Plans, parts, and finally: Coffee

If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.

I had such a good plan, too. Get up, get dressed, ride some back roads, then head back in to have breakfast and coffee at Waffle House. Nope. Suzi, my Suzuki SV1000, took a dump on those plans.

Six hours later, I'm finally having my first cup of coffee of the day.

Bad news: The stator's shot.

Good news: I got a good deal on the part, and it should be here in a week.


Better news: Brotherhood. I called a brother, waking him up, and he and his lady came out and gave me a jump start, followed me home, and he spent hours with me, checking the charging system. It only cost me a trip to Jack In The Box, and he didn't even want me to pay for that. Actually, he did all the work, since I don't know anything about electrical systems, other than they have one lever: Leave 'er alone.*

It sucks when things fall apart, but knowing you're never alone, well... that's brotherhood. 

And it makes the coffee taste even better.



It wound up raining, anyway.


*Credit for the "leave 'er alone" comment goes to my brother, Dennis "Trippple Nippple" Cole, who went on the Forever Chapter in 2005. R.I.P. my brother. GBNF, GFFG

Limey Motorcycle Rebirth

Triumph came back twenty years ago. Indian has come back twice now. Royal Enfield, as it turns out, was just in hibernation in India for a few decades, and they made a big international splash a few years back.

What about BSA? When does the Gold Star make its rebirth? A 500cc single with modern technology could far outdo bikes twice its size from its glory days.

A modern bike with BSA style and modern tech would be an awesome blank slate for creators of all kinds of custom bikes, from cafe racers to choppers.

It's time, even if just to stir the waters.

I May Have Just Been Converted

I just went and picked a brother's bike up from the shop for him, since he's working late. I've never been that into fairings and hard saddlebags and floorboards; I tend to like simpler bikes.

But dammit, that 2013 Harley Road Glide may have just converted me to bagger-ism.

Now, to research less expensive, and probably even better, metric equivalents...

WTF?

Why is it that when the temperature is in the 30s and I’m on my motorcycle, I shiver at red lights, but I’m actually warmer/more comfortable when I’m moving? I'm no geophysicist or anything, but shouldn’t the wind make me colder?



Inquiring minds want to know…

Moto Love

So, on my way home from work today, I was thinking about how lucky I've been with this bike, reliability-wise (I've had some real lemons in the past), and how much I really like it, love it even. Without even thinking, I reached down and patted the tank like you would a horse's neck. Is that weird?

MC member stickers

Motorcycle Boots For Sale

I'm trying to sell a pair of boots, slightly worn. I've had them about a year and a half, but they're barely broken in.

These boots are the Combat Lite Touring boots sold by Aerostitch/Rider Wearhouse. Here's a link to the catalog entry on their website: http://www.aerostich.com/clothing/footwear/combat-touring-boots/aerostich-combat-lite-boots.html

Check them out, and read the user/customer reviews.

You can see from the site that these boots are priced at $297.00. They're made of very thick, sturdy leather, using as few pieces as possible to limit the amount of stitching required. This results in a sturdier boot, since the stitching would be the structural weak point. The few seams and thick leather combine to make these boots very water resistant. Aerostitch makes no claims that they're water proof, but if you read through the customer reviews, you'll see that with a little oil or other leather treatment, they become waterproof. In my limited experience, I'll agree that they are very sturdy, and definitely water resistant. I haven't had occasion to wear them in anything more than a light shower, but my feet stayed completely dry.

I'm selling these boots because they're just too much boot for my needs. They're fairly heavy, they're stiff, and they chafe my heel. Part of the reason for this is that I have issues with finding footwear that fits me properly in the first place – heel slippage is common. So I wouldn't hold it against the boot. Also, my riding is done on streets, highways, and back roads. I commute by motorcycle, so I also need to stand on a concrete floor for 8 – 10 hours a day. I was attracted to the boots because of the water resistance. I used to have “daily wear” boots, and a pair of waterproof touring boots (that just weren't comfortable for daily wear), but I wore out the waterproof ones, so I thought with these I'd get two in one. But they're really designed for the adventure touring rider. Someone who'll ride until the pavement stops, then ride cross country.

