Motorcycle Consumer News / Motorcycle Consumer News / Product Reviews and Gadget Discussions

Weather protection for your smiling lips

ibafran — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:35:53 GMT

Recently it has come to my attention that some riders, and other outdoors-y types, have suffered from chapped and sunburned lips.

The Story: My progeny have a friend ( http://www.pdmoon.com/index.html ) from grammar school who grew up to race sled dogs in the Iditarod and other races. This year, we as a family collected some dough and sent him a 'support' package for the race. One of my progeny shills for Mary Kay and included Mary Kay Lip Protectant & SPF15 (about $7.50 USD) in the support package. Our sled dog racer recently reported that it was sunny and -35F in Alaska and that he had no chapped nor sun burnt lips while using the product.

Therefore, riders might want to look into this product if they occasionally suffer weather abused lips. My guess is that it would also work well on noses and cheekbones and other unprotected areas where/when the usual slathering of sunscreen is inconvenient or problematic and wind protection is not addressed at all.

Video camera

texasshabbychic — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:23:34 GMT

I want to get my husband a video camera for his bike for xmas, but don't know anything about them. What are the best ones? What mount is preferable? Whatever info ya'll can share is welcome. Thanks

Cee Bailey's Rain B Gone Rain Repellant for motorcycles and aircraft

ibafran — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 19:26:55 GMT

http://www.ceebaileys.com/ac_accessories/rainbgon.html

Ok, I got this as a holiday gift.

Supposedly, it is made safe for plastics. (FYI, Rain-X is not for plastics and is only for glass.)

So, I applied it to my helmet visor. And visibilty seemed ok in the dry. It hasn't rained on me since I got the stuff.

Anybody use this and can say how it works in the rain? My search for MCNews info on the product turned up zilch.

Deoxidizer spray?

gummycarbs — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 12:33:19 GMT

Several years ago, the 'new products' section of MCN covered some kind of awesome spray that would chemically remove oxidation from electrical connectors. They said they'd tried it and that it worked far better than any other such spray they'd tried.

Anyone know what product that was? I never managed to find the right back issue.

Bridgestone: developing airless tires for cars... And bikes, eventually?

sgtslag — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 08:16:26 GMT

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2011/12/09/bridgestone-developing-airless-puncture-proof-tier/?test=faces

This would be a leapfrog jump in bike safety, to have airless tires. Unfortunately, M/C tires are a niche item -- it may take a while for them to appear on the bike market. It could allow tire prices to drop, though, so it really has a lot of potential. Cheers!

Rain Suits

ChinCactus — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 15:27:26 GMT

I'm sure I read a review of rain gear in MCN this year. Anyone remember what issue?

Jim

'Tis the clearance season... Found some deals.

sgtslag — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 06:09:36 GMT

While shopping our local Mills Fleet Farm store, we discovered hi-tech T-shirts, offering comfort for different temperature ranges, including 75+ F! After this Summer's heat, we looked them over, and they appear to be a clone version of Under Armor products. The T-shirts were going for $11.99, available in navy blue, and olive drab green. They also had men's boxer briefs, in the same material. They were located in the hunting apparel area of the store. There were similar looking T-shirts for colder temperatures, as well, so depending upon what you are looking for, they may have it at a clearance price.

I suspect other retailers are clearancing their Summer products also. Now is the time to shop around, and see what deals can be had. Unfortunately, we won't have the chance to try our new gear out until next year, but for the price, they were a fantastic deal. Having had our riding this year curtailed severely, due to the high heat, these T-shirts seemed like a fantastic gamble. Cheers!

WIX Filters

drummer — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 05:04:04 GMT

Anybody use or try the WIX filters on their bike? I purchased one for a car from Amsoil (a reseller of them) and was wondering about bike use.

Suggestions, tips?

