Forum Posts

• August 27, 2012 1:15 PM PDT

  in the topic NOT something you ever want to see. in the forum Off Topic

  99Savage wrote... Serious Question: With a modern motorcycle, shod with disc brakes fore & aft, does "laying-it-down" stop you any faster? Am so afraid of deer that when riding at nite always ride with right hand covering the front brake lever. - but would never have been expecting one on the access road to a campground, during the daytime. - They do have a habit of engaging the unexpected. The only one I actually ever hit full on stepped out of a frozen custard stand onto a heavily traveled, undivided 4 lane. Did the deer drop it's frozen custard when you hit it? I have always been bothered a bit whenever I hear someone say, "...and I had to lay it down." I hope I am never in a situation where that seems like it's the only viable option. I did run square into the back of a pick up once when the tail lights I had been seeing for a while didn't get any brighter once the driver hit the brakes hard enough to actually STOP, and I did drop the bike upon impact, which prevented me from being squished by the SUV behind me whose bumper stopped above my rear tire. But I never considered "laying it down" as an option. As far as the deer in the road, whenever I have ever seen one just standing there, minding its own business, I have always headed straight for it, all the while checking for shiney beady eyes on either side of the street. Chances are, the one you are aiming at will move before you get to it, so once I have the bike upright and running straight, I start applying the brakes, just in case. Since I can't predict which direction it is going to go, I would rather not be in mid-swerve when I suddenly decide it's time to try and STOP. I aim for it, and it is NEVER in that same spot by the time I get there. However, if you see ONE deer out on a road, chances are, there will be more! It's the ones that stay on the side of the road and wait till I get there to run out in front of me that I am mroe concerned with. And the fawns, even though they are smaller, are actually a larger concern for me. The old ones got that way by learning to avoid running in front of traffic. Hell, some of them around here won't even pick up their heads as the munch the grass growing at the edge of the road as I motor on by. The young ones are still skittish and unpredictable. I slow WAAAAY down when I see deer with spots on their backs!
• August 23, 2012 4:29 AM PDT

  in the topic Today's Dumbass Moment in the forum Ride Stories

  GOTYA wrote... a rider friend of mine's son just got his first bike a few weeks ago . While I was visiting he came in with a frustrated look I asked him what was wrong? He replied his bike wouldn't start , so i went to take a look. got on the bike and started right up. He ask what did you do? My reply "lifted the kickstand" I have 4 bikes and that "feature" gets me EVERY TIME I try and start one of them. 
• August 23, 2012 4:20 AM PDT

  in the topic What Do You Always Take? in the forum Biker Chat

  Oh yeah, I don't usually ride INTO the sun when I plan my own trips, but since I was with a group, I found myself doing just that. I usually wear shades that are graduated in tint, so I can look through the darkest part when there is glare, and the lighted part in tunnels, shady sections of the road, and during dusk and dawn. But the darkest part wasn't dark enough, so I did buy a new pair of shades at a rest stop to help deal with the sun glare. They will find a permanent place on my bike from now on.
• August 23, 2012 4:17 AM PDT

