Table of contents for August 2016 in Cycle World

The area in and around Moab, Utah, is filled with red rock and dirt roads that are begging to be explored, but within a few miles I realize that’s not how I’ll be spending my day aboard Honda’s new-for-the-States VFR1200X. And that’s okay. That’s okay because the area in and around Moab is also filled with paved roads crisscrossing some of the most scenic landscape this side of the Mississippi. And it’s here where Honda’s VFR1200X excels. Introduced in Europe all the way back in 2012, the US-bound X is essentially the same as its European counterpart. The only differences are 2016 model-year updates that include a new lever for the height-adjustable windscreen, a 12-volt socket at the dash, and, on the Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT) model, a three-level adjustable Sport…

1 SAG MADE EASY Setting sag becomes a one-man task using the Slacker digital sag scale ($149.99) and optional Street Kit ($24.99). The latest version of the tool includes an Auto-Zero function that registers the suspension’s fully unloaded state, which allows precise measurement of overall front and rear sag—the foundation of proper chassis setup. (800) 741-7702 motool.co 2 FEATHER FOOT Do your sport boots feel like ankle weights? The new Dainese Torque D1 ($389.95) is a CE-certified race-level boot that’s claimed to be “extremely light” compared to the competition. Available in standard and ventilated versions, the boot has a rear-entry inner-bootie and features a D-axial hinge along with magnesium heel protectors and removable toe sliders. (949) 645-9500 dainese.com 3 FINISH THE WORKS Ever lust over the raw, artful appearance of…

I breezed right past Bryan Fuller’s latest custom at the Handbuilt Show last April. With my third “Vintagent” cocktail in hand (nice touch, Revival) and a loud party slowly gyrating through the hall, the BMW R75/5 “toaster tank” café racer, in its quiet black and silver livery, was hidden amidst a sea of “look at me” customs. A thoughtful (sober) friend took my elbow, whispering, “You need to see this bike,” and while the party roared, my head quieted, taking in Fuller’s gorgeous subtleties. It’s as discreet as is possible for a radically lightened, classically shaped café racer, mostly due to the minimalist paint and non-bling finish—even the originally chrome “toaster” panels on the tank have been swapped for aluminum. The back end is cleaned up with a monoshock, but…

What is it about CZ motorcycles? Although the Česká zbrojovka factory in the former Czechoslovakia continues to produce automobile parts and measuring equipment, motorcycle production ceased in 1997 after the brand was purchased by well-meaning but financially strapped Italian manufacturer Cagiva. And yet for some reason, decades later, vintage motocross racers maintain a strong affinity for these seemingly crude machines. One might be forgiven for suspecting that it’s the lure of the unobtainable. Not many Americans dared venture to the communist countries behind the Iron Curtain before the Berlin Wall fell in 1989. So perhaps it was difficult to get one’s hands on a CZ? Not true: They were sold in great numbers worldwide. Maybe it’s the lightweight two-strokes’ track record, then? Indeed, many of the star riders of the…

After reading your “Cheap Thrills” comparison (June), I looked over the photos and found the Triumph to be the better-looking machine. The Ducati is nice, but, being “older,” I am really drawn to the classic machines. I see the Royal Enfields, Nortons, and Triumphs as much better looking no matter how fast and technical the new bikes are. I suppose it is an age thing. Continue the fine work. I have been reading Cycle World from issue one…with the test of a Triumph Bonneville in it! LARRY SMITH MERCED, CA BLOODY FROGS I couldn’t let this month’s column by Peter Jones (“Frogger with Blood,” June) go by without commenting on his superb ability to integrate the significance and value of story and game’s “life-at-a-distance” abstractions as they stand beside the…

Massimo Tamburini died on April 6, 2014, but like any real genius, the Italian motor cycle designer left a legacy that today materializes in his most refined and precious superbike ever: the BMW S1000RR-powered T12 Massimo. With this bike, Tamburini’s goal was to make the best-handling, safest, lightest, and most compact motorcycle in the superbike class, ever. No compromises anywhere, no concerns about price or homologation for street use—it would be a pure, race-ready bike, completely free from all limitations. Now complete thanks to the hard work of his son, Andrea, the T12 Massimo is about the size of the final generation of 500cc twostroke GP racers and incredibly light at 340 pounds dry. All body components, from the fairing to the self-supporting tank and seat, are made from aerospace-grade…

ROK STRAPS TIE-DOWN STRAPS rokstraps.com PRICE: $14.99–$26.99 UPS + No signs of wear after continued use + Priced right + Easy to cinch and use DOWNS – Will allow heavy items to shift – Still need good anchor points Thinking about loading up your bike and hitting the open road to freedom? Or perhaps just taking a long weekend ride to independence? Either way, you’ll most likely need to bring a few things with you. And whatever you cannot fit in the motorcycle will need to be attached to it. Over the years, we’ve seen a number of methods for securing one’s wares to a motorcycle, with mostly limited success. Long ago, the best (or maybe only) option available was the traditional “bungee cord” or narrow nylon rope. This meant…

SPECS 2016 TRIUMPH THRUXTON R PRICE: $14,500 DRY WEIGHT: 469 lb. WHEELBASE: 55.4 in. SEAT HEIGHT: 32.0 in. FUEL MILEAGE: 38 mpg 1/4 MILE: 11.66 sec. @ 115.45 mph 0–60 MPH: 3.1 sec. TOP GEAR 40–60 MPH: 3.1 sec. 60–80 MPH: 3.0 sec. HORSEPOWER: 87.4 @ 6750 rpm TORQUE: 75.0 lb.-ft. @ 3730 rpm BRAKING 30–0 MPH: 31 ft. 60–0 MPH: 126 ft. Contemplating the Amal Monoblock “carburetors” on this 2016 Triumph Thruxton R, I am reminded of an expression of a friend of mine who used to do stand-up comedy and had a bit about “fake” augmented parts of female anatomy. “Fake? If they’re in the same room with you, they’re real.” And I find myself unable to tear my eyes away from these fake carbs. It’s like in…

