tft display for motorcycle free sample

The MXP TFT 6" wide colour Dash Logger is fully configurable and suitable for many different Motorsports. It has been designed to acquire and display data coming from the ECU. The internal accelerometer and GYRO, GPS Module (included in the kit), analogue/digital inputs and predefined math channels. Performance and data acquired can also be incremented by adding up to eight expansion modules.

With a high contrast 6" TFT display which is fully configurable. You can create and customise pages/displays to suit your requirements. Swapping pages can be managed by pushing on or two pushbuttons.

Two analogue camera inputs are available, to switch your display into a mirror camera, through a pushbutton command or event management. The camera sold separately.

With integrated shift lights you can choose from a host of advanced multi-coloured RGB shift light patterns that can be customised to suit your requirements, and for each unique gear when required.

The GPS Module connected via CAN to the MXG makes lap time calculation and track position analysis easy. With 4000+ worldwide tracks already stored with the start and finish line coordinates you will have no problem when you"re on the track. As soon as the MXP is turned on the GPS Module will locate its position, identify track line coordinates and start immediately sampling lap and split time. If the track is not on the database, you can easily add the start/finish line coordinates to the MXP via a PC before you go to the track using our Race Studio 3 software.

With Race Studio 3 you can create, modify, delete, import and export configurations with all channels, ECU drivers, Math channels, Display Pages, Digital outputs, Alarms, Shift Lights and all the expansions you need. You will also be able to manage the map of all your racing tracks and compare two laps watching the video recorded by SmartyCam HD cameras.

With Race Studio 3 you can also analyse all data recorded by MXP and downloaded to your PC: graphs, histograms and tables will help you study your performance, providing objective support to avoid mistakes and improve performances.

According to the Bosch survey nearly 90 percent of riders use their smartphone to prepare or follow-up on trips. One third puts themselves in great danger using their smartphone even while riding. Bosch has developed the smartphone integration solution mySPIN to make the usage of smartphone content safe and more comfortable. Available in the powersports segment since 2018 – this includes for example so-called all-terrain vehicles or personal watercrafts – in BRP vehicles, mySPINnow will be introduced in the motorcycle segment for the first time. Ducati will introduce it together with Bosch’s also new 6.5-inch connectivity display without the split-screen option. “We want motorcyclists to be able to access smartphone content in an integrated and easy way while riding their bike. With the mySPIN platform and integrated connectivity cluster, we have found the right way to do it”, says Vincenzo De Silvio, Research and Development Director at Ducati. From 2021, the solution will also be introduced by Kawasaki.

This is a high image quality monitor featuring the wide LCD (12.3” with pixel count of 1,920×720) combining high performance of color reproduction (NTSC ratio: 100%), high contrast ratio (1000:1) and high brightness (1000cd/m2) and is also most suitable for the next generation CIDs, cluster and digital mirrors.

Let us start with the basics first; refresh the knowledge about TN and LCD displays in general, later we will talk about TFTs (Thin Film Transistors), how they differ from regular monochrome LCD displays. Then we will go on to the ghosting effect, so we will not only discuss the technology behind the construction of the TFT, but also some phenomena, like the ghosting effect, or grayscale inversion, that are important to understand when using an LCD TFT display.

Next, we will look at different technologies of the TFT LCD displays like TN, IPS, VA, and of course about transmissive and transflective LCD displays, because TFT displays also can be transmissive and transflective. In the last part we will talk about backlight.

Let us start with a short review of the most basic liquid crystal cell, which is the TN (twisted nematic) display. On the picture above, we can see that the light can be transmit through the cell or blocked by the liquid crystal cell using voltage. If you want to learn more about monochrome LCD displays and the basics of LCD displays, follow this link.

What is a TFT LCD display and how it is different from a monochrome LCD display? TFT is called an active display. Active, means we have one or more transistors in every cell, in every pixel and in every subpixel. TFT stands for Thin Film Transistor, transistors that are very small and very thin and are built into the pixel, so they are not somewhere outside in a controller, but they are in the pixel itself. For example, in a 55-inch TV set, the TFT display contains millions of transistors in the pixels. We do not see them, because they are very small and hidden, if we zoom in, however, we can see them in every corner of each pixel, like on the picture below.

On the picture above we can see subpixels, that are basic RGB (Red, Green, Blue) colors and a black part, with the transistors and electronic circuits. We just need to know that we have pixels, and subpixels, and each subpixel has transistors. This makes the display active, and thus is called  the TFT display. TFT displays are usually color displays, but there are also monochrome TFT displays, that are active, and have transistors, but have no colors. The colors in the TFT LCD display are typically added by color filters on each subpixel. Usually the filters are RGB, but we also have RGBW (Red, Green, Blue, White) LCD displays with added subpixels without the filter (White) to make the display brighter.

