2Wheeltips

We continue with more words of wisdom from David Hough:

Q: Tell us about the time you broke down in the middle of nowhere.
 
A:  I've had several mechanical breakdowns. The one I remember was when my wife and I were on our Moto Guzzi sidecar rig, heading over a 3,500 foot pass and the left exhaust valve burned. I limped up the pass until I found a telephone booth. (this was before cell phones, you understand?) I called the parts man at my dealer, who promised to get some valves and a head gasket shipped to the next town. We limped on at half power, found a motel, and the next day retrieved the parts. I found a junk yard next to a machine shop, disassembled the head, and had them fit the new valves. We were back underway about two hours later.

Q:  Tell us little bit about your writing process.
 
A:  Most of what I write is based on experience, either observing something, or watching some other rider. I think a lot about some subject while riding, and then try to remember it for later. I prefer to ride more in the summertime, which means I do most of my writing in the winter. To support my writing, I try to take photos during my summer trips. One of my specialties is surface hazards, so I'm happy to come upon a nasty edge trap, pothole, railroad crossing, or confusing sign.
 
If I need some statistics, I can spend a few hours researching on the Internet.
 
I write on a PC, in Word. If an article just isn't jelling, I may print it out and cut and paste with scissors and tape, until it starts to look more organized. Over the years I've gradually gained the skill of editing entirely on the computer, moving big blocks of text around.
 
When I have the text roughed in, I pull up two screens, one for Word, and the other for Photoshop. I look for suitable photos or illustrations that depict what I've discussed in the text, and then add the file number references and captions in the text. I'll go through the article this way, text and graphics side by side, until I'm satisfied with the results. When I need additional illustrations, I'll make a list, close Word, and do the necessary illustrations in Photoshop, then open Word again and fit them in.
 
When I think the article is ready, I'll save everything to a folder, then burn it on a CD to mail to the magazine or site. Sometimes I'll generate a series of articles and burn them all at the same time. 
Q:  How did you get into trike and trike training.
 
A:  Trike training was an add-on to sidecar training. I had been into sidecars for many years, but hadn't had a trike. I wrote a book, Driving A Sidecar Outfit, and sidecar pilots demanded a training course. I wrote the course for the Sidecar Safety Program, developed an instructor guide, trained some instructors and chief instructors, and tried to run a national program out of my office, part time. Fortunately, the Evergreen Safety Council rescued me by taking over administration of the program. And because there aren't enough sidecarists around, they included trikes and called it the Sidecar/Trike Education Program.
 
Then, in 2009, I decided to buy a Can Am Spyder, a trike with the two-in-front configuration. So, now I have a trike, a sidecar rig, and a two-wheeler in the garage.

Q: What drew him to this endeavor?  How do you see your accomplishments?  How have these efforst influenced the rest of your life and what sort of legacy do you plan to leave, want to leave, think you will leave?  (submitted by Ran B., Wilmington, DE)
 
A:  I think most of the serious riders who are spending their time on motorcycle safety are reluctant volunteers. We'd just as soon be out riding, but we recognize the need, and we're suckers for saying "OK". Of course, once you get involved--as a club safety coordinator, or an instructor, or the administrator of a training site, you get the constant feedback of seeing riders gain skill, or coming back to you and saying: "Do you remember me? I was in your class back in 1986. You've probably saved my life three or four times." That encourages you to say "yes" to teaching a class next weekend, knowing you'll have to cancel your planned ride. And it keeps encouraging you to maintain your certification and stay involved.
 
I know more than a few motorcycle enthusiasts who have spent much of their lives teaching and writing. I don't think any of us thought about leaving a legacy, other than seeing motorcyclists get more skilled and smarter in the future. Of course, many of us get burned out, or get discouraged by heavy-handed administration, or simply don't have the physical energy any more.
 
I remember the last class I taught. I had gotten up at about 5am to get to the training site, set everything up, taught the classroom, coached the range exercises, signed the completion cards, and filled out the paperwork. Then I had to pick up the cones, put everything away in a container, find dinner somewhere, and make the 3-hour commute home again. I was so dog-tired I stumbled on the stairs and fell on my helmet.

