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2018 Alta Redshift SM

In America, Standard by AbhiLeave a Comment

I’m still writing up my review of the Can-Am Origin and Pulse but my time with those bikes has made me reflect on my (generally underwhelming) experience with electric motorcycles over the years. One of the few standouts was the Alta Redshift SM (supermoto), and this one’s worth a share as it’s been taken to another level thanks to a …

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1953 Triumph Tiger T110

In England, Standard by AbhiLeave a Comment

Let’s start with a slight discrepancy in this ad. The bike is listed as being from 1953. However… although Triumph started manufacturing the Tiger T110 (aka TT110) in 1953, it reportedly didn’t start selling them until 1954. Confusing things a little more: thanks to the meticulousness and transparency of the United Kingdom’s Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, I’m able to …

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1980 Benelli 254 Quattro

In Italy, Standard by AbhiLeave a Comment

Back in the early 1970s, Benelli was in a precarious financial position. The brand’s GP efforts from the decade prior proved costly, and their uninspiring two-strokes were struggling to sell. Thankfully, Alejandro de Tomaso (you’ll recognize that name on account of four-wheeled exotics like the Mangusta and the Pantera) stepped in and acquired 85% of the company in 1971.

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1969 Triumph Tiger 650

In England, Standard by Chris CopeLeave a Comment

My father-in-law had a late ’60s Triumph Bonneville when he was a young man in the 1970s ─ hurtling down country lanes in England’s West Country and occasionally strapping a bag to the seat to make his way to France to watch the Bol d’Or. “I loved that bike,” he once told me. “But I was replacing parts on a …

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1964 Ducati Diana Mark 3

In Italy, Standard by Chris CopeLeave a Comment

Do you like beautiful things? Of course you do. Do you like beautiful things that are temperamental and may cause you to set fire to your garage? Then you’ll want this 60-year-old Ducati Diana Mark 3. First, though, let me save you the trouble of getting lost in a bunch of internet rabbit holes due to confusion caused by how …

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Whitehouse Kit – 2014 Honda CB1100

In Japan, Standard by AbhiLeave a Comment

In 2014, Honda updated the CB1100 with a new dash and a six-speed transmission. The styling remained the same – bodywork that was designed to evoke the classic lines of the CB750. But a company in Japan called Whitehouse enabled owners to make their bikes look even more like the CB750 with a bodywork kit that included the tank, fenders, …

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1962 Aermacchi Chimera 250

In Italy, Standard by AbhiLeave a Comment

The Chimera was a bit ahead of its time – despite rarely seen features (for the time) like a single rear shock and the futuristic styling, Aermacchi was only able to sell 119 examples of the 175cc variant and 177 examples of the 250cc. Here’s a rare example of the latter that’s in the US.

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1993 Moto Guzzi Strada 1000

In Italy, Standard by AbhiLeave a Comment

Here’s a model I wasn’t familiar with previously: the Moto Guzzi Strada 1000. Based on the limited information I’ve been able to track down, these were built between ’92 and ’94 and it was a combination of the Mille GT and the SP III. Do you have any information on it?

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First Ride Review – 2024 Yamaha MT-09

In Japan, Reviews, Standard by AbhiLeave a Comment

Normally when a company does a mid-cycle refresh on a bike, you get some minor updates like a new dash or LED lighting. Yamaha made sure they took care of those but they also brought something bigger to the table: a philosophical shift in what the MT-09 should feel like. After a 110-mile ride with it, I’m convinced they made …

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2004 Moto Guzzi Breva

In Italy, Standard by AbhiLeave a Comment

Originally available as a 750, the Breva was given a bigger engine just as Moto Guzzi got an infusion of cash from Piaggio. The Breva was designed to be a modern naked tourer, and with the 1100 engine you could expect 72 horsepower at the rear wheel and 56 pound feet of torque.