Going a little bit deeper, into the TFT cell, there is a part inside well known to us from the monochrome LCD display Riverdi University lecture. We have a cell, liquid crystal, polarizers, an ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) layer for the electrodes, and additionally an electronic circuit. Usually, the electronic circuit consists of one transistor and some capacitors to sustain the pixel state when we switch the pixel OFF and ON. In a TFT LCD display the pixels are much more complicated because apart from building the liquid crystal part, we also need to build an electronic part.

That is why TFT LCD display technologies are very expensive to manufacture. If you are familiar with electronics, you know that the transistor is a kind of switch, and it allows us to switch the pixel ON and OFF. Because it is built into the pixel itself, it can be done very quickly and be very well controlled. We can control the exact state of every pixel not only the ON and OFF states, but also all the states in between. We can switch the light of the cells ON and OFF in several steps. Usually for TFT LCD displays it will be 8-bit steps per color, so we have 256 steps of brightness for every color, and every subpixel. Because we have three subpixels, we have a 24-bit color range, that means over 16 million combinations, we can, at least theoretically, show on our TFT LCD display over 16 million distinct colors using RGB pixels.

Now that we know how the TFT LCD display works, we can now learn some practical things one of which is LCD TFT ghosting. We know how the image is created, but what happens when we have the image on the screen for a prolonged time, and how to prevent it. In LCD displays we have something called LCD ghosting. We do not see it very often, but in some displays this phenomenon still exists.

If some elements of the picture i.e., your company logo is in the same place of the screen for a long period of time, for couple of weeks, months or a year, the crystals will memorize the state and later, when we change the image, we may see some ghosting of those elements. It really depends on many conditions like temperature and even the screen image that we display on the screen for longer periods of time. When you build your application, you can use some techniques to avoid it, like very rapid contrast change and of course to avoid the positioning the same image in the same position for a longer time.

You may have seen this phenomenon already as it is common in every display technology, and even companies like Apple put information on their websites, that users may encounter this phenomenon and how to fix it. It is called image ghosting or image persistence, and even Retina displays are not free of it.

Another issue present in TFT displays, especially TN LCD displays, is grayscale inversion. This is a phenomenon that changes the colors of the screen according to the viewing angle, and it is only one-sided. When buying a TFT LCD display, first we need to check what kind of technology it is. If it is an IPS display, like the Riverdi IPS display line, then we do not need to worry about the grayscale inversion because all the viewing angles will be the same and all of them will be very high, like 80, 85, or 89 degrees. But if you buy a more common or older display technology type, like the TN (twisted nematic) display, you need to think where it will be used, because one viewing angle will be out. It may be sometimes confusing, and you need to be careful as most factories define viewing direction of the screen and mistake this with the greyscale inversion side.

On the picture above, you can see further explanation of the grayscale inversion from Wikipedia. It says that some early panels and also nowadays TN displays, have grayscale inversion not necessary up-down, but it can be any angle, you need to check in the datasheet. The reason technologies like IPS (In-Plane Switching), used in the latest Riverdi displays, or VA, were developed, was to avoid this phenomenon. Also, we do not want to brag, but the Wikipedia definition references our website.

We know already that TN (twisted nematic) displays, suffer from grayscale inversion, which means the display has one viewing side, where the image color suddenly changes. It is tricky, and you need to be careful. On the picture above there is a part of the LCD TFT specification of a TN (twisted nematic) display, that has grayscale inversion, and if we go to this table, we can see the viewing angles. They are defined at 70, 70, 60 and 70 degrees, that is the maximum viewing angle, at which the user can see the image. Normally we may think that 70 degrees is better, so we will choose left and right side to be 70 degrees, and then up and down, and if we do not know the grayscale inversion phenomena, we may put our user on the bottom side which is also 70 degrees. The viewing direction will be then like a 6 o’clock direction, so we call it a 6 o’clock display. But you need to be careful! Looking at the specification, we can see that this display was defined as a 12 o’clock display, so it is best for it to be seen from a 12 o’clock direction. But we can find that the 12 o’clock has a lower viewing angle – 60 degrees. What does it mean? It means that on this side there will be no grayscale inversion. If we go to 40, 50, 60 degrees and even a little bit more, probably we will still see the image properly. Maybe with lower contrast, but the colors will not change. If we go from the bottom, from a 6 o’clock direction where we have the grayscale inversion, after 70 degrees or lower we will see a sudden color change, and of course this is something we want to avoid.

