I don't remember an exact date or time of when I started falling in love with motorcycles but I do remember vividly those first "baby steps" of learning to ride and the eagerness to grow that knowledge and increase my abilities exponentially. Those first few years were about devotion to be better and know more. I studied everything from motorcycle technique to advances in technology to details in riding gear. I probably had a better understanding of new products and innovations in the 2-wheel industry than many insiders. In short, it was about total submersion for me. I simply couldn't get enough.
Circa 2004 I had made friends with a couple of guys (full-time airline pilots, part-time amateur road racers) who took the bold leap into trying their hands at turning their part-time passion into a career. They opened a retail store/motorcycle shop dedicated to repair, gear & accessory sales and road racer support. I spent a lot of time at that shop but I knew from the beginning that the business was doomed. I don't think it would have taken most people much outside perspective to see these guys, although really good guys, had any clue what it took to run a successful business. I remember hanging out there just to absorb as much of their knowledge as I could. I think we all have this idea in the back of our heads that somehow being physically around motorcycles we learn more about them through some sort of osmosis. I still subscribe to this theory even if it ever would be disproven.
These 2 gentlemen lacked one important element to their business model; their information was old and dated. They had made the transition from street rider to road racer years prior and completely lost touch with what was happening in the industry outside of the racetrack. They couldn't speak to their customers about new products on the market or current trends. At the time I didn't understand how a person can be passionate and knowledgeable about motorcycling and not pay attention to the latest in gear, technology, models, etc. For me it was part of the whole. Isn't the most exciting stuff the new stuff? Ten years later, I am starting to better understand it.
Teaching new riders I get a snapshot of the eagerness that I had early in my riding days. They have that hunger for knowledge and are still in the total submersion phase of their new found passion. Compared to them I sometimes feel that I am now in the "out of touch" phase that my road racer friends where in 10 years prior. It's okay, I sometimes get the opportunity to learn through my students about new innovations and what the latest gear is. If anything it sparks some really good discussion in the class. So what has changed with me? Well, two things have changed; time and interest.
My life has progressed to the point that I simply don't have the time for total submersion any more. Spending the bulk of my time in online forums, at bike nights, roaming dealership sales floors, subscribing to every relevant periodical I can find and seeking out new instructional classes and techniques isn't an option for me. Don't be confused here, I still do all of these things but I have to do it on a much smaller scale these days. When you have less time to dedicate to a task you start prioritizing which means you pick what you identify as the most relevant or important and concentrate on that first. I don't need to know everything, I need to know the important things like; what will increase my skills, what will keep me safer while riding, what are the new technologies as a whole and how is it relevant to motorcycling today. Example; I realized that there are a myriad of motorcycling periodicals out there that pretty much say the same things about the same things so I pick the ones that I trust or seem to be more accurate and stick with those. Instead of reading a dozen or so magazines, now I read about 3-4 regularly.
As I have explored various avenues of riding and motorcycles over the years I now focus on a couple of key categories that interest me the most. Admittedly, I spy on other stuff just to keep a finger on the pulse of what is going on but I don't put too much effort into it. For example, I know that Triumph currently makes about 3 variations of adventure bikes but I couldn't tell you any of their specs, capabilities or how they rank with their competition. I concentrate more on improving my street riding skills now versus my road racing skills because that's where I spend more of my time. I have opinions on most brands of riding gear but I will tell you my opinion is largely based on information that I collected in the past and may not necessarily hold true now. I skim the magazines and read the articles that spark my interest but I will almost certainly look over the review of the new dirt bike because I don't ride off road. My interests direct my attention now whereas early on everything had my attention.
My experiences may not hold true to some of the "brand centric" motorcyclists out there. In some cases we fall in love with the brand moreso than the actual bike. However, if you are anything like me and eh hem, "geek out" on anything with two wheels than you likely know exactly where I'm coming from. It doesn't mean I like or dislike riding or motorcycles any more or less than before. I think of it as this; I am now more focused on what is important at this stage of the game. Because of that focus I can concentrate on the key areas that will improve my skills and abilities where I need it most.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
To Helmet or Not To Helmet? Is that the Question?
It seems as if the helmet topic comes up often when I'm speaking with people about motorcycling. Maybe more-so in my geographical area because I live in Missouri where the state law requires us to wear a DOT approved helmet when riding however just a few miles away in Illinois there is no helmet law. Until recently my feelings on the matter where callous because I make the decision to wear a helmet regardless of political or legal standings. I say, "until recently" because my thoughts on wearing a helmet remain unchanged however my view on the law is starting to evolve.
You cannot dispute that wearing a helmet increases your level of safety. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), "helmets saved the lives of 1,617 motorcyclists in 2011 and that 703 more lives in all states could have been saved if all motorcyclists had worn helmets." Additionally, "helmets are estimated to be 37% effective in preventing fatal injuries to riders and 41% for passengers." (http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811765.pdf). I can go into greater detail but you get the idea. Bottom line is they work.
The purpose of this post isn't to advocate for or against wearing a helmet but rather to view the purpose of the law requiring them. I teach new riders that riding a motorcycle is a risky endeavor and they have to decide what level of risk they are willing to accept. This includes everything from how and when they ride too where they ride, who they ride with and what type or level of gear they choose to wear when they ride. As adult riders we take responsibility for ourselves and/or how much risk we choose to take when riding.
Admittedly, it is a bit of a pet peeve of mine when laws are passed to protect us from ourselves. With kids I feel it's a different story. Sometimes the law has to step in to help certain people make good parenting decisions. As an adult, I have to believe that other able-minded adults understand gravity of their decisions and the level of risk they choose to accept.
So...Does there need to be a helmet law? I don't know. I do know that every piece of gear I put on decreases the severity of my injuries and can potentially save my life in the event of a crash. I know that I am about 40% more likely to survive a crash with my helmet on. I choose to educate myself and others on the importance of protective gear and riding safely in effort increase everyone's level of awareness. These are my choices. Others may choose a different path and regardless of where that path takes them I have to believe they are prepared to take responsibility for their actions before they ride. As American's we have freedom to make our own choices but we definitely need to be prepared for the results. Frankly, if you're not prepared for the end result then you are simply not making good choices.
For me it's a matter of defining where the line should be drawn. At what point do we start taking responsibilities for ourselves and stop letting others make decisions for us? I don't agree with riding without a helmet; for me, it just doesn't make sense, I don't get it. I do, however, support preserving our freedom as individuals to make our own choices. We need to be held accountable for ourselves.
You cannot dispute that wearing a helmet increases your level of safety. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), "helmets saved the lives of 1,617 motorcyclists in 2011 and that 703 more lives in all states could have been saved if all motorcyclists had worn helmets." Additionally, "helmets are estimated to be 37% effective in preventing fatal injuries to riders and 41% for passengers." (http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811765.pdf). I can go into greater detail but you get the idea. Bottom line is they work.
The purpose of this post isn't to advocate for or against wearing a helmet but rather to view the purpose of the law requiring them. I teach new riders that riding a motorcycle is a risky endeavor and they have to decide what level of risk they are willing to accept. This includes everything from how and when they ride too where they ride, who they ride with and what type or level of gear they choose to wear when they ride. As adult riders we take responsibility for ourselves and/or how much risk we choose to take when riding.
