Motorsports Racing News & Blog Articles

It’s been about a month since we introduced Motorcycle.com’s 2022 Yamaha MT-10 SP semi-long-term project bike. In case you forgot the premise of this whole thing, Yamaha offered us the opportunity to hang on to an MT-10 SP for an extended period of time, and since I have a soft spot for the bike, I decided to give it some tasteful upgrades to address some key weaknesses while also unleashing some trapped potential. The point here is two-fold: first is to see what the bike could do with some simple upgrades. Second is to not break the bank while doing so because otherwise, you could easily go buy one of the European competitors that would probably still spank this MT, stock. 

In the past month I’ve installed the upgrades and even taken the trusty MT to the track and ridden it on the streets a little. Read on to get my take on each upgrade, ranging from ease of installation to real-world impressions.

Brakes

First up, the brakes. EBC was kind enough to send its HH sintered brake pads, which are its most aggressive. For only $80, it’s a huge value for dramatic braking performance, especially over the stock pads. Installation is super easy, too, as you just need to remove a clip, slide the old pads out, slide the new ones in, and reinstall the clip. It’s an easy five-minute job with big results. Of course, don’t forget to take some high-grit sandpaper or a Scotchbrite pad and wipe down the brake rotor before bedding in the new pads. This removes the old pad material and lets the new pads bite onto the disc. 

As for the results – well, let’s just say it reinforces what we say a lot here at MO: brake pads can transform a mediocre brake setup. The initial bite is immediately stronger than the stock pads, which is a big complaint with the soft standard pads. And thanks to that strong initial bite, the overall braking power feels more robust, too. The harder I pull the lever, the more eager the bike is to slow down. If I were to nitpick, I’d say the Brembo master cylinder is now the weak link, as there feels like a tiny bit of play in the lever, different from air in the lines. But overall, this upgrade is an absolute must for any MT owner, in my opinion. If you have the standard MT-10 and not the SP, I’d suggest changing the pads first, then replacing the rubber lines for steel.

I feel like an impostor in this jacket, really. I only rode in it in the rain once, and only for about a half hour. I stayed warm and dry, but the temperature was only in the low 50s F. Plus, I was behind a nice big fairing. I really can’t speak to how it would work for you Duluthians and people who ride 80 miles to work all winter in freezing sleet on an ‘86 XR600; I can’t even relate. When I moved to SoCal, I laid down one of those Scarlett O’Hara dictums: I swear, as God is my witness, I’ll never be cold again!

I was wrong of course., I’ve been cold and wet plenty of times in California, but seldom really freezing cold, like this time. Spidi calls this H2Out Evo the 4 Season, and I can see it, just as long as that fourth season isn’t too extreme. It’s all possible through the miracle of layers. This jacket has three of them: a “high-tenacity Extra Tenax 3-layers nylon 6.6” outer layer, a removable breathable and waterproof “2°layer H2Out lining,” and another removable, 100-grams of puffy stuff per square-meter thermal lining for warmth.

Variable conditions

You can wear one or both liners inside the jacket, of course, as conditions dictate. When you’re not wearing the liners, it’s easy to stick one, but not both, into the big pocket at the lower back of the jacket. On cold wet days, it makes sense to just keep the thermal liner zipped onto your body and snap the rain liner into the jacket, which you can then whip on and off as a unit. 

Five years on from the 2018 launch of its first ever twin-cylinder models to be made in India, since when over 400,000 examples of the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 have been sold around the world, Royal Enfield has now added the first of a much-anticipated series of spinoff models to its range.

Unveiled at last November’s EICMA Milan Show and already in production at RE’s Chennai plant for global deliveries to commence in March, the Super Meteor 650 is available in two versions targeting different slices of the middleweight cruiser market. Named after Royal Enfield’s first 100mph model launched back in 1955, a 700cc breakthrough bike marketed as a go-anywhere mile-eater which was available for the first time from any manufacturer with its own array of optional touring equipment, these are both powered by the same air/oil-cooled eight-valve 648cc parallel-twin engine with central chain-driven SOHC equipping the Interceptor and Continental GT.

Developed at Royal Enfield’s UK Technology Centre at Bruntingthorpe, the company’s first twin-cylinder engine for the modern era measures 78 x 67.8 mm and carries a single gear-driven counterbalancer to reduce vibration. The 270º crankshaft is a forged one-piece item for extra strength and durability, and it’s so over-engineered you can well imagine it was built for eventual use in larger capacity motors – only not just yet. The fuel-injected engine employing a Bosch ECU and a pair of 34mm Mikuni throttle bodies produces a claimed 46.33 bhp at 7,250 rpm at the crankshaft, so is A2 license compliant in Europe, while maximum torque of 38.57 ft-lb is delivered at 5,650 revs – 400 rpm higher than on the earlier 650 twins. However, RE’s Chief Engineer Paolo Brovedani states there are no mechanical changes to the engine in the new models, only that the Super Meteor’s airbox and exhausts are all-new, which coupled with revised mapping for the ECU delivers a Cruiser-friendly wider spread of torque, with 80% of that peak grunt already available at just 2,500 rpm.

