Hotshots

HOTSHOTS

Not-forgotten V-Max

I've been reading CW for nearly 30 years, but nothing has ever matched the pure entertainment of David Ed wards' May Up Front colunm, "Mad Max found!" If, however, anyone be lieves a nearly stock Yamaha V-Max with a slick and wheelie bar will run deep into the 9s, then this feat should have been repeated hundreds of times by other very talented, lightweight riders. As for the 90-mph wheelies, show me! And I know at least three riders on Honda CBR929RRs and Yamaha YZF-Rls who would tear Mr. Ochs a new butt on his 68-mile stretch of road. The only holes in Ochs' knees came from working on his bike in the garage, not from going around corners! Finally, the story about tear ing a deer in half belongs in "Ripley's Believe It or Not." Great read, though. Ed Killar Eariton, New York

Hey, Edwards, what are you publish ing, a motorcycle magazine or BS monthly? I love the V-Max. I own a `90 model, and I've been everywhere on it. It screams, but keep up with a Gixxer in the twisties? Please! Hitting a deer and cutting it in half? Yeah, right. I've hit a couple of Bambis with cars. One came through the windshield and kicked the hell out of me trying to get back out. The other caved in the front end of my `65 Cadillac! Tom Hartough Spring Hill, Florida

Enjoyed "Mad Max found!" But when I read Leonard Ochs' statement that he'd "never been beat on the street," I had to re spond. Seems he hasn't run across the right bike/rider com bo. Here in southern Ohio, the fastest V-Max I've ever seen ran 10.80 at 125 mph. And that's with street tires, no wheelie bar and a very good rider aboard. Michael Nelson Dayton, Ohio

I enjoy your magazine, and can accept the fact that a reason able amount of hyperbole can be employed to make a story more interesting. If, however, you're willing to print an anec dote about a V-Max rider hit ting a deer and splitting the carcass in half, not only does it make me doubt everything else in the description of the rider's life and ex ploits, but that of other editorials, as well. Perhaps you'd like to publish my account of how I rode the entire John Muir Trail last winter on my Aprilia RSV Mule R? Dick Fisk Lakewood, Colorado

How can we convince Leonard Ochs to run for president? He has my vote! Pat Restaino Newfoundland, New Jersey

Thank you for a superb editorial con cerning a superb motorcycle. By the way, I'm asking $12,000 for Mad Max. Leonard Ochs Albion, California

Dateline Missoula

Just read "Dateline Missoula" (CW, May). Give Peter Egan a raise. He is my favorite motorcycle scribe. John Spencer Monrovia, California

Egan must be a glutton for punishment. I, too, thought British bikes were the best looking, but I would never trust any of them to make it from the Midwest to Washington State! On the outside chance he didn't learn anything from the expen ence, let me offer him some friendly ad vice: He can install all of the bronze valve guides he wants, but the next time it will be something else. That is a fact you can `t change. So, if he ever gets the Un controllable urge to ride west on another neo-steed, tell him to buy a Kawasaki W650. Because of Kawasaki's noncha lant marketing efforts, there are plenty of

still-new examples on dealers' floors. Joe Kiess Indianapolis, Indiana

Nice retro article by Peter Egan on how not to get to Seattle. Was the refer ence to Robert Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance purposely vague just to see if anyone was paying attention? Arthur Ranney Platteville, WI

To paraphrase humorist Patrick Mc Manus, a "fine and pleasant misery" is being lost in the forest 15 miles from the trailhead in a blizzard while wear ing all cotton and Converse All-Stars carrying an 80-pound canvas/plywood pack at night with no food, light or compass. He also says that if your story is not about how you survived

this experience, then you just don't have anything to talk about. Such is "Dateline Missoula." Had Egan ridden a Honda Gold Wing, he'd have had nothing to talk about. Great story. John McKain Bellevue, Washington

Flyweight flywheel?

Concerning David Edwards' riding im pression of Kawasaki's revamped ZX 12R ("Bullet Train," May), specifically his comments about flywheel inertia: I have a hard time swallowing the con tention that reducing flywheel diameter increased inertia, a perception strength ened by the spinning figure skater analo gy, which is backward. Karl Altenhot Canton, Michigan

Yes, the skater analogy was incorrect. Our apologies. But the ZX-12R does indeed have more flywheel effect, even though the crank~ outer diameter is marginally smaller The greater concen tration of weight around the outside di ameter of the crank did, overall, net more flywheel inertia.

Girls, girls, girls

Loved the Hem Gericke ad on page 93 of the May issue. Your magazine should encourage more like it. Lose the dude, and I'll buy their suit. Dktriscb Posted on wwwcycleworld.com

Thumbing through the May issue, I no ticed on page 93 the almost bare bottom of a woman. Ads on pages 91, 108/109, 124/125 also contain provocative pic tures of scantily clad women. Let me just say this: When I renew my subscription, I will no longer go straight to Peter Egan's column-I'll be looking at the ads! Am I being politically incorrect? Proba bly. Do I care? No, not particularly. Kevin Shafer Flint, Michigan

You have a great magazine. May was another good one. But please don't em ulate lesser magazines by allowing the

kind of porn displayed in the Hem Ger icke ad. I've always appreciated the fact that my sons can browse CWwithout my having to worry about its content. I would hate to see that change. Seldon Gifford Wylie, Texas

You guys finally got it right. I have real ly missed the risque pictures of women in your magazine. After 25 years of see ing the beauties come and go, I was pleased to see you made up for it with the May issue. Richard Saften Redding, California