Admittedly, it is a bit of a pet peeve of mine when laws are passed to protect us from ourselves. With kids I feel it's a different story. Sometimes the law has to step in to help certain people make good parenting decisions. As an adult, I have to believe that other able-minded adults understand gravity of their decisions and the level of risk they choose to accept.
So...Does there need to be a helmet law? I don't know. I do know that every piece of gear I put on decreases the severity of my injuries and can potentially save my life in the event of a crash. I know that I am about 40% more likely to survive a crash with my helmet on. I choose to educate myself and others on the importance of protective gear and riding safely in effort increase everyone's level of awareness. These are my choices. Others may choose a different path and regardless of where that path takes them I have to believe they are prepared to take responsibility for their actions before they ride. As American's we have freedom to make our own choices but we definitely need to be prepared for the results. Frankly, if you're not prepared for the end result then you are simply not making good choices.
For me it's a matter of defining where the line should be drawn. At what point do we start taking responsibilities for ourselves and stop letting others make decisions for us? I don't agree with riding without a helmet; for me, it just doesn't make sense, I don't get it. I do, however, support preserving our freedom as individuals to make our own choices. We need to be held accountable for ourselves.
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Practicalish
First, I have to apologize for allowing so much time to lapse between posts. My mantra in regards to this blog is, "no entry without purpose." Not that I haven't had something to say but just not enough time to put it to words.
Well, I finally did it. I sold the 998 and bought an ST4 about month or so ago. At 37 years old I have made the plunge from Superbike to Sport Tourer. So, how do I feel about it? Not sure yet. Let's just say it's growing on me.
The purchase was filled with emotion and a lot of research although in hindsight maybe I should have done more. Changing my motorcycle is a big deal for me and, like I already stated, an emotional one. In the beginning I felt as if I was selling my Porsche 911 to buy a Dodge Caravan. Many people have and will challenge that analogy but it really is a true representation of what was going through my head at the time. Ugh, sacrifices! The things that you have to do but you don't really want to in effort to be more practical.
Back to the bike. I chose the Ducati ST4 for several reasons namely; it's a Ducati which is a brand I love, right now the used market has these at a tremendous value and it hit all the check marks on my list (performance oriented, has luggage, comfortable enough to spend long stints in the saddle). My initial research turned up many rider reviews that said, "this bike is more sport than tourer." My thought, "Yeah right. That's what people try to tell themselves when they are in the market for an 'old man' bike." Upon further discovery I found this was actually true. Ducati basically took a 916/996 and engineered it into a more upright and comfortable ride. With that said, in stock trim this is by far the most uncomfortable Sport Tourer ever made. The riding position isn't much different than my 998 so aftermarket items like handlebar risers and a more comfortable seat is a must.
I looked at several within about a 5 hr drive of my home on a myriad of used motorcycle sales forums and got lucky by finding this one just 25 miles from my house. It had the aftermarket seat & handlebar risers I wanted and also the Ducati factory luggage. These are items that, if purchased ex post facto, can be really expensive and sometimes nearly impossible to find. I negotiated what I felt was a fair price with the seller and made the purchase.
So how do I feel about my purchase/bike change? At first, reluctant & sad. Sometimes I have students in my Basic Rider classes that first buy their bike and then take the class. They are almost always apologetic as if I am going to judge them negatively for buying the motorcycle first or buying something that isn't the best "first bike". My opinion is that you should ride what drives your passion, what you like, whatever gets you excited. Every time I looked at my 998 I felt that excitement and passion. For me, it was the coolest and sexiest motorcycle on the planet. I was afraid of losing that. After I purchased the ST4 and got my first indepth look into things I became disenchanted with it. Long story short, I found a couple of surprises when I removed the fairings. Nothing big but a few little things that put me off. Then, my continued research found some other nuances about these bikes plus, I began to have some issues with it randomly stalling on me. I began to replay the series of events in my head that lead up to the purchase and started to wonder if I had made too hasty of a decision.
After several weeks of ownership, several hundred miles of riding, more research into the aforementioned nuances and what I believe is the remedy to my stalling issue I feel much better about things. It appears as if the stalling issue was due to a faulty fuel pump relay which was an easy and inexpensive fix. I took some time last weekend and went for a joy ride by myself; something I haven't done in a really long time. I think this was exactly what I needed, just me and the bike. It handles terrifically, has enough storage to haul anything I could possibly need and it's a lot more comfortable than my 998. There are still a few things that I would like to address and I will as money and time allows but overall, I am happy with my decision now. Still not #1 on the my list of bikes that drive my passion but a really good combination of form & function. If I can't own several bikes then this is the perfect bike for me.
Well, I finally did it. I sold the 998 and bought an ST4 about month or so ago. At 37 years old I have made the plunge from Superbike to Sport Tourer. So, how do I feel about it? Not sure yet. Let's just say it's growing on me.
The purchase was filled with emotion and a lot of research although in hindsight maybe I should have done more. Changing my motorcycle is a big deal for me and, like I already stated, an emotional one. In the beginning I felt as if I was selling my Porsche 911 to buy a Dodge Caravan. Many people have and will challenge that analogy but it really is a true representation of what was going through my head at the time. Ugh, sacrifices! The things that you have to do but you don't really want to in effort to be more practical.
Back to the bike. I chose the Ducati ST4 for several reasons namely; it's a Ducati which is a brand I love, right now the used market has these at a tremendous value and it hit all the check marks on my list (performance oriented, has luggage, comfortable enough to spend long stints in the saddle). My initial research turned up many rider reviews that said, "this bike is more sport than tourer." My thought, "Yeah right. That's what people try to tell themselves when they are in the market for an 'old man' bike." Upon further discovery I found this was actually true. Ducati basically took a 916/996 and engineered it into a more upright and comfortable ride. With that said, in stock trim this is by far the most uncomfortable Sport Tourer ever made. The riding position isn't much different than my 998 so aftermarket items like handlebar risers and a more comfortable seat is a must.
I looked at several within about a 5 hr drive of my home on a myriad of used motorcycle sales forums and got lucky by finding this one just 25 miles from my house. It had the aftermarket seat & handlebar risers I wanted and also the Ducati factory luggage. These are items that, if purchased ex post facto, can be really expensive and sometimes nearly impossible to find. I negotiated what I felt was a fair price with the seller and made the purchase.
So how do I feel about my purchase/bike change? At first, reluctant & sad. Sometimes I have students in my Basic Rider classes that first buy their bike and then take the class. They are almost always apologetic as if I am going to judge them negatively for buying the motorcycle first or buying something that isn't the best "first bike". My opinion is that you should ride what drives your passion, what you like, whatever gets you excited. Every time I looked at my 998 I felt that excitement and passion. For me, it was the coolest and sexiest motorcycle on the planet. I was afraid of losing that. After I purchased the ST4 and got my first indepth look into things I became disenchanted with it. Long story short, I found a couple of surprises when I removed the fairings. Nothing big but a few little things that put me off. Then, my continued research found some other nuances about these bikes plus, I began to have some issues with it randomly stalling on me. I began to replay the series of events in my head that lead up to the purchase and started to wonder if I had made too hasty of a decision.
