Sportbike Upgrade: 2007 GSXR 750 - AMAZING

Check out the new ride: 2007 GSXR 750:

Not a scratch on the bike:

I'll do a full post on the new bike, but here's a quick lap around Grizzly Peak and Centennial Dr. in the Berkeley Hills.

It's also a test of my new Vholdr helmet camera, way cool!! Stay tuned for more on the GSXR

Buying tires in the Bay Area

Researching: Where to get the best deal on sportbike tires and installation in the San Francisco Bay Area

As of July 2009, the Verdict: Motorcycle Superstore + MotoTireGuy.com

Out the door price: $339.98, tires installed

The details:

Motorcycle Superstore - online motorcycle vendor (location: Oregon)

Most motorcyclists turn to the internet for great deals on parts (typically less expensive, sales tax can be avoided in some cases, and you can browse at your own leisure). However, most motorcycle riders don't have the proper tools to handle tire installation so it's not as easy as "add to cart" and "checkout"...or is it?

I was pleasantly surprised to find Motorcycle Superstore who had great deals on tires (Dunlop Qualifiers at the time were 25% off but I was too chicken to stray from my Michelin Pilot Powers this time). They also had a cool service I had never heard of before, "preferred installer program."

• Preferred Installer program (link) - You order your tires online from Motorcycle Superstore, they ship to the "preferred installer," you take your bike or your wheels to the installer, and voila, you get new tires at the best price possible. My single compound, Michelin Pilot Powers came to a grand total of $273.98 with zero sales tax (buying from California) and FREE shipping (for orders over $75 or $100, I can't remember). Very cool and cost effective.
• Choosing an installer - After selecting and purchasing the tires, I clicked the "preferred installer program" and started going through many tire installers. The highest rating and lowest price was the MotoTireGuy.com and being close to my new place in SF, I opted to Robbie's business near 10th and Lawton, SF, CA
• Robbie, the MotoTireGuy in San Francisco seems to have the best installation prices: $(35+3)/tire for installation and disposal fee for wheels ON THE BIKE. For wheels off the bike: $(15+3)/tire. These were the best prices listed on the preferred installer program page.

Other dealers in the bay area charge about $100 to install new tires on top of the tire sale price.

Buying the tires online:
Ordering my tires online through the MotorCycleSuperStore.com was a very easy process. Select your tires, know the tire sizes for front and rear on your bike because they'll ask you to specify, submit your zip code to select your "preferred tire vendor" and purchase. Voila! Your discounted tires will be shipped to the preferred installer (for my order shipping was free and looks like it will take about 2 days to arrive).

The only feature of their website that I wish they had was to simply buy the "set" of tires. I picked up the Michelin Pilot Powers single compound and I had to select the front and rear tires separately. Maybe some people mix and match but I simply wanted the set. After talking to Robbie, he said mixing and matching wasn't a bad idea but no real advantages come to mind.

Don't forget to check the "closeouts" too before you buy. There was nothing I wanted at that time but they did have a Michelin Pilot Race rear tire and I thought about mixing and matching and then decided against it. Maybe they'll have some discount sets in the future that I'll pickup. Remember, race tires are NOT good for street riding as their warm up times are much different and wet-weather drivability is poor (information from Robbie).

They then gave me a survey which I didn't want to take but they offered me "$100" which ended up being $100 in magazine subscriptions. Which they then charged you $2/ea for the year subscription so if you're into magazines, maybe this is an option for you. It may also be a scam; hard to tell.

Installing the tires!

So after I submit my order, Robbie was informed of my purchase and that tires would soon be shipped to his business. Robbie was quick to update me when my tires arrived at his work and was very flexible with scheduling. This was the first time I had really conducted business via text message but it worked out just fine.

One note about Robbie's business: he doesn't carry tires or have any new tires in stock for you to just walk in and choose (he has some used tires which he'll sell you but he may not have your size; call to find out). He labels clearly on his website to order the tires from an online vendor and have them shipped to his business. Motorcycle Superstore was the best prices and did have fast service. Save Robbie the hassle by reading his website thoroughly before you call and ask him the same question the last 9 callers had asked, "what kinda tires do you have in stock?"

