"Hell's Angels started riding Harley-Davidsons mostly because, unlike today,they didn't have much choice. In 1957, it was either ride a Harley or settle for a Triumph or BSA. They'd already stopped building Indians. It's always been important for Hell's Angels to ride American made machines. In terms of pure workmanship, personally I don't like Harleys. I ride them because I'm in the club, and that's the image, but if I could I would seriously consider riding a Honda ST1100 or a BMW. We really missed the boat not switching over tot he Japanese models when they began building bigger bikes. I'll usually say,'Fuck Harley-Davidson.' You can buy an ST1100 and the motherfucker will do 110 miles per hour right from the factory all day long. The newest 'ricerockets' can carry 140 horsepower to the rear wheel, and can easily do 180 miles per hour right out of the box. While it's probably too late to switch over now,it would have been a nice move, because Japanese bikes today are so much cheaper and better built. However, Japanese motorcycles don't have as much personality."
--From "Hell's Angel: The Life & Times of Sonny Barger & the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club", Morrow/Avon, © June 2000--
Motorcycle TV
I have a thirst for motorcycles. I have tried watching motorcycle TV and have had varying degrees of success. There are some truly awful shows with girls who have blonde hair, 40DD measurements and about a 40 IQ who can barely read a cue card.
There is of course the famous fighting Teutel family on "American Chopper" which is a great show but has more to do with family conflict resolution than motorcycles. This is what makes the show successful.
I watched that polished infomercial of a show called "Corbin's Ride On". I had no idea it went for 99 episodes. It wasn't too bad. I enjoyed it. But it's not on the air anymore.
I watch Super Bikes, which is dedicated to sport bikes and stunts, which I'm not really interested in but it is still entertaining. My son likes the stunts. I will say that the new season without empty-headed hunkster Rossi Morreali as host is better. Jason Britton at least has some credibility...
But now I've found "Epic Ride" on speed channel and think it's pretty good. 6 people go on an "Epic Ride" each week. There are three professional racers and three average joes from the viewing audience. They all show up and draw a destination from a hat, so to speak.
I'd love to do that.
http://www.speedtv.com/programs/483/
There is of course the famous fighting Teutel family on "American Chopper" which is a great show but has more to do with family conflict resolution than motorcycles. This is what makes the show successful.
I watched that polished infomercial of a show called "Corbin's Ride On". I had no idea it went for 99 episodes. It wasn't too bad. I enjoyed it. But it's not on the air anymore.
I watch Super Bikes, which is dedicated to sport bikes and stunts, which I'm not really interested in but it is still entertaining. My son likes the stunts. I will say that the new season without empty-headed hunkster Rossi Morreali as host is better. Jason Britton at least has some credibility...
But now I've found "Epic Ride" on speed channel and think it's pretty good. 6 people go on an "Epic Ride" each week. There are three professional racers and three average joes from the viewing audience. They all show up and draw a destination from a hat, so to speak.
I'd love to do that.
http://www.speedtv.com/programs/483/
My Bike-Slut Ways
I went to the Dealer this afternoon, hoping to throw a leg over that red 919 they've had sitting there since spring, and damned if they hadn't sold it this past week.
"Do you expect to get any more in?" I asked the 20 year old saleskid.
"We'll get the 08 model in a few months", he replied. "Now, if you want one I can order it for you."
"Well, I wanted to sit on one first! I like what I see and I like what I've read, but I wanted to sit on one." I replied.
"Ergonomics are almost exactly like that VFR over there", he said.
Really? I asked
Almost. he said.
Jim had pointed me toward the VFR when we were discussing "my next bike" around the campfire at Burr Oak. I am certainly more comfortable on the VFR than the CBR. No way I can ride a fireblade. But if I were to buy a VFR it would have to be a fuel-injected pre-VTec one. Although I think the captain america paint job on the 25th anniversary edition VFR is cool.
I'd still like to ride a 919.
My wife laughed at me as we left the dealer. Though she didn't put it in these terms, she was laughing at my "bike slut" ways. I'm always looking for the next bike. I'm not ready to settle down with just one.
Chain Packed In White Lithium Grease
The parts unlimited 530 chain I put on my wife's V30 was packed in what looked to me like white lithium grease.
I thought it odd. I did not clean the chain prior to installation.
Should I have? I am noticing this white gunk is attracting all sorts of foreign matter, dirt, dust, etc. Makes me think I should've cleaned it off.
If so, how? WD40 is what my friend Bob told me. Someone else told me my wheels would fall off if I used WD40 on my chain...
I thought it odd. I did not clean the chain prior to installation.
Should I have? I am noticing this white gunk is attracting all sorts of foreign matter, dirt, dust, etc. Makes me think I should've cleaned it off.
If so, how? WD40 is what my friend Bob told me. Someone else told me my wheels would fall off if I used WD40 on my chain...
12 Myths Of Motorcycling
12 Myths. An interesting read.
Some of them are right on the money.
"loud pipes save lives" = myth. I wholeheartedly agree. "Loud pipes annoy your neighbors" is more apt. "Loud pipes prove you want attention more than anything". Something like that.
All the helmet myths, I remember hearing those as a teenager. I agree - those are myths.
http://www.speedfreakinc.com/content/articles/technical/myths.html
Some of them are right on the money.
"loud pipes save lives" = myth. I wholeheartedly agree. "Loud pipes annoy your neighbors" is more apt. "Loud pipes prove you want attention more than anything". Something like that.
