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ROAD TESTS: KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R EVO SUZUKI GSX-S1000 TRIUMPH TIGER 1200 GREAT LAKES GETAWAY MINNESOTA LAKES LOOP

MAY 2022

APRIL 2022 VOLUME 49 NO. 5

CONTENTS

ON THE COVER: Testing the 2022 KTM 1290 Super Duke R Evo on a secret backroad in Southern California. Photo by Kevin Wing.

departments 4

FIRST GEAR

6 8

RESPONSE

12

RIDING WELL

14

THE MOTO LIFE

66 68

NEW & COOL

74

42

Going It Alone

KICKSTARTS 2022 Royal Enfield Scram 411 Indian FTR Championship Edition Can-Am to Launch Electric Motorcycles Greenger x Honda CRF-E2 Electric Dirtbike Americade Returns in June

Muted

I Just Want To Be Alone

GEAR LAB Avon Storm 3D X-M Tires Barkbusters Handguards Umberto Luce Crimson Boots

EXHAUST NOTE Cages

features

16 28 42

RIDER TEST Unleash The Beast 2022 KTM 1290 Super Duke R Evo

ON THE ROAD Great Lakes Getaway You’ll find some of America’s best roads and nicest people in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan PROFILE: Aerostich – The Great American Motorcycle Suit

50 58

FIRST RIDE A Tiger of Many Stripes 2023 Triumph Tiger 1200

FAVORITE RIDE Minnesota Lakes Loop From Duluth to Ely and back again

RIDER TEST Velvet Hammer

instagram.com/ridermag

2022 Suzuki GSX-S1000

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FIRST GEAR

GREG DREVENSTEDT Editor-In-Chief

Going It Alone y coincidence, Eric Trow and Peter Jones wrote about similar topics in their columns for this issue.

In Riding Well, Eric writes about his preference for riding without listening to music or using in-helmet communicators. Whether the rides are short or long, solo or with companions, Eric enjoys being alone with his thoughts inside his helmet.

In The Moto Life, Peter writes about his preference for riding alone. Over the years, I’ve ridden with Peter many times at press launches. He’s a skilled rider, and he never fails to wear stylish footwear. There’s a fair amount of social interaction at press events, and Peter is no wallflower. He’s funny and outgoing, and some of the tales in his book, The Bad Editor, notwithstanding, he’s a seasoned pro. Peter doesn’t always ride alone, but if he had the choice, perhaps he would.

While working on this issue, I read The Impossible First, Colin O’Brady’s book about crossing Antarctica alone in 2018, without support and under his own power.

O’Brady spent 54 days trudging across frozen emptiness for nearly two months, dragging a sled that weighed as much as 375 lbs for 12 hours a day, covering 932 miles.

That is some serious alone time.

O’Brady avoided listening to music during his arduous journey. “I’d decided,” he writes, “that the profound silence of the world’s emptiest place was a gift that I shouldn’t run from or fill up with sound. … Antarctica was the world’s biggest sensory deprivation tank, a whiteboard waiting to be filled with scrawled thoughts, and maybe inspirations, and I’d decided I wanted to embrace the blank canvas and see where it led. I wanted nothing that could block, or even dull, what seemed like Antarctica’s most distinctive gift.”

Over the years, I’ve enjoyed many memorable rides with friends and fellow staffers, on group tours, and at press launches. But, if I’m honest, it’s the solo rides that have felt the most special. None were anywhere near as extreme as O’Brady’s solo trek across the ice, but each ride – especially the long ones – felt like a gift. They changed my perspective, giving me new ways to see and experience the world around me.

That’s what a journey is – an opportunity to be out in the world, to break free from routine habits, to let our curiosity take us into the unknown. Even rides in familiar places are never the same. The weather, the road conditions, the things we notice, our state of mind – they’re unique, like a fingerprint. We’re different because time

B

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has passed, and we’ve accumulated more life experience.

Journeys change us even if we don’t realize it.

Little did I know back in the summer of 1998, just a few months after buying my first motorcycle, that a single-day, 750-mile ride from Philadelphia to Atlanta would introduce me to the world of motorcycle touring. I just wanted to visit family over the long Labor Day weekend, and, without a car, I figured my 12-year-old-but-new-to-me Yamaha FZ750 sportbike provided a convenient way to get there.

On my way to Atlanta, I got soaked to the bone in a tropical storm. After a few days at my parents’ house, I rode back home in another long day’s ride. The weather was hot and muggy, and I got a speeding ticket in Virginia. I arrived at my apartment in Philadelphia, dog-tired and sore from head to toe. But I also felt a sense of accomplishment. We’re at our best when we step – or ride – out of our comfort zone, when we have something to push against, to challenge us to dig deep and explore beyond our usual limits of daily life.

The other day, Thad Wolff dropped by. Thad is a renaissance man in the motorcycle industry, a former AMA Superbike racer and Cycle magazine staffer, and a talented craftsman who has restored and raced all kinds of motorcycles. He was also the photo model for the KTM test in this issue (page 16).

Thad told me about an upcoming cross-country motorcycle trip to visit his 91-year-old uncle. Thad plans to visit family and friends along the way and check out parts of the country he’s never seen before or wants to revisit. As he talked about the trip’s possibilities, I became excited – and a little jealous. Thad plans to take his time, to let the trip unfold without a rigid timetable or agenda.

Many of the solo trips I’ve taken felt rushed, often because I was riding to or from events for Rider. My only cross-country motorcycle ride – returning home to California from a press launch in North Carolina – was compressed into just four days because I was on a deadline. A few years earlier, after spending a week riding the Oregon Backcountry Discovery Route with two buddies, I blasted home from Walla Walla, Washington, in one day – riding 1,114 miles in 18 hours and completing my first SaddleSore 1000 in the process. Another time, while testing a Yamaha FJR1300, I rode from my home in Ventura to the four corners of California, logging 2,600 miles in a little over three days.

There’s no right or wrong way to travel by motorcycle.

Solo, with a passenger, or with friends. Without or without music. On a tight schedule or with nothing but time. The only bad motorcycle ride is the one not taken.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

EDITORIAL AND PRODUCTION

RESPONSE I thoroughly enjoyed Jamie Elvidge’s article in the February issue (“The Long Ride”). It’s been a while since I’ve read anything of hers in Rider. She was a tremendous asset to Motorcycle Cruiser, and I think Rider should pursue her as a regular contributor.

MICHAEL O’NEIL, Knoxville, TN Jamie was a Rider staffer in the ’80s. Over the years since, she has contributed to most of the major motorcycle magazines and websites and served as editor of Motorcycle Escape and Cycle World Travel & Adventure. We’re honored to publish her stories in Rider again, and you’ll find another one on page 28. –Ed. I enjoyed Moshe K. Levy’s article “You Meet the Healthiest People on a Honda” (March). However, he wrote about riding his motorcycle while experiencing Covid-induced “brain fog,” and he wound up in the opposite lane on a 600-lb motorcycle facing oncoming traffic. He was lucky to be alive to write that story. Your magazine promotes safety and publishes articles on how to be safe on a motorcycle. You should write a disclaimer that no person should ever get on a motorcycle when they are physically and/or mentally ill (he was both). It was not the time or bike to test his limitations. Maybe he should have started with a bicycle and waited until he was totally recovered before hitting the highway on a motorcycle.

THOMAS HAYDEN, Essex, VT The Covid “brain fog” as it affected me was extremely unpredictable.

There were spans of multiple days or even over a week where things were fine before a relapse suddenly occurred. It was during these fogfree times that my spirits lifted and I attempted to resume normal activities again. In fact, the whole point of sharing that particular episode on my R 1200 RT was the realization that I needed to get off of it and slow down until my skills recovered. That 6 / M AY 2 02 2 / R I D E R M AG A Z I N E .CO M

was when I parked the BMW and bought the Honda Trail 125. –MKL I read Steven Goode’s review of the Pakit Rak and Bag (Gear Lab, March). This looks like a great solution to the meager luggage capacity of the new Wing, but I don’t see how this can be legal. Most states prohibit obscuration of a vehicle license plate, and in the photos the license plate is not visible from the rear. Is this somehow not an issue?

MATT WHITING, via email We have been producing and selling the Pakit Rak luggage system since the 2001 GL1800 Gold Wing was released. On first-gen GL1800s, the license plate was much more visible.

On 2012-and-newer Wings, Honda lowered the license plate mount, making it more obscured but still visible from the side.

Over the years we’ve discussed this issue with law enforcement officers around the country at various motorcycle rallies. All the officers that looked at our system on the Gold Wing gave the same answer: They would not pull someone over for the license plate visibility alone; it would be some other moving violation that would get the rider pulled over. However, they did say it could be written up as a violation, as the law states the plate must be readable. To date, we are aware of only one state (Florida) where customers expressed concerns because new requirements state that the plate must be visible from the rear.

When a vehicle – motorcycle, car, or truck – pulls a trailer, the vehicle’s license plate is not visible from the rear. But it is visible when law enforcement pulls alongside the tow vehicle, as is the case with the Pakit Rak. Robert (Bob) Clouse, President Dixon Y Machine, LLC Home of Pakit Rak Email us at rider@ridermagazine.com.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Greg Drevenstedt ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Audrey Iorio CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Peter Jones, Eric Trow SR. ART DIRECTOR: Chad Cochran CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER: Kevin Wing DIGITAL SOLUTIONS MANAGER: Nici Lawson CONTRIBUTORS: Jamie Elvidge, Kingdom Creative, Arden Kysely, Molly Millroy, Drew Mohegomi, Clement Salvadori, John L. Stein, Dustin Wheelen, Scott A. Williams, Thad Wolff

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2022 Royal Enfield Scram 411 THE NEW SCRAM 411 brings scrambler styling to Royal Enfield’s Himalayan adventure bike platform, which was updated for 2022. It’s powered by an air-cooled 411cc single-cylinder engine carried in a chassis designed by Harris Performance, a subsidiary of Royal Enfield. The lightweight Scram 411 is said to have comfortable ergonomics and strike a balance between on-road agility and capability on trails.

The Scram 411 features long-travel suspension (7.8/7.1 inches front/rear), generous ground clearance, and a reasonably low 31.9-inch seat height. It rolls on 19-inch front and 8 / M AY 2 02 2 / R I D E R M AG A Z I N E .CO M

17-inch rear spoked wheels shod with tube-type dual-sport tires. Each wheel has a single-disc brake with ABS. Scrambler styling elements include fork gaiters, a small aluminum skid plate, a round headlight, and a flat motocross handlebar. A centerstand is standard equipment. Essential information is provided by an analog speedometer paired with a multifunction digital display.

The Scram 411 is a global model that’s scheduled to arrive in the U.S. in late summer/early fall. Pricing and colors are TBD.

Indian FTR Championship Edition INDIAN MOTORCYCLE celebrates its flat-track racing legacy with the launch of the FTR Championship Edition. Limited to 400 units globally, it allows race fans from around the world to join the Indian Wrecking Crew in celebration of the team’s five consecutive American Flat Track championships.

Since the debut of the FTR750 in 2017, an Indian Motorcycle Racing factory rider has won the championship every year in the sport’s premier class. The 2022 Indian Wrecking Crew has an all-star roster, including 2021 SuperTwins Champion Jared

Mees, two-time champion Briar Bauman, and the team’s newest member, the winningest rider in American Flat Track Singles history, Shayna Texter-Bauman.

Inspired by the FTR750, the FTR Championship Edition has a race paint scheme and a commemorative Indian Motorcycle Racing bezel with each championship season on display. The limited-edition FTR features premium components, including Brembo brakes, fully adjustable suspension, a titanium Akrapovič exhaust, a ProTaper aluminum handlebar, and a long list of carbon fiber parts.

Its 1,203cc liquid-cooled V-Twin produces 120 horsepower and 87 lbft of torque, and electronic features include selectable ride modes, wheelie control with rear lift mitigation, stability control, traction control, cornering ABS, and a 4.3-inch digital touchscreen display. The limited-edition FTR is equipped with a 19-inch front/18-inch rear wheelset with flat track-inspired Dunlop tires, rather than the 17-inchers on most other FTRs. MSRP is $16,499.

Can-Am to Launch Electric Motorcycles BRP HAS ANNOUNCED that its Can-Am brand, which currently includes Spyder and Ryker three-wheelers and four-wheeled ATVs and side-by-sides, will return to its motorcycle roots. To mark the 50th anniversary of Can-Am, BRP will launch a family of electric two-wheel motorcycles.

