Back to Bicycle Touring: A trip to Galena, IL

I’ve now been a motorcyclist for 10 short weeks.  It seems so much longer than that.  That’s likely because I’ve put 2500 miles on my Harley Iron 883 in just over two months.  In that time I feel I’ve become quite good at it.  My counter steering, corning, and escaping the dangers of traffic abilities have vastly improved. Hell, even my waving-at-little-kids-saying-hello abilities are top notch:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVN_BekFz3O

 

I’ve had a lot of fun on my Iron 883 and I’ll write about more adventures on it, especially after I get a sissy bar put on it so I can strap camping equipment on it.  But it;s time to write about a two wheeled adventure on my touring bicycle.

Anyone that will listen while I talk cycling, I’ll tell them that the bicycle has been the solution to every conundrum I’ve had.  Soon I’ll write a blog post of all the many ways this is true, but in this post I’ll focus on how the bicycle is the very best stress reliever.

Anytime I get a little bit stressed out, pedaling helps sort out the shit in my head.  Stress was a bit high these last few weeks, so I decided to ride my bike to Galena, IL and back.  Round trip mileage was just shy of 200 miles. About 80 miles of the ride was on gravel or dirt.  About 40 while riding on the Badger State Trail on the way to Galena  and 40 miles on the Military Ridge State Trail on the way back.
Galena and a good portion of southwestern Wisconsin are in the Driftless Region.  This is a very hilly area that the glaciers didn’t touch during the last Ice Age nearly 12,000 years ago.  This means it’s a shit-ton of fun to ride on two wheels.  I chose Galena because it’s at the base of the Driftless Region and my route from Madison takes me right through some of the more challenging hills.

I love Galena.  It’s cityscape is architecturally gorgeous.  If you are an admirer of architecture, head to downtown Galena to see some of the best preserved Greek Revival building built in the mid-19th century or head to the north bluffs to see some amazing  19th century Victorian mansions. 85 percent of the structures in Galena are in the Historic District and are preserved by the National Registry of Historic Places.  Main St is  filled with touristy antique and clothing shops that has just the right amount of kitsch.  Not overwhelming and just enough to be cute.  The beauty of the city and municipal efforts to preserve it help keep the city charming.

On the 105-mile ride home, my top elevation was 1276 ft.  This was about 10 miles northeast of Mineral Point, WI. Sure, compared to the eye-popping size of the Rockies or even the elevation of the rolling mountains of the Smokies, but cycling the rolling hills of the Driftless is no easy task.  Many climbs had grades in the 7-8% range and a few can be as high as 11%.  I was challenged last summer when I climbed the Cascades in Washington State.  The climb up Rainy and Washington passes had a 5-7% grade.  This is over 40 miles, so yes, very challenging.  But in my opinion the steep grades of the Driftless are much more challenge over a 100-mile ride.
Going downhill is even more fun.  One skill on the motorcycle that I use to effectively hold my line in a tight curve is counter steering.  Instead of breaking and slowing while going down many of the long, steep hills in the driftless, I held my line and sped up while counter steering my Specialized AWOL.  I sped down hills faster and held my line more effectively than before I learned to ride my motorcycle.  I was going 40 mph downhill on a fully loaded touring bicycle. Each faster twist and turn put a bigger smile on my face and with each mph faster the stress melted away.
I haven’t yet made the trip to Galena by motorcycle, but before the summer ends and the days get too short for a long ride,  I’ll make the 100-mile ride on my Harley Iron 883.  Possibly an autumn leaf-peeping trip for some throttle therapy to melt away some stress.

 

 

 

Harley Iron 883 Motorcycling Joie de Vivre – Communicating with hand signals

These past eight weeks on my Harley Iron 883 have been amazing.  It so strange to say, eight weeks. Not only because motorcycling is a new sport for me, but such a short period of time feels a lot longer.  Riding nearly every day and putting on 1,750 miles in that time helps improve my confidence and skills quickly.