After several weeks of ownership, several hundred miles of riding, more research into the aforementioned nuances and what I believe is the remedy to my stalling issue I feel much better about things. It appears as if the stalling issue was due to a faulty fuel pump relay which was an easy and inexpensive fix. I took some time last weekend and went for a joy ride by myself; something I haven't done in a really long time. I think this was exactly what I needed, just me and the bike. It handles terrifically, has enough storage to haul anything I could possibly need and it's a lot more comfortable than my 998. There are still a few things that I would like to address and I will as money and time allows but overall, I am happy with my decision now. Still not #1 on the my list of bikes that drive my passion but a really good combination of form & function. If I can't own several bikes then this is the perfect bike for me.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Motorcycles Are Cool...Again.
I don't typically read Rolling Stone magazine but I happened to pick up a past issue today from last October that someone graciously left in a common area at work. Upon my peruse was a brief article (below) about how motorcycle's are now considered, "the most on-trend mode of dude transportation." I wrote before about the surge in popularity of vintage motorcycles which is apparently now considered a must-have in hipster culture. The last poplularity boost in our sport was the chopper craze which one can argue if that helped or hindered us. Personally, I feel the more people that get involved with motorcycles, the better; even if it is a fly-by-night interest.
Say what you want about hipsters and their culture; I only see the positives in this trend.
A couple of notes about the article.
Say what you want about hipsters and their culture; I only see the positives in this trend.
- More people interested in motorcycles means more moto-concious drivers.
- Motorcycles trending equates to higher resale values on used bikes (great if you're selling).
- Great used inventory when the trend is over (great if you're buying).
- A larger gear & apparel selection.
- Increased revenue for dealerships (especially mom & pop shops) giving them increased sustainability.
- Bike Nights and motorcycle-centric festivities.
- Love that Motto Guzzi. Looks like a V7 which is a cool little bike,.
- Arun Sharma is the GM of MotoCorsa (www.motocorsa.com) in Portland, Oregon. A awesome dealer that I hope to visit someday soon. You may already be familiar with some of their work such as the seDUCATIve vs. MANigale calender or the 1199 Terracorsa. Google either or both if you're not.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Anxious in the Winter
Some winters I pack my bike up and pretty much forget about riding until the weather warms up again, other winters I spend time in the garage working on whatever adjustments or preventative maintenance I deem necessary. This winter however, has been a hubbub of motorcycling activity for me which has resulted in a desire to ride more than I have had in a long time.
It started with my son, Aiden, receiving his first real motorcycle for
Christmas courtesy of his godfather (my brother). Sure he's a little
young at 3 but these days you have to start young if you are going to be
good or great at something. For the first time in a long time I
actually got to go shopping for new gear; not a thing I get to do much
anymore since funds are limited and replacement gear only comes on an
"as needed" basis. I have to admit it was fun buying gear on miniature
scale.Fresh off of the dirtbike buzz from Christmas it just happened that the Nuclear Cowbowz traveling freestyle motorcross show came in to town so we had to go to that! My first (along with Aiden's) experience seeing freestyle motorcross live and it was awesome! It was a culmination of pyrotechnics, lasers, motorcycles, guys doing marshal arts and even a handful of scantily clad women. What else do you need in a live performance, really.
Lastly, I've been catching Orange County Choppers on CMT every week. The show is shit but hey, it's motorcycles so I'm in. Also, I have been watching the series Long Way Round & Long Way Down on Netflix which is pretty good. If you haven't watched it here's the synopsis; Ewan McGregor and his buddy hop on some BMW GS's and ride really far for 3-4 months going through some really interesting places. (www.longwayround.com)
I have been remembering what I love of about motorcycling; going places off the beaten path, being alone with my thoughts, having good times with good friends and escaping the realities of life for a while. If you are not careful life will consume you and if you don't take a break once in a while I believe you will become the worst version of yourself. For me, motorcycling is/was my escape, my breather from the confines of reality. It helps me keep things in perspective and focus on what's important so I don't let the many burden's eat away at the real me. I'm not much for New Year's resolutions but I think I will resolve to actually ride for fun and for me this year.
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Funny because it's true! Well, mostly.
This Twitter pole conducted by visordown.com is great. In their comprehensive list of motorcycling fashion faux-pas there is definitely a gamut of emotion-evoked responses going on in my head including; "What's wrong with that?", "Oh, they got that one right!" and "People actually do that?" Enjoy.
http://www.visordown.com/features/every-motorcycle-fashion-faux-pas-ever/20460.html
http://www.visordown.com/features/every-motorcycle-fashion-faux-pas-ever/20460.html
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Where's the Value?
An interesting evolution has taken place over the past decade in the motorcycle industry. Ten years ago Japanese motorcycles where by far the best "bang-for-the-buck" in nearly any category. They offered cutting-edge technology, performance and reliability for a relatively small amount of money. Example: I purchased my 2003 Yamaha R1 in the spring of 2004 as a left over new stock for $9,300. 150hp, 77.4 lb ft of torque, fuel injection and a dry weight of 384 lbs. Specs that are impressive and still relevant now.
At that time, in the superbike category, you could step up to a Ducati 998 or 999 with similar specs but higher quality components, lower production numbers and higher maintenance costs for around $17k. Bottomline was the European competitor to my R1 was nearly double the purchase price and more expensive to maintain but I could ride around knowing I had something special and unique. Taking a similar approach to the power cruiser category look at the 2003 Yamaha VMax ($11k) vs. the Harley V-Rod ($18k); similar specs however the Harley was a third the price more to purchase.
The price difference between European/American made motorcycles versus their Japanese competitors was considerable and the Japanese had a leg up on their competition in regards to technology and reliability. Now, let's fast-forward 10 years to 2013. The price of a new Yamaha R1 is $14.5k and a Ducati 1199 Panigale is $18k. A new Yamaha VMax retails for $18k and the Harley V-Rod Muscle retails for about $16k. In addition to the price disparity, European and American made motorcycles have stepped up their game in regards to product reliability and technological advances to the point where they are on par with or better than the Japanese competitors. In addition, if you check resale values you will likely find that U.S. & Euro bikes hold their values better and longer than the Japanese do. So, what happened?
Some say the impact of the world economy circa 2008 played a role by throwing the exchange rates off. A friend of mine that works in the industry believes that the Japanese got complacent and significantly scaled back their R&D efforts while the U.S. & Europe manufactures invested more in R&D. I remember reading and article several years ago that Yamaha was going to drastically reduce production numbers and move toward selling fewer bikes at higher profit margins. Regardless, if you are in the market to purchase a new bike going U.S. or European just makes more sense now.
I maintain that I am a fan of motorcycles regardless of make but if I can get better product or simply get a comparable product but it will be unique plus retain its value better well, I'm all over it!
