Motorcycle Commentary | Motorcycle Columns | Rants https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/community/commentary/ Motorcycle Reviews, News on Motorcycles, Specs, Test & Race Results Wed, 27 Sep 2023 21:43:02 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.1 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/cropped-UMC_LOGO_512x512-140x140.jpg Motorcycle Commentary | Motorcycle Columns | Rants https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/community/commentary/ 32 32 The Throttle Stop – October 2023 – Farewell, Evans Brasfield https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/09/27/throttle-stop-farewell-evans-brasfield/ Wed, 27 Sep 2023 21:43:02 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=270100 On September 13, Editor-in-Chief of Motorcycle.com Evans Brasfield was involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident while riding on Big Tujunga Canyon Road in the Angeles National Forest. A suspect was apprehended that same evening. He is survived by his loving wife of 30 years and two teenage daughters. The news of Evans’ passing hit the […]

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]]> 2023 SuperMotocross Round 3 Fantasy Tips + Picks [8 Fast Facts] https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/09/21/2023-supermotocross-round-3-fantasy-tips-picks-8-fast-facts/ Thu, 21 Sep 2023 07:34:44 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=269895 After 31 rounds, we are at the finale of the 2023 SuperMotocross World Championship Series—the last of three playoff rounds after the Supercross and Motocross seasons. Just as the Los Angeles Coliseum race pays triple points in the SuperMotocross Playoff Series, you also get triple points in RMFantasySMX.com leagues. So, it’s time to go for […]

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]]> Jake Gagne Interview [MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Speaks] https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/09/18/jake-gagne-interview-motoamerica-superbike-champion-speaks/ Tue, 19 Sep 2023 05:34:51 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=269792 You might not guess it from Jake Gagne’s mellow demeanor, but he has been the man to be for three years running in the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship. Gagne’s dominance kicked off in the 2021 season and hasn’t relented. He recently wrapped up his third-consecutive title fight with two rounds left on the 2023 calendar. Gagne […]

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]]> Editor’s Letter – September 2023 – Creating Memories https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/08/29/editors-letter-september-2023-creating-memories/ Wed, 30 Aug 2023 06:53:54 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=269324 The longer you ride, the more memories you have to catalog. While not every ride is life-changing, each one almost always makes the day better. An advantage to being a motorcycle magazine editor is that many of my more epic rides are chronicled—formerly in print, and now on this website. However, in the days of […]

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]]> The Throttle Stop – September 2023 [Motorcycle Commentary] https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/08/29/the-throttle-stop-september-2023-motorcycle-commentary/ Wed, 30 Aug 2023 00:05:16 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=269300 Life on the wrong side of 35 is pretty much the same as before. My joints seem to creak a bit more these days, and I feel sore after track days to that extra degree, but we’ll blame that on my age instead of taking responsibility for stretching. Remember, kids, always stretch and hydrate before […]

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]]> 2023 Ironman National Motocross Fantasy Tips [10 Fast Facts] https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/08/24/2023-ironman-national-motocross-fantasy-tips-10-fast-facts/ Thu, 24 Aug 2023 07:14:49 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=269165 This is it—the final round of the 2023 AMA Pro Motocross National Championship Series. It’s your last chance to beat your friends in your RMFantasyMX.com leagues. Last week had some unexpected finishes, and anything can happen on Saturday at the Ironman National at Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Let’s go over the possibilities. The top […]

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]]> Helmet Testing Failure Rate Revisited: Summer 2023 Edition https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/08/21/helmet-testing-failure-rate/ Tue, 22 Aug 2023 01:51:24 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=269107 In the past few years, I’ve looked at the data on the motorcycle helmet compliance reporting website of the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). I evaluated the number of helmets claiming to be “DOT Certified” tested by the NHTSA’s independent labs that test helmets intended for road-going use in the […]

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]]> 2023 Budds Creek National Motocross Fantasy Tips [9 Fast Facts] https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/08/16/2023-budds-creek-national-motocross-fantasy-tips-fast-facts/ Thu, 17 Aug 2023 06:13:35 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=268976 It’s time for the penultimate round of the 2023 AMA Pro Motocross National Championship Series. You’ve got two more shots at beating your friends in RMFantasyMX.com leagues, and we have our 2023 Budds Creek National Motocross fantasy tips for you. Jett Lawrence has clinched the title with an 18-0 moto run in the 450MX class. […]

