Imposter Motorcycles!! | HSLS S5E10

[@RevZilla]

Motul has you covered for this riding season! rvz.la/3Pw2Vyt Find some awesome roads and trails with REVER! rvz.la/3lsn5M4

[@aitutudu9422]

W 😊😊

[@jonathanvicodasilva2025]

Please bring Ari and Zack's Adventures back! I miss their great chemistry together.

[@JCintheBCC]

The comment at 20:05 about being more willing to risk an old machine than a new, expensive machine is 100% part of the equation. The real-world performance of machine is intrinsically linked to how close one is willing to get to its limit. In the 4x4 community, there is a saying to "Never underestimate a man with a Suzuki Samurai and nothing to lose."

[@cisium1184]

I loved those things.

[@Cheezmonka]

@@cisium1184 Crazy enough they still make them, but they aren't legal in the USA

[@tigershrimp9025]

There's a Himilayan promo video where they do a jump and break off the right foot peg. I think that is what Spurgeon is talking about. But I agree that it is a darling little machine that is not for everyone, but the people that it is for, it's the perfect bike.

[@stephaniemusick171]

Zack is exactly right about the ergos of cruisers. Any cruiser just immediately makes my back hurt. Zack is exactly wrong about the Super Cub, I have a 2021 Super Cub. The Honda accessory rear rack and a milk crate and the Super Cub is hugely practical. Zack is exactly right that the Super Cub is a gem of a motorcycle. For an around town ride I always jump on the Super Cub over my MT-07. Great pod cast guys.

[@theprodigalstranger5259]

Zack not Zach

[@The77Game]

So far a cruiser is the only bike I have ridden without hurting my back.

[@s7gull]

I love that the Himalayan is still somehow a polarizing motorcycle.

[@cisium1184]

There's no such thing as bad publicity. Show me a guy who hates the Himalayan and I'll show you a tall guy who thinks every bike should be designed for him. He's got 20-plus other ADV options to choose from, all of which will get him to Starbucks just fine. But if he ever rents a bike in Kashmir, it's gonna be a Himi.

[@vytas5584]

I like it as a toy but don’t like it as a dirt bike. So I’m polarised even inside myself

[@CptSmokeAlot]

@@vytas5584 you will want to contact your physician.

[@garrettyankton5411]

@@vytas5584 the thing about the Himalayan is it’s not a dirt bike, it’s more of a low speed touring bike that can do dirt trails and some rough stuff here and their. If you want a bike with lights then a Honda crf 300l is the way to go.

[@Mark-ou8nu]

I can see people getting it for the looks and the price, but the Himalayan just not cutting the mustard on American interstates

[@johnnynostress]

As the owner of a Gladius, I would like to thank Ari for recognizing its soul. And speaking of its looks, yeah, I know.. It was still way cheaper than a SV though

[@northeastpsychos]

This is one of my favorite episodes so far. A little gentle ribbing is always a good time. Someone wake me up when Harley releases the Bronx.

[@DJPTEXAS]

The whole feet forward riding position on the Cruisers started with guys who would " chop " their bikes and remove the floorboards and put a foot peg on the front floorboard mount bracket ...... I had a 70's era SuperGlide that came with mid pegs and controls but they still had the front mounting brackets so you could put on " Highway pegs ".....

[@ferociousfrankie]

Great podcast, anytime Ari is on, it will be a good one.

[@whinstonwhoodle6373]

Ha! A Ford Taurus is a perfect analogy. You wouldn’t know it said SHO on the bumper, or what it meant, unless you knew what you were looking at.

[@colz10]

i rented an indian scout bobber once. mostly because my wife was interested in buying one. i'm about as regular sized as it gets for motorcycles at 5'10" ~185lbs. i could not ride that thing for more than 10 minutes. so painful i haven't been riding long but i was originally convinced i would end up with a cruiser because of comfort. i learned the hard way that what you guys said is totally true: cruisers are just not comfortable. naked bikes work best for me. rode a 5.5 hour round trip in az on a mv agusta brutale without needing much rest.

[@ronladuke7235]

Totally agree with Zack on the close ratio gear boxes, first is too tall, top gear is too low, the manufacturers insist on gearing for max ecceleration , that’s great for a race bike but not ideal for a street bike?

