Sorry for the long title, it’s just easier to review all my gear in one post/thread. Also keep in mind that I don’t have any comparisons to make, so this is just how I view the only set of gear that I’ve owned.

Scorpion EXO-400

This helmet offers great protection being both SNELL and DOT approved. I could squeeze into a small but it crushed my head, a medium fits perfectly. It has forehead, chin and exhaust vents the outside but they seem kind of flimsy, and unless you look really close you can’t always tell if they’re open or closed. Most of the airflow from riding seems to come from underneath the chin, but even sitting at stop lights in 85 degree heat with the visor down it wasn’t overwhelming. The visor by default is scratch-proof on the outside and fog-proof on the inside. I recently bought a mirror shield visor without those coatings and it fogged up with a breathy exhale, which never happened on the factory one. (side note, the mirror visor did not diminish night time visibility to an unsafe degree). And the visor quick-change system is a bit wonky but it works. It does have a breath guard, which is also pretty flimsy and doesn’t seem to do a whole lot. The inside is very plush and comfortable, and the padding is removable for washing which is nice. There seems to be quite a bit of wind noise at 60+, but I couldn’t tell you if that’s more or less than normal. Overall, for $139, (how much I paid for it) I’d say it is an excellent helmet for the price.

Scorpion Hat Trick Jacket

I love this jacket. It might seem a bit pricey >$200 but it’s worth every penny. The outside looks awesome and has reflective strips on the front and back for visibility, which is nice because it’s a mostly (or completely) black jacket otherwise. The great thing about this jacket is it has 3 layers. The textile and mesh outer layer with CE approved armor in the elbows, shoulders and back allows for both airflow and protection. A second layer is a wind/water proof liner that also has a collar to cover a bit of your neck. I wore this once just to test it out on a cool night ride, and it definitely keeps the wind out, cannot attest for water but I’m sure it works. The last layer is a thermal liner. I haven’t been able to test this layer yet but I can imagine it’ll keep me warm well into the 40’s if need be, very warm jacket with all layers in it. Two outside hand pockets, one or two inside breast pockets, depending on the layers you have in. Great jacket.

Icon Field Armor Knee/Shin Guards

I got these because I wanted to ride to work and I can’t wear riding pants in a corporate office! I know I could have opted for over-pants but I like these very much. The armor is vented and allows for a decent amount of airflow, even when worn under jeans or other pants. They velcro around your calf in 3 spots, and once around the back of the knee. They are one size fits most, and I have pretty thin legs, but they stay up fine with boots. I’ve even worn them to walk around and grab a bite to eat and they aren’t a bother, if not for being a little warm. Also, they fit underneath any pants I’ve worn them with which is nice. Cheaper than riding pants, but they obviously don’t offer any hip/thigh protection. $65 for these guys, not a bad get.

Icon Twenty-Niner Gloves

Simple mesh gloves, no knuckle protection aside from a thin layer of gel. The palms are slightly padded and add a bit of comfort and they fit pretty well. They are vented but you really only feel a good amount of air if you angle the knuckle vents just right, but they don’t get too hot so it’s not a problem. They have a single velcro wrist strap that is pre-curved to prevent it from snagging or coming off, but this also can make them tricky to get off because it does not stay un-velcroed unless you hold it. They also leave creases on my hands after a few hours of riding, maybe I’m gripping too tight I don’t know. $30 seems like a lot for these to be honest.

wo northbound rigs crashed together and spun out of control, according to a nearby trucker. My brother (Casey) and I were gridlocked for two hours on the interstate at 3 in the morn. Temps dropped, heavy rains turned to sleet and the road became the kind of ice you couldn’t walk on, but somehow you could drive on. The wreckage was pushed aside on I-65 and as soon as traffic cleared, we dropped the hammer and drug the Holsclaw along the icy super slab into Illinois. There, the perfect donor bike was waiting for us with a negotiable owner. We hoped.

