When AC first proposed I write something intelligent about prepping a bike for the open road, I was on it like stink on Limburger. But as I thought about it two things struck me. Judging by the letters I receive, the majority of MC readers are downright conscientious when it comes to routine maintenance. Shamefully, most of you are probably better at it than I am, and by the same token a lot of you spend way more time touring by motorcycle than I do. I figure there are quite a few readers who could probably teach me a thing or two on both counts.

A Shiftless Bunch
Q What do you think has led to the odd situation where CVT transmissions seem to dominate world scooter sales, yet very few, if any, automatic transmissions are offered on motorcycles? To my knowledge there is only one new manually shifted scooter sold in the USA today, the Genuine Stella. All the rest are automatics. Car manufacturers seem to be able to drop a CVT into anything they like. Are we motorcycle riders that opposed to shiftless rides? I remember well the Honda Hawk and 750 automatics. Technology doesn't seem to be the problem. Perhaps there are bikes I'm not aware of.
Richard
Via e-mail

A glance in history's rearview mirror can be illuminating, especially when you spot bikes that might have had a real impact on the sport had they been just a bit more successful.

Good Bikes...
Or Loud Pipes?
Re "The Last Word on Loud Pipes," (Shop, May '08) I would be the first to agree there is no excuse for pipes that are so loud they annoy other people, but at the same time I don't want my motorcycle to sound like a sewing machine or an outboard motor. Like it or not, ladies, you are never going to live in a testosterone-free society. Men want their motorcycles to sound like motorcycles, not like granny's grocery-getter.

Got a bike you'd like to flaunt? Send prints or high-resolution digital files (300 dpi, please) of your cruiser plus info about it to Motorcycle Cruiser, 6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048 or evan.kay@sourceinterlink.com.