Racing Is Inspirational #16
Racers Michael Gougis and Ed Sorbo discuss how motorcycle road racing can bring out the best in people and share some heart-warming moments from the track and from the paddock. A discussion about physics ensues, with Mike Tyson and Neil Degrasse Tyson each playing a role in explaining Newton’s first law of motion. Sorbo persists in his belief that progressively-wound springs are the work of Satan.
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How did I survive my childhood?
Dad is teaching Mom how to ride. No gear and look where I am. There is also a blurry photo of us riding away. Clearly these people did not have to pass a test in order to get me. Â Mom use to ride me to school on her motorcycle but being a boy, I made her drop me off a block away so no one would see. Â I had no idea how cool my life was.
Start Young!
From the right, Uncle & wife on a Yamaha 250, Dad on a Honda 125, Mom pregnant with my brother on a Honda 70, me with shades to match Mom’s shades, at the beach house at Three Tables beach Oahu. Circa 1966. Start young!
Fast Tracks Make For Great Racing #15
Racers Ed Sorbo and Michael Gougis discuss the physics of why fast racetracks make for great racing. A discussion ensues as to the relative size of gender-neutral reproductive organs as a unit of measure of bravery. The monetary cost of crashing in various corners is analyzed, with slow corners providing a powerful counter-argument to the idea that fast corners are preferable.
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The Brave New World Isn’t So Bad #14
Racers Michael Gougis and Ed Sorbo talk about riding the new Yamaha YZF-R1 and the YZF-R1M, and how incredibly good electronic rider aids on modern sportbikes have become. A discussion ensues about the relative value of monkeys and senators when it comes to space travel. Somehow the topic turns to viking ships.
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Daytona 200 Sponsor
Lindemann Engineering
$4,000
Daytona 200 Contingency Sponsor
$50 each in the form of a labor discount and it pays all the way to 80th place. Fill out the form, run LE stickers on the forks and/or shock that I worked on, qualify for and finish the Daytona 200, easy right? Do that and you get $50 off on the next labor job you send me. It’s nothing compared to the work you are doing but it’s a start and you’re the one having all the fun at the top of the banking.
Make sure you have the stickers on the forks and/or shock before you start driving to Daytona. I’m not sending a bunch of stickers to tech as I don’t want them on bikes I have not worked on. You can put my stickers on the body work if you like but the placement I want is the big ones near the bottom of the outer fork tubes, the small ones on the feet and whatever fits on the shock reservoir.
If you are planning to earn some of my funny money please let me know and I’ll post up your story.
Track #60, Eastern Creek, Australia
Yamaha R1 and R1M press intro. Thanks to Authur Coldwells for the video link I copied from his FB page. The rider in front is me. Top speed on the front straight was 264 kph according to the GPS data system on the R1M.  Go to motorcycledaily.com for the stories.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF_oytJycVE&feature=youtu.be
Now can you tell where I am?
Crossed My Path
This guy crossed my path today. Â Where am I?
In Search Of More Top Speed #13
Racers Ed Sorbo and Michael Gougis talk about drafting and their experiences in the draft. A discussion ensues about the regional nature of humor and a Hawaiian comedian who really wasn’t bad – if you understand Hawaiian humor. Plaid makes another appearance.
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