There has always been a connection between airplanes and motorcycles, most notably the fact that they both lean to the inside when they turn. I should include bicycles and gliders here, obviously, but for the moment we’ll stick to just planes and motorcycles because there is another (and to be fair, much looser) similarity between the two when it comes to Moto Guzzis. My intrigue with this time-tested brand of motorcycle has to do with the feeling I get when I ride one, thanks primarily to its iconic, transverse-mounted, air-cooled 90-degree V-Twin engine. I often feel like a barnstormer when railing a “Goose” through the turns, as if I’m terrorizing a herd of pigs with a Stearman biplane. There’s something about those big ol’ cylinders poking out in the breeze and the associated valve clatter that puts me in this vintage frame of mind. That, and the fact that, you know, it leans over (the right way) in turns.

Ah, the Moto Guzzi. What’s really cool about this Italian marque is how they’ve managed to hang on to this wonderful mechanical feeling all while keeping their machines up to date and seamlessly incorporating some of the latest technology. The all-new California 1400 Touring is a big, loaded touring liner that mixes the old with the new in fine fashion, and despite weighing nearly 750 lbs. is surprisingly light on its feet. It may look like a vintage police bike (Guzzi sold a lot of cop mounts in the USA in the 70’s), and in fact this state-of-the-art machine owes its heritage to the 1970 V7 Guzzi that was the first “foreign” bike to get the Los Angeles Police Department fleet contract. A “civilian” version was created and thus the California was born.

The 2014 iteration has the largest production air-cooled V-Twin motorcycle engine to ever come out of Europe, and displaces a sizable 1380cc. The design is classic, but inside we have contemporary fuel injection with a choice of three rider-selectable maps (Touring, Fast and Wet) to fine-tune performance. The big mill has gobs of low-end torque and is commendably smooth at speed considering there are two huge transverse-mounted pistons wailing away just in front of your knees. Credit an “elastic-kinematic supports system” that allows the engine to shake without passing excessive vibes on to you or your passenger. The six-speed gearbox has well-selected ratios so the big bike can always use the power most effectively, and the shaft final drive gets Guzzi’s latest cardan drive engineering to eliminate undo shaft-jacking if you’re clumsy (and loutish) with your throttle inputs. Oh, and if you are still determined to be clumsy (and loutish) with your right wrist, a 3-level Traction Control system is on board to help keep the sizable 200-series rear tire from breaking loose without your say-so.

The chassis also has some very well-chosen suspension components, and while the front forks are non-adjustable (and have the vintage full-slider look) they work quite well. The big, high handlebar gives you great leverage and the only limit to aggressive cornering it the floorboard clearance, which is actually pretty good for this type of touring rig. Twin rear shocks are preload adjustable and deliver a very good ride overall. The seat is broad and built to stay comfy for the long haul, and the pillion is also generous in size and should get few complaints.

The big central instrument pod can toggle through a variety of menus and keep you informed of all manner of touring functions, while continuing the theme of simplicity and tradition in appearance. This bike also comes standard with cruise control, that (much to my amusement and admiration) operates with a single button next to the throttle. It works fine once you get the hang of it. The twin 35-liter panniers open at the top and are hinged at the front, and are fairly capacious but won’t swallow a full-face helmet. They also weren’t great at keeping out the rain, but as this press bikes had been “handled” by God knows who before it got to me someone may have tried to stuff Komodo Dragons in them and thus now they don’t seal as designed. Or, they are a tad porous. While I’m on the subject of rain, the windshield offers very substantial protection but even a wee 5’8” rider can easily see over it. Standard ABS Brembo triple-disc brakes are more than up to the task of bringing this Love Boat to a halt in short order, regardless of road conditions.

