Written by: Jerry Hicks of Salt Lake City Utah Feb 4, 2012

So it begins: 2012 is upon us and my race season pretty much starts today.  Like, right now–with this blog entry.  It’s my first and there’s a lot to cover, so I apologize for the length.

Today is a special day.  Not just because I woke up to a voice mail from Tarik that my new bike had arrived at Honda Suzuki of Salt Lake, but because it’s my Grandma Cal’s birthday.  I call this day Saint Margaret’s Day, because she was the most honest, genuine, honorable, and accepting person I have ever been fortunate enough to know.  I am not a religious person like she was, but I sensed a wisdom and compassion in her that made me believe she had a bat-phone straight to God’s office and possessed an understanding of the way things are supposed to be far beyond all of us.  I never really prayed to God, but after she died, I prayed to her.  At first (and this is the truth), I thought that might affect her relationship with God in the afterlife–you know, like the headline band getting shown up by the opening act.  But so many Christians say God is perfect, so I figured He’s likely incapable of such a significant sin as “Envy” (one of the seven deadly ones according to Kevin Spacey).  So, I’m pretty sure we’re good.

I was on a plane the other day and sat next to a woman that was returning home after attending a friend’s Celebration of Life Ceremony.  I actually didn’t know what she was talking about, but she explained it was a party to celebrate the life of a friend that passed away because of cancer.  The ceremony was notably different from a funeral, because it took place months after her friend passed away–allowing people to schedule the party well in advance and not have to deal with the stresses of last-minute traveling necessary to attend normal funerals.  She also said funerals aren’t enjoyable.  Yeah, I get it.  But my thoughts instantly shifted to Grandma Cal’s funeral.

Yes, me and my girlfriend had to drop everything and hop a plane at the last minute, but I barely remember that.  Yes, the funeral was tough, because everyone was shocked and didn’t know quite how to reconcile a death that just occurred.  But I don’t really remember that either.  Actually, what I do remember is that my grandma’s funeral was one of the most inspiring days of my life.  It was at that moment that I actually saw how many people she touched.  The funeral party absolutely packed the chapel.  Friends, family, neighbors, ex-husbands of her daughters, even some of her kid’s ex-boyfriends and ex-girlfirends from back in the day.  It seems that everyone she met couldn’t help but be affected by her.  Even the priest, who didn’t know her in life, was humbled by the attendance of such a number of people.

As the priest finished his prayers and blessings, he asked that people wishing to say something about Margaret Callahan feel free to stand and speak.  After a couple seconds, a woman stood up and introduced herself as Rita, Rita Queen.  Rita had only met my grandma once in person.  She walked past grandma’s house on her daily walks and the two ladies would wave to each other; my grandma inside the house through the front window or on the porch and Rita on the sidewalk outside.  This went on for years.  A few months before my grandma died, Rita felt compelled to come up to the house and finally introduce herself.  The two met and talked for a short while.  Shortly thereafter, my grandma had to go to the hospital for a back injury and ended up staying for a few days.  Rita, after not seeing my grandma in her usual place inside the house left a get-well card in the mailbox.  Some time later, when my grandma unexpectedly passed away, the immediate family started the process of notifying loved ones.  One of my aunts found the get-well card and said, “Oh, Rita–this was the lady that mom would wave to everyday; the one that came up to the house a little while ago.  We need to get a hold of her!”  There was no contact info on the card, not even a last name.  Phone calls were made to other aunts that met Rita and one of them remembered her last name.  Some phonebook searching got a number and address that was probably Rita’s.  No one answered the phone and there was no voicemail, so another of my aunts drove over and dropped a letter in Rita’s mailbox notifying her of the funeral the next day.  After that, Rita was out of mind, as there were more people to notify and funeral preparations to complete.

But here we are, at the funeral service and the first person to stand up and speak of how Margaret Callahan touched their lives was Rita.  A woman that had only spoken to my grandma once.  That moment showed me how important it is to live life with respect, compassion, humility, love, and enjoyment–for one’s own sake and also for the sake of others.  I aspire to be that kind of person; in life, in work, in racing.

I know you’re thinking, “WTF does this have to do with racing?”  I guess it has more to do with understanding what life is about.  No, life’s not about racing (I’m not that shallow), but it’s about taking inventory of what’s important and making sure those things are fulfilled.  My grandma didn’t want me to ride motorcycles.  They are dangerous and she was afraid I would get killed.  Despite that, she didn’t hesitate to say yes when I asked if she would loan me money to buy my first motorcycle when I was in college.  I didn’t have to beg; she knew owning a motorcycles was a dream of mine and for her to be a part of realizing that dream far outweighed the risk that I could kill myself on the thing.  I ended up not killing myself and have been able to live my passion for motorcycles ever since then.

