I just took delivery on a shiny new Cardo Systems Scala Rider Q2 Multiset Pro.  It’s a 2-pack motorcycle communication system designed to allow for conversation between rider and pillion rider, from bike-to-bike, and by Bluetooth cell phone. It also pairs with your Bluetooth enabled GPS or MP3 player. I’ve been interested in reviewing a product like this for quite some time. I picked the Scala Rider in particular because  it’s the one that seems to be the most popular. Though there are others.

With my intention of reviewing this product, I reached out to the good folks at Cardo Systems… told them I’d like write about it. Asked if they would want to donate, or at very least loan me a kit for this purpose, and invited them to have some material participation in what ultimately made it to this post. Alas however, they never responded. I paid full retail for this puppy so I could tell you all what I think of it.  Of course this also means I wasn’t able to work out a deal like I did for the Lifesaver Traction Control Breaking System.

Specs and features (taken directly from the Cardo Systems website):

General

• Talk time: up to 8 hours
• Standby time: one week
• Weight: 33.5 gr / 1.18 oz
• Battery type: rechargeable Li-Po
• Charging time: 3 hours
• Rugged Design: Rain and snow resistant
• Certificates: FCC, IC,CE, Bluetooth
• Bluetooth^® version: 2.0, class 1
• Chip manufacturer: Cambridge Silicone Radio (CSR)

Intercom Features

• Bike-to-Bike intercom communication up to 700 m / 2,300 ft range (full duplex) in wide open terrain
• Rider-to-Passenger communications up to33 ft. / 10m range with all SCALA RIDER® models (full compatibility but not all features supported)

Audio Features

• Noise cancellation Microphone
• AGC technology: Automatic Volume Control according to speed and ambient noise
• VOX technology: Accept or Reject calls by voice commands
• Speaker Booster

Functional Features

• Fits all full-faced and 3/4 Helmets
• Quick-release mechanism for headset
• Two ultra-slim speakers – 5.7 mm (less than ¼”) thickness
• 4 large control buttons

Headset and Hands Free Profiles support

• Voice dial
• Last-number redial
• Call reject
• A2DP/AVRCP profile for wireless streaming stereo from MP3 player or other A2DP device

FM Radio Features

• 87.5 MHz to 108 MHz receiver
• 6 Station memory with Search and Store functions
• Automatic radio muting during incoming calls
• Radio On time: typical on avg. 8-10 hours

MP3

• Connect your MP3 player with the provided cable

GPS

• Transmit navigation instructions from your Bluetooth enabled GPS device

Charger

• 110/240V 50/60Hz Universal Travel Charger

Installation:

Default installation includes a two-piece clamp, fastened by two hex screws on the backside of the mountable unit. It’s meant to clamp onto the outer shell of the helmet, and is secured by those two screws (hex-key provided). Sadly however, the shell of my helmet – sans interior padding – was too thick (roughly a half inch) to accommodate the clamp. To address this, included with the kit is a stick-on solution that replaces the clamp. Personally I don’t like the use of glue or other adhesives on my helmets but realize that’s just a personal quirk.  Nevertheless, in my case this was the only solution, short of fabricating a new clamping mechanism. The manual included with the kit did an “OK” job of presenting the step-by-step instructions for both methods.

The speakers were pretty simple. They’re backed with Velcro and the kit also includes the mating pieces of Velcro. The speakers tucked nicely into the ear pockets of my helmet, with the wiring hidden behind the padding, which kept it all clean and out of sight, and keeps them from making physical contact with my ears. Two very good plusses. But, given the depth of the ear pockets, this proved to be bad for me (I couldn’t hear the speaker output). In my attempts to remedy this, I used soft foam and more Velcro to build up the inside of the ear pockets. Nope, that didn’t work because as it turns out, the speakers were now positioned well behind my ears. But being able to keep them inside the ear pockets I managed to find that sweet spot where the sound is at its optimum because the speakers are now les than a quarter inch away, and directly inline with my ear holes. Expect to play around with this until you have it the way you like it. I can say that volume and sound quality vary greatly depending on their position relative to your ears. Even in the enclosed confines of your helmet. Again, instructional information in the manual was “OK.”