Sources:
http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/yamaha_yzf-r1_2013.php
http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/yamaha_yzf-r1_2003.php
http://www.motorcycle.com/shoot-outs/2003-harley-vrod-vs-modified-yamaha-warrior-15098.html
http://www.ducatiusa.com/bikes/superbike/1199_panigale/index.do
http://www.starmotorcycles.com/star/products/modelspecs/23/1/specs.aspx
http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US/Motorcycles/v-rod-muscle.html?locale=en_US&bmLocale=en_US&source_cd=SEM_Retention_Motorcycles_V-Rod_Muscle&_cr=ppc|Google|Int_Retention_V-Rod|{harley%2Bv-rod%2Bmuscle}&version=desktop#!specs
At that time, in the superbike category, you could step up to a Ducati 998 or 999 with similar specs but higher quality components, lower production numbers and higher maintenance costs for around $17k. Bottomline was the European competitor to my R1 was nearly double the purchase price and more expensive to maintain but I could ride around knowing I had something special and unique. Taking a similar approach to the power cruiser category look at the 2003 Yamaha VMax ($11k) vs. the Harley V-Rod ($18k); similar specs however the Harley was a third the price more to purchase.
The price difference between European/American made motorcycles versus their Japanese competitors was considerable and the Japanese had a leg up on their competition in regards to technology and reliability. Now, let's fast-forward 10 years to 2013. The price of a new Yamaha R1 is $14.5k and a Ducati 1199 Panigale is $18k. A new Yamaha VMax retails for $18k and the Harley V-Rod Muscle retails for about $16k. In addition to the price disparity, European and American made motorcycles have stepped up their game in regards to product reliability and technological advances to the point where they are on par with or better than the Japanese competitors. In addition, if you check resale values you will likely find that U.S. & Euro bikes hold their values better and longer than the Japanese do. So, what happened?
Some say the impact of the world economy circa 2008 played a role by throwing the exchange rates off. A friend of mine that works in the industry believes that the Japanese got complacent and significantly scaled back their R&D efforts while the U.S. & Europe manufactures invested more in R&D. I remember reading and article several years ago that Yamaha was going to drastically reduce production numbers and move toward selling fewer bikes at higher profit margins. Regardless, if you are in the market to purchase a new bike going U.S. or European just makes more sense now.
I maintain that I am a fan of motorcycles regardless of make but if I can get better product or simply get a comparable product but it will be unique plus retain its value better well, I'm all over it!
Sources:
http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/yamaha_yzf-r1_2013.php
http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/yamaha_yzf-r1_2003.php
http://www.motorcycle.com/shoot-outs/2003-harley-vrod-vs-modified-yamaha-warrior-15098.html
http://www.ducatiusa.com/bikes/superbike/1199_panigale/index.do
http://www.starmotorcycles.com/star/products/modelspecs/23/1/specs.aspx
http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US/Motorcycles/v-rod-muscle.html?locale=en_US&bmLocale=en_US&source_cd=SEM_Retention_Motorcycles_V-Rod_Muscle&_cr=ppc|Google|Int_Retention_V-Rod|{harley%2Bv-rod%2Bmuscle}&version=desktop#!specs
Thursday, September 19, 2013
The Idea of Owning/Riding
It's no secret that I am a bit of a motorcycle geek. In the past few years have transformed my view of varying types of motorcycles more-so than ever before. Between having children, getting older and having a lot fewer resources at my disposal I now have to look at practicality. That word in itself makes me cringe!
To the outside world (cagers) the words "practical" and "motorcycle" have no business being used together. They don't get it. Now, to my motorcycling friends, you are probably thinking, "What's not to 'get'?". My point is that in having to take a practical approach to motorcycling I have started to view them in an entirely different light. The problem here for me is that practical is not always synonymous with cool or fun and it's tough to find good compromises. Furthermore, I've come to realize that many fall in love with the idea of owning/riding a particular motorcycle but don't think things through entirely, myself included.
Case in point; a friend of mine, a non-motorcyclist, told me recently that he would like to own and ride a motorcycle. Frankly, I hear this so often from people that until they say some key words or phrases indicating they are serious I really don't give the conversation much merit. In this situation I was in a setting where there wasn't any more intriguing subject matter to be had so I decide to engage him. My response, "What did you have in mind?" He proceeds to tell me that he wants to basically spend peanuts and get a vintage bike, possibly British, that he could tinker on himself. My response, "Oh yeah, you and everyone else." Yes, this was an asinine response as I intended it to be to start my "coming to Jesus" conversation with him if he was serious about bringing his dream to reality.
The rest of the conversation with him included some key points such as; vintage bikes are popular now which means you can rarely buy them for peanuts anymore, they are also typically unreliable compared to modern motorcycles so you will be able to realize that dream of "tinkering" probably more than you care too, you don't know anything about motorcycles or general automotive repair so you will likely be paying somebody else to "tinker" on yours when things break and if you obtain the old British bike that you really want then you will need to invest in a whole set of tools specific to that bike because many old British bikes use the Whitworth system of measurement so your basic standard & metric wrenches and sockets will not fit. Before you judge me and think I was being an total a-hole to this guy let me explain. I promise I took more informative approach to conveying my points versus a condescending one. My goal was to simply bring awareness to his thoughts of motorcycle ownership and steer him in a better direction. My suggestion to him at the end of the convo was simply this; it would probably be better suited for him to pursue a 10 year-oldish Japanese motorcycle. These bikes are new enough that they are reliable but old enough that they can be obtained for minimal amounts of money, relatively speaking. First, buy this, find out if motorcycling is for you, discover what your comfort level is with doing your own maintenance, then pursue your dream of the vintage (perhaps British) motorcycle that you are envisioning.
A couple of years ago Suzuki completely redesigned their V-Strom adventure bike. They decided to make it a better road bike by making it less of an off-road bike because they found that 90% of adventure bike riders never leave paved roads. So, Why do people buy adventure bikes? Clearly, these bikes are designed and engineered in a way that can conquer almost any terrain. If you never leave paved roads there are certainly much better motorcycles out there. The answer is simple; generally speaking people like the idea of the "adventure" and ability to go wherever, whenever. They buy the motorcycle with visions of crossing creeks, riding through a foot of mud and going where no motorcycle has gone before. The reality is that 90% of the people that buy these bikes ride a solid 5 months out of the year, when it's dry and the temperature is between 60-90 degrees. The idea drives the purchase.
Even I, an experienced motorcyclist, get caught up in the idea of owning/riding a certain bike when I see it. At times I will go as far to convince myself that I can live without amenities like a respectable amount horsepower, comfort and reliability to get what I want because that bike is so cool! After a while reality sets in, the fog clears and I begin to start looking at the bigger picture of what owning that bike would really be like and I slowly come back down to earth. The solution is clear and easy, just own a lot of different types of bikes. Done and done! Now, I just need money and a large warehouse.
To the outside world (cagers) the words "practical" and "motorcycle" have no business being used together. They don't get it. Now, to my motorcycling friends, you are probably thinking, "What's not to 'get'?". My point is that in having to take a practical approach to motorcycling I have started to view them in an entirely different light. The problem here for me is that practical is not always synonymous with cool or fun and it's tough to find good compromises. Furthermore, I've come to realize that many fall in love with the idea of owning/riding a particular motorcycle but don't think things through entirely, myself included.
