Right now my little weather tab is showing it will be three degrees and partially sunny, not warm enough to ride but, "Holy Snowflakes Batman", have you looked outside lately? It hasn't been sunny since it was time for the sun to come up and the snowflakes that have had me mesmerized for hours have been big enough to block any attempt that the sun may have made to shine. (Oh no, its happened - my blog has become nothing more than a weather commentary). Of course I have to admit that I'm wrong again too - Yup, I thought for sure there would be one more weekend to ride. Now with the time change leering just around the corner of next week, which means I go to work in the dark and come home in the dark I may not even have the chance, if it happens to be sunny one day, to ride the bike into storage. Don't know about you but in the winter it feels like I'm a troll, living constantly in the darkness.
I guess it's time to work on a little optimism - hey, winter, it's a great time to check out the bike shows in the area. We've got the Toronto Motorcycle Show Dec. 10 to 12, The North American International Super Show Jan. 7, 8 and 9 then the Toronto International Spring Motorcycle Show April 9 and 10 just to mention a few here in SE Ontario. One word of advice if you're planning to attend any of the Toronto shows - go early, they get crazy busy - shoulder to shoulder crowds. Now they say that parking is free for motorcycles at the December show in downtown Toronto - make sure you've got your slush tires on - it's Canada, it's winter!
And on another optimistic note, we can all plan next summer's tour - Where is it you want to go? Where have you been? Where are the best roads to ride?
Like Coolcycledude, I'm envious of those whose riding season isn't dictated by the weather. Have a Happy Halloween!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
2010 New Street Triple R - Specs and Price - Triumph Motorcyvle
2010 New Triumph Street Triple R come with many features,this bike powered with DOCH and 3 cylinder.. yeah it's awesome and also with 12 valve !!, for more better performance, 2010 new triumph street triple r used liquid-cooled. The New Triumph Street Triple R engine is strong enough with 675cc of engine displacement, it's fuel injection bike !!, so about performace? well, triumph motorcycles
Motorcycle Stand style and model
Motorcycle stand is one of the important motorcycles part or accessories for all motorcycles owner, it's the simple thing that we must have it. A lot of motorcycle stand, you can see a variant motorcycle stand style and model at motorcycles accessories store.. so which is better for our motorcycles? well i thing it's just about favorite style only..
It's Vortex motorcycles front stand
Another
It's Vortex motorcycles front stand
Another
Biaggi ends Aragon test fastest
From worldsbk.com
Three days of Superbike testing at Motorland Aragon, where a round of next year's championship will be held for the first time, concluded in Spain on Friday.
At the end of the test the overall top rider was 2010 champion Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia), who clocked an impressive time of 1 minute 58.0 seconds, three tenths quicker than the benchmark set by Althea Racing's Carlos Checa on day one.
Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) made more progress, the British rider recording a 1:58.6 second lap as the 2011-spec ZX-10R gets closer and closer to the top runners.
A good testing job was also done by BMW Motorrad and Leon Haslam was finally able to get under the two-minute mark with a time of 1:59 dead, three-tenths ahead of team-mate Troy Corser.
Michel Fabrizio continued to acclimatize with his new Suzuki Alstare GSX-R1000, and despite suffering from flu he was able to set the same sub-two minute time of 1:59.2 as Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia).
No improvement on Thursday was recorded by Noriyuki Haga (Aprilia Pata Racing), while Katsuaki Fuijwara (Kawasaki Racing Team) continued to carry out sterling testing work for the team, under the watchful eyes of Chris Vermeulen, in the pit garage but still on crutches.
The quickest of the three Supersport riders out on the track on Friday was again Luca Scassa (Triumph ParkinGO) in 2:00.9, ahead of Chaz Davies (Triumph ParkinGO) and Broc Parkes (Kawasaki Motocard.com).
Unofficial times
1. Max Biaggi (Aprilia) 1:58.0
2. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) 1:58.6
3. Leon Haslam (BMW) 1:59.0
4. Michele Fabrizio (Suzuki) 1:59.2
5. Leon Camier (Aprilia) 1:59.2
6. Troy Corser (BMW) 1:59.3
7. Noriyuki Haga (Aprilia) 1:59.6
8. Katsuaki Fuijwara (Kawasaki) 2:00.2
Three days of Superbike testing at Motorland Aragon, where a round of next year's championship will be held for the first time, concluded in Spain on Friday.
At the end of the test the overall top rider was 2010 champion Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia), who clocked an impressive time of 1 minute 58.0 seconds, three tenths quicker than the benchmark set by Althea Racing's Carlos Checa on day one.
Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) made more progress, the British rider recording a 1:58.6 second lap as the 2011-spec ZX-10R gets closer and closer to the top runners.
A good testing job was also done by BMW Motorrad and Leon Haslam was finally able to get under the two-minute mark with a time of 1:59 dead, three-tenths ahead of team-mate Troy Corser.
Michel Fabrizio continued to acclimatize with his new Suzuki Alstare GSX-R1000, and despite suffering from flu he was able to set the same sub-two minute time of 1:59.2 as Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia).
No improvement on Thursday was recorded by Noriyuki Haga (Aprilia Pata Racing), while Katsuaki Fuijwara (Kawasaki Racing Team) continued to carry out sterling testing work for the team, under the watchful eyes of Chris Vermeulen, in the pit garage but still on crutches.
The quickest of the three Supersport riders out on the track on Friday was again Luca Scassa (Triumph ParkinGO) in 2:00.9, ahead of Chaz Davies (Triumph ParkinGO) and Broc Parkes (Kawasaki Motocard.com).
Unofficial times
1. Max Biaggi (Aprilia) 1:58.0
2. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) 1:58.6
3. Leon Haslam (BMW) 1:59.0
4. Michele Fabrizio (Suzuki) 1:59.2
5. Leon Camier (Aprilia) 1:59.2
6. Troy Corser (BMW) 1:59.3
7. Noriyuki Haga (Aprilia) 1:59.6
8. Katsuaki Fuijwara (Kawasaki) 2:00.2
Lorenzo leads Portuguese practice
From motogp.com
After a morning session that was effectively written off by heavy rain and storms the MotoGP class was able to make progress at Estoril on Friday afternoon in the second practice at the bwin Grande Premio de Portugal.
World Champion and race winner at Estoril for the past two seasons Jorge Lorenzo was the fastest rider round the track in the 45-minute run, as he posted a best lap of 1:48.522 on his factory M1 to get his weekend off to a solid start.
"I love this track! I have won here both times in MotoGP so I am very happy to be here,” said Lorenzo, whose two wins in the premier class have come from pole position. “Unfortunately the weather was terrible this morning and there was no point in riding, then this afternoon it was still very difficult, with a lot of water on the track and you had to be very careful.
“I felt good despite the conditions and step-by-step we improved so that at the end, when it was slightly drier, I was able to set a good time and we are on top. Tomorrow we will have two longer sessions so we will be able to recover some of the lost time, let's hope for no more rain."
Ducati rider Nicky Hayden was also on form as he finished just 0.135 secs. behind the Spaniard, with Valentino Rossi (Fiat Yamaha) completing the top three and the final rider to get under the 1:49 barrier on day one.
“This morning there was too much water on track to be able to ride, it was like a river, so we had to wait until the afternoon to check a few things," Hayden said. "This track doesn't have a lot of grip, especially on the rear. It's not a very abrasive surface but I had a really good feeling on the front - we just need to make some improvements on the rear.
"We know the Ducati works well in the rain because the engine management system is good and that gives us a lot of control. Lately I've been quite fast in wet conditions but it takes me too long to get there. If it's a wet race on Sunday and I'm going to be competitive then we need to be fast from the start so that's an area we need to work on if it rains again tomorrow.”
"This afternoon was a normal wet practice and I'm happy about my performance," Rossi said. "I am close to the top, was fast from the beginning of the session and had a good feeling with the bike. Unfortunately we were losing a little bit in some sections of the track, especially the last one because the bike was moving a little too much.
“Tomorrow we will try to improve the settings. It's important that we made a good start this afternoon as this morning's session was cancelled and it looks like the weather may not be very good over the weekend, so we will not have a lot of time to set up the bike."
Casey Stoner, who is going for a fourth win in five races this weekend, was fourth with an effort of 1:49.061, which made the Ducati man the last to get within a second of Lorenzo.
Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Ben Spies and San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Marco Melandri were separated by just six-hundredths of a second as they rounded out the session and day one as the fifth and sixth fastest riders respectively.
LCR Honda rider Randy de Puniet had led the session early on and his final time of 1:50.043 placed him seventh in the order, with Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini), Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) and Loris Capirossi (Rizla Suzuki) setting top-10 times.
Despite the appearance of the sun late in the session the track remained wet due to the constant earlier rain, and as such there were four crashers in the session. Héctor Barberá (Paginas Amarillas Aspar), Dovizioso, Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Álvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki) all had falls on a surface that continued to cause some problems.
Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) was on track as he continues his recovery from injury and he placed 13th, with Carlos Checa 17th as he started his two-race stint with the Pramac Racing Team.
Aleix Espargaró (Pramac Racing) and Hiroshi Aoyama (Interwetten Honda MotoGP) – who along with Checa was the only rider to complete a lap in the morning – completed the session 14th and 15th fastest respectively.
The entire Moto2 field was able to take to the track at Estoril on Friday afternoon as vastly improved conditions in comparison to the morning greeted them for FP2 at the bwin Grande Premio de Portugal.
Fimmco Speed Up rider Gabor Talmacsi was the rider who led the way on the first day as he set a best time of 1:50.916 to top the timesheet across both sessions, and the Hungarian was the only rider under 1:51.
Julián Simón (Mapfre Aspar), who did not ride in the morning, was second at 0.388 secs. off Talmacsi, with World Champion Toni Elías (Gresini Racing) showing no signs of any hangover from a fall in the morning session to set the third best time as the track provided a much better surface than the rain-drenched one encountered only hours before.
