motociclista

Yeah, there's a reason so many professional racers are heavily into bicycle training.

I have no argument with your thesis. In the end, there's no way to separate out precisely how much of a failure to live up to potential is due to poor decisions and how much is due to bad luck. Hopper's definitely had both. What Spies is doing right now is like giving Yamaha a big finger and an ugly facial expression. If burning that bridge comes back to haunt him, and he ends up on a lesser team, getting hurt trying to override a lesser bike, etc., his career will be second-guessed to death. If he goes on to win multiple world championships, he'll be a hero to "take this job and shove it" dreamers the world over.

Back on topic: Does Spies' tweet about getting "back where he belongs" means he'll be riding the Suzuki MotoGP bike?

Brian, Your comment does seem a departure from your usual "respect the racer" attitude. I'm not nominating Hopper for Sportsman of the Year or anything, but I think you have to admit he's had bad luck with injuries. You know how random this can be. Wayne Rainey falls on his head in a gravel trap and is paralyzed. This past Sunday, Jonny Rea falls on his head in a gravel trap and gets up to score some points in the second race the same day. Hopkins had some weird ones, like getting his previously injured hand caught under a handlebar in a crash on a wet track. I'm disappointed in his WSBK results this year too, but he made a gutsy run at the British Superbike championship last year.

I've met a lot of "characters" with a lot of different personal and quirky obsessions in the motorcycle world over the years, but one of the hardest for me to understand was the guy who just loved GSX1100Gs. I think he had four or five of them. Not that it's the worst bike ever built, but THAT is the one you fall in love with? Really? And you really need more than one? In addition to the weight and heavy steering already mentioned, there's also the long wheelbase that contributes to the lack of agility. I guess it might be a good bike to have if you cross Kansas on a regular basis. Except for the lack of wind protection and luggage in stock form.

I guess it's too late to be helpful, if you've already ordered it, but I was going to say that as a general rule Alpinestars sport jackets have a trimmer cut. That's a nice way of saying they're not made for lard-ass Americans with big bellies, though it seems a lot of Europeans are now getting just about as fat as us. But it sounds like that's what you're looking for, a jacket that will fit snug and not bunch up, so you'll probably like it. Good luck.

*Sigh* I guess I'm getting old. I really don't enjoy riding at night any more. I just rode home from New England and the number of dead deer I saw along I-80 was absolutely shocking. More than I've ever seen, I think. I bet all of them were hit the night before. I was on the Mass Pike in mid-afternoon and noticed cars up ahead were swerving. There was a roll of carpet crossing nearly the entire lane. Black backing, burgandy carpet. Non-issue in daylight, but there's not a chance in hell I would have seen in in the dark. City riding at night is kinda fun, except for dodging drunk drivers. Guess I'll leave it to the younger folks with sharper eyesight.

Well, I don't know about this cruiser=old thing. Personally, I bought a cruiser when I was 20 and a sportbike at 47. But then I always have been a little odd. Whatever you ride, enjoy the ride.

I'll definitely be watching. As for Rossi/Hayden/Ducati, I don't expect them to do any better this year than they did last year. Too bad, because I'd like to see Nicky on competitive machinery and have a chance to prove that his title wasn't a fluke. Rossi, he's had his glory, so I don't feel bad for him. Ironic that the Italian "dream team" of Rossi and Ducati will be the sour end note to his spectacular career. Unless I'm totally wrong, of course. It has happened.

Here are a couple of articles I've written about riding in the Adirondacks. This one was in American Motorcyclist five years ago and has more background information and history about the area, in addition to riding. It's in Google Books, so go to page 28 of the magazine to see the story. And here's a more recent and shorter article that was in Rider magazine. The Adirondacks don't provide the most technical or challenging roads, but it is beautiful country and has lots of interesting history to it when you dig below the surface.

So I WAS totally misunderstanding. The headlight and signals threw me off. I went back and read your previous thread and learned that it had been made street-legal by the previous owner. Looks like a great dirt-oriented ride. Enjoy.

