Around Town with Kerri Kasem
Kerri’s Take on Motorcycles
We (ALO and I) have kept in touch since my cover shoot a couple of years ago. I had ALO’s editorial team on my old KLSX radio show in L.A., and they invited me to be a judge at a multicultural pageant (Miss Asia USA 2007). That’s how it all started.
But then came the email. Checking my computer on that warm day got my gears turning and sparked excitement through my entire body. Motorcycles!
The editors were asking me about the new Ducati Sport 1000, and the key question was would I review it? Hot, hot, hot, and I wasn’t describing the brutal San Fernando heat wave the Valley was having that day or mocking Paris Hilton, I was talking about a sport bike. As quick as my fingers would dial the phone, I let them know this was something not only hot but something I wanted to be a part of. I wanted to create a permanent review and lifestyle column. It seems to be a perfect fit for me and the Community.
My love for motorcycles started at a very young age, around three or four to be exact. My uncle had an old Norton, which I would ask to sit on and then pretend to ride. A few years later, my brother got a scooter that my sister and I learned on (and crashed on). Needless to say my father was not very happy about this and still isn’t to this day—which I wholly and completely understand, but I love to ride anyway. Eventually we graduated to Honda 50s, little kid dirt bikes and then I ended up with my own Yamaha TT-R125L years later.
Which leads me to where I am now.
Who’s Kerri? Kerri Kasem currently hosts "The Rub" on Si TV. She's also the host of three radio shows including "Racing Rocks" (syndicated on over 120 stations) and , "The Solomon Free Money Hour" on 97.1 KLSX in Los Angeles, and "Pet Talk" with Harrison Forbes also in the L.A. market. |
I have owned a few street bikes, with my first being a custom pearl white Suzuki GSXR 750 (a sport bike). And read this everyone: It’s not a beginner’s bike! Sport bikes were, and still are, my passion. But I was scared to death of it; in fact, it sat in my garage for months before I got the courage up to ride it, and when I did, I slowly took it around quiet neighborhoods and practiced the basics.
The bike was a souped-up racing machine that I had no business on, so I sold it and got myself a more sensible beginner’s bike, a Harley Davidson Sportster. I had a string of bikes from a BMC ridged Bobber to a Harley Dyna Low Rider, all the way up to what I am currently riding now: a gorgeous black 2007 Suzuki GSXR 600, which I can now handle.
So what does all this rambling mean? Riding bikes has been empowering for me. I have done a handful of motorcycle TV shows, and I even tried my hand at building a bike on “Build or Bust.” I can’t tell you the mail I have received from women (and a few men) who tell me how inspiring it was to watch me ride and now they have signed-up for a motorcycle riding class or bought a bike. Doing something you never thought you would or could has an effect on you. It leaves you with a new taste for life. One of my favorite quotes from “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” is “Break the chains of your thought, and you break the chains of your body too.” And that is exactly the mental attitude you need when first learning to ride.
I ride for fun not transportation, and I will never trade the thrills of living for the security of existence. My bike has not only brought me thrills, exhilaration and just plain happiness, but I have found romance and companionship with a fellow sport bike rider, and I expect as many twists and turns, up and downs as I get traveling on L.A.’s twisting Mulholland Drive.
Who’s Lonnie? As ALO’s new motor editor, Lonnie Trujillo has been the “go to guy” for analysis and opinion for Harley-Davidson and American Suzuki Motorcycles. Additionally, Trujillo acts as a consultant for custom motorcycles for dealers and consumers across Southern California. |
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Ducati is his brand of sport bike, with mine being Suzuki, so it was only fair when ALO asked who would be testing the new Sport 1000, I answered simply, “Lonnie.”
So I leave you with these words from the great dancer Isadora Duncan: “What one has not experienced one will never understand in print.” In other words, get out and ride!
Lonnie’s Take on the Ducati
My day begins in suburban Sherman Oaks in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley. It’s 7 a.m., and I’m heading south to Brea to pick up Ducati’s new Sport 1000. Mapquest tells me it is 40 miles to my destination, so I have plenty of time to ponder my new toy. After a few miles of gridlock, I decide to pick up one of my riding buddies, not because he’s well versed in the world of motorcycles, but to take full advantage of the carpool lanes. My anticipation builds as we inch closer to the dealership.
I’ve either ridden or owned most of Ducati’s late model bikes, so I feel confident in my Ducati Experience. Time is of the essence, since I am in a hurry to get back to the Valley. We quickly load up the bike and go. On the way back, I frequently peer into the rear view mirror at the shiny chrome and polished aluminum, daydreaming of splitting lanes through the heavy L.A. traffic. When I’m back in Sherman Oaks, it’s finally time to ride!
At first glance, the Sport 1000 is very eye-catching, with styling reminiscent of the motorcycles built in the 1970’s: a minimalist racing look with an exposed chassis and an engine complimented by fiberglass bodywork with elegant rounded shapes. Even though the bike reflects the past, it incorporates the latest manufacturer’s technology and engineering, creating a thoroughly modern motorcycle that lives up to today’s standards of road-going performance.
The Sport 1000 features distinguished components such as beautiful wire spoke wheels, a rear suspension featuring side-mounted shocks, a unique swingarm, exposed engine parts with either chromed or black painted finishes, and bar-end mirrors for an all around classic look. Overall, this is a great looking bike, but in my opinion the black-finish race-inspired exhaust looks good but does nothing for the senses. The optional Termignoni exhaust is a much needed upgrade.
The 320mm discs up front offer strong and consistent stopping power. Gear changes are precise, and there is plenty of mid-range torque, due to the Desmo air-cooled 90° L-Twin engine. Truthfully, I was a little bit disappointed in the performance’s “excitement factor,” or lack there of. The good news is that this bike was fun riding on any road with curves, and in the city, the powerful engine was torque-y, allowing you to maneuver easily through traffic. And while the transmission was a little clunky, it was easy to adjust to.
The seat was soft and supportive—ideal for longer trips. Although two-up riding is an option on this model, the removable tail section proves unnecessarily difficult to remove. The kickstand is awkwardly placed near the exhaust, and I found myself continuously fumbling for it, trying not to fuse the soles of my sneakers to the scorching exhaust pipe. Though kickstand and seat concerns probably won’t make or break the decision of most people interested in this model, the relevant performance and fun factor might be an issue.
After testing the Sport 1000, I now realize what the true meaning of a “café racer” is a stripped down bike designed for going coffee shop to coffee shop with style, in the shortest amount of time. And this Ducati is exactly that.
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