So here I am now.  2012 and I’m entering my third consecutive season racing with the Masters of the Mountains series and riding a brand new Honda CBR600.  This year is truly one that I am so grateful for.  Tarik and Honda Suzuki of Salt Lake has come on board as a major supporter this year.  He’s very passionate about two-wheels (he’s an ex-racer and wicked fast) and wants nothing more than to see the sportbike (street, trackday, and racing) scene in Utah grow back into what it was back in the heyday.  This sport is the coolest one in the world and, though it’s sometimes hard to justify the expense in the context of life’s “responsibilities”, at some point we’re too old, too broke, or too dead to enjoy stuff like riding motorcycles fast.  That’s  my philosophy anyway.  Regrets are way more costly to me than a few thousand dollars less in the bank account.

Thanks to everyone that’s come into the inner-circle and inspired me to do what I do.  Thanks to Tarik and the HSSL crew.  Thanks especially to Carrie for being there for everything and encouraging me to take the step to start racing for real.  And, if you read through this whole thing–you’re a saint, THANK YOU!  Here’s to a fun time in 2012.  More later!

Cheers!
-jerry

NOTE: You can read Jerry’s blog here: http://codeofthejerry.blogspot.com/

We at HSSL would like to thanks you again Jerry for the kind words and for choosing Honda Suzuki of Salt Lake City, UT.

CBR1000RR Visualize the Passion, Behind the Scenes & Additional Images.

Additional photos from the shoot. Desktop Wallpapers. Plus a quick look into what it takes to make our print ads. Why we go to such lengths. Why we love what we do.

by: Zach Settewongse (there may be spelling errors, get over it)

Visualize the Passion

Each ad begins with chocolate. What? I know you’re already confused; let me explain. The deadlines for the ads is short and to create something unique each and every other week takes creativity, dedication, a lot of hours, love for the work, and chocolate. One large chocolate bar and the sugar induced creative process begins.  So for our latest ads I was inspired by the look of the current minimalist fashion ads. We’ve all seen ad after ad of the girl in the bikini posing all sexy with a bike. They are nice to look at but not much of a creative challenge.  Plus there is something way sexier about an empowered woman shrouded in a hint of mystery. If each person that looks at the ad takes away a slightly different feeling it’s successful. If it makes you think about it, even for a second, positive or negative it’s successful. OK enough of the creative mumbo jumbo.

The Process: I knew I wanted to do a sportbike ad with some sex appeal. The black 2011 CBR1000RR definitely fits. The silver accents throughout the bike make it one of the best looking sportbikes on the market. So with a bike that screams handling, power, passion, and sex appeal I set out to find it’s seducer. Once again we use Amanda Pollard; who we will most likely continue to use. She seems to always put that extra effort into each project and that’s what our dealerships are about. It’s harder than it seems to help unload all the gear, the bike, set up, change into a sexy dress, and then pose for four hours on a unseasonably cold night. Most professional models I have worked with would never help set up. Amanda has a passion for the projects, and does what it takes to make the ads perfect. This is something we see with her everyday as she works the parts counter. It’s why when you come into our dealership you know every effort to get it right has been taken.

The Dress: We spent a few hours searching for the right dress. I knew the dress used was going to be key. It had to compliment the sexy black CBR1000RR. We found it and it was stunning; unfortunately so was the price tag. It was far beyond the very modest budget for the ads. However if you’re going to do something there is no sense in not doing it to the fullest. So out with my personal credit card. What is a few hundred dollars when the results are exactly what I imaged. I love what I do and I had to have that dress.

The Results: Below are the result of the ad shoot. In the end we shot 467 RAW 25MB images. Narrowed those down to twenty or so images and then I chose two for the ads. It was a very hard choice, but the deadline to submit the ad had to be met. The ads can be seen in print in September/ October (depending on the market; we have multiple stores). Included below are several of the best shots (untouched) and a few desktop background size images for you to download. Enjoy

The Final Ads:

1680×1050 Desktop Wallpapers:

Additional Images from the Sept shoot:

Around the World on a Honda XR250

Without much of a plan, just a desire to explore the world one man sets out on a Honda XR250. Sometimes it doesn’t take much but a sense of adventure and a motorcycle, to have the experience of a lifetime.

by: Zach Settewongse (there may be spelling errors, get over it)

And you thought you were hardcore.

