Canadian Biker - September 2011
The September 2011 issue of Canada’s favourite motorcycle magazine has been mailed to our subscribers and should soon be on news stands wherever quality, visually stunning magazines with off-road racing dudes on the cover are sold.
Said “dude” on the cover is a member of Practical Gravity Racing out of Vancouver. The very small team’s tackling of the famed Baja 500 started with a simple conversation while watching a documentary about the race. It went something like this:
“We should do that.”
“Yeah, that would be cool.”
(Three-month break in the conversation)
“I registered us in the Baja 500.”
“I don’t even own a dirt bike!”
“You better get one.”
From those humble beginnings what the team goes on to accomplish in the race is truly astounding. It is like that story about Cinderella except with dirt, rocks, cactus and exhaustion.
Those of you with a good memory will recall Todd Short’s steampunk-themed Ural and sidecar, which were featured in our June 2010 issue. Steampunk is a design school featuring a lot of copper tubing, dials and unusual details. In this issue we are back in the steampunk game. This time around it’s Todd’s bobber created from a 1970s era Kawasaki Z1 and Z650. Not your usual bobber material but the results are very satisfying.
On the technical side, Rich Burgess discusses brakes and how they work in the story, “Let There Be Heat!” Your brakes are probably the most important system on your motorcycle. It’s great to move forward with authority but it’s even more important to be able to stop with precision. Those of you who have ever decided to roll a tire down a hill will attest to this.
In the ‘Tech & Tools’ department, Rich shows you how to make your own seat pan. Yes, a seat pan: the solid support to which the foam and fabric attach. Unless you want to go the Red Green route you generally have to send your pan off to be upholstered professionally. But here, Rich demonstrates the most comfortable pan a person can make in their basement. However, you are going to need a hair dryer that reaches 1250F ...
On the road we hit the RAT Raid in Nelson, BC; the AMA HAll of Fame in Pickering, Ohio; and the Grand Tetons in Wyoming.
Alas, there are no monkeys but we leave you with this picture from the last issue. Sure it makes more sense in the context of the story but with the exception of those angry fellows in Rise of the Planet of the Apes monkeys are funny.
