These stunningly beautiful Thruxton and Rocket TFC (Triumph Factory Custom) models are the first of a new line of limited-edition motorcycles from the British manufacturer.
Only 750 numbered models of each will be made worldwide when they are launched on May 1, 2019.
The Rocket TFC is based on the new Rocket III with single-sided swingarm, chunky forks, resigned cowl, new exhaust tips, beefier Brembo brakes and a more contoured rider’s seat.
No pricing for these limited-edition models has been released but expect to pay much more than the current Thruxton R ($21,100) and Rocket III ($23,990).
Triumph Motorcycles Australia hasn’t said what their allocation will be or whether it will be by customer order, only.
Thruxton TFC
The Thruxton TFC comes with lashings of carbon fibre, Öhlins suspension, Brembo brakes with adjustable lever, Metzler Racetec RR tyres, Vance & Hines pipes, flip-up Monza fuel cap, all-LED lighting and brushed aluminium accents.
A highlight is the hand-painted gold lining.
Thruxton TFC will also have 7.5kW more power at 79kW and 4Nm more torque at 115Nm.
At the same time, Thruxton TFC also has lightweight engine, body and frame components that strip weight.
However, the bike is not yet homologated for Australia, so the importers have not confirmed the exact output and weight figures.
Rocket TFC
There are no details yet on what the Rocket TFC will include.
However, the images give us a good look at the next model.
Triumph isn’t saying anything about the engine except that it has been “transformed”.
The current Rocket III has the biggest capacity engine of any production motorcycle with a 294cc triple, delivering 221Nm of torque and 109kW of power.
Rumours are that the new model could be powered by a 2.5-litre, 134kW engine.
It may also include many of Triumph’s high-tech rider-aid features such as traction control, cornering ABS and rider modes.
Other tech could include LED lighting, keyless ignition, Bluetooth connectivity and TFT instruments like all modern bikes seem to be getting.
The SV650 engine really sounds mean once you open up the exhaust!
Begin press release:
The Suzuki SV 650 is well known for its untapped performance potential and its fun factor at track days. Now, Yoshimura has a high-performance system that makes the SV come to life.
Our endeavor to make power for the SV started off with our Alpha T muffler profile, and we added head pipes to increase power where the SV needs and can use it the most. Torque is what the SV is known for and we even increased that! All wrapped up with the now famous Works Finish, the newest gen SV is ready to head to the race track! Our new system reduces weight over the sock system by over 8 pounds! This is the system you need to race the SV 650.
Note: This full system utilizes the stock rear header primary.
Proudly made in the USA!
2017-18 Suzuki SV 650 Race Series Alpha T pricing and info
2017-18 Suzuki SV 650 Race Alpha T FS SS/SS/CF WF
Part #11670AP520
MSRP: $842.09
QUALIFIED MANUFACTURER DECLARED “MODIFIED PART”
Stock Full system weight:17.6 Lbs.
Yoshimura Alpha T full system weight:9.4 Lbs.
Despite some uncharacteristic gloomy SoCal weather, the fourth annual Women’s Motorcycle Show was bigger and better than ever.
Begin press release:
The fourth annual Women’s motorcycle Show took place Saturday, January 12th, 2019 from 6-10p at Lucky Wheels Garage.
It was a dark and stormy night on the edges of DTLA in the industrial area just across the Los Angeles River from the Arts District. The clouds parted and let up on their rain at 2p, just in time for setting up the show. As twilight hit, motorcyclists started flooding the front roll-up door, and the flow didn’t stop until after the party was to officially end at 10p.
We had the ladies of Real Deal doing hands-on demos– welding with Jessi Combs, pinstriping with Theresa Contreras, and blacksmithing with Joy Fire. The tunes of Stephen El Rey and Low Volts serenaded the crowd before headliner band Wargirl took the stage. Show-goers enjoyed the Lucky Wheels Cafe and full bar and chowed down on yummy Texas BBQ from Burnt to a Crisp food truck, whilst checking out awesome motorcycles. The bands were followed by the famous piñata whack, then the awards and raffle announcements. An estimated 3,500 people came through this year’s WMS!
We had 21 total motorcycles, displaying the bulk of them in the added industrial space attached to Lucky Wheels. This effectively doubled the ground area of the event from last year! We also had VIP motorcycle parking available off street in the cordoned off alleyway.
