It's been a while...

I haven't been keeping up with my blog...it was kind of a crappy summer with the weather, and we crammed in camping and I put in over 8000kms on my motorbike...

I am currently flip flopping about whether or not to upgrade bikes, and if so, to what?

My current bike as you know is this...



I am thinking of these bikes as replacements...

The Suzuki Bandit 1250S...



The Suzuki Boulevard M90...



The Suzuki V-Strom DL650...

On road version...



Off road version...



or the Yamaha MT-01...



Sound clip...



So until I decide, I will just keep the bike I have...

Learning to ride a motorcycle...

When I first decided this year to get my motorcycle license, some of my friends were curious and wanted to know how to get it. Essentially, in Canada, if you have your class 5 (regular drivers license) you are allowed to use that as your learners permit on the roads. You need to be within the view of a licensed motorcycle rider, but they can be in a car...I didn't know that until I took the beginner rider course that is offered locally. I thought you had to write the exam before you could ride on the street...

Anyway, after I took the course and my wife saw the bill for it...she was a little, um, disappointed..."why did you take that course?"...it cost me $500, and was worth every penny...I told her that I wouldn't be able to learn to ride any other way...at the time, I didn't know anyone that had a motorcycle and that would limit how I could learn...without breaking the law, anyway...and the school that I took the course through allows you to use their bikes for the road test as a courtesy to their students...BINGO, I didn't have to insure my bike before being a licensed rider...BIG, BIG savings on insurance costs. (actually, that probably paid for half the course...)

Once I had my license, and insured my bike (I bought my bike about three weeks before taking the course...I would recommend waiting until after you take the course...it opens your eyes to what you may like), suddenly everyone thought I was the bike expert...so the questions started...how did you like the course you took, what bike do you think I need, where do I go for gear...I had already been part of Best Beginner Motorcycles (BBM) for a couple of months, and was starting to have some answers (which were basically the same ones that are asked on the motorcycle forums all over the place)...the problem was that I felt that I didn't get the right bike for me...don't get me wrong, I love my bike...it's nice looking, goes pretty good and is great on gas...but after taking the course and sitting on the dual sport bikes, I think I should have gone that way instead of the sport/standard that I bought. There is more leg room on the dual sport bikes, and they are easier to ride (for me, that is...not everyone has the same answer)

So now is time for some of my useless information advise bit...

Your first step to getting your license...be sure you really want to do this...not because you or your friends think it is cool, but you really have to commit to it...realize that nothing is cheap...you need a new helmet, and not just the cheapest one you can get...pressure in the wrong spots on you head can give you terrible head aches and be unsafe...and by law that is the only thing you need, but if you like having skin you will want a little more than that...the helmet needs to fit you properly...my wife always laughs at me when I put on my helmet..."you look like a chipmunk with nuts in his cheeks"...but your helmet should be tight, but comfortable to the point that it won't move on your head (I mean side to side, you will probably be able to rock it back and forth, but the strap limits that movement). And you may want to wear it in the shop for as long as possible...wear it while you look at and try on jackets, gloves and boots...after you have had it on for a while, take it off in front of a mirror and see where the red bits are...you don't want any marks on your temple...basically you should be able to wear it for hours without becoming uncomfortable...if not, it's not the one for you...try again...this is assuming that you are going for a full face helmet...I don't want bugs and rocks hitting my face at 120kph...that might leave a mark...lol

Jacket...leather or textile...this is personal preference...I went for the textile jacket because it seemed to have more of the things I wanted in the jacket, but both are acceptable...make sure it has armour/pads...shoulders, elbows and back...mine also has flow through vents front, back and in the arms for riding on hot days, and a zip out liner for cooler weather...

Gloves...the palm should be a decent leather that is abrasion resistant. Mine also has padding on the fingers and knuckles. Rocks and bugs at 120kph hurt, so make sure you wear gloves.

Here is a picture of my bike with my helmet and gloves...





