Short Ride

Hey Everyone,

Took the new bike out for a ride today for about 30 miles.  Didn't want to go too far in case anything happened!  Did two things on this ride, check out my new jacket and boots, and of course, get used to the bike!  Keeping this post relatively short, I'll just go over the main things I experienced today.

For the jacket, it was 32 degrees Fahrenheit outside, and windy.  I had a tshirt on, and my jacket on top.  Before, I would have worn several layers, with my ICON jacket on top, and still have felt a little chilly.  Not anymore!  This jacket is great! Also didn't even notice I was wearing it, and no more neck burns, amazing!  The boots were a little different.  They were warm and not too intrusive, but I kept my jeans and overpants on top like I normally do, and my left leg started getting irritated by the boot at the upper shin level (the leg I use to hold the bike up).  To be fair, I was in a lot of stop and go traffic..a longer continuous ride would have avoided this.  The fix will be simple most likely, tuck jeans into the boot!

As for the bike, I'm still having trouble getting used to upshifting.  I think I am so used to where the clutch engages on the 250R that it's interfering a bit.  Not to worry, I did have a few better shifts on the way back home.  The other thing I found was sitting at lights is torture.  The clutch pull is a LOT heavier and my little girly hands (no offense ladies!) got a bit tired holding it in at lights.  I like to remain in first in case I need to move, but after a while I just had to put it in neutral.  I guess my hand will get stronger over time.  As for the brakes, I'm getting a little more used to how strong they are!  I also really like that they are a shorter reach now, much quicker and easier to get to for a little person like myself!  And finally, I didn't have any problem holding the bike up at stops.  I'm rapidly getting used to one footing, and if I need to change legs I gently transition to the other foot.  Only had a little "AH BOTH FEET OUT!" moment on my final parking attempt near my apartment!!  Overall, I love this bike so far.  Once I get more accustomed to it, I'll be able to post some more fun adventures!

Well, time to sleep.  Pesky thing called work in the morning!  Let's all dream of our bikes :D

- Pandabear

More Gear, Part 2!

All right friends,

Continuing on from the previous post, here's a review on my new RS Taichi Armed All Season Jacket.  I ordered a Japan Medium, hoping to everything under the sun that it would fit my tiny body.  Just for reference, I'm about 5'3" with a slim but somewhat muscular build (for my size anyways hehe).  Put the jacket on and it fit very well and was extremely comfortable!  It is a textile jacket, also waterproof, and is very warm with the liner in.  It comes standard with two chest protector hard plates, and CE shoulder, elbow, and back protector.  The elbows and shoulders meet EN 1621-1. The back protector is EN 1621-2, though I haven't been able to find if it was level 1 or 2.  Most likely level 1 is my guess.

The Front!

Certain things I'll touch on, it's got quite a few buttons, straps, zippers, etc for getting just the right fit. That will also help keep the armor in place a little better, in the case of a crash.  It's got vents for warmer days, and a nice soft liner for cold days. The material feels pretty durable, enough for the purpose I'll put it through. I opted for a textile jacket instead of a leather one, as much of my riding is done in cooler, or wet climates, or for commuting or town riding.  I may occasionally take it on the highway, but then again, I'm not a highway hooligan and more or less stick to the speed limit, or normal flow of traffic.  The warmth/waterproof component is what made it a more viable option.  Days which are warm and sunny, I'll wear my leather suit anyways!  Power ranger up!!

The Back!

The back of the jacket has some motion panels, making it easier to stretch and reach.  There is some nice design on the jacket, and some reflective panels for night riding.  There are some foam padded areas, and you can see the two zipper vents.  The inside of the jacket is nice and plush up near the collar.  This is much nicer than my Icon jacket, which has literally burned my neck when I do head checks.  I have a small scar on my neck from that jacket.  This jacket has a higher collar, and is plush.
There is an internal pocket for your phone or wallet, and pockets for the chest protectors.  The jacket is  so nice I just want to wear it indoors too!

Inside View..So Warm!

One small gripe with this jacket is the back protector.  It does cover the majority of my back and shoulders, but it ends about 2-3 inches above my butt, which means the spine is a bit exposed there.  I'm not sure if this is normal with slip in back protectors, but I figure it must be.  If you want a full blown back protector, a strap on protector will probably be a better option. Besides that though, this jacket is wonderful.  Even though it's a textile, if you go sliding on your back or chest, and the fabric wears away, you'll still have some decent armor in the way of you and the ground.  Don't quote me on that, but it seems logical ;)

Here's me with all my waterproof gear, minus helmet and gloves!