If a talented bike-building kinda guy, with a shop full of all the tools you’d ever want, says he’ll build you a bobber if you’ll provide the motor…you drop what you’re doin’ and make a bee line to a donor motor. Jon Ard is the capable fella I’m referring to. Ardcore Choppers and our design shop, Wilkinson Brothers, struck a deal and our mission was clear: Find a healthy XS650 engine and get it in his greasy hands, ASAP.

Our predicted 4-hour haul turned into a 7-hour trudge, including an exit-lane pass around a crawling wall of Chicago snowplows. Their 4-wide swath wasn’t gonna set us back any further, dadgumit. We soon entered barren lands where, unfortunately, “just outside the City” turned into “way the heck out’n the country.” Craig’s List ‘poetic license’ at its finest.

There have been a lot of questions about bleeding hydraulic systems for brakes and clutches. I thought that a DIY on this subject may be valuable. This is pretty straight forward and easy to do.

Let’s start with a couple of basic precepts. Hydraulic fluid does not compress but it does pressurize. That is why hydraulic systems work. Your hand moves a lever that moves a piston. The piston moves fluid from the master cylinder down the line into the caliper. The caliper’s piston’s move outward and apply the brakes. You grip tighter and the caliper grips tighter. You let off the handle, the pressure releases and the spring in the master cylinder returns the piston drawing fluid back into the master cylinder. A check valve in the master cylinder keeps the fluid and pressure one-way during application.

Air is a problem in a hydraulic system. Air does compress. If air is in your hydraulic system a portion of the hydraulic effort that should be pressure making a component move is now compressing air and not giving you maximum efficiency. In fact, it may result in a crappy or dangerous situation. “Bleeding” is the activity that removes air out of the hydraulic system.

Brake fluid (also used in hydraulic clutch applications) has a tendency to degrade over time. Best practice is to change the brake fluid every year. Pick a day…Birthday…First Day of Spring…Easter…Memorial Day…doesn’t matter - just pick a day and change your fluid out every year on that day. It will only take one container. Cheap insurance in my opinion. “Flushing” is the activity that removes the old hydraulic fluid from the system replacing it with clean fluid. Flushing is only bleeding with a different goal and purpose.

Brake fluid is one of the most efficient paint strippers known to man. Remember Murphy’s Law, “If it can go wrong, it will go wrong at the worst possible time”. Murphy was an optimist. Go prepared.

What will you need? Depends on your machine to a bit. A large old towel to protect your machine. Screwdriver to remove the master cylinder cover. Appropriate wrenches to open and close the bleeder valves. Plastic tubing to control the flow of the waste fluid; and a container for the same. New container of the appropriate type of brake fluid for your machine from a reputable manufacturer.

Step 1: Protect your painted surfaces with toweling.

Step 2: Locate your bleeder valves (some machines have one for each half of each brake caliper, others only one per caliper/slave cylinder). Clean away any dirt or debris near the bleeder. Hopefully it has a cap to keep crap from stopping up your bleeder. Bleeder caps are your friends.

Step 3: Loosen and re-tighten your bleeder valves without any pressure in your system - just to make sure none of them are seized. Just crack it open and closed to make sure it moves.

Step 4: Place tubing on your bleeder to control waste fluid. You do not want it shooting out on any painted surfaces. It is good to have a container to route the fluid to. I use IV bags. EMS types are your friends.

Step 5: Wipe away any debris from around your master cylinder. Remove the screws and raise the cover. Inspect the diaphragm for dry rot or tears. Wipe all the small parts down with a clean lint free rag (t-shirts & diapers rock).

Step 6: Inspect & Evaluate. Brake fluid is supposed to be generally clear. A member here described his as, “looking like pancake syrup”. If you have a reason to bleed your brakes there is a good chance you should be flushing your fluid while you’re at it. Look in the bottom of the master cylinder for…what I call black dust. If you have black dust or brown fluid use a baster bulb to draw the fluid out. Use q-tips, pipe cleaners or an old piece of clean T-shirt on a screwdriver tip to get that black dust out as well as any residual fluid. Put nothing into your hydraulic system other than the appropriate type of clean (new) brake fluid.

Step 7: Once the master cylinder is clean top it off with new fluid.

Consult your owner manual or read the master cylinder’s cover for the correct grade of fluid. Lightly install the cover back in place.

