motorelle

Second passenger on the road

Wed, 13 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

I took Martina for a ride today. She has ridden as a passenger before; her dad used to take her on motorcycle rides.

We rode the twisties to the outlook in Schenley Park (Route). In some parts of our routes, we had to ride on Forbes Ave., but she told me that I could ride in Schenley Park the whole time. I tried out this new route.

First passenger on the road

Tue, 12 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The second helmet I ordered from Competition Accessories arrived at noon today. Finally, I can give people rides on Kat.

Ruthie has first dibs on the ride, but unfortunately she is got a cold while traveling from Santa Barbara this past weekend. When I arrived at school, I asked Erin if she wanted to ride and she emphatically said “yes”.

Before we started the ride, I told her some rules about being a passenger on a motorcycle: (1) Hold on tight to my body and not my arms or shoulders; (2) keep her feet on the foot pegs at all times; and (3) to stay in a neutral position with the motorcycle, e.g., stay parallel to the angle of the bike (no counterbalancing or leaning more than the bike). We also established tap signals for her to tell me to slow down (1 tap) or to stop (2 taps).

We practiced on the parking lot first with two loops. She said she was comfortable and we continued onto the streets.

Picked up the bike

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Rain delayed getting my motorcycle. But today’s respite from the downpour allowed me to pick up the motorcycle . My friend Gary gave me a ride to Jack Maggs Agency (notary) to transfer the title.

After I picked up the bike, I had enough sunlight to head over to Schenley Park to get this picture.

Got one!

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

I planned to look at multiple motorcycles today (in order): 1983 Honda CM250, 2004 Kawasaki Ninja EX250, 1986 Suzuki Intruder VS700, and a 1985 Honda Rebel. I ended up getting the second one I looked at.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t take the motorcycle home today because we need a notary to transfer the titles. The owner said I’ll have to wait until Tuesday.

Here’s one of the advertised pictures of the motorcycle I got.

First look

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Today, I checked out the first motorcycle I found on Craigslist. The motorcycle is a 1989 Yamaha Radian YX600. The Radian appealed to me because it was within my price range and it reminded me of Elle (a 1989 Kawasaki Eliminator EL250). I know the EL250 is a cruiser-type motorcycle while the YX600 is a standard, but there was something about their looks that appealed to me.

Ruthie joined me to look at the bike. We drove to Bethel Park, PA. The family who owned the bike greeted us warmly. The owner bought the bike for his middle son, but the son did not like how the motorcycle looked. Too retro, he said.

I was better prepared to check the bike than I was the first time I bought one. I talked to my friends, asked questions on internet forums, and read motorcycle facts online. The motorcycle looked great, but it was priced over the Kelley Blue Book value. The deal did not happen, but I’m glad I looked at it. It helped that I talked to Ruthie, Gary, and my brother Robin for advice on how much I should pay. I was too excited to own a motorcycle and they helped me think about the purchase more objectively.

I miss Elle.

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Here is the problem with leaving Elle in California. As Pittsburgh approaches the Summer, I cannot participate in the annual ritual of preparing bikes out of storage for the first taste of hot asphalt. Instead, I can only watch motorcycles come out of their winter hibernation.

To not miss the summer biking season, I started looking at motorcycles on Craigslist last week. I should have done it earlier because there are better deals during winter. But during the winter months, I did not know I would miss motorcycling so much.

Goodbye, Elle!

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 19:00:00 -0500

I sold my motorcycle today. I had to sell it because I am finishing my internship and moving back to Pittsburgh. I could ship the motorcycle, but it costs about $700; more than half the price of the motorcycle!

I’ll miss the bike a lot. I’ll miss putting on my gear to ride. I’ll miss the hours riding in the hills.

I think the motorcycle found a good home. The buyer just got his motorcycle license, like me when I first bought the motorcycle. It’s nice to have a fellow new rider to join the club of motorcyclists.

The motorcycle at the car wash after washing and waxing it.

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:00:00 -0500

The motorcycle at the car wash after washing and waxing it.

Motorcycle Resources

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0500

These are my notes on resources for anything related to motorcycles.

Websites

BikeBandit - Very good place for parts. This is where I bought my replacement air filter and tail lights.
LeatherUp - A site with good deals for motorcycle jackets. The jackets I bought didn’t fit me, but they’ll fit someone taller.
KawasakiMotorcycles.org - The forum is a good resource for other people’s experiences with Kawasaki motorcycles.
RepairManual.com - This is where I bought the repair manual for the motorcycle.

Stores

Road Rider Motorcycle Accessories - The motorcycle shop closest to my place. I bought a lot of stuff here: my motorcycle jacket, helmet, oil pan, motorcycle cover, oil filter, and helmet visor defogger.
GP Sports - Kawasaki dealer. I called them for replacements for my clutch cable and the air filter cap.
Kragen Auto Parts - General automotive store where I bought the tools I used for my motorcycle.
Target - Department store where I bought reasonably-priced ankle-high steel-toed boots. I also bought bungee cords for strapping items to the back of my motorcycle.

