Articles by Grant Ray
Dailies
PSA: The end of subscriptions
Recently, there have been comments that HFL is changing, and that's true. Such is the life of a small, growing online company. Some of you have also noticed the subscriber-based pay wall has actually been non-functional for some time now. In fact, it came down just a little while after the last PSA I put up. I promised I'd follow up once I had some concrete to give you, and while I could bore the ...
Aug 07, 2012
Dailies
RideApart season finale: Weekend adventuring with the Triumph Bonneville
What does it take to go on a proper motorcycle adventure? Does "proper" always mean weeks of preparation, loads of gear, huge budgets, a giant touring machine and far-away destinations? Determined to prove otherwise, Jamie Robinson hops on a modern Triumph Bonneville cafe racer with no more than a Kriega bag, a Butler map and 48 hours to get out of LA and as lost as possible in the back roads of t...
Jul 09, 2012
Dailies
RideApart 11: Hell On Wheels Moto Rally
From ratty old motorbikes built out of swap meet parts to well polished classic beauties, there's a racing class for it in the Annual Hell On Wheels Moto Rally. Ever keen to have a go on anything with two wheels and an engine, Jamie Robinson shows up with nothing and manages to snag a go on a vintage 70's Yamaha, lining up on the grid for a day of dirty action. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS4s...
Jun 25, 2012
Dailies
RideApart 10 - The perfect vehicle for the city
America loves everything BIG. Big houses, big cars, big steaks and obviously big motorcycles. But, riding in dense urban traffic, those bigger bikes make navigating difficult, cumbersome and downright frustrating for even the most experienced bikers, much less beginners. We downsize with a Honda CBR 250R, a CCW Misfit and a used Suzuki DR-Z400SM, each of them under $4500, and take to the congested...
Jun 18, 2012
Dailies
RideApart 9: The booming Triumphs of Garage Company
Vintage British bikes are the ultimate fantasy for many older bikers as well as those pesky whippersnapping hipsters, especially the stylish and loud twin 650s by Triumph. And a visit to see the incredible collection at Yoshi Kosaka's Garage Company in LA is better than Disneyland. Jamie Robinson and Adey Bennett snag two of Garage Company's finest vintage Triumphs and head to the Malibu canyons t...
Jun 11, 2012
Dailies
PSA: Making changes, spring cleaning, etc.
Due to shifting payment policies and other wonderfully boring details, I'm making changes to how subscription payments work via PayPal. If you get a cancellation notice, don't worry, you should still have access to comments, galleries, etc. If you don't have access, just pop me an email and I promise I'll get you squared for access until further notice. Carry on....
Jun 07, 2012
Dailies
RideApart 8: Making parts with Roland Sands Design
Our buddy Roland is a 250GP AMA champion and the force behind the Roland Sands Design firm that creates aftermarket parts for motorcycles, fashion apparel, custom bikes and a new line of safety gear for riders. He may still look like a teenager, but this industry veteran is spearheading the next generation of American motorcycling leaders. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO9CQ4HVN80...
Jun 04, 2012
Dailies
RideApart 7: a European adventure
What's it like to go on a date with pampered Italian models in the wilderness? Grant, Jamie and Wes ride the best mountain roads of the Los Padres forest on the Ducati Multistrada 1200 S and Moto Guzzi Stelvio NTX adventure bikes to find out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvHg63wGQfc...
May 28, 2012
Dailies
The best Hammarhead photo shoot ever
Everyone who reads HFL knows how much we adore Hammarhead bikes. Back in June 13, 2011, James Hammarhead hired me to shoot all three models in one very special location. The shoot was for an outside project that never materialized, leaving the photos to languish on my hard drive. Finally, James has decided to release the images and has even given HFL an exclusive of his reflections on that day. I ...
May 26, 2012
Dailies
RideApart 4: a shocking truth
With 9kWh in its battery pack, nearly twice the capacity of the Toyota Prius, the 2012 Zero DS is the fastest, longest-range electric motorcycle to ever enter production. 84mph top speed, 112-mile range. Is that enough to make it practical, useful transportation? More importantly, can a bike that slow be fun to ride? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lej-KopK1tc...
May 07, 2012
How to gear up for adventure
While the idea of heading off into the wilderness on a bike armed with nothing more than a knife, blanket roll and a can of beans may seem awfully romantic, the truth is that’s a good recipe for getting stranded or never coming back. Best case scenario? You’ll simply be miserable. Instead, building a comprehensive adventure touring kit can make things easy, comfortable and safe. There’s no w...
Apr 12, 2012
Gear: Scorpion EXO-900 Snow Ready
There was a time when I saw Scorpion helmets and turned up my nose, assuming it was so cheaply made I’d invariably break a lid just by trying one on. However, the EXO-400 I purchased for our Labrador expedition opened me to a brave new world. Somehow, that $130 Scorpion managed to be nearly as comfortable and functional as the much more expensive AGV GP-Tech I was wearing at the time, except I d...
Feb 28, 2012
2013 BMW R1250GS caught adventuring, again
The clearest image yet of BMW's next generation boxer, the so-called 2013 BMW R1250GS have been posted up on Facebook, and it's definitely different, even if those differences aren't immediately noticeable. While we were hoping to see the liquid-cooled bike on showroom floors in 2012, we're guessing BMW is taking extra precautions to ensure the company's flagship model is absolutely perfect. So ...
Dec 28, 2011
2012 Honda Rubicon Utility ATV is working for the hoon
When Honda invited me last week to ride ATVs on the trails around Lake Arrowhead in the San Bernardino range, I didn’t hesitate. I thought it would be like past trips riding sport quads in Moab or Hungry Valley, so I didn’t care if the temps would be in the upper 20s with high winds and maybe snow. Then I got the itinerary listing Honda’s “ATV Utility” line. Ugh. Don’t get me wrong, my...
Dec 09, 2011
Dailies
Honda thinks maybe it's better in Thailand
Details are still thin, but Honda seems to be preparing to shift manufacturing of several models over 400cc out of Japan and into Thailand, citing the growing strength of the Yen and a need to attend to emerging markets. Don't worry, flagship models such as the CBR1000RR, CBR600RR, and Goldwing will most likely remain under Japanese-only production. But, bikes like the 599 and 919 Hornets, plus ...
Nov 29, 2011
Dailies
Ride of the Century, or This is why cops hate sport bikes
You can love or hate the stunter scene as much as you want, but just like the crews in Baltimore and New York's Fastest, this is what's happening in motorcycling on the streets right now. This particular Ride of the Century included hundreds of bikers pouring in from all over the country overwhelming the streets and Interstates of St. Louis, MO. The result is a video featuring boatloads of evidenc...
Nov 23, 2011
Ural M70 Anniversary Limited Edition: Ceci n'est pas une Cruiser
Ural is launching 2 new 70th anniversary limited edition M70 models that pay homage to the M72, the first Ural. Only 30 of the anniversary M70 sidecars will be built and an even tinier run of 10 M70-Solo anniversary bikes will be produced. To be clear, the M70 is not so much an all-new machine as it is a repurposing of the older and somewhat clumsy model known as the “Retro” cruiser. Much like...
Nov 11, 2011