It was scientifically proven in the ’70s that cops like donuts. Rolling Pin’s are among the best. (Photos by Kevin Wing)
We all have our own rituals and processes when it comes to preparing for a motorcycle ride. We play with bike setup, gear selection, maintenance duties, maybe glance at a road map or two. As a motor cop, I too have a process as I prepare for a tour out on the beat. But rather than pontificate on all the finer points of my program, I thought it might be fun if, in this Motor School installment, I walked you through some prep so that next weekend you could come on a ride-along with me. The good news? I already handled the heavy lifting by getting the motor unit to promise to keep wisecracks to a minimum, so now all we need to do is get you ready. Plus, you might find some of this stuff helpful when you plan your next big ride. You in? Great!
First, the nitty gritty. We’re going to be working a 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. special detail next Saturday and Sunday because it’s a fall-break weekend and command staff, in anticipation of things getting a little wild out there, has “voluntold” the motor unit to contribute a few bodies to bolster deployment, so that means us too. But before I go any further, I brought donuts to help keep us razor sharp, so grab a napkin.
Now, from a mental standpoint, next weekend will be different than a typical motorcycle outing in and around town that you normally experience. What I mean is that our regular outings usually find us hovering somewhere around a 4th-grade intellect but with far less focus and clarity. But today our role is that of public servant, sworn to protect and serve. In other words, the title of “police officer” comes first, and that of “motorcycle rider” falls a very distant second. That means we will be looking, watching, listening, and interacting with our environment in ways you were never asked or required to as a rider. Don’t get me wrong; it won’t be so hyper-intense that we’re anywhere close to graduating 4th grade. Maybe think of it as a mid-week math class with a pop quiz on the docket. You know, show up on time, sit down, and stop horsing around. What, the bear claw? Check the yellow bag with the little bears on it…
Okay, some logistics: Dress for the crash, but also be able to run, jump, fight, and swim. And make sure you have plenty of layers at the ready, because its gonna be hot mid-afternoon and cold by midnight. Pack a balaclava and rain gloves too, along with a clear shield. Also pack sunblock and water. Sometimes we have time to grab a bite but sometimes not, so bring food. I’ll have a trauma kit, but bring a first aid kit with you, along with your tools and battery jump-pack. Bring your emergency medical and contact info in your helmet and wallet too. In short, we are preparing for the apocalypse, but with minimal snacks or potty breaks.
Hope for the best, plan for the worst. If you have the tools, bring ’em.
We’ll be riding lots of unpredictable roadway: dirt, wet, old pavement, gravel, beach sand, steep hills. Since it’s all city stuff, I like a little more compliance and grip, so I air down just a smidge, maybe 3-5 psi below normal. Still, make sure to bring a tire plug kit, tire gauge, and inflator so we have options. And you’re an AMA member, right? They have great roadside assistance if we need it.
While motor cops typically ride next to each other, side-by-side when traveling from one place to another, you and me will be riding staggered at the back of the stack. I’ll stay in the forward position in the left wheel track of the lane, you stay in the right track a few bike lengths behind me. This just gives us more options if we need to take evasive measures, and that side-by-side stuff is really tricky unless you practice it a lot. And no matter what, do not put your left foot down in the middle portion of the lane at intersections when we come to a stop. That’s what we call “dirty foot,” because it’s the portion of the lane where all the grease and dirt accumulates. Trust me, the motors will give us a substantial verbal lashing if they see you do it.
Hmmm, what else. Let’s go over some safety stuff. If I initiate a traffic stop and pull a vehicle over, I’ll need you to lay back and wait somewhere safe. That said, if you see that I’m clearly in physical distress and you’re pretty sure I need help, feel free to mosey on over and lend a hand. I’m not saying you have to get involved, and I wouldn’t want you to get a cramp from all those donuts, but I think it’s safe to say most cops wouldn’t wave off life-saving assistance from a well-intentioned citizen.
Also, while we’re together I’ll be listening to all city communication through my helmet, so I’m not ignoring your awesome Bazooka Joe jokes, I’m just determining if I need to respond to an emergency request for help somewhere in the city. A few years back a call went out about a swimmer in distress off the east side of the Ventura pier, and because I was on my BMW RT-P, I was able to squirt around downtown traffic, get onto the pier, dodge some angry fishermen, and climb over the railing in time to make a successful water rescue. Of course, these situations are exceedingly rare, but because motor cops can get anywhere faster than any other first responder, we need to prepare our minds for that possibility when we roll around on the bikes.
When stopped, never rest your foot in the greasy unpredictable middle of a traffic lane. Ask me how I know.
Speaking of the pier, this is a beach city, so there are lots of pedestrians, surfers, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and random tourists everywhere. We will need to pay extra attention to the late afternoon sunlight, because the glare will be directly in our eyes as we head westbound and that, coupled with the ocean glare, will easily blind us. To help with this, I run a thin strip of electrical tape along the very bottom of the sunshield on my modular helmet so I can block out the sun – a poor man’s visor of sorts. Maybe set that up and try it out before next weekend. Speaking of glare, pack some anti-glare glasses if you have some because between new brighter headlights on the road and our pupils’ dilation at night, they really help with vision and overall safety while we ride.
And like any fun beach town shortly after that delightful last call of 0200 hours, we will be sharing the road with sozzled drivers. In anticipation for this unfortunate eventuality, we’re going to slow down quite a bit more than usual when we visually clear intersections. But regardless of where we are in the city or what time of day it is, let’s just assume and plan that every car everywhere will try to hit us. And by “assume,” I mean if our wheels are in motion, we have our heads on a swivel looking for threats, we are ready to execute evasive maneuvers, we’re covering the front brake, and we’re cerebrally resetting repeatedly. Bottom line, we should be completely brain fried by the end of our shifts next weekend.
