Air Bag Suit
This is pretty amazing. I'm a big fan of safety gear but I'm not sure I'd go for this.
What would happen if you forgot and left in hooked to the bike when you dismounted?!?!
http://www.wbaltv.com/news/14328936/detail.html
http://www.motoair.com/
Nice Pants
Alpinestar Air-Flo Mesh Pants
I recommend these because you can put them on over your clothes, and put them on over your boots. No need to remove your boots! Air-Flo Mesh Pants
I recommend these because you can put them on over your clothes, and put them on over your boots. No need to remove your boots! Air-Flo Mesh Pants
Motorcyclists Offers Apology And Restitution To Members Of DUMB
(By Larry Supina, Amarillo, TX)
An apology is in order, so, please, forgive me. It was not until this morning on my ride to work that I fully understood I was in error.
Yes, I've noticed that there are many very busy and important people on the roads. You all are hard to miss with the cell phones, laptops, breakfast bars, coffee, cigarettes and all, but until now, I didn't realize I was causing so much trouble for you busy, multitasking drivers.
I figured it out this morning, thanks to the nice lady working on the laptop who needed the lane I was in.
First, ma'am, let me say that when I honked at you from the shoulder, I didn't mean to startle you. My intent was just to give you a little beep to let you know the lane was all yours. But I was braking so hard, I couldn't lift my thumb off the horn button. My bad.
I surely didn't mean to cause you to nearly hit the guy talking on the cell phone. You know, he was smoking and talking as he moved his SUV right into the space you had just left.
Anyway, the good news is, that's when I realized all of you multitasking drivers must be texting each other about intended lane changes and running traffic lights and stop signs and such. I'm sorry - I'm still using old-fashioned blinkers. I didn't realize you needed some time to e-notify that guy that you needed the lane back. I really messed it up for both of you!
I can only say that the guard rail was a little distracting, and I was only thinking about myself. I'll try harder next time.
Like I said, I didn't know that was how you multitasking drivers were communicating. It must have been in an e-mail, but my laptop fell off my tank and I haven't replaced it.
However, I have a solution.
I know many of you are so busy and important that you have no choice - you have to eat, work, talk, read and do lots of other really important things as you drive. Those of us who use the road only for traveling would be happy to stay out of your way; we just need to know you're coming.
A little visual clue would help - I was thinking of a bumper sticker. That way, everyone could identify you as Drivers Utilizing Multiple Behaviors.
Of course, that's a little long, so we'd cut it down to an acronym - DUMB. If you'd place stickers on the front, back and maybe the sides of your car, the rest of us would know not to interfere with you on the road.
I think it's such a good idea, I'll pay for the bumper stickers and even put them on for you. Deal? Again, I'm sorry I got in your way. I'll try harder to see you coming from now on.
I promise!
An apology is in order, so, please, forgive me. It was not until this morning on my ride to work that I fully understood I was in error.
Yes, I've noticed that there are many very busy and important people on the roads. You all are hard to miss with the cell phones, laptops, breakfast bars, coffee, cigarettes and all, but until now, I didn't realize I was causing so much trouble for you busy, multitasking drivers.
I figured it out this morning, thanks to the nice lady working on the laptop who needed the lane I was in.
First, ma'am, let me say that when I honked at you from the shoulder, I didn't mean to startle you. My intent was just to give you a little beep to let you know the lane was all yours. But I was braking so hard, I couldn't lift my thumb off the horn button. My bad.
I surely didn't mean to cause you to nearly hit the guy talking on the cell phone. You know, he was smoking and talking as he moved his SUV right into the space you had just left.
Anyway, the good news is, that's when I realized all of you multitasking drivers must be texting each other about intended lane changes and running traffic lights and stop signs and such. I'm sorry - I'm still using old-fashioned blinkers. I didn't realize you needed some time to e-notify that guy that you needed the lane back. I really messed it up for both of you!
I can only say that the guard rail was a little distracting, and I was only thinking about myself. I'll try harder next time.
Like I said, I didn't know that was how you multitasking drivers were communicating. It must have been in an e-mail, but my laptop fell off my tank and I haven't replaced it.
However, I have a solution.
I know many of you are so busy and important that you have no choice - you have to eat, work, talk, read and do lots of other really important things as you drive. Those of us who use the road only for traveling would be happy to stay out of your way; we just need to know you're coming.
A little visual clue would help - I was thinking of a bumper sticker. That way, everyone could identify you as Drivers Utilizing Multiple Behaviors.
Of course, that's a little long, so we'd cut it down to an acronym - DUMB. If you'd place stickers on the front, back and maybe the sides of your car, the rest of us would know not to interfere with you on the road.
