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Whacking Permalink Archive 15 August 2004 I've
finally updated the Spleen page.
Iran-Iraq to destroy USA & Israel (sayeth Crazy Joe) Crazy Joe Vialls doesn't give up. The poor fellow hasn't yet seen any of his brilliant predictions come to pass. These have included; - The Russians would wipe out Israel and the USA. - Filthy Zionist agents would invade America. - Filthy Zionists would invade Arab oil fields. - Filthy Zionists would slaughter thousands of people in Miami. - The fearsome Islamic cleric Al-Sadr in Iraq would destroy the US invaders. - The fearsome Saddam would drive the Americans out of Iraq. - The might of Arab Air Power (stop laughing dammit) would destroy the Israelis and Americans. - The Zionist North Korean regime (no really) would nuke Los Angeles Not to be deterred from his brilliant geopolitical analysis, he has now predicted that American forces in the middle East will be wiped out by a fearsome Iraq-Iran coalition, who are now apparently armed with big scary rockets....
And the the Israelis should be really scared too;
Joe
seems to have a fetish for Arab nukes. I think he's just trying to get
Richard Neville to shag him.
A few days back I test-rode two very different motorcycles: Kawsaki's massively powerful ZX-12, and Honda's all-purpose Transalp 650. Kawasaki ZX-12 Let's get this out of the way: the ZX-12 is the fastest production vehicle on earth.
Yes, it's faster than a Lamborghini Murcielago. No, I'm not kidding. It goes from 0-100kph in 2.9 seconds. It has a real, measured top speed of over 300kph. And that's in stock-standard, on-the-road condition. The Lambo will cost you $600k. The ZX12 will cost you $20k. Unfortunately, beyond the thrill of the straight-line acceleration, I didn't particularly enjoy riding the ZX-12, despite my soft spot for big roadburners. The big Kwak is very uncomfortable for this class of bike, with too much weight on the wrists and a hard seat. The bike steered well but the front end felt strange, meaning I didn't feel secure in corners. The light-switch throttle made city riding a jerky, irritating experience. On the up-side, it looks horn, sounds great, the mirrors & fairing work well and the finish is top-notch. Ultimately, the ZX-12 is in a strange no-mans land between the new generation of nimble-but-powerful sports bikes, and big, comfy sports-tourers. It's also expensive to buy, and you'll have to own your own rubber plantation to keep the thing in tyres. A great autobahn bike, it simply feels out of place everywhere else.
After riding a Triumph Tiger a few months back, I was keen to test Honda's entry into the dual-purpose market. Dual-purpose bikes are not "dirt bikes" (they are too heavy for that), but rather bikes oriented toward road use, but with the capability to tackle dirt roads and sand where the need arises. I actually enjoyed riding the Honda more than the Triumph. The Honda's 650cc v-twin engine has enough grunt for the highway and most importantly for overtaking duties. The ergonomics are great, with the high-wide handlebars making for a real feeling of control for traffic, cornering and dirt duties. Tight U-turns are a cinch. The clutch and gearbox are smooth, the seat seems comfy, the wind protection is very good. And as is typical for Honda, the instrumentation, build-quality and finish are top-notch. There's a bunch of accessories to go with it too: hard luggage, heated grips, etc. If
I get around to buying a dual-purpose bike to do my around-Aus ride one
day, the Transalp will be very hard to beat in the value-for-money stakes.
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