The “Bikes at” moto event pitched its tents at ZLDR Luchtfabriek again this summer. I took my camera along to the final edition of this season, on August 6.
All kinds of bikes and riders filled the square, creating a warm and lively atmosphere. Hats off to organizer Mario Zambonini for pulling off this successful event year after year and building a true community around it.
Check out my photo series: Continue reading
Three years ago, I tested the Harley Street Bob and I have to say, I was pretty smitten with its cruiser vibe. At the same time, it left me itching to try a Harley with more long-distance DNA (read: fairing and saddlebags), without having to climb aboard one of their weighty Touring models.
Enter the Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST, the fairing-and-bagged version of the Low Rider S and a proud member of the Cruiser lineup. The ST doesn’t hide where it got its looks. It borrows a hefty scoop of design sauce from the iconic FXRT of the eighties. Retro vibes galore! In fact, with those red letters on gray paint, my test bike looked like it could cameo in Stranger Things.
One walkaround of the ST and I’m already nodding in approval. The fit and finish are solid (with a special mention for that classic yet beautifully designed taillight) and in this blacked-out trim, the bike just looks plain cool. Worth noting: the ST comes standard in chrome (starting at $24,199), and if you want it murdered out, that’ll cost you an extra $1,100. Most paint options also come with a surcharge.
Not exactly cheap, but the ST isn’t some bare-bones, tech-free entry model either. Harley-Davidson is (finally) rolling out Continue reading
Durmitor National Park in Montenegro has fired up my imagination for years. With its jaw-dropping karst landscapes, turquoise mountain lakes and deep canyons, it’s easily one of Europe’s most breath-taking nature parks. But it’s not exactly around the corner. “Ideal for a sporty touring bike adventure,” I suggested at the editorial table. Suzuki liked the idea too and that’s how I ended up blasting my way to the Balkans on a GSX-S1000GX.
Suzuki’s GSX-S1000GX is their answer to the ever-growing crossover segment: a mix of the comfort and long-travel suspension of an adventure bike with the sharp handling of a road-focused 17-inch-wheeled naked.
Suzuki gave the GX a sharp, angular design. It’s clearly part of the same family as the GT. With its twin stacked headlights and narrowed “side eyes”, I think it’s a seriously good-looking bike. The finish is top-notch and the cockpit feels clean and calm thanks to the absence of exposed cables or awkward gaps.
The GSX-S1000GX is Suzuki’s first motorcycle equipped with adaptive suspension. Judging by the way they showcase it in the brochure, they’re clearly proud of it. But it doesn’t stop there: the GX is packed with electronic rider aids. Suzuki bundles them under the name S.I.R.S. or Suzuki Intelligent Ride Systems. Listing them all would take too long. Best to hop on, ride, and discover them as you go.
My plans take me to the Croatian coast in two days, though I hadn’t accounted for the fact that half of Germany and Austria would be heading in the same direction at the exact same time. The result: massive traffic jams. But also: perfect conditions to Continue reading
Team Throttle 