I've been working for http://rockridgetwowheels.com/ for about a year and half now. I've gained invaluable experience from the highly experienced techs there as well as made some connections with other players in the motorcycle industry. Its been great. In addition to these gains over the past year and a half, I've also acquired a collection of "things."
"Things?", you might ask. Yes, things. Random stuff. Broken pieces. Bits of metal. Pieces of plastic. Non-functional components. To some these things would be cracked, trashed, useless garbage and I suppose they are right. But they all have one thing in common. All of these pieces at some point or another caused a perfectly running motorcycle or scooter to perform sub-par. The out of tune violin that caused the symphony to collapse, the loud mouth who disrupts the class, the old man on the highway going 45... You get the idea. But why would I keep these things?
Initially it was a learning experience. A reminder of what not to do. (My broken bolts and screws collection that needed extraction is respectable.) But now its turned into something else. It occurred to me that all these parts could be combined in such a way to be considered "artwork." I use the term loosely of course but it seems interesting to me. Not quite as exciting as building a 427 Shelby from a kit in my garage but interesting all the same. Lets see what I can come up with....
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
A little more safely, please.
From http://www.examiner.com/motorcycle-in-oakland/are-safe-roads-possible
In the Bay Area (probably more than anywhere else) there seems to be a need for some basic guidelines or etiquette regarding motorcycle riders, cars and how everybody deals with the rules of the road. Accidents, poor judgement, injuries and death are a daily occurrence on the roads through Oakland and San Francisco. The general attitude towards this seems to be that these roads are a dangerous place to drive and the situation isn’t likely to change anytime soon. However, there does seem to be a few contributing factors that if addressed, will help us ride on safer roads.
Cars:Inattentive drivers are one of the leading causes of accidents in the Bay Area. If you listen to the traffic/accident report during a standard commute day, you will inevitably hear at least one car vs. motorcycle related accident on the 580 or 880 highways. Accident cause? Usually inattentive car drivers who disregard the rules of the road. Cell phone use, applying makeup, frustrated driving due to lateness, non usage of signals or non announced, abrupt lane changes by cars have all contributed to the death and injury of many motorcyclists. http://www.motorcycle-accidents.com/pages/stats.html
Motorcycles:Remember that while riding a motorcycle, you are at a disadvantage for many different reasons. You are a small, unprotected target and can sometimes appear out of nowhere from the perspective of car drivers. You can help to keep yourself safe a number of different ways. Think back to the early lessons that most of us learned when we were learning to ride. Stay out of cars blind spots, scan ahead and plan for a means of escape if things go wrong, avoid mirror fixation. Go and take a motorcycle safety course if you need a refresher on all these safety procedures. http://ca-msp.org/ And of course, wearing all your safety gear can help in case of a mishap.
There are many things we can do to improve safety and prevent motorists from becoming statistics. Start thinking about it for you own sake and the sake of the people you share the road with.
In the Bay Area (probably more than anywhere else) there seems to be a need for some basic guidelines or etiquette regarding motorcycle riders, cars and how everybody deals with the rules of the road. Accidents, poor judgement, injuries and death are a daily occurrence on the roads through Oakland and San Francisco. The general attitude towards this seems to be that these roads are a dangerous place to drive and the situation isn’t likely to change anytime soon. However, there does seem to be a few contributing factors that if addressed, will help us ride on safer roads.
Cars:Inattentive drivers are one of the leading causes of accidents in the Bay Area. If you listen to the traffic/accident report during a standard commute day, you will inevitably hear at least one car vs. motorcycle related accident on the 580 or 880 highways. Accident cause? Usually inattentive car drivers who disregard the rules of the road. Cell phone use, applying makeup, frustrated driving due to lateness, non usage of signals or non announced, abrupt lane changes by cars have all contributed to the death and injury of many motorcyclists. http://www.motorcycle-accidents.com/pages/stats.html
Motorcycles:Remember that while riding a motorcycle, you are at a disadvantage for many different reasons. You are a small, unprotected target and can sometimes appear out of nowhere from the perspective of car drivers. You can help to keep yourself safe a number of different ways. Think back to the early lessons that most of us learned when we were learning to ride. Stay out of cars blind spots, scan ahead and plan for a means of escape if things go wrong, avoid mirror fixation. Go and take a motorcycle safety course if you need a refresher on all these safety procedures. http://ca-msp.org/ And of course, wearing all your safety gear can help in case of a mishap.
