Hotshots

HOTSHOTS

ILLUSTRATION BY HECTOR CADEMARTORI

Cannonballs

I’ve just finished reading “Euro Cannonball” (CW, March), and had to fire off one of the many letters to the editor you predicted you'd get.

I've got two voices inside telling me what to write. One voice says, “How can you condone such reckless disregard for the law, for the safety and property of others and for the reputation of motorcycling? You’re endorsing this Lomas character’s criminal behavior. What if he'd crashed into a busload of crippled blind orphan schoolchildren and their kittens?”

The other voice says, “What a great story! Great writing! If this guy is going to go insane for five days, he might

as well write about it and let us share the experience! Maybe then we won't have to go and do something like that ourselves! It was a wonderful tale of adventure like nothing I’ve read in recent memory. Thanks for running it! If Lomas survives the American Cannonball, have him write about that, too!” Let’s see, somewhere in the mess on this desk, I’ve got a card from you guys offering to extend my subscription for cheap... Lyle D. Gunderson

Provo, Utah

Dale Lomas' account of his participation in the Cannonball Bike Run was entertaining-as fiction. In the real world

most of us inhabit, someone flying through a red light right in front of you (or into the side of your car) has little or no redeeming social value.

If there’s even a word of truth anywhere in Dale’s article, and the Cannonball promoters, whoever they are, actually intend to try this in the U.S., maybe they should first take a look at some “Cops” reruns on TV Anyone who has ever watched even one episode is aware that more than a few U.S. jurisdictions employ platoons of shavenheaded, thick-necked officers whose preparation for careers in law enforcement obviously included learning how to pound the living crap out of people with 24-inch Maglites.

Rally hopefuls should consider that even if they survive their suicidal riding, their inevitable encounters with the police in this country will very likely result in something more unpleasant than roadside fines and impoundments. Richard Worth

Posted on www.cycleworld.com

Just thought I would tell you how much I enjoyed “Euro Cannonball” before the safety-Nazis start their murmurings. Keep up the good work and throw in a few pictures of hot gals to stir up that other bunch of spoil-sports. I am a 67year-old TT rider: Tavern-to-Tavern, on the back wheel only...well, that’s not the exact truth but it sounds good.

Steve Rhodes Rock Hill, South Carolina

The “Euro Cannonball” article is great fuel for those that would support legislation against motorcycling. This article celebrates reckless behavior and a blatant disregard of the law that encourages thrill-seeking and brings negative attention to the motorcycling community. Is such behavior exciting to read about? Of course, but it is also irresponsible to publish. To make matters worse, the article serves double-

duty as an advertisement for a similar race to be held here in the U.S. How many more will be seduced to enteras a result of this article? Who knows? I do know that I don't want my family anywhere near the race when it starts.

Nick Gustin Issaquah, Washington

Cancel my subscription? Lomas on the Euro Cannonball had me pining for my younger days, when total disregard for others’ safety, not to mention my own, was okay by me. Reckless abandon at 182 mph! I was in a sweat as Lomas dodged German police like Steve McQueen trying to leap across the Swiss border. CW absolutely must come up with

the $4K to finance Lomas in the American Cannonball. Jim Tate

Deer Park, Washington

I didn’t think CW, or anybody for that matter, could sink so low as to print such dangerous, irresponsible, penis-waving hooligan crap. You easily induced more vomiting with this article than you did a few years back with that domestic-variety crap, “Song of the Sausage Creature,” by Hunter S. Thompson. Neil Cudden San Jose, California

I don’t write much to the mags, but I thought I should this time: March issue, “Euro Cannonball,” abso-frickin-lootly awesome! Joe Heald

Posted on www.cycleworld.com

When testosterone overwhelms intelligence, poor judgment is usually the result. As if all law enforcement isn’t already perched to swoop on speeding motorcyclists, Dale Lomas and 74 other

idiots nuke Europe and leave the rest of us radioactive in the public eye. I don’t get it. Better tighten your jock and check your six in California on your next Cannonball Run, Lomas. The CHP doesn’t take kindly to this sort of s*#%.

Charlie Ratigan Manitowoc, Wisconsin

“Euro Cannonball” was a great piece of socially unredeemable literature. Forthose of us who toil away at lawful, otherwise “normal” lives, 1 found myself rooting for the bad guys. Mr. Lomas is my new hero (sorry, Rossi). Zeke Covarrubias Modesto, California

“Lord help us,” said the story’s subtitle. Well, the Lord helps me just fine, but apparently He needs to help you a little in the judgment area. “Euro Cannonball” was the stupidest thing CJThas ever published. Gershom ben Avraham

Laurel, Maryland

Thanks for the “Euro Cannonball” story. Quite different for Cycle World but it was well-written, humorous and illustrated another aspect of the world of motorcycling. There will probably be those who complain about you giving publicity to

an event that accumulated 109 tickets, 8 arrests and 6 crashes, but I think it’s okay for CW to step over to the crazy side once in a while. J.D, Conner

Winnetka, Illinois

I expect to see a DOWN to CW in the next issue. It is irresponsible beyond belief to participate in such an event and then brag about speeding, flouting the police and the laws, while never caring about any accidents or injuries you might have caused to other innocent people on the road. It is even more irresponsible for a magazine that has for years spoken out against this type of “fast and furious” behavior to give tacit approval by actually printing the article. How is this going to improve the perception of motorcycles and their riders that the general public currently has? Shame on whoever approved the article for print.

