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5 Common Wear and Tear Items on Motorcycles
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Ursula AlusruParticipant
One of the things I’m really excited about is learning about how my older bike works (an 81′ GS850G). I bought it from a shop in really great working order so I can ride it all summer and fall, but I now have a winter project too. I don’t just want to store it for the winter I want to shim my own valves, change my own spark plugs, clean my carburetors, and work out my electrical gremlins. I do have the tremendous advantage of having at least 5 highly mechanical people in my life who have rebuild/work on bikes in the past.
July 29, 2010 at 3:18 pm in reply to: To windshield or not to windshield – that’s the question. #27843Ursula AlusruParticipantI cant get the damn thing to sit symmetrically on the bike and the electrical tape I used to pack the gap between the clamp and the bars (they were meant for bars of a greater diameter) is slipping. And now I have the turn signal problem. So I’m off to the place down the street to the place that services my bicycle to see if they have any rubber kind of strips I can use, then to cycle salvage to see if I can get a new (new to me) signal switch, and then to the chiropractor – what a day. I’m riding on 6+ lane highways every day to get somewhere a little more scenic to ride. In the fall I’ll be taking in 100km to work and back and I’m planning a 2000km trip next week, so it’s highway riding for me!
Ursula AlusruParticipantI think they have me doing exactly that in physiotherapy today. I was training for a half marathon until this bump in the road so put it on hold for a while – as a result there has been less stretching. I like the idea of motorcycle man having a hot epsom soak in his whirlpool jets. It’s where two worlds come together!
Ursula AlusruParticipantI wish I was riding west instead of east, I drove my car out to Vancouver from Toronto last summer – what a great drive in the mountains, it was amazing going from the prairies up up up into the clouds. I’d love to do it again on the bike, perhaps a plan for next summer. As for the Cabot trail, it would be kind of cool to cycle it and then ride it on the motorcycle – just to compare the experience. A question for everyone – What is the maximum distance you’ve safely ridden in a day, that you were able to get up the next morning and do it again?
Ursula AlusruParticipantThats what I’ve been doing – I ride to the chiropractor 60km away then ride around until dinner -sleep and then repeat.
July 28, 2010 at 4:33 am in reply to: To windshield or not to windshield – that’s the question. #27804Ursula AlusruParticipantI got the wind screen. I rode with it today which didn’t really make much difference because the air was dead still and humid as hell. I was also too busy paying attention to my turn signals that stopped working when I ever so gently nudged the wires to the signal box when I tightened up the clamp for the screen…Sigh.
Ursula AlusruParticipantI put my back out and have been told that there will be no dirt bike school for me for at least two weeks. That and I’m not allowed to complain about the lack of dirt bikes in my life or the keys to my bike will be hidden too – I gotta say I haven’t been enjoying speed-bumps. So, I’m booking for the end of August. I’m going dirt bike first and trials later in the fall. I’ll keep you posted. Until then it’s off to the heating pad.
Ursula AlusruParticipantI’m planning a trip from Toronto to Nova Scotia in the next couple of weeks. I usually use a back pack if I have gear, but I’ve got say it’s not really comfortable for a long ride and its either too tight and hangs off my shoulders or too loose and flaps around in the wind. Anyhow, I want to camp along the way and while I’m out there, as well as bring my bicycle (I want to cycle the Cabot trail). My friend says he’s disassembled his bicycle and put it on the back of a GS850 for a good long road trip which is a lovely picture. However, my sweetie says he’ll drive the pace car with the gear and the dog; we’ll meet at the end of the day at the campsite. I thought it was a deal that sounded too good to be true so, I’ve taken him up on it. I was telling my dear old Dad about the trip and he was pretty upset – he believes that the entire provence of Quebec is full of biker gangs and I’m going to get myself into a world of trouble – in fact, he suggested that I shouldn’t even stop for gas if I could help it. This has had me entertained for about a week now.
Ursula AlusruParticipantI enjoyed the ones on the main site, it helps to actually see a person wearing the gear, you get a better sense of how it might fit you in the reality of physical space. I think what you don’t like about the garment is always more interesting then what you do like about it – but that’s just my two cents.
