Our big Singles on a one-lane bridge over Little Piney Creek near Highway 123.
As the saying goes, it’s the journey and not the destination that makes the trip. But how does one describe a destination that is as good as it gets and an even better ride? With autumn upon us, it was the best time – and maybe our last chance – for riding the Ozarks before winter.
Big Singles are a great way to travel, especially if you’re not in a hurry. That made them perfect for our trip because the route I chose demands backing off the throttle to see the sights and make the corners.
Our counterclockwise route began in Clarksville, Arkansas, riding northbound briefly on Highway 21 and then turning east on Highway 292 to connect with Highway 123, a great road that climbs into the mountains through the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest. Highway 123 follows Little Piney Creek and then Hew Creek, and there are scenic waterfalls along the way.
Water pouring out of Blanchard Springs Caverns near Mountain View, Arkansas, in the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest.
At Sand Gap, Highway 123 connects with Highways 7 and 16. We continued east on Highway 16, which is a pleasure to ride, with the kind of tarmac that offers confidence-inspiring traction in its many curves, even with our dual-sport tires.
At Clinton, we rode south on U.S. Route 65 and then followed Highways 92 and 16 around the south side of Greers Ferry Lake, turning north on Highway 5 near Heber Springs.
My adventure-kitted Husqvarna 701 Enduro near South Sylamore Creek, which is a popular trout-fishing stream.
Our first day’s destination was Mountain View, a small town of 2,900 people that’s surrounded by the Ozark Mountains and close to the gorgeous White River. It’s also known as the “Folk Music Capital of the World.” During the summer months, folk and country music groups gather in the city park, providing family entertainment well into the night, especially on Saturdays. In the spring and fall, when the nights are too cool for the musicians’ fingers to pluck their stringed instruments, they play in the afternoons. It’s a popular attraction, so make your hotel reservation well in advance. As you might expect, there’s not much pickin’ and grinnin’ in the winter.
From Mountain View, we rode north on Highway 5, and just before the junction with Highways 9 and 14, we turned left on Swinging Bridge Road, named after the cable-suspended wooden bridge over the crystal-clear South Sylamore Creek. Just west of the bridge, mountainous Highway 14 took us to the Blanchard Springs Recreation Area with its springs, caverns, and cliffside hiking trails. Mirror Lake, popular for its rainbow trout, is fed by the cold water from Blanchard Springs. Near the lake, one can hike a wooden walkway and down stone steps to where the spring comes out of the caverns. Pretty cool. Below the Mirror Lake dam, another trail takes you to the remains of a corn mill built in the early 1900s and the bottom of Mirror Lake Falls.
Mist rises off Mirror Lake at sunrise.
On the map, Highway 87 looked like it would be fun, so we rode it back to Mountain View. It was a good choice!
From Mountain View, we again rode north on Highway 5 along the lovely White River and through charming places like Calico Rock, Old Joe, and Norfork. A short hop west on Highway 201 took us to the sweeping curves of Highway 341 (Push Mountain Road) into the Leatherwood Wilderness area.
Swinging a leg over the tall Husky on the cable-suspended wooden Swinging Bridge, which spans South Sylamore Creek just north of Mountain View.
At Highway 14, we turned west again and crossed Big Creek and the Buffalo River. If you ride through here during hot weather, the Buffalo is a great place to cool off, with parking and access at Dillard’s Ferry.
Just south of Yellville (if you cross Crooked Creek, you’ve gone too far), we turned west on Highway 235 and rode south until it ended at U.S. Route 65. We continued west, turning onto Highway 123 again near Western Grove and riding south. We crossed the Buffalo River again just before we got to Piercetown.
Located in the Blanchard Springs Recreation Area, Mirror Lake Waterfall pours over a dam built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.
Rather than ride a short 10 miles west on Highway 74 to Jasper, we continued south on Highway 123 through what’s known as the Arkansas Grand Canyon, taking the long way to Jasper via Highway 7. After only a few miles on Highway 123, my Husky’s low-fuel light lit up, but we were still some 45 miles from “good” gas in Jasper. I asked myself, Should I stop at the one gas station on 123 and put low octane in my thumper or chance it and go for the good stuff? I chose the latter – and ran out of gas just 7 miles south of Jasper. Next time I’ll know: A gallon of cheap gas is better than none at all! Bill’s KLR had just enough fuel left to get him to Jasper, and after a short roadside nap, we were off again.
Jasper is a lovely little town, and just north of it, after crossing the Buffalo again, is Highway 74, an often overlooked but fantastic motorcycling route. We rode it west to Highway 43 – famous for elk sightings – and then west on Highway 21 and south on 74 again.
What looks like a portrait on a stone wall is Mirror Lake Waterfall as seen through a window.
Highway 74 connected us to the famous Pig Trail Scenic Byway (Highway 23). Feeling bolder than I should have, I tried to use the Husky’s superior power to pull away from Bill’s KLR, but he stretched the KLR’s throttle cable and hung with me. As fast as we dared go, some guy on a multi-cylinder crotch rocket blew by us and out of sight. One good thing about riding a thumper is that you feel like you’re going fast when you really aren’t.
The Buffalo River and an adventure bike go together nicely, don’t ya think?
Highway 23 dropped us down out of the Ozarks onto Interstate 40 and then back home to Oklahoma.
Riding big Singles for 650 miles in two days wasn’t bad at all. In fact, in the mountains of Arkansas, it was big fun.
Indian Motorcycle has announced details of the 2023 Indian Sport Chief, a bike the company says is its most aggressive iteration of the legendary Chief.
From a visual standpoint, a new quarter-fairing sets the Sport Chief apart, combined with a new moto-style bar with a machined triple clamp and 6-inch riser. Indian says this new bar, mid-mount foot controls, and a solo gunfighter seat put riders in a “commanding yet comfortable” riding position.
The suspension and brakes of the Sport Chief get a major upgrade over previous Chief iterations. Indian bolted on the same front end as used on the Challenger bagger, including its 43mm KYB inverted fork and pair of Brembo 4-piston calipers biting 320mm rotors, which replace the Chief’s underwhelming single-disc setup.
Indian must’ve been listening when we said the 2022 Chief’s chassis was so solid and stable that it made us wish for more than just 28.5 degrees of lean angle and 3 inches of rear travel, because the new piggyback FOX shocks bump travel by an inch and lean angle by 1 degree.
Ola Stenegärd, director of Industrial Design for Indian Motorcycle, said that with the Sport Chief, the company wanted to maintain “the same care-free attitude and American muscle but elevate it even further with componentry that not only delivers a style and attitude that exudes performance but raises the bar entirely for performance cruisers.”
The Sport Chief features cast wheels (19 inches in the front, 16 in the rear) wrapped in Pirelli Night Dragon tires, a 4-gallon fuel tank, a bobbed rear fender, dual exhausts, LED lighting, keyless ignition, and three selectable ride modes: Sport, Standard, and Tour.
The new Sport Chief will boast the same blacked-out Thunderstroke 116 motor of the Dark Horse versions of the Chief, Chief Bobber, and Super Chief Limited, making a claimed 120 lb-ft of torque. When we tested the various iterations of the Chief in May 2021, the Thunderstroke 111 on the standard models offered ample power, but the 116 on the Dark Horses was even more satisfying.
As with the Dark Horse models, the Sport Chief offers a customizable 4-inch touchscreen powered by Ride Command that can also be accessed via handlebar controls. Riders can cycle through multiple interfaces, including two different gauge configurations, bike and ride information, and turn-by-turn navigation with optional connected features like weather and traffic overlays. Riders can also link up to a smartphone via Bluetooth or USB to access music and phone information, and incoming calls will appear and can be accepted or declined directly through the Ride Command system.
The Sport Chief is available in Black Smoke, Ruby Smoke, Stealth Gray, and Spirit Blue Smoke starting at $18,999. We’ll soon be taking it for a ride, so stay tuned for its road test report.
