Up Front
UP FRONT
T.W.I.S.T. & shout
CYCLE WORLD TWIST INITIATIVE
David Edwards
BY SHEER DUMB LUCK, I MAY HAVE HAD the best motorcycle training ever. Off-road, I went from minibikes to playbikes to full-size motocrossers, enduros and trials bikes. On the street, my learning curve progressed from a 175 to a 350 to a 750 and was heightened by a couple of seasons of club roadracing. Along the way, I was encouraged, instructed and enlightened by family, friends and fellow riders, all of which made me better, faster and safer on a motorcycle.
That’s the thinking, in our increasingly digital world, behind Cycle World's TWIST Initiative. The acronym stands for Two Wheel Inspired Secondary Transportation, in part because the idea was hatched following last summer’s hike in gas prices and the resultant flock of newbies snapping up scooters and beginner bikes, plus lots of rusty riders recommissioning their old beaters for commuter duty.
In short, if you want to park the car for a few days each week, if you’re a rank beginner, if you’re a re-entry rider or-and this is where most of you come in-if you’re an experienced rider being asked advice by any of the above, TWIST is a one-stop online resource.
Log on to www.cycleworld.com and on the home page you’ll find the TWIST button. Subtitled “Cycle World's Guide to Basic Motorcycle Discovery,” there’s a listing inside with specifications of every starter/commuter-friendly bike and scooter sold in the U.S. We’ll also repurpose appropriate tests, comparisons, feature stories and news items from the magazine. There’s a Product Guide that deals with riding gear and accessories. We’ll list fuel-mileage figures for every testbike going back three years. And we’re even interactive with an “Ask an Expert” section.
Frankly, I’m jealous. Imagine how much better a rider I’d be if Al Gore had invented the Internet 30 years sooner...
I need to check the laws in regard to aiding and abetting. See, I’ve helped procure machines for a new Spike TV show, “Jesse James is a Dead Man,” and if James does succeed in offing himself-seems likely, given the video clips-I want to have my legal ducks in a row. I’m not going down like Dr. Jack Kevorkian here.
The phone conversations with Jesse go something like this: “Hey, man, I’m going to the Arctic Circle. Who do I call about getting a BMW R1200GS Adventure-and what do you know about spiked tires?” Or, “Do you have a contact at KTM; I’m entering the U.S. Hare Scrambles Championships at Laughlin.” The show, airing Sundays at 10 p.m. Eastern, puts seemingly suicidal James in a variety of life-snuffing situations45-below ice rides, fully engulfed fire walks, figure-8 demo derbies, minefield slaloms, pickup truck flip-overs, 200mph nitro Harley runs, etc. Ten 1-hour episodes are planned.. .if he makes it that long. “I checked ‘Organ Donor’ on my driver’s license,” Jesse says, “but I don’t think there’s gonna be anything left.” Hey, I’m laying low. If anything happens, talk to my lawyer.
No good deed goes unrewarded, some people say, and my ride home a couple of Sundays ago was all the proof I need. Earlier in the day, I’d ridden my Yamaha Warrior out to Temecula, California, to take part in the Breathe Easy Ride (www.breatheeasyride. com) put on by former motocross great Broc Glover, whose 7-year-old son Dayne suffers from cystic fibrosis. I was in the company of several Yamaha/Star employees putting their products to good use, including big-wig Bob Starr, plus Ken Boyko of Cobra USA fame and son Dustin, and CW Publisher Larry Little with lovely wife Stephanie aboard our BMW K1300GT testbike.
The trip to the starting point in Temecula’s Old Town was worth it just for the star-gazing. Glover’s old buddies from the MX circuit were out in force, including Jeremy McGrath, Ricky Johnson, Mike Bell, Danny LaPorte, David Bailey, Jeff Ward, Micky Dymond and Ron Lechien. Roadracing was well represented by Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Steve Rapp and (a mending) Neil Hodgson. Even likeable NASCAR mophead Boris Said was sitting at the table of legends signing autographs. Larry “Supermouth” Huffman ably, as always, handled the MC duties and presided over a charity auction of signed riding gear and memorabilia.
In all, some $77,000 was raised for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. My $50 standard-level entry fee put me on one of three self-guided rides-cruiser, sportbike or dual-sport. We took several hours to complete the 80-mile cruiser loop, stopping for a great cowboy lunch at the newly renovated Lake Henshaw Cafe.
When it was time to split for home, the rest of the group headed toward the coast and eventually the 5 Freeway. Not interested in that final drone, I broke off and headed for twisty Ortega Highway. I hadn’t ridden the full length of Ortega in a couple of years due to a $40 million improvement project that had sections of the road closed down, causing lengthy delays. The road, widened and resurfaced, is now open, and I just have to say thank you, CalTrans! This was a very sympathetic renovation-all the curves remain, but sightlines around corners have been increased by moving the mountainside back in places and building overhangs in others.
By happy circumstance, I had the road almost to myself. The three cars I came upon all pulled over at their first opportunity, using the new, easy-access turnouts. A glorious ride in the setting sun. Next year, Broc, I’m donating $100!
