February 2016

MOTUS Moto−Love, American Style

More Women Motorcyclists • We Finally Get Around To The Ninja 300 What We Learned Searching For Ed Cavanaugh • Part Of The Solution: The Unification Rally Bull-It Jeans • Nexx R2 Helmet • Kangaroo Naughty Bits • Bay Area Stupid-Moto News, Clues & Rumors

Volume XXXIII, Issue 2 Publication Date: January 18, 2016 On The Cover: Lee Conn and Sam Devine head towards The Junction on Mines Road Photo: Max Klein Contents: NCR ...... 3 Locals Only ...... 4 Uneasy Rider ...... 5 Pitstops ...... 7 New Stuff ...... 9 Events ...... 12 Ladieez Night ...... 13 Rigor Motus ...... 14 Three Hundred ...... 17 Last Lesson ...... 19 Devine ...... 20 Doc Frazier ...... 21 Maynard ...... 22 Hertfelder ...... 23 Photo: Scott Wilson Classifieds ...... 24 Stankflapper ...... 26 Photo Of The Month: Bo To Be that the American Diabetes Association “TP” took the reins of the storied Dudley Last Page Photo ...... 27 Wild does.” Perkins Company from his father, Dudley, Affordable American . . 29 Jr., almost 20 years ago, overseeing moves Several on the team were friends of Ed’s, or Last month’s Last Page Photo catapulted from the cramped Page Street location Find us online at: assisted in the search for him when he went CityBike.com young Bowen Wilson into local moto-hero in San Francisco to a spacious South Van missing. If you’d like to help out by making celebrity—everyone knows that appearing Ness building (now the SF D-Store) to the /CityBikeMag a donation, go to CityBike.com/lov(Ed) in CityBike is the first step to going pro, current South City showplace. The hardy /CityBikeMag and it’ll redirect you to the team page. after all. Unlike so many young stars who business suffered and thrived across those /CityBikeMag immediately begin to develop uh… bad If you’re interested in 2 decades of change, with ever-smiling aerostich.com/cb habits… Bo is joining any Lov(Ed) Tom and his wife, Janet, steady at the helm CityBike Staff: handling the team (Tour De Cure, through it all. PO Box 18738 Ed Cavanaugh limelight well. or Tahoe ride through Oakland CA 94619 Their son, Chris, was groomed from a very Photo by Clint Graves - 2015 Phone: 415 .282 .2790 Seen here JDRF.org) contact early age to learn what made the store tick. Michael Campos on the Sunday Morning Ride © 2015 Editorial: [email protected] autographing Chris Coleburn at He led the New Year’s Ride and will now Advertising / Business: [email protected] copies of January [email protected]. Editor in Chief & Jackass of All Trades: Surj Gish front the widely known family enterprise, aero cb 02_2016.indd 1 1/4/16 1:16 PM 2016 CityBike—his as well. Dudley’s, one of Harley-Davidson’s Master of Puppets & Layout: Angelica Rubalcaba issue—Bo hasn’t let Goodbye, Tom oldest retail outlets, is now a 4th-generation Senior Editor: Robert Stokstad his new-found super- Perkins example of how perseverance and service BMW Motorrad Contributing Editors: John Joss, Will Guyan, stardom go to his USA Two weeks after his (to customers and the general community Courtney Olive head, and still puts sad passing from alike) produce a vibrant establishment. Chief of the World Adventure Affairs Desk: his boots on one at a pancreatic cancer, The Ultimate Dr. Gregory Frazier time, just like the rest Stories abounded at TP’s Memorial, with Authorized Dealer Riding Machine® 58-year old Tom Staff Photographers: Robert Stokstad, of us. But smaller. many attendees exclaiming, “I didn’t Angelica Rubalcaba Perkins’ dealership family led their know that…” All the more so amongst Illustrations: Mr. Jensen Dumb Mistakes HOG members (who served the food Operations: Gwynne Fitzsimmons 300-strong Harley We used to call this crew on Dudley’s lines for 500 celebrants), investment Road Scholars: kind of stuff errata, J. Brandon, Sam Devine, Jeff Ebner, 35th annual New bankers, SFMC-ers, magazine publishers, An DeYoung, Max Klein because that nicely Year’s Day Ride, Red & Whites and other patch wearers, Contributors: obscures the reality Photo: Christian Clever a round trip to SFPD personnel, although formal MoCo Dan Baizer, Craig Bessenger, of “hey, we screwed Half Moon Bay representation was absent. For example, Blaise Descollonges, Dirck Edge, Julian Farnam, the pooch” behind breakfast that ended with a warm, tearful Tom’s recovery from a debilitating traffic Alonzo Fumar, Will Guyan, Brian Halton, fancy foreign language. But Latin-esque accident in his teens sparked many years David Hough, Maynard Hershon, Ed Hertfelder, early afternoon memorial gathering for SHORTCUTS Otto Hofmann, Jon Jensen, Bill Klein, obfuscations aside, we’re more like a Tom back at the South San Francisco H-D of toy drives, financial aid to SF General David Lander, Lucien Lewis, Larry Orlick, monkey with a proverbial football than dealership and museum. Hospital, and more. Supporting our Jason Potts, Bob Pushwa, Gary Rather, literary uh…literate person. veterans was also TP’s constant personal Curt Relick, Charlie Rauseo, Mike Solis, and business hallmark. NEVER LEAD TO Ivan Thelin, James Thurber. Case in point: Tom Spinks, winner of the Alumni (RIP): “coolest” Dirtbagger at the 2015 Dirtbag, While most John D’India, Joe Glydon, Gary Jaehne, actually goes by the name Tony Spinks, present were Adam Wade PLACES WORTH GOING. Back Issues: $5, limited availability largely because that’s his actual name. customers or Archived Articles: We can find stories and send you scanned images for $5/page. No, we will not mail you our last copy for free just because your We’re sorry, Tom, err, Tony, that we blood family, all buddy Dave was on the cover. Please know the name of the story and the year of publication...at least! If you say something like, “it was about this managed to get your name wrong, even shared both the cool bike I used to see at Alice’s and I think it was in CityBike in 1988... MAKE LIFE A RIDE. or maybe 1994” we will buy a cheap latex adult novelty and mail it to your Go where you’ve never been. Even if it takes a grandkids. though we talked at length about your bike lament of Tom For back issue and archive requests, please mail check made out to and all the cool shit you did to it. little longer – because that’s where it gets exciting. CityBike magazine to PO Box 18738, Oakland, CA 94619 or send money Perkin’s too-early bmwmotorcycles.com and request to [email protected]. demise and a 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 Tour de Cure, Team Lov(Ed) request. Unsolicited articles and photographs are always welcome. Please determination to 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 A team of cyclists have come together bottoms. CalMoto ©2015, CityBike Magazine, Inc. Citybike Magazine is distributed at over to help raise funds in the fight against 200 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 diabetes in memory of Ed Cavanaugh: BMW OF TRI-VALLEY CALIFORNIA BMW full extent of civil and criminal law. Yeah! 952 North Canyons Parkway 2490 Old Middlefi eld Way CityBike magazine is owned by CityBike Magazine, Inc and has teams of “We ride because we hope to stop Diabetes, sleep-deprived, coke-addicted attorneys ready to defend it from frivolous Livermore, California 94551 Mountainview, California 94043 lawsuits, so even if you see Lucien Lewis doing one of his wheelies on and in the memory of our fallen brother Ed the cover and decide you want to do that too and then you hit a parked car 925-583-3300 650-966-1183 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 Cavanaugh. Ed had Type 1 Diabetes and ©2015 BMW Motorrad USA, a division of BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks. registered name and logo are The BMW North America, LLC. of BMW USA, a division of Motorrad ©2015 BMW calbmw.com calbmw.com are melted into slag and you suffer permanent trauma including a twisted pinkie, sleeplessness and night terrors, it’s not CityBike Magazine Inc.’s tragically passed away in July of 2015. We Photo: Dudley Perkins H-D fault and we don’t have any assets so just suck on it. You know better. have come together in his passing to carry on his beautiful legacy and to support the work February 2016 | 2 | CityBike.com February 2016 | 3 | CityBike.com follow his direction to “look forward and The note goes on to say thanks to a long list The E- Federal Tax Credit was In Dainese’s quest to make the perfect Since the human spine was not designed to For Whom The Buell Tolls move ahead”. of people, including Cary Littel: included in the tax extenders deal approved protective gear they had done a elongate, Dainese created the Skinsuit. by Congress and signed by President considerable amount of research in how The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported - Curt Relick “ From top down, a soft but rigid padded th A special note of thanks to Cary Littell for Obama (Thanks, Obama!) on December the body moves—or more importantly— January 14 that Walworth County Circuit canvas in the shoulder area is combined Locals Only his help in getting the shop up and running 18th. You can get up to 10% of the purchase doesn’t move. This research begat the Judge Phillip Koss had approved the sale of Another “Driver” Actually with a four-way stretchy elastic mixed with as well as providing me with tech help during price back up to a maximum of $2,500. An Biosuit. Racing to Liquid Asset Partners Charged two non-compression yet elastic vertical 24 Hour Marten-izing! the first couple of years. RIP Cary, you are additional tax credit was approved which for $2 million. Dainese nylon bands. These Holy shit—two in a row! missed.” covers electric motorcycle chargers with a First, two million bucks? Seriously, figured out bands are the space- Mike plans to sell the shop, so if you’re 30% tax credit up to $1,000. These credits guys—surely we have a surplus of tech- We reported last month that road-raging that there are age technology, interested, shoot him an email at mike@ apply to street legal motorcycles that can go nerd millionaire bike enthusiasts ‘round crazy lady Darla Renee Jackson had been “lines of non- precisely measured marinmotoworks.com over 45 mph, and are applicable in all fifty these parts that could have banded charged with second degree murder after . extension” for each astronaut states. The purchase price credit applies together to buy EBR. After all, running in she chased down and killed 39-year-old that refrain at hundreds of The Junction Closing January retroactively to bikes purchased in 2015 the red towards a dubious goal is a classic Navy chief petty officer Zachary Buob. from points and adjusted Photo: Sam Devine 31st and of course in 2016. entrepreneurial “business plan.” We’re happy to report that the stupid stretching or to come up with Lots of bad news this month. We’ve Imagine this: “We’re building the EBR user By Sam Devine asshole who goes by the name William What this means in real dollars is you can contracting a collective 1g of dropped a few snide remarks about riding base at a loss so we can leverage our data to Phots by Sam Devine & Surj Gish Sam Crum, best known for his video debut save something like $850 to $1,600 on a when the body downward force out to The Junction recently, because every monetize those users at a later date. How? in which he seemingly intentionally ran a Zero and around $2,000 on a moves. These from shoulder to Justin Martens has a motorcycle problem—he keeps running out of space for them. time we go out there it’s basically us and We’ll figure it out eventually. Maybe.” rider and passenger off the road in the great Victory Empulse, and at least a few lines on the foot, all without The Minnesota native has only been wrenching on motorcycles since 2013, but he the squirrels. It’s not exactly Point Barrow, state of Texas. hundred bucks on charging gear. Biosuit can be reducing range of Anyway, back in the real world, Liquid and fellow builders Jason Lisica, and Eric McDougald have recently set up shop in people! pressurized motion. Think of it We’d still like better range from electric Asset Partners owner Bill Melvin half an airplane hanger in Marin. His very questionable KTM-traption took home A Hood County grand jury indicted mechanically as a gravity suit. Turns out we were unfortunately prescient bikes, but the range of bikes like Zero’s SR was quoted by the Journal Sentinel as multiple awards at the 2015 Dirtbag, and he and McDougald’s 1980 CM400 chop 68-year old Crum on January 8th on to compress won best motorcycle at the 2014 Any Two Wheels event. in our worries—The Junction posted a is good enough for a lot of daily commuters, Interestingly, saying, “We will not be manufacturing two counts of aggravated assault for th against the note on their Facebook page on January 8 : and can be extended with the optional Dainese claims motorcycles, as Liquid Asset, but we will be intentionally hitting the motorcycle being astronaut So where’s your Dirtbag bike? uh… “tank” thingy. If you’re looking to that their logo is working to put together a plan with a team ridden by Eric Sanders with his girlfriend “Dear friends of The Junction, we are sad to without any walk the zero emissions talk, or maybe just a devil head, but that can be successful in doing that.” “It’s at my house in the living room.” Debra Simpson riding pillion. Crum says announce we will be closing on Jan. 31. We loss of mobility. bank some karma to balance your other it’s always looked was caused by an insect bite that caused have met so many wonderful people and made If NASA has But then he followed up with this: “Their Does it have Christmas lights on it right now? internal combustion sins, now’s the time. like an alien to us him to swerve. great friends over the last 2 years it will be their way, this bikes, out of the box, can go head-to-head here. Yes, we’re “No, we have a tree also. When we first moved here, we had no room for anything. hard to say goodbye. Thank you for all your suit will be on with the top Italian race bikes. Our sale When interviewed by NBC 5, Crum said Dainese Probes Space paranoid, why do We had a parking spot that was taken up with motorcycles. I don’t know why I kept support and friendship. We will be helping the surface of process will enable the proper exposure of he would apologize Programs you ask? buying ‘em, it was dumb. Mars by the the company and price flexibility that may to Simpson, but not Dainese already had a bit of experience better fit a new owner.” That assertion, You appeared in The Rattler, Paolo Asuncion’s second documentary about the Year 2030. Anyway, combine to Sanders. “No… he with their suits spending some time in low which is questionable at best, or as we say Dirtbag Challenge. How’d you like that? that with their newest suits, their “Inspired was doing something earth orbit (we’re looking at you, 2009 On the other side of the pond, Dainese here in the native tongue of CityBike-istan, illegal.” Crum by Humans” slogan and the fact that a “Dude, that was such a sweet movie! It was so cool! It was fuckin’ hilarious! I loved it! Jorge Lorenzo) so it totally makes sense was hired to solve another problem by the “total bullshit,” makes us question how also says he’s been number of MotoGP “Aliens” have sworn Going to see it in the theater was so awesome. It was a long time ago that he had done that they would get into the spacesuit game. ESA (think of it like NASA’s equivalent of astute and truthful Mr. Melvin is being harassed as a result by their product and well, let’s just say we the interview. And I didn’t remember what I said. People were saying, ‘oh, is it going Pairing up with MIT, Dainese has whipped EuroDisney, but with WAY better rides). with us when he says stuff like, “Our hope on the “accident.” won’t be surprised if Mulder and Scully are to seem like you when they edit it together?’ And yeah, it was cool. It was me and up the world’s most bitchin’ compression Turns out that the lack of gravity has can is that someone will continue to make How’s that work, on the case. McDougald. I like how he had it on our porch. Cause that’s where we built the bike. suit for NASA. cause astronauts to have herniated discs these amazing motorcycles.” William? Is that like That’s where we built ‘em before we had this [space].” after extended trips amongst the satellites. - Max Klein when you’re riding Did you go to school to be a mechanic? along and some nutjob harasses readers to head to Sacramento to observe, because we might not get hired. We accept “I went to Universal Technical Institute… I went there because I built a ‘71 your ass right off when I was in high school. And I was like, ‘Aw fuck I wanna build cars.’ So I went to and still no one showed up. municipalities limiting our abilities to the road? do business because we aren’t desirable. Arizona, lived there…while in school I was working on diesel trucks—and the school We’re marginalizing ourselves. was so easy and such bull shit. And one of the guys I worked with had graduated from Sanders isn’t We aren’t concerned that transportation there… and I was like, ‘Ok, how much are you paying for your schooling still, like exactly helping California is arguably the best goddamn committees and legislators completely debts and shit?’ and he’s like ‘Yeah, dude, I wouldn’t do it.’ So then I went to college us motorcyclists motorcycle state in the Union, with close ignore us, if they’re not actively looking to Photo: Bob Stokstad limit us. back in Minnesota, did a two year school, got my associates degree. And then I started look good in this on planes?) they were now nowhere to be to a million registered bikes. Yet we What Happened To Us? scarcely leave a mark—never mind what working construction.” case, though. found. People—we’re motorcyclists. We choose hardcore environmental groups say about He was ticket (obviously) for I fly pretty frequently: down to SoCal to a form of transportation that falls over if When did you start riding? These merchandising decisions are dirtbikers destroying the planet. passing on a double yellow, and also for pick up bikes, to conferences and client we’re not actively engaging with it. We riding with an invalid license. to find the new owner and get them up and meetings for my “real job,” sometimes undoubtedly driven by sales. It’s possible “When I was like 18… The first time I ever rode a motorcycle… my brother had some I have coffee now and then with a local ought to be applying that same hands-on running as soon as possible, so let us know if even for vacation. In the last couple years, that motorcyclists are so dedicated to two- shitty Kawasaki 400… I was helping him work on that… and I rode it like a block. Come on, dude. That’s just plain stupid. German moto-businessman with a very approach to everything we touch—not you are interested in being the next part of I’ve tried to do less of the glued to the wheeled travel that we ride everywhere, And then my dad had this bike and it was in my grandparents’ house in Northfield… German name, and he often laments the going gently into that good night, into the The Junction’s history.” laptop thing, since I do that all the time instead of flying, and that’s why there are which would be like to go to San Jose. It’s through Minneapolis, obviously the traffic Marin Moto Works Closed apathy of American riders. We’re afraid tragic mediocrity of respectable existence. anyway, and instead use the unavoidable no moto-mags at the airport—there are isn’t as gnarly as here, but it’s northern suburbs to, like, the country down south. We spoke to Mashelle at the Junction about to go to job interviews on our bikes Marin Moto Works has closed up shop, airport down time and still often- no motorcyclists to buy ‘em. So my buddy gave me a ride and the first time I drove a motorcycle was this 1100 th the impending end of The Junction as we as of December 18 . Owner Mike Nield disconnected flight time as “paper time.” Shadow… on the highway.” know it, and she added that they’re hoping Yeah, right. posted a note on the MMW Facebook In other words, I read books, magazines, The Junction will be up and running under Did you drive stick already? page and at the shop to say thanks and to whatever—anything unaffected by the More likely, this is just another example new ownership by Spring. provide some closure on the closure. Here’s pilot’s slightly drawling, “Well folks, it’s of our marginalization as a segment of “Yeah, that was the same thing with that. When I learned how to drive stick I’d an excerpt: bought a car that was manual and figured it out.” Here’s another opportunity for someone uh… time to turn off your devices.” society. I talked about this in my speech with some money to turn part of the Bay at this year’s Unification Rally, how we’re “After much consideration and lengthy I’ll often see what airport convenience So it’s kinda been a life of just figuring it out for you, basically? Area moto-culture into a destination. such a small group that we’re in danger of discussions with my family I have decided to stores and bookstores have to offer. Again, Maybe we’ll pass a virtual hat around and being run over, legislatively and physically, “Exactly.” close Marin Moto Works effective December it’s a forced break from the norm: “I’m crowdfund us a CityBike clubhouse. None by the majority. Most likely, the folks that 18th. I gave myself 5 years to get the shop up gonna read something, and I have to of us can really cook, sure, but that’s better run airport bookstores know they can and running and after that time I was going choose from this crap. What are my best than just listening to the usual chorus of make more money filling the spots next to to assess where I was with the place and if I options?” wanted to continue. “Man, I used to love that place but I haven’t the pseudo-porn with vapid fashion mags been there in years. Such a shame it’s It was during one of these “don’t they have or those stupid car mags. Although I have had a very successful 5 years closing.” anything worth reading?” bookshelf stare- of running Marin Moto Works, I feel it is time But it’s more than just the airport. downs that I realized I had stopped seeing Look at the CMSP advisory committee to move on and pursue other avenues. I have Pay Less For Zero motorcycle magazines in the airport racks. been blessed with some of the best customers meetings—there are usually 5 or 6 If you’ve been thinking “Man, I’d sure like I’m not sure when this happened, but civilians in attendance. Sure, the CMSP one can have in Marin County and I am one of them there newfangled ‘lectric bikes, once I saw it, I couldn’t un-see it. Where grateful for all the support I received while in does a shitty job of informing the public but they’re just so damn expensive!” we’ve moto-mags used to be next to the softcore there’s a meeting coming up, but this operation. got good news for you. girlie mags (do people really read Playboy Photo: Surj Gish year we made a point of encouraging our Photo: Angelica Rubalcaba

