rustyshackles

Every Sunday morning rain or shine there is a motorcycle get together at a coffee shop on the cool downtown square in Denton, TX. Denton is a college town (Univ. of North Texas) with a funky vibe (think poor man’s Austin) and solid bike culture. The Denton Independent Motorcycle Show Denton Independent Motorcycle Show Visit the post for more. is a unique annual event and there are businesses such as the Denton Moto Collective Denton Moto that are helping create community. The weather was nice this morning and a variety of bikes were there, even an FJ-09. I see very view of these in the area.

The Iron Butt Association (IBA) is the governing body for endurance or long distance riding (LDR). Along with maintaining a list of official rides which range from challenging to insane http://www.ironbutt.com/themeridesthe IBA certifies rides and bestows membership to those that satisfy requirements and pay a fee. I’ve been an IBA member for about three years, having qualified by completing the entry level Saddlesore 1000 ride http://ironbutt.com/rides/ss1000.htmon my Street Triple R. That was a fun experience and I learned a few things about LDR covering a loop (all within TX) using I-20, US-285, I-10, I-35 & I-35E. Unknown to me then, the IBA also gives recognition for SS1000s done all within some state borders (including TX) so that was a bonus. I had been waiting for a convenient chance to attempt a step up in difficulty to a Bun Burner series ride (1500 miles in 24, 30 or 36 hours). I had done one or two rallies per year since the SS1000, most recently a 65-hour, so when a window opened in early June 2019 (wife away on business travel, sons at an overnight summer camp) I was feeling fit and decided to go for gold. I enjoy ride planning, and my rally experience has made me reasonably proficient at this, and I know my way around Garmin Basecamp software well enough. Preparation for the BBG attempt was straightforward as the route was a boring out & back on I-20 and I-10 from Benbrook, TX (west side of Fort Worth) to Lordsburg, NM and back to Benbrook. 5:00 AM start after spending the night in a nearby hotel. Planning amounted to picking gas stops (and verifying they would be open at my ETA), confirming there would be no planned highway closures, making sure the route was more than 1500 miles (Google Maps), and readying the bike including inspection and packing with needed items. I joined the IBA Premier program to support the organization and for the priceless benefit of avoiding the need for signed witness statements at the start and end of rides. The documentation I needed was dated business receipts at gas stops, photographed next to my bike’s odometer. LDR experience has taught me that time off the bike really adds up. Unplanned stops, such as the I-10 closure during my SS1000 ride due to a fatal crash, compound the situation and are out of the rider’s control. Throw in road construction slowdowns, city traffic, maybe a missed turn or two, severe weather, gas pumps that don’t dispense receipts etc. and the need to stay on task is clear. I needed some things to go right (see above list) to successfully complete the BBG. The FJ-09’s range means more gas stops than for riders of bigger bikes with the clock ticking at each. Happily things did go right and despite up to 90 minutes off-bike I finished with 30 minutes to spare and no big challenges other than time, distance and sleep deprivation 😬. There was rain but not heavy. I never felt threatened by law enforcement. The FJ performed flawlessly. My odometer is optimistic - indicated ride distance was 1.5% more than GPS and Google Maps, 1,540 v. 1,516. I’ve sent my paperwork to the IBA for approval. The mind-body connection is powerful. It was interesting how my perception of morning rush hour traffic during the ride home was effected. After staying “on” for an entire day I was now off, and I was a bit shocked at the aggressive driving of cagers going to work. The truth is it was normal traffic!

I’ve had the same experience as bigorangecntry07. Always in cool or cold temperatures. I asked a Yamaha tech and he said it’s likely oil temp/viscosity related. Have the bike checked out if you are uncomfortable.

Holy crap

I love watching Tour de France, this will make it even more enjoyable.

same for me as keithu though I’m from TX

You could lash the suit to passenger seat using cargo net or ROK straps if theft is not a concern. Carry suit using Aerostich adjustable carry strap. Or as already suggested just waltz into work wearing the suit.

I have 40k on the clock with zero mechanical issues. olddawg and redfjniner have multiples of that. Some folks have had things go wrong, nothing is 100% reliable, but my sense is that this is a very well engineered bike, which is to be expected from Yamaha. Local to long haul describes the bike, possibly with some mods to optimize long range comfort, but it’s damn good right out of the box.

