ICON Alliance

A lot of cruiser/classic bike riders don't wear full face helmets. I was one; my first helmet is/was what's called a 3/4th style where eyebrows to jaw is open to the road. It afford great visibility, feels very free, and I'll still wear it on a low speed excursion around town or on a back road.

But highway riding is a different beast. The above picture is the same model full-face helmet I wear, taken from a Reddit thread thanking the manufacturer. The what-if-you-crash reasoning is sound enough and needs no re-hash here, but the secondary benefits have their own immediate value and importance. Full face helmets cut the wind much better than open helmets; your neck will thank you after long rides. They can be cooler since they have more directed vents and air channels or warmer if you close those vents up. they keep bugs and road grit from getting to your eyes/face far better than any bandanna/sunglasses combination ever will.

Before I got the ICON Alliance, I had a different brand full-face helmet for my commute. On the ride to work one day, the visor on my helmet came free on one side. I was able to secure it with duct tape, it it's still an unnerving thing to happen at 70 mph. While the duct tape would hold for a few days, I'd decided to shop around for a better helmet. Safety and design details are what drew me to the Alliance; price is what made me choose it. They're both mediums, but the Icon fits more snugly. The visor mechanism feels more secure and it has a steel retaining pin to lock it in the down position. It's $40 more expensive, but I feel like I'm getting more than $40 worth of improved design features and functionality. This is what's good for me and my head, but there's no replacement for trying on helmets in-person. Heads vary in their shape and proportion and it's safer to have a cheaper helmet that fits than an expensive one that doesn't.

Status of the Yamaha

I haven't been riding as much as you might think. Hardly at all, really. It's downright depressing in contrast to how often I was in the saddle with the Triumph.

I've never rode the Yamaha on-post, even though I got it registered there. I've never put in more than 40 miles in a single ride (and that day I blew a fuse and had to be rescued on the roadside by a empathetic Boozefighter). The one time I took it off a paved road, I layed it down in the mud. I got it up to 80 on the freeway once, but experienced some scary high-speed wobble. I haven't even fired it up since Eleanor was born.

Maybe it's revealing that the Yamaha is still "it" while the Triumph quickly became "her" or "Bonnie."

Cutaway engine poster from The XS Cafe

Still, it's a good-looking bike and I hope to rectify this lack of riding as we pivot towards the Texan springtime. I might have over-estimated how much I enjoy tinkering with the bike vs riding it. The Yamaha now has its third set of mirrors. This pair come off a crashed WR250R and feel rock-solid; they shouldn't flop around at highway speeds like the cheaper ones I had before. We're finally running the correct-size battery (instead of the Triumph battery kept in place by a small section of cedar 2x4). I've got an undamaged replacement headlight bucket and instrument bracket (with rubber mounts!) off of Ebay to install for a weekend project. It's getting there.

There might be a bunch of Eleanor pictures unrelated to the post content this month. I hope you don't mind.

The Big Motorcycle Pictures Post

I have kinda dropped the ball on blogging here. So many tasty beers and motorcycle tribulations have passed by since returning from Afghanistan. So if you had never seen a picture of the New/Old Yamaha, this is what she looked like back in December:

Frost on the seat lets you know this shot is really from December

Big padded sissybar, buckhorn chrome handlebars, only one somewhat floppy rearview mirror, stuck clutch, hadn't run in... some time. But the bones are good and there's comparatively little rust for a bike this old.

Fast forward to yesterday: 

After a few months, I caved in and pushed the bike to a mercifully close-by shop to have the clutch and electrical business professionally sorted out. He also rebuilt the front brake cylinder and gave me an overall inspection.

New handlebars/grips/mirrors. These handlebars are black-coated carbon steel intended for 4-wheel ATVs, but I liked them. It's hard to shop online for something like that unless you already know exactly what you want. 

I bought these coyote-tan pouches to increase the carrying capacity of my medium rucksack for Afghanistan, but now they make tidy little saddlebags that loop right over the frame beneath the seat.

