US Desmo Spring 2008 DUCATI 1098 Leanings 1

User Manual: DUCATI 1098

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The Offi cial Magazine of the Ducati Owners Club of the United States
Volume 6 Issue 1 Spring 2008
Touring Sport Ducati:
2007 Moto-ST Champions
Bikers Invade Wadesboro • Moto Guzzi Museum
MotoGP At Indy • Ducati As Fine Art
MYERS
MOTORCYCLES.COM
asheville, nc est. 1990
The Carolina’s Premier European Motorcycle Shop
Tuesday thru Friday 9am–6pm
Saturday 9am–4pm
Closed Sunday and Monday
Sales, Service, Parts, Accessories
www.myersmotorcycles.com
From 1-40, Exit 51, Turn Left, 1 Mile On The Right
One mile from the Blue Ridge Parkway. Exit milepost 388.8, Hwy 25N, 2nd light
turn right, next light turn left on Sweeten Creek Rd., 2/10 mile on left.
1125 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville, North Carolina 28803
Toll Free 866-475-7986 • 828-274-4271
BMW-Ducati-Triumph-MV Agusta
Motorcycles of Charlotte
12999 E. Independence Blvd.
Matthews, NC 28105
704-882-6106
www.bmw-ducati.com
Full Service Dealer
Sales - Parts - Service
Accessories - Apparel
Hours
Tuesday – Friday 9:00AM – 6:00PM
Saturday 9:00AM – 4:00PM
Sunday – Monday Closed
DUCATI uses
There’s a reason why
we own the word Superbike
Combining our MotoGP and World Superbike technology, the 1098 Ducati Superbike is the most powerful twin ever produced, with the
highest torque to weight ratio of any sport bike in the world. There’s a reason why we own the word Superbike.
The new 1098 boasts the latest technology throughout, including first of its kind on-board data acquisition USB port and radial mount Brembo
monoblock brake calipers gripping 330mm rotors. At 381 lbs. dry, with 160 hp, 90 ft lbs. of torque, the broad and accessible power band of
a twin, the $14,995 Ducati 1098 speaks for itself. Find your local Ducati dealer at www.ducatiusa.com.
1098action_FebCW.qxd 11/21/06 5:18 PM Page 1
BMW-Ducati-Triumph-MV Agusta
Motorcycles of Charlotte
Full Service Dealer
Sales - Parts - Service
Accessories - Apparel
Specializing in European Motorcycles
& Machining Services
SMC Inc.
Andy Rounds 408 Plaza Drive Harrisburg, NC 28075
(704) 455-2434 cell: (704) 309-6298 info@smcspec.com
www.smcspec.com
Engine Performance Upgrades and Tuning
Suspension Upgrades and Tuning
Machine Shop Services
Fabrication
Ohlins Authorized Service Center
Dynojet Power Commander
Certified Tuner
2 www.USDESMO.com SPRING 2008
SPRING 2008 www.USDESMO.com 3
Contenuto
Features
7
Sidecar Ride to Wadesboro
by David Grogan
11
Ducati As Fine Art
by Jim Wright
13
Touring Sport Moto-ST Racing
by Pete Friedland
17
The Moto Guzzi Museum
by Neale Bayly
21
Indy MotoGP
by John Rossi
The USual Suspects
4
Piazza Del Mercato
Classifi eds
28
Bench Racing
Tall tales of fact and “friction”
by George Smith
Page 17
Jim Calandro . . . . . . . . . . . . .il Capo
capo@carolina.rr.com
Clyde Romero. . . . . . . . . Consigliere
clyderomero@worldnet.att.net
Bob Lattanzi . . . . . . . . . . Consigliere
schoolbusbob@att.net
Terry Wyse . . . . . . . . . . . Consigliere
tlwyse@carolina.rr.com
Larry Haber . . . . . . . . . . . Consigliere
LarryH@Qmarketing.biz
David Grogan . . . Revisore di Bozze
dgrogan@slk-law.com
Tom Truskolaski. . . Redattore Technico
LVN4LG@aol.com
John Rossi . . Northeast Representative
JRossi@VivaDUCATI.com
Lewis Kirk. . . . . .Curatore del Sito Web
ducati@dmzgraphics.com
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The use of information in the Desmo Leanings is entirely the responsibility of the reader. No liability is accepted by the Editors, USDESMO
Committee, USDESMO members or contributors to Desmo Leanings for the loss, damage or injury resulting from the direct or indirect
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Cover photo by Brian J. Nelson, www.brianjnelson.com
Greetings from il Capo
Well here we are, it is 2008, and Daytona is only a few
weeks past. I am blessed that I felt well enough to go
this year. Too bad it was in a car not on a bike. If you have
never been to this event, you should make it at least once in
your lifetime. There is a lot more to it than just the race and
the Harleys. Ducati Day Daytona was a real blast, and there
will be a write up on it in our next issue. This is the signal that
the riding season is upon us, so get out there and service those
Ducatis and get riding.
Neale Bayly has let Desmo Leanings have another of his well-
crafted articles. Yes, it is not a Ducati article, but it is about 90-
degree V-twins from Italy, so they are our kissing cousins. That
area of Italy is one of the most picturesque locations; I hope I
get to see it in person some time. Enjoy the trip vicariously as I
am.
After years of my riding bikes with rear-sets and clip-ons, a
Monster has entered my life. All I can say is, “How do you folks
who own them keep your license?” I feel like I should stop by
the police station on my way out and just leave my license with
them. Hey, I know I am going to be back later, and this way
will save them some time. Oh yeah, don’t tell my doctor I am
riding. It has been almost eight months, and I needed a fix.
For 2008, we will be hosting three weekend rallies, three
Monday track days, and one track weekend. These events are
mostly for Ducati and other European bikes, but we continue
to need to allow a few Asian bikes in to help cover the costs. If
you know friends with Ducatis who are not coming to events or
if that description fits you, then do something to change it. We
need to see more red bikes out there. Well, silver and yellow,
too, but you get my drift.
Just a short thank you to all the folks who sent me notes with
their renewal. You are my strength.
Come ride with us. I’ll be back with you as soon as I can!
Jim
il Capo
Page 21
Page 11
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Page 7
4 www.USDESMO.com SPRING 2008
SPRING 2008 www.USDESMO.com 5
Tom Rolland • 2808 Prenda de Oro NW • Albuquerque, New Mexico 87120
email: trolland@webtv.net • http://www.webgrafex.com/ducatibeltbuckles/
2002 Ducati Monster 750
Forza high slip-ons, suspension by Cogent Dynamics, track prepped, street legal
13,700 miles, North Carolina salvage title
$3900 Bill Birchfield Cell 704.617.1835, e-mail: billb@qmarketing.biz
Moto Guzzi 125 Stornello 1965
Restored to excellent condition, slight seat tear. Has been in storage for a 3 years will not
take much run.
$2595 OBO or trade towards Ducati. Ducatierv@aol.com 678.779.4999
Piazza Del Mercato
GREG PETTIGREW 704.989.0696
Monroe, North Carolina GCLJgrew@aol.com
REFERENCES ON REQUEST
Quality Paint &
Body Repair for
Motorcycles
Factory or
Custom Colors
& Designs
RESTORATION AND PAINT
Classified ads are free for US Desmo members. Spring issue deadline is February 28. Summer issue deadline is May
31. Fall issue deadline is August 31. Winter issue deadline is November 30. Please provide an accurate description,
price and contact information, plus a digital photograph. You can also list a classified ad on the US Desmo web site,
www.usdesmo.com.
1996 Ducati 900SS CR
Red with aftermarket full fairing 6k miles, recent carb overhaul, new fluids, staintunes,
some light scratches
$4095 OBO. Ducatierv@aol.com 678.779.4999
2006 KTM 560SMR Supermotard
New with 100 easy break-in miles. Does not have street equipment. Street equipment
available from KTM. This thing is fast, fast, fast!
