Pics of Gear

Here's a photo of my jacket, gloves and helmet. I went with a pair of Teknic gloves, a Field Sheer jacket and a Shoei X-Eleven helmet. You can read about the helmet here: Shoei X-Eleven.

Photos of My Plastic Rocket

It's Here! My New Bike!

I finally picked up my bike this weekend. It rides like a dream!

First impressions:

• The throttle is hyperactive. Just a tad of a turn gives you tons of power.
  
• Titanium is amazing. The bike is super light as a result of generous use of titanium throughout the engine and exhaust system. I love the look of the titanium muffler and the sound is amazing!
• The cockpit is smartly laid out. I love how Yamaha includes visible indicators for both left and right on this bike. I have ridden older Yamaha's and they didn't have this feature.
• Seat is comfy for around town riding. For longer trips I think I'll invest in an air or gel cushion.
• Storage is limited. You don't buy a sport bike for cross country trips. The lockable pillion seat has enough room under it for the included repair kit. There is just enough room to squeeze my cargo net under the seat as well.
• Goes fast, stops fast. As I mentioned earlier, the throttle is amazing; the brakes are equally as impressive. The massive dual disc rotors up front do an amazing job of stopping the bike quickly -- a must for commuting in NoVa.

I've owned a MINI Cooper S for a little over a year now, and have gotten used to waving back to a MINI motorer every now and then. I've forgotten how much more fellow motorcyclists wave to one another -- acknowledging each other's bind with the steel horse.

I don't know if it's the particular model of bike that I got or what, but on my very first day people came up to me and started asking questions about the bike as soon as they recognized I was a motorcyclist.

Holding my helmet and wearing my Field Sheer jacket, on Sunday I was at the mall to get my haircut and a middle-aged man came right up to me and asked me what I rode. He then told me about his bike (yammie R1) and how he loves it even though it is too powerful for him. The biker community seems much more approachable than the snooty NoVa MINI community for sure.

Yesterday I was at Old Navy looking for some shorts and a salesman came right up to me (what do you ride?" he said. I replied and he in turn said, "I ride a gixxer. 600. How long have you been riding?" ... and the conversations continue to go on like this ...

Today I was about to get on my bike after running an errand at the Container Store in Clarendon. A Middle Eastern man came up to me and asked, "Is this the '06 or the '07?" We then proceeded to talked about our love for Yamaha's and Ducattis.

It seems like a tighter knit community than MINIs, with many more enthusiasts.

Next up, some photos of the new bike.

Another Tank Bag, Another Tank Bag, Another Tank Bag ...

I found three more possible options for tank bags (actually, two of them are map holders) which are small in size and may do a good job of holding a portable GPS.

More Helmet Options

I've been obsessed with finding the right helmet. So far I have tried on Shoei, Arai, HJC, Shark, Scorpion and Suomy models. I really like the way the Arai Corsair RX-7 fits my noggin. I'm not too thrilled on the graphic options Arai offers for this model, but I'll let that slide if the protection and comfort levels are good.

I've come across some AGV helmets that have features similar to the Arai for a little less dough. I like the graphics better, but haven't had a chance to get fitted in one yet.

technorati tags:motorcycles, plastic rocket, helmets

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Tank Bag

I've been looking for a low profile tank bag ever since my salesman at Coleman suggested using one to mount a portable GPS device to my bike.

• I had a few requirements for the bag:
• It must be black
• It must be low-profile
• It must have either a clear cover to protect my gizmo from rain while still allowing me to change the route, etc.

After several hours of scouring the Net, I finally came across something that looks like it fits the bill:

At an MSRP of $79, it's a bit pricey for such a simple bag, however I know Held makes top quality stuff, so it should last a long time.

Speaking of Held, have you seen their Phantom gloves? I tried them on at the store and they are sick!!!

technorati tags:plastic rocket, motorcycles, accessories, gps

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Racing School

After I have logged several hundred hours on the bike, I plan to take lessons at this racing school.

I wouldn't mind learning how to corner at 120 miles per hour. Could be a lot of fun!

