Hotshots

HOTSHOTS

Triumph in tribute

“Tribute Triumph” in the November issue was a great piece, not to mention the extended story online at www. cycleworld.com. Editor Edwards’ twowheel tribute to his late brother was a loving, moving expression of what it means to lose someone close to you. I’m happy to see he put that inheritance to good use.

Also, I was glad to see a shout out given to RPM Cycles. These guys are blessed throwbacks in an age of antiseptic, overcrowded multi-line dealerships. The fact that RPM gives as much loving attention to my late-model Daytona as it does to a classic T140 is the reason I’ve passed on the nearest Triumph dealership and travel twice the distance to see Keith Martin and company. Rodney Williams McKinney, Texas

David’s article about his brother Kevin’s T140 just blew me away. What an incredible tribute. The bike is just perfect in every way, almost too pretty to ride.. .1 said, almost. Charlie Moore Dallas, Texas

To whomever is responsible for not using the Triumph T140 as a centerfold: How do you sleep at night, knowing the pain you brought to so many?

Well, butchered spread and all, I purchased the issue, read the balance of it and subscribed for two years. I’ve been away from motorcycles for a number of years for the usual reasons, but that photo gave me the kick I needed. I’m pulling out the crates that have, for 15 years, contained the bits and pieces of my ’67 Triumph T100R Daytona. It’s the first time I’ve seen Amals dry on the outside. Even in a heap, she sure is pretty! I thank you. Dan Gaston Norwalk, Ohio So, you pick three editors to review the bike at the end of the test, and all three say, “It’s not red/fast/plasticky enough for me, it’s just not my thing.” Out of all the editors you guys have, you couldn’t find a single one that actually liked the KLR for what it is? Perhaps you should recognize the gaping hole in your staff, so we won’t have to > wait 20 years for another article about what is an extremely popular bike the world over. John Stotlcr New Haven, Connecticut There is no question the Victory Vision has achieved its goal of gen erating strong feelings about its styling. Per sonally, I will prob ably not be a cus tomer anytime soon, but yowsers do I love looking at it! I, for one, am so sick of looking at the same old Harleys and Harley lookalikes that I could die of terminal boredom. The motorcycle world has finally begun to blossom into a designers playground that will be great for all of us. Kirk Barrus San Clemente, California

Great story this month about the restoration of Kevin’s Bonneville. I lost a brother, and I wish I had piece of him like David does with Kevin’s bike. Don’t ever sell it. Ronald D. Fish Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

I can’t say how much I appreciate David Edwards’ sense of honor displayed in his “Tribute Triumph” restoration project, not only for his late brother but

also by honoring the Triumph marque, which has had such huge impact.. Gary Rynsburger Grande Prairie, Alberta Canada

Just went through the November issue and after seeing the “Tribute Triumph,” I must say, David, that your brother will forgive you for not keeping the blue jugs. That bike is beyond beautiful; you and the RPM crew have raised the bar. I cannot help wondering what ever happened to good-looking standards. We now have plenty of performance but a lot of butt-ugly. Your brother’s Triumph deserves to replace the Dreer Norton at the head of your column. Steve Tankesley Cottonwood, Arizona

Practicaily perfect?

November, 2007, almost the perfect issue: It began with Edwards’ column on his eBayed Triumph chopper (got one and I understand the love/hate relationship); then on to Peter Egan, and, yes, all things do change; then the 2008 Triumph Street Triple (got a Thruxton, and what a bikeis Triumph the new leader in bike design and marketing?); then “English Bikes, Italian Passion” (need more on that one); then the “Tribute Triumph” article; then the “Ring Fling”; then the special “Kids & Motorcycles” section (got one of those, and he is crazy about motorcycles); last, but not least, was the humor section with the Harley Davidson Rocker C. What next, the Orange County Crocker?! Darin Davis Dalhart, Texas

Harley-Davidson trademarked the Rocker’s rear fender as the “Rockertail.” It’s a pity that Kawasaki didn’t trademark the similar Drifter rear fender as the “Kawtail.” David Bruggink Waldo, Wisconsin

Buzz KLR

So, after convincing myself that all of you aren’t just plasticmad, rocket-seeking

racebike nuts, and that you do actually care about some of the other real-world bikes that many of us love, you write this article about the new Kawasaki KLR650 (CW, November, 2007). Its predecessor is probably the best motorcycle I’ve ever owned, and there are legions of people out there like me.

CONTINUED

Maybe you missed the headline calling the 2008 KLR650 the “Best Bargain Bike? ” Or where we said, “Exceptional versatility has long been the key to the KLR ’s success? ’’ Or that “...as a go-anywhere, do-anythingpackage, the bargainpriced KLR is in a class of one? ”

Forward Vision

It’s something that happens with depressing regularity: A motorcycle manufacturer takes a chance with an innovative or unusual design, and shortly thereafter letters appear in the motorcycle press lambasting these bikes with tiresome variations on the typical clichés: “That thing is butt-ugly!” “It got hit with the ugly stick!” “That bike fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down!” On and on, ad nauseam.

So it was following your review of the Victory Vision. (“Impaired Vision?” Hotshots, November).

Having recently taken delivery ofand just finishing my first thousand miles on-a Vision Tour, I am baffled by any-

one who can claim that the Vision is “the ugliest commercially made motorcycle” ever, or is “the world’s largest scooter.” Perhaps photographs don’t do the bike justice, and you really need to see it up close-or, you know, actually ride one-to appreciate it. But I suspect these types of responses have a lot more to do with a deficit of imagination on the part of the letter writers.

Of the more than three dozen streetbikes I have owned in the last two decades, this new Victory has garnered the most unsolicited praise from both motorcyclists and non-motorcyclists-in fact, it has probably gotten more “Beautiful bike!” comments than all of those other bikes combined, and this is all in one week!

The Vision is one hell of a bike-visually arresting, extremely comfortable and functionally almost perfect. (I have a minor complaint with static on the AM radio.) Kudos to whomever was responsible at Victory for having the smarts to realize that being an American motorcycle manufacturer doesn’t mean you have to rehash worn-out tropes (Harley does that just fine on their own), and for having the balls to take this kind of refreshing leap of faith. Peter Laird Northhampton, Massachusetts

The Taxman cometh

DOWN to Cycle World for implying that the Italian government is in the wrong for expecting Valentino Rossi to pay his taxes like the rest of the world. Haven’t we had enough of celebrities breaking the law and getting away with it? Okay, Mr. Rossi isn’t Paris Hilton or Lindsay Lohan. Maybe he wasn’t intentionally avoiding taxes. All I know is that I pay my taxes whether I think it’s fair or not. If I don’t pay, I can’t blame the 1RS for following protocol and coming after me. How can you? Jim Hinrich Dansville, New York

(Cycle) World politics

I had to respond to reader Carl Polizzi’s November-issue comment on keeping politics out of your magazine. He mentions that he “will drive up there and teach

some respect to the offenders.” That sounds like a threat of physical violence, another example of the attitude that’s gotten our country into such a mess in Iraq and created such hostility against us in the rest of the world. I wonder if Mr. Polizzi would have written to your mag if you had made fun of Hillary Clinton or Barak Obama? Just a wild guess. Please keep writing those irreverent articles. Alex Brofsky New York, New York

Chopper topper

Edwards, Egan and Cameron are the first places I go when CW arrives each month. This past issue, Mr. Edwards made it to the top of my podium with his “My Day of Living Dangerously” exposé on old choppers.

I can’t help but love these old, boneyard-built specials, and it would seem that many folks feel the same. Time after time at motorcycle meets, I’ve seen long lines of shiny new credit-card customs, but at one spot there will be a big bunch of riders standing around staring at a specific bike. Almost always, it’ll be some rat from the ’60s. Even if they’re real bad, they’re always worth looking at; much more so than some storebought blinger.

After years of building vintage race bikes, I now find myself putting together a 500 Triumph bobber. The most expensive part was the repopped TriCor rigid rear section, $350. I’m having fun. Doug Boughton Sand Lake, New York

I don’t get it, Edwards. Why do you persist in bragging about these pieces of eBay crap you keep buying? Is anyone other than tattooed, greaseball, rockabilly, Gee-I-wish-I-hadn’t-missed-the-’50s Fonzie wannabes impressed with that junk? Other than the motor, I don’t see 50 bucks worth of salvageable parts on that thing.

I remember those poor-man’s choppers. They were laughable then and they’re laughable now. There’s a good reason why somebody buried that abortion-onwheels in a shed and forgot about it. Shoulda let it rest in peace. Tell me you didn’t pay more’n a hundred for it. Diego Vega Manhattan Beach, California

Says Edwards, “Actually, considerably more but it’s not a problem. Valentino Rossi s tax guy says it ’s a business deduction. What can go wrong? ” □