Leather Three-Pocket Fairing Pouch

Leather Three-Pocket Fairing Pouch

My sister, who is a big motorcyclist herself, gave me the above three pocket fairing pouch for Christmas.  When I replaced my windshield with the extra tall version (trying to reduce some of the buffeting doing down the highway) it was a perfect opportunity to install the pouch and, no shown here, a nice chrome accent strip.

Long Way Around

In the cold months we often need a little riding inspiration - how about a trip around the world on bikes? Check out the documented "Long Way Around" with your favorite Jedi Knight Ewan McGregor and his pal Charley Boorman. I was very pleased with the first few episodes that went through some very rough areas in Asia and even enjoyed the "brit's" view of a trip across North America. Makes planning my cross country trip seem much more approachable.

Winter Storage

Last ride of the season?

A melancholy day putting the bike away for the winter. On one hand it feels good cleaning the bike up and getting it safe and out of the weather. On the other hand I can't help but think there could be one more great ride during the season.

Unfortunately, the realities of living the the big city means I don't own a garage, and the local rent-a-space is too inconvenient for quick impromptu rides and rather expensive for long winter storage. And so, with a heavy heart, Pepe is mothballed till spring.

(Doh! I forgot the mothballs! Stay away you moths and mice!)

Chilly ride up north

Road stop side in CT

It was a beautiful day, sunny and cool in the low fifties. Admittedly it got bit chilly on the long ride up the highway. And by chilly, I mean there was snow on the ground up north and my seat had frost on it when I finished a break. The trip took nearly seven hours and I ran out of daylight. Mostly the extra time was due to the inevitable traffic around NYC, but also for multiple breaks to warm up. I had dressed warm, lots of layers, but even my "big winter" gloves just couldn't keep my hands warm enough this trip. Next year I'll plan better - or just get heated hand grips.

How fortuitous that my friend Ann had a big bonfire going at my ride's end!

Warm!

Ride out to Coney Island

A "quick" ride out to Coney Island Beach. The quotes around the word quick are because the 20 minute ride took well over an hour. Got to love NYC traffic. In this case, the traffic was due to people slowing down (or rather in the case of several motorists, failing to slow down and rear-ending the car in front of them) to look at the surf crashing over the break wall near the highway.

The photo, which is not of CI, is from a road side stop off of the Belt Parkway over looking Gravesend Bay.Very pretty, worth the stop, and not just because of hand cramps up from riding the clutch. Unfortunately my photo doesn't seem to have captured the spray ... use your imagination, crashing waves, gusting winds, then yell "Pepe! get away from that salt water!"

Some minor plans

Clean profile with solo seat

Some random thoughts on making minor improvements to my FLHTP:


Windscreen

With the stock windscreen I got wind buffeting when over 60 mph. I don't know if this is normal for others, possibly I just have a taller than average torso, but it's a real distraction. Looking for a taller windscreen.  However, previous experience with a large windscreens has shown there is a very narrow sweet spot between not enough and to much - the later can lead to an annoying vacuum effect that pushes you into the screen/bar for endless push ups. Considered an after market windscreen that is higher but narrower and tapered. Time will tell.




Passenger seat

While I really like the single seat look, there have been a few times where I'd have like to been able to take a passenger. If I didn't have the nice air seat I'd likely have gone with one of those tapered "once in a blue moon" passenger seats suitable for quick trips only.

But I did like the air seat - consider it one of the better features of the bike - so I  found a passenger seat that matched - item number 79436 at motorcycleseatdealer.com. A quick placement of the seat indicated I'd need a the mounting bolts and had been cautioned that the passenger seat might interfere with the travel of the police air seat - time will tell as I just haven't gotten around to mounting it yet.



Passenger pegs

If putting on a passenger seat, then putting on the passenger pegs is a must. For pegs, seems I'd need to first get the tour bike extensions and then the pegs. The plan was to get simple bar style pegs in order to (a) easily fold up out of the way, (b) keep the minimal appearance, and (c) act as "reverse highway pegs" for those long rides.





