Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles
Subject: rec.motorcycles FAQ of 93.01.01    (Part 5 of 5)
From: dave.williams@chaos.lrk.ar.us (Dave Williams) 
Date: 10 Jan 93 04:45:00 GMT
Reply-To: dave.williams@chaos.lrk.ar.us (Dave Williams) 
Distribution: world
Organization: The Courts of Chaos * 501-985-0059 * Public Access Usenet


                          =====================

Q:  What kind of abrasion resistance can I expect from various
    protective gear?
*
A:  blgardne@javelin.sim.es.com (Blaine Gardner)  replies:

    In the Sept. 1988 issue of Cycle they "road tested" several grades
    of leather, nylon and Kevlar. The two tests were dragging the
    material at 50 mph until it failed, and running a sample on an
    abrasion tester until failure.

   At 50 mph the results were:

           "Natural Armor"
   3 oz leather            86'  0"

           "Strong Synthetics"
   Kevlar                  22'  1"
   Codura Nylon            18'  3"

           "The Rest"
   1.75 oz leather          4'  4"
   2.25 oz suede            4'  3"
   Denim, 2 year old        4' 0.5"
   Denim, new               3' 10"
   Ballistic Nylon          3' 10"

   The results were a bit different on an abrasion tester, but the
   overall ranking was 3 oz leather, then the synthetics, and far
   behind those were denim and thin leather. Note that the best
   synthetics are 1/4 as effective as HEAVY leather, while light
   weight leather is considerably worse than the synthetics, and far
   worse that heavy leather. Of course multiple layers of any material
   is better than a single layer.

   Another point not covered by the table is that a material with a
   hard, slick finish is important because it resists snagging and
   tearing. The reason that Cordura nylon did so much better than the
   thicker Ballistic nylon is that the coarse weave of the Ballistic
   caught on a flaw in the road, and tore. The suede finish leather
   suffered a similar fate on the road. On the other hand, Ballistic
   nylon did much better on the abrasion tester where snagging was not
   an issue.

   [note from the Keeper:  even the most abrasion-resistant clothing
    won't help if you're rapidly decelerated by a cage or a tree.  A
    set of leathers won't make you proof against getting squashed, so
    be careful out there]

                          =====================

*** Tires:

Q:  I'm having new tires put on my bike.  Is there anything I should
    watch for?

A:  YES!  Make sure the yoyos mounting the tire don't lay the wheel
    flat on the floor or let it fall over.  This is a good way to bend
    a $200 brake rotor.  Good dealers also use plastic rim protectors
    under the tire irons.  This keeps from scarring your expensive
    polished or painted wheels.

    Some motorcycle tires are directional; that is, they are only
    supposed to rotate in one direction.  Such tires are marked with
    an arrow.  If your tire has an arrow, make sure it points the
    right way when you put the wheel back on.

                          =====================

*** Law:

Q:  I'll be vacationing in [some foreign country] and would like to rent
    a motorcycle there.  Is my [home country] license OK?

A:  In normal circumstances, as long as you are legal in your home
    country/province/state, you'll be legal elsewhere.  There's also
    an International Driver's License - check your local licensing or
    motor vehicle authority for details.

                          =====================

*** Other:

Q:  I am interested in/just bought a 19xx Yamahondasakiuki CNGSZxxxx
    and I was wondering how good it is and what I should watch out
    for?
*
A:  loki@frodo.Physics.McGill.CA (Loki Jorgenson) replies:
    You can do one of two things -
    1) Check the anonymous FTP site ftp.physics.mcgill.ca (132.206.9.13)
       under ~ftp/pub/DoD for reviews for various bikes, as contributed
       by rec.moto members.  If you don't have ftp access, you can send
       a request for a specific bike or the list of available reviews
       to rm-reviews@physics.mcgill.ca

    2) If your bike hasn't already been reviewed, ask rec.motocycles,
       collect the responses, summarize them and forward them to
       rm-reviews@physics.mcgill.ca.

       Also, please feel free to submit your own review of any bike that
       you have already ridden.  There is a TEMPLATE file available at
       the ftp site to serve as a guide for the information structure.

