1,100 miles on the new Duc
MotorMilt & I got a short, but sweet ride in this moring and the big news is that I turned over 1,100 miles on the new Ducati. That puts me about 400 miles away from having the baby fully broken in. Absolutely can’t wait for that! It’s strange how much RPMs start to affect your ride when you’re conscious of them. Previously we were only able to take the engine up to 6k, but now after the 600 mile service we can push it a bit more to 7k, or 7.5k if you’re really pushing, according to the service guys. I found this particularly useful and enjoyable as we were coming down Saddlepeak Road this morning. Up till now I’ve been taking most of the corners in 3rd gear at about 5k. And while the bike doesn’t seem to mind that, it’s not exactly where the powerband is. So today, I was able to push it up to 7k in 2nd and I’ve got to say that this sucker really flys right around there. Get the feeling that it will only increase as I can use more of the RPMs too! That should be cool. The bike is also feeling much more smooth as it breaks in. Everything just seems to fit and work better. Last week I read quite a bit about that on the Ducati.MS board and the general opinion seems to be that Ducs don’t hit their full potential until about 2,000 miles, so I’ve got a ways to go, but already it’s feel better and better. Just fantastic! Obviously, my beemer break in wasn’t at all simmilar… Anyway, here are some picts from the bottom of Saddlepeak Road, close to Las Virgines… It’s good to be back in LA!
The Day After & Early Morning Glory
There’s nothing quite like the quality of early morning sunlight. This morning was no exception. While the world was still just waking up and taking their first sip of coffee, I was on the road, gliding through the canyons on my way to breakfast. Enamored with the glory that is an early morning golden hour in the Topanga Canyons. Even the wildlife seemed still and the roads were completely clear. It was just a glorious piece of time when all the other issues and thoughts in life vanished. And it’s at times like these that I wish riding conditions like this morning could last forever, but of course they can’t and they don’t. It’s a relatively fleeting moment before everyone else hits the road and joins with you. Fortunately for me, waking up early this morning allowed me to get a good two hours on the rest of society. And riding all alone through the canyons once again made me realize just how amazing this part of the world is. I took a relatively short loop to breakfast because frankly, I’m still whipped from yesterday’s mega ride to Ojai. Yet even though it was only about 75 miles total, it was a wonderous journey that somehow felt longer and harder and more peaceful than yesterday’s trek. If only every time out could be this fulfilling…
The Duc Heads North : Route 33
Today was one of those days that I dream about; the roads were clear, the traffic light and the coastal temperatures very mellow. I was heading up the Pacfic Coast Highway trying to decide which of the normal loops to take, when it occured to me that I didn’t have any obligations that required me to be back home at any specific time. I can’t remember the last time I felt so free in terms of time. Realizing this, I decided to take the still-nameless 749 up to Ojai on a short day trip…
In retrospection the choice seems decidedly contradictory, I was feeling ‘free’ from time and yet I took the most physically draning and tiring of the two bikes I own out. Go figure. Makes little sense to me now as I think back on it, yet at the time it seemed rather logical…I guess somewhere deep inside I was just so damn curious how the Duc would handle ‘33′ - perhaps the longest, most glorious, most forgotten road in what I’ll call our local riding region. That might be a stretch, since ‘33′ is a bit of a haul to get to and on any given day the temp and condition changes between Santa Monica and Ojai can be total opposites.
230 miles later, I’m so glad I did it. I’m still grinning ear to ear, although feeling physically pretty beat up…
Sitting here now, it’s a bit hard to explain why this was such a great ride. The specific route taken seems a bit bland when I think about it;
The PCH all the way up past Point Magu Navel base, to the 101 The 101 to Carpinteria, Getting off at Route 152 Route 152 past Lake Castaic until it intersects with Route 33 Route 33 through the beginning of Ojai and out the northern end towards Taft Turn around @ Wolf’s (the local watering hole) Ride 33 again the otherway, back through Ojai, until it hits the 101 The 101 South to Rice Ave in Oxnard, which turns into the PCH, then back home
Perhaps it’s because the names of the roads simply don’t do the journey justice. 152 sounds like a bad interstate running through New Jersey, yet it’s not. It’s a flat out hoot - I hadn’t explored it before and I’m so glad I took the chance today… Once you get off the 101 Freeway and turn right on 152, it pops you up and down and spins you around the northern end of Lake Castaic in a series of swooping corners that offer lake side vistas that seem to run for miles. It’s not a hooligan road by any means, however by the time you hit ‘33′ and head towards Ojai, it seems like a tasty appietizer from a ten course meal.
