The empty expanses of the rolling, twisty New Jersey County Route 650 beckons riders from the tri-state area and beyond. (Photos by the author)
Greenery, blue skies, and sunshine were bursting forth upon the land like an invitation from Mother Nature to fire up my machine and go forth on a ride on some of my favorite northeastern backroads. I accepted her call and began my cruise a few miles north of the New Jersey border in Pine Island, New York.
Negative depictions of the state in film and television cause some people to think New Jersey is covered in urban sprawl, oil refineries, and clogged “highways jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive,” as Bruce Springsteen put it.
Although true for some parts of New Jersey close to the metropolises of New York City and Philadelphia, it’s called the Garden State for a reason. Northwestern New Jersey and northeastern Pennsylvania are blessed with farmland, forests, lakes, rivers, state parks, small towns, country churches, and most importantly, great roads to ride. Those blessings make this loop route a memorable favorite ride.
If you had to guess, would you think this scene was in New Jersey? With farms, forests, and few people, it lives up to the Garden State name.
With the sun warming my face and the sweet fragrance of greenery filling my lungs, I rumbled south on my Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic LT. I had sold my heavy Vulcan 1700 Voyager, and although I missed all its bells and whistles, I enjoyed the backroad nimbleness of the much lighter 900.
On Glenwood Road (County Road 26) just north of the New Jersey border, the Blue Arrow Farm has an impressive replica of a western Plains Indian village. In New Jersey, Glenwood Road splits, and I turned west onto the rolling, serpentine County Road 565 and stopped at the unique Farm at Glenwood Mountain. Encompassing 170 acres, it sells grass-fed, free-range beef from Scottish Highland cattle, free-range chicken, eggs, turkey, and pork, as well as local honey and organic fruits and vegetables. They also host private farm-to-table dinners and weddings.
A “wooly bully” at the Farm at Glenwood Mountain stares down the author.
Rolling southwest toward Sussex takes you along the border of Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge, which runs 9 miles along the Wallkill River (one of the few rivers in the U.S. that flows north) and protects 5,100 acres of land. Wildlife abounds in this area, including waterfowl, raptors, coyotes, deer, and bears. Throughout my years cruising through rural New Jersey, I have been lucky enough to spot several bears, as well as red foxes, a coyote, and numerous great blue herons.
Wallkill National Wildlife Refuge is an ideal place for quiet nature walks.
After crossing over State Route 23, I passed The Village Smith and Cycle Works, a motorcycle repair and blacksmith shop where you can get new tires for your motorcycle and new shoes for your horse. Naturalist writer and gadfly Henry David Thoreau said to “simplify, simplify” your life. In rural New Jersey, we say “diversify, diversify” your life to succeed.
A rider and passenger cruising one of New Jersey’s empty country roads on a spring day.
Continuing on 565 to rustic Plains Road, I connected with U.S. Route 206. Cruising north toward Kittatinny Mountain, I saw some interestingly named eateries, such as Jumboland Diner and Firehouse Bagels, which has a real firetruck as part of its decor.
Passing through part of Stokes State Forest, which encompasses more than 16,000 acres, I turned onto County Route 560, sailing toward the Dingmans Ferry Bridge, one of the few remaining privately owned bridges in the United States.
The author’s Vulcan 900 soaks up some rays in Pennsylvania next to the pristine water of the Delaware River and the Dingmans Ferry Bridge.
Opened in 1900, the bridge is 530 feet long and crosses the Delaware River into Pennsylvania. Riding high above the river on a motorcycle over its wooden planks is quite the experience. This rustic bridge lies within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, which spans 70,000 acres in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. A boat-launching area next to the crossing has views of the bridge.
Two impressive waterfall areas are nearby: Dingmans Falls and Childs Park. Both are worth a stop. Dingmans Falls is reached by a short, flat stroll on a boardwalk through the forest and alongside the stream. Childs Park is more challenging, with stairs going both up and down and a rugged walkway.