According to the site, most of the riders are not racers; they just want to become better riders ...

Do I have to intend on racing to attend Cornerspeed? Absolutely not. The majority of our students just want to be better riders. What you learn in class with Cornerspeed will make you a better, safer rider on the street. Street riders find that they are smoother and more confident after attending a class with Cornerspeed. As always, we do not recommend high speed riding on the street. Save that for the track. Remember, a track day costs far less than an attorney and a traffic ticket.

Here is a snippet from the site about a typical day at the school:

We start early. The gates open at 6:30am. Our registration and tech opens at 7am. After passing through tech (bikes and helmets), students will line their bikes up beside the classroom entrance to expedite going from the classroom to the racetrack. We get started shortly after 8am. Typically, you spend about 30 minutes inside for a lecture then a 20 minute session on track with your instructors each hour. Each on track session focuses on the previous lecture so you work on the material that's just been discussed. If you're looking for the missing 10 minutes each hour, they are used for suiting up and talking to your instructors before and after each session. Wondering about the student/instructor ratio? We have a maximum of 3 students per instructor and many times our ratio is less than 2 students per instructor (24 students/14 instructors, you get the picture). If we're not in the classroom, we're riding on the racetrack. We break for lunch (included with your school tuition) at noon. When possible, we have a lunchtime guest speaker. Lectures and tracktime fill your day which culminates in an optional mock race at the end of the day. If it is raining at the end of the day, the mock race is replaced with a lecture on riding in rain and an on track rain riding session. How many track sessions was that? Seven 20 minute sessions plus a mock race: that's a lot of tracktime!

technorati tags:motorcycles, plastic rocket, class, education, motorcycle course, VIR

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Summer Mesh Jacket

Sure, it's not the top-of-the-line summer jacket, but it has all of the safety features I am looking for.

I'm going to get it in light grey (good visibility and less heat attracting of a color).

Sore Butt Solution for Long Rides

Apparently this cushion is highly recommended by sportbike riders who go on long distance trips. hmm...

technorati tags:motorcycles, plastic rocket, gear

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Remote Control and Another Glove Option

I found this iPod remote in the Apple.com store. No more digging around in my pocket to change tracks or the volume!

I think I like theses gloves better than the ones I listed in a previous entry. They look like they have even more ventilation. Nice for those hot August days/nights ...

technorati tags:motorcycles, plastic rocket, gloves, gadgets, ipod, audio

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Negotiating Your Ride

I used an online service to find out what the dealer's invoice on an '07 R6 is ... pretty cheap! Here's a link to a post I made in a forum.

2007 R6 Dealer's Invoice -- Great Info for Negotiating

technorati tags:motorcycles, plastic rocket, negotiation, dealers invoice

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Negotiating the Price of a Moto

I started researching negotiating the price of motorcycles. About.com has some interesting advice:

What do I mean by homework? Well, find out the dealer invoice price (this tells you how much the dealer pays for the motorcycle). Use an online service such as CycleBuy.com to obtain a report on each bike. This report also tells how much the list price is (you can also go to the official Web site for the motorcycle manufacturer to get the list price). By getting the amount that the dealer pays for the motorcycle, you know his "ready to sell price." This tells you his automatic profit margin percentage. This should come out to be 10% - 15%. The dealer will do his best to make 10% total profit on the motorcycle.

All dealerships will include certain fees with the sale of the motorcycle. Most common fees are destination charges, setup fees, documentation fees, taxes, and maybe an assembly fee. The dealership also makes a profit on all these fees. There is no immediate way to find out their profit margin on these items but it should be between 5% - 15%.
Buy a Motorcycle

technorati tags:motorcycles, plastic rocket, negotiation

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Peeps to Ride With

I came across a site that hooks you up with folks who have the same interests as you, and then lets you host/attend an event.

NoVA Sportbike Association (NVSA) (Springfield, VA) - Meetup.com

technorati tags:motorcycles, clubs, networking, plastic rocket

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More Gear Options

technorati tags:motorcycle, plastic rocket, jacket, boots

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Gloves, Dog.