Ursula AlusruParticipantI had to try four different kinds before I found some that work well and stay in my ears (I think mine must be small), I tries all kings of squishy foam and silicon putty affairs but settled on a pair that is joined by a cord and consists of a sift post plug with 3 king of gills on it – they drowned out a lot of noise and you can reuse and wash them with soap and water. I don’t really like wearing them in the city core because I feel like I can’t hear what’s going on with the traffic/ pedestrians, but they make riding on the highway 28% less intense. I found it took me a while to get used to a good crosswind and really the scariest thing bout it is the noise. I also feel much less tired after a long rider. I think that level of noise is mentally fatiguing – much like a close dryer!
Ursula AlusruParticipantHow do you get the hat under your helmet? I rode through the valley yesterday – it was on Bayview mind you but a great part of the city none the less. I also did rush hour traffic on the DVP – such a joy. I’ll check out Danier, I really want something with armor in it, but what the hell they don’t just say ‘its worth the drive’ for nothing.
As for all the other great suggestions, this is what my research has turned up today.
I like the looks of the Dainese stuff the best however, according to their sizing chart I am:
Chest – M
Hips – XS
Waist – S
Height – off the chart, larger than the XXL
Inseam – off the chart, larger than the XXL
Sleeve length – off the chart, larger than the XXLThis is a bit of an odd combination that doesn’t exist in one single garment. Predictably, the Corazzo sizing chart is much the same. The scorpion stuff seems to be closer and they make a mens small that can be ordered in regular or TALL, there is less of a disparity in individual measurements in their chart. I called GP Bikes today and had a good chat with the friendly accessories department. They said that Joe Rocked made a ladies jacket in tall sizes last season, but has since discontinued it. On a up note they do have a ‘Diva’ line for all you plus sized women out there who I assume may have many of the same problems I have. The accessories associate also said that they have a Scorpion jacket in stock that is meant to be a 3/4 length affair and might not leave my backside exposed to traffic. I’m on a mission to try it on tomorrow.
Ursula AlusruParticipantOh TrialsRider, it’s worth the drive to Acton! You must be in the GTA? I rode our right neat there today north of Kitchener and didn’t even think about the old hide house. I did miss the bike shows, but I have a list of goodies that I want (not need) for the fall show, I went to a few years ago looking for parts with a friend. Ranette, 350$ seems like a real steal for both pieces – I love the idea of a retro track look, I wanted to stay away from logos, and roses with thorns. I find that most ladies gear is built for smaller women and when it’s scaled up its just too large. This gives me a place to start – thanks for letting me pick your brains guys.
Ursula AlusruParticipantI’d like something with some armor in the shoulders/elbows/back/knees. I’m really little but way tall 5’10 130lbs, I find that all of the ladies jackets I try are too short on the torso like wise pants – if they fit around they’re too short. Men’s gear is jus too big in all the wrong places and doesn’t accommodated for hips. I’d rather have textile if I had my choice. I’m in Toronto so its hot hot hot here in the summer but will cool off in the fall.. so, warm weather but something that can take me in to the fall with layering. I have some rain gear that works pretty well – I just have to dig it out of an ex-boyfriend’s parents basement (that will be a job!). Thanks for info ranette – I will search out Corazzo, and Dainese!
July 21, 2010 at 6:33 pm in reply to: To windshield or not to windshield – that’s the question. #27669Ursula AlusruParticipantI will most definitely do the before and after test to see how it feels. The bike actually feels really stable, it dosn’t get too blown around, just me. I find the same – that about 80km/h is about where I start to get blown around. The mounting brackets seem to have a quick release so it’s easy to take the screen on and off… I could see leaving it off unless I was planing a long highway haul.
Ursula AlusruParticipantI’m really new at this too and have dropped mine twice (once while backing up at night somewhere new after a really long ride, and once when comings to a stop at a stop sing on a hill on a gravel road), my good friend, who has waaaaaay more experience than I do, tells me that I just need to break my record. The idea is to realize that you’re going to do dumb stuff because you’re learning, but if you can put more days between the last time you did something dumb then you can actually see yourself improve as a rider.
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