Now relax, were gonna have a great time. I’ll make sure nothing bad happens to you. After all, if my 4th-grade math is correct, it’s your turn to buy donuts next time we ride to Rolling Pin.
For more information on Total Control Training and available clinics, go to the Total Control website.Quinn wears Lee Parks Design gloves exclusively. Find Quinn at Police Motor Training.
Joel Samick’s garage is packed with retro motorcycles used for his RetroTours vintage motorcycle tours operation. (Photos by Kel Edge)
Have you ever discovered something that has you asking yourself, Why hasn’t anyone ever done this before? It seems so obvious, and yet… (The “and yet” is usually the reason why not, but still…).
That was my reaction when I first came across Joel Samick and his Northeast U.S.-based RetroTours operation seven years ago – and I’m still asking that very same question after spending two days visiting Joel and his wife, Lynn, in their spacious home on the Pennsylvania/Delaware border and riding a selection of their motorcycles. For this lovely semi-rural house comes complete with a large garage and workshop space to house 23 twin-cylinder motorcycles, plus two Fours – a 1976 Honda GL1000 Gold Wing (read my test ride review here) and a 1983 Suzuki GS550 ES, the only one not built during the 1970s.
The author enjoys his ride on the 1976 Honda GL1000 Gold Wing K0 rented from RetroTours.
These motorcycles comprise both Samick’s personal collection of 1970s Big Twins and the RetroTours rental fleet. They run from 1970 examples of Bonneville 650 and T100C Triumphs to a 1973 Norton Commando Fastback 750, a 1973 Yamaha TX750, a 1976 Kawasaki KZ750, a 1975 Suzuki T500 Titan 2-stroke, a 1976 Moto Guzzi 850T3, a 1977 Harley Davidson XLCR, etc. on up to that GS550.
It’s a veritable time warp collection that Samick has available for customers to choose from in making their way to Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, the mushroom capital of the world (google it to see why!) and gateway to some wonderful riding country, in order to go touring the classic way, on an authentic period motorcycle.
Joel Samick operates RetroTours from his garage in Pennsylvania.
“It’s important to stress that these are not perfectly restored, low-mileage collector’s items,” says Samick, who is in his late 60s, a true child of the era when motorcycles got used as everyday transportation. “These are working motorcycles that are carefully maintained but are not concours show ponies. I don’t want to modernize them too much, and I don’t want to fix them up to be better than they really were.”
“Okay, I do put on better shocks,” Samick continued, “and better lights, and a better horn and stuff like that, and blinkers, too, if they didn’t have them as stock. But I want people to experience them warts and all, and most customers appreciate that coming on one of our tours is going to add to their motorcycle knowledge simply because, in a given day, they can end up riding up to half a dozen different motorcycles in succession. That’s because on a group tour, we make it a policy to stop every 50 to 75 miles or so to refuel, stretch our legs, and swap bikes.”
RetroTours has officially existed since 2000 and has grown since then, mostly by word of mouth. “I wouldn’t advise anyone to try this business to make money!” said Samick. “But if you love meeting people of a like mind and doing adventurous rides on 40-year-old motorcycles, seeing America away from U.S. highways with cookie-cutter rest stops and McDonalds everywhere, and visiting the real America via country roads and byways, this is for you. While I may never grow rich, at least I’ll now grow poor a little more slowly while continuing to enjoy and share the adventure, the thrill, and the camaraderie of retro-touring. Every ride is unique, and each presents challenges, but I still love every ride I take, however short.”
At a cost of just $90 per day to include the rental of any of the bikes in the RetroTours lineup, plus a guided tour with Samick as leader, basic insurance, and home-cooked, post-tour dinner, it’s a bargain.
Samick has experimented with different group sizes and distances. “I try to tailor the tours to my specific clients, and I really enjoy designing trips to suit a client’s schedule, interests, and desires. From one-day local loops to extended journeys, I’m open to any suggestions, and I try to make it easy for customers to just show up and ride.”
Over the years, this routine has evolved into six or seven pre-planned tours per year, with Samick riding support, often on his 1977 BMW R 100 S with Dutch-built EML sidecar outfit. He’s experimented with group sizes of between three to 12 people and distances ranging from local jaunts to cross-country adventures and even international rides to Canada lasting up to two weeks.
RetroTours itineraries can be structured around any number of themes – gastronomic, cultural (Samick’s HQ is just 30 miles southeast of Pennsylvania’s horse-driven Amish country), scenic, or just plain fun riding. Samick likes twisting, lightly traveled backroads leading to places well off the beaten track.
“We’ll always look for the road less traveled, shunning highways completely, seeking the smallest and wiggliest lines on the map,” Samick said. “We try very hard to find routes that put us intimately in touch with the countryside we’re riding through. We sometimes use dirt roads, and stops may include local museums, scenic views, and even kitsch tourist attractions. If the weather’s fine, we sometimes stop at a small-town market for groceries, then picnic at a scenic spot in the country. When the ‘map distance’ is 100 miles, we allow 175!”
A hint of the ethos underpinning the RetroTours operation can be found in the 31-item waiver form customers must sign to confirm their acceptance. “I know that motorcycling is a dangerous activity, and I further realize that the trip I am about to leave on is at the lunatic fringe of motorcycling,” Clause 3 states. Or Item 23, which says, “Thirty-year-old gas tanks sometimes leak, and high-tension wires sometimes arc. There is a potential for on-board fire, while under way, and no extinguisher.” And underscoring the adaptability required to swap mounts all through the tour, Item 12 states that, “I will be switching bikes frequently, and there is no uniformity of control locations. Therefore, I will never really be familiar with the ‘feel’ of the bike I am riding, putting me in a very high-risk situation, even when nothing obvious is going wrong.” So there!
