motociclista

Simoncelli is a loose cannon, but given how fast he is and how cheap he is in the fantasy league, I can't bring myself to trade him away.

Where's the heated competition, trash talking and all that I expected when I signed up for this fantasy racing league? Instead, I'm in first place in something for once, only to find out that nobody cares about it. (Actually, you don't suppose that I'm in first place BECAUSE nobody cares/participates...)

Great Britain Population: 60 million United States Population: 300 million British Superbike: 30+ superbikes on the grid, six manufacturers 12 rounds A few former MotoGP riders AMA Superbike: 20+ superbikes on the grid, four manufacturers 9 rounds Nobody who's raced at the World Championship level except Ben Bostrom and Roger Lee Hayden, who had one year on the slowest bike in WSBK Something ain't right with the state of roadracing in this country...

I have been known to assert (in print, too, so I can't deny it later) that the Wee-Strom is the single most versatile motorcycle for sale in the U.S. market. Enjoy.

As others have already said, the 955 Triumphs are a good choice. They can be bought cheap, they're strong (my Speed Triple has 87k+ miles with no serious repairs), a little less cramped than the R1/ZX10R crowd, sound great, cool SSSA, etc. Of course they're not as fast or light as the R1/ZX10R crowd, either. Some have suggested the FZ1. I personally liked the first version, but that one's not fuel-injected. Gen 2, fuel-injected, I liked less. YMMV. Lots of good options out there and it's still mainly a buyer's market.

It's a little late to sell your Harley stock. Fall of 2007 would have been a perfect time to do that. The time to build nostalgic, expensive cruisers that appeal to aging Baby Boomers and not much of anyone else is also past.

This story is just out. Maybe a reminder for the more experienced among us and perhaps a new bit of info for some of the newer riders here.

Jim was a good-hearted regular guy who married a good-hearted woman who shared his values, so she didn't mind that he kept riding his motorcycles. He still drank a whiskey or beer when he wanted, but not as much as when he was young, because he wanted to take care of himself so he could take care of her, too. When she got sick, his steady job and benefits covered the hospital bill. Later, when his job went to hell, her steady job tided them over, so they didn't suffer much, despite the setbacks. Jim's neighbor, Bill, considered himself a prince and asked a princess to marry him, but she said "no." Bill didn't care 'cause he was busy smoking and drinking and riding to strip clubs. But when he lost his job he had to sell the bikes for half what he had in them just to pay bills. He eventually got another job, but the years of smoking and drinking caught up with him and he ended up in the hospital. Nobody much went to visit him because, after all, the skinny big-titted chicks from the strip club didn't care if he lived or died if he wasn't tucking bills in their g-strings and the good-time friends at the bar swore they'd never set foot in a hospital. Gave 'em the creeps. Jim visited Bill in the hospital but they didn't have much to talk about. As he left, he thought, "Too bad Bill never found the RIGHT woman."

With their current range, they're not a replacement for a gas motorcycle, in almost all cases, but rather a supplement. And this is the part about the current manufacturers in the U.S. that I don't understand. Brammo and Zero keep building motorcycles even though somewhere around 70% of buyers are not currently motorcyclists. Why aren't they building scooters? The way an electric motorcycle is used today is very much like a small scooter: economical urban transportation with limits (speed for a 50cc scooter, range for the electric bike) that is low maintenance (hyper-low in the electric case) and low in cost. It would seem to be an easier sell to make a more user friendly scooter style ride instead of the motorcycles that Zero and Brammo are building and are shunned by most riders. I would love to have an electric motorcycle for short trips around town and no doubt will some day.

OK, this is obviously a self-serving and totally biased suggestion, but since you gave me such a great opening, I can't resist. BUY MY BOOK!!! It's not an instructional book, though I do like to think there's a little wisdom in it. More than that, it might give you some great ideas of places to go and things to do on your motorcycle. And I think it's a fair bargain for your entertainment dollar, though again, I'm totally biased. BTW, anyone who HAS read my book and is a Facebook user and would like to help me out with a "recommend" or "like," I now have a page for the book. Just go the www.facebook.com/ridesofar. Clicks appreciated.

Yeah, but just try to find an 18-inch Q2. Another source worth checking when shopping tires is South West Moto Tires. I have bought from them in the past, good prices and good service. In this case, though, their prices are no better than the ones already listed.

You're off to a good start. You recognize you weren't born knowing it all. You've already learned and practiced the most important rule, look where you want to go (ie, no target fixation, look far ahead). You already realize that you have to ride your own ride, and not get sucked in over your head by more experienced or less intelligent riders. I wish everyone started with those attitudes. Not so much for the OP but for everyone, I have to say, as someone who has done two track-based schools and one dirt-riding school, if you're trying to improve your safety level on the street, nothing is better than a Stayin Safe Training Tour. Even if you're an experienced, aware rider, you'll be amazed at how much better you can handle street situations, urban or rural. I know it's pricey, but it's truly information you can use and it's fun. Maybe something for the OP to consider a couple of years from now.