  in the topic What Do You Always Take? in the forum Biker Chat

  I just got back from a trip, and I think I used just about everything I had packed, and only slightly missed a few things I left at home, but was able to make do with what I had. The key things I did remember this trip was rain gear, extra fuses, and a spare headlamp bulb. When my group decided to depart Toledo Ohio at 5:00 am last Saturday, I wasn't quite prepared for the temps, barely 50 degrees. So, I layered on two long sleeve t shirts, a leather shirt over my leather vest, and topped it all off with my usual denim jacket. I also put on 2 pairs of socks...1 thin pair of knee socks plus my usually thicker pair that hits mid calf, about the same as my boots. Since I wore my roomiest boots, I had enough room to add a pair of water resistant but breathable socks over the top. I also have the same fabric in a glove liner, so I had them on under my normal gloves. Since I had decided at the last minute to leave my chaps at home, even though I had treated them with waterproofing during my pre-packing prep, I put on my rain gear pants to keep my legs warm. All in all, I stayed warm enough to keep going. I did lose all my running lights and my headlight this trip, so I was glad I had a spare bulb and extra fuses in my tool bag. Also, my horn had come loose and was vibrating against the cover. I had the tools on hand to take the cover off, but rather than risk over-tightening the horn and damaging it, I used a zip tie to fix its position. It didn't rattle the rest of the trip. The other savior was a spare credit card. Too many stops in too many states resulted in my first card getting shut off for a potential fraud alert. I used a backup card until I could validate my first one with the card company. And after a few idiotic moves of cagers and tractor trailers I was glad I had the ashes and patches of my biker angels with me to keep me from becoming road kill. Yes, ashes, really. My other favorite thing to have with me on bike trips is my iPhone. I was able to use it as a GPS, play music along the way, update my Facebook status for the benefit of friends and family, and keep track of or dress appropriately for the weather. I knew whether the raindrops I felt were just the edge of a random cloud and nothing to worry about vs the start of a soaker for the next hour. It also has my entire service manual on it, just in case!
• July 24, 2012 1:45 PM PDT

  in the topic Distance per day is a state of mind. in the forum Off Topic

  BIGHYDRO wrote... Hey Fefe, when you gonna do some more of those 800 mile days? Been a while since we had beer and waffle house. And why you MIA at the Asylum? Hey, I tried to set up a visit back in October with you Okies and Texans, but couldn't get anyone to come up to Kansas City, MO or Des Moines, IA to meet me. What's a girl to do?
• July 24, 2012 5:47 AM PDT

  in the topic Distance per day is a state of mind. in the forum Off Topic

  I've done my fair share of high-mileage days, but not on anything like a Yamaha FZ6! I do have a Kaw GPZ 1100 that I have put a couple hundred on in a day, and that was about all I was interested in, to be honest. It's a very different ride from the electra glide, as far as comfort, if ya ask me. So, that is an impressive haul considering what you were riding! Other than the bike I am riding, other things that factor into how many miles I attempt in a day can be any or all of the following: • How much time I have to get to where I am headed -- if I am only out following the front tire, I can take all day to go 300 miles. If I absolutely positively want to be halfway across the country by tomorrow, I can make it happen. 800 miles is about my limit though. • Whether or not I prefer to take the scenic back roads vs the superslab -- even on the high-mileage cross-country trips when I am tight on time, I always throw in a couple hours of back roads during the day. • Who I am riding with, their experience level and/or hiney fitness level -- I tend to stop more often and for longer periods when I am riding with others. By myself, I stop when the bike needs gas -- but not necessarily when the fuel light comes on. 3 hours or 160 miles, whichever comes first, usually. I hit the bathroom, throw some water and calories down, text family and friends an update on my progress, and I am on my way. • Weather conditions -- the colder it is, the longer the stops are and the more frequent, and the slower the speed (windchill and road conditions) as I am going down the road, so fewer miles logged in a day. All that said, I do want to get bags for the Kaw and take it on a multi-day tour one of these days. My best advice for those planning a long haul is to NOT break it up into equal legs. For example, instead of doing a 1500 mile run in 3 days, 500 miles each day, I would plan to do 700 the first day, 500 the next day, and 300 the last day. I find it makes the trip easier both physically and mentally! An added benefit is that it gives me a chance to explore areas further from home a bit more. That last 300 mile day may still be over 10 hours in the saddle, but it won't be on ANY expressway!
• July 3, 2012 4:47 AM PDT