When the Husqvarna Norden 901 entered the market for 2022, one of the first things we asked was when we would see a more adventure-focused version. That is, after all, the modus operandi for Husqvarna’s sister brand, KTM, which gave the 890 Adventure an upscaled R version.

We don’t have much longer to wait, as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has certified the 2023 Norden 901 alongside a new Norden 901 Expedition model.

While we haven’t heard any official word yet, the Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition has been anything but a secret, with photos and even video of the bike popping up around the internet since Husqvarna’s dealer summit last July. We’ve embedded one video below, and members NordenForums.com have shared photos from the dealer meeting.

Based on the photos and other details shared on NordenForums.com, the Expedition will come standard with soft luggage, a touring windscreen, a heftier skid plate, heated seat and grips, center stand, GPS mount with a connectivity unit, and special graphics. The Norden 901’s WP APEX 43 fork will be replaced with longer-travel 48 mm XPLOR forks, though there was no mention of changes to the rear suspension. The Expedition will also come standard with the customizable Explorer ride mode which was offered as an optional accessory for the regular Norden 901.

Several members of the forum claim to have already put down deposits for a Norden 901 Expedition, with an expected U.S. MSRP of $15,799, or $1,300 more than a regular Norden 901. Members also report being told that official information will be released on Feb. 1. If that holds true, then we should have more details in a little more than a week.

Harley-Davidson held its big 120th anniversary reveal last week, and for the most part, the announcement included the bikes we expected, such as the Nightster Special, and the return of the Breakout with a Milwaukee-Eight 117ci engine. What we also expected to come for 2023 but was not included in the announcement were the X350 and X350RA. Still, despite not being part of the big Jan. 18 announcement, we managed to get our hands on some information confirming more details of the Chinese-built models.

The X350 is the product of Harley-Davidson’s partnership with China’s Qianjiang Motors that was first announced in 2019. After some regulatory delays, the QJ-built X350 is finally close to production as a small-displacement model for Asian markets. The X350 and an X350RA variant appeared in Vehicle Information Number data submitted by QJ to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and as we recently reported, Harley-Davidson included the X350RA in its 2023 model year VIN information.

Following the Jan. 18 announcement, Motorcycle.com has secured a copy of the X350RA’s official owner’s manual, plus a single image of the model, with clear proof it is intended for use for Harley-Davidson’s Riding Academy. We’ve also briefly got a look at the official parts catalog, confirming some of the differences between X350 and X350RA.

Now we need a good reason and a Master Plan: 20 years ago we just needed three cool motorcycles and an open invitation to California Speedway (which I hear just hosted its last trackday. RIP.) Earlier we’d already deduced the Kawasaki ZX-6R was the best 600, the Suzuki GSX-R1000 was the best 1000, and the Aprilia Mille R was the best Twin (and the one you most wish you’d embezzled). So why not compare them all to each other? In the hands of non-professional riders, the results are sometimes surprising. Miss you, Dirty Sean. Hope you’re well in the Las Vegas bunker, Willie T!

For more than seven decades the Arai family has been producing premium handcrafted helmets in Japan. The Arai patriarch has been able to rest at ease knowing that they have, to the best of their ability, developed the safest helmets possible for their customers. While there have been plenty of changes over the years in terms of materials and other things, more philosophical viewpoints like the smooth, round R75 shell shape designed for glancing off of impacts have become mainstays of the brand.

The latest helmet to hit North American shores from the Japanese marque is the Arai Contour-X. This helmet fills a sport-touring and everyday use category for Arai, slotting in between the likes of the Corsair-X at the sportiest end of the spectrum and the Signet/Quantum and Regent-X at the other end. In other parts of the world, the Quantic – as it’s called in the EU – has been around since mid-2021.

Keeping the bad energy out

As mentioned before, the Arai shell shape has changed little over the years. There have been plenty of companies developing new ways to mitigate rotational energy transfers to the rider’s head, but Arai strongly believes its R75 shell shape provides a strong and smooth surface that is better at glancing off impacts. “At Arai, we believe more performance can be found in avoiding, rather than attempting to manage, impact energy,” explained Arai reps.

