Madison Motorcyclist

Tires, Tyres, Tired.

2008-08-27T00:08:00.005-05:00

So the Tiger needs new rubber on the rear. A recent two-up camping trip to northern Wisconsin has put it's toll on the old Michelin Pilot Roads, and the rear is now showing the cords. Not good. this could also partially be due to the fact that until recently, I never aired the tires up higher for the additional load of riding two-up. I got a tip from a good source that one should air up the tires by a few PSI if you're going to load down your bike. This is so the tire maintains its' rounded shape a bit more, instead of flattening with the extra weight. Seems to make sense to me.

I'm planning to bite the bullet and buy both the front and rear to ensure they match. I'm doing this mainly because the current tires are strictly road tires, and I want to move to a more dual sport style tire so I can get some more grip off the pavement. I really want to start exploring the Tiger's abilities once off the pavement. This is despite the fact that I've never ridden dirt bikes. I figure that I've got all the protection I need in my crash bars and handguards, so why not? I don't plan to push my limits too hard, just some gravel and hardpacked roads.

Now I'm off to figure out what tire to buy. This may prove even more controversial and subjective than the age-old "what kind of oil" debate.

9/25/2008 EDIT: I ended up going with the Tourance. I liked all the reports of high mileage on these tires. Despite being the most expensive tire in my lineup, I'm also hoping it will last the longest. Also, I only went with the rear, as my front Pilot Road still has over half its tread. After having mismatched tires on for a week with some spirited riding, I've found no faults or complaints. Though I've not ridden in the wet yet. I suspect the Tourance will be a little worse than the Pilot Road in terms of handling and response, so I'll just have to take it easy until I figure out its' limits. I'm quite pleased with the Tourance so far though!

Posts!

2008-08-26T23:41:00.002-05:00

So I'm finally publishing some posts I've had as drafts for a few months now. For continuity's sake, I modified the post date to reflect when it was written.

Enjoy.

Searching for Boots

2008-08-26T23:12:00.003-05:00

Oh, boots. How you confuse me.

I've been rocking a pair of Clarks work boots for riding, but after two seasons the soles are nearly worn through. It's obvious they weren't made for motorcycling. The soles are really flexible, there's no ankle protection except for a thin piece of leather, and they don't go up the calf at all as they are ankle height. They are all day comfy though, breathe well, and fit like a glove. I'll miss these qualities in these boots.

So with the upcoming demise of my Clarks, I've been searching for a good touring/dual sport boot. I understand the two can generally be mutually exclusive, but some crossover has to be found somewhere. I found an epic thread on ADVRider.com here: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=144802 -- where they were trying to find the perfect "all around" boot. One with good protection, but with the ability to walk around in comfortably. It seems the ones that have good protection aren't comfy for walking, and vice versa. WTF?! Seems like such a simple thing. Touring boots typically do not have any real treads to speak of, and MX boots are usually way to stiff to walk in for more than a few steps.

But aside from walkability and protection, I also have a list of other features I want:

Resoleable
Waterproof
Uses buckles for closure

I'm still searching. I've found some contenders, but nothing that fits the bill I've outlined without some compromises. So here are my top contenders:

Sidi Discovery Rain
People seem to like these. lacks ankle protection from what I can see, but otherwise looks great.

Gaerne Balance Classic
People report super comfort, but appears to lack ankle and toe protection, also the 2008 model is not waterproof.

Aerostich Combat Touring
Reported comfort, but lacks any armer at all, other than the thick leather. Must treat with "stuff" to make them waterproof.

TCX Infinity
Reported comfort, but does not appear resoleable

Dainese Virunga WP
Reported comfort, does not appear resoleable

Am I missing any boots here that may fit my criteria? Am I asking too much? Should I stop asking questions?

More on this as it develops.

A Note on Commuting by Motorcycle

2008-07-16T23:51:00.002-05:00

So I've been commuting every day for a couple of months, and absolutely love it.

