All Activity

From my personal images from Daytona pits 1988.

Did you know the iconic Spitfire elliptical wing was actually a German design? Phil

After 21 years with my V11 Sport it's time to move on. I lack the time, space, and dedication to maintain it and I'm wanting something lighter for my occasional backroad rides. The good: one adult owner, most of the usual V11 tweaks/fixes/upgrades and regular maintenance have been performed, strong low-mileage engine (about 21,500 mi) runs well, nearly roadworthy, and it's got the looks and feel of that raunchy girl from high school. Sale will include a good number of new and used spares and consumables. The bad: cosmetically rough, non-functional speedo/odometer, and it's got a clutch (or clutch actuation?) issue that I don't understand. It's initially ridable when cold, but begins misbehaving in an erratic/intermittent way as it warms up. The clutch slave was recently dealer serviced to no avail, so I'm opting out. I think that there's a good opportunity here for someone who wants a potentially easy project or near complete parts bike. $1200 OBO; local pickup only. PM if interested.

Pramac leave Ducati! Let me tell you my former BIL ran a large automotive accessory company here a few years ago that sponsored the top team in V8 Supercars ( he was also authorising the sponsorship payments )and their #1 goal in sponsoring them was seconds of airtime. They had staff to time the TV airtime they got for their sponsorship dollar. No doubt these days it would include all the social media as well. Will Pramac sign up for a bike/company that presently gets about zero or close to zero air or social media time for their sponsorship dollar at the tail end of the field? I don't think so myself. I might tell you a few stories about the cutthroat business of minor sponsors graphics on a race car and it's allocation of prominence and how private race teams pull the wool over the sponsors eyes to get additional funding. One day maybe. On another MotoGP topic how well has Fabio Quartararo done contractually out of Yamaha. Gets paid way more than any other rider and has a built in excuse riding a Yamaha for lacklustre performances and his worth and reputation remain in tact for the next round of rider musical chairs. I mean how could you refuse that deal. Yamaha and Honda as well really needed to move their managers on years ago. Phil

You will soon know its effectiveness! Apparently, we have a much better relationship with the Royal Mail than with others. I have received fasteners from England to the west coast USA in 7 days. That is quicker than some domestic service.

Received it today.... Faster than the Skwal I3 that came from The Netherlands.

I agree with you re Aldeguer; he is no Pedro Acosta. Or at least, he is not so far.... Pramac leaving for Yamaha is a possibility, which will only known on July 31st. I am convinced that Campinoti is not going to reveal anything until he is contractually obligated. If Pramac leaves for Yamaha, who will be the riders? surely Franco Morbidelli is not going back!? where is Enea Bastianini going? I read that Jack Miller may end up where Acosta came from. Joan Mir was also possibly leaving Honda? What about Joe Roberts? is he coming to Trackhouse?

It is a mess. And time will tell if Ducati made the right decision or the wrong decision. Clearly it was Marc driving this train and calling the shots. Which I think does not bode well for how this will pan out. Letting one of your racers run the show, especially a racer who is in it only for himself (Marc cares not for the Ducati brand), seems like a bad idea. On top of what you said, not only did they drive Martin to Aprilia with this choice but they may have driven Pramac to Yamaha. It is not official at all, but Simon Crafer has suggested that Pramac may be leaving the Ducati fold after being offended so severely by how this happened. Not only did Marc Marquez directly insult them, but if they continue with Ducati they will have to take Fermín Aldeguer for Ducati along side whatever scraps they can get after expecting to get Marc Marquez. Aldeguer has been less then super impressive this season so far. One win but not looking like he did towards the end of last year. They may have jumped the gun signing him. Time will tell. Everyone was told back in 2023 when VR46 was trying to get one or two additional current spec Ducati bikes that Pramacs contract not only gave them current spec factory bikes but also prevented other teams from receiving current spec factory bikes. In previous years Ducati was able to move the third and fourth current spec factory bikes to whichever team they wanted to have them. They could even produce a 5th or 6th factory bike. But it seems in 2023 Pramac was able to get a contract signed with Ducati that reserved that to Pramac. Smart. And it would seem if they were to exercise their contract renewal option that would continue into 2025. Of course, now there is the possibility that Pramac will leave the Ducati fold, opening up who can get a current spec Ducati but also being a huge blow to Ducati. Loosing Pramac to Yamaha (or in my opinion to KTM, as I am sure KTM would be glad to have them) would be a huge blow. I don't know why Pramac would go to Yamaha, but I get leaving Ducati after this. I would be talking to KTM as we speak if I were Pramac. KTM could surely provide them with current spec factory bikes.

What a view So picturesque!