Found a permanent destination for that mustache patch

The vinyl seat is in great shape for its age

I really, really wanted to ride the bike to the Handbuilt Motorcycle Show in Austin. It's the successor to the 1 Moto Show that I had been traveling to when I crashed in 2013. I imagined the excursion as a triumphant getting-back-on-the-horse moment, however, the ol' Yamaha still likes to stall out and refuse to restart at intersections on occasion. I had my first mystery stall about 6 miles from the house and chickened out. I eventually got it started again, but I didn't feel confident riding the whole way down to Austin for the show.

photo by Sean Delshadi of Cycle World

It was a cool show. Free admission, free parking for bikes (6 bucks for cages), cash bar and hotdogs, leather jacket drawing. And some world-class custom and vintage motorcycles in the flesh. I didn't effectively capture it, but here are some of the bikes that were there; guess which photos I took:

1973 Yamaha TX650 by MWPerformance

1974 Yamaha XS 650 by Wesley Case

Pre-war Vincent Rapide

1979 Iron Head Harley Sportster customized by Aaron Buck

Triumph T120? I didn't take the best of notes on all of these

Wall of Death customized Indian Scout

Wall of Death photo by Sean Delshadi of Cycle World

Stock Indian Scout

The Mako 2003 Harley Sportster by Brawny

Hardtail Triumph bobber parked outside the event

Motorcycle Monday: Yamaha TX650A

It was a big week for motorcycle searchin'. I'd learned how to sort ebay by no-reserve auctions and then save searches. Early on the 1st of September, I made a somewhat rash decision. And as a result, I won an auction.



I won a 1974 Yamaha TX 650 on ebay from Lima, Ohio. 16,236 miles, original brown, the only things different from stock form are the modern tires and that rakish padded sissy bar. KBB value: $1900

Okay I know this is an old bike, but that 650 engine is very popular (sold by Yamaha for 18 years) with new parts still being produced. Which is good, because the seller admits the clutch is stuck (complete clutch repair kit: $120). This is almost the same riding position as my dear departed Bonneville, but way cheaper to own and insure while also being simpler to fiddle with. I won the auction at my self-imposed maximum bid of $1200. Payment and shipping arrangements still need to be finalized, but it will be in my garage for well under blue book value. It's quite the relief, really, to get the bike I wanted, within the price I wanted, and be done with part of this vehicle searchin'.

Reference links for future use:
http://www.classic-japanese-bikes.com/Yamaha-XS-650.html

http://www.bikebandit.com/houseofmotorcycles/1974-yamaha-tx650a/o/m7787
http://www.omarsdtr.com/
http://www.dimecitycycles.com/
http://www.biker.net/flyers/650_ads.htm
http://www.mikesxs.net/
http://www.rcycle.com/

Total Loss: Adios Bonnie

Bonnie is officially a total loss. Cause of death: bent frame. If it weren't for my forthcoming trip to Afghanistan, I still might have tried to get her appraised by the folks at Grove Cycles to see what it would cost to get her rebuilt. But right now, it's better for me to just take the insurance return and start looking at my post-deployment options and needs.

Despite the good return, it was hard to just let her go in that impound/junkyard. I'd spent a lot of miles with her and learned a lot about motorcycling. I'm a little afraid that this will be the end of my chance to have a toy while I'm young. The benefits of a roof and 4 wheels might be too much to resist and it could then be a long time before I get another bike. I guess we'll see.

Final Odometer: 14729

Here's a video from the Austin motorcycle show I didn't make it to on the day of the crash. Unfortunately, it looks like it was pretty awesome.


Revival Does the One Show Austin 2013 from Revival Cycles on Vimeo.

Motorcycle Monday: Bruised and Frustrated

As you may have heard from facebook, I had a motorcycle accident Saturday in Round Rock, Texas. I was southbound on Interstate 35 going to see the The 1 Motorcycle Show in Austin when traffic went from 75 to zero mph faster than I could comply. I ploughed into the back of a red Challenger, went over my handlebars, onto their trunk, and off to the median side.

