Twisted Blog

Finale

2009-01-14T11:47:00.002-05:00

Hi guys,

We've decided to discontinue the blog in favor of the articles on our website. These articles feature more customer photos, reviews, installation tutorials and other goodies that we don't feel are appropriate to put on blogspot.

Please point your links to:

http://www.twistedthrottle.com/article/archive/9/

and keep riding!

Twisted Throttle at the International Motorcycle Show

2008-11-04T16:02:00.004-05:00

This past weekend Phoenix, AZ saw the opening of the 28th annual Cycle World International Motorcycle Show series, and the first appearance of the Twisted Marketplace Display

We took our 2008 KLR 650 “GS” and built it into the display to travel the country. In addition to the show-stopping paint job; you’ll be able to take a look at the TraX Alu-Boxes, Coocases in various sizes, Bags Connections soft luggage, Barkbusters Handguards, an MRA Windshield, and a host of SW-Motech hardparts…just to name a few.

Come visit us and talk with our representative on hand. Check out the show dates below and www.motorcycleshows.com to find your local venue. You’ll also get a chance to listen to our daily seminars about how to set up a bike for long distance riding or commuting.

Show Schedule:

Dallas, TX
Nov. 14-16, 2008

Houston, TX
Nov. 21-23, 2008

Long Beach, CA
Dec. 5-7, 2008

San Mateo, CA
Dec. 19-21, 2008

Seattle, WA
Dec. 12-14, 2008

Novi, MI
Jan. 2-4, 2009

Washington, DC
Jan. 9-11, 2009

New York, NY
Jan. 16-18, 2009

Cleveland, OH
Jan. 30 - Feb. 1, 2009

Chicago, IL
Feb. 6-8, 2009

Minneapolis, MN
Feb. 13-15, 2009

Greenville, SC
Feb. 20-22, 2009

See ya in a city near you!

Colors in the Catskills: BMW MOA Rally in Hunter, NY

2008-10-07T13:17:00.018-04:00

We recently had the opportunity to attend the first annual Colors in the Catskills rally in beautiful upstate New York. MOA Ambassador Mike Friedle did a great job of bringing together hundreds of area riders and was kind enough to invite the Twisted crew. The changing foliage provided a picturesque backdrop for three full days of trials competitions, guided rides up the slopes to the summit of Hunter Mountain, dirt riding classes sponsored by MAX BMW, and street riding classes offered by the Lee Parks Total Control Advanced Riding Clinic.

Here's a shot of our set-up at the base of the mountain. Mr. Twisted's Tiger 1050, outfitted with a full Trax Alu-Box set-up in powder-coated black, drew a lot of attention from the adventure rider crowd. (Squid was able to get his Quick-Lock Siderack removal time down to 7 or 8 seconds.) The new Coocase line of topcases also received some much due ogling from spectators, who marvelled at the features which come standard on the 28, 36, and 48 liter cases: keyless entry, motion-activated alarm, pre-installed LED brake lights, and a simple push-to-close latching mechanism.

Apart from some early morning fog, and a fresh coat of frost on Squid's 919, we were blessed with perfect weather all weekend. It wasn't hard for us to peddle our wares with a view like this:

Our good friend, Denis Petrie, also stopped by the booth, having recently completed a 3,000 mile ride in support of cancer research.

Twisted riders from around the northeast flooded the parking lot, and we were able to sneak a few shots of some really nice touring set-ups as follows.

Who says quick-lock tank rings are only for tanks?

...certainly not this LC4 rider!

A nicely outfitted DL650 with SW-Motech crashbars, skidplate, side racks, Trax boxes, an MRA Vario-touring screen and even some PIAA 1100x driving lights.

...

Many thanks to Mike Friedle, BMW MOA, and the Hunter Mountain Resort for putting together an excellent event. We were grateful to be a part of the inaugral Colors of the Catskills rally, and hope to make an appearance next year.

More Twisted Travels

2008-09-17T13:18:00.014-04:00

As I mentioned in my last post, here is the second trip report from Brian over the summer:

"Immediately following the BMW MOA Rally this past July, I had the opportunity to ride the Twisted KLR 650 “GS” from Gillette, WY to Dallas, TX. We had to get our bike to Dallas so it could be built into a booth for this year’s Cycle World International Motorcycle Shows. It’ll be on display at every show, in the Factory Showcase section. Come by and check it out and say hi!

All said and done, the ride ended up being a little more than 1500 miles. Here’s a shot of the bike in the hotel parking lot before it was loaded up

The first day I rode from Gillette to Estes Park, CO. Estes Park is one of my favorite places in the country and I have some friends that live there, so I stayed with them for the evening. Unfortunately, what started out as a simple couple hundred miles, turned a bit more eventful just north of Cheyenne. I saw a couple bikes on the side of the road that I recognized from the rally. One of them was being put on a flatbed so I swung around to see if I could help. They were riding together, so they were all set, but now we had a KLR that wouldn’t start. After trying to bump start it unsuccessfully on the side of the highway, I have to thank the tow truck driver for jumping the bike. He took off by the time I got it pointed in the right direction and wouldn’t take anything for payment.

Continuing into Colorado I wasn’t able to get state sign pictures because of significant construction at the state line. I got Colorado on the way out, but was unable to get a Wyoming sign picture. I guess I’ll just have to go back.

By the time I got to Estes Park it was starting to rain, so I scrapped my plan to head up into Rocky Mountain National Park that evening and decided to go up first thing the next morning. Turned out to be a great idea as no one else was on the road on the way up, so I had a fun a ride and got some visits from the local wildlife. Here’s the KLR with some new friends:

And a few other pictures from the park:

The rest of the day was spent visiting some of our local dealers and I have to specially thank Roger at Rocky Mountain Kawasaki for taking the KLR in for service. They changed the oil, refilled the battery, and a few other items. The bike ran like a top for the rest of the trip.

After staying with my cousin outside of Denver; Wednesday was a long, hot day as I rode into Kansas.

As soon as I crossed into Kansas the wind kicked up and, combined with 100 degree temperatures made for a really exhausting day. I couldn’t keep my camelback full and ended up the day in Wichita after about 600 miles.

The next morning I stopped into Mid America Powersports. Thanks to Steve for hooking me up with a sub-frame bolt that vibrated loose. From there I rode to Dallas, on schedule to drop the bike off early on Friday.

I stayed "on the cheap" in Dallas, and the front desk was kind enough to give me a ground floor room. Maybe for my next career, I'll go into interior design!

I wrapped up the ride on Friday when I dropped the bike off and then flew back to Seattle. Here's one last look at the KLR GS washed and ready for display. It was so hot that even after washing the bike in the shade, I needed two cold showers to stop sweating.

All in all it was a great trip. I would have liked to have a couple extra days so I didn’t have to sit on the highway all the way, but the KLR performed better than I expected (having not spent a lot of time on one previously). Our bolt-on’s also went a long way to helping with my comfort during the ride, so I’ll give a quick review of a couple of the products that worked for me.

MRA Vario-Touring Screen – This screen was perfect for me. I’m 5’8” and with the spoiler up on the highway it provided a very comfortable ride. When I got into town, I would drop the spoiler and get some additional airflow through my helmet for cooling.

