Road Dirt Crew

Legendary Bikes: 1977-79 Harley-Davidson XLCR

Posted by Road Dirt Crew | Mar 19, 2021 | Legendary Bikes |

The first time I ever beheld a Harley-Davidson XLCR Cafe’ Racer, I was awestruck. A friend had stowed a motorcycle magazine (don’t remember which one) in his book satchel, and during class had it opened inside his class textbook, acting like he was paying attention to the teacher. I sat behind and just to the left of him, sneaking peeks occasionally as he silently perused the pages. When he fell on a full-page, center-mag advertisement of the XLCR, my eyes widened. I poked him in the shoulder, keeping an eye on the teacher, and motioned for him to let me see the ad. He slipped me the magazine, which I tucked underneath my desk, then inched it into my lap to have a better look. The two-page spread was a visual feast to my youthful eyes. Wow. I’d never seen a motorcycle so cool, so mean, so utterly bad-@$$ looking. I was in love. “If ever I get to buy a street bike, I want that one,” I quietly mused to myself.

Under A Blood Red Moon

Posted by Road Dirt Crew | Mar 5, 2021 | Ride Life, Rides & Roads |

I freaked out as I didn’t understand what was happening above me.
The full moon was slowly turning from a bright white to a burgundy red color right before my eyes. It was like a scene from a bad horror movie where the plot was something along the lines of an evil witch/vampire/sorcerer who had been locked away in an eroding iron cell for centuries, only to regain their powers on the eve of a rising blood moon that only took place once every five-hundred years.

Buell Fuels A Comeback

Posted by Road Dirt Crew | Feb 19, 2021 | Bikes & Gear, Industry & Racing |

Erik Buell himself has no affiliation with the brand carrying his namesake, focusing his energies instead on an electric motorcycle and bicycle enterprise known as Fuell. Kind of strange, we agree. But, we’re glad to see the return of a legendary American sport bike company, and we wish them the very best. The Buell name has always been synonymous with innovation, cutting edge design, and of course, speed. We look forward to seeing and sampling their machines in the coming months and years.

The Fast Girls

Posted by Road Dirt Crew | Feb 10, 2021 | Industry & Racing, Ride Life |

Last year, in the midst of a pandemic, Royal Enfield launched a groundbreaking initiative called “Build. Train. Race.” The program was designed to involve women in building and racing their own custom flat track motorcycles, using the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 platform. They would then be trained by pro racers and teams, would procure sponsorships, then race their creations in selected American Flat Track rounds.

Legendary Bikes: Board Track Racing

Posted by Road Dirt Crew | Feb 5, 2021 | Industry & Racing, Legendary Bikes |

No one will argue that it takes guts to race any motorcycle. Modern motorbike racing continues to excite and thrill in a way that no other sport can match. Even the most hardened Formula 1 or NASCAR fans will concede that those who risk life and limb on board these two-wheeled rockets are of a different breed.

Harley Reveals HardWire Plan

Posted by Road Dirt Crew | Feb 2, 2021 | Industry & Racing |

Harley-Davidson saw their stocks tumble $96 million in the 4th quarter, even as they revealed their new “HardWire” initiative, a 5-year plan intended to scale back and focus on their primary “breadwinners”- the large displacement touring, cruiser and trike segments.

Harley-Davidson 2021 Virtual Launch

Posted by Road Dirt Crew | Jan 20, 2021 | Bikes & Gear, Industry & Racing |

Harley-Davidson took to the Internet for their 2021 new models unveiling, holding their first-ever “Virtual Launch” January 19. To participate, invitees registered via a link to the showcase site, and at 11:00am EST, the launch went active. We at Road Dirt tuned in, and we must say, it was quite the production.

Honda Takes 1st & 2nd At Dakar

Posted by Road Dirt Crew | Jan 15, 2021 | Industry & Racing |

The Dakar Rally Raid of 2021 concluded in dramatic fashion, as the Monster Energy Honda Team claimed an historic 1st and second place on the podium. After 12 grueling stages across 14 days of circumnavigating the Saudi peninsula, across some of the world’s most inhospitable terrain and conditions, Kevin Benavides of Argentina and 2020 defending champion Ricky Brabec bested all comers to take the coveted top rungs in the coastal city of Jedda, where the race both began and ended. Great Britain’s Sam Sunderland took an impressive 3rd place on the platform, riding the Red Bull KTM Factory 450.

Dakar Rally 2021

Posted by Road Dirt Crew | Jan 11, 2021 | Industry & Racing |

The new year kicked off with the most grueling race on the planet, the annual Dakar Rally. In its second year hosted by Saudi Arabia, the race is circumnavigating the Saudi peninsula, covering over 4600 miles in 13 days, with one day reserved for rest and repairs. The race kicked off on January 3 in the Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and will ultimately conclude there on January 15. In between, riders and drivers in all classes must traverse some of the most desolate, unforgiving, barren terrain on the earth.