Etc.
etc.
DRUMROLL, PLEASE..
Normally we wouldn’t report about a book chronicling the life on the road of a touring musician. But when that musician happens to be Rush drummer Neil Peart, and his travels on concert tour are undertaken primarily by motorcycle on scenic byways, well, here you go: “Roadshow: Landscape with Drums-A Concert Tour by Motorcycle” is a fun read, largely due to Peart’s easy-going, personable style. To purchase the $28, 380-page book, visit www.neilpeart.net.
X-RATED HYOSUNG...
In Hyosung’s continuing efforts to make a dent in the U.S. market, the South Korean company has debuted the GT650X, a 2008-model naked sportbike with much more modern styling. The X shares the same 65-horsepower, liquid-cooled, 90degree, 647cc V-Twin found in the fully faired, $5999 GT650R we tested last year (“Six and the City,” August, 2006). Biggest news is the new frame featuring trellis-style main spars that attach to beefy pivot plates for the new swingarm. An X-specific midship exhaust silencer keeps weight hung low and enhances styling. Brakes, wheels, suspension, controls and dash will likely be carryovers from the R. Dry weight should be lower than that of the 463-pound R model, so performance may improve. Expect an MSRP of around $6000 when the bike hits fek dealers this fall.
TRAVELING MUSIC
Honda has made it easier to take your tunes with you. Developed for use on the VTX1800, VTX1300 and VT750 cruisers, the new Genuine Accessories Digital Audio System ($400, plus $100 model-specific adaptor) combines handlebar-mounted, waterresistant controls with slim-line speakers for use with all manner of portable music players. As for the Gold Wing 1800, which comes standard from the factory with a stereo, owners need only plug their digital music players into the auxiliary port located in one of the fairing pockets.
LOOKING FOR LAUGHS?
Biker movies have a history of stinking up theaters with badness-and not two-wheeled biker-style bravado, but bad acting, bad cinematography and bad writing. Could Touchstone Pictures’ Wild Hogs turn the tide? It would be hard to miss with a Harley-Davidson-mounted cast featuring John Travolta, Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence, William H. Macy and more in a comedy whose tagline is, “Four guys from the suburbs hit the road...and the road hit back.” Wild Hogs opens in theaters everywhere on March 2.