[@R2RO_SG]

I’m glad to hear some negative thoughts on motorcycles. These days it seems like every motorcycle review is written with nothing but praises. I hope there will be more honestly brutal reviews in the future, keep up the great work

[@HieuHo-rs3ft]

This is a generational discussion so for me, the biggest sleeper of them all is the Honda Hawk GT, so much so that they sold them here for only 3 years with a final year of bringing only CA models into the US -- certainly some limitations out of the box, but a wonderful canvas for enthusiasts to squeeze every ounce out of what was a groundbreaking design, one that spawned an entire new category of motorcycles including some of the bikes you mentioned (e.g., SV650 (Gladius), Monster, Speed Triple, and even the R nineT).

[@aboynamedkuno]

I'm surprised these podcasts don't get more views, I love them. Thanks for the great content 🙌

[@sharagan]

CRUISER COMFORT MYTH - Thank you for addressing that, I am 100% with you on this through personal experience. My 1st bike was a Harley because I wanted a comfortable good looking bike for long trips. Even the name cruiser suggest comfortable cruising, my friends in general had the same advise: "Get a cruiser" The dealership confirmed this aswell.....AND damn, such a pile of steaming horseshit. The sportbike of my brother was more comfortable than that! I wasn't able to go 100kms without my lower back giving out (I was 28 years old at that time). Feet forward, hands forward, crappy suspension is the worst combination you can have. The bike sounded good, looked good, but that is it. Cruisers are made to be looked at, not to be ridden! I sold it soon after.

[@freebaf]

I agree completely with the discussion of cruiser comfort (or lack thereof). My previous 3 bikes were a Yamaha VStar, HD 1200 Sportster Custom, and a Kawasaki Vulcan 1600. I now ride a KLR 650 and realize how uncomfortable I was for years on longer rides! I am also 5'4" with a 28" inseam. I can't touch the ground even on tiptoes, so I also kind of miss the "comfort" (confidence) that a cruiser's low seat height affords. Just not enough to ever go back to a cruiser! I love my KLR!

[@WhiteSn95]

Ha, I bought a 600 Katana in high school thinking it was fast. I'll be honest I was a bit disappointed at how slow it was. However with the benefit of hindsight it was a great choice for a first motorcycle. It was relatively comfortable, and very reliable. I miss that little guy

[@sganzerlag]

Guys, what an awesome episode!! Many thanks to Motul for sponsoring this podcast! Best regards from Brasilia, Brazil.

[@TheCdubbleyoo]

This is what it takes to understand the Gladius: there is a current it Japanese cutlure that is fascinated with Europe, particularly German and Italy. It has found it's way into their mechanical design and I think each of the major vehicle companies there, more or less, has fashioned itself as "the (x)" of Japan. Suzuki, at least for a time, decided to take inspiration from Italy. Thus (and I am Suzuki fan, so it took a while to admit this), 99 SV is an aluminum recreation of the successful Monster. The second Gen was more original with its angular frame casting, and, I'd argue, better looking in some ways (particularly the dash). If nothing else, it was more unique. THEN, when it was time for the 10-year revision, Suzuki decided not to just go back to a softer curved frame, they went to an actual steel one - even closer to the Monster. The difference with this model is that it's a rendition of the hot, high-end naked Italian bike of the time, the MV Agusta Brutale. If you don't believe this, look at the Brutale's obloid headlight (first production bike with that) and its wing-cannon triple-outlet exhaust. Now look at the same parts on the SFV-650 Gladius. See the similarities? I think it's important to note that, despite ridicule, the Gladius still sold well in Europe. Also note thay "gladius" is a Roman short sword. See which region were aiming at? That said, they probably should have produced a S version built in the SFV (I don't know, but I always thought the "F" was meant to be for "ferrous" since the frame was steel).

[@j7238]

+1 for Ari and Zach recognizing the value of the RE Himalayan for what it is and not judging it against false standards.

[@willmoore3931]

So...I rode a HD Street 500 from Bloomington, IN to Tempe, AZ and back. I know what pain and fear are.

[@danielreigada1542]

Thats impressive. Hopefully not in the middle of the summer for the AZ section!

[@jfess1911]

I want to hear this story when you tell it to your grandkids. I'm sure that it will get even more impressive. Don't leave out the riding across banana peel - covered roads with alligators on each side!

