Rob Brooks

Harley-Davidson M-50S “Boy Racer”

Posted by Rob Brooks | May 27, 2020 | Legendary Bikes |

It was the summer of 1970 and I was fourteen years old. 1969 was the year of Woodstock and the man on the moon. I was too young for a drivers license, too old for parental rule, and too cool for school. I didn’t have a real job, but I earned some money working a paper route. My whole (young) life I wanted a minibike. If you were rich, you could buy a new Honda Trail 70, or maybe a Rupp minibike. If we could scrounge up enough parts, maybe we could build a minibike, but home-built minibikes always broke down. Our best bet was to buy a small, used motorcycle. I found a 50cc Harley and I had $50 to buy it. My first Harley-Davidson and freedom at a bargain price. A new one was $225, and a Honda 70 was over $300.

Nicky Hayden Tribute

Posted by Rob Brooks | May 22, 2020 | Industry & Racing, Ride Life |

I had followed his career and been a “Kentucky Kid” fan since his first days of moving up from AMA to MotoGP in 2003. I met his “kid brother” Roger Lee recently, himself competing successfully in MotoAmerica. From all I’ve seen and read, the Haydens are a close-knit, loving, down-to-earth Southern family, morally upright and all-American. The whole Hayden clan has been steeped in motorcycle racing practically since diapers, with parents Earl “The Squirrel” and Rose instilling a love of motorcycles and racing in each of their five children (3 boys and 2 girls). The “First Family of Racing” made American race fans proud and excited about the sport, whether in road racing, flat track, or motocross, as sons Tommy, Nicky, and Roger Lee each excelled in American and international competition.

MotoAmerica Season Opener Set for End of May

Posted by Rob Brooks | May 15, 2020 | Industry & Racing |

While MotoAmerica’s opening round at Road America will take place without fans in attendance, May 29-31, those same fans and more will have the opportunity to watch Superbike racing as it happens with the season-opener set to be one of the first live sporting events on TV since COVID-19 brought changes to sporting schedules worldwide. MotoAmerica’s two Superbike races will air live on FOX Sports with Saturday’s series opener set for FS2 (4 p.m. Eastern) while Sunday’s second race (2 p.m. Eastern) will be featured for the first time on FS1 as the lead-in for NASCAR’s round at Martinsville.

Harley-Davidson Prepares to “Rewire”

Posted by Rob Brooks | May 1, 2020 | Industry & Racing |

Harley-Davidson released a press brief this week, discussing their first quieter 2020 sales results and outlining some “near-term” strategic actions for restarting production and beginning to move into recovery. It’s no secret that H-D has suffered losses in recent years, and the COVID-19 world crisis has imposed devastating effects on them, as well as so many other motorcycle brands around the world.

Ducati, Others Prep To Reopen Motorcycle Production

Posted by Rob Brooks | Apr 27, 2020 | Industry & Racing |

Ducati Motorcycles in Italy has announced a graduated reopening of production this week, as workers begin returning to the factory. The company plans to slowly return to pre-COVID levels of manufacturing in the coming weeks, according to a report in Italian media site OmniMoto. After suspension of all operations back on March 13, Ducati has announced the reopening of operations at the Borgo Panigale plant, specifically on the facility’s workshop and engine assembly lines while following strict health protocols.

Motorcycle Market Malady

Posted by Rob Brooks | Apr 22, 2020 | Industry & Racing |

Deep in the global COVID pandemic, and amidst a nearly ten-year decline in sales, the motorcycle industry has continued to take a beating here in 2020. If automotive sales have declined, motorcycle sales have ridden off a cliff. Global sales have plummeted worldwide, in every category, in every country, for every manufacturer.

Above The Ton

Posted by Rob Brooks | Apr 11, 2020 | Industry & Racing, Ride Life, Rides & Roads |

Sport bikes are exhilarating to ride, for their cornering abilities, lean angle capability, instantly available raw power, head-snapping acceleration, and of course, high speeds.
None of which should ever be fully exploited on the street.

Electric Soul

Posted by Rob Brooks | Apr 3, 2020 | Bikes & Gear |

I must admit a certain reluctance to involve myself in motorcycling’s growing “fringe”, the electric bike. I’m an “ICE” guy (internal combustion engine), and still love everything about a rumbling, vibrating, exhaust-smoking motorcycle that I have to clutch, shift, feed fuel, and wrench on to keep running. I’ve been disinterested in the many varied electric/eclectic battery-powered startups over the past 20 years, admittedly including Zero. “Not a true, traditional motorcycle,” I would scoff…

2020 Isle of Man TT Joins List of Race Cancellations

Posted by Rob Brooks | Mar 17, 2020 | Industry & Racing |

The government of the Isle of Man has canceled this year’s annual Isle of Man TT, originally scheduled for May 30- June 13, as a precautionary measure against the worldwide spreading of the coronavirus. The legendary motorcycle time trials race has attracted thousands of pro racers and fans from across the globe since its inception in 1907. The two-week racing event has only been canceled one other time in its long history, in 2001 due to the government’s concerns over an outbreak of “foot-and-mouth” disease in the neighboring United Kingdom.