Race Shop Rides (February 25+27)

Back to Concord, NC on Friday February 25. It was a warm and very windy day; but after two weeks of just wanting to be on a motorcycle, was good to again be on mine. Took this photo in Concord; got a kick out of my shadow following me, and thought this photo was sort of different. Turned out better than I thought, as did the ride. Friday in the area is pretty busy traffic wise, and this day was no exception, but I knew a few roads that were usually not bad traffic wise. Rode up NC-73 and turned onto the Kannapolis Parkway where I came across Stewart-Haas Racing. I had not seen that shop, did a little backtracking, and found my way to the door..which was open.
Inside the shop was a lot of really cool cars (which will be featured in my "Richmond and Me" blog) but also this motorcycle. This bike was built for Stewart Haas Racing by Orange County Choppers (aka OCC) in 2004, and it is quite a ride. Good quality job from what I could see, and its quite a looooonnnnnngggg motorcycle; I would think it could be a real bear to turn. This is the second OCC bike I have actually seen (another one was on display during one of the races, and can be seen on a previous post to this site) but it was a lot of fun to check it out. I was always a big fan of that show, and the work that those designers did. Kind of wacked now there, but whatever!

Got another view of the bike here, sort of a closeup of that big massive tank. Visited the shop for quite a while, and then went up NC-3 (figures don't it?) to Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Surprisingly, the museum there is still open as most of the racing operations have been moved to the area of the Concord airport as a merged "Earnhardt-Ganassi" operation, but the older shop still had a lot of things on display and it was nice to be back there (and that shop was also open, which was a surprise). Rode some of my favorite roads back to the house in what was a three hour ride. It sure felt good to be back in the saddle again, and enjoyed a fun and interesting ride.
Non-bike on Saturday visited Wood Brothers Racing in Harrisburg, NC, but back on the bike on Sunday. Saw this sport bike on sale (just liked it, so snapped a photo) and rode for an hour. That and the previous ride gave me a total of 103 miles for the weekend. Much less windy on Sunday, and much less traffic too.
As I noted, got some good photos of the three race shops and also some of the items in it, which you can see on the Richmond and Me blog as noted.
Certainly was a smile-inducing weekend, could not have asked for better weather, and as always no better places to ride than can be found in NC.

It's a Gas...the rising costs of fuel and motorcycles

Funny, just a short while ago, a few previous posts back I talked about the future and electric vehicles and the problems with gasoline. Now the problem is paying for it, events in the Middle East have caused a big rise in fuel costs. Many people will be considering motorcycles as an alternative, and they can be a real good one. Many things to consider though before the big leap into two wheels, not that it can not be a good move but research is important. Motorcycles can get really good fuel mileage, but not all bikes are the same. Like with all things, some are better than others. There is also maintenance costs to consider; valve adjustments can be a real huge cost (especially on multi-valve four cylinder engines) and tires can be expensive as can chains and sprockets (if so equipped). Do your research before you leap.
As for great fuel saving motorcycles; two come to mind. One is seen directly below in the previous post; the Kawasaki Ninja 250. I believe (last I read) that bike is the top seller for Kawasaki in the motorcycle division. It is a twin with a long history (been basically unchanged for a lot of years) with a low initial price new, and with many used models on the market as well. Getting some competition this year from Honda which is coming out with a 250 single; I hope to see that soon. If gas gets in short supply, or prices zoom up the Ninja 250 will get in short supply (that happened a few years ago when gas hit $4). The bikes are highway rideable, smaller bikes than 250 get even better mileage, but they get real limited on highway travel. Suzuki makes a pair of street 250's that are well worth a look. To me 250cc is the smallest and most versatile motorcycles you can get, though for just commuting without highway travel smaller is possible if you can get there via side streets.
The DL-650 also seen (and other bikes in the 650-500 range) also are good on fuel. Not as good, and more money to buy, but would be a big improvement on the vast majority of cars. Generally bigger bikes will get less mileage as horsepower goes up.
There are also a number of scooters out there. Again size is a factor both for fuel mileage and what you can do with it. Laws also depend on size, at a certain point in many states a motorcycle license is required. Those laws vary, so you need to check that before you sign on the dotted line if that is a factor. One "scooter standout is the Suzuki Bergman (there is a 650 and 400cc version). Automatic, and also have some good storage space, these bikes also give good motorcycle performance.
Know I said it before, but I will repeat...most important thing is to do a lot of research. If you get a motorcycle and have not ridden, be sure to get some training. It saves on insurance, and also can save your life. Well worth the time and the small cost of such programs. Most motorcycle dealers can point you to places (many even can provide) training on riding. Good luck, and best wishes!