My commute can be one of three options. Interstate, back road, or through town. It kind of nice living on the edge of town, as you can see. I have options. The Tiger takes it admirably, with nary an issue. My body, on the other hand, is another thing. I relish my time in bed, and often find it difficult to pry my eyes open early enough to allow time for anything but the slab option. Though I try to switch it up on the commute home, unless I need to be home ASAP.

There's something about the nice cool air in the morning that is very refreshing, and helps to shake me out of my morning haze. I've actually become quite taken with the feeling, and typically don't even drink coffee before departing anymore, opting instead to simply close up the Thermos and ride off, partaking in the goodness once at my desk.

So here's to those beautiful sunny mornings, whose brightness force a wince as I walk out the door - and the feeling of the wind on my face as I roll away with an open visor. These are the days I think about when there is snow on the ground, and ice on the roads.

Another Group Ride

2008-06-01T00:23:00.002-05:00

Took another group ride, put together by Jeremy Z over on Sport-Touring.net(ST.N). He's a good guy, check out his blog "Pullin G's" on my link section.

The group met in Monroe, WI at a lovely place called Baumgartner's. Had a light lunch and some coffee, chewed the proverbial fat, then took off for some great roads in southwest Wisconsin. It's now after the fact, and specifics on roads taken were not retained. I was really just along for the ride, and ride we did. We stopped off in Spring Green for a recharge and regroup. The group then split into two, and I ended up leading a group north out of Spring Green on highway 60, with the intent on riding back to Madison by way of Sauk City. Highway 60 is one of my favorite roads around the Spring Green area. Nice and crooked!

Another great ride with the ST.N folks.

Here are the few pics that turned out well. The pic below is a link to the gallery. Click it!

Jeremy Z's ST.N Ride - 5-24-08

First Group Ride

2008-05-09T16:05:00.002-05:00

So I experienced my first group ride a few weeks back. By "group" I mean more than 3. I'd never ridden in a group of more than 3 bikes before that day. We rode with about 15 other bikes.

My girlfriend and I joined a number of great folks from the http://www.sport-touring.net boards to go explore the alphabet roads of southwestern Wisconsin. Everyone met and had a lovely breakfast at Grandma's in Highland, WI and then enjoyed some really great motorcycling roads. We were the only bike riding two-up. I don't think it hindered us at all. The Tiger kept up quite nicely. I did not really know the roads very well and they were still a bit dirty from winter, so I didn't push as hard as I may have otherwise. We still kept up pretty well though!

To be honest, I wasn't sure exactly what to expect, though I already knew that most of our crew were older(than us anyway). I figured that meant that no one was going to act like a hooligan and endanger themselves or others. I was right. We had a great group.

Our fair organizer had pre-planned the route, but within the first half hour of riding had decided to alter the route to keep on the main county roads instead of the township roads which are usually in worse shape than the county roads. Everyone certainly agreed, since we were basically riding on silt and pea gravel. Sport and/or Touring bikes and these materials do NOT mix. Nobody crashed though, thankfully.

The rest of the day was great. Great roads and comraderie. We ended up breaking off about 2/3 of the way through the ride to visit my parents as we were in the area. Evidently after we left, someone got left behind by the group. Always sad to hear this, especially when this gentleman was multiple hours' drive away from home. He did make it home safe.

I'd say generally it was a great intro to group riding, and I'll definitely do it again. Repeatedly.

Windy Ride Report - 4/15/2008

2008-04-16T09:14:00.003-05:00

DISCLAIMER: I don't have any pics. Sorry kids.

So my girlfriend and I took off on a ride after work yesterday. Temps have been in the upper 50s so far this week, but the winds have been incredible. We're talking ~30mph gusts(according to the weather sites). We geared up and took off anyway, knowing we'd get pummeled.