This appears to be the KLX400 that was the rebadged Suzuki DRZ400 during the brief Kawasaki-Suzuki "alliance" that never amounted to anything. Are you referring to it as a 450 because it was bored out or something? Or am I totally misunderstanding what bike you're talking about because my eyesight is so bad and your photos are so small?

Ammo cans look just right on a KLR. I used to use a small one as a top box on my NX250 ratbike/commuter years ago.

I agree with Tonik, for two-up riding a used Nomad could be had in your price range and would be a good choice. I would advise against trying to get a "sporty" cruiser in the hope that it's going to feel like your Superhawk because you'll just end up with something that has an uncomfortable mouse pad of a seat for your wife to sit on and will still be slower handling and less fun than your sportbike. So you'll both be dissatisfied.

The motorcycling population is aging and so am I, so it's natural that I've thought to myself, how many years of riding do I have ahead of me? At what age will I have to give up track days? I recently talked to a guy who gives me hope that I've got lots of years of track days ahead: Owen Edwards still does 6-10 track days a year at age 74! Click here if you want to read my profile of him at Accelerate magazine.

I've heard this misinformation repeated so many times I can't count. Probably because it sounds like it could be true. But it's miles from the truth. Less than 10% of Harley's revenue comes from their apparel and accessories segment. It was $69.3 million last quarter, but total revenue for the quarter was around $1 billion. Since H-D is a publicly traded company, all this information is easily accessible to anyone. Say what you will about Harley, positive or negative, but it is not "a T-shirt company that sells motorcycles."

Aw, that's nothing. Let me tell you about Nighthawks. Back in the 1990s I lived in the San Juan, Puerto Rico area, where there were a lot of motorcycle messengers. Almost all of them bought Nighthawk 750s. I recently visited and there are still a few messengers the Internet hasn't yet killed off and some of those Nighthawks are still on the road, too. We're talking about 6-digit mileage, all of it in a hot climate in urban traffic and treated mercilessly by suicidal messengers. 24k Ohio miles is nothing by comparison.

Not to hijack the thread, but with the first WSBK race less than three weeks away, is anyone setting up a Riders and Junkies fantasy league for 2012? Having won the 2011 league, I want to defend my title! /hijack

No riding today, but I rode 100 miles last Friday, my most challenging ride so far this winter. From Columbus to Knox County and back. Chilly and a little drizzle one way, chilly and weak sun coming back. But I had on all the waterproof gear and the heated grips on high. Sometimes it ain't about sightseeing, it's just about getting where you're going.

Well we might as well start a mutual admiration society then because I've always had a soft spot for the first-generation FZ1, too.

Thanks. I actually rode up there and took those photos BEFORE your fall leaf ride. That story sat in the can a while before it hit print. Or electrons, in this case. Whatever.

Can't believe it, gone in less than two hours.

No question. Buy the bike. Two very different experiences/things/forms of fun (bike and car) is always greater than one experience/thing/form of fun (faster car) no matter how much the one is improved. And why do you not want the bike to become a utilitarian thing while you're working two jobs, going to school, etc.? It keeps miles off the car (one of your goals) and uses less fuel and slicing through traffic on a bike is no less fun (more, IMO) than sitting in commuting traffic in a really fast car. P.S. -- Congratulations for managing your finances wisely so that you have the options.

A previous tenant left behind a futon sofa-bed frame and it's too good to throw out in the trash. Free if you pick it up. Unfortunately, it has been sitting out in the weather a while so the wood arms are stained and there's a little rust on the metal parts. But it works as it is supposed to and if you sand the wood arms and oil the metal hinges, it will be almost as good as new. Futon not included. Frame only. One strong person can move it alone, but you will need a truck to haul it because it is 7.5 feet long. Located in the alley behind 728 Francis Ave. in Bexley. This is the alley between Francis Ave. and Euclaire St. Right next to Capital University. See photo with my craigslist ad.

I have yet to enter a business with "Grandma" in the name in which I did not suspect that grandma was apocryphal. In other words, no, I did not meet Grandma.