Q:   What are some of the formative experiences and training that led to you giving so much to the safety field?  (submitted by Bob S., Saratoga, CA)

A:  I happen to have a good mind for graphics, so when I started writing motorcycle skills articles, I had some skill in producing graphics that would communicate what was needed. I spent 36 years at the Boeing Company, mostly developing graphics for engineering and training organizations. So I've had the advantage of learning a bit about how pilots are trained, and I've realized that driving airplanes and driving motorcycles have a lot in common. I don't know where the drive comes from. I just write one more article, and deliver one more seminar, and the list gets longer and longer.
 
Q: What is the tallest thing you've jumped over while riding a motorcycle?
(submitted by Krishna V., Seattle, WA)
 
A:  That would probably be my ego. OK, I'm not into jumping motorcycles, but I did drive my dual sport sidecar rig in the Los Angeles-Barsto-Las Vegas desert ride one year. We were making good time across an angled plateau heading into Las Vegas, when I realized there was a dry wash ahead. There was no time to slow down, so we flew off the edge into the wash, plowed straight across, and slammed into the other side. The leading link compressed so far I heard the knobby tire zzzing on the underside of the fender, and then we were launched. I suppose we flew all three wheels in the air for 40 feet or so. Sorry, I don't think the jump was higher than 3 or 4 feet, but I sure remember it.

Stay tuned for more wisdom from David Hough!

More words of wisdom from David Hough:

Q:  Tell us what you think about the economy of riding a motorcycle year-round (weather permitting)
Bikes emit less pollution into the atmosphere, what about the green aspect of biking. (submitted by Ivan W., Long Beach, CA)
 
A:  I always get a chuckle out of having some obvious non-rider come up for a chat, and the very first question is, "how many miles per gallon does it get?" That's sort of an American perspective, that people ride motorcycles to save money. Mile per mile, I suspect that a mid-sized motorcycle costs about the same as a compact car. My wife's $17,000 Toyota Corrola gets an honest 34 miles per gallon, can carry four people in comfort, and none need to wear expensive helmets or riding gear. I expect the tires to last for at least 40,000 miles, and I never expect to have to repack the transmission splines or change the driveshaft. An individual motorcycle pollutes about the same as an individual car, we're only "green" because there are fewer bikes than cars. The primary reason to commute on a bike is getting through slow moving traffic. And only one state doesn't prohibit lane sharing, so that takes away the big advantage. It's not that I dislike motorcycles, but let's be honest about the situation.
 
Q:  What kind of organizational politics (MSF and others) are preventing us from having a better, safer riders out there?
Has anyone ever entertained a though of creating a bike lane on the highway. Is there a precedent?

A:  Discussing the politics of motorcycle safety is a risky business, because big money is at stake. Ever since the late 1970s, the major motorcycle manufacturers have put between 5 and 8 million dollars each year into a foundation. Unfortunately, the foundation has has been given multiple and sometimes conflicting tasks. The first task is to show the government that the industry is doing something about the problem of too many motorcycle crashes and fatalities. The second task is to provide beginner rider training that's as cheap and simple as possible. The third task is to sell more motorcycles. Back in the good old days we thought the industry-funded foundation was set up to help riders get smarter and more skilled. Eventually we realized that the foundation was limited by the conflicting priorities. For instance, if your priority is to get a newly-trained rider to buy a new bike, you don't want to see him or her fail the tests. So, you make the exercises simple and friendly, and the tests easy to pass. You know he's not ready for the street, but he needs a completion card to get his endorsement--so he's ready and motivated to buy a bike.
 
This won't change until each state takes full responsibility for it's rider training, meaning it must tell any national industry-financed foundations to stay out of the way. The training courses need to be developed to answer the specific needs of that state, based on real-world crash statistics. What might change the marginal situation we now have, is a movement by motorcycle enthusiasts to regain control of their own state programs, and kick out the industry lobbyists and lawyers. Two states have done that so far, Oregon and Idaho. But other states are paralyzed by the political clout of struggling dealerships who need to sell more bikes NOW.
 
More to come from David Hough....stay tuned!!

More words of wisdom from David Hough!

