2 - 2025 | Road Dirt

Spotlight: 50 Years of CMA

Posted by Rob Brooks | Feb 27, 2025 | Ride Life |

My initial contact with CMA (Christian Motorcyclists Association) came in 1998, when I was invited by a friend to a local chapter meeting and dinner. The group convened monthly in a fire station cafeteria, and one of the first CMAers I met that night was a big bearded burly guy who approached me and introduced himself as “Rev”. As I extended my hand, he instead reached past and gave me a back-popping bear hug, declaring, “You are welcome here, brother!”
Within months, I was a patched-in member, and I’ve never left.

Gateway To Greener Fields: Uncle Gary’s VFR

Posted by Ted Edwards | Feb 25, 2025 | Ride Life |

If I showed you a picture of my uncle Gary’s motorcycle you would conjure up the image of the stereotypical risk-taking sport bike rider. You know them: road rashed leathers, surgical scars, pointy collarbones punctuated from fractures, two bum knees and an endless list of speeding tickets from multiple states stapled to stories of hooliganism. You would not picture Gary Edwards, a tall, athletic basketball player with a high IQ and a closet of neat suits. But oh how he loved his machines. Most of all, his 2001 Honda VFR.

5th Annual Hot Shoe Hall of Fame

Posted by Geoff & Barb Nickless | Feb 20, 2025 | Industry & Racing |

2025 saw an additional 50 inductees into The Hot Shoe Hall of Fame. A Lifetime Achievement Award honoring the great Malcom Smith was received on his behalf by Ed Burke of Yamaha. Malcom, although no longer with us, was one of those people who truly loved everything about motorcycles.

MZ’s Moto Memories: Yamaha Road Star Warrior

Posted by Mark Zweig | Feb 18, 2025 | Legendary Bikes |

I had never owned or even ridden a “power cruiser,” and even though I had owned a couple H-D Sportsters by then. I was really more of a sportbike or “standard” kind of guy. But there was something that appealed to me about that Warrior besides its blacked out looks and the 135 ft lbs of torque churned out from its massive V-Twin. It had sportbike style wheels on it, and dual front discs. It looked like I could actually RIDE the thing. So impulsively, I bought it. I think I paid $5500 which was about half of what it had cost new.

100 Miles on a Triumph Speed Twin 1200 RS

Posted by Rob Brooks | Feb 13, 2025 | Bikes & Gear |

Triumph’s quintessential big Bonney is the epitome of classic Brit bike style, yet utilizing all the modern tech we’ve come to expect in our motorbikes- EFI, ABS, adjustable suspension, various ride modes, etc. The Street Twin 1200 rolls with upright ergos, solid shifting and braking, light and responsive handling, and that nostalgic Triumph vibe one can only experience on a Bonneville. I’m biased admittedly, owning a 2017 Bonney 900 myself, and having grown up around them with my Triumph-riding father back many moons ago. I love these motorcycles.

Resurrecting A Laverda, Part 2

Posted by Neale Bayly | Feb 11, 2025 | Legendary Bikes |

Then one fateful day my enthusiasm got ahead of my abilities, both mechanically and financially, and I decided to do a complete restoration from the ground up. The frame got shot blasted and painted and I started pulling the engine to bits. Unfortunately, travels came, children came, careers came and the parts just ended up moving from location to location in boxes. With all the growing responsibilities of family life, spending money on an old box of bits grew further and further from the front burner.

The Little Sportster That Could

Posted by Mike Boyd | Feb 6, 2025 | Legendary Bikes, Ride Life |

It was the summer of 1984. I was riding my Harley-Davidson FLH to California with my wife at the time, on one of our many road trip adventures. We stopped in Flagstaff, Arizona and visited the Harley shop, mostly because we were always looking for more oil for the Harley. As I walked in the front door, they were using a new black XLX Sportster for a doorstop to keep the front door open.

Cardo Comms in Peru

Posted by Neale Bayly | Feb 3, 2025 | Bikes & Gear |

Arriving in Arequipa a week earlier, we were greeted with a plethora of “to do” items as we got ready to take seven riders on their first motorcycle tour in Peru. With Chip having had a job launching the Space Shuttle in his previous life, I asked if he would install the Cardo PACKTALK EDGE Duo units into our helmets. I was more than a little consumed with minutia as well as being a mechanical and electrical Muppet. I have a Klim adventure helmet and Chip wears a Bell Qualifier with built-in comms pocket.