A Guest Perspective

What the hell did I just buy…?

Big Jimbo, 2016 

Big Jimbo, 2016 

“I had a pretty good idea of what I was getting myself into, but damn…”

Normally I’m not the kind of person to do crazy things, at least not anymore. My childhood was full of bicycle riding, jumping and falling. So I’m used to the motions, but damn. 

Today I pretty much stick to my computer, building websites, web applications and such. I’m big into web development and design along with marketing and business. My tastes have drastically changed over the years, but damn.

My hobbies are what dragged me down the rabbit hole, if you will, with these ventures. My knowledge and expertise in business found me searching for things to do, objects to create, challenges to overcome. I knew it was going to be tough, but damn.

So I found myself starting a venture, a company of sorts, to sell vintage motorcycle apparel to people in the Atlanta area that was quality above all else while resembling a stylish look that many riders love. Starting a company from the ground up sounded easy, but damn.

We got together and covered the basis on all of the roles to be played; I of course took the technician’s role to build the site and handle the business matters. One partner took to handling the brand and product quality. The other took to marketing and promoting the brand across different platforms. We thought that things were starting to come along, but damn.

So here we are today, each riding our bikes, the sort of embodiment of our personalities. One bike is vintage, cafe, suits the brand and the rider. The next bike is old, powerful, and teeming with potential, similar to the rider. The third bike is sporty, quick to jump the gun and scary as hell once it gets moving. Much like the rider. Now, we’ve all got bikes! Life looked like it was sorting itself out, but damn.

Now we’ve got oil problems, battery problems, cosmetic scratches and cracks on panels. Issues that seem endless in the world of Moto. No one told us it was going to be easy, but damn.

The one thing that makes everything, and I mean everything worth it, is the feeling of moving. Life’s about moving. We weren’t meant to stay in one spot, neither is your bike. It’s made to move, so let it move you.

 

- James Allen

Triumph Gets a Facelift

Triumph is the current leader in the modern classic department. For years their bikes have redefined classic good looks with modern performance, but recently they have been getting a bit too good at the vintage aspect and not so much the modern performance department. Until now. 

Image courtesy of bike exif 

Image courtesy of bike exif 

For months triumph has been teasing the new lineup of bikes and very successfully build up the hype around their classic division. While the preview bikes look great they began severely lacking in power. No longer is this an issue with the current line up. The new Thruxton R is up 68% in power across the rev range and has been bumped up to nearly 100 horsepower. No longer is it a fast looking bike, it fills that role nicely. 

Image Courtesy of bike exif

Image Courtesy of bike exif

The other much needed update is with the Boneville t120. Triumph has listened to their customers demands and a blacked out engine gives the new Bonnie a sleek look that compliments its dark exhaust and raspy note. Also new are dual floating front disks because hey who likes dying. 

Image courtesy of bike exif 

Image courtesy of bike exif 

For more information on the new Boneville range make sure to check out bikeexif.com  

A Breath of Fresh Air

The custom bike scene has been absolutely flooded with clip on café bikes and brat style flat trackers over the last few months, but with the custom show season in full swing I was anticipating something great, something different. Analog Motorcycles Delivered with their version of the royal enfield continental completely revised as a scrambler.

Image courtesy of Bike Exif 

The starting point (pictured below) is Royal Enfield's premium café offering but has always fallen short in functionality. Though a gorgeous bike in my opinion the continental lacked fit and finish and was hardly a performance driven machine. 

Image courtesy of carpyscaferacers.com

Analog Motorcycles saw lots of potential in the Continental and swapped the clunky EFI system for an Amal carb setup and a mild cam to get as much torque as possible out of the half liter single. Other modifications include a 2" lift front and rear, completely new lights, turn signals and guages, and the most bitchin' aftermarket mirrors I have ever seen. To find out more about the Analog Cycles Enfield check out the original article on Bike Exif. 

Get Lost: Moto Camping Gear Guide

So you've got a few hundred miles under your belt and you're ready for a weekend outside of the city. Just hop on your bike and go! wrong. Especially if you have fairly limited camping experience. Today we are going to talk about what you need to enjoy your weekend adventure. There are loads of things you will need to embark on your backroad boogie so I implore you to do more research here I will be talking about the big three. 

Colorado Springs, CO 2015 

Nemo Galaxy 2

Nemo Galaxy 2

Tent

First and foremost you are going to need shelter. I generally recommend a two man tent, better known as the "brokeback" setup because there is no way you can actually fit two grown men in one of those without it becoming a Jake Gyllenhaal seminar. The upside to using a two man tent is that it gives you space to keep your clothes and helmet inside and out of the elements. When it comes to riding weight and space are everything so I would lean towards a backpacking style tent like the Nemo Galaxy 2. In terms of setup it's hard to get more simplistic than a half dome tent. The Nemo runs a cool $249 from REI but there are many other options. 

Sleeping Bag

Marmot Sawtooth 17º 

Marmot Sawtooth 17º 

I'll be completely honest with you. There are SO man sleeping bag options out there that even I even hate shopping for a new one every 5 years or so. With prices ranging from $100-$800 its hard to know where to start so I'll tell you. Don't buy a walmart bag and don't buy and $800 bag. Unless you are camping in your backyard or you happen to be planning your next trip north of the arctic circle neither apply to you. I usually spend about $200 on a quality bag and it will last you 5-8 years of seasonal use if you take care of them. In this price range REI, Marmot, and Mountain Hardware all have great options to keep you warm in a variety of seasons, but I cannot stress this enough; when you want to buy a new bag go to the store and try them out in person. Fit is everything. Go to your local REI for more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Storage

Your Move, Putin  Philmont, NM 2015

Your Move, Putin  Philmont, NM 2015

Pecos Valley Bundle 

Pecos Valley Bundle 

So you have all this new gear now and you have to figure out how you are going to get it to your mountain getaway. You might have a nice backpack like the one I used for over 100 miles this past summer in the picture above. Though it does work, be prepared to amputate your arms from lack of circulation while you get there. The packs are intended for hiking and rest the weight of your gear primarily on your hips with a little bit of support from your shoulders. When you are hiking your body remains very upright aka the opposite of what you do on your bike especially at highway speeds. Hello backpack goodbye circulation. The best option you have are rigid panniers built for your bike. They are strong, water tight and you don't have to worry about your gear getting beat up by the elements. Oh and they can cost upwards of $900. Ill pass on paying twice the cost of my motorcycle for storage. The most cost effective option comes from a company by the name of Green Chile Adventure Gear. For between $99-$200 they can kit you out with a completely modular rack system that will affix to your bike's frame and allow you  to use whatever bags you want. This system is amazing because it allows you to transfer your carrying capacity from bike to bike with no compatibility issues. GCAG is well established in the offroad world and if it's good enough for the trail it's good enough for me. There is a lot of other gear to consider when camping so make sure to do your own research and always remember to expect the unexpected.