Late winter musings

We All
by Corn Dog

The road calls to each of us.
It separates us, it unites us.
It shows us the distance, then invites us to close the gap.
It promises a destination, but also a journey.

I have heard the call.
And having heard, consider it my joyous obligation
Not only to answer by taking the journey
But indeed to cherish all the gifts of the road
Each in due measure.


Send me Iowa biker events

I feel like I’m waking up from a long slumber. Not only was I away from the blog for two months, but my mind was completely away from motorcycles for that same period while I searched for, landed and started a new job. (Then we throw some holidays in there too, and well perhaps I was just a bit ovewhelmed for a short time.)

When I finally did check in on the blog, I ended up reading through all of our 2009 Sturgis adventures – and found myself really longing for the whole motorcycle “thing” to come back . On  Saturday, hubby, daughter and I went up to Big Barn HD for the annual Zero Run and Chili Feed (the ride itself was cancelled but the chili was AWESOME as usual!) and I realized that the big motorcycle swap meet is coming up in a few weeks, the next local HOG chapter meeting is next week, and really, Spring is n0t TOO far away. Suddenly it feels like bikes are front-and-center again.

All this is to say that I’m “in the mood,” hoping for an early start to the riding season, and I’m compiling my list of Iowa bike rallies and events. If you know of an event you’d like me to include, either leave a comment or drop me an email. I do have to point out that I can’t list every individual “bike night” around the state, but if you know of one (location and dates) within 60 miles or so of Des Moines, you can send me the info and I’ll try to include as many as I can.  I’ll post the list soon.

Meanwhile, we got our 2010 J&P Catalog in the mail recently so it’s time to do some shopping!

Good tips for ride leaders

Jay’s got a strong list of tips for road captains over at Road Captain USA, and, although I’m not a sanctioned road captain I’ve led a lot of rides so thought I’d make some additions here instead of whole-posting in his comments section. (Jay, hope you don’t mind the link!)

Most notably, two things:

First, there’s another reason to park away from the front door of the convenience store – when you get a little farther away from the entrance, you likely have more room for all the bikes in the group. You then have a better chance of getting parked in some kind of group or even loose formation for making an organized exit.

Second, I disagree that the group leader should “ride their own ride.”  The group leader has to ride within their own skillset and comfort zone, for sure. But part of being the leader is keeping track of the rest of the group. and that’s not possible if you just focus on your own ride.  That’s not to say the leader shouldn’t have the opportunity to enjoy the ride. But it’s important to know what’s going on with the rest of the group. I think the key is really just to find the middle ground.

Beyond these, here are a couple “tips” of my own – well, not really tips, just things I try to do when leading a group that I think make it more enjoyable.

1. I don’t abandon people just because we’ve reached the destination. I know it’s “policy” in some sanctioned riding groups that the ride ends the moment you arrive, and certainly in larger groups that’s because people want to be free to head home as meets their needs. For the kind of small-group rides I’m usually leading, it just feels like common courtesy to lead the ride home too.

2. I try to pick destinations that have food and something interesting to see. Of course, the day is mostly about the ride itself. But it’s nice to have something to explore, if even for a short time, to give everyone a break. As for the food – the logic of that just goes without saying.

If you find yourself leading rides, what are your tips? If you tend to follow, what do good leaders do that make the ride more enjoyable?

What every rider should know about protective eyewear

Special thanks to Andrea M. for this helpful article about protective eyewear for bikers! Andrea is an avid biker chick who lives in Arkansas and loves riding the rural scenic roads there. “I believe every rider should ride safe and ride for fun,” she says. She works for www.gogglesandglasses.com.

by Andrea M.

Eye protection is very important for motorcycle riders.  You never know when another vehicle will throw a rock, or a bug flies into your face. Windshields block some debris, but do not fully protect your eyes. In many states, it is a law that all motorcycle riders must wear protective eyewear. This article will provide information for selecting the best protective eyewear for you.

There are many types of protective eyewear made for motorcycle riders. These include goggles, glasses, and convertible glasses. Convertible glasses come with a strap to wear like a goggle, or arms to wear like glasses. Some riding glasses have an attached strap to both arms to prevent slipping. Padding attached to the frame of a goggle or glasses protects the face from severe impacts and provides a wind resistant seal. This wind resistant seal helps keep dirt and wind out of your eyes, and is great for sensitive eyes or those that wear contact lenses.

Always check to make sure the lens is made of polycarbonate shatter resistant material. Some sunglasses are made of acrylic material and will crack or break very easily. UV protection is important for blocking out harmful rays of the sun. I recommend UV 400 protection because it is the highest available. Polarized lenses are great for blocking glare and make objects look crisp and clear. The downfall of polarized lenses is that it makes oil slicks and wet spots harder to see. Lenses come in a variety of colors and there are “kits” for goggles and glasses available that have different colored lenses that can be switched out. Smoke or Amber tinted lenses are great for bright sunny days. Yellow, clear, and blue tinted lenses are great for night driving or very cloudy and hazy days.