$5,000 firm. Bill Birchfield, Cell 704.617.1835 or e-mail billb@qmarketing.biz
2005 Ducati 999R. Red, ONLY 75 miles! EXCELLENT condition, full 57mm Termignoni
race exhaust, ECU, and air filters, Sargent seat, and Evoluzione fender eliminator. Carbon
fiber bodywork, Ohlins suspension and steering dampener, race frame, magnesium head
covers and headlight nacelle, radial brakes, deep sump motor, and titanium connecting
rods. Cost over $34,000 when completed! NOW $19,995! Call us at 978-922-3707, or
e-mail eastern.cycle@verizon.net
2000 Ducati 996 Biposto
Yellow, 18K miles, full 6K service every 5K miles, most recent at 15K, plus new chain,
sprockets, and clutch plates. Valves rechecked, new belts and air filters at 18K. Carbon
fiber shock guard, otherwise stock. New Pirelli Diablo Corsa tires, Some scrapes on left
fairing.
$8250 Daryl Bohning at daryl.bohning@mac.edu or 860-868-0675
1995 Ducati 900SS CR
Yellow, silver podercoated frame and fairing bracket,
new belts, fresh fluids, staintune slipons, 13kmiles Excellent
condition throughout.
$4595 OBO. Ducatierv@aol.com 678.779.4999
6 www.USDESMO.com SPRING 2008
SPRING 2008 www.USDESMO.com 7
SWATT MOTORCYCLE PRODUCTS
WWW.SWATTMOTORCYCLE.COM
with Swatt Rear Sets.
Ducati Super Sport
Rear Sets
All parts available individually
Ducati Superbike
Rear Sets
(viewed from back face)
All parts available individually
Manufacturers of quality billet products
exclusively for fine Italian motorcycles.
Designed for adjustability.
Built for comfort.
Replacement parts
available separately.
Position your pegs and adopt a riding style
that’s perfect for you.
• Serrated pegs for positive
foot placement
• Serrated peg ends feature a raised boss,
identify foot placement, and provide the ideal
foot pivot when cornering
• Serrated peg ends are of the screw-in-type and
are available separately
• Quick adjusting pivots attach with countersunk
fasteners and provide optimum positions for
street or track riding or extreme competition
• Internal adjustment eccentrics provide linear
motion when used in conjunction with adjusting
pivots. Simply arrange them for optimum comfort
• Shifter mechanism features needle roller bearings
for the smoothest action
New Rear Sets now available
for Ducati Sport Classics
NEW!
NEW!
NEW!
With Jim Calandro scheduled for some severe,
lengthy medical treatment starting in mid-
January, Bob Lattanzi put together an idea
for a group ride on Sunday,
January 6, to give Jim a
proper send-off. The ride
was scheduled a few weeks
in advance to allow everyone
to clear his schedule, so
we had to take whatever
weather was provided on
that day. As it turned out,
it was a glorious, clear day
with a mid-day high around
65.
Seventeen riders, plus
Jim, assembled in Jim’s
driveway just before noon,
nearly all riding Italian
bikes. We had a Darmah,
an 851, a 996, a few Monsters (a 900, S2R, and 1000DS)
, Bob Lattanzi on his son’s 1098 (what a great feeling
of payback to take your kid’s superbike), and several
other Ducatis, plus Bill Birchfield’s lovely silver-and-
black restored Ducati-powered Bimota (it had been
painted purple by its previous owner!) and Bill’s equally
stylish Moto Guzzi Griso (he could ride only one, but
he had generously lent out a bike or two). We had one
Japanese V-twin, a Suzuki
V-Strom 1000 (a fairly close
approximation of how a V-
twin should be built), and an
American V-twin, a Harley
Electra Glide (off the scale
at the wrong end). That Jim
includes such a rider in his
coterie of friends shows what
a big-hearted, big-tent guy
he is.
Jim was not up to riding
one of the Ducati steeds
from his stable due to the
effects of his treatment, but
the fellows at Motorcycles
of Charlotte came through to make the ride happen:
Kevin Edwards’ venerable 1970s-vintage BMW R75
was outfitted with a sidecar just for this occasion, with
Kevin, Bob Mihalko,
Chris Duesing, and others
working late into the night
on Saturday to attach the
sidecar. The bike preceded
the era of disc brakes, but
in those days Ceriani made
a really fierce four-leading-
shoe drum brake that could
do a one-finger stoppee.
However, BMW fitted
to Kevin’s bike a single-
leading-shoe front brake,
which simply was not
up to the job of stopping
bike, hack, and around
400 pounds of riders.
The guys fitted a brake to the hack’s wheel and cobbled
up a workable, if not exactly elegant, coupling to the
bike’s rear brake. The Ducati Performance catalog was
of course no help, and there was no time to try to order
any special goodies from BMW, but Home Depot and the
guys’ ingenuity came through to provide the necessary
all-wheel braking. The final step was a late-night testing
and adjusting in the parking lot to get both wheels to lock
at the same point, and the
R75 was pronounced ready
for action.
Kevin gained valuable
experience in driving the
side-hack (you don’t really
ride it, but more on that
later) about 20 miles to
Jim’s house, and he was to
be Jim’s chauffeur for the
day. About 100 pounds of
dead-weight granite tiles
– necessary to keep the
hack’s wheel on the ground
– was off-loaded, about
200 pounds of Jim’s live
by David M. Grogan, Member #00268
and on not just any Sunday!!!
8 www.USDESMO.com SPRING 2008
SPRING 2008 www.USDESMO.com 9
DUNBAR EURO-SPORTS
WWW.DUNBAREUROSPORTS.COM
Phone: 508-583-4380
Fax: 508-583-3083
Email: INFO@DUNBAREUROSPORTS.com
1600 Main St
Brockton, MA 02301
Ducati Performance Accessories and Apparel
Performance upgrades
Machine shop on site • Ducati Trained Technicians
Ducati Apparel - Helmets - Riding Gear
HOME OF FB4RACING—SUPERTWIN RACING CHAMPIONS
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Serving Anson County and the Municipalities of Ansonville, Lilesville, McFarlan, Morven, Peachland, Polkton and Wadesboro.
205 West Morgan Street • Wadesboro, NC 28170 • 704-694-2480 • TheExpressNews@gmail.com •www.TheExpressNewspaper.com
Bulk Rate
U.S. Postage
PAID
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Wadesboro, NC
28170
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Customer
E
XPRESS
JANUARY 9, 2008 • VOLUME 18, ISSUE NO. 29
State Temporarily
Lifts Open Burning Ban
Gov. Mike Easley announced that N.C. Department of
Environment and Natural Resources has temporarily lifted
the ban on open burning for all 100 counties in North
Carolina. Recent rains across the state, while not ending the
drought, are sufficient to make carefully tended open
burning safe to reduce the amount of dry forest debris and
cut the potential for larger, more intense and harder-to-
control fires later in the year, especially during the spring fire
season.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources
and its Division of Forest Resources will continue weekly
monitoring of conditions to determine if the burn ban needs
to be reinstated. The ban on open burning could be
reinstated if the potential for wildfire activity increases
because the state continues to receive below normal rainfall
coupled with above average temperatures and increased
wildfire activity. During the last several days, statewide
rainfall totals ranged from about a quarter of an inch in a
few coastal areas to as much as 3 inches in the Piedmont and
foothills, according to the National Weather Service.
The ban on open burning was imposed October 15 because
of dry weather and depleted water resources across the state.
The decision to lift the ban comes at the recommendation of
the N.C. Division of Forest Resources, which fights wildfires
and regularly measures the factors such as weather and
available fuels that play an important role in the likelihood of
experiencing dangerous wildfires. DENR Secretary Ross and
state forestry officials determined that the state had received
adequate rainfall to significantly reduce the danger of
wildfires. In addition, lifting the burn ban will enable people
to conduct burning under controlled conditions as a way to
reduce the buildup of vegetation that can fuel future wildfires.
Ross recommended temporarily lifting the ban to:
• Reduce built-up fuel loads. Unless those are reduced, there
is a potential of larger, more intense, harder-to-control fires
later in the year, especially during the spring fire season.
• Allow the personnel of the state Division of Forest Resources
or local firefighters to focus on other important
responsibilities when the risk, as it is now, is low for wildfires.
During a burn ban, these officials must respond to every
smoke report.
• Allow those around the state who need to do open burning
for research and other permitted purposes to do so. State
forestry officials say that if people burn leaves and other
vegetative materials they should take the same precautions
they would have if it had not rained because fires can easily
escape and become dangerous.
Some important rules to follow if you burn include: Open
burning may include burning leaves, branches and other
plant material. It is illegal to burn trash, lumber, tires,
newspapers, plastics or other non-vegetative materials.
