Motorcycle Mischief inspiration - BikeBrewers.com https://bikebrewers.com/category/motorcycle-mischief/ Europe largest directory Cafe Racers, Scramblers, Bratstyles & other Custom Bikes. Tue, 12 Jul 2022 12:54:50 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.3 Indian Motorcycle at Wheels and Waves 2022 https://bikebrewers.com/indian-motorcycle-activities-at-wheels-and-waves/ https://bikebrewers.com/indian-motorcycle-activities-at-wheels-and-waves/#respond Thu, 30 Jun 2022 05:37:05 +0000 https://bikebrewers.com/?p=3259 Indian Motorcycle will bring the spirit of America’s first motorcycle company to Biarritz, France from June 29 to July 3, continuing their long relationship as headline sponsor of the Wheels and Waves festival.

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Indian Motorcycle will bring the spirit of America’s first motorcycle company to Biarritz, France from June 29 to July 3, continuing their long relationship as headline sponsor of the Wheels and Waves festival. Sharing a common belief in embracing the past to push forward into the future, Indian Motorcycle and Wheels and Waves have enjoyed a strong association for 7 years with Indian Motorcycle as headline sponsor for 6 years.

Now in its 11th year, the Wheels and Waves festival mixes the various influences of motorcycles, surfing, skating, music and art for a unique experience that has become a ‘must see’ event for riders, skaters and surfers from across Europe and beyond.

Indian Motorcycle at Wheels and Waves 2022

Discover Indian Motorcycle – June 29 to July 3

Indian Motorcycle will be at the heart of the Wheels and Wave village with a display of motorcycles and customs builds plus a clothing and accessories retail area that will also stock the special Indian Motorcycle x Wheels and Waves collaboration T-Shirt. Festival goers will also be impressed by the gravity-defying exploits of pre-war Indian Motorcycle riders on the Wall Of Death, an ever popular fixture in the event village.

Indian FTR at Punk’s Peak – June 29

Punk’s Peak is just a short ride to Mont Jaizkibel, Spain and sees 128 riders in 400 metre duals on vintage to modern bikes at the famous sprint event. Dimitri Coste, photographer, Gentleman Racer and ambassador of Indian Motorcycle, will take on the challenge at handlebars of an Indian FTR in the Superbike +100hp category. Punk’s Peak takes place on Wednesday, June 29.

Artride – June 30 to July 3

Indian Motorcycle, in collaboration with Wheels & Waves, commissioned four European builders in December to design their vision of an Indian Chief inspired from the past, anchored in the present, and looking towards the future. Chosen through a combination of public vote and a panel of Super-Voters, the winning design, ‘GRIND Machine’ by Tank Machine x Rise Designs, will be on display at the Artride exhibition. Among other Indian Motorcycles on display, there will also be a special collaboration with a special artist in the Indian motorcycle area. The Artride exhibition opens on the evening of June 30 and runs throughout the event at the Skatepark, Biarritz

Indian eFTR Mini Cup – July 1

New for the 2022 edition of Wheels & Waves is the eFTR Mini cup. Taking place on Friday, July 1st at 7pm, the eFTR Mini Cup will see these electric mini motorcycles, originally designed for children, raced on a circuit in the heart of the WAW village. In addition, an eFTR Mini is available to be won and will be awarded at the end of the race! To participate, a ballot box will be available on the Indian Motorcycle stand in the festival village from the June 28 opening of the event.

Presentation of ‘Grind Machine’ – July 2

As part of the public vote that chose Tank Machine x Rise Designs ‘GRIND Machine’ to be realised and displayed at the WAW Artride, a random draw from the more than 35000 public voters selected Fabien Orquin to be the very lucky owner of ‘GRIND Machine’.

Benefitting from a VIP trip to the 2022 Wheels & Waves festival, Fabien will be presented with his customised Indian Chief on the main stage of the festival village at 7pm on Saturday July 2.

For more information on Wheels & Waves 2021 please visit: wheels-and-waves.com

For more information on Indian Motorcycle visit IndianMotorcycle.eu and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE®

Indian Motorcycle is America’s first motorcycle company. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivalled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion are reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.eu

INDIAN and INDIAN MOTORCYCLE are registered trademarks of Indian Motorcycle International, LLC. Always wear a helmet, protective clothing and eyewear and insist your passenger does the same.  Ride within the limits of the law and your own abilities. Read, understand, and follow your owner’s manual. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

ABOUT WHEELS & WAVES

Founded in 2008, Wheels and Waves is the successful realisation of the dream of a group of friends, the Southsiders, who are passionate about motorcycles. Lovers of the Basque Country, Southsiders have brought together hundreds of like-minded individuals who gather in the spirit of companionship. “Wheels and Waves is about eliminating social barriers and bringing different sets of people together without judgement. It’s about the joy of mixing together all kinds of communities, languages and cultures. It’s about living in the present without being nostalgic for the past, but not losing sight of the best moments of the past.”

http://www.wheels-and-waves.com

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Lost in space – Triumph Rocket 3 R road tested https://bikebrewers.com/lost-in-space-triumph-rocket-3-r-road-tested/ https://bikebrewers.com/lost-in-space-triumph-rocket-3-r-road-tested/#respond Sun, 06 Feb 2022 09:59:38 +0000 https://bikebrewers.com/?p=1969 Superlative To top off three consecutive weeks of riding big (or should I say GIANT?) bikes I was offered the opportunity to test the 2021 Triumph Rocket 3R for a full seven days. And what a week it turned out to be! The prelude to this week was composed by the BMW Motorrad R18 Transcontinental [...]

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Superlative
To top off three consecutive weeks of riding big (or should I say GIANT?) bikes I was offered the opportunity to test the 2021 Triumph Rocket 3R for a full seven days.
And what a week it turned out to be!

The prelude to this week was composed by the BMW Motorrad R18 Transcontinental and the Indian Roadmaster Heritage (post to be published). Both machines are fitted out with 1.800cc engines and pack an impressive amount of ‘oomph!’ in the torque department. The horse stable is quite overcrowded too.

I am happy to ride nearly any bike but there are those that give you extra pleasure. The BMW and the Indian are sort of similar bikes in spite of the totally different styles. I try to adopt myself and my riding style as much as I can to fit to the bike I am testing. On most occasions I managed to keep my inner demons and the hooligan safely locked away in the panniers of those bikes, but the Triumph is a naked bike without such storage options.

Do I like it?
When Triumph launched (pun intend) the Rocket back in 2004 the whole world thought the engineers had gone completely bonkers. How much fun these guys must have had when they were designing that machine though.

Truth be told, being a caféracer afficionado, I was never a big fan of the Rocket. I just did not see the point in creating such a monster cruiser with a rear tyre fatter than fitted on most cars and a stonking 2.3-litre engine between your thighs. As said those engineers must have created it to shock and surprise – and they managed to do just that. It was impressive and scary. Still leaving the happy few with a whopping grin as they summoned its ungodly torque.

3 times lucky
With all of the above in mind I was never really tempted to try this bike out. But with the new 2021 ‘3’ design, which is a major improvement in my view, the time was right to swing my leg over the seat and hit the launch button.
It’s an imposing € 30,000+ motorbike that comes in two editions – the R, and the more laid-back, long-distance GT. The latter comes with footpegs mounted forwards , a decent windscreen and a pillion backrest over the back wheel.

Powertrain
Both Rocket 3 ‘R’ and ‘GT’ trims share the same powertrain. Triumph are in a league of their own, fitting the largest production motorcycle engine in any motorcycle: 2500 cc’s over the previous 2300 cc’s.
While increasing the number of cc’s, the madmen at the Hinckley R&D department managed to shave off nearly 17 kg’s compared to the Rocket’s predecessors thanks to all-new aluminium frame. It weighs 291kg without any fluids. It’s still a substantial chunk of metal. The motorcycle now produces class-leading 167 hp at 6,000rpm (redlining at 7.000 rpm) and a mammoth 221Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm.

