I very rarely get "commercial" on this blog; I don't push one brand over another, I don't try to sell anything.
But I do review products of interest to the motorcyclist. I write about my experiences, not only in the saddle, but as a consumer of motorcycle goods and services.
So, forgive me if I sound like a paid advertisement. I assure you, I have no connection with the company, and receive no compensation for my endorsement.
But, as a consumer of motorcycle goods, I have to say I really like Iron Pony.
Iron Pony is a motorcycle superstore in Columbus, OH. Start with a Super-Walmart. Double the size, and replace everything in the store with motorcycle-related clothing, equipment, parts, and accessories, and you have Iron Pony.
I first learned of their existence and paid my first visit in 2007. This was my first time back since then.
The first thing I noticed is that their close-out section has more than doubled in size.
I bought gear for my kids: gloves for my son for $4.99. a motocross shirt for my daughter for $9.99.
I bought myself a pair of kevlar-lined blue-jeans for $39.99.
And my wife, who requires a shoe-size not often found in stores, was amazed to find a pair of Harley Davidson brand riding boots in her size that she actually liked. $130.00
I also snagged a magnetic map pouch while I was there, for $29.99.
Our purchase of over $150.00 earned us a free T-Shirt on the way out.
There are probably online discounters who could match these prices, but I doubt they could really beat them. And I consider a brick-and-mortar shopping experience -- the ability to see and feel before you buy -- as a plus.
I appreciated the selection that they had. They have saddlebags in stock that you can take out to the bike to try on. I'm so accustomed to tiny little boutique motorcycle-accessory stores, or tiny accessory departments in my local dealerships - that it was quite a difference just being able to browse a wide variety of parts and accessories.
Another thing I noticed was that there was no shortage of helpful staff. There were enough sales associates to address our questions as they came up, yet they weren't pushy or overly zealous. They're there when you need them, and they stay out of your way otherwise.
These guys understand the purpose of logo wear. I guess I'm used to hanging out in Harley Davidson dealerships, looking at $40 T-Shirts and $80 sweaters. So when I spied the price tag on a rack of "Iron Pony" wear, I was surprised to see $10 T-Shirts and $16 sweaters. Harley probably rides into the black not on the sale of its bikes, but on the sale of its clothing. Iron Pony obviously views their logo-wear sales as a means of spreading their brand.
I'm wearing one of their T-Shirts now.
It'd be hard to list any negatives to my experience. It's true I didn't find everything I was looking for. I would have loved to find a mesh jacket with armor that I liked in the close-out section, but I didn't. There were plenty of jackets, in my size, including some great brand names, but nothing that suited my tastes. I can't really find fault in them for that.
They didn't have much selection of handle-bar mounted clocks. That's a specialty item that not a lot of places carry. The ones they had seemed to be priced on a par with the online discounters. The advantage still goes to Iron Pony though, because I was able to hold the item in my hand, inspect the quality of its fit and finish. I chose not to purchase.
Your mileage may vary. Now that I've endorsed them, someone is bound to be disappointed, and feel resentment toward me for leading them astray. But all I can say is, I came, I bought, I left happy.
Scorpion EXO-700 Neon
Brightly colored helmets are safer.
Web Bike World's review of the Scorpio EXO 700 Neon includes some interesting research into "conspicuous colors".
Full Story...
The ultimate Brammo fan's first ride - Hell For Leather
What's in it for the fans?
This guy liked the bike so much he launched a Web 2.0 "Social Media" marketing frenzy, and wound up winning a motorcycle as a result.
Full Story...
This guy liked the bike so much he launched a Web 2.0 "Social Media" marketing frenzy, and wound up winning a motorcycle as a result.
Full Story...
Horex VR6 Concept Bike
"Asphalt and Rubber" has a fantastic photo spread of the new Horex VR6 1200cc Supercharged Concept bike.
It features a narrow-angle V6 engine and sexy retro styling.
See more pictures ...
Sunny Day
Here is the same shot from 6 weeks ago.
I remember how chilly it was that day, and thought it must've been early, early spring. A mere six weeks hence.
