Riding a frosty West Saanich Road to work this morning my thoughts slide, like our long-term loaner Multistrada’s rear tire, toward the concept of karma.  You see, last week Monday I worked late, only to find that the parkade had locked up tight at 8pm with my car securely inside.  I ended up begging a ride home from a friend of a friend’s acquaintance. Tuesday was only marginally better as I went to retrieve the car only to find I’d left the lights on for the two days of its incarceration… technically less than that – it’s an elderly battery.  After 1.5 hours of waiting for two separate BCAA trucks (the first was over-height for the underground) an early night to bed became an extended drive to recharge the battery.  I’ve since concluded I’m not a car person, so the Multi and I are braving the winter roads.  This epiphany has restored cosmic balance, and as a payoff the Vancouver Motorcycle Show has ensured 2007 will be OWD’s most exceptional year.

There are, by my reckoning, going to be near double the road tests and compos and that is thanks to a number of advocates in the industry.  There was Ducati who, after confirming a GT1000 long-termer, saw fit to introduce us to KTM.  After which the head of BMW Motorrad introduced us to Kawasaki.  If that weren’t enough Suzuki and Honda gave us the lowdown on their west coast demos, and young upstart Hyosung is making arrangements for some fresh road tests.

It’s not just the manufacturers either, dealers are joining the fray: Revoluzione are proffering their Moto Guzzi, Aprilia and Ducati demos… including the MP3 three-wheeler; Sport Cycle’s offered us some quality spring road time on the Ducati 1098; more locally Carter Motorsports representatives suggested raiding their demo and used armada in a pre-Christmas meeting and the newly minted Southwest Motorrad is up for a few spins on Kelowna’s back roads.   All that will make for a busy schedule even before events like the Ducati Cup and Fuel the Passion III trip to MotoGP (if you feel inclined come join the ride Revoluzione is putting together a very nice package).

Fallacious karmic commentary aside though, the past three years has been a heap of hard work, triumphs and some genuine moments of despair as we try to break into this industry.  The optimist in me is amazed watching this season come together, and if only half of it pans out I’ll most likely be exhausted and ecstatic!  Meanwhile the 10 year-old kid in me is “oooohing” and “ahhhhing” in anticipation…