Wild things: an enormous and quite unique headlight array, using what Moto Guzzi calls a “complex surface that has a polielliptical light.” The rear LED taillights are also quite stylish and functional and equally distinctive. In fact, this whole bike is distinctive and yet it does have that wonderful Moto Guzzi look and feel, and it’s great fun to rail around on. The company has a full boat of excellent accessories available (including a tail trunk), and if you want to go the minimalist route the California 1400 Custom is much more basic and has won the endorsement of none other than Obi Wan Kenobi (aka actor Ewan McGregor). Perhaps if you desire a maximum Goose, this IS the bike you’re looking for.

As much as I crave brilliant, sharp chronology when it comes to posting things on this elegant, user-friendly venue (thank you, Posterous), I am now taking you back in time to before the New York International Auto Show (non-Depraved, see below) to a month they call March and a thing they call Bike Week in Daytona Beach. I knew I was poised for an interesting trip when on the flight down, I could actually see the contrail of the Space Shuttle Discovery just above and in front of the 737 I was riding in. The Discovery was returning to earth after its final mission (see photo), and I was overcome with nostalgia. Crikey, I can remember its maiden voyage. Has that much time really gone by? Wow. 

Harley-Davidson FXS Blackline 

Here’s the Motor Company’s latest Dark Custom, first revealed at a party at Don Hill’s in SoHo back in January. It was a wild night. I heard (as did the rest of the attendees) from a Harley engineer (on stage no less) that Harley-Davidson is no more. It’s Harley-F***ing Davidson, thank you very much, and don’t you forget it, Bitches. The crowd loved this rebellious attitude, which is what the whole Dark Custom thing is all about after all. But I wondered, what will we tell the children?

We’ll tell them the Blackline is a f***cking nice bike, and a genuine pleasure to root around on. The Twin Cam 96B engine is smooth, soulful and puts out real nice torque. The riding position is kicked out and chopperish, but it works just fine around town. Despite the rather brilliantly-executed minimalist retro styling there’s some very contemporary features, like an odometer window that has a menu that toggles via a handlebar switch and includes a tachometer reading and gear selection (among other things). The biggest techno-surprise turned out to be ABS brakes, which I didn’t realize the bike had until a tiny yellow self-test light winked out whenever I rolled off after first starting the bike. Subsequent braking shenanigans in a parking lot confirmed this diagnosis, and that’s a f***ing great feature for a Hog to have, Bitch. And, overall, the Blackline was a very satisfying bike, whether you’re into the Harley mystique or not. $15,499 gets you started.

From form with some function we go to function and then some, and a totally well-rounded mount that helps illustrate why dual-sports are so popular. This plucky Brit Adventure Bike has a sweet, smooth Inline Triple, tuned for great low-to-midrange grunt and great response. As is typical for the breed, an upright riding position and a broad, wide adjustable handlebar make the Tiger very flickable whether you’re on the trail or in traffic, and a real pleasure to spend many miles on. Surprisingly, the seat height is less lofty than most trailies which makes balancing the bike at stops much easier for those that are short of inseam. If you are more Lakerish, you can easily flip a bar under the seat and gain another inch or so of seat height for more leg room. A massive collection of accessories is available form Triumph, including really well-designed tank and tail trunks I sampled that are perfect for small items and have interiors that are very well-protected from the elements. And speaking of Mother Nature, I got nailed by a thunderstorm (imagine that: a thunderstorm in Florida) and I couldn’t have been on a more tractable mount in heavy rain. I’ve saved the best for last: I think this is one of of the smarter dual-sports out there, and the base price is $9,999. That a lot less than a lot of the competition, and to be honest as good as the class is overall a lot of the other guys don’t have it going on to near the extent as this kick-ass kitty. 

