Happy New Year!

Here's to new adventures! :-)

end of season?

I think I'll call it. The official end of the riding season. Anything from here on will just be lagniappe. It is official because the snow has been plowed from the parking lot into the motorcycle parking lot. And, oh yeah, because there is snow. :-)

Next up, a summary of the riding season.

Winter is here

I'm over the whole lost mojo thing. The weather was nice enough last week but I just didn't feel like riding. It isn't a competition so I'm not sweating it. But now the snow is falling. We've got about 6 inches today and it is still falling.
Hubby and I went out to do some shopping and "happened" to be near Fay Meyers, so we stopped in to browse a bit. The purple Magna is still there. Waiting for me. I really want it. Not just the dreamy kind of oh some day want it. I want to sell my Rebel to buy the Magna. I sort of always thought I'd keep the Rebel, being my first ride and all. But, the Magna is so sweet. Might be time to consider my options.

Winter Riding Mojo

I think I've lost my mojo. :(

I didn't ride yesterday even though it was only in the upper 30s low 40s by the time I was leaving. The high yesterday was close to 60. Today, it was already in the 50s when I left (in the car) and the high is supposed to be close to 70 but it is very windy (gusts up to 80). I convinced myself I had other things to do and needed the car today (shopping and what not). I think I'm intimidated by my windshield. That and being out of town and off the bike for over two weeks has me off a bit.

Yesterday I was really trying hard to convince myself that I should ride. Then I realized if I was thinking so much about all the variables and not the ride, I really shouldn't be on the bike. So, I felt ok about that.

But today, it is so warm out. Why am I not on the bike?

This morning's excuses were - I wasn't packed and it would take to long to get everything together so I'd be late; too windy and the new big windshield might cause my bike to get blown over in the parking lot (which has happened before to other bikes); it could be cold coming home; it would be tough coming home looking through the windshield - among others.

Have I really lost my mojo? I was planning to be this hard core, as long as there isn't snow or ice on the ground rider. That last really cold ride (before the new shield) when I had to turn around really spooked me I guess. I don't want my hands to be cold. That hurts and is not safe. But that was why I bought the giant shield, wasn't it? Hmmmm.

Maybe I'll need to take a test ride when I'm not on the way to work. Maybe this weekend if it doesn't snow we can do the test ride.

I need to get my mojo back. And maybe some heated grips.

Didn't ride

I kept procrastinating this morning and questioning whether or not I should ride to work. The weather was cold this morning but the high is going to be close to 60 degrees. But, for some reason I wasn't feeling it this morning. So, I thought it better to drive instead of fighting the urge not to ride. Probably a safe bet. Better to ride when I'm totally focused on it and not preoccupied with the cold or the reflection of the street lights on my shield on the way home, etc.

I may just be done for the season actually. Unless the weather is nice again on the weekend. I'd rather ride with my sweetie anyway.

Speaking of my sweetie, he bought me a new helmet for Christmas! MotoGear Outlet was having a winter sale this past Saturday. It is an HJC CL-MAX which is a modular or flip up helmet. Yay! He's the best! He bought himself a jacket. He looks very euro-stylish in the new jacket.

...

Haven't been on the bike in a while. Thanksgiving holiday trips (which was great!) and now work trips (hopefully fun). And it has been pretty cold and even snowed (see previous post). Sigh.

It Was Inevitable.........

First Test Ride

Riding in yesterday morning was rather uneventful which is ok. I didn't notice much difference in the handling of the bike with the larger windshield. It did seem to take me longer to get up some hills but it was also a bit windy. The engine sounds are more clear with the larger shield. The space between the headlight and the shield lets in a lot of wind. It was a rather warm morning, almost 60 degrees, so I couldn't really tell how much warmer my hands were.

Going home in the dark was a challenge. I didn't like looking through the windshield at all. Too much distortion and reflection from the on coming headlights. Really, I've just added yet another layer of plastic for me to look through - my eye glasses, my helmet shield and now the windshield. Not fun at all. I rode with one glove liner and my mesh gloves. I couldn't tell the difference and my hands weren't cold. It was also still windy. I could feel the sail effect a bit but nothing to worry over. Just more of it than with the Spitfire. But, the reflection was too much for me. I don't think that's something to get used to. I think that's some thing we'll have to fix.

Didn't ride today. The snow is predicted to begin this afternoon or evening some time so I didn't want to risk riding in bad weather with the problems of the shield. So, that might be it for the season. Well, for a while anyway. Guess it was bound to happen some time.

New Windshield

I bought this on ebay. It is a National Cycle Plexifairing 3 windshield. I bought it so that it would give me more coverage particularly over my hands. We installed it yesterday and I did a short test drive with it but so far it hasn't been tested on a regular commute or anything. Yesterday I rode around the neighborhood a bit and also hopped on the interstate for a short run. It didn't seem so different than the smaller Spitfire shield. Aside from actually looking through it instead of over it, I didn't feel much of a change from the smaller to the larger. It wasn't terribly cold on the ride last night so I couldn't really tell how much coverage and protection my hands had. That will be the test during the work commute on Monday morning.

