In praise of rain gear.

It occurred to me the other night that I've written a bit about riding in the rain.  I've praised the gear that I have but I've never really done a full review of it.   It's about time I did.  When you ride your going to be hot, cold, wet, dry, sunburned.   Your going to be miserable at times....that's what riding does to you.  But your miserable for a moment and smiling the greater part of the day.  That's biking.

That being said I have to give credit where it is due.  Susan picked up my rain gear from someone for a few bucks.  It's actually large on me, being XXL.  I often feel like that guy in the picture when I first put this gear on.

Rain gear should be larger of course, your pulling it over your jacket.  Your pulling it over your boots and pants, often on the side of the road just before or shortly after the rain starts to fall.

Rain gear is not really designed for fashion.  It's designed to keep you dry.  I've used two different rain suits in my time on a bike.  The first I got from Target and it was really a cheap plastic suit designed more to just keep you dry if you had to work or walk around outside.  It was good for a stadium during a rainy baseball game.

I don't miss it.  That being said, the second and most current rain suit I have is designed by Frogg Toggs.  I've not sure what the model number or anything like that.  I will say this.  I LOVE MY FROGG TOGGS!!!

The last few days have been kind of nasty in Florida.  Raining just late enough to catch me out in it on my way home from work.  I carry my rain gear everywhere, it's an "unofficial" requirement in Florida.  It's yet to fail me when I've needed it most.

I've also learned a few things:  1)  It's best to pull up the pants as high as you can on your waist.  Sure it makes you look and feel stupid, but the water is going to run down off your helmet and jacket and pool somewhere.  Your crotch makes a perfect spot for that water to accumulate.   You want to avoid that.  2)  Your helmet is going to fog up unless you spent the money on a helmet with a pin lock.  There are a few anti fog agents on the market but I've found a little bit of denatured ethanol works best.  I use Fogtech DX from motosoutions.com

Here is what I love about my rain gear.   I'm comfy, dry and warm in it.

Front

Back

Frogg Toggs are 100% polypropylene.  Which basically means it's made to repel water.  Being relatively thick means that it is better designed than a cheap plastic rain suit, even if it's made from the same material.  Your going to stay dryer, and warmer, because of the layering of levels (at least 3) in a Frogg Togg.  In fact, I've slipped into rain gear on cooler nights just to keep myself that much warmer.

They also design suits made specifically for the motorcycle rider.   That means reflective material is woven into the suit itself.  Remember that we're invisible in broad daylight.  Rain is going to just make it that much harder to see you.  I still wear my yellow reflective vest over the rain jacket to be on the safe side.

Pants showing the boot zipper

The zipper is solid, and to help protect you from water getting in behind the zipper, there is a button flap that folds over the zipper.   I don't use it often, but the jacket also has a thin hood that slips up and over your head to prevent water from running down your neck and back.  I've found this collar is snug enough against the back of my helmet to prevent that anyway.  Both the pants and jacket can be folded tightly into a carry sack as well.  It can be compressed even smaller depending on how you pack the sack.

My hand in an effort to show size.

If I have an issue, it's there are no drawstrings in the pants or jackets to adjust the fit.  Although other models of the suit have that feature.  Nor is there a way to access my pockets in the rain suit.  I only bring that up because of a bit of an adventure the other night where I came across a three alarm fire, sadly I had no way to dig out my camera phone quickly, and I wasn't going to go fishing for it on the side of the road.

The other thing I bought specifically for rain and colder days was a pair of BILT waterproof gloves.  These are chemically treated to repel water and are a blend of nylon and polyester.   Again I don't remember exactly what model I ended up buying from Cyclegear.

Again I went with bright yellow to provide some visibility in low visibility circumstances, for me it's more about safety and function than looking like a fashion plate model.  I also highly recommend gauntlet style gloves for one big reason.  They slip over the jacket sleeve prevent wind and water from getting in.

These are very thick and solid gloves with 100% polyester lining.  Traveling along in the rain I'm not feeling my hands getting wet, and more importantly, cold. 

I can still feel the bike's controls with these gloves on and they have a reinforced palm to help save on wear and tear.  BILT sometimes gets knocked for shoddy workmanship.  Now I admit that these are not my everyday gloves and I only use them while riding in the rain but they have stood the test of time for me over the last year or so.  The stitching seems solid and tight.  If I have one very minor issue it that I wish they provided a bit more Velcro to the strap.

I like a tight fit against my arm and I've noticed that sometimes the Velcro comes loose when I'm riding.   This can allow water running down my arm into the glove.   It's a minor thing really.

So if your a new rider, or even an old pro, I'm going to highly recommend picking up a pair of Frogg Toggs.  It's going to add a whole other level to your riding experience.

My head needs replaced.

When I bought Kimmie way back in 2013 I also bought myself a full face HJC helmet.  For the most part that helmet has served me well over time.

It has however caused me some issues over time.   It's prone to fog up in rain or cold, as I suppose any helmet is.  If I keep the visor up for a bit it may pop off the track.  It's getting noisy.  The plastic and the webbing are starting to come off the helmet.  It's been an ongoing issue for me for at least the past year. 

I remember reading somewhere that a lid would only last between three to five years, so it's time for something new, and I am giving serious thought to getting a modular helmet.  I wear glasses and that would make life a little simpler.  Plus if I'm out and about I won't have to take off my gear if I want to have a drink or need to run into a store.

They tend to be pricey however and I am first and foremost a cheap bastard.  Although I also know that the most important thing for me to protect is my head.  I'm also thinking that I want Bluetooth and GPS in the helmet as well.  I'm not a fan of being on the phone while riding, or listening to music (in fact one of the things I love about riding is that their are no distractions) but I do like the idea of having GPS available to me.  Since this is Florida some sort of pinlock to prevent fogging would be nice too.

Of course, now I'm looking at dropping a cool two or three hundred on a lid.  If not more.

It's also time for me to upgrade a bit into a better helmet.  While I'm sure brands like GMAX and HJC are good helmets, I want something that I feel is going to be a little better for me.  I can not afford a Arai or a Shoei lid.

Frankly there has to be something in the middle.  For example, I am really liking the price on the Italian made Caberg Helmets but sadly they seem to not available in America.  Plus being ECE rated they are generally put through more rigorous testing than a DOT approved helmet would be. 

