The 2020 Ducati Hypermotard 950 RVE is nestled neatly between the standard Hyper 950 and the top-tier Hyper 950 SP models. Powered by the lively twin-cylinder 937cc Testastretta engine, the Hypermotard 950 RVE produces a claimed 114 horsepower at 9,000 rpm and 71 lb-ft of torque at 7,250 rpm. With tractable, controllable power delivery being a standout characteristic, the Hypermotard 950 is more than at home on the street or running wide-open on the track. 

Beyond the up/down quickshifter, the Hyper 950 RVE also comes standard with a commendable electronics package including Bosch Cornering ABS with Slide by Brake function (in setting 1), Ducati Traction Control (DTC) EVO and Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) EVO.

In 2019, the Borgo Panigale-based brand redesigned the Hypermotard lineup, retaining its intense spirit, while softening hard-edges through engine, ergonomic, chassis and electronic improvements. Together, those changes have proven to make these Supermoto-inspired motorcycles more approachable for the common rider. Yet the Hypermotard line is still on the short list of any rider who has a penchant for hooligan behavior and a steady diet of wheelies, backing-it-in or, in other words, many of the fun things about motorcycling. 

Ducati will offer the Hypermotard 950 RVE as a limited edition, with only 100 units allocated for the North American market. A numbered badge will be included on each machine. Deliveries are expected to arrive in the United States beginning in July, with a starting MSRP of $14,195 ($16,195 CAD).

For more information about the 2020 Ducati Hypermotard 950 RVE, visit Ducati.

2020 Ducati Hypermotard 950 RVE Gallery:

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As the ADV market has been trending toward middleweight machines, perhaps the most anticipated new bike after KTM’s 790 Adventure is Yamaha’s 2021 Ténéré 700, based on the compact and torque-rich Crossplane parallel twin from the MT-07. After being teased since late 2016 with action-packed videos featuring aggressive Dakar-style riding sequences, the Ténéré 700, or T7, is finally here and it’s not nearly as hardcore as the prototype. But that’s OK, because most of us can’t ride like 6-time Yamaha Dakar Champion Stephane Peterhansel through the dunes of Africa.

A quick glance at Yamaha’s lineup reveals a gap in its street-legal but dirt-worthy lineup between the WR250R and the Super Ténéré T12, and there is plenty of room for another player in the middleweight ADV segment currently occupied by BMW, KTM and Triumph. Most manufacturers have fully embraced the electronic aids arms race, with riding modes, IMU’s, ride-by-wire throttle, traction control, wheelie control, lean angle specific ABS, electronic suspension, color TFT dashes and more, which begs the question: how many rider aids do you need or are you willing to pay for? The T7 is a dramatic departure — its sole rider aid is ABS that is switchable when stopped, which works well. As someone who spends most of his time on lightweight dirt bikes without any electronic interventions, I felt immediately comfortable on the Ténéré 700 with its light clutch, smooth shifting and excellent fueling.

Swinging my MX boot over the 34.6-inch-high narrow YZ-style seat (there is also a lower seat, and rear linkage available that lowers the seat by 1.5 inches) reveals a relatively narrow tank and comfortably wide tapered handlebar with half waffle grips protected with plastic hand guards. The foldable serrated footpegs have removable rubber inserts for road riding, and both brake and shift lever have foldable tips like a dirt bike. An aluminum skid plate protects from rock hits (and doubles as a gong at times) and the front fender adjusts 8mm to allow for taller full knobby tires and room for mudpack.

Read our 2021 Yamaha Tenere 700 Tour Test Review

The high vertically shaped LCD display is easy to read with tach, gear display, speed and clock. Using the right grip switchgear, you can toggle through other modes including air temp, two tripmeters, current and average fuel consumption, and disengage the ABS directly on the display. Unfortunately, bombing down a dusty road in a group renders the display almost useless. Bring a soft cloth. And rough roads vibrated the display fairly hard, making us wonder about its longevity. The sturdy crossbar above the LCD should be great for mounting a GPS, GoPro, phone, etc. One 12V outlet is standard and there’s room for another.

