Sport-touring: and its varying degrees

Sometime ago when I first started looking for a moto (pre 250r) I ran into this guy selling a Yamaha 650, and about the only thing I remember from the conversation is the following “I don’t ride if it is 50F/10C or colder”. I thought that was peculiar, at that time I war eager to get back into riding and here is a guy with two motos unwilling to ride because is a little cold.

Fast forward to today and I’m that guy, except I won’t ride if it is 90F/32C or hotter, and that means the 250R has been parked a lot these days.  After a year of tooling around on the 250 I’ve learned a couple of things, allow me to elaborate.

I mentioned in previous posts that the 250 can handle the Superslab, except what I realize now is that I’d rather avoid the highway and find a back country road to surf.  The bike will do 70mph/112kmh just fine all day long, but in order keep up with traffic one has to go that speed and that leaves nothing in reserve for passing, trust me. Attempting to pass a big semi with almost no power left on tap is a challenging and unnecessarily risky affair.

I’ve also learned that I am a cold weather, and if necessary a wet weather rider. The other day we caught a break in the hot weather, it was unusually cool and a tad wet, I could not resist, I had to go tarmac surfing! There is an alluring element to riding in cold weather (not freezing), at least for me. It was one of the nicest rides thus far this summer.

Many riders look forward to summer as the ideal season for riding, I’m far from an idealist, the weather may dictate when one rides, but for me the state of mind dictates if I ride, and that tends to be when the weather is cool.  That time will soon arrive and when it does I will be back out there. I am a tarmac surfer. Until then keep on “Rocking in the free world” (NY) and Enjoy the Ride.

Sport touring: …just a weekend warrior no more

I once said, “in an ideal world I would be a year-round rider”. I suppose that time has arrived, is it ideal? It all depends on perspective. Due to unforeseen events I had to switch my desk riding location, from one that was moto-unfriendly to one that actually facilitates such indulgence. It has now been five weeks of daily moto-indulgence and I must say it has been… well [you fill in the blank].

Although my commute is only ten miles round trip through mega-metropolis I have found it to be a concurrently intrinsically rewarding, soul agitating experience. For example, during my first week of commuting I went five out five, as in five non-consecutive days of wet tarmac.  For the first five days I rode on wet tarmac, under cloudy skies, light drizzle to full on summer drenching storm, so please don’t ask “Have you ever seen the rain?” (CCR). I’ve seen it and surfed through it.

Monday thru Friday rain or shine the 250 and I will head out to ride the tarmac through this “Wicked Garden” (STP). Only time will tell how long this can be sustained.  In the meantime get out there and Enjoy the Ride.

Sport Touring: Enjoy the Silence, Enjoy the Ride

Miles: 150/ 240 km

This past Saturday, the allure of the open road was irresistible, and like any dedicated moto-pilgrim I set out on to the open Tarmac, due north-west, destination: Gettysburg, PA. I had previously visited Gettysburg last year on my old ride (883L) via super-slab. This time however, I decided to deviate from excessively fast paths and reverted to my true form: decelerated sport touring. Yes, I know it sounds like an oxymoron, you may ask isn’t the whole point of sport touring to travel at an accelerated speed?

It may be for others, however, for me traveling at 55 mph/ 88kph on an undulating State road is Utopia, just like the Eagles, when Tarmac Surfing I prefer to just  “Take it Easy”.  To the uninformed a CBR250R is incapable of epic sport-touring feats, to the rest and few of us whom test our fortitude on such steed, we know it to be a myth.  There are many reasons why I chose the 250R, speed was missing from that list.

It is early Saturday, the weather is ideal, road conditions are conducive to moto-bliss, it’s time, warm up the 250 and let roll. The first 20 miles are a bit annoying as I make my way out of mega-metropolis……until finally the long awaited two-lane road begins to meander through Northern Maryland. Through my limited 170 degrees view I can spot the iconic red barns and the peculiar bovine aroma… it is foul, and it is a welcome relief from the artificial blinding, headache inducing D.C. metro smells.

