Motorcycle Reviews, Motorcycle Gear, Videos & News

Honda CRF450L vs. KTM 500 EXC-F vs. Husqvarna FE 450 vs. Beta 430 RR-S

Dual-sport motorcycles of different origins and vastly different design philosophies take on Moab, Utah

BMW Is Building A Big Flat-Twin Cruiser

The BMW Motorrad Concept R18 is unveiled.
2019 Can-Am Ryker Rally Review

A three-wheeler that is good for motorcycling.
Smooth Fork Action—50 Ways To Get It Wrong

Number 18 in a series of motorcycle learning experiences
The 2019 North West 200 Is In The Books

Racing the 8.9-mile Triangle course is a preview of the Isle of Man TT.

Gear and Products

5 Motorcycle Boots For Summer Riding Adventure

From road and track to dirt and beyond...

By Cycle World Staff posted May 22nd, 2019

The motorcycle boot has become as specific as the discipline for which it is intended. Here are five options from Alpinestars, Cortech, Dainese, Sidi, and TCX.
Reviews

Honda CRF450L vs. KTM 500 EXC-F vs. Husqvarna FE 450 vs. Beta 430 RR-S

Dual-sport motorcycles of different origins and vastly different design philosophies take on Moab, Utah

By Justin Dawes posted May 21st, 2019

To find the best dual-sport bikes for anywhere and everywhere, we test four 450-class machines: Beta 430 RR-S, Honda CRF450L, Husqvarna FE 450, KTM 500 EXC-F.
Bikes

Yamaha’s 689cc CP2 Parallel Twin—One Engine, Many Roles

Practicality requires versatile powerplants.

By Kevin Cameron posted May 21st, 2019

Technical Editor Kevin Cameron traces the history of the liquid-cooled, eight-valve parallel twin that powers the Yamaha XSR700, MT-07, and new Ténéré 700.
Bikes

IndianxWorkhorse Scout Bobber Is Ready To Race

Randy Mamola will pilot the modified Scout racer in the Sultans of Sprint.

By Andrew Cherney posted May 20th, 2019

Indian celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Scout with this wild sprint racer built by Workhorse Speedshop.

10 Best Motorcycles of 2018

Cycle World on Youtube

Racing

Honda’s Spectacular Spaniard Wins French Grand Prix

Marc Márquez continues to win in his new riding style.

By Kevin Cameron posted May 20th, 2019

Are you bored by Marc Márquez’s MotoGP winning streak? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron explains what is actually happening in Grand Prix racing’s premier class.
News

Triumph Motorcycles Begins Development Of Ebike

Triumph speaks about its electric motorcycle plans

By Ben Purvis posted May 20th, 2019

Cycle World speaks to Triumph’s chief product officer about the firms newly announced electric motorcycle plans.
Racing

Fabio Quartararo Ready To Steal The Headlines At Le Mans

The MotoGP rookie prodigy heads to France.

By Maria Guidotti posted May 17th, 2019

MotoGP rookie and prodigy, Frenchman Fabio Quartararo heads to Le Mans where his home crowd will be behind him every lap at a track where Yamaha has often ruled.
Bikes

Electric Bikes, Rocket Fuel, And The Possibility Of Disappointment

Yearning for a breakthrough that may never come

By Kevin Cameron posted May 17th, 2019

What does it mean for a battery that powers an electric motorcycle to “have it all”? Kevin Cameron puts the future in perspective by reflecting on the past.

Bikes

NMoto’s Nostalgia Channels The Iconic BMW R7

South Florida shop reimagines Art Deco stunner with R nineT as a foundation.

By Andrew Cherney posted May 16th, 2019

NMoto lovingly recreates BMW’s long-lost R7 concept model using an R nineT as the platform. This is no one-off custom however; you can order one.
Racing

Three Uncomfortable Questions For Michelin MotoGP Manager Piero Taramasso

Taking the MotoGP paddock out of its comfort zone

By Manuel Pecino posted May 16th, 2019

A new series, “Three uncomfortable questions,” takes MotoGP riders, managers, mechanics, and others in the paddock out of their respective “comfort” zones.
Bikes

How Much Power Does The 2019 KTM 690 Enduro R Make?

Check out our dyno performance and video on KTM’s big-bore Enduro.

By Michael Gilbert posted May 15th, 2019

We record the horsepower and torque measurements of the KTM 690 Enduro R on the Cycle World dyno.
Bikes

Making CDI Work On Motorcycles—50 Ways To Get It Wrong

Number 17 in a series of motorcycle learning experiences

By Kevin Cameron posted May 15th, 2019

“There has to be something better than a 1903 magneto!” That’s what Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and many others were surely screaming a half-century ago.