Alberto Moncayo set the quickest lap in the second 125cc practice session at Estoril on Friday afternoon, as the weather continued to make it difficult for the riders to gain a foothold in their preparations for Sunday’s race. The Andalucia Cajasol rider’s time of 2:05.490 was just over five seconds off Bradley Smith’s effort from the morning session, as he led Johann Zarco (WTR San Marino Team) by a little over a full second in the FP2 timings.
With the track still wet there were again a number of falls during the 40-minute session, with title chasers Marc Márquez (Red Bull Ajo Motorsport) and Pol Espargaró (Tuenti Racing) both going down – the former having completed just two laps and not returning to the track for the remainder. Both escaped injury as their bikes took the impacts.
MotoGP Practice Results
1. Jorge LORENZO (SPA) Fiat Yamaha 1:48.522
2. Nicky HAYDEN (USA) Ducati 1:48.657
3. Valentino ROSSI (ITA) Fiat Yamaha 1:48.883
4. Casey STONER (AUS) Ducati 1:49.061
5. Ben SPIES (USA) Monster Tech 3 Yamaha 1:49.721
6. Marco MELANDRI (ITA) San Carlo Gresini Honda 1:49.784
7. Randy DE PUNIET (FRA) LCR Honda 1:50.043
8. Marco SIMONCELLI (ITA) San Carlo Gresini Honda 1:51.283
9. Andrea DOVIZIOSO (ITA) Repsol Honda 1:52.294
10. Loris CAPIROSSI (ITA) Rizla Suzuki 1:52.575
11. Hector BARBERA (SPA) Paginas Amarillas Aspar Ducati 1:53.131
12. Colin EDWARDS (USA) Monster Tech 3 Yamaha 1:53.510
13. Dani PEDROSA (SPA) Repsol Honda 1:53.592
14. Aleix ESPARGARO (SPA) Pramac Ducati 1:53.769
15. Hiroshi AOYAMA (JPN) Interwetten Honda 1:54.389
16. Alvaro BAUTISTA (SPA) Rizla Suzuki 1:54.410
17. Carlos CHECA (SPA) Pramac Ducati 1:54.444
After a morning session that was effectively written off by heavy rain and storms the MotoGP class was able to make progress at Estoril on Friday afternoon in the second practice at the bwin Grande Premio de Portugal.
World Champion and race winner at Estoril for the past two seasons Jorge Lorenzo was the fastest rider round the track in the 45-minute run, as he posted a best lap of 1:48.522 on his factory M1 to get his weekend off to a solid start.
"I love this track! I have won here both times in MotoGP so I am very happy to be here,” said Lorenzo, whose two wins in the premier class have come from pole position. “Unfortunately the weather was terrible this morning and there was no point in riding, then this afternoon it was still very difficult, with a lot of water on the track and you had to be very careful.
“I felt good despite the conditions and step-by-step we improved so that at the end, when it was slightly drier, I was able to set a good time and we are on top. Tomorrow we will have two longer sessions so we will be able to recover some of the lost time, let's hope for no more rain."
Ducati rider Nicky Hayden was also on form as he finished just 0.135 secs. behind the Spaniard, with Valentino Rossi (Fiat Yamaha) completing the top three and the final rider to get under the 1:49 barrier on day one.
“This morning there was too much water on track to be able to ride, it was like a river, so we had to wait until the afternoon to check a few things," Hayden said. "This track doesn't have a lot of grip, especially on the rear. It's not a very abrasive surface but I had a really good feeling on the front - we just need to make some improvements on the rear.
"We know the Ducati works well in the rain because the engine management system is good and that gives us a lot of control. Lately I've been quite fast in wet conditions but it takes me too long to get there. If it's a wet race on Sunday and I'm going to be competitive then we need to be fast from the start so that's an area we need to work on if it rains again tomorrow.”
"This afternoon was a normal wet practice and I'm happy about my performance," Rossi said. "I am close to the top, was fast from the beginning of the session and had a good feeling with the bike. Unfortunately we were losing a little bit in some sections of the track, especially the last one because the bike was moving a little too much.
“Tomorrow we will try to improve the settings. It's important that we made a good start this afternoon as this morning's session was cancelled and it looks like the weather may not be very good over the weekend, so we will not have a lot of time to set up the bike."
Casey Stoner, who is going for a fourth win in five races this weekend, was fourth with an effort of 1:49.061, which made the Ducati man the last to get within a second of Lorenzo.
Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Ben Spies and San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Marco Melandri were separated by just six-hundredths of a second as they rounded out the session and day one as the fifth and sixth fastest riders respectively.
LCR Honda rider Randy de Puniet had led the session early on and his final time of 1:50.043 placed him seventh in the order, with Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini), Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) and Loris Capirossi (Rizla Suzuki) setting top-10 times.
Despite the appearance of the sun late in the session the track remained wet due to the constant earlier rain, and as such there were four crashers in the session. Héctor Barberá (Paginas Amarillas Aspar), Dovizioso, Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Álvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki) all had falls on a surface that continued to cause some problems.
Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) was on track as he continues his recovery from injury and he placed 13th, with Carlos Checa 17th as he started his two-race stint with the Pramac Racing Team.
Aleix Espargaró (Pramac Racing) and Hiroshi Aoyama (Interwetten Honda MotoGP) – who along with Checa was the only rider to complete a lap in the morning – completed the session 14th and 15th fastest respectively.
The entire Moto2 field was able to take to the track at Estoril on Friday afternoon as vastly improved conditions in comparison to the morning greeted them for FP2 at the bwin Grande Premio de Portugal.
Fimmco Speed Up rider Gabor Talmacsi was the rider who led the way on the first day as he set a best time of 1:50.916 to top the timesheet across both sessions, and the Hungarian was the only rider under 1:51.
Julián Simón (Mapfre Aspar), who did not ride in the morning, was second at 0.388 secs. off Talmacsi, with World Champion Toni Elías (Gresini Racing) showing no signs of any hangover from a fall in the morning session to set the third best time as the track provided a much better surface than the rain-drenched one encountered only hours before.
Alberto Moncayo set the quickest lap in the second 125cc practice session at Estoril on Friday afternoon, as the weather continued to make it difficult for the riders to gain a foothold in their preparations for Sunday’s race. The Andalucia Cajasol rider’s time of 2:05.490 was just over five seconds off Bradley Smith’s effort from the morning session, as he led Johann Zarco (WTR San Marino Team) by a little over a full second in the FP2 timings.
With the track still wet there were again a number of falls during the 40-minute session, with title chasers Marc Márquez (Red Bull Ajo Motorsport) and Pol Espargaró (Tuenti Racing) both going down – the former having completed just two laps and not returning to the track for the remainder. Both escaped injury as their bikes took the impacts.
MotoGP Practice Results
1. Jorge LORENZO (SPA) Fiat Yamaha 1:48.522
2. Nicky HAYDEN (USA) Ducati 1:48.657
3. Valentino ROSSI (ITA) Fiat Yamaha 1:48.883
4. Casey STONER (AUS) Ducati 1:49.061
5. Ben SPIES (USA) Monster Tech 3 Yamaha 1:49.721
6. Marco MELANDRI (ITA) San Carlo Gresini Honda 1:49.784
7. Randy DE PUNIET (FRA) LCR Honda 1:50.043
8. Marco SIMONCELLI (ITA) San Carlo Gresini Honda 1:51.283
9. Andrea DOVIZIOSO (ITA) Repsol Honda 1:52.294
10. Loris CAPIROSSI (ITA) Rizla Suzuki 1:52.575
11. Hector BARBERA (SPA) Paginas Amarillas Aspar Ducati 1:53.131
12. Colin EDWARDS (USA) Monster Tech 3 Yamaha 1:53.510
13. Dani PEDROSA (SPA) Repsol Honda 1:53.592
14. Aleix ESPARGARO (SPA) Pramac Ducati 1:53.769
15. Hiroshi AOYAMA (JPN) Interwetten Honda 1:54.389
16. Alvaro BAUTISTA (SPA) Rizla Suzuki 1:54.410
17. Carlos CHECA (SPA) Pramac Ducati 1:54.444
Friday, October 29, 2010
BMW Italia joins Superbike ranks
From worldsbk.com
Team BMW Motorrad Italia Superbike has now stepped up to join the 2011 FIM Superbike World Championship, and the team will field the current Superstock 1000 FIM Cup Champion Ayrton Badovini and double World WSBK champion James Toseland.
The team, the current champions in Superstock with Badovini, will have technical support from the BMW Motorrad Motorsport factory team, which is providing engines and electronics for the BMW S1000RR.
Andrea Buzzoni, the Director of BMW Motorrad Italia and the manager of the new Superbike project will lead the team. Serafino Foti will serve as Sporting Director and Gerardo Acocella will be the Technical Director. Exciting prospect Lorenzo Zanetti (ITA) will run for the team in the Superstock 1000 class.
Hendrik von Kuenheim, General Director BMW Motorrad stated, "From next season, our BMW Motorrad Motorsport factory team will be joined in the FIM Superbike World Championship by a factory-supported BMW line-up in the shape of the BMW Motorrad Italia SBK team. The team has experience in motor racing, and in this championship specifically.
"Last year in the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup, BMW Motorrad Italia demonstrated their ability to achieve success with the BMW S1000RR, and in impressive fashion. Although the challenge in the Superbike World Championship is that much tougher, I'm convinced that BMW Motorrad will benefit from this new addition to the field. After all, competition is the lifeblood of business. We would like to wish the team every success."
Team BMW Motorrad Italia Superbike has now stepped up to join the 2011 FIM Superbike World Championship, and the team will field the current Superstock 1000 FIM Cup Champion Ayrton Badovini and double World WSBK champion James Toseland.
The team, the current champions in Superstock with Badovini, will have technical support from the BMW Motorrad Motorsport factory team, which is providing engines and electronics for the BMW S1000RR.
Andrea Buzzoni, the Director of BMW Motorrad Italia and the manager of the new Superbike project will lead the team. Serafino Foti will serve as Sporting Director and Gerardo Acocella will be the Technical Director. Exciting prospect Lorenzo Zanetti (ITA) will run for the team in the Superstock 1000 class.
