Motorcycle Articles ~ The Riding Obsession

Robin Dean Jan 13, 2019 APG, FlickrLeave a Comment

Motorcycle Type: It Starts With Ergonomics

New and transitioning motorcyclists might ask themselves "which motorcycle type is best for me?" ... a question that can both inspire and intimidate anyone in the market for a two-wheeled purchase. New riders are rarely familiar with what's out there while seasoned enthusiasts collect a towering array of prospects to contend with. Many different types of motorcycles could be the right tool for the job but modern-marketing-word-salad has blurred the well defined lines of yesteryear.

A while back, we eased our staunch opinion on what constitutes a sport touring bike to include our ADV cousins. The overall point of that article is to explain a 50/50 split between ride and rider. That's 50% of the genre stemming from a given bike's ST designation (or lack thereof) and the remaining 50% falling on whoever's at the helm (assertive, spirited riders).

To define motorcycle type in a more generalized, kingdom-inclusive fashion, it's better that we combine that 50/50 math into a singular "bike/rider" figure before knocking it down a notch, let's say to 49% of the total equation. The remaining 51% belongs to posture, or to throw more ten-dollar vocabulary into the mix ... ERGONOMICALISMICATIONS. I mean, um (ahem) ergonomics.

Robin Dean Jan 5, 2019 Leave a Comment

Be Dry! Bilt One Piece Motorcycle Rain Suit

Not many riders "hope" they'll get to ride their motorcycle in the rain. Well, that is of course unless your goal is to review motorcycle rain gear. So I guess in that regard, today is my lucky day.

It rained some yesterday. It's raining BIG now. My typical impatience with riding opportunities got the gears turning, so I decided it was time I write about my one piece motorcycle rain suit.

Long distance motorcycle tours can be quite the pleasurable vacation and with that, remote locations become twisty destinations. When inclement weather fronts appear to be seeking us out, we need to know which motorcycle rain gear is up to the task. For this reason, we're focused on a great one piece motorcycle rain suit, namely the Bilt Tornado series.

Robin Dean Dec 3, 2018 3 Comments

Tourmaster: Motorcycle Boots For ST Riders

When it comes to sport touring motorcycle boots, Tourmaster is the brand to buy. There. Now it's said. There's no reason to continue reading. I mean, dropping a statement like that about riding boots will surely convince riders anywhere to make the purchase, unless dedicated to some other brand ('Sup, Sidi).

... but if we disengage from all things marketing and instead look at logical reasons to purchase any pair of motorcycle boots, the prerequisites for what makes them worth buying become more complex under the guise of sport touring.

For this reason, I'm focused on mid-shelf priced, top-shelf quality boots offered by Tourmaster. Why? Because motorcycle boots are consumable (not to be confused with "ingestible").

Brian Wringer Nov 11, 2018 4 Comments

A Northeast Kentucky Motorcycle Ride

Before we dive into the sensory flooding that any Kentucky motorcycle tour might offer, consider that somewhere around Louisville there are a couple hundred people who still see Jennifer Lawrence as that goofy blonde horse chick they knew back in high school. There might also be a few who remember Hunter S. Thompson as that really weird kid over on Ransdell Avenue. "I wonder if that idiot ever ended up in prison ..."

What I'm getting at here is that the "girl next door" effect is real. It's easy to overlook the movie star or genius in your backyard, which is why I only figured out this year that I live about two hours away from some of the finest pavement on the planet (Kentucky motorcycle roads).

Pull up Cincinnati, Ohio on Google Maps. Now, scroll a bit south into the bulge of Kentucky just across the Ohio River. Scroll a bit further, beyond the suburban sprawl. Turn on the terrain layer and marvel at the deliciously wrinkled landscape.

Tom Burns Aug 12, 2018 Leave a Comment

Pressed For Time? Ride The Kettle Moraine!

There are a lot of sport touring enthusiasts in Chicago. I meet some every time I ride. I meet them at restaurants, stores, shows, events, gas stations ... we're everywhere! We all have stories about Tail of the Dragon, the BRP, Push Mountain Road, Twisted Sisters etc. Unlike the Kettle Moraine, those destinations all take at least a day to reach.

So, what do we do between these epic journeys? Where can we go to get our fill near Chicago? The obvious offer is Driftless Wisconsin ... outstanding but not conducive to full enjoyment in a single day. I really prefer spending the night when I'm up there.