Of course 33 is the reason I went up to Ojai and I’m convinced it’s a road unlike any other in Southern California. I suspect part of the reason is because it straddles both the coastal region and the central valley. Parts of it remind you of the Santa Monica Mountains while other corners make you feel like you’re in Death Valley. And yet other parts seem entirely different than either one of those, almost like a strange combination of a desert forrest - complete with pine trees… And the road is just endless, going on and on forever. Whenever you ask yourself where the great roads lie, this is it…
So now, I’m back home and feeling emotional and physically spent. My wrists are killing me and my body feels decidedly beat up. Yet I’m left replaying the ride over and over in my mind and feeling so thankful for hidden wonderlands like Route 33 and 152. What would life be without avenues for adventure and relaxation?
The Dreaded Sixth Month Review & Pridmore vs Ienatsch
During the past few days, I’ve been thinking more and more about what my blog has become - perhaps that’s my way of saying I’m in a bit of a self reflective moment right now, which all in all I think is a realatively healthy thing - its been a pretty good length of time since I started blogging and as I look back at what has come out so far, I’m left with the realization that what simply started off as a rambling creative outlet, has in many ways become a journey through my life via motorcycles.
I set my blog up in January with the idea that I’d spend my time writing about a number of potential areas and I set up several categories in preperation. However seven months later it appears that a number of these categories still stand relatively barren. I seem to continually come back to writing about my experiences while either riding or reading about riding. Almost exclusively actually.
In a way this realization seems rather surprising to me because I derive a great deal of pleasure out a number of different things or activities or areas in life, yet on the other hand I supose that there are few things that truly exemplify one’s exsistence like riding. And, I’ve always thought that everyone in life should have a certain number of James Bond type skill sets at their disposal. Riding proficiently just happened to be a skill set that spoke out to me.
Like many other riders out there, I take a great deal of pride in the skill that I’ve been cultivating for the past several years. I started out knowing I wanted to become a good rider, but completely unaware of how one actually went about doing that. The MSF course laid a basic foundation and MotorMilt certainly helped me get a well rounded grasp of the sport, but unlike many other activities, learning how to ride well is something that is almost a 100% internal exercise. Once you’re on the bike there simply isn’t room for a driver’s ed teacher. It’s just you and your first bike navigating any number of beginner pitfalls.
I remember when things first started to ‘click’ for me on my first bike, an old and cranky BMW R1100RSA, I was on Mullhulland Highway headed towards the Rockstore when I got through a short chicane that went left, right, left and I took the whole piece in one fluid motion. I was grinning ear to ear after only lightly tapping my brakes and almost exclusively countersteering the bike. From that day forward I realized that to become a really good rider - not some crazed canyon kid putting his or her knee down at every stop, but a truly proficient, safe, and fast rider I need more information… And it was only a short time later that MotorMilt & I did our first CLASS course together. Obviously you can only do track days so often, so in order to continue to accumulate more knowledge I started reading more and more motorcycle related books - Keith Code’s ‘Twist of The Wrist’ series being perhaps the most memorable… Fast forwad to today and I’m still actively seek out more knowledge about riding and the techniques involved.
So with that in mind, I ordered Reg Pridmore’s Smooth Riding The Pridmore Way and Nick Ienatsch’s Sport Riding Techniques: How to Develop Real World Skills for Speed, Safety, & Confidence for MotorMilt & I to digest.
In many ways I’m sure that picking up the new Duc has motivated a renewed interest on my part in books like these because for the first time in quite awhile I feel like I have loads to learn in order to safely ride the Ducati. All I’ve ever known since I started riding has been BMWs and while I’ve grown to love their Anti-Lock Brakes and the rather unique BMW telelever suspension, they’re very cushy, comfortable motorcycles that in many ways limit how much risk you feel. The Ducati on the other hand constantly reminds you. You feel every bump, every rev, and every movement by both the rider and the suspension.
In many ways the differences between the Ducati and the BMW could be an apt comparison between Nick Ienatsch’s book and Reg’s. The Pridmore book is easy to read, has a ton of great information and reminds you how much you love to ride. The Ienatsch book on the other hand feels like one stop below a track day. After reading both of these books cover to cover - a couple of times each - I feel like I’m choosing which bike to take out for a weekend ride. I’m hard pressed to pick a winner, but rather I find the combination of the two an optimal experience. Just like the bikes, they’re both fantastic reads and without a doubt some of the best money I’ve spent on motorcycle riding education over the past year.