Ultimate Cycle; on a Sunny February Day

Went by Ultimate Cycle on a Sunny, but a little cool February 23 day. Getting close to riding time in Carolina this weekend, and ready for that. In the meantime though, a good time to check out some 2011 motorcycles. Though these are previous models (which is to say they are basically the same bikes as in 2010) nice to see some of the new motorcycles. There are a few new models coming out, and I plan to bring them soon. I like Ultimate Cycle, seems to be a fine and very friendly shop. Bike at left is a Kawasaki Ninja 250. It is one of Kawasaki's best sellers, and I have a feeling with the big uptick in fuel prices, that won't change.

Seen here is a 2011 Suzuki DL-650. Stronger than the Ninja seen above, but like it is a twin (though the DL-650 is a V-twin) it has a real good reputation for reliability and is said to be a really fun bike to ride. Being tall, I like the size of this bike, and has one of the most comfortable motorcycle seats I have had the pleasure to sit on. The 650 V-twin is also the motor on the SV-650, which is also said to be a very fun bike. The bike appeals both to beginners, and is also said to be a great motorcycle for the more seasoned motorcyclist. There is also a larger Suzuki DL-1000 for those who need a bit more horsepower.
As far as Suzuki cruisers, they do not get any bigger then the 2011 M-109. That is in 109 Cubic inches, or for those of us with a metric bent that would be 2000cc's. Suzuki was in a partnership for a while (not sure if it is still going on) and the engine is the same basic engine as you would find in the Kawasaki Vulcan 2000. Amazingly this is the second largest production motorcycle engine (from a major manufacturer) with the largest being the 2300 cc (or thereabouts) in the Triumph Rocket III.
If you are in the market for a new motorcycle in the Richmond area, be sure to check out Ultimate Cycle. They are friendly people to visit.

Bikes...and Barbeque Events in NC

Two posts below spoke of trying to find any motorcycle events in Richmond, Va...but was thinking today of news on a great riding day in Charlotte (heard about it, I was in Richmond doing some fun exploring in the car) and hearing about some of the stops there. A favorite motorcycle stop is Mac's Speed Shop, which has multiple locations in the Charlotte region. I have been to two; one on South Blvd in Charlotte, and one at Lake Norman. Great food, and a fun place which is VERY biker friendly. They also have some very good bike nights upcoming soon.
As far as Barbeque events; a big one announced its dates. That would be the Hog Happenin in Lincolnton, NC which will be held June 3 and 4, 2011. Great food, music, and a lot of motorcycle events. Heck, they even close off the town to where you can't drive into the square unless you are doing it on a motorcycle. Admission is free and this is a favorite don't miss event.
New for 2011 at Tilley's Harley-Davidson on September 23-24 will be "Biker Blues and BBQ" at the dealership. One of the bigger regional dealerships, they have a lot planned, and this will also be an event worth checking out. I plan to do so, if at all possible.
There is another Hog Happenin, this one held in the very cool town of Shelby; which will be held September 23-24. I have not been to that one (yet) but they have the food, its a great ride there, and they also have a bike show there (also some cars as well). There was a $2 admission charge on Saturday, at least back last year, could be possible again this year.
Course for some great BBQ there is the nearby town of Lexington, NC. Lexington bills itself as the "Barbeque Capital of the World" and has a number of fine places to eat. They have a huge one day festival, which is not really motorcycle oriented (but they are welcome there) which will be held this year on October 22. Lexington in the fall also happens to be a great motorcycle ride via NC8 which is a beautiful road which runs from the High Rock Lake area to downtown Lexington. That road is fun though any time of the year. The Lexington festival will have well over 100,000 people, and offers a great deal for everyone. The festival is free.
As with all of them either a low or no admission charge, but food and beverage will cost you though have found those charges to be very reasonable for some good food (at least I can speak to that in Lexington, Hog Happenin in Lincolnton, and at Mac's Speed Shop.
Riding and BBQ....does not get much better in the Carolina. More to come with a lot coming up in the Carolinas in 2011.

