Rider articles from May 2003

Rider archives from May 2003

Innovation lives. (One-Track Mind).(Indianapolis trade show)
May 1, 2003... It's winter in Indianapolis during the industry's largest dealer show, so the right survival gear has more to do with comfortable shoes and caffeine than anything for motorcycle riding. I thought I had finally found the right combination: a new...

Response.(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2003... Kawasaki H1 Memories Great article on the Kawasaki Hi by Margie Siegal in the March issue. The CD ignition was not unreliable; it was FCC illegal. It could destroy TV reception from a block away. If you did not change the plugs every 5,000...

Suzuki's ruby anniversary. (Kickstarts).(40th anniversary models )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... American Suzuki may be middle-aged, but these new limited-edition 40th anniversary models demonstrate it's showing no sign of slowing down. Racy anniversary versions of the 2003 GSX-R600, Hayabusa and Intruder Volusia all have a commemorative...

End insurance discrimination. (Kickstarts).(American Motorcyclist Association lobbies for health-insurance parity)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The AMA is pushing to get a new federal law passed that would protect off-road and street riders from health-insurance discrimination. Similar efforts are going on at the state level in Oregon and Idaho. Last February U.S. Senators Russ...

Hoot bonus. (Kickstarts).(Dunlop Motorcycle Tires; free tire inspections at Honda Hoot)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Dunlop Motorcycle Tires has offered free tire inspections at the annual Honda Hoot for many years (and you'd be amazed how many underinflated tires they see). For the Hoot's 10th anniversary this summer in Knoxville, Tennessee, if you bring a...

Ecosse da most. (Kickstarts).(Ecosse Heretic )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Yee-haw! Got a spare $49,000 lying around? The limited-edition Ecosse Heretic features a hand-built Patrick Racing 45-degree, 1,753cc V-twin with a claimed 120 horsepower and 125 pounds-feet of torque at the rear wheel. It's bolted into a...

BWB. (Kickstarts).(Bikers Without Borders)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Take two ambitious young guys with the desire to help others, stir in a love for motorcycles, and-ahem--give them two brand-new Kawasaki KLR650s. The result is Bikers Without Borders (BWB), a fledgling non-profit organization comprised of two...

Low not slow. (Kickstarts).(Buell Motorcycle Co.'s 2003 Lightning Low XB9S)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Buell Motorcycle Company recently revealed the 2003 Lightning Low XB9S, a new version of the bike with a 1.5-inch lower seat height than the standard Lightning XB9S (shown) we tested earlier this year (Rider, January 2003). Buell says the...

Riding the Rune. (Kickstarts).(Honda Valkyrie Rune not yet in regular production)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... In case you are disappointed with the lack of a riding impression to go along with our Honda Valkyrie Rune story this month, well, so are we. The bike will not go into regular production in Marysville, Ohio, until about the time you're reading...

www.100thbirthdaybash.com. (Ridin' the Web).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Camping and special events August 25 through labor Day at Road America, 40 minutes north of Milwaukee, during Hayley's 100th anniversary celebration.

www.pinkribbonrides.com. (Ridin' the Web).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Learn about intrepid rider Carol "Skert" Youorski and her technique for picking up a dropped bike Videos, too.

www.2.fanscape.com/sherylcrow/emails/newsletter/scnews062102.html. (Ridin' the Web).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Check out KTM-riding, Mustang-jumping rock star Sheryl Crow's music video tribute, Steve McQueen

www.ironhorsestables.com. (Ridin' the Web).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Motorcycle restaurant, motel, campground and store in the beautiful winding ozarks.

www.mapempire.com. (Ridin' the Web).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... List of hundreds of vendors that stock and sell maps, atlases, globes, charts and guides.

www.mertlawwill.com. (Ridin' the Web).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Check out Mert's Quick Release Handlebar Attachment, a prosthetic hand used by Harley racer Chris Draayer

Ducati corse 2003: the new Sport and Supersport bikes. (Riden & Rated).(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2003... Ducati has revamped its entire sportbike line for 2003. Last month we showed you its new 999 and 749 Superbikes. Now here's a look at the more down-to-earth Sport and Supersport motorcycles. Ducati's fine family of fresh Supersports for...