So a modular may be out of the picture if I want the GPS and Bluetooth function.   Or I could add that later on, but I know the way I am and I'll talk myself out of it.   No, if I get those little "additions" I have to get them now or I never will.

The rider I've become

We all make compromises.  I thought about that last night as I took a slightly different way home.

It would take me slightly longer to get home but I would not have to deal with red lights or traffic, neither of which I was in the mood for.  As I made a left turn to put me on that path; a guy wearing flip flops, no helmet, no jacket and no gloves pulled out in front of me safely.

He was on a little scooter.  I'm not sure of the make or model.  His feet hanging off the sides of the bike either for balance or because he was an idiot.  I'm not sure which.

"Dude, put your feet up!" I yelled over at him at one of the few red lights on this route.  He gave me a stupid unknowing grin as I turned right and he went straight.

That same night I was passed by something known in the biking community as a "squid."  I was asked about that term once.  I defined it as a idiot biker.  Someone who when they go down...and they will go down...will leave a long black inky spot on the road.

I'm not saying that I'm the perfect rider.  I've not always gone ATGATT, although I always were my helmet.  I rarely wear my riding boots, although I know I should.  They, sadly, have come in handy the two times I've been involved in accidents.  I've compromised my safety because I'm required to have "casual dress" at work most days.  My boots, although comfortable, are not meant for a business environment.  Loafers or dress shoes it is.

I am normally just wearing a thin layer of gabardine, that is all that separates me from the road.  A compromise between the requirements of my job and my safety.

So when I see the weekend Harley riders out with no helmets and jackets I grumble at them.  When I see that kid and his girl on the rocket with her bare legs exposed I scoff.

I wonder if I have that right.

Hard to believe that was once me.

Still though, I'm not the rider that I used to be.  I've come a long way since I used to pull off the side of the road to let cars pass me by coming home from work early in the morning.

The young man that got on the scooter to save gas money, and who may have been having a small mid life crisis too, has grown up.  Today I pass with confidence.  I'm used to riding highways and busy city streets.  I've ridden in less than ideal situations and down bumpy dirt roads.

Even though the Lovely Susan may not like it, I've grown used to taking a few different ways into and out of work to mix up my ride.  If it were up to her, I would take the same way in and out every day just so she could find me in case of an accident.

I've got to get better at riding though.  I still make errors, sometimes I let my mind engage other thoughts and I am not concentrating as much as I should be on the road ahead.  I have to remind myself to check my mirrors now and again because something could be catching up to me, especially on those long straightaways that Florida is known for.  I need to become a better rider.

Experience builds that of course,and I also know that it just takes a car stopping up short or pulling out in front of me to ruin my day.   After nearly five years of riding and blogging...I realize I still have so much to learn. 

I've told Susan that I'm done if I have one more accident.  I'm serious about that.
 

I'm still not a fan of the little 50 cc scoots that I see in and around town, and I would still argue that a bike with a minimum of 125 CC is needed in the city.   I don't care what it looks right.  Just ride it and ride it well.

What I am sure of is my next bike will most likely be a Honda CTX  If Sue gets her way then we are going to get either a trike or a Spyder RT.  Neither of which I really have any desire for, my choice being the CTX.  However as Sue gets stronger (she is recovering slowly from a variety of ailments) there is a good chance that we may start to tour.  For that, we need something built for comfort and stability.  Either model would require adjustment on my part...but either would work.

Who knows, I never thought I would fall in love with my Kimmie either.

All I know is that I plan on riding safely for a long time to come. 

It's finally getting real (group riding, Bobscoot and updates)

I have plans for the weekend, it's a free weekend for me.  No jobs, no projects that need done.  I was speaking on Facebook with some people I know, and at long last I'll be able to go on a ride with them.

The only concern I have is the heat index.  I refuse to ride without my helmet.  Where I've ridden in the past without a proper jacket, I'm not doing that again.  I will be in jeans and boots.  I'll be riding roads I don't know and frankly I would rather be safe than sorry in case something weird happens.  The group is talking about taking the back roads to Frostproof, Florida.

That is about 70 miles from my house in Zephyrhills but that is the direct route.  When has a motorcyclist ever taken the direct route?   So I'm looking at about 150 to 200 miles (241 - 322 KM) round trip.  I can do that.   The route as it stand now is mostly US 27 and US 17; which will take us close to places like Bok Tower and  Cypress Gardens.  This is the "hill county" of Central Florida and should provide some beautiful vista's and overlooks.  I just hope I can take some photo's.

At this moment the weather is predicted to be 93 F (34 C) with a 50% chance of rain.  If the rain follows the traditional Florida summer pattern of being late afternoon/early evening storms I should be home, safe and dry, before the first raindrop falls  Tropical Storm Erika should not effect Florida at all till Monday and is most likely to skirt to the north of the Sunshine state.  So it's a long ride in the heat and humidity that bothers me, not so much the chance of rain.

The last few times I rode the bike into work I thought I would melt in the saddle as the heat index hit 105 F (40.6 C).  It's got me seriously considering buying either a cooling vest or something from the Heat Out line of gear.  I've been impressed with the Freeze out gear that I have tested.  If I buy anything it's going to have to be soon.  I've used something like what's in the picture before, but that only lasts for an hour or so, from what I understand a cooling vest can be run under cold water and keep you cool for a few hours.   The "heat out" line works by wicking the sweat away from your body.   In any case, I've bringing a few bottles of water.

I'm also thinking that in the coming month or so I should finally get a visit from Bobscoot.  For those of you that may not be familiar with Bobscoot.  He is a avatar of the late great Bob Leong.  Bob was one of the first people to comment on my blog and encouraged me to continue to write about my adventures (and misadventures) on two wheels.   The fourth anniversary of the blog just passed on the 25 of August as a matter of fact.  The little wooden scooter that serves as his proxy has been around the world now.  England, Germany, Australia and New Zealand.   Of course, several states here in the US as well.  I'm honored and scared to be part of that tribute.  I don't travel as much as others.  I'm not one to ride 100 or 200 miles in a day.  I'm simply me.  I'm actually a pretty boring guy.

