I just spent about an hour diggin through old photos trying to find the one of him delivering me my duc. Don't know where the heck it is. He was grinning as hard as I was. He had a pretty cool 748 that was a track day hound. He crashed it up a little bit awhile back. Still doing good, works maybe twenty minutes from my house! :)) he is a little greyer now! :))

Hahahaha he is gonna slap me for posting that!

C!! Is that a pic of Freddie!!

Damn! Mike still has all his hair! Pick Mike out in this video. No sick, that's Freddie's mechanic back in the day. It's like we're flying in the 'wayback machine,' C!

Wowwww!!! LOL man that's goin back!! I GOTTA get Sam on here! I'm gonna see him tomorrow at the shop, I'm gonna get him to at least look at this on his computer!! He's gonna laugh his ass off!!!

Sic

Pretty awesome huh sic? That's Mike Velasco that I get to help me wrench on shit. Dude was my absolute hero when I was a kid. He would chat with me when I was hanging around the pits or getting into trouble as little kid. He assembled and sold me my first Ducati. He and the dealership where he works don't even sell Kawasakis and they went to Idaho to get my 14r for me! Mike put her together and torqued everything and helped me with some suspension set up tips and stuff on Priscilla. It's why I find it hilarious when I get a nutter telling me not to worry about my swing arm marks being slightly off. Been learning for a little bit from somone who Nose. I gotta say in all seriousness. I have told Mike about this place and if he ever chooses to check it out, we will all be the better for it. My hat is off to that man, if I could offer him up any more respect or admiration than I do I would. If anyone ever has the grace or luck to have that man wrench on your machine, ya better bow down. I do.

The most fantastic awesome thing about Mike is, he is just a true enthusiast about bikes! Anyone can make a service appointment and he will be more than happy to take some time and chat with you about bikes or anything. One of the most down to earth, knowledgable, finest humans beings I have ever met.

* Last updated by: Cblast on 7/15/2013 @ 10:27 PM *

* Last updated by: Cblast on 7/18/2013 @ 5:59 PM *

Look at how simple setting the footpeg to oneself is. I'd design that as a dual eccentric shot at the footpeg to drop it even more. Got any noise of that puppy on video, C? That is one dandy cut at the lower fairing. I know the photo is throwing it off, but that baby has one line after the other inside itself and out. If it's not a tube, it's the glass.

Damn! Mike still has all his hair! Pick Mike out in this video.

At 3:11 in he is adjusting that fing carb! ;) my knuckles are still all scarred up from my old my man making me stick my hand in there to make the adjustments when I was a kid so we wouldn't have to pull all that crap out!
Honda carb tool! I'm pretty sure Mike came up with that guy???

That's just too coooool Blast!!! See that's how I feel when my bikes are over there with Sam and Norm working with them!! AND the reason I was asking about the R1 was because Sam told me the other day that if I wanted him to he could build me a Josh Hayes replica. He said he's already found the bodywork and has access to most of the other specs!! It REALLY raised my eyebrows when he said that. Main reason of course was because I told him I was gonna pick up a litre bike this fall and it was probably gonna be the beemer. Of course he loves that bike too, he just wanted to throw that at me because he's willing to do it. And like you say, WOW how many people get blessed with those kind of friends building a bike for ya!!! That's a freakin COOOOOOL DUC by the way! I saved the pic! LOL

Sic

I know hub, I am trying to dig up some more shots. The front end is beautiful, that is cf from a fella that started his own race business. I sent him my plastics and used them to make his molds and cut me a deal. That's a corsa windscreen off of one of Larry Pegrams Ducati 848's. I got the last set of acculign footpegs. I am trying to talk him into making me a set for my 14r, but he is into other things because he couldn't re coup the investment when making them. Each side was crafted from a single 15 lb block of aluminum. That's a no shitter. She weighs 386lbs with a gallon of gas. And I always estimate her Hp wayyyy low. She cleans revvs to 11700. She is an 1197cc snap crackle and pop! I'm trying to find my sound clips and shit. I have hunting pics from Alaska and shit on that laptop that are lost for fing ever if I can't sort it out. Kinda frustrating.

Dangit, you can't even see the triple clamp. It's a titanium skeleton.

