It's not even lunch time yet, and it's already been a good day for me. I told you a while ago that I would attend one of the most significant events in the latest years in American motorcycling history. Victory motorcycles will launch (static) their much anticipated new luxury tourer in Long Beach, California on December 8th. It will be very different from any other Victory, but more importantly different from all other luxury tourers such as Honda Gold Wing, Harley-Davidson Ultra Glide, BMW K1200LT etc. The final design is what I am excited about as the concept sketches are pretty futuristic. I am hoping for a 50's Cadillac inspired tourer with wings at the back, but it might turn out slightly more conservative than that in the end. On the 8th we'll know as I'm jetting over to Long Beach to see it. As for the EICMA show I'm getting new clients all the time and I've booked the cheapest plane ticket ever to go to Milan from Liverpool. It means I am landing one hours drive away from Milan central, but it's better than the alternative that would involve a 4 hour ride here in the UK. I am also trying to get a place at this months Ducati 1098 world launch in South Africa. We shall see... It's funny speaking to the various Ducati people today. I mention 1098 and every one of them says it's a secret and only refer to the new bike as the new superbike. Yet Federico Minoli have already revealed it's a 1098. Understand it if you can... LINK

Had to head down to London on business today and it was a very cold day today. My knees have not thawed properly yet and I had a hot dinner date to make. I didn't so had to settle for drinks in stead. I booked my hotel in Milan today right in the centre where I stayed last year for two nights. I'll be hooking up with house designer Luc1 for a drink, but it will be busy again as I have several magazines on the list again for my material. That's basically why I am staying two nights this time. I was thinking the other day which of the 2007 bikes I am personally craving the most to ride. I thought, screw the R1 and GSX-R1000, it's the new breed of big supermotards I am mostly interested in riding for my personal pleasure. BMW's HP2 Megamoto is very, very high on my list of things to do next year. Ducati Hypermotard as well. And the more special super, super bikes such as the Desmosedici RR and Hayabusa derived B-king. I guess the only chance to ride the Desmo is either to buy one or to attend the world launch. Realistically we're talking the launch I think (that won't be easy either, but I guarantee you that I will be there no matter what happens.) TS

Happy Halloween folks! As usual I have added some Halloween decoration under the news link. Tomorrow I'll remove it. Yesterday I returned the Aprilia RS and had a chat to the guys in Walkden. From around 5-6000rpms the transition to the power is quite uneven. That is mostly due to emission regulation as all harmful fumes are burnt in the exhaust. For this reason the inertia of the silencer glows and stays very hot most of the time. With replacement exhaust and jetting the RS should be a dream to ride. TS