The T7 shares Yamaha’s CP2 689cc parallel-twin with its naked sport-standard street bike, the MT-07, which made 68.6 horsepower at 8,800 rpm and 47.6 lb-ft of torque at 6,400 rpm at the rear wheel on the Jett Tuning dyno the last time we tested a 2016 model. This overachieving motor is impressive and has a wide sweet spot throughout the well-spaced gearing. In addition to updates to the ECU, the T7 twin gets a new airbox with a higher snorkel, revised cooling system and upswept exhaust and a final gear ratio of 46/15 vs. 43/16. The rest of bike is all-new, including the narrow double-cradle tubular-steel frame, triangulated (welded-on) subframe, double braced steering head and aluminum swingarm. 

I’m a big fan of the T7’s narrow and tall Dakar styling that begs you to go stand-up dirt riding. Its flat YZ-style seat and upswept muffler, slim tail section with side panels that look like number plates complete the look and complement the riding experience. Sitting down at higher speeds the tall windscreen produced more coverage than expected and kept the majority of the wind blast off my chest at highway speeds. I experienced no buffeting wearing an MX helmet and there weren’t any noticeable engine vibes to complain about.

Kevin’s Gear
Helmet: Fly Racing Formula Vector
Goggles: Fly Racing Zone
Jersey and Pants: Fly Racing Kinetic Mesh
Boots: Fly Racing FR5
Gloves: Fly Racing Pro Lite

The T7’s sturdy 36-spoke 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels shod with Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tube-type tires that worked reasonably well in the dirt didn’t turn out to be a major compromise on the street. The bike steers quickly and accurately, without the usual vagueness from a 21-inch front, perhaps due to the 48% front and 52% rear weight bias, and felt like a supermoto bike on the twisty paved back roads. In the dirt the lighter front bias helps unweight the front under power.

Our dirt-heavy 140-mile loop at the T7’s introduction in Tennessee was a dirt tracker’s dream, winding through gorgeous sun-filtered forest canopies on forest roads with varying amounts of gravel on top to keep you on your toes. The Crossplane 270-degree crankshaft motor is super torquey and won me over in no time. It’s the hands-down star of the show and provided heaps of confidence in hard pack conditions with a loose top layer whether seated or comfortably standing. Keep the Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires in line or let the rear slide, the choice is yours.

The best dirt section was a Jeep trail that was embedded with rocks and other obstacles like ruts, numerous water bars, sand, broken tree branches, loose rocks and even a rogue black bear. Knowing what we were about to encounter, the sneaky Yamaha staff changed the bikes’ suspension settings before you could say, “Where’s the mosquito repellent?”

The stiffer setup showcased the available adjustment within the stock KYB suspension. The 43mm fork has 8.3 inches of travel and is adjustable for compression and rebound damping, while the rear piggyback shock with progressive linkage has 7.9 inches of travel with adjustable compression and rebound damping and a remote knob for adjusting the spring preload.

Although there’s a decent 9.4 inches of ground clearance to work with and the T7 is lighter than most of the competition at a claimed 452 pounds wet, add another 200 pounds of fully geared rider and you’ll want to reserve the biggest launches for your dirt bike. Even when bottoming out, however, there wasn’t any nervous feedback. We even limboed under a downed tree only to find a larger tree around the corner forcing us to turn around.

No doubt the T7 is a solid package off road at spirited speeds. If I had a complaint riding in the dirt, it would be with the brakes. I found both the front and rear stoppers required higher effort than expected, had vague feedback and required too much attention, particularly in loose dirt combined with the 60/40 tires versus full knobs, and I began using the transmission for help slowing down. The softness might be built-in by design for entry-level dirt riders, and I didn’t have any issue with the brakes on the street. Brembo brakes have front twin-piston 28mm floating calipers with 282mm dual discs and the rear relies on a single-piston 34mm floating caliper with a 245mm disc.

Fuel capacity is 4.2 gallons, and at the end of our aggressive ride the last bar on the fuel gauge was blinking after just 130 miles. Past experience with this engine has shown that you can expect more than 200 miles from a tankful with a tamer right wrist. While dual sports connect trails, the T7 will allow you to connect states.

At just $9,999 for the Ténéré 700, the Yamaha is now the low-cost, low-weight leader of the middleweight ADV class if its claimed wet weight holds true on the Rider scale in a week or two. Yamaha also offers a lot of accessories for the T7, including two bundle packs that are a good value. The $1,549.43 Rally Pack includes an engine guard, radiator protector, oversize aluminum skid plate, tank pad, mono-seat rack, chain guide and centerstand, and the $2,264.94 Tour Pack includes an engine guard, centerstand, aluminum side cases and side case mounts and lock set.

