It happens every season, new riders don’t realize the percentage game you play riding a motorcycle. These are some useful tips from a press release by SymPoint Communications/Medical Air Services Association (May 18, 2006). Read ahead for the tips and saftey concerns.
So is everyone else I think. Honda has been almost sleeping lately when it comes to new model designs and according to most industry folk we’ll be looking at all new models in just about every category coming this fall (as 2007 models).
The motorcycle industry is a strange beast, with most products being significantly updated every 2 years, and often major model re-do’s every 4 years. The auto industry in comparison is typically 4 years for anything significant, and even longer for a major overhaul of a design. Here’s hoping for big red.
The new Ducati Desmosedici is already sold out in North America. This production replica bike has all it’s preorder sales done up for the year - and was sold out within hours of dealers being able to take orders. 999 owners got priority in the queue and I’d put money on the fact that every Desmosedici sold will have a 999 to sit with in the owners garage.
Of course, I’d also bet that we’ll see some for sale at a ridiculous price tag at some point on ebay.
If you really want to see one on North American soil, check out this press release by Ducati after the jump:
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A humourous rant on why fellow BMW riders (some of the more expensive non-custom bikes), don’t wave back when passing by, done in the style of David Letterman’s Top 10 lists:
10. New Aerostich suit too stiff to raise arm.
9. Removing a hand from the bars is considered “bad form.”
8. Your bike isn’t weird enough looking to justify acknowledgement.
7. Too sore from an 800-mile day on a stock “comfort” seat.
6. Too busy programming the GPS, monitoring radar, listening to ipod, XM, or talking on the cell phone.
5. He’s an Iron Butt rider and you’re not!.
4. Wires from Gerbings is too short.
3. You’re not riding the “right kind” of BMW.
2. You haven’t been properly introduced.
1. Afraid it will be misinterpreted as a friendly gesture.
I think it can be agreed that when most of us start riding, we’re often not clever enough to cover ourselves up properly, this usually isn’t figured important until a bit later, or until funds can afford because getting the bike is so important. And it’s usually worse when it comes to a girlfriend or any other passenger. The reality is that anyone on a bike needs the protection if they care at all about their skin (just try a quick google on ’skin graft’). In any case, these two pictures have been making the rounds, but nobody has submitted the end result - while disappointing, I’m sure is also horrible.
Realize of course this is a rather larger turn and there’s no doubt the bike is going at a good clip due to the fact that pictures are also being taken and relative lean angle.
Movie trailer for Ghostrider. Looks like it should be entertaining at least.
In Columbia Pictures’ adventure thriller Ghost Rider, a superstar motorcycle stunt rider Johnny Blaze strikes a deal with the vile Mephistopheles for the most precious of commodities – his immortal soul. Now Johnny Blaze is forever destined to ride night after night as the host to the powerful supernatural entity known as the Ghost Rider.
Though he is likely one of the most talented F1 racers in history, he still had to sit second-fiddle in what was no doubt a PR stunt by both Ducati and perhaps MotoGP at the Italian MotoGP this weekend. He was taken around the track by 13 time 500cc MotoGP winner Randy Mamola. Shumacher is a seven-time World Champion. Together, that’s 20 World Championships - talk about a valuable haul around the track.
The reigning Miss Italy also happened around the track for the first time in her life saying “Randy was fantastic, he gave me total confidence before the ride, by the end of the ride I had no more strength in my arms …”
Maybe it’s just me taking that out of context but ..
A press release on Friday announced that Rossi will be sticking aside Yamaha for 2007. This guy is still the golden boy, and. This reminds me of the Oilers from the 80’s - where they just became unstopable - but the difference being that Rossi seems to be able to lead any company to victory, regardless of hardware and his team (though I’m certain his team works very hard).
Read the press release from Yamaha after the jump.
Ducati surprised a lot of us this morning when they dropped this bomb shell on us:
This is the first MotoGP replica ever made. They’ll be making 400 a year with the first being available in the summer of 2007. I’d imagine if you want one, you’d best put your money down today.
Pricing and specs after the leap:
Fastdates.com is notorious for their fantastic paddock calendars produced annually. Nothing but the best in bikes and babes from these folks. They’ve just announced that in an agreement with SpeedTV, SpeedTV will be selling these via their motorbooks.com website as of July 1st, 2006. They are also being licensed to sell images from the calendar for cell phone use.
