Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Harley-Davidson started a large restructuring plan called Rewire that is applied to its whole business. Apparently, it’s bringing some highly positive results, as the company reported its best third financial quarter since 2015.
Here are some numbers according to the report:
A decline in revenue by around 8% (total revenue of $1,166 billion)
Year-over-year net income increased by 39% (total net income of $120 million)
Year-to-date sales are down 18,1% (in the last quarter they are down 8,1%)
These numbers show that Harley is truly repairing the financial damage, which is reflected in most markets worldwide. For example, Europe has retail sales up by 6,7%.
With the Rewire plan, Harley quit 39 markets that showed slow sales, and in 17 other markets, the company will switch to a distributer model. One notable market for the distributor model is India, where Harley outsourced Hero MotoCorp for distribution, assembly, and other important tasks.
After this restructuring, Harley-Davidson operates in 36 markets, where the sales are going moderately well. Well, after this move, we are certainly thrilled to see how Harley will play its cards in 2021. The company is launching new bikes, maybe a modification for their lineup will arrive too. Of course, there is still room for improvement, as the damage was done, but it’s certainly great to see that their plan didn’t backfire!
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The very successful Honda Grom has received yet another slew of updates for the new 2021. Actually, it got some revamps that are not just there to comply with the latest emission standards. Let’s learn more about them!
For the beginning, Honda put a new octagonal headlight, new side panels, new turn signals, as well as a new gas tank and a new seat. Honda decided to play by the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ rule and didn’t do any aesthetical changes to the already excellent frame and chassis of the 2020 Honda Grom.
One of the biggest addition that bike customizers will absolutely adore is the addition of the quick-release body panels. It’s certainly a smart move by Honda, as lots of Grom users love to customize their bike further.
The 2021 Honda Grom variant sports an updated 125cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine. The engine produces 9,6 horsepower and 7,74 lb-ft of torque. It will also have a five-speed transmission, which will be one speed more than the 2020 variant.
Surprisingly, all these new features get packaged in a bike with less weight than the old model. The 2021 Honda Grom weighs two pounds less than its 2020 counterpart – 227 lbs (103 kg), to be more specific.
Currently, the 2021 Honda Grom is only available on the UK market. It is expected to arrive in the US market very soon, though.
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COVID-19 pandemic has certainly disrupted many release schedules in the motorcycle market, and with Royal Enfield, it’s no different. After being rescheduled for over four times, the Meteor 350 finally has its final release date – 6th November. It’s certainly been about time, as the titular bike has been officially revealed this April.
For now, we expect that the Meteor 350 will feature a single-cylinder 349cc engine that will produce 20 horsepower and 19,9 lb-ft of torque. This engine will comply with the new Bharat stage emission standards introduced in India. Still, this could change as there has been a wait of seven months with no concrete evidence to the numbers above.
From the official sources, we know that the Meteor 350 will launch in three different variants, with different features. These variants are dubbed Fireball, Stellar, and Supernova.
Let’s see how this bike turns out to be in a week and a half!
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When riding on the dirt track, a dirt bike helmet is an essential piece of gear that can save you from the imminent danger lurking around every corner. There are a plethora of high-quality dirt bike helmets that can genuinely save your life. What about custom dirt bike helmets?
Of course, personalization is important, even for dirt bike helmets, hence the popularity of custom-made helmets. But beware, as many manufacturers try to create custom helmets and make something different from advertised.
Why go through such uncertainty if you can make a custom dirt bike helmet by yourself? In this post, we will show you how you can make that a reality!
Ways To Get Your Custom Dirt Bike Helmets
There are dozens of ways on how to get your own custom dirt bike helmet. One of the most popular DIY solutions is simply buying a dirt bike helmet and painting it however you like.
Another popular solution is to find a custom painting service that can customize the dirt bike helmet to your taste.
Other solutions include buying pre-customized dirt bike helmets, used dirt bike helmets, or creating a custom dirt bike helmet by putting stickers and decals.
We will focus the bulk of this post on the proven, fool-proof way to create your own custom dirt bike helmets!
Custom Painting A Dirt Bike Helmet On Your Own Guide
Showcasing your favorite design that personalizes your biking style is as easy as adding chrome to the helmet. One significant benefit of custom painting your dirt bike helmet is to protect it from withering away. Follow the further guidelines, and you will have a new, custom dirt bike helmet in your hands!