We took backroads from Madison out to Mount Horeb, WI. This area contains some of my favorite riding within a half hour of Madison. Nice and twisty anywhere you go. Have a look at Google Maps and do a search for Mount Horeb, WI. Then find County Highway JG going north out of Mt. Horeb. We rode JG and points northwest. There were a couple of roads that were closed for some unknown reason, which caused us to double back a couple of times. I didn't have the inclination or the daylight to explore why these roads were closed. I probably would have if I'd been riding solo. I also was forced to really take it easy in the twisties, since these are side roads after all. They still had sand and areas of gravel from winter. These roads are some of the most fun when they are clear. You can really lean over. Awesome.

Anyway, after about an hour of riding we stopped to rest a bit. My girlfriend noticed my "perma-grin" and mentioned she was having lots of fun, and that her "favorite part is the curvy bits". Always good to hear! Especially since I wasn't even pushing through those corners due to road conditions.

She's been doing awesome so far when she's riding with me. I have no complaints on her riding. She keeps her head on the inside when we lean, and that's really all I ask. I guess the only thing I would change is to give her a few extra inches in height. It would be cool to be able to have her seeing over my shoulder so she can anticipate things a bit better. On the other hand, her head is right behind my shoulders, which I'm sure sheilds her from oncoming winds quite a bit. She says she's been comfortable so far, so that's all that matters, right?

We geared back up and continued on toward home. The ride home was a slab ride on 151. This highway rides the ridges amongst the hills and farmland of southern WI. Did I mention it was WINDY? It seemed especially strong on this road, as we were essentially riding the hilltops with nothing to break the wind(aside from yours truly ). It was difficult to keep the bike in a straight line. There were times that leaning the bike over into the wind was the only solution. As soon as that wind was broken up though, I'd have to immediately compensate or I'd be in the ditch. It was my first ever ride in high winds, and despite having to keep on my toes to keep the bike on the road, it wasn't too bad. I wouldn't want to ride in winds like that for hours though, I was tired enough after a half hour of it.

The Tiger handled the winds OK, and I dont think there's a windscreen in the world that could have alleviated those winds.

We got home shortly after sunset and ate pasta.

I'd just like to close with this: Every time I ride my Tiger, I seem to "connect" with it more. I do really think that this is the bike for me. Is it possible to be in love with a machine? (Maybe I should ask Harrison Ford?)

Ride on everyone.

How my Tiger Found Its' Den

2008-04-08T13:45:00.003-05:00

After selling the KZ, I knew that I wanted a newer, more modern bike. What I didn't know was which one.

At this point, I knew that I wanted some kind of touring-capable bike. I was reading "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" at the time, and daydreams of cross-country tours were fresh in my mind. I too wanted to feel that connection to the land. I wanted to see and ride in the mountains. I wanted to see the wide open spaces and the huge skies of the plains. I wanted to experience everything. But what kind of bike can take me there?

--
Before I go on, I'd just like to state for the record that I still haven't finished "Zen and the Art...", in fact I've only barely made it halfway through. Robert Pirsig's writing style is not my cup of tea, and I find it very hard to read. Frankly, I also wanted more details about the trip, and less about his inner struggles -- but on the other hand that's kind of what long distance trips are about, right? I'm sure I will finish it eventually.
--

I had done a fair bit of lurking and reading on advrider.com, and for some reason came away with the idea that a V-Strom was the bike I needed. It was a pretty inexpensive bike brand new, and was well liked by owners. It's 650cc model's engine size was also seemingly perfect for my purposes. Sure, it had it downsides just like every bike, but I was still convinced. It also didn't help that I live in close proximity to a couple of decent Suzuki dealerships.

The Tiger had not even crossed my mind at this point.

Since I wasn't quite ready to purchase, I started reading up on other models of bikes, including: Kawasaki Concours, a couple different BMWs, Buell Ulysses, Triumph Sprint ST, ST1300, etc... I felt all of these bikes had at least one fatal flaw: they were either way over my budget, or the displacement was way too big for my needs (or so I thought).