During that time and riding all those miles (most of it in Madison’s busy commuter  traffic) I’ve discovered a fun and useful tool: communicating with other motorists with hand signals. Before I get into this subject, I’ll say that I’ve used these signals, with one exception, with care and thoughtfulness.  While I ride, I am still vigilant.

The obvious hand signals come in to play here. When I feel a car may not see my signal flashing indicating my lane merge, which I believe happens often, I’ll extend my arm and point aggressively and demonstratively in the direction I’m going.  Of course I don’t merge until I know it’s safe to do so and the hand signal adds a bit of mental, and physical, security.

Yep, the other hand signal you’re thinking of has been used early on in my riding fun. While not very useful, the use of the finger as a hand signal you’re thinking about was employed after the inattentive and dangerous actions of motorist shown in the Instagram video below.  My post actions aren’t shown here, but rest-assured I felt justified in the hand signal I used.

http://www.instagram.com/p/BUXD2bCF8HU/

It’s also easier on a motorcycle than it is in a car, or even a bicycle, to use hand signals to let motorists they are behaving in an unsafe manner. Sometimes it effective, or times it’s not, but it is satisfying.  I probably won’t employ the “phone-to-the-helmet, hang-up-the-phone” signal too much anymore.  Drivers’ need to check their Facebook feed seems to supersede safety and it’s so prevalent that quite honestly that’s all I’d do at every stoplight if I continued to use it.  I’d rather look for my escape routes than fight a losing smartphone battle.

A signal that I like to use is the “slow-the-fuck-down” signal.  This is one that is sometimes effective. Especially at an intersection with a stop sign that I’m at, oncoming traffic does not have a stop sign, and there are a lot of pedestrians.  I’ve actually had a commercial truck driver slow down and wave a thank-you.  Maybe he thought I was warning him about a speed trap, but at least he slowed down.  to signal, I hold a flat hand and raise and lower it several times. I could employ the motorcyclists’ group ride signal of an arm reached out lowering it to the hip as or even decoy with a helmet tap to signal a cop, but those are less clear than a clear aggressive “slow-the-fuck-down” signal all motorists understand.

The “back-the-fuck-off” hand signal is useful.  I hold a flat palm with fingers facing down and push my arm back.  I only use this if a few rapid brake light flashes are ineffective.   In fact, I’ve only used it twice. Once with success and another where the driver stayed right on me.  At the next intersection an SUV driver behind me shouted at me.  I could hear him. but what he said was inaudible.  I just pointed to my ear and  shrugged my shoulders.  I now ride with earplugs in, so if that happens again, I won’t even hear the inaudible expletives drivers may shout at me.

My favorite so far is the “your-blinker-is-still-on” signal.  This only works for drivers behind me.  I’ve only used this once.  For three blocks a drivers turn signal was still on.  At a stop, I first used an index finger and and circled it around my rear turn signal.  That didn’t work as the drivers turn signal stayed on for another block.  At the next stop, I used the same motion with my index finger, but this time I closed and opened my hand extending my fingers outward like a mini-light explosion. It worked!  The motorist immediately turn off their signal.

What hand signals do you use while riding?  Let me know!

Open Road Harley-Davidson Blog Post

Just a quick post here to say that Open Road Harley-Davidson, the dealership I bought my Harley Iron 883 from, did a quick blog post on me. Check it out:

Happy Customer Loves His Iron 883

Harley Iron 883: Motorcycling Joie de Vivre – Part One

It didn’t take long for me to feel comfortable on my Harley Iron 883.  It was six weeks ago that I rode the Sportster for the first time and three weeks ago that I rode it on my first lengthy 100-mile trip.  That’s a short period of time for both, but to me it feels like ages ago because I’ve gain a lot of skill and confidence on the bike since then.  Don’t read that as “complacent.”  I’m still as vigilant and ATGATT as I was when I started, but I’m doing it with a hell of a lot more joie de vivre.  Should a Harley owner say phases like “joie de vivre?”  Meh, I don’t care.  Freedom and motorcycles are intensely connected and  freedom means to me is enjoying my ride they way I see fit, regardless what direction the Harley prevailing winds are blowing. Especially if it’s a headwind.