The Quest for 2011's...here is a Pair

Some what tired from the long drive and the previous night at work, pretty sure the bike at left was a 2011. Of course, it is a holdover from 2010, but a good one. This is the Honda Shadow Phantom, seen here at RideNow in Concord on my visit on February 12. My last bike (prior to the current Vulcan Classic) was a Honda Shadow VLX 600. Nothing short of a great and trouble free bike, this bike felt familiar. It also felt a bit short; with a 25.7 inch seat height (I being 6'2" was a problem with the VLX). It has a water cooled 745cc V-twin engine, fuel injection, 5 speed transmission, 3 valves per cylinder, and shaft drive. Looking like a Harley Sportster is probably very intentional. One of these will run you around $8,000, though think most bike shops in the current economy are very willing to deal on most if not all of the motorcycles out there.
This next bike is very interesting, and is one of the fine Victory Motorcycles. American made since 1998 they have created some very interesting designs. Arlen and Cory Ness, very noted motorcycle builders are associated with the company. The bike is the 2011 Victory Cross Roads. It comes with the 106 Cubic Inch (aka 1731cc's), a six speed transmission, v valves per cylinder, and also comes with fuel injection. It has the added bonus of hydraulic lifters and a self adjusting cam chain. Power to the rear wheel comes via a "Carbon fiber reinforced belt" (got all these details from the Victory web site). The engine is air and oil cooled. Again, subject to the deal you can work, the basic bike is right around (give or take) $15,000. There are a slew of add-on's you can get with this bike which could significantly raise that price.
Still waiting to see the all-new 2011 motorcycles (as in totally new designs/models) and on that front a lot of news and pricing is coming out. I think I will be reporting on them in the near future; get a kick out of all the new models, and am looking forward to both seeing them in the "flesh" (so to speak) and presenting some of them here. Ride safe!

Richmond Motorcycle Events (a few anyhow)

Enjoying a good post ride day in NC while relaxing in Richmond (previous post), and also enjoyed the new bikes I saw (next post) also in Concord. That was a great time, I am soooo ready for Spring which will offer some of the best riding of 2011. I have been looking for some upcoming events in the Richmond area, though I am far from my motorcycle when here, motorcycling is not far from my thoughts. Stumbled across some fine events in 2010; enjoyed the ChildSavers Ride by the Tuskegee Motorcycle Club of Richmond, Va...but as of yet I have not been able to find any info on the 2011 edition of that ride. Sure that Bike Nights will start soon in the Richmond area, but as of now, not a lot of information on them. Charlotte area events and rides are a lot easier to locate, with a lot more information.
However, I like to bring what I can; and did find a couple of upcoming events. April 2-3 Virginia Motorsports Park will host the 2011 Virginia Bike Fest. Found there will be some drag races, a poker run, and a host of other events; I also think there is a admission fee...think because other than the fact the event will be held, there is little information out there. Will be checking out a local bike shop this week, maybe there will be more information there.
Also on April 3, The Richmond Riders will be hosting a Poker Run which will leave from The Shoppes of Bellgrade Mall which is located in Midlothian, VA. I went to see them off last year; nice group and they ride a variety of motorcycles which is pretty cool. I was once in a club like that in Concord, NC, and we had a lot of fun (broke up when the factory closed, but at one time had over 200 members). Richmond Riders have a facebook page, and I decided to "join" that.
Many of the bike shows that I found last year I stumbled across; two of which were at Hooters. They seem to have problems updating their sites (one in Richmond had events and specials from 2009 and a note that none of the specials and events were current); but a surprise is a lot of fun. Will keep looking, and as I find anything of interest in Virginia motorcycling will keep you posted!

