Motorcyclists Corner.....

[Sinkrate]

I have finally taken some pictures of my bike and have them in Photobucket for you to view.

Great looking bike Tug. How does she handle in the bends (if you have any), that front tyre looks awful wide? Good idea having that concrete slab in the lawn. I lost my side stand by going through the "crust" once, with me halfway off the bike - very embarrassing!

[Sinkrate]

It would be lovely to be able to edit our posts before we leave something daft on them....forever!

I see what you mean Foz I hadn't noticed that! You have a point though; why can't we edit our previouz posts? - Typo included to show solidarity

[Tug002]

I have finally taken some pictures of my bike and have them in Photobucket for you to view.

Great looking bike Tug. How does she handle in the bends (if you have any), that front tyre looks awful wide? Good idea having that concrete slab in the lawn. I lost my side stand by going through the "crust" once, with me halfway off the bike - very embarrassing!

Thanks The concrete slab was put there after I had another bike go over on me there . She handles great on the curves at highway speeds. I don't think the boards will drag unless I take corners fast like on the CBR. This one is just for cruising along at a nice pace. I don't like the 200 plus speeds any more. My reflexes are not what they used to be and I really don't want to loose my license for speeding. And also there is too much wild life to dodge and at high speeds it is quite risky, best to quit before something happens.

Keep smiling
Tug

[logjam]

Paul, Pigs are dear, especially by the time they are bacon.

[Fozzer]

She's a beaut, Tug!.... ...!

A monster, and dwarfs my Honda Rebel!.... ...!

Fat front tyre, like the Harley 48 Sportster....

...I prefer the thin front tyre on the Harley 72, 1200 Sportster!...nice little fun bike, that!.... ...!

A Harley Fat Boy Low S would be too much of a handful for me now, Tug!
At 5' 7" (tip-toe), and 152 lbs (before dinner), my super-human powers have long since disappeared down the drain!

I have to man-handle my bikes out of my front garden gate and down a public footpath path onto the road, so the chance of something going pear-shaped along the way is very real!... ...!

Even my lovely 1994/96 Honda CB 500RR twin is too much for me to handle now (she sulks in the passage inside the house).
I can manage my Honda Rebel and my Yamaha RX-S 100 OK!
...I feel more secure!

After a lifetime of "Roadster" British and Jap bikes, the "Cruiser" style certainly takes some getting used to...Arms up in the air, legs akimbo, and controls in strange places!... ... ....!

Still...its fun...and that's what motorcycling is all about!.... ...!

Paul....I love my new Clutch!...."Neutral" is easy-peasy now!..... ...!

[Tug002]

Yes I know what you mean about the controls being in different places as I am still trying to get used to where they are. Neutral is a bit of a bother but the Harley guy says once it is driven for a bit it will go in easier.

Keep smiling
Tug

[Flacke]

Ta, Flacke.... ...!

Whilst we are trapped-in by high hedges, vegetation, poor visibility, terrible road surfaces, lack of road-side information, etc...
....you would not believe how much I envy you US Bikers with your wide open clear blue sky for as far as the eye can see, with nothing in the way to restrict it, excellent maintained roads with excellent and informative roadside markings, and scenery to die for!

Hi Fozzer, my Motorcycle escapades and near-death experiences [you know, normal riding] have taken place in the gorgeous expanses of Canada. Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, and anywhere in British Columbia are Motorcyclists dream lands. Wide , well maintained and well marked highways and roads are a treat. There are all kinds of views, cafes, stopping places where Bikers gather while traveling and very nice Motels along the way.
As long as you are reasonably careful and keep the speed down it can be a great way to travel here.

[Fozzer]

Ta, Flacke.... ...!

Whilst we are trapped-in by high hedges, vegetation, poor visibility, terrible road surfaces, lack of road-side information, etc...
....you would not believe how much I envy you US Bikers with your wide open clear blue sky for as far as the eye can see, with nothing in the way to restrict it, excellent maintained roads with excellent and informative roadside markings, and scenery to die for!

Hi Fozzer, my Motorcycle escapades and near-death experiences [you know, normal riding] have taken place in the gorgeous expanses of Canada. Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, and anywhere in British Columbia are Motorcyclists dream lands. Wide , well maintained and well marked highways and roads are a treat. There are all kinds of views, cafes, stopping places where Bikers gather while traveling and very nice Motels along the way.
As long as you are reasonably careful and keep the speed down it can be a great way to travel here.

Hello Flacke... ...!

The first thing that our US, etc, Chums notice in my motorcycle scenery videos is the proliferation, (my new word), of hedgerows throughout our countryside in England as a result of the Enclosure Acts in the 16th Century (I remember it well.. ..)....>
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enclosure

Although it looks enchanting, and is a haven for wildlife, it severely restricts our/my views of the surrounding countryside!
Much of the journey appears like travelling down a long tunnel of enclosing vegetation!

That's where the USA (and Canada) scenery differs. There is little enclosing foliage along the roads, etc, to restrict the wonderful views!
Even the houses, farms, and buildings are not surrounded by hedges like we have in England.
Its a joy to experience a You-Tube US motorcycle journey, with grass, etc, extending right down to the edge of the roads!
Householders, etc, don't hide their property behind high hedges like we do in England!
Its a whole different experience riding/driving in England....we like to hide behind things!.... .... ...!

The lack of clear visibility on either side of the road is what makes the journey particularly dangerous, especially on corners!
Farmers driving their tractors and livestock out into the road ahead.... ...!

This results in English Bikers having extremely powerful rectum muscles....got the Tee-Shirt...trust me!... ...!

Busy adding some more journeys on my new You-Tube Channel...>>> http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp5lKG ... MRHx6P69JA

Paul....and the sun is shining!....JOY!.... ...!

[Fozzer]

Hello my American Biker Chums.... ...!

Something which always stirs my curiosity and keeps me awake at nights.... ....(probably)...

...all the "black squiggly lines" on the road, in this video of one of my favourite Moto-Bloggers (Gargantus5) regular rides on his Honda Rebel...>>>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_HaxRg ... Q&index=21

It looks as though there appear to be a team of road maintenance blokes with tins of hot liquid tar constantly filling up cracks in the road as they appear!
The marks appear on many American roads.

What exactly are they?.... ...!

Over here, we just suffer open trenches, manhole covers, and craters in our roads... ...!

Paul.... The ever curious!.... ...!

P.S...Latest video upload to titivate your tonsils!...>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2it9q- ... e=youtu.be

[logjam]

Those black squiggley lines, Paul, are the evidence of industrious efforts to repair the "Alligator" surface that occurs after a few years of exposure to severe winter conditions. Its a temporary repair made from liquid tar based compound. Highways departments do this as part of the road maintenance program budgeted each year. After a few years of this type of repair (depending on how cheap the annual budget is) a more permanent repair can be made. Sometimes a less permanent repair is made which they call a "seal coat." This type of coating is less popular as it consists of a full coating of that tarry compound which is then "dusted" with small stone chips which causes many cracked windshields. What you're seeing is the 1st. stages of secondary highway repair. All roads in North America are not as pristine as you think. You should see the road surfaces in the spring time after a harsh winter. The road surface breaks up from the underlying melting frost, called "frost heaves." Most self respecting Bikers stay off the roads till these are repaired.

By the way, the rider in the video can sure talk the hind leg off a donkey.

[Fozzer]

Ta, Log.... ...!

Like my dear old Mum always said....
"If you don't ask, you don't get to find out!"
A wise old Mum!

I thought that might be the reason for the squiggly lines on the road!

I'll tell you what...
I do envy you American blokes for the excellent condition of your roads, both in the surface of the road, and also the informative markings on the road, and roadside!
I particularly like the yellow, triangular roadside signs indicating the route travelled by the road ahead!
Over here we get no such useful information, which means when we encounter a sharp corner unaware, we either end up in the ditch, or on the wrong side of the road, or wrapped round a tree!

By the way, the rider in the video can sure talk the hind leg off a donkey.

..... ... ...!
Gargantus5 from North Carolina!....
That's another thing that Americans are very good at...talking....endlessly!.... ... ...!
Which makes them very good at narrating their Motorcycle journeys, on the fly.
They can describe every thing around them in great detail, using their helmet microphones and using hand gestures, without a break...
...whereas we Brits/English struggle for something to say most of the time, with large gaps in the commentary.

I'm presently fitting a Microphone in my helmet, wired to my SJ Cam 4000 video camera, in the expectation of vocal audio recording my journeys....
...but I know I will have an "audio block"...and cant think of anything useful to say!.... ....
...which is why I presently "text narrate" my journeys with Windows Movie Maker, (with numerous spelling mistakes!).... ...!

Paul...Its all good fun though!.... ...!

[logjam]

By the way, the rider in the video can sure talk the hind leg off a donkey.

It's called "verbal diarrhea" or as the Irish say "Kissed the Blarney stone."

I learned to keep the chatter going during my GCA stint. "66 you're below the glide-path, adjust your rate oif descent." "66 you're on the centre-line and above the glide-path adjust your rate of descent. A quarter mile from touch down on the glide-path to the right of the centre- line." etc etc.

That's called constant banter. On your bike you could just keep the banter going by reading your speed and the road signs and obstacles. Plus you could always criticize other drivers, they are doing it to you.

[Fozzer]

Hello my Bikin' Reprobates!.... ....!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3n5K04zgEM

Yesterdays ride in the late afternoon sunshine along familiar roads, testing my new microphone fitted inside my helmet and attached to my (modified) camera attached to my head (via my helmet).

Starting off with a fun chat to Brenda-next-door (as usual), then off around Herefordshire (via California) with the wind in my camera and flies in my teeth.

Need more work to do, to boost my voice and kill the wind noise...
...or the other way round....your choice... ...!

It was a fantastic ride in quite warm sunshine for a change.

Need more practice with Vocal Chat!...(We English don't say a lot!)... ...!

...and less wind.

More stuff to come....be very afraid!

Havin' fun in the occasional sunshine!.... ....!

Paul.... ...!

[Hagar]

Finally we hear the great Fozzer speak!

Nice one Paul.

[Fozzer]

Finally we hear the great Fozzer speak!

Nice one Paul.

...together with my trade-mark disgusting laugh!.... ...!

I love it!... ...!

Paul.... ... ...!

More Videos being uploaded...some with vocals....be very afraid!.... ....!