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Friday, May 2 Dear VTwin Mama, However, one thing is making me nervous. Twice I have gone to start my bike and the starter just clicks, the lights shut off, and the battery doesn't respond. The first time this happened, I charged the battery with the appropriate sized trickle-charger for 12 hours and it never built a charge. So, I assumed I had left the bike in Park on an older battery and I replaced it. The new battery was working fine for a week, but then I went to start it after riding about 25 miles to a remote office and the battery was dead. Any thoughts on what I need to check? Thank you, – A New Rider For A New Life Dear A New Rider For A New Life, We'll start by assuming that you've checked the actual connectors to the terminals for corrosion. In addition, it can be useful to coat the terminals with a dielectric silicone grease to reduce further problems. Given the age of the bike, it's also possible that the wires themselves are no longer in great condition. Did you know that when the charging system is failing, a battery can keep the bike's ignition system running on that alone for about three or four hours? Therein may lie the clue. You were able to run with the new battery but it eventually lost its oomph! So, locate your alternator and check the connections as well as the wires for anything broken, frayed, or melted. Then locate the voltage regulator/rectifier (usually mounted at the front of the bike's frame). Check that. A lot of times, that unit will fail and cause the symptoms you're having now. It can be pulled and brought to the local dealership for testing (double check by making a call first). If those ideas don't solve it, the most likely cause is that you have a wire with an exposed area touching the frame and thus shorting to ground, which will take the battery out eventually. That's a tough one to track down and you may want to then ask the dealer's service department what systems they have available to track down a short. I'm still putting my money on a failing/failed regulator/rectifier or wiring problem to the alternator. – Mama Friday, May 2 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Jim, Honestly, I think your quickest path to understanding how to successfully get this job done is to call your local dealer's service department (weekdays typically are better) and find out what they would do (i.e. remove the fender, etc.). I never hesitate to contact a service department for tips and tricks ... I find if you don't ramble on, but keep it straight to the point, a service person will give you a good clue. Readers with this make/model with experience, please chime in! – Mama Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Wrench, I find that typically if one belongs to an organized group, the group may put forth exact placement guidelines. Otherwise, I've noted that whatever you consider to be your main patch is placed low and centered on the back (so that it is never covered by other riding gear nearer the head/neck/helmet or by longer hair). – Mama Monday, May 5 More for Sherri who was working on adding wind deflectors for her VStar 1300: Any one looking for lowers (air deflectors) that fit the Yamaha VStar windshields should go to Buck's Lowers. These are a well made product. – Anonymous (note from Mama: thanks for sharing ... I see there are solutions for the Roadliner, Stratoliner, and Road Star as well.) Monday, May 5 Hi Petra and VTM Readers, The line includes Classic T’s with a relaxed ladies
cut, Baby Doll T’s with 7% Spandex for a fitted cut, Micro Tanks relaxed
fit and Hoody’s. All the fabric in the Reflections line are performance
fabrics and are Moisture Managing, Anti Odor, Anti Microbial. The
Reflections line also features a design on the back that incorporated
illuminating inks that light up at night when exposed to light (ex. Car
headlights). Our first production run will include Black with mesh and black with solid. I have included our pattern sketches so you can see the great design (The dark gray are the abrasion panels and the light gray are the moisture managing panels. Click on pictures for larger view.
The actual pant has more coverage then the sketches
show) It moves fabulous under your tightest pants and is designed so
you never sit on a seam. The legs are extra long for the tall gals but we
designed it so the pant can be easily shortened for the shorter gals. The retail price point will be $119. We
launched it at the Indy Expo and have had so many pre orders we had to
increase our first production run. I have worn the pant on several rides now and I am
finding the solid is a great insulating layer and kept the wind off me
fabulous but got a little warm when just standing around. The mesh is
definitely the warm weather pant as it has lots of air flow and was
comfortable standing around. It fit very comfortable under my snuggest
jeans with no show through. The design of the pant also offers some
shaping control (a feature we were hoping for but not concentrating on).