To summarize, when you buy older technology like TN and displays, which are still very popular, and Riverdi is selling them as well, you need to be careful where you put your display. If it is a handheld device, you will see the display from the bottom, but if you put it on a wall, you will see the display from the top, so you need to define it during the design phase, because later it is usually impossible or expensive to change the direction.

We will talk now about the other TFT technologies, that allow us to have wider viewing angles and more vivid colors. The most basic technology for monochrome and TFT LCD displays is twisted nematic (TN). As we already know, this kind of displays have a problem with grayscale inversion. On one side we have a higher retardation and will not get a clear image. That is why we have other technologies like VA (Vertical Alignment), where the liquid crystal is differently organized, and another variation of the TFT technology – IPS which is In-Plane Switching. The VA and IPS LCD displays do not have a problem with the viewing angles, you can see a clear image from all sides.

Nowadays all TV sets, tablets and of course mobile phones are IPS or VA. You can turn them around and see the image clear from all sides. But, for monitor applications the TN technology is still widely used, because the monitor usually is in front of you and most of the time you look directly at it, from top, left or right side, but very rarely from the bottom, so the grayscale inversion viewing angle can be placed there. This technology still is very practical because it is affordable and has some advantages for gamers because it is very fast.

Apart from the different organization of the liquid crystals, we also organize subpixels a little bit differently in a VA and IPS LCD displays. When we look closer at the TN display, we will just see the subpixels with color filters. If we look at the VA or IPS display they will have subpixels of subpixels. The subpixels are divided into smaller parts. In this way we can achieve even wider viewing angles and better colors for the user, but of course, it is more complicated and more expensive to do.

The picture above presents the TN display and grayscale inversion. For IPS or VA technology there is no such effect. The picture will be the same from all the sides we look so these technologies are popular where we need wide viewing angles, and TN is popular where we don’t need that, like in monitors. Other advantages of IPS LCD displays are they give accurate colors, and wide viewing angles. What is also important in practice, in our projects, is that the IPS LCD displays are less susceptible to mechanical force. When we apply mechanical force to the screen, and have an optically bonded touch screen, we push the display as well as squeeze the cells. When we have a TN display, every push on the cell changes the image suddenly, with the IPS LCD displays with in-plane switching, different liquid crystals organization, this effect is lesser. It is not completely removed but it is much less distinct. That is another reason IPS displays are very popular for smartphones, tablets, when we have the touchscreens usually optically bonded.

If we wanted to talk about disadvantages, there is a question mark over it, as some of them may be true, some of them do not rely on real cases, what kind of display, what kind of technology is it. Sometimes the IPS displays can have higher power consumption than others, in many cases however, not. They can be more expensive, but not necessarily. The new IPS panels can cost like TN panels, but IPS panels definitely have a longer response time. Again, it is not a rule, you can make IPS panels that are very fast, faster than TN panels, but if you want the fastest possible display, probably the TN panel will be the fastest. That is why the TN technology is still popular on the gaming market. Of course, you can find a lot of discussions on the internet, which technology is better, but it really depends on what you want to achieve.

Now, let us look at the backlight types. As we see here, on the picture above, we have four distinct types of backlight possible. The most common, 95 or 99 per cent of the TFT LCD displays on the market are the transmissive LCD display type, where we need the backlight from the back. If you remember from our Monochrome LCD Displays lecture, for transmissive LCD displays you need the backlight to be always on. If you switch the backlight off, you will not see anything. The same as for monochrome LCD displays, but less popular for TFT displays, we have the transflective LCD display type. They are not popular because usually for transflective TFT displays, the colors lack in brightness, and the displays are not very practical to use. You can see the screen, but the application is limited. Some transflective LCD displays are used by military, in applications where power consumption is paramount; where you can switch the backlight off and you agree to have lower image quality but still see the image. Power consumption and saving energy is most important in some kind of applications and you can use transflective LCD displays there. The reflective type of LCD displays are almost never used in TFT. There is one technology called Low Power Reflective Displays (LPRD) that is used in TFT but it is not popular. Lastly, we have a variation of reflective displays with frontlight, where we add frontlight to the reflective display and have the image even without external light.

Just a few words about Low Power Reflective Displays (LPRD). This kind of display uses environmental light, ambient light to reflect, and produce some colors. The colors are not perfect, not perfectly clear, but this technology is becoming increasingly popular because it allows to have color displays in battery powered applications. For example, a smartwatch would be a case for that technology, or an electrical bike or scooter, where we can not only have a standard monochrome LCD display but also a TFT LCD color display without the backlight; we can see the image even in

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strong sunlight and not need backlight at all. So, this kind of TFL LCD display technology is getting more and more popular when we have outdoor LCD displays and need a low power consumption.

