A few weeks ago it was announced that MotoGP would be coming to Indianapolis in 2008!  This will be in addition to the Laguna Seca race, making two events in the US.  The best news is this race is within driving distance from here and I already submitted my ticket application the day after the announcement.  The wife and I are so excited - we already tried to make hotel reservations but couldn’t find anyone willing to take reservations more than a year in advance.  We are insanely excited!

I first came into possession of this bike from someone local who was getting rid of it. At $250 and running, it was a steal. It was loosely modified into a chopper, and had 6″ over extended forks and butterfly handlebars. I spent a good amount of time stripping it down to it’s elemental parts. Stock forks were put in, drag bars, fairing were all added in an attempt to make it into some sort of rat-cafe racer. Ugly but still somehow charming, at least to me anyway. After riding it briefly for a season, I had to put it away for while as I re-appropriated the money for insurance and repairs towards other causes.

Flash forward a few years to this past weekend and I’ve finally gotten around to getting it back on the road. I spent the weekend doing all the tune up work - changed the oil, adjusted the timing, new spark plugs, new battery, and on and on. It was running better than it had ever run before.

I had some vacation time off work and used it put insurance on the bike and get a new license plate from the Secretary of State. I was really excited about getting the bike back out on the road so I packed a small bag of tools (just in case) and headed out. My plan was stop and fill up with gas and then do a small loop around Ford Lake.

I got as far as the gas station when the engine just cut out and died while I was turning in. Nothing could it restarted. I pulled one of the spark plugs and found that it was fouled up with black soot - a sure sign that it was running rich. Attempts to clean it up just enough to get me home were futile. I was stuck at the gas station.

As the gas station was only a mile and a half from home, I decided I’d just push it home. Probably not the best decision as it was one of the warmest days on record for May. I pushed it from one area of shade to the next, resting plenty at the stops. It didn’t seem like that far but trust me pushing a motorcycle on a hot day is no fun.

Finally I got it home and I crawled in the door and loudly proclaimed that I was not only through with the bike, through with motorcycles, and through with ever fixing anything again.

After laying on top of the air conditioner vent and a cold shower, I managed to calm down enough to think rationally. Come to think of it, when I cleaned out the carbs were those 145 main jets? Isn’t stock supposed to be 130? I can’t believe I overlooked something so glaring, but it certainly seems to explain a lot. For now, the hate is over and the love is back.

Later that night while whining about it to some friends one of them offered me to take a ride on his Suzuki  SV650.  My first time on a modern bike, or for that matter a bike that was actually YOUNGER than me.  I was grinning from ear to ear - until I got off.  I forgot I was wearing shorts and ended up burning my leg on the exhaust.  Just wasn’t my day I suppose.

In in era where most motorcycle designs change as frequently as internet memes, the Kawasaki Concours managed to go 20 years with no major changes. First released in 1986, it had a minor revision in 1994 with an upgraded instrument cluster, front end, fenders, etc. The exhaust tips and fork protectors were the only major changes from 1994 to 2006. That’s a lifetime of over 20 years on essentially the same bike. (Imagine still being able to buy an El Camino or a VW Rabbit today!) Despite not looking modern, it was a steal at $8500 new. Similar sport touring bikes from other manufactures are close to double that.

For 2008, Kawasaki finally put the nail in the coffin of the old Concours and introduced the all-new Councours 14. There are some similarities in the models (an shaft-driven inline four, full fairing, luggage ) but the differences are much more than cosmetic.

There is a LOT of technology in this bike. Performance items like ABS, ram air induction, and variable valve cam timing. Luxury additions such as an electronically adjustable windscreen, tire pressure sensors that report to the on-board computer, and keyless ignition? It’s geek’s dream bike!

It sounds superior in many ways, but the big question is, how much is this thing going to cost? Kawasaki hasn’t released that information yet, but until then you can drool over this motorcycle over on their website.

Living in Michigan, I know what it’s like to not be able to ride a few months out of the year. During the winter months I like to tinker in the garage, but our friends closer to the North Pole have it a lot worse off. I’ve seen some crazy choppers and hot rods come out of Sweden and Finland in the past couple years, but I’ve NEVER seen anything approaching this wonderful brass and copper steampunk chopper!

Fit and finish is superb all around. The Von Dutch inspired brass flying eye headlamp is a thing of beauty. I wish I could tell you more about it but all I know about it come from drooling over these pictures.

Totally impracticable in every way but I LOVE it!

This week’s race was a bona-fide nail biter. Casey Stoner took an early lead and managed to keep it the entire race, repeating his performance in the season opener and taking first place for the second time this season. Tony Elias kept up the pressure and finished second, and it was a knock-down, drag out fight for third. Alex Barros, Louis Capirossi, and Marco Melandri were all very close to each other, but it was Capirossi who eked out a third place finish.

An early crash left 3 riders out of the race: Dani Pedrosa, Colin Edwards, and Oliver Jacque were unable to recover, but Chris Vermeulen picked up his bike and was able to finish the race.

Valentino Rossi started well but had tire problems later in the race, partially do to a run off the track early on, reducing his finish to a disappointing 10th. Reigning world champ Nicky Hayden continues to struggle, placing 7th.