Every Day Should Be A Ride To Work Day
I have to admit, I have a snobbish attitude about the annual "Ride To Work Day" which this year falls on Monday, June 21st.
I know I should be supportive. After all, it's promoting my "way of life", advancing the cause of motorcyclists, and educating the ignorant masses about the goodness of motorcycles. All of that should be good and should merit my endorsement.
But instead, I feel like saying, "Every Day Should By A Holiday*" er, I mean "Ride To Work Day".
I don't need a special occasion to make me ride my motorcycle to work. On the contrary, riding to work takes an ordinary day and makes it a special occasion.
Having said that, here's the "Ride To Work Day" press release, blah blah blah
The promotional website is: www.ridetowork.org
* with apologies to The Dandy Warhols, whose fine song, "Every Day Should Be A Holiday", has nothing to do with motorcycles, or witless diatribes by motorcycle enthusiasts like me.
I know I should be supportive. After all, it's promoting my "way of life", advancing the cause of motorcyclists, and educating the ignorant masses about the goodness of motorcycles. All of that should be good and should merit my endorsement.
But instead, I feel like saying, "Every Day Should By A Holiday*" er, I mean "Ride To Work Day".
I don't need a special occasion to make me ride my motorcycle to work. On the contrary, riding to work takes an ordinary day and makes it a special occasion.
Having said that, here's the "Ride To Work Day" press release, blah blah blah
Motorcycle and scooter riders' 19th annual commuting day is this coming Monday, June 21st. Participation in the yearly demonstration is estimated to triple the number of riders on the road. Motorcycle and scooter groups and organizations actively encourage riders to commute by cycle on this day. On Ride to Work Day, motorcycle and scooter commuters seek improved employer recognition and support for this form of transportation and increased public and government awareness of the positive value of riding.
Adding more commuting motorcycles and scooters makes urban parking easier and traffic flow better, according to Ride to Work, a non-profit advocacy organization. Studies have also shown that across the same distances, riders reach their destinations faster than those using automobiles. Most motorcycles and scooters also consume less resources per mile than automobiles. "Riding to work on this day is fun and highlights the positive value of motorcycling. For many people, riding is a socially responsible form of mobility that saves energy, helps the environment and provides a broad range of other public benefits," stated Andy Goldfine, this year's event organizer.
The promotional website is: www.ridetowork.org
* with apologies to The Dandy Warhols, whose fine song, "Every Day Should Be A Holiday", has nothing to do with motorcycles, or witless diatribes by motorcycle enthusiasts like me.
If it's worth doing right, it's worth doing over
After installing saddlebags, and relocating the turn signals on my wife's Dyna Super Glide, (see my earlier post, "I'm not a very good mechanic") I simply wasn't satisfied with the wiring job on the turn signals.
The stock wiring from the original turn signals was frayed when I first inspected it. It was probably installed that way at the factory. It caused no problems in the original fender-mounted configuration, but when I rerouted the wiring through the metal "license-plate mounted" turn signal stem, the fraying caused the turn signals to short out. So I had to splice the wires very close to where they emerged from the stem. The proximity to the stem and the fender made splicing, soldering, and heat wrapping the wires very nerve racking and tedious. I got it done, but the resulting splices were pretty sloppy, and I'm not sure they were waterproof.
I decided to rewire them today, knowing I could do a better job of splicing and sealing the wires if I did the splicing on the workbench, instead of on the bike.
I did exactly that, and ended up with neatly sealed and waterproofed splices. The only way to accomplish this, since the properly spliced and wrapped wires were too fat to run through the stem, was to run the wires outside the turn signal stem. This freed up enough space to properly splice and wrap the wires.
Purists may object to the "wired" look, preferring the hidden wiring of the original design. But in my case, since the stock wires were frayed to begin with, I would've had to buy new turn signals, with a new, intact, unfrayed wiring harness, in order to route them through the stem.
If I ever have to replace the rear turn signals, that's what I'll do. But in the meantime I have a properly wired, properly waterproofed wiring harness which does the job, and looks good. Well, it looks as good as it can for wires running outside the stem.
