The OTB old testament

[PiZdETS]

Buying from a dealership
I've previously posted about my method of buying and selling used bikes from private parties. Now we can discuss purchasing bikes from dealers (new and used).

First, some terms:

A. List.
List price, like in what the Suggested Retail Price is, if you went to the Manufacturers web site and looked up the model you want, they LIST the price.

B. Invoice.
The price the Manufacturer charges the dealership for a particular bike on an Invoice. This MAY or MAY NOT be what the dealer actually pays.

C. Overhead
What it costs the dealer to maintain the dealership and pay everybody, including the gov't. If the dealer doesn’t make enough on each unit to pay overhead, he won’t be around to service your warranty issues……

D. Front End Money
Direct Dealer or Manufacturer discounts that the buyer MAY OR MAY NOT see on the buyers order.

E. Buyers Order
In most states, this is a formal and legally binding document (binding on the dealership, once signed by an authorized manager or representative; usually not just a salesman). The dealership is required to honor the sales conditions stated on the Buyer’s Order; the consumer can get up and walk away anytime UP TO TAKING DELIVERY OF THE DEAL. Once you have driven the bike off the lot….it’s your’s, baby.

F. Back End Money
Manufacturer or other special incentives or discounts, either to the dealership, or to the salesman on the contract. Usually never seen by the consumer. These discounts can be spifs, spins, direct rebates to the dealers, discounts based on volume, rebates of regional advertising money, discounts on flooring money if the manufacturer is carrying flooring contracts. They are almost NEVER negotiable. They are the monies that operate the dealership.

G. Flooring Money
The cost to the dealership to a bank, finance company or manufacturer to "floor" the bikes. Many dealerships may have hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars in inventory on the "floor" (showroom and warehouse) at any given time; few dealers can afford to pay cash for this inventory, so most dealerships use a bank or other financial institution to loan them the money, like a revolving charge account, with the inventory as collateral.

F. ADDS
Add-ons, ADM (additional dealer markup); these are things like “paperwork fees”, “setup fees”(all major manufacturers rebate a standard amount for dealer prep or setup to the dealer…, charging you for dealer prep is another way to get a few extra bucks out of your pocket),“processing fees” ect. In some states these are not allowed, in some states they are MANDATED, and in others, the statutes are silent. Check your local MVA. In states where these fees are not mandated, all of these adds are negotiable.

G.FREIGHT, TAXES and TAG FEES
These are fixed costs and are not negotiable.

H. Discount
This is the amount of money you NEGOTIATE off the list price of the vehicle…. The more the merrier.

Notice that everything I mentioned here has only to do with money and expenses; that's because in order to get a good experience in buying a new bike (or used bike from a dealer), you need to know where you are, what you are doing and what you can expect. Dealerships are BUSINESSES. Good dealership managers and owners may run them like they were the local bike social hangout, rendezvous spot or biker cafe', but in the end they are businesses, and MUST MAKE MONEY TO REMAIN VIABLE.

Note also, that the salesman you get can make or break your experience or view of that dealership. If you get an a$$wipe of a salesman, (and there are some), ask for somebody else, or leave the dealership and come back when somebody else is working. If you like the guy, stick with him, even if you need to come back several times (like, make an APPOINTMENT with the guy and keep it). Most of these guys work on commission, so if you find a good one, use him, and refer your friends.

A million books have been written on the psychology of selling; go to your local library and check one out if you have interest … my goal here is for the neophyte bike buyer to understand the “mechanics” of purchasing a new bike so that he (or she) may have a better chance of getting a decent deal.

To get the best deal possible, pay attention to OTB’s BIKE BUYING BASICS:

1. Remember…this is a sportbike purchase: not the end of the world if it doesn’t go the way you’d like. Keep your sense of humor and have fun.
2. You will get the best price in the middle of February when the showroom is empty and the salesmen are all staring at the snow blowing by the showroom window, NOT in May when you have to take a number and stand in line to get somebody’s attention.
3. The average salesman will have done this 20 times in the last week and a half…. You get to do this once every three or four years…. Who do you think is better at it?
4. If there are four people behind you waving money at the salesman to buy that one limited edition, Ohlins suspended, Rossi signature one-off factory special, of which each dealership gets only one …. Don’t be a buttwipe and get huffy when the salesman turns down your offer of $1000 under invoice. If it’s that important to get something off of list, pick a slow moving model…..and don’t be such an a$$.
5. Don’t be a wimp… if you don’t ask, you won’t get it, and the worst that will happen is that somebody will say “no”.
6. Don’t be an a$$: nobody gets reamed at dealerships like arrogant ba$tards that treat the salesman like the “bloody hired help”. Be a prick and they’ll pack so many adds into your deal, it’ll take you a week to figure out what you actually paid (see #3). We used to call it the “nuisance tax”.
7. Be nice, no matter what happens. Ever if the dealership treats you lousy…because:
8. Not matter what happens, NOBODY CAN MAKE YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY IF YOU DON’T WANT TO. Getting treated badly?…go somewhere else, pick a different model, manufacturer, buy a good used bike instead of new…….

