exciting motorcycle: Shopping

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Saturday, 7 November 2009

International Motorcycle Show coming to Dallas Texas

2009-2010 Cycle World International Motorcycle Show

What: World's Largest Motorcycle Show Series Rolls Out the Latest Street Bikes, Sportbikes, Cruisers, Scooters and More.

Where:

Dallas Convention Center

650 S. Griffin St.
Dallas, TX 75202
http://www.dallasconventioncenter.com/

When:
Friday, November 13

4:00pm - 9:00pm

Saturday, November 14
9:30am - 8:00pm

Sunday, November 15
10:00am - 5:00pm

Get your tickets & more info now here: http://www.motorcycleshows.com/motorcycleshows

For the first time in Dallas- Demo Rides!

Hope to see you all there on Satuday.

Ride on,
Torch

Thursday, 14 May 2009

HJC CS-2N Blade MC-5 Helmet Review

HJC CS-2N Blade MC-5 Helmet Review

Last year I needed another helmet just in case I needed to take a passenger with me for a ride. I decided to get another open faced half helmet. I was browsing at Full Boar in Hurst Texas during their Christmas Shoppers Storewide Clearance Sale when one caught my eye. I think it was the interesting flaming skull looking graphic that caught my eye. It was made by HJC and the model was CS-2N and their website calls it the Blade MC-5. It was a half helmet and it was D.O.T. approved. Here is the information from the HJC website:

Thermoplastic Alloy Shell: Lightweight, superior fit and comfort using advanced CAD technology.
Nylex Interior: For added comfort.
Two Forehead Vents: Delivers cooling air.
Aerodynamic Visor: Low-profile design.
Removable “Zip-out” Neck Curtain: Easy to remove. Optional earflaps with speaker pockets.
DOT Approved
SIZES: XS-XXL

I tried several on and the medium size fit me well. The neck strap seemed to land more on my chin than neck which felt much more comfortable than the Vega XT. It also did not feel like it stood as tall on my head, like the Vega Half Helmet. The shape fit my head nicely and CS-2N was balanced well. I made my purchase.

The faux visor is indeed low profile and did not catch the wind as bad as the Vega’s visor did. It offers little shade from the sun, and apparently, is just for looks. For some reason, this Blade already had an Echo Products Quick Connect installed on it, so I did not have to purchase one and install it myself like I did the Vega. Another plus is that along with the standard two D Rings on the Nylon Retention Band, (strap) it has a snap right below the D Rings with a corresponding snap on the end of the long strap for snapping together after the helmet is buckled. This keeps the long loose strap end out of the way. I really like this feature because with the Vega, after it is buckled with the Quick Connect, I had to wrap the long end around the D Rings anyway to keep it out of the way. I guess I’m just too lazy to cut it.

The two Forehead Vents are well hidden under the visor and can only be seen when the visor is removed. Each vent is around 1” wide and ¼” high. They are a lot larger than the vents found on the Vega XT, although they do not have way to close them. It also has a Removable “Zip-Out” Neck Curtain, which I have given a real good workout to this spring taking it on and off as the temperamental Texas temperatures fluctuated cold to hot. It is slightly difficult to get the D Rings and Quick Connect ends through the strap loops on the Neck Curtain.

This Spring I stopped at Cycle Gear and picked up a universal snap on clear face shield, to try and use in the rain, and I found out the Blade does not have snaps to hold the visor on. The MC-5 has two screws on each side and a guide stud in the center to hold it on. For the record,

because of the curve of the helmet the “Universal” shield would not stay snapped on the Vega Half Helmet either. Back to the drawing board or invest in a full face.

The HJC CS-2N Blade MC-5 Half Helmet has been my daily wear on my commute to and from work daily. It has functioned for me flawlessly. It is extremely comfortable on my head and I would recommend it to anyone. Torch gives the Blade a M.M.M. Rating of 8 out of 10.

Ride on,
Torch

Sunday, 8 February 2009

Which Motorcycle To Start Out On?

I had been doing a lot of reading about which motorcycle a first time rider should get. The amount of information out there is astounding. Books, magazines, on- line forums, talking to other riders, everyone had an opinion. Most riders suggest that you get whatever their style and brand is. A lot of people suggest getting a small used bike, the style of your choice, and after getting used to riding, purchase a larger one. Others recommend getting a larger bike so you do not have to trade up as soon. I kind of liked the buy big theory myself. It would make it a little more challenging at first but you would be able to enjoy the ride for a lot longer without wishing you had something bigger.

The style of bike you get is really a function of personal preference and the purpose of it's intended use. There are several choices of styles including; Sport, Dual Sport, Cruiser, Chopper, Touring, and Adventure Touring. Each of these styles of motorcycle had their own purpose and were designed for specific intents. They each had pros and cons to certain types of riding and conditions. Although similar, riding positions and handling characteristics vary as well. There was the bare minimum, “naked” bike to the completely decked out Tourer with everything on board but the kitchen sink. Come to think of it, maybe I did see a Gold Wing with a kitchen sink.

I had decided early on that I wanted a Cruiser. I felt that the American brand bikes, sad to say, were overpriced, so I looked mostly at foreign made bikes. I had no brand preferences set in stone, but the Star brand of motorcycles seemed to be catching my eye a lot. For those who do not know the Star brand is a part of Yamaha. They were sexy looking with tight lines and attractive curves. They set low which gave them a lower center of gravity helping comfort, control and handling. There was a plethora of accessories to customize them. They also had a very large, loyal, and dedicated bunch of riders.

I looked at all the local motorcycle dealers. Service at the dealers was hit or miss. Sometimes I was waited on right away and sometimes completely ignored by salespeople while I browsed through the new and used bikes or accessories. I even applied for credit with Yamaha and Honda on-line. Both turned me down. Looking back, I'm glad they did. So, it was settled, I would be buying used. I also went to several used bike dealers and checked out what they had in stock as well. I saw bikes of all shapes and sizes.

During this process I set on several different machines to see how they felt. All the V-Stars I sat on sure felt nice. Being a large 6'2” guy, I felt that a 650cc sized engine/bike would be too small of a bike for me. It would probably be just fine starting out but I wanted to get something that I would not outgrow and want to trade up too soon. The 1100cc size seemed to be just about right. They set right in the middle of the large cruiser segment. The search was on.

Ride on,

Torch