Sport Motorcycle Reviews, Tests, and Comparisons

2023 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR vs. Yamaha YZF-R7 Comparison

Nic de Sena — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 16:28:58 +0000

Every so often, a paradigm shift occurs, and the sportbike segment is positively percolating with change. These things come in cycles, with one manufacturer pushing the envelope and others following suit. Rigid displacement doctrine, expected features, and pricing are all being rethought with the 2023 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR and Yamaha YZF-R7—two motorcycles that apply wildly […]

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2023 Aprilia RS 660 Trofeo Review [Laguna Seca Tested]

Nic de Sena — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 19:59:18 +0000

Race bikes are undeniably special. With no street-legal considerations to spoil the fun, the sleek, uninterrupted lines of track-ready bodywork give a glimpse into a designer’s idyllic vision, one that isn’t weighed down by lighting, turn indicators, mirrors, or frilly creature comforts—pure, uncompromising performance. Any would-be speed merchant is captivated by the litany of go-fast […]

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2023 Indian Sport Chief Review [9 Fast Facts]

Don Williams — Sat, 23 Sep 2023 07:12:01 +0000

Indian seemed to have the sport side of its lineup covered by the FTRs and the Challenger—that latter provides the basis of the King of the Baggers race bikes. The Chief platform seemed comfortably entrenched in traditional cruisers and light-duty baggers. However, someone at Indian had bigger ideas, and the 2023 Indian Sport Chief is […]

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2024 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R Review [13 Fast Facts From the Track]

Nic de Sena — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 07:50:07 +0000

Team Green keeps the supersport dream alive with its updated 2024 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R, bringing a handful of updates to its faithful 636cc inline-four-powered motorcycle. While Kawi’s Japanese competitors have allowed their offerings to collect over a decade’s worth of dust or disappear from many markets, the ZX-6R enjoyed meaningful tweaks along the way, and […]

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Ducati ST3 S and Moto Guzzi Breva V 1100 Test [Colorado Tour]

Kelly Callan — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 05:49:32 +0000

There’s no doubt that there was symbolism in the air. We were at the Handlebars Bar and Saloon in Silverton, Colo., enjoying an authentic western lunch celebrating the 25th anniversary of our first ride together. Of course, this time, rather than two-up on a 1981 Yamaha 550 Seca in Southern California, we arrived on a […]

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2023 Honda SCL500 Review [A Dozen Scrambler Fast Facts]

Kelly Callan — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 09:02:30 +0000

Motorcycle riding has this magical ability to transport me from my day-to-day whirlwind full of the pressures of modern life to a time that almost stands still. No matter what has been going on in my day, as soon as the faceshield clicks down or the goggle strap settles on my helmet, everything else fades […]

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2024 Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+ Review [12 Sport-Touring Fast Facts]

Nic de Sena — Sat, 19 Aug 2023 08:26:01 +0000

Here, there, everywhere. That is the underlying motto of Sport Touring. In recent years, Yamaha has leaned on its middleweight Tracer family of motorcycles for precisely that, repurposing the lively triple-cylinder CP3 engine and frame of its spirited MT-09 lineup for touring duty, decked out with long-distance fixings—luggage, creature comforts, and helpful rider aids. It’s […]

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2023 Triumph Speed Twin 900 Commuter Test [Arrive In Style]

Kelly Callan — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 05:54:11 +0000

I’m almost always running late when I head out the door for work. That means I’m pushing the speed limit instead of smelling the roses. Fortunately, the 2023 Triumph Speed Twin 900 has been doing commuter duty with me for the past couple of months, and it’s been a satisfying match. The newly named Triumph […]

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2023 MV Agusta Dragster America Review

Nic de Sena — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 20:16:34 +0000

All self-respecting kids treated their bedroom walls like canvas, one that helps them peer outside their respective bubbles. Given Italy’s ability to export everything that looks cool and goes fast, it seemed ludicrous to look anywhere but to the boot-shaped nation from my Southern Californian perspective—motorcycles, cars, fashion, and cuisine. Do I dare continue? Despite […]

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2023 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR Review [13 Fast Facts]

Nic de Sena — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 16:05:39 +0000

Sportbikes were massive in the 1980s and 1990s, and the collective knee-dragging consciousness had its nose firmly planted in motorcycle mags, inhaling every line about potent new 400cc machines from Japan. These miniaturized superbikes had it all—ultra-high-revving screamer engines surrounded by top-spec chassis technology of the day, creating a balance of power and handling that […]

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2023 Suzuki SV650 Review: For Commuting and Canyons

Kelly Callan — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 14:33:58 +0000

For over two decades, the Suzuki SV650 has slotted into the mid-size, upright naked sportbike niche, providing riders with a supremely capable commuter and a credible canyon bike for weekend fun. Six years into its third generation, the 2023 Suzuki SV650 continues to be one of the easiest handling and most confidence-inspiring bikes in its […]

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2023 BMW M 1000 R Review [19 Fast Facts: Track and Street Test]

Nic de Sena — Sat, 24 Jun 2023 05:54:50 +0000

There is a simmering arms race in the Super Naked category, and the 2023 BMW M 1000 R is the newest piece of high-tech weaponry to enter the battlefield. Armed with the latest-generation ShiftCam-equipped inline-4 from the S 1000 RR superbike, along with its updated electronic aids, the M 1000 R has ascended to the […]

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2023 MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RR Review [Italian Alps Tested]

Arthur Coldwells — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 06:07:03 +0000

Sure, the 2023 MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RR is expensive. But, boy, she’s outrageously beautiful. The carbon detailing, the crazy shapes, the Italian design flair—it’s all there. The more you look, the more you see. The finishes—I caress that gorgeously sculpted tank, and my mind wanders. The speed—she’s built for it, and I want it. […]

