Although the Z’s nine years old, she’s still able to zip around the streets effortlessly. Most of the recent miles racked up on the bike are commuter and sprint joy rides.

I have yet to do a trackday with this bike, but I imagine that the suspension could use a little adjustment because I’m constantly riding it like a road bicycle around the San Franciscan hills. The steering bearings also need to be replaced because they are greatly notched. Once the bearings are replaced, smoothness, lightness, and evenness will easily be noticed when handling the bike. With these minor fixes I’m sure it would show some more talent in the corners, but not much potential compared to the newer bikes and their capabilities. Riding like this makes for a good workout on city streets though.

I recently had a mini service done at 32,228 miles and the only major things changed were the rear tire and the oil. Before, the bike had a 190/50ZR Dunlop d616 rear tire which provided a wider surface area for turning, but also adding a stall to the bike’s cornering. I switched to a 180/55 d616 to see how I’d like it, and I have to admit that I like it better because the turns are quicker. In addition, the look of the wider tire definitely gives it that extra badass look. I had a talk with one of the mechanics where I got my bike serviced, and they asked me which set of tires I liked compared to the ones I’ve had. I’ve been brought up on Bridgestone riding in the streets, and the last set of Bridgestones I had were the Battlax BT-023 Sport Touring tires. At the time when I had my 06’ gixxer, this was one of the most modern and cheapest of the Bridgestone tires. I decided to give them a try to see if they would last longer because of the increase in my riding. Bridgestone tires have improved, but are most likely meant for bikes on the heftier side like TRLs, FJRs and bikes of that sort. The slippage feeling due to having a gixxer on flat profile tires that lack grip prove not fun, but the tire held up alright compared to the older Bridgestones I’ve had.

So between having Maxxis street tires and a bunch of Bridgestones, I have to say the Dunlop d616s are made perfectly for the z1000 on dry land and in the rain. These tires put the confidence in riding everywhere you go, and feeling any type of slippage is an afterthought. Best value tires for this bike because of the aggressive styling and durable performance.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of our new Winter/ Spring 2012 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE. Don’t worry, shipping is free!

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What’s up people? Check out the crew from Mission Motors stopping by Jay Leno’s Garage with their Mission-R electric motorcycle.

The machine uses 14-kWh lithium-ion batteries paired with a 120-kilowatt motor, which means it packs around 161 horsepower. Mission says it can do 60 miles per hour in around three seconds with a top speed of 160 mph. Not too shabby, eh?

The whole package weighs in at around 550 pounds and gives riders a range of 80-100 miles depending on how much they twist the throttle.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of our new Winter/ Spring 2012 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE. Don’t worry, shipping is free!

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Hey guys, Jon here again. The event at the World Superbike race at Donington yesterday has the web ablaze with discussion is shown below.

Who was to blame? Was it an everyday racing incident? Did Melandri pull a stupid move? Was it Rea’s fault? What do you think?

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Hey everyone, my name is Jeremy. A little about myself. I’m a new staff writer for IPM down in Southern California. Super bike racing is a true passion of mine and this is the story of my journey to success. Take a look at my video.

I am also excited to bring you guys updates on my riding progress, riding videos, races, and my future racing career updates. Looking forward to the feedback you provide. Sit back enjoy the ride! It’s certainly going to be a fun one!

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of our new Winter/ Spring 2012 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE. Don’t worry, shipping is free!

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Hey what’s going on guys? Meet promotional model and first time print model Nicole. She is a current native of San Francisco by way of Alameda. She works as a receptionist at a local urgent care facility.

Nicole loves to run and read fictional novels and memoirs in her spare time. That’s when she’s not taking care of her dog. So you guys better like pooches!

Please check out her full photo session HERE.

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Hi guys, Brammo has recently unveiled the Empulse, an electric bike set to go on sale in 2013.

The Empulse uses a six-speed gearbox, has a claimed top speed of 100mph, a claimed range of up to 120 miles and can be recharged in only 3.5 hours. Brammo says the Empulse makes 54bhp and 46.5ftlb of torque and weighs 200kg.

The standard Empulse will go on sale next year for $16,995. While the Empulse R (pictured), which has carbon fiber instead of plastic body panels, will go on sale in June for $18,995.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of our new Winter/ Spring 2012 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE. Don’t worry, shipping is free!

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What’s up people? Check out this guy from Asia on a streetfightered Honda Cbr600RR. He claims that in the video, he has completed the world’s fastest 360 degree five point turn.

What do you guys think?

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Hey guys, Jon here again. Ever seen some guy planking on a motorcycle? Check out this rider below on his MV Agusta Brutale.

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Hey what’s going on guys? Here is T-Mobile’s newest commercial starring Carly Foulkes and the last generation Ducati 848/109/1198. Check it out.

How much faster is T-Mobile’s 4G network compared to the iPhone 4S on AT&T’s network? Don’t blink or you may miss it. Now see how much faster our 4G speeds are for real at tmobile.com/testdrive.