Overall, installation on two helmets, including multiple attempts at positioning within the ear pockets, took about 20 or 30 minutes from start to finish. It was pretty straightforward, with easy to read, “OK” instructions, and rather simple in task. It required no special tools nor specialized expertise.

Testing

While limited in scope, I focused testing on the following:

• Controls – ease of use while wearing the helmet.
• Varying ambient noise – Accomplished by opening and closing the face shield on my helmet while riding at varying speeds. With and without my audio system playing.
• Varying distance – What is the max distance between units before quality begins to degrade? This is limited to the bike-to-bike (AKA secondary buddy intercom) communication.
• Cell phone – Bluetooth, VOX, and other cell phone functions similar to any other headset for your cell phone.

Controls:

Each unit is equipped with four buttons.  These are for volume up and down, and two multi-function buttons (some chording is necessary for the set-up functions but not for user-controls). The three things important to me with respect to user-controls are:

• Audible feedback needs to be consistent. It’s not. Sometimes it’s so feint that it’s impossible to hear while at speed. Others it’s so loud it feels like my head will implode. The good news is those loud blasts are very infrequent when using the unit under normal operation.
• Can be located and acted upon by feel only. While wearing the helmet, at 70 MPH it’s important to be able to press the buttons without too much work, by touch only… with very little concentration. This test passes nicely. With only 4 buttons in easy to find locations, this is actually one of the things I really like about the Scala Rider product.
• The controls need to be glove friendly. This for me is a semi-pass. Consider there are many different types of gloves riders use. Thick, thin, loose fitting, tight like a second skin, etc. I tested this with a pair of tight, second-skin gloves and it all just worked as expected. I then switched to looser fitting, mesh gloves and it was only slightly cumbersome. Lastly, I tested using a pair of thick, cold-weather gloves. Forget it! I was able to operate the buttons but it took too much concentration to make it safe.

Using the intercom feature and ambient noise: My initial tests were a disappointment.

• Using the Primary Buddy intercom feature (the one used for rider and pillion rider), initial attempts were in my kitchen with a partner helping out. Problems encountered were: Spotty ability to use the feature by voice only, spotty ability to use this feature by button control, and one side of the connection between the two intermittently dropped. This can only be described by “you’re breaking up, what did you say?”
• In an attempt to cure this problem I re-paired the two units using the instructions in the user manual. The pairing was successful but it did not eliminate the frequent drops.  Not good… not good at all.
• Sadly, there is no meaningful troubleshooting section in the manual. This in my view is a major blunder on the part of Cardo Systems’ technical writers. There is a reference to online support, but tell that to the guy who’s out carving up the canyons, in the middle of nowhere without an internet connection. Not good… not good at all.

Correcting a problem (aka Cardo Systems Technical Support): Since I was not able to remedy the problem myself, I took a look at the support section of the Cardo Systems website.

• FAQs did not address my specific issue and those that were close, didn’t help.
• I used a web-form to send a support request on May 12, 2011
• I got impatient and sent a standard email to support@cardosystems.com on May 13, 2011
• On May 13^th I received a detailed reply with a handful of troubleshooting tips. In my view, this was of the canned response variety, which tells me this is a known issue.
• Results of the suggestions sent by Technical Support: Long story made short, it fixed the problem. Longer story, I received tips on cleaning the contacts, positioning the microphone and the all-important complete unit reset. It worked. Testing can now resume.

Using the intercom feature and ambient noise (Testing resumed):

After fixing the intermittent drops noted above, field-testing consisted of the following:

• Riding at speeds up to 80 MPH.
• Riding with the face shield opened and closed.
• Riding with the sound system on and off.

Result: The simple explanation is this test passed quite nicely.

• Ambient noise did not come through. No wind noise, no sound from the stereo. This was with the face shield opened and closed. In fact, I learned later that the unit is designed such that it actually performs better when there is a lot of ambient noise. Pleasantly surprising and very cool.
• Using the voice-activated intercom works well but after 30 seconds of silence, the units go back into standby mode. This helps to conserve battery life but makes delays in the conversation an exercise in vocal finesse.
• Using the MC button to initiate the intercom connection has the advantage of the connection remaining active until the MC button it tapped again. This is good for those situations where you just want the ability to have simple but reliable conversation with your passenger.

