November 2011

Transcription

November 2011

Godspeed Simoncelli
NOVEMBER 2011
FIFTY ONE FIFTY:
Stunters Among Us
News, Clues & Rumors
Volume XXVIII, Issue 11
Publication Date: October 24, 2011
On The Cover:
Bob Stokstad captures some illicit stunt
practice at an undisclosed location.
Contents:
NCR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
New Stuff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Calistoga 1/2 Mile 2011 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
5150: Stunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Stunting Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
2012 Yamaha Zuma 50F . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
CB160 Café Racer Pt . III . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Supermoto 101 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Ed Hertfelder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Maynard Hershon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Dr . Gregory W Frazier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Tankslappers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
AFM: Season Wrap-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Muffler Bearings Comparo Test . . . . . . . . 33
CityBike Staff:
PO Box 10659 Oakland, CA 94610
Phone: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415/282-2790
BABY’S GOT
BACK...ISSUES
Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Stockton
and Sacramento clubs all made a showing,
riding into town together four abreast,
“keeping a remarkable straight line
considering the pace set and the different
gearings of the respective machines,”
reports a San Francisco Call account of the
event. At the event, the gathered throngs
took a moment to pose for one of those
giant panorama photos that were popular
at the time.
Yes, we have digitized a
couple of years of CityBike
back issues, so if you’ve had
a head injury and want to
relive the last 18 months,
go to citybike.com/backissues.html and enjoy free
PDF downloads of June
2010-August 2011, and
we’ll try to add older issues
as we get up to speed.
Issues newer than 60 days
can only be obtained in
boring old newsprint, but
at least you have to leave
the house to get the latest
CityBike, no?
A print of that photo graced the wall of the
car dealership where Michael Meissner—
now owner of Cal BMW in Mountain View
and Tri-Valley Moto in Livermore—was
working. When he moved into moto-sales,
that photo made its home on Cal Moto’s
wall, and then made its way to Tri-Valley
when that dealership opened. Sales
Manager Bill Mentz, in a herculean display
of organizing skills, set up a re-creation of
the photo on its 100th anniversary. Enough
riders showed up to make it happen, and
photographer (and AFM/AMA racer for
Tri-Valley Moto) Eric Gulbransen was on
hand to snap the shutter.
FONZIE’S TRIUMPH
Once again, CityBike’s ace
staff and contributors have
sparked a media frenzy.
Local Brit-bike guy Mean
Marshall’s 1949 Triumph
Trophy that was used in
the production of the hit
TeeVee series “Happy
LIVERMORE
PHOTO
E-mail: . . . . . . . . . . . . . info@citybike .com
Find us online: . . . . . . . www .citybike .com
News ‘n Clues: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Staff
What was the Bay
Area motorcycle
scene like 100 years
ago? Well, other than
an acute total lack of
paved roads, it was
much the same, with
enthusiasts riding
lots of miles to get
together, check out
each other’s rides and
watch some racing.
Editor-in-Chief:. . . . . . . . . . Gabe Ets-Hokin
Senior Editor: . . . . . . . . . . Robert Stokstad
Contributing Editors: . . . . . . . . . John Joss,
Will Guyan
Chief of the World Adventure
Affairs Desk:. . . . . . . . Dr. Gregory Frazier
Staff Photographers:
— Robert Stokstad
— Gary Rather
Art Director: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alan Lapp
Advertising Sales: . . . . . . . . . Kenyon Wills
Contributors:
Brenda Bates, Dan Baizer,
Craig Bessenger, John Bishop,
Joanne Donn, John D’India (RIP),
Mike Felder, Dr. Gregory Frazier,
Will Guyan, Joe Glydon (RIP),
Brian Halton, David Hough,
Maynard Hershon, Ed Hertfelder,
Harry Hoffman, Otto Hofmann, Jon Jensen,
David Lander, Lucien Lewis, Ed Milich,
Patrick Moriarty, Courtney Olive,
Larry Orlick, Jason Potts, Bob Pushwa,
Gary Rather, Curt Relick, Charlie Rauseo,
Mike Solis, Ivan Thelin, James Thurber,
Adam Wade.
CityBike is published on or about the third Monday of each
month. Editorial deadline is the 1st of each month. Advertising
information is available on request. Unsolicited articles and
photographs are always welcome. Please include a full name,
address and phone number with all submissions. We reserve
the right to edit manuscripts or use them to wipe our large,
fragrant bottoms.
©2011, CityBike Magazine, Inc. Citybike Magazine is distributed
at over 150 places throughout California each month. Taking
more than a few copies at any one place without permission
from CityBike Magazine, Inc, especially for purposes of
recycling, is theft and will be prosecuted to the full extent of civil
and criminal law. Yeah!
CityBike magazine is owned by CityBike Magazine, Inc and
has teams of sleep-deprived, coke-addicted attorneys ready
to defend it from frivolous lawsuits, so even if you see Lucien
Lewis doing one of his wheelies on the cover and decide you
want to do that too and then you hit a parked car and your bike
is wedged under a van and it catches fire and the Vallejo FD has
to come and extinguish the resulting blaze and four cars and
your bike are melted into slag and you suffer permanent trauma
including a twisted pinkie, sleeplessness and night terrors, it’s
not CityBike Magazine Inc.’s fault and we don’t have any assets
so just suck on it. You know better.
Days” graced the cover of the September
issue, and now the blogosphere
and national media is ablaze
with the news—mostly
because the bike is expected to
fetch more than $90,000 at an
upcoming Bonham’s auction
at the Petersen Automotive
Museum in Los Angeles on
November 12.
For instance, on
September 24,
1911, over 1000
motorcycles and
1500 motorcyclists
showed up for
“Motorcycle Day” in Livermore. The San
Mean Marshall told us this is
a good time to sell the bike, as
the fickle nature of pop culture
could mean that the bike will
be just another badly-painted
old rustbucket in 10 or 20
years, rather than the BabyBoom icon it is today. Plus,
his massive auto dismantling
business in West Oakland
needs a new roof. Let’s hope the
bike does better than anybody
expects.
November 2011 | 3 | CityBike.com
The plan is to hang both the old and new
photos at the Livermore city hall, and
you can see them in person at Tri-Valley
Moto (952 North Canyons Parkway in
Livermore, 925/583-3300, trivalleymoto.
com) or download a high-res copy of your
very own by heading to Eric’s website:
ericgulbransen.com.
H-D’S NEW CUSTOMERS
Harley-Davidson’s Keith Wandell isn’t
likely to make the motorcycling hall of
fame any time soon. He’s just not the motocommunity’s favorite guy after killing
Buell and aggressively acting to keep
H-D lean and mean. But when it comes to
what it takes for a motorcycle company to
survive these days, he does seem to get it,
as evidenced by what he told a symposium
audience early in October; “We can’t
survive on our core customers alone. 2008
changed the landscape of the economy
in this country forever, and anybody who
believes for one minute that it’s ever going
to be the same as it was before 2008, it’s not
going to happen.”
So what is H-D going to do about it?
A different world means (we assume)
less credit, less disposable income for
the working and middle-class Joes and
Janes who are the Motor Company’s core
customers. Wandell hinted the company
will bring out more products, more quickly,
and more aimed at entry-level and conquest
buyers.
One manifestation of that strategy is H-D’s
“Dark Custom” lineup, a series of bad-boy,
blacked-out, stripped-down models that
sport surprisingly affordable hangtags and
are clearly marketed at younger riders.
Skateboarding stars and pro wrestlers shill
for the bar-and-shield, working hard to
make the products cool—not something
your grandpa putters around on. And it’s
working—H-D claims it’s the market
(650cc and larger motorcycles) leader
among 18-to-34-year-olds. In fact, sales,
earnings and profits are all up for the third
quarter of 2011, which flies in the face of
nay-sayers and doom-criers who figured
Harley-Davidson would be on the ash heap
of history long ago.
So younger motorcyclists are getting on
that chrome-plated train, but what about
the mass of potential buyers who are
intimidated by the weight and complexity
of Harley-Davidson products (the lightest
of which tips the scale at close to 600
pounds)? Those buyers may be interested
in battery-electric motorcycles, which are
clean, quiet and easy to operate.
Back in May, a large market-research event
involving 150 riders and an unnamed
manufacturer was held at the old Naval
Air Station in Alameda. Everyone who
participated signed a non-disclosure
agreement, and then rode some kind of
“alternative-powered” test motorcycle
back-to-back with a Suzuki Gladius. Not
only were there numerous hints dropped in
a lively post-event discussion on Bay Area
Riders Forum (bayarearidersforum.com),
but an unnamed source has disclosed to
CityBike that the event was indeed put on
by Harley-Davidson, with a battery-electric
Harley-Davidson motorcycle used for
testing.
We can’t confirm this, as H-D will
stonewall with the “we can’t comment on
upcoming product” defense and the event
participants all signed non-disclosure
agreements and they don’t even know
for sure who sponsored the event, which
was organized by a third party. And an
electric Harley seems ludicrous, given the
company’s recent stance on getting back
to “core customers.” But it’s a different
world, and we here at “News, Clues” are not
as easily surprised when things go topsyturvy.
STILL UP A CLEAR CREEK
Don Amador’s Blue Ribbon Coalition has
scored a minor victory against the Bureau
of Land Management. On October 4, the
San Benito County Board of Supervisors
voted 5-0 to petition the U.S. Congress
6R we tested in 2009. To match it, Showa
and Honda’s engineers developed a new
“Balance Free” shock for the Pro-Link in
back. What does “balance free” mean? It
means the rear shock now uses two tubes
instead of one (one inside the other), which
allows a larger quantity of damping oil and
more consistent, smoother damping and
travel, “particularly during the transition
from compression to rebound,” as the press
release puts it. It also puts the damping
and rebound controls in an easy-to-access
position on top of the shock—no more
squirming around on your back finding
that mung-covered rebound adjuster.
The motor remains the same, aside
from some EFI tweeks to improve
manageability, but there are some noteable
cosmetic changes. The wheels are now
a stylish, light-looking cast-aluminum
12-spoke design that Honda claims offers
increased rigidity (and possibly more
weight—the CBR’s claimed wet weight
has crept up two pounds to 441, 467 for
the Combined ABS version). The LCD
instruments are also re-done, with a gearposition indicator, lap timer, adjustable
shift indicator and four different modes for
how the bar-style tachometer is displayed.
Also, the fairing has been re-shaped for
better cooling and aerodynamics. A 20thanniversary red-white-and-blue paint
scheme is available, reminiscent of that
game-changing 1992 CBR900RR.
to designate the 70,000-acre Clear Creek
Management Area in the Central Coast
mountains as a National Recreation
Area, which would open up 243 miles
of roads and trails to motorized off-road
recreational use.
You may recall Bob Pushwa’s story about
the matter (“Up a Clear Creek,” in “News,
Clues and Rumors,” May 2010), and to
re-cap, the BLM shut the area down in
2008 because of the high levels of naturally
occurring asbestos in the soil (enough,
according to an EPA report, to put OHV
users at a very elevated risk of cancer).
Three years later, not much has happened
from the BLM side, even though that
agency promised a new land-use plan
would be finalized by January 2011, so
the Blue Ribbon Coalition urged county
supervisors to petition Congress and
circumvent the BLM’s bureaucracy. Follow
the story by visiting the Blue Ribbon
Coalition at sharetrails.org.
CBR1000RR UPDATED
The bike will be in dealers in December—
pricing is $13,800 or $14,800 for the
C-ABS model. That’s a price increase of
$401 for what seems like a whole lot of
added functionality to an already verygood motorcycle. As always, we look
forward to our first ride on the bike.
NEW KAWIS
Suddenly it’s fall again, and time to start
getting in as much riding as you can before
the weather turns on us. It’s also time to
see what the big OEMs have in store for
the 2012 model year. Kawasaki gives us
a surprise in these lean times with two
new streetbikes as well as some significant
upgrades to two other models.
Ninja ZX-14R
How do you make one of the most
powerful production motorcycles on the
market even crazier? Add an ‘R’ to its
designation, of course. And that’s what
Kawasaki has done to its Ninja ZX-14. But
it’s more than just a letter—the new ZX14R gets a host of motor, chassis and styling
changes.
A GT bike like the big Ninja is all about
motor, so to increase street cred, Kawasaki
has pulled out the tried-and-true hotrodder’s handbook. The cylinders are
stroked 4mm for a new displacement
of 1441cc, compression is bumped up,
camshafts are made lumpier. The forged
pistons get thinner crowns and oil jets for
better cooling. There are other changes,
including a better counterbalancer and
revised fuel-injection, and the net result
is more power everywhere, especially in
the midrange. Kawasaki doesn’t really
talk much about how much power, but I’d
wager about a 10 percent gain over the 180ish hp the ZX-14 reportedly makes at the
rear wheel. A new slipper clutch helps us
cope with that new-found extra power.
Sounds like Kawi has made the 14R even
better—but the price is up a mere $100,
to $13,699 ($13,899 for Limited Edition
graphics).
Ninja 650R
Not quite all the way on the other side
of the performance spectrum from the
14 is the Ninja 650R, a middleweight
Twin known not just for being versatile,
affordable and easy on new riders, but also
fun for experienced riders to flog. The bike
got a major revision in 2010, so the news
of an all-new chassis and other big changes
was a surprise. But there you have it—the
650R gets an all-new frame and swingarm
and a host of other alterations.
The frame is the big news in 650 Ninja
To further tame that brute force, the ZXland. The old frame
14R adds selectable FI mapping in the form was a
of Kawasaki’s KTRC tractionsteel
control system. Riders can
toggle three modes—full
power, medium power
and a low-traction
setting for wet or slippery
conditions. There’s even
an LCD readout on the
reworked instrument panel
that lets the rider see when
the KTRC is working.
The chassis looks the same,
but Kawasaki claims it’s been
as heavily reworked, too. More than half
the monocoque frame’s castings and
forgings have been revised to improve
flexation and feedback characteristics. The
swingarm is extended 10mm and gets more
bracing, and the front and rear suspension
get upgrades for more compliance and
bottoming resistance. New machined
10-spoke wheels are lighter and look nicer,
and there are revisions to the braking
system. Better-handling and braking it may
be, but claimed curb weight has climbed 17
pounds, to 584.3.
trellis
design, and although we’ve
never faulted the machine’s frame, it’s been
replaced with a twin-pipe perimeter/
backbone design that Kawasaki claims is
Styling and convenience are also enhanced
for 2012. The bodywork is smoothed out
and restyled, with a distinctive four-lamp
nose and larger side ducting being the most
distinctive features. Instruments are also
improved, with a new handlebar- mounted
toggle switch to let the rider scroll through
readouts, including an “Eco” mode that lets
us know when we’re riding our bike most
efficiently (and you do want to ride your
ZX-14R as efficiently as possible, right?).
Times are tough for everybody, which is
why we’re seeing more OEMs lengthening
the product cycles of even their most hightech sportbikes. Honda’s CBR1000RR
hasn’t seen a major update since its 2008
introduction, and 2012 won’t see a groundup redesign, but to celebrate 20 years
since the class-crushing CBR900RR was
introduced, Honda’s flagship sportbike gets
new suspension, wheels instruments and
other changes.
The big news is probably the suspension.
In front, the 43mm HMAS unit is replaced
with the Showa 43mm Big Piston Fork that
we liked so much on the Kawasaki ZXNovember 2011 | 4 | CityBike.com
use and never seemed
like a very good
means of spinning
cams) with sturdy,
reliable bush-type
chains, assisted by
gears meshed to the
cams. There are also
automatic tensioners
to further enhance
reliability. And yes,
valve-check interval is
now 15,000 miles—
and should be cheaper
to do than the current
1198.
more rigid, yet narrow-waisted enough to
help shorter riders comfortably reach the
ground. The bad news is weight—although
the press release claims less weight from
the new chassis, the overall claimed curb
weight of the 650R has crept up 11 pounds,
to a hefty 460.
But there’s still plenty here to promise
an improved 650R. Suspension settings
are revised for more comfort, Dunlop’s
excellent Roadsmart tires are standard
fitment, the braking power is increased
slightly, and there’s a new instrument panel
with (mercifully) an analog tachometer as
well as fuel consumption, range remaining
and the “Eco” mode indicator that makes
sense on a bike with the potential to return
50 mpg. The motor has also been revised
to deliver more of that noob-friendly
midrange power, and styling has been
updated to help the bike fit better with
Kawasaki’s other sportbikes, with more
aggressive looks. A new three-position
adjustable windscreen gives the secondsmallest Ninja some sport-touring chops.
At $7499, the 650R is $300 more than the
2011. But it seems to offer even more of
that all-around practicality and fun that
makes us love sporty middleweight Twins.
We’re looking forward to a test ride.
DUCATI SUPERQUADRO
Sure, you’ve seen the re-hashed press
releases on other web sites and blogs, but
on October 10th, Ducati ings. Vincenzo
De Silvio, Diego Sgorbati, Claudio
Domenicali, Marco Sairu and others
hosted a chat discussion on Facebook,
inviting dozens of journalists to ask their
questions. So Motorcycle Daily may be a
little late, but we may offer a little more
perspective and information on what
is inarguably the most
kick-ass production
Ducati motor in
a generation,
a motor
that
shares
just 20
parts
out of 400
with the old
superbike
mill and is
the
first
all-new massproduced Ducati
motor since the Pantah
of 1980.
There’s always a lot of hype in
moto-industry press releases,
with clichés like “gamechanging,” “revolutionary” and
“world class” used like Kleenex.
But the press release Ducati sent our way
seems closer to reality than hyperbole. “No
compromises,” “beyond the barriers of
engineering” and “near-impossible design
brief” seem like breathless marketing-ese,
until you realize what the engineers in
Borgo Panigale were asked to do. Not only
did the new motor have to act as a stressed
member (which means a much more rigid
and usually heavier structure) it also had to
be more user friendly, help make the entire
motorcycle lighter and more compact,
put out close to 200 horsepower and go
15,000 miles between major services. And
of course, it had to be sufficiently reliable
and inexpensive to put into a daily-ridden
streetbike.
Incredibly, they did it—and then some.
They started with selecting a bore and
stroke ratio, one that was so massively
oversquare (112mm X 60.8mm, or a bore/
stroke ratio of 1.84:1; the 1198 is 1.56:1)
they named the motor Superquadra,
over-square in Italian. That means higher
piston speeds, a higher (11,500 rpm, 1000
rpm higher than the 1198) redline, bigger
valves, and of course, more
power. Much more
power.
The increased
motor speeds
and
stresses
Vacural-cast
crankcases maximize weight savings,
strength and consistent wall thickness. The
cylinders’ water jackets are incorporated,
allowing the head to be bolted right onto
the vertically split cases. Shell bearings—
like those used on the Desmosedici
racebikes—hold the crankshaft to
improve oiling at high speeds, assisted by
a MotoGP-style vacuum oil pump, which
reduces atmospheric resistance in the
crankcase.
The transmission is also improved. The
gears are larger and stronger, and the
dry clutch will join the cam belts in the
unemployment line, replaced by a quieter,
easier-to-use oil-bath slipper clutch.
There are plenty of other nice touches. A
tiny oil cooler (that small black box on the
right side of the engine)
eliminates external oil
lines. A secondary
air system
reduces HC and
CO levels (they
must watch
“Mythbusters”
at the Ducati factory)
and a clever cam
design partly
opens the inlet
valves to help
the starter
motor spin
the engine.
