This video infuriates me because it’s so short and there’s more footage of girls playing billiards than any motorcycle, but I guess it’s a successful teaser because now I’ve got 10/25 marked on my calendar. Most of you guys and gals are here because you like the classics, and Kawasaki’s legendary Z1 has always been a popular bike when I’ve …
Industry Customs Build – 1988 Harley-Davidson FXRP
Built by Industry Customs, this custom FXR Police Special was originally built for MMA fighter Brodie Farber after it was used as a parade bike for the NYPD. It’s since moved on to another owner, and now it’s ready to be passed on to the next one.
Cannonball Equipped – 2010 MV Agusta Brutale 1090RR
9-8-17 Update: Almost a year later, contributor Tim Huber notes that this bike is back up for sale with a $2k discount – you can find it for $9,500 in Cornelia, Georgia here on Craigslist. The MV Agusta Brutale is a pretty powerful machine to begin with. The stock 2010 Brutale 1090RR puts out a claimed 144HP. Combine that with …
Motorcycle Action in Chicago?
Vy’s about to head to Chicago to film for some TV show so I’m going to head out there for the weekend and hang out with her. I haven’t been there in over a decade, so I’m looking for motorcycling-related recommendations: any shops I should see or people I should meet while I’m in Chi-Town for a couple of days?
August 2017 Result Highlights
Last month we featured some great bikes – but did they sell? And if so, for how much?
Phil Nicoletti’s AMA MX Racer – 2013 Yamaha YZ450
Yamaha started what it likes to refer to as the “four-stroke revolution” as they were first to release a 4-stroke motocrosser. From the time Doug Henry piloted that YZ400M to victory in an AMA SX event in Las Vegas, Yamaha’s YZs have won countless high-level racing events and established itself as the go-to 450 for many top riders. The four-stroke …
A Variety of Minimotos
For the majority of the today’s fastest Grand Prix racers, their racing careers began on pocket bikes, or as they’re better known around the world: minimotos. Some riders started as tots on micro-displacement dirt machines, but most of today’s champions all honed their skills by dragging their knees in local parking lots that served as impromptu circuits thanks to a …
Honda vs. Kawasaki – 1982 250cc MX Racers
For decades, two-stroke MXers were big business. Production versions of factory competition machines became desirable off-roaders, leading to some of the most iconic quarter-liter off-road racers of all time. Two of those machines are undeniably the Honda CR250R and Kawasaki KX250. Both bikes were “out of the box racers” that were instant classics, receiving various updates over the years in …
Restored Period Custom – 1972 Norton Commando Combat
In 1986, a New England yacht builder decided to turn his Combat Commando into a show bike by fabricating his own replica Production Racer fairing and front fender out of carbon fiber. While he was in the customizing mood, he also built rearsets and brackets for the seat and fairing out of stainless steel. He turned to Gus Kuhn for …
Real World Testing – MotoQuest Puts 30k Miles on the Africa Twin
When you read First Ride motorcycle reviews nowadays, it can be fun to read about what’s new but it’s tough to really get a feel like for how a bike will perform for years if you’re going to plunk down your own money on it. Moto-journalists get the bike for a day or two and maybe put a couple of …
Marlon Moto Build – 1997 Ducati ST2 944
This Ducati ST2 build is the epitome of a professional job as it boasts a lot of character and the builder seems to have paid attention to every little detail, opting to spend time, energy, and money on minute details such as aftermarket brake reservoirs and narrow full brass piping that houses the various lines running around the bike, coiling …
Bavarian Cruiser – 1999 BMW R1200C
BMW builds a variety of different types of motorcycles, many of which are considered to be some of the best touring machines. Having said that, cruisers aren’t exactly what come to mind when the German marque is mentioned but nonetheless, here is an example born of out BMW’s foray into the lucrative cruiser segment: the R1200C. This was BMW’s first …
Clean & Classy – 1997 Ducati 900SS Cafe Racer
When Ducati brought back the 900SS at the end of the 1980’s, it was already technologically and mechanically dated compared to the other offerings being sold towards the end of the decade. It boasted a retro style that was powered by an equally retro engine. For this reason, the 900SS is a terrific candidate when looking for a donor machine …
All Original Survivor – 1967 Honda P50
First introduced in 1966, the P50 would only have a three year production run before being replaced by its successor: the PC50. The P50 – also known as the P25 or “Little Honda” – was an important bike in Honda’s history. To the best of my knowledge, this little scoot was the first Japanese moped to be imported to UK …