Five Reasons to Commute by Motorcycle

Five Reasons to Commute by Motorcycle

A Guest Post by Chris White

While commuting to and from work by car and motorcycle both have their advantages, sometimes one is just more effective than the other depending on the circumstances, such as the weather, road conditions, and the number of you travelling – you’re not going to go on a family shopping trip on your CBR600 now are you? But without a doubt, travelling by motorbike is much more fun and far less frustrating!

Getting out on the open road and testing your bike to the limit around the twisty country roads or opening it up on the quiet straights make for a great feeling of freedom, but many of us don’t get the chance to get out on our bikes as often as we’d like. Work commitments stand in the way, family time prevents you from hitting the road as frequently as you’d like, and then there is the unpredictable weather which can turn the best motorcycling roads around into ice rinks with the briefest of showers.

One method of getting to ride your bike more often is to commute to work on it. Not only do you get to spend some time on your beloved machine, but you can actually have fun travelling to and from work. Here are five great reasons why you should commute to work on your motorbike:

Time

Anyone who works in a city knows how congested the roads are on the way to and from work. Cars, vans and buses are bumper to bumper and you always have the image of your boss clearing his or her throat to yell at you when you stroll in late. By travelling in by bike you can filter your way through the traffic and also take advantage of the dedicated motorbike lanes that allow you to travel safely and arrive on time.

Cost

In some cities, such as London, road users are forced to pay congestion charges, a government initiative aimed at reducing the number of cars on the roads and trying to get people to use other methods of getting to work such as public transport or car sharing, (which still costs money). Using a motorbike in London is a way of avoiding this charge, and is just one reason why the motorcycle courier industry is so popular in the big cities. Also, bikes are much cheaper to run and insure than cars, so you can actually find yourself saving a significant amount of your pay packet.

Environment

We’re all being encouraged to “go green” wherever possible and motorbikes are much “greener” than cars, buses and vans, so you can think to yourself that you’re doing your bit to protect the environment by riding to work, (as well as having fun of course!) Sitting in traffic, cars emit harmful gases into the air. At least riding you have a smaller engine and can keep moving, reducing the amount of harmful emissions.

Parking

Finding somewhere to park in the city can be a long and difficult process, especially if you’ve then got to go off and pay to do so, which means it costs you to go to work. The same is true at offices, where you could end up parked a significant distance from the door – a nightmare if you’re late or if it’s lashing down with rain. Bike parking is often much more friendly with plenty of spaces, and the majority are much nearer the building too.

Fun

Of course, the main reason why you should commute to work by bike is to have some fun! As mentioned earlier, work and family commitments mean that many don’t get the chance to ride their beloved bikes as often as they would like, so putting on the leathers every morning and evening will make the trip to and from work much more fun.

Riding for many people is a way of life, a way of getting away from the stresses and strains of working life. Sitting in traffic every day makes for a lot of grumpy commuters, so combining your passion for motorbikes with the opportunity to ride around the traffic could make you much happier!

This article was written by Chris White, a motoring journalist with years of experience in the industry, currently working with uShip. Chris has covered a variety of motorcycling topics ranging from the latest bike and gear releases to covering races around the world and providing great tips for motorcycle riding.

Thanks for the great Article Chris!

Torch

Lost the Old Bag at Highway Speed!

No, not the wife, but I got your attention didn’t I?

This embarrassing story actually started about five months ago. I had stopped for breakfast with a coworker on my commute to work one Saturday morning at the local Waffle House. I had just backed the bike into a parking space, removed my helmet, and started walking towards the Waffle House entrance when I glanced back at my Mistress, that’s what I call my bike, and saw the left Custom Classic Hard Leather Saddle Bag was off its rear bracket stud and was leaning down.

I had removed the bags only one time before to give the bike a good cleaning and commuted without them just that once. I rode it only partly “topless” because I had left the Memphis Shades windshield on. I have as yet never removed both bags and shield to ride her convertible style, top down.

I put it back on after eating breakfast and then rode to work and home afterwards. I looked at it again at home and the locking cam did feel like it was binding or just not closing all the way. So I emptied the bag and removed it and lubricated the mechanism with some WD40 and reinstalled the bag. I thought is felt secure, but was too lazy to take the locking bracket off the bag itself to get a better view.