I have a destination in mind but no other agenda, once I reached my destination I simply turned around and retraced my tracks.  This act may be baffling to some, but to the moto-enthusiast or at least for me, the destination is less relevant than the Ride.  As I meandered through Southern Pennsylvania, my helmet mutes outside noise, and I rely primarily on my vision.  The 250’s single cylinder hums along, the rpms hovered around 5k, in fifth gear, this is where it likes to be. The wind, the humming it all encapsulates your mind, this is where it all decelerates. 

Your field of vision may be limited, but your sense of awareness is heightened.  Suddenly there is a sense of immediacy, and what matters most is what surrounds you.  Your muscle memory takes over, pull the clutch, up-shift, twist the throttle, and lean as the tarmac guides you, a congruent Waltz between man and machine. The miles roll on and now, in the absence of social media and every day constraints one begins to truly “Enjoy the Silence” (DM), and to simply appreciate being.

I have been asked many times why do I ride? Isn’t riding [fill in the blank]?  And once again, I’m unable to answer this proving question. I simply know that tomorrow, while some are “Sitting, waiting, wishing”  (JJ). I will be out Tarmac Surfing. I'm a motorcyclist, it’s what I do, it’s what inspires me. Now go out there, find your inspiration and Enjoy the Ride.

Map

Sport Touring: Gear upgrade and a three legged dog

The warm moto-friendly weather is back and I feel ecstatic. Although I’ve taken a break from blogging I have been riding in the local area, more like awakening from hibernation (muscle memory and reflexes need a touch up). It was a mild winter and now the open road is calling once again, ah what a feeling! I’ve also been taking inventory of my gear and decided that it was time for an upgrade.

I had been riding in an old, really old pair of hiking boots, so old the Gore-tex lining started to fail. Oh, and my gloves, well it is hard to find a good pair of gloves, that will leave your tactile senses unaffected, thus it was hard to let go but it was time. The other day I read a good review on AGV sport Laguna sport gloves and Alpinestar Scout WP boots and decided to give them a try.

First impressions.

The Laguna gloves are priced right and look nice, however, you will find a couple of obstacles to a perfect fit and that is due of course to price point, at this price you are unlikely to find a perfect fitting glove. However, my first impression is that these gloves look nice, are made of thick leather with re-enforcements in all the expected places. I have only gone on short (shakedown) rides and already encountered some issues, primarily the internal finish. There are some spots around the outer wrist that feel sharp and really uncomfortable after a few miles.

I am trying to modify these and still working on cutting and smoothing some of the excess leather to achieve a better fit. Second, although the gloves are labeled small they do fit differently, where my left hand feels snugger than my right hand. It could be intentional or it could be a defect, time will tell. On the upside, everything else about these gloves is nice. I really like the yellow stitching, the added protection of the gauntlet and most importantly the perforated leather around the fingers, a feature that will be greatly appreciated during summer.

The Scout boots are first and foremost practical with an added fashionable benefit of being decent looking. My old riding boots (hiking boots) are made from a combination of fabric and leather with a solid wide Vibram sole. They offered great stability but lacked protection in key areas. I was looking for a solid boot and also ordered the Sidi Adventure Rain, however, as soon as I open the box I was drawn to the Scout. I tend to avoid being an advertising billboard, and the Sidi’s had letters all over them, fit too large and were beyond stiff.

Fortunately, the Scout run true to size and are low key in the advertising department, offer a lot of protection and claim to be waterproof. These boots are stiff and will take awhile before molding to your paws. My first recommendation is learn to control your Moto before riding in Moto specific boots. These things are so stiff right now I have had to readjust my riding style since they’ve slow down my shifting and timing. Something I expect will change once they are broken in. Ultimately only time will tell if these were practical purchases, I will do a long-term review later.