After a day on the T7 I was still eager to keep riding. It’s not a hair-on-fire ADV race bike, purpose-built to explode sand dunes. It’s simply a fun on- and off-road motorcycle that also happens to be affordable and could pull light commuter duty as well. With all the craziness in the world today, disappearing into the woods or any other isolated location sounds like a good plan, and that’s not the moonshine talking.

2021 Yamaha Ténéré 700
Website: yamahamotorsports.com
Base Price: $9,999
Engine Type: Liguid-cooled, transverse parallel twin, DOHC w/ 4 valves per cyl.
Bore x Stroke: 80.0mm x 68.6mm
Displacement: 689cc
Transmission: 6-speed, cable-actuated wet clutch
Final Drive: O-ring chain
Wheelbase: 62.8 in.
Rake/Trail: 27.0 degrees/4.1 in.
Seat Height: 34.6 in.
Claimed Wet Weight: 452 lbs.
Fuel Capacity: 4.2 gals., last 1.1 gal. warning light on

Keep scrolling for more photos…

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Some bikes prize form over function, and that’s OK. I mean, come on, the star-spangled chopper ridden by Peter Fonda in “Easy Rider” was pretty far from perfectly functional — it looked cool and that was that. It’s no chopper, but Husqvarna’s Vitpilen 701 lies at a similar place on the form/function spectrum, and if you’re a fan of Scandinavian style it’s quite appealing to the eye.

Not to say it isn’t fun to ride, as long as those rides are primarily on tight, technical, twisty roads, where the Vitpilen’s taut chassis and suspension and feisty, liquid-cooled 693cc single are allowed to shine. With 73 peak horsepower and almost 51 lb-ft of torque per the Jett Tuning dyno, the 365-pound Vitpilen 701 is highly entertaining and an ideal mount for a weekend warrior looking to own his or her local run of twisties, unencumbered by a passenger (there are no rear footpegs) and without straying too far from a gas station (though if you can tame your throttle hand the 3.2-gallon tank is good for about 160 miles).

Jenny’s Gear
Helmet: Vemar Zephir
Jacket: Fly Racing Butane
Pants: MotoGirl
Boots: Sidi Performer Lei

My main beef with the bike is its seat, which is tall, hard and angular. With toes on the ground, the edges cut painfully into my thighs and once underway its sticky material locked me into place, making it hard to shift around when doing my best Valentino Rossi impression in the canyons. Coupled with the reach to the wide clip-ons, the Vitpilen is decidedly sporty — which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It was made, after all, to “rip it,” as they say here in SoCal. And when ripping it, you’ll forget about how hard the seat is.

Rolling on tubeless spoked 17-inch wheels for a supermoto look, shod with sticky Bridgestone Battlax Hypersport S21 tires, and with adjustable WP Apex suspension with 5.3 inches of travel front and rear, the Vitpilen feels stable and planted despite its extremely light weight. Its engine is tuned for ripping as well, rewarding a heavy hand (there goes the 160-mile range…) and protesting with fits and jerks if you’re too lenient. Don’t worry about diving in too hot, the 4-piston front and single-piston rear brakes, both Brembo and fitted with switchable Bosch 9M+ ABS, are strong and offer good feedback.

Arrive at the top, drop the kickstand and admire the way the light plays off the gorgeous blue paint; bask in your status as King (or Queen) of the Mountain. Are there better all-around bikes? Sure, but the Vitpilen 701 knows what it is and makes no apologies for it. 

Keep scrolling for more photos.

The post 2020 Husqvarna Vitpilen 701 | Road Test Review appeared first on Rider Magazine.

Here is an attractive little trail bike, built by Harley’s former Italian subsidiary, Aermacchi. Oddly, virtually nothing has been written about this model in the American moto-press. Your scribe has looked many places, and could not find a single road test. More than a dozen Harley histories are on my shelves, some of which never even mention the Italian connection, which went from 1960 to 1978. There is reasonable reportage on the four-stroke Sprint models, less on the two-stroke Rapido 125 and Baja 100, so I am making do with what we have.

Harley should be proud of the Italian connection, because it provided the company with four international GP racing victories when Italian road-racer Walter Villa won the 250 class in 1974, ’75 and ’76, doubling up in 1976 by winning the 350 class as well — riding a parallel-twin two-stroke built by Aermacchi with Harley-Davidson writ large on the fairing.

