Kawasaki 2002 KLR650 Road/Dirt Test

Kawasaki 2002 KLR650 Road/Dirt Test
Well, another bike that I would get if I didn't have a GS. Or maybe I should get this one in addition to the GS?
I've seriously considered a second bike like this one for the main reason that I'd like to learn dirt riding on a smaller machine than Brumma, my bike R1150GS.
This article, while perhaps not the most professional (anti != ante) does rate the KLR pretty highly. Worth this quick read.

Motorcyclist Magazine and 12 tips

One of the motorcycle magazines I subscribe to is Motorcyclist. It's a good combination information about new bikes plus interesting articles to help get the most out of our hobby.

They don't have a great online presence, but here's a good little article worth checking out: A Biker's Dozen

Windshield for GS

So, the stock windshield on the R1150GS isn't that good. It allows a fair bit of buffeting and not much actual wind protection. Many people have spent many hours over on Adventure Rider (http://www.advrider.com/) discussing solutions. I first tried the Tobinators (http://www.stopthebuffeting.com/) and they helped with the stock shield for sure. They are extremely adjustable. Then I bought a used Cee Baileys screen. (http://www.ceebaileys.com/cycle/) It at least 4 inches (10 cm) taller than the stock shield. It really helps too.
After much riding, including a four-day ride through the southern interior of BC last summer I've decided to sell the Tobinators and keep the Cee Bailey shield. I think it provide the right level of protection that I'm looking for. I even tried the Tobinators and the Cee Bailey together but it was just a tad unstable because of the additional height of the shield.
I may even put the stock shield back on for the summer months, once the temperature gets up above 20C regularly.
Another thought is to possibly buy another stock shield from BeemerBoneyard (http://www.beemerboneyard.com/) and cut it down by 40% for the summer months. That might provide the best option for smooth airflow albeit at the expense of protection.

BMW Test Ride Day

Last spring (2005) Kim and I attended a test ride event for women put on by BMW. She rode an R1200GS (pictured) and an R1150 Rockster. I got to watch and take lots of pictures. :-) 

Donuts?

Police Mazda RX-8 in Tokyo. 

This is a motorcycle blog, after all.

One picture from my trip to Tokyo. Nice helmet! 

A run to the 'wack

Last weekend we (Beth, Orion, Kim and I) went on a motorcycle ride to Chilliwack, east of Vancouver. We had a nice lunch at The Vault. The trip out was along Highway 1 since we were so hungry. The trip back we took backroads just north of the border. 

Double yum!

BMW HP2. From the Vancouver motorcycle show.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattman-the-ogre/sets/72057594055813658/ 

Yum!

BMW R1200GS from the Vancouver motorcycle show.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattman-the-ogre/sets/72057594055813658/ 

A dream

This BMW F650GS Dakar has traveled around the world. (From the Vancouver motorcycle show.)

More photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattman-the-ogre/sets/72057594055813658/ 

What if I didn't have a GS?

From the Vancouver motorcycle show. A Buell Xb12X Ulysses.

More photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattman-the-ogre/sets/72057594055813658/ 

What if I didn't have a GS?

From the Vancouver motorcycle show. A Suzuki DL1000 Vstrom.

More photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattman-the-ogre/sets/72057594055813658/ 

Shopping for GPS Stuff in Canada

It's often hard to find good ecommerce sites in Canada. Something about our small population, I presume. But when you find good ones it's worth sharing. Ecommerce in Canada allows you to typically save on shipping and customs fees at least. Sometimes you can save taxes, too, by ordering from other provinces.

So, here's two GPS sites I've used:

http://www.gpscity.ca/
http://www.gpscentral.ca/

And I new one I found today but haven't used yet:

http://www.gpsmart.ca/