bikerdan@centralarizonabikers.com

TM

YO! BIKERDAN. HEY DUDE MY WIFE FINALLY GAVE ME THE OKAY TO BUY A BIKE AND JOIN MY FRIENDS ON THE ROAD.  I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT I BUY THE RIGHT SCOOTER FOR ME SINCE IT MIGHT BE A WHILE BEFORE I HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY ANOTHER ONE!                                   SIGNED. ‘WANNA BE A BIKER’

Dear ‘WANNA BE A BIKER’:

I bought my first bike in 1972 for $400.00. I almost killed myself on that bike, both on the road and off.  Each bike I’ve purchased since then has been progressively more expensive.  I actually paid more for my last bike than I did for my last house!  Okay, so I live in a ghetto...

RULE ONE:  Establish a budget.  Know how much you can afford to spend before you start shopping.  Unless you are independently wealthy and looking to enhance your collection, a new bike is an expensive investment.  Know your limits, and stick to them!

RULE TWO:  Define your personal riding style.  How do you plan on using this motorcycle?  Long distance touring bikes are usually quite different than raked-out choppers or stripped down bobbers.  Decide how you ride most of the time, and you will narrow down your choices quickly.

Here’s another question to ask yourself concerning these first two rules.  Would you prefer a brand new blinged-out beauty, fresh off the showroom floor?  How about a couple of second-hand specialty scooters--maybe a late-model touring rig with a few miles AND a rattle-canned bar-hopper--for the same price?

RULE THREE:  Third and most important, test drive a least three different bikes before you sign any paperwork.  I’m not suggesting you pick up a copy of the Cycle Trader and demand a free ride to the Circle K and back.  That’s just not being bike-friendly.

I’m talking about renting at least three times before you buy.  You need to spend a day or two in the saddle before you really get to know a bike.  Plan a weekend trip.  Rent your favorite bike, and ride the tires off the thing!  (Get the optional insurance, and ride it like you stole it.)  Then, do it again next weekend!  I would rather “invest” a couple of C-notes in a few rentals than take a $20K chance on a bike that I have never ridden.

Those are my THREE BIG RULES for buying a motorcycle.  If you don’t know exactly what you are looking for, I would suggest you start with a smaller bike (just like I did, back in the day).  You can work your way up to bigger models as you gain experience on the road, and ‘learning by doing’ has always been a great way to make some memories.

Ride Safe, Ride Free

BikerDan

Dear BikerDan:  My ‘ex’ is thinking of trading his V-Rod for a crotch rocket.  I may have the opportunity to trade him my 2004 Heritage Softail for the totally chromed out V-Rod.  He would trade the Heritage in on his new purchase.  The V-rod is a 2003 and TOTALLY chromed out;  but only has a tank that will go 100 miles before refueling. Your thoughts?  Softail

Dear Softail:

You didn’t mention which model of the V-Rod, but I would suspect the value is close to that of your ’04 Heritage.  Since his motivation would be to receive a better trade-in price, you could easily consult the Kelly Blue Book for average retail and wholesale prices.

I know that newer V-Rods have larger (under-seat) tanks.  What looks like the gas tank on all V-Rods is actually the air box!  I’m not sure if the larger fuel tanks are easily retro-fitted to earlier models.

The real question is:  How do you like the ride of his bike compared to your Heritage?  I have ridden several Softail Classics, and enjoyed each one thoroughly, but have never even straddled a V-Rod.  I know they can be set up for long distance touring and the Revolution engine/power train has proven to be a capable platform for racking up the miles on the road.

I once saw a Cycle Visions V-Rod conversion with a Road Glide fairing and hard bags; it looked even sweeter than my own Electra-Glide!  But, again, the proof is in the ‘putting’.  If you enjoy spending time in the saddle , that bike will work for you.  However, if you can’t get comfortable wrapping your legs around the bike, don’t waste your time or money!

If you are looking for a long-term relationship with the bike, spend a weekend aboard the V-Rod, and make a list of it’s pros and cons.  Then jump on your Heritage and ride while the V-Rod is still fresh in your mind.

You’ll make the right choice Softail!  I guarantee it.

HOME  COTTONWOOD  FLAGSTAFF  JEROME  PAYSON  PRESCOTT  SEDONA  SHOWLOW  TUCSON  WICKENBURG  WILLIAMS  WINSLOW

BANNER PAGE BANNER LINKS DSLCARDS  EVENTS  YAVAPAI EVENTS  ARIZONA EVENTS  NATIONAL EVENTS  WORLD EVENTS BIKESHOP STOP BIKER WEBSITE ART  BIKER CLUBS  BIKER POSTERS  BIKERBABES  BIKER CHICKS  BIKER DUDES  ASK BIKERDAN SAFETY  CAB  RIDES  FORSALE

Hi BikerDan...I recently viewed your new page on Central Arizona Bikers ‘Ask BikerDan’ and I was wondering if you could help me out?  My question is regarding what type of accessories I should be planning to buy for my new bike.  There are so many of them and so many different places to buy them.  Can you recommend anything? Plain ol’ Bob

Dear  Ol’Bob:

First of all, congratulations on your new bike purchase.  The riding season is just getting underway, and I’m sure you are looking forward to racking up many miles and adventures on your new motorcycle.

As far a customizing goes, everyone has their own ideas concerning accessories and styling.  Some riders are most concerned with improving the performance of their machines.  Other riders consider comfort first when they begin to customize their bikes.  Still others are all about the ‘bling’.  Which direction will be right for you?

