Travis Langness

4 days ago | slashgear.com | Travis Langness

There's a lot to think about when you're buying your first car, or if you're helping someone else, like your kids, buy their first car. The cost to buy, cost to run (fuel economy), and safety are all part of the equation, but so are things like size and reliability. Thankfully, we know that the 4Runner is one of the most reliable SUVs ever made, so that base is covered, but how does the rugged Toyota SUV do in the other categories?

4 days ago | slashgear.com | Travis Langness

You wouldn't try to summit a mountain on your first hike, or cook a five-course meal during your first time in the kitchen. Naturally, it's not a good idea to hop on an extra large motorcycle for your first experience on two wheels, either. Big bikes can be tough to handle, especially for new riders. Maneuvering in tight spaces is especially difficult if you haven't mastered techniques like feathering the throttle or slightly riding the rear brake.

4 days ago | slashgear.com | Travis Langness

If you're like most motoring enthusiasts, you've probably spent some time wondering why places like Europe and Japan get different cars and motorcycles than the United States. In many cases, the cars or bikes in question are appealing, with sleek designs and unique attributes that could make them a big success if only they were sold state-side (or so we like to believe). Problematically though, we don't get all the cool wagons that Europe gets or the tarmac kings like the epic Nissan Skyline GT-R.

5 days ago | slashgear.com | Travis Langness

It's not often you hear about a hybrid system in a motorcycle. Generally, hybrid systems require large and heavy batteries, so cars and trucks are more common applications for hybrids. Well, Kawasaki's broken that mold and they now offer a hybrid motorcycle in two different configurations: the naked Z7 Hybrid and the Ninja 7 Hybrid with fairings all around. These bikes are supposedly pretty quick, too.

6 days ago | slashgear.com | Travis Langness

Almost as much as the beauty of their design and the joy that riding provides, the sound of a motorcycle contributes greatly to the appeal and the visceral experience of motoring on two wheels. Some motorcycle engines are capable of revving to wildly-high RPMs, singing the siren song of combustion on their way to scarcely-believable redline numbers — much higher numbers than the engines in typical cars.