The MSF Basic Rider Course Part 1

I had gathered up the absolute minimum riding equipment needed to take the Motorcycle Safety Foundations Basic Rider Course. I had bought some riding boots and mesh backed riding gloves. I already owned a pair of jeans and a long sleeve shirt. I planned on wearing a long sleeve t-shirt; after all I live in Texas. Another critical piece of riding equipment is a helmet. I did not want to purchase a helmet yet for several reasons. I wanted to wait until after I bought a motorcycle because I might want it to match the bike. I needed some time to save up the funds. I also was unsure which type of helmet I was going to get. So, I planned on using one of the MSF course loaner helmets.

Now it was time to pick a weekend to take the class. A co-worker was also interested in taking the course in order to get his license so we picked an agreeable weekend and booked it. The class was about three hours Friday evening, eight hours Saturday and a little over half a day on Sunday. The website stated they hold the class rain or shine and to have proper attire for the weather conditions. The weather forecast for the chosen weekend was good, but this is Texas. The only good weather report here is by looking out the window and that is only good for about 30 minutes max.

As fate would have it, the closer we got to the weekend of the class, the worse the weather became. My co-worker backed out due to the inclement weather, among other things. Inclement, as in rain was forecasted all weekend. My thought was that motorcycling is like dancing with the elements and if I was going to ride I had better get used to it now. I did not plan on being a fair-weather rider. I wanted to ride every day that I could.

When Friday rolled around I had my gear packed in my car and was ready to go. I snuck out a little early from work to get to the first class on time. I ended up being the first to arrive at the small office complex where the class training was to be held. The riding part of the class would be held a couple blocks away at one of the local school stadium parking lots….

Ride on,
Torch

Gearing Up For The MSF Basic Rider Course

On my quest to get a motorcycle I had done a lot of research on-line and off-line. There is a deluge of information available out there. I read books, magazines, forums, blogs and websites. I also talked to a lot of other riders. As with anything, don’t take everything you hear or read as absolute fact. There is a lot of misinformation out there to.

One of the first things I needed to do if I was going to get into motorcycling was get my license. I already had my spouses’ approval, now I needed the states. I also found out some riders don’t have a motorcycle license but continue to ride anyway. I wonder if they have insurance? For the most part I have always been a law-abiding citizen. No need to change that now.

Everybody’s consensus was the easiest way to get the license was first to take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation safety course. That way I would not have to take the riding test at the Department of Public Safety office. I would be able to just go in and take the written test to get my license. Either way, the MSF course was already on my things to do list before getting a bike.

I went back to the MSF website and found a local class held close to me in my city. There website has a wealth of information and I recommend it to any rider, old or new. The website listed several requirements including some riding gear, boots or shoes that covered your ankles, gloves and at least a long sleeved shirt. If you did not have a helmet they would provide one for you. So now I needed to start collecting some riding gear.

I picked up a pair of Motoboss Airflow Gloves, (mesh backed motorcycle gloves, this is Texas), from the local Cycle Gear store one day at lunch. A couple weeks later I had enough saved up for some riding boots. I was looking for a black biker boot that looked more like a cowboy boot than the regular engineer boot. One day at lunch I was browsing a local bike shop in Grapevine Texas called Biker Alley, which has since closed, and found what I was looking for. They were Harley Davidson brand and were a cross between an engineer boot and a cowboy boot. The price was reasonable; I had been looking for a while. I even had the funds to purchase them, so I did.

Now that I had the minimum amount of gear I needed it was time to plan and set a date to take the MSF course….
　
Ride on,
Torch

Introductions and Purpose

Let me introduce myself. I am Torch. I ride a motorcycle named Mistress. I am a very inexperienced rider and have only been riding her now for about a year. I live in the D/FW, (Dallas / Fort Worth, Texas) Metroplex and commute a short distance to work almost daily on her. As of yet, (Jan. 29, 2009) ,I have not been on any long trips on her, but I plan to in the future.

The musings on this blog are for several reasons:

One is to document my experiences of picking up motorcycling in my middle years.

Two, is for shear entertainment. Humorous things happen down the road of life. Sometimes they are not very funny at the time and can even be downright frustrating. However, looking back in retrospect they can be hilarious. After all, if you cannot laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at?

Three, is that others may benefit from my experiences and learn from my mistakes, failures, and successes.

Lastly, it let’s me hone up on my writing skills and someday, maybe, I could put them into a book one day.

Ride on,
Torch

Rikard's 1931 CS1 Norton

Rikard bought his CS1 norton new in 1931 at the age of 20 and kept it untill he passed away at the age of 69. The pictures above were taken in 1931, 1946, 1953 and 1969 respectively. Read the whole story on Paul's blog!

The 1929 M18 Norton

I really like this bike; more on Paul's blog.

The CS1 Works records

The VMCC archive holds the original Norton works records. These records can be searched for data regarding your Norton's engine and frame numbers. This results in extracts as depicted; the one below is for the CS1's frame (frame No. 446xx), the one above for the engine as currently fitted (engine No. 53742).

Clearly, the engine left the factory in another frame, but, the frame is a genuine 1931 CS1. The engine may be from a CS1 or a M30 International but that's hardly relevant as a later cylinder head has been fitted. The record for the frame indicates that the bike left the factory as a special, sporting a specially tuned engine, foot change and a right hand exhaust. I really like the remark about "tuned for monoplane fuel" which indicates it must have been fitted with a seriously high compression piston. This confirms again that the Norton factory was very easy on what they sold to the public; whatever you wanted and paid for you could have, which makes it hard to define what's 'original' or not.

This must have been one of the fastest Norton's you could buy in 1931 when the M30 International still had to be launched. Unfortunately, someone blew up the engine and it had to be replaced. At least it was used as the maker intended!

