MotoGP was in Misano this last weekend where, to everyone's dismay, Marc Marquez qualifying disasters continue! He would start from fourth on the grid with his brother Alex in third, Quartararo from second, and hometown(ish) hero Bez on pole!
In the sprint Marc immediately gained places and began harassing Bez. He got around him at about half race distance and then attempted to break away and shatter Bez's hopes winning. Instead, Marc overcooked a turn and lost the front shortly after in a crash which saw him skitter across the gravel trap face first and gently bump against rhe airbag wall. Bez then took an easy victory with Alex Marquez second, and Digiantonnio rising from 7th to secure the final podium spot.
The race proper was a titanic effort from Bez, who Marc once again passed, as he managed to keep the Spaniard within one second, and usually much closer with a half second gap at the end. Ultimately Marc rode to perfection without pushing too hard this time. The next closest competitor was Alex Marquez who finished over 8s down from Marc.
Bez' recent run puts Bagnaia, who crashed out of the race, in trouble for third in the championship. Alex was unable to pack on enough points to lock Marc out of a chance to win the season in Japan next week.
Somkiat Chantra picked up a point in the race by virtue of 7 people in front of him crashing out.
Yamaha did debut their V4 and raced it, though this is largely a data gathering exercise at this time.
KTM was cursed with three chain failures over the weekend.
MotoAmerica at COTA
Cameron Beaubier, Josh Herrin, and Fong continue to duke it out up front. Beaubier had a near Marquez worthy front end save with a long slide before the bike gripped and stood back up in race 2. Gagne is looking a little racey again, as well.
Herrin eked out a win in race 1 with Beaubier and Fong within one second. Unfortunately for him the ride on a broken fib with a big bruise meant the second day was tougher to perform, especially when he used the injured leg to prevent a crash.
Beaubier took the win in race 2 and held off Fong to reduce the latter's points lead by half. Herrin faded quickly this race to finish third and 15 seconds behind the race lead with riders close behind, but unable to put a move on him.
In the ONLY RACING OF ANY KIND THAT IS FOR MEN, King of the Baggers, Kyle Wyman wrapped up the championship in race 1. A lot of this is due to HD factory's relative lack of mechanical failure and Kyle's race consistency. Gillum, however, won the actual race 1. Loris Baz took second, and Rocco Landers came on in a big way to muscle up to third.
In Race 2 Rocco had part of his exhaust fall off and retired. Wyman crashed out and he was upset, but still won the season. Herfoss bounced back to win, with Loris in second again. Then Bradley Smith's HD way behind in third.
Of note is Herfoss was dinged with a technical violation in the prior round with an epoxy filled swing arm that the crew attempted to claim was ballast! Ah, race teams.
MotoGP's championship may complete in Motegi next week.
MotoAmerica's is going down to the wire with a tight spread between the top threeand three races to go.
That KTM chain problem was weird. Their racing director says the chains are fine, instead swingarm flexing and shifting while on the Misano big curbs caused the chain to jump the sprocket.
This still an open thread? Wife and I are headed to Napa next weekend, and spending the night in SF beforehand. I’ve never been, she has. What’s the best way to kill an afternoon and have a decent but not outrageous dinner? We’re spending the night near Fisherman’s Wharf. I figure I have to do drugs, step in human shit, and blow a dude to get the full experience, but aside from that, how to spend about 8 hours?
Last time we were there, couple of years ago, we had lunch at the Boudin Bakery at Fisherman's Wharf. They have a bistro type restaurant. Food was quite good. Not the usual tourist trap fare.
Marin headlands is just across the GG bridge if you want to do nature/trail stuff (very scenic). I couldn't really recommend any city stuff as last time I was there it was all homeless poo and pee rivers down around Market near all the stores (I think most of them are shuttered now). Chinatown is okayish for 15-30 min. MOMA might be an option. GG park maybe. Just have good situational awareness. It's still a pretty good city to visit.
I had an outstanding dinner with a large group not long ago at Harborview, a Chinese restaurant in the Embarcadero Center. SF generally has the best Chinese food in the United States and you should sample it.
40 + years ago I last visited S.F., it's always been an edgy city but I like it anyway .
IIRC I was told to try The "Cathay House" (SP ?) in China town and indeed it was great .
I remember being able to simply step on a cable car as it clattered past, now there's a line of 100 tourists waiting so I'll never get to ride them again .
My wife(half japanese) is super into asain food, we've been to this place a few times, it's really good. https://maps.app.goo.gl/d1bBdvJReU32sntJ6. It's a couple blocks down from Haight Ashbury if you wanna walk that after and get a contact high. I don't really spend a lot of time in the City, it pissed me off during Covid and I haven't really been back.
We drive through Napa often on the way to St. Helena, I'd recommend that. The Station for coffee is good, also the bakery on the west side of the street is good, as is The Goose and Gander, The Charter Oak and Charlie's Napa Valley.
The art galleries in St Helena are also good, as are most of the wineries. I'm getting tired of typing but if you have more: hateohatetoo 8wonateslebinohhsexxy.
There also used to be a penny arcade on or along the waterfront with older games and classic arcade games. Wife and I had to see who was still better at Pac Man like back in the day. Was a fun rainy day. The other suggestions here are solid.
Avoid some of the neighborhoods people are referring to and head to some of the more clean and pleasant neighborhoods like Noe Valley, Alamo Square, Hayes Valley, Marina, Inner Richmond, etc. All are quieter and pleasant with great restaurants, architecture, parks, etc.
Go to the top of Coit tower and take in the bay. Walk along the bay at the Embarcadero or near golden gate beach under the bridge. Watch sunset from the Marin Headlands. go to Muir Woods and walk among the Redwoods. Have dinner in Tiburon or Sausalito looking back at the city. Ride the cable cars standing off the side, but just don’t go all the way to Powell. Union Square has always kinda sucked. If you want a bit of grit, go to the more pleasant type of grit you’ll find in the Haight or Mission District.
Yes, SF has all the bad things everyone knows about, but it is also one of the most beautiful cities on earth. It is far better than people expect if you don’t spend all your time in the worst places with the worst behavior that get all the headlines, just like any other city.
Fisherman’s Wharf kinda sucks outside of eating seafood. Very tourist trappy.
Talked with my wife a little bit more, I think our tentative plan is to rent some bikes, ride across the GG up to Sausalito, walk around the houseboat area and maybe gape at some yachts, and then ferry back.
Happy to here why this is a good/terrible idea or any tips and tricks, but I think it’s what we’ll probably do ish.
The only terrible idea is going to San Francisco. The rest would make for a great day anywhere else with water, bikes and a ferry. I spent a few great days doing the same thing in San Diego, where I would ride down the east side of the bay, ride up Coronado, and then take the ferry back to downtown. There were great places to eat along the way, and every woman who ever went with me had a fine time. San Diego was not famous for human feces, zombies, and violent crime while I was there, although homelessness was getting far too prevalent for my tastes.
0) Jack, congrats on not hitting anything when that tire let go.
1) As my grandfather would've said, "I ain't payin' no FIVE HUNNERD DOLLARS for a damn pair o' jeans, even if they are made in the you-ess-ay," but I did buy a Hank's Belt and it's great. Thanks for the recommendation.
2) Open thread, right? Anybody have thoughts on the Moto Guzzi V7 850?
I haven't had one, but I've long thought they are pretty cool. Sort of an Italian Harley. I'd call this guy and ask if he has any he wants to sell. He always has a few: https://maps.app.goo.gl/9tx2r3bNVdWYoJU19
I keep coming back to the Guzzi, the Harley Sportster (Evo, not Rev Max), and the good old Honda Magna, which is a great bike, but I'm too lazy to clean and sync four carbs in 2025.
If you don’t have a real live for Americana, I’d give the guzzi a go. You’ll be into it for 3500-5500, and it’ll be a really nice bike. Same weight and power as Harley, similar seating position too if you want, easy to get parts, and you won’t be getting into bro-offs with rando fatherless cunts on the highway, and meth-heads aren’t going to steal it while you’re eating your $100 hamburger on a Saturday afternoon. At least go test drive one. The Harley game is so fucked it like a combination of the Porsche game and the dodge LX game. Lots of theft and parts swapping, lots of bottom feeders, and then you have your knob-shlobbing, special edition, dealer markup you want HOW MuCH For a motorcycle???