Reg spends quite a bit of time harpping on smoothness and control - not exactly a shock if you’ve taken a CLASS course with him - yet he also sets up a four step approach for getting your knee down and explains why it’s not as crazy as it seems. I also greatly enjoyed his description of which line to take on a city street and why… Perhaps that’s the reoccuring theme with Reg, why… Why you should try this or do that instead of merely riding like a beginning MSF student…
In comparison, Ienatsch’s book feel more sport bike centric. Like Reg, Nick spends a great deal of time on smoothness and proper riding mechanics, such as seating position and the optimal grip for the throttle and brake, yet he also tackles his version of the right line and suspension management as it relates to throttle and brake control. While Reg’s book is filled with bits of his personal racing history, Ienatsch forgoes much of that and instead spends his time with you focused on his version of how you should ride. Although, ultimately one of the things that I greatly respect about both of these riders and authors is that they don’t act like their word is the definative truth on the subject. Rather they both present their advice as if they were one part of a series of suggestions. I for one greatly appreciate that, as I’ve never gotten on well with people who believe their way is the only way. Not that it greatly matters since it’s the information inside that’s important, but if there’s one area that Ienatsch clearly outshines Reg it’s in packaging. David Bull Publishing has done an outstanding job of making Ienatsch’s book not only amazingly readable but also coffee table worthy in presentation.
While much of the information in both books is simmilar, both authors clearly have their own voice and their own take. If you were only going to purchase one, I’d suggest you try to read a few samples pages and see which style you find more enjoyable. Personally, I found both extremely readable, but that may not be true for everyone.
Perhaps most importantly, after reading both books several times between rides, I feel like I’m beginning take what I’m learning from the text to the asphalt. And that’s a pretty cool feeling.
Glory and Issues of Owning a Duc
So the good news from today is that both MotorMilt & I survived… It was that kind of day on the road. One of those unfortunate times when it seems like the world is out to get you and every car is out to hit anyone on a bike. Add to that the Malibu Cops, who were out in full force, and you’ve got quite a morning - let me tell you… I suspect that this is one of the reasons that I jones for a nice quiet life, living up the Pacific Coast Highway, along a wonderful stretch of road that barely anyone lives near.
Of course, this purly fantasy, but it’d be a nice fantasy at that isn’t it?
I digress… So MotorMilt & I did the usual jaunt up to the Agoura Deli. Very nice ride on the way up. I didn’t sleep very well, but even so I was able to pull it together enough to have a blast riding. It’s often struck me that one of the hardest parts about riding is deciding whether or not you’ve got the mental aptitude to do it during that relatively short window right after you get up in the morning. This is especially true with MotorMilt & I since essentially we’re only weekend riders. We get up, have a couple of cups of coffee and then have to make a judgement call on the rest of the morning based on how we feel at 8:15 or 8:30am.
Being rather cautious by nature - which of course stands in direct opposition to riding full out (and I realize the contradiction, trust me) I’m always left wondering as I get dressed in the leathers whether or not I’ll be able to be awake enough to do a controlled stop if someone pulls out in front of me or get out of the way of some nameless danger. It’s one of those riding issues that nobody can teach you, you just have to get used to it or feel it. And certainly there are days when I wake up on a crystal clear Saturday morning and say, ‘hey I can’t ride today’ - but usually it goes something like this;
MotorMilt: “do you still feel like riding?”
Me: “Yeah, let me get some more coffee”
MotorMilt: “Okay… (pause) we should hit the road soon if we want to ride”
Me: “Right, let me get some more coffee”
MotorMilt: “Nice day huh?, You walk the dog?”
Me: “Yes & No, let me get some more coffee.”
Eventually we get on the road - although as an aside, today after the ride we both agreed that with the Ducati’s built in seat heaters it might be a good idea during the summer months to get on the road a bit earlier when it’s cooler out. In any case, we did one of our usual routes - Topanga Canyon to the top of Stunt Road & down to the beginning of Mullhulland Highway and up and over ‘The Playground’ to Cornell Road & the Deli. A very nice, 35 mile jaunt that gives you curves, canyons, elevation drops and more.
My biggest complaint of the day is with the Ducati Electrical Systems. I suppose it would figure, seeing as how they’re not exactly the most technologically advanced motorcycle company in the world, but halfway through the morning ride MotorMilt’s ‘wrench’ light came on - and we just got the bikes services on Thursday for the 600 mile check up - clearly this isn’t supposed to happen. Now, if it had just been that, I’d let it all slide as funky Italian electronics, but on the way home my engine light came on. For no apparent reason. And then went out. Two blocks later. I have no idea what’s going on. Oh, and in case I didn’t mention it, my ‘wrench’ light is perminantly ‘on’. Del Amo, the dealership we took the bikes to, has no idea what’s going on and they’re talking about replacing my LCD unit. Under warrenty of course - so that makes me suspicious, but seriously folks how can two brand new Duc’s both have funky, if not bad, electrically LCD issues - on the same day? You’ve got me….