If you enjoy the feeling of power, your list of accessories will most likely include new pipes, and perhaps a free-flowing air cleaner, along with any necessary adjustments to your fuel management system.  Often referred to as the ‘Stage One Harley Tax’, these improvements can really wake up the sleeping giant beneath your saddle.

If you are satisfied with your bike’s performance, and expecially if you log more miles than the average rider, improving the comfort of your bike will be more important to you.  Touring seats, highway pegs, fairings and wind screens, as well as saddlebags, package racks and other related accessories will add to your touring comfort, while those miles fly by.  And, let’s face it, your enjoyment factor really gets a boost when you feel comfortable riding your bike.

If you imagine your bike shod with eye-popping chrome and jaw-dropping paint, you are not alone.  Almost every biker has purchased one or more accessories simply for the ‘eye candy’.  Some scooters are all decked-out with ‘theme’ treatments, such as controls and covers with matching flame jobs, skulls, or iron crosses, et.  Since my own bike is black, I am considering an 8-ball theme.  I wish I could find a cue stick that fits in my saddlebag!

Radical paint sets, chrome accessories and custom replacement parts can really personalize a stock bike, and always helps it stand out in a crowd!

There are also many safety modifications that can be added, such as auxiliary lighting, oversized mirrors, and rider-specific apparel.  Safety upgrades are always a welcome addition to any motorcycle.

The first accessory I bought for my own bike was the service manual.  This has helped me immensely as I continue to customize the ‘Black Flag’

If you still don’t know which direction is right for you, just pick up a complimentary Parts and Accessories catalog from your favorite dealer and see if there is anything you just can’t live without.  And remember, the purchase price of that new motorcycle is just the down-payment on the accessories.

Ride Free, BikerDan

Wow BikerDan you sure sound like you know alot about motorcycles!  My question has to do with ‘riding’.  Not just down the highway but more like on the ‘twisties’ or ‘switchbacks’.  It seems to me that I really need to know this before really enjoying riding my biker. Signed: Lots Of Curves

That is for sure LOC! 

This is a complex subject that often perplexes seasoned riders and novices alike.  I could articulate in-depth about ‘counter-steering’, the ‘gyroscopic effect on cornering’, or ‘tire properties relating to adhesion’.  But I think it’s best to start with some basics.  Start by dividing every turn with these same three ideas in mind.

ONE:  Your bike should enter every turn slowly enough to safely negotiate the turn without braking.  Entering a turn too hot is always a bit scary.  If you wait to apply the brakes until you are negotiating the turn, you will upset the balance of the bike, as well as the ‘line’ you are attempting to ride as you make your way through the turn.  So always apply the brakes BEFORE entering the turn. ‘SLOW DOWN’!

TWO:  Lean the bike into the turn.  This technique is much easier to complete when your speed has been reduced to a safe, comfortable rate BEFORE you enter the turn.  Of course, leaning the bike just right allows you to hold that perfect line through the apex of the curve, but this all comes with practice.  Lean your bike into every turn:  in parking lots, when pulling away from street lights, at crowded intersections, on mountain curves, and even on freeway ramps.

THREE:  Accelerate through the turn.  Applying power helps to pull your bike through the turn, while also conteracting the force of gravity.  Remember, you just leaned the bike into the turn, almost like trying to tip the machine on its side.  A smooth steady application of the throttle will act to pull your bike back into the upright position as you power thru the turn.

If you want to practice negotiating curves, just use thes three simple techniques.  Flying through the sweepers and switchbacks will feel much more safe and fun.  Of course you don’t have to be going fast to feel the rush.  Confident and relaxed is the best way to feel in the wind.  Remember these three rules and you will feel safe and in control of your machine at every turn.

Ride Safe, Ride Free!  BikerDan

Hey BikerDan!  I have a ‘tech’ question for ya.

My front disc brake has alot of disc noise altho not while braking.  It is just very noisy when I am riding.  I know that pads are suppose to slightly touch but they are just too noisy.  I installed new pads during last fall and cycled the piston in and out a few times before reinstalling the caliper.  But shortly thereafter the noise came back.  On my last ride I became a little irritated and decided to drag the brakes at 69 mph a few times until I could smell them and then parked the bike in the garage.  I am not sure if it helped or not because I haven’t ridden it since.  Also, there are no grooves in the rotors.  Any ideas?  Thanks, Skullhead

Heya Skull!

The first thing I would do is wheel the bike outside the barn and blast it with some compressed air.  Brake dust has a tendency to accumulate in the calipers, causing the pads to squeak.  Another thing, you might have glazed the pads.  You can lightly scuff the surface of the pads with a belt sander to remove the glaze.  While you are at it, you could also bevel the leading edges of the pads at a 45 degree angle.  I have also heard of using anti-squeal shims on the backs of the pads to help absorb some of the vibration that may be causing your noise.  The cut-to-fit, peel and stick aluminum shims are inexpensive, and seem to work better than liquid compounds.  Grease your caliper mounting pins, check your brake fluid level, and adjust the brake cable for proper freeplay at the lever.  Take your bike for a test ride.  If you are still hearing noise, try thinking outside the box.  For example, have you greased the front wheel bearings lately?  Sometimes these irritating noises can be tracked down simply by process of elimination.   Hope this helps.  Good Luck Skullhead

BikerDan