The Last Word Archives - Motorcycle Mojo

The EV’s Future

Did Donald Trump just kill the electric motorcycle That’s not a rhetorical question. Or even, believe it or not, an inflammatory one. It’s a serious question for which — loyal readers prepare...

A Milestone Like No Other

A few days before I wrote this column in late May, Honda announced it had built its 500 millionth motorcycle. Yes, half a billion bikes. That’s five followed by eight zeros, with a bunch of commas...

OCD to the Rescue

You don’t find many true motorcycle artisans anymore. Oh, Alan Millyard can seemingly craft a V12 superbike out of some junkyard 50-cc minibike engines and there are countless East Indian YouTube...

What’s Next?

If you’ve read The Last Word at all lately, you’re probably aware that electric motorcycles have been an unmitigated failure so far. Unlike the auto industry, where the EVs have established...

Motorcycle Subscription Model

Whether we like it or not, modernity is coming for motorcycles. You can curse Gen Z’s addiction to all things cellular and deride anyone who needs an iPhone while riding as less than a...

Energy Density Fail

I’ve made much of late of the fact that electric motorcycles don’t work very well for serious motorcyclists. Oh, electric scooters are most assuredly a good idea, especially if they’re built...

Clutch Evolution

We motorcyclists seem to be on a quest for the perfect clutch. At least that’s the lesson I’m gleaning from the spate of (semi) automatic gearboxes that have been unleashed these last few years....

What’s Become of MotoGP?

MotoGP has become as boring as snot. An even worse insult: it’s become as boring as Formula 1. The recent Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi — a hard-braking track normally noted for exciting passing...

Increase Your Riding Time

I think I’ve hit the trifecta. No, not the horses. Nor have I surreptitiously won the MotoGP championship, the WSBK title and Daytona 200. I’m a never-was when it comes to racing and I’d sooner...

BMW in MotoGP

As MotoGP “silly seasons” go, the last few days before we went to press have been the silliest we’ve seen in some time. Jorge Martin, fed up with Ducati’s dithering about who will join Pecco...

There Is No Autopilot

On April 19th, another “self-driving” Tesla killed someone. A Tesla Model S, whose owner, Carl Hunter, from Snohomish, Washington, had engaged Autopilot, failed to see a motorcyclist in front of...

Embrace Safety Technology

We motorcyclists are a hoary old lot. Oh, we revel in the latest outrageous designs and, my God, some of the graphics on helmets these days are worthy of George Clinton, funk impresario...