Getting her phone number at 70 MPH.
Chinese v Japanese Made Helmets
Sturgis, SD Citizens’ Alliance Asks for Help Building Bikers’ Scenic Byway American Motorcycle Icons
WACO Shootout video given to CNN…. Some interesting actions!
Yamaha wants to replace human riders…. WELCOME SKYNET OVERLORDS!
We discussed the robot DawgHouse Motorcycle Radio Show 332, take a listen!
The wife and I have had the Nolan N104 Evo motorcycle helmets for about half a year now. We have worn them in a large variety of conditions including 100+ degree (F) days, monsoon rains and cool but not yet frigid temperatures (I am sure we will get that soon here in North America).
OK…so what did we like about the helmet.
1) Fit was good. Tight but not uncomfortable. As we wear it more, the padding is conforming to our heads well.
2) Easy to use “controls” (sun shield, buckle system)
3) Ventilation was good, up to a point (see below).
4) Communications, the speakers could be of better quality but they work. The microphone is good, people could not tell I was on the bike when I made a phone call.
5) Not too heavy on our heads…at the end of a long ride we were not unduly tired.
Now what did we not like.
1) Ventilation, when the temps hit the upper 90s(F) and above the vents were not enough. Even locking the chin bar up (creating a ¾ helmet) it was not enough as the tight padding would not allow air to flow around our heads. Up to those temps the vents worked well and I had no issues. During one of our trips the temps were over 100 for many days… we had to get new half-helmets to compensate.
2) Fogging was an occasional minor issue. I am not a big fan of the pinlock system in general and I know this would fix my problem.
3) There is an occasional wind induced rattle that I cannot find or recreate…it just happens for no apparent reason at weird random times. The wife has not had this issue. UGH!!
Overall we like the helmet. Other than during high temps it is comfortable and works as advertised. At this point I would recommend the Nolan Helmet to friends with the caveat about the ventilation. I give the Nolan N104 four stars.
BY: Ania Todua
After helmets, biker jackets are the essential accessories for the motorcyclists’ safety. Thankfully, while protecting you, these armors accentuate your style quotient as well. Of course, like most other niches, the biker jackets market is also swarming with immense styles and designs. Making a buying decision is often very confusing. Here are some basic things you should ensure about your jacket:
Some of Ania’s other works:
Not sure if there is a season for recalls but an awful lot of motorcycles have been affected in the last 40 days (give or take). Here are the ones that I am aware of, check the link at the bottom to find our if your bike has an open recall (any recall not just these).
185,000 – Harley-Davidson is recalling more than 185,000 motorcycles in the U.S. because the saddle bags can come loose and fall off, increasing the risk of a crash. Models affected are: certain 2014 and 2015 Road King, Street Glide, Electra Glide Ultra Classic, Ultra Limited, Police Road King, Police Electra Glide and CVO Ultra Limited bikes. Also affected are 2014 CVO Road King and the 2015 Electra Glide Ultra Classic Low, Ultra Limited Low, Road Glide, CVO Street Glide and CVO Road Glide Ultra motorcycles.
45,000 – Honda recalls more than 45,000 motorcycles A product flaw that could result in engine stalling and increased crash risks led Honda to recall certain motorcycle models dating back to 2013. The model affected are: 2013 through 2015 are ST1300PA, CB500, CBR500, CRF250L, CBR650, CTX700, NSS300, VT750, VT1300, 2015 CB300F, CBR300 and CBR600. The recall also affects NC700 models from the years 2014 through 2016.
12,700 – Yamaha recalls 12,721 Motorcycles the insulation on the stator coil, a component of the alternator, may become damaged and short circuit to due insufficient heat resistance. Models affected are: 2008-2011 WR250X motorcycles manufactured June 1, 2008, to June 1, 2011 and 2008-2015 WR250R motorcycles manufactured June 1, 2008, to June 1, 2015.
