Senior Editor
Spent much of yesterday riding to the tip of Old Mission Peninsula. This meant 200 miles each way of two lane blacktop through the heart of what used to be Trumpland.
What is it Leonard Cohen wrote…Nobody Knows???
Up 120 to 20 to M37 then back, 90 plus degree heat, about 6 hours of riding, much at speeds we aren’t going to be mentioning as I am no longer electronically limited to my nominal 187 mph (300kmh) top end.
Lots of political signs out, but in 6 hours of two lane past thousands of dwellings, and it goes two ways in Michigan, a 50 year old Marlette or a palace, and only two Trump signs.
As I moved from Wexford into Grand Traverse, a few larger anti-Trump signs, themed about restoring democracy and one asking that our governor be locked up for making people wear mace masks.
Dementia?
When we did this in the Land Cruiser in March, same trip, 200 Trump signs with some homes going “whole hog.”
As we hit the affluent areas, Traverse City and up the Peninsula (very nice) a moderate number of Biden signs, less than 10.
Here Trump talks about laundering coal to make it clean:
Normally…either party…thousands especially since Michigan is a battleground state and campaign money is spent here liberally (but mostly for conservatives).
Is it shame?
Cowardice?
Social pressure?
Political awakening?
As my global warming complaint, it got hotter the further north we got. Eventually I was running my electric fan while slowed to 60 in traffic, something not normal. The big ZG engine is sensitive to heat.
C at Chateau Chantal on Mission Peninsula (rot gut winery)I did buzz one Harley guy on 131 south.
Too hot for bike people. Few get north of Croton which has some great watering holes, on US 37 and then off to the right along the Muskegon River.
Whatever the politics, you are either a bike person or not.
Gordon Duff posted articles on VT from 2008 to 2022. He is a Marine combat veteran of the Vietnam War. A disabled veteran, he worked on veterans and POW issues for decades.
Gordon is an accredited diplomat and is generally accepted as one of the top global intelligence specialists. He manages the world’s largest private intelligence organization and regularly consults with governments challenged by security issues.
Duff has traveled extensively, is published around the world, and is a regular guest on TV and radio in more than “several” countries. He is also a trained chef, wine enthusiast, avid motorcyclist, and gunsmith specializing in historical weapons and restoration. Business experience and interests are in energy and defense technology.
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I am getting addicted to the electric windscreen.
The “Plastic Maggot” is actually becoming somewhat collectible.
The Shitstain Singers. A shoe-in to to beat the Israeli’s at the next Eurovision contest.
“Whatever the politics, you are either a bike person or not.” – Gordon Duff
What are bike people? In the USA there are “bikers” who cosplay being outlaw 1%MC members a few nice weekends a year – classified ads are full of used Harley-Davidson motorcycles with less than 1000 miles per year of use. In the cities we have “12 O’Clock boys” who ride unlicensed dirt bikes and stunt in large groups on the streets. Then there are squids who mostly wreck race replicas and drive bike theft by buying replacement parts for their wrecked bikes no questions asked (collision insurance for an 18-year old on a superbike race replica is typically 50% of the bike’s replacement value).
Then you will find the occasional rider actually going someplace with a motorcycle as a preferred form of transportation – these are easily identified by being seen riding on the highway in below freezing temperatures.
Was looking at a 1600 GTL but performance is not the same, slugging handling and gutless at high speed. I put away cash for a new bike this year but may only end up with another kaw. Their supercharged H2 isn’t suitable for trips and the ZG1400 takes very little tweaking to hit 200 hp.
K 1600 GTL gutless at high speed? Sure the dealer or a CANBUS fault did not have the bike stuck in “rain” or “limp home” mode? By power to weight and torque to weight ratios, it should not be significantly slower than a Connie-14.
As for the handling, unfortunately that is what Beemer customers want – something that goes in a straight line without having to pay attention to it (why I ended up with a F 800 GT despite the annoying Rotax twin – one can body steer it per old AMA Beemer racer Reg Pridmore).
I am a sport bike rider mostly but I have always wanted at GL1800. When I am 200 miles out and in pain from leaning over a tank, I want one alot.
The Honda “Old Wing” may only have 125-horsepower, but remember that power is function of torque and rotational velocity, acceleration is a function of torque and not power, and the ‘Wing has plenty of torque.
The downside of a ‘Wing is the requirement that rider and pillion have matching gear (both brand, type, and color) and a plush animal toy attached to the bike is also mandatory.
Not much of that here. Spent summers in Garmisch, unpowered off the Zugspitze but someone won’t do it
Have you ever considered powered para-gliding? Saw a bunch of that at last year’s European Golf Tour event at Crans Montana in Switzerland. Looks like a blast!
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