[@mathewjeffery3592]

Thank you!! Great episode need to bring more of these back to today's shows.

[@tykiisel8801]

I have three Harleys in my garage, but would LOVE to see the Bronx. I was excited for that bike and disappointed when they decided not to make it.

[@barrettwbenton]

Probably one of the bigger mistakes the MoCo 's committed in the last few years: dangling a gorgeous and decidedly different ride (for them, anyway) in front of us, and then say "nah, you're not worthy." Still hoping their experience with the PA might sway them to reconsider.

[@jwaller1327]

The thumbnail pic showed a Ural, but then that bike was never even mentioned. But, wow, if ever there was an imposter motorcycle, the Ural would be it. I bought into all the videos of Urals being taken out in harsh conditions, being ridden like it's a tank or something. I got one and it didn't come close to living up to that. It's only great as a conversation/attention piece. If I was a grandpa, I could see it as the perfect thing to take the grandkids out for ice cream or just little joy rides around town or on 45 mph back roads. If that's the way it was marketed, it wouldn't be an imposter. And now with the sanctions and all against Russia, Ural is having to shut down and change the location of production. They could go to other countries with experience making quality products for a world market. Perhaps places like Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea, or even Mexico. But I read that they are moving production to Kazakhstan. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't know of Kazakhstan as being a place for quality mass production of anything. I guess we'll see.

[@elementogeek]

100% agree about cruisers lack of comfort. My first bike was an Indian Scout because I felt more comfortable on it since it had a pretty low seat height and didn't really feel like I could fall over that easily. Then I did an Iron butt 1000 on the Scout and immediately after getting back from that trip, I started looking at bikes where I could stand up on. Had a Street Scrambler for a while then ended up on a BWM GS1200 that I don't think I'll ever get rid of. My wife loves her Scout Sixty because of her short inseam but she really does not like the pain it causes her on her back . She's looking to replace it for a Triumph T-120 or a low suspension BMW F750

[@hillkillr]

As a new-ish rider, I learned quite a bit. For example I never considered that feet under the hips is a big part of comfort. Something to think about for future purchases.

[@jfess1911]

Being able to stand to lift yourself off the seat and use your legs as additional shock absorbers can make a huge difference when the road is bad.

[@MontanaBooniesRider]

Both of my bikes made this podcast, the Himalayan and the CTX700. They might be imposters but I love them, lol.

[@blondiejoe]

Shout out to Chase or whoever is responsible for doing such a good job with the photos!

[@skiphalbakken859]

Cruiser stock just dropped 30%. Great segment guys!

[@ronhayes6131]

Okay you should have brought up adventure tourers, I know Zack loves the Versys 650 but it is not an adventure tourer like th 1000 but the 300. I know Sturgeon was going to bash the V-Strom but at least it has some adventure characteristics. Even the Himalayan has some. Go to Alaska, you see a bunch of Vstroms.

[@Cheezmonka]

I love my 2019 V-Strom 650XT. The bigger 1000 and 1050 V-Stroms aren't great for the money, admittedly.

[@asterix908]

I think the vmax is beautiful!It looks special in person.

[@iToy80]

I love Ari, no matter the topic ❤ The rest of you isn’t too shabby either 😅

[@TheCdubbleyoo]

Um, Dis you guys forget that your buddy Noraly from Itchy Boots is riding that Honda CRF Rally from Patagonia to Alaska? Outside of dealing with non-optimal ture selection, it's made it through some pretty rough stuff so far. Wow, I guess I need...so hot takes in this ep

[@DJPTEXAS]

Great episode ! Brought back memories and all of you hit the nail on the head with your thoughts !

[@scoobymoto9858]

Any chance you guys can do an interview video with Adam Sandeval and Shady Tree Surgeon after their Sportster Scrambler build off T.A.T. trip?

[@mikemerrill175]

Itchy Boots is making the 300 rally look good though

[@kmb957]

Stop being influenced by mototubers.

[@JasKro]

I love Noraly but I would argue that the 300 Rally is not making her look good. ...or vice versa. She looked way better on her lighter CRF250L in So Africa. The 300 (she) struggles to get up technical terrain (regardless of tires) and it’s a beast to pick up every time she drops it. There is a huge opportunity for KTM to make a long service interval engine to put in their existing (light weight) EXC platform bikes.

