Tuesday, January 9
For Ruta who survived an accident and is on the mend:
I am
grateful with you that your injuries were not worse and am glad that you
are mending. What an awesome sight to see the picture of you back on your
bike, sling and all!! We all know that take . . . well, courage!!!
I extend an invitation to you (and everyone) to share as much of your accident experience and thoughts during the accident, road conditions, bike type, etc., thoughts during rescue and transport, hospital stay, support, or lack there of, mental and physical set-backs and victories as you can or wish to.
Sharing
our journeys during these times can not only help us to process it all,
but it gives others permission to seek support from the biker community as
well. I realize that you may not have a need to share, but there may be
someone out there who needs to hear it; gaining insight, support and
inspiration as you tell of your experience.
Continue
to mend and I will be thinking of you!
Monday, January 22
Dear
VTwin Mama,
About accidents: You are so right . . . you never get over them. We
were riding double on our new Harley while on vacation in North Carolina.
We had a truck run a stop sign and my husband had nowhere to go but
down (we had traffic on the outside lane, we were making a left hand
turn). We slid under the truck. Our brand new Harley was totaled (the
frame was cracked) and we were both injured. We are from PA and had
to have our daughter come to bring us home and it was seven weeks before
we were able to get our bike. Harley manufactured a new frame with our
serial numbers on it.
The week after we came home I was to take my safety course. I was terrified. I was determined to make it work. I passed my course and got my license. I bought a 250 Alpha Sport. The first ride was terrifying, but it gets easier each time. I am now comfortable enough to ride alone. My husband and I now enjoy riding together and I am thinking of getting a bigger bike . . . a VStar 650 or Suzuki Boulevard next year.
I will never forget the accident and I still have some problems with my neck as a result of the accident, but fear can be overcome!!!! I will be 60 next month and look forward to some good riding this summer. – Mary
Dear
Mary,
It took a lot of courage to continue your adventure in riding . . .
as you noted, the incident never really leaves you, and putting it into
perspective and looking at it from a knowledge viewpoint can be difficult.
I'm glad to hear you are clearing that mental hurdle and looking forward
to the upcoming season. Happy 60th Birthday (a bit early!). – Mama
Monday, January 1
Hi
Mama,
I just read The
Scooter Scoop. They are showing a picture of another three wheel
motorcycle. It is supposed to be sold in the U.S.A. early this year. It is
really good looking. They say it will have CVT [Continuous
Variable Transmission, i.e. automatic tranny without the feel of any
internal shifting happening!]. Bye, Happy Riding, –
Annie
Dear
Annie,
The original posting came from the World
Car Fans site and it looks wonderful, but yup, everyone is scratching
their heads! I'll keep my eye peeled on the motorcycle news sites for
official announcements! – Mama
Dear
VTwin Mama,
I am a petite man of 5'3" and 150 pounds. I have never ridden a
motorcycle and am phobic of the clutch/shift-hand/brain synchronization.
My interest is that now, with gas prices so high, I would like to think
about a motorcycle to commute with for economy.
Can you recommend an automatic transmission motorcycle, comfortable (weight and height) and powerful enough, for a small, phobic man to commute 55 miles each way to work on? – Lane Davis
Dear
Lane,
Many reports are showing that lots of new riders are entering the
adventure in riding for economic reasons . . . welcome to the club!
One way to begin your research is to take a look at my Auto Tranny Models list . . . here you will find auto tranny motorcycles currently in production, models you might find on the used market (that are no longer made), as well as scooter-styled bikes that have a bit more oomph to them for that longer commute you have.
Now let's look at some factors you need to consider. First, the bigger the cc engine power of a bike, the heavier it will be (in general). However, if your commute incorporates hilly terrain, you want to be sure that you don't pick something undersized or you could be struggling to keep up with traffic flow. Second is the seat height . . . as a shorter rider, you'll need to visit dealer showrooms and check your reach to hand and foot controls as well as your leg reach to the ground at a stop.
One way to minimize motorcycle weight and balance issues is to consider "triking" your chosen model . . . even the mid- to mega-range scooters now have options to transform a make/model into a trike.
My recommendation: if $$ for the purchase is not restricted, I'd be looking at Ridley (they sit low right off the bat!). If the cost needs to be lower, I'd head to the local Suzuki dealer to look at the Burgman scooters. If you don't mind waiting a bit, Piaggio (Italy) is bringing in a three-wheeled motorcycle that's got the community buzzing . . . the MP3 has two wheels in front and one in back. The reviews are pretty good but at 250cc, it may not be right if your commute must include highway travel (or the aforementioned hills). There have also been sightings of another two/one wheel bike with 1000cc from Canada . . . but it's not clear if it's actually an auto tranny or not.
