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The state of roadracing in America is dismal. The AMA/DMG alliance has basically killed what was a totally entertaining, viable and lucrative business. For the first time since I started watching racing 30 years ago, we need someone to step in and organize a “new” series. This year’s Daytona 200 is likely to be the least watched of all time. Less teams, less racers, less press and less spectators ….. what a great combination for success. I’ve been watching the demise of the series for an entire year now and all I can say is who’s minding the store? It’s almost as if the powers that be want American raodracing gone so they can give us NASCAR instead. I’ve got

Count me thoroughly impressed. It seems nothing can stop Texan Ben Spies from marching straight to the pinnacle of the motorcycle roadracing. This guy is a juggernaut. In only his second pre-season test (Sepang, Malaysia), he had the 5th fastest time. The only riders to better him were the 4 aliens (Rossi, Stoner, Pedrosa and Lorenzo) recognized as such for their speed difference over the rest of the field. Spies seems to be making unstoppable forward progress. And there’s no sign that any of the normally difficult hurdles to becoming the MotoGP World Champion are anything more than just another minor task for him to master.

Notable names behind Ben at the same test were the other two Americans and MotoGP veterans: his teammate and fellow

Noriyuki Haga has been competing in World Championship motorcycle racing for over a decade. He’s competed in World Superbike during 10 seasons. He’s established himself as one of the best riders of all time, able to win races at virtually any track, any season on any bike. But the guy just can’t seem to put a Championship season together. I like the man and hope he finally get’s a Championship before he retires.

This year, Ben Spies (rookie season - American) foiled Haga’s latest (and most likely best chance) attempt and is moving on to MotoGP next season. Watch out Valentino, you may have one mare competitor able to make Championship #10 even more difficult.

Here’s Haga’s final position season standings for every year he’s raced WSBK:

Year      

Recently, my sister and I were making less than flattering comments about people that affix their little cartoon family to the back of whatever SUV they use to go to soccer games. Since I’m not married and have no children, I’m a strange bird here in Utah. But I do have a collection of motorcycles, and in some bizarre way consider that to be my family. So for my 50th birthday, my sister purchased the necessary stickers to try to help me blend in with the locals ……. NOT!

I’m sure it’s good for a laugh or snide comment. I’d love to be a little bird in the cars with the “My Kids on Honor Student at …..” crowd.

Rhino

[caption id=”attachment_1754″ align=”alignnone” width=”440″ caption=”Makin' fun of Soccer

I was a little disappointed by the second visit of World Superbike to Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele (pronounced two-illa), Utah. For all intents and purposes, this is a Salt Lake City venue (about 30 miles from downtown). This year, instead of being at the track for every moment of activity, I limited my attendance to Sat and Sun.

As far as I’m concerned, the AMA screwed the pooch this year by not showing up. Lots of stories have been bandied about related to why, but I believe DMG (the new roadracing arm of

You may have noticed that not a lot of new material has been showing up on this site. Well, it’s our fault, we’ve been dealing with “real” life stuff. I hope our regular readers understand that when you do something like this for fun, sometimes it has to take a backseat to more pressing issues that come our way from time to time.

Rest assurded we’re still here and will have more stories to tell in the future. But with riding and racing seasons in full swing, we’re spending more time on and around bikes than behind the keyboard.

This is probably a good time to throw out an encouragement to anyone who would like to help us with penning some new

I was raised in a family of mostly women and my mother taught me from day one, that a woman can do anything a man can, if she puts her mind and energies into it. She was one of the first true feminists.

So I’m not one to give woman any special consideration when it comes to particpating in sports. In fact, when they get there own leagues, it’s only further proof they need a handicap.

In motorcycle racing, it’s no different, especially since it doesn’t require any special strength and a smaller stature can actually be helpful. Several woman have tried their hand at motorcycle racing with minimal success. But the media goes crazy for these gals despite the fact they

Here’s a string of emails between myself and some other enthusiasts about upcoming legislation in California related to bikes being emissions tested every other year all the way back to year 2000 models. Unlike several other states, California currently has no emission testing for motorcycles.

             From Terry

Biennial smog checks would be required for motorcycles manufactured in the 2000 model year and later under a bill making its way through the California Legislature.

Read more:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-smog-motorcycles5-2009may05,0, 6008850.story

From Chris

I gotta say .. I’m torn on this topic.

On one hand, I welcome getting the loud bikes off the streets. Here in Harley-Land there is no doubt that nearly every loud exhaust “upgrade” is done to stroke the ego of the rider

I’ve been watching every race of the entire AMA season on SPEED TV for many years. But this year, apparently someone has decided they aren’t going to air it!?!?!

I wish I could understand what’s going on in the minds of the AMA/DMG honchoes? I used to be a pretty dedicated fan. Not only did I watch every race, but I usually attend at least 2 each year in-person.

If I don’t see some races pretty soon on SPEED, especially the weekend they actually occur, they can count me GONE!

In fact, I’m starting considering trying the paid webcast, to see if it would be the more cost effective way to go when watching WSBK and MotoGP.

If that turns out to be the case, then Dish Network

Are you a Motorcycle Addict?

I was reading the latest issue (April 2009) of Motorcycle Consumer News and came across an interesting observation by apologist Fred Rau. He noted the 10 questions most commonly asked by addiction assistance groups to determine whether your addiction is real or imagined. (Why is it always 10 questions?)

1)       Do you lose time from work due to your addiction?

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