Hotshots
HOTSHOTS
'Bird watchers
How in the world could an accomplished rider and writer like David Edwards praise Triumph’s new 1600cc Thunderbird (“Anglo-American,” Up Front, November) when it clearly represents everything that is wrong with motorcycle sales in America?
It breaks my heart to see a company with so much tradition and a history of making beautiful and innovative bikes rely on the tired old theory of just making another random, Harleyinspired, big-displacement cruiser. I’m tired of seeing the OEMs decide that Americans need more cruiser models with huge engine displacements.
The Editor-in-Chief’s support of these uninspired, overpowered, fuelsucking ego-feeders had me ready to cancel my subscription. Luckily, Peter Egan’s brilliant “Imperial Gallons” col-
umn on the next page, which praised 500cc British standards, brought some sense of reason back to the entire situation and restored credibility to one of my favorite publications. Egan for President! William Green
Richardson, Texas
After a long hiatus from motorcycling (my last bike was a Kawasaki H2 750, circa 1974), I recently jumped back into the ring with the purchase of a used Suzuki VL1500 cruiser. One of the first things I did afterward was to re-subscribe to your great magazine. It’s just like old times: I like my Suzuki,
it’s all I could afford right now, but that Triumph Thunderbird 1600 featured in your November issue has me drooling. Some things never change...
Mark Tucker Gainesville, Georgia
Thanks for revealing the new Thunderbird from Triumph. I think the bike looks great and that you have just shown me my next new bike, much like your pictures of the then-new 2001 Yamaha FZ1 motivated me to purchase that motorcycle. Keep up the great work.
PR. Willis
Posted on www.cycleworld.com
CHATTER...
What the Forums at cycleworld.com are saying about the Triumph Thunderbird Pretty sure the Honda dealership down the road from the Triumph factory is going to be upset someone glued that Triumph badge to a VTX1 300C. Last time they get a test ride... pipda I like the looks of the new T-Bird. Has nice clean lines without looking too gaudy. Just enough chrome to show off the lines with out being overdone. Now if they can keep the price in line, it should be a good seller. iIIyR Got my CW Nov. and saw the T-Bird. Pages are wet from the drool. Nice. Can't wait to see the chopped chickens. fattatboy Thunderbird? More like Blunderbird. That bike is stupid-ugly and answers the ques tion no one asked: "Who wants a gigantic version of the Kawasaki Vulcan 500?" OldRoadload
More thunder
I was very interested in the new Triumph Thunderbird, as I am looking for a replacement for my aging 1985 Yamaha V-Max. I found the 1600’s styling very appealing, if conservative. There are a couple of things, however, that I find disappointing. First, it appears that Triumph set
its sights too low...on Harley-Davidson. A 1600cc motorcycle that produces just 80 hp? From the article, it would appear they were more interested in how it sounded than power. Another sign that Harley was used as a pattern are the footpegs, out front cruiser-style.
I was hoping for the reincarnation of the trusty Bonneville with much more horsepower and conventional footpegs, something that would be comfortable both for short rides and cross-country hauls. Guess my V-Max has nothing
to worry about for a while.
Robert Copeland Soddy Daisy, Tennessee
I love Triumphs, but I seem to recall that the last time they tried to mimic Harley,
they were not too successful even though they built a better bike. Robert Baime Longboat Key, Florida
The Triumph T-Bird is a great bike except it has forward-mount footpegs. Here’s an idea: Put the pegs under the rider where they belong and then fit highway pegs (preferably removable) for those who feel like they have to sit in their La-Z-Boy even when they are on the road.
Scot Wakefield Cumming, Georgia
One of the essences of a vertical-Twin with a 360-degree crank like older Triumphs is that staccato beat. Being 59 years old, I grew up with it. That cadence is one of the things that I imagine Thunderbird buyers would want in a bigbore cruiser: a unique throwback to the Edward Turner days. If you’re looking for that old familiar potato-potato-potato sound, go out and buy just about any other cruiser on the planet. The new T-Bird looks like a stunner, but Triumph should be who they are and lose the 270 crank.
Gene Jardel Pine Beach, New Jersey
I’d just received the November issue proclaiming the arrival of the new Triumph 1600. The blurb on the cover, “What’s the Word? Thunderbird!” conjured up memories of two-day hangovers from that hideous, glycol-laden concoction of the same name. What’s the price, $6 grand twice?
Shawn Yeisley Newport, Delaware
Lookin' for adventure
Did someone on the BMW motorcycle design team smoke too much dope and then watch the Transformers movie before coming up with the R1200GS Adventure? That bike (“Gelände Strasse,” CW, November) is just plain ugly. They should send the German engineers for a little R&R at, say, Porsche-or perhaps even Ducati or Triumph! Those aluminum saddlebags? Give that farmer back the toolboxes for his tractor. That was sure an afterthought. And don’t insult the Swiss by comparing that beast to a Swiss Army knife. Jon Morris
Naples, Florida
I really enjoyed your adventure-touring special section in the November issue. Being a long-term off-road and adventure-touring rider, I really enjoy owning a bike that
can do almost anything and go almost anywhere. I find it odd that Japanese manufacturers (Suzuki being the exception) have neglected this segment for so long in the U.S. Are they so naive to think that all America wants is another sportbike or cruiser?
Suzuki proved several years ago with the V-Strom line that a Japanese adventure-bike can be successful. The V-Strom 650 has been sold out here in Utah since June. If Yamaha or Honda imported the Ténéré or Transalp, I would have considered them for purchase. Instead, the BMW F800GS has my eye, or maybe the rumored Triumph Tiger 675.
