Upon an enduro week away with friends, as the first night rolled around, at around ten-ish, I said ‘goodnight’ and proceeded to head to bed. It was received with the same reaction as Luke’s attempts to bed Leia - a bit of ...
Hamlet would drop “words, words, words” also describing motorcycle marketing. Kudos to the genius and the cult-like fashion that gets many to drink the Koolaid and buy hope.
Serendipitously, making it a coup de maître, the real ...
When ‘in the zone' on asphalt, rider and bike are a tango, whereas in Hard Enduro they’re attempting a pas-de-deux parkours, often similar to escape-themed movies in which protagonists are handcuffed to difficult partners.
Known ...
The last half decade has seen China changing the world in more ways than imaginable and the world of motorbiking is no exception.
Many motorcyclists dipped their Faustian toe into the Made in China waters with an ...
The 2023 Barcelona Motoh fair I worked as a guest test-ride guide was a shameful disappointment, due to no-show by Ducati, KTM, Husky, Beta, GasGas, MV Augusta, Aprilia, Piaggio, Honda, Suzuki, Triumph, Moto Guzzi, Royal Enfield, ...
I was among a few lucky experienced riders offered a unique opportunity to work as a guest test-ride guide/monitor at the 2023 Barcelona Motoh (sic.) fair. We were recruited by the TCC (Tècniques de Conducció i Control), which is a 30 ...
We know a majority of riders whose technique plateaued, though they’ve spent countless hours/years at it, just as we know of a few riders who’ve improved seemingly overnight. Talented, having beginner’s luck, being gifted, is what is ...
Women and men don’t ride the same way and don’t learn riding the same way.
Riding is riddled with never-ending examples of tradeoffs. Where there’s a quality or an advantage created, there’s always a fault and disadvantage to be ...
Ah, the SuperDuke GT: that somewhat plain-looking, slightly-rounded girl next door you never gave the time of day to in your youth, who you happened to meet years later, and who rocked your world in the sac.
By 2016, when the GT ...
Let’s talk about SAS baby - this slightly sporty long-haul adaptable tourer, built to check off boxes.
An ideal application for the KTM Super Adventure S is touring ‘civilized’ countries, one or two up, with luggage. It is in no ...
Stars aligning allowed me to help KTM. Kudos to them for being open to listening and pushing my letter (see below) to the very top of the ladder. It set a ball in motion that offered me years of pleasure contributing to certain ...
‘No replacement for displacement’ is a fundamental truth of motorsports, but experienced riders will understand that it works both ways, in the sense that bigger certainly isn’t always better.
In fact, every superfluous cubic ...
Ever seen a naval captain glance at the sea, the sky, and his instruments? Though appearing subtle, there's a level of observational acuity and understanding few will fathom. He's responsible for his course, the safety of the ship and ...
A great friend, gentleman, stellar rider, coach, and mechanic in MotoGP, Dakar, and SBK, was on his off-season break. I had managed to save some money and was hoping he’d agree to build me a track bike.
His response to my asking ...
Every time we pulled into a gas station, I’d grab a 1.5 litre bottle of water/mineral water, and down it.
“Never seen anyone drink so much water!” commented one of my riding buddies.
It was neither the time, nor the place to ...
The look of disdain Italians give when you dare order a cappuccino after breakfast or a pizza for supper, can be reciprocated upon riding or driving most of their motorized vehicles. Surprisingly, the Ducati Scrambler 800 Icon has ...
O Captain! my Captain! your generosity knows no bounds! I’d not have had the pleasure, the privilege, and the opportunity to experience the 890 (and many other machines), were it not for my good friend. Thank you.
The first, of two ...
A long time ago, in a neighbourhood far, far away, I had graduated from riding my BMX and was riding a ‘ten-speed’, when I heard of a new kind of bike that would change my life: a mountain bike…
The current motorcycle market shows ...
A jumbo jet pilot and really good friend of mine bought himself a Panigale V4. His epic generosity and insane trust in me possessed him (likely through a moment of madness) to first break-in this Italian beauty of a bike, put fresh ...
People avoid properly adjusting their bike. I’m not talking about getting on a motorbike and making sure you can see through the mirrors or dialling in the needed ‘clicks’ to get the brake lever closer to your powerful yet stubby ...