Story by Mike Seate  •  Photos by Nikki Marie Photography As British manufacturers discovered more than half a century ago, line-ups can expand quite easily by de­signing new motorcycles around existing engine plat­forms. Indian’s Royal Enfield struck sales gold in 2018 with their versatile 650cc parallel twin engine introduced in the Continental GT cafe racer…

CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE Differentiating different batteries: A traditional AGM or sealed lead acid battery (1) is larger and far heavier than a Firepower lithium cell battery (2), which is equipped with a built-in LED test light, and the tiny Shorai lithium battery (3). Story and Photos by Mike Seate We’ve experienced a love-loathe…

Stars & Stripes for a Razor-Sharp Italian Story By Mike Seate and Jay LaRossaPhotos By Jose Gallina, MV Agusta and Mike Seate Jose warned Jay and me that the new, 2024 MV Agusta Dragster RR SCS America was an attention-getter. As he wheeled it from the trailer at our test ride gathering spot, his words…

Story by Mike Seate  •  Photos by Kevin Wing/BMW Motorrad I know what you’re thinking, faithful readers, what’s a bloody adventure bike doing in Cafe Racer Magazine, and in an issue dedicated to Serious Speed, no less. We wondered much the same when invited to sample the new-for-2024 BMW F900GS in the ­Nevada desert. Aesthetically,…

Story by Mike Seate  •  Photos by Simon Everett Three rapid-paced decades have zipped by since London’s Ace Cafe held its first reunion party. Back then, the once-popular transport cafe had been bought by a tire changing firm, its tall bay windows filled with lifts for cars and its coffee bar serving up axle lube…

All-Around Practicality and a Side of Thrills Story by Mike Seate  •  Photos by Jose Gallina When you think quick sharp-handling Suzuki, you think in-line four with a screaming, five-figure powerband, right? Bikes like Suzuki’s GSX-R line have not only defined the Japanese firm since 1985, but set standards for sporty road and track machines….

Power, Precision and Presence Story by Mike Seate and Jay LaRossa Photos by Jose Gallina The first thing that catches your attention about the new Aprilia Tuono 660 is the growl. The sound of the parallel twin engine’s pistons thrashing furiously along the cylinders is about a subtle as a lion stalking an antelope and…

Story by Nick Coumos • Photos by Mike Seate I’ve been interested in Royal Enfield motorcycles for many decades. From the original “Made in England” models through the reproduction period and now the newest models, I have been a fan. I especially liked the idea of the Himalayan when it was first introduced, thinking that…

Beauty and Beast in One Story by Mike Seate and Jay LaRossaPhotos by MV Agusta and Jose Gallina Just as the relentless arms race of race-replica sportbikes dies down, another full-bore contest has begun. This one pits motorcycle manufacturers against each other in a no-holds-barred race where the fastest, most powerful hyper­bike still wins, only…