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As we get older we change a lot, especially how we feel about things. Take for instance big touring motorcycles. Many of my friends and I grew up with the knowledge that if you wanted to tour and be cool you did it on a big Harley. Some of us got Goldwings, but either way touring bikes were big and heavy.
A friend of mine is going through what I went through a couple of years ago. I had a Harley Road King, and while pushing it around in my garage I dropped it twice! It was then I made the decision to sell it and get something lighter to tour on. So what to get? Well, the industry has changed and the Europeans got it right with the adventure touring bikes. In America we have traditionally toured on big bikes, but in Europe because of the quality of the roads and lots of twisties they have used lighter bikes with longer travel suspension.
When Cyndy and I went to Patagonia we toured on Triumph 800 Tigers, and that changed everything! We now own a Triumph 900 Tiger, and both of us ride it. It is light, comfortable, handles like a sport bike and has the comforts of a touring bike like heated grips, heated seat, good wind protection and great electronics. My friend, that I thought would never get off of his big V Twin, is looking hard at getting the new 2021 Tiger 850! We have to accept a lot of things about ourselves as we get older but we don’t have to quit riding.
On that note, when I was touring in my early twenties we would go on lot runs and overnighters with the So Cal Motorcycling Assn. They would give a trophy out to the oldest rider, and the winners were usually over 90 year old! I was and still am looking forward to riding for a really long time.
2021 Ducati Monster Ditches Signature Style for the Better
Arguably more than any other model in Ducati’s lineup, the Monster has been a victim of its own success. In order to be a Monster, it had to have the signature style: trellis frame, sculpted metal tank, round headlight (never mind desmodromic valves and 90-degree twin layout). It’s meant the Monster’s evolution over the years has been marked by conservatism. For 2021, rather than rehash a revered—but near 30-year-old formula—Ducati’s designers have created a new Monster that’s all about moving forward.
For 2021, the midsize Monster 821 will be replaced by the Monster (just “Monster,” thank you very much), and at first glance it’s barely recognizable as a Monster. Here’s where it gets interesting: the 2021 Monster weighs 40(!) pounds less than the 821, makes a couple more horsepower with its larger engine, and uses an aluminum monocoque chassis similar to that of the Panigale superbikes.
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Everything You want to know about
the 2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport
Triumph has announced its latest addition to the Tiger family: the 2021 Triumph Tiger 850 Sport. As the aluminum cast 19/17-inch wheel combo would suggest, the 850 Sport is a more road-focused version of the adventurous Triple, aimed at newer riders and/or simply riders who don’t feel the need for all of the fancy tech and high-performance bits and bobbles found on the other Tiger trims (and the associated cost).
What caused Triumph to discard its previous base model Tiger 900 for this new “850”? I’ll let the folks in Hinckley tell you for themselves: “We have identified that there is a significant customer base who are looking for a manageable and accessible option, where the price, package of specification, and performance all play a key part in their decision-making.
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