So just like the jacket we designed based on Safety, function, comfort,
style in that order. I think we met all at the highest level.. LOL! Can
you tell I’m excited about this pant? Just to let you know we are bringing on a new color
to take the place of the beige jacket (we can’t get a color match on the
fabric any longer) ... it will be a white jacket with light silver pads
and we will have in both the White mesh and the White solid in the jacket
and in the pant. Dear Kristina, Tuesday, May 6 Ladies Only Ride in Fond du Lac, WI on Saturday June 7th Dear VTwin Mama, Tuesday, May 6 Dear VTwin Mama, Also she wants the handle bars pulled back . If you could steer me in the right direction for a set of pull back risers I would greatly appreciate it. By the way, I have used your site for many ideas and information since I run with a short crowd. Thanks for the information. Its the best that I have found on the web. – WTD Dear WTD, You'll find a number of choices for pullback risers at ScootWorks and even a picture with one set installed on a VLX 600. A letter from November 2003 indicated that a short rider on the same model bike simply removed the side covers and rode. Upon buying another bike, the covers were once again removed, but they had crafted custom leather covers so that the "look" was maintained and components sheltered. That may be something to consider, as I do not know of lower profile (narrower) side covers available. – Mama Tuesday, May 6 From Teala who was taking a riding course for the 2nd time and a bit nervous: As promised, here's my update. Yes, I passed my second NBSC course with flying colors and I took my own Honda VLX 600 Shadow to be tested on. After some coaching from my instructors, I DID IT!. I got my big Lic, with my own bike, What a Rush!!!!!!!. It just goes to show that 'ya can't give up!! If you want it bad enough. I love the course so much I helped coach a few people that felt the way I did 2 yrs ago, Out of 9 students, 7 passed and 3 didn't think that they could, but I talked them into doing it. That was a greatest feeling ... helping someone that was were I once was. So tomorrow I'm putting two new sneakers on and I hope to be out tomorrow night relaxing and enjoying the freedom. Thanks Mama! I did write a "coach note" that you suggested and I'll always keep it in my jacket. Mama, you're right, I can do it and I did. – Teala (note from Mama: congrats and yahoo to you! Remember to take on challenges in steps so that you don't get overwhelmed and lose confidence! Readers, the coach note Teala mentions is a little slip of paper you put in your pants or jacket pocket with a positive saying like "I Can Do It" or "Work Towards Your Goals and Dreams" or whatever you want. Whenever you have a moment of doubt or butterflies, you pull it out and give yourself a mini boost!) Wednesday, May 7 Dear VTwin Mama, I took the bike to my local dealer and they stated that it's an air bubble in the oil line and that it shouldn't hurt the engine. They told me if it gets louder they would have to drain half the oil and replace it with automatic trans fluid. I don't know if I want to trust running the engine with an air bubble in the oil line, Is this something you run across before, could it be a faulty oil pump? Should I continue to run the bike or get a second opinion from another shop? – Ron Dear Ron, Here's the deal. As oil flows through a line it tends to carry everything it encounters, including air bubbles, with it. It is in other words a self-bleeding system. If it wasn't, every time the engine was stopped, the oil would drain into the sump, air would fill the lines and you'd run the risk of having the entrained air prevent the oil from flowing. There are several reasons why some fluid-carrying systems sometimes get "air-bound" but that normally involves a pocket of air that's trapped in a bend or pocket in the system and those systems typically have bleeding devices located at those points to remove the air. You might think of a radiator or old style mechanically pumped fuel injection system. The second issue would be filling the oil system with ATF. ATF acts as a solvent and is not suitable for use as an engine lubricant. Using it in the crankcase could do some serious damage to the engine. If the information received is coming through an authorized dealer and it's supported by Suzuki, I'd really want to see the documentation. Update: ATF is highly detergent and is sometimes used to help flush out older car engines, especially when gunk and sludge have made the lifters sticky and that's probably why it was suggested to him as a possible cure. However I doubt very much that it'd solve his problem, and he could do some serious damage to his engine by running it with the sump half full of what is essentially a 5-weight solvent. I'd strongly recommend first