I’m getting pretty comfortable on my Harley Iron 883. Even when there is a road raging jerk getting out of his car to flail expletives at cars honking at him because he’s blocking traffic.

These six weeks have been amazing.  I’m having a blast discovering what I am capable on the bike.  Swerving tactics to avoid being hit by merging drivers is one skill that I shouldn’t enjoy doing so much, but I know that white SUV driver did not see me in his blind spot while we were  in the otter loop going around the Wisconsin State Capitol.  I had to swerve into the bike lane to avoid being hit.  That’s a maneuver I would not be able to do in a car.

I also like the quick acceleration on a motorcycle.  There is a right turn on my commute into work that goes up a hill while angled far to the right.  It’s basically 45-degree right turn up a steep hill.  That’s challenging for a beginning motorcyclist.  Adding to the difficult maneuver, the turn usually is right after starting off from a red light during busy morning commuting traffic.   My first few times executing this turn, I think use what I learned.  I just searched and executed.  I was so focused on search, by looking and worried about the cars behind me, that I completely forgot about evaluating my turn.  This resulted in me taking this steep angled and high-hilled turn too wide.  My counter-weighting (AKA, lean angle) was poor, I was pulling on the throttle too late, and, while my speed was fast enough, I wasn’t using my counter-steering skills that I’ve been successfully executing the last few weeks. I needed a better plan for this challenging angled-hill-turn.

Even riding at night is fun on my Harley Iron 883.

Okay, back to my MSF course training.  Ah, yes, S.E.E., Search-Evaluate-Execute.  I was only really fully executing.  Before taking on this hill, I recently watched a few you-tube video where motorcyclists were rear-ended by distracted motorists.  So, like a restless little kid at bedtime that had been told that there is a monster under their bed, I was so focused on not being rear-ended.  Mind-you, I still used S.E.E. while I rode, but this high-angled-hill turn was a big distraction from what I needed to do to be safe.  Centrifugal force was pushing me wide into the other lane on the turn, while it not a high-traffic road, it could be a dangerous situation if I did evaluate and execute this better.  Here’s what I did.

I knew I was coming into the turn too hot.  Pushing myself into the opposite lane on the turn is a good clue that that’s the case.  I was worried about the cars behind me after the red light, so I thought getting out of the way quickly was the best plan. It only led to rushed evaluation of my turn.  Sure, I could have counterweighted by leaning to my right more, and I may take this turn that way sometime in the future, but with only four or five weeks of skill on two wheels, There is a better, and safer way.  I’m usually stopped by the red light proceeding this turn, so what I do now is accelerate fast enough to get ahead of any vehicles behind me.  A quick glance in my mirror tells me that I’ve got a pretty good cushion, even if I don’t aggressive taps on on my brakes alerts tailgaters that I’m slowing WAY down. If they need to come to a near stop while I safely turn, tough cookies.  Next I make sure I’m in the center of the road before I turn.

Practicing emergency stopping, slow maneuvering, and swerving at an emtpy mall parking lot near my house has help imensley with my confidence while riding in real world situations. Especially when danger has come up.

This give me enough of a road to execute the steep angle.  I then look up the hill to where I’m going.  This is key. I then start my turn with a good lean angle, I feel the angle rather than watch it, because I’m still looking up the hill to where I’m going. Feeling good about where the bike is heading I pull on the throttle, If I shifted down to first, I put her in second to get up the hill, but only after I’ve put the bike upright. Once at the top, I shift into third and continue on down the road.

The first time I took this turn after I planned ahead, I successfully executed the turn without merging into the opposite lane.  Good thing too because for the first time going up this hill there was a driver coming down the hill going what seemed to be 10 MPH over a safe speed for that hill.