So, here we are in Chicago pondering our options. Let's concede that a fifty-mile trek is required to find anything not straight and flat as a pancake unless Sheridan Road fills the void. Fifty miles out gets you to our Starved Rock route but that's just "okay" riding and you need to hike or something to make a day of it. I only go there when the weather is bad up North.

Robin Dean Jul 10, 2018 J. Lilly, Zone PhotoLeave a Comment

Motorcycle Training At Real World Speed

If you'd like to signup for Jason Herheim's Real World Speed Street Skills motorcycle training course, send an email to info@motovid.com or call (773) 234-4713

There's a solid and reputable motorcycle training course for every rider mindset. As miles find us, however ... prerogatives can change. Seasoned motorcyclists will often compliment such change with new outlets that better suit their learning needs.

We stress the value of track days throughout this website. Continued learning, an enormous key to safety no matter the pastime, helps keep our minds fine tuned. When instructor Jason Herheim (lead MSF RiderCoach for Madison, Wisconsin) informed us that he was building a public-pace motorcycle training course for the track setting, our curiosity was immediately piqued.

Robin Dean May 11, 2018 3 Comments

What "Failing" The Iron Butt Can Do For You

Everything. Well, "Everything B" to be exact. That's the title of my brother's book.

He wrote it while scaling the highest peaks and lowest valleys of the paranoid schizophrenic, manic depressive bipolar landscape.

... and that disorder took him from me.

Guest Contributor Apr 2, 2018 Leave a Comment

Your Motorcycle Battery Lies About Voltage!

Every bike on the market today has a 12-volt battery buuut ... that's not really the truth. Its power isn't fully charged unless somewhere in the area of 12.5 volts after its been off the charger for a few hours. Here's where things get a bit funny.

You threw your battery on the charger Wednesday night and here you are Friday evening, beer-in-hand as you prepare to warm up the bike for an oil change. Before you pull the charger off, you check and find a charge of 12.3 volts. "Meh, it should be ok".

I mean, it's a 12-volt system anyway but when you disconnect the charger and turn over the motor, the starter barely cranks. You keep fighting. The engine sputters a little. Maybe it barks to life but the headlight is dim at idle. Now your bike won't idle well and doesn't want to keep running unless you rev the RPMs slightly high.

Tom Burns Mar 26, 2018 2 Comments

Starved Rock Can Satisfy Your Appetite

One of the detriments to living in Chicago can also be a benefit. Aside from riding the beautiful Sheridan Road along the lakefront, you accept that an hour of slabbing the expressway is required to find good roads. Highways can replace expressways but then suburban congestion usually increases the time it takes to get to roads worth riding. Yes, this sucks ... a waste of time that contributes to squared tires, etc. but it does have some benefits. Once you surrender to the hour in transit to better riding, there are upsides. One of which is the route to Starved Rock.

60 minutes is the average length of many podcasts. I often use this opportunity to catch up on my queue (really helps those expressway miles fly by). I'll add that T.R.O. podcasts are very well suited for times like these. One benefit in having to travel an hour is that there are options. I don't always have to go north to Wisconsin for a good day trip. Anyone who has spent time around Chicago knows the unpredictability of the weather. They'll also note how a crappy day on the Northside could be a different story on the Southside.

My rides usually fall into 3 categories: day trips, weekends in the Driftless or prolonged road trips. I've ridden Driftless Wisconsin in a day but when I'm North, I prefer staying for a while. My day trips usually involve Kettle Moraine Wisconsin, taking I-94 an hour north to Kenosha or Bristol where I'm quickly awash in sweepers and sprawling scenery (prairies, farms, lakes and woods).

Travis Burleson Mar 12, 2018 1 Comment

The 2018 Honda CB1000R (IMS Chicago)

The 2018 Honda CB1000R originally debuted in November at EICMA. It immediately jumped to the top of my list of new bikes to see in person at this year's Chicago Progressive International Motorcycle Show (IMS). I think a big part of my attraction to this bike, aside from its obvious aesthetic beauty, is that it really harkens back to its predecessor.

Regulars to this site will know that I used to own a 1994 Honda CB1000 "Big One". This newest version of the CB1000 reignites that classic Honda naked bike styling that was dropped after the 919 Hornet in the late 2000s. Honda calls the styling "Neo Sports Cafe" and that really sums it up.

It has retro queues but a distinctly modern look. I think it's better looking than the last iteration of the CB1000R, which had a more contemporary "Transformers" styling. By that, I mean it came complete with a headlight that resembled a gas mask (though I thought that CB was more handsome than some of its "spike" styled rivals).