Rider articles from September 2005

Rider archives from September 2005

It's a Hoot! I only wish I could have ridden there....(One trackmind)
September 1, 2005... 4:30 a.m. The KLR650 is on a maintenance charger, my gearbag, backpack and a travel mug of Joe are in the car. I kiss my sleepy wife good-bye and before I know it, I'm on a big United 767 bound for Chicago, in a coach seat that's so cramped I...

Perfect blend.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... I agree with you, the new BMW R1200ST is close to being the perfect blend of sport and touring abilities in one motorcycle (July issue). The only flaw I could find on a test ride was the lack of underseat storage as compared to the R1150RS. I...

Alternative fuel.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... As I live in Rio, I really enjoyed Mr. Grodsky's report on this trip in the July issue. I would like to make a correction: The alternative fuel used in Brazil is alcohol distilled from sugar cane, not corn! Concerning the granting of...

Metric explanation.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... If I'm not way too late, I have a comment in regard to the question in June's Tech Q & A column as to why spark plugs have metric threads and the rest of their dimensions are in inches. As best as I can remember (from an article in Road & Track...

One of the best.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... After reading Margie Siegal's Motorcycle Collector on the Honda CB77 Super Hawk in the July issue I thought I would make a few comments. In my opinion (and I have owned upward of 20 bikes, mostly BMWs in recent years), the CB77 is one of the...

Timing's everything.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... I have been a subscriber for many years and after reading the current month's issue, I wait patiently for the next issue of Rider to appear in my mailbox. You're dangling the carrot in front of me! I read every article by your esteemed staff of...

$15,000 cruise control.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... In your July Tech Q & A column, Mr. Bill Flanz asked about taking a cruise control off a tour bike to put on a sport-tour bike. Why do that? He can just as easily buy a BMW K1200RS or a BMW 1200GT. Both of these bikes come with cruise control....

Chefs on Bikes.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... Regarding Mark Tuttle Jr.'s July Similar Differences, I work with "SBs" (sportbike riders) who in many ways are very like "HDs" (Harley-Davidson riders) as profiled in his column. They are chefs and food service professionals who love to ride...

Mount St. Helens.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... Regarding Bruce Hansen's article on Mount St. Helens in the July issue, Interstate 90 runs through central Washington from Seattle to Spokane and beyond. Interstate 84 runs along the Columbia River Gorge through Baker, Oregon, and The Dalles...

Loud tip.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... Here's a tip that has saved me: First, check your state laws concerning horns. Then find a junk car that has one of those "whoopie" car alarm horns. Remove the horn that came with your bike and see how far you can throw it. Wire in the car...

Victory 2006.(Kickstarts)
September 1, 2005... Victory has taken the 100-cubic-inch (1,634cc), six-speed V-twin it introduced in its fat-tired Hammer for 2005 and banged it into all but one model in its lineup for 2006, including a new Vegas Jackpot. This model starts with the Vegas'...

Yamaha Stratoliner.(Kickstarts)
September 1, 2005... This fall the new Star motorcycle division of Yamaha will introduce a touring sibling of its new Star Roadliner model we showed you last month called the Stratoliner, with a quick-release windscreen and passenger backrest as well as...

The AMA at work.(Kickstarts)
September 1, 2005... Those wild and crazy scooter clowns. In response to a near-accident in which a motorcyclist just missed a parade spectator, the City of Chicago took the usual knee-jerk action and simply banned motorcycles, (pocket) mini motorcycles, mini motor...

SportClassic production moved up.(Kickstarts)
September 1, 2005... Ducati has announced that two of its three newly designed SportClassic bikes will go into production earlier than anticipated, thanks to an enthusiastic reception. The Paul Smart 1000 Limited Edition is first up in September 2005. It pays...

www.medjetassist.com.(RIDIN' THE WEB)
September 1, 2005... IF YOU'RE EVER HOSPITALIZED MORE THAN 150 MILES FROM HOME ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, MEDJETASSIST SAYS IT WILL PICK YOU AND YOUR BIKE UP AND GET BOTH OF YOU HOME. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

www.legendofthemotorcycle.com.(RIDIN' THE WEB)
September 1, 2005... THIS INAUGURAL CONCOURS D'ELEGANCE TO BE HELD MAY 2006 IN HALF MOON BAY, CALIFORNIA, IS CALLING FOR ENTRIES.

www.motorcyclemuseum.org.(RIDIN' THE WEB)
September 1, 2005... CHECK OUT THE 2005 INDUCTEES INTO THE MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME AND PLAN YOUR VISIT TO THE MUSEUM IN PICKERINGTON, OHIO.

www.speedtrialsbybub.com.(RIDIN' THE WEB)
September 1, 2005... NEW RECORDS ARE JUST WAITING TO BE SET AT THE BONNEVILLE SPEED FLATS SEPTEMBER 5-9, 2005, AS THE NUMBER OF CLASSES HAS INCREASED FIVE-FOLD.

