About Me

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Henry Martin spends his nights writing fiction and poetry, which predominately deals with the often-overlooked aspects of humanity. He is the author of three novels: Escaping Barcelona, Finding Eivissa, and Eluding Reality; a short story collection, Coffee, Cigarettes, and Murderous Thoughts; and a poetry collection, The Silence Before Dawn. His most recent published project is a collection of Photostories in five volumes under the KSHM Project umbrella, for which he collaborated with Australian photographer Karl Strand, combining one of a kind images with short stories and vignettes. He is currently working on his next novel narrated in two opposing points of view. He lives with his family in the Northeast.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Restoration Projects in hindsight

Many of you enjoyed viewing my progress with the KLR250 I picked up last fall for $200, ultimately turning a beaten down motorcycle that hasn't seen any love in years into a mechanically sound machine that will take me on some exciting adventures this year.
The KLR, for those of you who haven't followed the post, started out like this:
 And ended up looking like this:
 Needless to say, winters in NH are long and this was not my first (or last) restoration project. The winter before this one, I was working on a 1983 Honda Shadow VT750C. And while I no longer own that bike, it was one of the more challenging projects to complete.
To begin with, I bought two of those bikes for $500 total off a man, who let them sit in his flooded basement for years. Unknown to me at that time, was the fact that the VT750C was manufactured only for one year before undergoing major design changes due to import tariffs on motorcycles with displacement above 700cc. Honda did not simply change the bore, they also redesigned quite a few components. When I finally started working on the project, I discovered that finding parts would not be easy. Fortunately, I had the spare parts bike to use for what I needed, and what was not salvageable was either modified or repaired. In the end, I spend more time on this project than any other motorcycle project I have ever done. 
This was largely due to a "learning curve" as nothing on this motorcycle was done the "logical" way. There were two cylinders with two spark plugs each; the fuel tank did not gravity feed into the carburetors, but rather into an auxiliary tank under the seat, from which then a fuel pump pushed the gas upwards into the carburetors. I'm used to fuel pumps on fuel-injected machines, but I have never seen one on a carburetor bike before this one. Still, in the end it was a fun project, despite the countless hours and numerous R-rated words coming out of my mouth more frequently than I'd like. 
Once completed, I rode the bike for a few miles here and there, but it never grew on me. And so, rather than having it collect dust in my garage, I sold it.
Here is the Honda looked like when it arrived:


 And once completed:



  So, don't throw your old machines to the landfills -- breathe a new life into them. You'll grow closer and learn something new about your bikes and yourselves.

Monday, February 14, 2011

All the crap we throw on our bikes and why.

Lets try again to get you talking.

Today's topic: All the crap we throw on our bikes and why do we do it.

Back in August, 2010 I brought my "new-to-me" G650GS home in a like-new factory condition. It took but a few days for me to start messing with it. Not that the factory bike was inadequate, but as with any factory ride, it was missing a few things that improve either performance, safety, or comfort.

I began by installing hard luggage. In my case, it was Givi, as, over the years, I've been very happy with their products on a few bikes I owned at one time or another. For the BMW, I went with narrow sidecases (E21) and a medium top case (E460). The stock black, of course, did not compliment the bike, so I went ahead and color-match painted the lids.
The second thing I did was to improve the stock lighting by installing a lightbar (see older posts) and two 35w H3 lights to illuminate the sides a little better.
Next was a windshield, as the stock item does not even deserve the name windshield. Ztechnik touring did the trick for me.
As I starting taking the bike off-road more frequently, I quickly discovered that the stock skidplate was no match for rocks and boulders. It took the first real "ding" in the engine cover to get me on the phone, ordering a set of OEM engine guards.
While the heated grips do an okay job keeping my hands happy, I find myself (more often than not) riding in the rain. Soaked leather gloves result in wet hands that just don't stay warm, and riding with thick waterproof gloves can be uncomfortable. To remedy this, I now have some hand protectors in place.
Rear brake master cylinder cover may seem like a rather unnecessary idea, but the availability of a piece of aluminum, of the right dimensions and shape, made it easy to get and install.
And finally, while the hard luggage is both comfortable and secure, the ability to access things easily just isn't there. So, for the map, camera, and a drink, I got myself a tankbag.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot the GPS.

