Twitter Integration to the Blog

My red 96 ST1100 just north of Big Bend NP

I'm still looking for ways to organize these writings but Google's free application just doesn't allow for any kind of grouping or folder processing of the articles that we post here.  They are all in the last posted is first on the list order and that's the best of the options offered.

I just created a Twitter account that I intend to use for this blog.  I'm new to Twitter so I'm not sure how well this will work.  For Blog notifications you can always "follow" this blog but that still leaves a couple of issues unresolved.  One is that I don't think that followers are notified of any changes or additions made to existing blog entry and two is that there are many smaller motorcycle events that don't warrant a blog posting.  I'm talking about very short product/tool/etc. information and simple blog notifications.

For example, I just did an update to the Beemer Buddies post and I also adjusted the rating of the product.  I think this is the type of thing that I can use Twitter for.  I'm willing to give it a try.

My Twitter account: tspbikes

Thanks for reading,
tsp

Blog Update Page...

The RT and a rider

This page is just an ongoing post about things that pop into my head on an on-going basis. I'll try to keep it related to motorcycles.




2012 Dec 18
We made some changes on the Blogger settings so that viewing on mobile devices and devices like iPads is better. Pages should now load much faster and each post has only a small part of the beginning of the post in order to fit more on a page. To select a post that you would like to read simply click that entry. If you are on a larger tablet or a phone with a large display you may use the link "view web version" which is located at the bottom of each page to view the blog using the desktop version.

2012 Sept 17
1 - Added a review of the Schuberth C3 helmet. C3 Review
2 - Updated the Grip Buddies review. Grip Buddies Review

2012 Aug 24
I'm late doing a number of posts, reviews and updates to this blog because it has been a few weeks since I got back from my yearly extended tour. We did a ride from Texas to Yellowstone NP and back where my bike did 4,453 miles during the 10 day tour. This year I upgraded a few items and added a few items to my daily carry pack. My new riding gear included a new Schuberth C3 helmet plus the relatively new to me BMW Airflow gloves. I also tried a CamelBak during the long hot ride home. The temperature range ran from 55 degrees F to about 105.

2012 May 21
It's time I did more postings. My 65W low beam upgrade did not last long. No, nothing wrong with that upgrade. I jumped the gun and did the HID upgrade. And while I was at it I also mounted my GPS (Zumo 660) over my dash. I'm happy with both upgrades. Reviews will soon follow.

2012 Feb 28
Planning on going to my BMW dealer for a 3rd time to get the left hand switches replaced. I don't mind the ride but staying at a hotel has already cost me more than $300. Status report when I get back.
Update (Mar 2012) - Finally got all of this resolved. Update in my bike R1200RT post.
tsp

2012 Feb 28
Warning - no motorcycle content
One of my hobbies or interests is aromatherapy. Been interested many years but it wasn't until recently that I found a good way to diffuse the oil blends that I make into the air in my house. I started a web page with info on the product a few days ago. It's very raw but a start. I'm not sure I'm keeping this service or use another service.
Web site: Aromatherapy and Stuff
tsp


2011, Dec 30

If you are like me you don't mind buying at least one pair of fairly nice riding boots. The sad part is that it took me over 40 years of riding to realize that I should pair up boots with a good pair of socks. I recently purchased a pair of tactical boots that I want to use for casual riding. Next to the boots was a rack of socks that retail for about $20 each pair. I'm used to buying packages of 3 to 6 pair of socks for a total of cost of less than $20!



You gotta give these socks a try. What I looked at had options for light, medium, and heavy socks. The heavy are too thick unless I up all my footwear by at least one size. I purchased some light and medium pairs and really like them. I got mine at Academy for a slight discount off of retail.

tsp



2011 Dec 1

I have a number of things wired up on my RT but I'm getting the urge to redo the job and clean up things a bit. I'll do some before and after shots (even to include the stuff I hate like the location of the power distribution box).

I'm breaking my rule of not tearing into any major work on a bike before a long ride. Planning to do a day's ride on Saturday.

tsp

2011, Nov 19 - This past Thursday my fellow contributor and brother had a business meeting in Austin, TX. He invited me to ride along with him and I agreed. It's about a 300 mile ride each way so we planned on returning on Friday. I had 639 miles total for the trip when we got back on Friday evening.

To pass the time while he was in meetings I visited the local BMW/Triumph shop. Well... after riding for over 40 years I finally decided to purchase my first pair of motorcycle riding pants. I can't review them yet because 1) only used them yesterday for the trip home and today I went on a very short 15 mile ride and 2) it's not cold and it's not hot at this time in my locale. The ride today was in 86 degree F and yesterday it started at 58 and was 78 by the time we got home.