February 2016 | 4 | CityBike.com February 2016 | 5 | CityBike.com Frankly, we never much cared for cows, Look, there really isn’t much of a story New Laws For 2016—The Man assuming an opportunity to turn off arises That said, could a cop see the flashing blue but it’s a damn shame there weren’t more and that Bambi was a real asshole—so here, in spite of all the hand-wringing going Keeps On Keepin’ Us Down sooner than an opportunity for the vehicles to light on your helmet and hassle you about regular old motorcyclists.” we’re happy to swaddle our paws in their on within the motorcycle community. pass safely. your headset? Certainly. Is it likely? Maybe, That’s a simple way to put it, actually: skins. But have you seen a kangaroo It’s a classic stupid games, stupid prizes Not really, actually. But here’s some stuff maybe not. Bikers and Motorcyclists. We’re all bikers, punch? We’re not inclined to mess with situation. you all should be aware of, that you might This bill aims to provide clarification to We haven’t heard much about this sort of we’re all motorcyclists, but never mind that those tough sons of bitches. not have read if we’d said “Stay Informed ensure that this requirement applies to any First, we keep telling you guys that the About New Legislation.” vehicle, including bicyclists, who may be thing, and the existing vehicle code would that for now. general public doesn’t differentiate “types operating on a narrow road but still impeding already allow for this sort of unwarranted Bay Area Stupid-Moto Going into the Fall of 2015, I began of riders” the way we do. Bikers are bikers Bikes Are Vehicles Too, Duh faster-moving traffic because drivers cannot harassment. But concern about these sorts From the desk of our “Can’t You Guys Be A thinking of the 2016 Unification Rally in the eyes of the normies. safely provide three feet of passing distance.” of laws and consequent misapplication Little Less Stupid In Public?” department, Bikes, the ones with people pedaling them, as something of a test. At first, I wanted is just another reason we need to band we have this story of a dramatic Similarly, the vast majority of people can’t now have to get the hell out of the way. So, in a nutshell, if you’re riding in the to see if the organizers would do more together as riders and speak up about mainstream media exposé, in which a tell the difference between Bayview bad We’re actually being truthful here, sort of. twisties, and you’re too damn slow, you outreach outside of the Biker world, legislation that might affect us in a negative diligent reporter digs up some very dirty guys riding stolen bikes and BASM. Who gotta get out of the way, even if you’re on a whether they could successfully draw more You know how slow-moving vehicles have way. Speaking of speaking up... dirt on a bad, bad man. Sounds about like a can blame ‘em? Both groups are breaking to use a turnout or otherwise get out of the bicycle. Motorcyclists to the Capital. A short time typical CityBike story, right? the law and riding like tools in plain sight. later, however, I decided that CityBike had way when there are five or more vehicles How does this affect us motorcyclists, and the power to help solve this “lots of Bikers, Now that you’ve finished laughing, here’s Hell, even moto-mainstream media like stacked up behind ‘em? And you know why have we dedicated so many paragraphs not a lot Motorcyclists” problem. Our the deal. We’re reticent to even mention Lanesplitter.Jalopnik.com got it wrong, how bicycles are vehicles under the vehicle to it? Well, we motorcyclists love to bitch “Ride Friday Give Back” charity ride had this, really, because it’s been the subject basically taking the KPIX reporting at code and are supposed to following the about cyclists taking up space on the back of much internet arguing and quite face value and lumping BASM in with 12 laws of the road just like cars, trucks and roads we love, and now there’s actually United States Of frankly, we’re already weary of it. But it’s O’Clock Boys-style “gangs.” Solid reporting, motorcycles? And you know how people some very specific language in the vehicle The Budman speaks. Look, we really dug the EBR bikes, and Anyway, Walker had found Joan Scolari, ‘Fication Sean McDonald. keep saying, “We don’t need more laws, we code to support that point of view, even if we’d love to see EBR keep on keepin’ on. 73, who’d been reported missing after just need to enforce the ones we have?” there already was. CityBike as attended and But the market is gonna need more than telling her family she was driving to Lake covered the last couple of So yeah, we already had a law that said just another fast bike to buy in—potential Havasu a few days earlier. But, since some riders (both motorcyclists Unification Rallies, and we’ve customers are likely gun-shy as a result of slow-moving vehicles have to get out of and bicyclists) are assholes (see practically When asked what she thought about been vocally critical of the lack the last attempt going Buell-y up so fast. the way, but because of the “Three Feet for every News, Clues and Rumors ever for Walker’s bike, Scolari replied, “You meet of attendance by “other” riders. Safety Act” apparently some clarification supporting evidence), we’ll point out that Stay tuned for more information as this the nicest people on Hondas.” Previous rallies have been very was required. AB-208, which passed last this doesn’t mean you should enforce this story develops. Meanwhile, we’ll keep MC / / Harley folk- Yes, we made up that last part. year, made minor changes to Section 21656 yourself. It’s really a moot point, as is damn cruising Craigslist for sweet deals on old oriented—these are the people of the Vehicle Code, which now reads: near every complaint about cyclists from tubers, because those are gonna be real the organizers are connected Kangaroo Naughty Bits motorcyclists. Even with the three foot classics some day! “On a two-lane highway where passing to. A couple years back (“An Kangaroo leather had been legal in is unsafe because of traffic in the opposite rule, a bike and a bicycle ought to be able MC Of One” – News, Clues PhD Of Motorcycle Adventure California since 2008, thanks to legislation direction or other conditions, any vehicle to fit in the same lane with zero issues, if and Rumors, February 2014), Back On The Road that temporarily removed the prohibition proceeding upon the highway at a speed less everyone would just be cool. I commented, “Organizers of kangaroo parts and skins. That than the normal speed of traffic moving in estimated attendance to be CityBike Chief of the World Adventure The Sound Of Semantics legislation sunsetted at the end of 2015, the same direction at that time, behind which ‘at least 5,000’—the best Affairs Desk, Dr. Gregory W. Frazier, has st meaning that as of January 1 this year five or more vehicles are formed in line, shall Since the law requiring usage of hands-free turnout since 1992, when the entered The Great Around The World importing, possessing with intent to sell or turn off the roadway at the nearest place systems by drivers has worked so well at California helmet law took Adventure Rally, having qualified for selling kangaroo parts can result in fines designated as a turnout by signs erected by ending the scourge of distracted driving, effect. That’s a lot of bikers, Photo: Sam Devine the South American stage as #9. He’ll of up to $5,000 or even up to six months in the authority having jurisdiction over the legislators decided to add an additional start from Bogota, Colombia on his self- jail. highway, or wherever sufficient area for a safe provision: headphones aren’t hands-free sponsored, self-modified Honda, an ’83 turnout exists, in order to permit the vehicles devices, at least if you put ‘em in or on both GL650. Since kangaroo hides are kangaroo “parts,” Photo: Doc Frazier ears. gloves that include these hides are officially following it to proceed.” His first checkpoint will be in Colombia, motorcycles, and the Bay Area, no bueno in the Golden State. Off the top of so here we go. Assembly analysis from August 2015 states Section 27400 of the vehicle code has been where he hopes to console Miss Colombia our heads, that includes gloves from Held, amended as follows: Second, yes, Betty Yu’s reporting was that this is due to a need for clarification for her having been briefly crowned Miss Icon, Dainese, Scorpion, Rev’It and other CBS KPIX 5 reporter Betty Yu discovered, representative of typically abhorrent that Section 21656 “applies to any vehicle, Universe in December of 2015, only to companies—but so what? In our opinion, by way of an anonymous (chickenshit, bu “A person operating a motor vehicle or bicycle mainstream “news,” with its overwrought, including bicyclists,” even though everyone have her crown immediately stripped and some of the best gloves in the world are not that Chicken Shit, maybe) informant may not wear a headset covering, earplugs in, alarmist language. On the other hand, using a vehicle on public roads should given to the real winner. made right down the way in Fremont, by that one of the Bay Area Supermoto guys or earphones covering, resting on, or inserted “potentially putting lives at risk” doesn’t already know that the vehicle code applies Helimot, and they’re made of deer and cow was in fact a Marin County Sheriff’s in, both ears.” Dr. Frazier said on January 1, 2016, “Miss sound so crazy when taken in context of to their vehicle: Colombia and Valentino Rossi both hides. Deputy by the name of Zack Schlief. Not The previous language was: the recent death of a pedestrian hit by a “California law has long required that slow- suffered unfairly in my opinion. I hope to surprisingly, young Zack is no longer a motorcyclist in San Francisco. Are we moving vehicles turn off the roadway when “A person operating a motor vehicle or bicycle embrace Miss Colombia, possibly offer her deputy. really surprised by this story? safe to do so if five or more vehicles are behind may not wear a headset covering, or earplugs a few days of empowering adventure by Some riders are eager to them in order to allow faster-moving traffic in, both ears.” joining me the same as I would Rossi.” We hope you learned your lesson, Zack. defend Zack, saying he’s not to pass. This law applies to cars as well as to Thanks a bunch for bringing some So the difference is the addition of Intermittent but enlightening really doing anything wrong, bicyclists and other road users. unnecessary scrutiny down on the rest of “earphones covering, resting on, or inserted rally reportage can be found at: and that’s a fair point— us, bud. In 2014, the Legislature passed and the in…” RTWMotorcycleAdventureRally. wheelies and such are largely Governor signed AB 1371 (Bradford), blogspot.com. harmless, unless things go Note that use of earplugs as hearing Chapter 331, Statutes of 2013, which requires awry and a one-wheeled protection is covered in exclusion D, as it drivers to provide at least three feet of space Dirt Bikes Save Lives rider hits a pedestrian. In was previously: between their vehicle and a bicycle when The Reno-Gazette Journal reported in other words, don’t fucking do passing the bicycle. If a driver is unable to “(d) A person wearing personal hearing early December that a missing woman that shit in a major city, duh. provide the three feet of passing distance, he protectors in the form of earplugs or molds had been found—safe but thirsty—by a Others have pointed out or she must slow to a reasonable and prudent that are specifically designed to attenuate dirt rider taking the long way home, just that public servants such speed and pass only when doing so will not injurious noise levels. The plugs or molds shall exploring. as law enforcement officers endanger the bicyclist’s safety. be designed in a manner so as to not inhibit ought to be held to a higher the wearer’s ability to hear a siren or horn Kevin Walker was riding his XR400 home The author introduced this bill because standard, or at least be from an emergency vehicle or a horn from to Joshua Tree from Vegas, baby, when he of concerns about the difficulty of drivers smart enough to not break another motor vehicle.” came upon a Optima high-centered on providing three feet of passing space on a hump in the road. the law on video that they then post on the internet. many narrow rural roads that are popular But what about all those Bluetooth That right there is a story worth reading— Also a fair point, although with bicyclists. On these roads, lines of cars headsets clamped on so many of our we were simply not aware that were we have plenty of other may end up forming behind a bicyclist as helmets? Can’t those speakers be likely to be high-centered. This is why you video evidence that some drivers slow to a safe speed and wait for an characterized as covering or resting on don’t buy rental cars, folks—you never public servants can’t even opportunity to pass safely. In theory, in such the ears? In our opinion, as non-lawyers, know what people have done with them. be trusted to not brazenly a situation it would be incumbent upon the they’re not really covering the ears, and kill innocent people on bicyclist to turn off at the next available they shouldn’t be resting on the ears if video. opportunity to allow the drivers to pass safely, installed correctly.

