If You Had Asked Me…

Sorry ’bout that for having missed the October installment of “If You Had Asked Me, I Would Have Told You…” Life got busy with an overnight ride to the Catskills, an increased work load, other pressing obligations and a little website tweaking. 

For the uninitiated, it’s a catch-all column of news items gleaned from the inbox and elsewhere, along with a few opinions. So, after a month’s absence, here goes:

“If You Had Asked Me, I Would Have Told You…”

– That this is truly the golden age of motorcycling. Forget about the good ol’ days. Have there ever been this many shopping options when it comes to the sizes and styles of bikes? Among the big trends for 2017 are scramblers (Ducati’s new Desert Sled and BMW’s R Nine T), bobbers (Triumph and Moto Guzzi) and small adventure models (Kawasaki’s Versys X 300).

Manufacturers are acknowledging that they desperately need to attract new and younger riders, and have finally come out with numerous entry-level rides. Honda, for instance, recently debuted two new Rebel models. But it’s not just in the minimum cc range that new models are popping up.

If a rider can’t find a new model to fit his or her needs these days, they should just give up.

– Having said that, I do wish another factory sidecar brand/model(s) existed besides Ural. Nothing against the Russian-made rigs, it’s just that I have a feeling that aging riders might be on the cusp of propelling a sidecar boom and some more options are needed.

Many older riders want to be able to stay in the saddle when two wheels become problematic. The options are few, notably the Can-Am Spyder and Polaris Slingshot. Some nice OEM sidecar models – not a bolt-on aftermarket can – from, say, Indian might sell nicely. Can you envision an Indian Scout and Indian Chief Classic with a sidecar?

“If You Had Asked Me, I Would Have Told You…”

– That some motorcycle names make no sense, are hard to pronounce and make the models difficult to promote. Take Husqvarna’s two new upcoming street models – the Vitpilen 401 and the Svartpilen 401. What do the names mean? How do you say them? What’s the point of them?

– That rumors are swirling about a big-budget motion picture centered around the Isle of Man TT. Think the Formula One movie from the 1960s that was titled “Grand Prix” but on two wheels. “Grand Prix” had big-name stars such as James Garner and Yves Montand. Names floated in connection with the Isle of Man TT movie are Matt Damon and Liam Neeson, but rumors are usually just that – rumors.

“If You Had Asked Me, I Would Have Told You…”

– That I had to chuckle recently when seeing (by this time former Monkee) Micky Dolenz playing a biker bad boy named Oiler on a motorcycle-themed rerun of “Adam-12” from 1972. Appropriately, I was munching on a baloney and cheese sandwich when watching officers Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) and Jim Reed (Kent McCord) chase a pair of purse-snatching riders because “Adam-12” was one of the cheesiest, preachiest cop shows ever made.

The officers’ investigation took them to a motorcycle gang lead by a guy named Skinner (Edd Byrnes). The gang, which included Oiler, looked about as threatening as the one headed by Eric Von Zipper (played by Harvey Lembeck) in all these beach movies from the 1960s. The episode was titled “Dirt Duel” and ended with Malloy and Skinner engaged in a motocross race to resolve their differences. The action was predictable, right down to a shot of a rear wheel spraying dirt on the camera lens.

It was fun, though, seeing the old bikes in action even if the plot was predictably corny and the acting, especially by Dolenz and Byrnes, comical and over the top.

– That black wheels on cars may be a recent trend, but they certainly hamper a rider’s ability to tell what the car may or may not do. You simply can’t see the features of a black wheel like you can with chrome, aluminum or plain ol’ wheel covers. (Does anyone say “hubcaps” anymore?)

– That even with the snow this week, I refuse to admit that winter is here and that it’s time to put the bikes away. It’s a tradition to take a ride on New Year’s Day and I’m still hopeful that 2017 begins with one.

Happy Thanksgiving!