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Riding Motorcycle In The Winter – Part 2

January 17, 2012 by madmoto

Last time we looked at what you should be wearing if you wanted to ride your motorcycle in cold weather. No matter what tips below, dressing properly is the most important one. If you do not dress properly, all other winter riding tips are of no use.

Your motorcycle will also need to dress up warmly for a ride in cold weather. You will not need to worry about putting on warm blankets over your bike, but you will need to be careful that your poor ride does not get frostbite.

Radiator

If you have a water-cooled motorcycle, just like with a car, you will need to put in antifreeze in the radiator. If not, you will have severe problems when you have stopped and the radiator cools down.

Read your motorcycle’s maintenance manual how much, and which kind of antifreeze.

Tires

If you are riding on slicks or race tires, forget it. Just do not bother, you might just as well put on ice skates and go to a skating rink, since that is what you will be doing on your motorcycle. Make sure you have at the very least street tires fitted. Knobbies are much better, since they will bite into snow, but obviously studded tires are the best when you have got snow or ice. At the very least, normal street tires will offer better grip and reach operating temperatures much quicker than slicks.

Oil

The best oil to use during winter months is a thinner oil. They will improve performance, especially right after starting your bike. Get an oil that is made for winter, but do check your motorcycle manual which ones are recommended by the manufacturer, since not all companies allow a different oil type to be used.

When shopping for oil, make sure the viscosity grade has the letter “W” next to it (e.g. 20W or 30W). The “W” denotes Winter use (source).

Protecting Your Bike

When you say winter and snow, I say salt on the roads. In most parts of the world, when it starts snowing or freezing, salt is sprayed on the roads. It’s great to ride, since the roads are far less slippery, but it does mean that you will get salt on your motorcycle, and that means corrosion. If you want to prevent this, spray some WD-40 oil on all the parts that are exposed to salt & slush, typically below your fairing, forks, engine and mudguards.

When you have finished your ride, wash off the salt from your bike. If you leave it on for the rest of the winter, chances are by spring you will find some rust spots.

Lights

It gets dark quickly, and even during daytime, it can get dark, so it’s a very good idea to make sure that your lights are in good working order. Test them out before setting off.

Mirrors (and visor)

Because of big temperature differences, it is wise to spray an anti-fogging spray on your mirrors and helmet visor.

Battery

Check the water level of your battery. If it is lower than normal, you might have a leak, and during the winter, that is not a good thing. Top it up, but make sure you close the tops firmly.

If you will be riding with heated gear, make sure your alternator can handle it. Read your motorcycle manual to see how much wattage gets generated. If the sum of what is used by riding (lights and other components) plus your heated gear exceeds the wattage supplied, your battery will run out. On its own, this will not prevent you from riding, but you will not go a long distance, and you will need to recharge your battery when you are home again.

Brakes

You will need to apply brake grease to your brakes, since sludge and salt will form around the brake pins.

Next, we will look at riding tips.

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Riding Motorcycle In The Winter – Part 1

January 12, 2012 by madmoto

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you can not ride your motorcycle, unless you’re living in an area that sees permanent deep frost and deep snow. And even then, depending on your motorcycle, you can still ride, but in this case you’ll need to change the rear tire for a snow track system (like those on tanks), and the front wheel will get some skis.

But if you live in an area where it is cold, rainy and sometimes some snow, you can still ride, but you’ll need to take some precautions.

Trap Heat

The most important factor for riding in the cold, is that you need to trap your body heat. Heat tends to dissipate into the cold, and it is difficult to stoke the fire inside your body to replace the lost heat. So the best way is to insulate your body from heat loss.

In the old days, people would wrap old newspapers against their body to trap the heat. Nowadays you will not need to worry about newspaper ink rubbing against your skin, giving you who-knows-what-kind-of-sickness. A microfiber layer against your skin is the first defense layer against the cold. A microfiber T-shirt is great, better yet a long-john made out of microfiber. If you don’t have microfiber, get a good cotton one. A one-piece is better than two, but having one is better than none.

TIP: You need to put on the first layer, the microfiber, when you are warm, not outside in the cold. In that case, all you will be doing is trapping the cold temperature, so defeating the idea of keeping warm. Put on the microfiber when you are warm!

Next you can put on layers of woolen sweaters or cotton or silk shirts. Don’t put on too much, if not you’ll not be able to operate your motorcycle properly. Alternatively, you can get a heated vest. Plug it into your 12V system, and you’ll be as snug as a bug in a rug.

The final layer, your jacket, needs to be totally windproof; leather or nylon will do the trick, and ideally it should be a one-piece suit. If you don’t have a one-piece suit, get one that can be zipped between the pants and jacket. This way, less heat will escape.

Extremities

Your body extremities will see the fastest heat loss. Feet, hands and very important, your head, will loose heat very fast. It’s important to keep them warm.

Hands: Make sure your gloves are the gauntlet type, i.e., fit over your jacket sleeve. This way, no cold air can come in or out via the top. You might also want to get some silk gloves to wear inside your normal gloves, since they keep the fingers warm & dry. Remember that your hands & fingers are exposed to a very cold air when riding. It’s the reason many all-year riders have heated handlebars, or heated gloves.

TIP: If heated handlebars or gloves are too expensive, consider chemical heat packs.

Feet: Your feet will not be moving much on the motorcycle so they will tend to get cold quickly, but they have a source of natural heating; your motorcycle’s engine (unless you are riding a sports motorcycle).

But you will still need to wear warm socks, preferably with silk under-socks. Make sure your boots are rainproof and do not let wind in (and therefore hot air out). In the worst case scenario, get rain boot covers.

Head: Your head, believe or not, is very important. A head, and therefore brain that is exposed for long periods of time to cold temperatures will not function properly. You will start to loose concentration, and make judgment mistakes; your reaction time will diminish dramatically. At the very least, wear a balaclava, preferably with a silk hood underneath it. An advantage of a balaclava, one that goes up to your nose, is that it will prevent your visor from fogging up, something, no matter how good your visor, will happen in the winter.

Since you will find that cold air will enter your back, get a proper neck warmer that covers your neck, chest and shoulder.

Next we’ll look at what you need to do for your motorcycle in order to ride it in the winter.

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Preparing Your Motorcycle For The Winter

January 4, 2012 by madmoto

It’s the time of the year every motorcycle rider hates; the time you can not ride anymore. Unless you live in an area where there’s no snow or ice during the winter, you’ve got no other choice but hibernate your bike.

The easiest thing is to leave it in the garage, but you’ll need to do some preventive steps if you want to be able to ride the motorcycle after the winter has melted away.

First of all, if you don’t have a garage, you’ll not want to leave your motorcycle on the road, especially if you live in an area where there is snow and frost. Your bike will not like it. If you do not have a garage, rent some space in a storage area, preferably one that is specialized in winter storage for motorcycles. These places are usually well adapted, and the good ones will assist you in preparing your motorcycle for the winter.