I think it's such a good idea, I'll pay for the bumper stickers and even put them on for you. Deal? Again, I'm sorry I got in your way. I'll try harder to see you coming from now on.
I promise!
ATGATT Shopping
Yesterday was like Christmas for me:
New Metzlers for Jezebel (ME880's)
New face shield for my helmet HJC CL14 (old one was scratched). I had wanted to buy a new helmet this season but chose to extend the life of this one another season and invest in Metzlers instead.
New riding sunglasses: Curves. I can see $12 for sunglasses. I can't see $120.
New gloves -- Tour Master Airflow Gloves. Picked them up on end-of-summer clearance. These have reinforced palms, and abrasion resistant tops and bottoms, and mesh vents on the sides of the fingers and on the back of the hand. Replacing the outgoing Pakistani Leather Gloves which were basically fashion leather, no padding.
Every brand of motorcycle gloves I have ever tried on I have found that XXL fits me best. TourMaster's Airflows that I bought today was no exception. XXXL was too loose, XL was too small.
But on the trip home the right glove felt a little too tight across the ball of the hand. Only on the right side. I am right handed.
Part of this is me not being used to gloves with padded palms.
I'm wondering if there's a tried and true method for stretching gloves. I imagine if I get them wet and dry once or twice, they'll mold to the shape of my hand. That'll happen soon enough I suppose.
New Metzlers for Jezebel (ME880's)
New face shield for my helmet HJC CL14 (old one was scratched). I had wanted to buy a new helmet this season but chose to extend the life of this one another season and invest in Metzlers instead.
New riding sunglasses: Curves. I can see $12 for sunglasses. I can't see $120.
New gloves -- Tour Master Airflow Gloves. Picked them up on end-of-summer clearance. These have reinforced palms, and abrasion resistant tops and bottoms, and mesh vents on the sides of the fingers and on the back of the hand. Replacing the outgoing Pakistani Leather Gloves which were basically fashion leather, no padding.
Every brand of motorcycle gloves I have ever tried on I have found that XXL fits me best. TourMaster's Airflows that I bought today was no exception. XXXL was too loose, XL was too small.
But on the trip home the right glove felt a little too tight across the ball of the hand. Only on the right side. I am right handed.
Part of this is me not being used to gloves with padded palms.
I'm wondering if there's a tried and true method for stretching gloves. I imagine if I get them wet and dry once or twice, they'll mold to the shape of my hand. That'll happen soon enough I suppose.
Great motorcycle quotes
Four wheels move the body. Two wheels move the soul.
“200mph, no hands. Damn that’d be cool right before the part where you die.” – A. Duthie
“There are only three sports: mountain climbing, bull fighting, and motor racing. All the rest are merely games.” – Ernest Hemingway
“Calling upon my years of experience, I froze at the controls.” – Stirling Moss
“Most motorcycle problems are caused by the nut that connects the handlebars to the saddle.”
Seen on a motorcycle’s rearviews:“Warning: objects seen in mirror are disappearing rapidly”
Got a $5 head? Get a $5 helmet.
“There’s the V-4 thing: there’s just something about it that inline 4s don’t have, and V-twins have too much of.” – Murray Duncan
“Life may begin at 30, but it doesn’t get real interesting until about 150.”
If you’re going to lead, then lead. If you’re going to follow, get the hell out of my way!
“Faster, faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death...” – Hunter Thompson
“Keep thy eye on the tach, thine ears on the engine, least thy whirlybits seek communion with the sun” – John 4:50
“You start the game with a full pot o’ luck and an empty pot o’ experience... The object is to fill the pot of experience before you empty the pot of luck.”
“Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in one pretty and well preserved piece, but to skid across the line broadside, thoroughly used up, worn out, leaking oil, shouting GERONIMO!”
“Insisting on perfect safety is for people who don’t have the balls to live in the real world.” – Mary Shafer, NASA Ames Dryden
“I believe in treating everyone with respect, but, first you have to get their attention.”
“Never trade the thrills of living for the security of existence”.
Everyone knows Honda’s attitude in the GP Paddock! “ Who will be behind us this weekend? “
“A zest for living must include a willingness to die.” – R.A. Heinlein
If you think you don’t need a helmet, you probably don’t.
“Racing is living, everything else is just waiting”
“If you wait, all that happens is that you get older.”– Larry McMurty
“Why are motorcycle dealers closed on Sundays? Because Sunday is for worship... Catholics go to church, Motorcyclists go to the track.” – Justin Skalka
I want to leave this world the same way I came into it: Screaming and covered in blood.
Kansas: home of the highway with 318 miles and 11 curves.
