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| Thursday, September 4th, 2008 | 10:20 pm
[bfly]
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Happiness is...
Riding to Petsmart and coming home with a 40-pound bag of dog food strapped to your pillion seat. Today I stood in the yard for a few minutes and noticed the first, teeniest hint of fall we've had so far, not counting a few cool days resulting from rain. I do believe we've survived another Texas summer, which means some really great riding weather is right around the corner! | 6:52 pm
[zambarra]
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boot question
Hi all,
What do you guys think about riding sportsbikes wearing leather boots?
edit: I'm talking about boots available via leatherup.com, they list a bunch under 'mens motorcycle boots'. | 10:43 am
[motomuffin]
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"Sons of Anarchy"
OK, anyone actually watch it? On a scale of 1-11, 11 being "overwhelmingly," how much did it suck? | 9:48 am
[wandererrob]
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Another glove question
I hate my current gloves. Firstly, the gauntlets fit too tightly over my sleeves (they're pretty thick) so I think short gloves are going to have to be the way to go. I had a pair of shorties and they felt better.
But the really annoying part, and this may be weird I don't know, is that they ride up on my hands. Specifically, they ride up on my ring finger and pinky but fit fine on the other fingers. It's like the outside half of the gloves are too big for my hands while the inside half (middle finger to thumb) fit fine. I need gloves that will fit my hands. There's a part of me that has even contemplated getting custom gloves, but that seems like overkill.
Anybody know of a glove that fits a bit shorter in the vicinity of the outer fingers? Not just the fingers, but the glove itself too. Mine rise up between my fingers. This is really the core of the issue. It's not the fingers themselves, but that side of the glove. Drives me nuts while riding.
Did that make any sense? | 1:19 pm
[unclesatan]
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Gloves........? A question to those who use your bike as your main form of transport1.; How long do you get out of a pair of gloves?
I get about a year.
If I look after them, I get about a year;
If I treat them like old rags, I get about a year;
If I spend £150 ($300), I get about a year;
If I spend £20, I get about a year;
There doesn't seem to be any ryhme or reason to it 1. I'm not dismissing you occasional riders, but I expect you get considerably longer from your gloves as I don't wear my wet weather gloves very often and they seem to last for ever. | | Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008 | 6:26 pm
[coldsilance]
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To Mass we go I'm set, I think. My bike is clean. Chain is scrubbed shiny and lubed. Bike is inspected, new tag decal is on. GPS has been wired in. Saddle bags are on. Top bag waiting to go on once I toss the last few things into it. Tires are checked and filled. Oil changed this morning. I get to go visit ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) nalz and veda815 for three or so days. Weather shouldn't be to bad. It will also roll my FZ6 over the 10k point. Not bad for just over a year with the bike. We are at 9090 right now. Puts my total millage at 14,000. I do love my FZ6. Amazingly comfortable and capable. Just a fantastic bike. I'm so glad that I selected it. | 3:11 pm
[jedipussytricks]
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Increasing fuel economy
Since the whole debacle where we discovered my valve stems were caked in carbon, I've been riding my bike "harder," revving it up close to redline a lot. But I'm betting I can get better fuel economy if I don't rev it up quite so much. I want to keep my engine healthy, but perhaps I don't need to wring it out all the time?
Since I got my trunk installed over the weekend I've been riding to work again, and I'm now trying to keep the RPMs between 8k and 10k rather than 10k and 12k (redline is 13k). Does that sound reasonable? Can I rev it lower most of the time but wring it out from time to time for housekeeping purposes?
It's a2004 EX250, which I ride mostly for short trips around San Francisco, with occasional longer trips outside the area. | 1:33 pm
[clodappleleft]
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Chains?
I need to replace the chain on my 2002 Honda VTX 750ACE. I'm wary about eBay, and is there an easier way then counting the sprocket to see if I need a 39 or 37 rear sprocket chain? | 4:14 pm
[lionstar]
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HOORAY GASKETS!!!
