Dancing the Polka

Chris Cope

Latest

  • Weighing the options: Middleweight sport tourers

    Technically, the Honda CBF600SA is a sport tourer. Not too long ago I started the process of thinking seriously about my next bike, which, at this stage, consists of little more than saving money (a) and daydreaming constantly about what that next bike will be. Because I’m an American, my default setting, it seems, is…

  • Corcoran Jump Boots – review

    Corcoran Jump Boots – review

    Corcoran Jump Boots are durable, comfortable, and subtly stylish

  • The strange and sudden decline of RideApart

    UPDATE: I wrote this piece in December 2013. A lot has changed since then, including the fact that I spent two years running RideApart. Here’s a link to all the stories I’ve written. When I was in charge I put a lot of effort into moving away from the things that I criticize in the post…

  • The wind, the fear and the ridiculous

    You know that advice they always give about riding with a passenger? “Take it easy,” they say. “Make everything as gentle as possible. Don’t frighten your passenger.” They have obviously never met my wife. “YAHWOOOOOOOOOOOO!” she screamed against the wind as the two of us zig-zagged down the A449 Saturday. We were flying down the…

  • I think we may actually be better

    Why wouldn’t you outlaw this? I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this: if I’m ever riding in Minnesota and find myself in a situation where I deem filtering to be appropriate, I’m just going to go ahead and do it. If any drivers shout at me, I will say this: “Actually, it is…

  • 20 things I learned in my first 6 months of motorcycling

    20 things I learned in my first 6 months of motorcycling

    Lessons learned from the motorcycle-ownership experiences.

  • A small request

    Hey, all y’all with motorcycle-related blogs: Can you please not have white text on a black background? I mean, it’s pretty much every single one of you. Clearly, it’s a look that a lot of people like and one of the general rules of this here blog is that I don’t like to piss on…

  • 28 months before

    The simplicity of the Triumph Speedmaster “I wonder if I could put together £8,000 within 28 months,” I find myself asking. That’s how long I have until my 40th birthday, which, I keep telling myself, is when I want to buy a new bike. Actually, I’d like to buy a new bike today. And tomorrow.…