This isn't a partisan site and it's not going to be. But every once in a while there's going to be a post or two that isn't about cool stuff. It's difficult to have an open dialogue about the world by ignoring big parts of what's going on in it.  

These are the letters Sidney Powell and Kenneth Cheseboro wrote to comply with part of their plea deals in Fulton County, Georgia. They put less effort in to them than Bart Simpson in his opening sequence. These are the people the former President chose to surround himself with, and they don't have enough respect for the American system of government to even pretend to care about the parts of it they don't like. Vote for whoever you want, but ask for more than this petulant, insincere garbage. 

Actually, no, let's make it two. And, Harry, I need it by tonight.

If you spend half an hour a day looking for things, that adds up to more than a week a year. If this were a fancy site with a big budget and corporate overlords, a fancy infographic would tell you that's more than 200 days by the time you turn 40 even if you discount the time before you knew the apple sauce was missing. Looking for things is not fun. Don't be an old person that says "I wish I hadn't lost my keys so much... I'd have been able to love my kids" while they're with their families in the Bahamas and you're stuck behind because you never found your Passport and that not having time to love them thing.

Tim Taylor knows a thing or two about tools and he'd tell you that buying one for a single job is a worthwhile investment. [I asked when I bought some Peruvian snow from him back in his salad days so you can spare yourself the postage. -Ed] Sometimes those tools never find another purpose in life and that's OK. But when you need them, you need them. 

"What's that 46mm socket for?"
"Holding snacks, I think."

Don't let this be you.

If you go to the track it's extra important to know which tools to grab. If you have to work at the track, there's no possibility you will ever grab the correct tool until you've tried the wrong one at least three times.  If your pit crew - sorry, "spouse" - comes to the track you will definitely spend more time explaining why the tool you were just handed was not the correct one than it would take to explain why you have been asked not to return to the county where "the incident" took place to a marriage counselor. 

Spare yourself these pesky hurdles and label your stuff. You don't need a fancy label maker, but it does make people think you might actually be an adult after all. Just grab some painter's tape, a marker, and go to town. Purpose and torque value, if applicable, are the minimum amount of information that should be included. If you want to put your phone number on them and leave them in random places to make new friends, that's cool too.

Here's how ChatGPT describes the Yamaha FJ-09... er Tracer:

The FJ-09 is a model of motorcycle manufactured by Yamaha. It was introduced in 2015 and is part of the company's "Sport Touring" lineup. The FJ-09 is powered by a liquid-cooled, 847cc inline-three engine that produces around 115 horsepower and 65 lb-ft of torque. It features a range of touring-focused features such as adjustable windscreen, comfortable riding position, and luggage options, while still retaining a sporty character. The FJ-09 is known for its versatility, and it can handle everything from commuting to long-distance touring and even some light off-road riding.

And here's how Yamaha markets it:

Turn Up Your Experience

Featuring an all‑new engine and premium sport touring features that come standard, the most versatile touring partner for when you're commuting or riding across the mountains. 

You guys should polish your resumes.

After riding a CBR600 F4 as my primary mode of transportation for a few years, I vowed never to buy a fully-faired motorcycle again. Working on it felt like the antithesis of of a pure, simple two wheel experience. Every job, without fail, started by removing  1,300 fasteners holding the plastics in place. That was almost 20 years ago and the situation has not really improved. Engineers pursue mass centralization and compact profiles at the mechanic's expense, making oil changes feel more like intake manifold work on B-series Honda than a Robert Pirsig fantasy. 

Fast forward to the the first service on my FJ-09 and learning in a cold, dim garage that I had broken my promise. While silently cursing the task ahead, I found myself visiting YouTube University because none of it made sense. Two dozen dzus, threaded, and velcro connections later, the guts of the machine were at least visible, if not accessible. I thought this was a semi-naked bike. Never again. Maybe.

Recently, the Yamaha's cam chain tensioner started sounding like it was tired and needed a break, so APE Race Parts got called up for the swap. Plastics off? Nope! But don't be silly and assume that means the job is a breeze. 

Apparently the cam chain tensioner had to go right there. And where there is where no normal wrench fits. The first time that part had to come out, I trimmed a regular allen wrench. You know, like the forums tell you. Even though those professional keyboard engineers insist it's the best solution short of buying some nonsense special tool Yamaha makes, there's a better way. You don't have to visit the Snap-on truck, either.

Low profile tools are more common than they were 20 years ago, but they still don't usually work great in truly confined conditions. Some tool people figured that out and now some do. For the cam chain tensioner, the black ANEX Ultra Low Profile set worked a treat.  There are a few other options like Nordwolf's Stubby Allen Wrench Set , one from Powerbuilt, Park Tool, and even driver specialists Vessel. The space limitations of the FJ-09 meant one of the two mounting bolts came out a quarter turn at a time but it wasn't damaged and it never once needed to be cursed at. 

Don't skimp on your wrenches. Use the right tool for the right job and you'll be a happier person. Probably. Maybe. This site is not an Amazon affiliate, so buy your tools wherever you want. I'll be over here listening to my sewing machine idle in the garage and trying not to buy nicer versions of tools I already own. 

Motorsport doesn't do parity. That's kind of the point. Spend money, keep secrets, break rules, go faster. Even spec series' devolve into blueprinting and marginal gains that would make Dave Brailsford blush. So it's not often something resembling an apples-to-apples comparison comes around. 

Alex Marquez left LCR Honda for brighter, redder pastures at the end of 2022. Taakaki Nakagami did not. The results couldn't speak better for themselves if Aaron Sorkin gave them lines: 

Alex Marquez:

Portugal 2022: 7 (+ 16.183s)

Portugal 2023: 5 (+ 8.125s)

Argentina 2022: 15 (+ 23.472s)

Argentina 2023: 3 (+ 4.681s)

Taakaki Nakagami:

Portugal 2022: 16 (+ 49.569s)

Portugal 2023: 12 (+ 17.448s)

Argentina 2022: 12 (+ 14.002s)

Argentina 2023: 13 (+ 28.394s)