My other issue with the day - all these ‘Tour de France’ wantabes. There must have been a hundred of cyclists (i.e. no the none powered kind) out in force in Malibu today and I’ve got to say that these people are a real pain in the ass. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for them having a passion and going out and doing something they enjoy - but follow the rules of the road! How hard is it to stop at a traffic light? Or stay in your lane on the way up or down a mountain road. The groups we encountered today were all over the place and totally ignoring safety 101 lessons. And the Malbi Cops, who were pulling everyting that moved over this morning, did nothing about it. Why do these competition cyclists get off the hook for bad driving/riding behavior and I have to spend most of my time on the PCH looking over my shoulder to see if the cop we just passed is chasing me down for being 5 miles over the speed limit? I find it hard to believe that these cyclists can really stop when they’re flying down the mountain side at fifty miles per hour with their tiny brakes… Bottom line as far as I’m concerned is that I’m all for them enjoying their weekend, but ride responsibily… Everytime I see groups of cyclists I shake my head because apparently they’ve got a ‘hall pass’ for the California Roadways and that’s not fair, right or safe.
On the flipside - And perhaps this should have been the lead in today’s blog - but since MotorMilt & I got our 749’s back from Del Amo, I’ve been blown away by what getting a Ducati serviced means. Unlike so many other vehicles, the Ducati seems like a very, very different bike since we got them back. MotorMilt keeps saying it’s unlike any other bike or car he’s ever had - I’m not sure it’s quite that dramatic, but it certainly seems that street versions of race bikes react differently than BMW Sports-Tourers when they’re serviced. Everything on my Duc seems tighter and more responsive. The throttle is twitchier, if that’s possible and the brakes seems to engage quicker. Perhaps it was just how I was feeling today, but I swear that there’s something different about the bike. It’s just smoother and yet somehow more telling at the same time. More telling in that I feel like the bike is communicating with me at a different level than it was before the service. I’m more convinced than ever that Spectrum Motorsports in Irvine didn’t set the bike up properly - I don’t really have any data to back that up, but since being serviced there’s just a different level of confidence. MotorMilt even remarked that on “The Playground” on Mullhulland I almost got my knee down in a couple of corners. I attribute this completely to the service. I was leaning as I normally do, but somehow felt like the bike could go further… And it did… Amazing what happens to a Duc when it gets serviced!
Now that my rant is over, here are some picts from the day… You can see more in the photo gallery…
Got A BMW R1100S?
Feels like I’ve been spending a lot of time on the blog writing about the glory of the new Duc, but very little on the Beemer…Which really isn’t fair to such a wonderful bike and such a brilliant marque.
In case anyone’s missed it, sitting next to the Duc in the garage is a 2002 BMW R1100S - which if you ask me is one the most forgotten bikes in all of motorcycling. Here you have a truly fantastic bike that everyone at BMW Motorcycles has forgotten about. I’ll be the first to admit that their marketing department has a incredibly tough task - here’s a BMW bike that is neither a full blown sport bike nor a full blown tourer and I think it’s safe to say it’s probably not even the sportiest sports-tourer in the current BMW line up. It’s something else entirely. Almost a throw back and yet a modern evolution. Clearly a rip off of the Ducati 916 body style and yet somehow entirely German in aesthetic. A bike that carries the famed BMW ‘S’ designation and yet has ABS.
In many ways the only definite thing you can classify it by is it’s contradictions.
Matter of fact if you look at it’s touring characteristics, it’s not a bike you can tour all day through the Rockies or Alps on and you won’t win or place in an Iron Butt rally race with it. Swing all the way over to the other side of the fence, towards the true sportbike side and you don’t stand a chance if you aspire to beating the 600cc or liter class bikes off the line. Yet even though it doesn’t excel in any one category, it’s a tremendously well rounded bike. Something that let’s you enjoy the ride for two hundred miles on the superslab before you get to the real ride.
And perhaps it’s just human nature and something that happens to every marque, but ultimately the ‘S’ is a fantastic model that fits none of the categories that most people attribute to BMW Motorcycle community. This was not a bike built to satisfy the BMW faithful nor cater to their bike buying demos. It was a bike built to hark back to history and probably a bike built to satisfy David Robb or one of the other BMW designers’ passion for the brand. I doubt anyone in Münich ever thought the ‘S’ would sell in gigantic numbers. In many ways I’ve always thought that the ‘S’ had to be intended as a loss leader, a bike purely built to stand on the cover of next years model guide and ‘look’ sexy.
It’s also clearly a parts bin bike. BMW already had the engine, the front suspension and all the cockpit features. The only truly original items here are the body work and exhaust system. Add to that the fact that when BMW Corporate recently updated the boxer engine, bumping the displacement from 1100cc’s to 1150cc’s and then eventually 1200cc’s, they didn’t do it with the ‘S’. They did it with the ‘R’ (1150) and the ‘GS’ (1200). Today the ‘S’ continues to be sold with the 1100cc Boxer engine. Honda, Yamaha or Ducati would ever introduce a larger displacement engine in anythhing but their sportiest bike.