What does a Harley and hound dog have in common ? They both spend most of their time in the back of a pickup truck. What differentiates the two ? The hound dog can get in and out of the pickup under his own power.
“98% of all Harleys ever sold are still on the road. The other 2% made it home.”
Midnight bugs taste best.
Saddlebags can never hold everything you want, but they CAN hold everything you need.
NEVER argue with a woman holding a torque wrench.
Never try to race an old geezer, he may have one more gear than you.
Home is where your bike sits still long enough to leave a few drops of oil on the ground.
Routine maintenance should never be neglected.
It takes more love to share the saddle than it does to share the bed. The only good view of a thunderstorm is in your rearview mirror.
Never be afraid to slow down.
Bikes don’t leak oil, they mark their territory.
Don’t ride so late into the night that you sleep through the sunrise.
Pie and coffee are as important as petrol.
Sometimes it takes a whole tankful of fuel before you can think straight.
If you want to get a job, you may have to compromise your principals (you may even have to shave).
Riding faster than everyone else only guarantees you’ll ride alone.
Never hesitate to ride past the last street light at the edge of town.
Never mistake horsepower for staying power.
A good rider has balance, judgment, and good timing. So does a good lover.
A cold hamburger can be reheated quite nicely by strapping it to an exhaust pipe and riding forty miles.
Never do less than forty miles before breakfast.
If you don’t ride in the rain, you don’t ride.
A bike on the road is worth two in the shed.
Respect the person who has seen the dark side of motorcycling and lived.
Young riders pick a destination and go... Old riders pick a direction and go.
A good mechanic will let you watch without charging you for it.
Sometimes the fastest way to get there is to stop for the night.
Always back your bike into the curb, and sit where you can see it.
Work to ride & ride to work.
Whatever it is, it’s better in the wind.
Two-lane blacktop isn’t a highway – it’s an attitude.
When you look down the road, it seems to never end – but you better believe it does.
A biker can smell a party 500 miles away.
Winter is Nature’s way of telling you to polish.
A motorcycle can’t sing on the streets of a city.
Keep your bike in good repair: Motorcycle boots are NOT comfortable for walking.
People are like Motorcycles: each is customized a bit differently.
If the bike isn’t braking properly, you don’t start by rebuilding the engine.
Remember to pay as much attention to your partner as you do your carburetor.
Sometimes the best communication happens when you’re on separate bikes.
Well-trained reflexes are quicker than luck.
Good coffee should be indistinguishable from 50 weight motor oil.
The best alarm clock is sunshine on chrome.
Learn to do counter-intuitive things that may someday save your butt.
The twisties – not the superslabs –separate the riders from the squids.
When you’re riding lead, don’t spit.
If you really want to know what’s going on, watch what’s happening at least five cars ahead.
Don’t make a reputation you’ll have to live down or run away from later.
If the person in the next lane at the stoplight rolls up the window and locks the door, support their view of life by snarling at them.
A friend is someone who’ll get out of bed at 2 am to drive his pickup to the middle of nowhere to get you when you’re broken down.
If she changes her oil more than she changes her mind follow her.
Catching a yellow jacket in your shirt @ 70 mph can double your vocabulary.
If you want to get somewhere before sundown, you can’t stop at every tavern.
There’s something ugly about a NEW bike on a trailer.
Don’t lead the pack if you don’t know where you’re going.
Sleep with one arm through the spokes and keep your pants on.
Practice wrenching on your own bike.
Everyone crashes. Some get back on. Some don’t. Some can’t.
Beware the rider who says the bike never breaks down.
2 bikes is useful because at least one can be raided for parts at any given time.
Don’t argue with an 18-wheeler.
Never be ashamed to unlearn an old habit.
Maintenance is as much art as it is science.
A good long ride can clear your mind, restore your faith, and use up a lot of fuel.
If you can’t get it going with bungee cords and electrician’s tape, it’s serious.
If you ride like there’s no tomorrow, there won’t be.
Bikes parked out front mean good chicken-fried steak inside.
Gray-haired riders don’t get that way from pure luck.
There are drunk riders. There are old riders. There are NO old, drunk riders.
Thin leather looks good in the bar, but it won’t save your butt from “road rash” if you go down.
The best modifications cannot be seen from the outside.
Always replace the cheapest parts first.
You can forget what you do for a living when your knees are in the breeze.
No matter what marquee you ride, it’s all the same wind.
Patience is the ability to keep your motor idling.
Only a Biker knows why a dog sticks his head out of a car window.
