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Wednesday, April 2 More for Skippii who tested out cold weather glove ideas and reported results: Reading through the webBikeWorld website a few days ago I saw a review of Zeta Off-Road Hand Guards on a Kawi Versys (which I am in love with). Zeta Handguards are usually used for off-roading but can sometimes be fitted on other style bikes, depending on whether you have weighted bar ends or not, etc. I do not have the Zetas yet, but am looking at possibly getting them. The guards protect from the wind. I have to imagine using good winter hands coverage and minimizing the wind across the hand would all work in concert to keep the hands from getting frozen. Another bonus is that the guards come with a wrap around metal bar that offers some small crash protection if your hands are still on the bar and you hit the ground. Super bonus they look HOT and have a lot of hot colors! Zeta also offers a hand guard with lights in them. Not clear from the website if the guard blinks with the signals or just stays lighted. Either way, it's an increase in your conspicuity, which is always a good thing. Sincerely, Anonymous (note from Mama: I did a Google search on motorcycle hand guards and see that some companies are offering generic fit styles, although that doesn't necessarily mean you'll like the look!) Wednesday, April 2 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Kathy, Yikes! While we often refer to a motorcycles as having forward controls, it's really a cruiser style forward leg position with a stock footpeg/lever set. That's not the same thing as the definition of forward control aftermarket products. This isn't boding well for your needs. Further research confirms what I suspected ... aftermarket companies typically offer products that move forward leg positions even further out, for those who need more leg room. So, I went one step further and called J&P Cycles to talk to one of their technicians. He noted that in most cases but not always, the distance between the footpeg and lever doesn't change, but the mounting bracket portion is in fact longer. Hence, this is a no-go idea for your 28" inseam. So, I have only one more idea and that is to find a shop that re-chromes metal. You could bring the bike to them (hopefully you can find this type of company, perhaps an independent bike shop can get you the leads you would need), have them look at the non-chrome parts and see if they can grind/polish that down and chrome it up! Mama Thursday, April 3 Reminder: SIS Spirit Ride June 13-14 in Van Buren, Arkansas Hi Petra, Thursday, April 3 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Kathy, Thursday, April 3 Hello group, Dear PS, However, your indications that you know you're running a little bit leaner and hotter gives me concern. In reading this Motorcycle Cruiser magazine article, lean and hot over time can cause serious problems down the line. I'd read through this completely. One question that comes to mind ... you may not have noticed any appreciable change in operation when you ran the bike in Denver vs. Alabama, but with the pipe change, it's more noticeable. I'm wondering how they jet their bikes at the dealerships in Denver ... slightly smaller pilot jet so it's not running rich in the thinner air? This could be one orifice size smaller than a sea-level set-up bike, and thus you've got the lean condition. I'm also guessing this bike has sat for some time, given the year and the total number of miles. I'm not sure what work you've done on it already, but I'd be running carb cleaner through the system and considering doing a carb rebuild to get new gaskets and rings in. That rubber dries out and may not be seating as well as you think, leading to too much air for a leaner condition. You could also have some gumming up. So, if you're up for opening up the carb, I'd call a local dealer, find out what the stock orifice sizes were for that year, and check what's in your bike. If they can't help with a rebuild kit, then head to OldBikeBarn ... they've got one. My advice ... look into it more ... that's a nice Virago you've got there and many wish your model hadn't been pulled off the production line! Mama Thursday, April 3 Hi Petra, Last week, in my search for more lady rider sites, I came across "Lace Wheels." I clicked on the Alabama link and low and behold there was your name! And in Mobile no less! I feel like I won the lottery! My, sorta long, tale is as follows. (It has a happy ending) Several years ago I started riding a little (80cc) scooter. Got the big head and bought a big Burgman 400 a year later. My riding goes down hill from there. I dropped it so many times till it didn't scare me anymore. I searched near and far for help to learn to ride it with absolutely no luck. I couldn't even find a private rider coach any closer to Mobile than Texas..... believed me I searched for months and months. One guy finally talked me into taking the MSF course.... he said I could learn to ride the Burgman by taking the course. I took one day of the course then had to drop out. (Will explain that later on) It would not have helped at all to learn to ride the Burgman. On to the MSF happening. Near the end of the first riding day I got so jittery until I couldn't go back for the next exercise and dropped out. However, I rode the 250cc motorcycle without mishap the short time I was there. I calmed down enough to get me and my truck home safely after that but did cry all the way home and for a few hours afterwards. Later that evening, after sorting out what happened to me, I realized I did pretty good in the class and the reason I got the jitters was because the learning curve was going a bit fast for me. Later that evening my very supportive husband called from work and said "I know you can ride and we're going to get you a motorcycle to learn