I arrived a few days later with my motorcycle (wheels on) near 10th and Lawton because I feared a miserable parking situation in the Sunset district. Not really the case. Anyhow, Robbie quickly takes my bike, puts it up on the stand, and gets to work. Meanwhile, he's offered me a seat and suggested I "grab a soda in the fridge." Some good ol' fashioned customer service.

After talking some, he finds my clutch lever is not adjusted properly (it was lacking the "nickel's" worth of space between the lever and the housing) and fixes the problem; no charge. He then suggests some tire pressures which were higher than track settings which was fine. He informed me that if you run your motorcycle at lower pressures on the street, you may feel strange performance and run the risk of bending / scratching your rims in a pothole.

He gravity balances my tires, ensuring he hasn't damaged my rims during the installation and wraps up the job.

It was no surprise Robbie was listed as the number one preferred installer at Motorcycle Superstore. He was very knowledgible about tires and had them on my bike in a little less than an hour (and I showed up late - I don't recommend this).

If you have any questions, he's happy to help, but just don't ask him if he has any tires in stock at his business for you; that's not the way the system works!

Using the tires:

Remember what every mechanic normally tells you after new tire installation: ride it like a Grandma for the first 50 or so miles; let the manufacturing chemicals burn / wear off, leaving you with fresh new grippy rubber. Don't be the guy that falls down in the driveway of the shop!

Thanks for everything Robbie - see you in 3 track days or 3000mi, whichever comes first!!

Pacific Track Time: Infineon - April 24th 2009

Another successful trackday under our belts.  Pacific Track Time hosts another awesome session even though the B+ class was frought with crashes.  Recover well gentlemen, we hope to see you out on the track again soon.  Above is a picture of Eric, myself, and Shawn with our machines (photo by Mrs. Hobbs and loyal asst. Hayden)

Some of the day's highlights were:

• Infineon Raceway itself - this was my first time riding this track and as the "big wig" Ken Casey from Race Ready Motorsports put it, "[Infineon's] easy to learn but difficult to master."  The challenge in the morning made the faster afternoon sessions much more rewarding
• Dr. Hobbs' Helmet Video Camera - showing a high degree of care and compassion for his fellow trackday compatriots (Shawn and myself), Dr. Hobbs bought and installed a helmet camera so he could film us on the track!  If only I could stay in front of him for more than 3/4 of a lap!  Check out his video on YouTube (note my mini wheelie at the start 0:05 - 0:08):
  
  
  
  
• Complementary Lap Timers - apparently, Pacific Track Time is the first trackday program to offer complementary laptimers powered by RFID (Radio Frequency ID).  Similar to "FastTrak," riders wear a small decal on their helmet that has an electronic chip and antenna which communicates to a base station that tracks when the chip passes a specific point on the track.  Riders after each session can simply take their helmets to a beacon connected to a display computer and instantly see their laptimes from the previous session.  TOO COOL!  This laptiming system is apparently the first of it's kind in the world but I expect it to catch on with any racing community.  An article about the system is on bayarearidersforum.com (go to article).  My fastest lap time: 02:03.596
• New Arlen Ness 1 piece leather suit - As the aging connection between my top leather jacket to my bottom leather pants fatigued, the fear in my brain about what my back, stomach and other body parts might look like if I were to hit the pavement served as the impetus too buy new leathers.  Size 54 with room for a good size back protector, this new suit has a great feel.  I'm 6'4" 170lbs and I typically have difficulty finding leathers that fit properly.  These were a good fit at a great buy; thanks again Race Ready Motorsports!
• Dito's GotBlueMilk.com photos: There's like 3 guys who are riding w/the number 9 but check out the one's at the end with my new suit!  So SICK!! (link to gotbluemilk.com)

As we rode Infineon for the first time, here were some observations that were made (see figure if you get lost in the descriptions):