“200mph, no hands. Damn that’d be cool right before the part where you die.” – A. Duthie
“There are only three sports: mountain climbing, bull fighting, and motor racing. All the rest are merely games.” – Ernest Hemingway
“Calling upon my years of experience, I froze at the controls.” – Stirling Moss
“Most motorcycle problems are caused by the nut that connects the handlebars to the saddle.”
Seen on a motorcycle’s rearviews:“Warning: objects seen in mirror are disappearing rapidly”
Got a $5 head? Get a $5 helmet.
“There’s the V-4 thing: there’s just something about it that inline 4s don’t have, and V-twins have too much of.” – Murray Duncan
“Life may begin at 30, but it doesn’t get real interesting until about 150.”
If you’re going to lead, then lead. If you’re going to follow, get the hell out of my way!
“Faster, faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death...” – Hunter Thompson
“Keep thy eye on the tach, thine ears on the engine, least thy whirlybits seek communion with the sun” – John 4:50
“You start the game with a full pot o’ luck and an empty pot o’ experience... The object is to fill the pot of experience before you empty the pot of luck.”
“Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in one pretty and well preserved piece, but to skid across the line broadside, thoroughly used up, worn out, leaking oil, shouting GERONIMO!”
“Insisting on perfect safety is for people who don’t have the balls to live in the real world.” – Mary Shafer, NASA Ames Dryden
“I believe in treating everyone with respect, but, first you have to get their attention.”
“Never trade the thrills of living for the security of existence”.
Everyone knows Honda’s attitude in the GP Paddock! “ Who will be behind us this weekend? “
“A zest for living must include a willingness to die.” – R.A. Heinlein
If you think you don’t need a helmet, you probably don’t.
“Racing is living, everything else is just waiting”
“If you wait, all that happens is that you get older.”– Larry McMurty
“Why are motorcycle dealers closed on Sundays? Because Sunday is for worship... Catholics go to church, Motorcyclists go to the track.” – Justin Skalka
I want to leave this world the same way I came into it: Screaming and covered in blood.
Kansas: home of the highway with 318 miles and 11 curves.
What does a Harley and hound dog have in common ? They both spend most of their time in the back of a pickup truck. What differentiates the two ? The hound dog can get in and out of the pickup under his own power.
“98% of all Harleys ever sold are still on the road. The other 2% made it home.”
Midnight bugs taste best.
Saddlebags can never hold everything you want, but they CAN hold everything you need.
NEVER argue with a woman holding a torque wrench.
Never try to race an old geezer, he may have one more gear than you.
Home is where your bike sits still long enough to leave a few drops of oil on the ground.
Routine maintenance should never be neglected.
It takes more love to share the saddle than it does to share the bed. The only good view of a thunderstorm is in your rearview mirror.
Never be afraid to slow down.
Bikes don’t leak oil, they mark their territory.
Don’t ride so late into the night that you sleep through the sunrise.
Pie and coffee are as important as petrol.
Sometimes it takes a whole tankful of fuel before you can think straight.
If you want to get a job, you may have to compromise your principals (you may even have to shave).
Riding faster than everyone else only guarantees you’ll ride alone.
Never hesitate to ride past the last street light at the edge of town.
Never mistake horsepower for staying power.
A good rider has balance, judgment, and good timing. So does a good lover.
A cold hamburger can be reheated quite nicely by strapping it to an exhaust pipe and riding forty miles.
Never do less than forty miles before breakfast.
If you don’t ride in the rain, you don’t ride.
A bike on the road is worth two in the shed.
Respect the person who has seen the dark side of motorcycling and lived.
Young riders pick a destination and go... Old riders pick a direction and go.
A good mechanic will let you watch without charging you for it.
Sometimes the fastest way to get there is to stop for the night.
Always back your bike into the curb, and sit where you can see it.
Work to ride & ride to work.
Whatever it is, it’s better in the wind.
Two-lane blacktop isn’t a highway – it’s an attitude.
When you look down the road, it seems to never end – but you better believe it does.
A biker can smell a party 500 miles away.
Winter is Nature’s way of telling you to polish.
A motorcycle can’t sing on the streets of a city.
Keep your bike in good repair: Motorcycle boots are NOT comfortable for walking.
People are like Motorcycles: each is customized a bit differently.
If the bike isn’t braking properly, you don’t start by rebuilding the engine.
Remember to pay as much attention to your partner as you do your carburetor.
Sometimes the best communication happens when you’re on separate bikes.
Well-trained reflexes are quicker than luck.
Good coffee should be indistinguishable from 50 weight motor oil.
The best alarm clock is sunshine on chrome.
Learn to do counter-intuitive things that may someday save your butt.
The twisties – not the superslabs –separate the riders from the squids.
When you’re riding lead, don’t spit.
If you really want to know what’s going on, watch what’s happening at least five cars ahead.
