April 2016

Transcription

April 2016

April 2016
Suzuki V-Strom XT • Backstage At The Dakar With Scott Dunlavey • Moto-Gymkhana!
Is It Legal To Film Cops? • Nexx XT1 • Weego Jump Starter • Cortech Sequoia Jacket & Pants
aerostich.com/cb
Photo by Clint Graves - 2015
Michael Campos on the Sunday Morning Ride
aero cb 02_2016.indd 1
BMW Motorcycles of San Francisco
790 Bryant St. San Francisco, CA 94107
415-503-9988 . www.bmwmotorcycle.com
BMW Motorcycles of Walnut Creek
1255 Parkside Dr. Walnut Creek, CA 94596
925-938-8373 . www.bmwmcwalnutcreek.com
April 2016 | 2 | CityBike.com
© 2015
1/4/16 1:16 PM
News, Clues & Rumors
Volume XXXIII, Issue 4
Publication Date: March 21, 2016
On The Cover:
Apparently no one rides to this place in the rain.
Photo: Surj Gish
Contents:
NCR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Pitstops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
New Stuff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Uneasy Rider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Locals Only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Tricksy, He Is . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Xtra Tough . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Hyperactivist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Scott Dunlavey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Devine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Doc Frazier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Maynard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Hertfelder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Slappy McSlapperson . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Last Page Photo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Spring Foward Take Chances . . . . . . . 29
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Editor in Chief & Jackass of All Trades: Surj Gish
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Senior Editor: Robert Stokstad
Contributing Editors: John Joss, Will Guyan,
Courtney Olive
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Dr. Gregory Frazier
Staff Photographers: Robert Stokstad,
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Contributors:
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Alonzo Fumar, Will Guyan, Brian Halton,
David Hough, Maynard Hershon, Ed Hertfelder,
Otto Hofmann, Jon Jensen, Bill Klein,
David Lander, Lucien Lewis, Larry Orlick,
Jason Potts, Bob Pushwa, Gary Rather,
Curt Relick, Charlie Rauseo, Mike Solis,
Ivan Thelin, James Thurber.
Photo Of The Month: CityBike
At The Taj Mahal
An adventurous, anonymous (other than
this photo, of course) CityBike
reader snuck a copy of our
January 2016 issue on to the
grounds of the Taj Mahal.
Apparently, security measures
were extra strict, and when our
hero headed for the entrance,
the guide said, “What’s that?
Oh no, leave that paper
behind, it will not be allowed.”
asses, but we don’t get to film them to cover
police actions. The citizens are not without
ours? We know there’s no expectation of
remedy because once the police officer takes
your phone, alters your technology, arrests you privacy in public places, so saying we the
people can’t record video of the police—or
anyone—out in the world means we’re
granting special treatment to the guys
who usually have more guns on ‘em
than most of us.
We were so astounded by this
obviously backward bullshit decision,
that we called our lawyer, or rather
emailed our pal Chris Scranton of
Scranton Law Firm, our go-to guy for
the constant string of “what the fuck”
questions we seem to have.
Not to be deterred, Mr.
Anonymous Reader put on
his best dumb and innocent
face, and as the guards
were tending to some other
security breach, quickly
posed for this photo in front
of the Taj Mahal, with the
best damn moto-mag in the
world.
He was as pissed as we were—and here’s
what he said:
We’ve got a letter (paper old-timey style, of
course) on its way to whoever it is in India
that told security to keep CityBike out of
sacred Indian landmarks. Presumably,
our strongly-worded letter will persuade
the haters to change their hatey tune, and
future CityBike readers won’t experience
such profiling.
I’m Ok, You’re Ok… But Not If
You’re Filming Cops
or applies excessive force, we proceed to trial
on the Fourth Amendment claims.”
Never mind the bollocks, here’s the key
thing: “we decline to create a new First
Amendment right for citizens to photograph
officers when they have no expressive purpose
such as challenging police actions.”
“This is a bit of an anomaly and in my
opinion, isn’t something for people in
California to worry about too much. It’s
not real authority on the subject and the
previous US Supreme Court decisions are
still the law of the land, although there does
not seem to be a case on the exact issue. The
Philadelphia case is being appealed and I do
expect that it will be reversed on appeal as the
result is simply wrong.
Taking video or photos in a public place
of things that are plainly visible is a
constitutional right and that includes police
carrying out their duties. If you are in a public
place and lawfully there, you have
every right to record video of
anything in plain view. This
also acts as public oversight
of the government.
Whoa whoa whoa. How
about the expressive
purpose of
CityBike readers, as thoughtful, wellinformed intellectuals and moto-activists, documenting
police actions in
are certainly aware of the recent decision
The police can’t
in Fields vs. the City of Philadelphia, which case they need
confiscate or demand to
to
be
challenged
stated:
see your video without
later? Isn’t
a warrant. There are
“We have not found, and the experienced
that the exact
extreme circumstances
counsel have not cited, any case in the
purpose of the
where there may be
Supreme Court or this Circuit finding citizens bodycams that
NO FILMING
exceptions but I’m not
have a First Amendment right to record
some cops are
getting into that here.
police conduct without any stated purpose
wearing, but the
of being critical of the government. Absent
other way? Just in case,
Police can order citizens to stop
any authority from the Supreme Court or
right?
activities that interfere with legitimate
our Court of Appeals, we decline to create
law enforcement operations and good cops will
This is relevant for us riders because we
a new First Amendment right for citizens
recognize that and act accordingly. Common
like
to
collect
video
evidence—whether
to photograph officers when they have no
the case is a crash or profiling is moot. Why sense should be enough for the average person
expressive purpose such as challenging
do the police get to film us to cover their
Alumni (RIP):
John D’India, Joe Glydon, Gary Jaehne,
Adam Wade
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honda.com: ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET, EYE PROTECTION, AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING.
NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, AND NEVER USE THE STREET
AS A RACE TRACK. OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNER’S MANUAL THOROUHLY. For rider trainging
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Open 7 Days a Week
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415-255-3132
to identify when you are interfering with some
police drama.
The case law on this side of the country seems
to allow the filming of police doing their thing.
Infringing on one’s 1st Amendment right to
freedom of speech is something to be taken
seriously by both the public and the courts. If
you think your rights have been violated call a
lawyer and get an opinion.”
Chris also shared some tips on how to act if
you’re taking photos or recording video—
not interfering—and an officer of the law
tells you to stop.
1. Be cool.
2. Ask if you are free to
go. If not, you’re being
detained and that is way
more significant. Your
next call should be to a
lawyer.
3. If you are being
detained, continue to be
cool, and ask why you are
being detained.
4. Remind the cop that
taking photos or video
of the police is protected
under the 1st Amendment.
2016 Aprilia
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In stock NOW. $16,999 plus fees.
$1,500 down, $299/month.
CALL 510.594.0789
© Piaggio Group Americas, Inc. 2016. Aprilia ® is a U.S. and worldwide registered
trademark of the Piaggio Group of companies. Obey local trafﬁc safety laws and always wear a
helmet, appropriate eyewear and proper apparel.
Dubbelju, home of lots of different bikes
available for rent (and great route advice)
for twenty-five years, has managed to
buck this trend. Moving? Yes. Out of San
Francisco? Hell no.
The nuptials were marked by many a
burnout and bike stunt and quite possibly
the world’s first example of a bride standing
on a rubber-burning Harley.
Congratulations to the happy couple!
The new place? 174 Shotwell Street, just
‘round the corner from South Van Ness and - Sam Devine
16th. Three blocks from BART, a quick hop BAMS 2016 Scheduled For
from SFO.
With so much cool stuff exiting The
City—or just going away—it’s great to see
an iconic local moto-biz keep on keepin’ on
in San Francisco.
The Dubbel-crew.
Never
Bay Area Motorcycle Superfest, home of
the best damn swap meet CityBike ever
sponsored, at least last year, is off for this
year. Our “Hey, what happened?” email
went unanswered, so we can just
go by what was posted on the
BAMS Facebook page:
“After much thought we have
decided to pull the plug on BAMS
2016 and for the time being do not
have any idea if the show will be
back at all.”
Too bad. Editor Surj was looking
forward to signing autographs in
the swap meet area again this year.
Santa Rosa Mile Is Back!
Dubbelju’s New Digs
Seems like we’ve so much bad shop news to
report here in News, Clues and Rumors—
shops closing, shops being forced out of
the city—that we’d started thinking about
a name change for this section of the mag.
News, Blues and Rumors anyone?
San Mateo Honda / Suzuki /
Royal Enfield Closed
Damn, it’s starting to feel like the years
right after the last bubble burst, with all
these shops shutting down. The latest
is San Mateo Honda / Suzuki / Royal
Enfield, who had a “closed, and not just for
the weekend” sign up when we stopped by
to deliver our March issue.
We don’t have any more information,
but we’ll take this opportunity to point
out (again, like we’ve done all along) that
when the community spends its money
elsewhere, like say, on the internet, it
shouldn’t be a surprise that local bike
shops—where people who actually ride the
same treacherous streets as us work—have
a tough time, and sometimes wither and
dies.
Jason Pullen Gets Married:
Wheelies & Wedding Bells
In February, one of the world’s most
talented wheelie-ers married his longtime stoppy-ing sweetheart. After years of
popping wheelies, Jason Pullen popped the
question to Angela Delgado, a fine stunter
in her own right.
Photo: Bob Stokstad
We were super bummed about
the cancellation of the Calistoga
Half-Mile last year, and eagerly awaited
the announcement of the 2016 AMA Flat
Track schedule. When the schedule came
out, The ‘Stogie wasn’t on it, as we reported
last month, but now we have good news
that not only will there be another NorCal
race on the AMA Flat Track schedule this
year, it’ll be a mile!
That’s right—the Calistoga Half-Mile
has been replaced by the Santa Rosa
Mile, again promoted by Terry Otton, of
Ramspur Winery and Steve DeLorenzi,
of SDI Insulation, who put on a damn fine
race in 2014, and had big plans for 2015.
The Santa Rosa Mile will be a three day
event from Saturday September 23rd to
Sunday, and will be the last race (the finale
if you’re fancy) of the 2016 AMA Flat Track
Pro season.
SEMA: EPA All Up In Ya
In early February, SEMA (Specialty
Equipment Manufacturer’s Association)
sounded the alarm about proposed
regulation by the Environmental
Protection Agency, an obvious attempt
to better control the use of “closed course
only” accessories and modifications on
street-going vehicles. SEMA took the
proposed language, which they somehow
found in a 629-page proposal drafted by
the EPA in July 2015, as an attempt to
prevent conversion of street vehicles to
racers.
Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em
Poetry & Prose
Ed Milich and Jack Lewis did three
readings from their new books last
month. I attended the event
at Piston & Chain and
was pleased to hear what
wonderful words these two
riders weave. It’s safe to say
that Milich is the world’s
foremost motorcycle poet,
while Lewis’s motorcycle
chronicles transcend the
genre, falling into good old
tough-guy banter. You’re
not just a motorcyclist or a
biker or a rider when you
read Lewis’s stuff (or hear
it read). Instead, you’re that
same excited young person
Photo: Sam Devine
you once were, looking at
that thing with two wheels
and thinking: “Gosh, that’d be fun to try
to wrangle.”
While the rest of the motorsports world
predictably flipped the fuck out, Road
Ed Milich.
and Track provided a thoughtful and
comprehensive analysis of the situation
(“Hey, we should do that now and then!”
we said) which you can check out at
RoadAndTrack.com/motorsports/news/
a28135/heres-what-the-epas-track-carproposal-actually-means. Most important
are the EPA spokesperson comments,
clarifying that this is—as noted above—
about people removing federally mandated
emissions equipment from street vehicles,
not race vehicles.
These issues are complex and we’re not
going to resort to the all-too-common
“Fuck the EPA!!!” antics. Remember, it’s
their job to—among other things—keep
the air we breathe clean. Yes, that means
that we—as people who tend to remove
emissions equipment without a second
thought and do stupid shit like burnout
contests—often end up on the short end of
an uncomfortably pointy stick, but really,
is that such a surprise? And yes, some of
the EPA’s efforts have arguably targeted
minutia and been painfully expensive
for companies that broke the law. But
also: clean air is awesome, and rather than
engaging in kneejerk bitching in response
to attempts to keep our lungs from turning
into a 24/7 Dirtbag Challenge, maybe
we ought to be a little less self-centered
every once in a while. Is that evap canister
really killing your lap times on the Isle of 9,
McGuinness?
Members of Congress responded
promptly to this egregious human
rights violation, penning the woefully
facepalmily-named RPM (Recognizing
the Protection of Motorsports) Act of
2016, which would explicitly exclude
vehicles used solely for competition
from certain provisions of the Clean
Air Act. Presumably the “we don’t need
no more stinkin’ laws” people will be
protesting this bill, because it is, after
all, another law that we just don’t need.
The event was rather informal. Milich
was reserved, a cagey but deep soul.
“Motorcycle poetry,” he said. “Huge
market, as you can imagine.” Without
much ado, he began reading his motorcycle
poetry, including pieces from his new book
Bottom Dead Center.
His poem, “Enlightenment,” ended with:
“Go forth and pursue every motorcycle
That makes your heart palpitate and your
palms sweat.
Go chase every red-painted hussy
heartbreaker rocket ship
Until your wallet is empty and your blood
vessels burst.
Look at the glorious bike photos on eBay
until lust consumes you
And you drain your bank account in
pursuit.
Remember, though,
Bikes are bought and sold, and, in between,
they break.
They’re all piles.
Keep this thought close by,
And no motorcycle will ever truly
disappoint you.”
This is gonna sound like we’re encouraging bad behavior, which we’re going to deny.
But we do love burnouts, so why not have an ongoing—rolling, if you will—contest?
Send your burnout pics to [email protected] and you’ll win—drum roll please—
not a damn thing! Other than eternal infamy and streed cred. Put that shit on your
LinkedIn profile, son!
We should probably have some rules, so rule number one: as noted, we’re not
encouraging bad behavior, so don’t do anything stupid. We’ll have the final word on
what constitutes stupid, because we know stupid
well. If you get thrown in the pokey for doing a
rolling burnout down the sidewalk in front of
City Hall while singing smooooke on the asssphalt,
we’re not gonna send our team of lawyers to bail
you out. You’re on your own. Rule number two…
well, there’s just the one, it seems.
To kick things off, here’s a photo—closed course,
of course—of our man Fish finishing up the rear
on the MotoMorphic SV650, quite possibly the
baddest SV that ever existed. To make things
more interesting, this bike was featured on the
cover of our April 2002 issue, smoking the rear
in front of a police truck, if you can believe it.
After hearing this poem, I decided not to
regret the ridiculous effort I have put into
fixing a dirtbike that I came into cheaply.
I’m a broke-ass, so when I acquire bikes
Jack Lewis
.
Photo: Sa
m Devine
“Is your father still with us?” I asked as we
all filtered out after the reading.
“Yes,” he replied. “For about twenty
minutes at a time.”
“Well, my dad died of Alzheimer’s when
I was nineteen, so for what it’s worth…”
I offered, hoping to brighten Lewis’s
perspective, imagining what I’d give for
twenty minutes.
And bless his heart, Lewis chuckled and
said, “My dad was still kickin’ my ass when
I was nineteen—and I was a soldier by
then!”
If you’re interested in some of the best
words available on motorcycling, do
yourself a favor and pick up both of their
books.
- Sam Devine
One & Never Done
February 12th I took the Amtrak Coast
Starlight train from Oakland bound for
the One Motorcycle Show in Portland. It
would be my first big custom bike show,
and with over a hundred unique and
diverse bikes promised, along with a whole
they almost invariably need work. I like to
get them better—at least temporarily—if
I can.
And while I’m no poetry connoisseur, I can
tell you that Milich’s poems speak to me,
and probably to anyone that’s tried to fix or
race a bike. To hear him describe the corner
workers at the race track or accidentally
stabbing himself with safety wire, and
detailing the unsung life of the guy at the
parts counter—to hear his poetic take on
all that is to know that you’re not the only
weird kid obsessed with bikes, trying to fix
something up and hoping to ride well on
Sunday.
through the curtain to see the very first
light on snow-blanketed Mount Shasta.
The sunrise over the high-mountain
plateaus and tunneling through thick pine
forests was enough to keep me stoked all
weekend. If you have to travel without your
motorcycle, do so by train.
Arriving in a drizzly Portland, I headed
straight to the Southeast industrial district
brimming with breweries and eateries and
every manner of art and creative business
you can think of. A nice primer for walking
into a building full of ingenuity and skill.
For all the fun that’s made of Portland
being a place where “young people go to
retire,” it is hard to balk at what they have
been able to do with a little more space and
time and freedom from an exorbitant cost
of living. Though that last bit is changing,
say many residents.
The One Show is a good example of this.
In its seventh year, the team of organizers
and volunteers had to institute more
security (by order of police and fire)
oversight than in years past. The show is
so well attended, some reported having
to wait two hours just to enter at different
times throughout the weekend. See See
“The definition of the edge is that you fall
off it when you stop paying attention. No
car has ever been that kind of test. What
good is a vehicle too stupid to kill you when
you’re drunk?”
After reading a touching chapter about
losing a friend, Lewis opened up even
further, sharing an unpublished story about
his relationship with his father. “Are you
scared, Jack?” His father had asked him
before a hill climb event. “No,” he’d lied
weekend of events, races, music, coffee,
at the time. And now, years later, with his
beer and pizza, I was giddy as a prospector.
father in a hospital bed, Lewis held his
father’s hand and lied again.
I didn’t sleep much in my overnight coach
seat, next to a large snoring man, cold as we
“Are you scared Jack?”
wound our way up through the Cascades.
Next, Lewis read several pieces from his
He
held
the
same
hand
that
taught
him
to
But as I awoke with the rustling of other
new book, Head Check. My favorite bit was:
shake, now small in his own, and said, “No passengers at about six o’clock, I peeked
way, Dad.”
pel
Photo: Michele Ap
Motorcycles and BMW Motorrad USA
managed to maintain the edgy allure, and
celebratory atmosphere by bringing in a
diverse array of bikes, vendors, art, and
music. Not to mention, the show is still free
to both attend and show a bike.
Despite it being rainy and cold, most of
the outdoor park vendors stuck it out,
M
GARAGE
Vintage / Modern
Motorcycle & Scooter
Service Specialists
(Pre-1975? Come on in!!)