Negotiating;
I can only tell you what works for me; not everybody will be comfortable with the same approach.

A. Do your homework: find out what the msrp is on the bike(s) you are interested in before going. Write the number(s) down in a little notebook you can take with you.

B. Go to the manufacturer's website before you go to see what special promos they have going on; write them down in your notebook.

C. Go to the dealership website before you go, to see what promos they have going; write them down in your notebook.

D. Set a reasonable price you are willing to pay before you walk out the door...that means sit down and write out the purchase price, taxes tags and any other fees you may have to pay...setup and "paperwork" fees to the dealership ain't it, unless your state mandates them...otherwise, they are just adds and you shouldn't pay them. Note...don't be a "Payment" buyer...looking for an acceptable monthly payment regardless of the price...more than one buyer has gone home with a bike and a great monthly payment, only to discover (sometimes years later) that he'll be making that great payment for 60 or even 72 or 84 months!!!!!!! 3-4 years should be the max you want to pay for that thing....

E. Act like a complete noob at the dealership; don't try to impress the salesman with your deep knowledge. A good salesman knows more about the bike than you ever will know, so let him tell you about it. A bad one will be making stuff up left and right; that's why you need to do your homework. If you keep your mouth shut as much as possible, you will not just learn some things about the bike, you will also learn something useful about the person you are negotiating with.

F. ASK THE SALESMAN what kind of deal you can get...go into his office and sit down and have him WRITE IT OUT on a buyer's order. Most people cannot keep numbers straight in a detailed conversation of price and costs. Have him write them down. Understand that, until numbers are on a signed buyers order, everything is just TALK. That means, if they promise you a helmet and a jacket, or a free 1000 mile service, or WHATEVER...that until it's on the buyer's order, or on a separate coupon or letter...that it doesn't exist...it's vaporware. If the salesman gives you an out-the-door price and/or extra goodies, have him put it on the buyer's order...prices or terms on the back of a business card are not enforceable... a signed buyer's order is.

G. Be relaxed, be friendly....this is a big game, so go have fun with it.

H. Don't give up until you've heard "No" three times...then they really mean it.

I. After you've settled on a price, don't be afraid to ask (nicely) for that helmet or that jacket or the free first service (or all three)....be nice, but tell them you really NEED that whatever to seal the deal...and remember "H" above....

J. To take some of the pressure off, understand that IN MOST STATES (check with your DMV) that UNTIL YOU TAKE PHYSICAL DELIVERY OF THE VEHICLE (i.e. ride it away) that you can walk away from the deal at any time, with no cost to you.

Now, understand that there may be great pressure put on you NOT to walk away, but they can't force you to buy something you don't want, AS LONG AS YOU HAVEN'T TAKEN DELIVERY (then it becomes a used bike; YOUR used bike). So if you get the heeby jeebies about a deal, or find out another dealership has a better deal, you can cancel the deal and get any deposit back (in MOST states, so check first) AS LONG AS YOU HAVEN"T TAKEN DELIVERY. I AM NOT A LAWYER SO FIND OUT ABOUT YOUR STATE'S LAWS BEFORE YOU GET IN A JAM....NOT AFTER.

Remember, doing your research after you've done the deal is a waste of time.

Go have fun.

[PiZdETS]

Is This A Good Deal?
I read all the time on here, "I just bought a Suzikawiyamda Gps 1125 and paid 12,000 rupees for it. Did I get a good deal? My friends say I got ripped off. What's the deal?" or the famous " My friend is selling his 1978 Van Veen OCR 1000 with only 123,000 miles on it for $12,400. Is this a good price?"

There are so many factors that go into bike pricing (new and used) that it is ALMOST impossible to say what constitutes a "GOOD DEAL". So many factors are subjective, and what is a good deal to one might be a crummy deal to someone else.

I used to buy a bike and literally ride the wheels off of it, racking up tens of thousands of miles in a single year. When I started looking at major rebuild money, then and only then would I start looking to replace my mount, so my motivation was to buy a good, reliable bike, preferably new with a factory warranty so I would have no worries for a while. My modus operendi was to shop the two or three dealers of the brand/model i wanted within a hundred mile range, working each of them back and forth to save a few bucks (my first Suzuki 250 was $895 list...new...not a lot of room to negotiate). I might ride up to 100-150 miles to save a hundred bucks. (Gas was $.25 a gallon, too).

Today, I buy and sell bikes as a hobby, and may change bikes more often than some folks change their underwear. So far this year, I've bought and sold 6, and am looking at 2 more. So, my motivation is different. What constitutes a good deal today, FOR ME, is anything I can turn quickly (1 to 2 weeks) and make a reasonable profit ($500-1000) selling the bike a few hundred under "book" value.

