Great bikes in history: Honda RCB1000

I have a rendering of one of these on my wall (superbikeplanet print)...in all it's beautiful red/white/blue Honda glory.

This one in particular is the 1976 HONDA RCB1000 from the World Endurance Series. At the time, one of the few factory Honda efforts (for various reasons). Starting life as a CB750, this bike was the testbed for much of Honda's technology in those years.

(Images courtesy of Honda Worldwide)

The above rendering is hanging in the Honda Museum in Japan. There aren't too many photos of the actual bike, but here are a few of the late 70's RCB raced in various series.

Freddie Spencer

Good Reads

As mentioned in my last post, I've been enjoying a few motorcycling books from the kind folks at motorbooks. I got a few that were on the top of my head at the time and had been curious about.

This first one, I initially wasn't too keen on from first site of the cover. I knew it was a "coffee-table" type big glossy book, titled:
Legendary Motorcycles: The Stories and Bikes Made Famous by Elvis, Peter Fonda, Kenny Roberts and Other Motorcycling Greats.

It sounded wonderful, but glancing at the cover it had a large photo of the Peter Fonda captain American tank....ugh. "another glossy chopper crap-wrap" I thought. Boy was I wrong, it ended up being my favorite of the two large format books I picked up. (cool back cover! McQueen riding around London before one of the ISDE races?)

It covers 26 chapters/motorcycles/motorcyclists - some of the most well known bikes and riders of all time. Britten, Rainey, Burt Munro (w's fastest Indian), Elvis Presley, James Dean, Brando, Hailwood.
Those standard icons and more...plus some that I wouldn't initially put on that list, but very interesting inclusions. T.E. Lawrence "Lawrence of Arabia" and his Brough Superior,
Robert Persig's (Zen/motorcycling) Superhawk, and some others.
The book is definitely more that a flipthrough of pretty photos and a page caption though, it has good sections on each like these two: The Munro piece and the Cal Rayborn piece and his Transatlantic Match Races.
Also can't forget- One of the greatest quotes ever in motorcycling from one of the greatest racers ever: To finalize on this one, It was a surprisingly very good book that I'd definitely recommend for either a show off table-top book, or a nice summary of some of the greatest motorcyles/motorcyclists in history.

Ahh-

The second large format book here is:
The Art of BMW: 85 Years of Motorcycling Excellence
Now this as you would guess is your more typical coffe-table type art book....but with BMW!!
All the motorcycles in this book belong to one individual, an American collector named Peter Nettesheim- a very interesting individual who I am particularly interested in being adopted by!

Seriously though, all his bikes are not just museum pieces but running wonderful vehicles of BMW history. (titled in NYC, some!-see below on a 30's era beemer)
This book covers various eras throughout BMW's history between 1923-2007. Some historical insights I had not read/seen before, so very informative in those summaries.
Again, I would have to recommend this one as well- Especially if you are a BMW buff, this one should be in your collection.

(I zoomed in close on this 30's era bike when I noticed a small yellow reg. tag!)

Lastly in this group of 'Good Reads', we're going to take a drastically different turn in type of book.

Sportbike Performance Handbook -2nd Edition

Author: Kevin Cameron
Yes, that Kevin Cameron...of Cycle World Fame. The one on the tail end of David Edwards opening editorial and Peter Eagan's whimsical tales. Also the one I sometime skip!

Now I really like Cameron, and really enjoy listening to him (sometimes on superbikeplanet's podcast) but when he starts writing...I usually get lost somewhere around the third sentence. I suddenly feel like the kid in class with a dunce hat.
He is incredibly knowlegable on just about everything, so who better to write "the power and speed bible".
Just flipping through the beginnings of each chapter in this book, my head starts to spin. So much information, I can't see me using for anything but reference when I need to know the ins and outs of a particular system of my performance bike.
The good thing about this one is it doesn't assume you know everything...and doesn't assume your and idot either. It starts each system/chapter out (brakes, intake, chassis, etc) on the basics then steadily ramps up to the advanced portions where you can modify and improve any of your sportbikes performance.
Also, this edition is completely up to date with the modern tricks of the trade and bikes on the showroom floor.
This one I recommend also, but be prepared for total immersion!