It is much larger, obviously, than the Spitfire. I really like the Spitfire but just need more coverage on my hands. The bike certainly feels bigger with the Plexifairing. But, I could get used to that. The speedo reflects right where I look through the shield. Maybe I can get or hubby can fashion a visor for the speedo. I'm sure we'll play around with the angle of the shield a bit too as I ride more.

Another photo:
















My view through the shield:

Another warm day

It is the middle of November and this morning was about 47 when I left for work. High temp is supposed to be in the 60s. What a difference 20 degrees makes! I was almost too warm riding out this morning with all my gear. Not that I'm complaining. :-)

This weekend is supposed to be quite pleasant in the highish 60s. Hubby and I should get out there and put some miles on the bikes before the snow starts to fly on Tuesday!

Maybe this evening on the ride home I can take some photos or video of the spotlights.

Too cold!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

27 degrees. Oh my. I thought I'd ride this morning. Crazy!! I was all set to go, had my game face on and everything. Hand warmers, toe warmers, extra toe warmers because I forgot they came in pairs int he package, warm balaclava, and my usual other gear - full liner in jacket, liner in pants with tights on underneath. I even had on long warm Smart Wool boot socks that came up to my knees. Those are nice and toasty. And yet it wasn't nearly enough.

My fingers are the problem. I can't keep them warm. But this morning was not even close. The hand warmers kept the top of my hands cold but my fingers may as well have been exposed. It was painful. I think I described my previously coldest ride as uncomfortable. This was painful. I had to turn around and get my car. :-(

And yet, there were other riders out there without any gear on. I saw a guy with jeans and a jacket but nothing at all on his head. Not even a knit hat!! Crazy! I saw him before I decided to turn around. I think I would have turned around sooner if I hadn't seen him.

The toe warmers didn't even work. They were sort of warm when I walked out the door but were ice cold when I got back home. I had a pair under my toes and a pair in my pockets. The hand warmers were better but the heat didn't make it to my fingers. Those stayed warm even after I got home. In fact, I put them in my Crocs to warm myself up after I got in the house.

Another thing that should have clued me in to how cold it really was, the Wendy's had run the sprinklers and the grass was frozen and there was a sheet of ice on the sidewalk.

Another thing, my new balaclava prevents my glasses from fogging up but now my visor will fog up a bit at the bottom. This morning, it froze. Yikes! Very cold!

My new larger windshield should arrive tomorrow. Perhaps that will help keep the wind off my hands and keep them a bit warmer. Of course, it is also supposed to snow next week. So, the riding season may just be coming to a close for me. :-( I was hoping to be a tough all season rider. I think I need more accessories for that to happen.

Birthday Cake!

Ok, it isn't motorcycle related, but check out my cool birthday cake! :-) My Lost "book club" at work surprised me with it today! Awesome!

My Birthday

Yesterday was my birthday! Woo hoo! As a gift to myself I took the day off from work. Didn't do any moto shopping or riding though. Which is odd because I love shopping and motos. Had to run some errands that required the car. Oh well. Maybe this weekend we'll make up for that - if the weather holds. This morning there was snow on the ground at work!! Yikes! Supposed to be in the 60s the rest of the week though. Tomorrow I can ride and test the hand warmers in my gloves.

Riding in the dark

Now that the time has finally changed, and we've fallen back an hour, I ride to work in the daylight and ride home from work in the dark. I think I liked it better the other way around. The traffic going home is always scarier than going to work. People are more a little more alert in the morning and less in a hurry to get where they are going.

Some thoughts on night riding...

Cars and buses seem closer and larger at night.

Motorcycles really are invisible to cagers. (I've seen a few other larger bikes out there, with riders wearing dark clothes, that are literally invisible unless you are right next to them. From behind, that little tail light doesn't do very much even when illuminated. Makes me wonder what I look like.)

Having the spotlights may quite literally be a life saver.

Leaving a half hour later from work helps to avoid much of the traffic.

Moving around helps others see you. (I have large reflective stickers on the back and sides of my helmet. Moving my head as I scan or as cars come up behind me seems to help others see me. Changing position in the lane helps others see you too. It may make them wonder what you are up to, but that helps them pay more attention to you.)

You can never have too much reflectivity. (I need more rear reflectivity on the bags, the bike, and myself.) I've got some reflective tape on my helmet that I bought online here.

Conspicuity is your friend.

Use your Intersection Strategy all the time but especially at night.

Be alert. The world needs more lerts.

is it really November?

Another really warm morning, upper 50s when I left the house. I was almost too warm even without my glove liners and no balaclava. Very nice temps for a ride. Too bad I have to work. :-)

Next week will be a different story though. Lows will be in the 20s and highs in the 50s. So, I'll be able to test out my hand warmers (which are technically foot warmers). Might buy a few more this week since they are one time use.

Oddly enough, I didn't see very many bikes out this morning. Highs are going to be in the low 70s. Might have to take an extended lunch break....

Warm morning

Rode this morning for the first time in what feels like a long time. We didn't ride at all over the weekend. And the cold mornings were keeping me off the commute this week. But, this morning it was in the 50s. Nice and warm. I even over dressed I think. Hubby also located some warmers that I can put in my gloves. I didn't need them though. It will be interesting to try them out. That would be a good solution although maybe an expensive one in the long run, for my cold hands. I'm also looking at a larger windshield. Those are easy enough to take on and off.

