It's Prime Time

That's right, the weather is perfect and the days are getting longer.
Thus folks is why living in Arizona ROCKS!

My Secret Obsession

I have to admit, I love this bike!

But, would I be ridiculed?

Taco Tuesday

I called a bike night for Tuesday and called it Taco Tuesday. Since
Rubio's has fish tacos for a buck on Tuesdays.

4 guys showed up, we hung out on the patio and chatted it up.

I think I'll be doing this again as it was fun and different!

It was suggested it be called Two-Wheel Taco Tuesday, and I like that.

Yummy

Lunch looks good!

Chill Ride

I decided to take a little ride this afternoon, just to chill.

I didn't know I was going to be chilly!

It is not that bad, just a nice 60 degrees at 2 pm in Payson, AZ.

Going to get some food and then ride home.

Watch Out Hollywood!

Here I come!

Ha ha, OK maybe not, but give me some time and you never know, right?



I've fussed with several different types of video systems and couldn't really find what I was looking for. I got a very pricey digital camcorder for Christmas a few years ago, but it was about impossible to use with my Mac. Then I tried a remote lipstick type camera with a digital recorder and it was OK, but the camera I got was a rearview camera and I had to flip everything to look right.

Then I go a GoPro Hero camera, but it didn't really hit the mark for me, although it is a really cool camera.

Then, out of the blue, a refurbished Canon MiniDV camera was posted up on Engadget for $139 and I grabbed it up. Right off the bat this much easier to deal with and I think this is going to work.

Rain....Ha!

Well, I made it to Bike Night with no rain. Not sure who thought it
would rain, but they were wrong!

Mmmm, yummy wings will be up soon.

Arrghhhh!

It is a conspiracy I swear!

Yesterday they Slurry Sealed my neighborhood and paved my bikes in
with no way to get out. True we were told ahead of time so we could
park outside overnight, but my babies don't like overspray, so I am
stuck until tomorrow.

I just hope it doesn't rain or it will be nice and slick leaving the
neighborhood.

Maintenace Day!

A maintained bike is a happy bike and today my bike is happy!

I've been tied up with some writing projects as of late and I am itching to ride. The weather is starring to warm and the rain should be gone soon.

So, I'm just getting things ready to roll!

Local Racing is Cool!

My wife and I headed out to Firebird Raceway to see the first race of the year officially sponsored by South West Rides.

Not only was it a lot of fun, I was so into it I forgot to take a photo!

But, photo or not I thought I would at least post up and say that I had a great time and it was an awesome day.

I wanted to do a few other things today so I was not able to stay for all the races, but the time there was pretty cool. I almost can't wait until the next session.

In the morning I will need to go get some new oil for the ST1300 as I thought it was low and overfilled her today. Oh well, the trip was short and it wasn't too much over. I'll post up my procedure tomorrow.

South West Rides Announces RRSW Sponsorship

As the guy that runs the SouthWestRides.com site, I figured I would let everyone know about this.

Effective 2-8-2008 SouthWestRides.com will be an official sponsor of the Road Race Southwest Supertwins series.

We are proud to help support the local racing scene and the safe and professional environment in which it is run. One of the key founding points of SouthWestRides is to establish an environment and culture that encourages and supports safe riding. We believe that racing and specifically local racing is an affordable and reachable goal for most and support that effort.

In the future SouthWestRides will be looking for ways to actively engage non-racers in the local racing scene in a fun and interactive way, all along the lines of helping solidify the community in order to maximize benefit to riders.

We wish all the racers good luck this weekend and for the rest of the season!

Hope to see you at the track!!

RRSW website - Click here.

Bondurant School Celebrates 40 Years

I was having so much fun yesterday and got in so late I never completed explained my post.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of being a part of racing history at event here in Arizona. While this event didn't happen at a racetrack specifically, it was at a purpose built racing school, the first of its kind ever. Forty years ago Bob Bondurant started his racing school and in 1990 he built his facility here in Arizona thanks to a deal he landed with the Gila River Indian Community and several other key sponsors.

Bob has taught and passed his racing knowledge on to hundreds of thousands of regular people, celebrities and race drivers over those forty years and last night was a celebration of the success he has obtained. But true to his style Bob didn't take all the credit himself. Even after hours of person after person on stage giving accolades to Bob when he finally took the stage it ended up being all about his employees as Bob handed out custom gifts to all of his staff.

That was how the day ended and I am telling the story backwards because I want to make that point about Bob first and most important. I've met the man probably a handful of times and never has it been about him, but the people around him and that I find pretty cool.

So let me back up and talk about how my day started.


I arrived at the facility in the afternoon and the rain that had been a threat had yet to materialize which was a good sign because rain and racetracks are not usually the best of friends.

As part of a media presentation I was shown some of the basics of what the school has to offer. My group started off with a cool team event that really had to do more with how to be slow to be fast versus speed. We were split into two teams of 6 and we had a car each.

The event was basically a baton pass kind of deal that involved starting from a spot running to the car, putting on the seat belt and then driving a simple slalom. Once completed we had to stop in a box, run out of the car and tag the next person to run to the car and repeat. It was a nice team building activity and a lot of fun.

