November 2011

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Nov 2, 2011 ... of which tips the scale at close to 600 pounds)? Those buyers ..... right side of the engine) eliminates external oil lines. A secondary air system.
Godspeed Simoncelli NOVEMBER 2011

FIFTY ONE FIFTY: Stunters Among Us

News, Clues & Rumors Volume XXVIII, Issue 11 Publication Date: October 24, 2011

On The Cover: Bob Stokstad captures some illicit stunt practice at an undisclosed location.

Contents: NCR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 New Stuff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Calistoga 1/2 Mile 2011 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 5150: Stunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Stunting Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 2012 Yamaha Zuma 50F . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 CB160 Café Racer Pt . III . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Supermoto 101 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Ed Hertfelder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Maynard Hershon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Dr . Gregory W Frazier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Tankslappers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 AFM: Season Wrap-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Muffler Bearings Comparo Test . . . . . . . . 33

CityBike Staff: PO Box 10659 Oakland, CA 94610 Phone: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415/282-2790

BABY’S GOT BACK...ISSUES

Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Stockton and Sacramento clubs all made a showing, riding into town together four abreast, “keeping a remarkable straight line considering the pace set and the different gearings of the respective machines,” reports a San Francisco Call account of the event. At the event, the gathered throngs took a moment to pose for one of those giant panorama photos that were popular at the time.

Yes, we have digitized a couple of years of CityBike back issues, so if you’ve had a head injury and want to relive the last 18 months, go to citybike.com/backissues.html and enjoy free PDF downloads of June 2010-August 2011, and we’ll try to add older issues as we get up to speed. Issues newer than 60 days can only be obtained in boring old newsprint, but at least you have to leave the house to get the latest CityBike, no?

A print of that photo graced the wall of the car dealership where Michael Meissner— now owner of Cal BMW in Mountain View and Tri-Valley Moto in Livermore—was working. When he moved into moto-sales, that photo made its home on Cal Moto’s wall, and then made its way to Tri-Valley when that dealership opened. Sales Manager Bill Mentz, in a herculean display of organizing skills, set up a re-creation of the photo on its 100th anniversary. Enough riders showed up to make it happen, and photographer (and AFM/AMA racer for Tri-Valley Moto) Eric Gulbransen was on hand to snap the shutter.

FONZIE’S TRIUMPH Once again, CityBike’s ace staff and contributors have sparked a media frenzy. Local Brit-bike guy Mean Marshall’s 1949 Triumph Trophy that was used in the production of the hit TeeVee series “Happy

LIVERMORE PHOTO

E-mail: . . . . . . . . . . . . . info@citybike .com Find us online: . . . . . . . www .citybike .com News ‘n Clues: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Staff

What was the Bay Area motorcycle scene like 100 years ago? Well, other than an acute total lack of paved roads, it was much the same, with enthusiasts riding lots of miles to get together, check out each other’s rides and watch some racing.

Editor-in-Chief:. . . . . . . . . . Gabe Ets-Hokin Senior Editor: . . . . . . . . . . Robert Stokstad Contributing Editors: . . . . . . . . . John Joss, Will Guyan Chief of the World Adventure Affairs Desk:. . . . . . . . Dr. Gregory Frazier Staff Photographers: — Robert Stokstad — Gary Rather Art Director: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alan Lapp Advertising Sales: . . . . . . . . . Kenyon Wills

Contributors: Brenda Bates, Dan Baizer, Craig Bessenger, John Bishop, Joanne Donn, John D’India (RIP), Mike Felder, Dr. Gregory Frazier, Will Guyan, Joe Glydon (RIP), Brian Halton, David Hough, Maynard Hershon, Ed Hertfelder, Harry Hoffman, Otto Hofmann, Jon Jensen, David Lander, Lucien Lewis, Ed Milich, Patrick Moriarty, Courtney Olive, Larry Orlick, Jason Potts, Bob Pushwa, Gary Rather, Curt Relick, Charlie Rauseo, Mike Solis, Ivan Thelin, James Thurber, Adam Wade. CityBike is published on or about the third Monday of each month. Editorial deadline is the 1st of each month. Advertising information is available on request. Unsolicited articles and photographs are always welcome. Please include a full name, address and phone number with all submissions. We reserve the right to edit manuscripts or use them to wipe our large, fragrant bottoms. ©2011, CityBike Magazine, Inc. Citybike Magazine is distributed at over 150 places throughout California each month. Taking more than a few copies at any one place without permission from CityBike Magazine, Inc, especially for purposes of recycling, is theft and will be prosecuted to the full extent of civil and criminal law. Yeah! CityBike magazine is owned by CityBike Magazine, Inc and has teams of sleep-deprived, coke-addicted attorneys ready to defend it from frivolous lawsuits, so even if you see Lucien Lewis doing one of his wheelies on the cover and decide you want to do that too and then you hit a parked car and your bike is wedged under a van and it catches fire and the Vallejo FD has to come and extinguish the resulting blaze and four cars and your bike are melted into slag and you suffer permanent trauma including a twisted pinkie, sleeplessness and night terrors, it’s not CityBike Magazine Inc.’s fault and we don’t have any assets so just suck on it. You know better.

Days” graced the cover of the September issue, and now the blogosphere and national media is ablaze with the news—mostly because the bike is expected to fetch more than $90,000 at an upcoming Bonham’s auction at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles on November 12.

For instance, on September 24, 1911, over 1000 motorcycles and 1500 motorcyclists showed up for “Motorcycle Day” in Livermore. The San

Mean Marshall told us this is a good time to sell the bike, as the fickle nature of pop culture could mean that the bike will be just another badly-painted old rustbucket in 10 or 20 years, rather than the BabyBoom icon it is today. Plus, his massive auto dismantling business in West Oakland needs a new roof. Let’s hope the bike does better than anybody expects. November 2011 | 3 | CityBike.com

The plan is to hang both the old and new photos at the Livermore city hall, and you can see them in person at Tri-Valley Moto (952 North Canyons Parkway in Livermore, 925/583-3300, trivalleymoto. com) or download a high-res copy of your very own by heading to Eric’s website: ericgulbransen.com.

H-D’S NEW CUSTOMERS Harley-Davidson’s Keith Wandell isn’t likely to make the motorcycling hall of fame any time soon. He’s just not the motocommunity’s favorite guy after killing Buell and aggressively acting to keep H-D lean and mean. But when it comes to what it takes for a motorcycle company to survive these days, he does seem to get it, as evidenced by what he told a symposium audience early in October; “We can’t survive on our core customers alone. 2008 changed the landscape of the economy in this country forever, and anybody who believes for one minute that it’s ever going to be the same as it was before 2008, it’s not going to happen.”

So what is H-D going to do about it? A different world means (we assume) less credit, less disposable income for the working and middle-class Joes and Janes who are the Motor Company’s core customers. Wandell hinted the company will bring out more products, more quickly, and more aimed at entry-level and conquest buyers. One manifestation of that strategy is H-D’s “Dark Custom” lineup, a series of bad-boy, blacked-out, stripped-down models that sport surprisingly affordable hangtags and are clearly marketed at younger riders. Skateboarding stars and pro wrestlers shill for the bar-and-shield, working hard to make the products cool—not something your grandpa putters around on. And it’s working—H-D claims it’s the market

(650cc and larger motorcycles) leader among 18-to-34-year-olds. In fact, sales, earnings and profits are all up for the third quarter of 2011, which flies in the face of nay-sayers and doom-criers who figured Harley-Davidson would be on the ash heap of history long ago. So younger motorcyclists are getting on that chrome-plated train, but what about the mass of potential buyers who are intimidated by the weight and complexity of Harley-Davidson products (the lightest of which tips the scale at close to 600 pounds)? Those buyers may be interested in battery-electric motorcycles, which are clean, quiet and easy to operate. Back in May, a large market-research event involving 150 riders and an unnamed

manufacturer was held at the old Naval Air Station in Alameda. Everyone who participated signed a non-disclosure agreement, and then rode some kind of “alternative-powered” test motorcycle back-to-back with a Suzuki Gladius. Not only were there numerous hints dropped in a lively post-event discussion on Bay Area Riders Forum (bayarearidersforum.com), but an unnamed source has disclosed to CityBike that the event was indeed put on by Harley-Davidson, with a battery-electric Harley-Davidson motorcycle used for testing. We can’t confirm this, as H-D will stonewall with the “we can’t comment on upcoming product” defense and the event participants all signed non-disclosure agreements and they don’t even know

for sure who sponsored the event, which was organized by a third party. And an electric Harley seems ludicrous, given the company’s recent stance on getting back to “core customers.” But it’s a different world, and we here at “News, Clues” are not as easily surprised when things go topsyturvy.

STILL UP A CLEAR CREEK Don Amador’s Blue Ribbon Coalition has scored a minor victory against the Bureau of Land Management. On October 4, the San Benito County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to petition the U.S. Congress

6R we tested in 2009. To match it, Showa and Honda’s engineers developed a new “Balance Free” shock for the Pro-Link in back. What does “balance free” mean? It means the rear shock now uses two tubes instead of one (one inside the other), which allows a larger quantity of damping oil and more consistent, smoother damping and travel, “particularly during the transition from compression to rebound,” as the press release puts it. It also puts the damping and rebound controls in an easy-to-access position on top of the shock—no more squirming around on your back finding that mung-covered rebound adjuster. The motor remains the same, aside from some EFI tweeks to improve manageability, but there are some noteable cosmetic changes. The wheels are now a stylish, light-looking cast-aluminum 12-spoke design that Honda claims offers increased rigidity (and possibly more weight—the CBR’s claimed wet weight has crept up two pounds to 441, 467 for the Combined ABS version). The LCD instruments are also re-done, with a gearposition indicator, lap timer, adjustable shift indicator and four different modes for how the bar-style tachometer is displayed. Also, the fairing has been re-shaped for better cooling and aerodynamics. A 20thanniversary red-white-and-blue paint scheme is available, reminiscent of that game-changing 1992 CBR900RR.

to designate the 70,000-acre Clear Creek Management Area in the Central Coast mountains as a National Recreation Area, which would open up 243 miles of roads and trails to motorized off-road recreational use. You may recall Bob Pushwa’s story about the matter (“Up a Clear Creek,” in “News, Clues and Rumors,” May 2010), and to re-cap, the BLM shut the area down in 2008 because of the high levels of naturally occurring asbestos in the soil (enough, according to an EPA report, to put OHV users at a very elevated risk of cancer). Three years later, not much has happened from the BLM side, even though that agency promised a new land-use plan would be finalized by January 2011, so the Blue Ribbon Coalition urged county supervisors to petition Congress and circumvent the BLM’s bureaucracy. Follow the story by visiting the Blue Ribbon Coalition at sharetrails.org.

CBR1000RR UPDATED

The bike will be in dealers in December— pricing is $13,800 or $14,800 for the C-ABS model. That’s a price increase of $401 for what seems like a whole lot of added functionality to an already verygood motorcycle. As always, we look forward to our first ride on the bike.

NEW KAWIS Suddenly it’s fall again, and time to start getting in as much riding as you can before the weather turns on us. It’s also time to see what the big OEMs have in store for the 2012 model year. Kawasaki gives us a surprise in these lean times with two new streetbikes as well as some significant upgrades to two other models.

Ninja ZX-14R How do you make one of the most powerful production motorcycles on the market even crazier? Add an ‘R’ to its designation, of course. And that’s what Kawasaki has done to its Ninja ZX-14. But it’s more than just a letter—the new ZX14R gets a host of motor, chassis and styling changes.

A GT bike like the big Ninja is all about motor, so to increase street cred, Kawasaki has pulled out the tried-and-true hotrodder’s handbook. The cylinders are stroked 4mm for a new displacement of 1441cc, compression is bumped up, camshafts are made lumpier. The forged pistons get thinner crowns and oil jets for better cooling. There are other changes, including a better counterbalancer and revised fuel-injection, and the net result is more power everywhere, especially in the midrange. Kawasaki doesn’t really talk much about how much power, but I’d wager about a 10 percent gain over the 180ish hp the ZX-14 reportedly makes at the rear wheel. A new slipper clutch helps us cope with that new-found extra power.

Sounds like Kawi has made the 14R even better—but the price is up a mere $100, to $13,699 ($13,899 for Limited Edition graphics).

Ninja 650R Not quite all the way on the other side of the performance spectrum from the 14 is the Ninja 650R, a middleweight Twin known not just for being versatile, affordable and easy on new riders, but also fun for experienced riders to flog. The bike got a major revision in 2010, so the news of an all-new chassis and other big changes was a surprise. But there you have it—the 650R gets an all-new frame and swingarm and a host of other alterations.

The frame is the big news in 650 Ninja To further tame that brute force, the ZXland. The old frame 14R adds selectable FI mapping in the form was a of Kawasaki’s KTRC tractionsteel control system. Riders can toggle three modes—full power, medium power and a low-traction setting for wet or slippery conditions. There’s even an LCD readout on the reworked instrument panel that lets the rider see when the KTRC is working. The chassis looks the same, but Kawasaki claims it’s been as heavily reworked, too. More than half the monocoque frame’s castings and forgings have been revised to improve flexation and feedback characteristics. The swingarm is extended 10mm and gets more bracing, and the front and rear suspension get upgrades for more compliance and bottoming resistance. New machined 10-spoke wheels are lighter and look nicer, and there are revisions to the braking system. Better-handling and braking it may be, but claimed curb weight has climbed 17 pounds, to 584.3.

trellis design, and although we’ve never faulted the machine’s frame, it’s been replaced with a twin-pipe perimeter/ backbone design that Kawasaki claims is

Styling and convenience are also enhanced for 2012. The bodywork is smoothed out and restyled, with a distinctive four-lamp nose and larger side ducting being the most distinctive features. Instruments are also improved, with a new handlebar- mounted toggle switch to let the rider scroll through readouts, including an “Eco” mode that lets us know when we’re riding our bike most efficiently (and you do want to ride your ZX-14R as efficiently as possible, right?).

Times are tough for everybody, which is why we’re seeing more OEMs lengthening the product cycles of even their most hightech sportbikes. Honda’s CBR1000RR hasn’t seen a major update since its 2008 introduction, and 2012 won’t see a groundup redesign, but to celebrate 20 years since the class-crushing CBR900RR was introduced, Honda’s flagship sportbike gets new suspension, wheels instruments and other changes. The big news is probably the suspension. In front, the 43mm HMAS unit is replaced with the Showa 43mm Big Piston Fork that we liked so much on the Kawasaki ZXNovember 2011 | 4 | CityBike.com

November 2011 | 5 | CityBike.com

use and never seemed like a very good means of spinning cams) with sturdy, reliable bush-type chains, assisted by gears meshed to the cams. There are also automatic tensioners to further enhance reliability. And yes, valve-check interval is now 15,000 miles— and should be cheaper to do than the current 1198.

more rigid, yet narrow-waisted enough to help shorter riders comfortably reach the ground. The bad news is weight—although the press release claims less weight from the new chassis, the overall claimed curb weight of the 650R has crept up 11 pounds, to a hefty 460. But there’s still plenty here to promise an improved 650R. Suspension settings are revised for more comfort, Dunlop’s excellent Roadsmart tires are standard fitment, the braking power is increased slightly, and there’s a new instrument panel with (mercifully) an analog tachometer as well as fuel consumption, range remaining and the “Eco” mode indicator that makes sense on a bike with the potential to return 50 mpg. The motor has also been revised to deliver more of that noob-friendly midrange power, and styling has been updated to help the bike fit better with Kawasaki’s other sportbikes, with more aggressive looks. A new three-position adjustable windscreen gives the secondsmallest Ninja some sport-touring chops. At $7499, the 650R is $300 more than the 2011. But it seems to offer even more of that all-around practicality and fun that makes us love sporty middleweight Twins. We’re looking forward to a test ride.

DUCATI SUPERQUADRO Sure, you’ve seen the re-hashed press releases on other web sites and blogs, but on October 10th, Ducati ings. Vincenzo De Silvio, Diego Sgorbati, Claudio Domenicali, Marco Sairu and others hosted a chat discussion on Facebook, inviting dozens of journalists to ask their questions. So Motorcycle Daily may be a little late, but we may offer a little more perspective and information on what is inarguably the most kick-ass production Ducati motor in a generation, a motor that shares just 20 parts out of 400 with the old superbike mill and is

the first all-new massproduced Ducati motor since the Pantah of 1980. There’s always a lot of hype in moto-industry press releases, with clichés like “gamechanging,” “revolutionary” and “world class” used like Kleenex. But the press release Ducati sent our way November 2011 | 6 | CityBike.com

seems closer to reality than hyperbole. “No compromises,” “beyond the barriers of engineering” and “near-impossible design brief” seem like breathless marketing-ese, until you realize what the engineers in Borgo Panigale were asked to do. Not only did the new motor have to act as a stressed member (which means a much more rigid and usually heavier structure) it also had to be more user friendly, help make the entire motorcycle lighter and more compact, put out close to 200 horsepower and go 15,000 miles between major services. And of course, it had to be sufficiently reliable and inexpensive to put into a daily-ridden streetbike. Incredibly, they did it—and then some. They started with selecting a bore and stroke ratio, one that was so massively oversquare (112mm X 60.8mm, or a bore/ stroke ratio of 1.84:1; the 1198 is 1.56:1) they named the motor Superquadra, over-square in Italian. That means higher piston speeds, a higher (11,500 rpm, 1000 rpm higher than the 1198) redline, bigger valves, and of course, more power. Much more power. The increased motor speeds and stresses

Vacural-cast crankcases maximize weight savings, strength and consistent wall thickness. The cylinders’ water jackets are incorporated, allowing the head to be bolted right onto the vertically split cases. Shell bearings— like those used on the Desmosedici racebikes—hold the crankshaft to improve oiling at high speeds, assisted by a MotoGP-style vacuum oil pump, which reduces atmospheric resistance in the crankcase. The transmission is also improved. The gears are larger and stronger, and the dry clutch will join the cam belts in the unemployment line, replaced by a quieter, easier-to-use oil-bath slipper clutch. There are plenty of other nice touches. A tiny oil cooler (that small black box on the right side of the engine) eliminates external oil lines. A secondary air system reduces HC and CO levels (they must watch “Mythbusters” at the Ducati factory) and a clever cam design partly opens the inlet valves to help the starter motor spin the engine. That means a smaller starter, a smaller battery and a weight

savings of 7.3 pounds, just from that trick alone. The press release was detailed, but I still had questions. How much smaller and lighter is this engine? Ducati won’t release numbers until the Milan show, but did confirm it is more compact, except for height, which is a little greater because of the deep oil sump, which enhances oil delivery under hard braking. We know it will be powerful, with 195 hp and 98.1 ft.-lbs of torque, but will it be reliable and easy to use? Sure, said ing. De Silvio—“On bench we perform a durability test which simulate the real world use of the engine, and a track simulation test (usually referred to as “Monza cycle”, you can guess why!). On vehicle we perform reliability tests on high speed ring, track tests and finally durability tests on open roads.”

