swingset

I usually take 146 over to 78 when I'm headed towards 536, 255, etc. Not a bad road at all.

I met Adolf Galland at a German airshow around 1992. He befriended Bader when Bader was shot down and in a POW camp. Admired him greatly, I remember him talking about it during his presentation. IIRC, Bader was shot down once by the JG26, Galland's unit.

I have no problem whatsoever with stretched swingarms, I dislike the city turds that sport 'em. Don't hate me because I'm beautiful.

Yeah, I have real mixed feelings on the modulators. I think where they fail is that you're signaling to people who may very well not get the point of the flashing...if it were other riders in those cages that's one thing, but stupid people see flashing lights and they're not always savvy enough to understand what they're seeing. I was way behind a rider on a NC group ride a couple years ago who had a modulator, he was way up ahead of me and had an incident in a curve where a driver in front of him very suddenly pulled off the side of the road in the curve, he went around her and then she pulled back out into the road and clipped the rider immediately behind him. He managed to keep upright but it skinned up his tank and panniers. When they stopped to swap info she said she saw the flashing light and thought he was a policeman or emergency vehicle. Now, granted, his modulator did not cause the rider with the modulator to have an accident, he for sure got noticed, but it prompted a very stupid move by a cager and very directly caused a stupid chain of events. I'm sure that's not the normal reaction to a modulator in fact I'd say it's quite rare, but it's worth mentioning. It may get you noticed, but it might confuse people too. I have opted to run aux. lighting (3W LED's on my lower forks) to create the "triangle of light" effect...which I hope makes me more visible and gives oncoming drivers more of a sense of scale (to break up the single-point-of-light) effect.

That's a healthy attitude. I've always been quick to tell riders to stay the hell away from group rides and riders of unknown experience when they're starting out. It's hard enough to get all your senses and mechanics in concert at first...and most riders will lead you by default (not always the most helpful). If you have someone who rides that's skilled and understands your skill level, lead while they follow too...they can observe and you won't fall prey to instincts like trying to keep up or mirror them too closely. Then, switch off and try to watch their mechanics but from a safe distance, never be afraid of letting them go and riding well behind. It's very "male" of us to not wanna be the pokey fuck in the back, but more riders have creamed themselves riding over their head than any other single factor. I'm probably not loved here for saying it, but the group rides on this site should serve as a healthy warning of that. I've read about a LOT of guys wadding themselves up on these group rides because of that very thing. Go out with a group of guys of unknown skills, ride like hell, and a turn bites you because you're focused on all the wrong things and riding over your head's ability to cope. There's nothing wrong with riding in a group, don't get me wrong, but I think you should work up to it not start there....but I think you've got that part figured out. Anyway, good luck and stay safe!

Hell mine is almost never down! I need the air cause I have anger issues.

Quoted for OR accuracy. But, the friends come in handy picking up parts out of the ditch. OP, Twist of the Wrist I and II and Proficient Motorcycling are good places to start with books.

This for sure. You don't want right in the middle in traffic. A fender bender even at low speeds can crush you. If you're way off to one side, you might get bumped but you'll fall out or into space rather than be pinned. It also leaves you area to skidaddle out of there if you see something barrelling down on you. Also, try to get better at keeping your revs up a bit and keeping your feet up on the pegs. The bike will balance, you don't need to dog-paddle the bike. As you ride more, you should be able to keep the bike hovering on two wheels pretty much indefinitely. This practice will make you faster on takeoff in an emergency, too.

I posted this in the "new rider" thread on Daily Ride, but it bears repeating here...the "wagging back and forth" trick when approaching turning or about-to-turn traffic ahead of you is very effective...and not enough of us know it or do it. The human brain is programmed to see side-to-side movement, as are all animals...it's how we differentiate unnatural movement in nature. You see a single object or point of light coming at you and you can look through it or misjudge the distance. If you're lined up just right you can disappear between shadows, other cars or headlights. Wag back and forth and it's an unnatural, out of place movement and the car about to turn is MUCH more likely to see you. I've done this since I started riding and I've watched it literally make someone rolling about to turn in front of me do the "oh shit" and halt it when I wag in the lane. Should it be counted on? Hell no. Always have an "out" and prepare for the worst but it's a solid tactic with good science behind it and if you're looking for advantage amongst the mouth-breathers, do everything you can.

My wife passed that wreck yesterday, she said it looked like a newer Triumph Tiger, but it was laying on its side so she couldn't be sure. Sad, RIP young man.

I've got one, you're welcome to it. It's the home-made variety but it works great done a bunch of carbs with it.

Another trick I use a lot, and this isn't really a trick as much as an ongoing mental exercise is to see traffic in terms of pockets....when you're riding amongst cars, no matter where you are, try to put yourself in the pocket where you have maneuverability and an escape route. If you get caught where you're boxed or in a blind spot, speed up or slow down right then and there....pick your way through traffic carefully till you're in a big pocket and stay there. It's not only a safe thing to do, but it's a game you play and keeps you alert and aware of your surroundings. Complacency is what will fuck you. On 3-lanes, I stay out of the middle lane because of this, the pocket can close on you or leave you with no out but your throttle...and that's a failure of your situational awareness if you need it to save your ass. I like the left hand lane because it usually has a more generous berm and if someone closes into my lane I have a natural out....people don't tend to move into the left unless they're moving faster than traffic and that means they'll usually see you, as opposed to the right hand lane where people move out of traffic to exit or slow down, and that's a case where you're generally behind them (blind spot). Another thing; intersections...when you're coming up on a green light scan left/right 2 seconds before hitting the intersection (that's your safe stopping/avoidance time) and see if someone's coming too fast to stop from another direction. People blow lights, and if you're alert you can avoid 'em. Just go through and you might be legally in the right but dead. Try to anticipate what could happen as you ride, that's how you'll be prepared should some dickwad live up to it and try to kill you. Oh, and have fun.

If I did it, I'd probably just ignore the enduro/scorekeeping stuff to the best of my ability, but I have a lot on my plate this weekend won't be able to get down there anyway. And, here I go complaining again, but I have another weird personal beef with paying money to ride public roads. I know it's going towards something, and I appreciate the work that goes into laying stuff like this out, but it's a public road and I'm not paying to ride it. It's just a weird thing with me, doesn't make sense but I have my strange scruples. I would rather put a ride together, or go on one of yours (which are always good, btw), something of that nature than the big sanctioned rides. I guess they don't appeal to me. I'm weird, don't try to figure me out.

I am probably the odd man on this, but the idea of road enduros sounds too much like work. Last thing I wanna do on a nice adventure ride through beautiful back roads is watch my speed and try to read a shitty little route sheet. Not knocking anyone if they're into this, just sounds like counting ceiling tiles while you're getting a hummer. Sort of runs completely against why I ride and enjoy adventure rides. Offroad enduros are a different matter, entirely.

I commute on the bike, but not all the time. I work till late at night, so that adds some danger (deer & drunks), so I'm hypervigilant. I have an 80 mile round trip commute, so it's nice when the weather's good or I'm feeling it....when it gets shitty out, not so much. I try never to ride when I'm feeling shitty. I avoid heavy traffic as best I can....it's where I have the least amount of control and I generally don't enjoy riding when I'm in it. Being ass-end charlie at a stopped light is especially worrisome, so I installed hyperlite brake LED's and tend to sit off of the side of the car in front of me and watch my six. Don't get complacent there...it's REAL easy for some dipshit to roll up and not see you...crushing you as you sit idling. I'll even lane split if it's possible...don't much care about the law on that, I'd rather be safe than avoid a small ticket. Also, when approaching a car turning left in front of you or about to, or one maybe pulling out into your lane, wiggle back and forth in your lane - side to side. This movement is unnatural in traffic and breaks up your profile....a single point of light/motion coming at a motorist can appear to be the wrong distance or even disappear if you're lined up with traffic just right. Wiggling in your lane will make you MUCH more visible. This is a very effective tactic that few people teach or practice but can save your life. If you doubt it, have someone do it coming at you on a bike and see what I mean...it jumps out at you.

Yup, just rolled through there...injury accident. I was coming into town on the bike and saw the parking lot on the east-bound side.

They're fine for what you're after, great boots for general riding with good protection. Take him up on it. I use the Fox Comp5 version of those, and they're very comfy and versatile on and off the bike.

This is the inherent flaw with fines for traffic enforcement. As long as you're taking money for violations, the temptation will be there to fleece the sheep. The fines are, in most cases, quite outrageous which is another issue. Follow the money.

Selling a new AFAM 520 rear sprocket (41T) that will fit several Suzuki bikes, GSXR650, 750, 1000, SV650/1000, etc. Anodized alloy, light as hell. Part number is AFAM 15605-41. Good sprockets, I've run several of this same part. $15 if you pick it up or meet me, I live near Granville but commute to Cowlumbus M-F, could meet ya somewhere in town.

I used to go a lot, haven't been down in a few years for the show/shoot, but there's an AR15.com shoot the same month....funner to throw lead down the range than watch someone else do it!

Looks good! Get ye some crash bars...Wee's take naps for no good reason, I've seen it with my own eyes.

Mine is shit right now, got furloughed for a while right after major home repairs, and got super behind on some bills. I'm back above water, but the hit doesn't erase itself...it'll take a while to build back up. Fucking hate it, but what can you do when life fucks you? Pay cash!

I walked in when I did mine, they were booked up for months in advance. First time I showed up, I was in. My brother and buddy followed me a month after, same thing. Seems there's always cancellations. I think you'll be fine there...especially if you're willing to go a county or so in either direction. Good luck, btw, it's fun just learn all you can and be VIGILANT. If you're that, then all else will come to you.

Rode all day today, passed probably 50 bikes of all makes and stripes. Everyone waved.

Happens to me at several intersections on my commute, makes me fucking want to spit nails when they do it. Totally, utterly, against the law but being in the right isn't comforting when you're about to get t-boned by a 5,000lb cage driven by an inner city idiot without insurance.