In early 2021, Michelin quietly launched a new retro street tire in 17-, 18-, and 19-inch front and rear sizes, some in hard-to-find widths and aspect ratios. Despite the lack of fanfare, the new Road Classic generated a lot of buzz among owners of classic and modern classic motorcycles, many of which require odd sizes, inner tubes in their spoked wheels, or both. Not only can all sizes of the Road Classic front and rear tires be used with or without tubes, it’s one of the few premium road tires left that’s available in certain sizes. That’s great news if, like me, you need a 130/80-18 rear for a 2001 Kawasaki W650 (and matching 100/90-19 front) and want the kind of wet and dry grip, handling, and longevity that only a dedicated street tire can offer. By combining an attractive retro tread design with the latest materials and technology, Michelin says its Road Classic improves upon the Pilot Activ tire it replaces with better performance in terms of comfort, handling, straight-line and cornering stability, and wet and dry grip. With a groove-to-tread-rubber ratio of 26%, the tire’s slick center and shoulder areas provide high contact with the road and excellent dry grip. In wet conditions, the 100% silica compound and chamfered groove edges break through water on the road and maintain that high level of grip without sacrificing tire life with a softer compound. To make the Road Classic a tubeless tire that is also compatible with tubes, Michelin used two Bi-NST plies directly beneath the tread rubber to reduce centrifugal growth at speed, which helps maintain a constant and optimum shaped contact patch. Under these two top plies, two Bi-NC casing plies are rigid enough to support the load with stability yet are supple enough to deliver a comfortable ride. An airtight butyl rubber liner allows the tires to be used on tubeless wheels or with inner tubes on a tube-type rim. I’ve been very happy with the Road Classics. They mounted and balanced easily without a lot of added weight, give the W650 light, neutral, and stable handling and steering, and offer plenty of grip, right to the limits of the bike’s cornering clearance. They’re quiet, comfortable, and deliver good feedback on dirty roads. As soon as I have the opportunity to sample the Road Classics in the wet, we’ll update the online version of this review. See all of Rider‘s tire reviews here. Michelin Road Classics are available in nine front and 10 rear sizes, all of which can be run without or with tubes. Because it is often listed in Michelin’s literature as just a tubeless tire, however, some dealers are unaware that it can be run with a tube; even Michelin’s website doesn’t show it as available for some bikes that it is actually suited for, unless you search by size rather than by motorcycle model. Checking the sidewall for the words, “Tubeless, on tube-type rim fit a tube,” can clear up the confusion. Make sure you get the right speed rating for your bike as well, because a couple sizes are available in both H and V ratings. Shop for Michelin Road Classic Motorcycle Tires The post Michelin Road Classic Motorcycle Tires Review appeared first on Rider Magazine.

A Tennessee judge on Monday blocked the deployment of the National Guard in Memphis, saying Gov. Bill Lee exceeded his authority. Davidson County Chancellor Patricia Head Moskal issued a temporary injunction to prohibit the deployment of troops into the city. However, she placed the ruling on hold for five days to allow for an appeal. “The power committed to the Governor as commander-in-chief of the Army and Militia is not unfettered,” Moskal said, according to ABC News. Democratic state and local officials filed a lawsuit, claiming Gov. Lee cannot deploy the Tennessee National Guard for civil unrest unless there is an invasion or rebellion. ABC News has more: In a statement, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris called the decision “a positive step toward ensuring the rule of law applies to everyone, including everyday Tennesseans and even the Governor.” While the ruling curtails the use of the National Guard, other parts of a federal task force established by Trump — including agents from the FBI, ATF and DEA — are allowed to continue operating in the city. “An activist judge in Nashville has blocked the deployment of the National Guard into Memphis, claiming the crime rates are not a ‘grave emergency,'” Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) said. “She should tell that to the countless families who’ve lost loved ones to violent murder. I’m glad @AGTennessee will be appealing,” she added. NBC News shared: The plaintiffs also said another provision spells out a need for a request from a local government to use the Guard in some scenarios, including a “breakdown of law and order,” they said. Moskal agreed that the defendants have a likelihood of success in their lawsuit based on their claims that calling the National Guard into the city violates the state’s military code and that they have shown “they are suffering or will suffer irreparable harm” if the injunction isn’t granted. But she also paused the order for at least five days so that the government has time to file an “immediate application for permission to appeal,” without providing her reasoning for that timeline. The state has said Tennessee law gives the governor “the authority to dispatch the Guard when needed and to determine when that need exists.”