But that's sort of the point of this isn't it.  To have a celebration of life and riding.   To simply...go.  So I have some things in mind for Bobscoot.  I just hope I can fit them all in with a crazy ass work schedule, weather and life in general.

In a gesture I'm sure he would have loved, I'll be riding to the Jacksonville area to pass Bobscoot on to Bill L. who writes the excellent Rocket and Me blog.  This will be my first meeting with another motoblogger.

So it's going to be nice to get out for a bit.  To meet up with new friends and old.  To my travels with Bobscoot (I've a few ideas in mind).  I'm looking forward to that change of seasons.

Seriously...when do you buy/replace gear?

It's a rainy and sad Sunday morning.   I've got Miles Davis on in the background, his Kind of Blue is fitting my mood.

It's been an uneventful week, which I suppose as a scooter commuter is the type of week you want to have.  No close calls, no idiotic drivers (well, none that caused a problem for me at least).  Sadly no travel either do to a wet and very busy weekend.

So what to write about?  I considered writing about the weather - which has been hot, muggy and wet most of the week - and how to safely ride in it.  I've considered how the cooler weather will soon be here, how my "winter" jacket has served me well and since I'm now working only till 6 or 7 PM most nights, how my Freeze Out jacket, gloves and my current mesh jacket should work well for me most of the year.  In fact, for only a few months out of the year the mesh jacket suites me fine.

Average Tampa temperatures 

High °F	Low °F		High °C	Low °C
70	52	January	21	11
73	54	February	23	12
76	58	March	25	15
81	63	April	27	17
87	70	May	31	21
90	75	June	32	24
90	76	July	32	24
90	76	August	32	25
89	75	September	32	24
84	68	October	29	20
78	60	November	26	16
72	54	December	22	12
82	65	Year	28	18

The Jacket from Xmas - 2011

My blood has not thinned out that much when I would consider anything to be cold.  Of course your body adjusts to the climate your in.  We've had some cold snaps that reminded me of early winters back home.

My "winter" jacket is your traditional motorcycle jacket.  It was made by Vulcan and it has served me very, very well.  It's been through a couple of "incidents."  Neither of which were technically my fault, but as a realist - I could have done things better, been a better rider.  Experience helps you grow.  Unlike a helmet, which I know should be replaced when ever it's been involved in a accident, I'm not sure about the jacket.

It's been beat up sure, scratched up in a couple of places but the seams are still holding up nicely.  It's a little snug now, much more so then what I remember it but the man is growing older.  It's four years old now.

The jacket was given to me as a gift, I still would have preferred, and still prefer something in a bright neon or orange.  But beggars can not be choosers and I love that my parents bought me a good jacket.  I added some reflective tape to it and later still added a neon yellow safety vest to it.  It still works...but honestly I'm a bit worried about the armour and how that holds up over time.

Gloves are easy to know when to replace.  Frankly I used to buy a pair of riding gloves from my local Wal-mart, but after wearing through the fingers on a few of them I bit the bullet and paid for a pair of Fox gloves.  It's been a world of difference and I'm going to buy a pair of gauntlet gloves for the winter.  I just need to go get a pair.  Color don't matter, just be windproof and waterproof.

I know I'm cheap, but the older I get the more safety matters to me.  I'm okay paying a bit more for something that may be the difference between a broken hand and a bruised hand.

Then their is my helmet.   I have mixed emotions about it.  When I bought it, I thought it was fine, but here we are some two years later and I'm not happy with it at all.

It's an HJC.  The little plastic tab broke off that opens and closes the top vents, it's been open ever since, not that it matters.  The face shield had a tendency to come out of its' grooves, meaning I've had to pull over and fix it at times.  The plastic seems cheap and I've often had to resnap the padding back into place.  I'm cheap like I said and it was a closeout.

I do have a few other helmets.  Sue has one for her noggin and we bought a second full face helmet for me at that time but it never felt quite right when I wore it, hence I bought the HJC and was happy with it for a short time.  A silver half helmet I've not worn in forever rounds out the equipment.

I've fallen in love with the modular helmets - wearing glasses it would be so much easier - and frankly if I go that route, I might as well pay for the phone/GPS and radio option.  One of the things I love about riding is the quiet, NOT having the radio or GPS or people calling.  Still though, if I'm serious about wanting to go on day trips to the Atlantic or put in 150 mile + days on a more regular basis, having that equipment built in only makes sense.  It's just a shame that Nolan is so damned pricy.  So do we put that off?  Or the jacket for now?

No matter what I do, I'm looking at getting my money's worth out of this equipment.  Good gear can be the difference between "Ouchie" and "We are here to celebrate the life of..."   I'll take the ouchie in the pocketbook before the "celebration of life" any day of the week.

So gentle readers; when do you buy gear?  What would you recommend?  I'm listening.

Solve for X

My first bad motor scooter

So we are still waiting on the part.  A nasty phone call to my mechanic results in a mumbled apology and "I'll look into it personally" from Mike the owner.  "Mike, where are you getting this part shipped from?  North Korea?"  I ask.  "Yea, I think we are." He says.

I've laid awake in bed the last two nights or so considering my options.  I have to take a lot into consideration if I go new.  Cost, mpg, storage, etc.  In a lot of ways I'm reminded of what I went through when I first decided to by a bike all those years ago.  Hard to believe that I've been on a bike for slightly over four years now.  Hard to believe that I'm am considering getting yet another motorcycle.

Me on the day I bought the Burgman.

My little Zuma 125 met my needs in the city.  It had high MPG (about 85+).  My late Burgman 400 was powerful enough to handle the highways and city traffic of my move to Zephyrhills, Florida.  My Kymco Xciting 500 has (slightly) more power and meets my needs as I zip all over creation.  I've farkled (is that a word?) it out some; adding a cramp buster, flashing front light and a top case.  As I moved up in power my mpg fell a significant amount each time.  The Burgman was in the low to mid 50's.  Kimmy is in the high 40's to low 50's.

I really don't want a new bike, I don't feel ready for a new bike (although financially I am)...I don't think I'm done with Kimmie yet but as she sits covered with her burial shawl in my driveway I know that I have to consider it.  I know I'm leading hard to the Honda CTX and I know I'll have to start all over again with luggage and such.  

