#crepeau

Harley-Davidson is America’s most legendary and iconic motorcycle company. For most Harley owners, it’s more than just a form of transportation – it’s a lifestyle. They’re quick to claim that there is something about riding a Harley-Davidson that’s unlike riding any other brand. Is it the rumbling exhaust note? Is it the “lobe-y”, “cammed” lope at idle that shakes the entire bike? Or is it the old school, rebellious, lack of a certain refinement attitude and mystique that is so deeply rooted in Harley-Davidson’s rich history? The answer for many is D: All of the above.

The MotoGP website is somewhat predictably promoting this week’s tilt between Movistar Yamaha tough guys Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi as “The Clash of the Titans.” Which, to an on-the-street local racing fan here, would naturally bring to mind Godzilla. If, in fact, the Motul Grand Prix of Japan gives us a replay of Mothra vs. Godzilla, I assume the indomitable lizard triumphs, suggesting that Rossi will play the role of Mothra. It is easy to envision Lorenzo on the top step this weekend, surrounded by Honda pilots, Rossi’s margin at the top of the 2015 heap vanishing in the haze.