Spotlights

A sample of the spotlights.

Brrrrr!

I was cold this morning for the first time. I mean really cold, uncomfortably cold. I stopped to change gloves a few times. I'm normally a cold person. It is as if I can't generate my own body heat some times.

My fingers are almost always cold riding in the mornings. Yesterday, the temperature wasn't as cold as this morning and I wasn't very cold at all. My fingers were cold but not so bad that I wanted to pull over like this morning. Maybe some of that had to do with leaving before the sun was up. Yesterday I left later and rode with my sunglasses on. This morning, it was dark for most of the ride.

I had on several layers, the same layers I always have on for the cold temperatures. Not much more I can add to the mix - undershirt, long sleeve tee shirt, long sleeve turtle neck, heavier tights, my mesh pants with the quilted liner, thick fleece balaclava under my full face helmet. Now, I'd worried about the mesh pants but so far they had been ok. That is until this morning. My legs were cold. My hands were cold. Even my face was cold. My arms felt a bit cold when I was wearing non-gauntlet gloves. Even my toes were cold.

I think what I'll have to do is figure out a way to block the wind on my hands. I could warm them up a bit if I took them out of the wind. Heated grips have always been on my list too but I'm worried about the draw on the battery. If I'm leaving in the dark, I'll need my highway lights too.

Or maybe I'll be riding the bus this winter. :-(

Comments

Apparently, I needed to activate or unblock the comments feature. It is now enabled. :-)

Mileage this season

I found a note I'd written in my paper maintenance log. It listed my mileage on June 6th. Using that figure, I've ridden approximately 3,172.4 miles this season. (That would be as of today.) Most of those miles are commuting to work 50 miles round trip. That is about 793 miles per month. That's not too shabby. :-)

Plans for a new paint job

So, I've been wanting to paint my bike since I bought it. I've heard that the silver wing tanks are fairly rare, and the 450s are sort of a collectors item anyway. So, my thought was to get a different tank and paint it, instead of the stock tank, just because of the rarity and on the odd chance I'd want to sell it, it would be nice to be able to go back to stock.

Anyhoo, there are a few options for tank replacements for the 450 after some trial and error by other folks. There is a way to modify a 250 tank to fit the 450. There is also a motorcycle company called Tank, that has some gas tanks that also fit the 250 Rebel. Using the same modifications, that should also, in theory, work for the 450. And then there is the CX500 tank, which we happen to have a couple of lying around in the garage. So, there are options. (The Tank tank is also larger, which is nice.)

Here is a rough mock up of the paint job I want.


The fleur de lis would be gold same as the pinstripes.

Maybe a winter project?

Going to work the scenic route

Ok, so I took this from my car but the route is still the same. :-)

Getting out of first gear

For some reason I've lost my touch. I can't seem to get out of first very well. It feels as though the bike is carrying a heavy load and doesn't want to get off the line. I know it is just me though and not the bike. Hubby doesn't seem to have any trouble. And I only have trouble when I'm really thinking about it. I can shift through the gears just fine but some times I get stuck in first after coming to a complete stop.

We think it started when I added the cramp buster on the throttle. It also might have something to do with wearing my heavier gloves in the morning.

I guess I need to find a parking lot and practice finding the friction zone again. It is really weird. Not sure how that happened. Getting too comfortable maybe? Riding distracted or tired? Hmmm.

I drove today for those reasons, not the friction zone thing, but being tired and distracted - and running late on a very cold morning. Not as cold as it is going to get but near freezing. Maybe I can ride this evening if it isn't raining.

Conspicuity

Now that the days are darker as I leave for work and come home from work, I've been concerned about how visible I am to other drivers. I once saw a person on a silver bike with silver gear on disappear into the distance against the road. Since I also have a silver bike and silver gear (pants and jacket) I've really wondered how invisible I might be at dusk. I've added the spotlight bar with lights and that has definitely made a difference. I notice people notice me sooner. Fewer folks seem tempted to pull out in front of me - they come to a complete stop as opposed to a rolling stop and then a quick braking when they finally see me. Or maybe they can judge my distance better with the three lights. Or maybe they see me as a larger vehicle and tend to stop because of that. Whatever the reason, it has made a difference.

My jacket and pants both have reflective bits on them. The pants have piping down the sides and a bit on the back of the legs. The jacket has a reflective strip (across the back) and a triangle logo (between my shoulder blades).

Last night I met hubby for dinner and on the ride home he followed in the car (Honda Civic HB). This was a good test to see how visible I am on the road. I wore the retro-reflective Illuminite bicycling vest I bought to increase my conspicuity. It is a slip over thing with velcro on the sides but it isn't very large so I can't put it on by myself over my jacket. That's a problem for sure.

Turns out, I am not very reflective after all. Hubby says the lights from the car don't hit my upper body so the retro-reflective stuff doesn't illuminate. When a taller vehicle was behind him and the car wasn't in the way, those lights lit up the vest. And the high beams on the car also lit up the vest. But, otherwise, I'm not very visible.

