Hotshots
HOTSHOTS
Get well, Peter
Peter Egan, who has always been able to make me laugh, has now found a way to make me cry. It was with great sorrow that I read his “Lost Summers” column (Leanings, February). Although he seemed a bit nonchalant about his Hepatitis C infection, I know very well what he is going through. I remember my treatment period: 48 weeks of three shots a week, six pills a day, and being constantly ill. Motorcycling was one of my few pleasurable releases—and I, too, had my place on the couch along with a pile of bike and car mags.
John Tayman
Lusby, Maryland
Mr. Egan has my full support regarding his Hep C. I went through the same treatment so I know exactly how he is feeling. I had no energy to ride my motorcycle, either. I could barely drive. If a reader is a Vietnam veteran who received a blood transfusion during the war, he has a 70 percent chance of carrying Hepatitis C. So, go check it out.
Tex Kubo Keller, Texas
Cycle World, please give my thanks to Peter Egan for including me in his recent Leanings column. Quite flattering, and I really appreciate you printing it. Everything is going okay over here, sometimes boring and sometimes pretty exciting. Seems to be picking up lately. Maybe this thing will be under control by the time I leave in June. Thanks again. SP/4 Darrell Pacheco U.S. Army, Baghdad, Iraq
It may be a cliché, but misery does, indeed, love company. “Lost Summers” hit me right where I live. I was in a bicycle/truck accident last June that shattered my left elbow and broke my right elbow and wrist. Needless to say, I spent the entire summer of 2003 lusting after my motorcycles and the road. Like Peter and Darrell Pacheco serving in Iraq, I spent most of my free time reading and fantasizing about what I was going to do when I could ride again. After five months of therapy, I did get to cruise around a little last fall on my Confederate, then winter returned and I had to have followup surgery. But Eve made my reservations and hope to see Peter and Darrell in Daytona this March. I wish Peter the best with his illness and Darrell a safe return from the Middle East.
Stephen Lach Orland Park, Illinois
I do not recall Peter mentioning his Hep C before. You would think a good friend like Peter would let a guy know to say a special prayer for him. He doesn’t know me, but I know him. When he goes on that journey to Daytona and gets near Nashville, he sure has a place to stay and some friends to ride with.
Lee Hussin Lavergne, Tennessee
I was sorry to hear that Mr. Egan is battling Hepatitis C. I have read with great interest all of his columns, as we share the same beautiful state and its exquisite backroads. Peter, the next time you are up Appleton way, you are welcome to stop in for dinner. I’ll cook. Bring your own beer. Hope you are feeling well soon. Glenn McVickar
Neenah, Wisconsin
Egan reports that his treatments are over, he’s feeling much better and while the weather is too cold for riding, he ’s back in his shop for hours at a time-he s even picked up another(!) Lotus restoration project.
Red Rocker
I have been a fan of Jesse James from the moment I viewed “Motorcycle Mania” on the Discovery Channel. Although it was obvious he had both mechanical and artistic talent, “Red Rocker” (CW, February) puts him in a class of his own. The mounting of the rear-brake rotor alone is genius-takes a chunk of unsprung weight off the rear-wheel assembly.
Bottom line: Jesse has elevated himself to motorcycle sainthood with the creation of Red Rocker. Honda spent its money well. Brian Ratzlaff
Merced, California I’ve had it with the current mania around choppers and the abandonment of functionality for style. Your cover story on Jesse James’ latest joke-bike is a perfect example. Let’s quit pretending these lash-ups represent anything other than cartooning in metal. If people want to pay stupid money for a cartoon, okay, but please don’t offer praise for these dysfunctional contraptions.
Real creativity is to provide style in a usable, reliable and safe end product. While I personally don’t like the Honda Rune, it was the result of actual design and engineering, not just welding, grinding and painting as practiced by James and his ilk. Jason Cutler
Wilton, Connecticut
Jesse James has proved that not only is he a master craftsman of the welding torch, hammer and English wheel, but that he is a world-class designer and innovator. His Killer Café works because it’s the essence of what a motorcycle is-big V-Twin motor stuffed in a compact, good-handling naked chassis of superb fit > and finish. George Brough had the same idea 80 years ago, and created a legend. If T.E. Lawrence were alive today, he would be on the waiting list for this very bike.
Honda’s $250K investment was a bargain when compared to the developmental costs of the Rune, and they got a much more desirable bike in the process. The gas tank alone is worth the price of admission. No, Mr. James is not a mere assembler of cartoonesque theme choppers and this proves that he never was. If Honda built this bike, I would buy it.
John Olrech
Round Rock, Texas
Jesse James’ customized Honda VTX may be a modern art form, but it’s a lousy motorcycle. His “interpretation” of a motorcycle rear suspension (steering damper, equal compression and rebound damping, minimal energy dissipation) and driveline dynamics (extreme misalignment of the Hooke’s-type universal and missing secondary yoke) means a bouncy and erratic ride. Jesse is obviously an artist, but not a mechanical engineer. Harry Shin
Castro Valley, California
The Jesse James VTX is amazing! If Honda doesn’t find a way to put it into production, they’re crazy. If they can build the Rune, this should be possible. Put Jesse’s autograph on the tank, give it some serious horsepower and call it the VTX-JJ. James has proved that he is the equal of any stylist/designer on Earth. Pierre Terblanche, eat your heart out! Honda, build this bike! Steve Bircher Santa Maria, California
Honda already makes a café-racer; it’s called the RC51. Take off the bodywork, spray paint it red and it would be hard to tell them apart! William Grubin Naches, Washington
I saw Jesse’s Killer Café VTX 1800 the other day on my local dealers’ showroom floor. Funny thing, it had “Buell” painted on the gas tank. Chris Olsen Issaquah, Washington
I was wondering why I should be envious of someone who married a porn star (yeeech/)? Furthermore, taking a beautiful car like that Ferrari and painting it so horribly? Sacrilege! Dirk Thomas
Johnstown, New York
I know there are some Jesse Jameshaters out there, but I personally have a newfound respect for the man.