Bike-to-bike intercom:

Due to the absence of any of my riding buddies having the Scala Rider systems, I was not able to test this feature. Perhaps I’ll test that later and report on it under a separate post.

Cell phone:

Pairing: Instructions in the manual were adequate in walking me through the pairing process for my cell phone. In this case the phone I used was the Apple iPhone.  Pairing took about a minute and was successful on the first attempt.

Sound quality: Tested while riding through the streets of Long Beach reaching top speeds of perhaps 40 MPH. This was done with the face shield in both the opened and closed positions.

• I could hear fairly well with only a couple moments where ambient noise made it difficult. Though I will openly attribute this to my inability to hear certain frequencies.
• The person who helped me test by being the other end of the call reported hearing wind noise that seemed to have been reduced when I closed my face shield.
• The person who helped me by being the other end of the call reported that I could be heard just fine. Note here that I made special attempts to keep my voice at what I consider to have been normal speaking volume.

VOX: I did not test any voice controls for cell phone use. Why? Because that stuff never works right, so any deficiencies that may have been found could easily be attributed to the overall paradigm of vocal control.

Button controls: With the units equipped with easy to find and execute buttons, the controls for the cell phone use were pretty easy. Call answer, call reject, and last number redial all worked as expected with no error or odd behavior.

Overall Assessment:

The Scala Rider communication system installs easily with no need for special tools or expertise. It seems to handle wind and other ambient noise quite nicely, with only the rare instance of unwanted sound getting through. Easy to use (by touch) controls make it a safe exercise when operating while on the move (unless you happen to be wearing thick gloves like those used for cold-weather riding). The user manual leaves a bit to be desired as it contains no real troubleshooting guides and very little in the area of definitions of terminology. The help section of the web site offers very little by way of self-help resources. But the technical support folks are responsive and my issues were corrected with their first response. Is this device worth the full retail price? I don’t know quite how to answer that. I suppose that’s going to be different for everyone so I’ll just say I paid for it and don’t regret doing so.

More later.

General, Product Reviews, Raves

Continuing on the theme of being a metro-biker and of my, at times unique, sense of style, those close to me are very aware of my fetish for cool watches. I also love the Triumph brand… so it makes sense that I own a couple Triumph watches. Actually, with the most recent addition to the collection (A birthday prezzie from my daughter and her boyfriend), I now have three Triumph watches. Two of which use an interesting clasp and that’s the thing on which I’d like to focus. Simply stated, it pops open at the most inopportune moments. Like when I’m riding, which of course offers just enough of a distraction to be dangerous.

I suspect it safe to assume Triumph isn’t really in the business of making watches. Rather I would believe they OEM watches from some other maker and simply attach their brand. So while I’m not really holding Triumph responsible for the problem, I am indeed holding Triumph responsible for correcting it.

Note the pictures. The clasp in question is a two-sided fastener that requires two separate closures. It has two buttons on either side of the mechanism and either can be depressed to open it. The problem is when riding, or doing just about anything else for that matter, if I flex my wrist just right, it presses against one of the buttons and that pops it open. It also seems to occasionally pop open with no apparent causative action on my part, though the frequency of that isn’t as great.

I have tried adjusting the watchband to be looser, tighter, just right (in terms of comfort), worn high or low on my wrist, all to no avail. Though it would seem wearing it tighter helps to mitigate the problem, it doesn’t entirely eliminate it.  Personally I blame it on a rather poor clasp design but will also state that I am not a mechanical engineer so I’m not really qualified to make such an assessment. I am however qualified to state it is a problematic bug that has the potential of being dangerous. I’d really like to see it fixed. And since it’s happening consistently on the two watches I own that have such a clasp, I think it’s safe to say it’s the design and not a bug with mine in particular.

So the question is; how do I remedy this problem? With a custom band it’s not like I can easily swap it out for something that utilizes a more traditional but more reliable mechanism. Nor am I a mechanical engineer so it’s not an option for me to design something myself. So… I’m looking for one of two things here; either someone reading this has the solution and can convey that to me. Or Triumph will read this and take corrective action. As long as I get my watches fixed I’ll take either.