So, I think I'll buy some reflective tape to put on the back of my saddle bags. Those are lower and will reflect the low lights of a small car. Also, my duffel bag that I use at work covers a red reflector on the back of my seat back rest. I'm thinking about using the vest material to cover the straps on the bag and maybe the sides of the bag. Might be a better use of the vest. He also thinks that the reflective stripe on the jacket, which was covered by the vest, would be more visible than the vest because it isn't retro-reflective and works in lower indirect light.

So, that was disappointing but a good test. Now I know I need to work on being more conspicuous.

Chilly morning

This morning was just above freezing when I got up. So, I got to use my new winter gauntlet gloves that I bought at MotoGear Outlet. I had to stop to get gas so I figure I would know by the time I got to the gas station how warm I'd be. Turns out I was too warm. The sun came out and that sure made a difference. I had on many layers - short sleeve tee, long sleeve tee, long sleeve turtleneck, fleece vest and then my moto jacket with the liner in. I also had on a balaclava under my helmet. So, my neck was very warm, in fact I couldn't close my jacket at the neck. I also had on long warm tights under my moto mesh pants with the quilted liner in. Wool socks and I liner in my moto boots. (My toes get cold and so do my finger tips usually.)

At the gas station, I took off my heavy gauntlet gloves and put my Joe Rocket warm gloves on with a glove liner. I was having trouble handling the grips with the bigger gloves one. I also took off the fleece vest because I was having a hard time turning my head.

That was much better! I wasn't cold at all and I felt more comfortable handling the bike too.

Thoughts on riding to work

So, I ride to work just about every day unless there is something I have to do that requires the car. For example, I had a meeting one day after work downtown. I don't like driving in rush hour on the interstate so I took my car to work. This also allowed me to get a new windshield for the car. I've been needing to do that for a while now. They came to work to replace it. So, I didn't feel too guilty not riding that day.

It is fairly uneventful getting to and from work these days. That's a good thing really. It is so much more relaxing to arrive on the bike than in the car. And I realized something else. I'd been debating with myself if it takes longer to take the bike - gathering my gear, warming up the bike - as opposed to hopping in the car and going. Well, one thing, when I drive to work I park off campus so it takes me about the same amount of time to walk to my office as it does to warm up the bike. And if I lay out all my gear the night before, which is easy if I take it off and lay it out when I get home, there really isn't more time involved. In the winter I'll be warming up the car anyway.

Now that I've got a routine down it doesn't take any time at all for me to get out the door. For a while I would forget my motorcycle key. I'd get all the way to the garage and have to go back for it. And this was after locking the house and everything. But now I just keep the key in my moto pants pocket. I don't ride without my pants so it is always with me that way. Maybe one day I'll have an extra house key made to keep on that key ring. That way I won't have to remember my house keys and I can leave them in my bag.

That reminds me, I need to have a copy made of the moto key. Maybe we'll do that this weekend.

Road comforts

I've got a cramp buster or throttle rocker, I can't remember which it is. It is nice to be able to relax my grip and still keep my hand on the throttle. It is much more relaxing than not having it. And it works very well with the heavier weight gloves. I've always had trouble when I wear thicker or warmer gloves. I feel as though I can't handle the grips as well as I can with thinner lighter weight gloves.

I also need to add some highway pegs. On the way home from our weekend trip I was wishing I could stretch out my legs. My knees were getting stiff. What I can do on the Rebel is sort of stand on the pegs and sit on the pillion seat. That is quite comfortable to rest that way.

I'd also like to have my seat redone and add some gel to it. There is a place near our house that can do it but it ain't cheap. Would be a nice birthday or christmas present though! I'll add that to the list.

Rocky Mountain NP

In preparation for the proposed ride to Grand Lake, hubby and I decided that if the weather conditions were snowy or rainy or snow on the ground we wouldn't go. The cold would be ok as we have the right gear to keep us warm and safe. We got up to check the CDOT road conditions to make the final yay or nay call. The conditions for Berthoud Pass were wet and icy. And as we sat there looking at it the page refreshed to wet, icy and snow pack. That definitely called it for us. No ride to Grand Lake. :-(

So, we then decided to do an alternate trip. The conditions through Boulder to Estes Park were really good. In fact the metro area was supposed to be sunny and upper 70s all day. I always like traveling to Estes Park, much more than hubby, but he liked the idea so we prepped for the ride.

We decided to ride to Boulder and have breakfast there. It was quite windy, the windiest I'd been in on the bike for sure. The wind certainly does wear you out quickly. We'd only ridden about 25 miles to get to breakfast and we were tired already. But, breakfast perked us up. Hubby got some coffee in his system and I had grits and egg and ham. (We don't find grits very often in this part of the world.)

From there we thought we'd head to Lyons where we'd hop on highway 7 and take the back way into Estes. Highway 7 is part of the Peak to Peak Highway and very scenic. I hadn't been that way in a long time and never on the bike. Very fun. We will definitely do that again. Here is a photo taken at a scenic pullout near Allenspark.


Coming into Estes the back way allowed us to miss much of the traffic. We stopped to get gas before going into Rocky Mountain National Park. There were 4 open entrance stations and the lines were pretty long. When we stopped for gas I remembered to move my wallet to my jacket pocket so we could pay the entrance fee. $10 per bike, good for 7 days. And he told us he put us both on one ticket so if we wanted to come back in a car, the pass would still be good. That was cool.

