 |
| 9/5/2010 2:22:08 PM Welcome, Guest! | | Home | Geoff | Kris | Alexandra | Wedding Album | Samantha | Our Movies |
| Home > Geoff > Geoff's Motorcycle Blog > |
My Motorcycle Experience 2006 07-05 I purchased a scooter today and thought I would write about my experience to help other newbie’s. I stopped by California Speed-Sports in Livermore with a printout of the Aprilia Scarabeo, listed at $7399. I really had never ridden a motorcycle before (except as a passenger) and had no idea what to expect. I talked with Terry, who was extremely helpful and answered all my questions. He wondered if I really wanted such a large scooter, which I did, and pointed me to a used Aprilia Atlantic 500 that they just got. The bike had 2700 miles, and was in pristine condition. It had the rear stowage option installed already. The bike was only slightly smaller than the Scarabeo, which they had in stock, and both bikes were pretty sweet. We took the Atlantic for a test drive, and I was very pleased. As I didn't have a license, I had to ride as a passenger. Terry wasn't very happy about having to ride two guys on a scooter--"Do you know what they say about two guys riding a scooter? No? Well, DON'T SAY IT!"
 Terry told me that there were benefits to buying a used bike rather than new which related to registration - there was a simple transfer fee rather than registration. The bike was also cheaper than if purchased new, which was fine by me. After a quick call to my wife to discuss the purchase, I slapped down my credit card. I picked up a helmet, jacket and gloves to stay protected while on the bike. He tried to sell me a sweet Bluetooth-equipped helmet, which I passed. I figured I didn't need the distraction of my phone / MP3 player while I was riding until I had much more experience. I have to get my motorcycle permit to ride the scooter.2006 07-06 The bike was delivered to my house today. We weren't home, so they left the keys with the cleaning person who happened to be at my house at the time. Kris got a little freaked out someone else having the keys, so she raced home to make sure that she got the keys. Thankfully, everything was fine, and the delivery guy left the bike on the front door walkway. The bike was visible from the street, and Kris decided to move it into the backyard, but didn't realize just how heavy it was. The bike tipped over while she was pushing it, but she caught it and lifted it back up to vertical (but not before throwing out her back
 ). Luckily she wasn't hurt too badly, and the bike survived the ordeal fine. I moved the scooter into the garage after a quick ride around the block to "test it out". This was my first real ride, and the experience of riding was amazing. The bike felt very comfortable and easy to ride, and I took to riding very naturally. I took the first few turns slow and wide, but after a few more turns felt how to properly lean and turn. Riding felt great! I garaged the bike and shut the door, wishing I had my permit so I could ride more.2006 07-10 We went camping this weekend, and I couldn't stop thinking about riding the scooter that I had at home. I downloaded the motorcycle and drivers handbooks from the California DMV website. During the camping trip, I read and re-read the handbooks on my Palm Treo. I suggest reading through both books, as you will probably need to take both tests when you try for your motorcycle permit. I went to the DMV Monday morning, took my tests, and passed. I now have my motorcycle permit and can ride! I need to get insurance to get my license, so I called my insurance company (GEICO). They tell me I have to open a new policy just for the motorcycle as they won't add the vehicle on my current policy. They will give a discount if I take a CHP-certified motorcycle safety class. They also have a discount program which gives you a break if you garage the bike once it starts getting cold and rains. You can ride occasionally, but this might be the way to go since I don't plan on riding in the rain.
2006 07-11 I rode around for about an hour around town today and riding felt great. I didn't run into trouble, but got a little anxious when riding through a road construction area--there was a lot of dirt on the road, heavy machines, and changes in the road. Once I cleared that I was fine. Took the scooter on the highway and ran up to 60mph. The bike is very smooth, and accelerates quickly. There is a bit of wind at 60mph, but the windscreen definitely helps keep it off me. I had a great ride!!
 2006 07-13 I am amazed at the number of people who come up to me who want to talk about their motorcycle experiences now that I ride. I'm certainly ok with it, because the scooter is "on my mind" right now. I called around for a motorcycle training class, which has proved difficult to find a local class. The best I can do is a class in Modesto, CA, which is about 45 minutes away. The class is 3 days, 6 hours of classroom instruction, and then 10 hours of on-the-bike training. I'm looking forward to the class, but the soonest I could schedule is August 31st. Apparently with the high gas prices and great weather, everyone else is buying motorcycles and getting trained. The class will be great, because I can learn the "right" way to handle the bike, and won't have to take the driving demonstration part of the motorcycle license test. The registration person I spoke with says to make sure that I choose a CHP Certified class; otherwise it won't count for the insurance discount or license test. I can't use my own scooter for the class, though, as I still can't ride at night and couldn't get it to the class. The course is offered through the Modesto Junior College, so apparently they won't let me use my own bike anyways. The class will give me the opportunity to learn the controls of a real motorcycle--the scooter doesn't have a clutch so you just throttle and go. I rode my bike to work today. I couldn't fit my backpack with my laptop in the under-seat storage, so I wore it on my back. I strapped it around my waist as well, so the weight wouldn't shift while riding at 60mph. I rode fine with no incidents, but the ride was a little different with the weight behind me.
2006 07-13 I went to the store last night to pick up some things for Kris. While riding over some large bumps in the road (at the train track crossing), I noticed my EFI light (electronic fuel injection) came on and the engine seemed to cut out. The light went off right away, but I'll have to call the dealer to see if the bike is performing properly. I spent a little time at the store getting what Kris needed, but it got late and Kris was worried. Alexandra called me when I was on the bike, but I couldn't answer. If it gets late, I'll have to call home to keep everyone from being worried that I'm stranded or hurt somewhere.
I noticed today that other motorcycle riders will often give a nod or a peace sign as I'm passing them. Feels like I'm part of a club, but don't quite know the "secret handshake" yet. I'm sure I'll get the hang of it soon. 2006 07-14 I rode the bike to work today and the EFI light came on again when I hit a bump. The obvious answer to the problem is "don't hit a bump", but I want to call to see what is going on. I sent an email to Terry.
My friend Jim (who rides a Harley) says this about the wave: Jim: as for the wave Jim: Harley riders tend to have a low wave Jim: crotch-rockets have the quick wave Jim: some military guys salute! Geoff: I wonder what "scooter" riders do. :)) Jim: scooter riders honk their fearsome, 120 decibel horns Thanks Jim!  2006 07-14 Ok, so VERY uncool. Rode the bike to lunch, and then it died on the way back. Luckily I was all alone, only 1/2 mile from work, so I was able to safely get to the side of the road and walk the bike back to work. But now I'm stuck here. The bike won't start, and won't go. Did I mention that it's 98 degrees here today? Not happy!