SW-Motech 1” handlebar risers – Provided that "little extra" by moving the bars towards me. The first time I rode the bike it didn’t have the risers and I could feel it in my shoulder after about an hour and a half. With the risers I was able to ride all day. (note: Barbacks won’t work on the KLR because the bars will then hit the tank).

Rivco Footpegs on the Twisted Throttle Crashbars – The forward pegs provided a well needed alternative foot position, allowing me to stretch out during the ride.

Coocase V36 Wizard – I LOVE the remote entry on these cases. I always end up starting the bike and then forgetting something in the case (earplugs) or forgetting to put something back (camera). With the remote, I didn't have to turn the bike off to get back into the case. It also locks on it's own after 15 seconds if you use the remote, so I never had to worry that I forgot to lock it when I took off. The brake lights proved very nice for additional visibility as well. I liked it so much during the trip that I put one on my V-Strom.

If anyone has questions on any of the other products, let me know and I’ll give you a full review.

Don’t forget to stop and take a look at the bike and accessories at the Motorcycle Show near you."

VIBCO Inc. Vibration Products

2008-09-09T14:11:00.003-04:00

I saw this van while out getting lunch today. I've got to say that I've never seen anything quite like it. I'm surprised their sales training guys don't symbolically ride Kawaski KLR650s. ;)

Twisted Travels

2008-09-05T13:38:00.006-04:00

Brian sent in some reports and photos of his “Twisted Travels” this summer:

First up is our trip cross country. It was mostly uneventful. We did it kind of quick because we had to get to WA to close on our house. I did, however, convince Beth to pull the bike off the trailer in the Black Hills. If you’ve never ridden in South Dakota, I highly recommend it. The roads are nice and the scenery is beautiful. There is also a lot of history in the area. The weather wasn’t particularly accommodating for picture taking, so I only took a couple of the monuments.

First is Crazy Horse. Take a look at http://www.crazyhorse.org/. It’s pretty incredible what’s being done. Pay special attention to the size they’re carving this thing. From wikepidia “The sculpture's final dimensions will be 641 feet (195 m) wide and 563 feet (172 m) high. The head of Crazy Horse will be 87 feet (27 m) high; by comparison, the heads of the four U.S. Presidents at Mt. Rushmore are each 60 feet (18 m) high.” Wow!

Here’s a picture of the current progress.

Then we went to Mt. Rushmore. Unfortunately, we were there on Wednesday, July 2nd, the day they were having the 4th of July fireworks at the monument, so it was packed! We saw a couple of mountain goats on the side of the road as we crawled our way toward the entrance, but I couldn’t get the camera out in time. Since the park was so crowded, we didn’t bother going in. I just pulled over in the blocked off turn lane so I could take some pictures. The cop directing traffic didn’t mind; however, his supervisor did and we both got yelled out when he drove by. Sorry I got you in trouble, officer!

After that we headed up through Sturgis. The town is very quiet outside of bike week so we did a quick run through the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum http://www.sturgismuseum.com/. Any two wheeled enthusiast should add the museum as a destination for when they’re in the Black Hills.

Since there aren’t a lot of pictures from the South Dakota ride, I’ll add some others that I took this morning. As Beth and I were on our way home last night, I made a comment about how awesome Mt. Rainier looked as the sun was setting. She said I should take her to the train in the morning and get a look at it as the sun comes up. I figured I’d do one better and head to Sunrise Pass to watch the sun come up over the mountain. It was a bit brisk as I made my way up the mountain (mid 40’s), but it was worth it when I got there. The pictures don’t do it justice, but it was absolutely breathtaking watching the sun come up in the shadow of the mountain. 30 miles of sweepers and 10 miles of tight twisties in each direction also made for a really nice ride.

See how many Twisted Farkles you can spot on my V-Strom!

Thanks for the update, Brian! Next week I’ll post the pictures from his trip on the Twisted KLR.

Excerpts from our office's instant messaging system...

2008-08-29T12:15:00.003-04:00

How's our typical day in the office? Today's instant message log pretty much says it all:

{Chap-tastic} [12:11:14 PM] i just took an order for a guy and he wanted to know if we had crash proof screens
{Chap-tastic}[12:11:24 PM] this is the 3rd screen he has had to put on
{Chap-tastic}

[12:11:28 PM] and he is on a scooter

{Chap-tastic}

[12:11:34 PM] i think its time for him to stop riding
{Lieutenant Dan}[12:11:47 PM] he needs a scooter made of nerf

{Lieutenant Dan}

[12:12:28 PM] and we do sell crash-proof screens. they're made of unicorn horns and yeti fur. we're out of stock, but a new shipment should arrive when santa claus comes.

{Squid}

[12:12:57 PM] hahaha

Upgraded!

2008-06-19T12:23:00.002-04:00

So one of the awesome things about working at Twisted Throttle is that we like to upgrade stuff. Things rarely stay the same for long.

One of our newest additions is profesional phone system. It's really great.. I can set it to forward all of my incoming calls right to my mobile phone, so my weekends no longer have to be the dreary, work-free hell that they have been.

But seriously, we're all happy about having new phones (and more lines). But of course, the installation wasn't all that easy. We had to disassemble our cubicle "farm" to access the data ports behind them. During business hours, of course. Here's a photo of a staff member trying to get things done whilst the office was mid-chaos:

And to think that this was the tidy room You should have seen the ones. Cubicle parts laying everywhere. Small paper fires scattered about. I think I even saw a goat walk by.

Well, that's how it seemed anyway. However it actually happened, we've got a professional phone system now, so give us a call and try it out!

Twisted Throttle Open house Report!

2008-06-04T14:47:00.007-04:00

Our spring open house went off without a hitch! We've chosen the best photos from the day for your viewing pleasure.

To start the day off right, Matt demonstrates his riding skills by dragging the cases on his KLR650. Check out that counterweighting!

Twisted Throttle is an all the gear, all the time advocate - but that doesn't stop Matt from having some fun!

What does a Twisted Throttle staff member eat for breakfast? That's right, McMuffins. Adam gets ready to smack Dereck's breakfast out of his hands -- it's full of cholesterol, man!

Farkles are abounds in the display room.

As the day went on, our parking lot begin to fill with more and more bikes. Ocean State BMWers, Stromtroopers and some eccentric local riders showed up for the fun. Plenty of people drove from all over New England to partake in our shenanigans...

.. and the free food, cooked and served by our very own Nick and Leah!

DJ Twinkie brought the beats, an eclectic blend of modern rock, 90s rock, new wave and afro cuban music.

----

Dereck hard at work installing motorcycle accessories.

Suzy calls out raffle ticket numbers with the help of DJ Twinkie.

The TRUE mastermind behind Twisted Throttle - Murphy!

All in all, this was a fantastic day in the sun with motorcycles, food, music and good friends, new and old. Make sure that to come to our Summer Open House in August!

Twisted Throttle Open House!

2008-05-22T09:30:00.009-04:00

Join us for our OPEN HOUSE at Twisted Throttle Headquarters in Peacedale, RI!

