On The Road With Birdman

Laced Up and Ready to Go!

2012-02-25T12:12:00.004-07:00

Last year when I was wrapping up the day at the Arizona Ironman I decided to check out the vendor booths to see what cool things I might be interested in and I happened upon the XTENEX booth. They were showing off some pretty cool laces for tennis shoes and I decided that since I am a fan of slipping shoes on and off (read, LAZY) I'd give them a try. It didn't hurt that they were giving volunteers a break on the price either.

I got the laces home and after a little trial and error I found that they worked rather well on my favorite pair of New Balance shoes. They worked well for slipping on and off and to my surprise worked well with no adjustment for running. After quite a few weeks of using them I decided to refurbish a pair of motorcycle boots that I had owned for quite a bit of time and I wondered if the XTENEX would work on them as well...

If you are a wearer of laced boots you know that while the fit is awesome, the process of putting them on and taking them off can be quite a chore, do it more than twice in a day and you opt for a different pair of shoes. I even use laced boots with zippers on the side, because they offer the fit I want, with the ease of use I desire. The only bad thing is that zippers have issues when it comes to overall comfort and then occasionally they catch on things on a motorcycle as well. Not to mention the zipper seems to allow a whole lot more cold air flow in the winter and they do not stop water from getting in the boot at all.

So, after wondering for a while, I dropped an email to the folks at XTENEX and asked if they had a lace that would work on my boots (I had remembered a comment about military boots at the booth.) They responded quickly and before I knew it I had a pair of black laces for my boots, ready to try for a spin.

The process of lacing the XTENEX laces on shoes or boots is the same, just different than using normal laces. The XTENEX laces have little bulges that keep the lace from slipping through an eyelet that are reduced to flat when the lace is pulled from either side. To set a shoe/boot up with them you simply place the bulges where they need to be when the footwear is normally worn and that's it, Getting the perfect bulge placement takes a little trial and error, but once done that's it. The XTENEX laces expand enough to let your foot in and out, but do not do so much when you normally wear your footwear. Basically the shoe or boot stays put.

Getting the spacing on my boots took a bit of trial and error, but after 5 rides I identified where things were either too loose or too tight, fixed it and now I can easily slip the boots on and off with relative ease. Yeah, a zippered boot is easier, but these boots with the XTENEX laces feel better fitted and feel better on a long ride.

The only issue I have to deal with is making sure the tongue on the boot does not get folded on itself when I put my boots on, but other than that I really like how the XTENEX have made this pair of boots a lot more easy to use.

While slipping the boots on and off was my original goal for wanting to try the XTENEX laces I found that the best thing that they did was make my boots feel good all the time. If you've used laced boots when riding you know that sometimes you make them too tight and sometimes too loose and that every once and a while you get the perfect fit. Well, the XTENEX laces, once properly set, give you that perfect fit EVERY TIME.

Well worth the price, I'll be using XTENEX laces on all my laced boots from here on out.

Want to get your own? Find them here - http://www.xtenex.com/

Body Maintenance

2011-10-11T10:38:00.001-07:00

We all know that we have to keep our bikes maintained, and regardless of how well we do things sometimes things happen. Well, it happens to us as well. So, what to do?

The obvious of course, you pull over and take a rest. Fix what's wrong and then back on the road.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:N 1st Pl,Show Low,United States

Breakfast is Served

2011-10-10T22:04:00.004-07:00

{I posted this the morning of Oct 8th and found it never posted via my iPhone, so here it is.}

Here I sit, ready to eat breakfast and at the beginning of my second winter in Show Low, AZ. The last year has been one of discovery and growth personally, and one of struggles and adaptation financially. I've made some compromises to make money and on one side I've discovered a new area of expression that is rewarded both with some pay and gratitude. On the other has been complete frustration as the individuals involved not only don't have any vision or direction, but they are unable or unwilling to communicate either. I've decided it is time to turn back to what I know works, to maintain my line, look ahead and simply ride my life.

Steve Job's death has happened at a very good time to wake me up. It has made me revisit his words and look at how they apply to my life. That and the timing of training opportunities is also the perfect springboard that gives me comfort in being that square peg in a round hole.

I have a lot to offer the world in insight, understanding and the ability to be calm in chaos. To those who want to share and learn welcome aboard. To those who want to be disrespectful and ignorant, well you know what to do.

It is a new day and breakfast is served.

- Posted Live and on The Road.

No really, I'm not Dead!

2011-06-02T23:18:00.003-07:00

And I've not forgotten how to blog. I've just been pretty tied up getting things established in my life.

So far, so good.

In the last 30 days I've gotten in 2 very nice rides, I've established a new location to teach Total Control and I'm having fun taking photos as well.

This girl liked my bike so much I told her to jump on for a shot, right after I had finished up a different shoot in a classified location.

I'm looking forward to the summer and I'll be now blogging more consistently. See ya soon, on the road, the range and on the web.

New Location, New Perspective

2011-02-17T15:53:00.003-07:00

I've had a few changes in my life recently, one of the major ones is the location in which I live. No longer am I an hour away from twisty roads, instead I'm minutes away. Now, with this new location comes something else......Snow!

Having lived in the Valley of the Sun for the last 13 years I had gotten used to riding just about whenever I waned to, heck even bad weather there wasn't that bad. Of course the summer's are a bit exhausting and while you can ride year round, most don't.

My new locale is Show Low, which is located about 3 hours North and East of the Valley, it sits at the North entrance of Salt River Canyon, has the North Side of 260 on one side and the North end of the 191 (The Coronado Trail or Devil's Highway) on the other. So despite some down time the riding location is superb. As I continue to settle in and get my life here in some sort of flow I'll be writing about the differences from Valley riding and how a new perspective affects my riding.

The first thing that I'll mention about higher elevation and cooler weather is that my Jacket choice is a lot better. It is great to be able to be comfortable in leather and not sweating like crazy when stopped or standing still. Additionally it is great to not have to deal with scalding heat at a red light or stopped in traffic (not that the traffic up North is anything like the Valley.)

I look forward to the spring and meeting up with folks traveling through Show Low, it is sure to be a brand new way to connect with other riders, hear different stories and with my new job I'll be able to tell those stories in a more interactive way.

So, I'm glad to be back on the Blog and look for more from me soon!

Till then, Ride Safe and never forget to Have Fun!

Undiscovered Country

2010-07-14T14:10:00.003-07:00

What's The Best Ride?

If you ride regularly, at some point, regardless of how exciting the roads in your area may be you'll find yourself on a new road. Now this may be just a different path or in most cases something completely different. Adding new rides by venturing outside of your normal path will yield not that much different of a riding experience as you'll simply go from what you know to something along the same path. But, as I said eventually you'll step out of your comfort zone and head out to places you've never been before and that is when adventure begins.

What's Next?

If you start one morning and point you bike in a direction, start riding and stop at night you'll find yourself in a place you most likely have never been. Continue a couple more days and then you'll really be in a position to discover things you've not seen before. While the US is made of mostly the same types of roads, how those roads cut through the terrain and how nature sculpts its way around those cuts varies differently.

The type of road you love where you live may not even compare to the new ones you discover and may even seem more challenging or thrilling. This is of course due to how new things are and the fact that without the knowledge of the road, how it curves and where the normal dangers may lie a rider must approach it with respect. Typically this means a slower pace and occasionally has the quintessential butt pucker moment. But even the most safety conscious rider will encounter a raised sense of awareness and will experience a usually higher level of euphoria than they experience on their normal route.

Over the years I've heard tales of this road and that road and have ventured out to ride them and discover for myself what is better and what is just truly different. I've found that while some of the "Great Rides" are simply better because of the overall experience and the hype, they are simply better in a sense because they are different. That being said I have also found that there are roads, that once you take a look past the newness can ready hold their own when it comes to being a better ride. I've found that roads around the ones that are all the rage usually deliver a similar experience, all without all the other riders...

To me the best road is one with the proper amount of curves, well paved and sometimes completely traffic free. I have my favorites, but don't really share.

I mean, if I told everyone, they would not remain the way I like them, yes?

Nothing Like Suspens-ion

2010-04-08T16:04:00.005-07:00

After a year of ownership of my 2008 Night Rod I looked at the odometer and made a determination. I had not been riding it enough. Yes, it is the bike of choice for short jaunts around town and the perfect Bike Night bike, but something about it was just not right.

I’ve made some minor changes to the bike to make it unique and mine, but where is really had a large issue was in handling and traction management. Now, don’t get me wrong, I was not looking for sport bike type handling, just a nice plush ride without bottoming and most importantly the front needed to track properly mid-turn if it encountered a dip or bump and as it was it was actually quite dangerous. The lack of damping was extremely evident and really limited my comfort on the bike.

Having completed a project with Race Tech in the past and having an even better relationship with them due to there support of Total Control I gave them a call to see what was available for my bike. Well, it turns out that the front was pretty straight forwards, but no one had yet done a bike like mine with their newest G3-S Custom shocks. That being the case a ride to Corona, CA was in order, because even with the factory suspension I could not justify a trailer, after all is was just a tad bit under 400 miles, right?

The night before I packed lightly and set out my new Piloti Moto800s, figuring this might be just the ride to see how they truly perform. I took my time the next morning (Easter Sunday) and headed out around 10 am. The trip over proved to be just as painful as you’d expect a ride to be with forward controls, a factory seat and a factory suspension. Add to that the pain from a fall on my tailbone just days before and one might understand why the trip took a good 6 hours.

I did stop and had a great salad at an unassuming Mexican restaurant in Quartzite, AZ, from there all was decent until I happened upon the windiest part of the day in the Valley of Windmills near Banning, CA. Ahead of time I thought of taking a photo there, but once in the midst of the wind blasts all I wanted to do was get to the other side. I finally arrived in Corona, found my friends at their tuning shop and then found my way to their house. Snug and sound I was ready for the next day.

That night in SoCal I found out I had missed a pretty large earthquake and that we would be getting rain, more than I had planned for based upon my small pack. I arose the next morning to find that it had indeed rained the night before and was threatening to rain more. I headed out to the shop, found it quickly since it was only 5 miles away and about 30 minutes after arrive found my bike devoid of a suspension, the upgrade had begun!

During the day the skies let loose at least 3 times, but after the progression of the upgrade was complete I was presented with sun dried roads! After a couple test rides, a few tweaks and 2 planned upgrades for a later date my bike was buttoned up and I returned to my friends’ house.

That night I was treated to a SoCal iconic meal in the form of Chicken and Waffles at the world famous Roscoe’s, I’m not sure my digestive system agreed, but it was an awesome treat!

The next morning I headed back for AZ and things were markedly different. My “seat of the pants” feel told me that I would be able to travel the distance home with a lot less pain that the trip to CA. Not only does the suspension now inspire confidence and provide me with the traction needed, it looks cool as well. The gold body looks cool, but will be getting swapped for an anodized black body in about a month or so. While the rear shocks would typically have the piggyback mounted on the topside to reduce un-sprung weight we decided that the Harley wouldn’t suffer drastically because of it and would look a lot cooler with the shocks mounted upside down.

The front upgrade was in the form of a spring that matches my weight and a Race Tech Gold Valve Emulator for the compression. The front currently is a progressive rate spring, but after my feedback and their techs support, we may be changing to a straight rate in the future.

The first thing that was decided for the rear was the right spring rate for me and then the fact that the shocks would be fully adjustable, including preload, rebound and compression. Then we decided to increase the travel of the rear shocks by about one and a half inches. While the overall ride height of the bike would not change the travel available would be larger. That means that for the lower nature of the bike, I would actually gain back SAG and be able to have more travel available for dips or extension into the roadway. This is key for better mid-corner traction management and proved so on the test rides.

Over the next month I’ll most likely dial in the exact settings for my personal riding style and I can do so because I was left with plenty of adjustment range by the techs at Race Tech. Out the door this system comes in at about $2300 and has drastically increased my confidence in the bike, not to mention my ability to ride it longer distances. I’m sure next year this time I’ll be looking at the odometer and smiling.

Give me a few days and I’ll write up my report of the Piloti Moto800’s, but as a quick nod let me say that they will be getting used quite often, more than I initially thought.

Click for Full Gallery of Race Tech Shots.

Riding is Riding

2010-03-12T15:01:00.002-07:00

As an MSF RiderCoach I get information regarding the students taking the various classes. Additionally at TEAM Arizona I get info for Total Control students that contains the same information. One of the questions asked is "Can you ride a bicycle?" The answer always seems to be yes, and in reality the question that would yield more information would be "When did you last ride a bicycle?"

So, let me ask. When did you last ride a bicycle?

If you ride a bicycle frequently you already know how it benefits a rider. The fundamental skill needed to ride a bicycle is balance and while good to excellent balance is beneficial to a motorcyclist, at a point it isn't needed. That point is speed based, but on every trip a rider needs to slow and stop. Those times and times of slow speed maneuvering are when balance plays a key role. Some practice on a bicycle will drastically increase a riders ability to ride slowly and control a motorcycle better at slow speed.

Another benefit is that of practicing vision. On a bicycle being aware of your surrounding, especially on the street is a life saving skill.

Finally, riding a bicycle will increase your health through exercise and that means a rider will have better endurance and be better aware on short rides.

These are just a few benefits of riding a bicycle and I am sure there are more. The best way to find out us to head out and push the pedals. You'll be amazed as to the overall benefits bicycling can bring to motorcycle riding.

- Posted Live and on The Road.

The Blind Corner Dilemma

2010-02-22T21:56:00.006-07:00

There it is, up ahead, the blind corner!

When I chat with and train riders and we talk about what the most challenging part of riding is and corners always become a center of conversation. This is no surprise and of course when I ask what type of corner they like the least the dreaded Blind Corner always takes the case.

In reality a blind corner isn't technically any more difficult than a normal corner, it is just more of a mystery to the mind because of what is yet seen. The corner itself gives a lot of clues in regard to the turn itself and if we assume that it will be a decreasing radius turn we are prepared for the worst in regards to the path. From there we need to gain an entry that allows us to see what lies around that corner as soon as possible and to be prepared for just about anything.

This is of course the moment that anxiety slips into the equation and makes that corner all that more difficult. Without anxiety we can think clearly and do what we need to do, but with it we tense up and then things seem to happen faster than they actually do. Until we relax we simply will never be comfortable with the Blind Corner.

About a month ago a student said to me that he just didn't encounter Blind Corners anywhere else in life that was a vulnerable as his bike, even when barely moving and that in a car he just didn't drive the same sort of road. We talked a bit about corners of building and the like and then I asked a simple question.

I asked if he ever had to run into a rest room after a movie or during a ball game. He said "of course!" So, I asked how much anxiety he had as he entered the restroom?

The light went off.....because you see....there it is.

So, the next time you run into a restroom without a door realize that you already know how to handle a blind corner without anxiety.....or the next time you're on your bike and headed towards that dreaded turn...pretend you are headed to the restroom!

Riding with the iPhone

2010-02-12T00:22:00.004-07:00

Yeah, I’m an app junkie! I can and have ridden without apps, but being a fan of more knowledge and information I’ve found some that really have enhanced my riding ability and enjoyment. You can find thousands of apps in the iTunes App Store that can work for motorcycling and a hundred or so that are motorcycle specific. But as of today these are what I classify as the Birdman Top Picks.

Now, you'll notice that I'm not going to try and hard sell you on anything here, these are simply apps I use or have found interesting. Any of the ones I have, I purchased and did not receive for free, so I'm not paid to push any app at all. The links provided should open a web page and not force open your iTunes program.

Enjoy and please feel free to share your personal favorites as well.