There are many things we can do to improve safety and prevent motorists from becoming statistics. Start thinking about it for you own sake and the sake of the people you share the road with.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
New ride review: SAN PABLO/BRIONES RESERVOIR RIDE
SUMMARY
This scenic ride is enjoyable for all. A good mix of tight corners, long sweeping turns and straightaways. The scenery is hard to ignore as well!
General Location/Directions PART 1
Begins at exit 9 towards Orinda, off of Route 24 East.
Left onto Cam Pablo Rd. ~ 2.3 miles
Continue on San Pablo Dam Rd. ~ 5.4 miles
Right onto Castro Ranch Rd. ~ 2.2 miles
Right onto Alhambra Valley Rd. ~ 2.8 miles
Right onto Bear Creek Rd. ~ 8.3 miles
PART 2
Left onto Cam Pablo ~ 2.0 miles
Enter highway 24 East ~ 5.9 miles
Exit Pleasant Hill Rd. Exit
Left on Pleasant Hill Rd. ~ 1.0 miles
Left onto Reliz Valley Rd. ~ 5.3 miles
Continue on Alhambra Valley Rd. ~ 4.8 miles
Left on Bear Creek Rd. ~ 8.3 miles
Left On Cam Pablo ~ 2.0 miles
End Route 24
Total Milage: ~ 50 miles
Types of Bikes Sport, Dual Sport, Cruisers, Scooters
Gas Stops: 1 Shell very convienent
Technicality: 2
Fun: 3
Scenery: 3
DESCRIPTION
This ride offers some fun and unique opportunities for all riders. At first it might seem as if this area is exclusively "cruiser country" with its long sweeping turns and straight aways, but it does also have its share of tighter turns as well. Besides, to be honest I don’t know of any two wheeled rider who doesnt enjoy a nice long straight stretch of road every once and awhile. One bonus to for this ride is the centralized location for all food, gas and rest stops. These necessities can be accessed in the beginning, middle or end of the ride.
This ride begins and ends in a rural, semi-residential area which is also close by to multiple small businesses. The first two miles on Cam Pablo Rd. is where you will find the most businesses, school and residential areas. Soon after this 2 mile mark it becomes far more sparsely populated and increases to a 50 mph zone. Make sure to take note of the scenery, including San Pablo Dam Reservoir to your right.
Once you turn right onto Castro Ranch Rd., you will see more residential areas for a short distance. Finally, all of the homes disappear and all that is left is rolling hills and open road. The next right hand turn onto Alhambra Valley Rd. will give you a more clear picture as to what to expect for the rest of the ride. Alhambra Valley is a narrow, somewhat twisty road with a few tight corners. The hills and farm lands on either side of the road provide enjoyable scenery for the leisurely rider but the hard pushing sport rider who is intent on the road wont be missing anything spectacular either. However once you turn onto Bear Creek Rd., you might want to slow up a bit and enjoy the sights.
Bear Creek Rd. is the focal point of this entire ride. It is the single longest stretch of road on this ride, has the best scenery and is also arguable the most fun you will have on these series of roads. The long straight sections and wide sweeping curves on Bear Creek changes in altitude frequently. This adds another element of fun and also improves views of the landscape and reservoir below. At certain points, because of altitude changes you can actually see what to expect from the road ahead from nearly 3/4 mile away. At the end of Bear Creek (intersection of Bear Creek, San Pablo Dam Rd, Cam Pablo Rd and Wildcat Canyon Rd.,) there is small pullover to use as a rest stop, meeting place or just to laugh your ass off about how much fun that road was.
The eastern side of the resevoirs and Briones Park consists of a residential area and the remainder of Alhambra Valley Rd. which leads back to your second chance on Bear Creek Rd. Unfortunately the area you must transverse between the highway and where the road really gets "rideable" again is about 3.5 miles of residential. Pleasant Hill Rd. and Reliz Valley Rd. consist of frequent stop signs, hidden driveways, ‘slow children at play’ signs and tedious traffic with minimal passing opportunities. This short stretch of roads have quite a bit of potential if you know them well but the experience becomes a chore for the first time rider. Fortunately, the end of Reliz Valley and the continuation of Alhambra Valley into Bear Creek are worth the headache. .
