Remember in the bad old days when we had to tape directions to our bike’s gas tank? Well, smartphones have become an essential part of riding, and fewer and fewer of us can find ways to leave them behind when we go on our rides, particularly since you can track and share your rides with your buddies. However, playing music and running turn-by-turn directions can drain your phone’s battery. Naturally, we need a way to feed it while out on the road. While some phone mounts have built-in wireless charging, the vast majority are just a means of securing your phone to your motorcycle. So, here is o ..read more

Just a week after announcing the 450SS sportbike was coming to the U.S., CFMOTO adds another adventure bike to its lineup for 2023. The CFMOTO Ibex 800 S will be available for $9,499, while the slightly more adventure-ready Ibex 800 T trim comes in at $10,499. The Ibex 800 is powered by a 799cc DOHC Parallel-Twin with a 75° offset crankshaft that is heavily based on KTM’s 790 engine. CFMOTO claims 94 hp at 9,000 rpm and 56.8 lb-ft. at 7,500 rpm. The Bosch electronic fuel injection system offers two ride modes: Sport and Rain. Cruise control and cornering ABS come as standard, with a 7-inch TF ..read more

The Route Napoleon is considered one of the best drives across France. It starts near the French Riviera and runs up to the southern tip of the Alps. The route earns its namesake by following the path that the one-time French emperor used to covertly make his way north after escaping his first exile. Despite wet conditions with gravelly sections enroute and frost at higher elevations, it was a most excellent place to have our first dance with Suzuki’s new naked, the 2023 GSX-8S. The second of two 776cc Parallel-Twin-powered models from Suzuki, the GSX-8S proved its mettle over just a single da ..read more

You don’t get a name like Elite without earning it (or buying it in this case), and today Indian has introduced two model lines to get the Elite treatment: the Pursuit Elite and Chieftain Elite. What makes these models Elite? All you have to do is look at them to figure out what sets them apart from the standard models. For the Pursuit, this is the first time it will be getting Elite treatment, which consists of Super Graphite Metallic and Black Metallic paint schemes nicely offset with bronze details throughout to exude an air of exclusivity the base models can’t touch. In the Chieftain’s cas ..read more

The California Air Resources Board has issued an executive order for what we expect to be an updated Kawasaki Z650RS for the 2024 model year. The update is expected to be relatively minor, adding traction control to the Z650RS. The update would bring the retro RS model in line with the more modern-styled Z650 and the Ninja 650, both of which were updated with traction control for 2023, as well as the Versys 650 which received traction control in 2022. Below, we present the executive order for 2023 model updates. In past filings, Kawasaki tends to refer to new or updated motorcycles by its mode ..read more

Modern motorcycle batteries have gotten so good that we largely don’t think about them until the sad day that we thumb the button and hear the starter struggle to get our Big Twin to crank through the compression stroke – or even worse, hear the dreaded click-click of a dead battery. Like it or not, batteries are consumable items on a motorcycle, and without proper care, can die on us at the most inconvenient times. So, if you suspect that your battery is getting ready to give up the ghost, we’re here to help you find a new battery to keep you headed down the highway.  What to look for Th ..read more

Today, CFMOTO unveiled its latest sporting entry into the U.S. motorcycle market. The CFMOTO 450SS comes equipped from the manufacturer with many features that belie its $5,499 MSRP. Although information is limited, here is what we know so far. The CFMOTO 450SS engine sports a compact, modern design and a claimed 50 hp. The 450SS is powered by an all-new 450cc parallel-Twin engine. The counterbalanced Twin features a compact layout, 270° crankshaft, and liquid-cooling. Although not mentioned in the release, we assume the DOHC operate four valves per cylinder. The bore and stroke is 77.0 mm x ..read more

Harley-Davidson and Hero Motocorp announced a partnership back in 2020 for the distribution of existing Harley motorcycles and the development of a new range of models for the Indian market. We haven’t heard much from that arrangement… until now, when a selection of “spy photos” of a Harley-Davidson-branded motorcycle with a 400-ish cc Single landed in the hands of the Indian press. EVO India published the photos, spinning a yarn about photos arriving on their doorstep in a brown envelope marked “top secret” and an anonymous note. We’ve run enough of them on Motorcycle.com and seen the feedbac ..read more

Digging deep into our archives, we bring you this First Ride review of a legendary motorcycle: the 1995 Suzuki GSX-R1100. The GSX-R1100 became super popular in drag racing circles and for good reason – that 1074cc four-banger was made to zip you in a straight line quickly. If it was handling and circuit performance you were looking for, the GSX-R750 was the bike to choose. The 1100 was the sport tourer of the time even if it wasn’t supposed to be. At least we’d consider it one now thanks to its smooth, powerful engine, clip-ons above the triple, and comfortable seating position. Let’s also tak ..read more

Crashing sucks, but getting hurt because you weren’t wearing the right gear stings just a little bit more. You all know to wear your helmets, jackets, pants, gloves, and boots – but what are you wearing under all that? If you’re not wearing at least a back protector then you’re missing out on a relatively inexpensive piece of kit that can make a big difference. Add in a chest protector, and you have two components that can further absorb some of the impact energy of hitting the ground before your body does.  If you aren’t familiar, back and chest protectors are basically plastic exoskelet ..read more