The July 2016 issue of Canadian Biker has been mailed to our subscribers and is available on select newsstands and online through single copy sales.
On the cover is Yamaha’s new XSR900. Based on the successful platform that already anchors both the FZ-09 and the FJ-09, the XSR900 provides another level of style to the triple powered segment. Both a little retro and a little custom, the new bike offers a surprising different experience for its rider as we discover winding the yellow and black version through the lakes and forests of the Muskoka region of Ontario.
Seeing as we start off on a retro / custom theme we continue that train of thought through much of the issue. We stick close to home with a look at V-Bilt Custom Motorcycles, a Victoria dealer based custom builder focusing on metric bikes. What they can do with a basic Honda Shadow platform is impressive let alone some of the larger Japanese cruisers. If you have a old Shadow tucked away behind the woodshed, this might just give you a few ideas. Then we visit Wheelies Motorcycles, an establishment that is part restaurant, part motorcycle shop and a lot hipster. Feeling like they didn’t have 
enough room to throw a good party, the feisty shop took to the street out front to gather for music, hardtails and shovelheads – not necessarily in that order.
Eighty years ago BMW launched one of its iconic motorcycles, the R5. The little 494cc opposed twin kept things light and simple with a tube hardball frame. The upside to a firm ride was the speeds the little stripped down machine could achieve compared to it larger – and heavier – BMW stable mates. To commemorate this anniversary, BMW commissioned a couple of Swedish custom builders to create a modern interpretation of this classic. The results were excellent and the builders are proud to say that no original R5 machines were injured in the making of this custom.
To finish our custom and retro theme we visit a custom show where you might be surprised to find one, we look back at six retro themed bikes that you may have wanted to buy because they have managed to not go out of style – how can they when they looked old to start? And our bastion of retro, Vintage Hall, looks at the 1973 Ducati 750GT.
All that and the 2016 FJR1300. Looking at the new 2016 model you could be forgiven for not knowing its exact year as the FJR1300 has remained markedly similar to the original bike from 2001 – proving you can get it right the first time. That isn’t to say that the FJR1300 hasn’t improved over the years. For 2016 it gets several updates and options of which the most significant might be the brand new six speed transmission.
All that and more in the July 2016 is issue of Canadian Biker – the magazine that has been keeping Canadian riders informed and entertained since 1980.