Our 60-foot art gallery wall featured work from Hamerred, Elizabeth Raab, Jessie Gentry, and more! Women’s Motorcycle Show apparel was taken up a peg or two this year, with five options– a hoodie, wide neck sweater, distressed tee, racerback tank top, and muscle tank with low cut sides.
Raffle
A brand new Coleman Minibike, Bell helmets, Sena 30k dual comm systems, gift certificates from Dainese, Lowbrow Customs, and Biltwell were just the tip of the iceberg. A whole kit of awesome tools from Craftsman, goodies from Babes Ride Out, and gear from Alpinestars. Not to mention Clymer Manuals, Honda Gear (including a MotoGP book signed by Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa), Roame Gear light up motorcycle shoes, S&S air filter, Stellar Moto Brand mechanics suit, and a Lowbrow Customs banana tank that came with the custom paint job of your choice from Real Deal! And don’t forget the three custom painted Biltwell Gringo S helmets by amazing women Paige Macy (IG @stripe_cult_painting), Jen Hallett (IG @jen_hallett_art), and Nicole Andrijauskas (IG @chicken_in_a_biscuit).
People’s Choice Winner
Amanda Steele (IG @jwhatsaidwhat) started her build 38 days before the show, putting on the finishing touches the day-of at Lucky Wheels. She traveled from Denver, Colorado with her custom Kawasaki 125, named the Kawasexi (or the 127WHAT). This effort won her the Going the Distance Award (for longest trek with a showbike), and People’s Choice! Thanks to Coleman, Amanda also took home a brand new minibike along with her People’s Choice trophy made by Sofi Tsingos of GT-Moto.
With its original livery reflecting the style of the late ’80s, the 1987 Kawasaki KLR650 looked like a big dirt bike but was also good on the street and on long-distance tours. (Photo courtesy Kawasaki)
Here we are, at the beginning of a new year and the end of an era. After a 32-year run (1987-2018), Kawasaki has ceased production of the KLR650. After tens of thousands of units sold and millions of miles ridden around the globe, the legendary dual-sport has been retired. A victim of ever-tightening emissions regulations, the KLR and its lone carburetor are being put out to pasture.
In its early days Kawasaki billed the KLR not as a dual-sport but as a “triple-sport,” a motorcycle good for street, dirt and touring. That aligned perfectly with Rider’s focus on touring, travel and adventure, and since the KLR has always been reasonably priced, even more so when purchased used, it also fit within the limited budgets of staffers and contributors. Editor-in-Chief Mark Tuttle, Managing Editor Jenny Smith and Senior Editor Yours Truly have owned, and loved, KLRs. And long-time dual-sport contributor Arden Kysely owned not one but two KLRs, racking up more than 65,000 miles.
Brochure for the 1987 Kawasaki KLR650.
In the October 2013 issue of Rider, Clement Salvadori wrote his Retrospective column about the 1993-1996 Kawasaki KLX650, a more powerful, more off-road-oriented spin-off of the KLR, and he summed up the icon’s early history:
“On the conservative end was the venerable KLR650, which began life as a 600 in 1984 and showed a very modern approach to dual-sporting as it had the first liquid-cooled engine, with a kickstarter and a smallish gas tank holding just three gallons. For 1985, the engine-starting procedure got an electric leg, and sales showed that customers liked this innovation, the first in the single-cylinder dual-sport world. This 600 grew into a 650 in ’87, and the gas tank grew to 6.1 gallons. This was followed by the brief one-year appearance of the Tengai version in 1990, essentially a restyling of the standard KLR with a Paris-Dakar look and a bigger fairing. These bikes were directed at riders of modest accomplishments who liked to ride 50 miles to a national forest and then potter along dirt roads for half a day.”
Rider’s first test of the Kawasaki KLR650 was a three-bike tour test comparison published in the April 1989 issue.
