Features Archives - Canada Moto Guide

Halloween Horror: Zac’s Yamaha XS650

Zac Kurylyk — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 10:35:03 +0000

Hey CMGers, it’s been a while since this ghastly tale ran on our site, but since it’s Halloween today, we thought you might enjoy this spine-chilling re-run read! Is … is it a zombie story? -gasp- Enjoy! — Editor. Gather close, boils and ghouls! Let me tell you the tale of the Cursed XS650! The Yamaha, a 1984 Heritage Special, came into my possession via a trade, a few months after I started…

Source

Commentary: Chinese Motorcycles Are Here In Canada To Stay

Zac Kurylyk — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 04:47:12 +0000

Once upon a time there was a very young journalist on the east coast of Canada who submitted a story about his Chinese motorcycle to Canada Moto Guide (back then, it was CMG Online). That bike was a Lifan GY-5, and that journo was me. This happened 15 years ago this year, and ever since that first story, I’ve been watching the fortunes—the rise and fall and rise again—of Chinese motorcycles in…

Source

Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month And Government Hypocrisy

Zac Kurylyk — Thu, 02 May 2024 13:57:14 +0000

It’s May, and you know what that means—an onslaught of messages from federal and provincial government agencies telling us it’s Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. Thanks for your help, guys, but it’s time to call out the hypocrisy. There’s a growing danger for all motorists on Canadian roads, with motorcyclists and other vulnerable road users particularly imperiled—and the government itself is…

Source

Get Your Bike Ready For Spring!

CMG Staff — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 13:02:21 +0000

Spring is here! Not the lame “astronomical spring,” which is basically meaningless in Canada. Not even “meteorological spring,” which can still mean six weeks of snow ahead. We mean REAL spring, where it’s warm just about every day, and you get the kids’ trampoline set up, you fire up the barbecue… and you get your motorcycle out for your first rides of the season. Or at least that’s the plan.

Source

Review: 2024 Honda Transalp

Zac Kurylyk — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 13:08:21 +0000

Honda’s Transalp is a bike with a lot of history—but most of that history took place outside the borders of Canada. The original Transalp was only imported to North America for a short run at the end of the ’80s, although the rest of the world had it from 1987 through 2012. There was much rejoicing when Honda confirmed the new Transalp model in the fall of 2022, and North Americans were even…

Source

Getaway: Your Mid-Winter Moto Vacation Options

CMG Staff — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 16:47:40 +0000

So it’s winter in Canada. No motorcycling, for most of us; even if we were willing to brave the cold, there’s ice waiting on the roads for the unwary. And even if there’s no ice, there’s road salt, looking to rot the finish off your exhaust and frame. So what are your getaway options, if you really need to get out for a spin? (What’s that you say? It looks like an early spring? Haha, you fool!

Source

Bikes To Watch For In 2024

CMG Staff — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 05:50:42 +0000

Hey Canucks! Our 2024 riding season is just about here, and the selling season is well underway. Here’s a lineup of several machines to watch for this year, if you’re thinking about buying a new bike—from India, Japan or Europe. Keep an eye out at the shows, you just might get to throw a leg over one and start building some of that moto-lust yourself… Adventure bikes are the hottest…

Source

Snow and studs: The highs and lows of winter riding

Zac Kurylyk — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 10:35:48 +0000

Back by popular demand, here’s one of the most enjoyable winter riding stories we ever did—Ed. Most of us park our bikes in winter, but not all. In the past few years, there have been some high-profile winter riding adventures in Canada. Oliver Solaro‘s KLR-mounted expeditions along the ice roads have drawn international attention, particularly due to the short film A.K.A.

Source