Case in point; a friend of mine, a non-motorcyclist, told me recently that he would like to own and ride a motorcycle. Frankly, I hear this so often from people that until they say some key words or phrases indicating they are serious I really don't give the conversation much merit. In this situation I was in a setting where there wasn't any more intriguing subject matter to be had so I decide to engage him. My response, "What did you have in mind?" He proceeds to tell me that he wants to basically spend peanuts and get a vintage bike, possibly British, that he could tinker on himself. My response, "Oh yeah, you and everyone else." Yes, this was an asinine response as I intended it to be to start my "coming to Jesus" conversation with him if he was serious about bringing his dream to reality.
The rest of the conversation with him included some key points such as; vintage bikes are popular now which means you can rarely buy them for peanuts anymore, they are also typically unreliable compared to modern motorcycles so you will be able to realize that dream of "tinkering" probably more than you care too, you don't know anything about motorcycles or general automotive repair so you will likely be paying somebody else to "tinker" on yours when things break and if you obtain the old British bike that you really want then you will need to invest in a whole set of tools specific to that bike because many old British bikes use the Whitworth system of measurement so your basic standard & metric wrenches and sockets will not fit. Before you judge me and think I was being an total a-hole to this guy let me explain. I promise I took more informative approach to conveying my points versus a condescending one. My goal was to simply bring awareness to his thoughts of motorcycle ownership and steer him in a better direction. My suggestion to him at the end of the convo was simply this; it would probably be better suited for him to pursue a 10 year-oldish Japanese motorcycle. These bikes are new enough that they are reliable but old enough that they can be obtained for minimal amounts of money, relatively speaking. First, buy this, find out if motorcycling is for you, discover what your comfort level is with doing your own maintenance, then pursue your dream of the vintage (perhaps British) motorcycle that you are envisioning.
A couple of years ago Suzuki completely redesigned their V-Strom adventure bike. They decided to make it a better road bike by making it less of an off-road bike because they found that 90% of adventure bike riders never leave paved roads. So, Why do people buy adventure bikes? Clearly, these bikes are designed and engineered in a way that can conquer almost any terrain. If you never leave paved roads there are certainly much better motorcycles out there. The answer is simple; generally speaking people like the idea of the "adventure" and ability to go wherever, whenever. They buy the motorcycle with visions of crossing creeks, riding through a foot of mud and going where no motorcycle has gone before. The reality is that 90% of the people that buy these bikes ride a solid 5 months out of the year, when it's dry and the temperature is between 60-90 degrees. The idea drives the purchase.
Even I, an experienced motorcyclist, get caught up in the idea of owning/riding a certain bike when I see it. At times I will go as far to convince myself that I can live without amenities like a respectable amount horsepower, comfort and reliability to get what I want because that bike is so cool! After a while reality sets in, the fog clears and I begin to start looking at the bigger picture of what owning that bike would really be like and I slowly come back down to earth. The solution is clear and easy, just own a lot of different types of bikes. Done and done! Now, I just need money and a large warehouse.
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Idiots on Motorcycles
Over the past week or so I have been inundated with conversation about the Streetfighterz, "Ride of the Century" due to it's prominence in the local press. For those of you who are not familiar, the Ride of the Century it is a large gathering of motorcyclists, prominently sportbikes arranged by a local stunt group called the Streetfighterz. Here's a link to one of many articles about it if you want to learn more.
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/dozens-arrested-by-police-during-weekend-motorcycle-rally-in-st/article_3c6d6e24-af0d-55a3-8b7f-c2492e5321f5.html
Many of my non-motorcyclists friends, coworkers & family have asked me about my take on this event and if I am/was a part of it. Instead of using this conversation starter as a jumping off point to voice my biased opinions I simply replied, "Based on what you know about me, do you think I took part in this event?" Commonly the answer was "No". I hope that the people that know me, motorcyclists or not, hold me in high enough regard to understand why the answer is "No."
I can preach about why I do not associate with this event but the reasons, i think, are obvious. It's the same reason I don't partake in poker runs that involve riding from bar to bar or riding for long distances fatigued and miserable for the sake of bragging to my friends about how many miles I can put on my bike in one stint. It's simply not a good idea. My opinion is that there are idiots on all types of motorcycles the only thing that differs is how they choose to express what type of idiot they are.
I ride for fun and because I enjoy it. Motorcycles are one of the single coolest sports, hobbies, passions that a person could have. It bothers me when people put something that gives me so much joy in a negative light. As a motorcyclist I feel I have a constant battle with public opinion about negative motorcyclist's behavior and it's my job to try and change it. I love seeing people on 2 wheels and I enjoy teaching classes to get more people on motorcycles because I want to share this joy with them. It's a little dangerous but with good decision making and education the danger is drastically minimized.
One last thought. There are a lot of good motorcyclists that chose to take part in the ROC this past weekend that have gone on record accusing the police of profiling them. For them I will share a quote from my late mother, "Birds of a feather, flock together." You understood what you were getting yourself into before you decided to partake in it. If you do not like the negative attention then maybe next year you will choose not to support it. Unfortunately, there are a lot of idiots on motorcycles; they come in all guises. It's our job as responsible motorcyclists to try and reverse the negative perception that so many of our counterparts like to exploit.
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/dozens-arrested-by-police-during-weekend-motorcycle-rally-in-st/article_3c6d6e24-af0d-55a3-8b7f-c2492e5321f5.html
Many of my non-motorcyclists friends, coworkers & family have asked me about my take on this event and if I am/was a part of it. Instead of using this conversation starter as a jumping off point to voice my biased opinions I simply replied, "Based on what you know about me, do you think I took part in this event?" Commonly the answer was "No". I hope that the people that know me, motorcyclists or not, hold me in high enough regard to understand why the answer is "No."
I can preach about why I do not associate with this event but the reasons, i think, are obvious. It's the same reason I don't partake in poker runs that involve riding from bar to bar or riding for long distances fatigued and miserable for the sake of bragging to my friends about how many miles I can put on my bike in one stint. It's simply not a good idea. My opinion is that there are idiots on all types of motorcycles the only thing that differs is how they choose to express what type of idiot they are.
I ride for fun and because I enjoy it. Motorcycles are one of the single coolest sports, hobbies, passions that a person could have. It bothers me when people put something that gives me so much joy in a negative light. As a motorcyclist I feel I have a constant battle with public opinion about negative motorcyclist's behavior and it's my job to try and change it. I love seeing people on 2 wheels and I enjoy teaching classes to get more people on motorcycles because I want to share this joy with them. It's a little dangerous but with good decision making and education the danger is drastically minimized.
One last thought. There are a lot of good motorcyclists that chose to take part in the ROC this past weekend that have gone on record accusing the police of profiling them. For them I will share a quote from my late mother, "Birds of a feather, flock together." You understood what you were getting yourself into before you decided to partake in it. If you do not like the negative attention then maybe next year you will choose not to support it. Unfortunately, there are a lot of idiots on motorcycles; they come in all guises. It's our job as responsible motorcyclists to try and reverse the negative perception that so many of our counterparts like to exploit.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Top 5 Pet Peeves of Motorcyclists
Like many, motorcycling for me is a passion and because I am passionate about it I am also fairly opinionated. Okay, okay so admittedly this is probably one of the key driving forces for me to start this blog to begin with. There are some things fellow motorcyclists do that just drive me nuts! Here's my top 5, not in any particular order. Feel free to chime in if you wish.