If you have your own garage, there are a couple of things you can do to make your bike hibernate properly:

  1. Service your motorcycle, either yourself or at the dealer. Make sure the oil is changed (leaving old oil in a bike’s engine is not a good idea).
  2. Fill up your fuel tank before storing.
  3. If you have a carburetor, block the fuel flow and start the engine until all the remainder fuel is drained from the fuel line. This way, there will be no fuel in the lines.
  4. Put fuel stabilizer in the fuel tank (if your dealer doesn’t have any, head over to the local marine supply store). No matter how full the tank is, after a while, condensation will form, and that can put a stop to you riding the following season.
  5. Clean your motorcycle throughout. Remove all dirt and grease.
  6. Degrease your chain (if you have one). Put oil (WD-40) on moving parts; joints and spray some inside the exhaust. The WD-40 will repel moisture from forming.
  7. If your garage is not weather-proof, ie, it can get cold and humid, your best bet is to put some Vaseline or other wax based products over your chrome and other noticeable metal bits, including the fuel tank. You can also use a good chrome polish. The last thing you want is to have rust forming on your bike.
  8. Preferably remove your battery, and place it on a dry surface (not the ground). But whether you remove the battery or not, connect a trickle charger to the battery. This will ensure that the battery is fully loaded and in good working condition for the day you fire up the bike again.
  9. If your motorcycle has a center stand, use it. If you really want to, place your bike on blocks. This will relieve pressure from your suspension and tires.
  10. Inflate your tires to the maximum pressure. It is going to get cold in your garage, so there’s no worry that the tire will inflate any further.
  11. If you live in an area where it really gets cold, make sure you have put anti-freeze in the radiator (that is, if you have one).
  12. Put a cover over your motorcycle. Do not put some plastic wrap, or anything but a special motorcycle cover, since proper covers allow the bike to “breath”, making sure humidity evaporates.

It sound like a lot of work, but it shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes maximum, and this way when the riding season starts again, you can go straight for the ride instead of having to bring it to the dealer.

Your motorcycle will thank you.

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Motorcycles and the Christmas Season

December 12, 2011 by madmoto

Bikers are like most human beings, even if we don’t admit it, but we love receiving gifts. Christmas is the season for gifts, either giving them, or better yet, receiving them.

Many non-bikers who need to shop for a motorcycle loving friend or relative, never know what to get, a problem most people have during the Christmas shopping spree. But in fact, if you’ve got to get a present for under the Christmas tree for a biker, it’s really simple.

So if you are a biker, and want to make sure you get a motorcycle related gift, print out the article below, and strategically drop it where your relatives and friends can see it.

Cut below this line
—————————————————————————————————————

Gifts for motorcycle riders come in different flavors; from simple clothing to complicated & technical pieces for the bike.

Clothing

Clothing for bikers can be as simple as a sweater or t-shirt that can be used for riding. Or even if the weather is too cold, how about a shirt, sweater or other clothing piece that has the logo of their motorcycle manufacturer on it? Like how about one of the dozen or so Harley-Davidson shirts? Or a polo shirt from an accessory maker, like Thor’s Polo shirt You just can’t go wrong.

Or an easy gift, but always welcome, how about a Harley-Davidson baseball cap? Officially licensed by Harley, and worn by Harley lovers around the world. It’s probably one of the easiest and most simple gifts you can get, and you can’t go wrong (unless the biker doesn’t ride a Harley).

For the more adventurous shoppers, you could try something practical in terms of clothing, like gloves, or socks made for motorcycle boots. If your friend / relative rides during the cold weather, how about some silk under-gloves or a balaclava?

Giving boots, helmets and jackets are not only costly, but you’ll need to know the exact size, or at least make sure the item can be exchanged easily. These are gifts any biker will appreciate.

Bikers are always cleaning things, like their motorcycle or their hands. A microfiber towel is an ideal gift, and not expensive. Even when they receive more than one (if someone else had the brilliant idea), it will never go to waste.

If you want to get a bit more intimate, and the receiver is a woman, how about pink pajamas?

Motorcycle Related

Getting something for the motorcycle is tricky. You need to know what’s on the bike, and what can be used for that specific motorcycle model. For example, it’s probably a bad idea to buy a topcase for a Suzuki Hayabusa.

Getting stuff for the motorcycle comes into the realm of customization, and that’s a very personal taste affair. Unless the biker has stated very clearly what is wanted, better stay away.

Something that will always go down well with a biker, is a die-cast model of their ride. You will need to know that manufacturer and preferably the model, but many are available. Click here to see many die-cast models.

Novelty

One gift category that is always welcome is the novelty gift for bikers. You can find things like ties, stickers, parking signs, and literally thousands of items for bikers.

If the biker in question likes pranks, how about a Mohawk for on top of the helmet? These things stay on the helmet until 200 MPH!

As you can see, finding gifts for motorcycle riders is simple, there are so many gifts ranging from a few dollars to 100′s of dollars. You can never say you don’t know what to get for a biker, it’s just impossible.

Happy shopping.

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A New Style Of Motorcycles Is Introduced

November 21, 2011 by madmoto

Motorcycles are a general concept, but within the motorcycle models, there are different categories. Race or supersport, custom, trial, trail, dual-purpose, enduro, motocross are the most common. But at the last Toyko Motor Show, a new breed of motorcycle was introduced.

Yamaha show their latest concept, the XTW250 RYOKU motorcycle (link). From a first look, it appears to be a motorcycle straight out of a cartoon. All it needs is its own character.

The XTW250 RYOKU concept is a cross between the Yamaha XT250 and the dual-purpose TX225, but modified to carry heavy loads. The closest this bike comes to something we all know in the car world, is the SUV, or more like a HUMMER.

Yamaha-XT250+TX225=XTW250

Yamaha-XT250+TX225=XTW250

The concept motorcycle has a very fat tire in the rear, and even the front tire is not as narrow as its “parent” counterparts. The fuel tank is low to the ground, implying a low center of gravity, enabling you to carry heavy loads and still maintain a good control over the motorcycle.

Throw in the rather large cargo rack at the back, and you’ve got a motorcycle that will be an enormous hit in Asia.

Asian Motorcycle Carrying Cargo

Asian Motorcycle Carrying Cargo

Motorcycles will carry anything in Asia, and most of them are low displacement engines. A 250cc engine, rugged, able to carry heavy loads and still maintain control should go down well in those parts of the world. The only question will be the price. The only other real “SUV” on the market today is the Rokon, but that motorcycle is a two-wheel drive and is very expensive.

But will we see this motorcycle appear in the North American or European markets? Time will tell, but I doubt it.

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Fitting Your Helmet For On-Line Purchase

October 18, 2011 by madmoto

Many of us do not have the luxury of going to a store to purchase a helmet. Either the stores are too far away, or shopping for a specific brand can take a lot of store visits. But on the other hand, fitting a helmet is easier and you know immediately if you have got the right one. However, shopping on the internet has many other advantages; it saves money (just for the travel alone) and a lot of time, plus you have much more choice.

But you’ll need to get the right size helmet. You do not want the hassle to have to return the helmet because the size is wrong, so let’s get it right.

