Here it is December 29, 2011 and I have not made any blog entries since January. When I started this blog thing it was an experiment in blogging itself. Conclusion? It seems a lot like homework. Facebook has a very fleeting disposable feel to it. Just quick comments with a limited useful life. Blogging on the other hand feels like it should require a more refined expression of carefully considered thoughts. Something that can stand the test of time. And so it is likely this is the last entry for this blog. No one is really interested so why bother.
The last year has not been as empty as these missives might lead one to believe. In the spring we took a trip to Steamboat Springs with Bill and Dixie. The bike held up just fine. I even ran the tank down to nearly the last drop due to a mental hiccup calculating distances and fuel milage. Just outside of Steamboat I pumped 5.2 gallons into a 5 gallon tank. We stayed in a nice B&B on the east side of town and were able to walk most places. One night we went to the rodeo. All in all a great time plus my back presented no real problems.
The second trip was a long weekend ride to Aspen in the fall. The first night 6 of us on 4 bikes met at our cabin in Fairplay. Next day it was on to Buenavista. The idea was we would head over Independence Pass toward Aspen. At some point we would turn around based on the condition of my back. We ended up riding all the way to Aspen then back to Fairplay where we spent the night. Things likely would have been fine if the trip stopped there. But the next day we still had to return to Longmont. While not debilitating, I was in a good bit of pain for the next month. The only problem with the bike was the loss of the parking break. My suspicion is that the break cable end has popped free while going up the rough road to the cabin.
I think I have determined that I am capable of multi-day trips as long as I get off frequently and at no point exceed 4 hours in the saddle. This plan will be put to the test next summer as I am planning a week long trip around Colorado.
I got a Garman Zumo 650 GPS. Can-Am sells a mount that integrates this unit with the rest of the communication system on the bike. I plan on installing this next spring. However there is still the issue of helmet speakers. Bluetooth is out but I have a plan. I got the parts to build a cable that converts the 5 pin DIN on the bike to 1/8th inch phone. The first version will be speaker only but will allow me to plug in a set of ear buds. If this works I will then get a bluetooth ready helmet like the Schubarth C3. I can then plug a bluetooth adapter into the bike. This gets me everything except two way CB and cell phone. What I do get is AM/FM/weather radio, iPod, XM, gps and CB receive. The sticking point is left, right, and mic grounds are separate on the bike but will need to be combined on the 1/8th inch phone plug. Hopefully this will not be a problem. If it is I will have to return to a wired setup which means hacking up my helmet.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Circular Logic
It was not a large thought or even a grand thought. But it was a useful thought. I often find it difficult to convey the subtle nuance of what I am thinking. And so it is that I find myself when people ask me what I think of my Can-Am Spyder. Yes it is interesting. Yes it is fun, enjoyable and speaks to the part of me that likes motorcycles and other fast hardware. But how does it compare to an actual two wheeled bike? Is the experience comparable? More specifically, does it hold the same fascination for me as bikes do?
In short the answer is no. The difference is greater than the difference between types of motorcycles. It is much closer to an ATV or a snowmobile. Yet that answer leaves me dissatisfied that I have not fully expressed my true feelings on the subject. It does not explain why I like the Spyder so much. And that is when the little thought hit me. It is like when my friend Kelly got a new high tech wheelchair.
Whoa, stop, really? That seems a little extreme. OK so it may not help much in casual conversation but it did clarify things in my own mind. Kelly got this really cool wheelchair. Super light weight, collapsable all the things that make a wheelchair exceptional. She was very happy to get it. Yet she would have been happier to not need it. And so it is with the Spyder. It has all kinds of things going for it yet I would be happier to be able to ride a two wheeled bike. But I can not. And so this is the next best thing.
If the thought stopped there I would likely let it go to where ever it is spent thoughts go in my brain. It dawned on me that this thought allowed me to better see things from Kelly’s perspective. The thought had come full circle. It is then that the thought itself became exceptionally interesting to me. Here we have a case where idea A is explained by idea B. Now understanding A better leads us back to an improved understanding of idea B. It just seems like that is too circular to have any validity.
As I started out with, it was a useful thought. At least for me.