The author’s Vulcan rests proudly on one of the many curving roads that grace this rural ramble through New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
After a brief respite by the river, I fired up my machine and took State Route 739 to Silver Lake Road – a winding, rolling traverse through state forest land, lakes, and hidden gated communities. With areas of huge trees and forests lining the road, you get the feeling of motorcycling through primeval times. Route 402 north is much the same but is a faster-paced ride.
Blooming Grove Road (County Road 4004) and Well Road (CR 434), meander past country stores, rural homes, and forests. I felt like I was riding through a simpler era in America. At U.S. Route 6, a scenic byway that traverses the northern part of Pennsylvania, I roared toward Milford, a touristy town with several good restaurants.
The stone edifice of the St. John Neumann/Good Shepherd Parish stands stoically in the aptly named Lords Valley, Pennsylvania.
After a late lunch at the Apple Valley Restaurant, I cruised across the modern Milford-Montague Toll Bridge with great views of the river back to Jersey. County Route 650 serpentines back through Stokes State Forest, which is a favorite of riders who love to challenge its rolling curves or just cruise along serenely. Traveling Routes 519 and 23 to Sussex, I headed northeast on State Route 284 to Bassetts Bridge Road, Lake Wallkill Road, and Glenwood Mountain Road.
Riders returning from the Pennsylvania/New Jersey hinterlands while appreciating the roadside scenery.
As my Vulcan weaved through the countryside to Routes 565/517 and back to Pine Island, I reflected on what an enjoyable ride it had been. It was one I was destined to repeat.
Triumph completely overhauled its range-topping Tiger 1200 platform, revising the engine, chassis, electronics, and more for a lighter, more powerful, more agile adventure bike. (Photos by Kevin Wing)
The 2023 Triumph Tiger 1200 lineup, which includes five variants – three aimed at street riders and two at those who like to get dirty – represents the high-water mark of Triumph’s 30 years of experience building adventure bikes. When John Bloor, the deep-pocketed real estate developer who bought Triumph after it went bankrupt in 1983, resurrected the iconic British brand, he wanted to compete on the world stage. That meant a broad range of contemporary models, not just rehashed Bonnevilles.
2023 Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Pro in Lucerne Blue. Photo by Kevin Wing.
Back to the Future
In the early ’90s, modern-era Triumphs that rolled out of the new factory in Hinckley, England, included Trophy sport-tourers, Daytona sportbikes, Trident roadsters, and Adventurer cruisers powered by inline three- and four-cylinder engines rather than the parallel-Twins Triumph had been known for. In 1993, Triumph introduced the Tiger 900, an adventure bike powered by an 84-hp 885cc inline-Triple designed to compete with the BMW R 100 GS, Honda Africa Twin, and Yamaha Super Ténéré.
The Tiger 1200’s power-to-weight ratio is much improved with a gain of 12.4 hp and a loss of 55 lb. Photo by Kevin Wing.
The “Tiger” name first showed up on Triumphs in 1936 when company director and chief engineer Edward Turner renamed the 250cc, 350cc, and 500cc OHV Singles the Tiger 70, Tiger 80, and Tiger 90, respectively. Three years later, the Tiger T100 was introduced as a high-performance version of the 5T Speed Twin 500.
Other roadgoing Tigers came and went over the years, but it wasn’t until the early ’80s that the name was used on dual-sport models like the TR65T Tiger Trail and TR7T Tiger Trail.
Photo by Kevin Wing.
By the turn of the millennium, the adventure segment had grown in popularity. Manufacturers were broadening their lineups of big “dualies” to make them even better at long-distance touring. In 2001, Triumph introduced the Tiger 955i, which had a 955cc Triple boasting 104 hp, a small fairing with a windscreen, a 6.25-gallon tank, and hardshell saddlebags.
Over the past decade, Triumph’s Tiger lineup has evolved and expanded, and the company now offers 11 different models: the Tiger Sport 660, the Tiger Sport 850, the Tiger 900 range (GT, GT Pro, Rally, and Rally Pro), and the Tiger 1200 range (GT, GT Pro, GT Explorer, Rally Pro, and Rally Explorer).