Now, fast forward to a week ago, commuting back and forth to work every day as usual. I was on my homeward bound commute on a Friday in the usual D/FW rush hour traffic, wearing full leathers, impatiently weaving in and out of bog downs but mostly staying in the “fast lane”. I exited 183 Airport Freeway onto 121 north picking up velocity to normal highway cruising speed. I took my normal exit, Cheek-Sparger Rd. as usual and down shifted one time to start engine braking.

That’s when it happened. I rode over a small seam crack in the road and I heard a clunk from the left rear of my bike. I glanced back just in time to catch out of the corner of my eye the saddlebag hitting the ground and take off tumbling down the side of the road. Checking my mirror I see it go cart wheeling off the left shoulder of the exit lane and into the median grass on the side of the freeway. I merged with the access road and exited in the first parking lot.

As I park the bike I see a white pickup pulling over onto the shoulder with its hazard flashers turned on. I get off the bike and remove my helmet and start walking back up the access road. I see the driver get out of the truck and go get the saddlebag. He put it in his truck and started back down the access road in my direction. He sees me walking back up the access road and signals me he will pull into the parking lot where my bike is parked.

The Good Samaritan pulled in behind my bike and gave me back the prodigal saddlebag. I thanked him and asked if I could pay him for his extra effort. He declined and offered some bungee chords but I had a bungee net in the saddlebag. I strapped the bag to my pillion seat and thanked him again as he left.

That Saturday I took it completely apart removing the bracket from the bag. The bag itself was not damaged too badly. The hard plastic backing plate was cracked on one corner, it was scrapped and scuffed up and some of the stitching had come loose on the lid. Considering what it had been through it came out well. I managed to get the bracket lock to unbind so that it would fully lock the bracket in place. I remounted the bag on the bike and made sure it was secured properly. Then I reinstalled the contents I usually carry back inside.

This was a good luck bad luck story. It was bad luck that the Saddlebag came completely off the bike while riding, and it is not easy to get off the bike when you are purposely trying to remove it. Good luck that it did not happen while I was in the middle of traffic or the fast lane of the freeway. I believe my Guardian Angel was looking out for me again and I shudder to think of what could have happened…..

Ride on,
Torch

Nuances of Temperature Changes While Riding

Image by Shutterhack via Flickr

Riding a motorcycle truly utilizes all your senses. I have written about the sounds, smells and the effect of the sun while riding previously. Another one of the nuances of riding that I really enjoy is touch. You have a heightened feeling of temperature change as you ride.

While riding in a vehicle you are protected from the elements and will never notice the subtle changes in temperature that you can while riding a motorcycle. When standing, walking or running the changes are generally to slow to notice. There is nothing better while riding on a hot day than to take slight dip in elevation and feel a pocket of cooler breeze against your skin. I think that is one of my favorite things that I enjoy about riding.

If you ride on a regular basis you will pick up on patterns of temperature changes while you ride. This is because hot air rises and cold air sinks. If the road you are traveling suddenly takes a drop in elevation you generally can actually feel the drop in temperature as you descend. Since cold air seeks lower elevations, naturally you will find it along creeks and rivers. Of course, the opposite of this is true as well. In Texas you can sometimes feel these temperature changes on longer bridges and overpasses.

Another factor that comes into play is the location of cover. Trees and buildings also block the wind and as the day warms up they will hold the cooler air at bay. There is a small wooded area with a creek in it by my house and usually on a hot day I will feel a nice cool section of the road while riding through the area. I don’t know why it feels so invigorating but I guess it just makes you more cognisant that you are alive.

Some temperatures are just not comfortable and you better have the correct riding gear to compensate for it. Hot weather gear for summer, cold weather gear for winter and rain gear for the rain. It is fun to race a storm to your destination before it starts to rain, or to stay out in front of a storm. Tornadoes, lightning or hail is not something you wish to tangle with on the back of a motorcycle.