“With the motorcycle industry shifting to electric, we saw an opportunity to reclaim our motorcycle heritage and re-enter the market,” said José Boisjoli, President and CEO of BRP. “This new product category is extremely important to us, and we are thrilled that Can-Am motorcycles are the first EV models in BRP’s electric lineup to be confirmed to consumers. Many of us have very fond memories of riding the early dirtbike models, and now we look forward to building on the rich history of the Can-Am brand to inspire and impress a new generation of motorcyclists and electric vehicle enthusiasts.”

BRP says the first all-electric motorcycles will be available in mid-2024.

Based on the teaser photo, the lineup

will include a roadster and an adventure bike. The vehicles on the right are harder to identify but may include a cruiser and an all-electric Spyder or Ryker.

The first Can-Am motorcycle was introduced in 1973, and the brand became a force in motocross and endurance racing. Half a century later, BRP says its electric motorcycles have been developed with many different riders in mind, and they will be well-suited for everyday commuting and recreational on- and off-road riding.

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Greenger x Honda CRF-E2 Electric Dirtbike GREENGER POWERSPORTS has collaborated with American Honda to create the CRF-E2, an electric dirtbike for kids. It’s an officially licensed product built by Greenger and available through Honda powersports dealers for $2,950.

Driven by a low-voltage (48V) BLDC electric motor with an inner rotor, the CRF-E2 produces a maximum of 3.4 hp and 18.4 lb-ft of torque, and power output can be switched between two levels to adapt for varying skill and experience levels. The lithium-ion battery has a range of approximately 2 hours with a full charge. It can be fully charged in 4 hours, or 2.5 with the optional quick-charge system. Greenger also offers a spare battery that can be swapped out in seconds.

The CRF-E2 has a twin-spar aluminum frame, a tapered aluminum handlebar, front and rear disc brakes with petalstyle rotors, adjustable aluminum brake levers, and 12-inch aluminum wheels with Kenda knobby tires. The suspension includes a 33mm telescopic fork and a DNM shock with adjustable preload and rebound damping, with 3.9 inches of travel at the front and 3.8 inches at the rear.

With adjustable hand levers and the ability to alter seat height between 24.8 and 25.5 inches, the CRF-E2 physically

accommodates a range of riders weighing 99 pounds or less.

Thanks to red plastic bodywork and blue-and-white graphics mimicking those of Honda Performance dirtbikes like the CRF450R and CRF250R, kids can make believe they’re a Team Honda HRC champion.

Americade Returns in June HELD LAST SEPTEMBER due to the pandemic, the 39th annual Americade Motorcycle Touring Rally returns to its usual summer time slot this year, scheduled for June 7-11 in Lake George, New York. Americade is a rider’s rally, with hundreds of miles of scenic roads throughout the Adirondack Mountains of New York and the Green Mountains of Vermont.

The family-friendly rally kicks off Monday, June 6, with the Rider-sponsored Opening Celebration. The rally of-

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ficially begins on Tuesday, June 7, and runs through Saturday, June 11, with a full schedule of guided and self-guided rides, demo rides by major manufacturers, and vendors at the Tour Expo.

There will be nightly entertainment, boat cruises on the lake, plenty of bike and people watching on the streets of Lake George Village, and much more. For more information, visit americade.com.

By ERIC TROW

STAYINSAFE.COM

Muted n this age of connectivity, I often long for the solitude of being out on the road. I find peace in being disconnected from the clamor of daily digital interaction and the barrage of ceaseless broadcasts. At the risk of being cliché, if there’s any connection I want to make, it’s with the natural world around me and the motorcycle beneath me. I don’t seek to be alone, but I do want to unplug.

I realize that many riders embrace the advancements of technology and the added connectivity it brings. I appreciate that we are now able to head off to distant places yet still be accessible at any moment. I also understand the allure of being able to share an experience in real-time with one or many comms-connected riders; it’s truly amazing how connected we can be. I don’t discount any rider’s fondness for adding a soundtrack to their sauntering. It’s purely a personal thing. And I hope you will forgive me if I go radio silent.

Most riders might say communications technology has changed riding for the better and that it adds to the experience. For me, the radios and intercoms take something away. With radios, I begin missing the subtleties of riding that I have always found so rewarding.

When the radio goes off, the world turns on for me. I tune in to the machine and to the road. I find that I am better able to take everything in as all my senses are dialed in to the riding experience. With just one person in my helmet, I can hear my own thoughts and internal monologue. As the world whirs by and the cadence of the engine beats steadily, for the first time in days I have a calm and quiet mind.

I realized quite early on that riding with radios really isn’t my thing. Many (many) years ago when I was still in college, I dated a girl who loved to travel on the back of my motorcycle. We were tremendous riding companions, very much in tune with each other while we flicked through mountain backroads for hours. We traveled hundreds of idyllic miles together. Thinking I would take the experience to the next level, one day I introduced a helmet-to-helmet intercom. Within the first 20 (or perhaps two) miles of a planned multi-state ride, I realized the radio was a bad idea. For me, anyway.

She thoroughly enjoyed the new ability to converse during the ride. For her, it added an element of connection and immediacy. I, on the other hand, found the wonder-

I

ful experience of riding together was instantly upset. I hadn’t recognized it until that moment, but the magic of our rides had always been the silent sharing of the experience. We could travel for miles independently yet together.

She might tap me on the shoulder and point out something interesting or unusual. I would occasionally gesture a thumbs-up followed by a thumbs-down – my inquiry as to how she was holding up. Provided everything was A-OK, she would respond with an enthusiastic thumbs-up to indicate that she was doing fine and we’d roll on quietly for a few more delightful miles together. As it turned out, that new intercom system broke, and I had to return it.

Fast forward several years. My son Parker has been my riding companion since he was a kid riding pillion.

We covered many miles riding quietly together, with occasional over-the-shoulder comments beneath a raised faceshield. That’s not to say that we didn’t periodically listen to music. I remember traveling with him when he was 12 years old. We cranked up the stereo on my gargantuan BMW K 1200 LT somewhere in rural West Virginia. The upbeat track got our heads moving. I set the bike in motion, weaving side to side within our lane to the beat of the music as Parker and I sang and “danced,” dipping our shoulders in exaggerated movement and bobbing our heads. Twenty years later, we still fondly remember that impromptu moment together.

Even so, we both generally prefer to ride in silence.

Parker graduated to his own motorcycles and, starting shortly after his 18th birthday, we began traveling together, including multiple cross-country trips. While we experimented briefly with bike-to-bike comms, we both agreed we get more from each experience by riding independently together. We like the bond of sharing an adventure while simultaneously enjoying a sense of solitude. We like to travel with our own silent thoughts and observations. We have personalized memories that are triggered as we see, smell, and feel each part of the ride independently. The scent of honeysuckle might transport me back to when I was a child visiting my grandparents’ house. For Parker, it might be something new that will later remind him of this day of traveling with his dad.

One of our favorite aspects of every journey together is the time taken during breaks to share what we each saw, experienced, thought, or felt during the past few

When the radio goes off, the world turns on for me.

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miles. We’d relive the ride, each bringing our unique perspective.

Often, something we saw along the way earlier would trigger an in-depth discussion we would have been hard-pressed to pursue while riding. With each of these conversations, we continue to learn more about each other and develop even stronger connections. By experiencing the ride independently and then recalling those experiences together afterward, we also cement favorite moments in our memories.

In a recent conversation, Parker and I agreed that we tend to remember the details of the rides we took without the comms more than those when we were connected, even though we maintained ongoing dialogue when using the intercom.

That’s not just a phenomenon unique to riding with my son.

Once, I took a 1,500-mile ride with a good friend and riding buddy. Connected the entire time via radios, we were able to enjoy each other’s company and have real-time conversation throughout the entire trip. And, while it was admittedly fun to be connected like that with a good friend – especially one I hadn’t spent time with in more than a year – I realized afterward how much of that epic ride I don’t recall. Despite the vast miles we covered, I remember only bits and pieces of the journey. And, although we talked throughout the ride, I’m embarrassed to admit that I can’t remember much of the conversation either. I wouldn’t trade the opportunity to take such an epic journey with a great friend, and I truly look forward to our next one. I’m just better suited to ride now and talk later.

You may see an intercom affixed to my helmet and a smartphone mounted to my bike’s dash. They’re there so I know if someone is trying to reach me. But please leave a message.

I’d love to tell you about the ride once I get to my next stop. Until then, I’m just going to crank up the quiet.

Eric Trow is a life-long motorcyclist and renowned motorcycling proficiency expert. He developed the modern Stayin’ Safe method of advanced rider training and can be contacted at etrow@stayinsafe.com.

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THE MOTO LIFE

By PETER JONES

I Just Want To Be Alone am an antisocial rider. The problem is, I also have a conmeeting at places somewhat halfway between us. From flicting desire to belong, to have motorcycling friends. To there we set off on rides orchestrated to remain reasonbe part of a community. To sometimes actually ride with ably within our shared middle ground. Agreeable routes other human motorcyclists. Just not too many others at the include much of the central Finger Lakes region of upstate same time. I might be an introverted extrovert.

New York, which though low on challenging roads is high For a long time now I’ve been trying to solve the problem on quality vistas, lakes, waterfalls, glens, Rod Serling’s of creating a highly exclusive motorcycle club. One that gravesite, wineries, Doug’s Fish Fry in Skaneateles, college won’t require me to ride with others. Oddly, I might have towns, the Glenn Curtiss museum, and unique villages. finally figured out how to fulfill my conflicted dream of an But just as often there are days when we might chat beantisocial biker club that can actually have more than one fore riding, mutually deciding to go our own ways. Because member. But no meetings. No hangout. No rides. Not even a of our distance from each other, not inviting the other on secret handshake. And maybe no more than two members. a ride isn’t taken as a personal insult. Damon goes his way This solution came to me by a coincidence of circumand I go mine, each usually without a solid plan and always stances, not by brilliant intent. By chance, I ended up without a set destination. And we both know to arrive living about 80 miles from my good friend, Damon, the home before the deer come out to play Frogger with us. person who introduced me to motorcyHis rides, though, tend to be more cling a long time ago. After I became a diverse and inspired than mine, due to motorcyclist, I went off to live in faraway the wider range of motorcycles in his Fortunately, due to places, which limited our chances of ridgarage. He has newish bikes and oldish ing together, but did supply us with reathe accidental nature bikes, big bikes and little bikes. I have sons to travel long distances to visit each bikes and big bikes. I also have an of our antisocial biker newish other. Now we are semi-nearly almost old little bike, but it’s in pieces. His little living kind of close to each other. It’s too bikes used to be in pieces, but now two of club, it generally far for poker night, but close enough for are fully restored and rideable. He inhibits others from them biweekly visits. is not a guy with projects that don’t have trying to join.

Maybe those long rides we took alone happy endings. to visit each other when I lived far away I have wondered if the day will come are the roots of my, and Damon’s, antiso(or has come) when we pass by each other cial riding. I lived in Iowa for a couple years, and he rode out on one of our solo rides. Will he wave? Will I wave? Will he to visit from New York. I lived in the mountains of North stop? Will I stop? Will he be stopped for fuel on the right Carolina for about 15 years, and he rode down to visit me a while I’m looking to the left? few times on a few different motorcycles, including an adFortunately, due to the accidental nature of our venturous ride on a 1959 BMW R50 that he rode down old antisocial biker club, it generally inhibits others from National Route 11 from Lafayette, New York, turning east trying to join. If they live near Damon or me, they’re in Tennessee to cross the mountains into North Carolina. automatically excluded; they would just be someone who A couple times I rode alone from North Carolina to attend pressures one of us to ride with them. They’d interrupt Americade at Lake George, New York, where Damon and I the geographical antisocial dynamics of our accidental met up for a few days. And I’ve ridden from North Carolina situation. They might even – holy hell – stop by one of to Sturgis and back by myself. our houses unannounced.

I joined him on his ride back to New York from Iowa When we ask each other if there’s a desire to go for a years ago, during which he became impatient with me for ride, “Yes” doesn’t mean we will be doing it together. I’ve stopping constantly, riding fewer than 100 miles a stretch. learned that our rides alone are like the third movement of I’m not that amateur any longer, but that ride, combined a live symphony, when, surrounded by music, you forget with the joys of our solo travels, might be what has made us where you are, who you are, and the moment carries you the loners we are today. away. I’ve heard it said there are two things we must do Because we now are not within convenient range, it’s alone: birth and death. But I say, in between those two easy for us to ride alone. We do hook up from time to time, things, there’s at least one other thing to do alone.

