Steve G.

As a passionate motorcyclist I am trying my best here. This comparo is quite accurate. Let us go through the facts. [1] Four wheeled machines have a devastating advantage in cornering. Period. [2] Braking, while in theory, and when looking at the equipment, should favour the bike. But, brakes these days in cars, espessially high end super cars, are literally fool proof, able to consistantly brake at the maximum every time. Unless you are in the 10% of the best of motorcyclists, you won't have the skills to use the brakes at maximum on a bike. [3] The power/weight ratio is clearly favoured on the bike. This advantage to gain time lost in the corners can really only be used out of corners, and up to speeds of around 150 mph, seeing as bikes have a huge disadvantage aerodynamically. And the bike rider must use this power smartly, not wasting power by having the front in the air. If you are going to campare bikes and cars, it does make sense to compare the best of the best. So lets say a ZX10 vs a Ferrari Enzo. The bike will have but a chance on a track of medium straights, and corners. A track of very long straights will clearly favour the car, able to make use of it's 210 mph top speed. On a very tight track, the advantage will go to the car again, taking advantage of it's 1.3G cornering ability. The test we saw definitely could have been more interesting had they used a more common place GSXR 1000 or ZX10, even the more powerfull Ducati 999R. But I think they gave the run of the mill 999 a fair shake, giving it a track where it had a chance. Ciao, Steve G.

A buddy of mine who is a motorcycle journalist [dream job right!] has just returned from the Breva 1100 world launch in Siena, Italia which was last Tuesday. All he could say was "heck of a story here, I'll tell you all about it when I get back". So I will relay any info he gives me of the launch. Busy guy, he was in Rome the week before for the launch of a new Piaggio Vespa. He said he was scared shitless riding around the centre of Rome on a Vespa. My personal thoughts on the Breva? Sorry guys, I think it's butt ugly. Ciao, Steve G.

Motorcycle Diaries is a pleasant little movie. Considering the Norton ES2 survives less than 1/2 the movie, and meets with a miserable end through total abuse and neglect, they could have picked a better name for the movie. Of course it had nothing to do with the bike, it was all about Chez Gavara and his growing passion for the poor and the deprived. Not a ground breaker by any means, but a nice break from the usual crap out of Hollywood. Ciao, Steve G.

Surely this is the stereotype that will end up forcing governments to ban the motorcycle altogether! My lord, will it ever end? The weather has been nice here lately, [although freezing compared to Maui last week] and they are coming out of the woodwork. The beanie helmet. The bandana across the nose in the mornings. The seating position most easily described as someone making love to a 200 yr old turtle. Blipping the throttle, not to keep the thing running, but to attract attention to the loveliness of the scene! I'll stop now, you all have an idea why my dentist tells me to stop grinding my teeth. It's all good, I saw one of these mountainous marshmallows drop his new H.D. at a stoplight this afternoon, not 200 yds from the H.D. dealer, and a great big crowd at the 4 lane intersection. Looks good on ya bucky! Should have left the training wheels on! Ciao, Steve G.

Do not assume you can just cross the border with a vehicle these days. To stop stolen vehicles being sent to different jurisdictiions, where stolen status cannot be traced, there have been new steps adopted by both federal governments. Assume that you must do what a Canadian must now do when purchasing a bike from the U.S. . We must first check to see if the vehicle is allowed into our country by checking the Federal DMV to see if it's allowed in our country. We must inform U.S. Customs. And quite importantly, we must transfer ownership of the machine in the U.S., to confirm to Canadian Customs that we own the machine. That may involve purchasing temporary insurance in the foreign country. Also, in our country, there is a waiting time before confirmation, and then it must be safety checked by the one firm in Canada that is contracted by Canada Transport, and you guessed it, Canadian Tire. Do all the steps, and it is easy. Omit any, and beware the wrath of a Federal Civil Servant [Oh my God!]. Ciao, Steve G.

Next month I'm going to be at the Corsa Moto Classica, at Willow. I havn't been out there since I was a little kid, before the race track. What kind of hotels can one expect at Rosamond or Lancaster? Ciao, Steve G.

I guess I'm from a different planet. I never realized you had to align the rear wheel on a shaft drive bike. Ciao, Steve G.

I used to own a Ducati Paso. It was a lovely little thing, when it ran! After countless attempts to fix the problems, 2 yrs of no dealer in Western Canada, and too many times getting phone calls to go riding, only to have to take the old Kawi 750 cause the Duck wouldn't run, I traded it for another bike, which I still have. As well, the lovely Desmo system eliminates, or at least slows down the back yard mechanic. I've completely rebuilt a 24 valve in line 6 with no worries, and I found the desmo system cranky to work on, and I had only the 2 valve Phantah based engine. Now I have a Guzzi. All I need is a chisel and a brick to do a tune up. Ciao, Steve G.

I read somewhere that Fram oil filters is having issues with their teflon impregnated oil filters, the stuff is coming off and clogging oil journals or something. I can't confirm this, of course, so will stand corrected either way. I've never been big on telfon additives you put in your oil. As I see it, if the stuff was real good, all the oil companies would have it in their oils. Ciao, Steve G.

Rather than get into favourite brands, and synthetic vs non synthetic, I'll just say that it must be GL-5 rated, and to use some common sense with regard to temperature when running it vs the use of a non multigrade oil. Ciao, Steve G.

So let me get this straight Jaap. The helmet split in two when you were pushing the inner padding in ??? Glad it happened now. Sorry about the loss of the paint work. Ciao, Steve G.