I’m digging my increased comfort level and how I’m concentrated so heavily on safety while I ride. Some may think my focus on safety may take the fun out of motorcycling.  I feel it’s all part of the motorcycling joie de vivre.

 

In part Two of Motorcycling Joie de Vivre, I’ll write about how much fun it is to be able to communicate with other motorists on the road with hand signals.

My First 100-Mile Motorcycle Ride

Last October when the air was crisp and the leaves had changed from summer greens to  the beauty of reds and oranges, I rode my bicycle 100 miles from Madison to where my parents live in central Wisconsin.  It’s not the first time I made this journey by bicycle and one a route I really enjoy.

With the exception of one intersection, the first 10 miles are through some of Madison’s

Near the Wisconsin State Capitol Building on my Harley Iron 883

best neighborhoods for cycling.  The next 40 are along some great backroads in Dane and Dodge Counties passing through a few small towns with just enough character to appreciate, but none that would attract tourists that make riding through a bit of a challenge.  The next 30 miles is along, what I believe , is the the most unheralded multi-use trails in the state of Wisconsin: The Wild Goose trail.  You’ll see an occasional dog walker, a couple enjoying a stroll in nature, or another cyclist, but there are very few users of this trail.  It’s a true hidden gem. For 34-miles, the trail runs along the Horicon March State and National Wildlife Areas.  Add the beauty of the leaves changing during autumn, the birds and other wildlife withing the natural area, and the low use of the trail by other people, it makes for a peaceful ride.

I’ve enjoyed this route on my bicycle so much that I decided to ride it on my motorcycle. Mind you, I have only been riding a motorcycle for 10 days, so I figured it would be an adventure.

While I wouldn’t be able to take my Harley on the Wild Goose State Trail, there are enough roads along this route to satisfy my need for both beauty and challenging motorcycle riding.  Seasoned motorcycle riders may find some roads less of a challenge, but 10-day into my motorcycling adventures these roads are appropriate.  One section of the route in southwest Dodge County takes me along a short section of the Crawfish River. It’s not well known, which makes this river more appealing.  As I approached a turn leading up to the river, I saw a small muskrat sniffing on the left side of the road.  I heard the roar of my bike well enough  in advance to scurry to the river side of the road, where, presumably, it ran to its river burrow.

In northeast Dane County along one of the many backroads on my 100-mile ride.

From there my route took me just north of Reeseville down Seven Hill Road. Some wayward construction project must have removed a few hills because by my count Seven Hill Road only has five. I’ve been down this road quite a few time on my bicycle.  It’s fun to ride and it didn’t disappoint on my Harley.

Rolling into Reeseville is not a bad experience, but other than a place to get fuel and a bar called “Rehab,” there is not much to do other than to roll though with the Amy Winehouse song in your head.

The rest of the route take me near the Horicon Marsh.  I’s good riding.  This ride was during early spring, so I’d imagine that summer and autumn will be prettier rides with more tree colors and places to stop for ice cream.

It was windy during this ride.  15-18 mph headwinds most of the way.  I don’t have a windshield so it made it more of a challenge.  I don’t anticipate riding at interstate speeds very often and I use a full faced helmet, so I likely won’t get a windshield.  I’ll never say never though on that. With that said, I need to train myself to lighten my deathgrip on the bars.  My left hand was a bit numb during the last 20 miles.  This is an issue that I have on longer rides on my bicycle, so it’s nothing new.  I;ve corrected it on the bicycle by adjusting the levers off my ulnar nerve (the one that runs through the middle of your lower palm to to your wrist), but that’s not an option on the Harley.  Lightening up on my grip is the best option.

