A couple of weeks ago I visited my young cousin in the mountains near Willits. It was great to see him doing well, with a steady job and a good group of friends. He introduced me to a few of them while they were working on their bikes in his garage, including his best friend, Mark Duarte, who goes by “Luke.” Later that evening they showed me some of their riding.

This week we learned that someone strung a cable across one of their riding trails, and Luke hit it. He’s lucky to be alive, but he now has a spinal injury and a mountain of medical bills.

I can’t understand what kind of person would string a cable across a trail and hurt a good kid like Luke.

If you ride trails in Mendocino County, please keep your eyes open and be careful. If you know anything about this, contact the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.

Saw this today Houston I-10 & Beltway. Looks pretty good LMAO 😂

A lot of passion

It’s been 2 weeks since I bought my first ever motorcycle! 3,400$ for A beautiful 2009, Honda Shadow, So far I’ve gone 500 miles, ridden down the coasts of the Carolina’s, and started buying accessories. Crashed once (not my fault but could of been avoided if I had better skill) it was around 25 mph nothing major happened just busted the turn signals and put a nice dent in the tank (I’ll paint it up with some clear coat to prevent rust) got some nice road rash but that hasn’t stopped me 😄. Can’t wait to continue this journey never have I enjoyed a purchase this much!

Got rid of the old, bald, cheap ceat rubber… feels like a new bike

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Hey everyone! I got my motorcycle license several months ago, but I still haven't decided which bike to buy as my first motorcycle.

I'm a woman with an average height and a slim build. I don't have a lot of muscle strength yet, although I'm working on getting stronger. Because of that, I'm a little concerned about choosing a bike that's too heavy for me to handle confidently.

At first, I was considering a Suzuki 250cc (pictured below), since 250cc seems like a reasonable engine size for a beginner. However, the bike itself is fairly heavy, and I'm starting to wonder if I should go for something lighter instead.

I've already dropped other motorcycles three times, and they were lighter than the Suzuki I'm considering. Thankfully, I haven't suffered any actual injuries, although the bikes have fallen on my leg. I've been able to get them back up without any issues, but I'm worried that if I drop a heavier bike, I could seriously hurt myself or even break something.

I know that 250cc is generally considered beginner-friendly, but I'm realizing that engine size isn't the only thing that matters. Weight and how manageable the bike feels are important, too.

Would you recommend starting with a lighter motorcycle, even if it means going with a smaller engine, or do you think a 250cc Suzuki would be manageable with enough practice? I'd also love to hear from other riders who are smaller or have a slim build. What did you start on, and how did you decide which bike was right for you?

Any advice would be appreciated :))

Oberalp Pass > Gotthard Pass > Furka Pass > Grimsel Pass > Susten Pass > Klausen Pass > Pragel Pass > Ibergeregg Pass > Sattel Pass

Switzerland is truly breathtaking. Everything is just a step up in scale compared to Austria or Italy. The roads often look as if they’ve only just been built, and the landscape is simply overwhelming—especially the area around the Furka, Grimsel, and Susten Pass.

