Hotshots

HOTSHOTS

A total Triumph

I just finished reading “Triumph of the Spirit,” by Geoff Drake (CW, March). The opening paragraph about a young man in the 1960s experiencing the sights and sounds of a Triumph Twin took me right back to that same time warp.

I was a 16-year-old growing up in a small Midwest town, and our local neighborhood idol was Neal, the Bonneville-riding, stockcar-racing young man who lived just up the block. When he rode by the house, I’d go to the open door just to watch him pass and listen to that beautiful sound.

I was fascinated by that shiny blue Bonneville; it had some type of magnetism over me, and like Drake, I knew I had to own a Triumph some day. I even found myself daydreaming about them in college classrooms (not a good idea).

Finally, in the summer of ’67,1 bought a 650 Thunderbird, and my itch had been scratched. I loved the bike, but sold it for a wedding ring a few years later. The disease, however, never left my blood, and in the late ’80s, I bought and restored a 1965 Bonneville that I rescued from a barn.

Seeing that bike in my garage takes me back to the early ’60s, when I first fell in love with the sight and sound of a Triumph parallel-Twin. What a great story, Geoff. Enjoy your bike!

Richard Reed Colgate, Wisconsin

I just read the article by Geoff Drake and now I’m feeling kind of guilty. See,

I bought a new T100 Bonnie last year and while I do love it, I think I was too scared to buy an original. Being an automotive tech, I don’t always feel like tinkering in the garage, hence the new, reliable, low-maintenance Triumph.

Now I feel the urge to go looking for a relic from the past and make it new again. Super story, Geoff, and I’m feeling mighty envious. Jeff Carruthers Calgary, Alberta, Canada

My first bike was a 1969 TR6, identical to Geoff Drake’s, that I bought in ’71.1 let it go a few years later to buy the first of several Harleys. Finding another one has been in the back of my mind ever since. After reading Drake’s account of the restoration of his bike, I’m going to have to find one, too. Great story, and thanks for the memories. Mike Thompson

Deckerville, Michigan

Lapland Express

Just want to say that your “Lap of Luxury” touring-bike shootout (CW, March) was one of the best I have ever read about this class of bike and, overall, probably the most fair. At least you rode them enough to really work them out.

You marked the BMW down due to passenger discomfort, but from the pictures, it appears you left the tour trunk in its factory-delivered position. As explained in the owner’s manual, it’s a 10-to-15-minute job to reposition it rearward, and many passengers report much better comfort. It is also too bad that BMW changed the seat for the ’05 model, making the front of it smaller so that shorter riders can reach the ground easier. The pre-’05 seats are far more comfortable if this is not an issue, and since all your test riders were sufficiently “lengthy” it’s too bad BMW does not offer the earlier seat as an option. That alone might have kept the K1200LT ahead of the winning Honda Gold Wing.

I have more than 120,000 miles on LTs, and for me it is the best available bike, but it and the Wing are so close overall, as your tests have shown, that each rider has to choose relative to his or her own wants/needs. David Shealey San Diego, California

Thanks for the article about the top three touring motorcycles. I purchased a 30th Anniversary Gold Wing last September and couldn’t be happier. I’ve always liked straightening out the twisties and didn’t think a big 850-plus-pounder could handle anything like a sportbike, but the GL really surprised me with its abilities. Guess I’m hooked. I’ll keep a dual-sport bike around for fun, but for me nothing beats the open road on a GL 1800. Dave Cilite

Thornton, Texas

CONTINUED

So, Peter Egan ("Tales of a Big-Rig Rookie" sidebar) now knows what thousands of GL1800 riders have known since the bike's introduction in 2001: This is an incredible motorcy cle. Now, if Barb gets on the back there will be no turn ing back. Ron Krueger Howards Grove, Wisconsin

Read your piece on mega-tourers with great interest and want to add a point. As a rider of a Wing and an ex-BMW owner, I can tell you that if you add a trailer to your long-distance touring, the Honda is the only choice. Excellent reading, worthy conclusion, but us campers knew it al ready. Michel Desjardins Rimouski, Québec, Canada

As an Electra Glide owner, I am proba bly a little biased. I also understand that you probably picked the CVO Screamin' Eagle B-Glide so you could keep up with the other two bikes, but touring ain't about all that. You could've saved $1OK by get ting an Ultra Classic instead of the CVO and had a better windshield to boot. Dennis Snook Halsey, Oregon

For the price of the CVO Harley, I could buy the BMW, a new dirtbike and an early `90s TZ250 for track days. Rob Barnes New Lebanon, Ohio

If H-D put a V-Rod motor in an Electra Glide, with suspension to match, I might be interested. Come on H-D, step up to the plate. Todd Norwig Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

Dude!