Moto Garage
415-337-1448
112 Sagamore St, SF, CA. 94112
and those inside dealt with the crowds
gracefully. The art and vintage exhibits
added some historical and cultural
perspective alongside the local food, drink
and music.
One such vendor that brought sunshine to
the rain was Matthew Allard of Inked Iron.
He teamed up with MotoLady, from Los
Angeles, and Hinterland, from the North
Bay, to showcase t-shirts, prints, and handdyed shop rags—a show favorite that he’s
happy to say sold out entirely.
Number 8 Wire Motorcycles. His ‘81
Yamaha Virago caught my eye for its
simplicity and functionality. It was one of
the few bikes in the show that looks like
anyone could ride it, without a problem.
Which was, he said, the point.
open a business such as his. Or to follow
any other crazy dream, for that matter. He
said, “It’s fucking scary and I’m broke all
the time. I wouldn’t recommend it.” He
paused for a moment, then added, “But if
you want to do it enough, you can make it
work.”
I Am This Motorcycle: Smaller
Show, Great Art, Numerous
Stories, Fewer Beards
It’s almost seven o’clock on Heron and 8th
street and the crowd keeps pouring into
Heron Arts for the “I Am This Motorcycle”
opening party. Out front, there’s a giant
pink Goldwing that looks like someone
turned the Barbie Corvette into a
motorcycle. Next to that is
a fully polished aluminum
and chrome Thruxton that
belongs to Michael Sturtz
of Alameda. Turns out it’s a
2009. “It looks old,” he says
“But it actually starts and has
good brakes.”
Originally from New Zealand, Cornberg
moved to Missoula, Montana for school in I can’t think of a better way to sum up the
his early twenties. Becoming disillusioned essence of The One Show. Go check it out
with school and
bicycle racing, at
Jean-Philipe Default, the man behind I Am This Motorcycle.
twenty-three years
old he started
Matthew tried something different this
teaching himself
year, and went more colorful. Overall, there how to work on
was a cheeky and delighted vibe to much
and customize
of the art. Like Wendy Dyk’s blown-up
motorcycles, as well
film reel lampshades. Or the See See show as run a business. He
merch itself. I spotted the bright orange,
Inside, people circle around
opened as Number
blue, and yellow One Show beanies all over 8 Wire in honor of
a 1975 Moto Guzzi 850T
Portland the rest of the weekend.
that’s laid out in pieces on a
early New Zealand
white rectangular platform.
settlers
who
used
And the best part, it was affordable for a
It’s titled “UMC 023 Work
the versatile piece
wide range of folks. Allard said that is the
In Progress” by Hugo Eccles.
of wire to “do it all”
best feedback he’s gotten and remains
This isn’t the first show bike
when they hadn’t
a mission of his company. “Remember,
Photo: Sam Devine
I’ve seen that didn’t run, but
access to many
I was the one who couldn’t afford art in
it is the first one that’s not
goods and services.
the first place, and that’s how this whole
next year. Or better yet, start building a
even
a
roller.
And
yet, it’s very telling of the
The
One
2016
was
his
first
big
show
and
thing started. So I keep it reasonable for
bike.
effort
that
goes
into
a custom bike.
he
is
going
strong
at
the
shop
with
a
solid
people like me.” In transitioning from other
workload,
all
generated
by
word
of
mouth.
- Michele Appel
industries, this fact keeps popping up in
A nearby coffee table is covered in stickers
I asked him what he would say to a person
my experiences in the motorcycle world.
reading “#IamThisMotorcycle” and
with aspirations to build their own bike or
Sure, people need to make money. But
nobody organizing, vending, or advertising
at the show prioritized status and sheen
incredible level of control, with no real
and commercial gain. They prioritized
downside. We’ve had ABS for some time,
creativity and community.
although it’s just starting to really get good
the last couple years, and traction control
Emily George, on the core team of
can be a genuinely helpful addition. But
organizers that puts the event together said
ride by wire offers near-endless tweaking
it simply, “It’s everybody’s show.” Nichole
of throttle response with no kowtowing
Vella, a volunteer at the merch counter
The little wheel for the heater / AC fan?
Isolation Mounts
to the limitation of a physical throttle.
explained, “See See is all about friendship,
It’s an infinity-spin wheel that lights up to
And you don’t have to worry about that
I end up in other cities without a bike
family, and bringing people together for
let you know where you are in the range.
cable breaking six million miles from
pretty
frequently,
and
thus
require
a
rental
something that everybody loves.”
Soft-touch switches abound, and the
Amazon Prime. So while—like many
car—I know, so shameful. I generally
stereo, err… entertainment system makes
riders—I have a deeply entrenched, moreAllard was as enthusiastic: “The Portland
go with whatever just-bigger-than-aour complaints about the complexity of
emotional-than-intellectual resistance
scene is amazing. They are creative in
sardine-can thing they have, unless they
menus on bikes sound like millennials
to giving up control of the hardware, and
everything they do. Thor is an amazing
have RAV4s, because those are good
complaining that they don’t eat cereal
I find the idea of an electronic switch
guy and constantly thinking outside the
general purpose vehicles, sort of the SUV because washing the bowl is too much
triggering my e-brake absolutely insane,
box with his projects. The One Show, in my
equivalent of a good tall-rounder with
work. The steering wheel has no less than
things like ride by wire and cornering
opinion, is one of the most epic weekends
luggage.
twenty-two buttons on it, not counting
ABS serve as proof that it’s not all
in the custom motorcycle scene. Perhaps
the horn.
Last month, in Portland, I ended up
pointless tech for the sake of tech, like hill
I’m biased, but seriously, it’s unique and
in a Ford Focus. The hipster and the
start assist and keyless sidecase locks.
supports the industry without any agenda
Yeah, yeah… this isn’t new. Physical
Kardashian wannabe working the Budget switches and linkages have been steadily
beyond that.”
Next month, we’ll talk about the goal
counter tried to upsell me on getting a
making their way to the big junkyard in
behind all this abstraction: safety, and
Of course, the crowd is impressive, but the
BMW X3 for $25 a day more, which I
the sky for some time. But check this out:
examine differences between the safe
bikes are what keep people coming, and
declined. The difference between the
the Focus’s e-brake is an electronic switch.
driver and the engaged rider.
dreaming of their own creations.
Focus and the X3 is nearly immaterial,
Let’s ignore how crayfish-bananas that
at least in the short term, although
From Moto Stuff’s CR250R, that rocketed
is on the surface for now—like, what
Kourtney-esque
exclaimed
“What?
I’d
a solid few back to their youth, to Kick Start
happens if that system fails? Your e-brake
totally
get
the
X3!
It’s
worth
it!”
Garage’s “Taco Truck”, a 1971 BMW with
suddenly became a o-brake, as in “oh shit,
a Bultaco as sidecar; to the vintage cove
Jeez. Two paragraphs in and I’m already
no brakes!” But this level of isolation is,
of restored bikes as old as a 1938 Indian 4
veering off topic, headed for the hay bales for me at least, pretty astounding. The
by Project Moto, people were practically
in turn 2.
only physical connections that remains
jumping up and down. Some technical and
in this car is the door handles, and
I’m glad I ended up in the Focus, not
mechanical modifications that tickled my
because I saw that light and realized it’s a presumably the steering. Maybe the shift
fancy were the 1979 Honda CBX modified
linkage, although I doubt it.
super cool car or something, although it
for a parapalegic, a 1977 Vespa from Patrick
is perfectly functional. I’m glad I ended
Fitzgibon modified with a watch and
Bikes are limited in making “progress”
up in the Focus because it really put this
TomTom Satellite technology to capture
in this march toward abstraction—
whole electronics-instead-of-old-tech
stats like ambient temperature, elevation
there isn’t as much room to hide the
thing into uh… focus for me.
changes and lap times. Even an electric
components required to isolate function
bicycle.
There are almost no physical switches or from controls. And let’s not forget how
conservative and change-fearing we
linkages in this thing. Electronic locks,
Oddly absent from the spotlight, and
motorcyclists are as consumers. We’re
windows, seat… sure, that’s the norm,
somewhat hard to track down in the
although perhaps a smidge surprising for getting closer, though.
informal atmosphere of this show, the
a car in this price range. But like so many A good example is ride by wire.
builders are the real stars of such an event.
new vehicles, other things are isolated too. When done right, we can achieve an
I spoke with young Colin Cornberg, of
Cylinder Head
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“#FuckYouRideMe.” By the end of the
night, most of the “#FuckYouRideMe”
stickers will be gone.
The event organizer and artist, JeanPhilippe Defaut, moves through the crowd,
chatting and waving, seeming to know
everyone. He shows me the jeans that were
cut off him after he hit an embankment on
Mines Road. They hang cut apart, splayed
and framed on the same wall as posters of
the Wild One; a Captain America comic
book (who’s battling the “Satan’s Angels”);
a beautiful picture taken by Tom Miller of
the engine from Defaut’s Ducati 900ss.
in thirty of them, which is what we’ve got
here.”
Next we go over to the portraits of bikes
and their riders.
The portraits were the impetus for the
show and Defaut plans to release them in
a book. But like all good art, the project
looks deeper, examining motorcycle
ownership on many levels. A guiding
inspiration for much of Defaut’s work
has been Zen and the Art of Motorcycle
Maintenance. One display, titled “Pure
Truths” is composed of 27 copies of the
book, their covers fading from pink to blue
over the years.
“All these portraits happen on the back of
a conversation. Never before. Can’t do it.
They’re not gonna trust me. Who the fuck
am I to demand their moment?”
“I’ve probably bought 400 in my time,”
says Defaut of the novel. “I give them to
people. I do a creative mentoring program
in London for troubled youth. And as part
of that connect, I look for a way into their
world. You’ve got a sort of sixteen-year-old
kid who’s self-harming or anorexic or doing
drugs or just depressed because they’re
glued to the X-Box. You’ve got to find a way
to connect with them.”
We walk over to a table that displays
motorcycle ephemera from Defaut’s
personal collection.
Not wanting to have to go to all the way to
Portland to scratch my bike-art itch, my
first question to him is: Will you do this
again?
“I’ve wanted to put this together for a while.
It’s taken a long time to photograph a
hundred and twenty motorcyclists between
London, Paris, New York, LA, Portland
and then San Francisco. It takes a while
to put that together. You can tell the story
“That’s all he owns,” says Defaut. “So when
it comes to zen and the art of motorcycle
maintenance, he understands. He’ll show
up somewhere and it will break down and
he’ll just need a week or two to fix it…. He
owns that in every sense.”
- Sam Devine
“Everything has a point,” he says of what’s
been displayed. He gestures from book
to book. Starting with How It Works: The
Motorcycle, he says: “I had this book when
I was a kid and my mother used to read it
to me. That’s a classic read that I think’s
really important. Know Thy Beast, the
Vincent guide. One Man Caravan is written
Grabbing a Fort Point beer and a teainfused whiskey from August Uncommon by an American guy who had a Douglas
Teas (It sounds kind of namby-pamby until built in the Thirties in England and rode
around the world in the Thirties… That’s
you try it. My initial reaction was: “Well
an exceptional read. Hell’s Angels, Hunter S.
it’s about damn time someone did this.”),
Thompson—a must read.”
I wander through the show. Portraits of
riders with their most trusted steeds line
“This is much more in keeping with Zen
two walls. Each with a quote. Amongst
and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance,” he
them, I find the pink Goldwing again. It
says, pointing at Shop Class as Soul Craft.
belongs to D Baby, of Marin City. “My
“It’s basically looking after your bike,
mom passed away and I found the connect
spiritually. If you fix your own shit, you
with her when I’m riding my bike,” reads
walk away with some real feel. Like, you
her quote.
know. If you don’t and you pay someone
else to do it, then who’s responsible when it
There are other conceptual art pieces:
breaks down?”
a gas tank wrapped in denim, titled
“Tank Top” by Jean-Philippe Defaut and
Ulrich “Ubi” Simpson. There’s a goldleafed CB750 titled “750 Super Gold”
by Londubh Studios and Defaut. And
there are several tires with gold writing
We stock a large selection
on them. “Fuck Failure,” reads one, “I
of heavy duty jackets ,
Am This Motorcycle,” another. The one
pants, chaps, & bags.
that resonates the most with me reads:
“Nowhere. Fast.” There’s simply too much
Custom garments
to take in, so I go back a few days later and
and accessories.
talk with Defaut.
“This was called ‘I Am This Motorcycle’
because really, that’s what you are,” he
explains. “The bike doesn’t exist without
the road or the rider. On its own, it’s just a
nice object.”
Defaut points to a portrait of Steven Dewey
Colman, who draws on a cigarette, one
eyebrow raised, leafless trees and a train
yard behind his long brown hair and beard.
He wears a black leather jacket and has
a hand tucked into his black jeans. He’s
standing next to a raked-back CB 750
chopper with an orange frame and a grey
coffin gas tank. Brown saddle bags hang
below a King and Queen saddle and a black
leather backpack and white Gringo helmet
perched against a high sissy bar.
New Stuff
Hard Core(tech): Sequoia XC
Adventure Touring Gear
By Sam Devine
Well, you finally did it: you finally pulled
the trigger on that dual-sport adventure
bike, and you and the pals are going to
hit the road for a week of camping and
carousing on back roads and in bars. But
your credit card is maxed out and your
bank account is almost bone-dry, leaving
barely enough money for beer, roulette, a
steak dinner, campground fees, gas, trail
mix, and a few crumpled dollar bills for the
gentlemen’s club.
to put towards road-worthy garments
without having to skimp tips to those hard
working single moms at Rosalinda’s in
Jamestown.
The fine folks at Cortech understand your
plight (though they surely don’t condone
your activities, you scoundrel, you!). Their
Sequoia XC jacket and pants zip together
into a cross country suit that will get the
job done and do it on a budget that shames
the competition. With a few tweaks, this
two-piece suit can handle almost any
two-wheeled situation you can fling at
its abrasion-resistant 600 denier rip-stop
Carbolex fabric, 1680 denier ballistic
polyester, and removable Rainguard liners.
Giving the most bang for the buck right
out the gate, the jacket comes with an
integrated hydration backpack. That’s
right, this $350 jacket is equipped with
a water-delivering bag that can also hold
hiking essentials like Clif bars, beanies,
baby wipes, band aids and Neosporin.
Wouldn’t hurt to throw some mountain
money in there either (by which I mean
toilet paper, rookie).
The one issue I had with the backpack
was the bite valve for the hydration pack:
it wasn’t very inclined to keep water
inside the pouch and was prone to pulling
apart into several pieces. I recommend
purchasing the Osprey brand bite valve,
which is the only one I’ve found to be easily
operated with one hand. Buying it at REI
will set you back $6. Sorry about the tip,
Brandine.
“But why is it called an integrated pack?”
Good questions—that feature is the piece
de resistance of the Sequoia XC, which can
slip its backpack straps through holes in
the jacket -- one of the best innovations
to riding gear since Kevlar. How many
times have you struggled to get straps
over shoulder armor, surely seeming to be
mid-seizure to those watching at the gas
The coup de grâce comes after checking
station? And how many times have you
the weather and discovering that your
wanted to shed your jacket without having
old rain gear has somehow shrunk in the
to carry the damn thing around like some
closet. Curses! After demolishing the piggy
pretty boy holding his tennis sweater
bank and flipping the couch cushions, you
on a hot day? And how many times have
scrounge a lint-laden $561 (including taxes)
We repair, alter and
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Forcefield Body Armour, The worlds
leading “Soft armour technology”
Body protection system specialists.
you accidentally singed your coat whilst
slinging it over the gas tank at a rest stop?
The integrated strap design solves these
problems, allowing you to easily take both
jacket and pack on and off together or shed
only the jacket, leaving it hanging from the
backpack like a rip-stop nylon cape. The
one downside is having to remove your
coat to get to your Clif bar, but it’s still
easier than a conventional jacket/backpack
set up.
The ability to wear your jacket like a
backpack will help you air out on warm,
rainy days when the breathability of the
Cortech suit will leave you a little damp
from body
sweat. Yes, unfortunately we still have yet
to meet a rain barrier besides GoreTex
that can fully vent body humidity. But
after riding to work in the tumultuous
downpours at the beginning of March,
I must admit that the Rainguard liner
does a damn fine job. The outer shell of
the Sequoia XC is water resistant but not
waterproof. And since it is nice to keep
the rain out of, you know, everything, we’re
planning to use a waterproofing aerosol on
the shell. There goes another $10. Sorry,
Crystal.
For protection, the Sequoia XC setup
comes with CE level 1 armor for knees,
shoulders and elbows. There are also nonrated hip and back pads I plan to upgrade
after the inaugural expedition is over—
can’t miss out on that prime rib!
The Sequoia suit also gets bang-for-thebuck points in versatility. It kept me
warm and dry (enough) during some
cold, wet days in February, but I’m really
anticipating an even better performance
from it this summer. With large removable
sections on the front and back, the Sequoia
XC turns from a cold weather rain coat into
a summertime mesh jacket.
There also
decent vents
on the sleeves,
which are
actually
removable
for “suns out,
guns out”
good times
once off the
bike. This is
a nice feature
considering
you’ve kept
your camera,
keys, lighter,
handkerchief
in
le
Photos: Max K
and
headlamp
in all the same pockets on this trip so
far. Why should you have to change things
up just because you’re going on a day
hike? (You may want to check out George
Carlin’s “Stuff” bit as you properly fill your
pockets with stuff. Don’t want to wind up
with more places than stuff or you’ll have
to go out and buy more stuff! And that
could cut into
the gambling
budget.) The
back padequipped vest
could also help
you bring back
break dancing.
Be careful with
the removable
panels,
shoulder pads
and liners
around the
campsite,
though. They
all come off
in individual
pieces that would be
regrettable to leave at the end of a long road
that you have no plans to head back down
till next summer. Fortunately, I found that
all the removable pieces of the suit—liners,
pads, and vent flaps—could be stowed
snugly in the back pack.
Locals Only
There’s Something Different About That R... What?
By Surj Gish
Photos by Surj Gish
I met Ken at last year’s Dirtbag Challenge, as the result of a sidelong glance at what
looked like a nice clean R6… “What the hell?” My confusion was followed by a short
discussion, culminating with Ken setting loose the screaming two-stroke demons. I
struggled to reconcile the typical Yamaha appearance with the very atypical sound it
made as I flipped him a fancy CityBike biz card: “Call me maybe?”