Yet for all the bike’s awkwardness, it still has something that few other motorcycles have, an amazing ability to morph to your tastes. So many bikes today are what they are; a Yamaha R1 is a full blown sport bike and you really can’t do much else on it, and conversely a Gold Wing or KLT doesn’t go to the track. Yet the ‘S’ plays in both fields, equally well. And as an added bonus if you want to park it next to a Duc at the Rockstore nobody thinks twice.
I’ve had my ‘S’ now for over 10,000 miles and roughly two and a half years (give or take half a year). It’s as rock solid as the day I left Marty’s BMW in Torrance, CA and it’s been just about everywhere in California. From ‘The Lost Coast’ to the middle of the Central Valley to the Shoreline from top to bottom. And I have yet to discover so much of this great state. I can ride it for 8 hours and cover 150 miles or cover 300 miles and be just as happy.
While I love the Duc, it’s a luxury. The Beemer on the other hand is the life saver.
Some Kind of Ride
While riding back home today, after another stellar ride, it occured to me that I have this awful habit of categorizing just about every ride that I recount here on the blog in these grand, almost atmospheric terms. I continually use the words or phrases, ‘Glorious’ or ‘Amazing’ or ‘Fantastic’ or just about any other adjective that aptly describes something that is ‘outstanding’ - and I suspect that this has something to do with my love affair with cycles.
I’m not really sure how or when it started to get this ‘bad’, but it has. It’s in my blood for better or worse. And adding the new 749 has only made me that much more aware of my desire to ride. And slowly I’m realizing that it’s ‘on’ all the time. I find myself waiting impatiently come nighttime and wishing for the day to end already so I can get up and ride the next morning. And even if I’m doing something, like enjoying a few beers at the bar with the guys, I rarely like being out past 11pm because there’s something else eating at me. Something else that’s stronger than anything else I’ve ever known. It’s riding.
Last night I was getting all worked up, waiting for the night to end… And I was rewarded with today’s ride. MotorMilt keeps saying, “That was some kind of ride” over and over. And he’s right. It was stunning.
We started out early and popped up the PCH to Topanga Canyon. Traffic was fairly decent and that allowed me to really start shifting in the saddle. By the third decent sweeping corner on Topanga, I knew it was going ot be a good day. Everything flowed. It was easy. I was leaning like never before. Not only over the bike, but outside of it. Ass off the seat - 4th stage Pridemore riding. Granted I still haven’t put my knee down yet, but in reality while I try just about all the time I’m not sure that’s the greatest of ideas on a public street…
Anyway, that discussion is probably best left for another day… We continued down Topanga Canyon to Old Topanga and then shuttled up the beginning of Mullhulland. After crossing over Las Virgines, we continued on Mullhulland and eventually shot off on Cornell Road, followed by Kanan Road and then the Deli. In many ways this has become one of two of our usual first half, pre-breakfast rides. And I always enjoy it, but today was different. Besides feeling very in tune with the Duc, their was a fluidity that I can only hope continues…
A bit later we bounced over to Latigo Canyon - another the personal fav’s if you haven’t noticed. There was a bit of bike traffic, most of it going in the opposite direction thankfully. By the mid point of the road things really opened up and once again, abiet slightly unusual for me after breakfasst, I was feeling very, very comfortable and confident on the Duc. Corners just seemed to come and go, it seemed like all the downshifts were smooth and for me, I was getting over pretty good.
We went back up the coast to Encinal Road - a greatly underrated avenue of speed… I suspect it gets overshadowed because it’ sandwhiched inbetween the racers side of the Mullhulland Highway and Decker Canyon. In any case, today it was mostly empty, except for a few groups of metric bikes that went by. We did several rounds of photos in a couple of corners. I’m sure I’ll have something to post from Copeland later this week.
What was truly amazing was the cloud cover on the seaside of the mountains. You can see it in the photo below, but it was as if you were looking at the inside of a down comforter… Just amazing. (Oh, and the seashore side of the hill was a good 10º degrees cooler… Once on the otherside of the hill, it was HOT!)
Later, MotorMilt & I Popped up Stunt Road to get home. Once again it was just unreal to see the cloud cover hanging below your feet and the sun beaming down on us while we were on top of the mountain. Just good stuff! Below are a few digital picts I shot…
The Birthday Bash…er..Ride
Well today I turned 27. For such an arbitrary qualification, I do in fact feel very, very different today. Perhaps it’s three straight days of riding, working out, and barbeque’s. I don’t know, but oddly enough it feels as if I’m now offically a grown up - as if I wasn’t before - but I guess in reality I always felt that 26 was one of those tweaner ages, that isn’t quite a young adult nor really someone seeking responsibility either. Perhaps that was always just in my head and not quite real. In any case, it’s been a glorious weekend.