Follow the red line

The process is quite easy, but there are a few hints that will make this go smoother:

  1. Use a piece of string long enough, or if you have one, a measure tape (the soft kind tailors use)
  2. Roll the string (or tape) around your head, some ½ inch (10 mm) above your eye brows, and keep the string at the widest part of your head. If at all possible, ask someone to do this for you.
  3. If you are using a measure tape, write down the length, if not use a ruler to measure the length of string.
  4. For a best possible result, repeat the process once or twice to get a good average.
  5. Next wait a day or two, and repeat the process. This is because a head expands and contracts slightly depending on heat or cold.
  6. Look at the results, and take the largest measure.
  7. A good and responsible web site will be featuring the size charts of that manufacturer (manufacturers have different charts). Take your measure and take the one that is the closest to your, always making sure you round off the result upwards,
  8. Order your helmet

Once you have gotten your new helmet just make sure it fits snugly, that there is some movement, but that it is not tight. You should be able to move the helmet with your hand, but only slightly. Too tight is not good, and too loose neither. That’s why it is important to follow the steps above.

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Playing It Safely On Your Motorcycle

September 14, 2011 by madmoto

As we all know, riding a motorcycle is great fun, and even if you’re not into the freedom a motorcycle or scooter brings, you have to appreciate the ability to get through busy traffic. But as we also know, riding a two wheeler, be it a powered one or a bicycle entails certain risks.

Risks are something we all face, from the moment we get up from bed, take a shower, shave, you name it, there’s a risk associated to the activity, and motorcycle riding is no exception. As is the case with any other activity, there are certain things you can do to minimize the risks, or their end-results. Many believe in the ATGATT (All The Gear, All The Time – meaning you always wear your protective clothing and helmet), but that is not all that is going to get you to your destination in one piece.

Body Movement & Muscles

Let’s take one very simple thing; – your body movement on the motorcycle! If by bad luck you get highsided, or just simply drop your bike when parking it, your body is going to make a sudden movement. Let’s take the simple and non-lethal maneuver of dropping your motorcycle while trying to put it on a center stand. It’s common place, and it has happened to many of us. You drop the bike, and as a reaction, you try to keep it upright. But with that movement, your muscles and back and now suddenly confronted with a mass of 100′s of pounds.

So at the very least, your muscles will be aching for a few hours, and at its worst, you’ll have a torn ligament.

The same applies when riding. You might be making a sudden movement, and your muscles will protest, and that can be over in minutes, or might involve a trip to the local masseur.

Why? Because your muscles are cold and not stretched.

Tip: Before getting on your motorcycle, stretch your muscles for a minute or so. Enough for them to warm up and stretch gently for a bit. This way, when your muscles are solicited unexpectedly, they’ll be ready for it.

Traffic Attention

Another thing that happens regularly in traffic, is when a car cuts you off. Or a car that has just parked, opens its doors right in your upcoming path. Usually this is followed by you saying (to yourself, unless you have a Bluetooth communication device) “Ohh #&!! The %$¤£ù#@ did not see me!”. It’s a normal reaction.

But if this happens more than once during your trip, watch out: In fact, you’re the %$¤£ù#@, since you’re not paying attention.

Tip: Remember, it’s your responsibility to ensure you arrive sane & sound at your destination, not that soccer mom riding the SUV with 8 screaming kids, while talking on her mobile phone. That is your job, and you have to look at the traffic with as motto that everyone out there wants to kill you. So if you get that reaction a few times during your ride, watch out … you’re not paying attention! You are responsible for your own life!

Tunnel Vision

It’s a proven fact that once you gain speed, even in a car, your field of vision narrows. The faster you go, the less peripheral vision you have. You start with some 190° vision, and at 60 mph, that is reduced to around 40°. The illustration below is just that, an illustration and not exact.

Motorcycle racers, riding at 200 mph only see directly what is happening in front of them. This means when you start your acceleration, you need to remember that you’re seeing less and less of what happening on your left & right. This means when riding a country road, and you open your throttle for some fun (don’t we all?), you’re not going to see that car approaching the upcoming intersection on your right until the very last moment.

Tip: Train yourself to look left & right when reaching speed. It’s a mind-over-matter thing; even if you’re going fast, nothing prevents you from checking what’s happening on the side. It means you can see that car approaching the intersection at a high speed, and it means you can anticipate its movement.

Better safe than sorrow. Be safe!

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Motorcycle Sounds – Real Engineering, Not Chance

August 24, 2011 by madmoto

We all know by now that Harley-Davidson motorcycles are known for their potato-potato-potato sound. You can recognize a Harley miles away just from its sound (and probably the loud pipes). The same goes for most BMW and Ducati motorcycles.

But did you know that the sounds are engineered? It used to be that engineers and designers looked after the engine and then the motorcycle frame; the sound came automatically afterward. The only thing the engineers looked at when it came to the sound of the engine, was if it stayed within the legal regulations envelope.

(c) Harley-Davidson

If the sound sounded dull, they adapted the exhaust noise. But Harley wanted more. They continued their research and found that people liked the potato-potato-potato sound, so they set out to replicate it on all their motorcycles. During the ’90s they even went so far as to patent their sound, but despite popular believe, their attempt was unsuccessful.

This brought in a new profession in the motorcycle industry; Acoustic Engineers. Almost all, if not all, manufacturers have at least one. Their job is to ensure that when you fire up your engine, it doesn’t sound like a lame duck with a severe flu. Nothing turns off a biker more than the sound of a lawnmower, not a real motorcycle when starting up their bike.

(c) BMW Motorrad

BMW have a special wind tunnel that generates a wind flow of 200 kph, but is totally silent. This allows their engineers to measure and analyze the sound coming from the motorcycle’s engine, exhaust and frame. Special care is taken with vibrations from different parts of the motorcycle, as to ensure that they do not disrupt the bike’s melody. A test dummy sits on top of the motorcycle, and hears everything a normal biker will. That sound is recorded, and analyzed for further improvements.

(c) AVL

The motorcycle sound is made out of three different parts; the air intake, the engine noise and the exhaust, but other parts of the motorcycle can negatively influence the engineered sound, like a dry clutch. So next time your ride your bike, enjoying the throb and sound of your engine (especially in a tunnel), remember that the sound was made, not an accident.

Of course all this goes away with the coming of the electric motorcycle, unless you use a CD player with the desired sound.

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Why Should I Wear Protective Clothing On My Motorcycle?

August 17, 2011 by madmoto

Motorcycle Injury Areas

Motorcycle Injury Areas - Source: Unknown

Riding a motorcycle is thrilling, but it entails a certain degree of danger. It’s almost impossible to ignore the inherent perils, but unfortunately, some bikers do ignore it. It’s often the thrill that attracts us to riding, but best is to be prepared. If the professionals anticipate problems, who are we to ignore it? Professionals known what’s best, so let’s not ignore what they have to say.

To reduce potential problems, there are a certain amount of steps we can undertake. Mind you, we can never eliminate them. Apart from learning properly how to control the bike under difficult circumstances, riding alert and pro-active, the only other thing we can do is wear a certain amount of protective clothing and gear. Ideally, we’d we wearing a protective bubble, but that’s not realistic. 

Your Egg

Obviously the biggest protective gear we can purchase is the helmet. There are many debates about the use of helmets, many bikers want to have the freedom of not wearing one. But the same bikers have no problem wearing a helmet when playing football! Many see the helmet on a motorcycle as only good for when they have an accident, and since they are “great” riders, they never see themselves having an accident. And it’s not just protecting your head from accidents, but what do you think about your hearing. You may be deaf to those arguments, but that’s probably because of the wind and engine noise in your ears. Not to mention all those bugs hitting you in the face. Add to that sunstroke, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.