The stock wiring from the original turn signals was frayed when I first inspected it. It was probably installed that way at the factory. It caused no problems in the original fender-mounted configuration, but when I rerouted the wiring through the metal "license-plate mounted" turn signal stem, the fraying caused the turn signals to short out. So I had to splice the wires very close to where they emerged from the stem. The proximity to the stem and the fender made splicing, soldering, and heat wrapping the wires very nerve racking and tedious. I got it done, but the resulting splices were pretty sloppy, and I'm not sure they were waterproof.
I decided to rewire them today, knowing I could do a better job of splicing and sealing the wires if I did the splicing on the workbench, instead of on the bike.
I did exactly that, and ended up with neatly sealed and waterproofed splices. The only way to accomplish this, since the properly spliced and wrapped wires were too fat to run through the stem, was to run the wires outside the turn signal stem. This freed up enough space to properly splice and wrap the wires.
Purists may object to the "wired" look, preferring the hidden wiring of the original design. But in my case, since the stock wires were frayed to begin with, I would've had to buy new turn signals, with a new, intact, unfrayed wiring harness, in order to route them through the stem.
If I ever have to replace the rear turn signals, that's what I'll do. But in the meantime I have a properly wired, properly waterproofed wiring harness which does the job, and looks good. Well, it looks as good as it can for wires running outside the stem.
I'm not a very good mechanic
I'm not a very good mechanic. This should come as no surprise to anyone. I've never boasted of my mechanical abilities. I had never turned a wrench, never so much as changed oil in my own car, before I owned a motorcycle. But owning a motorcycle has changed that.
When I started in the world of motorcycling, I had no spare cash. I scraped together $1000 bucks by selling crap out of my attic, and bought a 20 year old Honda on eBay.
Having no money, and a 20-year-old bike, and wanting to ride it -- those were the formula for learning how to wrench on my own bike. It was borne of necessity.
So along the way I've learned a thing or two. Changed my own oil. Rebuilt brakes. Cleaning and balancing carburettors. Basically, when something broke, that's when I learn how to fix it. Because I had no choice. I can't wheel a 20 year old bike to a mechanic and ask them to fix it. Most shops won't take bikes that old. And I couldn't afford their prices if they did.
So I learned.
Fast forward to today.
It's not a 20-year-old bike I'm working on. It's a one-year-old Harley Davidson I bought for my wife last year. It's not broken down, I'm just adding accessories.
But once again, budgetary reality plays a role in my mechanical training. I bought saddlebags for her 2009 Dyna Super Glide, and along with them, the requisite turn signal relocation kit.
The Harley Dealer wanted three hours of labor, at $95.00 per hour, to install the bags and relocate the turn signals.
That was half-again the price I'd spent on the accessories. I could save a lot if I did it myself. And it didn't look too complicated, compared to, say, rebuilding and balancing, (and reinstalling!) the Magna's four-barrel carburettor.
But I knew at least enough to carve out plenty of time to do the work. If it takes a trained Harley mechanic three hours to do it, it'll take me longer. At least the first time.
I was right about that.
Relocating the turn signals was the first step. The kits instructions were pretty good, and I managed to relocate the turn signals in about an hour.
It involved:
I was pleased to note that, contrary to the instructions, I did not have to drill a hole through the stock fender in order to rewire the turn signals. Harley was smart enough to drill a hole in the stock fender, cleverly plugged with a plastic cap and hidden beneath the stock license plate mount. This pre-drilled hole was perfectly positioned for use with the turn-signal relocation kit. This little bit of foresight on Harley's part took some of the stress out of the job for me, as I was worried about drilling through the fender. Though I can drill through metal easy enough, I have the right tools for it, I feared a slip of the hand would result in a scratched fender, or a punctured tire.
One unexpected snag I hit was the stock wiring harness was frayed. Right where the stock wires pass through the retaining clips under the fender, the wires were frayed through the insulation. I decided to make my splice there, at the location where the wires were already frayed, which was the "correct" spot. According to the instructions, I should cut the wires 4 to 6 inches from the turn signal housing.
