Hips, Grips, Bars, Risers and Seats

I usually pick the show topics that we do, but my partner in crime decided she wanted to have a go at it. She's part of the growing demographic of female riders, and she spends time on a variety of street bikes and off-road motorcycles. The one thing that seems apparent about the bikes she has ridden, is that they weren't designed with a woman in mind.

Some manufacturers have made attempts at appealing to female riders, but these attempts have typically involved the color pink. Juliette finds this approach insulting. It's not about the color, Stupid!

Juliette's idea is simple: Her shape, her size, and the amount of weight she is willing to toss around is not the same as the average guy. Being able to comfortably reach the controls or place both feet on the ground at a stop light are small favors to ask. Options like these are not always available from the manufacturers themselves. Thus, you have to know what adaptations can improve control and inspire confidence -- and you have to know where to find them.

To find out what modifications can be done to make a bike “fit” better, we headed over to Moto International, in Seattle, to speak with friend and fellow rider Dave Richardson. Dave demonstrates a variety of changes that can be made to make a motorcycle comfortable for women and others who may be smaller in stature.

Michael Lewis: Going Nomad

Michael Lewis plans to spend the next five years traveling the world solo on his motorcycle. His goal is to reach the top and the bottom of major land masses, while experiencing the people and culture along the way. This is not a travel video; it's a series of short interviews aimed at unravelling the thought process that led Michael to trade his house, his practice, and most of his worldly possessions for a life on the road.

Traveling into the vast and sometimes remote regions south of our border is not for the faint of heart. Mike's candid conversation will make potential travelers aware of some of the factors involved in undertaking an adventure of this magnitude. Mike discusses his route from Seattle to South America, and then on to Africa, Mongolia and back.

We shot this video in March, just before Michael left on his epic journey. This video project consists of six short webisodes, where we discuss different aspects of Mike's impending journey; the route, crossing borders, shipping a bike, health and travel insurance, the costs involved, and how he is not the most likely candidate for this type of adventure. And he discusses Write Around the World, his non-profit organization dedicated to the support of quality education for the underprivileged children of the world.

Mike arrived in Sucre, Bolivia on October 17th and fell in love with the people and culture there. Sucre is the prosperous capital of Bolivia, and it attracts families from rural areas who migrate to the city to work in hopes of a better life. Many of these families are under an intense strain to make ends meet, and often times the mother is left alone to fend for herself. The children have no choice but to work on the streets -- sometimes being the family’s sole earner -- foregoing school in the process. Ñanta is an alternative education center for the working street kids of Sucre. Mike was so touched by the center that he is planning on returning to Sucre to
volunteer after he reaches the southern tip of South America in December. Please watch Mike’s video introduction of Ñanta.

Since March, Mike has made it all the way to Puerto San Julian, Argentina. You can follow along by visitng www.mikesglobaladventure.com.

Battery Powered, Ferrari Fast

The Tesla Roadster is an all-electric sports car produced by Tesla Motors. The Roadster is the first production automobile to use lithium-ion battery cells, and the first production EV to travel more than 200 miles on a charge. In October 2009, the Tesla Roadster set the world distance record for a production electric car. It drove of 311 miles on a single charge.

The Roadster accelerates from 0-60 mph in less than 4 seconds. It's fast, it's sexy, and it's electric. We spoke with Jon Taylor, Regional Sales Manager for Tesla Motors in Seattle, WA. Jon is, not suprisingly, passionate about the brand -- and he states quite eloquently why Tesla is a car of the future -- one that just happens to be available today.

Nine-Sixty-Eight

In the book, Fast Women: The Legendary Ladies of Racing, Todd McCarthy noted that the heyday for women automobile racers came in the 1950s. McCarthy referred to the period between 1953 and 1958 as "a privileged moment in the grand sweep of American automobile racing, a small window of time when the sport was accessible to virtually anyone with a desire to pursue it; if you had a car and were good enough, you could drive it to a track and race."

