So after 2 months of having home internet issues, the wife and I finally got the hookup with some DSL...did I mention we had dial up for the last 5 years.....no wonder things took so long. So toady I'm on vacation, enjoying the quiet and peace and am passing along the Gorel blog info as needed, much needed.
After the last blog, I had ridden the new Ducati Hypermotard to an annual breakfast gathering in Ephrata, Pa. the first Sunday in July leading a pack of bikes from our dealership (http://www.martinmoto.com/) . I didn't realize how much I liked that bike for the street and my style-but man it does it for me. The following weekend was the dealership's 3rd annual trackday for our customers at Pocono Raceway and I had been designated as the head coach and pulled together a great crew to help make the day safe for all that attended. The ThunderDuc was able to shine as we showed it off in the expert group, as well as show some proper racing lines to the Intermediate and Novice riders. All in all a great day and weather, and hardly any incidents to speak of.
Directly after this event I had my 5 spoke wheels committed to a great guy named Dave in Australia who I had met on the Ducati Sport Classic Forum (http://www.ducati.ms/) . I also was able to sell off my stock spokes and 2 piston calipers to a guy named Tony in New Zealand whom found my add on my favorite Ducati Monster forum (http://www.ducatimonster.org/) . So after selling both sets and having a little bonus for my hard work in July, I was ready to FINALLY complete the look of the ThunderDuc with a brand new set of tubeless, laced spokes from Italian manufacturer Alpina. Thanks to Phil Krug at PAK Bikes (http://www.pakbikes.net/) who is the new official U.S. distributor, we ordered up a tasty set of silver rim and spokes to red hubs for the racebike.
While awaiting the wheels, my sponsor and friend Doug from Shadow Video Productions(http://www.shadowvideoproductions.com/) had offered me a few days at the track on his bikes and to come play. So the end of July I went to Pocono again and tested his 2004 Triumph Daytona 600 trackbike again(he bought from us at MartinMoto only 2 days prior). The bike is a great tool and all around fun machine, but Mother Nature worked against us that day with the New York Sport Bike Club, and we packed it in early.
A week later in early August we had a Ducati DEMO day which was fun as well as finally showing off the ThunderDuc and it's new wheels. I have also purchased some new high end race rotors and pads and will be updating here in the coming weeks. Those tasty bits as well as the new Ohlins steering damper we'll be fitting to cure the tank slapper and high speed wobble issues we are having with the generic one on the bike now. Further reinforcing that quality equipment is out there, and you do LITERALLY get what you pay for.
Last weekend I ventured to Pocono again with Doug and the SVP crew for a fabulous day on the 2.5 big track...what a rush. Top speed on Nascar's bankings to some 3rd gear right handers that are totally blind with little runoff. Doug had a great day with business and I rode for what seemed like forever on his 2002 Suzuki GSXR750 camera bike- another reminder to others around that the limits of a good stock machine these days are much higher than the rider using them. The ThunderDuc got in 2 good sessions but a continuing fairing bracket fitment issue resulted in us calling it a day early on the machine so no further damage ensued. On the way home, I dropped off the Duc with a good friend and sponsor Chris Spohn at Endurance Engineering who is making an all new aluminum fairing bracket for this specific Sport Classic- a one off right now. I should be picking the bike up late next week with it installed, then install the new damper, rotors and new pads...as we prepare for the upcoming September 8-9 CCS/ASRA National at Summit Point in West Virginia.
We'll be capturing the bike pics, action shots, and race weekend highlights in full in the future with new contributing photographer Mike DiAntonio from Wildwood, Nj. Mike, the fellow owner of a Ducati Sport Classic and partner with AquaBeach Resort has recently donated to the team with a generous check as well as making the ThunderDuc his new project to add to his portfolio......here's a new one to keep you all with us. Sorry it took so long to get back, but thank you and again- check us out at http://www.thunderduc.com/ !!!!!
After the last blog, I had ridden the new Ducati Hypermotard to an annual breakfast gathering in Ephrata, Pa. the first Sunday in July leading a pack of bikes from our dealership (http://www.martinmoto.com/) . I didn't realize how much I liked that bike for the street and my style-but man it does it for me. The following weekend was the dealership's 3rd annual trackday for our customers at Pocono Raceway and I had been designated as the head coach and pulled together a great crew to help make the day safe for all that attended. The ThunderDuc was able to shine as we showed it off in the expert group, as well as show some proper racing lines to the Intermediate and Novice riders. All in all a great day and weather, and hardly any incidents to speak of.
Directly after this event I had my 5 spoke wheels committed to a great guy named Dave in Australia who I had met on the Ducati Sport Classic Forum (http://www.ducati.ms/) . I also was able to sell off my stock spokes and 2 piston calipers to a guy named Tony in New Zealand whom found my add on my favorite Ducati Monster forum (http://www.ducatimonster.org/) . So after selling both sets and having a little bonus for my hard work in July, I was ready to FINALLY complete the look of the ThunderDuc with a brand new set of tubeless, laced spokes from Italian manufacturer Alpina. Thanks to Phil Krug at PAK Bikes (http://www.pakbikes.net/) who is the new official U.S. distributor, we ordered up a tasty set of silver rim and spokes to red hubs for the racebike.
While awaiting the wheels, my sponsor and friend Doug from Shadow Video Productions(http://www.shadowvideoproductions.com/) had offered me a few days at the track on his bikes and to come play. So the end of July I went to Pocono again and tested his 2004 Triumph Daytona 600 trackbike again(he bought from us at MartinMoto only 2 days prior). The bike is a great tool and all around fun machine, but Mother Nature worked against us that day with the New York Sport Bike Club, and we packed it in early.
A week later in early August we had a Ducati DEMO day which was fun as well as finally showing off the ThunderDuc and it's new wheels. I have also purchased some new high end race rotors and pads and will be updating here in the coming weeks. Those tasty bits as well as the new Ohlins steering damper we'll be fitting to cure the tank slapper and high speed wobble issues we are having with the generic one on the bike now. Further reinforcing that quality equipment is out there, and you do LITERALLY get what you pay for.
Last weekend I ventured to Pocono again with Doug and the SVP crew for a fabulous day on the 2.5 big track...what a rush. Top speed on Nascar's bankings to some 3rd gear right handers that are totally blind with little runoff. Doug had a great day with business and I rode for what seemed like forever on his 2002 Suzuki GSXR750 camera bike- another reminder to others around that the limits of a good stock machine these days are much higher than the rider using them. The ThunderDuc got in 2 good sessions but a continuing fairing bracket fitment issue resulted in us calling it a day early on the machine so no further damage ensued. On the way home, I dropped off the Duc with a good friend and sponsor Chris Spohn at Endurance Engineering who is making an all new aluminum fairing bracket for this specific Sport Classic- a one off right now. I should be picking the bike up late next week with it installed, then install the new damper, rotors and new pads...as we prepare for the upcoming September 8-9 CCS/ASRA National at Summit Point in West Virginia.
We'll be capturing the bike pics, action shots, and race weekend highlights in full in the future with new contributing photographer Mike DiAntonio from Wildwood, Nj. Mike, the fellow owner of a Ducati Sport Classic and partner with AquaBeach Resort has recently donated to the team with a generous check as well as making the ThunderDuc his new project to add to his portfolio......here's a new one to keep you all with us. Sorry it took so long to get back, but thank you and again- check us out at http://www.thunderduc.com/ !!!!!