Having your senses bombarded with information is just one of the things that make riding a motorcycle so exciting and enjoyable. Feeling the temperatures change as you ride is quite exhilarating and is definitely one of the reasons I prefer to ride.

Ride on,
Torch

Skull Candy Ink’d Earphones Review

Do You Ride with Ear Plugs or Earphones?

Being a music aficionado with extremely eclectic tastes, just a few months after getting my bike I wanted to be able to enjoy listening to music when I rode on my daily commute. I had acquired an Apple IPod Nano a short time back which I had won in a contest at work and did not use very much. I had filled up the Nano’s four Gigs with great music including Oldies, Classic Country, Classic Rock, Contemporary Country, Blues, Disco and, Jazz genres. I still have a hard time keeping just my top favorites on the Nano’s limited storage space, there are still other music and genres I would like to include.

One of the things I did not like about the IPods was those uncomfortable ear buds that came with them. They are large, bulky and extremely uncomfortable. Since I ride with a half helmet I decided to look for some comfortable earphones so I could listen to music during my work motorcycle commute. I had heard of earphones with active noise cancelling and since I have Cobra exhaust I figured that feature would be helpful. I found some at Wal-Mart and they did have active noise canceling that required a double A battery to power.

I rode with them on to work and home one time before I donated them to one of my teenaged sons. It was not that they did not work; it’s that they worked way too well. I cannot even remember what brand they were. The problem I had with them was that I could not hear anything. I couldn’t hear my exhaust nor could I hear the sound of the vehicles on the freeway coming up along side me. My motorcycle, a V-Star 1100 Classic does not come with a tachometer and without the sound reference I could hardly tell when to shift.

Part of the problem was at the time I was a fairly new rider. Not being able to hear the traffic around me really scared the beJesus out of me. It almost scared me as bad as the time on the way home late in the day on a two lane freeway. A vehicle passed me on the left lane and its shadow followed it on my right. I happened to be passing an onramp on my right at the time. I about jumped off the bike catching the shadow to the right in the onramp lane in my peripheral vision, overtaking me.

It’s been a year and a half now and I decided to try again with non noise cancelling ear buds. I guess you figured out I live close to a Wal-Mart now. I picked up a pair of Skull Candy Ink’d Earphones. Here is the description with specs from their website:

Ink adds permanence. It forces the visual representation of an idea, concept, ideal or experience, and tangibly commemorates it. Like a tattoo, graffiti, or stretch marks. Until you're really ready to commit, go with the INK'D ear buds. Big sound, little price, no visible scarring.
Speaker Diameter: 11mm
Magnet Type: NdFeB
Frequency range: 20 -20K Hz
Impedance: 16 ohms
Max Input Power: 100mw
Cable Length: 1.3m
Plug Type: 3.5mm Gold Plated

Accessories: 3 Silicon Gel Sizes


They came with three gel ear bud sizes and the middle size worked perfectly for me. I had started off with the larger size but they kept the body of the speaker housing out too far. This distorted (lessened) the sound and made the wind rush around them louder. The gel part makes cleaning the Ink’d earphones easy enough. Just hold the gel ear cup upside down, slightly squeeze and shake. I cannot believe I’m writing about earwax.

Sound quality is not too bad for MP3 files playing through small earphones. I did have to turn on the IPod’s bass boost setting, found in the EQ section. This helped with the trebly tinny sound inherent in small speakers. Then I dialed in the sound level to the desired comfortable level. I have the level set to where I can enjoy the music and still barely hear the traffic and Mistresses Mighty V-Twin purr.

I am fairly sure I would not want to ride a motorcycle with all the sound blocked out by ear plugs. I feel you need to use all your senses when guiding a metallic rolling horse down the rode. Skull Candy did a real good job with these Ink’d earphones. They are small and compact, extremely comfortable, size adjustable, and sound good. On top of all of that, they come in numerous colors and are inexpensive on the pocketbook. Torch gives the Skull Candy Ink’d Earphones a M.M.M. rating of 8.