On the picture above, we have some examples of how transmissive and reflective LCD displays work in the sunlight. If we have a simple image, like a black and white pattern, then on a transmissive LCD display, even with 1000 candela brightness, the image probably will be lower quality than for a reflective LCD display; if we have sunlight, we have very strong light reflections on the surface of the screen. We have talked about contrast in more detail in the lecture Sunlight Readable Displays. So, reflective LCD displays are a better solution for outdoor applications than transmissive LCD displays, where you need a really strong backlight, 1000 candela or more, to be really seen outdoors.

To show you how the backlight of LCD displays is built, we took the picture above. You can see the edge backlight there, where we have LEDs here on the small PCB on the edge, and we have a diffuser that distributes the light to the whole surface of LCD screen.

In addition to the backlight, we have something that is called a frontlight. It is similar to backlight, it also uses the LEDs to put the light into it, but the frontlight needs to be transparent as we have the display behind. On the example on the picture above we can see an e-paper display. The e-paper display is also a TFT display variation, but it is not LCD (liquid crystal), it is a different technology, but the back of the display is the same and it is reflective. The example you see is the Kindle 4 eBook reader. It uses an e-paper display and a frontlight as well, so you can read eBooks even during the night.

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The TFT Display Shield Board (CY8CKIT-028-TFT) has been designed such that a TFT display, audio devices, and sensors can interface with Infineon"s PSoC 6™ MCUs.

The TFT Display Shield Board is compatible with the PSoC 6™ WiFi-BT Pioneer Kit CY8CKIT-062-WiFi-BT and the PSoC 6™ BLE Pioneer Kit CY8CKIT-062-BLE. Refer to the respective kit guides for more details.

Gauge cluster design is a dying art. Speedometers and tachometers used to sit at the front of motorcycles like single-handed mechanical watches, projecting only the most pertinent information to the rider: vehicle speed, engine speed and the odometer. Then, like most analog things, digital became the preference and, for the most part, still is the preferred way to display even more information to riders like time, temperature, ride modes, traction control and any other minute pieces data the manufacturer deems necessary.

No one is saying having access to all that data is unnecessary or overbearing — quite the opposite. The more you can know about what’s going on with your bike the better, but, on a modern bike, all that information is more than an analog gauge can handle. So digital displays are a necessary evil, but their principal downside is they lack style, character and they all seem to look the same. However, it seems like the motorcycle industry is at a crossroads and the opportunity for unique, yet modern design is on its way back.

Thin-film-transistor liquid-crystal — or full-color TFT displays — are gaining popularity in the motorcycle industry. TFT is merely a more refined version of the well-known liquid crystal display (LCD), whose potential is already on display in the Lexus LFAand Audi’s Virtual Cockpit. And now, motorcycle manufacturers like Ducati are bringing that technology to the two-wheeled universe to exploit the benefits of a TFT display even further.

Ducati Monster Line Product Manager Stephano Trabusi explained, “TFT is more visible during the day, even in direct sunlight, the resolution is much higher than normal LCD so that you can have much more information on a display.” Given that the cockpit of a motorcycle doesn’t have the benefit of shade from a roof, more common digital and LCDs fall victim to severe glare. The Bosch system Ducati runs even goes one step further with a night mode that can tell if it’s night time, if you’re in a tunnel or a low light environment and flips the display background to black and the font white, so it’s easier to read.

Night vision is just the tip of the TFT iceberg, though. The complex levels of traction control and ride modes that come along with the Bosch system mean the screen has to be able to cycle through numerous menus and pages and display the traction control, engine modes and ABS settings once programmed. “Given that the bikes are so much more complex nowadays, they have more and more functions and more electronics; we need that higher resolution to display all that information.” And not only that but Trabusi justifies Ducati’s use of the display in the most modern way possible, “you always see the display when you’re riding, and it has to have a premium feel for a premium ride. Today, we are so used to our smartphones with color displays — it has become just so familiar. And to have this level of resolution and color on our bikes — it was common sense.”

Therein lies the problem with the Bosch system. Because it’s from a third party electronics and software company, and because it’s so close to a complete plug-and-play package, a handful of other manufacturers — BMW, KTM, Aprilia — use similar if not identical systems. So we wind up with cookie cutter displays no better than the uninspired digital systems they replaced. But thumbing through, pages, levels, toggling ride modes and taking calls via Bluetooth, it’s undoubtedly intuitive, but there’s an overwhelming sense that no one is exploiting the display for all it can do. It’s the same as getting an iPhone X and only using it for dim-lit selfies and tri-color wallpaper.

