Author Archives: Tom

The frequency of our joint motorcycle trips has slowed down a bit during the last couple of months as a result of the covid pandemic and rainy season here in Mexico. This didn’t stop Guido, Coen and me from making a major offroad/camping trip in Mexico’s Sierra Gorda mountains last month.

Jasper couldn’t make it unfortunately, but Coen, a 43-year old adventure guide and camping crack, who has ridden South America from North to South on a Honda Transalp, did join us on this epic trail.

TLDR? Here’s a video compilation of the trip!

Planning

Planning the trip, Guido and I were looking to stay off the highways as much as possible. Since we were going through some uncharted territory, we had to use Scenic, Google Maps and Wikiloc to find a route that would take us about 3 days, hoping that we would complete at least 80% of it.

Day 1

Coen and I departed early on Friday morning from Malinalco (a picturesque colonial Mexican town where I currently reside) to catch up with Guido in San Juan del Rio, very close to the impressive Sierra Gorda mountain range. After a couple of greasy, but tasty tacos we took off to Presa Zimapan, a major lake at the foot of the mountains in the state of Hidalgo, from which we continued to the local mining capital of Zimapan.

After we fueled up on gasoline, wine and water (not sure how the wine bottles survived) we drove towards the mining complex, passing a number of sleepy, dusty villages on the way. As the mine (el Carrizal) is still operating, one should take extreme precaution while descending towards the river as big trucks with ore and debris are making their way up through the tight and gravelly hairpin corners, sometimes leaving just a foot of space for one to pass.

Once descended, the REAL adventure started – a 31km (20mi) offroad trail through a beautiful canyon with numerous river crossings, an ideal mix of dirt, gravel and larger rocks and virtually no one around.

The trail was exhaustive and took us more time than we thought. Guido’s old Yamaha, with low ground clearance and road tires was struggling to make its way through. As a result, Guido came off the bike on two occasions. Coen and I were riding a BMW G650gs and a KTM 1090 Adventure R, bikes that were better outfitted for the circumstances, but also nearly dropped it during a river crossing. 

Less than 500m before the end of the trail, my luck ran out when I hit a large rock with the rear wheel, causing a big rip in the tire. After inspecting the tire, we concluded there was little we could do to fix it. We then decided to ride 3 km to the nearest village (5 houses really) to ask for help. Lucky for us, there were a couple a guys with a pickup truck who offered to bring us 30 km (19mi) to a bigger town with a workshop.  

We decided to find a camping spot and set up camp in a camping shelter just a few kilometers from the town of San Joaquin. The bottles of wine and Guido’s Jack Daniels survived the trail and helped us stay warm in the foggy and rainy forest.

Day 2

The next day, we picked up the KTM from the shop, and drove via Pinal de Amoles to Jalpan de Serra, where we stopped for lunch. In Jalpan, we planned the second part of our trip, and while we were planning to go further north, we decided that we wanted to make camp somewhere close to a river, and basically just dropped a pin somewhere on the map close to a river.

After a combination of highway and some nice muddy offroad, we ended up in Neblinas, a small village some 2 hours east of Jalpan. There we had a well deserved beer and stocked up on some caguamas (1.2L beer bottles), and tried to make our way to the river, which according to some locals was not that far away. We parked the bikes with a very friendly local family, which helped us to find the trail that led to the river. “Not that far away” in this case was just about an hour’s hike with full equipment on a very slippery trail.

The hike was well worth it though. We reached the river, set up camp and managed to make a campfire with wet timber on which we cooked some tasty noodles and salted meat in the pouring rain.

Day 3

In the morning, after breaking up camp in the rain, we hiked all the way up to the house of the kind family where we left our bikes, where we were welcomed with a hot cup of coffee! Departing from Neblinas, we drove back via Jalpan de Serra to San Juan del Rio where we concluded our trip.

Despite the rain, dirt and flat tire, we’re itching to go on a similar trip soon!

The Yamaha Tenere 700 has only just been launched (here in Mexico we still have to wait a few months), and given the success of this type of bike, Yamaha is now said to be looking into developing a smaller version.

Yamaha is one of last of the big brands to join the party.  KTM’s 390 Adventure and BMW’s 310GS are selling fast in a market that is increasingly demanding nimble, easy-to-drive all-terrain motorcycles for a decent price. 

A Tenere 300 would do especially well in some of the fastest-growing markets for motorcycles such as South-East Asia and Latin America.

So, how likely is the development of a Tenere 300, and how long would it take for Yamaha to bring the bike on the market? Quite likely we think.