And here’s a shot I took of Milt while he was being chased by a Ferrari…
Back on the Bike
Well, I finally got back in the saddle - so to speak - for the first time in roughly three weeks. This morning while the world slept, or at least the fine folks living in or around LA did, I got a short ride in on the Beemer. While it has been hard to be away from riding for so long, it was actually harder to get back on for the first time after such a long layoff. I found myself feeling so uneasy with the bike. Everything seemed hard. The brakes were suddenly soft. The engine was wrecking havoc with my control. Downshifting was clunky. My throttle control was all over the place. Basically, I was fighting the whole process… And frankly, I expected it. After such a long time away from it, I knew I’d feel rusty. I suppose the question is the degree. I’ve come to think of myself as both a good rider and someone who has a pretty decent feel for the bike and suddenly I was neither smooth nor good. This was driving me crazy since unlike the new Duc, the BMW is not new, it’s not unknown and it’s got so much more slack in the gearing, braking, rev’s etc. that I felt like I should know it.
At first, a few miles into the ride, these feelings were driving me crazy. Yet by the time I reached the Agorua Deli - one of our usual breakfast stops - I finally felt like I was getting back into it. By the time I got home, I wouldn’t say I was back, but my relationship with the bike was much better. Still, I was struck by how a long layoff can really effect your riding. It’s not like I haven’t had them before, yet this time while I was laid up I was so very aware that I wanted to ride. Matter of fact, I needed to ride. And I couldn’t. I don’t know of a worse feeling than the desire to do something you find so intrinsic to your lifestyle and/or being and the knowledge that you can’t.
Day 3: Starting to Push The Duc
So today Milt & I got another ride in and once again it was great! Topanga Canyon was closed because of a parade, so we popped up Las Virgines Canyon to Mullhulland Canyon and got some eats at The Rock Store. The ride up was pleasant, but not exactly spectacular because of a heavier amount of traffic than I was expecting. The police were definately out in force. Sometimes I wonder about their priorities. On a day when half the US is out drinking in excess and in all probability then driving home, why the cops obsess with motorcyclists in the canyons is beyond me. In a scale of magnitude I find it hard to believe that if a motorcyclist does something stupid today that they are more dangerous to greater civilization than a drunk driver flying up the PCH. Who is going to take out more civilians?
Okay so downshifting now, while we were at The Rock Store we saw two young women who were riding by themselves - I’ve now hung out at The Rock Store a ton of times and I can’t say that I’ve ever seen two women riding up there without company. Usually - actually the only time you see women at The Rock Store is when they’re there with their boyfriends, either as passangers on the back of the bike or at best on a seriously underpowered ride next to the BF’s Nija ZX11 or some comperable bike. So to be completely honest I was pretty shocked to see these two women hanging out and also pretty excited. Both couldn’t have been more than say 28 or 30 at best, both were hot and both rode pretty decked out rides. One had a Suzuki SV 650 with a custom paint job, while the other was on a red Honda CBR 600 - two pretty decent rice rockets for the canyons. Oh yeah, and both seemed to be pretty fast riders. So I have no idea where to find gals like that, but I think it’s pretty awesome that they exsist and I hope that one day I’ll meet a few. It’d be pretty cool to be able to share riding - and I don’t mean as a passanger - with some one of the opposite gender…
Okay, so on to a few new observations of the new bikes. Engine braking is something that doesn’t seem to work as well on the new bikes. On the Beemers I usually do quite a bit of engine braking - that is downshifting before a corner instead of using the brake to slow the bike down before the corner. On the Ducati just simply downshifting doesn’t have the same result. First of all it doesn’t slow the bike down because of the differences in how the two bikes are geared. Secondly, downshifting without matching the rpms - a meaningless concern on the BMWs - seems to continue to break the back end loose. It happened to me twice today, both times not seriously to cause an accident, but definately apparent enough to make me think twice before doing it again. Breaking the back tire loose doesn’t freak me out like once would have, but it still gives me pause because it could result in a tailfish reaction that could cause an accident… And I’d like to avoid that if possible. Downshifting works very well if you crack open the throttle just a bit and match the rpms. Then you effectively can change the rpm range and prepare for the corner ahead…
But to slow the bike down you really need to get on the brakes. Today it seemed like the brakes were finally braking in (pardon the pun). I suspect that since they were fresh discs they needed some scuffing to reach their power potential. That certainly seemed to be the case today. They were grabbing much better which is a good thing given the lack of engine braking on this bike. On the Beemer, Milt is alway commenting on how little my taillight goes on and just about every other week he asks me to squeeze the brake lever while we’re off the bikles because he’s concerned that the light may not be working. So I guess the bottom line is that Milt will now know when I’m slowing down ahead of him because I don’t see how else you can ride the Duc, except to use the front and rear brakes.