• It's a highly technical track; less top speed, more complex cornering and braking (anyone who watched me hit turn 9a and 11a could describe my troubles.
• The B+ class (or the middle group) tends to crash more than the A and the C.  Speculation is that C class riders know they're learning, thus they ride cautiously.  The A class riders are just damn good and know exactly what their doing 99% of the time.  And B (or B+) riders believe they're "good" so they can go in the faster group, but that belief is often skewed by ego, peer pressure, and cold tires.  All those things combined create high-sides, low sides, and any other unfortunate way you can crash a motorcycle.
• TURN 1 is best handled by rolling off the throttle at the Start / Finish and dipping left into the corner at the turn marker (today it was a T-shaped piece of tape).
• TURN 2 up the first hill allows you carry some additional speed.  Careful though as it's an off camber right hander
• TURN 3 is a sharp left, again, going up a hill so speed is okay
• TURN 3a is just on a crest so you'll need to pick a landmark so you know when you're headed the correct direction down the hill.
• TURN 4 if taken late allows you to merge TURN 4 and 5 together so you can carry as much speed as possible. 
• TURN 5 heading into the carousel is fast and for me was in third gear.  Then, rolling slightly off the throttle entering
• TURN 6, I upshifted to 4th gear  and hugged the corner with a cushion of about 5 ft.   Leaving TURN 6,  you're on the gas and waiting for the wide corner in TURN 7.  I was able to pass people on the outside of TURN 6
• TURN 7 was a turn where I often got passed on the inside.  The tendency is to start from a wide left and swoop over to the right, but people get inside you easy and boom, you're passed.  The long semi-straight path where you're hard on the gas, makes your front end prone to a "schimmy."  Thankfully the pitch and balancing of my Honda CBR F4 is well designed and thus my front end damps this unstable non-linear oscillation often caused by road bump (impulse) or hard acceleration (lightened front end load).  Often times riders fix these problems by using "Steering Dampers" manufactured by companies like Scott, Ohlins, and others.  (picture 1, picture 2)
• TURN 8 and 8a are fast corners.  Just keep up speed cause someone's probably hot on your tail.
• TURN 9a gave me the most trouble during the day.  I just didn't quite figure out the hard braking into that chicane.  And if you get through the first right and you're chicaning over to your left, there is a piece of mended asphalt which can get your rear wheel spinning unintentionally.
• TURN 10 is straight forward and finally, 
• TURN 11 is again a hard braking followed by a tight right hander in 2nd gear.

Verdict:

Infineon w/PTT was awesome!  I was timid at the beginning of the day but by the end I was getting more comfortable on the track.  My fastest laptime was in the low 2mins but I'm awaiting a response from PTT to find my official times online.

5 more track days to go!  WooHoo!!

Prepping your sportbike for the track

There many ways to prep a sportbike for the track.  I'll mention three:

1. OCD-you tend to rebuild your engine between each track day, you've polished your chromie valve caps, and you've ironed your underarmor
2. The Responsible One-you print out the checklist, you make sure you have everything on that list.  You probably have adjusted your chain, washed your bike, and done a thorough inspection.  Then you bring the fun stuff for yourself: digital camera to take a picture or two of some of the OCD people's bikes.  Overall, this person has balanced the right amount of time and effort to have fun on the track.
3. Me-my version of inspection is to ride it and if nothing falls off, tech inspection complete!  Now now, don't worry, I did print up the sheet, and am making sure I have everything on the list but I didn't look too hard at my brake cables, nor did I do anything about the slightly overfilled and dirty oil (probably should have changed it after I installed that new race clutch).  Lets just say that at my last track day, the first session out, we were all suited up, mounted on bikes, engines running, and I was saddled up, tightening one of the bolts on my fairing.  Literally on the bike wrenching, seconds from being on the track. Yikes!

 

In the top figure, you can see the portion of the headlight with the blue painters tape.  This is to keep the glass from shattering all over the racetrack; when and if I fall.

Definitely going to bring the tools, tons of beverages, and faith that it will not rain!  Looking forward to Pacific Track Time's offering of lap timers.  If anyone wants to donate an Apple iMac 20" or other Mac computer product, I'm looking to develop some iPhone applications relevant to motorcycle riding.

I look forward to posting my trackday performance soon!

When it's foggy out, ride above the fog

While it's never wise to ride your motorcycle when you're emotional, sometimes a good, focused, even quick motorcycle ride can help clear a mind.  After starting the motorcycle, you instantly begin to focus on all the subtleties: the slight chatter of valves asking to be tuned, the initial sponginess of the brakes followed by precise, surgical grip, and the tightness around the knees and lack of blood flow due to the jeans under leathers.

