Winter Forecast

This time of year I usually try to research what the upcoming winter has in store. I google search weather patterns, the Farmer's Almanac, and historic weather data. Most of the time I'll cherry pick the information that shows a mild winter is ahead. This is in most cases incorrect, but it makes me feel better.

This year it appears we are in store for La Niña weather pattern. I'm not sure what this entirely entails, but apparently it tends to cause below normal winter temperatures for the upper Midwest. This most definitely can lead (and has lead) to an abundance of snow. However, in my neck of the woods, most snow is lake effect and the if the Great Lakes freeze, the "snow machine" tends to shut off.

What I'm really saying is I have no idea what type of winter we're going to have this year. All I can say is that I'm trying to enjoy every last bit of motorcycling before the snow starts falling. I can also guarantee that you will see some blog posts from me in the upcoming months that will be bitching about winter and snow (just read some of the past posts). If winter bothers me so much, why do I live here? There are a lot of reasons, but that's for another post.

Keep riding while you can!

"Winter is nature's way is saying, 'Up Yours.'" - Robert Byrne

The Future

Source: brand.bmw-motorrad.com

 

 

Recently, I linked a video about a BMW concept motorcycle on the KLK Cycles Facebook page. This thing is radically different than any motorcycle ever conceived (from what I've read/seen anyway). A bike that cannot fall over and that claims to be so safe that the rider does not need a helmet. A nearly autonomous motorcycle. However, it is noted that a motorcycle like this probably won't be available for another thirty years.

At first I was not a huge fan of this bike. Don't get me wrong, I think it looks awesome! In fact it kind of reminds me of Batman's Batpod (see here for my thoughts on that bike). I don't like the idea of taking the danger away from motorcycling. Part of the allure of riding is the inherent danger that goes along with it and removing that would, for lack of a better way to say it, suck!

Then I thought of my dad. He is sixty years old and still rides like a madman, but I notice that he can't recover from a long ride like he used to. He has issues with his back, shoulders, knees, and feet and there is a very real possibility that he may not be able to hold up a motorcycle in the future. If this did happen, the BMW concept would be a great alternative for him. I just hope he lives long enough to see it.

In thirty years I'll be sixty-six, so who's to say I won't be in the same situation as my dad. I'd love to still be able to ride, so I'd get that BMW in a heartbeat. Maybe this new and safer technology is a good thing.

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." - Arthur C. Clarke



Project Bike

 

I've mentioned a few times that I've hoped to start a KLK Cycles project bike to detail in this blog. It hasn't happened yet, but my partner here at KLK just started buying parts to turn his Harley Davidson Sportster into a bobber. I think we can officially call this the first KLK bike project.

I have no idea how this will entirely shape up or how long it will take to complete, but I'll post updates as soon as we make them. Hopefully, I'll be able to post both pictures and overall cost of each modification.

Also, I'd like to note that I keep saying "we" for all this build stuff, but chances are it'll be my partner doing most of the real hands-on work. I'll probably be taking pictures, drinking beer, and talking shit while he does the work. I might swing a wrench here and there, or cut and grind some metal, but this is his bike and he's an actual motorcycle technician. Not that I'm incapable of doing a lot of this stuff, he's just WAY better at it.

So, what I'm really trying to say is tune in for future updates on the KLK Bobber Project. Thanks for reading and keep riding!

"It does not take much strength to do things, but it requires a great deal of strength to decide what to do." - Elbert Hubbard

Moto Ego

This past weekend I had a great ride. The weather was beautiful, especially for October. The leaves were starting to change color (not close to peak color, but they were definitely nice), traffic wasn't bad, and some great friends came along. I also felt that my cornering skills were nearly the best they have ever been.

Nearly the entire tour was on twisty roads and I didn't hold back very much while carving through the corners. With fresh tires, my bike performed perfectly every time I dipped a knee toward the pavement. At times my friends had a difficult time keeping up and this only pushed me to take corners a little faster. My wife was on the back of my bike, but she is such a seasoned passenger that I barely could tell she was there. I felt like I was "in the zone."

Let's just say my ego may have been a little too big and I was feeling pretty proud of myself. Then, when our ride was nearly over, I didn't downshift to first gear as I approached a stoplight. As I tried to take off, easing my grip on the clutch lever, the bike stalled. Sigh...this brought my ego back down to earth. My friend who was behind me rode around my stalled motorcycle as I was trying to get it started.

I caught up to him and all he could do was look over and shake his head, totally shaming me. Hey, I deserved it. You'd figure that after 25 years of motorcycling that this wouldn't happen anymore, but I guess that'd be wrong. I guess it serves me right for letting my ego get a little too big.

"The ego is a fascinating monster." - Alanis Morissette