In short the answer is no. The difference is greater than the difference between types of motorcycles. It is much closer to an ATV or a snowmobile. Yet that answer leaves me dissatisfied that I have not fully expressed my true feelings on the subject. It does not explain why I like the Spyder so much. And that is when the little thought hit me. It is like when my friend Kelly got a new high tech wheelchair.
Whoa, stop, really? That seems a little extreme. OK so it may not help much in casual conversation but it did clarify things in my own mind. Kelly got this really cool wheelchair. Super light weight, collapsable all the things that make a wheelchair exceptional. She was very happy to get it. Yet she would have been happier to not need it. And so it is with the Spyder. It has all kinds of things going for it yet I would be happier to be able to ride a two wheeled bike. But I can not. And so this is the next best thing.
If the thought stopped there I would likely let it go to where ever it is spent thoughts go in my brain. It dawned on me that this thought allowed me to better see things from Kelly’s perspective. The thought had come full circle. It is then that the thought itself became exceptionally interesting to me. Here we have a case where idea A is explained by idea B. Now understanding A better leads us back to an improved understanding of idea B. It just seems like that is too circular to have any validity.
As I started out with, it was a useful thought. At least for me.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
2K, Limping Fool, Assesment
The year is not over yet but I have passed the 2000 mile mark. This is an accomplishment for me as it is the farthest I have ridden in a year (actually a 6 month period) since I got my BMW R1150GS back in 2002. What this tells me is that the Spyder experiment is a success. I am able to ride almost at will with little ill effect. I have been careful not to ride if I have strained my back. But as long as I get off every hour I seem to be OK.
The bike did suffer another failure. When starting it up one morning it immediately slipped into “limp home mode”. Stopping and restarting did not clear the error as it did the first time. A call to the dealer reveled that they were not at all interested in working on it. After getting passed to three different people I did manage to get a guy that had a solution that I could perform myself. He thought that the error was caused by a fault in the oil pressure sensor. Running the bike at 3000 rpm would clear it. At this point I had grown weary of talking to obvious boobs and fools and thanked the deluded incompetent man and hung up the phone. Thing is I still had the problem to sort out. With nothing else to try I gave his suggestion a whirl. Within 20 seconds the error cleared and has not returned since. Well what do you know? He wasn't a goof after all. I am still a little concerned that there is a real problem that has been masked. Another trick he told me was that you could get the bike to display error codes by simultaneously pressing the Mode, Set and Turn Signal Cancel buttons.
So, what of the bike? Over all I like the styling. I really dislike the windshield. It blocks too much wind thus making it much hotter on even moderately warm days. I'm hopping that it will have a payoff as the weather gets colder.
At first the bike seemed really under powered. It is after all 900 lbs. with only a 1000cc motor. But the power seems to have increased as it gets broken in. Secondly it has become obvious to me that more power could easily out strip the bikes handling.
The steering seems precise enough although I do miss the leaning in corners. Seating position is comfortable for me and the ride is good. The adjustable suspension makes cool hissing noises as it adjusts. It takes some getting used to but the bike handles well. However I can not recommend aggressive riding with a passenger. Even small movements by the passenger can have huge effects on how the bike handles. Spirited solo riding is quite interesting especially when the back end steps out.
Accessories are way over priced even by motorcycle standards. Fortunately the lack of choice is offset by well thought out and integrated options. The only thing missing is a bluetooth option.
Can-Am and the two dealers I dealt with were alright although I felt that the experience was not commensurate with a $25K+ bike. The only real downside is that parts and bikes seem to be difficult to come by.
The bike did suffer another failure. When starting it up one morning it immediately slipped into “limp home mode”. Stopping and restarting did not clear the error as it did the first time. A call to the dealer reveled that they were not at all interested in working on it. After getting passed to three different people I did manage to get a guy that had a solution that I could perform myself. He thought that the error was caused by a fault in the oil pressure sensor. Running the bike at 3000 rpm would clear it. At this point I had grown weary of talking to obvious boobs and fools and thanked the deluded incompetent man and hung up the phone. Thing is I still had the problem to sort out. With nothing else to try I gave his suggestion a whirl. Within 20 seconds the error cleared and has not returned since. Well what do you know? He wasn't a goof after all. I am still a little concerned that there is a real problem that has been masked. Another trick he told me was that you could get the bike to display error codes by simultaneously pressing the Mode, Set and Turn Signal Cancel buttons.