Hendrik von Kuenheim, General Director BMW Motorrad stated, "From next season, our BMW Motorrad Motorsport factory team will be joined in the FIM Superbike World Championship by a factory-supported BMW line-up in the shape of the BMW Motorrad Italia SBK team. The team has experience in motor racing, and in this championship specifically.
"Last year in the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup, BMW Motorrad Italia demonstrated their ability to achieve success with the BMW S1000RR, and in impressive fashion. Although the challenge in the Superbike World Championship is that much tougher, I'm convinced that BMW Motorrad will benefit from this new addition to the field. After all, competition is the lifeblood of business. We would like to wish the team every success."
Motorcycle Pictures of the Week - Bikes Only
Here are my Pictures of the Week as displayed on the Motorcycle Views Website. This feature has been expanded to include Bikes Only and Trikes Only. These pictures are taken from the Moto Pic Gallery. See Otter's 1992 Harley-Davidson Sportster XLH under Bikes Only. There are no Trikes Only, or Women or Men on Motorcycles this week. We need more pictures of men and women with their motorcycles. Get your picture in. For details, see Motorcycle Pictures of the Week.If you'd like to see your bike or trike as Picture of the Week, submit a picture of you and your bike or trike along with its description.
Goodbye USA - Hello Canada!
*** continued from previous post ***
Yes I was guilty. Guilty of being an American.
The Canadian official, our guide to the splendor that is Canada, our ambassador to all things northy, motioned for me to turn off the bike. I gave him a quick glance to see what we were dealing with. He might have been 20, but I doubt it. His beard, if you could call it that, would inspire comments such as, "Aw, look! He's trying to grow a beard. Isn't that cute?". Or, "You know, shaving is 'in' right now." Or, "Dear god! Get a stick quick! That poor boy is being attacked by some varmint with mange! It might be a wolverine! Or a cat! Either way, that thing needs a good smackin'."
I guess I could have just described his beard as 'patchy', but that word does not do Capt. face-fur justice.
He was dressed in a crisp, khaki and forest green uniform and wore, what we in the USA call a 'Smokey The Bear' hat. He looked like the cutest boy scout ever. I thought it prudent not to mention this to him. It might spoil the moment.
After our initial greetings, and the typical, 'whereyoufrom-whereyougoing-howlongyoustaying?', the following conversation took place which, although you might not believe me, is reproduced verbatim:
Him: "Do you have any guns?"
Me: "No."
Him: "Do you have any knives?"
Me: "No."
Him: "Any weapons of any kind?"
Me: "Nope."
Him: "How about Mace or other aerosol devices like Pepper Spray?"
Me: "Umm . . . no. We don't have anything."
Him: "You don't have any weapons of any kind on your person or on your motorcycle?"
Me: "No." (Although, at this point, I'm beginning to get a little nervous)
Him: "Not even anything to protect yourself against animals?"
Me: (Animals? WTF????) "No. Should I?"
Him: "Go on ahead and enjoy your stay in Canada," he said with a smirk and waved us through.
Mom immediately wants to pull over and buy guns. And knives. And brass-knuckles. Oh, and Mace. Possibly a Howitzer if we can find one. Poor dear, it's been a long day. It takes some talking, but I convince her that all she really needs is a rock that I picked up in the parking lot of a convenience store where we stopped to grab our umpteenth bottle of water. The fullness, the heft, the sharp edges all seemed to soothe her. Her eyes lost that wild saucer-shape that gives me the willies.
She loved that rock. In the days to come, I believe she loved that rock more than me. I can't blame her. The rock never convinced her to go on a motorcycle trip to Banff.
*** the journey continues tomorrow ***
Yes I was guilty. Guilty of being an American.
The Canadian official, our guide to the splendor that is Canada, our ambassador to all things northy, motioned for me to turn off the bike. I gave him a quick glance to see what we were dealing with. He might have been 20, but I doubt it. His beard, if you could call it that, would inspire comments such as, "Aw, look! He's trying to grow a beard. Isn't that cute?". Or, "You know, shaving is 'in' right now." Or, "Dear god! Get a stick quick! That poor boy is being attacked by some varmint with mange! It might be a wolverine! Or a cat! Either way, that thing needs a good smackin'."
I guess I could have just described his beard as 'patchy', but that word does not do Capt. face-fur justice.
He was dressed in a crisp, khaki and forest green uniform and wore, what we in the USA call a 'Smokey The Bear' hat. He looked like the cutest boy scout ever. I thought it prudent not to mention this to him. It might spoil the moment.
After our initial greetings, and the typical, 'whereyoufrom-whereyougoing-howlongyoustaying?', the following conversation took place which, although you might not believe me, is reproduced verbatim:
Him: "Do you have any guns?"
Me: "No."
Him: "Do you have any knives?"
Me: "No."
Him: "Any weapons of any kind?"
Me: "Nope."
Him: "How about Mace or other aerosol devices like Pepper Spray?"
Me: "Umm . . . no. We don't have anything."
Him: "You don't have any weapons of any kind on your person or on your motorcycle?"
Me: "No." (Although, at this point, I'm beginning to get a little nervous)
Him: "Not even anything to protect yourself against animals?"
Me: (Animals? WTF????) "No. Should I?"
Him: "Go on ahead and enjoy your stay in Canada," he said with a smirk and waved us through.
Mom immediately wants to pull over and buy guns. And knives. And brass-knuckles. Oh, and Mace. Possibly a Howitzer if we can find one. Poor dear, it's been a long day. It takes some talking, but I convince her that all she really needs is a rock that I picked up in the parking lot of a convenience store where we stopped to grab our umpteenth bottle of water. The fullness, the heft, the sharp edges all seemed to soothe her. Her eyes lost that wild saucer-shape that gives me the willies.
She loved that rock. In the days to come, I believe she loved that rock more than me. I can't blame her. The rock never convinced her to go on a motorcycle trip to Banff.
*** the journey continues tomorrow ***
BMW to start selling in India
From BMW Motorrad
MUNICH, GERMANY -- BMW Motorrad starts its sales activities on the Indian motorcycle market with two official importers as of December.
With 'Deutsche Motoren' in Delhi in the north of India and 'Navnit Motors' in Mumbai on the west coast and Bangalore in the southern part of the country, BMW Motorrad is relying on two experienced BMW Group partners. With these three sales outlets the German motorcycle manufacturer is represented in the strategically important regions.
"The BMW Group has already established itself very successfully in India with a local BMW automobile production and a sales network for BMW Group automobiles," said Hendrik von Kuenheim, General Director BMW Motorrad. "Now the market for premium motorcycles is beginning to develop, too.
"The sales activities now commencing with our two experienced BMW Group partners are of long-term significance to BMW Motorrad. We are confident our motorcycles will swiftly become established in timely preparation for the growing market."
The motorcycles will be produced at the BMW Motorrad plant in Berlin and supplied to India as CBU (completely built up) units.
BMW Motorrad will initially offer the current models of the R and K series as well as the superbike S1000RR.
MUNICH, GERMANY -- BMW Motorrad starts its sales activities on the Indian motorcycle market with two official importers as of December.
With 'Deutsche Motoren' in Delhi in the north of India and 'Navnit Motors' in Mumbai on the west coast and Bangalore in the southern part of the country, BMW Motorrad is relying on two experienced BMW Group partners. With these three sales outlets the German motorcycle manufacturer is represented in the strategically important regions.
"The BMW Group has already established itself very successfully in India with a local BMW automobile production and a sales network for BMW Group automobiles," said Hendrik von Kuenheim, General Director BMW Motorrad. "Now the market for premium motorcycles is beginning to develop, too.
"The sales activities now commencing with our two experienced BMW Group partners are of long-term significance to BMW Motorrad. We are confident our motorcycles will swiftly become established in timely preparation for the growing market."
The motorcycles will be produced at the BMW Motorrad plant in Berlin and supplied to India as CBU (completely built up) units.
BMW Motorrad will initially offer the current models of the R and K series as well as the superbike S1000RR.
Capirossi to join Pramac Ducati
From motogp.com
The Pramac Racing team has announced that it has reached an agreement with Loris Capirossi to join forces in MotoGP for 2011.
Next season will be the 10th year of the Italian team’s involvement in the World Championship, and it will mark the milestone with an Italian rider on board its satellite Desmosedici.
Capirossi last rode the 800cc Ducati machine in 2007 and his experience in the World Championship of 313 Grand Prix starts, 29 wins, 99 podiums and three titles (two in the 125cc class and one in the 250cc category) was welcomed excitedly by Pramac Racing Team Principal, Paolo Campinoti.
"We are very pleased to have signed an agreement with one of the most experienced and titled riders currently riding in the MotoGP World Championship,” said Campinoti. “The deal between us was very simple because Pramac Racing Team and Loris always try to fight for important results. We do not need to talk about Loris, we all know him, we know his value and we are sure that thanks to his quality we'll have fun next year on all the tracks, taking some satisfaction too.”
Capirossi expressed his anticipation at the next step in his illustrious career by saying, "This return on a Ducati bike makes me feel like a child! I do not feel 37-years-old! I have a great desire to start this new adventure, I’m enormously pleased about this new agreement with the Pramac Racing Team which will allow me to ride and be part of an Italian team."
The Italian also expressed his gratitude to his current Rizla Suzuki team, who he explained had granted him permission to Test at Valencia in November.
“I thank Suzuki for the years we have spent together and also the excellent relationship with them. They have given me permission to ride with my new team starting at the Valencia Test next month."
The Pramac Racing team has announced that it has reached an agreement with Loris Capirossi to join forces in MotoGP for 2011.
Next season will be the 10th year of the Italian team’s involvement in the World Championship, and it will mark the milestone with an Italian rider on board its satellite Desmosedici.
Capirossi last rode the 800cc Ducati machine in 2007 and his experience in the World Championship of 313 Grand Prix starts, 29 wins, 99 podiums and three titles (two in the 125cc class and one in the 250cc category) was welcomed excitedly by Pramac Racing Team Principal, Paolo Campinoti.
