The Boxer cup may have seemed silly, but the weaving, wobbling massive-draft-casting Boxer cups were some of the most exhilarating hi-speed smash-up derbies ever televised! Especially @Daytona. We're sad to see the change, but have to admit the 12s are better-suited -- dragging hard parts like cylinder heads on the racetrack isn't the brightest of ideas (although Sean would argue it's a great idea!)... --MO

Not exactly a catchy name, eh MOFOs? But, "Honda" probably sounded silly to Americans way back when... ...regardless, what's in a name? Well, some just don't cut it. Take Datsun, forever associated with cheap cars -- an image they never could shake -- while Nissan and Infinity have better connotations. Then again, Datsuns were cheap cars, so was it a cruddy name first, or rustbucket cars piling on bad branding? Was it the chicken or the egg, huh? It doesn't matter. The more people that ride, the better, and flooding the US with inexpensive starter bikes can only help the cause. --MO

Bob Bergman's Dakar 2005.

--Robert Lamb (BADD event coordinator)

Coverage includes a special road journal by Sasha Mullins, a bookexcerpt from Hell's Angel Sonny Barger, video clips and a round-up ofthe hottest bikes and babes at this year's rally.

Be sure to read mile_eater's Tomahawk Colored Tire Review for very important info about Tomahawk tires. --MO

Wow, the Comet GT650S looks nice! Just like an SV, actually, and gee, guess what, it IS an SV. Hopefully cheaper. Can't imagine that Suzuki is overly happy about this? --MO

If you're not that guy, fear not, because Harley now offers a nationwide rental program, an industry first...

From the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works.

Check it out at customchrome.com.

--malbeare

Shopping for a motorcycle before shopping for a motorcycle loan.