on." A week later I had a 2005 Honda Rebel 250 with only 357 miles on her. (She beautiful and named Rebelgirl) Off we went to the parking lot for practice, with Bob riding her over for me. I did well that day and the next as well, pretty much following what I was taught in the MSF course. The third day Bob said "it's time to learn to shift gears." Oh no, jitters again! Our neighborhood has a 1 mile loop in a quite, tolerant area. (Nobody calls the police to me....lol) Off I went with Bob following me on his Shadow. By the third time around I was having a ball with the clutch and the gears.... why did I think it was going to be so hard? I wouldn't take having a clutch on a bike for anything.... no more scooters for me. Bob dropped off and just sat in the drive way watching me go round and round. The next day we go back to the parking lot for "turning from a dead stop." Yikes, jitters again but I learned to do it. Bob did a demo first, right in front of me and I took it from there. My jitters come from trying to handlebar steer the Burgman... what a fright that was! It amazed me the way the motorcycle responded to slow speed handle bar steering. Never once felt like it was going to fall over. (Bless that clutch) The following day I decided to put us on the real road for the first time. We road ten miles out and back with one stop at a gas station. That stop was scary but I pulled up to that pump like I knew what I was doing.... no embarrassing "duck walk." Not that I still don't have to "duck walk" quite often but that will pass eventually. We made the same ride the next day as well. The following day back to the parking lot for slow cone weave practice, but I rode Rebelgirl over instead of Bob having to do it for me. I watched "Ride Like a Pro" over and over until I felt ready to do the weave..... what fun that was! To me there is nothing more fun than to practice slow speed, handle bar steering exercises. I'm in awe of what a motorcycle can do without falling over...... she never once felt like she was going over! I need lots more practice but I'm not so scared of it now. (Having said that, I've not gotten to the "off-set" cone weave yet.lol) That brings me to the end of the tale for the moment. My husband is gone now for the next four weeks so I have to bite the bullet and take the bike out on my own without my "Shadow." He's a captain, out in the Gulf so he isn't home very often, and only for two weeks when he is here. If you know of any other new lady riders in the area that might want to get together to practice or take rides together please pass along my information. I live in Tillman's Corner, AL, Mobile county. You might want to pass along also I'm not a spring chicken..... I'm 65 but that's not too old to learn to ride.... I'm living proof! I want to thank you so much for the "jitters" pages on VTwin Mama! They worked a miracle for me. Everybody has "jitters" when they're new............sheeeeeeeesh, I thought I was the only one! Bless you for the great work you do for us, Diana T. Dear Diana, What a wonderful recap of your learning curve you have shared! In doing this, you have now helped the next person in line who wonders, "Is it just me?" Well, as you found out, it's not! Kudos to you for sticking with it and realizing that learning can take time and many steps! Mama Saturday, April 5 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Scotka, When we first really start getting some road miles going, and the mechanics of riding is becoming second nature, we still have to polish the skills so that in the variances of traffic, we are smooth and safe (as possible). Then the realities of highway and Interstate riding are incorporated. And then comes the delicious realization that, omigosh, we're really riding and enjoying ourselves! And that's when we're really ready to tackle a higher level of the "way out" thoughts. What we're doing is an assessment of our riding environment every single second without taking away from the joy. So, in the beginning, it's a very conscious stream of thoughts until it becomes subconscious. Imagine we're going down a country road. To our right is a ditch drop off and maybe a wooded area beyond. The 2 lanes aren't too narrow but on the left is a level shoulder and 15 feet beyond a farmer's field fence of wire. So, what are our "outs" and are we prepared to navigate them if necessary? Based on skill level, we may decide that dropping in the ditch and purposefully sliding/pitching off the back of the bike is going to be our safest escape. Or perhaps it's going to be (or have to be) crossing the other lane to the shoulder in a controlled stop, but if can't be completely controlled, are we ready for the bike to fall one way or the other, requiring that we get our leg out of the way so we're not pinned? Or, if we're still in control, but heading for the fence, wrenching ourselves from target fixation. If your bike has a rider's backrest and/or there is a passenger sissybar, then plans need to determine how we're going to do something. Here's a real life example: I'm riding at 70mph down a country lane and a very sharp right then left twisty comes up. My skill level is not great and while I make the sharp right lean, I spook myself but it's too late to slow down for the left and I target fix on the white line. The tire goes into the gravel and the bike leaves the road, hurling me and the bike into the air heading for a farmer's field. I can see there is a ditch but no fence, but in those seconds I can also see that the speed with which I left the road is going to allow me to clear the ditch. Still, I realize I'm going to land with great impact. What are my options? Hope the bike will land fairly straight and I'll be able to regain control? My pre-plan was this ... land with the bike but immediately pitch myself off the bike to the right if possible as I