First Rides

Latest First Rides

2012 Triumph Speed Triple R - First Ride

2012 Triumph Speed Triple R – First RideAnRchy from the UK: Triumph gives the Speed Triple the “R” treatment.

Dancing with the Speed Triple is more akin to a night on the town with Sid Vicious than a boring and graceful glide around the parquet. If there was ever a bike that likes to mosh its way through urban areas and backroads alike, the “Trip” is it. And yet, [...]

Moto Guzzi Griso 8V SE - First Ride

Moto Guzzi Griso 8V SE – First RideLasting character.

Photography by Jeff Allen When the Moto Guzzi Griso hit the market back in 2006, the sporty naked’s fresh styling and visceral twin-cylinder performance offered timely promise that the classic Italian bike maker had landed rubber side down and would forge full-speed ahead under its new Piaggio Group leadership. The [...]

Victory Hard-Ball - First Ride

Victory Hard-Ball – First RideHigh bars, hard bags and heaps of black: Victory’s badass bagger.

Photography by Jeff Allen There’s no doubt ape-hanger bikes are all about looking cool. And although this bars-in-the-sky style definitely makes some demands of the rider that more conventional cruisers do not, most riders who prefer their fists flying at eye level (or above) couldn’t care less. Apes are everywhere [...]

2012 Kawasaki Ninja 650 - First Ride

2012 Kawasaki Ninja 650 – First RideThe middleweight-Twin Ninja drops the R. Now “rollicking” and “real good deal” are simply implied.

Photography by Kinney Jones Here’s the problem with entry-level sport motorcycles. While the best ones have the right combination of performance and capability to go with their low acquisition cost and benign manners, they’re just not cool. How many beginning riders do you know that have tapped their college tuition [...]