My brother had a sportster 850 that he bought new in maybe 2014 and I rode it a little. It was fun in a muscle car sorta way, but it ran out of rpm and power really fast, so you had to shift a lot. It was a comfort cruiser. I doubt I’ll ever own one. Most of my appreciation for motorcycles is as art pieces, there are some really exceptional builders out there.
I have a lot of experience with Moto Guzzis from Eldorados and Ambassadors through the 2015 Stelvio 1200 (last one I bought). I'm currently not a motorcycle owner, but wouldn't rule it our if the right one pops up.
Guzzis aren't super fast, but they make good torque and are very engaging to ride. They tend to handle very competently. They also will run indefinitely with proper care. Between me, my Brother, my Dad (passed) and Dad's third wife (passed) we had easily put 250k on four bikes.
A retired aircraft engineer from Wichita who is a family friend is well over 500k on Guzzis all over the world. One bike got to about 160k when he finally concluded he wanted a new one and gave it to his mechanic. I've not spoken to him for several years, but his travel blog is still up and is worth a look.
I've spent so many miles on a Guzzi and have so many good experiences to have a strong bias towards the brand. They are Italian and have some quirks. Once you take care of the few serial defects from the factory though, there's just nothing quite like a Moto Guzzi.
Good to hear the mechanicals are durable. And I like the idea of not having to clean a chain. But as a shadetree mechanic, my Achilles heel is electrical problems. How are Guzzis from an electrical standpoint?
We do have a Guzzi shop here in Columbus (Throttle Company). I suppose if it conked out electrically, I could trailer it down there, lube myself up, and say "Be gentle with me."
Let me be more clear: The v85 or v7 with the 850 sounds great, looks cool, and is easy to maintain. But it's not as fast as it sounds like it might be. That's the muscle car part.
The v-max is just a bike built on a dare, rather like the Rune and the Kawi Drifter.
I have a pic of a white V7 street parked in Paris that I stumbled upon and I’ve always thought of it as an evocative picture. Looks good and the right setting for that bike.
I have them on my vw sportwagen diesel. They grip well but don't seem to last significantly longer than others. But I drive in the mountains, so lots of slalom and not much boring droning, which eats tires. So, IDK.
I have my Mom run these on her Mazda3 that she drives year round in Upstate NY, they are a good tire, but seem to be a bit nosier than other options we have used in the past.
More detail: I use them year round on my W212. Since I live on a dirt (read "mud") road in Vermont (read "snowy and icy place") that says a lot. I avoid Blizzaks and the like because I find them too squirmy on the highway.
In my fairly severe circumstances, I toss them when the tread is half worn to retain snow performance. A side benefit to that approach is the ride quality degrades past that wear point, anyway.
$200 installed? Or per tire and you can worry about installation when paying? If the latter, I like the Continental Extremecontact DSW06 I put on my CX-9, $191 per at my locally-owned tire shop. Whisper quiet at highway speed, especially compared to the obnoxious Falkens it came with. Handling seems excellent. I run Blizzaks in the winter so I don't know about snow traction for them.
My MIL put these on her RAV4 on my recommendation and loves them. Her sister rode in her car and bought them for her RAV4 also. I put them on my CX-5 after a sketchy drive to Montreal on the factory Toyos that were nearing EOL anyway. They've been good so far, but haven't been through a winter yet.
Snow traction is ok-not-great while the S still exists (significant tread depth). I am currently running them on my Mazda3.
I am using X-Ice 3s instead of WS80s that I had for several seasons because I needed boring cold weather performance over serious snow tires after moving back inside city limits and we don't get that much snow where I live.
This is what I run on my 2018 Mazda 6. As I posted earlier, we run Altimax's on our CX5. I like the Altimax's overall better. Quieter and better wet traction HO.
I had OEM Conti run flats on my 2007 BMW wagon and they sucked. They were horrible on bad pavement and were harsh on potholes.
Switched to Bridgestone Driveguards only because I had limited choices for run flats, and they are fantastic. The difference is night and day. They don’t crash over bumps or potholes and the car handles better.
I know nothing of tires. I ended up putting General Altimax's on our SUV last year and General Gmax on my Mazda 6 and couldn't be happier. The Altimax's are superior in the rain, Gmax are better on dry. I was going to put Conti Extreme Contacts on but they were 30 bucks more a tire.
Looking at tirerack, there are over 100 options. I'd lean toward Pirelli P4s. They'll last forever and be good in bad weather. I had them on a Cruze. If you want more performance, Continental DWS06.
I had the Vredstein Hypertrac on my former Accord and currently have a set on my wife's ILX. They are very good in the rain, and are the quietest UHP All Season I have run, and that is saying something on Honda products. If we keep the ILX long enough to need another set I'll probably go with the Grand Touring version Jack recommended, the Quatrac Pro, since the wife doesn't need the "performance" benefit of the UHPAS.
I often run older tires especially when I've swapped wheels and tires on the Z over the years during testing. A blowout like that at pretty much any speed is absolute nightmare fuel for me. I'm guessing the Neon held up to the incident without much fuss?
Does the Neon still have the stock IP and dash minus the airbags (with a different steering wheel, of course)? Or do you have some sort of aftermarket setup from a vendor of Neon racing parts?
One of the great things about the Japanese near luxury brands is that the owners really correspond with the parent companies. I see Infinitis weaving through traffic with mismatched aftermarket rims and fart cans all the time.
The other day here in Spokompton, WA I saw a G35 with a Texas plate with roached clear coat, surface rusty front fenders that were still in the black primer that was applied in the Chinese factory and no front bumper/facia, just headlights and exposed radiator.
I splurged on a pair of Raleigh Denim dead stock White Oak Cone Mill jeans a few months ago. Until I got them out of the impressive packaging, I had serious doubts about having spent that much on a pair of jeans, but the fact they were going to be some of the last jeans made with real White Oak denim sucked me in.
Let me tell you they are impressive in their materials, build quality and attention to detail that made me mad because I really wanted to find something to keep me from wanting to buy more pairs of expensive denim. Once I saw their drop about the locally sourced cotton I knew I'd be buying another pair.
When I put them on for the first time and knew they fit, I thought to myself, as long as I don't get fat again I should have these for long enough to justify the price.
I have a couple pairs of Cortech kevlar lined pants that look like Dockers/khaki/dad/going to court pants. They kinda suck in warm weather, they also have pockets for knee & hip armor. They look pretty nice.
A onesie by one of the better makers is a great option. I have an Olympia model I bought off a guy on ADVrider secondhand and it's fantastic. The zipper goes from the throat to the right leg, so you can step into and out of it, it has vents that can be opened on the bike, and it comes with decent CE armor. I know RyanF9 says armor is stupid, but it makes me feel better as I'm more frangible than I used to be.
The one piece lets you leave the jacket at home and it folds up to about the size of a jacket. Downside is when you get caught in the rain it forms a lake in the crotch. Can't have it all unless you want to pay aerostitch money (purposely lower cased because I'm a h8r sk8r).
I was going to comment on that too. I think statements like that are dumb, and agree that they don't help much. Re: Facts don't care about your feelings" True, but not making any friends.
I was specifically referring to the act of putting a sticker on a car that seems to take joy in the mere act of being contrary and/or difficult. That's ridiculous and it does nothing for anyone except raise the temperature of the discourse.
"So I dragged the Neon out for this past weekend’s race at Nelson Ledges."
from the video nelson ledges looks pretty cool and id want to race there. also are those konis with a ground control coilover kit? i was considering a set for the miata but wasnt sure if they would be worth it compared to xidas with regards to the cost difference. the konis are at least a known quantity at this point
"The important thing is that her pace is now equal to that of the 20-year veterans in SRF2"
hot damn. how did she get that fast that quick? you must be a really good teacher
"It’s clearly quicker than our USA-market car, probably because it is a few hundred pounds lighter"
absolutely nuts. guess thats the one to go for if you can get the parts that made it light. or the italians are lying about curb weight but theyve never done that before
"The Handmaid’s Tale is a fetish book masquerading as feminist literature"
If a woman is dressed as a Heinz ketchup bottle, you can safely disregard anything she has to say. (Unless she's selling hotdogs or hamburgers at a sporting event.)
