2012 Honda Shadow Phantom (vt750c2b) Cruiser on 2040-motos

Honda Shadow tech info

Type:Cruiser Stock Number:U00065 Phone:8885414322

Moto blog

Schwantz and Mackenzie on the Nurburgring box

A 500GP bike never fails to stop me in my tracks and that’s exactly what happened when I spotted this Schwantz example from the early nineties, proudly displayed on the Arai stand at the recent Motorcyclelive show.  On loan from Crescent Suzuki and accompanied by a rostrum publicity shot from the 1990 German GP at the Nurburgring, I felt the urge to write a few words on that special weekend. I started the year running my own 250 GP team with fairly standard TZ Yamahas but was drafted in as Kevin Schwantz’s team mate after Kevin Magee suffered a serious head injury at the second Grand Prix in Laguna Seca.  With no testing and some major Spanish food poisoning I finished 8th at the next round in Jerez then followed that up with a 5th place in Misano. Next up was the Nurburgring and after qualifying on the second row of the grid, my crew chief Geoff Crust informed me he had a premonition of a race day rostrum finish. He also told me I better make it come true as he was already looking forward to a few post race celebratory refreshments. While I hoped Crusty was the new mystic meg, the truth was I would have been more than happy to buy the beers if I made it to the flag inside the top five. I had an outside chance of catching one major scalp as Wayne Rainey was riding with a nasty hand injury but I suspected adrenalin would see him through the day. I also followed Mick Doohan a fair bit in practice but he was beginning to find his feet on the Rothmans Honda so was going to be another problem.  When the lights went out Schwantz and Rainey went straight to the front I while I hung in behind Doohan and Pier Francesco Chilli, and then it happened. Coming out of the bottom right hand hairpin, Doohan and Chilli simultaneously high sided in one of the most spectacular crashes of the season. I never liked seeing any fellow riders crash but I made the most of this early race gift and rode my 160bhp/115kg RGV hard to the flag, claiming my first podium of the season.  We partied hard (win or lose we always did) that night and I went on to have my best ever season finishing fourth overall in the championship. After the last round in Australia, I finished second to Kevin at Sugo in Japan then won in Malaysia at another international race that KS didn’t attend. I also tested at Eastern Creek for the following season but then was flicked from the team for reasons that still remain a mystery. Hey Ho!       

The Roadery, A Different Kind Of Motorcycle Tour

Every motorcycle tour company promises to take you to beautiful destinations, but how many offer the same promise on custom motorcycles? The Roadery is that company. Having only been in business a few months, The Roadery, based in Los Angeles, is new to the motorcycle touring business, but it offers its customers the chance to explore some of the most scenic locations in the Western United States.

Casey Stoner To Test Factory Honda At Motegi

British publication MotorcycleNews.com is reporting that 2007 and 2011 MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner will test a factory Honda RC213V at the Twin Ring Motegi, Honda’s test track, August 6-7. Stoner’s shock retirement from MotoGP at the end of the 2012 season was met with skepticism in some circles, as many believed (and still do) that the 27 year-old, current Australian V8 Supercar driver would eventually make a comeback to two wheels. As it stands, HRC has no plans to enter Stoner as a wildcard entry at Phillip Island or Motegi MotoGP rounds, and insists the former champion’s services are being used strictly to help develop next year’s RC213V and the 1000cc production racer Honda plans to introduce next year.