I'd been leading the way this trip so I decided to head up Trail Ridge Road. It had been closed over night due to the snow so I knew we wouldn't get very far but I thought it would be nice to take the bikes up as far as we could. Holy smokes it was so crowded up there! There were cars strewn about the road where the gate was closed. I was very glad we were on the bikes because I thought we were going to have to split some parked cars to get out of the lot. So, we turned right around and headed back down the road. On the way down we found an empty pull out where we stopped to rest and take a couple of pictures.


We rode around just a bit more until we got hungry and tired of fighting the traffic. When we came out of the Fall River gate, there were cars lined up beyond the visitor's center waiting to get in. Yikes. Turns out it was Elk Fest that weekend. Guess we should have checked the calendar. We had some lunch and headed home. This time we went home the usual route on highway 36.

At the end of the day we'd traveled about 170 miles - a new long distance record for us! Yay! :-)

if the weather holds......

We have been invited to go on a ride with a Fiat club. We'd be the only bikes I think. Cool! If the weather cooperates, we'll be heading to Grand Lake via I-70, US-40 and US-34. This would take us over Berthoud Pass. Right now the high temperatures are forecast to be in the mid-50s along the route with possible showers. Brrrrr. So, I've got my fingers crossed that the weather will take a turn for the better. If not we probably won't go. In the meantime, here is a list of Colorado mountain passes.

Rust

A couple of bolts that hold the heat shield onto the exhaust pipes became rusty after the first couple of days my bike got caught in the rain at work. Hubby bought some stainless steel washers to replace them but when he went to take one of the bolts off, it broke the top off. So, I'd been riding with only one bolt. Over time of course the rattle became a bit louder than usual. This morning when I started the bike to warm it up, it started to rattle right away. We kept saying that as long as that one bolt stayed on we would deal with it later. Well, the 2nd bolt looked loose which was causing the heat shield to rattle and even flap a bit just while it was warming up. So, I went to tighten down the existing bolt and you guessed it. It broke right off. So, the heat shield is sitting in the garage.

This is what it is supposed to look like:This is what it looks like now:

Mostly I was trying to tighten it in case the rattling caused it to break while I was riding. I didn't want to lose the heat shield. So, breaking off was probably better in the long run. So, add that to the to do list.

My bike is starting to feel it's age. I'm beginning to wonder what will fall off next. Maybe it is a good thing winter is coming. I should take advantage of the down time to really go over the bike and replace questionable bits. Should be a good learning season.

"Wanna race?!"

I stopped at a hardware store on the way home from work to buy some 3-in-1 oil. My shifter was sticking. After buying the oil and applying some to fix the problem, I was getting geared up to head out. I had my helmet on and was putting my jacket on when I pick up truck drove through the parking lot. It was a largish truck with a camper on the back with what looked like it was carrying all the driver's possessions in it. It was even tilted a bit to one side. As it came around, the guy calls out, "Hey! Wanna race?". I cracked up and he started to laugh, then flashed the hang loose sign and drove off. It was pretty funny!

Lots of people seem to get odd comments about their Rebels and not always nice ones I guess. But, I've never had any mean comments made toward me. So far so good. Well, aside from the mechanic at the local stealership. When I brought my bike in once for some service, the service tech handed the mechanic my key and asked him to take the CMX for a test ride. The mechanic said snidely, "A Rebel?" as if it wasn't worth his time to bother with it. But, aside from that, I've only had positive comments. Everyone seems to like the bike when they see it. And I get lots of waves on the road too!

Grrrrrrr!!!! Dropped it!!!

So, I was warming up the bike as usual. I strapped on my T-bag, and decided to check the oil because my last pre-ride check showed it to be low. But then I thought I'll just head out because I was already late getting out this morning. (Pattern developing.) I throw my leg over which is hard to do because the T-bag is on the pillion and I've got my liner in my pants and tights on underneath. As I'm sitting there straddling the bike, I smell something odd. I have absolutely no idea what this smell is but for some reason I decide it must be the low oil. (No idea what it is...must be the oil?) So, I decide I'd better check it and add more if it is low. So.....

I lean the bike to rest it on the side stand.....

Yep, I forgot to put it back down. (Swear word, swear word, swear word!!)

Not only that, but my bike lives in a location in the garage that almost traps me beneath it as I try to gently lay it down as it is falling. There are boards leaning against the wall, also leaning against random other things like a ladder, spare tire, etc. I can just barely stand between the bike and the wall. But this also means the bike isn't totally on the ground either.

I turn off the bike, wriggle free, swear some more, close the garage door so no one can see me (we live near a middle school!), turn off the gas, swear some more and then take off my helmet and jacket and gloves. I get back between the bike and the wall and stuff and I can't bend down enough to lift it the proper way. So, I grab the left grip and the strap across the seat, do my best Incredible Hulk impression and lift it upright.

Swear word, that was pretty cool. Didn't have to call the hubby home from his job!

So, I check the oil, add more, and then decide to get moving. But, the mirror is cocked funny. So, I adjust that and head out. Then it sounds like the front brake is squeaking oddly. So, I pull over, call hubby and tell him what happened. He suggests I not ride until he can check it out. So, I went back home with that permission to not ride today.