Don’t make a reputation you’ll have to live down or run away from later.
If the person in the next lane at the stoplight rolls up the window and locks the door, support their view of life by snarling at them.
A friend is someone who’ll get out of bed at 2 am to drive his pickup to the middle of nowhere to get you when you’re broken down.
If she changes her oil more than she changes her mind follow her.
Catching a yellow jacket in your shirt @ 70 mph can double your vocabulary.
If you want to get somewhere before sundown, you can’t stop at every tavern.
There’s something ugly about a NEW bike on a trailer.
Don’t lead the pack if you don’t know where you’re going.
Sleep with one arm through the spokes and keep your pants on.
Practice wrenching on your own bike.
Everyone crashes. Some get back on. Some don’t. Some can’t.
Beware the rider who says the bike never breaks down.
2 bikes is useful because at least one can be raided for parts at any given time.
Don’t argue with an 18-wheeler.
Never be ashamed to unlearn an old habit.
Maintenance is as much art as it is science.
A good long ride can clear your mind, restore your faith, and use up a lot of fuel.
If you can’t get it going with bungee cords and electrician’s tape, it’s serious.
If you ride like there’s no tomorrow, there won’t be.
Bikes parked out front mean good chicken-fried steak inside.
Gray-haired riders don’t get that way from pure luck.
There are drunk riders. There are old riders. There are NO old, drunk riders.
Thin leather looks good in the bar, but it won’t save your butt from “road rash” if you go down.
The best modifications cannot be seen from the outside.
Always replace the cheapest parts first.
You can forget what you do for a living when your knees are in the breeze.
No matter what marquee you ride, it’s all the same wind.
Patience is the ability to keep your motor idling.
Only a Biker knows why a dog sticks his head out of a car window.
Baby's Got A New Pair Of Shoes
Jezebel is now outfitted with a new set of Metzler 880 Marathons.
I sprang for new tires at Cycle Outfitters today.
I added up the cost of my various options, buying online and then paying a premium for installation, versus buying at this place and paying a minimal amount for front and rear mounted and balanced. The two options came surprising close -- close enough that we decided to go ahead and pay a little extra and be done with it.
Cycle Outfitters had em in stock, so I got in and out today.
Comes time to pick up the bike and pay the tab and whoops, I forgot about sales tax. Mail order had free shipping and no sales tax, would've been a bigger savings than I'd estimated.
Duh!
How could I have forgotten about sales tax?!?! Rookie mistake.
Anyway, I've got new tires. Gotta break em in.
Any break-in suggestions?
I sprang for new tires at Cycle Outfitters today.
I added up the cost of my various options, buying online and then paying a premium for installation, versus buying at this place and paying a minimal amount for front and rear mounted and balanced. The two options came surprising close -- close enough that we decided to go ahead and pay a little extra and be done with it.
Cycle Outfitters had em in stock, so I got in and out today.
Comes time to pick up the bike and pay the tab and whoops, I forgot about sales tax. Mail order had free shipping and no sales tax, would've been a bigger savings than I'd estimated.
Duh!
How could I have forgotten about sales tax?!?! Rookie mistake.
Anyway, I've got new tires. Gotta break em in.
Any break-in suggestions?
Slip Sliding Away
Had a slip-sliding experience on the way home from work today, and I'm trying to figure out what happened exactly.
It was about 50 degrees. Within one block of work I entered a roundabout -- some parts of the country call them traffic circles -- and leaned over to the left as I went around the tight circle. Just about time to flick right to exit the roundabout, after about 270 degrees of curvature, my bike suddenly dove toward the pavement. I didn't really have the sense of the rear tire sliding out. Instead it just felt as though the bike was pushed over hard to the left.
I've never experienced anything like it.
I really wish I had a camera or an eye witness who might give me a clue as to what happened.
Those who've experienced a rear wheel losing traction during a hard turn, does this match the description?
Strange, other than the tire being cold, I can't figure what happened. A spot of oil? A patch of sand?
I kept the bike upright. I reflexively pushed the bike up by a firm plant of my left leg and a push. It's not like I meant to do it. It just happened so fast.
It was about 50 degrees. Within one block of work I entered a roundabout -- some parts of the country call them traffic circles -- and leaned over to the left as I went around the tight circle. Just about time to flick right to exit the roundabout, after about 270 degrees of curvature, my bike suddenly dove toward the pavement. I didn't really have the sense of the rear tire sliding out. Instead it just felt as though the bike was pushed over hard to the left.
I've never experienced anything like it.
I really wish I had a camera or an eye witness who might give me a clue as to what happened.
Those who've experienced a rear wheel losing traction during a hard turn, does this match the description?