Standard equipment on the Tiger 1200 GT Pro includes cornering lights (shown just below the main headlight) and auxiliary LED lights. Photo by Kevin Wing.
Triumph gave its range-topping Tiger a major reboot for the 2023 model year, starting with the engine. Replacing the 1,215cc Triple on the previous-gen Tiger Explorer is the 1,160cc Triple from the 2022 Speed Triple 1200 RS. Despite losing 55cc of displacement, the Tiger gained grunt. On Jett Tuning’s dyno, the 2023 Tiger 1200 GT Pro sent 130.2 hp at 9,100 rpm and 81.8 lb-ft of torque at 7,000 rpm to the rear wheel through its shaft final drive – an increase of 12.4 hp and 7.4 lb-ft over the last Tiger Explorer we dyno’d in 2016.
The Tiger’s new 1,160cc engine is smaller than the previous version but is lighter and more powerful. Photo by Kevin Wing.
Engine character is also decidedly different thanks to the Triple’s “T-Plane” crankshaft with a 1-3-2 firing order. After cylinder 1 fires, the crank turns 180 degrees, and cylinder 3 fires. It turns another 270 degrees, and cylinder 2 fires. It turns another 270 degrees, cylinder 1 fires again, and so on. The irregular firing sequence gives the engine the feel and tractable response of a Twin down low and the sporty character of a Triple from the midrange to redline.
Not only is the Tiger 1200 more powerful than its predecessor, it’s also significantly lighter. Its tubular steel main frame with forged aluminum lower sections saves 12 lb, and it’s connected to a lightweight bolt-on aluminum subframe with removeable passenger peg brackets. A new “Tri-Link” cast aluminum conventional swingarm saves another 3.3 lb over the previous single-sided unit. Overall, at 540 lb ready to ride, the Tiger 1200 is 55 lb lighter than the previous model.
The GT Pro is one of three Tiger 1200 models aimed at street riders. It tackles rough and twisted pavement with ease, and its 19-inch front wheel, tall suspension, and Off-Road mode are suitable for mild off-roading. Photo by Kevin Wing.
Triumph hosted a global launch for the 2023 Tiger 1200 in Portugal earlier this year, and our First Ride review includes details about the five variants. Like other road-oriented GT models, the Pro model tested here has a 5.3-gallon tank, cast aluminum wheels in 19-/18-inch sizes with Metzeler Tourance tires, and 7.9 inches of suspension travel front and rear. It also has an adjustable rider’s seat (33.5/34.3 inches), handguards, a small skid plate, LED auxiliary lights, a centerstand, heated grips, a 12-volt socket in the cockpit, a USB charger under the seat, and keyless ignition, steering lock, and fuel filler lock.
As expected for a top-of-the-line adventure-touring machine, the GT Pro is equipped with throttle-by-wire, an IMU, and a full menu of electronic rider aids. It has five ride modes (Sport, Road, Rain, Off-Road, and a customizable Rider mode) that adjust throttle response, cornering ABS, cornering traction control, and suspension damping. The Showa semi-active suspension system has On-Road and Off-Road damping modes, with nine settings ranging from Sport to Comfort within each mode, as well as automatic rear preload adjustment. The GT Pro also has cornering lights, a quickshifter, cruise control, hill-hold brake control, and a 7-inch color TFT display with Bluetooth connectivity that includes multimedia, navigation, and GoPro control.
Colors for GT Pro/Explorer models include Lucerne Blue (shown), Sapphire Black, and Snowdonia White. Photo by Kevin Wing.
A Tiger – in Africa?
No, no, we didn’t test the Tiger 1200 GT Pro in Africa. We wish. That’s just one of my favorite lines from Monty Python’s Meaning of Life, a British comedy from 1983, which happens to be the same year the old “Meridien” Triumph went belly up. But I digress. Let’s start again…
A Tiger in California
There’s something about testing a motorcycle on familiar soil, on roads we’ve ridden so many times that we know exactly where a particularly nasty pavement crack is around a blind corner or where to expect rockfall from dynamited road cuts towering above the pavement. It’s not quite the same as turning dozens of laps on a track, but you know where you can get on the gas, where to proceed with caution, and where certain bikes seem to unlock a hidden “hero” mode.