"We are very pleased to have signed an agreement with one of the most experienced and titled riders currently riding in the MotoGP World Championship,” said Campinoti. “The deal between us was very simple because Pramac Racing Team and Loris always try to fight for important results. We do not need to talk about Loris, we all know him, we know his value and we are sure that thanks to his quality we'll have fun next year on all the tracks, taking some satisfaction too.”
Capirossi expressed his anticipation at the next step in his illustrious career by saying, "This return on a Ducati bike makes me feel like a child! I do not feel 37-years-old! I have a great desire to start this new adventure, I’m enormously pleased about this new agreement with the Pramac Racing Team which will allow me to ride and be part of an Italian team."
The Italian also expressed his gratitude to his current Rizla Suzuki team, who he explained had granted him permission to Test at Valencia in November.
“I thank Suzuki for the years we have spent together and also the excellent relationship with them. They have given me permission to ride with my new team starting at the Valencia Test next month."
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Corey Miller
Corey Miller is a famous tattoo artist.
He is the owner of Six Feet Under tattoo shop, and currently on LA Ink as an ex-employee of Kat Von D's High Voltage Tattoo, and is working for Craig Jackman at American Electric.
Corey Miller's talent is friggin mind blowing. I love Tats, and I really love his artwork.
BTW. Corey rides a Custom. How fitting.
Honda CBR250RR Motorbike in My opinion
Honda CBR250RR Motorbike is the latest sport fairing motorcycle from Honda, in my opinion, a lot of the new things from this Honda motorcycle. Design of honda cbr250rr is very fresh, it's mean you will get the New CBR design, you can see here on CBR250RR picture.
2011 Honda CBR250RR Motorbike powered with DOCH engine and single cylinder, not so special for me, but it's mean Honda must sell this
2011 Honda CBR250RR Motorbike powered with DOCH engine and single cylinder, not so special for me, but it's mean Honda must sell this
Ill Lajoie battles to top 10s
By John Hopkins
Despite battling a severe cold and competing without the help of any crew Montreal's Nadine Lajoie picked up a trio of top 10 finishes in road racing action at the Streets of Willow race track in southern California Oct. 17.
Lajoie took eighth in the Formula 2 race, ninth in Formula 40 Lightweight and 10th in 600 Modified Production. In the latter event she improved on her practice times by three seconds. This was only her second visit to the Streets of Willow track.
“I wasn’t feeling good and wanted to go home, but didn’t want to give up before starting," Lajoie said about preparing for the races. “It was a good weekend overall. I had no crashes and I went at it despite not feeling good going into the weekend.”
Guilty At The Border
*** continued from previous post ***
Somehow the hours slipped by - and I do mean hours, who the Hell knew Washington was this big? - and it was well past 5 PM by the time we reached the US - Canadian border.
We had now been on the road about 10 hours, and if you remember had experienced everything from snow to blistering heat to violent wind. Well, maybe not blistering, but damn hot for a couple of Western Washington folk. At this point I was MORE than ready to be at our hotel for the night, and your Mom, who, thank goodness, had either stopped hallucinating or learned how to hide the fact, was ready as well.
We had one more gauntlet to run however. Canadian customs. (Cue dramatic dun-dun-DUN! music! Or, considering we were entering Canada, dun-dun-DUN-eh? music.)
Back in the day, (What the hell does that mean anyway? Really. That's a weak descriptor of a point in time if ever I heard one. You don't hear "Back in the year", or "Back in the decade", now do you? No. And why? It sounds silly, that's why).
Anyway, back in the dim past crossing the border was as easy as coming to a full stop and answering one question: "Where are you going, and how long are you going to stay?"
I guess that's two questions, but it was usually slurred together (you had to pass the time in those booths as best you could, and alcohol is a quick cure), so you get my drift. Sometimes you didn't even have to stop, they would wave you right through. 911, as it changed so much in our society, changed everything at the border. Suddenly, Canada was actually a foreign country. Who knew?
Now crossing is a bit of an ordeal, but we were prepared. Coming here was a great excuse for us to finally get passports. Mom was itching to use them for the first time. I was less enthusiastic. It had been quite a while since I had crossed over into Canada, and I'd never been to this particular border crossing - and never on a two-wheeled spaceship - so I had no idea of what to expect.
What we found was a small, two-lane road with a booth in the middle that could have been serving ice cream as easily as permission to cross into an alien land. How small? Our bathroom is larger than this entire station. Here was the thin blue - or red, or paisley - line separating the "Huh?'s", from the "Eh?"'s. Still, I felt some butterflies flit in my stomach as we rolled up to the window. Even though we had nothing to hide, it felt like we did. Know what I mean?
Yes I was guilty.
Guilty of being an American.
*** the journey continues tomorrow ***
Somehow the hours slipped by - and I do mean hours, who the Hell knew Washington was this big? - and it was well past 5 PM by the time we reached the US - Canadian border.
We had now been on the road about 10 hours, and if you remember had experienced everything from snow to blistering heat to violent wind. Well, maybe not blistering, but damn hot for a couple of Western Washington folk. At this point I was MORE than ready to be at our hotel for the night, and your Mom, who, thank goodness, had either stopped hallucinating or learned how to hide the fact, was ready as well.
We had one more gauntlet to run however. Canadian customs. (Cue dramatic dun-dun-DUN! music! Or, considering we were entering Canada, dun-dun-DUN-eh? music.)
Back in the day, (What the hell does that mean anyway? Really. That's a weak descriptor of a point in time if ever I heard one. You don't hear "Back in the year", or "Back in the decade", now do you? No. And why? It sounds silly, that's why).
Anyway, back in the dim past crossing the border was as easy as coming to a full stop and answering one question: "Where are you going, and how long are you going to stay?"
I guess that's two questions, but it was usually slurred together (you had to pass the time in those booths as best you could, and alcohol is a quick cure), so you get my drift. Sometimes you didn't even have to stop, they would wave you right through. 911, as it changed so much in our society, changed everything at the border. Suddenly, Canada was actually a foreign country. Who knew?
Now crossing is a bit of an ordeal, but we were prepared. Coming here was a great excuse for us to finally get passports. Mom was itching to use them for the first time. I was less enthusiastic. It had been quite a while since I had crossed over into Canada, and I'd never been to this particular border crossing - and never on a two-wheeled spaceship - so I had no idea of what to expect.
What we found was a small, two-lane road with a booth in the middle that could have been serving ice cream as easily as permission to cross into an alien land. How small? Our bathroom is larger than this entire station. Here was the thin blue - or red, or paisley - line separating the "Huh?'s", from the "Eh?"'s. Still, I felt some butterflies flit in my stomach as we rolled up to the window. Even though we had nothing to hide, it felt like we did. Know what I mean?
Yes I was guilty.
Guilty of being an American.
*** the journey continues tomorrow ***
Jervis clinches two titles
By John Hopkins
Victoria's Oliver Jervis ended the 2010 Oregon Motorcycle Road Racing Association season with a pair of championships last weekend, although a crash denied him a shot at a third crown.
At a damp Portland International Raceway the Zlock Racing Kawasaki rider took his ZX-6R to victory in both the 600 Supersport and 600 Superbike races.
Saturday's 600 Supersport race started on a dry track but rain later on turned the event into a fight for survival. Jervis was able to hang onto his Kawasaki ZX-6R and the lead to pick up the race win and the class title.
Torrential rain greeted the racers on Sunday and Jervis again managed to take a race win and the title in the 600 Superbike class despite the daunting conditions.
Jervis opted to ride the ZX-6R rather than the Zlock ZX-10R in the soggy Formula Ultra event. He had worked his way into the lead when he lost the front end in turn eight on lap six and crashed out of the race.
"To be honest, the next few moments were hard for me to deal with as I watched our championship hopes literally slide away," Jervis said. "As they say, that's racing. I've had my share of fortune in racing and this just wasn't my day. This time I wasn't able to deliver the goods for the team, but I have to accept what happened, learn from it, move on and come back stronger."
Fellow BC rider Alan Schmidt claimed the Formula Ultra title and the overall OMRRA crown, his seventh.
Victoria's Oliver Jervis ended the 2010 Oregon Motorcycle Road Racing Association season with a pair of championships last weekend, although a crash denied him a shot at a third crown.
At a damp Portland International Raceway the Zlock Racing Kawasaki rider took his ZX-6R to victory in both the 600 Supersport and 600 Superbike races.
Saturday's 600 Supersport race started on a dry track but rain later on turned the event into a fight for survival. Jervis was able to hang onto his Kawasaki ZX-6R and the lead to pick up the race win and the class title.
Torrential rain greeted the racers on Sunday and Jervis again managed to take a race win and the title in the 600 Superbike class despite the daunting conditions.
Jervis opted to ride the ZX-6R rather than the Zlock ZX-10R in the soggy Formula Ultra event. He had worked his way into the lead when he lost the front end in turn eight on lap six and crashed out of the race.
"To be honest, the next few moments were hard for me to deal with as I watched our championship hopes literally slide away," Jervis said. "As they say, that's racing. I've had my share of fortune in racing and this just wasn't my day. This time I wasn't able to deliver the goods for the team, but I have to accept what happened, learn from it, move on and come back stronger."
Fellow BC rider Alan Schmidt claimed the Formula Ultra title and the overall OMRRA crown, his seventh.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
honda cbr250r specification - 2011 Honda Motorcycles
Here is The New 2011 Honda CBR250R. Today, i found the latest honda cbr250r specification from Honda Official website. "Honda CBR 250R" will release in many country as like U.S.A, U.K, Italy, France, Canada, Japan, Australia and more.. Thailand the 1st country that released the Honda CBR250R. Okay.. check this out the latest cbr250r specs information from world honda.
honda cbr250r specification
honda cbr250r specification
Lorenzo aims for Portuguese perfection
From motogp.com
Round 17 of 18 at Estoril this weekend marks the beginning of the final stint of the 2010 MotoGP World Championship, with the bwin Grande Premio de Portugal the first in the last two races of the campaign, which are back-to-back affairs.