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2023 Ducati Monster SP Review [9 Fast Facts]

Nic de Sena — Wed, 24 May 2023 01:46:06 +0000

A handful of motorcycling namesakes need no introduction, and Ducati’s Monster is one of them. Over its roughly three-decade tour of duty, the Italian firm’s versatile naked bike has helped shape and define the category by balancing real-world street practicality with thoroughbred performance. Now armed with the coveted SP-badging and requisite sporting upgrades, the 2023 […]

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2023 Suzuki GSX-8S Review [18 Fast Facts]

Don Williams — Wed, 17 May 2023 00:57:15 +0000

Last November, Suzuki introduced a new 776cc parallel-twin engine and two motorcycles that it would initially power—an ADV bike and an upright semi-naked sportbike. We tested the 2023 Suzuki V-Strom 800DE adventure motorcycle in February, and now it’s time to go riding on the 2023 Suzuki GSX-8S sportbike. The 2023 Suzuki GSX-8S is an absolutely […]

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2023 Royal Enfield Hunter 350 Review [11 Fast Facts]

Don Williams — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 02:54:18 +0000

The new 2023 Royal Enfield Hunter 350 is a $3999 shot across the bow of competitors offering affordable urban transportation. The Hunter is the third model in Royal Enfield’s 350 range, joining the Meteor cruiser and the 1950s-styled Classic. The new Hunter brings a touch of styling modernity to the tradition-infused India-based brand. We took […]

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King Of The Baggers S&S Cycle Indian Challenger Test

Nic de Sena — Sat, 22 Apr 2023 07:51:43 +0000

Where there is racing, there is rivalry, and healthy competition brings out the best in techs, mechanics, and racers as they work toward a common goal: victory. One of those classic feuds started brewing over a century ago between Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycle—albeit with a roughly five-decade respite on Indian’s part, officially. This goes far […]

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2023 Kawasaki Ninja 650 Review [14 Fast Facts]

Don Williams — Sat, 22 Apr 2023 06:08:47 +0000

The 2023 Kawasaki Ninja 650 takes another step into the modern motorcycling world with the addition of traction control. It has been a few years since we tested the Ninja 650, so it’s always a good idea to revisit a long-time favorite to confirm it’s still competitive. Little did we know that we would be […]

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2023 Triumph Speed Twin 900 Review [City and Canyon Tested]

Don Williams — Sat, 18 Mar 2023 08:33:07 +0000

Although retro-style motorcycles are often lumped into a single category—even we’re guilty of doing that here at Ultimate Motorcycling—there is a wide choice of paths to pay homage to the past. Indisputably, the Triumph marque has an inexhaustible retro cache, as the brand has been building motorcycles since 1901. In the spectrum of retro motorcycles, […]

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2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 Review: R and RS [16 Fast Facts]

Nic de Sena — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 04:48:18 +0000

The naked middleweight category is positively buzzing, flaunting potent offerings from all corners of the globe. Hailing from Old Blighty is Triumph’s Street Triple lineup, a class staple as it enters its fourth generation with the road-focused 2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 R and racetrack-ready Street Triple 765 RS models—lest we forget the sold-out Street […]

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2023 Indian Sport Chief Test: A Thunderstroke of Performance

Gary Ilminen — Sat, 04 Mar 2023 01:02:41 +0000

Irish motorcycle racer Charles Franklin designed the first Indian Chief back in 1921. At the time, the term “power cruiser” had not yet been coined. That came into vogue around the early 1980s when powerful, high-revving V4 engines were mounted, not in sport bike frames, but in chassis with cruiser geometry and ergonomics; examples included […]

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2023 Harley-Davidson Nightster Special Review [12 Fast Facts]

Don Williams — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 08:03:54 +0000

It’s interesting to watch the reinvented Harley-Davidson Sportster lineup unfold. The Motor Company started off with the S, a fat-tire power-cruiser with the Revolution Max 1250T motor, a torquier off-shoot of the DOHC V-twin that debuted on the Pan America adventure motorcycle. Next up was the Nightster, which brought us the smaller and simpler Revolution […]

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2023 Arch 1s Review: The $128,000 Question

Nic de Sena — Sat, 04 Feb 2023 07:08:29 +0000

Casually leaned on its side stand in an unassuming Malibu parking lot, sat the 2023 Arch 1s. Dripping in carbon fiber componentry and flexing enough CNC-machining to make any CAD designer’s eyes go blurry, the thought of saddling up on Arch Motorcycle’s second production model was like coming face-to-face with a unicorn. The $128,000 price […]

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2022 Harley-Davidson Sportster S Review [w/ Mid-Control Kit]

Don Williams — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 20:54:57 +0000

Without any doubt, I’m going to miss the Evolution-powered Sportsters. They represented the basics of motorcycles, being not much more than a simple two-valve air-cooled V-twin motor, a basic frame, and primitive suspension. Balance is always the magic that makes for a good motorcycle, and the now-discontinued Sportsters had it. The Irons, the Forty-Eight, and […]

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2023 Kawasaki KLX230SM Review [A Dozen Fast Facts]

Kelly Callan — Tue, 27 Dec 2022 04:26:43 +0000

Kawasaki doubles the size of its supermoto line-up by adding the 2023 Kawasaki KLX230SM. As the little brother to the KLX300SM, the KLX230SM is an ambassador to the world of motorcycling for entry-level riders looking for supermoto styling while they develop their riding skills. At 296 pounds, the KLX230SM almost feels like a mini-moto bike, […]

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