There’s no reason Ducati couldn’t create its own version of Audi’s Virtual Cockpit — between the maps, different gauge cluster layouts and creative displays, it would be like nothing else on two wheels. The creative potential is there, but until someone unlocks it, we’re stuck in this dull purgatory of right angles and primary colors.

There are so many different kinds of motorcyclesout there now, from pure motocross dirt bikes you can fling off ramps like Evel Knievel, to luxury long-distance moto-cruisers as comfortable as your living room couch. Each has a distinct and often narrow purpose, and most achieve that purpose with elan. But there is one category of bike that can do everything and do it well: the adventure bike.

On an ADV, as they’re called, you can cross the Kalahari as easily as you can cross town. Snap-on hard cases mean your fresh T-shirts and other gear stays dry and doesn’t get crushed if you’re crisscrossing the globe. Windshields on most ADV bikes make long days in the saddle not only bug-proof but bucolic. And the seats on which your keister rests are comfortable enough that you don’t need to stop every half hour to get the circulation back.

Adventure bikes are the SUVs of the two-wheeled world; they do everything and have more practicality than other segments of motorcycle. Yet unlike their four-wheeled friends, these bikes can actually go off-road—and you can actually have fun going there. Then, when you’re ready to ride home on the freeway, they’re about the most comfortable pavement pounders around, except for cruisers and sport tourers.

Here, then, is a fairly broad sampling of the best adventure bikes available right now, from the full-zoot high-end and brand-spankin’ new Ducati Multistrada V4, to a couple more affordable bikes you might not need to get a co-signer for. Read on and start planning your ‘round the world ride.

If you wanted to mix metaphors really, really badly, you could say this is the Cadillac of adventure bikes. It is brand new, so it’s loaded with new technology and increased efficiency almost never before seen on a production motorcycle. It has radar front and rear that not only aids safe-distance following with adaptive cruise control, but also offers blind spot detection and an efficient and speedy overtake function, the latter which accelerates when the road is clear and you hit the turn signal and lean into the passing position. There is an IMU, or inertial measuring unit, that works in conjunction with everything from ABS to traction control to offer wheelie control, stoppie control (where the rear wheel might lift when braking) to cornering ABS. The “inertial platform” of electronics even adjusts the semi-active DucatiSkyhook Suspension system, changing the hydraulics of the fork and shock absorber on the V4 S trim level. It even adjusts the auto-leveling function.

The new MultistradaV4 has a new four-cylinder engine, too, replacing the V2 used in previous models. The new powerplant uses springs and rockers to open and close the valves instead of the Desmodromic system for which Ducatis are famous. With 2 mm more bore than the V4 engine found on other Ducs, the power and torque curves are flatter and more accessible. Peak power is 170 hp at 10,500 rpm (a 25% increase), while torque tops out at 92.2 lb-ft at 8,750 revs. The new valvetrain stretches service intervals to 36,000 miles—it was 6,000 miles on the first-gen Multistradawhen that model came out in 2003.

There are four riding modes (sport, touring, urban, and enduro), all displayed on the bike’s new 5.5-inch—or optional 6.5-inch—TFT screen. The first three modes are for on-road and the third is for off-road.

Over the course of a long day of riding in and around Borrego Springs, California, I got to try the new Multistrada on a lot of street and a lot of dirt. The most remarkable thing was how well it handles both surfaces. In fact, on the way to and from our afternoon session in the dirt, we rode the same winding mountain road as we did for the on-road ride, except that we were riding on the dirt tire. The Pirelli Scorpion Rally STRs felt surprisingly grippy on the winding mountain road, while they chopped through the dirt and sand of our off-road ride with aplomb. Depending on how much dirt riding you have planned, you could probably get this dirt tire as the only rubber for your Duc and be happy riding on it. I was pushing it about as hard as I could going up and down the twisting mountain road and I never felt any slip or squirm. I’m not as good a rider as you, of course, but I’d think most riders will probably be satisfied with this combination. If you rarely go off road, then you can get the Pirelli Trail IIs for a little more contact patch.

Is it the perfect all-around-do-everything bike? Yes, in all aspects except sticker price, where you pay for all that Italian engineering. The new Multistrada V4 ranges from $19,995 to $26,095. While you can’t put a price on happiness, versatility comes with a little sticker shock.

This is the grandaddy OG of adventure bikes. The GS line launched 40 years ago with the 1980 R 80 G/S (Gelande und Strassen, dirt and street). More than 1.2 million GS models have been built over six generations. Since Hubert Auriol’s victory in 1981, BMW motorcycles have won Paris Dakar four times. In the hands of regular adventure riders, they have circled the globe countless times.

