First Looks: New version of the F800GS is worthy of the “Adventure” name.

First Looks

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BMW F800GS Adventure (Racing red) - outdoor still

2014 BMW F800GS Adventure – First Look New version of the F800GS is worthy of the “Adventure” name.

Until now, BMW Motorrad has applied the “Adventure” moniker only to its large GS models with Boxer engines. In mid-June, however, that changes with the debut of the all-new 2014 BMW F800GS Adventure, a bike designed to be better in the dirt than a standard F800GS while also being a [...]

AVA Velocity Works 250 Swift – First Look Los Angeles custom-bike maker inspired by Grand Prix racers.

Industrial designer Adrian Van Anz says his very first complete motorcycle—he also did Derringer Cycles’ slick 1920s-style bicycle mopeds—was inspired by 1960s and ’70s bad-boy romanticism, when tough guys wore leather jackets and smoked cigarettes as they rode. “It was coming out of that [Marlon] Brando era and into that [...]

Christini AWD 450 Military Edition action shot #4

Christini AWD 450 Military Edition – First Look Innovative AWD motorcycle on patrol in Afghanistan.

With the U.S. Navy Seals and Army Special Forces in mind, Christini has developed the new AWD 450 Military Edition, a special model with several modifications designed to make it an effective tactical tool in reconnaissance and combat situations. In addition to the extra traction provided by its unique all-wheel-drive [...]

2014 Yamaha Star Bolt R-Spec (Camo Green) - with accessories

2014 Star/Yamaha Bolt and Bolt R-Spec – First Look New Star cruiser delivers hip, stylish attitude at an affordable price.

Just as we were beginning to wonder if the tuning fork company would ever awake from its recession-induced slumber, Yamaha is proving there’s still lots of fight left in its blue bones. The new Star V Star 1300 Deluxe and Yamaha FJR1300A, both of which performed well in recent tests, [...]

2013 Harley-Davidson FXSB Breakout – First Look Inspired by drag racing.

Breakout is an unexpected name for a motorcycle inspired, at least in part, by drag racing. In bracket or handicap racing, you “break out” when you post a quicker elapsed time than predicted. Unless your opponent does something stupid—red lights, crosses the centerline or fails tech—you lose. That’s not what [...]

Triumph Speed Triple SE - studio front 3/4 view

Special Edition Triumphs – First Look New Bonneville SE and Speed Triple SE arrive in May.

Choosing a Triumph is already a bit of an alternative choice, and now there’s an alternative to the alternative for two of the company’s coolest bikes: The Speed Triple and Bonneville will be offered in Special Edition versions for 2013. Bonneville SE Visual enhancements to the Bonneville include a red [...]

2013 KTM 690 Duke – First Look Naked and nasty.

Single-cylinder Dukes have been KTM’s number-one selling naked worldwide for years, but they have been absent from the U.S. lineup since 2010. No more. For 2013, the 690 Duke returns with a host of upgrades aimed to keep the Single at the top of Mattighofen’s standard-bike throne. A redesigned cylinder [...]

Arai Defiant - Asteroid Green (side view)

First Look: Arai Defiant Japanese helmet maker puts a more aggressive, naked-bike-influenced face on the RX-Q.

Arai says its new full-face Defiant helmet was inspired by Cycle World’s 10 Best-winning Ducati Streetfighter 848. “Arai has a great relationship with Ducati,” said Brian Weston, Managing Director at Arai Helmet, Inc., at the Defiant’s unveiling in Los Angeles. “They wanted a helmet to go with the Streetfighter. While [...]

2014 Honda CTX700ND with DCT and ABS - left-side view

2014 Honda CTX700 Lineup – First Look Low seats, low price tags, and no need to shift gears: Four new “cruiser” variants on the NC700 Twin platform set their sights on getting more people on motorcycles.

Honda sprang four more of the latest in its line of 670cc parallel Twins this morning, in the cruiseristic form of the new CTX700ND and CTX700N, along with fairing-equipped long-distance versions CTX700D and CTX700. The “D”s denote Dual Clutch Automatic transmissions, while CTX stands for Comfort, Technology and eXperience. The [...]

KTM 990 Adventure Baja – First Look The last in line.

Bad news: U.S. buyers will have to wait until the 2014 model year for the brand-new KTM 1190 Adventure to arrive. Good news: The 990 Adventure is going out in a blaze of glory. This limited-edition model has white bodywork with “Baja” graphics, and an orange powdercoated frame. A suede-style [...]