[Toshi]

8 hours out on the road today, 5.5 of which were in the saddle (and the majority of the rest waiting for or on the bridgeport-port jefferson ferry). 191 miles bringing my total to just under 2500 :lol: for those counting along.

lots of other powered two-wheelers out today, mostly big harleys. lots of traffic, too! on the cross-island, I-95, and (oddly) coming down from bear mountain traffic was stop and go to at a standstill so i got plenty of lane splitting practice. it's not legal in NY but is a fairly common practice given the traffic.

atop bear mountain:

my goofy scooter and my goofy mug:

on the ferry back to long island:

 

[Toshi]

video from the ferry (between points D and A):

full size/HQ:

 

[Toshi]

VFR 1200 F news, including a review of the dual-clutch box:

http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-news-new-bikes/honda-vfr1200f-launch-first-riding-impressions/8565.html

My first lap was a bit of an eye opener. Following ex-GP God Tohru Ukawa for our sighting laps, I was immediately taken by surprise by how quickly the VFR steers and found myself having to correct my line mid-corner to avoid twatting the inside kerb. Despite a fully fluid-filled and oil brimmed kerb weight of 267kgs, it really doesn’t feel it when you’re moving and grooving. Flicking it left/right through chicanes isn’t a major drama either.

The biggest compliment I can pay the new VFR is it feels every inch a Honda. Nothing takes getting used to. Nothing feels unusual or quirky. Nothing takes you by surprise. ...

In our pre-ride blurb and presentations great fuss was made of the shaft drive system with its clever use of sliding knuckle joints and offset output shaft. Offset from the swingarm pivot that is. I was sceptical, I have to admit. A shaft drive that feels like a chain is a big claim after all.

But you know what? They were right. Do you know how a ‘normal’ shaft drive bike feels when you knock the throttle on and off? That shunting, clunking feeling of all those reciprocating, heavy parts – that rising and falling of the back end? Well there’s none of that on the new VFR1200F and with it no reason to even contemplate a Scottoiler ever again. Or adjusting a pesky chain.

So, it’s super easy to ride – flattering even - but what’s its direct opposition? What’s it most like? Well, I suppose the BMW K1300 is the nearest obvious bedfellow. The VFR1200F is very, very fast but it’s not going to win any races. Like the big Beemer the new VFR is clearly designed to give us road riders the kind of performance that, if we’re all honest, 99% of us need on the road 99% of the time.

The BMW does have noticeably more bottom and mid-range power, or perhaps a more savage fuelling that creates the impression of more instant low-down shove. It was only a couple of weeks ago that I rode the BMW and it’s still fresh in my mind but I’d like to seriously back-to-back the two bikes to see the differences.

In the Honda’s favour though, is huge raft of plus points. Finish being one of them (that candy paint is just amazingly deep and shiny) ease of use the other (BMWs do take some, er, getting used to) and the way the engineers have managed to disguise the weight and make it feel at least 50kgs lighter than it really is. The VFR1200F makes the K1300 feel as long as a top fuel dragster.

http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-news-new-bikes/honda-vfr1200f-launch-dct-transmission/8566.html

WELL, I’ve just sampled our future. And, no, I don’t mean electric motorcycles, thank goodness.

Honda’s DCT (dual clutch transmission), an optional extra on their new VFR1200F, is absolutely incredible. ...

Start the V4 up and automatic is, er, automatically selected. It’s then up to you to make the choice between sporty (more revs, blips throttle for downshifts, holds onto gear longer and backshifts sooner to keep the revs higher) and cruisy, lazy auto mode, which would be just fine for the road.

Hate the idea of auto? Just use the right hand bar-mounted flappy paddles. You use the thumb control to backshift and your index finger for upshifts. It really is that simple.

In any of these modes the gearshifts are smoother than your best ever pillion-firendly gearshift. Ever. They’re fast, too – particularly in flappy paddle mode or when the auto setting is in sports.

But you know the best bit about all this? It frees up a massive portion of your brain (useful in my case) to think about other things like getting you line right or your braking point.

 

[Toshi]

proposed saturday ride route if the weather holds up. 145 miles as plotted.

maybe meeting up for pizza in the city that evening with undergrad buddies, too?

 

[Toshi]

i did end up riding a similar route to the one above on saturday. in the pouring rain. with two others. it was fun, but along the way my stebel horn stopped working. apparently the makers weren't kidding when they said to mount it vertically (mine was straight up horizontal). whoops.

today jessica joined me for a group ride in the sun with the local LI group. it had to be the worst led ride we've been on. multiple instances of picking the wrong lane, missing turns, stopping and not stopping when not called for… the most egregious example of poor form came when some of us got caught at a changing light on a two-lane-each-side road. the people ahead of us stopped, as they should in a group, but stopped 4-wide across 1.5 lanes of traffic.

idiots.

we left the group halfway through and went on our own route, which was much more satisfying: no idiotic behavior such as the above, no super slow riding in the corners, and more entertaining roads and scenery to boot. gah.

