Motorcycling
Posts related to motorcycling.
The Shoei RF-1100 Helmet – A Real World Test
4 months ago
by Burnspot
in Motorcycling
The Shoei RF-1100
So last week I faced a dilemma. The annual FJR EOM event in Cumberland Falls, KY was coming up at the end of the week (I’ll post later on that) and I was into my gear preparations. My good ole Shoei X-11′s liner needed a wash in a really bad way, so I removed the liner, filled the sink with some warm water mixed with shampoo, and dunked the liner in….it literally came apart in my hands! Well, that wasn’t good…it was only 2 days until kickstand up time and I wasn’t about to do a 500+ mile trip in a helmet with a deteriorated liner. The reality was that my X-11 was nearly 7 years old, the furthest extent of the warranty, and it was probably not the safest helmet at that age. A liner could have probably been had from an online retailer with ultra-expensive overnight shipping, but it didn’t make much sense given the helmet’s age. So I decided to bite the bullet and get a new helmet.
I had originally been thinking about getting a Shoei Qwest, mainly due to the good reviews and glowing reports from fellow riders, but when I arrived at Cycle Gear the next night after wok, my choices were limited. I was intent on getting a Shoei since my head seems perfect for their More >
WTF? No May Update?
8 months ago
Yes, apparently I blew off putting up any May updates…no worries, I’m absolutely sure that no one died from the worry. The month of May was actually a bit of fun as it involved FJR camping on one weekend and a car trip down to Austin, TX the next. In both instances, I survived, although there were a few times were I pushed too hard during the camping trip and nearly saw someone about buying a farm…if you know what I mean. I guess that’s what happens when one tries experimenting with various cornering techniques on the twisty roads lacing the Smokey Mountains. Anyway, I managed to tally a bit over 1500 miles on that trip and completely wear out my front tire…a sign of a good time.
The FJR Farkling Continues
10 months ago
by Burnspot
in Motorcycling
Just added some new updates to my FJR1300 page if you’re interested. Just got done sticking antlers on it.
Ride to Work!
11 months ago
by Burnspot
in Motorcycling
June 20th, 2011 is Ride to Work Day!
June 20th is the annual Ride to Work Day! Show your support for the cause! You know riding to work saves gas, parking spaces, and saves you from the boredom of the daily doldrums of driving the cage to work. Get out and show your support, and have some fun doing it.
Don’t Fear the Rain!
11 months ago
by Burnspot
in Motorcycling
It's a wet-ride day.
Do you fear riding your motorcycle in the rain? Do you cancel a road trip just because rain is in the forecast? Do you pull over and wait out the slightest rainfalls? Don’t fear the rain, conquer it! I’m not directing this at those who ride a status symbol only on sunny days and then trailers it for longer distances. Rather, I’m directing this at those who truly WANT to ride in the rain, but have a basic fear or preconception about what it’s like to ride in the rain and feel like they cannot do it without hurting themselves. I’m by no means a professional rider or a paragon of motorcycle safety, but I am a rider who’s ridden in a variety of conditions countless times for many years. I’d like to share what works for me.
Let’s first start with some basic equipment recommendations that I find essential to “safer” rain riding (I’m an ATGATT rider- All The Gear All The Time):
- Rain suit or equivalent
- Helmet/visor equipped with anti-fog capabilities (Pin-Lock or any of those spray on solutions you find that works).
- Waterproof gloves or at least some that provide a solid grip when wet (you don’t want ones that have a liner that starts sliding around when More >
Spring is creeping in…
11 months ago
Well, finally, spring is beginning to roll into the Eastern NC area with temperatures that go from freezing to 75+ degrees; these are the fun times for weather forecasters, lol. It matters not, I’m still riding around, to and from work, and the occasional weekend blast when I’m not pegged on home chores. My most recent long distance run occurred the weekend before last when I decided to do a day trip to the Uwharrie National Forest, located between Troy, NC and Ablemarle, NC. I had planned to wake up early that Saturday morning, allowing me plenty of time to explore the Uwharrie area…but it was not to be. I woke up at 10am…not exactly an early riser’s ideal time, lol (thanks to Netflix and my urge to watch Prince of Persia at 1am). Undeterred, I got myself cleaned up and hit the road.
I’m not going to bother retracing my route as I rarely do that on any of my day rides…besides, this isn’t a “formal” ride report, merely an example of spring-like day riding, lol. The temperature when I left was in the low 50′s and was expected to peak somewhere in the 60′s, but I wasn’t too concerned…it was way warmer than my usual 30 degree morning commutes. My target to start was Troy, NC, around More >
Project Hothands – Done!
