finally, and for a second time, we hit a tarmac stretch heading back to the barn. Thirty something miles of highway with the XRL seemed no particular chore. I had committed to memory the fact I was running a 14 tooth sprocket, one below stock. This wasn't particularly a drawback for the bike on the highway; in fact it might be a necessity. Overall it's easy to understand why the bike, when working so well as an in town run-around machine, could easily be shod as the offroad warrior and lead a respectable charge. During this first 500 mile period with the bike I'm really quite pleased with its performance. As I look forward to the long-term test of this machine there are a couple items I've become quite curious to learn more about. For one, though its height is an issue, I'm curious to research some possible aftermarket answers for a change there. And, perhaps more importantly, I'm itching to know how well this bike might perform when used more as an adventure tourer. I will be looking into these things and more as the long term test of the 'Red One' continues. Stay tuned... Part 2: The Next 250 miles - Trails So far this machine has proven itself to be a treat on the street while running around the city and during commuting. On the trail, more of the Honda XR650L’s features are put to the test, revealing a greater depth of character. The cockpit of the XRL is rather close-in. Seat, handlebars, and pegs relationships are quite similar to what you find on motorcross machines. While wonderfully suited for most kinds of off-road riding, this usually means compromised comfort on longer rides or pavement. So far, within a couple hundred mile range it has been acceptable. During off-road riding, the benefit to this configuration is that it permits exceptional control. Since controlling the bike happens within a small proximity, whether standing or seated, the rider may respond to a surprisingly wide variety of terrain changes quite easily. Here, a rider can easily influence the bike to do all the work. Minimal exertion and minor extension effectively and predictably maneuver the bike through ever-changing trail nuances. Actually, considering the bike’s weight and dimension, maneuvering is surprisingly easy. One nearly missed benefit to this bike’s close-in cockpit is that it permits you to let the bike’s front or rear wheels rise or fall surprising distances. Hence, you can let the bike rock underneath you to more effectively ride over rougher terrain. I noticed myself tending to dismiss larger sized whoops and obstacles that I normally would have slowed down for on other machines. While great suspension, wheel diameter, and good tires played significant roles when negotiating rugged trails, to my surprise, I felt the rocking motion of the bike further enhanced the bike's ability to ride over rougher terrain. This could be the one 'something special,' an inherent 'best of ability' I look for in all machines. Another aspect of cockpit configuration, controls, influences trail enjoyment as well. Hand controls ideally should be at the proper angle of rotation on the handlebars. Furthermore, levers should not angle too far forward from the bars nor have excessive throw or slop. They should transmit a certain amount of feel so that the rider can sense by touch when, and to what degree, brakes, throttle and clutch are applied ...or not. These characteristics all seemed fine with the Honda. To add, hand levers have nicely well rounded smooth surfaces allowing fingers to pull without kinking, thus inhibiting fatigue. Foot controls need similar qualities, and their rest positions should be level with the pegs. On the XRL the distance from toe pads (both shift lever and brake) to foot pegs is rather short - fine for aggressive riding, but otherwise a bit tight. While trail riding I took note of two additional features, hand guards and turn signals. Like many plastic only hand guards, the XRL offers two rather unsupported ones. Though these provide some light brush protection, major limbs and branches will find their way through the guards to tag your levers or fingers. Turn signals have a nice component however. They are mounted on some of the most flexible rubber posts I've seen anywhere. In terms of being able to absorb impacts without breaking, the XR650L has excellent turn signal posts. With its specified height at 37 inches, and a ground clearance of 13 inches, this bike is no cruiser. By inference, one would think, these statistics should point to some sort of trade off of course... and indeed it does. While the tall XRL with its 11-inch nicely tuned suspension excels upon virtually all open, moderate (read cow trails), or woods type trails, its long legs are a bit of a stretch, literally, for black diamond (read goat trail) situations. On advanced technical trails sometimes the bike is too tall. Ideally a trail rider likes to be able to slip off their bike seat, to one side or another, and plant their foot on a perch from time to time. This prior to the bike leaning too far, so one can make the intermittent 'save' we occasionally do - without falling off a mountain, or into a cactus for instance. The XRL is so tall, it is likely the bike will be farther than halfway down before