We review the 2021 Aprilia Tuono 660! The Aprilia Tuono 660 is the Italian brand’s latest middleweight addition to the legendary Tuono family of motorcycles.

Based on the fully-faired Aprilia RS 660, the Tuono 660 delivers all the sporting fun of its supersport sibling in a more street-oriented package, with an upright riding position and road-focused geometry. The starting price for the 2021 Aprilia Tuono 660 is $10,499.

The Tuono 660 is powered by a punchy 659cc parallel-twin engine, producing a claimed 100 horsepower at 10,500 rpm and 49.4 lb-ft of torque at 8,500 rpm. This peppy middleweight engine revs up with authority, and when combined with the 403-pound wet weight, creates an incredible power-to-weight ratio that many riders will enjoy.

Have any questions? Drop them down below! Read our full 2021 Aprilia Tuono 660 Review!

For more information about this and other Aprilia motorcycles, please visit Aprilia.

The post 2021 Aprilia Tuono 660 | Video Review appeared first on Rider Magazine.

For the past several years, the middleweight naked sportbike class has kept its party going at a fever pitch. Street-ready motorcycles with sporting blood in them have helped keep the motorcycle industry’s wheels turning. And ready to shake its moneymaker at this party is the all-new 2021 Aprilia Tuono 660. 

Naked bike enthusiasts have held the Tuono moniker near and dear to their hearts for nearly two decades now. What was originally a stripped-down, sit-up version of the RSV Mille known for effortless wheelies evolved into a stripped-down, sit-up version of the RSV4, also known for effortless wheelies. The Tuono V4 delivers all the thrills and chills of a superbike in a more comfortable package and comfort certainly doesn’t diminish capability — Rennie Scaysbrook set a motorcycle record of 9:44.963 aboard a Tuono V4 1100 Factory during the 2019 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

The Aprilia Tuono 660 follows the same principle by taking the Aprilia RS 660 middleweight sportbike, tossing on a set of handlebars, shaving off some plastic and fiddling with geometry to make the RS 660’s sporting prowess and technological sophistication even more applicable to the street. There’s more to it, of course, but that’s the gist.

If you have even a whiff of sport riding inclinations, a design brief like that has already piqued your interest. Now, let me hold your attention: the 659cc parallel-twin is an absolute gem, raring to go with its 270-degree firing order and a raspy exhaust note that will have Tuono V4 owners doing a double-take at bike night. 

Packing a 100 horsepower punch at 11,500 rpm and 50 lb-ft of torque at 10,500 rpm, the final blow to the Tuono 660’s competition is its stellar 403-pound wet weight, creating an impressive power-to-weight ratio (all figures claimed). Nearly 80% of the Tuono’s torque is available at a low 4,000 rpm, perfect for darting around traffic or lunging out of canyon apexes. It pulls and pulls hard up to around 9,500 rpm, where things level off nicely. 

Crucially, the Tuono’s powerplant doesn’t overwhelm. It excites, inspires and eggs you on as you dive into and out of corners, but it’s one that intermediate riders can handle and advanced riders can fully exploit. Although the 660 twin borrows some design features from Aprilia’s V4s, like the varied length intake funnels, electronically operated 48mm throttle bodies, a 13.5:1 compression ratio, an 81mm bore and basic cylinder head design, it is a unique animal and far more approachable. It feels tame at low rpm but revs up freely and energetically, revealing devilish charm to those who heartily twist the throttle.

There is one caveat — a flat spot between 4,000 and 6,000 rpm, particularly in 2nd gear. Keep the revs up and you’ll be fine, but get lazy with the throttle in slow corners and you’ll notice a bit of hesitation. It is interesting to note that I didn’t experience this on the RS 660, and the two engines are said to be identical, top to bottom. Perhaps it’s due to a change in emissions compliance.

On the other hand, the Tuono’s rubber-mounted footpegs damped the vibration I felt while riding the RS 660, and the optional up/down quickshifter ($200) is excellent — both marked improvements over the RS. Shifting the 6-speed gearbox is a pleasure without the quickshifter, but it’s well worth the two Benjamins.

What sets the Aprilia Tuono 660 apart from the crowd is the superbike-derived APRC (Aprilia Performance Ride Control) electronic suite, which includes five throttle maps, 3-level ABS, 3-level traction control, cruise control and engine braking management. Two more Benjamins gets you the optional Continental IMU that activates cornering ABS, lean-angle-sensitive traction control and cornering headlights.

Our test units weren’t equipped with IMUs, yet the standard electronics worked admirably, stepping in when needed and with predicable levels of intervention. Throttle maps include Commute (mellow), Dynamic (aggressive) and Individual (tailor to your liking). And when you switch from Road to Race on the full-color TFT dash, two more throttle maps appear: Challenge (preset) and Time Attack (customizable), which replace the speedometer with a lap timer. You didn’t think Aprilia would ignore its racetrack pedigree, did you? Of course not. 

Based on the RS 660 chassis, the Tuono 660’s lightweight twin-spar aluminum frame uses the engine as a stressed member, but it uses two mounting points instead of three to reduce rigidity and enhance response at a street pace. Beyond that, the triple clamp offset is updated, resulting in a slightly steeper 23.9-degree rake for more agility, and the wheelbase is marginally shorter at 54.3 inches.

While the specs suggest a more nimble machine than the RS 600, the biggest impact on handling is the upright riding position, wide handlebar and lower footpegs. Once settled into the reasonably comfortable 32.3-inch saddle, the Tuono 660 is a willing partner, ready to be chucked and hustled through every turn with little input. The same can be said at low speeds, thanks to generous lock-to-lock steering — something Tuono V4 owners will envy, for sure.

Another notable change is to the sporty KYB suspension. Still featuring preload and rebound damping adjustment at both ends, the Tuono only allows adjustment in one fork leg, unlike the RS 660. The suspenders are set up for the streets and gobble up rough roads like nobody’s business while keeping the bike in shape during spirited riding. I’d prefer more compression damping because g-outs can unsettle the otherwise rock-steady chassis, but most riders will be in good shape, and I wouldn’t shy away from a rip at the racetrack, either.

Braking hardware is more premium than what you’ll find on most middleweight sportbikes, with a pair of Brembo 4-piston front calipers grabbing onto 320mm floating discs and a 2-piston Brembo rear caliper squeezing a 220mm disc, both offering great feel and stopping power. 

Boiled down to its finer points, the Aprilia Tuono 660 takes up an exciting position within the jam-packed middleweight class. On one side are the more affordable, less powerful and less sophisticated Japanese offerings like the Honda CBR650R, Kawasaki Z650, Suzuki SV650 and Yamaha MT-07. On the other side are other European middleweights that, while more comparable to the Tuono’s price tag and technology, are on the higher end of the middleweight spectrum, such as the Ducati Monster (937cc), KTM 890 Duke R and Triumph Street Triple 765 R, and thus offer more performance. In between sits the Tuono 660. 