Salvadori was on hand for the KLR650’s first test in Rider, a three-bike tour test comparison with the Honda Transalp and BMW R100GS published in the April 1989 issue, two years after the KLR650 was introduced. (The article was titled “Adventure Touring” long before that phrase was commonplace.) With Editor Mark Tuttle and Technical Editor Bob Price in tow, Clem led the gang through Death Valley–up Goler Wash, out to Aguereberry Point and through Emigrant Canyon–back when the area was still a national monument (it became a national park in 1994). The KLR proved to be the best off-road bike of the three thanks to its generous low-end torque, 9.1 inches of suspension travel and comparatively low weight. On the road, however, its 651cc single was buzzy (despite having dual counterbalancers) and its front brake was woefully underpowered. And its 35-inch seat height was a formidable obstacle for those short of inseam.
In the years that followed, Rider selected the KL650 Tengai as the “Top Adventure Touring Motorcycle” (May 1990 issue) and published touring features in which the KLR650 played a leading role (“Dirty Duo,” August 1993; “A KLR in Color Country,” May 1995). The KLR soldiered on, selling well and building a loyal following.
Rider published its first solo test of the KLR in the November 1997 issue, written by Arden Kysely. Having gotten the formula right out of the gate, the KLR underwent few changes during its first two decades. A rare round of updates for the 1997 model year were limited to a lighter flywheel, an extra clutch plate and a more conservative color/graphics package. About the KLR’s brakes, Kysely penned this memorable line: “…the front and rear discs muster all the enthusiasm of a teenager cleaning his room.” Weak brakes aside, he praised the KLR for its affordable price, good midrange power and torque, nimble handling, ample range, comfortable seat and ability to carry lots of gear.
Arden Kysely poses with his 1987 KLR650 among the rocks of California’s Mojave Desert on his way home from a 1995 Utah adventure ride.
With fond memories of his years, miles and adventures on KLRs (he put 40,000 miles on his 1989 KLR and 25,000 on his 1997 KLR), Kysely had this to say: “The KLR is no beauty queen, lacks modern electronic rider aids and won’t win many drag races, but there’s no better bike for newbies and veterans on a budget to take exploring. The KLR is for riders who want to enjoy the country they’re riding through, not just blast through to check another route off the list. And it’s the ultimate workhorse–just keep it shod and fed and a KLR will be your faithful companion on many adventures. Compared to more modern bikes, this one-lung adventurer may seem lacking, but it’s simplicity and ruggedness are virtues not found in the high-dollar machines.”
With so many KLRs on (and off) the road–by some estimates, nearly 150,000 were produced–the venerable dual-sport fueled a veritable cottage industry in the aftermarket. In the May 1999 issue of Rider, EIC Tuttle wrote a project bike feature called “King KLR.” Starting with a stock 1998 KLR650, he upgraded the suspension (including an Öhlins shock), handlebar, seat, exhaust, clutch, tires and various odds-and-ends, such as the infamous “doohickey,” the name the KLR community gave to the notoriously failure-prone “balancer chain adjuster lever.” He also swapped the steel gas tank for a lighter plastic one (being translucent, it also provided a low-tech fuel “gauge”) and added hand guards, a taller windscreen, cleated footpegs, a centerstand, a skid plate and soft luggage.
EIC Tuttle’s extensive KLR650 upgrade project was summarized in his feature “King KLR” in the May 1999 issue of Rider.
Having turned the KLR into a more comfortable and versatile adventure tourer, he bought the bike from Kawasaki and kept it in his garage for more than a decade, occasionally using it for two-up camping trips with his wife, Genie. Looking back, Tuttle muses: “Since 1987 the primary benefit of the KLR650 has also been its biggest weakness: size and comfort. Though far lighter than contemporary liter-class ADV bikes, compared to most dual-sport 650 singles the KLR is heavy and has less ground clearance, so it can be a handful in sand and on big hills. At a Jeep-like pace it tackles moderate single-track trails and fire roads just fine, though, and its bigger seat, road-hugging weight and liquid-cooling make it a far better companion on long road rides than its air-cooled competitors.”
Rider EIC Mark Tuttle and wife Genie embarking on a camping trip on the 1998 “King KLR” replete with Acerbis front disc and hand guards, IMS tank and Happy Trails panniers. No one ever told said you can’t ride off-road two-up, so they often did on that trusty KLR, though sometimes Mark asked Genie to dismount and hike some of the gnarlier bits.
Tuttle continued: “My most memorable KLR650 experience was road-racing one on a 150-mile white-knuckled sprint from Ensenada to San Felipe in Baja, Mexico, a La Carrera homage probably put on by the late great Loyal Truesdale. Even though the road was closed and the bike topped out at the ton, I lost count of the close calls after the fifth burro encounter….”