Now we’re only about 280 miles into the new bikes, but already I get the sense that riding the Duc will effect how I ride the BMW. My guess is that in the past when I felt like I was really leaning the Beemer over, it will now feel like I can push it a bit more since I now have a better idea what a more leaned over riding position feels like. Also, given the change in how I will have to use the brakes vs. engine braking, I’m going to guess that eventually I’ll engine brake less on the BMW and use the power assisted brakes more. In a big picture sense that’s probably a good idea since brakes are cheaper to replace than clutches - that’s what everyone tells me anyway… So I guess we’ll have to wait and see… Overall it is fun to have more motorcycle stuff to talk about again. Up until now the BMWs have gotten to the point that I feel extremely comfortable on them and basically know how to ride them in a way that I enjoy - so when Milt & I get off the bikes there isn’t much to talk about anymore. With the Ducs there seems to be an endless collection of observations, concerns, excitements, enjoyments, and amazements to discuss. That’s really cool, because that’s one of the great joys of riding as far as I’m concerned. I always tell folks that it’s about the ride, but truth is, it’s also about the conversation afterwards and it’s nice to have stuff to talk about again!
Another Ride on The New Ducs
So the second day of riding the new bikes through the canyons was absolutely wonderful. Traffic was extremely light as we headed out in the morning. I suppose that’s because people were sleeping in during this holiday weekend. We hit Topanga Canyon early enough that it felt like it was just Milt & I on the road, and frankly there is no better time to ride! I’m also starting to feel much more comfortbable with the dry clutch and the throttle. The differences in the engines between the R1100S and the 749 is becoming more and more apparent. We still have a long way to go until the engines are broken in, but for now there definately seems to be more feedback on the Ducs than the Beemers. You really know when the engine is engaged or disengaged via the throttle. I suppose that might be what the motorcycle mag writers call surging, but for me it seems most apparent between 1 and 3 thousand rpms. You definately feel a”clunk” when you accelerate, which I have yet to decipher, occurs. Could be the chain spinning up - almost feels like it could be the chain matching the revs of the engine - not sure. But it certainly feels more track oriented.
I also found that today I finally starting to feel much more comfortable sliding in the saddle. The bike is entirely more flickable, as Milt would put it. I have a feeling that I definately will be able to get my knee down one of these days - of course that will eventually require a new set of leathers or at least pucks.
The most interesting part of the ride actually occured on the way home. We pulled up at a stop light on Ocean Ave on the way home and a fellow on a maroon BMW 1100RT boxer pulled up next to us. He seemed to notice the BMW patches on our leathers and kept boucing his eyes back and forth from the patches to the bikes. Milt is actually the one who pointed it out, but once he did I realized that we had really toyed with this poor guys mind since I’m sure he didn’t know what to make of two marques on top of each other. Suppose I now understand those license plate frames that say things like, “my other car is a bike” or “my other car is a (fill in the blank). One of those certainly would have helpped this guy.
Slightly switching subjects, I now realize given how one is supposed to break new Ducati engines in that the worst decision a rider can make is to purchase either a Dealership Demo that is on sale or a slightly used Ducati, which there always seem to be a lot of, that has between 1,000 and 3,000 miles. Strikes me that you have no idea how hard the previous owner has riden the bike or if they have payed any attention to the engine break in period. I’m not sure exactly how much it will help to follow the factory guidelines, but I suspect that given the differences in methoods of manufacturing between BMW and Ducati that the factory wouldn’t make such a big deal out of a proper break in period if it wasn’t vastly more important than on the Beemers.
The First Ride…
So today Milt & I got our first chance to take the new bikes out for a real ride, this time on our turf, aka The Santa Monica Mountains… What a glorious ride through the canyons. We hit The Rock Store for breakfast, which was just a perfect way to say hello the new rides (and a great place to stop for coffee & eats!)…
The 90º Twin Engine: First of all these things just flat out want to fly. We’re still breaking the engines in according to the manual, which suggests that you try to keep the engine rev’ing below 6,000 rpms for the first 600 miles. I had no idea how hard that was going to be. These suckers just want to be let out and run. Luckily for us there is a noticable change in the sound of the engine right around 5,500 rpms that let’s you know you’re about to engage the turbo boost. Anything above 5,500 and it feels like you’re sitting on top of a rocket. The 999’s have a bit more power lower in the rpm band, but trust me, this is just fine thank you very much.
Brakes: Absolutely killer front brake. I’ve got to get a bit better at being smoother because of the lack of ABS (my BMW has antilock brakes), but at the first bit of pressure they really start grabbing. The rear brake is fairly worthless however. The vast majority of new riders or Harley riders usually only use their rear brakes because they’re afraid of highsiding the bike (i.e. locking the front wheel and flipping head over handle bars) - The 749, since it’s basically a street legal race bike, doesn’t seem to put much stock in the rear brake. Physically it’s much smaller than the front set of discs and obviously because of the chain there is only one disc as opposed to the two on the front wheel, so it makes sense that it has less power.