The Tuono 660 and RS 660 are essential parts of Aprilia’s strategy. They attract new customers to the brand, and they serve as stepping stones to its higher-displacement models. Now Aprilia has middleweight counterparts to its popular, powerful Tuono V4 and RSV4 lineups.

Tuono, which means “thunder” in Italian, is a name that carries serious weight in the naked segment. The new Tuono 660 lives up to the legend while adding a new dimension to the paradigm. Agile, user-friendly, wickedly fun and properly sporty, the 2021 Aprilia Tuono 660 brings a lot to the party. Luckily, we don’t have to worry about getting home before curfew.

Nic’s Gear:
Helmet: Fly Racing Sentinel
Jacket: Fly Racing Butane
Gloves: Racer Soul
Pants: Fly Racing Resistance
Boots: TCX Rush 2 Waterproof

2021 Aprilia Tuono 660 Specs:

Base Price: $10,499
Price as Tested: $10,699 (quickshifter)
Website: Aprilia
Engine Type: Liquid-cooled, transverse parallel-twin, DOHC w/ 4 valves per cyl.
Displacement: 659cc
Bore x Stroke: 81.0 x 63.9mm
Horsepower: 100 horsepower @ 10,500 rpm (claimed)
Torque: 49.4 lb-ft @ 8,500 rpm (claimed)
Transmission: 6-speed, cable-actuated wet slipper clutch
Final Drive: O-ring chain
Wheelbase: 54.3 in.
Rake/Trail: 23.9 degrees/4.1 in.
Seat Height: 32.3 in.
Wet Weight: 403 lbs. (claimed)
Fuel Capacity: 4.0 gals., last 1.0 gal. warning light on

2021 Aprilia Tuono 660 Photo Gallery:

The post 2021 Aprilia Tuono 660 | First Ride Review appeared first on Rider Magazine.

Everyone has that one friend. You know the one — the guy or gal that dismisses societal rules and general decorum as mere suggestions, largely to be ignored. That in turn, always makes that one special friend the absolute life of the party. 

Now imagine a motorcycling equivalent to that off-the-wall wingman. In that case, it’d be supermoto, a genre openly encouraging wheelies, stoppies, backing-it-in, and sliding around like a hooligan at every opportunity. Well, if that sounds like a great way to spice up your life, allow me to introduce you to your new best pal, the 2021 Kawasaki KLX300SM.

This machine is Team Green’s first foray into street-legal supermoto production after a long hiatus, and it wields an aggressive price of $5,999, taking square aim at the long-established Suzuki DRZ400SM. With an easily accessible level of performance and a relatively low financial hurdle, Kawasaki’s newest addition shines bright as an attractive entry-level machine. Better yet, the KLX300SM offers performance creds to please motorcyclists much higher up the skills spectrum. 

Based on the 2021 Kawasaki KLX300 dual-sport, the KLX300SM shares nearly all componentry with its off-road-capable sibling but has a few street- and racetrack-focused updates. First up, the street-oriented 17-inch wire-spoke wheels and IRC Road Winner RX-01 rubber clearly announce their supermoto intentions, and the suspension is a sight stiffer with slightly abbreviated travel, taller final-drive gearing, plus a larger front rotor set the stage for rowdy road use. Now, let’s get into some supermoto!

Powering the KLX300SM is the same charming 292cc liquid-cooled DOHC single-cylinder mill found in the KLX300 and KLX300R. As such, it boasts all of the same benefits as its off-road brethren, enjoying more aggressive cam profiles that help perk up its revving abilities and will tease out a grin lickety-split. 

User-friendly electric start and crisp, clean throttle response from the fuel-injection system set a welcoming tone. Decent low-end grunt and willing midrange power will see you scurrying about on surface streets with confidence. Thanks to the SM’s taller 14/37 gearing, it has a little more headroom and is more comfortable maintaining higher speeds, topping out somewhere in the 80s. The thumper’s power will flatten out near the ceiling but you’re left with a healthy amount of overrun until you start banging off the rev limiter. 

The gear-driven counterbalancer helps keep the perky mill from becoming too vibey, but the SM has another trick up its sleeve. Beefy rubber-mounted footpegs quell most of the single-cylinder engine’s quakes, meaning that even when wrung out, vibration doesn’t intrude too much on your experience.

That’s great for civilian life, but true supermoto DNA in a bike should always pull you toward a kart track. After exploring the back roads near Folsom, California during our press intro, we headed to the wickedly fun Prairie City Kart Track for further hooliganism … er… testing; yeah, that’s the ticket!

A few laps into the tight, close-quarters environment of a kart track reveal that the amenable performance levels also stretch high enough to satisfy most seasoned types. Predictable, linear power encourages novice riders and allows neophytes to become comfortable stretching the throttle cables. Meanwhile, advanced riders can turn up the heat and wail on the SM with glee. Just like dual-sport riding, supermoto training allows you to practice hard acceleration, hard braking, and flirt with grip on the edge of the tire, all of which will make you a better rider — it’s the main reason all of your favorite World Superbike and MotoGP stars hone their skills on incredibly potent purpose-built supermotos.

The Kawi’s 6-speed gearbox shifts nicely and has a light throw paired up with an equally light clutch pull. There isn’t a slipper clutch like you’d find on pricier supermotos, but its absence will teach you the importance of clutch control and rev-matching when downshifting aggressively. I’d also appreciate a little more positive engagement at the shift lever, although I’m nitpicking. 

Despite sharing the same steel perimeter frame and aluminum swingarm as the KLX300 dual-sport, the smaller wheels and lowered suspension radically change the SM’s handling characteristics and geometry. Its petite 56.5-inch wheelbase, steeper 25-degree rake, and shorter 2.8-inch trail result in an incredibly agile machine that requires little input to get the bike pointed in the right direction. Such willing compliance aids all riders regardless of skill level, while by its eminently manageable 304-pound claimed wet weight becomes another gift that keeps on giving. 

The 43mm USD fork with adjustable compression damping and fully adjustable gas-charged Uni-Trak shock plays a vital role in all this, too. Set up stiffer, suspension at both ends deliver a pinch less travel — not that you’d miss it in this street-focused application — with 9.1 inches up front and 8.1 inches in the rear. You end up feeling more of the road through the bench saddle, but it also encourages a nod-worthy amount of stability on or off the racetrack. Most importantly, the SM fork doesn’t dive when you pile on the binders, and the shock doesn’t protest too much during hard-driving exits. Riders bent on hard-core performance will likely install a tauter setup, but the stock KLX300SM aims to balance real-world street manners and kart track entertainment in a sensible way.