Scene of the accident; right in front of the Harley shop. Click to view larger Map.

Fortunately, the cars behind me were able to stop in time. Two guys hopped out to check on me and were rather surprised that I got up cursing like a sailor. Emergency responders got to the scene very quickly. I accepted an ambulance ride to the trauma center at Seton Williamson Hospital where they checked me out. They got some x-rays to make sure nothing was broken, gave me a prescription for Aleve and some muscle-relaxers, and let me go home.

So now I'm wavering between "I'm glad my bones are intact and can go home; interstate motorcycle accidents don't usually go so well." and "Why couldn't I see it sooner/brake sooner/swerve left onto the shoulder? Now I don't have bike, and it hurts to move, and I'm gonna have a bunch of army and insurance paperwork to do, etc"

I was too scatter-brained to think of taking a picture of the damage, but here's a by-memory rundown of things what would have to be replaced:

Front Forks - One was torn open and leaking dampening oil, so they're done for.
Front Wheel - Smashed in. Fender destroyed. Disc brake might be salvageable.
Rear View Mirrors - I remember seeing one bend backwards
Oil Radiator - The way the front wheel was pushed in, I have no doubt this will need to be replaced.
Exhaust - I remember seeing a pinch in one of the exhaust headers.

From the engine on back looked alright save for the strip of rubber I burned off while braking. I'm sure it will have to be checked thoroughly to make sure the frame is still true and none of the welds have been weakened.

I did grab a "before" picture, though.

I'm still waiting on the insurance assessment process, so I don't know if Bonnie will be deemed salvageable or not. But in the meantime, I've started speculating on what a custom re-build on the front end might look like. I'm fond of this look with twin headlights with stockier sportbike/dirtbike front forks.

Yamaha XV 750 by Classified Moto. Photo from Pipeburn

Starbuck's personal Honda XL 600 by Classified Moto. Photo from BikeEXIF

The Engine

On a motorcycle, the engine is everything. It's not like a car where the works are hidden behind a hood (or two); the physical attributes of the engine dictate frame geometry, cooling, fuel consumption, powerband, acoustics, and of course appearance. People can develop strong opinions. 

Photo from Cycle World

Above is the new Thunder Stroke 111 V-Twin made by Polaris for their re-created Indian marque. On it's own, it's a pretty gorgeous engine. I'm sure Polaris will build a big, heavy, expensive, Harley-imitating cruiser around it. It's unfortunate, but for now we can hope something better, lighter, more unique to cradle that engine and put the 111 cubic inches to work. I've assembled some inspiration:

1930 Indian Scout. Photo from Silodrome.com

1953 Vincent engine in a 1973 Ducati frame: Vincati

Walt Siegl Harley-Davidson Shovelhead "Rivera"

Odometer: 13459

Free Range Beef

I navigate about 10 miles of open range almost every day coming home from work. And by open range, I don't mean bullets or mortars; I mean cattle.

Photo from Wikipedia

To understand why, we have to go back to 1942. In January of that year, the War Department decided they needed some tank destroyer units to counter the crazy death machines the krauts were using. They selected a lonely chunk of land in the middle of Texas and named it after John Bell Hood and his Confederate Texas Brigade. However, the land wasn't quite empty and the communities of Clear Creek, Elijah, and Antelope got uprooted in the name of Eminent Domain. The War Department was surprisingly charitable and struck a deal with the displaced ranchers; they could continue to use the land for cattle grazing. To this day most of Fort Hood is open range for longhorn cattle.

What does this mean for motorcyclist? Most of you have seen what a deer can do to a car; just imagine what  an even bigger animal could do to a motorcycle. Now, the beef walking around seem generally more wary of traffic than deer so I'm not really scared of the adult cattle. Even with those death-prongs jutting out, they're pretty sedate and even-tempered. It's the jittery calves that get my adrenaline going. They're 'only' 200 pounds or so, but they sometimes jump out of the underbrush and it wouldn't take much to ruin my ride home. I've shared a single lane with a spooked calf twice and that is too many times. I try to ride the center line when I see cattle, especially around turns or when there's brush by the roadside.

