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Mar
07
2009
Minor Changes
My Luminics yellow bulbs arrived today and after I made it back to my apartment this afternoon I busied myself with getting it installed. I didn’t realize how much I would like the look.
Here’s a shot of the high beam now:
and a shot of the original:
Notice how much more yellow the light is? Hopefully that will translate into better visibility in nasty weather.
I also got around to finally installing my Scala Rider Q2 headset into my Nolan N102 helmet.
I had postponed the installation until I could pick up an XL Helmet Clamp. The original just didn’t give me the fit I wanted on this modular helmet. I don’t have it “just right” yet, but hopefully that will be squared away shortly.
I used it briefly today while riding and the speakers are great. In fact, while listening to the FM radio I had to turn the volume almost all the way down to keep it from overpowering me. Tomorrow should be different since I will be wearing my earplugs while I’m riding.
Speaking of riding, tomorrow is supposed to be beautiful so I am going to head over to Guntersville, AL for a Suzuki Owners Club meet & greet (Alabama Chapter).
It’s a small chapter now, but I’m hoping that will change as we get the word out.
Also, here is my route for tomorrow:
I’m not sure how much of it I will get to do, but I would like to explore around as much as I can.
Heck, I even stopped by the local dealership and picked up some spray cleaner & polish so I would make a decent impression. 
Feb
19
2009
Can you see me now?
I had been putting off installing HID lights on my motorcycle for a few years, but recently I decided to take the plunge. After searching and submitting loads of questions on Hayabusa.org I decided that I was adequately prepared.
Now I wish I had done it when I first got the bike. It is literally “night & day” in comparison.
To give you an idea of what I am talking about here are a few pics. Bear in mind that these were taken with my cell phone so the quality is not great, but you should get a decent idea.
I settled upon a DDM Tuning Single HID system. (This complete 35 watt kit shipped to my door for less than $60!)
Everything plugged right in and I only had to trim the “ears” a little on the included spacer to get it to fit.
I did not put a delay timer in the loop. I use the “alternate starting method” which consists of 1) pressing the starter button, 2) turning the ignition on, and 3) pulling the clutch to activate the starter. This way the headlight doesn’t come on until I release the starter button.
I used industrial strength velcro that I picked up at Hobby Lobby to mount the ballast to my right air intake and a couple of the included zip ties to fasten the other parts out of the way.
[I'll take a pic of where I mounted the box and put it here]
Here is a shot of just the HID low beam:
Here is both the low and high beams:
It’s hard to see the high beam so how about another angle:
Do you notice the more “yellowed” light there?
Yep. That’s my existing high beam.
Here is a shot of the headlights shining.
You can clearly see the more “yellowed” looking high beam on the bottom opposed to the much brighter and more clear light of the HID.
Without a doubt HIDs were the single best upgrade I’ve done on the bike. For next lighting upgrade I am planning to change the current high beam out with a true yellow bulb to see if that helps me in the rain and fog.
Feb
17
2009
Rain dance
I decided on Friday (Feb, 13th) that I would take my motorcycle down to Dothan in order to help a friend with some Solidworks/CAD tutoring. When I initially looked at the weather it seemed that we would have some rain on Friday and then it would move out early Saturday morning turning clear afterward. This seemed like a good excuse to 1) ride at night with my new HID headlight, 2) get more seat time to prepare for this seasons’ riding, and 3) get a ride up with some friends I haven’t seen in a while in that area.
After work on Friday, I quickly threw some things into my saddle bags and then launched myself onto the road. Seeing as how Alabama Law Enforcement is (apparently) having a sale on speeding tickets lately I made sure to keep my speed at posted limits and settled in for my cursiory trek. Along the way I briefly hit some light showers, but by the time I considered stopping and putting my Frogg toggs on it would stop.
That changed around Prattville, AL, when I hit the storm head on. I managed to get to a convenience store a few minutes after my soaking started (all the while fussing at myself for not stopping and putting on my gear earlier). With the exception of my hands, the Frogg toggs kept me from getting any more damp.
As I plowed through the rain I easily saw how well my new headlight worked. I did notice some “ghosting” at times when I would hit a heavy fog or mist, but I think I can compensate with a yellow bulb in my high beam to act like a fog light. My tires also did a fantastic job in the rain. I didn’t have any issues with the water crossing or puddling in the road and there were several times that I was throwing “rooster tails” over my head height.