Did I ever tell you about the time my buddy and I, on bicycles, encountered the Red Bullmobile at a traffic light? The Bullmobile was crewed by two very attractive young ladies. We each received a "Bull" before the light changed.
In college I knew a guy who drove the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile around town (Los Angeles). Imagine even getting paid to do that!!!
' also are those konis with a ground control coilover kit? i was considering a set for the miata but wasnt sure if they would be worth it compared to xidas with regards to the cost difference. the konis are at least a known quantity at this point'
A local aquaintance of mine bought one, I asked him how he liked it. His giddy response was that it was the *only Z06 C8* at the local cars and coffee event and that a bunch of people were checking it out. No mention of how it actually drives or anything else. He looks about how you'd expect him to based on that anecdote lol
I like the C8. But then I think about how I’d probably like a C7 and it’s more usable. But if you’re going to do a C7, why not just a C6 Z06? And the C6Z is really cool, but you know what’s even cooler and cheaper? A C5 Z06.
93-97 Camaro has criminally underrated lines IMO. This was the *future* in a Sid Mead sense. The most raked windshield in GM's history before or since. I ended up buying a stick shift 2nd gen Xterra but a Z28 93-07 Camaro with a 6spd is still on the bucket list.
I miss do my X. 2010, bought in 2010. Nissan was doing 5k cash off the hood - if you recall gas was high (relative anyway) - so I bought the base 4WD X model, for under 20k - it was cheaper to buy new than even a 1 year used one.
When the tag line was: "Everything you need and nothing you don't." They really meant it. Cloth seats, side mirrors that weren't even power, ye old 5 speed, big ole 4.0L V6 - man I miss that thing. I bought it because it was cheap, but it wormed its way into my heart. (However, the family never enjoyed the rougher ride and poor NVH that a BOF SUV is.) It also started to feel small (as the primary family hauler) - not with car seats! - but when kid's sports started.
Got 14 years from it, and 180k miles. I kept saying I would sell it when it died... but IT WOULD NOT DIE. Thing was a cockroach. I sold it to a good friend's son who turned 16. Was one of the cooler cars in the lot and scored him a few intro convos that led to some teenage shenanigans.
Never gave me much problems, just watch out for SMOD (change out the rad and you're fine) as well as the CPS (crank position sensor) and the cam sensors.
Other than that - it should never leave ya stranded.
A guy just moved in down the street with a 30th Anniversary Camaro - the White one with Hugger Orange stripes and the ZR-1 wheels. It also led me to this conclusion, after years of thinking the LS1 cars were better looking. I haven't had a chance to go talk to him about it, but about 100 of those cars got factory GS-spec LT4s and Houndstooth interiors. If he beats the odds and owns one of those, I'm supremely jealous!
Down the skreet there's a very nice 4th gen Camaro PACE CAR for sale. I don't dislike them enough to not gawk every time I've ridden past it. They're fun cars.
It was priced at 10k for ultra low miles and spotless black paint with the Indy stripe package looking like it hadn’t seen the sun since it was on the lot. Fine looking car. Already sold, which is a bummer.
the biggest thing holding me back from a c5z06 is the roof. i very much prefer the sloped roofline of the non z06 cars even though its likely heavier and not as stiff as the coupe
If you do look at one, look at the seam closely where the halo and roof are bonded together. Over time, the glue expands and raises the paint. Not enough to crack the paint, but it isn’t flat. The only way to repair it, AFAIK, is sand all of it out and respray.
This will also happen on the outer edges of the trunk lid where the inner and outer halves are bonded together.
All the “C5s are great “ commenters haven’t lived with one (and neither have I). There are not a lot of kind things said about build quality for C6 and previous generations.
The build quality honestly wasnt bad. Light years ahead of my cursed gmt800
The issue was
I had a somewhat modified E36 at the time which was infinitely more fun to drive, way higher handling limits and much more controllable.
At that point, the C5Z became a straight line machine that was unpleasant on long trips. My XJ puts down similar 1/4 mile times and will give me a massage while doing it.
For off track use one would be better served with either a Miata, XKR, M6, etc
I look at (hopefully eventual) C5Z ownership differently than I look at my S2000 ownership. The S2k is a keeper for me. The C5Z is likely something I’d buy, keep for a few years, do a few bucket list things (Rt 66, Bourbon Trail/Corvette museum) and then sell on to try the next thing. I’m sure you could be in and out of a C5Z for basically $0-2500, and I’d be fine with that. Every enthusiast should own a Corvette and a V8 at least once and I’ve had neither.
C2 and C3 are the best overall designs, with the C6 as best modern Corvette. I have a C2 and it’s a work of art. There is not one bad line on the whole car. C3 is the same.
It’s a great credit to the designers that the C2 and C3, though very different designs, both look like Corvettes. The C3 is a fantastic evolution of the C2 design language.
I was just at the Gilmore Car Museum in Michigan and they had a black split window that was the C2 engineering test car. After they were done with it a young GM engineer bought it. He stills owns it.
Black was not a common Corvette color back then and the car looks great.
Cadillac Optiq (painful just typing that) curb weight is 5200 lbs (that too).
That makes the Optiki 3” shorter than my 193” 2012 E350 wagon but 800 lbs heavier than the 4400 lb Mercedes. Cargo capacity with the rear seats down for the Optiki is 57 cu ft and 69 cu ft for the Mercedes.
I was glad to know nothing about this car, doubly so now that I've seen it, it looks like a less interesting Hyundai. What happened to the early 2000's concepts like the Evoq or Cien or Sixteen. They've kept the naming scheme but just slapped them on something my kids would be embarrassed to be seen in. Just give me a giant unashamed American car already... I guess that is the Escalade but really can Caddy take credit for that one or is it old GM "we know how to make high displacement trucks!" peaking through.
The Lyriq, at least, has an interesting shape, being a long, low-roofed wagon-esque thing with elegant proportions and a long wheelbase. The Optiq…looks exactly as stubby and dorky as it is, and it feels cramped inside. Also, every single Optiq that I’ve seen has had hot glue remnants on the headliner. But then…that was also true of the $157,000 Escalade IQ loaner I had. Way to go, GM.
They're all on the Ultium platform and built in GM assembly plants, but Lyric, Blazer, ZDX, and Prologue are most closely related, and then Optiq and Equinox are somewhat smaller and closely related.
re the jeans: this statement on their site under Fabric Care gave me a good laugh: "For the very best break-in, we recommend washing after 3-6 months of regular wear." my wife complains when I wear the same Tee shirt two days in a row (when I happen to do nothing those days to get it sweaty). I can't imagine the grief I would get if I said "I can't wash these jeans until the 6 month break in period is over".
Our house came with a fancy California Closet type system. It has his and hers built in hampers, and my section of the closet has 2 or 3 different places to stash “transitional” clothes that are somewhere between clean and dirty.
"There isn't just Clean and Dirty. There are many subtle levels in between. See this shirt? Just hang it outside the window for 20 minutes, it's fine."
I'm a 1 day a week wearer of denim in the warmer months, and 2-3 day a week wearer in the cooler months, and I maybe wash my jeans 1-2 times a year. By wearing I mean driving a desk on casual Friday, hanging out or doing non strenuous/dirty work around the house on weekends. If they start to smell or get greasy they get washed, inside out, cold, hang dried.
The denim freaks on reddit that wear the same pair daily for 6+months while doing real activities in them can most likely be smelled before seen.
I finished Blindsight yesterday morning. I don't know what to think of it, but I'll be checking out the "it's not a sequel" sequel from the library instead of buying it, as I did this one because I thought you were done with trolling book recommendations.