ROAD DESCRIPTION/CONDITIONS
These roads are not smooth as glass by any stretch of the imagination. Alhambra Valley and Bear Creek roads have subtlety vertical grooved surfaces with a rough texture. Even the roads in the residential areas, while much smoother are pitted, choppy and wavy. On the whole, the less than perfect surfaces just made for a rougher ride and didn’t seem to compromise safety. Frequency and variety of road kill was somewhat high so it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for wildlife of all sizes.
On the positive side, there seemed to be a curious lack of natural road debris considering the rural setting. Gravel was at a minimum and wet roads seem to dry quickly due to minimal road shading from trees.
*On a side note, I have noted there are a series of bumps and divots on Bear Creek Road. I’ve felt it necessary to point out this particular feature because it has reeked havoc on multiple riders At this spot, (even at the speed limit) motorcycle wheels have left the ground leading to the occasional tank slapper, the wind has been knocked out of people and speaking from personal experience, manhood has threatened to be lost due to hard contact with the gas tank.
TRAFFIC
Traffic volume varies highly depending on the roads that you are on. San Pablo Dam Rd. is well traveled and can be slow moving due to variation in speed limit and commuters trying to get to the highway. Pleasant Valley Rd. can be congested due to the dense residential area and frequent stop signs.
Alhambra Valley Rd. and Bear Creek Rd. on the other hand are far less traveled and you can expect to see just a few cars, a moderate number of motorcycles/scooters and plenty of bicyclists.
COMMENTS
"I really enjoy this ride for those times when I’m not interested in being overly technical and just want to ride straight and get my speed up a bit. The hilly straightaways and long sweeps on Bear Creek are my favorite. Its not often I get an opportunity to duck down on the tank and make the bike scream a little. The suspension on my R6 makes sure I feel every little bump on the rough road. I enjoy the scenery quite a bit as I’m going by. Maybe one of these days I will actually stop and take a look at it."
This scenic ride is enjoyable for all. A good mix of tight corners, long sweeping turns and straightaways. The scenery is hard to ignore as well!
General Location/Directions PART 1
Begins at exit 9 towards Orinda, off of Route 24 East.
Left onto Cam Pablo Rd. ~ 2.3 miles
Continue on San Pablo Dam Rd. ~ 5.4 miles
Right onto Castro Ranch Rd. ~ 2.2 miles
Right onto Alhambra Valley Rd. ~ 2.8 miles
Right onto Bear Creek Rd. ~ 8.3 miles
PART 2
Left onto Cam Pablo ~ 2.0 miles
Enter highway 24 East ~ 5.9 miles
Exit Pleasant Hill Rd. Exit
Left on Pleasant Hill Rd. ~ 1.0 miles
Left onto Reliz Valley Rd. ~ 5.3 miles
Continue on Alhambra Valley Rd. ~ 4.8 miles
Left on Bear Creek Rd. ~ 8.3 miles
Left On Cam Pablo ~ 2.0 miles
End Route 24
Total Milage: ~ 50 miles
Types of Bikes Sport, Dual Sport, Cruisers, Scooters
Gas Stops: 1 Shell very convienent
Technicality: 2
Fun: 3
Scenery: 3
DESCRIPTION
This ride offers some fun and unique opportunities for all riders. At first it might seem as if this area is exclusively "cruiser country" with its long sweeping turns and straight aways, but it does also have its share of tighter turns as well. Besides, to be honest I don’t know of any two wheeled rider who doesnt enjoy a nice long straight stretch of road every once and awhile. One bonus to for this ride is the centralized location for all food, gas and rest stops. These necessities can be accessed in the beginning, middle or end of the ride.
This ride begins and ends in a rural, semi-residential area which is also close by to multiple small businesses. The first two miles on Cam Pablo Rd. is where you will find the most businesses, school and residential areas. Soon after this 2 mile mark it becomes far more sparsely populated and increases to a 50 mph zone. Make sure to take note of the scenery, including San Pablo Dam Reservoir to your right.