By now you may be still be wondering, dude what’s up with the three legged dog bit?
I was out walking my dog the other and saw a three-legged Pomeranian and thought: I wonder if that dog could have reduced the risk of loosing its leg, would it have done it? As motorcyclist, we accept the risk involved in the sport, and rely on our skills and equipment to increase our success rate on the road, this odd encounter accelerated my intent to inventory my gear and take the necessary steps (pun intended) to upgrade.
Sometimes inspiration or motivation is found in unexpected places, either way heed your intuition, get out there and Enjoy the Ride.

Sport-touring: A work in progress...

If Confucius was around these days, I’m pretty sure he would be a moto-enthusiast and he may be quoted as saying: “A moto-journey of a thousand miles begins with a single mile” or something along those lines. Motorcyclists form their own microcosm, a subculture that deviates from the standard means of transportation and to some extent form of existence.

And similarly to the Macro society we inhabit it encapsulates individuals with different approaches to the sport. Some choose to be commuters, long distance tourers, weekend warriors, dedicated motorheads year-round riders or a combination of the aforementioned. I fall somewhere along weekend warrior and long distance tourer, at least for now, in an ideal world I would be a year-round rider, that is the goal.

This past month marked the completion of yet another yearly cycle of my existence on this blue planet. After a few decades of roaming around this place, yearly cycles become less of a party occasion and more of an assessment event, just like a rest stop when one tours. And the following questions may surface: Is this the intended path? How far is it from point A to point B? Am I on track? All these questions may only cause a bit of anxiety, and so at times it’s best to just roll along…. eliminate self-consciousness and simply ride.

When I first returned to the sport after nearly a ten-year absence, I felt I had to go out and make up for all those years and ride. I soon realized I should slow down literally and figuratively, and simply enjoy. I have now found a nice rhythm and a style that suits my state of mind. If I must identify myself I suppose I’d consider myself a tourer, but fundamentally simply a motorcyclist. My goals and moto-aspirations these days are simple: ride and record the adventures.

This is one of the reasons why I started this blog. The other day I came up with the idea that I should record and display the places I’ve traveled to on my bike, but how? The answer came in the form of stickers, State flag stickers that is. I’m also a Military history fan, and decided to borrow an idea from past military aviators and display the flags on a panel on my 250R, just like they would have displayed number of kills in dogfights. Only time will determine how many stickers I will be able to add to my panel, but that is less relevant than the adventure.

Ultimately, I do agree with Confucius, in that epic journeys begin with a single movement, my journey so far has taken me 3400 miles/ 5440 km, 8 States, and it has been awesome!

Some may think that motorcycling is a dangerous sport, and I agree, but I also ask the following: what isn’t dangerous? Would you rather sit in the safety of your home and wake up tomorrow and wish you had...[fill in the blank]. I won’t have that problem, motorcycling is my life’s passion! What is yours?. Enjoy the Ride!

Sweet, Fast, Naked Motos!

It has now been over a month since the 250R went into hibernation and I must say it has been bearable. As I mentioned in previous posts I used to live in CA where the weather is moto-friendly almost year round. If you can become proficient at navigating the traffic madness you can ride year round. Unfortunately, when I lived in CA I was missing a moto most of the time and missed out on riding, today I have a moto but the weather is less than friendly. I guess as some may sing you can’t always get what you want (RS) Or can you?

If one live in an ideal realm free of constraints (e.g. financial, labor,insert own constraint, time, etc.) I would be writing this blog while on break during an epic-moto trip, before I surf down the Beartooth Highway and drop down from a huge mountain. On my way to climb the going-to-the-Sun road in Glacier National Park, but I am far from an idealist and prefer a realistic approach to my existence.

As a realist I must accept the fact that I still inhabit The Matrix and it is currently excessively cold here! So what does one do when the weather slaps you with leaves, dumps ice flakes on your head and quarantined you inside your living quarters? You go window shopping at the International Motorcycle Show, a moto-enthusiast toy store!