Buell Motorcycle is making a turn away from its sportbike heritage with its upcoming Buell Super Cruiser, a club-style hot-rod cruiser designed by Roland Sands and that leans on the heritage of Harley-Davidson’s vaunted FXR chassis originally created by Erik Buell. The bike was unveiled Feb. 10 at an excusive party at the Roland Sands Design complex in Long Beach, California, attended by Kevin Duke, the editor-in-chief of our sibling publication, American Rider.
The Super Cruiser concept began with a conversation between Buell’s CEO Bill Melvin and noted customizer Roland Sands. It only took seeing a sketch from Sands for Melvin to approve the concept and greenlight a prototype built around Buell’s existing sportbike powertrain.
“The FXR was our muse for this bike,” Sands told Duke. “To the core V-Twin customer, the FXR really represents the core of motorcycling, and that was an aesthetic we borrowed for this bike. It’s honoring the fact that Erik Buell was involved in designing that bike (the FXR), and that gives us the leeway to build this with Buell.”
Sands roared the Super Cruiser in front of the attendees at the unveiling, brapping Buell’s 175-hp V-Twin in celebration.
Roland Sands unveils the Buell Super Cruiser at the Roland Sands Design complex in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Kevin Duke)
“When Bill first approached us about building a high-performance cruiser using the Buell motor, it was as if the bike designed itself,” said Sands, who is no stranger to building sport-focused cruisers. “Considering the history of Buell and the market’s need for a truly high-performance cruiser and the build quality of the existing Buell chassis parts, motor, and rolling kit, the project was a natural fit.”
“I’ve been working on projects like this for 20-plus years,” Sands continued, “and this is the first time we’ve been able to build a performance cruiser without the typical V-Twin performance compromises of weight and motor width and length.”
Although the Super Cruiser is only in its developmental stage, Buell reps are excited to bring it to production for 2025.
“The design lends itself to the West Coast scene, where customization is part of bike culture,” said Melvin. “And Roland was enthusiastic about incorporating Buell technology into that culture, creating the fastest, coolest cruiser on the market.”
The Super Cruiser uses a new steel-tube frame wrapped around Buell’s liquid-cooled V-Twin engine, adding up to 175 hp in a package weighing just 450 lb.
Combined with Buell’s existing inverted fork, aluminum swingarm, wheels, and the company’s unique perimeter front brake system, the result is a machine that Sands said is unapologetic in its aspirations to be a high-performance bike.
“To me, this is what’s badass right now – this profile, this style of bike,” he told Duke. “It stops, it goes, it wheelies, it goes around corners really well, it’s comfortable, and it’s a gas. You just jump on the bike and immediately feel tougher – it’s pure attitude. When you sit on the bike, it makes you feel like a badass, and that means something.”
Melvin chimed in that building a cruiser was something Buell always contemplated. “The market is full of American manufacturers known mostly for big, heavy bikes – not fast, hot ones like the famous V-Twins of the 1930s. Our Buell Super Cruiser will be the hottest bike on the market. Period.”
Testing the 2023 KTM 890 Adventure in Portugal. (Photos by Francesc Montero & Sebas Romero).
We review the 2023 KTM 890 Adventure, which has new styling and was made more off-road capable with revised suspension, new tires, updated electronics, and more. Overall, it’s a more capable, versatile, comfortable adventure bike.
Softer damping settings for the WP APEX suspension and new new finger-turn adjusters on the fork caps.
Automatic selection of Offroad ABS in Offroad and (optional) Rally ride modes.
New Demo mode, which allows a new owner to use and evaluate optional electronic upgrades for 1,500 km (932 miles) before paying for them. Options include Rally mode, Motor Slip Regulation, Quickshifter+, and cruise control, which can be purchased individually or all together as part of the Tech Pack ($549.99).
Upgraded 5-inch TFT display with new graphics, a more intuitive menu system, and color-coded pictograms of the bike. An optional connectivity unit allows the bike to be paired to the KTMconnect app via Bluetooth, which enables Turn-by-Turn+ navigation as well as music and calling functions when connected to a helmet communicator.
Revised bodywork with a more integrated front fairing that includes larger tank and side panels, as well as more load-bearing capacity for large GPS devices (there are USB and 12V outlets on the dash). The new windscreen is taller, has a steeper pitch, and includes a vertical lip at the top, as well as an opening in the center that reduces buffeting at high speed.
A revised seat with an extra 0.4 inch of foam in the seat, which increases the height of the dual position seat by the same amount to 33.1/33.9 inches, but the seat has a narrower shape for similar stand-over height.
New Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires, which have a roughly 70/30 on/off-road ratio compared to the 90/10 ADV tires on the previous model.
The impeller on the Kawasaki Ninja H2 spins up to 130,000 rpm, forcing air into the engine to produce more power. (Photo courtesy Kawasaki)
Contributor Erik Slaven takes us on a ride through a century’s worth of history on supercharged and turbocharged motorcycles, the Wonder Twins of forced induction. –Ed.
As a Kawasaki Z H2 owner, I can assure you that integrated superchargers are no gimmick. My Kawi is by far the fastest bike I’ve owned, and the sportier Ninja H2 is among the fastest street bikes ever produced. The BMW S 1000 RR, Ducati Panigale, and Suzuki Hayabusa show that naturally aspirated motorcycles are still ridiculously fast, but acceleration from the Z H2 feels faster because the engine doesn’t need to be revved out as much.
Kawasaki’s supercharger, which debuted on the H2 R at the 2014 Intermot show, is like an afterburner for the 998cc inline-Four. It helps the engine push out almost 200 hp and over 100 lb-ft of torque on the Z H2, while the Ninja H2 churns out as much as 228 hp and the experts-and-track-ready Ninja H2 R makes upwards of 300 hp.
Kawasaki reignited interest in superchargers, but the technology has been used on motorcycles for nearly a century. BMW was an early pioneer in the late 1920s, and other manufacturers followed suit prior to World War II. When motorcycle racing resumed in Europe in 1946, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) banned superchargers to reduce injuries and deaths, putting forced induction on the backburner until the late 1970s. Imagine going over 150mph with a supercharged engine on a prewar chassis and tires. Yikes.
The Golden Age of Supercharged Motorcycles
BMW WR 750 (photo by Lothar Spurzem, CC BY-SA 2.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons)
Born from racing, supercharged European motorcycles were the genesis for the evolution of high-performance bikes. American brands like Harley-Davidson and Indian were winning races at home with naturally aspirated engines. BMW started producing motorcycles in 1923, and by the end of the decade, it had developed the WR 750. Powered by a supercharged 4-stroke OHV 750cc boxer Twin, the WR 750 earned BMW a land-speed record at over 134 mph with German racing champion Ernst Henne at the controls.
BMW Type 255 racing at the Isle of Man (photo by Lothar Spurzem, CC BY-SA 2.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons)
The WR 750 was impressive but couldn’t overcome English dominance at the time, so the BMW Type 255 Kompressor was the next step. In 1939, Georg Meier won the Senior Tourist Trophy race at the Isle of Man on the Type 255, marking the first time a non-English rider had won since 1907. Using a Swiss-made Zoller supercharger, BMW’s 500cc Boxer produced around 60 hp and averaged 89 mph at the race. Meier won the Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix in 1939 as well, becoming the first rider to exceed 100 mph on a lap. The Type 255 was a bona fide superbike for BMW and demonstrated the significant performance advantages of forced induction.
BMW Type 255 (photo courtesy Agljones, via Wikimedia Commons)
Pre-War Grand Prix
Motorcycle racing was all the rage in the 1930s, and superchargers were common for most European teams. The notable holdout was Norton, which held steady with tried-and-true naturally aspirated Singles. British manufacturer AJS developed a supercharged V-4 monster with a high top speed, but it proved unreliable and either overheated or simply broke down during races. It finally won a race in Belgium in 1946, just before the supercharger ban went into effect.
