This is Why We Ride

"Cars lie to us and tell us we're safe, powerful, and in control. The air-conditioning fans murmur empty assurances and whisper, "Sleep, sleep."

"Motorcycles tell us a more useful truth: we are small and exposed, and probably moving too fast for our own good, but that's no reason not to enjoy every minute of the ride."

Click here to read the rest of Dave Karlotski's "Dangerous Curves"

Source: http://yourbikelife.com/blogs/shawn/why-we-ride

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Take Your Dream Motorcycle Road Trip without Going Broke ? Part II

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AtlasRider/~3/pgmn0VdDc40/

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Pass or fail 2

Remember this post?

Well, I got a letter from the chaps who created it - pasted below - and they've pointed me to another little video. And once more, while it was intended for cyclists, I think it does apply to us as well. Watch it, and leave a comment about whether you passed or failed. I almost passed, I have to admit.

Here's the letter, then

My name is Martin Uttley and I work on behalf of Transport For London (TFL). We were very pleased to see your mention of our DoTheTest video on your website.

As you liked the DoTheTest video campaign we thought you might be interested in our latest cycling awareness videos Whodunnit?

We have posted them up on www.dothetest.co.uk and on YouTube. We would love to hear what you think of the latest cycling awareness videos from TFL. Thank you so much for your original post and I look forward to hearing your thoughts

Martin, the vids are great. I wish our Governments were doing as much for motocyclists' safety as you chaps are obviously doing. The new series is super. Keep up the good work, all the best and ride safe.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rearset/~3/8pus9QTCqtI/pass-or-fail-2.html

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Lost Roads: Sneedville TN.

I left home about 10:00 AM.  The temperature was in the high 40's, the skies were gray and overcast.  The weather guys said it would be sunny. I figure he pretty much didn't have a clue.  No rain but sun was a rarity the entire day.  It's a good day for photographic work. 
I start my journey as I always do these days: I photograph my trip meter.


PHOTO CAPTION: Speedo start of trip.

Riding west on I-26 to Gate City VA. and US-23 North to US 421/58 West.  Once I'm on US-58 West, I know I will be looking out for SR-600 and the start of my Lost Road Ride.  I almost missed it! I thought I would find it further west than I did.  If not for the car turning ahead of me...I 'm sure I would have missed it!

The problem with this? I wasn't prepared. I thought I would have more time to buy fuel. When I found VA-600, I already had 53 miles on the Lil Girl.  I decided to chance it. I know she should get about 90 miles before I was sucking air...and while I did not really study the map before I left, I figured "Hey, there is gonna be a gas station around here somewhere..." uh huh... right.  60 miles gone, 65....70.  I stopped to drag out a map. Something I don't usually do, but I wanted to be sure I shouldn't be knocking on the door of a farmer out here...rather than sitting on the side of a lonely 2 lane road.  Before I could get the map, a pick-up truck truck stopped and asked if all was well.  I asked the guy if there was a gas station within 10 miles. He smiles and tells me of a store ahead, it had no gas but they could tell me where the closest station was.  It was 3 miles ahead.  This guy was not from around here, he was going home after having bagged his buck.  This day was the opening season and he got his boy.


IMAGE CAPTION: Bagged deer at the check station


IMAGE CAPTION: Wildlife check station and convenience store

This is a really nice country store, housing a small restaurant, a wild life game check station, and a convenience store.  The inside was quaint with wood floors and heavy wood old time shelving.  It smelled good in there, but I was on a mission. Gas, photos...LOST ROADS!  



 IMAGE CAPTION: Old barn and weathered wood



Almost as soon as I round the corner and head toward Sneedville and the closest gas station (ten miles away) I find an old barn with great weathered wood to capture with the lens.  It's not as dramatic in these photos as it should be...I was/am disappointed. I'm in Kyles Ford, TN.



IMAGE CAPTION: couldn't hit the broadside of a barn?


IMAGE CAPTION: barn door?

Oh, by the way...I had crossed over into TN about 1/8 mile before I found the wildlife check station. The name of the road changed to TN-33 South.  I find the gas station, I've got 80 miles showing on the trip meter and the pump says I had .06 gas left.  Whew...I love riding my little sporty with her 2.3 gallon tank!  This store also served hot food.  I pumped my gas, moved my bike and ordered a hamburger.  Oh it was sooo good!


IMAGE CAPTION: 80 MILES DOWN WITH .06 AND FUMES LEFT TO GO.

I had found Sneedsville.  As I rode into town on their main street, I stopped to photograph their court house. It's a stately structure for a town this size.  I liked the architecture of the building.


IMAGE CAPTION: Court House in Sneedville

I found the jail museum easily enough, it is on Jail Street...the next block over.  It was closed. What a bummer the sign says it's open 2 days a week (both of them weekdays. No weekends.)  Oh, and once October is over, it's not open at all. If you want to visit, you must call for an appointment.  OK, I should have read the fine print. 


IMAGE CAPTION: Jail of Sneedville sign.

As I'm leaving town, I see this bright red structure with the quilt design on it.  I like this design on this red building as a back drop for my bike...


IMAGE CAPTION: closed business, red background, and my Lil Girl

Leaving Sneedville on TN-33 you will cross over the Clinch River and come to a "T". Here if you turn right you will find yourself on TN-31 south. This road appears to have one very twisty section on it as you wind your way toward TN-11, it appears to be called "The Treadway".  Makes it sound pretty good huh? I didn't go that way. I tipped my bike to the left and followed TN-66 south.  I've been on the lower half of TN-66 and found it to be a lot of fun.  I've been wanting to explore the upper part of 66 for almost 18 months. It's high time to do so.  WHAT A GREAT TWISTY ROAD FOR EXPLORING! 

