You know him as “Hey it’s Anthony from RevZilla!” in the online motorcycle store’s popular videos on YouTube, but Anthony Bucci is also the CEO and Co-Founder of RevZilla, and is part of the reason why the nerds are taking over the motorcycle industry.
Today, RevZilla announced the departure of Bucci as its CEO, effective on January 13, 2017. After that point in time, fellow RevZilla Co-Founder Matt Kull will take on the job as interim CEO, while RevZilla continues to look for a full-time replacement.
RevZillians shouldn’t worry too much about the leadership change though, as Bucci will continue his customer-facing activities with RevZilla, and he will also remain an integral part of RevZilla’s advisory team.
This announcement also doesn’t affect Bucci’s position on the Board of Directors for Comoto, the holding company that oversees both RevZilla and Cycle Gear.
One of the perks of being an A&R Pro member, is having more direct contact with our editorial team. So, from time to time I want to have a loosely structured conversation with loyal readers about…well, anything.
I see these forums as a good opportunity to ask any questions you have about happenings in the motorcycle industry or in the various motorcycle racing series; get advice and opinions about motorcycles, gear, and accessories; and follow-up on any questions that might be lingering from recent stories.
I will try to answer questions to the best of my knowledge, but if I don’t know something (like, why did Honda put a titanium fuel tank on the CBR1000RR), I’ll dig into my robust contact list, and get some answers.
To get the ball rolling, here are some possible topics that I see as ripe for discussion:
- The best motorcycles from the 2016 model year
- Predictions for the 2017 MotoGP & World Superbike Championships
- Riding with the new AGV Corsa R and Pista GP R, and general questions about helmets
- Changes in the moto-media landscape
- Why it’s a damn shame that not everyone owns a supermoto
- Best tips for winterizing your motorcycle
- Why you should never get involved in a land war in Asia
- How to use the three seashells
- And of course, questions and feedback about A&R Pro
If you’re an A&R Pro member, come on in, and let’s have a chat in the comments section of this story.
Not in Barcelona this weekend and wondering how you can watch Marc Marquez and Brad Baker bang bars together at the 2016 Superprestigio? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered…or we should say that the folks at American Flat Track have you covered.
Once again hosting a live stream of the flat track series, American racing fans will be able to watch this year’s Superprestigio via the internet, on FansChoice.tv.
The feed is totally free thanks to work between DMG and RPM-MKTG, the Spanish promoter of the Superprestigio. The feed will begin streaming at 1200 EST (0900 PST) through 1530 EST (12300 PST).
CSC Motorcycles is recalling 392 units of its Cyclone model, as the motorcycles might not have a label that reminds the owners to clean the brake reservoir before adding brake fluid. and to use DOT 4 brake fluid from a sealed container.
The recall affects only 2015 and 2016 CSC Cyclone models, which were manufactured between April 4, 2015 and November 10, 2016, and comes about because the motorcycles thus fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 122, “Motorcycle Brake Systems”.
New for 2017, the AGV Corsa R is the Italian company’s update to its top-of-line sport bike helmet offering. Building off the success of the Corsa that proceeded it, the Corsa R makes a number of modifications to the already robust helmet package, thankfully listening to the feedback of customers.
As such, it is evolution not revolution for the AGV Corsa R, but we think that riders will enjoy the bevy of changes made to the Corsa R. Standout improvements include a liner that is more plush, improved air ventilation, and a more stout visor package.
For this review, we took the AGV Corsa R helmet for a spin at the race track (Buttonwillow Raceway), and the street (PDX), to see how the Corsa R compares to its predecessor, and we came away pleased with the result.
The AGV Corsa R should be on your short-list – that is, if you are in the market for a near-$1,000 sport-focused helmet.
Indian Motorcycle is recalling seven different models, amounting to 23,746 units, for an issue with a fuel rail that may contact other components and result in a fuel leak.