Terry from California Speed-Sports called me back. He suggested that I check the battery, which is under the seat in the back of the helmet storage. I pulled the cover off, and found a red wire which had been sheared off. It looks like the wire was wrapped around the battery in such a way that any bump was pressing it between the battery and the body of the scooter. The last bump did me in, and sheared the wire clean in half.
 Luckily, I work at a processing plant, so I asked one of the electricians (Satnam) to fix me up. He cut back the wire, and showed me the compression and melted point of the insulation. He cut away the damaged part of the wire, spliced the two wires together, and I was able to start the bike right away. Thanks Satnam! I'm happy again!
   2006 07-14 I purchased my motorcycle insurance today from GEICO (my auto policy provider). After bumping up the amounts for Liability to 50/100/10 to cover medical costs, and UM/UIM to 50/100 in case I'm hurt by an uninsured motorist, my insurance turned out to be about $420 for the year. I don't qualify for a good driving discount, because I have to have had my motorcycle license for three consecutive years with no troubles. I figure that $420 is money well-spent when riding a motorcycle.
2006 07-14 The bike performed beautifully on the way home. There were no stalls and no problems at all. Fixing the wire seems to have done the trick!
2006 07-15 I gave the bike a bath today. It wasn't really dirty, but I wanted to keep it looking great. I used a cleaner wax on the painted areas of the bike, which gave the bike a beautiful shine. There was a little dirt on the underside, and dirt/break dust in the spokes of the tires. Unfortunately, I got a little of the wax on the plastic part of the bike, and now there are white streaks wherever the wax was. I tried scrubbing the wax off with some glass cleaner, but it's stuck down in the grooves.
Does anybody know a great way to clean the wax off the plastic?2006 07-15 I took a ride down to the DMV office after they were closed to practice on the motorcycle lines. If you haven't seen the lines, there is a circle about 20 feet in diameter, with a smaller circle painted about 2 feet inside the larger. There are parallel lines approaching on the right and left sides of the circle, and the idea is to ride the bike down the parallel lines, turn into the circle, make a u-turn inside the lines, and then leave on the other set of parallel lines. I practiced this about 10 times tonight before it started getting dark. I had a little difficulty figuring out the right speed to approach and turn, but I think I got better towards the last practice runs. I couldn't see my tires, so I had no idea if I was really inside the circle or not. I'll have to bring someone to tell me how I do next time. I'm looking forward to the class I signed up for at the end of next month. If I can successfully complete that course, I won't need to take this test for the DMV. I'm sure the course will be much more rigorous, but I'm sure I will get plenty of opportunities to practice.
 (Drawing is not to scale, but you get the idea)
Update: I found a great description of the demonstration portion of the test online. (PDF)
While I'm thinking about it, I find myself planning out my routes more when riding a motorcycle than when driving a car. I am now considering roadway hazards in my plans, which greatly affect riding a bike but don't affect driving a car. Today when going to the local auto parts store, I found clever ways to avoid turning onto a two-way road with no stop sign or light. The road is one of the busier roads in town, and although the speed limit is 30, people fly around the blind intersection at 40 or more. I found a new route which lets me avoid this street altogether. Later, when driving to the DMV, I had to take a left turn and cross some railroad tracks while turning. The tracks were at such an angle that when I crossed, they were parallel to my position and I had to cross a deep groove in the road. I had to pull the bike hard to avoid going straight into the groove, and did NOT like the way I took the hazard. I've added that road to the "do not travel" list for now. I'm sure as I get more experience and confidence, I'll figure out how to handle these hazards gracefully.
2006 07-15 I rode to work today. MAN IT WAS HOT! I felt like it had to be over 100 deg. on the pavement. The jacket I bought is mesh, so the air flows through really well. I didn't feel the heat too much, except when I stopped. I wonder if I can wash my helmet somehow. I'm sure the padding inside is a bit sweaty!
When I was buying the helmet, I was contemplating several different styles. The salesman told me that most people don't buy the full-face helmet anymore, but that style was one of the safest. I opted for the full-face style for the added protection. When riding at high speed a few days ago, a truck raced by in the opposite direction and kicked up a wood chip which flew at my face. The chip hit the helmet, and I was VERY glad that I opted for full-face protection from these kinds of hazards.
I filled up the gas tank yesterday. I was down about 2/3 on the gauge, so I figured I would top it off. The bike took 2 gallons, which was a great feeling, knowing that I am able to get around town and still only sip gas. I had a little trouble filling up, though. It seems that the receptacle on my bike nozzle wouldn't trigger the nozzle to release gas. I had to pull up on the rubber shield around the nozzle before it would work. 2006 07-18 Dean pointed me to a great article on Yahoo news. The article describes how the rising cost of gasoline is causing an increase in moped, scooter, and motorcycle sales. Here is the link to the article. Thanks Dean!
2006 07-21 My dad sent me an email today about riding. He used to ride all the time. I believe he rode a Honda motorcycle. He stopped after he had a fall running over oil spilled in the road on a painted section. Broke some ribs, and such, and was layed up for a while. He told me that one tip I could use to keep my helmet clean was to wear a bandana. I can easily wash a bandana, but can't wash the helmet. I could also dowse the bandana with water when it's hot to keep cool. Great idea.
He also told me a story about my early motorcycle riding. Apparently, I used to ride with him occassionally. One time, he rode with me to bring me home from camp in the Santa Cruz mountains. From what he told me, he almost dumped the bike with me on the back because... now get this... I fell asleep. I must have been pretty tired from camp and the long, hot ride back through the mountains. Tired or not, I have the "ability" to fall asleep most anywhere. I will have to make sure that I get enough rest if I ever go on a long ride, and will make sure to take frequent breaks. Riding demands full concentration at all times, which will likely cause me to get tired much sooner than driving a car. Although, shouldn't driving a car demand my full attention at all times too? Kris has already warned me that the kids are not to ride the scooter with me.
2006 07-22 I had a great week riding, although it has been really hot out here in Tracy. I did notice that my bike seems to backfire a little when I am slowing down for a stop. I noticed a sticker that said I should be putting 90 octane fuel in the tank, which I was only using 89. I filled up with the higher-octane fuel at my last stop, which was only about 2 gallons. I'm hoping that the better octane fuel will help the engine run smoother. On a related note, my bike has a very cool trip computer built in. I can see the top speed, miles until the next service, and miles per gallon. I'm currently getting 52.2 miles per gallon. Pretty great!