These boots are excellent for the adventure rider. The thick leather will protect from underbrush and rocks thrown up by the front tire. They have speed laces (I had to replace the laces, because I trimmed them too short, but this doesn't affect the "speed"), and a buckle on the outside at the ankle to keep them securely on your feet. The water resistance part is nice, too. They also have a nice wedge sole for traction.

There is a little wear. You can see where folds/creases have formed from being worn, which is of course perfectly normal for leather boots. There are some scuffs on the toes, especially the shifter toe. There's minimal wear on the soles.

The boots are made by Sidi exclusively for Aerostitch, so you can't get them anywhere else. They should last you years, maybe the rest of your life. Aerostitch sells replacement laces, buckles and soles.

These are labeled European size 43, but I've looked at more than one conversion chart online, and there doesn't seem to be a lot consistency in the conversions. Looking in the print catalog, I probably ordered a size 9. I just bought a pair of Red Wings work boots that are size 8 ½, though, so there may be a problem with the conversion. My problem is that I tend to fall between sizes, especially with shoes made in Europe or the UK. I had a pair of Dr Martin's that never fit me exactly right, either.

I'm asking $200.00, because really, these should last a lifetime. The price includes shipping UPS. If you have a Post Office Box, we'll negotiate from there. I'd rather not ship internationally, but if you're willing to negotiate shipping costs, we can discuss it.

If you're interested in the boots, contact me through this blog, and we'll exchange email addresses and go from there.

Dream On

Honda Dream from the East Side Classic bike show.

On a side note, the first ride I ever had was straddling the gas tank on my uncle's Honda Dream. I was too young to even remember it.

Green & Gold CB Classic

 A nice green and gold Honda CB at the East Side Classic.

Oily Hands, Soapy Hands

Here's a tip for those who do their own maintenance, but need to have clean hands for work. (For example, I spend all day unpacking and sorting books - no one wants to pay $28.99 for the latest Stephen King if it's got 10W40 smudges on it). Sometimes it seems like no matter how much and how hard you scrub your hands, there's still grease left on your finger tips and in the creases of your knuckles. I read something somewhere a while back, and now I'm sharing it with you after years of field testing. Before you go out to the garage or driveway, or wherever you're going to change your oil or strip down your carburetor, dump a couple of drops of liquid dish detergent in your hand, and rub it all over your hands and fingers, coating everywhere that's about to get dirty. Give it a few minutes to dry, and it's like a liquid glove.

When you're done with the work, use Go-Jo, Fast Orange, or whatever your preferred hand cleaner is, and you should be left with completely clean hands.

You can thank me later when you're waiting tables and don't gross out your customers.

One Hot Motor

I saw a bike in the grocery store parking lot today. It looked different, so I went to check it out. Small displacement vertical twin cruiser. From the styling, I'm guessing a Yammie, but I wouldn't say so under oath.
A few years old, but not exactly "classic" age - maybe five to ten years old, but all the logos and insignia lost to time, use and rust. I respect that.

I also respect modifying a bike to make it yours. Cosmetically. Structurally. Even modifying the engine is cool, if you know what you're doing.

But here's the problem.

There were two hoses leading down from the neck area of the frame, and they were capped off, with the metal pieces welded to the frame. There's only one reason I can think of for hoses like this to be routed up from the motor area to the neck region, then back down in front of the downtubes. A radiator. Now, there are good reasons to modify many parts of an engine, but I can't think of a single reason that makes it a good idea to remove a radiator from a motor designed to run with it, then use that motor in Central Texas in the summer.

WTF?

Ain't Superstitious

This is what my trip meter said when I parked at work last Friday. Yeah, I parked and went in, anyway. But it did make me wonder what the day held in store.

East Side Classic XS650

Another photo set from the East Side Classic bike show.  If I'm wrong about this being an XS650, please message me so I can fix it.

Just about the coolest mirror placement I've ever seen.