[@chrisyoung1478]

I am interested to see what she says about the bike once shes finished. she'll probably be the most experienced rider in the world under more real world conditions, so her final review will be very telling.

[@steveh100]

I agree, she must have helped sell those things, I bought one, but with my eyes mostly wide open, I just wanted the service intervals and cost and 80+mpg(uk) it is spongy as hell with anything over 70-80kg on board, as they say its a good little bike but definately not Dakar material though. I'm just stoked it got a mention on High side Low side

[@sydsacks9097]

Thanks guys really appreciated your honesty. You certainly pruned my "Possibles" list!

[@scoobymoto9858]

Who goes out drinking…..and ends up in an “all night book store?” Must be code for something…..”I swear, I like the magazine for the articles”…..

[@cisium1184]

When I lived in DC in my 20s, we often used to end up at Kramerbooks in Dupont Circle after a night out. Lots of girls there, and a cafe where you could get a cup of coffee and pull yourself together before the walk home.

[@bwxmoto]

Writers, Authors, Readers.

[@RacerXdBrother]

Loved it, had me laughing during my workout. I too ride a Bonnie T100 and go where I'm not supposed to, that's the beauty of a classic Triumph, it's a motorcycle!

[@aaronbehindbars]

On the topic of the CTX13, I was very underwhelmed. It rode pretty harsh and me being over 6'1", my shins were crammed into the valve covers on the rear cylinders. I also have no idea why Honda felt the need to detune the ST's engine to just 85 hp. I'd much rather ride the ST.

[@DJPTEXAS]

The original " scrambler " in the 60's, 70's were ALL imposters..Think Honda scramblers ,Triumph Trophy.. ( which I did ride in the dirt ) lol....

[@kmb957]

I ride my scooter with my feet placed forward all the time and it feels great to me but I do move the feet closer to me if the roads get rough because of the bouncing.

[@VickyDemonChild666]

👌👌 100% agree with you guys on Revolution max engine on a Livewire chassis 👌👌... Great recipe Good morning from 🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳

[@aaronbehindbars]

Y'all mentioned the SCR950 being a terrible scrambler and one other point I would add is that thing is belt drive...those don't like little rocks and pebbles. Now, as a cruiser, I think it is much better than the Bolt if you don't like the usual cruiser low seat, especially for tall riders. I also would say the Bolt C-Spec (cafe version) is worth a mention. That had such terrible ergos with the not really rear-set rear-sets and clip-ons. That thing is miserable to ride!

[@Samfixit]

Im listening to this halfway i still haven’t heard about the aprillia tuono. It is an imposter. Its a wolf in sheeps clothing. Its a sportsbike not a naked bike that is why it overperformed.

[@MisterOcclusion]

Yeah. Cruisers are NOT comfortable. I'm a big guy with a stiff back and I ride a GS. I don't find a big cruiser comforting either, from the low speed handling perspective. Maybe raise the seat 8 inches, bring the floorboards back to where I could weight my feet and shift my weight around and I could like me a Road King, probably. But I have a GS, and I want that bike buried with me

[@beamdoctor5637]

Can Yamaha stop for a few minutes working on Ari race project and focus on my unreliable Super Tenere here in northern Utah at bike dealer. I replaced fuel pump, plugs, battery, changed fuel and checked injectors. Recall been done. Symptoms are random erratic idle and stall. It can run for hours then another day 5 minutes. After a stall it's hard to get it started again. The dealer said they checked everything and asked for technical support.

[@beamdoctor5637]

I want to go to some Adventure rallies but bikes too unreliable. It has only 26 K miles on it.

[@arax20]

Love my Himmy, really glad I got it as my first bike

[@ronladuke7235]

Totally agree on the motorcycle ergonomic, cannot ride a bike were your feet are out in front of of me!

[@Fogeljazz]

Awesome podcast, as always! And thanks for bringing up my email 😇👍

[@SanDiegoDude619]

I currently ride a 2022 Ducati Multistrada V4S. My previous bike was a 2005 Yamaha V-Star 1100 (a cruiser). I have to come clean: my ass gets sore after a few hours in the saddle of the Ducati on long rides. The V-Star, on the other hand, I could ride all day long without getting a sore ass. Of course, the Ducati is a HELL of a lot more fun to ride, and I could never go back to the V-Star. But my point is that not *all* cruisers are equally uncomfortable. I would classify that V-Star as one of the more comfortable bikes I have ever owned.