I had a little surgical procedure done on Friday which means I won't be able to ride for a few days until I recover. After todays heat (over 105 degrees), I'm glad that I'm stuck indoors! I sure hope that the weather cools down by August. I doubt I'd be able to survive the motorcycle training class in this heat. 2006 07-23 While I've been stuck inside recovering, I found a great website which gives a lot of real-world experience for motorcycle riders. There are articles aimed at going over what they don't cover in the motorcycle safety class, and many other knowledge articles. If you are interested in riding, be sure to check it out! http://www.msgroup.org/TIPS.asp
2006 07-26 I rode my scooter to work today. I don't know if I was affected by all the reading, or I forgot some skills while not riding, but I found turning difficult today. I missed a turn (granted, a difficult turn) from a right banked curve onto a left-banked curve and almost ended up in the gravel on the side of the road. This road is heavily traveled by commuters who like to bypass the freeway and speed through without stopping, so I made sure to signal my intention to turn ahead of time, and applied my brakes for the turn early. I think I was trying to travel slow enough to successfully navigate the turn while not applying the brakes in the turn, while trying to make sure the guy behind me saw me slowing down and didn't try to pass me on the left. This is one intersection that I don't care for on my commute. A few weeks ago, a "cage driver" was side-swiped by another driver who decided to pass her on the left, and struck her while she made the turn. This is across a double set of double yellow lines, indicating a median which must not be crossed. Some drivers risk their safety and other's safety, just to get to work a few seconds faster. I'll continue to practice my low-speed skills so that I don't miss important turns like this.
While making a left-hand turn onto a hill I scraped the bottom of the bike. I was a little surprised because I didn't feel that the bike was really leaned over much. Apparently it was enough to touch bottom. I would have dragged a peg on a motorcycle, but I must have hit the protective bar at the bottom of the bike. I have been reviewing the information on the MSGroup.Org website, and had read this article on how to handle the problem. I was able to get out of the situation without further incident by accelerating to stand up the bike. I rode with earplugs for the first time today. After doing some reading, over-the-counter earplugs seem to be legal to wear in California while riding a motorcycle. Other riders suggested riding with plugs because they will eliminate the wind noise and save my hearing. The noise is loud enough to be damaging at higher speeds. What a great idea! I can still hear the road noise and the noise of other cars while wearing the plugs, so I plan to ride with earplugs all the time. I used the foam plugs which you smash down and then shove into your ear. Once you let go, the plug tries to resume the original shape and fills your ear canal. One plug was smashed from sitting in my drawer, so it was already deformed. When I inserted the plug in my left ear, it never completely made a seal. The right plug sealed up just fine. I rode to work this way, and was surprised to notice a ringing in my left ear after riding, while my right ear had no problems. Apparently, the ringing is something that I have not noticed before. My suggestion is to wear plugs anytime you plan on driving over 40mph, and you may want to wear them all the time if your ears are sensitive. After a ride with two incidents, I was glad to make it to work and get off the bike. I'll try again at lunch. 2006 07-26 I had a great ride at lunch today. I took the advice of this MSGroup.Org article and specifically went to practice in a parking lot. Practicing in this manner really showed me some of the skills that I need to work on, and gave me a lot more confidence when turning and maneuvering my bike at slow speeds. I will try these practice exercises whenever I can.
2006 07-26 On my way home tonight, I saw a guy walking his motorcycle down the hill. He was about 1/2 mile from the gas station, so I turned up the hill to meet him and make sure he was ok. Turns out that he ran out of gas coming down the Altamont Pass, and was walking his bike to the gas station. He appreciated my stopping, but said he was almost there and could handle the problem. I felt good about stopping, but wished that I could help him more. I rode away thinking about how I could help him, expecially since I was right next to work. I have seen some of my coworkers use ATVs to go out into the fields, so I know we probably have a gas can somewhere. Next time, I suppose. I will make sure I stop too, because I would like to think that someone would stop for me if I were in trouble.
While riding home, some jackass though he was cute and passed me on the right. I saw that he was coming and was prepared for the shock of the car squeezing past me in the bike lane. I was able to get on my horn to express my anger, but that didn't stop him. He passed another car across a double yellow, nearly hitting a pedestrian who was walking a little too close to the street in the bike lane. My anger really started to swell when he then ran a stop sign. I've read a few articles about road rage on a motorcycle, and how much you have to just be prepared for the inevitable drivers. I should let the situation go, and relax, and be happy that I did not get hurt in an accident which could have compromised my life. I was so ticked off that I sped to catch up with the driver, who had stopped at a stop sign only because he was trapped by other vehicles. The driver looked at me like "what are you going to do about it?". In that moment, I hesitated. My anger caused me to lose my concentration with the most important task--safely riding the motorcycle. I turned left while watching him run yet another stop sign. If you haven't already heard, the bike magically goes where you are looking so I nearly missed my turn, and almost ended up in gravel. I had to quickly snap out of anger mode, and switch into safety mode. Using the slow speed excercises I've been practicing, I was able to navigate around a roadway hazard, get back onto the road, and straighten out. Practice really saved me here. I might have dumped the bike otherwise. Lesson learned...let the anger go and take it easy!
I've been riding in some pretty hot weather the last few weeks and I've been pretty sweaty by the time I get home. I found a shirt at Wal-Mart specifically designed for wicking away sweat from your body while exercising. The shirts say they will keep you cool because it promotes evaporation while keeping your skin dry. I bought one of the shirts to try it out. The shirt is SKIN TIGHT, but I love the feeling when riding. I definitely feel cooler when the wind is riding through my jacket (mesh). I went into Subway for dinner tonight with the shirt on, and the fans blowing on my shirt actually made me cold. Amazing. The shirt is by Athletic Works and is made of Cationic Polyester and Elastane. I recommend trying on the shirt--I bought a large and an extra large. I couldn't get the large over my shoulders and the extra large is tight on me, but I have gained back some of the weight I had lost on the Subway diet.
Anyways, I bought three more of the shirts for riding and exercising. I will definitely use the shirt while taking the motorcycle class. Maybe I should go back and buy the underwear too! 2006 07-26 Kris and I are planning a trip to Dublin this weekend. I will be on the motorcycle, and she will be in the car with the kids making sure that I'm ok. This will be my first long trip (112 miles round trip) and I'm looking forward to the ride. The weather is definitely cooling down, and should be absolutely beautiful. I have used Microsoft Streets and Trips to plan out my route since I can't ride on the freeway. I am going to wind my way over the Altamont, through Livermore and Pleasanton before reaching Dublin. On the freeway the trip takes about 30 minutes, but winding through the back roads should take more than an hour. We'll get out there and then relax for a little bit to have lunch with my dad and the family. I'm hoping for a great ride.