A few more months passed, then I went to the local Triumph dealer to oggle the Sprint and the Bonnevilles(absolutely beautiful bikes). Then I saw it: the 2005 Tiger. It was the demo bike, sitting in the corner. I immediately asked to ride it, just for kicks. They sent me out and gave me a good loop route that encompassed both a few twisties and interstate, to get a decent feel for the bike. After that 20 minute ride, and I think I had a perma-grin for at least a day after.

My initial impressions after the demo ride: I noticed that the stock windshield was not the greatest. But to be honest, that's the only negative thing I could say about it. It handled very well, rode very smooth, the seat was relatively comfy, it had OEM saddle bags. The best part though was the engine. It felt so smooth, had very little vibrations, absolutely wonderful on the low end of the power band, and just howled in the upper RPMs. I also was quite taken with the sounds the engine made under engine braking. It popped and crackled like a race bike or an Indy car. I still love this, even after I'm used to it. I think it sounds great. Triumph's triple is a great engine.

So now fast forward a few weeks. I'd been scouring Craiglist ads from all neighboring states looking for used Tigers. I joined the message boards. It seemed like I had read just about everything there was to read.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a Craigslist ad appeared with a silver 2005 Tiger for sale. I was also very surprised at how low it was priced. I was a little suspicious at first, but after speaking with the seller, it was clear he wanted to simply get rid of the bike for what he still owed. He needed a down payment on a Harley. Still being a relative newbie to motorcycling, I brought a seasoned veteran with me to see the bike, get his second opinion on it, and to ask the right questions of the seller if I happened to miss any. I rode the bike, and loved it just as much as the demo bike at the dealership. My "expert" also gave it the thumbs up after taking a good look at it. It also turned out that the asking price was a fair bit lower than "Blue Book" value. It had a couple of nice extras on it that were key in my decision to pull the trigger.

The stars were aligned at my bank, and I was able to secure financing quickly and without issue. The bike was mine in about 6 days. I've never looked back or regretted this decision one bit! The Tiger is a fabulous machine, and suits my needs perfectly. I'm sure it will provide many years and miles of service.

To Ride or Not to Ride?

2008-03-28T17:41:00.004-05:00

When it's this early in the spring and the snow is gone, it's time to ride, right? Not necessarily.

The morning temps around here have been in the lower 30s lately. The days have been warm enough that significant thawing has been ocurring, but then the nights are cold enough to freeze things again. This could potentially present serious problems for motorcyclists: ice and potholes. Ice on the road is a nasty thing when you're riding a motorcycle. Considering how little rubber is actually in contact with the road, it's critical that a motorcycle's traction not be compromised. Even a small patch of ice can put the bike down in the right conditions. Potholes do not mix with motorcycles for obvious reasons. The freeze/thaw cycles do no good for the roads, and can create some seriously large potholes, some as deep as 6 inches! (I hit one of these huge guys in my car and was forced to replace a tire.)

Consider this: I was driving home from work in my cage about a week ago. I was following someone in a sedan. We were driving underneath a series of overpasses whose snow had been thawing over the past few days. Problem was, this particular day was not warm enough to do any thawing. So these overpasses that had been dripping water below, were now responsible for the thin sheet of sheer ice on the roads beneath. The vehicle in front of me apparently was not aware of this ice, and hit it at speed. This sent the car careening into the other lane, about 45 degrees off course. Since the driver hit the ice at speed, it wasn't long before the ice patch disappeared, setting the car violently back on course one the tires received traction. Nobody crashed or got hurt, but I'm sure the driver was shaken up a little.

Not a pretty sight to see in car, let alone on a motorcycle.