Driven by a belief that motorcycles should be ridden, not stored, Joel Samick has created a unique product, which I’m not aware of anyone else having matched anywhere in the world. Over the past quarter-century, he’s learned what it takes to plan and execute a successful tour while turning his hobby into a business.
The author rode this 1976 Honda GL1000 Gold Wing K0 from RetroTours’ fleet.
“I’ve come to realize that the best part of RetroTours is meeting and getting to know other enthusiasts,” said Samick. “Making new friends out of those who come together to meet the challenges that are inherent in what we do on our RetroTours trips is a rewarding experience, which makes everything worthwhile. We have fun together!”
Find more information and plan your RetroTours experience at the RetroTours website.
The histories of Rider magazine and the Honda Gold Wing have run parallel – and often intertwined – over the past 50 years. Rider’s first issue was published in the summer of 1974, and a few months later the Honda GL1000 Gold Wing was unveiled to the public.
Honda GL1000 test in Rider’s Summer 1975 issue.
The GL1000 debuted as a 1975 model, and sales in the U.S. began that year. Rider published a test of the Honda GL1000 in the Summer 1975 issue, which opened with this paragraph:
It’s a bull in street clothing. A solid, low-to-the-ground animal from the breed that produced the classic 750 Four. An ultra-smooth, quick, fast, silent, powerful roadburner. A sophisticated touring machine.
Over the past half century, Rider has tested every Gold Wing model multiple times, and we have included the Wing in numerous comparison tests, tour tests, and travel stories. The Gold Wing became so synonymous with touring that it spawned an enormous aftermarket, and at least 50 companies have used Wings in their advertising in Rider over the years.
The first Gold Wing ad in Rider Magazine appeared in the 1976 April issue.
“It is possible that Rider owes its existence to the early Gold Wing,” former EIC Mark Tuttle told me. “The touring aftermarket that sprang up in its wake filled the pages of the magazine with ads in the late 1970s and continued to do so even during the recessions of the 1980s, when the OEMs slashed their marketing budgets. Most of the other magazines were focused on sport, performance, and racing, and alternatives to print had yet to appear, making the travel and touring focus of Rider the best venue for companies like Vetter, Markland, Tour Rider, and many touring accessory warehouses to showcase their stuff. That revenue helped the magazine survive several nasty economic downturns in the 1980s.
A Honda GL1500 ad.
“Honda was pretty quick to notice that it was missing an opportunity to provide and profit from those accessories itself, and it wasn’t long before many of them appeared as factory equipment or options on Gold Wing models like the Interstate and Aspencade. That had a negative impact on the aftermarket’s profitability and on Rider’s ad revenue. Fortunately for the magazine, it was soon replaced by copious amounts of Honda ads as the economy improved and the Gold Wing exploded in popularity with the release of the 1988 GL1500.”
Rider’s June 1979 issue included a Dresser/Goodies ad for Gold Wing accessories.
Alan Cathcart’s review of the GL1000 (published originally in Rider‘s December2024 issue) describes the Gold Wing’s development, and below are some key milestones in the model’s 50-year history.
1972: A team led by Shoichiro Irimajiri develops the M1 prototype, a 1,470cc flat-Six precursor of the Gold Wing.
1975 GL1000
1974: The 1975 GL1000 Gold Wing K0 makes its public debut at the Cologne Show. Developed by Toshio Nozue, who was also responsible for the CB750, the Gold Wing is dubbed “the ultimate motorcycle” by Honda.
1977: The Gold Wing Road Riders Association (GWRRA) is founded.
1979: Honda opens its $50 million, 260,000 square-foot production facility in Marysville, Ohio.
1980: Honda introduces the 1,085cc Gold Wing GL1100, featuring a longer wheelbase, electronic ignition, increased fuel capacity, and less weight. An Interstate version offers a factory-installed fairing and luggage and an optional stereo-intercom system. Honda’s Marysville Motorcycle Plant produces its first Gold Wing.
1982: Honda introduces the GL1100 Aspencade, featuring two-tone paint and the Interstate’s touring amenities.
1983 GL1100 Aspencade
1984: Honda introduces the 1,182cc GL1200, which has a stiffer frame, repositioned engine, smaller wheels, longer wheelbase and swingarm, and upgraded suspension.
1984 GL1200 Interstate
1985: Honda commemorates 25 years in America and 10 years of the Gold Wing with the GL1200L Limited Edition, which features auto-leveling rear suspension. The naked version of the GL1200 is discontinued. Honda opens an engine plant in Anna, Ohio, where GL engines would eventually be produced.
1988: Honda introduces the 1,520cc flat-Six GL1500, featuring more power, a smoother transmission, increased fuel capacity, a stiffer chassis, improved brakes, and a comprehensive fairing.
1988 GL1500
1996: On July 26, the Marysville plant produces its 1 millionth U.S.-built Honda – a Gold Wing.
1997: Honda introduces the Valkyrie, a high-performance cruiser based on the GL1500 chassis.
2000: The Gold Wing’s 25th anniversary. GL engine production is moved from Anna, Ohio, back to Marysville.
2001: Honda introduces the GL1800. Developed under Masanori Aoki, it has a larger, 1,832cc flat-Six, fuel injection, an aluminum frame, and optional ABS braking.