The name Aermacchi comes from combining the two words from the previous company, Aeronautica Macchi, with which Giulio Macchi began producing airplanes in 1912. However, being on the losing side in World War II, the company had to stop making airplanes and instead moved into basic transportation — the motorcycle. Early models used a four-stroke single from 175cc to 350cc with the cylinder lying forward, almost flat.

In 1960 Harley, aware of the popularity of bikes like Honda’s small OHC twins, looked at its own small bikes, a couple of rather antiquated 165cc two-strokes that had begun with the 125 Model S in 1948. Which was based on a German DKW bike, the designs for which had been given to the U.S. as part of war reparations. Now the Milwaukee suits tapped on the door of another WWII foe and cut a deal for half the company. In 1961 the first 250 models, called Wisconsins, arrived at dealers — shortly after which it was noted that this bike had nothing whatsoever to do with Wisconsin, and the name was quickly changed to Sprint.

In 1965 the first Italian-built two-stroke came into the country, a little 50cc model that the Harley dealers really objected to. Two years later that grew to 65cc, which did not help much, while the last of the DKW-based two-strokes vanished. Then the 125cc Rapido two-stroke came along in 1968, which was anything but rapid.

1969 was an interesting year for Harley, as an outfit called American Machine Foundry bought the motorcycle company. AMF was best known for selling golf carts and bowling equipment, and thought its sporting knowledge would work well with a motorcycle company. It did not. We won’t get into the Harley-Davidson snowmobile.

For 1970 the little Baja 100 two-stroke appeared, an off-road bike that appealed to quite a few riders. And it won its class in the 1971 Baja 1000 race. This was a serious effort by Harley to build a great desert racer and enduro machine, and they got a lot of help from the racers themselves. The engine was a Rapido cylinder sleeved down to 98cc. An automatic gas-oil mix was developed to simplify fueling.

Obviously AMF thought that this two-stroke connection was good, and bought the entire Aermacchi Company in 1974. Aermacchi could still pursue its European market, with Walter Villa’s racing, while the profits would go to Milwaukee. The following year was the last for the lone remaining four-stroke, a 250 Sprint.

And it was the first for the SXT-125, a well-designed trail bike that was meant to appeal to the rough-and-ready folk who had liked the Baja 100. The engineers at the Aermacchi plant in Varese built a slightly oversquare engine, with a 56mm bore, 50mm stroke, using piston-port induction. The cast aluminum cylinder liner had a chrome-plated bore, which was quite useful considering the rather serious 10.8:1 compression ratio, providing some 13 rear-wheel horsepower at a little over 7,000 rpm. Kickstart only.

An oil container under the gas tank held a little more than three pints; this had no sight window and the rider had to look carefully into the opening up by the steering head to see if more needed to be added. A Mikuni pump pushed the oil into the intake to mix it with the gas flowing through a 27mm Dell’Orto carburetor. Oil metering was controlled by the throttle, with one cable running to the pump, another to the carburetor.

Electrics were simple enough, with a flywheel-alternator charging a 12-volt battery, and easily adjusted points. Turn signals were mandatory. Up on the dash were two round instrument cases, one being the speedometer. The other, which did not hold a tachometer, served to house the ignition key and lights for high beam and ignition.

Gears took the power from the crankshaft to the wet clutch, then through a five-speed transmission with its own oil supply. The transmission sprocket had 14 teeth, the rear sprocket, 61. A useful primary starter allowed the bike to be kickstarted in gear after pulling in the clutch.

The frame used double downtubes, with a cradle running beneath the engine and serving as a sort of skid plate. A Ceriani fork did a good job up front, with Betor shocks at the back, adjustable for spring preload. Wheels were a 3.00 x 19 at the front, 3.50 x 18 at the back, both with five-inch, full-hub drum brakes. Wet weight was a respectable 240 pounds.

Seat height was almost 30 inches, with a saddle long enough to move about comfortably. No passenger footpegs. Good-looking machine, with an upswept muffler and 2.7-gallon gas tank. But dealers were not pushing them, and sales did not meet expectations. So what did AMF do? Sell the whole shebang in 1978 to an Italian company called Cagiva. And the “Cagiva HD SXT 125” became a bestseller in Europe.

P.S. Should any readers have information about this bike, please contact us at rider@ridermagazine.com. 