know that I'm more likely to be able to pull my left leg up and over than my right. So, I land, pitch forward, and then throw myself off to the right. In this case, the bike was only 10 feet away from me on it's side but still running! But I wasn't pinned and when I came too a few seconds later, could concentrate on determining if I was hurt. In this example I was not considering my riding environment, but I did one thing right ... I had preplanned my thoughts on which side I thought I had a better chance of getting off the bike in one smooth move. I'm pretty sure it saved me additional injury. Over the next months, while I healed (from a very bad pull on a collarbone muscle) I realized that I wasn't really in tune the environment around me, apart from enjoying the view! Now it's true that I didn't have the skill level, but what if in fact another vehicle had required me to find a way out? So I began to incorporate a more in-depth view of my surroundings. We're taught to look for vehicles that might come out of a side road, scanning left/right/forward/back, aggressive drivers behind us, and more, but when we add to that things like fences, ditches, lane grades, lane dividers, poles and such, we begin to form a more complete mapping of our way out. With some thought of how we can best get of the bike, over time it sinks to the subconscious level because we are more prepared. Often times when I'm riding, I'll bring this thought process to the conscious surface level and do a mental review. I consider it "brain training" to make sure I'm still comfortable with my plans, and then I let it slip back just past the joy level of thinking! So, what a long winded answer, but our thought processes are harder to describe, but I hope in doing so, it helps you visualize more clearly how to continue your learning. I always say that to ride is to engage in a lifelong pursuit of learning, and I think this is an excellent example of why that is so important. Mama Saturday, April 5 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Diane, Anybody have other suggestions? Mama Saturday, April 5 Dear VTwin Mama, I need
some advice on what bike I should buy; please can you help me if its
not too much bother. Dear Kim, In starting my research, it occurred to me that models offered in the US don't necessarily mirror what's available in other countries, so I hopped onto the Honda UK site and lo and behold, below the usual classifications of cruisers, sport, etc., there was a link specifically for 125cc! Many of the models were scooters, which I would stay from unless you plan on riding a bike with an automatic transmission in the future (mega scooter). Next, I noticed, which was not unexpected, that the sportier style bikes have higher seat heights, and at 5ft height, that's important. So, for instance, the XR125L is 820mm (32") which is super high! Compare that to the VT125C Shadow at 680mm (26.8") and you can see where this portion of the topic is going! Even if you're thinking of buying used, it's good to figure out what models to look for and if possible, visit a dealership and sit on them. Then you can look in the newspaper with greater confidence! As always, when you sit on a bike, you are looking to see if the reach to the handlebar controls is comfortable (and turn that bar all the way one way and check again), leg reach to ground (best if it's not tippy toes in any way, but boots can make up for some reach problems), and leg reach to foot controls. So, beyond Honda, I'd look at the other big Japanese names, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Yamaha. The main reason is that the $$ (oops, the ££) are generally at the lower end. And now think about it; if everyone has to start on these smaller bikes, then there's bound to be a lively used market for them. At least, that's what I 'm guessing, but there's a lot of water in the "pond" between our continents, and I could wrong (little bikes here were bought very quickly when gas prices started climbing horribly again). I hope this helps you go shopping! Mama Dear VTwin Mama, Spring is here and I took my bike to the parking lot to practice again. It felt HUGE!! I felt terrified. Not while I was going, but when I came to a stop and started off. My feet aren't flat and this really scares me. I ended up in tears, stopped riding and came home. Not what I had hoped for a beautiful sunny Sunday. I think if I just had a smaller bike, one I could touch flat foot I would feel more confident (my bike course was on a Virago 250). I really want to ride. I have been my hubby's passenger for 22 years. I love bikes and I do love riding. I just get so scared and I stop. I will try a smaller bike (lower seat with my feet flat). I hope this is what I need to keep riding. Any bike suggestions? I like sport bikes but the reach and foot placement seems wrong for me.....should I stick with a cruiser style bike? I love this site, glad I found it and glad I am not the only short female feeling what I am feeling. Makes me want to keep trying. Thanks, Won't Quit Dear Won't Quit, But do not despair, as a 500cc bike is truly a nice size in the mid-range section and for the continued learning curve. If I told you that we could get your feet flat on the ground, would you be excited to get back to the practice parking lot?! Ok, check out Adjustment Tech. If your Ninja is a 1995 or newer model, they have both a fixed link and an adjustable link lowering system. And please take another look at your riding boots ... you get much better traction is they've got that waffle cut bottom! Then head back to the practice lot and start from the beginning. Duck walk drills (gets your clutch friction zone and throttle coordinated smoothly). Simple straight-line starts and stops (gets your front/rear braking coordinated). Big lazy lazy turns (make sure your head and eyes are looking at where