By the same token, all those folks this spring that busily threw thousands of dollars at Ducati dealers, just for the privilidge of paying several thousand dollars ABOVE MSRP for a new 1098, were thrilled to death...otherwise they never would have paid that kind of money. Status can be a powerful motivator.

Many people with no or marginal credit pay MSRP or more, because the dealer could get them financed when nobody else could. Did they get a good deal?????? They're riding, aren't they?

I read a post on here recently from someone in New Brunswick who has limited access to dealerships (hundreds of miles between them, and hardly any used bikes on the market); their idea of a good deal is going to be much different from somebody in LA, who has access to 10-15 dealers of the same brand.

Model availability, dealer access (or lack of) perceived exclusivity, status, physical location, access to credit, all play as factors in what constitutes a "good deal". Do your research, shop around as best you can, make the best deal YOU CAN....and then don't look back; keep your eyes on the road, not on the past.

ENJOY YOUR RIDE
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Dealer Financing
To Dealer Finance, or Not To Dealer Finance; THAT is THE Question.

TERMINOLOGY:

"Business Manager":

This is the F&I guy (finance and insurance)......this is the guy in most dealerships, whether you meet him or not, who approves or gets bank approval for your loan through the dealership. You might only ever deal with the salesman...but this or the GM are the guys who approve every deal. This is also the guy who generates most of the profit on the sales floor. I'll tell you how, later.

"Buy Rate"

This is the percentage rate APR;( Annual Percentage Rate)the bank will approve TO THE DEALERSHIP, FOR YOUR LOAN. It is based on credit worthiness, debt ratio, homeowner vs renter status and the Humbolt Current.

"Contract Rate"

This is the percentage rate (APR) the dealership puts on the contract that you sign. The difference between the Buy Rate and the Contract Rate goes to the dealership.

"Loan Insurance"

This is an insurance policy benefiting the bank...if you lose your job, die, or become disabled during the term of the loan, the loan gets paid off. Just like the bank rate, there is a "Buy" and "Contract" rate to the dealership...the difference goes to the dealership. Are you starting to get the picture?

"Extended Warranty"

New motorcycles come with a manufacturer's warranty; the term of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Dealerships offer "extended warranties", carried either through the manufacturer (rare) or through a third party Warranty Company (most common). These extended warranties are simple insurance policies for the operation of your bike: follow the requirements of the warranty (for service and maintanence, and have the documents to PROVE IT) and the warranty company will pay for service problems AS STATED IN YOUR POLICY. THAT MEANS YOU BETTER READ AND UNDERSTAND YOUR POLICY BEFORE YOU SIGN FOR IT. If yuo ythink you are buying a "Nose to Tail" (or Bumper to Bumper) policy, and you don't read it, and you bring the bike in for service and find out that a lot of what you THOUGHT was covered was considered "Normal Wear" items....you are going to be shocked!! READ THE DAMN POLICY BEFORE YOU BUY IT!!!!
Just like evrything else you've read about so far here, there is a "Buy" rate and a "Contract" rate....the difference going to the dealership......sigh.

The point of all this is:

A. You are dealing with a business....and everything that business has to offer COSTS MONEY. Everybody in that business needs to get paid...and you (the buyer) pay them by making purchases. That's the deal.

B. The PRICE of just about everything in that dealership is NEGOTIABLE; from the purchase price of the bike, to the cost of a pair of gloves. REMEMBER that when they quote you a 19.5% APR on that loan.......

C. I can't tell you whether insurance or an extended warranty is a good idea for YOU (just ask jtemple; http://www.twowheelforum.com/showthread.php?t=17964), everybodies' circumstances are different.....just remember that OFTEN you can get it for less, if you ask.

I've heard folks on here rip a dealer for putting somebody out on a high rate...but often, the dealers' relationship with a bank is what gets otherwise poor or marginal buyers loans, who wouldn't normally qualify. Yep, sometimes a dealer will "take advantage" of an ignorant buyer...but who's fault is that...nobody throws the buyer on the floor, drugs him (or her) and makes them sign. If I sign stuff without reading it or understanding what the F##@ I'm signing: well, SHAME ON ME!!!

READ EVERYTHING BEFORE YOU SIGN

[PiZdETS]

Two-Up Riding

Two-Up Considerations

Let me first say that I make a lousy motorcycle passenger; admittedly critical of my own riding, I'm absolutely paranoid about entrusting my welfare to someone else on two wheels. That being said, there are times when you may want or even need (in an emergency situation, breakdown, ect) to put someone in the pillion seat. If you're going to do it, you'll need to know the dynamics of taking on a passenger, as well as how to "train" that person so that you both arrive at your destination safely and unfrazzled.

Understand two things: 1. My comments here are reserved for sport and naked style bikes; the dynamics for heavier touring and cruiser bikes are similar but not exactly the same, but there are enough differences for me to make this disclaimer.

