Infrastructure Bill Failed to Deliver Many EV Chargers, KTM's 790 Models Disappear, Triumph's Thruxton Is Nearly Here
The custom bike feature this week is a gorgeous Triumph Bonneville T100
Politics Mess With Motorcycles
This week has brought some interesting stories, and it’s not all great news. In fact, it’s some rather crummy news. The political reality we live in has proved crappy on two topics: EV chargers and KTM’s 790 models. More on that below.
It’s not all bad news, though. There is a cafe-racer styled light, and it’s a 400 model, much like the Scrambler 400 I discussed not long ago. That and the Triumph Bonneville T100 custom out of Japan.
Federal Funding of $7.5 Billion Resulted in Fewer than 400 EV Charging Stations
The Biden-era infrastructure bill brought a lot of much-needed funding for important projects. One of the areas of focus was chargers for EVs. This would have been a major win for electric motorcyclists. The riders who choose to buzz around on electricity rather than rumble around using up liquid made from dead dinosaurs need more places to top off their batteries.
So, this should be an easy win, right? The money is there, the need is there, and at least some people want them.
Apparently, it’s not as easy as it seems. Due to a myriad of steps and more strips of red tape than there are scissors to cut them, not very many charging stations were actually built. In fact, fewer than 400 of the charging stations went in, despite there being so much more money available.
It’s a failing of the infrastructure bill, and a failing of the federal government. I know there isn’t a huge appetite out there for electric bikes right now, but part of the reason there isn’t is because there are so few charging stations. It’s frustrating to see them not getting built when the funds are there.
The KTM 790 Adventure and 790 Duke Were Cut From the US Lineup
The KTM 790 Adventure and 790 Duke are fabulous motorcycles. In my humble opinion, they’re probably the best bikes from the company, and that’s saying something considering the rest of the KTM crew.
Well, the 790 models won’t make their way to America anymore. The US website no longer lists them in the lineup, and the word is that KTM cut them due to the recent tariff situation that Trump has been drumming up.
It’s a damn shame, but an understandable one. KTM builds those bikes through a global network of suppliers and assemblers. The bikes make a circuitous route to the US, and with the tariffs in place, it simply doesn’t make sense for KTM to keep sending the motorcycles here.
Now, this doesn’t mean, the 790 is gone forever. KTM could work some magic and come up with something new for the US market, but as the bikes are at this moment, you won’t be seeing them, and that’s a shame. So, get one before they’re gone. It will be interesting to see what happens with these tariffs and if any other changes come to KTM or Husqvarna’s lineups.
The Triumph Thruxton 400 Is Nearly Here
I’ve written about the Triumph Thruxton 400 before, and every few months there is a new sighting of a test bike. Well, there has been another. The picture above is of the old Thruxton, not this new test bike.
If you want to see it, check out the article on my website. There’s an embed to an instagram post of it. It looks good, but a little different than the older Thruxton. I will say, though, that if the Scrambler 400 is any indication of what the finished product will look like, then I’m not worried.
Triumph knows what it’s doing, and I know it’s working with other companies out there to make these bikes cheap, so they can then turn around and sell them for a reasonable price, but this doesn’t bother me. I’ll keep my eyes peeled for an official reveal of the bike. Triumph can’t hold out too much longer.
Custom Triumph Bonneville T100 by Heiwa Motorcycles
I’ve got Triumph bikes on the brain this week, and this T100 recently showcased on Pipeburn and built by Heiwa Motorcycles is just want I want to see. The motorcycle is downright gorgeous.
Kengo Kimura is the genius behind Heiwa Motorcycles, and this bike is perhaps my favorite. It’s the perfect bar hopper that is bound to turn heads and make plenty of folks jealous along the way.
This Week’s Gear
I feature some gear on the site every week. It’s often what I call a profile piece, where I look at the features, materials, and specs. Occasionally, when I buy something new or find a company to send me a new piece of gear, I do full, in-depth reviews.
This week, I checked out this helmet from Shoei:
If you have questions about anything, feel free to reach out.
Thanks. Keep Reading and Riding
As always, thanks for being a reader of Wind Burned Eyes.
I am always available to chat, so if you want to reach out, do so on social media or on Substack, and I will respond when I can.