1. Passenger's without proper attire: How many times do you see a motorcycle going down the street, 2-up, and the rider is wearing all the right stuff; helmet, gloves, boots, etc. and then you look at that passenger...flip-flops, spaghetti straps and short-shorts. It's great that the rider has become aware of the risks and has taken measures to reduce his/her risk but that passenger may not be fully aware of what they are getting into. As riders we have to take some accountability for our passengers. We are their guardian so-to-speak therefore we should be as concerned about their safety as we are our own.
2. Leaving the blinker's on: I'm guilty of this at times too. Rider's, turn your f'n blinkers off when you're done using them; it confuses drivers and opens up opportunity for confusion and miscommunication on the road. And, it's annoying.
3. Attitude: How do I put this? Yes, you are cool because you ride a motorcycle and yes, there are several subcultures within the motorcycling community and yes, with that culture comes a certain stereotype and/or personality if you will. Now that we have that on the table let's leave it there. We are all cool because we ride. If you ride ride a Harley you can still waive at other, dare I say it, non-Harley riders out there on the road and vice-verse. There are great people (and idiots) on all kinds of bikes, trust me.
4. Not taking accountability: As rider's we are vulnerable and therefore have to expect the unexpected. In every crash there is at least part of it that is your fault. Maybe it's 1% or maybe it's all your fault but don't try to avoid taking your fair share of blame. The leading cause of single bike crashes is improper cornering. If you take every corner as if there are potential hazards then you will leave most every corner safely. Sportbike riders; your knee has no business touching the ground anywhere except on a racetrack. Cruisers; your bikes are heavy and low to the ground which means they do not corner the greatest so be aware of that. Always leave yourself a margin of safety so you have enough time react properly when things go wrong.
5. Negative Attention: Whether it's bar hopping, street stunts or my no. 3 pet peeve getting the best of you it reflects all of us negatively. It's your business if you want to put your life in danger but at least have the decency to think about how your actions reflect public opinion about all motorcyclists. I've been at rallies and have seen drunk motorcyclists literally running into each other and I've ridden in large groups down the highway where some thought it would be cool to ride wheelies at 70 mph. For non-riders, all they see is a motorcycle, nothing more and they take that negative image and apply it to all of us. Example: when someone finds out that I ride a superbike the most common question i get is, "Are you one of those guys that do wheelies on the highway?" No, I am not. Due to the acts of few, people (J.Q. Public in his/her car) on the street view me the same way they view the idiot on the mostly banged up Gixxer. They don't see a 37 year old, father of 2 with a full time job, and a mortgage that also chooses to teach motorcycle safety classes on the weekends.
1. Passenger's without proper attire: How many times do you see a motorcycle going down the street, 2-up, and the rider is wearing all the right stuff; helmet, gloves, boots, etc. and then you look at that passenger...flip-flops, spaghetti straps and short-shorts. It's great that the rider has become aware of the risks and has taken measures to reduce his/her risk but that passenger may not be fully aware of what they are getting into. As riders we have to take some accountability for our passengers. We are their guardian so-to-speak therefore we should be as concerned about their safety as we are our own.
2. Leaving the blinker's on: I'm guilty of this at times too. Rider's, turn your f'n blinkers off when you're done using them; it confuses drivers and opens up opportunity for confusion and miscommunication on the road. And, it's annoying.
3. Attitude: How do I put this? Yes, you are cool because you ride a motorcycle and yes, there are several subcultures within the motorcycling community and yes, with that culture comes a certain stereotype and/or personality if you will. Now that we have that on the table let's leave it there. We are all cool because we ride. If you ride ride a Harley you can still waive at other, dare I say it, non-Harley riders out there on the road and vice-verse. There are great people (and idiots) on all kinds of bikes, trust me.
4. Not taking accountability: As rider's we are vulnerable and therefore have to expect the unexpected. In every crash there is at least part of it that is your fault. Maybe it's 1% or maybe it's all your fault but don't try to avoid taking your fair share of blame. The leading cause of single bike crashes is improper cornering. If you take every corner as if there are potential hazards then you will leave most every corner safely. Sportbike riders; your knee has no business touching the ground anywhere except on a racetrack. Cruisers; your bikes are heavy and low to the ground which means they do not corner the greatest so be aware of that. Always leave yourself a margin of safety so you have enough time react properly when things go wrong.
5. Negative Attention: Whether it's bar hopping, street stunts or my no. 3 pet peeve getting the best of you it reflects all of us negatively. It's your business if you want to put your life in danger but at least have the decency to think about how your actions reflect public opinion about all motorcyclists. I've been at rallies and have seen drunk motorcyclists literally running into each other and I've ridden in large groups down the highway where some thought it would be cool to ride wheelies at 70 mph. For non-riders, all they see is a motorcycle, nothing more and they take that negative image and apply it to all of us. Example: when someone finds out that I ride a superbike the most common question i get is, "Are you one of those guys that do wheelies on the highway?" No, I am not. Due to the acts of few, people (J.Q. Public in his/her car) on the street view me the same way they view the idiot on the mostly banged up Gixxer. They don't see a 37 year old, father of 2 with a full time job, and a mortgage that also chooses to teach motorcycle safety classes on the weekends.
Monday, August 5, 2013
Street Wise
I read an article in this months Cycle World titled, Pace 2.0. It was a good read on basic...let's call it, motorcycle technique albeit I use the term loosely. One of the key takeaways from the article is simply this; learn to be smooth with your controls. Sounds simple but breaking it down and defining what "smooth" means makes you quickly realize that regardless of experience, you (me) are still stabbing our controls versus being fluid with them. Example: being truly smooth with your brakes means you can use them in a corner IF they are handled with an extreme amount of care and finesse.
I preach over and over again in my BRC classes for my students to work on being smooth with the controls. Me and my fellow RiderCoaches are constantly saying, "Squeeze the brakes. Don't grab them!" and, "Ease the clutch in & out; use the friction zone!" Refining what that means includes gaining a full comprehension of what the bike is doing. How preload and geometry play a part in leaning the bike into a corner. As motorcyclists we should be on an ever-ending pursuit to understand as much as we can about riding including the how's and why's the motorcycle does the things it does. Another Example: When downshifting to reduce speed (especially before a turn) increase throttle before engaging the next gear to prevent too much front end compression.
If reading an article, book or owner's manual leaves you scratching your head then don't shrug your shoulders and throw it aside. Read it again, break out the dictionary, talk to somebody in the know so you can comprehend what you are reading because it is important. MSF defines a good motorcyclist as someone who has, "the desire and motivation to choose to reduce risk while riding." You reduce risk thus, increasing safety for yourself and others by being a better rider and being a better rider happens with experience and education.