[@khaccanhle1930]

The new Cub sold in Asia DOES have a passenger seat. You can also put after market saddle boxes as well as a front basket. They are still very practical bikes. I don't know why they did not do this for the USA. Honda made a silly mistake.

[@allant9432]

My dad told me him and his mate got an Ariel square 4 a lo g time ago,stuck some knobby tyres on and he took that scrambling

[@johnkluge3421]

That is a brilliant idea. I can't believe more people haven't thought of that.

[@allant9432]

@@johnkluge3421 do you know what an Ariel square 4 is ?

[@johnkluge3421]

@@allant9432 I was thinking Arial Atom not the bizarre motorcycle from the 30s

[@allant9432]

@@johnkluge3421 same company, just from a long time ago haha

[@johnkluge3421]

@@allant9432 An Arial Atom with nobby tires and bulked up suspension would be a hell of a lot fun. Take that monster and do the Baja 1000.

[@zenden6564]

Nice to hear the boys firing on all three cylinders today 👌

[@DJPTEXAS]

The Jump scene with the Triumph was filmed in Matera, Italy not Morocco......

[@Mark-ou8nu]

To me, the VStrom is just a slightly more gravel oriented and character filled Versys. I don't think the owners are getting anything different than they expected.

[@johnmetcalfe2866]

You guys left a sleeper/imposter off the list of cruisers... The Victory Kingpin when it originally came out sort of as a baby bagger. Cadillac comfort on two wheels with surprising power that didn't look like it'd be a good long distance cruiser at all.

[@kawabungah20]

Very interesting commentary as always. The discussion that someone who's only ridden an 850 lb UltraClassic doesn't know how comfortable a motorcycle can be is a point taken. I have 100,000 trouble-free miles of highway and occasional off-road riding on my '94 Electra Glide (mostly two-up). However, I'm really getting interested in trying a hi-tech ADV bike like a 1250 GS or a Tiger 900 Pro with EFI, ABS and adaptive cruise. The Ultra Classic was perfect in its day for two large people to ride all day. What's the best ADV candidate for this mostly highway, two-up with some off-road jeep trails mixed in?

[@philippeereboom3561]

Kent, I have 70 000km on my triumph 1200 Explorer. I raised the handlebars, lowered the rear suspension, and replaced the seat for a comfort seat. The bike handles better than my previous sport bikes, is more comfortable than my brothers Goldwing and takes me to the remote places in Tasmania and outback Australia. I highly recommend it, however, as I’m getting older I may elect to replace it with to lighter 900 Tiger low.

[@davidmatthews3093]

Strange comments about the CRF 300 Rally. It is a baby 700 Tenere, they both have looks that exceed their ability but their ability is in fact awesome out of the box.

[@carlmarkwyatt]

I'm surprised you guys don't like Moto Guzzi V7, personally I think they're brilliant fun bikes but totally understand that it's subjective.

[@morningmoto88]

Duuuudes!! It’s so funny this morning that I’m watching this video I took my MSF course last year. My dealership had over a dozen left and they were selling them really cheap probably like around four or five grand. That’s what our instructor told us, that’s the bike they had for us. Hundreds of bikes produced. I’ve only ridden less than a handful my whole riding years. That was the most garbage piece of crap, everrr lmao, motorcycle I’ve ever felt ever, Clutch brakes and everything felt like plastic not wood LOL.. After skipping all levels and heading straight to the boss I’ve never felt so comfortable on my super duke😂🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️ What a phenomenal machine loll My bad on grammar and rambling lol just waking up

[@thomasbarnardjr9657]

Comfort is an interesting topic. Comfort can be argued for any type of motorcycle, and cruisers aren't an exception. Comfort is 2 way it's about the ride and the rider... not one or the other. Rider preference, posture, how you plan to ride etc comes into play considering comfort. Some bikes are more comfortable than others obviously, but true comfort is found in relationship between the bike and the rider riding the bike.