Racing

AMA Grand National Champion Gene Romero, 1947–2019

“Doesn’t it just burn you when you make one of those big saves and there’s no one there to see it?”

By Kevin Cameron posted May 14th, 2019

Technical Editor Kevin Cameron remembers hall-of-fame motorcycle racer Gene Romero, the 1970 AMA Grand National champion and winner of the 1975 Daytona 200.
Bikes

2020 Honda CRF Motocross And Off-Road Models Unveiled

Updates to Honda’s 2020 CRF Performance Line

By Andrew Oldar posted May 14th, 2019

Read about the changes made to Honda’s CRF Performance Line for 2020, including CRF450R, CRF450RWE, CRF250R, CRF450RX, CRF250RX, CRF450X, CRF450L, and CRF150R.
Ienatsch Tuesday

Taking Up Roadracing At 63 Years Old

Someday is not infinite.

By Nick Ienatsch posted May 14th, 2019

Nick Ienatsch talks with Gary Pattee, a 63-year-old doctor, about going roadracing for the first time.
News

Honda’s Variable Riding Position Patent

An all-purpose superbike

By Ben Purvis posted May 13th, 2019

Honda has filed for a patent that gives adjustable ergonomics to make a more comfortable superbike while not on the track.
Bikes

The Coming Crunch In Big Twin Engine Cooling

Why an air-cooled life is so unforgiving

By Kevin Cameron posted May 13th, 2019

Technical Editor Kevin Cameron recalls his introduction to cylinder finning and explains why makers of air-cooled engines must embrace full liquid-cooling.

New Bikes

Browse first rides & news on new motorcycles.
SPORTBIKE
STANDARD / NAKED
CRUISER
DUAL-SPORT / ADVENTURE
TOURING / SPORT-TOURING
OFF-ROAD / MOTOCROSS
SCOOTERS / ELECTRIC

Bikes

5 Best Bikes To Grow Motorcycling

Five of the best to help increase the ranks of riders

By Justin Dawes posted May 10th, 2019

Which motorcycles are the ones that will help grow the numbers of riders in the future. We find out in this episode of 5 Best Bikes.
Bikes

Slipper Assist Clutches Are Appearing On More New Motorcycles

Why are manufacturers like Kawasaki fitting streetbikes with anti-hop mechanisms previously reserved for competition?

By Kevin Cameron posted May 10th, 2019

What is a slipper/assist clutch and why are they becoming commonplace? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron explores the benefits of the rotary-ramp design.

New Motorcycles

Buyer's Guide

2019 KTM 790 Adventure/R

A middleweight twin that perfectly balances performance with size

posted May 13th, 2019

Capitalizing on knowledge gained from its success in the Dakar Rally, KTM has made a monumental impact on the adventure-bike market.
Buyer's Guide

2019 Suzuki GSX-R1000X/R

Small upgrades further improve the four-cylinder hyperbike from Hamamatsu

posted May 10th, 2019

Sportbike sales have slipped in recent years, yet the manufacturers for whom this segment remains important refuse to throw in the towel.
Buyer's Guide

2019 Kawasaki W800 Cafe

Classic bevel-drive parallel twin gets “ton-up” treatment

posted May 6th, 2019

They were famously known as “ton-up boys,” post-World War II working-class motorcyclists who hopped up thumping British singles and twins in their quest to outrun each…
Buyer's Guide

2019 Kawasaki Z400 ABS

A sporting twin built to bring out the best in riders, now and down the road

posted May 2nd, 2019

Kawasaki doesn’t publish horsepower claims, but the sweet-running parallel twin that powers the 2019 Z400 ABS is also found in Cycle World’s Ten Best-winning Ninja 400,…

News

Indian Raptor Coming In 2020?

A water-cooled bagger is planned for August

By Ben Purvis posted May 7th, 2019

Is a new Indian water-cooled bagger on its way? Patent filings seem to suggest so.
Ienatsch Tuesday

Moneyball For MotoGP

Grand Prix Scout adds data-crunching insight to our passion

By Nick Ienatsch posted May 7th, 2019

Grand Prix Scout uses data to predict the winners of MotoGP. Will data or intuition win in a comparison at the COTA MotoGP?
Racing

Spanish Stars Dominate MotoGP Podium At Jerez

Marc Márquez rebounds from Texas crash to retake world-championship point lead

By Kevin Cameron posted May 6th, 2019

Marc Márquez won at the Jerez circuit—the first of MotoGP’s 11-stop European tour—but younger men Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli qualified 1-2.