I was wearing my jacket at the time. Here is a pic of me wearing my jacket and the rest of my gear...



I was just posing for a picture in the back yard...so no, I didn't have the helmet done up...

You will also want boots...riding boots are preferred, but any durable boot that covers your ankle should do...I wear hiking boots...

And you should also wear pants...with armour...I don't have any yet, but they are on my short list of items I need...I wear jeans...I know, I'm bad...no real excuse other than I ran out of budget before getting everything I needed...

I would also recommend getting rain gear...again I don't have any, but I have been caught out in the rain...you get wet, real wet...wet + riding = cold...so if you don't mind being cold...well you get the idea...

Now...your next step...get training...you don't have to get it and lots of people survive without it, but it makes you a better/safer rider...Okay, I'm stepping off the soap box...

What bike do you get...well, there are lots of variables and lots of options...I would say the best bike for you is the one that you will be comfortable on, doesn't feel heavy and is sort of underpowered...I know, everyone wants the biggest, baddest and fastest they can afford...but all of those things will make learning much harder...biggest=heavy. When you are going slow, heavy sucks plain and simple. At slow speed (walking or pushing your bike) all it wants to do is fall over and you are the only one there to stop it...you will be unsure and wobbly for the first while and that is when most people drop their bike...(oh yeah...buy used, you will probably drop it) Turning a heavy bike isn't as easy either, and turning is the fun part of riding. Once you are on the move, a heavy bike is more stable...so that is the only time bigger is better...baddest=loud or flashy...the last thing you want when you are learning to ride is everyone staring at you and seeing every mistake you make. You will be unsure of yourself and self conscious enough without announcing your arrival...save that for later...fastest=high power...not your friend when you are learning clutch and throttle control...remember, bikes have very high power to weight ratios due to their light weight...a mild powered bike that some lightly experienced riders use is the Suzuki SV650, or the Kawasaki Ninja 650R.




Both have around 60Hp, which in itself sounds pretty tame...but their power to weight ratio is better than a Lamborghini. Think about that, learning to drive in a Lamborghini...how cool would that be, you know stalling a couple of times, getting embarrassed then giving it lots of gas and dumping the clutch and having the car light up the tires, turn sideways and launch into the building on the side of the road...woo hoo, that would be cool...now think what would happen to you without the metal and seat belt or any other safety device other than a helmet and a padded jacket...um...no thanks...I learned in a Honda Civic...much more forgiving, and so should be your first bike...that's why it's your first bike, you get the faster ones later once you are more comfortable with the controls and how they react...

So here is my list of bikes that I would consider good first bikes:

Sport bikes-

Honda CBR125R
Kawasaki Ninja 250R
Kawasaki Ninja 500
Suzuki GS500E/F (naked/fared)
Hyosung 250GT
Kymco Quannon

really anything up to 500cc would be pretty good...more than that and you will be getting into some pretty quick bikes...

Standard / Dual Sport bikes-

Honda CRF230
Kawasaki KLR250
Kawasaki KLR650
Suzuki DR200
Suzuki DR400
Suzuki DR650

anything up to 650cc would be pretty good...

Cruiser bikes-

again anything up to 750cc would be good...

Now, these are only guidelines...and I am not an "expert", but this seems to be the consensus in the forums, and seems to be a good starting point when shopping for your first bike.

I don't know if this ended up where I thought it would, but I hope my rambling will help some that are considering taking up this "sport".

Later.

Trying to make up my mind...

I have been riding motorcycles for a couple of months now and I really like my new "toy"...



But the distance from the foot peg to my butt forces my knees to be bent quite a bit and after about an hour or so, my knees start to hurt. If I wiggle my butt back and hook my heels on the pegs the pain fades but doesn't completely go away.

So I am considering changing to a larger bike, and if I am going to invest extra cash I will make an upgrade in the power dept as well...

Here are the two main competitors...

The 2010 Suzuki Bandit 1250FA...