Well, the clutch cover gasket for the EX500 is in. Now...I just need to replace it. Thankfully I have WAY smarter people around to help with this task. I noticed lately its not only dripping oil, but that familiar sweet green stuff too. Swell. Just what I need. Im optimistic that it will be two clearly separate leaks that happen to drip to the same spot. Im terrified with my luck, that it wont be. : p
Keep your fingers crossed. | 12:06 pm
[scourge]
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uggh..
So, this week has been less than stellar. Firstly, I am going thru a spot of trouble with my gf/fiance (5 years this halloween). Next, the problem I bring to you...
Just put new rubber on my 2001 Buell x1 lightning and roommate skips off to Fla with it for the weekend for a mini bike week. He comes home and tell me it runs good, unless you hit stop-n-go traffic on the strip. In his words, it either seems like its flooding or starving, he's not sure which.
Hmm i say...
Ride to work on Tuesday with no problems at all. its 10 miles each with with minimal traffic. This morning, I ride to work...its high 60's or low 70's at that hour. about mile 6 in the 10 miles, i catch the only red light. I sit for 2 minutes and it changes to green. I go. The bike was fine at idle all thru the redlight, but true to his word, after sitting for that brief time it starts to stutter like its starving moreso than flooding. Easing it up to road speed, it levels out and runs fine. 3 miles later, I stop for a train track, when the train clears up....same thing. Hard acceleration and it breaks out just fine, but normal riding and its all starvy again. it has fresh gas and a new fuel filter.. Never heard of bikes suffering from vapor lock, specially since it idles fine...
anyone have any ideas? I haven't checked the plugs or oxy sensor yet.. I hear that the Oxy sensor can sometimes play havok with Buells.
and 3rd punch from the universe this week... Jerry Reed died.
thanks in advance. | 10:46 am
[frogmaster]
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| 10:29 am
[motomuffin]
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Frightening Encounters
The other day I was on my way from Acton, MA to Waltham, MA. I took 2A to the Concord Prison Rotary, then 2 to 128 to 20... but that's not important.
I was in a line of cars approaching the rotary (traffic circle, roundabout, whatever) and when traffic stopped, there were two cars in front of me and N behind me (where N> a dozen). This rotary entrance is a single lane, as opposed to Route 2 which is a two-lane entry and exit (Contrary to popular belief and practice, though, the rotary itself is single lane and when you're creamed in it the traffic officer will cite you if you're treating it as a 2-lane rotary... DAMHIK). ANYway.
I am waiting for the moron 2 cars in front to see a satisfatory opening and go, when I am approached on my left, from behind, by a silver PT Cruiser. This is a one-lane entry, mind, and that car is riding up the yellow-painted lines and then practically onto a traffic island to approach me. I see my left-side emergency exit getting completely blocked off as he pulls up and parallels me so I am wincing and swearing and moving to my right, away from this obviously crazy person. ("What the fuckety-fuck are you doing? Whoa whoa whoa! One lane road! Crazy people!")
I see the driver (an older man) motioning for me to lift my visor, while he has the passenger in his car (a younger boy) roll down his window. I do so while bodily leaning away from him.
"Don't be afraid!" he says in a thick Italian accent. Um, what? For all I know you're trying to run me over. "It's just, you know, a pretty girl on a motorbike!" Um, what, again? I'm in full gear, full-face helmet and a tinted visor. I could be a troll under here; you have no idea. "Oh... kay..." I say to said crazy driver.
I see an opening in traffic at the same time the (now) single car in front of me does. I gun it around the circle, get onto 2, hit the left lane and whack the throttle open. I want to be as far from crazy dude as possible. I am shaken. I speed; I do not see him again.
People don't understand how scary their cars are. Gah. Hate.