With Jorge Lorenzo already proclaimed 2010 World Champion it still remains to be seen in which order Dani Pedrosa, Casey Stoner, Valentino Rossi and Andrea Dovizioso will close the season.
With the pressure well and truly off Lorenzo is going for wins to cap off his momentous year, and at Estoril the Fiat Yamaha man only has winning form in the premier class. In his two previous MotoGP visits in 2008 and 2009 the Spaniard has taken victory from pole, so will be ever confident of adding an eighth win in this his title-winning third season.
Hoping for a more successful return to action than in the previous round at Australia, Repsol Honda rider Pedrosa will have had an extra 12 days in which to allow his injured collarbone to further recover. The 25-year-old heads up the group of four who all still have a chance of a second-placed finish in the standings, and he has stood on the podium at Estoril for the past three years.
Ducati man Stoner, who moved up to eighth in the list of all-time winners in the premier class with his 23rd career victory in the last round, has twice finished on the podium at Estoril in the premier class and in his current form will be aiming to deliver Ducati its first MotoGP win at the Portuguese track.
Just eight points behind him is Rossi, who has the most victories at the track with five. The Fiat Yamaha man has nine podiums in total there and has only failed to step onto the rostrum once in his last 10 visits, which was last year when he placed fourth.
Dovizioso sits a further 18 points behind his fellow Italian and the Repsol Honda rider will be determined to step back on the podium after his run of two straight rostrum finishes was halted by a mechanical fault in Australia.
Ben Spies (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) has already secured the Rookie of the Year award and top satellite rider for 2010 and in Estoril faces a track on which he has never previously raced, a fact which appears to have done little to hinder his progress in similar situations this season.
Nicky Hayden (Ducati Team) will be another highly focused rider as he seeks to overcome the disappointment of just missing out on a podium in the last round.
Marco Simoncelli’s 250cc form at Estoril – second in 2008 and victory in 2009 – will give the San Carlo Honda Gresini rider added confidence as he continues his impressive progress, with Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) another rider looking for a strong finish to the season.
The last two rounds of the season also see a return to the three-practice session format which was successfully trialled at Aragón, with the opening session in the MotoGP class at Estoril scheduled to get underway at 10:05am local time on Friday.
Toni Elías’ crowning as inaugural Moto2 World Champion in Malaysia may have ended the chase for the 2010 title, but the battle for runner-up spot is still very much alive with two rounds remaining.
This weekend both Julián Simón and Andrea Iannone will be aiming to improve their individual chances of taking the honour with strong results. Just two points separate Mapfre Aspar’s Simón and his Fimmco Speed Up rival Iannone in second and third position, with Swiss rider Thomas Lüthi of the Interwetten Moriwaki team also still holding a mathematical chance of ending the campaign in second as he sits 36 points off Iannone and in fourth.
Simone Corsi (JiR Moto2) is currently fifth in the Championship while his team-mate Alex de Angelis is fresh off the back of his first win in the Moto2 campaign, having tasted success in Australia.
Thanks to his ninth win of the season in Australia last time out Marc Márquez has placed himself in a position to be able to claim the 2010 125cc World Championship at this weekend’s bwin Grande Premio de Portugal, and if he were to do so the 17-year-old would become the second-youngest World Champion in the 62-year history of GP racing behind Loris Capirossi.
Márquez is 12 points clear of Nico Terol (Bancaja Aspar) and 17 ahead of Pol Espargaró (Tuenti Racing) at the top of the standings with two rounds remaining, and there are a number of scenarios which would hand him the title at Round 16. One such outcome would be a victory at Estoril for Márquez with Espargaró failing to place second and Terol no higher than fifth, but with his rivals still holding their own title hopes it is a delicate situation.
Round 17 of 18 at Estoril this weekend marks the beginning of the final stint of the 2010 MotoGP World Championship, with the bwin Grande Premio de Portugal the first in the last two races of the campaign, which are back-to-back affairs.
With Jorge Lorenzo already proclaimed 2010 World Champion it still remains to be seen in which order Dani Pedrosa, Casey Stoner, Valentino Rossi and Andrea Dovizioso will close the season.
With the pressure well and truly off Lorenzo is going for wins to cap off his momentous year, and at Estoril the Fiat Yamaha man only has winning form in the premier class. In his two previous MotoGP visits in 2008 and 2009 the Spaniard has taken victory from pole, so will be ever confident of adding an eighth win in this his title-winning third season.
Hoping for a more successful return to action than in the previous round at Australia, Repsol Honda rider Pedrosa will have had an extra 12 days in which to allow his injured collarbone to further recover. The 25-year-old heads up the group of four who all still have a chance of a second-placed finish in the standings, and he has stood on the podium at Estoril for the past three years.
Ducati man Stoner, who moved up to eighth in the list of all-time winners in the premier class with his 23rd career victory in the last round, has twice finished on the podium at Estoril in the premier class and in his current form will be aiming to deliver Ducati its first MotoGP win at the Portuguese track.
Just eight points behind him is Rossi, who has the most victories at the track with five. The Fiat Yamaha man has nine podiums in total there and has only failed to step onto the rostrum once in his last 10 visits, which was last year when he placed fourth.
Dovizioso sits a further 18 points behind his fellow Italian and the Repsol Honda rider will be determined to step back on the podium after his run of two straight rostrum finishes was halted by a mechanical fault in Australia.
Ben Spies (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) has already secured the Rookie of the Year award and top satellite rider for 2010 and in Estoril faces a track on which he has never previously raced, a fact which appears to have done little to hinder his progress in similar situations this season.
Nicky Hayden (Ducati Team) will be another highly focused rider as he seeks to overcome the disappointment of just missing out on a podium in the last round.
Marco Simoncelli’s 250cc form at Estoril – second in 2008 and victory in 2009 – will give the San Carlo Honda Gresini rider added confidence as he continues his impressive progress, with Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) another rider looking for a strong finish to the season.
The last two rounds of the season also see a return to the three-practice session format which was successfully trialled at Aragón, with the opening session in the MotoGP class at Estoril scheduled to get underway at 10:05am local time on Friday.
Toni Elías’ crowning as inaugural Moto2 World Champion in Malaysia may have ended the chase for the 2010 title, but the battle for runner-up spot is still very much alive with two rounds remaining.
This weekend both Julián Simón and Andrea Iannone will be aiming to improve their individual chances of taking the honour with strong results. Just two points separate Mapfre Aspar’s Simón and his Fimmco Speed Up rival Iannone in second and third position, with Swiss rider Thomas Lüthi of the Interwetten Moriwaki team also still holding a mathematical chance of ending the campaign in second as he sits 36 points off Iannone and in fourth.
Simone Corsi (JiR Moto2) is currently fifth in the Championship while his team-mate Alex de Angelis is fresh off the back of his first win in the Moto2 campaign, having tasted success in Australia.
Thanks to his ninth win of the season in Australia last time out Marc Márquez has placed himself in a position to be able to claim the 2010 125cc World Championship at this weekend’s bwin Grande Premio de Portugal, and if he were to do so the 17-year-old would become the second-youngest World Champion in the 62-year history of GP racing behind Loris Capirossi.
Márquez is 12 points clear of Nico Terol (Bancaja Aspar) and 17 ahead of Pol Espargaró (Tuenti Racing) at the top of the standings with two rounds remaining, and there are a number of scenarios which would hand him the title at Round 16. One such outcome would be a victory at Estoril for Márquez with Espargaró failing to place second and Terol no higher than fifth, but with his rivals still holding their own title hopes it is a delicate situation.
Yes, people in the Northwest are weather wimps. Deal with it.
*** continued from previous post***
Having survived -barely - we trundled down the road.
As we rode along, the lonely farms and empty wheat fields transitioned into miles of sparse trees, and then into dense pine forest as we approached Lake Roosevelt. All I can say is about this particular section of the ride is that it was incredibly beautiful. We drove along the shores of the lake close enough to catch the sparkles of reflected sunlight, tiny prisms dancing across our helmets and the body of the bike like nature's disco ball. Here there was hardly any traffic. This section of the trip verily defined great riding. Plus, there was nary a tornado to be seen.
Although one may have been hiding in the bushes. Tornadoes are sneaky little bastards.
Yes, we were riding easy. The only problem was, if I were to believe the readout on the dash and there was no reason to not, the temperature was now firmly planted around 12,000 degrees.
No, it was really more like 106, but still flippin' hot. I was broiling in my mesh, and I became truly concerned for your Mom in her heavy gear. So, we improvised. I stopped quite frequently, (schedule be damned), and we would drink copius amounts of water, then pull an old biker trick - we would take a bottle or two of H2O and soak Mom's handkerchief and our shirts. As we drove along the wind would flow over our clothing evaporating the water and cooling us at the same time. Nature's air conditioning.
This was critical. Especially for your Mom. That kerchief rested against her cartoid artery, providing a direct link to her bloodflow. This would buy us some time, but when your Mom would lean forward and say, "My, aren't the stars pretty tonight?" I'd know she was overheating. I would pull over, douse her with water as if she were a confused tourist at a WTO convention, and cruise back onto the road.
I tried to enjoy the sights but your Mom's imminent death distracted me from the natural splendor a tad. We sacrifice for love, no?
*** the journey continues tomorrow ***
Having survived -barely - we trundled down the road.
As we rode along, the lonely farms and empty wheat fields transitioned into miles of sparse trees, and then into dense pine forest as we approached Lake Roosevelt. All I can say is about this particular section of the ride is that it was incredibly beautiful. We drove along the shores of the lake close enough to catch the sparkles of reflected sunlight, tiny prisms dancing across our helmets and the body of the bike like nature's disco ball. Here there was hardly any traffic. This section of the trip verily defined great riding. Plus, there was nary a tornado to be seen.
Although one may have been hiding in the bushes. Tornadoes are sneaky little bastards.
Yes, we were riding easy. The only problem was, if I were to believe the readout on the dash and there was no reason to not, the temperature was now firmly planted around 12,000 degrees.