I purchased a set of Viking saddlebags and I don’t have them installed yet.  So I stuffed a backpack full of everything I needed for this journey.  My shoulders hurt by the end of the ride.  For the next long trip, I’ll need to have those saddlebags installed.  The stock seat is great for short trips around Madison, but man, my ass was lumpy hard by mile 80. I purchased a Mustang touring saddle for the Iron 883 with a back rest.  The seat should make long distances easier on my ass and the backrest will likely help with riding at faster speeds more comfortably.

The ride back was equally as fun, but not nearly as challenging.  I lightened my load by leaving the backpack behind.  It’s so much more comfortable riding without it.  I also had the wind at my back most of the way.  So I sat more upright at faster speeds.  When I road by Crawfish River again, I saw my old friend the Muskrat dart across the road.  I’ll expect to see him every time I ride through.

I’ve gained enough confidence on the motorcycle early on.  Enough to feel comfortable in all types of traffic.  Comfort is different than lax.  I’ve ridden my bicycle in enough hairy situations to remain vigilant.  This is no different on the motorcycle–at a faster pace. Knowing this, I went through the isthmus when I returned to Madison.  Traffic was heavy along Willy St.  An SUV behind me had his driver-side turn signal on for about four blocks. So during stop-and-start traffic, I aggressively pointed to my left rear tail light.  Another block later his signal was still on.  I pointed again, but this time I opened and closed my fist to mimic a blinking light.  Fist to fingers fist to fingers.  seconds later the SUV driver turned his signal off.

It’s a nice perk being able to non-verbally communicate more effectively than if I were caged in a car or moving too slowly on bicycle.

Blue Skies and fair winds help me keep the rubber side down on my Harley Iron 883.  Near Henry Vilas Zoo, Madison, WI

Like the summer changing to crisp autumn air and green foliage changing to fall colors, my transition from cyclist to motorcyclist is going just as beautifully.  I’m looking forward to may more long ride on my Harley.

My First Week Riding a Motorcycle

“It’s patina,” was my second thought. That after I looked at the black marks left by my header pipe heat shield. It’s all I could think after scraping against a curb less than ten miles on my new ride.  My first thought was, “oh shit! I’m going to tip over.”  I didn’t though. Transferring skills from a 249cc 300lb bike I learned uewto ride on to an 883cc 560lb bike was more challenging than I anticipated.  I intellectualized what I needed to do before I got on my Harley Iron 883, but without experience, I would not know the nuances, despite similar riding positions, of how different these two bikes really are.  In just one short week, my patina on my heat shield is one of many skills I learned and, believe it or not, a great example of what I enjoyed.  More on why below.

Here is how I break down my first week.

What I Enjoyed 

The similarities and differences between motorcycling and bicycling 
Before I even considered getting on a motorcycle, I knew that there would be some similarities.  Balance and shifting weight to turn have to be similar, I thought.  Cyclists and motorcyclist share one really important issue in common, we both face the same dangers from the road, elements and other vehicular traffic.  Many motorist don’t understand that shit in the road and potholes feel multitude times larger while riding  a bicycle. It’s no different on a motorcycle, except that avoiding these requires faster reaction times.  So it’s ecesntial to be alert and constantly scan for dangers in the road. Wind.  I didn’t expect it to be as much of a factor on a motorcycle as it is.  Wind while riding bicycle makes it easier or harder to pedal depending on wind direction. On a motorcycle, cross winds are challenging especially if there are strong gusts. Leaning correctly against the wind is important.  For other vehicles, visibility is the obvious one similarity, but when motorist do see motorcyclists, they expect them to behave as other traffic would. In the short week that I’ve been riding, I’ve been clipped a few times.  I’ve learned to expect this and adjust my position on the street accordingly.  Motorist also expect that motorcyclist should travel at the same speed as other motorist.  Depending on the conditions (wind, curves, road detritus, potholes, other vehicle traffic) it’s necessary to adjust speed differently than cars.  Some less patient motorists react in negatively by tailgating or speeding around in a no passing zone.

