Posts
Coming Along Nicely
Published December 6, 2008 | 
Well, that toe is looking pretty good now…
The Hurty Toe, Day 2
The Next Day
Published December 6, 2008 | Holy Judas frickin’ Priest on a Popsicle stick!
I am experiencing some discomfort in my legs and foot. In much the same way that the residents of Hiroshima experienced discomfort in august of 1945.
Fortunately, I only experience this discomfort in the islands of lucidity I have between Percosets. So far, the cycle has been: Hurt, waken Percoset, sleep. Repeat.
You gotta hand it to narcotics, boy. They don’t futz around with any silliness. They just go right to work. “I sense you are uncomfortable. Here, let me bludgeon you into foggy bliss.”
Don’t mind if I do, thanks.
Actually, I’m not doing too bad. The Percs eliminate the pain so that I can limp around on my dorky cast and crutches. So, I can still do stuff.
It’s kinda nice though, just to lay on the couch and have my chick wait on me. She’s gone to the store to get me some goodies, and is bringing me back a double Whopper, so I’m good.
The only bad moment I had, really, was when I was stepping over the baby gate we use to keep the monster dogs in the den. Somehow, when I brought by hurty foot down, I jammed my tow right into the edge of their water dish. I got a few seconds crash course in astronomy when that happened. I think I can now recognize all the main sequence stars.
All things considered, though, I’d rather be up in Long Beach today, filling my CF card with pics of booth babes.
Wrecked (Updated)
Published December 5, 2008 | I was almost home.
I turned off of Center City onto El Norte Parkway, and as I was crossing Escondido Boulevard, I saw him pull out. I could see the driver very clearly, or rather, I could see the back of his head. With two lanes of traffic and a turn lane approaching him from his left, he was looking to the right to see what traffic was coming that way. I was in the edge of right lane, and I pulled into the left lane in an attempt to go around him, but it was too late.
He hit me on the right side, impacting the right touring bag, just behind my leg. The rear of the bike was knocked out out to the left, and, fortunately, low-sided on the right side. It did a 270-degree spin on the ground, ending up on the right side, laying perpendicular to the lane.
The left side of my right shin got whacked against the fairing, giving me a softball-sized bump on the shin. I guess I put out my hand to help break my fall, so the bone at the base of the hand, near the thumb is bruised up.
I was thrown clear of the bike at some point, and the impact drove the edge of my composite toe on my left boot right into the base of my big toenail, which I expect I’ll lose, in due course, and my left knee got wrenched a little bit, probably from rolling on the ground. I remember my helmet hitting the pavement and sliding along a bit, and thinking, “Man, I’m glad I have a full face helmet.”
Fortunately, I was wearing–as I always do–full gear: Olympia Motosports armored jacket and pants. So, no road rash, or anything like that.
As far as the bike goes, the right footpeg was sheared off. The right touring bag destroyed, and the mountings bent pretty badly. Right mirror bent into uselessness, part of the fairing badly scratched.
Fortunately, my frame slider took the brunt of the slide damage, with about one inch and a half ground off, and the mounting bent.
I rode her home, with my right foot hanging off the right passenger footpeg.
I’m pretty bruised up, and my toe is killing me. I think I might be in a lot more pain tomorrow, and probably won’t make it to the Long Beach motorcycle show.
Mirror Damage
Missing Footpeg
Ground Slider
Trashed Bag
Trashed Bag and Muffler
Broken Fairing and Mirror Mounting
Ow! Ow! Ow!
I just know I’m gonna lose that toenail. Dammit.
Fortunately, the other driver is–or, perhaps, was–a commercial livery driver, so they have full insurance coverage.
UPDATE:
It’s 4:50 am on Saturday morning. I just got back from the emergency room.
Turns out my toe is really broken. It wouldn’t stop bleeding last evening, so at about 11:00pm, I went to Palomar Medical Center to have them look me over. The verdict: Broken left big toe, bruised right shin, hyperextended left knee ligaments, bruised wrist.
Anyway, I’m now in one of those fiberglass ankle and foot splint dealies, and the doc says I’ll probably be in it for about 6 weeks. On the plus side, my prescription zipped right past Vicodin, and on to Percoset. I took one a few minutes ago. In another 20, I expect to be seeing the other side of consciousness.
Cripes, but my toe hurts! And, oh, yeah, that big toenal’s coming off.
Anyway, now, I have to make a doctor’s appointment for Monday so my regular doc can look me over. And I might need physical therapy for my left knee, and see an orthopedist.
All because one idiot–and a professional driver at that–couldn’t be bothered to look both ways at a stop sign.
Long Beach Motorcycle Show
Published December 4, 2008 | I guess this weekend I’m going to have to shell out the sawbuck and head up to Long Beach. It’s the weekend of the big International Motorcycle Show, and I’ve decided to go. Chris hasn’t decided whether to go or not. If she doesn’t, I’ll ride the FJR up.
Both Moto Guzzi and Kawasaki will evidently be there in force this weekend, giving test rides of their various models. I think I’d really like to try a Norge and a Breva 1200 to compare and contrast.
I’ll also be taking the camera up, so there’ll probably be a little photo show here when I get back.
KTM: 2-Wheel Drive Patent
Published December 2, 2008 | Via RILYSI, it looks like KTM, the respected Austrian Motorcycle manufacturer, has applied for a patent for a 2-Wheel drive, hybrid motorcycle. Even more interesting is that they’ve apparently fast-tracked it to production sometime in the next 24 months.