Charles G. Cole Bethany, Oklahoma

Thank you for the great story about the Euro Cannonball! I couldn’t read it fast enough. I laughed out loud. More reallife stories like this, if you please, fine gentlemen. Craig Montgomery

Montpelier, Vermont

Your Cannonball article sure helps to paint a negative picture. This is just what a state senator will use in his quest to put bans on motorcycles. I’m sure the American Motorcyclist Association loves the article, too. Just what were you thinking? Thanks for making us all look bad. I can feel my insurance rates going up already. Please don’t print anymore trash like “Euro Cannonball” again. It hurts us and our image. Burt Garwood

Omaha, Nebraska

It’s 10 actual degrees below zero here in Bangor, and I’ve just put down Dale Lomas’ screamin’ hilarious Cannonball piece to ask if you can please make it be riding season right now? Stephen Palley

Bangor, Maine

Have you lost your minds? Why would you print a story consisting of nothing but criminal acts of extreme reckless riding? Most of which was done at great peril to surrounding motorists? Actions like these are by definition only performed by anal orifices.

The author’s last line says it all: “Next time, someone might die. Maybe me...” More importantly, it may be some innocent bystander who never chose to assume

such a risk. If that should happen, what is Cycle World magazine’s role in it? Think hard about that. Chris Tromley

Narberth, Pennsylvania

Seventy-five idiots riding four days from L.A. to Las Vegas at 182 mph, blowing the doors offcop cars at 150 mph, T-boning unsuspecting citizens at stop signs?! Sounds like a hell of a good time to me! Where can I sign up? Always wanted to see the mountains out West by motorcycle.

Now I just need one of Mr. Cameron’s in-depth tech articles on how to mount a Taliban-surplus shoulder-fired rocket launcher on my Norton Commando. Please ask him to cover the usual fine points, such as the proper leading of a target traveling 82 mph faster than my Norton’s top snortin’ speed, whilst compensating of course for the inevitable two-wheeled paint-shaker vibration I will no doubt be experiencing at such blistering speeds. I’m sure he can put it into easy to understand language as usual. Tom Haak Wood Lake, Minnesota

This article sounds like a piece for Outlaw Biker rather than your magazine. Outrunning the law is not a laughing matter. Your article was irresponsible in ad-

vocating this type of riding. Jim Dalton Posted on www.cycleworld.com

Bang-up job on the Euro Cannonball coverage! Seems like Lomas kept the spirit of the original Cannonball Run aliverunning roadblocks, ditching the Polizia and squeezing every ounce of horsepower out of his machine. Great read. Burt Reynolds would be proud.

Nate Maurer Milwaukee, Wisconsin

You, a respected national motorcycling publication, endorsing such a thing! I don’t get it. Are you trying to piss off the mainstream? Maybe I’m out of touch, having been in law enforcement for 30-plus years, but really, do the majority of us think it’s okay to ride like that? Why don’t you just give the “Eco/safety brownshirts” a loaded gun? I would think that self-preservation, if nothing else, would kick in and keep you from encouraging such things.

Ted Markt

Saint Joseph, Missouri

I just finished reading the most-extreme, over-the-edge romp of motorcycling bravado since I can't remember when. Blistering along at 150 mph, blurring the cops

at 186?! Holy cajones, Batman! Hats off to Lomas, his Kwak and the other 74 Cannonballers. Nick ZitO

Camden New, Jersey

You’ll no doubt have some angry responses to “Euro Cannonball.” I read the article, but I didn’t get any kind of uncontrollable urge to trade my Aprilia dualsport in on a ZX-14 or Hayabusa and head out to the Interstate to see how many cops I could elude or how many innocent citizens I could run off the road. Stupid people will engage in stupid behavior regardless of whether articles like that are published.

The article was a fun read, even if it offends the sensibilities of a few in the U.S.

And thank you for printing the “RideCraft” installment about backroad riding techniques in the same issue. There are plenty of novice riders who will benefit, and even we experienced riders can learn from this type of article. I’d say it more than balances out the possibility that some idiot is going to think he can get away with a 150-mph blast across the continent because he read about it in Cycle World. Carl Best

Eugene, Oregon □