I didn't realize it until I had the copy in my hand, but Blindsight had been on my "buy this if you find it used" list. Knowing that it was written 16 years ago makes it seem in many ways prescient - not necessarily in the major plot points (which, yes, he raises some valid questions about AI and whether consciousness is required for intelligence) but in the smaller plot points - like Chelsea being an outlier deemed quaint at best and a freak at worst for preferring sex with a real person as opposed to sex with a simulacrum of someone.
it is not hard to see that happening in the not-to-distant future given the inevitable convergence of porn, AI, and VR...
I don’t read sci-fi (except for Discworld), but I did put the Apple book on hold at the library. 20 ahead of me, so even with multiple copies it may take awhile.
Add me to the Hoosier blowout list. At some point over the weekend, I put a flat spot in one of my tires, which created a vibration Sunday during qualifying. I thought it was just tire marbles but as it got worse I should've pulled off track instead of continuing to push it. The left front tire blew halfway through Nelson's carousel turn, where I then slid off track ass first into the weeds (which I caught on fire briefly). After bending the fender back into place and throwing on some old spare tires, I led most of Sunday's race before getting impatient in the process of passing a lapper who must not have seen me coming, and flat spotted those tires too. The resulting vibration was worse than the one in quali so I pulled off track with about 3 laps to go. Live and learn. This car locks the brakes relatively easily, so I might be in need of an adjustable proportioning valve. However, I won my class Saturday, and Nelson Ledges remains a truly exciting track to drive in anger, so I'll take Sunday as a lesson and consider myself blessed to not have rolled the car when the blowout occurred.
Managing those two challenges is probably worth an article in itself. I find that there are ways to stretch your dollar and still make it to the track, the issue of time is more difficult.
MotoGP was in Misano this last weekend where, to everyone's dismay, Marc Marquez qualifying disasters continue! He would start from fourth on the grid with his brother Alex in third, Quartararo from second, and hometown(ish) hero Bez on pole!
In the sprint Marc immediately gained places and began harassing Bez. He got around him at about half race distance and then attempted to break away and shatter Bez's hopes winning. Instead, Marc overcooked a turn and lost the front shortly after in a crash which saw him skitter across the gravel trap face first and gently bump against rhe airbag wall. Bez then took an easy victory with Alex Marquez second, and Digiantonnio rising from 7th to secure the final podium spot.
The race proper was a titanic effort from Bez, who Marc once again passed, as he managed to keep the Spaniard within one second, and usually much closer with a half second gap at the end. Ultimately Marc rode to perfection without pushing too hard this time. The next closest competitor was Alex Marquez who finished over 8s down from Marc.
Bez' recent run puts Bagnaia, who crashed out of the race, in trouble for third in the championship. Alex was unable to pack on enough points to lock Marc out of a chance to win the season in Japan next week.
Somkiat Chantra picked up a point in the race by virtue of 7 people in front of him crashing out.
Yamaha did debut their V4 and raced it, though this is largely a data gathering exercise at this time.
KTM was cursed with three chain failures over the weekend.
MotoAmerica at COTA
Cameron Beaubier, Josh Herrin, and Fong continue to duke it out up front. Beaubier had a near Marquez worthy front end save with a long slide before the bike gripped and stood back up in race 2. Gagne is looking a little racey again, as well.
Herrin eked out a win in race 1 with Beaubier and Fong within one second. Unfortunately for him the ride on a broken fib with a big bruise meant the second day was tougher to perform, especially when he used the injured leg to prevent a crash.
Beaubier took the win in race 2 and held off Fong to reduce the latter's points lead by half. Herrin faded quickly this race to finish third and 15 seconds behind the race lead with riders close behind, but unable to put a move on him.
In the ONLY RACING OF ANY KIND THAT IS FOR MEN, King of the Baggers, Kyle Wyman wrapped up the championship in race 1. A lot of this is due to HD factory's relative lack of mechanical failure and Kyle's race consistency. Gillum, however, won the actual race 1. Loris Baz took second, and Rocco Landers came on in a big way to muscle up to third.
In Race 2 Rocco had part of his exhaust fall off and retired. Wyman crashed out and he was upset, but still won the season. Herfoss bounced back to win, with Loris in second again. Then Bradley Smith's HD way behind in third.
Of note is Herfoss was dinged with a technical violation in the prior round with an epoxy filled swing arm that the crew attempted to claim was ballast! Ah, race teams.
MotoGP's championship may complete in Motegi next week.
MotoAmerica's is going down to the wire with a tight spread between the top threeand three races to go.
That KTM chain problem was weird. Their racing director says the chains are fine, instead swingarm flexing and shifting while on the Misano big curbs caused the chain to jump the sprocket.
This still an open thread? Wife and I are headed to Napa next weekend, and spending the night in SF beforehand. I’ve never been, she has. What’s the best way to kill an afternoon and have a decent but not outrageous dinner? We’re spending the night near Fisherman’s Wharf. I figure I have to do drugs, step in human shit, and blow a dude to get the full experience, but aside from that, how to spend about 8 hours?
Monterey is a long day trip, very depending on the day and traffic, from SF.
Hence the redaction!
Ride the cable cars.
Walk around Chinatown.
Walk/bike around Presidio park.
Last time we were there, couple of years ago, we had lunch at the Boudin Bakery at Fisherman's Wharf. They have a bistro type restaurant. Food was quite good. Not the usual tourist trap fare.
Second the cable cars if you've never done it before. From where you are I would walk to Ghirardelli square and then take the line downtown and back.
Go to Crissy Field / The Presidio and eat at Popi's oysterette afterwards
Marin headlands is just across the GG bridge if you want to do nature/trail stuff (very scenic). I couldn't really recommend any city stuff as last time I was there it was all homeless poo and pee rivers down around Market near all the stores (I think most of them are shuttered now). Chinatown is okayish for 15-30 min. MOMA might be an option. GG park maybe. Just have good situational awareness. It's still a pretty good city to visit.
I had an outstanding dinner with a large group not long ago at Harborview, a Chinese restaurant in the Embarcadero Center. SF generally has the best Chinese food in the United States and you should sample it.
40 + years ago I last visited S.F., it's always been an edgy city but I like it anyway .
IIRC I was told to try The "Cathay House" (SP ?) in China town and indeed it was great .
I remember being able to simply step on a cable car as it clattered past, now there's a line of 100 tourists waiting so I'll never get to ride them again .
-Nate
My wife(half japanese) is super into asain food, we've been to this place a few times, it's really good. https://maps.app.goo.gl/d1bBdvJReU32sntJ6. It's a couple blocks down from Haight Ashbury if you wanna walk that after and get a contact high. I don't really spend a lot of time in the City, it pissed me off during Covid and I haven't really been back.
This place is pretty famous, I've not been but I've heard that it's good: https://maps.app.goo.gl/bK3NCAf1LpnX7UsV7
We drive through Napa often on the way to St. Helena, I'd recommend that. The Station for coffee is good, also the bakery on the west side of the street is good, as is The Goose and Gander, The Charter Oak and Charlie's Napa Valley.
The art galleries in St Helena are also good, as are most of the wineries. I'm getting tired of typing but if you have more: hateohatetoo 8wonateslebinohhsexxy.
Ferry over to Sausalito and try Scoma's. It was good last time I was there.
There also used to be a penny arcade on or along the waterfront with older games and classic arcade games. Wife and I had to see who was still better at Pac Man like back in the day. Was a fun rainy day. The other suggestions here are solid.
Avoid some of the neighborhoods people are referring to and head to some of the more clean and pleasant neighborhoods like Noe Valley, Alamo Square, Hayes Valley, Marina, Inner Richmond, etc. All are quieter and pleasant with great restaurants, architecture, parks, etc.
Go to the top of Coit tower and take in the bay. Walk along the bay at the Embarcadero or near golden gate beach under the bridge. Watch sunset from the Marin Headlands. go to Muir Woods and walk among the Redwoods. Have dinner in Tiburon or Sausalito looking back at the city. Ride the cable cars standing off the side, but just don’t go all the way to Powell. Union Square has always kinda sucked. If you want a bit of grit, go to the more pleasant type of grit you’ll find in the Haight or Mission District.