But numerous bikers have died from head injuries because when they arrived at their destination, or at a stop, their foot slipped from under them, and the bikes went down, taking the rider with it. All you need to do is hit your head on the pavement from your seated position, and you can injure yourself badly, or worse.

Many bikers believe if they ride safely, and don’t speed, they will be fine. The European Constructors Association (ACEM) have spent a long time researching motorcycle accidents in Europe, and they have issued a very detailed report on accidents involving motorcycles. The majority of accidents happened at relatively low speeds, typically lower than 30 mph.

60% of accident involved a car, while 9% involved the biker hitting the pavement by himself, i.e., falling from the motorcycle, often at a low or no speed. As an indication, more than half (54.3%) of all accidents happened at an intersection.

It’s not that the biker was not able to ride properly, since 50.5% of all accidents are caused by a car driver (37.4% are biker error and the remainder are blamed on the environment, like road problems or weather, or technical/mechanical problems). So no matter how good you ride, there’s always someone on the road who is not paying attention, and can cause a (fatal) accident.

So a good helmet, preferably full face, but if not, one that has a visor, and is properly soundproofed is a very first step.

The Emperor’s Clothes

Clothing makes the man, but in our case, proper clothing saves our lives, or at the very least, prevents us from seeking plastic surgery. Usually going off your motorcycle while the bike is still moving is not recommended, but sometimes you just don’t control it. An accident that does not involve another vehicle is usually survivable. The biggest physical risk is the journey you make from your saddle to the ground. After that, just sit down (or lie down) and enjoy the ride. If you’re thrown off from your bike while riding a road, you’ll make an intimate acquaintance with asphalt. If you’re wearing good leathers, both a jacket and trousers, it’s not going to be a big problem. Just hope there’s no traffic behind you and no obstacles to bump into. But if you’re wearing jeans, within a second, the jeans will have burned away and your body will be sliding over the pavement, leaving you with a nice asphalt tattoo.

Normal jeans will not stop road rash. Special motorcycle jeans, usually denim reinforced with Kevlar will prevent road rash, but no material is as resistant as leather. Just look at motorcycle races. A racer gets highsided at 120 mph, and slides along the track and gravel for 5 seconds, and the racer gets up and looks for the crashed motorcycle to get on and continue the race. Try that with motorcycle jeans or other motorcycle trousers. Of course we’re not racing on the roads, so special motorcycle clothes, though not leather, will help us remain beautiful and not scarred. Having armor on your knees is a good thing to have. Maybe not so comfortable to walk in, but if you’re going to go down, your knees will be one of the first points of impact. And knees are not as strong as you think, in fact, they are as fragile as eggs.

The same applies to gloves. Many bikers think gloves aren’t of any use. Apart from protecting your hands from bugs hitting them, and keeping our hands warm in the winter, the obvious one is when you hit the pavement. Going down while riding is going to require medical intervention if you don’t have gloves, it’s guaranteed, but even if you drop the bike while at standstill will involve your hands hitting the ground first. It’s a natural reflex, using your hands to soften the fall. Even then you can scrape your hands resulting in road rash. No matter how minor the road rash, it’s not going to be pleasant.

Jackets, reinforced with armor at the elbows and back are equally important. Falling off your bike when riding usually means the first point of impact is your hands, followed by your elbows and/or back. Your elbows are very fragile, and an elbow fracture will be the least you’ll have on an off. 

Say What?

And finally, one area many ATGATT bikers don’t think about, your ears. When traveling on your motorcycle at a speed of 60 mph, the very best helmets will let through 90 dB of noise. The noise is usually the wind turbulence mixed with engine and traffic sound. Imagine listening to 90 dB noise for hours on end. And that’s for high-end helmets, mediocre ones let through 100 to 110 dB, enough to make you deaf for the rest of your life. Having ear plugs is a good idea. They are small enough to carry in your pocket, and you can either buy generic foam one-size-fits-all, or custom-made ones. You can even buy ones with small loudspeakers in them so you can listen to music. For a few dollars, you can make sure when you get older, you’ll still be able to hear things.


Nonfatal Injuries 2001-2008

Source: CDC

So you may think that riding in a t-shirt and sandals is cool, but the consequences if you go off your bike aren’t. If you think you are too good to have an accident, I’ve got news for you: you’re a prime candidate for one. Better safe than sorry. Get yourself equipped. Read what the Center of Disease Control (CDC) have to say.

Source: CDC


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Sturgis: What Is It All About?

August 10, 2011 by madmoto

To most motorcycle riders in the world, Sturgis is a name that is known to all. Even in the most remote places around the globe, bikers will have heard of Sturgis.

Normally throughout the year, Sturgis is a small city located in South Dakota with a population of some 6,600 souls. But once a year the city swells to 400,00 to 750,000 people; all bikers or biker wannabees.

Officially called the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, the first rally was held way back in 1938, and consisted of a race with 9 participants and a very small audience.

Over the years it has become world’s largest motorcycle rally and gathering. Not only do bikers from all over the USA visit the hills of South Dakota, but bikers from almost every country in the world attend this pilgrimage.

What To Do And Where To Go During The Rally

There’s always a lot of things happening in and around Sturgis. Once you’re there, your priority will be to find a place to stay (which is something you should have done well in advance). The prime and most “in” place is at the Buffalo Chip camping grounds. It’s pretty close to Sturgis, and not only is it a full service camping ground (meaning showers, toilets), but it also has its own entertainment. Big concerts are given there, and it’s a 24 hour party field. Think of Buffalo Chip as the Woodstock of the 2000′s.

But there are obviously many other places to stay, ranging from hotels to private homes. If you’re planing to attend the event with a RV, there’s plenty of places for those as well. Best is to access the official Sturgis Motorcycle Rally site for a list of places. http://www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com/

Sturgis Main Street (c) Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

As for entertainment in Sturgis, it’s centered around 3 areas. The main gathering point is Main Street. That’s where you’ll find a lot of the bars, saloons and eating places, and where you’ll find thousands of motorcycles parked.

Walk around the streets, gawking at other bikers, and visit the many vendors installed alongside streets and alleys. Or take part in the Beer Belly Contest. At least all the beer drinking is going to pay off.

You’ll find plenty of stuff to buy, from serious motorcycle gear, to souvenirs and if you’re in the market for a tattoo, now’s the time to do it.

Concerts and live music can be found anywhere. The major camping grounds all have big concerts as do several of the big bars.

One of the main motorcycle parades is the Mayor’s Ride, with many thousands attending. The ride is a charity ride, so you’ll need to cough up some money, but the proceeds go to the Fire Department. But if you don’t want to go anywhere but still enjoy the throb of your engine, go to one of the tire burnouts. The better the burnout, the higher the applause, the bigger the chance you get to win the prize.

Another thing you can do, is get married. Of course you can get married almost anywhere, but doing it in presence of 1000′s of like minded bikers can be fun. So what better than two unforgettable events for the price of one.

If you want to try out a new bike, there’s plenty of manufacturers there offering you demo rides. You’ll also find other bikers who have the motorcycle you lust for, so strike up a conversation and find out of the bike is really hot.

