Motodisiac

Can you get away with murder? What about killing a couple of people and seriously injuring another? Sure, it’s simple! Just get stoned, make sure you stash some weed in your truck, find a group of motorcyclists enjoying their ride and simply take them out. It’s OK if a couple of them die. Just say that you dropped a cigarette, were trying to reach it and didn’t see the bikes. Trust me, you’ll be fine. At least in this country. This is exactly what Mosher, 55, of Warsaw, Indiana, did and she was found not guilty. Wait, I’m sorry, the justice prevailed and she was found guilty of possessing marijuana. The jury was very harsh and recommended $500 fine!

I’m not aggressive person and I don’t believe in violence. However I don’t believe in our legal system either, and this case is just another proof that supports my theory. Is it time for Lynch Law? In some countries she wouldn’t even make it to the trial. Can you imagine the feelings of the family members who lost their loved ones only to see their killer walk? If it was my family (knock on the wood) I would make sure this scum would disappear from the face of the earth. Maybe run her over with a bike? It’s eye for an eye.

With Moto GP Circus traveling to Istanbul this weekend, all eyes are on Valentino Rossi. Can he win on the track that was never good to him? Tire choice will be crucial, and since none of the teams tested at this circuit on 800cc bikes they will have to take chances on setup. All this factors make this race really unpredictable, and this is exactly what we want as spectators. Who do you put your money on?

Lately it has been unusually windy here in Southern California. One day it got so bad that I received a dozen of calls from concerned friends wondering if I need a lift because it’s too windy to ride a bike. Hmmm, maybe I really should leave my bike at work? It’s featherlight BMW R1150RT, at over 600 lbs wind can easily pick it up with me on it. Scary. Then I remembered the last book that I read, Glen Heggstad’s “Two Wheels Through The Terror”.

 Alone and on underpowered and outdated KLR650 he went through super windy Torres del Paine National park in South America. And he made it! So can I. I rode my 45 mile commute home without any problems and it really wasn’t half as bad as I expected.

 Are we becoming the society of sissies? Our ancestors would surely laugh at us. We get so comfortable living in our perfect little worlds that we often forget what the real life is. Maybe it’s time to take a trip to the Southern tip of the earth.

Well, it happened. Ducati officially threatened FIM to withdraw from WSBK racing in 2007 if they don’t change the rules to allow 1200cc V-Twins to compete along with inline fours screamers. Ducati has a long and successful history in SBK, they are the only manufacturer who stayed in it through all the years. If they leave, it just won’t be the same. In some sense Ducati IS a part of WSBK just like Ferrari is a part of Fomula 1.

Is it fair for them to demand such a rule change? I understand the reasons behind it, however they should’ve done it BEFORE changing the displacement of production bike. Now FIM is really left with only one option: let them compete. I think it’s called blackmailing. On a positive note the change will open the door for other manufacturers such as Aprilia and KTM who are developing 1 liter + V motors.  On the other hand Japanese factories will no doubt suffer because yet again they will be at disadvantage after they finally caught up with Ducati and we see them winning races.

The solution? Let Ducati race their bike, however they must keep it the same displacement as the street version: 1098cc. Every manufacturer can release some kind of “homologation special” so this should be banned. Only mass produced bikes should be are allowed to race. No fancy 1200R versions please! This way bike manufacturers will be forced to make better bikes for us and racing will be as close as ever! Race what you sell gentlemen….

It is a known fact that aerodynamics play crucial role in bike’s performance. All top level teams develop their bike’s fairings in wind tunnels using the latest technologies to ensure optimum air flow. Most of the time riders must be ON the bike during testing to ensure correct fit. It’s also rumored that smaller riders such as Danni Pedrosa have an advantage thanks to their slim proportions. At 200 mph every inch of the body that’s sticking out past the bodywork slows you down.

While filtering through Formula 1 pits in Malaysia this past weekend, I accidentally found out that Mark Webber, one of mid pack F1 drivers, was forced by his team’s management to switch to Arai helmets because of their superior aerodynamics.

There are several helmet manufacturers supporting riders in Moto GP’s premier class: Arai, Suomy, AGV, Nolan and others. With a switch to less powerful 800cc bikes this year, it’s more important than ever to squeeze every possible drop of performance out of machines and the riders. Whether its lighter 16″ wheels of lighter Pedrobot, teams will make every effort to be the best.

However it looks to me like helmets are often overlooked. For example Rossi has been using the same AGV design for a few seasons without any visible changes to the shape. I think we might see new trend in helmet designs pretty soon. It will be focused on better aerodynamics rather than just safety and looks. Could it be futuristic tear drop shapes similar the helmets used in bicycle racing or will it be something dramatically different from shapes we are used to seeing?

I’m sure that most of you watch AMA Superscoss series, IMHO by far the most exciting motorcycle racing series in North America. I noticed ever since the series moved to the East Coast, hot and beautiful women carrying 30 second boards were replaced by plain looking females that are clearly out of shape. Most of them could use some liposuction and it wouldn’t hurt them to hit the gym once in a while. Is it my eyes or East Coast ran out of hot ass? Or AMA it just trying to save some money?