Yes, SF has all the bad things everyone knows about, but it is also one of the most beautiful cities on earth. It is far better than people expect if you don’t spend all your time in the worst places with the worst behavior that get all the headlines, just like any other city.
Fisherman’s Wharf kinda sucks outside of eating seafood. Very tourist trappy.
Talked with my wife a little bit more, I think our tentative plan is to rent some bikes, ride across the GG up to Sausalito, walk around the houseboat area and maybe gape at some yachts, and then ferry back.
Happy to here why this is a good/terrible idea or any tips and tricks, but I think it’s what we’ll probably do ish.
The only terrible idea is going to San Francisco. The rest would make for a great day anywhere else with water, bikes and a ferry. I spent a few great days doing the same thing in San Diego, where I would ride down the east side of the bay, ride up Coronado, and then take the ferry back to downtown. There were great places to eat along the way, and every woman who ever went with me had a fine time. San Diego was not famous for human feces, zombies, and violent crime while I was there, although homelessness was getting far too prevalent for my tastes.
0) Jack, congrats on not hitting anything when that tire let go.
1) As my grandfather would've said, "I ain't payin' no FIVE HUNNERD DOLLARS for a damn pair o' jeans, even if they are made in the you-ess-ay," but I did buy a Hank's Belt and it's great. Thanks for the recommendation.
2) Open thread, right? Anybody have thoughts on the Moto Guzzi V7 850?
Lol
' Anybody have thoughts on the Moto Guzzi V7 850?'
I think we have a recent purchaser of exactly that! Jim, chime in as you have time.
"Anybody have thoughts on the Moto Guzzi V7 850?"
they put the engine in sideways
neat
it's not mounted sideways. it's actually a bent BMW engine
see i figured it was either that or an opened up harley v twin
It’s a bmw with perky boobs
this made me laugh out loud. well played good sir
It’s nice to see other 12 year olds in the comments.
Well done.
I like how a Guzzi rocks when you rev it up. Crank rotates one way, bike rotates the other way.
I haven't had one, but I've long thought they are pretty cool. Sort of an Italian Harley. I'd call this guy and ask if he has any he wants to sell. He always has a few: https://maps.app.goo.gl/9tx2r3bNVdWYoJU19
Pretty sure he's one of "the experts"
I keep coming back to the Guzzi, the Harley Sportster (Evo, not Rev Max), and the good old Honda Magna, which is a great bike, but I'm too lazy to clean and sync four carbs in 2025.
If you don’t have a real live for Americana, I’d give the guzzi a go. You’ll be into it for 3500-5500, and it’ll be a really nice bike. Same weight and power as Harley, similar seating position too if you want, easy to get parts, and you won’t be getting into bro-offs with rando fatherless cunts on the highway, and meth-heads aren’t going to steal it while you’re eating your $100 hamburger on a Saturday afternoon. At least go test drive one. The Harley game is so fucked it like a combination of the Porsche game and the dodge LX game. Lots of theft and parts swapping, lots of bottom feeders, and then you have your knob-shlobbing, special edition, dealer markup you want HOW MuCH For a motorcycle???
My brother had a sportster 850 that he bought new in maybe 2014 and I rode it a little. It was fun in a muscle car sorta way, but it ran out of rpm and power really fast, so you had to shift a lot. It was a comfort cruiser. I doubt I’ll ever own one. Most of my appreciation for motorcycles is as art pieces, there are some really exceptional builders out there.
I have a lot of experience with Moto Guzzis from Eldorados and Ambassadors through the 2015 Stelvio 1200 (last one I bought). I'm currently not a motorcycle owner, but wouldn't rule it our if the right one pops up.
Guzzis aren't super fast, but they make good torque and are very engaging to ride. They tend to handle very competently. They also will run indefinitely with proper care. Between me, my Brother, my Dad (passed) and Dad's third wife (passed) we had easily put 250k on four bikes.
A retired aircraft engineer from Wichita who is a family friend is well over 500k on Guzzis all over the world. One bike got to about 160k when he finally concluded he wanted a new one and gave it to his mechanic. I've not spoken to him for several years, but his travel blog is still up and is worth a look.
https://dankalal.net/
I've spent so many miles on a Guzzi and have so many good experiences to have a strong bias towards the brand. They are Italian and have some quirks. Once you take care of the few serial defects from the factory though, there's just nothing quite like a Moto Guzzi.
Good to hear the mechanicals are durable. And I like the idea of not having to clean a chain. But as a shadetree mechanic, my Achilles heel is electrical problems. How are Guzzis from an electrical standpoint?
We do have a Guzzi shop here in Columbus (Throttle Company). I suppose if it conked out electrically, I could trailer it down there, lube myself up, and say "Be gentle with me."
I've not had any problems apart from the occasional chafed wire / ground to frame condition that can be such a treat to find. Any bike does that.
New ones are just like any modern vehicle, so more computer troubleshooting than power probe troubleshooting.
I have a v85tt with the 850 engine. It’s about as close as you get to a muscle car on two wheels.
Yamaha V-Max has entered the chat...
Let me be more clear: The v85 or v7 with the 850 sounds great, looks cool, and is easy to maintain. But it's not as fast as it sounds like it might be. That's the muscle car part.
The v-max is just a bike built on a dare, rather like the Rune and the Kawi Drifter.
Also, Italian muscle bike > Japanese muscle bike, just for the styling
Word up. The grand tradition of Il Monstro and Griso are much better than Nighthawks and Midnight Specials.
Cool looking bikes. They are practical (easy maintenance and large fuel tank). Not fast. Best bought used because they don't hold value well.
Sellers are constantly pricing used V7s delusionally high where I live.
Maybe that's finally ending with prices down generally.
I have a pic of a white V7 street parked in Paris that I stumbled upon and I’ve always thought of it as an evocative picture. Looks good and the right setting for that bike.
Vredstein Quatrac Pro
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Vredestein&tireModel=Quatrac+Pro%2B&partnum=155WR7QTPPXL&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes
I have two cars with the Goodyear WeatherReady, but that's $214 a corner:
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Goodyear&tireModel=Assurance+WeatherReady2&partnum=155VR7AWR2&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes
I can't say if they would. All I can say is that my experience with them has been OVERWHELMINGLY positive.
I have them on my vw sportwagen diesel. They grip well but don't seem to last significantly longer than others. But I drive in the mountains, so lots of slalom and not much boring droning, which eats tires. So, IDK.
I have my Mom run these on her Mazda3 that she drives year round in Upstate NY, they are a good tire, but seem to be a bit nosier than other options we have used in the past.
Second on the Quatracs.
Third on the Vredesteins. They are my winter tires for my Focus ST which has Michelin Pilot Sport 4s during the summer.
More detail: I use them year round on my W212. Since I live on a dirt (read "mud") road in Vermont (read "snowy and icy place") that says a lot. I avoid Blizzaks and the like because I find them too squirmy on the highway.
In my fairly severe circumstances, I toss them when the tread is half worn to retain snow performance. A side benefit to that approach is the ride quality degrades past that wear point, anyway.
$200 installed? Or per tire and you can worry about installation when paying? If the latter, I like the Continental Extremecontact DSW06 I put on my CX-9, $191 per at my locally-owned tire shop. Whisper quiet at highway speed, especially compared to the obnoxious Falkens it came with. Handling seems excellent. I run Blizzaks in the winter so I don't know about snow traction for them.
That is too bad. I'm glad someone else here knows how to save you a bit of money on them though, with the General Gmax!
Check out the Michelin Cross Climate. Not sure of the price but they get great reviews for their wet performance.
Check out some YouTube reviews, too. They’re very impressive. A family member has them on their E350 for crappy Chicago weather.
those have a really wild tread pattern and i dig it
shame i cant buy nearly any michelin tires for the miata
A family member has them for their snow performance and really likes them. I did some research on them and was impressed.
My dad loves the Cross Climate 2s he put on his Forester. Says the snow traction is amazing.
CC2s FTW!
My MIL put these on her RAV4 on my recommendation and loves them. Her sister rode in her car and bought them for her RAV4 also. I put them on my CX-5 after a sketchy drive to Montreal on the factory Toyos that were nearing EOL anyway. They've been good so far, but haven't been through a winter yet.