Harley Davidson Maps - .99¢ *
Make no mistake, this is a Harley Davidson branded app, so the complete listing of nearby HD shops will be displayed. If you can get past that what you get is the best maps that the folks from Mad Maps can provide.
Right now the app costs .99 cents and includes your choice of 5 rides anywhere in the country. Additional rides are .99 each. The average trip is about 200 miles, so well worth the money. Keep in mind these are routes designed by riders, so they are scenic and include the best amount of twists possible. Check out the link to see what else is included.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/harley-davidson-motorcycle/id351423914?mt=8

Mad Maps - .99¢
This app is essentially the same as the HD app above, thus I count it as the same. It may have stories that differ from the HD, but since I have the HD one I am not sure. This one only includes one free map at this time, whereas the HD one comes with five. If you don’t mind also know where the HD dealerships are it is worth the purchase.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mad-maps/id326707710?mt=8

Motorcycle Test .99¢
Prepare for your state motorcycle skills or brush up on your knowledge of laws and procedures. You custom design tests from 5 to 100 questions/
Most states Driver’s Manual and Motorcycle Manuals can be downloaded as a PDF and saved on your phone for use later.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/motorcycle-test/id299251528?mt=8

Cycle Trader - Free
Probably know as the best way to look for a used motorcycle the Cycle Trader app allows search by GPS location and Zip Code.
Looking for that perfect used bike has never been this easy. Heck, it even saves your searches.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cycle-trader/id334867956?mt=8

Cycle World – Free *
This is the mobile edition of the popular Cycle World magazine, complete with editorial and photos. Also included are staff blogs.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cycle-world/id332675076?mt=8

Motorcycle Theory Test - $6.99 *
Euro and the UK have the most stringent rules and testing procedures in the world when it comes to riding a motorcycle and this is the official theory test, all on the iPhone.
Take a look through the guide and you’ll see why this is on my “must haves.”
Over 900 multiple-choice questions, formatted just like the real test.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/motorcycle-theory-test/id304488056?mt=8

Riding Test - $2.99
Yes, it is another Riding test, this one complete with signs and a simulated test. While I don’t think a rider needs all these test I do believe the more you keep fresh the better rider you’ll be.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/riding-test/id299467705?mt=8

MOTO GP (Lap by Lap) - Free
This app is the best way to keep up on the MotoGP series as it happens, lap by lap.
Live Coverage the way it should be including everything you’d see at race central. If you are a MotoGP fan, this should be downloading already.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id312688739?mt=8

MyRide - $2.99 *
If you look through the app store you’ll see a few other maintenance apps, but none of them cover the areas that motorcyclists need. This app was obviously written by a rider and even included a safety check list. Supports more than one bike, so check out the link. Well worth the money.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/myride/id322560621?mt=8

Motorcycles! - .99¢
Bone up on your ability to identify bikes and learn more about that as you do. This is a fun app and can be a bit of a trivia game to use with other riders.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/motorcycles/id342834510?mt=8

Bike Loan Calculator - Free
Pretty simple, if you’re ready to buy and you need a loan, this quick calc helps you figure out your payment and decide.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bike-loan-calculator/id325373118?mt=8

Wooly Wind Chill – Free
Don’t guess what the conditions will be when the weather turns cold. Use this app first to calculate the wind chill factor and hen use the additional features to add in what the speed on your bike will do to that chill factor. If you ride when it gets cold, this app in invaluable (and currently free.)
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wooly-wind-chill/id347096129?mt=8

Finally, here are some non –moto specific apps I use frequently

FlickTunes - Free
I’m not sure if I would buy this app, but I since it is free why not! While it does not make the iPhone work with gloves it makes the operation of the screens for music a lot faster. Give it a try and let me know what you think.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/flicktunes/id319486057?mt=8

Spot Shared Mobile - $2.99 *
If you’re a Spot user and you take advantage of the shared pages this is an excellent way to manage them.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/spot-shared-page-mobile/id346524744?mt=8

Sol - .99¢ *
This is a simple app that uses know geographical locations to give actual sunrise and sunset times including dawn and twilight. Very important to miss riding into glare or having glare be an issue for other roadway users to see you.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sol-daylight-clock/id285279179?mt=8

Moon Phase - .99¢ *
A very good app to avoid werewolves or alternatively a good way to know when moonlight will make nighttime riding easier.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/moonphase-moon-info/id287526650?mt=8

EZ Radar - .99¢ *
If you travel cross-country like I do know when and where you’ll be running into weather is important. While this is the AZ and NM app there are plenty of others including a national map.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ez-radar-az-nm/id310755546?mt=8

Byline - $3.99 *
If you use Google reader to track RSS feeds you know that you don’t always have signal. This app loads all your feeds and the corresponding pages onto your iPhone so they can be read later without any 3G or Wifi connection.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/byline/id284946773?mt=8

Adaptunes - .99¢ *
This app raises and lowers volume based upon speed. Be warned that it uses the GPS to do so and only should be used on trips if you can plug your iPhone into power. Otherwise, pretty cool app.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/adaptunes-speed-based-volume/id319479071?mt=8

* - Currently on my iPhone.

Follow The Bouncing Post!

2010-02-10T19:48:00.003-07:00

So many services and so many posts.

Please excuse me as I figure out how things are flowing to multiple social site!

Enjoy the Seattle View!

The Things I've Learned!

2010-02-08T16:58:00.005-07:00

Sometimes you just have to sit back and think....

Never did I ever think that I'd have to learn so much about the Internet, Web Code and DNS protocol as I've had to do....just to write about motorcycle riding.

Well just last week Google dropped the bomb on those of us using the Blogger service to publish via FTP (File Transfer Protocol.)

We were told that in 30 days they would no longer support the service and that they were building a migration tool, but had no idea when it would become available. If we wanted to could set things up without a migration tool, but instructions were limited.

After a week of reading, using 2 different customer service centers and some help from another Google user (not Google themselves) I think I've got everything back where it belongs and can now continue on my path!

Look soon for the ability to subscribe via e-mail and some cool reviews and stories.

Have Fun and Ride Safe!

Evolution Continues?

2010-02-04T21:22:00.001-07:00

Continuing to troubleshoot and figure out issues.

So far I think I have some things sorted, not exactly the way things should work, but time will tell.

Once I get this fixed I actually have some exciting things to announce.

Things Change and We Must Evolve

2010-02-04T14:05:00.002-07:00

Navigating the road is a lot easier than figuring out the web, that's for sure. I can't imagine riding a motorcycle would be very safe if you had the instructions given to you in the way that web operators spew forth information, assuming that you know what the term they are using means and when it is applied.

None-the-less since I communicate to you via the web and this blog I need to get it sorted.

Google isn't supporting FTP based blogging anymore and I had to redirect everything back to them, in the meantime the old photo links are in sort of a limbo. So, until I get those sorted you should be able to see them in the blog, just not click to enlage.

Bear with me and hopefully all will be back to normal soon. Additionally the iPhone based posting app I use should work better this way. If this post goes through we are off to a good start.

OK, now back to riding!

The 2010 CES & AEE Birdman Report

2010-01-15T19:02:00.004-07:00

It has been a week since I have returned from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and the Adult Entertainment Expo (AEE) in Las Vegas and I’ve recovered from the trip, digested what I saw and dug through the various marketing information I obtained while in the show’s halls. I am not going to regurgitate the marketing hype and “exciting” new product offerings you’ve undoubtedly seen on TV, in papers and most likely websites. Instead I’ll give you a riders perspective of the show and what it really means to those of us on 2 wheels, because after all, that’s what it’s all about!

To start it might help to understand why I am covering both shows together, as their focus may seem to be different. For consumers they are in a sense different, but at the base level they are both shows that provide entertainment and judging by the amount of people with bags from CES at AEE the interest (whether trivial or active) seems to be there. As I said above I look at things from a different perspective as technology and the overall health of the economy can be judged when looking at these shows.

Attendance and Presence

I’ve been attending the CES shows since 1989 and have been around the AEE show since 1999 and regardless of the marketing spin, both shows are down in size drastically! When I talk about the size of the show I am talking about the number of companies displaying and the size of the booths and outside displays. The attendance numbers are a bit different as AEE allows fans to pay to enter the shows and CES is industry only. AEE’s fan attendance was marked at 22,000 so they are doing well in that regard, but a walk around the hall showed that the Adult Industry, much like many others, has been affected by the economy and most specifically by the Internet.

What I find very interesting is that both shows occupied considerably less space than they did just two years ago, both dropped about half the hall space in that time. It was a lot easier to see the drop at the AEE shows but the CES show dropped venues and wasn’t even using all of the Las Vegas Convention Center floor. Now, I don’t see the shrinking as a sinking of the ship so to speak, but more of a thinning of the herd and a change of mindset. We used to need shows like this before the connected age, but today we don’t. Thus proven by the fact that most everyone reading this has already seen most everything cool shown at the shows.

The Big Stuff

Leading the list was 3D TV, but a guy I overheard on a shuttle talking to his friend summed it up best. He said “I guess I need to now replaced my new BlueRay discs, played and HD TV with new 3D discs, a $5000 3D TV and a Player…..NOT!” The market can evolve, but I am not so sure people are willing to sit in their living rooms with funky glasses…. Now, when Oakley introduces a prescription custom 3D offering, the tide may be turning. The cool thing about the 3D offerings are that HD and other related TV products are getting cheaper and more readily accessible. The thing to remember about all of this is regards to motorcycling is that for people who like to sit inside, there will be more to do.

Along the sitting inside front, I found a very interesting product at the AEE shows which I am certain will lead to lower work performance and college test scores in the future. The product is called the Real Touch and folks, let me tell you, it is at a technological and business perspective, it is very cool. Basically it is a interactive toy for guys that connect to your computer via a USB connection and interacts with specially coded videos. If you want more details look it up using Google or drop me a line and I’ll give you a link. The bottom line is that as a first Gen product it does what it says and judging by the attention at the show, they’ll get sold. Keep that thought and I’ll wrap up why it is important later.

The Rest of The Stuff

CES is a Gadget show and AEE is, well….a Sex show and guess what? They both delivered.

Two themes seemed prevalent at CES, the first was smart phones, both cases and charging and cameras, still and video. The smart phone cases were easy to see and understand, each company offering coolest graphics and best protection, someone somewhere could start a test and by the time they collected all the options to test the amount would be double. Solar seems to be coming on strong for a lot of products, starting at smart phones, so the true green initiative should yield a lot of options for riders in the coming years.

At AEE it was very obvious that the Internet has cut into that show and they are looking for new ways to sell conventional offline video and print productions. The show even drew national attention with the introduction of a Sex Robot. I’m pretty open to new things and as a guy that rides a motorcycle certainly a perv or sorts, but the sex robot….a bit much for me.

My Picks

First of all the best bike of the shows wasn’t actually on either’s shows floor, but if I had to pick one on the floor it would be the bike in Kicker’s booth, a nice bagger that I don’t have a picture of for one reason or another.

The coolest being shown in Vegas was this bobbed Sportster in the Rockford Fosgate ballroom. Yes, the company my wife works for but no, not my bike.

The gadget section of CES showed a bunch of different solar panels that when used on the road would be a good way to keep a phone charged. But the best emergency device was the Yogen emergency charger. It is basically a charger that works by pulling a cord to create energy to charge with. When I found the Yogen booth I was actually showing red (20%) on my phone, I used it for just a couple minutes and was able to get 3 hours more use out of my phone until I retrieved my Zagg Sparq backup battery pack. The company makes several models and I’ll be carrying one on my bike from now on.

For some reason I stumbled upon this very cool flashlight that not only is convenient size wise, but also has various accessories that would be great for riding. I’ll be doing a full review on this product later, but for now this is the Spotlight.

I spotted about 5 different “sports” type cams, some bullet type like the one Midland was showing, I wish I could tell you more but the guy at the booth was such an idiot I had to walk away.

The coolest cam I saw was this one that is integrated into goggles, they report they will have a Dirt Bike model soon. It does stills and video and the controls are built to be used with the goggles on and with gloves. The coolest part? A light that shows operation at the bottom of the lens, so you know what is happening.

For the adventure rider Spot made a introduction of a new product that will work with a GPS to be able to send text messages through their system, it is more of a system for hikers, but could be used and quite possibly will be adapted for motorcycle use.

The Bottom Line

At the end of the day both shows are cool and fun, but what does it mean to us, motorcycle riders, right?

Well, as far as I saw there are at least a few certainties coming down the road.

1 – The ability to communicate and to be able to charge devices on the road will be getting better as things evolve. Bluetooth technology is getting smaller and more reliable, but until the makers of such products take the time to understand how we as riders use them we will not be as connected as some might want. Personally I don’t want to get calls while riding and I am perfectly happy with hand signals for communication. But as things evolve, distracted cages will not be the only worry.

2 – There are going to be more and more things for people to do while sitting on their butt at home. For us riders it is a double-edged sword. It means at times less folks on the road, but when they are on the road their skills will be diminished and I see no end to distracted driving. Watching people take off 3D glasses and then walk into each other as they re-orientate themselves was interesting and I for one will be cognizant of theatres showing those movies and will plan accordingly. However, if it moves mainstream we’ll have a lot more to consider.

3 – The flip side is revolt from the norm. This year I only saw 3 motorcycles used to display, which tells me that it is becoming less common and more as an individualist based activity. That means that in the next 6 months we most likely will be seeing a surge in people wanting to get out of the house and out to do something and motorcycling being what it is, we most likely will be seeing them on the road or in the dirt.

With anything the allure of a thing can always be different than the experience. Much like the girl below found out after she got what she thought she wanted…

But, for those of us who know and love what motorcycles bring to the table, the risk is well worth the reward.

You can find all the photos I took at both shows, there isn’t really any nudity (I think) but some of the shots would be considered Not Work Safe, so browse at your own risk!

Flickr Shots!

Till next time, Ride Safe!

CES and AEE 2010

2010-01-06T15:25:00.001-07:00

I am here in Vegas and will be attending both shows. For up to the minute updates follow Birdman_H54 on Twitter.

Just Another Day! (Goodbye 2009)

2009-12-31T17:53:00.004-07:00

Yup folks, that's the sun setting on the last day of 2009 in beautiful Arizona.

As things wind down I'll be in for the night as I simply don't do amateur drunk night, especially after 8 years ago when a kid killed himself by running a stop sign and driving into the side a police car with two officers completing the New Year's Eve shift. The blame game of course started after that pointing fingers at the person's party he had been at and the fact that he was under-age, but in the end he killed himself, injured two others and destroyed a lot of property. For me it was a signal to chill on these invented party nights and be able to start the next day off like any other. Happy and healthy!

So, as you think back on the year and possibly raise a glass to toast in 2010, please be well and be merry and start the new year with a positive look at things to come.

Lucky for me I've had an few interactions here just at the end of the year that has reminded me of how fragile life is and how to not let those with small minds derail me down the path of negativity and drama. For me I'll be spending tomorrow and every single day forward focused on the positive, I'll literally apply all the things I've learned while riding directly to my life. No more will I concentrate on gravel (or those people like gravel) to the point that it controls me in a negative way. From now on I'll avoid those who wear the Drama banner like a badge of courage and simply spend time with folks who want to be good to each other and with those that like me want to explore, learn and share.

I want to especially send out a Happy New Year to the riders who use and interact with each other on www.southwestrides.com. These folks are the best collective of riders I've ever met, and self manage the philosophies of solo and group riding that they themselves have developed and sustain. Over the years I have managed a good 20 website forums with millions of users and SWR is the easiest simply because of the devotion to purpose that the users have. So folks, give yourself a pat on the back for 5 solid years and be proud that you have made SWR the most respected, most active and most motorcycle focused website in Arizona. I can't wait for the next 5 years!

Well, that's it for me, I ended the year with 23 bird strikes and tomorrow the count goes back to zero. Maybe the TTF ride will start me off strike free??

See ya next year!

Your Input Is Requested!

2009-12-19T17:00:00.000-07:00

As this year heads to an end and we all near 2010 there are some plans in the works for this blog.

As I have had the pleasure of riding across the US to new and exciting places and I've met with all sorts of people I've picked up quite a few stories, tidbits and interesting facts. In 2010 I plan to showcase some of the people, their experiences and the places I've visited as well, as well as a few new experiences along the way.

