Motorcycles

What would be your choice?

I got the new exhaust installed on the hack last night. It's a MAC 4 into 2 setup that looks close to stock.

I was hoping that it would be quieter than the ProSport 4 into 1 that was on the bike when I got it.

I don't think it's quieter. The exhaust note is deeper and more pleasing to my ear, but it might even be a little louder than the 4 into 1. (Not that I don't like a nice sounding kind of loud exhaust note - but it's right next to the sidecar passenger.)

In any case, the bike runs better now. There was a huge flat spot from about 3500 to 5000 (right in the 5th gear crusing range) that is now gone. The bike used to have trouble accelerating from 55 to 70 and now it just goes.

It also feels like there is more low-end torque available, so I can short-shift it in town and cruise in 4th to keep the noise down.

So I went from a raspy, anemic sounding, power robbing exhaust to a (maybe) louder, deeper note, power giving system.

I guess that's a gain.

It will be interesting to see what happens to the MPG. I was getting about 27 MPG. I need to fill up this afternoon, so I'll know in a few days.

The best part was having to beat on the side of the exhaust cans with a hammer to make some clearance room for the axle.

Thus again proving that all aftermaket is junk.

It would appear that the fuel pump is dying in the K1100RS. Again. Seems to me I just put a new pump in there. I'll have to check the receipt and see if it's under warranty (highly doubtful.)

The pump began singing me a little whiny song about half way home last night. Bah. At least it didn't die on me out in the middle of nowhere.

So now I get to spend about $200 and put in a new one. Again.

This is why one needs to own more than one motorcycle.

Stephanie needed to deliver invitations for her thirteenth (!) birthday party to her friends and it was nice enough to take the sidecar!

The battery is pretty weak in the rig - I need to get a new one - so I had to jump start the bike. But once I got it started and let it warm up a bit, it was good to go!

So Stephanie and I drove all over delivering invites. We were out for about an hour and a half.

A nice day for a ride. I saw a lot of other bike out too, and lots of people were looking at us and smiling.

I got an email from Eddie (the previous owner of my K1100RS) yesterday, with an interesting proposition in it.

He has the bodywork off another K1100RS in Special Edition black and silver that he wants to swap me for my bodywork, the aux fuel tank and the K1 fender currently on my bike.

I'm not really using the aux tank, and am probably not going to do much LD riding in the future, so I can let that go. And I like the looks of the K1 front fender, but I'm not too attached to it.

And I've really wanted to get the bike repainted.

So, I said yes. The only drawback is that he doesn't have a black seat to go with it, so I'll have a white/grey seat. But that's fixable.

So the K1100RS would go from this:


to this:


I'd keep the big spot light, maybe, or maybe get a pair of smaller ones... We'll see.

I'll miss the distinctive purple, but the black and siver looks pretty nice.

It'll be kind of like getting a new bike! And taking all the body work off will allow me to give it a good look over and see what's underneath that needs attention.

MotoGP Life's Sweet Drug

Everytime I see a motorcycle racing video I want to sell my K bike and get a 600cc sportbike.

One of these years I'm going to have to get one.

Have I got a deal for you...

A Virginia company called Flite Bike has come up with a different and totally unique concept - a Buckeye powered parachute built around a Honda Reflex motorcycle, claimed to be "the world's first roadable powered parachute."

Read the story here.

From webBikeWorld:

Honda Develops World’s First Production Motorcycle Airbag System

TOKYO, Japan, September 8, 2005 - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced it has succeeded in developing the world’s first production motorcycle airbag system.

The new system, which is claimed to help lessen the severity of injuries caused by frontal collisions, is to be made available on the new Gold Wing motorcycle scheduled for release in late spring of 2006 in the US.

Hrm... This could open a whole big can of worms. Anyone remember the leg protectors? And the safety bike?

All The Gear All The Time

I've been reading the Adv Rider Forums recently and one of the mantras that I see a lot is ATGATT.