changing the oil and filter, using the factory specified oil and an OEM filter. If the noise doesn't go away, take it to a another dealer and get their opinion. – Mark Wednesday, May 7 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Bobbye, Thursday, May 8 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Tammy, If you do qualify to hold a raffle, then the concern is that you can sell enough tickets to cover the value of the bike. Do you have a plan in place for this? Depending on the year/make/model of your motorcycle, may I suggest that you contact the local Harley-Davidson dealer owner and inquire whether they purchase used bikes. While some will only take trade-ins, depending on what you've got, there may be interest. Even if they don't, you could continue your conversation by explaining your need and see if that H-D dealer has an upcoming event where they could work in a raffle on your behalf. If that doesn't pan out, ask for the contact of the head of the local HOG (Harley Owners Group) chapter. They may be able to assist as their contacts range far and wide and they may know of someone who is looking for your make/model bike. Another thought I have ... I now see that some used auto dealers will offer used bikes for sale. It might be possible to advertise the bike but with that auto dealer's contact information, and when it's sold, they would get a small percent commission. I'd make some phone calls and see what's possible. – Mama Thursday, May 8 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Jen, So, if you've never been a motorcycle at all, then I would definitely take a riding class. At this time of year, classes in the area may already be filled, but one can get on a wait list. For a full overview of what to consider before taking a class, I offer my Learning To Ride A Motorcycle article for $3.95 (which is found on the same page as the riding class providers). That's not to say your Dad can't teach you, but just realize that not all riders make good instructors! If you take a class, which is most likely given on a 250cc bike (or 492cc for the Harley-Davidson course), then you'll have the input on how well you did, how comfortable you feel, and whether you should do your initial 6-12 months on a similar size bike or can move up to a mid-range (500-800cc) bike. If you're going to have your Dad teach you, then I'd look in the classifieds for a 250-500cc used bike. In this case, your inseam will give you clues if a bike will allow your legs to reach the ground flat footed. For instance, you're 64" tall and probably have an inseam of about 28". So, given that you'll be straddling a bike, which pushes one's thighs out about 2" before the legs can go to the ground, any bike with a seat height over 26" is going to require some help. The first thing is to make up the distance with a pair of riding boots with a nice solid sole of an inch or two in height. Looking at the Motorcycle Seat Height chart, you'll see that a Honda Rebel or Yamaha VStar 250 (formerly called a Virago) would fit nicely and are more often on the market as a rider moves up in size. In this chart you'll also find weight information and pricing for a new one. Still, while looking at used bikes for sale, the chart will quickly help you understand what the seat height reality is. Of course you'll still need to gauge your arm reach to handlebar controls and leg reach to foot controls. I'm hoping this gives you plenty of ideas on how to get your adventure in motorcycle riding started! – Mama Thursday, May 8 From Won't Quit whose Ninja 500 wasn't fitting right: I am so glad I found your site and I have some great news. Last time I emailed I was so upset about my ride on my Ninja. Well I decided that riding was going to be part of my life with my hubby but I had to find the right bike. I DID! I sold my Ninja to a really great lady as her first bike ... I hope she enjoys it as much as she said she will, and bought a 2007 650 Boulevard S40...and I LOVE IT!! I really think this bike was built just for me. It has a 27" seat, enough power for long rides, it's like sitting on a couch it's so darn comfortable. Went out twice on Sunday for 45 minutes each time. Good country road riding, barely any traffic, and my husband and I had a blast. I am looking forward to Mother's Day. Last year my hubby and I went for a ride on his bike ... this year I AM ON MY OWN BABY!! My kids are happy for me too. The main thing is to anyone who thinks they just can't do it, is not to give up. If riding is something you want to do, you will!! Just don't quit! Loving it and thanks so much, love the site. – Won't Quit, aka Karen (note from Mama: well, well, well ... I was hoping a lowering of the Ninja would do it for you, but it's not the first time I've heard of a rider reconsidering their options on style. There are