Check The Right Paint For Your Helmet
Before you buy the paint itself, you should find out what type of paint is compatible with your helmet. The easiest way to do it is to find your helmet’s product page or to contact the manufacturer itself. Your goal is to find out the material of the helmet.
Once you find out the required information, you will know which paint won’t destroy your helmet’s outer shell.
Get The Paint And The Additional, Required Supplies
Now that you know what paint is safe to use on your dirt bike helmet, it is good to buy the other necessary gear for the custom painting.
The necessary tools for custom painting process preparation are:
Screwdriver
Tack cloth
Sandpaper
Cleaning solution
Rags
Gloves
The necessary tools for the painting itself are:
Compressor
Spray gun
Brush
Additionally, you can get a tape that you can put over any part of the helmet you don’t want to paint.
Remove The Parts Of The Helmet That You Don’t Want To Paint
Please do this before you commence the actual painting process. You really don’t want to apply paint over some essential parts and do the irreversible.
For example, you should remove the chin strap, vents, and the visor of the dirt bike helmet.
Clean The Exterior Of The Helmet
You need to do this to get rid of any dust, dirt, or any kind of debris from the helmet. Use soapy water or solution based on acetone to clean the outer shell of your helmet carefully. After you finish this, make sure to air-dry the helmet.
Prepare The Surface With Sandpaper
Now, you will use the sandpaper to sand the surface of your dirt bike helmet. This process will dull the finish of the helmet as well as make its surface smooth. You need to do this for the paint job to stick easier to the helmet.
After you are done with sanding the helmet, use a damp cloth to wipe off the dust. Then, air-dry the surface of the helmet. Finally, use a tack cloth to remove any accumulated dust again.
Mask Off The Parts Of The Helmet That You Don’t Want To Paint
Make sure to put tape on the parts of the helmet that you don’t want to paint. These parts can be casings, screw holes, and fittings. Also, tape the helmet’s interior so that you don’t accidentally paint the padding of the helmet.
Administer The Paint To The Helmet
Make sure to apply the paint to your dirt bike helmet in layers, starting with the light layers to avoid paint leaks. You can utilize left-right or up-down motions, whatever suits you best. Just a quick note: don’t paint both styles – use one brush stroke style to avoid uneven paint.
Also, make sure that you are painting in a well-ventilated area. After you finish painting your dirt bike helmet, make sure to leave it to air-dry altogether.
Craft Your Design
Once the initial paint job dries off, you are ready to create some amazing custom graphics on your dirt bike helmet! To help you craft the precise custom design, take some paper and narrow tape to form a frame. Make sure that your frames are appropriately placed so you can apply new paint.
Seal Your Helmet
After you are done with the custom design on your dirt bike helmet, you still need to seal the applied paint. This allows you to put on additional layers of urethane to deepen the finish of your helmet. We recommend you to put four layers at maximum.
Additionally, you can add a glossy finish to your custom painted dirt bike helmet. You will need a mixture for adding a glossy shine to do that. Afterward, you can reattach all the helmet parts that you’ve taken off before applying your custom design.
Closing Words
Congratulations! You now know how to create your own custom dirt bike helmets! Remember, patience is vital, but we cannot ignore the artistic freedom that this craft provides. You will require some specific materials that are relatively easy to find at your local store.
If, by any means, you don’t feel comfortable crafting your own custom dirt bike helmet graphics, you can send out a request to a specialized business for that. We quite enjoy what Blaze Artworks is doing.
BMW has officially revealed five new bikes that will fill up its Heritage range of bikes. They revealed a new variant of the R 18 bike and four R nineT bikes that will offer potential buyers more choices.
The R nineT range will get four models for 2021:
Standard R nineT
R nineT Pure
R nineT Scrambler
R nineT Urban G/S
The most promising is certainly the Urban G/S that features retro styling and is inspired by Dakar bikes. Other bikes feature slight updates of their 2020 variants.
Inside all the R nineT bikes is the powerful boxer twin engine that produces 109 horsepower and 85,6 lb-ft of torque. It is also Euro 5 compliant. Cylinder heads and their covers, as well as the throttle valve parts, have been redesigned. Also, there is an addition of a few new features like the USB charging socket, ABS Pro with Dynamic Brake Control system, hand wheel for adjusting preload, and two ride modes – Standard and Rain.
This is how the BMW R 18 Classic looks like!