All this power goes through a six-speed helical gearbox with a ‘Torque Assist’ hydraulic clutch. The bike I rode was fitted with a quick-shifter, which is as an optional accessory. When called upon, the horses in the stable are led to the rear wheel using a longitudinal shaft drive to give the rider all the fun he (or she) is ready to handle.

Styling
Triumph gave the Rocket 3 the limited edition treatment with only 1000 examples of each of the R & GT variants globally. Upping the exclusivity game, each Black edition Triumph will receive a Certificate of Authenticity and a customizable motorcycle VIN for each bike.

Moreover, for an already incredible-looking motorcycle in the flesh, the attention to detail has been taken to the upper echelons, giving it an even more menacing appearance. Common between both variants is carbon fibre front mudguard, completely blacked out exhaust fenders, heat shields, end caps, and an exquisite crinkle back powder coating on the engine’s intake covers. Besides, Triumph further enhanced the bike with the front mudguard holders, headlight bezels, fly-screen, radiator cowl, and so on.

The list doesn’t stop there as Triumph’s designers gave a black anodized finish to the bike’s handlebar clamps, yokes, riders, fork lowers, brake and clutch pedals, rider footrests, heel guards, and the innovative folding pillion footrests

Triumph really attended to even the smallest of details and managed to put the icing on the cake with the black anodized paint job and a magnificent aluminium finish on the bar-end mirrors.
All the similarities aside, the main differences between the R & GT variants include a slightly sportier stance for R with the mid-positioned footpegs, wide handlebars, and a matte black livery with a blacked-out Triumph logos and a glossy white stripe running down the centre of the fuel tank.

For the riders who are more adult than me, the GT variant has more relaxed ergonomics for the rider & pillion with forward-set footpegs, an adjustable windshield, an easy-to-reach handlebar with heated grips. Passengers are cared for by mounting an adjustable backrest.

Furthermore, it gets a triple black paint scheme with ‘50 shades of black’ on the fuel tank to distinguish itself from the sporty sibling.

Ride baby! Ride!
I mentioned before this is an imposing bike. Definitely not fit for novice riders. Still, once you are on the seat, is less scary instantly. The seat is mounted low, and the weight is buried low in the chassis, so although it takes an effort to get it off the side stand, it feels nicely balanced. The engine fires up and wobbles the bike gently to the left-hand side

As I set off on my first flight on the Rocket, it immediately felt like home. It is a gentle giant when you treat it as such. It is an amazingly easy bike to ride. It really handles like a Street Triple. The engineers have done an incredibly good job there as well. Everything about it is impressive as you’d expect with this much torque, pulling away is simply a case of easing the clutch lever out. My brain told me to short-shift up into second gear before giving it the spurs, but my inner demon was hitting the adrenaline pump switch. It was not before long that my hooligan persona was the pillion passenger, whispering sweet nothings in my ear…

Fast, faster fastest
There are more than enough electronics aboard to make you feel confident enough to open the throttle once in second gear. That’s where the band starts playing! Before you realize the front wheel is no longer touching the tarmac and the 24cm-wide rear (240/50 R16!!) tire digs in for traction. As a result you launch yourself forward at warp speed. The fact that the Rocket pulls this mind-bending, vision-distorting trick from just 2,000rpm onwards, makes for an utterly hilarious ride. You just feel like you’re are on a drag strip constantly and you are just in it for the ride, hanging on for dear life.

It is hardly surprising the Rocket 3 has set a Guinness World Record of 2.73 seconds to 0-100 km/h.
Me being me, I got overly self-confident rapidly. While on a slightly wet highway, cruising at around 120/130 km/h, I shifted down and hit the throttle to overtake the car in front of me. Suddenly all warning lights on the dashboard flared up as the rear started twisting just before the minions in the traction control department decided to help me out.

WHOAA! That was an exciting moment. Yes, the torque is truly unbelievable. Never before did I experience such powers on a bike.

Who needs one?
I asked that same question when riding the BMW and the Indian too.
The amount of money you’d spend on bikes like that is extreme. All of them are in the € 30.000+++ segment. The BMW and the Indian go up to € 40.000 easily once you start selecting the available options.

The Indian Roadmaster Heritage and the BMW Transcontinental are ‘luxury liners’. You can have miles for breakfast and be home for dinner still after a full day of riding, still feeling quite relaxed. Answering the ‘why’ question with the Triumph Rocket 3 was much harder. It is not a bike you take out to commute on a daily basis, nor is it a machine built to go on long roadtrips (I’d do it still, just for the fun of it). So who is this meant for?

Even my contacts at Triumph had some trouble coming up with a defining response. However we all seem to agree that is a fun machine for those who are in it ‘for the ride’ as Triumph puts it in their corporate slogan. If you are lucky enough to sit on a lot of ‘disposable income’ and want to stand out from the crowd, this is the definite motorcycle to go for.

If you are such a lucky person, I can only say: ‘go for it! You only live once!’

Looking ahead
This winter we will be following our friend Bas Kentrop at Roké Motors.
He is an amazing mechanic who managed to create a monster supercharged Triumph Thruxton R a few years ago. This bike packs an impressive 175 Nm and 171 Bhp.

We rode that machine back in 2017. We filmed the experience and made it one of our best viewed clips on our YouTube channel. Unfortunately the sound of this beast was so loud, it just killed the microphone, which we only found out in post-production. Our video editor decided to add in a little piano music, much to the dismay of the majority of the viewers (just look at all those comments..). We will re-make this video in 2022 as we have retrieved the current owner. Including the real sound. Promise!

Anyway, Bas will be working on a supercharged version of the Rocket 3. Can it get any wilder than that we ask? Watch this space as we will give regular updates on the progress of this project and I will be road testing it in Spring of next year.

Until then, I will just enjoy the memories of my love affair with this standard Triumph Rocket 3.



All in all
The Rocket is a superb machine and more. It handles phenomenally, the power is awesome and you can enjoy the bike in any way you want. You can ride it as a cruiser or race it around. It is really up to you, your experience, your mood and your testosterone levels.
The setup of the fully adjustable Showa suspension is so well done that you’ll just ride the Rocket 3 like a regular street bike. It will tempt you to stick your elbows out and punch it into corners like a Speed Triple on steroids.

The riding position on the R model is relaxed and inviting you to just ride on. The brakes are magnificently strong. Those Brembo Stylemas are of superbike standards. They do their job very efficiently and you need them on a bike like this.

Yep, the rear brake is ripped from the front of a sports bike. And it’s a good thing too – you’ll want to use the back brake to settle it in corners and hammering it really helps bring you to a stop in a straight line, unlike on most bikes.
The Rocket gets the same TFT dashboard as mounted on the Triumph Scrambler 1200, and it has an 18-litre fuel tank which will get you just over 200 km’s. Unless you are like me of course. I needed a pit stop at around 180 km.

