Went on a group ride today up to Arroyo Grande. Managed to miss multiple rain showers and enjoyed some perfect riding weather. Tried out my new camera tether set up and my BMW “city pants” (review coming soon).

Arroyo Grande Cal Coast Ride

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Headed North this weekend with some friends to ride Nacimiento Fergusson Road. We made our way up to Pozo Saloon for lunch then headed towards Fort Hunter Liggett stopping in Paso Robles for ice, beer & food. Then it was off to enjoy some of the roads around Lake Nacimiento. Eventually arriving at Fort Hunter Liggett I was surprised that you no longer need to check in at the gate, you can just ride on through? We checked out the Old Mission San Antonio de Padua founded back in 1771 pretty cool. Then took Nacimiento Fergusson a short distance to our campsite for the night getting there around 7pm. The next morning we continued on to the coast and Hwy1 What a great road, nice and twisty with some great views! It’s narrow though so be careful on those tight blind corners and watch for loose dirt/gravel. And what a temperature change, hot and dry inland then when we dropped down to the coast it was cold, foggy and wet. Had breakfast in Cambria and continued towards home. I made a small detour to the 166 to Tepusquet rd to Foxen cyn and back to Santa Barbara. Great weekend with lots of good roads and great friends!

Trip to Nacimiento Fergusson Rd Day 1

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Nacimiento Fergusson Rd Day 2

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The Isle of Man is definitely on my bucket list and I think this video does an excellent job of explaining why! It’s thrilling and scary as hell all at the same time.

Went for a quick ride yesterday to Pine Mt campground. I have ridden past the turn off many times and decided it was time to see where it went. The road is partially paved and in pretty bad shape but the views were nice and the campground itself looked pretty cool. It’s nestled in amongest the pine trees and theres a total of 6 sites. Theres no water and 1 pit toilet all the sites had a picnic table and a fire pit. There wasn’t a soul around when I was there.

Pine Mountain

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So I have a new project. Awhile back I got this crazy desire to restore an old bike something I could ride around town on, something smaller, lighter and more city/commute friendly then the RT or GS. Of course I wanted it to be something fun that I would look forward to riding also. A friend was selling an old Yamaha XS650 and I decided why not build a cafe racer from it.  When I first rode it home. There was a few things that I immediately knew I wanted to change; the seat the gas tank and the 16′ rear wheel and the brakes! I started on tearing it completely down to the frame and figuring out what modifications I’m going to make and what needs to get done first. Here it is mid tear down.

I’ve ordered a cafe seat and got a tank from a 75′ XS650, mucho better. I plan on hiding the battery and electronics all under the new seat and today I fabricated a aluminum tray to do just that. With all the crap I pulled off this thing it’s bound to be at least 40 lbs lighter when I’m done. Here’s some pics of the new seat electrics trays and some frame modifications primary re-did the seat hoop at the back of the frame and removed any unnecessary tabs etc.

Ok so Spring is here and Summer is just around the corner and if your like me that means it’s time to start planning some longer multi-day rides. Fortunately finding time to take off work is relatively easy right now because work is painfully slow, unfortunately this means that the cash flow is also extremely slow. But there is hope and it’s called “Moto Camping”. To be honest I almost prefer camping to motels and what I’ve found works really well is sprinkling a few motel nights into the camping mix. By allowing myself a nice hot shower and a real bed every once in awhile I can stay on the road for quite some time and the longer on the road the more I get to ride and the more I get to ride the more I get to see. It’s a win win. So the planning has already begun with a spring trip to Death Valley then a group trip with Cal Coast Riders up the western side of the Sierra’s following some of Hwy 49 then there’s the BMW rally in Oregon and at least one more trip to Big Sur and further exploration of the Bay area and of course I have got to fit in Sonora, Ebbetts ands Monitor passes in. There’s a lot to do and see! And I’ve got to keep this blog current for both people that read it. You may have noticed I have added another page category on the blog here “Moto Camping” and to start it’s got all the different campgrounds I’ve been with some pics and information about them as well as a short review. I plan on expanding this area so stay tuned for that. Your comments are always appreciated.

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For many years BMW has dominated the adventure touring market. In fact they basically invented it. With the 1200 GS being their best selling bike and the new 800 GS looking very promising will they continue to dominate? It seems a lot of manufacturers have taken note of the rapidly growing  adventure touring field and are anxious to grab a part of it. Here’s a partial list of what’s out there now in the USA, including a few smaller 650′s that can easily be accessorized for touring and RTW riding. I’ve included the new Yamaha XT1200Z Super Tenere  for comparison only as it’s not available in the States… yet.