More later…

General, Product Reviews

Metro-biker!

Those who have been invited to visit me in my natural habitat have mentioned on several occasions (at times with the fervor of a Baptist preacher) that I am a tightly-wound, anal-retentive man with a touch of OCD. I suppose I am to some degree. Though in my defense, I like having everything in its place because when I need something, it makes it very easy to get to. T-shirt, towel, screwdriver, coffee cup, whatever, are always right there at my fingertips and easily put to use.

It’s also been mentioned (on many occasions) that I am a bit “metro.” While I don’t really know if “metro” is really fitting, I will admit that I pay attention to style. Too often motorcyclists are judged by their appearance. Those who don’t ride don’t understand our garb is primarily motivated by the need for safety… not for looking tough.  Nevertheless, they look at us as though we are unwashed thugs and utter “there goes the neighborhood” whenever we roll in.

Yes! I am a metro-biker!

I have always been very concerned with being appropriately dressed for any occasion. My mantra is “presentation is everything.” This is why one should never wear a tuxedo to a garden party. Nor would I ever wear leather chaps to a wedding, unless of course I happen to be attending a wedding in San Francisco. So I’ve taken it upon myself to coin a new term…

Metro-biker

Ah yes! I am a metro-biker…er… metro-motorcycle enthusiast! You know what I mean.

I have style and a sense of fashion even when I’m wearing leather and protecting myself from bugs in my face. That’s right! You will never see me wearing a black jacket with a brown doo-rag. No no no! Black jacket, black chaps, black gloves, and black helmet. My doo-rag matches my shirt (usually) and even my watch is carefully chosen from my collection, with an eye for how well it works with everything else I happen to have donned.

Yes I am anal-retentive, OCD, and now you can add “metro-biker” to what describes me. But hey… at least I don’t carry a man-purse… anymore.

More later…

General, Just plain silly

As experienced riders, we’re all too aware that at any time, with or without warning, we can go down. We accept this risk with the hope that when (not “if”) it happens to us, we’ll come out of it okay. A frequently overlooked component of this rule is it also applies to those close to us… if they happen to ride.

More later…

General

New riders

So you’ve decided you want to ride a motorcycle. You feel the call from the open road, the wind in your face, the pure two-wheeled muscle beneath you. What’s behind you is not important. The very thought quickens your heart and you’re getting itchy. I know… we’ve all been there. It’s an indescribable experience where, for those who ride no explanation is necessary yet for those who don’t, no explanation is possible.

But – not to burst your two-wheeled bubble – you have to remember; riding a motorcycle is a high-risk activity. And particularly vulnerable are you squids. By “squid” we mean newbie (don’t sweat the distinction, we were all squids at one time). My first riding experience, at the age of twelve, ended with me sprawled on the ground, the Honda Mini-trail 70 banged up and bent, and some really healthy gouges taken out of a light pole.

As a fellow rider, and one who has seen his share of no-so-pleasant moments on the road, I want to be as supportive as I can. So I am once again, combining my experience with that of other veteran riders and conveying to you, a few suggestions of what you should do before you ride. It’s all about keeping you safe and properly welcoming you into the wonderful world of having the breeze at your knees!

Before you ride:

The absolute first thing you need to do is rather simple. That is to accept, from this moment forward, you will at some point, spill it. Why? Because there are only two kinds of rider; those who have… and those who will… go down.  Ask any veteran rider and they will most certainly agree.

Sign up for a safety class now, with the Motorcycle Safety Foundation . This should be your first

New rider class - MSF

foray into actual riding. The beginner MSF riding class is designed to teach you basic motorcycle operation and riding techniques and quite frankly, is a must do for any new rider (and a few veterans). In California, passing the MSF class qualifies you for your motorcycle endorsement, only having to take the written test with the DMV. If the MSF doesn’t work in your state, seek out other such classes and ask lots of questions before signing up.

Study the Motorcycle Riders Handbook from your state Department of Motor Vehicles. While the MSF class will convey a lot of this, laws vary from state to state so it pays to understand the requirements of where you live.