1199 Superquadro now.” Will do, Diego! Make sure we get invited to the press launch so we can.

STREETFIGHTER 848 Apparently unable to maintain deniability, Ducati decided it couldn’t credibly wait until the November EICMA show in Milan and officially announced availability details of a new middleweight roadster, the Streetfighter 848.

The new model is based on the 848 chassis, but there are some important differences between it and the 848 EVO. The motor isn’t a tuned-for-torque 848 motor— instead, it’s smaller version of the 162 horsepower Testastretta 11º motor found on the Diavel (complete with 15,000mile valve-check intervals, which should dramatically reduce service costs). The new motorcycle is also equipped with Ducati Traction Control and improved ergonomics, including a higher bar and No plans to do so at this time (that they’ll more compliant suspension. Combined tell us about, anyway). Will the motor with the more relaxed steering geometry be used in other applications like the Streetfighter or Multistrada? Again, nope. (more than a full degree less rake) from the 848, that and the softer motor (expect And will the camchain be used on airabout 118 hp at the wheel) may make this cooled models? “This is not in our plans machine the perfect step up for Ducati and it is not needed on the air-cooled Monster owners—or entice Triumph engines,” wrote ing. Sgorbati. And why won’t this bike be used in Workd Superbike Street Triple riders to cross over. until 2013? Domenicali tells us that it The other equipment is as expected. Brakes takes time to develop a SBK racer, and the are cast, not monobloc Brembos, and the 1198R is no slouch. front fork is the same fully adjustable 43mm inverted Will there be a middleweight version? Marzocchi unit found Sgorbati told us, “It’s too early to speak on the Monster 1100 about versions of the EVO. Paint colors engine—let’s will be red, matte enjoy the black and a yellow that looks more like a gold than the

meant some serious design problems. To tackle that, intake valves are now titanium, rocker arms and other parts get a “polymeric-like-carbon (PLC)” finish developed for the aerospace industry, and the 112mm-diameter pistons are double ribbed, not for pleasure, but to ensure durability at high rpm. And most significantly for Ducati fans, we are at last freed from decades of replacing cheesy rubber belts (please don’t get all sentimental about them—they must be replaced after five years or 15,000 miles of November 2011 | 7 | CityBike.com

bright yellow we’ve seen on other models. On paper, it looks like a winning street bike, and the early ride reports coming from Europe are backing that up. The bike carries a USA pricetag of $12,995. That’s the same as the 848 Dark and just $1000 more than the Monster 1100 EVO we tested (CityBike, October 2011)

VERSYS 1000? More from the rumor mill: France’s MotoNet webzine is showing photos of a 1000cc version of Kawasaki’s Versys adventure machine, which the site claims will be introduced next month in Milan. Though the styling strongly resembles its 649cc little brother, the frame and motor seem to be lifted from the Z1000/Ninja 1000. That means a heavy—and fast—big mother. Like the 650, it uses 17-inch wheels, which makes us wonder why Kawasaki would want to sell another variation of the Z1000. It doesn’t look like it’s much more comfy or touring-worthy than the full-faired Ninja 1000, but maybe its motor is tuned for more bottom-end torque, and the seat has to be better than the horrid seat-shaped thing the Ninja has behind the gas tank. Can you tell we’ve been riding one? Look for an extended Ninja 1000 test soon.

CYCLE WORLD SOLD

$1000 off select Zero models Only at Mission Motorcycles

America’s (possibly the world’s) highestcirculating motorcycle magazine, Cycle World has been sold to the Bonnier corporation for an undisclosed sum. Bonnier, a 200-year old (really!) Swedish company, is privately held and holds 175 companies in 16 countires. CW Editorin-Chief Mark Hoyer is upbeat about the transfer, as previous owner Hachette Fillapachi Media was a huge beauracracy and uninterested in the needs of a relatively small publication like his. In contrast, his new Group Publisher at Bonnier’s is a motorcycle enthusiast himself, so the odds of the publication getting the resources it needs to strengthen and grow in our new digital era look good.

“Fox” synonymous with racing suspension before that company became famous for apparel—was 56 years old. We’ll never get access to Jim’s suspensiontuning magic again. News, Clues’ most recent encounter with him was a few years ago, when we had a long-term Kawasaki Versys testbike and went to his shop in Campbell to ask what we could do to improve the front end. He mounted the bike, bounced up and down on it, made some adjustments, bounced on it some more and handed it back—and we’ll be damned if it wasn’t 50 percent better. Jim must have made a similar impression on racer Ed Sorbo, who met Lindemann in 1998 while racing at Willow Springs. “He was willing to deal with my weird valving,” recalled Sorbo, and they became friends. When Lindemann told Sorbo he was looking for a buyer for his suspensiontuning business—his doctors told him he didn’t have too much longer—Sorbo asked how much. the answer must have seemed like a sign from God; “it was $83 less than my retirement fund, so I cleaned it out and went up north to help him clean out his shop.” Lindemann is now run out of Redlands, California, and offers all the services it has in the past, including Jim’s patented “Girth Dyno,” which is what he called his method of sitting on the bike and compressing the suspension. Sounds like a joke, but Ed claims it’s quite effective; “If you had me bounce on one bike blindfolded, and another one with carpet underneath, I could tell which one had carpet underneath...how far I can or can’t compress the suspension tells me a lot, especially right after a track session.” You can find out more about Ed and how he can help you go faster using Jim’s techniques by calling his shop at the same old number—408/371-6151 or visiting the website at le-suspension.com.

JIM LINDEMANN PASSES Stock suspension? In general, for whatever reason, it sucks ass, and is the first thing we change on our motorcycles here at CityBike. And nobody—nobody— had chops like his when it came to designing, fixing and improving any kind of motorcycle suspension like Jim Lindemann. We regret telling our readers he passed away on October 7th after a long, long battle with brain tumors and related health problems. Lindemann—famed Photo by John Ulrich. Copyright 2011 Roadracing World Publishing, for making the name Inc., used with permission.

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‘LA DUCATI DAY’ AT LA HONDA You’ve been wrong all these years. Dead wrong, I tellya. You think of Ducati as an effete Italian marque with Monster attitude? Understandable. It’s that weird desmodromic valve gear, the dry-clutch death rattle, those espressos and lattes that create a contact high, the glove-soft Dainese gloves made from Certified Virgin Kangaroo Skin (those sweet little female ’roos were cosseted immigrants with Italian citizenship before Giving Their All as race gear). Then those Superbike championships like Checa’s latest, Casey defying the laws of race rubber, physics and thermodynamics, doing win-or-bin deeds with MotoGP bikes that we know couldn’t be done (ask Vale), Nicky proving that Character and Class Endure, that Multistrada with ECU software settings that convert it from a city commuter to a long-distance tourer to a raging sport bike and everything in between, like some sort of crazy Transformer—at a price. Yeah, that Ducati. From Bolgna, Italy. No baloney. You were wrong, baby. Dead wrong. La Ducati Day at La Honda proves it. Now in its eighth year, the 2011 event showed that Ducatisti are bike nuts and fun-loving humans who will accept you whatever you ride. Eight years,2000 visitors a year, five figures raised for the La Honda Volunteer Fire Brigade, closing on a six-figure total as of 2011. Event Founder and Chairman John Clelland put it all together eight years ago. Big, bearded, enthusiastic, he’s a long-time Peninsula rider who also arranges Bike Nights from Marin to the East Bay to the Peninsula. Clelland visited the La Honda firehouse in 2003 and checked their archaic EMT gear (“Vintage crap,” as he put it). He knew what we risk on hypersports bikes. He wondered about their priorities. They told him. “House and home safety is our #1. Then car and truck accidents. Third is lost pets, loose livestock. Motorcyclists? Down in fourth.” Not only that, but—as the local sheriff will tell you, if you ask nicely—some local nut

job spread oil and roofing nails on the road west of La Honda, back a few years, and caused accidents to bikers. Sweet, eh? How, Clelland wondered, do they raise funds for EMT gear? “Our annual pancake breakfast for the locals raises about $200,” they told him. He looked over that Stone Age EMT gear and knew that bikers screwing up or being unlucky on highperformance motorcycles needed better. La Ducati Day was born, benefiting the Fire Bridgade. Long-time supporters include Leo Vince exhaust and Motion Pro, and the show brings machines that belong at The Quail (and go there)—Ducatis going back decades, including bevel-gear singles and twins, F1 750s, up to AFM championship winner Joey Carillo’s Desmosedici. Plus Gileras, Bimotas, even (gasp, shudder) old Brit bikes. With luck, CityBike will team with Clelland for a joint celebration next year. Head down the hill from Alice’s on 84 (terrific slice of road) and see for yourself. It’s all in a good cause and you could be an eventual beneficiary. —John Joss

NEW STUFF NOVEMBER 2011 BOOK REVIEWS: I-94 Reader: Eclectic Stories and Rides By Rand Rasmussen. Aero Design Publishing, $7, 64 pages, aerostich.com, 800/222-1994 As soul-sucking and horrid an experience as riding on I-5 from Ess Eff to El Lay is, there are other roads that can equally kill the hopes and dreams of a young motorcyclist. Apparently, I-94 between Fargo and Minneapolis is such a ride. Aero Design’s publishing arm has produced an anthology of short fiction and essays from Rand Rasmussen that “read as true as the endless Midwestern prairie itself. Stories about piloting a road and a life, accompanied closely by the thrum of a BMW R65 and the essential feelings and experiences of pure motorcycling.” We NCR Continues on page 12

November 2011 | 9 | CityBike.com

EVENTS NOVEMBER 2011 First Monday of each month (Nov 7, Dec 5):

Sunday, October 30

2:30 – 10:00 pm: Northern California Ducati Bike Nights at Benissimo (one of Marin’s finest Italian Restaurants), 18 Tamalpias Dr., Corte Madera. NorCalDoc.com

Dust off your pre-’75 motorcycle or scooter and head to the Bay View Boat Club (489 Terry A Francois Blvd., near the Giant’s ballpark) and see the sights

6:00 pm: American Sport Bike Night at Dick’s Restaurant and Cocktails, 3188 Alvarado Street, San Leandro. Bring your Buell and hang out with like-minded riders. All brands welcome! Our meeting of Buell and Motorcycle enthusiasts has been happening the first Monday of the month for the last 12 years, without ever missing a meeting. We have had many local and national celebrities from the Motorcycle world grace our meetings. It has been fun and exciting. americansportbikenight.net 6:00 pm: California (Northern, East Bay) NORCAL Guzzi Bike Night at Applebee’s at McCarthy Ranch Mall, off 880, in Milpitas, California. All MGNOC members, interested Guzzi riders, and all other motorcycle riders always welcome. More information, contact Pierre at: 408/710-4886 or [email protected].

Third Monday of each month (Nov 21, Dec 19): 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm: East Bay Ducati Bike Night at Pizza Antica (3600 Mount Diablo Blvd., Lafayette, 925/299-0500) Bike parking on the street right in front of the restaurant, indoor and heated outdoor seating, excellent wine list. All moto brands welcome. Bring your appetite and a smile, be prepared to make new friends.

Third Sunday of each month (Nov 20, Dec 18): 9:00 am: California (Northern) Moto Guzzi National Owners Club (MGNOC) breakfast at Putah Creek Cafe in picturesque Winters, California (Highways 505/128) MGNOC members and interested Guzzi riders meet for breakfast and a good time. The Putah Creek Cafe is located at Railroad Avenue. More information contact: Northern California MGNOC Rep, Don Van Zandt at 707-557-5199. Evenings: Moto-Sketch at Tosca Cafe: come and sketch a live model draped over a custom bike. $7 to sketch, free to just watch. Tosca Cafe, 242 Columbus Ave. in S.F.

First Saturdays of each month (Nov 5, Dec 3) Mission Motorcycles (6292 Mission St. Daly City, missionmotorcycles. com 650/992-1234) has Brown Bag Saturdays: 15% off all parts and accessories you can stuff into a brown paper sack.

November 2011 | 10 | CityBike.com

2:00 pm: MotoGP Season Finale Zen Bash & BBQ

9:30 am: San Francisco 49-Mile Ride

of San Francisco with hundreds of like-minded folk. A “low-key” ride with a few rest stops, it will end back at the Boat Club, where there will be trophies and a barbecue lunch. Ride is free—Tshirts are $15. For more info go to yerbabuenaamca.org.

Doc Wong Clinics! Doc Wong is a fixture in the Bay Area Motorcycle scene and has shown thousands of riders great roads and riding techniques, as well as introducing them to dirt riding. All clinics start at Doc Wong’s office at: 1391 Woodside Road, Redwood City and are free of charge. You can also call 650/365-7775. To register e-mail DocWong at [email protected]. Friday, November 4, “Doc Wong Riding Position and Ergonomics Workshop” 7:15 pm Saturday, November 5, “Doc Wong CPR and First Aid for Motorcyclists Class” 9:00 am-3:00 pm Friday, November 11, “Doc Wong Suspension Part 2” 7:15 pm Sunday, November 13, “Doc Wong Confidence - Throttle Control” 9:00 am2:30 pm Friday/Sunday, November 18th/20th “Doc Wong Sport Dirt-Riding Clinic” 7:15 pm and Sunday 9:00 am.

Saturday, November 5 10:00 am: BSAOCNC/BSAOCSC 2011 22nd Annual All-British Ride Join the BSA owner’s club of Northern California for its annual All-British Ride. Ride starts at 10:00 am from 970 Seventh Street in Novato. $15 lunch at the Marin French Cheese Factory, British motorcycles only, please! No exceptions (even if your bike leaks oil and has bad teeth—ed.). For more info, call Don Danmeir at 415/898-0330 or head to bsaocnc.com to download the event flier. Noon: Big Time Speedway Racing, Prairie City OHV Park Prairie City OHV, 13300 White Rock Road, Rancho Cordova. If you haven’t watched alcohol-burning, bar-banging speedway racing, you need to go check it out. Gates open at noon, races start at 3:30. Vendor fair, motorcycle show, music, food, 50/50

Join the Zen House to celebrate this year’s MotoGP Season! The pre-recorded MotoGP season finale will be shown at 215, Point Arena’s Premiere wine-and-beer bar, located at 215 Main Street. Tasty treats will be provided by Zen to help motorcycling enthusiasts cheer on the racers. After the exciting season finale, bands will play and a fund-raising BBQ will be held.

raffle, supermoto exhibition and more. Tickets are $20 for adults, $12 juniors, $6 kids, $15 for senior, military, fire and police. Moto parking is free. For more info go to bigtimespeedway.com or call 925/7863263.

Saturday, Nov 5-April 28, 2012 Moto Bellissima Exhibit at SFO The Italian propensity for artistic design, historically demonstrated in a wide range of manufactured goods, has perhaps never been better exemplified than in the beautiful motorcycles that graced Italy’s racetracks and roadways in the 1950s and 1960s. Over the course of two decades, an unprecedented number of Italian firms, many of them lost to history, produced a dizzying array of smallsized motorcycles for a country with a desperate need for mobility after World War II. These machines were created at a time of impoverished resources, but consistent with a characteristically Italian insistence on producing, and demanding, objects of extraordinary design and beauty. Nineteen motorcycles, ranging from singularly produced racers such as Carlo Ubbiali’s 1951 Mondial 125cc Bialbero Grand Prix to 50cc production bikes from the late 1960s, demonstrate that while necessity breeds invention, the results can be truly stunning. Moto Bellissima: Italian Motorcycles from the 1950s and 1960s is located presecurity in the International Terminal Main Hall Departures Lobby, San Francisco International Airport. The exhibition is on view to all Airport visitors from November 5, 2011 to April 28, 2012. There is no charge to view the exhibition. For more information, please visit www.flysfo. com/museum.

Sunday, November 6 Noon: MotoGP Finale Party at the D-Store MotoGP wrap-up fun at everybody’s favorite place to smell leather. Food, drink and fun! D-Store SF: 131 S. Van Ness, 415/626-5478, dstoresanfrancisco.com.

Admission is free; BBQ Jerk Chicken and Tri-Tip will be served for $7.00. All proceeds from the BBQ will be donated to the 2012 AHRMA at the Stornetta Ranch Event. Visit our website, TheZenHouse.net, for additional information and lodging recommendations or call 707/882-2281.

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Continued from page 9

haven’t read it, but sounds like it’s worth seven bucks. Check it out.

we ride is generally pretty bad. It’s hard to write that stuff, as why people like to ride is

The Man Who Would Stop At Nothing: Long-Distance Motorcycling’s Endless Road

varied, and the universal truth stuff, well, we’ve heard it. After 120 years of twowheel motorized travel, there isn’t much new to say. Unless it’s really well written, that kind of thing just isn’t that interesting. Luckily, there is Melissa Holbrook Pierson. Pierson’s first motorcycling book, The Perfect Vehicle captured my attention as she detailed her own journey into motorcycling as well as a history of the sport as a whole, possibly doing the best job I’ve read explaining our passion to outsiders. That brilliance is continued in The Man Who Would Stop at Nothing Nothing, where Pierson introduces us to the extreme long-

By Melissa Holbrook Pierson. W.W. Norton Company, $24.95, 191 pages, books. wwnorton.com When we sit down to read stuff about motorcycles, it’s usually pretty technical stuff—motorcycle and product reviews, how-to articles, race reports. That’s probably because the stuff written that tries to dig deeper, tries to find out why

The Ultimate Sport-Urban-Adventure-Tourer 150 horsepower 15,000 mile service intervals Traction Control

distance (LD) world as it’s practiced by our friends in the Iron Butt Association. In particular, she follows one particularly obsessed rider, the handsome, brilliant, eccentric and diabetic John Ryan, holder of some amazing LD records and accomplishments. Like in Perfect Vehicle, she places herself into the story, chronicling her re-introduction into motorcycling and her dabbling with LD riding. As the book progresses, we start to get an idea of the appeal of LD riding, and what motivates the practitioners of what is admittedly a sport, if a twisted, insane one. Pierson examines the Iron Butt organization, its members and its history, making the insanity of riding for riding’s sake—rather than getting to a specific destination—seem almost reasonable. The writing is fast-paced and compelling, her research is impressive, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Well worth the time, it’s a good read not just for anybody who has spent hours and hours droning through the dark when there are a dozen more pleasant ways to travel, but for non-riders who wonder why anybody would want to expose themselves to such discomfort when a Honda Accord will get you there just as well. Again, check it out.

