Hotshots
HOTSHOTS
Ten Best back-n-forth
I was surprised at Cycle World's choice for the Best Sport Tourer (“Ten Best Bikes,” July). The BMW K1200GT is a nice machine, but to vote it over Honda’s new ST1300 is an insult.
Yes, the GT has heated grips/seat, cruise control and optional GPS. It also weighs more than the ST-ABS, carries less in its hard bags and can only travel 160 miles on a tank of gas. The Honda has a better warranty and costs $3500 less. With the $3500 saved, one could easily purchase a heated seat from Corbin, add the heated grips, cruise control and GPS and still have money left over.
The ST is a totally new machine, while the GT is just a K1200RS with a larger fairing and colored bags added. Check the next Iron Butt Rally and count how many GTs enter, then how many STs. Phillip Meier
Jamesburg, New Jersey
What a fantastic lineup, easily the most diverse group of manufacturers (seven) to make CWs Top Ten list in more than a decade. Throw in the Honorable Mentions and it’s 10! Without doubt, you will receive plenty of letters beginning, “How could you leave out...,” but I applaud your choices. Any staff positions open? I work for fuel! Michael Pantazis Van Nuys, California
The Suzuki SV650, CWs pick as Best Standard? ’Bout bloody time, mates! Riding the SV is like the memory of the first time you made it to “second base”-the warm rush, that voice of your inner child singing at the top of his lungs! Gordon Greninger, Jr.
Joplin, Missouri
Apparently your childhood was a little more interesting than ours, Gordo.
How does one pick the Ten Best Bikes of the year? First, get all the currently available bikes made on the planet. Next, cover the odometers up. Ride, ride, ride for 11 months. Then uncover the odometers, and the bikes with the most miles in each category wins. I’m sure you can find plenty of volunteers.
Steven Bosarge Biloxi, Mississippi
As long as they workfor fuel and steer clear of the euphoric Mr. Greninger on his SV650...
The Victory Vegas, number-one cruiser? It didn’t win on cornering clearance! Other than the idea that it’s new, what are the merits of this machine? A while back, the Suzuki V-Strom was the newest, highest-touted whatchamacallit on the block, but I have never seen one on the road, and my local dealer can’t seem to sell them. So, will this “VicNess-tory” sell? We’ll see.
John Poynter Stockton, California
The KTM 950 Adventure as a Ten Bester?! Wow, a 500-pound dual-sport with a too-hard seat and glitchy carburetion for $12K? Currently, in the classifieds there is a V-Strom for $6500 and a DR-Z400E for $3500. You could use part of the $2K left over to buy a shed to store them in, or to get started on expanding that garage. Bruce Kowallck Vienna, New Jersey
Hail the Burger King
Always enjoy your Ten Best Bikes issue, but what I propose is a new category, for those of us urbanites who actually use the bikes every damn day, as transportation, no less. Call it Best Commuter, Best City Bike or Best Everyday Rider, whatever. Let me give you a few of the criteria for the winner in my proposed competition.
The Best City Bike will: 1) get good gas mileage; 2) be easy to clean-no exposed cooling fins or dumb-ass niggly doodads; 3) be simple to maintain-shaft or belt drive preferred; 4) be big enough
to be seen, small enough to be nimble in traffic; 5) have a comfortable, upright riding position; 6) have a broad powerband to minimize shifting; 7) have sufficient power for highway speeds; 8) have an easy, light clutch ’cause nothing’s worse than feathering along in stop-and-go traffic; 9) better yet, no clutch at all; 10) be as safe as possible-good lighting, ABS, etc.; 11) have substantial luggage capacity; 12) have some kind of weather protection as a bonuswe don’t all live in Southern California, ya know; and 13) have an auxiliary power supply for heated vests, etc.
I thought I had a great city bike in my naked 1992 BMW K75; finally the constant clutching in traffic wore me down, and I’ve punted it for the Suzuki 650 Burgman, essentially a gi-normous hybrid scooter/motorcycle with computerized CVT auto transmission. The “Burger King” has everything I want, carves a corner nicely and absolutely rocks on the highway, believe it or not.
Bravo to Suzuki, for taking North American commuters seriously.
Craig Jones Vancouver, Canada
Er, maybe a quick flip to page 64 is in order, Craig?
eBay okay
I sat down today with my June issue. Per usual, turned to David Edwards’ Up Front, read his first sentence about email spam, and just about died laughing. You nailed my e-mail inbox on the head!
Bryan Edwards Wichita, Kansas
Edwards’ lead to “eBay Beezer” was right on the money. Seems we get almost the same unsolicited e-mail (discount golf balls?). I can’t count the many cold Ohio winter nights I’ve spent poring over eBay Motors ads. I have found the most arcane parts, stuff you might never stumble across walking swapmeets. Very few things are better than eBay Motors...okay, maybe Christina Aguilera in the nude! Rick Hermanns
Cincinnati, Ohio
Editor Edwards’ chopped BSA is a great-looking bike and I fully agree with his assessment of the wonderful world of eBay Motors. Recently, I purchased a rare 1961 Omega Sport Special 125 (rebadged Kawasaki, for the uninitiated), engine #18. It was missing the front fender, sidecovers and a few small items, all hard to find. Shortly thereafter, a ’66 model came up for sale on eBay, with almost everything I needed. A few bids later, it was mine, and I’m now combining the two to make a nice little classic ride. Jim Lucia
Winter Park, Florida
Last summer, my Kawasaki EX500’s rotor and stator had a disagreement. After calling the dealer and getting an estimate on parts, I sought an alternate method. eBay to the rescue! A rotor and stator, normally $900 the pair, mine for $150! Also needed a new gas tank-at the dealers $300; on eBay $30!
