Going back a few decades, the concept of a motorcycle trike almost always meant a Volkswagen engine propelling a collection of (mostly motorcycle) parts. These inventions created a common motorcycle insurance exclusion at the time: no steering wheels allowed. It was cool, certainly, and universally recognized, but by the '90's the owners of these machines were understandably annoyed by the fact that almost no insurance company in Ontario would go near them.
Times change, trikes change, many insurance companies have changed their view of three-wheeled motorcycles as well.
On Saturday, October 20, 2012, Kahuna Powersports rolled out the red carpet for the Canadian unveiling of the new 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 300. An impressive crowd of journalists, bloggers, and fans of both Kawasaki and of the motorcycle class to which this bike belongs shouldered their way through the dealership for this event. The event was a huge success, as expected. But will this motorcycle fulfill expectations when the rubber meets the road? Let's look at some of the facts and see what you think.
As happens every spring and summer at Ontario motorcycle dealerships, the demo ride circuit has hit its stride and will continue for a few weeks to come. Virtually every major manufacturer of motorcycles sends a crew out on the road with a truckful of the latest and greatest of their offerings. Below are just a few pictures from various Demo Rides that took place in the spring of 2012 around Ontario. Be sure to mark the next event scheduled at your favourite local dealer so that you won't miss out on the fun!
Harley Davidson decided to do something quite unique in 2001 when they introduced the VRSC V Rod line. This was not a recognizable relative of the Softail or Dyna models, and certainly did not bear a resemlance to a Sportster. However, Harley Davidson's calculated risks are very thoroughly considered, and ten years later it is very safe to say that they have done a lot of things right in the development of the V Rod division.