I like these gloves. They look like they will give adequate coverage in a crash. Something I keep reading in the message boards is that crashes are almost inevitable, so I'm sparing no expense in quality equipment. I can't believe these gloves cost over $200, but two hundred spent now is much cheaper than $2,000 spent on hospital bills.

technorati tags:motorcycles, gloves, plastic rocket

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Jackets

I have found a few jackets which make my short list. Both of the ones below are made by Icon.

I'd get the one below in a heartbeat if it didn't have the stupid battle axes on the back.

technorati tags:motorcycles, plastic rocket, jackets

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Need a Brain Bucket

I really like this helmet. I've been looking for something that is really lightweight since a heavy helmet can cause rider fatigue. I also want something that has good venting since the majority of riding I will be doing will be during the warmer months.

Cool looking, eh?

I like both the pure carbon fiber weave (above) and the "vader" model (below).

Carbon Fiber materials are known for their strength, durability and light-weight, that is why HJC has chosen the most technologically advanced Carbon Fiber materials for the new AC-12 Carbon full-face motorcycle helmet FEATURES Super-Lightweight, Full Application, Carbon Fiber Shell Construction * Shell constructed using advanced full coverage Carbon Fiber composite and resins * Two-piece channeled Dual-Density EPS liner * Large eye port opening for greater visibility * Three shell sizes for a more comfortable fit Flow-Through "ACS" Advanced Channeling Ventilation System * Dual flow-through channels * 2 high capacity, multi-stage, forehead intake vents * Rear venturi exhaust spoiler and 2 lower exhaust vents Anti-Fog System * Side chin bar mounted vortex vents create a low-pressure vacuum effect drawing heat and moisture out of the face shield area * Adjustable chin vent re-directs air upward and across shield interior * Anti-fog treated 3D shield. Removable AquaTrans â "Open Cell" Interior Liner * Easily removable liner and cheek pads for cleaning or custom fitting * AquaTrans â interior material quickly wicks moisture away from the skin * Open Cell technology foam allows for increased internal air circulation * Streamline, wrap-around neck roll reduces wind noise * Padded chin strap design Nylon strap retention snap * Neatly secures excess chin strap Next Generation, 2 Stage Compression Shield Closure System * A two-stage pivot mechanism, compresses the shield into the eye port gasket providing an extremely secure seal * Improved, no guess work, tool-less shield removal and installation * Aerodynamic flush mounted fit for reduced turbulence * Scratch resistant hard coated shield * Optically superior 3D design * Rated at 95% UV resistant Built-in Communication System Speaker Cavity Deluxe Helmet Storage Bag Included TECHNICAL INFORMATION Standards: Dot-218, Snell-M-2005 Construction: Carbon Fiber Composite Weight: Adult: 1424 grams (approximate based on size medium solid color) M.S.R.P. Carbon: $419.99 Vader: $419.99 Elbowz: $439.99

technorati tags:motorcycles, helmets, plastic rocket

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Local Riders

I came across this forum for DC area sportbike riders called, dcsportbikes.net. Sweet! Kinda like the motorcycle equivalent to DC Metro MINIs.

technorati tags:motorcycles, plastic rocket, forums, message boards, online community, DC

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GPS on a Moto

Ask any of my friends and they'll all agree I have a horrible sense of direction. I have a GPS in my MINI Cooper S, "G8RMNI," and it has been a life saver.

I came across this GPS and think it might fit well on a motorcycle. Perhaps mount it on a gas tank? I'm sure there are handle bar mounts out there.

The thing I really like about it is how portable it is. You charge it at home, and then just take it with you whenever you need it. There are no wires or antennas either; everything is internal. Nice. Check out the review here: Garmin Nuvi 200 Reviews. Car GPS (Navigation) Reviews by CNET.

technorati tags:motorcycles, plastic rocket, gps

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Tank Protector

Perhaps I should get one of these to protect my tank from getting scratched? I like the carbon fiber look.

technorati tags:motorcycles, plastic rocket, tank protector

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