Tuesday morning, June 9^th, 2009 I meet Fujimoto Shuzo. “Call me Mr. Moto” he said as he bowed his head. He was a humble man from Japan who walked into our Honda dealership looking for a new set of tires. It wasn’t until I went outside and looked at Mr. Moto’s motorcycle that I realized I was witnessing something special. There in front of me was a fatigued Honda XR250R with what looked like the entire contents of Mr. Moto’s house strapped to the back. As I looked at the Japanese license plate I was in awe.

While our service department went to work replacing the tires and oil on Mr. Moto’s motorcycle I couldn’t help myself from conversing with him. It was at that time I asked Mr. Moto to be my guest for the night. I had to learn more about his journey.

Mr. Moto is a 58 year old retired kimono/ samurai costume maker for the Japanese theater. He set out on his journey from Toyama Port in Japan in January of 2008. His goal; to travel around the world and see it all. His plan? He really didn’t have one except to let the sights and the people along the way guide his journey.  With a top speed of only 65mph downhill and an average speed of 40mph he began his journey into Siberia. Amazingly Mr. Moto on his meager Honda XR250 would cross Russia, Kazakhstan, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Poland, Belarus, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, France, Spain, and then by boat to Cape Horn in South America. From there he traveled up the west coast of Chile along the Andes Mountains, back across to Argentina, and then Brazil, Peru, Equator, Cayenne, Suriname, Guyana, and Venezuela.

The Darien Gap was next and Mr. Moto said he considered trying to cross this 100 mile swath of undeveloped jungle with no roads but he was convinced otherwise. Fearing being kidnapped by gorillas he decided to make his way around the gap by boat to Panama. From there he journeyed though Panama, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, and up the coast of Baja.

“Do You have Marijuana?” is what Mr. Moto said the US customs officers at the border kept asking him. Entering into the US was his most difficult border crossing. Until then he was able to bribe the officers along his journey with money and pass without hassle. After dismantling and searching his entire cargo he was finally able to enter the US.

Into LA and then through the mountains to Yosemite National Park, Mr. Moto eyes lit up as he explained that this was the most beautiful place he had seen on his journey. Finally Mr. Moto made his way to our Honda dealership where our paths crossed and I was able to meet this amazing adventurer.

As I watched Mr. Moto leaving in the rearview mirror traveling at 50-55mph on the freeway with a line of cars behind him, I had to chuckle to myself in disbelief of what he had accomplished so far on that strained 2006 Honda XR250. One day I thought, one day I’ll set out on a similar journey. For now I will dream through Mr. Moto’s stories.

Mr. Moto planes to continue north to the California Redwoods and along the scenic Highway 101 to Seattle. Then north to Vancouver Canada where he plans to see Canada, get a glimpse of Alaska and travel from a port in Canada to Australia. After traversing Australia he finally plans to head home to Japan and share the stories of his adventures with his two daughters.

UPDATE: Original article was written in 2010. Since leaving Mr. Moto continued on his journey until he had a mechanical failure in Portland, OR. Another great dealership in the Honda family took him in. Because his bike is a Japanese model they could not get the specific parts necessary to fix it. So at no cost they had the parts machined and Mr. Moto was on his way in a few days. In my correspondence with the dealership in OR they told some great stories of the slide show party they hosted featuring Mr. Moto’s photos.

I received a letter from Mr. Moto a few months ago thanking me for my hospitality. I should have been the one thanking Mr. Moto for his inspiration. He was back in Japan, doing well, and planning his next adventure.

PURSUIT SKILLS

We all know the feeling of looking in the mirror and seeing those flashing lights. It sucks! However when it comes down to it Motor Cops are motorcycle riders at heart. Those that I have known personally are actually great guys. Think about it, chasing down people on your bike with lights flashing. The kid in most of us knows exactly the appeal.

So how good are the Motor Cops? We searched the web for some of the best Motor Cop Competition & Demonstration videos. Enjoy.

Japanese Motor Police Demonstration

2010 Southwest Police Motor Competition Winning Run

Grand Prairie Police Motorcycle Rodeo – April 30, 2011

Is Human Flight Here? The Jet Propelled Wearable Wing.

VIDEO & PHOTOS

We look at Yves Rossy the Jetman and ask the question we have all dreamed of since we were a child. Is human flight possible? Simple answer yes. Will you be able to fly yourself anytime soon? That’s a bit more complicated.

by: Zach Settewongse (there may be spelling errors, get over it)

I’ve rode sportbikes since I was fifteen and from the first day I wanted to go faster, to push the envelope further. As I rode through the canyons I felt as if I was flying through them. I dove into the turns on more than one occasion pretending I was a jet pilot. I thought nothing could be better. Then in 2006 I saw Yves Rossy and his first prototype jet wing fly through the air. At the time I thought it was the coolest thing I had ever seen. How much longer till those wings are available to the public? Will that even happen? Will I be able to get one? Those were the questions I was asking and still am asking today.