Heavily Customized Metric V Twins

I recently went to the East Side Classic bike show in Austin, TX. Unfortunately, it was way too hot for my kids and my lady, so we couldn't stay as long as I would've liked. Fortunately, I was busy with the camera the whole time. I'll be posting some bike pix I took there. I think both of these kick-ass customs are Honda Shadows. If I'm wrong, feel free to correct me in the comments section.

Cool-As-Shit fender struts.

Evidence that I do indeed drag my kids out in the heat so I can ogle purdy bikes

RUB Rallly

Well, it's 9:30 Friday evening, which means the party is in full swing in downtown Austin. They have 6th Street blocked off to any traffic other than foot or motorcycle. Yup, R.U.B. Rally R.O.T. Rally has begun.

Now, don't get me wrong - I have nothing against the R.O.T. A lot of my brothers and sisters do, because the smaller rallies/runs we go to tend to support a charity, where the R.O.T. is purely for profit. I don't mind that - hell, bike shops, bars and liquor stores are all operated for profit, too, and we spend enough money there.

No, my problem with what many Austinites have come to refer to simply as "The Rally" is something different. It's the element it attracts. You know; the wrong crowd. Yes - R.U.B.s - Rich Urban Bikers.

They're not the only ones who show up, of course. There are a few who actually ride motorcycles more than to go to Bike Night or to official dealership sanctioned events. It's just that so many RUBs are here.

My problem isn't with their money and success. It's not with the "urban" part, either. My problem is the fact that so many people think they can spend $30,000 on a bike, add a bunch of chrome, buy some Harley Davidson "apparel", and suddenly, they're "bikers". As if you can buy a lifestyle. They typically spend more time polishing their bike than riding it.

And what's with calling everybody "Bro"? Because they heard  bikers say it in some movie? We do that for a reason. Bro is short for brother, and if I call a man Brother or a woman Sister, that's my way of saying "Whatever you need, if it's in my power, I'll provide it, and I know I can count on you the same". In other words, I'm calling him family. Real bikers don't take the word so lightly.

I know not everybody can be "hard core", and believe me - I know many would say I'm not. But I don't pretend to be anything more than what I am, and that's all I ask of others. If you own a bike, and you just like to ride it when the weather's nice on a weekend afternoon, there's not a damn thing wrong with that. But it doesn't make you a biker. Just be yourself. You'll be accepted and respected a whole lot more for it.

So, two lessons:
1) Don't bro me if you don't know me.
2) 20,000 dollars and 20 miles don't make you a biker.

Cops With A Sense Of Humor

Cops With a Sense of Humor

Travis County, TX Sheriff's Deputies

Anticipation

I just finished packing my clothes and camping gear. Tomorrow, I'll work half a day, come home and have lunch with my Other Half and Baby Girl and load up my bike. Then some brothers and a sister will show up at my place, and we'll hit the road - off to our club's annual members-only, mandatory attendance, club birthday run, fondly referred to as "Mandatory".


I'm pretty excited: This is our annual Gypsy MC Family Reunion. We're spread out pretty far and wide, so this is the only chance some of us get to see each other all year. Plus, I'm trying to get all my debt paid off, so this is the only out of town event I'm going to this year, so you could say I'm pretty fucking excited.

I'll come back with some pictures, and hopefully inspiration to write more, and maybe even stories to share.

Protection or Fashion?

Full face helmet: check

Full finger gloves: check

Textile, armored mesh jacket: check

Good for you, Ricky Rocketrider. You've prudently chosen to make sure your vital organs and skin are protected in case some jackass, blind, cell phone talking, text messaging soccer mom in an SUV knocks you off your bike.

Wait. What the fuck? Shorts? On a motorcycle? You're kidding, right? Okay, guys who wear no protective clothing, and just hop on in shorts and a tank top to ride to the gym or whatever I can sort of understand. I don't agree with it, but at least they're consistent. But you....I don't get it. You're all encased in safety, but only above the waist. You make it look like you're concerned about road rash, because you wear the jacket even when it's blazing hot.