AJS V4 (photo courtesy Oldnoccer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
Luxury French manufacturer Brough Superior developed some of the fastest supercharged bikes of the era. In 1937, Eric Fernihough set a record of 169.79 mph with a supercharged 1,000cc J.A.P. engine in his Brough Superior. Pure insanity at the time, and he was killed the following year chasing another record.
Eric Fernihough on Brough Superior JAP100 (photo courtesy Brough Superior)
Today, naturally aspirated bikes can exceed 200 hp and still meet Euro 5 emissions standards, which is an incredible testament to how far design and technology have come. Forced induction might seem like overkill, but nothing exceeds like excess. So, what’s the difference between a supercharger and turbo, anyway?
Supercharger
A supercharger is mechanical device that forces more air into the engine to produce more power for a given displacement. In a car, a supercharger is often driven by a belt that wraps around a pulley between the drive and compressor gears. In a modern motorcycle like the Kawasaki H2s, a system of gears connected to the flywheel drives the impeller, which is a metal fan used to compress the intake gas. The impeller must spin much faster than the engine to effectively compress the air. Kawasaki’s supercharger uses planetary gears to spin the impeller up to 130,000 rpm and develops up to 20.5 psi boost pressure.
Turbocharger
Whereas a supercharger is driven by the engine, a turbocharger is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. Wind powered, if you will. The exhaust spins an impeller in the turbo housing, which is connected to a second impeller in the compressor housing that forces additional air into the engine. It can take a moment for the exhaust to get the impeller spinning fast, which creates turbo lag. Superchargers, on the other hand, are always “there,” as the engine is continuously powering them. Turbochargers are relatively lag-free today, but it does persist to varying degrees.
The Golden Age of Turbocharged Motorcycles
1978 Kawasaki Z1R-TC
1978 Kawasaki Z1R-TC (photo by Clement Salvadori)
Unlike the pre-war era fixation on superchargers, the next wave of two-wheeled forced induction was all about turbos, starting in the late 1970s. The Kawasaki Z1R-TC was the first production turbo motorcycle, kicking off what turned out to be a short-lived craze. It had a 1,000cc inline-Four that was a factory authorized conversion of the standard Z1R bikes. A Rajay turbocharger pushed the Z1R-TC to 130 hp (from 94 hp), which was quite a powerhouse in the late ’70s and extreme enough that buyers had to relinquish the factory warranty. It was a bold decision by Kawasaki at the time. Only 250 were built, as they were expensive and complex, but it got the Japanese industry scrambling.
Unlike the Z1R-TC, Honda’s first turbocharged bike was born in the factory, and many consider it the first proper factory turbo. I personally give that accomplishment to Kawasaki, but that’s a battle for another day. The water cooled CX500T had an angled, horizontal V-twin inspired by Moto Guzzi and an early fuel injection system, boosted to 80hp by the turbo. Unfortunately, the bike was plagued with turbo lag, so Honda upgraded to a 650cc variant the following year with the CX650. The increased displacement and modified (and lowered) boost brought the new bike to 100 hp, but turbo lag persisted and the price was just too high. These were short lived and disappeared at the end of 1983.
1982 Yamaha XJ650 Turbo
1984 Yamaha XJ650 Turbo (photo courtesy Yamaha)
Yamaha released its own turbo soon after Honda, the 90-hp XJ650 Turbo. It was a heavier touring bike in lieu of something more performance oriented. It also wasn’t a ground-up design but rather based on the older XJ650 Seca with a mediocre chassis, drum brakes, and shaft drive, along with outdated Mikuni carburetors. A choppy throttle, bad turbo lag, and lackluster acceleration killed production after two years. Maintenance issues were also bad, as ambition seemed to exceed what was feasible at the time.
Suzuki’s first turbocharged motorcycle, the XN85 of 1983, was an impressive effort. Like Honda, it was fuel injected, but only oil cooled and pushed out 85 hp. Turbo lag was less than the others, and the chassis was built specifically for the increased power. Like all early turbos, it was complex and expensive to produce, leading to limited production numbers. It did, however, survive for five years, making it the most successful model.
Six year after the Z1R-TC, Kawasaki introduced the GPz750 Turbo, aka the ZX750-E Turbo. Unlike earlier Japanese efforts that were abandoned at this point, the GPz750 was the real deal. A proper sportbike design held the 738cc inline-Four, which produced 112 hp and was good for 10.71 seconds in the quarter mile. The existing GPz750 engine was heavily modified, and the turbocharged result was the first middleweight that outperformed early ’80s liter bikes. Kawasaki’s GPz1100 sportbike trailed behind the much smaller GPz750 by 3 hp, proving that turbos were serious contenders and not mere novelties. Style, performance, and reliability made this the first truly marketable turbocharged motorcycle and overshadowed all prior efforts. Alas, it was produced for only two years.
In less than 10 years, the turbo craze spread like wildfire among the Big Four Japanese manufacturers and burned itself out. The idea was simple and appealing – use forced induction to extract more power out of middleweight engines. But the reality overpromised and underdelivered. Turbochargers proved to be too complex and expensive, and the payoff wasn’t big enough to make them a viable alternative to larger naturally aspirated engines – at least not at the time.
Let’s Get Boosted!
Trask Performance turbocharger installed on a Harley-Davidson Road Glide (photo courtesy Trask Performance)
After Japanese manufacturers abandoned turbos, adrenaline junkies continued bolting aftermarket ones to their natural breathers. One of the big names in the business is Trask Performance, which produces turbocharged kits for Harleys that can squeeze 300 hp out of big V-Twins. In my mind, such turbo kits make the most sense on 1,200cc Evo Sportsters that are relatively light and nimble, and the result can more than double the stock power and deliver 120 hp at the rear wheel.
Trask Performance turbocharger installed on a Harley-Davidson Evo Sportster (photo courtesy Trask Performance)
Trask isn’t the only company with turbo kits, and versions are available that can be installed on a wide range of motorcycle types and models. Extreme Creations, RCC, Cobalt, and others offer turbochargers that deliver aircraft carrier catapult-caliber launches. You can also buy supercharger kits from companies like Rotrex, ProCharger, and TTS Performance. And if you’re curious, the answer is yes – installing any of them will void your factory warranty.
Turbocharged Suzuki Hayabusa
We can’t review the history of forced induction on motorcycles and overlook a bona fide legend. In 1999, Suzuki introduced the GSX1300R Hayabusa, which won the short-lived top-speed wars of the late ’90s. In stock form, the first-gen 173-hp Hayabusa nearly broke the elusive 200 mph barrier. The second-gen ’Busa got bumped up to 1,340cc and 194 hp, but by then, the OEMs had agreed to impose an electronically limited top speed of 186 mph (300 kph) on its production motorcycles.
Bill Warner riding his record-setting turbocharged Suzuki Hayabusa
But with some electronic sleight of hand – and a big ol’ turbo – the Hayabusa’s true potential could be unleashed. In 2011, Bill Warner set a motorcycle land-speed record of 311 mph on a streamlined and turbocharged ‘Busa. Add nitrous to the mix, and things just get insane. In 2018, a 1,000-hp ’Busa hit 258.54 mph within 1 mile from a standing start at a Straightliners top-speed event in Yorkshire, U.K.
Kawasaki Ninja H2
In 2014, we came full circle when Kawasaki introduced the Ninja H2, a factory supercharged sportbike. Over 75 years after superchargers disappeared from European racebikes, Kawasaki resurrected the concept with the most successful lineup of forced-induction motorcycles in modern history. The name comes from Kawasaki’s ’70s-era H2 models powered by 750cc 2-stroke Triples. The 1972 Kawasaki H2 Mach IV, the fastest bike of its day, was known as “the widow maker,” as the chassis and overall design weren’t suited for so much power.