a rider could catch it. If this machine were to be used as a dedicated trail machine its height should be lower. To address this, some aftermarket companies offer lowering links. This is something I will address later on in the long-term test. Even when burdened with smog equipment, this air-cooled single four-stroke has plenty of power and a gradual roll-on throttle. Though some XRLs have been reported to backfire, our bike has only exhibited minor backfiring a few times. This occurred when decelerating rapidly from high rpm's on whoop filled downhill trails. While an extreme off roader might dismiss this bike as being inferior either weight wise or power wise for off road riding, I believe the margin between this bike and its race counterparts isn't a world away. When counting the wide variety of duties this machine will happily perform in and adding to that its quotient for OEM dependability, the scales begin to favor it. As a reminder, our test bike came equipped with a fourteen tooth (one less than stock) primary gear in the drive train. This change is a must, in my opinion, for trail riding and probably for all but long distance dual sport riding. In cases where this bike would mostly be used for trailing, even a lower primary might be considered. Otherwise, the gearing spread of the XRLs five-speed transmission seems well suited for thoroughly enjoying this bike in a wide variety of ride conditions. With a weight of 324 pounds, the Honda XR650L is not a featherweight. On the other hand, the machine is still of a lightness that translates into more fun than work on the trail. For instance, when necessary, you can grip its tank between your legs and easily throw it about should sudden inspiration strike. When considering the bigger view, this bike is about as light as you'd want when it comes to not being easily tossed around by crosswinds on the freeway ... at freeway speeds. Generally, I think this bike's weight is in a range which I believe might be ideal for a bike of many uses. The XR650L is a surprising trail machine. There are a number of reasons for this. For one, well tuned long travel suspension does an excellent job of absorbing the greater part of rough terrain. Full size rims, 18 inch rear and 21 inch front, also help to smooth the trail. While the bike's close-in cockpit provides for wonderfully responsive off-road maneuvers, it offers one additional unexpected surprise. That is, it allows the rider to let the bike rock, while using foot pegs as fulcrums, so the bike can further absorb even rougher terrain. The XRL's big four-stroke single provides plenty of torque throughout and its 5 speed transmission is spread so that fun seems to be on tap everywhere. On a rating of one through ten I would give the big thumper a nine in terms of all around off-road fun. Thus far our test bike has performed well during short range city driving and when off-roading. Next we will look at how the bike likes longer distances. Part 3: In the Long Run Having looked at commuting and off-roading aspects of the XR650L, now we learned how the bike performs in a longer venue. Miles 750 through 1,500 were run on freeways, two lane highways, and through twists. In order to find what this bike could be, in terms of longer range capability, I first outfit the bike with a number of aftermarket items. Rather than outfit the machine with full on touring gear I chose a short range rigging on the XR650L. I chose to fit a lighter array of gear on the bike to see how it would act as a medium range tourer... say up to 2,000 miles. From this point I figured its longer range performance might be estimated. The gear I chose included the following: Clarke 4.7 gallon natural color plastic fuel tank, Saddleman seat, Cee Bailey's windscreen, Renthal Vintage Hi-Desert Bars, Renthal Medium Diamond hand-grips, bar risers by Formatech, lowering link by PerformanceDesign, OSR side rack protectors and luggage rack from Happy-Trails, FMF Q Series exhaust, and Aeropack II saddlebags by Chase Harper. I will discuss more about this gear and the bike's outfitting in Part IV (the conclusion). Now we turn to performance. Thus far, in stock form, the XR650L appears to be a true 50-50 dual-sport. This is true of course in the shorter term venue, say up to about 200 miles of pavement in a day. On a rigorous days route one might travel 100 miles, go trail riding for say 50 to 75 miles or more, and then turn around and ride 100 miles home. All of this can be done with enjoyment. Both on and off road riding are fun within this venue with the XR650L, and in my view there aren't many bikes, of any kind, that can boast that. Outfitted with the gear chosen our XR650L begins to act as a somewhat of a different pony. Suddenly, with a new minimum range of approximately 150 miles, the Clarke tank permits longer treks before having to refuel. The Cee Bailey's windscreen and Chase Harper saddlebags, along with a Saddleman seat make longer distances more realistic. The Renthal bars and Formatech risers help tune the cockpit to fit this rider better for long static position riding. For the most part this medium range outfitting of the XR650L was successful. One step farther with fine tuning of various items ultimately honed the bike to completion. 