Little big Buell: 2006 Buell Lightning Long XB12Ss.(RIDER TEST)(Cover Story)
September 1, 2005... When Erik Buell set out to build a 250 GP racebike-sized sportbike with a stump-pulling torquey V-twin, he wasn't kidding around. The latest generation of Buell Motorcycles--that free-thinking, cornering-oriented division of...

Urban assault vehicle: Buell Lightning CityX XB9SX.(RIDDEN & RATED)
September 1, 2005... If the five-figure buy-in for a Buell Lightning XB12S like the Long Ss version detailed in the previous article is too steep, there is a similar alternative with just four figures in its price tag. As the original 984cc version of the Buell,...

The postman: Iberian Moto Tour's Bandolero Tour.
September 1, 2005... Remember the passage often associated with the beloved postal courier, or postman? "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." For the members of the Bandolero...

Bahn burner: 2005 BMW K1200S.(RIDER TEST)
September 1, 2005... Traditional, dyed-in-the-lederhosen BMW boxer aficionados still haven't gotten over the blasphemous use of an in-line four-cylinder engine in the first K bikes back in 1983. Now they have even more to fret about--while the rest of us can revel...

King Coal: riding the coal country of northeastern Pennsylvania.(FAVORITERIDE)
September 1, 2005... Viewed alone, a chunk of anthracite coal isn't exactly impressive. Irregularly shaped and alternately shiny/dull black in color, very few would believe that such a nondescript and seemingly worthless material could fuel an era, and an empire....

Joe Rocket Nitrogen gloves.(Product Evaluations)
September 1, 2005... I KNOW IT'S ASKING A LOT OF YOU TO THINK ABOUT WINTER WHEN YOU'RE PROBABLY READING THIS IN MIDSUMMER, BUT YOU'LL THANK ME FOR REMINDING YOU IN ADVANCE IF YOU NEED SOME NEW GLOVES FOR THE COOL WEATHER AHEAD. Joe Rocket recently came out...

See a bigger, clearer view of the world around you.(Product Spotlight)
September 1, 2005... (1) SEE A BIGGER, CLEARER VIEW OF THE WORLD AROUND YOU. New shield-mount Quick-Scans mirrors for the Suzuki Burgman 650 help eliminate blind spots. The optically pure convex lens has three times the viewing area of smaller blind-spot mirrors...

The stroke is part of a versatile new riding shoe category.(Product Spotlight)
September 1, 2005... (2) THE STROKE IS PART OF A VERSATILE NEW RIDING SHOE CATEGORY. Developed by Alpinestars' sport shoe design center in California and the factory's technical R & D laboratory, the Stroke raises the level of function and protection in an all-day...

Detachable Saddlebags and Trunk Bag for Buell XB models.(Product Spotlight)
September 1, 2005... (3) DETACHABLE SADDLEBAGS AND TRUNK BAG FOR BUELL XB MODELS. Buell owners can add touring capacity or just around-town utility to an XB Lightning or XB Firebolt model with the new Detachable Saddlebags and Trunk Bags from Buell Accessories....

BMW ProSport--for sport riders who want a safe, yet flexible glove.(Product Spotlight)
September 1, 2005... (4) BMW PROSPORT--FOR SPORT RIDERS WHO WANT A SAFE, YET FLEXIBLE GLOVE. The newly designed light summer ProSport glove provides safety and comfort without hard-shell armor. It combines a mixture of kangaroo leather on the palm and...

Cotton denim might look cool, but will prove useless in even a minor spill.(Product Spotlight)
September 1, 2005... (5) COTTON DENIM MIGHT LOOK COOL, BUT WILL PROVE USELESS IN EVEN A MINOR SPILL. Olympia Moto Sports men's and ladies' Mustang jackets and jeans tackle this problem by combining classic denim styling with abrasion-resistant DuPont Cordura and...

Better bars for triumph's thruxton 900.(Product Spotlight)
September 1, 2005... (6) BETTER BARS FOR TRIUMPH'S THRUXTON 900. The manufacturers of Heli Bars now offer 21st-century bar sets to give this retro classic improved ergonomics to better fit most riders. The new Heli Bars reposition the handgrips 4.75 inches higher,...

This suit can take you from the arctic circle to the equator!(Product Spotlight)
September 1, 2005... (7) THIS SUIT CAN TAKE YOU FROM THE ARCTIC CIRCLE TO THE EQUATOR! Spidi's new Admiral touring suit has more features than most of its competitors combined. The Fastwear step-in system allows you to wear the suit over your street clothes and get...

Ride through paradise.(Product Spotlight)
September 1, 2005... (8) RIDE THROUGH PARADISE. Showcasing unforgettable rides through mountains, volcanoes, deserts and seacoast in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia, Motorcycle Journeys Through The Pacific Northwest is sure to entice visitors to the region,...

New Yuasa Battery specifically designed for H-D Sportsters.(Product Spotlight)
September 1, 2005... (9) NEW YUASA BATTERY SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR H-D SPORTSTERS. Yuasa Battery now offers the YTX14L-BS, exclusively designed for the 2004-2005 Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 and 1200. The YTX14L-BS is similar to the popular YTX14-BS, except that...