Gear Patrol

Now that the riding season is under way in many parts of the country, it’s time to sign up for riding lessons and start thinking about the machine that’s best suited for your needs. You could jump right into researching bikes for months online, but we’d recommend starting with our roundup of the 5 best starter motorcycles first.

Family sedans tend to be the automotive equivalent of Valium (minivans are horse tranquilizers, in case you were wondering), but times have changed. Family men no longer need to sacrifice too much in the way of driving excitement and looks in order to transport tykes and trikes. We get it. You’d rather be doing some tire ripping, engine-snorting performance runs on your way to drop off your son at school. Still, we’ve compiled our list of “family sedans” that take let you perform your dad duties with aplomb while still allowing you more than a modicum of manly fun.

As nearly every auto show evidences, status quo just doesn’t cut it — and concept cars, as crazy as they can sometimes be, give us a glimpse into the realm of automotive possibility. The concepts of NAIAS 2013 were no exception. Some were radical new designs for existing models and others are new to the…

If the tumble off the fiscal cliff should ever occur, you can blame it for everything from your thin wallet to your kid’s meager college savings account. Another unwelcomed consequence of our current financial disrepair? Motorcycle riding isn’t purely for fun anymore — more and more people are opting for two wheels to save some coin at the pump. The 2013 Honda NC700X is evidence of that change — but in this case, it’s change we can get behind.

While smartphones and google calendar might have replaced much of the functional need for a physical calendar these days, we’re still nostalgic for the analog. Following in the tradition of our Grandfather’s garage, our pick for 2013′s planner is the Custom Motorcycle Calendar from Bike Exif. What it lacks in Bettie Page pinup curves it…

Honda makes cars. Honda makes mowers. Honda makes robots. Inevitably something like this was going to happen. Seeking to break into the home-automation-please-do-my-job-while-I-have-a-beer industry, the Honda Miimo is an autonomous mowing device which uses a new fan cutting system developed by Honda to slice up your grass only 3mm at a time. The Miimo is…

Does your hate for shoveling snow equal your disdain for poor fuel economy? Then Honda’s first-ever Hybrid Snow Blower ($8,000) was designed for you. It’s gas-powered four-stroke iGX390 engine provides enough spinning auger and blower power to discharge 83 tons per hour at distances of up to 62 feet (bombs away!). The fossil fuel burner…

Tails are wagging at the news. This fall, Honda’s dog-centric Element will hit lots with K9-specific accouterments to assist with dog transport that will have Fido cruising in comfort: cargo area cushioned pet bed, walk-up ramp, bone patterned rubber floor mats, 12V DC ventilation fan, spill-proof water bowl, pet restraint systems in second row and…

As if there aren’t already enough cars you’re lusting after, Honda has to go and make the HondaJet. A 1+6 passenger Business/Personal Jet capable of taking you and your lucky passengers 1400 nautical miles (2583km) and a maximum speed of 420 knots (483mph). That’s enough to get you from LaGuardia to Miami-Dade International for a…