1972 Kawasaki H2 Mach IV (photo courtesy Kawasaki)
The 2014 Ninja H2 has a 998cc inline-Four with a centrifugal supercharger developed entirely in-house at Kawasaki. The manufacturer had intended to outsource the supercharger, but those plans ultimately called for a bulky intercooler, so Kawasaki brought it under its own roof. The result was an independent and compact unit that boosts a growing H2 portfolio with four bikes in the current lineup: Ninja H2, Ninja H2 R, Ninja H2 SX, and Z H2.
2015 Kawasaki Ninja H2 (photo courtesy Kawasaki)
The Ninja H2 and up-spec Ninja H2 Carbon produce a claimed 228 hp and 105 lb-ft of torque, while the track-only H2 R raises the bar considerably with 326 hp and 122 lb-ft of torque. The H2 R is currently the fastest production motorcycle of all time, but it is not street legal. The standard Ninja H2 is heavier than many sportbikes (around 525 lb wet) and won’t handle a track as well as purpose-built machines, but the intensity of acceleration and still competent performance make it one the craziest rides you can buy. With a starting price of $31,500, it’s definitely spendy, but it’s a relative bargain compared to the $56,000 H2 R.
Erik Slaven’s Kawasaki Z H2 (photo by the author)
The Ninja H2 SX and Z H2 represent the second-generation of H2 engines, tuned for more real-world conditions with 197 hp and 101 lb-ft of torque. The H2 SX is a sport-touring sportbike with a wet weight over 600 lb, but it still accelerates like a rabid cheetah without having to rev it out.
Introduced for 2020, the Z H2 naked bike is the newest model in the H2 lineup, and it’s also the most affordable at $18,500, providing the magic of Kawasaki’s supercharger at a more reasonable price undercutting. It’s not a serious track performer, but it’s not meant to be. It’s a streetbike though and through, and it’s about as fun as it gets with an upright position offering all-day comfort. The up-spec Z H2 SE ($21,700) is equipped with Kawasaki’s Electronic Control Suspension (KECS) and upgraded Brembo calipers, but the core experience is there with the standard model.
Practical Insanity
It’s a bit strange calling a supercharged motorcycle practical, but the Z H2 proves that forced induction can be both affordable and reliable. It certainly qualifies as an everyday bike and is genuinely easy to live with, unlike some high-strung competitors. I don’t know what sorcery went into the supercharger’s design, but Kawasaki nailed it, and a distinctive chirp at deceleration reminds you that you’re riding something special. Supposedly it’s caused by the impeller breaking the sound barrier. We’d like to see a return to the ’80s-era concept of adding forced induction to a middleweight. How cool would it be to see a supercharged version of the Z650, Ninja ZX-6R, or the new Ninja ZX-4RR? Sometimes it’s good when history repeats itself.
Taking a rehydration break along the Colorado River while our Yamaha Ténéré 700s waited patiently.
During the long, dark winter in Minnesota, when the ground is covered in snow and ice and our motorcycles are mothballed for months, dreaming about riding in a warm, dry place gives us hope. That’s when my friend Craig and I started planning an adventure ride out West. We sketched out a route that included a mix of backroads, parts of the Arizona and Utah Backcountry Discovery Routes, other off-road tracks, and interesting sights along the way.
In May, we flew into Phoenix and headed to EagleRider in nearby Mesa, where we were greeted by a friendly guy named Bob. After a quick paperwork checkout procedure, we packed our gear on two rented Yamaha Ténéré 700s and headed north on Interstate 17.
With temperatures in the triple digits, the frigid days of winter seemed like a distant memory, so we busted north to gain some elevation.
Even in full riding gear, we started to cool off as we rode farther north. Our bikes were unfamiliar to us, and they were stuffed to the gunwales with camping gear and other essentials. We soon grew accustomed to their added weight as we passed over the “Carefree Highway,” a 30-mile stretch of road made famous by Canadian singer Gordon Lightfoot that runs between I-17 and U.S. Route 60.
I have a lot of street miles under my belt, but this was my first adventure bike trip, so I wasn’t entirely prepared for the primitive roads where the gravel feels like marbles under your wheels. However, it didn’t take long for the combination of my ancient dirtbike experience and a few unplanned rear-wheel kickouts to provide a quick education on keeping the Ténéré upright. Enthusiasm tempered with caution was the order of the day.
We took County Road 59/Bumble Bee Road off I-17 to check out the Cleator Bar and Yacht Club. The name of this welcoming 4×4 oasis run by Tina Barnhart is a bit tongue-in-cheek, as it is located hundreds of miles from open water. Barnhart is also in the vehicle delivery business to such faraway places as Africa and is active in the Global Rescue Project based in Scottsdale, Arizona, which works to end child slavery and reunite children with their families.
Boats in the Yacht Club’s “marina.”
The Cleator Bar is a must-stop location, complete with boats in the “marina” out back and a stage for live music. Interestingly, the entire town of Cleator, comprising 40 acres, a bar, a general store, a few other structures, and mineral rights, was put on the market by descendants of James P. Cleator in 2020 for $1.25 million, and it was sold at the bargain price of $956,000.
Hanging out with Tina Barnhart while we cooled off at the Cleator Bar and Yacht Club.
Our next stop was Crown King, located another 13 miles along CR 59 at an elevation of 5,771 feet. A high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle is recommended on the deteriorated roads. The Ténérés managed well, and we soon found ourselves taking a load off in the Crown King Saloon & Eatery, one of the oldest continuously operated saloons in the state. We enjoyed a cold drink and a hearty lunch, and the $5 bottle of scotch we bought there (on sale courtesy of Mother’s Day) served us well during the rest of the trip.
We were surprised to see so much green in the Bradshaw Mountains.
Like a lot of small towns in the Bradshaw Mountains of Arizona, Crown King used to be a thriving mining community. In 1904, a railroad was built to help mining operations, but due to a lack of water and high transportation costs to process the ore, it was abandoned in 1926. The old railroad bed is still used today as the main access road to Crown King.
While there, we met Chuck Hall, who is a great ambassador for the area – and a talented guitar picker to boot. He told us he’d lived there for over 30 years and recommended we check out the Senator Highway, on which he’d lost many an exhaust pipe from his old Dodge Neon. A former stagecoach route, the rutted road snakes 37 miles from Crown King to Prescott with many blind switchbacks, eroded surfaces, several water crossings, and spectacular scenery.
Craig takes a breather on part of the Utah Backcountry Discovery Route.
Hall recommended we visit Palace Station, a stage stop built in 1878 midway between Crown King and Prescott. Back in the day, the station had a bar and was a social meeting center for the miners who worked in the area.
We targeted the town of Jerome for the night. This old copper mining town earned its nickname, “Wickedest Town in the West,” during its heyday in the early 20th century. After the mining bust, the town descended into desperation, greed, and crime. It was revived in the 1960s as a tourist destination, and many of its historic buildings are now filled with restaurants, shops, and hotels. Jerome is said to be a hotbed of paranormal activity, and we stayed at the Connor Hotel, which is reportedly haunted by the “Lady in Red.” We didn’t see any ghosts, so maybe she had the night off.
Downtown Jerome, the “Wickedest Town in the West.”
With a long day of off-roading ahead, we left Jerome and headed north toward the Grand Canyon on a series of unpaved national forest roads. We wound our way around the contours of Woodchute Mountain, crossed the Verde River, and ascended to the Colorado Plateau at more than 6,000 feet. We could see the volcanic San Francisco Peaks rising above the plateau to the east.
We crossed Interstate 40 near Williams, and after a few miles on State Route 64, we turned onto a national forest road to take an unpaved “back door” route into Grand Canyon National Park. We hooked up with Route 64 again where it’s known as East Rim Drive and enjoyed scenic views from the Grand Canyon’s South Rim.