Braking hardware gets kicked up a notch to support the KLX300SM’s higher speeds and more aggressive use. Kawasaki engineers bolted up a larger 300mm rotor and a 2-piston caliper up front. Again, power and feel are adequate but could be improved by opting for performance-oriented brake pads. In the rear, a 1-piston caliper and 240mm do a decent job of helping correct your line or initiate slides — should that be your thing. Also, ABS isn’t offered, driving home the focus on cost savings. 

Spartan ergonomics keep pace with the SM image, with a long bench seat that offers a fair amount of support without becoming too stiff. Thanks to the reworked chassis, the seat height sits more than an inch lower compared to its dual-sport brother, coming in at 33.9 inches. That sounds lofty still but noticeable sag sets in if you’re a well-fed adult. In my case, I was able to flatfoot just fine while astride the bike. Handguards wouldn’t be a bad addition, as it’d make the SM a bit more crash-proof. 

Ah, supermoto. It truly is a gift that delights the soul, and the KLX300SM proves you need not drain your bank account or spoil the fun with debt to join the party. Sure, the SM’s braking power could be improved, and I wish those accessory handguards came standard, but when it comes to dialing up some good-spirited motorcycle debauchery, the 2021 Kawasaki KLX300SM proves a willing and able accomplice.

Nic’s Gear:
Helmet: Arai XD4
Suit: Alpinestars Missile Ignition
Gloves: Racer High Speed
Boots: TCX RT-Race Pro Air

2021 Kawasaki KLX300 Specs:

Website: Kawasaki
Base Price: $5,999
Engine Type: Liquid-cooled single, DOHC w/ 4 valves
Displacement: 292cc
Bore x Stroke: 78.0 x 61.2mm
Transmission: 6-speed, cable-actuated wet clutch
Final Drive: O-ring chain
Wheelbase: 56.5 in.
Rake/Trail: 25 degrees/2.8 in.
Seat Height: 33.9 in.
Wet Weight: 304.3 lbs.
Fuel Capacity: 2.0 gals.

2021 Kawasaki KLX300SM Photo Gallery:

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We review the 2021 KTM 890 Adventure R! KTM’s award-winning middleweight ADV motorcycle has received several refinements this year, starting with its larger 889cc parallel-twin engine.

Following in the footsteps of its street-focused cousins, the 890 Duke and Duke R, the Adventure R boasts all of the same upgrades that the street models received to the engine. Beyond the increase in displacement, KTM engineers also gave the new engine larger intake and exhaust valves, lighter forged pistons, and V-shaped connecting rods to reduce reciprocating mass, while a 20% heavier crankshaft help improve low-rpm manners. Dual balancer shafts ensure that the engine is smooth, even if the terrain isn’t. 

Shifting is improved this year, with a shortened shift lever throw and lighter shift-detent spring. 

There were other changes, too. The chassis now uses an aluminum head tube and a lighter swingarm, accompanied by updated suspension settings. 

Editor–in-Chief Greg Drevenstedt tested the 2021 KTM 890 Adventure R and had a lot to say about it. 

Have any questions? Drop them below!

For more information about this and other KTM motorcycle, visit KTM.

The post 2021 KTM 890 Adventure R | Video Review appeared first on Rider Magazine.

They say that variety is the spice of life and when it comes to riding motorcycles, truer words have never been spoken. We’d all love to see our garages crammed full as a TV chef’s spice racks, but that just isn’t a reality for most riders — outfitting a garage gets a lot more spendy than buying spices. Thankfully, an affordably priced dual-sport like the 2021 Kawasaki KLX300 gets the seasoning right for those who’d like to sample a heaping helping of riding. 

With an MSRP of $5,599 for the quintessential Kawi Lime Green trim and a couple-hundred smackers more for the Fragment Camo livery, the entry-level KLX300 — along with its KLX300SM supermoto (MSRP $5,999) that we also tested — fills a crucial part of Kawasaki’s off-road lineup, providing a financially accessible entry point to the wide world of motorcycles. Street-legal and off-road-ready, dual-sport bikes are perfect for riders that want to get out and taste-test a little bit of everything. Plenty of newly minted motorcyclists have cut their teeth on lower-displacement dual-sport machines like the KLX300, finding the versatility quite appealing. Dart around suburbia, head to the trails and fill in the gaps with some economical local commuting. Not a bad deal, eh? Especially since building dirt-riding skills is the fast-track to improving street-riding expertise.

This year Kawasaki’s KLX300 received a nice boost in power thanks to a larger, 292cc DOHC liquid-cooled four-valve engine. It’s a motor with a happy-go-lucky personality you can’t help but adore. Compared to the KLX250 that the KLX300 replaces, the new steed’s fuel-injected single-cylinder powerplant is punched out 6mm, increasing the bore to 78mm while retaining its 61.2mm stroke. The 34mm throttle body carries over and the compression ratio picks up a skosh to 11.1:1. It also uses more aggressive cam profiles, making it livelier than its predecessor. All of that is paired to a 6-speed gearbox and 14/40 final drive. If all of those engine specs seem similar to the mill found in the green-sticker-legal KLX300R off-road bike, that’s because it is — lock, stock and barrel.

We took to the sweeping streets of Folsom, California aboard the new KLX300 and bounced around plenty of fire roads before adventuring into the off-road wonderland of Prairie City SVRA where we could really check out its off-road chops. Hit the electric start and you’re met with a quiet pitter-patter that will never upset the relationship with your neighbors. Thanks to EFI, you won’t have to deal with the notoriously cold-blooded mannerisms of the pre-2014 carbureted KLX250. 

No matter the setting, the KLX300 produces enough get-up-and-go to satisfy most riders, reaching speeds into the eighties without becoming a rattily mess. It churns out a healthy dose of bottom-end torque and good midrange power that’s just as handy when zipping through city streets, as it is on the trail. If you wring its neck on freeway long hauls, you will feel some vibes come through, but power flattens out up top anyway. Combine all those traits with near-perfect fueling and you net power delivery that’s fun, linear and extremely predicable.

Better yet, we’re talking about accessible, real-world every-rider power here, folks. The KLX300 isn’t a fire-breathing dual-sport from Europe that’s little more than a high-strung MX machine with lights; this bike feels accommodating for new riders and engaging enough for salty veterans alike. As awesome as the Euro dual-sports may be, they’re aimed at a more hardcore clientele and come at a much steeper price. 