Wait, wasn't I worried about making one of the million deadlines, meeting with one of a hundred people, concerned about where I was going to eat dinner?

The motorcycle calls for your unfettered attention and with that focus, a rider can truly enjoy a fun, safe, and exciting motorcycle ride.  Becoming aware of the road, it's variables, and everything else is priority one on the bike.  Determining why you're mad at your girlfriend, or how you're going to get the deliverables have little room on the motorcycle.

Thus, the motorcycle allows you to ride above the fog:

This little ride also served as the prep run for this weeks TrackDay at Infineon Raceway.

Chris McCoy's Track Day Fund: Help Chris and Donate Now!

Barring better judgment, I just spent more than half my salary on 6 track days at Pacific Track Time (PTT).  For $895.00, you can go to six regular track time events.  Assuming each track day is typically $180, you get a savings of roughly $1080-$895 = $185 or 1 trackday!  Cool!  But I'm hoping my fans can help support my trackday riding via sponsorship (read on to see the benefits):

Thanks to my current sponsors:

1. Sarah Wodin Schwartz ($10)
   
2. The McCoys ($395 from the sale of their couch set)
3. Who's next?

Sponsor a Student: Chris's Track Day Fund!

So because this hobby is a bit expensive, I could use help!  If a generous donor is willing to sponsor me for $XX / lap at the various raceways I'll be riding (Thunderhill, Reno/Fernley, Buttonwillow), I'll throw your company's decal on my bike.  The person or company with the most generous sponsorship will get the biggest and most visible advertising spots.  Here is my expected performance:

Benefits to you:

• Exposure to a targeted market - Advertising comes from the pictures they take of us on the track (GotBlueMilk.com).  I'll buy the images and post them to this blog.  You tell your clients, friends, etc. that you've sponsored a UC Berkeley mechanical engineer to fund his favorite hobby: motorcycle racing.  I'll continue to post articles relevant to motorcycle racing, racing technology, and other motorcycle news giving your company logo continued exposure.
  
• Feel good - you give a student the opportunity to explore his passion for motorcycle racing and watch him apply his mechanical engineering skills to drive faster around the race track!
• Learn Something - I plan on posting my learned riding skills, maintenance tricks, and other fun topics.

Pacific Track Time has a new website!

Pacific Track Time just recently updated their website to make managing your trackdays' dates / times better.  Once they've cleaned out a couple minor glitches, should make buying trackdays a breeze (minus the handing over the money part).

Please Donate Now:

I'll try to find PayPal donation methods and import them into this blog.  Otherwise, you can always e-mail me or comment if you or your company might be interested!

Thanks in advance.  Look forward to a great season!

p.s. I learned how to create a PayPal Donate button through this cool (blog)

Safety First

The low-down on Safety!  Safety First--ALWAYS!

So a lot of people ask me what is the right safety gear, how much should I spend, are such and such helmets good?  Well, in my limited experience (13 years of riding), I've come to the following conclusions: you should always invest as much money as possible into your safety gear as it's the last thing between you and the pavement when you crash (and that's when you're lucky enough not to hit anything solid).  The image below is my current Safety Gear Setup.

However, I know it's difficult to spend a bunch of money on safety gear after you already drained your walled buying the motorcycle and the insurance.  Who said riding a motorcycle is cheaper than driving a car?!?  Don't worry, if you ride carefully, responsibly, and safely, it can be!

Thus, I've shared my thoughts on some riding gear, and what I'd recommend being that I've managed to survive on the California highways and racetracks over the years.  Here's the safety gear I'd recommend ranked in order of life-saving potential:

Here are some Safety Gear Options:

Budget Set: ~$500 - Helmet, Gloves, Jacket

Good Set: ~$900 - Helmet, Gloves, Leather Jacket, Boots

Safe Set: ~$1400 - Helmet, Gloves, 2-pc or 1-pc Leather suit, Boots, back protector

1. Helmet (get a good one, you have to wear one by law in CA) ~$350.   It's the most important piece of safety apparel.  It is the complex egg shaped dome you place around your head so that when you crash (and you will), the rate at which your brain impacts the inside of your skull is reduced as much as possible.   The whole point of a helmet is to absorb and dissipate energy for one crash and thus, if you've ever crashed or even dropped your helmet, why it's a good idea to buy another one.  Decent helmets can range anywhere from $100-$250, but the good ones are typically $350 and up (and you can spend up to $1000 on a great helmet with a custom paint job).
   