In his article on the new dual-purpose Kawasaki KLX25OS (CW, March), OffRoad Editor Ryan Dudek mentions it replaces the "air-cooled and kick-startonly KLR25O." The discontinued KLR was very much water-cooled. He might have been thinking of the Super Sherpa, which was an air-cooled 250 dual-sport from Kawasaki, but it had an electric starter. It seems he mixed up the desir able traits of both models and created a new motorcycle. Tony IVieroth Cheyenne, Wyoming

Someone tell Dudek that my outdated, air-cooled KLR25O is wearing twin ra diators. What on earth are they for?! Jeff Adams Intervale, New Hampshire

Visionary?

Victory's Vision concept bike (Roundup, March) was un veiled with the wrong name. I think they meant "Bison." That thing looks like a buffalo on wheels! Arlen and Cory Ness did a good job giving Vic tory some credibility in the styling de partment; I just hope styling cues from the Vision never see production or it will unravel what they've accomplished. Maybe Polaris can make a snowmo bile out of it. Billy Eargle Charlotte, North Carolina

What will Apollo and Starbuck do if the Cylons build this bike? Alexander Nadeau Waterville, Maine

Those Victory folks are truly visionary. Imagine a motorcycle with an upright riding position, automatic transmission and enough storage space that you don't have to lug your riding gear around with you after you park.

Apparently Victory is unaware that Honda had the same idea 20 years ago with the Helix scooter. That vision has evolved into today's maxi-scooters by Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Piaggio, Kym co and Aprilia to name a few. Good looking, fun to ride, "ton" capable, beaucoup storage and comfortable for hours at a time. Hugh Straub New Orleans, Louisiana

I feel Victory is 100 percent on the right track with their automatic-transmission concept bike. Due to injury, the mo tions required to shift gears cause me physical pain. But, no matter what, I am a rider for life. A friend of mine bought a Honda Silver Wing scooter. It's fast, fun and, for me, pain free. Problem is I'm not a scooter guy. Anyone interested in seeing the Vi sion evolve from concept bike to pro duction can go to the Victory website (www.victory-usa.com) and fill out a survey. They want to know what we think. Now there's a concent.

Larry Frost Richmond, Kentucky

CONTINUED

The 9-second wonder

It is pretty darn cool that Executive Edi tor Mark Hoyer and other journalists were able to get their NHRA racing li censes on the spot in order to test the new Harley-Davidson Destroyer dragbike (Racewatch, March). I must say that it is more difficult for us mere mortals to get licensed. We have to make six quali fying passes on two separate days and get a more thorough physical. I'm surprised the NHRA (or track personnel) would permit this shortcut for you guys!

Jo~nIiw'andowski St. Clair Shores, Michigan

Hoyer is obviously a skilled rider to run as quick as 9.78 on a 550-pound bike with 165 horsepower. But let's hope there aren't any other tracks allowing non-li censed riders to "pull the trigger" on a 9-second bike-especially if they're in the lane next to me! Ron Langowski Winona, Minnesota

Mark Hoyer refers several times to the Top Fuel Harley V-Rod team that has competed so successfully in the NHRA. Please note: There are no Top Fuel mo torcycles competing in NHRA profes sional categories. Top Fuel refers to a specific category of dragbikes that run on nitromethane instead of the high-oc tane gas that Pro Stock NHRA motor cycles use. Grant Weber Naples, Florida

My bike makes more than 165 horse power and runs 9-second quarter-miles just like the Harley Destroyer, but mine is street-legal. Mine can carry a passen ger and even tour if required. Yet the Destroyer, at $33,000, gets a multi-page write-up like it is an astonishing marvel. The Kawasaki ZX1 2R (my bike) gets criticized for not having provisions for touring bags (please...), is largely ignored and now is discontinued! And I bought mine new for $9400. Ed Dwiggins Sunrise, Florida