2. The techniques I offer are what have worked for me; others may have different preferences; so be it.

A few months ago, there was a series of photos circulating (I think they were killboy photos) of a young couple negotiating a rather steeply banked tight turn at a considerable angle of bank, the passenger smiling and waving at the camera in her shorts, tennis shoes and tanktop; (at least they were both helmeted). As the series of photos progresses, you can see the front wheel begin to tuck under, (the passenger still waving back at the camera, blissfully unaware of her own impending doom); and then the final series of shots of a jumble of bare arms, legs and the bottom of the bike, sliiiiiding across the pavement.

Nightmare, pure and simple.





Modern day sportbikes are little more than yesterdays racebikes fitted with lights and a horn.They are engineered to within a gnat's patoot to be the most responsive, precise, demanding and light machines EVER SEEN. A host of a suspension adjustements are available in 2-5% increments with just the click of a knob or twirl of a screwdriver, and tiny adjustments can make huge differences in chassis response. Riders practise their knee dragging skills, experimenting with just at what angle should they hang there knee; experimenting to see if they should scooch forward against the tank another half-inch to get the best traction in that downhill left-hander.

Now against this backdrop of precision and performance, how many of you have seen our hero, Lance Squidly, powering down the interstate on the latest techno-marvel sportbike decked out in shorts, wifebeater and sandals; with a 120 lb honey also so appropriately dressed, hanging out over the back, arms behind her on the bikes tail. Hold that picture in your mind.

Let me preface the rest of this with the admonishment that if you have'nt come to terms with the fact that gear, as much of it and as good quality as you can afford is mandatory, then the rest of this is just pi$$in in the wind; and that anybody you invite on the back ALSO NEEDS GEAR. PERIOD. The only exception would be an emergency situation where you are transporting someone stranded.

Chassis dynamics.

If raising or lowering ride hight a half-inch, or increasing or decreasing preload 5-10 lbs can have a measurable effect on handling, IMAGINE what plunking a 120 sack of pototoes on the back of your bike would feel like!.

What happens.

When you add that passenger, a couple of things immediately happen....

A. Due to the limited space on a motorcycle, the location of the passenger is over OR BEHIND the rear axel; this compresses the rear suspension, increasing preload, decreasing both available suspension travel and reducing ground clearance. Grounding hard parts becomes a real concern.

B. Depending on the bike, the relative weight of rider and passenger and their positions on the bike, the front suspension may compress or EXTEND! You have moved a large weight (the passenger) out on or past the centerline of the rear axel, this weight can act as a lever to actually REMOVE weight from the from wheel! This is why the vast majority of sportbike sngle vehicle crashes are usually low side front wheel washouts...decreased traction from an unloaded front tire.

C. Due to the compression of the rear suspension and the unloading or at least lower relative compression of the front, you increase the front steering static rake and trail, slowing steering inputs during acceleration and nuetral throttle.

D. During braking, because of the placement and long "Lever arm" of the passenger (the location of the weight of the passenger relative to static Center of gravity) you will experience more nose dive, and even suspension bottoming of the fork...this REDUCTION of rake and trail during braking causes QUICKENING of the steering, just when you need it least!

E. The additional weight causes an INCREASE in panic braking distances, and a decrease in maximum acceleration, plus an increased tendancy to wheelie due to the rear weight bias.

From a strictly performance perspective, this all appears bad; but the passenger isn't (or shouldn't be) a static load; and can contribute to if not icreasing overall performance, then at least ameliorating some of the negative effects.

Training a passenger is very similar to traing the rider....gear up, take it slow, and explain things along the way. The worst thing you can do to a new passenger is to surprise them. It's not enough to say "put your feet here and hang on". Hang on to what? That vestigal "grab rail" BEHIND the passenger? Your jacket? The tank? What?

Being a passenger on a modern sportbike usually means you are placed behind and anywhere between 2-6 inches HIGHER than the rider....go look at the placement of your own bike's passenger pad. That placement accentuates all the bikes movements relative to the passenger, plus, they have no handlbars to hang on to.

What I Do.

When someone rides with me as a pasenger, we first do a cockpit familiarization, just like I do with a new rider. They need to know what does what, so that they can learn to read and anticipate what the bike is going to do. This decreases surprises, and increases passenger (and rider) comfort. I then SHOW them how to get on the bike, and where to place their feet, then I get on the bike, and have them get on behind me. All of this with the motor OFF SO THEY CAN HEAR EVERYTHING.

We then talk about hand placement (on my hips or around my waist) and the fact they can use their hands on the tank as bracing during braking. We talk about what NOT to do (lean back, lean upright during cornering) and we talk about what I might do that I don't want them to do (hang out a knee or slide a buttcheek to the inside of a turn). I talk about the absolute requirement that they keep their feet on the pegs AT ALL TIMES, EVEN AT A STOP. If I have a bike with a centerstand, I may demonstrate the do's and don'ts so they know what these things feels like.