In retrospect, I wish I'd made the cuts in a different place. By cutting and splicing the wires where I did, my splices, and the requisite shrink-wrap sleeve which hides my soldering joints, sits above the fender, right behind the license plate. The solder joints themselves are frustratingly close to the point where the wires emerge from the license-plate mounted stems.
If I had it to do again, I'd have made the splice closer to the plug end of the wires. The splices would have been beneath the fender. I imagine Harley wanted the splice to be out of the way of the wheel spray and gunk which happens under the fender.
From there I tackled the saddlebag installation.
If I had it to do over again, having learned what I've learned in the process, it would have taken me an hour, and I wouldn't have broken a sweat.
Ah, but the learning process, getting from "I've never done this before" to "I know how to do this" was a 3 and a half hour journey, fraught with sweating and cursing.
What should've been a simple job was complicated because I misunderstood the directions. The saddlebag installing kits are multi-fit, meaning they fit a variety of models of bikes from a variety of years. There are extra spacers and miscellani that are included in the kit, and the instructions carefully outline which assortment of spacers are used in which configuration for your specific bike.
It's actually pretty well laid out and easy to follow.
But I missed a piece. I misread a statement which lead me to attempt, which great frustration, to install the saddlebags with the stock under-fender bracket. After wasting a lot of time with this -- the bolts simply would not seat properly -- I noticed the new under-fender brackets which had been included with the kit, quietly waiting to the side. I re-read the directions and discovered my error. I had missed that sentence about my particular model and year requiring the new under-fender bracket.
Once this error was discovered, the saddlebags were on the bike in less than half an hour.
As I said, I'm not a very good mechanic, because a good mechanic would've realized "there must be something wrong here" much sooner, and a very good mechanic wouldn't have made the error to begin with.
But at the end of the day I was successful. I got the turn signals relocated and the saddlebags installed. I didn't kill anybody or damage anything. I saved the household budget the $285 in labor that would've been paid to the Harley mechanic to do this job.
And I learned.
When I started in the world of motorcycling, I had no spare cash. I scraped together $1000 bucks by selling crap out of my attic, and bought a 20 year old Honda on eBay.
Having no money, and a 20-year-old bike, and wanting to ride it -- those were the formula for learning how to wrench on my own bike. It was borne of necessity.
So along the way I've learned a thing or two. Changed my own oil. Rebuilt brakes. Cleaning and balancing carburettors. Basically, when something broke, that's when I learn how to fix it. Because I had no choice. I can't wheel a 20 year old bike to a mechanic and ask them to fix it. Most shops won't take bikes that old. And I couldn't afford their prices if they did.
So I learned.
Fast forward to today.
It's not a 20-year-old bike I'm working on. It's a one-year-old Harley Davidson I bought for my wife last year. It's not broken down, I'm just adding accessories.
But once again, budgetary reality plays a role in my mechanical training. I bought saddlebags for her 2009 Dyna Super Glide, and along with them, the requisite turn signal relocation kit.
The Harley Dealer wanted three hours of labor, at $95.00 per hour, to install the bags and relocate the turn signals.
That was half-again the price I'd spent on the accessories. I could save a lot if I did it myself. And it didn't look too complicated, compared to, say, rebuilding and balancing, (and reinstalling!) the Magna's four-barrel carburettor.
But I knew at least enough to carve out plenty of time to do the work. If it takes a trained Harley mechanic three hours to do it, it'll take me longer. At least the first time.
I was right about that.
Relocating the turn signals was the first step. The kits instructions were pretty good, and I managed to relocate the turn signals in about an hour.
It involved:
- unbolting the stock turn signals from their fender-mounted stems,
- cutting the plugs on the end of the turn signal wires,
- unthreading the wires from the stock stems,
- rethreading the wires through the new license-plate mounted stems,
- re-soldering the wires.
I was pleased to note that, contrary to the instructions, I did not have to drill a hole through the stock fender in order to rewire the turn signals. Harley was smart enough to drill a hole in the stock fender, cleverly plugged with a plastic cap and hidden beneath the stock license plate mount. This pre-drilled hole was perfectly positioned for use with the turn-signal relocation kit. This little bit of foresight on Harley's part took some of the stress out of the job for me, as I was worried about drilling through the fender. Though I can drill through metal easy enough, I have the right tools for it, I feared a slip of the hand would result in a scratched fender, or a punctured tire.