Because of those questions I have been following Yves Rossy closely as he develops the jet wing. To date Yves has designed several prototypes variations of the jet wing. The jet wing constantly is improving, however there have been risk. Yves has had to deploy his parachute over twenty times during test. Test in which he lost control or became disoriented. Despite all the risk the wing is improving. Yves can now not only maintain level flight but climb during flight. In 2010 he stunned the world again by completing the first loop during flight.

There have been over fifteen variations of the jet wing prototype to date and Yves has gained several corporate sponsorships to help fund the development of the wing. With each prototype the wing improves and the dream of a jet wing for the rest of us looks at least possible. Best case is that there is a variation of the wing available for purchase in a few years. If not at least those of us that dream to can learn from Yves wing and emulate it by studying his design and attempt to build one ourselves. Of course even if one could purchase a wing the training to get to the level of attempting to fly it would be intense. While I think a wing for those highly trained individuals is only a few years off a wing that just anyone could operate is decades away. A wing for everyone would almost have to fly itself and have multiple computer aided safeguards built into it. For me I’d rather have the wing that requires serious training with the risk of death being very real.

Yves Rossy was born on August 27th, 1959 in Switzerland and started his career as a Swiss Jet Pilot. Later Yves worked as a commercial airline pilot and started spending his spare time working on his human wing. The first variation of the wing was a flexible inflatable wing. Yves then built a rigid prototype with two jet engines from a model airplane. With that wing he was able to maintain level flight. Then he added two more engines to the wing and was finally able to climb like a bird and achieve his dream. It took him 10 years and 15 prototypes to do it but he did. Yves can soar through the air for 10 minutes at a time and uses his body to steer the wing. He has an altimeter and throttle control in his hand and a parachute on his back. The most current prototype is carbon fiber and has been developed in a wind tunnel.

Yeves Rossy Achievements:

2002 Crossed the Lake of Geneva with an inflatable wing.

2006 First sustained level human flight of over 5 minutes with the first rigid wing.

2008 First official flight for the press in which he flew over 5 minutes and climbed in altitude.

2008 First flight over the English Channel.

2009 First attempted intercontinental flight.

2010 First human flight aerial loop.

2011 First flight over the grand Canyon.

You can learn more about Yves Rossy by visiting his website or by simply searching YouTube and watching the videos of his flights. Hopefully they will inspire you to realize that anything is possible if you just put everything you have into it. I know he has inspired me and for that I thank Yves Rossy for his achievements.

Jetman.com

VIDEO

Flight Over Grand Canyon

First Aerial Loop

First Flight in 2006

Article By: Henny Ray Abrams 

Ben Bostrom may or may not be the oldest rider to make his MotoGP debut, but one thing’s unquestionable – he’s certainly the most enthusiastic.

The 37-year-old former AMA Superbike Champion and current Michael Jordan Motorsports Suzuki rider will make his MotoGP debut on the LCR Honda MotoGP Team RC212V as Toni Elias’s teammate in this weekend’s 10th round of the MotoGP World Championship, the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Rather than being daunted by the challenge of racing on the Honda RC212V on Bridgestone tires against the best road racers in the world, Bostrom sees it as an opportunity and a chance to shine some light on the AMA Superbike Series.

Bostrom turned Pro in 1990 racing dirt track before later moving into road racing. Having spent most of his life at the race track, both on the dirt and pavement, as well as racing in World Superbike, Bostrom thought the chance to line up against the world’s best had passed. But with the collaboration of his Jordan Motorsports team, American Suzuki, and LCR Honda MotoGP Team owner Lucio Cecchinello, Bostrom is living a dream.

“We’ve had past offers and shots at riding,” Bostrom began, but added that contracts to a specific company meant “they just say no anyway, so I was very lucky. I mean, I can’t believe the effort and collaboration they put in together to make this thing happen [he said of LCR team owner Lucio Cecchinello, Jordan Motorsports, and American Suzuki]. “I’ve got to thank American Suzuki for letting me ride. It was beyond my expectation.”

Asked if he ever thought he’d get the opportunity to race a GP, he said, “No, for sure not . Even in the past when the things were put out there and offered and I was like, ‘No, I’m contracted to this company and that company.’ At one point I even asked and they were like, ‘Oh no. That can’t happen, obviously.’ And I just thought, well, it’ll never happen here, unless through some tragic crash of another rider where he gets hurt and breaks himself up and can’t ride that event on the same brand; what’s the chance of that happening? And you don’t wish that upon anybody, anyway. It’s unbelievable.”