The weekend passed fairly quietly computer shopping and working on the CAD problems. Other than visiting the new Duncan Doughnuts and Eurasia (for sushi!) I was indoors until Sunday afternoon.
A brief ride Sunday afternoon was all I had time for with my friend, but think it was enough since she didn’t really prep for the cool weather (55 degrees at the time).
Once I saddled up my gear I started the long trip back to Decatur. The ride itself was uneventful and the most I had to deal with was the falling temperature. When I checked my local weather on my cellphone, it said the temperature was 37 degrees. Bear in mind that 37 degrees gets much colder at 70 mph plus whatever the wind is blowing.
I really like my Icon Mercs, but they do very little to ward off the cold even with liners. Five hours of riding in the low temps solidified my need to pick up some good cold weather riding gloves.
Feb
16
2009
Let the kids ride
On February 10, 2009, a new law called the *Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act* went into effect. This law was created by Congress last August as a knee-jerk reaction to hazardous toys being imported from China (remember the Fisher-Price toy recalls). It bans all products sold for use by children which contain above certain levels of lead and phthalates. In the act, children is defined as anyone 12 or under, and the law is very broad in that it exempts no products from its purview. How does this become an issue of importance to motorcycle riders? All minibikes, pitbikes and even OSET's fall under this act, as well as ATV's sold for youths. 85cc or smaller, gone. You can't get parts, or even get stickers. As of today, all the major motorcycle and ATV manufacturers have instructed their dealers to remove all bikes and ATV's used by children from inventory and to cease advertising, marketing, selling, possibly servicing these products. The lead contained in these bikes is not in the paint; it's in the metal used for certain parts in the engines and electrical parts. Most dealers have also been instructed to stop selling parts and accessories for the bikes as well. The Consumer Product Safety Commission, CPSC, which is the commission charged with enforcing this act has been asked by the motorcycle industry to grant a waiver to prevent the end of the motorcycle industry, but they are dragging their feet. As a result, minibikes and pitbikes became illegal. ACT NOW! Contact Links and Information about the CSPIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act): www.house.gov www.senate.gov www.arra-access.com www.tomself.com www.cspc.gov www.amadirectlink.com
Jan
19
2009
So Cool
Since getting my bike ready to ride the weather just has not been cooperative. During the last couple of weeks we have had “freezing fog”, ice, rain, and temps that have dropped to the single digits (even without the wind chill factor).
Yesterday though was different. After finishing my earlier project I peeked outside and saw it was beautiful. Curious, I pulled up the local weather and saw it was almost 56 degrees with the temps dropping back off for the rest of the week. My brain started clicking away and I realized that it would be the best day to ride in the foreseeable future. Excitement quickened with the immediacy of my situation. I had carelessly packed up some of my gear when a sweep of depression had overtaken me weeks back and now I was frantically searching for my mp3 player, neck warmer, glove liners, etc. Finally I got dressed and rolled out to parts unknown.
Several weeks back I was passed a website that listed good roads for motorcycles to ride. With that info I had made a mental note to ride down AL-33 from Moulton to Double Springs. It meanders through Bankhead National Forest and is quite scenic for the area. With the cold roads and unknown territory I was not overly aggressive, but will admit that the ride would have been far more enjoyable without the truck in front of me hitting his brakes every few minutes. That said, I will be back on this stretch when the weather permits.
When I finished my inaugural AL-33 ride I saw that I had plenty of time to explore more roads. Eventually I wound up near Tuscaloosa, AL and decided to call a friend to see if they wanted to grab a bite to eat. Thankfully she was there and in the mood for Applebee’s so that was a good excuse to warm up and socialize a little.
As much fun as the earlier ride was the ride back home was less so. The sun was down and my lovely 55+ weather had dropped to the high 30’s. Factor in a 75mph wind chill (not counting the occasional 12mph wind) and I quickly realized that grip warmers or heated gloves would have been a great Christmas present.
Once back at my apartment I texted several people to let them know I had arrived safely and that my “BCG’s” had worked pretty good. The ride solidified my confidence in my motorcycle and brought to point my seriously needing some more conditioning. I’m definitely not 100% after my surgery, but think that I will be able to do well when Spring finally rolls around.
My final tally was a little over 280 miles (did a little in town riding before heading out) and about 5 hours in the seat.
Here is a map of my trip:
Note: the term BCG (Birth Control Gear) started as a remark I told a friend once.
(when she saw me decked out in my riding gear)
Her: “Wow, you look good in all that.”
Me: “Thanks. It’s my birth control gear.”
Her: “Why do you call it that?”
