Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/389578
CN III VOICES L E T T E R S T O T H E E D I T O R "If you are all losing your jobs, don't brag about what a great job you did." Likes Zero Nice job on the Zero SR bike test (Issue 38, September 23). Elec- tric bikes are clearly getting bet- ter (and more expensive...). Now someone needs to tell Zero that the storage compartment needs to be big enough to hold my lunch box. I don't eat a lot, but I am a full-sized adult. Honda's NC700 clearly sets the standard and they still man- age to package a gas tank. Also, the way the front brake line flops around in the wind makes me think of a lot of different terms, "quality" not being one of them. Rich Klein Allendale, MI Zero… Not So Much While I find electric bikes inter- esting Alan Cathcart and Paul Carruthers' article in the Septem- ber 23 issue made me laugh. "Man, I love going to the gas station..." Really? No matter how hard the fanbois and press push battery bikes they are a niche market at this time. Driving 88 miles on the highway to "be- ing able to charge… in just one hour" is laughable. I suppose the authors will sit geared up for the hour of waiting for their "90 percent" charge, while the day passes. Might not miss taking the gloves off then. Let's make note that gas stations exist all along the road. Plug-ins… not so much. This is only an option for city dwellers and commuters. Dressing the bike as a racer and putting a rider in a Dainese jacket will not make you look fast on this thing either. I love high tech and make my living in it, but 17,000 for a "high-end sportbike" that has all the downsides of most electric vehicles, is a product not ready for prime time. Wake me when they can replace the vehicles they look like and I'm a buyer. Until then the four pages you spent on this could be better used. Your Mile- age May Vary. Brian Jones Saint Paul, MN Droolgate In regard to Steve Casper's letter "Enough to Make One Drool" in the newest issue: Well, Steve, it seems Valentino Rossi, with crusty beard and drooling chin, is one of us. A real human! Proof that he's not an alien after all! Paul Ward Durban, South Africa Droolgate II Valentino Rossi was having the time of his life after winning his home Grand Prix in Misano. I'd be doing more than drooling on an unshaved beard if I'd just won a Grand Prix. Steve Read Via the Internet Road Racing 101 Paul Carruthers' lament of the sad state of Pro road racing [Car- ruthers Says, Issue 36, Sep- tember 9) was depressing. The sadness was clear in post-race interviews with the riders at the last DMG Superbike event. Why so sad guys? Could it be that after many years of decline they can't hope for improvement? Mat Mladin quit as a seven- time champion in protest of a poorly run series in 2009. This year the lack of a TV broadcast partner was the nail in the coffin. Although quaint production by Fanschoice.TV coverage was refreshing, having dead air fill the space normally used for advertis- ers is only part of the problem. The problem is a shoestring production, lacking even instant replay. Having the broadcast announcer sign off with an em- barrassing endorsement to the racing officials was the saddest part: If you are all losing your jobs, don't brag about what a great job you did. Like Carruthers I was a fan ages ago, at the Bryar track in New Hampshire, watching the battles between local heroes Johnny Bettencourt and Jimmy Adamo versus the giants Freddie Spencer and Eddie Lawson. Mo- toGP and World Superbike are thriving, bringing their manage- ment team to run the U.S. series should end the decline. I have a suggestion, instead of baseball caps being given to the winners of the race, get those big checks to show there is a reward for being victorious. The ball caps were depressing. Bob Deuber Via the Internet Letters to the editor can be sent to voices@cyclenews.com. Published letters do not necessarily reflect the position of Cycle News. Letters should not exceed 150 words and are subject to editing. Anonymous letters won't be considered for publication and each letter should contain the writer's name, address and daytime phone number… Editor P16