That means
a smaller
starter, a
smaller battery
and a weight
savings of 7.3 pounds, just from that trick
alone.
The press release was detailed, but I still
had questions. How much smaller and
lighter is this engine? Ducati won’t release
numbers until the Milan show, but did
confirm it is more compact, except for
height, which is a little greater because
of the deep oil sump, which enhances oil
delivery under hard braking.
We know it will be powerful, with 195
hp and 98.1 ft.-lbs of torque, but will it be
reliable and easy to use? Sure, said ing. De
Silvio—“On bench we perform a durability
test which simulate the real world use of
the engine, and a track simulation test
(usually referred to as “Monza cycle”, you
can guess why!). On vehicle we perform
reliability tests on high speed ring, track
tests and finally durability tests on open
roads.”
1199 Superquadro now.” Will do, Diego!
Make sure we get invited to the press
launch so we can.
STREETFIGHTER 848
Apparently unable to maintain deniability,
Ducati decided it couldn’t credibly wait
until the November EICMA show in
Milan and officially announced availability
details of a new middleweight roadster, the
Streetfighter 848.
The new model is based on the 848 chassis,
but there are some important differences
between it and the 848 EVO. The motor
isn’t a tuned-for-torque 848 motor—
instead, it’s smaller version of the 162
horsepower Testastretta 11º motor found
on the Diavel (complete with 15,000mile valve-check intervals, which should
dramatically reduce service costs). The
new motorcycle is also equipped with
Ducati Traction Control and improved
ergonomics, including a higher bar and
No plans to do so at this time (that they’ll
more compliant suspension. Combined
tell us about, anyway). Will the motor
with the more relaxed steering geometry
be used in other applications like the
Streetfighter or Multistrada? Again, nope. (more than a full degree less rake) from
the 848, that and the softer motor (expect
And will the camchain be used on airabout 118 hp at the wheel) may make this
cooled models? “This is not in our plans
machine the perfect step up for Ducati
and it is not needed on the air-cooled
Monster owners—or entice Triumph
engines,” wrote ing. Sgorbati. And why
won’t this bike be used in Workd Superbike Street Triple riders to cross over.
until 2013? Domenicali tells us that it
The other equipment is as expected. Brakes
takes time to develop a SBK racer, and the
are cast, not monobloc Brembos, and the
1198R is no slouch.
front fork is the same fully
adjustable 43mm inverted
Will there be a middleweight version?
Marzocchi unit found
Sgorbati told us, “It’s too early to speak
on the Monster 1100
about versions of the
EVO. Paint colors
engine—let’s
will be red, matte
enjoy the
black and a
yellow that
looks more
like a gold
than the
meant
some serious
design problems.
To tackle that, intake
valves are now
titanium, rocker arms
and other parts get a
“polymeric-like-carbon (PLC)”
finish developed for the aerospace
industry, and the 112mm-diameter
pistons are double ribbed, not for pleasure,
but to ensure durability at high rpm. And
most significantly for Ducati fans, we are
at last freed from decades of replacing
cheesy rubber belts (please don’t get all
sentimental about them—they must be
replaced after five years or 15,000 miles of
bright yellow we’ve seen on other models.
On paper, it looks like a winning street
bike, and the early ride reports coming
from Europe are backing that up.
The bike carries a USA pricetag of $12,995.
That’s the same as the 848 Dark and just
$1000 more than the Monster 1100 EVO
we tested (CityBike, October 2011)
VERSYS 1000?
More from the rumor mill: France’s MotoNet webzine is showing photos of a 1000cc
version of Kawasaki’s Versys adventure
machine, which the site claims will be
introduced next month in Milan. Though
the styling strongly resembles its 649cc
little brother, the frame and motor seem to
be lifted from the Z1000/Ninja 1000.
That means a heavy—and fast—big
mother. Like the 650, it uses 17-inch
wheels, which makes us wonder why
Kawasaki would want to sell another
variation of the Z1000. It doesn’t look like
it’s much more comfy or touring-worthy
than the full-faired Ninja 1000, but maybe
its motor is tuned for more bottom-end
torque, and the seat has to be better than
the horrid seat-shaped thing the Ninja has
behind the gas tank. Can you tell we’ve
been riding one? Look for an extended
Ninja 1000 test soon.
CYCLE WORLD SOLD
$1000 off select
Zero models
Only at Mission
Motorcycles
America’s (possibly the world’s) highestcirculating motorcycle magazine, Cycle
World has been sold to the Bonnier
corporation for an undisclosed sum.
Bonnier, a 200-year old (really!) Swedish
company, is privately held and holds 175
companies in 16 countires. CW Editorin-Chief Mark Hoyer is upbeat about
the transfer, as previous owner Hachette
Fillapachi Media was a huge beauracracy
and uninterested in the needs of a relatively
small publication like his. In contrast,
his new Group Publisher at Bonnier’s is
a motorcycle enthusiast himself, so the
odds of the publication
getting the resources
it needs to strengthen
and grow in our new
digital era look good.
“Fox” synonymous with racing suspension
before that company became famous for
apparel—was 56 years old.
We’ll never get access to Jim’s suspensiontuning magic again. News, Clues’ most
recent encounter with him was a few years
ago, when we had a long-term Kawasaki
Versys testbike and went to his shop in
Campbell to ask what we could do to
improve the front end. He mounted the
bike, bounced up and down on it, made
some adjustments, bounced on it some
more and handed it back—and we’ll be
damned if it wasn’t 50 percent better.
Jim must have made a similar impression
on racer Ed Sorbo, who met Lindemann
in 1998 while racing at Willow Springs.
“He was willing to deal with my weird
valving,” recalled Sorbo, and they became
friends. When Lindemann told Sorbo he
was looking for a buyer for his suspensiontuning business—his doctors told him
he didn’t have too much longer—Sorbo
asked how much. the answer must have
seemed like a sign from God; “it was $83
less than my retirement fund, so I cleaned
it out and went up north to help him clean
out his shop.” Lindemann is now run out
of Redlands, California, and offers all the
services it has in the past, including Jim’s
patented “Girth Dyno,” which is what he
called his method of sitting on the bike and
compressing the suspension.
Sounds like a joke, but Ed claims it’s quite
effective; “If you had me bounce on one
bike blindfolded, and another one with
carpet underneath, I could tell which one
had carpet underneath...how far I can or
can’t compress the suspension tells me a lot,
especially right after a track session.”
You can find out more about Ed and
how he can help you go faster using Jim’s
techniques by calling his shop at the same
old number—408/371-6151 or visiting the
website at le-suspension.com.
JIM LINDEMANN
PASSES
Stock suspension? In
general, for whatever
reason, it sucks ass,
and is the first thing
we change on our
motorcycles here
at CityBike. And
nobody—nobody—
had chops like his
when it came to
designing, fixing and
improving any kind of
motorcycle suspension
like Jim Lindemann.
We regret telling our
readers he passed
away on October
7th after a long, long
battle with brain
tumors and related
health problems.
Lindemann—famed
Photo by John Ulrich. Copyright 2011 Roadracing World Publishing,
for making the name
Inc., used with permission.
‘LA DUCATI DAY’ AT LA HONDA
You’ve been wrong all these years. Dead
wrong, I tellya.
You think of Ducati as an effete
Italian marque with Monster attitude?
Understandable. It’s that weird
desmodromic valve gear, the dry-clutch
death rattle, those espressos and lattes
that create a contact high, the glove-soft
Dainese gloves made from Certified Virgin
Kangaroo Skin (those sweet little female
’roos were cosseted immigrants with Italian
citizenship before Giving Their All as race
gear).
Then those Superbike championships like
Checa’s latest, Casey defying the laws of
race rubber, physics and thermodynamics,
doing win-or-bin deeds with MotoGP
bikes that we know couldn’t be done (ask
Vale), Nicky proving that Character and
Class Endure, that Multistrada with ECU
software settings that convert it from a
city commuter to a long-distance tourer
to a raging sport bike and everything
in between, like some sort of crazy
Transformer—at a price.
Yeah, that Ducati. From Bolgna, Italy. No
baloney.
You were wrong, baby. Dead wrong. La
Ducati Day at La Honda proves it. Now
in its eighth year, the 2011 event showed
that Ducatisti are bike nuts and fun-loving
humans who will accept you whatever you
ride. Eight years,2000 visitors a year, five
figures raised for the La Honda Volunteer
Fire Brigade, closing on a six-figure total as
of 2011.
Event Founder and Chairman John
Clelland put it all together eight years ago.
Big, bearded, enthusiastic, he’s a long-time
Peninsula rider who also arranges Bike
Nights from Marin to the East Bay to the
Peninsula. Clelland visited the La Honda
firehouse in 2003 and checked their archaic
EMT gear (“Vintage crap,” as he put it). He
knew what we risk on hypersports bikes.
He wondered about their priorities. They
told him.
“House and home safety is our #1. Then car
and truck accidents. Third is lost pets, loose
livestock. Motorcyclists? Down in fourth.”
Not only that, but—as the local sheriff will
tell you, if you ask nicely—some local nut
job spread oil and roofing nails on the road
west of La Honda, back a few years, and
caused accidents to bikers. Sweet, eh?
How, Clelland wondered, do they raise
funds for EMT gear? “Our annual pancake
breakfast for the locals raises about $200,”
they told him. He looked over that Stone
Age EMT gear and knew that bikers
screwing up or being unlucky on highperformance motorcycles needed better. La
Ducati Day was born, benefiting the Fire
Bridgade.
Long-time supporters include Leo Vince
exhaust and Motion Pro, and the show
brings machines that belong at The Quail
(and go there)—Ducatis going back
decades, including bevel-gear singles and
twins, F1 750s, up to AFM championship
winner Joey Carillo’s Desmosedici. Plus
Gileras, Bimotas, even (gasp, shudder) old
Brit bikes.
With luck, CityBike will team with Clelland
for a joint celebration next year. Head
down the hill from Alice’s on 84 (terrific
slice of road) and see for yourself. It’s all in
a good cause and you could be an eventual
beneficiary.
—John Joss
NEW STUFF NOVEMBER
2011
BOOK REVIEWS:
I-94 Reader: Eclectic Stories and Rides
By Rand Rasmussen. Aero Design
Publishing, $7, 64 pages, aerostich.com,
800/222-1994
As soul-sucking and horrid an experience
as riding on I-5 from Ess Eff to El Lay is,
there are other roads that can equally
kill the hopes and dreams of a young
motorcyclist. Apparently, I-94 between
Fargo and Minneapolis is such a ride. Aero
Design’s publishing arm has produced
an anthology of short fiction and essays
from Rand Rasmussen that “read as true
as the endless Midwestern prairie itself.
Stories about piloting a road and a life,
accompanied closely by the thrum of a
BMW R65 and the essential feelings and
experiences of pure motorcycling.” We
NCR Continues on page 12
EVENTS NOVEMBER 2011
First Monday of each month
(Nov 7, Dec 5):
Sunday, October 30
2:30 – 10:00 pm: Northern California
Ducati Bike Nights at Benissimo (one
of Marin’s finest Italian Restaurants),
18 Tamalpias Dr., Corte Madera.
NorCalDoc.com
Dust off your pre-’75 motorcycle or
scooter and head to the Bay View Boat
Club (489 Terry A Francois Blvd., near
the Giant’s ballpark) and see the sights
6:00 pm: American Sport Bike Night
at Dick’s Restaurant and Cocktails, 3188
Alvarado Street, San Leandro. Bring your
Buell and hang out with like-minded
riders. All brands welcome! Our meeting
of Buell and Motorcycle enthusiasts
has been happening the first Monday of
the month for the last 12 years, without
ever missing a meeting. We have had
many local and national celebrities
from the Motorcycle world grace our
meetings. It has been fun and exciting.
americansportbikenight.net
6:00 pm: California (Northern, East
Bay) NORCAL Guzzi Bike Night at
Applebee’s at McCarthy Ranch Mall,
off 880, in Milpitas, California. All
MGNOC members, interested Guzzi
riders, and all other motorcycle riders
always welcome. More information,
contact Pierre at: 408/710-4886 or
[email protected].
Third Monday of each month
(Nov 21, Dec 19):
6:00 pm to 10:00 pm: East Bay Ducati
Bike Night at Pizza Antica (3600 Mount
Diablo Blvd., Lafayette, 925/299-0500)
Bike parking on the street right in front
of the restaurant, indoor and heated
outdoor seating, excellent wine list.
All moto brands welcome. Bring your
appetite and a smile, be prepared to make
new friends.
Third Sunday of each month
(Nov 20, Dec 18):
9:00 am: California (Northern)
Moto Guzzi National Owners Club
(MGNOC) breakfast at Putah Creek
Cafe in picturesque Winters, California
(Highways 505/128) MGNOC members
and interested Guzzi riders meet for
breakfast and a good time. The Putah
Creek Cafe is located at Railroad Avenue.
More information contact: Northern
California MGNOC Rep, Don Van
Zandt at 707-557-5199.
Evenings: Moto-Sketch at Tosca Cafe:
come and sketch a live model draped over
a custom bike. $7 to sketch, free to just
watch. Tosca Cafe, 242 Columbus Ave.
in S.F.
First Saturdays of each month
(Nov 5, Dec 3)
Mission Motorcycles (6292 Mission
St. Daly City, missionmotorcycles.
com 650/992-1234) has Brown
Bag Saturdays: 15% off all parts and
accessories you can stuff into a brown
paper sack.
2:00 pm: MotoGP Season
Finale Zen Bash & BBQ
9:30 am: San Francisco
49-Mile Ride
of San Francisco with hundreds of
like-minded folk. A “low-key” ride with
a few rest stops, it will end back at the
Boat Club, where there will be trophies
and a barbecue lunch. Ride is free—Tshirts are $15. For more info go to
yerbabuenaamca.org.
Doc Wong Clinics!
Doc Wong is a fixture in the Bay Area
Motorcycle scene and has shown
thousands of riders great roads and riding
techniques, as well as introducing them
to dirt riding. All clinics start at Doc
Wong’s office at: 1391 Woodside Road,
Redwood City and are free of charge. You
can also call 650/365-7775. To register
e-mail DocWong at [email protected].
Friday, November 4, “Doc Wong
Riding Position and Ergonomics
Workshop” 7:15 pm
Saturday, November 5, “Doc Wong
CPR and First Aid for Motorcyclists
Class” 9:00 am-3:00 pm
Friday, November 11, “Doc Wong
Suspension Part 2” 7:15 pm
Sunday, November 13, “Doc Wong
Confidence - Throttle Control” 9:00 am2:30 pm
Friday/Sunday, November 18th/20th
“Doc Wong Sport Dirt-Riding Clinic”
7:15 pm and Sunday 9:00 am.
Saturday, November 5
10:00 am: BSAOCNC/BSAOCSC
2011 22nd Annual All-British Ride
Join the BSA owner’s club of Northern
California for its annual All-British Ride.
Ride starts at 10:00 am from 970 Seventh
Street in Novato. $15 lunch at the
Marin French Cheese Factory, British
motorcycles only, please! No exceptions
(even if your bike leaks oil and has bad
teeth—ed.). For more info, call Don
Danmeir at 415/898-0330 or head to
bsaocnc.com to download the event flier.
Noon: Big Time Speedway Racing,
Prairie City OHV Park
Prairie City OHV, 13300 White Rock Road,
Rancho Cordova. If you haven’t watched
alcohol-burning, bar-banging speedway
racing, you need to go check it out. Gates
open at noon, races start at 3:30. Vendor
fair, motorcycle show, music, food, 50/50
Join the Zen House to celebrate
this year’s MotoGP Season! The
pre-recorded MotoGP season
finale will be shown at 215, Point
Arena’s Premiere wine-and-beer
bar, located at 215 Main Street.
Tasty treats will be provided
by Zen to help motorcycling
enthusiasts cheer on the racers.
After the exciting season finale,
bands will play and a fund-raising
BBQ will be held.
raffle, supermoto exhibition and more.
Tickets are $20 for adults, $12 juniors, $6
kids, $15 for senior, military, fire and police.
Moto parking is free. For more info go to
bigtimespeedway.com or call 925/7863263.
Saturday, Nov 5-April 28, 2012
Moto Bellissima Exhibit at SFO
The Italian propensity for artistic
design, historically demonstrated in a
wide range of manufactured goods, has
perhaps never been better exemplified
than in the beautiful motorcycles
that graced Italy’s racetracks and
roadways in the 1950s and 1960s.
Over the course of two decades, an
unprecedented number of Italian
firms, many of them lost to history,
produced a dizzying array of smallsized motorcycles for a country with a
desperate need for mobility after World
War II. These machines were created
at a time of impoverished resources,
but consistent with a characteristically
Italian insistence on producing, and
demanding, objects of extraordinary
design and beauty. Nineteen
motorcycles, ranging from singularly
produced racers such as Carlo Ubbiali’s
1951 Mondial 125cc Bialbero Grand
Prix to 50cc production bikes from
the late 1960s, demonstrate that while
necessity breeds invention, the results
can be truly stunning.
Moto Bellissima: Italian Motorcycles
from the 1950s and 1960s is located presecurity in the International Terminal
Main Hall Departures Lobby, San
Francisco International Airport. The
exhibition is on view to all Airport
visitors from November 5, 2011 to
April 28, 2012. There is no charge
to view the exhibition. For more
information, please visit www.flysfo.
com/museum.
Sunday, November 6
Noon: MotoGP Finale Party at the
D-Store
MotoGP wrap-up fun at everybody’s
favorite place to smell leather.
Food, drink and fun! D-Store SF:
131 S. Van Ness, 415/626-5478,
dstoresanfrancisco.com.
Admission is free; BBQ Jerk
Chicken and Tri-Tip will be
served for $7.00. All proceeds
from the BBQ will be donated
to the 2012 AHRMA at the
Stornetta Ranch Event. Visit
our website, TheZenHouse.net,
for additional information and lodging
recommendations or call 707/882-2281.
ER
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Friday, November 18 to Sunday
November 20
Progressive International
Motorcycle Show, San Mateo Expo
Center
Yes, it’s that time of year already. Time to
kick tires, buy that stuff that’s supposed to
prevent your faceshield from fogging, eat
fried dough and see all your friends. You’ll
also get to watch some kick-ass supermoto
racing courtesy of Supermoto USA, sit in
on riding seminars, test ride a lot of cool
new bikes, check out stunt shows, view
custom bike judging, and much, much
more. For a full list of exhibitors and
events, buy tickets and get other info, go to
motorcycleshows.com. See you there.
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Continued from page 9
haven’t read it, but sounds like it’s worth
seven bucks. Check it out.
we ride is generally pretty bad. It’s hard to
write that stuff,
as why people like to
ride is
The Man Who Would Stop
At Nothing: Long-Distance
Motorcycling’s Endless Road
varied, and the universal truth stuff, well,
we’ve heard it. After 120 years of twowheel motorized travel, there isn’t much
new to say. Unless it’s really well
written, that kind of thing just
isn’t that interesting.
Luckily, there is Melissa
Holbrook Pierson. Pierson’s first
motorcycling book, The Perfect
Vehicle captured my attention
as she detailed her own journey
into motorcycling as well as a
history of the sport as a whole,
possibly doing the best job I’ve
read explaining our passion
to outsiders. That brilliance is
continued in The Man Who Would
Stop at Nothing
Nothing, where Pierson
introduces us to the extreme long-
By Melissa Holbrook Pierson.