Electronics and other fun stuff
Being the top of the line model in Triumph’s line-up, the manufacturer fitted a whole suite of electronics to enhance the riding experience:
•Triumph Shift Assist (up and down quickshifter)
•Heated grips (standard on the Rocket 3 GT)
•Tire Pressure Monitoring system
•Advanced 6-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) measures the roll, pitch, yaw & acceleration rates of the bike in real-time and unlocks features such as Lean sensitive traction control and cornering ABS keeping the rider in safe hands at all times.
•Full-color TFT display instrument cluster.
•Preinstalled with Triumph’s ‘My Triumph’ app with support for smartphone music, calling, & navigation controls.
•Unique to Triumph motorcycles, you also get GoPro controls.
•Both motorcycles get 4 Riding modes: Road, Rain, Sport, and a Rider configurable mode to adjust throttle response and traction control.
•Added are Hill Hold Control, Cruise control, keyless ignition, steering lock, and fuel cap opening
•LED lighting all around with twin LED headlamps with integrated DRLs, LED tail lights, indicators, and a number plate light
•advanced lightweight aluminum frame.
•Suspension – Showa’s monoshock RSU with a piggyback reservoir at the rear and a massive 47mm Showa USD front forks with compression and rebound damping.
•Stopping power comes from Brembo Stylema ® radial monobloc 4 – piston calipers with two 320 mm dual discs and a never-before-seen four 4-piston Brembo caliper with a single 300 mm disc.
•Tires & rims: 150/50 17-inch Avon Cobra Chrome tires with a blacked-out 20-spoke cast alloy wheel at the front and an incredible 240/60 section R16 tire with an intricate cast alloy wheel at the back.
•Track+ and Protect+ tracking and alarm systems

details:
Manufacturer: Triumph Motorcycles
Astronaut: Ron Betist
Photography: Nubbs Sugrue
Helmet: Davida HelmetsJacket & jeans: REV’IT Urban
Boots: Stylmartin

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Pando Moto – Boss Dyn 01 jeans review https://bikebrewers.com/pando-moto-boss-dyn-01-jeans-review/ https://bikebrewers.com/pando-moto-boss-dyn-01-jeans-review/#respond Fri, 04 Feb 2022 04:30:58 +0000 https://bikebrewers.com/?p=1967 Dressed to stay alive We all have our preferences when it comes to dressing up for a ride. What you wear depends on a variety of parameters dictating the outcome. ‘Full on’ motorcycle gear will serve the best protection against weather conditions and when gravitational forces cause you to involuntarily part from your bike and [...]

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Dressed to stay alive
We all have our preferences when it comes to dressing up for a ride. What you wear depends on a variety of parameters dictating the outcome.
‘Full on’ motorcycle gear will serve the best protection against weather conditions and when gravitational forces cause you to involuntarily part from your bike and you end up kissing the surface. However, when you manage to wheel to your destination in an upright position this gear if far from stylish.

It is designed to fit well on a motorcycle, but walking around in it is often far from pleasant and you will look like your tailor has lost his eyesight overnight.

Fortunately there are a number of brands that have managed to find solutions to produce gear that looks under all circumstances. The origin of denim, a very strong cotton called ‘Serge de Nîmes’, as we know it today dates, back to the late Middle Ages and it was Levi Straus in the late 19th century who came up with the idea of the jeans as we know them today.
However strong the cotton threads may be, they will not protect you a lot when you are sliding across the tarmac.

Testing, testing 1, 2, 3
About two years ago I put the Pando Moto Steel Black 02 to the test and decided to slide on my behind for about 20 meters. I was amazed how little damage was done. Yes my ego was bruised badly after this first fall in over 30 years, but the jeans had nearly no physical damage. No tears, no holes, just a little bit of cloth scraped off the top where my hip contacted the road surface.

It can’t be a surprise I was instantly enthusiastic when the boys and girls from the Lithuanian-based factory sent us another batch of clothing to review. No, I have no intention to opt for another slider, but wearing the jeans to share feedback on design, comfort and durability.

Like a Boss
Opening the box I found a BOSS DYN-01 in my size (32-32). It is a greyish black colour, which is the only colour they come in. To be honest, I am more a fan of the (very) deep black colour of the ‘Steel Black’, but after washing it a couple of times that had faded a bit too.

This is how Pando Moto describe this item on their website: “Extremely durable 12 oz super-stretch CORDURA® denim combined with COOLMAX® technology ensures full comfort and maximal protection to give you total peace of mind on the road. In addition, the protective knit UHMWPE lining provides optimal safety in high-risk impact areas. European style meets precise design in the Boss-Dyn 01; featuring a smooth design with no external stitches on the front, these slim-fit jeans have very discrete embroidery and two-position knee armor pockets. CE officially approved PPE under EN 17092, level AAA (92 meters slide distance) safety means unparalleled protection throughout.”

I read a challenge here, obviously my 20 meters of sliding only qualify as ‘amateur status’.

In real life
Having worn the jeans for two months during the winter period I can only say I am a fan.
On days I was not riding my bikes, I just took out the knee and hip protection (they are fitted out with both) and wore them as regular jeans. There are pockets on the inside of the pants that make it very easy to take the protection out and put them back in again.

The jeans are extremely comfortable to wear all day, not in the least thanks to the elastane which is woven into the cloth and provides stretch.
When you switch back to regular jeans again the difference in thickness of the material is apparent. A clear sign of the protection the Pando Moto jeans offer.

There’s a sewn in mesh front and the full protective layer in the back. Funny fact; when you put the pants on a cold winter morning, you get a ‘steely’ cold sensation on your behind caused by the protective layer. It warms up quickly though but the first thought is that the seat of the pants are wet. Considering the thickness of the material, I am curious how it will hold up on a hot summer day.

Verdict
Motorcycle jeans are coming of age. There are a number of manufacturers that produce the style I like and Pando Moto is top tier as far as my personal taste is concerned. They fit very well, the sizing is excellent for my (slender) type of legs.

With the knee protection in, the space in that area tends to be a bit on the tight side, especially when riding in a sportier position with your knees high up. I am not sure how that would work out with riders who have real muscular legs.
My advice, try them out sitting in the position you will be riding in most and decide if this (slim fit) model is the right one for you.

Manufacturer’s details:

Slim fit. Middle waist.
13 oz single layer super-stretch Armalith® (15 times stronger than steel).
It has high heat conductivity, reflects the heat.
Fully CE approved – performance level AA (70 km/h abrasion resistance) in accordance with FprEN 17092.
SAS-TEC TripleFlex CE (EN1621-1:2012) approved knee armor INCLUDED.
SAS-TEC TripleFlex CE (EN1621-1:2012) approved hip armor – INCLUDED.
Reflective cuffs for safety ride.
Reinforced with chain stitches.
Unique hand-made ageing (washed down).
Embroidery in the front.
Made in Europe.

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Pan American trip https://bikebrewers.com/pan-american-trip/ https://bikebrewers.com/pan-american-trip/#comments Sun, 09 Jan 2022 09:00:27 +0000 https://bikebrewers.com/?p=1965 Introduction With this first post we introduce our new correspondent on the West Coast. Yes, it is another Dutchman who has decided to explore the world beyond the dikes surrounding the Netherlands. A little while ago we presented Daan Staffhorst, who is residing on the East Coast, with a first report on his Alaskan adventure. [...]

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Introduction
With this first post we introduce our new correspondent on the West Coast.
Yes, it is another Dutchman who has decided to explore the world beyond the dikes surrounding the Netherlands. A little while ago we presented Daan Staffhorst, who is residing on the East Coast, with a first report on his Alaskan adventure.

Being bitten by the motorcycle bug in Asia, our new reporter Koen Theeuwes became restless, paused his career and moved to the United States.
Currently residing in California, he has got plans to head South following the Pan American Highway.
We leave it up to him to introduce himself and his motivation for his trip.
Editorial team.

About Koen Theeuwes
Let me start with a short introduction about myself, before we get to the important topics.
My name is Koen, a typical Dutch name, (I guess my parents never meant for me to go abroad) but still, as it means ‘brave’ it is a name I wear with pride. I was born and raised in the Netherlands. I studied Business and Finance, which I still love, but around 10 years ago I discovered my greatest interest: people and their different cultures.

Only one thing allows you to experience people and their cultures to its fullest; travelling. So this is what I decided to do. Now you may think to yourself: ‘I’m on a bloody motorcycle blog, what do I care about this guy loving people, I want the smell of gasoline and roaring engines’. Good thought, keep it, we’ll get there in a sec.

