Thirteen Moto
On two wheels in the first state
Near Miss
Aug 25th
I almost killed a motorcyclist on Saturday night. That might be overstating it a bit but that’s how I felt after the incident.
My wife and I were on our way back from a week long vacation at the beach. We were about half an hour from home when we decided to stop for dinner. After our (mostly) nutritionally sound but nondescript meal we were back on in the car.
I had to make a left turn out of the parking lot. I sat and waited until it was clear and made my move. There was no traffic coming from the right. There was a large SUV approaching from the left. It was in the turn lane and slowing with it’s turn signal on. It wasn’t until I was in the middle of the intersection that I saw the single round headlight of the bike that was completely obscured behind the truckster just moments before. There was nothing to do but gas it and get out of the way as quickly as possible. That’s what I did and we both got through the intersection safely.
I’ve replayed the scenario over and over since then. I was tired and well fed. Alcohol was not a factor since I only drank iced tea and water with dinner. The Sun had recently set, there was construction in the area with heavy traffic coming from all directions and I was in a location that I wasn’t terribly familiar with. Even with all that working against me the only thing I could have done differently would have been to wait until it was completely clear, with an unobstructed view in both directions. Fortunately the rider didn’t jump on the throttle as soon at the SUV moved in to the turn lane. If he did there would have been a very different ending to this story and it would have been my fault.
Lessons learned: Be patient when riding or driving, be visible, be aware of your position relative to traffic and always watch what the other guy is doing. We all know this already but this whole hairy deal served as a pretty strong reminder for me.
Off Road Hack
Jul 17th
No, I’m not talking about my dirt skills. I saw this big ol’ trailie with a side car parked in front of a local bicycle shop. I would have loved to talk to the owner but I didn’t see him (or her) any where. I don’t know anything about the bike except that it is very cool.
BMW GS With Side Car
Side Car Interior
I thought my rear tire was squared off
Adding the feed to Digg 4
Jul 10th
I just got access to the Alpha. I think Digg 4 is going to be the place to be very soon. It’s much more manageable then Twitter.
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Making a list…
Jun 9th
Fuzzy Galore, the self proclaimed Girlie Motorcycle Blogger assembled a bucket list comprised of 25 items. It seems like an interesting exercise so here we go. In no particular order.
- Attend the Isle of Man TT
- Visit the Isle of Man on a bike when the TT isn’t running
- Tour Andalusia slowly
- Ride The Italian Alps quickly
- Own a British bike built before 1970
- A month long tour of lower 48
- Really learn how to ride in the dirt
- Attend MotoGP events in both North America and Europe
- Go back to Cornwall on a bike this time
- Ride across Nova Scotia to Cape Breton Island for the fiddles
- Ride to New Orleans for the jazz and the food
- Buy a bike that my wife will be comfortable on
- Try motorcycle camping
- Attend a Lee Parks class
- Baja
- Attend the AMA’s Vintage Motorcycle Days
- Daytona Bike Week. Just once
- Survive a winter without a car
- Buy a 600 beater for the track
- Visit The Barber Museum
- Develop a stronger core to make long days more comfortable
- Ride the forests of the PNW
- The Crotana Midnight Run
- Earn the IBA’s National Parks Tour Master Traveler Award
- Turn a lap at Laguna Seca
“My Motorcycle is My Weapon”
May 22nd
Are you effing kidding me? My motorcycle is my weapon? Is this really what we need representing us on the highway? It’s not bad enough that we have people like Hell for Leather proclaiming “respect” for suicidal, knuckle dragging a-holes on the Long Island Expressway. Now we’ve got Speed and Strength offering you the opportunity to advertise your violent, antisocial tendencies. I bet they’ll find a market for it too.
Friday Night Cruise
May 21st
Roadside America. The title sort of says it all. It’s a fairly large database full of roadside attractions broken down by state. Some of the highlights include Hitler’s Toilet and The Thing. Now go, get lost in America.
All the best intentions…
May 19th
Well I was going to post an update to the Sprint GT story tonight.You see Triumph has added the newly updated 2011 model to the U.S. website there by confirming their intention to deliver it to our shores. They were also kind enough to include a price. A reasonable $13,199. I was going to post all of that complete with links and pictures. The problem is that Triumph’s web site is down with the following message.
Undergoing essential maintenance
Please come back and visit us in a few days
I guess we’ll check back in a few days. Seriously? A few days for maintenance? I can’t help but wonder what else they have in store.
Update: Triumph’s site is back up. I haven’t gone through the whole thing yet but I don’t see much that appears to be new or interesting. Here is the link to the Sprint GT page on the U.S. site.
Undergoing essential maintenance
The Sprint GT is Go!
May 16th
It looks like the rumors are true. The new Sprint GT has made an appearance on Triumph’s U.K. web site. According to the blurb the new bike features…
greater practicality and more emphasis on the ‘touring’ aspect of ‘sports touring’
It still displaces 1050cc but the engine has been updated and re-tuned for better performance in the middle of the rev range. Other updates include under seat storage enabled by the side mount exhaust, standard ABS and a top box with a 12 volt outlet. The price is currently listed at £xxx.
We anxiously await news on pricing, U.S. availability and the ultimate fate of the Sprint ST.
Seperated at Birth?
May 15th
Honda has started talking about a couple of their upcoming 20111 models. Both are scooter. Of particular interest is the new for 2011 PCX. It’s a mid sized scoot with a long swoopy design. It has lots of curves an a very organic flow. It is, in my opinion a welcome departure from the creased and folded look that has been so big for the past decade.