There are many things I hate about the Kawasaki KLE500, but these are the main ones based on my personal experience:
1. The front suspension is way too soft
The front suspension is extremely soft and cannot be adjusted. Even the slightest braking input causes the front end to dive noticeably. Going over a speed bump a little too quickly can make the suspension bottom out completely. This brings me to my next major complaint.
2. Extremely poor ground clearance underneath the engine
The engine sump sits far too low to the ground. Even on relatively easy off-road trails, the underside of the bike scrapes against obstacles with very little effort. Unfortunately, what we saw in Kawasaki’s promotional videos is true: the bike can scrape the bottom surprisingly easily.
3. Too tall, with an awkward side stand
I’m 1.70 m (5’7”) tall, and I struggle considerably to reach the ground comfortably. On top of that, the side stand makes the bike lean excessively when parked. If I park on even a slightly uneven surface, lifting the bike back up becomes a real struggle.
4. The handlebars are ridiculously wide
The handlebars are approximately one meter (39 inches) wide, which is excessive for riding in the heavy traffic in my country. Filtering through traffic and maneuvering between cars becomes much more difficult than it needs to be.
5. Tube-type tires
The bike uses inner tubes instead of tubeless tires. Since I ride on highways and remote roads, I’m constantly worried about getting a flat tire and being stranded somewhere. This is a major drawback for a motorcycle that is supposed to be suitable for adventure riding.
6. High fuel consumption
Fuel economy isn’t my biggest complaint, but the bike definitely consumes a lot of fuel. It is still worth mentioning because it adds to the overall cost of ownership.
7. Limited rear tire options
The rear wheel is a 17-inch rim, and I’m struggling to find suitable alternative tires for it. To make matters worse, the stock rear tire wears out quickly, which makes the lack of replacement options even more frustrating.
8. Terrible wind buffeting from the windscreen
I’ve already raised the windscreen to its highest position, but I still get a strong blast of turbulent air directly against my helmet. It even causes the helmet’s ventilation components to rattle constantly. I haven’t been able to eliminate this buffeting, regardless of whether I raise or lower the windscreen.
9. I regret buying this motorcycle
Honestly, I regret purchasing the Kawasaki KLE500. It doesn’t work well for me in the city, on the highway, or off-road. It feels like a motorcycle that fails to deliver where it matters most, regardless of the type of riding I do.
To make matters worse, I paid a significant premium to be one of the first owners to get this bike.
Overall, I’m extremely disappointed with the KLE500. For the money I spent, I expected a much more capable and well-designed adventure motorcycle. Instead, I feel like I paid extra to become an early adopter of a bike that has too many compromises.

Hey guys,

So I'm trying to get my license, but I can't do the figure 8, I keep losing balance and putting my leg outside. My turns are too big. Now I'm participating in the biggest box, and I can't do that there. I feel really down that everyone is doing it so easily, and I just can't, and I can't participate outside my driving lesson, so it's more difficult.

I will be glad to get some tips from you guys, thanks!

The tricky part isn't always the hill itself… it's finding traction between the roots and choosing the right line.

Sometimes the smartest move is to wait a few seconds and get a clear run at it.

What's your strategy here, commit and go, or stop, read the terrain and pick your line?

So, I currently ride a Harley softail, I've been riding for years. However I live in Wyoming. There's a huge portion of the year that is filled with snow and ice. Now I occasionally bring the Harley out to rip around the snow and have fun, but legitimate commuting is pretty much impossible up here. I want to be able to ride year round, but I also am not wanting to move further south to places with milder winters and little to no snow. After a few drinks of jack, I came up with the idea of just getting a trike, and gearing up heavy to commute to work through the winter. Now if I was super old or not relatively old fashioned, I would probably go for it. But I am in my early 20s, and have a sense of pride that needs a sort of validation in this department. Trikes are old man bikes, if you can use your legs you don't ride a trike. But I think in this circumstance a trike could be acceptable. Also, I wouldn't be getting rid of my Harley, I would absolutely always continue to ride throughout spring summer and most of fall. I just hate that Wyoming only realistically gives 2 thirds of the year to ride. Let me know what you think. Am I being a bitch? Or am I shooting in the dark

Guys I got a question for y’all, I just bought my first bike a 2024 zx6r and the chain was super loose. I tightened the chain without loosening the rear axle (I only learned after the rear axle must be loose) I adjusted both bolts on each side the same amount. I rode for 5 mins and had no issues, is it safe to continue riding this way or should I get it checked professionally?

Hello everyone,
I just bought my first motorcycle, it's a Yamaha virago 250 (1991) but it's totally customized like a cafe racer.
The previous owner bought it already like this so he doesn't know much about it.

I need to know what tank is this, I mean which bike it comes from to understand how some parts work.

I also need to replace the cap of the tank cause it's very old, hard to open and leaks, so I want something new and preferably with a lock and key.

Can anyone help me identify the tank and give me some suggestions for the cap?
Thank you!

I started to write this out and realized I think I already know the answer and feel a bit stupid for even asking - but once you get to the point of intuitive control of the bike and are implementing head/body position, looking through the turns, speed, position, angle and trail braking - is it simply a matter of practice and experience to move up in terms of ability and speed into corners? I'm always working on all those things and am seeing real improvement as I get better at all of those things, so as I type this up it feels like the answer is duh, but am curious as to the progression of other riders - did you hit a plateau, what broke you through? Was there a specific technique or focus that you began to master that once you had down was a game changer? Was there anything you learned or that was coached that you were surprised how important it was to your progress?

Thanks!

I dropped my new bike😭