In an interview with Motociclismo, Production Communications manager for Yamaha Italy, Fabricio Corsi said that Yamaha could develop a Tenere 300 if there would be enough demand for it. The powerful R3 engine with a 321cc displacement is ready to compete with KTM, BMW and the other Japanese brands, and if Yamaha manages to keep the price close or under U.S. $5000, it may well become a sales hit in emerging markets.

Despite the already developed engine, the Yamaha Tenere 300, if announced, isn’t likely to be in the showrooms before 2023.

The hugely popular BMW GS (Gelände/Strasse) series has just turned 40 years old. Having created one of the longest running lines of motorcycles, this multipurpose bike has been an absolute hit in the market and continues to be the backbone of the BMW Motorrad brand.

Back in 1980, BMW launched the R80 G/S, a motorcycle that combined the best of both worlds for the very first time. The bike had great offroad capabilities but didn’t compromise on comfort while driving it around the city or highway.

Big upgrades to the series came in 1993 when BMW launched the 1100GS with the four valve boxer engine and a new type of front suspension dubbed the Telelever.

The 1100/1200 and 1250GS with their unique boxer engine and crankshaft design are perhaps the most iconic models of the series, and despite their high starting price continue to be the standard in the segment.

Other popular models include the F650GS and F800GS which were equipped with thumper engines (G650GS) or the high-torque parallel-twin. These models quickly became highly popular among riders that were looking for a slightly lighter and slimmer design.

In 2018, BMW also started to offer entry-level bikes with the G310 GS, which some (unrighteously) claim is not a ‘real’ GS.

40 years down the road, the GS remains an eye-catcher, and BMW has created yet another great GS with the new 2020 1250GS, a motorcycle that Guido has set its sights on.

As motorcycle news’ title says: life begins at 40.  Something Guido can confirm for sure 😉

As more and more motorcycle manufacturers are adding electric models to their line-up, or are at least planning to do so, we take a look at the pros and cons of riding and owning an e-bike.

Having talked to a couple of e-bike enthusiasts, and having ridden a couple of light e-bikes myself, I can conclude that I’m not ready quite yet to buy one, but I’m all the more interested in what this new market will bring us in the next few years.

PROS

Cost of ownership

A minimum amount of moving parts means little maintenance. Electric motorcycles don’t need their oil changed every 5000 miles (8000km), and don’t need gasoline filters or air filters replaced every so often. And forget about valve adjustment too.

Depending on your annual mileage, riding style and environment, a regular motorcycle can cost you between $800 and $1500 per year in maintenance.

In terms of servicing, electric motorcycles do need brake pads, brake fluid, fork seals, bearings, chain/belt and sprockets, headlight/turn signal bulbs.

The low average cost of maintenance doesn’t mean that nothing can go wrong with electric motorcycles. Charging units and wire problems are the most frequently heard issues on today’s electric motorcycles.

Low charging costs 

Typically, electric motorcycles can be a lot cheaper in terms of fuel costs. Actual costs depend on electricity cost in your country. The difference will mostly be just a few dollars less or more.

In the U.S., the average electricity price is 12 cents/kWh. The largest Zero battery is 16kWh. That means a full charge would cost about $1.75 and it will take you 98-197 miles (hwy vs city). In Germany, electricity prices are about 3 times higher at $0.35 per KwH.

Instant torque

For many of us, performance is a big thing to consider when buying a new motorcycle, and electric motorcycles can be quite rewarding to ride in terms of acceleration, thrill factor and handling.

The famous Pikes Peak international hill-climb contest, in which torque and acceleration times play a crucial role, has been dominated by electric motorcycles.

Currently, the fastest electric motorcycle for road-use on the market is the LS-218 from Lightning Motorcycles. It does 0-100 kmh (0-60 mph) in 2.2 seconds and 0-160 kmh (0-100mph) in just 5.5 seconds. According to Electrek.co, you can’t even go full throttle until after 100 mph because there is so much torque available that it will just spin and smoke the tire on the dyno.

Long battery lifetime

Many potential buyers are questioning the battery life, but the truth is that most users won’t have to replace the first battery on their electric motorcycle. Current batteries are set to last around 10 years, with around 20% power reduction during its lifetime. 

New battery technology and the possible introduction of graphene-ion battery packs could significantly extend a battery’s lifespan in the future. 

CONS

Range anxiety

The relatively short range of electric motorcycles is possibly the number one reason holding back new buyers. Who wants to be stuck on the side of the road on a longer trip while your friends still have 200 kilometers to go on their tank.

Increasing battery capacity sounds easy, but adding more Kwh’s in storage capacity means increasing the weight of the motorcycle significantly. 