Odometer: 13145

HEMI Ride

It's long. It's almost entirely in German. I'm not sure if it's a Motorcycle Monday or a Caturday post.

Oh well: I thought it was cool. Here you go.

Odometer: 12931

Ruck March and a Flat Tire

On occasion we do what's called a Ruck March for PT instead of the usual running/calisthenics/circuit training. Basically you'll load up a rucksack and walk at a brisk pace. Sometimes you'll be in formation, sometimes you'll have a weapon, sometimes the person leading the even will try to make it 'tactical' with rules like no talking (noise discipline) or periodic sprints or stops in security positions (overlapping sectors of fire). I've seen folk do it in every think from summer PT clothes (shorts and t-shirt) to full battle-rattle (Helmet, Body armor, fighting vests, etc). But in the Headquarters company, we generally go for 3 miles in about an hour, regular Army combat uniform with patrol cap, and a pack weight minimum of 35 pounds 'dry.'

25 Infantry Division soldiers on a ruck march with with weapons, MOLLE vests, and kevlar Advanced Combat Helmets.
Photo by Sgt. Thomas Duval via militaryspot.com

As I've mentioned a time or two, I ride the motorcycle to work every day. That presents some challenges on days when events like ruck marches occur. I'm creative, but there is a limit to how much stuff I can safely strap to a motorcycle. After this past Thursday's ruck march, I found the gravel parking lot had become a bit crowded and the way I rode in was now blocked. No problemo; I just rode over the curb to get back on the road. It wasn't a big curb by any stretch, but I pinched the inner-tube on my rear tire. I didn't even notice until hours later when the tire had gone completely flat. Panic! At the end of the workday, I decided to ride about 2 miles on the flat tire to an air compressor. I've never had a blowout or had to ride on a flat before so it was pretty exciting for me, especially in turns. With enough air in to get off post, I braved the highway traffic, and found my way to Killeen Powersports for a new tube. I had to wait for a bit to squeeze into their maintenance schedule, but afterward was smooth sailing to get home. Maybe I should invest in a tube repair kit?

Odometer: 12674

Riding in the wind

So I've rode the bike in the rain many times now. Hard rain, soft rain, warm rain, cold rain.

Pictured: Not Me. Photo (and good article) from LeslieKays.com

But until today I never really rode in the Wind. Capital W. The Bonneville is not a big bike, but my voluminous saddlebags and windshield really increase the surface area. After getting home I found out we're in a severe weather warning: "25 to 35 mph with gusts in excess of 50 mph." I'm not sure if it was that strong earlier, but the wind off Belton Lake was memorable. I'm definitely glad that I got a new front tire on Thursday.

The stock Metzler had finally worn close to bald and I had intended to get a ContiGo to match my back tire, buuut the good folks at Grove Cycle had a Michelin Commander II in the right size lurking on the shelf. It was a bit more expensive, but they were able to put it on immediately and I got to hang out at the shop with some Vietnam veterans. There are so many Veterans' riding clubs, maybe I'll find one wherever Sarah and I settle down.

Odometer: 12295

Riding Tunes

This past week has been great for riding home in the afternoons. The mornings may be cold or misty and unpleasant, but I'm glad I have the motorcycle when it's time to go home.

unique odometer milestone

I don't have a radio on my bike, but often songs spring to my mind unbidden while I ride. Maybe they come from the circumstances, weather, or things I pass on the road. Here are some examples:

When it rains:

"I've been stranded in the combat zone
I walked through Bedford Stuy alone
Even rode my motorcycle in the rain..."

When I pass an El Camino:

"Storming through the party like my name was El Niño
When I'm hangin' out, drinking in the back of an El Camino..."