One unexpected snag I hit was the stock wiring harness was frayed. Right where the stock wires pass through the retaining clips under the fender, the wires were frayed through the insulation. I decided to make my splice there, at the location where the wires were already frayed, which was the "correct" spot. According to the instructions, I should cut the wires 4 to 6 inches from the turn signal housing.
In retrospect, I wish I'd made the cuts in a different place. By cutting and splicing the wires where I did, my splices, and the requisite shrink-wrap sleeve which hides my soldering joints, sits above the fender, right behind the license plate. The solder joints themselves are frustratingly close to the point where the wires emerge from the license-plate mounted stems.
If I had it to do again, I'd have made the splice closer to the plug end of the wires. The splices would have been beneath the fender. I imagine Harley wanted the splice to be out of the way of the wheel spray and gunk which happens under the fender.
From there I tackled the saddlebag installation.
If I had it to do over again, having learned what I've learned in the process, it would have taken me an hour, and I wouldn't have broken a sweat.
Ah, but the learning process, getting from "I've never done this before" to "I know how to do this" was a 3 and a half hour journey, fraught with sweating and cursing.
What should've been a simple job was complicated because I misunderstood the directions. The saddlebag installing kits are multi-fit, meaning they fit a variety of models of bikes from a variety of years. There are extra spacers and miscellani that are included in the kit, and the instructions carefully outline which assortment of spacers are used in which configuration for your specific bike.
It's actually pretty well laid out and easy to follow.
But I missed a piece. I misread a statement which lead me to attempt, which great frustration, to install the saddlebags with the stock under-fender bracket. After wasting a lot of time with this -- the bolts simply would not seat properly -- I noticed the new under-fender brackets which had been included with the kit, quietly waiting to the side. I re-read the directions and discovered my error. I had missed that sentence about my particular model and year requiring the new under-fender bracket.
Once this error was discovered, the saddlebags were on the bike in less than half an hour.
As I said, I'm not a very good mechanic, because a good mechanic would've realized "there must be something wrong here" much sooner, and a very good mechanic wouldn't have made the error to begin with.
But at the end of the day I was successful. I got the turn signals relocated and the saddlebags installed. I didn't kill anybody or damage anything. I saved the household budget the $285 in labor that would've been paid to the Harley mechanic to do this job.
And I learned.
RIP Rollin "Molly" Sanders - creater of "Kawasaki Green"
The creator of "Kawasaki Green" passed away.
There's a fascinating story here that I didn't know existed. He helped distinguish the Kawasaki brand with the iconic "Kawasaki Green". He designed the Yamaha track logo. He designed the graphics for the Buick Grand National Turbo. He also designed the Lexus logo.
By all accounts a brilliant yet humble, approachable, likeable man. I would have loved to have met him.
Read the full story at dealernews.com
Vintage Adventure Riding
The kneeslider features a great article with stunning black and white photographs showing vintage Harley Davidsons being ridden "adventure style" back in the day.
They do things with these bikes I would have never thought possible.
Check out the link...
They do things with these bikes I would have never thought possible.
Check out the link...
15 Great Motorcycle Safety Ads
Motorcycle safety ads in the United States? You betcha. The folks at motorbiker.org found and published 15 great motorcycle safety ads like this one...
See the rest of them at motorbiker.org...
See the rest of them at motorbiker.org...
10 Most Beautiful Drives In The United States
How Stuff Works posted "Top 10 Most Beautiful Drives in the United States" and I wondered, how many of them would make good motorcycle rides?
Certainly #10, the Big Island, Hawaii, would be a great ride, but I'm not sure if motorcycle rentals are available on the island.
#9, Florida Keys Highway isn't what I typically call a "motorcycle road" but would be a unique trip.
#8, Finger Lakes Region, New York, would make for a pleasant 2-wheeled experience.
#7, Pacific Coast Highway would be fantastic. I've driven this many times on four wheels and would love to ride it.
