DAY ONE--In a mad dash to show off their new X- Wedge engine configuration to the public the President of S&S, Brett Smith, shouted at the staff, “We just can’t haul a box-load of engines to Daytona. We’ve got to ride.”

Last night while at dinner with Brett and Michael, discussing EPA, California Air Resources Board and noise issues, Brett’s phone rang. It was staff member, Stan, reporting from Valdosta, GA after 600 miles on the road from Cadie, Kentucky. Brett handed me the phone. “It was 30 degrees when we pulled out and warmed to 50 while we peeled along at 75-85 toward warmer climes in Florida,” Stan said.

As it turned out Stan wasn't Stan at all. It was Scott Sjovall, the VP of Product Development. Maybe Brett slipped something into my drink.

Two X-Wedge bikes were Softails, three Big Dog Wedges and three solid mounted Street Fighters by S&S. All eight bikes were scheduled to blast through the last 200 miles into Daytona on Thursday. We’ll have more reports shortly. No engine breakdowns were reported.

DAY TWO--It was Thursday when the Bikernet Staff scrambled to produce a magazine in one day, called the Bikernet Thursday News. That same morning the S&S staff straddled four X-Wedge bikes for the final 200-mile run to the Daytona Speedway.

They rolled out on one Big Dog solid mount X-Wedge, one Ruby Softail, like the one above and two, Wilma-1 and Wilma-2 S&S naked street fighters. They're called Wilma for a couple of reasons. The original X-Wedge secret engine mission was given the covert name, "Fred." So when they decided to build a sportbike chassis around it, she became Wilma. That label will most likely change as the new model is renovated, upgraded and released to the public.

The morning began with a nasty chill as they rolled onto interstate 75, south, directly into a southern front and rain. All 200 miles to the 10 Freeway, through the 295 Jacksonville loop and finally onto the 95 south, the wind whipped at the fresh engines and solid chassis. "We wanted to experience any vibrations first hand," James said, "before we mounted the new power package into a rubbermounted frame."

They discovered the X-Wedge contains the code, the unwritten soul of a V-Twin. No matter what chinks, or glitches they may have encountered with any motorcycle in the sun, when it rains a V-Twin gets ya home. All four X-wedges ran flawlessly into Daytona, where the clouds parted and the sun shone welcoming them home.

If you're headed that way, S&S is set-up directly across International Speedway Boulevard from Pizzeria Uno, between American Iron Horse and Bourget, at the Speedway. Ya can't miss 'em. We'll bring you another report in the next couple of days.

Saturday/Sunday Report

Saturday news came from James Simonelli, while he was eating lunch at the Speedway. "It rained and blew up a storm all day Saturday," he said. "We could only ride the X-Wedge bikes from the hotel to the Speeday, where we're set up. It was quiet in the rain, but even the diehard guys like the X-Wedge. The bikes never missed a beat, even in the rain. We start 'em up for anyone who wants to experience the Wedge." The 4 1/8 bore, 4 3/8 stroke engine adds up to 117 inches and they're capable of toping 149 inches of pure V-Twin American power. "They sound like Harleys with a taste of Ducati thrown in," James said trying to munch a greasy sandwich while talking on his cell phone.

"Some of the guys are at the drags, in Gainesville, running G-Squared S&S competitors and 124-inch class bikes," James said ending his lunch with a Sunday update. "I'm hanging at the Speedway booth until they get back."

We'll deliver more news as Bike Week heats up.

THURSDAY UPDATE--I spoke to Scott Sjovall, VP of Product Development, from S&S today at the S&S booth. "The crew left me behind to haul the X- Wedge bikes to Rossmeyer's Destination Daytona," Scott said. "All the builders are going be there autographing the bikes." He was sorta pissed off since he was stuck in the booth, or because I called him Stan in the first report?

"Last night James Simonelli and the gang rode the bikes to the Press party out front of the Iron Horse and Hellbound Steel display," Scot said. "Tonight they're riding over to the Broken Spoke for another unveiling of the X-Wedge to the public."

Rucker built a dragster looking monster (above). Tim Edmondson created a Texas chopper and Cory Ness tried to turn the engine upside down. Scot reported that all the bikes run terrifically, but kept pushing the fact that he was in the booth on International speedway while the guys were out and about. "It rained the first couple of days and now it's beautiful," Scot commented. "Our own street fighter chassis is drawing a lot of attention and the staff tells me how well they handle, but how the hell would I know? I'm sweeping the booth."

I decided jump off the phone and check with him tomorrow. Maybe I could call Brett, the President, and get the poor bastard a ride. I could still catch a flight to Daytona and take him a six-pack. I'll report back.

SATURDAY S&S REPORT-- By now I’m getting jealous. All my brothers are in Daytona, smiling in the sun, while Darcy Betlach feeds ‘em breakfast. They’re riding from one party to another dodging the evil, numbers checkin’ Florida Motorcycle Tasks Force, who don’t know about non-existant frame numbers before 1970. Sharp guys.

While, Scott, the VP of S&S Product Development, was chained in the booth, James Simonelli and Jeff Bailey were performing side by side burnouts and dazzling the European Motorcycle Media with test rides. That was just Thursday. Friday domestic magazines road tested the new X-Wedge bikes, including the gang at Cycle Source Magazine. “Even flathead riders love ‘em,” James said while telling me about their ride home. “We have eight bikes ready to rock and six riders, for the 1,400 mile run back to the S&S headquarters in Wisconsin.” Each bike has a notebook attached and each rider is asked to make notes on any aspect of the ride or performance. Two models are equipped with extensive Data Acquisition systems, reading exhaust temperatures, oil pressure, head temps, fuel air mixtures and the time of day. The team made a point to ride through varied riding conditions.

“We made sure to get stuck in bumper to bumper traffic to monitor the temp changes within the engines,” James explained. Their plan for the ride home included 650 miles the first day, weather permitting. “We brought everything from our riding gear closets, from thermals to wet suits. But the weather’s been phenomenal the last couple of days, glistening sunlight and in the mid 80s.”

Damn, I wish I was there. I spoke to James about a report on one of the Data Acquisition bikes with excerpts out of the riders’ notebook. We’ll feature the bike and all aspects of the ride, if they’ll give up the info.