By Dennis Dumapias For the longest time I really wanted to put my 2002 R1 inside my house as a personal trophy bike to commemorate all the smiles in the miles I’ve racked up with it. It really does embody a rich part of my riding history, encasing it between its two wheels. Like
Bargain Beauty: 1997 Ducati Monster M750
By Dennis Dumapias Last year I had another friend ask me to look for a motorcycle for her (…you know, I really should start a used-bike shopper service). She used to ride before we met, but it was short-lived. So while she isn’t going to be new to riding, she’s new again. And she
Moto Guild – A New Rider’s Perspective, Part 2
By Ryan McNerney Since my first visit Since then I’ve come back for every 4,000 mile service. I’ve also done the brake service class, where I upgraded my brake line from the ancient rubber line to stainless steel. The three hours it takes me to do the service with a brake bleed comes to
Moto Guild – A New Rider’s Perspective, Part 1
By Ryan McNerney Last Friday I received some unfortunate news from the Moto Guild SF email blast. Aleks and Wilder, the shop’s current owners, have decided to move on and sell the business – or close if a new owner can’t be found. I consider myself a relatively new rider with a mere 4
A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
By Dennis Dumapias Hubris really can be a witch sometimes. I had just redeemed myself at Laguna Seca since my crash there the year prior, and I found myself back on the deck right after, this time at Sonoma Raceway. Rookie mistake too, crashing on my out lap from the pits in only the
Triumph Speed Triple: The Brass Knuckle Trilogy
By Dennis Dumapias My friend Lili has always been a massive fan of Triumph’s Speed Triple. She’s also a coworker, so I basically spend more time with her than I would care to on any given work week. She’s harped for years about the virtues of the Speed Triple, having owned a 2002 model
Aprilia RSV Mille versus MV Agusta F4: Reality Check
By Dennis Dumapias It’s been over a week now since I checked out that RSV Mille. Over seven days, I’ve now had to decide whether to move my F4 out of my garage, and have another go at my dream bike – eleven years after I last owned one – or to keep my
1st-Gen Aprilia RSV Mille: Relive the Dream?
By Dennis Dumapias I make no claim that the early-gen RSV Mille is one of the best motorcycles ever made, or that it holds a fabled status like its other Italian counterparts such as Ducati’s 916, or MV Agusta’s F4. The RSV Mille is Aprilia’s first hand at a superbike, but other than that,
Diagnosing Troublesome Problems – Part 3
By AJ Jacobsen After loading up the race bike early Sunday morning, my friend Anh and I headed to another friend’s house to see if he could convince this clutch basket nut to come off. Alan had a full shop set up with all the fun machining tools, and we got set up to
“Beginner” Bikes
By Talya Adams Over the last few years I’ve been noticing some new sports bikes on the road. I’ve seen new bikes parked in my neighborhood and at my job. I started to take a closer look and I was surprised to see a lot of these new bikes were “entry level” motorcycles. These
Going Green
By Dennis Dumapias Patience. This is very much moto-related. I promise. 🙂 I got the chance to spend a few weeks driving an all-electric car this past winter. A co-worker of mine – who also happens to be a neighbor – had leased a Volkswagen e-Golf to use as a commuter during the week.
MV Agusta F4: Sight Versus Sound
By Dennis Dumapias I keep going back and forth between leaving the OEM quad pipes on the F4, or running the aftermarket titanium dual slip-ons I found for it. Ever since finding the aftermarket slip-ons, I’ve swapped between those and the OEM pipes three times now, and I’m pretty sure I’m not done oscillating
Final Winter Race Prep
By AJ Jacobsen After completing the rebuild on my transmission, and getting that and the clutch reinstalled in the bike, I had one more weekend of final prep left to do before I felt ready to kick off the season. First up was installing a new chain. While this is a routine task, it
Kicking off the 2019 Track Season
By AJ Jacobsen I had ended the 2018 riding season with a few changes to my bike, some of them minor, some of them fairly major, but basically leaving me with a bike that I really needed to dial in. There was also a fair bit of major winter maintenance that I had completed, so
2009 Yamaha R1: Silver Linings
By Dennis Dumapias I try to see the silver lining in things. It’s how I take little victories even in frustrating situations. For example, it does suck to have get up a few minutes earlier to gear up for my work commute on a motorcycle, but at least I don’t have to sit through
Satin-Wrapped Hellspawn
By Dennis Dumapias Oh, for sure, this bike is a looker. But trust me. If ever you get a chance, you must ride an F4. You MUST. Some bikes intrigue you because of a particular novelty about them that just may be exclusive to that bike. Maybe it’s some new and trick performance part,
2005 MV Agusta F4: Let Your Supermodel Strut
By Dennis Dumapias I’ll confess that I’m equal parts admirer and rider when it comes to motorcycling. I appreciate the finished product both as something to put under gallery lights half the time, and race the sun the other half. This applies to every bike I’ve ever owned. And whereas the common man may look
Dirt Day
By Barb Graham It was billed as “Day in the Dirt.” This Meetup event was hosted by the BMW shop, and some expert dirt riders offered instruction. The plan was to meet at the shop, then proceed down into Borrego Desert and gather at a staging area by the Superstition Mountains. The day was
2019 Motorcycle Goals