2001 GL1800
2004: Honda introduces the Valkyrie Rune, a radical-looking, heavily chromed, limited-edition GL1800-based cruiser.
2006: The Gold Wing gets in-dash GPS and heated seat and grips. The world’s first motorcycle airbag is available on a GL1800.
2006 GL1800
2011: No Gold Wing model is produced as production moves to Kumamoto, Japan.
2012: The GL1800 gets a major update, with fresh styling, more luggage capacity, improved comfort, better handling, updated infotainment, and more.
2015: Honda offers a 40th anniversary edition Gold Wing with commemorative badges, a two-tone paint scheme, an embossed passenger seat, and a special ignition key.
2015 GL1800 40th Anniversary
2018: Honda introduces the sixth-generation Gold Wing, which is new from the ground up and is available as a standard model with no trunk (a replacement for the F6B) or as a Tour model with a trunk. The new GL1800 is lighter and more compact, has state-of-the-art features, and is available with an optional 7-speed automatic Dual Clutch Transmission.
2018 GL1800
2018 GL1800 Tour
2025: Honda celebrates the Gold Wing’s 50th anniversary.
Our guest on Episode 75 of the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast is Sebastian Schoepe, the new CEO of EAGLERIDER, the world’s largest motorcycle rental and tour company. We talk to Schoepe about EAGLERIDER’s winter getaway tours, new off-road tours in Las Vegas, and more. This episode is sponsored by HardDrive American V-Twin products.
We rented a 2008 BMW R 1200 GS Adventure from Twisted Road, and we spent several days riding Ohio’s Windy 9. (Photos by the author)
Recently I had an opportunity to fly from California to Ohio to visit my 97-year-old great aunt and to ride Ohio’s Windy 9, a network of nine motorcycle routes that originate in Athens, Ohio. My plan was to fly into Columbus, rent a motorcycle, and ride an hour south to Athens. There aren’t any brick-and-mortar motorcycle rental locations in Columbus, so I hopped on the Twisted Road website.
Twisted Road listing for the BMW I rented.
Twisted Road is a nationwide peer-to-peer motorcycle rental network. Similar to vacation rentals through Airbnb or Vrbo, when you rent a bike through Twisted Road, you rent from an individual owner. Twisted Road vets motorcycle owners before allowing them to rent out their bikes on the site. Before someone can rent a bike, they must provide their driver’s license number and a credit card, and Twisted Road verifies that owners have valid motorcycle endorsements. All rentals are covered by up to $40,000 for damage and up to $1 million for liability.
Since I would be riding lots of curvy roads for several days (the “windy” in Windy 9 refers to twisty, not gusty), I wanted a sport-touring or adventure-touring bike. When I searched for rentals, of the seven motorcycles available to rent near Columbus, four were cruisers, one was a trike, one was a little Honda Monkey, and one was a 2008 BMW R 1200 GS Adventure. The GSA was perfect – it was a bike I’d put many thousands of miles on, and it was equipped with a full set of aluminum luggage.
During our ride on Ohio’s Windy 9, we stopped at Dirty Girl Coffee Roasters in Gloucester. Highly recommended!
My plan was to pick up the BMW on a Sunday morning and return it the following Friday. The rental price was a reasonable $100 per day. I had never rented through Twisted Road before, so as with all first-time rentals, I was credited one free day, which reduced the total cost from $500 to $400. There are also multiday discounts, and with Twisted Road’s One, Two, Free program, renters earn one free day after completing two rides.
I submitted my rental request, which was quickly approved by the owner, Eric. He was very responsive when I asked a few questions, and we exchanged messages through the Twisted Road website to confirm pickup and drop-off times.
The BMW R 1200 GSA was clean, full of gas, and waiting for me when I arrived from the airport.
After taking a red-eye flight from Los Angeles to Columbus, I took an Uber to Eric’s house, which is in a suburb north of the city. When I arrived, the bike was in the driveway, and it was clean and had a full tank of gas. We did a quick walk-around of the bike and snapped a photo of my driver’s license next to the odometer as well as photos of all sides of the bike to verify its condition. The bike handover took only a few minutes. After packing my gear, I was on the road.
Scott’s BMW R 1200 RT, Greg’s rental BMW R 1200 GSA, and Eric’s BMW R 1200 GSA.
For the next five days, I had a great time on the GSA. In Athens, I got to visit my great-aunt Jean, who has been in a nursing home for the past year. Even at 97, she’s still a lively, lovely lady! I also spent several days with Rider’s contributing editors, Eric Trow and Scott Williams, riding the Windy 9 routes. They were both on BMWs as well – Eric on a GSA, Scott on an RT – so my rental bike was in good company.
On the day before I was to return the GSA, I texted the owner to confirm the drop-off time. He generously offered to drive me to the airport, which saved me some time as well as the expense of another 25-mile Uber ride.
Downtown Nelsonville, Ohio, which is just north of Athens.
Before returning the bike, I did my best to clean it up (we had ridden through some rain) and I filled the tank. The return process was simple, and Eric was friendly and easy to deal with. During our drive to the airport, I asked why he decided to rent out his motorcycle. He had rented a bike through Twisted Road during a multiday layover in Las Vegas (Eric is an airline pilot), and he enjoyed the experience so much that he wanted to provide that opportunity to other riders.
Kiser’s BBQ in Athens, Ohio. Also highly recommended!
If you’ve got a trip coming up – a family vacation, a business trip, etc. – and you can spare an extra day or two to do some riding, I suggest renting a bike through Twisted Road. Or like I did, you could plan a motorcycle vacation in a faraway place and save yourself the time and hassle of transporting a bike. Depending on your location, the selection may be limited, or you may need to travel a bit to pick up and drop off the bike. Larger cities or metropolitan areas will have more options, so that may be something to consider in your trip planning.