Saturday, May 24, 2008
11:30 AM - 4:30 PM

Join us for:

- Free food
- Door prizes
- Silent auction
- Free installation on products purchased at the event (first come first served)
- Afro-Cuban dance party hosted by DJ Twinkie

Here are some photos of last year's open house. And this year's event is going to be bigger, better, stronger, and more absorbent!

Life's Little Mysteries

2008-05-16T21:43:00.004-04:00

Once in a while, life throws a little bit of the unexpected at you. Sometimes big, and sometimes small. Yesterday's surprise was definitely small and insignificant, but interesting to all of us nonetheless.

We were unpacking a fresh shipment of Electrical Connection items, when we found a small box inside of a bigger box. Examining it more closely, we find that it has a UPS label on it and red rubber spatulas inside (it was already opened).

The package was a shipment from QVC to one of their customers. Some how, some way this package landed up inside our delivery from Electrical Connection. Yet, Electrical Connection knows nothing about it! And neither does UPS!

So, we packaged everything back up in the box (included a special edition autographed Twisted Throttle Sticker) and gave it to our UPS driver. The package is now on its way. Hurray!

Awesome Motorcycle Stunt Photography

2008-05-13T07:53:00.002-04:00

I found this on Flickr the other day. There are some pretty unique perspectives to the photos. Some of the shots clearly put the photographer (or camera, eat least) low under the bike while the rider has it up in some crazy trick.

Definitely worth a look.

http://flickr.com/photos/beadyeye/

Coocase in my Coffee

2008-05-09T07:45:00.006-04:00

The other morning I arrived early to work and was about to make myself a fresh cup o' joe. As I went to grab my mug I noticed that my old, stale coffee had created an eerily close resemblance to the Coocase logo. I don't know how it happened, but the creamer had taken it upon itself to mess with my mind.

I wasn't going to photograph it at first, and I started off to the sink to dispose of my artistic java. But at some point between my desk and the sink, I decided that I really should photograph it. But alas, by then the movement of the coffee within the mug had slightly squashed the bottom of the phantom design...

So here are two photos: The first is an *edited* copy to show how I actually saw the logo when it was sitting peacefully on my desk. The second is the actual photograph of Nature's first copyright infringement after I had foolishly decided to move it.

Classic Karma

2008-05-06T15:02:00.002-04:00

Pride comes before a fall. And so does flipping off the cops.

Scenario: Guy is riding his bike and sees some police. Guy gives the middle finger to the police, pulls a wheelie, and speeds off.

The police, naturally, give pursuit. The chase ends abruptly when the rider crashes into the front of a police cruiser. (Don't worry - he's ok. He was treated for minor injuries and released).

I'd love to ask this guy what made him think this was a good idea.

To see the full news article, click here.

Davy Jones (a.k.a. New Guy)

2008-05-02T11:47:00.009-04:00

Please meet our new staff member (and probably mascot), Dave.

Dave dressed like a pirate today. As he breezed past my office door this morning I caught a glimpse of him through the corner of my eye. I seriously thought I was seeing things (perhaps I needed more coffee?)

But alas, ye scurvy dogs! Davy did dress like a pirate, and he is decorating our call center pretty awesomely today.

Here's Dave on the phone assisting a customer with his order. Little does our customer know that his friendly customer service representative is actually First Mate and Ship's Surgeon.

To be serious for a moment, Dave does reenactments and is heading directly to a three day event this afternoon.

Ok. I can't finish this blog entry without some sort of booty joke. I couldn't decide which one to use, so I used all of them:

Dave likes lots of booty.
Dave is obsessed with booty.
Dave has been eying my booty.

Nighthawk Fun

2008-04-30T14:31:00.002-04:00

When Dr. Money decided that he needed new tires for his bike, Adam was all too ready to find a use for the old ones. After flooding the parking lot with smoke, Adam painted a helipad outline so that the Med-Evac chopper could land and whisk us away to locations less toxic.

Twisted Throttle dresses Kari Byron from the Mythbusters in a sexy Twisted Throttle t-shirt!

2008-04-25T09:37:00.010-04:00

Kari Byron and Tory Belleci from the Mythbusters came to a local venue last night. The Twisted Throttle crew decided to purchase tickets and cause some trouble.

When the Kari and Tory came out, Twisted staff member Dereck took the offensive. Before the stars had even finished settling themselves in for the show, Dereck proclaimed his love for Kari and requested her hand in marriage.

Now you might think that people who are accustomed to daily exposure to explosions, robots, dead animals, and California would be difficult to surprise. But Dereck did it! Both Mythbusters seemed taken aback by the speed with which Dereck pounced on the beloved Kari. Most men would lustily gawk before taking action, but Dereck gets things done.

Sadly, Kari declined his proposal. She said that she was working on husband #1 and that Dereck was young and would have to wait.

Next, Adam calls them out on a previously tested myth. The myth is that you can beat computerized traffic cameras that take a picture of your vehicle when you're speeding. Adam pointed out that they missed a fairly obvious way of beating the camera: motorcycle doing a wheelie.

Now comes the fun part: we launch a shameless company promotion by giving the Mythbusters some of our awesome Twisted Throttle T-SHIRTS!

Totally awesome!

Tory is perfectly at ease while chillin' with his new rockin shirt. (Nice socks, Kari!)

It was a great show. After the introductions, the Mythbusters showed us a video compilation of bloopers and things they couldn't air on the show. Adam pranks Jamie. Jamie pranks Adam. Hilarity ensues when measuring nanosiemens. Good stuff.

The majority of the show was an interactive question and answer session with the audience.

OK. So the Mythbusters didn't actually put our shirts on at the show. We're certain that they will - our shirts are too cool. So now you too can dress like a Mythbuster.

199 Lives

2008-04-21T09:55:00.002-04:00

Here at Twisted Throttle we are fans of all forms and types of two wheeled action. So when we learned that Travis Pastrana's movie "199 Lives" would be playing near by we knew we had to check it out. The movie is a biography mapping out the triumphs and failures of Travis' life, but mostly it gives a great look inside at what drives a fairly normal, everyday guy to be such a lunatic!
From his early days as a pro motocross racer, to his freestyle career, and then to rally car racing the movie is full of non-stop, jaw dropping action. Not a single minute of the 2 hour movie went by without everyone of us having some expression of amazement on our face. Whether it was cringing in pain, laughing hysterically, or just plain awe and amazement the movie did not disappoint. "199 Lives" got 2 thumbs up from all of us here at the shop and we definitely recommend checking it out.

Motorcycle Cooker

2008-04-14T11:25:00.004-04:00

As a man that loves fresh, hot food, I must say that this cooker is awesome. I'm nearly drooling at the prospect of having a supply of food and a cook top with me everywhere I go.

Suddenly need pancakes? No problem. See a nice piece of roadkill? No problem. This customization couldn't get much better ... unless it was a deep-fryer.

SV650 Build Up

2008-04-09T11:17:00.009-04:00

Our SV650 came to us after it was involved in an accident where the rear end of the bike was run over by an SUV. After laying around in pieces for a few years we finally began the resurrection. Since we knew the motor was running when it was crashed and the frame/swing arm/forks all checked out straight we knew we had a good starting point for a build.