Get your endorsement. This should be a major “duh” but you’d be amazed at the number of those who ride without a motorcycle license. Beyond it being illegal, an unlicensed rider is a one from whom I’d like to maintain a lot of distance. I’m sorry, but unproven riders make me nervous. 

Gear up. I once made fun of a friend of mine who actually bought a jacket, gloves and helmet before he ever looked at a bike. In retrospect, he had the right idea. So with that in mind, it pays to take some time before riding to amass a basic set of riding gear before you get onto a bike. In my Tips article for Pillion riders , I noted some pretty useful info about being properly attired. From that article, here is a list of basic gear to have before you get onto a bike;

Footwear: A good pair of boots is made of durable leather or other protective material, and covers the ankle (think high-tops) as well as the foot. It should offer some ankle support without being inflexible, and should not have any dangly laces of other stuff that can possible get wrapped up in the mechanics of the bike. The sole should be of a material that offers good traction (I like rubber) and should not have much of a heel. Please, no sandals or open-toed shoes. And by no means should anyone ever wear spiked heels on a bike.

Pants: In an ideal world they’d be made of leather with a Kevlar lining. But most of us don’t have that. So, a good pair of heavy denim jeans should be okay. These should not be so long that they extend beyond the length of the leg, and should fit snugly without being so tight as to encumber movement. For added protection, consider a pair of leather over-pants or riding chaps.

Jacket: Should be leather or some other protective material that will cover the entire arm, fits snugly around the torso so as not to have any loose bits but not so tight as to encumber movement. Summer riding jackets are of breathable material and are typically lined with some sort of protective armor.

Helmet: The basic rule is to wear as much helmet as you can tolerate. Whether you choose a half-helmet or a full-faced helmet, or anything in between, make sure it is DOT or Snell approved and fits appropriately. To determine the right fit, consult the manufacturer’s guides. Or, check out WebBikeWorld’s FAQs on motorcycle helmets.

Gloves: There are many styles, rated for many riding and weather conditions. A good pair of gloved will be made of leather or some other protective material and will offer protection for fingers, knuckles, palms, and wrist. Check out Motorcycle USA’s Gloves Buyers Guide

Determine the right bike for you. From a high level perspective there are essentially two things

What kind of bike will you ride?

to take into account; what type of riding you intend on doing, and what your skill level is. Not all bikes are for all riders so this is a very crucial element in keeping you safe. There are several ways to make this decision. My way is to sit on as many bikes as you can that fit within your chosen riding style and in doing so, you will “feel it.” But realizing this is a sort of new-wave, touchy-feely way of doing things, perhaps it’d be better to study some of the fine publications out there that will help you to determine the best bike for you. One such publication is the Buyers Primer from Sound Rider. It explains the differences between motorcycle types and gives a few examples of good bikes in each category. Beyond that, it is in fact very important to get the feel of a bike and take into account a few things, regardless of type. Some things to consider are:

Is it the right size for your skill level? This has to do with engine size. Too small and it will leave you woefully underwhelmed with the riding experience. Too big and it places you into a position of heightened vulnerability. Talk to professionals about this.

Is the riding position comfortable and does it afford you appropriate management of all hand and foot controls on the bike? You need to be able to maintain an appropriate riding position and still reach the handgrips, foot pegs, breaks, and shifter.

Check the seat height. While astride the bike, can you place both feet flatly on the ground? Or are you on your tip-toes? If you are slight in stature, or if you’re a big person, be honest with yourself and take that into account.

Read reviews about the bikes you like. Check safety and reliability ratings, warrantee offerings, maintenance intervals and associated costs.

A final note about your first bike. I’ve said this time and again, your first bike should be one that you expect will be dropped. Some people opt to buy a good used bike as their first, just to get some experience in the care and feeding of a motorcycle before they get THE bike. Others go brand new right out of the gate. Whatever the case for you, just remember that the likelihood of dropping your bike is great.

Now that you’ve taken the MSF class, know the laws in your state, have your endorsement, have your gear, and have purchased your bike, you’re ready to ride! Please be safe, don’t be a hotdog, take special care of your passengers, and enjoy yourself.