So, what of the bike? Over all I like the styling. I really dislike the windshield. It blocks too much wind thus making it much hotter on even moderately warm days. I'm hopping that it will have a payoff as the weather gets colder.
At first the bike seemed really under powered. It is after all 900 lbs. with only a 1000cc motor. But the power seems to have increased as it gets broken in. Secondly it has become obvious to me that more power could easily out strip the bikes handling.
The steering seems precise enough although I do miss the leaning in corners. Seating position is comfortable for me and the ride is good. The adjustable suspension makes cool hissing noises as it adjusts. It takes some getting used to but the bike handles well. However I can not recommend aggressive riding with a passenger. Even small movements by the passenger can have huge effects on how the bike handles. Spirited solo riding is quite interesting especially when the back end steps out.
Accessories are way over priced even by motorcycle standards. Fortunately the lack of choice is offset by well thought out and integrated options. The only thing missing is a bluetooth option.
Can-Am and the two dealers I dealt with were alright although I felt that the experience was not commensurate with a $25K+ bike. The only real downside is that parts and bikes seem to be difficult to come by.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Grand Lake Trip, Forest Fire, 1800 Miles
Did my first overnight trip with the Spyder. The route: Saturday, Longmont to Grand Lake. Sunday, Grand Lake to friends house in Idaho Sprints. Monday, return home. Packing for the trip we used the Can-Am luggage. These are very small inserts for the saddle bags and a wheeled carry-on type bag for the front trunk. All three pieces are smaller than the cavities in which they go. A very inefficient use of space. I took the front piece and my wife used the two saddle bags. For this trip there was adequate space but not nearly enough for a longer trip.
My long time riding companion, Bill, and his girlfriend arrived Friday night. We set out on a foggy drizzly Saturday morning for Estes Park. Around Pinewood Springs the sky opened up to a bueatiful cloudless blue. Breakfast in Estes Park then on to Rocky Mountain Park and up Trail Ridge Road. We decided not to go up Fall River Road as it is a single lane, one way dirt track. Heavy traffic would make this a “not fun” situation. However, after stopping at a scenic overlook we could see that traffic was light on Fall River Road. So with time to kill we headed back down Trail Ridge Road and then up Fall River instead. Bill's Caponord did fine given that this is its element. The Sypder was less than pleased although it did manage. Wash boards caused the rear wheel to become unweighted and spin. Plus I got high centered once when the right front dipped off the edge. Still we made it to the visitor center at the top stopping briefly along the way at a water fall. We arrived at our hotel in Grand Lake around 2:00 pm.
As we unloaded the bikes we saw emergency equipment rolling toward the park and assumed that some tourista drove off the side. In town we found lunch and browsed through the grotto shops. That evening we had appetizers on the deck and watched the sun go down. I smelled smoke as I got into bed and just assumed (there's that word again) it was a camp fire. Of greater concern was my back. I was in a lot of pain that was not responding to ibuprofen and I failed to bring any prescription pain killers. I was awoken in the middle of the night to stronger smoke smell so I had to close the door to the balcony.
The next morning my back was doing much better but we decided to return to Longmont via the park just be on the safe side. But the road was closed due to a forest fire. That explains the smoke and emergency trucks. So we were forced to proceed with the original plan. I was doing fine. We refueled in Frazer just outside of Winter Park and arrived at Bill's house around 11:30 without incident. From there we hopped in the car and went to the casinos in Central City/Black Hawk. But first a stop in Idaho Springs for Pizza. Marilyn exited $2.30 in the black. Everyone else in the red. I broke even as I chose not to participate. Unlucky at cards, lucky at love? We returned to Bill's house which we eventually left arriving back in Longmont at 8:00 pm.
If I had been thinking I would have kept track of total distance but I suspect it was something over 200 miles. This puts the total mileage at over 1800. For the most part my back has held up very well. Next summer I would like to try more days on the road. If this proves viable I would consider getting the matching trailer. First I would like to make some bag liners out of ballistic nylon that more closely form to the volume available.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
The Wave and Who am I?
