Tag: Design

Harley-Davidson may have dropped the Evo Sportster from its range, but that doesn’t mean it’s going away any time soon. The ‘old’ Sporty remains one of the most versatile platforms that the Motor Co. has ever built—as evidenced by the myriad ways in which it’s been customized over the years. This custom Sportster from Taiwan’s 2LOUD Custom proves our point stylishly. It started life as a 2013-model Harley Sportster Seventy-Two—a mild take on classic Frisco-style choppers that came from the factory with a peanut tank and mini-ape bars. But 2LOUD’s Ma ‘Max’ Yicheng has

We knew our first whiskey review wouldn’t resonate with everyone, but damn, the comments section would drive anyone to drink. I suppose that ship’s already sailed. If this is the first non-mechanized review you’ve read on Bike EXIF, let me get you up to speed. Whiskey Wednesday is a phenomenon that started after hours here at the Bike EXIF headquarters as a gathering of like-minded individuals. Bikes, cars and every form of mechanical banter make for engaging conversation, aided by moderately priced spirits and degrading sarcasm. We’re not pros with cellars full of exotics, but instead, regular guys who appreciate a neat glass and friendly t

This week’s compilation is jam-packed with new releases from major OEMs. We take a look at the new KTM 390 SMC R and 125 SMC R, the updated Yamaha XMAX sport scooter, and the LiveWire S2 Alpinista electric sport standard. A plucky Yamaha SR500 flat tracker lurks in their midst, flying the flag for custom motorcycles. 2025 KTM 390 SMC R and

The annals of music history are littered with bands whose third albums didn’t quite manage the success of their debut and sophomore offerings. That trend was at the forefront of Rick Hannah’s mind when he set out to build his third Kawasaki W650 desert sled. A South African ex-pat currently living in the UK, Rick works in the tech industry—but he’s a petrolhead at heart. Working under the cheeky nickname of Dirty Dick’s Motos, he burst onto our pages a few years ago with a picture-perfect Kawasa

The uncomfortable truth about custom motorcycles is that for every good one built, there are dozens of bad ones. All too often you’ll come across custom bikes that have been crudely cobbled together with no regard for good taste—or safety, even. This 1999 Moto Guzzi California was one such bike, until Massimo Rinchiuso rescued it. “The California was previously customized using poorly matched parts, with many malfunctioning parts and poorly made modifications,” says Massimo, who runs Fuchs Workshop as a one-man band in the vibrant city of Ravenna, in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region. “The bik

Everybody loves an underdog story, and besides being one of the most influential motorcycles of its kind, this BMW-based sidecar racer is probably the most unlikely hero on three wheels. It was constructed and piloted by a German privateer named Helmut Fath, and spawned the next generation of sidecar racers known as ‘kneelers.’ A holy combination of old parts and new ideas, Helmut Fath’s BMW RS sidecar was pivotal to his rise to prominence in sidecar racing and his historic toppling of BMW’s championship reign Born in Ursenbach on May 24, 1929, Helmut Fath followed in his father’s footsteps with an immediate interest in motorcyc

“Boost is addictive,” says Matt Coulter of Sticky’s Speed Shop. “Insane power delivery and tunnel vision at the same time. I rode a turbo ‘Busa and knew I had to have a turbo bike.” When Matt makes his mind up it doesn’t take things long to happen. The UK-based builder parted out an Aprilia RSV-R he was trying to sell for a turbocharged Suzuki Bandit 1200, and started a long, expensive journey.

Australia’s Gasoline Motor Co. turns a Sportster into a fetching Harley XR750 replica, South Korea’s Crazy Garage transforms a Ducati Hypermotard, and the embattled Austrian marque KTM updates the razor-sharp 790 Duke. Then, in Las Vegas, a rare and unusual motorcycle with a wheel-mounted radial engine is about to go on the auction block. Harley-Davidson Sportst

Love them or hate them, open face helmets aren’t going anywhere any time soon. They’re adored by chopper and bobber riders, fans of vintage café racers and scramblers, scooterists, and anyone who loves the feeling of the wind in their face (and bugs in their teeth). Sure, an open face helmet won’t protect your face in a crash—but a good one can still safeguard the soft grey stuff between your ears. So if you do insist on riding in one, at least pick a decent three-quarter lid and leave the novelty ‘piss pot’ at home. Here are three options that I’ve tested extensively.

After a string of cheap ’70s bikes, I bought my first decent motorcycle—a nearly-new Honda 250 dual sport. I learned a lot of lessons on that bike, and the toughest one cost me some plastics, a little pride and a fat ding in my pickup truck box. That poor Honda ended up on its side plenty of times, but it’s no fun when the ignition’s off and the incident was 100% preventable. It’s far from the most exciting aspect of owning a bike, but sooner or later you’ll have to transport your motorcycle and there are plenty of ways to get it wrong. Whether by truck, trailer, van or hitch carrier, the basic tenants of safe passage are the same, and the investment in quality ge