No, it was really more like 106, but still flippin' hot. I was broiling in my mesh, and I became truly concerned for your Mom in her heavy gear. So, we improvised. I stopped quite frequently, (schedule be damned), and we would drink copius amounts of water, then pull an old biker trick - we would take a bottle or two of H2O and soak Mom's handkerchief and our shirts. As we drove along the wind would flow over our clothing evaporating the water and cooling us at the same time. Nature's air conditioning.
This was critical. Especially for your Mom. That kerchief rested against her cartoid artery, providing a direct link to her bloodflow. This would buy us some time, but when your Mom would lean forward and say, "My, aren't the stars pretty tonight?" I'd know she was overheating. I would pull over, douse her with water as if she were a confused tourist at a WTO convention, and cruise back onto the road.
I tried to enjoy the sights but your Mom's imminent death distracted me from the natural splendor a tad. We sacrifice for love, no?
*** the journey continues tomorrow ***
Honda introduces CBR250R
From Honda Canada
The CBR250R represents the newest addition to Honda’s line-up.
The CBR250R will be built at the Honda Manufacturing facility in Thailand and will be exported to a wide range of countries including Japan, Europe, Canada, the US and Australia. Thai Honda began motorcycle production in 1967 and has produced over 18 million motorcycles to date (as of the end of June 2010) including the CBR125R, which has enjoyed such success in Canada.
In designing the CBR250R Honda R&D targeted a wider audience, appealing to riders from beginners to experts. The CBR250R comes with a newly-developed liquid-cooled, 250cc, four-stroke, DOHC, four-valve, single-cylinder engine. This engine offers strong "off the line" performance due to its generous low end output and its broad, flexible powerband makes it a snap to ride.
Honda continues to demonstrate its environmental commitment by ensuring that the CBR250R’s engine meets both EPA 49 state and Euro 3 emission standards. This is due in part to its O2 sensor that works in conjunction with its electronically controlled fuel injection system (PGM-FI) and exhaust catalyzer to reduce harmful emissions.
In the area of safety technology, the CBR250R’s specifications include optional Combined ABS. Combined ABS improves vehicle stability during braking by connecting front and rear braking systems and incorporating technology that prevents wheel lock during sudden braking or under unfavourable conditions. Honda is particularly pleased to bring this advanced level of technology to a model in the entry category.
The styling is reminiscent of the VFR1200 introduced last year and offers a modern advanced look. Like the VFR, the fairing is not only stylish but contributes to handling, the exceptional aerodynamics and rider protection. Housed within the fairing is a comprehensive instrument package including a digital speedometer, tachometer, temperature gauge, odometer, clock and fuel gauge.
The light and compact frame has a rigid, diamond shape and when combined with the well sorted suspension it offers the agile handling and steady maneuverability expected from a sport motorcycle.
Honda Canada will launch the CBR250R in the spring of 2011 and will sell it alongside the CBR125R.
Kawasaki Recalls 2009-2010 Vulcan for ECU Problem
Kawasaki is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Vulcan motorcycles.
The engine may stall if the rider is coasting with the clutch pulled in due to an improper setting of the engine control unit (ECU).
The number of units has not been specified.
Check out my Motorcycle Recalls feature for more details.
The engine may stall if the rider is coasting with the clutch pulled in due to an improper setting of the engine control unit (ECU).
The number of units has not been specified.
Check out my Motorcycle Recalls feature for more details.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Crazy ...
The weather has gone crazy here. Two days ago it was barely 5 degrees Celsius and I was hiding inside, cranking up the thermostat, planning to take the VStar to storage in the back of the pick up truck. Today it's 20 degrees and the doors and windows are wide open. Mother Nature has gone into a tail spin and confused her subjects for sure ... not just the humans sad to say. A little walk up my road tonight, toward the lake, found it littered (close your eyes if you're squeamish) with the squashed remains of many frogs and snakes who mistakenly thought it might be spring again and forgot to look both ways before crossing the street. Is it too early to call it Indian Summer?
The wind is howling, sounding like old man winter and a Nor'easter but it is unbelievably balmy. I'm having a hard time believing it's almost the end of October but I'm hoping that the temperature holds til the weekend because I haven't had that one last ride.
The cold weather of the weekend gave me an excuse to "Twitter" away some time and I've found some amazingly interesting folks on the WWW. I'll add links whenever I find a worthwhile (in my opinion) read - there are some amazingly interesting and often funny writers out there. Enjoy - and hey, send me links to your favorites.
The wind is howling, sounding like old man winter and a Nor'easter but it is unbelievably balmy. I'm having a hard time believing it's almost the end of October but I'm hoping that the temperature holds til the weekend because I haven't had that one last ride.
The cold weather of the weekend gave me an excuse to "Twitter" away some time and I've found some amazingly interesting folks on the WWW. I'll add links whenever I find a worthwhile (in my opinion) read - there are some amazingly interesting and often funny writers out there. Enjoy - and hey, send me links to your favorites.
Yamaha Congratulates 2010 Five Star Dealers!
From Yamaha Motor Canada
Yamaha Motor Canada is proud to announce their qualifying 2010 Five Star Dealers! The Yamaha Five Star Dealer Program is a progressive dealership improvement plan used to increase the professionalism of our dealer network and heighten the value received by Yamaha customers.
To qualify for Five Star, a Yamaha dealer must undergo a detailed and rigorous testing process that sees the dealer excel above the national average in the following areas:
• Customer Satisfaction
• Brand Support
• Customer Service Excellence
• Parts & Accessories Stocking and Display
• Technician Education and Ability
In order to attain or retain their Five Star standing, each year a dealer must apply and successfully complete the Five Star measurement criteria as determined by Yamaha Motor Canada. Criteria is updated and adjusted accordingly to reflect market conditions. Retail sales results are not a component of the measurement process.
Yamaha Motor Canada boasts the finest recreational vehicle dealership group in Canada. Through hard work, dedication and a commitment to excellence, 77 Yamaha dealers have been awarded the prestigious 5 Star designation for 2010. This is up from the 61 who were awarded Five Star status in 2009. Rest assured, when a customer visits one of the following Yamaha Five Star dealers, they can expect to receive the best end to end customer care in the recreational vehicle industry. Congratulations to new and existing Five Star dealers!
Alberta
Seitzco Motorsports, Okotoks
E&S Motorcycles, Fort Saskatchewan
Riverside Yamaha, St-Albert
Scanalta Power Sales, Hines Creek
P.G. Auto Marine Specialties Ltd., Calgary
Maximum Powersports, Peace River
Slave Lake Yamaha, Slave Lake
Mountain’s Edge Cycle & Sled Ltd., Sundre
British Columbia
Port Boat House, Port Alberni
Galleon Marine, Richmond
Jones Boys Boats, Ainsworth
Parker Marine Nanaimo, Nanaimo
Peak Performance Motorsports, Cranbrook
Alpine Motorsport, Salmon Arm
Parker Marine Campbell River, Campbell River
Capstan Marine, Richmond
G.A. Checkpoint, Port Moody
Kelowna Yamaha (Downtown), Kelowna
Kelowna Yamaha (West Side), Kelowna
Vernon Motorsports, Vernon
Manitoba
Winnipeg Sport and Leisure, Winnipeg
Powerhouse Sports, Lac Du Bonnet
New Brunswick
Rae’s Trailer and Sports Centre, Miramichi
West End Sports, Beresford
Newfoundland & Labrador
M and F Motors Limited, Stephenville
Wiseman’s Sales and Service, Clarenville
Atlantic Recreation, Mount Pearl
Nova Scotia
Seamasters Services, Dartmouth
Ontario
Go Power Sports, Portland
CO2 Inflatable Boats, Oakville
Desmasdons Boat Works, Pointe Au Baril
Powersport Junction, Guelph
Ottawa Yamaha, Ottawa
Hastings Marine, Hastings
The Performance Shed, Harrowsmith
Bracebridge Yamaha, Bracebridge
Monto-Reno Marina Ltd., Lefroy
Haliburton Outdoor Equipment Ltd., Haliburton
Tomkins Hardware, Emo
Brian’s Service Centre, Hensall
Vincent Payne Marine, Pointe Au Baril
R.L. Equipment Sales and Services, Verner
Kelly’s Cycle Centre, Hamilton
Gordon Bay Marine, Mactier
Walsten Marine, Kinmount
Arnprior Sportland and Marine, Arnprior
Irwin Supply, Cornwall
Quebec
P. Labonte et Fils, Mont Joli
Eugene Fortier & Fils, Princeville
Chambord Sport Yamaha, Chambord Lac St. Jean
Desjardins Ste-Adele Marine Inc., Ste. Adele
Moto Sport Newman Inc., Pierrefonds
Gagne-Lessard Sports Inc., Coaticook
Moto JMF Inc., Thetford Mines
Motos Thibault Mauricie Inc., Trois-Rivieres
Motos Thibault, Sherbrooke
Mini Mecanique Gaspe, Gaspe
Aventures Sport Max, Pointe a la Croix
Evasion Sport D.R., Laterriere
Aqua Services Enr., Repentigny
Xtreme Miller Sport, Mont Tremblant
Harricanna Aventures Val-D’or, Val-D’or
Nadon Sport Saint-Eustache, St. Eustache
Dimension Sport, La Sarre
Centre Du Sport Alary, St-Jerome
Gerald Collin Sport, St. Lin
Gregoire Sport, St. Ambroise de Kildaire
Gregoire Sport, Notre-Dame De Lourdes
Varin Yamaha, Napierville
J. Sicard Sport, Louiseville
Le Docteur de la Moto, Ste. Perpetue
S.M. Sport, Loretteville
Saguenay Marine, Jonquière
Saskatchewan
Schrader’s Holdings, Yorkton
Tru-North RV, Auto & Marine, Prince Albert
Robertson Yamaha, Swift Current
Yukon
Yukon Yamaha, Whitehorse
There's No Place Like Home
*** continued from previous post ***
*** the journey continues tomorrow ***
It was about this time that we began to hit the wind.
