No regular show this week. We’re taking the holiday week off to enjoy the time with our family and friends. Look for us to be back to a regular schedule next week. The first couple of shows in 2010 will finish up the interviews we started late in 2009 and there’s more great content coming your way.

Thanks all and have a great holiday season!

Music provided by Music Alley:

• theme music – No Way by Kunk
• Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by The Hollywood Drunks

• Special Guest: Dawn Ventimiglia – Eclectic Dawn Arts
  • Bio – http://eclecticdawnarts.com/about.html
  • The Bobber project – http://eclecticdawnarts.com/450.html
  • Mermie (VLX600 Project) – http://eclecticdawnarts.com/mermie.html
  • The book, “Intimate Nature” - http://www.cafepress.com/eclecticdawn/2839402
  • Motorcycle artwork (helmets and client bikes): http://eclecticdawnarts.com/gallery/motorcycle/Flash01/index.html

• News and opinions
  • Harley recalling over 110,000 bikes - http://www.motorcycledaily.com/14december09_hdrecall.htm
  • AutoCom closes? A small post from an employee suggested he’s out of a job and AutoCom is closed. - http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=212522
  • School buses – “It’s ok to pass them when they’re not stopped for loading/unloading.”
  • Listener discussion – “how about finding good roads in unknown territory?” — fzmax

• Follow up and feedback
  • Thanks to CowPony for the iTunes review.

• Links
  • Gazetteer - http://shop.delorme.com/OA_HTML/DELibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?section=10096&minisite=10020
  • HD Garage Party - http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/women_riders/garage_party_events.jsp?locale=en_US
• Music provided by Music Alley
  • Opening music: ‘No Way’ by KunK
  • Additional music: She’s Telling Lies, Somebody, Rotten Apple by American Heartbreak

• News and Opinion
  • VW buys 20% of Suzuki
  • Still no Suzuki street bikes for 2010
  • Moto Morini shutters its doors

• Follow Up and Feedback
  • Why are 750s considered “beginner’s bikes”?
  • What kind of training is appropriate for a returning rider?

• Special Guests: Ken Denton and Jim Kennedy
  • Tour of the Alps and Dolomites

• Music provided by Music Alley
  • Opening music: ‘No Way’ by KunK
  • Additional music: ‘I Don’t Mind’, ‘Ride With Me’, ‘Non Lo So’ and ‘The Red Shark’ by The Vibro-tones (yep, it’s another MySpace page…)

• News
  • The new VFR gets a price
• Holiday Gift Guide
  • Under $25
    • Light Weight Ski Socks
      • Tilley’s travel socks
    • C9 Technical Clothing
    • Kickstand Foot
    • Accugage w/ Hose
    • Small Dry Bag
    • Aerostich LP Bag
      • REI Flash 18
    • JVC Air Cushion earphones
      • Skull Candy Ink’d earphones
    • Kobalt 13-in-1 Multi Bit Ratchet Screwdriver
  • $25 to $100
    • Slime Compressor
    • CamelBak Classic
    • Quickstand
    • Portable iPod Speakers and Charger
    • Tourmaster deerskin gloves
    • Craftsman 1/4″ ratchet/socket set
    • Leatherman Micra or Squirt
  • The sky’s the limit
    • Timbuk2 Bag in a Box
    • Motorcycle Lift
    • Air compressor and air ratchet
    • Cycle Hill tire changer
    • Heated gear
      • Scorpion Snowmobile Helmet
    • Manfrotto Carbon Tripod
• Music provided by Music Alley
  • Opening music: ‘No Way’ by KunK
  • Additional music because nothing says “Christmas” like hair metal
    • ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town‘ by Dokken (Caution: Music plays automatically when the page loads)
    • ‘Jingle Bell Rock‘ by Nelson
    • ‘Jingle Bells‘ by Skid Row

• Special Guest: Prubert (email: prubert01@yahoo.com)
  • Rider Training and Education
    • Motorcycle Safety Foundation
      • Find a class
      • Becoming a Rider Coach
  • News and Opinion
    • Yamaha FZ8
      • MCN Link
    • Music provided by Music Alley
      • Opening music: ‘No Way’ by KunK
      • Additional Music: ‘Open Road’ and ‘Hold Me Down’ by Nathan Lee (MySpace)