I

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| RIDER TEST |

The KTM 1290 Super Duke R Evo is a torque monster.

Once wheelie control is turned off, it will lift the front wheel on command. Experts only, please.

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2022 KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R EVO

BY JOHN L. STEIN / PHOTOS BY KEVIN WING ome motorcycles are like Buddha, such as a Gold Wing gliding down the road in near silence, its deep bucket seat cradling your fundament and scarcely a vibration felt at the feet and hands. Others are like mad dogs, snarling and pulling at their chains, ready to rip, tear, and lacerate at a moment’s notice.

The original 1290 Super Duke R was pretty much the latter – an idealized naked hyperbike that was introduced in 2014. It had terrific power, satisfying daily-rider ergonomics, and the immediate response that earmarks most race machines. KTM’s “Ready to Race” slogan was aptly fulfilled.

Now, after eight years of evolution, the latest-gen 1290 Super Duke R Evo goes further with the addition of multi-mode semi-active WP suspension to the KTM’s existing electronic elements, including throttle-by-wire, ride modes (which adjust throttle response and engine power), cornering ABS and traction control, wheelie control, cruise control, and more. Our test bike was equipped with the Tech Pack, a $899.99 option that adds an up/ down quickshifter, Motor Slip Regulation (MSR), Suspension Pro, and Track Pack.

The settings may be configured statically or on the fly via multifunction switchgear on the left handlebar.

The multilayered menu appears bright and crisp, day or night, on a 4.8-inch color TFT screen, which also includes a hockey-stick-style tachometer, a large digital speedometer, a gear-position indicator, and various annunciators.

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The 1,301cc V-Twin is the star of the show, and the Super Duke’s minimal bodywork and trellis frame does little to hide it.

FIRE ME UP With its top-shelf components and comprehensive electronics, the KTM is designed to work equally well on road or track.

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Let’s take a ride. There is no traditional ignition key, but rather an electronic transponder with a flipout key that’s used only to unlock the seat. Approach within a few feet of the bike and the transponder and machine connect wirelessly.

A quick press of the master power button on the right handlebar unlocks the fork and gas cap and illuminates the instrument panel.

From there, climb aboard and tag the start button. The highly tuned 1,301cc DOHC 75-degree V-Twin whirs and churns like a Massey Ferguson before firing and settling into a grumbling baritone idle through its enormous stainless headers.

Sound pressure recorded at idle at helmet height was 88 decibels. And it gets louder as the revs build, naturally along with wind noise.

While the liquid-cooled motor warms up – we found the KTM to be somewhat coldblooded – use the opportunity to configure the electronic engine and chassis parameters for

Top: Bikes in KTM’s naked and adventure lineups share a common design language, with a vertically split headlight surrounded by a daytime running light. Middle: The scratch- and glare-resistant TFT display shows speed in a big, bold font with a hockey stick-style tachometer at the top. Bottom: Switchgear and menus are intuitive.

the ride. Which invites a fair question: What kind of ride?

First, select a ride mode: Street, Rain, and Sport modes are standard, while Performance and Track modes are part of the optional Track Pack.

Next, select a suspension damping mode: Comfort, Street, and Sport are standard, along with electronically adjustable rear preload (in 2mm increments). Track, Advanced, and Automatic modes are part of the optional Suspension Pro package, which also adds automatic preload leveling with three modes (Low, Standard, and High). You can also turn off both traction control and MSR, turn off the quickshifter, and select an ABS mode (Road or Supermoto, which deactivates ABS at the rear wheel). Or not. Everything can be left in default settings, and you can just grab a gear and go.

It would take much more space than we have available to review all the settings and permutations. It takes some time to get familiar with everything, but for most riders the only settings that will be regularly changed are ride mode and suspension mode. Two customizable profiles allow riders to configure their favorite settings and toggle between them using a switch on the right handlebar. Set it and forget it.

CREATURE COMFORT Let’s start the ride with the default Street ride mode and the genial Comfort suspension mode to get a baseline understanding of how the semi-active suspension interplays with the carryover electronics. It’s surprising what a pleasant motorcycle the 1290 SD-R Evo is with these soft settings. The suspension – a 48mm WP inverted fork, a linked monoshock, and a single-sided swingarm – is surprisingly comfy.

Rowing across town, I found the

HELMET: ARAI QUANTUM-X JACKET: ALPINESTARS HYPERDRYSTAR GLOVES: ALPINESTARS SMX-2 PANTS: ALPINESTARS VICTORY DENIM BOOTS: ALPINESTARS FASTER 3 RIDEKNIT

KTM's optional Suspension Pro package adds an anti-dive function to the semiactive suspension, preventing the fork from compressing excessively under heavy braking.

steering characteristics to be pure joy. The Super Duke is nimble and agreeable for any necessary urban maneuver, from tight turns to quick lane changes to streaking away from offensive traffic.

Switching to the Street suspension mode, the ride quality still proved fine for a rabid naked bike making a claimed 180 hp. So is the engine’s vibration signature, a minor miracle in that the motor is bolted solidly to the space frame’s thin-wall chromoly tubing, and serves as a stressed member. The motocross-style tapered aluminum handlebar wears a pair of 6-oz bar-end mass dampers, which change the bar’s resonant frequency to quell engine-induced vibration in the grips.

Breaking free of town onto a winding two-lane highway, I toggled to Sport mode for both ride and suspension, which firmed up damping characteristics and shock spring preload, quickened throttle response, unleashed full power, and loosened up traction and wheelie control.

Like observing a dog perking up its ears, the countenance of the Super Duke noticeably sharpened. Gone was the relaxed, easy cadence of Comfort and Street modes; Sport settings picked up the pace, and so did I. Ride aggressively or casually, Honey Badger don’t care.

In fact, the twin-spark engine is so flexible, it can just lug around as a torque monster or rage to its 10,250-rpm redline. On Jett Tuning’s dyno, the KTM generated 166 hp at 10,000 rpm and 96 lb-ft of torque at 8,400 rpm at the rear wheel in Sport mode. Horsepower increases steadily with revs, while torque is prodigious throughout the rev range, exceeding 80 lb-ft from 4,000 rpm to redline.

In town, the profiles and contact patches of the Bridgestone Battlax HyperSport S22 radials – 120/70ZR17 front and fat 200/55-ZR17 rear – proved most agreeable. Linear, predictable, and confidence-inspiring.

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tracks. We hit neither on this test, but on every mile of street, road, and freeway we covered, they proved highly satisfying.

A word now about seating. Though dimensionally small, the pilot’s seat feels more standard than sportbike. In other words, it’s just right for most riding activities. (If you want to go sport-touring, check out KTM’s accessory Ergo rider’s and pillion seats.) With no front fairing or windscreen, it’s full wind blast, baby. Complementing the fine steering geometry, the ergonomics are refreshingly sensible compared to superbikes – that is, except for the wide tank/airbox combination that splays knees unnaturally. Further, with its hard finishing panel at the rear, the tank can be a ballbreaker if sudden braking intrudes.

ALL IN For the most fun part of this test, high above the city on empty mountain roads, I toggled to the Track ride mode, which is included as part of the Tech Pack. It maximizes throttle response and power, allows rear wheelspin to be adjusted on the fly over nine levels, and turns off wheelie control.

(A more street-oriented Performance mode offers the same features, but also allows riders to use cruise control and the KTM MY RIDE multimedia system.)

In Track mode, everything gets really focused. Throttle response, already made more direct thanks to the new 65-degree quick-turn throttle (reduced by 7 degrees), which also helps reduce wrist angle and elbow drop at full throttle, becomes immediate. The Track suspension mode likewise dramatically firms things up. Although harder-edged, these settings make the Super Duke the ultimate confidence-inspiring machine for attacking road or track.

With so much horsepower cued up and lacking the runoff of a modern racetrack, I backed out of this after several miles and reverted to the slightly more docile Sport ride and suspension modes.

Our test of the Super Duke R Evo revealed its complete mastery of all kinds of roads, including fast sweepers and tight corners, off-camber bends, and varied surfaces.

Throughout, it required no undue tugging of the handlebar to change directions, engaged in no weird chassis hijinks or bobbles, and stayed faithful and true in whatever conditions appeared. Building such a tenable package is complicated, requiring a refined blend of chassis geometry and stiffness, mass placement, suspension design and tuning, power delivery, adaptive electronics, and way more. And the Bridgestones make it all work, whether at trolling speeds or lightspeed. All 2 2 / M AY 2 02 2 / R I D E R M AG A Z I N E .CO M

BUILDING SUCH A TENABLE PACKAGE IS COMPLICATED, REQUIRING A REFINED BLEND OF CHASSIS GEOMETRY AND STIFFNESS, MASS PLACEMENT, SUSPENSION DESIGN AND TUNING, POWER DELIVERY, ADAPTIVE ELECTRONICS, AND WAY MORE.

With ride modes, suspension modes, ABS modes, and other settings, the 1290 Super Duke R Evo is highly configurable. Though nicknamed The Beast, the KTM can play many roles, from docile to hyperactive.

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2022 KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R EVO Base Price: $19,599 Price as Tested: $20,499 (Tech Pack) Warranty: 1 yr., 12,000 miles Website: ktm.com

ENGINE Type: Liquid-cooled, transverse 75-degree V-Twin Displacement: 1,301cc Bore x Stroke: 108.0 x 71.0mm Compression Ratio: 13.6:1 Valve Train: DOHC w/ 4 valves per cyl.

Valve Insp. Interval: 18,600 miles Fuel Delivery: Keihin EFI w/ 56mm throttle bodies x 2 Lubrication System: Dry sump, 3.7 qt. cap.

Transmission: 6-speed, hydraulically actuated slip/ assist wet clutch Final Drive: X-ring chain

CHASSIS Frame: Tubular-steel w/ engine as stressed member, composite subframe & cast aluminum swingarm Wheelbase: 58.9 in.

Rake/Trail: 25.2 degrees/4.2 in.

Seat Height: 32.8 in.

Suspension, Front: 48mm inverted fork, electronically adj., 4.9 in. travel Rear: Single shock, electronically adj., 5.5 in. travel Brakes, Front: Dual 320mm discs w/ 4-piston radial monoblock calipers & ABS Rear: Single 240mm disc w/ 2-piston caliper & ABS Wheels, Front: Cast aluminum, 3.50 x 17 in.

Rear: Cast aluminum, 6.00 x 17 in.

Tires, Front: 120/70-ZR17 Rear: 200/55-ZR17 Wet Weight: 466 lbs.

Load Capacity: 471 lbs.

GVWR: 937 lbs.

PERFORMANCE Horsepower: 165.5 hp @ 10,000 rpm (rear-wheel dyno) Torque: 95.9 lb-ft @ 8,400 rpm (rear-wheel dyno) Fuel Capacity: 4.2 gals.

Fuel Consumption: 35.3 mpg Estimated Range: 149 miles

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Top: The semi-active suspension is made by KTM subsidiary WP. An array of electronic sensors and actuators adjust damping in real-time based on conditions and riding behavior. Bottom: Bikes equipped with Suspension Pro have six suspension damping modes and three automatic rear preload modes.

primary controls – including throttle, clutch, shifter, and front and rear brakes – are balanced with a well-connected feel.

There are a few demerits, but they’re relatively minor balanced against the total 1290 SD-R Evo package. Some of the handlebar switches are poorly shaped. Particularly egregious is the triangular turnsignal switch; activation feel is fine, but canceling requires pushing what feels like the pointy end of a carpenter’s pencil. Additionally, the headlight high/low switch, toggled by the left forefinger, should be larger, and

The Beast's confidenceinspiring handling and stout motor are delightful when bending into corners and exploding out of them.

The Super Duke’s structural chassis uses a tubular-steel trellis main frame, a composite subframe, and a castaluminum single-sided swingarm.

the horn button is too far from the left thumb. And that 3.2-inch horn!

I’m sure it’s stamped with the letters “moo,” emitting barely a plebian bleat no better than a newborn calf’s. Riders deserve better, and not just Super Duke pilots. Lastly, while I was personally happy with the clutch and front brake lever adjustability, the thumbscrews are small,

and the adjustment range might not satisfy riders with small hands. Balancing this, the shift lever and rear brake pedal (and fork stops) are also adjustable, albeit with some light wrench work.