The modern R 1250 GS Adventure version of this line is much more refined, of course, with a smooth and quiet 1,254cc flat-twin making 136 hp at 7,750 rpm and 105 lb-ft of torque at 7,550. It’s not as crazy powerful as the Ducati, but you might find that it is more than enough. Three years ago, the R 1250 GS Adventure got an enhanced version of the traditional flat-twin boxer with more power and torque while achieving a smoother operation and greater refinement. The 1,254ccs of displacement is up from 1,170 previously. Mileage is listed as 49.5 mpg, up 5 percent, and the engine gets BMW ShiftCam Variable Engine Timing for more balanced power delivery.

Like the Duc, the GS Adventure is loaded with electronic controls to help you through your ride. There are two ride modes standard on the bike, along with Automatic Stability Control for added safety.

As I type these very words, I still have bugs on my grille from an afternoon of adventure that included both winding mountain roads and off-road, mountainous, dangerous dirt. The GS was at ease in both worlds. Ripping up the paved two-lane not far from my house, the Beemer held up safely and stably as far as I was pushing it. While the weight is higher up in an adventure bike, and the bike overall is heavier than BMW’s more sporty street bikes, it was never a challenge to lean this comfortable adventure motorcycle through corners made more for superbikes. As long as I didn’t overcook it going into corners, the ABS, traction control, and all the other electronics did their jobs and I’m here a-typin’. My press bike stickered for $20,345.

If that’s too much and you still want a BMW, consider the F 900 R and XR mid-range adventure sport entries starting at $8,995. They’re powered by an 895cc upright parallel-twin that makes 99 hp and 67 lb-ft. Ride height is adjustable between 30 to 34 inches. These also offer Dynamic and Dynamic Pro ride modes as options, along with ABS. Of the two, the R is setup more for street while the XR is a little more adventure-oriented.

There’s no question Honda lead the way in the early days of dirt riding with the popular Elsinore line of dirt bikes, but the Africa Twin adventure bikes have been around in one form or another since the late ‘80s. However, it was the Africa Twin’s rebirth in 2016 that made the ADV world kind of go nuts.

The new model is lighter, has more power, and gets a bigger feast of electronic rider aids than ever before. The standard model and Adventure Sport ES model will both keep you comfortable and in control on long rides on-road or off. Honda calls this model its “true all-arounder.”

The Africa Twin recently got another 86ccs of displacement so that it is now powered by a 1,084cc liquid-cooled upright parallel-twin (hence the name!). Like most Japanese motorcycle manufacturers, Honda doesn’t list hp and torque but European models are listed at 100 hp and 77 lb-ft. The coolest thing, though, is that you get your choice of six-speed manual or six-speed DCT automatic transmissions. An automatic! On a motorcycle! Yes, the Goldwing also gets and automatic, but here on the Africa Twin it can be a real help when bushwacking through the boondocks. On top of that the chassis is slimmer and lighter than before. And it comes with six ride modes, seven levels of traction control, and three levels of engine braking.

On a long two-day ride a couple years ago, when trading off with an XR650L thumper and the Africa Twin, well, I admit I much preferred the Twin. I am getting soft. But it was so nice. The Africa Twin starts at $14,499 and goes up to $18,099 for a Sports ES with the DCT transmission. That’s still a fairly affordable ride, and worth it if you’re going to be riding long distances. You can also get that XR650L for just $6,999 before destination charge. But get the bigger bike. You’ll thank us at the end of the day.

This is the third generation of Suzuki’s V-Strom, a name spread out over 19 years of adventure biking. Today, you can get a V-Strom with just 645ccs for $8,904, all the way up to a full-zoot 1050XT Adventure for $17,049 before destination. The bike I had for most of 2020 was just below that top-line model, a V-Strom 1050XT that stickered for $14,849.

Why’d I have it for most of 2020? Well, they delivered it just before the pandemic shut everything down, then they just kept sending me new loan agreements to sign, and I kept signing. Wouldn’t you? The result was a great year on an all-around, everything bike that I could do anything I wanted to on. I could hightail it over the mountains, eating up twisty two-lanes like black licorice, then pop out into the mighty Mojave desert and keep going in the dirt for as long as I thought I could get away with it. Or I could lane-split through traffic (even though most traffic disappeared, at least at first, as the pandemic raged). And I could do everything in between.

It’s 37 inches wide and 545 pounds, so it’s just a little smaller and lighter than some other bikes in this class. It felt smaller than the BMW, for instance, and it was even a little lighter. It doesn’t run quite as smoothly as the more expensive bikes in the class but I was very happy to have this motorcycle in my garage for as long as I did. I kept finding excuses to put on all the gear and go riding. You will, too.