Kimmie' in happier times

The Honda is expected to be just shy of 68 mpg.  Certainly a respectable number, although I know that my mileage may vary.

I hear bikes on the road whining in the distance "Join us" and I can't.  I want to be on the road.  I suppose it's something only bikers understand.

I wonder how much longer I will wait for Kimmie to be repaired.  I know that I will have to replace the CVT belt eventually, a front tire sooner than later as well as figure out the electrical problem (she's not turning over at all) and get the stupid gasket replaced.  What might have been $500 will probably end up costing me closer to $1000.  If she's going to be up in the air anyway why not put a new front tire on her?

So what else could possible go wrong?  What other issue is lurking under her plastics?  I don't care for uncertainty and I've been lucky enough to get to where I am by reducing that uncertainty.  By understanding the numbers and making smart moves based on the data.  To much "X" here and not enough "Y" for my liking.

A new bike doesn't solve all those issues and in fact creates some new ones.  On Saturday I am heading off to my dealer again to consider my options.  Get a trade in value and maybe, just maybe look at a few other options.  But honestly if a new bike payment is under $150 a month....I may have to change to blog's title.

Sometimes the best laid plans....(The unscheduled review of the Freeze out jacket)

I can not speak for my fellow bloggers and how they write but for me it's either one of two ways.  The first way is what I'm doing right now...writing off the top of my head, trying to pay attention to grammar and such but getting out exactly what my impressions are minutes after getting off the bike.
Or, the more traditional way of actually doing some research and then trying to fit my ride around that certain destination.  Generally speaking most of what I write in the first type of article.  Free flowing and relaxed...I blame Jack Kerouac's influence for that.

The second type of writing is where I have a pure destination in mind.  Various reviews, updates, and day trips fall into this category.  I originally had one of two day trips planned.  If I didn't go on one, I would take the other. I already had most of the blog piece written, I would just have to fill in the details.

This little piece of fluff is a combination of the two.  My original plan was to take off early on a Saturday morning and travel north to Brooksville, Fl (about 33 miles away or 53 KM).  It's a pretty well known destination for bikers in Florida since its surround by some lovely rural and twisting roads.  Or I would use my back up plan to visit and explore Ybor (EE-bor) City (about 30 miles or 48 KM  away) if that trip fell through for what ever reason.

Well....it was 31 F (0 C) when I woke up this morning and was slow to warm up.  One thing lead to another and another and another till I finally left the house at 2:45 PM for a ride.  Which got cut short due to a phone call telling me about a family emergency.  I will not go into the details but everyone and everything in fine.

What I will say is that this is the first time I've worn the Freeze Out Jacket I received as a gift over Christmas.  I've been wanting to review the jacket for some time but wanted to take it on a longer ride to fully form an impression of it.  I'll say this.  My first impression is very good.

Taken from the web

It's a tight fit which is good, you want to keep that heat close to you.  I did feel a little bulky with it on but then again, I'm used to throwing on a sweat shirt.

The temperature gauge on my phone stated the high today was only 52 F (11 C) which was not a great test of gear that is supposed to keep you warm in cold weather.  The wind however was blustery and that is the main concern for me.

As I rode one thought kept popping into my mind.

"I'm hot."

I was wearing a pair of jeans, long johns and a long sleeve shirt.  I had the Freeze out gloves on but other than that just my usual riding gear...and I was warm.  Hot even.  Even my hands under my gloves were warm which I can only contribute to my core being warm.

Even though my ride was cut short (total about 40 miles or 64 KM) it was a good ride.  The wind cut across the open plains but the only place I really felt it was around my neck and I could not help but think that if I had a balaclava I would have been happy as a clam.

I know, not much of a review but I was sort of weary of wearing this jacket.  I can take my hooded sweatshirt and wear it into work with no issue.  Fold it under the seat.  Tuck it up around the back and bottom of my neck when I ride home of cool nights.  Or wear the hood under my jacket.  Old habits die hard I guess.

But I'll say this.  This jacket made a believer out of me after a short ride on a cool windy day.  I can't wait to see it handles the cooler temps that are in the near future coming home at night.

Freeze out gloves review - part two of two thing

The lovely Susan actually bought me the Freeze out gloves and jacket all the way in December of last year.  If you been reading the blog with any regularity then you have an idea of why I've not written a review of them till now.

It only makes sense that one of the worst winter storms in years would push cold air into the south and Florida has "suffered" from lower than normal temperatures over the last few days.  The lows were like a fall day growing up in Pennsylvania, for example last night my phone stated it was a balmy 40 F (4.4 C).  I have to admit that I always feel silly talking about "cold weather gear" when I am riding in what is actually Autumn type weather for the rest of the North American riding public.

I suppose however it is all relative.  Humidity affects us in a lot of ways, the higher the humidity the worse it seems.  For example, as I type this the outdoor temperature is 46 F (8 C), but the humidity is 100%.  That just makes it that much harder to regulate our body temperatures.  So proper preparation is needed and I have spoken about the effects of wind chill before.  Still though riding at 10 PM is different than riding home at 2 AM.  One day on the Burgie the temperature hit 32 F (0 C).

Truth be told all I have really have not used the jacket yet (get ready for part 3 of 2), mostly because I like to wear a hooded sweatshirt so I can either tuck the hood around my neck, or wear it under my helmet so if it rains therefore protecting the back of my neck.  Plus I would rather test it during daylight hours.

Photo by cyclegear.com

Here's the good news.  The Freeze Out gloves help.  That being said I think if I wore the gloves under a heavier glove or perhaps under a gauntlet style glove they would have worked better.  My hands were cool, but not chilled.  There have been nights in the past where my hands were ice cold.

They are designed to be windproof  therefore trapping a thin layer of air between the skin and the outside of the glove.  In theory, your natural temperature should heat up the trapped air and make your hands feel warmer.  The Fox gloves that I currently use are not the best for my experiment as they let air flow through them.  

So again if I used them with my heavier "hunter style" gloves or a gauntlet style glove I think I would have had better results.  The question is however:  "Would I recommend them?"

Yes.  Yes, I would.  However there are a few things I think I should mention.

One:  The gloves fit pretty tight for a few days and they eventually stretched out a bit.  However the stitching on the side of the glove should be reinforced a bit.  It did not rip, but I've come across a few reviews where it did.  So it may eventually.

