Retrospective: Yamaha XJ650RJ Seca 650: 1982
Clement Salvadori
November 12, 2012
Some people say that the Golden Era of Japanese motorcycles was in the early 1980s, when everything seemed to come together—engine, chassis and price. The Universal Japanese Motorcycle was in its heyday, an air-cooled in-line four being the main powerplant for all four Japanese companies. And one... Read more »
Motorcycles at the Audi Museum
Greg Drevenstedt
October 29, 2012
When German car manufacturer Audi purchased Italian motorcycle manufacturer Ducati last April, many motorcyclists scratched their head in confusion. Ducatisti wept, concerned that the automotive giant would impose Teutonic rigidity on their beloved, flamboyantly Italian marque. The hand-wringing wasn’t... Read more »
Retrospective: Moto Guzzi Eldorado 850: 1972-1974
Clement Salvadori
October 4, 2012
Change can be good, even when it’s incremental. When Moto Guzzi upped the ante with the 850 Eldorado, replacing the 750 Ambassador, it was all good. The new model had a slightly larger engine, another gear in the transmission, neither anything to complain about. This was a big, comfortable motorcycle... Read more »
Retrospective: Suzuki GS1000SZ Katana: 1982
Clement Salvadori
September 4, 2012
In the 1950s and ’60s motorcycle styling was of little concern to either the OEMs or consumers. Two wheels with an engine in between was the standard of the day, with minor differences in the shape of the gas tank. Then in 1973, Triumph USA and designer Craig Vetter came up with the Hurricane, and... Read more »
Retrospective: Norton 850 Commando Mark III: 1975 – 1977
Clement Salvadori
August 8, 2012
This Mark III was the last of the genuine Nortons. In October of 1977 the final Norton rolled off the line, with the side panels reading “850 Commando Electric Start.” The engine was an air-cooled parallel twin, inclined forward a few degrees, with two overhead valves per cylinder. A pair of Amal... Read more »
Retrospective: Kawasaki KZ750-E: 1980 – 1982
Clement Salvadori
July 6, 2012
(This Retrospective article was featured in the July 2012 issue of Rider Magazine) Story and photography by Clement Salvadori Year/Model: 1981 Kawasaki KZ750-E Owner: Franco Teti, Los Osos, California Class distinctions by engine size are important, and are often delineated by the numbers on a motorcycle’s... Read more »
Roster Full and Route Set for Transcontinental Motorcycle Cannonball Run II
Press Release
June 20, 2012
The Motorcycle Cannonball Run II, a historic transcontinental event scheduled for 17 days in September, has its roster full and the route is set. Though held on U.S soil, the 2012 iteration is for all intents and purposes, a worldwide event. According to Lonnie Isam, Jr., owner of Jurassic Racing in... Read more »
The Eddie Rickenbacker’s Collection of Motorcycles Heads for Auction
Press Release
June 20, 2012
The motorcycles hanging from the ceiling as adornments in the famous San Francisco bar and grill Eddie Rickenbacker’s will be auctioned by the world’s leading auctioneer of motorcycles, Bonhams, this August. Named after the Great World War flying ace and Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Eddie... Read more »
Retrospective: Honda XL350 Dual-Sport: 1974 – 1978
Clement Salvadori
June 5, 2012
(This Retrospective article was printed in the June 2012 issue of Rider Magazine.) This four-stroke woodser was an immediate hit with the casual rider, and could even seduce two-stroke lovers away from their mounts. As an added bonus the XL350 K1 was quite adequate on the pavement. For less than one-thousand... Read more »
Motorcycle Rallies and Clubs: Del Mar Concours 2011
Joe Michaud
May 2, 2012
The affluent city of Del Mar in San Diego County has had a motorcycle history for decades. In the past, the one-mile dirt oval at the Del Mar Fairgrounds was a favorite for AMA Grand National events and, in recent years, has enjoyed a brief period of reinstatement for those events. Encroaching development,... Read more »