How was this dream born?
During my studies in Rotterdam, I did an exchange in Istanbul and an internship in Nigeria.
That fueled my ‘wanderlust’ (terrible term, I agree) even more. So before starting work in the Consulting sector, I traveled South-East Asia for 6 months and lived the life. This is where my love for two wheels began. After renting all motorbikes in Thailand, Malaysia, The Philippines, Myanmar and Indonesia I made it to Vietnam.

My Asian bikes
For $ 250 I bought a Chinese rip-off version of a Honda Win. No less than 110 ccs of pure power and beauty (..). Who needs a licence, insurance or lessons? Not me!

I rode it from Ho Chi Minh down the Mekong Delta and back up all the way to Hanoi. After these 4000 km / 2500 miles I was hooked.
The motorbike was going to be my means of transport to explore the world.

Back in Holland
In hindsight riding Vietnam without any preparation of course was rather irresponsible (sorry mom, we’ll talk about this later). So coming back home I came to my senses and decided to actually get a licence. Of course I got a bike as well. My second love was a custom Kawasaki CSR 305. It wasn’t fast, but it looked amazing and sounded even better.

While riding in Vietnam I promised myself I would make a big trip on a motorbike, before I turned 30. When I learned about the Pan-American Highway I instantly knew this was going to be the next one up.

Finding the right moment
But as with most dreams, regular life kind of got in the way. My career was going well and I really enjoyed what I did (after Consulting I worked for Kraft Heinz, who doesn’t like to sell Ketchup?). However, the itch for an adventure trip kept creeping up.
But when is the right time? One thing I learned: there is never a good time. You just have to go for it. I luckily did manage to find a slot that was less ‘bad’ than others. The actual planning started in February (2021), I informed my employer in April I needed a year off and decided on leaving in September.

I was finally going to do it! Maybe not finish before turning 30, but starting it, for sure!

Preparations
In daily life I am very organized, but when traveling I like to go without a plan as much as possible.
There were a few things that required my attention:
1. COVID – needed to wait for vaccinations, hence my leave date in September. Otherwise I would have started in Alaska in July
2. Route – I wanted to make sure it was actually possible to ride my bike all the way. Turns out, it is not. But there’s solutions
3. Motorbike – was I able to legally ride a motorbike in all the countries on my route? With an American vehicle, yes. Any Latin / South American vehicle was probably going to raise questions of border officials at some point. This thus also concluded my starting country
4. Starting point – I have a good friend in Vancouver (Washington state, just North of Portland) who rides bikes as well. Figured it would be helpful to start somewhere where I had a ‘guide’
5. Other ‘trivialities’ – insurance, vaccinations, luggage, visas, other documents, etc. Will not go into the boring details here, but please find my contact details below if you have any questions.

In my next blog I will write about my arrival in the US and all the hoops I had to jump through to actually start riding. Sneak preview: it was a success, see my monster below. Stay tuned!

Contact
By popular demand.. :-) ..I started using Instagram.
Please feel free to follow @koentheeuwes
If you have any more specific questions you can reach out via email: koen.theeuwes@gmail.com. (Happy to answer or help!)

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Release the Tigers! – 2022 Triumph Tiger 1200 https://bikebrewers.com/release-the-tigers-2022-triumph-tiger-1200/ https://bikebrewers.com/release-the-tigers-2022-triumph-tiger-1200/#respond Wed, 08 Dec 2021 17:44:52 +0000 https://bikebrewers.com/?p=1961 Gotta catch them all! ‘Tis the season to be merry. It is nearly Christmas and Triumph Motorcycles have decided to convince us that we need to add another present to our wish list. To the very top of that list that is. It was a present that has been long awaited and rumors have been [...]

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Gotta catch them all!
‘Tis the season to be merry. It is nearly Christmas and Triumph Motorcycles have decided to convince us that we need to add another present to our wish list. To the very top of that list that is.
It was a present that has been long awaited and rumors have been abundant in the past months, with spy pictures of camouflaged bikes appearing left, right and center.

The adventure bike segment is probably taking the most rapidly increasing slice of the motorcycle cake. It seems the whole world is looking for both road and off road adventures on two wheels these days.

To provide for all those thrill seekers and those who just want to have a very cool bike to ride, a lot of manufacturers are actively trying to grow their adventure bike market share. At EICMA we even spotted Italian brands, famous for their race pedigree bikes, introducing motorcycles ready to take their riders to the most remote locations on our planet.
Triumph motorcycles have been in the adventure game for many years and are releasing no less than five different versions of the Tiger in 2022.

Lighter, stronger, better
According to the manufacturer the new models are ‘strikingly lighter and a lot more powerful, with class-leading handling and specs, plus the benefits of Triumph’s new T-plane triple – the all-new Tiger 1200 leaves little to the imagination: it’s built to be the most capable, agile and controllable, large displacement adventure engine on the planet.’

Continuing: ‘As said, those adventure bikes are a real treat under any circumstance. With a transformation in capabilities and performance on the tarmac, and the most dynamic and exhilarating off-road experience, the new generation brings together the best of all worlds in an all-new Tiger line-up.”

To make those aforementioned remote locations easier to reach there are now two all-new Tiger Explorer options with 30-liter tank, in theory capable of getting you no less than 600 Km in between fill-ups. All other models (the standard GT, GT Pro and the Rally Pro) only hold 20 liters.

Innovations
The new and exciting Explorer versions of the Tiger 1200 are also fitted out with an innovative blind spot detection system to warn the rider of vehicles that could be invisible in the rear-view mirrors.

In spite of the fact that Tigers are by nature solitary animals there now is a whole new group of them that belong together; The Tiger 1200 is aiming to gain traction in new fields with the addition of GT and Rally editions of the adventure bike. On top of that, the 2022 model will also be available in new Explorer versions, boasting long-range 30l fuel tanks mentioned earlier, plus higher-spec kits and added tech stuff.

In case you lost track; summing it all up there is a more track-oriented GT, and the more off-road-focused Rally. There is a Pro version available on both models. Then there is the Explorer version (with a suitcase set as the main extra). Last but not least Triumph also present a basic version of the GT, completing the group of five new Tigers set free in the wild.

Beefy engine
The Triumph Tiger 1200 is powered by a 150 hp variant of the three-cylinder from the new Speed Triple; with T-plane crankshaft with uneven ignition order. This will give the rider more torque at the bottom and more character overall.

The engineers found a way to add 9 BHp to the mix in comparison to the previous edition. However, the word is now out and Triumph is hunting for those GS fans, made very clear in a statement about the Tiger delivering 14 Bhp more than ‘that other big adventure with cardan in this class’ (..). Still there is a bit of work to be done in the torque department. With 130 Nm @ 7,000 rpm (8 Nm more than before), the Tiger still has less maximum torque than the BMW R 1250 GS, which boasts a 143 Nm.

But the fun is not over yet. Dieticians managed to trim an impressive 25kg off the Tiger. The lean machine now weighs a mere 240 kg (ready to drive), which is (here we go again) significantly lighter than the average weight of a GS.

This is in large part due to using an aluminum frame, which lessens to total weight with 5.4 kg. This includes the bolt-on aluminum subframe. The engineers decide to add a double swingarm. But even with adding extra steel, they managed to lower the weight of the total with another 1.5 kg.

Wheelies and stuff
The GT versions are fitted with 18-inch die-cast aluminum wheels, bot in front and rear. The Rally versions come with tubeless wire wheels (21 inches front, 18 inches rear). Showa is used for the springs, with 200 mm of travel on the GTs and 220 on the Rally version. These are semi-active ones on all versions. Stopping power is courtesy of Brembo with the Stylema monoblocs we also find on the Rocket. The ABS got an upgrade as well.