Take a look at that headlight though. It has the familiar X shape that we’ve all gotten to know on the VFR12. It’s not as svelte as the VFR’s forward illuminator but it is the same basic shape. Beyond the headlight, the matte black inserts on the sides of the PCX evoke the exposed frame sections of the VFR. To my eye it looks like the PCX’s design is clearly and deliberately derivative of the VFR. Call me crazy but I think the scooter wears it better.
Moving on to the particulars: The PCX is a 125cc fuel injected machine with the standard issue CVT transmission. The bike carries it’s 1.6 gallons of fuel under the floor board and it features both a centerstand and a sidestand. The rest is standard scooter fare. Lots of storage under a big cushy seat, relaxed ergos, unremarkable suspension, and a claimed curb weight of 280 lbs. That about 20 lbs. lighter then it’s slightly bigger brother, the SH150i.
It would appear that ABS is not available but it does feature Honda’s Combined Braking System (CBS). That acronym has appeared on a few other machines in Honda’s stable but the implementation is a little different.
This is how Honda describes CBS on the SH150i.
The SH150i’s Combined Braking System (CBS) features a hydraulic two-piston caliper and 220mm front disc, coupled with a rear drum set-up, for outstanding stopping power.
And the SilverWing.
Front brake has three pistons, the rear brake has two pistons.
Use the front-brake lever, and two of three front pistons are activated.
Use the rear-brake lever, and both rear pistons and the remaining front brake piston are activated.
This is what they have to say about CBS on the PCX.
The PCX’s standard Combined Braking System (CBS) links the front and rear brakes for sure stopping power. Squeezing the rear brake lever gently activates just the rear brake; however, squeeze that lever more firmly and the CBS automatically applies some front brake for additional stopping power when you need it.
Kinda makes sense when you think about it. That’s how I use the brakes on my motorcycle. If I just need to scrub off a little speed I’ll dab the rear pedal a bit, if I need to slow down faster I add some front lever to the mix. Of course, it’s easy enough to just do that.
The other 2011 model that has gotten all official for the U.S. is the Ruckus. It’s a Ruckus. As far as I can tell, it’s a lot like the 2009 model in different colors. You’ll be able to get it in orange or black. The biggest news here is that the little Ruck is back after taking a hiatus for 2010.
A New Lid
May 13th
I’ve been wearing Shoei helmets exclusively for the past 10 years. I know how they fit. I know how noisy they are, how well air moves through the vents and I know that Shoei’s royal blue is a nearly perfect match for my SV. It’s easy to stick with what you know.
My old RF900 is not 
exactly aging gracefully. It’s scratched, the non-removable liner doesn’t feel clean no matter what I do to it and there are several little plastic bits missing. It has survived about five years of sweat, exhaust fumes and UV rays so the EPS foam is just about ready to be retired anyway. The search begins. This time I’m going to buy something different. Of course, I don’t know how any other brand fits so I started making the rounds. I hit the Cycle Gear and all of the local dealer ships to try on every brand I could find.
I now know that my extra large Shoei melon fits an XL Arai though not as comfortably. A large Shark works nicely buy the modular model I was interested in felt awfully heavy. A Large Icon fit well enough and while I can get my head in to a XXL Scorpion there were terrible pressure points in a couple different places. The Scorpion EXO700 may have been the single most uncomfortable thing I’ve ever put on my head. And that my friends, is saying something. I would have liked to try the new EXO750 with it’s Reebok Pump like air bladder system but I couldn’t find one anywhere.
What did I decide on? The Icon Variant. I kind of dig the Master Chief inspired styling and Icon’s marketing folks tell a pretty compelling story about air flow management. It also has the one feature that I absolutely have to have in my next lid, a removable, washable liner. I couldn’t find one locally but I’ve heard that it fits much like Icon’s Alliance model. I found what I was looking for at Competition Accessories. I had one in the “Medallion” color in my shopping cart along with a Dark Smoke shield. Then I looked at the mounting points on the shield and the corresponding locations on the helmet and I thought “Hmmm… that just might be a pain in the ass to change”.
Truth be told, I h
ave a few… quirks. I’m very particular about how I interact with my bike and my gear. Things that my be a minor annoyance for some can be a deal breaker for me. One of the things I just can’t stand is wearing sun glasses under my helmet. I typically ride with a tinted shield and carry a clear one on the bike in case I get caught out after dark. You’d think that I’d be a good candidate for one of those fancy helmets with the retractable sun shade built in. I’ve tried a few on. I have yet to see one that’s dark enough and they just seem kind of fiddly. Nope, nothing works as well as a simple shield that’s nice and easy to change.
Off I went in search of a a review or something that would calm my fears. As luck would have it, Icon had exactly what I was looking for on their web site. I can’t embed the video buy you can view it here. I was more then a little disappointed in my findings. The process involves a tool, 2 small plastic pieces that have to be removed, 2 screws that have to be removed and prying the sides of the peak back to get at the pivot. I can imagine trying to do that on the bike’s seat, in a dark parking lot with out loosing anything. No thanks. After watching that video I returned to Comp Acc, removed the Variant and the shield from my cart and replaced it with, you guessed it, a shiny new Shoei RF1100.
Chris and I spent a little time on this very topic on The Pace tonight. Look for that episode on Sunday.
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