Hotshots

HOTSHOTS

ILLUSTRATION BY HECTOR CADEMARTORI

Retro Rage!

After reading Peter Egan’s review of the new Triumph Scrambler (CW, May), I drove down to my nearest dealer and purchased the blue/white version. I learned to ride on a 1972 Honda 100 scrambler, and the new Triumph has the same ergos and handling characteristics only on a larger scale.

It’s a blast to ride in the city and out on country roads. Everywhere I go, old and young alike gather and gawk. I have been a faithful 20-year member of the Milwaukee Bunch, but to a lot of people it was getting to be more about the machine than the riding. I’ll always keep my ’97 Heritage Springer; after traveling through all lower 48 states and attending 11 consecutive Sturgis Rallys, there are just too many good memories. However, it’s refreshing not to have to put on my “black uniform" before a ride. Liberate yourself, hop on a Scrambler! Wayne Kozak

Overland Park, Kansas

I love the looks of the new Triumph 900 Scrambler, but it's overweight. Why are sportbikes so much lighter? Are their engines that much lighter? Frames? Wheels? Suspensions? It seems to me that a 150-horsepower superbike is the one that would need the stronger, heavi er chassis. Brian Thieme

North Lauderdale, Florida

So, some people see the new Scrambler as 20 horsepower down and 50 pounds too heavy? If you grew up in the Sixties, you might see the bike in a different light: No oil dripping from beneath the cases, good electrics, greatly improved brakes, a factory oil-cooler, starts when you want it to-and you don’t even have to kick! As Don Canet stated in his “Editor’s Note,” the Scrambler offers “a relaxed ride down memory lane.” I’ll take one in red, thank you. John Griffin Minden

Los Angeles, California

“Retro” sounds like something George Jetson’s dog Astro might say. Sorry, off track. Back now. Joe G. Bugna Scotts Valley, California

Going Commando?

The May issue was almost too much to take. Fantastic articles on the Triumph 900 Scrambler and Ducati Paul Smart 1000 and to top it all off an article on the 2007 Kenny Dreer Norton 961 Commando! Hopefully Dreer succeeds in bringing Norton back to production. He’s spent a lot of time and effort building one of the bestlooking motorcycles of recent times. He put his money where his mouth is. So, having never talked to the guy, I put my money where my mouth is and ordered a new Commando three months ago.

Harvey Sutherland Lancombe, Alberta, Canada

Mr. Dreer, about your 961 Norton: No matter if it means divorce, financial ruin or involuntary confinement to an institution for the minimally insane, I must have one!

Richard Worth Churchton, Maryland

Did I miss something? Did they just legalize MaryJane in California and not tell somebody? Must have, because Messers Edwards and Hoyer have been smoking something. In his comments about the Norton 961, Edwards says, “Looks like a proper Norton, too, recognizable to the faithful.. .” Say what?! I showed the article to several vintage bike friends after covering the Norton graphics, and not a single person guessed it was the new Commando. And these guys know Nortons! To me, it looks more like Honda Hawk meets naked-bike-du-jour.

Then Hoyer chimes in that the Ducati Paul Smart 1000 “doesn’t actually look all that much like Smart’s 750.” Say what squared?! I guess he missed the trellis frame, L-engine design and silver-metalflake fairing. Come clean, did you guys play article Scrabble and misplace your “comments-sense”? Okay, keep up the good work and don’t bogart that joint, my friend. Rick Hermanns

Cincinnati, Ohio

Seems like you and your pals have the higher-quality hallucinogens, there, Rick. For the record, Smart’s original Imola Ducati 750 racer had a conventional backbone-type frame and a full fairing. Sadly, Norton has bigger problems than you guys not recognizing its obvious throwback styling cues. The $10 million needed to fund production was not raised and in mid-April the company suspended operations, laid off workers, declined to renew the lease on its Gladstone, Oregon, headquarters and was in the process of returning deposits. “It’s not as bad as it seems; we ’re not shutting down the company,” said Bruce Murdock, former Norton CEO now retained as consultant and spokesman. “We ’re cutting expenses to the bone and looking for investors, strategic partners or the right buyer who can accelerate our vision of getting the bike into production.”

