Hotshots

HOTSHOTS

The Great Duck Debate of 2007

Again, I find myself in love with a beautiful Italian (“Ducati 1098,” January) and must find a way to bring her into my life. Oh, sweet 1098, come home soon and hang with your older brother 996. Ducati, I can’t thank you enough.

Dave Longden Charlottesville, Virginia

I welcome the new look of the latest Ducati over the industrial 999; it’s rather Ferrari-esque. However, I think Yamaha was a few years ahead; the 1098 is amazingly (redundantly?) similar to the R1. Ducati does Japanese?!

Kevin Webb Mill Valley, California

On Monday, I received in the mail my check from a home-equity loan, which was for my son’s college tuition, some home improvements, etc. Your January issue arrived the same day, with a 160hp, $14,995 Ducati 1098 right there on the cover! Are you guys nuts? Trying to get me divorced? Keep it up and I’ll have to move in with one of you!

Neil Christie

Cedarburg, Wisconsin

I’m unimpressed with the new Ducati 1098. The 916 was a design icon and the 999 had some personality-ugly, but a personality after all. To me, the 1098 looks like a cross between a Yamaha YZF-R1 and a Triumph Daytona 675.

Armando Camacho Guadalajara, Mexico

Ducati, thank you for a motorcycle I can once again lust after. I wouldn’t “kick the 999 outta bed for eatin’ crackers,” but the 1098 is a true supermodel.

M. Todd Massie Troy, Illinois

Can Mr. Christie move in with you?

Johnny B, good

Thanks for bringing John Burns back (“Hell on Wheels,” January). It reminded me just how much I’ve missed his writing (and ranting). He was the perfect choice to write about the Confederate Hellcat. He distilled it right down to what it is-a semi-functional trophy for those with excess disposable income. As usual, he made the point in an engaging and enjoyable read. Please keep Johnny B moonlighting.

Mike Fair Goshen, Ohio

I can’t tell you how delighted I was in finding John Burns’ byline attached to the article on the Confederate Hellcat. Burns’ unique style of writing is surely being wasted in the advertising world where he currently claims to be making a living. Please, Mr. Editor Edwards, do your reading public a huge favor and promise him anything-even technical advice on how to get the Jagrolet out of his garage, freeing space for a motorcycle-to get him back into the fold as truly a contributing editor.

Steve Belville Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Regarding John Burns’ evaluation of the Confederate Hellcat: You really ought to pay the man whatever it takes to bring him on-staff full-time. His style is unvarnished, honest, creative, outrageous, down-

to-earth and a hoot to read. Best road test I’ve read in years-maybe ever. At the very least give him more assignments. Gary Fackler

Newark, California

Hurray for John Burns! Thank you for speaking the big V-Twin truth: The Confederate King has no clothes! We miss you, Johnny, you are the Hunter S. Thompson of moto-joumalism. Hang tight, dude-some of us still believe in telling it like it is! Long live the “Bitter Little Man.”

Jammin’ Jeff Bogart Dudley, Pennsylvania

What a great review of the Hellcat. What exactly are those guys at Confederate smoking? Gotta the funniest writeof any vehicle ever.

Jeff Sheridan Hatboro, Pennsylvania

I work, read, listen to music, keep up on current affairs, look up words I don’t know the meaning of and ride motorcycles. I’m just your normal 58-year-old middle-class family guy who enjoys life, so let me make this as simple as possible: Matt Chambers and his Confederate Design Manifesto are a “shock of crit.” Mike Rigsby

Dallas, Texas

I hope Mr. Burns didn’t cost you too much Confederate advertising revenue.

If it’s any consolation, I will always be glad to read anything John contributes to your fine magazine. And kudos to Don > (“Evil Twin”) Canet for trying to smooth things over. Jeff Hudspeth

J.P. Burns’ snide, whining review of the Confederate Hellcat is the worst piece of writing I’ve come across in Cycle World. Thank goodness responsible writers like James Petersen are around to save your reputation.

Concerning the Hellcat; I don’t really care how it runs, not having $69,000 to toss away on one. But visually, it is the most exciting bike I’ve seen in a custom V-Twin market filled with all too many boring, generic designs. David Orlich Los Angeles, California

Gosh, another motorcycle John Burns doesn’t like. What a shock! His “death of a thousand cuts” writing style makes one wonder if CWonly brings Burns out to trash unusual bikes. Next time, let Cameron or someone with a “glass halffull” attitude have it. David Burrows Indianapolis, Indiana

Twins you win

Your January issue was absolutely filled with great writing for us V-Twin fans: Edwards on the Blue Ridge Parkway with a V Star 1300; Burns/Canet on the Confederate Hellcat; Cameron/Canet on S&S’s new X-Wedge engine; Canet again on the ’07 H-D Fat Boy; new contributor Peter Jones on “Bad Biker Chic,” and Paul Dean’s commentary on the heat problems, real or perceived, of the new 96-inch Harley engine.

