Hotshots

HOTSHOTS

Falcon tamers

As an ex-Vincent Black Shadow owner (1956-58), I am disgusted by people like Ian Barry ("Black Falcon," CW, October), who take a piece of engineer ing that was years ahead of its time and bastardize it in the name of "art" or improved performance. My 1952 Model C with a lowly 7.5:1 compression ratio, Amal carbs, etc., would idle smoothly, cruise at 80-plus mph and return 5 5-60 mpg. The wheels could be removed without tools, it had adjustable rake for sidecar use, multiple kick and center stands, twin rear sprockets for adjust able gearing, etc. What's to improve? Is 125 mph not enough for you? -

Stuart Bollen Dunnellon, Florida

Really? How can one even contemplate the concept of heresy in relation to a custom Vincent? Sure, there are purists who must put everything right, commission artisan cheese makers to replicate the alloy used in the bolts, seek out just the right oak tree from which to fashion new tires, carefully consider if dryer lint or off-therack felting is best for brake linings. But isn't the motorcycle itself the result of someone sticking an engine where it didn't belong? Brough and Vincent of fered the public the best they could-in Brough's case, a little bit more. But time and technology march on. It didn't have to march too long before Mr. Egli took a shot at a better frame. More tea, vicar? No thanks, I'll take the Norvin. Where might the motorcycle be today if not for the heresy of the café racer? I'm sorry, in response to the Falcon, it hasn't "gone too far" but not far enough. Peter Spinale St. Paul, Minnesota

Building character

Kudos to Kevin Cameron on his won derfully insightful TDC in the Sep tember issue, "Building Engines." I grew up through the same era in Britain, where, to keep poorly designed and executed twoand four-wheeled prod ucts going on minimal funds, you were forced to learn how things worked and how to fix them. And everyone I knew in the biking fraternity at that time did the same. Then a shift in culture: Japanese bikes appeared on the scene. They were better in all respects, albeit lacking in "character." The "hands-off" culture had now in filtrated the dealerships, where the abil ity of a "mechanic" to fix an individual failed component was handed over to the skills of a "technician," who only knew how to swap subassemblies. Kevin's phrase, "What used to be rou tine is now considered remarkable," really struck a chord. I will do my best to continue to be one of the people who "are confronting the details, seeking

understanding and coming up with an swers that work." Duncan Culver Howell, New Jersey

Good news. It was not necessary to pry my grandson's hands from the control ler when I brought home a Honda 50 dirtbike. After a path was worn in the backyard and we went out to the junior motocross track, his words were some thing like. "That's the most fun I ever

had." I'm confident there is at least one more generation that gets it. Jim Pine Meirose Park, Illinois

The Diavel made us do it

In a nutshell, the Diavel does not "knock off the VMax" (Roundup, September). In the \IMaxlRocket III comparison you did last year (July, 2010), the VMaxturneda 10.11 quar ter-mile at 137 mph and did 0-60 in 2.5 seconds to the Diavel's distinctly slower 10.23 seconds at 131 mph. Granted, the Diavel beat the electronically restricted VMax in top speed, even then by just 12 mph. You used the same dyno numbers from the VMaxlRocket III comparo in the Diavel comparison, but conveniently (?) used slower performance numbers from the original road test of the VMax. Please set me straight if I am wrong here, or explain how what was presented is wholly accurate. Howard Bonser Palmer Lake, Colorado

We screwed up. We pulled performance numbers from our original VMax test in December~ 2008-wherein dragstrip legend Jay Gleason himself ran 10.26 seconds @ 135.80 mph-but failed to remember Road Test Editor Don Canet `5 10.11 l37from last year's com parison test. Dyno numbers were pulled separately, leading to the combination of numbers used.

Comedian of Errors #2

In the October, 2011, issue's Long-term Update on the VFR1200F DCT, with respect to the "4K inspection," I'm curi ous how the Honda techs lube the drive chain? Is there a special magic oil or something? John Goldie Scituate, Massachusetts

You (and many other readers who pointed out our error) are correct, John, the VFRJ200 DCT does not have chain final drive. We assure you that the of fending editors are getting the shaft.

Snake-oil sales

I read Mark Hoyer's Up Front in the October issue ("Battle of the Dust"). I've never ridden anything as ancient as his Velocette. I apologize in advance for sounding like a commercial, but I've put zMax in everything I own that has an internal-combustion engine. Add 2 ounces for every quart of oil in your crankcase, then fire it up and ride for at least 10 minutes. Put it in your transmis sion, too. I'm sure you know the spiel: It soaks into the base metal because the molecules are so small and basically helps your oil work better by reducing friction and, I think, doing away with the initial dry starts you get with a cold startup when most of your wear is sup posed to occur. That should increase your service intervals. - .

Emilio Fernandez-Sierra Camano Island, Washington

Hoyer says thanks, but he been runfling Slick 50 for years, and magic elixirs haven `t had the desired effect. This time, he `s turning up the torch instead.