My GPS Review

Capri142 — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:24:08 GMT

A couple of weeks ago I got my Garmin Zumo 550 GPS. Now that I've had it for awhile. I figured to share some of the neat things it does. First is the speed, it is pretty much dead on and it shows that my VStar 950 speedometer is just about 8% off. I pretty much knew that, although I thought that it was even more. It is nice to know that when it says I am going 72 mph...well I'm going 72 mph. It has an odometer and compass. The compass is nice, esp here in Florida which on a grey day it can be pretty difficult to determine what direction one is headed. The odometer is OK but it just goes to prove that the Odometer on the bike is set pretty well as they both seem to match. The trip functions are the heart the GPS.....Type in an address, save it and it instantly draws a map and will tell you turn by turn out loud and visually how to get there, it also shows the distance to the destination as well as the next turn and the ETA. It can also calculate a route with different waypoints if you want to do a loop or trip. Gas getting low, on the reserve tank. just push the gas pump icon and all of the neares gas staions are listed, pick one of them and the GPS will draw a map and tell you how to get there. Same thing with all sorts of other merchants. One neat thing, it calculates the exact distance. For instance, I typed in my brothers address in Syracuse, NY...963.2 miles...from my house in N. Florida. About 4 good days on the bike...hmmmmm. I have the GPS mounted up on the front handlebar on a ram mount so that it sits up to the lower left side of the windscreen. It is very easy to see and reach. The Zumo 550 is easy to use even with the gloves on. I like this unit, it's not only fun to use but gives a lot of information at my fingertips that otherwise would not be available. This is one tech gadget that REALLY is helpful and not just something to play with. I have not hardwired it to the bike yet. planning on doing that soon as well as setting up the headphone so that I can listen to the sound and perhaps sign up for XM radio and MP3 tunes.

If you are looking for an upgrade to your bike, you might want to consider a GPS.

I am not associated in any way with Garmin products

2010 Triumph Thunderbird

Thors-Hammer-Homebrew — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:11:03 GMT

I read the 2010 Triumph Thunderbird review with great interest because I am looking to buy a new bike and like the triumph. However I am concerned about the fuel mileage. The review stated that the average mileage is 35 and the low was 25. How did the 25 miles per gallon happen? That seems to me to be very low. Did this happen on a ride with s serious headwind for example?

GoCruise throttle lock/cruise control

danham — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 08:36:41 GMT

I just got my first chance yesterday to really test the GoCruise. I like it and would recommend it to others, but with a warning that you need to know what it does and doesn't do.

I wanted a device that would perform about like the thumbscrew on my old Honda 750: set the tension high enough so that I can take my right hand off the grip and do minor clothing or gear adjustments and/or stretch and restore circulation after long periods of gripping. The GoCruise does an adequate job of that on my '09 BMW F800 ST, but is not as adjustable or reliable as that thumbscrew arrangement was. It is, however, arguably a bit safer.

The GoCruise on my bike is installed over a Grip Puppy. Even so, it does not grip as tightly as it could and so the throttle slowly works its way toward the closed position. At 70 mph on the highway, it took a little less than two miles to slow to 60 (no I wasn't climbing any hills). This is perfectly acceptable to me and certainly much better than de-clutching and coasting to free up my right hand. But for others reading this, you need to know what you're getting for $20. It's not like an automotive cruise control. The vendor has said he will provide free silicon sleeves to increase friction, but I don't really want to modify my Grip Puppies or do too much messing around with the OEM heated grips, which may not take kindly to lots of cutting and stretching in the vicinity.

That minor negative aside, the GoCruise in my opinion is miles ahead of any of the "Cramp Buster" type devices. Unlike those, it frees up your whole hand. It stays 100% out of the way when not needed, is easy and therefore safe to override to slow down, and is fairly convenient to engage with one finger.

I have a big highway haul coming up at the end of this month and am really glad I bought the GoCruise (I'm just a happy customer; no affiliation with this company)

http://2wheelride.com/throttle_pro.html

Light my fire

RePete — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:42:01 GMT

Sounds good, if a bit pricey. I especially like the 3 yr warranty part. No, I haven't tried one.

http://www.motovationusa.com/mvstore/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=1249

LED Headlights coming soon?

sgtslag — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 08:37:30 GMT

I've been searching e-Bay for high powered LED flashlights to use (hardwired: I am an electronic technician, so this is not too difficult for me to fabricate) as running lights on my bike, because it has a small alternator (275W max. output) -- I don't have the power to run 55W halogen lights on top of the rest of the lights. In my searching, I recently came across a 200W LED Street Light! Considering that LED's put out more Lumens per watt, than incandescent bulbs, this leads me to believe LED headlights for cars/motorcycles/etc. are coming soon.

Here is the link to the street light, available in three models, 150W, 200W, or 300W:

http://cgi.ebay.com/LED-200W-street-lamp-/150426838807?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2306236717#ht_899wt_912

This will render HID's obsolete. Not only that, but it will eliminate the mercury pollution issue with everybody switching to CFL's by 2014.

