2011 Pan European -- Exclusive!
It cracks me up that Yahoo's Babelfish website translates the Pan European as the "Bread". Makes sense of course, "Pan" is Spanish for bread.
There are also some perfectly recognizable Spanish words that Babelfish fails to translate, and leaves in their original Spanish form.
Razor MX350
Sure, it's not made by one of the Japanese Big Four.
And it's not gasoline powered.
But the Razor MX350 is a great first dirt-bike for a child.
Quiet operation; won't annoy the neighbors.
Nobby, tubeless tires.
Single, rear, drum brake. The brake and throttle are interlocked; squeezing the brake lever turns off the throttle.
And it's not gasoline powered.
But the Razor MX350 is a great first dirt-bike for a child.
Clutchless operation; chain drive.
Not street legal; no headlights or turn signals.
Quiet operation; won't annoy the neighbors.
Nobby, tubeless tires.
Single, rear, drum brake. The brake and throttle are interlocked; squeezing the brake lever turns off the throttle.
Kawasaki Ninja 500R
Bulletproof parallel twin powerplant and good fuel economy keep this one going and going.
Kawasaki Ninja 500R
Bulletproof parallel twin powerplant and good fuel economy keep this one going and going.
Is Harley-Davidson Cruising for a Crash?
Is Harley-Davidson Cruising for a Crash?
Loyal but aging customer base, and a continued failure to attract younger buyers spells an impending lowside for the Motor Company.
2010 Honda CB Unicorn Dazzler Review - Motorcycle.com
2010 Honda CB Unicorn Dazzler Review - Motorcycle.com
Aside from the horrifyingly "gay" name, this little Honda motorcycle for India seems pretty cool.
A Trip Report In Haiku
Cause I'm too tired to type a complete report, here's one in Haiku...
Fans of the form recognize this doesn't conform to Haiku 5/7/5 syllable rules. Oh well, call it free verse then.
I'll try again, with some more verses, these in strict Haiku form:
French Lick, Indiana
150 miles to the south
Through Hoosier National Forest
Weather was perfect
Five riders together
The road less travelled
DR650 and KLR650 outperform Magna
On gravel-strewn twisty roads
Oh, my aching pride.
Fellow rider traded Magna
For a loud-piped Harley
Do not ride behind him.
300 miles of fun
Whether Honda, Kawi, or HD
Each man smiled and returned home
Fans of the form recognize this doesn't conform to Haiku 5/7/5 syllable rules. Oh well, call it free verse then.
I'll try again, with some more verses, these in strict Haiku form:
Five Of Us Set Out
For French Lick, Indiana
No two bikes alike
Twisty roads we chose
May not have been the fastest
But were the most fun
Weather was perfect
Five riders rode together
The road less traveled
One rider's bald tires
brought trip to a sudden end
without incident
Dual sports proven
To outperform the Magna
Oh, my aching pride.
Fork-mounted windshield
adversely affects steering
good for crushing bugs
He trades his Magna
for a Harley with loud pipes
Do not ride behind
Bike Shopping
If only we knew someone who owned one, we could ask them all our questions!
Steve is one of those people who seems to know everybody; an outgoing and personable guy. These are some very handy traits in a motorcycle-shopping companion. At one dealership, we got a guided tour of the owner's private warehouse, with some old Honda's, Triumph's and BSA's on display.
I've been there many times before and have never been offered the private tour.
I'm gonna bring Steve bike-shopping with me more often.
It was fun to have some vicarious enjoyment of Steve's newbie experiences. He was learning a lot, sitting on bikes, picking them up off their kickstand and feeling their weight, seating position, and controls. Those are some good memories for me. As one who fell into motorcycling late in life, it was being around them, feeling them and moving them around, that hooked me. I hope Steve gets hooked, too, as I'd love to have him join me on some local jaunts.
Steve was interested in dual-sport bikes, and checked out the KLR650, KLX250, the Honda CRF230L, and the Suzuki DR400 and DR650.
While Steve was checking out dual-sports, I was checking out Sport Touring bikes. I got a chance to sit on a Yamaha FJR1300, a Suzuki DL650, an FZ6, a Kawasaki Concourse 14, a Z1000, and a Honda ST1300.
