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Photo Gallery and Motorcycle Reviews
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Motorcycle Fit Charts
Friday, July 3 Win a HD 883 Low ... $20 a Ticket ... Drawing is July 24th Dear VTwin Mama Readers,
I know that not everyone has a spare $20, but if you
can, let's see if we can bolster sales, thus helping their program and
getting a chance to win a bike. Friday, July 3 Hi. My first bike was a Honda Rebel. I paid cash, kept it a month sold it and bought a larger bike. The larger bikes "always " have a bit of a longer learning curve, but at the same time changing bikes requires some time as well since getting used to a certain balance and power is something that is different for each bike. I found the Rebel weak at altitude climbing (I live in hills) and freeway speeds it was vibrating-more like a buzz. At first I liked the fact it was small (reminded me of an old minibike I used to ride many years ago, Yamaha 80) and quiet, looked like a traditional MC. After a bit the smallness and quietness became more of a worry about visibility-then the power issue when over 50mph or on hills. There IS a different rear sprocket that allows for better higher speed performance, I don't know if installing one would void a warranty though. The buzz was intolerable to me-though the sprocket might solve that. If you are thinking of changing bikes around over time, my theory is to go with bikes that have better trade in values and resale values. I also think if you can get what you really want, then get it. To me, it is worth the longer practice and learning unless you are REALLY petrified and really need to go easy or you might hurt yourself from stress errors. Good luck-let everyone know what you ended up doing! TTFN, Trish (note from Mama: there's a lot of valuable information here ... it's appreciated!) Friday, July 3 Dear Petra, Dear Susan, Vibration is caused by a lot of things, including gripping the handlebar too tightly, one or both tires not being balanced perfect or having uneven wear, one or both tires not being mounted as well as it should, or its just the nature of that particular beastie. I'm sure there is a ton of other technical things like bearings, etc. that might need looking at on a 2002 model. Or, it could just be you, your weight, and that bike ... that's a darn good match, but you're ready to move on. My first two long trips were on 750s and I know that lots of folks like this size for touring because overall it's so much more manageable than a big ol' honking touring bike. That's if it's set up right for luggage carrying and tush comfort and leg extension room, etc. Let's see if we get input from other Shadow riders on vibration over 60mph ... you could end spending a bunch of money chasing down something that may be inherent to the bike. Mama Thursday, July 2 Hi! I took the class, then bought a VStar 650. It has a higher seat, but I had mine lowered an inch. If you get the custom model, the seat is narrower, and seems lower. I am also smaller than you and did just fine. I had to ride around in a parking lot for several days before I was brave enough to go out in the street, then took it very slowly. I dropped it several times, but always while stopped, and learned to pick it up myself. Gradually I was able to ride in traffic, then finally the interstate. The 650 had a lot more power and was a lot bigger and heavier than the 250 I rode in class, but was very balanced, and easy to hold up. You might even look at the 1100, since you are going to be going to need more power, going up into the mountains, you might not be satisfied very long on the 650. I think the body style of the two bikes is very similar, and once you get used to a balanced bike, the weight is not really much of an issue. Linda W. (note from Mama: thank you for sharing your thoughts on a bike's balance and how you proceeded!) Thursday, July 2 Hello VTwin Mama, Thursday, July 2 I also have a Shadow ACE 750 (2002) and really enjoy the ride and handling of my bike. Last year I was experiencing much of the same tipping problems she is having. Part of it was due to a health issue, which affected my upper body strength, making it hard to handle the bike when she started to tip while rolling her around during parking. The best advice you gave me was to always manage to park facing nose out ... to minimize having to back her up, while looking behind me-loosing my balance and dropping her. After a couple of very embarrassing parking lot maneuvers I did finally get into the swing of things, and it does not happen any more. Part of it was getting over my health problem, and building up some upper body strength, but mostly it was taking a little extra time to back into a parking space-so I could exit gracefully later on. P.S. Jill has had her pipes bored out, so she is v-loud. Not sure if she was re-jetted or not. But I did have to have the carb adjusted last year, as she was backfiring a lot, but that is fixed now. Susan (note from Mama: thank you for letting Jill know she is not alone!) Thursday, July 2 Dear Readers of the VTwin Mama site:
For a limited time we're offering Free Standard Shipping to the Contiguous U.S. - no minimum order. Plus, if your order is $300 or more, you also receive a $30 Gift Certificate* for use on a future purchase. Your Gift Certificate is good through July 31, 2009. All you need to do is place an order on-line by clicking our graphic link above or by phone (mention you learned about this from the VTwin Mama site) at 1-800-766-4165 or 1-276-773-3131, and your Gift Certificate will be added to your order automatically. *Your $30 Promotional Gift Certificate only good toward a future order, is non-transferable and expires July 31, 2009. Free Standard Shipping applies to orders shipping to the Contiguous U.S., and may ship either UPS or USPS. Note from Mama: this discount and others are kept up-to-date on the News Page! Tuesday, June 30 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Marcie, I remember the first time I saw a very short rider sitting on an Intruder (back in the late 90s) ... my immediate reaction was, "What a great fit!" Just looking at the rider I could sense the excellent seating position and balance and I have always been a fan of the 750/800 cc engine sizes (having ridden two myself; a Kawasaki 750 and a Honda Shadow 750). From what I understand they are also considered a reliable bike in terms of maintenance and longevity. Of course Suzuki renamed everything to their Boulevard line, so the Intruder 800 is now the S50. Just a point of interest ... some people love this frame size but want a bit more power after riding it awhile ... that can be done by changing to a hypercharger kit, which is also called a big air kit. More air flows to the carb(s) and thus one rejets the carb to balance the fuel component. My understanding is that at the highest gear, one