My 963-mile MotoGP Odyssey

I attended my first MotoGP race this past weekend, and it only seemed proper to celebrate the occasion by riding up to the event.

My motorcycle of choice was the latest Triumph Tiger, and when I eventually met up with my LA-based sportbike-riding buddies, I must say I was the recipient of a bit of saddlebag envy-- after all, not only is the Tiger equipped with the same potent 1,050cc engine found in the Speed Triple, it's also graced with road trip-friendly ergonomics.

The USGP returned to Laguna Seca in 2005 after an 11-year absence, and last year's race saw track-melting 150 degree temperatures that must have scared away quite a few race fans away this time, since attendance was down considerably.

Nonetheless, a sea of enthusiastic motorcyclists rode to Laguna Seca and witnessed Casey Stoner emerge victorious on his Ducati GP7 bike, followed by Chris Vermeulen on his Suzuki GSV-R800, Marco Melandri on his Honda RC212V, and to the disappointment of #46 fans everywhere, Valentino Rossi finishing fourth on his Yamaha M1. And while it was cool to watch the race in person, my favorite part of the experience was the shrieking exhaust notes produced by those 250 horsepower bikes.

By the time I returned to LA late last night, I had ridden 963 miles on the faithful Triumph loaded to the gills with luggage. Detailed notes on the bike's long distance capabilities will be forthcoming in a full review... until then, I strongly recommend riding to your next motorcycle event; driving just isn't the same.