[@michaelhartman5485]

With regards to the Vulcan S...truer words were never spoken...new Corbin seat...Airhawk cushion...etc...nothing made a difference...after a half hour of riding, you just had to get off the bike as it became so uncomfortable ...then I learned about the rider triangle, which was never discussed in Cal MSF classes...traded that Vulcan S towards the purchase of my Z900RS and it has been happy trails ever since

[@erfunmir2345]

The best one By far 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 I like all the facts that are mentioned in this episode about motorcycle industry and market

[@rathieon8543]

Among……

[@easyfromtnbtw3555]

I traded my Harley for a supermoto, that’s how comfortable they are 😂

[@BalmungTaishou]

Power to thee. Upright, mids and sub 31 inches seat height is the best starter position for me at least.

[@Professor_Gascan]

Enjoyable podcast as always fellas. Just an idea for a future pc, bikes greater than the sum of their parts/bikes you didn't expect to like as much as you did.

[@philipdarnall787]

Great idea.

[@bernardoramirez3705]

Great Podcast! Which bike would you recommend for a daily round trip ride of 20 miles that would require the bike not to warm up too much in hot weather, be nimble enough for prudent lane filtering in crazy city traffic, max speed of at least 80 Mph, have a good suspension for some sections of very poorly built cobblestone roads, and a not to tall seat height (I am 5'-6"). I know it sounds like a letter to Santa, but I would love to see what you suggest.

[@johnpagejr.7628]

I ride recumbent bicycles but the cruiser feet forward just feels totally wrong to me. I am in the process of braking in my new CRF300L Rally and you are correct about the suspension. I am 5'8" tall with a 29" inseam and Weigh 150 LB but I like the bike it is a little on the tall side and I probable will end up upgrading the suspension. It is just the write weight for me to pick up and gets me where I want to go. It is plenty fast for an old fart like me.

[@jfess1911]

The relatively fast highway speeds in the US makes 300cc single cylinder dual sport motorcycles marginal here. If you only need to go 55 - 60 mph, the CRF300L is fine. The max speed limit was only 55 when I learned to ride and I considered a 250 adequate for an all around motorcycle.

[@johnpagejr.7628]

@@jfess1911 The 300 will do 85 MPH and for the few times I get on the freeway it will do just fine for me. I was born and raised in Montana so I know all about highway speeds in the US and I am 71 years old.

[@jfess1911]

@@johnpagejr.7628 Note I wrote "marginal", not "incapable." The issue around me in NC is the foothills which have a significant impact on being able to hold 70+mph. I have unpleasant memories of being a moving traffic obstruction from years ago when a 175cc two stroke was my only form of transportation. My point is more that the high traffic speeds in the US have a large impact on what people like the hosts of this show consider adequate transportation. In many other countries, the CRR300L would be considered a "big, powerful motorcycle."

[@smallbobcat08o.g.47]

I have quite a few friends that ride Harleys and talk about how great they are. I ride a grom, (sumo converted) wr250r, xsr900, and gen 3 mt09. I could listen to you guys bash harley all day long. Id go as far as to say the worst thing about halreys are the toxic community that ride them (not everyone.) Great podcast guys. Love the content. Keep it coming.

[@garrettyankton5411]

Zack is literally the best, love all vids he’s in

[@sosopei]

Well I have a R18 and and a Harley cruiser and I have never been this entertained even while you guys were trashing my bikes. Great fun podcast. (BTW I still like my bikes...)

[@andyb8568]

Agree I test rode an R18 and loved it.

[@howlingmocassin2917]

Always good to hear from Ari.........

[@JVDK01]

I got beat up a little bit at the HD dealer recently when I said out load that I would like to see the MoCo build a touring bike around the 1250 Revolution Max engine. Something a little sportier than the current touring lineup. It would probably fail miserably.

[@vytas5584]

I haven’t checked the video podcast in a while. Hardly recognise Spurge, looking so fit

[@LeVainCasque]

Without even watching, I think one of the bikes named will be the scr900. That thing was just a cash grab.

[@CaffeineFreak13]

But its actually popular amongst the retro and scrambler crowds

[@250f5.6]

This is a very good episode, mining your deep expertise. Thanks!