Plus available ABS

—Gabe Ets-Hokin

Electronic Suspension

ROLAND SANDS DESIGNS RONIN JACKET

Luggage System

We all know Roland Sands for his haute couture custom motorcycles, motorcycles that, unlike a lot of custom-built creations, can go, stop and corner as good as they look. It’d be nice if you could say the same about moto-apparel, no? Our lumpy, middle-aged bodies can be clad in functional, protective riding gear, or we can wear stylish stuff that doesn’t protect us from the elements and crashes as well as it could. If only Roland could make us a cool-looking jacket... So you probably know where this is going, right? Exactly. Roland Sands Designs has indeed announced a new line of fashionable riding jackets made of unusual materials like waxed canvas and oiled leather. The $590 “Ronin” jacket looked so good Editor Ets-Hokin felt compelled to ask for one to test, and to his amazement, one actually arrived a few days later. It’s a really nice jacket. It’s made of 1.2mm washed and waxed cowhide (bonus points, say we, for being made in India rather than China), with an aggressive cafe-racer fit. It’s loaded with details—perforated leather lining and underarm vents, embossed RSD logos (rather than the huge, tasteless logos the other brands make you display on your riding gear) and a universe of interesting pockets inside and out. And thanks (doubtlessly) to Sands’ history as a roadracer (he took an AMA 250GP

Call to schedule a private demo ride

championship in 1998), there are pockets for armor everywhere you need it—back, shoulders and elbows (low-profile CE armor will be available from RSD soon). In use, it looks great and functions well. It’s feels as if somebody has already worn it for years, soft to the touch and very flexible. The cut worked well with a standard riding position, it was easy to cannibalize armor from another jacket and the jacket effectively blocked the wind. Also, because the sizing tends towards that hip skinny-jeans waifish look, we had to order a size larger, which meant the sleeves were long enough to fit securely under gauntlets and there was room to layer a sweater or electric liner, making it a 3 or 4-season garment.

standard web-strap tie-downs and 1/8thinch steel cable. They are quite similar in concept to the PacSafe system, which weaves fine steel wire into backpacks to thwart bag-slashing theft. Lockstraps are impressively hefty and well-made. They have burly rivets and plates affixing the cam lock and the built-in steel carabiners to the straps. The latch mechanism for the carabiner contains a 3-digit combination lock which prevents the carabiner from being opened.

Lock Straps aren’t intended for high security, but they will keep the curious and sticky-fingered from pilfering your bike. A committed criminal with tools can easily defeat the system, but if you’re The downside? Well, for those of us used on your way back from a race or off-road to heavy, competition-weight cowhide, it seems a little lighter than we’re comfortable riding weekend, Lockstraps will provide peace of mind while you’re in getting a with. Also, the stylish multiple seams on burger. However, if you need to leave your the jacket look cool, but even though they bike in the back of a truck overnight at the are sewn properly, we question how well Colleseum BART station parking lot, bring this jacket would hold up in a high-speed your U-lock and hefty chain. crash—it’s clearly not for racetrack use. Also, the collar irritated the neck of our To see the full range of Lockstraps and accessories, tester and we couldn’t figure out what that visit lockstraps.com, call 951/506-3682 or go weird grommet on the back of the jacket down to your local motorcycle shop (preferably, one was for. But the downsides were made who advertises in CityBike). up for by the many admiring looks and comments received. Klassy!

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It’s an heirloom-quality leather jacket, something you’ll love to wear riding your motorcycle or just going out to dinner. You can get in three colors, and sizes from small to 2XL. Check out the Ronin and other styles at rolandsands.com

LOCKSTRAPS TIE DOWNS We hope you’ve never had that horrible sinking feeling when you realize your motorcycle has been stolen out of your pickup or trailer while you parked at the Motel 6 parking lot, but we all know somebody who has. A good way to give you a little bit more security (or relieve you of having to roll your bike into your hotel room to give you peace of mind) is the $40 Lockstrap, an ingenious combination of

$14.99 + $5 shipping Sizes S-XXL Email us: [email protected] or by mail: City Bike Magazine PO Box 10659 Oakland, CA 94610

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Calistoga Speedway Half-Mile

5150: The Stunters Next Door

Photos by Dave Hoenig. Chris Carr slides into the history books in his second-to-last AMA Pro race. He finished 11th.

By Gary D. Fackler, Photos by Bob Stokstad

I

t did not take long for the first long wheelie to happen.

Three turns into a ride through the backstreets of Union City, I heard the distinctive sound of a piped GSXR

revving, its throttle feathered to hoist the machine to a perfect balance on its rear wheel. I turned in time to see Edvin’s front wheel skim past me as he mono-wheeled down a surface street toward one of the stunt group’s secret practice areas. The wheelie was picture perfect, Edvin standing on the seat and carrying the front end of his heavily modified Gixxer for at least a quarter-mile. Clearly the stunt was bought and paid for with hours of practice and more than a few crashes. It was only one of dozens of similar stunts soon to be on display at a deserted industrial area of the East Bay, one of countless practice sessions staged by a new generation of motorcyclist springing up across the country.

New-age bike gangs

A&A racing’s Briar Bauman (10z)staying ahead of Gerit Callies (76l) and Shayna Texter (25a) in the Pro Singles main event.

Rookie-of-the-year Brad Baker put in an impressive fifth-place finish on this Loyd Brothers Ducati.

Bored by Harleybased chuffer bikers and put off by the high price of admission to the racing fraternity, young motorcyclists, it seems, are gravitating to a stunt-based

moto-culture that provides an immediate adrenaline fix. “We’ve probably seen interest in stunting double in the last two to three years,” says Bill Keys, salesman at Fremont HondaKawasaki, though he adds that most serious stunters tend to buy used bikes to minimize cost. Fueled by Starbucks caffeine and nurtured by countless stunt clips on YouTube, clubs like ‘5150’ (police code for ‘insane perp’) are on the move, in more ways than one.

Their numbers are swelling, with the rapid rise of groups like the Rough Riders, Street Bike Freaks and Bay Area Delinquents.

Going underground The crackdowns, in turn, have driven some groups underground, forcing them to conduct the bulk of their stunting in secluded parking lots and other nonconspicuous areas. That’s the main reason all club members quoted here have chosen to remain anonymous, their practice locations kept secret as a condition of coverage by CityBike.

Nevertheless, these new-age bike clubs have interesting stories to tell, and I wanted to know more about the new ‘stunta’ culture. So I spent time with the East Bay’s ‘5150’ members, meeting them at their staging area—a Union City Starbucks— and attending a recent practice session to see what they are about.

But that rapid growth has resulted in exposure to the mainstream public, with predictable results. Soccer moms going to family outings have been put off by mile-long wheelies down Interstate 880, and local law enforcement has responded What I learned shattered some (but not all) by cracking down on stunts staged on of my preconceptions about stunters. public streets.

And they’re off! It’s not motorsports if there isn’t cheesecake involved. But how does the involvement of more and more women racers—including podium-finisher Shayna Texter—change things? Will we start seeing slim young men, waxed and oiled and dressed in Speedos roaming the pits and midways?

Racers celebrating in traditional fashion post-race.

November 2011 | 14 | CityBike.com

“Our position is that we have zero tolerance for breaking the rules of the road,” says officer Paul Nelson, a spokesperson for CHP’s Northern California division. Nelson says the police will continue to crack down on illegal stunting, while working to elevate awareness of motorcyclists among California’s nonriding cagers. November 2011 | 15 | CityBike.com

Preconception #1: These guys can ride

Absolutely true. There is a broad range of skill levels among club members but most have finely tuned senses of balance and traction that let them perform difficult stunts and make them look relatively easy. High-speed power wheelies are simple, but the low-speed stuff requires uncanny

balance and years of practice.

lot areas, there is not much chance of serious injury.”

The latest rage among the 5150s is drifting—the same basic idea as with sports cars, at speeds of up to about 40 mph, but on two wheels. The results are feet-up power-slides that are poetry in motion.

None appeared to have leather boots, favoring hightopped shoes. None wore leather or ballistic pants, though most wore protective jackets and/or tactical vests.

Not really. Many of the riders are in their 20s, but some are in their 30s and even 40s. Most started riding very young, and experience in the dirt tends to nurture stunting skills. All 5150s we interviewed came from diverse backgrounds, ranging from riding scooters in Bosnia to sport bikes in Southern California.

Not necessarily. Newbies pay a heavy toll (in both medical and repair bills), but veteran members seem to avoid crashes, or at least minimize their impact. That said, many members have endured the installment of titanium gussets to their endoskeletons.

“If you ride like this you are going to have injuries,” says Edvin.

Preconception #3: All they do on motorcycles is stunt Totally false. These guys live, eat, sleep and breathe motorcycling. Stunting is only a

small part of their riding activities. Most have several different bikes for each activity, since bikes customized for stunting tend to suck for anything else (see sidebar). Kevco, who does not drive a car, owns a Leno-esque stable of 13 bikes, including a collection of Gixxers ranging from an elderly 400 to a current 600 that is his stunting bike of choice. He also owns a retired CHP Kawasaki that he jokingly refers to as “a captured enemy.” Many club members do track days at Thunder Hill and other tracks when they can. Almost all go on group rides every weekend, often including girlfriends and members of other clubs. Some of the larger group runs comprise more than 100 riders of many different brands and almost all types of bikes. “We don’t encourage cruisers to join us,” allows Kevco. “They generally have a hard time keeping up on the twisty roads. But other than that, everyone is welcome.”

Preconception #4: They are gang affiliated

Preconception #7: They are social outcasts The roughly 35 members of the 5150s are a tightly knit group who treat each other very much like an extended family. They know each others’ girlfriends, kids and families and spend a lot of time with each other, both on and off their bikes. “We are all in the trenches together,” says Kevco. “And we are very close.”

Preconception #8: They are often running from The Law This is not necessarily true, though the club seems to have an uneasy truce with law enforcement—which is partly responsible for the group’s reluctance to reveal their true names and practice locations. But the degree of that adversarial relationship with the cops varies depending on police jurisdictions. “We don’t do anything in Fremont because the police here are very strict,” says Kevco, adding that the group reserves hard-core street stunting for places like Oakland, “where cops have other things to worry about.”

As a rule, older cops who happen on a training session might spectate for a while All 5150 members we interviewed denied before asking them to disperse, whereas any gang affiliation or any link to organized younger, more gung-ho officer may press crime of any kind. the issue by writing citations or even trying to impound bikes. “We are definitely not red or blue—that’s not what we are about,” says Kevco. “We Preconception #9: They are are strictly a riding club. No drugs. No ne’er-do-wells alcohol. Just riding.” Bike stunting can be an expensive hobby, Preconception #5: They do not and many 5150s have good-paying jobs to wear adequate protective gear support their adrenaline addictions. The ATGAT argument that rages MarsGixxer supplements his income as a among motorcyclist about whether all tech-support specialist by rebuilding old or motorcyclists should wear All The Gear, crashed Suzuki sportbikes, then reselling All The Time (ATGAT) is conspicuously them for a profit. Kevco is a (currently absent among stunters. Nearly all favored unemployed) engineer while Edvin works helmets, but one stunter we saw was as a machine-shop supervisor. clicking off long, low-speed wheelies without a lid. Preconception #10: Stunting is

underground

November 2011 | 16 | CityBike.com

Aspiring stunters seeking entry into the exotic world of bike tricks confront inescapable truths: bikes usually only last a year before being reduced to powdered rubber and magnesium shavings, and modifications can be costly. Most bikes are based on Japanese sportbikes because they are relatively inexpensive, plentiful and well supported by the aftermarket. Smaller 600s are favored because larger bikes’ power output is too abrupt for the more finessed control required.

The sanctioned events may partly explain why motorcycle-related fatalities in California were down some 28 percent in 2009, at a time when stunting popularity was rising rapidly. “It’s only speculation—I have no statistics to support it—but the (sanctioned) events may have something to do with it,” says Officer Nelson. But the great unanswered question is: do stunters want legitimacy? Or will they

“Many of the stunts are like ballet,” points out Kevco—and 160-plus horsepower is too much for this particular dance.

Preconception #12: Stunters are all male

Motorcycling’s fastest-growing demographic group, females, are beginning to make their presence known in the stunting community. Among the vanguards of this new population are groups like the East Bay’s ‘Curve Unit.’

What’s it All Mean? Many veteran riders have joined the general public in their disdain for stunters, lamenting the ‘bad image’ they give the sport. In doing so, they conveniently forget their own youth, when they gravitated toward bikes to express their own inner rebel. Each generation, it seems, is destined to look at youngsters as somehow less noble, less honorable than the ideal.

From there a metal cage is added to minimize crash damage, and the top of the fuel cell is often pounded flat with a mallet for use as a perch, letting the stunter sit on the tank while performing a wheelie. Throttle speeds are usually set at 3,500 rpm to prevent sudden deceleration when the twist grip is snapped shut. Rear-sprocket sizes are often boosted by 10 teeth or more, giving stunt bikes the rapid acceleration they need to easily hoist the front wheel. An early modification is to add a separate brake lever on the handlebar to control the rear-wheel caliper. This lets the stunter control wheelies while standing on the seat or sitting on the gas tank, putting a conventional rear brake pedal out of reach. Many of the bikes have an additional rear- wheel caliper slaved to this lever.

The simple facts are that stunters are a product of the YouTube generation. As such, they work hard to separate themselves from old-style bikers—and each other. The wheelies get longer. The stunts become more extreme. And the crashes cost more. always gravitate naturally toward a more counter-culture bearing? “I tend to dislike organizations,” says Kevco, who prefers the informality and freedom of spontaneous 5150 activities, which include gnarly, mile-long wheelies on public roads.

Preconception #11: Stunt bikes are rats Stunt bikes sometimes look like rat bikes. In reality, they are often hand built to

But amidst the carnage are common threads that go back to the first café-racer rat packs that burst forth in England and throughout Europe in the ’50s. These guys are highly skilled riders who love to ride, are loyal to each other and get a kick out of thumbing their noses at The Man—often while balanced on one wheel. Same as it ever was. Gary Fackler is a freelance writer based in Newark, Calif. Send your feedback to him via info@ citybike.com.

Pullen’ a Wheelie What do a 200-lb Sym Symba Scooter and a 650-lb Harley Sportster have in common? Damn little, if you really want to know. Except for a brief moment earlier this year when ace scooterphile Ets-Hokin and professional stunt rider Jason Pullen were, by pure good luck, both piloting their two-wheelers around the parking lot next to Red’s Java House in South Beach. October’s CityBike gave you the honest dope on what this awesome scooter can do, but this month it’s all about stunt ride’n, which brings to mind the amazing acrobatics that Pullen was pulling off that afternoon, just practicing to keep his hand in. Wearing his trademark Otto von Bismarck spiked helmet and toothy grin, Jason wheeled and wheelied his Harley around the lot, alternately burning rubber and throwing sparks. —Bob Stokstad

Find out when you can see Jason at jasonpullenstunts.com

Some bikes have race-inspired, heavyduty triple clamps to help cope with the load on the frame when the wheel slams back to the Earth. Custom billet mounts allow the fitting of additional calipers to the rear disk. Stunt-bike engines tend to become oil-starved during extended wheelies, since the oil pools in the pan, away from pickup lines. After a few miles, the top end can go dry, damaging the valve train. Some stunters overcome the problem by using drag-racing pickup lines, specially modified to pump oil when it is pooled in the rear end of the crankcase. Most take the cheaper route, simply adding an additional quart of oil to help force feed the oil pickup. —Gary Fackler

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Stunting is now mainstream, with organized events providing clubs with legitimacy—along with a healthy dose of respect for their bike-handling skills. An

Stunting Hardware: eBay is Your Friend



“That does happen, but it’s not a common practices,” admits Kevco, who claims never to ride without a helmet. “On a hot day, doing slow-speed stunts in parking

withstand extreme abuse during their short, hard-scrabble lives.

Crash cages surround the bodywork in an attempt to preserve fragile plastic parts as long as possible—though repeated crashing wins out in the end. A 12-o’clock New on the stunting scene is the XDL championship series, which brings together bar helps ward off backward flips and provides an additional foothold for long top stunters from across the country to wheelies. Custom handlebars raise the compete for cash prizes. The series has grips above the triple clamps, providing lent legitimacy—along with sponsorship cash from Icon, BMW and others—to the ergonomics more conducive to stunting. stunting scene.

Preconception #6: They are young kids

Preconception #2: They crash a lot

Club co-founder ‘Kevco’ (not his real name) sports titanium rods in one leg from a bad break, while Edvin has recovered from a broken collarbone. Both view the injuries as a necessary part of the stunting scene.

example of this trend was a July 9 event in Modesto hosted by the ‘Hooligans MC,’ a stunting extravaganza staged on three streets closed by town officials to provide a safe riding venue.

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November 2011 | 17 | CityBike.com

2012 Yamaha Zuma 50F By Gabe Ets-Hokin, Photos by Nelson and Riles

“Ring-a-ding-ding!” No, that’s not Frank Sinatra coming to visit. That’s the sound of a two-stroke 50cc scooter motor zipping up one of San Francisco’s hills. It can make it up that hill because a two-stroke powerplant makes roughly twice the power of a four-stroke mill of the same displacement, which means that for many of San Francisco’s tens of thousands of scooterists, a cheap, cheerful, simple 50cc two-stroke steed was all they needed for years of transport-ainment.