The Super Duke R Evo’s optional quickshifter can be turned on or off through the electronics menu.

It works spectacularly for rapid

upshifts, but is quite sensitive, and so a careless touch of the gear shift lever interrupts power. Admittedly, this only caused problems during particularly aggressive riding. Bottom line, for track duty or raging up a mountain road, the quickshifter is a fine addition; for street riding, though, I was happier deactivating it.

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age is a programmable anti-dive feature. I well remember hammering bikes with conventional inverted forks and cursing the nosebleed dives they’d make under hard braking while rushing downhill. No worries with the SD-R Evo, as this feature keeps the chassis more balanced and its rider happy. While eclipsing miles of narrow, twisting downhill road, the 1290’s chassis, Bridgestones, and Brembo brakes with Stylema 4-piston radial front calipers seamlessly mastered the conditions, with excellent feedback and precision. The tires offer an additional advantage of sticking even when they’re cool. Translation: Premium DOT sport tires are a great choice for the wide range of conditions that this improved Super Duke can handle.

TA S T E S G R E AT, L E S S F I L L I N G As much as I enjoyed my time aboard the 1290 while bending it into and out of undulating mountain corners, the KTM proved to be well-mannered on efficient-yetboring freeways. That’s the real magic of bikes like this with fully customizable riding dynamics. You can tame the power, soften the suspension, and set the cruise control, all while queueing up your favorite song on your smartphone. At 70 mph on the freeway in 6th gear, the engine turns a relaxed 3,500 rpm. The motor seems to be at its smoothest exactly at this point, perfect for touring or droning commutes. On the highway, I found no detriments to the nimble steering geometry; the 1290 tracked beautifully and retained excellent stability.

Modern bikes like this latest Super Duke augment riding fun while reducing certain hassle factors. Pull into a gas station, drop the sidestand, hit the kill switch, and

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pop open the fuel filler without ever pulling the fob out of your pocket. From the 1290’s 4.2-gal. tank, over a mix of city, freeway, and mowing-down-the-mountain riding, we netted 35 mpg, yielding nearly 150 miles of range.

The transponder that allows key-free unlocking, starting, and fueling also simplifies locking. When parked, hit the power button to shut down the bike, then hold it down again to lock the steering.

During a night ride, I happily discovered that the Super Duke’s twin LED headlights are vastly better than the first Super Duke’s halogen system. KTM surrounded the headlight array (split up the center to feed twin ram-air openings) with a racy illuminated surround in white and orange, KTM’s signature colors. Thoughtfully, the headlight assembly can be quickly removed for track duty with three fasteners and an electrical plug. Same goes for the rear turnsignal/license plate assembly. The TFT display, which automatically adjusts background colors in lowlight conditions, seems even more beautifully illuminated at night. The switchgear illumination is modest but gives a general idea where the key switches are.

The 2022 KTM 1290 Super Duke R Evo is a highly attractive motorcycle for riders with serious sporting intentions – and the skills to go with them. For me, it’s close to a perfect streetbike thanks to its instantaneous response, excellent dynamics and feel, agreeable ergonomics, and the added bandwidth of its new semi-active suspension. Let’s be clear though: In its most active state, a Super Duke pushes the boundaries of sanity for streetbike performance. Do we actually need such a device?

Nope. Do we want one? Absolutely!

| ON THE ROAD |

GREAT LAKES

GETAWAY YOU’LL FIND SOME OF AMERICA’S BEST ROADS AND NICEST PEOPLE IN MINNESOTA, WISCONSIN, AND MICHIGAN

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The number of doubletrack dirt roads in the Great Lakes area is countless, tempting travelers off the snaky paved highways with their promise of adventure.

Above: A meet-up with Aerostich founder Andy Goldfine and his riding buddy, John Grinsel.

STORY & PHOTOS BY JAMIE ELVIDGE

arrive in Duluth, Minnesota, in the middle of the night, welcomed by a cleansing wind blowing off Lake Superior. The West had been ablaze for weeks when I’d departed California two days before, and smoke from those massive fires had gathered, unasked, across the Plains to form a thick, murky blanket.

My eyes and throat are still burning as I hobble, ass whipped, from my BMW R 1200 GS to my waiting hotel room.

I’ve just started on a 6-week ride and my first official stop is a visit to the Aerostich factory to catch up with my old friend, Andy Goldfine. Andy and I go back to the mid-80s when we were starting in the motorcycle industry, him as the founder of Aerostich and me as an associate editor at Rider. I zipped up my first Roadcrafter the day we met and have since appreciated no gear – or friendship in the business – more. (See sidebar on page 40.)

Duluth has always charmed me with its terraced streets and historic port town vibe. Spending a day off the bike here is a joy. I’m able to hang out at Aerostich and watch as suits are cut and stitched.

Some would call this a factory, but it’s much more like a workshop where skilled technicians craft riding apparel.

After enjoying a classic biker breakfast the next morning at the Duluth Grill with Andy and his “most curmudgeonly riding friend” John Grinsel, an 80-something-year-old character who rides up to 20,000 miles each year with

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a pipe in his mouth and a tiny pup named Moose poking out of his top box, I’m back in the saddle of the GS heading north around the edge of the world’s largest freshwater lake.

The Greatest Lake Behaving more like an inland sea than a lake, Superior is massive, holding 10% of the world’s fresh surface water. It and the other Great Lakes to the east are so dynamic they create their own weather patterns. Today, I’m riding through a Scotch mist I’m not sure I can blame on the lake, and it’s giving my finger squeegee a workout.

I’m riding a loaner R 1200 GS Rallye edition I’ve had for seven months. I’ll never get enough of the GS bikes, and over three decades I’ve used them to explore five continents. Having been one of BMW’s flagship models for four decades, the “big” GS was legitimately the first travel bike to be truly versatile, but what I find most endearing is the way the chatty boxer Twin feels like an old friend every time I fire one up. It’s a pleasant bike to ride anywhere, including roads like Minnesota’s super scenic State Route 61 along the North Shore.

We’ve all seen the occasional pup as co-pilot, but none as adorable as John Grinsel’s 3-lb dog, Moose, who pops his head out of a modified Givi top case when he wants to check out the view.

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By the time I reach Grand Marais, it’s clearly storming hard to the north, and I retreat back down the highway, ducking into the famous Betty’s Pies for a slice and a coffee. I love this place, and if I weren’t on a bike, in the rain, I’d take an entire 5 Layer Chocolate Cream Pie to go.

Early the next morning, the sun is out and I’m in Wisconsin exploring the bottom edge of Superior. While I’d traveled to the top of the lake a few years back, the southern section was a mystery. I throttle the GS up Wisconsin’s Lake Superior Scenic Byway, State Route 13, connecting fishing villages to waterfalls to sandy beaches and orchards.

I ate my slice of 5 Layer Chocolate Cream Pie so fast Betty’s Pies had to send me a photo.

WHAT I FIND MOST ENDEARING IS THE WAY THE CHATTY BOXER TWIN FEELS LIKE AN OLD FRIEND EVERY TIME I FIRE ONE UP.

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The Road to Pictured Rocks I want to shoot up Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula to Copper Harbor on U.S. Route 41, and not just because the road looks amazing on the map. I’ve heard there are monks who bake delicious treats and sell preserves they make from local fruit at The Jampot bakery. But I’m short on time and even shorter on tires. The Continental TKC80s I opted for seven months back now have more than 6,500 miles on them and my replacements are waiting at a dealership 700 miles away, which means limiting side trips.

So, I head from Ashland, Wisconsin, straight for Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore on the recommendation to ride County Road H-58. And wow, what a sweet road.

I hear it was even more fun to ride before it was fully paved in 2010, but today the 69 miles of smooth shaded corners and flowing undulations ride like a song. And for the other senses? The beautiful lake up here is edged

The pristine beaches near Michigan’s Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore were empty and an ideal rest stop.

by colorful sandstone cliffs and unspoiled sandy coves.

When you’re on an adventure bike, another thing to love about Michigan is its more than 3,100 miles of off-road vehicle trails, proudly documented and promoted

on the state government’s website, and on Pure Michigan, a site sponsored by Michigan’s lead economic development agency. How civilized for these Midwestern states to celebrate their off-roading opportunities instead of quashing them.

But you hardly need a map to find a tempting two-track here, which is the reason I’m not making good time on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, but finally I’m at the famous Mackinac Bridge, gearing up to ride its five swaying miles to the Lower Penin-

Exploring Northern Michigan on the venerable R 1200 GS was a delight. The people, the scenery, the roads, but also the intriguing history of spots like the town of Ironwood and the famous Leg’s Inn, which waits at the top of M-119, aka the Tunnel of Trees.

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The GS I was riding was capable and comfortable, not to mention photogenic, even when encumbered by my ugly orange tent. sula. Yup, Big Mac is one of the longest suspension bridges in the world and it’s built to swing (apparently, up to 35 feet at its center span), and on a windy day, you can feel it, as I did when I crossed it years back on a Harley Ultra Glide Classic.

Especially in Michigan But today it’s only breezy, and purring across the impressive bridge on the GS is a joy. I don’t have time to stop in touristy Mackinaw City because I want to ride some small roads I’d missed on my last trip, starting with M-119 from Cross Village to Harbor Springs, aka the Tunnel of Trees.

I approach from the north, stopping at the historic Polish-themed Legs Inn in Cross Village where you can spend hours taking in all the details of wood and stonework, or if you’re hungry, enjoy some kielbasa and pierogi. The famous 20-mile section of M-119 that kicks off from here is narrow, curvy, and truly a tunnel of foliage, and I’m sure its beauty is staggering in the fall, but it loses points as a premium motorcycle road for its 35-mph speed limit and profusion of deer and driveways. Still, those 137 corners are a lovely way to spend time.

After an overnight in Petoskey, I head for Traverse City and M-22. If there’s one thing that’s undeniable

Though not a fast road, Michigan’s famous Tunnel of Trees and its 137 snaky corners were high on my list of must-rides.

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IF THERE’S ONE THING THAT’S UNDENIABLE ABOUT THESE MIDWESTERN STATES, ESPECIALLY THEIR MORE RURAL AREAS, IT’S HOW GENUINELY NICE THE PEOPLE ARE. EVERYWHERE YOU GO.

about these Midwestern states, especially their more rural areas, it’s how genuinely nice the people are. Everywhere you go. The M-22 is recommended to me by a new friend, and I take my time exploring Suttons Bay, Northport, and the Leelanau Peninsula’s pretty lakes, all miniatures next to a hulking Lake Michigan.

In Glen Arbor, I indulge in housemade cherry ice cream at the original Cherry Republic and slip a jar of cherry salsa in a saddlebag for later.

I do not partake in the pit spitting at the establishment’s Olympic-size cherry spitting pit (the world record is 93 feet, 6.5 inches).

“M-22” has come to represent a lifestyle, not just an awesome highway.

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Is there anything better than opening your tent flap to see your motorcycle just standing there, waiting for all the possibilities of the new riding day?

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Fields of sunflowers and historic landmarks dot the Great Lakes region. The Old Post Office Museum encapsulates the history of Grand Marais, Michigan, which visitors can explore free of charge.

In addition to gorgeous views of the lake and rolling farmland, this part of Michigan has local wines to taste, dunes to explore, and apples to pick. The longer I spend on M-22, the more I realize it’s not just a road to the people in this area, M-22 represents a lifestyle. In fact, the M-22 highway signs have been stolen so often – 90 signs in three years – the Michigan DOT dropped the M on some replacements so they show only the number 22. If you missed your chance to nab a sign, there are plenty of places along the highway where you can buy a fake, as well as upscale M-22 apparel and souvenir tchotchkes.

And I get it. There’s something about this area (the people? the chill vibe? the scenery?) that just makes you want to stick around and explore every corner. Sadly, I don’t have time or tread for further exploration, and chug east from Manistee to Bay City, overnighting in some basic chain motel and wishing I was back in my tent on the lakeshore. In the morn-

ing, I scoot down I-75 to get the GS serviced and shod at BMW Motorcycles of Southeast Michigan.

Again, the nicest people.

Over the next five weeks I’ll ride through another 13 states, many of them bucket-list destinations for motorcyclists. And yet I’ll keep thinking about this Great Lakes area and its empty roads, slow pace, and big-hearted locals. If you’ve ridden there, you know. If you haven’t, go.

I’ll be right behind you.

The highways in this region of the Great Lakes aren’t meant to be traveled fast. A slower pace rewards riders with sweeping scenery and new treasures in every small town.