Thank you sic! Labor of love. Girl has done her time. Sooooo much time going around a corner on that girl. 17000 miles of fun. Very very high state of tune. She is all put up and clean, no fluids. Safely stored with a few other very very classy race bikes at a friends house or I would go take pics now. My house here where I live is in an ideal location close to roads and tracks that guys like mike grew up on and love. The brothers who own the dealership where he is the service manager are two of the fastest men on dirt I have ever seen. I got great schools and sports for my two kids, and my wife is still active duty for a couple more years. So we chose a small house we could afford that doesn't kill us on payments. I can't really keep four bikes here. I've tried! I end up moving them around so much one gets scratched and I throw a gargantuan fit. Single car garage shuffle! :))) I blow my $ on rear wheel HP and lean angle. My wife chooses Mercedes Benzes and shoes. :))))) bikes are the absolute fing overruling passion in my life.

Didn't wan to ruin this thread with pics of my crap, so I started a new thread about Isabella if anyone is interested. My son unfucked my laptop hard drive. Kids awesome.

Same here, Dogo. 3 close enough tracks around here to trackday.

Trackday?... pffftttttt.
Dave Roper WMRRA SOTP 7/13/13<--- click

Cblast... This is/was right in your backyard. Get that Duc outta dry dock, and come on out to TRMP!. I need some competition in novice!

* Last updated by: DogoZX on 7/16/2013 @ 10:06 AM *

Dangit dogo, you got me getting that old feeling again! :)))

It's an amazing track, C.

Gladly share my pit anytime...

then kick your ass on a Honda...

I love it dogo! I done the odd track day with mike and his crew. I am down. But my wife is not! Costs involved in trackin my duc are enormous. I'm trying to plan and recover from some massive financial upheaval this year. Got it sorted. But to be straight honest, the reason I'm not trackin that duc daily is $. She is my muse and my swan song and my ovhims razor and my passion and my soul. You get that though dogo. A bike doesn't let you down and in her years ya wan to protect and keep her and let nothing happen to her. Maybe I am too invested emotionally in that duc. I'm gonna track her again. Just gotta get my 14r insane first. Then. The two girls flawless. Ha! How about I come track my 14r with y'all? I want to show that bitch off a little?

You know what's funny, C... that 14r of yours is actually (at least could be made) a legal novice and FU bike as per WMRRA rule book... and I was talking trash this weekend that if I'd kept my 14, I'd whipped their asses on it too.

But yeah, check the calender at that link, then PM me a date... I'll be there.
Love watching zx14(r)'s making laps around there... makes my eyes all misty 'n chit. .

* Last updated by: DogoZX on 7/16/2013 @ 10:58 AM *

Done dogo! I am on it! Ole mike is gonna help me get her track ready. :)))

Ole mike is gonna help me get her track ready.

Cheater.

Seriously...

If you just wanted to ride there, I could help you prep it in the morning... will just need to tape and/or unplug the lights, empty the trunk, and give 'er a good once over... could even throw on a set of my take offs, if ya don't wanna shag your DOT's.
Will bring an extra gas can as well... lawd knows the 14r is thirsty when cracked WOT!

* Last updated by: DogoZX on 7/16/2013 @ 12:23 PM *

Also... @ WMRRA events you can ride 20 mins for $20 @ lunch... No prep needed. Just a leak free machine.

Seriously...
If you just wanted to ride there, I could help you prep it in the morning... will just need to tape and/or unplug the lights, empty the trunk, and give 'er a good once over... could even throw on a set of my take offs, if ya don't wanna shag your DOT's.
Will bring an extra gas can as well... lawd knows the 14r is thirsty when cracked WOT!

Sir, if I didn't take you up on this I would be the crowd clown unanimously! I am going to pm you my info now!

Cblast!!! I haven't even read any of this thread yet brother...but I want you to know that there's NO way you could ruin this thread with your pics!!! I'm so honored to not only be their friend but you guys on this forum!!! I told Norm today about this thread and he really didn't know what to say. He is sooooo down to earth, he REALLY didn't suspect that he would even be nominated!!! I believe that!! He told me and I quote, "I never thought this would happen because I've argued with the AMA soooo much over the years!". I told him, "Norm...that's exactly why this happened!" You've never been a YES man, you've always argued over what was best for motorcycling and racing, whether it's what they wanted to hear or not!" I wish all you guys could meet the McDonalds! So...ANYTHING you wanna put on this thread is WAY more than welcome my brother!!

Sic