Though the celebrity/motorcycle crash story is entirely believable-- remember Brad Pitt's spill last October, George Clooney's wreck a while back, and numerous other famous folks who haven't kept the shiny side up?-- this time, the story was a hoax as revealed by Cruise's Twitter feed. The official word was that, "Tom NOT in motorcycle accident 2day...Tom tells us he hasn't been on his bike in days due 2 the weather, but when it clears up, look out. ;)"
Since today has turned into yet another typically gorgeous day here in Los Angeles, I trust that Mr. Cruise will no doubt take the opportunity to gear up and stay visible while he's out there on those wacky LA roads.
Related:
Photo © Getty Images; click to enlarge
When Celebrities Don't Crash: Rumors of Tom Cruise's Motorcycle Crash Prove False originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Monday, March 8th, 2010 at 17:49:35.
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Though the topic of its unusual styling seems to have dominated the buzz surrounding the bike, after riding the 150 horsepower, electronic suspension-equipped sport adventure tourer across the small volcanic island of Lanzarote, I must say that the last thing on my mind is its controversial appearance.
You can read out about the bike's performance-- both onroad and off-- in my 2010 Ducati Multistrada 1200 Review, and see shots of the bike in this photo gallery.
Photo © Ducati; click for Review
2010 Ducati Multistrada 1200 Review originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Thursday, March 4th, 2010 at 06:07:16.
See photos of the Bonnie-- including details like the optional Arrow 2-into-1 exhaust and bar-end mirrors-- in my Triumph Bonneville Long Term Test Bike Gallery, and read my first impressions in Long Term Report #1: Configurate Me!
Photo © Basem Wasef; click for photo gallery
Triumph Bonneville SE Long Term Test Bike Photo Gallery originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 at 00:01:43.
Metzeler's new M5 Sportec tires may boast high silica mixtures and multi-tension steel belts, but the feature sure to get tongues wagging is the hash-marked sidewall, complete with pictograms of varying lean angles (and unspoken insinuations about your willingess-- or lack thereof-- to pitch your bike sideways.)
Do these tires make you want to buy a set just to show off your cornering prowess, or would you rather keep your lean angles vague and undocumented?
Source: Dale's Motorcycle Blog, Metzeler
Photo © MetzelerClick to enlarge
Metzeler's M5 Sportec Chicken-Strip-o-Meter: How Man Are You? originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 at 10:11:26.
I did exactly that when the Triumph Bonneville SE beat out the Street Triple R and Thunderbird in the Moto Poll for About.com's next long term test motorcycle, adding and subtracting features on triumphmotorcycles.com in search of the right balance of looks and functionality for my Bonnie.
To see how I outfitted the bike and find out what it felt like to park the long term tester in my garage for the first time, read my Triumph Bonneville Long Term Update #1: Configurate Me!
Photos © Triumph; click to enlarge
Triumph Bonneville Long Term Update #1: Configurate Me! originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Monday, March 1st, 2010 at 00:01:26.
Ty is 5 feet, 6 inches tall and his inseam measures 30 inches, yet he confidently commands a lofty supermoto (as seen here.) How does he do it, and how does seat height affect the choices you make when it comes to picking a bike?
Check out Common Questions: Why is Seat Height So Important?, and drop a line if you've had a memorable (or frightening) experience on a too-tall or too-short bike.
Photo © Getty Images News; Click for article
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Seat Height, But Were Afraid to Ask originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Friday, February 26th, 2010 at 05:41:30.
The list of bikes we can't buy in the U.S. often triggers a healthy dose of envy. This sometimes ends in stateside availability and subsequent satisfaction (followed by general indifference; see the Harley-Davidson XR1200), or heightened, ongoing craving (witness the Honda Transalp.)
Joining the latter group--at least for the time being--is Yamaha's new XT1200Z Super Tenere (or Ténéré, if you're a cosmopolitan sophisticate.) This adventure tourer is similar in spirit to enduro-oriented long distance bikes like BMW's R1200GS and the upcoming Ducati Multistrada 1200 (which I'll be testing next week in the Canary Islands.)
The Super Tenere is powered by an 1,199cc parallel twin with a 270 degree "big bang" crankshaft, a la the R1, and the 108 horsepower mill should go a long way towards motivating the bike's 575 pound curb weight.
To learn more about its ABS and 3-stage traction control system, take a look at this 2010 Yamaha Super Tenere Photo Gallery. And if you like what you see, comment on whether or not you'd want this bike to become available in the U.S. market.
Photos © Yamaha;Click for 2010 Yamaha Super Tenere Photo Gallery
Introducing the 2010 Yamaha Super Tenere, Another Bike We Can't Buy Here... Yet originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 at 22:00:58.
We were alternating between the Honda CRF230M and the Suzuki TU250X, and though we both enjoy high-horsepower steeds as much as the next red-blooded American, bombing along on these small-displacement starter bikes plastered ear-to-ear grins across our mugs.
Find out why in my 2009 Suzuki TU250X Review, and see more of the $3,799, 82 mpg bike in this photo gallery.
Photo © Basem Wasef
A Review of the Affably Affordable 2009 Suzuki TU250X originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010 at 22:52:55.
Also new-for-2010 is another iteration of the Daytona 675 SE, which takes last year's Pearl White bodywork over Sparkle Blue chassis and adds new graphics and carbon fiber trim-- quite the departure from the black and gold '08 Daytona 675 SE I tested back in the day. The new Daytona 675 SE comes in at $10,299.
Other special edition offerings include a touring-oriented Thunderbird SE ($14,999), a two-tone blue Bonneville 60 ($8,999), a blacked-out Bonneville T100 Black ($8,599), and a red with white-striped, seat cowl and flyscreen-equipped Speed Triple SE ($11,299.)
You'll be able to view every 2010 bike when I post a new buyer's guide, but in the meantime here's the 2009 Triumph lineup.
Triumph Goes Special Edition Crazy for 2010 With Bored-Out Thunderbird, Dressed Up Daytona 675, and More originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010 at 14:39:25.
Though this attractive standard recalls 1960s era UJMs, it's built using 21st century manufacturing techniques. The TU's got electric start, a dual-piston front brake, and its air-cooled single even incorporates electronic fuel-injection. The price for this spoke-wheeled, beginner-friendly bike? A mere $3,799.
See pictures of Suzuki's TU250X in this photo gallery, and look out for a review soon.
A Photo Gallery of the Retro-Licious 2009 Suzuki TU250X originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Friday, February 19th, 2010 at 23:18:49.