SheRidesABeemer

Have done as you did, except I carried a race mars...

2012-05-07T15:36:03.381-05:00

Have done as you did, except I carried a race marshal in the sidecar, and he would often yell at riders to stop drafting. I also at the same time had perched on, facing backwards on the 1981 Goldwing a camera person.
This was a triatholon with the bicycle race being last. This was fifteen years ago, however the camera person had a body strap and an isolation gun to hold the camera. In those days it was film not digital, which makes a whale of a difference in the weight of equipment to carry.

The most difficult part was the rural roads, riding on the extreme shoulder ensuring I kept the bike moving, and there was hopefully not too much vertical
movement for the camera guy. The race marshal was kneeling in the chair on the seat back which was removable on that particular sidecar. There were three other motorcycle in the bicycle sector, one opening one closing and another marshal. It was fun!

My dad was one of the coolest motorcycle guys out ...

2012-04-27T08:41:30.937-05:00

My dad was one of the coolest motorcycle guys out there! He loved his bike and the one thing he always let me pick out were his motorcycle helmets . I loved he let me be a part of something so special to him.

The exciting part was the unpaved, but the race ha...

2012-04-23T08:17:59.038-05:00

The exciting part was the unpaved, but the race has more miles of paved. Mountain Road was dirt, and a challenge on the GS, I can not even imagine doing it on skinny bike tires.

That was a great video. Thank you! Especially the...

2012-04-22T17:25:37.876-05:00

That was a great video. Thank you!

Especially the hills. Was this run on unpaved roads?

Fabulous!! Thanks for sharing.

2012-04-20T17:05:24.277-05:00

Fabulous!! Thanks for sharing.

Now that is just downright exciting. I see those ...

2012-04-19T17:53:50.124-05:00

Now that is just downright exciting. I see those marshalls and photographers on TV.

Husband and I regularly volunteer as MC Marshall's for the Multiple Sclerosis rides twice a year here. But since it is a charity ride, and not a race, it isn't quite the same challenge.

Thanks for the link to the PDF. Wondering if it wouldn't be more fun to start working on race marshaling too.

Dom, in this event there wouldn't have been ro...

2012-04-19T06:57:31.702-05:00

Dom, in this event there wouldn't have been room for a hack. Although I can see that taking pics might have been easier from a sidecar. Space was super tight, there were passing situations where the bike, the bicycle and the cars where terribly close...like draw a breath in close.

Looks like a lot of fun mixed in with some intense...

2012-04-18T19:40:52.144-05:00

Looks like a lot of fun mixed in with some intense riding Gail! Nice job!

I really should look into this moto-support business....started to, then life got in the way....I imagine a sidecar rig would be a better platform for the photographer to do his/her shooting from?

dom

Redleg's Rides

Colorado Motorcycle Travel Examiner

This has to be an exciting assignment! Things like...

2012-04-18T16:07:42.033-05:00

This has to be an exciting assignment! Things like this are opportunities that will last a life time. Telling your grand-kids will be cool.

Riding in the thick of things was intense. 100% fo...

2012-04-18T15:28:16.010-05:00

Riding in the thick of things was intense. 100% focus was needed.

As I told the photographers, I have plenty of experience with a passenger, but only one, and I gave birth to her.

That is awesome! I've often wondered how much ...

2012-04-18T14:30:44.677-05:00

That is awesome! I've often wondered how much fun it would be to do something like that. I can't believe you took this on for never carrying a passenger. Good for you!

I'm impressed you rode with fidgeting photogra...

2012-04-18T13:55:51.168-05:00

I'm impressed you rode with fidgeting photographers as passengers! And all this while riding amongst cyclists! Wow!

Last year I had my first experience a passenger behind me on my bike, while going down a winding road on a mountain side. It wasn't as hard as I expected it to be. Especially since the guy behind me was an experienced motorcyclist himself, so he knew what to do.

I did find keeping the bike upright while somebody is climbing on or off i.e. while parking, quite a challenge though.

Classic. I'll be heading down to Garmisch this...