The recall pertains to the Chief Classic, Chief Dark Horse, Vintage, Chieftan, Chieftan Dark Horse, Springfield, and Roadmaster models, for the 2014 to 2017 model years (manufactured between April 15, 2013, to July 15, 2016).
Since leaking fuel could be ignited by a spark, resulting in a fire hazard, Indian filed a recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The Honda WorldSBK team has put together an intriguing video, where they interview Earl Hayden, father to Nicky Hayden. In the video, Earl talks about how Nicky grew up wanting to be a world champion, and the great lengths he would go through in order to achieve that goal one day.
He also talks about how becoming the MotoGP World Champion in 2006 didn’t really change the person that his son was, and how Nicky has always remained down-to-earth around his friends and family.
Of course, anyone who has spent some time with the Kentucky Kid would know this to be true already. Still, it is a neat video, with some touching words from a proud father. We highly recommend watching it, and then calling your folks. They miss you.
Episode 40 of the Two Enthusiasts Podcast is a busy one, as we are back in the studio (my living room) after our live show in Portland.
The show starts with a talk about the new A&R Pro premium accounts on Asphalt & Rubber, and then morphs into a discussion about the changing media landscape. Obviously, that makes it a good time to talk about the changes occurring over at Motorcyclist as well.
We then turn our attention to a recent press launch with AGV, where I rode with the new AGV Corsa R and AGV Pista GP R helmets. Quentin gets his first taste of them on the show, which is funny in a way only Quentin can make it.
We wrap-up that conversation with a discussion about heavy metals near Bakersfield, CA – home of Buttonwillow Raceway, as well as my first impressions of the new Michelin Power RS street tires.
Lastly, our final topic turns to MV Agusta, which is about to sign a financing deal with Black Ocean, a Russian investment group the hopes to make Italian motorcycles great again. All in all, it’s a jam-packed show.
You can listen to the show via the embedded SoundCloud player, after the jump, or you can find the show on iTunes (please leave a review) or this RSS feed. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter as well. Enjoy the show!
In my last A&R Pro article, I argued that the recently debuted and updated Honda Rebel was the most important new motorcycle that we have seen thus far for the 2017 model year.
That is a bold statement, as many pointed out, especially when you consider the bevy of intriguing new models that were unveiled at the various industry trade shows this year, and also considering the lack-luster product the outgoing Honda Rebel 250 proved to be for many.
In that story, the bulk of my argument was that motorcycling needs an affordable gateway for young and new riders to come into the industry, and with cruisers accounting for over half of the new motorcycles sold in the United States, having cruiser-styled entry models is a shrewd move by Honda.
There is more to that argument though, which I want to touch upon today. It concerns the growing divide of motorcycle buyers, and how their access to capital greatly affects the motorcycles they can, and do, purchase.
American motorcycles sales fall almost entirely under what is called consumer discretionary income, and when it comes to how we spend our hard-earned money, there are two ways we do so: with cash and with credit.
That is the fairly obvious part of this argument, but this is an important concept for us as enthusiasts and consumers to understand, as it allows us to make better sense of the strategies behind the new models we see from manufacturers. It also allows us to peer into the future of the motorcycle industry.
Mark my words, the next big trend in the custom motorcycle scene is going to be a revival of the 1980s. I am not sure why anyone would want to remember this awkward time in our species’ history, but when it comes to motorcycles, there is quaint intersection of modern and retro that resides in this forgotten decade.
We have already seen a prelude to this from a number of custom builds, bikes like Walt Siegl’s Bol d’Or line or Praëm BMW S1000RR showing us the happy marriage of a modern sport bike platform wrapped up in the 1970s. Here, we see the thought taken to its next logical progression.
If I am being real honest, there is just something pleasing about the 1980s aesthetic, especially when its mashed together with modern chassis and engine design. Don’t take my word for it though, dust off your Air Force 1’s and check out these renders from the folks over at Speedjunkies.