Harley-Davidson will enter the ADV segment this May with an all-new adventure bike called the Pan America 1250. Powered by a liquid-cooled V-Twin making a claimed 150 hp, the engine functions as a stressed member of the chassis, keeping weight to 534 pounds in the base model and 559 in the 1250 Special. Both models get electronic controls, with the Special getting more of them. The base model suspension is adjustable for preload, compression, and damping, while a suite of “Cornering Rider Safety Enhancements” optimize braking, ABS, traction control, drag-torque slip control, and even hill hold control. There are five ride modes (road, sport, rain, off-road, and off-road plus), all of which offer different levels of system intervention for as much help as you want when riding. The Pan America 1250 Special adds electronically adjustable semi-active front and rear dampers that adjust to prevailing conditions and riding activity, which sounds helpful if you go from pavement to dirt, for instance. Vehicle Loading Control automatically adjusts preload if a passenger suddenly climbs on board. An optional adaptive ride height can automatically lower the bike’s seat height one to two inches at stops.

Price is listed at $17,319 for the base model and $19,999 for the Special. Will this be the bike that saves Harley? After riding the Pan America last May, it seems likely. The styling hints at historic rally design while featuring boxy, angular shapes that set it apart from the rounded curves of classic Harleys. A technologically advanced chassis with a classically American V-Twin architecture makes the Pan American an oddball on paper and a joy to ride. From the dirt flats of the Sierra Nevada to cruising on Highway 14 headed back to Los Angeles, the bike performed admirably for one designed by a cruiser company. Competitor models from Germany and Japan benefit from years of slight refinement, but Harley-Davidson still knows how to build a motorcycle. Some may say that Harley came to the ADV market with an offering that is too little, too late but those folks haven"t unleashed all 150 hp at wide-open throttle. Harley-Davidson may not be your first choice for an adventure bike, but don"t necessarily make it your last choice.

TT stands for tutto terreno, or all-terrain, Italian for adventure bike. Moto Guzzi has taken all the character its bikes are known for and applied it to a new adventure machine. The V85TT is powered by a 79 hp and 59 lb-ft, 853cc 90-degree V-twin. That puts it solidly in the midsize category. It gets electronic help to keep its rider upright, and there are three riding modes (road, rain, and off-road) that let you tune the traction control, ABS throttle response and engine control to your riding style and to the conditions. Weight is over 500 pounds wet, so power-to-weight is not going to be as responsive as some other bikes.

I had one last year and enjoyed it on all types of terrain, as its name implies that you can. True, if you are winding the throttle all the way to redline, you will see the drop in power compared to some other bikes, but for most of the rest of your riding, it’s perfectly fine. And, as Morgan says, they have a wonderful, old-school character that makes them a joy to ride.

And if those options are too heavy for you, Triumph has updated its Tiger line-up to reflect the realm of adventure, with 660cc and 850cc offerings now available. Both of these models are available in a single trim, with the Tiger Sport 660 starting at $9495 while the Tiger 850 Sport starts at $11,995. Launched shortly after the Trident 660, the Tiger Sport 660 is built on a similar frame as the standard bike and rolls on 17-inch wheels, all powered by an inline triple-cylinder engine producing 80 hp and 47 lb-ft of torque. Minimal suspension travel and the 17-inch wheels make the smaller displacement Tiger suitable for minimal off-roading but help the model excel at all-around road riding manners.

In revamping its Tiger lineup, Triumph has created slots for all versions of the adventure lifestyle. The Tiger 1200 lineup is largely focused on competing with BMW and Ducati in grand-touring adventures, and the same can be said for the Tiger 900 series and the competing sizes of BMW GS and Ducati Multistrada. In order to round out the lineup with a true off-road machine, the British engineers took the parts bins and created the Tiger 850 Sport. Following the lineage of Tigers before it, the 850 Sport has an 888cc inline triple-cylinder engine that produces 84 hp and 60 lb-ft of torque. Notably, the 850 Sport rolls on a staggered set of wheels, with a 19-inch up front and a 17-inch out back, meaning the 423-pound model is more equipped for loose surfaces and trails than its smaller sibling.

You can start with a highly affordable 390 Adventure for just $6,799 and have a pretty darn good time with its 373cc four-stroke single, or you could top out on a mighty KTM 1290 Super Adventure R for a price getting near 20 grand—the Austrian bike maker has you covered. A popular choice lies right in the middle, with the 890 Adventure. The 890 got another 90ccs of displacement for 2021, up to 889ccs. Published figures list horsepower at an even 100 for the parallel-twin, with torque at 74 lb-ft. At 464 pounds, that sounds like it might even be more fun than the Tiger. A full suite of electronic controls should help keep you safe while allowing as much fun as you dial into it. Prices start at $13,999.