The Education Department will move multiple parts of the agency to other federal departments, reports The Washington Post. It’s going to disappear into other agencies like USAID. This is through sources and is probably lacking in some accuracy. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in March seeking to close the department and asked Education Secretary Linda […] The post The Creative End of the Failed Education Department? appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

Texas will appeal a federal court ruling that blocked the state’s new congressional map, which would give Republicans an additional five seats. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown ruled Tuesday that Texas’s new map was likely unconstitutional, saying it should instead use its 2021 maps. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said Tuesday that the maps were redrawn “to better reflect Texas’ conservative voting preferences — and for no other reason,” slamming the court’s “discriminatory” claims against the map as “absurd and unsupported by testimony offered during ten days of hearings.” Abbott also called the court’s ruling “clearly erroneous.” “The public perception of this case is that it’s about politics,” the ruling from the panel of judges stated. “To be sure, politics played a role in drawing the 2025 map. Substantial evidence shows that Texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 map.” The case now heads to the Supreme Court. In the meantime, Democrats are cheering Judge Brown’s ruling. “The Trump-Abbott maps are clearly illegal, and I’m glad these judges have blocked them. If this decision stands, I look forward to running for reelection in my current district,” said Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX). “No matter what, we must fight to pass a federal ban on gerrymandering once and for all,” he added. The ruling comes as Indiana, Virginia, and Florida are also fighting in redistricting battles. It’s unclear what the House maps nationwide could look like ahead of the 2026 election. “I am working with Governor Mike Braun and other Indiana Republicans, on picking up two Republican Congressional seats,” President Donald Trump posted to Truth Social on Tuesday. California voters earlier this month overwhelmingly approved Proposition 50, a ballot measure designed to counter Texas’s new map with five additional Democrat seats. The Justice Department and California Republican Party are suing to block the measure. The Supreme Court is also considering a Louisiana-based case that could shake up maps in the South in favor of Republicans, as there is a possibility that Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act could be scrapped.

Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett raised eyebrows with a rap video she made for TikTok with Michigan Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist after endorsing him in his campaign for governor. The video begins with Gilchrist facing the camera — back-to-back with Crockett, who is barely visible behind him — lip-syncing to “What’s Up,” the 1993 smash hit by the 4 Non Blondes. Text on the screen reads, “POV you’re about to elect Michigan’s first Black governor.” “And so I wake in the morning and I step outside. And I take a deep breath and I get real high. And I scream from the top of my lungs,” he mouths the words, and then the camera swings around to Crockett. @garlingilchristmi POV you’re about to elect Michigan’s first Black Governor @Jasmine Crockett #mi #politics #blacktiktok #dance #jasminecrockett ♬ original sound – Garlin Gilchrist Crockett dives right into her impression of rapper Nicki Minaj, dancing as she lip-syncs, “Bit**es ain’t sh** and they ain’t sayin’ nothin’, A hundred mothafu**ers can’t tell me nothin’, I beez in the trap, be-beez in the trap, I beez in the trap, be-beez in the trap.” “Idiocracy was a documentary,” observed New York City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino. “Can you imagine our founders watching this …” Robby Starbuck mused. Radio host Justin Barclay added, “If one were seriously running for governor in Michigan, Jasmine Crockett wouldn’t be on your list to work with.” “Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist just released this ridiculous gubernatorial campaign video featuring a sitting member of Congress. Gilchrist says: ‘Take it from Jasmine Crockett, Trump can’t tell me nothin’,'” Newsmax’s David Harris Jr. said. The Gilchrist and Crockett video came just over two weeks after the White House posted a TikTok video using the same musical mashup. @whitehouse The best to ever do it ?? ♬ original sound – The White House Gilchrist hosted a fundraising event featuring the Texas Democrat in Detroit over the weekend, and has also been endorsed by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI). He is the first Democrat in a crowded primary field to state that the situation in Gaza is an active “genocide.”

'Religious freedom means we all can sing our faith'