Yamaha Motor Australia has slashed $2000 from the price of its learner-approved V-Star 650 cruiser to compete with other learner... Read More
Cruisers
Cruisers large and small are becoming one of the top road-going motorcycle categories. They offer riders comfort, touring capacity, power and performance. The cruiser market is dominated by Harley-Davidson, but the four Japanese manufacturers and other companies such as Triumph, Moto Guzzi and even Ducati make cruisers. We preview coming models, attend new product launches around the world and road test cruisers for performance, handling, comfort, style, economy and more.
India is launching its first chopper motorcycles company, Avantura Choppers, with an American frame designer and premium bolt-on parts. Avantura... Read More
The Indian Scout has quickly become the company’s biggest-selling motorcycle and now they have added the Scout Sixty with a smaller engine capacity and an attractive $2000 price advantage. While most riders would argue there is “no replacement for displacement”, I would argue that the 999cc Scout Sixty is a... Read More
I felt a bit like Captain America riding around on the military-painted Harley-Davidson Softail Slim S with its massive 110-cube Screamin’... Read More
For the first time Harley-Davidson has squeezed its 110-cube Twin Cam, normally reserved for CVO models, into a Fat Boy... Read More
I used to joke that the Harley-Davidson Sportster Iron 883 came with iron suspension, but a new rear shock softens the blows from urban obstacles such as manhole covers. Like the rest of the Sportster fleet, the 2016 Iron gets the new cartridge dampening forks and emulsion technology rear shocks... Read More
A suspension tweak, new colours and a more comfortable seat make the 2016 Harley-Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight much more than just... Read More
I’ve now ridden the Indian Scout mid-weight cruiser in three countries and my impressions of this bike have hardly changed... Read More
Australian Moto Guzzi fans now have five California cruisers to choose from with the introduction of the Audace ($23,500 ride away) and Eldorado ($24,000). SEE ALL THE CALIFORNIA PHOTOS At the national launch in Sydney last week, national manager Ezio Forcella acknowledged that the cruiser market was growing rapidly in... Read More
Harley-Davidson has shoehorned the High Output 103 Twin Cam engine into its fleet of Softail and Dynas, but some countries,... Read More
For the first time, Harley-Davidson has shoehorned the Twin Cam 110B (1800cc) Screamin’ Eagle engine into “standard” bikes for more... Read More
Apart from the first electric motorcycles from Victory Motorcycles, the Empulse TT, the only changes in the 2016 model line-up are some new colours. READ ABOUT THE EMPULSE TT While Victory Motorcycles Australia and New Zealand hasn’t locked in all their 2016 colours yet, these photos show a few new... Read More
The 2016 Indian Motorcycle range is wearing some new paint, including a “pearl white” Chief Classic, a “blue diamond” Roadmaster,... Read More
When too much power is not enough, the Triumph Thunderbird Storm is just the muscle cruiser for you. It’s basically... Read More
The Harley-Davidson Low Rider has been around – on and off – since 1977 and in 2014 it was revived for nostalgia fans of the ultra-cool chopped Dyna. Contrary to popular opinion, the 1975 War song “Low Rider” was not written about the Harley Low Rider, but maybe the song... Read More
BMW looks set to return to cruisers – or at least cruiser-style baggers – with the release of the Concept... Read More
The Harley-Davidson VRSCDX Night Rod Special is a rare treat with power and spirit that are addictive. Test riders should... Read More
https://youtu.be/CPPWATnnw18 The mean-looking blacked-out Indian Chief Dark Horse arrives in Australia in May 2015 at $26,995 ride away. Indian Motorcycle external relations manager Robert Pandya talks us though the bike’s features in the above video. That makes the solo-seated bike $2000 cheaper than the “entry-level” Chief Classic, even though it has... Read More
Suzuki is staking a claim for the lead in the cruiser market in Australia with a LAMS Boulevard S40. Current... Read More
American exotic motorcycle manufacturer Confederate has enlisted the help of a former Ducati designer to create a very special and... Read More
Sometimes the planets align and all your ducks are in a row. That was today when I got to ride the new Indian Roadmaster and Scout with Burt Munro’s son, John, at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. It wasn’t supposed to happen that way, but we all sort of met up... Read More
The Harley-Davidson SuperLow XL1200T is not made for me, yet somehow I like it. The SuperLow is, as its name... Read More
Korean motorcycle company Hyosung needs an injection of new blood and, thankfully, it looks like it is about to... Read More
The Victory Cross Roads Classic is a soft bagger that is made for the long haul. I reviewed the Victory Cross Roads last June and you can read my review here. Nothing has changed except for the addition of a two-tone colour option for an extra $500. It’s a... Read More
(UPDATE JULY 21: Harley has just confirmed the Road Glide will return for 2015.) I’d like odds on Harley-Davidson reintroducing... Read More
The new Yamaha Stryker is the second in the comprehensive Star cruiser line-up to feature a modern, minimalist style, following... Read More
Getting to the annual HOG Rally is half the fun. This year, a contingent of motorcycle media rode Harley-Davidson Touring bikes from Rockhampton to Cairns on the Bruce Highway over three steamy days. The Bruce is a long, hot, boring ride, which was only made more exciting by just... Read More
A 1500km road test over three days on some treacherously bumpy and slippery roads in steaming heat and cold... Read More
The Harley-Davidson Street 500 and 750 have launched in India and the indications are that the prices will be very... Read More