I was impressed with the comfort and style of the FJR, it was lower and sleeker looking than the Connie. The dealers had used FJR's coming out of their ears. I saw four or five FJR's on showroom floors; at least one at each of the three dealerships we visited. During this time I only saw one ST1300. When I saw it, I exclaimed happily, "Oh -- finally!"
When we were done with our dealer visits, Steve confessed to me: "I couldn't tell the bikes you were looking at apart. The one you were all excited about finding looked exactly the same to me as the ones you weren't interested in."
I laughed. To the uninitiated, they do look alike. Even to the Harley rider, I'm sure, all sport tourers look alike. Just like to the sport bike rider, all Harley's look alike.
I smiled at him and said, "Yeah, and I couldn't tell the dual sports apart either. They all look the same to me."
When we were done with our dealer visits, Steve confessed to me: "I couldn't tell the bikes you were looking at apart. The one you were all excited about finding looked exactly the same to me as the ones you weren't interested in."
I laughed. To the uninitiated, they do look alike. Even to the Harley rider, I'm sure, all sport tourers look alike. Just like to the sport bike rider, all Harley's look alike.
I smiled at him and said, "Yeah, and I couldn't tell the dual sports apart either. They all look the same to me."
Sport Touring Highway Pegs?
I've seen highway pegs on cruisers, but I've never seen nor heard of them on a sport tourer.
I snapped some photos of these, on a Honda ST1300 at a dealership today.
They fold back into a retracted position, hidden within the "tip over wing".
I snapped some photos of these, on a Honda ST1300 at a dealership today.
They fold back into a retracted position, hidden within the "tip over wing".
Being somewhat of a purist, I objected to the fact that the "tip over wing" had to be cut and modified in order to accommodate this after-market footpeg. However, I thought it was an ingenious design.
Are these really necessary on an ST1300?
They certainly don't go with the motif.
Uniform Measures
I've been thinking about uniform measuring criteria for motorcycles, since I posted my last entry, "How does the ST stack up?"
It was eye opening to me when I first discovered that displacement was a fairly meaningless measure. Displacement is used in the motoring world -- whether two or four wheel variety -- as a rough measure of power.
It's misleading, however. In the four wheeled world, as well as two, there are beasts with large displacement with relatively small power. I remember this from the days when I owned a Ford Explorer. The Ford SOHC V6 generates almost as much power as the Ford V8.
Cylinder count, and displacement, isn't a good indicator of power.
If not displacement, and not cylinder count, then what shall we use as a measure?
Why, horsepower, of course!
Except horsepower itself is only part of the equation. A hundred horsepower in a 400 pound bike, or a 600 pound bike would render a different rider experience.
So what do you call it then, this weight-adjusted horsepower factor? Take the weight, and divide it by the horsepower, and you get a figure which can be used to compare one bike to another.
How many pounds does each pony have to move?
The same could be done for torque. How many foot-pounds of torque does the engine generate? How does that compare to the weight that the engine must move?
Of course, we could find some numerical formula to express, in scientific terms, every aspect of the bike, and we would still fall short of describing the bike.
It's not a mere machine, and it's not a mere science. There is no formula for the perfect bike. Each of us, as humans, will have our own preferences, and will interface with a bike in our own individual way. No formula can predict which bike will bring maximum enjoyment to which rider.
There is no substitute for a test drive.
It was eye opening to me when I first discovered that displacement was a fairly meaningless measure. Displacement is used in the motoring world -- whether two or four wheel variety -- as a rough measure of power.
It's misleading, however. In the four wheeled world, as well as two, there are beasts with large displacement with relatively small power. I remember this from the days when I owned a Ford Explorer. The Ford SOHC V6 generates almost as much power as the Ford V8.
Cylinder count, and displacement, isn't a good indicator of power.
If not displacement, and not cylinder count, then what shall we use as a measure?
Why, horsepower, of course!
Except horsepower itself is only part of the equation. A hundred horsepower in a 400 pound bike, or a 600 pound bike would render a different rider experience.
So what do you call it then, this weight-adjusted horsepower factor? Take the weight, and divide it by the horsepower, and you get a figure which can be used to compare one bike to another.
How many pounds does each pony have to move?