 

[Toshi]

what would ideally be in my garage at this instant (assuming i have a garage and everything else in life is buttoned down and peachy keen):

Aptera 2e

Nissan Leaf

Toyota Prius

Mazda MX-5 Miata power retractable hardtop version

Zero Motorcycles Zero MX

BMW F 800 GS

Honda VFR1200F

i guess it's going to have to be a big garage. (jessica's comment: "we're not having that many cars! god…")

 

[Toshi]

today jessica joined me for a group ride in the sun with the local LI group. it had to be the worst led ride we've been on. multiple instances of picking the wrong lane, missing turns, stopping and not stopping when not called for… the most egregious example of poor form came when some of us got caught at a changing light on a two-lane-each-side road. the people ahead of us stopped, as they should in a group, but stopped 4-wide across 1.5 lanes of traffic.

idiots.

we left the group halfway through and went on our own route, which was much more satisfying: no idiotic behavior such as the above, no super slow riding in the corners, and more entertaining roads and scenery to boot. gah.

ahha: after complaining about the poorly run group ride on sunday on the local club's forum i think i've gotten myself banned.

 

[Toshi]

hehe, awesome: an adventure Honda Monkey.

 

[Toshi]

sweet jeebus, life is very different elsewhere…

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=239330

 

[Toshi]

all this reading about adventure riding kind of makes me want to get back into mountain biking. except that i still think it's moderately stupid to drive a car 50 or 100 miles in order to ride a bike 10 or 15. somehow it seems more elegant to ride a dual-sport out to a trail even if both activities are somewhat contrived given that i live surrounded by civilization.

 

[IH8Rice]

all this reading about adventure riding kind of makes me want to get back into mountain biking. except that i still think it's moderately stupid to drive a car 50 or 100 miles in order to ride a bike 10 or 15.

well no one said LI is the mecca of mountain biking

 

[Toshi]

well no one said LI is the mecca of mountain biking

even around seattle that's the norm. we'd drive 2-3 hours to go riding, or 5 to get up to whistler. i could "solve" that problem by living in the sticks, i suppose, but that's not a real solution unless i can read all my films from home, a concept that sadly is not a reality in most practices these days.

 

[DaveW]

Poor bugger.... You need to find the US version of Wellington.
Many here ride the bikes to the trails as they are so close, some within 5mins ride of the CBD and Mt Vic is a popular lunch time ride as it's right in town (Hospital backs onto it even!! ).

 

[Toshi]

Poor buger.... You need to find the US version of Wellington.
Many here ride the bikes to the trails as they are so close, some within 5mins ride of the CBD and Mt Vic is a popular lunch time ride as it's right in town (Hospital backs onto it even!! ).

i'd love to move to the NZ version of Wellington... it's just that jessica feels it's a little far from her family in washington state.

 

[IH8Rice]

even around seattle that's the norm. we'd drive 2-3 hours to go riding, or 5 to get up to whistler. i could "solve" that problem by living in the sticks, i suppose, but that's not a real solution unless i can read all my films from home, a concept that sadly is not a reality in most practices these days.

north Jersey has a ton of riding within 1 hour of where i lived...DH/XC...you name it. and you dont have to listen to the Long Island accents all day

 

[Toshi]

north Jersey has a ton of riding within 1 hour of where i lived...DH/XC...you name it. and you dont have to listen to the Long Island accents all day

but in exchange you are in jersey.

 

[IH8Rice]

woah woah woah...the Oompa Prompa twins are NOT from Jersey

http://www.hotchickswithdouchebags.com/

 

[Toshi]

found this when i stepped up to the car this afternoon. apparently someone did a U-turn into it this afternoon while it was parked on the street today. no note. nothing. gah.

 

[DaveW]

Bugger

 

[Toshi]

Bugger

turns out a nice guy at the body shop pounded it out and buffed the white paint off… for free! it's not cosmetically perfect but from a distance looks more than acceptable, and it'll do just fine for now. can't beat free.

 

[Toshi]

here's something i didn't know existed outside of motorcycle companies: a bike dyno. cool.