  in the topic Riding in triple digits in the forum Off Topic

  I have leather pouches mounted on both sides of my bike in front of the saddlebags, so I can always have a bottle of water at the ready. However, since they are BLACK leather, the water doesn't stay cool very long! So, I save my water bottles, preferably the ones with the sippy-top (sport bottle), and fill them half full and freeze them. Then, before I ride, I top them off from the tap, and the water stays cool from the ice, and as the day goes on, the ice melts but I have a constant supply of cold water. I think the addition of salt might be a good thing, too. I am going to try that, since I have had moments in the past few weeks where I suddenly feel lightheaded and weak. One day I even dropped the bike...one of those abrupt stops when I cager did something unexpected and stupid, and my front wheel was already turned and I over-reacted grabbing the brake. What surprised me the most was how my leg just buckled under the weight of the bike...I can usually keep it from falling over when it gets out of shape like that, but I wasn't having a good day that day!
• July 3, 2012 4:35 AM PDT

  in the topic Don't Make Me Pull Over in the forum Biker Chat

  I remember when my stator disconnected while riding, and I didn't know it until I found myself on the side of the road with a dead battery. I was 1,000 miles from home, all my bags on the ground by the bike, and even had the seat off. And not one bike even slowed down...they just waved at me as they went by. That day, my hand gesture for "Yes, I could have used some help" was my middle finger straight up in the air. >:) But, sometimes, being the damsel in distress doesn't really suck! Over a week ago I found myself facing the task of pushing a bike uphill for half a mile in 95° heat (long story). Thankfully, someone DID stop to help. He was kinda cute, too! This past Sunday, we went out for a ride, stopped and had a picnic in the park (a surprise HE put together no less!), rode some more, and ended up having a couple drinks before going our separate ways. Tomorrow we have plans to get together again. :)
• June 18, 2012 3:22 AM PDT

  in the topic Today is Ride to Work Day (6/18/2012) in the forum Biker Chat

  Well, I got my own confidence out of necessity. It was a Tuesday when I picked up my bike from the dealership. The next day, I wanted a friend to come take me riding after work, but he couldn't make it. So the next day, which WAS ride your bike to work day, if I remember correctly, (or maybe it had been Wednesday) I got up, and said, "Well, if I'm afraid to ride the damn thing on my own, then I don't deserve to have it." That was the first day I rode it to work.
• June 18, 2012 3:13 AM PDT

  in the topic Tooling down the road in the forum Biker/Motorcycle Humor & Jokes

  LCStrat wrote... ...I guess you've all seen the Tshirt, "If you can read this the biatch fell off" I want the shirt that says, "If you can read this, the b!tch just passed you." :)
• June 18, 2012 3:11 AM PDT

  in the topic Today is Ride to Work Day (6/18/2012) in the forum Biker Chat

  Funny, I ride to work EVERY DAY, but I didn't have to go in to the office today! LOL But it is my 6-year anniversary of riding my own scoot. I put 51,000 miles on the lowrider, 15,000 on the softtail, and over 40,000 on the glide. Yeah, I think I am ok missing out on riding to work just this once. LOL
• June 18, 2012 3:05 AM PDT

  in the topic Since Harley got rid of the Buell in the forum Biker Chat

  I am thinking of getting rid of my Buell as well. I will probably hold onto the '99 Softail though. It has about 20,000 miles on it, which tells you how little I ride it. The 15k I have put on it in was mostly during the 8 or 9 months before I got the glide over 2 years ago, as it was my only bike. There is something about it that makes me want to keep it. It's one of those bikes that you just feel COOL when you are sitting in it.
• May 30, 2012 12:41 PM PDT