Next up my group went to a rally event where we ran a time trial through a course set up in basically a parking lot.

From there my favorite, it was go carts on the Bondurant Supercart course. Tons of fun and lots of passing!

Finally, the day ended with the staff taking us on Hot Laps of the main course.

I've been to the Bondurant facility many times and every time I go the place get bigger and better. The people are exceptional and always helpful and the instructors are top notch.



While this is not a motorcycle training facility I can tell you personally that the training received at this school will help any rider immensely. If you can understand how to interpret a roadway and understand what lines to take you be safer and faster. Learning to be smooth and consistent conveys directly to a bike and learning in a car with someone right next to you is a lot faster and a more efficient way to understand the basics.

If you start here you'll not only be safer in your car or truck, but ready to maximize any motorcycle school or trackday.


I have a full gallery of the photos I took that you can find by clicking here!

Training is Training

It doesn't matter if you are on a car or a bike, corners and lines are
all the same.

It Was A Good Day

Actually it was an awesome day to ride. It all started out when Tom a guy from Michigan that I met via ST-Owners.com called me up and asked if he could stop by so that I could look at his bike. He had brought it here to Arizona in the back of his pickup and wrapped in shrink-wrap.

Well, the shrink wrap had rubbed his paint and even worn through in a couple places, but all in all not that bad.

We decided to run down to Tortilla Flat on AZ88 (Canyon Lake Road) probably my favorite ride.



When we got to the town of Tortilla Flat it was packed, so I decided to show him the South West Rides secret which is the Canyon Lake Restaurant and Cantina. It of course offer good service and excellent food!

I have to say that the road is still not in really good condition, hopefully it will clear up soon, or I might have to start a drive to get it paved.

Back On The Road

After being sick for two weeks and dropping this very bike in my garage last week, I made a nice (at points) 300 mile trip today!

I say nice at points because the trip involved a lot of stop and go spots at times. When I hit Wickenburg, AZ I came to a complete stop about 6 miles from where I needed to be. It took me a good 45 minutes to get to my destination, but it worked out in the end and the people I was to meet actually waited for me, aren't riders cool!

From there is was a nice ride up Yarnell Hill and then through the White Spars to Prescott, AZ.

I had lunch with the crew and then needed to scoot home. Or course I was not planning on a 80 mile detour, but thanks to traffic again I had to find my way around the top of Phoenix, AZ to get home.

I made it in time to shower and head out with my wife for dinner with friends. It was a great day!!

Some Tuning Love

If you decide to step outside of a stock setup in the realm of horsepower creation, a custom fuel map will be something that you'll be needing.


I stopped by Euro Motorsports today to check out their new Dyno setup and found something a little better than the cookie cutter Dynojet approach.

First off all you'll notice the mondo fan in the front. That is actually one of the dryer fans you might find at a car wash. I was informed that sportbikes with this thing don't get above 180 degrees when tuning, which is killer if you ask me.

Second, you'll notice that the computer and monitors all have custom mounts which work well to help make tuning easier.

Finally, you might notice that the window is against a wall. Kind of odd, since you can't see in there, right? Well, that is solved by the fact that in the front of the store you can find a big screen and linked monitor that shows an even better view than you would see through a window.



Add Mark Ledesma to the mix and you might not find a better place to get a bike tuned...

For more photos, check out the gallery. Click here!

Rain, Rain, Go AWAY!

Man, this is seriously getting old. I mean cold is one thing, but cold and wet really sucks.

It is not that I can't ride in the rain, or gear up for the cold, but when I just want to take a short little 200 mile ride for some coffee or something I don't want the hassle.

The good news is that I'm saving up tire wear for the miles I'll be racking up when it gets warmer. As the folks who came to the Super Bowl found out it does get chilly here, sure nothing the likes of the East Coast, but it is a dry cold...right!

Well, tomorrow I'm gonna take a trip to check out a new dyno and tech center, so be sure to check in and you will see the details here.

Till then, stay warm and dry!

Heated Grips

Today we had another tech day at my garage and it was centered around heated grips.

Dean from the South West Rides website was on hand and personally helped install about 5 sets of grips. I think a total of 8 got installed and several more folks bought a setbto install later.

It was fun times for all, motorcycle talk and plenty off cool bikes on hand. I don't think it could have been a nicer day. Much better than
hanging out at pre-Super Bowl parties anyway!

I Hate Tests!

I've lived in Arizona for over 10 years now and only had 2 vehicles ( including 1 today) tested for emissions. I've actually sold vehicles to avaoid the test I think, mostly because I don't like other people I don't know banging my vehicles through gears on a Dyno...

While it shouldn't be a big deal you could tell there was serious
stress from people at the testing location. Oh, that and the fact that the scrubs doing the testing act as if they are holding your life in their hands.

No big deal, my ST passed with flying colors and I got the
"Congratulations" letter. Too funny in my mind that they pat you on the back for test you can't study for and that you can't realistically pre-test.

With a little running around I got all the stuff for the Grip Day
tomorrow. So stay tuned for excitement.