I also talk about the technique of keeping the head level with the horizon to prevent disorientation and to quell the fear of leaning, and to look through the turn. (If a lot of this sounds like what you learned in MSF rider class, it's because it IS).

We then go for a short familiarization ride, preferably in an empty parking lot, just for me to get a feel for what having a passenger is like, and for them to get a feel for the sounds and motion of the bike. THIS IS A LIKELY TIME YOU MAY DUMP IT IF YOU ARE NOT ABSOLUTELY CAREFUL. The additional high weight at low speeds and stops increases your chances of overbalancing at a stop and putting you both on the ground, so PAY ATTENTION!

Now go do your riding in low traffix areas, gradually working up the pace to a relaxed one.

You're not Freddie Spencer, so keep the pace cool; otherwise you'll risk having your helmet slapped by that frightened passenger, and remember that you have less ground clearance, less performance, and less traction when you might need it, and ride accordingly.

Sportbike riding with a passenger can be a rewarding experience, or it can be terrifying for the rider and the passenger; it just depends on how you approach it. Treat your passenger with respect, and train them right and you can have mucho fun WITHIN THE CONFINES OF REDUCED PERFORMANCE. Just like riders, different passengers have different tolerences and skills for speed and performance. A skilled and willing passenger can change your whole perception of riding two-up, increasing everybodies fun. Dragging someone unskilled and afraid into high-speed situations is not funny, and can be deadly.

[PiZdETS]

Ya'll Be Careful Out There.....
Well, the holiday has barely started, and there are already two reports of downed riders on the news locally.

I make it a habit of NOT riding on holiday weekends because of the combination of too much traffic, too much sun, too many folks that start drinking early and too many tired, frazzled people on the road...I've had too many close calls and near misses on these weekends.

That being said, I know that many of you have been looking forward to this weekend and are out there or on your way to doing some weekend holiday riding and backroad strafing. I know this will fall on deaf ears (or closed eyes), but BE CAREFUL OUT THERE FOR THE "OTHER GUY".....I don't want to read any depressing posts on Monday or Tuesday about another member eating it 'acuse they didn't leave themselves an out, or ended up a hood ornament.

I still snow ski with a bunch of other olde fartes, even though my knees have had more work on them than a lot of your bikes; it never failed on the first outing of the season that we'd all try to make up for a long period of downtime with cramming in as many runs as we could that first weekend....and also that one of us would end up on a stretcher being dragged down the mountain to the first aid station on that last day because a couple of us didn't know when to quit....and it was always when we said, "just ONE more run", when we were worn out, tired and a little frazzled, but were having too much fun to stop....and the "fun" turned into a trip the the ER.

We've got all summer...Easy Does It out there: we've got all season. Hopefully, we'll all still be out there when the first flakes of snow start swirling at the end of the season.

I don't want to lose any of you.

Leigh
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Why Johnny Can't Get It Up.
I read constantly here about "My 110 Hp GuzziZixxer 600 won't wheelie, does it need $2000 worth of engine mods or do I NEED to get a 180hp 1000?".

The reason your bike won't wheelie is the same reason it doesn't handle right: Rider weight is 25-40% of the WHOLE VEHICLE WEIGHT. Riders act like their weight doesn't matter. IT DOES!

If you want your bike to do what you want it to, from carving turns to flappin' that front wheel in the air: GET YOUR AZZ OFF THE SEAT!!!!

Read Twist of the wrist I and II, go take a track day and some instruction, go practice tight stuff in a parking lot.....ANYTHING to help you realize that there is more to riding than squeezing levers and twisting the throttle. Read about weight placement, weighting the pegs (inside or outside, when to and when not to); experiment with weighting placement during hard braking in an empty parking lot, and note how the bike handles when you slide forward on the tank (stoppies) and what happens when you slide backward towards the rear.

Go find your favorite set of turns and experiment at moderate speeds with hanging a cheek off, or rotating around the gas tank, and note the different effects.

Practice "slow racing"; going as slow as you can in a parking lot without putting your feet down; practice balancing at stop signs; see how long you can come to a stop WITHOUT putting your feet down (Body placement is critical for this). Practice pulling your feet up BEFORE you let out the clutch instead of dangling one or both of them through the intersection (a dangerous practice).

All of these exercises will make you a better rider, and get you that much closer to making you and the machine a working unit.

Practice, Practice.

[PiZdETS]

What Are YOU?
I have been watching the responses to Gmans "What is A Biker" thread with great interest. Seems we have some disconnect between members of our own community (Sportbikes, Cruisers, Harley riders, Tourers, ect). So then, I guess it should be NO surprise that another aspect of being a "biker" hasn't even beed mentioned: our relationship with THEM; those @#*&&^%$ cagers!