The same could be done for torque. How many foot-pounds of torque does the engine generate? How does that compare to the weight that the engine must move?
Of course, we could find some numerical formula to express, in scientific terms, every aspect of the bike, and we would still fall short of describing the bike.
It's not a mere machine, and it's not a mere science. There is no formula for the perfect bike. Each of us, as humans, will have our own preferences, and will interface with a bike in our own individual way. No formula can predict which bike will bring maximum enjoyment to which rider.
There is no substitute for a test drive.
How does the ST stack up?
Here are the stats for the ST1100, compared to the Magna VF750C, the Gold Wing 1100 Interstate, and the Harley Davidson FXD Dyna Super Glide.
I'm surprised to see how much more power the ST1100 has compared to the GL1100, with the same displacement and number of cylinders.
I'm aware that "not all displacement is created equal"; for example Harley's with their large displacement twin cylinders, don't compare in horsepower to a sport bike with half the displacement. But I'm still surprised that the V4, compared to the flat four, has such a disparity.
No wonder I love V4's.
I've added two metrics which I don't usually see discussed in the trade magazines, but which seem to me to offer a basis of comparison.
Weight divided by Horsepower, or what I call "Pounds per horse". How much weight does each of those horses have to carry. Seems like a way of leveling the horsepower playing field by factoring in the effect of weight.
Weight divided by Torque. This is similar to the "Pounds Per Horse" measurement, except this one blows my mind when I attempt to do dimensional analysis on it. If torque is measured in foot-pounds, and weight is measured in pounds, then pounds divided by foot-pounds equals what? The inverse of feet? 1/foot? I need to consult a physics textbook to figure this one out.
| ST1100 | VF750C | GL1100 | FXD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Displacement | 1100 | 750 | 1100 | 1574 |
| Peak HP | 100 | 84 | 64 | 61 |
| Peak Torque | 82 | 50 | 41 | 77 |
| Dry Weight | 634 | 505 | 718 | 666 |
| Weight/Horsepower | 6.3 | 6.0 | 11.2 | 10.9 |
| Weight/Torque | 7.7 | 10.1 | 17.5 | 8.6 |
I'm surprised to see how much more power the ST1100 has compared to the GL1100, with the same displacement and number of cylinders.
I'm aware that "not all displacement is created equal"; for example Harley's with their large displacement twin cylinders, don't compare in horsepower to a sport bike with half the displacement. But I'm still surprised that the V4, compared to the flat four, has such a disparity.
No wonder I love V4's.
I've added two metrics which I don't usually see discussed in the trade magazines, but which seem to me to offer a basis of comparison.
Weight divided by Horsepower, or what I call "Pounds per horse". How much weight does each of those horses have to carry. Seems like a way of leveling the horsepower playing field by factoring in the effect of weight.
Weight divided by Torque. This is similar to the "Pounds Per Horse" measurement, except this one blows my mind when I attempt to do dimensional analysis on it. If torque is measured in foot-pounds, and weight is measured in pounds, then pounds divided by foot-pounds equals what? The inverse of feet? 1/foot? I need to consult a physics textbook to figure this one out.
Compressed Air Dent Removal
When I bought the Magna 3 years ago, it had a small (less than 2 inch diameter) dent in the upper right hand corner of the tank.
I've lived with it for three years. Occasionally when bored, I've done research on motorcycle dent removal.
I've seen YouTube videos of guys removing dents in motorcycle tanks using bent rods and a hammer, and essentially hammering out the dent from the inside. That seems a little dangerous for an amateur like me to try. The inside of the tank is pristine, with no rust. I fear misuse of a hammer and a rod might scratch the inside liner of the tank, leaving it prone to rust.
Then I saw this technique of removing dents from car doors and motorcycle tanks called the "Compressed Air" method.
By the name of it, I had visions of sealing up the tank and blowing air into the tank until the dents popped out.
But that's not how it works. It uses rapid changes in temperature to draw the dent out.
First heat the dent with a hair dryer, for about a minute.
Then spray the dent with a can of compressed air, like the kind sold at office supply stores for cleaning schmutz out of computer keyboards.
The rapid expansion of the compressed air sucks the heat out of the surroundings. There are warnings all over the can not to spray your flesh, or be prepared to get treatment for frost bite.