While the full-size Super Tenere ES stickers for $16,299 and offers 110 hp from an 1199cc two-cylinder, you might have just as much fun on Yamaha’s new Tenere 700. Its 689cc parallel-twin is shared with the MT-07 street bike and makes 73 hp and 50 lb-ft of torque. With a big skid plate, lots of ground clearance, and even a big windshield, long rides in the desert look like a breeze. Its best feature may be price, which starts at $10,299.

Another, even more affordable option for getting out and exploring all the BLM and USF land we have is the so-called dual-sport bike. These are closer to dirt bikes but with all the lights and turn signals you need to legally register them.

I was lucky enough to ride both the CRF250L and the CRF450L when they were introduced and I liked them both. If you are really good, like Johnny Campbell winning Baja 11 times, or even if you’re just more experienced and can use the extra power, then go for the 450. If, however, this whole dirt thing is new to you, or if you’re looking for a safe and even fun way to transition from street to off-road, or from driving a car to riding a motorcycle, then I recommend the 250/300. Having ridden both, I had more fun on the smaller bike.

The CRF250L gets more displacement, more power, and a new name for 2021 as the CRF300L. With a 286cc dohc fuel-injected single cylinder, the bike should have just the right output for those getting the hang of riding and enough for those with more seat time to have fun. Like many dirt bikes, it has a fairly high seat position at 34.7 inches above the ground, but that just encourages you to keep your feet on the pegs. At only 309 pounds of curb weight, it’s a lot easier to maneuver than some of the bigger bikes above, in fact, it’s easier to ride than all of the bikes above. The best thing about it is its sticker price, which starts at just $5,349. And remember, it has all the requirements for street-legal riding, so you can use this for just about everything.

There are many other motorcycles in this class you could consider, from the Suzuki DR-Z400 for $7,099, the Kawasaki KLX300 at $5,899, or the Yamaha XT250 starting at $5,399. All have everything you need to register and ride on the street, but when the pavement ends, feel free to keep going.

If you’re not familiar with off-road riding, there are plenty of places to learn. I spent a day at the Honda Powersports’ Colton Rider Education Center in SoCal, and then there’s the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s Basic Rider Course. And there are schools like RawHyde Adventures that specializes in BMW adventure bikes and offers classes in California and Colorado. There are adventure out there waiting for you—go chase it!

Mark VaughnMark Vaughn grew up in a Ford family and spent many hours holding a trouble light over a straight-six miraculously fed by a single-barrel carburetor while his father cursed Ford, all its products and everyone who ever worked there.

Technavio has been monitoring the motorcycle instrument cluster market and it is poised to grow by 3.14 million units during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of almost 2% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to transform the growth of various industries, however, the immediate impact of the outbreak is varied. While a few industries will register a drop in demand, numerous others will continue to remain unscathed and show promising growth opportunities. COVID-19 will have a low impact on the motorcycle instrument cluster market. The market growth in 2020 is likely to decrease compared to the market growth in 2019.

The market is driven by the declining prices of LCD/TFT displays. However, the low popularity of motorcycle instrument cluster among motorcycle enthusiasts might hamper growth.

Global Motorcycle Infotainment System Market - Global motorcycle infotainment system market is segmented by end-user (OEMs and aftermarket) and geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA).

Global Motorcycle Batteries Market - Global motorcycle batteries market is segmented by product (lead-acid batteries and lithium-ion batteries) and geography (APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and MEA).

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. Continental AG, Dakota Digital Inc., JPM Group, KKR & Co. Inc., Marelli Holdings Co. Ltd., Nippon Seiki Co. Ltd., Pricol Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH, Texas Instruments Inc., and Visteon Corp. are some of the major market participants. Although the declining prices of LCD/TFT display will offer immense growth opportunities, the low popularity of motorcycle instrument cluster among motorcycle enthusiasts is likely to pose a challenge for the market vendors. In a bid to help players strengthen their market foothold, this motorcycle instrument cluster market forecast report provides a detailed analysis of the leading market vendors. The report also empowers industry honchos with information on the competitive landscape and insights into the different product offerings offered by various companies.

This study identifies the adoption of the infotainment system and the multi-information display in motorcycles as one of the prime reasons driving the Motorcycle Instrument Cluster Market growth during the next few years.

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Technavio’s in-depth research has direct and indirect COVID-19 impacted market research reports.

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio’s report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio’s comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.