BMW 1200 GS

Engine: 1170 cc twin boxer
Cooling: Air
Power: 110 hp
Torque: 120 Nm @ 6000 rpm
Weight: 229 (505 lbs)(wet)
Fuel: 20 L (5.3 US/gal)
Tire dimension front: 19 Rear: 17
Saddle Height: 850-870 mm (32.3-34.2 in)
Ground Clearance:?
Length: 2210 mm (87 in)
Drive: Shaft
Clutch: Dry
Manufacturers site

BMW 800 GS

Engine: 798 cc
Cooling: Water
Power: 85 hp
Torque: 62 lb/ft (83 Nm) at 5,750 rpm
Weight: 207 kg (455 lbs) (wet)
Fuel: 16 L (4.2 US/gal)
Tire dimension front: 21 Rear: 17
Saddle Height: 33.5 – 34.6 in
Ground Clearance:?
Length:  2320 mm (91.0 in)
Drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet
Manufacturers site

BMW G 650 GS

Engine: 652 cc
Cooling: Water
Power: 50 hp
Torque: 44 lb/ft @ 5250 rpm
Weight: 192 kg (423 lbs) (wet)
Fuel: 16 L (4 US/gal)
Tire dimension front: 19 Rear: 17
Saddle Height: 780 mm (30.7 in)
Ground Clearance:?
Length:  2174 mm (85.6 in)
Drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet
Manufacturers site

Ducati 1200 Multistrada

Engine: 1198 cc Twin
Cooling: Liquid
Power: 150 hp
Torque: 118 Nm @ 7500 rpm
Weight: 217 kg (478 lbs)(wet)
Fuel: 20 L (5.3 US/gal)
Tire dimension front: 17 Rear: 17
Saddle Height: 850 mm (33.4 in)
Ground Clearance: ?
Length: 2150 mm (84.6 in)
Drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet, servo action-ed
Traction control, multiple program modes.
Manufacturers site

KTM 990 Adventure

Engine: 999 cc, twin
Cooling: Liquid
Power: 107 hp
Torque: 100 Nm @ 6750 rpm
Weight: 209 (461 lbs)(dry)
Fuel: 19.5 L (5.1 US/gal)
Tire dimension front: 21 Rear: 18
Saddle Height: 860 mm (33.8 in)
Ground Clearance: 261 mm (10.2 in)
Length:
Drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet
Manufacturers site

Triumph Tiger 1050

Engine: 1050, triple
Cooling: Liquid
Power:  113 hp
Torque: 98 Nm @ 6250 rpm
Weight: 228 kg (502lbs) (wet)
Fuel: 20 L (5.3 US/gal)
Tire dimension front: 17 Rear: 17
Saddle Height: 835 mm (32.8 in)
Ground Clearance: ?
Length: 2110 mm (83 in)
Drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet
Manufacturers site

Moto Guzzi Stelvio 1200

Engine: 1151 cc, twin
Cooling: Liquid
Power: 105 hp
Torque: 108 Nm @ 6400 rpm
Weight: 251 (553 lbs)(wet)
Fuel: 18 L (4.7 US/gal)
Tire dimension front: 19 Rear: 17
Saddle Height: 840 mm (33 in)
Ground Clearance: 210 mm (8.3 in)
Length: 2250 mm (88.6 in)
Drive: Shaft
Clutch:

Yamaha XT1200Z Super Tenere

Not available in the USA.

Engine: 1199 cc twin
Cooling: Liquid
Power: 110 hp
Torque: 114.1 Nm @ 6000
Weight: 261 kg (575 lbs) (wet)
Fuel: 23 L (6 US/gal)
Tire dimension front: 19 Rear: 17
Saddle Height: 845-870 mm (33-34 in)
Ground Clearance: 205 mm (8 in)
Length: 2250 mm (88.6 in)
Drive: Shaft
Clutch: Wet

Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom

Engine: 996 cc, twin
Cooling: Liquid
Power: ??
Torque: ??
Weight: 238 kg (525 lbs) (wet)
Fuel: 22 L (5.8/4.8 US/Imp gal)
Tire dimension front: 19 Rear: 17
Saddle Height: 840 mm (33.1 in)
Ground Clearance: 165 mm (6.5 in)
Length: ?
Drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet
Manufactures site

Suzuki 650 V Strom

Engine: 645  cc, twin
Cooling: Liquid
Power: ??
Torque: ??
Weight: 217 kg (478 lbs) (wet)
Fuel: 22 L (5.8/4.8 US/Imp gal)
Tire dimension front: 19 Rear: 17
Saddle Height: 820 mm (32.3 in)
Ground Clearance: 165 mm (6.5 in)
Length: ?
Drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet
Manufacturers site

Kawasaki KLR 650

Engine: 651cc, twin
Cooling: Liquid
Power: ??
Torque: ??
Weight: 196 kg (432 lbs) (wet)
Fuel: 23 L (6.1 US/gal)
Tire dimension front: 21 Rear: 17
Saddle Height: 889 mm (35.0 in).
Ground Clearance: 211 mm (8.3 in.)
Length: 2296 mm (90.4 in.)
Drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet
Manufacturers site

Honda XR650L

Engine: 644cc, single
Cooling: Air
Power: ??
Torque: ??
Weight: 157 kg (346 lbs) (wet)
Fuel: 10.6 L (2.8 US/gal)
Tire dimension front: 21 Rear: 18
Saddle Height: 940 mm (37.0 in).
Ground Clearance: 330 mm (13 in.)
Length: ??
Drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet
Manufacturers site

Thanks to Mike @ bikes in the fast lane for some of the specs.