Ken’s blue bike (there are others, of course) is a conundrum—it kinda looks like a
plain old modern middleweight if you’re not paying much attention. Start at the front:
standard sporty-ness of the good-looking Yamaha persuasion. Move back a bit…
something’s different about the tank, for sure… is that a kickstart? And those pipes…
What the hell’s going on here?
Months later, at Ken’s house in Livermore, he tells the story: the “R6” is actually an
‘85 Japan-market Yamaha RZV500 with aluminum frame, originally sold in Canada.
He found the RZV in Salinas 2011, “hacked” and for sale for “a lot of money.” He
brought it home, put it on the stand, started it, then tore it apart, every last nut and
bolt.
He sent the engine off to renowned RZ (and RG) guy, Rick Lance in North Carolina,
and then set to work making the bike right, fabricating little pieces to make the
bodywork work, changing up the rear suspension, the oil tank, and so on. He tried
some “eighties, kinda racy” track bodywork, then ’06 R6 fairings, before settling on
the ‘09 bodywork that’s on it now.
“It really was a struggle… a big struggle. The fairings have been on and off this thing
hundreds of times, for cutting and filing and drilling.
So it wasn’t easy? “No. Not at all. Not for me. You can see my machine shop… I have
that drill press and a vise, and I have a belt sander and a band saw… that’s it.”
Ken waves his hands at the RZ6500V (my name for it, sorry Ken!), indicating all the
work he put into it. “There’s a gazillion little brackets on this bike. It was endless, the
brackets. I make ‘em and they don’t work quite right so I start over… nothing bolted
on to this bike for me.”
All that remains of the RZV are the frame, engine and tank. Bodywork, fork,
swingarm, and wheels are from an ‘09 R6. The most amazing thing is how right it
looks—the lines flow perfectly between the tank and fairing, in spite of the 24 years
between them.
Lastly, this inseam challenged gentleman
of the club tested out the Sequoia pants
in the “Medium Short” and found them a
fine fit. They can be made to function as
an overpant but are purposefully designed
to be a dedicated riding pants. The fit of
the jacket was good as well, with adjustable
tension straps taking up the slack when the
liner was removed.
All in all, The Sequoia XC suit is a
reasonably priced adventure-oriented set
of riding gear that can be made even better
without breaking the bank.
Jacket $349.99, pants $164.99. Learn more
and find out where to buy at Cortech.net.
Nexx Best Thing: XT1 Raptor
Helmet
By Poll Brown
A few months ago, Editor Surj asked if I’d
like to test a new helmet. I thought about
the helmets I owned and wore: two dual
sport helmets from those nice chaps in
Portland, one of which I had ridden
face first down a trail somewhere
in Mississippi shortly before an
uncomfortable ambulance
ride and an overnight stay in
hospital; the other well worn
and grimy from my daily
commute across the bridge
to The Shitty. There’s the
“vintage” helmet purchased
from a dubious if efficient
online source in Hong
Kong—at least it’s new and
full faced, I tell myself. And two
actual vintage open-faced lids,
one not quite as old as I am, that
I use rarely for putting around
on ancient motorcycles; the other
I never wear but keep for sentimental
reasons—a glorious gold metal flake
affair that a friend’s father used to smash
in the face of another old biker during an
argument at a swap meet some years ago.
Yes, I most certainly would like to test a
new helmet.
I’d never heard of Nexx, a relatively young
company out of Portugal, where they make
all of their products. They appear to be
quite a forward-thinking outfit, with heavy
emphasis on technology and a range of
specific lines for men, women and children,
with a helmet for just about everyone:
dirt, street, race, adventure, vintage, retro,
hipster, dork.
“Do you have any color preference?”
asked El Jefe. I requested something low
When the XT1 showed up a week or so
later, I realized that I had been fussy,
wanting a groovy, ego-boosting, tough
guy color scheme. I realized this because
the helmet that showed up was carbon
and white, with insane neon green with
bright blue accents. A perfect match
for a Kawasaki sport bike, less so my
conservatively gray V-Strom 1000.
But the XT1 is a sweet helmet in any color,
made of carbon fiber and weighing in
at a scant 1,400 grams—just over
three pounds to you Americans—
you can barely feel it on your
head. A wide eye port provides
excellent peripheral vision
and the optical quality of
both the face shield and the
slide-down internal sun
visor is excellent.
Pho
to: A
ngel
ica R
ubalca
ba
key, black if possible, maybe a sexy
gunmetal or satin graphite—a plain, subtle
color; sensible, grown up. In the days that
followed, I pored over the Nexx website. I’d
chosen a street helmet, the XT1, but all the
offerings looked mighty: lots of flat black
/carbon / space age /ninja /road warrior
options.
Bells and whistles are
numerous and include a
fancy ratcheting buckle,
something like those
on dirtbike boots,
chin curtain, breath
guard and spoiler, and
vents everywhere. The
removable, CoolMax
liner is washable, and the
cheekpads pull out in the
unfortunate event of a
serious crash. The helmet’s shell even has
a removable “door” to allow easy addition
of Nexx’s X-com communication system—
very nice.
I’ve got a bit of a narrow oval head and
for me, the fit of the size small XT1 was
near-perfect, and can be customized
somewhat further with the included Ergo
Padding System (fit adjustment padding
bits). The liner is quite delicious with no
scratchiness or tickling labels, something
other manufacturers could learn from. I
also experienced a complete lack of swamp
neck—that uncomfortable sweatiness
below the occipital which I often get on
even the chilliest of rides. I put this down to
high quality materials and those excellent
vents.
It’s not all roses though. Although Sam
found the operable bits on the Nexx XR2
(“Nexx, Please: Nexx XR2 Trion” – New
Stuff, February 2016) easily manipulatable
even with gloves on, I found the slide for
the inner sun visor clumsy in any gloves.
Maybe this gets easier with time, but it’s a
pain.
Also, for a crash helmet, the face shield
is remarkably fragile. One fall from seat
to pavement—unintentionally perfectly
targeted—rendered the face shield useless,
breaking the small retaining pin molded
into the Lexan. Luckily, you can ride with
just the sun visor if you don’t mind it a
bit breezy, but a replacement shield made
things hunky dory again.
Hopefully this issue with the shield
mounting is a small hiccup in the
manufacturing process because other than
that, the XT1 is a comfortable, high quality,
lightweight helmet.
$399.95, $499.95 as tested, Raptor style.
Learn more and find out where to get your
own at NexxNorthAmerica.com.
Weego=Get Going Again
By Surj Gish
My daily rider is a dirty BMW R1200R,
and the goddamn thing, while an excellent
all- (not tall-) rounder, eats batteries like…
well, like I eat pizza. Positively voracious.
Not only do I have to keep it on a
trick-charging battery shepherd,
if I turn kill the motor without
immediately turning the key to
off and saying a quick prayer, odds
are that I’ll be push-starting the
sumbitch when I return, probably
on an uphill one-way street. I don’t
know why, mostly because I’m good
with the push-starts and I’m too
busy to troubleshoot that shit. I’ll
figure it out some day—or maybe
Triumph will bring their new Tiger
Sport to the US and some other
sucker will end up dealing with it.
3.2L, in case you’re one of those suckers
with one of them there “clean diesel”
V-dubs.
like that better than the current “you’re
lucky we even included a charging cable,
sucka” trend. Much better.
In addition to jump starting, it can charge
USB devices and laptops, and even includes
an LED flashlight with strobe and SOS
features. It comes with a USB charging
All the cables in the world don’t mean a
thing if you can’t swing a leg over a running
bike, though. Can you jump start a bike
with this li’l thing? To find out, we left a
couple bikes turned on
in the CityBike Clean
Room Testing Facility,
and waited for the
batteries to die.
Actually, we left the
CBR300R we’re testing
turned on and just
looked at my R1200R
funny a couple times.
The CBR kept its
headlight burning
for some time, while
my R1200R gave a
deep retirement home
In spite of being the perfect use case
sigh and died a quick,
Photo: Surj Gish
for these jump start in a tiny box
painless death. We also
products, I’ve sort of scoffed at the
left the Zero SR turned
cable with three tails: new iPhone (AKA
concept. “Why, in my day, we just pushed
on, but that wasn’t part of this experiment,
Lightning), micro USB, and old school
the bike down the street, and if it didn’t
technically speaking, and it turns out you
iPod; a passel of laptop charging tips (sorry, can’t jump start an electric bike anyway, in
start, we pushed it home. Uphill, in the
everyone in SF—no MagSafe) and charging case you’re wondering.
goddamn snow. Kids these days!”
cable; wall and car chargers, a carrying case
But Weego packs a lot of power (groan)
and oh yeah, jumper cables, the cutest little Anyway, the Weego works. It provided
into their little boxes. I tested their JS-12
enough power to jostle the big Beemer’s
ones you’ve ever seen.
Heavy Duty jump starter: a smallish black
jugs back to life several times, with plenty
Remember when you used to buy stuff,
box, just a smidge bigger than my first
left over to start the li’l CBR a few times.
and instead of just a sinking “I need to
cell phone back in the nineties, which was
There was even enough juice left to power
coincidentally just a smidge bigger than the buy more stuff for this…” feeling, the
the onboard flashlight for the (felt like)
box would contain a bunch of accessories
current crop of mega-phones, but thicker.
30 minutes I spent searching the floor
and miscellaneous other bits and bobs?
Weego says its capable of jump starting a
under the various bikes for the CBR’s seat
Opening the Weego box is like that. We
gas engines up to 6.4L, and diesels up to
bolts, which I dropped while jump starting
the cute little thing. I gave up before the
flashlight did. While it lacks the defense
characteristics of a proper Mag Light, the
light part of the flashlight works just fine.
Complaints? Like regrets, I have a few.
Actually, quite a few, but we’ll limit the
scope of that discussion to keep our print
bill from getting out of control. The jumper
cables are sorta chunky and tricky to clamp
on to the often semi-hidden terminals on
bike batteries. They’re also about a foot
long, so if you’re jump starting something
like a Connie, where the battery placement
is about as convenient as a 7-11 at 11:30
PM (imagine it’s the Seventies, when 7-11s
were open from 7 AM to 11 PM, instead
of 24 hours) and you don’t have a place
to set the Weego, you’ll have to hold the
Weego in one hand and thumb the starter
with the other, which is probably going to
result in the clamps popping off the battery
a few times before you pull off that dance
successfully. But only if it’s raining—if it’s
dry out, you’ll probably be fine, because
that kind of exasperating bullshit only
happens when it’s raining and you’re not
under some kind of roof, right?
All in all, pretty sweet. The JS-12 weighs
just under a pound, and Weego says the
12,000 mAh battery only loses 2-5% of its
charge per month when stored. At $129, it’s
not exactly cheap insurance, but it’s small
enough (6.25″ x 3” x 1”) to stow under the
seat on many bikes, and won’t take up much
space in your backpack or luggage if not.
$129.99. Learn more and get your-go at
MyWeego.com.
BMW Motorrad
USA
©2016 BMW Motorrad USA, a division of BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks.
Authorized Dealer
The Ultimate
Riding Machine™
DON’T JUST
SEIZE THE DAY.
LEAN INTO IT.
MAKE LIFE A RIDE.
Not everyone takes the chance. Even fewer have the passion
and the courage to make the most of it. But for those who
can, for those who do, there is the 2016 BMW S 1000 RR.
For more information, visit bmwmotorcycles.com.
CalMoto
BMW OF TRI-VALLEY
952 North Canyons Parkway
Livermore, California 94551
925-583-3300
calbmw.com
CALIFORNIA BMW
2490 Old Middleﬁeld Way
Mountainview, California 94043
650-966-1183
calbmw.com
EVENTS
April 2016
10 AM to 4 PM at the Half Moon
Bay Airport, just 20 miles south of
San Francisco. DreamMachines.
MiramarEvents.com/index.php
2nd Sunday of each month: Santa Cruz
Scooter Club Monthly Group Ride (Fin’s
Coffee, 1104 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz, CA April 30: Brain Day At Road Rider (2897
Monterey Highway, San Jose, CA, 95111)
95060)
Meet at 11:00 AM. Route depends on who Road Rider will have reps from Shoei,
Bell, Arai, Schuberth and Nolan on site,
shows, the weather, and how much time
awesome deals on helmets and gear, and
folks have. Rides will be cancelled due
other fun stuff. Can’t make it on Saturday?
to rain. SantaCruzScooterClub.com /
Stop by Friday through Sunday for a killer
facebook.com/SantaCruzScooterClub
deal on a lid. RoadRiderMCA.com
3rd Sunday of each month: Northern
California Moto Guzzi National Owners May 14: The Quail Motorcycle
Gathering (Quail Lodge & Golf Club,
Club Breakfast (Putah Creek Cafe, 1
8000 Valley Greens Drive, Carmel, CA
Main St, Winters, CA 95694)
93923)
Meet at 9:00 AM for breakfast and good
times. More information: contact Northern The 8th annual Motorcycle Gathering
California MGNOC Representative, Don celebrate the 40th anniversary of Superbike
and feature pre-1916 motorcycles,
Van Zandt at 707.557.5199.
BMW classics, along with the usual
April 8-10: California Nitro National
categories such as Japanese, British,
Hillclimb (Carnegie SVRA, 18600 Corral Italian, competition bikes, and more.
Hollow Rd, Tracy, CA)
10 AM to 4 PM on Saturday, May 14th.
General admission tickets are $75.
The 29th annual Nitro, and opening
SignatureEvents.Peninsula.com/en/
event of the 2016 NAHA Pro Hillclimb
Motorcycle/Motorcycle.html
Series, happens
at Carnegie
May 6-8: International Female
April 8-10.
Ride Day Weekend (Fresno
SkipsPromotions.
Ramada, 5090 E. Clinton Way,
com
Fresno, CA, 93727)
April 14: Ladies
No men allowed! Hosted by
Night 2.0: Gear
Lady Bikers of California,
Up For Adventure
who chose Fresno as the
(Scuderia, 69
location closest to the
Duboce Ave, San
center of CA, with lots of
Francisco, CA,
good riding within range.
94103)
LadyBikersOfCalifornia.com
Stay a little after
May 21-22: Sheetiron 300
closing, enjoy
Dualsport (Stonyford, CA)
appetizers and
The Sheetiron is a two-day,
beverages, first
non-competitive ride hosted
speaker at 7pm sharp.
by the OMC. Riders of
ScuderiaWest.com
all abilities are welcomed. Applications
April 16: Crosscut Family Timekeeping will be accepted starting April 1st.
Enduro (Cow Mountain Recreation Area, OaklandMotorcycleClub.camp9.org/
3300 Scotts Creek Rd, Lakeport, CA,
event-2147772
95453)
May 21: Hanford Vintage Motorcycle
Precursor to the Sawmill. Camp at Cow
Rally (Kings Fairground, 801 South 10th
Mountain and do both! NorthBayMC.org Ave Hanford, CA 93232)
April 17: Sawmill Qualifier Enduro
Head to the 48th annual Hanford for
(Cow Mountain Recreation Area, 3300
150+ vendors of fun at one of California’s
Scotts Creek Rd, Lakeport, CA, 95453)
premier vintage motorcycle events.
ClassicCycleEvents.com
Round 1 of the SRT District 36 NorCal Championship Enduro Series.
May 21: Sacramento Mile (Cal Expo,
NorthBayMC.org
Sacramento, CA)
April 24: Pacific Coast Dream Machines AMA GNC flat track action in The Sac.
(Half Moon Bay Airport, Half Moon Bay,
Free motorbike parking! Tickets start at
CA, 94019)
$29. SactoMile.com
June 20: Ride To Work Day (Everywhere,
dammit!)
Ride to work on the 25th annual Ride
To Work Day (and hopefully some other
days too) to help increase public and
governmental awareness about the benefits
of moto-commuting and riding in general.
Stay tuned for some kind of contest from
your friends here at CityBike. RideToWork.
org
June 25-26: Bungee Brent’s Backroad
Bash (Long Barn, CA)
The CityBike Wrecking Crew has gone to
the Backroad Bash two years in a row, and
its one of our favorite events. We’ll be there
this year, and you should be too. Seriously.
OaklandMotorcycleClub.camp9.org/
events
July 7-9: Reno Rendezvous (Grand Sierra
Resort, 2500 East Second St, Reno, NV)
The Gold Wing Road Riders Association
hosts this thing, but you don’t have to be
on a ‘Wing to attend. Great riding—street
and dirt—and proper gambling, too.
RenoRendezvous.org
July 11-16: International Norton
Owners Association (Plumas-Sierra
County Fairgrounds, Quincy, CA)
The Northern California Norton Owners
Club (NCNOC) will host the 41st
gathering of the INOA July 11th-16th in
Quincy. Rides, food, coffee, beer, rally
shirts, Norton tech sessions, speakers,
field events, and even live music, plus tent
camping, clean bathrooms and showers.
NortonRally.com/inoa-rally-2016
July 16: OMC Three Bridge Run (OMC
Clubhouse, Oakland, CA)
Annual poker run through SF and Marin
then back to the OMC clubhouse for
prizes, music, and dancing. There’s a new
alternate southern route this year as well.
OaklandMotorcycleClub.camp9.org/
event-2147776
Want your event in our calendar? Send a note
to [email protected] with details like
who, what, when, where, why and we’ll add it.
Maybe. If it’s something cool. Send your stuff
early—more notice is better.
Ride to The Quail With
CityBike! Don’t want to ride to The Quail
alone? Go with us! We’ll meet at
Helimot (45277 Fremont Blvd #7,
Fremont) first thing the morning of
May 14th, where we’ll have coffee
and pastries with Helmut and
Linda before heading out for the
Motorcycle Gathering at 8 AM.
Go to our Facebook page for more
details, and to RSVP: facebook.com/CityBikeMag
AFM 2016
Season
Schedule
Get more details
at afmracing.org/
schedule.
Round 2: April 30-May 1 Sonoma
Round 3: May 28-29
Thunderhill
Round 4: June 25-26
Thunderhill
Round 5: September 3-4
Sonoma
Round 6: October 1-2
Thunderhill
Round 7: October 22-23
Buttonwillow
NorCal Short Track
Tentative 2016 Schedule
Nor-Cal Short Track’s mission is
to encourage participation in flat
track racing and nurture youth
involvement, and to keep the racing
fun, family-friendly, competitive,
accessible and affordable.
