Got a bike you'd like to flaunt? Send prints or high-resolution digital files (300 dpi, please) of your cruiser plus info about it to Motorcycle Cruiser, 6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048 or cruiser@sorc.com.

We did a somewhat informal survey of dealers last fall for our 2009 Buyers' Guide (Motorcycle Cruiser, Feb. '09), and found that the two classes of bikes that are selling strongest were touring rigs and bargain bikes (under $10k). While Victory didn't break into entry-level territory (despite having a 800cc parallel pushrod twin in its ATV line), it did add a couple more of its bargain-bred 8-Ball series, and then there's the new touring machines...

MORE TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE
(in reaction to Mark Zimmerman's challenge to car-tire wearin' "Darkside" motorcycle riders, Motorcycle Cruiser, July '09)
I have used a car tire on my Valkyrie for the past 30K+ miles. I have 110,000 miles on it right now. You are welcome to use it at any time, however, I am in Texas. I am an MSF RiderCoach and RiderCoach Trainer.
Eric West
Pampa, TX

Mr. Zimmerman, I'll take your offer for you to ride a cruiser with a car tire on the rear. Fly into Des Moines, IA, I'll pick you up, we'll go about three miles to my house and get the bike, I'll chase you around on my Chevy Trike and try to get you on several types of roads to get a good test. This is about my 7th car tire on this 1997 Honda Valkyrie Tourer. I will never go back to a motorcycle tire on this bike willingly. I'm available everyday except Wednesday. That is the one day a week that I work. I'm 76-years old and retired. Been riding bikes about 62 years.
R J Bullard
Des Moines, IA

I recently read an article in Wired magazine about a shrine in Japan that specializes in giving blessings to portable electronics like cell phones, iPods, laptop computers and the like. The reasoning is that in Japan's Shinto religion all creations from rocks to people to Blackberries to motorcycles have a soul/spirit or Kami.

Laughlin isn't the only spring rally we cover in these pages. Damian Ercole, one of our ad execs checks in with this brief report from Americade:

It was on June 12, 1959, when American Honda opened their headquarters on Pico Blvd, in Los Angeles, less than two miles from Cruiser's current headquarters. Honda is thought of primarily as a Japanese motorcycle and automaker, but their roots in the USA are deep, as the first Japanese company to build bikes and cars here in the US, as well as export cars back to Japan. Although primarily an automaker today-motorcycle manufacturing was shifted back to Japan a few years ago-Honda will always be a passionate motorcycle manufacturer at their core. Here's a few moto-centric dates in Honda's American history provided by the company:

We've had a stormy relationship with the new Indian Motorcycle Company, or, more accurately, their fans. Not sure what to make of this newest incarnation of Springfield Iron (now located in North Carolina) we left them out of our buyers guide (MC Feb. '09), reckoning them to be closer to boutique manufacturers like Big Dog than mainstream ones like Victory. Seeing as we left out several other new manufacturers from Asia, we deemed it only fair.

We welcome your comments and criticisms. Send them to Motorcycle Cruiser, 6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048-5515, or cruiser@sorc.com. All materials sent to the editors will become the property of Motorcycle Cruiser and cannot be returned.

Got a bike you'd like to flaunt? Send prints or high-resolution digital files (300 dpi, please) of your cruiser plus info about it to Motorcycle Cruiser, 6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048 or cruiser@sorc.com.

It's been said that cheaters never prosper. And, as far as the Laughlin River Run goes, it finally bit me in the butt. Just like the last few times I've attended the 'Run, I rode out from LA on Tuesday afternoon, spent Wednesday afternoon scoping out the vendors, and was gone to ride some killer Arizona roads by Thursday afternoon, home by Saturday or Sunday. As my local "big" run, I've been way too many times. About one day is enough for me, and I've really enjoyed what had become a $200 trip (including gas, room, food, drinks, etc) for me.

A massive overload of things to think about and keep track of is a hallmark of modern life. It might be accelerating, or possibly, it's just that natural sensation of getting farther and farther behind as you age. My 69-year-old dad described it as climbing to the top of a rollercoaster up until your 20th birthday and then going down an ever-steeper drop after that.

In the morning it's still foggy and raining, but shortly after leaving the first gas stop I ride into clear weather. It's been my experience that Interstate travel is the most boring way to travel, but on this day, Interstate 70 is a welcome sight; dry, clear, and warm. My son has one of those caffeine drinks before work each morning, so I try one at a gas stop, and the next one, and so on. For some reason, I decide to ride straight through, getting home at 4:30am.

If you've followed along with the print version of Motorcycle Cruiser, you may already have met our long-term Honda Shadow Aero. We've had it for several months and in the time its been in our custody, we've made a few key alterations to make it more fun to ride (Saddlemen seat, Progressive Suspension forks and shocks, and Jardine drag pipes), along with some stuff it came equipped with for our Baby Bagger Test (MC, April 2009).

Custom
I punched my alarm clock in its Mickey Mouse face, sure that would silence its rude ringing. Then I realized it was not my now-dead clock, but the phone.

Got a bike you'd like to flaunt? Send prints or high-resolution digital files (300 dpi, please) of your cruiser plus info about it to Motorcycle Cruiser, 6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048 or cruiser@sorc.com.

109CI Of First Bike
First a huge thank you to you all-I have, after much searching and wasted money, finally found the motorbike magazine that perfectly matches my needs-hoorah! Aged 44 I decided last August to pass my bike test and get out on two wheels having never been a biker in my life.

A decade ago at Daytona Bike Week, I got the chance to ride an early Titan. It was my first "extreme" bike, chopperish (but less so than the Fury) with a "wide" tire out back (180mm, I think), and gobs of chrome and billet stuff on it. My colleague, Rick Diaz, and I were taking it a few short miles from the Titan compound to a spot on the Intracoastal Waterway to take some pictures. At first it was all good, the semi-ridiculous ergonomics added to its mystique, and the grumble from the pipes was potent. Opening it up a little going over the Mason Bridge it sputtered some but hit its stride and accellerated up the steep incline of the high arching bridge well. On the other side of the arc is where it all went to hell.

We welcome your comments and criticisms. Send them to Motorcycle Cruiser, 6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048-5515, or cruiser@sourceinterlink.com. All materials sent to the editors will become the property of Motorcycle Cruiser and cannot be returned.

I love spicy food. Mexican, Thai, Indian, Indonesian; bring it on! I know, it's not for everybody, especially if you've got the acid reflux thing going on. But I also like the rich, subtle flavors of French food, or hearty English pub food, variety is the spice as much as the spice is the spice, right?

The next morning we picked up the second leg of our 'following the dotted green line' adventure. Just out of Sumpter we picked up two Scenic Byways (the Elkhorn and Blue Mountain) that connect to form a 236 mile trek that cuts a diagonal across the northeast corner of Oregon. We head up over the Elkhorn and Blue Mountains that reach 9,000 feet and find the road well maintained, but a narrow two lanes. Again, almost no traffic, often going a whole day only passing 1-2 vehicles. Not far out of Sumpter I tried to convince the guys to head up a dirt road to explore the ghost town of Bourne; but they opted out not sharing my willingness to risk my bike! Dual sport riders find this area target rich with dirt and gravel forest service roads unsuited to those of us with 1/2 ton touring bikes.