Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Product Review: MotoJug hydration system

MotoJug is a universal on-board hydration system kit designed by ADVrider.com forum member "lacofdfireman" a/k/a Dave and his wife from Utah. You can order the bag and straps only for $50 (shipping included) or get the whole she-bang like I did for $75, which includes the tubing, tubing retractor and bite valve, everything you need except the water cooler, which would cost more to ship than for you to buy.  Click here for the full product description, photographs and ordering information.  Below I've copied and pasted a short review I recently posted in the ADV thread. Highly recommended!

 "Lovin' my MotoJug so far. Had it out for a long shake-down ride over the weekend. Not only did it remain 100% secure despite my best cornering and braking efforts to induce movement, but the handling wasn't at all affected, which I was a little worried about ahead of time, particularly as I have a mid-sized bike. Mine is on the left as my exhaust would interfere on the right. I have the tubing retractor clipped to my tankbag so it takes a few extra seconds to deal with the tube when mounting/dismounting the bike, but it's well worth it in the heat. (When temps don't warrant carrying this much H2O, I may use the cooler as a waterproof storage device.) The bag, loops and straps offer many mounting possibilities, and everything is constructed very well. The price was worth it to me to have someone source and build the kit. I went with Dave's recommended $8 cooler but I had to get someone else to buy it for me so I could keep my claim of never having purchased anything at WalMart intact...well, sort of."

[​IMG] 

"Iron Butt types: order two, but substitute a small funnel for the bite valve on one side, so you'd have both intake and output."

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posted by Doug Just Doug at 2:25 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Motel, Motor-Tel, wait...what?

This seems so wrong on so many levels, not the least of which are physics and common sense, but hey, may great ideas were spurned in their day.  I wouldn't sleep in it, but perhaps it would come in handy as a sail in the event of an empty fuel tank.  For more info, check out http://www.mobed.eu/.

No joke; they're actually trying to sell this product.

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posted by Doug Just Doug at 8:54 AM 1 comments

Thursday, January 16, 2014

The million mile motorcyclist, Glenn Turple!

Photo Credits:   http://www.flickr.com/photos/45393120@N07/6001572819

 Glenn Turple of Alberta, Canada, was only eighteen when he bought his first motorbike, a 1926 Harley Davidson – even in 1946 it was a bargain at only $25 but he never even rode it; he fixed it then went away on a summer job and when he came back his brother Rex had broken it again!

But this was the beginning of one man’s love affair with the motorbike and it wasn’t long before he made them his living, opening small parts and servicing business – Olds Motorcycle Sales – in a shed on the family farm. Although motorcycles in those days didn’t all have odometers, Glenn started keeping a careful eye on his mileage and soon was averaging over 25,000 a year on his various bikes with trips to places as far away as Los Angeles

Turple Bros. is born

After only seven years trading off the farm, the brothers moved into town, converting a house in Red Deer, on the highway between Calgary and Edmonton. They used the old kitchen of the house as a workshop and the business was soon doing well enough to keep them both occupied full time. Glenn always rode British bikes – Ariel, Triumph and BSA – until he bought his first Honda in 1966 and has never looked back. When the Gold Wing entered his life in 1975, Glenn’s mileage per year (and per bike) absolutely soared. The Gold Wing was designed as a touring bike and Glenn does love to tour – his 1984 Gold Wing took him over 215,000 miles. 

Insuring for the road

When Glenn first started riding, insurance was not as sophisticated as it is now and not everyone carried it. Nowadays, insurance is mandatory of course and everyone who uses the public highway must carry it.

With big bikes like Gold Wings people tend to worry that motorcycle insurance might be too costly, but of course it is not just the price and engine size of the bike that determines the cost, but the riding record of the owner, their age and experience.  Luckily all this can be done online and there are many sites that offer Express Insurance, the bike insurer and GoCompare to name a few. There won't be many motorcyclists in the world who can claim a total mileage like Glenn’s, but what the bike is used for is also a deciding factor on the price of the motorcycle insurance and also any exclusions or excesses on the policy.

Use as a commuter vehicle will bring a different quote from use as a leisure bike; accurate form filling is essential, as in all kinds of motor insurance.

Every state and province
 
Photo Credits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterito/3087316306/
Glenn estimates that he passed the million mile mark back in October 2013, although he has had to do a certain amount of maths to convert kilometres to miles. Since his motorcycle wanderlust really kicked in with the purchase of his first Honda Gold Wing, he has visited every state in the US and every province and territory in Canada.

