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Since its politically correct to use derogatory terms on your own kind, my fellow rednecks should not take offense. I am a full 25% redneck and have the geneology to prove it. I come from a long line…Ooops, back on topic.

As I was surfing SPEED & ESPN(all of ‘em) this afternoon whilst on kid-duty, hoping for even Arenacross, I came across a sport that gets categorized under “The Things That Make You Go Hmmmmm…” This (to me) was right up there with the tractor (lawn-mowers fellas, not 18-wheelers as I had assumed upon discovery) racing on an actual dirt course. Anyway, its sand drag racing. Now I’m not talking about you and your

My main mission after purchasing my first serious motorcycle, a 1981 Suzuki GS1100, was to show it to the guy who’d first facilitated my two-wheeled addiction. The day before I purchased my first motorcycle, a Kawasaki KZ200, Rich spent an afternoon showing me how to operate his Honda CB200T (the MSF was still somebody’s dream). The Suzuki was one big giant step up from the diminutive Kwacker on which I’d been learning and becoming addicted to motorcycling. At first I was considering moving up to a Honda Hawk (400), but after a conversation with one of the few veteran riders I’d befriended, a 750 seemed to be the “do it all” size I was really looking for. At the time

What a great article title. Heh - which one?

As we were BS’ing all that is motorcycle at lunch, I was reminded of the following incident that I witnessed with my very own eyes at the Daytona Superbike races in 2000 or 2001 - the one where Scott Ru$$ell got ran over at the start of the race (compound leg fracture) riding for Ducati. Anyway, a good friend of mine and riding buddy at the time when I was still in Michigan, Jim Sheldon (now owner of Trackoholics - a track day organization out of Michigan) and I flew down to Daytona to hang with his brother at the races. Let’s just say that we were able to get access to areas that mere mortals did not have.

It

Last night I finally had a chance to watch the AMA Superstock race run this past weekend at Barber. I was really looking forward to it because I’d read on various websites how pissed-off Jamie Hacking was at Jason DiSalvo for “ruining” his race. Since DiSalvo has entered the series, bring his European 250 experience with him, there’s been plenty of consternation within the Yamaha camp as this young and very fast upstart has ignored the established pecking order. Before I saw the race, I was convinced DiSalvo had pulled a boner move to try to win the race and lost it for both of the Yamahas. But after seeing the race, what really took place became clear and Hacking

I couldn’t help but day-dream about getting back on the track after vowing never to return. GothicbeaST and I were shooting the breeze as I was walking out the door this afternoon about doing a trackday in October. Like golf, trackdays are mighty cheap here in AZ during the summer. Since I’m a sissy, I’ll pay the extra duckets and wait the heat out. Normally, it would seem like not a big decision, but it is for me (read: my wife will be very pissed).

See, I’ve crashed twice in my life on the asphalt - both at Grattan Raceway in Michigan. Both were operator error. The first was a low-speed high-side.

Wow. Four free ‘Experienced Rider’ MSF classes are being offered in Irvine, CA next weekend. Heck, as a lifelong self-taught everything, I’d even go if it were free and offered in Arizona. The link is from Roadracing World and they source the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. I searched around on their site and did not find any further specific details. No big deal because most everything you need is below:

Free Motorcycle Training: The Motorcycle Safety Foundation will offer free five-hour Experienced RiderCourses to licensed motorcyclists who bring their own riding gear and bike, as part of National Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. The sessions, designed to sharpen riding skills and street strategies, will include

A while back I had the opportunity to go for a ride through the twisties with some buddies. The route was Bagdad to Prescott (up & down a few times) then back home through Yarnell. What made this a unique ride is that I was the lone rider. Everyone else was in a cage: IS300, C230 Kompressor Coupe, Matrix XRS, & Miata. Yeah, it was cold at elevation and I was in my leathers while these sissies were in shorts and a T-shirt with the heat on…a little…probably set at a nice 75F.

Going into this I was not to sure how this would work, but I was sure that I would be waiting A LOT.

One thing I have to say: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! This cannot be. Titanium is the coolest material for motorcycles ever implemented. It even has a cool name. Say it with me Homer style: mmmmmmmm…Ti-Tan-ium. Here’s the article from Roadracing World

A worldwide titanium shortage is affecting manufacturers of high-performance exhaust systems and may affect production of motorcycles designed to use titanium valves.

Sources within the motorcycle industry say that exhaust pipe manufacturers have recently been unable to obtain titanium tubing at any price, following a steep run-up in prices earlier this year.

The titanium shortage may be related to an increase in Chinese purchasing of the relatively rare substance.

My solution is to ban the OE manufacturers from wasting titanium

OK, when I’m wrong I’ll admit it…sort of.

I have been verbally abusing the SPEED Channel for quite some time now for what I thought was lack of motorcycle race coverage. They still pull some boners like this year’s WSBK Qatar race (I know, Qatar?), but this season I have been paying close attention to actual race coverage. The results are (ahem) actually not what I had originally thought. They seem to cover all of MotoGP & WSBK, and most of the big races in AMA. Support your claim you ask? Right from the AMA website:

AMA Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship presented by Shoei, Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Alabama – Sunday April 24, 3-4