Tuesday Evening is Upon Us and There Is Moto News

American Honda has now released details of their off-road racing 2010 contingency program. The awards will be administered by the Honda Riders Club of America, and for details you need to head to their website. But, for the story, take the link.

http://tinyurl.com/yfkp4s9

A bit of news from the Dal Smilie and American Motorcyclist Association federal case, though this is a criminal trial, the AMA is doing nothing but reporting on the situation. The date for his jury trial has been continued (postponed in legal-speak) to 22 February 2010 at 14:00. Have a read...

http://tinyurl.com/ybsygyc

We may have seen this before, but I should place it here as well - as long as we are talking about the AMA, anyway. The AMA has taken a position, via a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, in favor of caution in adopting automobile "infotainment systems" too quickly. This makes perfect sense and it is good that they are out there doing their job on this one. Go AMA!

http://tinyurl.com/y9ogehl

And, the last for tonight, is the story of the man who first went an average of 131 mph (211 km /h) on a lap around the Isle of Man TT Mountain Course, Cameron Donald. He will be taking part in the Island Classic at Phillip Island in Australia on 22 - 24 January 2010 - very soon! There is so much more...please take the link for your own good...

http://tinyurl.com/yl9g4tm

Thursday Morning Classic Bike News

The first part of this post is another eBay find - a 1941 Indian Sport Scout. It looks to be un-restored and the owner claims only 19,000 miles. It is also said that the engine turns over and has good compression, but no other details are mentioned. At last look, the auction was at US$10,100 and the reserve price had not yet been met. Take a look at history and imagine being able to buy this one...

http://tinyurl.com/ybvu22d

Next, we have a story about a tour through Texas on British singles, believe it or not. Given the extensive road network and huge distances between places in the state, it is hard to imagine driving so far on such small motorcycles, but the author and some friends did just that. They spend a great deal of time enjoying the Texas Hill Country...and so should you!

http://tinyurl.com/y96w8u4

The Caberg Sintesi Helmet - Part II, A Follow Up

The original article was posted back in September of 2009, and the author did not exactly like the helmet - but, it had some nice innovations. Well, the new Sintesi from Caberg - an Italian company - has released a better version with many improvements. It is often that a first release has problems, so it was worth giving them a second chance. It was well worth it! This could be my next helmet, if I can ever afford it.

http://tinyurl.com/ylo4euc

Electric Motorcycles - Here to Stay?

A nice opinion piece on the coming of electric motorcycles and what the future of them may be. The author has some good points, but some of them are easy to dispute. In either case, it is worth reading just to see yet another perspective on this quickly expanding niche in the motorcycle industry. Just do not expect the article to cover your views on the subject, it doesn't match mine.

http://tinyurl.com/y8hzqtf

Modern Motorcycle Riding Gear Tested Against Old Technology

It was back in the 1980's that motorcycle gear was just starting to diversify. For the longest time, the leather jacket and bucket of a fiberglass helmet were the norm on a motorcycle - if you wore a helmet then. Nowadays, though, things are much different; we have high-tech fabrics, electrically heated gear, Kevlar and carbon fiber helmets - and some awesome adventure gear too. So, as part of the U.K. motorcycle industry group's 'Get On' campaign, this huge leap in protective gear is being tested and evaluated to show just how far we have come.

http://tinyurl.com/yzkvq8k

Addicted to Salt - Land Speed Record Challengers

This is the second part of the story, but it is still very much worth reading. In this piece, the author uncovers the stories behind the people who love to go fast on salt - the Bonneville Salt Flats. He gets three different questions answered from three different challengers - and the stories are very interesting. Check it out and learn something about people addicted to SPEED...

http://tinyurl.com/yat7nx6

Riding Impression: 2009 Suzuki SFV650 Gladius

This article is more along the lines of a long-term wrap-up of sorts. The author is a SV650 fan - as are many in the world - and she compares Suzuki's replacement bike to her experience racing the old model. Being experienced with the model line really helps define this machine's purpose - not to mention helping figure out what Suzuki was thinking when replacing what has become an iconic 'fun' motorcycle...

http://tinyurl.com/ydvswah

Matt Roberts Gives Us More on 2009 MotoGP Champion Valentino Rossi

As if anyone reading my blog needs to know more about Valentino Rossi...IF you are a bit curious or you really have no idea who I am talking about, please take the link and read. I do think that we are witnessing the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT) in motorcycle racing...Of course, I still have room for Agostini!