Photo by Kevin Wing.
One of those roads is East Camino Cielo (“Road of the Sky” in Spanish), which follows a high ridgeline in the Santa Ynez Mountains above Santa Barbara, California. Running roughly parallel to the Pacific Coast, on a clear day it provides incomparable views of the ocean and the Channel Islands on one side and the Santa Ynez Valley and San Rafael Mountains on the other. After climbing the steep, twisting grade of Gibraltar Road, East Camino Cielo unfurls an obstacle course of undulating gradients, convoluted corners, and pavement of varying quality with plenty of dirt and debris to keep riders on their toes. In other words, an ideal road for an adventure bike.
Having tested several variations of the Tiger Explorer in the past, some of which weighed more than 600 lb, the Tiger 1200’s newfound lightness is immediately apparent. It looks svelte when perched on its centerstand, and it feels slender between the knees, especially when standing up on the footpegs. The Tiger 1200 employs a new twin-radiator design that allows the engine to be mounted farther forward for better weight distribution while also reducing the amount of engine heat felt by the rider. Just ahead of the rider’s knees are vents with plastic shrouds that pull heat out and away from the cockpit.
The GT Pro handles so adroitly that we regularly dragged its peg feelers on twisty roads. Photo by Kevin Wing.
The Tiger’s seat is narrow in front to make it easier to get feet on the ground and wide at the back to provide a broad base of support. Except for full-dress touring bikes, the Tiger’s seat is one of the most comfortable stock seats we’ve tested in a long time. Being long of arm and leg, the seating position is nearly ideal for me – not too much bend in my achy knees and a just-right reach to the wide handlebar that allows me to sit up straight.
Like most adventure bikes, wind protection is sufficient but leaves the rider’s lower legs and upper body partially exposed. Handguards keep wind off the mitts, and the adjustable windscreen does a decent job of deflecting wind blast around the rider. For maximum visibility and airflow into the cockpit, I preferred the lowest position and wasn’t bothered by buffeting, even with an ADV helmet with a peak visor. A light pull on the bar above the TFT display ratchets the windscreen up in small increments over a 2.4-inch range.
Photo by Kevin Wing.
The Tiger 1200 exhibited poise and balance on East Camino Cielo, responding quickly to steering inputs and maintaining confident contact with the road. The Skyhook algorithm for the semi-active suspension minimizes unwanted chassis pitch under hard braking or acceleration, and the various damping modes delivered a softer or firmer ride as desired. When taking sharp corners at speed, however, the pegs dragged earlier than expected, especially for such a tall bike. Rear preload is adjusted automatically based on the weight of the rider and, if applicable, that of a passenger and luggage. I would have liked to crank up the rear preload a bit to increase cornering clearance, but there is no provision for doing so.
Attacking technical backroads and rowing through the gearbox is made easier with Triumph’s Shift Assist up/down quickshifter. And scrubbing off speed is handled by strong and precise brakes that are top of the line – a pair of Brembo Stylema monoblock radial front calipers pinching 320mm discs, a Magura HC-1 radial front master cylinder (a second one is used on the hydraulic slip/assist clutch), a Brembo rear caliper, and cornering ABS.
GT models are fitted with cast wheels and Metzeler Tourance 90/10 adventure tires. Photo by Kevin Wing.
Equally impressive is the rumbling character and right-now response from the T-Plane Triple. As the dyno chart on the previous page shows, power builds linearly with no dips or hiccups, and more than 60 lb-ft of torque is available from 2,600 rpm to redline. The tuned exhaust emits a delightful growl, but as we noted in our First Ride review, engine vibration creeps in above 6,000 rpm and can be felt through the pegs and grips. At 70 mph in 6th gear, the engine spins smoothly at 4,000 rpm, which makes for relaxed highway riding. The only glitch is some driveline lash in the lower gears that makes it difficult to smoothly transition on and off the throttle.