W.W. Norton Company,
$24.95, 191 pages, books.
wwnorton.com
When we sit down to read stuff
about motorcycles, it’s usually
pretty technical stuff—motorcycle
and product reviews, how-to
articles, race reports. That’s probably
because the stuff written that tries
to dig deeper, tries to find out why
The Ultimate Sport-Urban-Adventure-Tourer
150 horsepower
15,000 mile service intervals
Traction Control
distance (LD) world as it’s practiced by our
friends in the Iron Butt Association.
In particular, she follows one particularly
obsessed rider, the handsome, brilliant,
eccentric and diabetic John Ryan,
holder of some amazing LD records and
accomplishments. Like in Perfect Vehicle,
she places herself into the story, chronicling
her re-introduction into motorcycling and
her dabbling with LD riding.
As the book progresses, we start to get
an idea of the appeal of LD riding, and
what motivates the practitioners of what
is admittedly a sport, if a twisted, insane
one. Pierson examines the Iron Butt
organization, its members and its history,
making the insanity of riding for riding’s
sake—rather than getting to a specific
destination—seem almost reasonable. The
writing is fast-paced and compelling, her
research is impressive, and I thoroughly
enjoyed reading it. Well worth the time, it’s
a good read not just for anybody who has
spent hours and hours droning through
the dark when there are a dozen more
pleasant ways to travel, but for non-riders
who wonder why anybody would want
to expose themselves to such discomfort
when a Honda Accord will get you there
just as well. Again, check it out.
Plus available ABS
—Gabe Ets-Hokin
Electronic Suspension
ROLAND SANDS DESIGNS
RONIN JACKET
Luggage System
We all know Roland Sands for his haute
couture custom motorcycles, motorcycles
that, unlike a lot of custom-built creations,
can go, stop and corner as good as they
look. It’d be nice if you could say the
same about moto-apparel, no? Our
lumpy, middle-aged bodies can be clad in
functional, protective riding gear, or we
can wear stylish stuff that doesn’t protect
us from the elements and crashes as well
as it could. If only Roland could make us a
cool-looking jacket...
So you probably know where this is going,
right? Exactly. Roland Sands Designs
has indeed announced a new line of
fashionable riding jackets made of unusual
materials like waxed canvas and oiled
leather. The $590 “Ronin” jacket looked so
good Editor Ets-Hokin felt compelled to
ask for one to test, and to his amazement,
one actually arrived a few days later.
It’s a really nice jacket. It’s made of 1.2mm
washed and waxed cowhide (bonus points,
say we, for being made in India rather than
China), with an aggressive cafe-racer fit.
It’s loaded with details—perforated leather
lining and underarm vents, embossed
RSD logos (rather than the huge, tasteless
logos the other brands make you display
on your riding gear) and a universe of
interesting pockets inside and out. And
thanks (doubtlessly) to Sands’ history
as a roadracer (he took an AMA 250GP
Call to schedule a private demo ride
championship in 1998),
there are pockets for armor
everywhere you need
it—back, shoulders and
elbows (low-profile CE
armor will be available
from RSD soon).
In use, it looks great
and functions well. It’s
feels as if somebody has
already worn it for years,
soft to the touch and very
flexible. The cut worked
well with a standard
riding position, it was easy
to cannibalize armor from
another jacket and the
jacket effectively blocked
the wind. Also, because
the sizing tends towards
that hip skinny-jeans
waifish look, we had to order a size larger,
which meant the sleeves were long enough
to fit securely under gauntlets and there
was room to layer a sweater or electric
liner, making it a 3 or 4-season garment.
standard web-strap
tie-downs and 1/8thinch steel cable. They
are quite similar in
concept to the PacSafe
system, which weaves
fine steel wire into
backpacks to thwart
bag-slashing theft.
Lockstraps are
impressively hefty
and well-made. They
have burly rivets and
plates affixing the cam
lock and the built-in
steel carabiners to
the straps. The latch
mechanism for the
carabiner contains a
3-digit combination
lock which prevents
the carabiner from being opened.
Lock Straps aren’t intended for high
security, but they will keep the curious
and sticky-fingered from pilfering your
bike. A committed criminal with tools
can easily defeat the system, but if you’re
The downside? Well, for those of us used
on your way back from a race or off-road
to heavy, competition-weight cowhide, it
seems a little lighter than we’re comfortable riding weekend, Lockstraps will provide
peace of mind while you’re in getting a
with. Also, the stylish multiple seams on
burger. However, if you need to leave your
the jacket look cool, but even though they
bike in the back of a truck overnight at the
are sewn properly, we question how well
Colleseum BART station parking lot, bring
this jacket would hold up in a high-speed
your U-lock and hefty chain.
crash—it’s clearly not for racetrack use.
Also, the collar irritated the neck of our
To see the full range of Lockstraps and accessories,
tester and we couldn’t figure out what that visit lockstraps.com, call 951/506-3682 or go
weird grommet on the back of the jacket
down to your local motorcycle shop (preferably, one
was for. But the downsides were made
who advertises in CityBike).
up for by the many admiring looks and
comments received. Klassy!
Yamaha Zuma 50
It’s an heirloom-quality leather jacket,
something you’ll love to wear riding your
motorcycle or just going out to dinner. You
can get in three colors, and sizes from small
to 2XL. Check out the Ronin and other
styles at rolandsands.com
LOCKSTRAPS TIE DOWNS
We hope you’ve never had that horrible
sinking feeling when you realize your
motorcycle has been stolen out of your
pickup or trailer while you parked at
the Motel 6 parking lot, but we all know
somebody who has. A good way to give
you a little bit more security (or relieve you
of having to roll your bike into your hotel
room to give you peace of mind) is the $40
Lockstrap, an ingenious combination of
$14.99 + $5 shipping
Sizes S-XXL
Email us: [email protected]
or by mail:
City Bike Magazine
PO Box 10659
Oakland, CA 94610
Efficient, Fuel-Injected,
Four-Stroke! New for 2012
Always wear a helmet, eye protection, and protective clothing.
Please respect the environment, obey the law, and read your owner's manual thoroughly.
Berkeley Yamaha
412 Valencia, San Francisco
www.munroemotors.com
3600 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz
www.motoitaliano.com
1289 W. El Camino Real, Sunnyvale
www.hondapeninsula.com
(415) 626-3496
(831) 462-6686
(408) 739-6500
735 GILMAN STREET
BERKELEY , CA 94710 (510) 525-5525
www.berkeley-yamaha.com
Tues.-Fri. 9-6, Sat. 9-5 — Sun.-Mon. Closed
Calistoga Speedway Half-Mile
5150: The Stunters Next Door
Photos by Dave Hoenig.
Chris Carr slides into the history
books in his second-to-last
AMA Pro race. He finished 11th.
By Gary D. Fackler,
Photos by Bob Stokstad
I
t did not take long for the first long
wheelie to happen.
Three turns into a ride through the
backstreets of Union City, I heard the
distinctive sound of a piped GSXR
revving, its throttle feathered to hoist the
machine to a perfect balance on its rear
wheel. I turned in time to see Edvin’s front
wheel skim past me as he mono-wheeled
down a surface street toward one of the
stunt group’s secret practice areas.
The wheelie was picture perfect, Edvin
standing on the seat and carrying the front
end of his heavily modified Gixxer for at
least a quarter-mile. Clearly the stunt was
bought and paid for with hours of practice
and more than a few crashes.
It was only one of dozens of similar
stunts soon to be on display at a deserted
industrial area of the East Bay, one
of countless practice sessions
staged by a new generation of
motorcyclist springing
up across the
country.
New-age
bike gangs
A&A racing’s Briar Bauman (10z)staying ahead of
Gerit Callies (76l) and Shayna Texter (25a) in the Pro
Singles main event.
Rookie-of-the-year Brad Baker put
in an impressive fifth-place finish
on this Loyd Brothers Ducati.
Bored by Harleybased chuffer bikers
and put off by
the high
price of
admission
to the racing
fraternity,
young
motorcyclists,
it seems, are
gravitating to
a stunt-based
moto-culture that provides an immediate
adrenaline fix.
“We’ve probably seen interest in stunting
double in the last two to three years,” says
Bill Keys, salesman at Fremont HondaKawasaki, though he adds that most
serious stunters tend to buy used bikes to
minimize cost.
Fueled by Starbucks caffeine and nurtured
by countless stunt clips on YouTube, clubs
like ‘5150’ (police code for ‘insane perp’)
are on the move, in more ways than one.
Their numbers are swelling, with the rapid
rise of groups like the Rough Riders, Street
Bike Freaks and Bay Area Delinquents.
Going underground
The crackdowns, in turn, have driven
some groups underground, forcing them
to conduct the bulk of their stunting in
secluded parking lots and other nonconspicuous areas.
That’s the main reason all club members
quoted here have chosen to remain
anonymous, their practice locations
kept secret as a condition of coverage by
CityBike.
Nevertheless, these new-age bike clubs
have interesting stories to tell, and I wanted
to know more about the new ‘stunta’
culture. So I spent time with the East Bay’s
‘5150’ members, meeting them at their
staging area—a Union City Starbucks—
and attending a recent practice session to
see what they are about.
But that rapid growth has resulted in
exposure to the mainstream public, with
predictable results. Soccer moms going
to family outings have been put off by
mile-long wheelies down Interstate 880,
and local law enforcement has responded What I learned shattered some (but not all)
by cracking down on stunts staged on
of my preconceptions about stunters.
public streets.
And they’re off! It’s not motorsports if there
isn’t cheesecake involved. But how does
the involvement of more and more women
racers—including podium-finisher Shayna
Texter—change things? Will we start seeing
slim young men, waxed and oiled and dressed
in Speedos roaming the pits and midways?
Racers celebrating
in traditional fashion
post-race.
“Our position is that we have zero tolerance
for breaking the rules of the road,” says
officer Paul Nelson, a spokesperson for
CHP’s Northern California division.
Nelson says the police will continue
to crack down on illegal stunting,
while working to elevate awareness of
motorcyclists among California’s nonriding cagers.
Preconception #1:
These guys can ride
Absolutely true. There is a broad range of
skill levels among club members but most
have finely tuned senses of balance and
traction that let them perform difficult
stunts and make them look relatively easy.
High-speed power wheelies are simple,
but the low-speed stuff requires uncanny
balance and years of
practice.
lot areas, there is not much
chance of serious injury.”
The latest rage among the
5150s is drifting—the same
basic idea as with sports
cars, at speeds of up to about
40 mph, but on two wheels.
The results are feet-up
power-slides that are poetry
in motion.
None appeared to have
leather boots, favoring hightopped shoes. None wore
leather or ballistic pants,
though most wore protective
jackets and/or tactical vests.
Not really. Many of the riders
are in their 20s, but some
are in their 30s and even
40s. Most started riding
very young, and experience
in the dirt tends to nurture
stunting skills. All 5150s
we interviewed came from
diverse backgrounds, ranging
from riding scooters in Bosnia
to sport bikes in Southern
California.
Not necessarily. Newbies
pay a heavy toll (in both
medical and repair bills),
but veteran members seem
to avoid crashes, or at least
minimize their impact. That
said, many members have
endured the installment of
titanium gussets to their
endoskeletons.
“If you ride like this you are going to have
injuries,” says Edvin.
Preconception #3: All they do
on motorcycles is stunt
Totally false. These guys live, eat, sleep and
breathe motorcycling. Stunting is only a
small part of their riding activities. Most
have several different bikes for each activity,
since bikes customized for stunting tend to
suck for anything else (see sidebar).
Kevco, who does not drive a car, owns a
Leno-esque stable of 13 bikes, including
a collection of Gixxers ranging from an
elderly 400 to a current 600 that is his
stunting bike of choice. He also owns a
retired CHP Kawasaki that he jokingly
refers to as “a captured enemy.”
Many club members do track days at
Thunder Hill and other tracks when they
can. Almost all go on group rides every
weekend, often including girlfriends and
members of other clubs. Some of the larger
group runs comprise more than 100 riders
of many different brands and almost all
types of bikes.
“We don’t encourage cruisers to join us,”
allows Kevco. “They generally have a hard
time keeping up on the twisty roads. But
other than that, everyone is welcome.”
Preconception #4: They are
gang affiliated
Preconception #7:
They are social
outcasts
The roughly 35 members of the 5150s are a
tightly knit group who treat each other very
much like an extended family. They know
each others’ girlfriends, kids and families
and spend a lot of time with each other,
both on and off their bikes.
“We are all in the trenches together,” says
Kevco. “And we are very close.”
often running from The Law
This is not necessarily true, though the club
seems to have an uneasy truce with law
enforcement—which is partly responsible
for the group’s reluctance to reveal their true
names and practice locations. But the degree
of that adversarial relationship with the cops
varies depending on police jurisdictions.
“We don’t do anything in Fremont because
the police here are very strict,” says Kevco,
adding that the group reserves hard-core
street stunting for places like Oakland, “where
cops have other things to worry about.”
As a rule, older cops who happen on a
training session might spectate for a while
All 5150 members we interviewed denied
before asking them to disperse, whereas
any gang affiliation or any link to organized younger, more gung-ho officer may press
crime of any kind.
the issue by writing citations or even trying
to impound bikes.
“We are definitely not red or blue—that’s
not what we are about,” says Kevco. “We
are strictly a riding club. No drugs. No
ne’er-do-wells
alcohol. Just riding.”
Bike stunting can be an expensive hobby,
Preconception #5: They do not and many 5150s have good-paying jobs to
wear adequate protective gear support their adrenaline addictions.
The ATGAT argument that rages
MarsGixxer supplements his income as a
among motorcyclist about whether all
tech-support specialist by rebuilding old or
motorcyclists should wear All The Gear,
crashed Suzuki sportbikes, then reselling
All The Time (ATGAT) is conspicuously
them for a profit. Kevco is a (currently
absent among stunters. Nearly all favored
unemployed) engineer while Edvin works
helmets, but one stunter we saw was
as a machine-shop supervisor.
clicking off long, low-speed wheelies
without a lid.
Preconception #10: Stunting is
underground
Aspiring stunters seeking entry into
the exotic world of bike tricks confront
inescapable truths: bikes usually only
last a year before being reduced to
powdered rubber and magnesium
shavings, and modifications can be
costly.
Most bikes are based on Japanese
sportbikes because they are relatively
inexpensive, plentiful and well
supported by the aftermarket. Smaller
600s are favored because larger bikes’
power output is too abrupt for the more
finessed control required.
The sanctioned events may partly explain
why motorcycle-related fatalities in
California were down some 28 percent in
2009, at a time when stunting popularity
was rising rapidly.
“It’s only speculation—I have no statistics
to support it—but the (sanctioned) events
may have something to do with it,” says
Officer Nelson.
But the great unanswered question is: do
stunters want legitimacy? Or will they
“Many of the stunts are like ballet,”
points out Kevco—and 160-plus
horsepower is too much for this
particular dance.
Preconception #12: Stunters
are all male
Motorcycling’s fastest-growing
demographic group, females, are
beginning to make their presence known
in the stunting community. Among the
vanguards of this new population are
groups like the East Bay’s ‘Curve Unit.’
What’s it All Mean?
Many veteran riders have joined the
general public in their disdain for stunters,
lamenting the ‘bad image’ they give the
sport. In doing so, they
conveniently forget their own
youth, when they gravitated
toward bikes to express their
own inner rebel.
Each generation, it seems, is
destined to look at youngsters
as somehow less noble, less
honorable than the ideal.
From there a metal cage is added
to minimize crash damage, and the
top of the fuel cell is often pounded
flat with a mallet for use as a perch,
letting the stunter sit on the tank while
performing a wheelie.
Throttle speeds are usually set at 3,500
rpm to prevent sudden deceleration
when the twist grip is snapped shut.
Rear-sprocket sizes are often boosted
by 10 teeth or more, giving stunt bikes
the rapid acceleration they need to
easily hoist the front wheel.
An early modification is to add a
separate brake lever on the handlebar
to control the rear-wheel caliper. This
lets the stunter control wheelies while
standing on the seat or sitting on the
gas tank, putting a conventional rear
brake pedal out of reach. Many of the
bikes have an additional rear- wheel
caliper slaved to this lever.
The simple facts are that
stunters are a product of the
YouTube generation. As such,
they work hard to separate
themselves from old-style
bikers—and each other.
The wheelies get longer. The
stunts become more extreme.
And the crashes cost more.
always gravitate naturally toward a more
counter-culture bearing?
“I tend to dislike organizations,” says
Kevco, who prefers the informality and
freedom of spontaneous 5150 activities,
which include gnarly, mile-long wheelies
on public roads.
Preconception #11: Stunt bikes
are rats
Stunt bikes sometimes look like rat bikes.
In reality, they are often hand built to
But amidst the carnage are common
threads that go back to the first café-racer
rat packs that burst forth in England and
throughout Europe in the ’50s. These guys
are highly skilled riders who love to ride,
are loyal to each other and get a kick out of
thumbing their noses at The Man—often
while balanced on one wheel.
Same as it ever was.
Gary Fackler is a freelance writer based in Newark,
Calif. Send your feedback to him via info@
citybike.com.
Pullen’ a Wheelie
What do a 200-lb Sym Symba Scooter and a 650-lb Harley Sportster have in common?
Damn little, if you really want to know. Except for a brief moment earlier this year
when ace scooterphile Ets-Hokin and
professional stunt rider Jason Pullen
were, by pure good luck, both piloting
their two-wheelers around the parking
lot next to Red’s Java House in South
Beach. October’s CityBike gave you
the honest dope on what this awesome
scooter can do, but this month it’s all
about stunt ride’n, which brings to
mind the amazing acrobatics that Pullen
was pulling off that afternoon, just
practicing to keep his hand in. Wearing
his trademark Otto von Bismarck spiked
helmet and toothy grin, Jason wheeled
and wheelied his Harley around the lot,
alternately burning rubber and throwing
sparks.
—Bob Stokstad
Find out when you can see Jason at
jasonpullenstunts.com
Some bikes have race-inspired, heavyduty triple clamps to help cope with
the load on the frame when the wheel
slams back to the Earth. Custom billet
mounts allow the fitting of additional
calipers to the rear disk.
Stunt-bike engines tend to become
oil-starved during extended wheelies,
since the oil pools in the pan, away
from pickup lines. After a few miles, the
top end can go dry, damaging the valve
train. Some stunters overcome the
problem by using drag-racing pickup
lines, specially modified to pump oil
when it is pooled in the rear end of the
crankcase. Most take the cheaper route,
simply adding an additional quart of oil
to help force feed the oil pickup.
—Gary Fackler
s—
aj
M
Stunting is now mainstream, with
organized events providing clubs with
legitimacy—along with a healthy dose of
respect for their bike-handling skills. An
Stunting Hardware: eBay is
Your Friend
—
“That does happen, but it’s not a common
practices,” admits Kevco, who claims
never to ride without a helmet. “On a hot
day, doing slow-speed stunts in parking
withstand extreme abuse during their
short, hard-scrabble lives.
Crash cages surround the bodywork in an
attempt to preserve fragile plastic parts
as long as possible—though repeated
crashing wins out in the end. A 12-o’clock
New on the stunting scene is the XDL
championship series, which brings together bar helps ward off backward flips and
provides an additional foothold for long
top stunters from across the country to
wheelies. Custom handlebars raise the
compete for cash prizes. The series has
grips above the triple clamps, providing
lent legitimacy—along with sponsorship
cash from Icon, BMW and others—to the ergonomics more conducive to stunting.
stunting scene.