First up on the build will be to see if we can get the motor cleaned enough to fire up. A quick carb cleaning, oil change, and radiator flush should do the trick to make sure the motor is still healthy. Once we have the motor running strong we can start putting it together with the pile of original parts as well as ebay parts we have scattered all over the shop.
Stayed tuned to follow the build up and to see how we take this machine from totaled to twisted!

The Abominable Snowmotoman and the Ice Storm of Death (a.k.a. Springtime at Twisted Throttle Headquarters)

2008-04-04T09:08:00.003-04:00

Up here in Rhode Island, spring comes a little later than in other warmer parts of the country. So while all you guys are yucking it up riding your bikes in 70-degree spring weather down in California, Texas, and Florida, I figured I'd post a little sample of our favorable spring riding weather.

Most Twisted Throttle employees celebrate the change in the seasons in Rhode Island by riding to work once it's warm enough for the fluffy bunnies to come out to play. Matt's special. He rides his 2005 Kawasaki KLR650A to work every day (partially because he doesn't own a 4-wheeled vehicle...), even during the worst icestorm of the season. We all agree that Matt's definitely much more bad-ass than the rest of us.

Anyhow, the following video shows Matt's adventures as he prepares to ride home from work on a day with 8 inches of snow followed by two hours of freezing rain. Like I said, Matt's special - he's our all-seasons adventure-riding mascot. Go Matt go!

Eye of the Beholder

2008-04-03T16:13:00.001-04:00

Goodbye Old Friend

2008-04-01T17:40:00.003-04:00

She served us well, but recently placed into retirement from Demo-Bike status, our Honda Rebel was sold. So like all kind-hearted motorcycle addicts parting with a beloved member of the family, we decided to give her carb one final cleaning to ensure a smooth running, perfectly purring send off to her new owner.

Yup...as you guessed, it took a little longer than we anticipated. But what garage project doesn't? After the pulling the carb on three separate occasions, mounting the float upside down, not properly connecting the float valve, and calling in the bull-pen, Erik, Matt, Dereck, and Brian were slightly elated when she started up for the last time in the warehouse.

Goodbye Ole Girl!

Cleaning the Fridge - Rant

2008-03-27T17:35:00.005-04:00

Somebody cleaned out our office fridge recently, probably prompted by the... unusual odor.

But they didn't have to throw away *all* the old stuff, right? There was a raspberry vinaigrette salad dressing that I've been enjoying for the last couple of years.

It was in the office fridge for longer than I've been here. So what? It expired in 2005. So what? It was still good.

It was a good standby for me. When my food needed flavor and my regular BBQ sauce ran out, I'd go to the vinaigrette. Not as bad as you might think on baked ham and mashed potatoes.

R.I.P. Cain's Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing.

A-Tisket, a-Tasket....

2008-03-25T17:24:00.007-04:00

I wonder how much extra it costs for saddlebaskets...

Photo Friday!!

2008-03-21T17:24:00.003-04:00

Tired of strapping backpacks and laptop cases to your bike for your commute? Ken Allhands was!

...So he turned his SV650 into a pretty good looking tourer, which will handle his 100 mile round trip commute with ease.

Here's his SV featured for Photo Friday:

Givi E21's on the sides and a Givi E33 on the back (with the backrest, of course)
SW-Motech Alu-Rack, SW-Motech Quick-Lock Sideracks, Givi adapter kits
Check out the Twisted sticker reflecting in the flash!

Yup...room for a full faced helmet

Thanks for the great pictures, Ken!

Happy Easter! Have a great weekend

Old Timers

2008-03-20T20:19:00.001-04:00

"You don't stop riding because you get old... you get old because you stop riding"

Motorcycle Art - Continued

2008-03-18T17:00:00.002-04:00

"Star Trike."

Wicked awesome.

Photo Friday - An outfitted silver '08 KLR!

2008-03-14T13:08:00.000-04:00

This week we've got Johnny Robert's outfitted KLR silver 2008 KLR. He's got SW-MOTECH crashbars and a skidplate, and I think he owes me a Guinness, too. Johnny?

Motorcycle Art - Continued

2008-03-13T17:29:00.005-04:00

Rowr!

So you want a new Tiger, eh? Forget Triumph. This beast is what you really need.

Every guy wants to do something uber-manly once in a while, right? There are few things more manly than riding a saber-toothed tiger.

You'll also feel like a kid again. Just take a close look at it. I bet you're already having flashbacks to that awesome animal ride in the kid's corner of the amusement park.

You'll totally fit in with the local biker gang. This bike is grrreat!

Photo Friday - Givi V35's on a ZX14

2008-03-07T14:26:00.006-05:00

It's the end of the week and we have had some great, warm weather - at least, it's not freezing anymore. Sunday at 2AM is daylight savings time, too! With the weather finally becoming something that's not quite a frozen purgatory, I dug back into the photos from the end of last summer and found a sportbike with some very nice narrow profile luggage on it.

This ZX14 has narrow profile Givi V35 PLX sidecases mounted with the SW-MOTECH QUICK-LOCK Contour Carrier.

Those pictures are in Arizona, too. I bet he's been riding all winter long...

Photo ... Thursday?

2008-03-06T09:37:00.009-05:00

Looks like somebody forgot about his new segment. *crickets chirping*

So I'm going to be posting two sets of photos this week - today and tomorrow - to make up for my lapse in posting.

Today, we feature Jeremy Davis's "sport touring" FZ6.

He writes:

"I started the conversion of my FZ6 to a sport touring bike this past September. Well it is now March and I'm close to being finished thanks to Twisted Throttle. Thanks guys for having the items in stock, shipping the items in a timely manner, and having very competitive pricing. With out you guys, my project couldn't have happened!"

Jeremy's FZ6 is outfitted with a complete Givi system including:

Givi V46 Monokey Topcase in Matte Black

Givi FZ351 Topcase Rack for the Yamaha FZ6, '04-'07

Givi V35 PLX Sidecases in Matte Black

Givi Tubular Sidecase Racks for the Yamaha FZ6 S2, '07- for PLX sidecases

Nicely done, Jeremy! You're now in the running for this month's gift certificate and your bike looks pretty awesome, too!

Manly Emergency Kits

2008-03-03T10:49:00.005-05:00

While perusing the internet one day, I stumbled across a website selling emergency kits full of "guy" stuff. You know - the essentials that would be perfect to keep at the office, in the car, or anywhere we spend a lot of time.

Judging from the contents of the emergency kit, the general color theme of the website, and their other products for men, I infer that this man's product was created entirely by women without any input from men. I know I won't ever have the sudden panicked realization at 2 P.M. that I forgot to clean my ears this morning: "Oh no! I might have excess waxy buildup in my ears! Good thing I have my emergency kit with Q-Tips!"