Today, however, women represent a disproportionally small demographic in the racing world, and this appears to be especially true in motorcycle racing. Take the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, for example. Participation is open to anyone, but only 3% of the competitors are women in the motorcycle divisions. The fact is, there are more umbrella girls on the grid than there are female racers.

I am not trying to make any political statements here. Racing is what it is. And there is good news; women are competing, and more women have been entering the fray. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that Brianne Corn was competing in the 750cc motorcycle division this year. The 750cc division is an exceptionally competitive class and attracts a lot of top riders.

Brianne Corn is the motivated, humble, and remarkable woman who was scraping pegs alongside top racing talents such as Davey Durelle and Gary Trachy. She's 40 years old, and she's only been racing for the past five years. What got her started? It was a trip to Italy, and a casual encounter with a couple of fully caged rally cars, power sliding though narrow mountain passes in the shadow of a castle.

We shot this interview with Brianne as she was preparing to race the Peak's grueling 156 turns -- starting at 9,000 feet and finishing at 14,100 feet -- on a bike she put together herself. Brianne was not racing in some powder-puff exhibition class; this was the real deal.

The Art of Perseverance: Glen Cox

We spoke with Glenn Cox on July 18, 2009, during a Pikes Peak International Hillclimb practice session held at Devil's playground. 2009 marks the 8th year he has competed at PPIHC, and he readily admits being addicted to the second oldest race in America.

Last year was his first attempt in the 1205cc division, where he rode a KTM Super Duke 990. He reflected on his crash that likely cost him second or third place. Despite his crash, and through sheer perseverance, he still finished the race, passing several riders on the way to the finish line.

You might expect a rider to be gun shy after crashing like that, but Glenn seemed relaxed, smoother, and faster. He said he was determined to make it to the top, and was setting his sites on a top three finish.

Glenn also discussed improvements to his KTM Super Duke, namely the Motobox intake system which added an additonal 15HP to this already potent motorcycle. And of course, he talked about "the skateboard mod." We think he should have left the wheels on...

Maximum Exposure: Rigging a Motorcycle with FilmTools

Whether its a track day, an off-road ride or a cross country trip, motorcyclists seem to want to record their latest adventures. Mounting a camera to a vehicle provides the most versatility, and to learn more about how to do it, we spoke to Cinematographer, Stan McClain.

Stan has been a director of photography and he's worked on over 50 motion pictures, mostly in aerial units. He was the aerial camera operator for one of my favorite TV shows, Magnum PI. Let's put it this way, Stan knows how to handle a camera, and rig just about any vehicle imaginable.

Stan has built a whole business around supplying trick bits to the Hollywood film industry, drawing from his unique work experience. We met Stan at FilmTools in May, where he tuaght us how to rig a motorcycle and setup creative camera angles. And we captured the whole experience on tape. The reulting video contains simple, clearly explained instructions for how to rig, where to get the tools, and how the new HD mini cameras are opening up new possibilities.

Jack Reynolds: Blazing New Trails in the Motorcycle Rental Landscape

Jack Reynolds and werentmotorcycles.com are blazing a new trail in the motorcycle rental business, renting high-end adventure touring bikes, sport-bikes and unique motorcycles -- dropped off and picked up at your doorstep.

Why Rent? Let's be honest with ourselves. We all love riding, but how much do we ride each year? Not "how much do we want to ride," but how much do we really ride? The average American rider puts 2000 moto miles on the clock each year. When we consider how much money we've got locked up in a motorcycle that may spend most of its time bench-racing with the lawn mower, it's probably not the best return on our investment.

I don't know about you, but we’re working all the time, and when we finally get a day off, it takes a few hours to get to roads that are curvaceous enough to actually enjoy. Despite the fact that we've got $30,000 worth of motorcycles in the garage, our best moto-experiences happen when we fly down to California to rent awesome motorcycles, and ride on awesome roads. That's where we met up Jack Reynolds, who has a cutting edge approach to renting motorcycles.