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Summer is coming. In our little corner of the world, sticking to the coast is the best way to avoid the heat, but sometimes (like if you want to ride anywhere else) it’s unavoidable. When it’s 3:00 pm and you feel like a Boston Market rotisserie chicken, slowly roasting in your own juices with heat from all directions — sun, pavement, engine, exhaust — it’s easy to daydream about how much cooler you’d be in a T-shirt. But we all know that’s a bad idea, and the next best thing is a lightweight mesh jacket like the Cleo Elite from Joe Rocket (there’s a men’s version as well called the Phoenix Ion).

The Cleo Elite flows massive amounts of air thanks to its mostly mesh construction, with Dynax nylon fabric reinforcements at the elbows, shoulders, sides and upper back. Uniquely, the CE level 1 elbow and shoulder armor is accessed externally via zippers; the foam back pad can be swapped out more conventionally from its inner pocket. Fit is sporty — what Joe Rocket calls “attack stance” — with a low, neoprene-lined mandarin collar and adjustment straps at the waist/hips and forearms. A removable two-stage liner includes a waterproof full-sleeve layer and an insulated vest, and there are a few pockets: external handwarmers plus one hook-and-loop internal pocket intended for sunglasses or a phone.

I’m tall and slender and find Joe Rocket apparel, including the Cleo Elite, fits me well; the torso and sleeves are actually long enough, unlike some other brands I’ve tried. Airflow is outstanding and, especially in the Silver or Mint/Silver colors, actually feels better than wearing a T-shirt, because not only is nearly your entire torso ventilated, your skin is not getting baked directly by the sun. Despite the waterproof liner, it wouldn’t be my first choice for touring, but for lower-speed rides around town in the heat of summer, the Cleo Elite is a nice option. It is available in Black, Silver (shown) and Pink in women’s sizes Small to 2 Diva, and in Mint/Silver in Small to 1 Diva, starting at $199.99.

For more information, see your dealer or visit joerocket.com.

The post Joe Rocket Cleo Elite Mesh Jacket | Gear Review appeared first on Rider Magazine.

In December 2019, Triumph announced a partnership with EON Productions, the company behind the forthcoming 25th James Bond Film, “No Time To Die.” To celebrate this iconic collaboration, Triumph is proud to introduce the first ever official motorcycle directly linked to the Bond franchise.

The 2020 Scrambler 1200 Bond Edition is a limited-edition Scrambler 1200 XE motorcycle featuring a unique 007 design scheme and limited to a production of just 250 models worldwide, with only 30 marked for the United States and a mere five for Canada.

Read more about what it’s like to ride the Scrambler 1200 XE here.

The Scrambler Bond Edition features distinctive 007-themed paint and bodywork, including a real leather seat with embossed logo, a unique TFT instrument startup screen, blacked-out finishes with special accents and an Arrow silencer with carbon fiber end caps. As a limited-edition model, it also has a numbered plaque and comes with a special Bond handover pack.

Otherwise, this is a top-spec Scrambler XE model, with six ride modes including Off-Road Pro, IMU-based cornering ABS and traction control, an assist clutch, keyless ignition, heated grips, cruise control and Öhlins suspension with 9.8 inches of travel are all standard.

The 2020 Scrambler 1200 Bond Edition is available at Triumph dealers now at a U.S. retail price of $18,500.

The post 2020 Triumph Scrambler 1200 Bond Edition | First Look Review appeared first on Rider Magazine.

When it comes to motorcycle boots, we typically want opposing features. Just as we want motorcycle tires that provide sticky grip as well as high mileage, with boots we want them to be light and supple so they’re comfortable and provide good feel on the pegs, but we also want them to be tough enough to protect our feet, ankles and shins. Striking such a balance with touring boots is one thing, but it’s quite another with heavy-duty adventure boots.

Alpinestars’ CE-certified Corozal Adventure Drystar Boots are a good compromise between comfort and protection. The upper is a hybrid of waxed full-grain leather and polyurethane-coated leather, with microfiber flex panels at the ankles and textured suede on the inner leg for added grip. The midsole is made of lightweight polyurethane foam, the polypropylene insole is reinforced with a steel shank and the lugged sole is made of a durable yet flexible rubber compound. Protective features include tough TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) on the shin plate, calf plate, toe shift pad and ankles. A biomechanical lateral “flexi-blade” system allows movement while supporting and protecting the outer ankle, and both the internal toe box and heel counter protection are layered under the upper for durability.