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Hi guys, here is a funny little clip from YouTube. Boy genius on a motorcycle was attempting to jump over a car Evil Knevil syle. Check out what happens, if you haven’t already guessed.

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What’s up people? Last week I showed you the full T-Mobile commercial. Now, here is the thirty second version you saw or will probably see on television.

What do you get when you combine America’s Largest 4G Network™ with T-Mobile’s newest and fastest 4G smartphones? Speed. Get ready. It’s time to rethink everything. It’s time for fast.

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Hey guys, happy Cinco de Mayo, Jon here again. Check out Japanese magazine Young Machine’s claim that Honda is developing a new CBR400R to sit between the CBR600RR and CBR250R in the firm’s sportsbike line-up.

The bike on the cover is actually an artist’s interpretation. The main image is the Japanese-market Megelli 250R. The CBR400R is rumored to have a parallel twin engine derived from the same family as the CBR250R’s single.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of our new Winter/ Spring 2012 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE. Don’t worry, shipping is free!

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Hello, Paul here again with another update to the Ninja 250. As you can see in the picture below, the throttle cable has frayed and broken. Even with regular maintenance, these items can wear out and break. This happened while I was out riding, but it didn’t cause too big of a problem.

Luckily, the carburetor was easily accessed from the side and I was able to manipulate the throttle valve with my hand while riding. I did not have a spare cable with me, so I carefully went home. Soon a new cable will be installed, and the resurrected Ninja will be out on the streets again.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of our new Winter/ Spring 2012 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE. Don’t worry, shipping is free!

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Hey what’s going on guys? XCOR recently integrated bearing components from its rocket propellant piston pump into a Triumph Street Triple in order to perform wear testing. Check it out.

XCOR, whose Lynx spaceship is set to take flight in 2014, decided to test the parts for its rocket propellant pump in a slightly unusual way: by fitting them into a Triumph motorcycle and driving it down Route 66.

When the team was preparing to test its bearing system, it found that running a motorcycle was far less expensive than using a test stand, which can cost $500 a minute to run.

The Triumph Street Triple turned out to have the same cylinder arrangement and almost the same horsepower as the liquid oxygen and kerosene fuel pumps in the Lynx, so the team was able to collect twenty hours of data — or enough to replicate the rocket use on 400 Lynx flights — simply by driving from Roswell to Mojave.

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Hi guys. Meet the 2012 KTM/HMC Superbike Racing Team including Team Manager Mitch Hansen and riders Chris Fillmore and Stefan Nebel as they turn laps at Homestead-Miami.

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What’s up people? Late last year, the werewolf from Twilight struck out and attempted a career as an actin star in Abduction. Taylor Lautner starred as a young man unwittingly thrust into a deadly world of covert espionage in Lionsgate’s action-thriller directed by John Singleton.

Not sold, huh? Don’t blame you. But take another look at the trailer. Taylor rides around in an Aprilia Shiver 750. Check it out.

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Hey guys, Jon here again. Check out the latest video released by Yamaha of the 2012 Yamaha R1.

In a perfect world, all gas stations would have Umbrella Girls!

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Hello everyone, here is a quick update for the Ninja 250. You can thank the local five-O for this little modification. I was stopped the other day for missing a side mirror.

This stick on mirror is going to complement the standard stock mirror while it is being repaired. Mounted on the front turn signal stem, it is a little low but the convex surface gives a wide view behind the motorcycle as well as to the side. It’s not a replacement for scanning, or a quick look over the shoulder, but it does aid in maintaining awareness of the traffic on the road.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of our new Winter/ Spring 2012 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE. Don’t worry, shipping is free!

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Hey what’s going on guys? Aprilia has unveiled the 2012 Aprilia RS4 125 SBK replica, featuring a Max Biaggi replica paint scheme. Check it out.

As well as the Biaggi paint scheme, which celebrates Biaggi’s WSB championship lead after the first three rounds of 2012, the RS4 now comes with Pirelli Diablo Rossi II tires, wavy discs, a quickshifter and a single seat cowl.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of our new Winter/ Spring 2012 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE. Don’t worry, shipping is free!

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Hi guys, now that Audi owns Ducati, they can do whatever they want with both brands. And that includes pitting them, albeit unfairly, against each other. Check out this TT vs. Panigale S video.

Why did they compare a more or less midrange car to a superbike? For fun, I guess. Why didn’t they use the Audi supercar with 200 more hp? For fun, I guess. If they compared the TT to a Ducati Monster it would have been more fun. What do you think?

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What’s up people? Black Bean Games and Milestone have released the latest trailer showcasing the core features of SBK Generations, their upcoming motorcycle racing title. Check it out.

SBK Generations is a huge experience set throughout four different seasons of the Superbike FIM World Championship, starting in 2009 and ending with this year’s 2012 season.