Quick Rides: 2009 Moto Guzzi V7 Classic

We posted a short, real world review of the R1200R a little more than a year ago. It is by far our most popular video, having been viewed over 62,000 times. I think this review was so popular, despite its crude production, because it had a lot of close-up views of the motorcycle, it captured the sound of the motor, and it expressed my true impressions of that machine. We still get a lot of e-mail about this video, and requests for more of this type of review. So, if you happen to be a Moto Guzzi fan, we’ve got a “Quick Ride” video just for you.

I first saw the Moto Guzzi V7 Classic at a Motorcycle show back in December, and I’ve been wanting to try one ever since. Dave Richardson of Moto International in Seattle was kind enough to set me up on a date with one of these little sweethearts.

The V7 Classic was born during rather brief Aprilia years, when the Aprilia design team put their touch on a few new models in the Guzzi line up. It’s basically a restyled Breva, and the result is a handsome, comfortable motorcycle that that pays tribute to the Guzzi heritage. Aprilia updated the Beva’s two-valve 750cc engine, with fuel injection being the most significant improvement. This motor’s lineage is directly connected to the iconic, air-cooled V twin that Guzzi has been producing for decades, unlike some modern classics on the market today.

I’d describe the whole riding experience as relaxed, mild even, but not boring. This bike is very well behaved thanks to its linear power delivery, with plenty of mid-range grunt, and the suspension is well sorted. And then there’s that beautiful exhaust note, which you can enjoy at real-world speeds. Even if you do ratchet things up a notch or two and take the bike for a spirited ride, the V7 Classic takes it all in stride. The Brembo brakes do a good job of shaving off the speed, despite there being only one disc up front. I prefer having two discs on a front wheel, but it’s certainly not a deal breaker.

To sum things up, the V7 Classic is fun and easy to ride. It will appeal to those who appreciate a classic look without the hassle of maintaining a classic bike. The engine delivers power in a predictable, linear way, and the ergonomics are relaxed and comfortable. This Guzzi is about classic looks and a pleasant riding experience, and I give it high marks for delivering both in a handsome well-made motorcycle.

Trials First, Trials Last

A lot of people think competitive motorcycle sports are fraught with danger -- X-games, Supercross, World Superbike -- where thrill seeking speed junkies surgically remove their survival instincts and drink danger straight from the bottle. Guess what? Not all motorcycle competitions involve grinding down your foot-pegs while rocketing from apex to apex.

Observed Trials is a non-speed event performed on specialized motorcycles. It’s one of the most unique motorsports in history. Think of it as Tai Chi, on two wheels. It’s all about balance, precision, and control.

A trials rider must navigate a series of sections – tight turns, slippery slopes, boulders, logs – pretty much a bunch of obstacles the rest of us would try to avoid. Observers watch, and keep score, as each rider attempts a section. The observer is looking to see if a rider touches his foot down. A dab costs a point. Breaking the tape or riding outside the section costs five points. The rider with the lowest score wins – kind of like golf.

Modern trials has been drifting towards the extreme sport side of things, but Vintage trials, such as the AHRMA event we covered at Gray's Farm in Washington, are relaxed and friendly. I didn’t say easy; some of the trials sections were enormously challenging.

Girl Wonder spoke with the gentlemen who organized this trials event, Derek Belvoir, a life-long trials rider who still competes in the premier heavyweight expert class. He’s been at it for nearly six decades, and his passion for the sport is evident in this webisode. John DeSoto, the legendary motocross champion know as the "Flyin' Hawaiian" also appears in this video.

Touratech

Girl Wonder interviewed the Vice President of Touratech USA, where he explained how and why Touratech engineers their products to such high standards. This is an informative video for adventure touring riders who want to learn about adventure touring accessories.

Alisa Hensley-Lane, Stunt Professional

Alisa Hensley-Lane’s resume includes firearms, fencing, martial arts, horsemanship, swimming, wirework and dirt bike riding. She is a Hollywood stuntwomen at the top of her game. Alisa is a 2nd Degree Black Belt whose wonderfully choreographed martial arts scenes range from movies such as “Charlie’s Angels 2, Full Throttle,” to NBC’s comedy action series, “Chuck.”

