Author: Wade Thiel

Wade started Wind Burned Eyes and runs it. He's always up for chatting, so feel free to reach out.

KTM Unveils 690 Rally as Successor to the 640 Adventure

KTM has officially revealed the 2027 690 Rally, a factory-built rally-raid motorcycle based on the 690 Enduro R platform. The Austrian brand positions it as the spiritual successor to the 640 Adventure, which ran from 1997 to 2007 with a 625cc five-speed single.

Power comes from KTM’s latest LC4 single-cylinder engine, a 692.7cc unit producing 79 PS (roughly 78 horsepower) and 73 Nm (54 lb-ft) of torque. A six-speed gearbox handles shifting, and KTM claims 15,000 km (9,000-mile) service intervals for long-distance use.

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What MV Agusta’s Production Halt Means for Riders

MV Agusta’s factory in Varese, Italy has been sitting idle since April 2026. That is not a rumor passed around industry forums but the direct account of a dealer speaking to GPOne, who told the outlet plainly: “MV isn’t producing or delivering anything.”

The numbers back that up. MV Agusta has sold just 1,238 motorcycles through July of this year, according to reporting from paultan.org, a 54.3 percent decline since the brand separated from KTM’s umbrella in early 2025.

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The Case for High-Viz Gear (Even If You Hate How It Looks)

Nobody gets into motorcycling because they want to look like a traffic cone. But the case for high-visibility gear is harder to dismiss than most riders want to admit.

Nobody gets into motorcycling because they want to look like a traffic cone. But the case for high-visibility gear is harder to dismiss than most riders want to admit.

This isn’t about lecturing anyone on safety. It’s about laying out the actual argument and letting you decide.

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Can Triumph’s Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer Beat a 23-Year Record?

Two-time Dakar Rally champion Sam Sunderland left London at 3:30 AM on September 5 aboard a motorcycle nobody had seen. He is trying to circumnavigate the globe in under 19 days, 8 hours, and 25 minutes.

That mark has stood since Kevin and Julia Sanders set it in 2002 on a BMW R1150GS. Nobody has broken it under the same rules since.

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Why Aston Martin’s AMB 002 Roadster Matters for Luxury Bikes

Aston Martin and Brough Superior are making their first street-legal motorcycle together, and it arrives with the kind of spec sheet that makes you check the price tag twice.

The AMB 002 Roadster pairs a 1,083cc V-twin with a titanium frame in a 418-pound package. Only 300 will be built, with deliveries starting late next year.

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Moto Guzzi Reveals 105th Anniversary Editions and New Factory

Moto Guzzi turned 105 this month and marked the occasion with special-edition versions of four models, revealed during the opening of its redeveloped factory in Mandello del Lario.

The 105th Anniversary editions cover the Stelvio, V100 Mandello, V85 Strada, and V7 Stone, with a fifth variant added through the Stelvio PFF Rider Assistance Solution package.

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Bonnell’s 805 RX Packs 56 HP Into a 218-Lb Electric Dirt Bike

A new electric dirt bike brand called Bonnell just launched its first model, the 805 RX. The bike debuted on September 1, 2026, with a price tag of $8,250.

The 805 RX produces 56 horsepower and 594 lb-ft of rear-wheel torque from a proprietary powertrain designed entirely in-house. At 218 pounds fully fueled, the power-to-weight ratio puts it squarely between a Surron and a Stark VARG.

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What ZXMoto’s 500RR Means for Small Sportbikes

ZXMoto’s 500RR just cleared EU Whole Vehicle Type Approval, opening the door for legal sale of the 470cc inline-four sportbike across European Union markets.

The Chinese manufacturer launched the bike in China last year and says it has already delivered the first 100 units to customers. Now Europe gets a turn, while American riders are left waiting.

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How to Tell When Motorcycle Gear Needs to Be Replaced

Gear doesn’t come with an expiration date stamped on the side. That’s part of the problem. Most riders have no idea when their stuff stopped actually protecting them. It still looks fine, so it must still work. That’s not always how it goes.

Here’s a category-by-category breakdown of what to look for.

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