Craig (on left) and me at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon – a million miles away from our home in Minnesota.
After leaving the park, we connected with U.S. Route 89 and refueled at Cameron, where the highway crosses the Little Colorado River. At Bitter Springs, U.S. 89 splits to the east toward Page, but we continued north on U.S. Route 89A, crossing the Colorado River at Marble Canyon via the Navajo Bridge and following 89A west into an area known as the Arizona Strip. We rode with the majestic Vermilion Cliffs to our right, crossed House Rock Valley, and then climbed out of the desert and into the evergreens of the Kaibab Plateau.
The Navajo Bridge crosses the Colorado River at Marble Canyon, and in the background is Vermilion Cliffs National Monument.
We stopped at Jacob Lake, a small crossroads that sits at 7,925 feet, and it was noticeably cooler at the higher elevation. Known as the gateway to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Jacob Lake has a gas station and a hotel with a restaurant and gift shop. The town was named after Jacob Hamblin, an early Mormon pioneer who was shown the location in the mid-1800s by the Kaibab band of Southern Paiutes. And according to the hotel staff, the lake is more of a pond.
Jacob Lake, Arizona, is near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
We continued west through Fredonia and crossed into Utah near Kanab, known locally as “Little Hollywood” because of its rich history in filmmaking – most notably Westerns, with more than 100 movies and television shows being filmed there.
Thus far we had stayed at motels, so we weren’t exactly roughing it. We decided we needed to get some use out of the camping gear we’d been lugging around. After riding through Zion National Park, where we were blown away by the majesty of the cliff faces and rock formations, we traversed the Dixie National Forest through Duck Creek Village to Hatch, where we found suitable dispersed camping.
Utah State Route 9 winds through incomparable scenery in Zion National Park.
It had been about 20 years since my last camping experience. I narrowly avoided putting an eye out with the tent poles, and after the camp was set and the fire built, it felt good to relax with that $5 bottle of scotch. It was a clear night, and the 7,000-foot elevation yielded cool temperatures. With the fire all but gone, it was time to turn in for the night. I live in Minnesota and am no stranger to the cold, but I clocked 19 degrees overnight in that campsite and don’t think I have ever been so happy to see the sun start to rise. Note to self: Next time bring a sleeping bag rated below 30 degrees.
Around the campfire, we sampled the $5 bottle of scotch we bought at the Crown King Saloon. To paraphrase Mark Twain, the coldest night I ever spent camping was during May in Utah.
Once packed up, we put Hatch in the rear view and were soon heading east on Utah’s stunning State Route 12, known as one of the most scenic highways in the nation. We visited Bryce Canyon National Park and its many rock spires and hoodoos and rode through the vastness of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
At Boulder, we left the pavement and took the Burr Trail, a well-known backcountry route that passes through Capitol Reef National Park on its way to the Bullfrog Basin in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The trail was named for John Burr, a cattle rancher who developed the route to move his cattle between winter and summer ranges. The country was nearly impassable then and continues to be challenging to this day, with RVs and trailers “not recommended.” Southern Utah is one amazing vista after another, and this stretch featured outstanding scenery as well as many switchbacks on loose gravel that kept us on our toes.
Switchbacks and elevation changes as far as the eye can see on the Burr Trail in Utah.
Throughout the trip, we’d been battered by winds that were contributing to fire restrictions in Arizona and Utah. At this point, the wind was howling, with 50-mph gusts giving us a good sand blasting. After a quick stop in Bullfrog, we headed north on State Route 276 and then south on State Route 95 to Hite Crossing over the Colorado River.
We had violated our “never pass gas” top-off policy in Bullfrog, expecting to find a place to refuel in Fry Canyon. Given the time of year and possibly other reasons unknown, the gas pumps were closed in Fry, so we pushed on through some gorgeous country that might’ve been easier to appreciate if we weren’t worried about our dwindling fuel.
At one point, we pulled over to assess the situation. Craig had been smart enough to fill his reserve bottle, which he poured into his tank. My bike was still showing a couple bars of fuel left. I tip my cap to the Yamaha Ténéré 700. Even though my fuel gauge was blinking “empty” and both of us were expecting the pullover of shame, we made it all the way to Blanding. The Arch Canyon Inn was a welcome stop, but being informed that it’s a dry town put the “bland” in Blanding.
Travelers in a strange land. Parts of Utah felt like being on another planet.
Leaving Blanding and getting on the Utah BDR was like visiting another planet. The Butler and Comb washes, the Moki Dugway, and Valley of the Gods were some of our favorite parts of this trip. With all the distinct rock formations, it was a challenge to stay focused on the trail and not get distracted by the scenery. In most cases, one blown turn can mean disaster, but the rewards are more than worth the risks. Again, caution saved the day.
The southern terminus of the Utah BDR is in the town of Mexican Hat, which I assumed was named after a mountain resembling a sombrero. Turns out, it is a distinctive disc-shaped rock about 60 feet in diameter that’s perched atop a smaller base at the top of a mesa. I’ll always remember it as the site of my first involuntary dismount from the Yamaha during a charge up a softer-than-expected mound of sand.
At the southern terminus of the Utah BDR in Mexican Hat. Behind me is the town’s namesake rock and below me is softer-than-expected sand.
The area around Mexican Hat borders the northern section of the Navajo Nation into Monument Valley. This area is considered the sacred heart of Navajo country, and you can’t help but marvel at how iconic the straight-line stretch of road is as it leads into the horizon, framed with towering sandstone rock formations. Hiking in the park is highly restricted, with only one path that can be hiked without a guide. Monument Valley Trail Park had been previously closed after a movie crew was caught filming without a permit. It is now reopened at a reduced occupancy limit, but no motorcycles are permitted on the 17-mile loop due to deep sand dunes in the area.
Dispersed camping near Hatch, Utah.
Back in Arizona, we cruised paved highways to Flagstaff and then down into Sedona. Determined to camp at a lower (read: warmer) elevation, we found the Lo Lo Mai Springs Outdoor Resort. Lo lo mai is a Hopi Indian word that represents a greeting with many meanings, similar to the Hawaiian aloha. It also means “beautiful,” which the owners of Lo Lo Mai Springs say is where the resort’s name originated. The area borders spring-fed Oak Creek, which is a valuable and rare natural water source in this part of Arizona. The campground had some welcome amenities and was a lot warmer than the prior camping stop.
Monument Valley.
We spent our last day exploring some of the Arizona BDR tracks in the Coconino National Forest near Sedona and Flagstaff. With time running out, we finally hopped on State Route 87 and burned the final miles to Scottsdale, where the town was alive with nightlife.
Returning the bikes was bittersweet. Bob welcomed us back, relieved that the Ténérés had only a layer of dust and a bit less rubber on their tires after 1,591 on- and off-road miles. As we grabbed an Uber to the airport, I could not help but realize the vast additional riding world that adventure motorcycling opens up. Soon after getting home, I put one of my streetbikes up for sale, and an adventure bike could be in my future.
The 2023 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR KRT Edition is an all-new small-displacement sportbike said to offer track-ready performance.
In 2018, Kawasaki distinguished itself from Honda and Yamaha by bumping displacement of its entry-level sportbike up from 300cc to 400cc with the introduction of the Ninja 400. Team Green has thrown down the gauntlet again with the 2023 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR KRT Edition, a new track-focused sportbike.
The 2023 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR KRT Edition chassis was designed with input from the Kawasaki Racing Team (KRT) World Superbike program.
At its heart is a new liquid-cooled, DOHC 16-valve 399cc inline-Four, which adds two more cylinders than the Ninja 400’s 399cc parallel-Twin. Developed with input from Kawasaki’s Ninja ZX supersport machines, the engine has an oversquare bore and stroke of 57.0 x 39.2mm and is said to deliver impressive power and a claimed peak of 26.5 lb-ft of torque at 11,000 rpm.