Adventure-tourers are the universal motorcycle of the new millennium, but unlike the UJM of the ’80s, they have the character and abilities to satisfy on any road in any part of the world, and that includes the USA, Honda and Yamaha! David Grey
West Jordan, Utah
It really is a pity that the Honda Transalp is not available in the U.S. While the rest of our gang did an off-road tour in Ethiopia’s high country on KTMs, I-being the short guy (5-foot-6)-opted for a Transalp. From 8000 to above 11,000 feet, it handled great in the dirt, loose shale, donkey tracks and everything else that we had to navigate on unpaved rudimentary roads in this unique North African country. The Transalp is a surefooted, easy-to-handle dual-sport machine in all conditions.
Burt Richmond Lotus Tours Chicago, Illinois
Thank you for showing the new Yamaha Ténéré 660; I nearly forgot it existed. I contacted Yamaha U.S. (by snail-mail; remarkably, their website doesn’t offer e-mail) to encourage them to bring the Ténéré here. I have a parking space already picked out...right next to my BMW R1200GS Adventure.
David Minor Flagstaff, Arizona
John & Giacomo
Noting John Burns’ byline in the November issue, I stopped to have a look at his “Ago & Friends” article about riding up the coast with Giacomo Agostini. “Ooh,” I thought, “this might be good.”
I was not disappointed. The “bitter little man” came through with flying colors, even if he couldn’t keep up. The bit toward the end about passing the chopper riders had me howling with laughter! More Burns! Please!
Kurt Sunderbruch Posted on www.cycleworld.com
I would like an 8 x 10 glossy of the “Ago & Friends” lead photo. I’m in it! Next to the Brutale, the guy with the white hair and sunglasses. Read, Agostini and me! I can truly die happy now! Hans Bertelsen Posted on www.cycleworld.com
Burns. Funny. More. Rick Jones
Long Beach, California
Great article by John Bums. I am 63 years old, ride a 1982 Honda CB 1100R and I am now okay with forgetting to cancel my turnsignals. Gary Urness La Crescent, Minnesota
That Velo fellow
Peter Egan’s musings on his Velocette’s mileage caused me to go out to my garage and look at one of my bikes. It meets most of his criteria for a “modern retro” (okay...no chrome, not a Single, seat’s not flat). It’s my Kawasaki Ninja 650R. Wonderful for “landscape observing,” trackdays and sporty touring, good-looking, 60 mpg.
It’s cheap, OTD for $6K and doesn’t leak a single drop of oil. I tell ya, Pete, your bike is right here right now.
Doug Leard Rancho Cordova, California
So Egan wants a modern 500cc roadster. Reminds me of my 1979 Yamaha SR500. If Yamaha would build a new one with the same classic styling and some modern updates like an electric starter, I would buy one in a minute. But we know that’s never going to happen. Lee Waddington
Robinson, Illinois
I really liked what Peter Egan had to say. It would really be nice to have more choices in the 400 to 650cc size range in a standard bike. I might be dreaming, but if everyone puts in their two cents, who knows? I couldn’t wait, so I sold my big cruiser for a Suzuki V-Strom 650. One thing I can say is that the past was never this good! Glenn Dupre Houma, Louisiana
OP/ED
READER ESSAY
In response to Kevin Cameron's TDC col umn, "Big Twins do Battle," in the June issue: Kevin, Harley racing is alive and well, you just don't know where to find it! Check out the American Motorcycle Racing Association (www.amraonline. corn), home of "The Most Awesome Harley Racers on Planet Earth," everything from 13-second stockers to 6-second fuelers. You mentioned the National Hot Rod Association's Pro Stock class as a "sug gestive model." It's a poor suggestion. The "lifestyle" bikers you were talking about don't like the NHRA. The AMRA has what amounts to a twoor three-day rally about five times a year. There is a bike show, a drag race and, basically, a big party. Those of us who like to race realize that Harleys are slow, but they can be made faster with some work. We like it that way. We like working on motorcycles! On mine, I reshaped the combustion chambers to form squish bands to fit 20-percent dome pistons and clearanced the area under the lifters to make room for a bigger cam. I did all that with a Dremel tool, and to me that was fun! I have gone 10.63 seconds at 124 mph with the bike-and that's at 8000 rpm, not 5500 as you so derogatorily stated! With sportbikes today, it's almost impossible to see the engine, let alone work on it. Isn't working on and improving your bike what motorcycling used to be about? It still is in the AMRA. Al Messenger Burton, Michigan Got something to say about motorcycling? Then tire away! Letters chosen for Op/Ed win the writer a Cycle World T-shirt. E-mail to cw/etters@2hfrnus. corn; snail-mail to CW Letters, 1499 Monrovia Ave., Newport Beach, CA 92663.
Peter, I think you should update your target for fuel economy. In 1941, I bought a new P&M Panther 250, the cheapest four-stroke on the market, just over $50 by current exchange rates. This bike was everyday transport for work and play and served me faithfully for four years. Its natural, comfortable speed was 60 mph on English country roads, and it used one U.S. gallon for every 100 miles without any special procedures.
Almost 70 years later, we might expect some progress! Peter Wade Elora, Ontario, Canada
Clashing success
Kevin Cameron writes so well that reading about the Laguna Seca MotoGP (“Clash of Wills,” Race Watch, November) was even more interesting than the race itself, which was thrillingly interesting! Bravo, Cameron. Robert Echard
Osceola Mills, Pennsylvania
Kevin Cameron’s race report, “Clash of Wills,” was the best I’ve ever read. Dennis Caprio
Monroe, Connecticut □
Laguna Seca? Indianapolis? Hey, just wait ‘til we send KC to one of those American Motorcycle Racing three-day keggers!
