This Month's Featured Bike:
Polpetta’s ‘05 m620ie and SacDuc’s ‘01 m750
will be sharing a garage!

That’s right, we’re engaged! Not only can you learn how to chop your tail and remove your fork reflectors on the DML, apparently you can find the person you want to spend the rest of your life with as well! Polpetta and I first started chatting when she read my post that I had had a low speed lay down and PMed me to ask if I was okay. We met in person for the first time at the Zeitgeist (of all places) during one of the SFBMHA monthly meet ups. She shied away from me though because she thought I was a "player." Apparently her Dork Detector is broken. But when I spent our first date in leather pants, moto boots and helmet hair she didn't complain. She was actually quite into it. What can you say about a woman who gets you rearsets for your birthday and loves it when you get her bar end mirrors for Valentine’s Day? I knew she was the one for me.

But enough of that, let’s talk about the bikes.

Polpetta’s 620 is set up for her petite 5’ 2” frame. Her first mod was frame sliders. After coming off of a Honda Rebel she couldn't have care less about she wasn't going to let her Italian baby get dinged. She has a lowering link in the back and has had the triples dropped about almost 2” in the front. The scooped seat let’s her stand almost flat footed. City bars give the bike comfortable, almost cruiser like ergonomics.

The bling-bling sprocket cover is the first of what will be many brushed gold pieces. Napolean bar end mirrors and clear lens covers give the bike a cleaner look. Oh and just as we were going to go take pictures she said, “We HAVE to take the fork reflectors off so everyone doesn’t make fun of me!” So we did. Some hard bags and some header work such as the DML has never seen before are in store for the future. And since we will be living in Santa Barbara, Flight Cycles is only a stones throw away. So Stuart may be called upon to do some real custom work.

When I saw this picture on www.cycletrader.com I knew it was my bike. The previous owner (who goes by PaulD on the DML) had done a nice round of mods: Vortex clip-ons, CC frame sliders, Arrow low mount pipes, steering damper, Sargent seat, louder horn and of course that unique paint color (VW “fresco green” if you must know).

My first mods were out of necessity. A yoyodyne slave, a nichols oil breather and other bits to replace failing stock parts. Then I just started taking off what ever I could. Emissions cannister, kick stand sensor, rear hugger, beer tray, front fairing, side panels and various other bits all gone. And I found myself replacing other stock items with lower profile items: air box replaced with K&N pods, signals replaced with Kellerman minis, Mickey Mouse mirrors replaced with Rizoma Reverse. My lovely fiancee got me the Rosmoto rearsets so I could lose the stockers. Ain't she the best?

And of course the best part of the whole damn bike: custom pipes by Stuart (Duck Stew) at www.flightcycles.com. Everyone seems to love these pipes (except the neighbors).

As far as performance goes, I’ve done no major engine work but I did have BRG Racing put in a jet kit and dyno tune it. Its almost making as much power as a 620ie now! [thumbsup] Going up two teeth in the back had made it plenty quick for me in the tight twisties though.

Click here for past featured bikes