So I started thinking: what would make the perfect man's emergency kit? I've polled the men in the office. There is a noticeable lack of Q-Tips and antibacterial wipes, and a conspicuous presence of useful stuff. Based on everbody's responses, I've put together a generally-accepted manly emergency kit:

- Leatherman / Multi-tool (I prefer S.O.G.)
- Battery-powered cell-phone charger
- Zip Ties
- Deodorant
- Basic First Aid Kit (Band-Aids, gauze, tape, Ibuprofen, alcohol)
- Contact lens solution
- Flashlight (with fresh batteries taped to it)
- Clean socks
- Non-perishable food (most suggested pretzels or crackers, but I'd keep a few cheeseburgers in a can)
- Two 16 oz bottles of water
- Lighter or waterproof matches
- Space Blanket
- AM / FM / Weather radio
- $20 USD ($5 in quarters)
- Nip of Jack Daniels

Exciting new developments in GPS technology

2008-02-28T11:53:00.002-05:00

GPS navigation devices are basically indispensable when it comes to sport touring. Hell, they're just as useful for finding the best routes around town. Everybody's got their favorite - over at Twisted Throttle, we're all about the Garmin Zumo 550.

But what about the people we leave behind? Sure, we could call them and taunt them with our adventures, but what about those areas that don't have cellphone coverage?

Check out the AdventureTRAK "Spot" GPS Personal Tracking Device.

WebBikeWorld writes:

"The SPOT GPS personal tracking system is designed to work with total satellite-based communications, meaning that the unit should be able to function virtually anywhere in the world, even in areas that do not have any mobile coverage whatsoever.

SPOT users can be tracked via Google Maps by authorized users if they wish, and can also send out a variety of messages to friends, family or emergency response personnel using one of the three integrated communications buttons on the device. Checking in to let others know that you’re OK, sending a non-emergency request for assistance, or even sending a 911 message to a G.E.O.S. Emergency Response Center to get help on the way are all possible with SPOT."

I don't know about you, but I'll be getting one ASAP. Trip Blogs will be easier than ever with the Google Maps integration.

"What if I want to share my photos?", you say. Well, you can't upload them on the fly, but Panoramio allows photos to be posted on Google Earth and shared publicly. Take a trip, use the SPOT to record your exact route, and then upload photos for the world to see.

Sounds pretty good to me.

How to correctly pronounce our products!

2008-02-25T17:30:00.003-05:00

Having handled many customer service phone calls, I've noticed that there are certain product names that are frequently mispronounced or misunderstood.

Be the first on your block to correctly pronounce these names! Collect all seven! Here they are, ranked from most frequently mispronounced to least frequently:

GIVI
Correct pronunciation: (JEE-VEE)

Stebel
Correct pronunciation: (ST-EH-BELL)

SW-MOTECH
Correct pronunciation: (S.W. MO-TECK). (SW does *NOT* stand for "South West" - they are the first two letters of the founder's last name).

ALU-RACK (by SW-MOTECH)
Correct pronunciation: (AL-OO RACK)

MRA VarioScreens and VarioTouring Screens
Correct pronunciation - (V-AIR-EE-OH).

PIAA
Correct pronunciation: (PEE-UH)

Coocase
Correct pronunciation: (Koo Kase)

Photo Friday!

2008-02-22T15:01:00.011-05:00

We're starting a new weekly segment at the Twisted Throttle blog. Every week we're sent photos from our customers. They range from product installation photos to trip reports. When we get them, they make their way onto our photo gallery, but we can't give all of them the attention the deserve.

So, every friday we'll pick one or two extra special photo submissions and put them in the blog. These photos will be finalists in the monthly photo contest. And if these guys ever make it down to the shop, we'll buy them some ice cream.

Now, on to this week's photos!

From Dr. Hans G. Machel we received a photo tutorial (and written tutorial (AND VIDEO!)) for mounting a Stebel Nautilus Air Horn on a 2007 Yamaha FJR1300.

He writes:

"I did not do the job myself but was involved in deliberating various options with my mechanics. I had the job done by my trusted Suzuki-Yamaha dealership ALBERTA CYCLE MOTORSPORTS in Edmonton. (Special thanks go to James and Brock for a super job).

Upon my initial request, they first tried just about every conceivable hidden position, that is, in the location of the stock horns, then under the fairing on the left or on the right, then under the seats. Something was always in the way. As for the stock horn (there are two) locations near the top corners of the radiator, the Stebel is so large that it would interfere with either the fairing, or the steering, or the shocks, if the full travel of the front fork is used (such as during an emergency brake manoeuvre or when going through a larger pothole or over a high hump in the road). On the right under the fairing the battery is in the way, on the left it is the glove box. There is room under the seat, but that muffles the sound too much. We tried.

Then we explored various outboard locations, keeping in mind that the horn should have maximum volume but not get water inside from either above or below. We wound up mounting the horn on the right side of the engine block above the foot, where it is not interfering with any mechanical parts, nor with the rider's leg or foot, and where the sound volume is maximized - see photos. Also, note that the 'trumpet' is positioned outwards and downwards, and it is behind the fairing when viewed from the front, thus it is out of the rain and splash during wet roads. Brock manufactured a bracket as shown (from three positions) and painted everything on the horn black that wasn't black already.

The result is for all intents and purposes "perfect": the horn is at first glance inconspicuous but looks sharp when spotted, it does not interfere with riding, and it will stay dry inside. Most importantly, however, its 139 dB blast will scare those deer or moose off the roads, as well as jolt any careless driver, of which there are all too many (especially those chatting on their friggin' cell phones), who all to often endanger motorcycle riders."

It's pretty cool looking, too! Don't forget to check out the YouTube Video, either!

Traffic - or Frogger?

2008-02-19T09:14:00.002-05:00

Next time you're dealing with some heavy traffic and crazy drivers, console yourself with the realization that it could be much, much worse. Here's a video of someone attempting to cross the street in India:

Motorcycle Love

2008-02-14T18:55:00.008-05:00

In honor of it being Valentine's Day, I've scoured the internet for images of motorcycle related love and romance. People tie love to their bike in pretty interesting ways:

Some people use their bike to woo the ladies:

Some people are artistic and skilled (at photography):

And some people just take it too far:

And here's an interesting Lego-animated "film" about motorcycle romance entitled, You took my Helmet.

Freshly fallen snow

2008-02-12T13:42:00.001-05:00

It's going to snow tonight... and unfortunately, I don't have any skis. So it's a no-go on this one:

which is fine, because that'd be difficult to put together. No ready-made ski-cycle kits.

But for a cool three grand, you can purchase this:

Compatible with a bunch of different bikes. Kit comes complete and this thing is totally bolt-on, which is right in line with Twisted Throttle's ideology on aftermarket accessories. On or off in 30-60 minutes, too! I know what I want for next Christmas.

An Ode to Rat Bikes

2008-02-07T15:28:00.001-05:00

Let's face it. Rat bikes are some of the most interesting (and disturbing) motorcycles. So here's a tribute to the rat bike, written by Jeffry L'H. Tank and posted at http://www.virginiawind.com/byways/rat_bike.asp

Ode to My Rat Bike

By Jeffry L'H. Tank

I once sat on a rat,
And yes I still do.
It’s offensive to most,
But then so am I, too!

I ride it all day,
Through the mud and rain.
“Why not wash it” you ask?
“It’s too much of a pain”!

The frame’s slightly bent,
The paint rusted through,
The fairing is cracked,
And the wheels are not true!