Star Stryker

Our final Daytona Bike Week machine comes from Yamaha’s Star division, and more than any other bike here got attention everywhere it went thanks to its aggressive, ultra-custom styling. This is a show bike you can ride, and one surprise was the 1304cc 60-degree V-twin that was fine at speed but seem a bit weak at low RPMs which is unusual for this kind of mill. But the kicked-out front end does a decent job in the twisty stuff despite the lazy steering geometry, and while it’s easy to drag your heels in tight turns overall handling is fine for a long, low cruiser. Cool touches abound, such as a downright Gothic instrument cluster that has cool trip computer you toggle with a button on the right handlebar and the overall fit and finish is superb. This is certainly aimed more at looks than outright performance, but it is perfectly acceptable for scooting around town and definitely starts conversations. MSRPs start at $10,990. 

One of the the last things you should ever do in life is think that a certain company will never make a certain product. For example, you may be under the silly impression that Starbucks will never build a nuclear power plant. Well, I for one won’t be shocked when a huge cooling tower goes up across from our house with a huge Starbucks logo on it. Oh sure, it may not happen for a year or many, but I’m not dismissing the notion that it could happen. Stranger occurrences have, in fact, occurred.

Case in point: Ducati, that glorious Italian manufacturer that has graced us with some of the most fantastic sporting motorcycles in creation has done something some of YOU said they never would do. OK, fair enough, I said they wouldn’t do it either. But, they have actually built their version of a cruiser, and it’s a pretty amazing bike (and not just a Marinara-colored Harley clone, either). Not only is it a more laid back mount than your typical Duck (even the Monster and Streetfighter are still more ergonomically sporty), it looks like the the Devil. I say Devil but in this case we’re talking Liz Hurley from Bedazzled, and she’s been working out. Oh, and I should mention that this two-wheeled Hell Hurley goes like crap through a goose when you pour on the coal. It’s also one of the most electronically sophisticated motorcycles on the planet, and a real big deal for Ducati. Oh, and there’s a tale about the name: apparently one of the Ducati engineers thought a pre-production prototype looked primed for mayhem, and mentioned its devilish aspect. Just like that, a new Red Menace was born: the Diavel.

The heart and soul of any motorcycle (even electric ones, oddly enough) is what resides in the engine room, and the Diavel is armed with not just a really good Ducati V-Twin but their best one. This engine is ultimately derived from their amazing 1098 race bike; a mighty mill called the Testastretta 11º. The degree bit refers to valve overlap, and suffice it to say this is one of the most charismatic, ballsy, and intoxicatingly stonkish engines ever to be bolted into a stylish, lightweight trellis-style frame. Its 162 horses gets fed via a 6-speed transmission to a huge, 240-series rear radial, but not before it goes through some truly wicked electronics that allow you to tune the output a bit. By using a toggling switch on the handlebar, you can select three riding modes that each offer different power output mapping as well as differing levels of Traction Control intrusion. Sport and Touring modes let you access all the ponies but while dealing out the power a bit more sedately for the Touring setting, while Urban quells the fires to the point where “only” 100 horsepower is available to help keep you out of trouble especially in the wet, nasty greasiness of the urban riderscape in the rains come. For those who are really into navigating through menus, the Traction Control parameters for each riding mode can be tweaked as well, giving you an astounding number of tuning choices.

Regardless of the mode, the Diavel is wickedly fast, beautifully balanced and an amazingly entertaining especially when you really cut loose on the thing. It’s also surprisingly comfortable, even with its unusual “sport cruiser” ergonomics. There’s also a decent amount of cornering clearance to help you exploit the excellent suspension and stay up with your more sporting riding buddies. Standard ABS Brembos do the braking chores admirably, and nothing is spared on this motorcycle in terms of the latest, best components available to make the Diavel a real flagship. There’s even a Smart Key so you don’t have to fish out the old-style key deep from that forgotten pocket in your winter riding gear that’s underneath your rain gear. The DevilMoto is a real bold move for Ducati, and time will tell if it catches on with the punters. But I’ll tell you this: The engineers at this passionate company really set out to show what they can do no matter what the genre of motorcycle, and I thought the Diavel was a technical marvel and an absolute blast to ride. It also carves a visual swath wherever it goes, making it a very striking machine in a sea of me too cruisers.