The Corozals have a wide entry aperture that makes it easy to slide them on and off, which is most welcome after a long, exhausting day on the bike as well as the next morning when muscles are sore and joints are stiff. Similar to motocross boots, the Corozals have two buckles — one across the top of the foot and another at mid-shin — that use a micro-ratchet memory system and quick-release/locking for fast, secure closure, and a large Velcro panel at the top further dials in fit. Inside the boot is a removable anatomic footbed made of Lycra-covered EVA foam, and the forefoot is ergonomically shaped to allow good fit and feel at the controls. Integrated soft foam surrounds the ankle and collar, a breathable Drystar membrane keeps feet dry and a breathable textile interior lining enhances comfort.

I’ve worn Corozals on adventure rides and press launches over the past couple of years, and they were immediately comfortable and required no break-in. The soles are durable enough to provide a solid platform when standing on footpegs of varying widths, yet they flex enough to provide give and decent feel when braking, shifting and maneuvering. They’ve been wind- and watertight through rain and freezing temperatures, and the buckles are easy to use (and can be replaced if they get damaged). All in all, they’re very good boots at a reasonable price.

Alpinestars Corozal Adventure Drystar Boots are available in men’s whole sizes 7-13 for $289.95. 

For more information, see your dealer or visit alpinestars.com.

The post Alpinestars Corozal Adventure Drystar Boots | Gear Review appeared first on Rider Magazine.

Because adventure motorcycles tend to be heavier, more feature-laden bikes, when ridden off-road the likelihood of a dirt nap doing expensive damage is pretty high, so they really need factory or aftermarket guards to protect vulnerable engine parts and fragile plastic (paradoxically making the bike heavier still, but such is life). In an effort to keep my Honda Africa Twin as light as possible yet protected from horizontal misadventures, I recently bolted on a set of German-made Hepco and Becker Engine and Tank Guards acquired from Moto Machines.

Related: Enhancing the Honda Africa Twin | Stage 1: Minimal Weight Gain, More Protection

Available in your choice of shiny stainless steel or black powder coat for a variety of ADV machines, both the tank guard and engine guards are made of tubular steel using a strong but minimalist design that keeps weight down without sacrificing any protection — the black $301.68 Tank Guard weighs 8 pounds and the $272.85 Engine Guards weigh 5.5 pounds total. Their installation kits come with everything you need to securely mount all four main left and right pieces in about 90 minutes, using existing bolt holes on the bike’s frame, so there’s no drilling or cutting required.

On the 2016 and later Africa Twins, the tank guard attaches at the front engine mount on each side, with another frame mounting point under the headlight. Hepco & Becker’s instructions are pretty good, and with a bit of creative contortion I was able to install the tank guard by myself with basic hand tools, though a helper would have made it easier. The engine guards bolt on in several places around the twin’s bottom end for maximum protection, and only required removing the skid plate and loosening some exhaust bolts to install (and Moto Machines offers a tough-looking Hepco & Becker Skid Plate for $313.20 that could be added at this time). The left engine guard is wide enough to accommodate the Africa Twin’s optional dual-clutch automatic transmission, so there’s a sizable gap between it and the engine on my manual trans model, but it doesn’t stick out any farther than the Tank Guard. The toes of my size-13 boots contact the back of the engine guards occasionally, but they don’t interfere with using the brake pedal or shift lever on the manual trans model.

Check out more Rider gear reviews here.

In addition to protecting the engine and fairing from most tipovers, rocks, etc., the bars make great places to mount auxiliary lights, luggage, cruising pegs and more. The Tank Guard has hole tabs on each side for the optional Bracing Bow ($99.50) that crosses in front of the radiator, and Moto Machines also offers a Headlamp Guard ($114.01) for the Africa Twin’s expensive LED headlight that bolts on top of the Tank Guard. Overall it’s well-made protection that bolts on quickly and easily and can save you far more than it costs when your ride goes sideways.

For more information, visit MotoMachines.com.

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Does anyone carry tools anymore? With everyone packing smartphones, credit cards and roadside assistance, not to mention the reliability of modern motorcycles, some folks just hope for the best. But if you’re a touring rider who logs days or weeks on your motorcycle, especially if you venture far from home or off-road into remote areas, then you know that an ounce of preparation can save you a pounding headache.

These days most motorcycles come with woefully inadequate toolkits. There may be a cheapo screwdriver and perhaps a wrench or two, but that’s about it. You won’t be repairing your throttle-by-wire system out in the field, but you might need to tighten a mirror or a bolt that has vibrated loose. And, just as packing a rain suit seems to keep the rain at bay, carrying a well-stocked toolkit — and staying on top of your motorcycle’s maintenance schedule — may help you avoid problems in the first place. 

