Motos and Friends from Ultimate Motorcycle magazine Motos and Friends by Ultimate Motorcycle

This week’s first segment is brought to you by editors Don Williams and Nic de Sena.
Don recently returned from Spain where he rode the new 2024 Husqvarna Svartpilen 801. Performance comes in many forms, and certainly the Svartpilen has a unique take on things while delivering amazing speed. It’s a premium motorcycle with lots of high-end features and a unique, almost steampunk look to it that makes it a real standout. It’s fast and user-friendly, and if doing things a little differently appeals to you, then Don’s take on the new Husqvarna will be of interest.
Motos and Friends is brought to you by Arai helmets. Arai is obsessed with every detail—even those unseen. There is such a thing as “The Arai Difference”.   For instance, if your experience has been that helmets are hard to get on, then try the Arai Contour-X, designed with a wider bottom opening for easier on/off.  Once on, you will be impressed at the amazing comfort of the Contour-X, especially if you’re into long-distance touring.
If you’re into Dual-Sport, then you’ll want to check out the new Arai XD-5. It’s a completely redesigned helmet, and as with everything from Arai, every improvement is made with a priority for protection. One of the major changes is the new VAS-A visor system, derived from the one originally developed for the Corsair-X. The new visor is designed to maximize surface area to glance off impact energy whilst at the same time offering easy installation and removal of the visor and peak. So get to your local dealer and try out the full range of Arai helmets. You will be instantly amazed at the fit and all-day comfort of any Arai helmet. You should also check out AraiAmericas.com to learn more.
If you’ve ever found yourself away from home and pining for a motorcycle ride, then Twisted Road might be the answer. In this second segment, Teejay Adams chats with Austin Rothbard, creator of the App that he describes as “the Airbnb of motorcycling”. Although your first take might be skepticism that anyone would want to rent out their precious motorcycle, it turns out that there are plenty of people not only willing to do so, but who are doing it regularly. The App has been around since 2017 and so it’s an idea that seems to be well evolved. Interesting!
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With its punchline “Ready to Race” you have to take KTM seriously in the performance world, and so this week, Editors Don Williams and Nic de Sena discuss the new KTM 990 Duke. Although in engine capacity terms it’s almost a liter-bike, actually the 990 Duke is classed as a middleweight. But, having thrashed this beauty around the roads of southern Spain, Nic chats with Don and gives his reason why this mid-size beast is clearly punching above its weight.  
In the second segment this week, Arthur Coldwells has a really enjoyable chat with Richard Worshum, co-Founder and Designer of the exquisite retro-style Janus motorcycles. Although manufactured in Goshen, Indiana, with modern materials and using modern engines, the Janus range of bikes clearly hearken back to a much simpler time. Richard admits they can hardly be considered performance machines, so what exactly is it that makes these machines so darned attractive? Is it just the cool looks, or is there something else that’s maybe not quite so obvious?     
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This week, Editors Don Williams and Nic de Sena discuss the new 2024 Aprilia RS 457. This is Aprilia’s newest entry into the highly competitive lightweight sportbike class. The smallest RS has it all, including a parallel-twin motor, full electronics suite, and an excellent handling chassis. What’s not to like? Nic shares his thoughts on the Aprilia, where he rode it on track in Italy, sharing the track with Maverick Vinales. Sounds like fun!
In the second segment this week Associate Editor Teejay Adams chats with Mark Foster, Founder and expert roaster of the acclaimed Fosterbuilt Coffee, based in the Catskill Mountains of New York state. Well what does that have to do with motorcycles, I hear you ask. Well, Mark is also a passionate motorcycle guy, and in this month of April he’s giving away a custom Royal Enfield 350 motorcycle. Please visit the Fosterbuilt Coffee website for details of how to enter to win. Watch the video here. But hurry, you only have a few days to get your entry in! 
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This week, Editors Don Williams and Nic de Sena discuss the 2025 Triumph Daytona 660. The all-new middleweight triple stands out amongst the well-established parallel twins in the class—and it does it for an exceptional price. 
In the second segment this week I chat with the three founders of Moto-Cyco Touring Adventures. Pat Campbell, Greg Mason, and Scott Urwick want to share their passion for themed guided tours throughout what they believe is the best place in the United States to ride—New England.  
All three guys (and their wives!) are serious motorcycle enthusiasts with more than three-and-a-half decades of combined riding experience. They have led safe, organized group rides for over 10 years and collectively, they average more than 50,000 miles of riding every year.
The themed rides sound spectacular, and after hearing their story I believe you will feel the same. I hope you will consider joining them on one of their rides.   
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This week, Editors Don Williams and Nic de Sena discuss the latest addition to the Harley Icons Collection, the 2024 Harley-Davidson Hydraglide Revival. This beautiful new softail commemorates the 75th anniversary of the hydraulic telescopic fork debuting on a Harley-Davidson. Don rode the Hydraglide Revival with his usual enthusiasm for all of these Icons Collection bikes, and of course he answers the big question: does the Hydraglide ride as beautifully as it looks?  
Fair warning: The second segment this week is going to be controversial. Were you taught NOT to cover the brakes when riding? Were you taught NOT to brake on entry into a corner? Were you ‘coached out’ of new rider training because you didn’t grasp it quickly enough?
It seems that although new rider training is excellent in many regards, there are certain fundamentals being taught that are just plain wrong. At best, they’re causing recently new riders to leave the sport—and at worst, these incorrect fundamentals are costing lives.
This episode, Associate Editor Teejay Adams chats with several people who recently attended new rider training to get their take. The main discussion is led by Nick Ienatsch of Yamaha Champions Riding School, one of the several passionate voices trying to get things changed.
Whether you think you’ve been taught correctly or incorrectly, this segment will be of interest to you. We need training groups and indeed, the industry itself to get behind this movement to evolve and improve these significant points. We need those with a passion to ride motorcycles to stick with it, and not get put off and leave the sport. If you agree, please leave a comment on our social media or message us directly. Let’s get the word out and make a positive change!
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This week, Editors Don Williams and Nic de Sena discuss the new Moto Guzzi Stelvio. It has been around eight years since Moto Guzzi updated the Stelvio, and so expectations were quite high when Nic went to the launch in Spain. Don chats with Nic about his experiences with the new Stelvio, and whether this new version is now a credible ADV bike.  
Motos and Friends is brought to you by Arai helmets. Yes, there is such a thing as “The Arai Difference” and it reflects the company’s incredible attention to detail. For instance, if your experience has been that helmets are hard to get on, then try the Arai Contour-X, designed with a wider bottom opening for easier on/off; it is the helmet you’ve been waiting for. Once on, you will be amazed at the extreme comfort of the Contour-X, a key benefit for long-distance touring.
Another example of “The Arai Difference”: Side Air Channels. The Corsair-X utilizes internal ducting, which effectively increases the extraction of hot, moist air from the eye-port area, to both help reduce shield fogging and increase your comfort. Get to your local Arai dealer and try the Contour-X and the Corsair-X, you won’t be disappointed! If you want to learn more, visit AraiAmericas.com.
In the second segment this week, Associate Editor Teejay Adams chats with Ray Hammons. Despite his mature age, a couple years ago Ray realized a long time dream—to learn to ride a motorcycle. To say that he jumped in with both feet is somewhat of an understatement. Ray was fortunate enough to attend the YCRS Champ Street School when he first got his license, and interestingly, he credits the school with saving his life almost immediately. The topic of whether you should cover the brake when riding is actually quite controversial, and if you do it during an MSF course, you will fail. This is patently wrong, and Ray is clearly hoping the right people wake up, and this change is made to rider training across the country.  
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