In any event I need a way to get even more feedback and I can't imagine a better way than directly from you, the readers. Therefore I would like to invite you to either post responses here on this blog at www.birdmanblog.com or for even more interaction I can be found at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Birdman/141788172971 on facebook.

With that I'd like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and an awesome entire Holiday season, may you be healthy, happy and safe!

Making Your Way (Part 2 of 2)

2009-11-24T21:38:00.003-07:00

What can this guy see?
Where can he go if something happens behind him?

OK, I last left you with my strategy which is - SCAN.

Set your mind
Categorize stimuli
Analyze movement
Navigate the situation

And here it is as best I can explain it, let me know what you think and maybe I can make it even more easy to understand. Keep in mind this isn't something for a beginning rider, but for someone that's been riding for a while and is ready to further increase their enjoyment and comfort while riding.

SET

Mental State – Expectations - Field of View

While SET typically is meant in regards to things that occur before an activity, this stage will be constantly used to maintain the proper baseline for the rest of the steps. SCAN was selected purposely because it should be used as it sounds…constantly.

Mental State - Even before I throw my leg over my bike I make sure I have set a mental state. It is one that allows me to be relaxed, yet ready. Internal distractions are the biggest issue we as riders need to address as we ride and if you do not have a mental calming procedure such as meditation or even just a simple way to shut of mental distracts you should develop one. This mental state will need to be constantly reset as we ride. If someone cuts me off I move past the incident immediately or I am at risk to what the internal distraction (being upset) can do to me externally. Immediate forgiveness is probably the most valuable skill a rider can develop and hone. Use it and you will be a much safer rider.

Expectations – Once again this starts before I even get on my bike. Some expectations should be set based upon your condition, both mentally and physically and then also the type of bike you will be riding. Beyond that you should expect roadway conditions based upon weather, or other signs such as construction equipment or even physical signs. Finally and most importantly is what you expect regarding other roadways users. There are three ways to view other users. First is that they cannot impede your path, second is that could impede your path and third is that they will impede your path. I’ll discuss further how to deal with these three states, but all other roadway users (note that I did not say vehicles) must be set in one of these categories. The better or more properly you set them in a category the calmer your rides will be.

Field of View – Our brains work as much as we tell them to work and in regards to motion, the brain works only as far ahead as we give it visual information. If you target a certain spot on a roadway you’ll find that it is hard and stressful to move past that spot until you change your vision. That is because brain is extremely efficient and only solves pathways as far along as you show. At walking speed the rate of vision change is not as important as it is when you are riding at let’s say 60 MPH, and most everyone understands that the further ahead you look the better you feel in regards to speed, but there is another benefit. The further ahead you look, the more you look through a turn and the wider you expand your vision the more you’ll actually be able to see other roadways users, things that are off of the sides of the roadway that could impede your path and the calmer you mind will be. The real key to looking out farther and wider is to slow down everything so that any unexpected motion will be easier to identify.

Categorize

Expected Motion - Potential Motion - Unexpected Motion – Non-Motion

With the proper mental state, expectations and vision set you’ll be able to begin to categorize what is actually happening on the roadway. In the set phase I defined three behaviors of other roadway users. (First is that they cannot impede your path, second is that could impede your path and third is that they will impede your path.) All three of these types in reality are expected behavior, so it may seem odd that I have 3 additional categories. That is because those are expected behavior and not expected motion, which are two different things. Motion itself does not mean conflict, so the key here is to quickly understand the motion and then only react to the motion that needs navigation, not to react to everything.

All of these expected behaviors could be expected motion, so as you get better at setting your expectations (That guy will pull out in front of me, that person will drift into my lane, …ect) the less you’ll have to deal with as a surprise.

Expected Motion - Very simply this is any motion that a rider would expect to see, things like cars moving alongside in traffic, cross traffic at and intersection and even vehicles not moving at a stop sign.

Potential Motion – Anything that could cause conflict such as a car stopped at an intersection which might move, kids standing at the side of the road or a truck heading directly towards you (that could potentially turn in front of you.)

Unexpected Motion – As you continue to use this strategy you’ll move many of the motions you see in this section to Expected Motion, but there will still remain motion you don’t expect. As an example, when I am on a freeway I do not expect to see fast side-to-side motion, if I do it triggers as a red flag. Things like people pulling out in front of me in an intersection or cutting across my path may have initially been in this group, but have since moved to my Expected Motions.

Non-Motion – This category is for things that are not in motion, nor would it ever be expected that they would be in motion, but because they exist in your pathway they provide for conflict. A tree trunk in the middle of the road or gravel is a perfect example.

Analyze

Change in Motion - Change in Position - Change of FOV

Once I have categorized motion I then analyze what it means to me as a rider. Most expected motion means that things are OK and even some unexpected motion will not affect me, but is observed to make sure it does not create motion that will. I watch for these three things when riding and then Navigate based upon my observations.

Change in Motion – When a roadway user changes their motion it affects other roadway users and could possibly create conflict for me, so any change in motion needs to be noted to see if it changes the categorization of motions.

Change in Position – As I ride on the roadway I note any change of position other users make and how my change of position changes their behavior. While motion itself may not change, position can sometimes change the category in which I placed another roadway user and I constantly analyze that categorization.

Change of FOV – While I set my Field of View first I must also analyze that I am maintaining a proper view based upon my motion, another roadway user or other items that may change my FOV alongside or on the roadway.

Navigate

Plan a path that avoids obvious conflict - Plan a path that allows for controlled conflict

Once I have categorized Motion I then analyze what I can do to either affect that motion or avoid that motion. Note that the further I set my Field of View the more time I’ll have to categorize and analyze, thus the less rushed things will be in regards to safety. The better I’ve gotten at the first three parts of SCAN the easier Navigate becomes, in fact over the past year any drastic Navigational change I’ve had to make has only come because I’ve short stepped one of the first three steps.

Plan a path that avoids obvious conflict – Basically I simply change my speed or direction in a way that avoids the conflict. This can include anything from a simple speed change, to a repositioning of myself so the other roadway users can more easily see more or at the more extreme I stop on the side of the road so that the situation either dissolves or moves away from me. Conflict can be another roadway user, the roadway itself or conditions. So, I apply my actions accordingly.

Plan a path that allows for controlled conflict – Sometimes I run into situations that cannot be avoided. If a truck drops a load of bottles on a crowded freeway moving at full speed I can’t simply stop as the danger from other roadway users hitting me from behind is high. So I then must do things that minimize how much conflict I must deal with, I’ll use speed positioning and my signals to help not only reduce my direct conflict but influence other roadway users as well. The same applies to a drastic change in roadway condition such as gravel and other such hazards.

As with any skill it is best to start using this strategy at low speed and then build up from there. To attempt to use this strategy at your normal full speed would create confusion and possibly anxiety. As you start to implement SCAN you’ll see how moving through each step is a constant process and the more time you spend at SET the less you’ll need elsewhere, in fact so mush that your Navigate phase will rarely have more than simple speed and position adjustments.

Ride Smart – Ride Safe!

Making Your Way (Part 1 of 2)

2009-11-20T17:44:00.005-07:00

Does this look like a drive on your favorite freeway in rush hour?
Would you like a strategy that would work to get you through this or any situation quickly and safely?
See how I've applied lessons learned on the street and in places like this to decrease my anxiety and stress and increase my safety and enjoyment.

Safely Through The Crowd.

Way back when I started driving a car one of the first things I was taught was to keep looking ahead. Over the years I’ve heard variants of the same theme and most recently the best description of why I should do this came in my Total Control training. Lee goes into detail regarding how our minds work and why looking ahead and even expanding my vision would help to reduce anxiety and stress. All of this helped me to connect some dots and with a bit further research and application I had my own epiphany regarding vision and control.

As I get a bit older I am really beginning to view life as a puzzle and each experience I’ve had has been a piece that I’ve turned over. Some have fit into place very easily and others have been sitting on the side waiting to be places. If you’ve ever put together a puzzle there comes a point when a large group of pieces come together just from the simple placement of one or a few. Most recently, from riding on the road, training on the range, walking around a crowded convention hall and finally a few discussions online I had a large group of pieces come together and finally have a well to tell the story to others.

Warning Zen Zone Ahead

Motorcycling constantly reaffirms old and teaches me new lessons about life. When it comes to vision, the lesson is probably the biggest of them all. You see, looking ahead not only applies to riding on the road, but living your life as well. If you focus too closely on what right in front of your face you’ll miss what is going on around yourself and quite possibly opportunities in the future can drastically change as well. The further you look and plan ahead the better things will eventually turn out. But let me start at the beginning instead of skipping ahead to the lesson learned.

For more than half of my life I’ve worked directly in sales, from on the floor retail stuff to national direct and factory representative situations. In all of those positions the key to any successful sales came from preparation. In every single sales training I’ve ever taught or trained, what to do before beginning the sale, has always included. In the teachings of Dale Carnegie, probably the most famous sales trainer, I learned many things, but one lesson that applies here is this “First ask yourself: What is the worst that can happen? Then prepare to accept it. Then proceed to improve on the worst.” You see the mental state that you place yourself must be proper before you look at any situation and the same holds true on the street. If you have not set a state of mind first, when you do look at things your have no agenda and therefore no way to proceed until something happens. With a plan ahead of time, or as I just described, a state of mind, I can approach any situation prepared for the worst and therefore not stressed if the worst does happen and actually relaxed when the worst doesn’t happen.

While Total Control does address mental state, it does not break things down into a strategy. I don’t fault the curriculum for that because it is an advanced training program designed for riders who have been on the street for quite a while and does assume that these folks already have a strategy that they use and that works for them. The MSF curriculum that I teach also addresses “Are You Ready” in their training, but do not include Mental State in their prescribed SEE (Search, Evaluate, Execute) Street Strategy. Once again I don’t fault that curriculum because it obviously has millions of students that have benefited from its teachings. But that being said I do believe that after taking that training and before attending a TCARC a modified strategy can help to better handle the street and be more relaxed while doing so.

Over the last year I’ve spent a lot of time relaxing myself on the street and tracking exactly what I was doing that allowed me to have less and less issues or close calls. Over the past 6 months I found that literally nothing surprises me on the street and although I do get frustrated with the occasional stupid driver, I’m not in a dangerous or iffy situation because of that driver. Mostly because I apply a strategy that maximize both time and space whenever I drive or ride. I’ve also found the more I concentrate on the mental preparation of each situation then less stress and anxiety I have, and overall I’m a lot more relaxed and happy all the time. So. Let me share my approach and feel free to adapt it to what you use.

With my next post I'll introduce my advanced strategy for the street. I call it SCAN and as you'll see it is a comprehensive way to maintain your focus and safety as you move along the roadway.

Set your mind
Categorize stimuli
Analyze movement
Navigate the situation

Zippy-Zap, Here and Back!

2009-10-21T17:51:00.002-07:00

Just about 10 days ago a friends called and said, "Hey, you need to come to Lake Havasu and bring your camera. Well, since I had the ability to clear my schedule and I'd never been to Lake Havasu I decided what the heck, jumped on my bike and went this past Thursday for a one-night turn around trip.

I didn't get an early start on Thursday so I arrived in Havasu after lunch, but early enough to capture the action an the International Jet Sports Boating Association Finals. I fulfilled my photo duties and then sat and chatted a bit with the folks at Monster, JBL and Kawasaki.

It was actually cool to watch the races and even look at how some of the same riding techniques we use on motorcycle apply and benefitted the racers. I commented that it didn't seem that dangerous of a sport and got some odds looks, but heck, there was plenty of run-off.

While I was hoping for a cooler ride it didn't really happen and temps were into the triple digits, although I must admit that 103 is a lot better than 115. Since I was trying to get there in back in a timing manner I did not have a lot of time to take photos, but when I was on the final section of a road that would take me to I-10 (The Superslab) I saw a sign, you know the ones you just have to turn around to take a picture, just to show your friends? Well anyway, here is the photo, and now I will have to return to get the story. I just that that maybe I will not do it at night...

A Whole Lot of Activity!

2009-09-27T16:55:00.003-07:00

Man, what a month! In the span of 30 days I've been to California twice, Las Vegas and traveled across the valley a good 20 times.

I've gained a lot more knowledge about Twitter, seen Pink in concert and even taught a female Marine how to be a better rider. It has been a rewarding month, but a very tiring one as well. Now I'm look to finally drop into more of a standard schedule, which means of course I'll probably pick up speed. One thing I've certainly learned is that just when you think you've found the perfect way to do something a new process or product will come along and change things up for ya!

First up was the most recent event in which I participated which was the Grand Opening of GOAZ in Scottsdale. If you haven't heard by now Bob Parsons of Go Daddy fame is getting into the motorcycle business and he is doing so by buying up property after property in Scottsdale. Currently he has opened locations in the old Hacienda Customs building and the old Hyundai dealership, but there is more to come! The event hosted Chris "Teach" McNeil an award winning stunter as the main attraction and also had a few other motorcycle riding displays including Tealdo Teal and myself showing off the Total Control Advanced Riding Clinic. It was very cool to work with Teach and getting kudos on riding from a guy that really takes things to the limit sort of made my month. It will be interesting to see how things progress as GOAZ, and certainly interesting that there has been no leveraging of the Go Daddy celebrities...

Before that event I was in Vegas at a party for Interbike that was hosted by Argon, Thule and Oakley. It was interesting to be in a crowd completely outside of anyone I know, that was until I ran into an editor from my journalism days that tied things all up nicely. Running the schedule that I've been running sort of showed itself in Vegas and was a nice reminder that we all get to our limits, regardless of who we are. No harm no foul, I just go to bed much earlier than I used to 10 to 20 years ago.

In the training realm I've graduated over 40 Marines now through Level 1 and 2 of the Total Control Advanced Riding Clinic. The process has made me master the curriculum at a level that would have taken months in a very short time. There is nothing like constant practice and proper re-enforcement of the incorrect and correct way of doing something to firmly train your muscle memory and brain to get the exact result you expect.

Now, on the funnier side of things I've got a new addition in the realm of hydration. I am an admitted bag and bottle freak, so my new military CamelBak (with USMC Digital Desert pattern) is no real surprise, but in the process of getting my new pack I was give a new water bottle. It came with a marketing piece that stated that some University did a study and with this bottle users drank 24% more water?!? Anyway, it was free and I tried it.

Well, I am addicted and it is kinda odd, once I realized what the bottle really is and the evil plan that makes me OK with drinking from it constantly.

Yes, the Camelbak Better Bottle is an Adult Sippy Cup!! And, I LOVE it!

So have fun, keep hydrated and I'll see ya on the road!

Boy Scouts and Riding (The fuel dilemma)

2009-09-12T09:58:00.002-07:00

"Always be prepared" it is the motto of the Boy Scouts and also a very smart way to ride. With that I show you a coffee traveler from Starbucks?

Well, a little while ago a friend of mine told me about a cool way to be be able to carry fuel back to a bike, just in case you happen to run out somewhere. In the past I've run out of fuel before and the hardest part was always getting a container to use to get the fuel from the station to the vehicle. If you run out you don't need a lot and on a bike even a one-gallon container is hard to carry, so when I was shown this work around I ran out to get one for myself.

Here I give you the Starbucks' Emergency Fuel container! Follow along and you'll understand.

First you need to get a Coffee Traveler from Starbucks. If you get one with coffee it is useable, you'll just need to clean the bladder afterwards.

But, if you're like me and visit Starbucks quite often you can ask for any empty one, which not put together looks like this.

You'll see that the container holds 96 Fluid Ounces, just under a Gallon. Certainly enough to get you to a station, or you can even get two bladder, just in case.

When you look inside the cardboard you'll see the shiny bladder.

The bladder is held in place with 2 glue spots and the hole is held in place by the cardboard. It comes out rather easiliy, simply with a slight pull.

