Fun / Anything Goes

Motorcycles


There's something odd about seeing land-cruising motorcycles in the virtual landscape of the Web. But both night and rain fall for even the most determined surfers and riders, and the Internet is a great source of contacts and information about how to keep your bike in shape and what direction to point it in. It's also worth noting that the Internet helps get around some of the visual stereotypes that have dogged two-wheel wanderers and racers.

The Best

One of the most complete starting places for motorcycle information is Cameron Simpson's Moto Page. Simpson is rooted in the Australian riding community, and many of his offerings are by local groups. But he's assembled a set of links that will cover just about any interest, from riding techniques to travel information to buying a new or used motorcycle to clubs and gatherings. Happily, his motorcycle home page avoids some of the Netscape-specific typographic extremes of his personal home page, but it still contains a substantial amount of large files. You may not linger here for a very long time, but it's a great place to start.

The Web is rich in reports of trips taken and trips awaiting you to places where you will linger. Dale C. Coyner's Appalachian Highways is an ode to that mid-Atlantic region, framed by striking photos. In part a promotion of Coyner's book on motorcycle journeys through the region, the page is linked to his descriptions of interesting people and places, which are rooted in the history of the region. His description of the Manassas battlefield area of Virginia, for example, the site of the Battle of Bull Run, evokes the era nicely, as does his reference to the meeting of Grant and Lee at Appomattox. You'll also find lots of nice photos, though most were shot in black and white for the original book contract.

The Denizens of Doom is a virtual motorcycle club that meets at the rec.motorcycles Usenet newsgroup. Its name comes from a parody of motorcyclist stereotypes originally posted under the pen name Denizen of Doom. DoD has no organization, no rules, no meetings. But it does have members in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., France, Germany, Norway, and Finland. The DoD emblem is cool, and the FAQ file makes good reading. There are also pointers to information on bikes and bike manufacturers, laws and regulations, and off-roading, plus lots of DoD members' home pages.

Want a trip down memory lane? The Indian Motor Co. has a home page that opens with the classic Indian logo, and then offers a brief but poetic paean to this classic American motorcycle, illustrated with neat downloadable photos. You can also, if you're into heavy dreaming, fill out a form asking for more information on the Indian.

If used old bikes are your passion, you'll find one of the most extensive listings of classics for sale--in England, unfortunately--at the home page for Phil Cotton's Classic Bikes and Working Motorcycle Museum, and lots more on English bikes at Brit-Iron , the home page for the British Motorcycle Mailing List, a friendly forum for marques from AJS and BSA to Vincent and Zenith. Links here will take you to an events calendar, parts suppliers, support, manuals and books (which can be hard to come by!), salvage yards, owners clubs, a FAQ list, and a not-to-be-missed photo album.
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At the other end of the spectrum, BMW aficionados will find more than ample resources on the Web, as befits the image of the BMW rider. Although most any motorcycle page will offer links to BMW resources, the best place to start is the BMW Motorcycle Mailing List home page. This is a handsome-looking electronic forum for owners and enthusiasts that provides lots of information on technical issues and dealer quality, plus a link to The (non)Anonymous Book, a list of people worldwide who've said they're willing to be of help to BMW riders (and in some cases to those on other makes as well).

The Rest

Motorcycle Online is an on-line magazine with motorcycle reviews, parts and accessories information, and links to Russ Brown's road riding event database.

For more two-wheel travel tips, check out Jon Kadis's Back Roads Page. Over the last few years, Kadis has collected motorcycle routes through the back roads of Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, these are bare directions in unadorned, plain text. Kadis's descriptions of great U.S. roads are better, more colorfully written and accompanied by stories of his (and others') trips.

Chuck Gardner's Beemer Tales offers memories of old BMWs, and stories of SilverWings on another page.

And if you happen to be one of the limited number of Moto Guzzi lovers, you should not miss taking a glance at Pagina Casa della Motocicletta Moto Guzzi , which offers some nice images of Moto Guzzis.

Motorcycles on the Web is another collection of links to BMW home pages, Web pages about other brands, and a number of motorcycle pages.

If you're in the market for a custom bike, you will want to visit American Motor Works , a design, R&D, and manufacturing company that will be happy to tell you everything you want to know about the AMW Spirit, a $19,500 84-cubic-inch, mechanically fuel-injected, belt-driven V-twin. The bike has a light-weight chrome moly chassis with hand-crafted sheet metal, fiberglass fenders, and a five-gallon fuel tank. If it's just an engine you're after, consider pointing your browser to the home page for Cope Racing Inc. , which makes motorcycle racing engines.
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Other intriguing and informational travel tales can be found at Italy: Bikes Routes and Tips by Lorenzo Ferrario, a Baja trip report , and Bruce Clark's Costa Rica on an F650: Land of the Ticos.
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For images of 60s and 70s fringe makes (Bultaco, Benelli, and dozens of others), see Bob Westinicky's MotoNet.

"If you're crazy enough to ride in New York, you need all the help you can get," reads the motto of New York City Motorcyclists , which is really just a web front on a mailing list.

by Alan Kay

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Copyright (c) 1995 Ziff-Davis Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Ziff-Davis Publishing Company is prohibited. Internet Life and the Internet Life logo are trademarks of Ziff-Davis Publishing Company.

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Internet Life Vol.1 No.1 Winter 1995