Currently, you can find a 100W, warm white LED "bulb" for $0.99 on e-Bay (http://cgi.ebay.com/100W-warm-white-High-Power-6000LM-LED-Light-Lamp-Bulb-/320550640928?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aa24e9d20#ht_3065wt_962). Running it on a bike would be a challenge: it needs 33-36VDC, and it requires a heat sink that can dissipate the 100W to keep it from burning up. Still, it is only a matter of time... Cheers!

Edit: My bad: they already are available, for ~$300 per 7" light, form JC Whitney...

http://www.jcwhitney.com/7-round-led-headlight/p2023192.jcwx?TID=100DF&redir=k232270

Helmet with a sun roof

ibafran — Sun, 01 May 2011 16:05:55 GMT

http://www.adventurebikerider.com/component/content/article/1-latest-news/532-em-j.html

Helmet with a sun roof.

Anybody trying this thing ought to give the forum a report.

This could be the cat's meow for riders suffering heat?

Cell Phone Interface for HD Intercom Harness

The Don — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 10:22:54 GMT

I drive an HD Electra Glide Ultra and have the standard HD intercom /mic/speaker helmet harnesses. It works great, but it would be even better if I could interface my cell phone with it somehow. Does anyone know of a cell phone interface that will work?

Batwing & Handlebar Stereo Syetem Reviews for Road King

JjR — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 13:02:30 GMT

I have been looking at Hoppe, Dragonfly, Kuryakyn and some others and as you know these babies aint cheap. I have yet to see actuall unbiased reviews on these systems as well as the handlebar mounted ones.

Before I plunk down $2k plus on one of theses I really would like to get some information and feedback on these various makes. Sound and build quailty as well as availabuility for mp3 player plugs ins. Not a fan of anything offered by Ibod.

Thanks,

Helmet

ironhead97 — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:26:12 GMT

I just bought a Hawk Helmet. I like it. It's the convertible with the internal shield. only $109.00 and I like it better than the Scorpion Exo 1000 that it's replacing.
The reason I bought it was the exhaust sound (from my recently purchased Electra Glide) was echoing inside of the Scorpion. So I borrowed a couple helmets and wore a couple of my old helmets and the echo went away. So when looking for a new helmet I didn't want to spend a lot, just in case it would have an echo too. I did a search and came up with the Hawk.
I have a petty large and long head so I got the extra large and it fits front to rear but was loose on the sides, so I put a little foam padding in the sides under the liner, and now it's perfect. I don't get the echo I was getting with the Scorpion and the wind noise is less as well.
I have to say I was really surprised at how much I liked it because, I really liked the Scorpion. It's just that when I got the Harley, there was just something about the after market pipes that caused the weird echo. I wasn't getting that on the Vulcan Nomad.

holiday gifts (b-days, anniv, etc too)

ibafran — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:20:17 GMT

Post up neat stuff that might make a good gift for your favorite biker.

Visit the Iron Butt Assn. site www,ironbutt.com

http://www.apgvideo.com/ironbutt07/index.htm Edit;There it is.

There is a DVD of the 2007 IronButt Rally at $50. If you liked those Long Way Round/Down things or know a biker who does, I bet that rider would love the IBR 07 DVD. Yes, I am an IBA member. So!!!???

Besides, the holiday gift thread is late this year. Somebody had to kick it off.

I got to look at and try on one of those Rider Wearhouse / Aerostich leather "Transit' jackets. Very nice. Very, very nice. Mmmmm. I will be glad to test the whole suit for the Magazine if they want. My initial thought is that the zipper joining the jacket to the pants isn't long enough to pass tech inspection at the track. But I bet the company will make it long enough if a buyer wanted it that way. If a rider absolutely has to have black leather, this could be the best answer since sliced bacon. It's marketed as 'waterproof'. Zippers and all!

Kuryakyn Boss Blades Lever

ironhead97 — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 18:29:01 GMT

Does anyone have experience with these?

Nexx Helmets

Wildcat2635 — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 10:45:08 GMT

Saw Nexx helmets at the recent show in Chicago. Seemed well built and the one I tried was about as comfortable as I've ever worn--albeit only briefly. They look like they're modeled after Russian military pilot helmets. Anyone here have experience with this brand, particularly with their 1/2 helmets -- they style of which I prefer?

Camelback Hydration Systems

fengIP — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 02:09:39 GMT

Well it is near 100 degrees here today. A good time to stay indoors and talk about staying cool. When you are out riding one thing that works for me the the Camelback Hydration System. Fill the bag with ice then top off with water. You can keep the bag in a tank bag or even better strap it under your jacket and the ice keeps you cool for a long time. You can find these on sale all the time just Google for Camelback.