 Q:  Can you comment on the documentary "On Any Sunday"?  (question submitted by Paul B., San Diego, CA)
 
A:  On Any Sunday was a very interesting film, because it painted a wide-angle portrait of motorcycling, not a narrow focus. Of course, it was a rosey picture of everyone having fun. It didn't include the realities of serious crash injuries and fatalities.

Q: What are your comments about the perception that street riding is somehow inherently more dangerous with little or no regard given to the alertness/awareness of the rider. How can that perception be changed?
 
A:  I think the general public has a better perception of the danger of motorcycling than many riders have. Motorcycling is similar to flying airplanes. You can't do much to prevent injuries once a crash is set in motion. So, you have to put your energies into avoiding crashes. And that means developing some sharp skills, especially mental skills such as looking ahead and knowing what hazards look like.
 
When I see riders who appear to have no concern about the risks, I'd like to be able to wake them up with a dose of reality. In 2007, more than 5,000 riders died in motorcycle crashes, and maybe another 30,000 were injured severely enough to require hospitalization. I'm not talking about tipping over at a stop sign here, but really nasty crashes where riders spent time in the operating room getting stitched stapled and screwed back together.
 
One of my major concerns is that way too many motorcyclists don't appreciate how much skill and knowledge it takes to survive the ride.
 
Q:  What is your perspective on how the burden of safety can be shifted from vehicle to driver as it is clearly shifted as far to the vehicle side as possible in the interest of profits over safety. Do you feel motorcycle (and car) manufacturers have any responsibility in this matter? Do you think we will see a change in the way American's think about motorcycles from a purely recreational 'toy' vehicle to a viable, efficient means of travel? Do you think any efforts to accommodate motorcycles on streets and highways will ever be made?
 
A:  In the United States we have allowed a situation to develop where motorcycle manufacturers are building and selling what are essentially race bikes with lights and horns. How can we possibly expect that a testosterone-poisoned 20-year-old can control a bike with 170 or 180 horsepower, on roads that were engineered for maybe 55 or 60 mph? And how can rider training possibly affect the outcome when skills are practiced in parking lots at 30 or 35 mph?
 
If riders in the United States, especially riders of high performance machines, were more serious about the risks, and sought out advanced training like that in other countries, it wouldnt be as much of a problem. But it appears to me that way too many riders treat motorcycling as a recreational pursuit, like playing golf or basketball. Andy Goldfine, the boss at Aerostich, has been attempting to promote the "Ride To Work" day for a numbe of years, but the vast majority of motorcyclists treat their machines as toys rather than serious transportation, and I think the general public picks up on this. I wish Andy well, but I don't think this is going to change in the forseeable future.

Stay tuned for more words of wisdom from David Hough!


 

In preparation for our interview with David Hough, the author of the Proficient Motorcycling books, we sent David some questions to consider.  His answers helped us format the interview.  We thought we would share some of his answers here.  We will be releasing more questions answered by David in future blog postings, so stay tuned!

Q:  Since you have clearly influenced many, who was your greatest influence?  (question submitted by Michael A from Vancouver, Canada)

A:  Probably the greatest influence on my writing was Bob Carpenter, the editor of Road Rider magazine back in the 1980s. Bob was a bit of a contrarian in terms of rider training and motorcycle safety conferences, but he was absolutely in favor of skills articles in the magazine, and knew how to give his contributors the "attaboys" to keep us interested.

Q:  What is the dumbest thing you ever did on a bike and why did you do it? (question submitted by Casey B.)
 
A:  I don't think any of us intend to do "dumb" things, but after the event we're suddenly aware that they were dumb. I've pulled my share of dumb stunts over the years, but one that sticks in my mind is attempting to ride a remote California desert road all by myself on a fully loaded BMW R1150 GS. I'd managed about 60 miles when the front tire hooked on a sand berm and the bike went rocketing out into the desert, smashing through the brittlebush.When I awoke gasping for breath, I realized that making the decision to turn onto this road wasn't too clever.

Q:  What motivated you to enter their field, if there were any turning points, and who do you turn to for inspiration.  (Submitted by Tiara S., Brisbane, Australia)
 
A:  I seem to have a deep curiosity about how things work. And when I took up riding in 1965 I realized there wasn't much information available on motorcycle skills. So I started collecting everything I could find. And later I began sharing my discoveries--which led to generating some articles of my own for Road Rider Magazine. In retrospect, my first attempts were pitiful, but you have to start somewhere.

