Wheelers Blog & News

KTM Press Release: KTM Motorsports is excited to announce it has extended its contract with Red Bull KTM Factory rider and the newly crowned 2015 East 250 Supercross Champion, Marvin Musquin, through the 2017 race season. Fresh off his first 250 Supercross title, Musquin announced after the race that he had re-signed with the Red Bull KTM Factory Team for two more years. Even more exciting to the masses, is that Musquin will be racing in the 450 Supercross and 450 Motocross Championships...

Washing your car is simple—you just clean the glass and paint. Washing your bike? There’s a lot more to contend with. Dirt bikes don’t need much more than a blast with the powerwasher. They lead a rough life, and who’ll notice a dull finish? A high-priced streetbike needs a little more attention. At every step, of this process, gravity is your friend. Washing, drying, detailing—work from the top towards the bottom. STEP 1 Treat painted surfaces (gas tank, fairings, fenders) gently—use mild...

By now, everyone’s heard that Austin is an oasis of cool in the middle of Texas, but to this seasoned bi-coaster, visiting for the recent Handbuilt Show was a very pleasant surprise, and a little humbling. While busy growing our beards, Austin stole the mojo once animating Williamsburg and the Mission District, which are now dominated by people with, like, real jobs. The Handbuilt Show, in its second year under Revival Cycles, is planted in East Austin, a Hispanic neighborhood with rings of...

American Motorcyclist Association Press Release: The American Motorcyclist Association and the American International Motorcycle Expo have announced that the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2015 will be recognized in front of the world of motorcycling Saturday, October 17 at the Orange County Convention Center’s Chapin Theater in Orlando, Florida. For the second year, the induction ceremony will be held in conjunction with the American International Motorcycle Expo, the fast growing...

Polaris Industries Press Release: Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII) today reported record first quarter net income of $88.6 million, or $1.30 per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2015, an increase of nine percent from the 2014 first quarter net income of $80.9 million, or $1.19 per diluted share. Sales for the first quarter 2015 totaled $1,033.3 million, which represents an increase of 16 percent from last year’s first quarter sales of $888.3 million. “I am pleased to...

I shuddered with anticipation and excitement as Ralph Husdon pulled the forklift into place and lowered my dusty, red 1980 Yamaha SR 500 race bike from its storage loft to the shop floor. For more than half-a-decade, its single cylinder motor sat motionless amid Ralph's dozen other vintage racing motorcycles. If everything went right, the red racing thumper and I would be lining up on the starting grid at Willow Springs International Raceway for the American Historic Motorcycle Racing...

After visiting Qatar, Thailand, and Argentina, the 2015 MXGP World Championship arrived last weekend in Italy for their first European event. Pietramurata, a typically tight, rocky, and compact facility in the shadow of the stunning Dolomite mountains, was packed with spectators. Expectations were high for the 8-time World Champion Tony Cairoli, but the spotlights were on the American star, Ryan Villopoto. In the first moto on Sunday, Villopoto fought hard with Tony Cairoli but narrowly...

I haven’t made an exhaust pipe in years. The process began with the application—for example, a rider wanting a set of cross-over pipes for a TZ350 Yamaha two-stroke road racer. Before the coming of high-arched “banana” swingarms, the big problem was how to fit the fat part of a two-stroke pipe on the chain side of the bike. By making the front part of the two pipes look like a person’s crossed arms, extra length was used up ahead of the engine, thereby pulling the fat part of the left pipe...

ny knowledgeable motorcycle enthusiast will tell you WP is a Dutch suspension manufacturer. That was true once, but in the nearly four decades since the firm was established, it has become more. Much more, as I discovered during a tour of the Austrian factory. WP was founded in 1977 by Wim Peters, whose initials purportedly gave the company its name. That’s only part of the story, however, because for many years WP went by White Power. This made sense for two reasons: First, the company’s...

Since Aprilia introduced its RSV4 in 2009, the little company from Noele, Italy, has won four manufacturer and three rider titles in World Superbike competition. The RSV4 has been a great platform, and the 2016 version represents another crucial step in the ongoing development of the RSV4 model. For 2016, the RSV4 comes in two designations—the RR and the limited-edition RF, of which only 500 will be made. The new V-four-powered superbike is not that dissimilar to previous model, but it does...