February 2016 | 6 | CityBike.com February 2016 | 7 | CityBike.com been moderately successful, and I decided On the ride to Sac, I considered tossing still not drowning out the stupid-loud, ain’t “Ok, you see that speaker? Ok, see that bald The second-to-last speaker is K.O. Joe of way into Sacramento. It wasn’t all that if I could use the same “ride with CityBike” my “Let’s reach across the aisle and unify savin’ shit pipes. guy to the left of it? See the pony tail next the Sick Minds MC, who regaled us with rainy, really—drizzly and cold, yeah, ok, incentive to entice some Motorcyclists to our voices” speech in favor of a stern, come to him? Ok, now see the guy in the red hat, his tale of police profiling while returning but not bad. Come on, y’all. Get real. All y’all. ride to the rally. to Jesus reprimand after watching a small looking towards us?” from last year’s rally. He encouraged us to Would I have rather stayed in bed? Yeah. group of Harley-mounted knuckleheads Here’s the come to Jesus talk I mentioned check out the video on YouTube—search So we invited our readers to our “Part Of “Yeah, with the sunglasses?” But my silent resolutions to myself this year enter the freeway in such assholish fashion earlier. for “Stockton Police Officers Profiling Sick The Solution” ride in our January issue, on were: 1. Ask for help when I need it, and 2. that damn near every car braked hard to “Yep, that’s him.” Minds MC.” Facebook, and on BARF: Get more involved. avoid them. We’re our own worst enemy The rally and / or involvement in motorcycle issues in general isn’t about “Great, thanks,” I said, stifling a salute. Last up is Rodney, President of the “It doesn’t matter if you agree on the issues, quite frequently, after all. But that wouldn’t For this year’s Unification Rally I did both. universal agreement on Say what you want about the Marine Modified Motorcycle Association of or even think the issues I didn’t get any help since not a single a single point of view— are real, it matters Sacramento rider joined me, but I asked. I that’s impossible. It’s about that you—we—we was there, I got involved, and I’m good with showing up, engaging, show up. Make that. discussing, arguing, no mistake, future getting involved. - An DeYoung legislative sessions will concern us as riders. If you’re upset that the Get off the couch, out rally is “just a bunch of New Stuff of the Starbucks, out of bikers shouting about your shell, and ride to helmet laws,” if you feel Nexx, Please: Nexx X R2. Trion Sacramento with us.” like your opinion on By Sam Devine issues that are important Devine: Rally Ho! Not surprisingly, it to you isn’t well- Holy moly you guys! How do I tell you all rained. Surprisingly, It was odd, really. Here we were at the represented by existing about this helmet?! Are you lugging the we had a hell of a time Capitol building on a rainy Saturday, MROs (motorcycle same old lid you wear on the highway to getting people to show surrounded by patch clubs. Screamin’ rights organizations), you Photo: Surj Gish the track? Get this helmet. Do you have a up. I think we ended Demons, Satan’s Sons, Lord’s Prospects, can solve that problem by buddy that just started track riding? Well up with a paltry fifteen Saxon Creed, Marines, Sober Riders, Photo: Sam Devine adding your voice to the tell him (maybe her?) to get this helmet! riders at Middle Harbor Boozefighters, Gorillas, Rogue Militia, Corps, they know how to get shit done. California, who criticized the light conversation, rather than The only massage I’ve ever paid for was at Shoreline Park the Valley Vixens, Bay Biznez, Iron Workers, As I walked towards the man in the red attendance: “We shouldn’t see the lawn standing back, bitching under your breath, the track because I was getting my neck morning of the rally, Azorean Brotherhood, and Hells Angels, hat, I realized I was surrounded by mostly out there. Sorry to be the downer, but if not doing a damn thing. jerked back by my cheapo daily rider brain including Roger, who rode his CB500F have gone over well, and anyway, it wasn’t just to name a few. tattooed white men that are doing a lot of we want to change things we gotta fill this the physical work for this country. Whether alley all the way to the bridge.” bucket. from Modesto to Oakland instead of going my show, so I stuck to my script: I personally disagree vigorously with The rally was relatively short and sadly, in the armed forces or on construction For the price, the Nexx X.R2 (in Trion straight to Sac, so he could ride with us. A “The thing about us riders is that we’re a some of the POVs put forth by some of the - Sam Devine not very well attended. Fifteen of us had sites, these folks are literally the boots on red, white and black) is fantastic. Several few more joined us along the way, but all minority. A tiny minority, actually. I ride to MROs; for example, it’s time to give up ridden out from the Bay Area, including the ground. DeYoung: Unification Of What? hundred dollars less than many track- in all we only added about twenty riders to work every day, year-round, and there are fighting the helmet law in California. That Lane Splitter in Chief Surj Gish and BARF worthy helmets at $439.95, this is the the crowd at the Capital, including our own days in the winter when I might see one or two ship has sailed, and we’ve got other issues On the steps of the capital, I talked with Get up early on a rainy Saturday to ride captain Budman, who both spoke. Editor Portuguese company’s flashy, ready-to-race Road Scholar An, who waited by herself in other riders amongst the thousands of cars. to focus our limited resources on. Does Sean, who turns out to be the President of over to the State Capital and stand around Surj had pressed the issue that it’s mostly fiberglass and carbon composite shell. It the rain at the end of the Yolo Causeway, Even in the summer, I see 20, that stop me from showing up, from getting the Marines Motorcycle Club’s Sacramento with a bunch of bikers? Sign me up!” patch clubs that show up to the Unification has a snappy, if brand-heavy, paint job and swooping in to join our high-viz pack for maybe 30 bikes? Chapter. He’s been coming to this thing for the last few miles. The Part Of The Solution pack at Middle Harbor Shoreline Park. years. “I’m hoping this year is better than …said no one I asked. a number of unique features that make it So we’re vulnerable. wonderfully motorcycle specific. to get CityBike last years,” he says. “It’s been hit and miss. This is a problem. These riders that waited alone along the Vulnerable to being run over delivered to your door way so they could ride in solidarity warmed We’ll usually get people from the whole For instance, almost everything you by inattentive drivers, and The sportbike, dirtbike, ADV bike guys my heart almost as much as my heated state. They would really love to get a lot of might care to operate with gloved fingers by the meanest, most vulnerable to those same car- see “Ride to the Unification Rally with liner. It’s a pretty rad feeling to recognize independents to come out to this, too. A on this dome-piece comes to an easily psychotic, well-armed centric people thinking they CityBike” alongside a photo of a sea of black a rider along the freeway, like Chris on lot of independents are a little leery about manipulable point. The chinstrap is your branch the Government need to manage our lives leather and Harleys and say, “No thanks, his orange camo KTM, and see that rider being around clubs for whatever reason. It typical double-D ring, but the end of the has to beat you with. for us, for example, how we I’d rather go for a ride. Somewhere else.” If slip into the back of the group—it felt like makes it hard, but what independents don’t strap comes to a point rather than the should split lanes. As if they they don’t say, “But it’s raaaaining!” That’s right! we’ll send the man we were riding with a purpose. Which we realize is that what we come here and talk usual rounded edge. This makes it the first know. to your mail hole once a month were. I’m immensely grateful to the riders about and go over, it affects them just as Well, who wouldn’t rather go riding, rain helmet I’ve been able to easily get on and for an entire year delivering the that showed up and joined our little band We’re vulnerable to be much, too. The laws that get put into place, or no? The Harley guys would probably off while wearing gloves. latest issue of CityBike. overrun by the much all that kind of stuff, affect of brightly-colored bikers. You guys are the Now, when you first pick real deal, all of you. larger population, so we the independents just as Editor Surj at the podium. up the X.R2, the most Just send a check for $30 to: need to make our voices as much as it will affect the noticeable thing about it— PO Box 18738 But the lack of interest in the ride, and powerful as possible.” clubs.” some dismissive opposition, really besides “NEXX” in bold Oakland, CA 94619. bothered me. When I was added to the This is important—the Photo: Zack Kondo The presentation letters on four sides—is be sure to include your name, speaker list two days before the rally, this Biker vs. Motorcyclist distinction is an involved? Hell no! started with the pledge how light it is. The declared address, & phone number! disinterest served as the foundation of my idiotic waste of time. Even worse, there’s In fact, it makes me more involved—I want Rally, but I expected there to be at of allegiance and an weight is 1,350 grams or use Paypal! to add my voice, my opinion, help shape invocation. The speakers speech. an awful lot of hypocrisy from both “sides.” least a few independent sportbike types, as (2.97 lbs), but my medium [email protected] Motorcyclists talk about how the Bikers the things we’re working on. Together. I had seen at IMS. asked mostly that we be weighed in at 3.13 lbs involved and vote. are only in it for the “lifestyle,” how they We need numbers. Here in California, (1,419 grams) on my local But no, it was almost exclusively black the X.R2 seems as you point your brow into • Porting • Polishing • don’t actually ride. Funny thing is, this no one even blinks an eye at the “no Most speakers talked about grocer’s scale—that guy’s leather vests for days. the wind. horseshit often spews forth from low- motorcycles” rule on 17 Mile Drive. Yeah, the unification and forward probably been over-charging mileage coffee shop posers who haven’t it’s a private road, but imagine if they said Drawing a direct line from the podium, movement of motorcycling, me for produce for years! The other thing that becomes apparent is themselves been in the mountains and seen “no bicycles.” You bet your ass there’d be a through the Christmas tree, I found a red, but it’s striking how much Fiddlesticks. that this helmet is hard to get off. Which, Specialists that an awful lot of the riders actually riding spandex storm at the gates of The Drive. white and blue bike from the Marines underlying contradiction Whatever, it’s almost as light for a main drawback, is a double edged In Business Since 1978 are Bikers. Never mind that the weather’s Motorcycle Club. A -spangled helmet there is. Marines and Photo: Sam Devine sword. I seriously dread removing it, This is official notice: CityBike has run out as they come. For another never been conducive to riding to previous on the handlebars seemed to be looking Rogue Militia, Sober especially with ear plugs in. But the last All Makes of patience for excuses like “I’m too busy” $100 you can drop 300 rallies, and it rained almost all day this defiantly at the State Capitol building. Riders and Boozefighters, rather go for a ride too, but they show up thing you want should you ever actually or “those guys don’t represent me.” We’ll grams and get the X.R2 Carbon. I’m used All Models year. The Bikers managed to show up, in I approached one of the Marines club Satan’s Sons and Lord’s Prospects. But to rallies in high numbers, often, and if you crash at high speed is a helmet that comes be riding to other events that matter, both to heaving around a 3.76 lb HJC, which All Years spite of supposedly not riding much, while members, introduced myself, and said I that contradiction even under this one haven’t noticed, they also have the loudest off easily. And it does have quick-release big and small—stay tuned to our Facebook may not sound like much on paper, but in everyone else was typing bullshit excuses wanted to talk to the guy with the patriotic subculture of motorcycling seemed to voice—and pipes, but we’ll come back to cheek pads for getting the helmet off in page (facebook.com/CityBikeMag) and a head-wind, the difference is a noticeable from the warmth of their homes. cycle. underscore how necessary this rally that. These are are the people that show up an emergency situation. It’s pretty easy of course the pages of the mag for details. treat. actually is and how important it is that and get things done. to imagine myself using the emergency Similarly, Bikers talk about how those We’re also doing a lot of thinking about “Hmmm,” he said looking around. more non-club-affiliated riders and bikers The Nexx is designed for a chin-down track releases to escape after the last session of a damn sportbike guys ruin it for everyone how we can do more to help inform and “Lemme see if I can find him...ok, you ENGINE DYNAMICS, LLC turn up. We see ourselves differently, and Why don’t we join them? Why don’t the position. The helmet handles the wind best long day at the track. Phone 707-763-7519 by splitting too fast, almost like they’re engage folks. ready?” in a lot of ways we are. But at the end of the rest of us help and make that voice louder? when it feels like you’re looking through Fax 707-763-3759 quoting one of those goddamn anti- Though it’s very snug around the neck, it’s • Valve Seat & Guide Replacement • Race Prep • • Flow Bench Testing • Competition Valve Jobs • your eyebrows. With the chin up, the www.enginedynamics.com splitting “news” articles. Yeah, I’ve never I sincerely hope you’ll join us. “Yeah,” I said as he pointed back up the day, as Surj said in his speech, we are a very I got up early and rode out across the helmet vibrates a little bit but not much. Or spacious once you get your head inside. seen a Hawg do that, stereo cranked and granite steps. small fraction of the populace. If we don’t causeway to meet up with the CityBike / 2040 Petaluma Blvd. N.Petaluma, CA 94952 - Editor Surj rather, it’s remarkable how steady and quiet At speeds above 80 mph, as wind elevates state our desires, no one will. BARF “Part of the Solution” ride on the February 2016 | 8 | CityBike.com February 2016 | 9 | CityBike.com the helmet, the space between the top of to stay in place during normal use, while you may find if you search Amazon for this as shallow as I got the All in all, Bull-it’s Slate SR4 jeans are a safe main plot line is helping a poor map maker the head and the X.R2 is apparent. Nexx say, hanging from an elbow. book; an adult contemporary romance many women’s longest inseam bet—get it?—and the price ain’t bad either. in his fight against Butch, the rabble-rouser includes several pads of different thickness about a female race car mechanic, Andi, jeans. The the Slate is round these-a-here parts. All in all, Nexx’s X.R2 is a great helmet, so you can customize your X.R2, get things with one rule: no dating drivers. She meets belt loops are available in, $179.95. Learn more and find out where to especially for the track. It wouldn’t be my Bull-It.com The game clips along nicely, letting you fitted just right. But there’s real guide as Carrick, “The bad boy of Formula One, big enough to 33”, and while get a pair for yo’self at . first choice for touring or commuting, but complete levels without really trying too to how to decide which pads to use. Start with a face and body that melts panties on M accommodate other models will be my go-to for fun rides New Frontiers hard. Crashing is no big deal and you start with the smaller ones. If that doesn’t work, sight.” my wide, spiky are available in By Sam Devine back pretty much where you crashed. use the thicker ones. GARAGE rock & roll extra-long, the Hard to decide whether to read But you have the option of restarting Where? Learn as belt. There are length of these Yep. It’s winter all right. I know because this certain gem or watch completely if you want to improve. you go. Torque. Vintage / Modern 3 belt loops is pretty much I’m inside playing video games instead of Maybe we’ll come back to the Basically, if you feel like becoming good at center rear, perfect—they tooling around on The polycarbonate romance novel (April Motorcycle & Scooter Revved which works are long enough the street, fending lexan visor feels is coming) but let’s get back to Service Specialists for jacket to cover my of a cold instead sturdy and is motorcycle Revved. attachment, if ankles. I know of tending a cold remarkably clear. It The book tells the tale of Kirk’s (Pre-1975? Come on in!!) your jacket is bodies are one. And while also resonates if you sudden, unexpected decision so inclined. different, but fighting a cold, whack the helmet to start riding again after Moto Garage I could use a I downloaded a with the visor up: Rise is mid-ish, many years away from bikes. couple extra free side-scrolling buwong! Fun! I’m 415-337-1448 not too high, It’s a pretty typical American inches of video game called incredibly lazy about 112 Sagamore St, SF, CA. 94112 not too low. story—youthful moto-love, Covec. Trials Frontier. cleaning my visors, but They’re wide responsibility ruins it, and then And it’s the most the Nexx does seem direct from US distributors, the closest enough to wear Interestingly, years later, the once-and-again moto-video fun clearer than most. Its one being in Texas. While I love the sound over boots, these jeans rider buys a Harley. In this I’ve had since operating tab is also of “You can all go to hell, and I will go to but narrow Photo: Angelica Rubalcaba boast a water case, though, the rider bought Excitebike. centered above the Texas,” I kind of lost interest after that. Too enough to tuck repellent finish. a BMW K75, and promptly chin, rather than on the much work. Couldn’t try them on first, and in (my preference). Bull-it’s website also I decided to use the CityBike “Part of the Remarkably, for crashed it. so on. a game that can be played for free on left side, which does says the fabric has 2% stretchiness, which Solution” ride to the Unification Rally to this game you can, and if you your phone, it’s very responsive. Out of come in handy while Some of the most interesting Fast forward to my new position as gear isn’t much. So don’t expect them to still be test this claim. While it wasn’t pouring, and feel like just pressing some buttons to get a Photo: Max Klein every motorcycle video game I’ve tried, this holding in the clutch at parts of the book involve whore at CityBike—with Editor Surj doing comfortable if you decide to eat a whole I only ended up riding in about 20 minutes’ sense of accomplishment, you can do that, one gives the most illusion of controlling a stop light, making for on the coast. If you can find a cheaper, Kirk’s subsequent move to Southern all the work, I finally got my hands on a pizza. worth of sprinkles, I did notice the water too. easier right-handed operation. California, and his desire to find like beading up on the surface of my thighs a bike. It offers just four control options: lighter helmet, let us know. pair or SR4 Slate Jeans! They’re actually More on fit: I have this problem with just minds to ride with and when we stopped at lights on our way to accelerate, decelerate, and lean forward or And to keep things nice and unrealistic, It also has a unique “locking” system. available to order online now too, which I about every pair of women’s motorcycle $399.95 and up—$439.95 as tested. Learn learn from. Much of Tower Café for post-unification chow. back. The leaning controls make a huge there’s and explosion or a forced-crash at Unlike others where you press a lock discovered when I went pants because I am nearly 6ft tall, but the more and find out where to get your own at the description of his When we got there, everything felt fairly difference in how the bike performs. every finish line. button or lever, usually on the left side, the looking for a size Covec stops just past my knee. If I’m seated NexxNorthAmerica.com. later years of riding is dry. Later, I came out to a puddle on my Nexx just takes an extra downward push chart. on my bike, my knee is only about half The courses are a bit outlandish, as are Free for iOS and Android—hell yeah! about the experience motorcycle seat, which I opted to just sit to click into a position that is quite difficult Revved: Obsessions Of A protected. If I add knee armor, it’ll end some of the characters of the game’s small Learn more and download at trials.ubi. of developing a riding By the way, that on—the things I do in the name of product to pry open without both hands. This is up nearly on my thigh when I assume the western town (the mechanic is basically com/trials-portal/en-US/games/trials_ Midlife Motorcyclist group. It’s not purely size chart is pretty testing. I arrived home without feeling like great for the track, but can be fearsome on riding position. Hulk Hogan) but hey, this is a game on a frontier.aspx. By Surj Gish social—they actually spot on, which is I’d peed my pants, so the repellent claim heavily trafficked streets. important for us phone, not a Ken Burns documentary. The Two days before a scheduled flight to ride a lot—but it’s a stands up to California “winter.” Another nice feature is the visor’s more social version ladies that come in Portland, I received a review copy of all shapes and can’t stiffness—at nearly any speed, the Nexx Stuart A. Kirk’s Revved. I often read actual, of motorcycling than visor can be left in almost any position and I’m familiar with, just go for a simple physical books (quaint, I know) on flights, waist number and Actaully stay put. I’ve become accustomed because I can put in headphones and just as someone who, to leaving a half-inch gap open for venting. 70-80% of the time, have everything fit read, during takeoff and throughout the like you guys. This is great for riding in the rain, allowing flight, if I’m not feeling like dragging out prefers to just go the helmet to vent off humidity while my laptop and working. So I tossed it in my ride alone. Out of the box, blocking water droplets. go-bag. He covers a lot they’re heavier than I The vents are easy to find with gloved of ground: lane expected, the denim Christmas morning, I take off out of is a good, substantial- hands but not noticeably effective. It took Oakland with Revved (the book) in splitting (even looking directly at the vents to determine referencing ye feeling weight. They hand, and “Revved” (the song) in my are also thick; actually 2016 Aprilia which way was open. But cracking the headphones. Yes, on purpose. I thought olde CityBike), Tuono 1100 Factory ABS visor a half an inch supplies plenty of fresh justification for it’s the Covec-lined it’d be a nice way to kick off the book, and In stock NOW. $16,999 plus fees. air, anyway, while keeping wind out of the crossing “auto- areas that are thick. Chuck Ragan’s “Till Midnight” is a soulful Covec is a textile with $1,500 down, $299/month. eyes. album of songs well-suited to traveling. centric” double-yellow lines, transitioning to dual-sport riding, a high abrasion and cut The chin curtain and breath guard are the Revved is a collection of essays, starting and even leaving California—turns out resistance. It also has a low friction heat CALL 510.594.0789 best I’ve personally experienced, easily with “Crash Landing On Reentry,” a they ride bikes in other states too. A lot of transfer, and won’t break down with removable but flexible and sturdy enough regular washings, accidental oil baths, © Piaggio Group Americas, Inc. 2016. Aprilia ® is a U.S. and worldwide registered version of which was originally published the geographical and cultural references trademark of the Piaggio Group of companies. Obey local traffic safety laws and always wear a helmet, appropriate eyewear and proper apparel. in CityBike. There is another Revved, which will be very familiar to California riders, and other “normal” wear, which means it which adds to the overall charm of the should last. There are charts and detailed book. research results on the Bull-it website if Daily Commuter? Weekend Rider? Poser? DAYTONA BOOTS you’re really interested in learning more Come Have Fun At By the time I’d landed back in Oakland the about this fascinating NASA-tested fabric. day after Christmas, I’d finished Revved— it’s a reasonably quick read; engaging, Covec seems to be a good insulator, too— Our Season Opener enjoyable stuff, with an intellectual but not all the lined areas stayed comfortable overbearing tone. Grab a copy for yourself. during a 38 degree night ride, and I SUPPORT returned home without frost bitten knees. $16.96. Softcover, 202 pages, 8” x 5”. Learn I do wonder how comfortable I’ll be when Boot PRICES February 22nd! more at CorkscrewPublishing.com and get Sacramento hits 100+ though. LANE SPLITTING are Upside your own (paperback or Kindle) at Amazon. Down, too! com. My SR4 Slates pair has 4 seconds of abrasion resistance (SR4 = Slide Resistance Bull-It Ladies SR4 Slate Jeans 4 seconds). The seams feel solid, triple $419.95 By An DeYoung stitched in the important areas, with STICKERS - NEWS - RESOURCES Road Star GTX pockets inside for knee and hip armor. Years ago, I contacted Bull-it as part of There’s a sturdy YKK locking zipper. HELIMOT 45277 Fremont Blvd #7, Fremont CA my never-ending search for a decent pair Outer pockets are properly sized on the LaneSplittingIsLegal.com 510-252-1509 of moto jeans, in hopes of ordering a pair. back, and I can actually get my hands in the www.helimot.com At that time they were only available here pockets on the front—at least they’re not February 2016 | 10 | CityBike.com February 2016 | 11 | CityBike.com April 24, 2016: Pacific Coast Dream Machines (Half Moon Bay Airport, AFM Season Half Moon Bay, CA) The AFM has released its 2016 Higher Viz? “The Coolest Show on Earth” runs from 10 AM to 4 PM at the Half Moon schedule. If you Bay Airport, just 20 miles south of like racing, put Women motorcyclists San Francisco. DreamMachines. these dates on your on the rise - MiramarEvents.com/index.php calendar! Get more details at afmracing.org/schedule. May 14, 2016: The Quail Motorcycle but can we see them? Gathering (Quail Lodge & Golf Club, Round 1: March 19-20 By Michele Appel Michelle Dunn, a 8000 Valley Greens Drive, Carmel, CA Buttonwillow Photos by Michele Appel long-time rider, who 93923) actually had a guy Round 2: April 30-May 1 he Motorcycle Industry Council th at a bike night say to The 8 annual Motorcycle Gathering Sonoma released the first section of results th her “It’s cool that you celebrates the 40 anniversary of from their most recent, and most Round 3: May 28-29 ride. But wouldn’t you Superbike and feature pre-1916 Thunderhill Tdetailed survey of 48,000 American rather be a passenger?” motorcycles, BMW classics, along with motorcycle households last month. In it, Round 4: June 25-26 now owns Meteor the usual categories such as Japanese, they said that the percentage of women Thunderhill Motorbikes in West British, Italian, competition bikes, and motorcycle ownership rose from 8% in Oakland, where she more. 10 AM to 4 PM on Saturday, May Round 5: September 3-4 their last survey (2008) to 14% today. The also wrenches. She 14th. General admission tickets are $75. Sonoma percentage gets higher for Gen X and Y-ers, agrees with Joliffe, SignatureEvents.Peninsula.com/en/ at seventeen percent, and drops to near- Round 6: October 1-2 “There are really so Motorcycle/Motorcycle.html Thunderhill 2008 levels, 9%, for older women. many options out Maggie Beck outside Scuderia in SF. May 21, 2016: Hanford Vintage Round 7: October 22-23 I talked to the MIC about their there on the machine Motorcycle Rally (Kings Fairground, Buttonwillow methodology and without boring you side of the equation.” found them in Curve Unit. She doesn’t Every rider out there has an opportunity 801 South 10th Ave Hanford, CA with the details, trust me, it’s random. And She added, “Now if the gear manufacturers feel like she has to be a women’s ride to encourage and admit a whole new 93232) July 11-16, 2016: International Norton thorough. Basically, they cold call and mail would just read that memo...” cheerleader, but she does appreciate the cadre of characters, styles, perspectives, th Owners Association (Plumas-Sierra households around the U.S., with the help attention to detail, fewer shenanigans and and intelligence to our growing tribe of Head to the 48 annual Hanford Maggie Beck, who works in the gear and for 150+ vendors of fun at one of County Fairgrounds, Quincy, CA) of an international survey company. They one-upmanship she sees riding with men. two-wheelers, just by being there with apparel department of Scuderia in San information and perhaps a little time. And California’s premier vintage motorcycle The Northern California Norton Owners don’t ask outright about motorcycles, but “Not that women aren’t competitive,” she Francisco doesn’t feel the change is enough. not just by encouraging the women you events. ClassicCycleEvents.com Club (NCNOC) will host the 41st when they do find out a household has one, hints with a mischievous grin. She would “So, we went from one drop in the bucket know to ride, but anyone with a penchant gathering of the INOA July 11th-16th in they follow up with more questions and recommend to any new rider out there to May 21, 2016: Sacramento Mile (Cal to two drops?” and some mettle in their mug.” Expo, Sacramento, CA) Quincy. The fairgrounds venue offers usage and ownership. They share results go and find a group as well, but to also be

tent camping, plenty of bathrooms and by region, but not by state. It is interesting From a socio-cultural perspective, there careful they are taking the right steps to AMA GNC flat track action in The Sac. Michele Appel likes to make stories, tell clean showers. There’ll be the usual rides, to note that, despite what we believe about is undoubtedly a steady increase in gaining skill and community. Like signing Take the river road to Sacramento to stories, and ride on two wheels. You can find food, coffee, beer, rally shirts, Norton being able to ride up for rider training, or signing up for a avoid the drone of 80. There’ll even be her almost anywhere, doing so. tech sessions, speakers, field events, and 365 out here in the track day, or taking the time and money free motorbike parking! Tickets start at drier, western region, $29; reserved grandstand seats are $60. even live music. NortonRally.com/inoa- to get the right gear, versus donning rally-2016 survey says women, certain jackets and party pants and vapid SactoMile.com and people in general battle cries. To go for content over form. EVENTS Representative, Don Van Zandt at ride about the same 707.557.5199. June 20, 2016: Ride To Work Day Want your event in our calendar? Send a February 2016 (Everywhere, damnit!) note to [email protected] with details amount of mileage, no On top of the recommendation to find January 30, 2016: Monster Energy matter where they are. a riding group, Beck recommended 2nd Sunday of each month: Santa Cruz Ride to work on the 25th annual Ride To like who, what, when, where, why and we’ll Supercross (O.co Coliseum, 7000 Scuderia, of course, for gear and apparel Scooter Club Monthly Group Ride Work Day (and hopefully some other add it. Maybe. If it’s something cool. Sendw Coliseum Way, Oakland, CA 94621) Many in the industry and general questions, (they sell Rev’it, (Fin’s Coffee, 1104 Ocean Street, Santa days too) to your stuff early—more notice is better. would like to take one of her favorite brands) but also said Cruz, CA 95060) Supercross comes to the East Bay. Doors help increase credit for the rise in she has had great luck at the Dainese open at noon for practice and qualifying, public and Meet at 11:00 AM. Route depends on who women’s motorcycle D-Store in SF, and at Road Rider in San main event at 6:30. Tickets start at $15. governmental A recent ladies’ night at Scuderia. shows, the weather, and how much time ownership, with Jose. folks have. Rides will be cancelled due SupercrossLive.com awareness about various retailers to rain. SantaCruzScooterClub.com / April 2, 2016: San Jose Pro Indoor the benefits and manufacturers the number of financially and socially In only two years of riding, I can’t tell you facebook.com/SantaCruzScooterClub Short Track Races (Santa Clara County of moto- claiming they recognized a need to broaden independent women year after year who how many women have asked me for help commuting and the market base, and women accounted for recognize the freedom, economy, glory, buying a bike, or for advice on how to get it 3rd Sunday of each month: Northern Fairgrounds, Exposition Building, 344 riding in general. a relatively untapped well of enthusiasm. and just plain fun of riding two-wheels. But going again, or even where to get gear (that California Moto Guzzi National Tully Rd. San Jose, CA 95111) th Stay tuned for Manufacturers are tweaking bikes, offering how? isn’t pink) because they can’t really find Owners Club Breakfast (Putah Creek 10 annual pro short track on polished some kind of customization through free replacement the answers anywhere else, or don’t know Cafe, 1 Main St, Winters, CA 95694) concrete. Handlebar bashing, elbow contest from parts, like Kawasaki’s Vulcan S (“Kawasaki They’re connecting, especially via the where to start getting acquainted with the to elbow racing in a “cage.” Tickets MGNOC members and interested Guzzi your friends Vulcan S, Which We Suppose Stands for internet, the bane and boost to all of us here nuts and bolts of riding in general. are $25, not a bad seat in the house! riders meet at 9:00 AM for breakfast here at CityBike. Sporty” - October 2015) and producing in Tech Zombieland. The web, has done for SanJoseIndoor.com That’s a bummer because there are and good times. More information: RideToWork.org entirely new models to fit a larger variety motorcycling what it did for so many other resources out there. It’s just that sometimes, contact Northern California MGNOC Photo: Steve Synder of bodies. But, Tim Buche, President and subcultures; brought the random lone she- “Nice bike for a girl,” gets old. CEO of the MIC and MSF said he thinks wolves together. Some would argue this wore down the hard-spun fibers of each it might be the other way around. “Women When I asked Buche what would result Ducati Bike Nights! 1st Sunday of each month: North Bay 4th Monday of each month: Sacramento unique collective and degraded the quality kind of work around the problems [of from more women on the road, he said, “I over time, or argue against the superficial All brands and models of motorcycles are welcome. Get 6:30 to 9:30 PM at Benissimo, 18 Tamalpais Dr, Corte 6:00 to 10:00 PM at Hot Italian, 1627 16th Street, ill-fitting bikes and ineffective gear] and love it when anybody buys a motorcycle. proliferation of style and attitude, without more information at NorCalDoc.com. Madera. Sacramento. More information: 916.444.3000. then the numbers grow. The market sees a But especially a woman. Because I a whole lot of serious riding to substantiate 2nd Monday of each month: South Bay 4th Monday of each month: Mid-Peninsula growing trend and responds.” think women are better at sharing their 1st Monday of each month: Mill Valley the claim. After all, you ultimately have to experience with others. And go a better job 6:00 to 10:00 PM at The Cantina, 651 E. Blithedale 6:00 to 10:00 PM at Pizza Antica, 334 Santana Row, 5:00 to 10:00 PM at Sixto’s Cantina, 1448 Burlingame. Josh Joliffe, of Carl’s Cycles, a family get off the internet to meet real humans of getting into motorcycling the right way.” Ave, Mill Valley. More information: 415.378.8317. #1065 San Jose. More information: 408.557.8373. More information: 650.342.7600. owned powersports dealer in Boise, Idaho, and do real things. said “Without really paying attention, we’ve The rise in women motorcyclists 1st Wednesday of each month: San Francisco Ducati 2nd Tuesday of each month: East Bay 4th Friday of each month: Concord For example, whereas Beck rides to and seen a steady increase in women coming means many things. It is part of a rise in Bike Night 6:30 PM till whenever at Pizza Antica, 3600 Mt Diablo 6:00 to 10:00 PM at Lazy Dog Café, 1961 Diamond from the East Bay into SF every day, goes in.” Meaning, though they and other shops motorcycling in this country overall, and Blvd, Lafayette. More information: 925.299.0500. Blvd, Concord. More information: 925.849.1221. to the track regularly, and is generally 6:00 to 10:00 PM at Pier 23 Seafood Cafe, Pier 23, I talked to hope to start hosting more speaks to many economic, social, political, surrounded by things motorcycle and the The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94111. More 3rd Wednesday of each month: Emeryville 4th Saturday of each month: Novato events—such as ladies’ nights—to talk and environmental issues. But I’ll spare people that ride them, she said she never information: 415.362.5125. about women-specific gear and issues, and you the academics—the most important 6:00 to 10:00 PM at Hot Italian, 5959 Shellmound 6:00 to 10:00 PM at Boca Pizzeria, 454 Ignacio Blvd, rode with a woman until recently because they have been stocking a wider range of effect of more people on the road is more Street, No. 75, Emeryville. More information: Novato. More information: 415.883.2302. there just aren’t that many out there. When, bikes, they haven’t had to try too hard. The diversity, and more diversity is the lifeblood 510.652.9300. finally, she decided to go online and look new wave came on steadily and strong. of successful populations. for a group, she was pleased to say she February 2016 | 12 | CityBike.com February 2016 | 13 | CityBike.com Helibars adjustable handlbars.

pissed off and they’re kicking that flat trackers have figured out, and the ground and ‘the traction what stock cars have figured out, and why sucks and we can’t hook up’ they run all these weird cranks, because and we were just ‘kuhhhhhh’ that’s what gives you inherent rear wheel with the Mostest all the way down because traction.” MOTUS the motorcycle has a 1-4-3-2 We shoot in two more locations; Lee and I to do is build a bike that gets at the essence really shines: like sailing, like digging a the bike. The transmission spins contrary firing order, it’s an odd fire, zipping back and forth, flipping around on of why we started riding motorcycles in snowboard edge into fresh powder. to the crank and transfers to a chain final and it has a 75 degree crank.” the first place. Right? It’s this connection drive, which helps eliminate almost all the narrow road. We get into an unspoken “I compare it more to a modern Vette or a between your wrist and that rubber on of the rightward leaning tendencies that But shee-oot, whut does thems numbers game of seeing who can bust the smoother CTSV than I do other motorbikes,” says the road. And we’ve really tried to deploy afflict Motto Guzzis and . As Max mean? The Motus has a “Big Bang Engine.” u-turn while Max and Brian take pictures. Lee. “It just has a different feel to it. I have technology when it makes the bikes more snaps pictures of the bikes, Lee comes over It’s not just large—it fires all its cylinders Then we line up for dual shots and finally a hard time making a connection to other Photos by Max Klein fun to ride.” and gives me in rapid Brian joins us for a three-bike formation. The Motorcycle Gospel much philosophy from that, and cook it bikes the more I ride it.” some advice. succession, e’ve been watching Motus According to Lee Conn into a motorcycle. You can go to Italy and We get on 580 and head towards my Your instructor today is Lee Conn Lee waits for Max as I follow Brian up the Truly, the Motus reminds me more of the followed by since well before the bikes they’ve got Ferrari’s and Lamborghinis certain financial doom. Max is leading us “I don’t do too hill to breath-taking, high-speed sweepers By Sam Devine full-size American cars and trucks I’ve a period that were actually bikes. The early and Ducatis. You can go to Germany and sensibly on his KLR in the far right lane much body that make me forget that there’s anything We’re sitting at a bustling Mexican owned—not in how it handles, but in how allows the tire Wdrawings showed a sliding topcase concept: they’ve got BMWs and BMWs. You can when I decide to see what this thing can do English on it,” else in the world besides rolling hills at to bite again. forward when riding solo, to keep the restaurant in a Livermore strip mall. go to Japan and they’ve got GTRs and it delivers power. As we go down the road sunset. And, while attempting to keep on an American super-slab highway. he says. “You The engine weight from hanging off the back like an Between bites of burrito, Lee Conn Hondas. You go to the US, you’ve got I find myself getting nostalgic for my old up with Brian Case, I ponder this quiet, can mostly do basically kicks unfortunate lever; back to make room expounds the virtues of the Motus. Corvettes, Camaros, modern Mustangs “It’s an interstate machine,” Lee had said. F-150 and even my long-gone ’65 wagon. brilliant man. He worked for Confederate, your push-pull as hard as it for hauling two asses instead of one. As Snappily dressed in leather Motus riding and where’s the bike?” “You’ll find you don’t put it in sixth gear It’s the kind of engine that thwumps when a boutique manufacturer that makes countersteering can one instant a topcase-only moto-commuter nerd, I gear and Icon boots, he’s affable with short under about seventy, seventy-five.” you goose it instead of ringing out like a motorcycles for moviestars. You may recall “Eric tried,” says Max. “With Buell.” on the and then gives was pretty excited about this idea, even black hair and an ever-present grin. The dental drill. the Confederate Wraith, with its Hossack Falling back behind a big rig, I come handlebars.” the tires a little mentally mocked up some half-ass hack- confident and practiced salesperson, he “But there’s nothing American about that suspension. On the rare instance that Case sweeping around its left side (as you picture But despite low revs, the Motus delivers. breather, so job versions for my own bike at the time, a speaks convincingly in straight-forward bike,” says Case. “It’s got a Rotax belt drive The bars on speaks, he’s a fervent razor of intelligence, this, feel free to sub a an Imperial Cruiser In fact, the MSTR is still the world’s fastest gravity gets a 2000 VFR800. terms. motor. There’s nothing American about the MST are frustrated to have to explain something and the Millennium Falcon). The MST production pushrod motorcycle after the little longer to that. You had to have something that was adjustable for that should probably be remarkably Normal people were more interested in “The bike is really designed to excel in glides over the two lanes easily, and as I get Bonneville records it set in 2014. But the force the tire instantly iconic American.” height, reach, obvious to us: they’ve designed and built a the engine, and I thought it was pretty cool performance, comfort and range,” he says. near the nose of the Star Cruiser—err, I’m thing also gets great gas mileage, thanks to into the ground. and angle. new, independent, American motorcycle. too, with its promises of GDI and pushrod “Those are the only things we really care The Motus screams American muscle. mean, semi truck, there’s a minivan just both fifth and sixth gears being overdriven. Which means “Everybody It speaks to the country’s bombastic style simplicity and reliability. But I had my about. Is it comfortable? Is it fast? And can Shoot, even its alternator is ridiculously ahead of me going just a little too slow for “The applications of the tall fifth and sixth you can set it likes to talk as well as being comfortable and fun. And doubts about the bike and that baby block you go far on it?” powerful, pumping out 720 watts at idle an easy lane shift. The gap is closing. really are range,” says Lee. “The tank’s five to be upright about their though it’s expensive, it will run circles ever being real. Unlike so many other pipe and 950 watts at speed, arguably enough Though I know I’m being sold a product, This seems like just the sort of thing to try and a half gallons. If you’re just thrashing, while cruising big bang, that around a similarly priced Harley. Really, we dreams, though, Motus was serious— to power a Marshall stack. After pressing I’m enjoying it and becoming a convert. with a giant V4. It’s now or never! I rev the I mean we’re beating the stuffings out of I-80, then crank damn thing shouldn’t be amazed at how much it costs, not just some crowd-funded bullshit the starter button, just before the engine Then comes the warning: throttle and lean, and the Motus handily these things, there’s 220 in a tank. If you’re things down is the biggest we should at how inexpensive it is. experiment—and when I saw a video of the cranks, the click you hear is the same noise blips between the truck bumper and just riding it on the interstate, just riding lower for when “If you crash the bike, if either one of y’all bang. It’s the Few other hand-built vehicles in the world bike running, I was smitten. The 1650cc you find on Harleys and big block V8s. grocery getter. “Great shot, kid!” I give the seventy-five, there’s 270, 280.” you cut off to crash the bike, you pay for it. That’s just the biggest bang cost this little. V4 was serious rock ‘n’ roll. The whoosh you hear when the engine throttle another big twist and suddenly I’m 49. Conn says way it works. So don’t crash and everything Holy fuel consumption, Batman! That we could figure fires up can be experienced with the slowing down, the truck looming. Must be after a long day, he’ll move the bars one But it’s no longer enough to invent the Shortly after I fell in love with the sound of will be fine. It’s real easy to ride. No special means the MST is getting mileage as good out how to put in it,” says Conn. “It has a aforementioned vehicles, or by leaving that rev-limiter. Right. I whack the shifter inch back to go another hundred miles in wheel, no, now you have sell it, too. And that motor, I snuck out of work early one tricks. It’s a motorcycle, you know what I a small Honda! 340 degree revolution before it hits again. a barbecue’s gas valve open and flicking up and we’re back in business. comfort. with a high price tag and the stigma of day and rode down to Alice’s to see the mean? It’s not a spaceship or anything.” matches at it until ignites. It’s not the safest So what that really means is the same thing That’s right, Boy Wonder, and sounding being hand built, the Motus engineer bikes the Motus crew was riding around idea, but it’s damn fun. “The cruising revs are three thousand to six He switches bikes with me, putting me Sure. No problem. I’m good for $36k, better doing it. Pow! the US, loaded with sensors, collecting thousand,” Lee had warned. “It’s a big, wide on the MSTR, which has a setup closer if it’s spread out over several years and data, testing reliability. I sat on one, and And just like the Fourth of July, the Motus area in there. You don’t want to be luggin’ it to my . The MSTR is equipped after liquidating my motorcycles and Pez After sailing through the farmlands and marveled at how natural it felt. is damn fun but not necessarily the safest: at two thousand but you don’t wanna be on with BST carbon wheels and Brembo M4 dispenser collection. I’ll soon be bumping gentle curves northern Mines, we start up no traction control and no ABS. the rev limiter past about seven thousand Monoblock brakes. Sure, it was likely to cost something like ten along Mines Road on a beautifully the hill and I start getting worked. Grooves much, either. There’s just so much torque times what I’d paid for my VFR. Sure, GDI clear Wednesday, warning words from “Every sport-touring bike out there, and rutted in by cars are nearly invisible in the “They’re practically MotoGP brakes,” under there, you don’t need to be up that and that bitchin’ topcase setup weren’t in California Speed Sports ringing in my ears: even a lot of the sport bikes now, have grey asphalt. The adjustable Progressive warns Conn. “Try ‘em out on the flat here high.” the cards. But on paper the bike was near- “We had four wrecks in one day on Mines traction control, wheelie control,” prompts rear monoshock on the MST I’m riding has before we get going.” apparently been cranked as tight as possible perfect for me, and sitting on it validated and we said, ‘No more.’ We don’t do test Max. The Motus V4 supplies power unlike any and the bike and I are bouncing all over the Almost instantly more at home, I suddenly that. I wanted one. rides there anymore.” motorcycle I’ve ridden. I’m used to herkin’ “A lot of guys love all that stuff,” replies Lee. place. I’m trying to be aware of my body find myself forgetting about the price Ironically, I didn’t get to join Sam and Max large sport-tourers around. But every bike Better enjoy this chicken taco, it may be my “I’ve found it useful on the track on positioning, trying to keep up with Max on tag and lack of ride by wire fail-safes. to ride the MST and MSTR with Lee Conn I’ve ridden before had a power band that last. occasion,” says Max. “Like the R1, without a road he knows well, all while getting used Surprisingly, at no point over the day do I and Brian Case, co-founders of Motus. peaked noticeably somewhere. The gentle its traction control and all its multi-access to the feel for a bike that is unlike anything really feel like I need them. The Motus has And I just found out I didn’t win that “It’s really simple what we did, what curve of the Motus torque output, as well as crap, I would’ve thrown it away a couple of I’ve ridden before. been designed around the idea of traction mega-Powerball lotto thing, which means Brian did really,” says Lee, nodding to it’s nearly linear horsepower curve, give it a times.” management. I’ll have to continue to not ride Motus co-founder Brian Case. “Which was take remarkably smooth power delivery. It takes We get to a large gravel turnout that Max motorcycles a little longer, but read on for the best engine platform ever devised by “There is a very specific application for some getting used to, but in fourth gear has chosen for photos. I run back and forth, “What we really learned at Bonneville Sam and Max’s take on the bikes. humankind—which is a modern Chevy those kinds of technologies. But our on a big sweeper this smooth controlled finding u-turns on this little goat path wasn’t about speed,” says Lee. “It was small block engine—and try to borrow as philosophy is very different. What we want cruising feeling is where the Motus surprisingly easy despite the large size of about traction. Everybody there was so - Editor Surj February 2016 | 14 | CityBike.com February 2016 | 15 | CityBike.com chose to borrow from the technology of the of an MST for a vehicle, motorbike, car or the motor starts rumbling in a way usually Motus says “hold the special sauce, our Chevy small-block. otherwise. reserved for Sixties muscle cars. bike is good enough, and so are our customers.” This bike is obviously not “It’s the architecture of what a Chevy small If you’ve spent any time in such a car, you Mo’ Money, No Problems: Max aimed at inexperienced riders or even block is,” says Brian. “Which is a ninety- might be wondering why this power plant Rides The MSTR seasoned Starbucks posers, but rather degree bank angle, push rounds, single cam is in a distance-oriented machine. Sitting riders that want to be 100% responsible for Shifts were butter in the valley instead of an overhead cam or By Max Klein there at that first stoplight I was right there their inputs. It was built for riders that pick smooth thanks to the dual overhead cams. It’s all designed from The Motus drew me to it back in 2014. I with ya, blipping the throttle, feeling the a destination a day’s ride (or more) away FCC clutch. The clutch the architecture that we borrow because of was out at the Bonneville salt flats covering whole bike torque sideways, thinking, “No and get there by way of some faster paced has an “assist” feature its qualities: it’s torque producing qualities, the Motorcycle Land Speed Trials in my way this can be comfortable bike, even with twisties and *gasp* the interstate. which reduces fatigue by its reliability, its maintenance, hydraulic fairly new role as a CityBike contributor, these slick adjustable Helibars, Sargent making it significantly are nowhere near felony territory—at least lifters, no valve adjustments ever.” and ran into Lee and Brian from Motus. seat, and Öhlins.” The freeway miles simply disappear, easier to pull, and slipper functionality if you’re entering the freeway. Honestly, just They were out there to chew gum and set thanks to overdriven fifth and sixth. Sixth On top of this, one of the largest investors Then the light changed, and so did my which increases confidence by reducing thinking about that makes me smile. land speed records on what I referred to gear is nearly vibration-free, even at a pace of the company is Pratt and Miller, better mind. rear wheel chatter if you are one of those back then as “Bitchin’ Hotrod Motorbikes”. frowned upon by CHP. Having ridden So how does the littlest Ninja size up known as the GMC Race Team. As a result, aggressive downshifters. I did have a Once you get going, it starts to make sense. some “more touring than sport” sport- against the mild onslaught of motorcycles all the components in the Motus—coils, Spoiler alert: I never saw Lee or Brian couple of occasions at the track where it You don’t notice the torque; other than how tourers, there is nothing really unusual sent to overthrow the king of the itty-bitty injectors—are GM parts, hard proven chew any gum, but they did set records in felt like I might have hit a false neutral it motivates the rear wheel. And no matter about that, and the 565 pound Motus could budget bikes? Quite well, thank you very pieces tested over and over in the work two 1650 production pushrod classes. If on a downshift as there was zero engine how early I twisted the go-stick exiting be mistaken for some of the 700+ sorta- much. cycle of modern cars. you are not impressed with their 163.982 braking—the downside of those two corners, I was never left tractionless. Lee sporty tourers. until you exit the highway features being used at the same time. With I’m not going to get all “business “We used the most told me this was due and start ripping the canyons. easy lever travel and a slipper-ish clutch it intelligence” with charts and graphs to commonly available to the 1-4-3-2 firing Make the machine dance and it suddenly is easy to “overpower” the engine braking. compare them all because, let’s face it, oil filter on the planet,” order allowing a brief feels much lighter. You don’t have to throw Fortunately, this seemed to only happen nobody rides a chart or graph. Motorcycles says Lee. “You can buy lull in in between your weight around, Ricky Racer-style to occasionally, and only at the track for me. exist to play with your emotions, to it at NAPA for about six power strokes. Think change directions—just countersteering make your heart flutter when you see the bucks.” of this “bigger bang” This is a budget minded, entry level bike with subtle upper body adjustments got machine, to make you feel something and as built in traction so the suspension, as expected, is the Over the afternoon, the me transitioning corners with precision long for your next moment together, to give control, making the antithesis of luxury. The 37mm forks and subject of the Motus accuracy. you the proper ratio of thrills to “I got this.” lack of electronic their 4.7 inches of travel are not adjustable. being expensive and traction control on Fourth gear sweepers at 5,000 RPM is The shock steps up to the plate with 5 Not an easy task for a budget bike like the American-made comes such a beastly motor probably where all those dreams you have preload settings and an additional half Ninja, but it pulls it off. up a few times. not seem like an are born. You know, the ones that you feel inch of travel. This low-rent setup works The little Ninja is a very good looking bike, “We like making things oversight. slightly dirty about having once you wake well enough for the average beginner often mistaken for its bigger, more badass that work,” says Lee. up. The ones you think about for days after to learn on and is not scary on the track Wait? No traction siblings at first glance. My heart didn’t skip “If we don’t start doing and wish for again as you fall asleep. The either. Even with minimal adjustments control? a beat when I looked at it, but I did smile things like this, in ones that you can’t discuss in public. Yes, available, my 6’ 1”, 180-ish carcass did every time I saw America, it’s not going You heard me. it’s that good. it in the garage to end well.” There are probably Yeah, it’s expensive, and appending that R while I had it. and 165.813 MPH records (in some really, people arguing on A few days before the test ride, I’d been to your MST adds six grand, but you get Close enough. really bad conditions), the fact that they the internet as you read this, suggesting walking down Divisadero with a friend, all the stuff that many people want to add Check. bolted their mirrors back and rode home that building a $30k+ motorcycle without checking out the high-brow trinket shops to their lesser-priced machines. Öhlins By Max Klein pining for the loss of her Li’l should grab your attention. traction control and ABS, or any acronyms It has just that have sprung up. One shop had an ax suspension, BST wheels, Sargent saddle, Ricky. The Ninja 300 is down really, beyond MOTUS itself (Motorcycle Photos by Max Klein enough for sale at an exorbitant $300. Looking at The Motus is America’s perfect sport- those sweet adjustable bars, and even five horsepower and almost Of The United States), is like making a ot too long ago there was performance to it, we discussed how there’s this schism in touring machine, built with American (gasp!) the ever-elusive centerstand that seven pound-feet of torque on hamburger without adding ketchup and one choice if you wanted make me want the American Marketplace. You can buy parts, only offshoring when performance seems to be an optional afterthought on so the RC. It fares a little better mustard. a small displacement to ride another a shitty ax at the hardware store down the mattered, not for cost considerations. many supposedly touring-oriented bikes. on paper against Yamaha’s Nsportbike. Kawasaki built an one. I had street for forty bucks, or you can get one Lee and Brian don’t agree, opining that R3, only giving up two in Think of it as pre-upgraded. empire with the Ninja 250. almost as much that your grandchildren will inherit. But It oozes Americana, the good kind. The traction control and ABS (or any other BS) each category. So despite its From ‘86 on, it was the go-to for fun running there’s nothing in between. motor is essentially half of a small block on their motorcycle would be like adding Max is the SF Chapter Director of the AFM, pedigree, the Ninja 300 had new riders that wanted sporty to the bank as Chevy V8, scaled down a bit. Thumb the ketchup to a perfectly grilled steak. Sure and thinks anything that doesn’t burn or leak some work to do to win me The Motus unfortunately speaks to that style and racers that didn’t mind I did racing. starter: there’s a click, a slight hesitation, you can do it, but if the meat is prepared more than a quart of oil per thousand miles is over. schism. It’s out of the price range for most having to work a bit to get some In fact, when I and then the hair on your arms stands up as right, you really don’t need to add anything. a touring bike. of the country. But really, its price tag speed out of it. A couple of years Our test bike was a 2015 think back to is not that outrageous. High end H-Ds ago Honda popped in (again) model—the 2016 bikes are my time both cost as much, but can’t compete with the with their own two-fiddy, and the same, but available in red on the track performance of the Motus. more recently their own 300. or gray, instead of the classic Kawi green not completely outweigh the suspension’s and around town I get a little sentimental. The floodgates opened: Yamaha or striking white. Pricing stays the same: abilities, making most of my time on the Check. Really, the fact that this is a hand-built, showed up with the R3, KTM $4,999 to start, $5,299 with ABS. bike quite enjoyable. At 357 pounds, with a made-in-America vehicle that only costs birthed their fraternal 390s... 30-inch seat height the 300 is really easy to And that ratio I talked about? A novice $30k is remarkable. If you can but any ok, floodgates may have been a I first rode a Ninja 300 at Thunderhill maneuver for riders of all sizes. rider will love the thrills: lightweight hand-made vehicle for this little, snatch it stretch, but for the first time in Raceway in my second race of the 2015 flickability and accessible power, 100% up. a very long while (ever?) the li’l season. With the exception of the bars The stock tires were obviously designed usable. That same combination will inspire and—thank your supreme being(s) of to last forever, what with them being made the confidence needed to progress as a When I first heard about the Motus, I Ninjette was threatened. Or was it? choice—tires, it was bone stock. My only of rubber-colored granite. I found them to rider. wanted to hate it. It was probably another other race at that track was a year prior on be the most limiting factor on the street. On the track, not much is more thrilling loud, high-priced, large displacement, Kawasaki had over 27 years (30 the Ninja 250 and what a difference a year Again, not unusual for an entry level bike. than losing the front at 60mph, and macho trophy that could surely be Repair & Service We Ship Worldwide if you count the first Japan-only (and 10 HP) makes. outperformed by an SV650. But the MST version) of data to get the Ninja The brakes are equally uninspiring; nothing says “I got this” like saving that and MSTR turned out to be better than 300 pretty close to perfect right $4,999 gets you a 296cc parallel twin that however the addition of ABS ($300 extra) tucked front off your knee. Extreme I could ever have imagined, making this out of the box when it introduced puts out just shy of 35 HP, and compared to lets new riders get a little more stabby in a example, sure, but it shows that even with review oddly hard to write. the new Ninjette in 2012, as a the Ninja 250 it is an absolute rocketship. panic with less chance of falling down. The stock suspension (and a tire upgrade) you 2013 model. And it had to be. I welcomed the extra ten horses when it front two-piston caliper grips a 290mm can have a ton of fun. Check. As I mulled over this bike, I kept getting came time to climb up the hill into turn single disc while the rear grabs onto a Somebody (damn near everybody) once hung up not on anything that was wrong CALL US FIRST! As you may have noticed nine, and I didn’t have to downshift over 220mm disc. (just about always) said it is more fun to with the Motus, but on what’s wrong with we waited to review the tiny the slight crest exiting turn one. I was able The best part about the brakes is you really ride a slow bike fast than it is to ride a fast America. We shouldn’t be asking why grandfather of the beginner to get the wee Ninja into the triple digits at Salvaged & New Parts! don’t need to use them all that much. At the bike slow. The Ninja 300 proves this to be the Motus is so expensive, we should be bikes until we’d ridden some of the end of the front straight even if I got a track you don’t want to slow down through true. wondering what’s wrong with America that the newcomers, and in doing so, bad drive out of the last turn, while a bad Tue–Fri 10–6 Sat 9–5 most turns as riding little bikes fast is all most of us can’t afford one. we’ve given it some pretty big drive on the 250 felt like a fast walking pace about corner speed. On the street you can Max is the SF Chapter Director of the AFM, shoes to fill. Remember those in comparison. I never thought I would be Sam is CityBike’s newest columnist, and wind out fifth gear, click into sixth, and you and figures his matching white leathers gave has never paid more than 1/20th of the cost KTMs? We sure do—An’s still stoked to have so much of so little power. the littlest Ninja at least another two ponies. February 2016 | 16 | CityBike.com February 2016 | 17 | CityBike.com Gwynne-ja 300 Suspension is much like the rest of the bike: Shit. I was about to own a copy of Torque, Going downhill on Clement Street, I By Gwynne Fitzsimmons ready to go. Racers and more aggressive or like it or not. For those of you not in the was surprised to find a front-end wobble bigger riders would want to customize it, loop: Torque is baaaad. It’s worth watching while trying to stand up hands-free. But Kawasaki’s Ninja 300 looks like a real but for me it was just fine. Not too stiff, not once for a laugh, but it’s not kitschy enough that’s understandable on a bike this size The Teacher’s Last Lesson motorcycle; a real pretty motorcycle. Ours spongy. to elicit watching time and again like and could probably be fixed with minimal was pearl white and quite striking. It took Attack of the Killer Tomatoes. tweaking. By Jason Potts, with special thanks area for the most part except for a few areas moved our search over to So… do I like it? Yep. And for what it’s me by surprise when someone in a parking to Matt Hartford that the Kings fire swept through last year. the Eastern Zone. worth, the Internet says it has 39 horses in With about ten minutes left between Other than that, the li’l Ninja continues lot stopped me and asked about it. We had a huge area to cover. that parallel me and to be a bike that rises to well-established d Cavanaugh was a friend, 3. Leave breadcrumbs. I had fun addressing his questions. What twin. involuntary expectations. Other models are still largely gentleman, educator and 2. Confirm your safe return. Be sure to If you’re going out solo, did I know? Cylinders? Two. Horsepower? ownership based off the Ninjette. Yamaha’s R3 has inspiration; a Dirtbag builder, touch base at the end of the day to make or even with a friend for a I don’t know, suppose I could look it up Gwynne has Esurfer, generous pie maker, a stone and of quite about the same top speed, but I found its sure you both made it back safely. ride, leave a note describing the cutest, on the Internet—but it feels like plenty. possibly rear end a little washy. KTM’s RC 390 has wood worker. He was a teacher in Costa your intentions for that tiniest riding At about 11 PM on Thursday, July 23rd, Does it go fast? Yes, especially on a twisty the worst a surprising amount of torque for a bike Rica, and for nearly 20 years with the San ride. Even while riding purse. She’ll I awoke from dreams of non-stop text road, faster than my own bike. How does it movie that its size—it’d absolutely beat the Ninja off Francisco public schools as a bilingual with a friend, you can both kick your ass messages to find it was not a dream— handle? Good, although the tires feel like Ice Cube the line and would likely pull ahead on the Spanish elementary teacher, as well as a get lost or stuck at the in the dirt, my phone dings (again) and I discover recycled seconds from the rubber bullet ever made straight. But it doesn’t yet have the proven wilderness instructor with Urban Pioneers. bottom of a canyon. A note too. a dozen messages asking when the last factory. Easily addressed. (which reliability of the Kawi. Most recently he taught math, literacy and can help searchers zero time anybody spoke to Ed was. Most say is saying leadership skills through an experiential in on your location much Photo: Heather Thompson Do you like it? Little More than anything, though, the Ninja Thursday, but nothing after that. My gut a lot), I education project at San Francisco faster, and like I said before, Victories 300 took the least amount of thought to starts churning when I realized it’s already Hmm. I stop to think. Do I like it? called my Downtown High School working with shortening the rescue time operate. There’s something immediately been almost seven days. A week?! It was like a personal roadmap for me By Sam girlfriend’s troubled, last-chance kids that others can mean the difference between life and It delivers smooth acceleration, easy Devine familiar about its handling, power-delivery had given up on. He taught some of them to decipher. Thank you psychic friends! roommate, I quickly posted a message on Facebook, death. shifting, and enough power to scoot down and ergonometry that one can only get survival skills during 10-day survival Honestly, we never would have found him The first who said he asking for all available the road at a fairly reasonable clip. It’s from a bike with thirty years of refinement; Over the next week and a half, without those clues. Ironically, they’d been time I got would try to quests in the forest, and boat building predictable, with no twitchy glitches to thirty years of Kawasaki basically building we searched with help from the telling us to look on the first trail we had on the li’l Ninja, I was in Pinole at the the save my bacon. skills to others. As an upset a newer rider, and it isn’t terrifying this same bike, more or less. Sherriff’s department, the local searched, what all of our “gut feelings” had Antlers Tavern. Max and I were trading experienced Wilderness entering traffic on congested Bay Area on Meanwhile, I rode the Ninja back to town, Emergency Medical Search and Rescue ground been pointing all along. bikes. I’d been riding the giant Caponord Sure,the younger set may be alluring and The search continues. ramps. reminding myself not to rush. There was Technician he was well pounders, motorcycle Search Rally 1200 around for a week, which made capable, but the Ninja has experience It was with much relief, yet great sadness little I could do, really. Perhaps if I had lit equipped to survive, and Rescue teams from Mount The skinny tires are mounted on 17 inch the Ninja 300 feel pretty much invisible. doing the job. And in a world that’s largely that we found Ed the next day, Tuesday out of Pinole twenty minutes earlier there’d yet he left us few clues Shasta, dog teams, helicopters rims. I find them a bit disconcerting, unreliable, there’s a comfort in a machine August 4th. It seemed that he’d passed My girlfriend called to see if I’d returned be half a chance in hell. But with 25 miles to find him when he with FLIR (Forward Looking as they seem to fall perfectly into those that does just what you’d expect, no more, away suddenly—apparently diabetics “Mall Rats” and “Torque” to Le Video. to span in around 400 seconds, I decided to vanished into the massive Infra Red) technology and asphalt ruts gouged into the lane by no less. can die quickly from a combination of enjoy the ride. wilderness. even a Reaper drone, not to overloaded semis. The 300 is easy to low blood sugar, dehydration and a being “I was going to take them back tomorrow.” mention many locals on foot, Once I’d abandoned all Ed was an avid mountain overheated. “They’re closing forever horseback, mountain bikes, and hope, I was happy to find bike and dirt bike rider tonight!” motorcycles. I hope that the lessons we learned while the Ninja handled just with an explorer’s heart. searching for our friend Ed Cavanaugh as I anticipated: nimble We spent many days We searched in vain. By day “I thought they closed may help prevent this from happening bordering on delicate. together riding and eleven, we’d covered almost tomorrow. They said they to you or anybody else riding solo in the Compared to the massive exploring the foothills near all the trails on the map as were closing on December Photo: Tom Griffiths future. Even though these things may not Italian adventure-sport- our group’s “clubhouse” well many unmapped trails, 1.” have saved Ed’s life, they could have greatly tourer, it was like walking a in the El Dorado National without finding any trace of improved our ability to find him in the one “Yes, but their last day in Chihuahua instead of being Forest. Ed or his Yamaha YZ250. We were holding hundred square miles that we searched— business is today.” in a bar fight. dirt biker to come help search, and made on to hope—but Ed was a type 1 diabetic th almost two thousand miles of trails and fire The day he went missing, July 17 , was a few calls to find someone that could and we didn’t know how much insulin Sad but true: Le Video, the The Ninja can hold a steady roads. scorching hot and he’d started the day accompany me on the three-hour drive up he’d packed, not to mention that his water second-largest collection 80 mph, going up and down riding with a friend. Together they rode that night. We were on the road within an supply would probably be very low, if not of films on the west coast hills, although there isn’t To summarize: toward the Eastern zone trails, which are hour. gone by this point. was closing forever in about much left to squeeze out of it only open for a short time each year and th 1. If you go riding alone, please leave a note 40 minutes and, due to a after that. Max claims triple had been the focus of our exploration July 24 , 2:40 AM. We arrived at the cabin The next day I would have to leave the detailing the ride you are planning that semantic misunderstanding, digits are doable. Passing during our last few trips to the cabin. They to find Ed’s truck parked in the driveway, search and go back to work. By then we day, and stick to your plan. If you leave a rescue from undesirable situations a rider I was at least a half hour was hard work, but it did get Oh yeah, and by the way, the videos got parted ways at the entrance of the trail 7 his stuff spread across the table on the back would have covered all the trails both on vehicle at the trailhead, put the note on may force it into; however, if one chooses away. So I called my roommate, who said the job done. back on time. “The deed is done,” said the network at about 1 PM, leaving plenty of patio. Inside, we find your dashboard. this bike as his / her primary commuter, she could return the videos for me. Great. text I received. “It officially takes a village time to look for sweet single track before the coffee pot still on, Remarkably, I made it back in about 20 the coffee burnt to a 2. Text a few friends your heightened awareness of road surface is Max and I continued our conversation and to return a movie.” sunset around 8 PM. Ed had talked about Final resting place. minutes, proving the Ninja a capable crispy sludge, burnt to plans, and the time you plan necessary. finished our libations. Fifteen minutes exploring Slate Mountain and looking for highway vehicle, (at least with someone Sam is CityBike’s newest columnist, and the bottom of the pot. to be back so they can get later, my roommate texted, explaining that the ruins of the old Bret Harte hotel in the It has enough pep off the line to around my medium-to-small size). perhaps our most rabidly enthusiastic little There’s a book on the help in case you don’t return she had eaten a “pot thing” and couldn’t past, but didn’t clearly state what his plans occasionally unconsciously loft the front bike advocate. table with his reading in time. handle being in public. Over the next few days, I took it around were that day. wheel a few inches, a gesture that says “I’m glasses sitting on it. town, hitting the usually urban twisties. 3. If you part ways on the trial, a happy little bike, let’s have fun!” Riding He was not discovered missing until July He’d forgotten to put be sure to touch base at the Sonoma twisties in the rain, the Ninja 300 23rd. Here are some of the lessons we the mayo back in the end of the day. shows me its stuff: sweepers or goat trails, learned while searching for him; hopefully fridge after making a the bike is happy on either. these will prevent this from happening to sandwich. 4. Get a SPOT or similar GPS you or a Lov(Ed) one. tracking device, and actually The bars are just low enough to give the We searched the carry it, with spare batteries. rider a sporty posture without upsetting 1. Share your plans. If you part ways rest of the house his / her position on the bike in turns or when riding with a friend or a group, be and found his 5. Always pack lots of snacks, while braking. It’s light enough to give sure you to tell each other your plans in Pelican case, with water, a safety blanket and a it that flickable feeling so desirable in a case something goes wrong. This helps his diabetes meds whistle—in case of dehydration, motorcycle. the search and rescue teams to narrow in it. you can blow a whistle even when down the search area, and can shorten the Photo: Jason Potts you can’t talk. Brakes are good—like the rest of the rescue time. If you’re hurt and need help, 3:30 AM. We bike they’re neither extreme nor lacking, shortening the time it takes to find you made our plan for the morning, and bike, and then Ride fast and take chances, yes, suited to the bike, friendly enough for can mean the difference between life and decided to attempt a little sleep before we on foot, and to be honest I didn’t but be smart too. newer riders. With enough of a stomp I www.SFMoto.com death. begin the search. I woke at 6:00 AM to the know where to tell everybody to continue was able to briefly lock up the rear wheel sound of my phone—again. Another friend the search. As I prepared a friend to take Jason Potts is a two-wheel weekend warrior, but the bike was reluctant to slide or drift 415-255-3132 In the Sierra foothills, there are near- had just arrived and together we geared my place as search coordinator, we started Baja guide, moto-journalist, photographer out of control. Locking up both ends endless fire roads and single track trails Open 7 Days a Week up and began our search of the immediate to look at the leads on the “psychic friends and proud father of two. He used to be an simultaneously produced a smooth short that snake up and down canyons, over area. We returned an hour later to pick 275 8th Street, board” mostly because we had exhausted AFM, AMA and Score International Off skid—it’d take a lot of input to upset this rocky mountain peaks, and down across up a few others that had just arrived, then San Francisco, CA 94103 all other leads. Road racer as well as a Keith Code California bike while braking. streams and rivers. It’s a heavily wooded Superbike School Instructor. February 2016 | 18 | CityBike.com February 2016 | 19 | CityBike.com Stating your acceleration ambition is akin really fucking fast requires a little bit turning violet, Violet!” And Willy Wonka I filled two shot samsam DEVINEDEVINE to driving a ten penny nail through your oil more than just slamming the throttle and just shakes his head. dr. gregory w. glasses, but before pan. They’d rather set the vehicle aflame screaming like Ahhnold diving away from FRAZIER toasting him and our While good, steady breathing can keep than share their numerical goal. an explosion: “Git to dah choppah!!!” knocking them back, you relaxed, hyperventilating can get you Chief, World said, “Hal, the name But the tidbit that’s really stuck with me— No, no, no. You have to focus in, narrowing as high as you’ve ever been. Burning Man Adventure for the Adventure and the one that often occurs while I’m your thousand-yard gaze to a point that’s Rangers deal with drug overdoses as often Affairs Desk Rider Very Important swimming—has to do with breathing. You actually a thousand yards away. You have as maids deal with dirty floors. And these Illustration by Mr. Jensen Paper is easy to see, when you climb into a big-wheeled to reach inside and control your breathing, raveland sentries go through a training failure of his defense, “but if you’re such remember, it’s the same name as banana boat that requires them to a professional share a professional toilet your Italian friend who likes to diss with training breathe as fast and as secret with me.” me whenever he has a chance.” wheels for “Ahhh, not until you address what I’ve front tires and heard about your 1,000 mile-a- Ironbutt Hal pondered my several fire day buddies; that some are response for a few moments, and extinguishers ronbutt Hal, I knew, was trying to pry rumored not to waste time then said, “I don’t know if you’re mounted around you, the gajillion-point professional motorcycle adventurer with pit stops, toilet paper, telling me a secret or pulling my chain harness has a tendency to compress secrets out of me by using beer with others even opting for a for trying to defend the back-shooting hile swimming sidestroke, I your ribs and lungs like a birthday cake Ichasers of vodka. At the same time, I wedged diaper do the left- critic, but let’s toss these shooters back in sometimes find myself thinking beneath a bowling ball. Compounding wanted to loosen Ironbutt Hal’s lips about handed job?” the good Italian sense of adventure.” about Jim Hoogerhyde. It’s not that is the fact that the thermometer is long distance rider personal exhaust port “Cin cin,” I said in my best Italian for the Wbecause he’s a fast, sexy man—as those hitting triple digits and you’re wearing secrets, the truth of how the motorcyclists The vodka chasing beers had word ‘cheers.’ of you who purchased the 2011 Dirtbag more layers than a Taco Bell burrito. in his niche dealt with not making pit stops loosened his lips. He said, calendar well know. He comes to mind “You ever hear of The Texas Ironbutt Hal laughed, clinked his glass to “You tell yourself that it’s 110 degrees to relieve bladder and colon build-up. because of breathing. Catheter?” mine, and then said in his newly acquired outside your suit and only 97 degrees The long distance motorcycle specialist Italian speak, toasting my possibly You see, one winter afternoon several years inside, so really the suit’s keeping you “Nope, but when was my gracious host for an overnighter at proffered professional secret, “Salute to ago, the mercurial Talbot DeVille and I cooler,” said Hoogerhyde. “But it doesn’t I hear the word his house, providing numerous bottles of Signore Adventure Rider Very Important found ourselves the only befuddled puds to really work like that.” catheter, Texas cold beer with a side bowl of ice and two Paper.” turn up to a “group” ride. So we decided to shot glasses for my minimal contribution or anywhere, But it’s the breathing thing that I putt on over to the Hunters Point industrial I immediately come back to time and again. While of a half bottle of vodka. park and happened upon the world-speed- experience physical and mental Dr. Frazier’s new all-color coffee I’m suiting up at the track. While record setting Hoogerhyde tinkering on his He’d recently returned from several weeks shrinkage.” table book, DOWN AND OUT IN I’m swimming, wrenching, or riding latest four-wheeled rocket. And he divulged of motorcycling in Europe which included PATAGONIA, KAMCHATKA AND Highway One. He described how he had to us a good deal about the process of going some of the best passes and roads in the TIMBUKTU, available at mototorbooks. Illustration by Sam Devine designed a distance- com, is the first-ever first-hand chronicle fast in a straight line and having it recorded. “You gotta go all Zen,” said Hoogerhyde Italian Alps and on the surface of our riding catheter to of a never-ending motorcycle ride by “the of the torso-crushing safety belts. “You swilling was anxious to share tales of his “How fast are you hoping to go?” I asked. eliminate urinary world’s most cerebral motorcyclist.” It is can only take shallow little half breaths.” newly acquired Italian driving experience keeping it shallow, like doing a backstroke. deep as they can for about five minutes. pit stops. The liquid highly “recommended” by Grant Johnson, “Oh, I don’t know, man. We’ll find out,” and language skills. However, as bottles I’m recalling his words as best I can, so Exhale too deeply and you’ll sink. Hold Try it. If you’re not seeing spots and can would run down the horizonsunlimited.com adventure travel he responded. It is said that high-speed emptied and names were dropped, we forgive me if his particular patois doesn’t your breath too long and you’ll tense up. still remember who the president is, give rider’s leg inside a book guru, and for dream riding armchair hunters are an oddly superstitious bunch. did a tighter verbal dance around the yourself a hearty pat on the back—just plastic tube and, with and keyboard adventurists. feel present. But the point is that to go On a cold day, approaching a blind right on real hardball questions we wanted to ask don’t try to stand up. while pretending to focus on the subject of the help of gravity and Highway One, I exhale deeply, fogging my wind suction from speed, Italian motorcycling. He nodded, visor. It means I’ve held my breath for too But when we’re breathing right, it’s sweeter dribble onto the highway emptied another bottle long, tensed up. And tensing up will kill than a cold glass of water on a hung-over The gloves came off when Ironbutt Hal as the long distance rider and then prodded, “So where you. The good money is on light and swift morning. It calms the mind and loosens tried to defend his friend who critically motored along. action: a slight twist of the wrist, a saccade the muscles. The worst thing we can do is shoots arrows into my professional is this adventure rant going?” “Not bad,” I replied. “The of the eyes—no freezing like a cheerleader dwell on how long things are taking, how adventure motorcycling back. I suggested “To the latest adventure riding product design seems far better than in a horror movie. And steady breathing is little time there is left. We’re all running the jealous back-shooter had an obvious I’ve heard about as a globe wandering and sitting in a wet diaper for several hundred the key to good action. out of time, trying to beat the clock. It’s not soft motorcycle travel lifestyle with a inquisitive truth and tale seeker, the new said enough that the one of the best things miles. But what about a #2?” “When you focus on breathing and form, working wife bringing home the meaty adventure rider toilet paper.” we can do is remember to breath. pay check for the mortgage, groceries and “Nope, you have to share some professional everything else fades away,” says Mark Rising to my presented bait while St. Peter, of Dynamic Balance, a physical Try it the next time you’re coming hot into health insurance while hubby flitted to and adventure rider secret first.” from motorcycle promos and free uncapping another beer he said, “OK, rehabilitation center. “You can start by a corner. Breathe out and see if that turn I’m open for this revelation.” having a three count. Inhale for three doesn’t just cool off. packaged motorcycle tours with a publisher compensating him seconds, hold for three, exhale for three. I told him the product was comfortably afterwards. The idea is to exhale on exertion… and you Sam is CityBike’s newest columnist. He lives similar to a small moistened want to inhale on relaxation.” in SF, teaches motorcycling and kitesurfing. Ironbutt Hal’s defense paper wipe, in a sealed Get a copy of his book, “Fifty First Rides,” at package, except there were Everyone needs to breathe. Opera singers imploded and sank after I SamDevine.com. two wipes in each package instead know when and how long to hold their explained how the back- shooter’s style of motorcycle travel differed I conjured several insider secrets, but of one. The adventure rider could breath. Even classical violinists scribble decided to have some fun leading use the first with a left hand to cleanse “breath marks” on their music, telling from that of several of us motorcycle adventure junkies who have to save money him down our beer and vodka oiled their back end after doing their business them when to reset their bows. Weight conversation for a few minutes. I chafed at and the second wipe was for cleaning lifters exhale as they push. Women practice for months, or years, to make a journey that might result in a few pitiful dollars the word adventure being used to advertise their left hand when done. The wipes Lamaze during birthing. Swimming forces five-star luxury guided motorcycle tours to were environmentally friendly, so could a consciousness of breath because there from pimped words and photographs after we had licked our adventure seeking- reel in customers as the “epic and ultimate be tossed away anywhere and would are only certain times that it’s possible to adventure of a lifetime.” Then I lamented disappear within days. The packaging was inhale without sucking in a gulp of water. wounds and paid unanticipated bills that ADVERTISING accumulated while we were on the road. how some of the motorcycling industry biodegradable, adding to the concept of Swimmers work on breathing and form have prostituted perfectly good street and leaving no motorized foot print. A dozen because that’s all the input they really get— For the professional adventurers the donkey, known as travel money, came sport motorcycles as adventure models packets were marketed as “Adventure form leads to breathing and breathing leads hoping to sell what they could not as the Rider Very Important Paper,” and sold by a to form, one improving the other. it works! before the cart, known as the journey or Contact CityBike to place a adventure. For Ironbutt Hal’s pal there was models they were. Finally, I listed how design company from Italy. there were adventure helmets, adventure We train ourselves to ride. We learn the classified or business no donkey or cart, his travel often being “How much per packet?” asked Ironbutt underwear, adventure boots and adventure motions. Push the bar, drop the elbow, advertisement and reach an all expense paid magic carpet ride that Hal. raise the eyes, straighten the back, feel thousands of Bay Area was later sugared by considerable financial seats; all products now wearing the the outside peg, slide to the right, twist motorcycle enthusiasts. compensation for words and images. adventure badge to slyly market them to “$1.00 for each.” the foot, push out the knee. And then the growing market segment of adventure “OK, I’m in. I’ll order a couple. What’s their you realize you’re as stiff as a board and “OK, I see the vast difference between the dreaming motorcyclists. [email protected] name?” as purple as a blueberry. “Violet! You’re two forms of motorcycle travel” Ironbutt 415-282-2790 Hal said as he wallowed in the swilled

February 2016 | 20 | CityBike.com February 2016 | 21 | CityBike.com Will those bikes be ridden next by someone For some reason having to do with balance answering a Craigslist ad? eded HERTFELDERHERTFELDER or muscles or something, I can’t do the crossed-up front wheel maneuver nearly as Except for the Honda, which appears to well on the left side of the trail. My right leg me to be without value, the other bikes is either too short and I topple over to the Illustration by Mr. Jensen are respectable rides. Buells are a matter right, or it’s too long, drags in the muck and of taste, but the one downstairs looks fine. pulls me off the motorcycle. above freezing. You can ride here in for that one. Someone who actually likes The Sportster and the cruisers are late Illustration by Mr. Jensen the winter. motorcycles should have bought it. models, certainly rideable and desirable Whenever I got it right I was gaining ten to maynardmaynard HERSHONHERSHON to many. Who owns them? Got me. Who twenty feet before stopping with the engine The black Sportster across the street After all, all over the world men and cares about them? Evidently, no one. cut the hairs loose I found it could lift I found my can and refueled as I emptied stalled. Each time this happened I had to has been parked there for three women are saving and studying brochures the plastic but couldn’t get out of ground my canteen of water, half down my throat, reach down in the muck tickle the shifter Only once in the years we’ve been here in months, motionless. Uncovered. and dreaming of owning a shiny black effect. When I folded the plastic into a half down my collar, then drove off down into neutral then kick the engine back to our 100-unit building have I encountered Snow falls on it, freezes at night and melts Harley like the one across the street… wing shape—to give it more lift—the the trail past a sign that said, “Bring your life. another individual in an elevator carrying a mosquito turned into the wind and took y wife and I live in a high-rise during the day. No telling what rain and that never moves. Because of parking laws, n August, southern New Jersey camera our lovely spring 300 yards ahead.” snow and high-altitude sun are doing to someone pushes it 20 yards every-so-often motorcycle helmet. Who are these people, off nicely. The motorcycle was supposed to start in in the middle of Denver. There who own (in most cases) expensive, cool- is deserted. To escape the life- I passed a dozen riders returning from the gear but the drag of the clutch plates made are motorcycles all around us: that bike. It’s a late-model, 21” front wheel, to another curb. Probably, at this point it threatening combination of heat It was climbing about ten inches a minute I believe. Is it a ten-thousand dollar bike? won’t start. ish motorcycles—and never ride them or spring with big smiles on their grimy faces it just too hard to kick over with just the Mthe gloss black Sportster parked at the curb Iand humidity, everyone with a Visa card when it impacted., violently, Rich Ragosa’s before the spring came into view. It was a take care of them in the most fundamental clutch lever pulled in. across from the bottom of our driveway; a Whatever it is, it is ignored and exposed. All those bikes in our parking area, and ways? that is not maxed out takes to the hills or left cheek. Rich, still sound asleep, double bed size rusted by ten years of rain clean, naked Buell two spaces away in our Abandoned, you could easily think. I don’t I have never heard any of them running. the seashore. Vinyl tops on hundreds of smashed the bird into oblivion with an evil after the incineration. So I just continued the stalling, starting, parking garage; an old, undistinguished care much about Sportsters, but I feel sorry They spent the spring, summer and fall If we’ve been riding for years, we love cars are torn to shreds by sharp-edged smile of satisfaction. and ramming the motorcycle along the side (and unmuffled), low-bar Honda twin, right where they are now. I saw the Honda motorcycles. We look at gleaming new lawn chairs strapped down by with cheap Until the “mercy stop” there had been of the muck until I got within twenty yards maybe a 400, in the space just across from ones left outside in the elements and we twine, loose slip knots and hope. Twenty The question is, was it very little brush raking my face. Earlier of the fellow where I could hear his shouted missing from its spot only once. I don’t pilot error—flying ours; another Sportster in the space next know if it was ridden out of our basement are baffled. Who would do that? What, not inch bicycles slipping off rear bumpers riders had been bending it out of the way words but just couldn’t make them out. to the Honda, and a couple of Japanese even a cover? Covers are thirty dollars… are often ground down to 10 inches by into elevated but now I was “eating” it by the or hauled out in a pickup. I was sure it was encouragement of the best cruisers ten steps away. concrete highways. Whining children are terrain—or was baleful. Keeping your head up Maybe we don’t want a new Sportster with kind and I was thankful for it. There are no electrical outlets in our trapped and immobilized in compact cars and paying attention means We’ve lived in the building for nine a tall, skinny front wheel. I certainly don’t. parking garage, no 110 for the use of the by mothers who insist they look nice “when you can thread your face past Finally, I rushed the last few yards all years, and this is the most motorcycles But we know what motorcycles mean to us, tenants. So none of the motorcycles there we get there.” Howard Johnson employees the vegetation at a reasonable crossed up and out of shape and dropped we’ve ever seen in our underground the sacrifices we’ve made for new (or not) are connected to battery chargers. Maybe gather lifetime supplies of left-behind speed. Go too fast and start the whole works almost at the fellow’s feet. parking area. I’m pro-motorcycling. bikes and the satisfaction of caring long- some of the batteries have been removed sunglasses, and untended lawns grow high ducking under some of it means that, He neatly moved to one side to avoid a Why don’t I rejoice? term for a machine that seems somehow to and taken up to their owners’ units and are enough to hide tigers. sooner or later, you will lift your head bucketful of vicious mud flung toward him. care for us in return. It’s winter, but most trickle-charging as I type this. right into something covered by bark There are no burglaries in August because “I’ve been trying to tell you”, he screamed, winters I can ride We know, I think, how the guy or gal who thorns and stapled that used to hold a I suspect that they are not. I suspect that it’s too hot to carry off a portable color “you missed a turn back there, you dumb my bike a few times bought that black Sportster is supposed to “danger” marker. those batteries are sulfating as I type television set with sweaty arms, plus the shit!!” a month. We’re at feel. There’s a disconnect here somewhere. this. Each of those bikes will require summer re-runs are so bad that “fences” A mile and four-tenths out I ducked under 5,000 feet, so the Something is missing. a new, $75 plus-or-minus battery, and can’t hardly give the things away. something that was either a vine or a sun is powerful, someone competent to appear and Evidently, people who would not have strand of barbed wire—hard to tell the Get Ed’s latest book, 80.4 Finish Check on warm enough to And this is when they run the Beehive Amazon.com install it, if its owner feels the urge to bought bikes in the past are buying them difference sometimes—and looked up ! melt the snow Enduro. ride the bike come spring. now. Maybe some of these motorcycles are to immediately get a tree branch just on plowed owned by people who commuted by car or The Beehive might not be the below my goggles that went under the roads even That $75 may be all it takes to bicycle, bought motorcycles expecting to toughest event in terms regarding side of my helmet, then broke off just when the keep the bike motionless for fall in love with urban motorcycling, and terrain, but in terms of ferocious before it unscrewed my head. My temps are another year. simply failed to do so. heat it’s second to the surface motorcycle continued on for six hardly All those bikes save the Honda are of the sun and two degrees feet without me as I sat on the I’m sure people have done that since there 500-pounders, their weight resting cooler than hell. ground pulling the branch on tires that have not been inflated have been motorcycles, but they generally out from under my helmet, for months. You can almost hear the sold their motorbikes, didn’t they? They Contestants usually relieved to find that there sidewalls cracking. A new battery may didn’t just forget them and park them arrive at the Beehive was no ear impaled on it. help them start next spring, but will it curbside in the snow. after sundown on Saturday because their stripped, no- When I got going again, the make them safe? We cannot imagine life without options vans have the 255 model air brush thinned out and opened up onto motorcycles, and we are grateful to our conditioning: 2 windows open, 55 miles an a sunken road with a greasy looking mud bikes for enhancing our lives as they so hour. bank on each side. Riding this slop requires richly do. Because we want our bikes to it loss of power due to overheated chest your rear wheel in the water and the front continue to enhance our lives, we park Many drivers arrive wearing nothing muscles? wheel partly up the bank in a maneuver We stock a large selection ON SALE NOW them out of the weather. We check our tires above the waist and precious little below. I I suppose we’ll never know. that keeps your engine out of the water of heavy duty jackets , and maintain our batteries and change our remember one lard-ass driver exiting a van and your heartbeat in the upper rev range, pants, chaps, & bags. $359 Only $179! oil. wearing nothing above and below the waist. Anyway, due to the heat the Beehive is up where you can count beats in your ear The memorable thing about the incident never laid out as a “killer” enduro. This is Our bikes, we realize, have transported us drums. Custom garments Johnson Leathers Textile Jacket was the tuck-and-roll seat design embossed well known and reflected by the extremely to levels of pleasure we seldom achieve in and accessories. with Force eld Body Armour on the fellow’s considerable butt, which large turn-out of riders, sometimes The flooded stretch was two hundred other areas of our lives. Maybe those levels yards long with a dry, higher, section near In Stock Only resembled a walking TV test pattern. hundreds more than any other in the area We repair, alter and are increments of speed or lower lap times and often as many as any in the nation. the middle. When I reached this I stopped clean leather products. Carried in San Francisco by or rides with friends or visits to places we’d Surrounded by swamps, the Beehive to get my wind back and my heartbeat SF Moto and in only dreamed we’d see. area develops trophy class mosquitoes, Consequently, with more luck than good slowed to where it wasn’t hurting my ear Our leathers are ferocious beasts with the ability to drill planning, and being “pushed” by faster San Jose by Road Rider. My bike has taken me in the last few years drums too bad. I noticed a man standing at guaranteed against deep into meat through the thickness riders almost climbing over my rear wheel, to Indy for the MotoGP and to Duluth the far end of the mire, pointing to the left of a $47 dollar sleeping bag. Last year, I I arrived at the mid-point “mercy stop” at defect for life. We make custom 1 & 2 piece leathers! for Aerostich’s Very Boring Rally. To side and almost jumping up and down with remember, I was awake at 6 AM engaged the actual time I was supposed to arrive. A the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. To a excitement: obviously he was telling me to in a scientific experiment. One monster definite shock as so seldom happens to me. tiny town in Wyoming. And for simple keep on the left side. sized mosquito had drilled into a plastic rides in the country past grazing horses In fact, I don’t recall it ever happened Band Aid I had on my wrist and must have Sometimes you can trust a single person and weathered old barns to… oh, to the before. 1833 Polk St. (@ Jackson) San Francisco - johnsonleather.com trapped his drill bit on the sticky underside but I learned long ago that a group of Rhubarb Festival in Pine Valley, Colorado. (800) 730-7722 • (415) 775-7393 like a nail in a self-sealing tire. Using the Riders on earlier numbers were taking people with cameras will always indicate My motorcycle does all those things for pair of folding scissors I use to carve route advantage of the thirty-minute layover by the worst possible track so they can capture me. Would I roll its rear tire to the curb, sheets into strips, I began to trim the Band submerging themselves, fully dressed, in more drama in their photos. They prefer Force eld Body Armour, e worlds Aid to see what payload the bug could lift. a shallow lake alongside the area where water splashing high with, preferably, leading “So armour technology” kick down its stand, walk away and forget it while late summer became late December? everyone’s spare fuel can was lined up in steam. A bit of fresh blood would also be Body protection system specialists. It could almost get off the ground with a Would you? numerical order. nice. dime-size piece and two wrist hairs. After I

