Discussion - always find my self ridding in motorcycle

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Automotive Insanity > Cycle Asylum > Discussion - always find my self ridding in motorcycle

sklnd: Nov 26, 2007; NOT A TRACTOR

Nerobro posted:

LWR is VERY, VERY much worth watching. it's excelent. LWD is.. dull.

LWR had that 'oh poo poo there's no roads here we're in f'n Mongolia also here's this crazy dude in Kazakhstan with guns and a nice house and oh god is he a mobster type' aspect which as cool. It was a good show start to finish.

Race to Dakar was half poo poo and half awesome. The first half was just constant whining and really was a turn-off, but I powered through it and the really crazy Dakar stages salvaged the show.

I really liked LWD once they got through Egypt or so. The rest of Africa looked /awesome/ and had really neat (local and foreign wandering type) people. The motorcycle aspect of the show was less cool than LWR though, and the wife thing just pissed me off until she dropped her bike almost immediately.

# ¿ Oct 18, 2008 17:14

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# ¿ Apr 19, 2024 04:16

sklnd: Nov 26, 2007; NOT A TRACTOR

Simkin posted:

Best $15 I've ever spent on gear, by far.

^This

I tested mine out (and posted about it confusing it with the similar-sounding dessert!) yesterday in mid-40F weather. It was great and I was pretty comfortable riding around.

# ¿ Nov 24, 2008 03:47

sklnd: Nov 26, 2007; NOT A TRACTOR

While letting my ex250 idle a bit today after a valve adjustment and new plugs (I was enjoying how much it sounded like a sewing machine now), I decided to see if my kickstand switch actually worked.

Putting it in gear and letting out the clutch told me that it does not work. I took a look at the switch, and its and a bit of the kickstand are bent and mangled in such a way that the stand doesn't activate the switch. Bummer. That's one more thing I need to fix/replace on this bike.

My first bike has been an extended financial/free time based lesson on how to inspect a bike before purchase to avoid these things. Alternatively, its an extended lesson on how to do plastics repair, replace levers, replace bits of the lighting system, clean the carbs, etc. :downs:

# ¿ Dec 13, 2008 21:48

sklnd: Nov 26, 2007; NOT A TRACTOR

Even the brain-bucket sporting weekend harley crowd seemed to consistently waive back at me this weekend. I think they were all as happy as I've been with the beautiful weather we've had the last couple days in Texas.

sklnd fucked around with this message at 04:35 on Mar 10, 2009

# ¿ Mar 10, 2009 04:29

sklnd: Nov 26, 2007; NOT A TRACTOR

Looks like Texas has a lanesplitting bill that actually made it out of committee this year.

I hope it passes!

SB 506:

code:

  	       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
  	       SECTION 1.  Section 545.060, Transportation Code, is amended
  	by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (e) to read as
  	follows:
  	       (a)  An operator on a roadway divided into two or more
  	clearly marked lanes for traffic:
  	             (1)  shall drive as nearly as practical entirely within
  	a single lane, except as provided by Subsection (e); and
  	             (2)  may not move from the lane unless that movement can
  	be made safely.
  	       (e)  The operator of a motorcycle may operate the motorcycle 
  	for a safe distance between lanes of traffic moving in the same
  	direction during periods of traffic congestion if:
  	             (1)  notwithstanding Section 661.003(c), the operator
  	and any passenger wear protective headgear that meets the safety
  	standards adopted by the department; and
  	             (2)  the operator operates the motorcycle:
  	                   (A)  at a speed not more than five miles per hour
  	greater than the speed of the other traffic;
  	                   (B)  in traffic that is moving at a speed of 20
  	miles per hour or less; and
  	                   (C)  in a location other than a school crossing
  	zone or a location where the posted speed limit is 20 miles per hour
  	or less.
  	       SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.

# ¿ Mar 21, 2009 04:29

sklnd: Nov 26, 2007; NOT A TRACTOR

get the torque wrench

two of them (one in foot/lbs and one in inch/oz)

its worth it.

# ¿ Mar 21, 2009 14:35

sklnd: Nov 26, 2007; NOT A TRACTOR

The next bike I buy will have heated grips.