NorCalShortTrack.com
Round 1: April 17th
Round 2: May 1st
Round 3: May 15th
Round 4: June 12th
Round 5: June 26th
Round 6: July 24th
[email protected]
PO Box 18783
Oakland, CA 94619
Round 7: September 18th
Round 8: November 12th
Rain make-up date: August 21st
Ducati Bike Nights!
1st Sunday of each month: North Bay
4th Monday of each month: Sacramento
All brands and models of motorcycles are welcome. Get
more information at NorCalDoc.com.
6:30 to 9:30 PM at Benissimo, 18 Tamalpais Dr, Corte
Madera.
6:00 to 10:00 PM at Hot Italian, 1627 16th Street,
Sacramento. More information: 916.444.3000.
1st Monday of each month: Mill Valley
2nd Monday of each month: South Bay
4th Monday of each month: Mid-Peninsula
6:00 to 10:00 PM at The Cantina, 651 E. Blithedale Ave,
Mill Valley. More information: 415.378.8317.
6:00 to 10:00 PM at Pizza Antica, 334 Santana Row,
#1065 San Jose. More information: 408.557.8373.
5:00 to 10:00 PM at Sixto’s Cantina, 1448 Burlingame.
More information: 650.342.7600.
1st Wednesday of each month: San Francisco Ducati
Bike Night
2nd Tuesday of each month: East Bay
4th Friday of each month: Concord
6:30 PM till whenever at Pizza Antica, 3600 Mt Diablo
Blvd, Lafayette. More information: 925.299.0500.
6:00 to 10:00 PM at Lazy Dog Café, 1961 Diamond Blvd,
Concord. More information: 925.849.1221.
3rd Wednesday of each month: Emeryville
4th Saturday of each month: Novato
6:00 to 10:00 PM at Pier 23 Seafood Cafe, Pier 23,
The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94111. More
information: 415.362.5125.
6:00 to 10:00 PM at Hot Italian, 5959 Shellmound Street, 6:00 to 10:00 PM at Boca Pizzeria, 454 Ignacio Blvd,
Novato. More information: 415.883.2302.
No. 75, Emeryville. More information: 510.652.9300.
Experiencing Moto-Gymkhana
Photo: Steven Fooshee
By Fish Yellow cones are deployed in pairs, and
Photos by Steven Fooshee & form gates you must pass through. Plain
Kevin Tong
orange cones are out in force as well, but
I
f you have the internet, you’ve probably
heard the word “gymkhana.” Ken
Block singlehandedly brought the idea
into mainstream culture with his stunt
driving-infused television commercials.
Gymkhana actually has its roots in
horseback riding contests and predates
the modern, motorized interpretations by
are simply boundaries that you must stay
within.
By the way, you can’t put your foot down
while negotiating all this.
Traditional competitions are formatted as
a sort of time attack. You get a course map
and an hour to walk the course, and then
Fish and his not-so-stock SV650.
competitively closer to home, that was still
safe, and moto-gymkhana made sense to
him from a training perspective.
even engaged in some heads-up racing
with me on the unoccupied second course
Saturday.
Motorbikes are alluring, but not enough
of us talk much about training or practice.
Skills developed in the fun, safe gymkhana
environment translate to both street and
track. While most of the riding is low
speed, first-gear type stuff, focused on tight
turns, you still learn to truly trust your
tires and explore the real limits of your
equipment.
I should make this very clear: motogymkhana is not intended for side-by-side
antics, and unless you have a damaged
sense of self-preservation you should stick
to single file. Luckily, Grant was not only
foolish enough to partake in my nonsense,
he swapped bikes with me and we went
multiple rounds with only a few nearincidents. The result of this high-risk, hardhitting moto-journalism was the discovery
that the XRL was the faster bike when
ridden by either of us.
Unique to this sport is the variety of
bikes that are both fun and functional to
compete on. I rode my Harley FXR to the
first two events, and I had a blast. I also
shed roughly thirty pounds of foot peg
and exhaust pipe. The pig was shockingly
competent for such maneuvers as long as I
didn’t concern myself with the signatures
left in the asphalt and the sweet sound of
American iron being ground away.
This time, circumstances forced me to drag
my venerable SV650 to the M-Gymkhana
course. Lined up among the supermotos,
ADV bikes, a VTX sporting a car tire on
the rear, and the KTM-supplied Duke
390s, it’s clear that this is an event for
anyone with any bike.
James Bush breaking it down for the riders.
Photo: Kevin Tong
thousands of years. I’m sure many equine
enthusiasts feel like their version was good
enough, but it actually wasn’t.
Let’s be honest: engines can improve
almost anything, and so gymkhana has
been adopted by both automotive and
motorcycling enthusiasts and molded into
a killer, yet compact competition. Much
like Tom Waits, it’s big in Japan but hasn’t
really caught on stateside.
Moto-gymkhana events are based around
timed runs through an obstacle course
marked with different colored traffic
cones. The boundaries are not clearly
defined—instead, the color of the cone you
are approaching indicates the direction
you must travel past it. It’s like translating a
secret code, while trying not to crash.
Bikes are classed by displacement, and
riders by experience level. No special
equipment is required.
Confused? M-Gymkhana (m-gymkhana.
com) created the MGX (moto-gymkhana
experience) just for you: less focus on
competition, more on skills development
and having some of the funnest fun you can
have on a motorcycle.
My weekend included four different cone
mazes that varied from full lock, low speed,
rear brake-dragging turns to threshold
braking from 2nd gear pulls. My new tires
have nothing resembling a chicken strip.
Look, you’re probably not gonna crash—
So much for that “dark-siders can’t turn” thing.
you line up. Before you get to the start box,
you stage by riding a figure eight to warm
up your tires and ready your mind. The
best time wins.
We backed off of the madness on Sunday.
I rode more seriously and actually logged
my lap times, which I won’t share because
I got my ass handed to me by a Ninja 250. I
may have also been beaten by someone test
riding a Duke 390. I take comfort in the
fact that I didn’t go down and how cool I
looked when I backed it in on a few turns.
I spent Saturday pushing the limits of my
SV. I learned a lot about the effectiveness
of its rear brake while brushing up on my
supermoto skills. The relaxed atmosphere
and free-form structure of M-Gymkhana
lets you make the most of the day based
on your own skills and goals. Keep the
asshattery to a dull roar and you’re good to
go.
there’s nothing to hit—and no one
will make fun of you, so if you don’t go
try M-Gymkhana at least once, there’s
something wrong with you. KTM has even
supplied James with two Duke 390s that
you can sign up to test ride while you’re
there. The cost? $75 per day, including
lunch.
Fish spends his time lowering property values
If you like trading bikes with others, there’s
and educating kids (these days) about the evils
no better place. I rode five other bikes,
of carburetor-less engines. He wrote this on a
including a Ninja 250 and an XR650L
piece of sheet metal, with a blunt Sharpie.
supermoto. The XR’s owner, Grant Boysen,
Organizer James Bush lays out a course and
give you a guided walk-through, followed
by a lead / follow ride through the maze of
pylons. No previous experience needed, no
special skills required—just show up with
A blue cone must pass on your left, while a your bike, and James guides you through
red cone must pass to your right. In order to it all.
further complicate things, should the blue
James started M-Gymkhana as an answer
or red cone have a yellow top, you must
to the lack of tracks in Southern California
orbit a minimum of 270 degrees around it
where he’s based. Motivated by what
before proceeding.
he saw online, he wanted a place to ride
Pragmatic Adventure:
Photos by Max Klein
I
2016 Suzuki V-Strom XT ABS
f you’ve ever talked
to someone that
owns a V-Strom
650, you’ve almost certainly gotten an
earful of the “best bike ever” zealotry that
the Wee inspires—so much so that riders
actually decided the 650 was better than
the 1000. Seriously.
We’ve put a lot of miles on the most recent
1000cc Stroms, both the standard and the
ADV versions, and they’re both very good
bikes—good enough that we’d seriously
consider either one as an all-round single
bike solution, even over more expensive
tall-rounders. Also seriously.
We’ve also had our wandering adventurer
eyes on the XT, since Suzuki released it
in 2015 with crash bars, Suzuki-labeled
Trax aluminum cases, and tubeless
spoked wheels—but surprisingly no skid
plate to keep that oh-so-exposed oil filter
and exhaust combo protected from the
adventures such rigging is intended to
inspire. We never got to ride that bike,
though, and when the XT finally came
to us, it was in 2016 trim, in other words,
stripped down to the essentials.
We’re inclined to bitch about that, but
mostly because we’re just inclined to bitch
about stuff. Did we mention there’s no skid
plate on the 2016 XT either? No? We will.
But here’s the thing, going back to basics
on the XT saves some serious scratch. The
2015 was $10,399, while the 2016, sans
in my garage to find the $5,500 buy-in for
a 1000 ADV, but Sam’s already started
pawning his Furbee collection to fund his
own XT. And here’s the thing, putting it
into that context, $8,499 for the XT versus
$13,999 for the ADV-Strom makes it sound
Coincidentally, and perhaps nonsensically kinda stupid. Does the 1000 get you $5,500
(hey, we report, you decide or whatever),
more worth of fun? Maybe—but it doesn’t
$1,900 is the difference between a KLR650 come with those sweetly spoked tubeless
and the XT. Although the KLR mafia—
wheels, which serious adventurers know
basically the single-cylinder equivalent of
are critical to serious adventuring.
the ex-Strom-ists—would have you believe
- Editor Surj
that a KLR is eminently more capable
off-road, if we’re talking about adventure
touring, the reality is that the KLR ain’t so The Sensible Strom
hot when the going gets really dirty, and the By Sam Devine
Strom gets you more capabilities all around The first moment I realize that I like the
with just 42 more pounds of ass to haul
XT is changing lanes on 580 while heading
(curb weight: 473.9 versus 432 pounds).
back into The City. I look over my shoulder,
Further reality check: you can actually
noticing I have a nice, tall view of the
haul ass on a Strom, plus you get ABS and
highway. I gas it, not expecting much, but
6 speeds, which even the goddamn FJRs
am surprised to find a power delivery that
have now.
my 175 pounds of bone, muscle and beer
plate since the bike’s oil filter is perched
precariously close to the ground and near
the front wheel. It’s so fully exposed that
an enraged redneck would have fairly high
odds of picking it off with a target rifle from
100 yards. “Git off muh land!”
The long and the Strom of it: yeah, it’s nice
when bikes come with good luggage (and
that Trax stuff is good) from the git-go,
since then you don’t have to do the hard,
hard work of turning a few bolts to mount
it yourself. But even in its 2016 clearheels form, the XT is a compelling bike, a
utilitarian tall-rounder.
The bike is just a little odd looking, in
a typical V-Strom way, but that could
be a selling point depending on your
personality. The front fender is built off
the cowling, extending in a beak-like
protrusion that evokes that spectacularly
eccentric muppet, Gonzo the Great.
“Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, I will eat
this rubber tire to the music of the Flight of
the Bumblebee!”
sidecases, is just $8,499. That’s $1,900 less,
which will get you nice cases and crash
protection of your choice, unless you like
the really expensive stuff—in which case,
you might be on a different bike, Boorman.
Personally, I’d probably sell all my seldomridden “extra bikes” like the cursed
Nineties 900SS (SS for Super Stationary)
fat can live with. This is the beginning of
an on-going argument between me and the
2016 V-Strom 650 XT about whether or
not I need to purchase a V-Strom 650.
While the ADV-Strom 1000 came with a
ton of accessories—crash bars, luggage,
plastic skid plate and dashboard power
outlet—the Wee XT comes bone stock
and farkle-free—just metallic black paint
and a windshield. Looking it over, tires
aside, the first accessory it needs is a skid
But this is a budget-savvy ADV bike and
it would be easy enough to pack a spare
oil filter until one saved up enough box
tops from Suzuki-Os for the mail-in Mr. T
skid plate offer. “I pity the fool who don’t
go motorcycle adventuring!” (That is not
a real thing. Please do not ask Suzuki or
Mr. T about breakfast cereal promotions.)
There also aren’t any saddlebags or luggage
included, but then, most people like to pick
out their own bags or already have their
own lying around. There’s always that
dusty set of leather saddlebags at the back
of the garage. They’d work for camping
trips until you save up for a set of locking
Touratech boxes.
I leave CityBike World Headquarters and
turn the V-Strom onto the narrow streets of
Oakland. It has a wide bar, but the counter
steering feel isn’t way-out like on last
month’s Guzzi Griso. It handles about how
I would expect it to, no strange surprises,
lots of steering lock. I stand up to ride over
the speed bumps that keep the side shows
to a minimum in front of our HQ , and
that’s when the surprisingly abrupt engine
braking I’d been warned about nearly sends
me into the windshield.
It reminds me of the snappy throttle on the
V-Strom 1000. I remember coming back
towards Lake Berryessa and standing up
to get over bumpy roads and having a hard
time keeping the throttle from chopping.
Since this is an “adventure touring”
motorcycle, I feel obligated to get some dirt
under its tires. Waking up extremely early,
I head to a short stretch of dirt road near
Bolinas and ride back and forth several
times, taking pictures and enjoying the
morning sunshine and glistening waves.
There’s about a mile of unpaved road
leading up to the Palomarin Trailhead, so
I figure going back and forth five times is
kinda like getting ten miles of dirt riding
in. Can’t imagine the Point Reyes Bird
Observatory is very happy about it, but it’s
making my day.
The last time I was here, a friend and I
hiked out to Bass Lake and swam briefly
before rushing back in time for work. It’s
simply gorgeous, with dragonflies darting
The upright position on either Strom is
comfy as all hell. Possibly the comfiest
I’ve experienced. It makes short work
of westbound 580 at 9pm. While the
XT doesn’t rip your eyelids back with
acceleration, it will do 40 mph uphill in
first gear, and can even be coaxed to 60 just
before it red lines in second gear.
For its size, it’s not that much lighter than
the 1000 (only about 30 pounds less
according to spec sheets—the CityBike
moto-scale is on the fritz again. Must be all
that cash we had piled on it). But the 650
is also about $5,500 less than the V-Strom
1000 ADV, which is a lot of gas and
campground dues.
The warbling poppity-pop noise of the
engine reminds me of the Wonka-wash. It
is an oddly quiet engine, not just in volume
but in timbre as well. It just gives a muted
purr that heightens to a subtle growl. My
neighbors would love it if I owned this bike
instead of some others I’ve had.
Controls are mostly straightforward: a left
hand trigger button changes the odometers
and a single button on the dash resets them.
The XT’s turn signal switch sticks out from
under the communication cluster and is
amongst the longest I’ve dealt with. It’s easy
to find in my slightly-too-big winter riding
gloves. Is it weird that the switch reminds
me of the little pecker on the rabbit we
found in the woods? It kept trying to fuck
the dog…
No other bells and whistles to speak of.
There’s no fuse under 10 amps, but there
also aren’t any dashboard power outlets.
The 1000 ADV’s dash-mounted power
outlet had a 5-amp fuse that wasn’t good for
much more than charging a cell phone—
meaning I couldn’t hook up heated gear
without some additional wiring, but I could
complain about it via my well-charged
phone.
The decent torque and gradual power
delivery don’t threaten any traction loss
under reasonable acceleration, and the
bike is easy enough to turn around on the
narrow dirt roads.
part like the Red Sea, but it does take note.
The bike’s height offers a proper view of
the rush hour chaos, getting one out of the
trenches and above the bumper-to-bumper
stupidity enough to breathe.
The V-Strom also comes ready to facilitate
a passenger, with a wide, cushy seat that
extends to the rear axle and curving
hand grips that dovetail with the design.
So I take my girlfriend, Mary, on a brief
morning ride. The bike handles pretty well
two up and doesn’t show any significant
lag off the line like other middleweights
I’ve ridden. We pop through Golden Gate
Park, taking 25th Ave to the Presidio and
One of the cars I get stuck behind is a
past Baker Beach. I take it easy in the turns,
BMW X3 SUV with dealer plates. It’s being but it’s still enough to give a fright to an
piloted by a near-first-time driver who—
experienced passenger.
afraid of the cliffs—has decided the safest
In Sausalito, I circle around for a parking
spot, finding the bike stable at slow speeds
even with a passenger. Mary hops off the
bike with nary a wobble, which speaks
highly of the passenger footpeg positioning
as well as the agility of a woman on her
third motorcycle ride ever. Heading back to
The City, the bike keeps a good clip and I
drop her off and zip into work on time.
Coming back from Stinson beach I only
encounter two cars. Curling up the PCH
I’m happy to find the Wee-Strom a fun,
competent toy in the twisties. It’s certainly
not the snappiest, but it’s no slow bear
either. A lot of the turning is done from
its wide, 32.9-inch handle bar, but its
standard-positioned footpegs offer solid
input as well.
But it’s the photo shoot that really tests the
XT. After several weeks of grueling travel,
we’ve finally made it to the Super Secret
CityBike Dual-Sport Proving Grounds a
few minutes from Max’s house.
around between the water and the willow
trees. This is the type of experience a
V-Strom 650 puts at the end of otherwise
city-bound fingertips: morning jaunts to
mountain lakes near sleepy seaside towns.
The road was mostly dusty washboard the
last time. Now it’s been hard-packed and
pock-marked by rain and tires, with a few
patches of mud and a small trickle of water
running across the road at the bottom of
a gully. The XT handles this all easily. It’s
still no “proper dirtbike,” but after a few
passes, I’m handling the bike comfortably
in the low thirties, except for the hard,
downhill left turn, where I’m slowing down
to avoid having to call Editor Surj with my
well-charged phone.
The stock suspension takes a few of the
potholes well enough; no bolt-persuading
shudders through the frame, only a solid
thwack against the tire and a little jarring
of the handle bar. I tease the ABS in this
casual, cruising situation to see where it
starts to chatter, finding it surprisingly
smooth.
way to traverse the blind turns up towards
Mt. Tam is to keep the car’s license plates
positioned as close to the double yellow as
possible.
“This doofus is going to get us all killed!” I
think, riding their bumper like a carousel
pony and praying to the Great Spaghetti
Monster that they’ll use a turn-out.
“Perhaps I should hang way back. Hmmm,
no, no, that’ll just leave us stuck on the
wrong side of their burning wreckage, and
then we’ll be late for work.”
The V-Strom is fun on the gravel road,
despite how much gravel moves around
in unpredictable ways. We ride up to the
peak where I enjoy whipping the Strom up
a shale rut. On the way back down, Ygnacio
Valley Road gapes far below, ready to
swallow us like a wood chipper. The gravel
road is steep enough to make the ABS
chatter, so I lay off the rear brake and ride
second gear down the hill.