By Talya Adams It’s that time of year again. The time when resolutions are made and then quickly forgotten. The forgotten promises are exactly why I stopped making resolutions years ago, and also why setting goals has become so effective for me. This year my motorcycle goals will be simple, fun, and manageable. I’ve had
Motorcycle Transportation – What You Need to Know
By Jason Mueller If you’ve ever had to travel long distances, you already understand how terrifying the thought of shipping your motorcycle is. While it’s not an impossible task, it can be a difficult one if you don’t properly prepare for it. If you do not transport your motorcycle correctly, you can quickly run
Down But Not Out
By Talya Adams This week has been extremely trying for me as my favorite thing in the world was almost stolen. That’s right, someone attempted to steal my motorcycle on Monday night in front of my job. In the past, I’ve written a lot about securing your motorcycle and taking precautions to dissuade thieves from
2009 Yamaha R1: That Awkward First Dance
By Dennis Dumpias “I passed Dennis!” I swear. Who needs enemies when you have friends like mine? It was June, already a hot day at Thunderhill Raceway and there I was feeling the heat of having to learn to ride my 09 R1. My friends weren’t any help, as they were like sharks that
Riding Coaches – Is It Worth It? (Part 2 of 2)
Below is the recap of my first full day with a one-on-one coach. We went ahead and scheduled the first day of coaching for Sunday on the opening weekend for Pacific Track Time. I took Saturday to just feel my bike out, made a lot of adjustments, spent time coaching customers, and just getting myself
Riding Coaches – Is It Worth It?
By AJ Jacobsen When it comes to your riding, what do you invest in? Obviously, there’s the motorcycle, but after that, where do you spend your money? Gear? Upgrades? Track days? What about coaching? Many riders shy away from paying for professional riding instruction. I can see why – it’s a lot of money, with
This Never Gets Old
By Dennis Dumapais My ’66 Suzuki Trail 80. I can’t believe I almost passed up on this bike. I can’t believe I drove home with an empty truck bed after the first time I went to see it in person, all because of a couple of hundred dollars off of Kelley Blue Book’s valuation on
Riding in the Heat
It’s no secret the month of September tends to be hottest month of the year in Los Angeles. When I first moved here from the east, I thought this was ridiculous as the early months of summer are the hottest in Florida. Interestingly enough, the last week of August this year was a scorcher with
Bike Life Short Film Production
This year I was presented with a unique opportunity to tell a visual short story in under a minute. A friend of mine had come across a film competition and she presented it to me like it could be a fun side project for us to team up on. Initially, as with most things, I
How My Monday Went
Every year, comes a time when we must either tune our bikes, or have it done. These days, I prefer to take it to the BMW shop. Laying on the ground trying to work on my bike has become uncomfortable and ache-producing. I made an appointment, and sarcastically asked for a loaner. Sarcastically, because the
Top Reasons to Ride in LA
If you know me there’s a good chance I’ve encouraged you to purchase a motorcycle at some point. This is especially true if you live in Los Angeles county, even more so if you live in the city of Los Angeles. Below are my selling points for having a motorcycle in the city. 1.) TRAFFIC.
KTM 390 Versus Yamaha R6
Most people know me from racing in the MotoAmerica Ktm Cup. Now that I’ve made the move onto a 600 I get asked frequently what the difference is between the 390 and the R6. My 390 was a spec cup bike, so I didn’t have as much horsepower as a regular 390 and I was
Favorite Tahoe Rides
While I am not from the Lake Tahoe area, I love gambling, skiing and enjoying the outdoors. The great thing about Lake Tahoe is that the area offers two very distinct seasons, though in summer in never gets really hot. For me, this makes it a great summer and early fall riding destination. Here are
Beginnings of Adventures
Since I started riding I’ve wanted to go for longer and longer rides. Once you get to a 10+ hour ride, you start to think about spending the night somewhere so you can really go far. And of course that leads to week long trips, and month long trips, and then you’re going the wrong
Dating as a Female Motorcyclist
Now, you might be thinking this is a silly topic, or not even a real topic of discussion. Well, you’d be wrong on both counts considering I’m often asked this question by a number women. It’s kind of funny because there tends to be a genuine concern for the potential hindrance of my motorcycle lifestyle
Just Park It
Over the weekend, I watched “Captain America: Civil War”. I love a great action movie, and this one didn’t disappoint. However, within the first fifteen minutes of the movie, there was the staple motorcycle casualty. I cringed a little as agent Natasha sped her bike towards two parked cars, then hopped off. She of course
Riding With the Patriot Guard Riders
You’ve probably seen them on the news or in person, lines of bikers a mile long, flags snapping in the wind behind them. Most of them are on Harleys, but not all. Most of them are veterans, but not all. Everyone is welcome to participate. By signing on to the Patriot Guard website,
Moving Meditation
It’s not news to riders that your bike is your therapist. Each one of us needs something different to find the mental release we are seeking – we need to ride far enough, take enough turns, go fast enough. The mental health aspect of the sport is a big part of why many of us
Make My Day