The new version of the R 18 is practically a bagger motorcycle, with an appropriate ‘Classic’ tagline. It is strikingly similar to the regular R 18 bike, with additional features such as:
Saddlebags
A two-up seat
Auxiliary lighting
LED headlight
Standard cruise control
A pair of 16-inch wheels
Another important announcement for the R 18 Classic is that BMW has revealed a customization program that will include some big names in the industry. These names include Roland Sands, Vance & Hines, and Mustang Seats. Well, it seems like you will be able to customize your R 18 bike robustly! The price of the R 18 Classic is still undisclosed for now.
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Great news for dirt bike fans! Husqvarna is adding two new motorcycles to its lineup. The motorcycles in question are Rockstar Edition enduro bikes with some custom graphics and additional graphics.
Some of the noticeable visual features on these two bikes are:
Powder-coated frames
Blue chain guides
Blue CNC-machined triple clamps
Black seat covers with extra ribbing
Grey ODI grips
Front disc protectors
Blue Supersprox rear sprockets
Michelin Enduro tires
The first bike is called TE 300i Rockstar Edition, which features a 300cc fuel-injected, two-stroke engine. To prevent mixing oil and gas mixing, a usual problem with two-strokes, it features oil injection too.
The second bike is called FE 350 Rockstar Edition. Its’ machine is a blend of 250 and 450 engines, offering the handling of a 250 machine and the power of a 450 machine. Also, this is a four-stroke bike with traction control.
When it comes to the pricing of the Rockstar Edition bikes, they will vary across different dealerships. So, if you want to find out the price of these goodies, contact your nearest Husqvarna dealership.
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When you get more experience as a dirt bike rider, you will most likely love to level-up, and hit the dirt trails! Before you hit your first dirt trails, you have to keep in mind that you will undoubtedly need a quality-made dirt bike. You will need to look for the best dirt bikes for trail riding if you want an optimal experience.
During the selection process of the best dirt bike for trail riding, you have to take your size, weight, and experience, as well as bike design and engine capacity before deciding on the right dirt bike for yourself.
This 2001 outing from Yamaha is undoubtedly the best 4 stroke dirt bike for trail riding. It features a 250cc, four-valve, and four-stroke engine that is quite reliable for challenging dirt trails.
One amazing feature of this bike is that it is extra light, as the 2006 update introduced a fully aluminium frame build. Basically, Yamaha YZ250F is a combination of a powerful, 4-stroke engine and extra low weight.
With the YZ250F, you can stay assured that you will have enough fuel for a challenging dirt trail, as its fuel capacity is 2 gallons (7,57 litres).
This bike will offer superior comfort to all types of dirt bikers, with its seat height of 38″ (94 cm), and ground clearance of 12,7″ (32 cm). To further increase the comfort, the YZ250F comes with XC racing tires and KYB rear shock absorption.
With the combination of high power and comfort, this is unquestionably the best Yamaha dirt bike for trail riding.
This all-rounder is hands down the best beginner dirt bike for trail riding. It is a simple bike that requires low maintenance and is pretty lightweight.
The TT-R230 sports a 223cc, 2-valve, 4-stroke, SOHC engine that will provide plenty of power for a beginner dirt biker. It features a six-speed transmission, but you will rarely find yourself going above the fifth gear. Also, it has an electric start, which makes it quite simple to start, even during cold weather.
Another factor that contributes to its beginner-friendliness is the design. The seat height is low enough for beginners to touch the ground, and especially for short riders.
Even though it is milder than some 250cc or 450cc dirt bikes, it indeed produces more than enough for a beginner dirt biker. If you are a beginner, few come close to the awesomeness of the Yamaha TT-R230 dirt bike!
Intermediate dirt bike riders are the most prevalent out of all the dirt biker segments. If you find yourself in such a segment, the Honda CRF250X is easily the best dirt bike for trail riding. It features an incredible air-cooled, four-stroke 250cc engine that produces 28 horsepower at 12,000 rpm. That is enough to take you zapping on the tight dirt trails.
The CRF250X is undoubtedly the best dirt trail bike for a heavy rider, as its frame consists of a steel twin-tube, as well as dual-piston for front brakes and a single rear piston.
This old-fashioned dirt bike features an old-school non-electronic fueling system powered by the Keihin 37mm carburettor. Regardless of that, it still provides enough stability to be a really reliable dirt bike.
We also want to note that Honda CRF250X has a larger size engine, which in turn makes it the best dirt trail bike for a tall rider. If you are an intermediate dirt biker and want the old-school powerhouse, look no further than the CRF250X.
Suzuki RM-Z250
If you are looking for a well-balanced dirt bike for trail riding, Suzuki RM-Z250 is a reasonably well choice. With its 4-stroke, 250cc engine, it provides suitable power for such a balanced dirt bike.