Once you turn right onto Castro Ranch Rd., you will see more residential areas for a short distance. Finally, all of the homes disappear and all that is left is rolling hills and open road. The next right hand turn onto Alhambra Valley Rd. will give you a more clear picture as to what to expect for the rest of the ride. Alhambra Valley is a narrow, somewhat twisty road with a few tight corners. The hills and farm lands on either side of the road provide enjoyable scenery for the leisurely rider but the hard pushing sport rider who is intent on the road wont be missing anything spectacular either. However once you turn onto Bear Creek Rd., you might want to slow up a bit and enjoy the sights.
Bear Creek Rd. is the focal point of this entire ride. It is the single longest stretch of road on this ride, has the best scenery and is also arguable the most fun you will have on these series of roads. The long straight sections and wide sweeping curves on Bear Creek changes in altitude frequently. This adds another element of fun and also improves views of the landscape and reservoir below. At certain points, because of altitude changes you can actually see what to expect from the road ahead from nearly 3/4 mile away. At the end of Bear Creek (intersection of Bear Creek, San Pablo Dam Rd, Cam Pablo Rd and Wildcat Canyon Rd.,) there is small pullover to use as a rest stop, meeting place or just to laugh your ass off about how much fun that road was.
The eastern side of the resevoirs and Briones Park consists of a residential area and the remainder of Alhambra Valley Rd. which leads back to your second chance on Bear Creek Rd. Unfortunately the area you must transverse between the highway and where the road really gets "rideable" again is about 3.5 miles of residential. Pleasant Hill Rd. and Reliz Valley Rd. consist of frequent stop signs, hidden driveways, ‘slow children at play’ signs and tedious traffic with minimal passing opportunities. This short stretch of roads have quite a bit of potential if you know them well but the experience becomes a chore for the first time rider. Fortunately, the end of Reliz Valley and the continuation of Alhambra Valley into Bear Creek are worth the headache. .
ROAD DESCRIPTION/CONDITIONS
These roads are not smooth as glass by any stretch of the imagination. Alhambra Valley and Bear Creek roads have subtlety vertical grooved surfaces with a rough texture. Even the roads in the residential areas, while much smoother are pitted, choppy and wavy. On the whole, the less than perfect surfaces just made for a rougher ride and didn’t seem to compromise safety. Frequency and variety of road kill was somewhat high so it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for wildlife of all sizes.
On the positive side, there seemed to be a curious lack of natural road debris considering the rural setting. Gravel was at a minimum and wet roads seem to dry quickly due to minimal road shading from trees.
*On a side note, I have noted there are a series of bumps and divots on Bear Creek Road. I’ve felt it necessary to point out this particular feature because it has reeked havoc on multiple riders At this spot, (even at the speed limit) motorcycle wheels have left the ground leading to the occasional tank slapper, the wind has been knocked out of people and speaking from personal experience, manhood has threatened to be lost due to hard contact with the gas tank.
TRAFFIC
Traffic volume varies highly depending on the roads that you are on. San Pablo Dam Rd. is well traveled and can be slow moving due to variation in speed limit and commuters trying to get to the highway. Pleasant Valley Rd. can be congested due to the dense residential area and frequent stop signs.
Alhambra Valley Rd. and Bear Creek Rd. on the other hand are far less traveled and you can expect to see just a few cars, a moderate number of motorcycles/scooters and plenty of bicyclists.
COMMENTS
"I really enjoy this ride for those times when I’m not interested in being overly technical and just want to ride straight and get my speed up a bit. The hilly straightaways and long sweeps on Bear Creek are my favorite. Its not often I get an opportunity to duck down on the tank and make the bike scream a little. The suspension on my R6 makes sure I feel every little bump on the rough road. I enjoy the scenery quite a bit as I’m going by. Maybe one of these days I will actually stop and take a look at it."
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Lane splitting article from Examiner.com
Lane-splitting in the Bay Area
While it is true that California is the only place in the United States where splitting lanes is actually legal doesn’t mean that it is supported by everyone in the state. There has been a great deal of controversy regarding its safety for motorcycle riders and car drivers as well as arguments about whether there are any real benefits to lane splitting. As you will see, legality and rules regarding lane splitting fall into a not so well defined grey area which leaves motorists at an disadvantage.