What has been under continuous development over the years are the materials used to build the helmets. This latest shell’s Peripherally Belted Complex Laminate Construction (PB-cLc2) is made up of more than 25 individual pieces and bound by Arai’s latest proprietary Z-Compound resin, which we’re told is both stronger and less expensive than what was previously used. Across the brow, which is traditionally the weakest point in a helmet, Arai has developed its own Superfabric (within its Formula One program, initially) to bolster the helmet’s construction.

Like we said, forums are an excellent place to search for a new-to-you used motorcycle. Or car. Or whatever. Very generally speaking, people who care enough to join a forum care enough to take good care of their love object, and putting the thing up for sale on the forum may be a way of ensuring it goes to a good home. If you’re lucky. Some fora (that’s plural) even make you jump through a hoop or two to join. Ducati.MS, for instance, insists you’re a member for 15 days, and must make five posts before you can access its Marketplace. Like a cooling-off period I guess? Keeps out the riff-raff… but I kept after it and here we are.

It’s worth it if you’re in the market for a 2001 Ducati ST4, though. This one’s perfect for all y’all who loudly proclaim you don’t need no steenkin’ electronics, and who poopoo motorcycles with excessive horsepower.

If you want even less, you could track down an original ST2, with the 2-valve air-cooled Twin. That was Ducati’s very first sport tourer. This ST4 is almost that bike, but with the 916’s liquid-cooled Desmoquattro L-twin belowdecks. It’s housed in a nice sport-touring frame you could ride anywhere, even at your age – complete with color-matching side bags. What’s a good 916 going for these days, and would you grocery shop on one?

The California Air Resources Board has issued an executive order for Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4R, clearing the way for the long-rumored sportbike to be sold in the state.

The executive order was issued on Dec. 21, 2022, certifying a Kawasaki model going by the code “ZX400SP”.  As we were the first to report last August, Kawasaki had submitted Vehicle Identification Number data for a ZX400SP and a ZX400PP with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, identifying it as being powered by a 399cc four-cylinder engine.

Kawasaki uses the ZX designation for all its Ninja ZX sportbikes, such as the ZX-6R (ZX636), ZX-10R (ZX1002) and ZX-14R (ZX1400), so it’s easy to conclude “ZX400” would represent a Ninja ZX-4R. The ZX-4R is expected to be based on the Ninja ZX-25R (pictured at top) offered in Asian markets, and it goes by the code ZX250.

The ZX400 is also distinct from the existing Ninja 400 and Z400 models as they have different model codes (EX400 and ER400, respectively), and were already separately certified by CARB.

Honda is preparing to add two dual-sport models to it’s U.S. lineup: a CRF300LS and an XR150L. Both models were listed in the latest vehicle certification data released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board, indicating that they will be added to the 2023 lineup.

The regulatory data deals mostly with emissions compliance, but we can make some inferences about both motorcycles based on their names.

2023 Honda CRF300LS

The CRF300LS is obviously a variant on the CRF300L and CRF300L Rally, two models that have been in Honda’s U.S. lineup for a few years now. American Honda has yet to announce the 2023 CRF300L, but its European counterparts announced an update in December. For 2023, the CRF300L receives hand guards and, at least for Europe, a new Swift Gray color option to go with Honda’s usual Extreme Red.

But what’s up with the new “S” variant? We suspect Honda is following Kawasaki’s playbook of introducing a S versions with lower seat heights for the KLX230 and KLR650. The KLX230 S has a seat height of 32.7 inches (compared to 34.8 inches for the KLX230) while the KLR650S offers a 32.1 inch seat height (versus the KLR650’s 34.3-inch seat height). If our guess is right, we can expect the CRF300LS to offer a more manageable seat height than the CRF300L’s 34.7 inches.

The TCX Infinity 3 GTX Boots were constructed to give adventure tourers versatile boots to handle a wide variety of conditions. While the features set includes many of the items that make for a strong touring boot, the two standout features of the Infinity 3 boots are the Gore-Tex waterproofness and the dial fastening system; these place the Infinity 3 in the premium footwear category. The grippy sole and the tall upper with its beefy shin plate impact protection, along with the elasticized gaiter over the rear of the calf to prevent rock and sand ingress, put the boot in the adventure-touring category. 

Beefy construction

The TCX Infinity 3 GTX Boots look to have top-notch construction. The outer consists of a synthetic, leather-like material across the top and the outside of the foot. Technical fabric also wraps over the top of the foot but under the protective synthetic leather flap. The boot’s fit can be adjusted from a firm embrace to a loose grip, depending on your desires, thanks to a fastening system that uses a rotary dial to adjust the tension on a wire lace to cinch the outer closed. This standout feature allows you to adjust the snugness of the fit for the type of riding you plan to do. 