Be sure that your check valve cover did not get dislodged or lost. They can pop loose while cleaning. They will pop right back in - they only fit one way

Start pressuring the system by pulling the lever back and forth rapidly about 10 - 25 repetitions. When you have a firm lever, hold it back against the bar.

Step 8: Starting with the caliper that is farthest from the master cylinder (left side front dual disc) open the bleeder valve. This might require an assistant. I usually assign my assistant to running the lever. When the bleed valve opens fluid and air will spit out (or just fluid - using clear tubing will help you see what’s going on) and the lever will release to the bar. DO NOT LET GO OF THE HAND LEVER WHILE THE BLEEDER VALVE IS OPEN. That will suck air into the system through the bleeder valve and cause more problems than you had when you started. Close the bleeder valve, then let go of the lever and continue the cycle of pumping, holding and releasing. Once the far side runs clear, change to the near side.

Step 8: Repeat this basic process for the clutch hydraulic system as well as the back brake system. One can usually do those without an assistant.

The black dust? That is usually a sign that the rubber components inside the hydraulic system are starting to break down. I know that my clutch system is almost ready to be rebuilt. The fluid gets nasty in about 3 months. I have the cylinder rebuild kit on hand but still need to get the stainless steel brake line upgrade.

Maintaining your brake system is low cost and easy. It will pay dividends when you have to replace pads and do not have to deal with stuck or leaking pistons and cylinders. An efficient brake system is essential to safe riding.

I’ve been meaning to write this up, but been busy. Have a few minutes now and thought I’d put some of it down, while I’m thinking of it.

I should probably start with the bike. Well, maybe a little background. I have been riding for over 45 years. I raced semi-professionally as a teenager (meaning I had sponsors who paid for stuff and we rode a local circuit). Raced motocross, trials, cross-country and hill-climb. Loved it. Me and my dad did it for years. My first motorcycle was a Honda 305, sometime in the mid-60’s. I was a kid, rode in the thousands of acres behind our house, and if I dropped it I couldn’t pick it up. Had to wait for my dad to get home. I learned not to drop it. Had a Hodaka racer, then we had Maicos and many Hondas etc. Rode mostly Beemer street bikes as an adult. Stopped riding for a while. Returned a couple years ago.

Also as a kid my family owned race cars and a high-performance auto center. I basically designed racing engines as a teenager. Spent a lot of time working with customers etc. Had a great time. We had a large garage at home and built cars and bikes constantly.

When I returned to motorcycles, I was baffled to learn that almost all the Japanese makes were fitted out with "plastic." Not only were the fenders and side covers plastic, the damm chrome (so-called) was plastic. OK. Fine. I’ll live with it. Over time I came to realize that this was sort of symptomatic of the throw-away nature of most of these modern machines. At the NY Motorcycle Show last winter, I saw a display of "Vintage Japanese Bikes." I loved them, but had to wonder how many of today’s would be around in 30 or 40 years for a similar display? My own Honda Aero was already showing signs of unhappiness with only a few thousand miles on it.

Not only that, but the bike (Honda) was not very susceptible of home-wrenching. Hard to explain. It’s just not laid out or built for that. I doubt that most of the people who buy them even own and real mechanic’s tools.

Now, the dealers. Well, basically, the metric dealers mostly sukk. I’m sorry, but that’s my impression, and I’ve been in many. I bought my Aero at probably the best Honda dealer in the region, and while they were nice enough to me pre-purchase, pretty much immediately afterward it was "who are you, again?" I would walk in there, with money in my pocket, and with not a customer in the store, the five employees would twiddle their thumbs and ignore me. Even when I stood at the parts counter obviously wanting help.

When I did get "help", it was, "Yeah, what do you want?" "Well, I was thinking of putting on [x]. Do you have any thoughts or recommendations?" "Show me what you want and I’ll tell you how much it costs." Etc. Gruff, totally uninterested, totally unhelpful. Same with service, gear, etc. Cold, indifferent, borderline obnoxious.