Two:  The overall feel of the glove is good.  It may take a few minutes or days to adjust to the feel of the switches and such depending on the individual.

Finally an update.  Things should be getting back to some level of Normal within a week or so.  I already have two day trips planned and should be getting back to exploring on the bike more regularly soon.  Susan is feeling better and getting stronger after her bouts at the hospital two plus weeks ago.  Many thanks to those that inquired after her.

Be well and ride safe.

Heading down new paths (or why I decided to review some products).

I have to admit...when someone from Motorcycle House contacted me about doing reviews of their products I had some trepidation.  After all I ride a scooter, admittedly a big bore scooter who thinks it's a sport bike...but it is still a scooter.

However the more I thought about it the more it made sense to me.  Often I've complained that their is a lack of good reviews of products.  Motorcycle House has there products reviewed by other bloggers I respect, such as Doug at Forty Years on Two Wheels and the Road Pickle crew are two wonderful examples.  A few other bloggers, some I've known and some I didn't, have written fair reviews or produced various You Tube video's concerning their products.  Generally speaking they were positive.

It takes a certain type of company to put there product into the hands of bikers and say "Here...do your worst." and get good reviews in return.  Even before I joined the brotherhood of two wheels, I knew bikers.  They generally are a "bullshit free" type of breed.  They tell you what they think.  Still I need assurance that if I didn't care for something that I be able to say that.  They gave me that assurance in spades.

One of the items I am looking forward to reviewing.

The second reason I decided to review products is that, frankly, their is not much out there designed specifically for the big bore scooters.  Sure, you can find lots of stuff for the smaller cc bikes. When an engineer or designer gets an idea into there mind it's hard to change.  Take for example Formosa Saddlebags, here is a nice product that really can't be used in mid-sized to big bore scooters like mine.  I'm curious to know what can be. 

So what gear will work on the various maxi-scoots?  What won't?  Will something like a motorcycle tank bag work on a scooter like mine?  After all it's designed for a traditional motorcycle...not a scooter. Can it be adapted with little effort?  Or are we going to have to go back to the drawing board?  Is a product like that even reasonable to consider using?

Plus, and I've said this before, the scooter is the wave of the future.  The quicker a company moves to take advantage of that market the better off they will be.  If I know what products work well on scooters, I'm more likely to buy from that company.  

So lets see what happens.  

Cold Weather Challenges - Part two

I have to be honest, I was not sure if I wanted to return to this topic.  After all, I live in Florida and our "cold" is completely different from the "cold" of my home state of Pennsylvania or even the "cold" of Virginia.  But I was looking through the stats of the site and searches for "cold weather" and "cold weather riding" seem to be one of the driving forces for generating traffic to this blog right now.  That means many of you are reading this old post, which sadly does not contain much, if any, useful information.

So frankly, gentle reader if your looking for information about riding your motorcycle in the snow, or what tires are best suited for winter traction, your in the wrong place.  There are way better blogs and forums to get that information from.

All that I can do is pass on my little tidbits of knowledge that I've learned.  So read on, you might learn something.

What I will talk about is wind chill and preparation for those cold days.  We do have cold snaps here in Tampa that can be in the low 30 to high 20's (0 to - 6 C).  First thing that we as motorcyclists need to remember is this.  It's not the cold that will get you.  But the wind chill! 

All that graph shows is a loss of heat.  So if your traveling along at a nice clip of 50 mph (80.5 KPH) and the air temperature is 40 F (4.4C) your body is thinking that it is actually 26 F (-3.3 C).  The faster you go, the colder it's going to seem.  The cold can affect your reaction times, your judgement and finally your body.  This is called Hypothermia and is the rapid, progressive mental and physical collapse accompanying the chilling of the inner core of the body.  It's caused by the exposure to cold and is aggravated by being wet, the wind and exhaustion.  In fact, the state with the most reported cases of Hypothermia is Florida.  We are simply not used to the cold or understand how it can affect us.

BUT understanding some things and doing things right can extend your riding season into the cooler months and into into the winter.  PLEASE remember, for information about riding in snow or ice you need to go elsewhere.  I can not be held responsible for your decision to ride in that type of conditions.

What I can do is this.

STEP ONE - LAYERS (pay attention to the base layer!) -  For me the base layer is often just a pair of long johns (sometimes called thermal underwear) or a pair of fleece underwear.  It should be tight against the body but comfortable at the same time.  The snugger the fit means that less air will flow between your body and the clothing.  This retains your body heat for a longer period of time.

If your commuting like I do I would recommend the fleece underwear.  It breaths a bit more than the thermal underwear and that will make you a bit more comfortable at work.

An excellent example of layers

After that layers can be added or subtracted as needed.  I might wear a long sleeve shirt over my base, then a sweater over that.  If its colder still, I will throw on a hooded sweatshirt under my jacket (the hold fits under my helmet and keeps my head and back of the neck warm) and to protect my legs - a pair of sweat pants.  No, I don't look sexy but I am warm.  Yes, I've pulled over to put on a pair of sweat pants over my jeans.  I've even heard of riders slipping on their rain gear to help them stay warm.

My jacket is waterproof and I zip up the vents to keep the cold air out as much as possible.  Remember that air can act as a barrier, so when you layer your actually trapping warmer air close to your body and that helps protect you.

STEP TWO - AVOID THE WIND - Or in other words, make sure there are no gaps where the wind can get in and start to cool you down.  Gauntlet style gloves fit over the sleeves of your jacket and protect you that way.  "Hippo Hands" do the same thing.

An example of "Hippo hands"

Things like wearing a full face helmet and heaving a good windshield help as well.   You want to direct the wind around you if at all possible.

A Scarf or Balaclava (or even a ski mask) will help protect the face and neck; the neck actually has two large veins that bring blood back to the heart.  Keeping these veins warm will help keep you warm.

STEP THREE - KEEP YOUR HANDS AND FEET WARM - You should already be wearing waterproof and slip resistant sole boots.  If not, buy some.  I'll wait.

Back so soon?  Good!  The reason why is simple.  Your body will want to keep the core warm and your brain functioning.  Keeping your hands and feet warm is low on your body's list, plus there are lots of small blood vessels that can transfer your body's heat to the outside air if exposed.  Wearing wool socks in your boots or two or three pair of socks will help.

