Miguel Lombana

I just added a new interface that will allow me to post from my phone when I’m out and about and want to update the site instantly. This new plug-in also has a nifty feature that routes a “Phone Friendly” version of the site to any web enabled phone so anyone with a web enabled phone can now view this site without the clutter.

Enjoy.

I stopped by the Kawasaki Superstore to check out the 2009 ZX-6R, everything I’ve been reading about this bike says it’s “The Bike” to own.

I wasn’t planning in making a purchase since my SV650 is only 3 months old but it’s a 2009 and I got an amazing deal so I knew that if the dealer could play with the numbers, they could actually get me into the ZX-6R.

So after my typical 2 hours in the showroom haggling, we found a way, basically it was the end of the day, they wanted to go home and it was also the last day of the month, the sales guy wanted a tick on the board.

He got the ‘tick’, I got the bike!

The new toy is the 2009 Monster Energy Edition Ninja ZX-6R, this thing handles like a dream, totally different feel from my SV650 and a LOT of power on demand. My SV had a ton of torque so I could come off the line screaming, the Ninja is more controlled at the lower RPM’s then totally let’s loose in the mid and high range power bands. I realized this when coming home on the 2 mile road by my house, I was in 2nd and just shy of 60 when I shifted and the front end started to come off the ground in 3rd! Can I get a WOW!

I’m not going to go into all the features that I just got but between the Showa “Big Piston Fork”, a racing quality steering damper, the amazing responsiveness in both power and steering and a sound that even totally stock is kick-ass, this bike is killer and the special edition Monster Energy paint really stands out.

I can’t wait to get this out into the twisties!

What you thought I wouldn’t post some pics? Click on the image above to take you to the gallery.

More to follow

This was the weekend, the annual Ringling Brothers Tour was in Phoenix and as always I had tickets, I  just didn’t get the Circus Celebrity front row, this time I opted for 2nd row, saved 200 bucks and got to see the entire show unlike when you’re the Celeb and are in the Big Top (cool) missing the action (not cool).

I have to start by saying it sucked not being there with Michelle but she was literally right next door working an event at the baseball stadium so she was there in spirit.

Anyway, Ringling runs 3 tours simultaneously (Red, White & Blue Tour) and this year was a rehab year so the tours have blended. For instance the lion act in Zing Zang Zoom (the show we saw today) is the same as the one from the last tour that was here last summer.

The show was overall good, not great, there were some really cool elements but for the most part I found this tour to be a little disoriented and not as tight as previous shows.It is billed as a ‘New Tour’ on their website but it bordered on bush league at times.

Right from the start the show opened with a a mis-queue, the Chinese acrobat troupe (Qi Qi Har Acrobats) started their aerial show for about 2 minutes, it  was cut off mid stream for the elephant show, then the aerial show came back on right after. It was as if someone forgot when they were supposed to go on. I’m sure that most of the audience didn’t know there was a mistake but being from show production background with all the stage shows that I did in all the clubs I worked, it was obvious to me. I just didn’t expect this from this caliber show.

The dog show seemed competitive, there are actually 2 different shows both going on at the same time. The Hans Klose dog show and the Olate Family shows are very similar and very distracting since they both go on at the exact same time and within 20 feet of each other. I was expecting dogs from one side to go to the other but when that didn’t happen I realized they are actually 2 different acts and neither wants to give the other courtesy to let the other showcase.

The highwire act (the Lopez Family) was a little dry, nothing major that you haven’t seen a million times before. With the extreme ways people push these shows today, this was a very 1970’s act, more filler than anything.

The human cannons were again, very 70’s but cool, Hagan just about jumped from the chair and thought it was cool. If we would have been circus celebs we would have missed most of the warm up because the airbags would have been in our way.

The closer in the show was the Wheel of Death and the Fernandez Brothers. This was the only time in the show that I actually thought there would be blood! These guys were totally out of control and messed up more than once, in fact several times, they don’t work with a net and don’t have an airbag under their wheels so any mistake could be costly if it happened at the right part of the wheel spin and I’m happy to report it almost happened 2 different times. I’m more happy to report that nobody fell.

Overall Zing Zang Zoom is an ok show, a throwback to the Ringling Bros Circus of the past, not a lot of glitz and extreme elements but entertaining none the less.

Well the media is going to run with this story for the next 2 months if not more but I couldn’t pass over the event that happened today and not make a comment of my own.

Over the years as a DJ I played a lot of music, but there has never been an artist that offered so much music to play.

In 1982 I was working as a salesperson at Vibrations Records in North Miami Beach, a popular local record store and head shop, when I recall 1 in every 3 people walking in to the store to purchase a copy of Thriller. We were selling hundreds of copies of that album a day, the 2^nd most popular album was INXS’s “Shabooh Shabah”.

When I played in the disco at the Turnberry Isle Yacht & Racket Club in North Miami Beach, Joe Jackson’s (Michael’s dad) yacht was often parked just outside the windows of the club and his sisters, along with Joe, were often there partying the night away.