you want to end up and only use the back brake if you need a bit of slow down). Then plan some simple road rides when traffic is at the lowest (typically Sunday mornings). Should you go to a smaller cc motorcycle or a cruiser style instead of what you really like? IMHO, no ... you've got a nice bike, it can be adjusted to meet your needs, and your new season jitters are perfectly normal. Mama Monday, April 7 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Kostas, So, I would go to the Honda New Zealand site and contact Blue Wing Honda in Aukland and see if they can help. If I recall correctly, another person did this and was only able to get a copy of the parts list, because the motorcycle is no longer made, but it wouldn't hurt to try! On oil capacity, my thought is that if you drain the oil and change the filter, then simple have enough liters of oil on hand (a US quart is almost the same as a liter) ... probably 5 liters would be enough. I'm not sure if there is an oil level inspection window or just a dipstick, but either way, add some oil with the bike centered, check the window or dipstick and continue adding until you've got the right level. Then run the bike in neutral, turn it off, let the oil settle (about 5-10 minutes) and check it again! Mama Monday, April 7 Hi VTwin Mama, Dear Anon, These kinds of links can be found using the Home Page main navigation link: Get Started. There are listings of riding courses and sites especially useful for the newer rider! Mama Tuesday, April 8 Dear Mama, Is this proper etiquette to leave someone like that? I know if I had a friend who was a newbie, I would never leave them alone on roads as deserted as these were. It was during the day and they did eventually pull over and wait, but I am thinking I would be better off riding solo if this is what I have to look forward to when I ride with a friend. Can you give me some thoughts on this? I never said anything, because I didn't want to sound like a total puss, but it was pretty scary out there alone.. If I'm going to be alone, I need to start getting used to it now. Thanks VTwin Mama! Debbie M. Dear Debbie, Unfortunately, not all riding friends are created equal. This was more of a "let's let her tag along" ride than anything else. If they are offering to ride with you so that you get time on the road and some group experience, I'm hard pressed to say what it is they thought they were teaching you. To leave group members behind? Not good. I'm wondering if they weren't showing off a bit or in some twisted thought process, decided that you would learn more by trying to keep up with them. Most formal riding chapters require that a member have a full license and insurance. As you do not note which club this is, I would look for the closest chapters of women's riding organizations, attend a meeting, and say hi. While you probably can't ride with them right now, you may find that members would be willing to mentor you on an individual basis. So, expand your circle by visiting my Women's Sites page. There you will find all sorts of listings to help you move forward. It the two you went riding with are in fact from a local women's group, then I would either seek another group or get more solo time in, take the class, get your license, and then reconnect with the group. Mama Tuesday, April 8 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Pixie, Tuesday, April 8 Hi VTM, Dear Trish, Yes, I see that on the Chromeheads site there are a number of discussions on vibration and well worth looking to look at the things they pointed out, like tire condition and covers that maybe are touching/rubbing another part. I'd also consider pulling the wheels and having them put on a tire changer/spin balancer to see if somehow one or the other tire is no longer in perfect balance. As a R1200C rider though, I'll note I have no vibration, intermittent or otherwise, at higher speeds, and I routinely ride at 80 or 90 mph (130-145 km/hr) and higher. I will add however, that I've noticed that sometimes my bike settles in at the higher speeds differently. If I'm gathering speed very quickly, and thus changing gears very quickly at the mid point of the possible rpm in that gear, when I reach 5th gear, the bike "feels" like it's not settling in as well. However, if I more slowly come up to speed, running each gear closer to the end of the rpm range, then when I settle in at 145 km/hr, my bike is running and settling in beautifully! So you might try that as an experiment ... do quick ramp ups to speed and then slower ones and see if there is a difference. The other thing that I will note, even through you are clearly an experienced rider of many years and bikes, is that it's possible that sometimes, when you're riding at the higher speeds, you may be gripping the handblebar differently. A tighter grip may be setting up a vibration as you're not giving the front wheel its full ability to navigate the small bumps in the road. So a bump sets up a wheel jostle, which is transfered to the frame, and because you're holding on tighter, that vibration is translating to your body. We often call it a deathgrip. Given the intermittent nature of what you are describing, the next time you feel the vibration, check your grip ... and purposefully loosen it up a bit and see if that isn't it. If all of this doesn't solve the problem, I would be locating any motorcycle dealer/shop with a Dynamometer tester. This is a machine that runs the bike at full load and looks at system performance. If there is an inherent vibration in the system, the dyno test will reveal it. Usually about $100 US. Mama Tuesday, April 8 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear zhnurse, I don't see why you can't use a 3-section ramp as long as each piece is secured to the truck to eliminate any slip back possibilities and the overall load capacity (typically 1500 lbs) is enough for your converted bike! Mama Thursday, April 10 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Stressed Out, First, determine if you have a preferred style. Most people are adamant that they want a cruiser look or a sport style. Next, determine what engine size range category is most appropriate for your skill level and the type of riding you will be doing. 