Security

Whenever there are crowds, you’ll find problems; it’s a given. Sturgis is no exception, except that the security is provided by police officers from far away (Sturgis’s police force is not big) and almost all of the cops are bikers themselves. So they know what it’s all about. Unless you plan to ride through a busy street at 100 miles per hour, they’re not going to bother you. In fact, they’ll be looking at your bike, comparing it to theirs.

For the rest, remember what you do when you are in a big crowded city. Keep you belongings and valuables close to you. Lock your motorcycle, and don’t leave your helmet and other belongings on the bike. Just because you’re with other bikers doesn’t mean that someone is not honest. You’ll also find many pickpockets working the area.

One item you may not want to forget when attending Sturgis: earplugs! Noise levels can attain very high levels, almost day & night. If there’s something you’ll remember Sturgis by, it’s the constant rumble of motorcycle engines, and the smell of burning rubber. But it’s a well worth visit.

Sturgis Burnout

Sturgis Burnout (c) Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

Like most popular events, things have become commercial. Although the main events are free, you will be asked to dish out money almost everywhere. But if you go to Disney, it’s the same. Remember, you’re visiting the Mecca of the motorcycle world. It’s a pilgrimage you need to do at least once in your life.

If you want to attend this mythical and magical event, the next date is August 6th to 12th 2012.

Since Sturgis 2011 is on at this moment, you can catch a glimpse using one of the several webcams installed. This will give you a great idea what to expect.

http://www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com/webcams/

http://sturgiszone.com/sturgis-web-cam/

http://www.wwolf.net/webcam/

http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/app/pages/sturgis_webcam/

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Motorcycle Riding Celebs. Good or Bad?

July 8, 2011 by madmoto

Ever since motorcycles have existed, famous people have been riding them. In the beginning, most where maverick actors, or daredevil personalities, who used the motorcycle as a way of expressing themselves, and standing out in a crowd. Many actually loved motorcycles, and their passion grew into their trademark.

Over the years, celebrities who were not part of the movie or TV industry started using motorcycles to create an image of themselves. Only just recently, Republican 2012 Presidential candidate Jon Huntsman came into the news, using promotional material of him on a motorcycle. There is very little doubt that Jon Huntsman is a passionate motorcycle rider, there are plenty of photos of him circulating on the internet from before he became really famous. But is the use of him riding a motorcycle beneficial to us?

But what do motorcycle riding celebrities bring to the motorcycle world? Is it a good thing, or a bad thing?

There is no correct answer for that. Some are positive, some are not. I would say that you can divide famous bikers into two categories; the true riders, and the image riders.

True Riders:

True riders are those people that really love motorcycles. They ride on every occasion they get, and are very much like you and me (except richer and famous). These are people who have been riding since the first motorcycles were produced. Passionate bikers like T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia), or even Royalties like the King Albert II of Belgium, King Juan Carlos of Spain, King Abdullah II of Jordan (as was his father King Hussein) or the recent-in-the-news Prince William of England, are all known for their love for motorcycles. Famous chefs like Jaime Oliver, Gordon Ramsay and Alton Brown are known not only for their food skills, but also for their motorcycles.

You can not imagine people like Jay Leno without a motorcycle, or at least talking about them. Even the corporate world has them; Malcolm Forbes is famous for his motorcycles, and he even started a motorcycle gang called Capitalist Tools. Jacques Nasser, former CEO of Ford was a keen biker, as is the current CEO of Volkswagen. Apple CEO & founder, Steve Jobs for a long time was seen riding around California on his BMW motorcycle. All groups of life, all professions, have famous people, and for some of them, they ride motorcycles. Actors, musicians, sports people, politicians, TV personalities and corporate big wigs.

But what do all theses people bring to the motorcycle world? The answer for that one is quite simple, they bring a certain amount of respect. The biker image, mostly thanks to Hollywood, has been negative. Bikers are seen in movies as trouble; riding fast, fighting, nonconformist and loud people. Hollywood’s image of a motorcycle rider is that of gangs, killers and troublemakers. But when A-list people take to their bikes, it presents some counter image. If they ride motorcycles and they are respected people in their community or profession, then maybe bikers are not that bad after all.

Maybe using an actor/actress or musician as a role model is not so good. After all, acting is not seen as a respectable profession. But seeing politicians like Jon Huntsman, Ann Richards, Mary Peters, Gabrielle Giffords and Ben Nighthorse Campbell riding motorcycles, despite the fact that they are politicians, gives bikers a degree of respect and conformity. Seeing Fortune 100 CEOs ride motorcycles shows a certain responsibility that you and me can never match. But unfortunately, not all famous people are real bikers, and therefore are responsible riders.

Image Riders

The image riders are famous people who ride motorcycles because it’s good for their image, or at least they think so. Motorcycles are not a passion, but a tool. It’s often these people who have accidents because they were not able to control their bike and make the headlines. Usually, they are in the acting or music business. Names like David Hasselhof or Arnold Schwartzenegger make big headlines when they crash, and it’s never good headlines. Arnold went off his motorcycle, and then they discovered that he didn’t even have a motorcycle endorsement. How can anyone take motorcycles riders serious when the Governator is riding around on a motorcycle without a valid license? Hasselhof blew off his motorcycle with his girlfriend after a wind gust hit him. Most bikers know how to control a motorcycle in heavy wind, but apparently Hasslehof had problems.

Some, unfortunately often musicians, ride a motorcycle badly, sometimes without proper protection, or under influence, and that deters from the image of bikers to the non-biker world.

Of course real bikers have accidents too. Big names like Brad Pitt, Keanu Reeves, Adrian Brody, Lauren Hutton and Liam Neeson all had accidents, but that’s motorcycles for you. Motorcycles are dangerous, but they all went back to riding their bikes. They ride with proper protection, and all know how to ride.

So motorcycle riding celebs can bring a better image to the motorcycle world, while image riders detract. Having an accident on a motorcycle when they are famous, and if they’re not wearing a helmet and other safety gear, or DUI, sets a bad image. It also sets a bad example for impressionable people (often youngsters) who will emulate their idol. If their idol doesn’t ride with a helmet, why should they?

Motorcycle riding celebrities have a responsibility, and should set an example. Show the world how it’s done properly. That will build goodwill with non-motorcycle riding people.

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For How Long Is A Motorcycle Helmet Okay?

June 22, 2011 by madmoto

Motorcycle helmets have become a necessity, often a legal requirement when riding a motorcycle or scooter. But not only do helmets come in all shapes and sizes, and more importantly, in good or poor quality, helmets have a reasonably predefined shelf life.

How long do you keep a helmet? A lot depends on the materials used inside the helmet, and the way you treat them. The older helmets used polycarbonate as base material inside the helmet. They were subject to ultraviolet light (UV) and deteriorated quite quickly, so you will not see many of these in circulation anymore. Nowadays, an anti-UV material is used to protect the helmets, but more importantly, helmets are mostly made out of fibers, which are highly resistant to UV light.

Insides of a motorcycle helmet

Insides of a motorcycle helmet

The inside of the helmet is made in great parts out of polystyrene which is a great material to reduce the impact your head will receive in case of an accident. But the material reduces effectiveness over time.

Research has shown that polystyrene loses 2% per year in its effectiveness due to simple evaporation. So with basic mathematics, in 5 years, you’ve lost 10% of your protection, and in 10 year, you’ve lost 20%.