More technical stuff
Of course there are significant improvements in the cosmetic department. But there are a lot of technical improvements too:
• A double radiator (also found on the Tiger 900) making it easier to remove hot air from the engine
• Better ergonomics, very important for bikes in this segment
o both sitting and when riding while standing upright.
• Adjustable seat height (GT: 850-870 mm, Rally: 875-895 mm),
• A cockpit window which can be adjusted (while riding) with just one hand.
• Explorer versions standard fitted with blind spot radar,
• Heated grips and seats
• Tire pressure sensor.
• A new 7″ TFT display on all models including connectivity,
• Improved inclination-sensitive TC,
o (with six driving modes depending on the model
• New LED lighting on all sides with DRL and adaptive cornering lights
o Not on the base GT
• Updated quickshifter and Hill Hold
o Also not on the base GT

First reaction
Although we are fond of the Christmas season and riding a sleigh can at times be quite adventurous too, it will never be a substitute for the experience you will get on a purebred adventure bike.

The Triumph Tiger 1200 has been pretty decent from the start, but with all of the improvements it has become as strong a competitor for the world title as Max Verstappen is in Formula One. The BMW is the one to beat and the heat is on.

We hope BikeBrewers will be selected for the official press introduction in the beginning of next year. We really look forward to riding the machines as soon as they are available an will share a first hand report when we do.

For now, just continue to drool over the pictures and dream about your next adventure on two wheels.
If you want to do more than just wet your keypad check out a Triumph dealer near you.

We know for a fact that this particular Triumph dealer in the Netherlands will be happy to welcome you.

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Rewriting history – the lost 1901 Triumph Prototype https://bikebrewers.com/rewriting-history-the-lost-1901-triumph-prototype/ https://bikebrewers.com/rewriting-history-the-lost-1901-triumph-prototype/#respond Sat, 04 Dec 2021 11:00:01 +0000 https://bikebrewers.com/?p=1960 Historic discovery BikeBrewers are known for their preference of bikes that have been stripped to the bone and build from the ground up into new works of art. We get excited when builders light up their torches and switch on their grinders to send sparks flying in their workshops. In this particular case we would [...]

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Historic discovery
BikeBrewers are known for their preference of bikes that have been stripped to the bone and build from the ground up into new works of art. We get excited when builders light up their torches and switch on their grinders to send sparks flying in their workshops.
In this particular case we would not dare to request riding the bike in question and give it hell like we would normally do.

Following last week’s announcement of the production of the millionth Triumph from Hinckley, the iconic British motorcycle brand also proudly presents the first ever Triumph prototype! To be touched only while wearing white gloves.

The prototype from 1901
This is truly nothing short of an amazing historical find. The prototype was discovered and restored by leading vintage Triumph collector Dick Shepherd. The 1901 prototype rewrites the history books and actually adds a whole new chapter to the period leading up to Triumph’s official sale, starting in 1902.

The rumors about the existence of this very first Triumph prototype were persistent, as it was referenced to in advertisements and reviews that appeared in 1901. The prototype was developed on the basis of a standard Triumph pedal bike, with a motor supplied by the Belgian manufacturer Minerva. The brand did this to arouse interest and at the same time to gauge among the public whether there would actually be a demand for a Triumph motorcycle.

Surreal discovery
Dick Shepherd says: “When I was approached by a friend of a collector, who unfortunately had recently passed away, to appraise an old Triumph, I was exuberant. Especially when I found out that this bike possessed unique details that I had never seen on any of the the first production Triumphs. Along with the engine, the collector had also received a letter from Triumph, dated 1937, describing the unique origin of the motorcycle and providing important details.”

Continuing: “With an engine number consistent with references in Minerva’s engine data from a first agreement with Triumph in 1901, the historical importance of this motorcycle became immediately apparent.”

“As a lifelong fan of the history and successes of this incredible British brand, it gives me immense satisfaction to have had the honor to ‘unearth’ this amazing survivor. Added to that feeling is the fact it is incredible to have been allowed to restore it to the glorious state in which it would have been, when it was first exhibited in 1901.”

Unveiling
The 1901 prototype, which was first unveiled at the Motorcycle Live show in the UK, will be on display at a special event at Triumph’s Factory Visitor Experience on December 14th. For this special occasion, the machine will be ridden in public for the first time in more than 100 years.


This important historic bike will be on display together with the millionth Hinckley Triumph in a new showcase specially made for the 120th anniversary in Triumph’s visitor centre.

The Triumph Factory Visitor Experience is free to visit and is located at Triumph’s headquarters in Hinckley, England. It is open daily from Wednesday to Sunday, from 10:00 to 16:30.

The BikeBrewers team were invited for the opening back in 2017 and have been back a few times since then.
When visiting Birmingham on a road trip, make sure to add it to your stops. It is definitely worth spending some time in.

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Madrid calling – Ducati ‘La Guapísima’ by XTR https://bikebrewers.com/madrid-calling-ducati-la-guapisima-by-xtr/ https://bikebrewers.com/madrid-calling-ducati-la-guapisima-by-xtr/#respond Tue, 02 Nov 2021 18:58:06 +0000 https://bikebrewers.com/?p=1952 The Ducati Panthah Let’s first rewind to the year 1976. When Ducati’s 350 cc and 500 cc parallel twins could hardly be called a marketing success, their fabulous engineer Fabio Taglioni set tout to develop a replacement. The Pantah 500 originates from the last of the GP500 racers of 1973. The Pantah and many bikes [...]

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The Ducati Panthah
Let’s first rewind to the year 1976.

When Ducati’s 350 cc and 500 cc parallel twins could hardly be called a marketing success, their fabulous engineer Fabio Taglioni set tout to develop a replacement.
The Pantah 500 originates from the last of the GP500 racers of 1973. The Pantah and many bikes afterwards, have shown that, a twin-cylinder motorcycle can compete successfully against bikes with a four cylinder engine. This is contrary to all expectations and that’s where the greatness of Taglioni lies.

The Panthah was first introduced during the Milan Bike Show (now EICMA) in December 1979. It was quite revolutionary as it had a trellis frame, contrary to earlier Ducati motorcycles. The engine is suspended in the frame acting as a stressed member of the whole. It was the first Ducati not fitted the old bevel-gear OHC design. Instead it had belt-driven cams. That, and the trellis frame, would turn the bike into the spearhead for the brand for generations of V-twins for years to come.

Although the 500cc engine was already endowed with impressive power, Ducati decided to amp it up a bit in 1981 by introducing 600cc engines, later to be increased to 650cc and even 750cc. The single overhead camshaft was driven by toothed rubber belt and primary transmission was via Morse chain. The Pantah’s performance gloriously surpassed that of the ill-conceived 1976 parallel twins.

Madrid Calling
Enough history for today.

Whenever we get a phone call from Madrid our hearts skip a beat. More often than not Pepo Rosell manages to get us excited straight from the starting line when new build roll through the doors of his workshop.
This time was no exception. The ‘La Guapísima’ (‘The Beautiful One’) is in your face from the moment you feast your eyes on her.
There is so much beauty and excitement going on with this machine, you just want to get on it and twist the throttle South!

Irons Café Racer
We are quite familiar with this shop in Madrid, even though we are yet to set foot in the door ourselves in person.

As BikeBrewers are involved with the innovative European rental platform MotoShare also, we used this location to launch Tamarit built ‘The Gotham’ earlier this year.

This shop, which sells motorcycle clothing and accessories, is obviously run by oil-blooded motorcycle afficionados. It is clear why they commissioned their next door neighbour to come up with this magnificent machine.

Upping the ante
The donor bike used is a 1986 Ducati 600TL Pantah. A nice machine already but Pepo would not be XTR Pepo if he did not do some magic on the engine before mounting it back in the frame.

