Don’t believe everything you read.
That said, this site has been dormant for a while, and we’ve been watching it collect dust for a few years while trying to figure out what’s happening in our lives. The trouble with that sort of thinking is that life keeps happening.
One becomes a bigwig at a predominantly track-focused motorcycle brand, while another moves on to more sunny and expensive lands with hopes and dreams of helping a classic dealership become something more progressive and successful. Life, as they say, moves on while the readers, fans, and enthusiasts stand on the sidelines with bated breath to see what’s next.
Where are they now?
Jensen Beeler is in the background of the motorcycle industry. Once upon a time, we would read from him daily and hear his voice weekly(ish) on various podcasts with updates on the industry, racing, life, the universe, and everything. His days are now filled with focus on Krämer Motorcycles, a beautiful family, and martial arts.
Not too many of his days are spent on an actual motorcycle anymore, but that’s what happens when there’s burnout in any aspect of life. We find ourselves going in a completely different direction, regardless of how much time and effort was put into the growth of the very thing that’s ultimately burnt us.
Yet, Jensen is still quietly involved in the industry and pushes to better it every day. Just recently, he pushed to create the Talent Cup series in MotoAmerica with a focus on young riders forging a way into professional racing. The industry remarked that younger generations are less inclined to saddle up, and Jensen took that as an opportunity to shift the narrative.
The industry is on a constant path of change and we see companies like Harley-Davidson making race homologation-level cruisers to cash in on the King of The Baggers series. The Yamaha R1 and R6 are gone and have been replaced with a more reasonable inline-3 R9 that we all asked for, with a hope that the enthusiasts are actual buyers.
Ducati has completely revised the Panigale series with more approachable bikes such as the newest generation Panigale V2 that is lighter, less powerful, and easier to ride and own. It’s fun to watch the progress and less fun to not talk about it with the vast A&R audience, so perhaps it’s time to come back.
Enter the author of this April Fool’s Day article, Shahin Alvandi. Some of you have heard of me, literally on a podcast, and by chance through various social media outlets. The rest of you may be asking yourself: “who the hell is Shahin?”
That’s a fair question that requires an answer, as I believe in transparency in relationships. I’m an enthusiast who loves all things motorcycle related, and I currently find myself as a retail motorcycle shop manager in the great city of Los Angeles.
The irony of being a bike shop sales person is that some of us, in this side of the industry, find ourselves unable to talk honestly and broadly about other brands that we don’t sell. Maybe we can change that. Maybe this website is my personal path for that. Maybe it’s just an overthought April Fool’s joke.
This site needs (and deserves) to come back to life and it’s time to bring back the honest reviews and open discussion of bikes, gear, and all things motorcycling and motorcycle-adjacent. A lot of us miss having the A&R page open on a tab in a browser with daily(ish) updates and news about our favorite little industry, and I’d like to take a swing at it with you kind readers, listeners, and watchers.
So, let’s see what happens next: Brap Talk Motorcycle Podcast, an Asphalt & Rubber Youtube channel, and the old-fashioned written word for those of you who have read all the way to this sentence. Plus more!
You in?
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