Motorcycle Mojo Magazine March 2021

As we creep past the coldest time of the year here in Canada, I’m sure many of you are dreaming of the day when you can throw a leg over your bike and get out on that first ride of spring. Maybe some of you are looking online for a new jacket, helmet or other components for your personal protection. Or maybe you’re checking out the newest farkles for your ride to either dress it up or make it more practical. Whether we’re looking for personal protection or bolt-on parts for our bikes, most of us would be doing at least some of our shopping and dreaming at the motorcycles shows across the country had they taken place this year. Doing your research online for accessories is fine and a great…

Honda’s CRF300 dual-sport has received a bigger engine for 2021 compared to the previous model, but the size increase isn’t drastic. The 2021 Honda CRF300L got a bump in displacement over the CRF250L via an 8-mm longer stroke, which bumps engine size to a not-quite-300ish 286 cc, the same as on the CB300R. Claimed output is up by 9 per cent. The new CRF300L, aside from benefiting from a 36 cc increase in displacement, also got other upgrades. The 2021 model has a lighter frame on which lateral rigidity has been reduced by 25 per cent for improved off-road handling. The suspension also was retuned for better off-road performance, and wheel travel has increased by 10 mm up front and 15 mm in the rear, which also increases ground clearance. Gearbox ratios…

The Honda Rebel was reinvented in 2017 after a decades-long run as a diminutive 250 cc entry-level cruiser. It grew in proportions and boasted an entirely new look with contemporary styling. And, unique among motorcycles, the 2017 and subsequent models feature a chassis designed to cradle two versions of an engine, a 286 cc single derived from the CBR300R or a 471 cc parallel twin, the latter of which originally appeared on the CBR500R. These restyled Rebels proved popular among new as well as more experienced riders alike. Now, the 2021 Honda’s Rebel has been upsized with some help from the Africa Twin. The Honda Rebel 1100, powered by the Africa Twin’s 1,084 cc parallel twin, is new from the ground up. Most of the new Rebel’s engine’s internals are identical…

Ducati offers an entirely new Monster model for 2021, and it’s a radical departure from Monsters of the past. Ducati’s new Monster replaces the Monster 821, and is built on an entirely new chassis that now utilizes an aluminum frame. You read that right: aluminum. Ducati has been making some drastic changes to its machines lately, including moving to a V4 platform for its supersport bikes and the Multistrada. (On the latter, a more conventional valve spring layout replaces Ducati’s traditional desmodromic valve train.) The new Monster still retains a traditional 90-degree desmo V-twin, but the steel trellis frame is gone. While the new Monster still offers some familiar styling cues – such as the humpback fuel tank, streamlined headlight, tiny tailpiece and upswept exhaust – the new frame and angular fuel…

111 Pierre Cherpin’s racer number. The French motorcycle rider suffered major head trauma after a crash at Kilometre 178 in Stage 7 of this year’s Dakar Rally. The 52-year-old Cherpin, who was passionate about motorcycling, was participating in his fourth rally when he crashed. He passed away on Jan. 14 while being flown from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to a hospital in Lille, France. 74 Number of vehicles (cars, trucks and motorcycles) that finished the first Dakar race. The race began with 182 vehicles. 6 The number of rear tires that motorcycle racers in the Dakar Rally were permitted to use during the rally. This is a new rule, which caused some riders grief because they had to ride on worn tires long past their prime. Toby Price used duct tape and zip ties to hold…

editor@motorcyclemojo.com APPRECIATES QUALITY I want to say how much I enjoy and appreciate the quality of your publication, the quality and calibre of its contributors, the stories and photos, and the fact that many experienced women are part of your team. The current trend of many of your competitors is to hire young contributors who have poor journalistic skills and seem more interested in the lifestyle and inherent bonuses of being able to ride all manner of machine, fool around doing wheelies and are less concerned about substance and relaying subjective information. Yes, you offer a refreshing alternative to your competitors and this old boy (71) with 55 years of motorcycling experience very much appreciates your efforts. Live long and prosper. RON LUCENKO VIA EMAIL OUTLAW DAVE RHODES Thanks for the article on Outlaw Dave (“Tales of…