I was on my way to work one day. It was early morning and the sun was shining a little before 7 AM. There wasn’t much traffic yet. I was riding in the carpool lane going about 75 MPH and the few other vehicles were moving at a similar speed. I checked my mirror and
So You Think You’re Tough…
Traveling by bike is one of the most liberating feelings you can imagine. Experiencing the open road on a bike is completely different from riding in a car. You are not in a climate-controlled pod. You smell the air, feel the temperature changes, and experience the road. You stop often to stretch your legs and
Riding Slump
At the beginning of this year I was pumped to get out and go on more rides. I had circled out a few national parks, and beach stops I really wanted to ride out to. Things kind of took an unexpected turn when one of my good friends went down hard in February. The second
Back in the Saddle
I took a ride today on my motorcycle. It was just a short ride. I went a few miles along a slightly curving city street. I turned up a main road to the highway. Then I rode along the Interstate a few miles and back home. That might not seem like a big deal, but
Motorcycles for Taller Riders
At five ten, I am pretty average when it comes to height. This is a blessing in a lot of ways, especially when it comes to getting and riding motorcycles. Since almost everyone is around my height, everything is made for me. But, if you are over six feet tall, you might not have as
Ducati 749S – First Commuter Ride
I certainly did not plan on making my work commute to be my first ride on my Ducati 749s, but it was a Monday following the day I took it home so I figured what the heck. I was curious anyway what it would be like to be riding one of these through day-to-day traffic.
Honda Bulldog – What is it?
By Devon Self What if you could combine a scooter, a motorcycle and a dirtbike all together? Well wonder no more, as the Honda Bulldog has been born. This is only a concept vehicle and is not for sale stateside just yet. With elements reminiscent of the Ruckus along with storage racks and low profile,
4 Economical Commuter Motorcycles
Being from San Diego, I am blessed that it’s to get more than 300 days a year without worrying about rain, sleet, snow or even cold weather. Coupled with the fact that we can legally split lanes and you can see why it’s a great idea to commute to work or school on a motorcycle.
Motorcycles with automatic transmissions?
I saw one of the new Honda NCX motorcycles the other day. It did look good. Ready to race or just to go to work, it seemed to have plenty of get up and go, too. I remembered later this one had an automatic transmission. Or, as Honda calls it, a dual-clutch transmission. I have
1966 Suzuki K15: Of Indiscernible Problems
Had the chance to get deeper into the engine to troubleshoot the bike’s shifting woes. I had my friend Rob have a look at both sides of the engine with the case covers off, and nothing seemed amiss to him on either. He then removed the clutch basket, then tried to shift the gears by
POV cameras for motorcycle riding
A friend of mine recently bought a Go Pro camera to take along on his rides. He couldn’t say enough positive things about having the new accessory, so I figured I’d look into a little more. After all, Go Pro like cameras, are being utilized in a large percentage of online videos these days. One
Winter Motorcycle Project(s) – 2002 Yamaha R1 and 1966 Suzuki K15
Turns out, my last outing on the track was my last track outing for this season after all, as I was unable to attend our annual Z2 Trackday's Thanksgiving Weekend at Thunderhill Raceway. It was probably for the best, given that apart from the failing 2nd gear in my R1's transmission, my track tires on
The Dirtbag Challenge 2014
The event itself has been going on for quite a few years now, but this year was my very first in attendance. Despite a friend of mine coercing me to attend annually like clockwork, I had always shrugged it off as "not my cup of tea". Actually, not being my particular fancy of tea isn't
1966 Suzuki Trail 80 (K15): Vintage Living – For Better or Worse
Since taking the bike home, I had been riding it to get familiar with the overall characteristic of the bike. Prior to this, my only other experience with a two-stroke motorcycle is a single-speed pocket bike I had last year, which I briefly used as a pit bike. Just the same, I also wanted to
Simple DIY Motorcycle Maintenance
If you own a bike, you want it to always be ready to ride. It needs to be reliable and drive without any jolts or jumps. Most importantly, you have to be able to count on it when you're out on the road and have nothing else you can count on to get you wherever
The Best New Bikes of 2015
With the trade show season in full swing, bike enthusiasts are getting really excited about the new models coming out in the next year. Some are already on the road, and there are a few that really stand out as top contenders for being the best new bike of 2015. Here are just a few
Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 XL Cafe Racer
A Harley Davidson motorcycle that is anything but, and a cafe racer that's probably too brute to be a racer. It's not what it used to be, and it isn't really anything like what its silhouette illustrates. With a 1450cc big bore kit on the already big V-twin HD powerplant, the bike would probably loft
The 217 mpg Honda, and the factory flat tracker Suzuki
I have just returned from a three week trip to Japan with my band, Audacity. We played in Tokyo, Aishikaga, Yokohoma, Kyoto, and Nagoya. While I was there I had the opportunity to see what kinds of bikes were popular among the local riders. First of all, motorcycles are extremely popular in Japan, and are