Preconception #6:
They are young kids
Preconception #2:
They crash a lot
Club co-founder ‘Kevco’
(not his real name) sports
titanium rods in one leg
from a bad break, while Edvin has recovered
from a broken collarbone. Both view the
injuries as a necessary part of the stunting
scene.
example of this trend was a July 9 event in
Modesto hosted by the ‘Hooligans MC,’
a stunting extravaganza staged on three
streets closed by town officials to provide a
safe riding venue.
or
Se
r vi
ce —
Per formance Work
—
n
tio
a
or
t
s
Re
European Speci
ali
st
2012 Yamaha Zuma 50F
By Gabe Ets-Hokin,
Photos by Nelson and Riles
“Ring-a-ding-ding!”
No, that’s not Frank Sinatra coming to
visit. That’s the sound of a two-stroke
50cc scooter motor zipping up one of San
Francisco’s hills. It can make it up that hill
because a two-stroke powerplant makes
roughly twice the power of a four-stroke
mill of the same displacement, which means
that for many of San Francisco’s tens of
thousands of scooterists, a cheap, cheerful,
simple 50cc two-stroke steed was all they
needed for years of transport-ainment.
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dust (or more accurately, a big cloud of
blue smoke), but you won’t make friends
with neighbors, cops, old ladies crossing
the street, small children, or anybody else
sensitive to the pollution and noise a tuned
Zuma 50F is every bit as fun to ride as the
older, less socially responsible model. It’s
so light and steers so fast you almost forget
you’re riding anything. It’s fast enough
to keep up with most traffic (though you
should pull over to get out
of the way on long, steep
uphill grades), and it can
fly through corners in ways
a larger motorcycle can’t
imagine.
The chassis is a tube-steel design under
plastic bodywork that offers new features
the C3 and old Zuma lacked. There’s a
telescopic fork in front with a chunky,
semi-knobby 10-inch tire in front, with
a 180mm wave-style brake rotor and
snappy red-painted single-piston caliper.
Handlebars are now moto-style, with an
exposed, replaceable tube handlebar like
the Zuma 125’s. The rear suspension is by
non-adjustable monoshock, with braking
handled by mechanical drum on the
10-inch rear wheel. Seat height has crept
up a bit, to 30.7 inches, but the scooter
is basically the same size. Surprisingly,
claimed wet weight is actually two pounds
less than the 2011 Zuma’s 207 pounds.
Then along comes the mean old Man,
in his many iterations—state, local and
federal agencies looking to clean up the
air and quiet things down. Two strokers
make good power but they also dump a lot
of unburned fuel and burnt-up oil into the
atmosphere. Sure, cleaner-burning twostroke motors can be built, but for whatever
reason, the number of two-stroke scooter
models available in the USA has shrunk
almost to nothing.
The latest victim was Yamaha’s secondgeneration Zuma 50. Immensely popular,
with almost 64,000 sold in the U.S.
since 2002, the Zuma offered sporty
performance at a decent price. Two-stroke
fans will lament the passing of its light
weight and surprising power for such a
diminutive engine size.
2012 lineup. Still, as bland as that bike may
have been, it had a pretty good engine—a
three-valve, liquid-cooled Single with fuelinjection and triple-digit fuel economy. And
the four-stroke design offers advantages
beyond better fuel economy. It’s also cleaner
burning (it even has dual catalyzers to meet
the toughest environmental standards),
runs cooler, has better torque off-idle and
warms up faster. Yamaha claims 132 mpg,
although that insanely economical figure
is based on exhaust-emissions testing, not
actual city riding.
The fun began when Yamaha’s Tim Olsen
explained the demo-ride format. Instead
of your usual lead-and-follow jaunt along
a pre-planned route, a scavenger hunt was
laid out, with photo stops and orders to be
Or will they? For 2012, Yamaha brings us
the Zuma 50F, choosing our hometown
of San Fran to show off how suited it is for
the dense urban
environments it
will call home. At
the tech briefing,
Aaron Bast, one
of Yamaha’s
product planners,
illuminated what
went into the
design.
styling and image kept coming up—along
with a conflicting message about a desire
for rider roominess and comfort.
Two-stroke fans may lament the end of
the oil-burning Zuma but, for the rest of
us, Yamaha’s distinctive bug-eyed scoot
lives on. The four-stroke has all the fun,
character and economy of the old bike, in a
slightly more eco-friendly package. Zumas
will continue to climb San Francisco’s steep
hills and get riders to work and school with
smiles on their faces, even unaccompanied
by the cheerful buzzing and heady aroma of
tuned two-stroke exhaust.
Comfort and styling weren’t ignored. Clear
turn-signal lenses lend a Euro look and the
front brake disc, caliper and rear spring
get hip red highlights. A luggage rack, cup
(or glove) holder, folding bag hook and 23
liters of underseat storage add practicality.
A fuel gauge lets you know when the
Yamaha conducted
focus groups
in the U.S. and
Canada to find out
how 50cc scooter
buyers wanted
their rides to look
and perform.
Turns out that the
Zuma’s audience
is diverse, with
almost 30 percent
female and a huge
distribution in age.
Usage is broad,
too—53 percent
use it primarily
for transportation
to work, school
If there’s a better way to get around a dense urban environment than a 50cc scooter, we haven’t found it yet. Photo: Gabe Ets-Hokin
or errands, but a
third use it mostly
Very few surprises are packed into the 2012 1.2-gallon gas tank under the floorboards
just for fun. When asked why Zuma
is empty. Unlike the C3, there is room
Zuma 50F. The basic platform is lifted
buyers purchased their mounts, styling,
for a passenger, so long as nobody is in a
from the late and maybe not-so-missed
fuel economy and price were heavily
particular hurry.
Yamaha C3 (say “sea cube”), which looked
represented responses. What did they want kind of like a baby casket on wheels and
the bike to look like? Rugged, dirtbike
was unceremoniously dropped from the
price—or a lot less. But Yamaha’s products
exhibit a high level of quality in design,
performance and engineering that justifies
the premium pricing. That’s why thousands
of scooterists love the rugged looks and
sassy character of the little Zuma, and will
accept no substitutes. Eighty thousand of
them since the first Zuma was brought to
the USA, to be exact.
Service & Repair
back by 5:00 p.m. A cake walk for me—I
drove a taxicab in San Francisco for seven
years, and I knew that a small scooter was
the best way to negotiate S.F.’s warren of
narrow, traffic-choked byways. But would
the new four-stroke mill be enough to keep
me alive and happy?
Not a problem. The Zuma’s torquey motor
has good response off the line (though it
seems tuned more for top end than offthe-line acceleration) and will carry most
riders up even the steepest S.F. hills—18
percent grades in some cases. The Zuma’s
rugged looks were matched by brakes and
suspension up to the challenges posed
by S.F.’s potholed, bumpy streets and
criminally inattentive drivers. There was no
spot in the City’s 49 square miles I couldn’t
reach, and I had a great time doing it.
I often wanted more power, especially
when I had to haul my pregnant wife to
the hospital for an appointment, but with a
Zuma 50F, slow as it is, you’re still going to
get anywhere in San Francisco faster than
by bicycle, bus, car or train. The Zuma will
reach an indicated 40 mph or so if you give
it enough room and will return 109 mpg (I
measured fuel consumption after riding an
unbroken-in example hard for 50 miles),
even if you’re riding flat-out, and believe
me, you will be riding WFO.
Sure, you could soup up that two-stroke
Zuma and leave the four-stroker in the
two-stroke emits
(think: leaf blowers—
ugh). It’s also
probably going to give
up a little reliability
when you swap out
the stock parts and
start bolting in those
expensive, delicate
kit exhaust and motor
components.
Clockwise from top: A full-face helmet can go under the seat, 6
Because a scooter
pounds can go on the luggage rack, your groceries can hang from a
like the Zuma isn’t
retracting hook and a cold beverage fits snuggly in the cup holder. Tell
about blasting
us again why you need your car?
around as fast as
Instrumentation is minimal but adequate. Old-school analog odometer
possible. It’s about
is ready for 99,000 miles of cheap thrills, but makes recording fuel
reliability and
economy challenging.
function. Hop on,
thumb the electric
Stop! Slick red-painted caliper and 180mm wave rotor work as good
starter and go. When as they look.
you get to your
Bug-eyed lamps carry on the Zuma styling theme we’ve seen since
destination, squeeze the ‘80s. Focus groups rejected other styling options.
it in between two
cars, toss your fullIt’s not perfect. The seat did get a little
face helmet under the seat and wait for
dreary (but to be fair, I was riding it for
your bus and car-confined friends or
hours on end, which isn’t its mission) and
co-workers to arrive. Gas is cheap—I
it’s really too slow for a passenger, unless
spent $1.36 riding around all day—and
you live somewhere flat and slow-paced.
maintenance is affordable too, with
And I hate to bring it up, but at $2540,
6000-mile valve-check intervals and a
it’s not exactly a bargain (though just $50
tiny amount of oil to change.
more than the 2011 Zuma). Many highBut it’s not just all about cheap and
quality scooters, also built in Taiwan, offer
practical transportation—even the most
similar or more performance for the same
penny-pinching CPA likes to have fun. The
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(408) 945-0911
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CB160 pt. III
rubber kneepads, but as with most 160s
these days, mine arrived with neither. A
Here’s the final installment of our three-part
pair of new reproduction badges can be
series describing one man’s hopeless journey
bought for $100, kneepads—if I could even
through the bleak, vast valley of sorrows
find them—would cost much more. For
that is restoring a vintage motorcycle. Part
financial reasons, and because I wanted
I appeared in November, 2010, Part II in
to differentiate my bike a bit from all the
February 2011. You can read them— free—
rebuilt 160s I’d been ogling online, I opted
at our fine website: citybike.com. Click on
design and fabrication duties for a group
a selection of filthy rubber mallets or
to shape the tank into something simpler,
the“Back Issues” tab. All three parts are
screwdrivers. Shining machined aluminum building the ‘Hexaquad,’ a six-legged
sleeker and more solid. And, it would
written in the style of Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s
bits—rearstand spools, wheel spacers, seat walking robot. I should have put the 160 on turn out, much more labor intensive. By
Notes from Underground, which seemed like
stays—were common kitchen-table décor. the back burner but instead I put it on the
stretching reality to its elastic limit, I could
a really good idea when we started.
front. Where it unequivocally belonged.
I could never fully scrub the stains off my
consider my labor as free.
y Spring I was hanging by a tenuous hands, and my handprints had ruined
Spring had finally arrived, reinvigorating
My ‘workspace’ had first spilled over from
thread. My life had been completely light switches, walls, the refrigerator door
me, and I stepped back to survey what I
the subterranean laundry room into my
handle
and
my
formerly
white
Macbook.
I
overrun; I was driven by demonic
had accomplished. And I had accomplished apartment, now out into the two-foot
had abandoned any sense of normalcy.
wind at my back. A heap of empty brown
much. A hundred small projects, some of
wide strip of woodchips along the rotting
cardboard boxes of all shapes, sizes and
which I have described, most of which I
While the 160 neared completion, my life
maroon wooden fence separating my
hues—remnants of the dozens of parts
was spiraling out of control: I was finishing haven’t. I could write a lengthy story about building from my next-door neighbor’s.
I’d bought—dominated one corner of
any one of these things and still have more Such is the life of a gutter mechanic—you
the last semester in my mechanicalthe living room. Discarded engine bolts
engineering undergraduate program, finals to say.
work with what you have. For the most
peppered the light hardwood floor beside
were looming, my parents would soon
part, my neighbors looked on with muted
the front door, along with dull billets, rods
Okay, I’ll mention one: the tank. The
be visiting from Philadelphia, I was job
(or was that morbid?) curiosity and let me
and sheets of aluminum, multicolored
CB160 came from the factory with smart
hunting furiously, and I had also taken on
carry on.
tangles of small-gauge wire, and often
circular metal Honda badges and integral
Out there in the woodchips, gelatinous,
caustic paint remover viciously stripped
most of the baby-blue paint off the tank,
lifting it in bubbling sheets. I attacked the
holdouts with wire brushes and a sharp
putty knife. I filled in the badge, kneepad
recesses and half a dozen dents with
Bondo; it took six coats to satisfactorily
disguise my artifice—a time-consuming
process, but the result justified the effort.
As a final touch, I machined and welded on
a tank breather.
Words and Photos by David Lander
B
It was finally time to paint. For reasons I
can’t explain, painting was like the small
arrival before the grand finale, a stage
that heralded the conclusion of months
of insane, exhausting labor. And it was
undeniably more glamorous than the
time-consuming rust removal. It produced
something attractive, something I could
immediately appreciate.
It made the whole thing real.
As with the fuel hose, wiring harness,
zip ties and each and every visible bit, I
thought long and hard about the paint
scheme, about the decals, the design, the
brand and the finish of the paint itself. I’ve
always loved the ‘70s era Yamaha red-andwhite scheme, the TZ in particular—no
reason it couldn’t work on my Honda. I
also knew from past experience—bitter
past experience—that hours spent on a
rattle-can paint job can be ruined as soon
as you fuel up: gas eats paint mercilessly. I
eventually discovered an ingenious, twopart clear epoxy topcoat spray paint that
would, the manufacturer claimed, stand up
to gasoline. I said a silent prayer of thanks
when, later on, I found that they hadn’t
lied. The painting itself was smooth and
relatively painless but since I was forced
to bring the parts in from the damp bayadjacent air to dry in front of the gas heater
my apartment was filled with the smell of it.
It was . . . intoxicating.
Finally the dozens and dozens of parts
were ready to be assembled. Slowly at
first, then quickly, a motorcycle began to
emerge. I mounted the tires. I mounted
the wheels. I mounted the swing arm, the
forks, the triple clamps. I hung the engine.
Most things went together smoothly, some
required the gentle persuasion of a rubber
mallet. On went the battery box, coil, fuses,
and the smell of partially burned exhaust.
Then, with one indistinguishable kick
and in one unspectacular moment, while
people worked at their jobs, worried about
their looks, carried on conversations they
wouldn’t remember, the engine caught
and blasted the houses on my street with
I attached the kick-start lever, then
kicked that cursed thing until my
leg ached and my back was sore but it
didn’t even deliver so much as a cough.
new spark plug wires, boots, spark plugs.
I bolted on the petcock and ran the hoses.
I fabricated and mounted a mudguard,
attached fuel- and oil-overflow catch cans.
an unexpected fury. It was the sound I had
waited months to hear, and it was as loud,
or louder, than the fury of the pace that
produced it.
I marveled at the work that had gone
into each and every part, as if it had been
someone else who had done it, not me. I
felt bursts of pride and was not ashamed.
On went the seat, the tank, the clip-ons.
Levers, rubber grips, number plates. I
routed the cables—an unexpectedly
tricky task. I gushed to friends about
my progress but my enthusiasm would
never, could never, be fully understood.
It was as though I was coming home
The ragged thumping of the parallel Twin
was a buzzsaw that would sever one part
of my life from another. I was suddenly on
the other side, and I wasn’t sure how I felt
about that. I slowly let out the unfamiliar
clutch. Near the end of the lever’s release
stroke I felt the plates engage. I had
touched, cleaned, babied and attended to
each and every component in the engine,
and I could picture what each of them
was doing. I was connected to each piece,
the system was crystal
clear in my mind. I let the
plates drag and pulled away
slowly, seeing the crank,
oil filter, tappets and the
intake bores that I’d handworked clearly in my mind.
The flow of fuel and air. I
stayed in first gear as far as
the corner and let the drum
brake bring me to a soggy
stop. I looked around me.
There were no spectators,
no applause, no fanfare or
ticker tape parade. It was a strange feeling,
like a birthday party to which nobody
showed up.
from war, but my only war comrade was
myself. I reflected soberly that all of life is
like this; we can never understand what
others experience, their undertakings,
their victories and failures, their secret
aspirations and the weight attached
to each. I began to understand the
full impact of how far I had drifted.
Sometimes I wondered if it had been
worth it.
The Big Day finally came. I wheeled the
bike, April sun reflecting off the red-andwhite paint job, onto the street in front
of my building. I attached the kick-start
lever, then kicked that cursed thing until
my leg ached and my back was sore but it
didn’t even deliver so much as a cough. I
had feared, but expected, as much; with
so many variables, so many hand-made
parts, it was likely that some small thing
would bring it all to an anticlimactic, silent
halt. Crestfallen, numb, physically and
emotionally exhausted, I rolled the bike
back inside for the day.
For a week I examined every system,
consulted gurus, retraced my steps.
Ultimately it turned out to be the
cumulative effect of a handful of small
problems. As I addressed each glitch, I
kicked the engine over with more violence,
more desperation. I was egged on by the
occasional two or three staccato pops
Q: What do you call riding from Carson City to Fallon to Austin to
Eureka to Ely to Delta to Pioche to Caliente to Rachel to Warm Springs
to Tonopah to Hawthorne to Yerington and back to Carson City?
A: One thousand miles.
Q: What do you call it when you do it in one day? A: Crazy.
A:
The CityBike/Pashnit Tours Nutcracker 1000
Date:
Saturday, Sept 15th, 2012. Arrive on Friday, Ride Saturday,
regroup on Sunday.
Start/Finish:
Carson City, NV
Destination:
1000 Mile loop in any direction in one day, but ending back at
same hotel. Basically Utah border and back in one day.
Stop Locations:
Rachel, Nevada, any historical stops along Hwy 50
Not a group ride, but individual Mutual Destination ride.
Registration to be opened closer to the event and noted in CityBike.
I gunned the engine, guessing at the
rpm, then let the clutch out with more
purpose. The bike lurched forward,
with less vigor than I had expected,
but accelerated quickly. I upshifted
into second, into third, and then, in a
barrage of explosive noise, I was at the
next intersection. I slowly walked the
bike around its giant turning radius and
pointed it back toward home. The engine
idled at uncomfortably high revs.
The afternoon sky was clear and warm,
the sun hung high. My mind emptied of
thoughts of the past, of the future; colors
became vivid, outlines sharp. I imagined
Sergio Leone, tumbleweeds, and thousandyard stares into blinding white horizons,
but my gunfight was already over. But
who had been my adversary? Had it been
me? The 160? I didn’t know. Even if I had,
I couldn’t have said who won, so I twisted
the soft rubber grip and let the violence of
the sound drown out useless thoughts as
my 160 and I picked up speed and shakily
rode off into a wide-open future.
David Lander is now hiding in the hinterlands of
Orange County. Share your cafe-racer build photos
with us: [email protected].
Stay tuned for details!
HERTFELDER
Supermoto 101
differences. The
wheels are usually
sized to 17 inches,
hat motivates a rider to gear
allowing the use
up head to toe in the heat of
summer or the cold of winter to of good street/
swing a leg over a bike? It’s different for all road-racing tires.
of us. For some it’s the allure of twisty roads The front brake
rotor is drastically
and breaking in a new set of knee pucks,
for others it’s a desolate location and miles enlarged and a
four-piston caliper
of single track. Many here in the Bay Area
By Scott Warner, Photos by Erich
Stiegler Insurance Agency
W
ARNING:
W
’S
L
A
R
E
N
MOTO-GE
g
in
m
r
o
f
t
i
b
a
h
e
May b
D
on’t ask me how I know, but I’ll bet
somewhere in your riding career
you’ve dropped your motorcycle
into (pick one) the deepest, slipperiest,
grungiest, smelliest mud holes that ever
existed. It was a mud hole that swallowed
motorcycles then swallowed the tractors
that tried to pull them out.