He installed a Cagiva Elefant 900 Marathon motor with high compression pistons added. The heart of the beast has ported heads a ‘SLIENT HETKIT’ ignition kit with 16 maps and a lightened fly wheel for more immediate responsiveness.

While we are on the subject of technicalities; breathing in arranged by adding two Keihin FCR 39 carburettors with DNA filters, while the exhaling is done via a two-in-one Wolfman exhaust.

A Ducabike antihooping clutch is mounted to keep the horses at the rear wheel under control, but riders may skip that part as a quickshifter is also part of the package.

And that on a 1986 machine!

More technical stuff
There is much that meets the eye when you look at this apparatus. But the list of (sometimes invisible) modifications just never stops!

As we are more about the bike and what it does to your hormone levels when riding it, we will just sum it up below. But before moving over to that, we point out the front fairing.

This is a particular piece of the bike that makes it stand out we think. It is nice and streamlined with a feel of those 70’s and 80’s dragracers we grew up with. This element is produced inhouse by XTR, while the cool paintjob is done by their friend Pintumoto.

Modifications:
(inhale deeply)

PANTAH modified frame
Engine : CAGIVA ELEFANT 900 Maraton , high comp , ported heads, SILENT HETKIT ignition kit with 16 maps , lightened flywheel,
DUCABIKE antihooping clutch , quickshift , KEIHIN FCR 39 carburators , DNA air filters.
RC racing oil radiator
Exhaust : 2 in 1 WOLFMAN.
Swingarm : CAGIVA ELEFANT 350
Rear suspension : OHLINS
REGINA gold chain
HYOSUNG GT 650 Front fork, lightened yokes, wheel ,NG rotor and brake caliper with BREMBO pads
BREMBO front brake pump with XTR regulable and foldable lever
BREMBO rear brake pump
FRENTUBO front and rear brake line
BREMBO Clutch pump with XTR regulable and foldable lever
FRENTUBO clutch line
XTR front mudguard
XTR clip-ons
RIZOMA Nex brake fluid reservoir
RAV footrests
AVIACOMPOSITI Dashboard (rev counter)
DOMINO quick open gas throttle and grips
DOMINO starter commando
FULBAT LIPO battery
4,5 x 17 inches alluminium rear rim
OSADO lenticular covers
CONTINENTAL Conti Sport Attack 4 front and rear tires.
XTR front fairing and bracket
XTR fuel tank
CNC racing fuel cap
XTR MK2 solo seat
XTR upholstery
XTR carbon fiber bellypan
PINTUMOTO painting

(…aaand exhale!)

Finish line
As usual we wish we lived in Madrid to be close to the man and his work. Searchin online we noticed a video with a very lucky lady rider hitting the throttle on this Duc!

As we understand the bike was supposed to be at the starting line of the Sultans of Sprint in Glemseck this past season. Unfortunately COVID came in between and we can only imagine what this ‘Guapísima’ would smell and sound like in real life.

We hope to meet her in the flesh one day.

Builder details:
Builder: XTR Pepo
Instagram
Photography: Ruben del Valle Producciones

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How To have fun with two bottles of Coke – BMW R18 Transcontinental https://bikebrewers.com/how-to-have-fun-with-two-bottles-of-coke-bmw-r18-transcontinental/ https://bikebrewers.com/how-to-have-fun-with-two-bottles-of-coke-bmw-r18-transcontinental/#comments Thu, 28 Oct 2021 16:56:52 +0000 https://bikebrewers.com/?p=1950 How to have fun with two bottles of Coke This must be the strangest opening I have ever used to start a review of a motorcycle. Nevertheless the first picture that popped into my head when I fired up the massive engine of the BMW R18 Transcontinental, was of me holding two bottles of coke [...]

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How to have fun with two bottles of Coke
This must be the strangest opening I have ever used to start a review of a motorcycle. Nevertheless the first picture that popped into my head when I fired up the massive engine of the BMW R18 Transcontinental, was of me holding two bottles of coke in each hand while shaking them vigorously from left to right.

Having ridden Beemers for years I was quite used to the feeling, but to have a 900cc piston on each side was a whole new sensation.

As MotoShare and BMW Motorrad Benelux had teamed up to promote the R18 models. I was offered the opportunity to ride this giant for a week. Next thing I knew I was finding myself riding my ‘rear fender-less’ caféracer for an hour while avoiding cats and dogs falling from the sky in large quantities.What a start of my Monday morning!

Arriving in style but soaked to the bone at BMW Motorrad’s Fleet Services, I quickly wrapped up the paperwork and hopped on the R18 to speed to my next business meeting.

The rain was with me all the way for another hour while I was doing my utmost to get to grips with this battleship. Traditionally riding with a jet helmet, I had my goggles fogging up constantly. My very limited view turned my close encounter with this baby into a challenging ride, sweaty armpits included.

Learning curve
It took me about a day to get used to the BMW and its unique road behaviour, but that might well have been more between my ears than anywhere else. It’s the sheer size that may scare you off at first glance. When starting up the bike, it will greet you by wiggling its hips. Automatically you will find yourself immediately planting both feet firmly on the ground to create a sense of stability, but after a while, stopping at a traffic light will feel OK with just the right foot on the ground. It takes a bit of getting used to, that’s all. The R18 is much more of a Gentle Giant than you might expect.

Hooligan
I was riding the ‘option 719’ edition which comes with about all the extra’s (and more) you can think of. Anything you can imagine is added to the R18 making it utterly complete and always ready for long hauls. The storage space side cases are a bit limited by the speakers mounted in the lids, but leaves enough room to store stuff you may want to drag along on a longer ride. The top case is spacious and will let you squeeze in loads of goodies that don’t fit into the side cases.

The top case being the larger one, I decided to store my inner hooligan in that little dark cave. There was no room for him on this machine I figured. It was funny to experience the difference in attitude I had when riding this awesome machine. A sense of royalty if you will, stimulated by the reactions you get from other people on the road. The R18 is by no means a bike you will often see on the road and the Transcontinental is even more outlandish. You get a lot of second looks and passengers in cars giving you the thumbs up.

All of this will make you (at least this is the effect it had on me) sit up and have a face that beams with confidence. You have it all under control and you are having the time of you life. No hooligan in sight.

Pandora’s box
However…… after a couple of days riding it felt as if the machine and I had grown really fond of each other. We started playing around and curves yet again became the usual invitations to twist the throttle. The top case must have been Pandora’s box, and I must have given my inner demon a chance to escape. Together we challenged the R18 to a duel and experienced the might of the 1800 cc engine. Floorboards were scraping the tarmac on a regular basis as the mutual respect between rider and machine continued to grow.

Straight as an arrow
The steering damper is an accessory that added a lot of stability to the road handling at high speeds straights (we hit 170 km/h easily) as well on fast corners at around 130 km/h. The signature on the bike reads ‘made in Berlin’. It refers to the heritage of the R18, but it has the Bavarian seal of modern day quality that makes riding a blissful experience.

In spite of its size the R18 it is surprisingly nimble and has a very short turning circle, making it easy to manoeuvre even in tight urban spaces. Unfortunately these bikes are wide because of their front fender and the cases in the back, so I had to give up on my habit of crawling forward in the city between rows of cars to be the one on pole position at the traffic lights.

Lane splitting is something else however. When the ‘Batwing’ appears in people’s rear view mirror the immediate reaction is to veer sideways to let you through. Which is kind of nice. Lane splitting works on highways when there is enough room the keep a safe distance from the cars on either side. On smaller roads the bike is just too wide for comfort.

Road side reactions
The response from people you meet on the way vary enormously. The majority will admire the BMW and comment on the way the German manufacturer has designed this build. As it should be, every little detail is just right. And, yes indeed, the Bayerische Motoren Werke have done a damned good job as you might expect.