For more information about renting a bike or listing your own bike for rent, visit the Twisted Road website.
Our guest on Episode 74 of the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast is Mike Noyes, the founder and visionary CEO of ALIV Worldwide, which provides curated powersports adventures. ALIV Worldwide, a “country club for badasses,” helps participants get out of their comfort zone and strive for personal growth and transformation. Check out ALIV Worldwide on Instagram.
No muss, no fuss. When we lock our body’s centerline with the bike and maintain an upright position, the negative forces of the incline vanish before our eyes. Comfortable and controlled U-turns are all that remain. Scout’s honor! (Photos by Kevin Wing.)
Cruising down the freeway, I clicked into 6th gear and noted that the day was warming up nicely. It felt amazing. And not just because the salty breeze was creating another Southern California moment. It was also the final day of instructing an intensive four-week police motor academy in Ventura.
This final day’s training segment would be an unofficial “city survival” induction, where I go off-script and show my eager ducklings the real-world complexities of working enforcement on a motor. In other words, I expose them to as many things as I can dream up before buttoning up their raincoats, kissing them on the cheek, and sending them out into the storm.
After a short briefing, with a Starbucks venti skinny iced caramel macchiato coursing through my bloodstream, I led them through slippery hiking paths, rain-rutted fire roads, steep off-cambers, stairs, beach sand, railroad tracks, rocky hill climbs, and anything else I could manage. After four hours of on-bike training, we successfully navigated the delicate but sublime incline of the In-N-Out Burger parking lot. In the end nobody got hurt, and the BMW crash bars worked aces.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies, especially when my flock tried to navigate steep incline U-turns. Observing from the sidelines, I noticed they were dealing with two primary issues: 1) Fear: the steep inclines promised that their motorcycles would skate to the bottom of the hill if they even lightly kissed the deck, so they mentally locked up, and 2) Technique: they believed that in order to avoid crashing, they had to slip the clutch, counterbalance, drop the bike over, lock the bars, keep their speed up, and get their head and eyes around. In other words, they made it way harder than it needed to be.
Yes, it really is this simple. If you can stand and balance yourself on an incline without falling over, then you can do the same on your bike! Your natural equilibrium is the key.
After witnessing a few underwear emergencies, I hit the pause button on the Hindenburg debacle and imparted a little hillside riding hack that made the process much easier. Since you weren’t on hand to watch the demonstration, I thought now would be a good time to walk you through it so you can learn how to perform effortless U-turns on steep inclines. Ready?
First, find a steep incline such as a wide public driveway, alleyway, service road, or similar – just make sure it’s free of vehicular traffic during our science lab. Park safely on the hill, dismount, and stand next to your bike. While standing in place, balanced and comfortable, slowly rotate 360 degrees, taking short pauses at each point on the compass. Notice that as you stand, you have no momentum, yet you remain perfectly balanced on the hill without needing to transfer your weight to regain any stability. Also notice that your body’s angle or center line in relation to the incline of the hill does not shift, regardless of the direction you face on the incline.
Next, walk in a 30-foot circle on the hill. Notice that as your position and orientation changes from walking uphill, downhill, and sideways, you never fall up, fall down, or lose your balance on the incline. In other words, your body’s balance point, or center line, remains consistent and intact regardless of momentum or direction of travel.
The important point here – which applies to riding your motorcycle – is that because your body’s equilibrium works to keep you vertical and balanced no matter which direction you are facing, you can go, stop, turn, and move freely and effortlessly on the incline without requiring massive lean angles and oodles of forward motion. Less lean angle means no scary bike drops due to miscalculating weight transfer, clutch control, momentum, and 10 other complicated but unnecessary things while attempting the U-turn. In the words of Greg Brady, pretty far out, right?
Now let me be clear: Nothing changes once we get on the motorcycle. Your motorcycle, like you, has an equilibrium of sorts, a balance point or center line that enables it to remain perfectly balanced on a hill when it’s straight up and down, regardless of the incline it encounters or the direction it faces. And in the same way you make subtle adjustments to remain perfectly balanced while standing on your feet, you will make those subtle adjustments on the bike. Now let’s pump some helium into this leviathan and get her airborne…but no smoking please.
Here’s your first drill: Ride your motorcycle relaxed and easy, in 1st gear, up the incline. When you feel comfortable, I want you to initiate a turning movement and stop at a 90-degree angle, or perpendicular, to the roadway – like you are starting to turn into the Frosty Queen but you stopped short of the driveway entrance.
The rules are as follows: 1) you must keep your body’s mass in line with the motorcycle’s mass (no shifting body weight to one side or the other in the cockpit), and 2) at no time during the turning movement are you allowed to introduce any lean angle to the motorcycle. Remember, just like when you walked around on the hill and remained straight up and down, you must do the same on the bike. After a calm and uneventful pause on the hill, remain perfectly upright and balanced, turn the bars downhill without leaning over, and take off down the hill. Hey, I love Frosty Queen too, but we’re training here…
Here are a few keys to your success. Keep in mind your feet will not be equal distance from the ground as you sit on the hill in the 90-degree position due to the incline, so use the high side of the roadway to plant your foot and rest the other on the peg. Also, resist the urge to lean your bike towards the downhill when you take off from the 90-degree position. This will only serve to make the bike fall over toward the downhill and require you to chase it by engaging the clutch and adding power. Always keep everything straight up and down. Rinse and repeat.