Do it all in just one lap
cannot suffer being stuck in traffic getting
around the city, and the freedom afforded
by splitting lanes is their motivating factor.
There is even a demographic that cannot
resist lofting the front tire over the crest
before turn 9, spinning the rear tire coming
out of 2, or abusing the rear brake and
leaving a nice black arc exiting one of the
challenging corners at Infineon Raceway.
Leaving the ground altogether and just
soaring over a double after roosting off the
top of a berm gets many folks out of bed
early on weekends this time of year in the
Bay Area. What if you got up to ride one
morning and you could do it all at the same
time?
often replaces
the standard
two-piston dirt
caliper. Typically
the suspension is
set up to be stiffer
and minimize
bottoming under
extreme braking.
Let’s not forget
the slipper clutch
to help keep from
sliding all over the
place.
This hole was in (pick one) Florida, New
Hampshire, Michigan, Arizona or Ohio.
California used to have some but they’ve
dried up and are now used for landfill.
structure, so everyone from the first-time
For those of us who take riding fast
racer to the experienced motocrosser or
seriously, spending time on a Supermoto is
road racer can find a class he or she can
That is where the ultra-versatile, often
the most cost effective, safe and fun way to
be competitive in. No 17s? No problem. A
underestimated Supermoto bike comes in. become a better rider, no matter what your
Sportsman class limits the bikes to stock
‘Motards’ (as they are often called) can be
primary discipline. A multitude of topwheel sizes so people who want to try
found anywhere: on MX tracks, splitting
level road racers cross train on Supermoto
Supermoto can get a taste by just mounting
For the competitive riders out there, this is new tires on dirt wheels. Brian Bartlow
lanes in traffic, flying by during an AFM
bikes—big names like Valentino Rossi,
where it gets really good: Supermoto USA (owner of the Feel Like a Pro racer-rental
race or track day. Hell, check the fire roads Max Biaggi or Nicky Hayden; up and
is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. program, CityBike September 2010) is a
and goat trails, even go find the good, tight comers such as John Herrin, Danny
In case you live under a rock, Supermoto
twisties and you will find one of the many
Eslick and Chris Fillmore. All spend
regular of Supermoto USA events on a
USA is the premier Supermoto racing club sportsman bike and he often beats up on
motard owners enjoying the ability to get
time perfecting bike control through
in the U.S. We are lucky enough to harbor a crowd of folks running purpose-built
a knee down in one corner, charge a set of
supermoto. It’s not uncommon to see
stairs, launch a ditch, and get the rear end
Elena Myers, Tyler O’ Hara, even ex-world this club right here in Nor Cal. A typical
supermoto racers.
weekend of racing, including practice at
stepped out, all within the same ride. When superbike racer Pucho Bagnis at local
Ask Brian—or anyone who has been to a
a Supermoto USA event, will cost under
it comes to riding, some of us just have to
supermoto track days.
Supermoto USA event—and they will tell
$100 for entry fees. That’s a weekend of
have it all and the only cure is a set of road
It’s
affordable,
too.
A
track
day
at
the
you the best part is not the racing but the
racing
for
about
half
the
price
of
a
normal
tires fitted on a dirt bike.
Infineon kart track is only $40. Yes…a $40 track day, and you get more bang for the
people. The Supermoto community is full
For those who do not know, Supermoto
track day. No need to take a day off work
of fun, outgoing racers. You will not find a
buck.
bikes are based on motocrossers, with key
more approachable and extroverted group
Supermoto USA
of moto enthusiasts than the Supermoto
race weekends
Wyatt Farris’s ride started out
USA racers. For the first-time racer there’s
offer riders a
as an ‘09 Yamaha 250F. Then
even a new- racer mentor (me) you can
variety of fun
Mach 1 Motorsports went to
hang with to get to know everyone in the
and challenging
work on it. Besides new rims,
club, and answer any question. For more
terrains.
suspension, exhaust, and
check out supermotousa.com.
Approximately
motor work, a slipper clutch
So there you have it. Looking to do it all?
70 percent of the
and too many other goodies to
Supermoto is the answer. From commuting
track is paved
name were added by Mach1
and group rides, to track days and race
and the other
mechanic Greg Bunting.
weekends, supermoto has something
30 percent is
That’s an extra $12-15K over
comprised of dirt for everyone. Be sure to check out the
the price of the stock bike to
get this top-of-the-line racer.
Supermoto USA races at the International
jumps, berms,
Farris (now 17) has moved
flat track corners, Motorcycle Show in San Mateo on 11/19
on to AFM and WERA road
and 11/20.
whoops, and
racing, but still rides his 250 in
even some crazy
MOTO-GENERAL’S WARNING: May
SupermotoUSA events.
obstacles like the
be habit forming.
Photo: Bob Stokstad
famous “Hump”
and “Bottomless
Scott Warner is SuperMoto USA’s New Racer
Mentor. He was born in the East Bay, where his
Pit.”
or sign up in advance, as they typically run
two Sundays a month. What if you crash?
That’s the best part: it’s a dirt bike. Without
expensive fairings, clip-ons, and rear sets,
your bike will seldom require repairs after a
typical wreck at the track.
Supermoto
USA also offers
a skill, age and
displacementbased class
parents kept him as far from motorcycles as possible
as a youth. Scott has been riding since 2005, and
recently placed in the top 5 at the 2011 Pikes Peak
International Hill Climb. You can contact him via
CityBike: [email protected].
When it comes to mud holes I don’t ever
want to ride anywhere in Ohio during its
notorious monsoon season, because I have
it on good authority that Ohio mud holes
have devoured 99 percent of the Maicos
and M-Stars that were imported into the
United States.
The Mother
Of All
Mudholes
make driving home in the van hazardous.
Keeping a full jar of Ben-Gay in the van to
treat tight shoulder muscles is critical—
unless of course, you know how to turn on
the windshield wipers with your teeth.
I’ll never forget some of my experiences
with these Bermuda Triangle-type
obstacles: one was at a New Hampshire
event where I discovered the state has no
soil—just rocks and mud. That’s why New
Hampshire has no farming, and the state
economy is kept afloat by the sale of duck
decoys and fake Pennsylvania hex signs.
In New Hampshire early-morning
temperatures change with elevation—
every five feet, I believe. During one
motorcycle event the Merrimac Trail
Riders directed the participants from
a freezing high-altitude plateau into a
tropical
If you’ve ever
downhill and
wanted to
into a stretch
know where
of mud that
they went, now
had built-in
you know.
suction. By
the time I
A glacially
finished, my
slow rider like
glasses were
myself usually
steamed so
gets to mud
badly they had
holes after
the clarity of
they’ve already
waxed paper.
been carved
To prevent
out by the fast
parboiling
guys. There are
myself to
no more high
death so far
strips of land
from home,
left where a
I took off
bit of traction
everything
might be found and no more strips of weeds
above
the
belt
and
wished
someone
would
whose roots could provide a little bite. All I
come
along
with
a
camera
to
capture
the
find are frogs sitting in the shallower spots,
image
of
me
steaming
like
an
overworked
dining on whatever is churned up.
horse.
Dragging a motorcycle out of one of these
mud holes too many times in one day can
Keeping a full jar of
Ben-Gay in the van to
treat tight shoulder
muscles is critical—
unless of course, you
know how to turn on
the windshield wipers
with your teeth.
At about the
same time
that the
weather folks
in Manchester
were
recording the
sudden rise in
temperature
that I was
causing,
another rider
came along,
up-shifting
as he hit that
mud hole. He just flew across it as though it
wasn’t there. Then, to rub it in, he stopped
and asked if I was having any trouble. Well I
wasn’t, then—back in the mud was where I
was having all the trouble. That young rider
hadn’t even worked up a sweat and we were
a good dozen miles out from the start line.
Many riders at the Curly Fern were from
the metropolitan Philadelphia and Newark
areas where a limited vocabulary is helpful
when you get winded running from the
police. Four of these fellows, running
on the same minute, dove into this mud
hole with excessive amounts of hope,
determination and speed and smacked
their kneecaps against their handlebars as
their motorcycles stopped dead.
Just before they disappeared in the cloud
of steam from the exhaust pipes, those
riders christened the mud hole with
the name it will have forever: “YOU
MOTHERRRRRRRRRRRRR!”
For a copy of Ed’s latest book, 80.4 Finish Check,
send $29.95 with suggested inscription to Ed
Hertfelder, PO Box 17564, Tucson, AZ 85731.
I predicted then that good things would
happen to Mr. Kevin Hines, and I was
right. (Hines went on to become a National
Enduro champ—ed.)
But the absolute mother of all mud holes
was in one of the Curley Fern Enduros
which are scheduled in March or April,
right after the snow melts. These enduros
feature melting frozen mud. Which is
always good for a laugh.
The name for this particular mud hole,
which lies beside the abandoned Jersey
Central tracks was engraved in the annals
of enduro riding long before Kevin Hines
came along.
1 2 0 4 P ORTOL A AV E • 9 2 5 - 3 7 1 - 8 4 1 3
Is That All There Is?
seven sets of front brake pads and five sets
of rears.
maynard
HERSHON
He said the bike’s best feature
was its “smooth and positive”
transmission. The worst: the
windshield. He removed it on the
way home from buying the bike, and never
put it back on.
love. I sold those motorcycles. I wouldn’t
continue to ride a bike I didn’t enjoy, that
didn’t excite me at the idea of a ride, that
didn’t make me look back when I parked it
and walked away.
Most of Jack’s experience with his KLR
happened in the first decade of the 21st
Century. In this new century, some
n a recent issue of Thumper News, the
aspects of what motorcycling used to be
magazine of the Four-Stroke Single
And he remembers the most common
are gone, sad to say, but we surely can
National Owners Club, Jack Robinson, questions from strangers in far-away places:
select our rides from the finest array of
club founder and president-for-life, writes
Is that mileage for-real? You rode that
motorcycles ever built.
about his years with his Kawasaki KLR650. bike all the way here (from Kansas)? Is it
Jack’s bike was not among the finest bikes
comfortable?
Jack rode that bike 122,000 miles from
ever built. Jack’s KLR was one of the least
November, ‘99, when he bought it new,
He rarely rode over 70 mph, he said,
expensive “full-size” bikes for sale in 1999.
to March of ‘07, when he gave it to his
except when passing. The best fuel
It had not been developed or changed
stepson. Jack recorded everything, from
mileage he realized was 68 mpg crossing except for color in years. What did Jack’s
the number of times he serviced the oiled- the Mojave Desert at 125 degrees. The
bike do for him in their 122,000 miles
foam air filter to how many tires he bought worst was 40 mpg.
together? It did its job and survived.
and their brands.
All interesting stuff, wouldn’t you agree?
It did not suffer abuse nor was it neglected.
Averaging 11,500 miles per tire, he
We seldom hear from long-term owners
It spent its life inside the envelope, well
changed all but one himself, noting that by of unexceptional
doing so he saved $800. His favorite tire
bikes who keep such
painstaking records.
I
combination was Avon Gripster front and
Avon Distanzia rear.
He noted the mileages at which he lubed
the speedometer drive and cable and at
which he replaced the original battery
(81,870). Other service items renewed
include 11 spark plugs (one at a time),
But all those nuts-andbolts statements can’t
compare in fascination,
if you ask me, to Jack’s
next-to-last paragraph
(the last one tells us
what has happened
to the bike since he
sold it). Here is Jack’s
summing-up—exactly
as he published it in his
club magazine: “In all
those miles and smiles,
I would admit that I
never loved this bike...but I loved what it
could do and what I could do with it and
how it served me. Can one ask for more?”
I can. And perhaps you can too.
Over the years I’ve had motorcycles I did
not like—or with which I could not fall in
It was rarely ridden above 70 mph, Jack tells
us. How much do we ask of a watercooled,
dohc, 650cc engine to propel a bike at 70
mph carrying a rider and luggage, even for
122,000 miles? On 26 (Mobil One) oil/
Few of us buy motorcycles for reliable
cheap transportation. We buy them for fun
or sport or as life-enhancement devices.
Why would we keep one that doesn’t
inspire affection?
Our motorcycles should inspire affection.
In the best cases, our motorcycles should
inspire us to believe that they somehow
work with us, thrive on our attentions and
care about us as riders and maintainers. They
should inspire us to believe they have souls.
Our motorcycles should make us solicitous
of their well-being, reluctant or unwilling
to slack on their maintenance, reluctant or
unwilling to pass them along to individuals
who might not appreciate them and treat
them well. Or who simply are unaware of
what they’re buying.
My favorite motorcycles made me feel
like a better rider, a guy who made fewer
mistakes and whose control was so silky
and precise as to inspire joy in rider and
machine. Those machines seemed to
congratulate me on my taste in choosing
them and my class in realizing their worth.
Jack Robinson has ridden and raced
motorcycles, sold motorcycles for a living
and lived a motorcycle life for decades.
Through the club and other endeavors, he’s
provided uncountable miles and days of
enjoyment for uncountable people.
If any one of us deserves to love his
motorcycle, Jack does.
Perhaps not everyone yearns for the sort
of relationship with their bike that I’ve
described in the last few paragraphs.
Perhaps for many of us a simple, affordable
bike, easily owner-serviced, that’ll run and
run without a whimper is as good as it gets.
Because Jack thought to tell us, to admit to
us, that despite the the bike’s unblemished
service record and long life, he couldn’t find
it in himself to love it, I believe that Jack
does indeed yearn for a bike that lights his
fire. He knew all along that his KLR was
not as good as it gets.
Since he sold the bike in ‘07, I know he’s
owned two more singles, both bought new.
Evidently the first of the two was not Mr.
Right Motorcycle. The jury is still out on
the second one.
I wish Jack Robinson success in his
search for a bike he can love. And I
wish the same for my readers. Imagine:
A hundred and twenty-two thousand
miles...and no kiss goodnight.
Maynard may not have mad love for the KLR, but
maybe you do. If so, subscribe to Jack Robinson’s
cheery and entertaining Thumper News, available
to Four-Stroke Singles National Owners Club
(FSSNOC) members. Go to fssnoc.org or mail
a check for $34 to FSSNOC, Inc, PO Box 1809,
Hutchinson, KS 67504.
and took a ride in a tourist bus to see what
could be seen of Yellowstone. It would not
have been the same as seeing it from his
Henderson, but at least he saw the inside
the first National Park in America.
Riding a properly maintained, recently
made motorcycle for over 100,000 miles
isn’t the feat it was a few decades ago. It
is to be expected, I’d say. Reliable but
uninspiring transport for years and miles
isn’t remarkable. It isn’t enough.
I have owned motorcycles that did not give
me those feelings. I didn’t keep them long.
within the designers’ ideas of what a KLR
should do.
dr. gregory w. FRAZIER
Then he had to turn his Henderson around
and go back over the 60 miles of Hades to
Livingston and continue on his mission to
reach New York.
T
he path was nearly 100 years old.
There were no tire tracks, no
marks on trees and nobody who
was alive to remember the motorcycle
trail I followed.
The adventure had been to ride a
motorcycle from Livingston, Montana
to Gardner, Montana and then
intoYellowstone Park. The year: 1913.
after circling
three quarters
of the globe.
My modern
motorcycle had
a five-speed
transmission
while the
Clancy
Henderson
had only one
gear. His top
speed on his
fully loaded
Henderson was
likely close to 35
mph, downhill
on a smooth
surface.
had become
a bicycle and
walking trail.
Trying to
imagine Clancy
I had the magazine article of the adventure and his 1912
Henderson
written by one of the two motorcyclists
who made the trip, Carl Stearns Clancy. He going over the
same section of
was on the last leg of his multi-continent
road 100 years
‘round-the-world’ tour, using a 1912
earlier made me
Henderson motorcycle.
tired, thinking
Yellowstone Park had been designated
of how bad
as a National Park in 1872, so it had been
the road must
around for a while by the time Clancy
have been to
arrived in Livingston. Both a road and a
opt for lifting
railway ran alongside the Yellowstone River his loaded
from Livingston to Gardiner. But the 1913 Henderson
road was closer to a track than the smooth over a rail
paved section I was seeing in 2011.
and then bouncing along the ties. I knew
the Henderson had no rear springs and
Clancy wrote that in 1913 the road was so
assumed that after circling the globe what
bad he tried piloting his Henderson down
spring was left in the front must have
the railroad tracks versus the beating he
been sacked. It must have been a very
was taking on the road.
determined motorcyclist to have vectored
I knew the road had to be bad because I had off his main route across America to try
experienced several railroad adventures
to reach
using
Yellowstone
motorcycles
Park, 60 miles
and none were
out of the way.
comfortable.
In 2011 I could
The first
make the run
challenge was
to Gardiner in
getting the
slightly over
motorcycle
one hour. The
over one rail.
journey for
It was not
Clancy took
simply a matter
a day.
of riding up
Of course, my
and over the
motorcycle
had
40
horsepower
whereas
rail. Instead I had to lift the front wheel of
the Clancy Henderson had a whopping
my Yamaha XT550 while trying to keep
the motorcycle from falling over, and then seven, and that was when it was new, not
the side stand caught, causing me to lose
control of the front wheel I was lifting over
the rail. The motorcycle fell over on its side,
and after righting it, all luggage had to be
removed from the back before I could lift
the rear wheel over.
Of course, my
motorcycle had 40
horsepower whereas
the Clancy Henderson
had a whopping seven...
When I reached the town of Pray, about
halfway between Livingston and Gardiner,
I wondered if the town was around 100
years old and had gotten its name from
Clancy having prayed for better road
ahead.
Clancy reached Gardiner and the entrance
to Yellowstone Park. But his attempt to
ride atop his motorcycle into the Park was
halted by a rule prohibiting motorcycles
from entering. I imagined his sadness when
discovering this after hammering himself
and his motorcycle over the 60 miles and
nearly a day to arrive there and be halted.
Then I reflected on what must have been
some of his other disappointments as he
circled the globe, like arriving in China and
discovering there were no roads, or arriving
in Italy and not being allowed by Customs
officials to take his motorcycle off the boat.
Yet he soldiered on and bent with the wind.
At Yellowstone he parked the motorcycle
Once I had the motorcycle between the
rails and started to drive forward, I soon
learned that there was no smooth spot,
that the motorcycle took a beating, as did
I. It was bone jarring. As soon as I could I
got off the railroad and back on the paths
running alongside, no matter how bad
they were.
As I was looking at the paved road leading
from Livingston to Gardiner, I noticed
where the railroad tracks had been. The
rails had been removed and the track
As I retraced my route and again went
past Pray, I had to laugh. Maybe with the
Internet, social media and this article I
can plant a seed that will eventually lead
to a tale about Carl Stearns Clancy having
been the one who first named Pray—his
praying the second time he passed through
the area that he would never have to see
that ground or those railroad tracks again.
Quite possibly he never did. My following
his route made me appreciate more how
the adventures of today differed from the
adventures of 100 years ago. Clancy had a
whale of an adventure. Mine, following his
tracks 98 years later, were blessed by my
being able to follow his route comfortably
even though he had left no marks, except
possibly the small town of Pray.