I went on a camping trip with 10 people a few hours south of Dallas this weekend. I rode, they caged it. Its late March, in Texas, right? Nice weather, right? Nope! On the way down I rode through a pretty awesome thunderstorm and got my duffel bag fairly wet. No problem, I thought. After I got the camp site and had my tent up, I set my clothes out in my tent to dry.

A couple hours later (before my friends had arrived) a pretty rockin thunderstorm came through that was associated with a cold front. The temp dropped from about 80F to about 50F in the span of an hour, and it came with 30mph winds. Overnight the temp dropped to 30F, and nobody was really prepared well for that sort of weather with crazy stiff winds. So, around 7:30pm on Saturday enough of the group decided to pack it up that I figured I'd get a room in the nearby town and that would be that. One night of freezing cold was enough for the group.

When I got to the town, I figured I could just keep going and be back home in my nice warm apartment for the price of two hours of cold riding. Armed with four upper layers, three pants layers, a balaclava that I keep in my saddle bags, and glove liners under my summer gloves I set off. It was about 40F out the whole way, which wouldn't have been bad at all if I had better gloves. The liners help, but my throttle hand was pretty much frozen for the duration of the trip. Highway riding in Dallas on a Ninja 250 with a frozen right hand and a ton of gear bungied to the back of the bike is quite the experience.

So yes, heated grips. I need them. I enjoyed the people who looked at me like I was mad, and the local scooter guys riding around in north Dallas who gave me a big thumbs up when I was sitting next to them at a light holding my engine with my right hand.

# ¿ Mar 29, 2009 16:19

sklnd: Nov 26, 2007; NOT A TRACTOR

Yeah, proper heated gloves also seem like a good idea.

Heated grips, however, would have helped on a trip like this where I didn't carry all my cold weather gear and wouldn't have been likely to pack heated gloves because I wasn't expecting to ride in sub-50F temps. As it was, I only had glove liners because I picked up some thin-ish gloves from the local thrift store for a dollar.

Also I kinda figure for typical Texas cold weather riding, a little warmth into the hands would probably be sufficient. I doubt I get more than that by occasionally riding while holding my engine with my clutch hand, and it was pretty much fine the whole way.

# ¿ Mar 29, 2009 17:31

sklnd: Nov 26, 2007; NOT A TRACTOR

Doctor Zero posted:

You know, I thought it was legal in something like Texas or something "out west", but after research it seems it's only legal in CA. Maybe I heard there was a state that was thinking about making it legal, I dunno. vv

In Texas, SB506 would make it legal this September if it passes (with pretty heavy restrictions). It has passed the state Senate and is in committee in the House at the moment. I haven't seen a hearing date or anything thus far.

# ¿ Apr 17, 2009 20:46

sklnd: Nov 26, 2007; NOT A TRACTOR

Nerobro posted:

All chains give you warning. I wouldn't throw out a chain just based on age.

What should I look for as said warning? This has surpassed Mexican pig flu on the list of things that worry me.

# ¿ Apr 27, 2009 04:20

sklnd: Nov 26, 2007; NOT A TRACTOR

God, that looks horrible. I make a very big point to clean the bottom run of chain and rotate the tire clockwise so that I don't do this. Yeesh.

# ¿ May 2, 2009 15:54

sklnd: Nov 26, 2007; NOT A TRACTOR

Phat_Albert posted:

The worst craigslist experience I've ever had was trying to sell my 77 CB750.

I had one guy who left after learning that it wasnt fuel injected, another was disappointed that it wasnt a Honda CBR750RR, another guy wanted to give me $200 for it and acted like I was the rear end in a top hat when I told him no.

Does a price point really not dissuade people from meeting with you and offering well below an acceptable price? I kinda figured most of that filtering could be done via email. Maybe I trust people too much.

I'm considering trying to sell my truck via cl soon, which is why I'm interested.

# ¿ Aug 9, 2009 20:29

sklnd: Nov 26, 2007; NOT A TRACTOR

600 miles into riding down to South Texas along the coast.

Been a blast so far, but it turns out I'm pretty retarded on sand:

Not pictured: the results of that gouge in the sand.

Should have a ride report around wednesday or so.

# ¿ Sep 6, 2009 01:56

sklnd: Nov 26, 2007; NOT A TRACTOR

PlasticSun posted:

That transalp is far to hot to ever be dropped, you have been warned.

That looks like a nice beach though, where is that?

Looking forward to your ride report.