The challenge of learning a new skill, sped way up

Holy piston slap, batman.  There is a lot to contend with!  Balancing, leaning, shifting (without lugging or revving high RPMs), scanning for motorists that want to kill you!! Is this supposed to be fun?!  Well, it is.  I started riding on Saturday of this week.  By Wednesday I was riding in traffic. By Friday I was really comfortable riding in traffic.  So comfortable I was visibly shaking my head.

Discovering the nuances of my motorcycle

Learning to ride your motorcycle is a lot like the beginning of a relationship.  How should you handle the shifter, the clutch, and the throttle. My bike likes it rough with the shifter, tender softness with the throttle and depeding on the situation, a little of both with the clutch.  This is all true for now, but monotony may set in and we’ll have to mix things up a bit.  We’re still talking about learning to ride a motorcycle, right. Whew,  I feel a nervous sweat setting in.

So What Did I Learn in this first week?

Relax and don’t deathgrip the bars on the motorcycle.  Loosen up your grip.  Rigidity is not only uncomfortable, it slows your reaction time and makes turning and leaning more difficult.  Each time I found myself with stiff arms and a deathgrip, I paused for a short second and reminded myself to relax.

Weight really matters.  I’ve only been riding a week, so I’ll speak to this as a new rider.  My Harley Iron 883 is 562 lbs. The little Suzuki I learned on was 300 lbs lighter.  I felt I could maneuver that little bike wherever I wanted the moment I got got on it. Not so much with the Iron 883.  I needed a little more time to get the feel of how to shift my weight with the bike.  I have a lot more time to fully get the feel for this. It part pf the relationship factor.  It’s still early on. We need more time for our love to set in. We’ll get there though. This ain’t no hit it and quit!

Where your eyes go, you go.  I knew this to be true from riding a bicycle. Sped things up 20-30 mph and this becomes more true than ever.  If I look at that pothole, I’m going to ride right over it and feel all it’s ugliness on my bum.  Take a quick scan of the road.  If there is a pothole, lean if there is time or swerve if you can do so safely and look down the road to where you should be going next.

“Four Fingers on the Front Brake” should not be law said in mantra to remember. This phrase was repeated so many  times during my MSF BasicRider course that it darn near got stuck in my head.  On the little Suzuki, this worked well for me.  Noit so much on the Harley. With four fingers on the brake, I would grab not only the brake, but a palmful of throttle.  When I pull on the lever, I’d roll on accidentally.  This lead to my  header pipe heat shield “patina” shown above. Once I started using only my pointer and middle finger did I get better control f the bike. This was not a way I wanted to learn this, but I have a nice reminder every time I look at the drive side of my bike.

It doesn’t take long to develop muscle memory.  I’ve learned so much in a week.  Riding over 300 miles in that week helped and it lead to training my brain to go on autopoilot so that it can think about more important things like scanning for motorists that are about to kill me and buick-sized potholes.  I became so comfortable on the bike that my next post will be about riding 100 miles to my parents house in central Wisocnsin. I look forward to telling you all about it.  In the meantime, if you’re a new rider, or a seasoned one, go on get cozy with your bike.  Get to know her nuances.  You’ll only have this early part of your relationship once.

 

 

 

Today I Ride (How I Got My Motorcycle License and How You Can Too)

This post is several days overdue.  Not because I’m a procrastinator.  I am that. I mean, I waited until I reached my forties before riding and buying my first motorcycle. This post is overdue because I have been riding my 2017 Harley Iron 883 for better part of the last three days!  I’d be out there riding right now, but the sky has opened up with a deluge of rain.  Not a good combo with a rider that only has three days of riding experience. I’ll be honest and say that riding a bike 235 lbs heavier than the Suzuki TU250X I learned to ride on was intimidating and challenging.  Hell, the difference in weight is pretty close to the weight of the Suzuki. I haven’t even mentioned the difference in engine power, which is a little over 3.5X larger!