That’s what I ran on my Lexus NX for years, great set of tires.
Snow traction is ok-not-great while the S still exists (significant tread depth). I am currently running them on my Mazda3.
I am using X-Ice 3s instead of WS80s that I had for several seasons because I needed boring cold weather performance over serious snow tires after moving back inside city limits and we don't get that much snow where I live.
These, or the General Gmax AS-07 which are a notch below them. General is the downmarket brand of Conti.
I keep buying Contis when they have $200+ rebates so they nearly end up being the cheapest possible option.
This is what I run on my 2018 Mazda 6. As I posted earlier, we run Altimax's on our CX5. I like the Altimax's overall better. Quieter and better wet traction HO.
This may be obsolete information, but I found Contis to have weak sidewalls that are unusually vulnerable to potholes. YMMV.
I had OEM Conti run flats on my 2007 BMW wagon and they sucked. They were horrible on bad pavement and were harsh on potholes.
Switched to Bridgestone Driveguards only because I had limited choices for run flats, and they are fantastic. The difference is night and day. They don’t crash over bumps or potholes and the car handles better.
The OE models of Contis, or of most brands, are often subpar compared to their others.
I know nothing of tires. I ended up putting General Altimax's on our SUV last year and General Gmax on my Mazda 6 and couldn't be happier. The Altimax's are superior in the rain, Gmax are better on dry. I was going to put Conti Extreme Contacts on but they were 30 bucks more a tire.
Looking at tirerack, there are over 100 options. I'd lean toward Pirelli P4s. They'll last forever and be good in bad weather. I had them on a Cruze. If you want more performance, Continental DWS06.
I had the Vredstein Hypertrac on my former Accord and currently have a set on my wife's ILX. They are very good in the rain, and are the quietest UHP All Season I have run, and that is saying something on Honda products. If we keep the ILX long enough to need another set I'll probably go with the Grand Touring version Jack recommended, the Quatrac Pro, since the wife doesn't need the "performance" benefit of the UHPAS.
I often run older tires especially when I've swapped wheels and tires on the Z over the years during testing. A blowout like that at pretty much any speed is absolute nightmare fuel for me. I'm guessing the Neon held up to the incident without much fuss?
Yeah, it was fine, and I'm semi-used to stuff like this happening.
Does the Neon still have the stock IP and dash minus the airbags (with a different steering wheel, of course)? Or do you have some sort of aftermarket setup from a vendor of Neon racing parts?
Stock IP zip-tied to a rollcage crossmember. No dash or center console.
The key to getting good at driving on shitty worn out tires that could unexpectedly blow out at any time is to only buy shitty worn out tires.
As a reformed, long suffering Altima driver.... I agree.
One of the great things about the Japanese near luxury brands is that the owners really correspond with the parent companies. I see Infinitis weaving through traffic with mismatched aftermarket rims and fart cans all the time.
The other day here in Spokompton, WA I saw a G35 with a Texas plate with roached clear coat, surface rusty front fenders that were still in the black primer that was applied in the Chinese factory and no front bumper/facia, just headlights and exposed radiator.
That could unexpectedly blow out at any time! 😁
I splurged on a pair of Raleigh Denim dead stock White Oak Cone Mill jeans a few months ago. Until I got them out of the impressive packaging, I had serious doubts about having spent that much on a pair of jeans, but the fact they were going to be some of the last jeans made with real White Oak denim sucked me in.
Let me tell you they are impressive in their materials, build quality and attention to detail that made me mad because I really wanted to find something to keep me from wanting to buy more pairs of expensive denim. Once I saw their drop about the locally sourced cotton I knew I'd be buying another pair.
When I put them on for the first time and knew they fit, I thought to myself, as long as I don't get fat again I should have these for long enough to justify the price.
Some of the jeans are passable, otherwise pack separate pants or keep some in your office.
Just store $2000 worth of jeans in your desk and problem solved. That's anywhere from 4 to 50 pairs!
Minimum is ear plugs, jacket, boots, and gloves.
I am lazy about pants, though.
I have a couple pairs of Cortech kevlar lined pants that look like Dockers/khaki/dad/going to court pants. They kinda suck in warm weather, they also have pockets for knee & hip armor. They look pretty nice.
A onesie by one of the better makers is a great option. I have an Olympia model I bought off a guy on ADVrider secondhand and it's fantastic. The zipper goes from the throat to the right leg, so you can step into and out of it, it has vents that can be opened on the bike, and it comes with decent CE armor. I know RyanF9 says armor is stupid, but it makes me feel better as I'm more frangible than I used to be.
The one piece lets you leave the jacket at home and it folds up to about the size of a jacket. Downside is when you get caught in the rain it forms a lake in the crotch. Can't have it all unless you want to pay aerostitch money (purposely lower cased because I'm a h8r sk8r).
Tail trunk. Stow it on the bike along with the helmet. Walk around like a normie.
If only there was an all American made elastic band kilt! I'd never worry about my fat ass and pants fitting again.
Sounds like a business opportunity, you should hit up Sherman to line up investors for seed money.
The Sansabelt slacks with the 2 1/2 inch waistband are calling your name. https://www.sansabeltworld.com/contents/en-us/d88_NEW_SANSABELT_.html
They were good enough for 1960s Dads!
Of course those guys didn’t polish off a family size bag of Doritos as an appetizer.
We need Sansabelts now more than ever!
this made me laugh out loud, which I needed today. thank you
Might be about like LBJ's famous Haggar slacks.
https://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/prestapes/lbj_haggar.html
Good thing that we didn’t have cable news back then, we’d have days of panels arguing over whether this was unpresidential or not.
Probably unlike everyone here, I like pleated trousers in a washable wool blend. Those might do. Do they have belt loops?
Sans…a…belt. The elastic waistband does it all!
You are a very funny guy!! Oh what does a Scotsman have under his kilt? Awang, awang (sound of bag pipes).
the joke I've heard is
"What do I wear under my kilt, laddie? Why, your wife's lipstick."
"my wife is dead"
Here's an amusing anecdote I heard at work today.
As a cost-cutting measure, the company removed the water coolers from offices that have water fountains.
Noticing this, a woman I work with emailed THE COMPANY PRESIDENT demanding to know where it had gone.
By the way, we have like 50,000 employees.
“I’m not gonna be IGNORED….! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wzbVn9Xx3YM
"This is not political discourse. It’s not worthy of us or of this country. And it gets us nowhere fast."
This isn't the high-water mark of your sense of proportion.
I agree that fictional mapping-thinking is ruining a lot of people's ability to operate and think about real life.
I was just about to quote the same line.
Our inability to "think" is astounding. If you can't explain why, you believe what you believe, you shouldn't believe in it.
And if your beliefs are too fragile to be challenged by opposing rationale you shouldn't engage in political discourse.
Fascist! Just kidding…….
Public shaming and ostracization is a necessary civic virtue.
I was going to comment on that too. I think statements like that are dumb, and agree that they don't help much. Re: Facts don't care about your feelings" True, but not making any friends.
I was specifically referring to the act of putting a sticker on a car that seems to take joy in the mere act of being contrary and/or difficult. That's ridiculous and it does nothing for anyone except raise the temperature of the discourse.
Let's be honest.
Being gay isnt as gay as THAT.
It's just virtue signaling. "Wokes are dumb! and I ain't that!"
Dude, Coexist!!!!!! Do it on your own or you will be forced to.
DAMMIT CALVING IS PISSING ON A FORD LOGO AGAIN
"So I dragged the Neon out for this past weekend’s race at Nelson Ledges."
from the video nelson ledges looks pretty cool and id want to race there. also are those konis with a ground control coilover kit? i was considering a set for the miata but wasnt sure if they would be worth it compared to xidas with regards to the cost difference. the konis are at least a known quantity at this point
"The important thing is that her pace is now equal to that of the 20-year veterans in SRF2"
hot damn. how did she get that fast that quick? you must be a really good teacher
"It’s clearly quicker than our USA-market car, probably because it is a few hundred pounds lighter"
absolutely nuts. guess thats the one to go for if you can get the parts that made it light. or the italians are lying about curb weight but theyve never done that before
"The Handmaid’s Tale is a fetish book masquerading as feminist literature"
so its feminist literature
If a woman is dressed as a Heinz ketchup bottle, you can safely disregard anything she has to say. (Unless she's selling hotdogs or hamburgers at a sporting event.)