Motorcyclists can be grouped into subcultures based on what we ride. Each group has it’s own costumes, values and rituals. The groups are defined not by negotiation or even interaction but by how they perceive themselves and each other.
One ritual shared by all groups is the wave. And it is through this simple act that one can determine alliances. Again, these pairings are determined mostly by perception. Certain groups tend to wave to their own members and sympathetic groups. The major groups (there are subgroups) are cruisers, naked/standard, sport, dirt and touring. Exceptions to bike type grouping can also happen on brand boundaries. BMW and Harley are two main examples. The cruisers can be split at many levels, Harley vs metric, 1%er vs yuppie, etc. But for the purpose of this discussion they will be considered as a single group as they tend to share a common costume and approach to safety.
BMW riders often wave at touring riders because BMWs are often used as non-traditional touring bikes. The other groups often look down upon dirt riders as their bikes are perceived as “toys”. However, BMW GS riders see themselves as dirt riders so they will often wave anyway. How the individuals came to ride a given bike type can also play a part in who they will wave at. Almost no one starts out riding a BMW so they will tend to wave at members of their old groups.
Cruisers tend to be the most standoffish, or so I thought. Enter the Can-Am Spyder. Where does it fit? The RTS is intended as a touring bike. But my experience, so far, has not been as I expected. I am finding that cruisers, specifically Harleys, tend to wave the most. Meanwhile BMWs, my previous group, and tourers, the expected group, seem to ignore me. This bothers me because the cruiser is the one group I identify with the least. So why is that? It may come down to the trike thing. Most trikes are made from Harleys. And I have noticed that the most negative responses were from sport bike riders. So am I really a member of a group I dislike?
Fortunately the group designations fade, as the weather gets cold. At some temperature anyone on the road recognizes the few riders still out as members of the “hardcore” group. A collection that does not care about brand, bike type or social standing. Maybe this is my group, just harder to recognize.
One ritual shared by all groups is the wave. And it is through this simple act that one can determine alliances. Again, these pairings are determined mostly by perception. Certain groups tend to wave to their own members and sympathetic groups. The major groups (there are subgroups) are cruisers, naked/standard, sport, dirt and touring. Exceptions to bike type grouping can also happen on brand boundaries. BMW and Harley are two main examples. The cruisers can be split at many levels, Harley vs metric, 1%er vs yuppie, etc. But for the purpose of this discussion they will be considered as a single group as they tend to share a common costume and approach to safety.
BMW riders often wave at touring riders because BMWs are often used as non-traditional touring bikes. The other groups often look down upon dirt riders as their bikes are perceived as “toys”. However, BMW GS riders see themselves as dirt riders so they will often wave anyway. How the individuals came to ride a given bike type can also play a part in who they will wave at. Almost no one starts out riding a BMW so they will tend to wave at members of their old groups.
Cruisers tend to be the most standoffish, or so I thought. Enter the Can-Am Spyder. Where does it fit? The RTS is intended as a touring bike. But my experience, so far, has not been as I expected. I am finding that cruisers, specifically Harleys, tend to wave the most. Meanwhile BMWs, my previous group, and tourers, the expected group, seem to ignore me. This bothers me because the cruiser is the one group I identify with the least. So why is that? It may come down to the trike thing. Most trikes are made from Harleys. And I have noticed that the most negative responses were from sport bike riders. So am I really a member of a group I dislike?
Fortunately the group designations fade, as the weather gets cold. At some temperature anyone on the road recognizes the few riders still out as members of the “hardcore” group. A collection that does not care about brand, bike type or social standing. Maybe this is my group, just harder to recognize.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Headsets
I took another three hour round trip back down RPM Motorsports to pick up a pair of J&M headsets. It would be another three weeks before they could make an opening to install the headsets in my helmets. So I will attempt to do this myself. It didn’t look too difficult for my new Shoei RF1100. There are spaces that look like the earpieces will just plop in. Closer examination has proven this to be completely wrong. I will need to hog out some of the foam to make room. This really scares me but those that have tried it claim it is not as bad as it seems. The key is to use a Dremel tool with the ball cutter bit. Maybe I’ll try it this weekend.