Across the open, and at this time of year arid wheat fields, the wind was whipping something vicious. A constant 20 mph side wind, with gusts much, much higher than that. The Vision, packed as she was, became a sail. More precisely, a Mizzen topgallant staysail. How that for Navy talk? Hah!
A gust of wind would hit, and I would lean into the invisible force to keep ourselves upright and in our lane as much as possible, and then the gust would stop abruptly - while I was still leaning. Remember my 'drunk driver' trick from earlier? Yeah, a lot like that but without all the laughs and hilarity.
Across the open, and at this time of year arid wheat fields, the wind was whipping something vicious. A constant 20 mph side wind, with gusts much, much higher than that. The Vision, packed as she was, became a sail. More precisely, a Mizzen topgallant staysail. How that for Navy talk? Hah!
A gust of wind would hit, and I would lean into the invisible force to keep ourselves upright and in our lane as much as possible, and then the gust would stop abruptly - while I was still leaning. Remember my 'drunk driver' trick from earlier? Yeah, a lot like that but without all the laughs and hilarity.
As we rode along, we could see mini-tornadoes racing across the landscape - giant twisting, pulsing, swirling columns of dust. It was here that I thought to myself, "Self, it wouldn't be a good thing to hit one of those." And I was right. I managed to dodge quite a few, but one colossal gyrating mass of liberated earth broke over a small hill and before I knew what was happening we were engulfed by the monster. I was a tad busy praying once again, but your Mom was later able to describe what happened: She said that as the thing hit, the bike shuddered - hard, leaned WAY to the left, shuddered upright, then everything became still as we entered the eye. Then again the bike shuddered and growled, leaned precariously to the right, and finally broke free of the hellish dark swirl back into the bake-oven of an August day.
That is what your Mom says she remembers. Here is what I remember:
"Shit,shit,shit,shit,shit,shit,shit."
If I could have clicked the heels of my boots together chanting "There's no place like home." I would have. Unfortunately my eyes were full of grit and my mouth tasted like one of those mud pies you were so fond of baking for me as a child. Did you know that other Dads didn't actually eat those things?
"Shit,shit,shit,shit,shit,shit,shit."
If I could have clicked the heels of my boots together chanting "There's no place like home." I would have. Unfortunately my eyes were full of grit and my mouth tasted like one of those mud pies you were so fond of baking for me as a child. Did you know that other Dads didn't actually eat those things?
Capirossi to ride in Portugal
From Rizla Suzuki
Loris Capirossi will compete at the Portuguese Grand Prix this weekend even though he has been diagnosed with fractures to the right foot he injured in Malaysia, on top of the groin injury he sustained in Australia.
Rizla Suzuki’s Italian racer returned early from the Australian event after crashing heavily and injuring his Adductor muscle. Capirossi visited the clinic on his return home to have the injury checked and also had a scan on his foot to fully understand the cause of his pain. This revealed a compound fracture of the Cuboid bone, two micro-fractures of the fourth Metatarsal and severe bruising to the Calcaneus and lateral Cuneiform bones. Although Capirossi is still in some discomfort from the injuries, he is determined to compete this weekend at Estoril.
“It was disappointing to find out I had got some small fractures in my foot, but it won’t stop me riding, because I was OK in Australia and it didn’t cause me too many problems there – in fact it is easier to ride the bike than it is to walk," Capirossi said. "I have had some intensive treatment on the thigh muscle and that is also a lot better.
"I can’t wait to get back on my bike and give the guys something back for all their patience and hard-work over the season, especially after the tough three-week tour we had on the other side of the world which gave us nothing but pain and bike damage. Suzuki and the team have always been good to me and I want to show them that I am here to do my best and compete with the best riders.”
Rizla Suzuki takes to the track on Friday morning for the first practice session, as MotoGP again returns to four practice sessions in a weekend - instead of the usual three. The second and third sessions will take place on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning respectively, with qualifying taking place on Saturday afternoon. Sunday’s 26-lap race is the penultimate Grand Prix of the 2010 season with the riders taking to the grid at the earlier time of 1:00pm local time.
Checa to finish season with Pramac
From motogp.com
Pramac Racing confirmed on Monday that Carlos Checa will ride for them in the final two rounds of the 2010 MotoGP World Championship at Estoril and Valencia.
The 38-year-old Spaniard replaces Finnish rider Mika Kallio, who decided following the previous round in Australia to end his partnership with the team early as he continues to recover from a shoulder injury.
Checa, who last rode in the World Championship in the 2007 Valencia GP and who finished third in this year’s WSBK championship on a Ducati 1098R, told motogp.com of his excitement at his participation in the upcoming two races.
“I’ll take it as an opportunity. I want to use this to gain experience and enjoy it too. My sole aim is to adapt as quickly as I can,” said Checa, who tested the Desmosedici GP10 at Mugello a fortnight ago. “It’s a great challenge. I’ve only been able to do a small test at Mugello and the people I will be up against in these two races will have had 16 races this season. They’ll know the tires, which I won’t, and obviously the bikes they’re riding.”
Comparing his previous experience in MotoGP to the development of the current 800cc machines, Checa said of the GP10: “The bike has great power, the tires have improved greatly, especially the rear ones. And of course the electronics now play a bigger role. It’s very rewarding to be able to ride one of the best bikes in the World Championship after riding one of the best in superbikes this season.
“I don’t know what level I’ll be at or what I’ll find. I just want to feel like I’ve given my maximum whatever happens. But we will take as much as possible from it and I’m sure we’ll take something good.”
Team Manager Paolo Campinoti added: “After Mika Kallio’s decision to not take part in the last two races we decided to call on a rider with experience and talent that could give us a good end to the season. Thanks also to consultations with Ducati, we decided on Carlos Checa. Of course it will be important for him to get as much time as possible on the Estoril track during the free practice sessions so that he can improve his feeling with the bike. We know about his undoubted talent and potential, and this is why we expect a good result in both races.”
Checa will ride with the number 71 on his livery for the remaining rounds of the campaign.
Pramac Racing confirmed on Monday that Carlos Checa will ride for them in the final two rounds of the 2010 MotoGP World Championship at Estoril and Valencia.
The 38-year-old Spaniard replaces Finnish rider Mika Kallio, who decided following the previous round in Australia to end his partnership with the team early as he continues to recover from a shoulder injury.
Checa, who last rode in the World Championship in the 2007 Valencia GP and who finished third in this year’s WSBK championship on a Ducati 1098R, told motogp.com of his excitement at his participation in the upcoming two races.
“I’ll take it as an opportunity. I want to use this to gain experience and enjoy it too. My sole aim is to adapt as quickly as I can,” said Checa, who tested the Desmosedici GP10 at Mugello a fortnight ago. “It’s a great challenge. I’ve only been able to do a small test at Mugello and the people I will be up against in these two races will have had 16 races this season. They’ll know the tires, which I won’t, and obviously the bikes they’re riding.”
Comparing his previous experience in MotoGP to the development of the current 800cc machines, Checa said of the GP10: “The bike has great power, the tires have improved greatly, especially the rear ones. And of course the electronics now play a bigger role. It’s very rewarding to be able to ride one of the best bikes in the World Championship after riding one of the best in superbikes this season.
“I don’t know what level I’ll be at or what I’ll find. I just want to feel like I’ve given my maximum whatever happens. But we will take as much as possible from it and I’m sure we’ll take something good.”
Team Manager Paolo Campinoti added: “After Mika Kallio’s decision to not take part in the last two races we decided to call on a rider with experience and talent that could give us a good end to the season. Thanks also to consultations with Ducati, we decided on Carlos Checa. Of course it will be important for him to get as much time as possible on the Estoril track during the free practice sessions so that he can improve his feeling with the bike. We know about his undoubted talent and potential, and this is why we expect a good result in both races.”
Checa will ride with the number 71 on his livery for the remaining rounds of the campaign.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Confuse between used cars or New motorbike
This question is just for sharing only, yeah i thing some people fell confuse between buy a used car or buy a new motorbike. We know that the used car cars prices is almost same with a new motorbike, now lets talk it with your needs, do you want a cars or just a motorbike? The answer will different for people, if you have a big family, a cars is perfect for you, you can easily go anywhere with
BMW Superbike series set to debut
From BMW Motorrad Canada
After a successful first season in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship, the documentary series about the radX / BMW Motorrad Canada Superbike Team will make its world premiere on Friday, Nov. 5 at 8:00pm. This will be the first episode of the six part series titled 'Fast Company.'
The entire series will showcase the creation of a Superbike team in its first year of competition from building the bikes, to team chemistry, to rider competition, along with the emotional highs and lows of racing.
Episode one will introduce the team and showcase the preparations that were taken to get ready for the first round of the Canadian Superbike Championship held at Circuit ICAR in Quebec. The film crew follows the radX / BMW Team from Canada to JenningsGP in Florida for some pre-season testing and then through the challenges of setting up a new bike for ICAR along with the team's first ever Pirelli SuperPole qualifying.
Click on the link to view the 30 second series trailer: http://www.radx.ca/index.php?option=com_content.
Episodes two through six will debut each Friday until Dec. 10.
For information on subscribing to radX go to http://www.radx.ca/index.php?option=com_content.
Harley-davidson custom paint
I'm really interested in harleydavidson custom paint. What about you?
The Harley-Davidson company is an American institution that has been building some of the world's most famous motorcycles and gear since 1903. The company is so famous, in fact, that owning one of their motorcycles is known to become a lifestyle choice and source of pride. Professional athletes, rock stars and actors are often seen on Harley-Davidson motorcycles, but the bikes are also accessible to the average rider. Personalized Harley-Davidson gifts are a meaningful way to show your favorite rider how much
Despres wins Morocco rally
From KTM Racing
KTM factory rider Cyril Despres has emerged the conqueror of the Rally of Morocco while Marc Coma finished third overall despite time penalties of 36 minutes to register a huge success for what was the first real test for the new KTM 450 Rally Replica, the bike that the KTM factory riders will take to the Dakar 2011.
