The van pounded down the freeway as rain and snow mix spattered against the windshield. The heat was keeping the six passengers and the driver comfortable despite the dropping temperatures outside. We had left the parking lot of the school about 9:30 p.m., heading to Hollywood for the Associated Collegiate Press journalism conference. As I watched the miles of highway pass by, I thought about my last trip to California by motorcycle for last year’s conference.
Hunter Thompson, my favorite author, wrote a story about a ride that he used to do from San Francisco to San Jose along California Highway 1, in the middle of the night. I wanted to run this route myself, on my own bike. I was determined to make it happen, so I started planning.
I was going to head down Interstate 5 and cut across to Highway 101 at Sacramento, the quicker way. However, at the last minute, the weather reports started calling for snow in Ashland. Damn. So, I was forced into taking the coast route.
The day of the trip, I strapped my bags to my bike, got suited up, fired it up and headed out of town. By the time I hit the mountains heading to the coast, I began to question my sanity. I decided to just kept persevering, knowing that it couldn’t rain forever. However, if it didn’t stop by the time I made it to the California border, I was going to turn around and get my car.
Pulling into Brookings, Ore., it was sunny and starting to warm up. I started getting excited, thinking that the trip was actually going to work out for me.
Before leaving the house, I had looked at the map and saw that Highway 101 went inland once it hit California. I heard from someone in Brookings that there was no rain the rest of the way to San Francisco. I was going to get a chance to warm up and dry off. What I failed to notice on the map was that although the highway went inland, it also gained about 2000 feet in elevation. It wasn’t raining any more, but the ambient temperature dropped about 15 degrees. I was wet and cold. But I was committed.
In the end, I spent a total of 15 and a half hours in the saddle. I arrived in San Francisco stiff, sore, and shivering.
I was still too sore to do the ride down Highway 1, so my motorcycle just stayed parked for the weekend as I worked the kinks out of my knees.
For the trip home, I took Interstate 5 the whole way, as the weather was very nice. For a while the hardest part was keeping cool enough.
At first I was a little wary of letting someone else drive all the way to Hollywood, but the more I thought about how I could be out there on a bike in the horrible weather.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
What Bike is Best For Me?
Spring is begrudgingly waking up and rubbing the sleep from its eyes, bringing with it a fast approaching riding. Many motorcyclists are just now starting to dust off their rides and get things ready for warmer weather and higher gas prices that are on their way.
However, there are many motorcyclists out there that are currently bikeless. Whether it is because they had to sell their bike in order to upgrade, or they have never owned a bike before, now is the time to shop. The nicer the weather gets, the higher the prices are going to go.
The first thing that you need to look at is your experience level. If you have never even thrown a leg over a bike, then your first one probably shouldn’t be a 600cc repli-racer. There is a really good chance that you will kill yourself. Also, buying a brand new bike isn’t a great idea. If you drop a bike that already has a few “beauty marks” then you are less likely to be as upset.
Next, you should consider what type of riding you are going to be doing. Are you interested in exploring backwoods? Are you ready to take off across the country, or are you more interested in just cruising around town?
If you are looking for a bike that will get you around town, down the highway and around the backwoods, then a dual sport is what you are looking for. One of the most famous examples of this is the Kawasaki KLR 650. This bike isn’t the greatest at tight trails, but it will explore fire roads in comfort and keep up with freeway traffic while still getting over 40 miles per gallon.
If your goal is to pack up and take off for a cross country tour tomorrow, then a full dress touring bike like a Honda Goldwing should be on your shopping list. With such amenities as a radio, cruise control and adjustable air shocks, you can ride in comfort while the spacious hard luggage compartment holds your clothes and supplies in waterproof protection.
For most however, commuting is going to be the name of the game for their bikes. The cruiser or standard style is great for this. These bikes can run in displacement from 250cc all the way over 2000cc. They have a foot forward seating position and can be fitted with all manner of accessories, such as bags and windshields, to help make your commute easier on you.
The most important thing is to not rush out and buy a bike just because you think it looks cool. Take your time and shop around a little bit. Throw your leg over a couple of bikes before choosing one. The more comfortable you are, the safer your ride is going to be, and the more likely you are to ride your new gas saver.
However, there are many motorcyclists out there that are currently bikeless. Whether it is because they had to sell their bike in order to upgrade, or they have never owned a bike before, now is the time to shop. The nicer the weather gets, the higher the prices are going to go.
The first thing that you need to look at is your experience level. If you have never even thrown a leg over a bike, then your first one probably shouldn’t be a 600cc repli-racer. There is a really good chance that you will kill yourself. Also, buying a brand new bike isn’t a great idea. If you drop a bike that already has a few “beauty marks” then you are less likely to be as upset.
Next, you should consider what type of riding you are going to be doing. Are you interested in exploring backwoods? Are you ready to take off across the country, or are you more interested in just cruising around town?
If you are looking for a bike that will get you around town, down the highway and around the backwoods, then a dual sport is what you are looking for. One of the most famous examples of this is the Kawasaki KLR 650. This bike isn’t the greatest at tight trails, but it will explore fire roads in comfort and keep up with freeway traffic while still getting over 40 miles per gallon.
If your goal is to pack up and take off for a cross country tour tomorrow, then a full dress touring bike like a Honda Goldwing should be on your shopping list. With such amenities as a radio, cruise control and adjustable air shocks, you can ride in comfort while the spacious hard luggage compartment holds your clothes and supplies in waterproof protection.
For most however, commuting is going to be the name of the game for their bikes. The cruiser or standard style is great for this. These bikes can run in displacement from 250cc all the way over 2000cc. They have a foot forward seating position and can be fitted with all manner of accessories, such as bags and windshields, to help make your commute easier on you.
The most important thing is to not rush out and buy a bike just because you think it looks cool. Take your time and shop around a little bit. Throw your leg over a couple of bikes before choosing one. The more comfortable you are, the safer your ride is going to be, and the more likely you are to ride your new gas saver.
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