One more thing I'd like to bring to your attention. Just because a motorcycle doesn't require manual shifting or there are more wheels, doesn't mean you should just hop on and go. Just like you didn't just get in a car and drive off into the sunset, you need to consider training and/or practice. There are some motorcycle schools that are offering specific classes for scooter and trike riders. The place to start would be to check what the local course provider for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) is offering in your area. In many cases, successful completion means you'll have your license in hand and a possible reduction in insurance costs.
Ok, off you go to explore some more . . . let us know how it's going! It's what we do best . . . share and care! – Mama
Friday, January 12
For Lane who is considering getting a bike for commute economy:
I would never for a second want to discourage anyone from a motorcycle if riding is their dream, however I feel the need to mention that I got more miles per gallon out of my car than I do out of my motorbike! I had a 1.25l Ford Fiesta car, which was fantastically efficient, if not nearly so much fun. I know you guys in America probably don't even have cars nearly that small! They do offer advantages in practicality and dryness for long commutes though. I think the problem is that anything with carburetors is always much less fuel efficient than things with fuel injection (maybe Lane should take this into account when thinking about bikes?). Fuel Injection is definitely on my wishlist for the next bike :) – Michelle (note from Mama: an interesting thought, which I'm glad you shared!)
Monday, January 15
Dear
VTwin Mama,
I have been reading your Auto
Tranny Page for the past 2 years and I now believe I have a solution
for those riders wanting a larger bike but want to retain all the
advantages of an automatic. I designed an automatic transmission that will
fit any 1999-2005 Harley-Davidson Dynaglide motorcycle. The website is
still under construction but you can see a brochure at http://www.automatic-bike.com.
Your
readers have identified the advantages as:
1. Simplified operation for handicapped riders
2. Increased confidence for novice or small stature riders
3. Improved safety with less attention required
4. Added convenience in congested or stop and go traffic
5. Easier to learn and transition from an automobile
I am interested in any feedback or further suggestions you and your readers might have. Thanks! – Rick Walters (Walters Manufacturing)
Dear
Rick,
What an interesting and exciting alternative you've come up with!
There are plenty of people who love the styling of Harleys but find that
clutching and shifting just isn't to their liking. I'll be adding your
modification possibility to my Auto Tranny Models page! – Mama
Tuesday
Update:
This is the link to the write-up
in the March Ironworks magazine, but you need to be a
subscriber to see the whole article.
I also plan to display the bike at the Chicago Supercycle show on Feb 3rd and again at the International Motorcycle Show the following week.
Monday, January 29
Hi
Petra,
I was thinking about writing a review of my Burgman 650 super-scoot and
sending along a couple of photos, but you have listed on the site to contact
you first before submitting reviews for mega scooters or trikes.
I've come to think the Burg is a great starter bike, and for myself it saved me from the problems I was having with my clutch hand riding my Suzuki Boulevard M50. None of the solutions for making the clutch easier or closer worked for the M50. Could have bought something totally different, but I was very intrigued by the Burgman, bought it and just love it!
I'd like to help dispel the myth that these bikes are just Euro-weenie toys. It's really a great starter bike (well, for a person big enough for a bike this big!) and it can seriously move. I think of it more like a mid-size tourer than a scooter! I also believe that more bikes in the future will go towards automatic transmission, and while I'm glad I learned how to shift . . . not having to do it makes it that much easier to concentrate on all the crazy drivers around us here in the land of the Tourist (Florida).
Take care, – Rhonda
Dear
Rhonda,
When I set up the original motorcycle
reviews pages, I wasn't sure how I would handle the scooter styles and
trikes, but I've revamped my wording on the submission form . . . so by all
means, I'd love to have your detailed review of the Suzuki Burgman 650!
I'm soooo glad to hear that you continue to enjoy your riding experience with this bike . . . and having met you last year at the AMA Women & Motorcycling Convention makes it a double treat for me! – Mama
Wednesday, January 31
Dear
VTwin Mama,
I just spoke to Aprilia motorcycle distributor and the rumors are true: in
2008, the model 850 MANA automatic will be available in the states;
probably 2007 in Europe.
Particulars are: 7 speed trans, either regular shift, push button shift on handlebar or full auto option. It's going to be more of a sport bike than cruiser. it is also going to be buckets o' cash, limited production, high performance, bike.
I was going the Ridley route and still might if the price is not too ridiculous. My concern is the complexity of the system they will use. Sounds like a Lamborghini with paddle shifters. Info is now available on Aprilia website. Thanks, – dmemph51
Dear
dmemph51,
Thanks for bringing to my attention that the Aprilia
site now has official details on the MANA850! There is still no pricing
info, so we'll keep our eyes peeled for the Euro cost and translate that to
get an idea of what they'll be asking. – Mama