Rob Brooks

Shark Infested Waters: Buell Hammerhead 1190

Posted by Rob Brooks | Oct 4, 2021 | Bikes & Gear |

Buell Motorcycle Co. pulled the wraps off their debut entrant back into the motorcycle scene with the sleek and powerful Hammerhead 1190, and are set to take reservations beginning November 1, 2021. The revived moto brand first teased the Hammerhead as well as a few other upcoming models back early in the year, and now appears ready to make good on their production promises. They’ve coined a marketing phrase, “Buell is Back” to call attention to the return of the legendary American racing marquee, and now seem set to deliver.

Swinging a Slingshot

Posted by Rob Brooks | Sep 22, 2021 | Bikes & Gear |

For the past couple of years, several of the Road Dirt crew have periodically nudged me, saying, “We should review a Polaris Slingshot.” I’ve resisted, declaring, “We are Road Dirt MOTORCYCLE Media. The Slingshot is not a motorcycle.” I was bound to eat my words eventually.
A couple of months back, Polaris reached out to us via Kelly with The Brand Amp (their marketing partners), asking if we’d be interested in sampling a 2021 Slingshot SL for a couple of weeks. To the guffaws and “I told you so” ribbings of my compatriots, I of course agreed, and subsequently dined on my words.
As we would say down here in the Deep South, “That thing is a hoot to drive.”

Against The Wind

Posted by Rob Brooks | Aug 20, 2021 | Nuts & Bolts |

Some years back on a cross-country excursion with my old riding pal Mike, while crossing Oklahoma and north Texas westbound on I-40, we found ourselves struggling against 30-40 mph winds blowing north, pushing on us from our left. At highway speed (doing about 75-80), passing or being passed by semis and the crazy turbulence they generate, Mike and I literally had our hands full keeping our luggage-laden touring bikes in our lane. The winds howled two days against us, determined to toss us into the ditch or under some truck’s tires. But we prevailed, albeit completely exhausted. Quite the nerve-wracking stint in the saddle, to say the least.

Back In The Saddle Again

Posted by Rob Brooks | Aug 16, 2021 | Industry & Racing |

Toni Elias just fired a shot across the bow of every racer and team in the MotoAmerica paddock at PittRace this past weekend.

The Doctor Departs

Posted by Rob Brooks | Aug 6, 2021 | Industry & Racing |

We all knew it was impending, even though we secretly wished it would never end. After 26 seasons and nine world championships, seven of which in the Premier class, motorcycle racing legend Valentino Rossi has announced he will call it quits at the end of this 2021 MotoGP season. Nothing lasts forever in this life, and Rossi’s ride had to pit in eventually.

Jake Breaks Record At Brainerd

Posted by Rob Brooks | Aug 2, 2021 | Industry & Racing |

Jake Gagne made history on Sunday at Brainerd International Raceway in Minnesota, the Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha rider racing to his 11th straight MotoAmerica HONOS Superbike win, breaking a record set jointly by four-time AMA Superbike Champion Josh Hayes and five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier.

Triumph Returning To The Dirt

Posted by Rob Brooks | Jul 21, 2021 | Industry & Racing |

Now it appears the legendary brand is preparing to dip their toes back in the dedicated dirt arena. Triumph Motorcycles recently announced that development is well underway on a comprehensive range of all-new competition Motocross and Enduro motorcycles. Joining their globally renowned range of street, track and ADV motorcycles, this all-new competition MX and Enduro (Dual Sport) family will bring all of Triumph’s engineering expertise to dirt riders and racers worldwide.

Evolution to Revolution

Posted by Rob Brooks | Jul 13, 2021 | Bikes & Gear |

There’s a new Sportster in town. After getting a look at it via press releases, photos and some ride footage (coming soon), while we wax nostalgic over the long, storied history of the iconic motorcycle, we like what we see with this new iteration. Apparently the first in a whole new lineup of Sportsters, this S model strikes a mean pose that is quite appealing. Traditional styling cues are visible throughout, but that new Revolution Max 1250 v-twin coupled with those 2-into-2 right side high pipes and chopped tail, just strikes a nice pose. Looks fast, even standing still.

Harley-Davidson Launches LiveWire ONE

Posted by Rob Brooks | Jul 9, 2021 | Bikes & Gear, Industry & Racing |

The future of motorcycling is coming, and it is electric. Resistance is futile. EVs are here to stay, and nearly every motorcycle brand is working R&D to develop machines for this rapidly emerging segment. We sampled a few last year, Harley’s first LiveWire in early 2020, then the Zero Motorcycles SR/F and SR/S. We came away pleasantly surprised and impressed with all three. The Harley in particular had insane torque, acceleration and speed, and though introduced rather pricey for most tastes, the bike showcased a new direction the legendary brand was willing to venture into.