Undecided on a tour-pak

As mentioned in a previous post, without the police radio box, the rear deck is not overly attractive and the police side bags make mounting a standard tour-pak a custom process. What I do like is that the space between the bags, and between the single seat and the tail, is very generous for strapping down a travel bag (I'd used both a sports bag and my old US Navy sea bag). I also liked the clean lines without the tour-pak look and also the ease of swinging a leg over. Again, time will tell.



Backrest

I haven't seen a backrest for the police air seat. Makes sense since the seat travels - guess the back rest wouldn't? Probably just haven't look long enough, but to be honest I'm not sure I'd want a rider backrest ... never had one so do't know the pro/con of the choice.

No decision yet on a passenger "sissy bar" backrest. From previous experience having the sissy bar adds a nice mounting point for luggage, adds confidence for passengers, but detracts from the bikes lines.  It is also redundant with a tour-pak back rest.

An option that others have expressed was to swap off the tour-pack for a sissy bar when the need arose.  However, storing the bike in a public garage doesn't lend itself to switching components to fit the ride - there is nowhere to store the components that are taken off.

Plan to wait until after mounting the passenger seat to make a decision on the sissy bar/trunk issue.

The first thousand miles

After I'd had the retired police bike for a few weeks the odometer had an additional thousand miles tacked on it. Mileage included day rides around New Hampshire and Maine, several highway trips between NH and New York City, and a few trips out to Long Island. During this period I've had a few observations that I'll cover subsequently.

Rick & Bill in Laconia NH

No buyers remorse

I like this bike. It fits me very well; the ergonomics are good - other than the minor issues below - and it feels light and nimble enough to navigate around traffic but also strong and sturdy on the highway. I also like that it was a used, er, retired bike and so not dreading the first scratch or being too fussy about it's polish - I tend to ride em hard and put em away wet - thought I have to say this bike does looks pretty amazing.


Stiff clutch

The bike's manual clutch lever was painful to hold for an extended period. Initially, I'd thought it was just that my grip was out of shape due to a few years of not riding. After a few weeks, however, I still felt the burn - especially in NYC stop and go traffic. Turned out I wasn't imagining it. According to retiredpolicebikes.com the 103 cubic inch Police bikes had a heavier clutch spring (37807-03) which added about 30% to the pull - all others have the stock spring (37882-06). I had no plan to downgrade the spring but at least I didn't feel like such a wimp after seeing the issue documented.


Hot Pipes

I expected an air cooled 103 V Twin to produce some heat and so didn't over think the "hotter than a cheep toaster" experience.  I even got my first ever "love bite" from a pipe - burnt so quick I didn't feel it. However, while viewing the retiredpolicebikes.com site I found that excessive heat was a known issue with the FLHTP 2010's due to new catalytic converters which caused more back pressure. Nothing I couldn't live with while the bike was under warranty - but good to know there were some options down the road.


Squeaky


Okay, noticed after a few rides I'm getting a very noticeable metal on metal squeak.  Haven't isolated just where it's coming form yet, might be seat mount or suspension. The air suspension is maxed out  for my weight. Need to investigate further, just mention it now as it's kind of comical as I mount up (squeak squeak squeak ...).

Stay tuned for further adventures in riding.

My 2010 Harley Davidson Electra Glide - Police

My first Harley Davidson Motorcycle - a 2010 Electra Glide Police (FLHTP)

My 2010 FLHTP

The used 2010 FLHTP was purchased from Manchester Harley-Davidson Buell. It had the factory color option - only available for the Police model - of black with birch white panels and double silver pinstripes (detailing looks very sharp up close). This color schema is know as the Houston style - reportedly because that Texas police department initially order it. The bike was very well maintained.

