Motorcycle safety can be boring to some riders but it is all about more riding enjoyment. You may, or may not, define that enjoyment as freedom, relaxation, exhilaration, or perhaps simply as “undefinable.” But what about the risks of motorcycle riding? The fact is, you can get hurt or killed Read more
WOMEN HAVE BEEN RIDING MOTORCYCLES FOR A LONG TIME. But in the last decade or two, I have observed many more female riders on the road than I had observed in earlier decades. And that’s not only here in California, but also on roads across North America. But what I Read more
GOOD AIR FILTERS SUCK THE MOST. You don’t need to be a mechanic to respect the necessity for a clean air filter to remove dirt before it gets into your motorcycle engine’s cylinders. If small airborne particles, including dirt, dust, bugs and your significant other’s frayed denim can find its Read more
HE SAID HE WAS TOO OLD TO RIDE. So, now, he and his wife were traveling on a trike. We met at a gas station and talked for a while, before we each headed back out on the road in different directions as part of our separate multi-day rides and Read more
INCREASE YOUR LUGGAGE CAPACITY AND HEAD OUT ON THE HIGHWAY. Motorcycle saddlebags represent the easiest way to increase your bike’s storage capacity. Tankbags (that sit on your gas tank) are even easier to add and remove, but most do not have the storage capacity of saddle bags. (However, there are Read more
IN A FAIR WORLD WE’D HAVE JUST LAWS, HONEST POLITICIANS, NO WARS AND I’D ALREADY BE DEAD. I admire new motorcycle riders. It reminds me of the exuberance that infected me about motorized two-wheeled vehicles before I was a teenager. I can’t help but smile when I think of that Read more
May 17, 2015: I HATE IT WHEN WEBSITES CHANGE! Well, actually, that’s a strong statement. Personally, I don’t hate it when websites get updated, but I’m not usually overjoyed. However, I have heard from a number of other people in the past who want me to know that THEY hate Read more
DO YOU WEAR PURPLE MOTORCYCLE CHAPS? In the biker community, particularly among cruisers, not everyone can pull off this color with grace and dignity, especially if they should be desiring to reflect the most traditional of motorcycle fashions. As a side note, it could be argued that even though women Read more
HOW DO YOU, PERSONALLY, DEAL WITH THE RISKS OF MOTORCYCLE RIDING? Do you think it’s bad karma to talk about motorcycle crashes? Do you even contemplate the possibility that you might get killed riding? Or do you simply not think about it at all? Yes, I have my own opinions Read more
“I NEED A MOTORCYCLE THAT CAN HANDLE BIG-ROAD TRAFFIC.” A reader asked me the above question (in the subject line). She has already been riding two other bikes, so this wouldn’t be her first. My answer comprises the rest of this post, but I’d be more interested in your views Read more
DO YOU ATTEND MOTORCYCLE SHOWS? WHY OR WHY NOT? (Scroll down to “Leave a Reply.”) Personally, for many years, I did “not” go to motorcycle shows or events. I wouldn’t say that I was opposed to them, or that I wouldn’t even have been interested if I somehow managed to Read more
I’VE BEEN SAYING TO MYSELF FOR YEARS I WOULD NOT WRITE ABOUT THE MOTORCYCLE “WAVE.” On the one hand – at least in North America – it’s a fine symbol of the brotherhood experienced by riders of all ages, races, religions, creeds, socioeconomic backgrounds, etc. On the other hand, it Read more
HOW OFTEN DO YOU DROP YOUR MOTORCYCLE? I don’t mean crash it, although that would certainly be a pertinent answer. In this instance, I simply mean dropping it while you’ve stopped, or while riding very slowly. One example would be pulling up to a stop sign and putting your foot Read more
FELLOW MOTORCYCLISTS GET SMASHED ON THE PAVEMENT EVERY DAY. And many live to tell about it. This morning I learned that one of my neighbors, a young 21-year-old rider, has been in the hospital for several days and is expected to remain there for another 2 weeks, before he can Read more
OVER THE YEARS I’VE DEVELOPED MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT GROUP RIDING. Although most of my weekend excursions and long-distance tours have been on one bike (with and without a passenger), I’ve enjoyed a number of trips with a second bike/rider and sometimes a total of three (such as this weekend in Read more