Did I ever tell you about the time my buddy and I, on bicycles, encountered the Red Bullmobile at a traffic light? The Bullmobile was crewed by two very attractive young ladies. We each received a "Bull" before the light changed.
In college I knew a guy who drove the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile around town (Los Angeles). Imagine even getting paid to do that!!!
Oscar Mayer Hotdogger. It’s a 1 year gig that only pays around 35k:
https://www.entrepreneur.com/business-news/oscar-mayer-is-hiring-wienermobile-drivers-how-to-apply/484494
I’m sure some would relish the opportunity!
Just being frank, only 1% of applicants can cut the mustard.
I couldn’t think of any of those when I wrote that first comment!
I’ll try to get my buns out of that and ketchup now!
One percent?! It’s gotta be more!
I never sausage a thing!
Outside of Louisville on the Interstate I once saw the Weinermoble and the Planter’s Peanuts Peanutmobile within minutes of each other.
That’s just nuts dude!
:-)
Or footracing on a BB diamond
' also are those konis with a ground control coilover kit? i was considering a set for the miata but wasnt sure if they would be worth it compared to xidas with regards to the cost difference. the konis are at least a known quantity at this point'
Yeah. Mine are going on 15 years with no issues.
15 years is nuts
will be keeping those in mind then because used konis pop up now and again
RE: discounts on Z06 C8s
A local aquaintance of mine bought one, I asked him how he liked it. His giddy response was that it was the *only Z06 C8* at the local cars and coffee event and that a bunch of people were checking it out. No mention of how it actually drives or anything else. He looks about how you'd expect him to based on that anecdote lol
The longer the C8 is with us, the more I'm convinced the C5 is the high-water mark of Corvette styling.
C6
I like the C8. But then I think about how I’d probably like a C7 and it’s more usable. But if you’re going to do a C7, why not just a C6 Z06? And the C6Z is really cool, but you know what’s even cooler and cheaper? A C5 Z06.
I really want a C5 Z06.
The Batmobile.
The LT1 cars have aged better.
I agree. And I only flip flopped on this a few years ago.
Still want a black '94. With an LS swap.
Black 'n gold '76 with the screaming eagle. I'm still pissed that the senior rich boy in my school got one.
93-97 Camaro has criminally underrated lines IMO. This was the *future* in a Sid Mead sense. The most raked windshield in GM's history before or since. I ended up buying a stick shift 2nd gen Xterra but a Z28 93-07 Camaro with a 6spd is still on the bucket list.
I miss do my X. 2010, bought in 2010. Nissan was doing 5k cash off the hood - if you recall gas was high (relative anyway) - so I bought the base 4WD X model, for under 20k - it was cheaper to buy new than even a 1 year used one.
When the tag line was: "Everything you need and nothing you don't." They really meant it. Cloth seats, side mirrors that weren't even power, ye old 5 speed, big ole 4.0L V6 - man I miss that thing. I bought it because it was cheap, but it wormed its way into my heart. (However, the family never enjoyed the rougher ride and poor NVH that a BOF SUV is.) It also started to feel small (as the primary family hauler) - not with car seats! - but when kid's sports started.
Got 14 years from it, and 180k miles. I kept saying I would sell it when it died... but IT WOULD NOT DIE. Thing was a cockroach. I sold it to a good friend's son who turned 16. Was one of the cooler cars in the lot and scored him a few intro convos that led to some teenage shenanigans.
Never gave me much problems, just watch out for SMOD (change out the rad and you're fine) as well as the CPS (crank position sensor) and the cam sensors.
Other than that - it should never leave ya stranded.
Mines got the stick shift so no SMOD issues (my old 3rd gen 4Runners were known for the same thing)
the interiors were awful GM plastic.
A guy just moved in down the street with a 30th Anniversary Camaro - the White one with Hugger Orange stripes and the ZR-1 wheels. It also led me to this conclusion, after years of thinking the LS1 cars were better looking. I haven't had a chance to go talk to him about it, but about 100 of those cars got factory GS-spec LT4s and Houndstooth interiors. If he beats the odds and owns one of those, I'm supremely jealous!
I followed a guy home from the market just to see his MG TC which had been restored to showroom quality.
300+ hp V8. 6 speed manual. No TV in the dash. Peak automobile.
Peak cool dad!
and a mullet
I’ve always preferred the Camaro SS of that gen to the WS6, just on aesthetics.
T/A all the way.
Down the skreet there's a very nice 4th gen Camaro PACE CAR for sale. I don't dislike them enough to not gawk every time I've ridden past it. They're fun cars.
It was priced at 10k for ultra low miles and spotless black paint with the Indy stripe package looking like it hadn’t seen the sun since it was on the lot. Fine looking car. Already sold, which is a bummer.
There were two or three of those at the venue used for the First Principles meeting in Detroit. Good looking!
the biggest thing holding me back from a c5z06 is the roof. i very much prefer the sloped roofline of the non z06 cars even though its likely heavier and not as stiff as the coupe
I like the notchback FRC. One, I think it looks cool, and two, I like that it’s a little special and different than the basic C5 targa shape.
If you do look at one, look at the seam closely where the halo and roof are bonded together. Over time, the glue expands and raises the paint. Not enough to crack the paint, but it isn’t flat. The only way to repair it, AFAIK, is sand all of it out and respray.
This will also happen on the outer edges of the trunk lid where the inner and outer halves are bonded together.
Former C5Z owner here
It'll tell you a lot about yourself as a car guy.
I wish id bought an E39 M5 and an NB Miata in lieu of the z
All the “C5s are great “ commenters haven’t lived with one (and neither have I). There are not a lot of kind things said about build quality for C6 and previous generations.
The build quality honestly wasnt bad. Light years ahead of my cursed gmt800
The issue was
I had a somewhat modified E36 at the time which was infinitely more fun to drive, way higher handling limits and much more controllable.
At that point, the C5Z became a straight line machine that was unpleasant on long trips. My XJ puts down similar 1/4 mile times and will give me a massage while doing it.
For off track use one would be better served with either a Miata, XKR, M6, etc
Anecdataly on one of the first 100 C6s built: they were built fine but an upscale interior experience they were not.
I look at (hopefully eventual) C5Z ownership differently than I look at my S2000 ownership. The S2k is a keeper for me. The C5Z is likely something I’d buy, keep for a few years, do a few bucket list things (Rt 66, Bourbon Trail/Corvette museum) and then sell on to try the next thing. I’m sure you could be in and out of a C5Z for basically $0-2500, and I’d be fine with that. Every enthusiast should own a Corvette and a V8 at least once and I’ve had neither.
You're looking for a grand tourer for those bucket list items
C6 design is peak modern Corvette, and I say this as a C7 owner.
C2 and C3 are the best overall designs, with the C6 as best modern Corvette. I have a C2 and it’s a work of art. There is not one bad line on the whole car. C3 is the same.
It’s a great credit to the designers that the C2 and C3, though very different designs, both look like Corvettes. The C3 is a fantastic evolution of the C2 design language.
Further, these same designers were then able to masterfully translate this design language into the mid-engine Aerovette, one of the most beautiful cars ever made. https://news.gm.com/home.detail.html/Pages/topic/us/en/2025/aug/0818-Retro-Rides-1976-Chevy-Aerovette-GMs-experiments-rotary-engines.html
Also, gotta love the excitement and suspense of waiting to see if your "Vette" explodes into flames when buying gasoline!!
That’s only a C8 problem.
Even WSJ reported on the issue recently!
https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/a-strange-gas-pumping-defect-is-making-100-000-corvettes-go-up-in-flames-61d86797?st=16MBWs
I’ll have to look that up.
Never cared for the notchback styling, but combine all the Z06 parts with the standard hatchback body and you have the perfect Vette.