When I joined the Rider staff in 2008, I convinced EIC Tuttle to let me borrow his kitted-out KLR for an adventure-bike ride with a group organized by our local BMW dealer. After borrowing it a couple more times, scratching it up and developing a genuine fondness for the KLR, I pestered Tuttle for months to sell it to me. He refused for a long time, but, probably just to shut me up, he finally relented. Most of my buddies rode expensive BMW GSs, but I loved my low-tech KLR.
Senior Editor Greg Drevenstedt is all smiles during his first ride on King KLR in California’s Los Padres National Forest.
Thanks to the KLR, I learned how to ride a big dual-sport/adventure bike, tackling sand washes and technical hill climbs, crashing more times than I’d care to admit. I referred to my KLR as the Mountain Goat because it would go just about anywhere…not particularly fast, but it was a trooper. And riding the KLR wasn’t “work.” I didn’t have to worry about damaging a test bike or evaluating the bike I was on, so I could just ride for riding’s sake. Riding the KLR on national forest roads and trails throughout the Angeles, Los Padres and Sequoia national forests and all over the Mojave Desert reminded me of my high school days, when I would explore trails on my mountain bike. And I met a lot of great people on group rides, several of whom are some of my best friends to this day.
Providing access to views like this, from atop Cameusa Peak in California’s Los Padres National Forest, is what makes the KLR650 such an endearing motorcycle.
King KLR and I had eight good years together, but the reality was that it spent much more time parked in the garage than it did out on adventures, and today’s ethanol-blended gas (and my neglect) took its toll on the fuel petcock and the tiny jets in the carburetor. With a twinge of sadness, I sold it to a good friend–the very same guy who led the first and many of the best rides I had on the KLR. It’s still in the family, so to speak, and I think of that bike every morning when I drink coffee out of my KLR650 mug.
The KLR got its first and only major update for the 2008 model year, with engine tweaks for smoother and stronger power delivery, better suspension and brakes, a more supportive seat and new switchgear and bodywork. Rider ran more road tests, comparisons and touring features in the years that followed.
This tricked-out 2009 KLR650 carried Managing Editor Jenny Smith (in her pre-Rider days) on many adventures, including two trips to the Overland Expo outside Flagstaff, Arizona (shown here). As Marketing Director for Twisted Throttle, she outfitted it with full crash protection, soft waterproof luggage, auxiliary LED lights and a custom seat by Steve Gowing.
Managing Editor Jenny Smith, who joined the Rider staff in 2016, owned a second-gen KLR: “As a dedicated sport rider, dual-sport motorcycles were never on my radar–until I moved to Colorado. Suddenly I found myself and my Honda RC51 left behind while my new group of friends hit the myriad of forest roads and trails on weekends. When I expressed interest, they were nearly unanimous: buy a KLR650. I found a bone-stock, low-mileage 2009 at the local dealership and will never forget my first foray off-pavement. We pulled to a stop at the open gate to ‘air down’ (what in the world??), then I followed them into the forest and onto a rollercoaster of a jeep trail, laughing in amazed, unbridled joy as we splashed through puddles, clawed up rocky hills and paused regularly to soak in the scenery. I was hooked, and for the next four years the KLR (soon outfitted thoroughly with crash protection, lights and luggage) was my ticket to some of the most challenging and beautiful rides I’ve ever experienced. I saw what was at the end of those dirt roads, camped in the wilderness, fell down (a lot), picked the bike back up, learned to carry a quart of oil on any long trip and fell back in love with motorcycling.”
Playing around in Death Valley on the 2014 Kawasaki KLR650 New Edition. (Photo by Alfonse Palaima)
One of my fondest memories of the KLR was a two-day ride through Death Valley for the press launch of the 2014 KLR650 New Edition, which got firmer suspension, a new seat and new color options. Twenty-five years after the KLR first appeared in Rider, a group of us covered some of the same terrain on bikes that, apart from minor updates, had essentially the same liquid-cooled 651cc single, same frame, same 35-inch seat height and same 6.1-gallon fuel tank. KLRs made in the final years of the production run were certainly better than the early models, but in some ways the KLR has been timeless. And it’s even cheaper now than it was three decades ago.