The word is that it will have an internal combustion engine driving the rear wheel, and an electric engine driving the front wheel.
Coming on the heels of KTM’s expected zero-emissions Enduro racer, it looks like KTM should change its flagship color from orange to green.
Except that Kawasaki already took that color.
More XR1200 Pics
Published December 2, 2008 | The Kneeslider has some more pics of the new (to the US) harley Davidson XR1200 Sportster. I really like this one.
XR1200...Back in Black
That’s an evilly bitchen’ looking motorscooter right there.
Modular Helmet Testing Results
Published December 2, 2008 | I’m one of those people that needs to wear a modular (flip-up) helmet. I have two of them, a Harley-Davidson Stealth, which is OK, and an HJC Sy-Max II, which I like a bit better for the lower wind noise. Unfortunately, I have to wear glasses or contact lenses, and, even with my contacts, I’m kind of light-sensitive, so I need to wear sunglasses. A full-face helmet makes that a bit difficult.
But there’s always been some controversy as to how well modular helmets poerform in a crash. This is kind of important, since about a fifth of crashes involve the biker taking one to the chin. I’d kind of like that bit protected, since chicks dig guys with chins.
So, I am interested to learn that, over in the UK, SHARP is testing modular helmets for crashworthiness, and rating them. They’ve already started putting ratings up, so you may want to amble over and see if your helmet appears, and how it did in testing.
If you are wearing a KBC FFR, or a Duchinni D601…well…you may want to go to the dealership and see how much a BMW System 5 helmet or a Caberg Trip will set you back.
I’m just saying…
Versys: 50-State Legal
Published December 2, 2008 | Well, it only took two years after its introduction in the rest of the world, but the Kawasaki Versys is finally California-legal for the 2009 model year!
2009 Kawasaki Versys
I’ll make a special trip to the dealership to take a look at this one. Everything I’ve read about this bike is that it is a fantastic all-rounder. It’s zippy and fun, but well balanced, light, handles responsively, and…well…everything.
It’s said to be a great commuter bike due to its lightness and maneuverability. It’s very economical, too, getting 60 MPG from the 650cc, counter-balanced, Parallel-Twin power plant. Everything I’ve read says that this is a great all-rounder.
One shortcoming, however, is the 33-inch seat height. That’s a bit lofty for smaller riders, and perhaps a little intimidating to newer ones as well.
But it’s reputed to be a dream to ride, so I think I’m going to try to wrangle a test ride, if possible, to see if I agree.
Odd Harley XR1200 Test
Published December 1, 2008 | I’m not sure, exactly, what the point was to this test. The guys at MCN took a few days to ride and compare the Harley-Davdison XR1200, the Ducati GT1000, and the Moto Guzzi Griso 1200. Their conclusion: The XR1200 isn’t a benchmark sportbike.
A look of shocked surprise failed to cross my face upon hearing this.
First, it’s really an odd test. In what possible world is a cruiser, even a retro, race-inspired cruiser, going to be a benchmark sportbike?
In Harley terms, the XR1200 is a pretty powerful machine. At 90HP, it packs about 15 more horses than an XL1200. And, as one of the reviewers notes, it handles way better than any Harley ever built. Harley isn’t trying to appeal to the liter-bike crowd. They are trying to get some younger appeal going with riders that want some more sportiness and better handling than is currently available anywhere in the HD line, with the possible exception of the V-Rod, and still have a bike that is recognizeably a Harley-Davidson.
And at that, it looks to me like the XR1200 delivers.
And, as they also note, it has a presence that none of the other bikes have.
You can bitch and moan about Harley’s all you want, and denigrate them to a fair-thee-well, but at the end of the day, all around the world, the Harley-Davidson has a cachet that no other motorcycle has. Their bikes are the ones that the other cruiser manufacturers take styling cues from.
If you can now get a Sportster with signifigantly more muscle and better handling, there’s certainly nothing wrong with that. And, I’ll bet Harley sells the initial run of 750 like hotcakes. They seem excited over at HDForums, anyway.
The World’s Fastest Production Motorcycle
Published December 1, 2008 | It isn’t the Hayabusa. It’s not the ZX-14. It’s a Harley-Davidson. Sort of. I mean, Harley owns MV Agusta now, and MVA makes the F4 1078RR 312.
MV Agusta F4 1078RR 312
This bike is superbad. The 2008 2008 F4 R 312 took a land-speed record at Bonneville in September, getting a 306 KPH speed at the salt flats. The new 1100cc version for 2009 has crossed the $120,000 F4 CC racing bike with the 2008 F4 R 312 to come up with this new power monster of a motorcycle.
Kawasaki and Suzuki have some sort of wierd “gentleman’s agreement” to limit the top speed of the ‘Busa and the ZX-14 to 186 MPH. MV Agusta chooses not to join such a silly convention. With 190 horses on tap, this is gonna be a screamer. MVA hasn’t announced the MSRP for this thing yet, but you’re probably looking at $30,000-$36,000 or so, although a local dealer here in San Diego has a 2008 F4 R 312 for sale for $24,000 here.
It’s not a bike I would ever buy. The chain srive, and absolute lack of any touring accessories make this a non-starter for me.
But, I wouldn’t turn down an extended test ride.