   
   To illustrate the importance of a helmet, one of my best friends crashed his R1 into a wall at 40mph.  Luckily he hit it at an angle, but his $850 Arai helmet cracked into two separate halves, he bit through his tongue, and chipped his teeth.  But he is alive and healthy thanks to his helmet and leather jacket.
   
   
2. Gloves (get good ones, with knuckle guards, fully stitched leather, etc).  ~$80-100.  If I can crash my skateboard at 2mph and bloody up my hand, just think if your hand gets pinned between the bike and the concrete.
   
3. Jacket or Suit (you might have a leather jacket, but if you're riding sportbikes, you'll want to get a leather jacket designed for speed) ~$350  Get one that's form fitting.  If you're an awkward size like me, then you may consider a tailored suit (but that is $$$)
4. or Suit If you're serious about safety (and you should be) and you have set aside a safety gear budget (go you!), you may consider a one-piece leather suit (~$700-1200).  This will provide much better protection if you go down in a low-side as your jacket can't ride up your back, leaving your lower back or stomach exposed to the concrete.
   
5. Boots - Your ankles are a delicate assemblage of bones, tendons, and muscles which can be ripped to shreds if your motorcycle falls onto them incorrectly in a crash.  Boots will keep your ankles from bending in ways our creator never intended and will give you a better shot at walking after a crash.  They'll also protect your toes if you're on the track and your suspension is bad (~$350)
6. Leather Pants - If you are considering leather pants ($350), you should consider a 1-pc or 2-pc suit.  Maybe you don't have enough for pants now, but if you buy a jacket that has zip ins, you can buy the pants later when you have more $$ and have a tailor or a leather specialist, join the two together.  I found a great leather specialist on Bay Area Riders Forum (BARF) who repaired the leather zippers on my Joe Rocket jacket and AlpineStars pants who charged me like $60 to make the adjustment.  

Buying Riding Gear:

So, I understand we're all on a budget (I'm currently a college student myself).  Some places I've bought safety gear:

Online:

• www.newenough.com - an online retailer that sells older model products at discount rates
• www.bayarearidersforum.com - a great source for info and purchasing of used stuff.
• www.bikebandit.com - a good retailer for motorcycle goods in general.  They send coupons via e-mail so if you're not in a rush you can probably get a deal
• www.kneedraggers.com - another popular online vendor

Retail Stores:

• Cycle Gear - cycle gear doesn't have the cheapest prices, but it is a good place to try on gear and then buy online.  They do offer some Cycle Gear mailing lists which tells you about sales and such.  A decent place, but probably not the cheapest.
• Motorcycle Shops - your local motorcycle dealer will often have apparel but the selection will be limited.

Helmet Manufacturers:

• Arai - worn by top pro riders (google image search Rossi, Hayden, Spies, Bostrom, etc and see what they're wearing).  If it isn't Arai, it will be Shoei or 
• Shoei - this is what I wear (RF-900).  I've had it for more than 5 years.  I should probably replace it but I haven't crashed in it and I've been careful not to drop it so it should still be good.  However, there is probably a warning about material degradation with time.  This helmet is great because Shoei offers many types of tinted shields for them and it came with a nice helmet bag.
• Icon - I don't use Icon but a couple of my buddies ride/race with them (and they're smart people).
• Bieffe - My Dad used to ride with Bieffe but I never looked at them too seriously.  

Jackets, Gloves, Boots

• Joe Rocket - I have a Joe Rocket Blaster Jacket
• Dainese - these guys make good products.  Everyone I know who has them say their leathers are great.  They're just a little out of my price range currently.  Valentino Rossi wears them so that should say something.
• Alpinestars -  I have a pair of Alpinestars leather pants.  I've yet to go down in them but my friend went down in them and they showed great resistance to wear and good protection.
• Custom Suits - I've spoken with people from Bates leathers (Los Angeles), Helimot  (San Jose) and they both seem like reasonable vendors for custom suits.  You can usually get measured at events like MotoGP Laguna Seca or you can read online on how to measure yourself.
  

