The Greatest Motorcycle of All Time

The Honda Cub has sold more around the world than any other motorcycle has. It is a well suited bike that is used for major transportation, as well as carrying anything necessary for a large part of the civilized world.

I am glad that we are able to have larger bikes that are more for pleasure than usefulness. Most people remember having or knowing someone with one of these Hondas in their lifetime. I found this video nostalgic and fun. Enjoy....

Inner thoughts on a motorcycle

It’s funny how your mind works while riding a motorcycle. Generally you are juggling your focus between safely operating the bike, and keeping track of all the crazy drivers around you.

When you get out on an open road or a straight stretch of highway you can start to let your mind wander a little. You start to notice all the scenery around you, which you feel so much more a part of on a motorcycle. You notice how things smell such as grass, livestock, wood smoke, and the like. Your senses are so much more in tune than in a car.

I always notice dead animals along the road, and say a little “Awww” to myself for the poor critter that didn’t make it across the pavement. Sometimes you’ll notice a snake or lizard slithering along. I always talk to the animals I see and believe they can mentally sense what I am saying to them.

Sometimes when I ride a song will pop into my head and I will sing it repeatedly as I go along. This can be a song I haven’t heard in years or maybe just yesterday. It makes no sense because sometimes I don’t even like the song! The rhythm of the road seems to make music in my head….

On a beautiful morning ride I will sometimes smile big inside my enclosed helmet and blurt out loud “happy!” or “what a beautiful day!” Most days I pass an area where I have a distant view of Mount Rainier. As I look around me at all the beauty that is in the Northwest, I can feel my spirits lifting and the ride gives a great start to my day.

A lot of times while I ride along on the motorcycle, I am laying out my mental goals, planning my next post on the blog, or creating my next venture in my mind. Riding gives you time alone, time to think, and time to appreciate the world around you at that moment. You can work out a lot of problems in your mind by the time you arrive back home.

Troubleshooting the motorcycle update

I know my limitations. I was all psyched up to tear into the Suzuki to see what its intermittent problem is. By all accounts I should have been able to check a few things and eliminate those issues.

So I started by taking off the seat. Easy enough. With my owner’s manual in hand, I followed step by step the process of removing the gas tank so that I could get to the spark plug. The manual failed to mention that you have to disconnect the fuel line, speedometer, etc. to lift off the tank. Duh! I felt so stupid that I hadn’t thought of that and had no idea how to go about disconnecting these things.

My husband is the type who doesn’t wrench anything, and would rather pay a professional who knows what they are doing (sometimes). So he wasn’t much help, and kept recommending that I hang up the tools and take the bike to a mechanic.

Meanwhile, I proceeded to remove my battery, fill up the cells and put it back in. No problem. That was all I could check because I couldn’t get past the gas tank. I decided to order an owners repair manual, but only could locate one online for my particular motorcycle and it was $65.00. I am considering ordering it, but then I hope to get a larger bike in the near future. Maybe I’ll just take it in……

So yesterday I rode to work again. The idle is running fast, but still occasionally wants to die when I come to a stop. I want to take a long ride over the Labor Day weekend so hope the bike will keep up with me. We’re hoping to take a ferry ride over to one of the islands and ride around there. Washington State Ferries are great fun. Motorcyclists are first on, loaded in front of the boat. Then they are first off when it arrives on the other dock. There is no waiting and a lot less expensive than going in a car.

So the saga continues. I looked at new motorcycles online today……hmmmm…..what do I want? Harleys are talking to me, but now BMWs look pretty good. Must decide.

Troubleshooting my motorcycle this weekend

It has come down to this. I am going to have to tear into my motorcycle this weekend and see what is going on with it.

About two months ago I was riding to work regularly when the weather was nice. I stopped at a red-light in town one morning and I was first in line. All of a sudden my bike just died. That had never happened before. I couldn’t start it up right away. It would just wind and wind but not turn over. Before the light turned green I rolled it over towards the sidewalk on the corner of the street. Now that I was out of traffic it still wouldn’t start. I looked across the side street and saw a parking lot. I assumed I would have to call someone. So I rolled across the street, luckily there was a slight downward slope. I parked it, waited a couple of minutes and finally wound it up, gave it a good rev and she started up. I went on to work from there, muttering to myself along the way.

I took it home and read the owners manual. I decided to adjust the idle screw because it didn’t seem to be idling fast enough to keep going. I turned it a little until I could hear the engine sound like it would keep running. It had been fine until yesterday.

The Suzuki had always been very dependable especially since I bought her new back in 2005. It’s a Boulevard S-40, the smallest in that series. I did have to fill up the brake fluid reservoir after about a year of riding. It turned out the front brake pads were down to nothing after only 1400 miles. I do shift down to slow the bike so I was pretty surprised to see them shot so soon. I bought new ones and put them on, with a little help from my husband. I then filled the fluid reservoir and they have been perfect ever since. I think the first ones were paper thin to start with….