Outdoor burning is prohibited in areas covered by Code
Orange or Code Red air quality forecasts.
Make sure you have a valid burning permit. You can
obtain a burning permit at any NCDFR office or permitting
agent or online at www.dfr.state.nc.us. Follow local laws on
debris burning. Some communities allow burning only
during specified hours; others forbid it entirely. Check the
weather. Don't burn on dry, windy days. Be prepared before
burning. Keep fire tools available. To control a fire, you will
need a garden hose, a bucket, a steel rake and a shovel for
tossing dirt on the fire. Never use kerosene, gasoline, diesel
fuel or other flammable liquids to speed burning. Always
stay with the fire until it has been extinguished.
Anson Unemployment
Rate at 6.4% in November
Anson County saw the unemployment rate at 6.4% in
November, down from October’s 6.8% rate. Statewide the
unemployment rate for November was 4.7%, according to
statistics released by the state’s Employment Security
Commission.
Anson's total labor force in November was 11,281. Of that
number 10,559 were employed and 722 were unemployed. In
October the total labor force was 11,360, with 10,589
employed and 771 unemployed.
Unemployment rates in most of North Carolina’s 100
counties declined or had no change in November. Rates
declined in 40 counties and remained the same in 21.
“A good portion of the state’s counties experienced a
decrease in unemployment in November,” said ESC
Chairman Harry E. Payne, Jr. “Employment has been
strong all year throughout North Carolina. Since January
2007, 89 counties have lower unemployment rates, and
employment has increased by 77,562 workers. We hope that
this tremendous growth will continue into 2008.”
Supplanting Currituck County, Orange County had the
state’s lowest unemployment rate, at 3% in November, and
Scotland County continued with the highest rate at 9.6%.
The five counties receiving the highest amount in
unemployment insurance benefits in November were:
Mecklenburg-$7.4 million, Wake-$4.6 million, Guilford-$3.4
million, Forsyth-$2.5 million, and Rowan-$2.4 million. $77.2
million in benefits was paid to 87,668 individuals statewide,
compared with $77.2 million to 83,235 individuals in October.
Compassionate Friends to Meet
The Compassionate Friends will meet on Thursday,
January 10 at 7:00 p.m. at the Pee Dee Electric Training
Room on Highway 52 South in Wadesboro. Parents,
grandparents and siblings of children who have died at any
age from any cause are invited to this grief support group.
For more information call 704-694-8774.
Garbage Collection for MLK Holiday
There will be no garbage pickup in Wadesboro on
Monday, January 21 due to the Martin Luther King holiday.
All areas will be serviced on Tuesday, January 22.
Italian Bike Club Rides to Wadesboro for Founding Member
Pictured in the parking lot of La Fagota restaurant, eighteen Italian motorcycle enthusiasts assembled on Sunday afternoon after
traveling from Waxhaw to Anson County during a meandering ride over the backroads of Anson County. This assemblage honored Mr.
Jim Calandro (in sidecar), an Italian motorcycle enthusiast suffering from lymphoma. Ansonian Allen Lyon is in front, second from left.
Sheriff Tommy Allen has announced the
names of the officers receiving the 2007
Deputy Sheriff and Detention Officer of the
Year Awards. The presentations were made
at the
Sheriff's
Office annual
family
Christmas
gathering in
December.
The criteria
for receiving
the awards
was based on
the officer’s presence and demeanor with
their fellow employees; their work ethics and
experience; and generally how well they did
their job, and how they got along with both
the public and the other employees.
Two officers received the Detention Officer
of the Year
Award for
2007. They
were Sgt. Acie
Gainey and
Sgt. Pat
McCoy. Sgt.
Gainey has
been
employed by
the Sheriff's
Office for eight years and has been assigned
to the Jail during that time. Sgt. McCoy has
been employed by the Sheriff's Office for
nine years, beginning as a dispatcher then
moving to the Jail operations during that first
year. Sheriff Allen said, “Both Sgt.'s Gainey
and McCoy are dedicated and loyal
employees, well respected by their peers and
most deserving of this recognition.”
Receiving the Deputy Sheriff of the Year Award
for 2007 was Lt. Freddie Paxton. Lt. Paxton has
been with the Sheriff's Office for 11 years. Lt.
Paxton has
worked as a
dispatcher,
shift
supervisor,
school resource
officer and has
served as the
DARE officer
for the past six
years. A little
over a year ago, Lt. Paxton was appointed to
oversee the Jail Operations. Sheriff Allen said, “I
am fortunate to have someone of his caliber in this
organization. When I appointed him Jail
Administrator, he wanted to continue his
relationship with the schools and continue to
teach the DARE program as well. In addition,
he successfully completed the state Basic
Detention Officer Training program this fall.”
All three officers received an engraved
plaque defining their recognition.
Larry Crandall, Department of Social
Services Director, announces the new Anson
County Veteran Services Officer, Rev. Randy
Davenport. Randy is a graduate of Western
Carolina University with a Bachelor of
Science in Business Administration and
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
with a Masters of Christian Education. He
comes from a long line of military veterans.
“My immediate family has served in every
conflict since WWII. My ancestors served in
the Civil War and WWI. Every branch,
excluding the Coast Guard, is represented by
different members of my family. I am
delighted to help those who have served our
nation and this is my way of serving our
nation as well,” Randy said.
Randy is currently training as a VA
Service Officer and will provide personal
counseling and claim filing assistance for
veterans free of charge. He is an advocate
for the veterans and their dependents
regarding benefits established by federal,
state, and local regulations.
The new Veterans Service Office is
located in the basement of the Courthouse
(the old tax office). Entry is through the
Law Enforcement parking lot. The office
will be open Tuesday, Wednesday and
Thursday. For more information or to
schedule an appointment, contact Randy
at 704-694-4418. “I would love to share a
cup of coffee and swap war stories.
Come see me anytime.”
Sgt. Acie Gainey
Freddie Paxton, Acie Gainey and Pat
McCoy Earn Officer of the Year Awards
Anson Adds Veteran Service Officer
A financial aid workshop for high school
seniors will be held on Monday, January 14
at 6:00 p.m. on the campus of Anson High
School in the Media Center. Students should
never rule out any institution solely because
of its cost. Many colleges determine the
amount of aid a student can receive by
estimating their financial need. Therefore a
student may be offered a larger amount of
financial aid at a more expensive college.
Representatives from a post-secondary
institution and the College Foundation of
North Carolina will conduct the workshop.
The workshop will focus on completing the
Free Application for Federal Aid (FAFSA), as
well as college loans and work-study. All
students should apply for financial aid
regardless of their parents’ income. Priority
of eligible funds will be distributed to
students applying by March 1, 2008.
It is strongly recommended that parents
and students complete the 2007 Federal
Income Tax Returns before completing the
FAFSA. Estimating is discouraged. File free
online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. This is the fastest
and easiest way to apply for financial aid.
College Financial Aid Workshop Jan. 14
Emerging from the backroads surrounding Anson
County, around the twists and turns of White Store Road
and into the streets of Wadesboro, seventeen motorcycles
trekked on Sunday afternoon. It was an event honoring
Mr. Jim Calandro, Italian motorcycle enthusiast, former
racer, and founder of USDESMO, a national Ducati
motorcycle owners club. Calandro, diagnosed with high
level lymphoma, has already undergone months of
chemotherapy. Soon he will go to Chapel Hill to undergo
five additional weeks of bone marrow treatments. This
Sunday afternoon ride was to honor his courage, his
infectious optimism, positive spirit and great wit.
A vintage BMW motorcycle (the only non-Italian bike on
the ride) with a sidecar attached was Jim’s mount for the ride
through the beautiful Anson County countryside. Alongside
him were a group of friends, all riding Italian motorcycles,
one of Jim's greatest passions. The sight (and sounds!) of the
exotic motorcycles was quite spectacular.
Jim said, “I did not anticipate how much fun the “chair”
would be. Almost as much wind in your face as riding a bike.
I still cannot get used to not leaning into the corners!”
It was a beautiful day and a fitting sendoff for Calandro,
who has spoken of plans to relocate from Waxhaw to
Anson County. He and his wife Ann both love the area and
enjoy taking advantage of the wonderful roads offering
great rides right here in our area.