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dust (or more accurately, a big cloud of blue smoke), but you won’t make friends with neighbors, cops, old ladies crossing the street, small children, or anybody else sensitive to the pollution and noise a tuned

Zuma 50F is every bit as fun to ride as the older, less socially responsible model. It’s so light and steers so fast you almost forget you’re riding anything. It’s fast enough to keep up with most traffic (though you should pull over to get out of the way on long, steep uphill grades), and it can fly through corners in ways a larger motorcycle can’t imagine.

The chassis is a tube-steel design under plastic bodywork that offers new features the C3 and old Zuma lacked. There’s a telescopic fork in front with a chunky, semi-knobby 10-inch tire in front, with a 180mm wave-style brake rotor and snappy red-painted single-piston caliper. Handlebars are now moto-style, with an exposed, replaceable tube handlebar like the Zuma 125’s. The rear suspension is by non-adjustable monoshock, with braking handled by mechanical drum on the 10-inch rear wheel. Seat height has crept up a bit, to 30.7 inches, but the scooter is basically the same size. Surprisingly, claimed wet weight is actually two pounds less than the 2011 Zuma’s 207 pounds.

Then along comes the mean old Man, in his many iterations—state, local and federal agencies looking to clean up the air and quiet things down. Two strokers make good power but they also dump a lot of unburned fuel and burnt-up oil into the atmosphere. Sure, cleaner-burning twostroke motors can be built, but for whatever reason, the number of two-stroke scooter models available in the USA has shrunk almost to nothing. The latest victim was Yamaha’s secondgeneration Zuma 50. Immensely popular, with almost 64,000 sold in the U.S. since 2002, the Zuma offered sporty performance at a decent price. Two-stroke fans will lament the passing of its light weight and surprising power for such a diminutive engine size.

2012 lineup. Still, as bland as that bike may have been, it had a pretty good engine—a three-valve, liquid-cooled Single with fuelinjection and triple-digit fuel economy. And the four-stroke design offers advantages beyond better fuel economy. It’s also cleaner burning (it even has dual catalyzers to meet the toughest environmental standards), runs cooler, has better torque off-idle and warms up faster. Yamaha claims 132 mpg, although that insanely economical figure is based on exhaust-emissions testing, not actual city riding.

The fun began when Yamaha’s Tim Olsen explained the demo-ride format. Instead of your usual lead-and-follow jaunt along a pre-planned route, a scavenger hunt was laid out, with photo stops and orders to be

Or will they? For 2012, Yamaha brings us the Zuma 50F, choosing our hometown of San Fran to show off how suited it is for the dense urban environments it will call home. At the tech briefing, Aaron Bast, one of Yamaha’s product planners, illuminated what went into the design.

styling and image kept coming up—along with a conflicting message about a desire for rider roominess and comfort.

November 2011 | 18 | CityBike.com

Two-stroke fans may lament the end of the oil-burning Zuma but, for the rest of

us, Yamaha’s distinctive bug-eyed scoot lives on. The four-stroke has all the fun, character and economy of the old bike, in a slightly more eco-friendly package. Zumas will continue to climb San Francisco’s steep hills and get riders to work and school with smiles on their faces, even unaccompanied by the cheerful buzzing and heady aroma of tuned two-stroke exhaust.

Comfort and styling weren’t ignored. Clear turn-signal lenses lend a Euro look and the front brake disc, caliper and rear spring get hip red highlights. A luggage rack, cup (or glove) holder, folding bag hook and 23 liters of underseat storage add practicality. A fuel gauge lets you know when the

Yamaha conducted focus groups in the U.S. and Canada to find out how 50cc scooter buyers wanted their rides to look and perform. Turns out that the Zuma’s audience is diverse, with almost 30 percent female and a huge distribution in age. Usage is broad, too—53 percent use it primarily for transportation to work, school If there’s a better way to get around a dense urban environment than a 50cc scooter, we haven’t found it yet. Photo: Gabe Ets-Hokin or errands, but a third use it mostly Very few surprises are packed into the 2012 1.2-gallon gas tank under the floorboards just for fun. When asked why Zuma is empty. Unlike the C3, there is room Zuma 50F. The basic platform is lifted buyers purchased their mounts, styling, for a passenger, so long as nobody is in a from the late and maybe not-so-missed fuel economy and price were heavily particular hurry. Yamaha C3 (say “sea cube”), which looked represented responses. What did they want kind of like a baby casket on wheels and the bike to look like? Rugged, dirtbike was unceremoniously dropped from the

price—or a lot less. But Yamaha’s products exhibit a high level of quality in design, performance and engineering that justifies the premium pricing. That’s why thousands of scooterists love the rugged looks and sassy character of the little Zuma, and will accept no substitutes. Eighty thousand of them since the first Zuma was brought to the USA, to be exact.

Service & Repair back by 5:00 p.m. A cake walk for me—I drove a taxicab in San Francisco for seven years, and I knew that a small scooter was the best way to negotiate S.F.’s warren of narrow, traffic-choked byways. But would the new four-stroke mill be enough to keep me alive and happy? Not a problem. The Zuma’s torquey motor has good response off the line (though it seems tuned more for top end than offthe-line acceleration) and will carry most riders up even the steepest S.F. hills—18 percent grades in some cases. The Zuma’s rugged looks were matched by brakes and suspension up to the challenges posed by S.F.’s potholed, bumpy streets and criminally inattentive drivers. There was no spot in the City’s 49 square miles I couldn’t reach, and I had a great time doing it. I often wanted more power, especially when I had to haul my pregnant wife to the hospital for an appointment, but with a Zuma 50F, slow as it is, you’re still going to get anywhere in San Francisco faster than by bicycle, bus, car or train. The Zuma will reach an indicated 40 mph or so if you give it enough room and will return 109 mpg (I measured fuel consumption after riding an unbroken-in example hard for 50 miles), even if you’re riding flat-out, and believe me, you will be riding WFO. Sure, you could soup up that two-stroke Zuma and leave the four-stroker in the

two-stroke emits (think: leaf blowers— ugh). It’s also probably going to give up a little reliability when you swap out the stock parts and start bolting in those expensive, delicate kit exhaust and motor components. Clockwise from top: A full-face helmet can go under the seat, 6 Because a scooter pounds can go on the luggage rack, your groceries can hang from a like the Zuma isn’t retracting hook and a cold beverage fits snuggly in the cup holder. Tell about blasting us again why you need your car? around as fast as Instrumentation is minimal but adequate. Old-school analog odometer possible. It’s about is ready for 99,000 miles of cheap thrills, but makes recording fuel reliability and economy challenging. function. Hop on, thumb the electric Stop! Slick red-painted caliper and 180mm wave rotor work as good starter and go. When as they look. you get to your Bug-eyed lamps carry on the Zuma styling theme we’ve seen since destination, squeeze the ‘80s. Focus groups rejected other styling options. it in between two cars, toss your fullIt’s not perfect. The seat did get a little face helmet under the seat and wait for dreary (but to be fair, I was riding it for your bus and car-confined friends or hours on end, which isn’t its mission) and co-workers to arrive. Gas is cheap—I it’s really too slow for a passenger, unless spent $1.36 riding around all day—and you live somewhere flat and slow-paced. maintenance is affordable too, with And I hate to bring it up, but at $2540, 6000-mile valve-check intervals and a it’s not exactly a bargain (though just $50 tiny amount of oil to change. more than the 2011 Zuma). Many highBut it’s not just all about cheap and quality scooters, also built in Taiwan, offer practical transportation—even the most similar or more performance for the same penny-pinching CPA likes to have fun. The November 2011 | 19 | CityBike.com

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CB160 pt. III rubber kneepads, but as with most 160s these days, mine arrived with neither. A Here’s the final installment of our three-part pair of new reproduction badges can be series describing one man’s hopeless journey bought for $100, kneepads—if I could even through the bleak, vast valley of sorrows find them—would cost much more. For that is restoring a vintage motorcycle. Part financial reasons, and because I wanted I appeared in November, 2010, Part II in to differentiate my bike a bit from all the February 2011. You can read them— free— rebuilt 160s I’d been ogling online, I opted at our fine website: citybike.com. Click on design and fabrication duties for a group a selection of filthy rubber mallets or to shape the tank into something simpler, the“Back Issues” tab. All three parts are screwdrivers. Shining machined aluminum building the ‘Hexaquad,’ a six-legged sleeker and more solid. And, it would written in the style of Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s bits—rearstand spools, wheel spacers, seat walking robot. I should have put the 160 on turn out, much more labor intensive. By Notes from Underground, which seemed like stays—were common kitchen-table décor. the back burner but instead I put it on the stretching reality to its elastic limit, I could a really good idea when we started. front. Where it unequivocally belonged. I could never fully scrub the stains off my consider my labor as free. y Spring I was hanging by a tenuous hands, and my handprints had ruined Spring had finally arrived, reinvigorating My ‘workspace’ had first spilled over from thread. My life had been completely light switches, walls, the refrigerator door me, and I stepped back to survey what I the subterranean laundry room into my handle and my formerly white Macbook. I overrun; I was driven by demonic had accomplished. And I had accomplished apartment, now out into the two-foot had abandoned any sense of normalcy. wind at my back. A heap of empty brown much. A hundred small projects, some of wide strip of woodchips along the rotting cardboard boxes of all shapes, sizes and which I have described, most of which I While the 160 neared completion, my life maroon wooden fence separating my hues—remnants of the dozens of parts was spiraling out of control: I was finishing haven’t. I could write a lengthy story about building from my next-door neighbor’s. I’d bought—dominated one corner of any one of these things and still have more Such is the life of a gutter mechanic—you the last semester in my mechanicalthe living room. Discarded engine bolts engineering undergraduate program, finals to say. work with what you have. For the most peppered the light hardwood floor beside were looming, my parents would soon part, my neighbors looked on with muted the front door, along with dull billets, rods Okay, I’ll mention one: the tank. The be visiting from Philadelphia, I was job (or was that morbid?) curiosity and let me and sheets of aluminum, multicolored CB160 came from the factory with smart hunting furiously, and I had also taken on carry on. tangles of small-gauge wire, and often circular metal Honda badges and integral Out there in the woodchips, gelatinous, caustic paint remover viciously stripped most of the baby-blue paint off the tank, lifting it in bubbling sheets. I attacked the holdouts with wire brushes and a sharp putty knife. I filled in the badge, kneepad recesses and half a dozen dents with Bondo; it took six coats to satisfactorily disguise my artifice—a time-consuming process, but the result justified the effort. As a final touch, I machined and welded on a tank breather. Words and Photos by David Lander

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It was finally time to paint. For reasons I can’t explain, painting was like the small arrival before the grand finale, a stage that heralded the conclusion of months of insane, exhausting labor. And it was undeniably more glamorous than the time-consuming rust removal. It produced something attractive, something I could immediately appreciate. It made the whole thing real. As with the fuel hose, wiring harness, zip ties and each and every visible bit, I thought long and hard about the paint scheme, about the decals, the design, the brand and the finish of the paint itself. I’ve always loved the ‘70s era Yamaha red-andwhite scheme, the TZ in particular—no reason it couldn’t work on my Honda. I also knew from past experience—bitter past experience—that hours spent on a rattle-can paint job can be ruined as soon as you fuel up: gas eats paint mercilessly. I eventually discovered an ingenious, twopart clear epoxy topcoat spray paint that would, the manufacturer claimed, stand up to gasoline. I said a silent prayer of thanks when, later on, I found that they hadn’t lied. The painting itself was smooth and relatively painless but since I was forced to bring the parts in from the damp bayadjacent air to dry in front of the gas heater my apartment was filled with the smell of it. It was . . . intoxicating. Finally the dozens and dozens of parts were ready to be assembled. Slowly at November 2011 | 20 | CityBike.com

first, then quickly, a motorcycle began to emerge. I mounted the tires. I mounted the wheels. I mounted the swing arm, the forks, the triple clamps. I hung the engine. Most things went together smoothly, some required the gentle persuasion of a rubber mallet. On went the battery box, coil, fuses,

and the smell of partially burned exhaust. Then, with one indistinguishable kick and in one unspectacular moment, while people worked at their jobs, worried about their looks, carried on conversations they wouldn’t remember, the engine caught and blasted the houses on my street with

I attached the kick-start lever, then kicked that cursed thing until my leg ached and my back was sore but it didn’t even deliver so much as a cough. new spark plug wires, boots, spark plugs. I bolted on the petcock and ran the hoses. I fabricated and mounted a mudguard, attached fuel- and oil-overflow catch cans.

an unexpected fury. It was the sound I had waited months to hear, and it was as loud, or louder, than the fury of the pace that produced it.

I marveled at the work that had gone into each and every part, as if it had been someone else who had done it, not me. I felt bursts of pride and was not ashamed. On went the seat, the tank, the clip-ons. Levers, rubber grips, number plates. I routed the cables—an unexpectedly tricky task. I gushed to friends about my progress but my enthusiasm would never, could never, be fully understood. It was as though I was coming home

The ragged thumping of the parallel Twin was a buzzsaw that would sever one part of my life from another. I was suddenly on the other side, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. I slowly let out the unfamiliar clutch. Near the end of the lever’s release stroke I felt the plates engage. I had touched, cleaned, babied and attended to each and every component in the engine, and I could picture what each of them was doing. I was connected to each piece, the system was crystal clear in my mind. I let the plates drag and pulled away slowly, seeing the crank, oil filter, tappets and the intake bores that I’d handworked clearly in my mind. The flow of fuel and air. I stayed in first gear as far as the corner and let the drum brake bring me to a soggy stop. I looked around me. There were no spectators, no applause, no fanfare or ticker tape parade. It was a strange feeling, like a birthday party to which nobody showed up.

from war, but my only war comrade was myself. I reflected soberly that all of life is like this; we can never understand what others experience, their undertakings, their victories and failures, their secret aspirations and the weight attached to each. I began to understand the full impact of how far I had drifted. Sometimes I wondered if it had been worth it. The Big Day finally came. I wheeled the bike, April sun reflecting off the red-andwhite paint job, onto the street in front of my building. I attached the kick-start lever, then kicked that cursed thing until my leg ached and my back was sore but it didn’t even deliver so much as a cough. I had feared, but expected, as much; with so many variables, so many hand-made parts, it was likely that some small thing would bring it all to an anticlimactic, silent halt. Crestfallen, numb, physically and emotionally exhausted, I rolled the bike back inside for the day. For a week I examined every system, consulted gurus, retraced my steps. Ultimately it turned out to be the cumulative effect of a handful of small problems. As I addressed each glitch, I kicked the engine over with more violence, more desperation. I was egged on by the occasional two or three staccato pops

Q: What do you call riding from Carson City to Fallon to Austin to Eureka to Ely to Delta to Pioche to Caliente to Rachel to Warm Springs to Tonopah to Hawthorne to Yerington and back to Carson City? A: One thousand miles. Q: What do you call it when you do it in one day? A: Crazy. A:

The CityBike/Pashnit Tours Nutcracker 1000

Date:

Saturday, Sept 15th, 2012. Arrive on Friday, Ride Saturday, regroup on Sunday.

Start/Finish:

Carson City, NV

Destination:

1000 Mile loop in any direction in one day, but ending back at same hotel. Basically Utah border and back in one day.

Stop Locations:

Rachel, Nevada, any historical stops along Hwy 50

Not a group ride, but individual Mutual Destination ride.

Registration to be opened closer to the event and noted in CityBike.

I gunned the engine, guessing at the rpm, then let the clutch out with more purpose. The bike lurched forward, with less vigor than I had expected, but accelerated quickly. I upshifted into second, into third, and then, in a barrage of explosive noise, I was at the next intersection. I slowly walked the bike around its giant turning radius and pointed it back toward home. The engine idled at uncomfortably high revs. The afternoon sky was clear and warm, the sun hung high. My mind emptied of thoughts of the past, of the future; colors became vivid, outlines sharp. I imagined Sergio Leone, tumbleweeds, and thousandyard stares into blinding white horizons, but my gunfight was already over. But who had been my adversary? Had it been me? The 160? I didn’t know. Even if I had, I couldn’t have said who won, so I twisted the soft rubber grip and let the violence of the sound drown out useless thoughts as my 160 and I picked up speed and shakily rode off into a wide-open future. David Lander is now hiding in the hinterlands of Orange County. Share your cafe-racer build photos with us: [email protected].

November 2011 | 21 | CityBike.com

Stay tuned for details!

HERTFELDER

Supermoto 101 differences. The wheels are usually sized to 17 inches, hat motivates a rider to gear allowing the use up head to toe in the heat of summer or the cold of winter to of good street/ swing a leg over a bike? It’s different for all road-racing tires. of us. For some it’s the allure of twisty roads The front brake rotor is drastically and breaking in a new set of knee pucks, for others it’s a desolate location and miles enlarged and a four-piston caliper of single track. Many here in the Bay Area By Scott Warner, Photos by Erich Stiegler Insurance Agency

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on’t ask me how I know, but I’ll bet somewhere in your riding career you’ve dropped your motorcycle into (pick one) the deepest, slipperiest, grungiest, smelliest mud holes that ever existed. It was a mud hole that swallowed motorcycles then swallowed the tractors that tried to pull them out.

Do it all in just one lap cannot suffer being stuck in traffic getting around the city, and the freedom afforded by splitting lanes is their motivating factor. There is even a demographic that cannot resist lofting the front tire over the crest before turn 9, spinning the rear tire coming out of 2, or abusing the rear brake and leaving a nice black arc exiting one of the challenging corners at Infineon Raceway. Leaving the ground altogether and just soaring over a double after roosting off the top of a berm gets many folks out of bed early on weekends this time of year in the Bay Area. What if you got up to ride one morning and you could do it all at the same time?

often replaces the standard two-piston dirt caliper. Typically the suspension is set up to be stiffer and minimize bottoming under extreme braking. Let’s not forget the slipper clutch to help keep from sliding all over the place.

This hole was in (pick one) Florida, New Hampshire, Michigan, Arizona or Ohio. California used to have some but they’ve dried up and are now used for landfill.

structure, so everyone from the first-time For those of us who take riding fast racer to the experienced motocrosser or seriously, spending time on a Supermoto is road racer can find a class he or she can That is where the ultra-versatile, often the most cost effective, safe and fun way to be competitive in. No 17s? No problem. A underestimated Supermoto bike comes in. become a better rider, no matter what your Sportsman class limits the bikes to stock ‘Motards’ (as they are often called) can be primary discipline. A multitude of topwheel sizes so people who want to try found anywhere: on MX tracks, splitting level road racers cross train on Supermoto Supermoto can get a taste by just mounting For the competitive riders out there, this is new tires on dirt wheels. Brian Bartlow lanes in traffic, flying by during an AFM bikes—big names like Valentino Rossi, where it gets really good: Supermoto USA (owner of the Feel Like a Pro racer-rental race or track day. Hell, check the fire roads Max Biaggi or Nicky Hayden; up and is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. program, CityBike September 2010) is a and goat trails, even go find the good, tight comers such as John Herrin, Danny In case you live under a rock, Supermoto twisties and you will find one of the many Eslick and Chris Fillmore. All spend regular of Supermoto USA events on a USA is the premier Supermoto racing club sportsman bike and he often beats up on motard owners enjoying the ability to get time perfecting bike control through in the U.S. We are lucky enough to harbor a crowd of folks running purpose-built a knee down in one corner, charge a set of supermoto. It’s not uncommon to see stairs, launch a ditch, and get the rear end Elena Myers, Tyler O’ Hara, even ex-world this club right here in Nor Cal. A typical supermoto racers. weekend of racing, including practice at stepped out, all within the same ride. When superbike racer Pucho Bagnis at local Ask Brian—or anyone who has been to a a Supermoto USA event, will cost under it comes to riding, some of us just have to supermoto track days. Supermoto USA event—and they will tell $100 for entry fees. That’s a weekend of have it all and the only cure is a set of road It’s affordable, too. A track day at the you the best part is not the racing but the racing for about half the price of a normal tires fitted on a dirt bike. Infineon kart track is only $40. Yes…a $40 track day, and you get more bang for the people. The Supermoto community is full For those who do not know, Supermoto track day. No need to take a day off work of fun, outgoing racers. You will not find a buck. bikes are based on motocrossers, with key more approachable and extroverted group Supermoto USA of moto enthusiasts than the Supermoto race weekends Wyatt Farris’s ride started out USA racers. For the first-time racer there’s offer riders a as an ‘09 Yamaha 250F. Then even a new- racer mentor (me) you can variety of fun Mach 1 Motorsports went to hang with to get to know everyone in the and challenging work on it. Besides new rims, club, and answer any question. For more terrains. suspension, exhaust, and check out supermotousa.com. Approximately motor work, a slipper clutch So there you have it. Looking to do it all? 70 percent of the and too many other goodies to Supermoto is the answer. From commuting track is paved name were added by Mach1 and group rides, to track days and race and the other mechanic Greg Bunting. weekends, supermoto has something 30 percent is That’s an extra $12-15K over comprised of dirt for everyone. Be sure to check out the the price of the stock bike to get this top-of-the-line racer. Supermoto USA races at the International jumps, berms, Farris (now 17) has moved flat track corners, Motorcycle Show in San Mateo on 11/19 on to AFM and WERA road and 11/20. whoops, and racing, but still rides his 250 in even some crazy MOTO-GENERAL’S WARNING: May SupermotoUSA events. obstacles like the be habit forming. Photo: Bob Stokstad famous “Hump” and “Bottomless Scott Warner is SuperMoto USA’s New Racer Mentor. He was born in the East Bay, where his Pit.” or sign up in advance, as they typically run two Sundays a month. What if you crash? That’s the best part: it’s a dirt bike. Without expensive fairings, clip-ons, and rear sets, your bike will seldom require repairs after a typical wreck at the track.

Supermoto USA also offers a skill, age and displacementbased class November 2011 | 22 | CityBike.com

parents kept him as far from motorcycles as possible as a youth. Scott has been riding since 2005, and recently placed in the top 5 at the 2011 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. You can contact him via CityBike: [email protected].

When it comes to mud holes I don’t ever want to ride anywhere in Ohio during its notorious monsoon season, because I have it on good authority that Ohio mud holes have devoured 99 percent of the Maicos and M-Stars that were imported into the United States.

The Mother Of All Mudholes make driving home in the van hazardous. Keeping a full jar of Ben-Gay in the van to treat tight shoulder muscles is critical— unless of course, you know how to turn on the windshield wipers with your teeth. I’ll never forget some of my experiences with these Bermuda Triangle-type obstacles: one was at a New Hampshire event where I discovered the state has no soil—just rocks and mud. That’s why New Hampshire has no farming, and the state economy is kept afloat by the sale of duck decoys and fake Pennsylvania hex signs.

In New Hampshire early-morning temperatures change with elevation— every five feet, I believe. During one motorcycle event the Merrimac Trail Riders directed the participants from a freezing high-altitude plateau into a tropical If you’ve ever downhill and wanted to into a stretch know where of mud that they went, now had built-in you know. suction. By the time I A glacially finished, my slow rider like glasses were myself usually steamed so gets to mud badly they had holes after the clarity of they’ve already waxed paper. been carved To prevent out by the fast parboiling guys. There are myself to no more high death so far strips of land from home, left where a I took off bit of traction everything might be found and no more strips of weeds above the belt and wished someone would whose roots could provide a little bite. All I come along with a camera to capture the find are frogs sitting in the shallower spots, image of me steaming like an overworked dining on whatever is churned up. horse. Dragging a motorcycle out of one of these mud holes too many times in one day can

Keeping a full jar of Ben-Gay in the van to treat tight shoulder muscles is critical— unless of course, you know how to turn on the windshield wipers with your teeth.

At about the same time that the weather folks in Manchester were recording the sudden rise in temperature that I was causing, another rider came along, up-shifting as he hit that mud hole. He just flew across it as though it wasn’t there. Then, to rub it in, he stopped and asked if I was having any trouble. Well I wasn’t, then—back in the mud was where I was having all the trouble. That young rider hadn’t even worked up a sweat and we were a good dozen miles out from the start line.

Many riders at the Curly Fern were from the metropolitan Philadelphia and Newark areas where a limited vocabulary is helpful when you get winded running from the police. Four of these fellows, running on the same minute, dove into this mud hole with excessive amounts of hope, determination and speed and smacked their kneecaps against their handlebars as their motorcycles stopped dead. Just before they disappeared in the cloud of steam from the exhaust pipes, those riders christened the mud hole with the name it will have forever: “YOU MOTHERRRRRRRRRRRRR!” For a copy of Ed’s latest book, 80.4 Finish Check, send $29.95 with suggested inscription to Ed Hertfelder, PO Box 17564, Tucson, AZ 85731.

I predicted then that good things would happen to Mr. Kevin Hines, and I was right. (Hines went on to become a National Enduro champ—ed.) But the absolute mother of all mud holes was in one of the Curley Fern Enduros which are scheduled in March or April, right after the snow melts. These enduros feature melting frozen mud. Which is always good for a laugh. The name for this particular mud hole, which lies beside the abandoned Jersey Central tracks was engraved in the annals of enduro riding long before Kevin Hines came along.

1 2 0 4 P ORTOL A AV E • 9 2 5 - 3 7 1 - 8 4 1 3 November 2011 | 23 | CityBike.com

Is That All There Is?

seven sets of front brake pads and five sets of rears.

maynard

HERSHON

He said the bike’s best feature was its “smooth and positive” transmission. The worst: the windshield. He removed it on the way home from buying the bike, and never put it back on.

love. I sold those motorcycles. I wouldn’t continue to ride a bike I didn’t enjoy, that didn’t excite me at the idea of a ride, that didn’t make me look back when I parked it and walked away.

Most of Jack’s experience with his KLR happened in the first decade of the 21st Century. In this new century, some n a recent issue of Thumper News, the aspects of what motorcycling used to be magazine of the Four-Stroke Single And he remembers the most common are gone, sad to say, but we surely can National Owners Club, Jack Robinson, questions from strangers in far-away places: select our rides from the finest array of club founder and president-for-life, writes Is that mileage for-real? You rode that motorcycles ever built. about his years with his Kawasaki KLR650. bike all the way here (from Kansas)? Is it Jack’s bike was not among the finest bikes comfortable? Jack rode that bike 122,000 miles from ever built. Jack’s KLR was one of the least November, ‘99, when he bought it new, He rarely rode over 70 mph, he said, expensive “full-size” bikes for sale in 1999. to March of ‘07, when he gave it to his except when passing. The best fuel It had not been developed or changed stepson. Jack recorded everything, from mileage he realized was 68 mpg crossing except for color in years. What did Jack’s the number of times he serviced the oiled- the Mojave Desert at 125 degrees. The bike do for him in their 122,000 miles foam air filter to how many tires he bought worst was 40 mpg. together? It did its job and survived. and their brands. All interesting stuff, wouldn’t you agree? It did not suffer abuse nor was it neglected. Averaging 11,500 miles per tire, he We seldom hear from long-term owners It spent its life inside the envelope, well changed all but one himself, noting that by of unexceptional doing so he saved $800. His favorite tire bikes who keep such painstaking records.

I

combination was Avon Gripster front and Avon Distanzia rear. He noted the mileages at which he lubed the speedometer drive and cable and at which he replaced the original battery (81,870). Other service items renewed include 11 spark plugs (one at a time),

But all those nuts-andbolts statements can’t compare in fascination, if you ask me, to Jack’s next-to-last paragraph (the last one tells us what has happened to the bike since he sold it). Here is Jack’s summing-up—exactly as he published it in his club magazine: “In all those miles and smiles, I would admit that I never loved this bike...but I loved what it could do and what I could do with it and how it served me. Can one ask for more?” I can. And perhaps you can too. Over the years I’ve had motorcycles I did not like—or with which I could not fall in

It was rarely ridden above 70 mph, Jack tells us. How much do we ask of a watercooled, dohc, 650cc engine to propel a bike at 70 mph carrying a rider and luggage, even for 122,000 miles? On 26 (Mobil One) oil/

Few of us buy motorcycles for reliable cheap transportation. We buy them for fun or sport or as life-enhancement devices. Why would we keep one that doesn’t inspire affection? Our motorcycles should inspire affection. In the best cases, our motorcycles should inspire us to believe that they somehow work with us, thrive on our attentions and care about us as riders and maintainers. They should inspire us to believe they have souls. Our motorcycles should make us solicitous of their well-being, reluctant or unwilling to slack on their maintenance, reluctant or unwilling to pass them along to individuals who might not appreciate them and treat them well. Or who simply are unaware of what they’re buying. My favorite motorcycles made me feel like a better rider, a guy who made fewer mistakes and whose control was so silky and precise as to inspire joy in rider and machine. Those machines seemed to congratulate me on my taste in choosing them and my class in realizing their worth.

Jack Robinson has ridden and raced motorcycles, sold motorcycles for a living and lived a motorcycle life for decades. Through the club and other endeavors, he’s provided uncountable miles and days of enjoyment for uncountable people. If any one of us deserves to love his motorcycle, Jack does. Perhaps not everyone yearns for the sort of relationship with their bike that I’ve described in the last few paragraphs. Perhaps for many of us a simple, affordable bike, easily owner-serviced, that’ll run and run without a whimper is as good as it gets. Because Jack thought to tell us, to admit to us, that despite the the bike’s unblemished service record and long life, he couldn’t find it in himself to love it, I believe that Jack does indeed yearn for a bike that lights his fire. He knew all along that his KLR was not as good as it gets. Since he sold the bike in ‘07, I know he’s owned two more singles, both bought new. Evidently the first of the two was not Mr. Right Motorcycle. The jury is still out on the second one. I wish Jack Robinson success in his search for a bike he can love. And I wish the same for my readers. Imagine: A hundred and twenty-two thousand miles...and no kiss goodnight. Maynard may not have mad love for the KLR, but maybe you do. If so, subscribe to Jack Robinson’s cheery and entertaining Thumper News, available to Four-Stroke Singles National Owners Club (FSSNOC) members. Go to fssnoc.org or mail a check for $34 to FSSNOC, Inc, PO Box 1809, Hutchinson, KS 67504.

November 2011 | 24 | CityBike.com

and took a ride in a tourist bus to see what could be seen of Yellowstone. It would not have been the same as seeing it from his Henderson, but at least he saw the inside the first National Park in America.

Riding a properly maintained, recently made motorcycle for over 100,000 miles isn’t the feat it was a few decades ago. It is to be expected, I’d say. Reliable but uninspiring transport for years and miles isn’t remarkable. It isn’t enough.

I have owned motorcycles that did not give me those feelings. I didn’t keep them long.

within the designers’ ideas of what a KLR should do.

dr. gregory w. FRAZIER

Then he had to turn his Henderson around and go back over the 60 miles of Hades to Livingston and continue on his mission to reach New York.

T

he path was nearly 100 years old. There were no tire tracks, no marks on trees and nobody who was alive to remember the motorcycle trail I followed. The adventure had been to ride a motorcycle from Livingston, Montana to Gardner, Montana and then intoYellowstone Park. The year: 1913.

after circling three quarters of the globe. My modern motorcycle had a five-speed transmission while the Clancy Henderson had only one gear. His top speed on his fully loaded Henderson was likely close to 35 mph, downhill on a smooth surface.

had become a bicycle and walking trail.

Trying to imagine Clancy I had the magazine article of the adventure and his 1912 Henderson written by one of the two motorcyclists who made the trip, Carl Stearns Clancy. He going over the same section of was on the last leg of his multi-continent road 100 years ‘round-the-world’ tour, using a 1912 earlier made me Henderson motorcycle. tired, thinking Yellowstone Park had been designated of how bad as a National Park in 1872, so it had been the road must around for a while by the time Clancy have been to arrived in Livingston. Both a road and a opt for lifting railway ran alongside the Yellowstone River his loaded from Livingston to Gardiner. But the 1913 Henderson road was closer to a track than the smooth over a rail paved section I was seeing in 2011. and then bouncing along the ties. I knew the Henderson had no rear springs and Clancy wrote that in 1913 the road was so assumed that after circling the globe what bad he tried piloting his Henderson down spring was left in the front must have the railroad tracks versus the beating he been sacked. It must have been a very was taking on the road. determined motorcyclist to have vectored I knew the road had to be bad because I had off his main route across America to try experienced several railroad adventures to reach using Yellowstone motorcycles Park, 60 miles and none were out of the way. comfortable. In 2011 I could The first make the run challenge was to Gardiner in getting the slightly over motorcycle one hour. The over one rail. journey for It was not Clancy took simply a matter a day. of riding up Of course, my and over the motorcycle had 40 horsepower whereas rail. Instead I had to lift the front wheel of the Clancy Henderson had a whopping my Yamaha XT550 while trying to keep the motorcycle from falling over, and then seven, and that was when it was new, not the side stand caught, causing me to lose control of the front wheel I was lifting over the rail. The motorcycle fell over on its side, and after righting it, all luggage had to be removed from the back before I could lift the rear wheel over.

Of course, my motorcycle had 40 horsepower whereas the Clancy Henderson had a whopping seven...

When I reached the town of Pray, about halfway between Livingston and Gardiner, I wondered if the town was around 100 years old and had gotten its name from Clancy having prayed for better road ahead. Clancy reached Gardiner and the entrance to Yellowstone Park. But his attempt to ride atop his motorcycle into the Park was halted by a rule prohibiting motorcycles from entering. I imagined his sadness when discovering this after hammering himself and his motorcycle over the 60 miles and nearly a day to arrive there and be halted. Then I reflected on what must have been some of his other disappointments as he circled the globe, like arriving in China and discovering there were no roads, or arriving in Italy and not being allowed by Customs officials to take his motorcycle off the boat. Yet he soldiered on and bent with the wind. At Yellowstone he parked the motorcycle

Once I had the motorcycle between the rails and started to drive forward, I soon learned that there was no smooth spot, that the motorcycle took a beating, as did I. It was bone jarring. As soon as I could I got off the railroad and back on the paths running alongside, no matter how bad they were. As I was looking at the paved road leading from Livingston to Gardiner, I noticed where the railroad tracks had been. The rails had been removed and the track November 2011 | 25 | CityBike.com

As I retraced my route and again went past Pray, I had to laugh. Maybe with the Internet, social media and this article I can plant a seed that will eventually lead to a tale about Carl Stearns Clancy having been the one who first named Pray—his praying the second time he passed through the area that he would never have to see that ground or those railroad tracks again. Quite possibly he never did. My following his route made me appreciate more how the adventures of today differed from the adventures of 100 years ago. Clancy had a whale of an adventure. Mine, following his tracks 98 years later, were blessed by my being able to follow his route comfortably even though he had left no marks, except possibly the small town of Pray. Dr. Frazier’s latest book, Motorcycle Adventurer, has been described as “the true story of the world’s longest, most difficult and most perilous motorcycle journey ever attempted,” and “should be a must read for every red-blooded motorcyclist.” It is about the first motorcycle ride around the world in 19121913 and can be found at motorcycleadventurer. com. Watch for news about a 2012 ‘round the world ride retracing the original route to celebrate the incredible achievement by Carl Stearns Clancy, The Clancy Centerary Ride, at hotizonsunlimited.com.

Serving the Bay Area’s motorcycle needs since 1988

Award-Winning Customs Full Service Department Paint • Parts Fabrication Insurance Work All Makes Welcome 56 Hamilton Drive #A • Novato, CA 94949 415.382.6662 • CustomDesignStudios.com

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Reliable but uninspiring transport for years and miles isn’t remarkable. It isn’t enough.

filter changes, 11 valve adjustments and 18 air filter services?

Tankslapper sneer at scooters, and you honestly seem to get what they’re about. Good job!

Tim

Karryll N

The Cycle Guys.com

The Interwebz

The next three comments were posted on CityBike’s discussion forum on the Bay Area Rider’s Forum (bayarearidersforum.com).

