Tag Archives: Motorcycles.

Automotive

Arachnis Deathicus

19 Comments

This is the SECOND TIME it’s happened.  I grab my brain bucket, pull on the gloves and jump on my Magna.  I cruise around the corner, up the street, and hit the highway.  When I hit 60MPH, the airflow through my helmet’s vents, dislodges anything that crawled into them.

What happens is I get up to speed, and all the sudden there is a Speeider crawling on my face shield.  Normal reaction is to swat it.  Well, tonight I swatted it.  It of course, being INSIDE my face shield… was unhurt.  So it jumped onto my face.  On my cheek.  Then it ran under my eyeglasses.  (Insert the “Scream Like A Girl” sound effect)

At 60 Miles Per Hour.   There it is.  On my eye.  Under a face shield, and glasses, and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it until I calmly pull over and stop.   BTW, my bike can make a stop from 60 in about 5 feet.

Continue reading Arachnis Deathicus →

Automotive

A Naked Goldwing

8 Comments

This is something I’ve wanted to build for years.   A Naked Sport bike built off a Goldwing.  This guy did it.  It’s just not quite finished.  If it had a seat, and if it had the cover for the tank, I’d be very tempted to trade my Magna for it.  This ginormous Cafe Racer is just cool… at least, I think it’s cool.  The drag bars and the stripped down look… I really think that’s as cool as bikes get.  I’d paint the thing black and call it the “Deathwing”.  Which was the name I’d given the build when I was a teenager.  I had some friends that started the project, but never taken it to completion.  Much like this one.

Automotive

Utter shame… I hang my head low…

18 Comments

I am what I have hated.  Years ago when I was more involved in the pursuit of Going Faster, I would scold and criticize and ridicule people for this sin… and I am now one of those sinners.  Years of driving trucks has ruined me… made me grow soft.  I hated being behind those people… and I am now one of them.

I am…

An Early Apexer.

I need to return to a School of Fast and retrain my Line.

Automotive

Cycle Chops

5 Comments

“It’s just like riding a bike. It’ll come back to you.” That’s true. Getting used to riding again… brothers and sisters… it feels good. There is no other feeling like it. If I have to explain it to you, you wont understand. I should have never given up riding.
The Honda V-4 engine – I’m of the firm opinion that this is the best engine ever built for motorcycles. The strong roll on acceleration is biblical, smooth, and right now. This makes passing rock flinging trucks not just faster, but safer. Being able to get out of danger quick is a very good thing. Also the fact that my little puny 750cc engine has destroyed a number of 1200cc powered V-Twin type bikes… that just makes me happy.

Getting used to riding again is one thing. I’m also getting used to a new bike. The Magna I have now is called a “3rd Gen” by Magna Owners. The previous Magna I had was a 1st Gen… It was an 85 or 86 if I remember right. I got it for 800 bucks and it only had 2,000 miles on it. It was Cherry. Those Magnas had a longer fork, and pegs that were a bit more forward… more chopper like. After riding this Magna, in it’s more “Standard” position… I think I’d rather have the older style for the comfort.
However, the 3rd Gen Magna has more rigid forks, quicker turn in, and all around better handling. I think even has a better lean angle to it. It feels more like a Sports Bike. This makes me tempted to take curves at faster velocities, riding it like it was a Sports Bike. Which is all fine and well… very cool actually… but I’d rather like the more stretched out position of the older bike. Easier on the knees.

Then again, back then with my last Magna, I didn’t have any problems with my knees. Still. I miss that old Magna. It was a dark blue – almost black… all dark and sinister looking… it was a sexy bike. I rode that when I was going to ROTC at BYU. Not the normal BYU bike. Everyone else on a motorcycle had sport bikes or scooters.
No matter how bad I feel, how much I hurt… I get on the bike and start riding… I feel better. I forget the pain and everything… and I’m just riding.

Automotive

No, not selling the Magna

6 Comments

I’ve had messages from guys asking if I wanted to sell my Honda Magna.  The answer is a straight up no.  However if you offer me a trade… I’d trade it… for a Harley 1200 in awesome running condition and with new tires.  You have that, sure, I’ll trade you.  If not, no… I’m not selling it.  If I sell it, then my wife will take the money… if I trade, well… she doesn’t know how to ride a motorcycle.   See what I mean?  So yeah, if you have the money to buy – go buy the Harley and then come see me.  I’ll even meet you have way, and we can swap titles and keys.

Automotive

Magnas don’t get soggy in the rain.

16 Comments

But Ogres do… no riding today.  Dang it.

It's sulking there, alone in the rain...

Learned a lot about my new bike this week.  Chain tension, lube and inspection.  Saddle bags can unzip off.  And I learned that my bike gets 40 MPG on the dot, which is pretty good.  So I learned just how far my bike can go on a tank… then shortly there after, I learned just how far I can go on my reserve tank.  Which I found out was about 400 yards short of the gas station.  Luckily the bike can coast pretty good, to within 100 yards.  So it was not a lot of pushing, but enough to hammer home the lesson.   Seriously, I need a bigger fuel tank.  I heard you can get a tank off a Honda Shadow, and with some modification, make it work for the Magna.  If anyone has any detailed information on that – I’d really like to hear it.

 

Automotive

Magna Impressions

11 Comments

The VF750C Magna is a great machine.  I’ve missed that V-4 engine since I sold my last Magna.  The other bikes I had after it just didn’t quite have the same mojo.  And by mojo, I mean power band.  It’s wide power band lets the bike pull in every gear without working it.  It’s not anxious, there’s nothing frantic about it.  It’s comfortable cruising in town, and blasting down the highway.  I do wish it had one more gear on the tall end, but it’s no big deal because the RPM’s go quite high.

Filled up the tank, 9 bucks.  Vehicle Inspection, 9 bucks.  Insurance, 17 bucks.

This kind a cheap to live with cost is awesome.  Tax on the bike to get the new plates was 150 bucks, but I expected that.   I’m completely and utter broke now, but everything’s golden and I have a full tank that’s going to get me to work for a week.  My truck, to fill up the gas tank for a week, almost a hundred bucks.

To ride… through the twists, along the straights… relaxed… chillin in the saddle… Guys… Guys… Guys… Why the hell did I wait so long to get another bike?

I still need to get some decent leathers, a brain bucket, and good gloves before I do any long range riding.   I am going to be eating PBJ’s for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the next two weeks.  Worth it.  And with reports of gas going up to 6 bucks a gallon – I am very glad I got this bike now.  The news reports recently mentioned that with gas prices going up, more and more people are getting motorcycles and scooters.  So if you guys want a good used bike – get one now before they are all gone.

Okay, this is the last post about me gushing about bikes for awhile.  This isn’t a bike blog… It’s a gun blog.  Gun Content will resume shortly.