Soak City

After last night's storms and the weather forecast for more rain today, I will definitely not be riding my motorcycle today. While there are more experienced motorcyclists who will ride in the rain, it is not one of my favorite aspects of motorcycling. While riding a bicycle in a rain shower might be fun for children, riding a motorcycle takes on an entirely different element. Instead of a nice pitter patter of raindrops on the cheek, rain while riding, feels more like small needles hitting you in the face. Your vision is impaired by the raindrops and mist as well, so safety becomes a factor also. Like any vehicle, stopping distance is greater on wet pavement, so greater distance must be maintained between your bike and the cars ahead of you. Like any other motorcyclist, I keep rain gear in my saddlebags in case I get caught in an unexpected summer rainstorm, but I sure don't plan rides when I know I'm going to be heading into rain. Having been caught in a few showers before, the riding experience is not what one thinks of when contemplating a motorcycle ride on the highways and byways of America. No, I'll leave the rainy conditions to those hearty souls who are more comfortable with the challenge and are more experienced in bad weather conditions than I. So I'll drive my Mustang today and hope that better conditions will prevail in days ahead. We've certainly had a lot of rain lately and I know that's to be expected in the spring, but come on...let's have some sunshine already!

Nightster

Is a Sportster really a girl's bike?

Today's piece is a guest post written by the good people at Gateway Harley Davidson in St. Louis, MO.  It challenges the idea that their entry level Sportster line is "just a girl's bike", by going through some facts you may not be aware of about this Harley Davidson model.

A Sportster® Is A Girl’s Bike

Most people suggest a Sportster® to an unexperienced individual because it is currently the smallest Harley-Davidson® bike still in production. But let’s throw out some facts about the alleged “girl’s bike”, the Harley-Davidson® Sportster®.

• The first Sportster® was introduced to the public in 1957 and within one year of its debut it because known as the first of the ”Superbikes”.  
• It raced all through the 1970s helping to set land speed world records.
• The 883cc and 1200cc engines were used in the design and manufacture of the American sport bike, Buell motorcycles.
• The XR1200X currently has it’s own AMA road racing series.

So next time someone suggests that you get a Sportster® because it is a girl’s bike, don’t be offended. Just kindly inform them that you would be proud to ride a Sportster®. They have a classic style. They are agile and powerful. They are fantastic machines.

What else is impressive about the Sportster® motorcycle?

We can smell it...

It's spring...where's the warm weather?

We recently turned the page on winter and entered spring on the calendar...problem is, the weather didn't follow suit.  While thousands of motorcyclists around the country have anxiously been waiting for the new riding season to begin, Mother Nature didn't cooperate.  Here in Missouri, we also received a healthy dumping of snow to add to the frustration.  So most bikers who don't normally brave cold weather riding, continued to keep their battery tenders hooked up and their motorcycles garaged.  Now as we approach Easter weekend, warmer weather finally seems to be coming sooner rather than later.  So get out your leather jacket and dust off your helmets, motorcycle riding season approaches!  Sunshine, fresh air and the open road awaits!  See you soon!

Wait for it...

For most motorcyclists, winter time is the least favorite time of the year.  It's just too cold to get out and enjoy a nice ride on your favorite highway.  So motorcycles tend to get covered and stored in garages and shelters while we wait for the calendar to turn to spring.  Here in Missouri, we are considered to have a 4 season climate, but one with possibilities of extreme temperatures.  We just endured what many consider the hottest year on record in 2012.  It started out with unseasonably warm temperatures in January and February and turned into severe drought conditions by summer, complete with scores of days above 90 and even 100 degrees!  It is not unusual to have temperatures fall below zero in the winter either, although normal lows for January are in the 20's for central Missouri.  When it comes to weather in Missouri, the one thing that you can count on is change.  It is often said that the world renown author Mark Twain, a famous Missourian also known as Samuel Clemens, once quoted, "if you don't like the weather in Missouri, just wait 5 minutes".  And he was right.  Just this past week, the temperature here has ranged from highs in the 20's to a spring like 63 degrees this past weekend!  For this reason, many motorcyclists like myself, do not winterize our bikes while we suffer through the cold weather of winter.  Instead, we wait for that 63 degree day in January and start up our bikes and hit the open road.  What a thrill it is to get out and enjoy a taste of spring time during the off season.  While short lived, we will just wait for another day warm enough to put on our leather jackets again as we wait for spring to arrive.  So keep the battery tender hooked up and be ready to ride...it could be sooner than you think!

New Year's Eve

The staff here at Thoughts from Scott, would like to thank you for following us and reading our blog throughout this past year of 2012.  As we look forward to 2013 we want to wish for you warm weather and pleasant trails as you enjoy your time on your motorcycle, whether you are a recreational rider, a commuter, a weekend cruiser, or anything in between.  Be safe as you ride by yourself or with your group, but continue to enjoy the freedom and fun that all motorcycle enthusiasts love when they hit the open highways and byways of this great country.  We'll be sure to wave to you as we pass on the road!  Cheers!