After getting the bladder out of the cardboard you'll want to remove the glue spots, the one at the bottom is very thin and the one at the top is more sticky. Both come off simply by using your fingers to get it off the bladder.

After that you are left with a bladder and a lid.

Roll the bladder up and screw on the lid and you have an emergency fuel bladder.

Now, I would not store fuel in this and I would make sure to protect the bladder from getting poked or torn wherever you carry it. Other than that it is perfectly suited for the need and fills the purpose very efficiently and effectively.

Have Fun!

I Understand Risk, I Don't Understand Delusion. (Or do I?) (Part 5 of 5)

2009-08-14T11:02:00.005-07:00

OK, the previous posts have been about understanding how others can have a different level of risk assessment than I might and I've come a long way to accepting that they are allowed to do that and it will not hurt me or any website I might operate. I also will defend my opinion that I can talk safety, provide good examples and not have to fight every person that does not adhere to what I think.

I recently met a group of individuals that are so militant in their safety beliefs that they categorize any advanced training or event including Total Control and Trackdays as irresponsible. They say this because they believe that these things only encourage riders to ride above and beyond what is legal on the roadway. I can only assume that they ride in a manner that obeys every written law, and I'll even accept that as possible. But, I get lost in their understanding of how advanced understanding directly means that a person will automatically use that understanding or skill inappropriately.

I can imagine this as a misguided approach of saving people from themselves and have even fallen into the trap of thinking I could help people avoid pain by trying to change their behavior, but never did I think someone would think learning how to better ride a bike would be bad, let alone trying to stop the process all together.

As I said recently I met a group, well specifically I interacted with an individual who slammed the Ten Step To Proper Cornering as presented in the Total Control Advanced Riding Clinic by Lee Parks. His misunderstanding of the 10 Steps are what he first started to slam, but once corrected on the actual step he stepped further back in his defense and eventually it became clear he was simply against any training of the sort.

Of course this was all based upon what he believed the training or curriculum was about, not from any real attempt to understand any of it at all. In fact he has never cracked Lee's book open, nor did he take advantage of actually sitting through the Clinic (which he was offered, for free.) To be clear, he didn't even sit in the classroom segment, nor did he ride. So, in the end of my interaction with this gentleman I decided it is impossible to respect a negative opinion, when the person doesn't even bother to understand what they are critical of in the first place.

In the end, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and as such it is my opinion that people who ride with our regard to others are rude and those who simply throw stones at things they clearly have spent no time to understand are sad.

While both being rude and sad in my above statement come from the lack of understanding, I am a lot more tolerant of rude, unless it becomes obvious that they do not want to understand, versus those I define as sad. Because the sad folks refuse to understand and ultimately must really be missing the point of riding a motorcycle.

In my mind, when riding is 100% safe, it is boring.

I can't imagine anything worse than riding without any thrill, just using a motorcycle for simple....boring transportation. I know that some have a motorcycle as their only choice and may choose to ride a lot safer, that's not what I'm talking about.

I'm talking about riding a motorcycle and missing the whole point of riding a motorcycle!

So, the next time you go on a ride, take a deep breath and soak in the reality that what you do is dangerous. Then seek comfort in your ability to understand risk, manage it and be truly in control. Because a life without risk, at least in my mind, just simply isn't worth living!

Why Do They Ride Without Helmets?!? (Part 4 of 5)

2009-08-12T20:24:00.010-07:00

I know people that will ride a bike 160 MPH on a public street who can't stand that other riders will ride a bike at any speed without a helmet. I've always found this as the most interesting contradiction, but until recently couldn't tell either group (which don't understand the other by the way) why each does what they do.

The simple answer goes back to why most all of us ride, which is....because it is dangerous!

The 160 MPH rider feels safe in the helmet and gear, so to get closer to the thrill they must go faster. The helmet-less rider feels safer riding slower, so they ride without as much gear and no helmet to feel the thrill. (Is either really safe?) And then, we have the rider that needs to ride without a helmet, without gear, helmet, at 160 MPH and even added risk to truly get a rush.

These folks are essentially the same, they simply have different thrill thresholds, thus the difference in choices. You can look at most all riders and you'll see this logic holds true. Of course you'll need to set aside what you feel is responsible for your life or you'll constantly disagree with their choices. (Just as they don't understand your choices...)

I still shake my head when I see a guy on a bike with a helmet, shorts and a T-shirt. Not because I think they should have gear, but because I wonder why they bothered with the helmet.

Ultimately however I'll never say a thing to them, because they don't affect my physical or mental condition.

Personal Safety vs Safety Enforcement (Part 3 of 5)

2009-08-11T21:19:00.003-07:00

Talking safety is the best way to put a target on your riding or opinion. People will line up and start throwing stones almost immediately, in fact they'll go out of their way to call you a hypocrite and try to cite everything you've ever done. If they can't find something you've actually done they will put you on trial by association and if that doesn't work they'll finally move to criticism based upon things you haven't done to help stem the tide of unsafe acts. The bottom line is that they are very good at tearing things down, so they don't have to feel judged. When in reality they are self-judging and simply trying to feel better about that judgement.

Now, here is the most misunderstood part of having an opinion. Even though you have one you can let others to have their own. I'll use knee-dragging on the street as an example. (It could be wheelies, stoppies and a bunch of other horseplay items.)

I don't think it is responsible to drag a knee on the street and I don't think it is safe to drag a knee in front of others on a group ride. (Note, I did not say the act was unsafe alone on the street.)

I say this because I don't believe it is a skill that should be used on the street unless you are put in a situation where that much lean angle is needed to avoid a hazard. If a rider is paying attention as they should, that situation is one in a billion.

It isn't safe on a group in front of others because it is a skill that requires understanding of proper body positioning and done wrong can lead to a crash fairly easy. A crash on a group ride is disrespectful of other people's time and that's the real reason I don't like it. I feel if you are going to ask others to accommodate you during the day, you should be respectful of them and not do something that would encourage them to crash or risk a crash yourself.

I'll take respectful riding over safe riding every day, as ultimately the mere act of riding a motorcycle is less safe than the accepted norm, so trying to define the one true "safe" way becomes ludicrous. (I did not just say I am OK with riding with unsafe riders.)

For me, being responsible means that I'll return home to my wife in the same basic physical condition that I left. Doing something that places me in a hospital with tons of bills would beyond that commitment I've made to her. Others might not have the same level of responsibility and as long as they don't threaten my physical or more importantly mental condition (keep in mind that riding is more a mental activity than a physical one) at risk, I have no issue with the risks they take.

In the past I've tried to explain this to others and I know they simply hear that I personally don't want them doing wheelies or stoppies on a ride and not what I'm actually saying, which was that it made others uncomfortable and there is nothing worse than a mentally stressed rider for everyone concerned. I've recently decided to abandon this approach as it puts me in an odd position and gives people and inaccurate assessment of my views and why I have them. Quite simply I'll avoid riding with the folks I don't like and if they make me feel uncomfortable on a ride I'll simply distance myself from them. If they continue to try to ride directly near me I'll say something.

If they ride near someone else inappropriately I'll leave it to that person to move away or speak up. In the past I've had people complain to me and I then approached folks, but no longer. In the future if people are upset I'll assist them in approaching the person, but they'll have to express the issue themselves as once again I'm done have my time affected in such a way.

The bottom line is that if someone wants to drag a knee on the street (or any other of those items) I don't care, as long as they are not placing me in danger or being disrespectful of my time.

Why Do I Ride? (Part 2 of 5)

2009-08-10T11:02:00.005-07:00

If you ask most riders why they ride you'll hear a whole bunch of stuff. Usually it is feel good, wind in your hair, freedom of the road, if you have to ask blah blah stuff, that I myself have even stated to others, quite frequently. But recently I've changed my answer to something that is a whole lot more clear, and when another rider gets upset with my answer....well, I have to call BS.

I ride because it is dangerous.

Plain and simple, it is something that makes me different and it makes me feel alive. Not a drone stuck in a box moving through life one block at a time. I can use more of the road and can control how much or how little risk I can take almost every instance of a ride....including when I choose to sit still. This obsession called riding is easier to obtain than driving a race car, more easily repeatable than skydiving and a lot cheaper than a dozen other things that would give the same thrill. Now danger doesn't mean purposely placing myself in danger and don't confuse dangerous with a death wish, those two are completely different, as the goal when riding is not to die, nor is it to get closer to death!

Once I came to the above conclusion about riding it made it a lot easier to understand squids and other high risk takers, but honestly the discovery came because I finally met the complete opposite of a squid, which I though was a cager that doesn't understand bikes, but in reality, much, much worse.

What could be worse, than someone who doesn't understand riding slamming the draw to riding? Well, that would be a rider who believes the only proper way to ride is to ride so safely, it removes all the fun and excitement completely. I'll delve into this a bit more soon.

Anyway, back to my statement about danger. Anyone who has ridden with me, or talked to me would make the determination that I am more often than not safe. And those who would be quick to point out moments when I've taken risk would also have to say that I only put myself at risk. I don't dive head on at other vehicles, but honestly I understand the rush. (Just not gonna put myself there if it is avoidable.)

Riding and Living (Part 1 0f 5)

2009-08-09T13:30:00.008-07:00

I got back on a street motorcycle eight years ago and I've made quite a few discoveries in that time. One of the most surprising things I've found is how aggressive some riders can be about how "they" think people should interact. They have opinions about riding, what they consider to be safe and unsafe and then what they feel comfortable about talking about, but the more opinionated they are about "their" approach the less likely they are to "allow" other opinions, including trying to discredit people's riding, calling them names and even sometimes threatening physical violence over how someone else chooses to do something by themselves.

Now, let me be clear before confusion arises, that I am talking about personal choices that are made on solo rides, or decisions made in small groups when all the riders know one another, not people unknown to one another riding together. When taking a personal risk directly affects the risk level of others, respect must be given to the safety of other's.

I've always accepted other's opinions, regardless if I agree with them or not. That is until they try to shove it down my throat, or if that opinion places me directly in risk and then I'll stand up and defend my position, right or wrong. Even then I don't ask that others accept my position, just that they consider there may be another viewpoint.

Anyway, this all leads me to the recent discovery that those who risk everything sometimes are a lot less worse than what I'll call safety Nazi's. And I'm not talking someone who has the balls to talk safety, but those who state that advanced training and trackdays are unsafe because they teach people to ride at a risky level.

As I continue I'll set a few definitions and then maybe my point of view will make more sense to others.

More Control - Better Looking

2009-08-07T13:17:00.003-07:00

I've had a custom lever from CRG on the clutch side of my ST1300 for some time know and I truly loved the way it worked and how it felt while in use. My only complaint was that CRG did not spend the time to make a matching control for the brake side.

While the factory brake side lever is adjustable it was a huge, bulky lever that did not lend itself to trail braking and extended, constant use. On long cross country hauls it was fine, but for use in Ironman events and tight control issues it got to be slightly bothersome.

I had always wanted a better brake side control and there are a couple options but nothing I was willing to jump at until a group buy for the ASV levers was posted on SouthWestRides.com. When this group buy was posted I checked out the options and decided to jump. The price certainly made it easier, but I can tell you full price is worth the cost.

I mentioned the CRG's which I loved. I loved them because of their adjustability on the fly and the feel. Well, so far the ASV's have a similar feel and are infinitely more adjustable, due to their clicker adjustability, which gives about 60 to 160 positions between full-in and full-out.

My only concern about the ASV's is the replacement for the brake plunger that doesn't seal like the factory one did, but with the way I maintain and clean a bike I should be fine.

Now functionality aside, I also love the look of these new levers. Gold and black is the standard option, I traded the black wheels for red and I think I have some pretty nice new bling on my one of a kind ST1300.

Knowledge Up, Knee Down - Total Control

2009-07-14T12:42:00.004-07:00

I have had a very interesting year so far, one that started in reality last year at the end of April when I took a Total Control Advanced Riding Clinic that was an intern class for a few of the newest Instructors that had been trained by Lee Parks, the originator of that very clinic. I took a lot away from that class, not only in specific skills and the ability to critique them on the fly, but a deeper understanding and appreciation of what I was getting from motorcycling itself.

For those who know me, they will recognize that when I have an opinion it is based typically upon a lot of data and observation and while I am typically confident in that opinion I do always keep an open mind to other possibilities and constantly balance what is (in my mind) with what can be possible. Now, for those who don't know me that well I may seem unyielding in my opinion, but with just a few exceptions, that is not the truth.

That being said when I first attended the TCARC it was to improve my skills on the motorcycle. What happened was that I did improve skills, (that is me above a year ago) but I also started a path of improving myself. The clinic addresses a lot of things in 8 hours and one specific area is the mental side of riding, both how it works and what it means. Delving deep into that issue re-awoke my passion for training and because of that a year later I found myself taking the MSF RiderCoach prep and became a certified and active RiderCoach.

While the RiderCoach position is enjoyable and rewarding, I wanted more. I had awoken a beast so to speak. I wanted to both learn more, better myself and be able to help others enjoy more, from both their motorcycles and life. For I honestly believe that motorcycling done right makes us better people and based upon my experiences and data I'd take a person I least like on a motorcycle over any Joe Schmo any day.

During my RiderCoach classes I was befriended by a guy that had actually been an Instructor at my TCARC class a year earlier. During our 4 weeks training together I expressed that I would love to Instruct the TCARC, but was unsure of my skill level. He chuckled and told me that he felt I was certainly at the proper level and should pursue that goal. His name is Tealdo Teal and thanks to his initial reaction I started a path that has lead to to what will be reveled at the end of this post. :)

After our MSF RiderCoach Prep had concluded I continued forward, completed intern training and then gained my State Certification. I quickly started Coaching. During this time I expressed interest in taking the training to become a TCARC Instructor. Since these Instructors are handed picked and must be sponsored I was unsure what the likelihood of me becoming a candidate was, or when it might happen. Turns out things would move a lot faster than I ever imagined...

As I prepared to leave on a cross country trip to visit my Father in Alabama I got a call that a TCARC Instructor class was to be held in Houston and that if I wanted, I should attend. The class was scheduled for two weekends after I was to arrive at my Father's. This caused me to radically change my plans visiting my Father, it also meant I would have limited time to study and then the challenge of how to get my bike back across the country one week later arose. I ran several different plans though the mental process, including riding from my Father's to Houston and leaving the bike, riding from AZ to Houston, trailering to Houston and they finally renting a bike in Houston and riding that for the class.

I tried in vain to find a ST1300 for rent and then as luck would have it the dealership where the class was to be held rented bikes. The catch? The dealership was Mancuso Harley-Davidson and the bike would be a Sportster! I had ridden a Sportster once before in my life and only on a test ride, so the entire ordeal was to be an experience.

I arrived home from Alabama, had one week to study the materials that had been sent to me for the class and I found myself on a plane headed to Houston, for what I though was 4 days of training. As it turned out I was needed for 5 days, because a student class would be held after our 4 days to allow us to come up to speed in the Instructing the Clinic.

As you can see, me and the Sportster melded rather well, my only regret was that it wasn't my bike and that there simply was no possible way for me to put a knee down on a bike where my legs were sticking out in front of me. (I did however get proficient at placing my elbow on my knee through corners.)

At the end of the Instructor Class Lee congratulated me on my ability to absorb and understand the information that I had only had for a week and remembering what I had learned from a class a year earlier. I was given the assignment of presenting the 10-steps to proper cornering the next day in the student class, and I was to present two of the riding demos, including transitions. I was extremely happy of my accomplishments, but in perspective that was to change the very next day.

After the student class the following day Lee pulled me aside and asked if I might be available for the weekend of July 11. I knew he would be training Marines in Camp Pendleton, but the reason he wanted me to come out completely surprised me, as he wanted me to come to California to take his TCARC Level 2 and the the next day to take the Level 2 Instructor Class. My answer....YES!

