The other day I had the pleasure of talking with two young men that wanted to get their first bikes. Neither had ridden and were just starting the process of getting their motorcycle endorsements. We sat and talked for a very long time, and I was able to give them insight on motorcycling. The boys told me no other dealer would even talk to them when they found out they weren’t riders yet.
It was so much fun seeing the enthusiasm they had, and I so enjoyed giving them advice on how to get started. The first thing I told them was to take an off-road training class like those given by MotoVentures in Anza. A class like this teaches a new rider vital techniques about handling, steering, and braking that will be invaluable on the street.
Next, I told them to take the CMSP, California Motorcycle Safety Program course. Since they were both close to but under 21 years old the course is mandatory for them to get a motorcycle license in California. This is a good course and teaches a lot to help them ride the roads and be safe. All new riders should take it!
The most important advice I gave them was to get training and keep getting training! There are intermediate and advanced courses, track courses and others to help become a proficient rider. Next was protective gear. Don’t scrimp on a helmet, wear body armor, and always wear gloves and shoes or boots that offer ankle protection. Bell helmets used to advertise, “a $10 helmet for a $10 head.”
We went on to talk about touring, sport riding, commuting, two up riding and so many of the joys of motorcycle riding. When they left they were more excited than when they arrived, so was I! It was so much fun to help guide them and sort of mentor them into motorcycling.
Remember, motorcycling is a disease and riding is the only cure!
MOTORCYCLE NEWS
2025 Ducati Multistrada V4, V4 S and V4 Pikes Peak – First Look
Ducati announced refinements to its Multistrada V4 range, with the aims of improving comfort and fuel efficiency. Pricing starts at $19,995 for the base model, $28,305 for the Multistrada V4 S (which, for the U.S. includes the Travel & Radar trim), and $32,995 for the Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak. All three versions will arrive in dealerships in October. The announcement does not include the V4 RS model or the V4 Rally, but we expect both will be confirmed at a later date.
Visually, the 2025 Multistrada V4 models look very similar to the 2024 versions, with the main difference being paint on the bodywork below the headlight. Ducati says this brings the Multistrada V4 closer to the styling of the Panigale, but really, it just makes the beak look a little less pronounced.
Enea Bastianini Wins Emilia-Romagna MotoGP
The tire saver wins again.
Once the back-and-forthing of the first laps settled, Francesco Bagnaia (factory Ducati) led Jorge Martín(Pramac Ducati) by fractions of a second, but Bagnaia’s rear tire was moving around on corner exits. He said, “I’d lost the rear in the warmup lap, in the last corner. Then I lost the rear in the first lap in corner 13.”
On lap 4 Martín was past Bagnaia and a half-second clear. Another lap and Enea Bastianini was past as well. Bagnaia, though struggling, held position about three seconds back. Bastianini stayed within a fraction of a second of the leader, Martín. This surely illuminated a caution light in Martín’s head, because Bastianini’s tire conservation ability makes him a threat in the final laps.
First World Supersport Podium for Tom Booth-Amos in Italy
The PTR Triumph team celebrated a successful weekend at the Italian round of World Supersport with both riders in the top ten in both races. Tom Booth-Amos finished a fantastic fifth in race one and scored his first WSS podium with third in race two. Teammate Ondrej Vostatek achieved his best WSS result of eighth in race one and a solid ninth in race two.
The weekend got off to a difficult start for British rider Booth-Amos with a crash in Friday’s Tissot Superpole, resulting in a grid position of P14 for race one. He got a good start, making up four places straight away and before long he was in an intense battle for seventh with Jorge Navarro. TBA came out on top and picked up the pace. A crash ahead saw him promoted to sixth before he made up another place to cross the line in fifth.
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