Dr. Frazier’s latest book, Motorcycle Adventurer,
has been described as “the true story of the world’s
longest, most difficult and most perilous motorcycle
journey ever attempted,” and “should be a must
read for every red-blooded motorcyclist.” It is about
the first motorcycle ride around the world in 19121913 and can be found at motorcycleadventurer.
com. Watch for news about a 2012 ‘round
the world ride retracing the original route to
celebrate the incredible achievement by Carl
Stearns Clancy, The Clancy Centerary Ride, at
hotizonsunlimited.com.
Serving the
Bay Area’s
motorcycle
needs
since 1988
Award-Winning Customs
Full Service Department
Paint • Parts
Fabrication
Insurance Work
All Makes Welcome
56 Hamilton Drive #A • Novato, CA 94949
415.382.6662 • CustomDesignStudios.com
[email protected]
Reliable but
uninspiring
transport for
years and miles
isn’t remarkable.
It isn’t enough.
filter changes, 11 valve adjustments and 18
air filter services?
Tankslapper
sneer at scooters, and you honestly seem to
get what they’re about. Good job!
Tim
Karryll N
The Cycle Guys.com
The Interwebz
The next three comments were posted on
CityBike’s discussion forum on the Bay Area
Rider’s Forum (bayarearidersforum.com).
I don’t sneer at scooters, as I get the feeling that at
some point it’s all we’ll be able to afford...—ed.
SINGLE-MINDED YOUTH
The IOM article was very nicely written,
makes me want to go there too! More,
please, from that author!
Simon
Reader Paul L. sent in this photo of himself mounted on his Derbi moped, showing us you don’t
need 150 horsepower to have fun. Or even one good horsepower...
I LOVE MAN...AND
COURTNEY’S WRITING
I just finished reading Courtney Olive’s
wonderful article on the Isle of Man (“Isle
of Mankind,” October 2011). I’ve been
I am a rural rider and was out for a spin
Sunday AM on my old XT500 Yamaha. I
have had the old beast for about 20 years
and ride it regularly.
I was on my way home nearly home and
passed a couple bikes going the other
direction. They looked suspiciously
Completely
agree; might
just have been
the best article
I’ve ever read
in City Bike.
Actually the
best Isle of
Mann article
I’ve ever read in
any magazine.
Hella
Strong
Art Direction,
Graphic Design
& Illustration
Geoff
there twice, and reading Courtney’s richly
detailed stories brought back many happy
memories. The sounds, the smells, the
tastes, and the sights of the TT are quite
Hells yes on the
IOM article.
Fantastic
journalism. I
made my wife read it and afterwards she
said, “That was great. I don’t even care
about that but I want to go there now.”
Kegan
We understand Courtney’s an outstanding writer,
but please stop sending in fan mail or he’ll start
asking for more money.—CityBike Accounts
Payable
SYMBA-THETIC SOUL
LOCATION
LOCATION
LOCATION
Use the interactive map
on our website to find the
nearest distribution location!
CityBike.com
• Porting • Polishing •
Cylinder Head
Specialists
In Business Since 1978
All Makes
All Models
All Years
ENGINE DYNAMICS, LLC
Phone 707-763-7519
Fax 707-763-3759
www.enginedynamics.com
• Flow Bench Testing • Competition Valve Jobs •
unique, and Courtney captured the flavor
well.
• Valve Seat & Guide Replacement • Race Prep •
PHOTO OF THE MONTH
Marketplace
2040 Petaluma Blvd. N.Petaluma, CA 94952
familiar so I hung a fast U-turn and
chased them down, catching up at a road
junction. It was a couple guys half my age
riding XT500s as well. They had driven
north from San Fran and up Usal Road (a
legendary dirt road that winds its way through
coastal Mendocino county—ed.) a dirt road
that gave my riding buddy nightmares for
a week. It was great to see someone else on
those old scoots using them the way they
were meant to be used—covered with mud
and ready for more. It was the topper of a
great ride.
Whoever you guys were, keep thumping
Gabe, I enjoyed your thorough review of
along! Screw restoration, ride em!
the SYM Symba (“Sym Symba,” October
2011) and your appreciation for scooters in Yours, Charlie
general. I know you’re one of the “I can ride Lost Coast
anything, anywhere” guys, but you never
I’m Alan Lapp, a 25-year
veteran designer & illustrator.
If you have a need for virtually any
kind of printed work, give me a call.
I’m experienced in publication design,
annual reports, catalogs, brochures,
menus, packaging, direct mail, fashion
advertising, collateral materials, logo
and identity work, stationery, or
anything else you may need.
Great work to follow.
510-295-7707
www.levelfive.com
Reliable, timely service at
reasonable rates on
all makes of motorcycles
890 Second Ave.
Redwood City
CA 94063
92
280
84
101
From 3:14 Daily
Valencia @ 25th
880
237
85
HOURS:
415-970-9670
Tuesday–Friday 9am-6pm • Saturday–9am-5pm • Sunday & Monday–closed
650-367-9000
CLASSIFIEDS
CLUBS
Stock #U11980 2008 Dyna Low Rider in White 12,856 miles
$12,995 + fees
Sales dept.- Great inventory on new Honda and Kawasaki’s as
well as used.
Stock #U00945 2010 Dyna Wide Glide in Black w/ Flames 2745
miles $14,995 + fees
“We buy used bikes or can just help you sell yours. If you’re buying
your first bike, and you recently completed the MSF class, bring
your certificate of completion in and we’ll deduct your tuition from
the cost of your new bike”. Our sales staff all have 35-40+ yrs. in
the industry so we can answer all your questions with out the BS. If
we can’t get you financed, no one can.
Stock #U35724 2007 Softail Custom In Cobalt Blue 17,203 miles
$13,995 + fees
Stock #U23091 2009 Softail Crossbones in Vivid Black 14,708
Stock #U59721 2007 Softail Fat Boy in Red Pearl 2679 miles
$15,495 + fees
Stock #C43586 2009 Softail Fat Boy in Black Pearl 769 miles
$16,195 + fees
OMC
The Oakland Motorcycle Club is the fourth-oldest club in the nation
and celebrated 100 years of continuous operation in 2007. The
OMC is dedicated to supporting the sport of motorcycle riding. We
are a diverse group of male and female riders with a wide variety of
motorcycles, including street, dirt, and dualsport bikes. We sponsor
and organize the following annual events to which all riders are
invited: Sheetiron 300 Dualsport, held in May; Three Bridge Poker
Run, held in July; Jackhammer Enduro, held in October. Regular
club meetings are held every Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. Guests are
welcome. 742 – 45th Avenue, Oakland. (510) 534-6222. www .
oaklandmc .org .
Stock #U59453 2007 Softail Deluxe in Vivid Black 25,801 miles
$14,875 + fees
Stock #U20445 2008 Softail Deluxe in Crimson Red Pearl 3390
Stock #U62264 2006 Softail Heritage Classic in Green & Black
18,049 miles $14,645 + fees
Stock #U86421 2007 Softail Heritage Classic in Red & Black
Pearl 7826 miles $15,265 + fees
Stock #U66215 2005 Road King Custom in White Pearl 27,300
Stock #U04165 2006 Road King Classic in Blue & Silver 22,120
Stock #U05390 2008 Road King Classic in Vivid Black 16,694
The Classic Japanese Motorcycle Club is dedicated to the celebration
and preservation of the Classic and Vintage Japanese motorcycle.
We have rides, meets, shows, swaps and can help you find and sell
parts, bikes and motorcycle-related services. Members make the
club function!
www .CJMC .org .
The Ducati Vintage Club was founded to assist vintage Ducati
MC (1987 and older) owners with information and resources to
preserve, resurrect and bring these MC’s back to the road! Owners and
enthusiasts are welcome to join. We meet once monthly at the Ducati
Bike Night event and we sponsor the annual European Motorcycle
Show and Swap held in March at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds,
the La Ducati Day Concorso held in LaHonda each October and more.
Visit us at www .ducativintageclub .com
$6,995 2008 Suzuki GSXR600 9,150 miles
New 2010 Honda GL1800 Gold Wing Was: $25,399 Now:
$22,799 NO FREIGHT OR PREP CHARGES!! Comfort pkg., Navi
system, premium sound, metalic black.
$3,295 2008 Suzuki GS500 7,533 miles
2008 Victory Premium Low $10979 This bike is beautiful, Tons
of factory custom options, Lowered, Hydaulic clutch, custom pipes,
lots of chrome and more, only 5000 miles
2010 Kawasaki EX250 Ninja, green, ONLY 200 miles $4999 No
freight, no set up, no lic. fee’s, just tax, dmv transfer and doc fee.
Still under factory warranty.
2005 Honda CRF450, EXTRA EXTRA CLEAN, $3999
2006 Yamaha YZF250 $2799 Very clean, well maintaind
$2,995 2001 Kawasaki ZX7R Ninja 22,567 miles
The new 2012 KTM’s are arriving weekly.
2008 Harley-Davidson FXD Low Rider Anniversary 6k miles
$11999 #483 of 2000 Thunder Header, copper/blk. perfect.
$6,495 2009 Kawasaki ZX6R Ninja 14,520 miles warranty
The new 2012 Honda and Kawasaki Motorcross bikes are in stock
now!
2009 Road King Custom, Pewter, 52567 miles, with cruisecontrol; Ready for the Highway, $14,995`.
2009 Dyna Low Rider, Black Pear, 31379 miles, unusual color,
$ 9,895.
1992 Dyna Datona, Gold/Blue, 13210 miles, special edition,
one-of-a-kind, $8,995.
2009 XR1200 Street Bike, HOT Orange, 8027 miles, limited
number, $8,995.
Honda
2007 Shadow 750, Black, 29242 miles, a solid bike, $3,995.
2006 Gold Wing 1800, Titanium, 48251 miles, many extras-get
out on the Hyway,$16,895.
Kawasaki
2008 Vulcan 900 Classic, Beautiful Red , 10020 miles, a street
cruiser, $ 5,795.
Yamaha
2007 V-Star Classic, Black, 650cc, 685 miles, a great starter
bike, $4,699.
2008 Road Liner, Tan, 11590 miles, looks new, cruise in style,
$9,599.
Many other colors and models to choose from.
Please call us at 415-503-1900.
Financing, Cash deals and Trade-Ins are always accepted.
Free rental with purchase of a used bike.
Stock #U05306 2010 XR1200 in Mirage Orange 1312 miles
$9995 + fees
Stock #U20778 2007 XL 883 Low in White Gold 3996 miles
$5775 + fees
Stock #U03906 2011 XL 883 Superlow in Birch White & Sedona
Orange 796 miles $8895 + fees
Stock #U62024 2007 XL 1200 Nightster in Orange & Black
17,295 miles $8125+fees
Stock #C28913 2009 XL 1200 Nightster in Vivid Black 2909
miles $9999 + fees
$4,595 2009 Kawasaki Vulcan VN900 17,684 miles
FREMONT HONDA
KAWASAKI
Service dept.- If you have your bike serviced and live within the
tri-city area, we’ll pick your bike up and deliver it back at NO charge.
While we are an OEM Honda- Kawasaki service center, we do offer
service on all makes and models. Our tech’s all average over 25 yrs.
in the industry [one over 40 yrs.] so you know the job gets done right
the first time. Oil change, ANY make or model $17.99 plus parts !
Parts dept.- Since Fremont Cycle Salvage moved in next door,
we’ve combined all new accessories into one dept. Same old
smiling faces and personality as well as the brand names your
looking for. Arai, Icon, HJC, Joe Rocket, Alpinestar, Speed &
Strength and still get your tires at 20% off MSRP. Mounting and
balance is free when you bring wheels off bike.
$5,695 2006 Honda CBR600RR 5,896 miles
$2,495 1988 Honda VLX600 26,807 miles
Check our web site for more details:
www .themotorcafe .com
‘06 BMW K1200LT 51,447 mi. $9,999
1955 Zundapp 600cc: Restored to perfection. National award
winner. Black. $25,000. Serious inquiries only.
We will provide the safest way for you to get cash for your
motorcycle or scooter. It only takes about 20 - 25 minutes.
Three Trials Motorcycles for Sale! 70cc, 250cc and 350cc. Call
415/781-3432
Sign up on our mail list to get NEW INVENTORY NOTIFICATIONS in
our weekly e mail newsletter.
CITYBIKE BACK ISSUES!
MOTORCYCLES! BEST USED
SELECTION IN S.F.!!!
For sale: Old CityBike mags! From Early ‘90s to current (some
years incomplete). $0.50 each. Call (916) 203-7526 (Davis). Also
available: Friction Zone and the other SF motorcycling publication.
2010 BMW S1000RR $13,999 Miles: 6327 With traction control,
ABS, and containing race, sport and slick modes for any situation
a rider might be in, the S1000RR is an amazing machine. Includes:
Rear stand spools, frame and bar-end sliders, and aftermarket
radial levers.
PARTS AND SERVICE
2002 BMW R1100S $5,995 The BMW R1100S is a great standard
touring bike. The 1100 cc’s will get you anywhere you want to go,
even with a passenger. BMW has combined both comfort and
versatility into a really reliable bike.
ADDICTION MOTORS
2003 DUCATI MONSTER1000S IE $5,265 Miles: 22,277 Custom
exhaust, bar end mirrors, and tons of carbon fiber.
1998 DUCATI ST2 Sport Touring $4,595 Miles: 5,808 It was
Ducati’s introduction of the ST2 in 1998 that was their inaugural
year into the sport-touring segment of motorcycles. They “intended
to take the best of the Italian firm’s traditional high-performance
heritage, along with their distinctive styling elements, and turn
them into an ultimate, yet comfortable sport-touring machine.” By
combining a padded, dual seat with raised handlebars for a standard
riding position, not only do you have a quality bike, but you also have
an extremely comfortable ride.
2006 HONDA CBR1000RR $5,999 Miles: 11,258 Received a full
service including valve adjust, coolant change, oil change, brake
fluid change, spark plugs, air filter, brake pads and a new battery.
‘03 Ducati ST4S 22,150 mi. $6,499
‘08 Ducati 1098S 5,505 mi. $14,995
Addiction Motors is proud to present our team of hand-selected
repair technicians here to
provide you full service for your Japanese and European
motorcycles.
• Full service on most Japanese and European makes and models.
I’m Bobby Simon, formerly of Subterranean Cycles giving you
excellent service in the East Bay.
• Servicing for dealerships since 1996, Lawrence Giardina has
likely kept your finer motorcycle running well for years. See LG
Moto for the experience you deserve.
‘02 Honda VTX1800C 38,111 mi. $6,299
‘07 Honda Spirit 750 8,611 mi. $4,999
*Motorcycle Service and Repair*
IRON HORSE
1998 Harley Davidson Fat Boy- Price: $10,299.00 DescriptionS&S Super B, Python pipes, Turquoise and white custom paint on
Fat Bob tanks, Bag Stand Offs.
2002 Harley Davidson Softail, “Deuce”, Model FXSTD- Price:
$17,499.00 Description Custom Paint, V&H Sweeper Pipes, Hi-Flow,
Legend Air ride, Ness Wheels, 6 Speed, 23895 miles
1995 Harley Davidson Custom Fat Boy Model FLSTF- Price:
$11,499.00 Description: Hi Flow/Thunder Header PM Breaks, and
Rotors, PM Pulley, Billet Dash, 12,467 miles, Recent Full Safety
Inspection, Fluid changes. Color: Black and Brown with Gold
outlining flames.
‘06 Suzuki C90 13,752 mi. $6,999
2011 KAWASAKI NINJA 250 $4,249 Less than 500 Miles!!!
Special Edition Color Pearl White and Ebony, excellent condition,
with Installed Frame Sliders! Stock # U1137
2007 HONDA SHADOW 750 SPIRIT $4,599 Only 4,123 miles!
Saddlebags, short pipes, and jet kit installed! Stock # U1135
2007 KAWASAKI NINJA 250R $2,999 Only 8,591 miles! Metallic
Phantom Silver, one of the best beginner bikes around! Stock #
U1123
2006 CRF70F $1,499 Less than 1 hour of ride time and has never
seen the dirt! Super Clean and Super Fun!!! Stock# C465
2005 YAMAHA V-STAR 650 $3,499 21,206 miles and still going
strong! Charcoal Silver, Silverado. Stock # U1127
2007 Sportster 883 Low- Price: $8,999.00- Added 1200 kit,
Buell heads, 551 Cams, Screaming Eagle Exhaust, Heavy breather.
Color-Brown. 5859 miles
2004 HONDA HELIX 250 $2,699 Only 830 miles! Yellow scooter
with TONS of Storage and locking trunk! It is very comfortable for 2
people. Stock # U1130
2011 Street Bob- Price: 13,999.00- Color Black- Stock. (If the
customer says that SJHD sales the Street Bob for 13k, the response
is- They will also charge you $750.00 freight, $300.00 license fee
and tax $1,170.00 . Bringing the bike up to- $15,220.00)
2003 HONDA REFLEX W/ ABS $2,499 21,878 miles and awaiting
more! Plenty of power for two-up freeway riding with Antilock
Brakes, lots of storage and extra Givi trunk. Stock # C442
2005 Iron Horse, “Texas Chopper”, Model TX: Price$14.500.00 (Black) Options: Legend Air Ride, S&S 117 Cl All
polished motor, hi-flow, “spear” custom air cleaner, less than
2000 miles
1990 Softail Standard, Model FXST- Price: $7,299.00. Options:
Hi Flow, aftermarket slip on pipes, carbureted, SHARP (Brown w/ red
trim), 55,931miles Lic. Plate# 16R8238
1990 FZR400 $3,399 Only 11,568 miles! Black and Silver Fun
sportbike in a small package! Stock # C456
Prices do not include government fees, dealer freight/setup fees
(new vehicles only), taxes, dealer document preparation charges
or any finance charges (if applicable). Final actual sales prices will
vary depending on options or accessories selected.
Check out and compare our bikes
online at www .missionmotocycles .com!
2008 Custom Softail, Model FLSTC- Price: $17,050.00, Options:
113 S&S motor, Vance & Hines pipes, hard bag conversion, Loaded,
Only 903 miles. (Black w/red flames) (Was 18k, dropped down to
$16,500.00)
Moto Italiano’s
Ducati of Santa Cruz
(Notes: Harley Motors- 2006 and below have an 88 sized motor
=1450cc and 2007 and newer have a 96 sized motor=1580).
Come down and see us! Vintage Italian Motorcycle Museum, Full
Service Department, Conveniently located right off Highway 1 @
Soquel Ave
Tuesday Through Saturday 10am to 6pm
3600 Soquel Ave
Santa Cruz Ca 95062
(831)465-6686
J&M Motorsports
2006 KTM Supermoto 950SM- Black, Steering Dampener,Perf.
Exhaust, Racing Seat, Windscreen, Luggage. Clean! 9K miles.
$6999+tax and license.
1931 Old Middlefield Way
#201
Mountain View
2007 Ducati SBK 1098 Tricolore-Limited Production, Termi
exhaust, Carbon Trim, Forged Wheels,10K miles. $15,990+ tax
and license.
www .jm-ms .com
2008 Ducati Hypermotard 1100S - Stunning, must see. Carbon
Cowling, Tank Panels and Trim. Full System Termi Exhaust with
Performance ECU and Filter, Forged Wheels, Speedy Moto Frame
Sliders, Corbin Seat, Ducati Performance Windscreen. Super
clean and only 3845 miles. 1st service completed. $13995+tax
and license.