During the time before I headed to Houston, Tealdo had given me a little refresher on the range with the exercises and actually helped make sure my homework was on target. I called him when I returned and as luck would have it so did Lee. Tealdo was also invited to head to California and on Friday of last week we both headed to Oceanside, California for a couple days of Level 2 sweetness. This time however I would have my bike and the first set of knee sliders I had ever owned. I wanted to touch my knee during the weekend and at the end of the first day I did. I was ecstatic! My goal had honestly been achieved as I had put a knee down, so to speak. That night Tealdo and I talked about how cool it was and I stated that I really wanted a photo of me actually doing the deed so to speak and after a day of training Lee got this shot!

There are 2 things that are very important about this shot. The first is that I am not simply touching my knee down, but dragging it through the entire corner. The second is that the Feedback that lead to me dragging, from simply touching came from fellow Instructors, not Lee himself! That's the overall beauty of the Total Control Advanced Riding Clinic, its curriculum while created by Lee does not need him present to work!

Of course you'll now be hearing me talk a lot more about training and its benefits, and how using the technology given in TCARC Level 1 and 2 will make you a safer rider, a better rider and a better person overall.

At the end of the weekend I was given this piece of paper, but I have brought home a better understanding of my skills, my abilities and myself as a human being. All of this in Total Control.

And Suddenly, Summer Is Here!

2009-07-07T18:02:00.003-07:00

Yes, that's hot, and considering that it is in my garage you might get the idea that I've moved closer to the Sun. Nope, not so, but Summer has arrived in Arizona and after a complete day out in the heat I can tell you it is time to reconsider how I'll be riding in the next few months.

Early starts of course helps but in a couple weeks it will be in the 100's even at 2 am so an overall plan for riding it the best approach.

I spend most of my time this time of the year hydrating as much as possible, and eating lots of fruits and veggies also seems to help. During the day I keep my meals evenly spaced, often and in small portions, which leads to a lot less issues in the long haul.

Now normally I'd be avoiding riding in the middle of the day and at the hottest times of the day or if I did I'd pick cooler routes. But, thanks to a few opportunities I've actually been spending a LOT of time on ranges and not on little bikes either.

I still have a few photos that need to be obtained and a report to finish and you'll see what I've been doing.

Stay tuned and Stay COOL!!

Argus Battery Bug for Motorcycles

2009-06-22T20:46:00.004-07:00

Back in 2007 while walking the floor of the SEMA show in Las Vegas I discovered a product called the Argus Battery Bug. It was a cool little unit that was marketed as a way to monitor your batteries health. The only issue with the unit they were showing at the time was that is wasn’t very practical for motorcycle use. I actually spent about 20 minutes with the engineer at their telling him what would like to see and he actually took notes!

Fast-forward to 2008 and I stopped by Argus booth and was surprised that both guys working the booth remembered me and then they excitedly showed me their new Motorsports Battery Bug. This one would be able to be mounted away from the battery and had a much better cable that could be routed in a manner to place the display somewhere it could be viewed.

There is not much to review on this product. It shows the voltage on the battery and the percentage of life left on the battery to start the vehicle. In a nutshell you’ll be buying piece of mind. It allows you at a glance to understand that you are first of all not taxing the electrical system with electrical components and that when you shut the bike down or right before you start, you’ll have enough cranking power to accomplish that task.

I recently installed one on my ST1300 right before my trip to Alabama and it provided me with quiet comfort that all was good with my battery. In the past I’ve never been sure when my battery might give up the ghost, so it will be interesting to see exactly how well the Argus Battery Bug serves its purpose. I’ll report back when I find out more, but I am pretty sure this will be a “long term” review.

A Little Trip to Barber

2009-06-14T14:54:00.003-07:00

In July of 2007 I was able to visit the Barber Motorsports Museum for the first time (Barber Photo Set) and was stunned by the absolute perfection in execution of the facility itself and the attention to detail of the restoration and preservation of the bikes.

The reason I was so interested in restored bikes was not because I was actually restoring a bike, but I had just completed a tribute of sort. The bike as most know is my ST1300, but what most do not know is that the bike was styled after the race bikes that made Honda the company that it is today. When Honda finally won the TT on the Isle of Mann, they achieved what Soichiro Honda had proclaimed that they would do just a few years before.

While my goals might not be as lofty I at least like to do what I say I am going to do and when I visited that museum I decided I needed to get a shot of my bike in front of it, even though it was 1800 miles away.

The reason I was able to visit Barber was because my father lived just 60 miles away, so the easiest way to make what I wanted to happen was to ride to see my father. I of course did that and then was able to get the above photo after riding to Barber the day after I arrived at my father's.

I stopped in the museum again, snapped a few shots and had a great conversation with one of the stewards of the bikes. Then after a little conversation I got to do something I was asked to not publish, so you'll have to see me in person and I'll tell you what it was. Of course if you follow this blog, you probably can figure it out.

Here are a few shots from my trip, including my dad's house and a few things along the way. I had fun and I'm now ready to set another goal.

Shots from the Trip!

Trip Complete - AZ to AL and back

2009-06-10T13:39:00.002-07:00

First the numbers

3674.7 - Total Miles Traveled
600 - Average Miles per day (2.5) on trip to Alabama
600 - Average Miles per day (2.25) on trip back
$235.56 - Total Gas Bill
$214.49 - Hotel Bill
$144.54 - Food Cost
6 - Number of times I thought I forgot to put on my glasses
2 - Number of nights in Hotels headed to Alabama
1 - Number of nights in Hotels headed back from Alabama
1 – Number of nights spent at a friend’s house headed back from Alabama
1 - National Landmarks Visited (Fly by actually)
1 - Old National Highways Traveled (66)
.1 - Number of days I was rained on
3 - Number of times I saw police pull over speeders
1 - Number of times I actually forgot to put on my glasses
0 - Number of times stopped by police. (Top speed shown was on a closed course.)

I decided this year that I would ride to Alabama to visit my Father and Step-Mother and also got to see my Sister and Husband, Step-Sister and her 2 boys.

The trip much like anything cross-country had highs and lows but for the most part was pretty easy. I did find that the I-10 to I-20 route was very, very boring. I also found that the difference in mileage for the I-40 route to my house was a whopping 12 miles.

Along the way the biggest challenge turned out to be on the way back, initially I would have figured that it would have been the trip there as it was very hot and quite boring, but that would all change about 20 miles after leaving my Dad's house.

I could have made the trip there more interesting if I would have stopped and looked around, but I wanted to spend time with my Father, so getting there was the goal! The way back was much the same since I had a deadline to meet at the other end. Not the perfect plan for the trip but it worked.

The morning I left my fathers I did all my pre-checks for myself, my equipment and my bike and everything checked out. Unfortunately for me a part on my helmet didn't fail when I checked it but about 15 miles later when I pushed the face-shield forward on my Schuberth C2 helmet to city mode the side clip popped off and I was left with a face shield held only with one clip. This would prove to be a challenge the entire trip home.

I ended up covering 680 miles the first day and only in the last 200 miles did I fasten the visor in place with a paper clip. This meant I could not open or close the shield and hoped that in rain it would provide enough seal.

The next morning I awoke to heavy clouds and upon leaving dealt with a little rain. At that moment I learned a couple things. One was that the shield would not seal and the second was that I was not wearing my glasses (I had left them on the bed of the hotel.) I returned for the glasses, the rain stopped and I continued on my way.

About 100 miles from Albuquerque the clip failed and I was left once again with a loose visor.

I awoke the next morning after spending a very restful night at a friends house and fashioned yet another clip. This time I though I had one that would be better for opening the upper section at stops (not the visor, but the chin section.) The previous design popped off each time. Well, 20-miles out of Albuquerque I turned my head for a lane change a in an instant the entire visor was gone! Out loud I literally said "The whole thing...really?!?"

I did not even bother to turn around an look. I simply raised my ST1300's windscreen and lowered the internal (now only) sun-visor to shield my eyes.

While the skies threatened rain the entire 400 miles home it never happened and I arrived home safe and sound.

I have a few more stories about the trip I'll share in a few days (including a very odd bird incident) but the visor (or lack of) was the pivotal riding challenge.

Sweet Home.....from Alabama!

2009-06-05T15:34:00.003-07:00

Well, my time in Alabama is coming to a close and I'll be heading home in the morning. My time here in Alabama has been fun, but the trip here was not as exciting, that's for sure.

I decided that I would ride I-10 to I-20 across Texas and that is something I can now say i have done and will most likely NEVER do again! It is long, straight, boring and sometimes a bit scary. (Mostly at night.)

My route tomorrow is not yet set, but most likely I'll take I-40 across the US back to AZ. Of course looking forward, I have that wonderful state of New Mexico, that I am convinced hates me that and will most likely try to blow me back to Texas. But, compared to the Southern route that might not be such a big deal anymore.

When I get back I'll report on the entire trip and get ready to head back out almost immediately for yet another adventure.

Streetfighter Reveal

2009-05-22T19:17:00.002-07:00

Stopped by the Ducati Superstore tonight to see the unveiling of the new Streetfighter.

They did a stellar job and even started the bike. This is why this is the shop to visit folks. Can't wait to try this bike out on the street!

Just Trying to be Recognized!

2009-05-13T14:00:00.003-07:00

I am beginning to believe that their is no such thing as too much light on a motorcycle. For that reason and the the fact that I had light mounts on my bike that I'll no longer be using for the PIAA 910's I decided to try something different.

What you see here are what you would typically see mounted on the police light mounts of a ST1300, Whelen TIR3 strobes. The only difference is that instead of red and blue, which would certainly get me pulled over, I am using amber to double as turn lights, fog lights and possibly signal strobes.

I'll be integrating a few lights into the rear as well, but right off the bat I am happy with my decision and they actually do quite well lighting up the road ahead.

Since I already have the police switch mounted these will be easy to control, the fun part will be the integration or adaptation of these light to work both with the factory turn signals and independently.

Stay tuned for the final wiring and usability on my bike.

Follow Birdman on Twitter

2009-05-06T20:22:00.003-07:00

Hmm, this should have been an obvious connection some time ago??

Well, thanks to technology and the ability to rss feed to Twitter you can now follow The Birdman Blog and the occasional Tweet os Twitter by following Birdman_H54.

URL is here - http://twitter.com/Birdman_H54

See ya soon!

Sometimes We Just Need to RIDE!

2009-05-01T12:48:00.005-07:00

Yeah, cones on a stick.....it is a metaphor to remind everyone that sometimes we should leave critical evauluation, training and testing our skills at home. Go out and simply ride completely within our limits.

I was sitting at breakfast this morning with a new friend of mine and the issue of riding with someone that had to always evaluate skills and turn every ride into a lesson came up. The comment was made that it just wasn't fun and sometimes just riding should be the goal. It actually stuck a nerve and I decided I might explore that comment in a written perspective just to first ground myself with the statement and to share it with others as well.

Let me go first in the fact that it just might be possible that I can fall into this category for some people. I know that I don't ride every ride as a lesson and when I ride alone or with others that I ride with a lot I don't tend to worry about it or even take inventory of things that could be better. But, throw me into a larger group with new individuals and one based off of the site I maintain and I do turn on certain parts of my "coaching" brain. Since I've completed my MSF RiderCoach training I have seriously learned the lesson of what over-coaching can do, so I do know I've backed off a bit in that respect, but introspection is always a good thing, yes?

That being said when on a group ride we all need to be aware of what the limit for the group should be and then not force others into the role of being a coach or offering advice by not pushing that limit. The vast majority of crashes on group rides comes from inattention or an attitude that the limit isn't being pushed, in reality when the incident is reviewed the reduction of speed would have always allowed more time and space to have avoided the situation (of course there are always plenty of more variable, but nothing can be controlled more by a rider than speed.) The burden of reduced speed should not always be placed on the actual rider who crashed or even the newest rider, when we enter into a group ride we all need to back things down to a common denominator. On SouthWestRides.com we always support the "Leave No Rider Behind" philosophy, that put simply means that others will always wait up and not force a rider to keep up, but in reality all riders need to balance their skills with the people they are riding with and not get near pushing their own limits. Sometimes that means a reduction of riding to 2/10ths of ones ability. I've been there on a group ride and even then still needed to wait up for another rider.

As with anything in life a balance needs to be achieved, but only if all riders in the group enter into a shared responsibility for all riders will safety become a priority without any individuals being forced into playing the role of "coach." Trust me when I say that being a coach all the time isn't fun, just as being coached all the time obviously isn't fun.

So, next time you feel the need to push yourself to learn, do it by yourself, or with someone with whom you want to be coached.

But, when you head out for a group ride with new individuals make sure everyone is on the same page in regards to pacing, top speed, stops and destinations so that no one has to coached or be a coach. After all, shouldn't rides be fun for everyone?

The Heat is On!

2009-04-21T16:51:00.003-07:00

Well, there it is! The first 100 degree day of the year, and even though the forecast is not calling for more of them soon, we all know what is coming.

Well, all of us who have lived in the Valley of The Sun for more than a few years that is...

This year will be just as brutal as years past, but this year I'll be hosting a Hydration and Nutrition Clinic at my garage to help riders better deal with the heat. As the name implies I'll have a guest speaker who will address Hydration at the scientific level and then also we'll be talking about how gear can aid in dealing with the heat much better.

Look at swrides.com for more details soon and make sure to save the date when it is announced.

Arizona Bike Week - 2009

2009-04-05T17:47:00.004-07:00

Today brings to a close a week of rides, festivities and events that are marketed as Arizona Bike Week by FX Promotions Inc. all centered around the valley and with their main focus being at WestWorld in the form of an Expo called Cyclefest.

Now as far as Bike Week on the whole, we as a valley don't really need it as year round we have great weather, great rides and even great events, so the real focus is the Cyclefest and what it does exactly for us as riders.

Above is a photo taken at 2:30 pm on Friday in the midway of the Cyclefest event...notice anything? I mean beside that fact that there are no people!?!

Forget the thing about people for a second and let's focus on just two items. One is the absence of motorcycles and the other is the primary sponsor of Cyclefest......yes, Jagermeister.

The first is actually the most surprising to me, the fact that an event called Cyclefest would not have a way for people to display and show off their motorcycles?!? I mean heck, I am pretty sure they could even make a little more if they sold passes to include riding your bike in the area. Now before I get some excited comments from the promoters of this event I am sure that WestWorld has limitations, but I do remember just a few months ago the place being full of cars moving around, yes?

Hold on, I actually know the real problem.

OK OK forget that as well, because once we focus on the real issue everything begins to become clear.

The real issue is a large bus sitting there on the right of the photo. It belongs to the primary sponsor of Cyclefest. Yes, Jagermeister is the key sponsor of Arizona's Bike Week and the Cyclefest specifically, good choice right? I mean since alcohol is the #1 killer of riders I guess they should pay for the show....(Um, yeah I didn't think so either.) of course since they need to sell alcohol at the event, you can't exactly have people riding their vehicles around, can you? Thus, no bikes in the Cyclefest.

I would think that if the show was centered on motorcycles and riding in Arizona the sponsors would be be either motorcycle related or heck even hydration centered, not something that leads to the deaths of motorcyclists directly.

So, let's back up and consider what this event is really about. Specifically for motorcyclist there were demo rides and I even got reports that sport bikes were available. That's a good thing. As far as vendors there were a lot of t-shirt, chaps and head accessories, but beyond non-DOT half helmets I didn't see a single helmet vendor. Also there were a good amount of other companies represented, even some in the sportbike realm, not a lot but look folks the vendor availability wasn't low.

So, what's wrong with this show?

Nothing, if you understand what the show really is all about.

Arizona Bike Week and Cyclefest is a 5-day concert series with a motorcycle cruiser theme!

Yup that's it folks, it isn't Daytona Bike Week, it isn't Sturgis, heck it isn't even a real rally. It is simply a decently put together Country Thunder for the cruiser crowd.