But then there are the fans of American Iron. They will claim the R18 Transcontinental is nothing more than a rip off of one of their beloved brands. Also they will complain about the footboards being mounted too much in the center which they view as less comfortable compared to the forward positioning of the controls on American machines. This being caused by the two gigantic cylinder heads sticking out on either side of the frame.

I did not experience it as being more uncomfortable. And those cylinders, with the two bottles of Coke vigorously swinging left and right on the inside, are a very pleasant sight, also when riding. In response to the remarks on the position of the feet I’ll add that riding those big V-twin bikes, especially in the Summer, can sometimes become unpleasant with the heat from the rear cylinder warming up your inner thighs beyond comfort.

But as always it is a matter of very personal preference.

Technical data on this particular R18 Transcontinental:

• It comes with a package called ‘option 719’** which includes lovely extra’s such as exquisite special paint, hand striping, meticulously hand-stitched seats and loads of other stuff
• They also added a whole list of accessories such as:
o Hill start control
o Headlight Pro
o Central locking
o Reverse gear (electric)
o Active cruise control
o Automatic tire pressure sensors
o Intelligent Emergency call
o Marshal Gold series Stage 2 Sound blaster (magnificent sound!)

Special thanks to:
Bikes:
BMW Motorrad
Apparel:
Lifestyle Motowear
Photography:
Gijs Paradijs

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Getting lost in Alaska: Part I https://bikebrewers.com/getting-lost-in-alaska-part-i/ https://bikebrewers.com/getting-lost-in-alaska-part-i/#comments Tue, 19 Oct 2021 17:07:25 +0000 https://bikebrewers.com/?p=1949 Introducing a new BikeBrewer! Since last year, BikeBrewers has been growing at an exponential rate. Not only do motorcycle manufacturers and motorcycle-gear producers find their way to us, but since we've made our content available in over 15 languages, our reach has also expanded significantly. Although we are based in Europe, our ambitions not limited [...]

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Introducing a new BikeBrewer!

Since last year, BikeBrewers has been growing at an exponential rate. Not only do motorcycle manufacturers and motorcycle-gear producers find their way to us, but since we’ve made our content available in over 15 languages, our reach has also expanded significantly. Although we are based in Europe, our ambitions not limited to this continent. We try to go the extra mile and beyond. This can only be achieved with the right people.
It is with this in mind, that we are proud to present a new addition to our editorial team! Dutchman Daan Staffhorst is a fellow rider in the Classic Riders community and an avid motorcycle enthusiast. He and his wife Anne moved to New York in 2019, just days before the outbreak of the pandemic. Daan has agreed to take on the position as our East Coast correspondent in the United States.

In his daily-life, Daan works as a director in a finance company. A busy job, no doubt! During weekdays, all dressed up in a suit and tie, he keeps himself occupied by staring at spreadsheets, sometimes forced to make tough decisions. But on weekends, he jumps on his Triumph Scrambler and roars around on country roads, to clear his mind.

We welcome Daan as our new colleague and look forward to sharing his motorcycle adventures with us all. We start off with a first ride-report on a recent trip he made to Alaska with his wife Anne. Daan clearly is ‘trigger happy’ as he supplied us with 5.000 (!) photographs to chose from, as well as an awesome video.
Interesting fact; Daan took these drone shots while riding pillion, as Anne took over the handlebars. No mean feat!

Here’s the first part of his Big adventure:

[su_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/Rk0eiZA6JEs” width=”800″ title=”‘Getting lost in Alaska’ a BikeBrewer’s Road Trip”]

The Last Frontier; the Alaskan mile
Whether you are on the road or on a hiking trail in Alaska, the Alaskan mile is local slang for the inability of a traveler to accurately estimate how far the next viewpoint, mountain range, or rest stop is. Due to the combination of rough terrain and the sheer size of America’s 49th state, the Alaskan mile takes longer to traverse than the average ‘normal’ mile, and will test you more, before rewarding you with it’s the state’s unparalleled natural beauty (or a hard-earned break). At the end of August, my wife Anne and I learned all about the Alaskan mile.

Looking for adventure
This is a first report on a challenging ride we had wanted to make for a long time.

As a motorcycle enthusiast who is on the lookout for new riding adventures, I came across the social media account of local Alaskan motorcycle rental company MotoQuest. Based in Anchorage, MotoQuest provides an offering of both guided and self-guided tours. My wife and I were specifically interested in one of the tours offered at the end of the riding season. The closer you get to fall and winter, the more likely you are to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights. However, on the downside – you can expect a fair amount of rain too.

Now, while I have been riding for several years, my off-road experience is limited. Coming from the Netherlands we have more asphalt than that we can enjoy testing our skills on gravel. In addition, Anne obtained her license not too long before we would be riding through the Denali Mountain range. Following an intake over the phone, we booked a Suzuki V-Strom 650 for a 10-day self-guided tour, allowing us to customize the tour and plan our days as we desired.

Into the great wide open
We started gearing up, planning, corresponding gas stations with anticipated mileage, adding more days and miles along the process. Satellite phone rental, bear mace, first aid kit, tire pump, tire patch kit, battery packs – we aimed to make sure that a worst-case scenario would not be the last scenario. In an effort to build more stamina, we went on a test ride together on our 2018 Triumph Street Scrambler. A 4-day ride covering 900 miles of backroads through the Catskills region, located north of New York City. It proved to be a useful exercise, as we learned more about the benefits of Gore-Tex and the downside of tiny pillion seats. Unexperienced in motorcycle travelling to this extent, we had prepared ourselves as much as we could.

A Dutchman in New York
Living in NYC, I wanted to go to Alaska to experience the contrast of the insanity between the hustle and bustle of the urban jungle, and the solitude of Alaska’s spruce forests, river corridors, and mountain ranges. As such, our route included the Denali Highway and McCarthy Road, both offering off-road sections and limited traffic. The itinerary targeted about 4 hours of riding per day on average: the longest day would take about 6.5 hours of riding. In addition, out of the 10 days, we ensured 2 days of rest. We planned an amazing glacier hike for our first rest day, and we would spend the second rest day on an unforgettable glacier kayak tour. So much for resting, but we would not have missed it for the world!




First leg
Prepared and packed, we picked up the bike in Anchorage and headed to Talkeetna via Hatcher Pass. Off-road, switchbacks and a steep incline made this pass a good test for our skills and the Suzuki. Impressed with the performance of the 650cc engine, both the bike and our egos got through Hatcher Pass unscathed. Feeling reassured, we aimed for the Denali Highway the next day – supposedly one of the most spectacular routes in the world.

Impressions & emotions
It is hard to describe the feeling when we crossed onto Denali Highway, McCarthy Road, or any of the other roads on our route, crossing from the tarmac onto the gravel. The promise of a road ahead that will lead you through such a beautiful region is thrilling. Valleys, forests, lakes and wildlife – we took it all in. There is a certain serenity in the unforgiving vastness of these areas. Switching seats every now and then, hours of riding fly by, racking up viewpoints, hikes, sockeye salmon, and miles as we cruised along – while learning Alaskan miles in the rain can be challenging. Slow and steady wins the race, and there is no reason to race with the hours of sunlight in Alaska during our trip.

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Daan’s Instagram

This is the end of part I.
Make sure to stay tuned for the rest of this ride-report.

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Retro Rider vs. Adventure Addict https://bikebrewers.com/retro-rider-vs-adventure-addict/ https://bikebrewers.com/retro-rider-vs-adventure-addict/#comments Sat, 16 Oct 2021 04:00:10 +0000 https://bikebrewers.com/?p=1935 Before we get started, we at BikeBrewers, feel that we need to share some developments from the past year. As you may have noticed we have been publishing quite a variety of motorcycle and apparel reviews on our website and on our social channels, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube included . This is in response [...]