The Bandit has a three inch higher seat (yes, I can still flat foot with both feet), and a similar riding position. The horse power is just over double my GS500, and the torque is just over double as well...kind of a big step up, but not terrible.

The other candidate is a cruiser, the 2010 Suzuki M90...



The M90 is a power cruiser that has a lower seat height, but the pegs are forward so the bend in the knee is similar to sitting on the couch. The horse power is only 50% more, but the torque is tripple. The bike also weighs 300lbs more than my current bike.

My dilema is that I don't know which bike I like more...I like the wind protection and the sportiness of the Bandit, but the comfort on the M90 is pretty nice. I'm gonna have to test ride them both to see which one I like the best, or if I am just going to wait a while and see if my body gets used the the bend of the knee...I can't even use price as a deciding factor, they are within a couple hundred of each other...

Oh well, we'll see where I end up...

Later.

Hybrid Vehicles...do we need them?

They have been on the market now for over 12 years. Have they made much impact?

I guess it depends on where and how you use your vehicle as to whether or not it is the vehicle for you. For example, if you live in the city and use your car to commute to work, run errands and go out in the evening. Then I think a hybrid would be a good choice for you, that is if you don't mind the price of admission. Getting a little more specific, the Toyota Prius. It is a nice car. It drives well, has nice features and is quite fuel efficient on top of the ultra low emissions status. The problem is the Toyota Corolla is also a nice car. It drives well, has nice features and is quite fuel efficient and with the new fuel injection and emission controls on today's modern cars, it also has very low emissions. And if you want a hatch back like the Prius the Toyota Matrix is built on the Corolla platform and delivers almost the same driving experience as the Corolla. The first problem with the Prius (or any of the hybrid cars) is the price for the status of the car. The Prius starts at over $29,000. You can almost get two Corollas for the price of one Prius. That is a lot of extra cash that could go to other things, just to show that you are environmentally conscientious...Now, to be fair the Prius is quite nicely equipped. You would have to check a few of the options boxes on the Corolla to have a comparable car...but a Prius will still be a few thousand dollars more. So, if you live in the urban jungle and rarely leave it, you could make a case to justify the extra cost of a hybrid vehicle.

But, if you live in a suburban neighbourhood where there is more commuting involved, I think it will be a harder sell. Especially if you take into account the new diesel cars coming to market. The commute is where they excel. The hybrids actually don't do as well on the commute as they do in the city. They don't use the electric motor on the freeway, so they are essentially a small 4 cylinder car just like a lot of others on the freeway. The hybrids are no more efficient than a comparably sized conventional vehicle. The new diesel cars (VW Jetta TDI) are pretty good around town and even better on the hi way. The one thing that sticks out from the car reviews that I have read is that the hybrid vehicle advertised fuel consumption is a little on the optimistic side, where the diesel cars seem to be able to meet and exceed their advertised consumption. In addition to this, the diesel car (and the conventional 4 cylinder cars) will be more entertaining to drive than the hybrid. The don't have to carry the weight of the battery pack, so they are lighter and drive more...sporting...the hybrids have some pretty cool techy stuff, but the drive itself is kinda boring.

I didn't mean for this to sound like a hybrid bash...I really don't have anything against them, in fact I think they are quite interesting. But I don't see a need for them. The new compact and subcompact cars are quite efficient and reliable. And on the topic of reliable, I know the taxi cabs in Vancouver are driving the hybrids and not really having any problems with them, but what about the rest of Canada where we get winter? Is there a reason you don't see a Prius Taxi in Edmonton? I haven't seen any negative reports on the hybrids, but I have a feeling they loose their edge in the dead of winter. Lights are on longer, the heater is on constantly...most people like to have a remote car starter so that they can get into a warm vehicle...I know it is better for the car to start it and let it idle for about 30 seconds then let it warm up under light load...but most people (read Mrs. Madjak) use their remote to warm the vehicle and defrost the windows before even entering the vehicle. A hybrid...well, I don't know if that is even possible.