Currently, the Brutus V9 has a range of up to 270 miles/ 430 km, but this heavy cruiser weighs about 800 pounds/ 360 kgs.  The more frequently seen Zero SR only lasts for 140 miles/ 225 kms, which would leave me stranded about halfway down from Mexico City to Acapulco.

Refuelling

Closely related to range anxiety is refuelling. The fact that refuelling, even with fast chargers, takes a lot longer than the few minutes it would take to fill up a gas tank, adds to the range anxiety.

Additionally, in a lot of countries around the world, the charging network still has long ways to go. Mexico is one of those countries. Sure, in big cities charging stations are available, but, on my way from Mexico City to Acapulco, charging stations are few and far between.

However, new charging technology and improved batteries are expected to hit the market within the next five years, and electric motorcycles aren’t expected to fully go mainstream before that happens.

Cost of acquisition 

Together with the relatively short range, and charging time, this could be the biggest con of electric motorcycles.

Smaller models usually start around $4000-$5000 and are often just good for city-use and or short distance riding. The mid-ranged bikes such as the 2019 Zero FXS starts at almost $9000. Full-sized motorcycles, however, are much more expensive. Most full-scale electric motorcycles start at well over $20,000, with the Energica EVA Ribelle costing around $25500, the Zero SR/S setting you back at least $22,000 and the Harley Davidson Livewire costing almost $30,000.  

Shifting gears

Playing with the gears on a difficult slope or shifting down a couple of gears to sprint away is no longer possible on (most) electric motorcycles, and for many aficionados, this is bad news.

Most of us will feel like riding an electric motorcycle is like riding a scooter… albeit a much faster one.

No roaring engines

No more revving in tunnels, playing with the accelerator or noise-making on the boulevard. For some it’s  a convenient feature of e-bikes, but for many petrolheads, roaring engines is an absolute must, and lets be honest, artificial engine sounds are cool in science-fiction movies, but, in real life, a sputtering Harley Davidson or a snarky Japanese sports-bike just sounds better.

Fast depreciation

Electric cars and motorcycles are being developed at breakneck speed, and advancements such as better torque, handling and better batteries are to be expected within the next couple of years.

This is great for the market as a whole, but current e-bike owners will see the resale value of their motorcycles drop faster because of these innovations as they’ll render current bikes obsolete, while lowering prices of new motorcycles. 

Motorcycle brands and dealers are facing tough times during the pandemic, and in many countries, sales have collapsed completely during the lockdown. More on that in my April 7 article on here. Challenging times, however, demand creative solutions, and that’s exactly what we’re seeing right now.

To incentivize buyers, brands are doing everything from delivering test bikes to your house, full online customization and delivery and 0% interest financing, with in some cases, $0 down payment.

Many dealers have stocked up on new model motorcycles ahead of the lockdowns already, and factory disruptions which have impacted brands such as Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, MV Agusta, Ducati, Vespa, BMW and KTM have not led to a short supply of new motorcycles.

As driving season kicks off in most parts of Europe and in the U.S., there’s a lot of great opportunities to buy the motorcycle of your dreams at a great price as dealers in some cases are selling their 2019 inventory at rock-bottom prices.

This rather complete buyers’ guide that Cycleworld.com put together could be helpful in making the right choice!  

May is motorcycle safety awareness month (good timing), and if you’re fed up with sitting at home, maybe this is the right time to get some new gear and hit the road!

With summer approaching, we’ll have a look at jackets that do not just offer protection, but also offer optimal airflow.

Kicking off with my personal favorite:

Klim Induction Jacket

The Klim Induction Jacket has a fantastic airflow, and is constructed with great materials. The only thing I recommend is inserting a better back protector as I’m not wild about the D3O protection. Also mind that the jacket is almost zero waterproof. The jacket is a bit expensive at $350, but worth it if you live in a hot climate year-round. 

Rev’It Blake Air

Coming in almost $100 cheaper is the Rev’It Blake Air Jacket. This leather mesh jacket doesn’t offer the incredible airflow that the Klim Induction Jacket does, but has better shoulder, elbow and back protection. The insulated vest makes this jacket more suitable for all-year riding (50 fahrenheit/10 degrees Celsius is still comfortable) and its discreet look is a pro.

Dainese Air Master Jacket

At just over $200, the Dainese Air Master Jacket combines mesh and textile for a good airflow.
The jacket has a bit of an Italian style, is made from quality materials (D-synth 350 fabric) and the dark/anthracite color is not too flashy for my taste. The jacket comes with a handy back pocket to store rain equipment, but the back protector and double chest protector are sold separately.  All-in-all, this jacket offers a lot of bang for your buck.