Rider articles from February 2002

Rider archives from February 2002

Evolution. (One-Track Mind).
February 1, 2002... I cannot say whether things will get better if we change; what I can say is they must change if they are to get better. Georg Christoph Lichtenberg If we don't change direction soon, we'll end up where were going. Prof. Irwin...

2002 Ducatis. (Kickstarts).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Well, if you were looking for pizzazz (which you'll note is pizza with extra Zs) at the 2002 model launches, you needed look no further than Italian maker Ducati, which not only introduced several new models but unveiled its oddest concept bike...

A.k.a. Weird.(AKA Design's g-racer)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... British firm AKA Design, which was involved in the design of Ducati's MH900e and the Benelli Tornado superbike has created a concept bike called the g-racer to compete in a hypothetical round-the-world race. Lara Croft-style adventurers would...

Kawazukis? Suzukawas?(companies will form alliance for cooperation in research and development activities)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Well, no, but Kawasaki and Suzuki have announced they will form an alliance that will allow the two brands to "cooperate in various early stage research and development activities while maintaining complete independence in the distribution and...

Errata.(Correction Notice)
February 1, 2002... No, our 2002 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Mean Streak test bike was not running on helium. The 595-pound wet weight listed in its Rider Test spec chart in the November 2001 issue is incorrect. The correct wet weight is 695 pounds. See how easy it is to...

BMW R1200C Phoenix Specs.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2002... Here are the 2001 BMW R1200C Phoenix's acceleration and braking test results missing from its Rider Test last month: Acceleration, zero to 60 mph: 5.80 sec. Zero to 30 mph: 2.34 sec. Top-Gear Roll-on, 40 to 60 mph: 4.50 sec. ...

New Victorys.(V92TC, V92TC Deluxe, motorcycles)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2002... Victory recently unveiled a pair of new touring cruisers based upon its more powerful, new-for-2002 1,507cc Freedom V-twin engine, which we covered in a Ridden & Rated of the 2002 V92C in Rider, December 2001. The V92TC and V92TC Deluxe are...

Response.
February 1, 2002... Unbiased Evaluations Congrats on another great issue. Ken Freund's adroitly conceived Aprilia Futura/Ducati ST4s comparison in the December 2001 issue was worth the price of the magazine. With so many entrants in the sport-touring arena,...

Walloping Warrior: The 2002 Yamaha Road Star Warrior.(motorcycle by Yamaha Motor Corporation USA)(Evaluation)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2002... At a massive 1,670cc, it has the largest air-cooled motorcycle engine currently in mass production, with 28.5 percent more rear-wheel horsepower than the bike upon which it is based. It also has pushrods, overhead valve actuation, belt final...

Storage Salvation: Maintenance charger buyer's guide.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Rrrrr, rrr, rr, click, click, click. Then silence. That's what a motorcycle's starter sounds like with a nearly dead battery, and it's certainly not anyone's favorite song. As a rule of thumb, motorcycle batteries lose roughly one...

Battery Extender by Auto Meter. (Buyers Guide Listings).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Auto Meter makes several chargers, including this Pro-Cycle Battery Extender (model 19101), specifically designed for motorcycles. Before charging, it checks battery condition and can indicate a defective battery. Rated output is one amp. The...

Battery Tenders by Deltran. (Buyers Guide Listings).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Deltran markets several chargers, including the following models, which are popular with motorcyclists. They come with clip-type battery charging clamps and a separate ring-terminal wiring harness that can be attached to the motorcycle for...

Battery Tender International Model. (Buyers Guide Listings).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Deltran's Battery Tender International Model can be plugged in anywhere in the world, providing you have the correct plug adapter for the power outlet. Rated output is 1.25 amps and it automatically reads the available voltage from 100 to 240...

Battery Tender Junior chargers. (Buyers Guide Listings).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Battery Tender Junior chargers rated for 12 volts (model 021-0123) or for 6 volts (model 021-0127) are two-stage chargers with rated outputs of 750 mA. After reaching a peak 14.4 volts or 7.2 volts, respectively, during bulk charging, the...

Battery Tender Plus. (Buyers Guide Listings).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Battery Tender Plus is rated for a 1.25 amp maximum charging output, with an automatic three-step charging program (bulk, absorption and float modes). Deltran reports it is temperature-compensated to ensure optimum charge voltage according to...

Battery Doc by Operating Technical Electronics. (Buyers Guide Listings).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Battery Doc is a compact two-stage charger with constant-current control for bulk charging and constant-voltage control for float mode. Its features include a three-color LED charge indicator, reverse-polarity and short-circuit protection with...

Accu-Charger by Superior Motorcycle Products. (Buyers Guide Listings).(battery charger)(Brief Article)(Evaluation)
February 1, 2002... The Accu-Charger (model 21-1450) is rated at two amps and is switchable between 6 and 12 volts. Red and green LEDs indicate battery charge condition and warn of reversed polarity. A positive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermistor protects the...

SureCare by VDC. (Buyers Guide Listings).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2002... The compact SureCare charger (model 12212DE) by VDC features a unique current-control circuit that is said to prevent electrolyte boil out of 12-volt batteries during long periods of nonuse, and to reject defective batteries. An LED indicator...

SureCharge IV by VDC. (Buyers Guide Listings).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2002... SureCharge IV is a compact, automatic maintenance charger with a two-stage smart electronic circuit that includes an auto-float control and a pulse-mode circuit. (VDC says it does not desulfate and customers wanting that feature should choose...

Battery Minders by VDC. (Buyers Guide Listings).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2002... There are several Battery Minder models sold by VDC Electronics. The compact one-amp Battery Minder (model 12112E) has two LEDs to indicate charging mode. There's a button to activate a pulse mode for restoring sulfated batteries. A six-volt...

Battery Cellmate by Voltage Control Industries. (Buyers Guide Listings).(recharger)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2002... Battery Ceilmate is an unusual design consisting of two main parts-a power supply that plugs into the electrical outlet, and a control unit, which is positioned near the battery and connects with ring terminals. It is said to be designed solely...

Accumate distributed by WestCo. (Buyers Guide Listings).(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
February 1, 2002... The Accumate automatic battery charger (WestCo No. LS6/1.2) has a three-stage IN charging program that features both constant-current and constant-voltage charging to completely and correctly charge a variety of battery types. Accumate is...

Yuasa Chargers. (Buyers Guide Listings).(motorcycle battery rechargers)(Brief Article)(Evaluation)
February 1, 2002... Last-but certainly not least-is Yuasa, which offers two different 12-volt chargers that are appropriate for motorcycles. One is rated 900 mA (0.9 amps) and the other at 1.5 amps. Yuasa's automatic 12V 900 mA battery charger (model YUA12009O1)...

Long-Term Battery Storage.(safety measures)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Safety Measures Make sure batteries are stored out of reach of children. Read and follow safety instructions that come with the battery. Skin, eyes or clothing that come in contact with even amounts of battery electrolyte can be injured or...

Rock, Sun and Water: The Lake Roosevelt loop. (Favorite Ride).(motorcycling, Washington)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... A clear lake with 600 miles of shoreline, a phantom waterfall eight times greater than Niagara, two scenic byways, a 19th-century Army post, a giant dam celebrated in folk song and legend, and toll-free, pintsize ferries just large enough for a...

Primary Chains. (Tech Q&A).(motorcycle maintenance and repair advice)
February 1, 2002... I recently acquired a 1981 Honda CB900 Custom with 25,000 miles on the clock. The bike runs and rides great, but needs some TLC. It has a knock at idle that goes away just off idle. I am convinced that it is not a bottom-end problem or piston...

Gear: Russell Performance Cycleflex Stainless-Steel Brake Hoses. (Shop Talk).(motorcycle maintenance and repair)(Brief Article)(Column)
February 1, 2002... I can tolerate a few shortcomings in a motorcycle. An uncomfortable seat, a bit of vibration, tires that wiggle on freeway rain grooves--none of these things are going to lessen my enjoyment of riding it much. But if it has mushy brakes that...

Now you can relive the motorcycle classic On Any Sunday on any day with the On Any Sunday 30th Anniversary Commemorative DVD Box Set. (Product Spotlight).
February 1, 2002... Now you can relive the motorcycle classic On Any Sunday on any day with the On Any Sunday 30th Anniversary Commemorative DVD Box Set. The box set contains the original On Any Sunday as well as On Any Sunday Revisited and On Any Sunday...

K&N Engineering has introduced its slick new line of Performance Oil Filters for motorcycles and ATVs. (Product Spotlight).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2002... K&N Engineering has introduced its slick new line of Performance Oil Filters for motorcycles and ATVs. All K&N spin-on oil filters feature a heavy-duty metal can with a 17mm nut affixed to the end for easy installation and removal. Other...

Fear the flats no more with Emergency Tire Repair Kits from Progressive Suspension. (Product Spotlight).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2002... Fear the flats no more with Emergency Tire Repair Kits from Progressive Suspension. The TRK-2 comes in a nylon pouch and contains a tire tool, glue, plugs and patches for tubeless-type tires, as well as the [CO.sub.2] Moto-Pump Ultra and three...

Astral helmet from Arai Helmet Americas. (Product Spotlight).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2002... You'll be sure to leave other riders starry-eyed as you rocket past them while sporting an Astral helmet from Arai Helmet Americas. The Astral has been designed as a hybrid of other Arai helmets, featuring the "longer" shape of the Signet GT...

The Datatool Digi Digital Gear Indicator by Riderstations. (Product Spotlight).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2002... The Datatool Digi Digital Gear Indicator by Riderstations has been controlling gear-shifting anarchy in the U.K. for some time, and now it's available across the pond here in the United States. The Digi is suitable for use on all motorcycles...

Dual Row LED License Plate Frames by BackOFF, part of Signal Dynamics Corp. (Product Spotlight).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2002... It's hard enough to be seen on the road by cagers on their cell phones during rush hour, let alone on a dark and stormy night. Now, you can grab their attention without banging on their bumper with the Dual Row LED License Plate Frames by...

Motorbike Music by The Powerband. (Product Spotlight).
February 1, 2002... If you're in the market for some tunes with full-throttle attitude, then you may want to check out Motorbike Music by The Powerband. Motorbike Music features 16 boot-tappin' cuts, all devoted to motorcycles, and those who "live to ride." To add...