Fatty, my Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Lo long-term tester, had been collecting dust for far too long, so it was finally time to saddle up and hit the road before the cobwebs got even more embarrassing.
Trouble is, when I stopped for gas before my 130 mile ride to Palm Desert, California, good ol' Fatty's battery was too tired from storage to stir that hulking 1,690cc v-twin back to life.
How did I get my Fat Boy Lo started again, and how did it handle the 260 mile roundtrip?
Find out in Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Lo Long Term Update #7: Hittin' the Road.
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Photo © Basem WasefClick for gallery
Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Lo Long Term Update #7: Hittin' the Road originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Tuesday, May 15th, 2012 at 22:16:17.
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Clay Rathburn of Atom Bomb Customs had a problem: the Richmond, Virginia-based builder churned out bobber after bobber, but, raised on dirtbikes, felt like he needed to get a personal build "out of his head."
Nearly 800 man hours later, the RVA Overland emerged.
Built around a 1974 Triumph T140 Bonneville engine, this one-off creation features a scratch-built frame executed in conjunction with Race Tech Suspension, a hand-formed aluminum tank, relocated carbs that required between 35 and 40 hours of modification work to the cylinder head.
See more shots of Rathburn's stunning creation in this Atom Bomb Customs RVA Overland Dirtbike Photo Gallery.
Photo © Anthony Hall; click for gallery
Photo Gallery: The Prettiest Dirtbike You'll See All Day originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Monday, May 14th, 2012 at 13:45:22.
We can only speculate about the future of electric motorcycles. But as of 2012, one thing is certain: you'll have to pay a premium for cutting edge battery-powered bikes.
Two years ago, Brammo's Empulse promised 100 mph and 100 miles of range for under $10,000. But last night, at the bike's official unveiling in Hollywood, California, the much-anticipated Empulse proved surprisingly pricey: $16,995, or $18,995 for a carbon-fiber skinned "R" version. Both bikes pack a 9.31 kWh battery producing the equivalent of 54 horsepower, and a six-speed manual transmission with a hydraulic clutch.
Regenerative braking helps the 100+ mph Empulse claim a 121 mile city range or 56 miles on the highway, for a combined estimate of 77 miles; in contrast, Zero's most powerful S model is just behind the Empulse with an estimated 114 miles in the city, or 63 miles on the highway, with a maximum speed of 88 mph, or 75 mph sustained. The Zero comes with a $13,995 premium, a full $3,000 less than the Brammo.
Are internal combustion bikes in imminent danger of becoming obsoleted by electric motorcycles? Not yet, at least with this sort of pricing... but I've got a new Zero S I'm testing at the moment, and will soon offer my thoughts on whether or not this new crop of battery-powered rides are worth the premium.
Photo © Basem Wasef
Brammo's Empulse: 100+ MPH, 121 City Mile Range, $17,000 (!) originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Wednesday, May 9th, 2012 at 14:32:51.
If mystery shoppers are to be believed, Harley-Davidson has the most effective dealership treatment of prospective customers, followed by BMW and Ducati. Indian, Triumph, and Victory tied for fourth, coming in at the industry average.
According to Pied Pier, the survey used 1,653 mystery shoppers between July 2011 and April 2012 to measure sixteen sales process factors, including providing compelling reasons to buy from their dealerships and offering test rides.
The study reveals that Harley's score has finally climbed up to its pre-recession levels of 2008, and that industrywide performance improved substantially from 2011 to 2012, but that there's still "plenty of room for further improvement."
Source: Pied Piper (click to download PDF)
Photo © Harley-Davidson
Harley Tops Dealer Survey, BMW & Ducati Tie for Second originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Tuesday, May 8th, 2012 at 13:59:20.
It's been a year and a half since 9-time MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi, arguably the greatest rider to ever tackle the world's top tier of motorcycle racing, joined forces with Ducati in what was supposed to be an Italian match made in heaven. But the past 18 months have been disastrous, resulting in crashes and injuries, middling finishes, and a brutal reversal of fortune for the 33-year old racer.
Insider sources have indicated that Valentino Rossi will opt to retire from motorcycle racing by the time his two-year contract with Ducati expires at the end of this season-- if not, sooner, but not likely before the Laguna Seca races in July or Indianapolis event in August.
The Telegraph suggests that chief engineer and mentor Jeremy Burgess's departure from MotoGP might have something to do with Rossi's decision. Also fueling the cause could be his promising performance in race car tests, reinforcing daredevil Travis Pastrana's oft-used phrase, "With age, get a cage."
Wherever he lands, Valentino Rossi's exit from MotoGP racing is sure to leave the sport with an irreplaceable hole.
Source: The Telegraph
Photo © Mirco Lazzari
End of an Era: MotoGP Legend Valentino Rossi to Retire by Year's End originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Tuesday, May 8th, 2012 at 04:31:30.
When 29 year-old Ikuo Yokoyama lost three family members and virtually all of his personal possessions to the earthquake and tsunami that destroyed large sections of coastal Japan, he probably never would have guessed that his prized 2004 Harley-Davidson Night Train would ever make its way back home. So imagine his surprise when the bike washed up on the coast of British Columbia, Canada, nearly 4,000 miles away.
