Davida Helmet Hits Home.

As the title says, the much anticipated Davida has hit home. My home! I have waited and waited to finaly own one of these fantastic helmets. Now that I have taken several rides in my Davida Classic, it's time to do the review.
When the box arrived on my doorstep, I was a little underwhelmed. The box was small and I was worried that there might be damage to my helmet because the size of the box did not offer much "crush" room for shipping damage. I was relieved to find my helmet in good shape, nicely tucked into it little Davida scratch bag. The scratch bag was a little cheap looking but I was more interested in the helmet.
I went for the silver color with the British Racing Green stripe down the middle. Fantastic vintage look. From the tape edging to the wonderful canvas webbing on the inside. These helmets ooze cafe cool. The gloss on the helmet was perfect. No scratches and a perfect Davida logo gracing the front.
I ordered a size large and it fits just right for me. The helmet sits far enough down on my head to give me a somewhat secure feeling. While these vintage style skid lids do not offer the protection of a modern helmet, a rider should at least go for a proper fit. Mine came with a sizing strip, but I did not need to apply it.
I sinched the helmet up and headed out. I found the full leather flaps on the sides and back offer some protection from the cool evening temperatures and truly round out the vintage feel. I am used to riding in a half helmet and one of the things I dont like is the wind noise. The leather flaps on the Davida cut that to a minimum. Very nice!
The occasional glance I got from passing motorists confirmed that I was indeed in full vintage form. My Triumph Bonneville and my Davida Classic helmet. I picked all black that day. Black gloves and black Triumph jacket. I loved it.
If you are wanting to perfect your modern classic vibe, go for a Davida Classic. Great fit and function and a perfect vintage styling. High quality workmanship worth the cost. Especially BSA, Triumph, Norton, and Vincent riders should get one of these. It will be right at home on your Brit baby. Davida Classic Line

Bike Updates and Harvest Classic Review

Well, fall has fallen down here in Austin, Texas. We have had some fantastic riding days with the cooler weather and we have loved it. If you are reading this post from up in the north where its already getting frosty, come see us and we will take you for a beautiful hill country ride. Go see the folks at http://www.airbnb.com/ and they will set you up with a great place to stay. Send us an email at pacemakerman@hotmail.com and let us know when you will be in town. We will see if someone in our club is available to take you out for a ride. We are not guides or running a tour business. We are just a bunch of folks that like to ride and meet new folks. We should have a several more weeks of good riding weather. If you dont want to haul you bikes, we will see if we can find you some bikes to ride. There may be a charge for those as most of the time we have to get you hooked up with a rental servie. Let us know how we can help.
Got a few bike updates for you on this post. Our great friend Chris Cruce just scored a beautiful Triumph Bonneville Black. Looks like he is also finaly getting the CB350 sorted out. They are both great bikes and he certainly is the proud owner of a nice stable of machines. Ran into him at the Harvest Classic Bike show a couple of weeks ago. Wife and two lovely baby girls in tow, he was all smiles to be out there in the sun with the classic machines. Did my heart good to see him. Its good to have good friends.
The 2010 Harvest Classic Bike show was another hit this year. We had a group of five riders heading out from Round Rock, Texas this year. A very nice HD Glide, Triumph Bonneville, Triumph Thunderbird, Triumph TT600, and a newly acquired Honda Repsol Leader. Diverse crew to say the least. My lovely wife Rebecca went two up with me on the TT for the first part of the ride. I knew she was less than comfortable as she is indeed a tall drink of water but it was fantastic to have her on the ride. She chose a nice pair of knee boots, tight black jeans and a lovely blouse that made me proud to be her husband. Enough on that boys. Eat your heart out. At any rate, we headed out for Johnson City about 8am with hot biscuits and coffee on our mind.
A little rainy to start the ride but got to Marble Falls savely and made the jump onto 281 towards Johnson City. Not much site seeing through the hills that morning. The light rain had us all quit focused on the bikes and road conditions.
Once into Johnson City we stopped at Country Inn to get some hot breakfast. It was a perfect and welcomed stop on such a cool and damp morning. The sun was out by then but the memory of the grey morning was still fresh on our minds. As we got off the bikes and breathed our collective sigh of relief to be out of the rain, we noticed a mean looking hooligan machine pulling in to the lot. Oh the object of my desire, a white on black Triumph Speend Triple. Nasty machine indeed! We all gathered around to covet the bike. The rider introduced himself as John and we all eased into the restaurant to order up and chill out.
As John was on his own that morning, we asked him to join us. Turns out he is a Scothish lad currently living in Houston, Texas. He rode in from H town that morning! John kept us all entertained and delighted with his tales of  the Isle of Mann and a frequent joke or good ribbing. Everybody filled their bellies with good food and coffee and filled their hearts with the joy of being off work, on a bike, and meeting new friends.
The ride on to Lukenbach was fun and in the sun. Our little crew rumbled into the lot, all smiles and really feeling the good energy that only comes with the spontenaity that comes with just letting things happen.
We grabbed some cold Lone Stars at the little bar and set out to see the classic machines on display.
Where to start? The 70's era Ossa Stilletos were breath taking. Looking show room clean, a Husky sat just up the line and caught my eye early on. I remember these bikes from my early youth. While I never owned one or even rode one, they covered the magazine covers of those days and filled my boyish dreams at night. So great to see them still on the road or dirt as it happens. From there we moved to the line of classic CB Hondas. An orange 750 Four was at the top of that list for me. Looking a bit bullish and mean. I imagine that bike would still scare the hell out of most of us.
Several classic Bonnies as well and a '70 Daytona that was so alluring that I have been looking at Ebay and Craigslist since. Trying to find one like her is a bit of a fantasy.  I have no room in the garage for her but plenty of room in my imagination. You know the feeling I am sure.
After looking at helmets, tshirts, boots, gloves, and jackets we decided to get on the road to stay ahead of the rain.  A well timed and technicaly impressive group ride back to Round Rock. We waved goodbye to our new friend John as he turned off to go to Comfort, Texas for the night. Nice guy indeed. Keep an eye out for a white Speed Triple around Houston. If you run into an old Scottish dude on one, its likely to be John. Buy him lunch, it will be a time you wont forget.
We rounded out that Saturday night with a fire on the back patio at my place. A few to many (if there is such a thing) Lone Stars, stuffed jalapenos, beef burger sliders, home fried buffalo wings, Opa's brats, and some nice sharp cheddar cheese. There was no shortage of good one liners and good stories from the old days.
It hurt my heart a little on Sunday to see the boys off. Helped them load the bikes on the trailer and gave good strong hugs and hand shakes, put my arm around my Rebecca as I watched the brake lights around the bend on my street. "Good day, good weekend, good life", I thought to myself.
The Harvest Classic comes 'round every year. I hope my little group makes many more of them. If we don't however, this one was a great one and that may be good enough. I suppose there is an art to taking each day as it comes and being thankful for it. I am thankful for today and for that day in particular.
Be safe. Ride safe. Wear a helmet and get home to your loved ones in one piece. Come back and see me soon.