#6, Going To The Sun road, Montana. While this sounds absolutely fantastic, the article doesn't present enough information about the quality of the road for me to judge. The fact that its mountainous, and closed half of the year for snow, means it would be technically challenging. I wonder what the pavement is like, if there is pavement?
#5, Skyline Drive Virginia. Oh, yes!
#4, Seward Highway, Alaska. Again, the setting promises unrivaled beauty, but I wonder how suitable this road is for bikes? I know some of Alaska's highways are pretty rugged. More research is required.
#3, San Juan Skyway, Colorado. This is definitely on my list.
#2, Brandywine Valley, Pennsylvania. Sounds interesting, and easier to reach for those of us in the eastern half of the U.S.
#1, Patchwork Parkway, UT, promises desert beauty, but one wonders about the environment. Heat, availability of fuel, and protection from the elements are bigger concerns for motorcyclists than for folks riding in an SUV with air conditioning.
Certainly #10, the Big Island, Hawaii, would be a great ride, but I'm not sure if motorcycle rentals are available on the island.
#9, Florida Keys Highway isn't what I typically call a "motorcycle road" but would be a unique trip.
#8, Finger Lakes Region, New York, would make for a pleasant 2-wheeled experience.
#7, Pacific Coast Highway would be fantastic. I've driven this many times on four wheels and would love to ride it.
#6, Going To The Sun road, Montana. While this sounds absolutely fantastic, the article doesn't present enough information about the quality of the road for me to judge. The fact that its mountainous, and closed half of the year for snow, means it would be technically challenging. I wonder what the pavement is like, if there is pavement?
#5, Skyline Drive Virginia. Oh, yes!
#4, Seward Highway, Alaska. Again, the setting promises unrivaled beauty, but I wonder how suitable this road is for bikes? I know some of Alaska's highways are pretty rugged. More research is required.
#3, San Juan Skyway, Colorado. This is definitely on my list.
#2, Brandywine Valley, Pennsylvania. Sounds interesting, and easier to reach for those of us in the eastern half of the U.S.
#1, Patchwork Parkway, UT, promises desert beauty, but one wonders about the environment. Heat, availability of fuel, and protection from the elements are bigger concerns for motorcyclists than for folks riding in an SUV with air conditioning.
Amazing Motorcycle Crash
I usually don't post crash videos, but this one caught my eye. In every crash, there is a lesson to be learned.
World's Luckiest Bike Rider!
You may have to replay this video a time or two before you believe what you're seeing. This is incredible.
12 Covered Bridges By Motorcycle
Explore Parke County Indiana's covered bridges via motorcycle.
Inspired by my recent post, "Covered Bridges Of Fairfield County", and not to be outdone by a neighboring state's tourist attractions, the folks at www.rideindiana.info posted a route which hits 12 covered bridges from "The Covered Bridge Capital Of The World."
Check out their post, entitled 12 Covered Bridges In Parke County"... Indiana!
View Larger Map
Inspired by my recent post, "Covered Bridges Of Fairfield County", and not to be outdone by a neighboring state's tourist attractions, the folks at www.rideindiana.info posted a route which hits 12 covered bridges from "The Covered Bridge Capital Of The World."
Check out their post, entitled 12 Covered Bridges In Parke County"... Indiana!
View Larger Map
Covered Bridges Of Fairfield County, Ohio
Fellow rider Shaun posted this map of Covered Bridges in Fairfield County, OH.
It wouldn't be too hard to stitch together a "great ride" which hit all of these points of interest.
It's not my typical "Great Motorcycle Roads" candidate, but it seems to me like a great scenic side-trip for the Columbus, OH area. I'll try to run this route the next time I'm in Columbus.
View Covered Bridges of Fairfield County, Ohio in a larger map
It wouldn't be too hard to stitch together a "great ride" which hit all of these points of interest.
It's not my typical "Great Motorcycle Roads" candidate, but it seems to me like a great scenic side-trip for the Columbus, OH area. I'll try to run this route the next time I'm in Columbus.
View Covered Bridges of Fairfield County, Ohio in a larger map
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