Planes and racing on a winter "spring day"

Took the Vulcan out for a cruise on a very fine winter day; a bit on the breezy side, but warm is a beautiful thing. It was close to 70 out riding; nothing wrong with that especially in mid-February. Went out to one of my favorite places which was Concord Regional Airport. It is a nice place to ride to and I have always enjoyed aircraft. This is my bike in front of a couple of planes in the distance. Nice airport and one of the busiest in the state, this small airport gets a lot of flights. Many of the race teams are based there (as you will see in a little while a little further down). Sunday was a nice riding day, traffic was not real bad, and the motorcycles were for sure out in force! Nothing like a warm winter day to bring the guys and gals out for a ride. Enjoyed being on the bike after my two week pause from riding. I really enjoy getting out and do so every visit I can. The fact that the area is sort of in a drought makes that possible, though they had a snow fall (very light) just a few days prior. It is still winter, though nice to get a break for a short while at least. I am sure some more winter is still to come though.
From the observation deck, watched a number of planes take off and land. A Dad and two boys were also watching the flights, brought back memories of doing that with my Dad many years ago. Motorcycling and aviation have gone well together, many pilots also ride and make comparisons to the two activities. In fact one could make the case that riding helped the creation of planes. Many control issues were figured out by the bicycle knowledge of the Wright Brothers, and early versions of motorcycle engines powered the creations of motorcycle racer, and aircraft designer Glenn Curtiss.
A number of racing teams are based around the airport such as Earnhardt-Ganassi, Roush-Fenway, and of course Richard Petty. That is the Vulcan in front of Petty's shops. The track is also nearby, and many of the teams have aviation departments at the airport. I have in the past even seen drivers (saw Tony Stewart there) at the airport.
Rode out by Concord Mills (getting there would be wild, huge line of traffic on I-85 which I passed over in both directions to NC's most popular tourist destination) with a stop at Suck Bang Blow in Concord. Really like that place , nice place to relax near the end of a ride with some refreshing beverages (just one though...I am riding). Had a great ride, covering a short but fantastic 36 miles. Not a long ride, but better to ride a little than not at all. Looking forward to the next one. I also made a visit to RideNow in Concord the day before, couple of new bikes to show off and will do that in a future post.

