It’s been a whirlwind year for test riding motorbikes at Cafe Racer magazine with new streetbikes being served up nearly monthly by the major manufacturers. It’s one area of producing this bi-monthly magazine that’s good for both the readers and our mortal souls as flying to So Cal, mounting up on a half dozen or so brand-new press fleet machines and zipping along the dusty, sun-drenched canyons makes this high-stress job worthwhile. Though we were uncertain whether to actually invest the time and budget into this field when first starting CRM back in 2008, these in-depth road tests have proven one of the most popular of the regular features to appear in every issue. Because our staff is still not invited to many of the corporate-backed official press launches held every year, the bikes we chose to evaluate are selected by our staffers due their retro appeal (Moto Guzzi V7 and V9 Bobber) their sheer, outrageous performance (Kawasaki H1, Ducati V4 Streetfighter) or the way individual machines carry on the minimalist cafe racer tradition while remaining completely modern, Under this last category falls MV Agusta’s sultry Superveloce, Suzuki’s SV650X, the all-new Harley-Davidson Sportster 1250S and many others.
The most common question readers ask concerns which of this year’s crop of test bikes was the most fun to throw a leg across. That’s nearly impossible to answer given the vast aesthetic, performance and ergonomic differences between each individual motorcycle. Without sounding to deferential to the OEMs, each bike has its high and low-ish) points and areas where it performs better than others. We all absolutely loved the big bore thrum of BMW’s massive R18 super cruiser, especially when covering big highway mileages, but would have Rather ridden just about anything else when the roads got tight and twisty
Likewise, the scalper-sharp handling and lightweight feel of KTM’s 890 Duke proved a winning combination for just those sorts of apex-strewn backroads, but on the Interstates, cross winds played havoc with this featherweight, tall naked machine, making it less-then-perfect here. Some weeks, after switching back and forth between several very different bikes, we found ourselves strangely favoring a bike or two we weren’t particularly impressed by a few days prior. Test rider Alonzo Bodden attributes this organic selectivity to the strain upon certain body parts that occurs after several hundred miles of challenging, quick riding, saying “after a while, your knees and lower back make the decision for you.”
What does 2022 hold for the test crew? We’ll we’re pretty excited about bringing you details of Ducati’s box-fresh Streetfighter 959, a traditional V-twin take on their mad, bad and absolutely crazed V4 ‘Fighter. MV’s 1000cc Brutale is pushing the super naked cafe category to unheard of performance heights, as is Triumph’s 120cc Speed Triple which we’re determined to ride come what may. Kawasaki’s retro-flavored Z650 RS looks promising as well, combining the classic lines of the fan fave KZ650 of the 1970s with a modern parallel twin motor and 21st century running gear. Keep an eye on future issues for more road tests and have a very cool yule!
It’s been a whirlwind year for test riding motorbikes at Cafe Racer magazine with new streetbikes being served up nearly monthly by the major manufacturers. It’s one area of producing this bi-monthly magazine that’s good for both the readers and our mortal souls as flying to So Cal, mounting up on a half dozen or so brand-new press fleet machines and zipping along the dusty, sun-drenched canyons makes this high-stress job worthwhile. Though we were uncertain whether to actually invest the time and budget into this field when first starting CRM back in 2008, these in-depth road tests have proven one of the most popular of the regular features to appear in every issue. Because our staff is still not invited to many of the corporate-backed official press launches held every year, the bikes we chose to evaluate are selected by our staffers due their retro appeal (Moto Guzzi V7 and V9 Bobber) their sheer, outrageous performance (Kawasaki H1, Ducati V4 Streetfighter) or the way individual machines carry on the minimalist cafe racer tradition while remaining completely modern, Under this last category falls MV Agusta’s sultry Superveloce, Suzuki’s SV650X, the all-new Harley-Davidson Sportster 1250S and many others.
The most common question readers ask concerns which of this year’s crop of test bikes was the most fun to throw a leg across. That’s nearly impossible to answer given the vast aesthetic, performance and ergonomic differences between each individual motorcycle. Without sounding to deferential to the OEMs, each bike has its high and low-ish) points and areas where it performs better than others. We all absolutely loved the big bore thrum of BMW’s massive R18 super cruiser, especially when covering big highway mileages, but would have Rather ridden just about anything else when the roads got tight and twisty
Likewise, the scalper-sharp handling and lightweight feel of KTM’s 890 Duke proved a winning combination for just those sorts of apex-strewn backroads, but on the Interstates, cross winds played havoc with this featherweight, tall naked machine, making it less-then-perfect here. Tester Joe LaCroix had nothing but praise for Aprilia’s RS660 middleweight twin, as did Jeremy Haynes who was lucky enough to test Aprilia’s Tuono 660 on a racetrack for a full day. I wouldn’t be shocked to see this versatile platform utilized to create a retro Italian roadster this year. Some weeks, after switching back and forth between several very different bikes, we found ourselves strangely favoring a bike or two we weren’t particularly impressed by a few days prior. Test rider Alonzo Bodden attributes this organic selectivity to the strain upon certain body parts that occurs after several hundred miles of challenging, quick riding, saying “after a while, your knees and lower back make the decision for you.”
What does 2022 hold for the test crew? We’ll we’re pretty excited about bringing you details of Ducati’s box-fresh Streetfighter 959, a traditional V-twin take on their mad, bad and absolutely crazed V4 ‘Fighter. MV’s 1000cc Brutale is pushing the super naked cafe category to unheard of performance heights, as is Triumph’s 120cc Speed Triple which we’re determined to ride come what may. Kawasaki’s retro-flavored Z650 RS looks promising as well, combining the classic lines of the fan fave KZ650 of the 1970s with a modern parallel twin motor and 21st century running gear. Keep an eye on future issues for more road tests and have a very cool yule!