SBK Generations will deliver the best riders of all ages gathered through 4 seasons in the largest SBK game of all time. It will include 10 rosters, ranging from 2009 to 2012, featuring more than 220 riders, 141 teams and 60 bike models from 10 manufacturers that raced between 1999 and 2012.

SBK Generations is scheduled for release in June 2012 for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of our new Winter/ Spring 2012 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE. Don’t worry, shipping is free!

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Hey guys, Jon here again. After amazing and thrilling the international crowds on the KTM Duke 125, Rok Bagoros has now taken delivery of what is his first ever big bike and now has to work on converting his tricks to suit the more powerful machine. Check it out.

Rok claims that there’s a big difference between the two bikes. Seeing as how the 690 has five times more power then the Duke 125 and any mistake can result in a crash, we’d tend to agree.

The bike has amazing power but Rok assures that he is slowly getting it under control.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of our new Winter/ Spring 2012 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE. Don’t worry, shipping is free!

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Hey, what’s going on everyone? Our new IPM Girl of the Month Jessy is no stranger to modeling. This statuesque Norwegian has been in trade modeling around the Bay Area for countless events.

From Promotional Modeling, being a MMA Ring Card Diva, and working as a GoGo dancer, she has spent her fair share behind the camera.

I am sure you can tell by the quality of the photos, that we were dealing with a true professional. Props to our Staff Photographer Jiamin as well.

We will definitely be trying to get this blonde haired, blue eyed beauty back into the studio garage for another session!

Be sure to check out the rest of her photo session HERE.

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HI guys, at just $3,195, both the Cleveland CycleWerks Misfit cafe racer and the Heist bobber massively undercut every other motorcycle out there. And at just 250cc, they’re also smaller than most bikes. Bargain or bogus? Check it out and you decide.

Looks pretty solid to me.

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What’s up people? To improve road safety Domino’s Pizza in the Netherlands introduces a human engine sound on their silent electrical scooters. Check it out.

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Hey guys, Jon here again. I guess the coolness of riding a motorcycle finally trickled down to the least masculine kid on the planet. Singer Justin Bieber is hoping to gain a motorcycle license after buying himself a luxury superbike.

The teenage pop star, who already has a collection of fast cars, including a Cadillac custom built for him by West Coast Customs, has treated himself to a $20,000 Ducati 848 EVO, which was delivered to him on Thursday.

The 18 year old is not yet licensed to ride the bike on the roads, but he is working towards gaining the qualification.

Hit us up, when you hit the road on two wheels Justin. Bring Selena…

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of our new Winter/ Spring 2012 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE. Don’t worry, shipping is free!

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Hey, what’s going on guys? These are the first photos of the road-legal version of the Vyrus 986 M2.

Originally designed to compete in Moto2, the hub-center-steered bike fits a Honda CBR600RR motor in a prototype, omega-frame chassis. If that’s not weird enough, the rear shock is mounted transverse and the radiator lies under the engine.

Looks cool? Well, it’s yours for just a mere 40 large.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of our new Winter/ Spring 2012 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE. Don’t worry, shipping is free!

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Hi guys, after weeks of speculation and back and forth, car manufacturer Audi has finally confirmed the purchase of Ducati. Last week Ducati insiders claimed an announcement on the deal would be made this week, and that the purchase will be presented as being a 75th birthday present to VW chairman Ferdinand Piech.

Volkswagen Audi has agreed to buy Ducati for about 860 million euros, is the general rumor.

Be sure to voice your opinion of Ducatist.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of our new Winter/ Spring 2012 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE. Don’t worry, shipping is free!

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Hello everyone, Paul here again today to introduce you to last month’s IPM Girl of the Month Angela Salinas. We apologize for the delay, but some things are worth waiting for. So people say.

Angela is a native of South San Francisco and is currently an undergraduate at San Francisco State University. Unlike most of our models, but like some of them, Angela is a motorcyclist herself. You can see her riding a 2011 Honda CBR250R in and around the City.

A little known fact about Angela is that this girl can bake. She is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy. She has since moved on to sales at a local Macy’s.

Say hello if you see her around. Wave. Just don’t ask her for a cookie.

Be sure to check out all of the raw, unedited behind the scenes shots of her shoot HERE.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of our new Winter/ Spring 2012 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE. Don’t worry, shipping is free!

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What’s up people? T-Mobile’s Carly Foulkes has a side we haven’t seen before. Who? You know, the Canadian chick in pink all you guys have a crush on.

In a television ad posted on YouTube, a bored-looking Carly pads around her posh big city penthouse in search of something to do. Then, after trading her magenta frock for a black leather suit, she approaches a black-and-magenta Ducati 848/1098/1198 parked in a garage. The ad closes with her zooming through town with the tagline, “No more Mr. Nice Girl.” Check it out.

The new ad campaign is part of a brand refresh that will come later in the year.

Check out Ducatist for more.

Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to order your copy of our new Winter/ Spring 2012 print edition of Inline Performance Magazine HERE. Don’t worry, shipping is free!

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