The 6-speed gearbox is spaced well for on- and off-road riding and coupled with the 14/40 final drive ratio, Kawasaki hit a sweet-spot for riders rolling on public roads to the trail. Initial gears are lower and great when exploring trails, while the upper range of the gearbox matches well with faster city streets or highway riding. The shift throw feels light, and while I’d like a little more positive engagement, that’s a minor quibble. Add in an extremely light clutch pull and you have a friendly package. 

The sturdy bones of the KLX250 date all the way back to 2006 and the KLX300 utilizes the same basic chassis. Despite their age, the steel perimeter frame and aluminum swingarm perform admirably, pairing well with the level of engine performance on tap.

The short 56.7-inch wheelbase imbues the KLX with a whippy personality, letting riders aim it in any direction without much effort. It’s an uncomplicated affair when peeling into a paved canyon road or while tip-toeing through a rock garden. Give the footpegs some input and the KLX does exactly as it’s told; it’s that simple.

Equipped with off-road ready 21- and 18-inch wheels, as well as Dunlop D605 tires, you will have to respect their lean angle limits on the street (a truism for dual-sports overall), but there’s plenty of grip. KLX tracks true and doesn’t suffer from headshake or front-end nervousness at high speed, reinforcing its accommodating disposition. 

Consider also the 43mm USD fork with adjustable compression damping and the fully adjustable gas-charged Uni-Trak shock — respectable amenities at this price point. With 10 inches of travel in the front and 9.1 inches in the rear, you have a solid package for soaking up bumps and thumps, regardless of the environment. On urban jaunts, the soft suspension setup gobbles up anything mean city streets can muster. Out on the trail, the suspension holds its own and that soft setup won’t hamper your dirt riding ambitions — it’s Cadillac cushy and offers loads of comfort, yet remains remarkably competent. If you get frisky and jump a little too high or rail some rough high-speed sections with too much zest, you may meet the bump-stops, but even in those situations, the KLX doesn’t get out of shape. Plus, the 10.8 inches of ground clearance and an integrated bash guard are on hand, just in case.

The plushy ride pays off in light of the tall 35.2-inch seat height. A rider of my size will create a decent amount of sag, which allows my 32-inch inseam to reach the deck easily. Shorter riders may need to sidesaddle at stops or be on tiptoes, but the 302-pound wet weight makes riding or picking this bike up (hey, trail mishaps happen) unintimidating. The ergonomics work well for standing or sitting and the long bench saddle allows a lot of rider movement. 

In the braking department, a 2-piston caliper and 250mm rotor up front work along with a 1-piston caliper and a 240mm rotor in back. Both deliver adequate stopping power on road and could benefit from more feel, but that’s an expected tradeoff given its multipurpose DNA. Change scenery, and the soft initial bite and progressive brake action work well in low-grip situations often encountered in off-road use and feel at the lever is just right. It’s all a compromise for sure; but it’s a good, well-balanced compromise.

And so it is with this bike on the whole. Arguably, entry-level machines in the market carry the most difficult job. Building products to a price point while also making them accommodating to a wide variety of rider sizes and skill levels is no easy task. But Kawasaki seems to have cleared these hurdles with ease. Given its impressive performance creds, the 2021 Kawasaki KLX300 wears its entry-level title like a badge of honor: This is one affordable all-rounder that’s also an eminently capable ride.

Nic’s Gear:
Helmet: Fly Racing Formula CC
Jacket: Fly Racing Patrol
Jersey: Fly Racing Lite
Gloves: Fly Racing Lite
Pants: Fly Racing Lite
Boots: Fly Racing FR5

2021 Kawasaki KLX300 Specs:

Website: Kawasaki
Base Price: $5,599 ($5,799 for Fragment Camo)
Engine Type: Liquid-cooled single, DOHC w/ 4 valves
Displacement: 292cc
Bore x Stroke: 78.0 x 61.2mm
Transmission: 6-speed, cable-actuated wet clutch
Final Drive: O-ring chain
Wheelbase: 56.7 in.
Rake/Trail: 26.7 degrees/4.2 in.
Seat Height: 35.2 in.
Wet Weight: 302.1 lbs.
Fuel Capacity: 2.0 gals.

2021 Kawasaki KLX300 Photo Gallery:

The post 2021 Kawasaki KLX300 | First Ride Review appeared first on Rider Magazine.

“Twisty roads are life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting.” Steve McQueen mighta said that, so I just went ahead and wrote it down for him. Kidding aside, my personal preferences run heavily toward sport riding, which begs this key question: Why spend thousands on your bike only to hamstring its performance by scrimping pennies on tires? Dumb, no?

Fortunately, dedicated sport-touring tires now abound and manufacturers keep expanding the performance envelope. Witness Dunlop’s all-new Sportmax Roadsmart (RS) IV, a tire it claims delivers best-in-class handling, grip and mileage with its MT Multi-Tread construction. Sounds too good to be true, but a leap forward from the RS III results from a completely new tread pattern, construction, compounds, profile and other improvements. Specifically, Dunlop claims the RS IV achieves 23% more mileage in the front and 26% more in the rear compared to the already-excellent RS III, which remains on sale to offer more choices to riders. That’s a huge jump.

Dunlop used in-house and independent testing on multiple bikes under controlled track conditions plus public road usage, and also charted out resulting improvements in dry pavement performance and wet-weather performance, which it shows in detail at Dunlop Motorcycle Tires. In the Gear section, we published a first-hand account with photos by avid motorcyclist Darrell Penning, who logged more than 10,000 miles on a set of RS IVs on his 2016 BMW R 1200 RS — after he got an average of nearly 7,800 miles out of nine consecutive sets of RS IIIs. (His odometer was up to 107,000 by the time he tried out the IVs.)

A fresh set of RS IVs were mounted on my personal bike/test mule, a Honda 919. I like the sporting bent of this 100-horsepower standard and its tire history has proved quite instructive. Prior to the RS IVs, I ran a set of Dunlop Q3s, dedicated sport rubber suitable for track days. The Q3s helped my 919 really come alive, especially on corner entry. RS IIIs have the same profile as Q3s, so imagine how shocked I was to learn Dunlop claims the RS IVs deliver 15% lighter steering upon turn-in and more linear response. I’m not sure how they came up with that 15% figure, but to my happy surprise RS IVs did indeed bestow even lighter and more nimble turn-in than the Q3s they replaced! That’s a big benefit I’ll enjoy, and certainly over more miles. At $181.08 for a 120-17 front and $240.69 for a 180-17 rear, MSRP for the RS IVs is $124 over the cost for matching RS IIIs. That’s maybe a penny or two per mile for handling enhancements I’ll enjoy every time I fire up my bike. And that’s a screamin’ deal. 

