Features

Welcome back to the Bore & Stoke Podcast. In Episode 15, the crew breaks down a packed week of motorcycle news, first looks, and industry moves. Triumph expands its lineup with the 2026 Thruxton 400 and Street Tracker 400, plus a sharper Street Triple 765 RX and updated Moto2 Edition. Harley-Davidson announces its 2026 carry-over models, and we dig into five key takeaways from its Q3 financial results.

In this episode, Troy, Ryan, Dennis, and Nic sit down to break down the biggest announcements, reveals, surprises, and head-scratchers from this year’s show in Milan. No guest this time — just the crew digging into the bikes everyone’s talking about.

Los Angeles is one of those places where you can chase a theme for an entire day and never run out of road. Recently, Ryan and I started to reminisce about our travels through Italy (one of the awesome perks of this job), and inevitably the topic of food, drinks, and motorcycles popped up. As much as we love experiencing the real deal, hopping on a plane and going to the Amalfi coast hasn’t been in the cards for us lately. Fortunately for us, we live in LA. If we can’t go to Italy, then there’s enough of Italy here for us to scratch the itch. 

Harley-Davidson’s financial results for the third quarter of 2025 was a pretty mixed bag. On the positive side, revenue from motorcycle sales increased 23% over the same quarter of 2024, and Harley-Davidson’s reported earnings per share of $3.10 exceeded expectations.

When we recorded this episode, EICMA was right around the corner, and it's always the time of year when the motorcycle world is buzzing. In this episode of Bore and Stoke, Troy, Nic, and Dennis dig into the biggest headlines leading up to the show — including the all-new MV Agusta Brutale Serie Oro, Honda’s confirmed CB1000GT sport-tourer, and Kawasaki’s revived KLE500.

There’s a funny thing about visiting somewhere new on two wheels — you wish you could see more. Such was the case when Ryan and I visited Ontario, Canada last year for a piece we called Destination Ontario. As much as we enjoyed our time touring the roads available to us in The North, and experiencing the lovely Fall colors, we knew all along that we were only scratching the surface. Ryan, for his part, couldn’t help but wonder where all the dirt trails led off to anytime we came past one. Clearly, trying to explore off piste on a Honda Gold Wing or Harley Street Glide isn’t recommended, so we kept our route to the pavement.

Sweaty. Dusty. Satisfied. That’s how each day of the 2025 Husqvarna Trek ended for nearly all of the 70 or so riders who participated this year. For 2025, Husqvarna brought the Trek to the heart of the Serra da Estrela Natural Park, an area enveloped in the highest mountains in mainland Portugal. With the idea plucked from five successful events in Australia, the second European installment in the Trek took place October 6 - 10 on the Iberian Peninsula. After the success downunder – and with its orange counterpart’s consumer Rallies, of course – Husqvarna saw fit to expand the consumer-focused event to the EU. The first Trek organized by the global team in 2024 took place in Southern Spain.

What happens when a biomedical scientist becomes a motorcycle content creator? In this episode, we talk with Lali, better known as @anti_parallali, whose passion for science and two wheels has built a loyal following as a thoughtful and authentic voice in motorcycling.

Once again, the MO crew is back to talk about what's happening in the moto world — boy, a LOT has happened since the last time we met.

In this episode of the Bore and Stoke podcast, we sit down with Luca Dovesi, General Manager of MV Agusta North America. As a brand synonymous with Italian design, racing heritage, and exclusivity, we talk about the brand’s challenges and opportunities on this side of the Atlantic. From strengthening the dealer network to embracing new technologies, and from building a passionate rider community to envisioning the brand’s future, Luca offers candid insights on what it means to lead a historic company into its next chapter.

In this episode of the Bore and Stoke podcast, we break down the latest motorcycle news and hot topics, including KTM quietly dropping the 790 Duke and Adventure from the U.S. lineup, the wild chaos of Red Bull Romaniacs, and Wayne Rainey’s inspiring return—riding a special Yamaha XSR900 GP with an automatic transmission.

Who is Stark Future? What does Varg mean? Where are these machines manufactured? And how are we sitting here asking these questions about a company that produces a pretty stellar dirtbike – that happens to be electric? All valid questions, and after riding the machine along the border of France and Spain in the Pyrenees mountains and visiting Stark Future HQ in Barcelona, I’m ready to answer these questions and more.

In this episode of The Bore & Stoke Podcast, we sit down with Shiv Pathak — an expert in motorcycle ECU tuning — to unpack how modern regulations are shaping the way your bike rides, often in ways you’d never expect. From Ducati’s locked-down throttle maps to BMW’s confusing gear-based restrictions, Shiv explains how Euro 5 emissions and U.S. sound regulations force manufacturers to make compromises that directly affect performance and rideability.

