Friday, July 8, 2011
HJC Sy-MAX II helmets may be defective..
I have been riding with an HJC helmet on my noggin for years. I was appalled by the very low quality that the chin bar in the HJC Sy-MAX II helmet is that I will be evaluating a different brand on my next purchase. I ride with a modular to get the protection of the chin bar, not for something that is just there for looks. Looking at the photos, it is obvious that the chin bar on HJC helmets are not for any safety use.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
When to replace your tires...
A lot of guys will ride until they see cords on their tires. Completely worn out. This if fine if you ride where it never rains and the roads are perfectly clean and flat. For me I use the same trick as the car. if Abraham's head on a penny is completely visible I start shopping for tires. Do you really want to risk a blowout or flat at 70mph? Have you ever had the enjoyment of a blowout on a motorcycle at highway speeds? It's not fun. at 70mph the chances of you not dropping the bike and enjoying road rash are about 30%. It's not fun, the bike will buck from side to side and even ride what seems to be sideways. touching the rear break will cause the bike to swap sides, etc.. I got to enjoy this a very long time ago and it is STILL fresh in my head. Fresh enough to shake my head and call the kids on crotch rockets dumb for riding in shorts and t-shirt. I would have been history if it was not for the safety gear I was wearing.
Replace your tires please. It's not worth the excitement and waking up on the ground with your head and back hurting and your gloves full of blood is not fun.
Replace your tires please. It's not worth the excitement and waking up on the ground with your head and back hurting and your gloves full of blood is not fun.
Monday, April 18, 2011
fullface or composite helmet face shield sun shield DYI.
There is a helmet sunshield out there that you stick to your visor. IT works great but is expensive for $1.00 with of automotive cling tint.
http://www.amazon.com/Insta-Cling-Extra-Dark-Professional-Tint/dp/B000EBKG9A is the same stuff except not green in color. you can cut about 50 of the visor sunshields out of this roll. If you don't want to buy a roll to have forever, go to a automotive tint shop and ask if they have any of the static cling tint scraps. A good shop will give them to you.
I personally have been doing this for a few years, the problem is that I don't like riding with my visor completely closed. so I need to place it lower or cut mine to be taller.
Just a quick tip for riding comfort this summer!
http://www.amazon.com/Insta-Cling-Extra-Dark-Professional-Tint/dp/B000EBKG9A is the same stuff except not green in color. you can cut about 50 of the visor sunshields out of this roll. If you don't want to buy a roll to have forever, go to a automotive tint shop and ask if they have any of the static cling tint scraps. A good shop will give them to you.
I personally have been doing this for a few years, the problem is that I don't like riding with my visor completely closed. so I need to place it lower or cut mine to be taller.
Just a quick tip for riding comfort this summer!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Food on the road.....
Motorcycle camping typically leaves out carrying food with you. Honestly a cooler with enough food and cooking supplies for a weekend camp-out will be larger than your tent and sleeping bag. But there are things you can bring with you if we dip into the deep woods backpacker menu.
Dry soup mixes: like cup a soup and others make a very small meal that only needs water heated to 140 degrees. that means a small camp stove. (No heating the water on your motorcycle pipes will not be an acceptable substitute) This kind of meal is easy and many are quite satisfying. They are a favorite of mine on cold days. I prefer cup-a-soup brand.
Instant Oatmeal packets: Great for breakfast and work as easy as the dry instant soups. You can get assorted flavors that make a nice change of pace. Hearty enough to make you feel full and are packed with energy.
Instant Meals, I.E, MRE's: This is the expensive option and honestly I have not found one that I think is worth the price. They are handy but I dont see them as a real meal.
Granola or trail mix: Dried fruits nuts and honey oat clusters all work great as a snack that can be packed tightly.
Granola bars: the hard type not the gooey chocolate covered ones. Nothing makes a snack or dinner stink than dealing with a chocolate mess in your bags from a bar that melted in the 90 degree heat.
Coffee: I actually really like the Starbucks VIA sticks, they actually make a very good cup of coffee and are super small to carry. IT's a whole lot better than any other instant coffee I have tried and easier than carrying a french press or small coffee pot. It's like a decent cup of restaurant coffee. If you want to give yourself a morning kick in the pants, dump 2 of them into "water joe" a caffeinated water. It's like drinking a pot of coffee in 5 minutes.
Drinks: carrying anything but water is a waste. I like the drink sticks they have now for water flavoring, the arnold palmer half and half sticks taste just like the tea and lemonade cans so I carry those. there are a lot of options from different places on these. That way all I need to carry is water.