Motorcycling and the Future

Been reading a great deal on electric motorcycles; and of course enthralled over the years with such things as "Speeder Bikes" in Star Wars and some of the motorcycles such as the flying one the cop rode (flew, rather) as well as Captain Kirk's bike (though never clear on what powers it, though obvious an internal combustion engine does not) in Star Trek. Some have wondered where are the flying cars sci-fi promised us, I on the other hand was more excited about the flying motorcycles. In a since though, they do "fly"...giving us incredible performance and improved reliability. Change comes rapidly and improvements are dramatic; and I enjoy checking out new developments that years ago were undreamed of. There are all sorts of bikes out there from the basic to the technology packed. Now you can change power settings on many sport bikes with the touch of a button; need some help on that track day...there is a setting you can change to make the bike more manageable. ABS, GPS...all sorts of letters that can help you in a ride; things are forefathers never dreamed of on their motorcycles, and more is coming.
Also coming are electric motorcycles, like it or not. All sorts of posts in all sorts of forums have knocked those who ride them as tree huggers, and point out that they also need energy to make power. That is true, but they also can be charged with a variety of forms of power, and that is what makes them interesting among other things. Forget saving that planet (though that is important, that being where we ride currently). There are like it or not limits to fuel in this world. One of those fuels; aka gasoline is getting harder and more importantly more expensive to find. Sure there are new techniques such as pumping fluids into old sources to get the last oil out. That reminds me of the old trick of putting water into a shampoo bottle to get enough soap to wash your hair one more time; sure it works but for how much longer? Fact is the days of cheap oil are long over.
Here is my thought on electric motorcycles. Are they ready for prime time for the typical rider? Probably not; range and cost are issues. Of course of the latter, cost tends to come down with more production. Look at what happens with most things; plasma tv's, computers, digital cameras (you get the idea). As for improvement range is continuing to get better, charging times faster. Plus there is the thought that development may even involve machines that don't use batteries as the storage media. Fuel cells, alternative fuels (perhaps a natural gas powered generator); the field is wide open.
I can say this; take a well developed future electric motorcycle with price, power (easy to do that with electric motors, they drive trains with electric motors) and range and then tack on say an arab oil embargo (happened before) some sort of series of natural disasters (say a few hurricanes), or just a dramatic rise in prices and this motorcyclist will be more than happy to give electric motorcycles a closer look.
The time of electric motorcycles may not be here for most of us, but that time may well be coming. As with many changes, that may be more remarkable than most people think; just look back at those who sold horses and carriages at the dawn of the internal combustion engine.

Winter Riding

Took this photo on Sunday, February 6; was in the car here in Richmond, saw these (and many others) enjoying the warmer weather in the Richmond area. In fact, I am one of those who ride whenever I can this time of year. Once read that the best battery charger made is the engine of your motorcycle (generator or stator actually, but you get my point) and its good to get out and ride. Does require some special attention to the weather and conditions, and often a good amount of cold weather gear, but winter riding can be especially good. Got to say though it is much nicer when the temperature is comfortable for you; some can ride in very cold, some look for warmer temperatures in winter (say 50 and above). On colder days the rides tend to be slower (which can help cut down on wind chill) and shorter, but as I often say a short ride is better than no ride at all.
Hopefully will get some riding in this weekend, will have to check the roads. Noted that there is a (minor) snow fall due in North Carolina this week; while it is expected to be minor, the road crews are out salting the roads. Salt is not a friend to aluminum parts on a motorcycle, so a post ride wash (aka "Bike Bath") of your machine is a good idea. Also be of note, especially as I have noted in the Richmond area, but also in Carolina to a point, that potholes are common this time of year. That is important to watch for no matter if you ride a motorcycle, or for that matter a car, moped or bicycle. Ride safe in the winter, and for that matter year long.

Zero Motorcycles Update

As I noted in the previous article; change comes quickly when it comes to electric motorcycles. Zero Motorcycles announced many changes to its four bike line up for 2011 a few days ago, and details can be seen at the company website. Among them are that the former dirt only versions (the Zero S and DS) now have "street legal versions". Battery packs have been improved for greater range, and a quick charger which significantly shortens charge time can now be purchased for the bikes. There have been changes/improvements to many components of the motorcycles including the suspension, wheels, power train and brakes. Prices have a also changed including some new prices for the Street legal dirt bikes. The Zero X in dirt version is $7,995, the street/trail version is $8,495. The MX is $9,995 for the dirt version, $9,945 for the street/trail version. The two road bikes are the Zero S at $9,995 and the DS (dual sport) at $10,495. All that is current pricing and may of course be subject to change, as is the 10% federal tax credit. All the details as noted can be found at the web site for Zero Motorcycles.
As I have noted have been for a long time amazed at the range of motorcycles out there, and have noted the impact of technology on the motorcycles available today. On the one hand there is the sort of basic motorcycles such as my Kawasaki Vulcan and most Harley-Davidson motorcycles; designed to be simple for the most part. However they have even benefited from technological advances over the years. BMW motorcycles and most sportbikes offer a dazzling array of technology from engine development and features with staggering (and changeable) power at the push of a button. Touring bikes offer features typical of most cars.
I look at electric bikes as another development in the history of motorcycles and an important one due to the rapidly rising cost of fuel. As noted in the previous article, the era of cheap gas is most probably going to be relative year to year anymore. As development continues these type of motorcycles could serve in the future to be cheap, reliable and good ways to enjoy motorcycling. That future may be closer that we think.

Zero Motorcycles

The first one of these I had ever seen (last year) was at Velocity, this is the one I saw today. Interesting design; an all-electric motorcycle. Zero makes four models; the Zero X (the trail model, seen here) at $7,495, the MX (Motocross) for $8,295, and the S (Street) for $9,995 and the DS (Dual Sport) which is also $9,995 (at the time I write this). Also as I write this there is a Federal Tax Credit, which can equal up to $1,000 off of those prices. For the price you do get a bike that has limited range (40-50 miles depending on the model) but uses no gasoline, needs no oil changes, has no transmission and needs only a short time on the charger to get back on the road. The company started in 2006 and is based near Santa Cruz, California. The founder is Neil Saiki who has an aviation design degree and worked as an engineer at NASA. He brought a lot of technology from NASA and aviation; creating a bike that is amazingly light (the frame of the Zero X is 13 pounds and the whole bike weight is 161 pounds total; or as they say "100 pounds less than the average 250cc motorcycle". While horsepower is low at 23hp, torque is in the range of 50 foot pounds (for the Zero X) which makes for some great acceleration. Top speed is around 55 mph for the Zero X, though the street and Dual Sport are somewhat faster (and have lights too).
While motorcycles get great mileage (as a rule) the rising cost of gasoline, and the problems with supply will impact us too. Development is certainly in the early stages, but range and top speed will increase. The potential is certainly there...as I write this the electric bike record is a hair over 175mph (for the quarter mile). Other bikes are under development with longer ranges, higher speed, more torque, and greater horsepower. Zero is also constantly improving its bikes as technology improves.
They don't yet match internal combustion engines by a long shot, but are certainly coming along quickly toward that target. Whatever happens with them, they are an interesting side to motorcycling, and will most likely be a part of the future of the sport.
More information on Zero Motorcycles including current pricing, tax credits, and other information can be found at their web site via your favorite search engine.

Reflections on a Rainy Saturday (February 5, 2011)

While I was enjoying my visit to Velocity Motorcycles (which by the way is doing some painting on the inside of the business, sprucing up for the upcoming riding season), I picked up a couple of "free" motorcycle publications. The first was the January/February 2011 edition of Motorcycle Times (calls itself "The Mid-Atlantic Motorcycle Magazine"). Nice publication, and has some good stuff in it. Good amount of interesting news on motorcycling and upcoming shows (magazine is regional but the majority of items seems to be in the Maryland area), riding calendar, a Biker Billy cooking article (love those), and a really good article on a ride from Weston, VA to some points in West Virginia. It was a great article and saw some really unique places in that article. Those two pages alone were well worth the "price".
The second magazine was Fast Lane Biker, January 2011, Issue 1 (and also free). Again, a nice magazine; articles, a ride calendar, and though not "Biker Billy" a cooking article (one thing I have learned from riding...bikers love to eat!).
Always like to pickup the free magazines in a local bike shop, where you can learn what the local community of riders is thinking/riding, and some of the places they go. Plus it makes for something motorcycle related to do on a rainy and cold winters day.
On this rainy and cold winters day, the Charlotte Vulcan Riders had their monthly meeting. As I noted, it is held monthly at a local restaurant (this one was at Jakes Good Eats in Charlotte, NC). As with Richmond, it was a rainy morning in Charlotte, but cleared out around noon (later in the afternoon here) and from what I read on their facebook page, they had a great time. I got an invite, but was here this weekend, and don't get to ride with them as often as I would like, but have in the past, will in the future, and have found them to be an outstanding group of guys and gals. You need to have a Kawasaki Vulcan to be a member, but not sure at all they would not welcome you to ride if you don't. Group is just around two years old, but is growing like a weed.
As for me, enjoyed my non-riding day of motorcycle culture Virginia style. This is an interesting place with a very fun motorcycle community and some fine shops and events. I am sure I will be visiting more shops (and some of the old favorites as I did with Velocity) and some fun events in 2011 here in Virginia, as well as many great rides and events in North and South Carolina. Won't be long till Spring is here, and the riding will be even better.

Day at Velocity (February 5, 2010)

Been visiting some motorcycle shops this winter to see some of the new 2011 motorcycles. Those have been (mostly) Harley-Davidson's as the other brands new bikes are not out yet. Today, visited Velocity Motorcycles at 1202 N. Boulevard in Richmond, VA. One of my favorite shops in Richmond, they sell new Royal Enfield, Bajaj, Ural and Hysung motorcycles, but also some really great classic bikes. Seen at right is a Honda CB1000, I think dating to 2004 if I remember right. The engine was an in-line water cooled four. Honda has a much updated version, the CB1000R coming out this year. This is basically an early version.
The motorcycle seen at left is a BMW motorcycle, and I believe it is an older model. It is one of the famed "Boxer" twins, though they now make a number of great motorcycles including an in-line six touring model, and even a couple of in-line fours (including one howling sport bike). Known for technical innovation, the company started building aircraft engines (the company emblem is designed to represent an aircraft propeller) and built its first motorcycle in 1923. That bike, the R32 is the basis for many of the motorcycles they are still building today. BMW motorcycles are popular in a number of applications, and said to be very reliable.
Ducati is a Italian manufacturer, and makes some of the fastest motorcycles on the road today. They have a great racing history and use a lot of that technology in their motorcycle designs. Among their bikes are the Monster line, Multistrada line, the new Diavel sport cruiser, and the 1198 among others. Ducati started in 1926 though it did not build motorcycles until around 1950, but it has a number of racing championships in that time period. Richmond does not have an actual Ducati dealership, but a number can be found at Velocity at any given time. I am looking forward to seeing some of the new 2011 models in the near future.
Finally, this is a very interesting model from Bimota. With some research was able to find this is a Bimota DB3 Mantra. It was a very rare motorcycle and was only made for a very few years. Like Ducati it is an Italian company, though with a much shorter history which began in 1973. This bike uses a Ducati 900SS engine; most of the models used engines from Ducati or a number of Japanese manufacturers. The company went out of business, but has in recent years began production again. I checked out their web site, but its mostly in Italian, but features a number of new bikes.
I enjoyed my visit to Velocity, and have also put a few more photos, plus larger versions of these on my Photo Page which is one of the links to this site. There is always something interesting to be seen there, and some very friendly people to help you. They also rent motorcycles at the shop, something I may take advantage of later this year, as my bike is in North Carolina and I have never ridden in Virginia on a motorcycle.

Post Ride Motorcycle Stuff

Still pumped from the motorcycle ride on January 29 (featured on the last three posts) along with the motorcycle related places I visited. Suck Bang Blow was a lot of fun as well as a good place to eat, and always nice to visit Pat Rogers Harley-Davidson. Even though not motorcycle related (though good food tends to be a part of the riding experience) Jerky Outlet next to Pat Rogers was a fine discovery. Always good to have a great day, good riding buddies (thanks Phil and Terry!), and a great place to go. Rides like that keep me smiling during the days spent in Richmond, Va. Ah the life of a migrant factory worker!
While home, saw the new Motorcyclist Magazine (I am a subscriber; get that and the AMA Magazine as I am also an AMA member). Motorcyclist (the March 2011 issue) had a good story on a "Superbike Vs Supercar" (Ducati 1198 vs Ferrari 458 Italia) which was interesting. I have also seen a video from that shootout on the Motor Trend web site (via the also very fine Motorcyclist magazine web site), and its interesting to say the least.
I also got a kick out of the article on the Ducati Diavel (very) sport cruiser. Want to check that out; but don't believe there is a Ducati dealership in the Richmond area. There IS one in Charlotte, NC...though it has moved from the former location on Independence Blvd (they also sell BMW, Triumph and MV ; or did when I last saw them. My last visit there last fall was their final day at the old location, will have to find and check out the new one. Was a very fine motorcycle shop, always enjoyed visiting that. More on that in a future post.
I also read (checking on motorcycle rear tires, coming up on the time to get a new one for the Vulcan) that Quaker Steak and Lube will start their famous bike nights on April 6. Will check on that, but might want to be watching about that time. Certainly the biggest in the Concord, NC area, and one of the biggest (if not the biggest) in the region. Usually some vendors on hand, always some fine bands, usually good food/beverage specials, and a slew of motorcycles are on hand. Good to get there early, it has been known to fill up rather early. I will update that bit of news as events get closer. There are also many, many fine bike nights in the Charlotte, NC area, and also now there is a Quaker Steak and Lube in Richmond...and they will be holding bike nights too. I like those, good way to get together with some friends, and check out some interesting motorcycles.

Pat Rogers Speedway Harley-Davidson

Last section from the remarkable weekend of January 29-31 included two visits to Speedway Harley-Davidson in Concord. Located on Bruton Smith Boulevard just up from the Charlotte Motor Speedway and near the giant Concord Mills Mall (the mall is the largest tourist attraction in North Carolina...go figure) it is a very nice Harley dealer. Always a lot of nice events there; often bands play there, and a number of great rides (I have been on their big toy ride near Christmas). Currently Saturday's they have free hot dogs and hamburgers. Nice Sales staff and a big dealership. They even have a lot of motorcycles to check out!

Photo here is of a pair of 1200 cc Sportsters. I was always a fan of the Sportster, though I never got one. Biggest problem was that they leaked oil and vibration was a real problem. A few years they finally took a look at the vibration, and got the oil leak problem under control, and by all reports they are now fine motorcycles. Of course now I am over 6 feet tall, and a Sportster is not really an option. I do like them though, especially the XR1200 (one can be seen in the back, the black bike) which is said to be a pretty good performer (for a Sportster anyhow). An old show on tv with Michael Parks called "Then Came Bronson" was about Bronson riding around the country on a Sportster. I remember it, also had a good theme song ("Long Lonesome Highway") back in the day when this bike was one of the big bikes on the road. Times and motorcycles have certainly changed; with engines getting larger and larger. Future trends in fuel, and certainly cost of those bikes may impact that in the years to come. Harley is the most expensive of the major American manufacturers though its a small list.
Seen here are a pair of special edition motorcycles from Harley-Davidson, these are the Firefighter editions. Harley certainly makes some beautiful and iconic motorcycles. I am glad the brand exists as an American institution. They have even been changing over the years with the V-Rod line of motorcycles, and that water-cooled engine is really remarkable. Always interesting to see what they have to offer, and always they are the first to get 2011 bikes out on the market. It has been another tough year for motorcycle sales with most manufacturers showing less bikes sold, and many a decline in profits. Harley as I noted in a previous post sold less motorcycles, but made more of a profit due to a number of restructuring moves. Due to the early arrival of their bikes has been a real focus on Harley of late (and a failed attempt to see the new Honda's..which are not there yet) but it has been enjoyable to check them out. Harley is a big part of the motorcycling past and present, and is still riding into the future!