But attempting the dirt road after the rain
was like trying to roll a boulder up a pile
of baby food. Standing in a pile of cow
shit with a stalled engine, I use the clutch
to back the bike slowly down the minor
incline. The rear wheel keeps sliding down
a rut, sabotaging the three-point turn I’m
So, after watching several turn-outs pass
by unused, I resolve to the safest, timeliest attempting. I finally give it an aggressive
lean, holding more of the bike’s 473 pounds
option and pass them handily. The Weethan I really want to in slippery mucous
Strom has no problem producing enough
mud. It works and I throw a leg back over,
uphill grunt for the situation, but then the
start the engine and ride back to a flat
SUV was practically stopped, straddling
the double yellow like a fat man on a broken patch.
bicycle.
I’m drenched in sweat. I shed my jacket
Leaving work in rush-hour traffic, the
V-Strom isn’t the skinniest lane-splitter.
But what it lacks in narrowness, it makes
up in height. Standing on the pegs, revving
the 90-degree v-twin, traffic doesn’t exactly
and eat some golden delicious apple slices.
I’m enjoying the cooling effect of the brisk
air until a cloud covers the sun and I’m
reminded of snowboarding, suddenly quite
cold.
don’t even remember what the other bike in handguards seems to be the soup de jour
(that’s a phrase, right?) and come off—
the truck was.
probably literally in a crash—as a joke. I
The Cult of Strom has painted such a
was stoked to see them left off.
glorious picture of this machine (Suzuki
The knobby tires on Max’s KLR were
barely up to the task of paddling through
the melted ice cream not-so-rocky road.
The Bridgestone Trailwing sorta-dirt,
mostly-street tires that come stock on the
V-Strom are suitable for riding through a
few feet of the stuff, but not much further.
I was already getting wander from both
wheels when we decided to turn around.
“Damn,” I think, standing on the hillside,
looking at the black V-Strom against a
backdrop of green grass, white cows and a
red barn. “If that was my bike, I wouldn’t be
so worried about dropping it. And if it had
some different tires, it might just make it up
that slime trail.”
As of press time, I’m still looking for a
good reason not to sell off the rest of my
motorcycle stable and buy a brand-new
V-Strom XT. In addition to a seriously
bitchin’ bike, I’d have room to set up the
drum kit in the garage…
Sam is our SF-based columnist. He’s looking
for buyers for various motorcycles that aren’t
V-Strom XTs. Check out his latest column on
page 20.
I Strom, You Strom, We All
Strom For V-Strom
By Max Klein
I’ve been the back-and-forth-to-LA bike
delivery boy for the past few months (these
bikes don’t magically materialize here!) and
out of pity, Editor Surj gives me first dibs
on taking one home with me after I come
back with fresh batch o’ bikes. The XT was
so high on my Gotta-Ride-O-Meter, that I
Don’t get me wrong—it is far from the best
bike I have ever ridden, but for an “entry
level ADV” machine Suzuki got quite a bit
right, simply by leaving stuff off the bike.
Plastic bash plate? Non existent, but hear
me out. This bike needs a bash plate if
you are going to do anything off-road.
The oil filter and header pipe are one
raised root or wayward rock away from
absolute devastation. The traditional one
hit wonders (shout out to “that thing you
do”—I’m probably the only one that gets
the joke) that many manufacturers include
instill way too much confidence in their
ability to provide any real protection. It’s
like using dollar store condoms: it’s all good
until things get a little rough.
Cheap ass single use handguards? Missing,
and thank Baby Jesus. “Adventure” bikes
coming with these flimsy throwaway
That being said, there were a couple of
things missing that I actually… uh…
missed. Luggage, crash bars, and heated
gave them a good platform to rave about)
that I had to get a leg over it as soon as
I unloaded into the cavernous CityBike
World Headquarters Garage.
Despite it being a cold and foggy night
when I left for home, I made my way up
Grizzly Peak to The Wall and quickly
found out what the fuss was about.
grips would have been nice. And oh yeah:
centerstand, centerstand, wherefore art
thou, centerstand?
The good news is all of that is readily
available from Suzuki and in the world of
aftermarket. The better news? Without all
that being included, the base price falls into
an affordable $8,500-ish, leaving you a fat
stack of cash so you can put on stuff you’re
actually going to use.
The stuff they included—honestly, just the
bike—was no slouch. The proven 645cc
V-Twin had me bookin’ down the freeways
above the limit with minimal vibration,
and provided more than enough grunt to
power me out of some of my favorite East
Bay twisties. The suspension, while not
fancy-spec, worked well for me both on
road and off. I didn’t do anything other
than groomed fire roads when I did leave
the tarmac, so the paces I put it through
were basically the Cliff’s Notes of dualsport riding, but honestly how many people
are going to take these on truly technical
runs?
Before you start writing that strongly
worded letter to Editor Surj, consider that
you are probably the exception. Here’s your
trophy, slick.
Good looks, functionality, and affordability
all in a package that’s more fun than a
bike this utilitarian, at this price, has any
business being. Strom me up!
Max is the SF Chapter Director of the AFM,
and in spite of owning a properly broken-in
KLR, is still open to riding other bikes.
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Who Cares About Motocyclist Rights?
Dennis “Budman” Kobza
(we hope you do too)
Photos by Surj Gish
C
alifornia is the biggest—and
arguably best—motorcycle state
in the union. With over 800,000
registered bikes, almost 1/10th of all the
bikes in the US, we dwarf most other states
and best the number two state, Florida
(take that as you will) by over 30%.
And yet the relationship between
the number of bikes and the level
of moto-stuff sometimes seems off
compared to other states with fewer
bikes and riders. I’m talking both
governmental / institutional and
individual involvement. Some may
prefer a lassez faire, keep your laws
off my bike approach to government
involvement, but consider that the
CMSP (California Motorcycle Safety
Program) has nearly eleven million of
our moto-dollars—$10,978,000 for
the 2014/15 fiscal year, as we reported
late last year (“Let’s Talk About
California Motorcycle Safety This One
Time Each Year And Not Really Tell
Anyone” – Pit Stops, December 2015).
That money comes from motorcycle
registrations, and is earmarked for new
rider training and motorcycle safety
programs—it’s even in the name, duh.
The problem is that the fund grows quite a
bit each year (by over $1.3 million dollars
over the previous two years) meaning a lot
of the money isn’t being spent on keeping
riders safe.
It’s not just The Man that doesn’t care:
among individuals, many riders are
uninformed about legislation, or take a
separatist approach: “That just affects
Harley riders, not me.” “It’s just those
damn crotch rocket guys.” Sure, people
join the AMA or ABATE or other MROs
(Motorcycle Rights Organizations), or
bitch about how these organizations don’t
reflect their views—but attend a CMSP
meeting and you’ll see just how little
involvement there is from the unwashed
masses. CityBike goes every year and it’s
pretty much just the CHP, the advisory
committee, and a handful of gadflies. Sure,
the CMSP ain’t real good at promoting
the meetings (almost like they don’t want
regular people to observe, huh?) but last
just cruising BARF, depending on who
you talk to), we decided we’d start telling
the stories of some of these people. Not the
institutions—everyone knows what the
AMA does (or thinks they do, well enough
for misinformed whining) and anyway
they’ve got their own damn magazine—
but the grassroots advocates putting their
own time, money, and sweat into watching
out for us riders.
Our original plan was to do a tour de force
of moto-advocacy in California, but a
couple things ruined that plan. First, we
realized that we only have 28 pages most
months, and there’s other stuff we gotta
talk about—give our readers some sugar
with their vegetables, to avoid turning
into ZealotBike. Second, one of our
awesome ideas for that
story was quashed by
some bigwig outside
California (maybe
Ohio?) due to concerns
about perception—
as if anyone who
reads CityBike does
anything other than
laugh and shake
their head. We’re the
zombie court jester
of moto-journalism,
ferchrissake.
DENNIS ‘BUDMAN
’ KOBZA:
BUILDING COMM
UNIT
Y
Six Motorcycling
Innovators
Who Are Changing
Your World
FALL TOURING AT
time, we warned you all about the next
meeting, and guess who showed up: not
you, gentle reader.
Part of the reason for this is that
motorcyclists, or bikers if you prefer,
tend to be rebellious and individualistic,
and would also rather go ride than stay
home and pore over reams of legislative
horse-puckey. Either way, it turns out that
the majority of the moto-rights work in
California is on the shoulders of a pretty
small group of activists.
While sitting on our pompous asses in the
palatial CityBike offices, poring over the
aforementioned reams of legislation (or
ITS BEST
to the world as Dennis Kobza. Former
racer turned moto-safety advocate, he also
runs BARF (BayAreaRidersForum.com)
on top of a regular job—apparently motoadvocacy is a train sorely lacking in gravy.
His story is truly amazing—he’s almost
like a moto-rights Wizard of Oz, the man
behind the curtain, minus the weird
flying monkeys. Many know he’s our
representative on the CMSP Advisory
Committee, some know he is one of but
a few private citizens on the California
Motorcycle Safety Committee, but most
don’t know just how much time he’s
invested into this stuff, and how pivotal
he’s been in keeping lane splitting legal.
Our conversation starts with inspiration—
what got you started in caring about
motorcyclists’ rights
and issues?
November 2015
“I always cared
that we get to
go do our thing.
It started for me
fairly early. When
I was in junior high
school, there was a
proposal to make a
motorcycle park out
here in the Baylands.
So we decided to do
a series of stories
on regular riders,
moto-activists
giving up big
chunks of their lives for
me and you and every other rider here in
the Golden State and beyond. We’ll start
with the same questions, like “what made
you care about this stuff?” and see where
the conversations go, until we run out of
people that’ll talk to us.
“Palo Alto Baylands
was basically a dump,
so the idea was make
it a preserve, make it
a motorcycle park…
I happened to be
the president of the
motorcycle minibike club, and I went up
in front of city council in a shirt and a tie,
and gave a speech supporting the proposal
to make it a motorcycle park… So that got
me a little bit into it. We lost, but that was
kinda important.
So without further ado: this month, we
talked to The Budman, originally known
“I don’t think it really touched on me again
until later in life, when I started to see other
Photo Eric Le
By Surj Gish
Bay Area… a bunch of people were just
clamoring, like we should do something!
We should do something! So we had a
meeting, and developed the 1Rider thing.”
areas closing down. Baylands Raceway,
things that gave us an opportunity to go
enjoy ourselves on a motorcycle, or other
avenues, drag races or whatever… just
because of the political stuff.
Budman tells me about how 1Rider grew
and started doing events at high schools.
“It was really after I took over BARF and
started running that, and all the sudden
we saw this big rash of crashes in the
“We found that there was some real value
in it, talking to these kids, that they really
AMA District 36
Road Rider Clubs
THAT RIDE
www.americanmotorcyclist.com
www.ama-d36-road-rider.org
2/21
D36 Awards Banquet – Vacaville
3/19
Delegates Meeting OMC
3/13
Gold Rush PSMC Road & Adventure Routes/Rain Date 3/20
4/2
P&D – Indoor Track – Destination Run
4/23
CCMC Rolling on the River/Rain Date 4/30
5/15
Delegates Meeting PSMC
5/21-22
OMC Sheet Iron Destination Run
6/11-12
D36 Stockton Camp Work Party/Rain Date 6/25
6/18
SJDMC Memorial Run
7/9
SMC Hoot Owl Run
7/16
OMC 3 Bridge Run
7/31
Delegates Meeting SFMC
8/6
SJDMC Dam Run
8/20
RRMC Poker Run
9/2-9/5
Hey Dey – Group/Family Camping Event
9/11
Delegates Meeting PSMC
9/17
D36 Gypsy Tour Hosted by SFMC
10/9
CCMC Charity Run/Rain Date 10/16
10/16
Rain Date CCMC Charity Run
11/6
Delegates Meeting & Calendar Bidding CCMC
11/12
D36 Turkey Run Hosted by NCR
12/3
Old Timers Dance (Destination Run) SFMC
didn’t know what a good helmet was, what
leathers were, and that sort of stuff, at
sixteen years old.
Budman went up to Sacramento to meet
with the DMV representative, and of
course the subject of lane splitting came up.
“One of my favorite things was that I’d
always have my set of Helimot leathers,
that weigh whatever it is, 35-40 pounds,
and I’d hold them out and say ‘yeah, check
these out’ and hand then to a teenage girl
and let go. All the sudden, the whole thing
would fall to the ground. ‘Holy cow, this
weighs a lot!’
“I ended up saying, we should educate, not
legislate. And he got really pissed.”
“Well, yeah, it takes a lot to keep you from
getting hurt. Look at these boots, and look
at this…so with that 1Rider thing, I got
invited to the very first ever motorcycle
safety summit, as a speaker!
“I think it was ’09. I’ve still got my tag, it
was sort of a defining moment for me. I
was going, ok, I’ve got a 20 minute slot,
Steve Young is the motivational speaker... I
decided that my 20 minutes was probably
going to be somewhat disheveled if I didn’t
organize it really well. I decided to make a
15 minute video about 1Rider.”
Budman leans across the table at this point,
getting in my face to demonstrate.
“We were at a pretty big table, like this, and
he got really close to me… saliva was flying
off his mouth, like who are you to frikkin’
tell me what’s going on?
“And he’s like, ‘Who’s going to write this
thing? You? YOU?!?’ And I’m wiping
this shit off my face, and of course, when
someone does that to you… you’re gonna
go, yeah, me! Without knowing that I really
have no hope of accomplish the task. So I
did start it, and other folks helped with it
greatly.”
That was the very beginning of the lane
splitting guidelines. If you’re keeping track
of the timeline here, you know that the
guidelines didn’t come out until several
years later—years of meetings, discussion,
Budman’s video was a resounding success,
argument, even a lane splitting summit
15 minutes of footage culminating in “did
with law enforcement, BARFers, and
that guy crash” cliffhanger, topped off with
other riders. All this work eventually led to
live discussion after.
the publication of the CHP lane splitting
guidelines.
“The then-head of the CHP came up to
me afterward and said ‘That was really
Budman is grudgingly supportive of AB 51,
awesome. You’re going to hear from us.’”
Assemblymember Quirk’s lane splitting
bill from last year, that is likely to be heard
That led to an invitation to join the
in the California State Senate later this
CMSP Advisory Committee, and
year, that would explicitly codify splitting
more importantly the CA Mission 12
as legal up to 50 MPH, at up to a 15 MPH
Motorcycle Safety Committee (now the
California Motorcycle Safety Committee), delta.
which was mostly government employees
“At this point, with everything else going
at the time: DMV, OTS, Cal-TRANs,
on, I think it’s too much of a benefit to have
CHP.
it legalized… to say no again. It’s just gonna
keep coming back. There are some folks
“I had no idea how the process worked.
One of the first things that came up in my that are trying to incorporate one piece into
the legislation which I think is really good,
first year was lane splitting. DMV said
which would be to revisit the speed limit in
‘Let’s stop it. We’ll save lives.’”
a couple years, with additional analysis… I
This part’s important. There are some
still think, if you’re experienced, and you’re
riders who’d prefer we all not talk about
not being a total dumbass, that you can
lane splitting, Fight Club-style, who
lane split very effectively at 55-60, up to the
believe that recent attempts to regulate
speed limit. Not everywhere! But there are
lane splitting are due to motorcyclists
roads, certainly 280, places like that.”
talking too much about splitting, drawing
Stay tuned for our next installment of “Who
attention to it. That’s not true.
Cares About Motorcyclist Rights?”
The DMV representative on the
committee at the time, the guy that
proposed a ban on splitting, was “very well
connected” and powerful.
“I didn’t really get it, why these guys from
the OTS, different police agencies, the
MSF, were not just immediately butting
heads with this guy.
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“So I took my rookie voice and said, hey,
I don’t think you’re right. Stopping this is
going to end up hurting more people than
it helps.
“The next couple days, I got phone calls
from a bunch of these people, saying ‘You
need to speak up. You need to welcome
yourself to the table and really create a
voice right now.’ And I’m like, why don’t
you guys do it? And they’re like ‘He’s a very
powerful man. We’re paid to be here—it’s
our job. It’s a lot easier for you than it is for
us.
“So I go ok… shit. And they basically say,
‘We’ll have your back.’
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Backstage at the 2016 Dakar
with Scott Dunlavey
Photo: Bob Stokstad
By Bob Stokstad
Scott: Well, it’s an El Nino
year so there’s way more water
Photos by Bob Stokstad & and a lot of creek crossings,
Scott Dunlavey
way more mud. [The first
he Dakar is the daddy of them
stage and a later one had to
all—the very Big Daddy of rally
be cancelled because of heavy
racing. At nearly 6,000 miles,
rain.] Fast fire roads, similar to
it dwarfs the Baja 1,000, but “is like a
Baja but wider and smoother.
Baja 500, if you do it for fourteen days
And they have the great sand
straight,” according to Scott Dunlavey.
dunes. We spent two and a half
He should know—he spent over two
days at high elevation—over
decades providing racing support in Baja
12,500 feet. The
Scott Dunlavey with his Pikes Peak bike, at Berkeley Honda-Yamaha-Husavarna.
weather varied
Tight quarters: tents and trucks at the
widely, including
Scott: A giant tent city. You sleep in tents;
Bob: What sticks most in your mind from
Stage 6 Bivouac.
a couple days
a
sleeping
bag
and
a
blow-up
mattress.
these two weeks?
at over 100 degrees with 90
They
have
food—buffet
style—and
it’s
percent humidity. A lot of
Scott: For Husqvarna, getting a third
good. Outhouses, of course, and showers,
rain, thunder, lightening,
place over all was really a big thing. [Pablo
sandstorms, tornadoes—you which are ahhh… so-so. When done
Quintanilla of Chile finished just ten
working at 2 am, you’d go to shower
name it.
because they weren’t crowded at that hour minutes behind the second place rider]
of the morning and end up standing under They’re new and getting back into the
game, here. So to pull a third over all was
a cold-water shower head next to some
huge. And this, after their top factory rider,
Russian truck driver.
Ruben Faria, broke his wrist in Stage 6.
Pablo Qu
It was, well, pretty
intanilla
This group did a super job. They were one
primitive. But with
this level of communal of the premier groups in being organized,
right up there with KTM and Honda.
Photo: Scott Dunlavey
living, you do get to
T
meet people. There
was a guy from Marin
who was supporting two
riders from the States—
name’s Dave Peckham.