The people. Hell, I almost got in a fist fight twice in the **** Honda dealership, with azzhole customers who wanted to push and shove their way around and show how big and tough they are. The people I would run into in these places all seemed to have something to prove. I think maybe twice I had a kind word from a customer or "fellow rider". I eventually found another dealer I liked better, but only because the owner himself was actually a nice guy, once you drew him out. But they had lousy prices on the bikes, and not much inventory, and terrible hours.

Skipping over a lot… The first time I took my HD to the local dealer, I was amazed. I parked in the parking lot and went in. The service manager was not just polite, he was interested, human, looked you in the eye and seemed like a decent guy. And he was *helpful*, even offering ideas and suggestions right off the bat. Wow.

Then I was amazed by the … "Well, just ride your bike up this ramp and into the shop." Huh? A big, beautiful ramp, a double automatic glass door, and your ride your bike right up to the service counter. Literally. Holy cow! Nice air conditioned space, clean, large and well organized. And they’re helpful! The service people at both the HD dealers I have dealt with have been tremendous. When I was in the other day, not only did the service manager spend a lot of time with me, the mechanic who worked on my bike saw me near the bike and came over and volunteered some thoughts. Nice people. Just straight up, no bull****, nice people. Same with the parts people — just bend over backwards to help you figure out what you need to do what you want to do.

I also quickly learned that the HD is easy to work on. It’s just laid out nicely, and you can see how to remove and replace stuff. It’s basic wrenching. Plus, there is a TON of aftermarket stuff for these bikes. It could take YEARS just to learn the market. Not only that, but HD itself makes a ton of "aftermarket" stuff, and so far all of it I have seen is top quality. Seriously. You can customize these bikes to your heart’s content (and your wallet’s discontent ). That’s what it’s all about.

When I was in the racing world way back, that was the way it was. People in the business wanted to help you. They liked other enthusiasts, just because. They shared their knowledge and their time freely, even loved doing it. I know, I was one of them. As was the rest of my family. Well, you don’t see that much any more. Except I see it plain as day and in full living force at the HD shops. Go figure, eh? How’d they do that?

Find ten Hayabusas and I bet 9 of them will be stock. And you may ask, why change a ‘busa? But why change a Super Glide, either? The answer is, it’s fun, and it personalizes your machine. And you can change it around next year if you feel differently.

The people. I had this kind of fear about the whole "Harley crowd" thing. I’ve had my "encounters" with some scary people in the past (many years ago) (and also some very pleasant encounters). But I was just kind of nervous, like "I don’t really fit in." Well, my experience has been so damm different from that, it’s just remarkable. It seems like every time I come face to face with another HD rider, there is just sort of this automatic, assumed… I dunno, just basic decency. People smile, chat, ask about your bike, toss around ideas. No condescension, no patronizing, no rudeness… nothing to prove, never mind pushing around and trying to pick a fight with people in a motorcycle shop.

Mind you, I’m aware that I may be exxagerating a bit, or possibly over-glorifying things or unduly ****ing other things. I know there will be countless examples and stories of people who had great experiences in a "metric" shop, or terrible ones in an HD shop. I know that, so please there is no need to hammer me with that. I’m just telling you about my experience.

I should even mention the "moto-clothes." I was skeptical, and didn’t want to seem like a dweeb, so I didn’t pay much attention to all the HD "gear" in the clothing section. But then I decided to really check it out. And damm, there’s some really nice stuff there. The jackets are very high quality — and i know the difference, I bought one of my first sets of street leathers from Vanson when they were a fledgling company on the back streets of Boston (never forget the babe who measured me for my chaps… ). I have lots of leathers, of all qualities. The HD stuff is very nice. And I got a cool t-shirt for my 5 year old son. He will not take the damm thing off (smells like hell, I’m gonna have to get a bunch more).

The bike… runs like a bat out of hell. It’s actually scary at times. At 70 mph, in 4th gear (out of six), twist the throttle and hang on for dear life. You can easily cruise at 80 or 90 with the engine running well below 2500 rpm’s. It’s powerful as helll, torquey beyond belief, and just plain awesome.

Not to mention, everywhere I ride it chicks show me their … oh, never mind. (Just kidding).

