Motorcycle Nation Podcast

It is all over for 2010. As expected, Frenchman Cyril Despres was the winner in the bike class. Despres bested nearest competitor Ullevalseter (NOR) by 1h02′52″. Chilean Contardo finished third about 7″ behind Ullevalseter. As well as Despres rode in this rally I feel that the most impressive ride has to go to Spaniard Mark Coma. After a huge penalty midway through the rally that cost him six hours and another twenty-two minutes on top of that Coma rode to a fifteenth place finish 6h32″42″ behind Despres. Take away the penalty time and Coma would have placed second only ten minutes off the winning pace. I would call that some very skilled riding. What a disappointment for Coma.

American Jonah Street did the Stars and Stripes proud bringing home a seventh place finish. Street maintained the seventh place position from Stage 5 on. His best finish was in Stage 11 where he raced to a fourth place honor. The other American finisher, Ludovic Boinnard, completed the rally in fortieth position nearly sixteen and one half hours off the pace. The ladies were led across the line by Sweden’s Annie Seel 18h45′ behind Despres while Giannetti (67th) and Meier (85th) rounded out the female scoring.

One hundred fifty motorcycles started this grueling rally and whether for mechanical or rider problems sixty-two failed to complete. Off seasons will be spent trying to make the bike problem proof and the riders more tough. Some riders will be lamenting about all the what ifs that could have made them more competitive. We hope they don’t cry in their beer too long. Dakar 2011 is closer than you think!

Family and work responsibilities called me away for a couple of days which means that I have missed out on two days of the rally. As I check in today, fifty-three motorcycles have checked in for Stage 11 and there are some new faces showing up there. Of course, the current order may change once the race stewards validate the results but the leader of the stage, Netherlands Frans Verhoeven (51st overall after stage 10) surprised everyone crossing the line in first. US rider Jonah Street shows in second for the stage while the normal faces we see, Contardo (5th), Despres (7th), and Coma (9th) finish in the top ten.

We will check back in after the results are validated.

Talk about bad decisions. Spain’s Mark Coma has consistently found himself at the top of the overall standings throughout the first half of the Dakar Rally making it to the rest day in second overall with two stage wins under his belt. On rest day, he was handed a very harsh penalty of 6 hours for accepting help during a non race portion of a stage. Coma had a new tire installed prior to Stage 7 which is viewed as a major advantage. After the penalty was handed down, Coma was said to be considering withdrawing from the rally.

But, as the riders began Stage 8, Coma was lined up and ready to go. He must have taken some aggression out as he finished the stage 42″ behind Chile’s Lopez Contardo to place second for the stage. Overall rally leader Cyril Despres finished 6′01 behind Coma in fifth position. Amazingly, Coma’s finish brought him five spots up the overall leaderboard to nineteenth.

Jonah Street completed the stage in thirteenth position holding on to seventh overall. Ludovic Boinnard hangs out in forty-fifth overall as he continues to plug along. The ladies remain in the rally. Meier is in 89th position, Giannetti in sixty-eighth, and Seel in fiftieth overall. Stage 9 is under way as I finish this post up and you will see it either tonight to tomorrow. Stick around as competition heats up on the race back to Buenos Aires!

Stage 7 set up a long run down the coast of Chile that will end closer to Santiago but today took the participants from Iquique back to Antofagasta. It was another stellar run by Spaniard Mark Coma who led the bike class out of Iquique but found himself dropped to as low as twentieth position. At km 355 he had fought back to fourth position, km 448 found him in second, and he was back in the lead by km 509 ending the stage in second position 29 seconds behind stage winner Cyril Despres.
Frenchman David Fretigne spent some time at the front of this stage as well and has been riding strong since Stage 3 where he found himself in twentieth position. He completed Stage 7 in the seventh overall position. Jonah Street, riding for the Stars and Stripes, completed the stage in sixteenth position 42′06 off pace which leaves him in the top ten overall at number eight. Fellow rider Boinnard remains towards the middle of the pack reeling off forty-fifth position.

Annie Seel completed the stage in sixty third position which places her in the forty-third position overall. The other lady riders, Giannetti (70th overall) and Meier (89th overall) are well out of contention but must be commended on their riding ability and stamina. As of this writing, only 90 bikes have checked in which means the class has lost sixty bikes since leaving Buenos Aires. Anyone still riding must be considered tough.

Stage 8 will commence on Sunday with a run from Antofagast to Copiapo. Tomorrow will be a welcomed rest day for the riders and their equipment as well. We will check back in with the rally Sunday afternoon. See you all back here.

(Picture of Cyril Despres used under Creative Commons from Flikr)

You all remember that my buddy Dennis bought a new Ultra Classic on our recent trip to Michigan. If you have not read about that one scroll down a couple posts and read about the road trip. What I did not share with you is that another friend also has a new bike that was purchased about two weeks ago. Now that is not a very amazing story but let me add this ironic twist. The other friend just so happens to be Dennis’ wife Kim.

I stopped by the ABATE of Indiana state office yesterday where Kim works as the HFIC, that would be Head FEMALE In Charge, of the Motorcycle Safety Division. Kim schedules all the classes for the safety program at the sixteen safety sites in the state. I stepped off my Softail and was checking out her bike when she came out the front door with the keys in hand. She told me to take the bike for a ride and I told her that I would take it around the block and would be right back.

Remember that I am riding a 1999 Softail Custom as my daily ride. We are talking the 80 cubic inch Evolution engine, which was still solid mounted to the frame during that production year, and a five speed tranny. This was my first experience on the Harley Davidsons with the 96″ engine and the six speed transmissions. I have to say that I was impressed with Kim’s Street Bob.

Kim with her new Street Bob outside the ABATE of Indiana offices.

Really good power through the gears, even in sixth when I cranked the throttle from sixty-five mph and held on to one hundred before I decided I did not want a ticket that day. I like the shift points with the six speed tranny but really can’t think of any use for that gear other than being on the interstate hammering out the miles. Shifting was very smooth and was a little confusing without that trademark “clunk” during each shift. The handling was very nice although my route did not allow me to give a good test of the lean angles of the bike as any roads with any curves are 20 miles farther to the South. Overall I loved the ride.

Speaking of curves, I have to share a story from a friend from a few years ago. I got an email from him one evening and I read the email and noticed that he had placed a new sentence into his ending signature. We have all heard of Deal’s Gap with their 318 curves in 11 miles. Well my friend lives in Kansas and he signed off on his email by saying, “Kansas, 11 curves in 318 miles.” And now you have the rest of the story.

Back to new bikes. So, for the past 10 months I have been surrounded by new bikes. I have had the opportunity to ride a few of them and came away impressed with all. All but one have been from the Motor Company and that was a BMW f800GS. That is an amazing motorcycle as well and it is on my list of bikes that I would like to have. A little adventure would be fun. Put some miles on and go to a place where you could enjoy the attributes of the Beemer’s off road side would be pure pleasure. I have the New Bike Fever bad, all this is missing is the Big Bank Account to go with it. If you have purchased a new motorcycle lately, let us know about it. I can live through you.

Ride Safe