When it's time to buy a bike, it might be time to buy a new helmet. I checked and my last new helmet was in 2009.
Ray's Motorcycle Diary
A motorcycle odyssey
Sunday, December 24, 2023
Scorpion EXO-AT960, My New Helmet
Saturday, December 23, 2023
El Diablo Run 2023
I haven't been keeping up. I've been riding but not writing. One of the things I didn't write about was the El Diablo run for 2023. The El Diablo was a lot different than it has been.
The ride to San Felipe hasn't changed. Greg rode his new KTM adventure bike. I rode my old Stampede bike, yea, still good.
Sunday, December 10, 2023
Triumph Tiger 850 Sport
I just bought a Triumph Tiger 850 Sport. I've been comparing bikes and thinking about what kind of bike I would like. Here's what went into my decision to go for the Triumph Tiger 850 Sport.
I do still travel far and while I travel light, the bike had to be able to carry the stuff I need, change of clothes, sleeping bag, maybe my tent, etc.. The bike needed range and all-day cruising speed. I do want to explore unpaved roads, for which my hard tailed Sportster was unsuited.
Sunday, March 27, 2022
Adventure Bike Ride
I had a chance to borrow a Kawasaki KLR 650 for a day in the dirt. My friend, Greg, rode his BMW R 1250 GS. We rode on Highway 101 north about 75 miles to Potter Valley, California. The end of the paved road begins a vast network of Forrest Service Roads in the Mendicino National Forrest.
The views on the ride back down were pretty spectacular.
We rode about 150 miles of pavement and another 75 miles of dirt roads. Some well-maintained some rough. I liked the KLR, it is very tall, but comfortable. It's a little slow for long distance highway travel but on dirt roads it rocks.
I have considered heavy weight adventure bikes to be great on the highway but way too heavy and tall for anything but good dirt roads. While I haven't changed that opinion, I think I'll have to give middleweight adventure bikes another look.
Sunday, May 16, 2021
El Diablo Run 2021
It's true we aren't really free anymore. So the question was would those who make the rules allow the El Diablo Run. So when I heard that the 2021 El Diablo Run was on, I was in.
Ruben's Campground gets packed with bikes and campers.
Photo by Andy Sweet |
Next day, let the games begin
Wednesday, July 29, 2020
Sport Glide Test Ride
Harley Davidson has been building the Sport Glide for three years and for some reason I just became aware of it. I have been traveling on my Stampede bike. Traveling long distances on a hardtail chopper can be done, but is a bit of a challenge.
I went to my local Harley dealer and they gave me a Sport Glide test ride. I've got to say that there is a lot to like about this bike. It's a slightly smaller than an Electra Glide and 100 pounds lighter. It comes stock with cruise control and anti-lock brakes.
I found only a few small things that I might change. The bars are "fat bars" and very "beach bar" like. Not terrible just something I'm not used to. Also the bike has forward pegs. I don't normally like forward pegs but these are quite comfortable, and combined with the very comfortable seat feel pretty good. I don't know if mid pegs could be installed or if the mufflers would interfere with the fit.
The fairing and saddle bags are easily removeable and the bike looks very good both with and without the bags and fairing. There is no stereo (so others cannot instantly recognize how cool you are) and there is no video screen, thank goodness!
The fairing is very small but it worked very well for its size. I could put my hand out and feel the air flowing over the micro windshield. I could trace with my hand the line between moving air and still air to where it hit at the collar. The airflow around and over the fairing was smooth. However a slightly taller windshield might kick the air stream higher, over the helmet would be ideal.
The bike seemed to have very good power, it seemed similar but slightly faster than my old Twin Cam, 88 ci vs 105 ci. There is a six speed transmission and it feels right, in fifth gear on my Electra Glide it always felt that it needed another gear.
Sometimes a bike is just so right it transcends being a machine and becomes art. I enjoy just looking at the Sport Glide, I think it may be a bike I could love.
Wednesday, July 22, 2020
SCIENCE and another bright idea
It's all about science. You mix oxygen, steel and a little water and you're going to get rust. Now you can take any one of those parts away and No Rust.
Water vapor is in the air so one way to stop rust would be to use a desiccant to absorb the water. Trouble with that approach is that the moisture is still there, it's in the desiccant media, still on site so to speak.
Recently I learned about oxygen absorbers. An oxygen absorber is a packet of iron powder and a little salt to act as a catalyst. In the presence of any water (vapor) the iron turns to iron oxide and the free oxygen is tied up.
Which brings me to my bright idea. Stuff some oxygen absorbers into the tank, use up the free oxygen, tie that bad old oxygen in some iron oxide that's not part of the gas tank.
The tanks back on the wall waiting to see if its going rust or if Science will rule out.