Rider articles from April 2003

Rider archives from April 2003

Long-distance runaround. (One-Track Mind).(new hogs)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2003... It's been so busy around here lately that I haven't had a chance to ride any of our long-term test bikes, just the newly arrived machines. As soon as I finish with one of them, like the BMW in this issue, I have to jump on another. So when...

Response.
April 1, 2003... King of Controversy In regards to February's Big-Bore Bagger by Mark Tuttle Jr., give me one sound reason why I would ever pay 20-30 percent over an already inflated MSRP for a 752-pound machine that puts less than 65 horsepower to the...

Tomahawk. (Kickstarts).(new hog by Chrysler)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Dodge recently unveiled this radical concept "motorcycle" at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit last January. With a 500-horsepower, 8.3-liter (505-cubic-inch) Viper V-10 engine powering dual rear wheels, the 1,500-pound...

AMA tours. (Kickstarts).(American Motorcyclist Association)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Whoops--we left an important listing out of our guide to domestic tour operators in the February 2003 issue. Here are the AMA'S offerings in the same format: Tours: Redwood Coast, Raising Route 66. Canadian Atlantic Maritimes, Conquer the...

2004 Yamaha FJR1300/FJR1300ABS. (Kickstarts).(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2003... Following a complete sellout last year, the Yamaha FJR1300 will return for 2004 with several refinements, including revised suspension settings, a 4-inch taller windshield, larger 320mm brake rotors up front, an inner-fairing-mounted glovebox,...

2004 BMW Rockster/Twin Spark. (Kickstarts).
April 1, 2003... BMW has announced that the concept bike it unveiled for the first time at the Munich Intermot show last September will be a reality for 2003. Based upon the R1150R Roadster, the R1150R Rockster is a sportier MTV version. Both bikes use the same...

Ridin' the web. (Kickstarts).(Directory)
April 1, 2003... www.sabergear.com Check out these innovative thigh packs for motorcycling. www.canadianmotorcycleadvetures.com A new tour company offering the best of Ontario province. www.powerletproducts.com/index.html Plugs, sockets,...

Pyrenees training ride. (Kickstarts).(Iberian Moto Tours)
April 1, 2003... Did Iberian Moto Tours' "Perfect Pyrenees" tour (Rider, February 2003, Fiesta and Siesta-) sound like your bota bag? If so, you'll be keen to know that IMT offers that very tour with training from our own Mr. Safety," Larry Grodsky. On this one...

Indian Chief Vintage. (Kickstarts).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... In response to some vibration and noise problems we had with a 2003 Indian Chief Springfield during its road test in the March 2003 issue, Indian Motorcycle Company investigated and says it discovered an improperly tightened (read: loose) nut...

Inside Gore-Tex: what does that label mean, anyway? (Riding Around).
April 1, 2003... A lot of motorcycle riding gear and other outdoor apparel carries a Gore-Tex label or hang tag, including the Firstgear Eco Gore-Tex suit evaluated on page 99. But have you ever wondered what that label entails? The folks at Gore-Tex...

Gran Turismo: The 2003 BMW K1200GT. (Rider Test).(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2003... Gran Turismo means Grand Touring--GT for short. It's a rarely used designation in the motorcycle world, perhaps because of the potential for associating "Grand" with "Large," or "Touring" with "Slow." But the GT suffix actually has its roots...

Ducati corse 2003: inside the new 999 and 749 Superbikes. (Ridden & Rated).(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2003... Ducati has pinned the throttle and revamped its entire sportbike line for 2003. We've had the opportunity to briefly ride most of the eight new bikes at various introductions here and abroad. Here is a report on the 999 and 749 Superbikes--next...

Stop and stall. (Tech Q&A).
April 1, 2003... Q: I have a 1996 Triumph 900 Adventurer with a K&N air filter and DynoJet kit. It also has the factory "off-road" mufflers. The problem is that under severe braking, the engine cuts out and leaves me stalled, often in the middle of a busy...

Gericke Eco Gore-Tex suit. (Shop Talk: Gear).
April 1, 2003... Are you the active type who loves not only motorcycling, but lots of outdoor sports? Then check out this Eco Gore-Tex jacket and pants combo from Gericke. With its removable armor and permanent waterproof Gore-Tex liner, this ensemble can go...

BackOff-MC Brake Light Module. (Shop Talk: Gear).(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2003... Having a car or truck slam into the back of my motorcycle while I'm slowing or stopped in traffic is something I never want to happen. Yet with all of the driver distractions out there (cell phones, videos, navigation systems, laptops, mobile...

Avon Azaro tires. (Shop Talk: Gear).(new products)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2003... The 2.2-mile road course at Spring Mountain Motorsports Park in Pahrump, Nevada, is a motorcyclist's dream. Although it is used by all kinds of vehicles, the elevation changes and a variety of corners on the very technical track make it seem...

The Eclipse Virtual Expandable Magnetic Tanktote. (Product Spotlight).(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2003... The Eclipse Virtual Expandable Magnetic Tanktote is a midsized tankbag measuring 12 inches by 10 inches by 5 inches (expanding to 8). Unexpanded the Virtual holds 10 liters of contents and is held firmly to the tank by eight powerful disc...

AX-1 MK II Ventilated Rainsuit. (Product Spotlight).(new products)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2003... Lots of rainwear can keep the rain out, but some makes you sweat like a sauna, or costs more because of its ventilation. Not the new AX-1 MK II Ventilated Rainsuit from Nelson-Rigg. The AX-1 is made from PVC-coated polyester that repels water,...

MH Instruments. (Product Spotlight).(new products)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2003... MH Instruments has a new generation of Rumble Road amplified stereo speakers with stainless-steel grilles and new, higher-gain, integrated amplifiers that boost the volume through the 4-inch coaxial Blaupunkt speakers. This results in better...

Metzeler. (Product Spotlight).(etzeler)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Metzeler recently introduced three new ME880 tire sizes for Baggers amid Dressers. First are ME880 wide whitewalls available in matching 130/90-16 front and 130/90-16 rear sizes, and a brand-new, wider 140/90-16 upgrade-size rear. They feature...