Rider articles from June 2003

Rider archives from June 2003

Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3. (One-Track Mind).(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2003... What?! A year has already passed since our last Bike of the Year issue? It seems like just last week we took a BMW R1150GS Adventure, Honda Interceptor, Kawasaki ZZ-R1200 and Suzuki V-Strom on one last back-to-back ride to verify our...

Response.(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2003... Off the Beaten Path Regarding April's Riding the Divide... that was a fantastic article by Clement Salvadori! I looked long and hard at those adventure tourers before I made my new bike purchase recently. I figured that I would never...

2004 Ducati S4R. (Kickstarts).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... High mufflers, a single-sided rear swingarm, a 996 superbike engine, fully adjustable suspension and cafe-racer styling are just a few of the eye-catching features on Ducati's latest Monster, the S4R. This bike will be an early release for...

BMW BoxerCup. (Kickstarts).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Italian racer Roberto Panichi (99) and American rider Brian Parriott (46) crossed the finish line in a side-by-side photo finish in the BMW BoxerCup race at Daytona Speedway last March. After a review by race officials, the victory went to...

Ridin' the Web.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... www.chromeheads.org Dedicated to the BMW R1200 family of motorcycles their owners and those who have an interest in the bikes www.bmwridetherworld.com Xplor a new adventure-touring section of the www.bmwmotorcycles.com Web site....

Congestion relief. (Kickstarts).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Following the levy of a $790 daily charge upon four-wheeled motorists traveling into central London, motorcycle traffic there has increased to the point that finding a parking place for one can actually be a problem in some parts of the city....

FDNY Dream Bike. (Kickstarts).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The FDNY Dream Bike is the culmination of 15 months of work by large corporations, local shops and individuals who donated time and effort to complete this worthy project. Of the 343 New York firefighters who perished on 9-11, this machine--a...

We're still here. (Kickstarts).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... With 2002 sales up another 9.4 percent, the U.S. motorcycle market is celebrating its tenth consecutive year of rising sales. In 2001, new unit motorcycle sales topped 850,000 in the fourth straight year of double-digit increases. Continued...

HP Shootout. (Kickstarts).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The SuperFlow AMI Brute Horsepower Shootout record was smashed during Bike Week at Daytona last March when Kent Stotz's Honda Rider's Club of America and Turbo Charged by Velocity Racing-backed CBR1100XX became the first motorcycle ever to...

Vee-licious: The 2003 Suzuki SV1000S. (Rider Test).(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2003... Remember the "Year of the V-Twin?" In the mid-'90s Ducati started whuppin' the 750cc in-line fours at the track with its 1,000cc 90-degree V-twins. So by 1997-wham--both Honda and Suzuki had introduced 90-degree V-twin street sportbikes. ...

Rider's '03 Motorcycle of the Year: our tribute to the top new bike and product innovation of 2003.
June 1, 2003... Your mission, should you decide to accept it: Compile a list of the most important all-new or significantly changed motorcycles for 2003. Next, pare the list down to a few serious contenders--pull an all-nighter if you have to. Finally, from...

Super-serious 600s: the first trio of 2-Oh!-Oh!-3s.(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2003... Three of the major Japanese manufacturers--Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha--have introduced all-new or substantially revamped 600-class sportbikes for 2003. England's Triumph will soon follow suit with a new 600 Daytona. The trend among these...

Keep your cool: if you can take the heat, get out of the kitchen.(riding in hot weather)
June 1, 2003... Years ago, contributor Bill Stermer arid then Tech Editor Bob Price and I rode round-trip to Cody, Wyoming, from Southern California--in August. It was a trek of two 600-mile-plus days in temperatures as high as 116 degrees. At one stop, I...

Spirited petcock. (Tech Q&A).
June 1, 2003... Q: The petcock on my 2003 Honda Spirit 750 keeps shifting from the on to off position while I'm riding. Because of the close proximity of the petcock to the seat, I suspect that either my clothing or leg are brushing it and moving the...

IXS Grace jacket. (Gear).(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2003... OK, so why is a man writing about a 3/4-length riding jacket made exclusively for women? No, I'm not a cross-dresser--I don't have the closet space. Seriously, the wife Genie and I like to ride two-up, and as the editor's copilot, by now she...

Rydon by Rudy Project. (Product Spotlight).(versatile high-performance sunglass)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Unifying seamlessly advanced design technology materials science, the Rydon by Rudy Project blends cutting-edge ergonomic features with advanced materials to create a super-lightweight, versatile high-performance sunglass. Rydon's are uniquely...

Suzuki SV650 and SV1000. (Product Spotlight).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Suzuki SV650 and SV1000 riders take note: You may be underdressed unless you see your Suzuki dealer about these new enthusiast apparel SV Logo Items right away. The SV Football Jersey is soft 100 percent cotton with cozy half-sleeves and has a...

National Cycle. (Product Spotlight).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... For motorcyclists who prefer to be on their bikes any time, in any weather, National Cycle offers its new Hand Deflectors. They're a simple and easy solution for keeping your hands warm and dry, and allow plenty of room for large bulky gloves....

True Cruz. (Product Spotlight).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Sore wrist? True Cruz is said to be the most sophisticated, reliable and functional non-electrical cruise control to date, and provides precise speed control under any riding conditions. Featuring a patented design, True Cruz allows engine...

Cyril Huze 2003. (Product Spotlight).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Are you planning to customize your bike? The Cyril Huze 2003 catalog contains 124 pages and features 235 parts, of which 55 percent are new. As a bonus, there are color pictures of Cyril's most recent custom motorcycles. A must for anyone...

Twisted Edge Publications. (Product Spotlight).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Twisted Edge Publications has just announced that the book Destination Highway Washington is now available. A virtual biker's Bible, the 542-page book features a detailed rating system, comprehensive road descriptions and more than 125 color...

Fold-Down Bed Expander by Top Line Manufacturing. (Product Spotlight).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Is your bed too short? The Fold-Down Bed Expander by Top Line Manufacturing mounts to the tailgate of any pick-up and requires no drilling. While other existing models rotate into the truck bed, Top Line's system folds to a compact 5 inches...

Great American Motorcycle Touring (GAMCT). (Product Spotlight).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... With Great American Motorcycle Touring (GAMCT), guests can take the rides of a lifetime through the Rocky Mountains, down the Pacific Coast and among the canyons of the West, without sacrificing the comfort and convenience of a luxury vacation....

Ingenuity Infusion. (Product Spotlight).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Ingenuity Infusion has developed the Grifter, a plastic storage box that mounts between the motorcycle license plate bracket and the plate itself. The Grifter provides hidden, lockable, dry storage for your legal paperwork (in an included...

Shoei's TZ-1 Rat Fink helmet. (Product Spotlight).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Shoei's TZ-1 Rat Fink helmet was specially created by Troy Lee Designs as a limited edition and is sure to excite your senses. It not only looks sleek, but is light and gives you all the comfort and protection you need. TZ-1 features the Quick...

Honda. (Product Spotlight).(Helmet Fresh helps eliminate helmet odors)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Got a funky helmet? While nobody has been able to come up with a cure for helmet hair yet, Honda can definitely help you eliminate those nasty helmet odors with Helmet Fresh. Applied to a new helmet, Helmet Fresh prevents offensive odor...