650-386-1440
$4,495 2009 KTM 250XCF
$4,995 2007 Yamaha Vstar 1100 Custom 10,941 miles
$5,495 2007 Yamaha Vstar 1100 Classic 8,615 miles
Supermoto USA was formed in 2001 as the new sport of riding
small, light, flickable dirtbikes with slick tires and firmer suspension
on asphalt came into its own. Running on small-format (kart) tracks
all over the west, we offer easy-going classes and rental bikes to
introduce people this amazing, affordable, and really exciting blend
of dirt and street technologies. See www .supermotousa .com if
you like doing fun stuff on a motorcycle.
‘08 KTM 450 XC-F OHV $5,299
• Tires • Service •Insurance estimates
Monthly bike storage available
Have an old Japanese
moto collecting dust
in the garage ?
Let HONYASUKA MOTORCYCLE REPAIR put it back on
the road , Doesn’t matter how long has been sitting there. No job
too big or too small . 30 years experience, plenty of parts hanging
around here, too.
Name:
Address:
City:
e-mail:
State:
We charge $65 dollars per diagnostic. Hire us to do the repair, and
we’ll credit this amount to the final bill.
Manuel (510) 712-3411
* As seen on the Discovery Channel *
ROCKRIDGE TWO WHEELS
5532 San Pablo Ave
Oakland, CA 94608
Need new rubber? Rockridge Two Wheels is offering a $50 mount
and balance with the purchase of two tires. Factory techs. 40+
years experience. Full service facility.
Features
‘07 Yamaha R6 3,929 mi. $7,799
‘06 Yamaha TTR250 OHV $1,899
‘09 Yamaha V-Star950 32,210 mi. $6,399
The Zen House
170 Main Street
Point Arena, CA 95468
707-882-2281
TheZenHouse .net
MONROE MOTORS
SAN FRANCISCO’S OLDEST AND BEST MOTORCYCLE SHOP
-- SINCE 1958
412 Valencia Street, 415/626-3496 www .munroemotors .com
Tues-Fri 9-6, Sat 9-5
USED BIKES
2006 Ducati Multistrada 1000 S $8995 Awesome do it all
machine! This one is set up really nice. Full set of DP hard luggage.
Termignoni cans and ECU. Carbon fibre rear tire hugger/shock
protector. Zero Gravity windscreen. Of course it came standard with
the yummy Ohlins suspension and ubiquitous dry clutch. Get on and
git! 20500 miles.
VIN# ZDM1VABP56B017741
2010 Ducati Streetfighter S $16995 Immaculate used
Streetfighter! One owner who only used it to go to church on
Sunday and the occasional bake sale. Bone stock and ready to
rock! 1200 miles. She’s sexy and seventeen(thousand) VIN#
ZDM11BEW0AB000827
1967 Moto Guzzi V7 $15000 1967 MOTO GUZZI V7, This is the
first twin Moto Guzzi made. The infamous air-cooled 90 degree
V-twin with a longitudinal crankshaft orientation and the engine’s
transverse cylinder heads. Tastefully restored, you won’t find another
one as clean! VIN# 1381
2007 Triumph Bonneville $7295 Stunning black and white Bonnie
up for grabs! You know you want it. Yes, yes you do. 7890 miles
VIN# SMT910K157T292782
SF MOTO
255 8th Street at Folsom in San Francisco: 415/255-3132, www .
sfmoto .com . Located in the SOMA (South of Market) neighborhood
in San Francisco, California we provide the bay area with new
and used motorcycles, scooters, service,and gear. We have an
overflowing inventory of used sportbikes, cruisers, supermoto,
and scooters. Lots of options for financing as well. Our Service
department has INCREASED operating hours. Every weekday
morning service now opens at 8:00 a.m.
AMERICAN CUSTOM
MOTORCYCLE PARTS
Large Parts Inventory for American V-Twins
Full service on all American-made bikes
Machine Shop & Welding
925-689-9801
2395 H Monument Blvd, Concord
1986 Ducati F1B Low Miles; Valves Just Adjusted and Belts
Replaced; New Tires; Mikuni Carbs; Fast by Ferracci High
Performance Race Motor; Extra Set of Race Bodywork. 5,991 Miles
$8,000
1964 Triumph Bonnieville; “Bridget” The Quintessential British
Motorcycle! Less than 1000 Miles on Full Restoration and Rebuild;
New Concentric Carbs; Stainless Spokes; 12 Volt Boyer Ignition;
Needs Nothing!
Ready to Show or Ride! $9,500
1968 Triumph TR6C Less than 300 Miles on Engine Rebuild;
Upgraded to Bonnieville Head with Dual Carbs; Excellent Running
Condition; Complete Bike Ready for Full Restoration or Weekend
Rides!! $3,450
2006 BMW K1200S Very Clean; Never Dropped; MRA Windshield;
Expandable BMW Saddlebags & Tank Bag; Good Pirelli Tires;
Optional Bar Risers available at additional cost; Ready to Ride!
46,716 Miles $7,200
1988 Honda NT650 Hawk Single Owner Bike! Never Raced or
Dropped! Excellent Condition! Rear-sets; Clip-ons; Fox Shock;
Stainless Break Lines; Frame Sliders; Soft Bags; All original Parts
Included, Plus Extra Set of Wheels, Ramp & Stands 19,800 Miles
$4,200
Mind-Blowing Custom Paint Since 1988
Visit Our Showroom!
V-Twin Service, Repair, Parts, & Fabrication.
Harley Factory Trained Tech.
DNA Motor Lab, LLC
DNA specializes in affordable scooter/motorcycle repair (including
Chinese) in the SF Bay Area. We provide services on-site or pickup.
510-473-7349
Please remember that our service department opens early every
weekday morning at 8:00 am.
Now we have a direct phone line into the service dept: 415/861-7196
LoJack is on SALE. Buy the LoJack anti theft system at SF Moto and
SAVE $250. (While supplies last or till August 31th. 2011.) Come
in for details.
The Sales department says:
We buy used motorcycles and scooters, we can also help you sell
your ride with our no cost consignment program.
Motorcycle Performance Parts, Accessories, Services.
Low price on Tires!!!
We will PRICE MATCH with any store.
MOTORCYCLE STORAGE AND
RENTALS IN SAN FRANCISCO
FRISCO VINTAGE
Vespa Service & Repair
2-stroke shifty only. 30 years experience. Great rates.
No job too small. In San Francisco. By Appointment.
info@friscovintage .com
Phone : 408-298-8887
1391 N. 10th St
San Jose CA 95112
Email: info@motogio .com
www.motogio.com
SAN FRANCISCO AND BEYOND:
DAVE’S CYCLE TRANSPORT
The Old Man
The Old Truck
Dave is working
www .MotoTireGuy .com
Motorcycle Tire Services
San Francisco - Bay Area
Dave’s Cycle Transport
San Francisco-Bay Area and Beyond...
24 Hour Service
(415)824-3020 — www .davescycle .com
(415) 601-2853
Motorcycle & ATV Hauling
Please visit website for details.
Enclosed and Secure Transport
Sonoma, Marin, Napa & Mendocino Counties
Quality Motorcycles
mcmotorcycle@att .net
235 Shoreline Hwy.
Mill Valley CA
THE UNDERTAKER
(415) 381-5059
Motorcycle towing system. No trailer, no tires, no tags. No parking
or storing. Check it out at www .TowYourBike .com . 925/413-4103.
Dirt Bike or Cruiser.
We’re not afraid of your old bike.
WHEELS AND DEALS
ACCIDENT OR INJURY?
RABER’S BRITISH MOTORCYCLE PARTS AND SERVICE
We offer parts and service for Triumph, Norton, BSA, Amal, Lucas.
In-house cylinder boring, valve jobs, surfacing and much more.
1984 Stone Ave.
San Jose, CA 95125
Phone (408)998-4495
Fax (408)998-0642
Galfer Braking
Rotors, Brake lines, Pads, Street, Race, Off-road, Super-Moto
PashnitMoto is one of the largest Galfer Braking dealers in the USA.
Colored brake lines, custom lengths, Wave Rotors. 50 Pages of
part numbers.
www .PashnitMoto .com or call 530/391-1356
My ride was stolen last night after only a week living in this new area
(San Francisco). 5 other bikes on the block untouched. As I walked
away from the bike last night I thought, should I put on my disc lock?
The answer was yes. I should have.
Just in case some idiot attempts selling or parting it here are the
details:
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!
www .rabers .com
1999 Yamaha R1, blue, 4.6K miles, Öhlins, Race Tech, Graves
rearsets, V&H slip-on: $3950. Also, ‘97 Aprilia RS250 & ‘99 R6
track bikes: prices negotiable. 408/343-0381/921-9689.
STOLEN!
Please mention this ad and you will receive an additional 5% off on
your purchase.
Tues-Fri 11-6, Sat 8-5
2003 Suzuki SV1000S, silver. One original owner, still on first set
of tires! Just 3000 miles, like new. Other items available. $4500. Ask
for Otto: tthrnndz@yahoo .com
Asking Price and more info: call Mr. X at 415/730-8268
Enter these contacts into your phone now,
while you are thinking about it, so that you
will have them when you need them .
www .mcmotorcycletransport .com
Never worry about theft, vandalism, weather damage or parking tickets.
DUBBELJU MC RENTALS, San Francisco’s oldest motorcycle rental
shop, offers safe storage for your bike in our shop at 689A Bryant St.
Not only is it a great shop to store your motorcycle but we have cool
rental bikes as well; BMW, Triumph, Harley, Honda, Suzuki, and even
Yamaha scooters. Keep us in mind when your bike is in the shop or you
have a friend come in to town. Be sure to check out our web site: www .
dubbelju .com and see all the things we have going on. 415/495-2774.
2005 BMW R1200ST 8000 miles. Graphite and Silver. One Owner.
Bought New in 2005. Always garaged. Below list: $9000. 415/7135602. cliffsteele@msn .com
Check out GODSPEED at: www .godspeedoakland .com
TOWING
707-843-6584
What’s New:
In the Service department:
High Performance Motorcycle Repair & Gear Shop
Lets Ride hosts motorcycle track days at Buttonwillow Raceway,
and in July at Thunderhill Raceway. Riders can choose from one
of three riding levels; Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced. Visit
www .LetsRideTrackDays .com, or call 800-482-8848 for more
information.
24 hour Roadside Pickup
Insured & Licensed
2007 Honda CR85 Low Hours; Pro Taper Bars & Triple Clamp; N
Style Graphics; Acerbic Hand Guards; Serious Power in a Small
Package! $1,460
We also offer motorcycle storage! Includes battery tender to keep
your bike ready to ride! Call for rates.
MOTO GIO
www .dnamotorlab .com
DUBBELJU
1969 Ossa Pioneer Lots of new, original parts, matching numbers,
$1000 as is. Owen at 831/426-5107.
Bar plus Small Cafe
Scotts Valley Motorcycle
Service Center
(831) 438-6300 Tues.-Sat. 10am-5pm
Custom Design Studios
1974 Yamaha Trial 250 Clean, Original Condition; Easy Starting;
Good Running; Minor Tank Dents; Street Legal with Current Tags;
Great Coastal Bike; Have Fun while Saving Gas Money! Ride it Away
Today!! 15,199 Miles $1,440
USED MOTORCYCLES:
For all your Bay Area Vespa / Piaggio / Aprilia needs
Two Fully Built-Out Businesses in One Location
MOTO TIRE GUY
1998 Honda Shadow ACE Tourer VT1100T Touring Windshield;
Crash Bars; Luggage Rack; Back Rest; Towing Package; Upgraded
Electrical System; Recently Serviced; Lots of Extra Maintenance
Parts (i.e., filters, oils, etc.); Nice, Classic Bike at a GREAT PRICE!!
$2,999
2000 Kawasaki KLR650 Durable On/Off Road Motorcycle!
Scorpion S/T Tires; Tall Windshield; Custom Military Hard Bags; Go
Anywhere with Confidence! PRICED TO SELL!! 32,000 Miles $1,450
rockridgetwowheels .com
510 594 0789
4865 Scotts Valley Dr., Scotts Valley
(408) 299-0508
jim@advcyles .com — www .advcycles .com
vespawalnutcreek .com
925 938 0600
+/- 5,000 square foot building
All aspects of motorcycle service and repair
1135 Old Bayshore Hwy
San Jose, CA 95112
DUCATI SUZUKI KAWASAKI YAMAHA HONDA
‘09 Yamaha WR250X 5,086 mi. $4,799
Aprilia, KTM, and BMW Service and Repair
Located at 44 Harbor street, San Rafael
Open Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm
(415) 454-RIDE
Zip:
FOR SALE: GODSPEED
MOTORCYCLES IN
OAKLAND!
530 Peralta St, West Oakland
Just off 7th St , between the Post Office & Bart Station
Come check us out
‘07 Suzuki GSXR750 8,215 mi. $6,499
2011 KAWASAKI CONCORS 14 $15,599 Only 2,443 miles! Silver,
Excellent Condition, Traction Control, ABS, Heated Grips, Lowered
Seat and much more! Stock # C458
2010 VICTORY KINGPIN $11,999 Only 460 miles! Two-tone
Ocean Blue/Sandstone, Kingpin cruising with an Arlen Ness Stage 1
Kit Installed! Stock # U1114
1995 Custom Softail, Model FLSTC- Price: $13,900.00 (Black &
Red/Orange Flames) Options: 113 S&S motor, Vane & Hines pipes,
custom paint, only 25,401 miles.
‘10 KTM Duke 690 500 mi. $9,499
PRE-OWNED VEHICLES
2006 Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Low-.Price: $7199.00
9431 Miles –Description: Forward Controls, Carbureted, Hi Flow,
Thunder Header, Dakota digital Information Center, Billet Grips and
Mirrors, Removable Sissy Bar. Color: White, Black, orange striping.
2001 Deuce- Price: $10,500.00 – Black and burgundy or red, 25k
miles. 95”two into one pro pipe, hi flow, wind vest shield, custom
Tach. Lic. Plate# 15N8298
‘04 Kawasaki VN2000 2,617 mi. $6,499
Our Service Department will check your tire pressures for free
whenever you bring in your motorcycle, scooter, or ATV for servicing
or repairs.
2011 KAWASAKI NINJA 250 $3,999 Less than 500 Miles!!! All
Black, excellent condition, with installed Frame Sliders! Stock #
U1138
2004 Custom STX- Price: $14,500.00 110 Rev Tech motor, less
than 1,000 miles Color-Red, white black and gray
‘10 Honda Fury Lmtd. 3,950 mi. $9,999
‘07 Kawasaki ZX6R 7,600 mi. $6,499
2008 Harley Davidson Street Glide- Price: $17,499.00
Description-Pearl White, Hi Flow, Chrome Front End, Profile Wheels,
12,409 Miles.
2000 Heritage Softail Custom- Price- $13,999.00 Pearl white
with hard back kit added, Hi flow pipes, 95” motor, wind vest shield,
Custom Tach. 8,200 miles
‘08 Honda Aero 750 5,246 mi. $5,299
1st Saturday of the month is BROWN BAG SATURDAY! Get it in the
bag and get 15% OFF! Any Parts or Accessories in stock are 15% off
the marked price! One bag per customer, so get as much stuff as you
can and Have Fun while Saving Money!
ZERO Electric Motorcycles available here at Mission Motorcycles.
The UX (Urban Cross) and MX (Motocross) models are $1000.00
OFF!!! Call to schedule a Demo Ride (650) 992-1234 ZERO
Motorcycles qualify for the 10% Federal Plug-in Vehicle Tax Credit
AND a Sales Tax Deduction!
21050 Mission Blvd. Hayward, 94541
(510) 581-5315
Introducing
Marin Moto Works!
2007 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 classic 3000 miles $5999
Call Bill Keys 510-661-0100 ext.115 or
E-mail bill@fremonthondakawasaki .com
Multi Valve 450cc and up
Cyl. boring on H.D. only
510/594-0789
ADVANCED CYCLE SERVICE
6232 Mission Street Daly City, CA 94014 (650) 992-1234 www .
missionmotorcycles .com
Knucklehead
Panhead
Iron Sportster
Shovelhead
Evolution
Twin Cam
Reach thousands of Northern California motorcyclists. Just $15 for 25 words, 25¢
each additional word. Photos add $25. Industry classifieds are a higher price. Free
25-word listing for stolen bikes. Deadline is the 3rd of each month. Just fill out the
form, or copy and send it with your check, payable to CityBike 69A Duboce, San
Francisco, CA 94103
‘02 Honda Sabre 26,650 mi. $3,499
‘07 Honda CRF450R OHV $3,999
MISSION MOTORCYCLES
Since 1956
‘07 HD Road King 15,810 mi. $13,999
‘07 Honda Spirit 750 8,534 mi. $4,999
Prices do not include government fees, doc fees, lic., taxes, dealer
freight/set up fees (new only) or finance charges (if applicable)
options and accessories extra
CityBike Classifieds
• Let James at SpaMoto give you that Look, that Sound, that FEEL.
SpaMoto - Motorcycle accessorizing and detailing at Addiction
Motors in Emeryville.
‘06 Honda Aero 750 3,505 mi. $4,999
41315 Albrae St. 510-661-0100 Fremont, CA. 94538
510-661-0100
*The only northern California dealer to receive the 2009
“Honda Counsel of Excellence” Award.
Check out some of our used inventory
Bring your bike, title (or loan statement), owners handbook and
keys. It’s OK if you still have a loan on your bike we can still take
care of you.
1998 Honda VTR1000 Super Hawk 33000 miles $2999 Runs
great, straight
USED BIKES:
2007 Road King, Black/Silver, 24739 miles, a two-tone beauty
with S&S pipes, $14,299.
!! The Motor Cafe’s KTM Fall Sale !!
KTM financing rates as low as 4.49% OAC
2001 Honda CBR600 F4i 25000 miles $4999 This bike is perfect,
red/white, not a scratch Galfer rotors, steel brake line Vortex billet
triple clamp, exhaust.
2008 Electra Glide, Flame Blue, 52436 miles, cruise in style,
$13,995.
THE MOTOR CAFE
$2,995 2001 Kawasaki ZX7R Ninja 22,567 miles
We have been serving San Francisco and the SF Bay Area for 15
years.
www .motoitaliano .com
1999 YZ250F $1499 Great first dirt bike
2009 Kawasaki Vulcun 900 Custom 600 miles $6299
windscreen, rear back rest and rack.
www.eagleridersales.com
(831)465-6686
Call or Stop by for our low blow out prices on all or our 2010/2011
KTM inventory.
Stock #U85628 2008 Street Glide in Crimson Red 3113 miles
$18,395 + fees
415-503-1900
sales@motoitaliano .com
$4,295 2012 Kawasaki EX250R Ninja 3,170 miles
2009 Kawasaki Eliminator 125 NEW CityBike price $2399
Perfect starter bike, no freight or set up charges.
2010 Softail Deluxe, Flame Blue, 9842 miles, show quality but
street legal, $16,595.
Stock #C04752 2010 XR1200 in Vivid Black 2007 miles $10,295
+ fees
$4,995 2007 Suzuki SV650S ABS 10,044 miles
2011 Honda VT750 Aero only 300 miles $7799 Windscreen,
hywy. bars. No freight or set up charges.
NEW AND PRE-OWNED
BY DEALER
Used Inventory
Stock #U06683 2008 Street Glide in Black Pearl 19,445 miles
$17,995 + fees
2010 Softail Custom, Blue/Silver, 11689 miles, beautiful chopper
style,$14,995.
