Rob Brooks

Riding the Royal Enfield INT650 Interceptor

Posted by Rob Brooks | Feb 9, 2020 | Bikes & Gear | 0

Royal Enfield is among the largest motorcycle manufacturers on the planet, and one of the oldest. First launched in 1901 as Enfield Cycle Company of Redditch, Worcestershire, England, the company’s signature bike has been the legendary Bullet, the longest-enduring motorcycle design in history. Eventually establishing manufacturing in British Commonwealth India in 1955, Enfield partnered with Madras Motors to form Enfield India, building a 350cc Bullet for their market. Eventually Royal Enfield England folded up in 1967 as the British motorcycle industry began its slow painful death, but the brand thrived in its new home of Chennai, India. Interestingly, the brand has recently opened a technology development facility back in “merry old England”, so in a sense, the brand is returning to their geographic roots.

Great American Motorcycle Show 2020

Posted by Rob Brooks | Jan 27, 2020 | Bikes & Gear, Industry & Racing | 2

With the departure several years ago of the Progressive International Motorcycle Show from Atlanta (or the entire southeast, for that matter), the Great American Motorcycle Show fills that gap left behind for us here in the Deep South. Men and women, young and old, from across the spectrum of our great land, came together to share and enjoy our common passion- all things 2-wheels (and sometimes 3) and a motor.

An American In Dakar

Posted by Rob Brooks | Jan 18, 2020 | Industry & Racing | 0

For the first time in history, an American won the motorcycle class in the legendary Dakar Rally, this year held in Saudi Arabia. Ricky Brabac of Hesperia, California took the coveted Tuareg prize astride a Monster Energy Honda CRF450 Rally, the first win for Honda in 31 years. This was Brabec’s fifth attempt in the Dakar race, and only the second time he’s finished it.

Bring On Spring!

Posted by Rob Brooks | Jan 18, 2020 | Nuts & Bolts | 2

I recently parked my old 1998 Yamaha Royal Star in my father’s garage for some long-overdue and much needed maintenance. The old girl has about 88K miles on her, and I decided to give attention to several issues during these winter months. My parents live about an hour and a half south of us, so my goal was to get down there several times across the cold months to freshen everything up for the 2020 riding season.

2019- The Year in Review

Posted by Rob Brooks | Dec 30, 2019 | Ride Life | 0

As 2019 draws to a close, many of us pause to consider the year gone by, with all it’s triumphs and tragedies. We at Road Dirt have glanced back over our shoulders as well, contemplating our first year as a motorcycle publication. And what a year it was.

Fix It Yourself

Posted by Rob Brooks | Dec 27, 2019 | Nuts & Bolts | 1

A confession: I’ve never been very mechanically-minded. I have always admired my father, who can build, repair, modify, or tear down just about anything with a motor. Still can, even at 80 years old. I however, was not blessed with the same skill set. Any abilities I’ve acquired have come by learning from him, teaching myself, and much trial and error (emphasis on error).

Nelson-Rigg CL Series Deluxe Saddlebags Evaluation

Posted by Rob Brooks | Dec 16, 2019 | Bikes & Gear | 0

Last year, I took a 3-day road trip on my Triumph Bonneville, packing light with only a backpack and a tail bag rig for the bike. I’d only had the tail bag a few months, having purchased it from a local motorcycle accessories shop. On the return trip home, up in the north Georgia mountains, one of the under seat Velcro straps ripped in half, and nearly sheared the second strap as well, sliding the whole bag immediately over to the right side of the bike. I felt the immediate weight shift, and quickly got off the road. With a fuel station (thankfully) right across the street, I pulled into the parking lot, bag still dangling off the right side, only to realize how close I had come to those ripped straps wrapping around my rear wheel or worse, tangling in my chain. That could have turned ugly, quite quickly. A kind old gent in a rusty pickup witnessed my dilemma, and offered a set of bungee straps to get me home. Very grateful for that Good Samaritan.

S.O.S.- Save Our Sport!

Posted by Rob Brooks | Nov 26, 2019 | Industry & Racing | 5

Out for a fall motorcycle ride recently I stopped off at a old general store in a tiny town out in the country for some fuel and refreshment. Taking a seat near a window, I noticed in a stack of magazines an old issue of LIFE, dated July 20, 1967. Intrigued, I perused the pages, and immediately found something unexpected- two large ads for motorcycle manufacturers, one a full page Honda ad, and the other a half page Harley-Davidson ad. The common denominator, besides the obvious motorcycles, was the demographic these ads were clearly targeting. Both contained young people, enjoying life and astride their bikes, which also, by the way, were small displacement, affordable, and visually appealing…

A Weekend of Champions

Posted by Rob Brooks | Nov 20, 2019 | Industry & Racing | 1

Big News in the Worlds of MotoGP and NHRA

This past weekend heralded some big headlines in motorcycle racing. First, the “Marvelous Marquez Brothers” as we’ve dubbed them, made headlines twice, when both took the crowns in their respective classes in MotoGP. And then Repsol Honda announced that the Marc and Alex would race as teammates in the 2020 season, a first in MotoGP history. Also in that international race series, 5-time world champion Jorge Lorenzo rode his last race, having announced his retirement from road racing at the close of season this weekend at Valencia, Spain. In NHRA, Andrew Hines claimed his 6th NHRA Mello Yello Pro Stock Motorcycle drag racing title, after a tough season and near disastrous mistake at the starting line of the final season race.