He continued. “It’s crazy that it actually happened. When they first started talking about it, which was really recently, it was just kind of like a dream. ‘I doubt that’ll happen.’ It’s one of those things you just kinda entertain, but you don’t actually think it’s going to happen because you don’t want to get your hopes up. So that’s where I was at until just the other day, and I said, ‘Holy cow.’ American Suzuki let us do it and I can’t thank them enough. And, you know, Honda had to collaborate and tires and everything just had to come together and the Jordan Motorsports guys were amazing at taking care of it and working with Team LCR and making it happen.”

Last year, his Jordan Suzuki teammate Roger Lee Hayden used a weekend off from riding the Pedercini Kawasaki in World Superbike for a one-off ride in place of the injured Randy de Puniet. Hayden comported himself well, finishing a creditable 11th out of 17. Bostrom is hoping he can bring more fans to AMA with his ride.

“I’m only guessing and hoping that it’s really good for our sport, because you have an American AMA Superbike rider who gets to ride MotoGP,” Bostrom said. “Just from the rumor side, I got a whole bunch more Twitter followers. It keeps happening every day and I think just because we’re taking a little bit of those fans – ‘Oh, AMA Superbike’ – and they’re starting to follow us.” Once the rumor becomes a reality, “it might actually open up more eyes to our sport as well.”

For Sunday’s race, which precedes the AMA Superbike race, his plan is to “go out there and do my best to kick ass and put that bike up front and help put our series on the map.”

Bostrom has done well at Laguna Seca. His best weekend came in 2001 when he swept both legs of the World Superbike double-header on the L&M Ducati 996R. The wins came in the middle of his most successful stretch in WSB-the Laguna wins were the second and third of five wins in a row-and in a season in which he finished a career best third in the championship.

Bostrom also won a leg of the WSB weekend as a wild card in 1999 for the Vance & Hines Ducati team. On the AMA side, he won the Superbike race last year, passing Josh Hayes on the 15th of 23 laps and holding him off by .440 sec. Bostrom also won the Superbike race at Laguna Seca in 2004, a year in which he doubled by also winning the Formula Xtreme race. And he also has a Supersport win aboard a Yamaha in 2008.

Facing off against Stoner and Lorenzo and Dovizioso and Rossi and Spies on a motorcycle and tires he’s never raced doesn’t faze the hyper-fit Malibu resident. Targeting a top ten finish isn’t enough of a goal, he’s thinking closer to the top five.

“I’m expecting more than people think I should expect, but that’s alright,” he said.

Article from Cycle News

For more coverage of MotoGP, check out the digital version of Cycle News at http://cyclenews.coverleaf.com/cyclenews.

7-19-2011

Hiking more dangerous than motorcycling?

We all like to think that motorcycling is a sport for those with kahonas. (Harley riders disregard that last sentence.) At least I do and I would have never thought of hiking as coming any close to the same rush. Then I saw these videos of some extreme hiking trails and my eyes have been opened.

El Caminito del Ray • Spain

Original build in 1905 as a trail for workers to inspect the hydroelectric plant. The walkway is one meter (3 feet and 3 inches) in width, and rises over 100 meters (350 feet) above the river below. Constructed of concrete resting on steel rails supported by stanchions at around 45 degrees into the rock face, it is currently in a highly deteriorated state and there are numerous sections where part or all of the concrete top has collapsed. The result is large open air gaps that are bridged only by narrow steel beams or other support fixtures. Very few of the original handrails exist but a safety-wire runs the length of the path. Several people have lost their lives on the walkway in recent years and after several fatal accidents the local government closed both entrances. As you can see this hasn’t stopped the adventurous from risking it. If you want to do it hurry as the trail is due for a restoration starting later this year.

Mount Hua or HuaShan • China

This hike up one of the five sacred mountains in China to the temple has claimed several lives. With peaks as high as 6,857ft high and 12″-16″ walkway on sheer cliffs it will get your heart pounding. These days the majority of visitors to Huashan are Chinese youth on vacation. However the mountain routes are still trekked by devoted pilgrims and wandering monks intent on visiting the sacred shrines.

Chad Reed Chrashes at Millville

Feed from Speed Ch as Chad Reed crashes. Look up it’s SuperChad!

SAVE HUGE  on a 09 CRF150R

We have several 09 Honda CRf150R models in stock so we’re blowing them out. Come down to Honda Suzuki of Salt Lake today and grab yours today.

UPDATE: Feb 2012 There are only a few left so HURRY Down!

Red Bull video filming Casey Stoner at 1000fps as he drags elbow through a corner and describes his cornering.