1 year ago
by Burnspot
in Motorcycling
Okay, I was slow in getting this final report on Project Hothands in, but here it is finally… The day after starting this project, I was able to complete it and have been running the grips for a couple of weeks now. Look below my report for an update.
It was a late night in the garage, but I managed to complete “Project Hothands” successfully! When I last left you on this project, I had wires everywhere and was preparing to wire in the barrier strip and relay. I picked up where I left off and set about getting the wiring finalized and in place. I sized and cut the wiring and began the process of mounting the wires to the barrier strip, which is equipped with a split jumper allowing hot and ground to exist at opposite ends of the strip. When it came time to get the relay hooked up, I struggled for a good while trying to get my hands into the void ahead of the glovebox to get a tap around the glovebox cigarette lighter hot wire. With a few magical curse words, I eventually slipped the tap on, inserted a trigger wire, and clamped the tap closed…yay! With that out of the way, I proceeded to hook up all the contacts on the relay and link it to the barrier strip. With everything in More >
Nanny Government Wants To Force Helmets?
1 year ago
According to recent article from the San Francisco Chronicle, the Federal Government is pushing, once again, to have helmet use made mandatory in all states, citing the surging number of motorcycle fatalities. The government also stated that motorcycle fatalities were higher than all accidents in the rail, aviation, marine, and pipeline industries….uh, what? How does a rail accident compare to a motorcycle? How about vehicle fatalities…i.e. cars? That part is a stretch and sounds a little like nanny government reaching for numbers to justify a cause, but let’s get to the meat and potatoes of this issue.
I’ll be the first one to say that a rider SHOULD wear a helmet; a helmet DOES protect your brain bucket and gives you a higher chance of survival should things go awry. I never ride without mine. That being said, we do not need an increasingly nanny-ish government telling us how to dress while riding a bike. Anyway, the government is missing the mark when it comes to motorcycle fatalities…helmet use is indeed a factor, but a minor one when compared to the explosion of driver distractions in the last decade. What situations created those fatalities cited by the government? What More >
Project Hothands – Underway
1 year ago
by Burnspot
in Motorcycling
So earlier, I had mentioned my preferences for commuting and followed it up by remarking about my cold hands. Well, I’ve started taking steps to remedy that situation by purchasing a Symtec Heated Grip Kit; these should help greatly. They’ll be used in conjunction with some Suzuki V-Strom hand guards, which haven’t arrived yet. Yes, Suzuki parts on a Yamaha, but it’s common knowledge among many FJR riders that these hand guards are the cat’s meow on an FJR in cold weather, especially when used with heated grips.
Throttle side grip with Brakeaway throttle lock and Symtec element.
Installing the Symtec kit onto the handlebars was actually relatively easy. I used the air compressor to slide the grips off (complete with Grip Puppies still in place) and then cleaned each bar with some solvent to remove any crud. Opinions vary, but since the clutch side bar is aluminum, many folks recommend putting heat shrink tubing on it to serve as an insulator for the warming elements (the throttle side has the plastic throttle tube to provide insulation). Since the Symtec’s pump more power to the clutch side to compensate for the heatsink effect of the aluminum bar, I opted to go without any heat More >
The FJR Commute
1 year ago
My FJR's just waiting for 5pm to roll around.
It’s just like the old days when I was in the Corps…commuting by motorcycle again. Over the past year, I’ve ridden into work on occasion, but in the past month, it’s become a pretty much full time deal since we parted ways with my wife’s car to save a little money. Mind you, I’m not complaining…we still have one car left and yet I choose to take Feej into work even when my wife doesn’t need the car. The weather’s cold and/or rainy, but it doesn’t really matter…I’ll still ride. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but the feeling is similar to what I felt in those early commuting times…I feel compelled to disavow the car and just ride. Yes, the FJR is a machine that tends to suck you in and keep you for itself, it’s just that good. I’m not delusional though; if the weather is bad enough, i.e. ice on road, I’ll park my butt in the car and take the boring way into the office. But the allure of riding and the gas sipping yet powerful ways of the FJR add up to a very addictive concoction.
I suppose I’m fortunate in some ways; I don’t deal with much, if any, traffic for most of the 15-20 mile ride in to work and the majority of the ride winds More >