We constantly harp on what a bunch of dumb, stupid, dangerous group anybody on 4 or more wheels are....but we never hear (or mebbe don't want to talk about ) the other two sides of the equation : our own "Bad Acts" which give rise to the sensational news stories when a manaic biker kills himself and/or others; and the frequent (in MY experience) "Good Samaritans" not on two wheels.

I'll talk about my own experiences with the second phenomena, and save the Bad Acts for last.

I have been fortunate to have been allowed to ride for many years now over most of this great country, as well as a goodlly portion of Canada (you Canucs have some of the most beautiful country in the world, as well as some of the most bleak, and I have been treated to some of the finest hospitality by your great people). As such, I've had occasion to to experience my share of flat tires, elecrical gremlins, mechanical ills and poor planning (empty gas tanks and closed gas stations). I have been offered aid IN EQUAL MEASURE by folks driving everthing from bicycles to eighteen wheelers; by everone from doctors to strippers, and everthing in between, all of them complete strangers.

As a result, I've made it a practice to stop for all manner of vehicles that appear in distress. A while ago one morning I was travelling through a busy but remote section of western Maryland and saw an older, scruffy looking minivan pulled off the side of the road; kids and adults sitting dejectedly on the side of the road. I pulled off in front of them, dismounted AND REMOVED MY HELMET BEFORE I APPROACHED. (I could see the concern and fear in the eyes of these folks at being accosted in the middle of nowhere by a BIKER).

I asked them if they were OK, and the lady started crying; they had been broken down since 10 oclock THE NIGHT BEFORE, and no one would stop! They had given up, and spent the night huddled in the minivan, no food, no water and no cell phone service (the mountains up there have a lot of no service spots for miles). The kids were crying and the parents were beside themselves.

Fifteen minutes with the cheesy pliers from my tool kit, a knife and some spare fuel line, and I had bypassed the plugged fuel filter and they were happily on their way.

I have changed flat tires for anyone who looked like they needed it, and dropped gas off to the stranded. In doing these things, I believe I can accomplish two things: a. remove some of the stigma associated with bikes and bikers in the non riding community, and b. build a little positive karma for the day when I REALLY need some help out in the middle of nowhere. I really do believe we reap what we sow.

As for the "Bad Acts" issue; ie that which leaves a bad impression of the non-riding community: I try to limit my own exhuberance to less and non-populated areas ( I love the sound of that v-twin through that "Competition Only" MotoCorse pipe, but those folks next to the road may not appreciate the Bimota at full song at 6am on a Saturday morning) and I try to bring up these issues on boards whenever I can, and to talk with other bikers who maybe haven't thought of the long-term consequenses of anti-social behavior on their beloved sport.

State and municiple governments across this country are contemplating or enacting restrictive motorcycle specific legislation or outright bans on PUBLIC ROADS AND STREETS, as well as some private communities building anti-motorcycle covenents into bylaws. We can trace this trend directly back to the bad behavior, (real or imagined) of our own members.

While joining the AMA is good, and being politically aware and active are also good, I believe that the best way to counter these trends is for me to remember that my actions ARE BEING WATCHED AND JUDGED by the public.

How I ride and what I do are going to directly affect the public's perception of who and what we are!




What kind of Ambassador will you be, today?



Just something to think about.
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On Riding, Dying, and Freedom
On Riding, Dying, and Freedom

I read the rather sad series of posts regarding mgs251's apparent demise.
http://www.twowheelforum.com/showthread.php?t=17491

I don't mean to sound callous, but reading his posts from the beginning, it's not much of a surprise. I've attended more than one biker funeral that never should have happened.

As the riding season begins, we get more and more posts and questions from new(er) riders about stunting, top speed runs, which bike is faster, how great my friends are at 10 'oclock wheelies at 120 on the freeway, running from the cops; and the complaints on this and other forums about helmet and gear nazi's (of which I am one, proudly) always "puttin' us down". and "prejudging us", along with the usual complaints about older or more experienced riders being hypocrits.

I don't know about the hypocracy part, but I will share with those that wish to listen about how I survived my early ignorance, and how I try to pass along what I've learned.

First off, there is nothing wrong with ignorance; when we're new to this game, everything is a mystery. The language and terms are different, and much of riding is counter-intuitive; we need to learn new behaviors, and unlearn others. That being said, there is a difference between the ignorance of "newness" and the WILLFUL ignorance of being pig-headed or (self) destructive. Those of you that fall in the latter two catagories; may you live long enough to out grow those traits.

When I first started riding, there was no MSF course, Harry Hurt hadn't yet published his landmark findings on the causes of motorcycle accidents and injuries, and what little "knowledge" that was available out there in the form of Lore was mostly WRONG. The hanging off style of riding was just being developed by the likes of Paul Smart, Giacomo Augustini and Kenny Roberts, and complex dynamics of motorcycle handling and chassis and tire dynamics were just beginning to be explored. Common myth required that if the average motorcyclist is confronted by an object he could not avoid, his best course of action was to "lay her down"....as if somehow losing all control of the situation...no braking, no steering...was going to mysteriously give a better outcome.....