Canadian Peter Mark spotted the storage container housing the heavily rusted bike, along with golf clubs, tools, and camping gear. After the motorcycle was traced back to Yokoyama thanks to its VIN number, it was transported to a Victoria, B.C. dealership by Ralph Tieleman, a motorcyclist who was inspired to volunteer his services. Even more impressive, Harley-Davidson of Japan was so moved by the story that they promised to restore the bike.
Of the 1.5 million tons of debris estimated to hit Canadian shores by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, it's hard to imagine anything quite so emotionally invested as a beloved bike. "I would like to thank the man who found my bike in person," the owner said. "Thanks for coming back buddy."
Source: MSNBC/AP, Time
A Heartwarming Tale of Motorcycle Loss and Gain originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Monday, May 7th, 2012 at 03:09:13.
If you're a well-heeled two-wheeled enthusiast, you've got limited options in this wild world of bikes. Legend of the Motorcycle enjoyed its days under the hazy Half Moon Bay sun (and has since morphed into an online site dubbed Bench and Loom), and though bikes have infiltrated the tony Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, they still play second fiddle to four-wheelers at that grassy venue.
This year's Quail Motorcycle Gathering is right around the corner, and the May 5th event highlights Marty Dickerson's "Blue Bike" (the 1948 Vincent Rapide which I featured my book, Legendary Motorcycles) and Dan Gurney's "Alligator Bike." The festivities, which take place in Carmel, California, also include an Indian Motorcycles retrospective.
Event tickets are $65 per person, and $15 for kids 12 and under. On May 4th, the Quail Ride takes 100 miles of Carmel and Salinas Valley back roads, and culminates in a private dinner. The ride will run you $295-- but hey, if you have to ask how much this stuff costs, this probably isn't the event for you.
Source: QuailLodgeTickets.com; Quail Motorcycle Gathering on Facebook
Photo © Quail Gathering
Quail Motorcycle Gathering Holds the Line on Fancy Bikes, Luscious Locales originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012 at 21:45:25.
If you've read my most recent sportbike reviews, you might have grown sick of hearing me tout the benefits of traction control. From my last three superbike track tests, I dug the confidence inspired by the Yamaha R1 and Ducati 1199 Panigale's electronic systems, and critiqued the latest Suzuki GSX-R1000 for its analog setup.
Ex-MotoGP racer Simon Crafar begs to differ. He illustrates his disdain for electronic aids in this Suzuki GSX-R1000 promotional video, a quick but passionate defense of the latest Gixxer that happens to feature a sweet, slo-mo powerslide featuring the famous blue and white superbike.
"Take the power back," he urges. "Take control. Take responsibility. Riding shouldn't be about electronics. The limit is yours, and yours only."
Do you agree?
Source: Superbike Planet; thanks for the tip, Pete!
Photo © YouTube
One (Compelling) Case Against Traction Control originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Tuesday, May 1st, 2012 at 23:34:35.
Long motorcycle rides often involve healthy doses of pain and pleasure, but a lawsuit filed last week adds an odd twist to that paradigm.
The case put forth by 52 year-old Henry Wolf of San Francisco alleges that a four hour ride that took place on May 1, 2010 resulted in a case of priapism, which Webster defines as "a persistent and painful erection of the penis." But this was more than a fleeting swell; Wolf claims the unwanted tumescence lasted no less than 20 months, or nearly two years. Wow.
This two-wheeled Viagra overload equivalent is being blamed on the "ridge-like" seat manufactured by Corbin-Pacific, supposedly because it was "negligently designed, manufactured and/or installed by defendants." Also cited in the claim is BMW, manufacturer of the 1993 bike (model unknown) which he was riding.
Adding insult to (alleged) injury, the plaintiff's lawsuit claims "He is now unable to engage in sexual activity, which is causing him substantial emotional and mental anguish"-- which, in my opinion, begs the question: is there anything-- warranted or otherwise-- that can't be fixed with a court-clogging lawsuit?
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
Photo © BMW Motorrad
Man Sues BMW Motorcycles, Corbin-Pacific For Epic Erection originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Tuesday, May 1st, 2012 at 00:57:30.
In yet another case of internet enthusiasm invoking the long arm of the law, a 25 year-old rider in British Columbia allegedly posted a YouTube video of his 2006 Yamaha R6 R1 hitting 299 km/h (or 185 mph) on public roads, triggering local authorities to slap his mother, the registered owner of the bike, with a nearly $1,500 fine.
But wait, it gets better.
The rider in question doesn't have insurance or a driver's license, and has already amassed 27 traffic infractions and five license suspensions on his record. But because police forces don't have enough evidence for criminal charges, the rider hasn't faced any consequences from his actions (except, perhaps, the wrath of his mama.) "Someone has to take responsibility for this," says the local police sargeant. "If it's not the rider, then we will take action against the registered owner, the mother."
How did they track down the bike? ...
Kid Posts 185 MPH Yamaha R6 R1 Ride on YouTube, Mom Slapped With Massive Fine originally appeared on About.com Motorcycles on Monday, April 23rd, 2012 at 09:03:25.