Real nice guy. He had
bought the remnants of
Charlie Rauseo’s operation.
The company is Rally
Management Services.
for American Honda with Bruce
Ogilvie and then Johnny Campbell,
and recently joined Husqvarna’s
support team at the 2016 Dakar,
held in January in Argentina and
Bolivia. I sat down with Scott
recently in his office at Berkeley
Honda Yamaha Husqvarna on
Gilman Street to find out about
the adventure, the glamour and
the comfort I was sure he’d
Photo: Hu
sqvarna
experienced.
Bob: So how did you get this gig?
Scott: Just last year, as we were taking
on a Husqvarna dealer franchise, Henk
Hellegers’s racing support company in the
Netherlands—HT Rally Raid—signed
on with factory Husqvarna for the 2016
Dakar. We knew each other from the days
when we were both involved with Honda
racing. On a visit to the US last July, Henk
made a side trip from LA to visit Berkeley
for a few days. Before I knew it, I’d signed
a contract to work for him in Dakar. It
was great coincidence that he and I, both
long-time “Honda guys” gravitated to
Husqvarna at the same time.
Bob: What was your job?
Scott: Basically, logistics—make sure
everything’s ready when the bikes roll
in late in the afternoon. Then make sure
everything’s ready the next morning when
they roll out. I was middle management
at the start but before long was also
wrenching with the mechanics, as we were
short handed.
Bob: How does the Dakar course compare
to Baja?
For me, it’s the workload and the pace of
it all. It’s not like Baja. After day 9 or 10,
you’re kind of sick of it and have a tendency
to want to let your standards drop. But
you can’t, because the end is in sight and
you have to keep pushing. To keep up that
level—not only personally but the whole
team—that was the hardest thing.
Bob: So, would you do it again?
Scott: They asked me at the final dinner if
I’d come back next year. I said, ‘Call me in a
month.’ Let the dust settle. Juliana [Scott’s
wife] thinks I will. We’ll see.
Bob: What was
your typical day like?
Scott: Get up at 4 am, make sure
all the bikes are warmed up,
prepared, and that everything’s
perfect. They were, basically,
brand new bikes every day. After
the last rider left—typically by
5 am—we’d pack up the tents
and everything else. Once
we’d loaded the trucks, we
would drive from five hours
up to sixteen hours to the next
bivouac, catching some sleep in the trucks
whenever possible. By the way, it’s a little
unnerving that they paint your name and
blood type on the door of the truck. On
arrival we’d put up the tents, get the tools
and parts out so the mechanics would have
their stuff; work into the night to 1, 2, or
3 am repairing and prepping the bikes for
the next day’s stage; catch a little sleep if
possible before the 4 am wake-up: repeat,
repeat. We went through three all-nighters
in four days because guys fell down or had
broken an engine. It’s like following the
Grateful Dead for two weeks.
Bob started at CityBike in 2004, taking
photos and sweeping floors. He crept up the
corporate ladder at a snail’s pace, finally
garnering the ambiguous title of Senior (as in
“old fart”) Editor after three successive EICs
couldn’t figure out what to call whatever he
was doing.
Photo: Scott Dunlavey
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It’s cold, and we’re working under E-Z Ups
with water rolling through ‘em. Crazy. But
you’ve got to do it because the organizers
have said they’re running the next day and
the bikes have to be ready. And then, at 2
am to crawl into a damp sleeping bag to get
two hours sleep—that was a bit rough. It
builds up, and sleep deprivation becomes
the hardest thing.
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sam DEVINE
A
Sure we tell our glory tales but we don’t
usually indulge much malarkey.
We can usually smell a
bullshitter from a mile off...
which reminds me of this
national race we’re all
watching.
There’s this
one racer
that we’re
all
listening
to, and
he’s
talking
about
how
he’s going
to make
everything great
again, even though
he’s never actually raced
before. And he says he’s going to win
because he’s got a ton of money. He thinks
his experience in business qualifies him to
rocket through twists and turns as hairy as
the Iran-Contra situation. He says he’ll do
what’s best for the common people even
though he was born into a wealthy family,
which is kind of like a person that’s never
actually ridden a bike deciding what’s best
for motorcyclists.
Illustration by Sam Devine
wide-eyed kid comes into the
shop, looking for a full set of riding
leathers. Great. I show him some
street jackets and he says: “Yeah, these
would be perfect.”
“Ok, well, that’s really a street
jacket, so did you need something
that zips together? Or are you
doing street racing?”
“Cool, what are you riding?” I ask.
“Uh… street racing.”
Ok, now I would never claim to
know more than a small fraction
about the world of motorcycles,
Ok, dude doesn’t seem clear on what bike
but I’m pretty sure this dude is full
he’s riding. That’s weird, but actually not
of shit. The Red Bull Street
unheard of, especially amongst the newbies Racing Team? A team that
and folks eating from silver spoons. He’s
doesn’t wear
dressed casually but doesn’t seem scruffy.
zipBrown jeans, t-shirt, work boots and a red
together
bandanna tied around his neck.
gear?
“Yeah,” he continues, “my team just cleared Pretty
sure that’s
me to race again.”
not a thing…
“Oh, cool. Who do you race with?”
“Well, let me
“Red Bull.”
show you some of the other
stuff,” I say, walking him over to some
track-ready leathers.
“Oh, uh, it’s a, a Ducati. A, uhm, nine, nine,
uh, ninety-nine.”
“Ok. Oh, yeah, that’s more like it, man,
cause I’m gonna be going, like, like, you
know like two-twenty an’ shit, you know.”
“Oh, wow, you ride fast, man. You’re
probably gonna need some boots, too,
huh?” I ask, noticing that his pupils are
wider than a mid-westerner’s waistline.
“Naw, I got boots.”
“Oh, yeah? What do you have?”
“You know, size 10, standard strap.”
“Oh, great.”
Some people would choose this moment
to call the inebriate on his bullshit. But
years of living as well as bartending near
Haight Street let me develop a technique
for this situation: simply stare into the
distance as though you have forgotten
what you were just talking about and wait
for the addlepated shyster to run out of
shenanigan fodder. Confrontation can lead
to bad scenes. Better to let the wookie win.
Meanwhile there’s this other racer that’s
a little long in the tooth but who’s been
racing for years, regularly winning smaller
races. He’s talking about things like helping
one another and offering health services to
everyone. But a lot of people think he’s too
far-fetched. Maybe it just sounds like a lot
of work, a lot of change.
It’s easy to see why people want to root
for the braggadocious bully. We all want
to kick ass and be the best on the course.
But I always end up finding out what my
skills actually are and what I really need to
work on. I get humbled and have to admit
to myself that I’m not the best -- far from it.
I’m good at keeping my eyes up and I pull
“So could I come pick everything up on
decent lines, but my body positioning still
Monday?” He asks.
has a long way to go. But it feels good to let
go of being the best and focus on the work
Pick what up, dude?! You looked briefly at
three things and then lied to me about your I have to do.
top speeds and footwear! You haven’t even
It makes me think of that national race
tried anything on!
again. We’re so concerned with being the
best, betting on the top dog. I wonder if
“Oh, sure,” I say even though we’re closed
we’re accepting the work we need to do to
on Mondays. “What name should I put it
actually improve this country, or if we’re
under?”
too busy fantasizing about being number
The kid gives a far-fetched name and
one.
starts to walk out, promising that either he
And I think about this as I sign the release
or “big-ass, yoked dude” will be back on
forms and roll into the pits at the track. I
Monday.
unload my bike and set up my folding table
Weeding out people like this in the bar
with snacks, water and tools. I’m about to
scene was always a constant challenge.
head to the bathroom when my neighbor
Trying to figure out ahead of time if
comes over and introduces himself, saying:
someone was going to actually pay for their “Well, we’re pitted together, so you know,
drinks. But the motorcycle world is pretty
we’ll help each other out.”
self-correcting. Perhaps it has something to
A smile goes across my face. “Sounds good
do with preferring a vehicle that falls over
to me, man.”
if you don’t pay enough attention to it; the
bike is either rubber side down or you’re
Sam is our SF-based columnist. He
in a ditch. There’s no room for hogwash
motorbikes, kitesurfs, and picks guitars.
and blatherskites. Biking is a meritocracy
Get a copy of his book, “Fifty Rides,” at
where we judge one another on our
SamDevine.com.
accomplishments and not our statements.
Furthermore: I get it, he’s riding some
synthetic high and wants to pretend that
he’s a well-paid street-fighting moto-man.
Who am I to remind him he’s just some
lying brat hopped up on hallucinogens or
trailer-park uppers?
“Shut up and ride.” Yah know?
dr. gregory w. FRAZIER
Chief, World
Adventure
Affairs Desk
C
amaraderie of motorcycle
travelers being electronic gizmo’d
away? Sandra and Javier Kaper,
proprietors of Dakar Motos in Buenos
Aires, Argentina answered, “Yes, no
question about it.”
Ten years earlier I spent several days with
the Kapers as they were beginning to move
their South America “home of overland
bike business” from a small sidewalk
entrance repair shop to a larger facility to
accommodate more repairs and storage.
They were also adding a camping and
cooking area for travelers, which included
use of their shop wifi.
Most often the motorcycle travelers I saw
Illustration
by Mr. Jen
sen recently would at least wave or nod. The
days of us stopping or turning around were
gone, not because I wouldn’t, more because
I could not catch up as they moved onward.
Many of the travelers I did meet were at gas
stations, hotels or in lines at borders. Once
I stopped to talk with one who was parked
on the side of the road, seemingly not
broken down or lost. We agreed to travel to
the next town, find a gas station for a fill-up
and coffee and, like years before, spend
time trading road tales and information.
the ceiling, and then
said, “I can remember,
before I quit abusing
my liver, that often the
first thing I did after
setting up my tent was
hammer down some
alcohol, many times
with other travelers
and occasionally before
eating or taking a shower,
sometimes skipping both
before falling asleep.”
Sandra laughed and then
added, “The newer travelers
were nice enough, but they were
more into Facebook or posting
their photographs and writing
blogs than drinking beer or
talking face to face.”
Twenty years after meeting
the Johnsons, I had upgraded
to carrying a clunky old
laptop, but was still using
my free AAA map of South
Lunching in Buenos Aires recently, they
lamented having to close the larger facility America on my tank bag
but explained their expediting the shipping to navigate, and would go
of motorcycles in and out of South America days without wifi, or even
an Internet café. At the
had drawn them away from repairs,
other end of the digital
storage, and the maintenance of camping
and cooking facilities for travelers. Sandra and electronic motorcycle
added, “It’s OK. They don’t want to talk to travel luggage/equipment
each other anymore. They want to connect scale were those using
with the Internet, put in their ear buds and GPSs, smart phones,
Bluetooth communicators,
do all their social media stuff instead of
tablets, and emergency electronic tracking
socializing in person.”
devices.
As I navigated the second stage of The
One traveler I met at a hotel was carrying
Great Around The World Motorcycle
two smart phones (“in case one quit
Adventure Rally (bit.ly/1QhmgA1) I’d
working”), a GPS, one Fire 8, one Kindle
noticed the same trend. A similar route
(combined with the Fire having 5,000
nearly 20 years earlier, even a second 10
years ago, found the camaraderie amongst books and 200 movies), a back-up battery
motorcycle travelers missing. In 1997-1998, pack, digital camera and electronic
tracking device. Looking into his opened
if I saw another traveler coming, going,
tank bag overflowing with wires was like
or parked, we would stop and verbally
communicate, sometimes taking the same looking downward into a den of twisting
multi-colored snakes. I dubbed him the
campground, hostel or hotel for the night
to carry on our trading of information and Gizmo Adventure Rider, since his priority
road tales.
One such road connection, in Rio Gallegos,
Argentina, in December, 1997, was with
Grant and Susan Johnson. They were
pondering the birth of what became the
world’s largest motorcycle traveler website,
Horizons Unlimited. Our chance meeting
and immediate camaraderie resulted in
spending the better part of the next day
exchanging ideas and discussing travel
content, publishing and motorcycling
experiences. Their luggage included
a laptop computer, a gizmo I found
interesting, but far outside my economic
and carrying weight limits—any jonesing
for digital feeding while traveling could be
fed at an occasional Internet café.
Javier Kaper, reflecting on travelers
he’d observed at their former shop, said,
“They’d come in, pitch their tent and
connect to the Internet, sometimes before
eating or taking a shower. They would
even use our office computer when we
weren’t around, until we put a sign on it
that said, ‘If You’re Using This Computer
You Should Not Be!’” I looked towards
I dubbed him Surfer Boy. He was circling
the globe, carrying his surfboards to ride
waves, on less than $800 a month, using a
motorcycle the same age as mine (1983),
and carrying a vintage laptop computer
as old, or older, than mine. That was
the extent of both our gizmos, each of
us employing paper maps and neither
having a phone smarter than ourselves. He
signed on to the Global Adventure Rally,
but qualified his entry by saying, “I’ll not
finish first, probably not in the top 100, but
I’m determined to finish. Don’t look for my
progress digitally posted anywhere, and it
might weeks before I answer your e-mail.”
seemed to be the adventure of using and
keeping alive his electronics.
The Gizmo Adventure Rider stated
what he thought was a poor choice of not
bringing his heated gloves and jacket liner.
I pointed to the snake pit of colored wires
in his tank bag and jokingly said, “No
worries. When you get cold, reach in there
and pull out a thick wire or two, stick them
in your mouth and bite down. You’ll warm
up like a Christmas tree given the 30-40
amps your 12 volt alternator and back-up
battery supply are putting out.”
Repair & Service
As my meeting with the Dakar Motos
owners came to a close, we promised to
see each other again, whether in South
America or somewhere else on the planet.
Agreeing that the digital age and Internet
had killed, or seriously wounded, the
element of the camaraderie of the road, we
succumbed to the wave of electronics and
social conformity as one of us said, causing
all to laugh, “In the meantime, I’ll see you
on the Internet.”
Dr. Frazier’s new all-color coffee table book,
DOWN AND OUT IN PATAGONIA,
KAMCHATKA AND TIMBUKTU,
available at mototorbooks.com, is the firstever first-hand chronicle of a never-ending
motorcycle ride by “the world’s most cerebral
motorcyclist.” It is highly “recommended” by
Grant Johnson, horizonsunlimited.com
adventure travel book guru, and for dream
riding armchair and keyboard adventurists.
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But I still read an XDiavel pre-test analysis,
raving at article-length about the new
bike’s superiority to the old, tail-betweenits-legs Diavel and all the so-called similar
motorcycles, mere pretenders.
maynard
HERSHON
I
don’t care very much about the new
Royal Enfield Himalayan or the new
Ducati XDiavel. I certainly don’t care
enough about them to write about them as
bikes, either of them.
It’s difficult to imagine two more different
motorcycles, both, in my view, destined for
low annual mileage. Neither, in my view, is
for anything, but feel free to disagree. Email
me (via [email protected]) a photo of your
30,000 mile Diavel.
The two recently debuted models are
examples of how new motorcycles are
advertised today. The process of preparing
us for their respective releases is much
the same. Online magazines, British and
American, hungry for anything remotely
(!) newsworthy, do the manufacturers’
marketing work for them.
Illustration by Mr. Jensen
all about the new bike long before
they can buy one.
guests gasp for breath in admiration. I get
along fine without all that gasping.
Let’s look for instance at the new
Ducati cruiser. Do you want one? Can you
get excited about a “sophisticated” cruiser?
How sophisticated must a cruiser be to find
its way to a rustic roadside tavern?
Here’s the 21st Century moto-publicity
cycle as I see it. Feel free to plug in the
model name Himalayan for XDiavel if you
like.
Cruisers have found that same watering
hole since Indian Scouts were
sporty 750s with one-fifth the
horsepower of an XDiavel. I suppose
XDiavel owners congregate only at
sophisticated rustic roadside taverns.
Because I’m seldom in such a place,
I may never see an XDiavel. I
certainly do see article after
article and one regurgitated
press release after the
other. Newsless news
items, you could say.
I like Japanese bikes. They work great.
And if a non-rider asks across a dinner
table about what you ride, and you answer
Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki or Suzuki, the
conversation does not falter while your
First, we read a
series of “news”
items proclaiming
that perhaps there will
be something called an XDiavel at some
point in the future. It’ll be so good we’ll
hardly be able to believe it, is the message.
We’re not ready to see it in its “street”
glory. Instead, we see a short video of a
motionless black bike shot against a black
background. We hear music. Not one detail
is revealed.
Bear in mind that each “news” item or
teaser video will incorporate a link to
the manufacturer’s web site. Someone,
somewhere, is counting the clicks and
knows from whence they’ve come.
We may soon see a blurry photo of the new
world-beater in camouflaged, test-mule
form. Weeks later we see a more sharply
focused photo, closely cropped—of the
new bike’s instruments.
From 3:14 Daily
Valencia @ 25th
415-970-9670
What is a brat?
Eventually, finally, we read an “actual”
road test, done almost certainly on a preproduction
XDiavel, the
minor flaws
of which will
surely be
corrected on
the first ones
to roll off the
line.
Why print a
brochure? Your
customers, Mr.
Manufacturer,
know all they need
to know about your
new bike. How did
that happen? How
did a bike that still
has not reached the
dealers’ floors become
so familiar? My guess
is through press release
saturation, meaning
any empty news item,
however insignificant, to
generate a click or two.
By new model release time, a bike maker’s
customers, connected every waking
moment as we are, have been learning
about the new model in detail for months
via items in online magazines. They know
It’s easy to watch this marketing strategy
at work when you don’t care about the
product even a little, isn’t it? Life is more
transparent when you don’t have a dog in
the fight. And maybe it becomes yet more
transparent when the motorcycle brand is a
“magical” one, one that advertises without
a whispered word your discriminating
tastes.
Then we see a photo essay about the
option kits available for the new XDiavel
to convert it (for an additional quarter of
its oh-my-god original price) to a Great
Escape replica, a Wild One replica, an Easy
Rider replica or a Hipster matte-gray brat
replica, whatever a brat is or was.
Then we read that an XDiavel is actually
forthcoming, probably, in the next modelyear. Followed by an item stating that an
XDiavel will be featured as an exciting new
model in such-and-such an issue. It’s real!
By this point, I am done with and disgusted
by the new Ducati cruiser, X-whatever it’s
called.
The magazines are doing their
share to sell new bikes, just as if the writers
and editors were in the employ of the
manufacturers. The press releases and
teasers look like the magazine put them
together. They are more effective than ads,
and make the reader feel that he is part of a
community of clued-in motorcyclists.