As a beginner rider I wore no hearing protection. Education exposed my ignorance to the risk of hearing loss, and I learned how much more enjoyable (and less distracting) a ride was with earplugs. I now wear them while using powered lawn and garden equipment. Later I learned the proper way to insert them. Here’s a demonstration video https://youtu.be/xF1CjCugD_M. The June 2019 issue of Ride magazine presents objective testing of the in-helmet noise environment. Read this if you have any doubt about the risk of noise exposure while riding. My reviews are based mostly on commuting and rides up to several hours. I don’t foresee any issues with all-day use though. Note: I suspect that my ear canals are on the small side. Link for purchasing the sampler pack https://www.earplugstore.com/foearpltrpa2.html. The web site has comments on individual plugs and photos. Single pairs can be ordered. E-A-R Earsoft Superfit: good sponginess and length, appropriate expansion rate. Good foam consistency. Looks like that gross Halloween candy corn. E-A-R Earsoft FX: I don’t like the shape of this one, with a bulbous base. I had trouble rolling it without the wide part migrating to the portion of the plug that’s inserted into the ear, with resulting insertion difficulty. E-A-R EarSoft Yellow Neons: Shortish, with moderate sponginess and expansion rate. It might be possible to insert these farther than one would like if plug is fully compressed end-to-end. Comfortable. E-A-R EarSoft Yellow Neons Large: see regular yellow neons, larger. E-A-R EarSoft Yellow Neons Blast: average length, above average density and expansion rate. Colorful design. E-A-R Classic Plus: this is the ubiquitous wide yellow one with squared off ends. I wouldn’t wear these with no cost supply access. Insertion was a pain, even rolling up took extra effort. E-A-R Taper-Fit 2: good length, a bit full for my liking, rebound is on the fast side E-A-R Taper-Fit 2 Large: see above; larger Elvex Blue: I would buy but these again. Length is slightly shorter, with flared base. Foam is slightly denser than others and a bit gummy. Personal preference toward these characteristics dictates purchase decision. Elvex Uni-Fit: A bit long but decently tapered. Firm but compression and expansion are satisfactory. Slightly gummy but I like it. Best of the longer length ones for me. Got Ears? Snow White: a bit shorter than some others. Exhaust low notes seem more pronounced. Easy to insert, soft and comfortable. Possibly my favorite of all. Got Ears? Natural: slightly dense foam, expands quickly, blocks noise effectively. Feels a bit full and I wonder if would be uncomfortable during multi-hour use. Got Ears? Back in Black: Snow White’s dark sister. Squeeze her and you’ll find she pushes back. Will appeal to the rider who likes firm, dense foam and a slightly rougher ride. Got Ears? Red Hots!: See Got Ears? Natural. Red in color. Howard Leight X-treme: less soft than the snow whites. Short length which is okay for me. Soft, easy to insert, quickly expand in ear canals. Recommended. Howard Leight Laser Lite: Comfy. Easy to insert and with wide base. Foam less firm than some. Recommended. Howard Leight Mulimax: too long for me. Rapid expansion in ear canals. I had difficulty inserting. Howard Leight Max & Max USA (USA is red, white & blue): are big but expansion rate and ease of compression good. Feel full in ears but not too full. Large base. Moldex Meteors: Good quality material, no gummy feel. Is tapered near base. Good quality but a bit big for me and I don’t like the taper. Moldex Camo Plugs: a bit too long and wide Moldex Goin’ Green: middle of road foam consistency/density/expansion rate but a bit big for my taste. Those liking larger plugs may find satisfactory. Moldex Sparkplugs: dense foam, too long & wide for my liking. Difficult to insert and reduced pliability when cold. Moldex Pura-Fit: I call it a good middle of road plug with a bit of extra length and girth. Compresses and expands at what seems to me the proper rates. Moldex Softies: slightly large, down the middle foam characteristic. Should appeal to those who don’t want a smaller size. Peltor Nitro: good expansion rate, easy to insert. Recommended. Peltor Next: Similar to the Nitro. Rolls up easily. Almost put one too far in. Radians Deflector: size, ease of insertion and expansion rate all okay. Slightly gummy feel. Recommended. Radians Deviator: a bit large. Comfortable enough. I would buy but not in quantity. Radians Detour: soft foam, easy to compress, good expansion rate not too fast or slow. Looks like a rocket with squared base. Comfortable. Nice. Radians Resistor: a longer length plug that I’d buy. Hits the sweet spot of compression and expansion. Unpretentious except for the orange color. Tasco Soft-Seal: fine but tend to expand too quickly. Noise reduction okay. For the others in the pack they were lost by me, not shipped, or I forgot to review. Safe riding.

I’m glad to read this as it matches my experience. Reading various posts describing 50 mpg and beyond makes me wonder how the hell people do it.

Hit 40k trouble free miles today

Which Givi cases are those?

I’ve been a AAA man for my cars since probably my early 20s, and I upgraded to AAA Plus when I purchased my first bike to get the towing benefit. Fortunately I have not needed to use the bike service, but AAA saved my bacon many times over the years. Broken timing belt, dead battery, out of gas, even towing my car out of the mud at a rural location (makeout session with a girlfriend). They’ve always come through.

Did you tell him the site is beak friendly?

If you are just commuting to work or riding short trips, try using the shoulder strap and wearing the US-20 courier bag style. It evenly distributes a reasonable amount of weight across the shoulders and back.

Does the Sand 3 slide off of the hand easily in hot (sweaty) weather? I have been thinking about replacing my Klim Induction short gauntlet due to extra effort required during TX summers, plus it feels a bit thin on protection and the cuff is a hassle to cinch down and get under jacket cuff. Truly fits like a glove though.

Does it happen only in cool or cold weather ? This has happened three times to my 2015 fj-09, never during warm weather. I asked a Yamaha tech and was told it’s related to oil viscosity, temporarily sort of clogging some part in the system.

Here’s hoping for an epic trip. Keep us posted!

I’m not worthy!

Check out the flea market at advrider.com. There’s a wide range of used gear including all manner of Aerostich with new stuff added each day. I count five one piece Aerostich suits on the first page alone.

The Yamaha demo truck was in my area today and I rode the Niken. It was a small group ride, following leader, only 20 minutes and no chance to really lean it over but I could feel the potential. I asked the guys at the dealership how it was selling nationwide (none there) and they had no idea. Seat is wider than the Seat Concepts that’s on my FJ-09 and I was on balls of feet at stops. Controls are similar to the FJ but the display has some differences. I’d have no qualms buying a used one some day. If it doesn’t sell and is discontinued I wonder if Niken owners will need to hoard parts like the DeLorean guys.

I’m a partially reformed beak lover, having sold mine during a process of returning my FJ-09 to a more stock appearance. I still like the look though, and seeing these photos makes me think someday I might return to the dark side. Bottom line is if you fancy it & it fits your budget buy it!!

I’ve got the Denali DM Micro LEDs fitted, nice ‘n bright. And after the on/off switch failed Twisted Throttle came to the rescue with a no muss no fuss replacement and since then no problems. I say give the products serious consideration.

Yamaha calls the part “cap.”

I’m happy with this Fog Light Holder WWW.COSMO-ACCESSORIES.COM Headlight