Michael Uhlarik Archives - Canada Moto Guide

Fundy Adventure Rally – with the Konker and Rob

Michael Uhlarik — Thu, 18 May 2017 09:32:37 +0000

The Konker started, reluctantly, with the third or fourth tap of the button. It sputtered briefly, then idled up to a shrill wail as its cold single cylinder was hammered down by repeated explosions. There was blue smoke, and the faint smell of burnt oil. This was not the standard startup ritual of the Konker. Normally it just went. But on this cool, damp morning in deepest New Brunswick…

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Ride Review – Honda NC750X

Michael Uhlarik — Tue, 13 Sep 2016 04:04:36 +0000

Let me tell you a secret. I used to be a weirdo. Ever since high school I understood that I was not typical, not one that could easily be placed into one of the accepted categories. I didn’t belong to the Dungeons and Dragons club, though I played the game. I was on the soccer team, but didn’t fit in with the jocks. I was nearly always a straight-A student but no one would have called me a nerd.

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Names Named – Designating a Motorcycle

Michael Uhlarik — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 03:34:03 +0000

Motorcycles have almost since their beginning been labelled using alpha-numeric codes denoting their engine size and function, or named after powerful forces of nature. Less commonly, motorcycles have names bequeathed upon them by studious marketing gurus who have carefully layered meaning into every letter and sound. So why are most motorcycle names so forgettable? What’s in a name? Quite a lot…

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The Aftermarket Market

Michael Uhlarik — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 03:22:33 +0000

The pages of CMG are filled with strong voices advocating the pros and cons of stage-one engine tuning, smaller rear sprockets, chrome vs matte finishes, and of course, loud exhaust pipes. What many see as an opportunity to set their motorcycles apart, others see as nothing more than ruining a perfectly good stock machine. For bikers seeking to free more power, lighten the load…

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Road & Track : Honda CB500X Test

Michael Uhlarik — Tue, 19 Jul 2016 03:06:23 +0000

I’ve spent the past quarter century striving to ride fast. The sensation of leaning in to a third gear corner and opening the throttle of a motorcycle has been a defining element of my adult life. Trends in motorcycling styles have come and gone, like cruisers and naked revivals and retro bikes, but none of them lured me away from dedicated speed weaponry. So it is with reluctance and surprise…

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Motorcycle Design Creeps Out of Control

Michael Uhlarik — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 04:20:01 +0000

The Yamaha FZ-1 was technically faultless. My problem was that it did nothing particularly well. With a tiny fuel capacity and hard, juddering ride, it was a lousy touring rig. Conversely, it was too bulky and soft-tuned to take full advantage of its R1-derived motor and chassis as a back-roads carver. It was bigger and faster, with a superior suspension and better materials technology than its…

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Badge Engineering – Making Up The Numbers

Michael Uhlarik — Tue, 21 Jun 2016 15:59:35 +0000

The concept of deploying multiple nearly identical products under different overlapping brands was most famously developed by General Motors nearly a century ago. While the actual mechanical differences between a Chevrolet, Buick, Pontiac and Oldsmobile might be limited, their distinct outward appearance combined with clever advertising campaigns to create the aura of choice. A customer now had…

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Deal With It : Motorcycle Dealer Crisis

Michael Uhlarik — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 13:03:05 +0000

It used to be that when you wanted to buy a new motorcycle, you did so at a dealer near your home that offered multiple brands in the same store. Those dealers are disappearing, the result of manufacturers demanding retail exclusivity, and intense competition from internet commerce. It’s a trend that has made it very challenging for consumers to actually see or try out new motorcycles and…

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