Commuting Motorcycles

The Dakar Rally is one of the world’s most gruesome competitions in the world where participants have to endure all kinds of terrains and conditions. Now, regular people like you and me will probably never get to witness a full-spec Dakar bike in action, let alone ride one, but what we can do though is to try and replicate those kitted-out rally monsters to a certain degree.

This is where the Honda Grom’s Dakar bike body kit comes into play. It may not give you the same capabilities or make you think that you can jump over anything and everything, but it will surely make you look and feel super cool.

Black Tea, based out of Germany, has unveiled two electric motorcycles; the Bonfire E and the Bonfire X, for 2022. Both motorcycles are based on the scrambler platform and aim to be a fun replacement to 125cc ICE motorcycles.

The Yamaha Vino has been a popular scooter in the Japanese market since the late 1990s and has established itself as an easy-going city scooter for the masses. And to make this already likable package more delectable, Yamaha has updated it for 2022. Though the update is mainly visual, it is still a welcome update that adds to the scooter’s appeal.

Ever since it debuted, the Honda Grom has been quite popular. Owing to this popularity, we’ve seen numerous custom builds based on the Grom, most of which aren’t really road-friendly.

Japan-based TTR Motors, though, has taken a different road altogether and introduced two completely reversible body kits for the Grom, both of which transform the minibike into Honda’s exotic superbike, the CB1100R.

The 250-300cc motorcycle segment has a plethora of options from all leading two-wheeler companies. And the only way to be successful in this tight space is by regularly updating the bikes.

This is exactly what Chinese bikemaker CFMoto has done for 2022, as both the fully-faired 300SR and the streetfighter 300NK have been updated with new color options and features.

After successfully luring in superbike fanatics with its Ducati Panigale and BMW S 1000 RR kits, Lego is now targeting scooter fans with its all-new Vespa 125 model kit.

This model kit commemorates the successful 75 years of Vespa, while also serving as a great starting point for people looking to get into motorcycle model kits by Lego, considering this one is smaller than the two aforementioned superbike kits.

Honda’s humble little Super Cub maintains its position as the most prolific motorcycle in the world with yet another generation for MY2022. Reduced overall heft makes the new engine even more efficient than before for a net improvement in performance. Classic bodywork keeps it all under wraps while paying the appropriate amount of homage to the original design.

It seems like when God said “Let there be light,” Yamaha was already making the XT250. Okay, maybe not that long ago, but it has been since 1980 and I’ll bet a lot of folks reading this weren’t born yet. In 1982, Rambo rode one inFirst Blood. If it was mean enough to carry Sylvester Stallone, you know it was pretty awesome. With a wide-ratio five-speed and an air-cooled 250 cc engine, the XT250 is a proper little dual-sport machine and with a little more attention to two-up riding than you might expect in an off-road-capable bike.

If you’re a carburetor fan, you’re still in luck for a 250 cc commuter bike with the V Star 250 from Yamaha. Simple, classic-cruiser good looks and scooter-like fuel economy make the V Star 250 a no-nonsense choice for a budget-minded or entry-level rider.

The Bolt from Yamaha’s Star cruiser line is a cool little bobber-style bike with its high tank, short wheelbase, and solo seat. It’s a nice around town bike — lightweight and agile — and naked with real-steel sheet metal, so it just begs you to customize it. What could be better? Enter the Bolt’s siblings, the dressier Bolt R-Spec and the café racer Bolt C-Spec. The Spec duo are every bit as snappy and fun to ride as the Bolt, but with some upgrades, both hardware and cosmetic. Powered by the air-cooled 942 cc V-twin engine, the Specs are in the same size slot as the Bolt: not too small that you’ll outgrow it right away and not so big to be overwhelming for new riders. At just a few bills more than the Bolt, they’re worth a look.

Yamaha tweaks its Zuma 125 scooter platform ahead of MY2022 with a handful of improvements across the board. Fuel-efficient power comes from a new “Blue Core” engine sporting some pretty fancy fandanglery in the valvetrain. Rugged new bodywork and a re-imagined headlight area seal the deal to further separate this newest-generation adventure scooter from its predecessors and peers.

Yamaha brought the XMAX to the U.S. market with a 27.6-horsepower mill that promises enough speed to be safe, even comfortable, at highway velocities, and that’s muy importante in the American market. This performance comes bundled with a decidedly modern and mature look that just screams metro-commuter.

Honda’s adventuresome NC750X got a facelift ahead of the 2021 model-year that includes refined front fairings for improved penetration and an enlarged cargo space to contribute to its utility as both an adventure bike and a commuter cycle. The engine also enjoyed a few mechanical tweaks along with an improved electronic-control system, and the lump lost some weight so even more of that power is converted into acceleration. A new slipper-type clutch and re-calibrated transmission completed the MY2021 package with a concurrent gain in safety. Shorter gear-ratios for the first three gears let you come out of the hole like a champ while remaining in the usable powerband.