When she’s not working as a stunt double for Nicole Kidman or Yvonne Strahovski, you may find her enjoying a relaxing day of motocross racing. Dirt bikes are both a family activity, and part of the training regiment for this V10 Womens Stunt Professional. Girl Wonder interviewed Alisa at Los Angeles County Raceway, during an event sponsored by the Hollywood stunt and film community.

Eddie Mulder's Triumphant Garage

Eddie Mulder was a leading TT Steeplechase and desert racer back in the 1960s. He won The Big Bear Race at age 17, beating a field of over 500 racers -- even after getting a late start because he was in the bathroom instead of on his bike. He is best known for his five AMA Grand National victories, all on TT circuits. Eddie Mulder, was a factory sponsored Triumph racer who ran under National #12, and he's been a Triumph guy ever since.

Eddie retired from professional racing in the mid-1970s, and became a leading Hollywood stunt rider, doubling Clint Eastwood in Magnum Force and other movies. He still works as a stunt coordinator, and he's still a a die hard racer -- especially when there is dirt involved. Eddie and his wife run the West Coast Vintage Dirt Track Series, and Eddie gets out on the track to ride the blue groove whenever he can.

We flew to California in November to interview Eddie about his various motorcycle-related ventures. Eddie runs a small business that builds custom Triumph street bikes closely based on his Triumph racers of the 1960s and ‘70s. Although he does do some restoration work, the bikes he builds have very modern components: Brakes by Brembo, cables by Motion Pro, and Works Performance shocks. The hand crafted motors come with Johnson cams, electronic ignition and all sort of trick bits housed in a C&J Frame. A Carbon fiber tank and body works keeps things light, and Maxxis tires provide the grip. As he said in the interview, "The only thing really vintage on them is the motor and the guy sitting on 'em."

We hung out with with Eddie in his Triumphant garage, where he discussed the West Coast Vintage Dirt Track Series, the beautiful Triumph motorcycles he has in his shop, and what life is like for a guy who has been riding for more than five decades.

Dave Terrell's Day in the Dirt

A Day In The Dirt is an Annual Motocross Event held on Thanksgiving weekend. It’s hosted by the Hollywood Stunt and Film Community, and it brings together people from the entertainment industry: actors, directors, stunt professionals and crew – as well as Motocross and Supercross champions, both past and present -- for three days of racing, reminiscing and good times. In its 11th year, A Day In The Dirt has become a modern classic. It has done so by capturing the spirit of the great Grand Prix races of the past.

Some of the racers are here just to have fun, while others are fiercely competitive. And then there’s Dave Terrell, who adds a layer of complexity to the vintage Grand Prix by wresting 600 lbs of German war machine around the track, in the spirit of “The Great Escape.”

You’ll probably never see Dave Terrell riding at the X-Games, or taking huge jumps like a freestyle motocrosser. You will see him at “A Day in the Dirt,” and I spoke with him about his rather unusual choice of motorcycle for the Vintage Grand Prix, a 1938 BMW 750.

Cycle World International Motorcycle Show

Get a first look at the hottest new motorcycles at the 28th Annual Cycle World International Motorcycle Show in Seattle. The expo, which runs from December 12 – December 14 at the Qwest Field Event Center, features hundreds 2009-model street bikes, dirt bikes, cruisers and ATVs and fuel-sipping scooters. The show is an opportunity for riders to speak with manufacturers’ representatives who aren’t pressuring you to buy a motorcycle. This is your chance to come out and learn about all the options available to you, including a chance to get a close up view of all the cool motorcycle-related accessories.

As Robert Pandya, the show spokes person says, "It's really a backstage pass into the motorcycle world." I interviewed Robert, who has his finger on the pulse of the motorcycle industry. We talk about the history of the show, motorcycle sales trends, and the latest in technology. If Robert’s enthusiasm doesn’t inspire you to brave the cold and rain to get to the event center, nothing will. The show will feature events for all ages, so bring the whole family.