February 2016 | 22 | CityBike.com February 2016 | 23 | CityBike.com 2013 Ducati Monster 796 ABS - $7,995 Lance Powersports 2013 Ducati Multistrada 1200S Granturismo ABS- $15,995 Havana Classic 125, 2015, Black/Blue/Red/White, $1,899 Harley-Davidson Havana Classic 150, 2015, Black/White, $2,198 CLASSIFIEDS 2007 Harley Davidson FLHR Road King - $9,995 CityBike Classifieds PCH 125, 2015, Black/Red/White/Yellow, $1,899 1998 Harley Davidson FLHT Electra Glide - $9,995 PCH 150, 2015, Green/Red/White, $2,198 2011 Harley Davidson FLHTK Electra Glide Ultra Limited - $16,495 Reach thousands of Northern California motorcyclists. Just $15 for 25 words, 25¢ SYM TOWING 2012 Harley Davidson FLHX Street Glide - $16,495 Santa Rosa BMW / Triumph each additional word. Photos add $25. Industry classifieds are a higher price. Free Citycom 300i, 2015, Gray, $4,898 2014 Harley Davidson FLSTFB Fat Boy Lo - $13,495 rd Citycom 300i, 2015, Red, $4,699 MOTO TIRE GUY Enter these contacts into your phone now, while you are thinking about it, so that 800 American Way, Windsor CA.Open Tue-Fri 9-6, Sat 9-4:30. 25-word listing for stolen bikes. Deadline is the 3 of each month. Just fill out the you will have them when you need them. 2012 Harley Davidson FLTRU Road Glide Ultra - $18,995 Citycom 300i, 2015, White, $4,698 www.MotoTireGuy.com Phone 707-838-9100 x 2. After-hours text 707-837-6121 2008 Harley Davidson FXDBI Dyna Street Bob - $8,995 form, or copy and send it with your check, payable to CityBike PO Box 18738, Fiddle II 150, 2015, Black/White, $2,595 Motorcycle Tire Services SantaRosaBMW.com San Francisco - Bay Area 2010 Harley Davidson FXDB Dyna Street Bob - $11,495 Oakland, CA 94619. Fiddle II, 2015, Black/Blue/White, $2,295 We proudly offer some of the best used motorcycles in the area. We’re (415) 601-2853 2015 Harley Davidson FXDB Dyna Street Bob - $13,995 Fiddle II, 2015, Red, $2,298 fussy about the condition of the machines we take in for resale and make Order your tires online, Zero CA sales tax plus 2015 Harley Davidson FXDL Dyna Low Rider - $14,495 sure all the maintenance is up to date before offering them to the public. HD200 driven across the USA!, 2010, Blue, CALL Free UPS Ground, then have a Preferred Installer 2004 Harley Davidson XL883C Sportster 883 - $4,995 USED INVENTORY HD200 EVO scooter, 2015, Gray/Orange/White/Yellow, $3,495 in your local area do the installation and save! 2014 Harley Davidson XL883N Sportster 883 Iron - $7,995 2011 BMW R1200RT – Only 7.9k miles, loaded with factory options, plus HD200, 2015, Gray/Red, $3,495 Please visit website for details . 2014 Harley-Davidson XL883N Sportster 883 Black - $8,495 BMW Top Case! Recently serviced, ready to go. Just $14,000. Symba, 2015, Blue, $2,349 2003 Harley Davidson V-Rod Anniversary - $7,995 1999 BMW R1100RT – Only 36.4k miles! Lots of nice extras, too. Runs T2 250i, 2015, Black, $3,799 like a top! Only $4,400. Cycle Tow 2009 Harley Davidson VRSC V-Rod - $9,995 T2 250i, 2015, White, $3,798 2013 BMW R1200GS Adventure Triple Black – One-owner machine, just 510-644-2453(BIKE) Est 1988 24hr emergency service. 2014 Harley Davidson V-Rod Night Rod Special - $13,995 Name: Wolf Classic 150, 2015, Black/Red/White $2,999 Reasonable rates. 12k miles. Loaded with factory options, all 3 BMW aluminum cases and Honda BMW’s excellent GPS. Just $17,800. We tow all makes of motorcycles, sidecars and trikes. Address: 2005 Honda NSS250 Reflex - $2,995 2011 BMW F800ST – Excellent condition, mechanically and S 12.5, 2015, Yellow, CALL We also network with many other motorcycle tow services throughout 2013 Honda CBR500R - $5.495 cosmetically. 20,750 miles. Comes with numerous factory options as City: State: Zip: FX 5.7 Demo, 2015, Black, 320 miles, $9,998 the entire Bay Area. If we can’t get to you quickly, we can find you a tow well as BMW Sport Cases, Akrapovic exhaust. $7,600. service that’s closer. We are based in Berkeley, CA. 2005 Honda CBR600RR - $5,995 DS 12.5 Demo, 2015, White, $12,995 2006 BMW R1200RT – Runs phenomenally well. 57k miles. Plenty of e-mail: 2006 Honda CBR600RR - $5,495 factory-installed options plus BMW top case, comfort seat, etc. Just SR 12.5 Demo, 2015, Red, 450 miles, $14,995 MOTOR WORKS BMW PARTS SAN FRANCISCO AND BEYOND: 2006 Honda CBR600RR - $5,995 $7,900. Take a European trip this year! DAVE’S CYCLE TRANSPORT 2010 Honda CBR600RR Leyla Edition - $7,995 2013 BMW R1200GS Adventure 90 Jahre Edition – One owner who CBR500R, 2013, Black, 3,242 miles, $4,298 CRF100F, 2013, Red, $2,498 USED MOTORCYCLES: Visit www.motorworks.co.uk 2002 Honda Rebel 250 - $2,795 barely rode it. Only 1.3k miles! Very nice condition, just $16,900. CBR600RR, 2012, Black, 4,018 miles, $9,998 CRF250L, 2015, Red, CALL • Huge range of new and used parts and accessories for all models from 2001 Honda VT750 Shadow 750 ACE - $3,995 2015 BMW F800R Demo – Only around 1k miles! Comes with ABS and CBR250R, 2012, Blue, $3,295 CTX1300, 2015, Black, CALL Two Beemers and a CT 1970 onwards Traction Control (ASC). Nearly 3 years of factory warranty remain. Only 2006 K1200S - Mint, all optons • UK’s largest independent, 25 years experience 2008 Honda Shadow 750 Aero - $4,795 $8,900. CRF230M, 2009, Black, $4,998 CTX700N, 2015, Silver, CALL 2000 1150GS - Mint, Ohlins • Competitive prices, fast shipping 2002 Honda CR125R - $2,495 2015 BMW R1200R – Includes almost every factory option you can CBR250, 2011, Red, 3,369 miles, $3,498 Forza, 2015, Red, CALL 2004 Honda CRF250R - $2,995 get and resplendent in Light White livery, this zero-mileage machine in CBR250R, 2012, Blue, 274 miles, $3,498 GL1800 Goldwing Valkyrie, 2015, Red, CALL 1977 CT90 - Good • Expert and friendly advice available 2007 Honda CRF250R 290cc Big - $3,795 perfect condition is just $16,190. CBR500R, 2013, Black, $5,298 GL1800B Goldwing F6B, 2015, Blue, CALL Contact [email protected] • Trade customers welcome 2013 Honda CRF250F - $4,995 2014 BMW F700GS – Only 250 actual miles. Pristine condition. Comes CBR300R, 2015, White, $3,998 Grom 125, 2015, Black, $3,199 with ABS + ASC, Electronic Suspension Adjustment (ESA II), Tire Ed Meagor’s BSA The Old Man 2014 Honda CRF250L - $4,495 CBR500R, 2013, Red, $5,998 Metropolitan, 2015, Not Specified, CALL The Old Truck Pressure Monitor (TPM), Heated Grips, Center Stand, Vario Top Case. BSA 500 Single Empire Star Dave is working 2012 Honda CRF450R - $5,495 Warranty good ‘til 8/19/2017. Just $8,900. CB500F, 2013, White, $5,198 NC700X, 2015, Black, CALL Cheap $10,000 Firm Dave’s Cycle Transport Kawasaki 2010 Triumph Thunderbird ABS – Set up for comfortable long-distance NT700V, 2010, Silver, $4,998 NM4 Honda Bat Bike, 2016, Black, $10,498 Call Old Ed Meagor at 415 .457 .5423 San Francisco-Bay Area and Beyond… 2015 Kawasaki KX450F - $6,495 travel with several nice extras such as Triumph saddlebags, windscreen, CBR500F, 2013, Black, 750 miles, $5,498 PCX150, 2015, Not Specified, CALL 24 Hour Service floorboards, “Comfort” seat with rider backrest, and more. Has the That’s right! Ed sent his phone number, so if you’ve been wanting to give him 2014 - $4,995 factory 1700cc big-bore kit. A few minor cosmetic blems but in nice PCX150, 2015, Black, 1,393 miles, $2,998 Ruckus, 2015, Not Specified, CALL a call about his sweet BSA, now’s the time!

