Everyday Riding

Doug Wothke and the Dirtster

2012-02-12T10:13:00.001-06:00

On the way in to the Motorcycle Show Saturday morning, I saw Doug Wothke walking on the street. I recognized him from the Horizon’s Unlimited DVD series. I waved. He waved back.

He followed me until I parked the Ural. He told me he saw it on Friday night, but didn’t know who owned it. As we walked the rest of the way to the show, we talked about different bikes and his trips. He has a Dnepr at his place in Bulgaria he wants to put a Harley engine in. Cool.

The four motorcycles parked near the IMS Show above. Ural T, DualSport, Gold Wing, and my Ural Patrol.

He just finished riding to Magadan, Russia on the “Dirtster”. The Dirtster is a Harley Sportster with dirtbike suspension he made. Very cool.

Doug talking about his trip (below). The BMW isn’t his.

I had to buy the t-shirt.

Since the coat check wasn’t open when we arrived Saturday morning, I didn’t have anywhere to put my gear. He offered the corner of his booth. He’s a great guy. Check his site out.

Post Office and Passports

2012-02-09T12:05:00.000-06:00

My passport expired again. Time to renew it! I need it for my big motorcycle trip this year. I had a new picture taken at Costco for $5 for two photos. Don’t worry. I won’t show it to you. I wouldn’t want to break your screen. haha.

Since I already had a passport, it was pretty easy to renew. I was able to complete all the forms online. I just had to mail the fee, form, previous passport, and new photo.

The forms mentioned repeatedly not to bend anything, so I went and got a big envelope from the post office, and sent everything off express mail with tracking. I should have my new one in four weeks. The renewal process seems very easy.

An Epic Cuff

2012-02-08T11:01:00.000-06:00

A friend asked me to take some close-up picture of my Tourmaster Epic coat’s cuff, so I thought I’d post it since it might help someone else too. Click on the image for full-size.

I love the coat, but hate the original rubbery cuff closure system. The velcro was also very weak and it frequently flapped open snagging things. I cut mine off. Makes my gloves much easier to get on and off. Since I always wear gauntlet gloves, the cuff is always covered.

The cuffs on the Tourmaster Transition 2 are much nicer. Same basic design except a cloth closure strap instead of 1/4” thick rubber.

2012 Minneapolis Motorcycle Show

2012-02-07T21:00:00.001-06:00

This past weekend was the Motorcycle Show in Minneapolis. I went to the show on both Friday and Saturday. On Friday, I used the press pass I received via this blog, and Saturday the exhibitor badge for working the MMSC booth. I was (and still am) super excited to receive the press pass.

I had a lot of fun with the show, but last year seemed just a smidge better. If you read my previous post, you know that I worked the MMSC booth talking to people about motorcycles and training. It was a lot of fun. A new person about every minute or two. The time flew by. Before I knew it, my replacements had already arrived.

There was less “stuff” this year than last, but more people. I didn’t see anyone giving away posters, calendars, or other goodies to put in my bag. My garage walls were quite sad I didn’t bring anything home for them. I’m half done covering one wall with motorcycle posters! The MMSC booth gave away stocking hats for everyone who tried the SMARTrainer. It was quite popular. I think people learned something by using it. Some just treated it like a video game rather than a tool to practice mental riding skills. That hats were the best freebie I saw.

My two favorite things about the motorcycle show are the stunt show, the talks, and the unusual bikes. Looking at the new bikes is nice too, but nearly all can be seen at the dealers. You can usually ride them there too.

The coolest sign of the whole show.

Full Flickr Album with 128 photos.

This orange would look so good on my Ural.

Neat:

Antique sidecar in the vintage bike section:

Too rich for me…

Nice Triton

A Harley with pedals

A Vincent

Scary tires and belt on this one

KTM RC8R. I have very fond memories of riding this bike at the track.

Moto Guzzi V7 Racer

Where do I sit on this one? Oh right, a trials bike. Maybe that should be my next bike…

This one looks fun

Not my style at all.

My wife likes the color of this one

Strange looking front end on this Victory. Weird headlights and a shock instead of forks.

Ouch. Too pointy.

Very shiny. The owner clearly doesn’t ride it in MN.

Zero had a large selection of electric motorcycles this year. An electric dirtbike would be fun.

For Fuzzy

“Design a Bike” – A giant touch screen allowing you to change the color and a couple factory accessories to “build” your own motorcycle. Not exactly building in my opinion, but a neat feature of the show. I’d call it customizing.

the Harley “Jump Start” experience. “Ride” a Harley at the show. Without moving.

Rear wheel on some rollers.