The reduction of the helmet’s effectiveness due to evaporation is a simple rule of thumb. More importantly is how do you treat your helmet, and how often do you use it. If the helmet is used daily, it will deteriorate more quickly then if you leave your helmet in your cupboard for days on end. Not only is there a reduction in the protection, but also the mechanisms deteriorate due to wear & tear, like for flip-up helmets. Leaving your helmet on your motorcycle fuel tank as many people do, will reduce its effectiveness more quickly thanks to the fuel evaporation. The fuel vapors that evaporate attack the materials inside your helmet, and the inside starts shrinking.

Cleaning your helmet is good, but if water gets inside the helmet, specially water with soap mixed in (never ever use anything but water and soap to clean the outside), it will again reduce your protection effectiveness. If you can, get a helmet with a removable liner. That’s easier to wash. Applying a hair dryer to the inside is nice & easy to clean and dry the helmet, but any temperature over 140° F ( 60°C) will deteriorate the helmet.

As you can see, helmets deteriorate by themselves even without using them, but taking care of the helmets will go a long way.

Helmet manufacturers used to state that you needed to change your helmet every five years. But if you treat your helmet carefully and with respect, you can always use your helmet for longer periods. Or if your head is precious to you, get a 2nd helmet and alternate. A 10% loss of protection is survivable, but 20% is not.

To look after your helmet, here are some easy tips:

  1. When not in use, place your helmet inside a dark and dry place (a cupboard for example)
  2. Never place your helmet on your fuel tank, preferably as far away as possible from the tank
  3. Clean the outside with water & soap, taking care that water does not enter the inside of the helmet
  4. If you drop your helmet hard on the floor, seriously consider replacing it

Remember that all helmets are not equal. An expensive helmet is not necessarily better than a cheaper one. One of the main sources for the quality of a helmet is maintained by the British government. The SHARP database is the reference for most helmets. Thanks to a rigorous testing protocol, a comprehensive listing of helmets and their associated quality, is maintained on the site for all to see. And best of all, it’s a free access to all.

So before you splurge on a new helmet, check SHARP to see how good the helmet is. And treat your helmet nicely. This way your helmet will save your life.

Click here to check out the SHARP listing.

 

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Electric Motorcycles – In With The New, Or On With The Old?

May 30, 2011 by madmoto

Electric motorcycles are on the rise. Every month a new one springs up, either from an existing manufacturer, or from a brand new one. With exorbitant fuel prices and with rising CO2 levels, more and more people feel strongly that electric motorcycles will eventually overtake the gas-powered ones. It’s almost written in concrete. It’s just a matter of time and technology advances.

Currently, most electric motorcycles are very limited in their range. It’s changing, but it’s not sufficient. Add to the equation the fact that when you run “dry” you can not refuel at a gas station; you’ll need to recharge the batteries, and that takes a lot of time. Talks are underway in many countries around the globe to make batteries standardized, and therefore easier to swap when you arrive at a refueling station, most probably a gas station. You’d ride in, and in a few minutes the attendants will swap your battery for a fresh one, and off you go. But so far, it’s not happening. Getting different companies with different agendas to agree on a common format is not easy.

But let’s look at the manufacturers. There are two kinds of manufacturers; the existing motorcycle manufacturer, and the new one.

Existing manufacturers, like Honda, Yamaha or Suzuki, make small displacement-style motorcycles and scooters that are electrical. They don’t really have anything revolutionary, they are just small 50cc equivalent bikes, with a very limited range, but great for getting around town. Or look at KTM, who have recently announced an electric motocross, the Freeride. Off-road electric motorcycles are a perfect match, quite and maneuverable.

Brammo-Enertia

Brammo-Enertia

But new manufacturers may have the edge. The likes of US-based Brammo, Zero and Vectrix, or Quantya  and the modern Agility Saietta in Europe have an advantage over existing manufacturers; they have no legacy! Their designs are truly greenfield exercises, from the bottom up. Just look at the Brammo Enertia, it’s an electric motorcycle that doesn’t look like any motorcycle you can buy from any existing manufacturer. But it works very well, it’s reasonably fast and has a reasonable range.

Agility-Saietta

Agility-Saietta

This is an advantage. The new electric motorcycles have a design made for transporting batteries, not an existing motorcycle frame changed from a small fuel tank and bigger engine to carry big batteries and a smaller engine.

But on the downside, new manufacturers do not have the infrastructure needed to attack a global market. Virtually no money, no dealers and very small manufacturing facilities. Therefore, new manufacturers will not be selling many electric motorcycles, therefore the price will remain high, despite many government subsidies. Many face financial difficulties, and some have to close down. Just looking at their counter part in the automobile industry, you can see Teslar is facing problems selling an electric car. They do not sell many, and those that are sold are expensive.

So what will happen to the electric motorcycle? Will the new manufacturers disappear despite have better products, or will the existing manufacturers come out with proper designs?

The answer is probably in between. Existing manufacturers will acquire the new ones, injecting much-needed capital, and put in place a complete global infrastructure with dealers and sales & marketing. A Brammo with its novel designs could be purchased by a Ducati, Zero by KTM and Vectrix by Kawasaki.

That would bring stability to the market, proper designs at a more reasonable price and global availability.

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Using Wireless Communication Facilities On Your Motorcycle

May 23, 2011 by madmoto

Many bikers love riding a motorcycle for the reason that they are alone, not bothered by any noise other than the rumbling of their motorcycle engine, and the sound of rushing winds. Riding the twisting roads, unencumbered by your normal day-to-day life, is a bliss for many.

But on the other hand there are also many bikers who ride with their pillion passenger, and who want to be able to communicate with each other. Particularly on long trips, talking to your pillion can have enormous advantages. No longer are you expected to make all the decisions on you own. “Do we stop here for a bite to eat”, or “shall we go there?” can be asked and answered while riding.

For many years, bikers who wanted to talk with their pillion had either very expensive electronic communication gadgets installed on their motorcycle, usually wired to their helmet, or used simple air tube systems that worked fine until you reached a particular speed that stopped all communication.

BluetoothBut things have changed over the recent years. Wireless technology, particularly Bluetooth, made it more interesting for bikers to use communication facilities on their motorcycles. The equipment is sufficiently small to be installed on your helmet, not on your bike, meaning that you can take the equipment with you no matter which motorcycle you ride. It also means you are not attached to your ride.

But these wireless communication gizmos also offer added advantages over talking with your pillion, like the ability to receive navigation instructions from a GPS equipped with Bluetooth, or to listen to music. Some units even connect with Bluetooth equipped walkie-talkies, allowing you to talk to your riding buddies. The latest wireless communication devices now offer the ability to talk to another biker, also equipped with the same gizmo. It doesn’t really replace a walkie-talkie since the range is very limited, and only allows you to talk to one other rider, but for those that ride in pairs, it is a good and cheap alternative.

Another advantage, or for many a disadvantage, is the ability to use the mobile phone while riding. We all know about the dangers of using a mobile phone while driving a car, and the same danger exists on a motorcycle. Even if you are not taking your hands of the handlebar to talk to someone over the mobile phone, your attention is greatly diminished. But it does give you the opportunity to remain in contact. You can answer a call, and then pull over and talk to the other person.