Visit Dunlop Motorcycle Tires for more information.

Dunlop Sportmax Roadsmart IV Tire Review Photo Gallery:

The post Dunlop Sportmax Roadsmart IV Tires | Gear Review appeared first on Rider Magazine.

Though California has been my adopted home going on 15 years now, I’m a Southern boy. Born in Nashville. Lived in Charleston, Tampa, Atlanta and New Orleans. Taught manners and how to cook by three generations of steel magnolias. Learned a firm handshake from my father. And developed an abiding love of sweet tea, skillet cornbread and pulled-pork barbecue that borders on the religious.

Returning to the South often feels like a homecoming. Familiar, safe, humid. A few years ago, I found myself in Asheville, North Carolina, for the launch of BMW’s K 1600 B, a black bagger with the sort of edgy, go-fast profile and 160-horsepower in-line six one doesn’t normally associate with a feet-forward riding position. The folks at BMW planned the event to coincide with the solar eclipse that cut a 70-mile-wide “path of totality” across the United States, from Oregon to South Carolina, on Monday, August 17, 2017.

After the launch, with an electronic key fob in my pocket and a duffel bag Rok-strapped to the pillion seat, I embarked on my first — and so far only — cross-country trip by motorcycle. Riding across our great nation is like a pilgrimage, a journey both outward and inward that makes life richer and more meaningful, especially when done solo. Although I had a schedule to keep, the route, the stops and the tempo were up to me. Along the way I would visit family and pay my respects at important holy sites, such as the Ozarks and the highest paved road in North America.

The day of the eclipse was a strange one. We rode west, up and over the Smoky Mountains in a tight, fast formation on a winding stretch of I-40 that follows the Pigeon River, on our way to Gatlinburg, a popular tourist trap where, as kids, my brother and I spent hours wandering the arcades, tacky gift shops and Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum. We rode through the heart of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and over Newfound Gap on U.S. Route 441, a road built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s that includes an elegant stone arch where the road loops over itself.

The partial eclipse — when the moon starts to take a “bite” out of the sun — began a little after 1:00 pm and lasted until after 4:00pm, but the totality lasted less than three minutes. And when it happened, it was as if someone turned out the lights. Eerie. And then, just as quickly, the lights came back on. Because the eclipse was such a big deal, a lot of people took the day off from work. Traffic on highways was backed up for miles. We did our best to filter through, to the chagrin of hostile and inebriated locals who didn’t like us cutting the line.

My solo journey began the next day. You could spend months exploring the Appalachians and never ride — or find — all of the good roads. There are plenty of famous ones, but many more hidden gems. I rode the 65-mile Copperhead Loop/Forest Heritage National Scenic Byway (NC State Route 215/U.S. Route 276), which slithers its way through thickly forested “hollers” and gaps and crosses over the Blue Ridge Parkway twice. Continuing south, I dropped by to see my cousin Emma at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, and I had dinner at Spiced Right BBQ (R.I.P.) with Emma’s folks and crashed on their couch in Lawrenceville, Georgia. I left at o’dark-thirty to beat rush-hour traffic and cruised west at a brisk pace on a series of interstates until I saw the familiar yellow-and-black sign for Waffle House in Jasper, Alabama. Pecan waffle well-done, hash browns “scattered, smothered and covered,” black coffee — if you know, you know.

Passed during the Eisenhower administration, the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 created an interstate network of highways that connected military bases and facilitated commerce. Some say the “superslab” brought an end to the American frontier, and motorcyclists consider it boring and soulless. If you’ve got the time to travel blue highways, by all means go for it. But if you need to cross vast distances in a hurry, the interstate can’t be beat. I fast-tracked my way across Alabama and Mississippi to get to the good stuff.

Rider has published dozens of features about motorcycling in the Ozark Mountains, and for good reason. Like the Appalachians, the area is a target-rich environment, full of winding roads following the contours of mountains, valleys and rivers, as well as charming small towns full of history and good food. This was my first taste of the Ozarks — roads in and out of Jasper, crossing the Buffalo National River, riding through Boxley Valley and scraping floorboards on the Pig Trail Scenic Byway — and I devoured as much as I could in the limited time I had. 

To continue west, first I had to go north on I-49 to Joplin, Missouri, where a powerful tornado in 2011 claimed 161 lives and caused billions of dollars of damage. As I entered Kansas on U.S. Route 400 and began crossing the Great Plains, the terrain flattened out, the highway followed an arrow-straight course, the fields were filled with dry stalks of corn and weathered gray silos stood like sentries on the landscape. At Wichita I doglegged north on I-135, then continued west on I-70. As I approached Colorado, with cruise control set at 80 in a 75-mph zone and the K 1600 B humming along like the precision-made machine it is, I passed a sign for a border town called Kanorado. Of the 826 miles I rode that day, 500 were in Kansas.

After sleeping like the dead in a dump called 1st Gold Inn in Limon, Colorado, I continued west on I-70 to Idaho Springs, where I gassed up at Kum & Go. After hundreds of miles of interstate, it was a welcome relief to climb and lean my way into the Rockies. Up Route 103 to Echo Lake, then onto the Mount Evans Road and Scenic Byway (Route 5), the highest paved road in North America, topping out at 14,130 feet. Curve after curve, hairpin after hairpin, eventually above the tree line, doing my best not to target fixate on scenic vistas. A bluebird day with little fluffy clouds dotting the sky. Near the top, as if on cue, a group of white furry Rocky Mountain goats trotted out onto the road.

Perhaps the most stunning stretch of interstate in America is I-70 through the Rockies. The scenery is truly staggering, even if the traffic can be heavy. At 11,158 feet, the Eisenhower Tunnel bores a hole through the Continental Divide, and down the western slope signs warn “Truckers: don’t be fooled” and “Truckers, you are not down yet.” Up again to 10,666-foot Vail Pass. And then the dramatic ride through the Glenwood Canyon, with eastbound and westbound lanes at different levels clinging to the northern bank of the Colorado River on a series of viaducts, bridges and tunnels. I-70 through Utah is no slouch either, especially the stretch that passes through the San Rafael Swell, a massive reef of red rock. My 610-mile day ended in Richfield.

After visiting my father and stepmother in St. George, Utah, I rode down through the Virgin River Gorge across the northwest corner of Arizona and into the frying pan of the Mojave Desert. The BMW’s ambient temperature gauge stayed above 100 degrees for the next six hours, topping out at 115, as I rode across Nevada and California. By the time I reached the coast, it was 70 degrees with a blanket of fog just offshore.