Once you get comfortable riding into the 90-degree position, stopping, then completing the U-turn without any lean angle, start turning around without stopping at all. You may find yourself wanting to carry more speed now that we’re executing a full U-turn, but added momentum can force a lean angle that we don’t want. Instead, resist the urge, go slow and smooth, and concentrate on always keeping the bike upright. Yes, I’m beating a dead horse here, but by keeping the bike balanced and upright, we don’t need speed (or lean angle) in our turning process to remain comfortable and in control, which is why this works so well.
And that’s it. If you can walk, you can execute this technique. For a visual example, go to Police Motor Training with Quinn Redeker on YouTube and find “Motorcycle U-Turns on Steep Hills – Easy as Walking.”
For more information on Total Control Training and available clinics, go to the Total Control website.Quinn wears Lee Parks Design gloves exclusively. Find Quinn at Police Motor Training.
Chris Moore of the Moore Mafia team getting a quick launch at last year’s Hayabusa Homecoming. (Photo by Matt Polito.)
It’s been 25 years since Suzuki launched its groundbreaking Hayabusa, and owners and fans can celebrate this iconic sportbike at the 2024 Hayabusa Homecoming, taking place at the NHRA finals in Pomona, California, on Nov. 16.
During the event at the In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, fans will get to see Pro Stock Motorcycle and other dragracing classes racing down the quarter-mile strip. The RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki team is aiming to win its second consecutive NHRA Championship in a tight points battle, with Gaige Herrea currently leading the points standings on his Busa. Teammate Richard Gadsen will augment Suzuki’s effort on the track.
Last year’s Hayabusa Homecoming at Pomona was packed. (Photo by Matt Polito.)
Suzuki owners who pre-register for the event and ride to the track will get free grandstand entry and VIP Suzuki parking for the event, and the first 200 to sign up will also receive a limited-edition Hayabusa Homecoming gift pack. Fans will also have the chance to meet with the Vance & Hines team in a Q&A session and witness Chris Moore of Moore Mafia showcase his 206-mph Turbo Hayabusa on the track.
In celebration of the Hayabusa’s 25th anniversary, Rider’s story “Suzuki Hayabusa, 1999-2024: Your Majesty for 25 Years” takes a deep dive into the history of the Hayabusa and how the Busa has evolved throughout the years. From the bike’s inception in 1999 with the most powerful engine in a production motorcycle to stiff competition by Kawasaki and the financial struggles of the Great Recession, the story examines how the Hayabusa adapted, evolved, and overcame all challenges to remain an icon in the motorcycling world.
The three model generations of the Hayabusa – Gen 1 on the left, Gen 2 on the right, and Gen 3 in the middle – show the evolution of styling yet all are unmistakably Hayabusas.
The Hayabusa Homecoming will be held Saturday, Nov. 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pacific. Register now to gain access to the free grandstand entry and VIP parking. To find out more about the event and Suzuki motorcycles, visit the Suzuki website.
The Hayabusa has been burning up roadways for a quarter century and has become a sportbike icon. Speed comes easy for the Busa, so whether your destination is the end of a dragstrip or another state, it can get there quicker than almost anything else on wheels. (Photos by Kevin Wing and courtesy Suzuki.)
There are countless excellent motorcycles in the world, but there are just a few veritable icons. Of all the Japanese bikes launched in the last 25 years, the Suzuki Hayabusa is perhaps most worthy of icon status.
The Hayabusa is globally renowned for major-league power, seen here in its third generation.
The sportbike paradigm shifted in 1999 when Suzuki introduced the GSX1300R Hayabusa. It had the most powerful engine in a production motorcycle and aerodynamic bodywork that looked like nothing else on the road.
The Suzuki Hayabusa celebrates 25 years with a special-edition 25th Anniversary Edition model.
For a quarter century, the Hayabusa has defined what an ultra-fast motorcycle should be. More than 200,000 Busas have found their way into the hands of speed-addled enthusiasts, from lightning-quick dragracers to sport-touring mavens who strap on luggage and blaze highways at blurring speeds.
Fast Design | Suzuki Hayabusa
There’s always been a need for speed, and velocities ramped up in 1990 with the introduction of Kawasaki’s ZX-11, which could exceed 170 mph. Honda retaliated in 1996 with its CBR1100XX Super Blackbird, which could hit 174 mph.
An early design sketch shows more conventional styling than the bulbous bodywork and stacked headlights that became Suzuki Hayabusa hallmarks.
Suzuki wanted in on this high-speed action and began developing a monumental motorcycle, with the goal of being “the most powerful production bike in the world, but at the same time have usable, rider-friendly performance.” We weren’t quite prepared for the groundbreaking machine that emerged from Suzuki’s drawing boards.
Over three model generations, wind-tunnel testing has ensured the Busa is as slippery as possible.
Big speed requires keen attention to aerodynamics, so Suzuki’s new flagship would need to slip cleanly through the air to become the king of speed. The fastest animal in the world is the peregrine falcon, a bird renowned for its ability to hit 200 mph during a steep dive.
Suzuki drew inspiration for the Hayabusa’s design from the peregrine falcon, the fastest animal on earth.
The Japanese word for the falcon is “hayabusa,” and the kanji character for the word was emblazoned on the bike. Peregrine falcons sometimes eat blackbirds for lunch, and so would the motorcycle that shares its Japanese name.
At the bike’s launch in 1999, Suzuki proclaimed class-leading aero. The Busa’s bullet-shaped nose featured a stacked headlight arrangement to narrow the bike’s frontal area. The front turnsignals were integrated into the nose to help funnel air to the pressurized airbox to boost power at high speeds.