I came across a few "CENTURY FARMS" At one, yes...I stopped to photograph a few out buildings.


IMAGE CAPTION: Century Farm Out Buildings


IMAGE CAPTION: Sign for the Century Farm


IMAGE CAPTION: More outbuildings

You'll find this farm at an area on TN-66 called Stony Gap. TN.-66 is a nice twisting road leading south to RT-11W and back home.  It rises to the mountain tops a few times and descends into the valleys below. The sharp twists and turns will test the experienced rider as well as the new rider.  It's a road worthy of seeing.  Along the way, just before I turned off TN-66 I found this piece of property. It contained so many great shots, but there wasn't a safe place to pull off the road to capture them.  I took the chance here after turning around and I got this great shot.  Best one of the day I think!

IMAGE CAPTION: best shot of the day on TN. 66.

It's early, I want to continue to explore new roads, so I turn off on Caney Creek Road.  I didn't know where it would lead, how long it was, or what conditions I would find.  As it turns out, it was rather tame and only lead me to TN-70.  But I did find some cool things here!


IMAGE CAPTION: Roadside wonder...


IMAGE CAPTION: I'm a fan of Corvettes...

I soon found my way to TN-347 East. I cruised a few back roads, can't remember the names, and I found this great shot!



IMAGE CAPTION: Lost roads and forgotten cars

The rest of the the ride home is uneventful...when I rolled into my driveway, I had 173 miles racked up.  It was another great day y'all! 

Now, it's time for YOU to ride some LOST ROADS!
Till next time .... ride well, be well....

Source: http://chessiestales.blogspot.com/2010/11/lost-roads-sneedville-tn.html

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Dreams and the Daytona 200

I am a race fan. Even though I?m not be able to rattle off a litany of stats it doesn?t diminish the feeling I get when I?m watching those bikes speed around the track.

Two very vivid memories come to mind when I realized I would become a fan -

In April of 2008 I rode down, alone, to the Honda Superbike event at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, AL. Of course, I knew people raced motorcycles but this would be the first one I would watch up close. Pulling into the main drive, I looked over my shoulder and saw this?

via digitalhooligans.com

Source: http://yourbikelife.com/blogs/shawn/dreams-and-daytona-200

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1991 Yamaha YZR500 vs 2011 Yamaha YZR-M1

Source: http://www.fasterandfaster.net/2011/05/1991-yamaha-yzr500-vs-2011-yamaha-yzr.html

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Learning to Ride

"How many days will it take me to learn how to ride a motorcycle?"

Wow, there's a question that stumped me. I didn't know the answer, honest. I told the young man that if he meant only the operation of the controls - clutch, brake, throttle - that would take 20 minutes. But learning to ride a motorcycle is a complex thing, no? I told him it depended on him. If he just needed to be proficient enough to get from home to work, that would sort itself in six months. But to evolve beyond that could take years!

I got to thinking about that and it's true. Unlike driving, riding motorcycles is a lot more nuanced. You need to learn a lot more to be good at it. I'm not saying these nuances don't exist for cagers, but the fact of the matter is a nuance that escapes you on a bike could kill you whereas in a car, it might mean little more than awkward looking metal, a tough session with the parents and a few rounds of insurance.

The other thing is that unlike learning to drive, learning to ride invariably depends on someone you know who is willing to teach you. Teach you all the basic points and whatever of those nuances he's figured out. And all the bad habits this person has picked up. There simply isn't a place or person you can go to learn riding from scratch in a structured fashion that aims to build you up into a serious, committed motorcyclist.

I learnt from a cousin brother of sorts, well, neighbour actually and at some level, I owe him my life and livelihood. But I don't even remember his face or name. I only recall his blue KB100, that springy feeling of a stretching throttle cable, the rising note of an urgent, if civil, two-stroke, a warm night flying by in reverse and a young heart throbbing in fascination at the experience. And yeah, I don't remember him telling me where the brakes were. Then I remember flying down a road in the Delhi IIT Campus on a brother-in-law's white Kinetic Honda. The scooter was stunned at the turn of speed - he rode it very gently - and then at the speedbreaker... both brakes pulled in hard-hard-hard and the throttle still on. And my first big air. And the strong apprehension that he will discover something broken later. Shit.

I remember riding my classmate Sachin's Yamaha RX100 down the road and being given all sorts of advice involving the battery running down if the ignition was left on for too long. I know now, that that's hogwash, but I was meticulous in the extreme with that bike's ignition. And I remember wafting about slowly on that bike too.

Then I got my Kinetic Honda and I simply cannot remember a time when the poor thing was ridden gently at all. That's the bike I realised I wanted to ride seriously. That's when the kit fixation started and that's when riding it for the sake of riding it became an obsession.

Point is that I cannot remember receiving riding advice from a serious motorcyclist until much, much later.

My riding 'style' has changed since I began riding. Rustom Patel - the motocrosser - changed my paws on levers riding style to two fingers on each lever. I remember these contributions because they're the only ones I got.

Think it's time to return the favour.
How do I do this? Ideas to rearsetblog [at] gmail. [dot] please.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rearset/~3/IlAjudNjJnI/learning-to-ride.html

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