Front wheel bolted down.

You can shift through all the gears and make lots of noise. Innovative, but I’m not sure why the line was so long. Most Harley dealers give free test rides.

My top case is lacking a movie screen!!

Um. I don’t know what to say about this one, but I wouldn’t buy it.

This might be fun.

Matt from RaceTech talked about how suspension works and had some neat cut-aways to look at.

Brittany Morrow talked about her organization “Rock the Gear”. She is an ATGATT advocate.

This is her helmet. She took a spill. Her story is painful. You can read about it here.

The learning center where all the talks took place. Lots of good info.

The one new bike I was impressed by was the Honda NC700X. A helmet fits inside the gas tank area. Cool!

Neat windshield that clips to forks.

Arai’s new 100% carbon fiber helmet. The only company making 100% carbon fiber. It was light in the hand, but very heavy in the wallet at almost $4,000!

Yamaha was giving away prizes if you could grab five white balls.

This year the Smage Brothers did the stunt show. They were very talented with their trials bikes. Watching them dance around with the bikes really made me want to get one. They had some amazing bike control. Maybe with 30 years of practice I could bunny hop one too! haha.

Laying down on the job…

Lots of wheelies

Jumping some barrels and a seven foot gap

Laying down again… jumping over this guy with out ramps. impressive.

43 rear wheel bunny hops in a row. Wow.

Wheelies and Endos were a constant thing during the show.

Electric mini bike jump. Again no ramps.

What’s wrong with this picture?

yea, no front wheel. clearly saving on tires.

From the start of the show to the end, they never put a foot down. Well, ok. when he switched bikes he did.

Full Flickr Album with 128 photos.

Related Posts:

A View From the Booth at 10,000x

2012-02-06T16:55:00.001-06:00

On Saturday, I worked the Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center’s booth. I had a lot of fun talking to hundreds of people about motorcycles and training.

Here is a short time-lapse from the booth sped up 10,000%.

YouTube Video: MMSC Booth Timelapse at IMS Minneapolis 2012

PS: For the curious, I used my GoProHD in video mode and then sped up the footage.

PPS: The next post will have the pile of photos I am still uploading.

Minneapolis Motorcycle Show This Weekend!

2012-02-04T08:21:00.001-06:00

A couple images from last night to wet your appetite. The Smage Brother stunt show (above) and Brittany Morrow from the Learning Center (below) talking about why you should wear some gear. (Yes, that helmet was on her head when it got damaged)

More to come! I’m off to work the Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center Booth. Come by and say hi!

Motorcycle First Thursday - February 2012

2012-02-02T23:11:00.001-06:00

Motorcycle First Thursday again today. It was nice to see a few more bikes in the parking lot than last time. I also really enjoyed riding there with some daylight left. The days are getting longer.

As last month, more maps and trip planning was happening around the different tables. A few friends are going to Mexico next month for some dual sport riding. It sounds like a fun trip. I also received some good advice about my own trip plans for 2012.

Motorcycle show this weekend!!

Brake Bleeding The Lazy Way

2012-02-02T11:05:00.002-06:00

This will explain how to bleed your brakes the lazy way. The brake on my Ural was unusually annoying to bleed. It is just one nice, straight length with no high spots, but I couldn’t get any feel in the lever. If you have a lot of time on your hands, this might be the method for you.

I went through the usual routine:

clear tube on end of bleeder into container with fluid.
pump lever until no bubbles are visible out of bleeder into tube.
close bleeder.
ensure master cylinder does not run out of fluid
pump the lever slowly looking for consistent feel (no pumping up)
while squeezing the lever, open the bleeder slightly.
close the bleeder before the lever reaches end of travel.
goto 4

After going through half a bottle of fluid and still no feel, I started to get concerned. Ok, so the Ural has almost no feel in the lever anyways, but this was annoying.

I checked my motorcycle manuals, they explained the exact procedure I was doing. hmm. I called a couple friends to ask for advice, and they both recommended the same thing. They recommended something so easy, so simple, I couldn’t believe it would work.

Lazy Procedure:

after following the steps above through one or two times, try the below.
With the bleeder closed and the master cylinder sealed, pump the lever a few times and hold.

Keeping it held back, strap it back with a zip tie or some velcro.

Come back overnight or in a day or two or three.

It sounded silly, but I had some time, so I tried it. When I started it was 5-6 squeezes until “firm”. I left it overnight, and found it down to 4-5 squeezes in the morning. A day later 3-4 squeezes.

Three days later, it worked better than I remember it ever working on the first squeeze. Awesome.

