Motorcycle Articles ~ The Riding Obsession

Robin Dean Nov 12, 2020 Comments

Cold Weather Gear: Your Ride, Your Terms

Winter can be unpredictable. Some days are rideable and others, not so much. That means choosing the right cold weather motorcycle gear is a day-to-day process.

As the temps drop, companies everywhere start hurling an overhand pitch about their "latest and greatest" winter ridewear. Which products meet the hype depends on our will to study the reviews.

Outside of dedicated ATGATT, a lot of the cold weather motorcycle gear we want may be hiding in our dresser drawers. What I'm suggesting is that we still face the cold while off the bike. Insulating layers, electric and/or chemical based warming and armored wind blockers fit the bill whether they display motorcycle specific branding or not.

Robin Dean Oct 6, 2020 Comments

Used Motorcycle Values (A Buyer's Guide)

Let's set the scene. It's fall. The motorcycle riding season peaks even as it mellows. "For sale" signs cover seats during mid-ride lunch breaks and riders everywhere wonder about something ... different. Used motorcycle titles change hands.

As we walk face first into the hay fever daze, used motorcycle values become that much more confusing. Coffee in hand on a Sunday morning, any one of us might catch a glimpse of that deal on Cycle Trader that's too good to be true. Even if we aren't in the market, our wallet and schedule cower as a dangerous seed is planted.

Let this serve as both a newbie buyer's guide and experienced reminder: calm down. Seriously. Let your first shock of a prospective impulse buy, possibly a lemon, fall to the ground without any effect on your psyche. Or at least govern the internal dialogue that sparked your interest in something "new to you" so you can shop with clarity.

Robin Dean Sep 8, 2020 M. Ash, FlickrComments

Motorcycle Camping: A Pandemic Vacation

I've written a few motorcycle camping articles in my day but this year is a whole different bag. With a pandemic in play, moto-camping is one of the few remaining combination activities we can easily reach for as a getaway. With in-depth articles popping up everywhere, this writing aims to keep you both safe and sane while you're off the beaten path.

Not all camping trips are created equal! There's planning, packing and two mindsets to keep track of. One is on the bike, the other off. Coordinating both can be a challenge for even seasoned riders. As far as social distancing is concerned, let's just agree that it's a planned default.

Now, our route and gear are only as useful as our tolerance for the unexpected. Planning and testing are the closest thing to pre-ride certainty we'll ever see. With that, let's get right to it: routing, gear selection and packing for the Covid-19 dodging motorcycle camper.

Robin Dean Jul 14, 2020 Comments

The Best Summer Motorcycle Jacket Is ...

In a previous article, I take aim at the word "best" where summer riding gear is concerned. Six components from helmet to boot including "best summer motorcycle jacket" are broken down until a handful of unique products remain. Each target a different kind of rider but all grip safety with a certain paranoia, the kind that only motorcycle riders can relate to.

The jackets mentioned include Sedici's Alexi, Scorpion's Optima, Olympia's Hudson, Revit's Defender Pro as well as Wind and Joe Rocket's Velocity. Each bring to the table some viable combination of armor, appeal, reflection, stitching and lightweight function over form ... over function. I own two of these jackets, so deciding what's right for spontaneous summer riding is a bit easier.

This time around, however, I'm faced with that 3rd or 33rd motorcycle gear purchase. You know, the one among many that screams from a shelf so high that you can see condors circling below it. It's gotta be not just a "great" motorcycle jacket but the best summer motorcycle jacket money (*ahem* the limited but easily exacerbated funds in my bank account) can buy.

Robin Dean Jun 15, 2020 Comments

Hot Weather Motorcycle Riding Gear

Enter Spring, the most confusing season for anyone who's ever ridden north or south as an inaugural opener. My midwestern friends tell me it's rainy and cool where I'm headed. Here in Texas, however, I'm already exploring hot weather motorcycle riding gear for summer's eventual heatwave.

The riddle in finding summer riding gear lies in the balance between ventilation and protective armor. Being an ATGATT subscriber, I prefer riding attire that offers both without compromise.

Without fueling the argument of armor versus ventilation, let's look at some of the better motorbike riding equipment on the market. We'll build from the ground up: boots, pants, cooling, jacket, gloves and helmet. Any combination of the following will help you stay chill under pressure.

Brian Wringer Apr 4, 2020 Comments

Safe, Efficient Tire Bead Breaking

You can break any motorcycle tire bead quickly with three short tire irons, with no damage to the tire or rim, no excessive force, no jumping and no farting around with kickstands, giant levers, titanic forces or disaster. This works on any tire, tubed or tubeless, car or motorcycle.

Let's Break A Tire Bead!

1) Deflate tire completely, if that hasn't already been handled for you by, uh ... external factors.

Jordan McDowell Apr 2, 2020 Comments

Why Hire A Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?

We all know the dangers of riding. In the unfortunate circumstance where you've crashed your bike, it's good to know how attorneys can help out. Subsequently, a motorcycle accident lawyer can give you the straight answers you need to important questions such as:

Which insurance company is responsible for paying for the damage?
Will the insurance company pay for my medical treatment?

Robin Dean Nov 25, 2019 Comments

Power Up! An SAE/USB Port Comparison

Electronic motorcycle accessories are the norm among sport touring enthusiasts. While that might seem to validate just about any motorcycle USB port install, reliable performance is still key. That's especially true while in transit, riding at speed.

The list of available SAE to USB products is blindingly long. Five motorcycle USB ports we're honed in on are each worth buying for their individual features. The rest are a bit of a fog show, so let this article serve as a filter for the best.

Which brings me to criteria. Keeping our motorcycle USB port options diverse and worth their weight in scratch means a few specifics. Size, performance, reliability, installation and cost covers it. Let's look at which small, easy-install motorcycle USB ports kick the most butt on a light dime.

Patrick Mogavero Sep 5, 2019 Comments

Hillbilly Triangle: A KY Motorcycle Ride

The American Heritage dictionary defines "hillbilly" as a person from the backwoods or some remote mountain area. Wikipedia says that Red River Gorge is a canyon system on the Red River in east-central Kentucky. It lies within the Daniel Boone National Forest, next to what's commonly referred to as "Hillbilly Triangle", covering about 29,000 acres.

Backwoods? Remote mountain areas? A canyon system? "Tell me more!" you say. Well, okay ...

This is what happens when you combine 200+ miles of twisty, smooth roads that go into the forest, winding around the back woods and mountains before plunging into the depths of the Red River Gorge. Only then does it finish with an exciting run across the fabulous ridge top roads of north-central Kentucky. If you're a motorcycle sport touring rider (and I assume you are or you wouldn't be here), you end up with one of the best days of riding anytime, anywhere! This is the Hillbilly Triangle ... Red River Gorge route!

Robin Dean Aug 19, 2019 Comments

Dry Bag Ditty: The Waterproof Duffel Deal

Waiting in the eye of a hurricane work week, on that day off that just screams "boss gonna needja", a motorcycle dry bag sits idle. It's hidden well enough to forget about, but with the right amount of adrenaline ... you won't.

In it lies everything necessary for a great motorcycle trip.

Morning arrives. The alarm goes off. Your smartphone gets itchin' to spell out "Do Not Answer!" while some musAc version of Darth Vader's theme bellows from it's tin can speaker.