It is such a beautiful day too. And it was about 40 degrees this morning but is supposed to be 67 or so for the high temp. Sigh.

I'm sure the bike is fine. It didn't even really fall over, but sort of laid down on it's side. Sigh.

I can't believe I did that.

When I went back into the house to change out of my riding gear and into my work gear, I ripped my tights. After that I decided I'd better take it easy and not try to rush into the rest of this day. So, I'm sitting at home eating breakfast trying to calm down. Fortunately, my job allows me to have these moments.

Grrrrrrr!!!! I can't believe I did that!!!!

Lesson learned. I need to be completely focused on the ride. Do the pre-ride check every time so that it is a habit. And it is probably time to change the oil anyway so I just need to get that done.

Oh, and by the way, the hulk I am not. My back is already sore.

To ride or not to ride....

Yesterday, after riding a small amount of rain and feeling quite jazzed about it, I gathered my things last night for today's morning ride. This morning, after watching the weather forecast, I thought, I'll be sure to wear my tights under my mesh pants with the rain liner. I'll even wear my heavier jacket since the temps were in the 40s. But the more I listened the more I began to doubt riding was such a good idea. And I was planning to ride home from Boulder in the evening because we are planning to watch the Monday Night game at a sports bar there. So, at the last minute, I decided driving might be better. I wasn't feeling up to a ride home in the dark and wet.

Of course, all the way to work, there was hardly any rain at all. I kept second guessing myself telling myself I could have ridden. There are many more days before the wet winter arrives and I'm missing out on a good day.

I get to work, and it started raining a bit harder but still nothing I thought I couldn't handle. But, I decided to park in the parking lot just in case the weather got worse. I didn't feel like walking in the rain with my crocs on.

I get inside, purchase a parking pass, and as I head for the door to put the pass in my car, it begins to really come down. So much so that I had to go back for my umbrella. Then as soon as I get in the car, it comes down even harder. And then it is a hail storm. So, I am trapped in my car for about 5 minutes waiting for the hail to stop so I can get back into the office. Crazy.

So glad I didn't ride today!

Random ride

Today we went out during the Bronco's game for a nice quiet ride. It is a good time to be on the road really. We didn't really have a destination in mind when we left. First we fueled up the body and then the bikes and then headed sort of west, southwest and back around to home. Headed towards Golden, which is the destination of choice when we can't decide where to go. Then drove through Morrison, past The Fort restaurant, and then highway 285, took the Tiny Town exit which was a place I'd never been. (It really is a tiny town. I'll have to look that up later.) We ended up back on 285 headed towards Denver. From there I'm not sure what route we took. Hubby was leading the way. We ended up on Bellview before turning onto Kipling to head north for home. It was a very nice ride. It rode through some scattered showers but nothing to make us take cover. The weather was cool which was very nice. At the end it was about 55 miles or so round trip. A good way to end the weekend.

Loveland

Hubby and I rode out to Loveland yesterday to his sister's house. His mom was visiting so it was a nice ride for us and nice to see her again as well. It was a very nice day for a ride. Clear blue skies, temperatures in the 80s or so. Round trip was about 95 miles or so. Route was straight up highway 287 and back.

On the way out, before we made it to the gas station and only a few blocks from home, a woman on a cell phone in a little four door car tried to occupy the lane I was in. I laid on my horn to alert her to my presence and she turned and looked right at me all the while continuing to get over. People suck. Especially people driving cars while talking on their cell phones.

After that the ride got a little better. It was quite busy heading out of town being a Saturday and late morning. Once we were north of Broomfield things cleared up and I could enjoy the ride more.

Hubby generally leads when we go out together. He is a more conservative driver than I am so that helps me to be a more patient moto rider. I get much better gas mileage when I follow him too. I still find myself riding too close to him and I can't figure out why. Am I going to fast? Is his speed that variable? Maybe it is the differences between the CX500 and the CMX450. My bike is a 6 speed and his is a 5 speed. I am a more aggressive rider than he is so maybe it is just that.

We rode home about 8:30 or maybe it was closer to 9:00pm. The night ride was awesome. It was nice and cool but not too cold for me. Not a lot of traffic to contend with either. I got to use my spotlights for the first time at night. They really make a big difference, more than I thought they would. I was mainly wanting them so people could see me better. I don't really ride very much at night so that was really an after thought. The other thing the lights do is light up the reflective piping and patches on hubby's jacket, pants and helmet. The next time we ride I'll have to take some video to show the difference the spotlights make.

One thing I still haven't been able to figure out is how to hit the garage remote so that the door opens for us as we pull into the driveway. Hard to get to it with it in my jacket pocket.

Dang Gremlins!

On my way to work this morning my mirror came undone. It didn't fall off the bike but slide right down the stem to the grip. Weird. Guess I need to double check the other one before I head home today. Dang gremlins! I do have a gremlin bell but maybe I left the bike sitting too long and they wiggled free and went for higher ground...

ATGATT

All the gear all the time; dress for the fall (and I don't mean autumn); a mantra I've heard on the Rebel board fairly often and one I try to follow.