Longtime friend and USDESMO club member Allen
Lyon said, smiling, “Jim is a great friend. He is a master of
the art of conversation, and always a lot of fun to be
around. We all wish him well. We were very happy to
participate in this fitting sendoff for Jim to a full and
speedy recovery.” Photo and story by Melanie Morse
Lt. Freddie Paxton
Sgt. Pat McCoy
Look inside for
these special inserts
• IGA
• SPCC
Mobile Health
Screening
Clinic Schedule
Free health screenings,
which include blood
pressure, heart rate,
cholesterol and blood sugar
for anyone over the age of 18,
will be offered by the
Healthy Ansonians Mobile
Health Screening Clinic. The
schedule for the remainder
of January is as follows:
• Wednesday, January 9, at
Morven Senior Meal Site,
9:30 a.m. until noon.
• Wednesday, January 9, at
Morven UMC, 3:00 until
6:00 p.m.
• Thursday, January 10,
at Wal-Mart, noon until
4:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, January 15, at
Burnsville VFD, 1:00 until
4:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, January 16,
Anson Station (Old Wal-
Mart), 9:00 a.m. until noon.
• Thursday, January 17,
Peachland Center, 9:00 a.m.
until noon.
The Mobile Clinic does
not operate on days that
Anson County Schools are
delayed or closed due to
inclement weather. For more
information, contact Linda
Griffin, RN, BSN at 704-695-
3488 or 704-694-5131.
50+ Club
Meeting
Features
Templeton
Musicians
The Hampton B. Allen
Library has announced the
monthly meeting of the 50+
Club on Monday, January 14
at 10:30 a.m. in the Pritchett
Room. The meeting will
feature a musical program
presented by Lillie, Seth and
Elijah Templeton.
The public is invited to
attend. Any questions,
please call 704-694-5177.
weight was on-loaded, and the procession set off. This re-
enactment of the chase scene from The Great Escape had
a few differences: instead of Steve McQueen on his BMW-
disguised Triumph sportbike being chased by a couple
dozen Wehrmacht side-car BMWs, we had one side-car
BMW being chased in slow motion by sixteen sportbikes.
Also, no machine guns on the chase bikes.
As Kevin explained, riding a hack-equipped bike is
nothing like riding a bike. There is no leaning, there is no
countersteer. To go left, you turn the bars to the left, just
10 www.USDESMO.com SPRING 2008
SPRING 2008 www.USDESMO.com 11
as you did at age three on a Big Wheels trike. In side-car
racing, the passenger is aptly known as the monkey, and
his job is to shift his weight from hanging out way beyond
the hack’s wheel on the right side to past the rider on the
left. Quite entertaining to watch. Jim’s efforts were not
so strenuous, and at one point he looked more like he was
trying to bail out than counter-balance as Kevin hurtled
toward another curve. Side-hacks don’t lean either, and
one downhill, off-camber left curve challenged rider and
monkey as the bike was leaned right but turning left. The
maximum speed was announced prior to the ride as 45
mph due to the limitations of the side-hack. However, as
Kevin’s confidence grew, he rode deep into double-digit
territory, maxing out at 64 mph according to my GPS.
We all keep a watchful eye on the road to avoid
potholes and roadkill, and Kevin was similarly diligent.
But his putting the front wheel safely three feet to the
left of a hazard doesn’t quite work for the hack’s wheel.
Jim had a few good jounces along the way, and his wheel
sometimes strayed over the solid white line, but Kevin
came through when it really counted and deftly straddled
the dead skunk.
After about 65 miles and a couple of gas stops, the
procession arrived two hours later in Wadesboro for
lunch. Fogara’s Mexican restaurant graciously took good
care of eighteen riders. Jim’s stamina had been a question
mark at the start of the ride, but he was animated and
in great spirits at lunch. There was much bench racing
and camaraderie, but then it was late afternoon and
becoming time for folks to make for home. We posed for a
group photo for the local newspaper (“Biker Gang Invades
Wadesboro, And On A Sunday!” is a possible headline),
and then we headed home by various routes.
It was a good send-off for Jim as he heads to Chapel
Hill for treatment. He is the founder of US DESMO
(actually, he is US DESMO) and a great friend to many
people. We wish him a speedy recovery and freedom from
ever having to ride in a side-car again.
Eastern Cycle
EasternCycleDucati.com
Win a new 1098 !
The Second Annual Eastern Cycle Ducati 1098 Raffle has
begun! Proceeds will help support the Larz Anderson Museum.
This year’s prizes are:
#1 2008 Ducati 1098 Superbike
($15995 value)
#2 VivaDucati.com 3-day VIP package
for two to the 2008 Indianapolis Moto GP
($3390 value)
#3 A Ducati “Corse”Leather Jacket
($655 value)
Tickets are only $25 each or buy five for $100
Visit the museum at:
LarzAnderson.org
87 Park Street Phone: 978.922.3707
Beverly, MA 01915 Fax: 978.927.4868
Specialized motorcycle service, repair
and restoration including performance
tuning, track day and race prep.
Factory trained technicians for
Ducati, Moto Guzzi, and Aprilia.
Factory and aftermarket parts and
performance parts for suspensions,
exhaust systems, engine internals,
engine management, wheels and tires, comfort enhancements, and more.
Now offering TEXA vehicle electronic diagnostics for most makes and models.
Also offering service for all European and Japanese bikes, and older and vintage
motorcycles including Ducati singles and twins, BMW, BSA, Norton, Triumph and Laverda.
Mark P. Gillotte
Owner
803.333.9679
Hours: 9am to 5pm Monday thru Saturday. Sunday by appointment only.
www.moto-gizmo.com
1700 Alta Vista Drive, Suite 200, Columbia, South Carolina 29223 • GPS: 34.03.205N 080.58.995W
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SPRING 2008 www.USDESMO.com 13
Touring Sport Ducati finished its season with an
incredible performance at the SunTrust MOTO-ST
8-Hours of Daytona Finale, taking 1st place in the
Grand Sport Twins class (8th overall) and subsequently
winning the 2007 GST title. Their #77 machine piloted
by four-time World Champion Doug Polen (Camarillo,
CA), Pete Friedland (Columbia, SC), and Frank Shockley
(Greenville, SC) led nearly every lap of the race and took
the win after surviving a broken clutch with only 15
minutes left, completing 219 laps on the 3.56-mile road
course and finishing 57
seconds ahead of the Rights
For Bikers #89 Ducati.
Touring Sport Ducati
also fielded a second entry in
class with the #38 machine
of rising AMA star Ryan
Elleby (Powder Springs,
GA), Brad Phillips (Greer,
SC), and Monte Nichols
(Houston, TX) and were
running a solid 2nd place for
more than 7 hours until an
engine failure ended their
day on the back straight
with only 28 minutes left
in the race—completing 208 laps and only putting them
down to a 6th place finish (20th overall).
Polen started the race on the #77 Touring Sport
Ducati sharing row 1 of the GST class alongside the #8
Richie Morris Racing Buell of Shawn Higbee. Elleby
started on the #38 Touring Sport II Ducati from row 4.
After the green flag waved, Polen pulled out front, putting
an average of a 3-second-per-lap gap on Higbee. Elleby
also quickly worked through the field and was running
in 2nd place behind Polen within two laps. Touring Sport
had to finish at least five positions in front of Richie
Morris Racing in order to win the championship, so team
strategy called for both of them to initially run double
stints in an attempt to put as much distance between
them and the rest of the pack early on—it worked.
It wasn’t until the 2½-hour mark that the first
problem surfaced. After both bikes pitted twice for
fuel and rider changes, Friedland was on board the
#77 machine when the low-oil-pressure light began to
illuminate with the bike
leaned over under hard
braking in Turn 1 and
before the back chicane.
The light went out with the
bike stood up, so Friedland
kept on the gas and
continued to put down laps.
Once he pitted for fuel and
a rider change to Shockley,
the crew found that a
low oil level was causing
the pump to cavitate.
Correcting this cost them
an additional 15 seconds in
the pit box until Shockley
could get out on track. With endurance racing of this
length, 15 seconds does not sound like much but is enough
to make the difference between a win and 2nd place.
Shortly after Shockley left the pits, Elleby came in on
the #38 machine for fuel and a rider change to Phillips.