I Broke My Mojo

2012-02-01T11:00:00.000-06:00

Installing my new tires proved to be a bit more adventure than I expected when I began. I thought it was going to be a nice Saturday afternoon project, but it turned into a multi-day affair.

Previously, I mentioned the fun I had with the caliper. Now it was time to start removing the Duros, so I could put on the new K37 snowtex. I had brought the tires into the house to let them warm up. Fortunately, our basement still isn’t finished from the disaster last summer, so I had a nice warm place to work.

The first thing I did wrong was start replacing tires without having new tubes. I like to replace the tubes in the Ural every year. The valve stem rusts. I’m also not fond of flat tires in the snow. I also replace the rim strips each year to protect the tubes from puncture.

The first tire went smoothly. Balancing took a bit longer since I was out of practice, but it went fine. The second tire…. not so good. It went on easy enough, but wouldn’t hold air. My first pinch flat. Ever.

The flat reminded me why I have new tubes around. Don’t have it, definitely need it. gah. A trip to the store for new tubes. MSR HD 110/90-19 TR6 tubes. I’ve used these tubes before.

The store robbed me. I last paid $16. They charged $27 + tax. The price for my lack of planning.

New tubes in hand, the second tire went on perfectly. The third and final tire decided to be difficult. Rust had built up inside forming a nice lip for the tire bead of hop over. It wasn’t tall, but it added enough friction to make it very difficult to remove. Tire lube didn’t seem to help either.

In the end, I broke the tip off my mojo lever by using it with too much force. It was a stupid mistake, but I needed more leverage to get the tire off. I usually don’t curse when things go wrong like this, but this time I made an exception. I was really annoyed with myself for being so dumb.

Time for another break! (sorry, couldn’t resist!)

I eventually removed the old Duro with the help of two larger levers. There was a lot of corrosion on the inside of the rim. I put a metal wire brush on the dremel and cleaned it right up. It is now smooth and shiny again.

All three tires mounted, balanced, and back on the Ural. Just a fluid change and a brake bleeding await. What else could go wrong?!

PS: I have an email into the guy who makes the levers. I hope I can just buy a new end. I really love my mojo lever. It makes changing tires, especially tubeless sport tires, very easy.

Corrosion Breaks Things

2012-01-31T10:00:00.000-06:00

In my last post, I mentioned I was changing the Urals tires, but it didn’t go very smoothly. One of the mounting bolts for the front caliper got stuck about a 1/3 of the way out.

As I was removing the bolt with my trusty wrench it started to get looser and then tighter. I stopped. I didn’t want another broken bolt. The last one took way to long to fix, but since that adventure I have lots of tools to remove broken fasteners.

I tried to tighten it and it got tight that way too. I reached for the impact gun instead. It just sat there hammering away for a minute and then “whirrrrrrrr….” The gun spun like it had removed the bolt. I was relieved until I moved and saw a shorter bolt fall out of the socket with a little nub still sticking out of the caliper.

ugh!!!

(this is actually close to what I said, but I’ll let you use your imagination.)

Time for a break. hah!

I asked my wife for a ride to the hardware store since it was a bit snowy for the scooter. I bought some new stainless steel bolts to replace the regular one. I bought two M10x35x1.25 for the caliper mounts along with new washers. I also picked up two new M10x45x1 bolts along with associated nuts and washers for the front and rear axle pinch bolts. Might as well replace them since I had them off and I was already at the store.

New and Old below:

Now, back to that caliper. I tried using my bolt extractor tools while the caliper was still connected to the bike. It quickly became clear it wasn’t going to be easy, so I removed it from the bike. I needed to change the brake fluid anyways.

Gun-shy from my last stuck bolt in a caliper, I asked for help before I made things worse with my inexperience removing stuck fasteners.

My step-dad to the rescue. He has many years of experience working with stuck metal. His hobby is restoring antique tractors. He frequently has to find ways to fix or make parts since they can not be purchased.

Since the caliper is aluminum, we just used a little bit of heat to try and expand the threads. Used improperly, this torch could melt the entire caliper! I did the smart thing, and just took pictures. Leave that to the experts.

The little nub still wasn’t going anywhere, so we ground it off. It was pretty deformed by this point.

Then we carefully drilled out the center of the bolt all the way through. We got lucky that the hole for the bolt goes through the caliper.

Then we took turns carefully filling by hand with a rat tail file until the bolt was paper thin. It was a persistent beast and didn’t want to come out. We carefully tapped it with a finely ground center punch pulling at the edges. It started to collapse and come out.