The engine features fine-sand cast intake ports, large intake and exhaust valves, precision-machined combustion chambers, forged camshafts, cast-aluminum pistons, and a 12.3:1 compression ratio, yet it runs on regular unleaded fuel.
The 2023 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR KRT Edition has ride modes, traction control, and adjustable suspension.
A lightweight flywheel contributes to the Four’s quick-revving nature, a large radiator contributes to efficient cooling, and a ram air duct brings cool, high-pressure air into the engine.
The TFT display has a Circuit Mode for track riding.
Equipped with throttle-by-wire, the Ninja ZX-4RR features four ride modes (Sport, Road, Rain, and Rider customizable) that adjust traction control (Modes 1-3 or Off) and power mode (Low or Full). It has a 6-speed transmission with a slip/assist clutch and an up/down quickshifter. Up front is a 4.3-inch color TFT display that includes a Circuit Mode for track riding and Bluetooth connectivity via Kawasaki’s Rideology The App.
The 2023 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR KRT Edition’s frame and swingarm are made of high-tensile steel. Claimed wet weight is 414.5 lb.
Designed using input from Kawasaki Racing Team’s (KRT) efforts in the World Superbike Championship, the Ninja ZX-4RR’s chassis consists of a high-tensile steel trellis frame with various pipe diameter thicknesses, a swingarm pivot section, and a high-tensile steel swingarm. Up front is a 37mm inverted Showa SFF-BP (Separate Function Fork – Big Piston) fork with adjustable preload and 4.7 inches of travel, and out back is a fully adjustable horizontal back-link Showa BFRC (Balance Free Rear Cushion) Lite shock with 4.9 inches of travel.
Out back is a fully adjustable horizontal back-link Showa BFRC (Balance Free Rear Cushion) Lite shock.
The Ninja ZX-4RR rolls on five-spoke 17-inch cast-aluminum wheels shod with Dunlop Sportmax GPR-300 radial tires (120/70-ZR17 front, 160/60-ZR17 rear). Slowing it down are a pair of 4-piston radial-mount monoblock front calipers squeezing 290mm semi-floating discs and a 1-piston rear caliper squeezing a 220mm disc.
The 2023 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR KRT Edition has aggressive styling with all-LED lighting and a Lime Green/Ebony color scheme. It has an MSRP of $9,699 and will be available this spring.
KTM has announced details of the 2023 KTM 390 Adventure, which will be available in dealerships in March. The 390 Adventure has been given a new look and increased off-road capability, for a bike that KTM says offers “sheer usability, superb power, and incredibly light handling.”
In our review of the 2020 model, our reviewer said the KTM 390 Adventure was “a lot of bike for the money, with an impressive list of standard features that make it a serious threat to value-oriented Japanese competitors like the Honda CB500X and Kawasaki Versys-X 300, as well as BMW’s G 310 GS.”
The 2023 KTM 390 Adventure still features a compact 4-stroke DOHC 373cc Single with four valves, a balancer shaft, a PASC slip/assist clutch, and electronic fuel injection. Two catalytic converters ensure the system breathes within emission targets, and the vapor design of the 3.8-gal fuel tank also contributes to its eco-friendliness.
Also returning for the 2023 model and contributing to the bike’s off-road persona is the Offroad ride mode (offering more rear-wheel slip) and linked Offroad ABS (disengaged on the rear, reduced on the front), as well as throttle-by-wire, Motorcycle Traction Control, and cornering ABS. Stopping power comes from Brembo BYBRE brakes (320mm front and 230mm rear discs with a 4-piston calipers on the front and single-piston in the rear), and the bike has adjustable WP APEX suspension.
The KTM 390 Adventure also still has 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels shod in Continental TKC70 tires, but for 2023 the wheels are spoked and have black anodized aluminum rims. The bike also comes with a two-tier seat that can be easily removed to reveal storage space or swapped out for other models in the KTM PowerParts collection, LED lights, and a windscreen with two positions. It has a claimed wet weight of 379 lb.
KTM says both the lightweight steel trellis chassis and the new 2023 colorway takes design cues from the company’s work at “the sharp end of rally competition.”
MSRP is $7,399. For more information, visit the KTM website.
Pragmatic riders may scoff at a motorcycle like the new Arch Motorcycle 1s. After all, there are several sporty cruisers on the market that offer better value. A Ducati Diavel V4 is a worthy machine, as is Triumph’s massive Rocket 3 R. Harley-Davidson’s Sportster S is similarly enticing.
But none of these capable bikes holds a candle to the glowing 1s, an ultra-premium roadster from the company founded by superstar actor Keanu Reeves and longtime bike builder Gard Hollinger.
Arch Motorcycle handcrafts limited-production bikes featuring exquisite detail elements like CNC-machined aluminum chassis sections and lightweight carbon fiber components wrapped around gigantic air-cooled V-Twins from S&S Cycle.
Arch Motorcycle 1s
Arch’s first model, the KRGT-1, is a performance cruiser that debuted in 2015, and I was one of the lucky few who got to test ride it. More recently, I found myself in the hills of Malibu, California, aboard the “sport cruiser” 1s model.
“Going into a turn,” Reeves told me before our ride, “the input is the thought. Turn your head, look where you’re going, and you don’t push the bike but let it kind of respond and you feel it move. You’re super confident as you lean in, lean in, lean in.”
And Reeves wasn’t just blowing smoke. The new 1s handily exceeds performance expectations for a bike with a 2-liter V-Twin thumping away between your legs and a steamroller-sized back tire. The entire machine is magnificent, and the 1s delivers on the promise demanded of its lofty price tag.
If someone gave you the key to the spectacular new ARCH 1s, you’d have a big smile too.
The Arch Motorcycle 1s is how much?!
“If you have to ask,” the old saying goes, “you can’t afford it.”
Yep, you’re looking at a motorcycle with an eye-popping MSRP of $128,000 – that’s enough dough to buy a Diavel V4, a Rocket 3 R, and a Sportster S and still have nearly enough left over to buy one of each for a friend. A price tag that steep demands incredible attention to detail and premium components, and the 1s delivers. Giant blocks of aluminum have been whittled down with computer-controlled milling machines to create intricate frame elements, the single-sided swingarm, and the curvaceous tailsection.
A billet bullet. Note the graceful line from the headlight through the carbon tank that blends seamlessly into aluminum all the way to the tail.
Indeed, every component is spectacular – from the insanely light BST carbon-fiber wheels to the high-end Öhlins suspension to the intricate carbon-fiber airbox that allows downdraft induction and doubles as the fuel tank. Each part on the 1s is worthy of second and third looks, so it’s easy to see how its build cost quickly adds up.
I had previously ridden with Reeves during the KRGT-1 launch in 2015, and his personality is nearly the opposite of what one might expect from a big-time celebrity. He is humble and down-to-earth. Most importantly, he just loves to ride motorcycles. At a trackday a few years ago, I watched him participate in more sessions than any other rider at the event. His passion for motorcycles is undeniable.
“I think probably at the core of it is just loving to ride a motorcycle and loving the aesthetics of motorcycles,” Reeves told me. “I like how they look, how they feel, how they smell.”
Gearing up for our ride, the guy once known as Neo from TheMatrix films straddled a KRGT-1. Gard took a seat on a red and black 1s, while I saddled up on a black and gold one. Customers can order up whatever livery their hearts desire.
“I think it’s a really beautiful, unique-looking motorcycle,” Reeves stated.
A trio of 124ci S&S motors fire up and broadcast air-cooled V-Twin thunder through carbon-fiber mufflers. As burly as the motors are, they’re also remarkably refined. Throttle response is predictable, and the hydraulic clutch offers a reasonably light pull. The transmission shifts nicer than most big-inch V-Twin gearboxes.
