My bike

I finally got around to shooting some pictures of the majesty tonight. I would have taken more angles and things, but it was really cold up there and I'm a weakling lately...

Scooter Sense

Every once in a while, when I'm riding, it seems like I can "sense" the mood of the traffic around me. Today, it seemed like traffic was in a hurry to get somewhere, not really paying enough attention, and maybe a just a little bit ticked off in general. I'm not only saying this because somebody in a big orange pickup tried very hard to kill me today either. Anyway, It inspired me to post this artice from WhyBike.com:

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Ten Things Automobile Drivers Should Know About Motorcycles
By Rameshrajan Thiagarajan

1. There are a lot more cars and trucks than motorcycles on the road, and some drivers don't "recognize" a motorcycle; they ignore it (usually unintentionally). Look for motorcycles, especially when checking traffic at an intersection.

2. Because of its small size, a motorcycle may look farther away than it is. It may also be difficult to judge a motorcycle’s speed. When checking traffic to turn at an intersection or into (or out of) a driveway, predict a motorcycle is closer than it looks.

3. Because of its small size, a motorcycle can be easily hidden in a car’s blind spots (door/roof pillars) or masked by objects or backgrounds outside a car (bushes, fences, bridges, etc). Take an extra moment to thoroughly check traffic, whether you're changing lanes or turning at intersections.

4. Because of its small size a motorcycle may seem to be moving faster than it really is. Don't assume all motorcyclists are speed demons.

5. Motorcyclists often slow by downshifting or merely rolling off the throttle, thus not activating the brake light. Allow more following distance, say 3 or 4 seconds. At intersections, predict a motorcyclist may slow down without visual warning.

6. Turn signals on a motorcycle usually are not self-canceling, thus some riders, (especially beginners) sometimes forget to turn them off after a turn or lane change. Make sure a motorcycle's signal is for real.

7. Motorcyclists often adjust position within a lane to be seen more easily and to minimize the effects of road debris, passing vehicles, and wind. Understand that motorcyclists adjust lane position for a purpose, not to be reckless or show off or to allow you to share the lane with them.

8. Maneuverability is one of a motorcycle's better characteristics, especially at slower speeds and with good road conditions, but don't expect a motorcyclist to always be able to dodge out of the way.

9. Stopping distance for motorcycles is nearly the same as for cars, but slippery pavement makes stopping quickly difficult. Allow more following distance behind a motorcycle because it can't always stop "on a dime."

10. When a motorcycle is in motion, don't think of it as motorcycle; think of it as a person.

Rameshrajan's famous work involves his research in Honda Motorcycle History. Rameshrajan is an avid motorcycle rider and owns several motorcycles.

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I think that thing about misjudging distance may have had something to do with my near-death experience today, or else that guy was just driving blindfolded. Anyway, if anyone has anything to add, please feel free to leave comments.
-Sam

p.s. I think I'm gonna try and take some pictures of the bike tomorrow, so hopefully the site will get a little more life to it soon.

Why I Ride

As a kind of introduction to my two wheeled world, I thought I'd try to cover my basic reasons for riding instead of driving.

First of all, and most importantly, it makes me happy. I commute, on average, 45 minutes to work, and back each day. That's a bare minimum of an hour and a half on the road every day. When traveling in a car, that time was mostly spent being stressed because of traffic, or being annoyed by the lack of anything worth listening to on the radio, or any other number of negative emotion causing things. On a bike, my first thought is always towards the world around me, which is good for a number of reasons. I see things I would of missed in a car. I more fully experience the world by seeing it, instead of just passing it like it's in my way. Basically, an hour and a half each day, and usually more, is a large percentage of my life, and I'd hate to spend it in a cage, waiting until I get to the world to start living.

Then, there's efficiency. In my opinion, my Majesty is the model of efficiency. For starters, it gets a regular 55-60 mpg. I spent as much on gas in a week driving a car as I spend in a month on my bike, and I never decide not to go somewhere now because I want to save gas. That's not the only way my bike is more efficient than my car though. Basically, it does everything I need it to, without doing much more. I do most of my traveling by myself, or with one other person. Think how much more power is required to move all the extra weight of a bunch of empty seats. My bike is perfectly capable of getting me and Erika where we're going. As for storage, there's a pretty sizeable trunk under the seat, big enough for most things I need to carry. On the rare occasion that I need to carry more, I have a very handy set of homemade saddlebags, and you'd really be surprised how much can be held under a cargo net and some bungy cords. The minimalized aspect of carrying capacity, also has a tendency to show what you really need and what you don't. Much like in the kitchen, I don't believe in having things in my bike that are uni-taskers. Everything has multiple purposes and uses, and nothing is wasted. Personally, I think this is just a healthier way of living.

Finally, there are the financial benefits. The bike itself costs considerably less than any car, even a used car with any dependability to it at all, and I know that I can depend on my bike. Also insurance costs next to nothing, especially since it's a scooter. I could buy another bike for what I paid for the minimum insurance on my van. It costs hardly anything to maintain as well, since it's a fairly simple machine, as opposed to cars these days with all sorts of electronic doo-dads and complicated computers to malfunction. (Side note: My mom's truck has been in the shop for the past two weeks because there's an electrical short that they can't find. To even find the short is going to cost a fair amount of money, because they have to add inline fuses to every wire in the truck to see which one is tripping. Then they can start talking about how much it will cost to fix whatever problem they happen to find. Of course, this probably says as much about the inefficiency of auto mechanics as it does about the vehicle itself, but that's a whole seperate issue.)

Granted, the two-wheeled life isn't for eveybody, and it does take a certain level of dedication different from that of a car, and I know that not everybody would get the same joy and satisfaction I get from riding, but these are my reasons. Do with them what you will.

Two Wheels 101

Welcome to "2Down365", my attempt at showing the rest of the world what it's like to live your life with only a two-wheeled vehicle, 365 days a year. I suppose I should start by telling you a little bit about myself.

I'm a 21 year old male living in Norman, Oklahoma with my girfriend Erika, her brother Caleb, and of course, my galaxy blue, 2007 Yamaha Majesty400. I'm a trained chef, and a photographer, currently making a living remodeling and repairing houses (I know, it doesn't make sense to me either).

What you can look forward to: I intend to write about the pros and cons of living a two wheeled life. Hopefully, I'll also let some of those people who think all motorcyclists are leather chap wearing, loud engine loving gorrilas have a little insight into the real world of the 2 wheeler.