Here is my gear:

My first jacket I purchased is the first one that fit me. It is a bit difficult to find functional motorcycle gear for women. Most women's gear seems to be made for small children. And I'm not that large, fairly average sized, but I'd like some thing that will actually protect me if need be and not just make me look like a fashion statement.

Joe Rocket Lotus Jacket was my first jacket because it fit and I needed one. I wish I'd waited and taken the time to search around but I was anxious to ride and didn't want to ride without protection. It has a large reflective patch on the back. I like it, but it is too hot in the summer and not quite warm enough in the winter. Which prompted me to purchase a First Gear Mesh Tex 2 for summer riding. Yellow and black for visibility because there isn't much reflectivity on the jacket. Great summer jacket. It comes with a full liner so when it cools a bit in the evening I can put the liner in and am still comfy. The Joe Rocket only has a vest liner. I bought the mesh jacket from New Enough only because MotoGear Outlet didn't have the color I wanted in my size.

But, MotoGear Outlet is where I try to buy all my gear. They are close to my house and the service is awesome. I purchased the Tour Master Transition Jacket there. It has a quilted full liner, lots of pockets, lots of fitting adjustments in the arms and waist, reflective piping and patches and fits well. It also matches the pants I also bought at MotoGear Outlet.

Olympia Airglide II Pants are my favorite piece of gear. They are mesh pants and I wouldn't have been enjoying my ride nearly as much this summer if I didn't have them. They are cooler than wearing my jeans. I have the silver pair so they aren't as warm as my dark jeans. They breathe better too and of course offer much more protection should I need it. Armor in the knees and padding in the hips. I can wear them over other pants or even over shorts. They come with a quilted rain liner. The lighter color also alerted me to a leak I was having. I noticed one leg was dirtier than the other around the shin and ankle. Turns out my speedo cable was broken and not properly attached to the bike.

I'd also purchased a pair of Olympia mens pants that were on the clearance rack at a local dealership. They aren't mesh so I plan to wear them if the airglides aren't warm enough. They came with a rain liner. The two liners are interchangeable so I should be well equipped during the colder weather.

On ebay I purchased some mens Joe Rocket leather boots because they match my hubby's. They are good riding boots but not very good for walking around. I'd like to upgrade at some point. I liked the mens boots better than womens boots because I don't like the high heels. What I'd like to try are some Milwaukee Motorcycle Clothing Company Texas Logger Boots. It seems the web site doesn't link to these anymore so I'm not sure I can get them.

I also have a couple of pairs of gloves. Some pink mesh Joe Rocket gloves to match my jacket. And a warmer pair of gray gloves. I have a hard time with warmer gloves. They seem to be too big for me and I feel like I can't control or feel the grips. I'm still looking for some that will be comfortable and warm. But, we'll probably add some grip heaters to help with that issue as well.

Latest accessories purchased

So, I started this blog and then went away for a week. So, I don't have much to update. My latest ebay purchase is a set of highway bars and pegs. They fit the 450 but won't work with my crash bars. So, we are pondering how to utilize them. I'd like to keep the crash bar but I'd also really like to have room to stretch my legs. Of course I haven't done any long trips so maybe I'm getting ahead of myself.

I also purchased through ebay what was supposed to be a 7" headlight. Turns out it was the same size as my current headlight. So, I sent it back.

We did have some trouble with the spotlights draining the battery but I'm hoping that's be solved. I came home from work the Friday after we put them on (so 5 days later) and when I got home and turned off the bike, there was no juice left. It did charge back up and I've ridden it since but not much, since I was out of town. This week will be the next test I suppose. We couldn't determine any reason for the battery drain. Putting a volt meter on it didn't show any problems. And the battery is two months old. So, we'll keep an eye on it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNCLE ROC!!

Today is my big brother's birthday! Happy birthday big brother!! This is his bike.
And speaking of bikes in the family....

I'm not the only one who rides as I've alluded to already. I ride, my husband rides, my brother rides, my father-in-law rides, my sister-in-law and her husband ride although they are currently without a ride. My Parrain rides but not the motorized two wheeled ones. He is a bicycle advocate. :-)

Commuting

I've been riding to work all summer and it has been quite fun. I live in a suburb west of Denver and commute to Boulder. This gives me my choice of routes to work. I can take the most direct route - north on highway 121/287 to US36. But, this is also usually the slowest and most congested route, so I usually avoid it even in my car. Another major road is hwy 93 which I can get to through a variety of ways. These roads include any combination of 64th, 72nd, 80th, 82nd, 86th, 96th, Alkire St., Carr St., Kipling St., Marshall Dr., McCaslin Blvd., or Oberon Rd. This gives me many different options and I can usually avoid any road construction and not lose much time. And it is quite a scenic drive too.

The round trip is about 50 miles. I get about 60mpg so I have to fill up about every two days or so. I try to fill up before having to switch to reserve. I'm a bit paranoid about running out of gas. Otherwise I could probably stop every 3 days for gas.

I've seen a few animals along my route - lots of prairie dogs, a few golden eagles, turkey vultures, coyotes, deer, many dead snakes on the road, road kill raccoons, and I once hit this gigantic bug. It was very gross. I probably should have pulled over to clean it off but I really wanted to get a photo of it. It was runny and dripped down the visor. Yuck!