Proper Care and Feeding

I was recently blessed with a late model Triumph Bonneville. Its truly a beautiful machine. I am not the original owner, but I am the owner now. That is important to understand. The bike now belongs to me and for the sake of this fantastic bike, my ownership is a very good thing.
Eric down at Lone Star BMW/Triumph called me one day and told me he had this Bonneville coming into his inventory of used bikes. I had been looking to replace my recently departed T-100, so I went to see the bike. It was in good shape but a few things didnt add up in my mind. While the bike had only 1800 miles, there was surface rust on the rims, under the headlight and on the bars. Not too noticeable, but it was there. There was oil build up on the swingarm and some stains on top of the case. I realized I was looking at a nice bike that didnt come from a good home. It had not been abused but it certainly had not been loved. Probably kept in a car port with a cover thrown over it, never ridden, never cherished.
Last night I sat in my garage with that Bonneville. I rubbed and polished, check linkages, tighted spokes, and listened to her stories of her old home. How sunny days passed one after the other and she was never taken out for a run. How her old owner walked past her time after time without a glance. No sparkle in his eye, no excitement, no passion for her at all.
I whispered goodnight to the Bonnie around 11pm. She shines and sparkles now. She in my garage. She is in a good home. It will be a different life for that bike now. Also, a different life for me. A new relationship is just the thing to get your passion for life moving again. Proper care and feeding for us both.
My latest issue of VMX (Vintage Motocross) magazine arrived in the mail this week. My wife had it layed out on the kitchen counter when I came home from work. She winked and smiled at me and pointed at the magazine. The subscription was a gift from her for my birthday. Like that lovely Bonneville, Im in a good home, getting proper care and feeding.
Enjoy your bikes and care for them well. Moreover, cherish the people that are taking care of you and return the effort. We all need each other.
Have a good time with your fall riding season. Take care and come see me soon.