Me: “Because by the time I get out of everything, I’m too tired to do anything.”
Jan
09
2009
Nailed
After I replaced the starter clutch cover and plugging the rear tire I went out for a short ~100 mile ride.
It was awesome.
The only down side was my not being overly confident with the rear tire. The more I rode the more it started to bother me so I decided that I had to get it fixed.
The next day I called every shop in my area and even a few out of state and found no one that was willing to patch the tire. Yes, I know I should have immediately thought “replace” instead of “repair”, but the tire still looked great (well, other than the puncture). I finally came to grips with the fact that I would have to replace the tire. With great pain I inflated the tire and carefully slogged the bike in the rain to the shop. All the time I was thinking, “I could probably find someone to patch it down home”. Although with my being so far away from shops and techs I trust it was best for me to just replace the tire.
Today I picked up the bike from the shop and am very happy to have it back on the road. I might take it to see some friends tomorrow if the weather permits because I have to be sure everything is working right. 
Nov
17
2008
Cover story
Tonight was the night. I grabbed my Clymer motorcycle repair manual and tool kit and proceeded to peel the side off my bike. First the right side fairing. Then the starter cover. I carefully scrutinized each of the parts as they were removed and placed them in an orderly fashion on the floor to the rear of the motorcycle. All the while expecting to find shards of metal or perhaps some disfigured part that would send me into a tail spin of despair.
It never happened.
Instead, when I had fully disassembled the starter clutch I was amazed by how good everything looked. A closer look of the case showed that it was not harmed in any way either. Definitely not what I had expected.
Slowly I began to replace the parts while checking each one for fit. No problems could be found. The starter clutch itself seemed to be in great shape and a spin test showed it locking properly in the one direction. My mind started racing. Could it be that the bolt had somehow worked loose and caused the trouble? I was beginning to think that was it, but how could I know for sure without testing?
After everything was fitted and tight I paced around my apartment. Finally I decided that I would need to give the engine a spin. If the starter spun freely then I would know that the starter clutch was indeed bad, but if it engaged and tried to start… well that would be a different story altogether.
I grabbed my jacket as I walked next door to my neighbors to let them know what I was planning. You can probably imagine the looks on their faces when I told them about my working on a motorcycle in my kitchen and then planning to test the dang thing inside.
Walking back into my apartment I made a beeline to the motorcycle. I flipped the ignition on and heard the fuel pump prime. I felt my pulse start to quicken. Just before I committed to pressing the starter button I turned the key off. I then walked into my closet, grabbed a towel from my clothes hamper, and used it shield the wall behind the bike in case something spit out of the exhaust. Now that I was reasonably sure things were safeguarded I again turned the key switch on and watched the gauges dance under the lights. The fuel pump primed and I felt excitement ripple through me as I bumped the started button.
The only thing faster than the bike starting was the grin that had slapped itself across my face. I briefly reveled in the familiar sound of my bike waking from its’ sleep before quickly snapping the kill switch to silence the beast.
So now I am in the process of finding a replacement for the starter clutch cover and then getting my rear tire fixed. Maybe if I can scratch a little luck up I can be back in the saddle before the roads ice up.
Nov
03
2008
Dream another dream…
After months of planning, sacrifice, and work I regretfully have to call an end to my trip. With less than 1000 miles on my motorcycle since getting it running after over a year in storage I have had a mechanical failure and the time it will take to repair effectively kills the trip.
The story of what has happened is presented below.
On a test ride from Decatur, AL to Florala, AL I stopped at a rest area to check my equipment and walk around a little (in the past I haven’t stopped for anything other than food or gas, but recently I had some surgery and was questioning my stamina in the seat). After my bags were checked to my satisfaction and I had loosened up I slung my leg over my trusty steed, donned my gloves, and then hit the starter button. To my shock all I heard was the starter spin.
In disbelief I went through my starting routine again. Mirrors angled correctly? check. Earplugs comfortable? check. Gloves comfortable? check. Power? check. Kill switch off? check. Bike in neutral? check. Kickstand up? check. Last look at the handsome devil in mirror acknowledged with a wink? oh yeah! Clutch engaged? check. Starter engaged? Here I was dismayed to hear the starter spin freely again.
I dismounted and then called my friend to see what he thought it could be. He suggested that I try several different things and that, worst case, I could push it off in one of the higher gears to get the engine fired. Fortunately there was a nice steep hill and the engine easily re-fired. I was on my way again. Although now my faith had been shaken my hope was that because the motorcycle had been sitting for so long that some trash or buildup had stuck the starter drive.
