Ride in the Rain or Leave it Parked?

 by: Rocky Marks

It seems as if most people in the Pittsburgh area are up in arms about all the rain we've been having, especially the motorcycling community. I'm on board... I want to go riding just as bad as everyone else, but the weather "is what it is" (never liked that saying).  But instead of all the moaning about the rain, let's focus on what we CAN do.

We have two choices: ride in the rain or keep it parked. I'm thinking that the first choice may not be all that bad when you sit back and think about it. The rain that we do get isn't usually an all-day rain. It's more like an afternoon rain, which is sorta like Hawaii. Maui gets one good rain in the afternoon whether it needs it or not. That doesn't stop tourists from riding.

Given the fact that most of the rain is in the afternoon, we're not getting wet on the ride into work, but rather on the way home. Okay, I can live with that. Nobody wants to sit in wet clothes all day plus it's not like you have see anyone with the exception of maybe your spouse and kids and chances are they've seen you in things less flattering than wet clothing.

You can, however avoid the wet clothing by investing in a good set of rain gear from Hot Metal Harley-Davidson. The reason I say to get it from the dealership and not a hunting/fishing store is that the pants in the rain suit are made for riding. This means they are less likely to melt to the exhaust or engine and get ruined. I've also noticed that the Harley-Davidson riding gear keeps you dry around the neck if it is zippered and closed properly.

You can also do a full-face helmet. This too will help around the neck line and it will help keep the rain pellets bouncing off your face at 55mph. Trust me, it's a much better ride with a full-faced helmet in the rain. You can also use the helmet in the cooler months.

I've written numerous articles about riding in the rain before and they mostly concentrated on safety. Things you have to watch out for are debris on the road, potholes, steel (manhole covers, bridge joints, railroad tracks, etc.), and painted surfaces near stop signs and traffic lights. If you look back into the archives, you can get the specifics on how to tackle each one of those obstacles.

My advice: Let's suck it up and ride! (Now there is a slogan I like--I'm getting the derby covers made up as we speak!)

Educate Your Passenger

by: Rocky Marks

Many people love to get on their motorcycles, head off into the sunset and just ride alone. It's great therapy for clearing one's mind. Even though I enjoy taking the long way home by myself to blow off steam from work before I walk in the door to see my wife and kids, I prefer to ride with a passenger.
When my wife is available to ride, we are on the road and loving every minute of it. When she can't ride, then one of the Motor Clothes associates will ride with me. (Tough job, but someone has to do it.) I'm not sure why my preference is to ride with a passenger, but it works for me and that's what's important.

Although it's great to have someone along for the ride, adding a passenger brings with it some challenges. The two main challenges are mechanical and physical. The mechanical challenges deal with the way the bike handles with the added weight and the physical challenges are the way in which you, the rider need to compensate for having someone on the back seat.

With a passenger, the weight distribution on the bike is changed. The weight is not only placed very high up on the bike but it is placed at the back of the bike too. This changes the handling dynamics. The bike will turn differently with a passenger on board. You may not be able to maneuver around parking lots and tight spaces as well as you would by yourself.

You most certainly will need more distance to stop. Don't follow too closely behind the vehicle in front of you. Remember the two-second rule? You will have to increase it to the three-second rule when riding with a passenger.

The feel of the bike will be different as well. You can compensate by adjusting your suspension as most bikes have a pre-load adjustment on the rear shocks. You can adjust the shocks to a firmer setting for carrying a passenger.

You will also want to check the tire pressure. Remember, you are adding 120-160 pounds of extra weight to a 700 pound vehicle. That's a 23% increase. Make sure the tires are properly inflated, because after all, two square inches of rubber are the only thing that separates you and your passenger from the asphalt below.

It may not be a bad idea to go over some of the rules of the road with your passenger. Some of the things that may seem like no-brainers to you may not be as obvious to your passenger. Here is a brief list of things to mention to your passenger:

" They shouldn't get on the bike until you've taken off of the kick stand and are in a secure upright position.

" The passenger should wear the same protective clothing as yourself. Although I encourage the use of helmets, the choice is yours. If you choose not to wear a helmet, but your passenger does, be prepared for a head-but during a sudden stop or even shifting through the gears.

" Holding onto your waist is the best place for your passenger's hands. Even though some bikes have grab rails or back rests to hold on to, you are the best thing your passenger can hold on to. This helps especially when it comes to fighting gravity in the turns.

" The passenger should keep their feet away from all hot parts, especially exhaust pipes and keep them on the foot rests at all times, even when the bike is stopped.

Remember, they may not be as seasoned as you when it comes to riding a motorcycle and this may seem very obvious to you, but it's really important they know what to expect from their riding partner.
Which brings me to another point: Don't try to impress your passenger with your riding ability. I know it's hard not to show off, but you don't want to scare your passenger away. You want them to ride with you again.

Why You Should Demo Ride a Motorcycle

by Rocky Marks

Motorcycles are a beautiful thing.  I've been riding for more than 25 years now and to this day throwing my leg over a bike never gets old. Motorcycling is fun, invigorating, and gives you a sense of freedom.

As we all know freedom isn't free.  Motorcycles, especially Harley-Davidson motorcycles come with a solid price tag, and for good reason.  They are manufactured in the USA, they are built well, have been around since 1903 and typically hold their value compared to metric motorcycles.

That being said, how do you know which bike is right for you?  A bike that looks good in a magazine or on a showroom floor may not be the right 'fit' for you.  I thought I'd always like a FatBoy because of the look.  I found after riding one that even though it looks great, the ride wasn't quite right for my needs.  My wife and I like to ride together, and I enjoy listening to music while I ride, so I found that the Ultra was perfect for us, and more comfortable too.

That's not to say that the FatBoy isn't comfortable... it is VERY comfortable, but it just didn't fit my specific needs.  How did I find out?  I took a FatBoy for a demo ride solo and with my wife.  It felt okay by myself, but was more awkward when my wife was on the back.

If I didn't take that demo ride, I would have made a purchase that wasn't quite right for me and my needs.  Buying a motorcycle is much different then buying a car.  There are so many more factors that go into the feel of the ride and how comfortable you are operating a two-wheeled machine as opposed to a four-wheeled vehicle.

Some dealers allow you to take demo rides as long as the weather is nice.  Others do not.  My advice is to go to a dealership that allows demo rides and ask a sales person to pick out two or three models that interest you.   Make sure you discuss with the sales person what type of riding you plan on doing, how far you plan on traveling, and if you will be riding solo or with a passenger.  Listen to their feedback, suggestions, and experiences.

Once you take a ride on the model(s) that fit you perfectly, then you can make an informed decision on the bike that best suits your needs and feels the most comfortable.