Now, what about you?

Monday, February 7, 2011

BMW Hand Protectors

About three weeks ago, my better half gave me a gift card valid at the nearest BMW dealership. While I feel that my bike is pretty much set up the way I want it, there was one thing I've been eying for some time: a set of handguards.
Strangely enough, if one wants to leave the stock setup, that is bar end-weights and such, there are not too many choices as far as handguards go. Sure, there are a ton of worthy aftermarket options, but almost none without modifying the bike. The aftermarket options which would allow me to keep the rest of the bike stock are either too expensive, or won't work with my touring windshield due to clearance issues.
Well, since I got the gift card, I went ahead and took a trip down to the bike shop, returning home two hours later with an OEM set. BMW calls these "hand protectors" instead of handguards, and there is a good reason behind it. Constructed entirely of plastic without any metal backbone, these may protect my hands from the elements, but won't guard my hands against injury should I hit the ground. Nevertheless, I tend to spend much more time with the bike up, so protection from the elements is sufficient for the kind of riding I do. In combination with my heated heated grips, these "protectors" should work rather well keeping me comfortable and warm, along with providing some added rain protection. This, in turn, will let me ride with thinner gloves, which lets me have a better grip on the bars.
The design is simple, the plastic seems fairly tough and flexible, and installation is a breeze.
First, snap off the cable ties that hold the wiring to the handlebars. Then unscrew the bolt that holds end-weights in place. BMW provided me with new bolts, but they were the same size as the existing ones, so I just reused the old ones. 
Next, I wrapped some tape around the bars to prevent scratching and subsequent rust. This is not required or even mentioned, but it just makes sense. insert the rear part of the clamp.
Tighten the hand protectors and the clamp together using supplied bolts, followed by bolting through the end-weights. For me, anything bolted on calls for a drop of blue Loctite and this was no exception.
Once mounted, these are surprisingly strong.

The only concern is the right side protector rubbing against the front brake master cylinder. While this is not a structural concern, it still annoys me. No matter which way I move the protector itself or the master cylinder, the two always contact upon re-tightening.

Now I just need to hardwire a GPS and get a tankbag mounted. Oh, and some snow thawing would certainly help to make me feel better. 

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Why do you ride?

Over the past few months the number of visits to posts pertaining to motorcycles has consistently outnumbered the number of visits to other posts. I’m glad to see that my homemade farkles and maintenance reports are generating so much interest. Nevertheless, there is only so much maintaining and improving a man can do before it is all done, and with the 5ft of snow in front of my driveway there is no chance of writing a trip report any time soon.

That being said, I’d like to keep things motorcycle-related, but lets stir things up a little. I’ll ask a motorcycle-related question and give you my take on it. Now, for this to work, you the readers have to get involved a little and actually write something in response. After all, this is not supposed to be a blog about me.

Today’s question: Why do you ride?

My take on it:

I ride, because motorcycling allows me the most freedom short of breaking the law. Unrestrained by a metal cage with a few windows, I’m able to taste the road, so to say. For me, being on a bike is very meditative. When I ride, I don’t listen to music, there is no fan blowing air at me, the scents are pure and unrestricted, flowing straight into my helmet. I can experience the scenery in its full dimension, be it a paved road in the countryside, a busy intersection in the middle of a city, or a muddy trail in a forest somewhere I never knew existed. Without trying, my body and my senses work together in unison to guide me along the path. It is the perfect harmony.
At the same time, undisturbed by the noise of the world and removed from the everyday clutter, my mind clears, lulled by the soft monotone purrs put forth by the engine.
While riding, I often transcend to sort of a meditative state, and become aware of my own mortality. This, as strange as it may sound, makes me appreciate life more. Knowing that at any moment I could be ejected from the seat and impact against the hard road, ending up either dead or, (worse) crippled…knowing and being aware of how fragile life is, makes me feel at peace. And for all this, I appreciate riding, especially the adventure kind.

Your turn…