My route also takes me around part of Standley Lake. There are usually lots of walkers, joggers and dog walkers around. I also usually see lots of other motorcyclists.

There is motorcycle parking at my building with a parking pass. That is a nice luxury. Although it is right as you come into the parking lot. This is usually the most stressful and dangerous part of the commute - turning into the parking lot. People don't like to slow down and I am always worried that I'll be rear ended as I'm making the turn. Knock on wood, so far so good.

DISCLAIMER

I don't do any of the work on my bike. (I have changed the oil once and I try to help as I can.) All of these modifications and much of the maintenance is done by my wonderful husband. Thanks love!
The plan is of course to learn more and be more self sufficient but... Maybe this winter I'll do more.

Accessories

My first accessory was a Slipstreamer Spitfire Windshield bought on ebay. The windshield is pretty small so it compliments the bike well. It keeps the wind off my chest and I don't feel like I'm being blown off the back of the bike when I travel above 45 mph. It doesn't cover my hands at all so the wind still makes my hands cold. I'm still looking into some better gloves to help with that.

Next I bought some luggage, also on ebay. I've acquired a few nice Tbags brand pieces. The glove bag worked for a while but was really too small to commute to work. So, I bought a Helmet bag which is the piece I use the most. This bag is perfect for me. I attach it so that it sits on the pillion seat and then it becomes a backrest. I can fit my change of clothes, shoes, lunch, and my work materials plus lots of space for any extra stuff. It also has a rain cover which comes in handy.

I also bought on ebay a pair of Willie and Max compact slant saddle bags. These were like new and were a great deal. These are not the detachable bags but we were able to mount them under the pillion. I keep my rain gear, side stand plate, and a cable lock in the bags. I also carry water bottles, my camera, camera mount and other random things when I'm traveling. They aren't huge but they fit the bike well. With the saddle bags I feel like I can be seen better from behind. They make the bike look bigger and wider. The bags came with holes in the flaps for conchos but didn't come with them so I put those reflector screws for license plates in their place. I just found this site though so may check that out. What I'd really like are some fleur de lis conchos.

From a local bike shop I bought a Stopper brake light that fits over the license plate. Adds a bit more safety.

Purchased from Jack's Rebel Catalog was a luggage rack. Jack has everything for Rebels, parts and accessories. And in addition to all of that, he is a very nice guy to chat with. The luggage rack is for a 250 but with a little extra effort can be adapted to fit the 450. With a little help from some friends that I've not yet met, it was pretty easy to get it fitted. Also purchased from Jack's was a Clymer's manual and a new CDI box. By the way, Jack's is the only place you can get the new CDI box. Thanks Jack!

The most recent purchase is a spotlight bar with spotlights and turn signals. I bought this from a very nice guy through Craig's List. After some modifications it works just great. I think it adds a lot to the bike. People can see me better and it will offer more light for me when I ride home in the dark. (I actually haven't done that yet.) I think it makes the bike look bigger as well. I feel safer with those extra lights running.

I've also added an inline fuel filter.

Some other little things I've purchased include a tiny digital clock that we added a magnet to stick to the tank. A cable lock that I use to lock my helmet to the bike via the original bike helmet lock. I thread it through the helmet and the luggage rack and then lock it to the original helmet lock. It works great and I can put my helmet on the back rest or on the ground and still lock it to the bike. I can also lock my jacket and pants to the bike and not have to carry them around. I place my helmet on the back rest, thread the cable through a sleeve of my jacket and then drape the jacket over the helmet. This also shades the helmet so it isn't unbearably hot when I want to put it back on.

His and Hers Bikes

My first ride

My first motorcycle experience was in the Peace Corps. We were given Suzuki TS125's to get around the country to do our work. Our training involved the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Beginner's Rider Course. The first three days were pretty much the same, learning how to start the bike, shift through the gears, quick stops, etc. But, our class was 6 days long. We did riding on varied terrains - deep sand on the beach, paved roads (such as they were), mud, hills, rocks. We also learned some moto maintenance. We took the bike apart and put it back together, cleaned the carbs, changed the oil, replaced a tire. It was great! Here's my bike -I don't know what year bike it was. During my second year I inherited a newer one from a PCV who was leaving. We had luggage racks made in the village and used pieces of inner tubes as bungees to tie down things.

Here is another handy use for the bikes.

Those little bikes could carry lots of luggage and a couple of people through the desert without much trouble.

I was in Senegal from 1993 until 1995. When I came back home, I moved back to Colorado. In 1996, my boy friend and I took the MSF BRC and got our moto endorsement. But, no bikes. It wasn't until ten years later that we both got bikes. He got a CX500 and I got the Rebel. We took the BRC again and have been riding ever since. I took the Additional Rider Course at the start of this season as a refresher. I'll probably take the Advanced Rider Course next year.

but first a photo

Here is one of the first photos of my bike!

It is all new to me!

This is my first blog. I'd like to use it to keep track of my adventures with my motorcycle. It is a 1986 Honda CMX 450 Rebel. I bought it last summer (2006). I didn't ride it very much last year. We had many many days of snow on the ground last winter. And it was my first time back on the bike since my Peace Corps days. Maybe I'll start my motorcycle diary back then.....

Next up, how it all began.