Driving Techniques - ways to stay alive on the road

Positioning yourself on the road - if you drive a sportbike, you have some added flexibility while you drive because you have more power to escape potentially dangerous situations.  Also, you're probably more keen to how your bike can handle and that its controls are superior to people driving cruisers, mopeds, and the like.  Therefore, when I drive, I like to position myself on the road in a place least likely to see unexpected activity.  

For freeway driving, this is typically the number 1 lane with no cars directly to my right and keeping a safe following distance (at least 2-3 seconds between you and the car in front of you).  You also should be constantly watching your rearview mirrors to make sure some idiot in a car isn't speeding up too quickly on you.  These kind of drivers put motorcyclists 6ft under no matter who's fault it is.  When you're dead, you're dead.

Thus, positioned in this way, you A) eliminate any variables on your left hand side (unless of course a car comes barrelling over the center divide, in which, you had bad luck to begin with), B) You have escape routes in the front and right side, C) you're avoiding all the congestion that occurs at on-ramps and off ramps D) You're moving with the faster cars on the freeway so the relative speed between you and the fastest driver out there is smaller and you can increase the time before impact, giving yourself an opportunity to escape.

Driving defensively
Everyone talks about this but rarely takes action.  Try and predict other drivers' moves.  Assume that each and every driver will do what you don't want them to do.  The most common motorcycle fatalities occur when a car turns left in front of a motorcycle rider because they can't see you.  Therefore, if you're coming up on that sort of situation, slow down, switch lanes, hug the car in front of you (remember cars see other cars much better), make eye contact with the driver turning left, make sure your head light is on during the day, wear visible safety gear, and use common sense.

Using other cars to your advantage - I mentioned that sometimes it might be a good idea to "hug the car in front of you."  I say this because I believe it has kept me safer in many circumstances.  Again, if you're going through an intersection and someone's turning left, odds are that the driver turning left will see the car in front of you, but likely NOT see you.  Therefore if you follow closely behind (or hug) the car in front of you, even if the driver turning left is Speedy Gonzales, there's little chance they will be able to hit you as you'll have passed through the intersection.  The word of caution here then becomes, DON'T rear end the driver in front of you.  They may have to stop suddenly for a pedestrian or some other incident.

This strategy also works well when splitting lanes.  If you're splitting lanes, try to pass cars when you have one on either side of you.  No car going down a slow freeway will be paying any attention to motorcyclists splitting lanes and they're often eager to cut right in front of you to find the "fastest" lane to drive down.  But if you pass between cars when there is one on both sides of you, the drivers of either car will be hesitant to slam into the car on their left or right, preserving a potential cut-off moment.  This may be scary at first as you'd be sandwiched between two vehicles, should one insist on changing lanes.  However, it has been my experience that this is less likely and what's more likely is that a car will suddenly switch lanes on you if there is a gap for the driver to squeeze their car into.

Nobody sees you

Ever.  I drive with my high-beams on so that people are aware of my presence.  If you pretend you're invisible, you're much more likely to avoid an accident because you're more likely take defensive action while driving.

Can you really feel good about buying a 250cc sportbike?

A good friend of mine just bought a Kawasaki 250 Ninja. Cool! Another riding buddy!

But, will my poor friend enjoy the same rich, sportbike riding experience that people who own 600-1000cc sportbikes have?



Original Image Source

I posed this question, and urged that if they want a "beginner" sportbike, to consider the SV 650 or a used Yamaha R6. While not much more expensive than the Yamaha YZF, Ninja 250, 500, Suzuki Katana, riding bikes 600cc or above will "get you in the door," and "allow you to play with the cool kids." There's nothing better than shooting the ish' with other riders at various pit stops and sharing stories about top speed, coolest cop story, and passing the noob riding the GSXR 1000 on the outside of the off camber turn four at the track! You'd hear the word "250" and reminisce back to your high-school days where you had a 100cc Honda dirtbike and wanted the CR250, or you might remember the shorty short hot girl taking off the helmet while straddling her Ninja 500. Hot girl, YES! Wack sportbike, Doh! It just doesn't send the conversation off in the right direction; the tone is all wrong.