When I spun at Penrod’s on the Beach in Ft. Lauderdale during spring break the Off the Wall and Thriller albums had so many cuts that we kept 2 copies of each in the DJ booth at any given time. It’s almost a cardinal sin to play 2 songs back to back from the same artist but because of the popularity of this man and his music it was not uncommon to live re-mix Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough or mix from Don’t Stop into Wanna Be Starting Something and live re-mix that (looping the intro of Wanna Be was an art and it drove the crowd nuts).

Like Madonna, there came a point where the music no longer had the same magic and I played less and less of his music (and Madonna’s as well) but the reality is that MJ was a superstar, a GLOBAL Superstar, something that has never been seen and likely never will be.

I know that this little blog has little impact in the global blog-o-sphere but I felt it was important to give a shout out for what Michael Jackson did to influence me in my DJ career.

Michael Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)

I recently re-watched Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and had a revelation, his sister Jeanie is the basis for Phineas and Ferb’s sister Candace.

Watch them both back to back and you’ll understand.

Now and then when I’m on the bike I’ll take a call with my Scala Rider Bluetooth Helmet System and everyone that I talk to is usually amazed when I tell them that I’m on the bike riding down the road at highway speed. I’ve heard comments that it sounds like I”m in the next room, that it’s better than the integrated system in peoples cars and that  it sounds amazing!

When I was looking for my Scala, I had to purchase sight and sound unseen, so I decided to create this post for anyone that is looking for an honest review and some audio samples of an actual call.

First, I chose the Scala Q2, I wasn’t so interested in the FM radio capability but it’s there, to date I have never used it, besides in my truck I have satellite radio for a huge reason, terrestrial radio sucks, I digressed again, one feature I  did want was the stereo speakers and MP3 interface, the Bluetooth was really the plus since I now have a helmet system that I can listen to my iPod when I’m riding and take phone calls when necessary.

The setup is super easy, clip the bracket to the left side of your helmet, adjust the position so the boom mic sits in front of your mouth and screw it down so it won’t move. Next, take the Velcro pads supplied in the kit and attach them to the inside of your helmet where your ears come to rest when the helmet is on and press them in place. Finally place the speaker cables in the shell and install the speakers on the Velcro, charge the base unit for the recommended time and when it’s ready follow the instructions in the manual to pair the unit to your phone and you’re set.

For MP3, the unit comes with a supplied cable the plugs right in to the 1/8″ stereo jack on your player, the plug that fits the Scala is slightly smaller so there is only one way to connect the unit, pay attention to this or you will be scratching your head wondering what is going on.

Now I have a full face Shoei helmet, but from my testing, since the microphone has an opening on the other side (not the mouth side) it’s capable of superb wind noise cancellation, so even someone with an open helmet will greatly benefit from this unit, again you can play your iPod!

Taking calls is easy, when the phone rings just say anything into the microphone like “Answer” and the Scala will tell your phone to go off hook. To hangup just let the caller hangup and the Scala will disconnect your phone or you can use your left hand and touch the large button (see pics it’s the one with the light) and the system will disconnect. To make calls just reach up and touch the large side button and your phone will go into voice command mode and you can dial the person you desire.

When listening to MP3 or FM, the phone has priority on the system, the only thing that I find annoying is that since my phone is also my email device, when a message comes in and the phone beeps, I get that beep in my ear and the MP3 or FM drops for a second. It’s not bad but it is annoying especially when you’re running some great twisties with something like Kid Rock blaring in your ears and you suddenly hear beeps and not music, but again, I’m sure there is a way to turn the notification off in my phone but why bother.

Another great feature about the Q2 is the ability to pair it to 3 other Scala units, so if I’m riding with friends and they have Scala systems, we can all intercom each other for up to 1000′. I also seem to think that you can share your music with a passenger if they are paired to your unit, but I’m not 100% on that one.

So here are some pics and audio files in case your thinking about making the purchase of a bluetooth helmet audio system, I highly recommend the Scala and I got mine from Revzilla.com they are a great online store with just about anything for a rider at great prices.

Scala Company Site: http://www.cardowireless.com/home

All week I’ve been waiting for Saturday because my goal for today was a to wake up late, gas up the SV and take a relaxing ride.

It’s not quite Father’s Day but I wanted to just do something for me. So I went for a spin up to South Mountain to ride the “twisties”. South Mountain is Phoenix’s equivalent of Mulholland Drive in LA, 9 miles of turns and cutbacks that get you to a  summit that  overlooks the entire city. The view can be spectacular when the pollution index is low and you can actually see from one end of the valley to the other, like today!

So that’s my post on the blogosphere for today, just a nice relaxing day to play, now it’s off to the pool and then find sometime to clean up this place before the new week hits.

Cheers!

Well 360 square feet of pool on an acre isn’t very ominous but it does keep us cool during the hot 110 degree days here in Phoenix. Just some pics of Hagan having fun chillin (literally since it was only 98 degrees but without humidity the 10mph wind made it feel like it was 60 when we got out!)

Since Timberlake took care of Sexy, I’m bringing Kinky back!