I do wish I could have gotten the jacket in the white and black combo with green screen printing, but I wanted this jacket soon and STG did not have it in stock sadly.  But on the bright side, black will hide the dirt a bit better!!

Next up, I have a Cortech tank bag coming in.  I'll review that when it gets here, and when my helmet comes in, I'll go for a ride with all this new gear and write a followup!  Thanks for reading!

- Pandabear

P.S. My friend came over and showed me how to adjust my brake lever, which ended up being very easy!  The stock setting was set to pretty far out so my little hands had a hard time quickly reaching the brakes, and covering was impossible.  Simple push the brake lever forward, turn the silver knob to a higher number (I maxed it out to level 6) and voila, brake lever is much closer!  Now I can cover the brakes easier in traffic!!  Always be aware and ready for evasive maneuvers and emergency stops!

More Gear, Pt 1!

Hey Friends,

Got a few new pieces of gear into the lineup.  Remember that time I got soaked on the way back from Ocean City?  Well I learned my lesson and decided to get full waterproof gear.  When my beloved 250R got scrapped, so did my helmet and boots.  I am replacing the Spidi VR6 boots with the Alpinestars SMX 5 Waterproof boots.  I'm not sure how swamptastic my feet will get during summer, but at least in current temperatures, they will stay warm.  If they are too unbearable I will report, and buy summer boots. Anyways, here's my first impression (off bike).

Overview Shot of Alpinestars SMX 5 Waterproof

 I got size 8 (42 Euro).  I wear a size 8.5 in street shoes and the boot is comfortable.  They are relatively narrow, but not too bad.   They fit very well, and are a bit more versatile than my Spidi VR6's.  They do come in a little bit pricier though, at about $270.  I did manage to get a deal and get them for about $220 from sportbiketrackgear.com  so it was a bit closer to the VR6's.

 They have a bit less flex (could be because it's still new) and a tiny bit more protection as the boot seems a bit more rigid in areas such as the toe and heel.  It also has a little more protection at the back of the leg, though not much more.

Instead of a single flap up top as on the Spidi's, Alpinestars designed a continuous flap all along the zipper path.  This actually gives a better fit and more customization based on what other gear you are wearing and how big your leg is (mine are twigs!).  You can pull the bottom part tighter and secure it so your ankle doesn't move as much, which is what I really enjoy about the boot as it feels more comfortable and safe.

Unzip the boot and you can see the full velcro strip.  Also, and I'm assuming because it's a waterproof boot, it has a continuous curtain of material instead of an opening like the VR6.  This I found handy because it adds to the fit once on the foot.

 Now we can take a look at the boot on my foot!  Ahh so comfy!  Please ignore my hairy twiggy legs.  On the left, you can see that the boot can be worn a bit more loose, as to let you tuck pants in.  If I were to wear this with my leather suit, that is how I would fasten the boot.  On the right, the boot is fully tightened.  This will give a nice "cushy" fit and works well when having pants out, such as when I ride in overpants.

Boot Out!

Boot Not Out! I mean..Boot In!

Now the only small thing that I didn't like about the boot was the toe sliders.  They seem really cheap compared to the VR6. Pulled these bad boys out of the box and I immediately noticed that they look like they are ready to pop off!  They don't really conform nicely to the boot, but after a yank or two, they didn't come off so I suppose they should be ok.  It just doesn't look as nice, that's all.  Small issue I suppose!

Toe Slider..Not Planning on Testing These Anytime Soon!!

All in all, I like these better than my other boots.  They fit better, look better, and seem like they will do the job well.  They are waterproof (ran them under the faucet) but I'll have to test them out in a downpour to verify.  We will see how they are in the summer too, I'd ideally like to use these year round, but we will see how it turns out!  So there's new gear #1.  I also got a new RS Taichi Jacket which I'll go over, but instead of making this post really long, I'll just post as an independent entry.

Oh yeah, and of course, one more bike pic!!

2011 Kawasaki ZX-6R - Big Ninja!

- Pandabear