But it appears that I have really been missing out. The pants felt so much better than regular jeans. Jeans seem to be beating on you as you ride at highway speeds while the riding pants stayed put very well.



I'll follow up with a review when I log more miles with them in both hot weather and cold. We don't get too cold here though. The review will be comparing jeans to these pants. Keep in mind that I wanted something for Summer riding. Anything else they do is a bonus to me.

tsp at Tail of the Dragon

tsp

Posted with Blogsy

Update Notice Page

The blog has updated pages.  Click the link below to see the changes.

Blog Update Page

tsp

Blog Update Page...

tsp & RT

This page is just an ongoing post about things that pop into my head on an on-going basis. I'll try to keep it related to motorcycles.

2012 Sept 17
1 - Added a review of the Schuberth C3 helmet.  C3 Review
2 - Updated the Grip Buddies review.   Grip Buddies Review

2012 Aug 24
I'm late doing a number of posts, reviews and updates to this blog because it has been a few weeks since I got back from my yearly extended tour.  We did a ride from Texas to Yellowstone NP and back where my bike did 4,453 miles during the 10 day tour.  This year I upgraded a few items and added a few items to my daily carry pack.  My new riding gear included a new Schuberth C3 helmet plus the relatively new to me BMW Airflow gloves.  I also tried a CamelBak during the long hot ride home.  The temperature range ran from 55 degrees F to about 105.

2012 May 21
It's time I did more postings.  My 65W low beam upgrade did not last long.  No, nothing wrong with that upgrade.  I jumped the gun and did the HID upgrade.  And while I was at it I also mounted my GPS (Zumo 660) over my dash.  I'm happy with both upgrades.   Reviews will soon follow.

2012 Feb 28
Planning on going to my BMW dealer for a 3rd time to get the left hand switches replaced.  I don't mind the ride but staying at a hotel has already cost me more than $300.  Status report when I get back.
Update (Mar 2012) - Finally got all of this resolved.  Update in my bike R1200RT post.
tsp

2012 Feb 28
Warning - no motorcycle content
One of my hobbies or interests is aromatherapy.  Been interested many years but it wasn't until recently that I found a good way to diffuse the oil blends that I make into the air in my house.  I started a web page with info on the product a few days ago.  It's very raw but a start.  I'm not sure I'm keeping this service or use another service.
Web site: Aromatherapy and Stuff
tsp

2011, Dec 30

If you are like me you don't mind buying at least one pair of fairly nice riding boots. The sad part is that it took me over 40 years of riding to realize that I should pair up boots with a good pair of socks. I recently purchased a pair of tactical boots that I want to use for casual riding. Next to the boots was a rack of socks that retail for about $20 each pair. I'm used to buying packages of 3 to 6 pair of socks for a total of cost of less than $20!

You gotta give these socks a try. What I looked at had options for light, medium, and heavy socks. The heavy are too thick unless I up all my footwear by at least one size. I purchased some light and medium pairs and really like them. I got mine at Academy for a slight discount off of retail.

tsp

2011 Dec 1

I have a number of things wired up on my RT but I'm getting the urge to redo the job and clean up things a bit.  I'll do some before and after shots (even to include the stuff I hate like the location of the power distribution box).

I'm breaking my rule of not tearing into any major work on a bike before a long ride. Planning to do a day's ride on Saturday.

tsp

2011, Nov 19 - This past Thursday my fellow contributor and brother had a business meeting in Austin, TX. He invited me to ride along with him and I agreed. It's about a 300 mile ride each way so we planned on returning on Friday. I had 639 miles total for the trip when we got back on Friday evening.

To pass the time while he was in meetings I visited the local BMW/Triumph shop. Well... after riding for over 40 years I finally decided to purchase my first pair of motorcycle riding pants. I can't review them yet because 1) only used them yesterday for the trip home and today I went on a very short 15 mile ride and 2) it's not cold and it's not hot at this time in my locale. The ride today was in 86 degree F and yesterday it started at 58 and was 78 by the time we got home.

But it appears that I have really been missing out. The pants felt so much better than regular jeans. Jeans seem to be beating on you as you ride at highway speeds while the riding pants stayed put very well.

I'll follow up with a review when I log more miles with them in both hot weather and cold. We don't get too cold here though. The review will be comparing jeans to these pants. Keep in mind that I wanted something for Summer riding. Anything else they do is a bonus to me.

tsp at Tail of the Dragon

tsp

Harley Rider Starting Young!