[@narrator-timothymckean]

I went to buy a new Himalayan the other day. The test ride was great and I really liked the bike... Until I sat down with the finance guy at the dealer. MSRP (Advertised price) is $5200, which is great. But dealer fees were going to bring it up to $8200. Way too much for such a small bike. I left so sad. Might be another podcast topic... "what are those dealer fees all about?"

[@danielreigada1542]

I had thought that my Moto Guzzi V7 Special was the coolest and best looking bike in town before listening to this episode. Now I look at it and am thinking "yeah, those front forks are kind of skinny." And when I rode it expecting it to stall any moment. Thanks guys for setting me straight.

[@davisheister]

I've had a Guzzi Breva 750 (V7 before the classic restyle) for 6 years now and I have no complaints. The only time I was left stranded was when my clutch cable snapped but that's to be expected at 18 years old. It's a lovely bike if you don't want to be fast and don't want to do jumps. I live on a dirt road and frequently ride through the orange groves nearby and it doesn't have an issue. It's designed to be as close to a simple, old bike as you can get brand new. Maintenance is easy and they frequently go 100,000 miles. So while I get why Ari doesn't like them, they aren't nearly as bad as he makes them sound. Zach has a review of the new Guzzi V85 on the channel you should check out. Very similar bikes mechanically.

[@danielreigada1542]

@@davisheister admittedly, a lot of what I like about the bike has to do with the style. The styling really does it for me like no other bike. I love the longitudinally mounted V Twin. It kind of reminds me of an airplane engine or a Morgan. And the shaft drive is great too - I think chain drives are a pain. It has a proper twin gauge setup and just looks perfect.

[@danielreigada1542]

@@davisheister I kind of am attracted to the exclusivity of the brand too. It's not a bike a see every day.

[@davisheister]

@@danielreigada1542 Yes! It was my first bike and I honestly had little idea what I wanted but the Guzzi was just so cool looking with the engine front and center. And the exclusivity is super cool too! Anytime I see someone else with a Guzzi, or if someone recognizes it, they stop and talk cuz they're just so rare. It's a great bike with a ton of personality!

[@johnkluge3421]

It is hysterical that Noralee of Itchy Boots’ bike Alaska, a Honda 300 Rally is listed as an imposter off road bike. If you have watched her trip across Central America, you have seen how badly that bike sucks off road. She keeps blaming it on the tires but it is the bike.

[@danielreigada1542]

That's true. Lol. She does seem to be having a lot of problems lately navigating the off road stuff. I don't remember so much of that in earlier seasons.

[@jfess1911]

Have you seen her tires? I would never venture into mud with the ones on her motorcycle. They won't even throw a decent roostertail of mud when she gets stuck! She has tried to buy more aggressive ones, but they are hard to find in the boondocks in South and Central America.

[@robertohofmann6939]

I read every Common Tread article as they come out, cuz y'all write real good. :) Ha! Y'all and your production staff are doing great things creatively and with passion. It's very cool. Enjoy yourselves.

[@bbevis2357]

My first bike was a GS500F! It was fine in isolation, but holy cow I didn't realize how lacking it was till I rode other bikes. Squishy suspension, weak brakes, wimpy engine, bad windshield, and overweight. The only thing it had going for it was nice looks, cheap price, and stupidly far fuel range. I could get 300 miles out of the tank.

[@jfess1911]

A perfectly decent motorcycle. Like you say, you didn't realize what it was lacking, but I suspect that you still had fun on it.

[@bbevis2357]

@@jfess1911 Oh for sure. I had so much fun on it. Even went camping. Kept it a couple years till I got an SV650. I definitely don't regret owning it but was glad to move on.

[@jfess1911]

@@bbevis2357 That's an excellent way to put it!

[@2fastnlight]

Fun episode guys, great input

[@coltonwancho6571]

I'm the first person to steer people away from cruisers and they always wonder why because I ride an old 68 triumph hardtail chopper but I'll tell them that most modern cruisers will beat you up more than the 350 lb chopper will but that's mainly because I only got two gallons. For anything that's longer than a couple hundred miles I'll take a standard motorcycle any day.

[@alanaspurling6469]

I’m reminded of the time Ari and Zack rode a Ducati’s and Triumph scramblers in Colorado….