Engine Braking: On the BMW I’ll often brake before, in and just about anywhere else using the engine first - in other words, downshifting. The Duc is a very different beast. Unless you almost pop the clutch, the bike is geared so tall that just downshifting one gear doesn’t do a whole hell of a lot. You’ve got to go from say 4th to 2nd to get any really effect if you’re just average with the clutch. If you’re fast you can get it down a few thousand rpms. The up shot to the difference in engine braking is that you can carry more speed into a corner when you downshift sequentually.
Suspension & Ridability: Besides being a flat out rocket ship, the other major difference between the Ducs and the BMWs is the steering geometry. They’re far more nimble. “Flickable”, was a word that Milt used to describe it. It’s very easy to slide in the saddle for a left, right, left corner combination. The bike is also much lower than the BMWs, so it’s far easier to lean and I’m sure the difference in height accounts for the drastic difference in perception. I don’t know if I’m actually leaning over further or it just feels that way. Have to get Copeland out to take some picts to find out. While I’m sort of on the topic of the seat, it’s seriously hard and it’s hot when the bike gets warmed up. Like HOT! But then it’s basically a race bike so I sort of know that going in… We did about 100 miles today and that’s probably about as much riding on one of these suckers as I think I’ll want to do on any given day. They’re a blast, but after awhile it does cross your mind that parts of riding this bike feel more workman like than the BMWs.
Overall, I dig the new Duc. It’s awesome. A very, very different feeling than the BMWs, but one that worth having time and again. I also have a new appreciation for the BMWs, as strange as that sounds. I knew going in that any trip up the coast was really a BMW ride and nothing has change my mind about that. I also greatly respect the BMW engineering staff - while the “s” is a sporty ride, it’s also comfortable, smooth, refined and mechanically sound. The Ducati on the other hand is a hard (as in suspension), fast, rough on the edges, rumbling, vibrating, sensory explosion in comparison. And the bottom line is that I feel blessed to have both to play with, they’re both killer rides!
What’s underneath those covers?
How many toys can you have? One day I promise to answer that question… but until then, welcome to the latest adventure… A Ducati adventure!
Sunrise on a Thursday
Well, it’s 5:32 AM as I start this post and I’m finding it rather hard to sleep… This by itself wouldn’t be news, except for the fact that later today I will become the proud owner of a brand new Yellow Ducati 749…
It is quite a thing and one that I’m not sure I can accurately describe. While there are many sportbikes and racebikes out there, there is only one Ducati. It is unquestionably the closest thing that the sportbike category has to the Harley Davidson ethos trapped in race paddock sensibility and a Madsen Avenue mindset.
People don’t just ride a Ducati, they love them. The brand loyalty is amazingly high, over 70% in fact, the most among modern motorcycle manufactures. It is not just a bike, but a lifestyle choice. The Italians call the faithful, “Ducatisti” and they are known to be passionate, insane, fast, sexy and styled.
Owning a Ducati has been a dream of mine for longer than I can grasp. It was quite literally the bike that brought me in to motorcycling.
The 916 body-style was the bike for my generation. It redefined the styling of motorcycles and at the same time won over 115 races and, I believe, 5 world superbike titles over the better part of a decade.
But winning races is only part of the picture. The 916 body style, which morphed into the 996 and then later the 998, was the icon of what was and is ‘cool’. It has appeared in countless movies (the most obvious reference being the freeway chase sequence in “The Matrix”), television shows and fashion mags (GQ did one of the first motorcycle spreads using nothing but a Ducati) over the course of its tenure.
As far as bikes go, the 916 was a revolution. It altered public style, the entire liter bike category, and the definition of sex and speed?
Fast forwarding until today and the 916 body style is still a stunning motorcycle, but it is not the king of the hill in terms of performance anymore. It has been eclipsed by the 999, Ducati?s newest line of superbikes. Unlike the previous reincarnations of the same basic technology, the jump from the last of the 916 line, the 998, to the 999 is nothing short of spectacular. The difference between the two styles is so defined that the 916 which once seemed like a killer sport bike, now feels like a sedan in comparison to the faster, lighter, nimbler 999.
By now if you?re still with me, I’m sure you?re asking what does all this 916 versus 999 talk have to do with a 749? Well, Ducati for the past decade has produced two lines of bikes from the same platform; a liter bike (i.e. anything with an engine displacement over 900cc) and a 700cc superbike. While the 916 through 999 lines excel at the racetrack, many motorcycle writers consider the lighter, smaller, 749 a better canyon bike.
So later today I will join the millions of Ducatisti across the world in celebrating the passion of the most incredible Italian Motorcycle Company ? if not the world ? when I pick up my new 749.