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Andy Goldfine’s intention to supply motorcyclists with high-quality, handcrafted apparel and useful kit has never wavered.

AEROSTICH

The Great American Motorcycle Suit Story & photos by Jamie Elvidge TO TELL THE STORY OF THE legendary Aerostich riding suit is to tell a story about America. The dream of it, but also the tenacity required to navigate its possibilities. Because running a successful small business in America these days demands more than a clear vision and hard work. It requires staying power.

Native Duluthian Andy Goldfine was committed to the dream of creating a small business long before he knew what product or service he might offer. Separately, the concept of a lightweight, armored, easy-to-use coverall to wear over clothes as one commuted to and from their job was born from a personal wish to own such an item. These two ambitions merged when Goldfine conjured the first Roadcrafter one-piece riding suit back in 1983.

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The Aerostich building in Duluth is no factory, instead feeling more like an artist’s enclave where the skilled craftspeople combine forces to create exceptionally high-quality riding gear. It’s cool to see, and all visitors who happen by are welcome to a tour. For me, it made my connection to my latest Roadcrafter suit so much more significant, having watched in person the craftspeople who handwrite their signatures inside each suit.

Listen to our podcast interview with Andy Goldfine at ridermagazine.com/insider.

The Aerostich factory on 18th Avenue West was originally a candy factory. Today the sweet stuff is created solely for motorcyclists.

What Schott is to leather and Belstaff is to waxed cotton, Aerostich is to synthetic-fiber textiles used to create durable, high-performance motorcycle gear. The world is overflowing with it now, but back in the early ’80s, people weren’t talking about things like breathability or tensile strength or viscoelastic foam armor. Cordura and Gore-Tex were still exotic. And so, without any kind of roadmap, Goldfine created a totally new type of riding gear, and boy, did that suit show us what our leather gear was missing.

I (literally) stepped into my first Roadcrafter back in 1986 when Goldfine was visiting the Rider offices in California, and I have been living in these suits ever since. Like so many motojournalists of that era, I found the Roadcrafter wasn’t just the gold standard for commuting, it was also magic for sportbike riding and touring. Newer designs (R-3 Darien and AD1) from the Aerostich factory in Duluth might be just as popular these days, but when I last visited the shop I was hunting for a new Roadcrafter Classic two-piece to fit my now middle-aged bod.

It was my first time in Goldfine’s very Minnesotan three-story brick building – a former candy factory – and it was obvious right away this is a cool place for bikers to chill. After I was fitted for my new suit, I got a tour of the different floors and stations where skilled craftsmen and craftswomen, a fair number of riders among them, cut and assemble the various fabric

into “kits,” which are then handed over to expert sewers and finally seamtaping machine operators before each garment is inspected and prepared to meet its new owner.

The original Roadcrafter Classic, handcrafted in Duluth, has been refined over the years, yet remains totally recognizable.

The handcrafting of the suits is enjoyable to watch, especially since everyone working here – some who have been with Goldfine for decades – seems to enjoy their craft.

But one of the things I leave most impressed by is how fiercely this operation works to remain “Made in the USA.” For example, Goldfine explains that, due to current trade policies, the tariff on bringing in fabric from Asia is about twice as high as the tariff for bringing in completed riding gear. “It’s as if the USA doesn’t want commercial/ industrial sewing activity done in this country,” he told me.

Supply chain issues caused by Covid have only deepened the challenge. Yet Goldfine remains true to his standards, a rare example of an apparel manufacturer uneasy with the lure of inexpensive offshore production, even as many consumers take the bait, sometimes unwittingly trading quality for low prices on everyday goods.

While the riding suits remain the pillar of Aerostich offerings, Goldfine has created and collected a dangerously desirable array of complementary apparel items, accessories, and equipment to make riding “easier, safer, and more comfortable.” It might be a heated mid-layer, a unique tool, perfect-fitting earplugs, stink-resistant socks, or a new tent you didn’t know you needed until you saw it on the website or in that cherished catalog that occasionally shows up in the mail.

And while he finds satisfaction in his artful curation of products and the affirmation of Aerostich loyalists, Goldfine’s core intention isn’t driven by being fashionable or even making money. His deeper motivation is about promoting the physical, psychological, and societal benefits of riding motorcycles every day. It’s why he created Ride to Work Day, to remind us of the Rx effect of being on the motorcycle, even for a short “useful” ride each day.

He believes riding makes us “betterfunctioning, calmer, clearer” people and also brings economic, environmental, and congestion-lessening benefits to our communities.

It’s with these big thoughts in mind that I step into my fresh Roadcrafter a week later. How the heck can a riding suit feel like home? This one does. No matter what newfangled riding apparel comes into my life to be tested, it’s the all-American Aerostich that endures.

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| RIDER TEST |

2022 SUZUKI GSX-S1000

VELVET HAMMER

BY GREG DREVENSTEDT / PHOTOS BY KEVIN WING

ngine development is the costliest aspect of designing a new motorcycle. Manufacturers, always vigilant about the bottom line, sometimes spread out these costs by using the same engine in multiple models. The Suzuki GSX-S1000 is built around the 999cc inline-Four originally from the GSX-R1000 K5 (2005-2008), which won multiple AMA Superbike championships. Advantages of the K5 engine

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include a long-stroke design that delivers strong low and midrange power, a crankshaft/gearbox configuration that allows the twin-spar frame to run directly from the steering head to the swingarm pivot, and a proven track record of performance and reliability.

When the GSX-S1000 debuted for 2016, it was available in a naked version and a faired “F” version. Because the GSX-S was a sportbike designed for the street rather

than the track, its detuned engine made less peak power than the GSX-R it was based on. Cam profiles and valve timing were mellower. Valves and the exhaust were made of steel rather than titanium. The tradeoff was a less expensive bike that was easier to live with thanks in large part to its more relaxed ergonomics.

Over time, successful spin-off models – like the Suzuki V-Strom 650 that was derived from the SV650 – take on a life of their own and follow their own development path. That’s the case with the GSX-S1000, which has been thoroughly overhauled for 2022 and is joined by two new sport-touring models, the GSX-

The updated GSX-S1000 gets all-new styling with stacked headlights, angular bodywork, and MotoGP-style winglets.

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Despite its aggressive stance, the new GSX-S1000 has a larger fuel tank, more comfortable ergonomics, engine refinements, and other changes that make it a well-rounded streetbike.

S1000GT and saddlebags-equipped GSX-S1000GT+ (we’ll have a test of the latter in an upcoming issue).

Visually, the new GSX-S1000 has much more aggressive, sharp-edged bodywork than its predecessor. It has angular panels flanking the larger fuel tank (5 gals., up from 4.5) and radiator, small MotoGP-style winglets,

and a stacked headlight array that juts forward like a beak. It also has a slimmer tailsection and LED lighting all around. But the GSX-S received more than just a facelift.

New camshaft profiles, valve springs, throttle bodies, and airbox, and a revised 4-2-1 exhaust contribute to a 2-hp bump in peak power, a

broader, smoother torque curve, and Euro 5 emissions compliance. On Jett Tuning’s dyno, the GSX-S1000 sent 136 hp and 73 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheel. Power climbs linearly to its peak at 10,200 rpm while torque spreads out wide like a mesa, with more than 60 lb-ft on tap from 4,300 rpm to 11,300 rpm.

A new throttle-by-wire system enables three ride modes (Active, Basic, and Comfort) that adjust throttle response and power delivery. The GSX-S1000 is equipped with switchable, five-level traction control, a new up/down quickshifter, and Suzuki’s Easy Start and Low RPM Assist. And the 6-speed transmission is mated to a new slip/assist clutch.

From the first few moments in the GSX-S1000’s saddle until the last time I dropped the kickstand, the word that kept popping into my head

Steering leverage and comfort are aided by a handlebar that’s wider and closer to the rider.

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2022 SUZUKI GSX-S1000 Base Price: $11,299 Warranty: 1 yr., unltd. miles Website: suzukicycles.com

ENGINE Type: Liquid-cooled, transverse inline-Four, DOHC w/ 4 valves per cyl.

Displacement: 999cc Bore x Stroke: 73.4 x 59.0mm Compression Ratio: 12.2:1 Valve Insp. Interval: 15,000 miles Fuel Delivery: EFI w/ throttle-by-wire, 40mm throttle bodies x 4 Lubrication System: Wet sump, 3.6 qt. cap.

Transmission: 6-speed, cable-actuated slip/assist wet clutch Final Drive: O-ring chain

CHASSIS Frame: Twin-spar cast aluminum frame & swingarm Wheelbase: 57.5 in.

Rake/Trail: 25 degrees/3.9 in.

Seat Height: 31.9 in.

Suspension, Front: 43mm inverted fork, fully adj., 4.7 in. travel Rear: Single linkage shock, adj. spring preload & rebound, 5.1 in. travel Brakes, Front: Dual 310mm floating discs w/ 4-piston radial monoblock calipers & ABS Rear: Single 240mm disc w/ 1-piston caliper & ABS Wheels, Front: Cast, 3.5 x 17 in.

Rear: Cast, 6.0 x 17 in.

Tires, Front: 120/70-ZR17 Rear: 190/50-ZR17 Wet Weight: 472 lbs.

Load Capacity: 408 lbs.

GVWR: 880 lbs.

PERFORMANCE

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Max. Horsepower: 136.2 @ 10,200 RPM Max. Torque: 73.4 @ 9,300 RPM 3

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Horsepower

Horsepower: 136 hp @ 10,200 rpm (rear-wheel dyno) Torque: 73 lb-ft @ 9,300 rpm (rear-wheel dyno) Fuel Capacity: 5.0 gals.

Fuel Consumption: 33.4 mpg Estimated Range: 167 miles

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Top right: The cockpit is minimalist, while the LCD display is overly busy and difficult to read in bright light.

Right: A twin-spar aluminum frame wraps around a 999cc inline-Four derived from the GSX-R1000 K5.

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was “smooth.” At idle, the engine hums dutifully, and spent gasses exiting the stubby exhaust seem to barely disturb the surrounding air. The riding position is pleasantly neutral, with a damped-mount aluminum handlebar that is 0.9 inch wider and 0.8 inch closer to the rider than on the previous model. The seat has been revised with more comfortable padding and a dished shape that cradles the rider.

Pulling away from stops and rowing up and down through the gears feels effortless. Like other slip/assist clutches, the Suzuki Clutch Assist System uses interlocking ramps that increase plate pressure during acceleration and provide slip as needed during aggressive deceleration and downshifts. The clutch requires only a light pull, and feel and engagement are spot-on. Both the clutch and brake levers are adjustable for reach.

Suzuki’s Bi-Directional Quick Shift system uses a gearposition sensor near the shifter that provides more precise response than quickshifters incorporated into the shift rod.

Of the many quickshifters I’ve tested on a variety of different motorcycles, none have responded with such crisp, immediate engagement, especially in lower gears and on downshifts.

No vagueness, no hiccups, just smooth, accurate gear changes.

Fueling and power delivery are close to faultless. Even the slightest movements in the throttle translate to small adjustments in speed with no hesitation or electronic delay.

The connection between the rider’s right wrist and the rear wheel feels direct, almost intuitive. Likewise, large handfuls of throttle produce a rapid surge in thrust with no apparent peaks or valleys, the exhaust delivering a satisfying wail as the inline-Four spins up quickly.

In keeping with its Superbike pedigree, the GSX-S1000 has a massive twin-spar cast-aluminum main frame that

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Precise fueling and throttle response, linear power delivery, a rapidfire quickshifter, and quality components help keep the GSX-S1000 cool and composed on curvy roads.

wraps around the engine, as well as a robust cast-aluminum swingarm.

Suspension is by KYB, with a fully adjustable 43mm inverted fork and a link-type monoshock that’s adjustable for preload and rebound. With damping tuned for the street, the suspension is responsive at speed and provides reassuring compliance on irregular pavement.

A pair of Brembo 4-piston radialmount monoblock calipers provide stopping power at the front, squeezing fully floating 310mm rotors. They have good initial bite and progressive feel at the lever, slowing the 472-lb bike and its rider with authority.

Out back, a Nissin 1-piston caliper squeezes a 240mm disc. ABS is standard but, like the traction control system, it is not lean-angle sensitive.