'Riding there is everything' is the line that came to me after several hundred miles of long, straight open highway with this machine. The experience has further solidified my view that the 650 sized machines, overall, seem to be just fine for all venue riding. While this bike was slightly more fatiguing than say Dakar 650s by BMW or the KLR 650s by Kawasaki for example, it sure outshined them both when hitting the trail at the end of the stint. For solo riding, especially when not overloaded with tour gear, the XR650L steadily pulled long straight uphill grades, this with nearly any flow of traffic. When trekking through high winds the bike was pushed around some. However, this was marginalized when carrying more cargo. With a light load the bike is just heavy enough not to feel tossed around when drifting around huge trucks on the freeway. With well balanced pairs of Avon Gripsters, and later TKC 80 Continental tires, vibration was acceptable, in my view. In the twists, performance was quite proportionate with a load. The lighter the cargo, the greater the seat of the pants fun. Fully loaded the bike handled acceptably in a long distance context, but a bit encumbered for the weekend canyon romp scenario. It is no surprise to me when I hear about more and more riders choosing this size machine for round the globe treks. Even without water or oil cooling features, for someone with rugged terrain in their destination, this bike could make it through certain places where others would get very stuck. Excellent suspension and overall lighter vehicle weight are two of the bikes more important features here. This could be quite reassuring when thousands of miles from home. Even without the longevity providing features of oil or water cooling, this bike's motor seems to keep ticking along without hesitation. After 700 miles of steady trekking on pavement, and 1,500 miles over a few month period, the machine won my confidence. This was in spite of a float sticking once, after a several week sit. I give the Honda the thumbs up for long distance pavement riding when outfitted correctly, especially for those who really want to do some off-roading along the way or at their destination. In conclusion, one of the biggest secrets in dual sport riding are the 650 thumper size machines. They offer lighter weight, greater suspension, greater economy, and an upright ride position that is most comfortable and arguably most positive when maneuvering. In this category we find the Honda XR650L as a shining example of a machine that has been refined over years of off-road competitive experience... and if a bike handles off-road well, guess what? Yep, it works quite well on pavement too... This bike is of a weight and powerband that lets it do a lot of everything, and do it predictably and dependably. If you want a little adventure in your life, add one of these to your stable!Part 4: Conclusion On snap judgment hard critics of the off-road oriented crowd might dismiss the XRL as being inferior to today’s high-end off-road machines. And by contrast, the exclusive minded sport bike or cruiser pilot may look at this beast, only to draw a blank. Gentleman, look again! Find one of these machines and test ride it for an honest moment. You may discover a machine whose features invite ride fun in far more ways than just blipping throttle. In a power, weight, and suspension class that I believe is perhaps best for doing it all, it’s no wonder we find owners modifying the XR650L to do everything from supermoto to global adventure. It is true that from the factory, one need not add much to this bike in order to enjoy it in a variety of settings. After eight months and over 2,000 miles, the bike has offered little to criticize. The biggest gripe, the hand grips, tend to leave the palms of hands (of gloves) black from the rubber which apparently rubs off them. Another shortcoming is long range comfort of the seat. As a third complaint, it seems Honda might have devised an easier method of adjusting the headlight height. Currently, removal of the front shroud is required. Finally, after several weeks of sitting, the bike developed a stuck float. Other than that, so far we're running assured. In the last part of our long-term look I outfitted our XRL with a number of aftermarket items in order to assess how the bike might be suited for longer range. Overall, the results have been positive. I have provided an evaluation of our accessorizing of the XRL at the end of this article. I've also included some thoughts on possible alternative setups for the bike. What I can say is I highly recommend this bike. For fun and dependability, for economy and versatility, the XR650L has to be one of the greatest bang for the buck bikes the market has to offer. No it won't haul you two-up to Bolivia as cushy as a beemer... so get another one for the missus. No it won't GP like a full-on race motard. But it will easily ensconce you into the arena of big fun in both of those venues, and everywhere in between. {gallery}ARTICLES/Bikes/2005-Honda-XR650L/Gallery{/gallery} http://ift.tt/2j1dJ7t
 
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Ask MO Anything: How Do I Know Which Cylinder Isn’t Firing?