Bonneville: Passion, Endurance and Teamwork

It's not just fuel that propels riders into the record books at Bonneville. Breaking a land speed records requires passion, endurance and teamwork. These three tenants of racing are exemplified by Paul Friebus and Team American Cycle Fabrication in this video podcast.

Paul’s family, together with Crew Chief Albert Pepe, and team members Ron Amos and Bob Berry, set a new land speed record at Bonneville this year, on a 1937 Harley Davidson Flathead.

Paul’s parents came all the way from Cape Town, South Africa to be with Paul and the crew at Bonneville Speedweek. His father, Henry Friebus, took a ride down the salt for his 83rd birthday. Henry Friebus broke the existing record in the APS-VF 1000cc class setting a new record of 137.541mph. Henry Friebus said, "We reckon that it's been riding a Harley that's kept us so fit and healthy, because we ride them everyday."

Paul Friebus is a well known engine builder and rider. Paul was born in South Africa and moved to the United States 14 years ago. He and his wife Barbara run American Cycle Fabrication, located in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. American Cycle Fabrication specializes in engine building and restorations.

Paul had his first ride on a Harley Davidson motorcycle when he was 10 days old, which seems to have instilled him with a passion for riding, racing and setting land speed records. Paul has built two other vintage motors at American Cycle Fabrication that have set Land Speed records at Bonneville. A 1938 Flathead currently holds six records in the 1350cc Vintage class, and a 1950 Panhead, owned by David Pilgrim, holds six records in the 1650cc Vintage class. These records can all be found under the name "Bonneville Bobber."

Paul Friebus can be contacted by visiting the American Cycle Fabrication website, or by calling 570-752-8715.

You Know What We Did This Summer...

The sound of rain pattering against the window reminds us that summer is over – especially for those of us living in Seattle. The next few months will be punctuated with a few storms, the absence of sun, and falling temperatures. Fortunately for Girl Wonder and me, we still have a few events to cover in warmer, and presumably sunnier venues.

2008 was a great summer for us at peckhammer.blip.tv. Sure, the price of gas catapulted to over four dollars a gallon, and travel costs made our video shoots a lot more expensive to produce. The good news is that more people are riding motorcycles, lots of old Hondas and Suzukis and Yamahas buried beneath sun-bleached blue tarps have been exhumed from their dusty resting places, and our travels took us to locatons we've never been before. On the latter point, we owe a lot of our success this summer to a friendship formed with Rod Falkner, and Paul and Becca Livingston, AKA Faulkner Livingston Racing.

We’ve been busy shooting story after story, about some of the most fascinating people – some of the most motivated people— we’ve ever met. You don’t win races or realize personal goals by sitting on the couch with a remote control in your hand, and these motorcyclists make it obvious. There have been so many stories to chase, in fact, we’ve fallen behind on our production schedule. Fortunately, with the rainy season upon us, we will have an opportunity to catch up. We expect to finish the year with twenty-four shows. We are currently in post production on a truly inspiring piece about Paul Friebus of American Cycle Fabrication, his family, and several of his loyal customers who all worked hard to set some notable land speed records this year. Trust us when we say it will be worth the wait.

Girl Wonder and I are off to the Bonneville Salt Flats next week to document more great moments in motorcycling history. This may further slow some of our planned vidcast releases, so we are posting this video short that highlights a few of the great riders we’ve been privileged to meet this summer (as well as one driver). The video is by no means an inclusive list of riders we've met this summer; there have been many great riders we've done shows with, and we’ve been inspired by every one of them.

Alan Thoresen: Black Thunder at Bonneville

Alan Thoresen’s 50th birthday was a wakeup call. He was running out of time for all the adventures he wanted to experience. One of those adventures was to follow in the footsteps of a famous New Zealand racer named Burt Monro, and race on the Bonneville Salt Flats. Monro is an inspiration to many racers, but for New Zealander’s, it is a special honor to step upon the salt where Monro rode the World’s Fastest Indian.