As a precaution, they held him for a few extra seconds
to check the oil level, finding it also needed some to
be added. For the next 4½ hours, both machines were
running a solid 1-2 with a 4-lap gap on the rest of the
Touring Sport Ducati Wins
2007 Moto-ST Championship
by Pete Friedland, Member #00233, photographs by Brian J. Nelson, www.brianjnelson.com
Sometimes, you just get lucky. You meet a good woman, have a good dog, find a last cold beer on a hot day, have a
set of tires last one more track day, eat cookies brought by il Capo to a track day, or make a new friend who’s an
interesting person.
Kathy and I went to an art show in Tryon, North Carolina, where we live when my work doesn’t take us to
Canada. Kathy spotted the watercolors of Gary Page, who is a local artist who mixes great technical craftsmanship
with a wonderful style. There were several we liked, and we ultimately were able to acquire two.
Somewhere I saw someone’s list of the ten most beautiful bikes. It included the 916. The beauty of the 916 and
Gary’s skill came to mind, and you see the result.
We thought it was worth a venture and decided to call Gary and introduce ourselves. We met, talked a lot about
life and music, and asked if he would do a painting of our 916. He took some pictures of the 916 and then suggested we
try the old service station.
Those who have ridden or driven through Tryon will recognize the restored Esso station on highway 176 near
Henson’s Body Shop.
Gary paints, plays guitar in a rock band, likes ZZ Top, collects pocket radios, and is the kind of guy you would enjoy
sitting on a pickup tailgate and talking with–or not talking with–for a long time.
The painting hasn’t been named, but we’re thinking about it. Maybe something like “Got any ethyl?”
Gary can do a commissioned piece for you. Call him at 864-457-2009. We have debated about prints of the 916. If
you have an interest in a print, let us know at wrightjkwright@gmail.com.
by Jim Wright, Member #00045, Painting by Gary Page
Ducati 916 As Art
Daytona Beach, FL (October 20, 2007)
14 www.USDESMO.com SPRING 2008
SPRING 2008 www.USDESMO.com 15
my leathers, but our guys were quick to get the bike on
the stand and tools were flying everywhere! Our engine
builder, Mark Sutton, burned his fingers pretty badly
from swapping hot clutch plates, but he got it together
again in only a few minutes, which really saved the race
for us.”
“I want to thank Doug Polen for his part in our
success. Having Doug here with us helped the team get
out front early, and his mentoring helped all of us ride a
better race today. Ryan Elleby, who started the race on
our #38 machine, also set a pace for the rest of the field to
follow. Monte Nichols also came to ride with the team for
this final round and put down some blazing lap times,”
said Shockley.
field. During the last hour, the engine gave out on the
#38 machine while Phillips was coming off NASCAR 2
onto the back straight. He retired the bike on the inside
of the chicane. “There was a pretty bad vibration that
developed, and about 20 minutes later, that was it. After
a full season of endurance racing on our Ducatis, this was
the only engine failure we’ve had, which really says a lot
for how durable they are,” Phillips commented later: Soon
afterward, while Shockley was back on the #77 Ducati,
a worn clutch brought him onto pit road unexpectedly.
After he entered the pit box, the crew scrambled and
was able to get the bike fixed and back out on track in 6
minutes. It all came down to the wire as the checkered
flag waved shortly thereafter with Touring Sport winning
the GST class on the #77 machine by less than half a lap
and finishing seven places ahead of Richie Morris Racing,
clinching their 2007 SunTrust MOTO-ST Championship.
On the podium, Shockley stated, “Our team was
running 1-2 for more than seven hours and it looked like
we were going to accomplish what we set out to do at
this final round of the MOTO-ST, but things were going
way too smoothly for us and, as endurance races go,
we had some challenges in the last hour. The #38 bike
suffered a fatal blow, but the crew was able to get the #77
back out on track to maintain our win here and get the
championship.”
Friedland added, “When Frank came into pit road,
all hell broke loose because he had already gone past our
spotter when the clutch went out, so nobody was prepared
in the pits. I felt so helpless because I couldn’t go over the
wall wearing shorts since I had already changed out of
by Pete Friedland, Member #00233
Touring Sport Ducati 2nd Overall at
SunTrust MOTO-ST Daytona 300
field. During the last hour, the engine gave out on the
The Touring Sport/Ducati Performance racing
team returned for round #1 of the 2008 SunTrust
MOTO-ST Series at Daytona with a stunning
performance that attracted much attention from fans
and fellow competitors. The team was not only geared up
to defend their 2007 championship in the Grand Sport
Twins class, but to go after the top podium spot with a
1st overall in Super Sport Twins. The series is run with
3 classes defined by weight and horsepower restrictions
and an overall 4.5 gallon fuel capacity limit. SST (Super
Sport Twins) allows up to 120 rwhp & 400 lb minimum.
GST (Grand Sport Twins) allows up to 90 rwhp & 380
lb minimum. ST (Sport Twins) allows up to 75 rwhp &
360 lb minimum. Doug Polen (Camarillo, CA) and Pete
A Special Thank-You to the Touring Sport Ducati Racing Sponsors:
Touring Sport Ducati, Duc Shop Performance Center, Ducati Performance, Rapid Bike,
Robby Byrd, USDesmo, Swatt Motorcycle Products, Pistal Racing, EZGlide350 Synthetic
Ice, JVE Limited, Pirelli Tires, Global Behavioral Solutions
Daytona Beach, FL (March 2, 2008)
success. Having Doug here with us helped the team get
16 www.USDESMO.com SPRING 2008
SPRING 2008 www.USDESMO.com 17
Friedland (Columbia, SC) piloted the newly-introduced
Ducati 848 in SST, with Frank Shockley (Greenville, SC)
and Brad Phillips (Greer, SC) aboard the Sport 1000.
“Both of these machines fit very well within the
class structure of the series and when the 848 became
available, I knew this would be the bike that we could
use to go after the overall championship. Our Sport 1000
is also a huge improvement over the SS1000 which got
us the GST title in ‘07,” says Shockley. With the team
running bikes in two different classes, it presented
much more of a challenge than what they had in the
past. Coordinating pit stop strategies and overall crew
responsibilities were much more complex. Shockley
states, “We now had
machines that lapped
at very different speeds
and had a different fuel
consumption rates. I’ve
been managing a team
in endurance racing for
a number of years now
and this added a lot to the
responsibility. We ran two
identical bikes in GST last
year, but that was easy by
comparison.”
At the start of the
race, Polen’s grid position
aboard the #75 848 was
at the back of his class
since the team had not competed in SST before, however
he worked his way through the field and into the overall
lead in just 5 laps and also turned the fastest lap of the
race of a 1:45.3. Challenges quickly presented themselves
when at the first pit stop for fuel they were held for a 20
second penalty since fuel went in before Polen could get
off the bike. The 848 had the overall lead and looked set
to win in it’s very first race, however an extra stop was
needed for fuel with 9 laps to go since the 848 only held
4.1 gallons (.4 under the allowed maximum). In the end,
Polen & Friedland finished 2nd overall by only a 4.5
second margin over the Aprilia USA team of Ty Howard
and Mike Himmelsbach.
In the GST class, Shockley & Phillips, aboard the
#77 Ducati Sport 1000-S led the race for 62 of the 108
laps. Fuel consumption was very good in testing and
showed that they could complete the 300-mile endurance
with only 3 stops. However, due to 2 separate caution
flags which brought out the safety car for 10 laps, they
calculated they could finish the race with only 2 stops.
“During the race, our
“made for cars” radios were
not working very well at
speed, so communication
for both machines was
made by using our
spotter & pit-board in the
infield. It was difficult
to communicate much of
anything more than lap
times and position, so
with only a few laps left
in the race, I kept pushing
with the fuel light on, not
knowing the gap I had over
2nd place. Late in the race,
I could see the leader board
on the tower, and it looked like we were going to pull off
the double win, so I decided to go for it”, said Shockley,
“however the #77 machine ran out of fuel going on to the
back straight on the last lap and finished 4th in GST.
The SunTrust MOTO-ST Series will continue with
the VIR 500k at Virginia International Raceway on April
27th.
The Moto
Guzzi Museum
We voyaged by steamer down the Lago di Lecco,
through wild mountain scenery and by hamlets
and villas, and disembarked at the town of
Lecco. They said it was two hours by carriage to the
ancient city of Bergamo, and that we would arrive there
in good season for the railway train. We got an open
barouche and a wild, boisterous driver, and set out. It was
delightful. We had a fast team and a perfectly smooth
road. There were towering cliffs on our left, and the pretty
Lago di Lecco on our right, and every now and then it
rained on us.”