250-500cc to get started on but can still run fast enough on highways. 500-900cc for a nice mid-range bike if you've done well in a motorcycle riding course and feel you'll outgrow a smaller bike quickly. Now, go to a tool like WantFacts, click on Research New, Motorcycles, Search by Feature. Click on manufacturers you would consider, the type of style, and choose the highest cc displacement range you think you would consider. Leave all the other variables alone for now. Call up the list and print it out (there could be several pages). With a pen in hand, click on 2007 and 2008 models and down seat height and weight. The lower the stock seat height, the better chance you have for good leg to ground reach (flat footed at a stop), especially if you're 5'6" or shorter. Motorcycles can be modified for shorter riders in a number of ways and you should be prepared to discuss options with a dealer salesperson if necessary. Then look at $$. Do you have a budget set for this purchase? Highlight the MSRP. Now it's time to visit dealers. With your list in hand, sit on bikes! Have the salesperson assist you, if necessary, in getting it off the sidestand. Note your leg reach to the ground ... are you flat foot or tippy toe? It's best to wear your riding boots (if you have them) or even hiking boots as sneakers rarely are what you'll be wearing when riding. Check your arm reach to hand controls ... is it comfortable with the front wheel straight forward and also turned all the way to one side? Check your leg reach to foot controls ... too stretched out or too tucked up? Last but not least, lean the bike slightly to the left and then to the right. Can you hold the weight of the bike on a slight lean? Continue tilting it to get a feel of the weight overall ... this will give you a sense of the center of gravity. Sit on another bike and do the same thing. Take time to jot down notes. Even sit on bikes that are not necessarily of interest so that you can more quickly see what will or will not work for you! After a bunch of bike sits/leans, you will begin to form an opinion on balance. Tires, rake, trail, wheelbase ... bike designers give a lot of thought to the correct "ratio" of these types of things so that a bike handles well on the road for the intended purpose. I wouldn't jazz too much about it in the beginning. Take your notes home, give some thought to the budget, shorten up your list, and then go back to the dealer to sit on the bikes. Fall in love with one, discuss modifications/additions you want and get to the bottom line of it all. Happy shopping! Mama Thursday, April 10 For Debbie who didn't have a good road learning session with friends who left her behind: I used to ride with a person like that too. I had to make a serious decision: Do I want to keep hanging with her and get hurt or killed trying to keep up, or look for other friends to ride with or just go at it alone at my own pace. I also met another woman in my MFS class and she and her husband agreed to ride with me. I feel so comfortable now knowing I do not have to go 80 mph to keep up while still in the learning stages. So, Debbie, it's your choice. I had to do some serious soul searching on this matter. I am pleased that I did. I think you will be too. Me & My Shadow (note from Mama: good advice from someone who has experienced this type of nonsense!) Thursday, April 10 Hey Mama, Dear Patio, I see that Honda isn't calling out a windshield accessory for your bike. I would start by looking at Jack's Honda Rebel Online site ... he's a real lover of these bikes and has articles, links and a warehouse of proven accessories. He can also be called if you're really in a pickle about your Rebel ... a wealth of knowledge at his fingertips! Then I would head to Accessories International and click on Honda and enter your model and that you're looking for a windshield. It looks like they are listing universal windshields which would work. Mama Thursday, April 10 Dear VTwin Mama, If there is anyone out there please contact me. Janine, 4'8" on a Sportster Dear Janine, Monday, April 14 Bikers for Babies, June 22nd, Pine Brook, NJ Hello VTwin Mama, When: Sunday, June 22,
2008; 9am Registration and Full Breakfast; Bikers for Babies, escorted by the
Blue Knights. XIII starts at 11am For More Information, Monday, April 14 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Frustrated in Florida, Then do big lazy loops and figure 8s. Take a look at this figure 8 video clip ... note how the rider jogs the front wheel just a wee bit to one side before entering the turn to the other side. That sets the bike up into what I call "the dance motion." You can try this in the big lazy loops. Here is where your husband can help ... have him stand at one point, and as you make a turn, he can check your head position ... if you're not looking fully through the turn, the bike can't go there! As you tighten up the turns, that's when you need that control/balance between the friction zone and the throttle that the duck walk exercise teaches you. The rear brake offers the final bit of speed control (never use the front brake, it'll tend to pull you down). Here's an archived response letter from an instructor and one from a student ... I thinks it's useful to read through to jump start your desire to get this figure 8 under control! Mama Monday, April 14 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Gail, Monday, April 14 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Julia, On one site I found this comparison from the racing vantage point: "Tear strength of Levi's is about 4.5 lbs (pounds of force to tear). A 35mph get-off and slide produces approximately 30 lbs of force. 