See you all on the road…

General, Karl's tips

Riding weather is fast approaching. We’re readying for the season with tires, oil, chrome polish, and cool gear. And because riding seasons are closely tied to spring-time, the romance season, it’s likely many of us are looking forward to that special someone putting his or her delicate bottom onto the pillion and enjoying the vibrations, sights, sounds, scents, of the ride with us. After all, riding is important to us and as such, we share the things that are important with the important people. Right?

Let’s say you meet someone – as I have – who by all accounts captures your interest such that you want to share your joy of riding. But while she expresses interest and dare I say it, just a little excitement, she also admits she doesn’t have a tremendous amount of experience on the pillion. Perhaps you’ve already experienced that. Maybe instead of a romantic interest it’s your sister, best friend, son or daughter taking their first ride with you, your grandkids.

Whoever it is, and being the responsible rider that you are, you want to be certain your passenger is relaxed but protected, while at the same time assuring her (or his) wellbeing is not at odds with yours. Generally, like many riders, you give the “how to be a good passenger” lecture. Which is the primary impetus for this post. I want to help you with that. Let me mention briefly however, that what you’re about to read is not limited to my personal view. Rather it comes from my years of riding experience, coupled with the learned opinions of others who have logged a bazillion miles of saddle time.

My approach:

I try to approach this stuff somewhat conversationally, tending to shy away from the proverbial checklist. But for ease of consumption, I’ll list it all bullet-style in this post. How you approach it is up to you, just make sure to cover the finer points.

Generally speaking I divide such a conversation into two parts. The first is a discussion about being appropriately attired. This is an oft-neglected conversation frequently leaving the new pillion rider left to his or her devices. So we’ll spend a little time on that. Next is the conversation about the actual ride and how, even for the passenger, it’s a very active experience. Remember, we are responsible riders and know that the health and safety of the person seated behind us is ultimately and solely, our responsibility.

Riding attire:

From a high-level perspective, there are essentially two rules to follow; dress for safety (which includes the ability to see and move), and dress for the weather. With those two perspectives in mind, the following items should be considered must have’s;

• Footwear: A good pair of boots is made of durable leather or other protective material, and covers the ankle (think high-tops) as well as the foot. It should offer some ankle support without being inflexible, and should not have any dangly laces of other stuff that can possible get wrapped up in the mechanics of the bike. The sole should be of a material that offers good traction (I like rubber) and should not have much of a heel. Please, no sandals or open-toed shoes. And by no means should anyone ever wear spiked heels on a bike.
• Pants: In an ideal world they’d be made of leather with a Kevlar lining. But most of us don’t have that. So, a good pair of heavy denim jeans should be okay. These should not be so long that they extend beyond the length of the leg, and should fit snugly without being so tight as to encumber movement. For added protection, consider a pair of leather over-pants or riding chaps.
• Jacket: Should be leather or some other protective material that will cover the entire arm, fits snugly around the torso so as not to have any loose bits but not so tight as to encumber movement. Summer riding jackets are of breathable material and are typically lined with some sort of protective armor.
• Helmet: You supply that. Just be sure it’s DOT approved and offers as much protection as possible with out being encumbering. Personally, I have two full-faced helmets reserved for passengers.
• Gloves: I typically supply these too and carry a variety of styles and sizes, all designed to offer maximum protection to the fingers, knuckles, and palms.
• Things that the passenger should always have on their person: ID, cash or a credit card, cell phone. One should never be separated from their phone. The other two should be obvious.
• Finally, some items not to wear: Anything that will fly about in the wind like overly long scarves or jewelry, short sleeves on a bright sunny day, halter-tops, flip-flops, etc. Common sense should apply here, yet I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve seen women riding in a bikini-top and shorts. Ugh!

The ride:

As mentioned earlier, the experience for your passenger is one in which she or he actively participates. This will not be a time when the passenger can nap or pass the time by text messaging her BFF! The passenger must be equally aware of surroundings, where they are headed, and the conditions of the road. And we haven’t even touched on the physical elements yet.