If it's favourite bikes you are looking for, well my favourite are below this sentence! Ciao, Steve G.

Yeah, this is kind of fun. It is difficult though. I mean, how to define best. Best at what? Best for motorcycling? Best for the rider? And as much as we may think it not possible, 'best' can easily be confused for 'favourite'. I will tell you this. Any of you who ride new machines, of any make, should in all honesty admit the fact that the quality of machines are getting better and more user friendly every year, and I for one will say that the best bikes there are right now are the ones that are being made right now. 5 yrs from now, those new ones will be the best. With that in mind, I will list the 10 machines that I think warrant a nod as landmark, or technical leap bikes for their period, again a tough thing. [1] 1885 Damlier Einspur. Essentially an engine test bed rather than originating as a motorcycle, still, it is the first "single track" motorized vehicle! [2] 1928 Brough Superior SS100. The first road going machine confirmed and guaranteed to do 100mph. Enough said. [3] 1958 Honda Super Cub. It might have been the sohc 750 Honda that put the final nail in the coffin for almost every other non Japanese maker including all of England, but it was this little machine that built the coffin. The biggest selling machine ever! [4] 1999 Suzuki Hyabusa. It is now confirmed. This is and always be the fastest production motorcycle ever made. A true 5 star collector machine of the future! [5] 1994 Britten. The last and most potent of the evolution of this wonderous machine, inspired by a true genious. I remember the early years of this bike, racing for several years on the west coast of Canada by John Britten's buddy and transplanted Kiwi Gary Goodfellow, here at the old Westwood track. I remember this thing booming through the trees there, and vividly remember being there at the IOM 94, when John himself, and Nick Jeffries [Mark Farmer had died on the Thursday practice] rode these monsters into downtown Douglas to a Bata shoe store. He took on the factory [Ducati] and whipped 'em. [6] 1969 Honda 750. This thing changed the motorcycle industry. Not the first production inline 4, but as a whole package, it killed England, and almost killed all of Italy, and BMW, in bike production. [7] 1894 Hidebrand & Wolfmuller. The first 'production' for sale motorcycle. [8] 1939 Triumph Speed Twin. This machine revolutionized, and finally made popular the thought of non- single cylinder motorcycles, once thought to be faster than 'multis'. [9] 1954 Moto Guzzi v8 500. The technological tour-de-force of it's time. If not essentially still-born by the racing pull out of Guzzi, it would have advanced motorcycles decades. [10] 1946 Vespa 100. The longest produced motorcycle ever. It singlehandedly mobilized Italia, crushed after WW2. Well, I didn't really go by the rules, but as I don't own any of these, I can say it's not a popularity thing. About the only one I would really own would be the Busa, it's the only really usable one for today, for me. And, probably the easiest to obtain today. Ciao, Steve G.

With the revs it was running, it had to be a 600 japper. Ciao, Steve G.

Hi Bill, If you don't feel like the long drive to Ballard, check out the place in Sumas, 200 yds south of the border crossing on the left. You will have to go south of the border for good Mexican. There is quite a population established in the Sumas/Bellingham/Lynden triangle as a result of the farming area north-east of Bellingham. I've been to Mexico many times, and this is as traditional as it gets. Can't recall the name of the place, but hey, Sumas? Blink twice and you are on your way to Mt. Baker. Ciao, Steve G.

You summed it up pretty well Baldini. Except I rarely bet or wager, and would never enter into a contest or wager with someone who feels it is neccessary to "nuke" me. This fellow who wishes this on the Canadians he has been engaged in, is obviously so geographically challenged he fails to realize that "nuking" us would in fact "nuke" himself in the process, so close our residences are. I'm sure glad this "Captain Fantastic" is not sitting underground somewhere with his finger on the button! Ciao, Steve G.

Like Harley, there is a trtend out there to laugh at Buells, but if they use the Vrod engine, it will be a serious machine. How are they going to fit that massive [physically] engine into the average Buell chassis? Ciao, Steve G.

What about me Brian? I mean I don't want you to buy me dinner, but I want to join in. You talking about Jim's restaurant? Ciao, Steve G. Please don't make it within 2 weeks. I'm heading off to Maui for a bit.

An R1, or R6?

Is this a trick Jim? Like, it's a Yamaha TZR. Maybe I just don't get it. Ciao, Steve G.

Gosh, you're scaring me silly! Ciao, Steve G.

It is a Group 111 oil, so quite good. I know of it, and I feel is is expensive compared to other similar oils. Jim, I urge you to read the info on this site http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/Oils1.html Ciao, Steve G.

If you're going to use the word Canuck [golly, he's trying to push a button Brian] at least spell it correctly, like they do here. Ciao, Steve G.

I thought it was a Y2K. And the Dodge V10 powered thingie, the Dodge Tomahawk. I saw it at Sears point 2 yrs ago, at a display. They fired it up every 1/2 hr, sounded kind of neat. Ciao, Steve G.

I installed one 2 wks ago. The LED light is very bright, and brilliant, when directly behind the bike. The LEDs appear to be directional, as when you walk to one side, the light disappears. The kit leaves an area open to spray from the rear tire, about 4 by inches, and the area in question includes the tool roll, ECU, and relay area. This is something I'm working on now. It does clean up the bike, eliminating the fender yes, but it looks to me as though if I get stuck in the rain, I might get spray on my back. Plan on fiddling for at least 3 hrs installing it. Ciao, Steve G.