In anticipation of the ride to Dublin tomorrow, I took a ride to Livermore today at lunch time. I rode up Patterson Pass, which is an under-maintained road and is a single lane through much of the ride. The weather was perfect, the ride was amazing. It felt so good to get out of the office and out on the road! Patterson Pass winds through the Livermore hills, so this was a great chance for me to practice my "press left, turn left" "press right, turn right" skills. I passed only a few cars, but found a lot of bicyclists riding through the hills too. One pack didn't provide me with enough room to pass, so I hung out behind them just enjoying the ride. When they finally realized I was back there, they got into a line and allowed me room to pass. My ride today was about 25 miles. Here is a map of the route.
 On the return trip I took Altamont Pass road. This road is better maintained, but had been recently under construction. There were "25 MPH: LOOSE GRAVEL" signs everywhere, which put me on edge. I didn't find any sections of loose gravel, but I made sure to slow down and ride in the path of the car tires. Since I don't have my license and can't get on the freeway, I'll be traveling these country roads more heavily. I will need to watch out for the hazards (bicyclists, gravel, pits, and bumps) that these roads offer.
One thing I forgot to do was to tell someone where I was headed. If I had dumped the bike in the hills, nobody would have thought to look for me up there. I will have to make sure I leave a "flight plan" with someone, and make sure that they check up on me when I am expected back.
2006 07-26 I just got back from my ride to Dublin, and it was great! The weather was perfect and my planned route worked out well. I did notice on the return trip my bike seems to take the bumps pretty hard. I think my back was tired from the drive out earlier. I don't think I would like to go any further than Dublin for now, unless I were staying somewhere. We had a nice visit with the family and lunch at Sweet Tomatoes in Pleasanton. Now I need a nap!
 2006 07-31 I had the worst headache last night, and I feel very dizzy. I decided to not ride for the next few days until I'm feeling better. I'm glad that I made that decision today because when I got close to work, I discovered that CALTRANS had started tearing up a 1/2 mile section of road that I travel. Navigating the one-way sections and loose gravel sections on the motorcycle would have been bad news especially while feeling dizzy and sick.
2006 08-02 The weather has been cooling down, which is very welcome! CALTRANS has put back together a lot of the road, so I rode to work today. I really wish that they would just resurface the road rather than patch large and small sections at random. These small sections are generally raised above the existing surface, are not smooth, and seem to deteriorate faster than the existing road.
I did have to navigate over a 100-foot section of road that they had ground down several inches. This road section was full of grooves which seemed to jerk the bike left and right. I rode straight over this section while allowing the bike to move, but not allowing it to affect my steering or control.
I rode to lunch and just got back. I filled up at Costco which cost me a whopping $7. While I was fueling, another motorcycle pulled up in the lane opposite mine. He never left his bike, didn't remove his helmet, and held his bike level while filling the gas tank. I've read an article about why this is a bad idea. I don't want to judge the way he handles his bike, but the ideas in the article made sense. What if the gas spilled? What if a spark ignited the fuel vapors? What if he couldn't tell he was on fire because his helmet obscured his view? He was standing the bike up so that the tank would fill to the brim, but gasoline expands as it heats up. What will happen if he overfills the tank? Read the article for more information.
2006 08-03 I wanted to chat today about my safety equipment. I never ride without properly wearing this equipment. The motorcycle safety foundation (MSF) says that all riders including passengers should wear over-the-ankle footwear, long pants, a good jacket, full-fingered gloves, and a helmet which meets DOT standards.
 The first item I want to discuss is my helmet. A helmet should be brightly colored so it is visible day or night. I use a full-face helmet, which has protected me from roadway hazards very well so far. There are other models of helmets, but I was satisfied with this model. The helmet seemed like a great compromise between safety and cost. There are no stickers in the back, but you can see from my photo lighting setup just how reflective the surface is. Some people put highly reflective tape on their helmets or use a halo device so they will be visible from a longer distance. I can't yet ride at night, but when I can, I will purchase the halo. It's only $13, but check out the link to see how the helmet looks. I suspect this will be very similar to the highly reflective lettering that I see on highway patrol vehicles which almost glows when illuminated. My helmet has two adjustable air vent holes and a flip-up visor. When I tried on helmets at the store, the salesperson told me that the helmet should be tight, but not pressing into your skull. I put on the XL helmet, but I could shake my head back and forth and the helmet would move independently of my head. I moved down to the L, and when I shook my head the helmet stayed with me. I couldn't fit the M sized helmet, so I chose the L.
 Next, I had to choose riding gloves. The gloves are very comfortable and I can wear them a long time without irritation. There are two velcro straps. The one toward the base wraps around the sleeve of my jacket so that air doesn't inflate my jacket. The other wraps around my wrist. I can't take the gloves off if the wrist strap is tightened, which means they won't fall off in an accident. The fingers are padded, and notice the metal buttons on the palm--if I fell and put my hands down to brace my fall, I would hit metal rather than my hand. The fingers are naturally curved, so I don't have to apply too much pressure to grip the handles. The only problem that I have with the gloves are that my fingers are long and my fingernails sometimes get caught in the seam at the end of the finger. Once this happens, I have to release my grip and readjust the fit, which is dangerous and frustrating to do while driving. Gloves also protect your hands from hypothermia, a real danger when constantly exposed to wind.
 Next is my jacket. With my summer riding in full heat, I chose a mesh jacket to allow air to flow through the jacket. There are highly-reflective panels on the arms to increase my visibility. The jacket has rigid sections in the shoulders and elbows. These sections feel like a shin-guard similar to soccer safety equipment. The jacket is very comfortable, and I've worn it in 100+ degree weather without feeling too much heat while riding (stopping, on the other hand, is hot no matter what I'm wearing). The jacket has velcro at the wrists to cinch down the sleeve so that the gloves will fit on top. There is also a zipper which runs around the bottom for attaching to riding pants, which I don't have. When the weather turns cool, I will start wearing a heavier shirt, and when it is cold I will have to get a new jacket.
 These are the ear plugs I use. I roll them between my thumb and forefinger to smash them down, then quickly insert them into my ear. They block a lot of the wind noise, and properly inserted do not fall out when I put on my helmet. These come with a string, which tends to whip around at highway speed. I put the string behind my head rather than in front because the string ends up inside my helmet on my face otherwise. I list earplugs here because I think it's very important to protect my hearing. As a test, I rode with one plug in and one plug out. The ear without protection had a definite ring and reduced hearing just like if I had gone to a concert. Since I always wear plugs at concerts to protect my hearing, I will always wear earplugs while riding.