Back in 1989, when we published our first comparison test featuring the KLR650, its MSRP was $3,499 ($7,164 in 2018 dollars). MSRP for 2018 KLR650s that remain on dealer floors is $6,699, a savings of $465 in current dollars from the 1989 model. But on the Cycle Trader website there are scads of new, 0-mile KLR650s going for less than $6,000, with some even listed for less than $5,000. And if you’re in the market for a used KLR, the possibilities are nearly as limitless as the aftermarket products designed specifically for the crowd-pleasing dual-, er, triple-sport.
Officially it may be the end of the KLR, but the adventures will continue for many years to come.
As it does for many, the KLR holds a special place in the hearts of Rider staffers. Hearing the distinctive tweet from the exhaust of a KLR riding by immediately transports us back to memorable adventures, carefree days and campfire nights.
Will we see the KLR return in a year or two, minimally updated with fuel injection and an emissions-compliant exhaust system (like the KLX250 did)? Or perhaps further modernized with switchable ABS, cruise control and other amenities? Whether or not Kawasaki revives the venerable KLR, its legend is secure as one of the most affordable, reliable, versatile and enjoyable motorcycles ever produced.
If you’ve noticed more motorcycles tucked inside garages across the country, or parked out front, you’re not imagining things. Eight percent of U.S. households had at least one bike in 2018, the most ever recorded in decades of polling by the Motorcycle Industry Council.
Motorcycle households rose from 6.94 percent in 2014 (the last full survey) to a record 8.02 percent in 2018, an increase of more than 1.5 million homes. The United States Census Bureau’s most recent estimate put the number of U.S. households at 126,224,000. The MIC Owner Survey found that 10,124,400 of those homes had a motorcycle.
“The household penetration numbers have always been among the most important figures to us,” said MIC President and CEO Tim Buche. “We’re certainly happy to see more homes that have a motorcycle. Riders who talk about motorcycling to friends and neighbors help to inspire people who don’t yet ride.”
The number of motorcycles owned also reached record levels, according to the survey, jumping to 13,158,100 last year, an increase of more than 2.5 million motorcycles compared to 2014. It is even higher than the previous record from 2009 (11,704,500), which followed a long period of high-volume new-bike sales.
The estimated number of motorcycles in use rose to 12,231,000 in 2018, an increase of more than 2 million since 2014. And that number was more than 1 million better than the record figure from 2009, when 11,015,105 motorcycles were in use.
“Modern motorcycles are high-quality machines, enabling the pre-owned market to be a key part of the overall growth in the motorcycle and rider population,” said Jim Woodruff, secretary/treasurer of the MIC Board of Directors and COO of National Powersport Auctions. “The annual pre-owned market is actually three times larger than the new market. Used bikes appeal to many riders because there are so many options in terms of price and style.”
And what about riders who owned more than one motorcycle, or a home that had more than one rider and maybe more than one bike? The 2018 survey revealed that the number of motorcycles per household with a bike stood at 1.30, up slightly compared with 2014 when it was 1.23, but down compared to 1.53 recorded in 2009.
The percentage of motorcycles in running order was down 3 percentage points, from 96.1 percent in 2014 to 93 percent in 2018. But compared to a decade ago (94.1 percent) it was only down one percentage point last year.
“As used units become a larger part of the overall motorcycle population, it’s not surprising to see a slight decrease in the percentage of operating units,” Woodruff said. “Our research shows that the average age of a pre-owned motorcycle sold in the U.S. is approximately eight years old. Plus, vintage bikes are on trend now and many riders are keeping non-runners as part of their collection.”
About the MIC: The Motorcycle Industry Council exists to preserve, protect and promote motorcycling through government relations, communications and media relations, statistics and research, aftermarket programs, development of data communications standards, and activities surrounding technical and regulatory issues. As a not-for-profit national industry association, the MIC seeks to support motorcyclists by representing manufacturers, distributors, dealers and retailers of motorcycles, scooters, ATVs, ROVs, motorcycle/ATV/ROV parts, accessories and related goods and services, and members of allied trades such as insurance, finance and investment companies, media companies and consultants.