The audacity of Honda’s 1978–’82 CBX inline-six superbike has made it a cult classic for customizers. That same audacity often leads to, let’s call it, “over-inspiration,” which sometimes results in some overdone machinery. That’s definitely not the case with Nick O’Kane’s CB-XXX, a tight and tidy performance-inspired update of this late ’70s classic. O’Kane is a British expat who spent his formative years watching Freddie Spencer & Co. thrash big superbikes before they moved on to grand prix racing. This superbike/GP connection is further strengthened by the CBX’s 1,047cc six-cylinder being designed by Shoichiro Irimajiri, the very same man who designed Honda’s landmark ’60s GP six-cylinders. The appeal of the 1982-model CBX basket case O’Kane found (apart in 10 boxes with a rolling chassis!) was irresistible. Vision? “Build a minimalistic…

DASTARDLY OIL? Q: I read the letter in the Jan./Feb. issue regarding automotive oils in motorcycles. Will I be creating a problem using Castrol GTX 10w-40 in my 1998 Gold Wing instead of the more expensive Honda oil? A.M. COMITE PORT CHARLOTTE, FL A: You will probably never have a problem. Gold Wings are bulletproof. That said, what is with taking the chance of frying the clutch just so you save a couple of bucks? Some less-than-bulletproof bikes have experienced problems with starter drives slipping ($$$) as well as clutch slip and, worse yet, camshaft failures. Oil at my local Honda dealer runs about the same price as auto oils. You certainly can use Honda oil, but you don’t have to. Any wet-clutchapproved oil in 10w-40 or 10w-50 will be…

BY THE NUMBERS 3 CYLINDERS: Who knew an inline triple could deliver such broad torque and wheelie-inducing snap? Yamaha, of course. SIX SPECIAL EDITION MODELS: To mark its 60th Anniversary Yamaha Motorsports offers select street- and dirt bikes in its yellow race team livery. 20 PERCENT LIGHTER: Clutch lever effort reduction due to the use of lighter springs allowed by the assist-style clutch basket. Yamaha had an instant hit on its hands with the FZ-09 sport-naked introduced in 2014. The level of performance offered by its then-new, 847cc, crossplane-concept, inline-three engine blew us away. That, along with the inspired looks and handling prowess of the FZ’s controlled-fill die-cast-alloy chassis, easily exceeded all expectations from a bike selling for $8,000. While notably more expensive, the sport-touring-oriented FJ-09 that followed introduced premium…

The last of the traditional American full-size vans are being phased out, but thanks to European-market influence, we have some awesome new options to choose from. We’ve had the chance to spend some serious time behind the wheel of Mercedes’ latest 4x4 Sprinter 2500 Crew and Ford’s Transit 350 HR DRW. Here's what we found out. 2015 MERCEDES SPRINTER 4X4 Okay, the most obvious bonus with the new-for-2015 Sprinter is the availability of the factory 4x4 drivetrain, which can only be ordered with the larger 3.0-liter BlueTEC turbo diesel. Our van also came equipped with the Low-and-High-Range package, which when added to the 4x4/sixcylinder package adds up to a whopping $7,785 option. A base model with the same 144-inch length wheelbase and low roof package starts at $38,270, but as…

In some states, at age 15-1/2 kids can legally ride anything from a Hayabusa to an apehanger’d Street Bob wearing nothing but surf trunks and flip-flops—and they might skip the flip-flops on a nice day. Whereas in Britain, the license structure restricts younger riders to smaller bikes: mopeds at age 16, 125cc at age 17 to 18, 35kW (47 hp) output at age 19 to 23, and unlimited at age 24-plus. Ride Smart is all for the land of the free and the home of the brave, but there is something to be said for the Brits’ method of layering on size and horsepower as riders gain maturity and experience. For proof of why this works, look elsewhere in our culture for parallel examples. Motocross kids race Loretta Lynn’s on…

Bodies start to ache at around 4:30 in the afternoon, our early-morning enthu siasm replaced by muscle spasms in extremities we’ve neglected for far too long now. We should be relieved the track goes cold at 5 p.m. Excited even by the thought of rest. And yet we aren’t. Fuel still sloshes about their containers, tires have life left in them, and we collectively want more— more laps around the track, more time on each bike, and more of everything that comes with riding a sportbike full tilt around a fast, flowing racetrack like Buttonwillow Raceway. Good motorcycles make you feel as if no trackday is long enough or no destination far enough away. With us are four truly exceptional motorcycles. There’s a semblance of similarity between the bikes we’ve…

After logging more than 100,000 miles on his 2004 Triumph Bonneville daily rider, Heath Cofran fell in love when the Ducati Scrambler was announced for 2015. After riding it, he knew he had to have one. “To me, it felt like how I wish the Bonneville would feel,” he said. “It is nimble, light, has more power, and I was drawn to its cool retro/sporty/modern feel.” After racing it in a scrambles (!) and taking it to a roadrace trackday in stock form, it dawned on him that with a couple of mods he could race the bike in AHRMA’s Battle of the Twins class. “I immediately did my homework to see who made what parts for the bike,” he said. “The biggest challenges were the low exhaust, the footpegs,…