The threads were a bit messy afterwards, so we cleaned them up. I was amazed when I could thread the new bolt in by hand all the way to stop. We spent two hours start to finish removing the bolt, and it saved me ordering a new caliper from WA (or maybe Russia). I’m very grateful for the experienced assistance. I couldn’t have done it myself.

With the caliper fixed, I went back to mounting the tires, so I could put them back on the bike and bleed the brake. The adventure isn’t over yet…

Snow Tires for the Ural

2012-01-30T10:05:00.001-06:00

I turned over 15,000km on the Ural last weekend and decided to do some maintenance. Little did I know it would turn into a multi-day ordeal at no fault of the Ural.

I started out with the idea of just changing the fluids and checking things out. I saw my K37s sitting in the corner STILL waiting to go on. This season has been very wimpy in temps and snow, so I didn’t mount them yet. I also wanted to see how the Duros did in the snow. Maybe a touch of laziness too! hehe

I thought I should start the oil change by removing the tires. They could sit in the house and get warmed up while I let the fluids get started dripping out. Then things took a turn.

I got the Ural up on jack stands all the way around, so I could remove all three tires. The two rears were very easy. The front is a little more tricky since the axle is reverse threaded, and two bolts holding the brake caliper need to be removed. The caliper was comfortable where it was and didn’t want to come off. The first bolt came out nice and easy, but the second one came out about 1/3 and stopped. Ugh!! Déjà vu anyone?

I EVENTUALLY got the new tires on. Duro on the left, K37 snowtex on the right. The K37s are about an inch taller, so I had to jack the rear up with a floor jack to get them on. The center stand wasn’t tall enough. I do carry a jack in the trunk for roadside changes.

I need more time to evaluate the K37s. My initial impression is they are squirmy. This makes sense since they are made of big blocks of soft, winter-friendly rubber.

Santa Rides a Polar Bear (SBC#5)

2012-01-22T21:59:00.000-06:00

Previously I posted about the “Polar Bear Crossing” sign we found in South Padre Island, TX. Down the block and around the corner, I found this yard completely decked out.

I need to find a penguin for my Ural. Anyone know where I can get one?

Here is another vlog from South Padre Island with some ocean at the end.

YouTube: Santa Rides a Polar Bear

Polar Bear Crossing?

2012-01-21T21:58:00.000-06:00

No, this isn’t photoshopped. This is a real sign we found this sign on our recent trip to South Padre Island, TX. I love that it is right next to palm trees. Details to follow.

And the winner is…

2012-01-20T21:14:00.001-06:00

Thank you to all who entered the drawing for the IMS motorcycle show tickets. I compiled them all into a list and gave each entrant a number.

With my wife as a witness, I used random.org to pick two numbers; the numbers for Paul Streeter and jC were drawn. Congratulations, you’ve each won a ticket!

Send me an email with your address, and I will get the ticket mailed as soon as possible!

PS: For those who didn’t win try promo code “EARLYBIRD” to get $$ off your tickets when you buy online.

Free Tickets to Motorcycle Show (IMS)

2012-01-18T08:05:00.001-06:00

Do you want to go to the motorcycle show for free? I have two tickets to International Motorcycle Show (IMS). I will be giving these tickets away in the next 48 hours to two lucky random winners.

To be entered to win, you must leave a comment on this post. I will notify winners via email so make sure you link your profile or include your email in the comment.

For a second chance to win, follow @EverydayRiding and leave a SECOND comment below with your twitter name.

I will randomly pick two winners from the comments below and mail the tickets via USPS. I will get your address via email/twitter from you if you’ve won.

The drawing will be held on January 20th at 9pm CST.

Good luck!

Future Show Dates:

New York, NY Jan 20-22 2012

Cleveland, OH Jan 27-29 2012

Minneapolis, MN Feb 3-5 2012

Chicago, IL Feb 10-12 2012

Charlotte, NC Feb 24-26 2012

Daytona Beach, FL Mar 14-17 2012

A Waving Duc

2012-01-10T17:47:00.001-06:00

It was 53F today! I had planned on taking the Super9 out to play, but I the warm air messed with my brain. I rearranged the garage, and dragged the R1150GS out. I did a quick T-CLOCS. Everything checked out. It fired up on the first try too. Nice.

The above picture is the GS in front of Lake Como in St. Paul. It’s one of my favorite urban places to ride. Good scenery and a winding road. The downside is it’s quite popular with everyone else.

While I was out riding, I rode past this beautiful red Ducati. We exchanged hearty waves. It wasn’t until later as I’m writing this as I realize it was my first moto wave of 2012. Cool!

A coincidence the rider was going to the same place I was. Too bad we didn’t park next to each other.