Thanks for making those of us on a budget feel good about our eBay purchases. Jody Natoli
Manassas, Virginia
A couple of months ago, I joined eBay Motors to help develop the motorcycle portion of the site. I was delighted to see that you chose to write about the company, and even more pleased to hear that you had such a positive experience. It’s always great to hear success stories from buyer and sellers.
By the way, nice work on the stats, you were dead-on. People are surprised to learn that so many bikes/parts/apparel/accessories are listed and sold on the site. In fact, here’s another little stat that might interest you: In the month of April, a motorcycle sold on eBay Motors every seven minutes!
Curtis Kroeker
Senior Manager, eBay Motors San Jose, California
Translation, please
I’ve just spent a quiet Sunday morning perusing the motorcycles on eBay, per my weekend ritual. To date, I’ve bought four bikes and sold two, not to mention the buying/selling of countless parts. I’m a junkie. Given my experience in this area, I would like to offer the following guide to eBay jargon:
Streetfighter-owner crashed-out every piece of bodywork and lived to tell about it.
Custom Streetfighter-as above, but remnants painted purple.
Easy Fix-with new forks, frame, wheels and engine.
Low Miles-Midwest & New England, 15K or less; West Coast, just under six digits.
Everything Works-sidestand actually supports the bike.
Good Tires-tubes hold air for 6 hours and are not showing through the cracks in the sidewalls.. .yet.
New Paint-Krylon resists rust.
New Battery-was new when installed 16 years ago.
Ran When Parked-see “New Battery,” above.
Runs Good-the resulting mushroom cloud is helpful during mosquito season. > Rare-only one on this page, at least in this color.
Rare 700cc-owner never heard of Harley tariff.
Sold As Is, Where Is-owner will help extract weeds and vines.
Super Clean-just trailered to the local power wash this past week.
All Original-except for exhaust, extended forks, K&N filters, paint, etc.
Just Needs Carbs Cleaned-see “Ran When Parked,” above.
Needs (Part), Can be Found on eBay for $10—it will take a year of tireless searching to locate, then cost at least $75.
I hope this is helpful. Let’s be careful out there. Robert Wantin
Costa Mesa, California
Six of one...
Just had to give a big thumbs-up to the unique Honda CBX-based “Super Six” concept bike (Roundup, July) by Dais Nagao! Definitely in the love-itor-hate-it category, which is where all daring concepts should be if they are truly pushing the envelope. Even though the elongated, finned nose and bugeye lights seem to be inspired by the face of a mandrill baboon, I for one love it! Please tell me someone (hello, Honda) is taking a production cue.
Carlson Colomb
Ottawa, Canada
If the “Super Six” is the future of motorcycling, please just kill me now.
DeWitt Henderson
Arlington, Texas
Multi-whatta?
I’m really intrigued by the new Ducati Multistrada (July, 2003). There are a lot of great bikes available now, but none make me take a second look like the Multistrada does. I keep trying to decide if it’s beautiful or not, though. Isn’t that what art is supposed to do?
Dana Chicca Swansea, Massachusetts Please publish an in-depth review of the Ducati Multistrada as soon as possible. A clean and compact liter-class entry has me scrambling for disposable income.
Bill Phillips Monrovia, California
Enough is enough! Ducati, please fire Pierre Terblanche! This man has turned a line of the sexiest motorcycles ever made into a line of sideshow freaks! First, he ruins the SS line, then the 999, and now the worst of all, the Multistrada, which is too hideous for words! Don’t let this man get anywhere near the Monster line, or all is lost! Art Zoilo Columbus, Ohio
Bad Boyz
Much like Jesse Jackson, reader Gary Cooper does not speak for all AfricanAmerican motorcyclists when he takes Editor Edwards to task for his “racist” review of the movie Biker Boyz (Hotshots, July). As an African-American, I was appalled at just how bad Biker Boyz was. Actually, it was so bad that I was embarrassed as a motorcyclist and as an African-American-1 just don’t know which part of me was more embarrassed!
Micah Elliott Southfield, Michigan
Gary, even putting Marlon Brando and Peter Fonda through time machines couldn’t save that movie. John Hila Keansburg, New Jersey
Hey, we just print ’em
So, regarding July’s Slipstream, the guy standing on the Honda Scrambler has a six-shooter in each hand! What’s he doin’?
Newell Thornton
Salt Lake City, Utah
Not sure, but we it has
to do
with warm rushes and the voice inner
Id singing at the top of his lungs...