Strange, other than the tire being cold, I can't figure what happened. A spot of oil? A patch of sand?
I kept the bike upright. I reflexively pushed the bike up by a firm plant of my left leg and a push. It's not like I meant to do it. It just happened so fast.
Tires - Part 2
When last we left our cheap-ass ratbike bastard, he was complaining about the price of tires and wondering whether he needed new ones before the end of the season.
The concensus was not to take any long trips on the current tires, and to avoid riding in the rain, now that the tread was almost gone down to the wear bars, especially on the rear but also on the front.
Some kindly contributed online links for cheap tire sources.
Cheap-ass ratbike bastard rejected links to Chen Shing tires, for he had learned in his first motorcycle accident "Chen Shing" is chinese for "Low Side".
Now the cheap-ass bastard wants to know where his esteemed friends have their tires changed in Indianapolis.
Cycle Outfitters is one good one I've heard.
I won't darken the door of the "96TH STREET HARLEY DAVIDSON HONDA WE HAVE HARLEY HARLEY HARLEY COME SEE OUR HARLEY HARLEY HARLEY BUY OUR HARLEY HARLEY HARLEY WORSHIP OUR HARLEY HARLEY HARLEY DON'T ASK ABOUT HONDA oh yeah well we sort of have them too" dealership again asking for anything to do with a HONDA as I don't like being treated like a leper.
Noblesville Honda gets most of my business.
I've heard Dryer is not bad too.
I wonder if any of these places will install tires I bought on line -- for a fee?
Anyone have any experience with this?
The concensus was not to take any long trips on the current tires, and to avoid riding in the rain, now that the tread was almost gone down to the wear bars, especially on the rear but also on the front.
Some kindly contributed online links for cheap tire sources.
Cheap-ass ratbike bastard rejected links to Chen Shing tires, for he had learned in his first motorcycle accident "Chen Shing" is chinese for "Low Side".
Now the cheap-ass bastard wants to know where his esteemed friends have their tires changed in Indianapolis.
Cycle Outfitters is one good one I've heard.
I won't darken the door of the "96TH STREET HARLEY DAVIDSON HONDA WE HAVE HARLEY HARLEY HARLEY COME SEE OUR HARLEY HARLEY HARLEY BUY OUR HARLEY HARLEY HARLEY WORSHIP OUR HARLEY HARLEY HARLEY DON'T ASK ABOUT HONDA oh yeah well we sort of have them too" dealership again asking for anything to do with a HONDA as I don't like being treated like a leper.
Noblesville Honda gets most of my business.
I've heard Dryer is not bad too.
I wonder if any of these places will install tires I bought on line -- for a fee?
Anyone have any experience with this?
Conversations with Mr. Harley
A consultant at work walks into my office, sees the picture of the CB919 I have as my Windows Desktop.
"Oh," he asks with a smile, "are you a biker?"
Taking issue with the term "biker", I reply, "I ride a motorcycle, yes."
"Is that a picture of your bike?" he asks, eagerly, pointing at the CB919.
"No, that might be my next bike. Right now I ride a Honda Magna," I reply.
He looks blankly. I point out the window to where it is parked in the parking garage. You can see the handlebars and headlight only.
"Hmmm," he says, unimpressed. "I have a Harley."
"Oh?" I ask. If needed, I can speak at some length about them. My wife, as I've told you before, has a long rich history with Harley, and a deep love for them. I can tell her story when needed to make polite conversation with the Harley crowd.
"Yeah," he said, "It's a '96 Sportster 1200 Custom." He started to tell me about custom chrome and custom air cover, and custom bars, and custom pegs, and my eyes must've glazed over. He realized I had lost interest.
I made an effort to steer back into polite motorcycle conversation. "Do you get much chance to ride it?" I asked.
"No, unfortunately, I'm too busy. I've only put about 4000 miles on it since I got it."
I kept a straight face, but I'm thinking that's a whole lot of money to spend on something you ride 400 miles a year.
"Yeah," I said, "I'm busy too. If it weren't for the daily commute, I wouldn't have much time to ride."
"I deliberately avoid riding to work," he said.
Again, I am dumbstruck. He is from a different universe than me.
"Really," I ask, "Why?"
"Yeah, I feel motorcycle riding should be just for fun."
"My thought there is, if you ride to and from work, you've brought some fun into your day. Doesn't matter how stressful my day is, I know I've got that ride home to look forward to. The highlight of my day. Turns a dull commute into something special."
His turn to give me the blank look. Awkward pause.
"Well it was nice to meet you," I said, blah blah blah, "Why don't you ride in on some sunny Friday?"