The model was based on the Electra Glide (FLHT) with the following Police modifications (some due to removing police equipment to make street legal):

• Deluxe solo air saddle, special police type, breathable material covering, single air bladder suspension with reservoir and integral gauge: able to adjust air for desired ride comfort. In my opinion this is the most desirable feature of this model bike.
• Saddlebags utilizing police style speed latches - the hockey puck latch and outer hinges which make it easy to access content while seated - protected by chrome guard bars. This feature may reduce appearance but greatly improves usability of the bags - grabbing a water bottle from a bag while at a stop light is a simple process.
• The luggage rack is topped by a flat stamped steel plate, intended for mounting the (absent) police radio box, under which is mounted the reservoir, gauge, and fill tube for the air seat. This is a detraction from the bikes appearance, but something that can be address later.
• No radio/police radio removed. According to dealer it would be a "big deal" to drop in an HD radio but a generic maritime (cuz bikes get wet) radio would be easier and less than half the cost.
• Additional "red" hand controls supporting the (altered/absent) pursuit lights and sirens - made me expect to find the switch to fire rockets from the side bags or toggle the afterburner.
• Long stem true image mirrors - no "objects appear further away in rear view" here.
• No Harley Davidson emblem on the fuel tank (and yes, because of that I'd been asked what kind of bike it is - I quickly found emblems to put on the tank). The air cleaner, at least, included the Harley Davidson branding and even the "Police" model.

"Police" on air cleaner

The 2010 FLHTP had the traditional Harley Davidson air-cooled V-Twin, upgraded to 103 inch displacement and integrated oil-cooler. Drive train was a 6-Speed Cruise Drive with final ratio of 2.875. Weighed in excess of 794 lbs. With a ground clearance of 5.1 inches, and the higher than normal air seat height of 27-31 inches, this was definitively a "big" bike - a flat footed stance was possible but only advisable when engine/pipes are cool.

Handling and performance was excellent. Initially handling - likely tuned for a much lighter rider than I - was soggy, but a few quick adjustments of the air suspension and air seat resulted in a firm but comfortable ride. Low speed handling was excellent due to well tuned suspension/throttle/clutch/breaks - no bucking/jerking and easily supporting slow creeping turns. High speed cruising felt solid and connected to the road and the air seat help eat the occasional bumps. Power was good and what I'd want for a touring bike; strong off of the line - necessary to play in traffic with confidence - while long legged enough to be conformable at highway speeds. Advancing up to sixth gear was often an after thought.  Always enough "umph" in the tank to get up and go.

Links to related information:

• www.Harley-Davidson.com
• Police FLHTP Electra Glide
• www.squadfitters.com
• www.retiredpolicebikes.com

Time to ride again

When Suzee was in the recovery ward at the hospital, and our days full of hope and gratitude, we talked a lot about having a new lease on life.  How life was to short and uncertain not to be lived to its fullest. About the changes we would make, not the least of which was to just have more fun. For me, talking about having more fun included my desire to ride a motorcycle again.

To be clear, I knew that a motorcycle was totally impractical in New York City. Going for a ride meant stop-and-go traffic, crazy drivers, and awful road conditions. There was nowhere to park other than public garages, which were prohibitively expensive, and who knew what would happen there. Any "nice ride" would  require hours of highway travel before hitting the open back roads. For these reasons and more I'd sold my little BMW F650 before moving to the city.

However, being a rider (never a "biker", for me it was about riding, not the machine) was part of my identity. I'd gone years where a bike was my only transportation. I missed it. Suzee understood this, often retelling the stories of how happy she'd seen me with the F650, and told me to "just do it".

I'm not sure I would have gotten a bike while in the city had things turned out differently. It was unlikely that Suzee would have ridden in the city, either on the back of my bike or on her own, and I didn't want to spend weekends apart and there was plenty to do. It's more likely that I'd have lobbied to move out of the city prior to purchasing a bike. Then Suzee passed away and my life seemed empty of all purpose and full of grief.

Getting a motorcycle would not make me happy. I don't think "happy" was possible any time soon considering my loss. Rather, for me, riding is an affirmation of life. Riding is living in the now and overcoming adversity and fear.

And yes, for me, there was always a healthy fear when riding. My father died as a result of a motorcycle accident. I'd seen family and friends get hurt. I'd been in a few accidents myself over the years. I understood the danger of riding a motorcycle. But choosing to not ride would not make me immortal.

