I spent the last 2 and a half months looking for the right helmet for me. When I first started shopping, I had no idea what to look for and didn’t know how a helmet should fit. I also had no idea about different brands: Arai, Bieffe, Shoei, Bell, HJC, etc. I kept hearing about … Continue readingThe Shoei RF-1000
Lane splitting is not legal in New York State, but I think it should be, especially because air-cooled engines need to be in motion to prevent from overheating. Did that once before. Riders split lanes anyway, passing slow or stopped traffic to get ahead. I haven’t ridden between lanes yet, but today I passed traffic … Continue readingLane splitting
Living in a town or city without a garage has an obvious danger for classic bikes on the streets: public exposure. I parked my bike at the end of my street a couple days ago, close to where my car was parked, because I had an appointment to show my car to a prospective buyer. … Continue readingParking safety
I had my first solo ride to Queens today to see my brother on his birthday. I avoided Queens Boulevard as much as possible, taking Greenpoint Avenue all the way from Greenpoint, Brooklyn, to 48th Avenue in Queens. On the way, it rained a bit, but just spit. The pavement stayed relatively dry. I wore … Continue readingGetting comfortable
Two whole days and nights went by of not riding. For me, that sucks. Problem is that I got a freelance job with an ad agency and the hours have been grueling. I get home when it’s dark, and Jason doesn’t want me riding at night by myself until I have more experience. So, I’ve … Continue readingParked it and left it
The first time I put on a full-face motorcycle helmet some months ago, I could barely get it on my head. I thought it was too tight, because it squished my cheeks in, and I could barely speak clearly. Thinking back, barely able to speak clearly was a sign that the helmet was in fact … Continue readingHelmets
After Jason tested Georgia and agreed she had a problem, he went online and figured out that the screen in the petcock had buildup. So, I grabbed a bucket and some tools, disconnected the fuel lines from the carburetors, drained the gas tank and removed the petcock. Sure enough, there were rust flakes from inside … Continue readingFixing the bike
I reached a hallmark in my motorcycle riding experience: I rode solo into Manhattan, aka “The City.” I took the Brooklyn Bridge this time, since it’s easier to get to the west side from there than the Manhattan Bridge. I decided to take the west side streets, because I’m more familiar with them than the … Continue readingFirst solo ride into the city
This weekend, I had my first ride on wet pavement. I took it slow and carefully. I don’t think I’d enjoy riding in the rain. At the same time, I’ve got the bug. I’m sure once I feel I have enough experience, I’ll ride in the rain anyway. I still have a healthy fear of … Continue readingWet ride
New York City is a scary place to ride a motorcycle. The notorious cab drivers, Chinese delivery guys riding the wrong way on bicycles, mini-vans full of religious people, people on their cell phones who should get their licenses revoked, drivers from New Jersey (haha), etc. We rode across the Manhattan Bridge from our little … Continue readingFirst ride into the city