 

[Toshi]

so i've been trying to add a stebel nautilus compact air horn to my MP3. the first install went fine but the horn died in about a week. its replacement came, and looks like this:

note that the negative contact has a bite taken out of its far corner. also note the asymmetry in the holes in the contacts with respect to the black plastic horn body. yeah, the negative contact is also pushed in farther. methinks it wasn't aligned properly in the tool that shoves in the contacts at time of original manufacture. whoops. in any case this second horn also doesn't work. gah.

 

[Toshi]

good riding today with the re-formed club (such drama ). we had 7 riders + 3 car-bound people show up, and eventually there will be some low-quality photos from one of the car people hanging out his window as we rode along on a straight road. exciting, i know.

clickable/draggable route: http://tinyurl.com/sundaynovember8route

 

[Westy]

So what are your thoughts on Long Island so far? For me L.I. is similar to L.A. in that it would probably be a nice place if 90% of the population died.

 

[Toshi]

So what are your thoughts on Long Island so far? For me L.I. is similar to L.A. in that it would probably be a nice place if 90% of the population died.

our area of LI is pretty dismal as it's basically a giant strip mall but the north shore is much nicer to look at. no way would i consider sticking around here and paying an exorbitant amount of money for a fancy north shore house, however, as one would still need to fight the traffic everywhere with the hoi polloi.

 

[Toshi]

eventually there will be some low-quality photos from one of the car people hanging out his window as we rode along on a straight road. exciting, i know.

"highlights"

is me.

a 300 lb dude on a 125 cc scooter. no, that combo doesn't climb hills well.

honda reflex with "highway peg" leg position, heh

tricked out ruckus

the highly intimidating crew

 

[Toshi]

i got pulled over on my scooter for the first time tonight, and i totally didn't deserve it.

no, really, i didn't deserve it, no lie: i was cruising along on a dark, straight section of road tonight headed towards a more entertaining twisty bit when i noticed a nondescript set of headlights approaching from behind at a fair pace. i'm pretty good at identifying cars from their headlights but with the darkness and the slightly buzzy mirrors on my single-cylinder scooter no particular alarm bells went off. nevertheless, i didn't want to hold up whomever was in such a hurry so i pulled over into a driveway to wave them by.

to my surprise, the car behind me pulled in as well and switched on its flashing blue and red lightbar! as i switched off the scooter the officer quickly hopped out and asked if anything was wrong.

"uh, actually, no, i'm ok. i pulled over to let you pass, in fact."
"oh. wait, this thing has three wheels?"
"yeah, let me show you how it tilts…"
"cool. … is it an electric?"
"nope"

and then he was off on his merry way, as was i, just a little bit thrown off by the whole roadside exchange. no license info or anything was exchanged (and needless to say there was no ticket or warning), just those words. it's nice that he was trying to be helpful but i have to admit seeing those lights was a bit of a shock.

 

[Toshi]

the new Ducati Multistrada seems to be targeting the VFR audience, albeit with a long-legged/pseudo-dual-sport twist:

http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/new-bikes/2009/11/10/ducati-s-2010-multistarda-unveiled/full

$15k base. 150 hp twin. 417 lbs (dry, ~490 wet). available ABS and traction control, hard bags and top case, power points under the seat, heated grips, integrated GPS, and adjustable windscreen. possibly gimmicky suspension option on the S model that's adjustable to four customizable presets (e.g. rider only, with pillion, and then both combos with luggage) via electronics. 4 throttle/traction control maps courtesy of drive by wire.

Four bikes in one

Four different motorcycles, available at the touch of a button, change the fundamental characteristics of the new Multistrada 1200. Power and torque delivery, suspension settings, and traction control can be changed - even while riding - to enable the motorcycle to adapt to the needs of the rider and not the other way around. With the Multistrada 1200, Ducati introduce the concept of four-bikes-in-one with four Riding Modes: Sport, Touring, Urban and Enduro.

The Sport Riding Mode provides the rider with an adrenalin-fuelled ride, where 150hp and incredible torque delivery are combined with a sports-oriented suspension set-up. To impart precise and focused handling like a sportbike, it also slightly reduces Ducati Traction Control intervention to level 3 for expert riders whose 'comfort zone' is closer to the limit.

The Touring Riding Mode is still programmed to produce 150hp; however, the power characteristic is designed in a touring configuration with much smoother torque delivery, but ready to respond when needed. Safety is enhanced with the most advanced ABS technology and with the Ducati Traction Control system set to level 5 (intermediate intervention), specifically intended for a stable and relaxing ride. The suspension set-up is ideal for touring, ensuring maximum comfort for both the rider and passenger.