I parked it too close,
To a dumpster one day.
When the trash guy came by,
Tried to hauled it away!

I ‘splained that, in fact,
It did actually run.
He didn’t believe me.
(The rummy old bum!)

When I drove it away,
He was truly amazed.
And I think he’ll remain so,
Till his last dying dayz.

But what do I care,
What the other folks think?
(I don’t have it for them,)
Or if they think that it “stinks”!

It’s mine and I love it,
And it runs well enough.
And it starts every time,
Though it runs kinda rough.

If I washed it I’m sure,
It would all fall apart.
It would lie there in pieces,
And would break my old heart!

So I’ll keep this way,
And take pride in just knowing;
That it’s mine and I love it,
So now off I’ll be going!

I found these photos elsewhere on the internet. I decided to feature this bike because it's probably one of the nastiest rats I've ever seen. Is that a dead bird with antlers strapped to the front fender?

Who's afraid of the dark?

2008-02-05T16:39:00.000-05:00

Whenever a new product arrives, we like to test it to the best of our ability. This means creating realistic scenarios in which we can use all of the functions of the item.

We've recently begun carrying Petzl headlamps; in particular, the Tikka XP 35 Lumens headlamp and the e+Lite 16 Lumens. While they're new products for Twisted Throttle, we've had experience with these powerful headlamps before, and they're great. They are a regular companion on late-night tours and are great for all around use in dark areas. But to really show their strength, we had to go somewhere so dark, so creepy, so totally devoid of light that it strikes fear into the heart!

It just so happens that Twisted Throttle is located about 30 minutes away one of these places: Fort Wetherill State Park. This is how it's described on the DEM website:

"Fort Wetherill State Park, situated upon 100 foot high granite cliffs across the water from Fort Adams State Park, is a former coastal defense battery and training camp. Known for its spectacular view of Newport Harbor and the East Passage of Narragansett Bay, Fort Wetherill has been a popular sight for viewing the numerous Tall Ship Events and America’s Cup Races. The area is also a major attraction for scuba diving, with Diving Clubs from New York State, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island using the facilities at the boat ramp year round. Additionally, the park offers family and group picnicking, boating, fishing, hiking and exploring on the park’s 61.5 acres of property."

...and this is what the fort looks like:

I'm not saying that it's not a great place to check out events in the harbor - it is. But it's also downright spooky and a regular hang-out for spray-paint toting vandals. The fort also has a lot of interesting history and our shipping department has heard about a secret under-the-harbor tunnel to Fort Adams. Who knows what secrets this place really holds?

Which brave souls were going to trek inside this place with only a Petzl and their wits to keep them alive? Josh and Dan quickly volunteered (actually, they were forcefully volunteered against their wishes). So Saturday afternoon, the fearsome two arrived to do some Petzl testing. Here's Josh's account of the adventure.

"So we head up to the fort and there are quite a few people around - we figure that it might be less creepy this way. Dan suggests heading into one area that he's explored before, because it has a room that's totally cut off from all light. What he doesn't mention is that to get to this room, we need to crawl over a section of collapsed rubble and debris, or that this room has some particularly scary wall art.

Yeah, I was spooked - but check out how bright that Tikka XP is! This shot was done without a flash, so all of that light is coming off of the headlamp. That's 35 lumens of demon-fighting awesomeness. (Dan's 16 Lumens e+Lite joined in for the fight, too)

There are a lot of paths through the fort, and Dan insisted leaving the demon-room through the flooded pathway.

I joked that we should test out the e+Lite's waterproof feature, but Dan didn't want to muddy up our new toys - in his defense, that water was pretty murky. This shot has only the e+Lite illuminating it.

Finally, we headed into a series of rooms that were awash in lines ripped straight from Dante's Inferno and other dark literature - we neglected to post pictures because of how downright creepy it was. But here's another shot of me!

Mostly illuminated with the Tikka XP and a bit of daylight. I'm curious what those tracks were for. Anybody have any idea?

Anyway, we'll be going back soon and taking some action video of the Tikka XP and the e+Lite. We might bring a Stebel or two, too - just to keep the ghosts away."

Motorcycle Art - Continued

2008-02-01T11:43:00.002-05:00

I like to imagine that this creation is the result of a horrific parade accident involving an antique car, a motorcycle, and a giant Tweety-Bird float.

To be honest, I don't know how I feel about this ride. I think it would rock if it had a cooler paint job. The Tweety theme just doesn't do it for me.

But to be fair, I have to give credit to the designer and fabricator. This is a pretty unique project was probably darn hard to implement.

I want to see this think take a corner. I'm interested in seeing the handlebars work.

The 2008 catalog has gone to print...

2008-01-31T14:23:00.000-05:00

...and it will be available in the near future.

But what's this? Twisted Throttle Wallpaper? Josh and Erik have released a few different versions of the very cool cover art created by the graphic artist.

Click here for details and to download!

Asian Schoolgirls

2008-01-29T09:11:00.001-05:00

Q: How do Asian schoolgirls get to school?

A: They put on their pink dresses and matching motocross gear, hop on their pink KTM (with teddy bear safely secured around the waist), and ride!

What kind of rider are you?

2008-01-25T16:06:00.000-05:00

Squid: Expensive superbike, top-dollar fancy gear, race-replica helmet, can't go around the corners carrying any speed but pins it every time in the straights.

Stunta: Crapped out superbike with a flat-topped tank, rear tire mushroomed out because it's at 15 psi, wearing a T-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops, doing stand-up one-foot wheelies at 80 in traffic.

Squirrel: Could be any bike, minimum gear, an indecisive, wobbly rider who consistently makes poor trajectory/velocity decisions. Will sit in traffic until someone goes by lane splitting, then will often strike the first car mirror available attempting to follow.

Showboat: Polished and chromed Haybusa or GSXR1000 with neon and/or LEDs, chrome beanie helmet, Dainese mesh/armor shirt, jeans and Nike Airs, no gloves. Fast in a straight line, does a mean rolling burnout, still can\'t get the bike leaned over in a turn.

Sport-Tourer: Dirty bike loaded with luggage, footpegs ground to little nubs, bug-spattered helmet, faded and greasy Aerostich. Often found lane splitting, double-yellow ignoring, speed limit breaking, with middle finger pointing skyward while passing Cruisers on the inside in blind turns or on freeway off ramps.

Twisted Product Testing

2008-01-23T21:54:00.001-05:00

Twisted Throttle staff are so dedicated that they'll take the time to crash-test some of our products on the way into work.

For example, just this morning Matt dumped his KLR and proved the durability of our SW-MOTECH crashbars and our new Barkbusters handguards.

Here is Matt's story:

With a whole mile and a half left of my 25 mile morning commute, I stopped at an intersection to wait for the traffic to clear. I take this corner five days a week, so I figured it would be no different than every other time. I had no idea I would be doing some active product testing in the next 30 feet of road I was going to be traversing.....some of it on the seat of the bike, some of it on the seat of my pants.... I start making my turn and roll onto the throttle.

Fifteen feet into the corner, God pressed the "Smite Button," and I was doing a breakdancing-like spin move on the ground with my KLR doing the same next to me. The line of about 20 cars waiting for the light to change watched my moves. Before I was standing, most of the windows rolled down the drivers asked if I was ok. I bowed as I did a self-inspection of my gear, picked my bike up, and rolled it to the shoulder of the road.