Ride on,
Torch

FMC Classic Side Lace Leather Motorcycle Jacket Review

FMC Classic Side Lace Leather Motorcycle Jacket Review

When the weather got too cold to ride in my OSi Cool Mesh Jacket for my commute to work, even with the liner installed, I started looking for a leather jacket. My quests lead me to Full Boar in Hurst Texas. Unfortunately, due to the economic times, they have since gone out of business. They had the FMC brand Classic Side Lace Leather Jackets on sale. I tried a couple on for size and decided to get one a little larger than I needed. Having a larger size would allow me to dress in layers if I ever needed to ride in extremely cold weather.

The FMC jacket is manufactured for First Manufacturing Company Inc and, according to the label, made in Pakistan. This FMC jacket has the classic motorcycle styling. The outer shell is made from Top Grain Cowhide and feels very substantial. The zippers are all stout and function well. There is an abundance of pockets including two hand pockets with zippers, a small pocket watch style pocket with snap on left side, an upper zippered pocket on left side chest, (great for gun concealment), and lastly a pocket on the inside left chest panel.

The FMC Leather Jacket half belt and side leather laces make it very adjustable. The Action Back makes it much more flexible when moving about and stretching. The sleeves are long to cover your wrists when your arms are stretched out holding handle bars. The sleeves also come with a four inch zippered cuff section to open up your wrists for more room or to let more air in.

When it is cold out you can zip in the Full Size Quilted Thinsulate Liner, unsnap the collar and fold it up, and zip the jacket all the way up. If you have something to cover your face, either full face helmet, neoprene face mask, or balaclava, the only other spot to worry about is your neck just under the Adam’s apple. If your balaclava goes down far enough it might work, otherwise you will need something else to cover that spot that the FMC Jacket does not.

The FMC Classic Side Lace Leather Motorcycle Jacket is constructed very ruggedly and is a very heavy jacket to wear. This jacket is thick, black and, in my opinion, too warm to use for rides in the Texan summer months. For Fall, Winter, and Spring commuting and rides the FMC jacket served well. The hardware is solid and I have had no issues with it through its first season of use. Torch gives the FMC Classic Side Lace Leather Motorcycle Jacket a M.M.M. rating of 9.5 out of 10.

Ride on,
Torch

Song of the Rolling Sirens

Song of the Rolling Sirens

It was a dark spring morning and a blanket of ominous clouds hovered low in the sky making the air thick with humidity. I started the V-Star and her 1063 cc’s of v-twin power roared to life as I hit the garage door opener button to close the garage. It was 6:00 am and I was hoping my neighbors did not hate me and my Cobra exhaust as I turned out of the driveway and started on my commute to work.

Passing the local Waffle house on my way to the freeway the odors of waffles, eggs, sausage, and bacon, beckoned me to stop and eat. I sighed at what was not to be as I approached the light downshifting twice to turn onto the access road to get on the on-ramp to the two lane freeway. Three quarters of the way up the on-ramp my left turn signal was on as I shifted into third. I have decided that this was the most fun part of any ride, the acceleration to get up to speed, after all, there are no laws that limit how fast you can get up to the speed limit.

In no time I’m at the end of this stretch of highway as it makes a graceful right hand turn and merges with another section this time three lanes wide. Tending to run faster than the other traffic I again apply my left turn signal and change lanes twice double checking the lane next to me each time before changing lanes. In the fast lane I pulled in right behind another motorcyclist traveling slightly faster than me possibly on a Harley-Davidson by the sound of the engine.

I sped up a little to keep up with the other motorcyclist. Traffic is usually not too bad this time of the morning as long as you do not get stuck behind a row of vehicles all traveling the same speed so that you cannot get by in the fast lane. Some people will just not change lanes even though slower traffic is supposed keep right. Just about then is when I started to hear the Song.

An eighteen wheeler was in the middle lane and I was passing on the left tracking in the left hand side of my lane. As I drew closer the sound of their Song got louder. I glanced at all those wheels, each one almost half as tall as me. These Sirens are calling to me, luring me to look at them. I try to look away. Mistress, my bike, says, “Watch where we are going.” We were approaching a left hand curve on the highway.