Unlike Mark Twain in Innocents Abroad, I arrived
in Lecco by taxi after a short train ride from Milan. The
small town situated on the shores of Lake Como, or, to
be geographically correct, along the banks of the River
Adda, was also bathed in brilliant sunshine, and the
skyline was dominated by the gleaming snowcapped
Bergamo Alps across the sparkling water. Taking a stroll
alongside the picturesque lake, the air was filled with
the sound of flapping sails, small outboard engines, and
lots of birds singing their hectic springtime songs as they
busied themselves. Twisting along the lakeside road
there was also a nearly endless stream of brightly colored
motorcycles, which drew my thoughts to my mission for
the following day: a visit to the world-famous Moto Guzzi
factory a few kilometers up the train line in the town of
Mandello del Lario.
Having cut my sport-bike teeth on the plank that
posed for a seat of a Mark I Le Mans, Mandello del Lario
was something of a semi-mythical place. Blasting through
the English countryside on my fire-spitting, racing-red,
Italian stallion with barely enough money for a cup of tea
in my pockets, Mandello might as well have been on the
moon. Now, nearly twenty-five years later, I would finally
get the opportunity to walk through the factory gates and
step into a history
that started back
in 1917 during the
First World War.
At the time,
three young
Italian pilots
were fighting for their country in the Italian Air Corps:
Carlo Guzzi, Giorgio Parodi, and a well-known racer
of the day, Giovanni Ravelli. As uncertain as life must
have been, they still managed to think about what they
would do after the war, and the three young men shared
a collective dream of building their own motorcycles. A
loan from Giorgio Parodi’s father would get them going,
and Giovanni Ravelli would race their new motorcycle,
as success on the circuits of Europe would be vital for the
new company. In a cruel twist of fate, Ravelli survived the
war only to die some days later, but it didn’t stop Carlo
and Giorgio from going ahead with their original business
plan.
By 1920, the first machine had been built, a 500cc
single-cylinder, with a total of 17 being produced at the
new factory in Mandello by the end of 1921. Moto Guzzi
was born. Proudly displaying their Air Corps flying
eagle on the gas tank in honor of their fallen friend, the
pair immediately went racing and took their first win at
the torturous Targa Florio. By 1924, Moto Guzzi was a
dominant force in the world of motorcycle racing, and by
the time they retired in 1957, they had won more than
3,000 races and taken eight world championships and
eleven victories at the grueling Isle of Man. Under the
constant supervision of Carlo and Giorgio, there were
many highlights in the journey, including the incredible
Otto Cilindri (eight-cylinder) Grand Prix race bike by
designer Giulio Cesare Carcano, which was the only
Story and photographs by Neale Bayly
A Special Thank-You to the Touring Sport Ducati Racing Sponsors:
Touring Sport Ducati, Duc Shop Performance Center, Ducati Performance, Robby Byrd
Swatt Motorcycle Products, Pistal Racing, JVE Limited, Pirelli Tires, Global Behavioral
Solutions, MGW Precision Small Parts
18 www.USDESMO.com SPRING 2008
SPRING 2008 www.USDESMO.com 19
motorcycle of its type ever built and very successful as a racing machine to
boot.
After the death of Carlo Guzzi in 1964, financial troubles hit the
Mandello-based company, and, during an Italian bank takeover, Carcano
was let go. The innovative and imaginative Lino Tonti would replace him,
and under the guidance of the investment group his V7 Sport appeared,
followed by the 850GT and the highly successful California range.
Argentinean industrialist Alejandro de Tomaso was the next owner of the
company and held the reigns until the takeover by Aprilia. More recently,
the company has changed hands again, this
time coming under the vast Piaggio umbrella.
With all of this turmoil and change over the
decades, it is incredible to think that the
company still lives and breaths in the same set
of buildings it started in way back in 1921.
A sprawling labyrinth of workshops and
offices, the factory is huge, and I almost felt
like leaving a trail of breadcrumbs when I left
one area in case I needed to find my way back.
Peering through grimy windows into different
rooms revealed testing, tuning, development,
and even customer service with all manner
of motorcycles in various states of repair as
I wandered around. Down one long outdoor
corridor, I bumped into a mad professor look-alike, who was strapping
all sorts of electronic equipment to a standard-looking Moto Guzzi with
a mock-up fairing in primer. Smiling politely, I thought twice about
shooting spy photos, so meandered off in the direction of the museum,
making a mental note to take a tour through the assembly area later.
Talk about stepping back in time! Moving along on creaky wooden
floors, I had the place to myself, as I noticed the many places the old
plaster walls had been repaired, disguising the neglect that must have
occurred through the lean years. I’m sure the museum wasn’t a priority
when there was no money in the coffers for day-to-day business. The
history, the struggle, the triumphs and disasters, financial takeovers,
and glory on the world’s racetracks were all right there in the long, stark,
narrow corridors filled with over 150 motorcycles. Walking alone, the light
filtering in through the grimy, multi-pane metal windows, reminded me of
old World War II prisoner of war movies.
Retracing my steps to the gift shop, and pausing to take a snapshot
of a race-prepped Coppa Italia, I decide to start at the beginning of the
chronological display featuring motorcycles from 1921-1945. Entitled
“The Birth of a Legend,” the first room starts with a 498cc single-cylinder
machine called a Normale. Based on the first machine produced by Carlo
and Giorgio, this simple-looking motorcycle produced 8.5 horsepower at
3,400 rpm and was capable of over 50 mph. The vast majority of the bikes
produced in the early decades were simple, single-cylinder machines,
and it isn’t until the ‘40s section that twin-cylinder machines begin to
appear. My particular favorite was a gnarly looking 1948 500cc twin racer
that produced a healthy 44 horsepower. Interestingly, the engine layout
appears very similar to the early Ducati V-twins, which would come much
later. Moto Guzzi did win the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy the year earlier,
but I am not sure if the winning machine is in the museum, as there was
no mention of it. The bike that won the 1955 350cc World Championship
is on display though, and looking at its battered and bruised form made
me realize how far modern racing machinery has come.
Taking a break from the solitude of the museum after a few magical
hours, I followed the breadcrumbs over to the assembly line. Entering the
large building, the place was alive with energy as the workers in their
bright-red boiler suits, sporting various fashion accessories from nose
rings to hair gel, attended to the production line. Smiling and joking
with each other, they were working on a batch of brand new Grisos.
Compared to the thoroughly modern Triumph factory in England, it is a
bit old fashioned, but it is definitely very up to date and spotlessly clean
and organized. There was a separate line with a handful of Nevadas,
but peering into one of the engine rooms containing rows of Griso
engines, it is pretty clear where the focus is at Moto Guzzi these days.
As I meandered back through the museum after lunch in the staff
cafeteria, some of the old bikes looked like the sort of picture your old,
senile aunt might have on the wall. Antiquated and an inch thick in
dust, a few had small puddles of oil underneath, while others looked
as if they had just rolled off a battlefield: tired, weary, and in need of
rest. Taking photographs specifically for detail drew me in closer and
closer to the beautifully crafted parts: the exposed valve springs of the
1928 Norge, the tiny cylinders of the phenomenal V-eight, or the neatly
restored single equipped with skis on the side. Winding up and down
the narrow stone staircases between the floors
reminded me of my first high school, with the
musty smell that only old buildings seem to
have. And later, taking a sit-down in Carlo
Guzzi’s chair in the mock-up of his office, the
sparseness of his workspace was powerful,
with simple metal cabinets, a few pictures,
and an assortment of relevant engineering
books. Like the machines he produced, there
were few frills.
Leaving the past behind and arriving
amongst the modern era bikes, it felt good
to recognize a lot of the featured machines,
although there were a lot of small mopeds
and scooters I never even knew existed. An
MGS 01 had a small display area to itself, a visceral minimalist race
bike that I have had the pleasure to ride, a Dr. John Daytona 1000 race
replica, an old Le Mans 1 endurance race machine with full complement
of battle scars—the diversity and range of the machinery enough to put
you in a head spin. Old police bikes, off-road bikes, and lots of quirky
little single-cylinder transportation specials.
At one point in the tour, I found a 250cc four-cylinder, identical to
the Benelli Quattro in every detail except the badges on the gas tank.
