Cycle World

CYCLE WORLD

AMERICA’S LEADING MOTORCYCLE MAGAZINE

APRIL 2012 • VOL. 51 NO. 4

CYCLE WORLD (ISSN 0011-4286, UPS 571-310), APRIL 2012, volume #51, Issue #4 is published by Bonnier Corporation, 2 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016. Copyright @ 2012 by Bonnier Corp. All rights reserved. Reprinting in whole or part is forbidden except by permission of Bonnier Corporation. Mailing List: We make a portion of our mailing list available to reputable firms. If you would prefer that we don’t include your name, please write us at the Palm Coast, FL address. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Cycle World Magazine, PO Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and additional offices. Subscription rates: $15.00 for 1 year. Canada & Foreign: $29.94, paid in US funds. Canada Post Publications agreement number #40612608. Canada Post Returns: Pitney Bowes, PO Box 25542, London, ON N6C6B2 Canada.

PRINTED IN THE USA

ROUNDUP

16 ELECTRIC BRAKES Brake-by-wire, a reality. By Kevin Cameron

18 VEGAS, BABY Auctions invade Sin City.

20 TWO-STROKES RETURN? OSSA is back with injected two-strokes.

22 HUSKY CONCEPT BAJA Old-school meets modern art.

24 2012 HONDA NC700X Automatic asphalt adventurer.

24 2013 VICTORY JUDGE Muscular café cruiser.

26 QUICKRIDE 2012 Honda CRF250R

FEATURES

46 TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE R Hammering the Hinckley hooligan at Jerez. By Blake Conner

70 CW 50th: “WE RIDE THE SEVEN SECRET BIKES OF JAPAN” REVISITED. Riding 1980s’ Japanese jewels in their homeland. By Steve Anderson

TEST

36 APRILIA TUONO V4 Raising the bar for naked superbikes. By Don Canet

74 LONG-TERM UPDATE BMW K1600GTL, Husqvarna TE630, Victory Cross Country.

SPECIAL SECTION

52 A BLACK ART Bronze gods: Jeff Decker and his Vincent Black Lightning. By John Burns

58 THE WEAPON Ryan Villopoto’s KX450F.

62 AFT CUSTOMS CB750 “SENTOH” You’ve never seen a CB750 quite like this one.

64 MICRO GP: HONDA NC450V A G-Force to be reckoned with.

68 GODZILLA Suzuki’s monster GSX-R1000 of 2005.

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EVALUATION

82 VESKIMO PERSONAL COOLING SYSTEM Portable air conditioning.

RACE WATCH

88 RETURN TO IMOLA A story almost 40 years in the making. By Don Emde

COLUMNS

12 UP FRONT Bike of the Year By Mark Hoyer

32 LEANINGS A Powerball Winner’s Guide to Motorcycle Collecting By Peter Egan

34 TDC Going to the Show By Kevin Cameron

DEPARTMENTS

28 HOTSHOTS

78 NEW IDEAS

84 SERVICE

96 SHOWCASE

106 SLIPSTREAM