His business is still in operation although now in much bigger premises and run by his family. Glenn is 85 now and still on his motorcycle – he says that as long as the temperature is above -10°C and the roads have been cleared of snow, he’s happy to ride anywhere. Now there speaks a true Canadian!

One of his never-miss dates in the year is the Calgary Motorcycle Show so it’s just as well he doesn't mind the weather. The show takes place in January every year and January on the Prairies could challenge the keenest motorcyclist. Glenn and his Gold Wing will hopefully be making the journey for a good long time yet.


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posted by Doug Just Doug at 10:46 AM 0 comments

Friday, June 28, 2013

Iron Butt Rally 2013


The 2013 edition of the Iron Butt Association's bi-annual Iron Butt Rally will kick-off on July 1st. The world's most determined (and sleep-deprived) motorcyclists will depart from the "northeast" the USA (rumor has it Pittsburgh or thereabouts) on an 11-day test of rider and machine that will take some of them to the four corners of the continental USA and perhaps beyond (a few are usually baited to Alaska) in search of valuable points.  Top finishers typically average over 1,000 miles per day.  The IBA's daily rally reports by Bob Higdon are a must-read!  

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posted by Doug Just Doug at 8:35 PM 1 comments

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

New Twist in Motorcycle Endurance Sport-Touring


The Motomarathon Association will debut its first satellite start in Macedon, NY at the 2012 Empire State Motomarathon, set for September 13-16th. The satellite start allows Western New York motorcyclists to join fellow endurance riders, who will begin the long-distance tour from the main starting point in downstate Fishkill, NY.

“Motomarathons often start in population centers, then reach to a distant location to loop out of a twisty-rich environment,” said Motomarathon Association Founder John Metzger. “Given the often extreme distance disparities from starting points, we’ve considered adding satellite start locations for this type of ride, and are going to try it out for the first time at the Empire State Motomarathon.”

With the addition of a satellite start in Macedon, the event will now accommodate riders not just from the Southeast Tri-State region, but from the reaches of Western New York as well. Riders completing the entire Empire State Motomarathon will have the opportunity to earn the same number of checkpoints regardless of their starting location.

Concurrently at 8:00 a.m. on September 13th, Routemaster Joe Majsak will direct the primary start from Fishkill (at the Quality Inn & Suites, 849 NYS Rt. 52), and Routemaster and veteran Motomarathoner Shawn Pearsall will manage the satellite start from Macedon (at event sponsor Filer’s PowerSports, about 20 miles east of Rochester on Rt. 31, at 1136 Pittsford-Palmyra Rd.).

Both groups of riders will "reach" from their respective start locations, converge along the way and end Day One at the loop base hotel, The Hungry Trout Resort, in Wilmington, NY. Days Two and Three find all riders bagging checkpoints on the same upstate routes.  On Day 4 riders will return to their respective finish points in Fishkill and Macedon for final check-in.

The Hungry Trout Resort is sold out. Overflow rooms are available 1.5 miles down the road at Steinhoff's Sportsman Inn, 5570 NYS Rt. 86, Wilmington, NY, 12997, (518) 946-2220. Ask for the Motomarathon rate.

Motomarathons are four-day, self-guided motorcycle events where riders are in the saddle an average of 8 hours/day. Routes and checkpoints are kept secret until the night before. Participants complete a series of self-recorded checkpoints using digital cameras to photograph their badge numbers at designated landmarks.

For more information or to register for the event go to www.motomarathon.com and select Register Now or contact Caty Metzger at motomarathon1@gmail.com or at 303.621.5356. Walk-ons are welcome.

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posted by Doug Just Doug at 8:17 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Waffle House Grand Tour 2012

It appears various commitments will prevent me from getting away for a long-ish motorcycle tour this year, so I'm looking for closer-to-home excuses to pack on some miles. As riding to new places and greasy diner breakfasts are a few of my favorite things (cue Rogers and Hammerstein), I've registered for the Waffle House Grand Tour, which helps support Hoagy's Heroes Long Distance Charity Riders. The premise for this event is simple: ride to Waffle House locations between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012, and shoot a verification photo at each location showing the rider's motorcycle, the rider's supplied rally flag, and the signature Waffle house sign/logo.   