I don’t sneer at scooters, as I get the feeling that at some point it’s all we’ll be able to afford...—ed.

SINGLE-MINDED YOUTH

The IOM article was very nicely written, makes me want to go there too! More, please, from that author! Simon

Reader Paul L. sent in this photo of himself mounted on his Derbi moped, showing us you don’t need 150 horsepower to have fun. Or even one good horsepower...

I LOVE MAN...AND COURTNEY’S WRITING I just finished reading Courtney Olive’s wonderful article on the Isle of Man (“Isle of Mankind,” October 2011). I’ve been

I am a rural rider and was out for a spin Sunday AM on my old XT500 Yamaha. I have had the old beast for about 20 years and ride it regularly. I was on my way home nearly home and passed a couple bikes going the other direction. They looked suspiciously

Completely agree; might just have been the best article I’ve ever read in City Bike. Actually the best Isle of Mann article I’ve ever read in any magazine.

Hella Strong

Art Direction, Graphic Design & Illustration

Geoff there twice, and reading Courtney’s richly detailed stories brought back many happy memories. The sounds, the smells, the tastes, and the sights of the TT are quite

Hells yes on the IOM article. Fantastic journalism. I made my wife read it and afterwards she said, “That was great. I don’t even care about that but I want to go there now.” Kegan We understand Courtney’s an outstanding writer, but please stop sending in fan mail or he’ll start asking for more money.—CityBike Accounts Payable

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familiar so I hung a fast U-turn and chased them down, catching up at a road junction. It was a couple guys half my age riding XT500s as well. They had driven north from San Fran and up Usal Road (a legendary dirt road that winds its way through coastal Mendocino county—ed.) a dirt road that gave my riding buddy nightmares for a week. It was great to see someone else on those old scoots using them the way they were meant to be used—covered with mud and ready for more. It was the topper of a great ride.

Whoever you guys were, keep thumping Gabe, I enjoyed your thorough review of along! Screw restoration, ride em! the SYM Symba (“Sym Symba,” October 2011) and your appreciation for scooters in Yours, Charlie general. I know you’re one of the “I can ride Lost Coast anything, anywhere” guys, but you never

I’m Alan Lapp, a 25-year veteran designer & illustrator. If you have a need for virtually any kind of printed work, give me a call. I’m experienced in publication design, annual reports, catalogs, brochures, menus, packaging, direct mail, fashion advertising, collateral materials, logo and identity work, stationery, or anything else you may need.

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650-367-9000 November 2011 | 26 | CityBike.com

November 2011 | 27 | CityBike.com

CLASSIFIEDS CLUBS

Stock #U11980 2008 Dyna Low Rider in White 12,856 miles $12,995 + fees

Sales dept.- Great inventory on new Honda and Kawasaki’s as well as used.

Stock #U00945 2010 Dyna Wide Glide in Black w/ Flames 2745 miles $14,995 + fees

“We buy used bikes or can just help you sell yours. If you’re buying your first bike, and you recently completed the MSF class, bring your certificate of completion in and we’ll deduct your tuition from the cost of your new bike”. Our sales staff all have 35-40+ yrs. in the industry so we can answer all your questions with out the BS. If we can’t get you financed, no one can.

Stock #U35724 2007 Softail Custom In Cobalt Blue 17,203 miles $13,995 + fees Stock #U23091 2009 Softail Crossbones in Vivid Black 14,708 miles $16,245 + fees Stock #U59721 2007 Softail Fat Boy in Red Pearl 2679 miles $15,495 + fees Stock #C43586 2009 Softail Fat Boy in Black Pearl 769 miles $16,195 + fees

OMC The Oakland Motorcycle Club is the fourth-oldest club in the nation and celebrated 100 years of continuous operation in 2007. The OMC is dedicated to supporting the sport of motorcycle riding. We are a diverse group of male and female riders with a wide variety of motorcycles, including street, dirt, and dualsport bikes. We sponsor and organize the following annual events to which all riders are invited: Sheetiron 300 Dualsport, held in May; Three Bridge Poker Run, held in July; Jackhammer Enduro, held in October. Regular club meetings are held every Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. Guests are welcome. 742 – 45th Avenue, Oakland. (510) 534-6222. www . oaklandmc .org .

Stock #U59453 2007 Softail Deluxe in Vivid Black 25,801 miles $14,875 + fees Stock #U20445 2008 Softail Deluxe in Crimson Red Pearl 3390 miles $15,995 + fees Stock #U62264 2006 Softail Heritage Classic in Green & Black 18,049 miles $14,645 + fees Stock #U86421 2007 Softail Heritage Classic in Red & Black Pearl 7826 miles $15,265 + fees Stock #U66215 2005 Road King Custom in White Pearl 27,300 miles $12,995 + fees Stock #U04165 2006 Road King Classic in Blue & Silver 22,120 miles $13,995 + fees Stock #U05390 2008 Road King Classic in Vivid Black 16,694 miles $16,295 + fees

The Classic Japanese Motorcycle Club is dedicated to the celebration and preservation of the Classic and Vintage Japanese motorcycle. We have rides, meets, shows, swaps and can help you find and sell parts, bikes and motorcycle-related services. Members make the club function! www .CJMC .org .

The Ducati Vintage Club was founded to assist vintage Ducati MC (1987 and older) owners with information and resources to preserve, resurrect and bring these MC’s back to the road! Owners and enthusiasts are welcome to join. We meet once monthly at the Ducati Bike Night event and we sponsor the annual European Motorcycle Show and Swap held in March at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, the La Ducati Day Concorso held in LaHonda each October and more. Visit us at www .ducativintageclub .com

$6,995 2008 Suzuki GSXR600 9,150 miles

New 2010 Honda GL1800 Gold Wing Was: $25,399 Now: $22,799 NO FREIGHT OR PREP CHARGES!! Comfort pkg., Navi system, premium sound, metalic black.

$3,295 2008 Suzuki GS500 7,533 miles

2008 Victory Premium Low $10979 This bike is beautiful, Tons of factory custom options, Lowered, Hydaulic clutch, custom pipes, lots of chrome and more, only 5000 miles

$7,495 2009 Suzuki GSXR600 10,276 miles

2010 Kawasaki EX250 Ninja, green, ONLY 200 miles $4999 No freight, no set up, no lic. fee’s, just tax, dmv transfer and doc fee. Still under factory warranty.

$7,495 2008 Suzuki GSXR600 4,006 miles

2005 Honda CRF450, EXTRA EXTRA CLEAN, $3999

2006 Yamaha YZF250 $2799 Very clean, well maintaind

$2,995 2001 Kawasaki ZX7R Ninja 22,567 miles

The new 2012 KTM’s are arriving weekly.

2008 Harley-Davidson FXD Low Rider Anniversary 6k miles $11999 #483 of 2000 Thunder Header, copper/blk. perfect.

$6,495 2009 Kawasaki ZX6R Ninja 14,520 miles warranty

The new 2012 Honda and Kawasaki Motorcross bikes are in stock now!

2009 Road King Custom, Pewter, 52567 miles, with cruisecontrol; Ready for the Highway, $14,995`.

2009 Dyna Low Rider, Black Pear, 31379 miles, unusual color, $ 9,895. 1992 Dyna Datona, Gold/Blue, 13210 miles, special edition, one-of-a-kind, $8,995. 2009 XR1200 Street Bike, HOT Orange, 8027 miles, limited number, $8,995.

Honda 2007 Shadow 750, Black, 29242 miles, a solid bike, $3,995. 2006 Gold Wing 1800, Titanium, 48251 miles, many extras-get out on the Hyway,$16,895. Kawasaki 2008 Vulcan 900 Classic, Beautiful Red , 10020 miles, a street cruiser, $ 5,795. Yamaha 2007 V-Star Classic, Black, 650cc, 685 miles, a great starter bike, $4,699. 2008 Road Liner, Tan, 11590 miles, looks new, cruise in style, $9,599. Many other colors and models to choose from. Please call us at 415-503-1900. Financing, Cash deals and Trade-Ins are always accepted. Free rental with purchase of a used bike.

Stock #U05306 2010 XR1200 in Mirage Orange 1312 miles $9995 + fees Stock #U20778 2007 XL 883 Low in White Gold 3996 miles $5775 + fees Stock #U03906 2011 XL 883 Superlow in Birch White & Sedona Orange 796 miles $8895 + fees Stock #U62024 2007 XL 1200 Nightster in Orange & Black 17,295 miles $8125+fees Stock #C28913 2009 XL 1200 Nightster in Vivid Black 2909 miles $9999 + fees

$4,595 2009 Kawasaki Vulcan VN900 17,684 miles

FREMONT HONDA KAWASAKI

Service dept.- If you have your bike serviced and live within the tri-city area, we’ll pick your bike up and deliver it back at NO charge. While we are an OEM Honda- Kawasaki service center, we do offer service on all makes and models. Our tech’s all average over 25 yrs. in the industry [one over 40 yrs.] so you know the job gets done right the first time. Oil change, ANY make or model $17.99 plus parts ! Parts dept.- Since Fremont Cycle Salvage moved in next door, we’ve combined all new accessories into one dept. Same old smiling faces and personality as well as the brand names your looking for. Arai, Icon, HJC, Joe Rocket, Alpinestar, Speed & Strength and still get your tires at 20% off MSRP. Mounting and balance is free when you bring wheels off bike.

$5,695 2006 Honda CBR600RR 5,896 miles $2,495 1988 Honda VLX600 26,807 miles

Check our web site for more details: www .themotorcafe .com ‘06 BMW K1200LT 51,447 mi. $9,999

1955 Zundapp 600cc: Restored to perfection. National award winner. Black. $25,000. Serious inquiries only.

We will provide the safest way for you to get cash for your motorcycle or scooter. It only takes about 20 - 25 minutes.

Three Trials Motorcycles for Sale! 70cc, 250cc and 350cc. Call 415/781-3432

Sign up on our mail list to get NEW INVENTORY NOTIFICATIONS in our weekly e mail newsletter.

CITYBIKE BACK ISSUES!

MOTORCYCLES! BEST USED SELECTION IN S.F.!!!

For sale: Old CityBike mags! From Early ‘90s to current (some years incomplete). $0.50 each. Call (916) 203-7526 (Davis). Also available: Friction Zone and the other SF motorcycling publication.

2010 BMW S1000RR $13,999 Miles: 6327 With traction control, ABS, and containing race, sport and slick modes for any situation a rider might be in, the S1000RR is an amazing machine. Includes: Rear stand spools, frame and bar-end sliders, and aftermarket radial levers.

PARTS AND SERVICE

2002 BMW R1100S $5,995 The BMW R1100S is a great standard touring bike. The 1100 cc’s will get you anywhere you want to go, even with a passenger. BMW has combined both comfort and versatility into a really reliable bike.

ADDICTION MOTORS

2003 DUCATI MONSTER1000S IE $5,265 Miles: 22,277 Custom exhaust, bar end mirrors, and tons of carbon fiber. 1998 DUCATI ST2 Sport Touring $4,595 Miles: 5,808 It was Ducati’s introduction of the ST2 in 1998 that was their inaugural year into the sport-touring segment of motorcycles. They “intended to take the best of the Italian firm’s traditional high-performance heritage, along with their distinctive styling elements, and turn them into an ultimate, yet comfortable sport-touring machine.” By combining a padded, dual seat with raised handlebars for a standard riding position, not only do you have a quality bike, but you also have an extremely comfortable ride. 2006 HONDA CBR1000RR $5,999 Miles: 11,258 Received a full service including valve adjust, coolant change, oil change, brake fluid change, spark plugs, air filter, brake pads and a new battery.

‘03 Ducati ST4S 22,150 mi. $6,499 ‘08 Ducati 1098S 5,505 mi. $14,995

Addiction Motors is proud to present our team of hand-selected repair technicians here to provide you full service for your Japanese and European motorcycles. • Full service on most Japanese and European makes and models. I’m Bobby Simon, formerly of Subterranean Cycles giving you excellent service in the East Bay. • Servicing for dealerships since 1996, Lawrence Giardina has likely kept your finer motorcycle running well for years. See LG Moto for the experience you deserve.

‘02 Honda VTX1800C 38,111 mi. $6,299

‘07 Honda Spirit 750 8,611 mi. $4,999

*Motorcycle Service and Repair*

IRON HORSE 1998 Harley Davidson Fat Boy- Price: $10,299.00 DescriptionS&S Super B, Python pipes, Turquoise and white custom paint on Fat Bob tanks, Bag Stand Offs. 2002 Harley Davidson Softail, “Deuce”, Model FXSTD- Price: $17,499.00 Description Custom Paint, V&H Sweeper Pipes, Hi-Flow, Legend Air ride, Ness Wheels, 6 Speed, 23895 miles 1995 Harley Davidson Custom Fat Boy Model FLSTF- Price: $11,499.00 Description: Hi Flow/Thunder Header PM Breaks, and Rotors, PM Pulley, Billet Dash, 12,467 miles, Recent Full Safety Inspection, Fluid changes. Color: Black and Brown with Gold outlining flames.

‘06 Suzuki C90 13,752 mi. $6,999

2011 KAWASAKI NINJA 250 $4,249 Less than 500 Miles!!! Special Edition Color Pearl White and Ebony, excellent condition, with Installed Frame Sliders! Stock # U1137

2007 HONDA SHADOW 750 SPIRIT $4,599 Only 4,123 miles! Saddlebags, short pipes, and jet kit installed! Stock # U1135 2007 KAWASAKI NINJA 250R $2,999 Only 8,591 miles! Metallic Phantom Silver, one of the best beginner bikes around! Stock # U1123 2006 CRF70F $1,499 Less than 1 hour of ride time and has never seen the dirt! Super Clean and Super Fun!!! Stock# C465 2005 YAMAHA V-STAR 650 $3,499 21,206 miles and still going strong! Charcoal Silver, Silverado. Stock # U1127

2007 Sportster 883 Low- Price: $8,999.00- Added 1200 kit, Buell heads, 551 Cams, Screaming Eagle Exhaust, Heavy breather. Color-Brown. 5859 miles

2004 HONDA HELIX 250 $2,699 Only 830 miles! Yellow scooter with TONS of Storage and locking trunk! It is very comfortable for 2 people. Stock # U1130

2011 Street Bob- Price: 13,999.00- Color Black- Stock. (If the customer says that SJHD sales the Street Bob for 13k, the response is- They will also charge you $750.00 freight, $300.00 license fee and tax $1,170.00 . Bringing the bike up to- $15,220.00)

2003 HONDA REFLEX W/ ABS $2,499 21,878 miles and awaiting more! Plenty of power for two-up freeway riding with Antilock Brakes, lots of storage and extra Givi trunk. Stock # C442

2005 Iron Horse, “Texas Chopper”, Model TX: Price$14.500.00 (Black) Options: Legend Air Ride, S&S 117 Cl All polished motor, hi-flow, “spear” custom air cleaner, less than 2000 miles 1990 Softail Standard, Model FXST- Price: $7,299.00. Options: Hi Flow, aftermarket slip on pipes, carbureted, SHARP (Brown w/ red trim), 55,931miles Lic. Plate# 16R8238

1990 FZR400 $3,399 Only 11,568 miles! Black and Silver Fun sportbike in a small package! Stock # C456 Prices do not include government fees, dealer freight/setup fees (new vehicles only), taxes, dealer document preparation charges or any finance charges (if applicable). Final actual sales prices will vary depending on options or accessories selected. Check out and compare our bikes online at www .missionmotocycles .com!

2008 Custom Softail, Model FLSTC- Price: $17,050.00, Options: 113 S&S motor, Vance & Hines pipes, hard bag conversion, Loaded, Only 903 miles. (Black w/red flames) (Was 18k, dropped down to $16,500.00)

Moto Italiano’s Ducati of Santa Cruz

(Notes: Harley Motors- 2006 and below have an 88 sized motor =1450cc and 2007 and newer have a 96 sized motor=1580).

Come down and see us! Vintage Italian Motorcycle Museum, Full Service Department, Conveniently located right off Highway 1 @ Soquel Ave Tuesday Through Saturday 10am to 6pm 3600 Soquel Ave Santa Cruz Ca 95062 (831)465-6686

J&M Motorsports

2006 KTM Supermoto 950SM- Black, Steering Dampener,Perf. Exhaust, Racing Seat, Windscreen, Luggage. Clean! 9K miles. $6999+tax and license.

1931 Old Middlefield Way #201 Mountain View

2007 Ducati SBK 1098 Tricolore-Limited Production, Termi exhaust, Carbon Trim, Forged Wheels,10K miles. $15,990+ tax and license.

www .jm-ms .com

2008 Ducati Hypermotard 1100S - Stunning, must see. Carbon Cowling, Tank Panels and Trim. Full System Termi Exhaust with Performance ECU and Filter, Forged Wheels, Speedy Moto Frame Sliders, Corbin Seat, Ducati Performance Windscreen. Super clean and only 3845 miles. 1st service completed. $13995+tax and license.

650-386-1440 $4,495 2009 KTM 250XCF $4,995 2007 Yamaha Vstar 1100 Custom 10,941 miles $5,495 2007 Yamaha Vstar 1100 Classic 8,615 miles

November 2011 | 28 | CityBike.com

Supermoto USA was formed in 2001 as the new sport of riding small, light, flickable dirtbikes with slick tires and firmer suspension on asphalt came into its own. Running on small-format (kart) tracks all over the west, we offer easy-going classes and rental bikes to introduce people this amazing, affordable, and really exciting blend of dirt and street technologies. See www .supermotousa .com if you like doing fun stuff on a motorcycle.

‘08 KTM 450 XC-F OHV $5,299

• Tires • Service •Insurance estimates Monthly bike storage available

Have an old Japanese moto collecting dust in the garage ? Let HONYASUKA MOTORCYCLE REPAIR put it back on the road , Doesn’t matter how long has been sitting there. No job too big or too small . 30 years experience, plenty of parts hanging around here, too.

Name: Address: City: e-mail:

State:

We charge $65 dollars per diagnostic. Hire us to do the repair, and we’ll credit this amount to the final bill.