The Tiger’s 7-inch TFT display has bright, vivid graphics. The mode button and small joystick on the left switchgear, along with the home button on the right switchgear, make it easy – with a little practice – to navigate modes, menus, and settings. There are a few idiosyncrasies, however. When the tripmeter is displayed, it is shown in a large, easy-to-read font, but it also shows average speed and trip duration – two pieces of info that I don’t find important.
The 7-inch TFT has large, legible graphics but would benefit from customizable info displays. Photo by Kevin Wing.
And in the tripmeter mode, the digital tach/speedo is cocked to the side, which irks my desire for symmetry. The joystick must be toggled and pushed three times to bring up the fuel status display, and in that mode, the tach/speedo is displayed normally. Where’s the odometer? It’s buried in the service menu. While I certainly appreciate the desire to create a clean, uncluttered display, offering some customization options would satisfy riders with different preferences.
Years ago, the sportbike segment was the competitive equivalent of Fight Club. Model updates rolled out every two to three years, and because they duked it out on racetracks, differences in power, weight, and handling were parsed to the most minute degree. Nowadays, the adventure bike segment is the main event. The market is crowded, and bikes are specialized to fill specific niches. The Tiger 1200 alone is available in five different configurations to meet different price points and needs. But the sophistication of today’s open-class adventure bikes means that even the base GT model rings in at $19,100.
Colors for GT Pro/Explorer models include Lucerne Blue (shown), Sapphire Black, and Snowdonia White. Photo by Kevin Wing.
Next up the ladder at $21,400, the GT Pro we tested has most of the features that road-biased adventure riders want. For those who want to go all-in, the GT Explorer ($23,100) adds blind-spot radar, tire-pressure monitoring, engine-protection bars, and heated rider and passenger seats. Triumph also makes more than 50 dedicated accessories for the Tiger 1200 range, including luggage, lower seats, and much more.
The lighter, more powerful, and more advanced 2023 Tiger 1200 lineup shows how committed Triumph is to refining its motorcycles and making them as exciting, capable, and well-appointed as they can be.
We love motorcycles because of how they make us feel when we ride them and for the places they take us. Photo by Kevin Wing.
One of the better scalpels for cutting lap times: all aboard the KTM RC 8C. (KTM/)
There’s a race strategy at work with KTM’s newest trackbike weapon, the RC 8C. But it may take a few years before KTM reveals the rest of its cards. It’s similar to a Moto2-spec sportbike, yet not meant to homologate a World SBK contender. With a small production run and a frame made by Krämer, it’s purely meant for trackdays. But it’s worth idle speculation as to what further development (and developments) might bring in the future as far as race plans.
Until then, 200 lucky people now own (safe to assume it’s sold out at press times) one of the more impressive track motorcycles around. It’s little changed from the 2022 RC 8C, save for color, engine tinkering, and the fact that 200 were made, up from 100 in 2022. Power to the people, right?
Internal changes are the headline here. The familiar parallel-twin LC8c motor now puts out 135 hp, up from 128 hp. Larger 48mm throttle bodies complement an increased compression ratio (now 14.0:1) and modified combustion chambers. New titanium intake and exhaust valve feed a new two-ring piston design, which rides on new titanium con-rods. More bang is preserved by removing the cylinder head top balancer and adjusting the crankcase balancer shaft. A new Pankl oil cooler helps keep things cool and lubricated.
The WP Apex Pro fork and shock have been softened, to maintain healthy contact patches and for rider comfort. In that spirit, the RC 8C follows the KTM tradition of near-infinite amounts of adjustment, from the adjustable steering head to the offset of the CNC-machined triple clamps to the bars and footpegs.
Electronics do their part with the AiM MXS 1.2 Race dash giving access to data from throttle response, traction control, mapping and engine-braking. Shifting follows the reverse GP-shifting pattern, via quickshifter. Brembo Stylema calipers and RCS19 Corsa Corta master cylinders keep things stopped or slowed, as needed.