Well, we got that one wrong, didn't we? If you don't know what we're talking about, in episode 5 of the Bore and Stoke podcast, we caught wind of the Suzuki GSX-8T and TT and we all guessed the "T" would stand for "Touring." We weren't quite sure what "TT" would stand for, but nonetheless, we got this one totally wrong. Suzuki has officially unveiled the GSX-8T and GSX-8TT, and instead of being touring bikes (which, by the way, we still think is a good idea), the T and TT are two new models based on the Suzuki GSX-8 platform, now with retro themes inspired by Suzuki's past. See the full press release below for more information. And feel free to call us out on how wrong we were in the comments.

Episode five of the Bore and Stoke podcast is coming at you, and this week sees the band getting back together to talk about all the happenings in the moto world — and we even get a visit from an old cast member! 

This week, we're joined by legendary riding and racing coach Ken Hill for a deep dive into what it takes to become a truly great motorcycle rider. From essential fundamentals to the impact of modern rider aids, Ken shares knowledge that applies to everyone from street riders to pro racers.

Welcome to episode two of the Bore and Stoke podcast, and the first where we sit down with a guest! And boy do we have a great first guest – none other than famed motorcycle designer, Miguel Galluzzi. Perhaps best known for designing the Ducati Monster, Galluzzi’s body of work is so much bigger than that. So much so that we’d wager a guess that he’s had a bigger influence on motorcycle design than you may realize. Galluzzi’s had his hand in the design of the Ducati 900 Supersport, Aprilia Dorsoduro, RSV4, and Moto Guzzi V7 Racer, and MGX21, just to name a few. 

In case our written reviews and videos weren’t enough, the Motorcycle.com crew has now entered the world of podcasts! Say hello to Bore and Stoke. In this first episode, we’ll tell you what Bore and Stoke is, how often it’ll come at you, and why you’ll want to keep tuning in. 

Is this the afterlife?

Did I murder someone, or was I mauled by a pissed-off bear who didn’t appreciate my snoring?

Did my favorite tent just become a body bag?

[With Ducati recently offering up details about its production Desmo450 MX motocrosser and referring to it as “the first motocross bike from the Borgo Panigale manufacturer,” friend of MO and legendary moto-journo, Alan Cathcart reminded us that this isn’t Ducati’s first foray into off-road competition. That said, off-road racing terminology and disciplines have changed over the years. While Ducati’s claim is still arguably correct, Cathcart offers us a look into the past at the brand’s last attempt at a Single-cylinder off-road competition machine: the Regolarità 125. —Ed.]

The return of Ducati to the single-cylinder MX and Enduro market dictates a look in the rear view mirror of history to back when the famous Italian sportbike manufacturer last previously dabbled in the offroad sector. For contrary to what its PR office is stating, the new Desmo450 MX model which the German-owned Italian sportbike manufacturer bills as ‘the first motocross bike in our history’ is in fact nothing of the kind.

This isn’t the kind of thing we normally do here at Motorcycle.com, but then again, our friend Shahin Alvandi isn’t your normal kind of guy. When Alvandi decided to make the move back to Southern California to become General Manager of Pro Italia, it was a big deal. At one point in time, Pro Italia was the West Coast’s dealership of choice if you wanted a Ducati, and especially if you wanted to make your Ducati faster. Coming back to Pro Italia is a full circle moment for Alvandi, and he asked us at Motorcycle.com to publish this love letter to motorcycling as not just his announcement of his new position, but also as a token of appreciation of his homecoming. We were happy to oblige.  

Every motorcyclist has these pure, lizard-brain thoughts that only gearheads can relate to: How do I make my bike go faster? Oh, our dear, sweet MOrons – the answer to that question is a can of worms worth cracking open! The ways that riders hunt for higher speeds and faster lap times are as colorful as a rainbow. Still, instead of focusing on complicated builds, we will discuss a few handy tips that at-home mechanics can handle all by their lonesome. Get ready because we’re about to chat about making your motorcycle faster.

It’s been a while since I walked out of work into a dark winter evening and scraped frost off of my motorcycle seat before hopping on to brave the elements. Longer still, that I did it every night during college in the Midwest where my enthusiasm and devil-may-care attitude outweighed the fear of potential black ice lurking in the shadows. Not long after that time, I moved to California with its promise of year-round riding in the sunshine with mountains I could visit within a day to get my fix of snow if/when needed. It’s been great. I do miss the seasonality though. The moist smell of dirt and decay that you only get a few times a year on unseasonably warm fall days as the leaves begin to change color and litter the forest floor before drying to a crisp in the winter wind. I miss the silent mornings when an overnight snow storm left the landscape blanketed in a sound dampening layer of ice. I miss change.

