KTM has always been team orange, and this video proves it with a walk-through of some of KTM’s historically orange motorcycle lineup. Some famous motorcycles shown here in the museum still have the cuts and shredded rubber from their last race to add a layer of authenticity you won’t find anywhere else.
This quick video can only show so much of the museum, so if you’re interested in checking it out or booking an Austrian vacation in a post-covid world, make sure you stop by and say hi. Don’t forget to bring your favourite KTM apparel with you!
There’s a ton of beginner motorcycles on the market for new riders to choose from, that’s no surprise. Many new riders have tons of confusing questions to sort through when getting into the motorcycle scene. Should I buy new or used? How long will it take for me to grow out of this motorcycle? Is this bike going to be uncomfortable for my daily commute? Can I save money on another option?
Spite’s new series on the Yammie Noob youtube channel puts motorcycles to the test with week-long ‘ownership’ sessions to see if they really are worth the money they cost. The CBr500R is a difficult option considering how much sheer ‘motorcycle’ a new rider can get for $7000 on the used market.
Spite mentions that the bike comes in at a 6.5/10 on his rating scale, which makes sense due to it being a beginner-friendly bike but can be alarming to some when you take into account the fact that you can get something that would be a 9/10 when straying away from a ‘new motorcycle’. $12,000 bikes often drop their value to being worth $7000-$8000 after a few years of ownership, so what makes this bike worth the risk?
Indian Motorcycle has always been diplomatic about their rivalry with Harley-Davidson, but a brazen new video showing their new Challenger and a Road Glide Special towing a taco van has sparked an online bitter feud.
The YouTube video shows both frame-mounted-fairing baggers having a go at towing the taco van to prove that the new Challenger can “smoke” the Road Glide Special.
The Challenger is powered by a new 1770cc Powerplus liquid-cooled engine with 122hp (91kW) and 173Nm (128lb-ft) of torque at the crank.
By comparison Harley’s Road Glide Milwaukee Eight 114 (1868cc) has 80.71hp (60kW) and 153Nm (113.63lb-ft) of torque.
Challenger pulls taco van while Road Glide Special looks on
Sales rivalry
Harley hasn’t readily identified Indian as a threat even though it has been taking minuscule chunks out of the cruiser, bagger and tourer market since its modern revival in 2013.
However, they still sell substantially more than Indian.
Indian doesn’t say how many motorcycles they sell worldwide, but Australian figures show Indian sold 803 bikes last year (down 3.9%) compared with Harley’s 6462 (down 7.9%).
If this is an indication of global sales proportions then Indian probably sold about 26,000 bikes globally while Harley sold some 218.273 last year.
That’s about 12%, which isn’t a lot, but it’s obviously starting to get under Harley’s skin.
Their marketing department has bitten back over the YouTube video with this very clever ad with a not-too-subtle dig at the brand’s Polaris ownership.
If you can’t read the small print it states:
We’ve been building riders (not gimmicks) for over 115 years. With 700+ US dealer partners and category defining motorcycles, there’s never been a better time to join the tribe. Tow challenge accepted – we’ve been carrying your weight for a long time.
Ouch!
That’s what you get when you poke the sleeping bear.
So now that the gloves are off, we can expect to see more direct comparison in this rivalry and a lot of fun and interesting videos and ads!
A popular YouTube channel rider has died after crashing his BMW motorcycle into a car while steering with his feet and texting a message on his mobile phone.
Moscow rider Artem Boldyrev, 34, nicknamed Bolt, had 289,794 followers on his 18-plus Moto Nexus channel.
Artem’s crashed bike
In several of his videos, he reviews motorcycles while sometimes performing dangerous stunts.
Last year he posted this video in which he rides a Victory motorcycle on cruise control from the back seat through heavy traffic.
His friend, Evgeny Matveev, says Artem posted a video to him just moments before his death in which he was steering the motorcycle with his feet.
In the video, Artem says: “Most problems arise due to the fact that I don’t give a ****.”
Frame from video moments before the fatal crash
It seems dangerous motorcycle videos are a trend in Russia.
The 40-year-old Russian mother of one was known as the sexiest Russian motorcyclist through her @Monika9422 Instagram account which had more than 200,000 followers, including Australian stunt rider Lukey Luke.
Needless to say, performing stunts, riding with your feet, texting while riding, etc are dangerous and should never be performed on public roads.
If you want to be a professional stunt rider, go to a stunt-riding school on a closed course and practise there.
Kangaroo Valley, south of Sydney, features one of the famed motorcycle roads in Australia and is the subject of the latest Roads We Ride road safety video series.
Check out the Oxley video featuring local rider Alex Donnelly and wife Ann on their BMW R 1200 GS.
More videos
It’s not the only video of the Oxley Highway that we have featured.
First there was veteran motorcycle journo Mick Matheson’s fantastic review of the road in 2016.
Shortly afterwards, the Roads and Maritime Services decided to reduce speeds along the road after a road safety review.
Their decision was met with howls of protests and a petition supported by riders and locals.
The RMS decided to review their decision and eventually decided to reduce the mountain section from 100km/h to 80km/h.
The result was a substantial drop in riders and trade on the road.
This prompted John Keogh of Gingers Creek Roadhouse to put together this drone video to show off the road’s attractions and bring back riders.
What do you think of this video series? Does it make you a better and safer rider or is it a waste of taxpayer’s money? Leave your comments below.