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]]> 2023 Unadilla National Motocross Fantasy Tips [8 Fast Facts] https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/08/10/2023-unadilla-national-motocross-fantasy-tips-8-fast-facts/ Thu, 10 Aug 2023 08:59:08 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=268794 The long break is over, and it’s time to get back to the 2023 AMA Pro Motocross National Championship Series. There are three rounds to go in the National series, which leads up to the first-ever SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs. However, we’re here to discuss your RMFantasyMX.com picks, as there’s nothing more important than beating […]

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]]> Editor’s Letter – August 2023 – Behind Brown Eyes https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/07/25/editors-letter-august-2023-behind-brown-eyes/ Wed, 26 Jul 2023 06:44:32 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=268412 Every issue of Ultimate Motorcycling has challenges, though some are more difficult than others. Sometimes it’s the weather. Other times a motorcycle doesn’t show up on time. Occasionally, someone is late with a story. However, every month since the odometer clicked over to 2006, I’ve managed to piece together a reasonably coherent facsimile of a […]

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]]> The Throttle Stop – August 2023 – You’re Speaking My Language https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/07/26/the-throttle-stop-august-2023-youre-speaking-my-language/ Wed, 26 Jul 2023 19:35:46 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=268432 According to strangers on the internet, one can easily distinguish an American from a crowd of Europeans by the way they eat. If you’re thinking, “Well, of course. I’d just look for the person attempting to order food that isn’t on the menu while violently butchering the local language and somehow managing to be the […]

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]]> Dairyland Double-Dip: 2023 Spring Slimey Crud Run, Museum Stop https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/07/24/dairyland-double-dip-2023-spring-slimey-crud-run-museum-stop/ Tue, 25 Jul 2023 06:37:18 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=268372 Any warm, sunny weekend here in the upper Midwest is a good time to get some serious ride time; add a ride with old friends, a tour of the now re-opened Midwest Microcar Museum and Vintage Cycle Room, plus a monster turnout for the spring edition of the Slimey Crud Motorcycle Gang Café Racer Run, […]

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]]> 2023 Washougal National Motocross Fantasy Picks [8 Fast Facts] https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/07/19/2023-washougal-national-motocross-fantasy-picks-8-fast-facts/ Thu, 20 Jul 2023 02:30:22 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=268246 It’s broken record time, as the results from the Spring Creek National don’t call for any changes for the 2023 Washougal National Motocross fantasy picks for RMFantasyMX.com players. Regardless, there’s always the Wild Card, which can be the separator for players. With that in mind, it’s time to fill out your RMFantasyMX grid. Jett Lawrence […]

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]]> 2023 Spring Creek National Motocross Fantasy Tips [8 Fast Facts] https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/07/13/2023-spring-creek-national-motocross-fantasy-tips-8-fast-facts/ Thu, 13 Jul 2023 07:09:14 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=268062 The second half of the 2023 AMA Pro Motocross National Championship gets underway at Spring Creek MX Park in Millville, Minnesota. The top four positions have made themselves quite evident, but in RMFantasyMX.com leagues, you must pick the top five, plus the Wild Card—15th place. So, let’s start roosting through the stats to help you […]

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]]> 2023 Southwick National Motocross Fantasy Tips [8 Fast Facts] https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/07/05/2023-southwick-national-motocross-fantasy-tips-8-fast-facts/ Thu, 06 Jul 2023 06:22:46 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=267633 Jett Lawrence continues his march toward perfection in his rookie year in the 450X class of the 2023 AMA Pro Motocross National Championship Series. He has won all 10 motos this year, and shows no signs of being stopped going into The Wick 338 for the Southwick National. Last week offered up the return of […]

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]]> 2023 RedBud National Motocross Fantasy Tips [8 Fast Facts] https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/06/28/2023-redbud-national-motocross-fantasy-tips-8-fast-facts/ Thu, 29 Jun 2023 01:36:27 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=267446 After a weekend off, the 2023 AMA Pro Motocross National Championship Series is back. That also means RMFantasyMX.com fantasy motocross is back, so it’s time to pick your top five riders and the P7 Wild Card. There’s a wrinkle for this weekend’s RedBud National—Jason Anderson is back—so let’s fill out that fantasy card. Update: Cooper […]

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]]> Brembo Wins Red Dot Product Design Award [Commentary] https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/06/24/brembo-wins-red-dot-product-design-award-commentary/ Sun, 25 Jun 2023 05:46:57 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=267327 I’m a big fan of modern art and industrial design. When they come together, creating industrial art, so much the better. Undoubtedly, the new Brembo 19RCS Corsa Corta-RR handlebar-mounted clutch actuation unit fits the bill as industrial art at its finest. Apparently, I’m not the only one to notice, as the clutch lever assembly created […]