Your local shop is an is shop local Your (415)824-3020 — www.davescycle.com

endangered resource! 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 300 - $4,995 shape overall. Only 16.5k miles. Just $7,500. CBR500R, 2013, Black, 1,507 miles, $5,498 Shadow Aero VT750, 2015, Red, CALL -CityBike Classifieds Editor is required, or they die. they or required, is Proper care and support 2015 Kawasaki Ninja 300 ABS - $5,495 2014 Ducati Diavel Strada – 4.8k miles and in showroom condition! Kawasaki Silver Wing ABS, 2015, Black, CALL Quality Motorcycles 2007 Kawasaki Ninja 500R - $3,995 Thousands of dollars in extras from Ducati Performance, Rizoma, Sato, Ninja 250 EX250 EX-250, 2010, Red, 13,159 miles, $3,798 ST1300 ABS, 2015, Black, CALL Clearwater, et al. Looks stunning! Just $15,750. PARTS AND SERVICE 235 Shoreline Hwy. 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 650R - $4,995 ZX600 Ninja 600, 2011, Black, 824 miles, $8,498 VT1300 Fury, 2015, Black, CALL 2014 Triumph Bonneville 2-TONE – Only 3,250 miles and in tip-top Mill Valley CA 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 650R - $5,495 shape! Extras include Triumph Sport Silencers and chrome Luggage ZX636-F, 2013, White, 167 miles, $9,998 VT1300 Interstate, 2015, Black, CALL (415) 381-5059 2012 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R - $8,495 Rack. Only $6600. Ninja 250 EX250 EX-250, 2010, Green, $3,498 VT1300 Sabre, 2015, Black, CALL We’re not afraid of your old bike . 2006 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R 636 - $5,995 TRIUMPH SPECIALS Ninja 300, 2014, Black, $5,298 VT1300 Stateline, 2015, Blue, CALL 2013 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R 636 - $8,995 We have a number of NEW ’14 and ’15 Triumph motorcycles that need Ninja 300, 2013, Black, $4,998 VT750 Shadow Phantom, 2015, Black, CALL 2009 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R - $7,495 to find a new home NOW! Prices are ROCK BOTTOM, and cannot be Ninja 300, 2014, Black, 444 miles, $4,698 VT750 Shadow RS, 2013, Black, CALL RIDING SCHOOLS Motorcycle & ATV Hauling combined with any other manufacturer or dealer incentives. Freight and Sonoma, Marin, Napa & Mendocino Counties 2012 Kawasaki Z1000 - $6,995 Prep charges are included in all prices below. Delivery available! Versys 650, 2013, White, 868 miles, $6,498 VT750 Shadow Spirit, 2015, Black, CALL 24 hour Roadside Pickup 2007 900 Classic - $4,495 2014 America 2-Tone – $9,644, now $7,585! Ninja 300, 2013, White, $4,495 XR650L, 2015, Red, CALL ADVANCED CYCLE SERVICE KTM Ninja 300, 2015, Gray, $4,998 GL1800 Goldwing, 2015, Red, $0 707-843-6584 2014 Commander 1700 – $16,744, now $13,280! *Motorcycle Service and Repair* 2013 KTM 1190 Adventure - $14,495 Versys 650, 2013, White, 884 miles, $6,498 CTX1300, 2014, Black, $14,498 Insured & Licensed 2015 Speedmaster 900 – $9,444, now $7,600! • Tires • Service •Insurance estimates California Motor Carrier Permit 2003 KTM 450 SX - $3,495 2015 Thunderbird LT ABS – $18,494, now $14,800! Vulcan 500, 2007, Black, $4,498 CB1000R, 2014, Black, $10,998 Monthly bike storage available www.mcmotorcycletransport.com 2014 KTM 690 Duke - $7,995 2015 Rocket Touring 2300 – $18,544, now $14,900! Ninja 300, 2014, White, $4,698 VT750C2F, 2012, Orange, $7,298 Come check us out [email protected] 2008 KTM 990 Super Duke - $8,495 2015 Street Triple 675 ABS – $10,444, now $8,400! Ninja 650 EX650, 2007, Blue, 849 miles, $3,998 CTX700, 2014, Burgundy, $6,998 1135 Old Bayshore Hwy Polaris 2015 Speed Triple 1050 ABS – $13,844, now $11,000! Lance VFR800, 2015, White, $12,498 San Jose, CA 95112 Sierra Dual Sport/Dirt Bike Rides, DEALER CLASSIFIED 2015 Polaris Slingshot SL - $22,995 2015 Dayton 675 ABS – $13,044, now $10,400! PCH125, 2013, Orange, 663 miles, $1,898 CBR300R, 2015, Red, $4,898 (408) 299-0508 Rentals and Training 2015 Daytona 675 R – $15,044, now $12,000! PCH150, 2014, Red, 1,274 miles, $1,998 Grom 125, 2015, Yellow, $3,199 [email protected] — www.advcycles.com Come and ride the Sierras! No dirt experience needed! Dual Sport and 2005 Suzuki GSX-R600 - $5,995 2015 Tiger 800 XRx – $13,544, now $11,160! Suzuki Grom 125, 2015, White, $3,199 DUCATI SUZUKI KAWASAKI YAMAHA dirt bike rentals. Guided or map your own course. Skill building classes also available. 2009 Suzuki GSX-R600 - $7,495 2015 Explorer 1200 – $16,944, now $13,740! GSX-R600, 2013, Blue, 948 miles, $9,498 CBR500R, 2015, Gray, $5,698 2009 Suzuki GSX-R600 - $7,995 GSX-R600, 2014, Blue, 700 miles, $9,998 CBR500R, 2014, Black, $4,999 Easy access from Highway 50 south and west of Tahoe, this side of the you have to pay for shipping for pay have to you to try way, a different size…each every time. real, meet Plus, you keyboardlive some not people, cowboy from another time zone. 2015 Explorer 1200 XC – $18,544, now $15,000! hill in Camino, CA. 2012 Suzuki GSX-R600 - $8,995 GW250, 2013, Black, 449 miles, $3,498 CRF125, 2014, Red, $3,199 2015 Trophy SE – $20,544, now $16,680! Free secure storage of your car or bike onsite, or we can deliver bikes to 2013 Suzuki GSX-R600 - $9,495 2015 Bonneville Newchurch – $9,744, now $8,480! V-Strom 650 DL650 Touring bike, 2011, Black, $5,998 CRF110, 2015, Red, $2,099 many all day riding areas (additional fee applies for delivery). 2007 Suzuki GSX-R750 - $6,995 2015 Bonneville T100 2-Tone – $10,644, now $8,400! GSX-R600, 2013, Blue, $9,998 CRF50, 2015, Red, $1,399 Well-maintained bikes and a rider-owned company makes us a great Dubbelju Motorcycle 2011 Suzuki GSX-R750 - $9,495 Prices shown do not include taxes, DMV fees/electronic filing, doc, CA GSX-R750, 2014, Black, $10,498 CB500F, 2015, Red, $5,698 adventure for the day, weekend or longer. Rentals / Storage 2009 Suzuki GSX-R1000 - $9,495 tire fee. All motorcycles are subject to prior sale, so do not delay! LS650 S40, 2011, White, $4,498 CB500F ABS, 2015, Red, $6,198 ASK ABOUT OUR SPECIAL $200 3-HOUR INTRO TO DUAL SPORT 2012 Suzuki V-Strom DL1000 - $6,995 Gladius SFV650, 2009, White, 3,281 miles, $4,998 PCX150, 2016, Silver, $3,499 RIDING TOUR/INSTRUCTION! ALSO SCHEDULING WOMEN’S DIRT All advertised vehicles are technically and operationally sound and Bavarian Cycle Works AND DUAL SPORT TRAINING CLASSES! **WE OFFER LOWERED DUAL factory original. Components which show even a trace of wear or fatigue 2011 Suzuki Boulevard C50T - $3,995 V-Strom 650 DL650 Touring bike, 2013, Blue, $7,998 Kawasaki EXPERT Service & Repair SPORT BIKES! are replaced. You get a motorcycle which, while it may have some miles, 2006 Suzuki Boulevard M50 - $3,995 SYM Concours 14 ABS, 2015, Green, CALL Bavarian Cycle Works specializes in new and vintage BMW, modern 530-748-3505- www.sierradualsport.com has been routinely, expertly maintained. Triumph HD200, 2006, Blue, 13,000 miles, CALL KLR KL650E, 2015, Green, CALL TRIUMPH and select motorcycle models. Our staff includes a Master 2012 BMW R1200GS 45k miles (Titan Silver) 110hp, 1170cc, 6 Speed, 2013 Triumph Thruxton 900 - $8,495 Triumph KLX250, 2015, Black, CALL Certified Technician and personnel each with over 25 years experience. shaft drive, braided steel brake and clutch hoses, computer, heated Nearly all scheduled motorcycle maintenance can be completed within a EVENT SERVICES grips, BMW Vario panniers, centerstand, LED rear light, luggage rack, 2014 Triumph Street Triple R ABS Team Empire Special Edition - $9,495 Bonneville, 2013, Black, 1,802 miles, $7,998 Ninja 1000 ABS, 2015, Green, CALL one day turnaround time. All bikes kept securely indoors, day and night. adjustable levers, hand protectors, adjustable windshield, adjustable 2014 Triumph Street Triple R ABS Team Empire Special Edition - $9,495 Bonneville, 2013, Purple, 1,922 miles, $7,498 Ninja 650 EX650, 2015, Green, $7,599 Come see us! ANNOUNCING: “DUFFYDUZZ seat, cast aluminum wheels, recently serviced, CA tags till Jun 2016. 2013 Triumph Daytona 675 ABS - $9,995 Promotions” Only asking $9,500 or best offer! SF MOTO Bonneville, 2014, Black, 3,715 miles, $8,495 Ninja ZX-10R ABS - 30th Anniversary Edition, 2015, Green, CALL 2012 Triumph Tiger Explorer - $10,995 Daytona 675, 2014, Black, 1,679 miles, $9,998 Ninja ZX-10R ABS, 2015, Green, $14,299 If you’re planning a M/C event of any sort, whether an Open House, a 2013 KTM 1190 Adventure (Grey/Orange) 148hp, 1195cc Liquid 275 8th Street at the corner of Folsom Special Sale Event, a Competition Event or even a Rally, a “pleasant but cooled Twin, 6speed, chain drive, hydraulically operated PASC anti- 2014 Triumph Thunderbird Commander ABS - $11,995 San Francisco - 415-255-3132 Speed Triple ABS, 2012, Red, 7,939 miles, $8,998 Ninja ZX-6R 636 - 30th Anniversary Edition, 2015, Green, $12,999 not pushy” voice (and your choice of music) can make a huge difference hopping clutch, Recently serviced, CA tags till Mar 2016. Only asking Yamaha Bonneville, 2013, Orange, $7,198 Ninja ZX-6R 636, 2015, Black, $12,699 in the excitement and remembrance of your event. $10,550.00 or best offer! www.sfmoto.com 2015 Yamaha YZ250F - $5,995 USED INVENTORY Daytona 675R, 2014, White, $11,998 Versys 1000LT, 2015, Black, CALL Have P .A . / Will Travel . . 2006 Yamaha YZF R6 - $5,995 All used motorcycles come with a 3 month warranty / 12 month roadside Street Triple R, 2010, Orange, 11,158 miles, $6,998 Versys 650 ABS, 2014, Green, $6,998 I have been “The Voice” of Ducati Island at Moto G.P. (‘98 - ‘06) the 2006 Yamaha YZF R6 - $6,995 assistance. We thoroughly inspect our used inventory. If brakes are worn Street Triple R, 2012, Black, 6,992 miles, $8,498 Versys 650 ABS, 2015, Green, CALL Wilseyville Hare Scrambles (‘98 - ‘12) ...Most recently; La Ducati Day, La Honda, MOTORAMA Car Show, Lafayette, sub’ Announcer at Continental you, and need them. you The changeInternet your oil. won’t stayopen The an Internetwon’t extra 20 minutes can so you buy a tire can so you ride Sunday. on fit,If the apparel buy doesn’t you 2008 Yamaha YZF R6 - $6,995 over 60%, new pads are installed. If tires are worn beyond 60%, new Daytona 675, 2014, Black, 3,705 miles, $9,998 Versys 650LT, 2015, Green, CALL tires are installed. If chain & sprockets have too much play, we install Devils Detail Motorcycle Detailing Sports Car Challenge Laguna Seca, Santa Rosa flattrack for Circle Bell 2012 Yamaha YZF R6 - $8,995 Daytona 675, 2012, White, 4,472 miles, $10,998 Vulcan 1700 Vaquero, 2015, Green, CALL Motorsports... and more... References and resume available. Find me new chain & sprockets. Detailing vintage, classic, modern motorcycles 2009 Yamaha FZ6R - $4,495 Dyatona 675, 2013, Black, $9,498 Vulcan 1700 Voyager, 2015, Black, CALL on FaceBook: “Duffyduzz Promotions” for all contact info - or - call 510- BMW 415 - 439 - 9275 292-9391 - or - E/M: [email protected] 2012 Yamaha FZ6R - $5,995 Yamaha Vulcan 900 Classic LT, 2015, Black, CALL F800R with ABS, 2012, Silver, 8,890 miles, $7,998 www.thedevilsdetailing.com 2015 Yamaha FZ-07 - $6,495 S1000 RR, 2014, White, 1,521 miles, $13,998 FJ09, 2015, Gray, 2,660 miles, $9,898 Vulcan 900 Classic, 2015, Black, CALL [email protected] J&M Motorsports LLC 2011 Yamaha FZ8 - $5,995 S1000 RR, 2013, White, $12,998 FZ09, 2014, Gray, 4,689 miles, $7,298 Vulcan 900 Custom, 2015, Black, CALL established 2007 2243 Old Middlefield Way 2012 Yamaha FZ8 - $7,495 FZ8, 2011, Black, 6,469 miles, $5,998 Vulcan S ABS, 2015, Green, $6,999 , we Ducati Greatness can be in your detail! Mountain View, Ca 94043 2005 Yamaha V-Star 650 - $3,995 Monster 1100 Evo, 2013, Black, 3,137 miles, $10,498 Zuma 125, 2014, Gray, 84 miles, $3,198 Z1000 ABS, 2015, Green, CALL 650-386-1440 2002 Yamaha V-Star 1100 - $3,995 Multistrada 1200/S ABS, 2013, Gray, 21,553 miles, $14,598 FZ1, 2006, Silver, $6,498 ZX-14R ABS 30th Anniversary Edition, 2015, Red, CALL Michael’s Motorsports www.jm-ms.com 2008 Yamaha V-Star 1100 - $4,995 Panigale 899, 2014, Red, 2,200 miles, $13,998 YZF-R6, 2015, Blue, $10,495 ZX-14R ABS, 2015, Green, $0 BMW Motorcycle Service, Repair, Restoration We are a licensed dealer owned and operated by people who love Streetfighter 1099, 2011, White, 6,790 miles, $10,998 FZ09, 2014, Red, 975 miles, $7,498 ZG1400 Concours, 2013, Black, $11,999 Air heads, Oil Heads, Hex heads, K Bikes, F Bikes motorcycles. When you call or visit, you’re talking directly with non- Monster 1200 S, 2014, White, $13,498 FZ6-R, 2013, Blue, 1,509 miles, $6,498 KX65, 2013, Green, $2,998 880 Piner Rd. Ste 46 commission team members who are passionate about getting you the FZ07, 2015, Gray, CALL EN650 Vulcan S ABS, 2015, Black, $7,298 Santa Rosa, CA 95403 bike you desire! We specialize in newer, low-mile, affordable bikes, and Monster 696 ABS, 2013, Black, $8,498 (707) 575-4132 offer in-house financing—visit our website to apply today! Looking to Monster 696, 2009, Red, $6,998 NEW INVENTORY KLR KL650E, 2016, Gray, $6,899 sell your bike? Consignments are welcome! Honda Ninja 650 EX650, 2016, Red, $7,599 FREE HELP WANTED ADS ere at CityBike at ere strongly believe that while the Internet 848, 2010, Black, $9,498 BMW Monster 796, 2014, Red, 7,578 miles, $9,498 CB300F, 2015, Red, $3,999 Ninja 300, 2015, Green, $4,999 In our ongoing effort to support and promote local motorcycling 2007 BMW F650GS ABS - $5,995 Monster 796 ABS, 2014, Red, 4,529 miles, $9,498 CB500X, 2014, White, $5,498 Ninja 300, 2015, Black, $5,098 businesses that we rely on, all motorcycle industry help Can-Am Hypermotard 821, 2015, Black, $11,495 CB500X, 2015, Black, $5,998 Ninja 300, 2014, Green, $4,798 wanted ads will be listed in the CityBike Classifieds Section 2014 Can-Am Spyder RT Limited - $18,495 Honda CBR1000RR, 2015, Red, CALL KLX140L, 2015, Green, $3,298 for free . Ducati CBR600RR, 2015, Black, CALL Ninja 300, 2016, Red, $4,999 H is great entertainment, a it’s terrible place buy to stuff.Your Local Motorcycle Shop needs

Screw The Internet. Support your Local Motorcycle Shop. Support Internet. Local your Motorcycle The Screw CBR250R, 2012, Red, 274 miles, $3,998 Contact us via email: rftc.citybike.com 2012 Ducati Hypermotard 796 - $7,995 CBR650F, 2015, Black, $8,499 February 2016 | 24 | CityBike.com February 2016 | 25 | CityBike.com Tankslapper

Dron Song Had Buell embraced Dron’s vision—craft some reason, we all cracked up at that. So I hope the Geary St parking SNAFU is a one- them like jewels, give them extravagant paint here’s to you, Tootsie from Humboldt. off issue. Max KleinPhoto: Some dude name Brian, from San jobs and who cares if they’re slow as long Francisco, wrote about the Dron Buell Not only do I love reading the articles and We do too, Ed, although as we noted last as they sound fast. Charge lots too, sell the (“Dron With The Wind” – January 2016). editorials, your publication is far and away month, we’ve run into this ourselves. But sizzle. You just bought a Rolex, the best newsprint paper for starting the we’d rather be riding anyway. Parking I was lucky enough to kindling in my woodstove. garages that allow motorcycles are just The see the machine Man’s way of keeping us down! just weeks after Kudos, your #1 fan in Humboldt County its completion. It Nor-Ton Up! was a show stopper. We’re glad to hear it, Tootsie. It may At that same time surprise some to hear that we do extensive Glen Kohler sent us a note after happening I owned an S2 testing of any potential paper, to ensure on to an old black and white negative of his Buell. Both bikes the highest levels of effectiveness at 1974 Norton Commando Mk II. We said were a delight to utilitarian tasks like soaking up cat piss, sure, we like Nortons. catching bird shit, and as you know from the eye and I even Here then is the ‘Unapproachable Norton experience, starting fires. Makes an ok remember the ever- Commando’ (a decal applied to the stainless shop rag too, or so we hear. caustic Bill Boyd steel rear fender). I bought it used with limping towards it on Parks, No Recreation 3,500 miles for 900.00 in 1978. Note the a Sunday Morning flat bars (in black chrome) with cushioned Ed Schnaars wrote in about Mike’s letter ride and drawling, grips, Dunstall exhausts, vibration free Photo: Jeff Ebner about parking prejudice (“You Don’t “Damn that’s one fine bar-end mirrors. Rear brake pedal is on the Belong Here” – Tankslapper, January looking machine.” left—the four speed shift lever on the right, now show it off. Elegant Buells sold in small 2016) in last month’s ‘Slapper. And they continued to be, but for only a short an arrangement that took getting used to numbers like Bimotas might still be being at first. It was good for 115 mph anytime, while… manufactured and sold to the high end. $900 and a time machine gets you this sweet ride. but the separate, My machine’s color was officially titled Dron’s lifelong contemporary and friend unitary crankcase Parkway Blue, but was much closer to a rich Arlen Ness had that all figured out and transmission purple and with creamy white Marchesini decades back… He became so famous meant you were wise rims—it was tits. My daughters, who were that when you asked somebody about to respect the primary used to passing by our test bikes in our North their fine machine and who did it, they chain adjustment when Beach garage on their way to school told me would simply say “Arlen.” accelerating in first it was the most beautiful motorcycle they had gear. My Commando ever seen. And no Arlen Ness bikes were ever let me change lines cheap. Cheap and unique rarely meet. in a turn without an PS: The other other direction Erik argument. I put the idle Buell could chosen as sales lagged, down to a steady and would have set the entire industry on reliable 500 rpm. fire. Buell should have purchased the You hear that, you rights to the Britten. Can you imagine clueless hipsters paying showing up on The Ride with a Buell/ Just a quick reply to this month’s letter $4,000 for a seventies Britten!? The regulars would shit their kecks. regarding bike parking discrimination; I CB with flat bars, AKA a “café racer?” You Now THAT was an engineering masterpiece. have been parking at the ABM /Ampoc run coulda had a Norton freakin’ Commando, parking garage at 75 Howard Street, SF If you’re thinking, “This guy sounds the real deal, for $900. for over 12 years. (Along with a lot of other familiar… Brian who?” you’re on the right bikes). 38 years ago. Then you’d be authentic. track. Our Dron/Buell/Britten fan is none other than CityBike’s founding father, Brian They could not be better to Bikers. (well Yell at us (or just say hey) at editor@ Halton. Thanks for writing, Brian—always maybe if they handed out a morning coffee) citybike.com or talk to us on our Facebook good to hear from ya. - They keep the bike parking areas clean. page at facebook.com/CityBikeMag. You Lighting Up In Humboldt can also send us an old-timey paper letter, - They tapes notes on car windows when the which we think is pretty damn cool. Those It wouldn’t be cool to include this person’s encroach on the bike parking areas. go to CityBike Magazine, PO Box 18738, email here, but it includes “tootsie” and for Oakland 94619. - They have never raised the rates. Extra points for crazy / creative shit. What do those points get you? Let us know if you find Reliable, timely service at out. reasonable rates on all makes of motorcycles Send Us Your Stuff

Visit our new shop: From 3:14 Daily 990 Terminal Way, San Carlos

OLD COUNTRY Valencia @ 25th INDUSTRIAL HOLLY editor@citybike com. 101 PO Box 18783 TERMINAL

415-970-9670 BRITTAN Oakland, CA 94619

February 2016 | 26 | CityBike.com Motus founders Brian sweep Mines Case Road with and (left) Devine. Sam Lee Conn (right) BMW MOTORCYCLES OF SAN FRANCISCO BMW MOTORCYCLES OF WALNUT CREEK 790 BRYANT STREET 1255 PARKSIDE DRIVE SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107 WALNUT CREEK, CA 94596 WWW.BMWMOTORCYCLE.COM WWW.BMWMCWALNUTCREEK.COM 415-503-9988 925-938-8373