I am 62 years old and ride a `91 Hon da VFR75O. I have subscribed to your magazine for many years, but don't ever remember an advertisement quite like the one for Hem Gericke in the May issue. I am afraid that I will have to cancel my subscription if you bow to all the politically correct no-lifers and their whining, pansy-like protestations. It was a beautiful ad, and will only encourage me to buy more of their ap parel-and maintain my subscription to Cycle World! Vaughn Teegarden Bristol, Virginia

I love your magazine and faithftilly read it cover-to-cover every month (serious ly!). I was, however, disappointed when I came across May's Hem Gericke ad. Now, I enjoy beauty as much as the next guy, but in its proper place. I buy your magazine to drool over the bikes, and al ways show the pictures to my 6-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son. Not this is sue! I understand you're making a lot of revenue from advertising, but is it worth making my wife unhappy? She's already jealous of my bike! Malt Repucci Carbondale, Illinois

Just got the May issue with that very hot Hem Gericke ad. Now, I know the repressed purists will whine, "Cancel my subscription! If I wanted porn, I'd get Playboy." Well, good on ya! I like politically incorrect ads. Keep up the good work. TSgt. Bill Ruiz Holloman AFB, New Mexico

I have subscribed to CW for a number of years, and enjoy reading the road tests, travel articles and Peter Egan. I was very disappointed by the Hem Gericke ad in the May issue. It is degrading to women, and uncalled for in a magazine that ends up on the coffee table where my wife, daughter and granddaughters might have the oppor tunity to see it. Please refrain from this sort of advertising. George Abbas Lakewood, Colorado

I was reading the May issue when I got to page 93 and decided that I needed a new jacket. Thanks! Bruce O'Rourke Port Angeles, Washington

Fans of Flyers

Two nights ago,"i opened my fresh-outof-the-mailbox CW and chanced upon Ola Stenegard's "Kaminari" Honda ("American Flyers," May). My chin hit the floor, and I'm not even a cruiser guy! This bike must be manufactured just as it sits. We deserve it. John Donovan Montville,. New Jersey

Your "American Flyers" series is the greatest! I was really moved by Ola Stenegard's VTR-based chopper. C'mon, Honda, build it. Burr Leufven Los Anaeles. California

Oh, my God. I am in love. The "Blue Groove" Yamaha XS650 does it for me. I'm cussing myself for having sold my XS650 20 years ago for a measly $400! Brent Wann Amarillo, Texas

Great magazine! I enjoy read ing about all types of bikes, es pecially the "American Flyers." I am always amazed by what builders can do when they break out of the mold and build bikes the way they want them. Mike Rehberg Rockford, Illinois

Thanks for May's articles on readers' old iron-especially the "greenframe" > Ducati, and American Flyers "Café Espresso" and "Bonneville Bob-Job." Time to hit the garage and start the process myself. Let's see, maybe a 1965 Ducati 250 Monza with a green frame and Brembos... Ed Fink Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania

Yammie yammerings

Just when I thought my mostly mid dle-aged arse was done buying unnec essary toys, Yamaha decides to bless us with the previously Euro-only FJR1300. Well, there goes the hair transplant and liposuction money I'd been hiding between the mattresses! Not a bad trade for the 145-bhp, butt kickin' sport-tourer, though. I might be old, but I'm not dead. Mall Miller Six Lakes, Michigan

On a recent trip to Switzerland, I was anticipating seeing an FJR1300. I spent a week and a half searching all the Yamaha dealers in Basel, but none had an FJR on the floor. Then, the day before I was to return, I stopped in a nice little bike shop to purchase a cou ple of souvenir rainsuits, and the gen tieman there referred me to a mechan ic down the street. There she was, sit ting on her sidestand, staring at me with her insect eyes! I spent more than an hour checking her out. The battery was removed, so I did not get to hear her sing, but for every one of us who put our deposits down, be assured that there is something really cool coming our way. Antonis Deves Albuquerque, New Mexico

Yamaha heard us! Received the news that the FJR1300 is finally coming to the U.S. Can't wait until August to see the bike in person! Anyone interested in a low-mileage `01 H-D Fat Boy? Rick Schroeder Neenah, Wisconsin

Yamaha's decision to bring the FJR1300 to the U.S. is fantastic news. I predict this fine Euro-tourer will put a substantial dent in the sales of over priced BMWs. Now, Yamaha has to make its Ri 150R-fighter, the BT1 100 Bulldog, available to American riders, as well. Let the next letter-writing cam paign begin! Steve Biro Freehold, New Jersey

Okay, now we know the FJR1300 is coming to the U.S. So, the obvious ques tion is when will CW compare Yamaha's supersport-tourer to Kawasaki's ZZ R1200? Put the optional Givi saddle bags on the Kawi and have a "no-holds barred" shootout! Heck, throw the Honda ST 1300 into the mix, too! Brian Dover Louisville, KY

cwrv

Speedvision has now become the NASCAR channel, thanks to Fox, and motorcycle programming has been moved to the back shelf again. May I suggest a new channel called Cycle World? I'll watch. Mark Braunschweig Elli jay, Georgia

Enough with the NASCAR already! I'm considering moving Speed Channel from my list of favorite television chan nels, since every time I turn it on, NASCAR is being discussed, discussed and discussed. Move those programs to 3 a.m. People who want to watch them can record them. Glen Brach Littleton, Colorado