SUSAN CARPENTER / THROTTLE JOCKEY

Ducati’s new 696 Monster is antipasto on a salad bar budget.

The police motorcycle -- favored by the CHP and the L.A. Sheriff’s Department -- keeps drivers in line.

I’d like to begin this column with an apology. I’m sorry for ruining your day.

Tricia Helfer and Katee Sackhoff of ‘Battlestar Galactica’ will ride their motorcycles in other shows this summer.

Sport bikes stay in competition with annual overhauls.

What does that get you? A bike Zeus could love.

As gasoline prices soar, scooter sales are booming. From mini to maxi, they’ll take you from the corner grocery to the freeway (and some of these cycles get more than 100 miles per gallon).

The Swiss quadricycle has a BMW powertrain, the heart of a motorcycle and the suspension of a race car. If only it could be registered in California.

Is it cold in here, or is it me?

Custom ace Ian Barry and actor Jason Lee are behind the Bullet Falcon, crossing a 1950 Triumph Thunderbird with a 1920s board track racer aesthetic.

Redone for 2008, the CBR1000RR is ultra fast and easy to use , with systems that makes its power user friendly.

In bringing the newest Ulysses to market, Erik Buell has lived quite the odyssey -- from farm boy to Superbike racer to Harley-Davidson engineer to Buell Motorcycle Co. founder, chairman and chief technical officer.

There’s no standardized test for bikes’ fuel economy, so where are figures coming from? Hint: the EPA emissions test is involved.

A small California company is bringing back a bike popular a century ago.

The single-cylinder, street-specific Duke was born to accelerate and brake hard. But is it an aristocrat through and through?

There are many ways to learn Italian. You can take a language class and memorize the words.

Dual-sport bike is also an easy rider.

It may have started as a dirt bike, but after customization it’s been transformed into the Super Single. Will it catch on with road racers?

Not to rub it in, but I do have a dream job. I get paid to ride motorcycles.

Sales are down, costs are up. Despite that, bike makers are optimistic. Expect new models, even a new niche.

The new VTX1300T is a meat-and-potatoes sort of cruiser.

The company’s middleweight bike is ready for a wild time; it’s no commuter.

This battery-assisted bike is not only good for the earth, it’s good for the wallet.

Suzuki B-King is for Lord Vader. His chariot awaits.

TAKE 15 pound-feet of torque. Factor in 22.5 horsepower.

It’s a nifty ride, but China’s Jialing JH600 dual sport bike would need refinement and a price cut before cracking the U.S. market.

Overhauled for 2008, the Hayabusa boasts extra horses, but user-friendliness is also one of its goals.

Hey, did you hear the one about Jay Leno and his eco-friendly Burbank garage?

Buell Motorcycle Co. has long billed itself as the lone manufacturer of U.S. sport bikes, but that claim should come with an asterisk.

Victory Motorcycles isn’t just cruising with its ’08 Vision

Protective garments can, at the least, offer essential abrasion resistance.

The company’s newest canine is smaller and was built for more entry-level riders.

My wheels were rolling along, alternately sliding and gliding over sand, rocks and dirt.

The new 2008 Concours 14 comes in a single color that’s more appropriate for Seattle than SoCal.

Kawasaki’s new Versys is a versatile machine that’s equally at home on canyon roads and congested streets.

Big Bear Choppers makes a bike just for women. But it’s not a perfect fit.

The new Vectrix Maxi Scooter, which has been in the works for more than 10 years, is now officially on the market

Ducati’s latest is so high-strung it should run on Ritalin.

American IronHorse’s Slammer is the goth fan’s dream: big, bad and outta control. In other words, the ‘Omen’ of motorcycles.

Q: In looking at your riding clothing on the Harley-Davidson Fat Bob segment, I wondered if you had ever written anything on protective clothing recommendations.

Of the firm’s three new bikes, this could be the most popular because it’s well-designed, easy to ride and reasonably priced at $14,795.

From its mesmerizing stern to its cool handlebars, the newly minted ’08 Rocker C has a custom-shop look.

For motorcycles, front-end accidents are ‘most harmful’

Question: How do scooters under 50 cc fit into the world?

It won’t earn you any street cred and it feels kind of flimsy, but the ST performs respectably and the gas mileage can’t be beat.

BMW fills a graying market niche with its nimble, mid-size F 800 S.

I’VE never gone so fast on a motorcycle. My top speed: 163 mph.

Big and beefy with a purr like a kitten, Triumph’s Rocket III is a seductive anti-Harley cruiser.

KAWASAKI’S KLR650 has been the bestselling dual sport for the last few years, but that hasn’t stopped owners from complaining.

THE market for 600 cc sport bikes is screaming.

WARNING: Dozens of bugs were sacrificed for this review.

The Ducati 1098 S is so slick, so fast, so Elite Model beautiful that saints with sinner inclinations should beware.

IN the world of cruisers, there are Gingers and there are Mary Anns -- bikes that like to gussy up and make a grand entrance, and more understated models that can leave the house without double dipping the mascara.

It isn’t easy being old.

Tag along on an L.A. road trip with the original biker iconoclast, Peter Fonda.

It’s a different kind of triple threat as two new three-wheelers take on America.

The Spyder, with its greater stability, has the potential to open up a new market segment.

In the ‘70s, Erik Buell was an AMA superbike racer.

Supercross delivers not only speed and thrills in packed stadiums but also stars within fans’ reach.

Don’t be intimidated. These four motorcycles are geared for beginners.

No matter how expert we become at carving canyons and generally high-tailing it through the streets on two wheels, we have to learn the basics to get there.