The Gear

Part of the prep was getting all the right stuff to make the trip go well.... I hadn't bought a motorcycle helmet in 45 years or so... I think I paid $25 for the best full coverage they had.back then... I was a little shocked when I saw prices north of $600... I went to several to get advice, did some online research and landed on an HJC IS MAX II in this cool Anthracite color... $200 was much better..

Next was a good jacket that could handle the various weathers I might run into... Same process and I ended up with a Sedici 3-Layer Jacket.  I got a great deal at Cycle Gear in Jacksonville Florida...
I wanted to Bluetooth enable my helmet so I could listen to Pandora, have a hands free phone, and listen to the radio on my bike when there was no internet... I carry a MiFi with me so I have Internet as long as there is cell coverage. I talked to an old biker soul (Dave) out in California and he led me to the Sena 10s and SM10... They work very well...
Image result for sena 10sImage result for sena sm10http://www.motorcycledave.com/
I also got RAD Mounts for my iPhone and Escort Radar Detector...
Roam Universal Premium Bike Phone Mount for Motorcycle - Bike Handlebars, Adjustable, Fits iPhone X, XR, 8 | 8 Plus, 7 | 7 Plus, iPhone 6s | 6s Plus, Galaxy, S9, S8, S7, Holds Phones Up to 3.5" WideRAM-B-149Z-300-1U Motorcycle Bike Mount w/ Power Plate III Radar Detector Holder
The bike came with a full cover but I thought I needed a vibration alarm since I am staying at several types of hotels and cabins... So I got this alarm, which will go off if the bike is moved..  Mengshen Bicycle Alarm, Wireless Anti-Theft Burglar Security Alarm for Bike Motorcycle Car Vehicles Door Window, 113db Super Loud and Waterproof
Last but not least I got my bike today at the dealer mentioned earlier... I really like it and the general manager , Drew Adamson (pictured below), really helped me, and put up with my many questions.

I got some good practice riding in today, including an at home visit with one of our customers who has a great house with a great view just outside of Salt Lake City... The really neat husky was Max who seemed to be right at home getting some good ear rubs and petting from a bunch of strangers...

It's going to take some practice this week to get totally comfortable with my capabilities...  I even got some night time riding in, after a good salmon (big surprise) dinner at Market Street Grill...
All-in-all, a pretty good day....



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Yellowstone

Image
I started the Sunday morning in Idaho Falls... With the time zone difference from Tennessee I seem to wake up early and caught a good pic of the sun rise from my hotel window... The hotel was right next to the Snake River which makes me want to go fishing... I wanted to get to Yellowstone. Prior to this day I had only 7 states left that I hadn't been to. After my ride that will be down to 4... I started in Idaho, then went to Montana, where the West Yellowstone Visitor Center is, and then into Wyoming for Yellowstone. On the ride to the West Entrance Visitor Center I passed this place called Bear World , which had just added a billboard saying they have 45 black and grizzly bears... The funny part was right next to that billboard was another temporary billboard sign saying "We Are Hiring!!!"  I thought "I don't think so... The guy you are replacing probably got ATE!!!"   It made me laugh... I got to the Visitor Center and wanted to buy an entrance...
Read more

The Journey through Bryce

Image
You know, sometimes it really pays to listen to others. I ask a bunch of folks what to see in Utah and most all said Bryce Canyon was #1...  It was so cool and I had a great day seeing it.  First was a quick hour and half drive through the beautiful countryside... I forgot to get gas before I left and had a little bit of a time finding this haven below which saved my butt... It was an old manual gas pump that had to be turned on and then you go inside and tell them how much you pumped... I am not complaining... It could have been a long walk... Lesson learned! Next I encountered several signs along the way that said " OPEN RANGE FOR THE NEXT 20 MILES!! ", well your mind might jump to the movie by that name that starred Kevin Costner and Robert Duvall, but you would be wrong... It means that you have to be really careful and look out for what is in the picture below. (the brown blobs are cows). I stopped and talked to them about hanging around the road but it did no...
Read more

From Tulsa to Hot Springs

Image
After the great visit with my daughter's family in Jenks OK, I continued east to visit some friends outside of Hot Springs AR.  The drive was an easy ride . I am finding that the more I drive the more I like it... I have learned to relax and by this point I had over 4000 miles of experience to use.  Sheila and Terry McLarty are just fine folks... They live in a beautiful house out in the back hills around Hot Springs... It is such a peaceful remote place that requires a GPS to find.  The woods around them are so nice that you can forget the rest of the world even exist.  Terry is an avid hunter and fisherman so he is right at home out there... He is from the area, so just a natural fit. Sheila adds her charm and taste to the place and completes the picture. She is just one of those folks that does for others and is so relaxing to be around. I could just sit around and yak with those two forever. They cooked up a great supper that featured some amazing gril...
Read more