Almost every motorcycle rider who wears protective eyewear has experienced a problem with glasses fogging up. Several anti-fog compounds are packaged and marketed for this purpose.  They cost quite a bit, some work great but others are a total failure.  Virtually all of them have one common component that makes them work: glycerin. Glycerin is a high-percentage ingredient in hand soap. Some soap brands/types tend to be better than others are.  Neutrogena has about the highest glycerin content of any soap.  It is a bit softer than most soap, but rubbing your finger on it, then smearing it on your eyewear works fine.  I take a chunk of it and put it in a clear, plastic 35mm film can.  Ivory soap and `Pure Pleasure’ glycerin soap work very well also. To apply cut off a piece of hand soap, smear it on your previously cleaned eyeglasses, then, using a clean, cotton cloth, rub the streaked soap all over the lenses to where it’s not visible any more.  Works fine, lasts a long time and works better in my opinion than any of the stuff you pay a buck or more per half-ounce for.

In my opinion, there is no #1 best option for protective eyewear. It is a matter of personal preference. One must find the pair that works best for them. I have several different pairs that I wear for different riding conditions. The most important thing is to be safe and enjoy the ride.

Bits and pieces heading into Fall

Wow, looks like we have slipped into Fall already – weather here is still beautiful but getting cooler for sure! Took two short rides with Garry & Shirley over Labor Day weekend but other than that have not been on the bike in far too long! I KNOW some of you local gals went on the Estrogen Ride… please send ride reports – if you dare – and I will be glad to publish them!

Speaking of ride reports, have you been enjoying the guest posts? My readers ROCK, don’t they? I’m always glad to hear from you, whether sending in your own ride stories or just commenting on stuff you read – even when you disagree, or want to challenge something, it’s invaluable to me that you take time to express yourself!

In personal news, I am job-hunting! My present position has been reduced to part-time hours, and I am a full-time kind of gal, so I’ve polished up the ol’ resume and am officially in the market for a position as Marketing Director of something worthwhile: a growing small or stable large business, non-profit organization, or professional association, in the central Iowa area. If you hear of anything, please let me know! (Wish I could make a full-time income off my blogging – would THAT be a dream job or what?? – but, definitely looking for some stability right now.)

Final note for today, I think (THINK) the Abate District 4 Toy Run is coming up October 11… found that date earlier this year online but now cannot verify it. Will try a little harder and report back here : )

More soon!

Transitioning to a trike: Judy’s journey to Goldie

This guest-post was sent to me by Judy Young, aka JuJu, who recently made the transition to riding a trike. While you might think it’s a simple switch, there are several things that are quite different with this type of vehicle. Judy covers them here, and shares her enthusiasm for “Goldie,” her beautiful silver Honda VTX trike!

I started researching trikes last fall, after my whiny, achy left knee gave way on me one too many times when I was trying to park my bike. At the Thunder Beach Rally in Panama City Beach, Florida, in September 2008, I met Randy Johnston, the owner of Adventure Motorsports in Dothan, AL, test rode a couple of his trikes, and began to settle on a model and trike kit. By December, I’d sold my Suzuki Intruder and Randy had found a Honda VTX 1300 bike that had less than 2000 miles on it, ripe for triking. So we ordered the conversion kit that I wanted (Champion), and then waited for it to arrive. It took a while to get the kit—there were some holdups at Champion—but once Randy received it, he and his team got to work right away, and I was able to pick up my trike in early March, just in time for Spring Break—yay! She’s a gorgeous hunk of silver machine, and I named her Goldie—I love the irony!

Well. The next thing I knew, I had put more miles on Goldie in two months than I had put in a whole year on my Suzuki. I guess the added security of three wheels just made me feel like getting out on the road more often, and especially solo. Now, with less than six months of trike ownership, I’ve got more miles on the trike than I EVER had on the Suzuki the whole time I owned it (about three years)!  I ride it absolutely everywhere—to work, to get groceries, out to dinner, and of course, just for the joy of the ride.

The Learning Curve

As most riders will realize, there is a bit of a learning curve, representing the difference between riding two wheels and riding three. From the get-go it’s different—you even have to mount up differently, so you don’t continually scuff your rear fenders with your boots. Everyone figures out their own way, but mine is to mount the trike like a horse: put my left foot on the left floorboard, like a stirrup, then grab the handlebars and turn them slightly to the right, stand up on the left floorboard and swing my right leg up and over the saddle then onto the right floorboard and take a seat. To dismount, I make sure my right passenger peg is down, move my right foot back and push against the passenger peg to give myself some leverage, then again, stand up on the left floorboard and swing my right leg over and down. Voila—no scuffed fenders!