Over the years, this dirt bike has gone through numerous updates for better function and comfort. To reduce the overall weight of the bike, the frame and the swingarm are made of aluminium. A hollow square is included inside, reducing the weight of the bike even more, which results in higher stability on the dirt trail.
Another feature that we greatly adore about this Suzuki dirt bike is the overall style of the bike. The styling emphasizes the effortless shift of weight to forward and backward sides of the bike. To complement this, the design of the wheels, tires and brakes offer maximum control for the rider.
Is this the best motocross bike for trail riding? It certainly could be, as the design of the RM-Z250 emphasizes stability and control.
Last but not least, we have this great outing from Kawasaki, a lightweight machine with great power and stability to back it up. Also, it underwent some useful upgrades in the 2020 variant, which makes it truly one of the best dirt bikes for trail riding.
First of all, the KX250 features a 249cc liquid-cooled, 4-stroke engine. It provides suitable performance even for the more challenging dirt trails. Along with the high performance of the engine is the highly effective braking mechanism. The braking includes a braking petal disc, dual-piston calliper, and pads that provide a high degree of control for dirt bikers.
Of course, the package wouldn’t be complete if this Kawasaki dirt bike wasn’t lightweight. Well, it doesn’t disappoint here either, with a thin aluminium frame, along with cast parts that further contribute to the lightweight of the bike as well as superior control ability.
All in all, this dirt bike from Kawasaki should catch your attention if you are looking at a stylishly-designed, and well-balanced machine.
Conclusion
The 5 best dirt bikes for trail riding that we mention here are just a small slice of a bigger pie. Our main criteria is the balance between power, weight, and control, that can make these bikes suitable for both amateur and professional dirt bikers alike.
Summing up, if you are looking to exclusively ride dirt trails with a dirt bike, few come close to our five picks in this list!
Honda has teased the 2021 CB 1000 R motorcycle. Essentially, this is an update of the naked version of the ever-popular Honda CBR 1000 RR motorcycle. It features a de-tuned engine as well as more comfortable ergonomics for riders around the world. Honda dubs it as a “Neo-Sport Cafe” motorcycle.
We don’t know how Honda will update the specs, but here are the rough specifications of the 2020 CB 1000 R motorcycle:
998cc inline-four engine
143,5 horsepower at 10,500 rpm
76 lb-ft of torque at 8,500 rpm
It’s a weaker machine than the CBR 1000 RR, even though they feature the same engine.
Looking at the teaser, we can only scratch the surface of this updated bike. We can definitely see that the LED headlight positioning is now further up and shortened a bit. From the teaser, we can see that 10th November is the date to wait for a more extensive reveal of the bike.
Check out the 2021 Honda CB 1000 R teaser video down below:
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If you are just starting with the fantastic, adrenaline-infused world of dirt biking, you should know that the gear you have is of essential importance. When it comes to dirt bike gear, it will get heavily used over time. Because of that, you will be forced to change dirt bike gear very often. As a beginner, you probably even don’t know where to start, so it’s up to us to show you what is the best beginner dirt bike gear for 2021!
If you are in a rush, check out the table below with our picks for our best beginner dirt bike gear!
When it comes to the best cheap dirt bike gear, no helmet comes close to Bell MX-9 MIPS. As the name of it can suggest, it features a highly useful MIPS liner. Its usefulness is found in its ability to reduce rotating impacts that could occur during a crash.
The shell of the Bell MX-9 MIPS is made of polycarbonate, with an aggressive design. Also, we want to mention that the airflow this helmet provides is incredible.
Along with the MIPS liner, there is an EPS liner at the chin bar that is great in absorbing impacts. Impacts will surely be in this area of your head.
This dirt bike helmet will fit most riders, as it sports an intermediate oval head shape, and the helmet is also goggles-friendly!
One gripe we have with this helmet is that you cannot take out the chin screen for cleaning. Still, for a price of$170 (€145/£132), it is certainly the go-to pick for the best beginner dirt helmet.
Best Beginner Dirt Gloves – O’Neal Mayhem Savage Gloves
While you may consider them as an afterthought, dirt bike gloves are one of the best protective pieces of gear you can get. They will keep your palms dry, which results in less hand slipping on the dirt bike grips.
Also, they will significantly reduce the chances of blisters appearing on your palms due to the grip resistance. Some dirt gloves go even as far as to include rubber sections on your index and middle fingertips for additional level control.