Ask MO Anything: How Do I Know Which Cylinder Isn’t Firing? Dear MOby, Help! My `97 ZX-6R Kawasaki is running rough. Somebody said it sound like it’s only running on three cylinders. I replaced all four spark plugs, and all the wires and plug caps look fine, but it still sounds sputtery and sad. Another friend suggested maybe a plugged jet in one carburetor? Do I need to take all the carburetors apart or what? How can I tell which cylinder is the one that’s “missing”? Raggedy Andy Tucson, AZ Dear Ragged, Yes, if all the plugs are firing but one cylinder (or two) isn’t, it’s probably a fuel delivery problem and probably something is wrong in one carburetor. In a perfect world you’d rebuild all four of them (since you’ll have to take all four off in one chunk anyway), but in our world, why take all four apart if you don’t have to? Here’s a trick straight from the 1980 Kaz Yoshima/ Ontario Moto-Tech playbook: Fill a squirt bottle with water, start the engine up, and spray each head pipe with a squirt. The water will flash into steam instantly on the “live” cylinders, and it’ll drip onto the ground on the dead one(s). That cylinder’s your problem. And if it’s not that carburetor, when’s the last time you checked your valve clearances? Too-tight ones can also cause a misfire. Good luck and happy squirting. Direct your motorcycle-related questions to AskMoAnything@motorcycle.com, though some say we’re better at non-motorcycle-related ones… Ask MO Anything: How Do I Know Which Cylinder Isn’t Firing? appeared first on Motorcycle.com.
 
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MO Wrenching: How Do I Change My Coolant?

MO Wrenching: How Do I Change My Coolant? We recently covered how to check to see if your coolant is in good enough condition to protect your bike during its winter hibernation. Even if your coolant can handle the temperatures of winter, most manufacturers have a recommended service interval of two years or so between coolant swaps. MO Wrenching: How Do I Check My Coolant? Since changing coolant is a relatively simple task, it is an ideal maintenance chore to help a newbie mechanic gain confidence. Make sure the engine is cold and place your bike on a rear stand. If you don’t have one, the sidestand will usually be fine. Remove any lower bodywork that could get splashed during the process. The same goes for bodywork around the radiator filler. Make sure the catch pan is big enough to handle both the volume of coolant and the distance it can pour out of the drain opening. Locate the drain plug. (It’s usually on the water pump cover.) Place a container, large enough to hold all the coolant, under the plug. Wear latex gloves to keep the antifreeze off your skin. Open the filler cap at the top of the system. Using a wrench, unscrew the plug. Before the plug is completely out, the coolant will start to leak past the threads. So, be prepared. Don’t immediately pull the plug free and let the system drain, though. Let it drain down a bit or you risk having the engine pee over the pan onto your garage floor. (Don’t ask how I know this.) As soon as the system is completely empty, reinstall the plug and a fresh copper washer and torque to specs. Next, empty the expansion tank into the catch pan. Pour the used antifreeze into a suitable container for transporting it to a recycling center or auto parts store. For some reason, children and pets have a fatal attraction for this extremely toxic liquid, so get it sealed up and out of reach quickly. Premix coolant is a tad more expensive, but it does save effort. If you don’t use premix, be sure to dilute the antifreeze with distilled water. Those who will be filling their cooling systems with a 50/50 mix of coolant and distilled water should mix the solution prior to pouring it into the filler. That way you’re certain about the mixture no matter how much liquid the system requires. Also, you’ll have a container of the proper mixture if you need to top off the expansion tank in the future. Because I’m lazy, I usually buy premixed coolant and avoid having to mix my own. While filling the cooling system, occasionally shake the bike to help dislodge any air pockets. Note for track riders required to run without glycol-based anti-freeze: Buy a bottle of Red Line Water Wetter. The bare aluminum inside the engine will be protected from the corrosive properties of the water, and the system will cool more efficiently. In fact, many performance-minded riders put Water Wetter in systems running ordinary coolant for that very reason. Also, if you truly care about the condition of your engine, only use distilled water. Tap water will have varying levels of minerals (depending on the community) that can create deposits on the engine internals. Once the system is full, start the engine and watch for bubbles working their way out. Add coolant as needed. Once you’ve filled the cooling system to the brim, you need to run the engine with the filler cap off. As the engine warms up, you’ll see bubbles working their way out of the system. In fact, as the engine circulates the coolant, you may see the level drop quite a ways. Keep topping off the system as the level drops. When the engine starts to warm up, the coolant will start to expand out of the filler. Stop the engine and replace the radiator cap. Fill the expansion tank until the level is midway between the two lines. Now, take your bike for a short ride to get it completely up to temperature, then park the bike and allow it to cool off completely. Top off the cooling system and button up your bodywork. [This article was adapted from Evans Brasfield’s book 101 Sportbike Performance Projects. Learn more about it here. Read the MO review here.] MO Wrenching: How Do I Change My Coolant? appeared first on Motorcycle.com.
 
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Church Of MO – 1997 Yamaha YZM400F

Church Of MO – 1997 Yamaha YZM400F Twenty years ago this month Yamaha dropped its game-changing four-stroke MXer bombshell, the YZM400F. The prototype set the precedent for a bold new era of four-stroke machinery. Aboard the prototype Doug Henry won the final Supercross round of the 1997 season in Las Vegas. Henry returned the following year aboard the production version YZ400F to claim the 1998 Outdoor National Championship. A Supercross championship for a modern four-stroke MXer wouldn’t be accomplished, though, until Ricky Carmichael’s 2006 championship season aboard a Suzuki RMZ450. Yamaha Debuts All-New Four-Stroke YZM400F By MO Staff Jan. 8, 1997 Yamaha released information today on a ambitious new project that will see the company go head-to-head against two-stroke motocross machinery in 1997 using a revolutionary new ultra-lightweight 400cc four-stroke MX racer. Yamaha apparently decided to develop their innovative four-stroke off-road technology in an effort to stay ahead of growing environmental concerns over two-strokes and pending legislation that may ban the use of two-stroke motorcycles on public lands in the near future. The company plans to field YZM400’s in a full factory effort in this year’s AMA 250cc Outdoor National Series, as well as entering machines in select world championship motocross grands prix in Europe. Veteran MX racer Doug Henry has been contracted to ride the bikes in the AMA series for 1997. According to Yamaha Motor Corp. USA Public Relations Manager Scott Heath, there are currently only two prototypes of the YZM400 in existence. “Both machines are in Japan right now undergoing further development,” said Heath. “Additional machines are being produced, and we plan on having two factory works bikes for our 1997 AMA program.” Bristling with several advanced technological features, many of which have patents pending, the new machine “will meet the minimum weight requirements for the 250 class,” according to Heath. Although details are sketchy at this point, it is known that the compact, lightweight 397cc single-cylinder four-stroke engine features a DOHC 5-valve cylinder head, liquid-cooling, a four-speed transmission, and will produce “over 50 hp,” according to factory claims. Chassis and suspension are based on modified YZ250 components. Church Of MO – 1997 Yamaha YZM400F appeared first on Motorcycle.com.
 
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Weekend Awesome – Mesmerizing Dance of the French Motorcycle Police

Weekend Awesome – Mesmerizing Dance of the French Motorcycle Police France’s National Police Motorcycle Training Center (CNFM-PN) displays incredible synchronized riding skill in this choreographed routine. The performance features 32 officers in a complex dance on their BMW R1200RT and R1150RT police bikes. Get the Flash Player to see this player. This routine was performed to mark end of the training center’s current semester. The CNFM-PN performed a similar routine in June for the end of the spring semester: Get the Flash Player to see this player. Weekend Awesome – Mesmerizing Dance of the French Motorcycle Police appeared first on Motorcycle.com.
 
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2015 Yamaha SMax Recalled for Speed Sensor Issue - Motorcycle.com News

2015 Yamaha SMax Recalled for Speed Sensor Issue Yamaha is recalling the 2015 SMax because of a problem that can cause the speedometer to stop working. The recall affects 2,640 scooters in the U.S. The SMax XC155 is also sold in other markets (where it may known as the Majesty S). A similar recall has been announced in Japan. According to documents released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the speed sensor lead wire may not be sufficiently secured and may become destabilized when the front wheel is turned or through front suspension action. This can cause the sensor lead wires to fatigue and break, preventing the vehicle speed from being relayed to the speedometer. Yamaha Motor Corp. U.S.A. first received word of the problem on Dec. 2 from Yamaha Taiwan following a quality control review on another model that uses a similar design. Dealers will replace the speed sensor assembly on recalled units with a redesigned part that uses two retaining clips to hold it in position. The original speed sensor assembly only used one retaining clip. 2015 Yamaha SMax Recalled for Speed Sensor Issue appeared first on Motorcycle.com News.
 
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Motorcycle.com Editor Highlights of 2016!

Motorcycle.com Editor Highlights of 2016! The life of a Motorcycle.com editor is mostly the same as yours – good days balanced by ones we’d rather forget. Hammering out endless streams of words for your education and entertainment steals opportunities for the seat time behind a handlebar we all crave, and we have several friends who spend more hours riding than we’re allowed. But then every so often our motojournalist cards can provide entry into the kinds of experiences most civilians can only dream of. And so as 2016 comes to a close, we again look back at the highlights that made us grateful to be part of the MO team. Come along as each editor brings you their personal stories about their exceptional days on motorcycles in 2016. MO Editor Highlights of 2015MO Editor Highlights of 2014MO Editor Highlights of 2013 Troy Siahaan, Features Editor2016 Yamaha FZ-10 launch, Tail of the Dragon, North Carolina Last year I picked the Yamaha YZF-R1 launch as my personal highlight of the year. The all-new R1 tugged at my heartstrings like no other literbike I’d ridden to that point, save for the Aprilia RSV4. It handled great, felt much lighter than its predecessor, and its crossplane crankshaft inside the 1000cc Four-banger was a joy to listen to and a hoot to exploit. So this year, when I was lucky enough to be the MO staffer picked to pilot the new FZ-10 at its launch, I had high hopes. Making the experience that much sweeter was the fact I’d be riding the bike at the (in)famous Tail of the Dragon on the North Carolina/Tennessee border. Powered by the same basic engine we loved in the R1, we were told in this application the power would shift from being top-heavy and be fattest where it counted most on a streetbike – the midrange. I’ve heard that tagline before on other bikes, and it usually meant the bike would be tame, dull, and otherwise a missed opportunity. Those notions quickly vanished the moment I was able to hoist a power wheelie exiting one of the 318 turns on the 11-mile stretch of road. From then on, all I wanted to do was loft the front wheel every chance I got. And I did; no matter which of the three power modes I was in, a good tug on the bar and whack of the throttle would separate front tire from tarmac, and for those brief moments all was right in the world. The FZ-10 engine was just magical in my eyes – a point that was cemented once we got a test unit back home in SoCal to flog for an extended period of time. More than just a wheelie machine, the FZ-10 made quick work of the Dragon, its wide bars making it a snap to just throw the Yamaha wherever I wanted. For street riding, its upright seating position is the exact opposite on the comfort scale as its tortuous R1 sibling, and standard cruise control is a dream if you have to slog it for a while to get to the fun roads. Oh, and let’s not forget the sound. That glorious, glorious sound. Yeah, you could say I had fun at the FZ-10 launch, and it definitely stands out as my highlight of the year. Evans Brasfield, Spiritual Editor2016 Harley-Davidson Roadster Launch, San Tropez, France One of the realities of our lives as motojournalists is that we travel to lots of exotic places to ride the latest, coolest machinery. One of the least-known aspects of these trips is that, from the moment we board our flights to the time that we sit down in our seats for the trip home, our schedule is dictated by the manufacturer whose bike we are going to ride. The only time we have that is – sort of – our own consists of the minutes we are alone in our hotel rooms. With the rise in power of the ever-hungry internet beast, that room-time is mostly spent in front of the keyboard. 2016 Harley-Davidson Roadster First Ride Review In the 20 years I’ve been at this gig, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve stayed over for an extra day or so after an introduction. With that in mind, imagine how stoked I was when I learned that Harley-Davidson scheduled for its Roadster launch an extra day in San Tropez. What made this even better was that I could do anything I wanted – including borrowing a bike! So, while some of the younger attendees decided to hit the beach in search of topless sunbathers (It was late April and a bit too cold, poor saps.), I arranged to have a 2016 Harley-Davidson Roadster for a day’s ride. Just wrap your head around this: A day in the south of France to ride anywhere I wanted. No photo stops, no schedule, no group meals. Just me and a motorcycle and the French countryside. If you know anything about me as a rider, you’re aware that riding is a very spiritual, emotional act that resides right there, next to my children, as the reason I was put on this earth. So, I crammed a full day of riding to-and-through-and-back-from the Verdon Gorge (a.k.a. the French Grand Canyon). However, it wasn’t just about riding a fun streetbike. I found the time to just sit, drink espresso, eat a hand-crafted pizza, and enjoy a view while soaking in the less-frenetic European pace. Then it was back in the saddle for miles of scraping canyon pavement followed by rolling countryside – with even a little rain riding tossed in for good measure. Yeah, I may have arrived back at the hotel a little bit late – too late to shower before dinner – but nothing compares to an A-list day in the saddle, making the Harley-Davidson Roadster introduction my 2016 high point, one that approaches the high-water mark of my 20 years scribbling about motorcycles. Tom Roderick, Content Editor2017 KTM Super Duke R Launch, Doha, Qatar Compared to last year’s highlights of riding Honda’s exotic RC213V-S in Valencia, Spain, followed by another Honda launch in South Africa for two days aboard the new Africa Twin, 2016 might seem a little anti-climatic. In March Triumph flew us to Portugal for the launch of its reborn Bonneville and Thruxton R models, but that was a cramped, ride-two-bikes-in-one-day experience disqualifying it as a highlight (if Triumph had only given us one day aboard the Bonneville on the street followed by a second day riding the Thruxton around Estoril, it’d be a different story). Yamaha’s XSR900 was a local event in May in San Diego, and the bike proved to be one of my personal favorites for 2016, but not the highlight of my year. In terms of staff trips, Riding around Death Valley and its surrounding ghost towns with my fellow MO editors for our Baggers Brawl was a treat, as was our our full-leather escapade aboard a group of 125cc minis for our Battle of the Ankle Biters shootout. Of course I’d be remiss to not mention our getting-lost and bike-destroying event of the year, which is what the 2016 Wire-Wheel Shootout turned out to be. But forced to single out only one event, the self-absorbed me chooses the only the bike I couldn’t live without: KTM’s Super Duke R. That KTM chose the MotoGP season-opening track of Losail as the venue, and made sure we rode the SDR in both natural daylight and the illumination from the manmade flood lights surrounding the circuit, heightened the experience to my favorite of 2016. Riding the torque wave produced by the 1301cc V-Twin is right up my alley of laziness. Outfitted with the optional quick-shifter for those rare times you actually have to change gears on The Beast, and I’m even more in love. New electronics allow for more personalization of the bike’s performance, while handling and comfort remain largely the same as last year’s model, balancing streetability and trackability into a package that excels at both. When the MotoGP guys grid-up for the first time in the 2017 season, I’ll be able to say I’ve been there as they bend through each one of Losail’s 16 corners. Thanks, KTM! John Burns, Senior EditorAmerican Iron Bagger Shootout, Illinois and Wisconsin Harumph. In my day, we made our own fun, and when I was a kid, it involved getting out in the woods on our Huffys, fishing crawdads out from under rocks, pursuing the wily squirrel with BB guns, eating bologna sandwiches on Wonder bread – that type of wholesome American thing. Do kids still read Huckleberry Finn in school? Last June, I got to do the adult equivalent, when we put together a story which had me, Editorial Director Dirty Sean Alexander, and Dirtbikes.com EiC Scott Rousseau rolling through Illinois and Wisconsin to test some American cruisers in their native habitat and visit their factories, which coincided with a visit to the Springfield Armory in Geneseo, Illinois. American Iron Bagger Shootout I’m not as big a gun guy as my two compadres, but the Springfield Armory people welcomed us with such open arms (get it?) and such a huge stockpile of ammo, how could you not have a blast? Their local shooting range is like a golf course. The whole area is like a golf course; it rains back in there in the springtime – and the town of Geneseo is straight out of a Frank Capra movie. After touring the Springfield Arms factory, the CEO took us and about a dozen bike-riding employees to lunch. We swang by his house on the way to see if Mrs. CEO was interested in joining us, but she had other plans. Typical. After that, we three musketeers were back on our bikes and rolling along the mighty Mississippi, through Savanna, past Ulysses S. Grant’s house in Galena IL, then on to the Victory/Indian engine assembly plant in Osceola WI, before heading on to Milwaukee for a spin through the H-D Museum – and to complete the trip, a hassle with the H-D Museum security man while shooting pics outside: You kids get off the lawn! They wouldn’t let us in the H-D factory in Milwaukee, but they did let us in the museum. The whole three or four days was an orgy of deep-dish pizza and/or deep-fried everything else, held in check only by the fact that we were behind schedule most of the time, which didn’t keep us from stopping at unexpected places along the way that coincidentally held amazing antique motorcycle collections and all kinds of suspiciously friendly people who had plenty of time to talk. None of them could out-talk Dirty Sean or Scott Rousseau, though, two of my favorite knuckleheads in the motorcycle industry who make it super easy to keep up my end of the non-stop conversation. I did not know there is now a Hofbrauhaus in Chicago, which there is, and our last night involved authentic German schnitzel and bier. Lovely. For me, it was a great roll down memory lane; for Sean it was an introduction to how “American cruising” is actually practiced in the heartland, and for Scott, well, he had a great time also and even got to be enlightened by some of my ideas concerning politics; I’ve been sharing my wisdom with the kid since he was an intern at Cycle magazine in 1991! Win, win, win! Kevin Duke, Editor-in-Chief2017 Ducati Monster 1200S Launch, Monte Carlo, Monaco I was fortunate to have several choices for the highlight of my year on motorcycles. Most profound to my life was giving my daughter her first rides on streetbikes. Those rides stirred up all kinds of emotions for me – old memories from when I was kid getting intrigued by motorcycles as well as new emotions caused by having to confront how best as a father to raise my girl. But I’ve already used that meme in this editorial I wrote around Father’s Day, so I’ll move on. Then there was a magical trip to Mandello del Lario to ride Moto Guzzi’s new V9s, which also included some extra time to ride around Lago di Como and to browse through Guzzi’s factory museum in which the span of 95 years of production is represented in an awe-inspiring breadth of highly interesting machines. But I’ve already written an editorial about that, too! So, then let me bring you to the south of France, not much more than a Grenache bottle’s throw from where Evans rode Harley’s Roadster presented earlier. Ducati was my host for the introduction of its nicely refreshed Monster 1200, and it graciously gave us most of a day to acclimate to the time zone on France’s Mediterranean coast before transporting us to the independent microstate of Monaco on the French Riviera. In addition to being a lovely spot to park a yacht, Monaco is a sweet place to avoid paying income tax because there isn’t one. No surprise, then, that of the 38,000 or so residents, about one-third of them are reputed to be millionaires. This sultry beauty was parked in front of Monte Carlo’s famous casino. I’m gonna guess it might be a Ferrari 250 GT Spyder from 1959 or ’60, but I admit that it’s not often my historical knowledge of classic Ferraris is called upon. Regardless, it safe to say its driver is one of the many millionaires living in the area, as the car’s worth is well into the seven-figure zone. The Mediterranean coast is lovely, of course, and Monaco’s harbor is littered with multimillion-dollar yachts, but it was the mountains rising from the sea that brought me to this lap of luxury. Roads get spaghetti twisted when carved into hillsides, and the ones within an hour’s ride of Monaco were a wondrous playground on which to ride Ducati’s improved Monster. There were so many corners that I was glad to be aboard a naked sportbike with a relatively tall handlebar rather than low clip-ons such as on a full-on sportbike like a Panigale. 2017 Ducati Monster 1200S First Ride Review Corners were attacked with whatever gusto is appropriate for riding someone else’s finely developed sportbike on unfamiliar roads. Cool weather and wet patches of roads challenged rider talent and Ducati’s Safety Pack of traction control and ABS. Meanwhile, the face of the Monster’s pilot swelled with grin after grin, corner after corner, surfing on 1200cc of V-Twin torque and shots of adrenaline and espresso. It was glorious, and I didn’t want to come down from my high nor from the mountain. Motorcycle.com Editor Highlights of 2016! appeared first on Motorcycle.com.
 
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