Victory Motorcycles has unveiled its first new bike in two years – a cut-down, solo-seat bobber named after a character in a Hollywood war movie. The Gunner is a no-nonsense grab for the youth market which is enchanted with simplicity, rather than chrome embellishments and hi-tech. SEE ALL THE PHOTOS... Read More
I won’t start singing Under the Boardwalk, but I will sing the praises of the Victory Boardwalk, a cruiser that... Read More
Remember that famous Harley-Davidson Fat Boy jump in Terminator 2: Judgement Day? Next to The Great Escape jump, it’s probably... Read More
Harley-Davidson’s big frame-mounted tourer, the Road Glide, is making a comeback. The bike was axed for 2014 and, as I reported back in August at the international launch for the new Rushmore Project Touring models, it would only be a short hiatus off the showroom floors. Harley chief financial officer... Read More
I get tired of defending cruisers from critics who’ve never ridden one or don’t know how. Instead, I should just... Read More
As Harley-Davidson is about to release its 2013 earnings figures, there have also been leaks of the power figures for... Read More
The Harley-Davidson Street 750 motorcycle will make its motorsport debut on ice well before it hits the streets. Australia will only be getting the learner-approved Harley-Davidson Street 500 but not until this time next year. However, Harley-Davidson Australia is moving heaven and earth to try to secure it earlier... Read More
Victory has added the word “Tour” to its Victory Vision and made it one of the best options for those... Read More
Now that’s what I call service – the technicians from Victory and Indian Motorcycles in Brisbane travelled 526km to Walcha... Read More
The Victory High-Ball is a badass machine full of aggression and attitude. SEE ALL THE PHOTOS HERE With its ape-hanger bars, matte-black paint, hot rod graphics, bobber fenders, wire wheels and white-wall tyres the Victory High Ball certainly stands out. Styling wise it’s somewhere between a ‘50s bobber and... Read More
Victory Motorcycles is clearing its stock of 2013 with a range of incentives to make way for the 2014 line-up.... Read More
While this year will be remembered as the year of hi-tech, my pick for bike of the year is more... Read More
Despite the numerous changes to the 2014 Harley-Davidson Street Glide, there are two that stand out the most. Well, actually one of them doesn’t stand out at all. I’m talking about the new slimline air filter. Most riders replace the bulky air filter as their first order of business... Read More
2013 has undoubtedly been the year of the Indian Chief. Thanks to Polaris profits and industrial acumen, the iconic American... Read More
Victory Motorcycles just keep getting more and more attractive – in looks and price. For 2014 they have optional factory... Read More
The Valkyrie is riding back! The trimmed-down Honda GoldWing was a big hit back in Australia until it was phased out in 2005. But there has always been hope of it returning. Remember the Rhune limited edition bike? Then this year Honda came back with an F6B which was a... Read More
Honda doesn’t seem content following the herd. Consequently the CTX1300 was unveiled at the Milan motorcycle show. It’s a cross... Read More
Usually I review new bikes, but recently I was offered a 2012 model Victory Jackpot that rolled out of their... Read More
The Suzuki C50T is an aptly named cruiser. The C stands for classic, referring to its traditional big fenders, two-tone paint, white-wall tyres on wire wheels, forward controls, floorboards and lashings of chrome and studded leatherette. The T stands for tourer which covers the comfort items such as a plush... Read More
The Victory Judge was Number 10 in my top 10 sexiest bikes, so I thought I’d take another look at this... Read More
A day riding the Indian Chief Vintage with brown leather saddle and bags leaves you feeling a bit like an... Read More
Riders in hot climates should appreciate the cool, new Indian Chief. Indian Motorcycles product manager Gary Gray from the USA told Australian media at the first ride of the bikes in the Tweed Coast that the bike has been tested in their environmental chamber up to 50C as well as... Read More
Yamaha XV1300: Most cruisers are air cooled and low revving, but the Yamaha XV1300A and T (touring model) are delightful... Read More
There may have been a revolution in the Harley-Davidson Touring line-up, but the rest of the 2014 fleet has only... Read More
It took some time, but Harley-Davidson has suddenly come thundering into the 21st century, thanks to its Project Rushmore. The new Touring features hi-tech infotainment systems, wind-tunnel aerodynamics, LED and halogen headlights, linked brakes, hydraulic clutch and partial water cooling. It’s typical of Harley not to be the first with... Read More
Harley-Davidson has solved a raft of “first-world problems” with its new Touring range. It’s not as if they have discovered... Read More
Harley admits that customers had asked for an adjustable windscreen on the new Touring range, but they rejected the idea.... Read More
Has Harley really gone water-cooled? When Harley launched the 2014 model range this week they introduced a new Twin-Cooled 103 and 110 engine to the range. By Twin-Cooled they mean that water and coolant is used to cool the heads near the exhaust ports where most of the heat is... Read More
Harley-Davidson has axed the Road Glide for 2014. But I doubt it will be the last we see of the... Read More
Yamaha Australia has just announced the pricing on their new bobber-style Bolt cruiser. The base model will cost $11,999 and... Read More
The new Yamaha Bolt cruiser is expected to become the brand’s top-selling non-LAMS road bike with about 500 sales in a full year. The youth-oriented, stripped-down Yamaha Bolt hits Australia in September, at a very reasonable $11,999 for the base model and $500 more for the R spec. The media... Read More