Now, the O’Neal Mayhem Savage dirt gloves do all of the mentioned above, with fair pricing to boot. They will certainly last longer than the cheaper beginner dirt gloves, and that’s saying much.
For the best beginner dirt boots, nobody comes close enough as Alpinestars with their Tech 3 dirt boots. They will provide superior protection at an entry-level price tag. The main construction is made of microfiber, with TPU reinforcements included.
Dirt bike injuries will happen, so it is good to know that Tech 3 boots are up to the task. They are abit stiff at first as they don’t have hinges. It will take you some time to get used to them, as these are not the most flexible dirt boots. Once you do, you will reap the rewards of protection!
Best Beginner Dirt Jersey And Pants – O’Neal Mayhem Savage Jersey And Pants
O’Neal Mayhem proves yet again that it is one of the best dirt bike clothing brands around. Now, when it comes to jerseys and pants in dirt biking, they need to satisfy some specific criteria.
Obviously, they need to protect the rider from various elements, such as tree branches, plants, and other terrain hazards. You definitely don’t want to cut yourself on these hazards.
The other thing that they have to do is to provide enough cooling for the rider. Last but not least, you want your dirt apparel to look cool so that you can complement it with the rest of your style!
Now, the O’Neal Mayhem Savage jerseys and pants shine when it comes to the mentioned criteria. The Savage jersey will offer a lot of breathability as well as durability to keep you protected from environmental hazards.
The Savage pants are not baggy and will stay tight on you while providing lots of airflow thanks to the vented mesh liner. They also provide enough room for knee guards. It’s worth a mention that these pants are not the most reinforced out there, so you will need to pay attention to what knee guards you get. You don’t want the guards to break through your pants, after all!
So, what’s up with the dual-axis tagline of these knee guards? Apparently, two axes (or pivots) allow our knees to hinge more naturally. With the dual-axis knee guards, your knees will be protected from all the angles. Just keep in mind that the knee guards won’t protect your knees from twisting.
The dual-axis knee guards from Leatt are constructed from TPU and foam. They also feature mesh behind the TPU that provide additional airflow. The guards will protect the area from the upper knee to the middle of the shin.
Leatt Dual Axis Knee Guards are a great pick for beginner dirt riders who are still not riding on the challenging tracks.
Best Beginner Dirt Jacket – Fox Racing Titan Sport Jacket
The Titan Sport jacket truly resembles an armour for your arms and torso. It is a genuine bargain for such a low price. It is certainly one of the best pieces of beginner dirt bike gear you will require on your rides!
The main construction of this jacket is made of stretch poly and mesh. You can feel the hardshell, foam-reinforced armour on the arm and torso areas. Even with these reinforcements, the Titan Sport provides adequate airflow.
If you want a comfortable and highly protective dirt jacket, nobody comes close to this outing from Fox Racing.
So, there you have it! This is the best beginner dirt bike gear that you can get for under $1000. This full package will ensure your best protection so that you can learn the ropes of dirt bike trail riding with maximum safety, without any stress!
This maxi-scooter from Honda is very important throughout the markets worldwide. Now, Honda will finally launch the 745cc variant to Europe, joining the Forza 125 and 350.
Maybe one of the motivations is the huge popularity of the Honda X-ADV model on which Forza 750 is largely based upon. Essentially, it is a city variant of the X-ADV.
So, what are the features of the new Forza 750? It has aluminium swingarm, tubular steel frame, front fender (like the X-ADV). Also, it has a bit different bodywork and style, as well as no long-travel suspension. The seat height is 31 inches (79 cm).
Honda Forza 750 features a 745cc parallel-twin engine that produces 57,8 horsepower at 6750 rpm and 50,9 lb-ft at 4750 rpm. It features a dual-clutch transmission, and the engine itself has a modification so it can comply with the Euro 5 emission standards.
You will be able to ride it for 230 miles (370 kilometres) on a full 3,5-gallon fuel tank (13,25 litres). Also, you will be able to change between three ride modes: standard, sport, and rain; with an ability to customize the riding modes further. Of course, the new Forza 750 features the Honda Selectable Torque Control, the Honda’s signature traction control.
Other features include:
LED headlight and taillight
Claimed curb weight of 518 pounds (235 kilograms)
Under-seat storage
5-inch color TFT display
Honda Smartphone Control system
Right now, we don’t know the price of the new Forza 750. Based on the X-ADV model, it should be a bit cheaper than €11,415 ($13,449/£10,349).
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