 Finally, I ride with a pair of sunglasses to reduce the glare on the road. Glasses are not sufficient protection alone, however, so I always have to ride with my face shield down. With just glasses, dirt, rocks, bugs, etc. would end up in my eyes while riding.
I hope that this will help a new rider when choosing safety equipment to wear while riding!
2006 08-04 I rode to work early this morning. The weather was pretty cold at 6:00 in the morning. I threw on a sweatshirt underneath my jacket, which kept me warm during the ride. The only place where I had trouble was my exposed neck. The cold wind against my unprotected skin felt like needles piercing into my skin. I ducked my head down under the stream of air rising over the windscreen, which helped, but was still very cold. I will be riding in this cold during the MSF class, but thankfully I won't be riding at 55 miles per hour!
2006 08-06 I took another ride down to the DMV to practice the circle. I had some trouble getting settled down and navigating the tight turn. I practiced for about 10 minutes, went to lunch, and then came back to practice more. After reading the description of how the test area is supposed to look, I was dismayed to discover that most of the paint is not existent on the course, and there are large potholes directly in the course. The city is building a new city hall right next to the DMV parking lot, and there is also a bit of gravel in the testing area. Certainly not how I envisioned taking my test. I will be taking the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course, which will allow me to get my motorcycle license without taking the test at the DMV, but I still want to prove to myself that I could take the test if I had to. I posted a message on msgroup.org looking for suggestions. My scooter doesn't have the same controls that a motorcycle has, and as such doesn't have the same advantages (using the clutch to control speed, and using only the rear brake to stretch the bike).
2006 08-07 Speaking about slow-speed maneuvers, here is a great video of the masters at work. This video is of the Charleston County Sherrifs Office motor school. The video shows motorcycle sherrifs performing all sorts of slow speed courses and situations. Pretty cool! Here is the video.
2006 08-10 I received some tips for helping with the slow speed maneuvers. ScottRNelson suggested that I increase the throttle while managing the speed of my bike with the brakes in the left hand. I tried out this technique and felt much more stable in the turns. I was able to manage my speed much better and not slow down so much that I felt the need to roll on the throttle. When I would roll the throttle, my weight would shift to the rear, and it would lift up the front a little. This would change the angle for my turn, so I would need to quickly adjust the brakes, throttle and angle of the bike to stay in the turn. Now, I just need to keep a constantly high throttle, and then ease off or on the brakes to control my speed. The weight doesn't shift, and I don't lose the angle of my turn. I need to practice this a LOT before this becomes a habit, but thanks for the suggestion Scott!
2006 08-10 I rode to the DMV tonight to practice the keyhole test with my new technique (strong throttle, heavy brake). I was able to maintain control much better using this method. I am able to navigate the circle easily, and can control the bike much better. The only problem was that there was a distinct smell coming from my bike. I don't believe that the bike liked me practicing the turn for an extended amount of time. Next, I want to bring someone with me to tell me if I'm in the circle or not. If I am in the circle and feeling good about the demonstration, I may call up the DMV to schedule my test. I'm not anxious to take my test, but it would be nice to be able to ride short distances on the freeway to go to lunch rather than having to take the back roads all the time. I don't need to take this test, assuming that I pass the Motorcycle Safety Foundation class that I will be taking at the end of the month.
2006 08-12 I read online about some air intake modifications which could be made to the Aprilia Atlantic 500. It seems that there is a "snorkel", and an air intake flow restrictor which can be removed, ahem, I mean "fall off". After removing the air intake flow restrictor, the bike seems a little more responsive off the line, which is nice. This bike seems to hesitate a lot to the point of stuttering when starting from a complete stop. I don't know if the modification will make too much difference, but others are reporting better responsiveness, and better gas mileage because of the increased air flow to the engine.
Kris took some pictures of me and Samantha with the bike today. Here are the pictures.
  2006 08-13 I took a short ride on the freeway today. I don't yet have my license, but I wanted to get a feel for freeway driving before I took the motorcycle safety class. I learn best by experiencing rather than reading or listening to lecture. Now when the teacher is talking about how to handle different situations, I feel like I will be better prepared to relate to those experiences and will learn more from the class. I won't drive on the freeway again, before the class. Today I went up to Lathrop. I took a 31 mile ride and stopped for lunch at the Subway up in Lathrop at the gas station. The bike did seem to perform a little better now that I had the flow restrictor removed, especially starting from a dead stop. Today I learned that the wind from the back of a big rig at freeway speeds tends to push the bike back and forth. As soon as I felt that wind, I slowed down to get out of the draft. Other cars passed me and the truck on the left (and some on the right), but the truck had the right turn signal on. Once the cars cleared out, the truck merged to the right lane, and I sped up to the speed of traffic and easily passed him on the left. My ride went very well today.
 2006 08-16 I am wondering if the modification to the airbox described in my previous post is really doing anything at all or if it feels like the bike is responding better only because I'm riding it harder. I do catch myself going faster than I used to, especially in residential areas, where I'm getting up to 30 quickly and have to back off to slow down to 20-25. Am I getting to 30 faster than before? Am I just throttling more that I think the bike is better?
A member of a board I read warned against making the modifications. He says that air intake velocity is carefully engineered. The fuel injection system map is calibrated with these components to maintain proper air fuel mixture. Without a feedback loop type of injection, ie an in exhaust oxygen sensor, the computer has no way to know that you de-ristricted the intake and exhaust. You might be running the engine slightly lean which could result in long term problems with the spark plug and even worse valve burn. I am not saying these changes might not work fine. But how many of you are engineers with a dynometer to test and verify your results?
I think I'll put my bike back the way it was rather than risk damage to the engine.
2006 08-20 I have been practicing the DMV test for motorcycles. Today I decided to record myself since I can't see if my front tire is staying inside the circles. After getting off to a rough start, I settled down and got into the groove. Part of the unsettling is a large pothole that is just after the keyhole starts on the far side. Here is a link to the video.
2006 08-27 I haven't ridden in the last few days. I took Friday off to parent while Kris started her first day back on the job. Saturday Kris and I went to a friend's wedding and had a great time. This morning I took the bike out to work and felt great while riding. A beautiful sunny day and warm weather feels great while riding around. I had my first encounter with gravel, though. On the last curve before entering the gates at work, there has been a slow deterioration of the concrete. We get big trucks hauling through there, and the road tends to show wear poorly. Today the rocks were missing, but in their place was fine gravel all over the turn. I didn't see the small rocks and took the turn too fast for the surface. My front tire slid about a foot and then grabbed suddenly after the slide. A front tire slide is very dangerous, because you lose the ability to control the bike. I didn't make any sudden moves, and was able to get out of the situation without dumping the bike. Later, I took a road just to see where it went. At the end of the road there was a lot of loose gravel too. I slowly turned the bike around, but when I accelerated to get out of the turn, the back tire slid. I had enough gravel for one day! I'll be sure to avoid it whenever possible, and be extremely cautious if forced to ride.