  in the topic Have you ever been scared while riding? in the forum Ride Stories

  RexTheRoadDog wrote... Have you ever been scared, I mean really scared when riding? It happened to me yesterday for the first time. The weather report for Moab was ... W I  N   D   Y    ! Predicted gusts to 65mph, sustained winds from 35 to 45mph. In the early morning I went to town on Rex to photograph an Art-Car parade. It was a bit blustery but manageable. After the parade was over I pointed Rex north towards Roz, our RV. There is a canyon that we pass through and I want to say WOW, (expletive deleted), WOW! The gusty winds there were switching directions instantly and randomly. Now this old biker has some miles in the saddle but this was, to greatly understate, a bit exciting. The point that scared me was after coming out of a sweeping turn, with Rex straight and verticle, running 65mph, we suddenly moved about a foot to the left. I do not mean we were pushed to the left with a hard gust, I mean the bike got real light and instantly was relocated. It felt as if we were lifted and placed. WOW, (expletive deleted), WOW!  I slowed to 55 mph for the rest of the 9 (exciting but happily uneventful) miles we still had to travel. I parked Rex, went inside Roz , and was treated to a full day and most of the evening of rocking to the wind in an often brown out, Utah style wind storm.  I imagine it is like sitting in a 4.0 quake, for 10 hours. I am really glad Roz is about 12K pounds or else I might have been writing this from Colorado. And the dust, Rex is red dirt brown now. Going to the bike wash today and thankfully in much calmer weather. If you have a story, please share it. We would love to read it. Were you anywhere near here? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHhZwvdRR5c&feature=player_embedded#!
• May 28, 2012 8:48 AM PDT

  in the topic Have you ever been scared while riding? in the forum Ride Stories

  Not too long ago, I was riding home on a dark back country road. As I was coming down a hill and rounding a bend, I could see the hint of a set of headlights coming toward me, so I let my turn go a little wider than usual so as not to be hugging the centerline, just in case the cager was drunk and not staying in his own lane. As I moved over to the right, the headlights came around the turn, and in that initial second of blindness of going from looking into total darkness to bright light, I caught a glimpse of a strange shadow. Half a second later I saw what it was. A man on a skateboard, coasting down the centerline also veered to his right with the car approaching. As I passed the car, he was between me and it. Good thing I had shifted over to the far right side of the lane when I did, because he was right in the path of where I would have been otherwise. I still don't know what the dude was thinking riding a skateboard down the middle of the road at midnight, but I am hoping he doesn't try it again without wearing reflective clothing. If I had been in a car, he would be roadkill now.
• May 28, 2012 8:40 AM PDT

  in the topic Have you ever been scared while riding? in the forum Ride Stories

  RexTheRoadDog wrote... ...I do not mean we were pushed to the left with a hard gust, I mean the bike got real light and instantly was relocated. I actually SAW that happen once, riding behind a friend of mine. He was on a lighter sport tourer with the side panels, and a heavy crosswind not just pushed him to cause a swerve, but I saw both tires slide sideways and then he wobbled and kept moving forward. He looked back at me with one of those "WTF WAS THAT?" expressions. If I hadn't seen it, I would have thought he was exaggerating telling me about it later.  
• May 25, 2012 9:25 AM PDT

  in the topic WOW ......nice tit's ................ in the forum Off Topic

  Ya'll ain't right. A nice set of headlights can look even sexier in a black leather bra...
• April 18, 2012 4:46 PM PDT

  in the topic Dick Clark Died Today :-( in the forum Off Topic

  When I heard the news earlier, my first thought was that it was the end of an era...it was almost painful to watch him on New Year's Eve because you could see how his body was declining with age. I couldn't help but think if the Mayan calendar predictions are true, we won't be around to celebrate on New Year's Eve anyway! Yup. With Dick Clark gone, now the world is sure to end!
• April 9, 2012 8:26 PM PDT

  in the topic posting bond in the forum Off Topic

  Jetman wrote... I would have no hesitation in smoking your cigars...lol...hey wait a minute...does that mean I am a dog? I have been caught scratching behind my ears before...lol... Ooooh Nooooooo Hooooooowl!!! If you are known to be loyal, and enjoy pats on the head...well... 
• March 28, 2012 11:55 AM PDT

  in the topic How It Works...Add Yours... in the forum Off Topic

  Jetman wrote... I am trying to find out where I can get a copy of this software now...lol... Looks to me like they did a phone vid at the Harley Museum in Milwaukee.
• March 26, 2012 5:54 PM PDT

  in the topic Slip-on Exhaust in the forum Harley Davidson

  Are you going to get a fueler or have the bike tuned now that you changed the exhaust?