If you're a vendor and you were standing around wondering where all the riders or people were, they didn't show until later for the concert, so figure out a way to integrate into that or do something off-site during the days of ABW to drive traffic to your location specifically.

So, the next time you get upset about what ABW does or doesn't have just understand that $20 gets you into one concert and $38 gets you into 5 days of concerts and it should all make sense. Everything else that happens at WestWorld and is advertised around the Arizona Bike Week moniker is just additional marketing and money for the promoters.

Make sense now?

I'm not going to worry about it, or even try to change it...I'm just gonna ride!

New Tunes, From A New Toy

2009-03-17T19:15:00.003-07:00

I love music and I love hearing a lot of different music, but what I don't like is sitting around creating playlists and syncing music.

For me satellite radio was a godsend because I didn't have to do anything but pick a genre and the rest was done for me and on my ST1300 that works just fine, because I have the space and area to place a radio (or GPS with it built in) and an antenna.

But, when it came to my Uly and now my Night Rod the issue is space. Well, space and the fact that on the NR a bunch of electronics would just look plain stupid!

So when I found that Slacker Radio had introduced a radio I was intrigued and when I discovered that it would update via WiFi I was practically sold.

I found Slacker Radio about 3 years ago when I was invited to a suite to be shown their product and the owner of the company explained how the service worked and how their G1 Radio at that time would be working. That product was a little large for a portable, so I only considered it something usable on a touring bike.

A year and a half later they introduced the G2 Radio, it is much smaller, about 2" x 4" and a 1/2" thick. Perfect for an inner jacket pocket!

Well, I took the radio out of the package, went online and selected which stations (including my own custom ones) I wanted on the G2 and then told the G2 to sync via WiFi. I never plugged the unit into anything and I was ready to roll a short while later.

Now when I come back to the house my stations will update automatically or I can manual make them update.

The sound quality is good, I can see on the screen what is playing and the unit holds 4 Gigs worth of music. So, I'll play with it for a while and check back later.

So far, all smiles!!!

Master of "The Box!"

2009-03-01T16:49:00.002-07:00

OK, no more cryptic posts and blogs about kicking cones and continued learning, after 80+ hours of classroom and range instruction I have finally completed my certification as a MSF RiderCoach.

I started this process a few months ago and even before I entered the RiderCoach Prep program I had to complete a Basic RiderCourse and then audit a course from beginning to end.

The process from then to know has taught me a lot about myself and re-enforced a lot of my own closely held beliefs.

As with anything when you break things down to a basic level and then rebuild step by step you help to make sure that you have a solid foundation and your fine skills get even better. I just completed a class with real live students (not other RiderCoach Canidates acting as students) and had an object lesson in the form of one participant that literally went from worst to first in 2 days.

I can't wait to continue to learn and pass that learning on as time goes by and doubt that kicking cones is ever going to get boring!

Congrats to the rest of the guys and gals in my class and I'll see you soon, be it on the range or on the road.

Home, Home on the Range

2009-02-15T20:05:00.004-07:00

I've been spending a lot of time kicking cones, riding around a range and learning lately and I've got to say it is paying off in ways I didn't really expect.

We have all heard the phrase "Practice makes perfect" and I've even referred to a modified phrase my College Orchestra Conductor would recite, "Perfect practice makes perfect." I've always understood how to break down a music performance to the base level and rebuild it, but I am now learning how to do exactly that with motor skills and in an adult learning atmosphere. The process is remarkably similar to many things I have experienced in my life, but it is completely refreshing to see the results on a different stage, so to speak.

I am a good 2/3 thirds through a process and hopefully in a couple weeks I will begin yet another journey that allows me to interact with even more riders in way that allows them to have a safe and enjoyable riding experience.

Meanwhile I think I'll kick a few more cones and Practice - Practice - Practice!

Leftovers!

2009-02-08T15:17:00.003-07:00

And not the Dinner from the night before variety, I'm talking about leftover parts here.

As I customize my bikes I always seem to end up with extra parts. Mostly nuts and bolts, but every so often I have the occasional large part, like an exhaust or a cover.

I've always kept these parts, but drew the line at keeping extra parts for bikes I have sold. In the past I have sold the extra parts, but typically I give them away with the bike I am selling. At least that person will have the bike the extra parts below to, right?

Since I've started customizing my newest bike I've already started to accumulate a bunch of new parts and this time I've decided to label them as I go, just so I know exactly what I've got. As it is I have a bunch of bolts from other "projects" that I just can't throw away.

So, here's to more organized clutter!!

Ready to Roll

2009-01-30T19:46:00.002-07:00

OK, there is one thing that will make me not ride on a Sunday afternoon and this Sunday it will happen.....again!

Yes, the Steelers are ready to play in yet another Super Bowl and until kickoff I think I will need to ride or wrench just to take my mind off the game.

You see, I am a Steelers Fan, I have probably been one since birth, but even since I can remember I have been cheering the Steelers to the Super Bowl and in 5 out of 6 visits I have seen them win.

Nothing upset me like seeing a rider make a bad decision and get hurt, but when Big Ben almost ruined the Steelers by not wearing a helmet I was really upset. Seriously, you just don't mess with the machine that is the Steelers.

Now years later I find myself in Arizona the land of the Cardinals (surrounded by Steelers Fans) and I am pumped to see the game play out.

I feel good about this game as it seems the Cardinals will bring a real game to the field and the victor will truly have to play the game to the fullest to win. I have confidence in my Steelers, I just want to game to get going.

GO STILLERS!!!!!!

It's A Bike, So Ride It!

2009-01-25T18:14:00.003-07:00

I picked up my Night Rod the other night when it was raining and the woman at the service counter laughed when I did.

She mad the statement that I must not be made out of sugar, I laghed back and said nope, far from it. ;)

As I left from the shop there were several guys sitting under the canopy looking at the rain. One guy said, hey you're not gonna get that pretty bike wet are you? I said, heck yeah, it's a bike, I'm gonna ride it!

Of course after I get a bike dirty, I wash it all back nice and pretty for my next ride. It is just part of the Zen I enjoy about motorcycles.

I've been spending a lot of time on different bike lately and it is really making me enjoy the ones I have and the things as I ride more and more that I learn. I'll never stop learning about riding and that is probably the best thing, well until I get to pass that knowledge along....

Supercross Is Go!

2009-01-10T19:32:00.000-07:00

The races are on on Phoenix. I'm glad I made it back from Vegas.

CES Moto-style

2009-01-08T14:30:00.000-07:00

I've been walking around the show floor all morning and I just walked
into the XACT booth and found this!

Many saw this truck at SEMA, it is a custom Desmosedici hauler.
Complete with solar cells and a full built in garage. More later.

Welcome to 2009!

2008-12-31T23:41:00.004-07:00

Happy New Year to All and I wish Everyone Safe and Enjoyable Rides in 2009.

I personally had a great 2008 and I look forward to an even better 2009.

Even with the economy and the stress we all have been through, I believe things have made people concentrate on what really matters and also appreciate what we all have a little more.

As far as New Year's resolutions I am going to reconsider everything I buy this coming year and make sure it is something that I will both use and appreciate. I also have some pretty specific motorcycle goals and plans for trips and reports. I hit all my goals last year, so here's to another fun and exciting year.

I wish everyone well in both their hopes and dreams.

Welcome to 2009!!

A Merry Moto Christmas

2008-12-24T17:20:00.004-07:00

‘Twas the Night before Christmas and all through the garage, not a creature was stirring not even Stegy.

The bikes were all snuggled, warm in their spots, while visions of carbon fiber and high octane fuel danced in their ECM's.

I had just settled in from dodging some birds when all of the sudden from above, I heard a great clatter.

It wasn’t a dry clutch, nor a really loud exhaust, but something different, while familiar in a way.

Across the drying irrigation water I saw the reflection of spoked wheels on the roof. Above I head the squeaking of race boots and the whirring of a generator.

I don’t have a chimney, so I was rather confused. I ran to the downstairs door and burst out on the lawn.

As I turned to the roof I heard the familiar release of velcro and saw the tire warmers being thrown in a trike.

What did I see but a round little man in red and white leathers. He gave me a wink and I heard his fuel pump buzz and then with a flip of his thumb his stead roared to life.

Up off my roof and into the sky I heard him declare “Merry Christmas to all and to all Safe Rides!”

More Options

2008-12-15T12:28:00.002-07:00

Today I stopped by a friend's shop to take a look at a new prototype
for a Kawasaki Concours Police Bike.

You may notice the crash bars, but a little harder to see are the side
bags that have been modified to open from the top.

In reality there are a whole lot of small modifications built into
this bike that exist because this design included input from Officers and Riders at the start.

The final product is pretty close to complete and when done I'll post
up some more photos.

Who Ya Gonna Call?

2008-12-04T13:02:00.000-07:00

Still in NYC and still watching with much admiration the guys and gals
riding scooters and motorcycles around this place.

Next time I'm gonna ride or rent a bike here.

No Bikes Here

2008-12-02T16:29:00.001-07:00

But, there should be, yes?

Since I was nearby and like the building anyway, I thought I would give it a shot anyway.

I have seen quite a few bikes on the city streets since I arrived Monday night and I am really in awe of what these guys have to deal with on the road. From rough road conditions to uber-aggressive cagers, the streets here are not for the timid.

I'll get a few bike shots and post them up later.

BTW, New York's finest even have their own Motor Division.

The Crash Scale

2008-11-26T18:19:00.007-07:00

I was talking to someone today about crashes and the fact that there was a story that I have been wanting to write for some time, but hadn’t yet due to the fact that I didn’t want any one person to feel it was about their specific crash.

After my chat today I decided what the heck, and when you read the entire way through this it might make sense that any single person isn’t the cause of a crash anyway, not entirely alone.

Learning To Drive

I was taught to drive through a pilot program in the State of Ohio, which included high performance driving lessons and an intensive approach to traffic and collision understanding. Probably because of that training and the fact that my father was an Ohio State Trooper I approach traffic and crashes from a completely different and quite often misunderstood position and understanding. I was taught from day one that all crashes are a result of multiple factors, some that we control and other than we don’t. In all traffic situations (are subsequently crashes) there are three distinct sets of variables (called factors) that are always in play.

Those Sets were given to me as Conditions, Obstacles and Individuals. Within each set there are always typically multiple factors and every single factor influences the flow of traffic and are a part of any crash. I was taught to not refer to a crash as an accident, not because all crashes are avoidable, but because accident tries to place blame on one particular factor and never is one factor the complete reason for a crash. Saying “It was an accident” stops the search for the combination of factors that lead to the crash, thus stops learning. If you stop learning you’ll continue to repeat the process and in the same set of factors, a crash will most likely occur again.

If you have gone through the MSF BRC this line of thought will look very similar. MSF uses an Oval of Safety and a Chain to show factors and the program I learned under used a scale. Basically, if you overload on side of the scale with danger, it tips and a crash occurs. In fact I specifically remember an example of drinking and driving (back then DUI was not as hot a topic as today) and how it could lead to a crash. They described three factors, one was time of day the other drinking (a single drink) or not and the third, driving a car. Any two of those factors alone and there might not be a problem, but combine the three and a crash was likely. Odd example, but you get the point.

The biggest thing that was stressed during this training was that as an individual (driving or not) you are always a factor in a crash. That doesn’t mean you are the only factor and certainly does not mean you are the largest factor, just that you are always a factor and in any traffic situation you should observe yourself as a factor for your own sake and for others as well.

Factors Are Not Causes Alone

I’m condensing 3 months of training into a single story, so I’ll obviously there is more to what I am trying to convey, but you can always ask and I can answer. The base point that was made after we discussed factors and many different types of traffic flow situations and crashes (Keep in mind the training taught how to drive to avoid crashes and to limit others from crashing around you as well.) is that looking for blame or fault in any crash wasn’t typically helpful. In fact the police award a citation for certain violations of specific code and those codes have point attached to them. The original reason for points was to track how often a person made bad decisions, which created factors that lead to crashes. With enough points those individuals had their privilege suspended or removed. Over the years insurance companies introduced the concept of fault, but you find it very hard to find that verbiage in police code (at least the original codes.)

We spent 3 days on tickets and the explanation that really stuck was that most people think if they didn’t get a ticket they didn’t do anything wrong and if they did the officer was a dick. It was stressed over and over that always viewing yourself as a factor in your and others behavior on the street could reduce your participation in any crash. (Yours and others.) And if involved in a crash, a person should review all the factors of that crash including their actions and attitude as a part. Only critical review would lead to understanding and a way to reduce the chance for a crash. Also understand that mistakes are part of driving, some are small and some are large, but all figure as factors, and most typically a minor mistake combined with a bunch of other factors can lead to a crash. Yes, it may be a mistake made a lot or by many people, at the wrong moment it just ends poorly.

Lessons In Life

A year after the training a crash happened involving a person who was in the same class with me, and it really drove home the lesson. In Ohio we had a lot of roads that were basically gravel of asphalt and once you learned certain corners you could literally slide your way through them. It wasn’t something that freaked us out it just was the way it was. Well, after a particularly long winter the State of Ohio decided to pave on of these roads and that friend of mine went flying into the corner expecting to slide and found……a perfect road. With perfect traction he was setup completely wrong and ended up slamming a corner and rolling the car. When we talked about it later the crash occurred because the road was perfect and since he didn’t change the way he drove (for a bad road) he crashed. Only one factor changed and he ended up crashed. His crash was also a factor for the rest of us not having a crash on the very same corner.

A few years after that I was coming down a road at night in my girlfriends car, saw a possum starting to cross the road and decided to straddle it. It caught under the front wheel, pitched me sideways into a bridge and ended up with the photo you see at the top. Click for more shots. The result of that crash was a totaled car, the loss of a girlfriend and no ticket. While I was not speeding. didn’t break the law and did not receive a ticket, a combination of factors that I was directly involved in lead to that crash. Specifically, it started with washing my car at night and factors piled on from that point forward. (My girlfriend wasn’t in the car, but was a factor. My car wasn’t involved, but was a factor.) Lucky for me I wasn’t speeding and was wearing a seatbelt (not even the law then) which allowed me to step out of the car and be able to tell this story. One slight change in a factor would have left me dead, something I firmly understand to this day.

So, the next time you hear me say that people must accept their part in any crash, (yes, even people not even there) maybe you’ll understand that I am not assigning blame or fault, just saying that looking at the bigger picture reveals a lot more than most would ever believe. It is not about being perfect on the road, it is about constantly understanding all the factors and adapting to balance the scale.

Everyone Dreams, Yes?

2008-11-17T13:34:00.005-07:00

Ah, the perfect garage.....it is a core dream we all have and trust me no matter what you have you always seem to want the next level. I mean when the owner of Barber Motorsports Museam talks about his next step you know everyone dreams.

Well, for me there has always been a balance better 2 bikes. And just recently I arrived at what I thought was the perfect balance and then.....well, a Redhead came along.

First, I wasn't looking for another bike, I just happened to ask for a display bike for the SWR Awards Event from Ducati Superstore. Since the event was an Italian Potluck I thought it would be cool to have a spunky Italian attend. I asked Steve Walker of Ducati Superstore if we could use one at the event and he said yes. All I had to do was pick it up the day of the event and return it on Tuesday when they opened again. What an EVIL plan!!!! (His, not mine.)

So, I pick the bike up ride it to my house and then I had a few questions for Steve...they were #1 - Can I wash i? #2 What type of gas does it take? #3 Can I take it on a ride?

I got my answers, Yes - HiTest - Yes.

Step one was washing the bike. For me nothing helps me bond and understand a vehicle better than detailing it. Not understanding how it performs, but how it is designed and how air will flow around it. If you have not figured it out, It is a Ducati Hypermotard and this bike has a very hidden beauty. I washed her very quickly and water flows off this bike in an almost magical manner. Being a naked small bike it was clean and dried quickly.