• Leaning: Simple, always lean with the rider. Expanded, this means the passenger should align her shoulders with that of the rider and keep them that way with only slight variation. If the rider has the bike in a turn and is leaning into it, his body will be in one of two positions as they relate to the position of the bike. It will be leaning into the turn, or leaning against the turn (Counter-balancing). The key is to match the movement of the rider in all cases. This also includes moments when the rider is leaning forward or is seated straight and tall. When in doubt, plaster your body against the back of the rider, wrap your arms around his waist and let him make all the right movements.
  Depending on riding conditions, the rider may choose to slide forward or back on his seat. You should match that as well. I typically explain it thusly; If I need to pay extra attention to handling (like when canyon-carving) I slide my body forward on the seat and dig in. When that happens you should also.
• Your legs: With your feet comfortably placed on the pegs/floor boards, be sure your knees are drawn close to the bike. This allows you to use your legs to “grasp” the bike in those moments of aggressiveness on the road. In truth, your legs should be considered a primary means of holding onto the bike.
• Signaling: It also helps to have some signals for each other. It absolutely sucks riding along the slab at 80 MPH and you really need a rest-room stop but have no way to communicate that to the rider. The actual gestures to use are up to you. Just be sure that your basic list of signals includes the following;
  • Rider executed:
    • I need to stop
    • Brace yourself!
    • Relax
    • Are you ok?
    • Yes
    • No
  • Passenger executed:
    • I need you to stop
    • Slow down
    • Are you ok?
    • Yes
    • No
• Finally, the number one… absolute… never to be broken… rule… is under no circumstances do you attempt to put your feet down. Even if you know you’re going down. Consider this one very carefully. There are arguments, each compelling, on both sides of this rule. My personal view is the risk of suffering catastrophic and permanent damage goes up the moment the passenger attempts to put a foot down.

All this may seem a bit too much to consider if all you want to do is take a ride around the block. Nevertheless, and I cannot stress this enough, the safety and wellbeing of your passenger is solely in your hands.

General, Karl's tips

Dragon - Before my work with Creeper

Tattoos! Lots of bikers (and motorcycle enthusiasts) have them. Yes! Tucked nicely in the whole motorcycling culture are a variety of body-modifications, including tattoos. So much so, that we are surprised to meet a “biker” who doesn’t sport some amount of ink somewhere on his or her body. I have a few myself. So it seems fitting, since this is a motorcycling blog, that I share my recent excursion into the wonderfully addictive world of body-ink.

Given my age and the generation from which I come, I am somewhat “old-school” when it comes to tattoos. I have a handful of very independent pictures on my body; a peacock and a unicorn on my chest sporting my kids’ names, big cats on my arms, and a dragon on my back. While each tattoo has special meaning to me, none are presented such as to be part of a larger piece of work. That’s the old-school way. Today however, the trend is to create large and elaborate pieces that span major amounts of skin to create unique and compelling works of art. And in my effort to cling to every single piece of my youth, I have decided that I too want a big piece of art. Which is what brought me to Sunset Tattoo .

After my first sitting with Creeper.

My initial meeting with Creeper, an older guy with long gray hair and beard at Sunset, was simply to discuss the possibilities and ideas of how to bring the peacock on my chest, the tiger on my right arm, and the dragon on my back, together into a single piece that includes a partial sleeve of ink on my right bicep. He had me remove my shirt so he could take a look. And that’s where it started. He began just spouting a handful of ideas on what could be done and before I knew it, I was asking him to get started.

Second sitting - Back is completed.

Two sittings later my back is finished and we are now ready to get to work on my arm. But the real take-away message is this man’s creativity and the things he can do with that ink-gun. First, as one would expect, tattoos hurt! They are a deliberate injury to the skin that is somewhat akin to road-rash. But with his skill with the equipment, or maybe it was just his technique, the pain of it all was left to a very tolerable minimum. I managed to live through three hours in my first sitting and two for the second. Not the norm by any stretch. Next is the man’s artistic talent. It amazes me that he pulled this idea out of his head in a matter of minutes and actually drew the castle and grounds free-hand (no stencils here!)! Lastly, the environment. The shop is clean and orderly, the atmosphere is comfortable and offers just enough distraction that the time seems to just blow by. He even has movies playing on a computer! The result… he took a simple dragon and comfortably created what I think is an awesome piece of work! Wow!