2006 09-01 I took the first night of the motorcycle safety class last night. I appreciated sitting in a classroom, doing nothing but concentrating on motorcycles. The class was full at about 24 people. The class was split, with about the same amount of men and women. I sat next to Molly who had just ridden as a passenger on a motorcycle for the first time about a week ago. It was really interesting to hear about the different people, the bike they ride, and why they wanted to take the safety class. If you read this, good luck in the driving portion of the class Molly!
The class was a little different than most classes I have attended. In this class, the instructor broke us up into groups. We were assigned two or three questions to answer, before the lecture. Then everyone went around the room and read the question and the answer. After we did that, we watched a little video segment which went over the key concepts in the book about that subject. I felt really rushed through the material, so I will have to review it on my own before Saturday. We are going to have a written, multiple choice test at the end of the classroom instruction.
I am not able to ride my scooter for the driving range, which is ok by me. If I dump the bike, I won't have to worry about damaging my own. The class will also let me use a clutch for the first time.
I washed and waxed my bike today. I got more wax on the trim, even though I tried to be very careful. Today, however, I finally was able to find something to clean it up. There's a product from Mr. Clean called a "Magic Eraser". This thing is amazing! It cleans up all sorts of things that I thought were permanent, including the wax. I wet the eraser, and then gently rubbed the wax off. My trim looks great!
2006 09-02 Well, my first day of instruction on the driving range has come and gone. As I suspected, I had difficulty adjusting to the controls of the motorcycle. There are many more controls to deal with on a motorcycle, and having lots of scooter experience might have hindered me in this area. Things which I have noticed are different on a motorcycle which don't really affect me on the scooter:
Some of my problems were related to getting used to the new bike. I had problems like the engine on the motorcycle will turn over but not start if the kill switch is on. My scooter is dead until the switch is flipped. The instructors kept yelling at me "FINE-C!!!! FINE-C!!!!!". FINE-C is the acronym for the steps to startup a motorcycle - Fuel, Ignition, Neutral, Engine Cut-off switch, and Choke/Clutch. Took me a minute to figure out which step I skipped because the engine was turning over, just not starting. I also am feeling pain in my legs and hips because the bike is way too small for me.
It didn't help that my instructors did a lot of yelling and talking down to people. There wasn't much "positive reinforcement" here. I didn't expect that they would hold my hand, but I didn't expect the agressiveness either. I'm sure they were very intimidating to the many women taking this class, and even some of the men.
I have the second half of my class tomorrow, which I plan on passing, but we'll see how everything goes! I already passed the written test (50/50).
2006 09-03 I passed my MSF class today! They only took one point off of my test because I went too slowly through a decreasing radius curve. One of the instructors was very complementary of my motorcycle riding ability, and made several references to the fact that I'd have a sport motorcycle within a year.
 Everytime he would complement me on something I did, I would do something bone-headed to negate it. "Good Job!"- kill the engine. "That's the way!" try to start in second gear. "Great stop"--I left my foot down off the peg getting back in line. They were certainly throwing me off my game today! Doh!  Now I have to wait a few weeks for the college to send out the paperwork showing that I have completed the class. Once I have that, I can give the certificate to my insurance for a rate discount, and to the DMV so I can get my license.2006 09-04 Kris has been insisting that I get life insurance to take care of her when I have an accident. I don't have a death wish, and don't want to be severely injured, but I understand that some things are outside of my control. There are several things that I will do to make sure that I don't get into an accident. I took the Motorcycle Safety Foundation class, which showed me many proper techniques for riding and avoiding incidents. I participate with a motorcycle safety website, constantly reviewing the safety articles. I practice proper riding, and always ride within my abilities. I also make a point to go out and practice my skills, doing parking lot exercise to make me a better rider.
I did go online to get quotes for life insurance. Apparently the longer you lock in the rate, the higher the montly premium. The older you are impacts the rate. They will also come out and perform a physical before I can be insured. I went online to Insure.com and got a quote. They recommended that I get a policy which was worth about 10 times my annual salary. They also suggested a term which took my kids through to college, so they would be taken care of until they could get out on their own. All said, I should cover the remainder of my home loan, the kids education, and some extra to covor living expenses. They will show you the rates of a bunch of different companies, and you can choose term, insurance amount, etc. One plan had a high monthly premium, but at the end of the term gave you back all of your money if you were still alive. Kind of like a long-term, no interest savings account. If you die, they pay out to the beneficiaries, if you live, they pay you. I would lose a lot of money to inflation and a lost opportunity to save at some percentage APR, but I would also have some money at the end to show for the insurance. Other insurance companies just say "thank you very much for your money" at the end of your term. I will have to review the plans to figure out what will work best.
2006 09-06 I took the bike out for a few pictures this morning. These were taken in the hills between Tracy and Livermore, CA.
  2006 09-12 Yesterday I went to the mailbox and found my MSF Course certificate! I wasn't expecting this for another week. I logged onto the California DMV website and scheduled an appointment to get my license. I was late to the appointment because I stopped by the bank in case there was a fee for getting my license. When I got to the DMV, they asked for my ID printout, my license, and the MSF course certificate. A little clicking on the computer and I was done. A new license will be sent to me in the next few weeks!
Now that I have my license, I have all my riding restrictions removed. I can carry a rider, ride at night, and ride on the freeways. As a responsible driver, it is up to me to ride within my abilities. Just because I could, doesn't mean I should.
2006 09-14 Today the wind was CRAZY! When I left the house this morning all was calm. By the time I went to lunch, the wind was blowing me all over the place. There were several times when I rode and the wind blew across me from the side. I had to lean the bike to keep from getting blown over. Each time I would pass by a tree, a house, a truck, etc. that wind would suddenly disappear and I had to quickly adjust. I kept my cool and stayed loose on the handlebars. I think this was especially important because I didn't allow the wind to blow my body and then pull the handlebars. I kept my elbows loose, so that if the wind blew me I could travel in the same direction. The only time I was a little nervous was when I passed over a bridge. The wind which was pushing me away from the edge suddenly reversed course and pushed me toward the edge. During one part of my ride I ran parallel to the wind. I held my hand out and adjusted my speed so that I felt no wind hitting from the front or back. When I found the sweet spot, I was at 38 miles per hour. Winds were nuts!