Over the course of five days I rode 3,547 solo miles through 14 states. I once did a meditation retreat where I didn’t speak for 10 days. Both experiences were transformative because they were a refuge from day-to-day reality. Hours and hours passed while lost in thought. As riders, we’ve long been in the habit of doing what experts say is good for our health, whether it’s physical distancing to protect ourselves from a virus or putting down our damn smartphones to protect ourselves from insanity. We appreciate the value of solitude. We know the restorative power of a sweeping view, of time slowed down, of focusing on the road ahead. Motorcycling is about the here and now, the perpetual present moment. Namaste, y’all. 

Riding Cross-Country on a BMW K 1600 B Photo Gallery:

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We review the 2021 Yamaha MT-09! Since its launch in 2014, the MT-09 has become a fan favorite, thanks to its rip-roaring CP3 in-line triple-cylinder engine and its attractive value.

For the 2021 model year, Yamaha has redesigned over 90% of the beloved MT-09 naked, starting with an all-new 890cc CP3 in-line triple-cylinder engine. The updated engine grew from 847cc to 890cc, thanks to a revised crankshaft with a 3mm longer stroke (now 62.1mm; bore is still 78mm) and 15% increased inertia. The heavier crank has resulted in a 6% increase in torque and made the MT-09’s engine feel much more smooth, refined, and tractable. New forged pistons, a new cylinder head, intake system, and throttle bodies are also part of the package. 

The gearbox is updated with a new shift fork that has led to more positive feedback at the shift lever. Also, an up/down quickshifter is standard. 

The most significant change to the MT-09 is its chassis. The all-new aluminum twin-spar frame and swingarm are significantly stiffer than before, creating a much more planted and sporty motorcycle. Moreover, the KYB suspension is completely revised and much more controlled than what was present in previous generations. 

A 6-axis IMU informs a state-of-the-art electronics package that includes ride modes, cornering ABS, traction control, wheelie control and slide control. 

Road Test Editor Nic de Sena took the 2021 Yamaha MT-09 out for a first ride and shared his thoughts. 

Check out the full story of the 2021 Yamaha MT-09!

For more information about this and other Yamaha motorcycle, visit Yamaha.

The post 2021 Yamaha MT-09 | Video Review appeared first on Rider Magazine.

There is no place like the paddock. When the lights are about to go green, the tension in the air is palpable, cut only by the stinging scent of spent race fuel. At the center of it all are steely-eyed racers going through their pre-race rituals, diligent crew members swirling around them like electrons orbiting a nucleus. Nothing else compares, but when rolling out of my suburban garage aboard the 2021 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP, I can almost hear the grandstand cheers before gridding up in the canyon.

Since the debut of the CBR900RR — a bike known as the FireBlade in Europe and other markets — in 1992, we’ve come to know Honda’s superbike lineup through its ever-consistent qualities. A CBR is approachable and well-behaved. A CBR flirts with the horsepower chase but doesn’t go for broke. A CBR balances outright racetrack performance with real-world practicality.

This CBR breaks that mold.

Well-mannered motorcycles seldom make racing history, and the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP was developed with one uncompromising goal — win at all costs. It follows in the footsteps of Honda’s other road-legal homologated racebikes like the legendary VFR750R RC30 and RVF750R RC45, machines bred specifically for the World Superbike Championship. And for sportbike enthusiasts, the new triple-R — known as the “pirate” bike in some circles because of all those Rs — is not only supreme wish fulfillment, it represents a fundamental shift in design philosophy, abandoning the longstanding road-bike first, track-bike second approach the CBR is known for.

The new ’Blade is sharper in every conceivable way, a point made crystal clear when you take to its saddle. Compared to the previous-gen CBR1000RR, the seat height has been raised, the rearsets are higher and further back for more ground clearance, and the clip-on handlebars are lower and wider, making it feel like a racebike right off the showroom floor. The reasonable seat-to-peg ratio of the past is, well, a thing of the past. Even the fuel tank is whittled down, allowing riders to tuck in behind the shallow bubble. I get the message: head down, elbows out, go!

Honda hit the reset button in terms of engine design, opting for a high-revving, big-bore, short-stroke architecture inspired by the $184,000 RC213V-S MotoGP replica. If it works for Marc Márquez, it’ll work for you and me. Coupled with a low-inertia finger-follower valvetrain, lightweight titanium connecting rods and forged aluminum pistons, Honda has created its most virile, fast-revving 999cc in-line four yet.

To do so, Honda tapped key members of its HRC MotoGP program to aid development, instilling this machine with the kind of ferocity needed to compete in WSBK. There isn’t much low-end to speak of, and the SP is deceptively tame below 7,000 rpm. Above that, however, when the barn door is thrown open and the Akrapovič exhaust valve yells giddyup!, the Fireblade takes off, galloping at full speed toward its 14,500-rpm redline. And it does so with uncanny smoothness and linear control.

Here in the States, the triple-R’s bottom-end has a few flat spots and its top-end gets strangled above 12,000 rpm in an effort to meet noise and emissions regulations, as you can see in the dyno chart. While the rear-wheel output recorded on Jett Tuning’s dyno — 175.3 horsepower at 11,900 rpm and 78.3 lb-ft of torque at 11,100 rpm — are nothing to sneeze at, especially on public roads, the Fireblade SP is capable of much more. European-market bikes exceed 200 horsepower all day long. Nonetheless, all who pilot the CBR will be helpless to its siren song, its opening notes played by the ram-air induction howl, each gear shift — facilitated by one of the best up/down quickshifters I’ve ever used — speeding up the tune as it reaches a shrieking Akrapovič exhaust apogee. Glory be thy name.

The triple-R’s 5-inch TFT display gives quick access to a bevy of electronic aids, helping you keep all those ponies in check. Led by a 6-axis Bosch IMU, engine power, engine braking, traction control, wheelie control and suspension modes can be altered on the fly. ABS fiddling requires a dive into the menu. While the street is no place to test the limits of traction control or ABS, my first spirited canyon ride was enough for me to judge that Honda has made great strides here. The throttle-by-wire connection is superb, and the rider aids quietly work their magic while exploring cold, unforgiving mountain roads.

Tying the bits together is an all-new twin-spar aluminum frame and swingarm that has been agonized over by Honda engineers. In a hunt for improved rider feedback, the frame has more vertical and torsional rigidity but less horizontal rigidity than the previous CBR1000RR. The swingarm is over an inch longer and uses 18 different wall thicknesses to tune flex just so. That’s only the tip of the geometry iceberg. With a 2-inch longer wheelbase, increased rake and lengthened trail figures, it is stunning how Honda maintained most of the CBR’s quintessential agility while adding a heaping dose of horsepower-taming stability, achieved in part by raising the bike’s center of gravity. The crankshaft now resides higher and further away from the front axle, evening out weight distribution and giving the rider more leverage for quick transitions. Taken together, the whole chassis translates feedback to the rider telepathically. Whipping the Fireblade through corners is intuitive, requiring just a hint of extra effort than on previous iterations to achieve handling precision.