I move lane position to the right side of my lane in preparation of the curve doing the outside, inside, outside track thing like I don’t really know how tight the curve is. This places me right next to the leviathans’ rear trailer wheels. I glance over and the Sirens Song is sweeter, louder, calling me closer as I strain to look away. “Look away, don’t stare at the beast,” I say to myself, probably out loud.

I’m slightly behind the rigs two sets of double tires now and nearing the apex of the curve. The muscles in my legs and arms tighten up and get stiff as the sirens voices start screaming louder at me as I fight to avert my eyes and turn my bike away from our deadly track. All I need to do is pull back slightly on the right handlebar and Mistress will respond leaning left and turning left out of that outer track but I find myself fighting the Sirens hypnotic Song. The Sirens Song is a screaming crescendo now pulling at Mistress and trying to make us crash against the mighty Leviathan.

My pulse has quickened and my breathing has almost stopped as I try to force her to turn left fighting against the handle bars that feel like hard taffy. She does not respond to manhandling and awaits the gentle counter steer command. The bike is at the apex of the curve now and we are sliding slowly closer into the mouth of the deadly Leviathan.

We are being drawn in, pulled by the voices of the alluring Sirens. Then, Mistress’s soothingly soft sultry voice cut through the panic brought about by the Song of the Sirens telling me, “Look away from the beast and look to where you want to go.” This was said not as an order, but in a matter of fact, common sense kind of way.

Nodding in agreement I hear her and obeyed, ignoring the Sirens command I forced my eyes to look away and into the far left track of the lane I’m traveling in. I relax my arms and gently push the left handle bar forward while pulling slightly back on the right. Mistress responds with a purr and immediately leaned left and headed into the left track out of the deadly path of the stampeding Leviathan. I blocked out the compelling Song of the Sirens and speed by the eighteen wheeled monster right as the corner ends.

Breathing once again my pulse starts to slow as I take the exit to get to work. Once at work and calmed down, I had time to reflect on what had just transpired on my normal boring commute. Call it what you want, Target Fixation or the Song of the Siren, your bike will go, maybe subconsciously, where you look. Is Target Fixation just an excuse, a Myth, or an Urban Legend? Having first hand battled it and won, I think not. So, glance at obstacles just long enough to recognize them for what they are and then look back where you want to go. If you don’t, you may succumb to the call of the Sirens, and smash into the very obstacle you are staring at, and trying desperately to avoid.

Ride on,
Torch

Largest Ever Ride To Work Day Expected

Media Release: For immediate use
Date: 05/15/09
Subject: Motorcycle and Scooter Ride To Work Day

Largest Ever Ride To Work Day Expected

Monday, June 15, 2009

The 18th Annual Ride To Work Day is a month away, and this year the weaker economy is causing many commuters to turn to motorcycles and scooters to save money on transportation. These new everyday riders are finding cycles and scooters to be an economical, efficient and enjoyable way to get to work and around town. Because of the world-wide depression, this year is expected to be the largest Ride to Work Day demonstration ever, according to Ride to Work, a non-profit organization.

According to the United States Census Bureau and the Department of Transportation, over eighty million cars and light trucks are used for daily commuting on American roads, and about 200,000 motorcycles and scooters are a regular part of this mix. On Ride To Work Day, the practical side of riding becomes more visible as a larger number of America's 8,000,000 cycles are ridden to work.

Ride to Work Day helps demonstrate how these vehicles make parking easier and help traffic flow better. Studies have shown that across equal distances, commuting motorcyclists reach their destinations in less time than those using automobiles, that motorcycles and scooters consume less resources per mile than automobiles, and that they take up less space on roads. Motorcycle and scooter riders seek improved employer recognition and support for this form of transportation, and more public and government awareness of the positive value of riding.
Changes to the Ride To Work website include new forum areas, and additional free promotional support materials.


Press release also available in Word and PDF formats.






Contact Ride to Work Day, a 501 c4 nonprofit organization, at:
POB 1072, Proctor, Minnesota, 55810 USA
http://www.ridetowork.org/?utm_source=rtw2009_5_15&utm_medium=email
218 722 9806
propaganda@ridetowork.org

Mission Statement:
Advocating and supporting the use of motorcycles and scooters for transportation, and providing information about everyday riding to the public.