When it rains harder:

"Scratch my back with a lightning bolt,
Thunder rolls like a bass drum note.
The sound of the weather is Heaven's ragtime band."

After a while without riding:

Self-Explanatory

Oddometer: 11412

Stunting Scrambler & San Antonio

What a Scrambler can do with the right tires and the right rider.

Sarah and I took a trip to San Antonio this weekend. It was the first time for both of us.  Got to see the Alamo and walk the length of the River Walk. We didn't go into the chapel part of the Alamo, the Spanish missionary building you probably imagine as "The Alamo." But we did go through the museum section in the standing barracks part.

Pictured: not the barracks

After that we got some fancy Tex-Mex food and walked around the Riverwalk. It's fascinating that such a thing exists in an American city. We watched Wreck-it-Ralph in a mall theater right on the river and took a boat tour around everywhere we'd walked. I definitely recommend taking the boat tour after dark; there's more to see and the route will less disorienting if you've walked around a bit first.

Unfortunately, when we got back to our car we discovered that someone decided to help themselves to our overnight bags we'd left in the back seat of our car. I lost my assault pack and a fleece. Sarah lost her school bag, research, and planner. We both had clothes and phone chargers in there too. The car window was fixed early this afternoon and we'll be getting some cash to defer the value of the stolen items. San Antonio PD, USAA insurance, and Safelite glass repair were all helpful, but the situation still sucks.
Odometer: 9312

Happy Halloween!

We're handing out Reese's, because they're delicious.

So over 2 months have passed since I actually finished and published a post here. It somehow didn't feel like that long until I saw Christmas decorations in Home Depot. In this time, I've finished my 3-month gate guard rotation and experienced some significant professional developments at work. It's a bit more engaging and professional now; email me if you want further details.

Part of this work change involved me being "in the field" for 10 days recently. I won't bore you with the details therein, but the time spent not commuting was sorely needed for the bike. I was able to leave Bonnie at Grove Cycles the whole time without terribly inconveniencing Sarah. Because I ride rain or shine, the level of tread on my rear tire was getting dangerously low to handle the quick and violent rainstorms that Texas sometimes throws at me. I ended up choosing Continental ContiGO! on the advice that it's long-lasting and good for riding in the rain. Middle-range in price and felt solid on the ride home. I also had them install the new rear brake rotor and pads I had bought way back in march after my little crash. They also sorted out my confounding turn signal issue, so that's nice.

I'll try to post more often.
Odometer: 8828

Overdue Bonnie Update

Remember when I got a motorcycle?  And then I started modifying it?  Somehow, that was months ago...

This is what Bonnie looks like now. The camouflage ditty bag is a BDU-era butt-pack I traded for years ago. It's mostly waterproof and handy for little things that don't need to be secured. Those luggage monsters are 1440 Pelican cases outfitted by Roger at Caribou Motorcycle Luggage. He tried valiantly to talk me out of getting the olive drab green ones (black is standard), but I couldn't be stopped.  They are waterproof, lockable, and detachable. A bit wide, but I use all the space and I'm very happy with them. My assault pack fits in one with room to spare.

They're starting to fade on top from the Texas sun exposure, but what can you do?  I think folks call that 'patina.'

The other big change is my brand-new, shipped-from-England front wheel. Somewhere along the line the frame of Bonnie's front wheel got just a little bit bent resulting in harmonic vibrations at certain speeds and drifty handling at higher speeds. I didn't know this at the time because hey; it's my first bike.  How am I supposed to know what vibrations are normal or how it's supposed to handle over 70 mph? Special thanks to my old platoon sergeant who notice the wobble during the Phantom Thunder ride back in May.

shiny

She rolls smoothly now and feels really solid at all speeds. I kept the old rim even though I really didn't have much of a plan for it. Maybe an art project later on? I was a bit dismayed to see rust spot forming on the inside track.  This is the original wheel to my knowledge, so my rear wheel probably has similar spots forming around the spokes beneath the tube.

Oddometer: 5443