Dudley Perkins Co. does Rentals! We have a large fleet of 2011
Harley-Davidson motorcycles available for single or multiple day
rentals 7 days a week. Our fleet includes Electra Glide Classics,
Street Glides, Road Kings, Heritages and more. We can provide
shuttle service to and from SFO airport, which is only 5 minutes
away. Please contact rentals@dpchd .com for rates and
availability.
488 8th Street (at Bryant), open 7 days a week
Come down and see us! Vintage Italian Motorcycle Museum, Full
Service Department, Conveniently located right off Highway 1 @
Soquel Ave 3600 Soquel Ave Santa Cruz, 95062.
2006 Suzuki GSX-R600 only 14k miles blue/white $6299 Clean,
runs great.
San Francisco’s Largest Motorcycle Rental and Sales Fleet
2009 Ducati Hypermotard 1100S - Red, Forged Wheels, Carbon
Trim Package, only 2088 Miles,1st Service competed, Comfortable
Upright Seating matched with True Sport Performance. $10900+tax
and license.
$4,495 2006 Suzuki VL1500 Boulevard C90 6,818 miles
Stock #U14316 2007 Road Glide in Vivid Black 5090 miles
$15,995 + fees
Now celebrating our 40th year!
dpchd .com
2011 Dyna Wide Glide, Black w/ Red Flames, 12887 miles, HOT,
$13,995.
333 Corey Way So. San Francisco, CA 94080 650.737.5467
2008 Honda XR650L ONLY 68 miles Thats right 68! $5599
Showroom fresh
2009 Fat Boy, Black, 36575 miles, showroom quality, $ 10,995.
A Family Tradition of Four Generations
$5,495 2008 Suzuki GSX650F 3,193 miles
Stock #U19322 2005 Road Glide in Black Cherry 14,161 miles
$13,995 + fees
2009 Heritage Softail Classic, Pewter, 27424 miles, a classic
beauty, $ 1 2,995.
DUDLEY PERKINS
HARLEY-DAVIDSON
$4,995 2009 Suzuki DRZ400SM 4,952 miles
$4,995 2007 Kawasaki Vulcan VN1500N 9,402 miles
2009 Street Gilde, Metal-flake Red, 25839 miles, crusin’ to the
music, $16,595.
The Northern California Norton Owners’ Club (NCNOC) is dedicated
to the preservation and enjoyment of the Norton motorcycle.
Membership is open to all British Motorcycle enthusiasts and is
currently $25 per year, you can join online. Our monthly rides,
meetings and tech session and events are open to all members and
guests see our web site calendar at www .nortonclub .com .
$3,995 2009 YZ250 2-Stroke Yamaha
2003 Yamaha TTR250 Extra clean, low hrs., green sticker. $2499
Harley-Davidson
For more info: http://www .homoto .us
Email: ride@homoto .us
Facebook: http://facebook .com/HMCSF
Twitter: http://twitter .com/HomotoMC
$2,995 2008 YZ250F Yamaha
2006 MV Agusta F4 1000 1+1 8600 miles $11999 Rare blue/
silver. Perfect.
Consistently maintained by certified mechanics, SHOWROOM
QUALITY
Homoto is a queer and queer-friendly motorcycle club based in the
San Francisco Bay Area. Our rides are sport-focused with an emphasis
on safety and camaraderie.
$2,995 2007 YZ450F Yamaha
Call 415/999-4790 for a 24-hr. recorded message and a copy of
the FREE REPORT
EAT AT REDS JAVA HOUSE, SF.
“IT’S REALLY GOOD FOOD”
SAYS CITYBIKE MANAGEMENT.
EBAY SALES eBay sales. Specialist with vehicles, 12 years
experience, and 5000+ positive feedback rating. Flat listing rate. I
can produce auctions with 20+ large format, gorgeous, high quality
pictures with my dealer account and pro-grade camera. Dr. Hannibal
Lechter reminds us that “we covet what we see.” Let me show people
what you have and why they should pay top dollar for it! Interested in
larger lots of identifiable, good-quality motorcycle and car parts to
buy as well. imperialist1960@yahoo .com or 415/699-8760.
When stolen: Between 11pm Wed Oct 12, and 10am Thurs Oct 13.
Where: 1700 Block of McAllister, Western Addition, San Francisco
CA 94115 Map - http://tinyurl .com/3wpbhhe
1992 R100R, Distinguishing Features:
Don Vesco signed gas tank.
Black trim
Brown Vinyl Seat,
Integral Cases with 3M black reflective decals
Windshield, Plexifaring II
40mm BING Carburetors
Grey Powder-coated spoked rims, tubeless
Bridgestone Spitfire S11 tires
License Plate: 14W5655
VIN: WB1048707N0280013
More pics here: http://www .flickr .com/photos/justinmorrison/
tags/r100r
619-871-4842
Justin Morrison
ABC # 10863
http://justinmorrison.net
SELL YER STUFF IN
CITYBIKE!
Yes, you can do that—it’s easy. Easier than calling your grandson,
having him post a Craigslist ad, then ask you for $20, which you
wind up giving him because you decided to go riding instead of
going to his high school graduation and you feel guilty. We here at
CityBike understand your guilt feelings, so we will run your ad (25
words or less, please) ‘till sold for just $15. Add $25 bucks to run a
photo of your ride so people believe you’re really selling something
and not just lonely.
Subscribers get a free ad every month! Maybe you should
subscribe, eh cheapskate?
By Mike Solis, Photos: Gary Rather
T
he race for the 2011 Formula
Pacific Championship #1 plate
was one of the closest in recent
memory. With 2010 Formula Pacific
champion Jeff Tigert on the sidelines
indefinitely after his first foray into
fatherhood, there was no clear favorite for
the 2011 crown. The presence of several
new, undeveloped machines at the front of
the grid made predictions even harder, with
a number of front runners showing up on
new BMW S1000RRs. Making almost 200
horsepower with minimal modifications,
the new BMWs offered plenty of potential,
but with little in the way of setup data, the
riders knew they would have their hands
full making the bikes work.
Neill O’Reilly (902) and Dan Sewell (19), both mounted on Suzuki SV650s, battle it out at
After a disappointing rain-out at
Buttonwillow, the first round in the battle
for Formula Pacific supremacy went not
to one of the BMWs but to Ricky Corey
and his Dunlop-shod San Jose Yamaha
YZF-R1, beating Randolph and his San
Jose BMW S1000RR to the checkered flag
by less than a second. Noticeably slimmer
for 2011 after spending a lot of time cycling
in the off-season, Randolph came back at
the next round, beating Corey to the line
by just over one second for the win. Martin
Szwarc finished third in an inspiring ride
on his old GSX-R1000, a testament to Ken
Hill’s off-season coaching.
Thunderhill. O’Reilly beat Sewell to the Formula IV championship by a mere 14 points.
were a little surprised at how difficult it was
to get the chassis set up. It makes gobs of
power, so that was never an issue. But just
getting comfortable on the thing, for me
to set it up for the way I like to ride, gave
us some struggles. We had a few rounds
Round 7 delivered as promised, with Corey where we didn’t finish where we wanted
at the front early and Siglin and Randolph
to, it made me question myself. I’m just
close behind. As the race went on, Siglin
so ecstatic right now, for these guys—
took the lead from Corey while Randolph
Alex (Torres of Fastline Cycles) and Ray
slipped backwards, riding a BMW
(Perez)—all the hard work has paid off, and
S1000RR borrowed from fast novice Blaine I’m really stoked!”
Bessler. After following Siglin for a few laps,
Corey retook the lead and went on to win,
The Middleweight Classes with Siglin taking the championship after a
Lenny Hale and Cameron Gish
Round 4 was literally a washout, as rain
hard-fought second place finish.
resulted in a complete cancellation of the
At the start of the season, the popular
event. Things began to change in Round 5 “When the season started, there was a
middleweight classes looked a lot like
lot of hype with the bike—we all had our
as Siglin and his Fastline Cycles-prepared
they had in seasons past, with Lenny Hale
expectations
set
really
high
that
it
was
BMW S1000RR took the win at Infineon,
finishing at the front of the pack on his
going to be great,” explained Siglin. “We
beating Ricky Corey to the line by the
600cc Yamaha. It
narrowest of margins. The win wasn’t
wasn’t uncommon
without controversy, as the drag race to
to see him taking
the flag forced Siglin wide into Turn 1,
numerous wins on any
almost off the edge of the track—which
given race weekend,
would have resulted in a one-lap penalty.
as a consistent
By keeping his wheels out of the dirt, Siglin
front runner in
kept his championship hopes alive, setting
600 Production,
himself up for a strong mid-season run.
600 Superbike,
750 Production,
Round 5 brought the AFM show back to
750 Superbike, and
Thunderhill, but with a bit of a twist, as a
Formula 1. Even
second Formula Pacific race was scheduled
though he was
that weekend to make up for the rainedalready running four
out season opener at Buttonwillow. In the
or five races each
Saturday race, Ricky Corey ran at the front
weekend, Hale raised
early but ended with a DNF, as mechanical
his commitment
problems ended his race early. Siglin went
level as the season
on to take the win, with Randolph putting
progressed, adding
in another strong ride to finish second. On
Formula Pacific and
Sunday, Corey borrowed a CBR1000RR
Open Grand Prix to
from Robert “Waffles” Tinagero in an
his schedule on an
attempt to salvage the weekend, but could
EDR Performance
only manage a 7th-place finish. Siglin scored
GSX-R1000.
yet another win, with Randolph second and
Lenny Hale 3rd on an EDR Performance
As Hale spread his
Suzuki GSX-R1000—his first Formula
attention to Formula
Pacific podium finish.
Pacific, a new
challenger stepped
At Round 6, Corey rebounded from
to the plate in the
his Thunderhill disaster to take his
600 classes. Riding a
season’s second Formula Pacific win.
Pirelli-shod Yamaha
Hale improved on his Round 5 showing
YZF-R6 for the Z2
BMW-mounted Chris Siglin (488) chased by KTM-riding James
by finishing second, with Siglin third.
racing
team, 16-yearRandolph (54) and Dave Stanton (also on a BMW) through
Randolph managed a 4th for the weekend,
old Cameron Gish
Thunderhill’s Corkscrew turn.
riding his KTM RC8, after falling on the
BMW earlier that weekend. His 4th-place
finish set the stage for an exciting finalround showdown, as Siglin and Randolph
finished the weekend tied in points for the
championship lead.
progressed steadily up the order through
the season, eventually setting a new AFM
600cc lap record at Infineon of 1:49.630
after starting the season in the 1:57s.
While Hale wrapped his season up with
four different championships, Gish was
able to enjoy breakthrough results in the
final rounds, taking three wins in the last
two events.
When asked about his 2011 season, Gish
was quick to thank both his mother and
Z2 Trackdays for their support, as well as
renowned tuner Mike Canfield.
“Since it’s my first year on 600s, he’s helped
me out a lot,” explained Gish. “I don’t
normally have good feedback, so he helps
when he changes something by explaining
what he did, what the bike should do, and
what to look for. He’s worked with great
riders so he pretty much knows what
should work. Sometimes I’ll have feedback
and he’ll help me out, but it’s usually just
him doing what he thinks will work—and
it always does.”
Sharing the 650 Class Honors:
Dan Sewell and Neill O’Reilly
In 2011, the fight for supremacy of the
650cc lightweight classes was as close as
any. Every round, Irishman Neill O’Reilly
and Dan Sewell of TWF Racing took the
top positions, until Round 5 when things
got messy. The day started with O’Reilly
retiring from the 650 Twins race with a
mechanical problem. It got worse as the
day went on, with a three-bike incident
in Formula 4 that took both him and
Sewell out, as well as a Ninja 250 in 250
Superbike. The weekend proved disastrous
to O’Reilly’s championship hopes in 650
Twins, putting him well behind Sewell in
the race for the championship points lead.
At the end of the season, the two ended
up sharing the top honors in the 650
classes, with O’Reilly taking the Formula
4 title in his first full season on his Spears
Racing SV650, while Sewell took the
championship in 650 Twins. Sewell also
took the Formula 40 Lightweight and 650
Production Twins championship, giving
him a total of three championships for the
2011 season.
McDonough 5. Neil Atterbury 6. Adam
Robarts
4. Nick Hayman 5. Brendan Walsh 6.
Craig Grantham
Jesus Sanjurjo 4. Damion Victor 5. Kyle
Schirrmacher 6. Micah Larson
October 1st and 2nd , 2011
Thunderhill Raceway
Unofficial Results
600 Production - 1. Cameron Gish 2.
Lenny Hale 3. Sebastiao Ferreira 4. Mike
Niggliazzo 5. Adam Robarts 6. Thomas
Montano
650 Twins - 1. Dan Sewell 2. Neill
O’Reilly 3. Jay Kinberger 4. Jason
Catching 5. Jose Quintanar 6. Danielle
Diaz
B.A.R.F. Clubman Middleweight - 1.
George Myshlyayev 2. Gregory Olson 3.
Ryder Morrison 4. Mike Carr 5. William
Daniel Butler 6. Kyle Schirrmacher
650 Production - 1. Danielle Diaz 2.
Everett Dittman 3. Thomas Dorsey 4.
Robin Geenen 5. Alan Cunningham 6.
Charles Almy
B.A.R.F. Clubman Lightweight - 1. Eric
500 Twins - 1. Dan Azar 2. Patrick
Aldinger 3. Brian Bartlow 4. Logan Hanks Thompson 2. Jason Vestri 3. Charles Almy
4. Patrick Murphy 5. Joseph Jordan 6. Ian
5. Nick Grice 6. Eric Kondo
Smith
Formula Singles - 1. Richard Capps
Solo Heavyweight - 1. Damion Victor 2.
2. Yuri Barrigan 3. Paul Urich 4. Adam
Peter Fry 3. Pete Demas
Shindler
Bay Area Riders Forum Formula
Pacific - 1. Ricky Corey 2. Chris Siglin
3. David Stanton 4. James Randolph 5.
Martin Szwarc 6. Lenny Hale
CT Racing Open Superbike - 1. Ricky
Corey 2. David Stanton 3. Mathew
Orange 4. Steve Metz 5. Tim Scarrott 6.
David Doerflinger
Erich Stiegler Insurance 250
Production - 1. Kirk Korenko 2. Brian
Bartlow 3. Mark McKinney 4. Joe Carrillo
Super Dinosaur - 1. Roosevelt Charles 2.
5. Robert Wetterau 6. Eric Kondo
Jose Quintanar 3. Guy Hyder 4. Andrew
750 Superbike - 1. Lenny Hale 2.
Open Grand Prix - 1. James Randolph 2. Clay 5. Eric Thompson 6. Jason Vestri
Cameron Gish 3. Matt Presting 4. Kevin
David Stanton 3. Lenny Hale 4. Martin
Nekimken 5. Jesse Carter 6. Devon
Formula AFemme - 1. Jennifer Lauritzen
Szwarc 5. Mathew Orange 6. Hollis
McDonough
2. Tracy Bowen 3. Stacy Menas 4. Lisa
Adams
Kinberger
Pacific Track Time 600 Superbike - 1.
Scuderia West Formula 1 - 1. Matt
Cameron Gish 2. Sebastiao Ferreira 3.
Formula 40 Heavyweight - 1. Bud
Presting 2. David Sadowski Jr 3. Mathew
Jason Lauritzen 4. Lenny Hale 5. Matt
Anderson 2. Patrick Corcoran 3. Jeff
Sadowski 4. Jesse Carter 5. Mike
Presting 6. Matthew Sadowski
Graham 4. Shawn Reilly 5. Anthony
Nigliazzo 6. George Myshlyayev
Manciu 6. Ron Bunten
450 Superbike - 1. Dave Moss 2. Ian
Formula 2 - 1. Michael Altamirano 2.
Smith 3. Patrick Aldinger 4. Dan Azar 5.
Formula 40 Medium - 1. Neil Atterbury
Richard Denman 3. Andrew Duafala 4.
Richard Mark Appel
2. Thomas Montano 3. David Glenn 4.
Erik Kolstoe 5. Alex White 6. Richard
Nick Hayman 5. James Hendricks 6. Mike
250 Superbike - 1. Joe Carrillo 2. Richard Snowden
Carr
Capps 3. Yuri Barrigan 4. Paul Urich 5.
Formula 3 - 1. John Kreidle 2. Gwyn
Brian Bartlow 6. Logan Hanks
Formula 40 Lightweight - 1. Dan
Lewis 3. Steve Van Horn
Sewell 2. Jay Kinberger 3. Donald Babb
The Track Club Open Production - 1.
4. James Strauch 5. Brad Woods 6. Alan
Formula 4 - 1. Dan Sewell 2. Neill
Hollis Adams 2. Jesse Carter 3. Neil
Cunningham
O’Reilly
3.
Jay
Kinberger
4.
Kirk
Korenko
Atterbury 4. David Carpenter 5. Tim
5.
Jason
Catching
6.
Rory
Kamper
Scarrott 6. Patrick Corcoran
B.A.R.F. Clubman Heavyweight - 1.
Gregory Olson 2. David Doerflinger 3.
Desmoto
Sport
Open
Twins
1.
James
750 Production - 1. Jason Lauritzen 2.
Randolph
2.
Steve
Metz
3.
Bud
Anderson
Lenny Hale 3. Kevin Nekimken 4. Devon
Congratulations to all the racers and
thanks to all the workers who made it
happen.
Race Schedule
MARCH 19 - 20
BUTTONWILLOW
Come race with us!
Get the latest at
www.afmracing.org
Solo Lightweight - 1. Guy Hyder 2.
Everett Dittman 3. Alan Cunningham
4. Thomas Dorsey 5. Joseph Jordan 6.
Jonathan Forman
APRIL 16 - 17
INFINEON
M AY 7 - 8
INFINEON
“What I love about racing Neill is that I
swear we are both laughing every time
we’re together out on track,” explained
Sewell, when asked about his experiences
racing O’Reilly in 2011. “No matter how
close we’re getting, how hard we’re fighting,
or who is leading, I can tell we’re both just
giggling and having a blast. I’ve had some of
my best races both beating him and losing
to him, and have had as much fun chasing
him as I have winning.”
With veteran racers showing they still have
the speed, new talent coming up through
the ranks, and loads of great battles in
several of the other classes, the 2011 season
was memorable.
Solo Middleweight - 1. David Sadowski
Jr 2. Matthew Sadowski 3. Mike Carr 4.
Oscar Fernandez 5. David Ben-Jamin 6.
Ulises Perez
2011
AMERICAN
FEDERATION
of MOTORCYCLISTS
Photo: 4theriders.com - Layout: Mojotown.com
AFM 2011 Season Wrap-Up
AFM Round 7
or call
(510) 796-7005
JUNE 4 - 5
THUNDERHILL
J U LY 9 - 1 0
INFINEON
AUGUST 27 - 28
INFINEON
OCT 1 - 2
THUNDERHILL
www.afmracing.org
NEW LOCATION
BIGGER AND BETTER—RIGHT NEXT DOOR
FREMONT HONDA KAWASAKI
41315 Albrae St.
Fremont, Ca 94538
510-661-0100
FREMONT CYCLE SALVAGE
41315 Albrae St.
Fremont, Ca 94538
510-661-0101

November 2011

Transcription

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