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This is probably the dumbest thing to do - cheer for oncoming rain - since it hasn’t actually started raining yet.  But I can’t help myself.  During the hot summer months, I pretty much don’t ride without a previous rain.  I’m willing to suffer either heat or dust, but not both. 

The peak traction more than makes up for the miserable heat.  That, and the fact that my knobbies are totally junk, torn, and worn out lets me extend their life just a little longer.  I think I would actually die if I rode with that rubber in anything but wet dirt.  Oh, I have a new knobby waiting to be installed, but I’m just lazy.  I’m especially lazy when it

There are only a few things these days that truly scare me as a motorcyclist. For the most part, I have workable strategies for dealing with most road users and hazards, but wildlife is still a totally unpredictable.

I’ve tried to minimize my exposure by limiting my riding at dusk, slowing down in posted areas and keeping my scan on full if there are any indications of animal presence. But I still have that nagging feeling it’ll never be enough.

Most riders know that deer (as well as several other mammals) come out at dusk, are most numerous toward the end of summer and are more prevalent in rural areas. But even so, you could still tag one in your neighborhood in

Casey Stoner seems to have inherited the infamous Rossi curse. The current World Champion, despite winning the first MotoGP race of the year, got off to a relatively slow start defending his title. But recently had been coming on strong, winning several mid-season races. That was until Laguna Seca!

 At the Dry Lake, Casey started talking some trash about 7-time World Champion Valentino Rossi, and how he was going to beat him handily. Vale, who’s season had been relative unsensational up to this point, had enough of the rhetoric and put on a masterful demonstration of racecraft at the California track, beating Stoner and his superior Ducati. Rossi, arguably the best roadracer of all time, knows how to get in his rivals

When I was thirteen, my dad bought himself, my brother, and I new dirt bikes - 1984 IT490s.  We got them cheap because the year was 1985 and the 490’s were discontinued.  My dad also raced go-carts with the dealership co-owner Joe Ruttman (yes, that Joe Ruttman).   

Anyway, I was bs’ing with the guy I currently ride with this morning wondering how it would compare to by ‘06 YZ450F.  I can tell you that the thrill factor then with the 490 and now with the 450 is about the same.  My guess is that the IT probably not so fun to ride by today’s standards.

Suspension has made leaps and bounds in 22 years.  Did I mention an air-cooled two-stroke engine versus

Take away the scars and broken bones and I think riding motorcycles actually keeps me healthy.  Back in November of 2007, I bought a new (to me) dirt bike.  For the most part, I ride in the dirt with people that are better than me…heh-a little bit if the reason for the new bike too.

As part of getting better on the trails, I started working out again right wen I got the bike.  I was riding faster than before and it took more out of me.  The first couple of rides about killed me physically.  And because I’m competitive, I needed to improve that.

Anyway, as we rode almost every weekend when the weather was tolerable, the workouts continued.  The last time

I don’t know about where you live, but in Salt Lake City there are a lot more two-wheelers on the road these days than ever before (and that includes bicycles also). It’s pretty obvious to me gas prices are actually stinging enough to convince people to look for the best MPG they can find, and motorcycles are one of the primary beneficiaries, especially within the younger crowd. I get asked a lot these days what kind of gas mileage my bike gets.

Of course scooters seem to account for the majority of the two-wheeled increase (Gee, we’re finally catching up to Europe). And while they aren’t really motorcycles, they are the gateway drug. The only problem I have with scooter per se, is

While “moving about the country”, I realized that I’m not a very good passenger.  I don’t think I’m a control freak, but I would rather drive (ride) than be driven (ridden).  In fact, I cannot remember the last time I was a passenger on a motorcycle, short of going hot air balloon hunting on the back of my dad’s bike as a kid.

Personally, there is only one way to have two people on a bike - a guy in front and his woman riding pillion.  Lets review the other situations (excluding children):

1. A male with a male passenger - I cannot think of anything more gay.
2. A female with a male passenger - see #1.
3. A female with a female passenger - see
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