The term "counter steering" had not yet been expressed, and concepts like target fixation, chassis static sag, gyroscopic precession and trail braking had hardly been discussed. Helmet use was sporadic, and padded, armoured leathers were for the rich......knee sliders were composed of wads of folded-over duct tap, taped to the knees of those expensive leathers. (Truth!)

What does all this have to do with the topic at hand? Well, we now know that fullface helmets and good gear save skin, injury and often lives. We also know that lack of training and poor riding habits are the direct cause of single vehicle motorcycle accidents, and that, regardless of who is at 'fault" in motorcycle /car accidents, over 70% of the riders simply froze up and never attempted any avoidance in those accidents. And while excessive speed is not the direct cause of many motorcycle accidents, it is the precipitator of the "Fatality" part of the equation. Today with the huge body of motorcycle specific research, especially with the internet, and boards like these, there is simply no excuse to REMAIN ignorant very long.

So, yes, we older riders did a lot of what I now consider "stupid" moves. But blame a lot of it on ignorance of newness and lack of real knowledge. To those of you that chose to ignore the facts today; because facts they are, and calling them otherwise doesn't change 'em. That's just plain willfulness and wishful thinking.

...and that will get you killed....or worse.

[PiZdETS]

Bike Running Cr@ppy?
Let me guess: You put your bike away in (pick one : Novermber, December, January) and it was running fine. You (did, did not) put Stabil or somesuch in the gastank, and on your first ride of the season, it's runny poorly, spitting back, feels like the plugs are fouling, hard starting....any of these sound familiar?

Outside of flat batteries from not having a battery tender or taking the battery out during the off season; the poor running bike is the most common complaint on the first ride(s) of the year.

Go drain your tank. I use a kerosene siphon because I can prime it by hand (rather than getting a mouthful of 89 Octane) and it's made clear, so I can see what's coming out of the tank (like water, insect parts, dirt, rust, ect.)

Now, go put some FRESH GAS (not the crap from the lawn mower that you bought last July), preferably some Chevron (with Techron) (Gas Man? Any others?) and go run it for a while. You may need to put a tankful or two of fresh gas through it before it runs right. Gas stabilizers work OK for preventing the gas from turning to laquer, but they won't do much for all that condensation at the bottom of your tank.

For munged up carbs, I use a few ounces of Yamaha carb cleaner in the first couple of tankfuls; it will remove laquer in mildly sticky carbs. You may need to drain the grunge out of your floatbowls, and maybe do a carb rebuild if you don't stabilize your gas during storage.

Yamaha also makes a great FI cleaner for non-carb systems.

Remember; do the preventitive stuff in the fall so you don't have to be mucking about with this stuff in the spring when you could be riding.....and always do the cheap/easy basics before you go tearing into the major rebuilds... unless you like wasting money and riding time.
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Jumble
Normally, I post about just one topic, so this one is going to be a little out of the ordinary for me, in that it is about a lot of stuff, some of which may seem unrelated, to the sane mind.

First off: Got to do A BUNCH of riding this weekend; WHOOHOO. I met up with Marko on Saturday; we hooked up in Gettysburg and road the South Mountain area looking for a string of interesting roads for a group ride. As he posted; we found the Good , the Bad and the Ugly. Some of my old favorites were covered in tar/chip, some stuff I hadn't been on before was real nice, and one section of formally nice road was so washboarded we stood on the pegs for a couple miles with the bikes bucking below us like motocrossers on the whoops..............

Secondly: I got to ride with a TWF'er!!! I enjoyed riding with Marko...he's smooth, fast and competent, and likes the same type of tight stuff I do. He has a nice easy style without a lot of gymnastics but still moves along at a good pace. Thanks Marko...that was fun!

Thirdly: Got to put some miles on the GSXR600, both Saturday, and then about another 300 miles on Sunday up in the Clearfield, Pa area. Let me say this for all you new folks worried about "outgrowing" a modern 600 sportbike in a year or so:

If you do "outgrow" your R6, Gixxer6, 636 Ninja or 600RR in the next year or so, you are a far, far better rider than I will ever be; perhaps you should hurry out and get your "Expert" AMA license and go get sponsors.

I know, you can't keep up with your buddies R1's when they roll 160 down the interstate. I guess if pure top speed is all you care about then you are right. But how many of us live at Bonneville, or only ride to and from the dragstip?

You are can spend years on the twisting backroads trying to extract the full potential of these modern middleweights. They are just that good. The difference in the quarter mile between the middleweights and the litre bikes is less than half a second and 5-8 mph terminal velocity; yet the difference between the nimble 600's and the litre bikes on the backroads is another world. Light weight, quick turn-in, and managable power delivery are the hallmarks of the 600 class.

