Anyone besides me find the Barrett-Jackson

[spyderchick]

Back in the day...I had an AMC Gremlin X with the 304 in it...talk about a sleeper. Problem was you could loop that car on even a drizzle of rain. Too much torque. The beauty of cars come from the styling, performance balance and suspension. You also have to factor in the purpose of the car or truck and what market it is aimed at.

My dream vintage car... 1961 Jaguar XKE...fully restored, red w/ Black. I know it's a Jag...I know they are tempermental, but they were beautiful for their day.

Dream late model car...McClaren Supercar

Fun personal daily driver...2005 Mercedes SLK350
Reasonalbly affordable ride...2005 Nissan 350Z
Most likely to buy...newer Hyundai Tiburon V6

I own the Bike I want to own,,,which is a 2001 Championship edition Yamaha R6. I think they're sexy, and a 600 is a 600 for the street, so get the one with the styling that floats your boat.

I really think that cars are rolling art. I might never get to own my favorites, but I feel privildged to occasionally get to drive something cool or vintage. As long as I can afford something to get me reliably from point A to point B...I'm happy. I like my Mazda Mx6 so much I'm thinking about dropping a new engine and tranny in it, just because the styling is so nice.

So good on the peeps who can afford the cool stuff...it give us something to dream about.

[spyderchick]

I think we should pit together Chris.  ;D   Let's see how much of Dan you can take in one season, and then we'll see what you say about how much time I'm at the race track...   ;D ;D ;D

Deal  ???

OoooooooOOOooOoOooo ;D
K3...you just been served...  ;D

Somehow I don't think Dan would last an hour in your pits... :o ::) ;) ;D

[cornercamping]

Accomplishments are what the person makes of them.  For me, I could care less about a plaque, championship, or any of that crap.  I'm not fast enough, talented enough, nor will I ever be.  I'm not trying to be a professional motorcycle racer, nor have I ever.  I do it because I love motorcycles and speed.  The green and checkered flags are a bonus, but in all reality, I'm just as happy at a track day.  Just because I don't race every round doesn't mean that I don't spend as much time doing what I love, nor does it mean that I'm less dedicated to the sport.  I have my way of dedication, and it's to my happiness.   I could care less about anything else.  I do it becuase I love doing it.  

That's my point.  

[Old808]

Hey Papa, have you ever seen the pics of my bikes ?  The one's I sold?

No.  I wouldn't believe you anyway.  :)

[Super Dave]

Chris, have you ever ridden a Duacti 749/999 or an Aprilia Mille ?

Ooo, Oooo, I have....

But only on the race track!

Still have two wheels.

Ever ride a factory CR450?  How about a CR750?  GP bikes?

Those still have two wheels too.




Now, Dan...

...be careful...

K3 shows up a lot.  And he's had to pit with people that have let him down at times, but he always carries himself through.  And others.  I've been the gracious recipient of his help.  

If you think you're gonna see if he can put up with you, you're gonna have to be there.

Been around this block that I know there's only one type of person at the race track...the one's that show up.  Anything less...well, either you're not there or you are somewhere else.  And the ones that show up...well, we're in the minority.

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

Chris, have you ever ridden a Duacti 749/999 or an Aprilia Mille ?

Ménage e Tuono!  
        