There’s nothing he doesn’t know about the
new XDiavel. Or Himalayan.
The editors know that the buyers of
those new bikes will continue to read the
magazines. Bike owners will rely on them
to impart information (of questionable
value) about even newer bikes and all sorts
of riding necessities. Ten ways to put on an
open-face helmet, perhaps.
Is it just the constant need for news items
(or press releases masquerading as news
items) that brings us so much empty
information and so many bits of clickbait?
Or do magazines have to run all those junk
items so manufacturers will give them test
bikes? If the manufacturers withhold test
bikes for less-than-perfect cooperation in
the sales effort, for insufficient clicks, what
will happen if the magazine is critical of
one of its test models?
Who’s in charge here? Who’s looking out
for us?
ed HERTFELDER
Illustration by Mr. Jensen
amount of adulation for his long forgotten
motorcycle performances.
After all, if the only means I have of
getting home is loaded with $4,000 worth
of motorcycle, a stereo with speakers
designed to mask 196,000 miles of rattles,
and a CB setup, I want to study it while I’m
eating.
When I was at a McDonald’s in Idaho, they
laughed at my concern and told me all the
crime problems are back east. I sat with
one eye smearing the window glass anyway
because the shifty looking guy in the
corner with the double order of fries could
be from “back east,” for all we knew. It was
even likely. In Idaho you don’t have to go
to a fast food store for potatoes; they have
them growing in their backyards.
After an enduro, I usually stop at the first
McDonald’s I see, hopefully before rigor
mortis sets in and I have to climb out of my
van one limb at a time…
The time for rigor mortis to set in varies
with the score I posted. If I managed to hit
the finish checkpoint within 15 minutes
over the hour I was supposed to be there,
the glow of satisfaction will last two hours
and ten minutes. Luckily, I’ve found
it’s impossible to drive anywhere in the
continental U.S. for two hours and not pass
a McDonald’s.
This must be a source of severe
embarrassment for Home Economic
teachers.
Lord only knows how the folks who make
kitchen stoves feel.
And while the shock might kill me, I can’t
think of a better way to die.
Well… maybe one better way.
I found the next McDonald’s in the third
town with no sidewalks south of Dallas. It
had three in driveways and it looked like
the out went up a one-way street behind
the firehouse.
Rigor mortis was just beginning to set
in. I had to reach across my body with
my right hand to open my door then
lift up my left leg, with my hand,
and swing the leg out of the van
to get the rest of my body started
out. This level of incapacitation
might, I suspect, qualify me for
handicap parking but I wouldn’t
want a test case on it, at least without
the appropriate documents in hand.
It was with pride that I told
my dining assistant how many
enduro clubs give us a break and send
maps leading to enduros from nearby
major intersections, often from the
While waiting to order I developed an
excruciating pain in my left shoulder which exit tollbooth on turnpikes. They then
place arrows on telephone poles high
felt like an injection of battery acid from a
enough so they aren’t buried under garage
Ford with a bad voltage regulator. I had to
ask the gent standing behind me to get my sale signs.
wallet out of my hip pocket.
Sometimes, I told him, we follow arrows
and wind up at some darn dog-and pony
I left the 35 cents change for the counter
carnival.
girl. I wasn’t suddenly the last of the big
time tippers—I just couldn’t get my fingers
“Fella.” He said, “I go to more enduros than
to pick up anything smaller than a quarter.
you do.”
The fellow who helped with my wallet
“Well, what do you ride?” I asked.
followed me to a booth and unloaded my
tray for me. He probably thought I was
“Nothing.” He growled. “I run a carnival
brain damaged—and maybe most enduro Guess Your Weight concession!”
riders are. I told the fellow that I was
afflicted with the enduro disease and lately Get Ed’s latest book, 80.4 Finish Check on
I had to go to events a day early just to find Amazon.com!
the location.
I told him that most of the maps they
sent to help find the location looked like
chicken scratches as seen thru the bottom
of a cracked Coke bottle.
IN
DU
ST
RY
NT
U
CO
Visit our new shop:
990 Terminal Way, San Carlos
D
OL
The fellow nodded in agreement and
allowed that he’d traveled a bit and also
found fault with hand-drawn maps. He said
When I drove away from a Dallas,
that he’d seen north everywhere except at
Pennsylvania enduro, I had almost no glow
the top of the page. My personal opinion of
at all because I’d been riding so poorly that,
this phenomenon is that local mapmakers
at the gas stop, they’d already loaded my
see the world opposite to whatever
gas can, chain lube and fried egg sandwich
direction his mother was facing when he
back on the truck. Then they really hurt my
was born. If she was facing South we are
feelings by offering to take me back on the
blessed with a map-maker who sees the
truck.
world right-side up.
Such insolence is almost expected from the
I think some steps should be taken in
average gear truck driver who provides a
hospital delivery rooms to aligns all the
necessary service but also expects a certain
stirrups to face South.
Reliable, timely service at
reasonable rates on all
makes of motorcycles
LLY
Say what you will about cholesterol,
salt, sugar, fried foods and what part of a
chicken “nuggets” come from, I don’t care
about any of that stuff when the adrenaline
starts wearing off and starvation takes over.
What I mainly look for anytime I’m a gas
tank from home is what McDonalds has;
big glass picture windows.
Now I ride with a great deal of confidence
that if I picked up 49 minutes and they
threw out the first four checkpoints I could
win overall.
HO
M
ost people wouldn’t call
McDonald’s an adventure in
fine dining, but to a motorcycle
competitor with a cooler full of warm water
and dead ants, McDonald’s can definitely
be an interlude in good grazing.
By the way, I drove the Six Day Of
Michigan gear truck for ten years because
I was the only one available to drive the
stick-shift rentals.
RI
AL
101
L
NA
MI
TER
AN
ITT
BR
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2010 Harley Davidson FXDB Dyna Street Bob - $10,995
2013 Harley Davidson FXDWG Dyna Wide Glide - $12,495
2000 Harley Davidson FXSTD Softail Deuce - $8,495
2010 Harley Davidson XL883N Sportster 883 Iron - $6,495
2014 Harley-Davidson XL883N Sportster 883 Iron - $8,495
1998 Harley Davidson XL1200S Sportster 1200 - $4,795
2012 Harley Davidson XL1200X Sportster Forty-Eight - $9,495
2013 Harley Davidson XL1200V Sportster Seventy-Two - $9,495
2003 Harley Davidson V-Rod Anniversary - $7,995
2014 Harley Davidson V-Rod Night Rod Special - $13,995
Honda
2005 Honda Nighthawk 250 - $3,495
2006 Honda CB900F 919 Hornet - $4,995
2007 Honda VFR 800 Interceptor ABS - $7,495
2007 Honda VFR 800 Interceptor ABS - $7,495
2011 Honda CBR250R ABS - $3,995
2013 Honda CBR250R ABS - $3,995
2002 Honda CBR600F4i - $3,495
2006 Honda CBR600RR - $5,995
2008 Honda CBR600RR - $7,495
2008 Honda CBR600RR - $7,695
2011 Honda CBR600RR - $8,995
2006 Honda CBR1000RR - $7,495
2001 Honda Rebel 250 - $2,495
2001 Honda Rebel 250 - $2,495
2002 Honda Rebel 250 - $2,795
2002 Honda Rebel 250 - $2,995
2001 Honda Shadow 750 ACE - $3,995
2008 Honda Shadow 750 Aero - $4,495
2007 Honda CRF250R 290cc Big Bore - $3,495
2008 Honda CRF450R Supermoto - $4,495
Kawasaki
2014 Kawasaki Ninja 300 - $4,495
2014 Kawasaki Ninja 300 SE - $4,995
2014 Kawasaki Ninja 300 ABS - $4,995
1995 Kawasaki Ninja ZX600-F ZX-6R - $3,995
2007 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R - $5,995
2013 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R 636 - $9,495
2007 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic - $4,295
2011 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Custom - $5,995
KTM
1997 KTM 200EXC LE JackPiner Limited Collectors Edition - $3,995
2013 KTM 1190 Adventure - $12,995
2003 KTM 450 SX - $3,495
2008 KTM 990 Super Duke - $8,495
MV Agusta
2014 MV Agusta F4 1000 ABS - $15,995
Polaris
2015 Polaris Slingshot SL - $21,995
Suzuki
2007 Suzuki GSX-R600 - $6,495
2007 Suzuki GSX-R600 - $6,995
2009 Suzuki GSX-R600 - $7,495
2012 Suzuki GSX-R600 - $8,995
2012 Suzuki GSX-R600 - $9,995
2012 Suzuki GSX-R600 - $9,995
2013 Suzuki GSX-R600 - $9,495
2007 Suzuki GSX-R750 - $6,995
2011 Suzuki GSX-R750 - $8,495
2009 Suzuki GSX-R1000 - $9,495
2011 Suzuki GSX1250FA ABS - $7,995
2006 Suzuki SV650S - $4,495
2008 Suzuki Boulevard S40 - $3,995
Triumph
2014 Triumph Street Triple R ABS Team Empire Special Edition - $9,495
2014 Triumph Thunderbird Commander ABS - $10,995
Yamaha
2006 Yamaha YZF R6 - $6,495
2008 Yamaha YZF R6 - $7,995
2006 Yamaha YZF R1 - $6,995
2013 Yamaha YZF R1 - $11,995
2009 Yamaha FZ6R - $4,495
2012 Yamaha FZ6R - $5,995
2012 Yamaha FZ8 - $7,495
2015 Yamaha Bolt R-Spec - $7,295
2002 Yamaha V-Star 650 - $3,795
2005 Yamaha V-Star 650 - $3,995
2012 Yamaha WR250F - $4,495
800 American Way, Windsor CA. Open Tue-Fri 9-6, Sat 9-4:30.
Phone 707-838-9100 x 2. After-hours text 707-837-6121
SantaRosaBMW.com
We proudly offer some of the best used motorcycles in the area. We’re
fussy about the condition of the machines we take in for resale and make
sure all the maintenance is up to date before offering them to the public.
Call us for pictures or more info. Here are a few of the great used bikes
on our lot:
USED INVENTORY
2013 BMW R1200GS Adventure Approximately 17k, too many extras
to list—call for a list of accessories. Priced below KBB with options at
$17,195.
2015 BMW R1200GS Like new, less than 1600 miles! Cruise Control,
ABS, Heated Grips, Traction Control, Hand Protection, Ride Modes, Gear
Shift Assist Pro, AND the BMW Navigator V for a low price of $17,997.
2006 BMW R1200RT Runs phenomenally well, 57k miles. Plenty
of factory-installed options plus a BMW top case, Comfort Seat, etc.
$7,600.
2014 TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE Around 3.2k miles, pristine condition!
2-tone white/blue version looks extra nice. Includes Triumph Accessory
Silencers, rear rack, lower aftermarket handlebars. Just $6,600!
2015 BMW K1600GTL Just 2K well cared for miles, excellent condition.
Engine guards and BMW Navigator V, fresh service. A mere $24,000.00
gets you this almost new motorcycle.
2010 TRIUMPH THUNDERBIRD ABS Set up for comfortable longdistance travel with several nice extras such as Triumph saddlebags,
windscreen, floorboards, “Comfort” seat with rider backrest, and more.
Has the factory 1700cc big-bore kit. A few minor cosmetic blems but in
nice shape overall. Only 16.5k miles. Just $7,500.
2007 MOTO GUZZI BREVA 1100 20.9k miles, excellent condition,
great all-around bike with character. Includes Guzzi windscreen and Joe
Rocket tailbag. Just $5,245.00!
2014 DUCATI DIAVEL STRADA .8k miles and in showroom condition!
Thousands of dollars in extras from Ducati Performance, Rizoma, Sato,
Clearwater, et al. Looks stunning! Just $15,750.
TRIUMPH SPECIALS
We a number of NEW ’14 and ’15 Triumph motorcycles that need to find
a new home NOW! Prices are ROCK BOTTOM, and cannot be combined
with any other manufacturer or dealer incentives. Freight and Prep
charges are included in all prices below. Delivery available!
2014 America 2-Tone – $9,644, now $7,585!
2015 Speedmaster 900 – $9,444, now $7,600!
2015 Rocket Touring 2300 – $18,544, now $14,900!
2015 Street Triple 675 ABS – $10,444, now $8,400!
2015 Street Triple RX – $12,244, now $11,000!
2015 Speed Triple 1050 ABS – $13,844, now $11,000!
2015 Dayton 675 ABS – $13,044, now $10,400!
2015 Daytona 675 R – $15,044, now $12,000!
2015 Explorer 1200 – $16,944, now $13,740!
2015 Explorer 1200 XC – $18,544, now $15,000!
2015 Trophy SE – $20,544, now $16,680!
2015 Bonneville T100 2-Tone – $10,644, now $8,400!
Note: Current manufacturer/dealer incentives. Contact us for further
details.
Prices shown do not include taxes, DMV fees/electronic filing, doc, CA
tire fee. All motorcycles are subject to prior sale, so do not delay!
275 8th Street at the corner of Folsom
San Francisco - 415-255-3132
www.sfmoto.com
USED INVENTORY
All used motorcycles come with a 3 month warranty / 12 month roadside
assistance. We thoroughly inspect our used inventory. If brakes are worn
over 60%, new pads are installed. If tires are worn beyond 60%, new tires
are installed. If chain & sprockets have too much play, we install new
chain & sprockets.
BMW
F800R with ABS, 2012, Silver, 8,890 miles, $7,998
S1000 RR, 2014, White, 1,521 miles, $13,998
C600, 2013, Silver, 307 miles, $7,498
Ducati
848, 2010, Black, 581 miles, $9,498
Monster 1200 S, 2014, White, 751 miles, $13,498
Monster 696 ABS, 2013, Black, 2,480 miles, $8,498
MULTISTRADA1200/S ABS, 2013, Gray, 21,553 miles, $14,598
Streetfighter 1099, 2011, White, 6,790 miles, $10,998
Monster 796 ABS, 2014, Red, 4,529 miles, $9,498
Panigale 899, 2014, Red, 2,200 miles, $13,498
Monster 796 ABS, 2014, Red, 7,578 miles, $9,298
Hypermotard 796, 2011, Red, 803 miles, $8,495
Hypermotard 821, 2015, Black, 1,657 miles, $10,995
Streetfighter 848, 2012, Red, 3,076 miles, $10,698
Scrambler, 2015, White, 2,055 miles, $8,998
Monster 696, 2012, Black, 3,471 miles, $7,998
Monster 821, 2015, White, 3,329 miles, $11,498
MULTISTRADA1200/S, 2013, Red, 6,026 miles, $16,998
Genuine
Buddy 125, 2012, White, 306 miles, $2,498
Honda
CBR300R, 2015, White, 2,400 miles, $3,998
CBR500R, 2013, Black, 3,242 miles, $4,298
CBR600RR, 2012, Black, 4,018 miles, $9,998
CBR250R, 2012, Blue, 274 miles, $3,498
CBR500R, 2013, Black, 1,507 miles, $5,498
CB500F, 2013, White, 4,605 miles, $5,198
CBR500R, 2013, Red, 1 miles, $5,498
CBR500R, 2013, Black, 1,897 miles, $4,998
CTX700ND, 2014, Black, 3,012 miles, $6,998
CBR250R, 2012, Red, 274 miles, $3,498
CBR500R, 2013, Black, 750 miles, $5,498
Kawasaki
Ninja 300, 2014, Black, 444 miles, $4,698
Versys 650, 2013, White, 884 miles, $6,498
Ninja 300, 2014, Black, 54 miles, $5,298
Ninja 300, 2013, Black, 6,528 miles, $4,998
Ninja 300, 2013, White, 2,621 miles, $4,495
Ninja 300, 2015, Gray, 4,470 miles, $4,998
Vulcan 500, 2007, Black, 8,084 miles, $4,498
Ninja 250, 2010, Green, 7,504 miles, $3,498
Ninja 250, 2010, Red, 13,159 miles, $3,798
Ninja ZX-636, 2013, White, 167 miles, $9,998
Ninja ZX-6R, 2011, Black, 824 miles, $8,498
Ninja ZX-6R, 2012, Red, 5,650 miles, $8,998
Ninja 250, 2007, Blue, 3,275 miles, $2,898
Ninja 650 ABS, 2014, Gray, 2,208 miles, $6,498
KLX250, 2009, Red, 1,876 miles, $3,998
Ninja 650, 2013, White, 4,204 miles, $5,498
Ninja 650, 2012, Red, 5,999 miles, $5,998
Lance
PCH125, 2013, Orange, 663 miles, $1,898
Suzuki
GSX-R600, 2013, Blue, 3,190 miles, $9,998
GSX-R600, 2013, Blue, 948 miles, $9,498
GW250, 2013, Black, 449 miles, $3,498
V-Strom 650 DL650 Touring bike, 2011, Black, 11,166 miles, $5,998
LS650 S40, 2011, White, 2,804 miles, $4,498
V-Strom 650 DL650 Touring bike, 2013, Blue, 1,799 miles, $6,998
DL650 ABS, 2015, Blue, 1,030 miles, $7,498
GSX-R600, 2011, White, 5,886 miles, $8,498
Burgman 400, 2014, Black, 426 miles, $4,998
GSX-R750, 2015, Blue, 2,299 miles, $9,998
GSX650F, 2008, Blue, 2,617 miles, $4,998
Gladius SFV650, 2013, Black, 4,475 miles, $5,998
LS650 S40, 2015, Gray, 1,409 miles, $4,998
SYM
Fiddle 125, 2013, Blue, 804 miles, $1,998
Citycom 300i, 2009, Black, 4,496 miles, $0
Citycom 300, 2009, Red, 140 miles, $3,998
Triumph
Bonneville, 2013, Orange, 8,239 miles, $7,198
Bonneville, 2013, Purple, 1,922 miles, $7,498
Bonneville, 2014, Black, 3,715 miles, $8,495
Daytona 675, 2014, Black, 1,679 miles, $9,998
Daytona 675R, 2014, White, 1,795 miles, $11,998
Speed Triple ABS, 2012, Red, 7,939 miles, $8,998
Street Triple R, 2012, Black, 6,992 miles, $8,498
Daytona 675 R, 2012, White, 4,472 miles, $10,998
Bonneville, 2014, White, 5,303 miles, $7,498
Scrambler, 2014, Blue, 1,040 miles, $8,498
Speed Triple, 2013, Yellow, 123 miles, $9,998
Bonneville, 2014, Black, 988 miles, $8,998
Bonneville, 2013, Gold, 6,804 miles, $7,498
Thruxton, 2010, Red, 5,066 miles, $7,498
Scrambler, 2014, Blue, 5,104 miles, $8,498
Thruxton, 2011, Red, 3,540 miles, $7,998
Yamaha
FZ09, 2014, Gray, 4,689 miles, $7,298
FZ1, 2006, Silver, 7,740 miles, $6,498
YZF-R6, 2015, Blue, 899 miles, $10,495
Zuma 125, 2014, Gray, 84 miles, $3,198
FZ09, 2014, Red, 975 miles, $7,498
FZ6-R, 2013, Blue, 1,509 miles, $6,498
FZ6-R, 2012, Black, 808 miles, $5,998
Vespa
GTS300, 2012, Silver, 4,036 miles, $4,998
NEW INVENTORY
Honda
CB1000R, 2013, White, $10,998
CB1000R, 2014, Black, $10,998
CB1000R, 2015, Red, $11,760
CB1100, 2014, Black, $9,998
CB300F, 2015, Red, $3,999
CB500F ABS, 2015, White, $6,198
CB500F, 2015, White, $5,198
CB500X, 2014, White, $5,498
CB500X, 2015, Black, $5,998
CBR1000RR, 2015, $14,199
CBR300R, 2015, $3,998
CBR500R, 2014, Black, $4,998
CBR500R, 2015, $5,698
CBR600RR, 2015, Black, $11,298
CBR650F, 2015, $8,499
CRF100F, 2013, Red, $2,498
CRF110F, 2015, Red, $2,099
CRF250L, 2015, Red, $4,999
CRF50F, 2016, Red, $1,399
CTX1300, 2014, Black, $14,498
CTX700, 2014, Red, $6,998
CTX700N, 2014, Red or Black, $6,498
Rare Opening at California’s Oldest Motorcycle Tire & Service
Rare and immediate opening for experienced
motorcycle / scooter mechanics. We need an
experienced mechanic, not a “tech” with a
minimum of two years of experience. Must be able
to “think on the go.” Something gets in your way,
you must (just like the U.S. Marines) be able to
“adapt, and overcome.” Sure, there will be lots of
R&R jobs, but we are not your run of the mill
motorcycle service shop.