Have you ever sipped beer through a straw? To be so mentally and physically exhausted that you couldn’t be bothered to bring the bottle to your lips. Yet so entitled to a reward that you insisted on treating yourself to a celebratory Corona which you hardly wanted and barely drank. With every swig, I melted deeper into the vinyl bench, so tired it felt like my very essence was radiating out of my body. It was perplexing to feel both so drained and so accomplished at the same time. While I didn’t know what to expect from my first enduro, I never thought the racing would feel quite like that. I still quite can’t explain it in words; it was like fulfillment became tangible and I could hold it in my hands.

On October 11-13 this year at the annual 2024 Barber Vintage Festival, the world-leading Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum outside Birmingham, Alabama, will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its foundation in 1994. It marks the third decade of what its founder George W. Barber describes as “just having fun”!

The 2024 BMW GS Trophy will take place in southern Africa in Namibia. Here, 22 teams – 16 men’s, and 6 women’s – will compete in numerous challenges over the course of six days to see whose region will come out on top and, of course, to demonstrate what the BMW R 1300 GS is capable of in the hands of “normal” riders. Challenges will range from technical slow speed maneuvers, to off-bike trials designed to test the team’s cohesiveness and communication.

It’s been a while since we’ve put (proverbial) pen to paper. But luckily, not for anything as glum as what kept us at bay the last time. While Ana is indeed still hard at work in Colorado fulfilling a few personal goals as an ADV tour guide, I’ve been traveling – a lot – for work, hustling and riding and touring the Italian countryside then off to the Pacific Northwest to begin (officially) training for Red Bull Romaniacs. But before we dive into that grand adventure, our visit to Italy was quite fortuitous, and it subsequently inspired today’s post. This particular exploit led us to the headquarters of our Seat Time gear brand of choice: Alpinestars.

Aside from a few fleeting social media posts, this will serve as the first announcement that myself and Motorcycle.com were invited by BMW Motorrad North America to serve as the “embedded journalist” to ride alongside and report on the 2024 GS Trophy and Team USA’s progress as they navigate the challenges that BMW Motorrad and Namibia will have on offer. To say that I’m excited and humbled to receive the invite would be putting it lightly. Not only do I see it as an honor to receive the personal invite, but it carries more weight knowing that this is the first time Motorcycle.com as a publication has been invited.

Earlier this week, Bombardier Recreational Products revealed its new adventure-touring three-wheeler, the Can-Am Canyon. Loaded with long-travel suspension, a bit more ground clearance, and the ability to carry a lot of luggage, the Canyon looks like a more capable adventure vehicle than Can-Am’s previous, most off-road competent three-wheeler, the  Ryker Rally.

If you’ve never had the pleasure of riding in the Black Hills of South Dakota you’re missing out on some of the best roads the United States has to offer. The rolling hills are tattooed with hundreds of miles of two lane black top connecting the state’s constellation of scenic views. Needles Highway, Spearfish Canyon, Custer State Park, Crazy Horse, Iron Mountain, Mt. Rushmore… the list is endless and the roads are mostly empty… for fifty weeks of the year. During those other two weeks, Sturgis, a town of roughly 7,000 people, transforms into the epicenter of cruiser culture in America. Anywhere from 300,000 to a record 747,000 motorcyclists make their pilgrimage to the Black Hills for one of the largest motorcycle events on earth: The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

It wasn’t that long ago that the most popular trend in motorcycle technology was radar-based active cruise control and blindside detection. Today, it’s no longer the hottest trend in the industry, suddenly displaced by a sudden bumper crop of automatic clutch transmission systems.

In November 2022 Italian trophy brand MV Agusta, wholly owned since 2019 by Russian entrepreneur Timur Sardarov and his family, and Pierer Mobility AG – KTM’s parent company – reached an agreement on ‘future strategic cooperation’, as a result of which the Austrian firm headed by Stefan Pierer would acquire a 25.10% stake in MV Agusta via its KTM AG subsidiary. At the first meeting of the newly constituted MV Agusta board on November 15, a capital increase of €30 million was agreed, denoting the sum KTM had paid to acquire its new minority shareholding in the company. As part of this strategic alliance KTM took charge of purchasing all components needed to manufacture MV Agusta’s entire range of models, as well as responsibility for marketing, distribution and after-sales service for MV Agusta on a global basis outside Italy.

Barber Small Bore started out as the Smoky Mountain Crawl in Townsend, Tennessee back in 2017, very much thanks to Honda and its Ruckus and Grom models. Since then, its grown from a group of rowdy rednecks looking to have a bunch of backwoods fun, to more than 1,000 small bore enthusiasts (don’t worry, there are still plenty of rednecks) doing the exact same thing – and more – and now, all on the illustrious grounds of George Barber’s sprawling motorsports mecca just outside of Birmingham, Alabama. To say the event was wild would be an understatement. Racing, both on-road and off, stunt shows, hillclimbs, and more, went off with gobs of enthusiasm from both the crowds and participants alike as attendees cheered on the muddy mayhem that ensued, whether for glory or bust.