Over all I would most definitely recommend Creeper as a damn good artist with a great flair, is a creator of a comfortable atmosphere, and has a funny disposition. Of course as we get more work done, I’ll be sure to post more photos. Personally, I can’t wait to have it all finished!

General, Raves

You read that right. This was the 31st annual, Hansen Dam, all British bike Ride, dubbed the “Best ride by a dam site” put on by Southern California Norton Owners Club . This club is dedicated to all bikes but have a penchant for British bikes both old and new. It’s a club with no officers, no club rules, no politics. Just a bunch of people who like the British bikes and know a hell of a lot about them!

The day started out as planned and even though there was a threat of rain, we left Long Beach Sunday morning and rode about 40 miles to Pacoima and Hansen Dam Park. This was my third time attending the event, and just as the preceding two years, the place filled early with a large number of riders. All of them eager to either show off their bikes, or to check out the bikes of those who are showing them off.

This is where I met the guy from V8Choppers. He rode this behemoth 350 cubic inch chopper from Virginia and across country as a way to promote interest. I didn’t learn too much about the bike but from what I did learn, I’m thinking that Boss Hoss needs to watch out. You get your choice of a 350, 372 or 400 cubic inch engine, and the rider claimed it weighs the same as a Goldwing. Their website has the bike weighing in at just 900 pounds!

After the meet-n-greet, packs of bikes headed out for an eighty-mile loop through the twisties of the Soledad and Tajunga Canyons. I have to admit that the first leg of the ride left me a bit disappointed. Not because of the course. It was filled with some nice switch-backs and sweepers that all those other bikes [passing me] were clearly enjoying. My disappointment came in the recognition of the fact that I wasn’t negotiating the turns very well. Part of it was the timidness that comes when I have a passenger. Another part is the change in balance points with a passenger (and top-case). But… after that first rest-stop I got my groove and the rest of the ride was awesome. I even dragged the floorboards a few times, something that never happens with apassenger.

I’m sad to say, we took a bit too long when we stopped for lunch because when we got back from our ride, nearly everyone had already left and the parking lot was looking pretty empty. We didn’t get to pick up our ride pins and we missed the bike show where awards are given for best British bike, best Custom, best Vintage etc. Of course all judging is completely arbitrary so it’s clearly all done in the name of fun.

All in all, it was a pretty cool day in the company of some pretty cool people with good weather and enjoying a nice canyon ride. What more can you ask for?

Related links

• Pics from this year’s event
• Pics from last year’s event

Events, General, Rides

This year I had the honor of acting as ride-leader for the group ride. On Sunday with the morning-mist running on high, we rode to the first of two staging points. When we got there, my jeans were soaked and I was cursing the fact that I chose NOT to bring my leather chaps. That and with the moisture in the air, my Shark Audio System decided to succumb to the water and simply stopped working. Once it dried out it was fine but, I digress… We left San Dimas with 8 bikes behind me and rode east on 210 to the 15 freeway north and into Phelan California for our second staging spot, where we picked up 3 other riders. From there we rode the remainder of the 100 mile journey to Yermo California and Peggy Sue’s Diner.

Sparky, SCRC Western Regional Officer

Now there are a couple things to note here. First, we had a guest rider join our group. That was Sparky, our Western Regional Officer and one hell of a nice guy!  Sparky is a great guy and one of the things that impresses me most about him, is he remembers damn near everyone he meets. It’s a talent that I am ashamed to admit, I do not posses. The other is Sandy from the SCRC, Los Angeles chapter, also joined us. And since my tail-gunner for the day dropped out, Sandy stepped up and took that role, and did so quite happily. So Sandy… THANK YOU MAN!

There were many bikes and as always lots of high spirits for the day. This year Peggy Sue’s set up a buffet for us and that made getting lunch a bit easier than in years past. All in all, in spite of the weather fluctuating between cold and wet and hot and humid, we had a great day of riding and hanging out with a bunch of really cool folks.

General, Rides

A moment of silence please…….

You may remember my first article on the subject . In that article I mentioned how the bill started as a “smog-check” law but while in discussions on the senate floor it turned into a discussion about noise levels. Welcome to the new SB-435… Read more…

Activism, General, News