Weekly Roundup: Enter The Fazer Edition

Some machines are born great, some achieve greatness, and some of them have greatness thrust upon them. The Yamaha FZ1 falls into the first category, having been a simply brilliant motorcycle from the moment it was introduced. And now I have one --- or at least I have half of one. Even after fifteen years, this old mongrel still runs faster than my VFR800. What it needs is some freshening of all the things that stick, wear, corrode, or crumble. So that's what it's going to get.

This was an unusually busy week for me, but next week I'm going to take a vacation. Oh, who am I kidding? My "vacation" involves both coasts, two racetracks, five different cars, about seven thousand air miles, and almost no sleep. Sure will be nice when I can get back home and rest.

Okay, let's see what we got done this week.

Bark talked about the reliability aspects of old technology vs. new. I should point out that the "old tech" car discussed in the article was introduced well after I became old enough to vote. He then suggested that people should drive cars before forming an opinion on them. Luckily for me and every other journosaur, that advice was rejected by the B&B, with vigor. Not with an Acura Vigor, mind you. That was a great car. I never drove one, but I know.

At Road&Track this week, I discussed the classic-car bubble and considered the pros and cons of autocross vs. HPDE.

For TTAC, I channeled my inner Curtis Mayfield, described how my pal Sidney and I bought a Yamaha FZ1 for $1,800, and offered a modest propsal concerning diesel trucks.

I also wrote the "Helmets" article on page 104 of this month's R&T, print issue. Last but not least, I provided an event wrap-up for the Western Ohio Region of the SCCA.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to coach some drivers and enjoy nine hundred miles with a Mark Levinson-audio-equipped Lexus coupe. Which Lexus coupe? The most Baruthian of all, of course. But after the FZ1, it still feels a little poky in a straight line...