Till next time!

(quick note: having trouble locating your hard-to-find-at-the-local bookstore motor-subject books? -most of my locals allot maybe 5 shelves out of 300 thousand to my favorite subject. Motorbooks is the place. Quality site, very helpful people.)

What's the bird?...I mean, word?...bird

Things rattling around in my teeny skull lately, and what I've been up to:

• Enjoying SpeedTV's 4hr blocks of WSBK/MotoGP racing these days.

• Wondering if the heat this year in Texas will match the Cold we had over our winter

• Forgetting that AMA even races motorcycles anymore

• Enjoying the re-emergence of World Superbike as the premiere entertainment in racing

• Still watching the slightly-less-boring-than-last-year, MotoGP

• But! Have enjoyed watching the back to back MotoGP's with wet/dry bike changes

• Wondering again why 250cc GP's are the best racing in the world, and yet they are getting rid of them for 600cc four-strokes next year.

• Curious if Ford gets screwed b/c they're the only ones that didn't file bankruptcy?

• Commuting on my motorcycles as usual, but not getting out on them more than that

• Not getting warm-n-fuzzies about where our country is heading

• Hating my vintage British bike

• Yearning for time to finish my vintage German bike

• Wondering if I can make a living being a nuevo "Pirate-hunter"?

• Bicycling.....yes, bicycling. More road than mtb these days

• Bored with the moto manufacturers offerings this year...yes, I dislike the Ducati Streetfighter hodge-podge of a bike.

• Thinning my stable...sold a few bikes, and trying to simplify my moto-life.

• Messing with my other aircooled engine...the one that Mr. Porsche designed for VW.

• Is it a BMW, or a VW?

• Reading some quality books (I'll elaborate later) from the kind folks over at Motorbooks

• Wondering when I'll stop hearing about freaking Twitter from the media
  

Thanks for enduring my rambling. Have a nice weekend!

Ever seen a chewed main shaft from an old bonnie?

First of, ...Ever seen a main shaft from a 1967 Triumph T120?
Ever WANT to?
...I didn't.

Rumble, Rumble, *snap!* scccrrreech.

Here- Shaft:
Here, mangled end of shaft. (yes, there is a key that belongs there) :


Gearbox work:
More Gearbox work, and eyes getting a bit blurry:

Probably b/c too much of this...but what the hell, we'll finish it tomorrow:

Could it be the 19th...all year long?

Even getting punted off in his first WSBK corner can't stop 'em.
Viva la Tejas-


photos courtesy of www.roadracerx.com and www.motorcycledaily.com, repectively

Happy Holidays, here's a cold one from me....

Ducati's new logo, new bikes, world domination tour...

Ducati, Well here ya go...
Remember this post:
"Ducati Industrial Plan" for 2010.... they state they will release Ten new motorcycles between 2008 and 2010..."

We've seen recently the new monster, it's big brother the 1100 monster and now the "Ducati Street fighter" and "Street figter S"

My initial thoughts are...hmmm, nice... I like the looks of it, but honestly I'll have to wait and see it in person. The question I have tho- How different is this from the Monster line? I thought the Monster (esp. 1100) was a production 'streetfigher' motorcycle? Eh, either way I'm glad to see another standard/naked bike being produced. very nice, Ducati.



Here's Webbikeworld's Ducati release-

They've released a new logo for them selves as well (seen at top of page). I have to say I like it, but don't love it. I appreciate the simplicity of it mainly.
The only issue is, I'm not THAT old (early thirties) and I've seen Ducati change their logo twice, maybe three times since I've been alive. Not sure If I like that too much. but either way, it's pretty cool.

Another new bike they've released is the 1198 (not 1098, mind you)...and a nice Troy Bayliss replica model. Very very pretty...and honoring one of the modern greats in motorcycling as well.


With all of Ducati's stunning forward-thinking new releases, last year Stoner/Ducati winning the ultimate prize in Motorcycle racing, Bayliss in WSBK, and a good portion of North America now rooting for Nicky Hayden aboard a Ducati....Well, they are being very aggressive.
ALL the other manufacturers need to take heed, the Ducati world domination tour is at full steam ahead.