I don't know, maybe I'm just not getting the "save the planet" message, but I think for most people a conventional 4 cylinder is the best all around choice. They will meet your needs and use very little fuel compared to the V6 and V8 vehicles that we have been using.

And yes, I realize that some people need to have bigger vehicles with more available power. Be it for work or play, towing and long miles (hence my diesel truck)or a weekend cruise or 1/4 mile addict. Sometimes it is all peer pressure, "you didn't buy one of those, did you?". It all comes down to the all mighty dollar. How much are you willing to pay for the convenience. And until the price of fuel goes up, some people will go for the most power that they can afford. I am probably one of them. Given the choice of either a Prius, a Matrix, or a Chrysler 300C...if I can afford one, the V8 Hemi will be in my driveway. I love the sound and the torque...

Anyway, that is my two cents.

Intro to Blogosphere...

Okay, a little about me.

Back in high school, I bought myself a 1978 Pontiac Firebird Esprit. I thought it was the coolest car ever when I bought it the summer before grade 12. Black w/ T-tops, a V8 under the hood and NO screamin' chicken...I didn't think I could get away with the chicken if I didn't have a mullet. Of course, I thought I was pretty cool until the engine would no longer hold any fluid...so off the the auto shop at school it went. I spent most of my "chemistry" class in the auto shop...didn't do any good for the marks, but the car was on the road again by spring. We ended up pulling the engine and replacing all of the frost plugs and put on a 4bbl carb and intake while we were at it (auto salvage find). I couldn't afford headers or any other "mods", so I put on cheapo turbo mufflers that just dumped down in front of the rear axle. Luckily chemistry was the only class that I failed...barely. This was when I really caught the "car bug", and it only got worse as time went by.

The morning after my graduation, I drove the car 1100kms to Edmonton, Alberta. Half way there, one of the rocker arms split in two...7 cylinder it is...the rest of the way, like a fog machine...I'm sure it was great for the environment... Once in Alberta, I tried to insure the car. Was I ever in for a shock, in B.C. the insurance was $400 per year (this was the late '80s), in Alberta over $2500 per year. Part of it was moving from a town of 2200 people including surrounding area to a city with over 700,000. Also being a new driver in Alberta and driving a "muscle car" (although I don't know if a 305 really qualifies) they saw me coming. So, no car for the first year of college...not that cool, riding the bus...but it saved me a lot of money and allowed me to drink a lot more (legal age in Alberta is 18).

As mentioned above, I started to party like a rock star...not that great for college studies...flunked out of Electronic Engineering...oops, sorry Dad!! Anyway, I replaced the engine in the Firebird, insured it and headed back to B.C. I got a job at a ski hill...remember I'm driving a Firebird? Yeah, really great for driving up icy/snowy roads everymorning to work as a lift operator...forgot to mention that the heater core died while I was there...no heat...in the mountains...have you ever driven a car that has more ice on the inside of the windshield? I hadn't either...had to scape the windshield while I drove, since my breath was freezing on the glass in front of me. I still thought it was a cool car!

After that fiasco of a winter, I moved back to Edmonton (in my cool - actually cold - Firebird). By this point, I think I had worked on almost every part of my car, so I got a job as a partsman at an auto parts store. Finally I had a regular paying job, so what did I do? I took out a loan a bought a 1986 Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta with a V6 and a 5spd. I loved that car, good on gas and lots of fun to drive... That was a great job, I got paid to talk to people about cars and working on them...the pay, well...it sucked...after a year of that, I figured it was time to move on. I was ready for the big step...MANAGEMENT... Wal-Mart were the suckers that agreed with me. The pay wasn't great, but it was better than selling parts. I went through their training program, and all the trainees were teased that if they did poorly, they would be sent to the Northern most Wal-Mart in Canada...Yellowknife. Of course, we all teased each other and had a lot of fun with the training. I did quite well with my training and got very good reviews, so of course I requested the transfer to Yellowknife. I figured why not? I wouldn't do it if I was married with kids...off to Yellowknife. Of course the Camaro wouldn't be the ideal northern climate car, so I sold it...at an auction...man, I probably should have just given it away for what I got for it... (did I forget to mention that I was engaged at the time??)