Real world, the roads we drive on day to day are not billard table smooth with perfect traction; just the opposite, they have varying surfaces, sand, critters, bumps, ripples, traffic, pedestrians, ect. This weekend, if I had been on any of the modern "big" bikes I've had, I'd have spent more time trying to keep the bike from getting out of shape than actually enjoying riding.

If you look at laptimes of Supersport bikes vs Superbike on all but the fast (Daytona, ect) courses, you will find the top riders times within a second or so. The reason is, what the middleweights give up on top end, they take back in overall handling and cornerspeed.

And you need to be able to ride to extract it. Riding is more than plopping your butt in the saddle and twisting the throttle.

JMHO

[PiZdETS]

Tire Pressure
Check it all the time!!!

If you last checked/filled your tires on a hot day, and now you are riding in the 40's and the bike is acting squirrely, chances are the temperature differential is going to cause your tires to be way low on pressure.

http://www.twowheelforum.com/showthr...383#post338383

Check your pressures often! Especially during large temp swings. Also, tires filled when temps are in the thirties and forties can be overfilled when temps hit the seventies or eighties.

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Do You Know CPR?
Twenty-five years ago, I worked for a foodservice company that required all it's employees know the Heimlich Manuver, and CPR. We all had to take a couple hour course and get certified. Six months later, we had a patron that had too much to drink during a steak dinner start to choke....I walked over behind him, did the HM, the piece of steak popped out, (about a third of a 10oz Sirloin...yech....) and he went back to drinking and scarfing like nothing had happened....and I've never given the training another thought.

This morning, I had a lot to do, and had to stop for fuel at a big gas plaza/convienience store near the airport. As I was coming out the door with my coffee, I noticed a commotion a couple of pumps down from me. Two women were yelling at someone in a pickup truck. I couldn't make out what they were saying, but one of them was slapping the drivers side window, and the other was standing in the pickup bed slapping at the rear window and yelling. At first, I thought it was a "domestic dispute" or perhaps someone had cut somebody else off and it had carried over to the gas station.

As I got closer, I noticed that both women wore the uniform of the business there (Royal Farm Stores) and they were yelling at the man to "Wake up, sir, wake up!!" over and over. I walked over to the truck and saw a man slumped backward over the center console, head back and eyes rolled up into the back of his head, whites showing. The side window was open a crack, so I forced my arm hard down into the window, and my fingers were able to pluck the door latch open,(both doors were locked).

My hand reached for his neck, and without thinking, I pressed lightly but firmly for a pulse. His complexion was grey, there was no discirnable pulse, and I put my ear next to his mouth....no breath. There was a lady standing next to me talking to the 911 dispatcher, relaying my observations. By now there was a sizable crowd forming around the truck.

I popped the guy's seatbelt, and started to drag him out of the truck. I was amazed at how limp an unconscious person is. I was afraid of hurting his neck, he was so limp and everything at odd angles. He was almost as big as me, and I was having trouble getting him untangled, and there was some guy standing gawking, so I yelled, "You, give me a hand!" He turned around and walked away!!!! MF!!!! I started cussing at him!!!!

Did I tell you that the whole time this all is happening, the little voice in the back of my head is yelling at me, "DUDE!! JUST WALK AWAY!! LET SOMEBODY ELSE DEAL WITH IT....YOU DON"T WANT TO END UP PLAYING LIP-LOCK WITH THIS GUY!!!!"

Some little housewife about 105 soaking wet stepped in and kept me from dropping the guy, thank God. We got him on the ground without smacking his head on the pavement, and she took off her coat and we stuck it under his neck to tip his head back and open the airway. Eyes were still rolled up, no pulse, no breath.

I got my courage up, and stuck my finger into his mouth, to see if something got lodged in his throat...nothing. I pushed on his chest, and was rewarded with a little wheezy gasp; but the nothing. I started compressions, and the same lady said, "I know CPR, I'll do compressions, if you'll do the breathing".

Did I mention he was a scruffy lookin' dude with a none too clean beard?

I shift over as she starts counting compressions; at thirty, she stops, I pinch his nose, take a deep breath (as much to screw my courage up as for his benefit) and brreeeatthhe.

Just like they told us; he IMMEDIATELY "pinks" up. I finish the three breaths, she starts in on compressions and we start all over again. We get through about six cycles, and we can hear sirens getting louder by the second. At one point, I look down and see that the pupil of his eyes have rolled back down, but he's still out. Next thing I know, a guy in a blue uniform is pushing us out of the way, "It's ok now, he has a pulse". They slap and oxygen mask on him, pop him on a backboard, and in what seems like seconds, they're gone with him, sirens blaring.

I look at the lady, she sticks out her hand, we shake hands and both say "Thanks", and go on our separate ways.

I started shaking about ten minutes later.

That training was one hour over 25 years ago, and it stuck. Amazing.


PS. I went back into the store, bought a bottle of mouthwash, and gave myself a good rinse or two.