The transalp isn't mine. That's blugu64s. I'm riding an army green 01 KLR (not pictured)

That's at Padre Island National Seashore, about a mile down the beach. They let you go all the way down the island, but that was not for me.

# ¿ Sep 6, 2009 20:07

sklnd: Nov 26, 2007; NOT A TRACTOR

blugu64 posted:

True story, Turn signals aren't required on Motorcycles in Texas. I'm kinda surprised by this actually.

They are not specifically required in the inspection procedure, but they *are* required for vehicles operated in Texas, because Texas law adopts federal motor vehicle safety standards. You can get a ticket for not having them, and when I've had my bike inspected in Texas they had me flip on the signals.

Texas Transportation Code posted:

� 547.004. GENERAL OFFENSES. (a) A person commits an
offense that is a misdemeanor if the person operates or moves or, as
an owner, knowingly permits another to operate or move, a vehicle
that:
(1) is unsafe so as to endanger a person;
(2) is not equipped in a manner that complies with the
vehicle equipment standards and requirements established by this
chapter; or
(3) is equipped in a manner prohibited by this
chapter.

Texas Administrative Code Title 37 Part 1 Chapter 21 Rule �21.1 posted:

(a) Under �547.101 of the Texas Transportation Code, the department may adopt standards for vehicle equipment to protect the public and to enforce federal motor vehicle safety standards. Department standards duplicate those of the United States that apply to the same aspect of vehicle equipment or, if there is no federal standard, a standard issued or endorsed by recognized national standard-setting organizations or agencies. This section contains standards for motor vehicle equipment adopted by the department.

...

(d) Standards--Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS). The performance standard for vehicle equipment established by the Texas Department of Public Safety shall be identical to the applicable federal standard.

If you want really specific stuff, the fed standards are in Title 49 Chapter V Part 571 Section 108.

sklnd fucked around with this message at 15:39 on Jun 2, 2010

# ¿ Jun 2, 2010 15:37

sklnd: Nov 26, 2007; NOT A TRACTOR

Bad Munki posted:

In Soviet Russia, cute redhead rides you

But she was already asking about his crotch rocket...

# ¿ Jun 12, 2010 05:44

sklnd: Nov 26, 2007; NOT A TRACTOR

Crayvex posted:

http://www.instamapper.com/

It's a free service that uses an iPhone or Droid app to report coordinates every few minutes. I was going to have it on for the entire trip but thanks to Apple not supporting multi-tasking, it was mostly off instead of on.

I might try that on a 1400 mile trip I just decided I was taking in two weeks. I'll have to switch up my music listening over to a mp3 player to keep the droid alive with radio on, though. I cant see it living through a day of pinging the tower in the BFE stretches in New Mexico, if there's even CDMA coverage at all.

# ¿ Jun 17, 2010 04:01

sklnd: Nov 26, 2007; NOT A TRACTOR

redscare posted:

Why don't you just hook up a 12v adapter and a car charger?

I will, actually, but my 12v socket is on the rear of the bikes luggage rack, so my phone will have to live back there when charging.

# ¿ Jun 17, 2010 15:29

sklnd: Nov 26, 2007; NOT A TRACTOR

Ola posted:

This is definitely a topic for a different thread in a different sub forum, but what is a good site to check out tech jobs in the US? I'm toying with the idea of changing country. I suppose the west coast is best for motorcycling and I don't think it's too bad for a digital cinema career either, but it's hard to google for with all the CV-seller sites.

What sort of tech job? I stick to Dice and company websites. So far it has worked out for me, but I was applying for niche stuff so my competition pool was much smaller.

Boulder, Colorado is another good place to look. There is tons of tech out here, and the roads just west of town are OMG. My employer is hiring, but I think most of it is US-citizen only unless you're a driver developer.

# ¿ Jul 10, 2010 01:03

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# ¿ Apr 19, 2024 04:16

sklnd: Nov 26, 2007; NOT A TRACTOR

CSi-NA-EJ7 posted:

Just got back from a few days in Colorado.

And in the North http://tinyurl.com/2ceqnj6

You went right by my apartment.

I see more dual sports and motards in Boulder Canyon than anything. Also Peak to Peak Highway is super pretty.

# ¿ Aug 21, 2010 20:33

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Automotive Insanity > Cycle Asylum > Discussion - always find my self ridding in motorcycle