The GSX-S1000 rolls on Dunlop Roadsmart 2 sport-touring tires that walk a middle ground between grip and mileage. Their Intuitive Response

Profile (IRP) provides a large, reassuring contact patch when leaned over in corners. The rubber is wrapped around six-spoke, 17-inch cast-aluminum wheels. On bikes with the Metallic Triton Blue paint scheme inspired

by Suzuki’s MotoGP race livery, the wheels are color-matched to the bike; the wheels are black in the Metallic Matte Mechanical Gray colorway.

While negotiating one challenging series of corners after another,

I continued to be impressed with how smooth and composed the GSX-S1000 felt. Its agreeable rider triangle, easy-to-operate controls, predictable handling, and silky power delivery help the bike work with the rider, not against them. There are no frustrating quirks, no “if only” caveats. But the GSX isn’t dull, either.

It’s a well-engineered, precisioncrafted performance machine that is a genuine pleasure to ride.

Mono-focus LED headlights shine light through convex lenses to create a bright, broad spread of light.

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If there’s one area that left me wanting, however, it’s the instrumentation. The GSX’s monochrome LCD display is cluttered with information and, despite the screen’s adjustable brightness, was difficult to read in direct sunlight. With vivid, easy-to-read TFT displays being the norm on many modern bikes, the GSX’s instrument panel looks dated.

And while I appreciate the simplified switchgear, with a single mode button and a large up/down toggle 4 8 / M AY 2 02 2 / R I D E R M AG A Z I N E .CO M

on the left side to adjust settings, it isn’t intuitive.

It’s clear the GSX-S1000 was designed to meet an aggressive price target. The LCD instrument panel, the simplified electronic riding aids, the lack of cruise control, and other cost-saving measures enabled Suzuki to achieve an MSRP of $11,299. Other liter-class naked sportbikes from Japan cost significantly more – the Honda CB1000R retails for $12,999, and the Yamaha MT-10 is priced at for $13,999.

Suzuki has been smart about updating the GSX-S1000. It gave it a distinctive new look, improved power delivery, more comfortable ergonomics, and useful new features like throttle-by-wire, ride modes, and a fantastic quickshifter.

Some manufacturers go all-in on IMU-enabled electronics, but they ratchet up the price. The GSX-S1000 is much improved from its predecessor yet still delivers solid value.

Smooth is as smooth does.

| FIRST RIDE |

A TIGER OF M ANY STRIPES 2 0 2 3 T R I U M P H T I G E R 12 0 0

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The Tiger 1200 is available in five variants, three geared toward the street (GT, GT Pro [main photo], and GT Explorer), plus two geared toward off-road riding (Rally Explorer and Rally Pro, shown at right).

BY DUSTIN WHEELEN / PHOTOS BY KINGDOM CREATIVE

H

eavyweight adventure bikes are built to munch miles and tackle trails. The brief sounds simple, but balancing the demands of tarmac and terrain is a subtle art. Most manufacturers favor one side of the on-/ off-road equation. Instead of splitting the difference, though, the 2023 Triumph Tiger 1200 splits the field, catering to longhaul road trippers with the GT series and intrepid explorers with the Rally variants.

The thoroughly updated Tiger 1200 didn’t just assume a split identity, it also went on a crash diet, shedding a claimed 55 pounds. To pack on extra muscle, Triumph repurposed the 1,160cc inline-Triple from the 2022 Speed Triple 1200 RS to pump out 148 horsepower at 9,000 rpm and 96 lb-ft of torque at 7,000 rpm. Surround that punchy powerplant with a lightweight trellis frame, a cast-aluminum Tri-Link swingarm with shaft final drive, and Showa semi-active suspension, and you end up with one capable cat.

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Designed for long-distance touring, the GT Explorer (on left below) and Rally Explorer (shown on left, previous page) have larger gas tanks, heated seats, tire-pressure monitoring systems, and blind-spot radar.

The Tiger 1200 variants may share the same DNA, but they express different traits. The GT and Rally models have different headstock angles, suspension travel, damping rates, ride modes, and curb weights. Those differences allow the GT to pound the pavement while the Rally tears up the trail, with Pro and Explorer versions of each, the latter with more fuel capacity and other features for long-haul travel (including heated seats, a tire-pressure monitoring system, and blind-spot radar). With the latest-generation Tiger 1200 primed to

take on the competition, we tested the GT Pro, GT Explorer, Rally Pro, and Rally Explorer (but not the basemodel GT) variants on Portugal’s picturesque backroads and enduro tracks to determine whether these heavyweight adventurers can satisfy the needs of different ADV riders.

GO GET ’EM, TIGER The Tiger 1200’s windscreen is manually adjustable on the fly using one hand.

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At the heart of the Tiger 1200 is Triumph’s liquid-cooled, 12-valve, 1,160cc inline-Triple engine. The mighty mill shares the same bore, stroke, and compression ratio as the 2022 Speed Triple 1200 RS, but a 270-degree crank, a 1-3-2 piston firing order, and shaft final drive endow the Tiger with a personality all its own. Those preparations outfit the Tiger 1200 for life on the open road and off the beaten path.

A steady torque curve and linear powerband make the Tiger ready to romp, with usable power throughout the rev range. In Tiger trim, the big Triple with a T-plane crank may not boast the most stimulating power profile in the class, but what the 1200 loses in outright horsepower numbers, it makes up for in charac-

ter. Between 4,000-7,000 rpm, the engine emits a bellicose growl, and it roars up to its 9,500-rpm redline.

Unfortunately, that pleasing exhaust note is accompanied by extra vibrations just above 6,000 rpm. The footpegs buzz first and the vibes reach the bars in the higher registers. Luckily, the mill only spins 4,000 rpm at 70 mph in 6th gear, remaining comfortable for long-distance journeys. At a more spirited pace, those vibrations aren’t top of mind. During slower city riding, short shifting quelled the tremors and softened the power delivery.

That same approach benefits trail riding, too. On the road, the direct line between the rider’s right wrist and the rear wheel lets the Tiger pounce out of corners. The torquerich midrange that suits the road, however, can overwhelm grip in the dirt. The tractable Triple is just as happy to spin up or chug along, and I quickly adapted my inputs to the conditions. Triumph’s ride modes also help tame the Tiger.

Road, Rain, and Sport ride modes come standard on all models and adjust the Triple’s character accordingly. The GT Pro and GT Explorer add Off-Road and Rider (custom) modes, and the Rally Pro and Rally Explorer go one step further by adding an Off-Road Pro mode. Each mode dials the Tiger’s throttle response, damping settings, ABS, and traction control to the occasion, allowing the big-bore ADV to adapt to any environment.

The Road and Rain modes live up to their names with usable power and increased ABS and TC intervention. The Tiger bears its claws in Sport mode, with a stiffened sus-

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Top right: The updated Tiger 1200 lost a significant amount of weight, but these are still heavyweight ADV bikes, with curb weights ranging from 540 lbs for the GT Pro to 575 lbs for the Rally Explorer. Middle left: Allnew Tri-Link swingarm is lighter and stronger, and final drive is via shaft.

Middle right: When toggling through ride modes, the digital speedo/tach rotates out of the way on the 7-inch TFT display. Right: The Tiger 1200’s 1,160cc inline-Triple is derived from the Speed Triple 1200 RS. R I D E R M AG A Z I N E .CO M / M AY 2 0 22 / 5 3

2023 TRIUMPH TIGER 1200 GT PRO / GT EXPLORER / RALLY PRO / RALLY EXPLORER Base Price: $21,400 / $23,100 / $22,500 / $24,200 Website: triumphmotorcycles.com Engine Type: Liquid-cooled, transverse inline-Triple, DOHC w/ 4 valves per cyl.

Displacement: 1,160cc Bore x Stroke: 90.0 x 60.8mm Horsepower: 148 hp @ 9,000 rpm (claimed) Torque: 96 lb-ft @ 7,000 rpm (claimed) Transmission: 6-speed, hydraulically actuated slip/assist wet clutch w/ quickshifter Final Drive: Shaft Wheelbase: 61.4 in.

Rake/Trail: 24.1 degrees/4.7 in. (GT models) / 23.7 degrees/4.4 in. (Rally models) Seat Height: 33.5/34.3 in. (GT models) / 34.4/35.2 in. (Rally models) Wet Weight: 540 lbs. / 562 lbs. / 549 lbs. / 575 lbs. (claimed) Fuel Capacity: 5.3 gals. (Pro models) / 7.9 gals. (Explorer models)

pension, reduced traction control, and peppy throttle response that encourages a lively pace. Off-Road lowers the thresholds of both traction control and ABS actuation, while Off-Road Pro disables both for unfettered fun. With a dedicated button at the left switchgear, riders can quickly toggle between the ride modes while the Tiger is on the move.

ONE AGILE CAT While the Tiger’s engine is the star of the show, its new Showa semi-active suspension is hardly an understudy. It offers automatic rear preload adjustment and two damping maps – Road and Off-Road – which are preselected with on-road and off-road ride modes, and damping is adjustable over nine levels within each map, from Com-

Above: An array of buttons and switches and a vivid TFT display allow Tiger 1200 pilots to actuate functions and adjust settings. Heated grips are standard on all variants except the base-model GT. Left: The off-road-ready Rally Pro and Rally Explorer have longer suspension travel, tubeless spoked wheels in 21-/18-inch sizes, and knobbier tires.

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The Rally Explorer is the most fully equipped Tiger 1200 variant.

Engine and fuel tank protection bars are standard.

Explorer models boast a gigantic 7.9-gal. fuel capacity.

fort (soft) to Sport (firm). Users can fine-tune the settings on the fly to deal with pothole-strewn roads, fast-paced twisties, technical trails, long-haul cruising – you name it.

Regardless of conditions, neither end of the ninesetting spectrum felt too spongy or hard-edged. Even in Comfort mode, the fork yields sufficient support under heavy braking without diving excessively. Conversely, the shock doesn’t buck the rider out of the seat in the Sport setting. Each mode prepares the chassis for differing conditions, but the system’s electronically controlled valves preserve the Tiger’s composure.

Users will inevitably find the suspension’s limits off the beaten path, but due to the Rally’s 8.7 inches of suspension travel and the GT’s 7.9 inches, bottoming the Tiger isn’t easy. Of course, a brisk pace on rutty trails will tax the suspension, but the semi-automatic system remained stout on the fire roads and technical singletracks we explored on the Tiger 1200 Rally Pro. In concert with the adaptive suspenders, Triumph outfits the Tiger 1200 with superbike-worthy Brembo Stylema calipers. A Magura HC-1 radial front master cylinder provides precise feel and feedback at the lever, and braided hoses maintain consistent performance. The system’s finesse shined when modulating the binders on the trail, yet there’s more than enough bite and stopping power when hammering the brakes into a paved hairpin. The setup’s dependable braking performance increases confidence and complements the Tiger’s sporty ambitions.

Premium components include Showa semi-active suspension and Brembo Stylema calipers. GT models have castaluminum wheels.

Thanks to the communicative and responsive chassis, including a new, 12-lbs-lighter trellis frame, the Tiger 1200’s sharp on-road handling belies its 540- to 575-lb curb weight (depending on variant). The heavyweight adventurer feels light on its toes, and correcting a line mid-turn is effortless. As expected, the GT series attacks the tarmac best thanks to its 19-inch/18-inch cast-aluminum wheels shod with street-optmized MetR I D E R M AG A Z I N E .CO M / M AY 2 0 22 / 5 5

Right: Semi-active suspension offers automatic rear preload adjustment, Road and OffRoad damping maps, and nine levels of damping adjustment within each map. Below: On Explorer models, the blindspot radar system activates a light on the side-view mirror when a vehicle is detected.

corners during the off-road day, a ham-fisted whack on the throttle quickly brought the rear wheel around.

Luckily, the Off-Road mode’s traction control helped me save the potential low-side crash. Expert off-roaders will spring for the Off-Road Pro’s aidless experience, but the standard Off-Road setting’s safety nets will suit many novice-to-intermediate riders.

RIDE THE TIGER

zeler Tourance 90/10 tires. However, the Rally Pro and Rally Explorer are no slouches on the asphalt, even with 21-inch/18-inch tubeless spoked wheels shod with more dirt-oriented Metzeler Karoo tires. Despite the Rally’s slight disadvantage on the street, riders with even modest off-road ambitions will benefit from the trim’s capability without losing too much pavement performance.