I look forward to going to the show like a pup looks forward to running in the park, and I really enjoyed checking out all the new steeds. Before I went I thought I might walk out there wishing I had a different, bigger, better bike, at the end I walked out feeling pretty happy about my decision to get a 250R. I did find a potential replacement for my 250R should something happen to it. It was rather unexpected, a new 2012 green Kawasaki 650 (see picture below). It looks nice, fast, but most importantly the geometry is more relax and comfortable then the 250’s, although $3500 more expensive, ouch, maybe under ideal circumstances.

Overall it was a good outing, lots of nice shiny rides that would look good in my stable, if I had one. I will never have a stable full of fast, exquisitely contoured metal on wheels, and the weather will always be imperfect in some place, at some time. Some may think that overall it is difficult to get exactly what one wants, a valid assumption if what one desires consist primarily of material things. Fortunately, what I want these days are the intangible rewards that result from being able to enjoy freedom, freedom to roam on my moto…to do what I want Any old time (RS), and at least for now that is within my abilities. What are you waiting for? go out be free and Enjoy the Ride.


Here is a completely bias pictorial report from the show, grab a Brown Ale sit back and and enjoy.

Norton's Cafe Racer.

Triumph's take on the Cafe.

An old brand that refuses to go extinct.

Eric Buell's Super-Steed.

Kawi's Concours land rocket.

Super Ninja 1000+ tarmac scorcher.

Yamaha's 1300 excess sport-touring missile.

Triumph's speed triple naked beast.

Triumph's new too-tall for me Tiger.

250R Ninja apprentice, still running on carburetors.

Almost all new 2012 awesome slime-green 650.

My next go-to green machine (with a set of Givi cases), should anything happen to my 250R.

Sport Touring: Is it about the journey or the destination? It all depends on perspective.

It is mid December in the North Eastern region of the U.S., temperatures are hovering around 40F/ 4C and that can only signify that good old winter is upon us as well as the end of moto-season, or is it? A significant event indeed in moto world, although not quite as dramatic as REM’s “It’s the End of the World as we know it…” but I do “feel fine” about it. I do feel fine about it only because I don’t view this as the end of the moto season, I think of it as a “rest stop” in this journey called sport touring, punctuated by breaks and scenic detours along the way.

This season has been an exciting beginning for me, I found my way back into motorsports after being absent for a decade and was able to check off an item from my bucket list, I finally went on a Sport touring trip! No, I did not go as far and as long as had envisioned, nor did I ride an overly expensive steed with excess horsepower. I only managed to ride as far as Indiana (from Maryland), on what most would consider a glorified scooter. However, along the way I rediscovered the joy of riding the open tarmac at highway speeds or just chugging along back roads. I also encountered the challenges and dangers of the sport, bad roads and bad weather tested my stamina and determination, and close calls induced self-doubt. Ultimately, for reasons only my fellow moto-enthusiasts can understand, I'm still riding!

Tomorrow Scully will go into hibernation; I will miss her. She has been my “Road tripping” ally (RHCP), and during our short interaction it has never let me down. We have traversed across a few states, through varied terrain and bad weather, and through it all I was never let down. One man, one machine, 3400 miles/ 5440 km and many more to follow, my 250R has delivered, like a loyal friend always ready for the next adventure, no complaints no hesitations.

During these upcoming times of frigid, gloomy weather while Scully sleeps, I will begin to plot our next moto adventures on the U.S. map that hangs on my wall. The destinations are less relevant then the journey, but the list is ambitious. Maryland to California via Route 50, Yellowstone, Glacier National park, Bear tooth Highway, Canada and most importantly my “Mecca”: Northern California Redwood Coast, all in due time.

So you see my fellow moto enthusiast, indeed, it’s all dependent on perspective, at least for me winter is a “rest area”, a time in which to re-asses, plan, plot routes and confirm progress. I will refrain from dwelling in the fact that I’m unable to ride, rather, I will rejoice in the fact that I was able to fulfilled my moto ambitions, visited old friends, saw new places and enjoyed my existence on two wheels! I will go through this winter solo, without my road “ally” Scully, but in the end I know that “…it’s always better when we are together…” (J. Johnson). For this reason I will look forward to the spring, when the sun will shine and the tarmac will entice me to follow its endless path, because for me it’s not always about the destination, or about the journey, it's about The Ride. Until then I will dream of “Californication” (RHCP). Enjoy the Ride.