I saw this demonstrated successfully online for a car body panel with a dent.
I also saw someone attempt it on a motorcycle tank -- and it didn't work.
But a can of compressed air is $3.00. I figured I would give it a shot.
My results were the same as the Ducati owner in the video. No luck.
I'll find a Paintless Dent Repair place that'll do it for me.
I've lived with it for three years. Occasionally when bored, I've done research on motorcycle dent removal.
I've seen YouTube videos of guys removing dents in motorcycle tanks using bent rods and a hammer, and essentially hammering out the dent from the inside. That seems a little dangerous for an amateur like me to try. The inside of the tank is pristine, with no rust. I fear misuse of a hammer and a rod might scratch the inside liner of the tank, leaving it prone to rust.
Then I saw this technique of removing dents from car doors and motorcycle tanks called the "Compressed Air" method.
By the name of it, I had visions of sealing up the tank and blowing air into the tank until the dents popped out.
But that's not how it works. It uses rapid changes in temperature to draw the dent out.
First heat the dent with a hair dryer, for about a minute.
Then spray the dent with a can of compressed air, like the kind sold at office supply stores for cleaning schmutz out of computer keyboards.
The rapid expansion of the compressed air sucks the heat out of the surroundings. There are warnings all over the can not to spray your flesh, or be prepared to get treatment for frost bite.
I saw this demonstrated successfully online for a car body panel with a dent.
I also saw someone attempt it on a motorcycle tank -- and it didn't work.
But a can of compressed air is $3.00. I figured I would give it a shot.
My results were the same as the Ducati owner in the video. No luck.
I'll find a Paintless Dent Repair place that'll do it for me.
Naming A Motorcycle
I mentioned earlier, (see "The Motorcycle Name Game") that I've been thinking about ST names before I actually own a bike.
I've been stuck at work, working lots of overtime, and keeping myself entertained by daydreaming about the bike I would buy.
I mentioned to some riding friends that I was thinking about names for my non-existent bike, and they gave me a hard time.
Some thought I was losing my mind. "Geez, just wait," said Carl. "The bike will tell you its name very soon after you buy it."
Some reject the whole idea of naming a bike. "The closest I come to anthropomorphizing the bike is to call it a "she" occasionally," said Pete. "I confess I just don't get the whole idea of naming one's bike."
Another said, "My policy is, don't name anything that doesn't come when you call it."
I said, "By that line of reasoning, my kids should be nameless."
Tradition among Honda ST owners dictates that the bike names have "ST" in them. I'm not aware of any other makes or models that have such a tradition. They may exist, I'm just don't know of any.
My FJR-riding friend, who has changed engines in his bike more times that I have changed oil in my Honda, quipped that if he were obliged to use the letters F, J and R in the name, it would be something like "F-ing Jury Rigged", or "F-ing Just Replaced". Not a happy bike owner!
I wonder what percentage of the bike riding population have names for their bikes?
I've been stuck at work, working lots of overtime, and keeping myself entertained by daydreaming about the bike I would buy.
I mentioned to some riding friends that I was thinking about names for my non-existent bike, and they gave me a hard time.
Some thought I was losing my mind. "Geez, just wait," said Carl. "The bike will tell you its name very soon after you buy it."
Some reject the whole idea of naming a bike. "The closest I come to anthropomorphizing the bike is to call it a "she" occasionally," said Pete. "I confess I just don't get the whole idea of naming one's bike."
Another said, "My policy is, don't name anything that doesn't come when you call it."
I said, "By that line of reasoning, my kids should be nameless."
Tradition among Honda ST owners dictates that the bike names have "ST" in them. I'm not aware of any other makes or models that have such a tradition. They may exist, I'm just don't know of any.
My FJR-riding friend, who has changed engines in his bike more times that I have changed oil in my Honda, quipped that if he were obliged to use the letters F, J and R in the name, it would be something like "F-ing Jury Rigged", or "F-ing Just Replaced". Not a happy bike owner!
I wonder what percentage of the bike riding population have names for their bikes?
WOW?
Has anyone worked with a place in Marietta, GA, called "WOW Motorsports"?
They appear to have a large selection.
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