Across the room a pair of Paris-Dakar race machines, based on the
dual-purpose Quota, sat next to a Baja version of the same machine.
The word “diverse” certainly springs to mind. Ancient and modern,
side-by-side in the timeless museum dating back to 1921: the long rich
history of Moto Guzzi displayed without pomp and ceremony in the long,
narrow halls.
A good number of the modern bikes are new, with a lot of the models
fully restored, but there are still plenty of rough, raw original machines
in the exact condition they were parked. And as all of these quirks and
imperfections grow to be more obvious, so the museum becomes more
charming and more delightful. To the accompaniment of some very
eclectic music somewhere in the light, hazy mist that floats across Lake
Como, eight hours slipped by, and the hands of the clock made their way
to closing time, consigning my day to the past tense. Hanging on to the
last moments, I took one last look at my favorite machine in the museum:
the V-8 racer, a machine of elegant, unrefined beauty, with an engine
that stunned the world in the 1950s. A few moments alone with the
V-8 is a ticket back in time, just like a day at the Moto Guzzi museum in
Mandello del Lario alongside the beautiful waters of Lake Como.
www.USDESMO.com SPRING 2008
SPRING 2008 www.USDESMO.com 19
20 www.USDESMO.com SPRING 2008
SPRING 2008 www.USDESMO.com 21
It could be said that the birthplace for America’s
motorcycle road racing was at Indianapolis Motor
Speedway in 1909, when the first race ever held
at the newly constructed track was a motorcycle race.
While there were many tracks that played host to
weekly competitions in the United States and Europe,
Indianapolis Motor Speedway has demonstrated the
staying power to become the undisputed racing capital of
the world. Now, after nearly a century, motorcycle racing
returns to the Brickyard on September 12–14, 2008, with
a world-class MotoGP event.
This is an opportunity to raise
awareness of motorcycling in
the United States and be part
of the celebration around this
historic event.
1909 Indianapolis
“National Motorcycle Race
Meet” winner, Erwin George
Baker, born in 1882 in
Dearborn County, Indiana,
moved to Indianapolis at age
12. He learned the machinist
trade and labored in a
foundry and worked out in a
gymnasium, faithfully gaining
a reputation as a strong and
agile athlete. He earned a job with an acrobatic team
traveling the vaudeville circuit. Erwin was into the
popular bicycle-racing craze
at the turn of the century,
which led to his riding the first
motorized bicycles.
In 1908, Baker purchased
an Indian motorcycle, entering
and winning local races. His
most famous victory came in
1909 at the first race ever held
at the newly built Indianapolis
Motor Speedway. He began his
endurance runs by setting early
city-to-city records and racing
passenger trains from town to
town before the days of well-maintained roads. Baker
often encountered deep mud, sand washes, flooded river
crossings, and snowed-in mountain passes during his
long-distance attempts.
Erwin Baker was an early motorcycling pioneer who
by John M. Rossi, founder VivaDUCATI.com, Member #00262
Start of the fi rst race at Indianapolis in 1909, where cotton-clad racers ran on a
2.5 mile oval made-up of tar and gravel. Racing that weekend was compromised
due to heavy rains, but the racing went on as planned. Judges and VIPs viewed
from simple, side-by-side, 2-story observation structures. Erwin Baker on his
Indian motorcycle moves out from the pack at the start of the race.
Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway Archives
Erwin “Cannonball” Baker, 1882–
1960 Credit: Motorcycle Museum
Hall of Fame
22 www.USDESMO.com SPRING 2008
SPRING 2008 www.USDESMO.com 23
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set dozens of
cross-country
records riding
a variety of
motorcycles
and sidecar
rigs. He also
was known
for record-set-
ting runs in
automobiles.
By the time he
retired from
his pursuit of
records, it was
estimated that
Baker had rid-
den or driven
more than
five million
miles. During
his exhaust-
ing career,
Baker made
more than 143
attempts at
a variety of
timed, long-
distance re-
cords, includ-
ing his most
famous trans-
continental
and three-flags (Canada to Mexico) attempts, earning the
nickname “Cannonball.” He auto raced in the Indianapo-
lis 500 in 1922, placing 11th, became the first commis-
sioner of NASCAR, and was inducted into the Motorcycle
Museum Hall of Fame in 1998.
Plenty to Share and Much to Learn
Here in the United States, motorcyclists, manufacturers,
dealerships, and clubs remain nomadic, fractured, tribal,
and territorial by nature. When opportunities like the
inaugural MotoGP at Indianapolis Motor Speedway arise,
we have an opportunity to transform motorcycling into a
social integrator rather than a mechanism for brand seg-
regation.
World-class MotoGP racing has been held in the
United States at Laguna and now also at Indianapolis.
This improving race climate is right for the brotherhood
and sisterhood of motorcyclists to form a cohesive
community as advocates for our sport and support
these efforts with increased attendance. Indianapolis is
accessible to the major population centers of the United
States and Canada. With its major infrastructure
and track improvements nearly complete, there is the
potential to host other major racing events such as World
Super Bike.
The Indianapolis MotoGP will be televised on NBC
and covered by all moto-press, with extended reach
through consumer press. This helps inject motorcycling
awareness in the United States deep into every circle of
riders regardless of the persona or brand mantra they
chant. Manufacturers and the overall industry can only
benefit by more motorcyclists spreading among avid
enthusiasts and neophytes alike–through racing–the
passion for our sport. Nothing would sweep riders into the
sport more than the exhilaration of witnessing a world-
class MotoGP race up-close.
The early observation tower evolved into a pagoda style from the infl uence
of track founder Carl G. Fisher, who held a strong interest in Japanese
architecture. The entrepreneur is credited with single-handedly developing
Miami, Florida.
First Indianapolis Race Facts:
Name: “National Motorcycle Race
Meet”
Date: August 13 and 14, 1909
Surface: Tar and crushed rock
Distance: 2.5 miles oval
Manufacturers: Harley Davidson,
Indian, Thor, Merkel, R.S. (Reading
Standard.)
Winner: Erwin
“Cannonball” Baker, 27
years old, won the main
race event on a 1908 Indian
motorcycle, and there were
several races throughout
the day.
Brickyard: The brick laying started in
September of 1909. The brick surface
was comprised of 3.2 million bricks,
and the Motor Speedway gave way
to hosting only automobile races
from that point forward until now.
After nearly a century, motorcycles
return on September 12 – 14, 2008,
to an entirely new MotoGP road
course that is under construction at
Indianapolis.
This is the 1909 race-winning Indian motorcycle ridden by Erwin Baker,
complete with pedal start and neatly tucked belly exhaust. This motorcycle will
play a central part in the inaugural MotoGP at Indianapolis, where it will be
ridden at the opening ceremonies by a current MotoGP rider.
SPRING 2008 www.USDESMO.com 25
Considering that the population drawn to the famous
500-mile auto races at Indianapolis equals that of Miami
at around 400,000 people, it is feasible that our inaugural
MotoGP could see 200,000 or 250,000 motorcyclists in
attendance. Such a movement would help to re-root
motorcycle racing in America’s consumer consciousness
and the front pages of the sports sections.
While there is a rich motorcycle racing legacy at
Indianapolis dating back to 1909, there are no mythical
memories of a disorderly past to overcome such as at
Louden, New Hampshire, or Daytona Beach. So all those
who attend the Indianapolis MotoGP will begin writing
an entirely new chapter and creating this legacy by
rallying their friends and plotting their pilgrimage to
attend the race.
Beyond the Checkered Flag to
Building Community.
We United States motorcyclists represent a huge
economic machine churning $25.5 billion in consumer
sales. This supports those who earn their crust in this
industry and the many thousands of people who benefit
from the activities, travel, and patronage of motorcyclists.
In the last 14 years, motorcycling has gained incredible
popularity in the United States, with increasing sales
every year that top over one million units sold annually.
One would admit that a market of 5.7 million United
States-registered motorcycles is a strong advocate base
to draw riders, enthusiasts, and race and non-race fans
alike to the inaugural MotoGP in September 2008. But
how does this message get out through the 12,013 retail
outlets, or on the lips of the 148,675 employees in the
motorcycle industry, who all have a vested interest to
promote our sport of motorcycling regardless of what
brand they sell?