There is so much to learn and do as a motorcyclist.  I can feel my brain expanding as my cells grow. No, really.  reserch has shown that riding a motorcycle is good for your brain. Check it out here.  Yeah science, bitch! All that wonderful inprovment in cognitive ability could be offset by one rookie mistake.  I’ve already put a good sized scratch in the header pipe heat shield scraping a curb on a turn. I hadn’t even put ten miles on the bike yet! Learning to wield 560 lbs around while in motion at street speeds ain’t easy, but it sure is a hell of a lot of fun!

This time two weeks ago, I was still only wondering what riding would be like. This time last week I was sitting in the DMV hoping to pass to get my “M” endorsement. So how did I get to this point?

First, keep dreaming of throwing a leg over the bike of your dreams and squeezing the throttle. It’ll keep you motivated, especially when you get discouraged. Learning to ride a motorcycle is like going back to being 16 years old and learning to drive a car, but 100x more difficult. Before you even touch a motorcycle, do as much research as possible. Look at bike types.  Which bike appeals to you and determine why.  Looks shouldn’t be the only factor. Do you need a low bike because you have a short inseam?  You’ll need to reach the ground when stopping. Are you tall? If so, you may need a custom Harley like Shaquille O’neal’s.

Also look at costs. You’re going to need to to include safety gear into that cost.  Having purchased cycling helmets my whole life, I was astounded that low end motorcycle helmet prices started at upper end cycling helmet prices. Some really good motorcycle helmets cost $700.  It’s not just a helmet you’ll need.  It may look like cosplay to some, but that leather jacket, chaps, and boots are for safety.  Leather not your thing?  There are plenty of textile safety jackets and other non-cosplay-looking gear out there that costs just as much or more. I’ve been a motorcyclist for exactly one week and I spent nearly $1000 on safety gear before I got on my bike for the first time. I’m planning on spending more. Sure, that’s a lot of money, but it’s a small price to pay for keeping your skin and protecting your noggin when going down in a crash. Maybe it’s because I’m at that age when my youthful invincibility is wearing off or maybe I’m getting smarter because of all the years of cycling I’ve done has the same effect on my brain that motorcycling does.  Whatever the reason, safety while riding a motorcycle was just as important as fun and aesthetics.  It should be at the forefront of every motorcyclist’s mind, new and seasoned

Still keeping your dream bike in mind for motivation, find out if motorcycling is truly for you.  The very best way to do this inexpensively is to take a a Motorcycle Safety Foundation certified Basic RiderCourse.  Not only, for just a few hundred dollars, will you learn the foundations of safely riding a motorcycle in a classroom setting, you’ll also spend 10 hours of riding time on a closed course. Motorcycles are provided so you can get the skills you need on a smaller bike.  Helmets are also provided, but I would suggest getting your own so you have one that fits you well. The classroom works for some, but that’s not how I learn. I’m much better at learning by doing, so I learned more in on the bike during the class.  I’m also convinced I got more out of 10 hours of riding than I could have making a multitude of errors riding alone. Though, I’ve made my share while riding over the last three days.  The best part is, in some states, successfully completing a BRC provides a waiver so you don’t have to take the skills assessment at the DMV.  Saving you time and money.  This is the case in Wisconsin where I’m from.

After you’ve learned how to ride, passed your written tests, and passed your skills test you think you’re ready to safely ride.  Not even close.  There is so much more to learn. Emergency maneuvers and counter-steering to name a few. What I’m doing is reading a book titled Proficient Motorcycling by David L. Hough.  I may review this book at some point. This book has been helpful so far.  I’ll read a section or chapter and then get on the bike and apply what I’ve read.  So far so good.  The older version can be picked up for a couple of bucks and the update version is only about $15 or so.

Finally, you are going to get a shit-ton of advice from every seasoned rider, young and old.  It’s true in life and now also motorcycling: there is more than one way to skin a cat.  However, listen to and process the advice of these seasoned riders. Absorb it with all it’s useful glory.  You’ll find though that advice from one seasoned rider may contradict the advice of another.  In the end, do safely what works for you.