Öhlins semi-active suspension has become the gold standard on top-tier sportbikes, and it is a huge asset on the Fireblade SP. A 43mm NPX Smart EC 2.0 gas-charged fork and TTX 36 Smart EC shock offer three automatic damping settings (Track, Sport and Rain) and three manual damping settings. With each passing year electronic suspension gets better and better, and it shines on the inconsistent tarmac common on the street, keeping the contact patches in contact while keeping the chassis dead-nuts stable. The Track setting will rattle your fillings loose on anything but the smoothest roadways, but Sport is Goldilocks perfect, gobbling up irregularities and giving you confidence to pitch the CBR deep into corners before twisting the throttle and letting the grippy Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP tires do their work.

Tweaking the suspension settings is done via the Objective Based Tuning Interface (OBTi), which breaks the terminology down to what you need your bike to do instead of technical jargon. Fork feels squishy? Dial-in Front Stiffness. Squatting too much on exit? Crank up Rear Stiffness. And the list goes on. Those who prefer old-school analog suspension can use the fixed-damping manual modes, adjusting compression and rebound from the dash.

What all of this means is that the CBR can accelerate harder off the apex and blitz down straightaways faster than ever before, necessitating Zeusian-levels of braking performance, brought to you by topflight Brembo Stylema calipers and massive 330mm rotors.

At $28,500, the triple-R’s price tag seems more fitting of moto-exotica hailing from Europe, but then again it’s a bargain compared to the six-figure RC213V-S. What you get is a remarkably well-sorted, top-of-the-food-chain sportbike that was designed to do one thing in particular: go to WSBK and bring home the bacon for Honda. From the integrated aerodynamics to the raging engine and new chassis design, everything here exists because racing demands it. It is highly specialized and very special, and that comes at a price. But this is still a Honda, and the Fireblade SP is a street-legal motorcycle that is available at your local dealer.

After lapping the canyons until the sun dropped behind the mountains and the fuel light called me home, I could only admire the progress that Honda has made since the first CBR900RR/FireBlade revolutionized the liter-class sportbike segment nearly 30 years ago. The triple-R is undoubtedly the most aggressive Fireblade yet, and what many have begged for over the years. Importantly, it retains the rideability that we’ve come to expect from Honda, albeit with extra edge to cut into the success of its competitors on the world stage. The roar of a cheering crowd might be in my head, but that’s all I hear when hitting the starter. 

Gear:
Helmet: Arai Corsair-X
Gloves: Alpinestars GP Pro R3
Suit: Mithos RCP-18
Boots: Alpinestars Super Tech R

2021 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP Specs:

Price: $28,500
Warranty: 1 yr., unltd. miles
Website: powersports.honda.com

Engine
Type: Liquid-cooled, transverse in-line four
Displacement: 999cc
Bore x Stroke: 81.0 x 48.5mm
Compression Ratio: 13.0:1
Valve Train: DOHC, 4 valves per cyl.
Valve Insp. Interval: 16,000 miles
Fuel Delivery: PGM-FI w/ 52mm throttle bodies x 4 & throttle-by-wire
Lubrication System: Wet sump, 3.2 qt. cap.
Transmission: 6-speed, cable-actuated assist-and-slipper wet clutch
Final Drive: O-ring chain

Chassis
Frame: Twin-spar aluminum frame w/ aluminum subframe & swingarm
Wheelbase: 57.3 in.
Rake/Trail: 24 degrees/4.0 in.
Seat Height: 32.6 in.
Suspension, Front: 45mm USD fork w/ electronic control, 4.9 in. travel
Rear: Pro-Link shock w/ electronic control, 5.6 in. travel
Brakes, Front: Dual 330mm discs w/ opposed 4-piston radial calipers & ABS
Rear: Single 220mm disc w/ 2-piston floating caliper & ABS 
Wheels, Front: Cast aluminum, 3.5 x 17 in.
Rear: Cast aluminum, 6.0 x 17 in.
Tires, Front: 120/70-ZR17
Rear: 200/55-ZR17
Wet Weight: 444 lbs.
Load Capacity: 365 lbs.
GVWR: 809 lbs.

Performance
Fuel Capacity: 4.3 gals.
Fuel Consumption: 29.7 mpg
Estimated Range: 128 miles
Indicated RPM at 60 MPH: 4,250 

2021 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP Photo Gallery:

The post 2021 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP | Road Test Review appeared first on Rider Magazine.

Precious few periods in motorcycling’s 120-some-year history have offered more radical change than the early 1980s.

You could call the period transformative. Or radical. Or revolutionary. But whatever you call it, it was freakingly, eye-poppingly, mind-blowingly exciting.

Up to that point you pretty much had basic big-bore motorcycles. UJMs, they were called, Universal Japanese Motorcycles. And some good ones, too. Honda 750s. Kawasaki Z1s. Suzuki’s GS750 came along in ’76 and upped the ante (along with the GS1000 in ’78), as did Honda’s twin-cam CB750F and CB900F. But for the most part it was still a tube-framed, air-cooled UJM world.

But as the decade ended, you had hints of what was to come. Liquid cooling. Four-valve heads. Sixteen-inch front wheels. New-think frame designs. And a lot more. New technology was coming, and everyone knew it. 

Sure enough, Honda’s liquid-cooled, single-shock Sabre debuted in ’82, and a year later came the perimeter-framed 1983 VF750F Interceptor. A year after that it was the sublimely competent Kawasaki 900 Ninja, and then, in ’85, Suzuki’s axis-altering GSX-R750. And on it went.

But let’s back up a bit. Kawasaki had improved its stalwart KZ1000 in 1981 with the J-model, which offered a thoroughly improved engine and chassis. But despite more performance, refinement and power, it remained an air-cooled, tube-framed UJM — and frankly didn’t set the world on fire sales-wise.

“We had a lot of KZ1000Js sitting around that year,” remembers longtime Kawasaki associate Mike Vaughan. “Dealers weren’t ordering many. The J-model was a good motorcycle, but really just a beefed-up, more modern Z1, and things were moving on technologically.”

To help deal with all this, Vaughan attended a sales meeting where he posed a question to the group. “Eddie had just won the ’81 Superbike championship,” Vaughan told us, “so I asked, sorta off the cuff, ‘why not build an Eddie Lawson replica to generate excitement for the KZ line?’ This sort of thing had been done successfully in the snowmobile industry and with Chevy’s IROC Camaros. We’d paint the new bike green, give it some special parts, and see how it did.” 