The synthetic leather continues up the boot behind a molded shin plate to protect from stray rocks. The shin plate utilizes two sections of hook-and-loop to allow the top opening to accommodate different-sized calves. The inner portion of the boot that will contact the bike is covered with suede for better grip. The top enclosure of the boot uses an elastic accordion section to help keep debris out of the boots for those who prefer to wear them outside of their pants. The top of the boot, however, can also be easily worn under riding pants and riding jeans. 

The boot interior is kept dry by a Gore-Tex membrane, while the foot’s creature comforts are attended to by a fleece-like liner. The footbed utilizes OrthoLite padding for comfort after long hours in the saddle, whether sitting or standing. Under the footbed, the Groundtrax rubber outsole offers plenty of grip in both pavement and dirt. 

Harley-Davidson turns 120 this year, and to celebrate model year 2023, The Motor Company has turned to its once-every-five-year playbook and unveiled seven limited-edition models to commemorate the occasion. Say hello to the:

But that’s not all; for ’23, Harley is also gracing us with a few more models: the return of the Breakout, the Road Glide 3 Trike, the Nightster Special, and a restyled Freewheeler. More on all of those a little later.

Going back to the anniversary models, as you’d expect, all seven bikes will have special commemorative paint, finishes, and other details – but the CVO Road Glide Limited goes one step further. Being a CVO, its paint is even more special and unique. Plus, only 1,500 examples will be made for the entire world.

To give us more information about the amount of attention paid to all the ’23 models, Harley invited Motorcycle.com to listen in as Brad Richards and Mike Case, Harley’s lead designer and lead engineer, respectively, gave us the inside scoop to the intricate details that went into each bike.

Anniversary Special

Hmmmm, I don’t remember why we didn’t attend the 2003 Honda CBR600RR press launch 20 years ago, but I suspect it had something to do with dear Minime’s legal problems at the time, the exact nature of which I also disremember. What’s important is that that 2003 bike marked the radical departure of Honda into a two-R maker of sportbikes in an era when 600s – and all sportbikes – were top sellers, and it was good. Things change.

Chrissy Rogers and I were toying with the idea of a pre-Christmas blast up the Pacific coast to Hearst Castle for a few days while business was slow, since the weather was an impeccable partly cloudy and 60-ish degrees. That or maybe the Ruta de Vino down Mexico way? Maybe hop in the new-to-me 23-year old Jaguar? Take the train? At the same time, we’re both aware that the two of us in a sealed container works best if the container is at least 1500 square feet, compartmentalized into rooms, and stationary. I tend to get a little worked up driving a car in and out of SoCal when there’s traffic (there’s always traffic), followed by Christine getting worked up at my getting worked up, followed by, why don’t we just hang out here at home and eat and drink and save the money? Because we’re chiselers.

Just then the inbox offered up the news that Ryan Adams was too busy to test the BMW K1600 GT in his garage, and did I want to? Hmmmmm. Interestingly, Rogers has many criticisms of the way I drive automobiles and freely expresses them, but tends to actually approve of my motorcycle riding whenever she climbs off the back of one I’ve been operating. I’m pretty sure I ride the same way I drive, but she’s not buying it.

Editor Score: 92.25%

Maybe she has a point: In the car, you have no choice but to repeatedly work your way around the passing-lane indigents with increasing impatience. On a bike, especially one like the K1600 GT, everything in your path is much less of an obstacle. You’re a big shark in the koi pond. On a white K-bike, lots of people even think you’re a cop coming up behind and GTFO. It’s way more relaxing than being in a car, and that chill vibe probably does radiate to all on board.

Critically, if we’re “testing” the BMW, then MO is picking up the tab. Part of the tab anyway: Brasfield gave the go-ahead for one hotel night and one day’s rations, even if I was thinking more two nights and three days round-trip. Northward, then. San Simeon. Dirt roads in Mexico are really not the place for this motorcycle.

Kawasaki USA and Canada are teasing the launch of two new motorcycles for Feb. 1, and though we don’t 100% know what they are, we can make some educated guesses.

The single teaser image on Kawasaki USA’s homepage depicts two Jet Skis and two motorcycles, all under covers with just the slightest bits visible.

At least one model is expected to be the 2023 Kawasaki H2 SX SE. Kawasaki Europe announced an updated version of the supercharged sport-tourer at EICMA, giving the H2 SX an automatic high beam, but it hasn’t been added to the U.S. lineup yet.

The Auto High Beam (AHB) uses sensors to detect the brightness of other vehicles and streetlights and automatically switches on the high beam as needed. The system operates only in darkness at speeds above 20 kph (12 mph) with the dimmer/passing switch set to high beam.