Now come all the “cancel my subscription” letters from the sportbike crowd (and Brian Catterson). Mike Christiansen

Tucson, Arizona

Bad to the epidermus

All I can say to Peter Jones (“Bad Biker Chic,” January) is right on, dude! As a SoCal resident living near the Angeles Crest Highway, I can tell you that for me the true bad-ass these days is the guy who pulls up on a carbon-fiber ZX-10 that has most of the rubber missing from the edges of the tires. Everybody else sporting a skid-lid at Newcomb’s Ranch (including myself) is just out for a Sunday ride. Maybe I’ll see you up there sometime, Peter. I’ll be wearing the “Born to Lose” (temporary) tattoo. Bill Aslaksen Acton, California

Indeed, the plethora of wannabe bikers today is almost too much to bear. Now don’t get me wrong, I do not begrudge anyone, male or female, the right to ride, but I would be hard-pressed to visualize the modern “biker” mounting with his prim and proper yuppie girlfriend/wife the extended-fork, iron-head Sportster in the B&W picture accompanying Jones’ article. Then enduring it for more than 1015 miles, let alone 200-300 on a searinghot or raining-buckets day. Oh, and the grime and bugs! Like, OMG!

Mike Haggarty Glen Mills, Pennsylvania

Mad for Max

I was just wondering why I never see anything in Cycle World about my dream bike, the Yamaha V-Max. Let’s face it, the > V-Max is a legend in the muscle bike world. There aren’t too many bikes, if any, that have continued practically unchanged for more than 20 years and are still popular. I have seen the pictures of the new V-Max and I have to admit I don’t really care for the styling. To me, it looks like a spaceship. One of the greatest things about the V-Max over all these years is its appearance. It is an absolutely beautiful piece of machinery. I pray that I’m able to own one someday. Anyway, I have been a subscriber to your magazine for years, and I thought it would be very cool to see a layout on the V-Max because I don’t remember seeing very much about it. Mike McBride, E-5 United States Navy

Where you been, Mike, the middle of the ocean? We love Mr. Max and have run countless stories on everything from Stockers to the wildest customs. As you point out, there is finally some movement on the Max front. In fact, the 2005 Tokyo Show concept bike made its U.S. debutwearing Star Motorcycles logos on its intake scoops-at last December 's Cycle World International Motorcycle Show in Long Beach, with the company eliciting opinions from show-goers about the styling buck. “It may give a little hint about what's coming in the future,” acknowledged a spokesman.

G-string diva

Dang! I’m very upset about all this “soft porn” that reader Seldon Gifford is referring to (“Hotshots,” January). I’ve been looking all through CW and haven’t found any good stuff yet. Maybe I missed something. (Gawd, I hope to hell it’s not Edwards in a G-string!) Are you sure Mr. Gifford wasn’t reading Iron Horse magazine by mistake? Steven Holt

Fallbrook, California

Yeah! I’m with Seldon on this one! I’m tired of all those nasty ads in your magazine. I can’t leave it laying around the house for fear the wrong eyes will see it. For example, the last time I carelessly left it out on the table, it cost me over $300. My dad saw all the Viagra, Cialis and Levitra ads and ran up my Visa card! Stop it already! Gaylon Payway

Peoria, Illinois

I am writing to express my extreme displeasure. I’ve just read Seldon Gifford’s letter, and I thank him for bringing scandalous behavior to my attention. It seems the porn he refers to had been

removed from my November issue of Cycle World. If you continue selectively excluding readers from smut, the next issue will be my last. Forrest Reynolds Boulder, Colorado

No porn, just a very fuzzy picture of a curvaceous female’s backside in an ad for a Scorpion Sports no-fog faceshield, so subtle that I found that I needed to stare at it for 45 minutes or so before I noticed that little scorpion heading for the great divide. Personally, I think CW needs more ads like this. As the gentleman from Wylie, Texas, suggested, it might indeed improve CWs circulation... and mine. Larry Stubblefield

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Porn? In Cycle World?! Man, you got my attention! How did I miss it? Excitedly, I went scrambling to my stack of back issues. November’s CW, found it. With shaking hands, I thumbed to page 59, per Seldon Gifford. Man, was I ever disappointed!

I don’t know what constitutes porn in Texas, Sel, but I’ve gotten a bigger thrill from the pages of National Geographic or the old Sears catalog. Hey, Edwards, how about purveyin’ some o’ the good stuff? Diego Vega

Manhattan Beach, California

Edwards swears the G-string thing was just a phase, really... □