Japan liked Vaughan’s idea and things moved quickly from there. An R&D team was quickly tasked with fast-track development of this Lawson replica, and it borrowed liberally from both the J-model and the then-in-development 1982 GPz1100 to actually build it.

The team also had Eddie’s championship-winning race machine for inspiration, which had been crated and shipped to Kawasaki’s Akashi R&D center for evaluation. From it they’d build the limited-edition KZ1000R-S1 production racer (just 30 were built), and while little of Lawson’s racer would make it onto the Lawson replica, it was a hell of an aesthetic template to use for production.

From the J-model came the 998cc, DOHC, two-valve, air-cooled four, with electronic ignition and a strong roller-bearing crank assembly — a hammer of an engine, and one loved by hot rodders. The J’s steel-tube frame was retained, too, with slightly lazier front-end geometry for the higher-speed work the bike would presumably see.

The replica’s most memorable bits — the coffin tank, swoopy tail and sporty quarter fairing — came from the GPz1100, as did instrumentation, brakes and wheels. Added to all this was a deep-dish seat, rearset pegs and controls, an oil cooler and a Kerker 4-into-1 exhaust, which, by law, had to be installed by a dealer.

The end result was the 1982 KZ1000R Eddie Lawson Replica. It was a thoroughly impressive assemblage, both aesthetically and technically, with every ounce of the performance and visceral chutzpah one associated with Kawasaki’s logo and legendary hot-rod history. But would it inspire buyers, and would the rub-off effect help sell J-model KZs?

“It looked great and sparked interest among the media, dealers and enthusiasts,” Vaughan told us, “but it didn’t sell very well. We only built about 750 that first year, and left pricing up to the dealer. Many priced it too high, and by the time prices were lowered, the market had changed.”

The market had changed. An understatement, for sure. 

By that time, Honda’s new-think Sabre had arrived and the Interceptor had been announced. Suddenly, liquid cooling, perimeter frames, 16-inch front wheels and single-shock suspension were the talk of the town. And just as suddenly, there was no going back to air-cooled engines, twin shocks and tube frames, at least in terms of full-sized sporting street bikes.

And so the ELR, for all its lime-green, testosterone-fueled, Superbike-winning cachet, was an old dog in a new fight. And so they sat, some still in crates.

“Honestly,” one dealer told me, “I couldn’t sell it. It just sat there. Folks looked at it, but they all wanted the latest, greatest thing. It’s funny to look back on it now.” 

From the benefit of nearly four decades hindsight, and knowing how collectible and revered the Lawson Replica has become (and how much the things sell for), it’s inconceivable to think these bikes sat in showrooms unsold for — in some cases — years, and for giveaway prices.

The ELR didn’t do much to help plain-Jane J-model sales, either. And when you combined that with the ELR’s lackluster sales, all the excitement and buzz surrounding the entire affair became mostly irrelevant, even after Lawson repeated as AMA Superbike champion in late ’82. 

For 1983, Kawasaki renamed the bike the Superbike Replica in light of Lawson’s departure to Yamaha and its Grand Prix team, though with several changes: GPz-spec cams, valves and cylinder head; adjustable shock damping; new instruments; a slightly longer swingarm; and revised graphics. Despite making more horsepower, the ’83 seemed even more lost than the ’82, especially as Superbike racing had moved to 750s and newer technology.

It was the end of an era and the beginning of a new one, and it would be years before the ELR’s semi-buried mystique began to see the light of day. But not that long, especially as Lawson began racking up 500cc world championships during the 1980s.

According to collector Brian O’Shea, who owns a handful of pedigreed and championship-winning superbikes — including a 1980 Superbike title-winning Wes Cooley/Yoshimura GS1000, Freddie Spencer’s Daytona winning ’85 VF750F and others — interest in ELRs began to really percolate in the late 1980s. “It got crazy real quick,” O’Shea told us, “especially with the S1 [one of the 30 Kawasaki built], as it was a competitive Superbike race machine you could actually buy. The craze hit in about ’89, with Japanese exporters running ads looking for ’82-’83 ELRs for top dollar. I paid $1,500 for my first two and sold ’em to exporters for $6,000 each a short while later. Eddie and Freddie were like gods in Japan, so ELRs got way desirable.”

That certainly hasn’t changed, with pristine, production-spec ELRs going for upwards of $30,000, and ultra-rare S1s going for four times that. Yes, six figures.

Way back in 1982, Kawasaki brass gave Lawson a factory-fresh KZ1000R with a 001 VIN — the very first ELR to roll off the production line. That bike would become hugely collectible and be the subject of some heavy controversy and intrigue, but Lawson asked instead for VIN 021 to highlight his legendary racing number. He owns it to this day. 

We asked Lawson if he had any input on the street bike with his name on it. “Nope,” he said with a laugh. “They showed me a couple of pre-production bikes early on, and then asked which paint and stripe scheme I liked. They ended up picking the one I didn’t like!”

Several years ago, Lawson was offered Big Cash for his #021 ELR by a Japanese investor, but declined. “I can’t believe I said no,” he told us with a grin. “The guy literally offered me a million bucks. What I wish I had was one of the S1s … they were pretty much like my racers, but better finished. All my racebikes were crushed,” a fact Rob Muzzy confirmed to us, which he did per Kawasaki’s request. 

Like Lawson, Muzzy owns an ’82 ELR, VIN 300-something. “I ride it once in a while,” he says, “and it’s fun — a great, old-fashioned superbike. Can you imagine building a production street bike like this today, with trick parts and an aftermarket exhaust? Not even close to being possible. The lawyers would flip out!”

Terms like classic, collectible, legendary and desirable get tossed around a lot these days when it comes to certain older motorcycles, and I haven’t been shy about using some of them here. But when it comes to Kawasaki’s 1982 ELR, they’re totally deserving.

“The things are just so cool looking,” says O’Shea, “and they transport you back to the early 1980s immediately. It’s the bike and its design and pedigree, for sure, and the impact it had on riders and the industry. But it’s also the time machine aspect of it.”

Time machine. 

O’Shea is spot-on there, for the words capture many of the reasons certain motorcycles transport us back to an earlier time — a time of head-shaking, fire-breathing AMA Superbikes with guys named Lawson, Spencer, Cooley and Baldwin fighting it out on the racetracks of legend …  Pocono, Laguna Seca, Daytona and Loudon.

Thank the heavens, then, for all those unwanted KZ1000Js. 

The post Eddie’s Mean Green Machine: 1982 Kawasaki KZ1000R Eddie Lawson Replica appeared first on Rider Magazine.