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.