Videos to get you thru the day.....

[TexasAggie]

Am I reading the results properly? Did Carlin Dunne switch over to an e-bike this year? Didn't he post the best time last year (2012) on a Ducati MultiStrada? But this year (2013), riding an e-bike, he blew away the 2nd place Ducati MTS by 20 seconds! (linkie)

Damn, that must be painful for MTS owners, being dusted by an e-bike. Heh heh ... make fun of my HD tractor, will ya?!?!?!?

Oh yeah, I plan on getting a lot of mileage outta this one.

EDIT: Hey - I have an idea. You know how e-bikes have pedals to help them start off? I bet someone could modify a MTS to have the same. Just sayin'

PS - for those not-in-the-know, TB-R mercilessly teases me (in person) about my beautiful HD Ultra and my very fashionable pirate outfit, with all the appropriate pins & patches. He's jealous, I know, but still.

PPS: I'll get this in before TB-R wakes up - according to unofficial results, the HD Ultra was first in its class - bikes on a trailer to the top.

This ought to be fun!

[Krasi]

Well, seems like Loeb blew them out of their socks...

[TB-Racing]

Didn't he post the best time last year (2012) on a Ducati MultiStrada? But this year (2013), riding an e-bike, he blew away the 2nd place Ducati MTS by 20 seconds!

Doesn't the Pikes Peak Hill Climb motorcycle record still stands?
Carlin Dunne - Ducati Multistrada 1200S (2012) 9:52.819 min. at average speed: 121.4 km/h
Done with a beautiful 2012 Ducati MTS 1200S demo bike straight ouf of his dad's Santa Barbara Ducati dealership.... correct me if I am wrong here please....

WRC legend Sébastien Loeb (Peugeot 208 T16) really shattered the old record, eh?
Very impressive run up Pikes Peak.

Now you got it on a public forum and in writing. Since I got this beautiful fashionable lycra tattoo sleeve set the other day as a personal present from you (thanks for sharing your drag, sorry - costume), shall dress up as a pirate during my next Beijing visit and will join the weekly HOG ride as per your personal invitation extended during my recent Beijing stay (no worries, will be a very special honour to ride in the back of the drag queen + pirate motorcade having a laugh and taking pictures).
My custom Honda Z50 Monkey bike with flamed tank should be enough running circles around them agricultural motor vehicles your straddling or lets face it ~ the kiddie learner bike we still have might be good enough?

Quick question, did they explain in details the workings of a HD Ultra-Classic-Couch-Glide like throttle operation, shifter, brakes, radio and the air-condition function (you know them slightly covered up holes in the fairing facing towards the rider)...
If they haven't done the perfect hand-over yet, do advise and shall follow up in person and will re-arrange my rather busy schedule to assist a fellow biker and actual rider.
Sorry to fellow MCM members (the ones I respect, not the forum clowns and idiots), insider joke - you would not understand if your not been present during the conversation at the Beijing HD dealership a few weeks ago between a new Chinese HD Ultra-Classic-Couch-Glide owner and the HD shop sales-rep that was overheard (LJH knows the full story)....

[Lao Jia Hou]

Doesn't the Pikes Peak Hill Climb motorcycle record still stands?

OK, you got me there. Damn young'ns - ain't got no respect for their elders these days.

Now you got it on a public forum and in writing. Since I got this beautiful fashionable lycra tattoo sleeve set the other day as a personal present from you (thanks for sharing your drag, sorry - costume), shall dress up as a pirate during my next Beijing visit and will join the weekly HOG ride as per your personal invitation extended during my recent Beijing stay (no worries, will be a very special honour to ride in the back of the drag queen + pirate motorcade having a laugh and taking pictures).

Great! Just stay off my lawn!

Quick question, did they explain in details the workings of a HD Ultra-Classic-Couch-Glide like throttle operation, shifter, brakes, radio and the air-condition function (you know them slightly covered up holes in the fairing facing towards the rider)...

It also has GPS and cruise control - I just put it on auto, lean back, and nod off (at my age, 3 naps/day, ya know).

Damn kids.

[MJH]

If you do wear the tattoo sleeves, bring an extra set as they can get snagged on nipple rings.

[Lao Jia Hou]

Water crossing goes wrong.



Kinda scary, at first, when the rider disappears (perhaps trapped under the bike). Good thing his buddies were around.

[MotoKai]

How Spark Plugs Are Made - for all you factory geeks!...

[Lao Jia Hou]

The world's largest migration of people is the annual reuniting with families during the Chinese New Year (CNY). It will happen in late January, 2014. I recall reading, back in early 2013, that there were >100 million motorcycle riders taking to the roads to reunite with their families during CNY. It should be more than a little cold.

CCTV aired a short documentary about one young migrant couple's 2013 return home to reunite with their only daughter in their home village, for a few days, before returning back to their factory dorm.

The trip was approximately 1,600 kms, each way, two-up, on a 125cc motorcycle.



When I am reminded about Chinese motorcycling, from these types of clips, it puts it all back in perspective about our Western motorcycling "needs." I sometimes wonder what these millions of Chinese adv-riders think about us needing the latest & greatest Adv bike?

[MJH]

To me it all is one giant project, and in that a sort of matter of that of the shortest distance between two points. Problem is, in part greed, in that the shortest and easiest way to make a profit for a few, however the percentage that make that profit in China are proportionately larger and they are economic drivers. They built the factories in urban hubs, they are cooperatives and linked into that more developed urban infrastructure, however the people that, at the base line, power that are not integrated they are only housed and not in any manner that is acceptable to many of us.


It all requires a larger model and in many way dispersions of much of what was built, to other regions and thoughtfully and comprehensively.


These people live in rooms shared with others and in cities that are often riddled with pollution, problem with going to fast is that you may end up back tracking, undoing. However the insulted bubbles of wealth may not be willing, they rarely are, willing to make a sacrifice to correct what seems to many inherently wrong.


They may have to open up and in that disperse high concentrations into other areas, centering on were the labor really exists? Then allow in parts the over valued deflate. Too many people, they need in degrees diaspora, a managed one a comprehensive one that gets the metrics correct. A matter of controlled growth and managed development, that is more thoughtful and more sustainable. There are likely perfect metrics….based on land use and populations, meeting the needs of people in propensity in tiered degrees. Based on real measures of value and value added.

[Lao Jia Hou]

Here is another CNY migration, also 1,600 kms.

It is a 51 minute video, done in 2011. The side-of-the-road "chains" are interesting (about the 40 minute mark).

Best watched on the original site, rather than imbedded:

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMzQyMDIwMzI0.html

How can all of us not be humbled by this? IMHO, these are genuine adv-riders, two-up, heading home to visit their only child for a few days, once a year.

Incredible.