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Before we get started, we at BikeBrewers, feel that we need to share some developments from the past year. As you may have noticed we have been publishing quite a variety of motorcycle and apparel reviews on our website and on our social channels, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube included .

This is in response of the influx of invitations from manufacturers to test-ride and review their new models, helmets and clothing. This has inspired us to include more, what we like to call ‘petrolhead lifestyle’ articles on our website. We believe that it is an excellent opportunity for us to give our followers a broader look on what is going on in the world of motorcycles. We try to take a slightly different approach when we write about our experiences. Staying away from all the deep digging technical stuff we try to express our emotions when we ride something new or different.

Of course we will always stay loyal to our core principle, and that is custom built motorcycles. But in our view the spice of life is variety.

In the article below our team member Ron was invited for some serious riding in Spain. He always claimed never to be seen riding on adventure bikes, but he came back a changed man.

Enjoy his coning out!

Editorial team

Retro guy
Retro styled custom motorcycles are mostly designed for riding in urban areas. Being a huge fan of retro- and vintage styled motorcycles, you would probably expect me to become very excited at the prospect of riding a Kawasaki Z900RS rather than the Versys 1000 S model of the same brand.

That’s a very logical train of thought as I am mostly known for my involvement with the retro and custom scene. However, things changed dramatically after spending a full day of riding on twisty country roads in Cataluña, Spain.

1000+ curves in 9 hours
On invitation by Kawasaki I took part in the ‘Kawasaki Versys Experience’ which is a Kawasaki Europe organised event in collaboration with the CromRide. The CromRide celebrated its fifth anniversary this year and is more or less a ‘local Catalan ride’ organized by Joan Martí Utset and his team at Crom Events. When I say ‘local’ I really mean regional as riders come from all over Cataluña and other parts of Spain to participate.

The ride itself is a 12-hour, 570km and 2000+ curves challenge, leading riders along awesome roads and enthralling views across the mountains of the Pyrenees. In partnership with Crom Events Kawasaki had organized a ‘Versys Experiential Event’. 18 journalists from various European countries were invited to try out the 2021 Kawasaki Versys 1000 S during a full day of riding. In our case it meant a ‘light version’ of 10 hours, 370km and 1000+ curves to be conquered.

Versys 1000
It was my very first encounter with the Versys 1000 S on the day we set out on this 370 km journey. There have been the odd courtships with adventure bikes in my 45-year motorcycling experience, but never as serious a ride as the one I was embarking on that day.

I have an open mind when it comes to riding motorcycles and I get easily excited by anything motorised with two wheels. As long as there is torque and speed involved, you can count me in!

The Kawasaki is an impressive machine from whatever angle you look at it. If you see it approaching in the rear view mirror you will let it pass rather than challenge it to a duel. The bike has some aggressiveness built into its front end, but the overall design is classy, modern and distinguished. It has ‘ready to take you wherever you want to go’ written all over it.

Kawasaki’s Versys 1000 S and SE are clearly designed to offer maximum riding enjoyment across a wide variety of street riding situations. Whether riding solo or two-up, around the corner or around the globe, this fun-to-ride sport-touring bike’s combination of a highly responsive In-Line Four engine, which is clearly tuned for flexibility, and a nimble chassis that is fitted with dynamic suspension, it is sure to have riders smiling broadly in their helmets. Even though I was wearing a full face adventure helmet for the occasion, I am sure my grin was easily detectable from afar.

Rider position
With the prospect of having to ride for 10 hours or more, I was hoping for more comfort than what I was used to on all the retro and vintage machines I regularly ride. I was pleasantly surprised by its relaxed, upright riding position which offered a high level of machine control, and was complemented by a highly comfortable seat and good wind protection, making it easy to spend a long time in the saddle.

Talking about level of control; that was something I was and still am Kawasaki very grateful for. The ‘local boys’ I encountered, who were also participating in the CromRide at points where the two routes intermingled, were nose-diving ‘full throttle’ into each bend we encountered. It goes without saying that my testosteron shouted at me to go for the pursuit, but I was no match for them. The clear disadvantage of insufficient mountain road experience and being new to all those curves, they clearly knew what they were doing. They probably new these roads as well as the back of their hands.

Just the bike and I
Leaving their backs for what they were, I decided to opt for an experience with just me and the Versys 1000 S. Still riding slightly faster than what is legally allowed, the Versys and I developed quite the love affair along the way. We hardly encountered any other vehicles for most of the day, it was easy to focus on establishing a true relationship between me and the Versys. I was impressed with its beauty, its sure-footedness along those curvy country roads, but perhaps mostly, by the ample amount of torque available in all the gears. The admiration must have been mutual, as the Kawasaki was clearly satisfied with my handling and speed at which I thrusted the bike through the Pyrenees mountains.

Most noticeable was the forgiveness of the machine when it came to making stupid braking mistakes at the end of leg one, just before lunch. After a great start in the morning and having a lot of fun, my empty stomach and lack of caffeine clearly put me back into the ‘consciously incompetent’ quadrant of the matrix. There were a couple of hairy moments when I braked at the wrong moment, but the Versys took control and led us safely through those corners.

The Kawasaki Versys 1000 comes standard with 3 different ride-modes: sport, road and rain. In the ‘road’ mode there is more than sufficient power readily available. Switching to ‘Sport’ will make the Versys loose the woollen jacket and show its ‘wolf power’. Quite the difference and it is good to have a choice according to your personal mood.

After lunch dip
Our lunch stop was scheduled at the ‘Hostatgeria Restaurant Santuari de Montgrony’ somewhere high up in the mountains in a location that can only be reached via a dedicated passage way, ending in a ‘cul de sac’. There, our hosts were waiting for us. While sharing the delicious food, it was also time to compare notes with fellow members of the press. It was very clear that all of them were as impressed with the Versys as I was, and we were all looking forward to the second part of the ride. Some of them were afraid of an ‘after lunch dip’, but with the adrenalin rushing through my veins there was nothing of that sort on my part.

I had gone through a steep learning curve in the morning. But with over 45 years of riding experience I am still a quick learner and for the remaining 180 kilometres, I really got into a flow. With time not being a factor, it was just the road, the uninterrupted succession of exciting curves, the Versys 1000 S and myself for the next five hours. What a glorious feeling.

Looking back
I started this post by stating that I am not really an ‘adventure bike’ guy. I retract those words now. I most definitely am! The Kawasaki Versys 1000 has managed to convert me to the conviction that there is tons of excitement and fun in riding this type of motorcycle, especially on roads like we were challenged to ride that day.

In short; The Kawasaki Versys 1000 is definitely a bike I will be adding to the stable. It has everything you are looking for in a bike that you want to take for a ride which is more than the occasional tour in your own country. It will seduce you to take the ‘long way home’ each time you climb on board or perhaps add a few extra days to an international trip.

It is a reliable companion which comes with a complete package of electronic gear to help you enjoy the ride even more.

Final conclusion in one word: YES!

Technical data:

Dimensions
Overall length: 2,270 mm
Overall width: 950 mm
Overall height: 1,530 mm / 1,490 mm (High/Low position)
Wheelbase: 1,520 mm
Road clearance: 150 mm
Seat height: 840 mm

Curb mass
SE: 257 kg
S: 255 kg
Fuel tank capacity: 21 litres

Performance
Max. power: 88.2 kW {120 PS} / 9,000 min-
Max. torque: 102.0 N·m {10.4 kgƒ·m} / 7,500 min

Engine
Type: Liquid-cooled 4-stroke In-Line Four
Valve system: DOHC, 16 valves
Bore x Stroke: 77.0 x 56.0 mm
Displacement: 1,043 cm3

Kawasaki Versys 1000
CromRide
CromRide – Instagram
CromEvents

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