308 – Suzuki recalls 308 Accessory Backrest Mounting Hardware kits, part numbers 990A0-75148 and 990A0-75148-BLK, manufactured March 1, 2012, to April 21, 2015. The supplied bolts are to long and my rub the tire.
248 – KTM recalls Super Duke R motorcycle for an issue related to a fuel tank leak. Models affected 2014 and later 1290 Super Duke R motorcycle
That is a lot of bikes that need to be checked… my Ultra Limited is one of them.
If you have one of these model motorcycles (in the US) please check one of the US Governments websites that actually works SAFERCAR.GOV to see if you are affected.
Around the world in less than 100 day on a Victory.
Man steals a motorcycle and gets run down!
How to plug a tubeless Motorcycle Tire
Captain Kirk’s newest ship grounded…sad
Debbie and I left our home in the early morning and after a quick fuel stop for both us and the motorcycle we were head for the beach. We had checked the weather the night before as part of a debate between using the full face Nolan helmets or our half helmets. As the forecasted temperatures for our path of travel and the beach itself was to be in the low to mid 90s(F) we chose the Nolan’s. Well, the weatherman was not right on the temperature projections. But for now those helmets and light jackets were very comfortable.
Our route was south on US 15 then US 17 then I95. Traffic was, mostly, light and we rode for three hours before stopping at Prince George, VA for fuel and a visit to Colonial Harley Davidson. We have stopped by that dealership on several occasions but this was the first time we had caught it open. The entire stop lasted about thirty minutes and we were on the road again.
As I may have mentioned in other blog posts (and as you can see on the Facebook version of IJUSTWANT2RIDE) I collect dealership pins. I did not have one for Colonial HD or next stop at Roanoke Rapids, NC and Collier Harley Davidson. I was able to procure a pin at Colonial, Collier was out of stock. The girls working at Collier did say they would email me when the pins were in stock.
I know it is a geezer glide.. but really
Back on the bike and headed south it started to get hot. By noon it was in the mid-nineties and we were looking for a cool place for lunch, and fuel. Debbie spotted Shelton HD which was also in an outlet mall area with lots of gas stations and restaurants. While I had the pin for this dealership we decided to stop and take a look anyway and this is where I got the picture to the right.
Back on the road we began to see the most iconic signs on I95. We were getting closer and closer to Pedro’s South of the Boarder. If you have never been there, you are missing a throwback experience to a time before …. well a long time ago. If you are in the area it can be worth you time to explore Pedro’s it will be a fun 45-90 minutes especially if you have kids that need a travel break.
By now the temps were over a 100F (104 at one point). The Nolan helmet were getting quite hot even with the chin bar locked open, creating a 3/4 style helmet. As long as we were able to maintain a speed over 30 it was somewhat tolerable but, unfortunately for us, there are a lot of stop lights and heavy traffic between Pedro’s and the beach. While “All The Gear, All The Time” is a great ideal, we could not comply and were down to t-shirts. But, even though South Carolina is a helmet optional state we did keep ours on. So much for accurate forecasts.
We made it to the beach house, stripped down and took some cool showers. For the next couple of days we hung out on the shore and had some good meals (if you are at Myrtle Beach you have to have breakfast at The Golden Egg, put it on your list).
In Part 2 we will cover our trip from the beach to the mountains.
The Nolan N104 Evo.
I am not sure what to I think of this video.
A VERY well done short film by Scott Winn captures some very expressive moments of these guys “surfing”. The score and editing make this look like something that all riders should do…but we all understand how dangerous this type of stunting can become.
It is the way Indian Larry died!
Ken and Phil RANT about Virginia International Raceway before heading to MotoAmerica races at VIR.
Victory Motorcycles to race an electric bike at Isle of Mann.
Lost motorcycle rider found in Guatemala.
Yamaha and Triumph motorcycles recalled for the same bad part.
Ducati customers are the most satisfied?
World Superbike in Imola.
Dani Pedrosa returns.
I JUST WANT 2 RIDE!! 