Now I'm sure a ton of you will be like, "there are tons of great reasons to buy a 250cc Ninja!" While I've never ridden a 250 sportbike, I did ride a 250cc cruiser (the Honda Rebel) when I was 15 on the street, and the excitement of riding it died like a deer being obliterated by a Soccer Mom driving a Suburban full of spoiled 9-year old whining kids. Riding a 250cc is just not the same kinda sportbike riding fun.

I do, however, know a guy who rode his Ninja 250 and smoked me on the street. But I don't know, however, if this was due to more skill, more huevos, or more stupidity. If I owned one, I'd just be scared to death that the soccer mom who made dear meat out of Bambi would then be bitching to her insurance agent on the phone and while she headed right towards me, I'd have that bastard pinned and feel no response. Bambi and I would both have the same fate.

So, now that you're a proud owner of a Ninja 250, just don't come crying to me in a week when you're pissed that you got cut off by the Geo Metro that whizzed by you on the freeway...oh wait, that doesn't make any sense..., Ninja 250s can't go on the freeway.

p.s. Shepster, you're so much more of a man in so many other ways...I'll forgive this minor lack of judgment and patiently await the purchase of your next sportbike :)

Rainy days - can't ride, but you can do these fun things...

Riding in the rain is for the true, diehard motorcycle rider. I only ride in the rain when I must, and some sportbike riders refuse to ride in the rain so that they can say in their craigslist post "never ridden in the rain."

Rain often brings up the following problems:

• Slick roads
  
• Bike gets filthy
• No way in hell you're getting your knee down (unless of course you crash, which is more likely, and really not fun)
• You're even more invisible than normal
• And you are getting soaked in what is typically cold weather

For these reasons, motorcycle riders are likely to avoid suiting up and hitting the twisties.

However, rainy days are often great for the following:

• Routine maintenance
• Trick mods (fender eliminator, new exhaust, etc)
• Watching MotoGP re-runs
• Reading this blog ;)
• Finding good deals on used motorcycles

Finding good deals on motorcycles during bad weather is easier because many weak-hearted riders start to question why they have the bike because they're not riding it. Then, because rainy days are best spent inside, they hop online and start posting "for-sale" ads on sites like craigslist.org or bayarearidersforum.com at high blue book value. After a week of ZERO responses, they realize they have to lower their price because no one is buying. This is when the opportunity to buy surfaces.

If you can see beyond the bad weather and into the future (i.e. the summer time when riding days are in the plenty), you can get a good deal during the wet season. This gives you time to save more money and buy good safety gear (because you probably spent all your money on the bike, and are using your bicycle helmet and gardening gloves for gear).

The opposite is also true, if you want to sell your bike, the summer time is then the best time to sell.

I'm looking forward to the following rainy-day projects for my 99 CBR F4:

• Replace front and rear shock fluids
• Fix the tail piece that was broken when someone tried to steal the bike (see photos below of the damage). F4i tail section swap on F4 - could be cool...but less comfortable for sure!
• Fix the ignition which was also damaged during the attempted theft
• Valve check

Now I just need to scrounge up the cash. With this economy it's tougher. Here's evidence that even criminals are feeling the economic pressures and their remedy is bike theft (thankfully, they were unsuccessful in my case):

Why they tried to get into the trunk of the bike, I don't know. However, now I have to buy a new tail section:

So, with that, be optimistic about rainy days as you can make your bike more fun to ride on sunny ones.

The start of my motorcycle adventures

I ride a 99 Honda CBR F4. It's got ~43k miles on it to date and I ride as often as possible. I'm also a Mechanical Engineer and I've taken the challenge to keep the bike running (on both the road and the track) for as long as it's safe and possible!

I intend to share stories on: motorcycle repair, riding techniques, track day experiences, mishaps, funny stories, not-so-fun run in's with the law, and any other story common to motorcycle riders.

I'll also try to post picture and video media of my rides and share good roads with you if you live in the Bay Area!

Check out my bike up at Thunderhill on a track day with Pacific Track Time.


Parked, up on it's rear wheel stand. I love the way this bike looks from the back!