I used to feel this way, and I do have an Aerostich Roadcrafter, Sidi boots, a Shoei Syncrotec helmet and multiple pairs of gloves.

Recently though I've been slacking off. Mainly when I drive the sidecar rig. I really know better, but I've been wearing my old, but still nice, leather jacket and tennis shoes.

I have to admit that I have even driven the hack in shorts and a tee shirt, with no helmet.

This is really stupid.

I need to read the forums more often to remind me why ATGATT is really what I should do. The descriptions of people's accidents, and what the gear saved them from, is sobering.

What amazes me the most is when I do hop on the bike or the hack and go for a quick jaunt to the store or somewhere else in the neighborhood, and I don't wear the gear, that's when someone in a cage (car) tries to kill me.

Considering that most accidents occur within 5 miles of your home, riding around the neighborhood with no gear on is extra stupid.

So it's time to start working harder on ATGATT. Period.

I don't know what to do (as usual.)

My BMW K1100RS is up for sale. I'm not really promoting this fact too hard, I posted it on the IBMWR Marketplace, I put it on Adv Rider, etc.

I've gotten a few scammers pretending to buy it and one serious looker who stopped sending emails.

I had been driving my new sidecar rig for the past month or so, but yesterday and today I drove the K1100RS to work.

Man that bike is nice to drive. Every time I drive it after being off it for a while, I wonder why I want to sell it.

My main issues with the bike are these:

1. It makes my hands go to sleep during long rides.
   
2. It makes my shoulders sore during long rides - especially with a passenger.
   
3. I think the spring on the rear shock is too stiff - the previous owner was a much larger man than I.
   
4. It runs hot in the summer.
   

So, what to do.

For number 1: For a while I had made the modification to stiffen up the rubber mounts for the handlebars. Then I removed it. I'm not sure why now. I think I will try that again (it only takes about 15 minutes.) This changes the frequency of vibration in the bars and may help with my hands falling asleep. I'll probably make this change this weekend.

For number 2: I'm not sure what to do. I already have bar-backs installed on the bike. I may try rotating the bars up a little bit this weekend when I do the change above, but I'm not sure how much that will help. I might have to swap on taller bars... this means getting longer cables (clutch, choke, throttle) and a longer brake line. That's not going to be cheap. It also would appear that Heli does not make bars for BMWs. Wonder why that is?

For number 3: I suppose all I need to do is send in the shock and get it re-sprung. That's more money...

For number 4: There is nothing to do about that. It's the nature of the beast. Update: Apparently, this is not true. I spent some time at the K1100 Owners Group Forums today and found some things to try to abate some of the heat. Also, something to try to get rid of the gas fumes that it produces when it's hot.

It's not like it's all bad either. There are Pros to this bike:

1. It is fun to drive.
   
2. It's a great bike to ride long distances - it eats up the road like no tomorrow.
   
3. It gets a pretty consistant 45-50MPG! (Getting more and more important these days.)
   
4. I love the styling of the fairing.
   

So I have mixed feelings about selling it. If I can sell it, then I can afford to get the carbs on my R100RS dynoed in so I can ride it some more. And maybe buy a different bike. What bike? Who knows?

I am running an ad in the next issue of the BMW Owners of America magazine, so we'll see if that gets any bites.

I guess we will see what happens.

The 2005 Ironbutt Rally started on Monday, Aug 22nd.

This is the infamous 11 day, 11,000 mile motorcycle rally. As much as I think it would be fun to attempt this event, I know I don't have the stamina nor the funds to do so.

So I armchair participate by reading Bob Higdon's reports.

This year there is a new feature. Thirteen of the riders are using the Star-Traxx satelite tracking system on their bikes and you can see where all thirteen of them are and where they have been by following this link. It's pretty cool. Right now, six are in the West Coast area, two are in New Brunswick, Canada and four are in Florida (one is currently heading back from Key West.)

I believe that one of the thirteen was a Did Not Start.