As a sport cruiser, the rider is placed in a forward crouch with relatively high footpegs, but the position isn’t nearly as folded up as a proper sportbike. At 31.5 inches, the seat is 3.7 inches higher than the KRGT-1’s. The engine’s proprietary downdraft induction keeps the midsection narrow, unhindered by a sidedraft intake that eats up space for right legs.
“It’s still really comfortable,” Reeves related, “but you’re not sitting in the bike, you’re on top of it. I think of it like almost equestrian, like the way your feet are underneath you on a horse – that kind of hip-ankle-shoulder relationship, with the torso angled a little more forward. So you’re feeling really balanced on the motorcycle.”
Incredible attention to detail, one-of-a-kind design features, and high-end materials are the hallmarks of Arch’s exclusive motorcycles.
Impressive power is available at all times, with a torque curve so vast it feels like a mighty electric motor aside from the rumbling vibration emitted from a pair of giant 1,016cc cylinders. Ride quality from the fully adjustable Öhlins suspension is excellent, as is the response and power from the ISR brake system with Bosch ABS.
Instrumentation is delivered via an AiM Sports TFT gauge pack, and the bike features an adaptive LED headlamp, bar-end LED front turnsignals, and a cove-reflective LED taillight. The only element that doesn’t scream premium is the generic switchgear on the bars.
The 1s is surprisingly agile when carving corners for a 600-lb machine with a 65.4-inch wheelbase and a 9.4-inch-wide rear tire. The gold-accented 1s turned out to be considerably sharper in its responses than the red one due to customizable setups available with the platform. The red one also had a shorter seat with a bum stop perfectly placed for my small physique.
Reeves: “Going into a turn, the input is the thought.”
The stout chassis of the 1s invites extra-deep lean angles, but cornering clearance proves to be plentiful. I managed to touch down the sidestand foot when exploring the bike’s capabilities, but other journalists reported no clearance problems during their rides. Reeves noted the 1s prefers to be guided rather than manhandled.
“We’d been developing the KRGT-1,” he said, “taking this leap into the 1s and trying to maintain the ride – the feeling of confidence, the responsiveness, the planted-ness – mixed with extraordinary components and finishes. To me, these are the best motorcycles that have ever been ridden.”
Taking It Home
I can only show you the door. You’re the one that has to walk through it. – Morpheus, The Matrix
Incredible attention to detail, one-of-a-kind design features, and high-end materials are the hallmarks of Arch’s exclusive motorcycles.
Properly evaluating a six-figure motorcycle is vexing. The price automatically removes practicality from the purchase equation, as there are plenty of attractive and capable motorcycles available at a fraction of the cost. It’s well beyond the reach of mere mortals, so it’s human nature to want to criticize it.
But to see it through the eyes of a well-heeled moto enthusiast who already has a collection of motorized toys, the svelte and stylish 1s offers a unique riding experience that comes with a compelling backstory.
What do all men with power want? More power. – The Oracle, The Matrix Reloaded
Riders who appreciate thumping air-cooled V-Twins and are fully flush with cash won’t think it’s as impractical as most of us. There is truly nothing else like it in production. It would look marvelous parked next to your Harley CVO Road Glide, Corvette Z06, and P-51 Mustang.
“Sometimes I’ll close the garage door and I’ll just stand there after a ride and stare at the art,” Reeves rhapsodized. “It’s just like, ‘Oh god, that’s beautiful.’”
You take the blue pill, the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes. – Morpheus, The Matrix
The 2023 Triumph Rocket 3 R felt
right at home on
the mean streets of
downtown Los Angeles. (Photos by Kevin Wing)
The first thing you need to know about the Triumph Rocket 3 R is that its inline-Triple displaces 2,458cc (150ci), making it the largest motorcycle production engine by far. Nothing else even comes close.
The Rocket 3 R’s cylinders are like a hippopotamus’ teeth: It doesn’t have many, but the ones it does have are impressive. They have a bore of 4.33 inches – wider than the cylinders in a 707-hp Dodge Hellcat – and a stroke of 3.4 inches. Each one displaces 819.3cc, exceeding the engine capacity of Triumph’s Street Triple 765 sportbike.
Claimed output at the crank is 165 hp and 163 lb-ft of torque. You can buy a sportbike tuned to make more horsepower, but no production motorcycle churns out as much grunt. Again, nothing else comes close.
Take a deep breath and just soak it all in. It’s a beauty and a beast.
The second thing you need to know is that, despite having such an enormous engine, the Rocket 3 R is not an overweight, bloated machine. With a claimed dry weight of 641 lb and an estimated curb weight approaching 700 lb, it’s as light or lighter than many cruisers and open-class sport-tourers.
Even taking its engine size and output into account, the Rocket 3 R remains a rare breed: a muscle cruiser that handles well and has sportbike-caliber components and electronics. And its design, from its mix of brushed, matte, and gloss finishes to its single-sided swingarm, exhibits incredible attention to detail and top-notch fit and finish.
My, How You’ve Grown
Midmount controls and minimal handlebar pullback encourage an
aggressive posture, especially when on
the gas.
In the late ’90s and early 2000s, there was a displacement war going on among cruisers, with engine sizes growing from 1,449cc on the Harley-Davidson Twin Cam 88 to 1,510cc on the Victory 92C. Then the Japanese OEMs joined the fray, starting with 1,670cc on the Yamaha Road Star, then 1,795cc on the Honda VTX1800, and finally, breaking the two-liter barrier, 2,053cc on the Kawasaki Vulcan 2000, which debuted for 2004.
The following year, Triumph came along and topped them all with the Rocket III, which got its thrust from a massive 2,294cc inline-Triple, albeit with an extra cylinder compared to the V-Twins listed above. The Rocket III was under development in the early 2000s, and with each new displacement benchmark, Triumph’s engineers ratcheted up the engine’s capacity because the company’s primary goal was to be the biggest.
The three-cylinder configuration made sense because the modern incarnation of Triumph, under the direction of John Bloor, had built its reputation and brand image around Triples in bikes like the Trophy, Sprint, and Speed Triple. But the origins of the Triple and the model name came from even further back in Triumph’s history: The 1968 Triumph Trident / BSA Rocket III (the same bike with different badging during a time when both brands were under the same umbrella) was the first three-cylinder motorcycle produced by the British manufacturer. Since the modern Rocket III’s engine would be so large, Triumph arranged its cylinders longitudinally rather than transverse to the direction of travel, as on its other Triples.
The Rocket 3 R’s hot-rod Triple is a knockout.
It’s been nearly a decade since we tested the Rocket III Touring, which was a conventionally styled cruiser with a single round headlight, driving lights, a buckhorn handlebar, top-loading saddlebags, a passenger backrest, and lots of chrome. At 105 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque, it also had a milder state of tune than the Rocket III Roadster, which made 146 hp and 163 lb-ft of torque at the crank. Both bikes were enormous, scaling in at 906 lb for the Touring and 806 lb for the Roadster.
For the 2020 model year, Triumph hit the reset button. It changed the platform’s name to Rocket 3, favoring the more common and contemporary Arabic numeral to its antiquated Roman counterpart. While that may seem like a quibbling distinction, it represented Triumph’s commitment to building a more modern machine. The engine not only grew from 2,294cc to 2,458cc, it was updated with a new crankcase assembly, balancer shafts, and lubrication system. The Rocket 3 was also equipped with throttle-by-wire, an IMU, ride modes, cornering-optimized ABS and traction control, cruise control, hill-hold control, and keyless ignition.
Lean it like you mean it.