Find a good pair of windproof riding gloves.  If possible the gloves should have some sort of clasp or elastic to tighten it against your riding jacket.  The gloves should also be insulated.  Heated grips and electric gloves may be a solution as well.

A simple and rather elegant solution believe it or not is to wear a simple pair of latex gloves under your gloves.  The latex does not breath so the air trapped between the glove and your skin serves as another insulating barrier from the outside cold.

STEP FOUR - EAT! - You want to eat to keep your energy up.  You want to eat to healthy of course, for your body is producing a lot of heat.  Heat which you now have trapped in layers of waterproof and warm clothing.  There is a reason why we humans generally gain weight during the winter months and no it's not because fat is a insulation.  Your body produces more heat on a full stomach than it does an empty one.

So there you have it.  Remember these are just tips that I picked up.  Your mileage may vary and the smartest thing you can do is know your limits.  If your feeling cold, then stop.  Have a cup of coffee and a few donuts in a nice warm place.  Know the symptoms of Hypothermia and never ever be afraid to ask for help or go get help.

I want to see you out on that road.

The winter months brings it's own challenges.

Autumn has arrived in officially in Florida.

The humidity broke, the temperature has settled into the what I used to think of as "summer" weather when I lived up north.  My mesh jacket has been confined to the closet and I slip into my heavier "winter" jacket welcoming the extra weight and warmth of it for the cold ride home at 1 AM.  I start to get my head around the fact that soon it will be very cold on the way home.

The temp gauge on my beloved Burgman (RIP)

I know that the words "cold" and "Florida" don't exactly make logical sense.  I do admit to feeling some pangs of regret that my Northern friends don't have a year round riding season like I do and always feel a little bad bringing up the topic of "cold weather riding."

Well snow is as rare as a truthful politician it can get cold here.  I have photographic proof of it.  For me it's a challenge, I have to dress warmly yet still manage to look professional and competent.  Dressing in layers is not always possible...I have to work in an area we refer to as the "fish bowl" - a glass enclosed small space full of computers.  Sweaters and hoodies can only go so far and I don't want to do a strip tease just yet.  My boots are good at keeping my feet warm but my legs?  Oh that is a different story!  In the past I've gone so far as to wear thermal underwear under my dress pants or place a pair of old sweatpants under the seat and pull those over my dress pants.

Winters are dry here, but we do get a nasty wind off the land and sea at various times of day and wind chill becomes a issue.   Layering is all well and good, but again how much gear can I wear in to work to stay warm on my 37 mile (60 KM) ride home without sweating off my skinny little butt?

The simplest solutions are always the best.

Kimmie at work.

The migration of the snowbirds also brings heavier traffic and a greater number of bikes on the road.  With that comes new dangers and challenges. I'm not knocking older drivers, who on the whole tend to be safer drivers, but they do need to remember the old adage "look twice, save a life."   Yesterday for example I had cars pull out in front of me twice, neither time was I ever in danger but that's not the point.  I have to be more vigilant in the winter months.  For example, in my little town of Zephyrhills the ave population is a little over 13,000 people.  During the winter months that number climbs to something like three or four times that.  More people equals more problems equals more danger.  That is just a sad fact.

UPDATE - In a bizarre twist, I was meeting my girlfriend at a friends about 4 PM.  They live off a rather busy road that is hard to cross during rush hours.  I decided to head down a rough washboard road and meet them at a Italian restaurant.  I too,k my helmet out of my top case and road the 3 miles or so to the bar.  By the time I got there my top case was gone.  We went back to look for it and traveled that road back and forth at least 3 times.  There was no sign of it anywhere.  Not even plastic on the road.  So I need a new top case and a new pair of gauntlet gloves (which were in the case).  Also new reflective stickers.

Robert is not happy.

Closeout (updates on various things)

I caught a glimpse of her in the mirror today.  We were on our way to breakfast at IHOP and Sue was tucked in behind me.  I could not make out her face in her new helmet but I could feel her hands around me and the press of her body on my back.  She was buying breakfast and I could not have been in a better mood.

I knew I was in trouble when she mentioned her wanting to buy some sort of communication device so she could talk to me when riding.  How Christmas was coming up, and my birthday a few short months after that.  In other words, I should expect a communications headset.

Sometimes I catch a look at myself in my gear and it's odd to think about everything that is now in my closet that is biking related.  We now have four helmets, four sets of gloves, three sets of jackets, two pairs of boots, two sets of rain gear and a partridge in a pear tree.  We have come a long, long way from a canary yellow pullover and a shiny half helmet  Well it may not be the best gear it does serve a purpose, and hopefully we will never have to test our gear.

Now that fall is coming, we should be riding more as a couple.  It was incredibly hot and humid this summer, we didn't ride nearly as much as we could have.  The heat also effected my participation in the Equinox to Equinox rally.  I finished a very respectable 13th at of 202 participants and met my goal of a top 25 finish.  I managed a total of 291 points.  If I had continued to play I have no doubt I could have finished in the top ten, maybe even the top five.  You can see my various photo's here:  I was # 096.  Well I enjoyed it, I have to admit that I am not if I would participate again.  It just seemed it to long.  While the guys at the Pace Podcast do a great job, I just feel they just bit off more then they could chew.  It would have been nice to have had updates, either on the podcast or the website, regularly.  We will see what they have planned for next year.

Finally, I love a love a good adventure story.  I love travel stories and - at the risk of being called a "wimp" or worse - romance stories.  So when I came across this story on Scooterfile I had to follow up on it.  It seems that a young man fell in love with an idea.  To ride from Canada to Peru on a 150cc Lambretta.   Now that would be crazy today...but in the late 50's?  Perfectly insane.

Thanks to the Kickstarter website

One hitch in his plan. He met the woman he would marry three weeks before hand.  He still goes on the trip, and then, showing what must of been a sure sign that he was crazy in love.  He asks her to marry him and come on the journey with him.  You can't make these stories in Hollywood.  Unless you throw in an alien invasion or Zombies.