620 denier Cordura nylon takes 35 lbs of force to tear. New competition grade leather and 1000 denier cordura nylon's tear strength is 110 lbs of force to tear. Keprotec (that Kevlar blend) is at least 4 times better than that." Is leather better? On this site it is noted: "Leather should be worn snug because when leather folds it's tear strength lowers considerably. As an organic material leather dries out and looses it's flexibility over time. In fact each time leather gets wet and dries it can loose up to 20% of it's tear and abrasion strength." A number of leather jacket makers are incorporating Kevlar for added protection, but if the outer cowhide is thin, over-treated, and not designed specifically for riding, it's of little use. Given your fitment issues, I see no reason why a Cordura outer shell wouldn't be ok ... but the caveat is the same as in all gear ... you get what you pay for. If you would still like to look at leather jackets, here's my review on a Fox Creek Leather Touring jacket ... what I'm thinking is that the elastic gathering at the waist and sides allows for a proper upper body (chest) fit without then billowing about at the bottom! Mama Monday, April 14 Greetings from Scotland VTwin Mama! I took the plunge last year and did my CBT training here in the UK and started off on a cheap 125cc cruiser. Once I have my confidence on the 125cc I plan to do my full bike test and upsize =) My question to you is this, how do I adjust the clutch? The clutch on the Yamaha 125cc bike I sat my CBT test on seemed a lot easier to use, the 'biting' or 'friction' point was easy to find. However on my own bike, I feel like I'm letting the clutch almost fully out before the biting point is felt. This has caused me to pop the clutch and stall many a time at junctions, and to be honest, it's starting to shred my nerves! I've become so 'stall phobic' it sometimes deters me from riding! Unfortunately I don't know any mechanics or fellow bikers to answer my question. Any advice you can give me would be very much appreciated. Kind regards, Lesley Dear Lesley, If they say yes, then look at where the clutch cable goes into the clutch lever. There should be a knurled knob that locks the adjustment into place. Undo that, turn the cable maybe a 1/4 or 1/2 turn, and tighten the knob. Fire up the bike and pop it into first gear. Carefully check where your engagement point is now. Not all bike's friction zone action can be adjusted this way, but some can! Mama Monday, April 14 For Patio who is looking to add a windshield to her Honda Rebel: I have a 750 ACE with a windshield but I still had a lot of buffeting on my helmet so that I was like a bobblehead doll. The wind is deflected with the windshield but it still hits my knees and comes up between the windshield and tank. I've not added lowers to the shield; however, I recently bought a Shoei RF1000 helmet and because of the aerodynamic styling of the helmet, I get no more buffeting. It is so incredible to ride and be able to "see" without distortion and a sore neck. The helmet is so much lighter in weight than my old style helmet that it is worth every penny!! So if you add a windshield you may want to consider adding lowers or buying an aerodynamically styled helmet...there are several manufacturers who offer these styles. Donna, aka Shadow Runner (note from Mama: thanks for sharing that a well-designed helmet can make a big difference!) Monday, April 14 Hey VTwin Mama, Dear Sonia, One's first bike is rarely perfect because without road miles you don't have the experience to compare and contrast bike set-ups. But that doesn't mean you can't find something that will work for you! Given your budget constraints, you may wish to put together a list of bikes to consider using the tools above and then visit dealers to sit on them for yourself and talk about modifications. Then look at classified ads for used ones. A used one, that fits your budget, could then be modified by a dealer's service department. Mama Monday, April 14 From Debbie who didn't have a good road learning session with friends who left her behind: Many thanks to VTwin Mama and Me and my Shadow for
the advice about whether to ride alone or with people who take off and leave
me. I have decided to go solo for awhile until after I take my MSF course. I
am actually looking forward to it now that I have made that decision. I may
have my daughter follow me in a chase car for awhile, until I feel a little
more comfortable. I know I can depend on her to not leave me alone. Tuesday, April 15 Maryland Bike Fest, Mechanicsville, MD, June 22 Dear VTwin Mama, http://mirdrag.com/v2/schedule/calendar/2008/08-06/08-06-22.htm Maryland Int'l Raceway, 27861 Budds Creek Road, Mechanicsville, MD Adult Admission: $20; Child Admission: 11 & under admitted free It's a full day of Vendors, Music, Racing, a Custom Bike Show, Bike Rodeo, Biker Babe Contest, Burnout Pit, Beer Garden, Tattoo Contest and much more! Shannon D. Tuesday, April 15 Bikers for Babies, Budds Creek, MD, October 12 Dear VTwin Mama, Join us for the 5th Annual Southern Maryland Bikers for Babies! Sunday, October 12, 2008. Registration begins at 9:00 am at Maryland International Raceway in Budds Creek, Maryland. Come join in food, music, fun and vendors! The 45 mile police escorted ride will begin at 2:00 with official line-up and start on the Ό mile-racing track and will take you on a scenic ride through beautiful Southern Maryland when the fall foliage is at its peak. The ride will end at Apehangers Bar & Grill in Bel Alton, Maryland for a free after ride party with all the trimmings, including a live band! All proceeds benefit the March of Dimes. For more information, jabell@marchofdimes.com, www.bikersforbabies.com , 301-934-2235. Shannon D. Tuesday, April 15 More for Debbie who didn't have a good road learning session with friends who left her behind: When I started riding I didn't have anyone to ride with