Main meals: If you can hunt or fish, there is your source of meat, just bring some small baggies of spices and you can buy packets of cooking oil or get it at the camp store. Dried beans plus good jerky and some spices make a very good stew if you have a camp fire roaring and can cook for a hour or two. you can even get freeze dried tomatoes, although tomato paste in a toothpaste tube is more convenient. I would skip being adventurous and bringing powdered eggs, I just cant enjoy them after eating them for years at boyscout camp.
Don't plan on never stopping to eat, You are riding and half the fun is the stop in a small town diner. You do not need to carry all your food for your trip with you, you can always stop at a store to pick up a couple cans of beans and steak for that night's meal. Having some smaller things with you to make life more comfortable is nice. I tend to like to eat a packet of oatmeal in the morning with coffee to enjoy the morning and let the sun rise, pack up and hit the road for a 9:30am stop at a small town diner for a nice brunch. It's nice to be able to sit at the camp at night and instead of going out for some pop, open up a bottle of water and mix up a nice soft drink for flavor.
Remember, you can always restock at the next fuel stop. Keep the shiny side up!
Dry soup mixes: like cup a soup and others make a very small meal that only needs water heated to 140 degrees. that means a small camp stove. (No heating the water on your motorcycle pipes will not be an acceptable substitute) This kind of meal is easy and many are quite satisfying. They are a favorite of mine on cold days. I prefer cup-a-soup brand.
Instant Oatmeal packets: Great for breakfast and work as easy as the dry instant soups. You can get assorted flavors that make a nice change of pace. Hearty enough to make you feel full and are packed with energy.
Instant Meals, I.E, MRE's: This is the expensive option and honestly I have not found one that I think is worth the price. They are handy but I dont see them as a real meal.
Granola or trail mix: Dried fruits nuts and honey oat clusters all work great as a snack that can be packed tightly.
Granola bars: the hard type not the gooey chocolate covered ones. Nothing makes a snack or dinner stink than dealing with a chocolate mess in your bags from a bar that melted in the 90 degree heat.
Coffee: I actually really like the Starbucks VIA sticks, they actually make a very good cup of coffee and are super small to carry. IT's a whole lot better than any other instant coffee I have tried and easier than carrying a french press or small coffee pot. It's like a decent cup of restaurant coffee. If you want to give yourself a morning kick in the pants, dump 2 of them into "water joe" a caffeinated water. It's like drinking a pot of coffee in 5 minutes.
Drinks: carrying anything but water is a waste. I like the drink sticks they have now for water flavoring, the arnold palmer half and half sticks taste just like the tea and lemonade cans so I carry those. there are a lot of options from different places on these. That way all I need to carry is water.
Main meals: If you can hunt or fish, there is your source of meat, just bring some small baggies of spices and you can buy packets of cooking oil or get it at the camp store. Dried beans plus good jerky and some spices make a very good stew if you have a camp fire roaring and can cook for a hour or two. you can even get freeze dried tomatoes, although tomato paste in a toothpaste tube is more convenient. I would skip being adventurous and bringing powdered eggs, I just cant enjoy them after eating them for years at boyscout camp.
Don't plan on never stopping to eat, You are riding and half the fun is the stop in a small town diner. You do not need to carry all your food for your trip with you, you can always stop at a store to pick up a couple cans of beans and steak for that night's meal. Having some smaller things with you to make life more comfortable is nice. I tend to like to eat a packet of oatmeal in the morning with coffee to enjoy the morning and let the sun rise, pack up and hit the road for a 9:30am stop at a small town diner for a nice brunch. It's nice to be able to sit at the camp at night and instead of going out for some pop, open up a bottle of water and mix up a nice soft drink for flavor.
Remember, you can always restock at the next fuel stop. Keep the shiny side up!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Motorcycle Trips, you can do a cross country trip on ANYTHING.
I ride a large touring bike, It can carry another 300-400 pounds of gear with me, as well as pull a trailer with another 300 pounds of gear on it. some pull campers with the bike I have. do you need a giant touring bike to travel from one side of the USA to the other and back again? Nope. I just read a story on a motorcycling website of a gentleman that rode a Honda Rebel 250 over 7500 miles. Here is his journal about the ride you dont need a big bike or special stuff. in fact many prefer motorcycle camping at the cabins or cheaper motels. Staying in a motel is not cheating. In fact at times I discover staying in a nice clean but small motel is cheaper than a campground and setting up camp. Plus having a real bed and private shower is needed on a week long ride.
Lots of people have taken really long trips of a lifetime on small, old, limited motorcycles and did it with what they had. So you dont need a new BMW adventure bike with $20,000 in special luggage for it and camping gear. you DO need to bring decent base layer and clothing, even on a 60 degree day you can ride into 35 degree weather and strong wind. I in fact did just that bringing home a bike for my wife. I was silly and did not pack long underwear, I was silly and though my chaps over jeans will be enough. It's not. I jammed several packages of hand warmers into my pockets to combat the cold and gave up with a stop at a store to buy sweats to put on under my jeans. i was still cold, but at least I was not going to get frostbite.