Once in Birmingham I was caught in a two hour traffic jam. These bikes need some cool air to help keep them cool and the bike started to run hot from sitting / creeping along. I pulled over to the side of the road and returned a few calls while I waited for the accident to be cleared. Once traffic was moving along well again, I hopped on the bike, went back through my start up routine then pressed the starter. I felt an immense rush of relief upon hearing the familiar sound of the busa coming to life.
Surely it was just a fluke on the previous attempt. In any case, I had decided that once started I would not shut it off until I reached my parents house in Florala.
The next day I helped my dad at the shop so I didn’t try anything with the motorcycle. My brother-in-law had told me that he would construct a luggage rack with a sissy bar for my upcoming trip so I decided to drop my bike off at their house on Sunday morning. After gearing up I mounted my faithful steed only to be greeted with the dreaded “whurring” of the starter. “OK then, I will just push it off” was my thought.
Three hills later (two of which I pushed the nearly 600 lbs UP) I was sucking wind and pretty agitated. A few calls later I was able to catch my sister who brought a trailer over so we could load the bike. Once at her house it was unloaded and placed in their shop so Kenny could work on a rack later during the week. I told her I would be back in two weeks to work on it again, although it would put me testing the bike out closer to my ride date than I wanted.
This past weekend I was again down in Florala. While Hannah was playing with Kegan & Jaden I decided to pull the fairing off in order to check the starter clutch. I had good advice along with words of encouragement from several people and the hope was that there was trash or something obstructing the starter clutch from engaging. This idea quickly drowned in dismay when I pulled the plastic off and was greeted with this site.
The fairing apparently was the only thing keeping the bolt from falling out.
Immediately despair rolled over me. Then I looked closer saw that the cover itself was damaged.
Now my inner child in me started throwing a tantrum. I started swearing and took my frustration out with the metalwork. This was MY trip! I had planned and dreamed of this FOR MONTHS and now because of a series of crap events I wasn’t going to be able to go! I didn’t have the money for these repairs! I vented angrily for several minutes and decided that the best thing to do was not make a snap judgment on the trip.
While it was fleeting, hope still flickered in my mind. “It would be close, but I can do this” I thought. All I would have to do is figure out some way to get the parts ordered, pray that they wouldn’t take more than two days to reach me, THEN get it assembled and tested before leaving on a 4 day trip the next morning. I can do this. I just need to stay positive.
Other thoughts started creeping into my head. Chief of which was “You have a rider this time. It’s not just you.”
Still attempting to keep optimistic about the coming trip we loaded the motorcycle and while strapping down the bike I saw a screw through my new rear tire.
The tire has less than 1000 miles on it and now a screw that I probably picked up while beside the road was poked right through all that new rubber.
I decided then that the trip was over.
Misty tried to give me some encouragement, but when that didn’t work attempted to console me with, “Maybe this is God’s way of telling you not to go?”
Angrily I responded, “Somebody needs to tell him that paper is cheaper” as I turned and walked toward her house.
As Hannah and I rode together toward Enterprise I put the trip and other things aside. We had a fun trip together singing, pretending, and being goofy. I decided that no matter how bad this was to me that I would do it every time if it meant that she and I could spend time together like this. Granted, I am never in the best of moods after I drop her off, but am dealing with the situation better now than I have in the past.
Today I have had a reasonable amount of time to reflect on the situation… due in part to my battery being dead in my mp3 player.
While it is disappointing on many levels I am planning on many more rides before I die. Therefore, I will continue to prepare for an upcoming ride even if it works out to be the initial Spring trip.
I refuse to be beaten by anything tangible. Sometimes it takes me a while, but in the end I will win.
Oct
31
2008
6 more to go
Lots to do this weekend. I have to finish the luggage rack and check the starter as well as digging some things out of storage. Thankfully Kegan and Jaden will keep Hannah busy for a couple of hours while I am doing this. She hasn’t seen them in a while and they have been asking about her so I expect that they will have a blast.
Still haven’t nailed down all the specifics for the trip and that has me a little edgy. Next week will be hectic with some projects I have to finish on top of trying to coordinate arrangements. I had really hoped that by now all things would have been ironed out.
Oh well. Ever how it works out will be fine. All I need is to be back on the road for a few days so I can think through things. I feel that I have lost my “center”… especially over the last few months.
It’s time to get on my horse and ride.
Where the road takes me by Email