As for the testing phase of my experience... The SW-MOTECH crashbars and the Barkbusters handguards, once again, took the brunt of the impact and nothing on the bike was more than scuffed (after impacting the pavement and sliding 20 sparks-filled feet down the road).

It took a few seconds of cranking the engine, but 'ol Red started up like nothing happened, and I was off to work like any other day....with a little more "character".

So just how well did the products hold up? See for yourself: the crashbars and the handguards are scuffed and scraped, but neither product bent under the force of impact. Our stuff rocks. (Click on the photos to see a larger size!)

3AM CATALOG CRUNCH TIME

2008-01-21T11:10:00.001-05:00

Make that chicken DANCE, Mr. Twisted!

How much recoil does a Vespa have?

2008-01-17T17:11:00.001-05:00

None. Though you might not believe me if you're looking at the 75mm gun mounted across the front, center, and rear of this scooter.

Military resources were strained in post- WWII France, and these little machines were just the ticket to remain mobile while still being cheap.

How was it used? Two soldiers, two scooters, one 75mm recoilless rifle, and ammunition were dropped from a military aircraft. Once on the ground, these solders would mount the rifle to one scooter, load the ammunition on the other scooter, then putt-putt off to their target.

Unofficial figures indicate that about 800 of these scooters were produced.

Note to the do-it-yourself scooter rider: These scooters are military vehicles and are not intended for use in rush-hour traffic.

News from Abroad (Part II)

2008-01-15T09:38:00.000-05:00

It seems as though people in Europe love to have manikins in strange places or doing strange things. Such as this beauty, sitting next to me in the internet cafe, gracefully leaning over my shoulder to take a peek at my latest news from Old Navy. Oh boy, a post-Christmas clearance!

Or this pajama clad man, carefully cradling a pillow in a display of tenderness I won't soon forget:

And wasn't I surprised to find out that the Germans had such a high reverence for Emperor Palpatine, Dark Lord of the Sith:

I guess everybody loves Star Wars.

News from Abroad (Part I)

2008-01-11T16:53:00.000-05:00

I've just returned from a vacation in Germany. My trip included, among other things, visting the Hofbräuhaus for mixed meat dishes and giant 1 liter beers, sight-seeing in the beautiful city of Salzburg and a trip to everybody's favorite manufacturer, SW-MOTECH ( + Bags-Connection)! And they're planning some fun stuff for us all over the next year. I can't say much, but we can expect to see some revamped hardware and new designs in cases and bags.

But that's not what this entry is about. In Germany, I took a bunch of photos. I feel the need to share a few.

As soon as I flew into Hannover (a 6 hour red-eye flight from Logan to Amsterdam, then a hop skip and jump to Hannover), I had to take a train to Berlin. Poor planning on my part.

I found the nearest grocery store, hoping to get some Wienerschnitzel or Bratwurst to snack on while I rode on the DB (german train system). I lucked out, though!

A "Taste America" section! Surely they'd have all the flavors so near and dear to my heart.

... What the hell? I've never heard of Rocky Mountain Marshmallows before, but I hope they've got absolutely NOTHING to do with Rocky Mountain Oysters.

I didn't want to take a chance with these colorful balls of goo (no pun intended), so I went with an old standby:

Mike & Ikes and Cheese Zip, just like home in Rhode Island. Mmm-mmm, that's good eatin'.

I made my purchase and headed back to Hannover central station, checking out the scenery and the .. uh, the sweet billboards for Lavazza Coffee.

I'm not sure what their target audience is. Anthropomorphic Italian leopard women with gaudy jewelery? If that's the case, they nailed it, but those claws don't make me want to try Lavazz coffee anytime in the near future, even if is the favorite of Italian Furries everywhere.

That's it for now - more to come!

Office Warfare

2008-01-09T19:58:00.001-05:00

We at Twisted Throttle like to keep it fresh and fun. A little in-office humor every now and then serves to keep our staff from becoming drab, boring zombies.

Nerf guns are sprinkled around the office. When the stress-level is high, these guns are prominently and threateningly positioned atop our desks. With our itchy trigger fingers burning, a wrong look, gesture, or twitch is enough to set us into a crazed, foam frenzy. The sound of whistling darts fills the air.

After the battle, we clean up our darts (we usually lose a few) and get back to work. All participants are much happier. Well, almost everybody. Nobody likes to lose.

I'm contemplating making an uber-powerful air gun to shoot Nerf darts. I wonder what would happen to those little foam things at 100 psi? (And my coworkers?)

Motorcycle Wisdom

2008-01-07T20:43:00.000-05:00

I found this post on www.motoroads.com. Something about this speaks to me. I want to go for a ride.

• Midnight bugs taste best.
• Saddlebags can never hold everything you want, but they CAN hold everything you need.
• Home is where your bike sits still long enough to leave a few drops of oil on the ground.
• The only good view of a thunderstorm is in your rearview mirror.
• Bikes don't leak oil, they mark their territory.
• Never mistake horsepower for staying power.
• If you don't ride in the rain - you don't ride.
• A bike on the road is worth two in the shed.
• Young riders pick a destination and go. . . Old riders pick a direction and go.
• A good mechanic will let you watch without charging you for it.
• Sometimes the fastest way to get there is to stop for the night.
• Winter is Nature's way of telling you to polish your bike.
• Well-trained reflexes are quicker than luck.
• The best alarm clock is sunshine on chrome.
• A friend is someone who'll get out of bed at 2 am to drive his pickup to the middle of nowhere.
• There's something ugly about a NEW bike on a trailer.
• Practice wrenching on your own bike.
• Never be ashamed to unlearn an old habit
• Maintenance is as much art as it is science.
• If you ride like there's no tomorrow - there won't be.
• Gray-haired riders don't get that way from pure luck
• There are drunk riders. There are old riders. There are NO old, drunk riders.
• No matter what marquee you ride, it's all the same wind.
• Only a Biker knows why a dog sticks his head out of a car window.

Motorcycle Art

2008-01-05T17:00:00.001-05:00

Motorcycles aren't simply awesome transportation devices - they're also mediums of art and self expression.

As a long time fan of the unique and extra-ordinary, I'd like to bring to you a series of images of artistic and creative motorcycles designs. Variety is the spice of life, after all.

I give special preference to those designs and applications that are especially novel or spark the imagination. With all this being said, let's begin:

While I'm not a big fan of The Wizard of Oz, I have to admire this Aprilia's paint job for its originality and detail. Check out the seat - it matches Dorothy's dress. I think I see ruby slippers in there, too.

User submissions are encouraged. Send me photos of your awesome bike. Email me at singlefilefish@gmail.com

What a Save!

2008-01-02T15:56:00.000-05:00

I've watched this video dozens of times and still can't figure out how he recovered.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T15:21:00.000-05:00

Here's to wishing all of you a Happy New Year with this old Irish blessing:

May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life's passing seasons
bring the best to you and yours!