gets more oomph for comfort at higher speeds. Mama Tuesday, June 30 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear espelj966, "There are only a couple of hard-and-fast rules when it comes to replacing the tires. The first is to never replace a tire with one that has a lower speed rating than the original equipment. The second is that rims are designed to support tires of a certain width. Putting on a big fat tire won't help much if the rims on your bike are intended to take little skinny ones. Finally, all the information you need to safely choose a new tire is stamped right on the sidewall of your old one." Hmmm. If this is the 750 Spirit, the original tire is 160/80 - 15; if it's the 1100 Spirit, then it's the Dunlop 170/80 - 15 (I gathered this info from the OEM drawings on the BikeBandit.com site). The first number is the tire width in millimeters, the second number is the height/tread ratio so in both cases the height of the tire is 80% of the tire width, and the third is the rim diameter in inches. The Dunlop site is not calling out any replacements other than the original sizes. In their FAQs I found this: "Consult the motorcycle manufacturer if you intend to mount sizes other than indicated in the owner's manual. Remember the tire's physical dimensions are important. Adequate clearance of fenders, swingarm, etc., must be maintained. Increasing tire size may require an increase in rim width. When increasing tire size and/or rim width, rotate wheel and inspect closely for sufficient clearance." Ok, so a general warning. I would head to a specific Spirit message board and talk it out. Let's see if we get any input from VTM readers. Sorry I couldn't be of more help at this time. Mama Tuesday, June 30 Dear VTwin Mama, I am wondering if I am biting off too much by choosing such a powerful bike? What can I do to safely transition to this bike from my 250cc bike in class? Also, is there anything I should know ahead of time about bike maintenance living in such a high elevation? Any advice would be much appreciated. Shaunie Dear Shaunie, Continual travel up and down in altitude is greatly assisted by choosing a bike that is fuel injected or has a CV (constant-velocity) carb. Both systems can adjust for altitude (air pressure) changes, which impacts how much gas and air are being mixed to fire at optimal levels. The fuel-injection system has a slight advantage on this IMHO. The Spirit is a CV carb, so I would talk it out with the dealer (who will tell you that all will be well, but I'd push for their thoughts on fuel injected models). I also love that the Spirit has a shaft drive, which takes away all maintenance concerns of a chain or belt. The Rebel, while a CV carb, is a much smaller engine overall and if you need to maintain speed in mountain passes, you'll be putting a lot more strain on the bike and I'm just not sure you're going to be happy on this bike. I'd take a second look at the VTM Engine Size Chart ... where you'll see a nice Honda VLX at 583cc (still a low seat height ... the last model year was 2007, but that's ok if you're looking in the used market), or a Yamaha VStar 650 (seat is higher by about 2" but is CV carb and shaft drive), along with a few other choices. So, if you do go ahead with a mid-size (or actually, whatever you choose), the fact is that your class lessons will help you. Take the new-to-you-bike to an empty parking lot and start right from the beginning of all the drills you learn. In this way you're not introducing nasty traffic and other hazards and can concentrate on getting a feel for the motorcycle. That includes practicing pushing it around while seated to move into a parking spot, etc.! Then map out a short road ride and have someone follow you on a bike or car so that you don't have to worry about someone crowding you from behind in frustration! It's a good step! Maintenance is the same at any elevation ... it's mostly about checking oil and clutch and brake fluid levels ... and changing fluids and filters as recommended. Of course maintaining correct tire pressure is a biggee as well. My best wishes in your upcoming class ... remember to think positively (as any negative guessing on how things will go just drag you down mentally), hydrate, take a deep breath if something is frustrating you, and have at 'er! Remember that's what a class is for ... learning ... and all learning is good! Mama Tuesday, June 30 Dear VTwin Mama, I am looking for solutions since I really do not want to give up this bike, it's style and performance, weight, etc. really suit my style. I think the problem though, is that since this bike has a traditionally upright seated riding position, I lean forward, so my butt and wrists get sore and stressed very quickly. I have realized that I probably need to have a bar back/riser added to get me moved back on the handlebars and in turn seated back into the comfortable part of the saddle as well. I am looking for stories and advice from other gals who maybe have had to modify their rides to get comfortable enough to be able to ride long distances, and even cross country, which is my ultimate goal. Sheila F. in Francestown, NH Dear Sheila, If your hands are simply a bit lower than the current set-up then loosening the handlebar clamp and rotating downward a bit might be something to consider. It's really amazing how this small change can make a difference! If the handlebar itself is in good position, take a moment to review the actual clutch and brake assemblies. We can get tight in the wrists, and more notably in the shoulder blades and thus through the back and butt, if the wrist is cocked up or bent down even slightly in normal position. It just strains everything. Otherwise, a pullback riser will make the difference and is one of the least expensive and typically easiest modifications to make. When I rode a '86 BMW K75 I found that the foot controls below my hips were tough because there is no natural place to extend one's legs for another position on longer hauls. I use to lean forward and rest my feet on the passenger pegs (not a recommended riding position for sure!). Too bad they replaced the boxer engine; my R1200C has an engine guard that also allows for a leg rest. But so be it ... that F800 has a parallel twin and no chance for a forward placed engine guard or highway bar (that I know of). I'd also take another look at that seat. Not much padding. It might be possible to open the seat cover, scoop out whatever is in there, and replace it with a gel insert for more tushy comfort. Just a thought! Mama
Held Over For Your Consideration ... Wednesday, June 3 Hi VTwin Mama and VTM Sisters, Also have you seen our new 2009 designs using the reflective and glowing inks? This is a nice addition to our main line of protective riding gear for women! Kristina Jones, Owner, Cameleon Apparel Dear Kristina,
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