In the dirt, it’s easy to tell when the Tiger breaks traction, allowing the rider to adjust throttle application accordingly. After sliding the Tiger through several 5 6 / M AY 2 02 2 / R I D E R M AG A Z I N E .CO M

The Tiger 1200’s ergonomics put the rider in a commanding position to tackle both on- and off-road sections, with a roomy cockpit that offers enough space for the rider to move fore and aft. The two Explorer variants raise the handlebars to accommodate the larger 7.9-gallon fuel tank (up from 5.3 gallons on the GTs), but it doesn’t sacrifice comfort in the process.

While the Tiger’s ergos fit my 5-foot, 10-inch frame, results will vary based on the rider’s dimensions and weight. The same goes for the windscreen. In the lowest setting, the screen pushed oncoming air up to my shoulders. The highest position shifted that current to the peak of my helmet, introducing reverberating wind noise and batting about my head. For that reason, I kept the one-hand adjustable screen in the low setting, but customers may remedy the situation with a windscreen extension from Triumph’s accessories catalog.

On the technology front, the Tiger 1200’s user interface is intuitive and straightforward. A dedicated home

button on the right switchpod opens the primary menu, and a joystick at the left lets riders quickly toggle through the settings. Unlike some of its competitors, the Tiger’s folder system is easy to navigate and requires a minimal learning curve. In certain modes, the 7-inch TFT display even prompts riders to revert to the previous ride settings, allowing users to seamlessly jump back on the trail without resetting ABS, traction control, and suspension damping options.

The Tiger’s new blindspot detection system, which is standard on the Explorer models, matches that convenience with safety. Similar to the tech found on Ducati’s Multistrada V4 S, the Continental-developed system utilizes a rear-facing radar and mirror-mounted lights to inform riders when other vehicles enter their blindspot. The tech accurately detected both cars and motorcycles during my time with the Tiger 1200,

but the light location doesn’t always grab the rider’s attention. Whereas the Multistrada places the notification lights at the top outer corner of each mirror, Triumph positions them at the lower edge, which may not be in the user’s line of view when looking far up the road. The system works just fine, but Tiger 1200 riders may want to do a double take before committing to a lane change.

Other useful features that are standard on the higher-spec Pro and Explorer models include cruise control, a quickshifter, cornering lights, hill-hold control, LED auxiliary lights, heated grips, a centerstand, a skid plate, engine protection bars (Explorers and Rally Pro), and fuel tank protection bars (Rally Explorer).

OUT OF THE BAG With the introduction of the 2023 Tiger 1200, Triumph returns its biggest cat to the adventure lineup.

It may have taken Hinckley a few

years to overhaul the heavyweight ADV, but the 55-lb weight savings, semi-active suspension, T-Plane inline-Triple, and other upgrades were worth the wait. The GT and Rally lines make all that fun accessible to both long-distance travelers and rugged overlanders.

Pricing starts at $19,100 for the standard Tiger 1200 GT, which is competitively priced and equipped to take on its main rival, the BMW R 1250 GS. The higher-spec Pro and Explorer variants add more features to suit different on-road, off-road, and long-haul missions. The agility of the GT, GT Pro, and Rally Pro along with the long-distance capabilities of the GT Explorer and Rally Explorer position the Tiger 1200 as a desirable option for all styles of adventure riding. Yes, balancing the demands of tarmac and terrain is a subtle art, but Triumph proves that it’s possible to have the best of both worlds. Choose your own adventure.

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Story by DREW MOHEGOMI & photos by MOLLY MILLROY

Photo by Alyssa Hei

FAVORITE RIDE

Skyline Parkway Scenic Byway provides stunning views of downtown Duluth and Lake Superior.

Minnesota Lakes Loop Riding from Duluth to Ely and back again on’t go, stay away. Reversepsychology, genuine selfishness, or a mixture of both?

This simple day ride has evolved.

I’ve ridden it at least once a summer for more than 30 years, starting with a 1978 BMW R100, then a 1981 BMW R80GS, and currently a 2007

D

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BMW R1200R. Just as those bikes have changed, so has the road.

It’s not my favorite ride, either. I don’t have a favorite ride, other than the next one. This is because every time I ride, I feel noticeably better.

For me, there is nothing like the calming, clarifying effect of self-di-

rected motion, and riding a motorcycle might be the richest delivery system for obtaining this benefit ever devised. So, commute riding to work, or around this loop, it’s all the same. Every ride is my favorite ride.

Starting from Duluth, at Canal Park, proceed along the North Shore of Lake Superior on State Route 61 to Two Harbors. Turn left and start riding due north on County Road 2.

(Alternatively, you can ride farther up the shore, and a few miles past Silver Bay you’ll come to Illgen City,

Top: Located at Two Harbors, Split Rock Lighthouse opened in 1909 and sits on a 130-foot cliff overlooking Lake Superior. Photo by Paul Vincent.

Above: The largest of the Great Lakes, Lake Superior covers nearly 32,000 square miles. Riding along its North Shore is a highlight of this route.

which isn’t actually a city, or even a town or village. It’s just a T-intersection where State Route 1 begins. There you turn left.)

The ride is fairly flat along the North Shore, but it climbs as it heads inland, and soon you are surrounded by a second-generation forest of Norway pine, white birch, alder, and spruce. It’s as remote and empty-feeling a forest landscape as you’ll find anywhere in Alaska, Canada, or Siberia.

After heading north for 46 miles, County Road 2 dead-ends at Route 1. Hang a left toward Ely. Wildlife you might encounter includes white-tailed deer, moose, timber wolves, black bears, beavers, racoons, squirrels, loons, blackbirds, bald eagles, and a variety of ducks,

geese, grouse, and partridge. Human encounters will be loggers driving big trucks, fishermen carrying rooftop canoes, occasional lumbering motorhomes, and a few Subaru-driving campers and hikers. There’s also a thin smattering of settlers and a couple little roadhouse bars.

This old Route 1 has evolved. Back in the 1980s, its asphalt surface was shoulderless, rough, narrow, and already worn out, with plenty of tight 15-25 mph banked and closely linked corners which were fun to try at 30-45 mph. It was like a bumpier, frost-damaged version of the Tail of the Dragon, with enough kinks, tight corners, and expansion heaves to make any hard-ridden bike’s shocks and tires a little warm. Back then, this road was so tight, and for such long stretches, it was a great R I D E R M AG A Z I N E .CO M / M AY 2 0 22 / 5 9

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

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Photo by Alyssa Hei

After turning north at Two Harbors, this route enters a vast, empty part of northeastern Minnesota, passing by a few of the state’s 10,000 lakes. County Road 2 is mostly straight, but State Route 1 winds its way gracefully through dense forest that’s home to plenty of wildlife but few people. Keep your wits about you and be prepared for emergencies, because it’s a remote area without many services.

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training area for young riders wanting to improve their skills. The mature forest whizzed by only a few feet from your elbows and knees, greatly adding to the sensation of speed. Boy, was it ever fun. No time to lollygag by looking into narrow clearings flashing by, or across the numerous small lakes, streams, and ponds, hoping to spot exotic wildlife. Nope, I’ve never seen a single moose up there, or a wolf, yet that is where a bunch of them are known to live. Eyes on the road.

Not much of that fun old stretch of highway remains today. Most of it has been improved and widened to modern standards for the convenience and safety of loggers, fisherman, tourists, and locals. It’s still all scenic and curvy, but now it’s dozens of smoothly linked, higher-speed sweepers, and most of the sides include nice shoulders with decent runoffs. Those unyielding rocks and trees of the primordial forest are now at least 10 to 12 feet away from your elbows. Thanks, MnDOT.

Photo by Lucy Hawthorne

Throughout downtown Ely are 19 different murals, including “The End of An Era,” which celebrates the town’s mining history.

(south) on S. Central Avenue (County Road 21), and ride about 30 miles to the town of Embarrass. Just to the west, turn south again on State Route 135.

Follow signs for Aurora via CSAH (County State Aid Highway) 100, and continue to County Road 4, known as the Vermilion Trail, which was first cut as an overland pack-horse wagon trail into this canoe country. At intervals are several worn little iron-mining towns, a scattering of hardscrabble survival settlers, and a few more always-welcoming taverns. Before you know it, you’re back in the mini metropolis of Duluth.

Built in the early 1900s, the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge connects the city of Duluth with Minnesota Point on the southern shore of Lake Superior.

Photo by Alyssa Hei

Well done. You’ve transformed a hillbilly hooligan-rider’s haven into a delightful sport-touring and touring rider’s experience.

The apogee of this loop is the city of Ely, famous partly for mining but mostly as a jump-off point for canoe trippers wanting to paddle the endless lakes and rivers of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and explore Voyageurs National Park. With a little portaging here and there, you can just about paddle all the way to the Rockies, and in the 1700s lots of hard men did just that to trade with the natives for beaver pelts, which were in great fashiondemand across Europe then.

You can purchase locally handmade moose-hide mukluks, choppers, custom canoe paddles, and all kinds of gallery artwork and camping gear in Ely, so allow some walkabout time. There’s also a park, a theater, camping, motels, and cottages if you are inclined to linger overnight. Delicious sit-down meals are offered at several nice joints. You can choose from two brands of gasoline and even buy the no-ethanol premium most older bikes like best. The vibe is Western ski town without mountains, just an endless, roadless wilderness of lakes and forests as far as you can dream. Or paddle.

To get back to Duluth, ride west through Ely on Route 1, turn left

Ely is a charming little town on the edge of Minnesota’s vast Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

NEW & COOL 1

2

3 4

1. WIND PUSHER

2. SMART & SPORTY

3. VICTORY VIEW

4. PADDED COMFORT

National Cycle’s VStream Windscreens have been reengineered for the Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin Adventure Sports models.

Made from tough Quantum hardcoated polycarbonate, the windscreens feature outstanding clarity, impact strength, and scratch resistance claimed to be unmatched by any windscreen maker worldwide. Easy to install, protected by a 3-year warranty against breakage, and available in three heightaccommodating sizes for wind protection and riding comfort, VStream Windscreens are made in the USA. Price ranges from $139.95$174.95 depending on size. nationalcycle.com

Featuring an all-new tread pattern, construction, compounds, profiles, and technology, the Sportmax Roadsmart IV tire joins Dunlop’s premium performance sport-touring line offering what others cannot: class-leading mileage that outlasts the Roadsmart III by 23% (front) and 26% (rear), the confident handling of a full-on sport tire, excellent wet-weather grip with the MT Multi-Tread technology, and an increase in ride comfort – all while maintaining these advantages throughout its lifespan.

MSRP for each tire ranges from $181.08-$265.37. dunlopmotorcycletires.com

The Victory Rim Bar End DRL/Turn Signal Mirror from Highsider has been revised to include a fully integrated white daytime running light and amber turnsignal in the mirror stem, with the bright LEDs providing additional forward visibility.

It is constructed from high-quality aluminum and features a bead-blasted matte black finish, and the wiring runs internally through a custom bolt, providing a seamless look. The bar/mirror fits most 7/8-inch and 1-inch handlebars and can be used on both the left and right sides of handlebars. Sold individually for $119.99. highsider-us.com

To match the new seat style of the 2021 Honda Gold Wing, Show Chrome has updated its Quick Detachable Smart Mount Backrest with a new pad style. Its patented quick-detach design allows the pad assembly to be easily removed or slid back into place. The ingenious Smart Mount allows 3 inches of horizontal adjustment and 1 inch of vertical adjustment to help place the pad where desired for a comfortable ride. The Hopnel-designed pad has a high-density foam that holds up to daily use. Made in the USA, it fits all 2018-andnewer GL1800 Gold Wings.

MSRP is $219.95. bigbikeparts.com

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5

6

8 7 5. SEEK IT

6. SUPER HOOLIGAN

7. NEW KAROO

8. TRIGGER HAPPY

Joe Rocket’s Seeker Jacket uses cooling Free Air mesh on the torso, back, and arms with 10-oz. cotton canvas reinforced shoulders, elbows, and lower back. It comes with a removable waterproof liner, CE spine armor, a padded lower back, heavy-duty YKK zippers, a 4-point Sure Fit adjustment system, two belt loops for pant attachments, two hand pockets plus two chest zip pockets, and reflective piping in the front and rear.

Available in Black/Black, Sand/Black, and Gray/Black in sizes Small-3XL, as well as 4XL-5XL for the Black/ Black color scheme. MSRP starts at $239.99. joerocket.com

Indian Motorcycle and SUPER73 have partnered to create the eFTR Hooligan 1.2 electric bicycle.