Lots of people have taken really long trips of a lifetime on small, old, limited motorcycles and did it with what they had. So you dont need a new BMW adventure bike with $20,000 in special luggage for it and camping gear. you DO need to bring decent base layer and clothing, even on a 60 degree day you can ride into 35 degree weather and strong wind. I in fact did just that bringing home a bike for my wife. I was silly and did not pack long underwear, I was silly and though my chaps over jeans will be enough. It's not. I jammed several packages of hand warmers into my pockets to combat the cold and gave up with a stop at a store to buy sweats to put on under my jeans. i was still cold, but at least I was not going to get frostbite.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Getting ready for the riding season...
Yes it's the middle of winter, snow 5 feet deep and no end in sight to the bitter cold. I was reminded this week on how you can ride in anything as I watched a guy on his "adventure motorcycle" equipped with studded tires rode to work in 2 feet of snow and ice. It's 18 degrees out snow and ice on the ground and this guy is on his bike at 55mph on the highway.
But it underlines a point. Being ready for conditions. How are the tires on your bike? are they getting thin? are they several years old? do you have a tire plug kit and repair kit? how about your toolkit? When was the last time you looked at it and made sure it was all there and ready for a breakdown? IF you were to break down on a 400 mile ride to the next camping spot, do you call AAA and have them tow you home? or do you break out your toolkit and try to fix the bike so you can ride to the nearest dealer and have it properly fixed? Your kit also should have a list of phone numbers of known big dealers in your state or at least the manufacturers hot-line so you can call and ask where the nearest service center for your brand is. On a long ride I draw those points on my tank map and the other side has all their phone numbers. RED dots are dealers, Blue Dots are Motels, and Green dots are desired fuel stations (I like Speedway).
A tire kit should have everything you need to patch most leaks and refill the tire. A CO2 inflation kit will get your tire back up to full pressure while taking very little space on the bike. What good is fixing the flat if you cant pump up the tire?
It's time to think about the toolkit in your bike. Nothing gives you more satisfaction than spending 2 hours on the side of the road fixing your bike and continuing on the journey. That self reliance is a major rush with the wind in your face knowing that you fixed it yourself. At minimum make sure you have what you need for safety. IF you broke down at night along a highway, a couple of road flares will make the difference between safe and getting ran over by a Sleepy Semi truck driver.
But it underlines a point. Being ready for conditions. How are the tires on your bike? are they getting thin? are they several years old? do you have a tire plug kit and repair kit? how about your toolkit? When was the last time you looked at it and made sure it was all there and ready for a breakdown? IF you were to break down on a 400 mile ride to the next camping spot, do you call AAA and have them tow you home? or do you break out your toolkit and try to fix the bike so you can ride to the nearest dealer and have it properly fixed? Your kit also should have a list of phone numbers of known big dealers in your state or at least the manufacturers hot-line so you can call and ask where the nearest service center for your brand is. On a long ride I draw those points on my tank map and the other side has all their phone numbers. RED dots are dealers, Blue Dots are Motels, and Green dots are desired fuel stations (I like Speedway).
A tire kit should have everything you need to patch most leaks and refill the tire. A CO2 inflation kit will get your tire back up to full pressure while taking very little space on the bike. What good is fixing the flat if you cant pump up the tire?
It's time to think about the toolkit in your bike. Nothing gives you more satisfaction than spending 2 hours on the side of the road fixing your bike and continuing on the journey. That self reliance is a major rush with the wind in your face knowing that you fixed it yourself. At minimum make sure you have what you need for safety. IF you broke down at night along a highway, a couple of road flares will make the difference between safe and getting ran over by a Sleepy Semi truck driver.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Something for the Newbies....
If you like the idea of Motorcycle camping and have NOT picked out a bike yet, I have some tips for you. Many people buy a bike based completely on how it looks. They dont car about any of the specs, the reliability, ease of maintenance, or ride comfort. They look at that one sexy ride they like and say "give me that one!" It's only a month later they discover that their decision was a bad one or there are quirks or compromises they did not realize they had to make. For example, a friend of mine wanted a bike, he LOVES sport bikes. He had drooled over a Ducati Streetfighter for months for two reasons. One, he loved how it looked. Sexy and nothing like the other bikes out there. Two, it was a brand that is not as popular so he would stand out. "I ride a Ducati!" is what he wanted to say. Well 3 months later and he discovered that this fine bike has Fuel injection problems, parts and mechanics are hard to come by to fix issues, and being a performance sport-bike any long trips are grueling uncomfortable rides with everything strapped to your back. A 350 mile ride to me is a comfortable fun ride. The same ride to him is a torture chamber. The difference? what the bike is designed for. My bike is designed to ride 300-600 miles with 2 passengers and about 200 pounds of gear. His bike is designed for 1 rider, no gear and to make it from stoplight to stoplight at the speed of light, or around a track at incredible speed. It is not designed for comfort. It's designed for performance and racing. In a drag race he will win every time. In a race across the USA from NYC to LA I'll beat him without effort.