All the helmet myths, I remember hearing those as a teenager. I agree - those are myths.
http://www.speedfreakinc.com/content/articles/technical/myths.html
Jezebel, Wide Open
Bob and I went for a lunch ride. I opened it up on a quiet stretch of 35 mph road and punched up to 80 mph like a rocket. Bob was following. I have a '94, he has a '96.
I arrive at the burrito place, grinning.
Bob said, "Hey, my acceleration is a lot better and a lot smoother since I put the baffles back in (the stock pipes). When you hit wide open, I could really tell it was much smoother."
I looked at him, puzzled.
"You didn't hit wide open?" he asked, incredulously.
"No," I replied, "I didn't hit wide open. Not even close."
"Damn it!" said Bob. "There's still something wrong with my bike."
He has been struggling to get his performance to match mine. He has the california model, with a lot more emissions equipment. He has been fixing vacuum leaks and so forth and has improved performance quite a bit.
He gets 48 mpg, I get about 40. But I can beat him off the line and in the quarter mile.
I arrive at the burrito place, grinning.
Bob said, "Hey, my acceleration is a lot better and a lot smoother since I put the baffles back in (the stock pipes). When you hit wide open, I could really tell it was much smoother."
I looked at him, puzzled.
"You didn't hit wide open?" he asked, incredulously.
"No," I replied, "I didn't hit wide open. Not even close."
"Damn it!" said Bob. "There's still something wrong with my bike."
He has been struggling to get his performance to match mine. He has the california model, with a lot more emissions equipment. He has been fixing vacuum leaks and so forth and has improved performance quite a bit.
He gets 48 mpg, I get about 40. But I can beat him off the line and in the quarter mile.
Changed!
I ordered and received in 2 days from Dennis Kirk the Motion Pro chain riveting tool. $90. At $14 for rental, plus the 90 minute round trip to the place that rents the tool, I figure owning the tool would pay for itself in convenience and dollars, eventually. I am resigned to having chains in my life for the foreseeable future. There are those that would tell me I should've used a ball peen hammer and a landscaping brick to peen the rivets, but I decided for a more civilized approach.
http://denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp;jsessionid=YOIUD1WFPFWCPLA0WTVSM4VMDK0NCIV0?store=Main&skuId=28350&productId=p28350
I used it to press the plate of the master link onto the pins, and to rivet the pins. It worked fine.
The instructions clearly say that if used on 520 and above chains, grind off the head of the pin with a grinding wheel before using the tool to push the pin out.
I didn't use the tool for pin removal because I had already removed the old chain using a grinding wheel and a nail punch.
Took Katie for a ride afterwards and was amazed at how smooth and quiet she was. The old chain had gone a few too many miles before being replaced. (I did replace sprockets and chain for good measure...)
I had to have my wife take Katie for a test drive too because I thought the bike was sluggish.
My wife took off for a test loop, came back smiling saying, "No, Katie is running just fine. You're just used to the V45"
http://denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp;jsessionid=YOIUD1WFPFWCPLA0WTVSM4VMDK0NCIV0?store=Main&skuId=28350&productId=p28350
I used it to press the plate of the master link onto the pins, and to rivet the pins. It worked fine.
The instructions clearly say that if used on 520 and above chains, grind off the head of the pin with a grinding wheel before using the tool to push the pin out.
I didn't use the tool for pin removal because I had already removed the old chain using a grinding wheel and a nail punch.
Took Katie for a ride afterwards and was amazed at how smooth and quiet she was. The old chain had gone a few too many miles before being replaced. (I did replace sprockets and chain for good measure...)
I had to have my wife take Katie for a test drive too because I thought the bike was sluggish.
My wife took off for a test loop, came back smiling saying, "No, Katie is running just fine. You're just used to the V45"
Motorcycle Touring Nowhere, Nevada
Rides and Destinations
http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/rideanddest/motorcycle_tour_nevada/
A quick motorcycle ride to grab a cup of coffee turns into a four-day jaunt into the distant reaches of Nevada. From the June 2005 issue of Motorcycle Cruiser magazine. Story & photos By Tad L. Hetu
http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/rideanddest/motorcycle_tour_nevada/
A quick motorcycle ride to grab a cup of coffee turns into a four-day jaunt into the distant reaches of Nevada. From the June 2005 issue of Motorcycle Cruiser magazine. Story & photos By Tad L. Hetu
Ch-ch-ch Changes (Changing the chain)
My wife's V30 needs a new chain. I bought a new chain and sprockets and am now in the process of becoming overwhelmed with all the how-to information on the subject.
http://www.canyonchasers.net/shop/generic/chain-rplc.php
http://www.dansmc.com/rearchain.htm
http://www.essortment.com/hobbies/basicschanging_shpj.htm
http://www.canyonchasers.net/shop/generic/chain-rplc.php
http://www.dansmc.com/rearchain.htm
http://www.essortment.com/hobbies/basicschanging_shpj.htm
Interesting Magna Site
http://www.hilliard.ws/oldhonda.htm
He lists all his accessories and where he got them.
Mostly stuff you wouldn't want.
But I'm considering the backrest...
He lists all his accessories and where he got them.
Mostly stuff you wouldn't want.
But I'm considering the backrest...
VF750C Magna Article
This is a good article. It's good to read one that's favorable ... I've spent a lot of time focusing on the bad points lately.
Thinking I ought to take video of the surging just to document it -- a video trained on the tachometer. Post it on youtube.
Motorcycle Review
Thinking I ought to take video of the surging just to document it -- a video trained on the tachometer. Post it on youtube.
Motorcycle Review
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