This brings us back to the question: To ride or not to ride? I take a private pilot's approach to this question. A pilot is always weighing his own experience with the weather conditions, who is going to be involved, and the abilities of his aircraft. In my opinion, a motorcyclist should be thinking along the same lines. Is there any danger to myself or others I'm riding with? What about the overall condition of the roads involved? Is it still sandy from all the winter road maintenance? Any potholes? What will the weather be doing later on in the day? Do I have the right gear for the weather?

I feel that spending a little extra time thinking about the potential conditions, and performing a little weather verification with reputable online sources is time well spent.

What's your thought process on this?

What I learned at the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Beginning Rider Course

2008-03-08T20:57:00.000-06:00

Though it has been over two years since I took the MSF's Beginning Rider course, I thought that I would post up what I learned in case it will help anyone with their decision whether or not to take the course.

I took the course in Madison, WI at the Madison Area Technical College facility. They have a large riding range that also moonlights as training grounds for their Police training course. My instructor was a good old chap named Mark, who had quite a few years of riding under his belt -- more years than I am old! He was an agreeable fellow who really knew his stuff. He certainly had some pretty interesting stories to tell.

My general thoughts on the course are that it is definitely geared toward the new rider. I would venture a guess that a lot of the material will be old news to anyone with on-road experience. I'd think it would still be valuable for someone coming from a strictly dirt background, as it does teach some good "rules of the road" type stuff. If you are coming from dirt though, a lot of the basics about bike handling and braking, etc... would already be old hat. In general, I'd say someone with experience should just take the Experienced Rider course, unless you feel you'd benefit from the brush-up on the basics.

Anyway, on to the big rules I learned:

1.) Respect your machine and what it's capable of(and what it is not).
This is the #1 rule. If you don't, you'll either be dead or severely injured. This can go for hotshot college kids wearing shorts and flip-flops when they go riding, or also those taking their GSXRs off road. If your bike ain't made for it, don't do it. It's a recipe for disaster for both rider and bike.

2.) Get a good feel for the friction zone before taking off.
THE BEST rule of thumb for taking a ride on new(to you) bikes. If you spend a couple minutes getting used to where the clutch engages, you'll be much better off.

3.) Go easy on the front brakes.
Grab too much and you'll bring up the back end of the bike (also known as a "stoppie" or "endo"). If you don't plan on doing this, you will get taken by surprise and can get thrown off very easily. Personally, I've never seen this happen by accident. As I was getting a feel for my new(to me) Triumph Tiger, there was one occasion where I grabbed a bit too much and brought my stomach hard against the tank because I wasn't braced for it. That won't happen again! Lets just say the Tiger's brakes work, and work well!

4.) Religiously check your tire pressure.
There's so little rubber actually in contact with the road, that any deviation from recommended pressure is dangerous. Our MSF instructor Mark speculated the total rubber area actually in contact with the road at all times is roughly equal to that of the palm of your hand! Pretty re-assuring, no?

5.) Ride defensively, not offensively.
There are all kinds of reason why those in cars are a detriment to motorcyclists. If you use your imagination, I'd bet you can think of most of them.

6.) ATGATT!
ATGATT is an acronym for All the Gear, All the Time. This includes a helmet, armored jacket, boots, and riding pants. Anyone who complains that riding gear isn't comfortable quite obviously hasn't worn any lately. My advice if you're looking buy gear: spend a little extra for high quality stuff. Your life really is worth it -- I think your family would agree.

Well that's all I can think of right now! I may come back and add items as I think of them.

Cheers!

My First Bike, and Why I Sold It

2008-02-02T15:05:00.004-06:00

I guess you could say I've always been interested in motorcycles. But interested in a hands-off kind of way - silently remarking about cool bikes seen out on the road, or drooling over how certain twisty, rambling roads would be "perfect" for motorcycle riding. All this never even having ridden a bike. It was just something I felt was always beyond my ability and pocketbook. At least until a couple years ago.