Engineered for recreational sport use and urban transportation, it combines a trusted electric powertrain from SUPER73 with moto-inspired styling from Indian, featuring an inverted fork, a moto-style handlebar, an LED headlight with an FTR-inspired wind deflector, aggressive tires, and more features to complete an Indian-themed design. Riders can select from several ride modes – Class 1, 2, 3, or Off-Road – via the SUPER73 mobile app. Priced at $3,999.99. indianmotorcycle.com

Metzeler’s new Karoo 4 is a 50/50 on-/off-road tire for medium- and largedisplacement adventure bikes. It provides confident grip on pavement, versatile traction on trails, and excellent abrasion, cut, and tearing resistance thanks to a patented tread design and carbon black compounds, with a single compound in front and a dual compound at the rear. Compared to its predecessor, the Karoo 4 delivers improved off-road and wet-weather performance, and is designed to work well with electronic rider aids.

Available now in 19- and 21inch front sizes and 17- and 18-inch rear sizes. metzeler.com

Denali Electronics has released the Trigger Wizard, a universal high beam trigger for groundswitched LED headlights, such as those on Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin and Yamaha Ténéré 700 models.

The Trigger Wizard is a simple wiring adapter that converts a ground-switched vehicle high beam wire to a traditional high beam wire that outputs 12 volts. This adapter is required to output a 12V high beam signal that allows Denali auxiliary lights to change intensity when you turn on the high beam switch. MSRP is $18.

For more info about Denali lights, visit the website. denalielectronics.com

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PRODUCT PRODUCTEVALUATIONS EVALUATIONS

GEAR LAB

Avon Storm 3D X-M Tires CONSTRUCTING A MOTORCYCLE TIRE is complicated, but the important aspects for me are durability and handling.

How long will it last, and how does it feel when cornering?

Nobody can say how long a tire will last, because that depends on how the rider uses the throttle, the type of bike, and the road conditions. I needed a new set of rubber for my Honda ST1100, and Avon Tyres offers two models appropri6 8 / M AY 2 02 2 / R I D E R M AG A Z I N E .CO M

ate for my use. Both Spirit and Storm radials are in their sport-touring lineup, with the Spirit being sportier and the Storm 3D X-M lasting longer. I opted for the X-M, with those two letters standing for eXtra-Miles.

The 3D means Avon uses a 3-dimensional system in the way the tread pattern is arranged, said to improve stability and grip and to squeeze out water more effectively when riding on a rainy day.

Avon also uses SRS (Super Rich Silica) in the tread to enhance grip.

The tires arrived wrapped in plastic, which I tore off and began looking at all the numbers and letters on the sidewalls. On the rear tire was writ: A-VBD (Advanced Variable Belt Density), meaning the wires which give the tire strength are closer together in the center of the tire, further apart on the sidewalls. This allows the footprint of the tire to expand as the bike leans into a curve. Stamped with a ZR rating, the Storm tires have a maximum speed capability that exceeds 149 mph.

Let’s get them on the wheels and try them out. Installation is handled by my local technician, Herb. Air hose on, 42 psi in the rear, 36 in the front, and I’m away on a 150-mile break-in ride. The next morning, I check the pressures, all is well, and then I’m off to the Big Sur highway, closed that day at a point halfway up the coast because of a minor landslide. That gives me 40 miles of trafficless curves.

Good grip, and pleasantly soft in the curves due to the malleable sidewalls, but certainly not too soft, and the ride is very comfortable. Good feel on the brakes, which are not ABS, with the tires gripping well when slowing fast.

Over the next 1,000 miles I get some rain-riding in, and those 3D sipes do work well.

For a fun bit of history, the Avon India Rubber Co. Ltd. began in 1890 in the English town of Melksham, about 100 miles west of London, with the Avon River flowing through. In 1997, Avon was bought by the Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. of Findlay, Ohio. And in 2021, Cooper was bought by Goodyear. The mysteries of big business.

The front has an MSRP of $159.81, rear, $213.06, but there are always deals to be had out there.

— CLEMENT SALVADORI

FOR MORE INFORMATION: SEE YOUR DEALER OR VISIT AVONMOTO.COM

Barkbusters Handguards BARKBUSTERS HANDGUARDS were one of the first accessories I installed on my then-new 2009 BMW F 800 GS. Over the ensuing years they survived numerous drops, dumps, and branches, suffering only scratches. Most importantly, my hands and levers remained intact. Their performance on my GS made it a no-brainer to install them for up-front protection on our long-term Yamaha Ténéré 700.

Made by Rideworx in Australia, Barkbusters have been in production since 1984.

There are two basic types, differentiated by their mounting systems: single-point mounts are designed for wind protection only, whereas two-point mounts provide impact protection as well. In either case, Barkbusters attach to the handlebar with a stout, heat-treated aluminum mount. The two-point style is reviewed here.

Bike-specific builds are available for all kinds of motos, from naked bikes to adventure machines. I chose the whole enchilada for the T7: aluminum backbones ($109.95), VPS plastic handguards with wind deflectors ($49.95), and skid plates for the backbones’ impact zones ($19.95), for an all-in price of $179.85. Of the several hand-fairing styles available, the VPS units come in the widest variety of colors. Their wind deflectors mount to the fairing with two screws and are easily removable for warmer rides.

Following the clear instructions, the installation took less than an hour. New bar-end weights replace the stock units, providing a mount for the 10mm x 20mm aluminum backbone at the end of the handlebar. The second mount is fixed by a clamp that attaches farther down the bar. Finding the sweet spot for the clamp on the handlebar and adjusting its angle took some fiddling, as did getting the left and right backbones aligned. But the most difficult part of the install was tightening

the stainless-steel clamp screws, which wouldn’t be an issue with a bit more room to fit a wrench on the nuts. The skid plates go on the backbones before securing the bar ends. The final steps include snapping the hand fairings onto the backbones, securing each one with two screws, and fitting the wind deflectors.

In use, the Barkbusters don’t interfere with the levers or other controls; they just mind their own business while keeping the wind off your hands. But when branches lash at your knuckles or a get-off threatens your levers, they rise to the challenge. I’ve ridden mine into the ground more than once, saving my hand from getting pinched by the handlebar, or worse. Twelve years in, I’m still using Barkbusters.

— ARDEN KYSELY

FOR MORE INFORMATION: SEE YOUR DEALER OR VISIT PACIFICPOWERSPORTS.COM

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GEAR LAB

Umberto Luce Crimson Boots Long before I got into motorcycles, I was into boots. As a rebellious middleschooler, I stomped around in army-

surplus combat boots. In high school, I bought a pair of Danner hiking boots that have protected my feet over hun-

Photos by Kevin Wing

dreds of miles of trails in the Appalachians, Rockies, and Sierra Nevada.

Thirty years later, I still have them, and their Vibram soles have been replaced multiple times. When it comes to boots, as with other gear we depend on, quality is worth paying for.

Umberto Luce boots first popped onto my radar last November at the IMS Outdoors show in Southern California. Peter Jones, Rider’s resident fashionista and shoe aficionado, and I both admired the stylish kicks, which look cool but are also designed to withstand the rigors of knocking about on motorcycles. We met Humberto Luce, the company founder and designer, who exudes energy and passion.

In January, Peter and I ran into Humberto again at AIMExpo in Las Vegas, and this time he sent me home with a pair of Crimson boots. I tried them on at the show, and they were so comfortable that I kept them on. For the past few months, with rare exception, the Crimson boots have been on my feet both on and off the bike. Part of what makes them so comfortable is a flexible, durable sole made from a stack of leather, EVA (ethylenevinyl acetate), and an anti-slip vulcanized rubber with a lugged tread. The outer sole has a unique speckled pattern that reminds me of a terrazzo floor.

The full-grain leather upper has an oil-tanned suede finish and a butter-soft, odor-resistant interior. Getting in and out of the lace-up boots is made easy with a quick-entry side zipper. Protective features include CE-certified D3O ankle protection, secure lock stitching, and a frontal-impact-protection cap toe, all of which are tastefully incorporated into the stylish design of the boots.

I’ve spent full days in the saddle of a motorcycle, as well as full days tromping around city streets and airports, with these boots on, and they’re among the most comfortable I’ve ever worn. You’ll have to pry them off my cold, dead feet.

Umberto Luce Crimson boots are available in men’s sizes 7 to 13.5 and priced at $329. They’re made in small batches by craftsmen in León, Mexico.

Check out the website for other styles.

— GREG DREVENSTEDT

FOR MORE INFORMATION: VISIT UMBERTOLUCE.COM

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EXHAUST NOTE Cages CARS AREN’T motorcycles, although they can be useful. When I need to move more than a motorcycle can carry, or when it’s winter and the snow is piling up on the roads, or when I must transport a passenger who’s not interested in riding there, a car is a good tool for the job.

But for enjoying the journey, most cars leave me wanting. Sitting behind locked doors, looking out through closed windows, occupants of a car miss clues to the world outside. The fragrance of blooming wildflowers, the sweetness of freshly cut hay, the tang of shade tobacco curing in slat barns, or the bite of salty air near the ocean are masked. Cars even coddle drivers and passengers with the creature comforts of home: climate control, carpeting, courtesy lighting, reclining seats, and more.

In a car, you are indoors looking out.

You’re in a cage. On a motorcycle, you are outdoors, part of the environment and its sensory experiences. While I was riding through southwestern Nova Scotia, bound for Cape Breton, the shore road didn’t always provide me a view of the ocean, but olfactory clues informed me that the tide was out. I also detected what a meteorologist described as “more of the smell of everything” when barometric pressure drops. Sure enough, the rain came while I had eggs, toast, and coffee in a roadside diner. My riding gear is waterproof, so despite a preference for sun, I didn’t let the rain spoil my ride.

After breakfast I continued east along the shore. Hard, steady rain pelted my helmet, surrounding my head with the sound of popping corn.

I pulled into the port town of Lunenburg, a remarkable sight even in the rain, and followed signs to the tourist welcome center where there was sure to be a restroom. Following much needed relief, I looked through the tourism exhibits in the lobby. In the continuing downpour, a sedan drove into the parking lot. Four car doors flew open and slammed shut, and four people sprinted to the building. Two 7 4 / M AY 2 02 2 / R I D E R M AG A Z I N E .CO M

teenaged girls arrived first, complaining about how wet they’d gotten. Their parents, trying to make light of their soaking, joined in the chorus, but one look at me in my wet riding attire made the father feel lucky.

“You must be soaked to the skin!” he said. I smiled and assured him that I was dry underneath my riding gear.

“Really?” he replied. “That’s funny.

You’re riding on a motorcycle and you’re dry. We’re riding in a car and we’re soaked!” I agreed; it was funny.

Even the teens appreciated the irony. I pointed out that warm-air hand dryers in restrooms work great to dry clothes, and the girls and their mother disappeared into the ladies’ lavatory.

“Sorry you’re having to ride in bad weather,” the father said.

“There’s really no bad weather,” I replied, “just bad gear for the weather you’re having.” He smiled and asked what it’s like to ride a motorcycle in the rain. “It’s actually a lot like driving a car in the rain,” I explained. “Visibility and traction are reduced, braking distances are increased, and you need to watch your speed. What’s different on a motorcycle is you’re outdoors.”

The father nodded and then headed into the gents’ facilities.

A few minutes later, still waiting for his wife and daughters, he continued the

Story and photo by SCOTT A. WILLIAMS

small talk. “So where are you headed?”

“Halifax tonight,” I replied, “then Cape Breton.” That was his plan, too.

He’d come along the shore road in search of scenic views, but fog and rain ruined that. I asked if he had noticed the scent of salt air along the shore road, or felt the change in temperature as the road moved closer to the water, or smelled low tide, or detected that smell of everything before the rain came. He admitted noticing none of those things.

“That’ll happen when you’re in a cage,” I said.

“A cage?” he asked.

“A car.”

“Yes, a cage,” he chuckled. “I get it.

That’s funny, too.”

His wife and daughters emerged from the ladies’ room with smiles and dry clothes, ready to resume their trip.

Silently, I wondered how they would get back to the car without getting wet again. The father’s wry smile revealed what he was thinking: His family would soon be back inside their cage, insulated from the outside world in wet clothes, while the motorcycle guy would be taking it all in, outdoors but dry in his gear.

“Well, enjoy your ride,” the father said with a wave. “I’m sure you will.

You’re not in a cage.”

Being part of the environment you’re traveling through – such as along the Stewiacke River in central Nova Scotia – beats looking out from inside a cage.