Despres went out as leader on the final day with a mass start and where riders completed 4x40km loops with plenty of overtaking possibilities on off track, large expanses of sand and some dunes. He successfully held off his two main rivals Coma and Portuguese Yamaha rider Helder Rodrigues to snatch the overall lead.
The two KTM factory riders opened their bid in Stage One, making short work of the mountainous, winding and rocky tracks and the dunes. They hit the front and that is where they stayed. At the end of the first day, which he described as "a beautiful warm-up", it was a triumph for Despres, racing his first rally in six months after taking a break from the action for the arrival of his new daughter.
Organizers had introduced some special navigational challenges for the 2010 edition where competitors had to locate certain points on the course with a margin of error of 400 meters. It was this that cost Coma a 30-minute penalty on Stage Two when after he finished ahead of Despres for another 1-2 KTM stage victory, he was handed down a late time penalty by the jury that knocked him down to fourth overall, giving Cyril the clear edge on the overall lead.
Wednesday vaulted Coma back into the limelight with another stage victory and he was able to put the disappointment behind him on a day where Despres experienced some difficulties, even if he was able to hang on to the overall lead.
"I lost the track 100m out of the start," Despres said. He said there was also a problem with visibility because of rain. "I decided to follow Helder Rodrigues. After the heat of the first day, the dunes yesterday, we had mud today. Great testing grounds for our new KTM 450," he said.
Thursday was another triumph for Coma, who won the stage and charged on to move up to third in the overalls after carving valuable time off his deficit to trail by just seven minutes. Meanwhile a navigational error at the beginning of the second loop cost Despres valuable time and left him back at sixth in the Stage Four results, even if he did still have a narrow hold on the overall rankings.
Despres grasped the challenge at the start of the penultimate stage on Friday and went out to increase his overall lead to almost 10 minutes on second placed Rodrigues. He also managed to put more than 15 minutes between himself and Coma, which put him in good shape for the final charge on Saturday.
"I wasn't too happy with myself for letting my guard drop yesterday and so started this morning determined to make amends," Despres explained. "I left the line in sixth place, but behind five riders who were attacking hard. At about kilometer 40 I came across Olivier Pain who was having trouble with his bike, so that was one rider whose dust I didn't have to worry about. Then at the refueling point I saw that I had taken back about one minute 30 seconds and that allowed me to back off a little. By the end of the special I had managed to pull back a small but significant amount of time on Rodrigues and Coma."
A Love Triangle Gone Bad
*** continued from previous post ***
Our exchange went something like this:
Me: "Okay, well here we are, in the middle of a vast, flat nowhere. Flatter than a flapjack in winter. Flatter than a sod-buster's foot. I'll just clear everything out, and plug our destination into the ol' GPS again and we'll get out of this spot of trouble lickety-split. Shucks, this here ain't nuthin' but a little by-and-by no-how."
Mom: "Why are you talking like a pioneer crossing the prarie?"
Me: "Pardon Ma’am?"
Mom: "When was the last time you had a drink of water?"
Me: "Ummm . . . reckon I had me a taste of nature's nectar last time we stopped and shod the mule."
Alice: "Recalculating. . . ."
Mom: "How many fingers am I holding up."
Alice: "Recalculating. . . "
Me: "Six."
Alice: "Drive 4.6 miles and take a right on Western Australia X-15."
Mom: "Did she just say 'Western Australia'?"
Me: "I think that Sweet Alice is a bit bamboozled with the abbreviation for Washington, (WA), and is recitin' our fair state as 'Western Australia."
Alice: "Turn right on Western Australia X-15, watch out for Roos."
Mom: "You named the GPS's voice 'Sweet Alice'?"
Me: "Seemed appropriate at the time."
Alice: "We don't have all day Mate! Get yer arse goin'."
To which I obediently did as she commanded. Alice is a harsh task-master, or task-mistress, but up to this point a fair one. So, I follow her directions. Surprise! The road she has taken us to is gravel. And 15 miles of it. I am not taking the Vision across 15 miles of gravel in the middle of nowhere. No how, no way. That will simply never, ever, never-ever-never happen. So instead of taking the suggested road I ignore Alice and continue straight. I know this road will EVENTUALLY connect with another paved road that will take us where we want to go, I just don't know how far. With a plan in place we thundered into the hinterlands of wheat and dust and heat and lives long, long lost.
Alice: "Recalculating. . ."
Mom: "Well, that was less than helpful."
Me: "What in tarnation has gotten into that filly?"
Mom: "If you don't stop talking like that, I'll. . .I'll . . ."
Me: "You'll what there little Missy?"
Mom: "I'll poke you in the eye."
Now that takes me back a bit. She may be serious.
Alice: Recalculating. . ."
Me: "Fine. But at the next stop as soon as you go to sleep I'm burning your mother's furniture for a campfire."
Alice: "Turn around and go back to Western Australia X-15. Proceed 17.2 miles to Us 86, (Which she pronounced as 'us', not YOU-ESS), then take a right at the first junction."
Me: "Um no." I keep the bike going straight down the road.
Alice: "Turn around."
Me: "No."
Alice: "Turn around ya wanker."
Me: "NO!"
Alice: "Recalculating. . ."
Mom: "We could just turn it off. . ."
Me: "No. We did not spend our hard-earned money for a dash ornament. Had I wanted that I would have bought one of them there little Jesus figures with the bobbly head. No, I have faith that Sweet Alice will chart us a course straight and true."
Alice: "Drive 87 miles back to Ritzville and try again."
Me: "What the f ---?"
Alice: "Recalculating. . ."
Mom: "Please don't tell me we're going back to Ritzville."
Me: "No. No flippin' way."
Alice: "Yer fucked mate. Yer off the map."
Me: "Jumpin' Jehoshaphat! You're a dad-burned GPS for criminy sakes! You can't be lost!"
Alice: "Oh, I'm not lost, you are. If you don't want to follow my directions it's not my problem."
Mom: "Are you trying to strangle the GPS?"
Me: "Shut up and help me circle the wagons."
After some time we stumbled on a road that was paved and headed in a general northerly direction towards the golden land of Canada. I took it without hesitation. After a few miles we realized we were on the wrong side, (the SOUTH side), of I-90.
Mom: "I don't remember crossing I-90. How the heck did we get here?"
Me: "I have no idea, but there's the exit to Ritzville."
Alice: "Ha Ha. Recalculating. . ."
Eventually we found our way. I don't know how. It doesn't matter. If you have an explanation of how we headed north yet wound up on the south side of I-90 with no memory of crossing a 6-lane freeway I'm all ears. It may have been aliens, or the past hour could have been a joint hallucination in the parking lot of "EATS". I probably shouldn't have had the 'home grown' mushroom soup. The point is we persevered and pushed on, blindly cheerful as ever. Why this was nothing more than a minor setback. A blip in our schedule. Little things like this were bound to crop up every once in a while. Best just to take a deep breath and push on.
Then we hit the wind.
*** the journey continues tomorrow ***
Crutchlow samples MotoGP Yamaha
From Yamaha Racing
Having wrapped up the 2010 World Superbike Championship on a high in Magny Cours with a race win and a second place finish on his YZF-R1 two weeks ago, Cal Crutchlow ended his season with the Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team by clinching fifth in the standings and claiming the ‘rookie of the year’ title.
With just a few days rest under his belt he has started his move up from World Superbike to MotoGP with Yamaha by getting straight to business, completing a one and a half day test of the Yamaha YZR-M1 race bike at Yamaha’s test track in Fukuroi, Japan on Friday.
Despite mixed weather conditions with a damp or wet track Crutchlow had the opportunity to try the M1 on both full wet and slick Bridgestone tires, impressing everybody with his speed on the wet test track. The rising Yamaha star also took some time to practice with the M1’s launch control to test starts.
“The M1 felt a lot smaller than my Yamaha R1 superbike,” said Crutchlow. “I actually found the positioning more comfortable than the WSB machine. There is a lot of power but it feels very useable, it felt very different to a production based machine in terms of its delivery.
"In the wet we used the normal steel brakes but when it started to dry I had a chance to try the carbon ones which were cool, I managed to get quite comfortable with them. I found the chassis very stiff, it was really easy to change direction and the electronics were really different, even more advanced than the high level I’m used to in Superbike.
"It was a shame the weather wasn’t great so I wasn’t able to push to the bike’s full potential, I’m really looking forward to the Valencia test so I can get back on it and give it a proper work out.”
The Valencia test will be on Nov. 9-10. For 2011 Crutchlow will be entering the MotoGP World Championship in the Yamaha Monster Tech3 team, alongside Colin Edwards.
Erzbergrodeo XVII set for June
From the Erzbergrodeo
Ambitious off road motorcycle riders and action sports fans from all over the world can mark the last weekend of June, 2011 in their calenders. The 17th edition of the notorious Erzbergrodeo will be held from June 23-26 at the tiny city of Eisenerz, right in the very heart of Austria.
The preparations for the world's biggest motorcycle off road event are running at full throttle. Race promotor Karl Katoch and his crew are getting ready to welcome more than 5.000 riders and their entourage from 35 nations and five continents once again at the 'Iron Giant'. The world's top riders from enduro, motocross, trials and rally sports will challenge the breathtaking race.
“We do not only want to secure the status quo of this year's very successful event; we will further improve all services for our riders and guests from all over the world," said Erzbergrodeo mastermind Katoch. A record-breaking 45,000 spectators visited the Erzbergrodeo in 2010, making it the most successful edition ever.
Both KTM and Red Bull, who have supported the Erzbergrodeo from day one, have already declared their unbroken commitment for the unique event, and the very positive cooperation between the race promoters, the local community of Eisenerz and the VA Erzberg - the host of the event - will as well continue for 2011.
Katoch will start the first part of the race by putting the race registration online from Monday, Oct. 25, 10:00 CET at erzbergrodeo.at. An online countdown clock at www.erzbergrodeo.at will inform the Erzbergrodeo's impatient community about the exact start of the registration. An astounding 130kg of starting numbers are available for the limited 1.500 entry spots, and the 2011 registration will be once again handled in "first come, first serve" mode. In 2010 the race was sold out only a few weeks after registration had begun.
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