No, I have no clue why the folks at Aprilia, that superb Italian motorcycle manufacturer that is now owned by the huge Piaggio Group, named this truly splendid Streetfighter 750 V-Twin the Shiver. I might be able to glean this information by reading all the lovely press info I have on the bike, but to be honest I was too busy riding it and experiencing its Shiver-ness to get around to the company’s technical briefing. I will soon, but in the meantime, this is yet another excellent bike from a truly interesting manufacturer. Aprilia builds technologically contemporary, artistically beautiful and just generally great motorcycles (and scooters), and I’ve yet to ride one I didn’t enjoy. The Shiver is no different, and one of the fun things about reviewing it for the pubs I do such things for is a have a competing motorcycle, my Triumph Street Triple R, to ride back to back with the Italian to compare and contrast. Two naked middleweight sportbikes that are both designed to be comfortable to ride in the real world, yet have very sporting manners, were here in in my stable. Life is good, sometimes.
So, how’s the Shiver? Excellent. It feels heavier than the Triumph, but it steers beautifully and even thought the male slider front forks aren’t adjustable they are firm and compliant in balanced measure. The plucky 90-degree V-Twin (or Tweeyan, iffen those damn bastards in the south cut your beard and made you eat it) is very smooth, has lots of excellent low-end torque and a very flat, progressive power delivery but runs out of steam (like most V-Twins that aren’t race bikes) in the higher reaches of the rev range. But the power characteristics suit the bike well, and the transmission has ratios that are pretty ideal. The Street Triple R feels busier, as the Inline Three engine is spinning faster as is its nature, but on the whole it feels more powerful by a smidgeon. What does this mean? Nothing. The Shiver has all the muscle you’ll need, and it is (as is typical for Aprilias) a beautifully balanced package. My only real gripe, which is very substantial even though it is a tiny thing, is this: an ABS light that lights up as if checking the system when you start the bike, yet this model has no ABS. There is an ABS Shiver, but this wasn’t one of them and a West Coast press bike at Rider Magazine displayed a similar, well, display.
This is problematic and they need to fix it. I don’t need to tell you if you’ve ever ridden/driven ABS and non-ABS machines that the braking technique with each is worlds apart. If you jump on a bike and see that ABS light, what are you going to think? How are you going to react when that van filled with pregnant nuns pulls out in front of you?
So, this bothered me. I intend to get his rectified. Otherwise I loved the Shiver. It’s a beautiful machine, that you want to ride until the tank’s empty and then get some more $3 petrol and keep going. It’s potent, comfortable and it’s Veee-Tweeyan in its most refined, torque-rich expression.

Hey, say want you want about me, but I said earlier I would give you my further thoughts on the Aprilia RSV4 R once I’d spent more quality time on the device and dammit, I’m a creature devoted to supporting my utterances. Anyway, as the insanely strong V-Four has now left my custody there is much to say (which will be dealt with in detail in all of the usual publications-consult your House Elf, or do some searches, to discover where they are). I will, however, share with you the following:
First, this bike is just another Aprilia. By saying that I wish to pass on a great compliment, as I’ve yet to ride one of these polished Italian machines and not find the build quality excellent. But solid construction is one thing; Aprilias take it a step further and really flaunt the fact that functional engineering can be beautiful. Artistic, even. The hellbeast that is the RSV is absolutely no exception in this regard, for while it is a performance masterpiece it still has that special attention to detail that makes this brand so desirable. The welds on the al-yoo-minium frame are so lovely they make people like me who have in fact welded at some point in our lives weep in appreciation. Hey, I don’t know whether it’s done by an artisan in Italy or an artisan in Italy that happens to be a robot from Japan, but it is a beautiful thing.
Performance: the Vee Fower is a serious rush. Unique power delivery in terms of feel, and it builds like a locomotive. Here’s techno-porn in the form of adjustable engine mapping, for you can select R for road (where horsepower is limited to 140) or S for Sport (where RPMs are limited slightly in lower gears a bit) or T for Track (which unleashes the entire herd of 180 horsepower to create mayhem and, basically, show you how good the chassis, suspension and brakes are). A long wheelbase for what is after all a race bike lends high-speed stability, but the bike still steers reasonably quickly if you give it some effort.
The bike went back to Aprilia in one piece, and I returned to my duties in similar shape. This is a really fine superbike, and very unique in personality. I shall watch its racing career with great interest.

