It's a wonder(ful) thing.

As bikes leave the garage and the replacement is searched for high and low across the west coasts most active craigslist pages I craft my criteria for the next two wheeled machine.

So far it goes as such...

MUST
Character (sorry big three...)
less weight than the V-11 (anything not a harley or has tracks)
more power than the V-11 (sorry BMW)
Handling
Multi day trip reliability (Italians are exempt from this stipulation)
everyday useable if neccessary
Pine Cone worthy
Power Boat worthy
acquired for what I sold the KTM and Ascot for

CAN'T
Bland
Have too much power(I know, lame sauce)
Look like crap in scenic pictures
Get shitty tank range
Take a tire different than a 120/180-190 (keep it sporty and possibly out of town servicable)
Be too uncomfortable (exemptions will be made for the bikes sexiness)

So it looks like I'm getting another Falco or going for an RSV-R first gen. 

The sometimes ungraceful art of Moto loading...

If you can say every time you've loaded a bike it's been a success I'd like to come by next time you do it and take some notes. In my time riding, working, and sometimes crashing motorcycles I've had numerous opportunities to fudge up loading or unloading. Sometimes I have witnesses who get to view the spectacle, some have even been injured(which I felt terrible about) in the resulting whoopsy and I know I still have a scar on the side of my belly that happens to resemble a KTM footpeg of all things. I've been too weak in the legs to load a bike after a training ride and I've almost successfully pulled off an accidental back flip just missing a near perfect Kerry Strug olympic remake but with a well "antiqued" nissan pickup in the back drop. But one thing I haven't done is F'd up with a camera recording and that is success enough.

Enjoy...

P.s.
As for riding a motorcycle up a ramp into a truck you can count me out. I have witnessed one of my riding influences ride a full dresser harley up a tiny plank of a ramp into the back of an orange 4x4 dodge power wagon, no drama. I used to do that all to often until a person that had seen me do it tried to load a SV1000 into the back of a certain F250. He stalled the bike halfway up and from what was relayed to me he had a decent tumble. I haven't done it since.

MBZ 220D

With my ever changing vehicle line up I picked up another Benz diesel. Not just any diesel Benz but a W115 4cyl 4spd fuel economy champion. This thing oozes neat stuff. Just to start the car is reminiscent of firing up a fighter jet. Your hands dance between pulling, pushing, and turning knobs, levers and the key(which actually does the least of everything) with a glowing orb in the dash giving you the go ahead for the final extra pull to start. This is a car you operate not just drive. Truly old world German style when you need to actually read the owners manual(the most neglected of any books printed, period) just to get home from wherever you happened to purchase the vehicle. The pages of this particular owners manual are more dog eared and warn than the only romance novel that gets passed around a maximum security women's correctional institution. Once everything gets rumbling the 65hp diesel motor eagerly awaits a tiny bit of clutch and the rowing of the smooth shifting 4 speed. Brakes that can rival anything current and stable handling makes this thing more than capable on the streets with tons of character to keep you busy and working. Not unlike my moto guzzi, this thing operates with more "character" than it has horsepower or even pounds combined. I think the guzzi might be about 8 to 9 pounds lighter but it does have about a 10 hp advantage but who's counting. With the current state of my cracked tailbone the guzzi isn't getting touched for a while(i do have a onboard video of a swan island sumo run I might post at some point).

I did a few things to get the car on the road for service. It's currently running like a champ thanks to the services saving me from repairs. Here is some baseline info if interested.

The classic set up. Speedometer with max rpm shift points, coolant temp, oil pressure and tank level with a center clock. You can just see the center housing for the glow indicator. 

Something almost any vehicle fan can enjoy. They sure don't tests cars like they use to.

Here in the wild we have a very rare sight, the 220D at the filling station(spoken like a narrator from a wildlife show). This 15 gallons should get me about 495 adventure miles.

Grocery getter!

I saw this beastly grocery getter outside of my local New Seasons this evening. Shortly after I felt awkwardly posh for driving my station wagon. I need to get back into the mindset of using the motos for errands. "Chrome" won't get you home but a chrome bag has gotten me home with plenty enough groceries over the years.

EDIT: My moto blog has now officially jumped the shark if I'm discussing transporting groceries, tear. Opinions on the future of this blog encouraged in the comments, negative or positive.

In my defense I did have this entire scene go through my head once I saw the bike...

Or CLICK for the clip with the real audio.

Update!

This happened today on 5/26/14. The XR200 is on point and being put to work!

Volvo turbo terror.

Looks like someone managed to have a bit of fun with a Volvo turbo. The possibilities are always only limited to someones creativity and imagination.

This should add to your project lists. Luckily my moto guzzi is tractor enough already.

Challenge awaits...

Every once in a while you come across something that should just be done/finished/kaput. Then you come across something that is done but you start to wonder if it's even possibly to bring it back to road worthy status. Lastly you come across something like this bike. It's both of those even though it should clearly be in the first category. It goes on the lift later this week. It's unknown when the last time it was running and it's also unknown why it stopped being used. I do know that when it is running and returned it will give an old time bike nut a new sense of freedom and mobility and that will be worth the labor hours easily.

I do enjoy mission impossible projects too much as of late.

Street super moto fun

Finally set the 525sx for supermoto Thursday evening/ Friday morning and fun ensued. A good friend was in town and free for half a day so after a nine year span we rode together again. Sunday was a quick arm pump session on swan island swapping between the sumo and Guzzi. Those bikes couldn't be more different which keeps you on your toes.