Camelback Hydration Systems

IgnativsRose — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 00:11:25 GMT

YSS Shocks?

drummer — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 12:00:32 GMT

Yss shocks - my mechanic says that they are about equal quality to the ohlins for less money. Does anyone have any feed back on them?

Duct Tape

ibafran — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 14:34:08 GMT

As you know, Duct Tape is available in a wide range of colors and adhesive strength.

Most of us are familiar with the ubiquitous "Kentucky Chrome" color. And my long time favoite color is "Antique Motorcycle Seat (black)" NOW, I see in the L.L.Bean catalogue that our favorite motorcycle emergency repair material is available in PLAID. Several of my favorite old winter shirts with iron-on patches at the elbows can now be brought to 'like new' status.

The catalogue does not indicate if this color is a 'holiday only' special or not. Thus, buy plenty of it now, just in case. Imagine the smiles brought on by its usage on summertime camping gear. I may put a 'good luck' patch of it on my black motorcycle seat just to bring a smile to my best biker budds and to ward off evil in an extra special way. Duct Tape-an ever widening part of the celebration of life.

no affilliation with 3M or Bean-just a happy user of duct tape

Honda 2011

suzukimad07 — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 20:01:05 GMT

Honda part just out for 2011

shamelessy stolen from elsewere

Passport iQ

torqueman — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 06:38:02 GMT

http://www.escortradar.com/store/product.php?productid=16230&cat=249&page=1

Looks pretty good. The price is right and seems to have all the bells a whistles I want in a GPS plus adds the radar detector in one unit.

GPS Joey

torqueman — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:52:18 GMT

Hi Joey, you were not logged in when you PMed me so I can't reply to it because it will not go anywhere. It is OK I will just answer you here.

You may end up with two GPS. One for road and one for trail. If you have to settle on one I would look at the Garmin Zumo models. they are best for on the road but will help off road to some extent. They come with mounting hardware for motorcycles and for automobiles so they pull double duty.

For trail use I like the Garmin GPSMAP 62. It will do the topo maps.

When comparing brands Garmin has always come out on top for me. And even today I think the are the best. However I can't ignore how great the new smart phones are at this. And I think for this the Droid and Blackberry seem to have the iPhone beat. The big downside of using a smart phone is the small screen and it will not be very motorcycle/glove friendly like the Zumo is. Also if you lose the cell signal the phone can't get new maps should you decide to change destinations.

Bridgeport Aluminum Valve Stem

modette — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:13:25 GMT

http://www.motowheels.com/italian/images/lg932095672.jpg

1) Has MCN ever done a review on these?
2) Would MCN like to do a review on these?
*I be happy to provide MCN, my favorite mag with a free pair to review.

Also how many people here would like them if I was able to secure some from the company? Note: They do not seem to work on all bikes, I'm looking at the larger 11.3mm rim hole ones. These work on most Jap bikes, except Gold Wings and some others (I am going to see if the company has a list of what bikes they know they work on or don't work on).

So far I have been communicating with the company. I got prices, shipping cost, delivery time, and they are willing to do a FREE sample of each color to me, however I am wording my email back to see if I can just buy a smaller quantity (they want to do 500 pcs, I'm trying for 50).

So if anyone is interested in getting a pair email me: wearbar@gmail.com

They go for $29.95 on other sites for the pair, I'm thinking $20 and I include shipping. I hate doing these post, I do not know if this is allowed or I pushed the line here, let me know.

the top and the bottom of things

RePete — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 20:40:06 GMT

Janice recently replaced her boots and helmet for the latest offerings.

Her old boots were Supertechs and they were seven years old so.... The new Supertech Rs are a redesign with the zipper up the side instead of the back. There are other changes too but this is the big one. They go on and off much easier and are even more comfortable... says they feel like her bedroom slippers. She hasn't crash tested them yet but they appear to be just as protective as the older version and they were amazing. She loves these boots. Note she has the Supertech R and not the Supertech T which is more street oriented and features leather and gortex and a little less armor.

Her new helmet is a Shoei X 12. This is a racing helmet and meant to deal with 200 mph wind force. As such it features a tight fit and is difficult to get on and off...takes getting use to. She replaced the standard cheek pads with some thinner ones and this helped. This helmet is all about air management and does it well. It produces zero lift at speed and will not shift on her head one bit...even if she turns to look to the side. There are about 10 different vents and this helmet flows more air than any she has tried. All these vents make some noise though...no free rides. Her eyes are very sensitive to air movement and require frequent lubing during the day as a result of past chemotherapy. This helmet blocks the air from her eyes like no other. This is her favorite feature and worth the price. The face shield is pulled tightly against the opening by springs when it is closed. There is no draft across her eyes unless she opens the chin vent. No more dry, burning eyes. She loves this helmet.