Yeah, everyone gets pissed off at the retailer, who's barely scraping by. There's a reason you never ever see a gas station today that isn't selling Slurpees, Doritos, rear-view mirror air fresheners, whatever. It's because you can't make it just selling gasoline. Then if one underground tank starts leaking and needs repairs, your profits get wiped out in a flash. I give props to anyone in business for themselves, but especially selling fuel is no easy gig.

Thanks guys. Glad you liked the article and photos. Truly one of my favorite areas to go riding and when the leaves are at their peak, taking beautiful photos is almost too easy. (I wasn't counting on the snow, however )

Just curious, did you get that setup from Lee Beaver in Arizona? It looks really familiar. P.S. -- I like your plan. Ride now, mod next winter.

The 955 you looked at is very similar to mine except faster. Valve checks are called for every 12,000 miles, but after a while I realized I was wasting time and money and now I go twice that long. I am, however, on my 17th rear tire. Really, these engines are strong, understressed lumps. With minimal care, the major stuff will last a long time. If you're seriously looking at the 2003, ask if the owner replaced the quick-release disconnects on the fuel tank. They're plastic and tend to break if you're not real careful. Replacing them is no big expense, but worst-case scenario if you ignore them and let them break is that your bike goes up in smoke. In 87,000+ miles I've done maintenance, replaced a broken shift lever, replaced the quick-disconnects, rebuilt the front brake master cylinder and replaced several electrical relays, and that's it. Oh, and replaced 16 rear tires, despite NO burnouts. I sure can't complain. I'm also partial to the Z1000, too.

I have a 1997 Speed Triple I bought used in 1998 with 6,000 miles on it and it now has 87,000+, so I guess I can comment on what it's like to put miles on one. My longest day on the bike is 718 miles, but I have done plenty of 500-mile days. The riding position to me is perfect, but the long-distance downfall is, of course, wind protection (or lack thereof). I have the flyscreen, which does help. You may need to get creative with luggage solutions, especially with the exhausts on the 1050s. My experience may not be that relevant to you for two reasons. One, my Speedy is several models out of date and I have not ridden a 1050, and second, mine came with a Corbin seat installed by the original owner. There are things I dislike about the Corbin, but the comfort is not one of them. I also think that a Speed Triple will be as comfortable on long days as a Z1000, neither will be as good as a Sprint, but both are great bikes. Gratuitous photo of used-up old Speed Triple:

When I lived in Bexley and wanted to get to some curves as quickly as possible, without lots of stop lights or suburban traffic in the way, I'd take 33 East past Canal Winchester and turn left onto Pleasantville Road, going east. Pleasantville Road only has a few curves, but it's nice and rural. Then turn right (south) on 664 and then you start having fun, all less than an hour from Columbus city limits. And if your sumo-battered butt isn't screaming, 664 takes you right into the heart of Hocking Hills riding for more, as previously mentioned.

A few thoughts on the thread, FWIW: As someone who has had knee surgery, my problem with the reinforced jeans is that most of them have no armor. On the street, we are more likely to hit something than slide a long way, due to lower speeds and many obstacles. One compromise for me, if I want to wear jeans on a short ride, is to wear separate removeable shin/knee pads under jeans. I fully recognize I could have the "wrong" kind of crash and slide a lot and wish I had the kevlar jeans instead. I wear real riding pants on longer/faster rides. I'm don't see why people would buy Carharts or similar stuff instead of dedicated motorcycle gear. By shopping closeouts, you can get purpose-built gear that will probably work better and won't make you look like a pig farmer, and for the same price or less. (No offense to all you pig farmers out there.) Personally, I would not wear MX pants on the street, either for protection or looks.

The pants have both zippers. Just a question of whether they match up to existing gear.

Yeah, the day sucked, but on the other hand your freebie gear is boxed up and going out in the mail tomorrow. See? Life's still worth living!

If anyone wants to see some great photos of the riding around Blackwater Falls SP, just wait for the May issue of Rider magazine. Of course I'm totally unbiased when I say the photos are great...

Damn, 7 minutes! That was fast.

These are GONE.

Palomar can get crowded during prime riding hours, not only with motorcycles, but bicycles as well. Can get a little hairy. That's why there's more than a few crashes. Funny story. First time I rode Palomar, I was in a loosely strung-out group that included Walt Fulton, who won an AMA national back in his time. Walt's got a few years on me, but I'm not ashamed to say he can still kick my ass on a motorcycle. Since he knows those roads by heart, he offered to let me follow him. He hustled up Palomar and I was riding that technical, strange-to-me road as hard as I could to keep up with him. We get to the top, pull over, and Walt says, "I hope that pace was OK with you. I hope I wasn't holding you up. I don't like to push too hard on the street." And I say, "No Walt," -- pant, pant, wheeze -- "that pace was just fine."