Yamaha’s top-selling motorcycle overall last year was the YZF-R3, and for 2019 it’s even better, with a noticeable suspension upgrade and a fresh new look. (Photos by Brian J. Nelson)
Glittery, feature-laden flagship products may be sexy, but in today’s world the bread-and-butter models are the ones that return the most bang for the least buck. So it’s no surprise to me that the roughly $5,000 YZF-R3 was the top-selling Yamaha motorcycle overall in 2018, a spot it swaps regularly with another inexpensive grin factory, the FZ/MT-07 (read our Road Test Review here). The R3 debuted in 2015, a bit late to the lightweight sportbike party, but it immediately impressed us with its fun factor and everyday usability.
Resculpted gas tank is lower and wider, the better to tuck in and hang off.
For 2019, the R3 got a makeover that included a new upside-down 37mm KYB fork with revised settings, new triple clamps, an updated KYB rear shock, new radial Dunlop Sportmax tires, a redesigned fuel tank, lower clip-ons and a facelift that ties it to its YZR-M1 (much bigger) brother. While we like the new look, it’s the suspension updates that take the littlest YZF to the next level.
New gold 37mm upside-down KYB fork has a stiffer spring and increased compression and rebound damping. Single-disc, two-piston front brake is a bit disappointing, however.
Up front, the spring rate was increased by 20 percent and both rebound and compression damping were also dialed up, addressing our complaint in the 2016 test above that the fork was “spongy, with weak rebound damping letting the front-end recoil too fast from impacts.” A new cast-aluminum top triple clamp and forged-steel lower triple clamp combine with the stout USD fork to create a much more planted feel that provides better feedback than before, an immediately noticeable improvement. It’s also a better match for the 7-step preload-adjustable rear shock, which got an 11-percent stiffer spring, 10mm higher preload, increased rebound damping and, interestingly, slightly decreased compression damping.
Footpegs are sporty but not too high; combined with the 30.7-inch seat, ergonomics are quite comfortable for this 5-foot, 9-inch, 34-inch-inseam rider.
Overall it works very well in combination with the steel trellis frame; as I tossed the 375-pound (claimed, wet) machine through the banked corners of Palomar Mountain, feedback from the front end let me focus on having fun rather than worry about running out of talent (or traction).
Speaking of traction, for some reason the first-gen R3 wore bias-ply tires rather than radials. An easy enough aftermarket swap, but for 2019 Yamaha has sensibly shod the R3 with proper radial Dunlop Sportmax GPR-300 rubber. We’ve had good experiences with Sportmax tires in the past, and this is no exception; the R3 stayed glued to the pavement even on damp mountain roads and when keeled all the way over on a favorite set of technical twisties. If there is a sport riding shortcoming, it’s the brakes; the meager two-piston caliper at the front and single-piston at the rear just aren’t up to the demands of what is otherwise a very capable machine.
Removing the right side fairing reveals the rev-happy 321cc parallel twin. Despite low gearing it’s at its best between 6,000 and 11,000 rpm.
Under the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” category is the 321cc liquid-cooled, DOHC, 4 valve-per-cylinder parallel twin, which spun out 35 horsepower at 10,600 rpm and 19 lb-ft of torque at 9,200 when we last put it on the Jett Tuning dyno. Gears first through fourth are rather low, maximizing grunt, but there’s an interesting bump in both power and torque right after 6,000 rpm.
A nearly 50/50 front/rear weight distribution, updated suspension and well-matched chassis combine to make the R3 quite the capable canyon carver.
The result is impressive roll-on performance even at a high gear-to-speed ratio. For example, I found myself traveling at just under 30 mph in fifth gear, when suddenly our ride leader poured it on and pulled away. Without downshifting I whacked the throttle open, and the little R3 responded by pulling hard (relatively speaking of course) all the way to 11,000 rpm. Highly entertaining, but also practical for freeway commuters.
LCD instrument includes a bar tachometer, gear indicator, speedometer, engine temperature, fuel level, clock and switchable odometer, two tripmeters, oil tripmeter, fuel reserve tripmeter and average/instant fuel economy.
And I suppose that’s the point of the R3: it’s affordable, but now it’s an even more capable sportbike that should lengthen its buyers’ “out-growing” timeframe. Yamaha’s research indicates that the average R3 owner is 32 years old, and for 63 percent of them it’s their first motorcycle. For more than three-quarters of them, the R3, likely their only bike, does double-duty as a commuter, a fact supported by my own anecdotal evidence as seen on my daily commute.