This whole thing has me a bit cheesed off but I’m not sure whom to blame. I understand that BRP has sold more bikes than they expected. I understand that the dealer in Durango sells a lot of different bike so they may not know everything about every bike. I understand that the dealer in Denver is busy and cannot always fit me in. But I have spent in excess of $25K for a motorcycle. There are cars that do not cost this much. Is it too much to expect a premium experience? The level of service I have received would have been great if I was buying a $5000 dirt bike. But at what will become $30K by the time I am done, this hardly seems acceptable. The question is who is to blame? I’m not sure I have the answer. Maybe everyone.
This whole thing has me a bit cheesed off but I’m not sure whom to blame. I understand that BRP has sold more bikes than they expected. I understand that the dealer in Durango sells a lot of different bike so they may not know everything about every bike. I understand that the dealer in Denver is busy and cannot always fit me in. But I have spent in excess of $25K for a motorcycle. There are cars that do not cost this much. Is it too much to expect a premium experience? The level of service I have received would have been great if I was buying a $5000 dirt bike. But at what will become $30K by the time I am done, this hardly seems acceptable. The question is who is to blame? I’m not sure I have the answer. Maybe everyone.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Communication Package and More
I had the communication package installed last week. At first glance this looks like $2000 for a CB radio and an intercom. Not a very good value. So why do it? The cost aside, the whole system cleanly integrates with the bike. A second antennal and two discrete plugs are the only outward indication that anything was added. The radio itself is buried in the bodywork somewhere in the back. A new CB menu is available with controls for channel, squelch and the like. The real thing you get with this package is the headsets. Or rather the ability to communicate with the passenger and hear any audio. This includes the radios, iPod and GPS.
Is the cost worth it? Certainly you can duplicate the same functionality much cheaper but there is value to having everything cleanly integrated. No messy wires to manage. Plus you don’t have to worry about parts getting stolen. Still the cost is quite high.
Installation is another issue. I made an appointment with RPM Motorsports two weeks ahead of time as I was taking that week off from work. The Spyder does not trailer well because of clearances with the front end. So I rode the bike down and arranged for a rental car. The plan was to do the 600 mile service at the same time. Total work time, eight hours. It appears that they did not work on the bike as planed and took an extra day. This added to the expense of the car rental.
To add injury to insult they did not have the headsets. They were on back order for another six months. So now I have added $1500 worth of communication gear and no way to use it. The alternative was to use a headset made by J&M. Some initial confusion indicated that they wanted to modify the bike to accommodate the headset. Clearly this was stupid. If it was really compatible, all you would need to do, at most, was to change the plug on the headset. Changing the bike seems like rotating the house to change a light bulb. It all turned to out to be a miscommunication and the headsets are plug-and-play compatible. Great I’ll take those. Oops, out of those as well. I got a call last Saturday and they have the headsets in. Now all I need to do is get them installed or do it myself.
Is the cost worth it? Certainly you can duplicate the same functionality much cheaper but there is value to having everything cleanly integrated. No messy wires to manage. Plus you don’t have to worry about parts getting stolen. Still the cost is quite high.
Installation is another issue. I made an appointment with RPM Motorsports two weeks ahead of time as I was taking that week off from work. The Spyder does not trailer well because of clearances with the front end. So I rode the bike down and arranged for a rental car. The plan was to do the 600 mile service at the same time. Total work time, eight hours. It appears that they did not work on the bike as planed and took an extra day. This added to the expense of the car rental.
To add injury to insult they did not have the headsets. They were on back order for another six months. So now I have added $1500 worth of communication gear and no way to use it. The alternative was to use a headset made by J&M. Some initial confusion indicated that they wanted to modify the bike to accommodate the headset. Clearly this was stupid. If it was really compatible, all you would need to do, at most, was to change the plug on the headset. Changing the bike seems like rotating the house to change a light bulb. It all turned to out to be a miscommunication and the headsets are plug-and-play compatible. Great I’ll take those. Oops, out of those as well. I got a call last Saturday and they have the headsets in. Now all I need to do is get them installed or do it myself.
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