Ready for Hibernation at a remote, climate controlled subterranean den.

Back to basics, walking home after dropping it off.

To the journey on two wheels.

Gear Review and updates: First Gear Heated gloves and Slime Moto spare pump.

Ambient temperature 32F/ 0C

Like a craze burger-eating fool after a long night of throwing back a few IPAs, eating some fries trying to squeeze a Heinz bottle running low on ketchup I am trying to squeeze the last few rides out of Moto season 2011. And so I woke up this morning to a sunny, bright but frigid day! The thing is, it was so nice out I could almost hear Bono in the background singing “It’s a beautiful day, don’t let it get away”, and like most dedicated motor heads I had to go out if only for a short stroll…and to test out some gear.

But before we get to the gear let’s go back in time. It’s late one evening back in winter ’09 around 12:30 am; I’m finishing my bus route pulling into the bus depot. I have a three-mile bicycle ride home ahead of me; temps are in the 30’s F/ 1C, no problem right? Except my gloves are useless, I arrived home and what used to be my hands are now ice blocks and they hurt and burn so bad, I considered making my way to the ER fearing if I did nothing I’d surely loose some fingers. Half hour later and warm water and I regained some feeling on my hands and swore that I ‘d never go through that unnecessary agonizing pain again.

Fast-forward to September ’11; before I went on my tour I picked up a pair of First gear heated gloves and today was a perfect day to test them to their full potential. My first impression: heated gloves are a necessary, inconvenient luxury. These things are thick, cumbersome and make you feel insecured about your moto skills at first, like a High School junior trying score a prom date. I geared up, warmed up Scully and we were on our way. My first thought is: wow, my hands are warm! I can feel the temperature differences in a couple of points in my body where the wind was leaking in but not my hands. At least not the top of my hands, my palms did feel a bit cool but nothing uncomfortable. After a while my hands were so comfortably warm that I had to turn the heat off, they worked well around 30F/0C and up to speeds of 40mph/64kph. They're supposed to be water proof but I have not had a chance to fully test that claim. I did find out that if your hands are wet it's almost impossible to get these gloves back on as the liner sticks to the skin.

The part about being inconvenient plays in when you have to figure out how to route the wires and temperature regulator (troller) and connect it all to the bike and yourself. The wires are as inconvenient as an ex-fling who can provide you with some “comfort” but you have to endure the aftermath. So far I run the wires through my sleeves, I rigged the troller with some electrical tape to my left torso (see pic) and coincidentally am able to see the settings through my left mirror when I need to make adjustments. I think they are a bit of a luxury because these are pricey or maybe I’m just a cheap bastard, either way I hope these things last. I don’t plan to ride in any colder weather, so at least for now the gloves are working well. The fit is ok, the workmanship is questionable and durability is to be determined. I will write a long-term report later.

The second item on my list is the Slime pump. I got this pump after getting sick of hunting down a gas station that had an air pump to top off my tires and being extorted for a buck each time, it’s freaking air and I’m buying petrol! Oh wait, what was that? You want another dollar out of me, no thanks. I figured after a few times of pumping my own tires this thing will pay for itself. So far it has worked well and efficiently. It does however vibrate so intensely that if you leave it on the ground you’d think it might brake into pieces.

Lastly, my tank bag has proven to be practical and durable, once again I stuffed this thing with groceries to the max and it held in place for the short ride home. I’d probably not stuff it this way on a long trip since it does become a bit obtrusive, but overall I’m still happy with this purchase and would recommend it if you are in the market for a tank bag. That’s enough rambling for today, if you are in a warm climate what are you waiting for? Get out and Enjoy the Ride.

In search of: two-lane roads and moto-bliss amidst the madness.