The other thing I did was adjust the tension of my drive belt which I love because you never need to lube it. I’ve changed the air filter and, of course, added oil. I have all the stuff to change the oil so will be doing that soon. It’s due around 4000 miles and I’m at 3600 miles now.

Tomorrow I plan to check the spark plug, and look at the carburetor. The bike only has one spark plug, but it is under the gas tank. I’ll have to lift it up to get to the plug. The seat has to come off to get to everything else. I like working on the bike if I can figure out what to do. I always refer to the manual, which has been pretty helpful so far. Now I’m not sure what the problem is. The bike died again twice yesterday at stoplights on my way back to work after meeting friends for lunch. I adjusted the idle up once again to make sure I could get home.

The other thing it is doing is hesitating a little like a bucking bronco in lower gears. When I get up past 4th gear it seems Ok. It also backfires a lot more while going downhill. I am not sure what is going on but I ride it all year and use good gas always.

If anyone has a suggestion of what else I should try, let me know. I hate to take the bike to the Suzuki dealers. They don’t respect the smaller bikes and the last time they gave mine back to me with big greasy handprints all over my tank! As you can see its white – I was not happy. Grrrrrr. I take very good care of my ride and I’m proud of it. I will take it to a different dealer next time that I can’t do something myself.

Meanwhile, I’m having fun trying….

My brother's 1969 Honda-450cc

Here is a picture of my brother’s bike. A friend gave him boxes of parts and said he hadn’t ridden it in many years. My brother is very industrious, so meticulously cleaned and reassembled the long lost motorcycle. It is nearly all original. He rides it every day to work when it isn’t raining. If you live near Santa Cruz, California you may see him cruising around on the Honda. He says everyone stops him and asks about it

When you ride

There is a feeling that comes over you when you ride a motorcycle. It’s an emotion that all is well with the world and everything will be ok. As you ride along with the wind hitting your chest you feel powerful and strong - invincible.

There is no sense of time on a motorcycle. It doesn’t matter how long it takes when you’re enjoying the ride so much. Your sense of smell is awakened every second you are riding. You’ll smell freshly cut grass, dairy farms, dead carcasses, sweet honeysuckle along a country road, fresh air, salty ocean air, car exhaust, and the local dump. These are just a few of the things you will experience for your olfactory pleasure along the way.

You are unencumbered on a motorcycle and nothing is restricting your view. You become part of the landscape as you move along. It makes you feel closer to the earth. You see things in a whole new way and come to appreciate the beauty while you pass it by. On a bike you can stop anytime you have a notion.

Riding a motorcycle is very freeing; meanwhile you are developing a complete sense of control. I find it very calming to ride. When I am full of stressful energy taking a ride seems to pipe me right down and I come back home calm and relaxed. Then I am ready to tackle anything.

I love to ride alone because I can go where my imagination takes me. I can change direction on a whim or change my mind and try a new route, not sure where I will end up. It’s completely up to me. Riding alone lets you have time to think.

I also love to ride with my husband because we stop and enjoy places together along the way. We take turns leading depending on who knows the way to where we are headed. We’ve discovered a lot of new places to go just by heading in one direction and seeing what we can find. Bikers have a great sense of adventure and a need to keep seeing new things and finding new places to go.

So as you ride, enjoying nirvana in your mind, keep your eyes on the road ahead.

The two-fingered high five

The first time I rode out of my neighborhood I was exhilarated. I was out on the back roads and I was a new female motorcycle rider. I am always conscious of this. When you are new, every ride is glorious and leaves you wanting more.

So a motorcycle passed me and gave what appeared to be a wave. I waved back. The next biker passed and waved the same way. This time I realized it was a two-fingered wave and the fingers were pointing down. Not up like a peace sign.

It was the biker signal, the two-fingered high five, the symbol of the community of bikers, the realization that we are all of like mind. We bond because we are willing to be unprotected and travel with no hindrances, so that our senses can enjoy everything we experience as we go along.

I sent the signal back. As I rode more frequently I realized almost all bikers signal to each other - except large dudes on Harleys, who only signal to other Harleys.

I ride a 2005 Suzuki Boulevard S-40. It is a perfect size for a female’s first bike. She’s a cruiser style bike. It’s very easy to handle because it is light. There is only one cylinder, but it has a powerful 650cc engine so has lots of “get up and go”.

I got a little cocky and started signaling every biker I passed. I was one of the gang. I love the community of bikers because we all have a common passion for motorcycles and riding them. Most people you meet are very nice, friendly, and supportive of new bikers.

Then one day I signaled to a large black and white motorcycle that I saw coming towards me. It was a policeman – OOOPS! He didn’t signal back. He was on a real nice Harley.

Since then I give the two-fingered wave to anyone who gives it first. It feels good. There is a silent communication among motorcycle riders. It is like I am accepted into their club.