My Grandson Starting Young

My Harley Davidson Bike

My 2008 105th Anniversary Ultra Classic

I have a 2008 105th Anniversary Ultra Classic, commonly referred to as the Copper-top bike because its colors resemble those of a Duracell Battery. Over the last four years I've modified it just to make it more my bike. Here's a list of my modifications:

Tires: Changed to Metzlers from standard Dunlops
Engine: Modified to 103 with Cams
Intake: SE Air Intake
Exhaust: Installed V&H Monster Ovals
Chrome Front Forks
HD Front Fork Oil
Lights: Changed Lens to Smoke Color
Lights: Installed LED Headlight and Spot Lights
Starter: Installed Heavy Duty SE Starter
ACR: Installed Automatic Compression Releases
Straight 8: Installed stabilizer from oil pan to frame
Lowered Rear by installing shorter shocks by approximately 1.5"
Replaced Compensator Sprocket with Heavy Duty SE Sprocket
SE HD Starter
Installed Longer Chrome Handlebars
Installed Zumo 550 GPS w/XM Radio
Installed Painted Inner Fairing
Installed Chrome Trim on Fairing/Windshield Brace
Replaced Speakers with Boom Speakers from HD
Installed Clearview Recurve 9" Windshield
Installed Long Riding Pegs to Crash Bar
Installed HD Oil Cooler
Installed HD LED Readout Oil Dip Stick
SE Spark Plug Wires
Installed High Output HD Horn
Installed Nostalgic Riding Foot Board for Rider and Passenger
Installed Chrome Levers; Billet Shifter Connector; Shifter; Removed Heal Shifter; Brake Pedal; 105th Cam Cover; Air Cleaner Cover; front fender chrome cover; chrome Tour Pak hinges;
Portable Air Compressor

On the functional items the most noticeable have been the 103 upgrade along with the air intake and Monster Ovals exhaust.
Those items that are not worth the money include the high output horn that always sounds like its just waking up when you need it most and the LED dip stick that went South really quickly in the South Texas heat.
The Metzler tires are really great imho and provide great road handling properties. Only caution with metzlers from my BMW days is that they must be properly inflated or you'll get cupping on the front tire.
I'm thinking I will keep this bike since I know that I won't get any money on trade-in for all of the above options. To replace what I have will require that I get the CVO Ultra or Road Glide and those bikes now run $37,000 plus TT&L, a bit too much for a two wheeler in my opinion.

Why do you ride a motorcycle?

If you have spent any time riding a motorcycle you always get the question "why do you ride that thing?". I always hesitate at least a few seconds before I say anything. Keep in mind that it is never the motorcycle rider that asks the question.

I grew up liking mechanical things... especially engines. In my early years I put small lawnmower engines on bicycles. They were very crude but they served as my first motorized transportation. Years later when I went to college I moved up - if you want to call it that - to a 1953 Cushman scooter that cost me $50. It was my only transportation. It would do 50 mph drafting a tractor trailer. That scooter never gave me problems but it did break a front fork by the front axle. I used wire to hold it together but running down the road I could see it bouncing up and down. Not very smart of me.

It wasn't until I was in my mid 20's that I got my first real motorcycle - a 1973 Honda 500Four. I rode it everywhere. I looked for excuses to go somewhere so that I could ride it. I was in college when I mentioned to a motorcycle friend that as soon as the semester was over I wanted to ride to Big Bend National Park along the border of South Texas. It was to be my first real tour with a total of 600 miles each way. By the way, my friend was riding a 500cc two stroke Kawasaki motorcycle. We lubed the chains at every gas stop. It was a one week trip and we camped the whole time. How we carried all our gear on those motorcycles with no saddle bags I do not know.

After that bike came a series of Honda and BMW bikes and of course many more tours and rallies. In addition to those formal rides I also joined a local motorcycle club so that I would have several short rides every month.

Well, that's a brief history of how I got started with motorcycles. It covers a span of a little over 40 years and I still find it hard answering the question of why do I ride. Of course the simple answer for me is that I like it but that almost always requires that I qualify that answer. Sometimes I answer by saying "I don't know". That usually ends that topic. I think I have many answers and not simply one reason for riding. I like the quiet thinking time when I am riding long distance. I like the sensation of motion/speed. I like how you can smell what is around you. At this time of year (Spring) it is awesome as you ride by different fields both man made and natural. I like that I am covering as much as 50 miles for every gallon of gasoline. I like the power to weight ratio of a motorcycle. I'm sure there are more reasons I can't think of right now (like that motorcycles are pretty).

I would like to make this post interactive. I would like for you to post in the comments section your reason for riding. If you see your answer already posted by someone else continue to write your answer also. That will give us an idea what the most popular reasons are for the riding that we do. So... have at it... post your answers.

Thanks in advance for your input,

tsp