Keep going and you'll be at a split window in no time.
I was just at the Gilmore Car Museum in Michigan and they had a black split window that was the C2 engineering test car. After they were done with it a young GM engineer bought it. He stills owns it.
Black was not a common Corvette color back then and the car looks great.
"He looks about how you'd expect him to based on that anecdote lol"
Polo shirt covering a hard gut, w/khaki cargo shorts, over white new balance sneakers?
In full disclosure, I'm 90% of that, sans the gut and the C8.
Is the low roof easy to access with the diaper when he's waxing it?
I seldom go to Cars and Coffee, but I can almost guarantee that my 75 Bobcat/Pinto draws a larger crowd. Cost me about the same as 4 Corvette tires
Is Madin any relation to Westin Workman who races in Global MX-5 Cup?
I don't believe so.
I can't wait to tell everyone just how much I hated that scifi book.
That was sci fi?
you obviously didn't buy the required drug packet to go with reading it.
Obviously...
I thought we were reading clit lit exclusively from now on?
Oh, if only we were.
Cadillac Optiq (painful just typing that) curb weight is 5200 lbs (that too).
That makes the Optiki 3” shorter than my 193” 2012 E350 wagon but 800 lbs heavier than the 4400 lb Mercedes. Cargo capacity with the rear seats down for the Optiki is 57 cu ft and 69 cu ft for the Mercedes.
Progress, comrades!
I was glad to know nothing about this car, doubly so now that I've seen it, it looks like a less interesting Hyundai. What happened to the early 2000's concepts like the Evoq or Cien or Sixteen. They've kept the naming scheme but just slapped them on something my kids would be embarrassed to be seen in. Just give me a giant unashamed American car already... I guess that is the Escalade but really can Caddy take credit for that one or is it old GM "we know how to make high displacement trucks!" peaking through.
The Lyriq, at least, has an interesting shape, being a long, low-roofed wagon-esque thing with elegant proportions and a long wheelbase. The Optiq…looks exactly as stubby and dorky as it is, and it feels cramped inside. Also, every single Optiq that I’ve seen has had hot glue remnants on the headliner. But then…that was also true of the $157,000 Escalade IQ loaner I had. Way to go, GM.
hey, the quality is consistent!
OK, so why wouldn’t you just buy a Honda Prologue?! It looks the same. I presume it’s on that same chassis?
They're all on the Ultium platform and built in GM assembly plants, but Lyric, Blazer, ZDX, and Prologue are most closely related, and then Optiq and Equinox are somewhat smaller and closely related.
The Prologue is closest to the Blazer, shape- and body-panel-wise, and not the Lyriq.
re the jeans: this statement on their site under Fabric Care gave me a good laugh: "For the very best break-in, we recommend washing after 3-6 months of regular wear." my wife complains when I wear the same Tee shirt two days in a row (when I happen to do nothing those days to get it sweaty). I can't imagine the grief I would get if I said "I can't wash these jeans until the 6 month break in period is over".
I wash a shirt after a full day’s wear*.
Pants almost never get dirty. I wash them every few weeks.
*a lot of times I’ll come home from work and put a tshirt on, and wear it that evening, and then that becomes the next day’s tshirt too.
Our house came with a fancy California Closet type system. It has his and hers built in hampers, and my section of the closet has 2 or 3 different places to stash “transitional” clothes that are somewhere between clean and dirty.
"There isn't just Clean and Dirty. There are many subtle levels in between. See this shirt? Just hang it outside the window for 20 minutes, it's fine."
Can we put that on a billboard in every town?
Exactly. And each T shirt has two sides, and a front and back, so it should be good for at least 4 days regardless of the activity is it worn for.
I draw the line at doing that with underwear, though.
Yeah those are strictly inside/outside.
Do people still wear underwear???
Yep, call it the shirt rotation cycle.
But I manage to frequently get my pants/shorts dirty futzing around the garden or messing with my bikes (the pedal kind).
Raw denim be like that. You can also keep them in the freezer and/or spritz the inside with vodka to kill any bacteria.
Freezing won't kill the bacteria, just slow the population growth rate.
“No ocifer you just schmelll the vodka from my jeanssss I ain’t been drankin’”
I'm willing to bet Magnus Walker has a TikTok or Instagram Reel explaining how he provides 10 years of aging in 20 minutes.
he did it for a pair of boots.
Ouch.
Do you go to jail if you remove the label?
I did!
I'm a 1 day a week wearer of denim in the warmer months, and 2-3 day a week wearer in the cooler months, and I maybe wash my jeans 1-2 times a year. By wearing I mean driving a desk on casual Friday, hanging out or doing non strenuous/dirty work around the house on weekends. If they start to smell or get greasy they get washed, inside out, cold, hang dried.
The denim freaks on reddit that wear the same pair daily for 6+months while doing real activities in them can most likely be smelled before seen.
I finished Blindsight yesterday morning. I don't know what to think of it, but I'll be checking out the "it's not a sequel" sequel from the library instead of buying it, as I did this one because I thought you were done with trolling book recommendations.
I didnt buy the book but maybe in this case it's a reverse Forever War / Forever Peace.
'I thought you were done with trolling book recommendations.'
I am... Blindsight is a book I've read four times. I didn't intend to make people miserable; I intended to spur discussion of the core issues.
I didn't realize it until I had the copy in my hand, but Blindsight had been on my "buy this if you find it used" list. Knowing that it was written 16 years ago makes it seem in many ways prescient - not necessarily in the major plot points (which, yes, he raises some valid questions about AI and whether consciousness is required for intelligence) but in the smaller plot points - like Chelsea being an outlier deemed quaint at best and a freak at worst for preferring sex with a real person as opposed to sex with a simulacrum of someone.
it is not hard to see that happening in the not-to-distant future given the inevitable convergence of porn, AI, and VR...
Not all of us hated it.
The book made me sperg out the way the cuties netflix thing did. I'm glad I read it, I appreciate all the other things I've read a lot more now.
"The book made me sperg out the way the cuties netflix thing did"
was it also written by pedos
Far be it from me to cast aspersions at Peter Watts, but I have no evidence he’s not.
I gave him some great recs and he ignored them:
Like this - https://www.amazon.com/Apple-China-Capture-Greatest-Company/dp/1668053373
The closest I’ll get to science fiction is Eliezer Yudkowsky’s new book, which I finished today.
'I gave him some great recs and he ignored them:
Like this - https://www.amazon.com/Apple-China-Capture-Greatest-Company/dp/1668053373'
Alternately, we could just watch a video of one man sucking another man's dick, because
a) that's all your recommendation is
b) it would be less vapid
How would you know, since you haven’t read the book?
How indeed?
How someone as smart as Yudkowsky gets so much wrong, I don't know. He writes well, though.
Yudkowsky? I hope you didn't take him seriously.
I implied he was a science fiction writer.
I don’t read sci-fi (except for Discworld), but I did put the Apple book on hold at the library. 20 ahead of me, so even with multiple copies it may take awhile.
Reading it is an incendiary threat to one’s manhood, apparently.
We are an Apple household (no watch), so I’ve probably already turned in my man card.
Brave move
Add me to the Hoosier blowout list. At some point over the weekend, I put a flat spot in one of my tires, which created a vibration Sunday during qualifying. I thought it was just tire marbles but as it got worse I should've pulled off track instead of continuing to push it. The left front tire blew halfway through Nelson's carousel turn, where I then slid off track ass first into the weeds (which I caught on fire briefly). After bending the fender back into place and throwing on some old spare tires, I led most of Sunday's race before getting impatient in the process of passing a lapper who must not have seen me coming, and flat spotted those tires too. The resulting vibration was worse than the one in quali so I pulled off track with about 3 laps to go. Live and learn. This car locks the brakes relatively easily, so I might be in need of an adjustable proportioning valve. However, I won my class Saturday, and Nelson Ledges remains a truly exciting track to drive in anger, so I'll take Sunday as a lesson and consider myself blessed to not have rolled the car when the blowout occurred.
Managing those two challenges is probably worth an article in itself. I find that there are ways to stretch your dollar and still make it to the track, the issue of time is more difficult.