OK, so once you’re in the saddle, what now?

First thing, try not to embarrass yourself by putting your feet down when you stop the bike—remember you don’t have to hold the bike up anymore. I figured this out pretty quickly while riding solo, but at first, when I rode with other people on bikes, I sometimes reverted to putting my feet down—just from watching the others, I guess. Also, it’s kind of a reflex, putting your feet down, so one of those things you have to unlearn.

Second—no countersteering! You have to turn those bars in the direction you want the bike to go, and you have to no-kidding turn them—there’s no body-lean to help. It takes more upper body involvement than on a bike. It’s not difficult, but it IS different, kind of like riding a snowmobile or a jet ski.

Third, though you don’t lean in the turns like on a bike, there is what I think of as a “triker’s lean”—that is, shifting your body weight to counteract the centrifugal force in the turn. I’ve got no scientific data on this, and I’m only basing my findings on my own experience, but it does seem that shifting my weight and maybe putting a little extra pressure on the inside floorboard, makes the trike move through the turns smoothly. I’ve heard some trike riders say the opposite—more pressure on the outside floorboard—but inside is what works for me.

Another issue is figuring out where to position yourself on the road. At first, I just centered my trike in the lane, but never felt good there because, as we all know, that’s where all the road grease collects—dangerous and yucky! Then, on a rally in North Carolina in May, I noticed some trikers riding with their front wheels just slightly left or right of center, which seems better not only in that it keeps your front wheel out of that gunk, but also it allows for a better line of sight for bikers/trikers behind you.

Finally, you have to get used to being mindful of those wiiiiiiide rear fenders—at toll booths, at gas pumps, in parking lots—everywhere. I did pretty well with the gas pumps from the beginning, but I narrowly avoided a crunch the first time I went through a toll booth. Whew! I learned my lesson (I hope!) from that little near-miss.

On the other hand, I find that it’s still a good idea to turn your head and look through the turns just like on a two-wheeled bike. I think that’s just a good habit to continue. And certainly, head up, not looking down at the road—again, a good practice that carries over from bikes to trikes.

So, some things to learn anew, some things to unlearn, and a few things that stay the same. I’ve learned an awful lot from one particular online trike forum: www.triketalk.com. Friendliest bunch on the ‘net. And where I REALLY bonded with the trike was on a little rally in May, when Lobo (aka the Chief, aka my dear husband and riding companion) and I met up with a few of our triketalk.com friends in North Carolina to ride the Tail of the Dragon at Deal’s Gap. What a ride – here’s the video!

I’ve heard all sorts of myths about trikes: that they can only go slowly, that they have a tendency to tip over, that they can’t make a tight turn. In my experience, it’s all baloney. On the Dragon, we were several trikes and a few two-wheeled bikes, and the trikes not only kept up with the bikes, but were pushing them through many of the curves. Good thing, too–Lobo rides a Harley Road King, and he’s not slowing down for anyone!

So if you’ve ever contemplated riding a trike, I hope I’ve answered some questions and calmed some suspicions. If you want more info, come on over to triketalk.com—the friendly folks there will tell you more than you ever wanted to know about trike-building, trike-riding, and all things trike-o-licious!

April is helmet awareness month, part 3

April is Helmet Awareness Month so I think it’s only fitting to end this series of posts by sharing my view of the helmet law debate.  If we get out of the first 100 days of the Obama Administration without a federal mandate, I’ll be amazed. (Hell if we get out of the 2009 runaway Iowa Legislature without a mandate, I’ll be amazed.)

Proponents of helmet mandates state that helmets “work” – meaning, they save lives. Let’s look at that statement:

Helmets might save lives, but only in those cases where head trauma would have been the cause of death. About 37 percent of all accidents involving riders not wearing helmets, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (Note: that’s not 37 percent of all accidents. It’s 37 percent of all accidents where riders were NOT wearing a helmet and where head trauma was the cause of death. You can further dilute this by noting that the helmet would only have saved the life if it prevented a sufficient degree of the trauma.)

Understanding that even a very small percentage still represents actual human beings with families and friends who love them, it’s important to note that every life is worthwhile. But, it’s equally important to note that helmets only prevent head injuries. The vast majority of motorcyclists who die in accidents do so as a result of body trauma – blunt-force injury to vital organs other than the brain. Helmets, therefore, do nothing to prevent the vast majority of motorcycle fatalities.

When you couple this with the fact that about half of all motorcycle accidents involve another vehicle, it seems more logical to argue that accident prevention should be of greater importance than taking away personal liberty from all riders because a small percentage die from one type of injury.