                Getting intimate with Italian Twins

                         By "K3" Chris Onwiler

Vivid fall foliage streaks by in a red-orange blur.  Sunshine pours like liquid honey from a painfully blue sky.  Crisp, cold air knifes through the perforations in my leather suit as I hurl through this perfect Michigan autumn afternoon, swept forward on the crest of an immense wave of torque.  An orchestra of glorious, penetrating, purely Basso Profundo sound swells and ebbs, artfully conducted by my right wrist.  Bellowing into my helmet at the top of my lungs, I'm lustily murdering the lyrics to every snatch of Italian Opera that I can remember.
Italian bikes are expensive, quirky, and not especially fast, right?  I mean, they look pretty, but you can buy most any Japanese bike for less money, and you'll often get a faster machine in the bargain.  Who in their right mind would actually pay a premium price just to choose pasta over sushi?  This has always been my attitude regarding the two-wheeled jewelry produced by the motorcycle manufacturers of Italy.  Of course I'd never actually ridden an Italian stallion before, but I figured that the spec sheets told me everything I needed to know.  To me, Italian bikes were about nothing more than exclusitivity and hype.  I was unimpressed.  Then I met the Aprilia twins.
      It was the first weekend of October, and I was riding a track day with Sportbike Track Time at Gingerman Raceway in South Haven, Michigan.  STT maintains a fleet of Aprilia demo bikes, so I figured that this would be an outstanding opportunity to test some tasty Italian machinery.  I didn't figure on having my heart stolen in the process.
      My first date was with the RSV1000R.  She used to be called Mille, but I guess she figured that a letter designation had that cutting-edge sound.  Whatever you call her, this girl is gorgeous!  Beautifully sculpted frame rails support a fuel tank that should be displayed in a modern art museum, and her fairings drape seductively over the chassis beneath like a crimson Versacci evening gown.  The bike's incredibly svelte, sexy derriere is split by a thong-bikini of a taillight.  Pure visual lust.
We headed out onto the track.  The gearbox and clutch on this machine were as smooth as any I've ever tried, and combined with that huge, torquey engine, I could pull away from a stop at almost zero RPM.  Once moving, my first impression was one of pure locomotive thrust.  Want wheelies?  Crank in full throttle at five thousand RPM in first gear, and just hope that you can handle what happens next!  Cold Michigan pavement made it hard to get heat into her street-compound tires at first, but she built my confidence quickly, and soon the rattling sound of scraping knee pucks joined the lovely basso booming from her twin mufflers.  I noticed that while hanging off in fast sweepers, I could also hear an almost four-cylinder-like roar from the big twin's airbox.  Her massive torque was so immediate that I found myself lofting the front tire while still leaned over exiting corners, resulting in the occasional mild tank-slapper on touchdown.  Track riders and aggressive street freaks considering an RSV will want to add a steering damper.  Eventually, I began to trust this beauty enough to slide her rear tire exiting the slower corners, and this proved to be the cure for those pesky corner-exit wheelies!
      The RSV's riding position is an excellent compromise between full-on track attack and reasonable street comfort.  The fully adjustable upside-down forks and rear shock aren't quite race spec, but they are certainly a cut above what comes on most modern sportbikes.  With just a bit of fiddling, I found some very nice settings for Gingerman's rippled pavement. Evil Brembo 4 piston calipers squeezing full-floating rotors will stop you NOW from high speeds, but the slightly under-sprung front forks dive too much under extreme, racetrack-style braking.
      Being used to the peaky power delivery of high-revving Japanese inline-fours, I was simply amazed by the endless, effortless torque that this big vee-twin delivered. The 1000cc engine pulls strongly from the bottom of it's tachometer, but just to make sure that its rider is paying attention, there's a bit of extra afterburner from eight to ten thousand RPM.  The RSV1000R's power delivery, handling prowess and magnificent bellowing roar were so addictive that I spent several extra sessions wringing the bike out, fiddling with the suspension adjusters and trying new lines around the track.  At this point, I was looking for any excuse to ride her just one more time....
      

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

By now I'd fallen hopelessly in love with this sultry, seductive cycle, but I still had a date with the Tuono!  This bike's name is the Italian word for thunder, and it's a fitting name for a machine with so much attitude!  If the RSV is a drop-dead stunning Italian supermodel, then the Tuono is her younger, punk rock sister, all tattoos, piercings and spiky hair.  Like her sibling, the Tuono drips with murderously red paint, but this girl chooses to run naked!  That same torque-monster of an engine from the RSV hangs out in full public display on this machine, allowing you to savor its exquisite Italian craftsmanship.  What we have here is essentially a 1000cc street-legal dirt bike!
      High handlebars, low footpegs, and short gearing make the Tuono an awesome city bike.  Stunts are all too easy on this nimble monster.  I had to constantly remind myself that this machine DID NOT belong to me!  While the RSV is a poised, high-speed runner that lives for swooping curves, the Tuono is a cut-and-thrust machete, just made for slicing up traffic.  Her sit-up riding position, great brakes, explosive low-end torque and nimble handling combine to make the Tuono the finest city bike I've ever sampled.  Urban Guerrillas, your partner in crime has arrived.
      So which is the better bike?  That depends on what you're looking for.  Do you appreciate the elegance of a long-legged, high fashion beauty, or would you prefer to throw down with a leather and lace, take no prisoners urban street fighter?  Whatever your preference, these sexy Italians are sure to please!

[cornercamping]

OoooooooOOOooOoOooo ;D
K3...you just been served...  ;D

Somehow I don't think Dan would last an hour in your pits... :o ::) ;) ;D

Bah.. he'd love it, as long as he can put up with some major assclownery that our group brings up on the entire infield....

 ;D ;D ;D ;D

Ever see an Aprilia scooter do a wheelie thru the entire paddock with a case of beer dangling off the back  :D

[spyderchick]

Too bad K3's not very articulate... ;D ;) ;) ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D

[spyderchick]

Ever see an Aprilia scooter do a wheelie thru the entire paddock with a case of beer dangling off the back  :D

Ever see Bill Fehrman slap a fine on a racer and eject his a$$ from the paddock?

[cornercamping]

It was the first weekend of October, and I was riding a track day with Sportbike Track Time at Gingerman Raceway in South Haven, Michigan.  STT maintains a fleet of Aprilia demo bikes, so I figured that this would be an outstanding opportunity to test some tasty Italian machinery.
      

Wait a second.... you weren't the reporter that dumped a new Mille in turn 3 were you ???   I remember in October when we were at Gingerman, and a reporter dumped a new Mille in turn 3 right infront of me, and I almost highsided trying not to run him over.  I was on my silver Mille.  Where's Monte???  MONTE !!!!     I came into hot pit and told Monte that the reporter just wadded up the Mille in turn 3 and his eyes about popped out of his head.    I'm being serious.  Just wondering if that was you.   Not trying to be a smart ass ....

[cornercamping]

Ever see Bill Fehrman slap a fine on a racer and eject his a$$ from the paddock?

We do this kinda stuff late at night, when the rest of the paddock is out playing  :)   We don't cause the kinda trouble that would get us kicked out...err.. aleast most of the time.  We just have tons of fun.  It's always a good time....  :)