Actually, the preferred terminology for the sake of correctness is "lane sharing" (a term probably coined by motorcycle activists in order to make this activity sound a bit less intimidating, thanks Roger.) If you weren’t aware, lane sharing can be described as when motorcycles maneuver between cars (usually on the highway) in order to get ahead of traffic. I wish I could say that there were rules regarding lane sharing but it does seem that no such specific rules exist. Refer to this to see just how much of a grey area lane sharing can be. http://law.californiapersonalinjuryattorneys.us/index.php?m=06&y=07&entry=entry070609-151458
Nevertheless, lane sharing is a daily occurrence on the major highways through Oakland and the surrounding communities. For those riders that rely on air cooled systems for their motorcycle, sitting in traffic is not an option and constant movement is necessary for the well being of their vehicle. Also, there is an argument that allowing motorcycles to pass quickly through traffic will help to alleviate some of the traffic congestion. On the other hand, there is a level of frustration shown by car drivers who see motorcyclists getting where they need to be in a much more efficient and timely manner. This causes them to block lanes, open doors, throw objects and otherwise drive erratically. Stories also have been told of car drivers being "spooked" by quickly passing motorcycles which in turn causes them to overcompensate and cause accidents or near accidents. Interestingly enough, a high number of accidents are caused by cars that fail to check to see if the road is clear before changing lanes (without using blinkers as is the annoying custom in the Bay Area..) After the lane sharing motorcyclist has been run over, the common car drivers defense is, "well, he just came out of nowhere!"
Finally, where do we stand in the legal system? If a motorcyclist is pulled over for something done while lane sharing, what defense is available to the rider since the rule book hasnt really been written yet? Has the punishment been left to the whim of a police officer or are we finally going to get someone to propose some well defined guidelines
While it is true that California is the only place in the United States where splitting lanes is actually legal doesn’t mean that it is supported by everyone in the state. There has been a great deal of controversy regarding its safety for motorcycle riders and car drivers as well as arguments about whether there are any real benefits to lane splitting. As you will see, legality and rules regarding lane splitting fall into a not so well defined grey area which leaves motorists at an disadvantage.
Actually, the preferred terminology for the sake of correctness is "lane sharing" (a term probably coined by motorcycle activists in order to make this activity sound a bit less intimidating, thanks Roger.) If you weren’t aware, lane sharing can be described as when motorcycles maneuver between cars (usually on the highway) in order to get ahead of traffic. I wish I could say that there were rules regarding lane sharing but it does seem that no such specific rules exist. Refer to this to see just how much of a grey area lane sharing can be. http://law.californiapersonalinjuryattorneys.us/index.php?m=06&y=07&entry=entry070609-151458
Nevertheless, lane sharing is a daily occurrence on the major highways through Oakland and the surrounding communities. For those riders that rely on air cooled systems for their motorcycle, sitting in traffic is not an option and constant movement is necessary for the well being of their vehicle. Also, there is an argument that allowing motorcycles to pass quickly through traffic will help to alleviate some of the traffic congestion. On the other hand, there is a level of frustration shown by car drivers who see motorcyclists getting where they need to be in a much more efficient and timely manner. This causes them to block lanes, open doors, throw objects and otherwise drive erratically. Stories also have been told of car drivers being "spooked" by quickly passing motorcycles which in turn causes them to overcompensate and cause accidents or near accidents. Interestingly enough, a high number of accidents are caused by cars that fail to check to see if the road is clear before changing lanes (without using blinkers as is the annoying custom in the Bay Area..) After the lane sharing motorcyclist has been run over, the common car drivers defense is, "well, he just came out of nowhere!"
Finally, where do we stand in the legal system? If a motorcyclist is pulled over for something done while lane sharing, what defense is available to the rider since the rule book hasnt really been written yet? Has the punishment been left to the whim of a police officer or are we finally going to get someone to propose some well defined guidelines
Monday, November 29, 2010
My new article at Examiner.com
Heres my new article on Examiner. They limit me to so many words so I have an opportunity to expand here if i need to.
Oakland Roads Hazardous for Motorcyclists
So if you live in Oakland and ride a motorcycle it would be nearly impossible for you to not have noticed the horrible condition of our roads. As a matter of fact, if you haven’t noticed a problem with condition of our streets, it would be safe to assume that either you don’t ride or don’t care.