Contests within the tour include: 
  • Most Waffle Houses visited
  • Most states visited
  • Farthest distance from the rider's home to a Waffle House
  • First rider to visit the original Waffle House in GA (already claimed by a rider on Jan. 1st @ 0022 EST!)
  • Most waffle houses ridden to as an Iron Butt Association Saddle Sore 1000 ride
  • Riding to at least one Waffle House every month of 2012
Lacking the free time to compete with the serious LD crowd, and living in an area with comparatively few Waffle Houses, my best chance is the "Waffle House a month" contest. I plan to hit the closest locations during the winter and save to further locations for nicer weather. My WH poison of choice being the Texas CheeseSteak, I'd better plan on ramping up (if one can ramp up from nothing) my exercise regimen in 2012.


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posted by Doug Just Doug at 3:35 PM 1 comments

Monday, December 19, 2011

Motomarathon 2012 Events

Motomarathon may be the long-distance motorcycling event for we mere mortals.  "Aluminum Butt Rally" maybe?  According to the Motomarathon Association's website, motomarathon is about riding as many twisties as possible over four day. Routes are kept secret until the night before each event. Instead of a traditional Long Distance event points system based on grabbing bonus locations, the goal is to complete as many checkpoints as possible.   Accumulated yearly and lifetime checkpoint data is maintained by the association. Similar to traditional LD events, riders document checkpoints by photographing their assigned badges with the checkpoint location in the background. The association claims that the routes will allow plenty of time to complete all checkpoints at posted speed limits, and even time for leisurely lunches and sightseeing.  Barring major mechanical or navigational woes, it appears riders will be able to stop each night and get a decent amount of sleep without having to check into the fabled Iron Butt Hotel (i.e. sleeping on your parked motorcycle).  The association also invites its members to create their own motomarathons using the same basic format.  2012's four events, up from 2011's three:

·      New England Motomarathon – Danbury, CT – June 7-10
·      Empire State Motomarathon – Fishkill, NY – Sept. 13-16
·      Wisconsin Motomarathon – Madison, WI – Oct. 4-7
·      Great Smoky Motomarathon – Fontana Dam, NC – Oct. 27-30

Events may be added, and dates and locations are subject to change at this early stage of planning. Please refer to www.motomarathon.com for updates and further information as it becomes available.






(Images courtesy of Motomarathon)

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posted by Doug Just Doug at 2:03 PM 0 comments

Thursday, September 29, 2011

First Million Mile BMW Women!

Gee, you'd think Ardys (L) and Voni (R) would look a bit tired after riding 1,000,000 miles.

As friends Voni Glaves and Ardys Kellerman were each nearing their millionth miles on BMW motorcycles, they arranged to met near Ouray, Colorado to complete their milestones on US 555 (aptly nicknamed the "Million Dollar Highway") on August 29th, and thus became the first women known to have documented a million miles on BMWs. Among their other considerable motorcycling accomplishments, Voni and Ardys have competed in and finished Iron Butt Rallies (Ardys is an IBA legend). Oh yeah, Voni's husband Paul also rides a bit. (Images courtesy of Voni Glaves).

Shhhh, I've discovered Voni's million-mile secret: red boots!

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posted by Doug Just Doug at 1:47 PM 0 comments

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Motomarathon Rally 2011 Schedule

Motomarathon may be the long-distance motorcycling event for we mere mortals.  "Aluminum Butt Rally" maybe?  According to the Motomarathon Association's website, motomarathon is about riding as many twisties as possible during an event. Routes are kept secret until the night before each event. Instead of a traditional LD points system based on grabbing bonus locations, the goal is to complete as many checkpoints as possible.   Accumulated yearly and lifetime checkpoint data is maintained by the association. Similar to traditional LD events, riders document checkpoints by photographing their assigned badges with the checkpoint location in the background. The association claims that the routes will allow plenty of time to complete all checkpoints at posted speed limits, and even time for leisurely lunches and sightseeing.  Barring major mechanical or navigational woes, it appears riders will be able to stop each night and get a decent amount of sleep without having to check into the fabled Iron Butt Hotel (i.e. sleeping on your parked motorcycle).  The association also invites its members to create their own motomarathons using the same basic format.  2011's three events, down from 2010's four:

2011 Motomarathon Schedule

New England Motomarathon -- June 9-12
Colorado Motomarathon-- August 26-29
Southern California Motomarathon -- October 13-16

Image courtesy of Motomarathon Association

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posted by Doug Just Doug at 8:39 PM 0 comments