• Special guest: Ken Denton
• News and Opinions
  • Brammo Enertia price drop
  • 2010 Ducati Multistrada
• Mods and Maintenance
  • Carrying a laptop
    • Laptop Locker
    • Aerostitch messenger bag
    • Givi top case
    • Ortlieb hard shell case
    • Padded roll top  bag
  • Fuelly.com
• Feedback
• Music
  • Opening music: ‘No Way’ by KunK
  • Additional music: ‘Science Fiction Movie’, ‘Twinkle’, The Little Things’, ‘Breathe’ by The Kill Screens
    • VGO Podcast

We are aware of the download speed issues. The server host is working with us to get this taken care of as soon as possible. The hosting company and we are communicating and steps are under way to resolve this. Please bear with us. Thanks.

• News and Opinion
  • Kawasaki Versys
  • Magazine Reviews

• Mods and Maintenance
  • Tires
    • Pirelli Angel ST
    • Dunlop GT502 (That’s the best link I could find)

• Followup and Feedback
  • C14 correction
  • Coming soon
    • Special guest: Prubert
    • Holiday show

• Music provided by Music Alley
  • Opening music: ‘No Way’ by KunK
  • Additional music: ‘There She Goes’, ‘Push’ and Soccergirl’ by Brother Love

*Chris and I are both in IT. We each had multiple after hours support issues during the week.

• News and Opinions
  • Suzuki in trouble?
  • Yamaha – nothing new in the lineup
  • 2010 Concours 14 – upgrades and improvements

• Mods and Maintenance
  • Winter bike storage prep
  • Dynabeads – snake oil or reality? ( http://innovativebalancing.com/ )
• Followup and feedback
  • from last week – clarification on BRP & Rotax. Rotax is the driveline/engine manufacturing division of BRP. ( http://www.kart-rotax.com/company/history.html )
  • Re: Buell’s sales… info from a Harley insider:
    • Buell’s best selling model is the Blast with almost 25,000 sold!
    • The Uly was a good seller and topped the ranks for 2006 & 2007
• Links
  • Chris’ FZ6 Review (http://thepacepodcast.com/forums/index.php?topic=18.0)

• Music provided by Music Alley
  • Opening music: “No Way” by KunK
    • http://music.podshow.com/music/listeners/artistdetails.php?BandHash=fd8d99d1215e164f0120bd7a04f92282

• • Remaining music: “Piece of My”, “Hands Up – Instrumental Version” and “Employee of the Month” by Atomic Brother
    • http://music.podshow.com/music/listeners/artistdetails.php?BandHash=577a4301db0a4603a2794d58bc0814a6

• News and Opinion
  • BUELL
    • Gone for good or will HD release a rebranded line of bikes?
    • Will Erik stay with HD and then retire?
    • Will he become involved in privateers?
    • Will he start something new?
    • Will HD release the Buell name and licenses/patents?
    • http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/20/buell-will-be-back-county-officials-throwing-axed-hd-brand-a-li/
  • VFR1200F
    • Next big thing?
    • Is it too little too late?
    • Will the expected price point be too high?
    • Opinions on sales and marketplace reception once it’s “real” in dealerships?
    • Review temporarily removed – http://cmgonline.com/content/view/1836/254/
    • http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-news-new-bikes/honda-vfr1200f-launch-first-riding-impressions/8565.html
  • Honda’s approach to the US market
    • Is the future of Honda’s offerings just RR bikes and DN-01 style cross-segment machines?
    • Is dropping half the lineup and focusing on a few models alone good enough?
    • Is their heyday over? Are they destined to always leapfrog the other SS/RR bike makers?
    • $27K for a goldwing…? $12k for the RR, $15K for the DN-01, $16k (est) for the VFR… is Honda becoming the next BMW in terms of pricing and perceived value?
• Mods and Rides
  • Powerlet install
    • trouble spots
    • physical placement of the connectors
    • FUSE!!!

Music provided by Music Alley: “No Way” by KunK