The weather-guessers say snow tomorrow. I’m glad I got a short ride in. The GS is tucked away again. Maybe I’ll take the Super9 tomorrow.

South Padre Island Vlog (SBC#4)

2012-01-09T20:44:00.001-06:00

A short video blog about my trip to South Padre Island and Solar Bear Challenge #4.

YouTube: South Padre Island Vlog – SBC#4

First Two Wheeled Ride of 2012

2012-01-06T21:40:00.000-06:00

As is usual, I end up riding my Super9 before any of the rest of my bikes. The rest are snug away resting for the winter and hiding from the salt. The Super9 and Ural are the only two that get to play year round.

After the second day of above 40s, I couldn’t resist. I had to take it out for a short sunset ride. There were still plenty of patches of ice and piles of salt to keep me busy and focused. The photo is my scooter parked in front of a frozen lake. The little red house out there is an ice fishing tent. Only a few inches of ice on the lake, so I’m not comfortable riding on it yet.

It was a fun ride. My Super9 is so much better than the scooter I rented on South Padre Island.

First Thursday: January 2012

2012-01-05T22:10:00.001-06:00

Today is the first Thursday of 2012 which means a bunch of motorcycle folks will show up to shoot the breeze at Dulono’s pizza in Minneapolis. With highs reaching 45F I expected more bikes.

I saw only about eight which was the same amount as December 2011 when it was only 20F.

I had a great time chatting with friends about all things motorcycles. A few maps were out on tables; it was fun to see future trips being planned. I talked to a couple friends about potential trips together later this year as well. 2012 looks like it could be a very fun riding year.

Video: Fog Time-lapse from South Padre Island

2012-01-04T09:00:00.000-06:00

This is my second time-lapse from South Padre Island, TX. I used my GoProHD in photo mode taking pictures throughout the day. Again, this is about 24 hours of footage which filled up a little over half of an 8GB card. I had the camera plugged into the wall via USB AC adapter as batteries only last about four hours. Since the resolution of the photos are higher than 1080p, I was able to play with some panning and zooming. The camera never moved. Edited with Premiere Elements 10.

Watch in 1080p HD!

YouTube: Fog – South Padre Island Time-lapse

Related Posts:

First South Padre Time-lapse

Video: South Padre Island Time-lapse

2012-01-03T07:40:00.001-06:00

A quick video of some footage I shot from my recent trip to South Padre Island, TX. I used my GoProHD in photo mode taking pictures throughout the day. This is nearly 24 hours of footage. I stitched the several thousand photos together with Premiere Elements 10. Let me know what you think!

YouTube: South Padre Island Time-lapse

Happy New Year 2012

2012-01-02T10:00:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year 2012! I’ve finally returned from a much needed (and spontaneous) vacation with my wife. We went to beautiful warm and sunny South Padre Island, TX. It’s amazing what 1500 miles of latitude change can do.

One of the days I rented a little moped, but more on that later.

Last Ural Ride

2011-12-23T11:36:00.001-06:00

Yesterday was a beautifully clear day with the temps climbing into the mid-twenties. The Ural’s wind protection and my heated gear kept me warm and toasty. The days are getting longer now!

It was also my last ride on the Ural. The last ride on my Ural for 2011 that is! You thought I was selling it? Nope, not yet. Still having too much fun with it.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!

PS: I will be riding something else…

Frozen St Croix Scenic Byway

2011-12-11T20:22:00.000-06:00

Most of the St. Croix River was frozen, but I managed to find some open water just outside of Taylor’s Falls near Interstate Park.

Polar Bear Challenge #4 and Solar Bear Challenge #3. I rode 165km (103 miles) at 9F. I took hwy-96 east to Stillwater and then north along the Saint Croix Scenic Byway (hwy95) on the frozen shores of the same river. It started out cloudy, and ended in a brilliant bright blue day. I really enjoyed the ride.

The river was moving pretty quickly here. I was happy to be the only person around. It was very peaceful listening to the water move past the rocks with the regular thump of the cars going over the bridge to remind me I was still near civilization.

The railings on this steep hill were very handy. There was lots of ice. During the summer this is where the canoes are launched.

The day started at 9F and by the time I got home four hours later it was in the mid twenties. I think the high ended up being in the 30s.

Video below contains more shots of the above, and me babbling. Enjoy!

YouTube: PBC#4 and SBC#3

PBC #3 and SBC #2

2011-12-10T18:40:00.001-06:00

Polar Bear Challenge video #3 and Solar Bear Challenge video #2 with a blast from the past. 36km at 16F.

YouTube: PBC #3 and SBC #2