Compared to the previous platform, the Rocket 3 had gone on a crash diet, shaving off roughly 90 lb. Even though the new engine has more displacement, it is 40 lb lighter than its predecessor. More weight was saved by replacing the steel frame and swingarm with cast-aluminum units, lightening the exhaust system and wheels, and reducing fuel capacity from 6.3 gallons on the RIII Roadster and 5.9 gallons on the RIII Touring to 5 gallons on the Rocket 3.
There are two versions of the Rocket 3: the R roadster tested here, which starts at $23,895, and the GT tourer with a small windscreen, more handlebar pullback, forward foot controls, and a passenger backrest, which starts at $24,595. Triumph also produces some limited-edition versions with special paint, finishes, and details, including the Rocket 3 R 221 Special Edition (which celebrates its 221 Newton-meters of torque), the Rocket 3 R Chrome Edition, and the Rocket 3 GT Chrome Edition.
Even though the old Rocket III made boatloads of torque, its styling was bland. Its mondo engine, enormous radiator, and 240mm rear tire gave it big-boy presence, but little about the Rocket III said, “Hey, look at me!” A cruiser should not only make generous low-end torque, it should also make a statement, and the Rocket 3 R certainly does that.
It’s a muscle bike with a muscular stance, sitting on fat tires – 150/80-17 up front, 240/50-16 out back – and covered in a wide array of metallic surfaces, as if the entire bike were carved from one big block of metal. The effect is even more pronounced with the Matte Silver Ice paint on our test bike (other color options are Sapphire Black, Phantom Black, Korosi Red, or Silver Ice/Cranberry Red). On the right side is a stunning hydroformed triple-exhaust header that ends in short, matte-black silencers with slash-cut chrome end caps – two on the right side and one on the left.
2023 Triumph Rocket 3 R in Sapphire Black
2023 Triumph Rocket 3 R in Silver Ice/Cranberry Red
There is nothing clunky or out of place – no unsightly hoses or wires, no half-baked compromises. The “Rocket 3 R” and “2500 cc” badges are engraved; the matching fuel, radiator, and oil filler caps are brushed aluminum; and even the bar-ends have custom detailing. The coolest styling element, and the one I bragged about to everyone that asked about the bike (it’s a lookie-loo magnet), are the double-hinged, fold-away passenger pegs.
If there’s one thing that looks a little off to me, it’s the dual round headlights. They’ve been a signature Triumph styling element since the ’90s, most notably on the Speed Triple, and they were on the Rocket III Roadster. But with the more modern look of the Rocket 3 R, just as Triumph did with the Speed Triple about a decade ago, evolving the headlights into a more aggressive shape would make the bike’s overall appearance more cohesive.
Complementing the raw metallic look of the many brushed and polished surfaces
are black finishes on the flyscreen, handlebar, fork tubes, and side covers.
Hitting the starter button on the Rocket 3 R elicits an authoritative growl, and blipping the throttle at idle causes the entire bike to twist to the right due to its big, longitudinal crankshaft. Perhaps to make the bike more livable, throttle response is a tad dull below 2,000 rpm, but once the big pistons spin up more, the well of grunt feels bottomless. On Jett Tuning’s dyno, the 2.5-liter beast spun the drum to a peak of 148 lb-ft of rear-wheel torque at 3,900 rpm, with more than 140 lb-ft on tap between 2,500 rpm and 5,300 rpm (redline is 6,500). There’s hardly a ripple in either the torque or horsepower curves, with the latter climbing steadily from 47 hp at 2,000 rpm to a peak of 145 at 6,100 rpm. Power is sent to the rear wheel through an enormous driveshaft.
While the 6-speed transmission with torque-assist clutch shifts cleanly without any big cruiser clunkiness, this is not a bike that requires much rowing through the gearbox. Short shift your way up to top gear, and the big mill spins only about 3,200 rpm at 75 mph. On a twisty backroad, just put it in 3rd and forget about it – there’s always enough grunt to pull you out of corner and catapult you toward the next one. And when a long straight stretch opens up, grab a handful and hang on – it’s an experience you won’t soon forget and will be eager to repeat.
Twin round headlights
are a Triumph hallmark, and all
lighting is LED.
The Rocket 3 R is the physical embodiment of badassery. Until you beep the horn. Then it sounds like a Vespa. Even by motorcycle standards, the horn is wimpy.
As shown in other photos, the double-hinged passenger
pegs fold away completely.
The Triumph Rocket 3 Can Bend It Like Beckham
Motorcycles with ultra-wide 240mm rear tires aren’t typically known for their cornering prowess because it takes effort to get the bike over onto the side of the tire. But Triumph worked with Avon to develop the profile of the Rocket 3 R’s Cobra Chrome tires to ensure their profiles resulted in fairly neutral handling. For a big, long bike, the R3R goes around corners remarkably well, requiring less steering effort than one might expect.
The Rocket 3 R is one of those rare
cruisers – Triumph prefers to call it a roadster – where
cornering clearance isn’t a major limitation.
Helpful in this respect is adjustable Showa suspension with damping that’s more sporting firm than touring soft. There’s enough suspension travel to absorb the worst of big hits, but ride quality generally favors smooth roads over bumpy ones. Slowing things down is a trio of top-shelf Brembo Stylema 4-piston radial monoblock calipers – two in front pinching 320mm discs and one out back pinching a 300mm disc – with hydraulic fluid pumped through steel-braided lines. They’re serious anchors that offer outstanding stopping power with precise feel at the lever.
Nicely rounded profiles on the fat tires give the Rocket 3 R good cornering
manners, but WFO in a straight line is where the real magic happens.
When the Rocket 3 R is keyed on, its color TFT display shows the Triumph logo and a message that says, “Welcome Rider.” Always puts a smile on my face.
Bar-end mirrors add to the Rocket 3 R’s go-fast look. The shapely seamless gas
tank is topped with a brushed-aluminum strap.
I parked the Triumph in the garage at LAX airport during a short trip, and when I returned, I pulled the keyless fob out of my backpack and pressed the bike’s power button. A small red light came on, which means the fob isn’t within range or isn’t working. It was 11 p.m. and raining, and I still had an hour’s ride ahead of me. I held the fob close to the bike and pressed the power button again and again, but no luck.
As panic started to set in, I imagined the Rocket 3 R as HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey: “I’m sorry, Greg, but I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
Our all-silver test bike matches the stainless-steel panels of the Frank Gehry-
designed Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Turns out I’m a moron. What I didn’t know is that, to save its battery, the fob goes to sleep. And to wake it up, you must press a button on the fob. But there’s not an obvious button, just an embossed Triumph logo.
During my Uber ride home, I sent a grumpy email to Adam VanderVeen, Triumph America’s marketing director, asking for help. I’m sure he laughed to himself as he composed a diplomatic reply informing me that, in fact, the logo is the button, and when you press it, a green light comes on to let you know the fob is sending signals to the bike.
Top-shelf Brembo Stylema calipers front and rear are serious
anchors.
After bumming a ride back to LAX the next day, I pressed the logo-button-thingy, and the Rocket 3 R powered right up. I was relieved that the start-up message did not say, “Welcome Dum Dum.”
Like other Triumphs we’ve tested in recent years, the Rocket 3 R’s electronics package is comprehensive and easy to use, aided by a TFT display with intuitive graphics. Select from one of the three standard ride modes (Sport, Road, Rain) or customize your own (Rider – there it is again, if only they used the Rider logo!), and rest assured that the ABS and TC are lean-angle sensitive, just in case.
Rocket Man
The stubby exhaust with slash-cut tips accentuates the
exposed wheel held by a single-sided swingarm.
As the saying goes, we buy on emotion and justify with logic. The Triumph Rocket 3 R is all about heart-pumping stimulation. It’s the sort of bike you lie awake at night and think about, triangulating a plan to get one into your garage. Just as Sméagol was corrupted by the Ring, the Rocket 3 will take over your thoughts and make you do naughty things. If you want to be King of the Road, there’s nothing else like it.