So there it is. If I’ve forgotten something please let me know. Your comments and questions are always welcome.
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Everytrail is a site where you combine your GPS tracklog and your digital photos to share with friends. The site is free; and the process of creating trips and personalizing them with your photos is simple. Used in conjunction with the iPhone (yes there’s an app for that) it’s a great way to share your rides. You will see a few of my rides that I’ve recorded with Everytrail right here on my blog. The best thing about using EveryTrail with the iPhone is just how easy it makes it, you simply open the app on your iPhone and hit the start tracking button. (You can also upload your routes directly from your gps no iPhone required.) Within the app, there’s a photo option so you can record all those great moments of your ride and Everytrail will actually place them on the map where they were taken. When you’re done you name the ride and enter a description/story then upload it, that’s it. You can also post it to your facebook and twitter accounts at the same time. This is usually a pretty quick affair depending on how many pictures you’ve taken and how long the route is. Also new for version 3 is the ability to find trips based on your location and download them to your iPhone. The trips are all categorized by activity such as motorcycling, biking, hiking, sking etc. Also stats are presented on a graph for distance, speed and elevation. The one thing you should be aware of is it sucks up your phones battery power pretty quickly so you might want to do as I have and plug your phone into an accessory outlet on your bike.

EveryTrail website and demo video (opens a new window)
Here’s a good example of an EveryTrail trip and how it might be used.

The weather couldn’t have been better. Today’s ride with the Cal Coast Motorsports Riding group was great fun. We headed up to Avila Beach which is about 100 miles North of Santa Barbara and enjoyed lunch at Fat Cats Cafe. The roads were in great condition for the most part and the hills were vivid green after all the recent rains. There was a little holiday traffic but we managed to stay on some of the more scenic secondary roads of the area for a good portion of the ride. Thanks to everyone who went for making it a great day! Check out the route and pictures below. And don’t forget to sign up for my news letter to stay informed of upcoming rides, trips and events.

Cal Coast Avila Beach

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There are some things that will never be explained. The other day I went for a ride and as always I grabbed my Spot satellite messenger and attached it to the bike. It was a great day and everything was nice and green from the recent rains. Meandering along some of my favorite local back roads, I enjoyed a late afternoon ride and got home just before dark . I parked the bike and got off. It was then that I realized that the Spot was gone; it obviously had fallen off during the ride. Well since it’s a tracking device it shouldn’t be to hard to find, right? So I quickly went to the computer and brought up the tracking page to determine where it was. It had fallen off on a tight hairpin turn on a road called Harris Grade about 60 miles from home; I remembered the turn. My hopes were slightly dashed when I saw it hadn’t transmitted a message for over an hour. It usually transmits about every 20 minutes give or take, hmmm had someone found it and turned it off? Well, I had to go back and see. It was getting dark by now but my curiosity had gotten the better of me and I just couldn’t wait until morning. After two hours of driving I didn’t find it that night and had pretty much given up hope, I figured somebody had picked it up and it was gone for good. When I got home I looked at the computer one more time just for the hell of it…it had moved! It was now about .5 miles back up the road! I wasn’t going to drive back up there again; not tonight anyway, but I continued to monitor it on the computer until I went to bed that night; there was no other movement no transmission at all. In the morning I took another look on the computer, just in case. What the hell, it was transmitting again and had been since about 2am. Now I was really curious, I had to go check it out. I called my partner at work and told him the story and said I would be in later. I plugged the exact coordinates of the last transmission into my GPS and headed out. I half expected to find it with some crack head who had been up all night trying figure out what it was. I followed the gps to the coordinates and low and behold, I was directed to the same turn out I had stopped at to take some pictures during my ride , but there was no Spot to be seen. I had brought my laptop but as I figured there was no wifi up there so I couldn’t tell if it had moved or was still transmitting even. I decided to drive up the road a little carefully scanning the the roadside, nothing. Looks like I’m S.O.L. I turned around and headed back home. That was two wasted trips up here, damn! Wait a minute…Holy Shit there it is on the opposite side of the road about 500 yds before the turnout I had stopped at earlier, just lying on the shoulder. I’ll be damned I found it! Here’s the thing though when I looked at the pictures from the ride, I can clearly see that the Spot is still on my bike at the turnout, so how did it get 500yds back up the road?? Maybe the crackheads found it and gave up trying to call for a pizza with it. I’ll never know but I’m glad to have found it and glad to know if it had been me lying off the side of the road with it, someone would have found me.