Episode 59 of the Brap Talk motorcycle podcast is out with another “weekly” episode, for your two-wheeled listening pleasure.
We apologize for the delay, but there was family business that needed attending to. That being said, we’re back now, and this show is packed full of motorcycle topics.
A study commissioned by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has found that automobile drivers are 24% more likely to speed when using the adaptive cruise control (ACC) feature on their car.
While the study didn’t look at motorcycles equipped with the feature (currently the Ducati Multistrada V4 is the only bike available in the United States with the feature), one can presume a similar trend for the technology in a two-wheeled application.
American Honda has issued a recall on the 2021 Honda CRF450R dirt bike, with concerns that the drive chain could break and cause injury.
The stylish MV Agusta Superveloce model is getting some updates for the 2021 model year, along with an extra letter.
The big news is the Euro5 homologation for the 800cc sport bike, with a plethora of small changes to get the MV Agusta Superveloce across the finish line for the stricter European emission standards.
There is also the new white-clad MV Agusta Superveloce S model, which adds a few stylish flares for its extra letter.
We have known about the KTM 1290 Super Duke RR for quite some time now, as the up-spec streetfighter has been teased and spotted several times on our radar.
Pitched as the KTM parts catalog thrown at its popular Super Duke platform, now we finally get to see what the Austrians have been cooking.
Suzuki has begun teasing a new GSX-S1000 street bike, and they are not being subtle about it.
The teaser video (which is on the USA site as well, which bodes well for a North American release), gives us a few glimpses of the naked bike’s lines, with a very clear naming of what were are looking at.
The point, of course, is to say that a new/updated Suzuki GSX-S1000 is slated to come on April 26th, likely as a 2022 model.
Episode 197 of the Paddock Pass Podcast is out, and this show is the first of our MotoGP race coverage for the 2021 season.
On the mics, we have our usual crew of Steve English, David Emmett, Neil Morrison, and Adam Wheeler, who discuss in depth the on-track action under the lights of Losail.
Despite racing in Qatar just a weekend prior, the Doha GP proved itself to be a different animal, which the guys discuss.
Ex-racers make great analysts for motorcycle racing. This is because they have a keen understanding of how racing a motorcycle works, and thus offer an unparalleled insight into the sport.
This is why so often we see ex-racers as the pitlane reporters in MotoGP, WorldSBK, and MotoAmerica. Moreover, the position is an excellent career path for someone whose days of standing on the podium are over.
How does this work in the 21st century though? Roughly the same, but with social media and YouTube giving rival to the small screen, some great racers are seeing new opportunities.
Take for example, Jorge Lorenzo, who has just started his own YouTube channel, where the five-time world champion is offering his thoughts and analysis for free to his followers.
The State of Oregon has gotten one step closer to passing its lane-sharing bill, Oregon Senate Bill 574.
We say this because SB 574 passed a vote in the Joint Transportation Committee on April 1st (7 to 4), and now is ready for a vote on the Senate floor.
For those who don’t remember, SB 574 proposes legalizing lane sharing for motorcycles in Oregon when they are riding on a highway with a speed limit of 50 mph or higher; the flow of traffic is 10 mph or slower; and so long as the motorcyclist does not go faster than 10 mph than the traffic around them.
Another year, and another April Fools Day is done and dusted, and this year’s affair was far less somber than 365 days ago, though the offerings on display in 2021 show a poor result from the motorcycling community.
Since Asphalt & Rubber is still on double-secret probation with Harley-Davidson for last year’s story, we decided to double-down on the Bar & Shield brand for this go-around. What are they going to do? Un-invite us from even more press launches this year? Pfft…
Our efforts saw us making an OnlyFans account for Harley-Davidson, paired with a story about how the folks in Milwaukee were using the pay-to-play content-creator site to reach a younger audience, all in a bid to turn the tide on their falling sales.
The whole thing is mostly an excuse to photoshop some sweet captions, and to make about half a dozen dick jokes at the expense of one of America’s most iconic brands. Such is the petty nature of motorcycle journalists.
When it comes to iconic motorcycles, the Ducati Supermono ranks high on the list. Only a handful of these unique single-cylinder machine exist, and they fetch a pretty penny when they come on the market.
The man behind the machine is equally renowned, as Pierre Terblanche has been responsible for designing and creating no shortage of highly coveted and unique motorcycles, the most famous of which came during his time at Ducati (the Hypermotard, Multistrada, MH900E, 999 Superbike, and of course the Supermono).
Sitting down with Brian Case, a well-known motorcycle designer in his own right, and one of the founding partners of Motus Motorcycles, we get today’s video interview.