Rode up to Houston for the bike show. It wasn't a big show, to say the least, but all the OEM manufacturers were there and even a few chinese bike distributors. Well, not ALL, but most that market in the US. Didn't see the Enfield Bullet, for instance, but didn't care.
I strolled though the show until one and met some guys I chat with on a Texas MC board, then came on home. On the way up, I stopped off north of Angleton at the new Motor Sports Ranch Houston, a new road course patterned after MSR Cresson near Fort Worth where I've raced for some years now. This track is an excellent, safe layout. I can't wait to put a wheel on it, but I don't have a big bike racer anymore, just minis, and this is a fast track that would be a little boring on a mini, I think. Some technical stuff, lots of off camber, and a HUGE carousel that matches the one at Road America in Wisconsin with a long straight after it. I was guided on a tour lap in a Porche Cayenne by the track designer who has raced karts, cars, and bikes.
The concept of this thing is "a motorsports country club", but it's for the rich. Something like 9K will buy you a lifetime membership, but limited to this weekend. Normally it's something like 6K (don't remember cause it was so high I didn't pay attention) and 150 a month while you're a member. You can also rent garage space for another 150. Must be nice to be rich, eh? There was a guy there driving an honest to God Ford GT. I've never actually seen one, but it was really cool. He fired it, took some slow laps in it. It sounded gorgeous! I have a pic.
http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=11/31607391374.jpg&s=x2
The guy claims they could handle an AMA race there, putting up stands would not be a problem. But, I didn't say it to him, I see a problem with parking for 40K spectators. They're going to build a 0.9 mile kart track, he says the rent will be reasonable and along the lines of the tracks we rent now in TMGP, so I'm hoping for that for the minis and hoping maybe CMRA will run minis on it instead of the big track. I might try to get a ride on a novice team's 600 or something for an endurance up there just a one time deal since novice teams are allowed one expert and they're sometimes looking for a fill in, just to get on the big track. I can't afford big bike racing anymore, but might can put together enough to share tire costs and such with an endurance team for one race. I'd like to try that track at race speeds. I'm not going to push my SV there if I do a track day. Don't wanna crash it. It's on sport touring rubber and I'm not going to put race compounds on it just for one track day. It also has the stock shock and probably is pretty far off race set up in the suspension. It's a street bike and is going to stay that way. I sold my only big track racer, my RS125 Honda. Now, I kinda wish I had it again. That track looks like huge fun on a 125GP bike.
Back to the show, I've been thinking a lot about the "adventure touring" category. Well, the obvious choices have been, starting from the smallest, the Kawasaki KLR 650, the Suzuki V Strom 650 and 1000, the BMW F650, the BMW 1200GS. There are others, aprilia, KTM, but these are the main stream bikes. I'd want LIGHT WEIGHT in a bike I'm going to actually take off the pavement. Guys love those Beemers, but they weigh a friggin' ton. A dual sport simply is not the deal if you're going to put a lot of highway miles on. The KLR is as close to a dual sport as I'd wanna come and it has problems with some things, weak brakes, some vibs, etc. It's a good bike and affordable. The V Strom 650 is a little more money and a LOT more bike.
But, now, Buell has this new bike they call the "Ulysses". It's fantastic looking. It's as light as the V Strom 650 at a little over 400 lbs, got the big 1200 Sportster based Buell motor in it with 80 some ft lbs torque and 90 odd horsepower, and is physically a lot larger than the other Buells with a lot more seat. It sits tall and looks comfy. The bike has been getting rave revues in the Zines. Now, the catch is it's just under 12K dollars where the little V Strom is about $6500. So, if I were going to actually spend MY money, I don't know if the Buell is 5K more motorcycle. And, I'm still a little scared of Buells as far as quality goes. They do have a bad rep that's spawned such sights as
http://www.mybuell.com . I know guys that love the Buells, but for every fan, I know three that have been burned buying one. Folks tell me they've got their act together, but I'm not sure I'd wanna dump 12K worth of scratch on their word for it. I own an SV650S, same motor as the V Strom, and it's rock solid, has a reputation for reliablility, dominates its class in road racing, and I've seen too many of 'em run 8 hours full out in endurance racing and never miss a lick. Fortunately, I don't have the money for a new bike, so I don't have to make the decision, but what else do you do, but dream when you're at a bike show?
It's always fun to look at the bikes, though.
Friggin' Harley display had no XL1200R roadster. They had a 1200 custom and a bunch of 883s.
Kawasaki had a BUNCH of customs built on the big Vulcan. Here's one.
http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=11/31608012795.jpg&s=x2
Here's a pic of the Buell Ulysses:
http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=11/31608044917.jpg&s=x2
One thing I noticed, HD seems to be distancing themselves from their Buell division. I guess they don't want the bad rep to carry over or something. But, the Buell display was at the very back of the show and the HD display was at the very front of the show. Mmm, step child? In years past, the Buells were right there with the rest of the HD family. I'm beginning to warm to the Buells again, but I'm sorta like a Missou attitude, SHOW ME! I think I'll fight the Buell urges for a while longer.