But one of the biggest advantages of the new generation of wireless equipment is cost. Miniaturization and greatly reduced prices make these gadgets less of a gadget and more a useful add-on for any biker. Take for example one of the most popular brands in wireless communication devices, Scala. The Scala Rider Q2 allows you to communicate for 8 hours non-stop, has a built-in FM radio and a communication range of some 1600 ft (but the other device must be the same brand).

You don’t need to talk to a pillion, and you don’t need to enable the mobile phone, but all the features are there, and it’s up to you to decide which ones you want to use. It beats using hand signals. Bluetooth technology has greatly simplified our lives on the motorcycle.

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The Impact Of Motus MST On The American Motorcycle Market

March 21, 2011 by MH

Motus MST

Motus MST

The North American motorcycle market is enormous, and every manufacturer in the world understands that. Japanese and European manufacturers are all vying for a top spot in the market. But the USA has only one real major manufacturer, Harley-Davidson, and some other smaller ones, like Indian and Victory, that compete in Harley’s dominant position, that of the cruiser market.

Although the US has smaller sportsbike builders, none have arrived on the scene to compete directly with the Hondas, Yamahas, Suzukis, Ducatis, Aprilias and BMWs of this world. That is until this month.

During the Daytona BikeWeek, the new Motus MST was unveiled officially. Still in prototype phase, the MST is a “comfortable” sportsbike made for touring. The motorcycle was designed from the ground up, and sports a lively V4 1650 cc engine, using direct injection technology. This means that the motorcycle will be fast, and the ride smooth. Good performance and low vibes are essential for touring. Some 161 horsepower, 25% less emission and 10% more power than comparable bikes are impressive numbers. But what’s more important in an era of higher and higher gas prices, is that fuel consumption will be low.

 But is the US sportstouring market big enough for their own US based manufacturer, especially considering that the majority of motorcycles sold are cruisers?

The answer would be a hesitant YES. North America is geographically vast, with miles and miles of roads. Riding them on a cruiser is fun, but if you’ve got to go a long distance, riding on a cruiser is not that comfortable. Riding a fully dressed motorcycle like the Honda Goldwing or BMW K1600 GTL is obviously one nice way, but at a very high cost.

Enter the Motus MST. In the tradition of (amongst other) the Ducati ST or Moto-Guzzi Norge, the Motus is made to ride in comfort, but with a high performance. The bike should be able to eat up miles and miles of asphalt, and once you hit the twisties, pure fun.

Add to that a design that makes maintenance a breeze, the bike should sell well. Throw into the hat the fact that people feel it’s their patriotic duty to buy national products, the bike once it’s on sale next year could do very well. There is enough space in the crowded marketplace for an American built sportsbike, particularly in North America.

The biggest question will be the price. But to be successful, Motus will need to sell a lot to keep the price reasonable. And to do that, they will need to compete in Europe. And that is a totally different story.

 For more info:  Motus

Posted in Motorcycles in the Media | 1 Comment »

High Fuel Cost Impacts Motorcycle Events

March 14, 2011 by MH

The rising fuel price has another victim. Already we as bikers have problems filling up our modest fuel tank of our motorcycles. Obviously cars and SUVs really suffer, but you can feel the pinch on your bike as well. Fuel is now about 30% more than last year. So what happens is that we ride less.

Since we’re riding less and less, it severely impacts biker events. Take last week’s Daytona Beach Bike Week. This mega event attracts thousands and thousands of bikers from all over the USA, and even from abroad.

But first of all we’re still in a recession, so money is scarce, but you also need to get there. It’s okay if you live in Florida, or Georgia, or any state close by. But if you live in New York, or heaven forbid, California, the journey is just too expensive.

The shopkeepers, restaurants and hotels have been counting their revenue, and it doesn’t look good. Bikers who attend these kind of venues tend to spend money when they are there. Not only lodging and food, but also clothing, or often they buy discounted riding gear like motorcycle helmets, motorcycle leathers, leather chaps, etc. This year, revenue for shops has dropped 20 to 40%! Though hotel bookings are normal, maybe even a bit higher, this is because reservations were made well in advance. When the reservations were made, there wasn’t any real fuel crisis. And since the bikers had paid in advance, they went there anyway, but to save money, they didn’t spend any on souvenirs. Those that hadn’t booked a hotel or camping, just didn’t go. In fact, this year saw more Europeans thanks to a lower dollar.

The Daytona Speedway also saw a significant drop in visitors. According to the organizers, they had 20% less visitors. Fewer bikers, and those that did show up for Bike Week didn’t spend the money on the races.

Obviously events such as Bike Week will not disappear. They’ll continue, since it is a main event, and still brings in much needed money. They can always hope for next year. Or maybe the Biketoberfest.

In the mean time, the biggest yard stick will be Sturgis. Many Harley Davidson fans are so loyal to the event, they would probably mortgage their house before missing Sturgis. Let’s hope it’s only a small glitch, and next year things are back to normal.

Sources:

http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/east-volusia/2011/03/14/bike-week-ends-results-mixed.html

http://www.cfnews13.com/article/news/2011/march/218193/Fewer-bikers-mean-fewer-dollars-spent-at-Bike-Week

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Things to think about on a Summer day

August 13, 2010 by MH

Threw my leg over the warmed up Harley at 6:30 a.m. this morning. Kissed Boo goodbye and told her I’ll be back in two weeks. Worked my way on the backroads down to 212 West through Montevideo in the cool of the early morning hours and headed West. Had lunch with a young cop buddy I met a few years ago in Redfield, South Dakota. Just sitting in the park on a bench, munching a sandwich and talking about work and motorcycles. He loves to hear the old stories, and at my age, its all I have left. Now its 2:00 p.m. and I’m cruising West on 14 through the rolling South Dakota prairies. Keeping the bike at 60, I’m in no hurry.

The sunlight warm on my face, the dry wind blowing through my hair, the clock turns back and I feel 40 again. The sun casting cloud shadows on the prairie to my right, teasing me, urging me to kick the bike in the ass and race them, but I don’t. Tried that years ago, they always win. I laugh at them, and they race away, disappearing over the hills ahead. A herd of antelope suddenly appear on my left, loping along inside the fence line, I wave, but they don’t wave back, suddenly veering off down a dry grassy coulee, and disappearing from sight. The good rich smell of hot engine oil comes and goes with the breeze, the Harley has settled into a steady rhythm and the deep throated exhaust mutters along behind me. I haven’t seen another vehicle in about an hour. the last one a truck load of young girls, giggling and daring each other to wave at the biker. In my leathers, and behind the shades and dew rag, and from a distance, I probably look a bit exotic. Boy, would they be disappointed! But now, its just me and the ribbon of road, stretching out ahead of me, winding through the hills and out of sight. Beckoning and promising adventure, somewhere up ahead. Just the way you like it when you want to be alone for a while with your thoughts and just enjoy being alive.

I’ll cruise down, arcing to the South to pick up I-90 West, with a pause for the cause and a cold drink at Vivian. Maybe talk to some other bikers. On a bike, you’re never without new friends when you want them. Eager to swap stories, talk about weather ahead, and enjoy being part of a family, ever ready to stop and help a fellow biker, or share a beer and a laugh about the things we’ve all seen and done on the road. If you’re ever in trouble, call a cop. But if you’re ever in real trouble, call a biker.