2006 09-21 I haven't posted in a week, and a few things have happened this week that I wanted to write about. First, I had to use my "panic stop" practice that I learned in the MSF class. Here's what happened. I approached a 4-way stop with 2 lanes in all directions. There was one car approaching from the left and two from the right. However, I was the first to stop out of all traffic. I started to travel across the intersection, watching that all the other traffic was going to come to a stop, which all cars did. As I approached the cars to my right, the car closest to the curb suddenly jetted out. When I looked at the driver, she was not even looking into the intersection. She had come to a stop, and then just went ahead without looking to see if she could enter safely. I was prepared for this by covering my brakes and quickly came to a stop before striking the side of her vehicle. She noticed me right as she pulled in front, slammed on her brakes (which completely blocked my path) and then looked at me unapologetically. She decided she might as well go, so she just took off. Glad to be unharmed, I continued my ride home.
The second event happened on the freeway. Now that I have my license, I am traveling on the freeway to get to and from work at lunchtime. Coming back from lunch yesterday I had to use my swerve practice that I also used in the MSF course. Here's what happened. I was traveling in the right lane of a two lane highway. A third lane was joining from the right, and my exit is about 1 mile after this join. At this section of the freeway the shoulder has been removed and replaced with white barriers because of road construction. I wanted to move into the right lane, but only when it was safe to do so. I waited until the cars that were merging had sufficient time to figure out what they were going to do, and then moved into the right lane. Suddenly the truck which was about 4 seconds ahead of me meanders into the next lane, straddling the 2nd and 3rd lanes. Watching him, I discovered what he was doing--there was a huge truck retread in the lane that he was trying to avoid. The retread took almost the entire lane, and was not laying down nicely but rather was twisted and curled up. I was forced to swerve toward the white barrier and was able to successfully navigate the swerve without striking the barrier.
I'm glad I took the MSF course and had practiced these maneuvers!
2006 10-07 Today we took the kids to Joan's Farm and Pumpkin Patch in Livermore, CA. I rode my motorcycle there and back. I had a great ride today. Successfully navigating the twisties through hills gives me a great feeling. I rode there alone since Kris ran to San Ramon to pick up her mother. After running around the pumpkin patch with the kids I was getting a little tired. I stopped by Subway to get dinner and recharge, which helped a lot. I hopped on the 580 freeway to go home. I decided to take the freeway for several reasons. First, I wanted to get home quickly. Second, I wanted to see how the motorcycle would perform on the freeway. Third, it wasn't very busy on the freeway, which would give me freeway practice without the intimidation. Finally, it was still light out, and the sun was behind me, which meant that I wouldn't have trouble with my own visibility on the road. The bike performed beautifully at freeway speeds. I was able to easily keep up with traffic even while going up the Altamont Pass. Freeway riding, while different than street riding, was almost easier. I didn't have to worry about parked cars or intersections. I moved into the second lane and stayed with the flow of traffic. In that lane I didn't have to content with the big rigs, which I often have to deal with when riding around town.
2006 10-09 I was riding in town the other day and I happened to come across another rider. He dominated the middle of the lane, and I kept my distance from him. We were both riding at a good speed, when he suddenly brakes for no apparent reason, halfway through an intersection. I quickly caught up to him and had to brake myself. Then he cocks his head full left, and full right, looking down the street.
I'm thinking, "he couldn't have just braked because he reached an intersection, could he?" Turns out he braked at EVERY intersection, and turned his head to look down every street. He didn't stop, but slowed to about 20mph in a 45mph zone. Most of the time he was looking down the street after he had passed the intersection(which seems pointless to me, as he had already passed any danger from vehicles not stopping at a stop sign).
I realize that other riders are at different skill levels. Maybe he has been burned before by not looking down an intersection. But he was slowing to the point where it affected my ability to ride as the cage drivers approaching swerved around him to avoid his antics. If the cage drivers weren't around, I probably would have passed him.
What would you have done? Would you have remained "respectful" and stayed behind him? Or would you have gotten out of his way leaving him to deal with the cars? If I had the chance, I would have left him.
2006 10-31 Halloween. Today I decided to ride my bike to Brentwood to meet Kris, the kids, and some friends for Halloween. The ride took about 45 minutes, and I left after work at about 4:45. Several things happened which made this a poor decision. I was trying to meet my wife and then come home before it got dark. Unfortunately I forgot about the recent Daylight Savings Time change, and the sun set half way through my ride. At that point, I could have come home to get my car but I didn't want to miss the kid's Halloween. So I pressed on. I was unfamiliar with the terrain, the ride, and the directions. I had to stop every few turns and re-read the directions and map that I had printed. Once I got to the friends house, Kris was pretty upset that I had ridden all the way up there. She was spending the night, so we decided that I would be spending the night too, to avoid riding on Halloween any more. That was a good decision. Unfortunately, that meant I would be getting up early to make home in time to shower, change, and get to work. Early was bad because I was entirely unprepared for the cold weather the next morning. My mesh jacket lets air right through, and my jeans do little to protect me from the elements. By the end of the ride I could hardly move my fingers and hands, the cold bit at my neck under the helmet. I was hypothermic by the time I got home. The cool water in the shower felt like it was scalding my body and I had to warm up slowly. I should have just come home and got my car rather than trying to rush on the motorcycle.
2006 11-28 It's getting pretty cold and wet around here. I'm still able to ride, but the sun sets pretty early and gets dark by the time I leave work. I am reasonably comfortable riding at night, but the loose gravel on the road catches me every once in a while. The other night I was starting from a stop sign to a right turn when I hit a patch of gravel. The rear of the bike kicked out from behind me. I was able to recover without putting my foot down, but the bike did "snap" when I gained traction. My headlights didn't illuminate the road because I was turning.
2006 11-28 I was reading a tutorial on how to turn digital pictures into infrared pictures using Photoshop. I use Corel Photo Paint, but the technique was almost identical. I transformed a color photo of my motorcycle into this. I like!
20072007 01-10 I have been riding in the cold and damp days of December and January. During the first rains the roads were very slick. I also am finding that drivers bring mud onto the road when they steer off the road, like at a turn that they cut too close. I have to be careful of the mud because I have lost traction more than once.
