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Detroit, 9:47 PM
Wed Nov 25
22 posts in the last 24 hours
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11/21/09
When I had a V45 Sabre, it'd occur to me, typically shortly after a horribly missed shift, how the rear cylinders were pointed directly at my groin.
If they let go, at least death would be swift.
On the upside for the Angry Hamsters, at least the carbs are easy to access, and good thinking keeping the clutch housing exposed to ease wrenching.
While shifting sequential gearboxes clutchless is natural, though I didn't do it until late in my two-wheeled life (duh), 1400+ lbs., with driver/fuel, is gonna be tough on the plates.
Oh, and backing up is problematic. Though, speaking as someone who hasn't had a functional reverse gear for almost 12 months, you plan for this without being conscious of it. Said planning can be upset by race participants/conditions, however.
11/21/09
11/21/09
Ever since the Metro Gnome won--if I recall right, they did win once--I look at those little Metros with new respect. One's been in our parking deck on and off for a year and the outside looks worse than this one--and though it is small and ugly and apparently barely rolling under its own power, and even then, kind of sideways, I know that it could be transformed into a freakish monster and kick some ass.
11/21/09
Why?,... asks one.
WHY!?!?!?!!, asks another....
The other asks quite sagely, "Why not?" The tri-chotomy is perfect, and while I question their reasoning and berate their method, I honor their vision, and wish them the best.
Go Angry Hamsters! (You better win,.. or....)
11/21/09
11/21/09
11/21/09
11/21/09
That said, I'm all for waiving budgetary restrictions so long as the end result is still within the spirit of LeMons and sufficiently insane.
11/21/09
11/21/09
11/21/09
1. Any car that costs that little is a beater.
2. It is modified far less than most of the machinery at a LeMons race.
3. An S600 coupe, no track machine, on track racing Das Scheiß-E30s and motorcycle engined microcars is pretty much my definition of silly fun.
4. The real race is the Index of Effluency, and the real awards are the Dangerous Banned Technology or made-up-on-the-spot types.
11/02/09
at least they did in my dad's 70 600 Z coupe. #honda600
11/02/09
11/01/09
11/02/09
11/01/09
I'd kill to have the engineering and equipment available to this team. While their car meets the rules of the series, I'm not sure it meets the spirit. #honda600
11/01/09
11/02/09
I also complained about the Metro-Gnome considering it had been advertised for sale on Jalopnik previously for over $2K, and that fell on deaf ears due to the cool factor of the car too. Then they went and won the race!
But I don't want to come off as a bitter whiner. I'll eat my hat if we ever win, so I'm not all that concerned about the competition as long as I have fun :) #honda600
11/01/09
11/01/09
I've gotta laugh thinking about sitting next to that screaming V-Twin-but the weight distribution should be phenomenal. #honda600
11/01/09
11/01/09
11/01/09
11/01/09
1. It's 100% the same manufacturer. Had the Metro been equipped with a Suzuki two-wheeler powerplant, I'd still have to vote Honda because...
2. The V65 was an AWESOME freakin' ride. My first 'real' motorcycle was an '83 V45 Sabre, and that machine, even though only a 749cc machine, was borderline terrifying.
The slightly-tweaked frame didn't help matters, but hey, you adjust how left-hand curves are taken.
A then good-friend of mine rode my 45 and decided he needed a 65.
Oh.
My.
Fuckin'.
Gawd.
The 45 and 65 were not only quite high-tech for the early-80's, but they both had very complimentary torque/HP curves. No need to rev to 4K RPM to get away from a stop sign. Slowly let the clutch out, and you're putting along.
Also had one of the best commercials of the day. #honda600
11/01/09
11/01/09
Whoa...
While I really wish they could incorporate the bulletproof-ness of a shaft drive, I'm all for creativity. #honda600
11/01/09
11/01/09
Heart-clicky for not killing yourself on several machines which outright beg for humans to say,
"Hey, watch this!"
I'm very anti-beer and two wheels, otherwise it'd be, "hold my beer". Love 'em both, but together, um...never, ever a good idea.
I sold the V45 for a Transalp, then added an ST1100 for the long trips.
However, that V-motor always had appeal.
The V45 was the first, and only, motorsickle on which I had an unintentional wheelie. I'll never forget immediately looking at sky while foot-fumbling the rear brake.
I think that was also the machine which was just powerful enough to elevate the front tire maybe ¾" off the ground under full clutch engagement acceleration from near-stopped. You got a "head wiggle" when the tire re-contacted the pavement after 'bout ½ second. #honda600
11/01/09
11/01/09
Wait. You're entering a 928?
Brave, ye be.
I saw a very late model one, yesterday, and though to myself, "self, that car is still damned good looking, and if you won the lottery, you could pretend you could afford to own an S4." #honda600