Tire Pressure Monitor Valve Stem Caps?

sgtslag — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:24:48 GMT

They're available for not a lot of money, off of e-Bay, in a wide range of pressures:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300348598191&var=600000096702&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_602wt_1165

Anybody have experience with these? Do they work well enough to be worth the small investment? It would really enhance the safety if I could just glance at my tires before each ride, rather than pull out my pressure gauge, remove the caps, test, then replace the caps, etc. Cheers!

Rubber rejuvenator: NOT petrol based, won't destroy seals w. time

sgtslag — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:00:13 GMT

I've been using this stuff for a couple of years now, in a 31-year old motorcycle, and both cars (1996, and a 2003), with great success. I had a slow oil leak causing oil to run down my my side-stand after it sat for a couple of hours, and I finally took the front sprocket cover off to track it down.

I suspected the seal on the shift lever, or the gasket on the side cover containing the oil dipstick. After cleaning off 31 years of greasy build-up, I ran the bike, and looked for oil leaks. The only one I found was a little oil bubbling out of the dipstick's cap, which was screwed down tight. It dawned on me that over a period of time, this would bubble a noticable amount out, which would run down the cover, and drip onto the side-stand... Problem found.

The O-ring was obviously not sealing, but it is old, and unavailable except from Honda, directly. To save money, I tried some AT-205 Reseal that I had (have dumped it into most of my vehicles periodically, for the last couple of years, as a preventative measure, mostly, both the crankcase, and the transmissions). I soaked a paper towel with it, then applied it to the O-ring. I waited 20 minutes to let it work on the rubber, then put it back on the dipstick, screwed it down tight, and started the engine, running it until the oil reached 180-F. No leaks, no bubbling oil, as before.

I let it sit, overnight, as the acid test: if oil was pooled at the base of the side-stand, then this was not the source; if it is clean, problem solved -- get on with life! This morning I moved the bike, and the side-stand was dry!

This stuff is not particularly inexpensive, but it is easy to use, and safe. Petroleum-based rubber softeners work short-term, then they tend to turn your rubber seals into goo. AT-205 Reseal is safe long-term (2+ years in most of my vehicles, and no issues). It can be added to the crankcase, transmission, power steering, or even the gas tank. It will soften, and expand rubber, if it is not too far gone. I trust this as much as I trust SeaFoam, and I would recommend both to anyone. It can be hard to find in auto shops, but I found it on Amazon.com, below. Cheers!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NVW1LM/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B001J89Q98&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0D156MNM0BZDYWRNC60V

Gasoline quatlity

sv650 — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:49:57 GMT

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Business/story?id=2978563&page=1

I know this will probably not change anyones mind about gasoline but I found it iteresting. I already knew all of this having worked in a refinery for 31 years but oil co. advertising seems to work and folks believe what the say. As the article says you have to rely on the distributor for the additive package. Is he honest? no way to check on him and remember, the so called mid grade gas is supposed to be a 50-50 mixture of premium and regular that is mixed by the distributor. All refineries only make two grades of gas, premium and regular. Again, if you use the mid grade hope that the distributor is honest.

Dumb Question: What issue was the heated clothing review in?

Eric — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 11:30:53 GMT

Sorry for a zero-content post...

I passed a stack of MCN's to my father without thinking to take notes on the heated clothing review article, and he then passed them on to various friends, but is not sure which ones (in the digital world, this would be called "illegal downloading," but in the print world it's called "increasing readership").

I've checked the index of old issues available for download from 8/09 onward, but haven't seen the article listed.

Anyone remember which issue it was, so I can re-buy it?

Thanks,

- Eric
1972 R90/5
1963 Vespa GS160 Augsburg

ps: any additional advice on the subject would be welcome as well...

reliability/longevity of scooters made in Hangzhou, Mainland China

vendommarius — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:43:00 GMT

Are 50cc scooters manufactured in Hangzhou City by the Qianjiang Motorcycle Group of reasonable reliability and longevity? Are these Mainland Chinese scooters as reliable as the ""Yamaha" BWs assembled in Taiwan (and NOT built in Japan as supposed). Please advise advisability of Mainland Chinese-built scooters 50cc. aka Keeway, Kymco, Sym, etc.