A brand-new titanium Akrapovič exhaust helps keep weight down to 313 pounds dry, which lies at the heart of the RC 8C’s appeal. Figures of 200-plus ponies grab headlines, but anyone who’s thrown a bike around a track knows that power-to-weight ratios are a better metric of thrill and/or danger.
The first 30 customers get to take delivery of their machine at Circuito Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain, on April 26, 2023. Former Grand Prix riders and a full KTM and WP Suspension technical crew will be on hand to help new RC 8C owners break in their new bikes. MSRP is $39,599, if you can still find one.
In essence, this is a fantastic motorcycle you’ll never experience. KTM naming conventions mean the RC 8C (note the space between “RC” and “8″) has little to do with the legendary V-twin 1190 KTM RC8 from 2008–15. But the original RC8 cleaned up in AMA Superbike, and arguably led to the genesis of KTM’s Moto3 and MotoGP contenders. So it begs the question: What’s the RC 8C leading up to?
Stay tuned. It’s really all the rest of us can do.
Just 313 pounds of winged trackday fun: the 2023 KTM RC 8C. (KTM/)
Blacked-out livery belies the extra 7 hp that comes with the 2023 KTM RC 8C. (KTM/)
Head on: what wind sees as the KTM RC 8C approaches. (KTM/)
Your left hand will tell you how you did: TFT AiM MXS 1.2 Race dash breaks down your trackday stats. (KTM/)
This could be you, assuming you plunked down $39,599 about a week ago. (KTM/)
Note to aspiring racers: Wheelies actually waste precious seconds of lap time. (KTM/)
New Akrapovič exhaust helps keep the KTM RC 8C light, so you can get lower. (KTM/)
The 2022 FIM MiniGP World Final is about to get underway in Valencia, with the top two riders from each Series set to compete for overall glory over two days of track action. 2021 Champion Izan Rodriguez also returns this season to enter the World Final, making an Entry List of 33 riders representing the following Series: Alpe Adria, Australia, Austria, France, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, North America, Portugal, Qatar, Spain and the UK.
Ahead of #TheDecider, we’ve remembered four Valencia GPs that decided the MotoGP™ World Championship
To get warmed up for this weekend’s decisive Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana, we thought it would be a good idea to have a look back at some MotoGP™ races at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo that decided which hands the MotoGP™ title ended up in.
Nicky Hayden vs Valentino Rossi – 2006
A simply unforgettable climax to a sensational season. After being wiped out by teammate Dani Pedrosa at the Portuguese GP, Nicky Hayden trailed Valentino Rossi by eight points heading into the 2006 finale. However, a Turn 2 crash saw Rossi score just three points, meaning Hayden’s P3 was enough for the late, great American to win the title by five points.
Marc Marquez vs Jorge Lorenzo – 2013
Despite being black-flagged in the Australian GP and getting beat by Jorge Lorenzo in Japan, rookie Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) held a 13-point advantage over his compatriot in Valencia. That meant after finishing P3 behind teammate Dani Pedrosa, even with Lorenzo winning a third race in a row, the number 93 was crowned MotoGP™ King for the first time.
Jorge Lorenzo vs Valentino Rossi – 2015
A title race for the ages. Yamaha teammates Lorenzo and Rossi arrived in Valencia seven points apart, with the advantage in Rossi’s favour. However, after the drama that unfolded in Sepang, Rossi had a back of the grid penalty. The pace of Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Marquez proved too strong for anyone outside the top three to catch them in the race, meaning a win for Lorenzo would see him clinch his third premier class title – and that’s exactly what happened, despite Rossi’s sublime comeback ride to P4.
Marc Marquez vs Andrea Dovizioso – 2017
The last time we saw a MotoGP™ title race go to the final weekend of the season was in 2017, when Marquez and Andrea Dovizioso brought their fascinating duel to a close. Marquez led Dovizioso by 21 points, so Dovizioso – like Quartararo – had to win no matter what. Mapping 8, a miraculous Marquez save and a Dovizioso crash was all part of the unpredictable script that day, as Marquez emerged as MotoGP™ World Champion once more.
Fingers crossed we get a spell-binding end to the 2022 MotoGP™ season in Valencia.
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