With sculpted bodywork, integrated front turnsignals, and stacked headlights, the Hayabusa’s styling broke new ground.
The Busa’s chassis was more conventional: a twin-spar aluminum frame with an inverted fork and a monoshock, both fully adjustable. Offsetting the bike’s 550-lb curb weight was a 24.2-degree rake (the steepest in the category) and a mere 3.9 inches of trail. A 58.5-inch wheelbase and a steering damper helped provide high-speed stability. The front brakes featured 6-piston Tokico calipers biting on 320mm discs.
The kanji character on the bodywork is the Busa’s calling card.
Fast and Furious | Suzuki Hayabusa
Suzuki used lessons learned in developing its GSX-R motors, using 81mm forged-aluminum pistons reciprocating over a 63mm stroke to yield 1,299cc. The Busa also featured fuel injection, a novelty in that era, and an air injection system minimized emissions without hurting performance. A 4-2-1-2 exhaust included a catalytic converter to keep it EPA-legal. A gear-driven counterbalancer reduced vibration.
In 2003, a limited-edition Suzuki Hayabusa with metallic orange paint and special badging celebrated the 40th anniversary of American Suzuki.
Suzuki blew us away with an unprecedented 173 crankshaft horsepower. That number dwarfed the GSX-R1100W’s output by 20 horses and easily outgunned Honda’s Blackbird. Put it all together, and the Busa was able to reach an astounding 194 mph when tested by Cycle World.
The Hayabusa’s engine architecture has stayed essentially the same for 25 years. Displacement increased from 1,299cc to 1,340cc in its second generation.
I got my first crack at the Busa in 1999 and was thrust into hyperspace. “It’s mind-bendingly fast,” I wrote, “and the explosions inside the engine feel like little sticks of dynamite are being fed through the intake valves, igniting the mixture with greater force than what had been considered possible from a production streetbike.”
The three model generations – Gen 1 on the left, Gen 2 on the right, and Gen 3 in the middle – show the evolution of styling yet all are unmistakably Hayabusas.
During dyno testing, the motor piled on at least 20 hp every 1,000 rpm from 2,500 to 7,500 rpm! Additionally, it generated 73 lb-ft at just 2,500 rpm, the same torque as Yamaha’s 1999 YZF-R1 made at its peak. Describing the Busa as “fast” is like calling the Sistine Chapel “pretty.”
Also impressive was the bike’s finish quality, which exceeded most other Suzukis of the era. Its 10-disc back-torque limiting slipper clutch was stout, and its 6-speed gearbox shifted precisely.
The three model generations – Gen 1 on the left, Gen 2 on the right, and Gen 3 in the middle – show the evolution of styling yet all are unmistakably Hayabusas.
Fast Limit | Suzuki Hayabusa
Kawasaki didn’t like Suzuki stealing the top-speed throne and retaliated in 2000 with the 178-hp ZX-12R. Surprisingly, it could only reach a top speed of 186 mph. That’s when we learned that manufacturers had voluntarily agreed to an arbitrary speed limit of 300 kph (186 mph) to avoid potential regulations on sportbikes. The top-speed wars ended by unofficial decree.
The Hayabusa graced the cover of Rider’s March 2008 issue when we compared it to Kawasaki’s Ninja ZX-14.
The Hayabusa again graced our cover in September 2021 with the launch of the third generation.
Meanwhile, the Hayabusa kept on rolling as the poster child for motorcycle excess. Wild custom paint jobs covered the Busa’s distinctive bodywork, turbos and nitrous kits were added, and extended swingarms with fat tires became all the rage.
But it wasn’t just sportbike jockeys who appreciated the Hayabusa’s effortless speed. Travelers who needed to get to faraway places in a hurry often chose Busas as sport-touring rigs, creating the hypersport-touring niche.
Outfitted with a tankbag and a tailbag, the Hayabusa becomes a hypersport-tourer.
The Busa’s rivals were vastly overshadowed by its massive impact on this market – more than 115,000 Gen 1s were sold. The Blackbird’s run ended in 2002. Kawasaki revamped its 1,198cc ZX-12R in 2002, but it wasn’t able to elbow its way into the Busa’s dominance among speed freaks.
Fast Reignition: Gen 2 | Suzuki Hayabusa
Kawasaki killed off the 12R and replaced it in 2006 with the ZX-14. It was a worthy challenger but lacked the Busa’s rowdiness and street cred. The slugfest escalated in 2008 when Kawasaki introduced the ZX-14R and Suzuki gave the Busa its first significant makeover.
The engine’s displacement was bumped to 1,340cc by increasing its stroke 2mm. Lighter and stronger forged pistons bumped compression up to 12.5:1, and a forged crank spun chromoly rods shot-peened for extra strength. Up top were 16 titanium valves, and new camshafts offered greater lift and revised timing. Cam-chain tension was switched over to a hydraulic system.
Suzuki claimed a 12% improvement in horsepower, stretching to 194 hp at the crankshaft, a 21-horse boost. Torque was bumped 8.5% to 114 lb-ft. Harnessing the bigger power was a revised clutch that offered better feedback and employed the Suzuki Clutch Assist System.
The ultimate speedy commuter.
Modest chassis tweaks included fork sliders with a DLC coating to minimize stiction, a stiffer swingarm, and upgraded Brembo 4-piston radial calipers. Refreshed bodywork featured smoother body panel joints with hidden fasteners and a tailsection with integrated turnsignals that were said to evoke a jet-engine exhaust.
The bike looked sharper and more modern without losing its distinctive appearance, but it was saddled with a pair of ungainly triangular mufflers – a product of new emissions standards. Curb weight went up by 7 lb, and so did sales of aftermarket exhaust systems.