Just installed new taillights.

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 18:00:00 -0500

Just installed new taillights.

Craigslist Post

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0500

I’ve decided to sell my motorcycle. Shipping the motorcycle from San Jose, CA to Pittsburgh, PA costs too much, about $700.

Here’s my post on Craigslist with a link back to this blog:

This is a good condition 1988 Kawasaki Eliminator EL250. This classic motorcycle beats all of the other 250-class cruisers in style hands down. It shares the same 250cc engine as the Ninja sportsbikes, so the bike is also faster than the other 250 bikes from Honda and Yamaha. I have had a blast riding this bike. Check out my motorcycle blog at http://motorelle.ianli.com/
Very low miles: 6400 as of now

New tires, new air filter and recent oil change

Recently renewed registration

Some rust from spending a year uncovered in San Francisco (previous owner), but the bike is fully functional, stylish, fast, and easy to ride.

This is a great starter motorcycle. To start you off into the world of motorcycling, I will include the stuff I used to maintain the bike: a motorcycle cover, a motorcycle service manual, helmet defogger, wax, and oil pan.

Please email if you would like to make an offer or have questions or would like to see the bike.

Skyline Ride

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Longest ride yet! Beat the record set with the Thanksgiving Ride. Rode out at noon from San Jose to Los Gatos. I experienced some problems early on similar to this one. However, I fixed it by clearing the carburetor (I loosened two screws in the carburetor to let out its contents). After a short lunch at a local Costco, the motorcycle was good to go.

From Los Gatos, I took the winding roads that go through the mountain ranges to Watsonville, CA: Big Basin Way, Skyline Blvd, Summit Rd, Highland Way, Eureka Canyon Road, and Corralitos Rd. Here’s the path I took.

In Watsonville, I went straight to the beach to see the Pacific Ocean. Here are some pics from the ride.

It was already dark by the time I rode back to San Jose. I took the Hecker Pass Road through the mountains. It was a difficult ride because the headlights from the oncoming traffic were too bright. Once I got to Gilroy, I took Santa Teresa Blvd thinking that it go straight into San Jose. I got lost for a while until I found Monterey Road. I had dinner (a burger, fries, and a drink for $2.50) at Sno-White Drive-In in Morgan Hill. Here’s the path I took.

Thanksgiving Ride

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Went to my friend Helen’s house for Thanksgiving. She lives in Oakland, CA about 55 miles from where I live. It took me 2 hours to get to her house because I only took side streets to avoid the freeway. Here’s the path I took to get there.

So full from turkey, stuffing, gravy, and dessert, I started riding home at 10pm. I didn’t get home until 12:30am because I got lost after getting to a freeway and exiting immediately. I also changed routes to avoid traffic on N Capitol Ave. Here is my circuitous path back to San Jose.

This is the longest ride I’ve done in one day. Started at 6020 miles and ended at 6153 miles: 133 miles!

Just passed 6000 miles! I’ve ridden it 1000 miles since I...

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Just passed 6000 miles! I’ve ridden it 1000 miles since I got it at the beginning of October.

Sunset on my way down Mt. Hamilton Road.

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 23:18:00 -0500

Sunset on my way down Mt. Hamilton Road.

Mt. Hamilton Ride

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 21:55:00 -0500

One of the observatories on the Copernicus Peak of Mt. Hamilton.

Rode up Hamilton Road to the Lick Observatory. The Lick Observatory is on Copernicus Peak, the highest point near San Jose (4360 ft). This is the path I took.

Hamilton Road has some scary sections. Very tight turns with high dropoffs, turns with loose rock, narrow roads with oncoming traffic, and bumpy pavement. I felt vertigo in some parts and thought I won’t make it up. Here are some pics from the trip.

I got lost on my way to lunch at Costco; the intersection between Capitol Expressway and S Capitol Ave was confusing.

The old air filter cap that I replaced. Note the holes look like...

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The old air filter cap that I replaced. Note the holes look like they have been removed using a blade.

Replaced Air Filter Cap

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Replaced the air filter cap today. The old air filter cap had been tampered by one of the previous owners to let more air in. I’m assuming to add more power to the engine. However, I haven’t noticed any difference with the new air filter.

I also replaced the damper (the rubber ring surrounding the bolt that fastens the fuel tank to the bike frame).

East San Jose / Mountain View Ride

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Rode a lot today (56 miles). This is the farthest north that I have taken the motorcycle. Here’s my riding path:

Worked at IBM Almaden Research.
Volunteered as a judge in a science fair at Latino College Preparatory Academy.
Went to a friend’s housewarming and birthday potluck in Mountain View.
Back home in South San Jose.

Replaced Air Filter

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

I went home early from work today to replace the air filter in motorcycle. I used K&N Filters that I ordered from BikeBandit as replacements.