[@thechansen]

I am big Honda Cub fan and have the Trail 125, but super disappointing that the UK/EU Super Cub comes with rear rack, passenger pegs/seat and the US model doesn’t. Or that’s just Honda assuming we have too many hamburgers for two up riding on a 125.

[@MaratheCorgi]

I wanna go on a trip so bad but I haven’t got my first bike. What would you recommend around the price of $5000

[@JCintheBCC]

The HD Bronx conversation reminded me of a photo I recently saw of Jason Mamoa's modded Pan America on the set of FastX. It's stripped of the fairings with a custom exhaust and seat. Just make the Bronx already!

[@usmcvet0313]

I just hope they don't call it the Bronx. I'd l like it if they revive the Buell name. Call it a Buell 975, and follow it with a Buell 1250.

[@TheEasyrider1200]

I had a BMW Scrambler and loved it to death! Took it off road quite a bit and it went pretty much anywhere I dared to go. Yes, the suspension sucked off road, but I wasn't running the Dakar. Things I didn't like was the ergonomics, standing up was awkward, no real luggage capacity, and impossibility to find a real windshield. Eventually traded it for an Africa Twin DCT.

[@cookiek2429]

Well I appreciate differing opinions, and if ya don’t like cruisers no sweat off my back. But the cruiser talk here to me just makes it sound more like a complaint about crappy roads. Only real complaint I’m hearing is not being able to brace for bumps and lacking suspension. If ya got a long smooth road ya shouldn’t need to brace for too many bumps. To me, I whole heartedly believe that a big cruiser is super comfy for a long haul ride, and not because it’s all I know. Own and have ridden all kinds of bikes, from sport to touring to standard to adv, etc, and the feet forward is more comfy to me, I don’t even like mid controls on the cruisers I’ve ridden with them. I mean what’s more comfy, an upright patio chair or a barstool or a feet forward recliner? I’ve done 400-500+ mile days on a couple different cruisers, a sport bike, a naked/sport-tourer, and a touring bike, and the one I’m most likely to take on future long hauls is the big comfy cruiser, though that does depend somewhat on where I’m heading and why.

[@mark2516]

Damn Spurg, did you have to spoil the Bond jump!

[@spmoore3954]

I'm surprised the VFR800 was mentioned so often in this episode and not once called-out as an imposter. I own a 2014 model and find it to be neither as performance-oriented as the exterior suggests nor as comfortable for long rides as most other "sport touring" bikes on the market. It's an intersting piece of engineering, but for me, it falls on the wrong side of each of the compromises it attempts to straddle.

[@RoeyHaviv]

I think the problem with the VFR is that they never shaved the weight off of it. In the 90’s it was a sport bike that happened to be comfortable in comparison to other sport bikes. As the years went by, other sport bikes got faster and lighter but the VFR kinda stayed the same if not got heavier. I have a VFR1200F that is completely different but is also an overweight comfortable sport bike that is shoved on the sporty side of sport touring.

[@Ridingforsanity]

I’m curious based on a quick comment you guys dropped about the Moto Guzzi Stelvio. And that it is part of a group of bikes we’re not true adventure bikes but rather dressed up sport tourers. Is this based on suspension and ground clearance capability or weight and ergonomics? I recently picked up a 2016 Aprilia Caponord Rally with the 19/17” spoked wheels and although it is not a true off road machine I love everything sport touring about it. Though I’m not going to profess that it is some off road ripper machine at 600lbs :).

[@TheCdubbleyoo]

I guess it was because it happened when I was no longer in HS in 2004, but the GS500 never fooled me by its body work. It does not look like a Gixxer. Granted, one would likely assume that it had as much potential as a Ninja 500...which it doesn't. It is an awesome beginner bike, however. It's even more so if you actually want to learn to wrench. Very, simple cheap to run... it's just those dang valve checks every 4000 miles.

[@dln.sweeney]

Doesn't Honda also sell Repsol liveried scooters overseas?

[@Crazylalalalala]

This has been really fun!

[@peterbrophy9442]

11 days late to comment. Just have to say these are never long! Great stuff team. 💚🇨🇦

[@e_dude3095]

hilarious! loved this episode! only sad part is that were getting close to the end of this season!

[@thewickedsoulirises]

The Heck! you triggering the Suzuki Bro's!! hahaha