Expect the Unexpected
March 10, 2010
So last night on my ride home from work one of those 30-gallon trash bags, spread out in full sail, flew across the concrete divider from oncoming traffic and plastered itself to me. This was on the freeway, by the way, and I was cruising along at about 70 mph. In the split second my brain had to process this hazard before it wrapped itself around me, I’d put my left arm up to fend it off. Fortunately, in doing so, that cut down the amount of time I was “blinded,” as I was immediately able to pull the plastic bag away from my helmet. [Read more]
The Boy in the Window
March 8, 2010
When I moved into my apartment in Ventura almost two years ago, the boy that lives downstairs was just an infant. He spent most of time in one of those cradle thingys (I’m not a parent, so the proper nomenclature escapes me) and was largely out of sight, out of mind. As pages were torn from the calendar, he got bigger and occasionally I’d see him in the backyard with his mother, playing on a brightly colored, hard plastic slide, or getting whisked away in a stroller by his grandmother. [Read more]
Boredom Remedy
February 26, 2010
It was confirmed when I opened the letter; I own a boring car. The insurance bill came in a full 1/3 lower despite that fact that the new Subaru Outback replaced a Jeep Wrangler that was two years old and cost 2/3 what it did. Apparently even the rates adjusters doze off when they look at damage claims for what is still listed as a wagon on the charts. The desire for a single vehicle to replace my two cars with one led me to the Outback. I even ended up owning a non-committal charcoal gray color. Yawn. [Read more]
Favorite Ride: Tracing the Big Easy to the Dragon, Part 3
February 23, 2010
Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort
After leaving the coal mine, I eventually found pavement again and my tires felt glued to the road. I was rewarded with a coiling, freshly surfaced road that went down the side of a mountain. I headed towards my ultimate destination: the Dragon. Also known as the Tail of the Dragon or Deal’s Gap, it is one of motorcycling’s holy sites. The moto-faithful come from around the world to experience this 11-mile stretch of Hwy 129, which has 318 curves, or a curve every 182 feet. Sadly, excess speed and poor judgment lead to one or two fatalities each year on the Dragon. [Read more]
Favorite Ride: Tracing the Big Easy to the Dragon, Part 2
February 22, 2010
Red Boiling Springs, Tennessee.
Leaving Nashville, my next destination was Red Boiling Springs, a small town in east Tennessee that was a popular wellness destination in early 1900s. The springs produce four types of water–black, red, free stone and double and twist–that are different in mineral content and were considered cures for various ailments. A flood in 1969 wiped out much of the town, and a sleepy community is all that remains. My reservation was at Armour’s Hotel, built in 1924. As the only guest in an old hotel in a deserted town, I felt once again like I had left the known world behind. The quiet isolation was restorative, and the steam bath, hot soak in a claw foot tub and deep tissue massage provided a stress-relief trifecta. The next morning I sat alone in the cavernous dining room and savored a huge country breakfast spread. [Read more]
Favorite Ride: Tracing the Big Easy to the Dragon, Part 1
February 19, 2010
Southern terminus of the Natchez Trace Parkway in Natchez, Mississippi.
(Prologue: This trip took place in June of 2005. I was living in New Orleans at the time, running a small home-based market research business with my wife.)
My tired brain was emitting fight-or-flight messages. Escape. Get away. Work was murder and stress enveloped me like a chalk outline. Go now, before it’s too late. Fighting was not an option, so I took flight on the road, away from the gravy-thick humidity and third world streets of New Orleans. Alone and without a schedule, I went in search of freedom and endorphins on some of America’s great motorcycling roads. [Read more]
2010 Indy Dealer Expo, Part 2
February 18, 2010
We saw plenty of cool products at the 2010 Indy Dealer Expo, and we’ll be testing them and writing about them in the weeks and months ahead. We also saw lots of products–and motorcycles–that were silly, forgettable and of dubious quality. [Read more]
2010 Indy Dealer Expo, Part 1
February 16, 2010
Tag line for this year's Expo, "Shift Into Positive Territory," was echoed by industry veterans.
We just flew home from the 2010 Indianapolis Dealer Expo, and boy, are our arms tired! It was the 42nd annual national meeting of powersports dealers and parts, accessories and gear suppliers. The Dealer Expo, which focuses primarily on motorcycles, is held in mid-February so orders can be placed and products shipped to dealers in time for the start of the spring motorcycle season. What this also means is that the 3-day gathering often overlaps with Valentine’s Day, disappointing many wives and girlfriends back home (sorry, honey!). [Read more]
Revenue Agents
February 9, 2010
The photo here may be the first wherein an official photographer (Adam Campbell) at a new-model introduction snapped a picture of an invited moto-journalist (yours truly) about to get a speeding ticket. Speeding tickets are not unknown at such events, but never before with official photographic evidence. The intro was of the Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 held up in northern California in April of 2009. [Read more]
Five Commutes, Three Bikes
February 3, 2010
Last week I took advantage of the good weather and rode to work everyday. We’re so spoiled living in here in SoCal that when it poured for the better part of a week recently, most of us four-wheeled it into work. Ugh. We saw more than 6 inches of rain that week, and Big Bear got 5 feet of new snow. This is big news for SoCal, so play along with me on this one. Before you call us wimps for not riding in the rain, I’ll have you know that Drevenstedt braved the downpour and rode in a day or two. Does it count that he only lives three miles from the office? And yes, we all do ride in the rain!
Honda Shadow Phantom
Anyways, the commutes last week were spectacular. Spectacular is a stretch, because it is all freeway for me, after all. But it was so nice to be back on a bike, which is how I get to work most days. It seemed like there were less people on the freeway, the roads were washed clean of oil and debris, the crisp air was fragrant with the smell of earth and agriculture, and the local mountains were covered in snow. Beautiful! And I had the pleasure of riding three different motorcycles: a Honda Shadow Phantom, a Kawasaki Z1000 and a Honda NT700V.
The Shadow Phantom (test will be in an upcoming issue) is a new blacked-out cruiser based on the Spirit and the seat is LOW at 25.7 inches. The engine is exceptionally smooth for a cruiser; in fact, I can’t remember riding a smoother cruiser. Usually the V-twin cruisers make my legs and rear itch after a while but not the Phantom! I found that the way the seat scoops down and the handlebar is placed that I didn’t feel like I was fighting the cold wind either. And this was a good thing as it was in the 40s every morning, and who knows how much colder with wind chill factored in.
Kawasaki Z1000
A couple days later I tried out the Kawasaki Z1000 (look for Tuttle’s review in our April 2010 issue) and there was a switch! This naked sportbike has probably got twice the horsepower of the 745cc Phantom. The engine is smooth but the suspension bounced me around on the freeway. I took a little detour through some twisties on the way home one night, and the bike felt light and agile, though for my lighter weight (than the guys) I noticed that it wandered off course a bit.
The next day I hopped on the Honda NT700V (look for Drevenstedt’s review in the April issue) and was back to half the horsepower. My mission was to take it to the dyno where I was to meet Tuttle and Drevenstedt with two other bikes. But then I liked the NT so much I just didn’t trade it in for another bike! Now this is a bike I could live happily ever after with with its upright seating, highway comfort, adjustable windscreen (great for keeping the wind off on those cold mornings) and roomy saddlebags. You can’t fit a helmet in the saddlebags, and they have funky latches, but I’m OK with that.
Honda NT700V
Tomorrow I’m back on the other Honda, the Phantom, so we can put miles on it for an upcoming test. Look for a review soon.
