Cycle Chops

“It’s just like riding a bike. It’ll come back to you.” That’s true. Getting used to riding again… brothers and sisters… it feels good. There is no other feeling like it. If I have to explain it to you, you wont understand. I should have never given up riding.
The Honda V-4 engine – I’m of the firm opinion that this is the best engine ever built for motorcycles. The strong roll on acceleration is biblical, smooth, and right now. This makes passing rock flinging trucks not just faster, but safer. Being able to get out of danger quick is a very good thing. Also the fact that my little puny 750cc engine has destroyed a number of 1200cc powered V-Twin type bikes… that just makes me happy.

Getting used to riding again is one thing. I’m also getting used to a new bike. The Magna I have now is called a “3rd Gen” by Magna Owners. The previous Magna I had was a 1st Gen… It was an 85 or 86 if I remember right. I got it for 800 bucks and it only had 2,000 miles on it. It was Cherry. Those Magnas had a longer fork, and pegs that were a bit more forward… more chopper like. After riding this Magna, in it’s more “Standard” position… I think I’d rather have the older style for the comfort.
However, the 3rd Gen Magna has more rigid forks, quicker turn in, and all around better handling. I think even has a better lean angle to it. It feels more like a Sports Bike. This makes me tempted to take curves at faster velocities, riding it like it was a Sports Bike. Which is all fine and well… very cool actually… but I’d rather like the more stretched out position of the older bike. Easier on the knees.

Then again, back then with my last Magna, I didn’t have any problems with my knees. Still. I miss that old Magna. It was a dark blue – almost black… all dark and sinister looking… it was a sexy bike. I rode that when I was going to ROTC at BYU. Not the normal BYU bike. Everyone else on a motorcycle had sport bikes or scooters.
No matter how bad I feel, how much I hurt… I get on the bike and start riding… I feel better. I forget the pain and everything… and I’m just riding.

The Circuit Judge

I really want to like the Rossi Circuit Judge, especially if they would offer it in .44 or .357, which they’ve not done yet. I’m a Die Hard .410 Hater. I sweat to God I’ll never like those, and if I do – please smack me upside the head with a Hockey Stick. Anyways, we’ve seen some issues with the Circuit Judge. The Grip-Stock is blocking shell ejection. We’ve just had to take one back because an attempted speed reload resulted in a bent ejector. It was too easy to bend and too easy to bend back. That’s not cool. That needs to be strengthened. The grip-stock also needs to be redesigned so as to allow it to clear ejecting shells.
I think the swing out cylinder is awkward on these things. The package is nice enough… a light and handy revolving carbine… it’s cool. It really is. But the Circuit Judge is a poor execution of the concept. I’d rather see a Revolving Carbine based on a Peacemaker action – which actually makes more sense than anything, or better yet, a Top Break. I bet a custom gunsmith could take one of those Uberti Top Breaks and make it into a revolving carbine pretty easily.

Relevant Revolvers

I’ve heard a lot of people scoff Wheelguns lately. Saying that the revolver was dead. These are guys that worship at font of High Capacity and think good shooting is a 1.5 second mag dump. That’s all fine and well. Drilling at target mulitple times in the blink of an eye is fun. And in a gunfight, it would do the job.
However not all shooting is a gun fight. I don’t have to look over both shoulders before I safe my weapon and reholster every time I shoot because I tend to think that in an actual fight, that instinct is still going to be there.
Back the wheelguns… I think revolvers are actually seeing a resurgence of popularity. Not just the Snubs or the huge magnum .500’s… but in the mid sized guns in .357 and .44. Which used to be the main stream of handgunning. People are appreciating that great balance of power and controllability that 686 and 629’s have.
I’m still itching for a .44 myself.