definitely occasions when one has to let go of a bike that just isn't making one's heart sing! Congrats to you on the S40; I've heard lots of great things about that model and wish you many happy road miles, including this Sunday's Mother's Day ride!) Thursday, May 8 Dear Readers, "Cameleon Power-Sport Apparel singlehandedly took on the women’s motorcycle apparel industry — not only by introducing innovative technology for protective apparel, but also by challenging the stereotype of women riders clad in rough-looking black leather. The line, with the tag line “Where Fashion Meets the Motorcycle,” includes elegant leathers and figure-flattering protection that crosses over from the bike to all areas of women’s lives. When owner and designer Kristina Jones graduated with her MBA in 2004, her husband gave her a motorcycle as a graduation gift. She quickly became frustrated with the ill-fitting, hot, bulky apparel that was available. Jones began researching protective apparel, and started Cameleon in 2006, outsourcing marketing, public relations, customer service and shipping. The company started with a single product, the Invisible Armor jacket, and since has designed an Invisible Armor pant. Next came a line of trademarked Ride Safe shirts in performance fabrics, with reflective inks that glow in headlights at night. Sales have grown 200 percent since the first year of business, with garments sold online on the company’s web site. Plans are in the works to find key retailers in each state that are actively targeting the female demographic and recognize the need to offer women more options and styles than basic black. “To help this cause, we have created a point-of-sale DVD that educates them about Invisible Armor, why it’s different, the unique features of the jacket and fitting assistance,” says Jones. “This will allow the customer to be educated and informed in choosing the size appropriate for them, because fit is a key factor in how the jacket protects the rider.” Crash Pads, based in Astoria, OR, manufactures the products that utilize the patented pad technology, as they hold patents that allow them to sew impact/abrasion resistant padding to stretch fabric. “This patent is why every protective pad you will find elsewhere is either in a pocket, velcroed to the garment, or strapped to the body,” says Jones. Partnering with Crash Pads allowed Cameleon to bring a lightweight, flexible, stylish protective jacket to the women’s motorcycle industry. Women can now wear any jacket or sweater in their closet, because Invisible Armor fits under the rider’s clothing. It can also be worn alone as an outer garment. “All other protective apparel is sold as an under garment only,” says Jones. “This feature creates the versatility that nothing else in the industry offers.” Soon to be launched: A men’s version of the Invisible Armor jacket and pant." Kudos to Kristina and all of her hard work. If you missed Monday's announcement of her new slide pant design, take a look to see what's coming up! – Mama Friday, May 9 Exciting News ... Men's Style T-Shirts Coming Back! Dear Readers, What I'm doing this time is to work with an online boutique T-shirt company so that I don't have to carry inventory and can expand the color choices and sizes to make this a lot more fun! It will have the VTwin Mama logo and you'll be able to get this in Small to 2X in 15 colors and in 8 colors for 3X. These are heavyweight, relaxed fit, 100% cotton, Fruit of the Loom men's brand ... so they are going to be glorious to wear. I'm simply waiting for the company to approve the VTwin Mama logo, which could take anywhere from a few days to a week to finalize. Pricing will depend on my logo placement, which I'm thinking just a smaller one on the front, offset to the left, but possibly including a bigger logo on the back as well. Hmmm ... So, stay tuned next week when I make the announcement of availability! – Mama Friday, May 9 Dear VTwin Mama, My VStar 1300 "Silver" performed brilliantly and the weather (aside from some serious cross-winds in the desert) was great. I really want to thank you for turning me on to "The Essential Guide to Motorcycle Travel" by Dale Coyner ... it's a great book for people like me who want to ride longer distances, but don't have the first clue about what to take and how to get started. Traveling alone probably isn't for the faint hearted or directionally challenged, but what a great experience. Thanks also, to all who contribute their thoughts and stories to your wonderful website. It inspires and encourages all of us to become the riders we want to be. So, excuse me, I need to go start planning my next trip. Ride Safe, – Debbie from Salinas, CA Dear Debbie, Friday, May 9 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Ray,
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