As the inescapable flaky and icy days approach us, warm and sunny days are as scarce as petrol for under $3 a gallon, at least in the U.S. So when such day does arrive you got to…. Well ride it out. By now you may be aware that I enjoy living in a metropolis as much as going to dentist after visiting the local department of motor vehicles to register my moto, but I digress. The day started out unlike most others it was sunny, it was warm and the weather called for 69F! I know, hard to believe in late November but I won’t argue with the weather. It’s time to warm up the 250 and head for a stroll, but where to? The warm weather will only peak for a couple of hours so a cross-state line jaunt is off the schedule; ah I’m brain fucking the idea just get out and ride!

I’m out the door, the 250 feels smooth, the shifting is right on the throttle is responsive, it leans, it stops it cruises along nicely. I’m having a good day in The Matrix but I still have not found what I crave. And then I remember that there is a place near by where the mental fog evaporates, where the antidote to stagnation and boredom exists, albeit in a minute dose. I found this place unintentionally; actually the fellow who sold me my old ride recommended it. This place is inconspicuous to the non-moto enthusiast but to me it is a refuge and a playground. It’s really nothing special when you look at it, it could be anywhere in the U.S. In another realm this road would lead you to a small town, except here it’s within 15 miles of Washington D.C!

It’s probably about 5 miles/ 8km long, but within those miles you can be transported to another place, another state of mind. Where the weather is great the tarmac is decent, cages are scarce and most importantly your mind is free, if only briefly. It reminds me of the beauty of riding, one may ride cross-country, across the state or around the neighborhood for that one elusive moment [insert own thought] and when you find it it’s moto-bliss. It was a great short ride, it made my day, I got home safe pet my boxer pup and was happy I get to ride another day.

There is “Hope” (Jack J.) and so the search for new two-lane roads and moto-bliss whether near or afar goes on, ‘till then Enjoy the Ride.

Thank you 250R, a “seasonal” random thought.

I’m what some may call the antithesis of a celebrant, so when fall/winter approach and most begin to plan for stuffed bird day, excess and mythical fat man season, I’d much rather find a secular serene realm where to retreat. Ah ha, you say, there is a name for that Mr. "Green". I think it’s great that many will participate in the festivities but for those of us who’d rather be exempt, let us be free of such rituals. Some of us moto enthusiast will follow our own two-lane path.

I suppose it may be that the joy and or experience many seek during these designated times I tend to experience most times I ride my moto, albeit through an inverse approach, allow me to elaborate. I enjoy being in open plains and forested mountainous terrain surrounded by unfamiliar sights instead of familiar disgruntled travel weary individuals. Every time, I return home from a moto-run whether it was a circuit in the neighborhood or cross State lines jaunts I’m grateful that I made it back home and will ride another day.

One can argue my seasonal aversion is based on perspective of either being overtly grateful and generous once year or simply year round? I prefer the latter. So here is to the stuffed bird day, excess and mythical fat man season! Enjoy the Ride.

A straight line is the shortest distance between point A & B, but it does not always lead to the most scenic destination.

Mileage: 220miles/ 352 km
Ambient temperature: 40F/ 7C


I live in a monolithic Metropolis, and the unrelenting pace of inhabiting it sometimes makes one feel like a wound-up toy that must be set free to run; enter the 250R. The other day I woke up and decided it was a good day to ride out to the Atlantic Ocean via the most direct route I can find, and so I did. I’m from Southern California and while living there I enjoyed the luxury of being able to go to the beach on a whim, whether it was via bus, car, Moto, on my road bike, even running along the shoreline by El Segundo, CA. When I lived in Northern California I was afforded an even better luxury, the beautiful Redwood forested foggy north coast, but I digress, let’s get back to Sport-touring on the 250R.

With the temperature hovering around 45F/7C, I set out due East early morning, I have three layers on, and my heated gloves stashed in my tank bag just in case. The ride starts out slow, riding through the city onto highway 50 Eastbound across the Bay Bridge in Annapolis, MD. until I finally reached the other side where the two-lane road begins…. sweeping turns and smooth tarmac, Ah relief.

