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Retro/Vintage Motorcycle Reviews

Retrospective: 1974 Norton Commando 850 John Player Replica

This was a minor marketing coup: Dress up a stock Norton Commando to look like the genuine race motorcycles that had been doing well...

2017 Yamaha SCR950 | First Look Review

When Yamaha introduced the “neo-retro” XSR900 for 2016, which combines old-school styling with the modern, crossplane triple of the FZ-09, it launched the XSR...

Retrospective: 1978-1979 Suzuki GS1000

There is horsepower, and there is handling. Beginning in 1969, the Japanese were quickly winning the horsepower wars, but the Europeans had a far...

Concept Bike: BMW Motorrad R 5 Hommage

At the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, held in Cernobbio, Italy, on the picturesque shores of Lake Como, BMW Motorrad marked the 80th anniversary of...

2016 Yamaha XSR900 | First Ride Review

Without a doubt, one of the most exciting engines to come along in the last couple of years is Yamaha’s 847cc in-line triple. Churning...

Retrospective: Suzuki SP500: 1981-1983

Here was an extremely enjoyable dual-purpose big single, a trail bike, with reasonable suspension and good manners. And a honkin’ great 500cc engine, knocking...

2016 Triumph Street Twin | Road Test Review

In the 1960s and ’70s, Triumph sold more motorcycles in the U.S. than in the rest of the world combined. A great many of those bikes...

2016 Triumph Thruxton R | First Ride Review

Read our 2016 Triumph Bonneville T120 Black review About the Thruxton: Take everything you just read about the T120, and toss it out the window....

2016 Triumph Bonneville T120 Black – First Ride Review

Hustling the new 2016 Triumph T120 through blustery ocean breezes somewhere east of Cabo da Roca—the westernmost point of continental Europe—I had to admit:...

Retrospective: Ducati Monza Junior 160: 1964-1970

You can credit the Berliner brothers with this one. Joe and Mike had decided to make their fortunes by importing European (including British) motorcycles,...

Retrospective: Ariel 4G Square Four 1,000cc: 1937-1959

The magnificent Squariel! This one-liter engine was, in effect, two overhead-valve parallel twins standing vertically, with the two crankshafts geared together and all four...

Retrospective: Ducati 860 GT and GTE: 1974-1975

When descriptions of a motorcycle run like this: “exceedingly ugly,” “slab-sided ugly duckling,” “Stateside reception...barely rose to lukewarm,” “judged a disaster,” it might well...

Moto Guzzi Announces New 2016/2017 Models

Moto Guzzi is rolling out several new models for 2016 and 2017. Joining the Stone, Special and Racer models in the V7 II line...

2016 Triumph Street Twin | First Ride Review

Photography by Alessio Barbanti and Matteo Cavadini At Milan’s EICMA Show last November (2015), Triumph presented five new parallel-twin motorcycles powered by all-new liquid-cooled engines—one...

Retrospective: Yamaha XJ600S Seca II 600cc: 1992-1998

Sometimes we motorcyclists like to think our sport is relatively immune to the ups and downs of the world’s financial markets...but it ain’t so....

Retrospective: Honda CL360 Scrambler: 1974 – 1975

Back in 1972, Honda determined that its immensely successful CB/CL350 OHC twin should continue to move forward...albeit slowly. But just how much change can...

Triumph Revamps Bonneville Lineup for 2016

Triumph has announced an all-new Bonneville lineup for 2016, with five models: the new Street Twin, the Bonneville T120 and Bonneville T120 Black, and...

Retrospective: Bobber: 1945 to Present (1947 Indian Chief)

Look up “bobber” in a conventional dictionary, and the definition talks about a float on a fishing line. Try Wikipedia: “A bobber is a...

Royal Enfield Launches in North America

Royal Enfield has announced its first wholly-owned subsidiary outside India, in North America. This announcement is in line with Royal Enfield’s focused international thrust...

Retrospective: Suzuki RG500 Gamma: 1985-1986

Sportbikes are one thing, street-legal repli-racers patterned on GP bikes are quite another. Both are intended for public roads, and while both are extremely...

Retrospective: Honda CL175 Scrambler: 1968-1973

There certainly were lots of variations of Honda’s 175 twin over its six years on the market, from Super Sport to Motosport, with the...

Retrospective: Amazonas 1600: 1977-1989

This motorcycle was a result of economic solutions rather than engineering designs, which may explain its questionable status as one of the worst motorcycles...

Retrospective: Rumi Turismo 125: 1950-1956

After World War II ended, dozens of Italian companies began producing small motorcycles and motor scooters to provide the local folk with some sort...

Rider Comparo: 2015 Ducati Scrambler vs. Triumph Scrambler

Most of the time, an awful lot of brainwork goes into researching the purchase of a new motorcycle. Facts, figures, statistics, capacity, performance, road...

Retrospective: Velocette MAC 350: 1934-1960

The reader may be surprised that this motorcycle is not in more immaculate condition, having a shabby saddle, abbreviated aluminum front fender, chromed oil...

2014 Honda CB1100 Deluxe | Long-Term Review

At the very first glance, the CB1100 parked outside the Rider office had me by the eyeballs. Appraising its Candy Red paint and clean,...

Hercules W2000 and Suzuki RE5 | A Short History of Wankel-Powered Motorcycles

In March 1972, Cycle Guide suggested it was “inevitable that the Wankel rotary engine will shortly invade the 2-wheel domain…and they just might take...

Retrospective: Harley-Davidson M65S Sport Leggero: 1967-197

This is one cool-looking motorcycle, with Harley-Davidson writ large on the gas tank and molded into the crankcases. A bit on the small side,...

2015 Moto Guzzi V7 Racer Special Edition – First Look

Designed by Lino Tonti, one of the most iconic Moto Guzzis of the past is the 1971 V7 Sport Telaio Rosso, with its red...

Video Review | 2015 Ducati Scrambler

With its reborn Scrambler, Ducati wants to take us back to those simpler, more carefree times, when we rode just for the fun of...

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