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]]> The Throttle Stop – July 2023 – ¡Viva la Revolución! [Commentary] https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/06/25/the-throttle-stop-july-2023-vive-la-revolution-commentary/ Mon, 26 Jun 2023 05:33:29 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=267330 The saying goes, “There’s no replacement for displacement.” It’s a maxim that the American motorcycling public has come to adopt wholesale over the years. As engine displacement grew, so did our collective appetites for greater performance, which resulted in manufacturers pumping out ever-powerful machinery to satisfy our desires. We Americans want it, we need it, […]

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]]> Wisconsin Motorcycle Pioneer Lyall Sharer Remembered https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/06/20/wisconsin-motorcycle-pioneer-lyall-sharer-remembered/ Tue, 20 Jun 2023 07:54:47 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=267148 Lyall Sharer died on May 8, 2023, at 81. Hearing of his passing, I recalled a conversation I had with him in 2007 at Sharer’s Cycle Center in Verona, Wisc., his Triumph, Moto Guzzi, and Royal Enfield dealership. Sharer recalled that he competed in his first motorcycle scrambles competition in 1957. That was the same […]

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]]> 2023 High Point National Motocross Fantasy Tips [7 Fast Facts] https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/06/14/2023-high-point-national-motocross-fantasy-tips-7-fast-facts/ Wed, 14 Jun 2023 23:42:04 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=267085 It’s the last race of the opening four-round segment of the 2023 AMA Pro Motocross National Championship Series. So, it’s time to build up a lead in your RMFantasyMX.com fantasy league before the break. To do that, you’ll have to score big points at the 2023 High Point National in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania, and we’re […]

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]]> KTM’s Investment in MV Agusta Explained [Commentary] https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/06/05/ktms-investment-in-mv-agusta-explained-commentary/ Tue, 06 Jun 2023 05:11:38 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=266698 Motorcycle Art is the tagline used by the fabled Italian marque MV Agusta, and it’s an apt description for the company’s exquisite-looking motorcycles. The snag is that the company hasn’t been nearly as good at making money as it is at making beautiful machines. The company was founded in 1945 by Count Domenico Agusta as […]

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]]> 2023 Thunder Valley National Motocross Fantasy Tips [Fast Facts] https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/06/09/2023-thunder-valley-national-motocross-fantasy-tips-fast-facts/ Fri, 09 Jun 2023 07:59:32 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=266917 The 2023 AMA Pro Motocross National Championship Series leaves California for Colorado on Saturday, with round 3 at Thunder Valley Motocross Park in Lakewood. Let’s get into the 2023 Thunder Valley National Motocross fantasy tips, so you can beat your friends in RMFantasyMX.com leagues. It’s embarrassingly easy to pick the winner—Jett Lawrence. He has been […]

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]]> 2023 Hangtown Motocross Classic Fantasy Tips [7 Fast Facts] https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/06/02/2023-hangtown-motocross-classic-fantasy-tips-7-fast-facts/ Fri, 02 Jun 2023 19:15:37 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=266638 It hasn’t taken long for the 2023 AMA Pro Motocross National Championship Series to settle down, at least if you play RMFantasyMX.com fantasy motocross. With a severely depleted field, it’s now about picking the order of the top five, rather than figuring out who the top five will be. Let’s dig into our 2023 Hangtown […]

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]]> 2023 Fox Raceway National Fantasy Motocross Tips [8 Fast Facts] https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/05/26/2023-fox-raceway-national-fantasy-motocross-tips-8-fast-facts/ Sat, 27 May 2023 02:54:32 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=266444 With Supercross done and dusted, it’s time to get outdoors for the 2023 AMA Pro Motocross Championship Series. The first round is always a bit of a guess, so let’s get to prognosticating for the 2023 RMFantasyMX.com season with our 2023 Fox Raceway National fantasy motocross tips. Lots of riders are still out, but a […]

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]]> The Throttle Stop – June 2023: The Bear on an Aprilia Tuareg 660 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/05/24/the-throttle-stop-june-2023-the-bear-on-an-aprilia-tuareg-660/ Wed, 24 May 2023 20:47:36 +0000 https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/?p=266355 Earlier this year, I proudly proclaimed that I’d ride ADV more often, more single-track on dual-sport bikes, and get dirt under my fingernails regularly. We’ll call it a change of scenery from the asphalt-oriented motorcycles that I’m typically hovering around. They transport me to quiet canyon routes or racetracks to do all my extracurricular riding. […]

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