Intake

Intake

SMOKE TRAIL TOUR -> ROAD FLICK -> RETRO ROADSTERS -> MISPLACED DISPLACEMENT

HÊEHSTHHT THE EOfíVEHSHTÈOn

44

Peter Egan is at it again. What a great article. A story about a great motorcycle ride, music, musicians, and writers. It’s about people, places, and history. It’s about guitars and big, beautiful motorcycles. But even more it’s about the sweetness of life itself.

OREO PAPPAS PLYMOUTH, Ml

FIND YOUR CROSSROADS

Thank you, Peter and Mark, for another timeless, classic road trip. I’m sure you’re aware that everyone who reads that story has just come along for the ride and enjoyed every last bit of the trip.

You have now added another ride to my bucket list! Now, I just need to get myself from Sydney to Memphis.

BILL CAONACCI SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

Peter Egan scored a tour de force with “Down to the Crossroads” in the September issue. He reminds faithful readers like yours truly why we miss his column so much. His recounting of the ride he and Editor Mark Hoyer took from Memphis to New Orleans would make one hell of a road flick—especially if the photo crew shot video! The images of the two Indian motorcycles with their valanced fenders evoke memories of an earlier era in American motorcycling

that gave me the warm fuzzies.

PETE CHRON IS,

DENVER, CO

Pete, visit cycleworld.com to watch the threepart video series.

DON’T PICK ON BANJOS

Please add this unhappy note regarding Peter Egan’s derisive comment about banjos in “Down to the Crossroads” to the thousands of similar emails you must be receiving. How can Mr. Egan be so right about everything else and so wrong about this? Awaiting his next article.

JACK BELLINOFF GEORGETOWN, TX

Yours is the only one, Jack.

REGARDING RETRO ROADSTERS

I’m loving my Harley-Davidson. I concede it’s low on power compared to the other three, but it’s fun and easy to ride and

just looks awesome. At 50, having gone through eight other bikes (standards and cruisers) since the age of 16, plus being 6-foot and 215 pounds, I am likely not the targeted buyer. A decade ago I had a chance to hop off of a borrowed SV650 (fun and easy to ride) onto my brother’s Bimota. I could not wait to get off. Too much power, throttle response, and twitchiness. Great performance doesn’t mean a great bike or one that’s fun and confidence inspiring to ride. I must say I do love the Thruxton, but clip-ons are a no go, and besides, I would have to throw out most of my T-shirts!

STEPHEN HAFER

CYCLEWORLD.COM

MISPLACED DISPLACEMENT

The “Bikes of Enlightenment” article does not provide engine size. I infer the R nineT and XSR900 are 900CC. What about the other two? I can find out, but it seems odd these data are missing. Have readers stopped caring about displacement? Or are larger bikes so capable now that this is irrelevant (like hard drives in today’s computers)?

BILL HANNAS

ASHBURN, VA

The missing displacement spec was an oversight. The “medium” data panel doesn’t offer displacement, in which case we’d normally state it elsewhere in the story but did not. For the record-BMWR nineT: 1,17000. HarleyDavidson Sportster Roadster: i,200cc. Triumph Thruxton: 1,1970c. Yamaha XSR900:8470c.

CORRECTION

The Honda Africa Twin test (September) incorrectly stated that the throttle is ride by wire. Honda consciously chose cable throttle because it offered smoother response.

4IS Comments? Suggestions? Criticisms? Write us at intake@cycleworld.com.