2010 Spring Flood Run photos

What's that in that side Car?

A St. Bernard!



Wicked Cool old Sporty.





Gibson Les Paul guitar bike.




Up one end of the road


Down the other


How we roll

Can You See Me Now?

Can You See Me Now?

X-treme Design Class 2 High-Visibility Mesh Safety Vest — Lime Review

If you have ridden a motorcycle for any length of time you have had close encounters with the drivers of other vehicles. If you ride year round like me you probably have had lots of them. People pulling out in front of you, turning in front of you, not yielding to you, and changing into your lane all happen too frequently to us traveling on two wheels.

One of the biggest problems of cage drivers is that they just cannot see us. The moment you start riding a motorcycle or scooter you become invisible like you have turned on some Romulan Cloaking Device. On a motorcycle we are a smaller target to see and people just don’t seem to look that well. Another factor is that it would appear we tend to travel a little faster than cages and when they look they don’t look far enough away to see us coming at speed. We can be beside them or in front of them in the second it takes them to look back to start making their planned maneuver.

Then there is the rumor going around that Loud Pipes Don’t Save Lives. I don’t believe it. Speaking from personal experience, from both points if view, seat and saddle, drivers that may not have seen you, might hear you. They may not hear every time, but any time they do it may prevent a mishap. It has kept daydreaming drivers from moving into my lane before I could react and hit the Stebel Nautilus Compact Dual Tone Horn button. I am not condoning irrationally loud pipes but it does help to be loud enough to be noticed. I like my Cobra Longshots.

Since I commute in the traffic of a major metropolitan area, (Dallas / Fort Worth), everyday to and from work, before sunup and after sundown, I have picked up an inexpensive device to help people see me better. I purchased a X-treme Design Class 2 High-Visibility Mesh Safety Vest — Lime from the local Northern Tool + Equipment. I wear it when it is dark or overcast out like on rainy days. I bought it large enough to fit over my other riding gear.

The High-Visibility Mesh Safety Vest is made from a bright green color that catches your eye in traffic. It has two 2” wide vertical and one horizontal 3M Scotchlite reflective stripes. This safety vest comes with a zipper closure and an inside pocket. The X-treme Design vest meets ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 Class 2 specifications. They also make other models with different features and a high visibility orange color.

Yes, I look like the dorkiest motorcycle rider in the Mid-Cities but at least you can see me. For any of you naysayers out there let me show you the evidence. Here is a photo of me at dusk with just my OSi Cool Mesh Jacket on. Click on any photo for larger view.
 
 

Now here is a photo of me with the X-treme Design Class 2 High-Visibility Mesh Safety Vest — Lime on.

Those were both taken without a flash. Here is a shot with the High-Visibility Vest on and the cameras flash on to simulate headlamps.

Now you can see for yourself with your own eyes what a difference that vest makes. I have been using the vest now for around six months and have not had any issues with it. It has withstood my fumbling fingers not zipping it up correctly and countless rain storms and has held up fine. Torch gives the X-treme Design Class 2 High-Visibility Mesh Safety Vest a M.M.M. rating of 9.5 out of 10.

Ride on,

Torch

 

Torch's Motorcycle Racing Links / Directory

Torch's Motorcycle Racing Links

II VI II
All Harley Drag Racing Association
AMA Dragbike
AMA National Gaurd Racing
AMA Pro Racing
American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association
American Sportbike Racing Association
Aussie Dave Racing
Ben Spies
Bike Channel
Brandon Cretu Racing
Carlos Checa
Central Motorcycle Racing Association
Championship Cup Series
Chase McFarland Racing
Cody Wyman
Daniel-Eric Ouimet
Dark Horse Racing
Dom-N-Ator Racing
FIM
Go-Scooter-Go
Hudson Kennaugh
Hunter Morgan
Isle of Man TT
Leon Camier
Leon Haslam
Less Flower More Power
M2TX
Marco Melandri
Mario Alvarez II
Max Biaggi
Max Neukirchner
MCE British Superbikes
Melissa Paris
Mike Edwards
Mike Wells Racing
Monster Yamaha Tech3
Motorcycle Drag Racing Association
Moto Cafe
Moto GP
MotoGPod
MotoGP World
Moto Race Reports
Moto Sponsor
Nicky Hayden
On The Throttle
Parts Canada Superbike
Peter Lenz
Race Fans TV
RMP Racing
Road Kill Racers
Road Racing World
Robert Buroker
Rubber Side Down
Serpent Racing
Shakey
Speed TV Moto Racing
SS&D Racing
Superbike Planet
Supermoto
Suziperry
Texas Scooter Times
Tony Elias
Troy Bayliss
World Superbike USA
US Grand Prix Racers Union
WERA Motorcycle Roadracing Association
World SBK
World Sperbikes


Send me your racing links to add; Torch

The Swastika and the chopper cult

Not only do bloggers blog, they read others blogs. I guess that is the point.
In doing so myself, I frequent a lot of blogs that do not much more than post cool pictures of bikes. Mainly choppers, specifically bobber style choppers, Jap. style bobbers, and Brat style bobbers.

Of these many sites, several pictures are posted that show Swastikas. Particularly what appears to be the Nazi Germany Swastika. So I have to ask myself, WTF? WTF is with the chopper cult and the Nazi Swastika?



This has been on my mind for quite some time. While going on the internet to find a picture to post, the first place I went was Wikipedia. There, I learned a ton more information is available on the history of the Swastika, and it was widely used prior to Nazi Germany taking it as their symbol.
As much as I love visiting and looking at these pictures, I still wonder why the chopper cult has latched onto the Nazi Germany symbol. Do they think it is cool? I think people sporting Swastikas look like prejudiced uneducated dumb fucks myself. What the Hell does it have to do with riding motorcycles anyway?



I just don't get it.

We never forget. We just move forward.

After the passing of our beloved Cy last November, our hears were heavy with grief and sorrow. We don't feel as though we have replaced Cy, but have filled the empty hole in our hearts and home that he left behind. We will always love and miss him dearly. We will never forget Cy. We just moved forward.

Meet the newest member of the Mr. Motorcycle family. We just adopted him this past Friday from the same rescue organization that we got Cy from, (R.A.G.O.M.) Retrieve a Golden Of Minnesota.


His name is Finn. He is 22 months young and has still got lots of puppy energy left in him.

My wife so eloquently describes him as the Master Destructor of indestructible dog toys.

I do believe some obedience training is in his very near future. (Monday 4-12-2010 for 6 weeks once a week to be exact.) He will do his training at Stone Mountain Pet Lodge with a professional and myself.

My family and I love him so much already.

Isn't he CUTE!