Thoresen returned to drag racing in preparation for Bonneville, and he had a very successful first season. Thoresen came in second overall in the NZ Drag Association (NZDRA) Points Series for Modified Bike, winning the Season Points series at Meremere for Modified Bike, and Breaking the NZ National Record for Modified Bike twice, as well as a successive series of wins at other venues.Last year was Thoresen’s first attempt at setting a record at Bonneville on his modified Kawasaki ZX1400. Thoresen was doing well, improving his times with each run. His attempts ended abruptly, however, when he crashed through a timing tower at 180 mph.

Undeterred, Thoresen has returned to Bonneville Speedway with a goal of hitting 197 mph. His ZX1400 has been repaired and reconfigured to run in the stock class. We caught up with this very spirited Kiwi at the starting line on August 19, 2008. Thoresen spoke of his crash last year and what he is doing differently this year in this video podcast.

Texas Panhead Blazes Its Way Into The Record Books

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David Pilgrim of Rockport, Texas, has set numerous Land Speed records with his 1950 Panhead motor at Bonneville Speedway. A Panhead? Really? That goes 140 MPH?

Yes, really. It not a 120 cubic inch aftermarket Panhead either. It's the real deal, and it meets all the requirements set by SCTA to race in the Vintage Class. The motor was built by Paul Friebus of American Cycle Fabrication, who also races at Bonneville and has set his own Land Speed records on a 1937 Harley Davidson.

David Pilgrim owns four motors built by Friebus, three of which are record setters. Pilgrim has set numerous world speed records in excess of 140 MPH on motorcycles, and also holds a 236.664 mph record in his Chevy Corvette. Girl Wonder interviewed Pilgrim at the impound area for record setting vehicles on August 20, 2008.

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Randy Smith, The BMW R75/5 Bonneville Racer

[Slow Connection? Click to view the Viddler version.]

"We had an internet film crew that found us waiting in line the first day. They seemed interested in our project and followed us for a couple of days. I think they put together a video that shares my Bonneville experience pretty well."   Randy Smith, 2008

This year marks the 60th annual Speedweek, hosted on the famous Bonneville Salt Flats. Speed demons come from all over the world to see the salt flats, to set world speed records, and to take part in one of the last refuges of grassroots racing. At Bonneville, it’s you and your machine, racing upon a vast plain of white salt.

Randy Smith made the 1500 mile journey from Southern Illinois to race at Bonneville Speedway. Randy is the fastest man in the 750cc push rod class, setting a world speed record on his 1970, partially streamlined BMW R/75. Last year he posted a top record speed of 120.357 mph – and now he’s back to top his personal best. Randy set a new speed record, and he shares his Bonneville experience in this video podcast.

Zachary Norman and His Amazing Electric Motorcycle

[Slow Connection? Click to view the Viddler version.]

Numerous speed records have been achieved on the Bonneville Salt Flats, a surreal white plain that looks other-worldly. Some of the vehicles that race here look other-worldly, too. Imagine a 50cc streamliner rocketing down the salt speeds over 100mph, or the eerie whine of a lithium ion powered motorcycle, built on an old-school bobber frame.

The latter vehicle, built and raced by Zachary Norman of Venice, California, is the perfect juxtaposition of old and new technologies. Zack has outfitted a Flyright Choppers frame with a suitcase-sized lithium ion battery that powers an 84 volt, AC induction motor. A Curtis controller is matched to the AC motor for precise and smooth speed control. Zack also rides this motorcycle on the street, and claims a 50 mile range on a full charge.

Zack set a 69.059 mph record in the Omega class on his electric-powered motorcycle at the Bonneville Salt Flats this August. He also clocked a run at 77 mph, and was trying to solidify that record with a second run. At the end of the day, he had set a world speed record of 73.056 mph. I interviewed Zack about his unique motorcycle as he was approaching the starting line.