I preach over and over again in my BRC classes for my students to work on being smooth with the controls. Me and my fellow RiderCoaches are constantly saying, "Squeeze the brakes. Don't grab them!" and, "Ease the clutch in & out; use the friction zone!" Refining what that means includes gaining a full comprehension of what the bike is doing. How preload and geometry play a part in leaning the bike into a corner. As motorcyclists we should be on an ever-ending pursuit to understand as much as we can about riding including the how's and why's the motorcycle does the things it does. Another Example: When downshifting to reduce speed (especially before a turn) increase throttle before engaging the next gear to prevent too much front end compression.
If reading an article, book or owner's manual leaves you scratching your head then don't shrug your shoulders and throw it aside. Read it again, break out the dictionary, talk to somebody in the know so you can comprehend what you are reading because it is important. MSF defines a good motorcyclist as someone who has, "the desire and motivation to choose to reduce risk while riding." You reduce risk thus, increasing safety for yourself and others by being a better rider and being a better rider happens with experience and education.
Friday, June 28, 2013
Getting Started
Being a Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) RiderCoach and teaching the Basic Rider Course (BRC) repetitively I get reconnected with the memories of being a new rider around a dozen years ago. It is one of the most exciting times to be a motorcyclist because your eager and everything is new but equally one of the most frustrating times because your just not there yet. Limited by your experience, comfort level and general ability you want to get on the bike ride into the sunset instead you are more concerned with making to the local gas station without killing the engine (or yourself).
Purchasing your first motorcycle can be as vexing as learning to ride it. Problem being that you don't know what you don't know. Do you purchase used and risk getting taken advantage of or worse, buying a real piece of junk or do you buy new; no worries of prior ownership but run the risk of damaging a brand new, beautiful bike in addition to making more of a financial commitment? In BRC we teach a section on risk management, risk awareness and risk acceptance. I believe this applies to the purchase as well. I did not want to risk a lack of confidence in the bike itself so I decided to purchase new. Not really knowing much about motorcycles (other than I really wanted one) I enlisted the help of all the people closest to me that had any motorcycling experience and expertise; my friend Jeremy who purchase a very used 1975 Honda CB750 that he had owned for about a year, his first motorcycle, and my brother, Art, who purchased a brand new Yamaha FZ-1 about 4 months prior, his first motorcycle. Rallying all both of my troops for input on a purchasing decision, with a combined experience of about 16 months in motorcycling I was ready to find my ride.
I believed then, and still believe now, that you should match your motorcycle with what your coriders have; at least in the beginning because it makes things a lot easier. Differing bikes have differing purposes thus, differing behaviors. With that in mind I chose to go the naked/standard bike route and purchased a new old stock 1999 Kawasaki ZR-7S from Cycle City on Gravois which no longer exists. To be honest I wasn't in love with that bike then, it just hit all the requirements on my mental motorcycle checklist; affordable, not overwhelming in terms of power or size, sporty and not used. Regardless of being on the fence with the overall appearance and technology of the bike I was giddy with excitement of taking possession of my first motorcycle. A dream was going to be achieved.
With the bike now in my possession it was time to figure out how to ride it. There I was, in a vacant parking lot of a banquet hall next to my appartment, my brother enjoying the nice warm heat of my truck, somewhere around midnight in the middle of January. Layers of clothes on to keep me warm albeit none of those clothes being real riding gear outside of my helmet. At this point I had purchased the motorcycle, I had studied up and played around on other bikes enough to be familiar with the controls but I had yet to successfully ride one. Step 1: Start the bike, put it first gear and ease the clutch out while simultaneously providing enough throttle that I didn't stall the engine. Seems simple enough in theory, substantially more difficult when put into practice. Within a couple of hours I even found second gear in that parking lot; it's located between hypothermia and adrenaline if you were wondering.
Eventually I made my way out of the parking lot and moved on to neighborhood roads, then main roads and then finally the highway. A few months later my brother and I enrolled in the Harley Davidson Rider's Edge Course. For those of you who don't know; it is MSF's BRC course with a healthy dose of H-D KoolAid. Taking the Rider's Edge course helped me refine my newbie skills and build confidence in my riding ability in addition to learning what to do when stuff goes wrong. Now every time I am teaching a BRC class and I see the looks on my students faces (the holy crap I was just going mach 3 with my hair on fire when really they barely broke 10 mph) I have a flashbacks of being in their shoes, or rather, riding boots.
Purchasing your first motorcycle can be as vexing as learning to ride it. Problem being that you don't know what you don't know. Do you purchase used and risk getting taken advantage of or worse, buying a real piece of junk or do you buy new; no worries of prior ownership but run the risk of damaging a brand new, beautiful bike in addition to making more of a financial commitment? In BRC we teach a section on risk management, risk awareness and risk acceptance. I believe this applies to the purchase as well. I did not want to risk a lack of confidence in the bike itself so I decided to purchase new. Not really knowing much about motorcycles (other than I really wanted one) I enlisted the help of all the people closest to me that had any motorcycling experience and expertise; my friend Jeremy who purchase a very used 1975 Honda CB750 that he had owned for about a year, his first motorcycle, and my brother, Art, who purchased a brand new Yamaha FZ-1 about 4 months prior, his first motorcycle. Rallying all both of my troops for input on a purchasing decision, with a combined experience of about 16 months in motorcycling I was ready to find my ride.
I believed then, and still believe now, that you should match your motorcycle with what your coriders have; at least in the beginning because it makes things a lot easier. Differing bikes have differing purposes thus, differing behaviors. With that in mind I chose to go the naked/standard bike route and purchased a new old stock 1999 Kawasaki ZR-7S from Cycle City on Gravois which no longer exists. To be honest I wasn't in love with that bike then, it just hit all the requirements on my mental motorcycle checklist; affordable, not overwhelming in terms of power or size, sporty and not used. Regardless of being on the fence with the overall appearance and technology of the bike I was giddy with excitement of taking possession of my first motorcycle. A dream was going to be achieved.
With the bike now in my possession it was time to figure out how to ride it. There I was, in a vacant parking lot of a banquet hall next to my appartment, my brother enjoying the nice warm heat of my truck, somewhere around midnight in the middle of January. Layers of clothes on to keep me warm albeit none of those clothes being real riding gear outside of my helmet. At this point I had purchased the motorcycle, I had studied up and played around on other bikes enough to be familiar with the controls but I had yet to successfully ride one. Step 1: Start the bike, put it first gear and ease the clutch out while simultaneously providing enough throttle that I didn't stall the engine. Seems simple enough in theory, substantially more difficult when put into practice. Within a couple of hours I even found second gear in that parking lot; it's located between hypothermia and adrenaline if you were wondering.
Eventually I made my way out of the parking lot and moved on to neighborhood roads, then main roads and then finally the highway. A few months later my brother and I enrolled in the Harley Davidson Rider's Edge Course. For those of you who don't know; it is MSF's BRC course with a healthy dose of H-D KoolAid. Taking the Rider's Edge course helped me refine my newbie skills and build confidence in my riding ability in addition to learning what to do when stuff goes wrong. Now every time I am teaching a BRC class and I see the looks on my students faces (the holy crap I was just going mach 3 with my hair on fire when really they barely broke 10 mph) I have a flashbacks of being in their shoes, or rather, riding boots.