                          =====================

Q:  I'd like to get a bike cover.  Where can I get one?

A:  Look in the magazine ads.  Here are some points to consider before
    buying a cover:

    Plusses:
        keeps the sun, bird crap, and dust off your bike
        keeps feebos from sitting on it and covering it with
           drool and fingerprints
        may protect the bike from gratuitous vandalism

    Minuses:
        cover acts as a giant sail; makes it easier for the wind
           to tip the bike over
        dew and rain seep-through will collect under the cover,
           causing the bike to rust faster
        covers seem to be popular with thieves, who will sometimes
           destroy them trying to get them off
        you have to have some place to put the cover when you take
           it off.

    I use a $8 K-Mart plastic tarp.  Two ends are tied to concrete
    blocks, the other two ends to chunks of 2x4.  When I leave I
    simply flip the tarp off; when I get back I flip it back.  It
    keeps the sun off while allowing plenty of air circulation.

                          =====================

Q:  I'm interested in adding a sidecar to my bike.  What's the deal?

A:  spencer@hailwood.asd.sgi.com (Paul Spencer)  says:

    I posted this once before, and have been mailing it out to those
    who ask. I'd love to work on it more, but my current schedule is
    a little insane. Have fun. I'll critique the sidecar FAQ you come
    up with if I have time.    ....paul

    ===== sidecars =====

    Having a sidecar is a lot of fun. You can ride all year, you can
    use it for errands a lot more, you can carry more people, you can
    go on much longer trips with others (since they can sleep in the
    sidecar).  People come up and talk to you a lot more; they don't
    have the greasy biker' syndrome.

    However: sidecars are _NOT_ motorcycles. They handle very
    differently.  I had over ten years and over 100,000 miles of
    riding experience before I got a sidecar; it wasn't very useful. Be
    prepared for a totally new experience. You can get yourself into
    trouble just as easily as you can on a bike; but you have many fewer
    options on getting yourself OUT of trouble.

    Unfortunately, many bikes these days are poorly made for attaching a
    sidecar. The entire outfit will be very difficult and dangerous to
    ride. Get expert advice in this field. (Even if you buy a bike and
    sidecar as a unit, it may be set up wrong; I'd say from informal
    looking around at sidecar rallies that about 50% of outfits are
    badly put together, and 20% are downright unsafe).

    The idea of having a sidecar that is removable is a poor one; a
    good sidecar unit is just that, a unit, which is never taken
    apart. Many desirable modifications that make the sidecar unit
    better - such as reduced trail, and flat-profile automotive tires
    - make the bike unrideable as a solo anyway.

    The only motorcycle manufacturer who sells sidecars is Harley
    Davidson. They are excellent sidecars, and Harleys are ideal for
    pulling them.  Adding a sidecar to a Honda/Yamaha/Kawasaki/Suzuki
    /BMW motorcycle will void it's warranty; it will also make most
    shops refuse to work on your bike.

    Sources of more information:

      United Sidecar Association (USCA)
      130 S. Michigan Avenue
      Villa Park, IL 60181

    Regular magazine, books on building a unit, books on riding with
    a sidecar, books listing all available sidecars on the market.
    Also offer training courses on riding. National and regional
    rallies.

      Hack'd Magazine
      P.O. Box 17640
      Portland, OR 97217

    Monthly magazine. Better mag than the USCA.

      California Sidecar
      Garden Grove, CA
      (800) 824-1523

    Wide range of sport and touring sidecars; handling packages.

      Motorvation Engineering
      3702 Clifton Place
      Montrose, CA 91020
      (818) 248-9631

    Both sport and touring sidecars.

      BMW Motorrad of St. Louis / EML USA
      4011 Forest Park Blvd.
      St. Louis, MO 63108
      (314) 531-4010

    Sell EML and Ural sidecars, along with a lot of parts for Steibs.
    Lots of handling improvement stuff. Great place, lots of free
    advice.

      Hitchhiker Sidecar Company
      1665 Cumberland S.E.
      London, OH 43140
      (614) 852-5373

    Only make one touring-oriented sidecar, but it's well liked.

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Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles