- Ultimate Motorcycling

Ducati ST3 S and Moto Guzzi Breva V 1100 Test [Colorado Tour]

Kelly Callan — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 05:49:32 +0000

There’s no doubt that there was symbolism in the air. We were at the Handlebars Bar and Saloon in Silverton, Colo., enjoying an authentic western lunch celebrating the 25th anniversary of our first ride together. Of course, this time, rather than two-up on a 1981 Yamaha 550 Seca in Southern California, we arrived on a […]

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2023 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide Review [16 Fast Facts]

Nic de Sena — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 08:24:12 +0000

After 120 years of business, Harley-Davidson has figured out exactly what buttons to push within its fan base. The Badge-and-Sheild brand’s CVO lineup is nothing short of a love letter to the American V-twin touring faithful, used as the vessel to showcase H-D’s latest technologies, exclusive paint finishes, and new powertrains. This year, the 2023 […]

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2024 Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+ Review [12 Sport-Touring Fast Facts]

Nic de Sena — Sat, 19 Aug 2023 08:26:01 +0000

Here, there, everywhere. That is the underlying motto of Sport Touring. In recent years, Yamaha has leaned on its middleweight Tracer family of motorcycles for precisely that, repurposing the lively triple-cylinder CP3 engine and frame of its spirited MT-09 lineup for touring duty, decked out with long-distance fixings—luggage, creature comforts, and helpful rider aids. It’s […]

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2023 BMW R 18 Classic Review [Big Boxer Experience]

Jonathan Handler — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 21:59:40 +0000

Taste or attraction can be a peculiar thing, and that might explain why I basically ignored BMW Motorrad’s lineup of R 18 bikes for almost three years. Now, upon rumination, I find them irresistible. I think my penchant for sport and sport-touring bikes fogged my vision, and it took some saddle time to overcome this […]

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2023 Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide Review [18 Fast Facts]

Nic de Sena — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 08:11:43 +0000

2023 is a significant milestone for Milwaukee’s own Harley-Davidson, who happen to be ringing in 120 years of cranking out all-American V-twin machinery right in the good ol’ US of A. That anniversary deserves a hearty bash of its own, which the Motor Company threw at its hometown—a city brimming with baggers, brats, and breweries, […]

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2004 Sport-Touring Comparison: BMW vs. Honda vs. Yamaha

Chris Nugent — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 08:06:52 +0000

Rolling along east from Los Angeles on Interstate 40 at high speed for two hours across the bleakness of the Mojave Desert can conjure up these kinds of thoughts. Old quotes from an English lit class or a book you’ve just finished. It’s not often that you can achieve that level of introspection riding a […]

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2023 Can-Am Spyder RT Review [Celebrating 2023 IFRD]

Teejay Adams — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 06:23:43 +0000

Lined up neatly is an impressive-looking range of machines glinting in the early morning light with a promise of a different sort of a ride-out today. Some looked kind of cute, with bug-like characteristics, while some looked big and mean. The distinguishable chatter of excited ladies and the enticing aroma of fresh coffee confirmed I […]

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2024 BMW R 18 Roctane Test [100th Anniversary Alpine Ride]

Jonathan Handler — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 02:41:48 +0000

One easy thumb press on the starter button with the fob in my pocket brings to life the familiar roar of the massive Big Boxer powerplant. Its unmistakable sound, accompanied by the left tugging torque surge of the engine, reminds me right away that this motorcycle is another R 18 variant featuring the colossal 1802cc […]

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2023 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Highway King Review

Don Williams — Fri, 19 May 2023 05:36:26 +0000

After hitting the ball out of the park with two previous installments—the 2021 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Revival and the Low Rider El Diablo last year—The Motor Company brings us a third member of the Icons Collection. The 2023 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Highway King channels the 1968 FLH Electra Glide with fantastic aesthetic results. Of course, […]

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2023 Honda Rebel 1100T DCT Review [16 Fast Facts]

Don Williams — Wed, 03 May 2023 06:46:49 +0000

Once upon a time, there were various Honda cruisers that also served as touring platforms. However, it has taken until 2023 for a touring variant to make its way into the three-bike Rebel lineup of contemporary cruisers. Although the 2023 Honda Rebel 1100T DCT doesn’t compete with serious touring motorcycles, it is a bagger designed […]

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King Of The Baggers S&S Cycle Indian Challenger Test

Nic de Sena — Sat, 22 Apr 2023 07:51:43 +0000

Where there is racing, there is rivalry, and healthy competition brings out the best in techs, mechanics, and racers as they work toward a common goal: victory. One of those classic feuds started brewing over a century ago between Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycle—albeit with a roughly five-decade respite on Indian’s part, officially. This goes far […]

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2023 Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition Review [14 Fast Facts]

Nic de Sena — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 06:28:01 +0000

The 2023 Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition is built for exactly what its name implies. It takes the capable Norden 901 travel enduro, bolts on a heaping dose of helpful touring accessories and, most importantly, features upgraded long-travel suspension to ensure wherever your dart lands on the map, you’ll have everything you need to get there. […]

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2023 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special Review [120th Edition]

Don Williams — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 07:59:28 +0000

One of the rides I enjoy most as Editor of Ultimate Motorcycling is heading home after picking up a test bike for the first time. Harley-Davidson’s fleet center is about 35 miles of urban sprawl from my home, at least as the crow flies. However, when my hands are on the grips, that ride can […]

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2023 Harley-Davidson Pan America Special Review

Freeman Wood — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 07:01:07 +0000

Okay, I will admit it. When I heard that Harley-Davidson planned to produce an adventure motorcycle, I had significant doubts. I mean, what does a company that is known for producing big, heavy, air-cooled (and fantastic) cruisers know about the adventure motorcycle market? And how could H-D possibly compete in such a white-hot segment against […]

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2022 Honda Gold Wing Tour Automatic DCT Cross-Country Test

Damon Powell — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 07:08:44 +0000

Rather than flying from Southern California to Tennessee to catch a flight to Vietnam, how about riding a touring bike there in comfort? The prospect of riding the 2022 Honda Gold Wing Tour Automatic DCT on the journey made the choice easier. While I had to convince the wife that it’d be fine in the […]

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2023 KTM 890 Adventure Review [14 Fast Facts From Portugal]

Jess McKinley — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 08:45:41 +0000

Even with new entrants in the space, the KTM 890 Adventure is arguably the market’s most performance-oriented middleweight travel enduro. Recognizing this, KTM product engineers decided to complement the bike’s current strengths with refinements in aerodynamics, comfort, and rider usability. Interestingly, they also skewed the focus of the standard 890 Adventure towards increased off-road capability, […]

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2023 Ducati DesertX Review [15 Fast Facts for Adventure]

Nic de Sena — Wed, 23 Nov 2022 23:36:58 +0000

Charging full bore into the middleweight ADV segment is the 2023 Ducati DesertX, primed with all the off-road fixings that any aspiring adventurer could want. Ever since the Italian firm proofed its air-cooled DesertX concept at EICMA 2019, ADV fans were left champing at the bit, drawn in by its alluring vintage veneer and trail-capable […]

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2022 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R Review [29 Fast Facts]

Don Williams — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 20:09:10 +0000

Already the king of off-road when it comes to open-class adventure motorcycles, the 2022 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R gets a new frame, IMU-enhanced electronic wizardry, aggressive dirt tires, and more. With the 1290 Super Adventure S taking care of those who prefer the street most of the time, the R comes loaded for bear […]

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2023 Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello S Review [16 Fast Facts]

Nic de Sena — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 23:51:50 +0000

After a century of business, you might have thought you knew everything about one of Italy’s most storied marques. However, the all-new 2023 Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello isn’t here to maintain the status quo. No, it skillfully spins a yarn, tying the past to the future with innovative features and new-to-the-fold technologies that dictate the […]

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2022 Harley-Davidson Road King Special Review

Don Williams — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 06:28:30 +0000

Fresh off testing the fantastic new 2022 Harley-Davidson Low Rider El Diablo, I found myself on the 2022 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special. The two motorcycles have one thing in common—they’re transgenre. El Diablo is a cruiser that became a touring motorcycle, while the Road King Special is a tourer that has transitioned into a cruiser. […]

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2022 Harley-Davidson Low Rider El Diablo Review [Softail Touring]

Don Williams — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 04:42:16 +0000

As soon as I set eyes on the 2022 Harley-Davidson Low Rider El Diablo, I knew I had to ride it. We had sent Senior Editor Nic de Sena off for our initial test of the new Low Rider ST, and I was anxious to put some time on the modern-day interpretation of the iconic […]

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Overland Expo Yamaha Ténéré 700 Review [Yellowstone Tested]

Freeman Wood — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 21:14:23 +0000

The motorcycle community is tight-knit—one of the things I really like about being a motorcycle rider. Earlier this year, I met a moto rider and writer working for Overland Expo at the launch of the new Triumph Tiger 1200 adventure motorcycle. We swapped adventure travel stories, as you do with similarly minded people at these […]

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2022 BMW K 1600 GT Review [14 Fast Facts For Luxury Touring]

Nic de Sena — Sun, 04 Sep 2022 21:06:18 +0000

The BMW K 1600 family is Bavaria’s no-holds-barred answer to the touring question. Lavish amenities and opulent technologies are hallmarks of the modern K series, as is the hulking 1649cc inline-six engine, whisking what BMW Motorrad believes to be a rolling Shangri-La across the hinterlands. The lineup includes the GT, GTL, Grand America, and B […]

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2022 Suzuki GSX-S1000GT Review [14 Fast Facts]

Nic de Sena — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 04:32:22 +0000

There are two major schools of thought concerning sporting motorcycles. From hallowed halls, Superbikes come with full fairings and uncompromising riding positions, with handling and horsepower to match. At the opposite end of the campus sits naked bikes, liberating themselves of plastics and adding welcoming ergonomics, while repurposing the engine and chassis from a race-replica […]

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BMW K 1600 GTL European Tour: Munich to Ljubljana Round-Trip

Freeman Wood — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 01:45:04 +0000

Germany! Land of delicious beer, highly refined motor vehicles, and the Autobahn with no speed limits. Since the start of the pandemic, international travel has been limited, and I have missed Europe. Growing up with a German mother and traveling to Europe when I was young made it a second home for me. As travel […]

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