“Keep The Rubber Side Down”

Here’s a disturbing bit of news.  The Montreal Gazette reports a motorcyclist was fleeing police when his passenger fell off the back of the bike and was killed.  Neither the cyclist or any other bystanders stopped to offer any assistance. Read the story here.

Welcome to Keep The Rubber Side Down’s peek inside of “Stealth Rider,” part of Speed Channel’s Wednesday’s Block. In this week’s episode Jason is visiting Las Vegas: Valley of Fire State Park, Hoover Dam, Freemont Street Experience, Las Vegas Boulevard [The Strip]

Be sure and check it out!

A great day of riding was crowned by a lovely display of nature’s jewels.  My wife and I came upon this colorful stand of wildflowers and had to stop for a few photos.

It is the small surprises like this one, that keeps me in the saddle and makes motorcycle touring so enjoyable.

See all the photos here!

A frustrating week has ended and I stand at the doorway of fresh opportunities.  I am looking forward to spending the majority of this Sunday on the RT heading north toward Mohican State Park.

Yesterday I strolled downtown Springfield as local motorcycle dealership; Mid -Ohio Harley Davidson, hosted a motorcycle rally/car show.  It was a great way to see some old friends, eat lots of food that will make you die too young, and check out the hot Harley chicks (kidding honey).

Have a great Sunday!

See more photos at Flickr

Can a guy experience PMS?  It has been about 4 weeks since I took my last road trip and I find myself  irritable and moody.  Parked Motorcycle Syndrome, has been known to make even the toughest rider weep.  I have a friend who wants me to spend Saturday evening at the AMA Pro Flat Track races in Indiana.   I am not a huge flat track fan, but I may take him up on it just to get in the wind.

In this week’s episode of Stealth Rider Jason Britton visits Rodeo Drive Beverly Hills, Disney Concert Hall, Staples Center, LA Live, Mann’s Chinese Theatre, El Capitan Theatre, Hollywood Blvd!

New episodes of Stealth Rider and Intersections premiere every Wednesday 8P EST and 10pm EST respectively on SPEED!

A few days ago a friend of mine stopped in to show me the 2006 Victory Kingpin motorcycle he had recently purchased.  I was anxious to get a closer look because until then I had only seen the Kingpin from a distance.  After spending some time with the motorcycle I would have to say I was really impressed. I liked the overall appearance of the motorcycle and found the riding position to be extremely comfortable. The v-twin delivered plenty of power and the six speed transmission is a real plus. If I am ever in the market for another cruiser I would certainly give Victory a close look. Have any of you had any experience with the Kingpin or Victory motorcycles in general? I would love to hear your opinion.

Specifications

Engine Type V Twin
Cylinders 2
Engine Stroke 4-Stroke
Cooling Air / Oil
Valves 8
Valves Per Cylinder 4
Valve Configuration SOHC
Compression Ratio 9.8:1
Starter Electric
Fuel Requirements Premium
Fuel Type Gas
Transmission:
Transmission Type Manual
Number Of Speeds 6
Primary Drive (Rear Wheel) Belt
Wheels & Tires:
Front Tire (Full Spec) 130/70 18 Dunlop Elite II
Rear Tire (Full Spec) 180/55 B18 Dunlop D417
Brakes:
Front Brake Type Disc
Rear Brake Type Disc
Technical Specifications:
Wheelbase (in/mm) 65.6 / 1666
Fuel Capacity (gal/l) 4.5 / 17

Posted by Holly Wagner from Dealer News

Heading for downtown Sturgis for the rally this year was a good move for Harley-Davidson.

“We are very happy being here in Sturgis because we believe we are talking to a lot more people who are interested in Harley-Davidson,” Steve Piehl, Harley’s director of customer experience, told the Rapid City Journal .

In Rapid City, Harley had counters at the doors. Not so in Sturgis, so there is no accurate count of visitors to the Motor Co.’s exhibit of new bikes, PG&A and a special section for women riders at Third and Lazelle streets in Sturgis.

The move put H-D in the thick of vendors focusing on PG&A to customize bikes and improve performance.

The shift is following the money, as many cash-strapped riders opt to maintain and improve the bikes they have, or buy used machines, rather than trading up to newer bikes.

People who buy a used bike are looking to make it their own, so they buy something to personalize it,” he says.

Piehl reported about 1,000 demonstration rides per day in Sturgis. Harley had 80 bikes available for demo rides.

Harley-Davidson CEO Keith Wandell and other top executives who trekked to Sturgis came away with a favorable impression of the company’s presence there.

“There’s a real strong feeling that Sturgis is part of the Harley- Davidson experience and that Harley is part of the Sturgis experience,” Piehl says.

I realize a lot of my readers not only share my passion for motorcycling, but for good cigars as well.   I am fortunate enough to have a couple of cigar stores in close proximity, but from time to time I want to try a cigar they don’t offer or can’t get their hands on.

I recently ran across Famous Smoke Shop, an online store where I can get premium cigars at discounted prices, and I thought I would pass the info along to you.

I have narrowed the problem that I am having with the Triumph to the ignition coils.  I know, I know, last week I had narrowed it down to plugs and wires!  Seems the $150 I spent on the plugs and wires was money down the drain (my wife’s words) because it didn’t solve the problem.   So last week I spent a couple of hours on the Triumph forums educating myself about this bike and it seems failing ignition coils are a very common issue.

On Friday, I spoke with my mechanic to talk over the situation and he seemed to concur that the coils were the problem.  He went on to say that the parts department of Joe’s Cycle Shop, probably knew this fact when I ordered my plugs, but refused to say anything because they realized I would be back to order the coils in a few days.  I have no idea if that is true or not, but today I will be searching for the best place to pick up the ignition coils and get this beast back on the road.  If you have any suggestion where to purchase ignition coils for a 96 Triumph Daytona 1200 at a good price, I would appreciate the help. And don’t say Joe’s!