Canadian Biker - July 2017 - Canadian Biker Magazine

The July 2017 issue of Canadian Biker has been mailed to our subscribers and is now available on newsstands across Canada.

Yamaha Venture TC – A well dressed cruiser

That is a sight for sore eyes on the cover – the Yamaha Venture TC. A new (albeit somewhat based on a previous platform) fully dressed touring cruiser. Harley-Davidson and upstart Indian Motorcycles arguably define themselves in this category and have continuously updated their offering but it has been long time since one of the Japanese manufacturers has unveiled a brand new bike aimed at the experienced, long haul cruiser rider. While it may not signify a rebirth of the big displacement metric cruiser, it is exciting to see a traditional air-cooled monster v-twin hit the market from a company with a history of building cruisers with attitude. While we – and most others are still waiting for a ride – we reflect on the dramatically fewer cruiser options available to riders and lament the loss of some past big bore machines that hearken back to the days when there really was no replacement for displacement. (see more images)

Have a Super Adventure!

KTM was first and foremost known for the company’s offroad machines. If you wanted a European machine with a decidedly enduro bent to thrash your way through single track, climb rocks and logs and possibly get into a situation challenging to extricate yourself from, KTM was your brand – ride hard, bleed orange …. or something along those lines. In more recent years KTM came to the obvious conclusion that although dirt was king there seemed to be a lot of riders who preferred to keep their rubber on the tarmac. This resulted a series of potent naked and sport offerings from the orange label culminating in a MotoGP effort. But mixing dirt with tarmac is the pinnacle of usability – and perhaps profitability if you were to ask BMW – via ADV machinery. KTM has two new offering for 2017 in the Super Adventure R bikes – now available in two convenient sizes! Our man Bertrand travels to Peru to ride the big one on what appears to be the moon (with water) but is in fact a unusual slice of the Peruvian desert. A trip through the California desert – beautiful but seemingly not as exotic – is an opportunity to sample the smaller version. (see more images)

Scooters – yes we said that word. Few appearances in the magazine over the years have come with as much controversy as scooters. I am going to stop here to delineate a line between big and small scooters. Big 400 to 600cc scooters are not the same small wheeled ball of wax that are the little 49cc two stroke buzzers – although some would cut no slack on either. If it was a step trough, step away. It is the latter size that Editor John Campbell finds himself wrangled into riding and who would know it but he suddenly finds himself feeling a remorseful about all the things he mostly kept to himself when it came to 49cc scooters.

Honda Shadow Custom Build

When you set about building a custom bagger odds are you might start with a big American bike that maybe needs a little refresh. Perhaps an aftermarket frame and an S&S motor would more define your path. But what if you start with a Honda Shadow? Can you get the same look, the same attitude from a bike that defined the rider friendly entry level cruiser? Victoria’s V-Bilt Customs proves that yes you can with a blacked-out build with some choice add-on parts.

There are a lot of over things to discover in the July 2017 issue including Nancy in Central America attending a surprisingly comprehensive blessing of the bikes, a custom build from Newfoundland that required a whole lot of online shopping, a vintage Vincent (aren’t they all now?), an unusual European show involving motorcycles and surfboards and a stream of consciousness from Sicamous.