Well, the event went well and the next day I was anxious to discover this bike. I'll write a review of that experience a little later, but I'm currently looking at financing plans. LOL

BTW, the bike even fits in my garage almost like it was made to live there.

The lure is incredible and I think I've found the perfect mix of bikes. An American V-Twin with a German designed engine, A Japanese sport-sport touring bike and an Italian standard that rides like a sport bike.

Additionally, I think I have found the one and only one bike that makes me think that dealing with a chain wouldn't be such a bad thing.

Time will tell.

The Best from SEMA 2008

2008-11-07T17:23:00.005-07:00

Back in 1999 a friend introduced me to Kevin Beard and told me about his new company called Piloti. I of course would be yet another to help correct people's pronunciation of the company's name for well into the future.

While the name may confuse some, once you wear a pair of these shoes you are certain to become a fan. In fact I have worn them on the show floor of SEMA and CES since 1999 because due to their design they are the most comfortable shoes I own.

I wear my various styles of Piloti's everywhere, well everywhere except riding because Piloti has never had motorcycle boots.

Since 2003 I've asked Kevin every year when he would be making motorcycle boots and finally last year he said. "Well we have been getting a lot of requests for a boot that could be worn while riding and would be good to then wear all day at work, so we will see."

This year as I walked up to the booth Kevin was talking with Bob Bondurant, so I spoke with Kristin Z who pointed me to the new Moto Boots. Once Kevin was done with Bob he turned to me immediately and said "Did you see!" to which I smiled and golf clapped.

So, the best thing this year from SEMA is the introduction of the new Piloti Motorcycle Boots which should be available in January of 2009.

I'll post up all the in depth details about these boots soon, but for now drool over the styles shown including a Ducati Red! (I call them Honda Red.)

See the Photo Gallery - Click Here!

When Flowing Gas = No Good!

2008-10-30T17:59:00.005-07:00

OK, so I rolled the Shadow that has been occupying the space between by two others bikes into the drive today and decided I probably start it.

I say this because it has been sitting for some time and well, it is for sale. (That's another story.) Anyway a person had called and said they would be trying to come by today to look at it and I decided it would probably be smart to make sure she was running OK.

The bike sputtered a little and was running like it need choke so I pulled the choke out and all of the sudden I see fuel pouring out from under the carbs.... UHG!!!

So, two hours later after pulling the carbs off of the engine and pulling them apart to clean out the vanish and gunk, the bike is running like a top once again!

I guess tomorrow I will pull out all the stop for the garage sale!

Don't Flinch

2008-10-27T17:39:00.002-07:00

It is advice my father gave to me when I first was learning to drive. It was in reference to dealing with a bad situation such as hydroplaning and driving onto ice and it has become the one constant in understanding any high stress situation for me regarding just about anything but primarily driving and riding.

In a hydroplane situation you typically don't want to do anything, every high performance instructor I've ever had has always said to maintain inputs and wait the slide out. Any seemingly minor change of input will lead to a drastic change as the vehicle regains traction and it never ends well.

The same is true for a motorcycle, but the rules apply to a lot more than just major situation. Any drastic change of input can obviously result in a crash on a bike, but minor changes or the act of doing nothing on a motorcycle usually is what leads to a crash.

Over the years I have seen a lot of crashes and quite a few on motorcycles. Of all of those 3 motorcycle crashes have occurred directly in front of me and all 3 had a similar sequence of events that lead to the crash. In the last few seconds all 3 of these riders simply stopped riding. (One even put his arms into the air directly above his head.) All 3 could have simply stopped or looked through the turn and would have been fine, but they flinched in their mind and gave up.

I once took a bike down a trail only to find the road disappeared ahead into a 6 foot drop. I leaned back and gave a little gas and landed hard. I mentally had to say "Oh crap I am still going" and got on the gas or I would have fell over and crashed!!

I didn't only because I didn't give up.

On Sunday I met up with a group of guys to help support a triathlon by carrying judges on the back of our bikes. We arrived on time but the organization of the event was not exactly as we were expecting and the rider who was to show us the course gave a hurried description and then said to follow him.

He popped on his sportbike (with sneakers :( ) and jumped onto the course. Here is where me in a hurry, put myself into a very bad situation. I started out of the parking lot, he went straight onto the street and flopped right. I decided to round the corner a bit and then understood the reason he did what he did was that he was too close to the rise of the curb. I had a split second to decide and had to much forward motion to turn hard right onto the sidewalk, so I straightened and gave my bike some gas. The amount of gas I gave the bike saved me, as if I would have done nothing the oil pan would have cause the rear to lever and I would have fallen off the bike.

As you see above the concrete shaved a little off the pan, but not overreacting meant I continued on with the day and no one was the wiser.

Well, in reality I am better for sure. Never again will I be pushed to keep up with someone that didn't plan things properly. If not I know I will pay the price personally. It is in my control to do things the proper way and I should have done better!

On the positive side the guys that volunteered for the event had a blast, were highly professional and were rewarded in the end!

Thanks for a great day and I can't wait for the next one!!

Living On The Dark Side

2008-10-14T21:16:00.004-07:00

I've owned tons of vehicles over the years and a few of my own motorcycles, but for the last two purchases I was drawn to the dark side. Yes, a black motorcycle!

The newest bike for me is a 2008 Night Rod Special, which takes black a few steps further and even has a matte, or denim as Harley calls it, finish.

I've owned a chrome Harley before, in fact I laugh when I see people say "everything chrome you can get" about their bikes and I notice about 10 parts right off the bat (including brakes) that are not chrome. Chrome can be an addiction, but black tastes just about the same.

And the end of the day black parts do cost less, well until I get to the forks, but that is a story for later. As I said, black parts cost less but it all comes with a price elsewhere.....and that is cleaning the beast!

If anyone ever tells you that chrome is hard to clean, they have never owned a truly chrome bike. Nothing is as easy to clean as a chrome bike and nothing is as hard to clean as a black bike.

In the end I'm finding that both have their appeal and regardless of which way you go, you'll always have a conversation or two at gas stops.

Ride To Eat

2008-10-07T01:26:00.001-07:00

They call it a Ride To Eat or RTE and it isn't one of my three letter creations, you'll have to blame someone else for this one!

I first noticed the RTE on a couple other websites, but it really grabbed my attention on ST-Owners.com, a wesite for the riders of the best touring motorcycle on earth of course, the Honda ST1300 (OK, and a few others.)

It wasn't until I actually participated on a RTE that I really got the deal. It isn't Bike Night and it isn't really a group ride, it is exactly what it says, a Ride to Eat! That means someone sets a place and a time (Breakfast, Lunch and sometimes a Dinner) and then everyone rides to eat there, at that time.

I attended a RTE on Sunday at the Rimside Grill in Pine, AZ. It was a nice little ride for me but others in attendance came from Yuma and Kingman, AZ and we even had a rider from California. It was a two day ride ride for those folks, some stayed in a hotel and others camped in the woods. In the end it was a great ride and awesome company.

To me this was a combination of different things that allowed for a good gathering of folks and a truly, Ride Your Own Ride kind of ride.

Next time you want to try something different give a RTE a try, they really are cool!

The Yin and Yang of Road Maintenance.

2008-09-24T16:22:00.002-07:00

FRESH OIL It is a sign I never really like to see while riding and I'm not alone.

Well, that sign means that uncertainly lies ahead immediately, but in future the road will be better. Nobody likes construction while is occurs. But if it does not get done we end up with a crappy road, which is far worse than any construction honestly.

So, here we are on the AZ88 and Phase 2 of a paving project is ending, but hopefully this is not the end...

Yes, the road to Tortilla Flat is in horrible disarray and needs paved badly. You would think with all the revenue created and paid on this roadway (I know I have made my contribution) it would be the best paved road in AZ. But no, it is falling apart, much like the economy of our State has in the hands of our current Governor.

I've learned that a Phase 3 is on the table just waiting for funds and that remarkably a Phase 4 exists, yet we are seriously unlikely to see it happen with the current leadership.

Time will tell, but in a couple weeks the first two phases will be beautiful traction.

First Ride Complete!

2008-09-21T14:11:00.001-07:00

Getting to know any new bike takes a little time and there is nothing like running it for a few hundred miles to figure out what's what.

After today's ride with a few friends I'm now starting to tweak the bike to me and adjust myself to it. I'm probably looking at at the least a handlebar change and I've already adjusted the suspension after finding I had a little bit too much sag.

All in all I'm happy with the return of a V-Rod to my garage and I might even wash her for the first time tonight!

Completing a Theme

2008-09-14T16:01:00.003-07:00

Ever since I sold my V-Rod a few years ago Rick (Ricky on SWRides.com) has been bugging me about the custom set of skins that I kept off of my bike.

I told him that I eventually would be putting them back on my own V-Rod again and if that changed we might have to talk.

Recently he upgraded his bike with a 230 rear tire and I even talked about it here. Well at that time he looked in my garage and asked again what it would take. The real hold back for me was that for one I did want the chance to put them on my own V-Rod and I never sold them because some people just don't appreciate things beyond how much money they spent and they would not truly get what this skins were about.

In case you can't tell or you have never seen this set of skins they are a a depiction of Gargoyles being born from lava and springing to life to protect the innocent. You see Gargoyles are not evil and in fact protect people from evil. I'd had offers for this paint set before but usually the guy made some odd comment about how "evil" they looked and how he could be a badass not to be screwed with, with them on his bike. Usually I don't care about something I am selling, but with gargoyles it is different.

Anyway, 4 years and a day after these skins were completed here they rest now on a guys bike who will both respect them and display them proudly and properly.

Not to mention, it was a fun thing to do on the day of a bad moon rising!

You can see more shots of Rick's bike and the progression here - Click for gallery!

Here We Go!!

2008-09-14T00:48:00.002-07:00

I see the bad moon arising.
I see trouble on the way.
I see earthquakes and lightnin.
I see bad times today.

Chorus:Dont go around tonight,
Well, its bound to take your life,
Theres a bad moon on the rise.

I hear hurricanes ablowing.
I know the end is coming soon.
I fear rivers over flowing.

I hear the voice of rage and ruin.
Hope you got your things together.
Hope you are quite prepared to die.
Looks like were in for nasty weather.
One eye is taken for an eye.

Nothing like a full Moon in these times to bring this song to mind. Of course this song also holds a few other meanings that run the gambit from good to bad. (In the best Dr. Horrible Voice, He he heeee)

Maybe there is something in the air? Maybe it is just Ike?

But tomorrow things will certainly be different all the way from the East Coast, to Indy and possibly here!

Halloween is just around the corner, will you be scared to venture out?

Group vs Solo

2008-08-28T17:09:00.002-07:00

It is interesting how topics seem to come in waves and one recent one that I have heard, seen and had in the past couple months has been centered around Group vs Solo riding. Typically the conversation is started by a person who strictly rides solo or with just one other rider talking about the danger of group rides and how they will not do them anymore.

Of course the term "Group Ride" seems to vary, from anything like a group of people who have just met, to a close knit group of friends to a Poker Run. They all involve groups and they all have fans and riders who avoid them, yet typically a person who doesn't like one type of group ride lumps them all together and avoids them all.

As I stated before the primary objection about group rides is that they are dangerous and about the best response I've see so far is this. -

There is no problem with group rides. There are however, problems with some riders on a group ride.

And to the heart of the issue that is the problem, remove just one rider and a group ride can go from a mess to perfect harmony on the road.

I've learned some very interesting things about group riding dynamics over the years and while I am no expert I do have a wide array of experience with all different types of group rides, from HOG rides, to Poker Runs, informal gatherings and organized runs. I haven't just been on a few of each either, it has been a lot of time and miles riding around others and I've noticed a few trends.

People that ride poorly or beyond their limits are much like someone who has drank too much alcohol. They don't believe they are doing what you say and will take great offense to anyone who points it out. It doesn't matter what type of bike they ride either, from a Harley to a sportbike the rider who puts others at risk will justify things to no end and immediately go on the defensive to prove that all others ride dangerously as well.

I've noticed that when a leader is assigned as a person not to pass there are some who want them to go faster and others that want them to go slower. Typically when a leader is getting (there are exceptions) complaints that he or she is too slow it is one rider and that person is usually the "one" that is more willing to take more risk on the road. They see themselves as a more experienced rider, but in reality a more experienced rider understands risks and what consequences occur when adding risk to a group ride.

Much like the situation of the "Drunk" I've found that some people like to point out how dangerous a person is, but will never tell that person to their face and afterwards act like their actions or behavior is all cool. All the while stating that they would never ride with them and that "they will get their's in the end." I try not to be that way and try to state how I feel and have even stated how others have felt. That has a cost in the long run, as without any support from those who will not state things publicly I tend to look like I have an agenda against certain individuals. (Oh well) Since people who get upset with me and say things to others never have bothered to ask me why I would say such a thing, they go off thinking that I have the problem and of course put others in danger. Over the years I have watched these people go off into major crashes, and one particular incident where one rider killed another, walked away and didn't think he had any responsibility for the incident.

So, with all that you might think I am against group rides. I'm not, in fact when the rules are understood ahead of time and people can control their personal "drive to ride" with the group in mind, trips become a lot of fun.

There is nothing like hanging with a bunch of friends at the end of a day talking about the sights and sounds, the trip ahead and the freedom of the open road to make me smile at the end of a day.

Of course, just as equally fulfilling for me is the relaxation that comes when I am the only thing on the road, purring along as the miles go by without a concern for schedule, the safety of others and when that next motorcycle next to me will need fuel.

I have found out you can truly tell a lot about a person by how they respect others through their actions, not their words.

Well, would you look at That?!?

2008-08-24T17:53:00.002-07:00

Yes, that is a VRod and yes, that is my garage.......

But, nope....not mine! ;)

It is actually forum member Ricky's and today Ricky, Rix-ster, James K and I tore into his bike.

We increased the rear tire size with a swing arm swap, upgraded the wheels with custom chrome ones and did a few other things. It was a full day of fun, kidding around and having fun all while working on a motorcycle.

I'll let Ricky tell you all the modification we did on his bike today and you can find photos of our fun - Click here!

The First Step?

2008-08-20T18:13:00.003-07:00

For many riders the first step was a cruise around the block with zero training and zero understanding of a motorcycle. It is a risky way to learn and being that even a well-trained individual can be killed on a motorcycle it is a serious risk, without even understanding what the risks are in the first place.

That was exactly how I started to first ride a motorcycle on the street. I had previously ridden in the dirt and thought I was pretty darn good, so riding on the street should be an issue at all, right? Well, it was a little different, but not all that big of a deal for the time I rode, all without training and without a license. When we are young sometimes we make unwise decisions, some pay for it and others don't. For me the need for speed got me tied up with a telephone pole on a two-wheeled vehicle. It shattered my elbow into 32 individual pieces and required a 4-hour surgery and 2 weeks in the hospital. Lucky for me the bike was pedal powered, but the physics of the operation of that bike were exactly the same. So were the physiological reaction to uncertainty. Most call it target fixation, when in reality it is simple inaction.

I decided after that incident that I lacked the maturity to handle understanding consequences beyond my knowledge and swore off bikes completely. It would take about 15 years before the draw became overwhelming enough for me to ride again.

Now, older and wiser I made the decision (with the aid of advice from a good friend) to properly learn how to ride a motorcycle by taking a MSF course. What I didn't know was that the course would also help me understand the risks involved in riding a motorcycle and how I could control how much risk I was willing to accept.

Back in College when I was a Music Performance Major a ensemble Professor made a statement that has stuck with me through life. He said that "Practice does not make Perfect, only Perfect Practice makes Perfect." It was based upon a point in the music that was never really right. He stopped and made us make it right without mistake and the session went late into the night because of that practice. His point was that people practice things wrong all the time and that all it does is make us better or more comfortable at being wrong.

Anything that requires skill, also requires that every so often that you break that skill down to the very basic and analyze it. Better yet, get input from others who are better than you to improve. If get complacent you'll make mistakes and while mistakes by an Orchestra may just sound bad, a mistake on a motorcycle can end your life.