Off the noise. (Tech Q & A).
May 1, 2003... Q: I bought a Honda VTX1800 Retro last July. I wanted to have aftermarket pipes put on it but the only ones available for the Retro at that time were from Samson. When I picked up the motorcycle from the dealer after having the pipes installed,...

Pirelli Diablo tires. (Gear).
May 1, 2003... A lot of new high-performance fires have been introduced lately--so many, in fact, that we often have to remind ourselves which we're riding on! Pirelli's latest addition is the Diablo sport radial line. This new series replaces the MTR21/22...

ROK Strap-Its. (Gear).(elastic straps )
May 1, 2003... Someone has finally gone and invented the better bungee cord. These elastic ROK Strap-Its won't scratch your bike's paint or fling a metal hook in the direction of your eyes, and their flat shape better distributes the elastic force and doesn't...

Cortech GX Sport jacket. (Product Spotlight).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Tour Master's new Cortech GX Sport jacket and pants are designed to combine sportbike styling with the comfort and flexibility of technologically advanced textiles. Abrasion-resistant ballistic nylon with a waterproof, polyurethane-backed...

RX-7 Corsair. (Product Spotlight).(motorcycle helmet )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Arai's new top-of-the-line RX-7 Corsair features a Structural Net Composite (SNC) shell construction that is lighter and improves shell integrity. The Corsair was designed to conform more to the head's natural shape for improved comfort, to...

Bike Log. (Product Spotlight).(logbook )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Need a place to write down everything about your bike and adventures? The improved third edition of Bike Log is out, and now there are 80 pages instead of 56. This allowed space for more bike specs, performance statistics, additional service...

Jarow. (Product Spotlight).(Mono X2, motorcycle helment )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Don't flip your lid until you read this. From now on, all Arrow helmets arriving from Italy will be labeled as Jarow. Topping the line is the brandnew DOT-approved Mono-X2 flip-up. Features include single-hand release, removable Coolmax...

Givi. (Product Spotlight).(motorcycle hard bags)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Got luggage? Givi offers a wide variety of touring hard bags, including its new E41 Keyless cases. These have an opening. mechanism with a combination lock entry system. With 41 liters capacity per case, they can be used as top or side bags,...

Clampless. (Product Spotlight).(motorcycle helmet and headset)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... J&M's "Clampless" helmet headset is now available as a custom installation for the Nolan N-100E helmet. This headset/helmet combination will connect to any factory-installed motorcycle audio system in existence today, just by interchanging the...

Ultra Vent. (Product Spotlight).(motorcycle accessory)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Do your legs ever get hot when your Harley-Davidson's fairing lowers are installed? Removing them is not always convenient and many rides begin in the cool morning, while midday can be quite warm. The Ultra Vent for Ultra Classic Electra Glide...

Baxley. (Products Spotlight).(L.A. Chocks, motorcycle trailer )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Your motorcycle can stand proud in one of Baxley Trailer Company's newly designed L.A. Chocks. Whether it's used for parking, maintenance or trailering, just ride in, get off and walk away--it's that simple! The L.A. Chock is fully adjustable...

Adirondacks. (Product Spotlight).(services offered by Adirondacks and Beyond Motorcycle Tours )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Lifelong riders Marc and Margie Connelly of Lake George, New York, operate Adirondacks and Beyond Motorcycle Tours, the only Adirondacks-based touring company catering exclusively to motorcyclists. They have spent the last 17 years exploring...

ZiPass. (Product Spotlight).(motorcycle accessory )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... ZiPass, a new motorcycle accessory that lets riders move quickly and safely through toll booths, is compatible with most motorcycles and electronic toll tag systems. Using a bracket easily mounted on the handlebar of most motorcycles, ZiPass...

BackOFF[TM] Brake Light Signal Module. (Innovative Product).(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2003... RIDER REPORT The BackOFF[TM] module is a great product! There is no doubt that approaching drivers pay more attention to me when I am stopping. I highly recommend the BackOFF[TM] Module. Mike Kosmetos - Cleveland, Ohio When...