Rider articles from March 2007

Rider archives from March 2007

Oops: .... and I'd especially like to thank my friends Percocet, Vicodin, Norco and Ibuprofin.(One trackmind)
March 1, 2007... For the past month I have had the distinct displeasure of riding a late-model Danniflex 500 for six to eight hours every day. In case you haven't heard of this machine, it features a widely adjustable rake (-10 to 130 degrees) and broad range...

Response; big guns.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2007... Leave it to Rider to correctly pair Yamaha's '06 FJR1300A with BMW's new K1200GT--a comparison just begging to be made (January 2007 issue). I found it interesting that other publications compared other sport-touring bikes to the semi-automatic...

Response; keeper cruiser.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2007... Regarding the excellent review of the Suzuki C50T in the January 2007 issue, tell Donya Carlson that she should sleep more soundly. Hawaii does not have interstate highways. The major highways use "H" rather than "I" to differentiate them from...

Response; Communicators.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2007... I enjoyed January 2007's feature, The Great Communicators, by Bill Stermer. I use a Starcom Advance unit, which was not reviewed. It is quite small and perfectly integrates my Garmin GPS with XM radio and Kenwood two-way radios. I disagree with...

Response; automatics.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2007... Thanks, Clement Salvadori, for your summary of automatic motorcycles in the January 2007 issue. Quite a few years ago at a rest stop I met a rider on the Honda 750 automatic. He had a hook in place of a right hand. The throttle had been moved...

Response; The Ride.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2007... I've been a longtime subscriber to Rider and thoroughly enjoy the articles. I thought the articles in the January '07 issue--The Ride, by James Petersen and, as always, Road Tales: Great Day in the Morning, by Clement Salvadori--were...

Response; great morning ride.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2007... I always enjoy Clement's articles and especially his rides, and if I've been lucky enough to have either ridden the particular ride or at least have been in the area, then it is all the more poignant. Unfortunately, the closest I came to the...

Response; a third opinion.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2007... I was disappointed that Bob Reichenberg did not like the thermometer in the dash (A Second Opinion, January 2007 issue). I purchased a Honda ST, and I really appreciate knowing the temperature; as you know, a few degrees can make a big...

Response; what's black and white?(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2007... I was tickled to read (finally!) a report on the Alameda County Sheriff's Office Civilian Motor EVOC in your January 2007 issue. In the article, Andy Saunders wrote that he "[couldn't] go into all the EVOC maneuvers here..." and described only...

Response; salt and pepper.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2007... Did it ever enter Scooter Grubb's mind that maybe one of the old farts (I'm 66) who read this mag might be interested in the mechanicals of motorcycles capable of going more than 300 mph (The Salt, January 2007)? I ran a bike on the salt 15...

Kickstarts.
March 1, 2007... UNMISTAKABLY AMERICAN Victory Motorcycles recently raised a few eyebrows with the unveiling of its new Vision line of V-twins, Street and Tour versions of which it says will arrive in dealer showrooms in the fall of 2007. Complete details...

The master: talent and hard work meet opportunity and make mechanical music.(Riding around)
March 1, 2007... Like a lot of you guys, I got into motorcycling to make some real money, improve my social standing and meet lots of women. The first two goals haven't worked out too well so far, but at least I've met a woman. And although she isn't actual...

Camp KTM: an outdoor classroom makes learning fun!
March 1, 2007... It's a crisp, early September morning at 10,000 feet, and Scot Harden won't let me sit down. We're riding a short distance on a paved public road, from our Mammoth Mountain lodgings in California's Sierra Nevada mountain range to the starting...

Little bike that can: 2007 Harley-Davidson XL 1200R Sportster Roadster.(RIDER TEST)
March 1, 2007... Remember when you were little and your parents made you do something you really didn't want to? For me it was finishing the broccoli on my plate for the first time--my mom wouldn't let me leave the table until it was gone. Realizing that the...

Spanish moss, pluff mud and history: riding the South Carolina Low Country.(FAVORITERIDE)
March 1, 2007... As the sun rises over the South Carolina coast, we are eager to hit the road. Our ride will take us past historic Low Country plantations, through rural old-growth forest, secluded marshes and small uniquely Southern towns. We take SC 703...