2002 Triumph TT 600 Review

I bought an older Triumph from a dude up near Killeen, Texas. Nice guy that also owned a CBR 600. I did a little homework before I made him an offer and learned some things about this little know line of Triumph sport bikes. Some good, some bad. I bought the bike because it had been well cared for and also because I just love Triumphs. Here is my post purchase review.
The real interesting thing about this line of bikes is that it was the first attempt of ANY manufacture to put fuel injection on a 600cc bike. These bikes are in-line fours by the way. The idea is a great one but this attempt by Triumph falls a little short. As other reviews have noted, there is a big flat spot from 3500-4500rpms. However, after that, the bike really rolls on nicely and if you are kicking the bike in the ass, you don't really notice at all. The problem is a bit more obvious coming out of slow turns, but still not a big issue to me. The truth is, unless you are in the top 5% of club racers in the world, you will never see the max performance of any 600cc or larger sport bike. So, this little Triumph delivers just fine when it comes to power.
The TT 600 has not disappointed me in the turn either. She does not have inverted forks and the front end seems a little stiff to me. I must concede that I am a heavier rider and I have not had the suspension set up yet. That may make all the difference. The shock feels very nice indeed. Nice damping when the power comes on and the spring compresses nicely powering out of turns. Good grip and steady power to the ground.
The ergonomics are fantastic for a smaller displacement sport unit. I have ridden CBR 600s, ZX10, Ducati 999, 955i Daytonas and a ZX14. The TT falls more towards the bigger bike feel. Not near as forward as a Ducati 999 but not as stretched as a 14. Nice upright position for a sport bike which allows for long rides with relative comfort.
One thing I have noticed is a little bit of vibration fatigue on my hands after about an hour or so. Mainly on the braking hand. Maybe its just me.
The bike looks great and the Triumph badge always gets looks and questions. Mine is silver and blue with a black seat. She looks really great in the sunlight and is a great addition to my garage. I picked it up with 12k miles and paid $2600. It insurance rate is less than my Triumph Bonneville.
I would say that this is a fine machine for brit bike fans that want a sporty ride in the 600cc class. You can find them cheap and in good shape. If you are ok with the flat spot in the power band, you will love this little bike.

The Stoke of Getting Stoked

You never know when it might hit you. That beautiful feeling of "The Stoke". Is it "getting stoked"? The verb or is it the noun? To me is is both. The verb leads me to the noun. Actions lead me to the state of being.
Maybe its looking at bike pics on the internet or hearing the whine of a bike on a nearby expressway. Sometimes it is seeing the Triumph jacket my wife bought me for Christmas hanging in my closet. Heck, maybe even seeing a cover of VMX magagzine or one of my helmets on the garage work bench. It starts the process of getting stoked.
Before too long, the jacket is on, the gloves and helmet are on, the bike is rumbling and your rolling down the driveway.
Now the verb becomes the noun. You are STOKED. The state of being. The joy of riding. The joy of being on a bike. The joy of being seen on a bike. The good life. Being Stoked.

First Post for Expanded Blog Page

Moto Mania is more than a passing interest of frame of mind. It is a state of being. An infection of sorts. As the profile of this site mentions, it started for me when the garage door of my childhood buddy, Pete Mahoney, raised to reveal an orange tanked Indian mini bike and a silver and red Honda XR75. I was sick. I was stunned. I was infected. The memory of standing in his driveway and watching him and his sister ride laps around his yard is still vivid and vibrant.
It took me many years after that fateful day to get a bike of my own. I started with a rolling basket case of a Honda SL100. I'm not sure what modifications my brother and his buddy made to that bike, but it would drain a battery in minutes. It wasn't long before that machine was retired to a spot in my dad's shack. It was replaced with a drool producing 1976 Suzuki RM100. Sweet. Metal tank, low pipe, 2 stroke beast. I remember doing the pre-mix in one of my mother's Mason jars because it had small quantity measurements on the side of it. This was a total necessity because the only gas I could get was the small amounts I could steal from my dad's mower or edger. I don't recall him ever asking me if I knew why his mower was always empty. I suppose he just figured it out. I rode the shit out of that bike. After school I was no longer a Tom Browne middle school student. I was Roger DeCoster or Bob Hannah or Broc Glover or Marty Smith or any other Sunday afternoon hero. That's how we did it back then. We scratched up whatever we could to put two wheels under our dreams.
What next? A 1981 Yamaha YZ125. Off the showroom floor. I paid for it by working day labor on my dad's construction sites one summer. That was the first bike I ever raced and I raced the wheels off of it.
Then came more YZs of various years, then the Kawasaki years, then another YZ. I borrowed and traded to keep my habit alive. What a life.
Now I love the Triumphs and the Ducatis and the vintage Japanese machines. Really, I love them all. I bet you do too. That's why your here.
I'm glad you stopped in today to check us out. Come back soon and often. We will always have alot to talk about. Bring a friend next time. The cold beer is on the house.