2012-04-02T16:15:32.798-05:00

Classic. I'll be heading down to Garmisch this weekend followed by a trip to the Swiss Alps and the Black Forrest sometime this summer. Just a great story altogether.

Well said. Couldn't agree more. I'm lookin...

2012-04-02T15:50:00.978-05:00

Well said. Couldn't agree more. I'm looking forward to many adventures for many years to come on my RT.

A long time ago I read an aritcle entitled "C...

2012-03-18T01:48:58.466-05:00

A long time ago I read an aritcle entitled "Can A Styrofoam Coffee Cup Have Soul?" The author claimed it could on the same basis that you write about. It's all in the relationship you have with the object. Great blog. I read it regularly.

Some machines as with some people have no soul, fo...

2012-03-17T23:09:58.496-05:00

Some machines as with some people have no soul, for many reasons. I kept my 1981 Honda Goldwing Interstate until 2009 when my cancer laden body said no more! The Black Beast had a shade over 400,000 kilometres on the clock when I sold it, to somebody who could keep it functional. As for me no replacement machine, yet.
Too many personal issues.

Like your K75, the machine had a very alive soul, created by a bond between motorcycle and man. So far that particular soul has not, sadly returned.

Nice thoughts... I like your comment about wishing...

2012-03-12T13:53:42.728-05:00

Nice thoughts... I like your comment about wishing that you'd paid more attention to the K75's photo diary. It's kind of like wanting to see the baby pictures of an adopted child or, a new love, or a new son- or daughter-in-law. You love them immediately, but you'd also love to know their life story before they were a part of your life. I too believe that soul is imparted to our beloved machines over time and through experience. However, it can't just be time since, they could be accruing time while collecting dust in the garage... soul is imparted across the miles you "share" while riding "together".

It's been a different kind of winter this year...

2012-03-11T19:24:43.428-05:00

It's been a different kind of winter this year, and the blog has not been a priority. Thank you for asking though. I think with spring in the air, maybe it's time to get at it.

You've not updated the blog in awhile - have y...

2012-03-09T16:21:19.696-05:00

You've not updated the blog in awhile - have you moved to a new site?

nice to see someone looking through the archives. ...

2012-01-18T15:26:56.382-05:00

nice to see someone looking through the archives. The Angola report still holds its own, and I agree, the pictures of the bikes in the dunes...amazing!

Hi...I'm looking at doing a 2 week M/C trip fr...

2012-01-14T08:26:44.258-05:00

Hi...I'm looking at doing a 2 week M/C trip from Newfoundland to New Hampshire area this June. Once down there, I'd like to spend the bulk of my time hiking in the White Mountains or therabouts. Would a loaded V-Strom 650 be generally safe at the trailheads? Most of my gear will be locked in the pelicans, but I'm just wondering about the bike. I don't carry any extra insurance at all up here (just public liability). Much appreciate your thoughts. And super blog by the way! You can drop me an email if you like (tmhollett@gmail.com). Thanks!

You were spot-on with your description of the ADV ...

2012-01-09T11:20:36.331-05:00

You were spot-on with your description of the ADV Angola RR. That truly was the "Best Damn Ride Report Ever." Stayed up late last night going through the posts (even though it was old) and loved every minute of it. The dunes on the beach part was facsinating. What an epic.

Cool photos ... my KTM has 2 filters, both on top ...

2011-12-01T02:44:30.704-05:00

Cool photos ... my KTM has 2 filters, both on top of the cases so when you pop the bolts off to get to the filters you get oil all over the engine.
I had not thought of wearing rubber gloves when doing an oil change but I always wear them cleaning and reoiling the air filter. Great job!

Great shot of the oil filter cavity. I never knew ...

2011-11-29T19:19:00.850-05:00

Great shot of the oil filter cavity. I never knew what it looked like - 'cause I'm not sticking my head under the there.

With the miles you do, a synthetic could prove ben...

2011-11-29T18:09:22.712-05:00

With the miles you do, a synthetic could prove beneficial. It will allow extended drain periods or maintain it's viscocity better if the drain interval is missed.