As a consumer group and an industry, we need to
constantly increase our awareness and visibility in the
mainstream of transport and hone our skills and abilities
for the sheer sake of survival on
the road, track, and trail. Not to
mention that the public-perception
curve remains a constant struggle
to climb when tainted by a few to
the detriment of all motorcyclists.
Education at every level and inspiration to strive to be
proficient play key roles in how motorcyclists pursue their
leisure-time sport, enjoy it, and live long to tell about
it. World-class road racing is a forum that can help us
advance the positive story of our sport.
A Distinction Between Europe and
the United States
Motorcycling in the United States is very different
culturally than in Europe, where it has prevailed as
a beloved pastime among nations since World War II.
Competition has always been strong between riders and
manufacturers, but there is a real cultural pride around
motorcycling to this day. Motorcycling is common in
Europe, where the greats of the sport are celebrated, their
names are well known, and race results are talked about
as the stick and ball sports are here in the United States.
A quick look back to 1946: Europe was devastated
by war; resources were scarce, especially fuel and
transportation. Allied forces leveled almost everything
in sight. The motorized bicycle, scooter, and small-
displacement motorcycles emerged as an innovative
technology transfer of wartime use to peace and nation
building. These beloved two-wheeled transports served
society in a vital economic role and were integral to
community building as compared to the United States,
where motorcycling was hijacked and associated with
non-conformists, criminals, or law enforcement, at
least until Honda appeared in the mid 1950s and Elvis
sang a new tune for two-wheeled acceptance. However,
motorcycling was again tainted by Brando, Hopper, and
other two-wheeled rebels.
This 50-year-old reference point is just a snapshot of
how motorcycling has evolved here in the United States
and how racing has, or has not, caught on as compared
to other parts of the world, and especially compared
to Europe, where entire populations rallied around
motorcycling racing in the town squares to cheer their
local baker, machinist, and shoemaker, who used the
same bike as their primary transport vehicle during
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Pete Friedland
running at the
front of the pack
Mark Sutton
replaces fried
clutch plates on
a very hot motor
while everyone
anxiously
looks on.
Doug Polen at speed
on the Touring Sport
Ducati 1000
Photos by Brian T. Nelson
Performance
Spoken Here.
2007
Moto-ST GST
National
Champion!
Ducati SS1000
Let us build one for you!
Brad Phillips, Pete Friedland,
Frank Shockley & Doug Polen
The motorcycle became an integrator to European communities after World War
II as seen here as these 250 Ducati street bikes are adapted for a race through the
village and Italian countryside.
Ducati Corsa Team and #27 Casey Stoner, 2007
MotoGP World Champion, will defend and perhaps
secure his second championship title at Indianapolis
in 2008
Motorcycling is common in Europe, where the greats of the sport are celebrated,
their names are well known, and race results are talked about as the stick and
ball sports are here in the United States.
26 www.USDESMO.com SPRING 2008
SPRING 2008 www.USDESMO.com 27
Here is the picture
of my 1991 851
with Unigo trailer I
promised at the Ducks
Fly South rally last
October. My bike
ended up totaled after
the deer encounter
coming to rally, but I
bought it back from the
insurance company.
Mostly cosmetic plastic
damage which is easy
to fix. It did run fine; I
added 2600 miles going
home after the rally.
Best regards,
Hannu Korhonen
Member #01042
Madison, Maine
the week. These locals, clad in leathers and goggles and
sporting number plates raced toward victory, communal
celebration, and high regard among the townspeople.
New Dawn of Motorcycling in the
United States
The Indianapolis MotoGP may never capture the romance
of racing through an Italian village, but this is our chance
as United States riders to rally behind these efforts and
share a message of celebration by meeting in 2008 at
America’s birthplace of motorcycle road racing.
All manufacturers, builders, club members, and riders
in the United States should know of and be excited about
this event and pledge to make their pilgrimage to the
inaugural MotoGP at Indianapolis. This is an exciting
step to shape the future of motorcycling as well as racing
for the next century and strengthen the motorcycling
community in the United States and beyond. I urge all of
you to mark your calendar, plan your route, and be part of
this historic motorcycling event scheduled for September
12–14, 2008.
For more information on how you can experience the
historic MotoGP event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway,
visit VivaDUCATI.com for an exclusive VIP Access
Credentials Package or redbullindianapolisgp.com for
general seating.
US DESMO SCHEDULE 2008
April 7 – Track Day Roebling Road, Savannah, Georgia
May 2-4 – DABR (Ducks Along the Blue Ridge) Mt Airy, North Carolina
Monday, May 19 – Track Day Carolina Motorsports Park, Kershaw, South
Carolina
August 8-10 – DHW (Ducks Head West) Erwin, Tennessee
October 3-5 – DFS (Ducks Fly South) Hiawassee, Georgia
Saturday and Sunday, October 18-19 – Two Day Track Day Carolina
Motorsports Park, Kershaw, South Carolina
Monday, November 3 – Track Day Roebling Road, Savannah, Georgia
John M. Rossi at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with the Learjet Pagoda,
hot-pits of gasoline alley, and the famous straightaway in the background.
An entirely new 16-turn, 2.6 mile MotoGP motorcycle road course is being built
at Indianapolis to utilize select sections of the oval.
You never know where that US Desmo sticker is going to crop up...
Photo by Neal Bayly
28 www.USDESMO.com SPRING 2008
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Bench Racing
Tall tales of fact and “friction”
Pain and Pleasure
(or ruminations on four decades of motorcycling)
by George Smith
Sometimes things have a way of working out. I’ve
been riding now for 41 years, ever since my dad
bought me a Mobylette moped when I was 15 years
old. During college, I took a short hiatus, but bought a
used RD250 on graduation and have been going at it ever
since. My riding days almost ended suddenly in 1975 on a
beautiful June Saturday.
Like most riders, I was very careful for the first few
rides. But as my confidence increased, so did my opinion
of my skill. As I tell my sons, a few “OMIGOD”s are
essential to developing the survival skills one needs for
successful riding. I was unlucky enough to avoid having
enough of them to develop any real sense of my own
mortality.
I was sure that I was an above-average rider, but then
I suppose we all are. I had graduated to an RD350, and in
short order bought my first “big bike,” a Yamaha XS 500
twin. As a recently married 24-year old, my wife and I
shared a car, but we had two bikes.
That Saturday, my wife was off somewhere in our
car, and I was out on the bike. Coming back home in
Charlotte, I was exactly one block from my house when
I approached a left-turning Buick. Every other time, the
turning car had waited for me to pass, but not this time.
I don’t think I’d ever locked the brakes on a motorcycle
before, but I did this time.
Things worked out. Sorta. The bike skidded and went
down. I went down and skidded farther. The bike ended
up against the Buick. I ended up underneath the Buick.
The bike was crunched. I was ambulatory, but missing
some skin. I had the same immediate reaction most of you
have had: “THE BIKE!”
I’ll never forget sitting on the curb while waiting for
the police to arrive and looking at my knee and arm and
seeing the slow, oozing transition of dermis from white
(with the requisite dark asphalt flecks) to bright red (with
asphalt flecks). I’ll also remember forever (my next-door
neighbor’s) statement to the police, “Well, I had my turn
signal on!” I remember wondering if that would somehow
exonerate her.
Many people are able to point to a similar incident
as the time they quit riding motorcycles. That could have
been the case with me as well, since I had just proved
my mother right. Well, I hadn’t really gotten killed,
but I could have. What in life is more humiliating than
listening to “I told you so!”?
In the years since then, I’ve enjoyed many miles and
hours on my various bikes because something worked out.
Something I didn’t plan for. Something I couldn’t plan for.
That June Saturday, Marcia wasn’t home. My two-week-
old bike was folded in two. I was sore and bleeding and in
need of attention, and I was about as alone as I could be.
What else was there to do but walk home, get on my
wife’s Yamaha, and ride to the hospital? It was painful,
but the ride home, after an hour or so of debriding my
knee and arm was worse. But ya do whatcha gotta do, and
what I gotta do is ride a bike to get medical help.
I wonder had a car been at home, or had a friend
been around to take me to the hospital, if that would have
been the end of my life on two wheels. Instead, when the
insurance check arrived, I bought a CB400F Honda, the
bike that ultimately led me to road racing and cemented
friendships I enjoy to this day. This is how things are
SUPPOSED to work out!
Many people are able to point to a similar incident as the time
they quit riding motorcycles. That could have been the case with
me as well, since I had just proved my mother right.
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