Well maybe I'll have to do that, he said politely.
I'll never see that bike.
"Oh," he asks with a smile, "are you a biker?"
Taking issue with the term "biker", I reply, "I ride a motorcycle, yes."
"Is that a picture of your bike?" he asks, eagerly, pointing at the CB919.
"No, that might be my next bike. Right now I ride a Honda Magna," I reply.
He looks blankly. I point out the window to where it is parked in the parking garage. You can see the handlebars and headlight only.
"Hmmm," he says, unimpressed. "I have a Harley."
"Oh?" I ask. If needed, I can speak at some length about them. My wife, as I've told you before, has a long rich history with Harley, and a deep love for them. I can tell her story when needed to make polite conversation with the Harley crowd.
"Yeah," he said, "It's a '96 Sportster 1200 Custom." He started to tell me about custom chrome and custom air cover, and custom bars, and custom pegs, and my eyes must've glazed over. He realized I had lost interest.
I made an effort to steer back into polite motorcycle conversation. "Do you get much chance to ride it?" I asked.
"No, unfortunately, I'm too busy. I've only put about 4000 miles on it since I got it."
I kept a straight face, but I'm thinking that's a whole lot of money to spend on something you ride 400 miles a year.
"Yeah," I said, "I'm busy too. If it weren't for the daily commute, I wouldn't have much time to ride."
"I deliberately avoid riding to work," he said.
Again, I am dumbstruck. He is from a different universe than me.
"Really," I ask, "Why?"
"Yeah, I feel motorcycle riding should be just for fun."
"My thought there is, if you ride to and from work, you've brought some fun into your day. Doesn't matter how stressful my day is, I know I've got that ride home to look forward to. The highlight of my day. Turns a dull commute into something special."
His turn to give me the blank look. Awkward pause.
"Well it was nice to meet you," I said, blah blah blah, "Why don't you ride in on some sunny Friday?"
Well maybe I'll have to do that, he said politely.
I'll never see that bike.
Mr Harley Sees Me In My Super Suit
In the previous chapter, we met Mr. Harley who has spent over 20000 on his bike but who rides it less than 400 miles per year.
He is a nice guy, a fellow IT professional, a fellow two wheel enthusiast. He calls himself a biker. I do not use that moniker for myself.
I am decending the stairwell after work, already suited up in what my coworkers affectionately call the "Super Suit" -- mesh pants and jacket.
"All dressed to go fall offa motorcycle, I see," he said smiling.
I took it as the typical biker slam against the rider. The biker wears no gear -- except leather jacket in cooler weather - and makes snarky comments about riders in their ATGATT.
"I'm not planning on falling of the motorcycle," I replied, flatly.
"Oh, I know," he said, attempting to be conciliatory, "expect the unexpected, I get it."
Telling this tale to my wife later, she added what would have been the perfect comeback. When he says, "All dressed to fall off a motorcycle, I see", the correct response is, "All dressed for a trip to the emergency room, I see..."
I have to hand it to her. She may bleed orange and black, but she has the heart of a rider. In fact, my wife has in her very nature a need to not conform. When she gets her Harley, she'll be among the 1% who wear ATGATT. I said ride your own ride, babe, don't let anyone tell you anything different.
I love that girl.
He is a nice guy, a fellow IT professional, a fellow two wheel enthusiast. He calls himself a biker. I do not use that moniker for myself.
I am decending the stairwell after work, already suited up in what my coworkers affectionately call the "Super Suit" -- mesh pants and jacket.
"All dressed to go fall offa motorcycle, I see," he said smiling.
I took it as the typical biker slam against the rider. The biker wears no gear -- except leather jacket in cooler weather - and makes snarky comments about riders in their ATGATT.
"I'm not planning on falling of the motorcycle," I replied, flatly.
"Oh, I know," he said, attempting to be conciliatory, "expect the unexpected, I get it."
Telling this tale to my wife later, she added what would have been the perfect comeback. When he says, "All dressed to fall off a motorcycle, I see", the correct response is, "All dressed for a trip to the emergency room, I see..."
I have to hand it to her. She may bleed orange and black, but she has the heart of a rider. In fact, my wife has in her very nature a need to not conform. When she gets her Harley, she'll be among the 1% who wear ATGATT. I said ride your own ride, babe, don't let anyone tell you anything different.
I love that girl.
The Love of Motorcycling
Author Unknown
I love motorcycles, and I love riding. Like many of you, what first drew me to bikes was not just the experience of riding, but the feeling that I'd become part of a special community? a brotherhood, really. Nothing calms me more than a long ride down the interstate, waving to the members of my beloved clan.