While I believed it was important to plan for the long term, it was equally important to live for the day, not to put life on hold for a someday that may never  come.   Ultimately it’s a very personal decision, one that logically may never make much sense to anyone else. For me, it was just time to ride again.

My 2000 BMW F650

My fun little BMW F650 "beach cruiser". Not what you'd expect - not a typical BMW nor is it even a typical cruiser. Think more along the lines of those "beach bicycles" - sturdy and capable.

Not mine, just placeholder of same make/color till I find a pic.

It was a common site to see Suzette and I out and about town on the bike. We'd go for drives to check out the neighborhoods, cruise the beach, or head over to Petty's for some lunch. We'd ride to church in the summer, two deacons showing up with motorcycle helmets, much to the titter of the church ladies.

The bike had more than enough refinement that it would look good where ever it went. It looked like a much more expensive machine, sort of like the R1200 RT's little brother (which in effect it was). When riding this bike, people would stop, stare, and start a conversation.

Suzee learned how to ride on it. Yes, all though she did not pursue a license, she could ride. She said she preferred to ride on the back of mine. Snuggling.

This 650cc single cylinder Rotax engine had enough torque to haul us up and down the side roads. The frame and suspension was surprising comfortable. The bike had nice features, such as fuel injection, heated hand grips, and I'd even added the full side bags for those occasions we'd want to bring a lunch.

On those days I'd head out on my own, the bike was sporty enough to be a joy to ride - though no threat to a sport bike - it would cut through the hills with vigor. Despite the plastic cowl and all, I'd take it out and toss some dirt on the trails, weave between the trees, and handle the less challenging off road rides following the local BMW group.

Other, more accomplished, riders of this model bike have crossed continents.


This bike ran flawlessly for the couple of years I had it. I'd like to think that was because it was well loved. And that I'd learned the lesson with past bikes on how important maintenance was to a good ride.

I sold it when we moved to New York City. Living in midtown Manhattan - where everything can be reached via taxi or subway - made having a vehicle unnecessary. If we were going to ride a bike from the city it would have to be big enough to handle the highway, with both of us on it, for the trip back up to NH.

It's one of those bikes I'll always remember with a smile.

My Honda CX500

One afternoon, while my ship the USS America was in port, I was sitting around lamenting a lack of fun when my friend Paul mentioned he'd run into some cash problems and wanted to sell his Honda CX500 motorcycle.

This got me reminiscing about the fun I'd had riding as a kid. The CX500 looked and handled a lot like my old Indian (not the famous cruisers, but rather the little trail bike). This bike even had some cool features, such as shaft drive, liquid cooling, electric start, etc. With cash in hand I purchased it - without even a class M license.

Similar but not my bike - I don't have any pictures of it

To be honest, I never did fall in love with this bike. It wasn't a long haul cruiser, just a point A-to-B ride, an hour on this bike you'd feel it. There are not a lot of great rides near Norfolk VA, or at least not that I'd found at the time.

Certainly parking at the end of a Navy pier for extended periods of time didn't do anything to help improve it's disposition. It was out of tune, rusting, and I didn't have the money, space, or time to invest in fixing it up. Every day was a drama; it would stutter and stall, flood, fail to start and generally be poor company.

My biggest problem with this bike was that I didn't know about motorcycle care and feeding. I didn't know anyone else who road. I didn't understand the mechanics and what or how maintenance should be performed. I didn't learn even some of the more important habit's (e.g. checking tire pressure before a ride) until I learned the lesson the hard way.

If there is a mistake you can make with a bike, I think I made it with this one. I learned that a big piece of the riding experience happens before the wheels start turning. A good ride depends upon a bike that has been treated well.

My Indian Motorcycle

Yes, I had an Indian motorcycle. No, not the big classy street bikes of the 60s - but rather the small trail bike of the 70s. I don't recall the exact model, the image below is matched on best recollection (most our family photos were lost in a house fire). I do recall it was red and about 80cc. 

1973 Indian SE-74

This was actually my second "motor bike" - the first being one of those classic mini-bikes built with a lawn mower engine - but my first "motorcycle". I can't begin to describe the number of hours I put on that bike, most of it going around and around in circles in the back field at the farm.