This translates to camping as well. I can carry on my bike 10X more stuff than he can. This means I get a sleeping pad, warmer and thicker sleeping bag, and a larger tent as well as some extra things. He has to pack very minimal only what fits in his backpack and what fits on the tiny tail bag he can strap behind him. This raises his center of gravity DRASTICALLY causing a serious unbalance in his bike. When we discover some twisties he can not enjoy them. I have it easier than he dies even when riding 2 up and carrying stuff for two.
This does not doom you to riding a geezer glide if you love to camp. Far from it. there are plenty of options in bikes out there you just need to shop smarter. When shopping for a bike take your needs and wants into consideration. Also please take into account reliability. RESEARCH on the internet the bike you want to buy, find the forums, find the people that have had problems and try to discover the common issues. I want to buy a Yamaha FJR1300. It's a sport touring bike. and I know it has a problem with the valve guides wearing out and making the bikes engine complete junk within 50,000 miles. Yamaha will not warranty it, and I cant tell if they fixed the issue yet in the newer bikes. It only affects some bikes ,but enough that I have a good chance of getting one that will fail. MY 1983 Yamaha Venture has a 2nd gear going bad. I knew this was a problem going in and I was lucky enough to get a bike that has it's 2nd gear blowing out. It's going to cost me $2000.00 to get it fixed.
The best low cost bike for touring/camping is the new Honda NT700V. It's got the power to carry 2 and a lot of gear. It's very comfortable, and rides well in all weather including heavy rain. That's an important thing. You might look cool on your naked Harley Vrod cruising down the road in your leather and nut helmet looking like a bad biker... but you look like a drowned rat in the rain and will be miserable. A bike with a windshield keeps you riding in the rain and a lot dryer and comfortable. Many new bikes have adjustable windshields so they can be down for dry weather and up for rain or cold. My big lumbering geezer glide lets me ride comfortably in 30 degree weather with rain because of it's fairing and huge windshield. It does NOT let me enjoy the wind on a hot summer day. the vents on my helmet are ineffective because of the windshield...
ind a bike that you like and can do what you want as well as be comfortable for you.
This translates to camping as well. I can carry on my bike 10X more stuff than he can. This means I get a sleeping pad, warmer and thicker sleeping bag, and a larger tent as well as some extra things. He has to pack very minimal only what fits in his backpack and what fits on the tiny tail bag he can strap behind him. This raises his center of gravity DRASTICALLY causing a serious unbalance in his bike. When we discover some twisties he can not enjoy them. I have it easier than he dies even when riding 2 up and carrying stuff for two.
This does not doom you to riding a geezer glide if you love to camp. Far from it. there are plenty of options in bikes out there you just need to shop smarter. When shopping for a bike take your needs and wants into consideration. Also please take into account reliability. RESEARCH on the internet the bike you want to buy, find the forums, find the people that have had problems and try to discover the common issues. I want to buy a Yamaha FJR1300. It's a sport touring bike. and I know it has a problem with the valve guides wearing out and making the bikes engine complete junk within 50,000 miles. Yamaha will not warranty it, and I cant tell if they fixed the issue yet in the newer bikes. It only affects some bikes ,but enough that I have a good chance of getting one that will fail. MY 1983 Yamaha Venture has a 2nd gear going bad. I knew this was a problem going in and I was lucky enough to get a bike that has it's 2nd gear blowing out. It's going to cost me $2000.00 to get it fixed.
The best low cost bike for touring/camping is the new Honda NT700V. It's got the power to carry 2 and a lot of gear. It's very comfortable, and rides well in all weather including heavy rain. That's an important thing. You might look cool on your naked Harley Vrod cruising down the road in your leather and nut helmet looking like a bad biker... but you look like a drowned rat in the rain and will be miserable. A bike with a windshield keeps you riding in the rain and a lot dryer and comfortable. Many new bikes have adjustable windshields so they can be down for dry weather and up for rain or cold. My big lumbering geezer glide lets me ride comfortably in 30 degree weather with rain because of it's fairing and huge windshield. It does NOT let me enjoy the wind on a hot summer day. the vents on my helmet are ineffective because of the windshield...
ind a bike that you like and can do what you want as well as be comfortable for you.
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