Ergonomic tweaks consisted of a lower fuel tank so riders could better tuck behind the taller windscreen and a lowered rear subframe with a plusher rear seat. The tailsection included attachment points for securing luggage, and the area under the solo-seat hump offered additional storage.
The revised Busa was faster, handled better, and stopped with more authority, and it offered steering that was more neutral and direct than the formidable ZX-14R. As usual, the Busa impressed with its effortless power output. In Rider’s 2008 comparison test, Bill Stermer quipped: “Being in a dither about whether they make more power is like wondering if Jennifer Lopez would be more attractive if she parted her hair differently.”
Fast Money | Suzuki Hayabusa
Motorcycle sales had been on an unprecedented upward surge during the 2000s. Hayabusas were soaring off showroom floors, and aftermarket support was robust.
The Hayabusa’s fluid curves and shapes not only enhance aerodynamics but also convey a sense of speed.
But then the Great Recession hit, and motorcycle sales dropped by more than half almost overnight. The battles for hyperbike supremacy took a hiatus until 2012 when Kawi unveiled a new ZX-14R, which packed 1,441cc of heat that trumped the Busa on the dyno by 17 hp. But the Suzuki was 11 lb lighter and was able to give its rival a run for the money. I logged a blistering 9.8-second E.T. on the Busa at the dragstrip, just a tenth behind the Kawi.
As recessionary forces continued to depress the moto market, the colorful hyperbike scene faded.
Fast Gen 3 | Suzuki Hayabusa
The Busa’s third generation was introduced in May 2021 and labeled “The Refined Beast.” Billed as a 2022 model, it received a styling update yet was unmistakably a Hayabusa. Suzuki slathered its new hyperbike with the latest technology and priced it at $18,599.
The Hayabusa entered its third generation with the 2022 model.
Never before could you get a Busa with TFT instrumentation, cruise control, a bi-directional quickshifter, or traction control, but those all became standard equipment. Brakes got an upgrade with the addition of Brembo’s vaunted Stylema calipers paired with 320mm discs and cornering ABS. The Busa’s IMU-based electronics package includes six riding modes and adjustable traction control, engine braking, and wheelie control, along with launch control and hill-hold control.
In homage to the original, the new Busa’s instrument panel includes analog gauges that, as in 1999, use stepper motors to ratchet up the needles to their max values when the ignition is switched on. A small TFT display sits in the center.
Analog gauges are augmented by a central TFT panel.
The engine architecture and displacement carried over into Gen 3, but most internal components were lightened, strengthened, or refined for less friction. Cam profiles were revised to reduce valve lift overlap and help achieve Euro 5 emissions standards. A new exhaust system shaved 4.5 lb, bringing the bike’s curb weight to 582 lb.
Suzuki rates the 1,340cc inline-Four at 188 hp, down 6 ponies from previous but with additional low- and midrange power. When we tested the Busa on Jett Tuning’s dyno, it generated a vigorous 173 hp and 106 lb-ft of torque at its rear tire.
Fast 25 | Suzuki Hayabusa
It’s exceedingly rare when a motorcycle model endures for a quarter century, so Suzuki celebrated the milestone with a special 25th Anniversary Edition Hayabusa in 2024. It features a special Glass Blaze Orange / Glass Sparkle Black paint scheme, a 25th-anniversary emblem atop the fuel tank, and anniversary logos etched on each muffler.
The Hayabusa’s third generation debuted in 2021 as “The Refined Beast,” updated with IMU-based electronics, a TFT instrument display, and cruise control.
I had the honor of putting some miles on one and revisiting the majesty of the venerable Busa. As usual, the engine is so omnipotent that it makes the numbers on the speedo seem like they’re in kilometers per hour rather than mph. Traveling at 100 mph is absolutely effortless, so riders need to keep a watchful eye on the speedo or risk running afoul of speed limits. First gear alone will take you to 85 mph.
The 25th Anniversary Edition’s color scheme harkens back to a Gen 2 favorite.
The bike exhibits confident and stable handling, and the stiff chassis responds immediately without any flex. The KYB suspension is well-dialed, and the 31.5-inch seat retains the cushiness of previous Busas, but there’s not much room between the saddle and the high footpegs. The reach for the bars is relatively long, but the fairing offers excellent wind protection for a sportbike. Its 5.3-gallon tank offers a touring-worthy 200 miles of range.
The mufflers are etched with the anniversary logo.
Fast Legacy | Suzuki Hayabusa
The Hayabusa’s 25-year run proves that nothing exceeds like excess. The Busa’s legendary lump of an engine continues to thrill riders today, and it has proven to be almost unkillable – some owners have racked up six-figure mileage on the odometer.
But the Busa is more than just one of the fastest earth-bound missiles ever created. Its bulbous and smooth styling, which previously looked almost cartoonish, has become a staple of sportbike design and continues to impress passersby. While the Hayabusa is overkill for tight twisty roads, its cocktail of speed and style makes for high levels of excitement on wide-open asphalt from coast to coast.
We are wary of using the term “icon” to describe a motorcycle, but the word certainly fits when it comes to Suzuki’s incredible Hayabusa. The king still reigns.
The kanji character on the side fairings is set off with a red graphic.
Episode 73 of the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast is sponsored by Fire Power. Our guest is Austin Rothbard, Founder and CEO of Twisted Road, a peer-to-peer motorcycle rental platform. We learn how the rental process works, from both the owner and renter perspectives. Peer-to-peer rentals are a great way to try out new motorcycles or fly into an area for a motorcycle tour.
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