As I said in my first Helmet Awareness Month post, I wear a helmet and I’d love it if you did, too. But, I don’t think our government should step in and force everyone to wear them.

April is helmet awareness month, part 2

April is Helmet Awareness month, so in the interest of making you more aware of your helmet I thought I would share some tips on fitting and maintaining this oft-debated piece of safety equipment.

Proper fit is vital to a helmet’s effectiveness. Your helmet should fit snug; when you shake your head from side to side, the helmet should move with you – not stay in one place while your head moves inside of it. (This is also a function of proper fastening.) Your helmet should not slide back over your head at an angle. When seated on your bike, your helmet should not obstruct your forward or lateral vision.

Prior damage renders a helmet useless. When your helmet hits the pavement, the energy of the impact is absorbed and dissipated through the… uhm, impact absorption material. This weakens the material. A helmet that has absorbed a significant impact, or whose shell is cracked in any way, should be replaced as soon as possible.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) also recommends replacing your helmet every few years regardless of whether it’s been damaged. They state that it’s possible the helmet’s protective qualities could deteriorate over time, and/or that helmet manufacturing technology will likely improve – making your next helmet lighter and more comfortable, and possibly less expensive, than an older one (though no less stupid-looking).

Ignore if you wish the MSF’s cleverly-hidden agenda of helmet mandates, but do read this very informative PDF file on helmet construction and fitment.

Short riders, beginning riders: which bike?

You might remember a couple of years ago I compiled a spreadsheet showing the seat-heights of the lower major-manufacturer cruisers. This was an effort to help identify good bikes for short riders, and it had the added benefit of suggesting some lower-cc bikes for beginning riders.

I’ve recently come across a couple of sites that provide some excellent, more current information, so thought I’d share the links with you so you can investigate further. Important to note that the bikes on my original list are likely well-represented in the used bike market these days. So if you’re looking for a good first bike, or a good used machine, this list will still help you narrow your choices!

Carla King at Motorcycling Misadventures offers her thoughts on the question of “What’s a Beginner Bike?” and states in no uncertain terms, “flat-footed, no more than 250 cc’s.” (My article, “Start Small or Go Ultimate” offers the pluses of starting on a smaller bike vs. larger. I’ll be offering something a little more definitive – meaning: opinionated! LOL – next week.)

Being able to “flat-foot” the bike is one of the most important aspects of safe handling. Why? Well for one thing, you want to be able to ‘walk’ the bike into or out of a parking spot if need be. You can’t do that easily if you’re on tippy-toes, because you can’t get a good footing. And for another, when you roll up to a stop you want to be sure your footing will be solid as you take your feet off the pegs to support the stopped bike.

Women Riders Now has a fairly complete list of (mostly) cruisers with low seat heights, but there are two points of discussion that are missing from the article (mentioned in the comments):

1. There are some beautiful choppers, and many other bikes with forward controls shown that shorter women can easily straddle, but we’d have no hope of ever reaching the foot controls. (Perhaps the Roar WildKaT, with its modular control-positioning, solves this problem?)

2. The seat width often makes these “low” bikes impossible to straddle flat-footed, because your shorter legs have to stretch out and over a wider area.

Finally, Raven at Ravenbladerider covers the sportbike angle with some great sportbikes for shorter women.

April is helmet awareness month, part 1

April is Helmet Awareness month, so this month I want you to take a moment to become aware of your helmet. You know, that piece of equipment that you sometimes leave at home? I’ll actually do three separate posts regarding helmets.  Future topics will cover proper fitment and care, and the ubiquitous “helmet law” debate.

First, though, I want to take a moment to advocate – not for helmet laws, but simply for wearing a helmet voluntarily.

Look, I would love to ride without one. They look stupid. They prevent me from experiencing that “wind in my hair” feeling that so many bikers speak of. They make me look stupid even after wearing one (okay, especially after wearing one).

But here’s the thing: I wear a helmet because I have direct personal experience with their benefits. In 1978 when I was allowed to buy a Honda Express on the parentally-imposed condition that I always wear a helmet, I dumped said Honda Express going around a curve in a pile of sand and whacked my head on the curb. I understood immediately the value of wearing the helmet, and I happily wore it forever-after.

Fast forward 30 years, and I’ve come to realize something: “the wind in my hair” only makes my hair a tangled, unbrushable rat’s nest and makes me feel utterly unprotected. I don’t kid myself: a helmet won’t prevent the full-body trauma that is the true killer in 63 percent of fatal motorcycle accidents. But it just might absorb enough impact to keep my brain from sloshing around if something were to happen at a slower speed.

So I wear one. A distinctive one, in fact, which makes me more visible, more findable, more memorable. I encourage you to wear one too. At least we can look stupid together!

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