It’s amazing how tranquil the ride was and how much the area reminded me of the Midwest U.S., with lots of farms, barns, John Deer tractors and small main streets. I have a Maryland map but not a Delaware map, I’m winging it, I have enough fuel, water and a snack in my bag, it’s time to just “ Let it roll”. I know I’m close to the water I can sense it now, I’ve just got to find the back road that will lead me to the water. For a moment I became distracted by this road sign, there is a sweeping left turn on the road, oh, wait, stop reading it! It was not a close call but I did have to perform a dirt track like maneuver dropping my left foot, leaned hard left to get back on track and avoid the ditch, no problem I got this.

Finally, after meandering through Delaware I reached my destination The Atlantic Coast near Slaughter Beach, via a non-tourist outlet (see pictures). By the time I arrived the fog was ubiquitous, it was low tide and eerily silent. I could not see or hear the waves. By now you are thinking bummer, you rode all the way out there and there is not much to see! I know, but I went there simply for the salty ocean smell and the engulfing fog that I find to be serene. And you may ask why ride to a point less destination? It was a beautiful day and because on occasion when I ride for the simple joy of riding it feels like the “time of your life” (GD).

My first State crossing sign.

My view to the South.

My view to the North.

My view inland.

Side note: one of the best ways to end a moto-ride, pizza, tea, baked goods.

Gear Review: Moto Tank bag

I have been tooling around on the 250 for about three months now and some things are beginning to flow, such as carrying gear atop the gas tank. I currently use First Gear’s Silverstone Tank bag II, I got this bag based on another 250 rider recommendation and it turn out to be right on. I have now used this bag for over 2500 miles and I would definitely recommend it, based on the following: First, it is an ideal size for the 250, second: it’s versatile and practical and third: it looks decent on the bike.

The 250 holds what sounds to be a measly 3.3 gallons of fuel, thus the tank is rather small in comparison to other bikes. However, that becomes irrelevant once one discovers that the bike provides freakishly efficient fuel consumption. The bag measures approximately 13Lx8Wx6H and its expandable to about 7 inches, it attaches to the tank via four magnets, two large up front and two small out back. This is an excellent combination and they hold the bag in place at both high and low speeds. I have loaded this bag almost to capacity (gloves, food, maps, water, phone, adapters, coins, iPod, sun glasses) even carried a half gallon of milk and the magnets did not budge!

This bag has multiple practical features such as the clear top pocket for maps, three outside pockets, three different carrying styles, a detachable clear map case and a rain cover with a clear top that allows one to view the map inside the bag’s pocket. The bag includes a carrying handle obviously, but there are also backpack style straps that free up your hands to carry a helmet. etc. There is also a shoulder strap if you want to carry it like a man-purse (I prefer the backpack feature). And if for some reason you don’t want to bring the bag you can detach the base and bring it as map storage only.

The bag is firm and holds its shape when empty, is made of durable materials but is not waterproof. The rain cover does a decent job at keeping your items dry. There are only a couple of drawbacks when choosing this bag, first the price is a bit high and it does not include a water reservoir, (this may be a matter of personal preference). I’ve since added a Camelbak 3 liter reservoir and makes for a good combination on long trips and hot summer days. I usually prefer to avoid carrying items on my back and this Bag serves as a good alternative.

How do I know is the right size or at least sufficiently large? Well, if it does not fit in it maybe I don’t need to bring it along; it’s a bike after all not a wagon. I’ve included a few pictures to highlight some of its features.

A Sunday Moto-stroll to Northern Virginia

Woke up this morning and the weather was excellent, the 250 was ready to roll and the road was calling. What should one do? Simply Ride. I obliged and went on a Sunday stroll, and a solemn walk through the grounds of the USMC National Museum. Here are a few pictures from the visit, think of it as your personal virtual tour.

Semper Fidelis.