Manuel (510) 712-3411

* As seen on the Discovery Channel *

ROCKRIDGE TWO WHEELS

5532 San Pablo Ave Oakland, CA 94608

Need new rubber? Rockridge Two Wheels is offering a $50 mount and balance with the purchase of two tires. Factory techs. 40+ years experience. Full service facility.

Features

‘07 Yamaha R6 3,929 mi. $7,799 ‘06 Yamaha TTR250 OHV $1,899 ‘09 Yamaha V-Star950 32,210 mi. $6,399

The Zen House 170 Main Street Point Arena, CA 95468 707-882-2281 TheZenHouse .net

MONROE MOTORS SAN FRANCISCO’S OLDEST AND BEST MOTORCYCLE SHOP -- SINCE 1958 412 Valencia Street, 415/626-3496 www .munroemotors .com Tues-Fri 9-6, Sat 9-5

USED BIKES 2006 Ducati Multistrada 1000 S $8995 Awesome do it all machine! This one is set up really nice. Full set of DP hard luggage. Termignoni cans and ECU. Carbon fibre rear tire hugger/shock protector. Zero Gravity windscreen. Of course it came standard with the yummy Ohlins suspension and ubiquitous dry clutch. Get on and git! 20500 miles. VIN# ZDM1VABP56B017741 2010 Ducati Streetfighter S $16995 Immaculate used Streetfighter! One owner who only used it to go to church on Sunday and the occasional bake sale. Bone stock and ready to rock! 1200 miles. She’s sexy and seventeen(thousand) VIN# ZDM11BEW0AB000827 1967 Moto Guzzi V7 $15000 1967 MOTO GUZZI V7, This is the first twin Moto Guzzi made. The infamous air-cooled 90 degree V-twin with a longitudinal crankshaft orientation and the engine’s transverse cylinder heads. Tastefully restored, you won’t find another one as clean! VIN# 1381 2007 Triumph Bonneville $7295 Stunning black and white Bonnie up for grabs! You know you want it. Yes, yes you do. 7890 miles VIN# SMT910K157T292782

SF MOTO 255 8th Street at Folsom in San Francisco: 415/255-3132, www . sfmoto .com . Located in the SOMA (South of Market) neighborhood in San Francisco, California we provide the bay area with new and used motorcycles, scooters, service,and gear. We have an overflowing inventory of used sportbikes, cruisers, supermoto, and scooters. Lots of options for financing as well. Our Service department has INCREASED operating hours. Every weekday morning service now opens at 8:00 a.m.

AMERICAN CUSTOM MOTORCYCLE PARTS Large Parts Inventory for American V-Twins Full service on all American-made bikes Machine Shop & Welding 925-689-9801 2395 H Monument Blvd, Concord

1986 Ducati F1B Low Miles; Valves Just Adjusted and Belts Replaced; New Tires; Mikuni Carbs; Fast by Ferracci High Performance Race Motor; Extra Set of Race Bodywork. 5,991 Miles $8,000 1964 Triumph Bonnieville; “Bridget” The Quintessential British Motorcycle! Less than 1000 Miles on Full Restoration and Rebuild; New Concentric Carbs; Stainless Spokes; 12 Volt Boyer Ignition; Needs Nothing! Ready to Show or Ride! $9,500 1968 Triumph TR6C Less than 300 Miles on Engine Rebuild; Upgraded to Bonnieville Head with Dual Carbs; Excellent Running Condition; Complete Bike Ready for Full Restoration or Weekend Rides!! $3,450 2006 BMW K1200S Very Clean; Never Dropped; MRA Windshield; Expandable BMW Saddlebags & Tank Bag; Good Pirelli Tires; Optional Bar Risers available at additional cost; Ready to Ride! 46,716 Miles $7,200 1988 Honda NT650 Hawk Single Owner Bike! Never Raced or Dropped! Excellent Condition! Rear-sets; Clip-ons; Fox Shock; Stainless Break Lines; Frame Sliders; Soft Bags; All original Parts Included, Plus Extra Set of Wheels, Ramp & Stands 19,800 Miles $4,200

Mind-Blowing Custom Paint Since 1988 Visit Our Showroom! V-Twin Service, Repair, Parts, & Fabrication. Harley Factory Trained Tech.

DNA Motor Lab, LLC DNA specializes in affordable scooter/motorcycle repair (including Chinese) in the SF Bay Area. We provide services on-site or pickup. 510-473-7349

Please remember that our service department opens early every weekday morning at 8:00 am. Now we have a direct phone line into the service dept: 415/861-7196 LoJack is on SALE. Buy the LoJack anti theft system at SF Moto and SAVE $250. (While supplies last or till August 31th. 2011.) Come in for details.

The Sales department says: We buy used motorcycles and scooters, we can also help you sell your ride with our no cost consignment program.

Motorcycle Performance Parts, Accessories, Services. Low price on Tires!!! We will PRICE MATCH with any store.

MOTORCYCLE STORAGE AND RENTALS IN SAN FRANCISCO

FRISCO VINTAGE Vespa Service & Repair 2-stroke shifty only. 30 years experience. Great rates. No job too small. In San Francisco. By Appointment. info@friscovintage .com

Phone : 408-298-8887 1391 N. 10th St San Jose CA 95112 Email: info@motogio .com www.motogio.com

SAN FRANCISCO AND BEYOND: DAVE’S CYCLE TRANSPORT

The Old Man The Old Truck Dave is working

www .MotoTireGuy .com Motorcycle Tire Services San Francisco - Bay Area

Dave’s Cycle Transport San Francisco-Bay Area and Beyond... 24 Hour Service (415)824-3020 — www .davescycle .com

(415) 601-2853

Motorcycle & ATV Hauling

Please visit website for details.

Enclosed and Secure Transport Sonoma, Marin, Napa & Mendocino Counties

Quality Motorcycles

mcmotorcycle@att .net

235 Shoreline Hwy. Mill Valley CA

THE UNDERTAKER

(415) 381-5059

Motorcycle towing system. No trailer, no tires, no tags. No parking or storing. Check it out at www .TowYourBike .com . 925/413-4103. Dirt Bike or Cruiser.

We’re not afraid of your old bike.

WHEELS AND DEALS ACCIDENT OR INJURY? RABER’S BRITISH MOTORCYCLE PARTS AND SERVICE We offer parts and service for Triumph, Norton, BSA, Amal, Lucas. In-house cylinder boring, valve jobs, surfacing and much more. 1984 Stone Ave. San Jose, CA 95125 Phone (408)998-4495 Fax (408)998-0642

Galfer Braking Rotors, Brake lines, Pads, Street, Race, Off-road, Super-Moto PashnitMoto is one of the largest Galfer Braking dealers in the USA. Colored brake lines, custom lengths, Wave Rotors. 50 Pages of part numbers. www .PashnitMoto .com or call 530/391-1356

November 2011 | 29 | CityBike.com

My ride was stolen last night after only a week living in this new area (San Francisco). 5 other bikes on the block untouched. As I walked away from the bike last night I thought, should I put on my disc lock? The answer was yes. I should have. Just in case some idiot attempts selling or parting it here are the details:

Order your tires online, Zero CA sales tax plus Free UPS Ground, then have a Preferred Installer in your local area do the installation and save!

www .rabers .com

1999 Yamaha R1, blue, 4.6K miles, Öhlins, Race Tech, Graves rearsets, V&H slip-on: $3950. Also, ‘97 Aprilia RS250 & ‘99 R6 track bikes: prices negotiable. 408/343-0381/921-9689.

STOLEN!

Please mention this ad and you will receive an additional 5% off on your purchase.

Tues-Fri 11-6, Sat 8-5

2003 Suzuki SV1000S, silver. One original owner, still on first set of tires! Just 3000 miles, like new. Other items available. $4500. Ask for Otto: tthrnndz@yahoo .com

Asking Price and more info: call Mr. X at 415/730-8268

Enter these contacts into your phone now, while you are thinking about it, so that you will have them when you need them .

www .mcmotorcycletransport .com

Never worry about theft, vandalism, weather damage or parking tickets. DUBBELJU MC RENTALS, San Francisco’s oldest motorcycle rental shop, offers safe storage for your bike in our shop at 689A Bryant St. Not only is it a great shop to store your motorcycle but we have cool rental bikes as well; BMW, Triumph, Harley, Honda, Suzuki, and even Yamaha scooters. Keep us in mind when your bike is in the shop or you have a friend come in to town. Be sure to check out our web site: www . dubbelju .com and see all the things we have going on. 415/495-2774.

2005 BMW R1200ST 8000 miles. Graphite and Silver. One Owner. Bought New in 2005. Always garaged. Below list: $9000. 415/7135602. cliffsteele@msn .com

Check out GODSPEED at: www .godspeedoakland .com

TOWING

707-843-6584

What’s New: In the Service department:

High Performance Motorcycle Repair & Gear Shop

Lets Ride hosts motorcycle track days at Buttonwillow Raceway, and in July at Thunderhill Raceway. Riders can choose from one of three riding levels; Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced. Visit www .LetsRideTrackDays .com, or call 800-482-8848 for more information.

24 hour Roadside Pickup Insured & Licensed

2007 Honda CR85 Low Hours; Pro Taper Bars & Triple Clamp; N Style Graphics; Acerbic Hand Guards; Serious Power in a Small Package! $1,460

We also offer motorcycle storage! Includes battery tender to keep your bike ready to ride! Call for rates.

MOTO GIO

www .dnamotorlab .com

DUBBELJU

1969 Ossa Pioneer Lots of new, original parts, matching numbers, $1000 as is. Owen at 831/426-5107.

Bar plus Small Cafe

Scotts Valley Motorcycle Service Center

(831) 438-6300 Tues.-Sat. 10am-5pm

Custom Design Studios

1974 Yamaha Trial 250 Clean, Original Condition; Easy Starting; Good Running; Minor Tank Dents; Street Legal with Current Tags; Great Coastal Bike; Have Fun while Saving Gas Money! Ride it Away Today!! 15,199 Miles $1,440

USED MOTORCYCLES:

For all your Bay Area Vespa / Piaggio / Aprilia needs

Two Fully Built-Out Businesses in One Location

MOTO TIRE GUY

1998 Honda Shadow ACE Tourer VT1100T Touring Windshield; Crash Bars; Luggage Rack; Back Rest; Towing Package; Upgraded Electrical System; Recently Serviced; Lots of Extra Maintenance Parts (i.e., filters, oils, etc.); Nice, Classic Bike at a GREAT PRICE!! $2,999

2000 Kawasaki KLR650 Durable On/Off Road Motorcycle! Scorpion S/T Tires; Tall Windshield; Custom Military Hard Bags; Go Anywhere with Confidence! PRICED TO SELL!! 32,000 Miles $1,450

rockridgetwowheels .com 510 594 0789

4865 Scotts Valley Dr., Scotts Valley

(408) 299-0508 jim@advcyles .com — www .advcycles .com

vespawalnutcreek .com 925 938 0600

+/- 5,000 square foot building

All aspects of motorcycle service and repair

1135 Old Bayshore Hwy San Jose, CA 95112

DUCATI SUZUKI KAWASAKI YAMAHA HONDA

‘09 Yamaha WR250X 5,086 mi. $4,799

Aprilia, KTM, and BMW Service and Repair Located at 44 Harbor street, San Rafael Open Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm (415) 454-RIDE

Zip:

FOR SALE: GODSPEED MOTORCYCLES IN OAKLAND!

530 Peralta St, West Oakland Just off 7th St , between the Post Office & Bart Station

Come check us out

‘07 Suzuki GSXR750 8,215 mi. $6,499

2011 KAWASAKI CONCORS 14 $15,599 Only 2,443 miles! Silver, Excellent Condition, Traction Control, ABS, Heated Grips, Lowered Seat and much more! Stock # C458

2010 VICTORY KINGPIN $11,999 Only 460 miles! Two-tone Ocean Blue/Sandstone, Kingpin cruising with an Arlen Ness Stage 1 Kit Installed! Stock # U1114

1995 Custom Softail, Model FLSTC- Price: $13,900.00 (Black & Red/Orange Flames) Options: 113 S&S motor, Vane & Hines pipes, custom paint, only 25,401 miles.

‘10 KTM Duke 690 500 mi. $9,499

PRE-OWNED VEHICLES

2006 Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Low-.Price: $7199.00 9431 Miles –Description: Forward Controls, Carbureted, Hi Flow, Thunder Header, Dakota digital Information Center, Billet Grips and Mirrors, Removable Sissy Bar. Color: White, Black, orange striping.

2001 Deuce- Price: $10,500.00 – Black and burgundy or red, 25k miles. 95”two into one pro pipe, hi flow, wind vest shield, custom Tach. Lic. Plate# 15N8298

‘04 Kawasaki VN2000 2,617 mi. $6,499

Our Service Department will check your tire pressures for free whenever you bring in your motorcycle, scooter, or ATV for servicing or repairs.

2011 KAWASAKI NINJA 250 $3,999 Less than 500 Miles!!! All Black, excellent condition, with installed Frame Sliders! Stock # U1138

2004 Custom STX- Price: $14,500.00 110 Rev Tech motor, less than 1,000 miles Color-Red, white black and gray

‘10 Honda Fury Lmtd. 3,950 mi. $9,999 ‘07 Kawasaki ZX6R 7,600 mi. $6,499

2008 Harley Davidson Street Glide- Price: $17,499.00 Description-Pearl White, Hi Flow, Chrome Front End, Profile Wheels, 12,409 Miles.

2000 Heritage Softail Custom- Price- $13,999.00 Pearl white with hard back kit added, Hi flow pipes, 95” motor, wind vest shield, Custom Tach. 8,200 miles

‘08 Honda Aero 750 5,246 mi. $5,299

1st Saturday of the month is BROWN BAG SATURDAY! Get it in the bag and get 15% OFF! Any Parts or Accessories in stock are 15% off the marked price! One bag per customer, so get as much stuff as you can and Have Fun while Saving Money!

ZERO Electric Motorcycles available here at Mission Motorcycles. The UX (Urban Cross) and MX (Motocross) models are $1000.00 OFF!!! Call to schedule a Demo Ride (650) 992-1234 ZERO Motorcycles qualify for the 10% Federal Plug-in Vehicle Tax Credit AND a Sales Tax Deduction!

21050 Mission Blvd. Hayward, 94541 (510) 581-5315

Introducing Marin Moto Works!

2007 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 classic 3000 miles $5999

Call Bill Keys 510-661-0100 ext.115 or E-mail bill@fremonthondakawasaki .com

Multi Valve 450cc and up Cyl. boring on H.D. only

510/594-0789

ADVANCED CYCLE SERVICE

6232 Mission Street Daly City, CA 94014 (650) 992-1234 www . missionmotorcycles .com

Knucklehead Panhead Iron Sportster Shovelhead Evolution Twin Cam

Reach thousands of Northern California motorcyclists. Just $15 for 25 words, 25¢ each additional word. Photos add $25. Industry classifieds are a higher price. Free 25-word listing for stolen bikes. Deadline is the 3rd of each month. Just fill out the form, or copy and send it with your check, payable to CityBike 69A Duboce, San Francisco, CA 94103

‘02 Honda Sabre 26,650 mi. $3,499 ‘07 Honda CRF450R OHV $3,999

MISSION MOTORCYCLES

Since 1956

‘07 HD Road King 15,810 mi. $13,999

‘07 Honda Spirit 750 8,534 mi. $4,999

Prices do not include government fees, doc fees, lic., taxes, dealer freight/set up fees (new only) or finance charges (if applicable) options and accessories extra

CityBike Classifieds

• Let James at SpaMoto give you that Look, that Sound, that FEEL. SpaMoto - Motorcycle accessorizing and detailing at Addiction Motors in Emeryville.

‘06 Honda Aero 750 3,505 mi. $4,999

41315 Albrae St. 510-661-0100 Fremont, CA. 94538 510-661-0100 *The only northern California dealer to receive the 2009 “Honda Counsel of Excellence” Award.

$7,495 2008 Honda CBR600RR 6,524 miles

Check out some of our used inventory

Bring your bike, title (or loan statement), owners handbook and keys. It’s OK if you still have a loan on your bike we can still take care of you.

1998 Honda VTR1000 Super Hawk 33000 miles $2999 Runs great, straight

USED BIKES:

2007 Road King, Black/Silver, 24739 miles, a two-tone beauty with S&S pipes, $14,299.

!! The Motor Cafe’s KTM Fall Sale !!

KTM financing rates as low as 4.49% OAC

2001 Honda CBR600 F4i 25000 miles $4999 This bike is perfect, red/white, not a scratch Galfer rotors, steel brake line Vortex billet triple clamp, exhaust.

2008 Electra Glide, Flame Blue, 52436 miles, cruise in style, $13,995.

THE MOTOR CAFE

$2,995 2001 Kawasaki ZX7R Ninja 22,567 miles

$5,695 2006 Honda CBR600RR 10,817 miles

We have been serving San Francisco and the SF Bay Area for 15 years.

www .motoitaliano .com

1999 YZ250F $1499 Great first dirt bike

2009 Kawasaki Vulcun 900 Custom 600 miles $6299 windscreen, rear back rest and rack.

www.eagleridersales.com

(831)465-6686

Call or Stop by for our low blow out prices on all or our 2010/2011 KTM inventory.

Stock #U85628 2008 Street Glide in Crimson Red 3113 miles $18,395 + fees

415-503-1900

sales@motoitaliano .com

$4,295 2012 Kawasaki EX250R Ninja 3,170 miles

2009 Kawasaki Eliminator 125 NEW CityBike price $2399 Perfect starter bike, no freight or set up charges.

$6,995 2007 Honda CBR600RR 2,322 miles

2010 Softail Deluxe, Flame Blue, 9842 miles, show quality but street legal, $16,595.

Stock #C04752 2010 XR1200 in Vivid Black 2007 miles $10,295 + fees

$4,995 2007 Suzuki SV650S ABS 10,044 miles

2011 Honda VT750 Aero only 300 miles $7799 Windscreen, hywy. bars. No freight or set up charges.

NEW AND PRE-OWNED BY DEALER

Used Inventory

$5,795 2007 Suzuki GSXR600 9,673 miles

Stock #U06683 2008 Street Glide in Black Pearl 19,445 miles $17,995 + fees

2010 Softail Custom, Blue/Silver, 11689 miles, beautiful chopper style,$14,995.

Dudley Perkins Co. does Rentals! We have a large fleet of 2011 Harley-Davidson motorcycles available for single or multiple day rentals 7 days a week. Our fleet includes Electra Glide Classics, Street Glides, Road Kings, Heritages and more. We can provide shuttle service to and from SFO airport, which is only 5 minutes away. Please contact rentals@dpchd .com for rates and availability.