Motorcycle Meets Mixer

2007-12-30T20:04:00.000-05:00

Don't get me wrong - blenders are great. They can crush ice and ... blend things. But have you ever felt like they're missing something? (Like handlebars and fuel economy ratings?) If you answered "Yes!," this product is for you.

This is a go-everywhere, do-all, show-off type of gizmo. Available in two-stroke and four-stroke models, these gasoline-powered blenders are sure to impress your friends and drive your wife crazy.

I can't help but wonder what non-food items these monsters can puree. (I'm guessing decorative lace, beer cans, and old sneakers). I also wonder if they have a throttle governor that can be removed.

I haven't yet used this product, so I can't endorse it. But Honda recommends this fancy, four-stroke, red number. Best of all, this deluxe model doesn't require pre-mixed fuels.

If this crazy machine isn't showy enough, you can accessorize your blender with a windscreen, mirrors, and leather saddlebags.

See more at http://www.blenderblaster.com/blenderblaster/.

Twisted Party - Part II

2007-12-26T23:00:00.000-05:00

Our party was a sweet, sweet success. The food was delicious, drinks plentiful, and Christmas cheer abundant.

Our menu was catered by a local deli and supplemented by Twisted staff. Adam cooked BBQ Kielbasa sausage throughout the day, and Josh brought in some freshly-baked sourdough bread. Mmm mmm, good.

And what self-respecting party would be complete without a spinning disco ball? This ball was freshly purchased on Wednesday evening and installed just in time for our party. (And now we are totally prepared to get down at a moment's notice!)

Merry Christmas to all!

2007-12-25T09:03:00.000-05:00

Just a quick note to say "Merry Christmas" to all! Here's hoping you got all the gear you were wanting for Christmas.

Twisted Party

2007-12-20T15:33:00.000-05:00

We're gearing up for our biggest Christmas party ever. It's happening tonight. In less than 2 hours to be precise.

Each of us here at Twisted are eagerly awaiting what will shortly transpire, but most are a little bit afraid of having an embarrassing moment posted on this very blog.

The tree is decorated, the egg nog purchased, and the disco ball hung. Let the madness begin.

We'll be sure to post photos of the aftermath in the next day or so. Stay tuned...

Urban Cowfolk

2007-12-18T20:47:00.000-05:00

I think there's a little bit of cowboy (or cowgirl) in almost every motorcycle rider. I feel this is especially true for leather-clad chopper riders all over the world, and probably a lot of the sport-tourers and enduro riders as well. I know that whenever I see a good western with a lot of gunfights and leather dusters and cowboy hats that something in me gets riled up and I have to ride. The same could probably be said for many of the rough riders we met at Daytona Bike Week in March, 2007.

This isn't enough for all people, though. Some people just can't get by on a motorcycle. Take Adam, one of our in-house sales experts. Adam needs the real thing. He needs two tons of fast-twitch muscle between his legs. He needs a bucking bronco tossing him into the air.

Even if it's mechanical.

Make sure to click the picture for the animated version!

Yeeeeee-haw! You ride that thing! Never say Uncle!

Velocitas Vespas / More Power!

2007-12-17T16:13:00.000-05:00

To Vespa or not to Vespa: that is the question. Normally, I wouldn't Vespa. But a Vespa equipped with a 750cc engine? Totally!

(Be sure to turn your speakers on!)

All this thing needs now is an awesome paint job.

Life Lessons

2007-12-15T21:43:00.001-05:00

I just had a life lesson on Thursday. So I'm passing along my acquired wisdom to all of you readers. Please pay close attention. Ahem:

Never leave your chocolate candies in the pocket of your Gerbing's electrically heated motorcycle vest...

Magic mushrooms on your Honda Metropolitan scooter

2007-12-13T09:38:00.001-05:00

We're not condoning illegal drug use, but we'd like to offer congratulations to the folks at Honda for shedding some of their strait-laced, Puritanical, white-collar ways and taking a walk on the wild side. With the release of their new special-edition SHedo SH125 scooter, Honda seems to be encouraging everyone to get out and enjoy all the little pink people! Check out these pre-release photos we took in November at the 2007 EICMA show in Milan:

I don't know about you, but this is definitely my ride of choice for the next local Grateful Dead concert!

Sie ist echt geil, nein?

2007-12-12T16:05:00.000-05:00

As products are developed, the manufacturer will send us photos. Usually, they're high quality photos with great lightning that are shot in a neutral environment. But sometimes...

Wait, what's that?

Ich liebe Deutschland!

Manic Mondays (a.k.a. Twisted Throttle gets a new "Drive-Through" window...)

2007-12-10T18:48:00.000-05:00

Ahh, Monday. The day everybody wearily trudges back to their favorite job for another dose of monotony. But not at Twisted Throttle.

Strange things happen over the weekend while we're out of the office. This time, long-forgotten objects appeared on my desk. (I'll credit the office gnome for finding them). Oh, and a car crashed into our building.

This photo shows the (fortunately minimal) damage to our wall. The window within the yellow rectangle is misaligned (notice how it reflects light differently than the others). The wall will be taken apart this week and repaired.

Note that there is a 4-foot wide, 6-foot deep trench between the parking lot and our warehouse wall. We're not sure how someone's car ran into the wall and didn't fall into the ditch. Hmmm... wormhole?

Stating the Obvious

2007-12-08T13:29:00.000-05:00

The intelligence of product labelling is plummeting to a new low. Increasingly obvious directions and warnings are liberally (and often glaringly) posted on nearly every type of product.

I enjoy reviewing product packaging to find these usually humerous statements, yet I always find myself questioning the necessity of displaying disclaimers such as these:

Foaming Face Wash:
May contain foam.

Matches:
Caution: Contents may catch fire.

Almond Chocolate Bar:
Warning: May contain traces of nuts.

Rat Poison:
Warning: has been found to cause cancer in laboratory mice.

Just when I think that product warning labels couldn't (and shouldn't) get any more obvious and specific, I stumble across this photo. And so I submit a suggestion for a new warning label:

Do not use luggage case to store or transport your infant children.

Notice: You have just read this notice.

It came from Sweden!

2007-12-06T15:24:00.000-05:00

My spam box is usually full of ads for low-price prescription drugs and male enhancement pills. That is, until today.

Looking something like the bastard child of a motorcycle and a tow truck, Swedish company Coming Through has created a 2-wheeled monster capable of travel through congested roads while being able to tow a freaking car.

It's actually a pretty clever idea - the clearance of a motorcycle with the power to tow a car? That's fantastic! And for all those Goldwing riders who aren't getting enough storage, you can load up your car and bring it on your trip!

One thing I want to point out: Coming Through has some very cool wallpaper.

I can't wait to take my Retriever for a tour on the New England coastline.

News and rants to follow!

2007-12-04T16:11:00.000-05:00

After futzing with various web platforms for years, TwistedThrottle.com finally decided to join the modern era and start posting our latest news on Blogspot.com - woohoo!

Join us as we gear up for providing the latest news on motorcycle touring accessories for your metric sport-touring, adventure-touring, and enduro motorcycles from our wild and crazy German suppliers.

Although not as prim and proper as our retail website, we hope you'll enjoy the additional information! Don't say you weren't warned...