Motorcycles

With few exceptions in modern motorbiking, the two-wheeled world has broken down something like this: Manual transmission equals motorcycle (and macho). Automatic transmission equals scooter (and sissy). But in the last year, the most caveman of two-wheeled categorizations has begun to evolve: Motorcycles are beginning to incorporate automatic transmissions. The Honda DN-01, which is rolling into U.S.

They leak, shake, rattle and spark -- and sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars. The rarest of rare vintage motorcycles, these decades-old machines are challenging to start and difficult to ride. Yet they are becoming more expensive to purchase despite -- and some say because of -- the down economy. For years, ultra-obscure bikes such as a 1936 Crocker Twin or a 1907 Curtiss V-8 were collected by a small handful of moneyed gearheads.

It's 9 a.m., and the toilet seat is, predictably, up at the Shell station in La Canada Flintridge. It is Sunday, sunny, warm. Perfect riding weather for the (predominantly male) motorcyclists making their pilgrimage up Angeles Crest Highway, where they will power through scores of turns over several miles at ever-increasing altitudes.

When the Zero X wheeled onto the dirt track at Lake Elsinore, the Colgate-white motocross bike looked positively virginal next to the belching, candy-colored models that leaped from mound to mound around it. Not surprisingly, the Zero X drew a lot of attention. Two-stroke? Four-stroke? That wasn't the question riders were asking after watching the electric dirt bike roll around the track a few times and do everything a traditional, gas-powered motocrosser could do, minus the noise and pollution.

Owning a chromed or custom Harley-Davidson is "not about transportation, it's about an experience," says the company's chief executive, James L. Ziemer. That's clear to even the most average of non-motorcycling Joes, who, on any given day, are likely to see T-shirts, leathers, window decals, cigarette lighters, bandannas and other paraphernalia emblazoned with the company's trademark bar and shield. But there's one Harley-Davidson Motor Co. item that hasn't been selling as well in the U.S.

He'd had a rotten day at the office -- the boss had barked at him, ordering him to get some mammoth project done within an impossible deadline. So he got aboard his pearl-white Harley-Davidson Street Glide, turned the ignition, gripped the throttle and revved the engine. He rode through streets crowded with apartments, past well-lighted skyscrapers. The city faded behind him and he breathed in the cool nighttime air, his motorbike roaring through the desert.

The motorcycle business, traditionally driven by enthusiasts who ride for fun, is experiencing a dramatic shift as big, expensive cruisers give way to cheaper, commuter-oriented models and more women hit the road on two wheels, a new survey shows. Though fun is still the No. 1 reason motorcyclists cite for riding, according to preliminary results of the Motorcycle Industry Council's 2008 owner survey, "utility/business/chores" has increased 42% in importance since the last survey, in 2003.

The 28th annual International Motorcycle Show, rolling into the Long Beach Convention Center today, caters to the crowd that wants its bikes bigger, better and faster. But, in a nod to changing times, there's a new feature this year: a scooter pavilion. The three-day event is putting a focus on riders who want to commute on two wheels -- new and returning riders who couldn't care less about the flash and power that have dominated the industry for the past decade.

With creations like the "Undertaker" and "666 El Diablo," Jesse James and his West Coast Choppers team have become TV stars and automotive icons by turning average motorcycles into pimped-up machines. But California air regulators announced Friday a $271,250 fine against James, the co-producer and host of "Monster Garage" and "Motorcycle Mania," saying that 50 of his custom-built choppers ran afoul of California's clean-air rules.

Something strange is happening in the motorcycle world: One new model is sprouting a third wheel. On Friday, Bombardier Recreational Products Inc., maker of snowmobiles and other power-sport vehicles, will announce its entry into the nation's $9.8-billion motorcycle market with its Can-Am Spyder roadster, which has two wheels in front and one in back.