For that reason I personally seek out ways to practice and be critiqued by others that are better than me in certain skills sets. I also strive to pass this knowledge on, because to show a skill you must first understand it at the fundamental level and then be able to execute it correctly in a consistent manner.

If you really want to Practice Perfect you must start at the beginning, so here I am.....again.

10,000+ Bugs, 300 Miles and 2 Birds

2008-08-12T18:29:00.004-07:00

This is the time of the year when a ride up North from Phoenix yields a reward, one in the form of cool temperatures and the occasional refreshing rain. It of course can also throw a good Monsoon at you as well, so the prepared rider is ready for it all.

This of course is in stark contrast to what many think when they envision Arizona but the fact of the matter is that on Sunday I left 90º in Mesa with a few other riders to enjoy 64º in Sedona just a few hours later.

One side effect of the rain we are getting this year is of course bugs and in my 11 years in Arizona this summer seems to have delivered more bugs than I have seen before. Of course Spring still takes the cake, but bug are bug, so no matter when you get them you eventually have to clean them. Well, I do at least!

Along with my bug population control this weekend I also had one of the most aggressive hits from a bird that I can remember in recent history, so much so I had to clean my helmet visor and the guy behind me almost got blow back.

Ah well, it was an awesome ride and the time in the cool weather up North made the 110º easier to handle as I rolled into home.

The Road Warrior

2008-08-07T17:54:00.001-07:00

I had the chance to meet up with James Kingstone today, he is the guy that just finished a 15K trip of the US.

He had a ton of strories to share and I will share his Blog a little later when I get landed.

Here in the next few weeks we'll have meet and greet, so stay tuned to SWRides.com!

Page 2...

2008-08-05T20:44:00.004-07:00

Those were the words that Paul Harvey used to use to introduce "The Rest of The Story" when as a child I listed to him weekly at my grandfather's house in Lisbon, Ohio.

And that is where my Buell Ulysses is headed, for its next page, so to speak.

Her new owner picked her up tonight, after I rode her home for one last time.

That bike has provided a lot of good times over the last few years and hopefully I'l be riding with and passing her on the road soon. Maybe the new owner will pop into the forums and say hello.

The garage is a little more roomy, but if all goes well that will not last for long.

Stay tuned folks, for the Rest of the Story!

Are We Done Yet??

2008-08-03T17:17:00.002-07:00

This year has been a scorcher! I don't care if it is global warming or whatever, all I know is that is has been a hot one and I'll be happy when we begin to see some fall weather here in Arizona.

Maybe it is the fact that after riding the same routes year after year I know that I am just a month away from beautiful weather that I find myself wanting to wait, but the call of the road is just too strong. Plus, I just love breakfast at my favorite spot.

Of course I do have an actual excuse as I have been sticking close to home to help my wife learn to ride and the fact that she has been traveling quite a bit since my trip to Ohio, but next weekend I am pretty well set on a good long ride up North into the cooler areas of Arizona.

Of course no matter how cool it is up there, the ride back is always a reminder that I do live in the Valley Of The Sun!

I guess I'll just use on of these to let me know when the ride is over!

Joining The Adventure

2008-07-27T16:19:00.003-07:00

Well, it is official! My wife now has her first bike. It is a 1994 Honda VLX600C (Shadow) and as you can see she could not be happier.

I'll be happier as she develops her skill and confidence, but so far she is doing great.

Service Time

2008-07-25T00:03:00.003-07:00

Well, after 4000 miles my bike was ready for an oil change and is a little overdue for its 32K service.

Basically the main part of that service is a valve check and I'll be taking it to Ride Time in Phoenix tomorrow for them to check it out.

Off with the fairing and out in the morning I'll go!

German Bike Night

2008-07-24T00:28:00.004-07:00

SWR member mrogge offered to hold a Bike Night on Wednesday for members and is even offering a 25% discount on the total bill for coin holders. I would say I was being polite to stop by, but the truth is that the food is great and the beverages are very very tasty!!

While it was just mrogge, oddity and myself tonight I think this place should be a good stop for a lot of folks and look forward to the growth of this Bike Night.

With the TT Roadhouse on Tuesday, Zur Kate on Wednesday and the westside on Thursday, SWR is well on its way to a full week schedule.

54 Explained

2008-07-21T15:09:00.004-07:00

During my trip to Ohio and ever since I put 54 on my ST1300 I have been answering the question about that number quite a bit. I thought I might take a minute to explain and I actually moved the plate that is the reason for that number over to the ST today.

Well, I sort of had the story in my head about how the plate came about and I decided maybe I should check with my father. It turns out I had the basic jist of story right, but not exactly correct.

The H 54 plate came about because a friend of my Grandfather's, named Ralph Villers. He was the man who provided radios to the town of Wellsville, OH for the police and fire departments. (My Grandfather was the Chief of Police for Wellsville.) Ralph also worked for the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles and had the ability to get signature plates issued for people. This was well before personalized plates were available and was one of those you had to know somebody kind of deals. Anyway, Ralph got my Grandfather a signature plate. H was obviously for his last name and 54 ended up being the number, for whatever reason.

My Grandfather got H 54 for his 1947 Pontiac in 1949 and the plate has been around ever since.

In 1965 my Father got H 54 in Pennsylvania when he was living in that state and also got H 54 when he moved to Alabama a few years ago.

I got H 54 in 1999 in Arizona and I have had it ever since. So, when the time came to put a number in the spots on my ST1300, 54 was the obvious choice.

Ohio Trip - Numbers Tell The Story

2008-07-18T00:40:00.003-07:00

I'm working on a very detailed story about my trip to Ohio and back but I thought I would share some numbers.

4242.2 - Total Miles Traveled
700 - Average Miles per day (3) on trip back
646 - Average Miles per day (3.25) on trip to Ohio
$404.86 - Total Gas Bill
$257.79 - Hotel Bill
$222.13 - Food Cost
$116.05 - Parts (Unexpected)
$9 - Tolls
6 - Number of times I thought I forgot to put on my glasses
3 - Number of nights in Hotels headed to Ohio
2 - Number of nights in Hotels headed back from Ohio
2 - Number of Bike Nights attended (Salem, OH and Sharon, PA)
2 - National Landmarks Visited
2 - Old National Highways Traveled (66 and 30)
2 - Number of days I was rained on.
2 - Number of times I saw police behind me with lights on.
1 - Numbers of days I was hailed on.
0 - Number of times I actually forgot to put on my glasses.
0 - Number of times stopped by police.

Trip - COMPLETE!

2008-07-08T21:32:00.003-07:00

And there it is, just some of the stats from my ride. I'll be compiling a few more and posting them up in the next couple days, but for now I think I'll jump in my hot tub and have a few nice home cooked meals.

All in all is was an awesome trip. I really get the idea that you can't ride from one side of New Mexico to the other side without getting wet and I noticed quite a few different things about how the price of gasoline has affected some and not others.

It is certainly great to back in Arizona and riding down the 87 home really stuck home the notion that we have most of the best roads in the United States!

Texas Sized Ride!

2008-07-07T17:22:00.001-07:00

Well, the wind in Texas is just as was a few days ago, but the weather
has been better this time. I got my second bird strike today, but I
think it is OK.

Gateway to the West!

2008-07-06T19:16:00.000-07:00

Well, here I go rolling back Home, from Home. I had a great time in
Ohio, but I am longing for the "dry" heat!

Not as many people or trucks on the road as I expected, tomorrow
should ne interesting.

Um......yea, anyway.

2008-07-02T15:58:00.001-07:00

I lost count.

Seriously, there must be over 3000 bikes here and it is just a bike night at the famous Quaker Steak & Lube.

I'm going to go get some wings and then drool some more.

You Can Go Home

2008-07-02T08:38:00.000-07:00

There it is the house I grew up in on the Lincoln Hiway. When I was a
kid I always said I would travel around and always remember where I
started and here I am.

Now, for some more riding!

Bike Night In Ohio

2008-07-01T17:47:00.000-07:00

Wow, they do it big here. About 40 bikes just left and there are still
about 200 left. Mostly Harleys, but a RC51 and Repsol bike as well.
(No Lucky Strike.)

Back In The Buckeye State

2008-07-01T14:25:00.000-07:00

Well, I actually made it yesterday, but I am now at my Mother's house
in Salem, OH. The bike has been cleaned up and is all ready for bike
night tonight and some riding around tomorrow.

Just Another Day!

2008-06-30T18:59:00.003-07:00

Today ROCKED!!

I got to see a few things and experience nothing but awesome weather the whole way.

Above is a screen shot of my just over 600-mile day.

I am know just a few hours away from my Mother's house and then I'll be taking a lot more time to take some shots of all the cool roads I remember as a kid.

Time to sleep now, but after I am rested it is off to Salem, Ohio!

Snug As A Bug

2008-06-29T20:02:00.000-07:00

Today went much better than yesterday. The storm front that I dealt
with for half of the day yesterday finally disapated and it was smooth
sailing. I made up the time I needed to make up and I'm right back on
schedule.

My bike had some interesting company last night and should be a lot
happier tonight all locked up and covered under the watchful eye of
Big Brother.

Wind, Rain & The Fear of God

2008-06-28T15:51:00.000-07:00

Well, I had to stop and take refuge at a rest stop just West of Santa
Rosa after near 75 MPH gusts made me chilly. Cold is one thing, but
cold and wet is bad!

It Begins!

2008-06-28T13:23:00.000-07:00

Well, I am off and running and so far so good. I have just over 400
miles so far today and want to get a little further East.

The sky ahead looks dark, so it may be time to get wet. I had bird
near miss and 2 dogs in the middle of US40, so the ride is already
interesting!

Time for lunch and then back on the bike.

Can You See Me Now!

2008-06-26T19:09:00.002-07:00

OK, for those who last saw my bike completely apart here she is back together and freshly washed. For those who have seen my bike before you may notice a new set of lights. I'll talk about them in a couple days, or ask and I will answer on South West Rides.

Yesterday I did get new tires mounted on the wheels and then put them back on the bike. I then cleaned the bottom end of the engine, I did this so that on the road if I have a problem and it is engine related I will be able to tell quickly upon disassembly if there are any fluids leaking as I started from completely clean. I then changed the engine oil and ran the bike through a full heat cycle.

All fluids were checked and then I reassembled the plastics on the bike.

This morning I installed Ride On in the tires. Ride On is a Tire Protection System that also adds dynamic balancing to the tires. I had just run about 1000 miles with it in my last set of tires and have liked it, so I am anxious to see how it does on this ride.

After that installation I took the bike for a 75 mile shake down ride with no issues. Back home I washed her and now she sits in the garage, ready to be loaded.

One more day which is devoted to packing and then the journey begins. I will be posting details tomorrow on how my trip can be viewed via a shared SPOT tracking page and of course will be updating my progress via my Blog and the occasional Gallery.

Just a Few More Days!

2008-06-24T22:17:00.002-07:00

In about 4 days I will be heading out to Ohio. :)

Being that I will be riding just over Four Thousand Miles on my road trip I am making sure that everything is in proper mechanical order and that all of the electronics are operation as expected.

Even though I am not completely through with the current tires I felt to be safe I would get a new set installed, therefore I will be getting those put on tomorrow as well as an oil change.

Then I'll put the bike through a shake down run and I should be ready to go.

The Ride Starts Here

2008-06-18T17:36:00.002-07:00

In reality I started the mental preparation for my upcoming ride a few weeks ago, but the physical preparation begins today and in the form of hydration. Yes, more than a week away from my departure date I have begun the task of making sure my body not only has, but can retain enough water for what I am about to undertake. More about that in a minute.

The undertaking is not remarkable for some, but unfathomable by others. I am going to ride from Mesa, AZ to Lisbon, OH the place of my birth and where I grew up. It is a trip Home, both physically and metaphorically in a sense that I will be attending a High School Reunion while I visit Ohio. While the Reunion is not the reason for the trip home, it is a convenient excuse.

I take this trip at a very interesting time due to the upcoming Presidential Election, the Economy and the price of gasoline. The last point may prove to be the most interesting as when I originally planned this trip the economics of the whole deal never figured into why I was doing it, but now it seems my route will be the most economical. I've also been a little ahead of the curve, whether I've wanted to be or not, this seems to be one of those times.

Anyways, back to the water. A lot of people never think about how the management of hydration figures into a long distance motorcycle trip, but to me it is a vital part of getting where I want to get safely. I am not a rider that drinks on the roll, but that may change. I have found in the past when I have liquid readily available I tend to over-drink causing me to need to stop too frequently to relieve myself of the over-hydration.

The lack of hydration over a long period of time leads to fatigue and while on a normal day type ride that fatigue can be easily dealt with on the fourth day of riding over 500 miles it can be dangerous. Paying attention to hydration ranks right up with proper maintenance of ones motorcycle, proper sleep and proper eating habits.

I'll talk about these things while on the road, but as I said...the Ride Starts Here!

Yeah, Shade - WHATEVER!

2008-06-14T15:12:00.004-07:00

Well folks, in case anyone was wondering when the nice calm, cool weather we have been having was going to end....its OVER!!

I went today to pick up my Uly in my version of stupid expenditures for the year. Turns out I just needed a new battery after all and that the ones you get for a deal, well they SUCK!

So I rolled out of the Arrowhead HD, up on to the freeway and into a Blast Furnace! No easing into it this year for me, nope nothing but BAM and HOT!

So, get your hydration pack chilled and the wet vests out folks, time to ride North!

Missing From Action

2008-06-01T10:45:00.002-07:00

Well, I thought I was having battery issues on my Buell like a lot of other riders seemed to be having recently, but no such luck for me.

I've had a starting issue for some time now so I thought a replacement of the battery would do the trick. It turns out that something esle is amiss as the bike had the same issue with a new battery.

So, it is in capable hands being looked at now, leaving a empty spot in the garage. Hopefully I'll have an answer soon as to what the problem is and how much the solution will cost.

Tag - You're IT!

2008-05-29T00:26:00.002-07:00

Hey, if you have been stumbling around the site and haven't found the Tag Thread you need to check it out!

Click Here!

I was given the idea by one of the members of the site and wasn't sure if it would be embraced, but silly me of course it would be as what we have is riders and riders, they like to ride!

Of and running the game has already been far East, far West and back. Now the real fun should begin as the idea is easy to understand.

Now, I just need to figure out what the person holding the last tag will win and when it will end......

Real Riders Get Wet

2008-05-22T20:42:00.001-07:00

OK, I wimped, but say hey to the real riders. Matt, Matt & Jim rode
tonight and are the real deal folks!

The movie was awesome, can't wait for more.

Time For Maintenance

2008-05-16T20:33:00.002-07:00

Well, for Dean's bike at least.

Tonight Dean stopped by to the the "garage" to work on his bike a bit.

It seems it was time for a new chain and sprockets. I'm not a big fan of chain and Dean's work reminded me why. LOL

Anyway all is going well so far and before you know it he'll be riding off ready for more fun and riding

Splatty, Splat Splat

2008-05-11T21:10:00.002-07:00

They say that bees are dying or missing out of hives all over the US and nobody knows why. Well, I think that some of them are ending up on my helmet, gloves and the front of my bike.

Yes, it is that time of the year, the flowers have bloomed and now the bugs are out in full force. Even a simple ride at night yields a bazillion bugs all over me and my bike.

Just another reason to keep my steeds clean and happy. And yes, time to clean the gear as well.

Coming Clean

2008-05-05T16:26:00.002-07:00

To me there is a certain type of Zen achieved by cleaning my bikes. It does not matter why, just the fact that all seems right when my bikes are clean and ready to go.

All the bugs have been removed and the surfaces are polished, all ready for their next adventure, whatever it might be for me or them.

Heading Home

2008-05-04T07:54:00.000-07:00

Tombstone was awesome and after breakfast we will be homeward bound!