Come back to check for more questions answered by David Hough!

The weather here in NJ got above 40 degrees a couple weeks ago and I took the bike out. I disconnected the battery tender and the bike started right up. I did a quick pre-ride inspection and hit the road. Everything was fine until I stopped at the store and the bike would not start. I was parked on a slight incline and decided to push start the bike by rolling down the incline and popping the clutch. After 3-4 failed attempts, and an aching back from pushing the 500+ pound bike up the incline multiple times, I called my friend Tony (Mr TwoWheelTips) to see if he could help me. He came over to help and the first thing he asked was "What gear were you using?"  I told him that I had read somewhere about using second gear. He smiled and said that the engine would turn over faster and easier if I used first gear.  I thought about it and it made a lot of sense.  The bike  started right away on the first attempt in first gear. We went for a short ride and stopped to buy gas and of course the bike did not start. Fortunately I was able to roll the bike on flat ground (by myself) and start the bike in first gear.  I ended up replacing my six year old battery because it would not hold a charge. Thanks again Two Wheel Tips.
Oh yeah, thanks for the tip on removing the battery out of the battery box.

We have signed up for a service called "Aardvark" where people can post questions to random knowledgeable people and get answers. Of course we signed up to receive motorcycle-related questions. Here is the lastest one:

"If you're on a motorcycle and getting cold, is it better to slow down and be in the cold for longer, or speed up a little (within safe limits) and accept the increased wind chill factor? That is, does the increased wind chill offset the reduced travel time by being disproportionately cold?"

I already answered it, but would like to know what those on 2wheeltips have to say about this. Respond in the comments section when you get a chance.

Tony

After 2 weeks of nasty weather in the northeast, we finally got a dry "warm" day. It was 49F.....still a bit cold but much better than snow, ice and 19F days had over the past few days.
So....I decided to take the bike out for a quick spin.  It was fun getting out but I notice a few things that I want to share here about winter riding:

Cold Tires & Cold Roads
It took quite a few miles, almost 10 miles, for the tires to warm up to the point where I felt comfortable dipping the bike quickly through curves.  I could feel the bike sliding around even on the mildest of curves and lane changes. At times it felt like I was riding on a wet road. Advice......take it nice and slow!!

Exposed Skin & Not Enough Clothing
Since it was "warm" I figured I could get away with wearing jeans and not riding pants. The wind was flapping under my pants and against my skin. Halfway through the ride, I got cold and figured I would just put on my riding pants and that would solve it. Wrong!! Once I got cold, I stayed cold. It got unbearable and I had to stop at a friends house to warm up. Advice.....once you get cold you are done. If you over dress, you can always take some off.

Here are some videos from the MSF website. I decided to be good and link to them instead of embedding them in the 2wheeltips.com website. (plus they probably would get upset if I did). Anyway, check them out. Some of them are old, small and grainy......but......the information is good.


Welcome to the Ride

BRC Hightlights

Group Riding

Common Road Hazards

Let me know what you think.

Few things look better than a nice clean bike and here are just a few points on cleaning it:

    1.    Let the bike cool down before washing it. You don't want to burn yourself trying to wash hot engine parts.

    2.    Don't spend a lot of money on super expensive cleaners or waxes.  Some of that stuff costs more per ounce than expensive wine or liquor. Regular car wash or even a mild dish washing detergent will do the trick. Also, a good inexpensive liquid wax from the local auto store will work too.

    3.    Unless it has a low pressure setting, avoid using a power washer or other high pressure sprayer to clean your bike. They can damage your bike.

    4.    When getting into tight places, use a wash glove or mitt. Bikes have lots of sharp edges and it is easy to cut your hand when cleaning your bike.

    5.    We tried the expensive rim cleaners that claim you just spray them on and hose themt off. We still ended up doing a good deal of scrubbing.

    6.    Use a soft microfiber cloth to clean the windshield to avoid scratching it up.

    7.    To clean the black smudges that seem impossible to get off your pipes, use a solvent like goo-off and very very fine steel wool. The steel wool will remove the smudges like magic without leave any scratches on the pipes