Archive for December, 2009

For this story which ran in the December 2009 issue of Motorcycle Consumer News, I spend more time researching than any other story I’ve ever written. I reviewed three years of repair records (nearly 10,000 total), on over 240 police motorcycles. I talked with officers, instructors and mechanics. In the process, I was able to come to a deep understanding of not only the experience the various agencies had when switching from the Kawasaki police motorycle to the Honda, Harley or BMW, but also, the relative strengths and weaknesses of the various 3 platforms for police work. The article is here. Enjoy! This is Part 1. Part II comes out in Jaunary of 2010.

If you are the sort of motorcycle mechanic who does your own work because you know you can do a better job than most local shops, the uView 550000 is for you.
One of the best reasons to live in Phoenix if you are a Goldwing owner is Stu Oltman. He’s the senior technical editor for Wing World Magazine, the Gold Wing Road Riders Association’s monthly publication. The more difficult and harder a problem is to solve, the more he seems to enjoy it. He’s also a great source for new product ideas – especially ones involving the repair and maintenance of motorcycles. I saw him demonstrate the uView 550000 at one of his famous “Garage Days at Stu’s” and so I ordered one. When it came in I took it over to Stu’s garage to make sure I did everything right. That also left my hands free to make notes and take some photo’s.
This review is the result.

While on a ride in Turkey several years ago for RoadRunner Magazine I met Dan Moore, an accomplished entrepreneur from Cleveland. Dan’s an irrasible, irreverant, charming 70 year old with more potential for trouble and excitement than half a dozen 14 year old boys. He’s also managed to create more high-value businesses than anyone I’ve ever met, and I’ve met a few.
Six months after our ride he called me about his friend, Don Frank, who had created a company to build and sell high quality motorcycle windshields. Don sent me one, I put it on my bike and used it for 18 months. It is pretty incredible. Here is the review I wrote about it which appears in the December, 2009 issue of Motorcycle Consumer News.