• Must be able to diagnose & repair mechanical /
structural problems on motorcycles and scooters of
different makes, models and years, fully
understand function / purpose of electrical
components and be able to read wiring charts /
diagrams. High degree of common sense &
CTX700N, 2015, $6,999
Forza, 2015, Red, $5,599
Fury, 2015, CALL
Goldwing F6B, 2015, $20,499
Goldwing, 2015, CALL
Grom 125, 2015, Black, White or Yellow $3,199
Interstate, 2015, Black, CALL
Metropolitan, 2015, CALL
Montesa, 2016, Red, $9,999
NC700X, 2015, $7,498
NM4, 2016, Black, $10,498
PCX150F, 2015, CALL
PCX150F, 2016, Silver, $3,499
Ruckus, 2015, $2,649
Shadow Aero, 2015, Red, CALL
Shadow Phantom, 2015, $7,499
Shadow Spirit, 2012, Orange, $6,998
Shadow Spirit, 2015, CALL
Stateline, 2015, Blue, CALL
Valkyrie, 2015, Red, CALL
VFR800, 2015, White, $12,998
XR650L, 2015, Red, CALL
CTX1300, 2015, Black, CALL
Kawasaki
Concours 14 ABS, 2013, Black, $11,999
Concours 14 ABS, 2015, CALL
KLR650, 2015, Green, CALL
KLR650, 2016, $6,599
KLX140L, 2015, Green, $3,298
KLX250, 2015, Black, $5,099
KX65, 2013, Green, $2,798
Ninja 1000 ABS, 2015, $10,998
Ninja 300, 2014, Green, $4,798
Ninja 300, 2014, White, $4,698
Ninja 300, 2015, Black, $5,098
Ninja 300, 2015, Green, $4,999
Ninja 300, 2016, Red, $4,999
Ninja 650 EX650 New!!, 2016, $7,199
Ninja 650, 2015, $6,998
Ninja ZX-10R ABS - 30th Anniversary Edition, 2015, Green, CALL
Ninja ZX-10R, 2015, Black, $14,299
Ninja ZX-10R, 2016, Black, $14,999
Ninja ZX-6R 636 - 30th Anniversary Edition, 2015, Green, $10,998
Ninja ZX-6R 636, 2015, Black, CALL
Versys 1000LT, 2015, CALL
Versys 650 ABS, 2014, Green, $6,998
Versys 650 ABS, 2015, CALL
Versys 650LT, 2015, Green, CALL
Vulcan 1700 Vaquero, 2015, Green, CALL
Vulcan 1700 Voyager, 2015, Black, CALL
Vulcan 900 Classic LT, 2015, Black, $8,499
Vulcan 900 Classic, 2015, Black, $7,999
Vulcan 900 Custom, 2015, Black, $7,998
Vulcan S, 2015, Green, $6,899
Z1000 ABS, 2015, Green, CALL
ZX-14R ABS 30th Anniversary Edition, 2015, Red, CALL
ZX-14R ABS, 2015, Green, CALL
Vulcan S ABS, 2015, Black, $6,999
Lance Powersports
Havana Classic 125, 2015, Black, Blue or Red $1,899
Havana Classic 125, 2015, White or Black $1,899
PCH 125, 2015, Black, Red, White or Yellow$1,899
PCH 150, 2015, Green, Red or White $2,198
SYM
Citycom 300i, 2015, Gray, Red or White $4,898
HD200 EVO scooter, 2015, Gray or White $3,495
HD200, 2015, Gray or Red $3,495
T2 250i, 2015, Black, $3,799
T2 250i, 2015, White, $3,798
Wolf Classic 150, 2015, Black, Red or White $2,999
ZERO
DS 12.5 Demo, 2015, White, $12,995
FX 5.7 Demo, 2015, Black, $9,998
SR 12.5 Demo, 2015, Red, $14,995
mechanical aptitude required. Must be in excellent
physical condition with good upper body strength,
to push / pick up heavy bikes & put on center
stands.
• H-D experience, arc welding / fabrication skills
are a plus (but not a “deal breaker”). Prior
(honorary) military service—BIG PLUS. Past
racing / track experience is good, but current
racers need not apply.
• WE ARE AN "OLD SCHOOL" SHOP. If you're looking
for someone else to clean your area, this is not the
place for you. Pay directly related to skill,
experience and production level. We offer different
wage structures such as full commission, partial
commission + hourly and straight hourly; plus
USED MOTORCYCLES:
2000 Aprilia Falco
Super nice sport cruiser, only 2,500 miles on the clock, always garaged,
clean title. A true Italian motorcycle, fast and stylish, mechanically in
excellent condition. Derestricted by dealer. Current registration. Asking
$4250. Call Thomas at (510) 812-8331 or email [email protected]
shared cost Kaiser Health Insurance, paid sick /
vacation days, paid holidays, employee purchases
at cost +15%. Access to full shop tools, of every
kind, though having own basic tools would be
good.
• Prefer non-smokers. No heavy drinkers, hangover
enthusiasts, druggies, party boys / girls.
• Interested applicants please email resume to
[email protected] or mail resume to
KC Engineering, Attention:
Ken, 689 Harrison
St. San Francisco
CA 94107. No
walk-ins / call-ins
please.
Michael’s Motorsports
BMW Motorcycle Service, Repair, Restoration
Air heads, Oil Heads, Hex heads, K Bikes, F Bikes
880 Piner Rd. Ste 46
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
(707) 575-4132
Two Beemers and a CT
2006 K1200S - Mint, all optons
2000 1150GS - Mint, Ohlins
1977 CT90 - Good
MOTOR WORKS BMW PARTS
Take a European trip this year!
Visit www.motorworks.co.uk
• Huge range of new and used parts and accessories for all models from
1970 onwards
• UK’s largest independent, 25 years experience
• Competitive prices, fast shipping
• Expert and friendly advice available
• Trade customers welcome
Quality Motorcycles
235 Shoreline Hwy.
Mill Valley CA
(415) 381-5059
We’re not afraid of your old bike.
RIDING SCHOOLS
Sierra Dual Sport/Dirt Bike Rides,
Rentals and Training
Contact [email protected]
Ed Meagor’s BSA
MOTO TIRE GUY
BSA 500 Single Empire Star
Cheap $10,000 Firm
Call Old Ed Meagor at 415.457.5423
That’s right! Ed sent his phone number, so if you’ve been wanting to give
him a call about his sweet BSA, now’s the time! -CityBike Classifieds Editor
HELP WANTED:
Scottie’s Workshop
www.MotoTireGuy.com
Motorcycle Tire Services
San Francisco - Bay Area
(415) 601-2853
Order your tires online, Zero CA sales tax plus
Free UPS Ground, then have a Preferred Installer
in your local area do the installation and save! Please visit website for details.
Vintage and Classic BMW Motorcycle Shop in Santa Clara seeks
technician to repair and service vintage and classic BMWs. We
specialize in repairing, maintaining and restoring vintage BMW
motorcycles. Our tidy shop is a relaxed and pleasant place to work close to freeways and lunch spots. Pay is based on experience, skills,
and production. Candidate must have experience repairing 1970-1985
BMW Motorcycles. Send an email with your resume as an attachment
to [email protected]. Include your phone number. More
about us at facebook.com/scottiesworkshop
PARTS AND SERVICE
ADVANCED CYCLE SERVICE
*Motorcycle Service and Repair*
• Tires • Service •Insurance estimates
Monthly bike storage available
Come check us out
1135 Old Bayshore Hwy
San Jose, CA 95112
(408) 299-0508
[email protected] — www.advcycles.com
DUCATI SUZUKI KAWASAKI YAMAHA
Bavarian Cycle Works
EXPERT Service & Repair
Bavarian Cycle Works specializes in new and vintage BMW, modern
TRIUMPH and select motorcycle models. Our staff includes a Master
Certified Technician and personnel each with over 25 years experience.
Nearly all scheduled motorcycle maintenance can be completed within a
one day turnaround time. All bikes kept securely indoors, day and night.
Come see us!
Devils Detail Motorcycle Detailing
Detailing vintage, classic, modern motorcycles
415 - 439 - 9275
www.thedevilsdetailing.com
[email protected]
established 2007
Greatness can be in your detail!
Come and ride the Sierras! No dirt experience needed! Dual Sport and
dirt bike rentals. Guided or map your own course. Skill building classes
also available.
Easy access from Highway 50 south and west of Tahoe, this side of the
hill in Camino, CA.
Free secure storage of your car or bike onsite, or we can deliver bikes to
many all day riding areas (additional fee applies for delivery).
Well-maintained bikes and a rider-owned company makes us a great
adventure for the day, weekend or longer.
ASK ABOUT OUR SPECIAL $200 3-HOUR INTRO TO DUAL SPORT
RIDING TOUR/INSTRUCTION! ALSO SCHEDULING WOMEN’S DIRT
AND DUAL SPORT TRAINING CLASSES! **WE OFFER LOWERED DUAL
SPORT BIKES!
530-748-3505- www.sierradualsport.com
Tankslapper
Roo Roo Ca Choo
Tim from Colorado, where they aren’t
gonna have lane splitting any time soon,
wrote about our smartass sass on the topic
of kangaroo leather. Apparently someone
takes us seriously, in spite of our best
efforts.
Hopefully 150 people have
already written in on this,
but CB misses the mark
with the ho-hum attitude
towards CA’s Yet Another
Stupid Law Syndrome and
the resulting ban of kangaroo
products in the state.
“ban on kangaroo products” is actually a
sunsetting of a 2008 law that temporarily
legalized kangaroo leather.
Oh shit! What to do? The “we don’t need
no more stinkin’ laws” crowd actually
Or about the safety gear, other than helmets,
that could be legislated for our safety. Yes
there are other pressing issues that we all need
to get finger cramps over…but…just like the
ice floes in the Arctic, freedom of choice can
disappear a cube at a time.
m Tijuana
a one-eyed bandit fro
be
to
ing
im
cla
ne
Someo
s, amigo!
in Daytona. ¡Gracia
ike
tyB
Ci
of
ot
sh
is
sent th
Kangaroo leather is tougher
than cowhide (digging
around on The Google, I
can’t find definitive info vs.
deerskin, though deer leather is
apparently much more difficult
to work with). Wikipedia says
deer leather can be cut much thinner and
retain a far greater amount of its strength
which is the main Big Deal.
Case in point: I have Held gloves with
kangaroo inner surfaces; the improvement in
control feel is actually astonishing - enough
so that I’d be shocked if anyone is achieving a
similar level of protection and feel with other
materials (the only deerskin gloves I’ve tried
were Lee Parks, a very clunky/chunky design,
so I’ll admit the possibility that someone else
- Helimot as mentioned? - is doing deer gloves
right).
Yah…I’ve worn a freakin’ helmet for
the last many years cuz it gets too damn
cold in February (and I don’t want to
damage my Commodore 64 brain).
Try to balance your immediate
frustration with a shot of the long view
of how things could be.
Here’s the thing: we ride, probably
more than most, and we’ve decided
that fighting helmet laws in
California is a waste of time. We’re
also pretty involved in moto-rights
na
jua
Ti
de
ito
nd
(hey, didja see the cover?) and
Photo: Uno-eyed ba
informing riders about that stuff,
so thinking about the long view
got what they asked for—one less law.
is exactly where our view on helmet law
Seems we can’t have it both ways. There’s
noisemaking in the Golden State comes
probably a lesson here, but we’re not
from—to recap, “the things we say in
qualified to teach it, given our boundless
hypocrisy.
J
Less Deciding, More Riding
Jack from El Sob wrote in to chastise
Editor Surj for his most recent foulmouthed “fuck this, fuck that…
something about helmets” diatribe
(“Helmet Laws Might Suck... But It’s
Time To Move On” – Uneasy Rider,
March 2016).
I am a biker and have been for
the past 46 years. I have been a
member of the Modified Motorcycle
Association. During that time I
suffered from finger cramps due
Am I alone in finding it ironic that you
to the number of Anti Helmet
take Lanesplitter to task for its journalistic
excellence (agreed in general btw) -on the very Law letters that we wrote at each
monthly meeting. Here’s what you
same page?
apparently didn’t know…it was all about “Let
We hate to disappoint (again) Tim, but
that process, makes us look like
those who ride…decide!”
you’re the only person that wrote about
fucking idiots.”
Freedom of choice…freedom of choice…for an
this. You’ve confused us with your Roo
You seem like a reasonable joe, Jack, but
adult to choose an activity that involves risk.
vs. The Deer arguments, but rather than
some of your compatriots have a tendency
Take a second and apply this to many of the
debate materials with you—because we
don’t care, we’ve got Helimots—we’ll point activities some of us enjoy today. Think about to talk with mouths that would better serve
the moto-community if they actually had
out this example of yet another stupid law, our European brothers and sisters that ride
motorcycles that have horsepower restrictions. feet in them. We—motorcyclists—aren’t
as you call it, is basically one less law. The
taken seriously in conversations about
lane splitting or profiling or whatever when
some of us are saying shit like “helmets
hurt more than they help” and “there’s no
proof that helmets prevent injury.”
Take These Chains
Security-conscious reader Mike wrote in
about our review of ABUS’s burly Ionus
1190 chain / trouble finisher (“Serious
Security: ABUS Ionus 1190” – New Stuff,
March 2016).
Sign up at funtrackdayz.com
Come be the star of the show!
Good call on the boat anchor chains, Mike.
If any of our bikes were pretty, we’d want
to protect ‘em from getting screwed up by
chains. As it is, we vacillate between hoping
they’ll get stolen and not caring about the
scratches from uncoated chain.
Of course, we have to keep the press
bikes safe, for which we also use uncoated
chain… in the hands of burly gents with
anger issues.
It’s Only Funny When It’s Not
True
One of our readers wrote in with this
doozy:
Did you hear about the motorcyclist on his
way to the Trump For President Rally who
lost control and crashed because the sheet
slipped off his head and got wrapped in the
rear wheel?
ustin Ma
rtens, aft
We’re keeping this reader
er
in Locals
Only last seeing Tony Spin
anonymous, because we all
k
month, s
Tony buil
ent this p s featured
t, with th
know
how Trump loves to
ic of the
e Suzuki
motivate
frame
550 that
it.
go
after
people who criticize
will even
tually
him, and if he becomes
Finally, kangaroo is a pest in its native land,
so use of its leather falls into the “yes please”
category.
Spring Fling
April 18
Thunderhill
And for chains, I like boat anchor chains. You
can get them in any length and strength and
with the links individually vinyl-coated so
they’re as flexible as if they weren’t coated at
all.
I use a disc lock on my back wheel instead of
the front. I figure that with both wheels locked
(steering lock engaged), thieves will have to
carry the whole bike, whereas with just the
front wheel locked, they can put the tranny
in neutral, lift the front, and wheel the bike
away.
president, he’s gonna “open
up our libel laws” so when
publishers “write purposely
negative and horrible and false
articles,” which we do an awful
lot of, emphasis on horrible,
meaning we’ll be in danger of
someone suing us so they can
“win lots of money.”
And we want to hang on to the
forty-something bucks in our
swear jar. We’re saving up for loud
pipes.
Yell at us (or just say hey) at editor@
citybike.com or talk to us on our Facebook
page at facebook.com/CityBikeMag. You
can also send us an old-timey paper letter,
which we think is pretty damn cool. Those
go to CityBike Magazine, PO Box 18738,
Oakland 94619.
Extra points for crazy / creative shit. What do
those points get you? Let us know if you find
out.
Send Us Your Stuff
[email protected]
PO Box 18783
Oakland, CA 94619
Sam Devine puts our V-Strom XT through its paces at our secret ADV proving grounds.
Photo: Max Klein
CYANMAGENTAYELLOWBLACK
Rolling Back
the
Savings
SALES EVENT
Save BIG on Select 2016 KYMCO Scooters & Motorcycles Starting March1, 2016.
Compagno 110i
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CONCORD, CA 94520
925-798-4360
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614 16TH STREET
SACRAMENTO, CA 95814
916-448-6422
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790 NORTH SAN MATEO DR
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ROCKRIDGE TWO WHEELS
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SALINAS MOTORCYCLE CENTER
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April 2016

Transcription

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