Friday, June 21, 2013
Motorcycle Trends
Around a dozen years ago when I purchase my first motorcycle, a 1999 Kawasaki ZR-7S, one of the main motivating factors leading me to buy the bike was this new, and very popular, "naked bike" class of motorcycle that had just been established in the industry. My brother, fresh off of a Yamaha FZ-1 purchase, was a driving force pushing me toward the purchase of a naked bike.
In the early 2000's naked bikes were "it". You got most of the performance of a superbike but less aggressive thus, more comfortable riding position and most importantly, insurance rates were affordable versus full-faringed motorcycles. By 2003 virtually every manufacturer was on board and had their own rendition of a naked bike.
Circa 2005, all of that focused energy had been led astray by the Discovery Channel. Enter The Chopper Craze. The world erupted with custom motorcycles that served no practical purpose other than they were rolling works of art. A sculpture of custom paint, hand fabricated parts, triple chromed pieces of what-not and fat rear tires. I'm not hating, I was as wrapped up in it as much as John Q. Public. I still have a deep appreciation for the designers and fabricators that created those extraordinary machines. Unfortunately in most cases custom = money and when the fall out of the economy hit in 2008 so did the virtual death of the custom motorcycle.
What happens when fuel prices increase to record highs and the economy is in shambles? Answer: people buy motorcycles. Moreover, people buy cheap motorcycles. Nobody wants to ride around on an unpolished turd so they decide to invest money into their cheap motorcycle in effort to make it cool. The best way to accomplish this is to turn it into a cafe' racer. Being ever so hip to motorcycle trends, here comes the Discovery Channel once again with a TV Series labeled what else but, "Cafe Racer". Now all those cheap bikes that were purchased a few years ago are prized possessions and a must have to be labeled as an enthusiast amongst motorcyclists now. Owning an old bike gives you instant street cred; turning an old bike into a cafe' racer makes you god amongst gods. I love trends that result in preserving history by making something old, cool again.
The past couple of years a whole industry has been created around a Zombie Apocalypse. Although few truly believe that a Zombie Apocalypse will happen it has fueled an increasing flame for many American's to be prepared for, "S**t to hit the fan" as they say. A result other than record high sales in guns, ammunition, camping gear and pretty much any tool of survival one can think of has been an increasing interest in dual sport and adventure-tourer bikes. Five years ago a person showing up at a bike night or most any other motorcycle gathering in a Suzuki VStrom or BMW GS would have been greeted with a bit of apprehension, not respect. Fast-forward to now, there is a dual-sport and/or adventure-tourer offering by pretty much every large motorcycle manufacturer and sales are good. When talking about versatility most of these bikes are the most versatile machines ever offered on two wheels. I can't wait to pick one these up on the used market, post-apocalypse of course.
In the early 2000's naked bikes were "it". You got most of the performance of a superbike but less aggressive thus, more comfortable riding position and most importantly, insurance rates were affordable versus full-faringed motorcycles. By 2003 virtually every manufacturer was on board and had their own rendition of a naked bike.
Circa 2005, all of that focused energy had been led astray by the Discovery Channel. Enter The Chopper Craze. The world erupted with custom motorcycles that served no practical purpose other than they were rolling works of art. A sculpture of custom paint, hand fabricated parts, triple chromed pieces of what-not and fat rear tires. I'm not hating, I was as wrapped up in it as much as John Q. Public. I still have a deep appreciation for the designers and fabricators that created those extraordinary machines. Unfortunately in most cases custom = money and when the fall out of the economy hit in 2008 so did the virtual death of the custom motorcycle.
What happens when fuel prices increase to record highs and the economy is in shambles? Answer: people buy motorcycles. Moreover, people buy cheap motorcycles. Nobody wants to ride around on an unpolished turd so they decide to invest money into their cheap motorcycle in effort to make it cool. The best way to accomplish this is to turn it into a cafe' racer. Being ever so hip to motorcycle trends, here comes the Discovery Channel once again with a TV Series labeled what else but, "Cafe Racer". Now all those cheap bikes that were purchased a few years ago are prized possessions and a must have to be labeled as an enthusiast amongst motorcyclists now. Owning an old bike gives you instant street cred; turning an old bike into a cafe' racer makes you god amongst gods. I love trends that result in preserving history by making something old, cool again.
The past couple of years a whole industry has been created around a Zombie Apocalypse. Although few truly believe that a Zombie Apocalypse will happen it has fueled an increasing flame for many American's to be prepared for, "S**t to hit the fan" as they say. A result other than record high sales in guns, ammunition, camping gear and pretty much any tool of survival one can think of has been an increasing interest in dual sport and adventure-tourer bikes. Five years ago a person showing up at a bike night or most any other motorcycle gathering in a Suzuki VStrom or BMW GS would have been greeted with a bit of apprehension, not respect. Fast-forward to now, there is a dual-sport and/or adventure-tourer offering by pretty much every large motorcycle manufacturer and sales are good. When talking about versatility most of these bikes are the most versatile machines ever offered on two wheels. I can't wait to pick one these up on the used market, post-apocalypse of course.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
On again, Off again with the VStrom
I have been coming to terms with several aspects of my "riding life" over the past couple of years. What I have determined is this; my body is getting older, my riding style has changed, my saddle time has drastically decreased since getting married and having children and superbikes are not the end-all & be-all of motorcycles albeit I still love them dearly. Taking all this self-awareness into consideration I have been toying with the idea of possibly turning in my Ducati 998 for a more logical & comfortable ride. Somewhere in the top of my considerations has been the Suzuki VStrom. My closest riding buddy and dear friend who has simultaneously been going through similar self-awareness also has been looking that the VStrom and perhaps more closely than me. He sent me a link to the article below which speaks of great first-hand experience from a motojournalist who has been riding one for the past 5 years.
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/235/16149/Motorcycle-Article/Suzuki-V-Strom-1000-After-Four-Years.aspx?WT.i_e_dcsvid=289621507
I guess the ultimate problem for me is that I am simply not ready to give up my superbike but I am ready for comfort and versatility. The answer is simple; have multiple motorcycles, one for each and every riding occasion. Oh, if it were only that easy.
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/235/16149/Motorcycle-Article/Suzuki-V-Strom-1000-After-Four-Years.aspx?WT.i_e_dcsvid=289621507
I guess the ultimate problem for me is that I am simply not ready to give up my superbike but I am ready for comfort and versatility. The answer is simple; have multiple motorcycles, one for each and every riding occasion. Oh, if it were only that easy.
The Dream is Alive!
I have been contemplating starting my very own motorcycle blog for a long time, literally years. I don't know why I never mustard up the courage to move forward with it, let's call it "time" so I can save a little face. Being a motorcycle enthusiast (a.k.a. nut) I spend what little spare time I have away from working and raising a family on my motorcycle passion. This includes anything from attending the occasional bike night to reading one of my many motorcycle related periodicals to searching on the internet for, well, anything motorcycle related. I came to the conclusion a long time ago that I need an outlet to pour my thoughts and ideas into. Here it is, alas, an outlet for my passion. I don't know where this will go or where it will take me but like many a roadtrips I hope to enjoy where I end up. My goal here, in addition to being an outlet for me, is to share what I have with any like-minded individuals that also want to share or just hear me rant. Either way; it has begun!
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