Dude, if you're worried about the skin on your arms, you definitely need to worry about your leg skin. If you go down sliding and stay on the bike, your arms may get lucky and avoid the asphalt altogether. Even if you come off the bike, you may only get minor scrapes on your arms. You can argue about whether or not to wear a helmet – your head may or may not even touch the ground. I've only gone down twice in 22 years of riding – once with, once without a helmet. I was lucky - neither my head nor my helmet hit the pavement. But the one guarantee about dropping a bike is that. Your. Leg. Will. Scrape. Along. The. Asphalt. Possibly with the weight of the bike on it. Wanna get an idea of what that would feel like? Have the biggest guy you know put all his weight on a cheese grater and rub it on your bare thigh. Then do the same thing over a pair of Levi's.

If you're smart enough to pilot a motorcycle in Austin traffic without dying, you have to be smart enough to realize all this. Which brings me to the conclusion that your flashy jacket and helmet aren't really for protection.

They're a god damned fashion statement.

Put some pants on, you fucking poser.

(reblogged from http://handgrenadesandhorseshoes.blogspot.com/)

"It's What We Do"

I was starting to think all the old customs were fading away. One in particular.

I try to never pass a motorcyclist stopped on the roadside unless they see me slowing down and wave me on. Even though I'm no mechanic, sometimes all that's needed is a third hand. Or even a quick trip to the next gas station for a gas can and some gas. However, more than once, I've been broken down on the side of the road, and had jackasses ride right past me, grinning and waving, like I had just decided the side of a busy highway was the perfect place for a spontaneous picnic. Alone. With no food.

Well, I'm proud to say the tradition lives on. This morning, on the way to work, I saw a bike stopped on the shoulder of the median. I pulled over and started talking to the guy, and it seemed to me like his bike wasn't charging, because it just died on him, and when he'd hit the starter button, all the lights would die. About the time I figured that out, a second rider had pulled over to check on us. There was a barbecue restaurant/gas station a few dozen yards ahead on the right. The problem was that Highway 360, two lanes each way, was bumper to bumper and almost at a standstill. There was the occasional gap, when the traffic got a green light and the cars from the last light hadn't caught up yet. As we were making our plans, I noticed a city work truck pull up behind us. It was being driven by none other than one of my club brothers! So, not just one, but three riders stopped to help a total stranger. I went back and told him the situation, and that we were just waiting for a break in the traffic. He said "Oh, I can get you a break in traffic." He blocked both lanes, and we pushed the bike to the station, which had a steep enough driveway to get the bike push started and send him on his way.

I thanked my brother for stopping, and his response said it all:

"No problem. It's what we do."

Yup. It is.

Factory Custom

...is a contradiction in terms. No factory has ever produced anything "custom".

Thank you. That is all. You may carry on now.

No, wait. I'm editing. That's not all. Here's my inspiration: the term "custom chopper". By its very definition, a chopper is "custom". Saying "custom chopper" is redundant - it can't be anything else. It's a bike that's been modified from the way the factory produced it. The same goes for bobbers and café racers. A bike that was churned out from an assembly line is a production vehicle.  I don't care how many people call the Honda Fury a chopper, they will be wrong. What was chopped from it? The same with Harley Davidson's Street Bob. Nothing got "bobbed" off of it - it came from the factory that way. I would also include the Triumph Thruxton "café racer". They are all production vehicles (quite fine quality, I'm sure) which took styling cues from motorcycle customizers. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with this; my own motorcycle is sort of based on a street fighter, but it's really close to stock. Thus, I don't refer to it as a street fighter or as any kind of  "custom".

Look at the following photo:

The bike on the left is a chopper, built from an older Triumph. (Pre-1973, because the shifter is on the right). The bike on the right is a late model Triumph Thruxton - a factory version of a café racer. It has a lot of items on it that are required by law to be included by manufacturers that a bike builder would remove in the customizing process.







Okay, I got pushed up onto the soapbox by hearing the term "custom chopper". I'm done. Stepping down from the soapbox now.

Now you may carry on with your day...