Big words, big trouble

I was somewhat surprised with May’s “Retroactivity” column by David Edwards (VP/Editor-in-Chief). I guess I was under the misconception that the person at the top of the Cycle World food chain would be literate well-informed and (ahem) mature. Guess not. On the first point, the word, Mr. Edwards, is “gestation,” not “gesticulation,” which you incorrectly used to describe the Norton 961 ’s birthing period. You then go on to endorse riding around town without any protective gear. I guess you’ve never seen the statistics that most motorcycle accidents occur close to home. And finally, strike three, your “show-off strafing run” on the window-rattling Norton past your co-worker’s office. While there are many who view this childish behavior as acceptable, there are as many motorcyclists who find it offensive, irresponsible and ammunition for the anti-cycle crowd.

In short, Mr. Edwards, grow up. Don’t discourage people to ride safely, and stick to two-syllable words. Bruce Basarab Pipersville, Pennsylvania

No defense for the inadvertent gesticulation juxtaposition, but Edwards certainly did not endorse riding without protective gear, instead suggesting that one of the appeals of lower-performance, retro-style bikes is that you don’t have to dress up “like a bomb-squad technician ’’for a simple cross-town ride. And to point out that most motorcycle accidents “occur close to home ” is a silly interpretation of statistics, like saying most bathtub accidents occur in the bathroom. The vast majority of riding, in fact, occurs close to home, hence that’s where the accidents take place, too.

Gesticulation?! Did you ask your doctor for a valedictorian when you didn’t want any more kids? And I thought Cernicky was the goofy one. Dion Hansen

Ventura, California

For those of us who read every word: “Gesticulation” is when you, for instance, flip an Escalade the bird.

Charlie Mitchell Florence, Oregon

Either I do not understand the subtlety of your writing, or this is your way of seeing if anyone is really reading your editorials-or you flunked your journalism classes. Which is it? AI Shukle

Deland, Florida

It’s the big words that’ll drop you to your knees. Ken Bailey

Fenton, Michigan

Dear Mr. Edwards, I just wanted to point out, probably for the millionth time, that >

you meant “gestation” when you typed “gesticulation.” Gesticulation is what you probably did, wildly, to whomever was responsible for copy-editing at your otherwise fine magazine. (In the interest of fairness, I should point out that the multitude of other words in your magazine seem correct and that I have no life.)

David Jacobowitz Brockport, New York

Thereby avoiding pesky multi-syllable words

You know, you could publish a perfectly good motorcycle magazine with Kevin Cameron at one end, Paul Dean’s Service at the other and a whole lot of those beautiful Brian Blades photos in the middle. Just a thought. Richard Worth

Churchton, Maryland

Welcome to Bike Week, now go away

I just got back from Daytona Beach Bike Week where I paid Bruce Rossmeyer’s huge new Destination Daytona dealership (Roundup, May) a visit. Unbelievable! Acres of T-shirts, wallets with chains, shiny chrome doo-dads, children’s clothing, beer steins, bandannas, boots, handbags, jackets, knives, Christmas orna-

ments and racks of limited-edition collectibles.

But when I pulled my totally restored 1952 Panhead in for an oil change, I was told they couldn’t do it! One drain plug, one fill plug, job done, right? Nope, not here! We only work on modern bikes, I was told. I rode a couple of miles down the road to a small shop called Thunder Alley-oil changed in 10 minutes. Support your small independent bike shop; they support you. Gary Welliil

Higganum, Connecticut

Saddle up!

I was quite surprised with the unfavorable experience you described in your April evaluation of a Rick Mayer Cycle Saddle. In the last 12 years, I’ve ordered three saddles from Rick and couldn’t be happier with the seats, the service and or the ordering process. In fact, seven other guys in my riding group have ordered a total of 12 seats over the years, and every one of them speaks glowingly of Mayer. Only one of us has ever had to send his seat back for some minor tweaking, and the job was done willingly and without any complaint.

I’ve never met Rick in person, only on the phone and through e-mail, but he’s

always been delightful to work with. If your writer didn’t send in the right and complete information, he shouldn’t expect a perfect saddle back the first time. Mayer is known throughout the BMW world as a genius, and he wouldn’t have earned that reputation if he were difficult to deal with. Dr. Martin Hawkins

Arlington Heights, Illinois

I’ve never heard a bad word about Maybe your guy had a bad case of Don’t-you-knowwho-I-am-itis? Bob Hoot Dallasjexas

Try the calamari

To all those who returned your 2006 Yamaha YZF-R6 because it didn’t rev to 17,500 rpm: Congratulations, you passed Yamaha’s squid test.

Jason Eagan, Mi