You don’t even need to be out riding to notice that there is an issue that needs to be addressed. Chances are that you can step out onto the street in front of your Oakland residence and spot an imperfection, whether it be a pothole, cracks, uneven road, unfinished or poorly executed construction, wavy road, improper drainage, etc. I can’t tell you how many times that I have noticed a "road improvement" being done and weeks or months later at its conclusion, the situation that prompted the construction to begin with may be fixed but usually with new problems left behind. I have even noticed in many locations potholes being filled in and in a matter of weeks the filling comes out and covers the road surface with brand new slippery gravel.
Now if you drive a car, these issues aren’t as much of a concern as they would be for a motorcycle or scooter rider. The worst you could expect would be a flat tire or damage to the undercarriage of your car. For a motorcyclist, the same issues could potentially cause a much more serious problem. A car and motorcycle riding over the same crack in the road could cause two very different outcomes. While the car wouldn’t even notice it, the crack might cause an abrupt change in direction for the motorcycle and potentially a crash.
So I guess the question is that if the road conditions cause a serious hazard for a certain population, wouldn’t we want to fix it? Seems like a cut and dry answer to me. However, the problem remains. Sure, Oakland has its share of more serious problems to deal with but is there reasons why it cant deal with some of the more basic issues? The only answers I can think of is that Oakland cant, Oakland wont or Oakland doesn’t care.
One possible solution is to get out there in force and start smoothing out those potholes ourselves and send the city of Oakland the bill for our services. Another more realistic resolution is to contact our elected officials and inquire about the situation. Here is a link to the officials in your district: http://www2.oaklandnet.com/Government/o/ElectedOfficials/index.htm Don’t hesitate to send your complaints, that is what they are in office for.
Oakland Roads Hazardous for Motorcyclists
So if you live in Oakland and ride a motorcycle it would be nearly impossible for you to not have noticed the horrible condition of our roads. As a matter of fact, if you haven’t noticed a problem with condition of our streets, it would be safe to assume that either you don’t ride or don’t care.
You don’t even need to be out riding to notice that there is an issue that needs to be addressed. Chances are that you can step out onto the street in front of your Oakland residence and spot an imperfection, whether it be a pothole, cracks, uneven road, unfinished or poorly executed construction, wavy road, improper drainage, etc. I can’t tell you how many times that I have noticed a "road improvement" being done and weeks or months later at its conclusion, the situation that prompted the construction to begin with may be fixed but usually with new problems left behind. I have even noticed in many locations potholes being filled in and in a matter of weeks the filling comes out and covers the road surface with brand new slippery gravel.
Now if you drive a car, these issues aren’t as much of a concern as they would be for a motorcycle or scooter rider. The worst you could expect would be a flat tire or damage to the undercarriage of your car. For a motorcyclist, the same issues could potentially cause a much more serious problem. A car and motorcycle riding over the same crack in the road could cause two very different outcomes. While the car wouldn’t even notice it, the crack might cause an abrupt change in direction for the motorcycle and potentially a crash.
So I guess the question is that if the road conditions cause a serious hazard for a certain population, wouldn’t we want to fix it? Seems like a cut and dry answer to me. However, the problem remains. Sure, Oakland has its share of more serious problems to deal with but is there reasons why it cant deal with some of the more basic issues? The only answers I can think of is that Oakland cant, Oakland wont or Oakland doesn’t care.
One possible solution is to get out there in force and start smoothing out those potholes ourselves and send the city of Oakland the bill for our services. Another more realistic resolution is to contact our elected officials and inquire about the situation. Here is a link to the officials in your district: http://www2.oaklandnet.com/Government/o/ElectedOfficials/index.htm Don’t hesitate to send your complaints, that is what they are in office for.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Sorry for the delay...
Sorry for the delay with my suspension post. I have been working on other articles for the Examiner.com since they hired me as a independent contactor. I will be writing motorcycle related articles for the Bay Area. I will continue here at the United Speed Project as soon as possible I will soon post the links for their site and my articles. I hope you take a look.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Atten: Basic Suspension and Setting Sag
My next post will focus on the basic idea of suspension, how it works and why most people dont set sag or even know what it is. If you already know, leave a comment.
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