His son is trying to put together the money to tell his parents story.  From what I understand it's just a question of getting the money for the printing.  You can read more about the Bowman's adventure on their Kickstarter page.  The official website is at The Scooter Diaries and goes into much more detail about the project. Of course, their is a Facebook page as well.   It's an interesting story and worth looking into.  

Does the "Gearing Up Saga" ever end?

A few days ago at work a buddy of mine asked me how hot I was wearing my jacket every day.  I explained to him that I just bought myself a new mesh jacket that allowed for better airflow, and that lead to a little discussion about safety in general.  How wearing a jacket or a helmet just becomes habit, much like putting on a seatbelt.

At this time if you are still reading then good for you!  Hopefully this is NOT going to be a "boring safety post."

Well  maybe a little bit of safety.  I am going to review my new mesh jacket and talk a little bit about my future plans for Kimmie.  All of which, strangely, seem to revolve around safety issues.  I've already done more "farkles" on Kimmie than I ever did on the Burgie.  I'm counting the new seat as a farkle even though it was not planned that way.

  Ten years ago if you would have told me I would have fallen in love with Motorcycling (actually I'm a Scooterist) I would have thought you were nuts.  Five years ago I was giving it some thought, for the same reasons I started riding.  To reduce my costs and make my life simpler.  To a great extent it has.  Sometimes I pull next to a bus or some other reflective surface and I find myself wondering who is that guy in the dark helmet, the new grey and black jacket wearing the heavy boots is.   I've come a long way from the guy in the half-helmet wearing a bright yellow spring jacket with no armor at all.  No gloves, no boots.  Riding my little Zuma 125 down twisty roads in the middle of the night.  So paranoid of being hit from behind I would pull off the road at night to let cars pass me.

Today, on a bigger machine, I wear proper gear most of the time.  I will admit that I've gone to work on hotter days sans jacket (one of the reasons I bought the mesh jacket).  Or I've had a meeting sometime in the day where I've slipped on my dress shoes instead of my boots.

Now that Sue is starting to ride with me, we have been looking at jackets and a new and better helmet for her than the old half helmet she wears now. I only bought my new jacket at her insistence (Yes I'm that cheap!).  It's funny how suddenly having a passenger changes things.  Suddenly the lighted license plate I toyed with buying takes on more urgency.  Installing a air horn becomes less of an issue and moves up the "to do" list.

Well I certainly find the light modulation kits annoying when I ride, I can understand why others have them.  I'm not sure if I'm willing to annoy other drivers yet by buying one.  I am not so worried about the personalization of Kimmie as I am about making myself and my riding partner safer.

It's funny how that works.  How something originally intended to get me from point A to point B cheaply became something more.  How it inspired this silly little blog.  How it's taken me further and now I want to share that...that feeling of joy I have when I just go anywhere.

See I told you there wouldn't be to much safety talk in this post.

Just more twists and turns on the road of life.

Lately there have been some changes not only in my life but in the lives of those around me.  Generally speaking they are for the best.  My brother and his wife have worked long and hard to adopt, and that dream is now days away from coming true.

I celebrated another successful trip around the sun (April 6th) surrounded by friends and family.  My 47th such trip.

My girlfriend's daughter is having a birthday soon herself.  Friends accomplish great things.  Old grievances are forgiven.

As I lay out my plans for the coming days and weeks I'm struck by how much can change in a blink of the proverbial eye.  Life is generally good and I am enjoying it.

So far my attempt to ride every day in the month of April has been successful, and has even lead to me finding new roads, new sites and new adventures.  The weather has cooperated with me so far and although the heat and humidity that Florida is famous for is coming...it's not here yet.  This heat and humidity have convinced me that I need a lighter summer jacket.

For the last two days I've rode into work wearing just my helmet and gloves.  Well maybe a little more than that, I am after all a believer is ATGATT after all.   Balancing comfort and safety is always difficult and even more so here in Florida.  The weather has been exceptional the last few days, but as I write this, the weather is cloudy and very breezy.  The temperature is 83 F but feels like 89 F (or 30 C and feels like 32 C) .  The humidity is 60%.  It will rain today, the question is just when.

I will wear my jacket today when I ride, which is black and heavy, to protect me from the elements and possible crashes...but I will curse it.  For being heavy and black and so very, very hot when I sit in traffic or at a light.  I need something lighter.  I need something soon.

I am slowly but surely racking up the points in the Equinox to Equinox rally.  Well I may not win I feel that if I continue to add points daily I should, at least, reach my goal of a top 25 finish.  Thanks to Fuzzygalore's website I was able to find some things that I would have missed otherwise, and also learned that I really need to visit some cool stuff that isn't on the list.

Kimmie is calling...I need to ride.

A short post about Spam, Gloves and Neil Peart

SPAM!  We all love it.  After all it recently deserved posts in the "Flies in your Teeth" blog as well as "Find Me On the Road" blog.  Seems like were all getting hit by the same marketer or marketing program.

As of late I've been willing to let a marketer go ahead and post something,  if I got the feeling that the low paid intern or who ever searched out my blog...actually read what I wrote (or so I hope).   So I let a few comments slide by even if the name was just "saddlebags" and the link was to a commercial page.  For example, recently someone commented on a post of mine where I mentioned my interest in urban gardening and included a picture.  They asked me if it was a tomato plant...that at least tells me a live person at least scanned my article.

Yes, that really is my car.

I own and run a small magazine and publication distribution company on the side which provides me with about 1/3 of my yearly income.  I'm to a point where I don't need to advertise my services, but at one time I twisted  every arm, shook every hand I could to promote that business.  Luckily their are only so many publishers and publications and once you reach a certain point your name is all you need.  Knocking on those doors was tough in the beginning...but you got your name out there.  So I can sympathize with these "spammers" although I don't particularly care for what they do.  But make an effort at least.

Recently I had a bad apple ruin it for all the low paid intern's out there, trying to get the product into the public's eye.  Sorry "John Smith" (really?  Could you not have found any name even close to original?)  your comment promoting a bike dealership was really not that interesting or in-depth AND not related to my topics at all.  Nor did the copy and paste impress me as your comment was left on a few of my blog entries.

Sorry....no more spam.  I moderate the comments I get now, and will no longer give anyone a free pass. Although I do not see the need to ask you to "prove your human"...yet.