I’ll pass through the Buffalo Grasslands and Rapid City, then on up to Sturgis which is just starting to wake up with the Rally just a few weeks away. Then over to Deadwood before picking up 14 to roll through the curves down through Spearfish Canyon to the Spearfish Canyon Lodge for a relaxing late supper. Spearfish Canyon, a spiritual place where God himself must ride a motorcycle on warm Summer days, with the soft, fragrant scent of pine everywhere and the gurgle and splash of Spearfish Creek to keep him, and all the bikers who come here, company.

I take a deep breath, its really good to be here, on the bike headed West. Suddenly, I hear a familiar voice, calling to me. I blink and the prairie fades away. “Hey, I said, are you alright?” Its, Boo, down below me, as I stand on a ladder, propped against the side of the house. My hands are sunk to the wrists in foul smelling glop in the storm gutter. I blink and look down at her. “I said, are you okay? You’ve been standing there motionless for almost ten minutes, just staring straight ahead. I thought you’d had a stroke. Jeez, you scared the crap out of me, you dopey old bastard!”

I clear my throat and drag more glop out of the gutter, tossing it into the bucket tied to my ladder. “No, I’m okay, I was just thinking about something and got caught up in it.” I can sit down with a home brew and tell her about it later. She’ll understand. She’s a biker, like me. She’s rolled the curves through Spearfish Canyon, smelling those pines, and has sat in the warm sunlight, with her feet in the cold, clear water of the creek on many occasions. I’ll finish my task, and then maybe open that homebrew and clean the bike, and maybe the dream will come back and I’ll make the Lodge by early evening, to sit and have a bite to eat and a cold beer before heading to my room and a nice soft bed.

Some people ask me, “Aren’t you scared, riding a motorcycle around like that?” No, I’m not. But the plain and simple truth of it is that what scares me, what really scares the living hell out of me, is what happens when I can’t ride a motorcycle around like that anymore.

What did Frost say? I have miles to go before I sleep.
Author: Jim Fleming (Jafrum.com Customer)

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Burning Man 2010

August 7, 2010 by MH

Once a year, tens of thousands of participants gather in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert to create Black Rock City, dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance. They depart one week later, having left no trace whatsoever. Then they return home to embody the principles they learned year-round. Learn more about this incredible experience through the Burning Man Website’s First Timers’ Guide.
Event Date : Aug 30 -Sept 6 2010

Metropolis 2010 Theme

Metropolis 2010 Theme. Picture Courtesy from Burning Man

Tickets for Burning Man are now on sale. Online ticket sales end August 27th, and Box Office sales end September 2nd. Learn how to not get scammed if you’re buying a ticket from a third party, or selling your ticket.

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Why Tom Cruise Needs A Fake Motorcycle

July 1, 2010 by MH

The Ducati motorcycle Tom Cruise rides in those annoying ESPN commercials isn’t really a big, bad Ducati. It’s just an Aprilia sportbike disguised as one. Wes Siler of Hell for Leather Magazine explains why. Read more

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World’s Most Expensive Motorcycles

June 17, 2010 by MH

As with most things, the technology involved in building motorcycles has improved. Today’s motorcycles are bigger and faster than ever before. If you have deep pockets, very deep pockets, you can even design your idea of a dream machine. Most of these high end motorcycles will sell for anywhere from $100,000 to over a half of a million dollars.

While there have been motorcycles that have sold for a lot more, over $600,000, those were usually collectors items and sold for so much due to their uniqueness. Bikes such as the 1915 Cyclone sold for $520,000 at auction. More recently the Vincent Black Lightning was put up for auction and was expected to sell for over $600,000. The bikes are basically works of art and one of a kind. The bikes on this list, however, aren’t one of a kind. They are production bikes that anyone can purchase if they have enough money.

When it comes to the top 3 most expensive production motorcycles there seems to be general agreement to what they are: Ecosse Titanium Series, Dodge Tomahawk, and the MTT Turbine Superbike. While there are some who say that the Dodge Tomahawk is not actually a motorcycle due to it’s unique four wheel design, there are also many people who argue that the overall design is still that of a motorcycle, regardless of the way the wheels are configured. It doesn’t matter which school of thought you belong to, it’s still a really cool looking vehicle!

Here is a little more information on each of our top 3 most expensive motorcycle contenders:

1) If you’ve got an extra $550,000 just burning a hole in your pocket you might want to check out the Dodge Tomahawk. This very limited production bike (so far only 10 have been made) is not street legal and may not even be a motorcycle, you can decide that for yourself. But it is a very unique looking bike and it is fast. This will definitely be one of those things that is more status symbol than mode of transportation.

Dodge Tomahawk

Dodge Tomahawk

Here are the vitals for the Tomahawk:

V 10 4 stroke, 500 hp @ 5600 RPM, 525.5 ft lbs of torque @ 4200RPM, liquid cooled, 2 speed gearbox, maximum RPM 6000, Total weight 1,500 lbs., 3″ ground clearance, 76″ wheel base, monocoque central engined stressed member frame, double disc front and rear brakes, top speed 300 MPH, 0 – 62 in 2.5 seconds, 3.25 fuel tank capacity.

2) If you have a more modest budget, say around $275,000 you can pick up your very own Ecosse Titanium Series. While almost 300 grand may seem like a lot of money for a motorcycle, you’ll be glad to know that they’ll also throw in a custom made titanium watch with every purchase! The production will be limited to 10 so you’d better hurry. This motorcycle was dreamed up by American Donald Atchison and is the first bike to sport an all titanium frame.

Ecosse Titanium

Ecosse Titanium

Here’s all the information you need to know before you run out and pick one up:

The engine is an Ecosse/Engenuity Racing 2150 cc polished Billet aluminum 45 degree American twin-cam V-Twin, 210 ft./lbs of torque, 6 speed close ration transmission with final overdrive gear, all titanium frame, ISR custom radial braking system, 440 lbs., 60.5″ wheelbase, 12 adjustable position foot peg, with rider specific adjusted suspension when you pick up your bike.

3) And if you have more common sense than money, the MTT Turbine Superbike might be just the ticket. Priced at ‘only’ $185,000 it’s the budget friendly option of the top three. The worlds only turbine powered motorcycle has been featured often in the media and most memorably in the movie “Torque”. The Superbike holds two Guinness World Records.

MTT Turbine Superbike

MTT Turbine Superbike

Here’s all you need to know about the Superbike:

Rolls Royce Allison 250 series gas turbine engine, 320 hp @ 52,000 RPM, 425 ft/lbs. of torque @ 2,000 RPM, 2 speed automatic transmission, aluminum alloy frame, 500 lbs, carbon fiber fairings, custom colors available, diesel and kerosene fuels, 8.5 gal fuel capacity, 1.5 gal reserve tank capacity, 17″ carbon fiber wheels, 68″ wheel base, 3×320 mm floating system 4 piston caliper brakes, rear mounted camera with LCD color monitor in dash.

So there you have it, your next years Birthday Wish List! Not many of us will ever be able to afford any of these bikes, but they’re still fun to look at and marvel at. And who knows, maybe some day you’ll win the lottery and if you do you’ll know just what you want to buy with your money!

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