The best way to carry tools is in a tool roll, like this one from Nelson-Rigg. Made of abrasion-resistant UltraMax polyester, it’s black on the outside but has a high-visibility orange interior that makes it easy to see what’s what. The main compartment has pockets of varying widths with elastic loops to hold tools in place, and there are separate elastic loops to hold CO₂ tire-inflation cartridges or tightly rolled stacks of $100 bills. There’s also a small, zippered mesh pocket to hold easy-to-lose items like extra bolts, nuts, etc. A large flap folds over the main compartment, and when spread out it’s a convenient place to put removed hardware or parts so they’re easy to see. The rolled-up roll secures with a long hook-and-loop strap that adjusts to accommodate whatever you decide to pack in there.

My tool roll is stocked with what I need for dual-sport rides, including combo tire iron/axle wrenches, rim protectors, a Leatherman multi-tool with extra bits and a bit driver extender, wrenches and sockets specific to my bike, vice grips, a JB Weld seal stick, zip ties, nitrile gloves, a tow strap and other odds and ends. Spend some time assembling a set of tools that includes only the essentials, and keep your tool roll, flat-repair kit, pump and first-aid kit in your saddlebag.

Nelson Rigg’s Rigg Gear Adventure Tool Roll measures 13.75 x 10.5 inches, costs $24.95 and comes with a lifetime warranty. Also available is a Rear Fender Bag ($55.95) that includes the tool roll. 

For more information, see your dealer or visit nelsonrigg.com.

The post Nelson-Rigg Tool Roll | Gear Review appeared first on Rider Magazine.

Considering how bulletproof the rest of our motorcycles have become, it’s ironic that it only takes a little 1 ½-inch box nail in a tire to bring the whole show to a halt. We’re fortunate today that tubeless tire technology prevents intrusions by nails, screws and other foreign objects from becoming catastrophic blowouts. The object usually stays in the hole, the only place from which the tire can lose air, so it deflates more slowly than a puncture in a tire with a tube on an unsealed spoked wheel (which can lose air through all of the spoke nipples and even the tire bead). But even if that pointy thing does stay put and flush with the tread surface, as it flexes back and forth in the carcass the tire will eventually deflate enough to become a problem. Hopefully you will have noticed its presence or even received a low tire-pressure warning before that happens.

Of course, if it doesn’t stay put or is large enough to stick out of the tire (like a 6-inch gutter nail — don’t ask), the tire will probably deflate rapidly enough to strand you by the roadside. Unless you’re lucky enough to be next to a motorcycle shop at the time, you’re going to need either a good roadside assistance plan or a tubeless tire repair kit. (We’ll cover tube-type tire roadside repairs in another installment).

Here at Rider we’ve fixed enough tubeless punctures to appreciate that the most dependable tire repair kit you can carry uses rubber strings or “worms” for the plug that gets inserted into the tire, preferably the large red ones like those in the T-Handle Tubeless Tire Repair Kit from Stop & Go. There are more convenient plug types, but the strings rarely let us down. If you’ve had good luck with liquid sealers, installed either pre- or post-puncture, more power to you — we often carry Slime for tube-type tires on bikes that have tubes in the hope of avoiding a roadside tire dismount. But we change bikes too often to make using the pre-installed sealers practical, and prefer to avoid irritating the mechanic who has to change a tubeless tire on a wheel full of messy sealer.

Repair kits that use string plugs often come with rubber cement, which — depending on the string type — may not be necessary to complete the repair, but at a minimum it acts as a lubricant to ease inserting the plug, and seems to help vulcanize the plug to the tire. It’s important to keep your glue supply fresh (preferably unopened), or you may find that it has dried out when you need it.

No matter what sort you use, any plug inserted from the outside should be considered a very temporary repair used to get you and your bike to the nearest replacement tire. Limit your speed per the plug kit instructions, and replace the tire as soon as possible. Special patch plugs inserted from the inside of a tubeless tire are certainly safer, but even if you can find someone who will install one for you, every tire manufacturer (and even those who sell patch plugs) recommend replacing the tire instead since it has to come off anyway.

The photos in this article cover the basic plugging process with rubber strings. Depending on the size of the hole, you may need more than one — I once used three in an ATV tire and it got me back to camp.

The post How to Plug and Repair a Tubeless Motorcycle Tire appeared first on Rider Magazine.