Here in Florida we've been experiencing a cold snap.  People are bringing plants in, there is frost on the ground in some places late at night or early in the morning.  I've been wanting to get gauntlet style gloves for some time because I'm tired of the cold air and rain blowing up the arms of my jacket.  On Friday, I finally got my ugly butt a pair. The only issue I have with them is that they are slightly larger than my hands, I ended up getting the 2X where a simple X size may have worked.   But then again  they are nice and tight again my jacket above the wrist and that is exactly what I was looking for.

They are thinsulate filled and that creates a "less than sensitive"  feel than I am used to.  Considering how I used to wear thick orange hunting gloves on cold nights that protected my hands but did nothing about the wind, this is a improvement.  Those old things provided no sensitivity.

By "sensitivity" I mean the way I feel the throttle and brakes in my hands.  In my regular riding gloves my hands are light and that means I keep a light touch on the throttle and brakes.  Barely moving the throttle as I strive to maintain a consistent and safe speed.  With the thicker gloves, I have to apply more pressure for the same results.

Now I need to find a good, reasonably priced "summer" jacket.

Thanks to blog.motorcycle.com

Finally I started reading Neil Peart's "Ghost Rider".  I've just started chapter 6 and so far I'm enjoying it.  It's a mix somewhere between travel log and memoir although so far I feel like Peart is keeping a major part of himself hidden from the reader.   Considering Peart's loss of both his long time common law wife and their daughter within a year of each other you can't really blame the man.  I don't think many men would be able to recover...becoming just ghosts of themselves.  Peart's answer is to this is to run.  Run as far away as he can on a BMW 1100 Adventure into the wilds of America, Canada, Mexico and Belize.

Peart is probably best known as the drummer and lyricist for the rock band Rush.  Well I have always been a fan of the band, I sort of lost interest in their music sometimes in the 90's, this is the first time I've ever read any of his non-musical work.  It's a light and easy style that deals with a hell of a subject matter and frankly I keep expecting his style to turn dark.  In the early chapters at least he is still in shock and in a deep depression...I'm curious to see exactly where in his 55,000 mile journey he comes to terms with life, loss and returns to art...perhaps the only thing that makes life bearable for him.

The "Happy Holiday" edition

The Holiday Season for me always begins about mid-December.  I have recovered from the over stuffing that is Thanksgiving and have been lucky enough to have been born into a family where my brother is a trained chef.  My ex-wife was a fabulous cook who would put any Iron Chef to shame and my current girlfriend was a restaurant chef and manager for 20 years.

In other words I eat well.  Very well for two months straight.

A fair example of what's in store.

 This Holiday Season is especially important to me this year.  In the past year, I have lost two very good friends and find myself questioning my own mortality.  Tragedy's like the recent shootings at Sandy Hook and a movie theater in Denver have not changed my day to day life in any way, but it does force me to question where we, as a nation, may have gone wrong.

On Friday, the 21st of December...I was hurt in a accident.  Well banged and bruised up, my gear did exactly what it was supposed to do.  I never lost consciousness.  No bones were broke.  Until the police finish their report and the insurance company looks at my bike I can say no more at this time (there was another vehicle involved that left the scene).  I will say this, if I had questions concerning ATGATT (All The Gear, All The Time) I'm a believer now.

This also confirms my desire to take the Road Guardian class and get re-certified in basic first aid.  My getting back on the bike was never questioned.

It's Christmas, I am happy to celebrate it with the ones I love.

Random roads my thoughts go down.

It's been raining pretty steadily here in West Central Florida.  Every day it seems I need to pull out the rain gear on my way to work, it's not been a problem for the most part although I do need a new pair of waterproof riding gloves.  I have three pairs, one that actually slips over the jacket sleeve and should protect me from getting wet. However I don't care for them, they don't feel right on my hands and seem "a bit much."  The other pair I wear is lighter and more form fitting but is not as padded or protective as I would like.    Lately it seems that water is wick-ing it's way up my sleeves and coming to rest in my elbows and sleeves.  No matter how tight I think I have my zippers zipped.   A minor issue but an issue none the less.  The third pair I have only worn a few times and they are actually gloves designed for hunting in the middle of winter and are not really motorcycle gloves at all.

The gloves I have now are just not working for me.

So I need to find new gloves.

I am actually rather proud of myself.  For the last week or so I've been riding the bike to work and for errands daily.  Up until the other night that is.  I reviewed Weather.com and saw a 50% chance of riding home in a storm.  At 1 AM in the morning on a super slab I wondered if that was a good idea.  I am trusting myself more in the rain, feeling a little more comfortable in less than ideal situations.  Still though, riding home in the dark is a challenge in it's own right.   Riding home in the dark in rain pushed that risk factor up more than I was willing to take.

Random thought # 2:  I've been giving some thought to upgrading my phone.  I am due for an upgrade and my company has a program in place where I can actually get a "Smart phone" for free.  While I don't really NEED a new phone the idea of having some apps for GPS and Crash Detection appeal to me.  Considering how my Burgie is now my main ride.   A cheap Bluetooth device might even allow me access to music and make phone calls while riding the bike, although I don't feel like that's a good idea at this stage in my riding career.  So my question to you gentle reader is do you use your Smart Phone in a similar manner?  Does it make sense to do so.  What type of mount do you use for it?

Some more random stuff:  I picked up a copy of David L. Hough's Proficient Motorcycling the other day.  So far I've only read about  70 pages of it and already learned one or two things.  For me at least owning any sort of two wheeled transport is about "smoothness."  I'm not out to beat land speed records, or jump over buses.   I want to learn how to ride safely and effortlessly.  I'm not sure if this book would help, and after only 70 pages I can't review it.  Maybe later.

Finally, I'm approaching 20K on my bike and will need to change out my drive belt soon.  My lack of mechanical skills is really starting to bother me, so much so that I see little ads on the sides of various sites I read to "learn how to be a motorcycle mechanic" I am very tempted to call them and learn more.  I have always been more of a theory guy than an actually nuts and bolts guy.  Now if I could only find a mentor around here that is willing to teach me how to do even the simplest of fixes I would be happy.

Finally - part two:  My Green Swamp ride is still planned.  I just need some time to do it.  Soon my friends.  Soon.