I would totally take "Grey Poupon" dude over Crazy PT Cruiser guy *any* day. | 8:10 am
[camper4lyfe]
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The newest way to change your oil.  | | Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008 | 7:45 pm
[yulecat]
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Can-Am Spyder After dinner last night, tenderpaw were suiting up for the ride home. Then a guy on one of these went by:  He pulled in and rolled over to us, just to chat and show off his ride. A local Harley/Honda dealer started selling these this summer, and they've become an unusual but not uncommon sight around here. I was curious to get a look at one up close. The guy hopped off and told me "Take it for a spin." After the surprise wore off, I did! ( Three-wheelin' )Personally, I'll stick to my two-wheelers. But I can definitely understand the appeal of the Spyder. It's comfortable, it gives much of the same experience as a motorcycle, and the performance is excellent. I'll gladly give the 3-fingered salute to any of these fellow riders. | 1:16 pm
[green_goblin7t]
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Wheels Through Time Museum The Goblin family visited the Wheels through Time Museum Sunday in Maggie Valley, NC. It is a unique collection of mostly motorcycles, but more than that all things mechanical and items related to that history. It has old cars, an aircraft powered by a V-twin, old Indian boat motors riding wear from the 20's through the 40's and just a very neat collection of stuff. He has a website but you should plan on attending because they're going to be shutting down in November and moving (I think to somewhere like AZ). Some photos for those so inclined: ( Photos ) | 12:41 pm
[motomuffin]
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Road Note
Route 202 from Orange to Belchertown, MA, is a beautiful, scenic road, freshly paved with lots of passing zones, few to no driveways and loads of high-speed sweepers.
If you were in one of the packs of cruisers, puttering along that road at the speed limit, that I passed yesterday? I'm... not sorry. 'Cause that road is WAAAAY more fun at speed limit +10 and up.
:-D | 9:20 am
[crackcat]
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I would like to throw out to you all, dealing in the same lines as LOOOUUUUUUUUD PIPES....
Riding with your highbeams on...
How does that make anyone safe, when I go blind, and hit someone because I didn't see them pull/walk out in front of me?
Or is it self-righteous safety? "They can see me at least, so they won't not see me!"
Hmm.....like cars/trucks with high-beam driving foglamps. Um...it's sunny...why are you blinding everyone with your driving foglamps eh? | 9:25 am
[roguesolo]
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A blatant kick in the teeth to all Politically Correct Safety Nazis.... How fast have you gone on a bike? Not necessarily being the one in control of the throttle. I'm sure that everyone has been really fast "as pillion and can't remember who was sat at the front". Honest officer. Current Mood:  curious | | Monday, September 1st, 2008 | 11:48 pm
[polyanarch]
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The dreaded Honda VFR R/R issue So, I finally had a problem with my R/R on the VFR. I was convinced that with keeping the connectors clean and dry, and the ground clean and covered with anti-oxidant it would never be a problem. I was wrong. The failure point was not in the connection proper, but inside one side of the connection at the crimp/wire junction.  ( more pictures behind the cut ) | 11:56 pm
[wandererrob]
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"Pardon me. Would you have any Grey Poupon?"
That's the only thing that could have made the situation any funnier really. This occurred a day last week actually, Wednesday if I remember correctly. I meant to write about it sooner, but life and work distracted me.
The last thing a rider expects, this one at least, whilst patiently waiting at a red light is to have someone tap them on the shoulder. But there I was, and then so was he. O_o
*tap tap* I look left to see any older gentleman (I'd guess mid-late 60s) standing next to me.
"Excuse me. It's very difficult to see you in this black jacket" As he pats my back.
This took me a couple of seconds to process after which all I could think to say was, "Yeah, I really should get a safety vest or something." He just nodded and returned to his car, the light changed and off we went. He was very polite about it and seemed genuinely concerned for my safety. But still a damned odd experience on the road.
The thing is, I was behind a dark car on a black bike, wearing black and grey leather riding into the morning sun. I hate to admit it, but the guy is right. I probably AM pretty hard to see. Still, I always position myself in such a way that I can scoot up next to the car ahead of me if I think somebody isn't going to stop for me. Even so, maybe it's something to think about a bit more.
[x-posted to my personal journal]
Current Music: Astral Projection - Electric Blue |
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