7 - 2022 | Road Dirt

Triumph at the Baja Aragon Rally

Posted by Road Dirt Crew | Jul 27, 2022 | Bikes & Gear, Industry & Racing |

Triumph Motorcycles has been not-so-secretly working on a pair of dirtbikes in recent years, a motocross and an enduro, even as they’ve produced class-leading adventure motorcycles through the years. We had the chance to ride and review the Tiger 900 Rally back two years ago, and found it a fantastic all-around motorcycle. Now a Tiger 900 has won a prestigious off-road endurance race in Europe, in the capable hands of 5-time Enduro world champ Iván Cervantes, who also happens to be a part of the overall Triumph Enduro project.

2nd Annual Sturgis Rally Wrap Party

Posted by Road Dirt Crew | Jul 25, 2022 | Ride Life, Rides & Roads |

Once again benefitting the Treasured Lives Foundation, established to help end sex trafficking in South Dakota, Why We Ride and MOTOvational Inc. are partnering with them to open a crisis house for those rescued, and provide the means to a fresh start in life. The Sturgis Wrap Party will donate all proceeds to this cause, something many motorcyclists are very passionate about.

Fighting the Giant

Posted by Ted Edwards | Jul 22, 2022 | Industry & Racing, Ride Life |

Don’t be surprised if you have never heard of Max Flinders. Some have, most have not. However that is part of the underdog script, unknown, under the radar and under-supported. Such is Max Flinders. Max has never won a MotoAmerica Superbike race and never finished on the podium. If you want to find his name on the race results you have to scan down toward the middle. He has few sponsors, no entourage, and his truck driver is also named Max Flinders because, well, it’s him.

Legendary Bikes- Christian Sarron’s Yamaha YZR500

Posted by Rob Brooks | Jul 20, 2022 | Bikes & Gear, Industry & Racing |

The old adage, “Race on Sunday, sell on Monday” was practically a mantra for motorcycle brands and their dealerships back in the 1970s-1990s. With the popularity of motorcycles here Stateside and the sell-out crowds at motorcycle races, the manufacturers often developed race bikes then would incorporate what they observed and learned into their street legal machines. Even the livery of their factory race motorcycles would be painted on street (and dirt) bikes, making them even more desirable to potential buyers. Cases in point- the HRC Repsol Honda replicas, the Kenny Roberts Yamaha paint schemes, among others. The brands still do that occasionally today, with the “Ago Superveloce”, Suzuki’s MotoGP Winners series, and the 2022 Yamaha XSR900, a throwback to the factory YZR500 two-stroke French rider Christian Sarron raced in the late 1980s.

The Budget Biker: Eat Right, Ride Cheap

Posted by J. Joshua Placa | Jul 18, 2022 | Nuts & Bolts, Ride Life |

Does it sometimes feel like a foreclosure sign has been hung on your head? Everyone seems in a funk, and just too poor to spare any fun. Or maybe just the fiscal fear of fun is enough to keep you home, where there’s free TV and a nice, cushy couch to nap away your troubles.

Like everybody else, motorcyclists have been suffering through this plague and sputtering economy. But this does not mean we have to cry like a bunch of babies, stay home, and mumble about the days we could afford food and gas. We just need to be a little more creative, tighten our chains and use our brains. There are ways, my broke friend, to stretch nothing into something.
Wily veterans have long used sneaky, well-kept secrets and crafty tricks to get the most out of what’s left of their last oily, tattered dollar. Riding relieves stress and puts miles between you and the revenuers and bill collectors. The plan is so simple you’ll wonder why you’ve been moping around like a sissy who lost his lollipop.

Dunlop-Pirelli Tires Wet Handling Shootout

Posted by Ted Edwards | Jul 15, 2022 | Bikes & Gear, Ride Life |

Speeding up might have ended the misery sooner but that had its own perils. Adding high speeds to wet and cold conditions is a pure confidence move- confidence in your bike, your riding skills, but most of all, your tires. This fiasco was part of Road Dirt’s summer tire shootout.

Sneak Peek: Triumph TE-1 Electric Prototype

Posted by Road Dirt Crew | Jul 12, 2022 | Bikes & Gear |

Rumors have flown for several years of Triumph’s dabbling in the electric motorcycle pond. Those rumors are now proven true, and they are definitely doing more than dabbling. With the development and recent testing of their TE-1 electric prototype, it’s fair to say Triumph Motorcycles is jumping in with the full monty. We recently received some early press info about the bike, with some killer photos and track test footage.

Gagne Takes Control At Laguna Seca

Posted by Road Dirt Crew | Jul 11, 2022 | Industry & Racing |

For the first time this season, 2021 defending MotoAmerica Superbike champion Jake Gagne leads the points chase after double wins at this weekend’s GEICO Motorcycle Speedfest at Laguna Seca. The Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing rider did what he does best, clearing off at the start both days, putting down quick and consistent laps and then maintaining his lead to the finish. That’s Gagne’s fourth win in a row and his seventh on the year, and he now leads the championship by three points.

Riding The Storm Out

Posted by Rob Brooks | Jul 8, 2022 | Ride Life, Rides & Roads |

If you ride motorcycles long enough, you’ll either find yourself caught in a storm, or you’ll find yourself with no choice but to ride through one. Either way, “riding the storm out” (props to REO Speedwagon’s classic tune) is a common experience we eventually all share. And as with many experiences out on the road, we often recall it with a smile we didn’t wear in the middle of it. Ted calls that, “Type II Fun.”