Since its introduction in 2014, much has been written about KTM's 1290 Super Duke R (dubbed "The Beast"). And for good reason; the bike has been a top contender in every "Super Naked" bike test since its entry into the category and KTM has revised the model twice: once in 2016 with updated electronics (read... Continue Reading →
Part Panigale, part Monster, Ducati's Supersport seeks to split the difference between the modern naked and sport bike by combining the best of both worlds. Does Ducati's latest revival manage to achieve that fine balance? Ducati 900 SS (Super Sport), circa 1992 For the longest time, Ducati has been exploring ways to blend the soul... Continue Reading →
Ducati's Monster 821 (MSRP $13,395 CDN) was a controversial pivot for the Bologna brand, as it moved the Monster line away from their iconic 2 valve-per-cylinder air cooled motors (the latest contingent were the 696, 796 and 1100 variants which were later brought back in the Scrambler and later, the Monster 797). So, what did Ducati... Continue Reading →
We've been riding the FZ-09 (MT-09 in Europe) intermittently since 2014, throughout its 40,000 km life and have reached a verdict on just about every aspect of what's good and bad about this budget-priced middleweight naked bike. We've also performed a long list of modifications that help get the most of of the platform and... Continue Reading →
More and more bikes come equipped from the factory with quickshifters today, so it's only natural that aftermarket solutions have matured to cater to the remaining market. This is the case for Annitori's QS Pro Quickshifter which is the topic of this review. What It Is Like most aftermarket quickshifters, the QS Pro is a strain-gauge-based... Continue Reading →
Why is fueling in modern motorcycles such a prevalent issue? One would think that manufacturers such as Ducati, Honda, Yamaha, Aprilia (...), with their deep technical knowledge, should be able to build a bike that has spot-on fueling from the factory. Alas, this is not the case and there a many reasons for it, few... Continue Reading →
What makes a bike great? Fast on the track? Comfortable? Good for commuting? Brings out your inner-hooligan? After a year, 7,000kms and a few essential mods, we're here to deliver our verdict on what kind of bike the latest Hypermotard SP is, in the real world. Model History The Hypermotard 939 is actually the 3rd... Continue Reading →
"Naked bike" or sportbike? Superbike or "supernaked"? 10 years ago, the answer to this question was much more obvious -"supernakeds" didn't exist, so it was more a matter of "how fast do you want to go". For many, the answer was "real fast" and that fuelled the sportbike craze that carried well into the new... Continue Reading →
We rode Ducati's flagship superbike on the street to see if ordinary humans could live with one. The results may surprise you. The word "Panigale" was first introduced by Ducati in 2011, when the original 1199 Panigale was announced. The name comes from Ducati's hometown (Borgo Panigale in Italy), so it's no surprise that the Panigale... Continue Reading →
"The Beast" in one of 2 standard liveries (Special Edition livery also available for 2016)The KTM 1290 Super Duke R has been the subject of much media attention since its launch in 2014, winning "Motorcycle of the Year" from multiple publications and earning praise across the globe. Does it deserve the hype? We spent an afternoon... Continue Reading →