$5,495 2007 Suzuki GSXR600 15,382 miles

$6,995 2007 Honda CBR600RR 2,754 miles

488 8th Street (at Bryant), open 7 days a week

Come down and see us! Vintage Italian Motorcycle Museum, Full Service Department, Conveniently located right off Highway 1 @ Soquel Ave 3600 Soquel Ave Santa Cruz, 95062.

$7,995 2009 Suzuki GSXR600 1,820 miles

2006 Suzuki GSX-R600 only 14k miles blue/white $6299 Clean, runs great.

San Francisco’s Largest Motorcycle Rental and Sales Fleet

2009 Ducati Hypermotard 1100S - Red, Forged Wheels, Carbon Trim Package, only 2088 Miles,1st Service competed, Comfortable Upright Seating matched with True Sport Performance. $10900+tax and license.

$4,495 2006 Suzuki VL1500 Boulevard C90 6,818 miles

Stock #U14316 2007 Road Glide in Vivid Black 5090 miles $15,995 + fees

Now celebrating our 40th year!

dpchd .com

$7,995 2008 Suzuki GSXR600 5,174 miles

$7,195 2008 Honda CBR600RR 7,530 miles

2011 Dyna Wide Glide, Black w/ Red Flames, 12887 miles, HOT, $13,995.

333 Corey Way So. San Francisco, CA 94080 650.737.5467

$8,295 2008 Suzuki GSXR750 5,530 miles

2008 Honda XR650L ONLY 68 miles Thats right 68! $5599 Showroom fresh

2009 Fat Boy, Black, 36575 miles, showroom quality, $ 10,995.

A Family Tradition of Four Generations

$5,495 2008 Suzuki GSX650F 3,193 miles

Stock #U19322 2005 Road Glide in Black Cherry 14,161 miles $13,995 + fees

2009 Heritage Softail Classic, Pewter, 27424 miles, a classic beauty, $ 1 2,995.

DUDLEY PERKINS HARLEY-DAVIDSON

$4,995 2009 Suzuki DRZ400SM 4,952 miles

$4,995 2007 Kawasaki Vulcan VN1500N 9,402 miles

2009 Street Gilde, Metal-flake Red, 25839 miles, crusin’ to the music, $16,595.

The Northern California Norton Owners’ Club (NCNOC) is dedicated to the preservation and enjoyment of the Norton motorcycle. Membership is open to all British Motorcycle enthusiasts and is currently $25 per year, you can join online. Our monthly rides, meetings and tech session and events are open to all members and guests see our web site calendar at www .nortonclub .com .

$3,995 2009 YZ250 2-Stroke Yamaha

2003 Yamaha TTR250 Extra clean, low hrs., green sticker. $2499

Harley-Davidson

For more info: http://www .homoto .us Email: ride@homoto .us Facebook: http://facebook .com/HMCSF Twitter: http://twitter .com/HomotoMC

$2,995 2008 YZ250F Yamaha

2006 MV Agusta F4 1000 1+1 8600 miles $11999 Rare blue/ silver. Perfect.

Consistently maintained by certified mechanics, SHOWROOM QUALITY

Homoto is a queer and queer-friendly motorcycle club based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Our rides are sport-focused with an emphasis on safety and camaraderie.

$2,995 2007 YZ450F Yamaha

Call 415/999-4790 for a 24-hr. recorded message and a copy of the FREE REPORT EAT AT REDS JAVA HOUSE, SF. “IT’S REALLY GOOD FOOD” SAYS CITYBIKE MANAGEMENT. EBAY SALES eBay sales. Specialist with vehicles, 12 years experience, and 5000+ positive feedback rating. Flat listing rate. I can produce auctions with 20+ large format, gorgeous, high quality pictures with my dealer account and pro-grade camera. Dr. Hannibal Lechter reminds us that “we covet what we see.” Let me show people what you have and why they should pay top dollar for it! Interested in larger lots of identifiable, good-quality motorcycle and car parts to buy as well. imperialist1960@yahoo .com or 415/699-8760.

When stolen: Between 11pm Wed Oct 12, and 10am Thurs Oct 13. Where: 1700 Block of McAllister, Western Addition, San Francisco CA 94115 Map - http://tinyurl .com/3wpbhhe 1992 R100R, Distinguishing Features: Don Vesco signed gas tank. Black trim Brown Vinyl Seat, Integral Cases with 3M black reflective decals Windshield, Plexifaring II 40mm BING Carburetors Grey Powder-coated spoked rims, tubeless Bridgestone Spitfire S11 tires License Plate: 14W5655 VIN: WB1048707N0280013 More pics here: http://www .flickr .com/photos/justinmorrison/ tags/r100r 619-871-4842 Justin Morrison ABC # 10863 http://justinmorrison.net

SELL YER STUFF IN CITYBIKE! Yes, you can do that—it’s easy. Easier than calling your grandson, having him post a Craigslist ad, then ask you for $20, which you wind up giving him because you decided to go riding instead of going to his high school graduation and you feel guilty. We here at CityBike understand your guilt feelings, so we will run your ad (25 words or less, please) ‘till sold for just $15. Add $25 bucks to run a photo of your ride so people believe you’re really selling something and not just lonely. Subscribers get a free ad every month! Maybe you should subscribe, eh cheapskate?

By Mike Solis, Photos: Gary Rather

T

he race for the 2011 Formula Pacific Championship #1 plate was one of the closest in recent memory. With 2010 Formula Pacific champion Jeff Tigert on the sidelines indefinitely after his first foray into fatherhood, there was no clear favorite for the 2011 crown. The presence of several new, undeveloped machines at the front of the grid made predictions even harder, with a number of front runners showing up on new BMW S1000RRs. Making almost 200 horsepower with minimal modifications, the new BMWs offered plenty of potential, but with little in the way of setup data, the riders knew they would have their hands full making the bikes work. Neill O’Reilly (902) and Dan Sewell (19), both mounted on Suzuki SV650s, battle it out at After a disappointing rain-out at Buttonwillow, the first round in the battle for Formula Pacific supremacy went not to one of the BMWs but to Ricky Corey and his Dunlop-shod San Jose Yamaha YZF-R1, beating Randolph and his San Jose BMW S1000RR to the checkered flag by less than a second. Noticeably slimmer for 2011 after spending a lot of time cycling in the off-season, Randolph came back at the next round, beating Corey to the line by just over one second for the win. Martin Szwarc finished third in an inspiring ride on his old GSX-R1000, a testament to Ken Hill’s off-season coaching.

Thunderhill. O’Reilly beat Sewell to the Formula IV championship by a mere 14 points.

were a little surprised at how difficult it was to get the chassis set up. It makes gobs of power, so that was never an issue. But just getting comfortable on the thing, for me to set it up for the way I like to ride, gave us some struggles. We had a few rounds Round 7 delivered as promised, with Corey where we didn’t finish where we wanted at the front early and Siglin and Randolph to, it made me question myself. I’m just close behind. As the race went on, Siglin so ecstatic right now, for these guys— took the lead from Corey while Randolph Alex (Torres of Fastline Cycles) and Ray slipped backwards, riding a BMW (Perez)—all the hard work has paid off, and S1000RR borrowed from fast novice Blaine I’m really stoked!” Bessler. After following Siglin for a few laps, Corey retook the lead and went on to win, The Middleweight Classes with Siglin taking the championship after a Lenny Hale and Cameron Gish Round 4 was literally a washout, as rain hard-fought second place finish. resulted in a complete cancellation of the At the start of the season, the popular event. Things began to change in Round 5 “When the season started, there was a middleweight classes looked a lot like lot of hype with the bike—we all had our as Siglin and his Fastline Cycles-prepared they had in seasons past, with Lenny Hale expectations set really high that it was BMW S1000RR took the win at Infineon, finishing at the front of the pack on his going to be great,” explained Siglin. “We beating Ricky Corey to the line by the 600cc Yamaha. It narrowest of margins. The win wasn’t wasn’t uncommon without controversy, as the drag race to to see him taking the flag forced Siglin wide into Turn 1, numerous wins on any almost off the edge of the track—which given race weekend, would have resulted in a one-lap penalty. as a consistent By keeping his wheels out of the dirt, Siglin front runner in kept his championship hopes alive, setting 600 Production, himself up for a strong mid-season run. 600 Superbike, 750 Production, Round 5 brought the AFM show back to 750 Superbike, and Thunderhill, but with a bit of a twist, as a Formula 1. Even second Formula Pacific race was scheduled though he was that weekend to make up for the rainedalready running four out season opener at Buttonwillow. In the or five races each Saturday race, Ricky Corey ran at the front weekend, Hale raised early but ended with a DNF, as mechanical his commitment problems ended his race early. Siglin went level as the season on to take the win, with Randolph putting progressed, adding in another strong ride to finish second. On Formula Pacific and Sunday, Corey borrowed a CBR1000RR Open Grand Prix to from Robert “Waffles” Tinagero in an his schedule on an attempt to salvage the weekend, but could EDR Performance only manage a 7th-place finish. Siglin scored GSX-R1000. yet another win, with Randolph second and Lenny Hale 3rd on an EDR Performance As Hale spread his Suzuki GSX-R1000—his first Formula attention to Formula Pacific podium finish. Pacific, a new challenger stepped At Round 6, Corey rebounded from to the plate in the his Thunderhill disaster to take his 600 classes. Riding a season’s second Formula Pacific win. Pirelli-shod Yamaha Hale improved on his Round 5 showing YZF-R6 for the Z2 BMW-mounted Chris Siglin (488) chased by KTM-riding James by finishing second, with Siglin third. racing team, 16-yearRandolph (54) and Dave Stanton (also on a BMW) through Randolph managed a 4th for the weekend, old Cameron Gish Thunderhill’s Corkscrew turn. riding his KTM RC8, after falling on the BMW earlier that weekend. His 4th-place finish set the stage for an exciting finalround showdown, as Siglin and Randolph finished the weekend tied in points for the championship lead.

November 2011 | 30 | CityBike.com

progressed steadily up the order through the season, eventually setting a new AFM 600cc lap record at Infineon of 1:49.630 after starting the season in the 1:57s. While Hale wrapped his season up with four different championships, Gish was able to enjoy breakthrough results in the final rounds, taking three wins in the last two events. When asked about his 2011 season, Gish was quick to thank both his mother and Z2 Trackdays for their support, as well as renowned tuner Mike Canfield. “Since it’s my first year on 600s, he’s helped me out a lot,” explained Gish. “I don’t normally have good feedback, so he helps when he changes something by explaining what he did, what the bike should do, and what to look for. He’s worked with great riders so he pretty much knows what should work. Sometimes I’ll have feedback and he’ll help me out, but it’s usually just him doing what he thinks will work—and it always does.”

Sharing the 650 Class Honors: Dan Sewell and Neill O’Reilly In 2011, the fight for supremacy of the 650cc lightweight classes was as close as any. Every round, Irishman Neill O’Reilly and Dan Sewell of TWF Racing took the top positions, until Round 5 when things got messy. The day started with O’Reilly retiring from the 650 Twins race with a mechanical problem. It got worse as the day went on, with a three-bike incident in Formula 4 that took both him and Sewell out, as well as a Ninja 250 in 250 Superbike. The weekend proved disastrous to O’Reilly’s championship hopes in 650 Twins, putting him well behind Sewell in the race for the championship points lead. At the end of the season, the two ended up sharing the top honors in the 650 classes, with O’Reilly taking the Formula 4 title in his first full season on his Spears Racing SV650, while Sewell took the championship in 650 Twins. Sewell also took the Formula 40 Lightweight and 650 Production Twins championship, giving him a total of three championships for the 2011 season.

McDonough 5. Neil Atterbury 6. Adam Robarts

4. Nick Hayman 5. Brendan Walsh 6. Craig Grantham

Jesus Sanjurjo 4. Damion Victor 5. Kyle Schirrmacher 6. Micah Larson

October 1st and 2nd , 2011 Thunderhill Raceway Unofficial Results

600 Production - 1. Cameron Gish 2. Lenny Hale 3. Sebastiao Ferreira 4. Mike Niggliazzo 5. Adam Robarts 6. Thomas Montano

650 Twins - 1. Dan Sewell 2. Neill O’Reilly 3. Jay Kinberger 4. Jason Catching 5. Jose Quintanar 6. Danielle Diaz

B.A.R.F. Clubman Middleweight - 1. George Myshlyayev 2. Gregory Olson 3. Ryder Morrison 4. Mike Carr 5. William Daniel Butler 6. Kyle Schirrmacher

650 Production - 1. Danielle Diaz 2. Everett Dittman 3. Thomas Dorsey 4. Robin Geenen 5. Alan Cunningham 6. Charles Almy

B.A.R.F. Clubman Lightweight - 1. Eric 500 Twins - 1. Dan Azar 2. Patrick Aldinger 3. Brian Bartlow 4. Logan Hanks Thompson 2. Jason Vestri 3. Charles Almy 4. Patrick Murphy 5. Joseph Jordan 6. Ian 5. Nick Grice 6. Eric Kondo Smith Formula Singles - 1. Richard Capps Solo Heavyweight - 1. Damion Victor 2. 2. Yuri Barrigan 3. Paul Urich 4. Adam Peter Fry 3. Pete Demas Shindler

Bay Area Riders Forum Formula Pacific - 1. Ricky Corey 2. Chris Siglin 3. David Stanton 4. James Randolph 5. Martin Szwarc 6. Lenny Hale CT Racing Open Superbike - 1. Ricky Corey 2. David Stanton 3. Mathew Orange 4. Steve Metz 5. Tim Scarrott 6. David Doerflinger

Erich Stiegler Insurance 250 Production - 1. Kirk Korenko 2. Brian Bartlow 3. Mark McKinney 4. Joe Carrillo Super Dinosaur - 1. Roosevelt Charles 2. 5. Robert Wetterau 6. Eric Kondo Jose Quintanar 3. Guy Hyder 4. Andrew 750 Superbike - 1. Lenny Hale 2. Open Grand Prix - 1. James Randolph 2. Clay 5. Eric Thompson 6. Jason Vestri Cameron Gish 3. Matt Presting 4. Kevin David Stanton 3. Lenny Hale 4. Martin Nekimken 5. Jesse Carter 6. Devon Formula AFemme - 1. Jennifer Lauritzen Szwarc 5. Mathew Orange 6. Hollis McDonough 2. Tracy Bowen 3. Stacy Menas 4. Lisa Adams Kinberger Pacific Track Time 600 Superbike - 1. Scuderia West Formula 1 - 1. Matt Cameron Gish 2. Sebastiao Ferreira 3. Formula 40 Heavyweight - 1. Bud Presting 2. David Sadowski Jr 3. Mathew Jason Lauritzen 4. Lenny Hale 5. Matt Anderson 2. Patrick Corcoran 3. Jeff Sadowski 4. Jesse Carter 5. Mike Presting 6. Matthew Sadowski Graham 4. Shawn Reilly 5. Anthony Nigliazzo 6. George Myshlyayev Manciu 6. Ron Bunten 450 Superbike - 1. Dave Moss 2. Ian Formula 2 - 1. Michael Altamirano 2. Smith 3. Patrick Aldinger 4. Dan Azar 5. Formula 40 Medium - 1. Neil Atterbury Richard Denman 3. Andrew Duafala 4. Richard Mark Appel 2. Thomas Montano 3. David Glenn 4. Erik Kolstoe 5. Alex White 6. Richard Nick Hayman 5. James Hendricks 6. Mike 250 Superbike - 1. Joe Carrillo 2. Richard Snowden Carr Capps 3. Yuri Barrigan 4. Paul Urich 5. Formula 3 - 1. John Kreidle 2. Gwyn Brian Bartlow 6. Logan Hanks Formula 40 Lightweight - 1. Dan Lewis 3. Steve Van Horn Sewell 2. Jay Kinberger 3. Donald Babb The Track Club Open Production - 1. 4. James Strauch 5. Brad Woods 6. Alan Formula 4 - 1. Dan Sewell 2. Neill Hollis Adams 2. Jesse Carter 3. Neil Cunningham O’Reilly 3. Jay Kinberger 4. Kirk Korenko Atterbury 4. David Carpenter 5. Tim 5. Jason Catching 6. Rory Kamper Scarrott 6. Patrick Corcoran B.A.R.F. Clubman Heavyweight - 1. Gregory Olson 2. David Doerflinger 3. Desmoto Sport Open Twins 1. James 750 Production - 1. Jason Lauritzen 2. Randolph 2. Steve Metz 3. Bud Anderson Lenny Hale 3. Kevin Nekimken 4. Devon

Congratulations to all the racers and thanks to all the workers who made it happen.

Race Schedule MARCH 19 - 20 BUTTONWILLOW

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Solo Lightweight - 1. Guy Hyder 2. Everett Dittman 3. Alan Cunningham 4. Thomas Dorsey 5. Joseph Jordan 6. Jonathan Forman

APRIL 16 - 17 INFINEON M AY 7 - 8 INFINEON

“What I love about racing Neill is that I swear we are both laughing every time we’re together out on track,” explained Sewell, when asked about his experiences racing O’Reilly in 2011. “No matter how close we’re getting, how hard we’re fighting, or who is leading, I can tell we’re both just giggling and having a blast. I’ve had some of my best races both beating him and losing to him, and have had as much fun chasing him as I have winning.” With veteran racers showing they still have the speed, new talent coming up through the ranks, and loads of great battles in several of the other classes, the 2011 season was memorable.

Solo Middleweight - 1. David Sadowski Jr 2. Matthew Sadowski 3. Mike Carr 4. Oscar Fernandez 5. David Ben-Jamin 6. Ulises Perez

2011

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AFM 2011 Season Wrap-Up

AFM Round 7

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