According to an article on the Consumer Reports Auto Blog, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is recommending that the government mandate Antilock brakes for street motorcycles. This recommendation is based on a statistical study the Institute did that shows quite clearly that ABS clearly helps reduce fatal motorcycle accidents. Of course, as with any study like this there could be other factors such as the type of rider that will buy an ABS-equipped motorcycle, but overall I thing the conclusions reached are pretty sound. Unlike so many kneejerk reactionary types that doesn’t think the government should mandate anything, I don’t have a problem with this proposal. My reasoning is due to the fact that ABS on bikes has improved dramatically since BMW first started putting in on their machines many years ago (Crikey, it was last century in fact!), and it is also lighter, more sophisticated and less expensive that it has been in the past. The state-of-the-art Honda ABS system I played with on a CBR600RR a year or two ago was flat out amazing, too, and good enough even for track use. If memory serves, Japan put a regulation in place ages ago that every manufacturer that sells motorcycles in their country must have at least one model with ABS, so even though you might think some manufacturers might not have much experience with the technology (such as Harley-Davidson) they actually do.
Again, like with ABS in cars it requires a different braking technique in panic stop situations; i.e. just nail the brakes as hard as you can and steer the thing. There’s no pumping or modulation required. Tires and brakes on bikes these days have become so good that a skilled rider can brake really effectively (meaning that ABS would rarely have to kick in) but in those particularly nasty, low traction situation the computers can literally save your bacon. It will be interesting to see what the manufacturers have to say when and if a mandate is established, although I’ll wager it wouldn’t go into effect for a few years.

I do think I have just, oh, a few hours ago, ridden one of the the most potent she-beasts in my memory. It is the first V-Four Aprilia I’ve ever experienced, and it is also a true race bike with lights (but still has that amazing polish that Aprilia is so famous for). It is a really bee-utiful blend of torque, horsepower and wicked-quick violence, yet it still has that amazing Aprilia polish that makes this marque so freakin’ special.

But man, this thing is strong. There’s something special here, and I’ve ridden a lot of very potent motorcycles in my day. This thing is different. It has stones the size of the erratics that sit atop Mt. Cadillac in Maine. This means nothing to most, but much who have made the ride to the top.I have this bike for a couple of weeks. We shall share, and Gain Strength from the Sharing.

Like any industry these days, the motorcycle game really has really taken it on the chin the last couple of years in terms of sales of new two-wheelers. There have been some exceptions of course (Triumph did well in the 4th quarter while Harley screwed the pooch), but one good sign in my view was the attendance last Friday at the New York International Motorcycle Show which seemed pretty good. Lots of enthusiastic riders, and lots of new machines that garnered a lot of interest. I had a good feel about the atmosphere in general, and with some pretty cool new 2010 iron out there this might not be a bad year at all for the industry, or at least not as bad as the last one was. One thing: somewhere out there is some bro or sis that sat on more bikes at the show than anybody else. Good for them.

I have tasted a bit of the future methinks. The Zero S is my first turn on an all-electric moto, and I have to say there are some rough edges and issues but overall, I loved it. I did battle in a most excellent neighborhood in Brooklyn, and the more I rode the thing and got used to the eerily silent power delivery I really dug it. This is, in my humble opinion, a very big deal. I can only imagine what we’ll have in a few years down the road. Amazing.