Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream (1970)
Hunter S. Thompson - 1970[At the Polo Lounge in Beverly Hills, planning to cover the Mint 400 Desert Race in Las Vegas]
"Well," he said, "as your attorney I advise you to buy a motorcycle. How else can you cover a thing like this righteously?""No way," I said. "Where can we get hold of a Vincent Black Shadow?"
"Whats that?"
"A fantastic bike," I said. "The new model is something like two thousand cubic inches, developing two hundred brake-horsepower at four thousand revolutions per minute on a magnesium frame with two styrofoam seats and a total curb weight of exactly two hundred pounds."
"That sounds about right for this gig," he said.
"It is," I assured him. "The [effer's] not much for turning, but it's pure hell on the straightaway.
It'll outrun the F-111 until takeoff.""Takeoff?" he said. "Can we handle that much torque?"
"Absolutely," I said. "I'll call New York for some cash."
Something told me to post this information. We have an interesting group of folks here.