Stripped 650.(TECHQ&A)(Interview)
March 1, 2007... Q: ONE OF THE BOLTS THAT HOLDS THE OIL FILTER COVER IN PLACE ON MY 1999 BMW F650 IS STRIPPED OUT. LET'S NOT GO INTO HOW IT HAPPENED. MY NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR THE CAR MECHANIC SAYS TO JUST TAP IT OUT TO THE NEXT BIGGER SIZE. THE MECHANIC AT THE BMW...

Patch, plug or replace?(TECHQ&A)(Interview)
March 1, 2007... Q: I just picked up a big old sheet metal screw in the rear tire of my Kawasaki Concours on the way home from work. I carry a tubeless repair kit and got home OK, but now I have a practically brand-new tire with a plug in it. Just what is the...

Seal swap.(TECHQ&A)(Interview)
March 1, 2007... Q: There is a small oil leak coming from the gear shift shaft seal on my Honda GL1500 Aspencade. Do the cases need to come apart to replace the seal, or can it been done from the outside? Also, there is play in the shaft. Is this normal or...

Wobbles will be.(TECHQ&A)(Interview)
March 1, 2007... Q: I have a 2006 Yamaha Venture. When I decelerate the bike gets a wobble in the front fork between 50 and 35 mph. I have noticed this trait in my '92 Honda Gold Wing, my '03 Yamaha V-Max and Kawasaki ZL900 Eliminator, all of which are shaft...

Aux lights.(TECHQ&A)(Interview)
March 1, 2007... Q: I want to install driving lights on my Honda Magna so that they come on with the headlight low beam. I've seen this system on several late-model cars and it seems like a good idea. What's the best way to wire them in? Jim Blacker, Los...

Got juice?(TECHQ&A)(Interview)
March 1, 2007... Q: I have a stock Kawasaki ZX-10. I would like to add some electrical accessories like a heated vest and grips. How can I figure out how much wattage I can safely use without draining my bike's battery? My service manual says output is 550...

DOT 3, 4 or 5?(TECHQ&A)(Interview)
March 1, 2007... Q: I have a question about brake fluid. Why can't DOT 5 be mixed with DOT 3 or 4 fluids? I believe the statement that they don't mix and I've seen evidence of that in a jar with different kinds of fluid in it, but what's the big deal? Doesn't...

Blaster motorcycle dryer.(GEARLAB)
March 1, 2007... BOY, AM I A SAP! EDITOR TUTTLE PUSHED THE BOX CONTAINING THE METRO AIR FORCE BLASTER MOTORCYCLE DRYER TOWARD ME WITH HIS FOOT: "Hey, check this out; it's a blower that's supposed to dry a motorcycle in five minutes!" Hmmm, that piqued my...

Spidi Admiral Suit.(GEARLAB)
March 1, 2007... LAST MONTH I WROTE ABOUT MY DILEMMA IN CHOOSING A PROPER EVERYDAY RIDING SUIT. I NEEDED SOMETHING I COULD WEAR OVER MY REGULAR CLOTHES THAT WAS EASY TO PUT ON AND TAKE OFF, AND PROVIDED AMPLE PROTECTION BOTH FROM THE ROAD AND FROM THE ELEMENTS....

Alpinestars Gear Bag.(GEARLAB)
March 1, 2007... THE LIFE OF A MOTOJOURNALIST CAN BE ROUGH AT TIMES, BUT SOMEBODY HAS TO DO IT. I mean, I have to lug my riding gear around the world and ride motorcycles, can you imagine? Thankfully Alpinestars feels my pain and provided me with its Gear...

New&cool.(Product Spotlight)
March 1, 2007... ALL OF THE GOODS AND SERVICES LISTED IN NEW & COOL ARE CHOSEN BY RIDER'S EDITORS BASED ON THE INTEREST TO READERS. THE FOLLOWING SECTION IS PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE TO VENDORS OF MOTORCYCLE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, WHO BEAR SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FOR...