Garrett Morris Bensenville, Illinois
I just can’t seem to get excited about someone building a beautiful café-racer for a corporate customer with $250,000 to spend. At that point, it is no longer a motorcycle, but a piece of expensive rolling artwork, nice to look at and admire, but hardly realistic. The clientele that Jesse James has, though, couldn’t care less, since it’s all about image, not substance. I’d rather see you highlight some normal schmuck who crafted a bike in his garage with a budget one-tenth of that used. But that doesn’t “sell,” does it?
I do give Jesse credit as a businessman, though. He has fools lined up throwing money at him to feed their egos, and he’s laughing all the way to the bank.
Mark Thompson Livonia, Michigan
As a VTX1800 owner, I have to say I love it when Jesse James kicks out the jams. Maybe if I get a few more tattoos...
Spyder Bussey Petersburg, Virginia
I’ve seen “Monster Garage” a few times on cable and thought that JJ basically sucked as a person. He was probably the kind of kid whose parents made him a ward of the state at age 8! Must’ve been a handful, that one. But man, I gotta admit, the guy is a frickin’ genius with moto-art. His stuff should be in the Guggenheim. A natural and learned mix of metallurgist, artist and techno-freak. What a combination! His stupid chopper stuff is not my cup of tea, so I turned him off a while back, but my God, what he could do if he got loose in the sportbike world! Steve Holt
Antioch, California
Why do you continually tease us with the singularly most exotic hardware, i.e. Red Rocker on the February cover? My vote is yes, build the RR, but I don’t expect to see it in the showroom anytime soon. Okay, Honda did ante-up with the Rune, but two for two? I don’t think so.
John Bonsett-Veal Madison, Wisconsin
Should Honda build this? Hell, yes! There is not one thing that I would change about this bike. Honda, just make it faster than the V-Rod, that’s all I ask. Joe Shaffer Valley Center, Kansas
Whoa! Talk about a redheaded stepchild! Jesse best stick with building gaudy, overdone choppers. The genre obviously doesn’t translate well to café-racers.
Andy Bellezza Billerica, Massachusetts
I’ve been telling my wife for several years now that if I won the lottery, the first thing I’d do is ask Jesse James if he’d build me a café-racer around a Sportster engine. All I need to do now is pick up that lucky ticket! Rob Haines
Fairbax, Virginia
Wow, after all the years of perverted posers that fly in the face of what a real outlaw bike should be (so stretched they won’t handle, so slammed they won’t corner, so overweight they won’t accelerate), one of the worst offenders actually shows signs that he knows what’s up. Welcome back from the dead, Jesse. That lump looks like it might actually work.
Doug Boughton
Sand Lake, New York
Beautiful bike, the Red Rocker; looks like a close relative of the Confederate. I saw one at Sturgis last summer in action in the Black Hills, and it showed it could handle as well as fly. Could Confederate Motorcycles have been ahead of their time?
John Callander Alton, Illinois
Judging by the Wraith story on page 44, the answer is yes... >
Project 100
You guys have finally built a hot-rod Harley that doesn’t remind me of the Hell’s Angels or my father’s Hog. I am in love! Could you please list the volume numbers for each issue the bike was in?
Jon Bekefy San Francisco, California
Absolutely love Project 100! How about a start-to-finish special edition, something with tons of detail so a guy could build his own on a budget? Ray Womack
Festus, Missouri
Did Project 100’s copper oil lines make the whole “Backroads to Milwaukee” trip? Dan Price
Depauw, Indiana
Enjoyed the series on the Project 100 Harley. Where can I get a brass kicker pedal like the one used on the bike?
J. Whittington Urbana, Illinois
Just kicking Project 100’s pair of 725cc cylinders to life would be an adrenaline rush! I have just about convinced myself that I need a Twin Cam 88B with Screamin’ Eagle 211 cams, Mikuni carb and Cobra exhaust. Who do I have to beg/bribe to get a test ride to see if this is true love? Nathaniel S. Wilson
Northridge, California
In these days of $50,000-plus choppers, it’s nice to see a real old/new custom that takes me back to my ’73 Ironhead chopper. Just something about kickin’ over a machine and hearing it, feeling it, roar to life-kinda makes my ’03 Fatboy seem not so real. Then I remember 104degree days, my full belly, a flooded carb and why I have this persistent limp. Think I’ll go push the button and ride...
Kirk Presley Pacific, Montana
A joint effort by Cycle World and Cobra USA’s Special Projects Division, with an able assist from H-D’s Parts & Accessories, Project 100, shown above-oil lines intact, Custom Chrome kick pedal gleaming-outside Harley ’s Juneau Avenue headquarters in Milwaukee, was featured in the November ’02, October ’03 and January ’04 issues. □
