Here we are, one-quarter of the way through the 2000s. It started for me on the Colorado Street Bridge in California, wondering what it would be like in years beginning with a 2. As it turns out, it has been a good run.
I’ve spent most of those 25 years at Ultimate Motorcycling, and it’s impossible to do any better than that. I work for and with great people, I get to ride motorcycles, and share my experiences—what a trifecta. The preceding years at Robb Report Motorcycling and ATV Action were also quite enjoyable, so these certainly haven’t been the terrible twos. While the rest of the world has its ups and downs, riding motorcycles retains its allure.
Looking at the 2025 Preview section of this issue, I know that I have some great times ahead. While I won’t be riding all the bikes we’re showing you, I’ll likely spend some time on most of them.
The great thing for me and my job is that I’m pretty much equally interested in all 18 motorcycles from the 18 manufacturers in our 2025 Preview story.
How could I be as interested in the Honda Dax 125 as the Ducati Streetfighter V4? My response is simple, “How could you not?” They are both designed for fun, and I like to have fun. If you only enjoy one kind of fun, you’re missing out on a lot.
The same goes for comparing the Benelli Leoncino Bobber 400 and the MV Agusta F3 Competizione. While I probably won’t get time on either of those, I certainly would love to. But, the Benelli isn’t scheduled to be sold in the United States and only 300 examples of the MV will be produced. Even if we got a ride on the F3 Competizione, I’d send Senior Editor Nic de Sena to spin some laps, as he’s far more qualified to tackle that task.
I expect to be riding the new Triumph Tiger Sport 800 in January in Portugal, and we have a ride on the Husqvarna Vitpilen 801 lined up. So, even though it’s the dead of winter, motorcycling is still alive and well—if you know where to ride.
The only downside of the new year is the financial struggles the Pierer Mobility Group—KTM, Husqvarna, GasGas—has been experiencing. You might have noticed we haven’t covered the story, and there’s a reason.
PMG is dealing with issues like debt restructuring and international banking. While we pride ourselves on our knowledge of motorcycling riding, we don’t have the expertise to cover these complex, often opaque, economic stories. We’ll leave it to other outlets to run press releases with vague commentary. We prefer to stick to motorcycle riding and reporting.
With that in mind, I’ll leave you with a quote from a press release from KTM and let you provide your own interpretation:
“Ready To Race is more than a slogan for KTM. It defines our existence. In competition, there are highs and lows, daring and disappointment, and victory and defeat. 2024 has been a year of conquests but also challenges for the company. Heading into 2025 and the future, there are more jumps, ruts, and bumps ahead, but we are not letting off the throttle.”
We won’t be either. Here’s to an exciting 2025!