A month after getting to Yellowknife, NWT, Canada (google maps...yup very cold in the winter) I went back to Alberta to get married...atleast there were no kids...yet...this is now October, and as I left Yellowknife it was starting to snow. We got married and went on our honeymoon in Jamaica (+36C with high humidity), stayed there for the week and had a blast. Flew in to Calgary, Alberta and the weather was okay. The next day we got into our car a drove to Yellowknife...when we arrived the temp was...wait for it...-36C...yup, within two day we went from +36C to -36C. It just got colder and colder from then on...I actually took a picture of the thermometer one day at dinner time -56C...I don't care where you are, that's fricken cold!!!

Ahh Yellowknife, that's where I found snowmobiling...up there, you can ride one to work, or down the street to go grocery shopping...when I pulled onto town and stopped at the stop light, a "sled" pulled up next to me. When the light went green, he was gone in a cloud of ice dust...and I was there spinning my all season tires...I wanted one...being that I was carless (we were in my wife's car), I started the quest for snowmobile...it took about 6 months, but she finally gave in. I got an end of season deal on a Yamaha Venture 485 air cooled machine. What a blast!! My buddy at work was jealous, and being my boss (read HIGHER INCOME), bought a brand new liquid cooled 440 something (I think it was a Arctic Cat, but I'm not sure). The top end was similar, but he had better accelleration...so my theory was...don't slow down, just keep'er pinned...within the first couple of rides the next season, one of the other guys at work had bought himself a sled as well...but a liquid cooled 500...used, but blew us out of the water...lucky for us, he was more cautous...all was good. Mid way through that season, our "Boss" lost control trying to keep ahead of me, and missed the corner...I hadn't expected the slet to "go vertical" when it hit the tree with one ski, but it did...he went over the bars and missed the tree, his slet went about 10ft up the tree...and landed on its tail light in the snow bank...kinda funny now, but a little scary at the time...he was a little shook up, but okay...the sled was mostly okay, but with a bent ski...and probably steering issues...we got him "unplanted" and made it back to his place...after that, I just lead the way...and waited on the lake for them to show up...it was a great season. At this point, my wife was sick of being so far from anything close to a city...and she was now pregnant...so I requested a transfer back to civilization...

I'll save you the boring bits, and say the Wal-Mart and I had a "parting of the ways". I found a job as an apprentice electrician in Calgary, Alberta...this was the best move of all. Well, maybe not at first since I was getting paid $8/hr...I had to sell my "toy" and buy a truck for work...after being in Calgary for about six months, I realized that almost every other contractor in town paid two to three dollars an hour more...so another employment change was in order...I changed contractors and went to school...after school I got my raise...$12/hr...not bad for the times...time to buy a house...man oh man...thank god I did that then...house prices were starting too rise...went to school again...another decent raise...fast forward a year...wife is pregnant again...twins...two bedroom house, three kids...time to upgrade...look at the market...housing had gone up about 20% within a year and a half...wow, and a three bedroom house was an extra $40,000...gulp...couldn't afford to go to school at the time, so I "challenged" the schooling...made it by one percent...71% and you need 70% to pass...woo hoo...another raise...qualified for the new house...

I stayed with that contractor for three and a half years...I finished my apprenticeship and moved to industrial electrical...and have been with the same company for the last 7 years...over that time, I have obviously had to change vehicles as the family grew and our needs changed...but it is still the Firebird that I appreciate the most...it got me hooked on cars and tought me the most mechanically speaking.

Anyway, that's enough for now...I will post more with my thoughts on the "motorized toyz"...

Later.