Rolling chassis

Fitted fork, wheels and gearbox. New/old 19" rims, cleaned the brakes, fresh grease in the bearings. Had to make some spacers to align everything.

Yes, I know, the rear hub is from a 1930's Indian and the front wheel is probably from a 1950's model Norton.

I'll immediately fit the original wheels when I can get them but untill then this will have to do. I wouldn't be surprised however if these hubs have been there for over half a century so another few years won't harm. And they sure look right.

New Kawasaki Ninja 250 R

Kawasaki Ninja 250 R

Kawasaki Ninja 250R black Edition

2008 Kawasaki Ninja 250R Specifications

• Engine: Four-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, parallel twin
• Displacement: 249cc
• Bore x stroke: TBD
• Compression ratio: TBD
• Maximum torque: TBD
• Cooling: Liquid
• Carburetion: Keihin CVK30 x 2
• Ignition: TCBI with digital advance
• Transmission: Six-speed
• Final drive: O-ring chain
• Frame: Semi-double cradle, high-tensile steel
• Wheelbase: TBD
• Rake / trail: TBD
• Front suspension / wheel travel: 37mm hydraulic telescopic fork / TBD
• Rear suspension / wheel travel: Uni-Trak with aluminum linkage / TBD
• Front tire: TBD
• Rear tire: TBD
• Front brake: Single 290mm hydraulic petal disc with two-piston caliper
• Rear brake: Single 220mm petal disc with two-piston caliper
• Overall length: TBD
• Overall width: TBD
• Overall height: TBD
• Seat height: TBD
• Dry weight: TBD
• Fuel capacity: TBD
• Color choices: Lime Green,
• Ebony, Passion Red, Candy Plasma Blue

New Honda CBR 125R modification

Honda CBR 125R

The modern North-American market of motor bike is a strange animal. In much of areas of the world, the riders start on the scooters accessible from 49 DC before the graduation to the bicycles 125cc and 250cc. That 's not the case here, where many people start with a machine much more powerful and more expensive. In an effort to make the sport surer and more accessible.

New Honda Nova Sonic 125 cc modification

Sonic Honda is a motor cycle of 125 DC conceived for the Asian market of south-east by Honda. It is the motor cycle of sister of the 13.5 European powers in horses CBR 125. The motor cycle belongs to the family of motor cycle of nova of RS. The sonic one is one of the most popular motor cycles in Thailand. Its only rival is robber 150, that of Suzuki never really made him on the market. The sonic one is a motor cycle of bridge between the wave and the CBR 150 of Honda. It has similarities with the two motor cycles, but resembles the CBR 150 more narrowly. The sonic one, unlike vagueness is a motor cycle of execution, and is not conceived for an average commuter.

Yamaha V-ixion SP2 modification

Yamaha V-ixion SP2 limited edition

Yamaha Motor to create new designs for the base engine and the Scorpio Yamaha V-Ixion. that one of the products that will launch by the manufacturer, yamaha motor.Motor have a surplus this is a very interesting market for the world motor.yang on motorcycle design and large dynamic .

Just in time...

The part above is a "valve spring retainer". These fit over the end of the valve springs, essentially taking all the pressure of both spings at either the exhaust or inlet side. Mine are almost worn through; it should be 2.1 mm where it rubs against the spring and there is 0.8 mm left. Just imagine what would happen if it breaks!

New Honda CBF Stunner 125 cc

The slaughterman of Honda CBF was introduced in the 9th expo automatic in on January 8. A its mainly bicycle 125cc of best quality. Also at Honda the stands were another bicycle 125cc based on the slaughterman - a version of way. Honda presented these bicycles like concept but because of the answer primordially, its maintaining a reality. One expects that the bicycle is launched around the `July-majestic 08. One expects that the bicycle is called the CBF125.

Honda CBF Stunner 125 cc

Basic specifications of the Honda Stunner CBF are as follows:

125cc, 11 bhp
Kerb Weight: 129 kg
Wheelbase: 1271mm
Fuel tank capacity: 10 litres

Tubeless tryes
Front 80/100-17 and Rear: 100/90-77
Front Brakes: 240mm Disc or 130mm Drum
Rear Brake: 130mm drum

Starting: Kickstart / Electric

5 speed transmission

New Yamaha FZ 16 150 cc

If a motorcycle could grow up like a child, it would want to look like the Yamaha FZ150 when it reaches puberty. Just one look at the bike is enough to make you fall for it, I did and mind you I am straight!

Yamaha FZ 16 150 cc

The macho, muscular are the kind of adjectives which inherit your spirit and is exactly this what Yamaha had with the spirit when they named this one. The bicycle obtains its glances of the total series of FZ known for impressive glances and the enormous power. All about this bicycle is large, the broad tires, the enormous tank, the forks costaudes. The side considering on top resembles a athelete established well on the line of beginning bending its muscles, waiting to run up against all the discs.

The engine will be a unit 150cc cooled by air but granted for bottom and semi couple of range that the precipitation of higher end, thus you with wait until this is an interpreter without effort. In from Yamaha, you await come the higher completion of class and with parts of cycle more high-quality.

Blog Directories

Free Search Engine Submission

http://www.ablogin.com/

Blog Search Engine

Visit Motorcycle Riders Club of America: Online Community

Follow this blog

Powered By Invesp

Visit FreakBikrz Community

http://www.easymoto.com/

We are listed under Motorcycles Personal Pages category

Motorcycle-Directory.org

Motorcycle Forum | Motorcycles For Sale| Motorcycle News | Motorcycle Accessories | Motorcycle Breakers | Motorcycles





BLOG DIRECTORY, Submit blogs, Promote Blogs Free, Best directory