Thermal underwear: which brand would you suggest?

sgtslag — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 20:39:24 GMT

I've been pricing Under Armor, and I just came across the Kenyon Polarskin products, at less than 1/2 the price of Under Armor. I also found a product called Pepper Skins, but these stated on the box that they will pill up, over time, which is something I would like to avoid. Anybody have any experience with any of these products? I am looking for thin, water-wicking, insulation for cold (50°-60° F), rainy riding days on tours. I need something thin, dry, comfortable, and inexpensive. Under Armor has the reputation, but it comes at a high price. Cheers!

Cell Phone Interface for HD Intercom Harness

The Don — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 10:23:06 GMT

Has MCN Done a Recent Comparo on Cooling Vests?

Scratch33 — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 11:38:17 GMT

And if so, can someone advise as to Year/Month?

Thx.

Turn signals on your clothing

ibafran — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:06:54 GMT

http://www.instructables.com/id/turn-signal-biking-jacket/?utm_source=medrect&utm_medium=turnsignal_medrect

My limited brain says that this might have been posted before.

Anybody trying this, please let us know how it works in the real world. I, myself, would like to try some sort of conspicuity vest with plug-in lights (ala electric vest) activated in concert with the bike signals. the cagers around here need all the help that they can get.

Rumor has it that there is a guy developing such a product using LEDs for the last 4 years. Keep an eye out on the farkle market for such a thing and let us know when you spot something.

Progressive Shocks and Fork Springs on a '79 Honda.

sgtslag — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 07:37:29 GMT

I purchased a set of Progressive brand shocks, and fork springs for my '79 Honda CB750K. I was tired of the bottoming out over bumps and potholes, and I wanted to improve the ride with saddlebags and trunk fully loaded, for touring two-up.

http://www.progressivesuspension.com/

The springs on the shocks, and the forks, are progressive rate: their compression rate varies along the length of the springs, which is like having two differently rated springs. This means that they can handle different impacts (both shallow, and deep) better than a straight rate spring. For more information, see the manufacturer's web site, listed above.

I found a seller who sold them for around $100 less than everybody else, and they will assemble the shocks/springs for free, if you ask when you order, so I took the plunge, and ordered a complete suspension set. The fork springs were easy, and straight-forward to replace. The rear shocks were quite simple as well (pre-assembled, just had to remove the old, one at a time, and install the new, one at a time). The improvement on the ride quality was really surprising: no more bottoming out, punishing our spines with compression impacts; the ride is much, much smoother, and more comfortable, with/without loaded saddlebags and trunk; the bike rides like it is 20+ years newer! Aside from the improved comfort, the new suspension ensures a safer ride, as well: the wheels maintain better, more consistent, contact with the road, improving traction, and safety, tremendously.

I purchased the heavy-duty springs, as I usually ride two-up, and we use this bike for touring, both day tours, and 7-9 day trips. If you have an older bike, I would highly recommend you upgrade the suspension -- you will be amazed at what a difference it will make. Cheers!

Oil filter reviews: anyone using scientific oil analysis?

sgtslag — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:44:24 GMT

I've read a few online oil filter reviews, and I find them seriously lacking. They all seem to consist of reviewers cutting open dry, clean, unused filters, and then judging them on what they think/feel is good design criteria. For example, everyone rags on Fram for their paper end caps, claiming that this paper will fall apart when it gets soaked with motor oil, and that this can destroy your engine...

Fram may not be the top of the line in quality, but they pump out millions of these paper end cap filters, every year, year after year. With the quantity of product they sell, there should be millions of engines destroyed, and class action lawsuits should be clogging up our courts for the next century. Yet, this is not the case!

Paper may fall apart when soaked with water, but oil is radically different than water, and common sense dictates that if these end caps were a hazard to engines, Fram would have been sued into non-existence years ago (Yamaha, by the way, also uses paper end caps, apparently, and one reviewer stated they were no better than Fram...).

Some of the reviewers have used oil analysis regarding filters, but they only mention it in passing, concentrating over 99% of their review on their opinion of how they think the filters in question should be designed. This is purely their opinion, based on their self-education -- there is no science involved, no real analysis of the function of the filters with oil.

To prove that the glued paper end caps dissolve/fall apart in oil, should be as easy as cutting open a used filter at the end of its life, and examining the paper end caps! Yet, no one has actually done this in any of the reviews I've read... Hype sells, I guess.

Those of you who have your oil analyzed, do you ever get any issues reported pertaining to your filters? If so, which filters, and what do the reports say about them? Cheers!