I’m sitting here right now with a set of t-bars and some related parts on my desk. I ordered these from Accutronix. I spoke to them on the phone (three times). Like everyone else I’ve dealt with in the aftermarket HD world, they were just tremendous. Helpful, friendly decent as hell.

So guys, just think about it a little. I don’t have a "point." Just wanted to share my experience. But still, it’s a good American company. Lots of flaws, but still, a good, solid publicly traded American company, making a damm nice product.

What was your first street bike and how long did you ride it until you moved up to a bigger bike?

Vote for your favorite bike out of the following entries. The full forum with all pictures and comments can be viewed here: http://www.motorcycleforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=193

From Chaos: My Ground Pounder

From WVEngraver: My Ol’ Lady

From aaronrkelly: Metal Mulisha….unsafe at any speed.

From Sure: Mother’s little helper…

Alright . . .here we go. I’ve been a member of enough forums to know how unappreciated these posts can be, but I’m posting it here because from what I’ve read, you vintage guys are who I need to talk to.

I am completely new to motorcycles and their maintenance. I’ve got a little extra money, and I’ve wanted to get into bikes for a long time. Not get into bikes like ride a 900cc sport bike around and get a helmet with a fake mohawk and see how fast I can go. I want to get into bikes like buy this Suzuki, learn it inside and out, become confident with riding, enjoy the spring time and summer weather, and become confident in my ability to maintain and keep this pretty bike in tip top shape.

I’ve had my eye on the flat-seated, low power bikes of the 70s. I found this one on craigslist. It’s been sitting for a LONG time, like 5 years, so I don’t even have to tell you it isn’t running. For sale for $300, 7000 miles.

It’s not running . . .

I’m a smart guy, and I’m a problem solver. I’m committed, and I have some mechanical experience. Most of my experience is with cars . . .spark plugs, oil changes, compression checks, exhaust installs, I’ve reinstalled suspensions, I once swapped out turbochargers, yada yada yada. From what I’ve read here, it seems as though for a competent mechanic, getting a bike like this running is just a matter of nailing down the relatively minor problems, as it seems these old 2-strokes have fairly bullet-proof engine components. Am I somewhat right about this?

My question is: Should I go check this bike out? I have a tendency in my desire to learn and have fun to overshoot my capabilities sometimes, and I might need a reality check. How plausible is it that I can get this bike into running shape? I don’t have a guide, a mentor, a trainer. I just have the internet, a good tool set, and a friend who builds his own dune buggies, rebuilds engines, and is in school for automotive technician-ing, but has also no experience with bikes.

Let me have it. Lay into me, crush my dreams if you have to! But don’t doubt that I’ve got the stamina and desire. I just need to know if it is possible, what are the chances that I can get it running?

I got a picture, can’t post it. Looks pretty clean . . .very little rust as I can see, tires still have air in them, looks like all mechanical nuts and bolts would turn freely if given a little "encouragement".

Here is my 2000 Honda RC-51. It sports dual Arrow carbon fiber pipes, a hot bodies undertail with integrated turn signals, tinted screen, and a nasty set of LED’s. 2000 was the first year that the RC-51 was made, it was also the year that it won the AMA superbike championship. 1000 cc’s of V-twin power make this bike awesome. It is located deep in the heart of Texas and driven by yours truly…….The first pic is in front of the Capital of Texas in Austin. The second is at an abandon bridge down my lake Austin.

And some with the LED’s

Owner: Aaron Kelly
State: Iowa
Bike Stats: 1975 Honda CB400F Supersport
Mods: home built seat, rigged exhaust, home built intake (thats pvc pipe with K&N filters), clubman bars, vinyl racing stripes and tank graphics, home built side panel, gauge cluster etc

Basically the theory was retro cafe racer……but not the high end, polished bits that most people use when building retro racers…..for two reasons. One….nobody *I* know did it that way back in the day…..money was tight, you made your own stuff. Two……**** Im broke, cant afford the shiny stuff…..which really goes along with number one.

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Nathan Kenney
Mt Pleasant, PA
2004 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Classic