I brought my bike in for the 6000 mile service. The service was more expensive than I had hoped, but the motorcycle is performing well since the service. They adjusted the valves, changed the oil, and replaced the drive belt. While I was at the store, I picked up a pair of riding pants. I purchased a pair that I could wear over my clothes. They have a zip-out liner so I can keep wearing them all year round. They keep me very warm, and I feel much better having more protection. I have three complaints about the pants:
I'm definitely much happier wearing them than not so I will continue to wear the pants. I also was given a face mask of sorts called a Gator. Face protection is essential when the weather turns cold. The cold wind can give you hypothermia, and besides, it feels like someone is stabbing my neck when the cold winds hit. With the Gator, my skin is covered from my eyes down to my neck. Kris gave me a Land's End jacket to help keep me warm when riding. The jacket is completely sealed from wind and I wear it as a layer underneath my mesh jacket as a liner. The jacket works perfectly! I don't feel any wind or cold when riding with the jacket as protection, so I won't purchase a separate winter jacket with a liner. It will eventually start raining here in California and I'll stop riding when it does. People at work think I'm nuts for riding when it's so cold outside (30's-40's in the morning). With adequate protection, the ride has been very pleasurable! 2007 04-12
I fell. Dumped the bike. Low speed, low side. Not happy. I was riding in a parking lot getting ready to turn into the parking stall. I locked up the front tire while slowing down. Bike was upright and I was not yet in the turn. Turns out this parking lot had been painted, or tarred, or somehow covered with some sort of smooth black material. When I examined the surface up close (because I was on the ground) I couldn't see anything that a vehicle could grip to if it lost traction. I was wearing all my gear and touched down on my shoulder and my hip. My foot was under the bike. I managed to not get hurt, though. I have been driving my car to this parking lot weekly for over 2 years without incident. Five minutes earlier I had correctly predicted a driver running a red light in front of me. I was able to see the driver running before it happened, and refused to enter the intersection. Felt pretty good about my prediction and action. Then I get to a parking lot and dump my bike. *sigh* Lesson learned--not all road surfaces are the same. The same braking technique that works great on the asphalt doesn't necessarily work the same everywhere. I don't think I grabbed the brake especially hard, so I have to be more aware of the road surface and adjust my braking to accommodate. Here's the discussion I started on the motorcycle safety board. 20082008 07-19 I have been riding for over two years now even though I haven't posted in a while. I am still riding and loving the Aprila Atlantic 500. I "joined" the Bay Area Maxi Riders group, which goes on group rides monthly. I went on the ride to Sonora in April, which was excellent, but haven't been on another group ride until today. Eleven of us from the group rode to Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz is a good distance from Tracy. We took many roads including Skyline Blvd (Highway 35), Highway 9, Highway 84, and Highway 1. I had a great time on the ride which totaled about 263 miles. We did stop often for breaks, but I am still a little sore.
Here's a map of my route today. Coming from Tracy added considerably to the ride (about 125 miles).
 2008-07-19 Route for the Santa Cruz Ride with the Bay Area Maxi Riders club
I noticed today that my tires are completely bald. I put new tires in the front about 2000 miles ago, and the back still had plenty of tread that made me decide to not replace the tire. I'm not sure what happened between the last service and today to completely wipe out the tires. I will need to have a talk with the dealer to try to understand why the tire didn't last even 3000 miles. I would expect to get about 8000-9000 miles on the tires.
I hit 13,000 miles on the odometer today. Looking back to when I bought the bike it had 2700 miles on it. In two years I've put on 10,300 miles on the scooter. Not bad, considering that I use it as my commute vehicle year-round. I've given up driving my 1996 Honda Accord unless I have to (take the kids somewhere, go shopping for something that won't fit on the bike, weather, etc.).
Check out the pictures from the ride!
2008 09-04 My tires were beyond worn. Actually, there was no more tread left on the back tire, and the front tire had very little left. I had been trying to push off getting new tires until my next service. I schedule the service, but the shop had a fire in the service area and won't be able to see me for another four weeks.
I posted above that I didn't get 3000 miles on the tire, but that's not accurate. I changed the tires last summer, so I was able to get over 5000 miles on the front tire. I didn't change the rear tire at the time, so I was able to get more than that on the rear. Time flies when you are having fun! I didn't even realize it had been so long.
The tires were in such bad condition that I could see the steel belts in one small patch. The rear tire kept going flat and the bike would be very "loose" doing a fair amount of weaving.
I took the motorcycle to a local shop since the dealer couldn't see me. Both tires were replaced today. I got on the bike, and could BARELY RIDE. The handling and control was completely different and I wasn't used to it at all. I almost dumped the bike in the lot. I rode very slowly and carefully back to work, but I felt uncomfortable more than once on the trip back. I'm wondering if the tires are over or under inflated. The handling was so completely different I felt a good wind could have knocked me over.
2008 09-05 I took the bike to the gas station this morning to check the tire pressure. The manufacturer recommends 32 P.S.I. in the front and 38 P.S.I. in the back when riding doubled up. Since I'm pretty heavy and ride with a 30lb backpack, I normally keep the tires inflated to this level. When I checked the pressure on the tires from the repair shop, I discovered they were inflated to almost 60 P.S.I.! I know this guy is not a scooter dealer and did not know the proper pressure, but overinflating like that was seriously dangerous. I almost dumped the bike because the handling was so completely wrong. After deflating the tires and rechecking the pressure the bike handled beautifully. It was much more like I remembered, but now is much more "flickable". A quick press on the bar and the bike is moving!
I also wanted to post some positive feedback about the tire change. Now that I am settling down and learning the new handling I noticed one really cool thing--the bike no longer responds to minor grooves in the road. It used to "stand to attention" whenever I ran over a groove. The bike would wander or snap when riding along a crack, a groove, or even just a line of paint. The new tires completely miss all of this. Talk about cool!
I did end up buying one of the more expensive tires, which might help account for this better road performance. These tires were meant for a Suzuki Bergman. I'll have to make sure to buy these same tires next time. It was seriously a pain riding around the grooves in the road. They seem to be everywhere around here!
2009 07-08 I realized today that I've been riding safely now for three years. I've only had the one parking lot fall incident in those three years, and very few "close calls". I do ride within my abilities and always want to make it home so riding safely is very important to me.
What better way to celebrate my riding anniversary than with motorcycle trouble? On the 6th my motorcycle wouldn't start on my ride home from work. There were no indicators on the dash so I thought that the battery died, but then when I turned off the key the instrament panel lit up and displayed "U_03". I searched online and found very few postings about this error. One said the battery had died. I charged the battery but the same behavior continued and I got worried. Not only was my bike stuck at work, but the dealer didn't have a clue what was wrong. I took a chance and bought a new battery. After filling the sealed battery with acid, I hooked up the terminals and everything started working. I think that the new battery is going to solve the problem. I'll know in a few hours after it's done charging.
|
| Contact Us | Login | | Web Site Feedback | Geoff-n-Kris.com |