Some Affiliated Countries:
Canada, Germany, Philippines, England, Germany, France, Israel, Turkey, Ecuador, United States, and many others.

Newsletter:
Sample issues of 'The Daily Rider' newsletter are available for download at:
http://www.ridetowork.org/the-daily-rider/?utm_source=rtw2009_5_15&utm_medium=email

History:
A brief history of Ride to Work Day is available for viewing at:
http://www.ridetowork.org/ride-to-work-day-history/?utm_source=rtw2009_5_15&utm_medium=email

Fact Sheet:
A transportation motorcycling fact sheet is available at:
http://www.ridetowork.org/transportation-fact-sheet/?utm_source=rtw2009_5_15&utm_medium=email

Photos and Artwork:
Motorcycle and scooter commuting photos, ads, posters, banners, photos, illustrations and other artwork is available at:
http://www.ridetowork.org/signs-posters-cards-propaganda-art/?utm_source=rtw2009_5_15&utm_medium=email

©2009 Ride To Work

Ride on,

Torch

HJC CS-2N Blade MC-5 Helmet Review

HJC CS-2N Blade MC-5 Helmet Review

Last year I needed another helmet just in case I needed to take a passenger with me for a ride. I decided to get another open faced half helmet. I was browsing at Full Boar in Hurst Texas during their Christmas Shoppers Storewide Clearance Sale when one caught my eye. I think it was the interesting flaming skull looking graphic that caught my eye. It was made by HJC and the model was CS-2N and their website calls it the Blade MC-5. It was a half helmet and it was D.O.T. approved. Here is the information from the HJC website:

Thermoplastic Alloy Shell: Lightweight, superior fit and comfort using advanced CAD technology.
Nylex Interior: For added comfort.
Two Forehead Vents: Delivers cooling air.
Aerodynamic Visor: Low-profile design.
Removable “Zip-out” Neck Curtain: Easy to remove. Optional earflaps with speaker pockets.
DOT Approved
SIZES: XS-XXL

I tried several on and the medium size fit me well. The neck strap seemed to land more on my chin than neck which felt much more comfortable than the Vega XT. It also did not feel like it stood as tall on my head, like the Vega Half Helmet. The shape fit my head nicely and CS-2N was balanced well. I made my purchase.

The faux visor is indeed low profile and did not catch the wind as bad as the Vega’s visor did. It offers little shade from the sun, and apparently, is just for looks. For some reason, this Blade already had an Echo Products Quick Connect installed on it, so I did not have to purchase one and install it myself like I did the Vega. Another plus is that along with the standard two D Rings on the Nylon Retention Band, (strap) it has a snap right below the D Rings with a corresponding snap on the end of the long strap for snapping together after the helmet is buckled. This keeps the long loose strap end out of the way. I really like this feature because with the Vega, after it is buckled with the Quick Connect, I had to wrap the long end around the D Rings anyway to keep it out of the way. I guess I’m just too lazy to cut it.

The two Forehead Vents are well hidden under the visor and can only be seen when the visor is removed. Each vent is around 1” wide and ¼” high. They are a lot larger than the vents found on the Vega XT, although they do not have way to close them. It also has a Removable “Zip-Out” Neck Curtain, which I have given a real good workout to this spring taking it on and off as the temperamental Texas temperatures fluctuated cold to hot. It is slightly difficult to get the D Rings and Quick Connect ends through the strap loops on the Neck Curtain.

This Spring I stopped at Cycle Gear and picked up a universal snap on clear face shield, to try and use in the rain, and I found out the Blade does not have snaps to hold the visor on. The MC-5 has two screws on each side and a guide stud in the center to hold it on. For the record, because of the curve of the helmet the “Universal” shield would not stay snapped on the Vega Half Helmet either. Back to the drawing board or invest in a full face.

The HJC CS-2N Blade MC-5 Half Helmet has been my daily wear on my commute to and from work daily. It has functioned for me flawlessly. It is extremely comfortable on my head and I would recommend it to anyone. Torch gives the Blade a M.M.M. Rating of 8 out of 10.

Ride on,
Torch