Wait, what is this?  The sun is peaking out and the roads have dried?  I’m off to ride.  Give me a wave when you see me on the road.

Everything New Motorcyclists Should Know

I can’t wait to get on my motorcycle for the first time. I bought a 2017 Harley-Davidson Iron 883.  It was the first Wisconsin snowstorm of the 2016-2017 winter when I walked into the dealership to chat about buying a motorcycle.  With the snow falling, it was difficult to imagine me riding a motorcycle.  That did not quell my kid-like excitement to get on the bike.   Alas, I had to wait at least until April to get the motorcycle (more on why below).

As I headed home with the same can’t-wait excitement (that hasn’t waned in the four months since), I thought about what I need to know as a new motorcyclist. I guess this should be titled what I don’t yet know, but hope to after I become a skilled rider. That’s not so catchy now is it?  My hope here is to come back after gaing some experience and skill and see if my assumptions are correct. The disclaimer here is I’m coming from the bicycling world and this may impact my thoughts, but this leads to the first item on this guide:

Riding a Motorcycle is nothing like riding a bicycle
In some respects, it is like riding a bicycle, isn’t it? I’m guessing speed, bike weight, and areas of travel will play major factors here in making this true.

Safety is the most import factor while riding a motorcycle
I’m guessing fun will be part of it, but a tragic crash will put a damper on that.

Every Motorist is out to kill you
Hey, it feels like this while riding a bicycle, why not equally as true while riding a motorcycle?  I feel pretty invisible to motorists as a cyclist, I’m guessing this will be equally as true while on a motorcycle.

Rain is going to hurt at high speeds
Rain at 15 mph on a bicycle doesn’t feel like a warm shower, especial in near freezing temps.  I’m guessing at greater speeds on a motorcyle isn’t going to tickle.

Laying down the bike is not a matter of if, but when 
I’ll take every measure to prevent this, but I know very well that I’m not invincible.  Even more so as a new rider.

It’s going to be a shit-ton of fun
Of this, I have no doubt

A New Two Wheel Adventure: From a Bicycle to a Motorcycle

I learned how to ride a bike at a very young age.  I’ve had forays into other activities (some quite healthy and others not so), but ever since I was able to pedal without falling over, the bicycle has been the solution to every conundrum I’ve ever had. It took far too long for me to make that connection.

The bicycle is a means of transportation.  It got me to the corner candy store when I was 8 years old and later, when I was 17 and without a car, to my girlfriend’s house.  Now I ride my bicycle to and from work about 50 miles per week (soon to be 65 miles when I move next month).

The bicycle also saved me a ton of money.  My daily commutes to work and trips to the grocery store save me on insurance, gas, expensive car repairs and the unmeasurable health benefits that kept me from spending money on doctors and the latest exercise gimmick (I’m looking at you Vibro-belt).

That’s not what this blog is about though. This blog is about adventure.  That and learning to ride a motorbike after a lifetime of cycling.

At the top of Logan Pass in Glacier National Park after climbing 3,477 feet biking 32 miles along the the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Going down was a lot more fun.

The bicycle has has taken me on numerous adventures from ocean shores to 6000-foot mountain passes.  When I buy a motorcycle this March,  I’ll kick my two wheel adventure up a notch with a bit of motorcycle fun between my legs.

Why am I making this transition?  Well, simply, for adventure. I’ll never stop riding a bicycle.  It’s my first and true two wheel love.  The motorcycle is an extension of my love for all two-wheeled transportation.

This blog will touch on why I chose a certain motorcycle to ride, learning to ride a motorcycle, how to safely ride a motorcycle, the differences and similarities between cycling and motorcycle riding, and, most importantly, all the adventures along the way. What I hope you’ll see in early post on this blog is a ton of cycling adventure-related images and posts.  As my motorbike adventures increase, I hope to have a balance of the two. Maybe one will overtake the other at times, but there will many adventures along the way.