Rider articles from November 2001

Rider archives from November 2001

The Right Madness.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... I am a motorcycle commuter, and so carry the emblems of that profession: a somewhat tatty Aerostich suit, which fits neatly over my business clothes; well-worn, waterproof boots; a messenger bag with a laptop computer; and of course, an...

2002 Kawasakis.
November 1, 2001... Just as this issue was going to press, Kawasaki yanked the covers off an exciting 2002 sport-touring bike based upon the ZRX1200/Ninja ZX-11, as well as updated ZX-9R and ZX-12R Ninjas. In addition to moving the handlebars back and footpegs...

New-for-2002 BMWs.(motorcycles)(Evaluation)
November 1, 2001... Although these photographs are from BMW'S European press kit and may not reflect how its two latest models will look when they come here, we wanted you to see the bikes ASAP. In addition to a more powerful, six-speed R1150RS, BMW will launch an...

Speedy Governor.(Idaho's Dirk Kempthorne getting ready for his first ride)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne and First Lady Patricia Kempthorne recently completed Idaho's Skills Training Advantage for Riders, a course offered by the State Department of Education. The safety program instructs participants on how to start,...

Harley's Centennial.(Harley-Davidson Motor Co. 100 years of riding low and high)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Mark your calendars for Sunday, August 31, 2003, when more than 200,000 people are expected to join Harley-Davidson Motor Co. in celebrating its 100th birthday in Milwaukee's Veteran's Park on the shore of Lake Michigan in Wisconsin. The Party...

Turban Alternative.(helmet cases)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Wearing a motorcycle helmet is mandatory while riding in the Province of British Columbia, Canada, unless you meet all of the following criteria: You are a practitioner of the Sikh religion; have unshorn hair; and habitually wear a turban...

Silver Wings.(join the club)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Curt Fields is trying to get a Honda Silver Wing riders association off the ground. If you ride one of these great old twins, contact him at 9199 Grovelawn Cove, Germantown, Tennessee 38139-5689; curtfields@hotmail.com.

RESPONSE.(mail)
November 1, 2001... Missed Out After finishing 18 days on the road through six states in early June this year, my only regret was not riding the dirt roads through the canyons of Utah on my Kawasaki KLR instead of sticking to the pavement on my Honda ST1100....

Vigorous Vulcan.(Evaluation)
November 1, 2001... The 2002 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Mean Streak. Few motorcycling niches have caught fire as fast as the new performance cruiser category. Although ""term was used briefly years ago to describe the newly ""ied, pavement bucking Honda Valkyrie...

Italy in Style.(Edelweiss Bike Travel Bella Italia Tour)
November 1, 2001... The Edelweiss Bike Travel Bella Italia Tour. We were tucked in behind Swiss-born Michael Faast, an appropriate surname for this Edelweiss tour guide, as both he and Austrian-born senior guide Christian Preining have incredible two-wheeled...

Picking Up a Fallen Bike.(motorcycle care)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... You can do it! Most of us have witnessed this scenario at least once in our motorcycling life: someone drops his or her motorcycle and three or four people scramble over to help muscle it upright (well, most of the time people rush over to...

Canyonlands Motor Classic.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... A rally shrouded in secrets. Do strange or unknown destinations pique your curiosity when planning a ride? How about Dead Horse Point, Hole In The Rock, Needles Overlook, Elephant Hill and other places with odd names like Hurrah Pass, Hey...

Never Too Old.(motorcycle club)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... The Arizona Geezers Motorcycle Club. No one would ever mistake them for Hells Angels. Most of the club members either reach for reading glasses or hold restaurant menus at arm's length, a couple sport hearing aids, and the group probably...

Slow Down, Speed Up.(motorcycle maintenance)
November 1, 2001... Q I have a 1987 Honda CBR1000F Hurricane with 24,000 miles on it. The engine pulls harder at 90 percent open throttle than it does at wide open throttle. From wide open throttle, the engine pulls harder when I roll off a bit. The bike runs...

Spidi Wind Pro Backpack.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Motorcycles, especially sport-bikes, never seem to have enough luggage capacity. Sometimes the answer is to carry a backpack, but conventional packs often have a deep upper section that catches the wind at highway speeds, particularly when...

Belstaff Merlin/Ezeon Suit.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Belstaff's Merlin jacket and Ezeon pants are a good-looking and functional combination with subtle colors designed to appeal to grownup riders. Both jacket and pants are made with a water- and stain-resistant DuPont 500-denier Cordura outer...

Tom the Tailor.(leather motorcycle jackets)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... For many riders, the appearance and safety aspects of a leather jacket are too important to ignore, even if it means braving the sweltering heat in the middle of Death Valley. Tom the Tailor has come up with a way to beat that heat with the...

Shoei has updated its line of helmets.(motorcycle helmets)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Shoei has updated its line of helmets designed to keep your brains from getting scrambled without overheating your noggin. The X-SP II features an advanced venting system with a chin vent to reduce face shield fogging and an air scoop at the...

Hawk Hagebak.(Motorcycle Adventures in the Southern Appalachians )(Review)
November 1, 2001... Former metro Atlanta policeman Hawk Hagebak is shedding a little light on some often-overlooked rides in the southern Appalachians. Motorcycle Adventures in the Southern Appalachians documents several scenic trips through northern Georgia,...

Chase Harper.(motorcycle luggage)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... When it comes to riding, curves are tough to beat for fun. However, when it comes to luggage, the radically-curved side panels on bikes like the Honda VFR and the Suzuki Bandit make it difficult to attach soft saddlebags. Chase Harper has...

Omnitrend Inc.(motorcycle protection equipment)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... You've just come home after an all-day ride but you can't sleep because you're worried about the custom paint job on your bike outside being exposed to the elements. Omnitrend Inc. has come up with a way to shelter your ride without rearranging...

Harley-Davidson.(motorcycle accessories)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Regardless of whether you've been naughty or nice this year, Harley-Davidson may have just the stocking-stuffers you've been looking for in its holiday 2001 collection of H-D Motor-Clothes and Genuine Licensed Products. The Travel Mate Phone...

Meguiar's Inc.(paint protection for motorcycles)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Meguiar's Inc. is doing its best to put an end to the headache of keeping your bike's paint job like new with Scratch X Fine Scratch & Swirl Remover. Meguiar's says that Scratch X safely and effectively removes fine scratches and swirls,...

Motion Pro.(tools for motorcycle repair)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Motion Pro is easing the pain of getting to those hard-to-reach pilot air screws on in-line fours with the 90-degree Billet Carb Tool. The gear-driven 1/4" hex comes with 51/4-inch drive bits, including a straight-slot, Phillips, D-shaped pilot...