Unfortunately, it is in French, and there are no English subtitles. Triumph was created by a German, Mr Bettman and with manufacturing in both UK and Germany! Beginning of the 19th century. During WW1, Triumph in Germany will also start producing office equipment. Some of us may have seen Triumph typewriters? Following WW1, Triumph Germany started to deviate from the motorcycles built in UK. They were producing small capacity two strokes like the one shown at the beginning of the video. In 1929, Triumph UK and Triumph Germany separated completely. One of the clause was that Triumph Germany would not be allowed to commercialize motorcycles outside the Germany using the Triumph name. For the Export, they were named TWN for Triumph Werke Nürnberg A.G. The production was almost exclusively 2 strokes. The BD250 was exclusively produced for the German Army, using innovative techniques for the time. Aluminium engine, the carburator is at the crank level, feeding a rotating disc which was later used in competition. This was designed in 1939... Triumph Germany will vanish in the middle of the 50's, bought by Gründing, a consumer electronics company. it is thought that Gründing bought Triumph Germany for their office equipment. Triumph motorcycles Germany activity will definitively cease in 1957. The second part of the video is about the German made motorcycles that served under WW2. Germany was the only country with specific motorcycle regiments involved in the war. The BMW R12 was equipped with a carburetor heating system, and conceived with a low compression ratio to be able to use low octane gas/petrol. The other two motorcycles shown are D.K.W.; they were the most common during these times. Their usage was mostly message delivery between units. The riders spent up to 18 hours riding them...

I have a hydraulic press and I can straighten it out .

I think it might be burned up. Otherwise, I won't need it

"La vallée d'Aspe" is incredibly sumptuous! You go to Oloron Saint-Marie from Pau, and then you follow the N-134 all the way through to Spain! It is completely untapped from the mass tourism. On a motorcycle, it is grandiose!

After the Martin/Marquez epic ending, some of the media present in Catalunya in Barcelone offered some clarification of what happened behind the scene. Following the Sunday race, Jorge Martin was seen glowing during the interviews while Marquez had a stern look. Allegedly, Ducati had told Martin that he was going to be the "chosen" one for the factory seat. At this point in time, remember that Ducati was all poised to make the official announcement the week after, the Thursday prior to the Mugello Grand-Prix. However, Ducati came back on it, stating they had never said they were going to make that announcement then. This is because they had assumed Marquez was going to be accepting a move to Pramac. This is when Marquez clarified that for him, Pramac was not an option. Obviously, he had been informed by Ducati of the plan, and MM93 threw a spanner in the works. I am not a big fan of MM93, but I can't blame him for using his aura to get the run around Martin. He is going to be 32 next year, so it is his last shot at getting that last title or better, to equal or surpass VR46. Some pundits are of the opinion that it threw Martin in overdrive at the Mugello, learning that, after all, he was going to be sacrificed for the greater good. Such is life! Marquez seriously offended Paolo Campinoti, discarding Pramac as a valid option. As a result, the entire Pramac team is going to do all in their power to assist Jorge Martin to win the title this year. This brings out a question. Will Ducati drop its efforts with Martin to win 2024 given that he is going to the competition? will Ducati provide Marquez with additional assistance in 2024, to play go between Bagnaia and Martin? First, it is blatantly obvious that Ducati wants the factory team to win; Second, they have a contract with Pramac, which I am certain stipulates that bikes in both garages should be identical in terms of specs. Third, Marc Marquez is on a GP23. The rules prevent him to have a GP24 upgrade. He will run that year model all the way to the end. But we know there are ways to limit assistance without breaking contract rules.

I probably have a starter switch and turn signal lens. But I'll need to dig a bit to confirm. As for the bar - I had success straightening mine in a vise using wood blocks to apply the pressure where needed. You could also drop by a machine shop and they'd probably straighten it out for $20. I might have a handle bar, but what you just experienced is the reason I was holding on to it. Let me know if you can't straighten yours out.

I was 7 when that was broadcast. Am I now a member of the Geritol generation?...Yikes! At least the sponser wasn't Ex-Lax.

What are you going to do w/your old switch ?

Sure , keep me posted ! Now , there is a plastic cover in the switch that is broken and occasionally hangs . Result ; not good .

Hmmm.

After close review of gstallons original request, I find myself less enthusiastic about " riding 'his' anus" to get there (bring tools). Would a real pretty RSVP card do? 💌😁

"Carajillo !" What a concept! https://vinepair.com/cocktail-recipe/carajillo/

Spent 10 ripping days zigzagging from Biarritz on the Atlantic across the Pyrenees to the Mediterranean on my Scura R with a couple of English mates where we discovered Carajillo after Foie Gras to power the nights. Lucky to get a few hours morning sleep in a hammock. Outstanding! Politically correct is caving to the vagaries of over bloated offence. Stuff ‘em Vive la Basque!🪿

gees, i hope my starter switch can be rewired and fixed. nevermind. just bought it. If I don't need it. will let you know