and still don't. I now don't like group rides, because I like to ride my
own ride. I have ridden through all the lower 48 states totally alone
and have made 3 cross country trips alone. It is exhilarating to be out
there alone and totally in the Lord's keeping. Tuesday, April 15 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Shrimp, First, check your bike set-up. Do your feet firmly reach the ground at a stop? If not, get new boots with a higher sole, shave the seat down some, get a new lower seat, get shorter shocks, or lower the bike. Check your arm reach to hand controls ... get a pullback riser if the hand controls are causing you to lean or hunch forward. If the distance is fine but your wrists up arched up, loosen the controls and rotate them towards you so your wrists are in a straight line. Check your leg reach to foot controls. Not much you can do there, but a different seat might solve that as well. Then: If after all of this, the bike and you just don't connect, get a small, used, but running bike for more practice. But don't give up. Email back and tell me if any of this gets you moving forward or if we need to address other issues and concerns! Mama Tuesday, April 15 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Debbie, Wednesday, April 16 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Briana, Wednesday, April 16 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear SK, Wednesday, April 16 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Jamie, Thursday, April 17 Dear VTwin Mama, I am a very petite young woman standing 5'1" weighing in at 105 so my intimidation lies in the weight of a bike, not unlike most woman. After reading everyone's comments and suggestions I know now that when I walk into a class room to learn, I will not be alone in the feelings of intimidation. Thank you all for taking the time to share! Texas Girl 26 Dear Texas Girl 26, How interesting that a sport-style bike became your catalyst, but I always say that there is a reason so many makes/models are offered in the marketplace ... what makes the heart sing is different for each of us! Given the time of year, you may find that MSF classes are already filled ... make sure to get on the wait list, which they use if someone drops out of the schedule. Also, you can consider contacting the local Harley-Davidson dealers ... some offer MSF-based courses (Riders Edge) and use the standard style (looks sporty) Buell Blast. While it is a 492cc bike (compared to the 250cc used in other courses), you may find that more to your liking and I hear that the course can cost just a bit more, but sometimes you can get into a class quicker. No matter what class you decide on, please make sure you visit them to see the bikes and sit on them ... at your height it can be difficult to get a good fit for leg-to-ground reach, which can make a difference in your initial experience. Good luck with your upcoming choices ... learning is good and I know you're excited to be considering your future in the sport of motorcycle riding! Mama Thursday, April 17 Hi VTwin Mama, I am frustrated because the dealership told me that they absolutely could lower the bike, but there are no front lowering kits for the 2008 SuperGlide Custom. They have said they are going to use a company called Race Tech Suspension to get it lowered, Race Tech is going to "create" a front end lowering kit for my model bike. This worries me for some reason because I have already lowered the back with Progressive Shocks (lowered by 1 3/4"), am having their custom seat company cut down my seat by almost two inches and now, after those mods didn't have me flat footed, they are going to lower the front. The sales person assures me this will get me flat to the ground, but this has been over a month now and it's just such a long drawn out process. Do you have any insights for me? I guess I'm just frustrated that it's taking as long as it has and that they don't have a lowering kit for the front end. Are they all the same? Thanks! I love your website!!! Anonymous Dear Anon, Front forks most commonly consist of "male" tubes secured at the top and "female" sliders that move up and down to absorb road bumps and are secured to the wheel. Looking at a picture of your bike (just beautiful, by the way!), that is in fact the system your bike has, which I confirmed by calling my local HD dealership. Inside the system are springs, damper rods, spacers, and oil. When one talks about lowering the front end, one is typically discussing replacing the stock springs with something either shorter or less stiff or both. I'll note that on the HD site, it says you have 49mm front forks for "increased front end stiffness for improved handling and a more substantial look." So, I talked with the service department and asked the question. He said there is a tube replacement kit from HD ... this is a shorter "male" tube section by 3/4". Don't let that fool you; while it doesn't sound like much, it'll change the overall angle of the front end and drop it down nicely. Now, it's possible your dealer knows about this kit but determined it wouldn't be enough in your case. That could be why they are talking with a company for a custom kit. I would call your dealer back, now knowing a bit more about things, and ask about the tube replacement kit (just tell them how you came by the info!) and learn exactly what they are expecting Race Tech Suspension to do. That should bring you up to speed and give you more confidence on the whole experience you're going through. By the way, should the final lowering and modifications still