Radial Dunlop Sportmax GPR-300 tires stuck well even on our cool, foggy, damp press ride.
The trick is walking (riding?) that fine line between sporty and comfy, and even with its 20mm lower clip-ons that now attach under the top triple clamp, I found the R3’s ergonomics to be a fantastic balance between the two. The day after our 140-mile press launch ride, I logged more than 154 freeway miles riding from Oceanside, California, to my home in Camarillo, and despite wearing a backpack I experienced no ill effects: no pain and no numb hands, bum or feet. Plus, despite keeping up with 75 mph California traffic, I only went through 2.4 of the 3.7 gallons in the tank, for a respectable 65 mpg.
Bring a friend: the little R3 has a 353-pound load capacity.
There’s a lot to like about the 2019 Yamaha YZF-R3: good looks, sporty yet comfortable ergos on a well-balanced chassis, vastly improved suspension and a price that’s unchanged from last year ($4,999/$5,299 for the ABS model). We’ll continue to put miles on our test bike, so look for updates and a full Road Test Review in the coming weeks.
The non-ABS 2019 Yamaha YZF-R3 is available in Team Yamaha Blue or Matte Black; the ABS version is available in Matte Black or Vivid White.
2019 Yamaha YZF-R3 Specs Base Price: $4,999 Price as Tested: $5,299 (ABS model) Warranty: 1 yr., unltd. miles Website: yamahamotorsports.com
Engine Type: Liquid-cooled, transverse parallel twin Displacement: 321cc Bore x Stroke: 68mm x 44.1mm Compression Ratio: 11.2:1 Valve Train: DOHC, 4 valves per cyl. Valve Insp. Interval: 26,600 miles Fuel Delivery: EFI Lubrication System: Wet sump, 2.7-qt. cap. Transmission: 6-speed, cable-actuated wet clutch Final drive: O-ring chain
The new Spidi Sport Warrior Perf. Pro race suit is a great option for track days or jaunts through the canyons.
Begin Press Release:
Protected: SPIDI → SPORT WARRIOR PERF. PRO
The SPIDI Sport Warrior Perforated Pro is a technologically advanced 21st century race suit developed specifically for superbikes of the modern age – motorcycles that are far more powerful and significantly quicker than their forebears. Each Sport Warrior Perforated Pro is CE certified to the prEN 17092-2:2017 standard and has a main chassis of tough 1.1 to 1.3mm leather, with elastic high-tenacity nylon in flex areas – offering extreme abrasion resistance.
Despite its track-focussed looks and capabilities, the Sport Warrior Perforated Pro is equally at home on the street, particularly on weekend rides through the canyons, coast roads, and twisting mountain passes.
Each suit includes CE-certified En 1621-1:2012 shoulder, elbow, hip, and knee armor, with a pocket for a level 1 or level 2 back protector and a pocket for a chest protector (not included). Both the upper knees and upper elbows have flex panels for all-day comfort on the street or track, as well as an adjustable waist to ensure the perfect fit.
To keep you hydrated the suit has an arrangement for holding a Hydroback bag and straw, as well as vented leather sections and a removable mesh lining to keep you cool. A streamlined aerodynamic end-piece is fitted to the back to assist with aerodynamics, and the suit has adjustable and removable racing knee sliders.
In order to ensure a comfortable fit with your boots, the lower pant leg of the suit is made from a soft, comfortable material that’ll help you avoid chaffing and discomfort. Inside the suit you’ll find a removable, washable mesh lining that helps keep you cool and dry – particularly as the suit offers excellent airflow thanks to its perforated leather main chassis.
Spidi offers the Sport Warrior Perforated Pro in three colorways to accommodate a variety of tastes, it’s offered in sizes ranging from 46 to 58, and replacement knee sliders are available both from Spidi directly and from any good local motorcycle apparel store.
SPIDI → SPORT WARRIOR PERF. PRO
Sizes: S to 3XL
Colors: Black/Red, Black/White, White/Blue
Price: North America $999.90, Europe €849.90
The German rider continues his role as the official HRC test rider in 2019 and is also in line to replace the injured Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team) at the MotoGP™ Sepang Test between the 6–8 February, after the five-time World Champion underwent surgery on a fractured left scaphoid on Monday 21st January.
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