the_silverfox

She's chartered the Dayton chapter? I'd like to meet her; I'm the Women On Wheels® Director for the newly reestablished Columbus chapter.

The sun was wonderful today. Rode to Competition Accessories for kicks (never been to the store, but always got their catalogs) and it was smooth sailing on 70. Heated gloves rule!

A Honda Pacific Coast owner? Nice.

Been riding all week. It's great to see clear, dry roads again. I'm saddling up tomorrow as well...gonna take advantage of this trend.

Putting around on the bike today...might stop on over.

All three jackets are nice. What really matters is fit and finish. Check the thickness of the leather (1.1mm and higher is strongly recommended) and the stitching quality of the jacket. Make sure the padding conforms and sticks to the location of your elbows and shoulders and the back protector (if there is one or if there's a space for one) still allows for full range of movement. Otherwise, take your pick and enjoy. Only leather I've fallen with is my custom black jacket from Johnson Leathers and the thick cowhide combined with the padding saved me from gravel and road rash. My last crash (minor highside) was in my Aerostich Roadcrafter jacket, and I swear by that one. I picked up one of these from Iron Pony last year and used it during the summer. It didn't come in white, but I did get a lot of compliments with the tan. I have to agree, light colors on a motorcycle jacket are a b*tch to clean. So this one is reserved for the nice nights out.

Not much this winter...just a new front tire and a replacement front caliper bolt for the FJR. It's been 30,000 miles since I've had a matching front and rear set. Feels great again. Overall itinerary for this week: Monday: Scrub tire in. 80 miles. Tuesday: Continue scrubbing tire. 80 miles. Wednesday: Test tire for scrubbiness. 50 miles. Thursday: Same as Wednesday. 50 miles. Friday: Going to Target in Newark because the ones in C-bus are too close. Going for the century mark today. Saturday: Ride somewhere, far, for ice cream.

For everything except a downpour, I vouch for my Thor 50/50 boots. Comfortable as tennis shoes with the protection of a dirtbike boot. They run about $80-90 but last a long time. My review is here: http://twowheeledtourist.blogspot.com/2010/01/long-term-product-review-thor-5050.html.

I've used the EXO-700 and 1000 models and they're great helmets for the value. Scorpion helmets tend to be a little on the heavy side. I think the 400 lacks a few features from the 700 (i.e. venting) but you can't argue with getting a Snell/DOT approved helmet for that price.

I have Hyperpros on my FJR. I got them after 75k miles on the original stock springs. They're awesome and one of the best upgrades I did for that beast. I had them installed at their HQ in Corona, CA for about $375 for all parts and labor. I immediately noticed that I was sticking turns and the bike was a lot more responsive. (My bike has no steering damper so the springs are really important here.) It also helped when I was on long distance runs; I felt that the bike was a lot more stable on the straights. They worked great riding 2-up as well. The value is great, too. I guess Hyperpro works on so many bikes that they can do that. The big thing is that if you're buying them online, be sure to get the right spring stiffness in relation to rider weight. That makes all the difference. Otherwise, drop them in and enjoy!

The GSX-650F is an inline four. It was designed to be the Katana replacement. Adding another 2 cylinder to the lineup would've been in direct competition with the SV. By the way, I'm a she.

I've been using RAM Mounts for years on my various bikes; love them to bits. Simple design (ball and socket, like an elbow) and they're sturdy. Very easy to install and they also have locking options so you can keep your devices on the bike. I use one for my Zumo 550 and XM antenna combo. Also had RAM's version of an Otterbox when I used to use an iPod. I also have an attachment to mount a standard camera onto any of the mounts on my bike. For most standard bikes, RAM makes a ball mount that clamps using your master cylinder bolts. They also make a mount that can fit on 7/8" or 1" handlebars and even a plate style one that bolts above the cover of the master cylinder. Colors are available in black or chrome. I'd just go to their website and buy from them directly (http://www.ram-mount.com/). Aerostitch also carries their stuff, too.

I had the chance to test ride an GSX-650F in '08 in Las Vegas. Here's my blog review: "I stepped back over into the standard/sportbike realm with Suzuki's most underrated entry-level motorcycle, the GSX-650F. It's a faired motorcycle that takes the rounded styling cues of the GSX-R, the spirited engine of the original Bandit 600, and an upright handlebar stance to create a bike that a beginner will want to hold on to for a while. I enjoyed slapping this bike around in curves because of its agility. Its 650cc inline-four engine wanted to be revved high (13k redline), and I found myself hitting 80 MPH in 4th gear (the bike has six, by the way) on the entrances to the open highway. For the person who's not afraid to flog an engine, this bike is super fun to play with. The bike is extremely easy to shift, very forgiving for the new rider, yet a fresh change of pace for the seasoned one. It's perfect for needling through CA traffic in the morning and even possible track days! I am definitely going to recommend this bike to any new rider that is looking for an alternative to the SV or Ninja 650R. Wonderful mid-range standard!" Anyway, after having my SV650 and touring with that machine for 20k miles, the upgrade to my '07 FJR1300 was a wonderful change of pace. However, Suzuki does a great job with their inline machines. Hope this helps your bike shopping!

I've had the Corbin on my FJR for 75,000 miles. No rips or tears. Corbins aren't designed to be plushy seats in the first place; it takes more than 2000 miles of riding to get them broken in, and after that, they stay pretty stiff. I prefer to call the comfort level a "delayed gratification." When you can get off your bike after 200 straight miles and still be able to feel your butt, it's a good seat. I had one on my SV650 for about 15,000 miles and that was a big asset (no pun intended) to my long distance rides on the West Coast. I ended up giving it to my friend (who purchased an SV as his first bike) instead of selling it along with the bike. I think they're well worth the money.

Their stuff is amazing. One of Forcefield's distributors is Johnson Leathers in San Francisco (they make awesome jackets and one-piece suits too) and I've seen some of the work they've done for the bike cops in CA. If you're ever in San Fran, I'd suggest taking a visit to those guys as well. For another perspective, I've also been satisfied with Bohn Armor; I have their backpad designed for the Aerostitch Roadcrafter and it's gotten me out of a crash or two. That's another company that makes tried and tested motorcycle armor.

Used both on my FJR. Pilot Powers feel grippier through turns than Battlax. Battlax tires are decent and were OEM on my bike. Only complaint with the Pilots is that they wear down too fast for my taste (only got about 7500 miles out of the rear with heavy touring and commuting). I later switched to Metzler Sportec M3s and are so far my favorite tire; best all-around grip in wet weather and cornering but pricey as hell (like $300+ a set). My compromise is the Dunlop D616 tire (OEM for the Buell Ulysses) which is more suited for touring because of the deeper tread. I've put over 10k miles on my rear tire and it still has quite a bit of meat left on it. It all depends on what bike you're sticking them on and what type of road you're traveling on. Trial and error I suppose...I've gone through so many tires on my FJR thanks to all the road construction on those CA highways. Stupid nails.

That was actually a topic of discussion for my Women On Wheels® group. Here's some links that contain checklists and advice. ·Used Bike Evaluation Guide: http://www.clarity.net/~adam/buying-bike.html ·Buying a Used Motorcycle:http://www.soundrider.com/archive/tips/UsedBikes1.htm ·Tips for buying a used motorcycle:http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2111983/tips_for_buying_a_used_motorcycle.html?cat=27 ·Used motorcycle buyer’s guide: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1568957/used_motorcycle_buyers_guide_10_tips.html?cat=27

This is what I did with my Icon helmet...I gave it to my rat!