A coworker of mine off-handedly made a comment about an old motorcycle that was taking up space in his garage. At that time he had recently put his house up for sale, and wanted to get rid of the rarely ridden relic. The bike was a 1980 Kawasaki KZ650. I asked what he was looking to get, and the price was only a few hundred dollars! Good enough to make me try and make it happen. Problem was, I'd never ridden a motorcycle before! But I figured 650cc was a good size for a first bike, and the price was low enough to not lose my ass if I decided I didn't like riding motorcycles in the end.

So what's the best way for someone to learn how to ride a bike? I figured it was the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Beginning Rider course. The course was awesome, I would definitely recommend it to any new rider.

The class came and went, and I still felt very green around the ears. But the MSF class definitely gave me enough confidence to go pick up the bike and ride it home. I worked out a timeframe with my coworker so that I could pay for and pick up the bike once I had my motorcycle endorsement.

My emotions were running high during that first solo ride on my new-to-me motorcycle. Anxiety, elation, doubt, surprise, and pure adrenalin were all running through me during that first ride. The bike got home without incident, and my spirits were running high.

Time passed, and a couple thousand miles were put on the old KZ. The more I rode and became familiar with the bike, the more things came to light. It needed work! Sure, it ran OK. But just OK, nothing more. It didn't like to start when the engine was cold, and I'm sure my neighbors loved me cranking on this old bike for 15 minutes before actually being able to ride off. The handlebars vibrated quite a bit at speed. The seat was uncomfortable. The side mirrors didn't really seem to provide much of a view. The front forks seeped oil, but never felt spongy or loose. The chain was stretched and toward the end of its life. The seat lock didn't actually lock. Changing the oil was a major pain in the ass, as there was an exhaust cross-piece that partially covered the oil filter plate, requiring some interesting yoga positions to get off. Not to mention a host of other minor cosmetic problems like scratched paint, flaking chrome and rust. Despite all this I still liked the bike.

Another concern to me as a noob was my fellow riders' comments toward the bike and my riding style. When others make comments like "Are you sure that old P.O.S. can keep up with you?" or "You are really flogging that thing, is it going to hold up?", I started questioning whether I was pushing the bike too hard. Was the bike really up to it? The old girl was the same age as me, which is not to say that age means a whole lot for motorcycles, its more about how its been maintained. Regardless, as a noob, the seeds of doubt had been planted. There's a great Shakespeare quote that applies here:

"Our doubts are traitors
And makes us lose the good we oft might win
By fearing to attempt."
William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure

More months passed. The bike started to run worse and worse. I then made a decision to tear off the carburetors and try to clean and rebuild whatever I could. My internet research had uncovered that a lot of the hard-starting characteristics were due to dirty old carbs or electrical issues. I won't bore you with the details of this job, but lets just say it didn't go as planned. For a newbie, this project was probably a poor choice to dive into. The model of carburetors that were on that bike ended up being of the rare variety. Not one company on the internet offered a full rebuild kit for my model of carbs. So I was forced to try and piece together what I needed piece by piece. I was able to gather the parts I needed, but because my carbs were rare, there really was not any information out there specific to what I was working on. I was forced to work from documents and walkthroughs that were designed for a different set of carbs. The farther into the project I got, the more I began to realize I was in over my head.

I forged ahead, thinking I'd spent enough time reading about carb rebuilds that my head would explode. Well, my head did explode, figuratively speaking. I could never get the bike to run properly after that. It ran way too rich, and I couldn't figure out why. It seemed to me that I'd done everything right, but it just wasn't meant to be. I continually got more and more frustrated, each time I was forced to remove the carbs and reinstall them. As more time passed, I became less enthusiastic about spending the time on it. I finally made the decision to pass the project on to someone else. It was time to let the KZ go. I began looking for a buyer for my old KZ, and also began looking for a more modern bike.

Here's to ya, old pal. Right now you're naked to the frame in my friend's mom's garage awaiting overhaul. You'll be back on the road soon buddy.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.