http://tinyurl.com/yjc3zxf

Pons Racing and Kalex Engineering Team Up to Produce Moto2 Race Bike

The new Moto2 series will begin in 2010 - next season - and will only allow Honda 600c.c. engines in custom chassis. A team may still run a 250c.c. two-stroke in the series, but none are signed up to do so. Sito Pons, a legend in the MotoGP paddock, was searching around to find someone to work with on a new Moto2 bike in order to contest the Moto2 World Championship. He found that company in Kalex Engineering, a small German motosport engineering firm. The new Pons Kalex will be officially unveiled at the Valencia round of the MotoGP World Championship.

http://tinyurl.com/ygvj3c6

Noel Whittall - A True Death-Defying Adventurer

Mr. Whittall has just finished a 2000 mile journey on a World War I era 1918 Triumph belt-driven Model H. The death-defying part, though, is that the 71-year-old had suffered a heart attack at 1500 ft. while paragliding! This man cannot be stopped - he is a true inspiration...

http://tinyurl.com/ykyv7tv

Police Hunt for Ducati Rally Ride Saboteur - A Criminal Who Should Be in Prison!

Last year, some rather nasty person intentionally spilled oil across a highway in California during a Ducati fundraising rally to support the local La Honda Fire Brigade in Half Moon Bay. That caused 6 accidents. This year, it seems that someone intentionally spread roofing nails all over the same highway near the same spot where the oil was found last year. Police picked these up before any damage was done. The Ducati rally is known as the "La Ducati Day" and it annually raises a significant amount of money to support the local fire brigade - the community largely supports this event since it helps out a very important cause. Police are now working to figure out who has been doing this and they only have a little evidence. It is just so hard to believe that there are people out there who are capable of being this evil...

http://tinyurl.com/yjneu5c

AMA Advocates for National Motorcycle Noise Standards

This has been a long time coming - in many ways. The motorcycle noise issue is an old one and should have been properly addressed years ago. Instead, those of us within the law - still a little loud, but perfectly legal - are getting a bad rap due to the few motorcyclists out there who let their exhaust sound like it's announcing the Second Coming of Christ or something. Please, fellow riders keep your bikes quiet so that the government doesn't do to us what Denver did to its citizens - in Denver, Colorado, your motorcycle must possess the stock exhaust system to be legal. Yeah, it's a dumb law, but the people who run open pipes (like I once did but will never again) are responsible for it. Look, we are a minority even compared to those 'import tuner' people with their dropped and hopped four-wheel cages. That is why they can go after us, we don't have the numbers. So, put a muffler on it before we get kicked off the streets altogether!

http://tinyurl.com/yjnbmsw

I am completely with the AMA on this issue; loud pipes erode rights.

P.S. The 'loud pipes save lives' adage is an urban myth; many studies have been done on this and there is not one single, tiny piece of evidence that a loud motorcycle is safer than a quiet one. You would have to completely ignore physics to believe that fact. Your exhaust points to the rear, so the only people who hear you really well when you are riding are the ones right behind your loud ass.

Another View of the New American Motorcyclist Association

New AMA CEO Rob Dingman has many critics. I cannot be counted among them, not really, but I am not a fan either. I think that there is something going on in the organization that we members do not know about - and will only hear about in some book many years from now. I am happy with the new member benefits - in fact, once I find employment I plan on taking advantage of a few. However, the whole DMG taking over AMA Pro Racing has two sides; good that the AMA has found someone else to manage it, bad that it's DMG! This blogger has a very specific opinion of Mr. Dingman and I think it bears reading...

http://tinyurl.com/y9357l2

Asphalt in Europe - Just How Safe is It?

I found this by accident and actually found it informative. If you have ever wondered if road builders keep motorcyclists in mind when they construct our various paths through the world. Well, at least in Europe, many safety agencies are interested and they seem ready to make it better for us two-wheel riders.

http://tinyurl.com/y8olajd

A Canadian, His Brother and Their Friends Tour the USA

Along the way, they see some of the most astounding beauty that the USA has to offer. However, they also learn of the dangers of riding long distance in this nation - limited accommodations in the vastness of the West, limited gas stops and our ever-present police patrols looking to improve the local civic economy...

http://tinyurl.com/ybxyocf

Perspective on the 2009 Indianapolis GP

This is certainly an event I wish I could attend, but I only get one a year presently...and that is better than many, so I cannot complain. However, its significance is not lessened by that in any way. Read about the worldwide view of the oldest motorsport world championship...

http://tinyurl.com/mrewjp

Great Perspective on Motorcycle Design

Stephen McGilvray takes a ride around Scotland and finds the essence of motorcycle design. Have a read of his article and see if you agree with his perspectives; they are rather good, IMHO.

http://tinyurl.com/nnjwdv

Moto design is one of my favorite subjects!