Navigating through the urban jungle requires an even more manageable motorcycle that can be used 365 days a year, whether travelling to work or grabbing a coffee in town. Selecting the Urban Riding Mode instantly changes the power to 100hp, and the suspension to the perfect setting for tackling the maze of city streets full of speed bumps and drain covers. The traction control level is set to 7, providing high system intervention so the rider can enjoy enhanced safety even in the most chaotic of stop-start traffic.

Should the journey aboard the Multistrada 1200 leave the beaten track, it has the capability to take off-road routes in its stride. Agile and lightweight and with high, wide handlebars, serrated footrests and specially designed tires, the Multistrada also features an Enduro Riding Mode which instantly transforms the bike with a smooth 100hp engine, higher suspension, and the option to disable the ABS. Traction control is reduced to the minimum of level 1 for almost no intervention.

The four-bikes-in-one concept uses three technologies which interact to instantly change the chassis set-up and character of the Multistrada 1200. Fitted as standard equipment on all versions, the electronic ride-by-wire system administers three different engine mappings to change the character of the engine, while Ducati Traction Control (DTC) uses eight levels of system interaction to enhance control. For the 'S' version, Ducati Electronic Suspension (DES) instantly configures the suspension set-up to suit "rider only," "rider with luggage," "rider and passenger," or "rider and passenger with luggage."

i don't foresee the new VFR coming in under $15k. 172 hp vs. 150 hp isn't much of an argument, and a multistrada seems like it'd be a great, comfortable bike for many a purpose. not great on the track, and not great on true off-road, but for most everything in between it'd be like a wonderful, honkin' V-Strom with an italian accent.

 

[DaveW]

If you want a bike with sublime handling get a Ducati.

 

[Toshi]

i might have asked this before, but do you guys use heated gear?

i have about 8A to play with of electrical headroom, supposedly, and am looking at picking up heated jacket liners +/- heated gloves for both jessica and me. clearly we wouldn't be able to both use the setup at the same time due to the electrical constraints (and the fact that i only plan on buying one controller, albeit one with two settings, one for the jacket and the other for the gloves).

stuff that i'm looking at in particular is the 2nds from warm 'n safe. warm 'n safe is a small company that actually still makes their gear in the USA--imagine that!--and their customer service is reputed to be quite good. plus they have an ADVrider discount!

 

[DaveW]

Nope no Heated gear.... Keep meaning to get heated grips but it's not an urgent issue given the local temp.

 

[Toshi]

little video i made today of jessica hitting around at her beginner tennis lesson. has bonus footage of me serving at the end. for the first 10 serves or so i was using jessica's racket, which is actually child sized! needless to say i don't serve to well with it.

 

[Toshi]

the bit between E (I-87 diner) and Cold Spring on the map below (E Hook Rd and E Mountain Rd) was AMAZING. best road i have been on here in new york, bar none. all in all it was 200 miles and change for me today.

clickable route: http://tinyurl.com/yfzhsl8

 

[Westy]

the bit between E (I-87 diner) and Cold Spring on the map below (E Hook Rd and E Mountain Rd) was AMAZING. best road i have been on here in new york, bar none. all in all it was 200 miles and change for me today.

clickable route: http://tinyurl.com/yfzhsl8

You were up near where young Westy spent his formative years. Grew up outside Poughkeepsie in the small town of LaGrange just of the Taconic Parkway.

 

[Toshi]

You were up near where young Westy spent his formative years. Grew up outside Poughkeepsie in the small town of LaGrange just of the Taconic Parkway.

it seems like nice country. certainly some nice roads up there! i imagine it's culturally quite different from nyc even though some commute into the city…

here's my gas-wasting activity for today, the last day before i take off to mexico to bask in the sun and do little for a bit. yeah, i got a bit lost in the middle before i got my bearings again

clickable route: http://tinyurl.com/lostloop

 

[Djmp3]

link is not workin for me....

 

[Toshi]

link is not workin for me....

this one? http://tinyurl.com/lostloop . worked for me just now...

 

[Westy]

it seems like nice country. certainly some nice roads up there! i imagine it's culturally quite different from nyc even though some commute into the city…

Nice country indeed, the people not so much. My family moved once I left for college and I have never had a reason to go back. I was driving through the area over the summer and had a guy in a Vermont Paper delivery truck try to run me off of the road.



Be careful out there.

 

[Toshi]

i want to do this ride tomorrow but i think it's a wee bit too long. hehe

http://tinyurl.com/longassroute

probably will settle for something sane and much, much shorter. sad.

 

[Toshi]

i finally got on board and bought a $2.99 app for my iPhone that lets me do proper GPS track creation. i hit start when i leave the house and end when i get back and it does all the rest. today was its inaugural voyage and it worked just fine.

clickable map: http://tinyurl.com/eatonsneck

overview: