Rider articles from March 2002

Rider archives from March 2002

Performance cruisers, take 2. (One-Track Mind).(motorcycles)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Depending upon who you're talking to, the surge of "performance" cruisers breaking over motorcycling's bow is either the next new tsunami in cruising or merely a rogue wave. The Harley V-Rod, Honda VTX, Kawasaki Mean Streak and Yamaha...

Aprilia at Bologna. (Kickstarts).(Abstract)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... No question as to which manufacturer stole the limelight at this year's Bologna, Italy, Motor Show--in addition to unveiling its grand prix four-stroke RS3 racebike, Aprilia displayed a new production bike, the RSV Mille R Tuono. It's a...

Peter John Fassnacht, 1955-2001. (Kickstarts).(Obituary)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Motorcycle enthusiasts, journalists, the training community and American Honda lost one of riding's good guys with the death of Peter Fassnacht last November of bacterial meningitis at age 46. Born and raised in Ottawa, Canada, Fassnacht was...

FJR1300/TDM900 for United States? (Kickstarts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Rumors are circulating that Yamaha USA has had a change of heart and decided to bring the impressive FJR1300 sport-touring bike (see Rider, May 2001) into the United States, probably in spring of 2002 as a 2003 model. An equally desirable model...

Indian's new engine. (Kickstarts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Indian Motorcycle Corp. currently cranks out a line of bikes with big fenders based upon V-twin engines it buys from S&S Cycle in Wisconsin, much like the majority of the Harley clones out there. Indian recently unveiled its own V-twin engine...

Ridin' the web. (Kickstarts).
March 1, 2002... www.bmwmotorcycles.com BMW'S newly redesigned Web site, its largest interactive effort to date. www.thunder-wear.com Got gloves? Thunderwear does. And good stuff for your feet, too. www.valkyrieriders.com/inzane The...

Response.
March 1, 2002... Uncommon Cruiser Great review of the BMW R1200C Phoenix in the January issue by Bill Stermer! All major essentials were caught. How about a few extra comments: 1. The BMW "puny inaudible horn" that comes with the bike is absurd. Even...

Bolt out of Buell: The 2002 Buell Firebolt XB9R. (Ridden & Rated).(Evaluation)
March 1, 2002... We're two into the all-day session at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and I'm getting ready to flick Buell's new Firebolt XB9R into the hard right corner at the end of the front straight. I'm on the brakes, and have already processed the thought "TURN...

Exploring the Cumberland Plateau: Basic geology for riders. (Favorite Ride).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Cuesta, escarpment, karst basin, peneplain, anticlina folds--what's all this geology stuff? To a motorcyclist, these terms translate into twisties, switchbacks, drop-offs, elevation changes, decreasing-radius corners, sweepers and spectacular...

Hot Ninja. (Tech Q&A).(motorcycle repair questions)(Column)
March 1, 2002... Q: I have a 1990 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10 with about 24,000 miles on it. The bike overheats every time I ride in town or let it idle more than 15-20 minutes, but on the freeway or open road it stays cool. I recently had a tune-up and had a tech at...

Metzeler Sportec M-1 tires. (Gear).(Brief Article)(Evaluation)
March 1, 2002... Competition in the motorcycle fire arena is hot again this year, with new entries in just about every corner. The most have been in the Street Sport/ Track Day niche, the one between sport-touring and pure racing tires and opposite touring...

T-Pro Armor. (Gear).(protective riding suit)(Brief Article)(Evaluation)
March 1, 2002... Every rider with an iota of intelligence wants to be completely protected in the event of a spill. It's getting every rider to believe that they could conceivably take one on any ride that's the tough part. No matter how smart you are, if a...

Ducati People explores the passion and dedication of those behind the scenes of the Italian motorcycles. (Product Spotlight).
March 1, 2002... Ducati People explores the passion and dedication of those behind the scenes of the Italian motorcycles. Author and photographer Kevin Ash tells the story of Ducati through 24 perceptive interviews, culminating with the last interview given by...

Nelson Rigg introduces its WS-900 windstorm two-piece rainsuit. (Product Spotlight).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Nelson Rigg introduces its WS-900 Windstorm two-piece rainsuit to help keep your head above water. Nelson-Rigg says the suit is 100 percent waterproof, even in the harshest conditions, and is constructed using ripstop-designed PVC-coated nylon...

If you and your Annie Oakley decide to gallop to the OK Corral astride your trusty 2001 Triumph Bonneville, Corbin has just the thing to get you back in the saddle again. (Product Spotlight).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... If you and your Annie Oakley decide to gallop to the OK Corral astride your trusty 2001 Triumph Bonneville, Corbin has just the thing to get you back in the saddle again. The Gunfighter & Lady seat model features dual sculpted seating platforms...

Dunlop motorcycle tires has rolled out some new tires to help keep the rubber side down on all types of bikes. (Product Spotlight).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Dunlop Motorcycle Tires has rolled out some new tires to help keep the rubber side down on all types of bikes. The D206 Elite is designed specificaly for Honda Valkyries and features an all-new tread compound, deeper tread and durable...

Honda GL1800 Gold Wing owners can now "go chrome" thanks to Big Bike Parts Inc. (Product Spotlight).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Honda GL1800 Gold Wing owners can now "go chrome" thanks to Big Bike Parts Inc. The ABS chrome front lower cowl replaces the OEM plastic cowl, adding a bright chrome look to the front of the Wing. The chrome cowl is designed to work with both...

Firecreek Accessories Inc. has accomplished quite a feat by designing a tankbag for the Honda GL1500 Gold Wing. (Product Spotlight).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Firecreek Accessories Inc. has accomplished quite a feat by designing a tankbag for the Honda GL1500 Gold Wing. What makes the deed so interesting is that the GL1500 doesn't have a true exposed gas tank! The bag utilizes the existing mounting...

Highwayman motorcycle accessories manufactures forward controls and foot boards to help bring out the best in your cruiser. (Product SpotLight).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Highwayman Motorcycle Accessories manufactures forward controls and foot boards to help bring out the best in your cruiser. These accessories add comfort and style to your ride, and are handcrafted from billet aluminum and steel. All products...

The three frequency micro remote from Aero Designs & Manufacturing Company Inc. makes getting into your garage easier than ever. (Product SpotLight).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Come on, we can all admit it. We love remote controls. We have one (or more) for the television, one for the VCR, sometimes even one for kitchen appliances. And, of course, there is the remote that lets you in to your sanctuary and...