Except when I pass Harley guys. I hate Harley guys. Hate, hate, hate. When they pass me on the highway, you know what I do? I don't wave. With their little tassle handlebars and the studded luggage and the half-helmets? God, they drive me crazy.
You know who else I hate? BMW guys. Oh, I do hate those guys. I don't wave at them, either. They think they're so great, sitting all upright, with their 180-degree German engines. God, I hate them.
They're almost as bad as those old bastards on their touring motorcycles. You know what I call those bikes? "Two-wheeled couches!" Get it? Because they're so big. They drive around like they've got all day. Appreciate the scenery somewhere else, Grampa, and while you're at it, I'm not waving to you.
Ducati guys? I don't wave at them either. Why don't they spend a little more money on their bikes? "You can have it in any color you want, as long as it's red." Aren't you cool! Like they even know what a desmo-whatever engine is, anyway. Try finding the battery, you Italian-wannabe racers! I never, ever wave at those guys.
Suzuki guys aren't much better, which is why I never wave at them, either. They always have those stupid helmets sitting on top of their stupid heads, and God forbid they should wear any safety gear. They make me so mad. Sometimes they'll speed by and look over at me and you know what I do? I don't wave. I just keep on going. Please, don't get me started on Kawasaki guys. Ninjas? What are you, twelve years old? Team Green my ass. I never wave at Kawasaki guys.
I ride a Honda, and I'll only wave at Honda guys, but even then, I'll never wave at a guy in full leathers. Never, never, never. Yeah, like you're going to get your knee down on the New York Thruway. Nice crotch, by the way.
Guys in full leathers will never get a wave from me, and by the way, neither will the guys in two-piece leathers. And I'll tell you who else I'm not waving at those guys with the helmets with the loud paintjobs. Four pounds of paint on a two pound helmet? Like I'm going to wave back to that! I'll also never wave at someone with a mirrored visor. Or helmet stickers. Or racing gloves. Or hiking boots.
To me, motorcycling is a like a family, a close-knit brotherhood of people who ride Hondas, wear jeans and a leather jacket (not Vanson) with regular gloves and a solid-color helmet with a clear visor, no stickers, no racing gloves and regular boots (not Timberlands). And isn't that what really makes riding so special?"
I love motorcycles, and I love riding. Like many of you, what first drew me to bikes was not just the experience of riding, but the feeling that I'd become part of a special community? a brotherhood, really. Nothing calms me more than a long ride down the interstate, waving to the members of my beloved clan.
Except when I pass Harley guys. I hate Harley guys. Hate, hate, hate. When they pass me on the highway, you know what I do? I don't wave. With their little tassle handlebars and the studded luggage and the half-helmets? God, they drive me crazy.
You know who else I hate? BMW guys. Oh, I do hate those guys. I don't wave at them, either. They think they're so great, sitting all upright, with their 180-degree German engines. God, I hate them.
They're almost as bad as those old bastards on their touring motorcycles. You know what I call those bikes? "Two-wheeled couches!" Get it? Because they're so big. They drive around like they've got all day. Appreciate the scenery somewhere else, Grampa, and while you're at it, I'm not waving to you.
Ducati guys? I don't wave at them either. Why don't they spend a little more money on their bikes? "You can have it in any color you want, as long as it's red." Aren't you cool! Like they even know what a desmo-whatever engine is, anyway. Try finding the battery, you Italian-wannabe racers! I never, ever wave at those guys.
Suzuki guys aren't much better, which is why I never wave at them, either. They always have those stupid helmets sitting on top of their stupid heads, and God forbid they should wear any safety gear. They make me so mad. Sometimes they'll speed by and look over at me and you know what I do? I don't wave. I just keep on going. Please, don't get me started on Kawasaki guys. Ninjas? What are you, twelve years old? Team Green my ass. I never wave at Kawasaki guys.
I ride a Honda, and I'll only wave at Honda guys, but even then, I'll never wave at a guy in full leathers. Never, never, never. Yeah, like you're going to get your knee down on the New York Thruway. Nice crotch, by the way.
Guys in full leathers will never get a wave from me, and by the way, neither will the guys in two-piece leathers. And I'll tell you who else I'm not waving at those guys with the helmets with the loud paintjobs. Four pounds of paint on a two pound helmet? Like I'm going to wave back to that! I'll also never wave at someone with a mirrored visor. Or helmet stickers. Or racing gloves. Or hiking boots.
To me, motorcycling is a like a family, a close-knit brotherhood of people who ride Hondas, wear jeans and a leather jacket (not Vanson) with regular gloves and a solid-color helmet with a clear visor, no stickers, no racing gloves and regular boots (not Timberlands). And isn't that what really makes riding so special?"
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