leave you not perfectly flat foot, the final adjustment can be made with your riding boots. If you've got a good pair, where the upper leather is stitched (not glued) to the bottom, then any competent shoe repair store can add a bit of sole to your current boots, or you can look for something new with a thicker/higher sole! Mama For Briana who has a Moto Guzzi Nevada Classic: I also ride a Moto Guzzi Nevada Classic 750, my first bike, since I started riding last year. You are exactly right in everything that you mentioned about how the bike handles! The Nevada is "more zippy" than it would appear to be, and I often overtake my husband on his Moto Guzzi Breva 1100! Curves are fun with the easy handling of this model. I also find myself filling up at 100-120 miles, but that is about the time I take a little break anyhow. I love my Guzzi! Like you, it's a perfect bike for me! I wish more women knew enough about this bike to check it out! Guzzi Girl in CT (note from Mama: one way to bring that bike to more people's attention is by supplying a photo of you sitting on your bike for the Motorcycle Fit Charts. That way, someone shopping, can get a better feel for what a rider looks like on the bike ... at different heights! A call to ALL Guxxi riders ... I need pictures of all models, so please take this step to help out!) Monday, April 21 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Frustrated, Monday, April 21 VTwin Mama, Dear Gina, Don't forget Gina, you can always call the dealer's service department with a question and I would consider getting a service manual for future use. The parts diagrams in this instance would have quickly answered the question on how this all is assembled. Mama Monday, April 21 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Lee60, You'll have to double check the battery now ... make sure all the cells have the proper water level (if it's an acid battery) and then recharge. Then I'd pull the spark plugs and see if they are fouled or have deposits on the curved end and if there are any cracks in the white ceramic part. Plugs should be replaced every year; it's simple, it's cheap, and saves a lot of headache! So just do it anyway! Sputtering with backfiring to me signals that the gas/air mix hitting the plugs to drive the pistons isn't right. The plugs aren't igniting the mix right, so the firing sequence isn't steady, and unburned gas is also then moving through the system and "pops" in your exhaust when it burns as it leaves, causing the backfire. If that doesn't solve it, then I'd check the condition of your air filter. Then I'd turn the gas petcock to off, locate the lowest most bottom bolt on the carburetor, and drain that into a clear container (you're looking for a water and dirt layer to separate out from the gas). Then I'd rebolt and add carb cleaner to a new tank of gas. Mama Monday, April 21 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Jacques, Just go to the J&P Cycle site, type in kickstand in the search box at the upper left, and you'll see the products I mention! Mama Tuesday, April 22 New Tools That Are Cool ... Bike Model Research Made Easier! Dear Readers, These are organized by style of bike and then ascending order of the main variable (seat height or engine cc). Together with the Fit Charts (pictures of riders sitting on bikes), Motorcycle Reviews (by and for women), and the Motorcycles for Short Rides List (real women report in about fit and modifications) ... the arsenal of tools to do research is explosive! Have fun! Mama Tuesday, April 22 Helmet Hair Magazine Runs VTM Blog! Dear Readers, Tuesday, April 22 Motorcycle Summit, Kansas City, May 6th Hello VTwin Mama, 2nd KC Metro Motorcycle Summit If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly.
Mathew Heffley, Lieutenant Tuesday, April 22 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Kathleen, Tuesday, April 22 For Anon whose HD Superglide is still being lowered in the front for proper fit: I, too, have a Superglide but a Sport, and have also lowered mine from a seat height of 27 to 26. Just a thought for you to keep in mind as my dealership-friends told me when I inquired about getting flat-footed. While flat-footed is ok, having the balls of your feet on the ground is usually enough. My buddies asked me: Do you ride with your feet on the ground? They were right . . . I have had my bike at nearly flat-footed for three years now, and it is just fine! 90% of all riding time, your feet are on the pegs, not on the ground! :o) Carrie (note from Mama: how very right you are ... I tend to follow the flat foot to ground advice for newer riders as the majority seem to benefit from the extra security of having a firm purchase to the ground. However, as you noted, one can make do with just the balls of one's feet on the ground, although I wouldn't advocate a true tippy-toe unless you've got some riding time in!) I am 4'10" and am riding a Heritage Softail. We had the back lowered with Progressive shocks, pull back risers, and a narrower seat installed. I still was not comfortable on the bike. Then we found a shoe shop who modifies shoes for people who have one leg longer than the other. He removed the sole of my Harley boots, built them up one whole inch with crepe, then put the soles back on. The results were amazing, and made all the difference. I now have total control of my bike, and I love my boots. They are very comfortable, even softer with the added crepe. If you cannot find a shop near you, I am sure the one I used would accommodate you. I can send you their address and phone number. Several people, men and women, in our HOG chapter have had their boots done. This worked for me. I totally recommend it. linwebs (note from Mama: love the photos ... thanks for sharing them! Click on the pictures for a bigger view!)
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