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As good as the ‘earometer’ and assometer are, they cannot substitue for a 4-gas analyzer. I took my Caponord into the shop today to get the latest map and have the CO adjusted properly (2.5-3%). As it turned out, there was a performance map installed but the mixture was WAY high at about 6%. This bike would not have passed emissions with a max of 4.5% if I remember correctly.

Anyway, the bike runs great now as its much smoother. I synch’ed the throttle bodies and set the mixture using the ass-and earometers and obviously they are way out of calibration. The deal with these engines is that you set the mixture to the highest rpm

Two weekends ago, I returned to the track with a big whimper. It is not that my ego is not wanting to return with a big bang, but I had a goal to get into a grove with my new bike and not be all twisted up to accomplish something.

As you all know I have a new race bike and I have spent way too much money on it. But that is a good thing, as the US Economy needs my money more than I do. So after almost as much preparation as a space shuttle launch, I headed out for my latest track day.

On a cool (45degrees that is) February 11th

Mark LaDesma is the Aprilia guru at our local dealer called North Valley Honda.  Aside from knowing Aprilias and knowing how to make them go fast, what I like about him is that he is down to earth.  I have met many racers of much less stature and/or success that think simply because they “race” that they are GOD.  We are not worthy of their time.  Not so in LaDesma’s case.

We are hardly buddies or even acquaintances outside of when I need service, but each time I’ve talked to him, he’s made the time.  Second, he’s rather humble about his talent.  And third, you would never know that he races…let alone successfully…unless you read it somewhere.  Anyway, I thought

I think all of us have seen the new fad in car wheels: “spinners” (I know they have been around for a few years). I even think they are making them for bikes. Most of my experiences with spinners have been coming to or leaving a stop light or sign.

I’m sure most observant motorcyclists watch the wheels/tires of the cars around them to determine what the car might do next. Recently I encountered a car with spinners at speed. The car was slowing down but the spinners gave no hint of that activity, but I knew the car was slowing down because my speed had not changed but I was passing him. I glanced at the wheels as I

I have never actually wanted to strike another biker of any sort until recently.  A few weekends ago we were doing the domestic thing and attending a friend’s son’s fourth birthday party.  That gives you the age bracket.  The oldest kid was probably six with my one-year-old daughter being the youngest.

It was at a place called Pump It Up, which is a place to rent for private parties.  They have the big ‘air-filled toys’ like jungle gyms, slides, basketball, etc.  Anyway, the building is in an off the beaten path strip mall with buildings on each side of the access road / single row parking.

When we were leaving I heard an inline-four fire up across the lane some 100 ft.

Apparently, F1 car driver Fernando Alonso thinks he’s pretty hot feces. He made the typical arrogant, ignorant and “no grasp of reality” claim that he could podium on a MotoGP bike “with a bit of practice”. How ludicrous!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/4722304.stm

If Alonso had limited his comments to car racing and Rossi’s fairly successful (especially for a novice) test of the Ferrari F1 car, all could be forgiven. But to suggest he could pilot a motorcycle well enough to, not just be fast, but podium in MotoGP, shows just how out of touch some of these guys are.

This is typical schoolyard one-upsmanship. Rossi HASN’T been saying he’s even going to F1, much less that he would mop the floor with the current drivers. Why

If I hear another moto-marketeer say their latest re-packaging of a high performance model has been “tuned for torque”, I’m gonna put my foot into their sack. Manufacturers regularly use an existing, but relatively aging engine, drop it in a less cutting edge chassis/suspension combo and market it to the naked or sport-touring masses as the answer to their desire. That’s fine, but when they have to explain the fact that the same basic engine doesn’t make anywhere near the power of the original, the “tuned for torque” excuse gets dragged out. “Tuned for torque” is one of the biggest fabrications foisted on the moto-buying public. This type of BS goes hand in hand with their dry weight claims. Who

Ready to Rumble?

An unusually early start to the World Superbike season on February (that’s right, February) 26 will be the opening salvo in the upcoming motorcycle roadracing season. SBK Round 1 will be held at the Losail circuit in Qatar (right next to Saudi Arabia) and will be televised on Speed at noon EST. Not only is the first race right around the corner but there will be subsequent races 2 and 3 weeks later. SBK Round 2 from Phillips Island, Australia on March 5 and AMA Bike Week from Daytona Beach, FL the following weekend, March 11 (Sat).

So you race fans who’ve been undergoing mild depressions since November (and those lousy Two-Wheeled Tuesday episodes were like Methadone to a

This story is from motorcyclecruiser.com. 

It is very rare that I cry foul over special privelidge.  In most cases, its a matter of envy and I avoid the ‘haves vs. the ‘have nots’.  But in this particular situation, you have to ask yourself what would the penalty be if Senator (former) Bill Janklow were not a representative of the Federal Congress.  I think there would be iron bars involved…especially given his driving history.
Bill Janklow Gets Law License Back—While Still on Probation
Convicted felon and former Douth Dakota governor has had his license to practice law reinstated, even thropugh he is still on probation for killing a motorcyclist.

Bill Janklow in 2002.

In a move that stunned motorcyclists already outraged at

It seems Yamaha may have overstated the redline on their new 2006 R6. The moto-press has been all agaga over the “claimed” 17,500 RPM redline. Well it seems the tachometer can be as errant as the speedo these days and Yamaha has officially stated the “actual” redline of the motorcycle is really 16,000 RPM. Still impressive but not nearly as earth-shaking (or should that be buzzing) as previously stated. Some websites are reporting Yamaha will “buy back” any R6 already purchased if the buyer is overly pissed-off by this revelation.

Ya gotta love manufacturers overstating their stats!

Go here for the official announcement by the perp:

http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/R6_RPM_Limit.aspx#