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Thursday, October 1 Dear Mama, We have a large riding group here ... about 30 bikers once we get them all gathered up. It's quite a sight to see that many bikes all together, enjoying the open roads and highways. Well I'm gonna sign off again ... just wanted to drop ya a note to tell you I love it!!! So to all the newbies, just keep at it. Someday you will truly enjoy it. Love, Teala Dear Teala, Thursday, October 1 3rd Annual Pink Leather & Lace Run, Pound, VA, October 4th Dear VTwin Mama, I get so much out of your pages. Thank you for being there. I turned 60 in July and am so happy my husband turned me on to this. We both have Sportsters now. His is a 2002 (the 99th year) 1200 Custom named Lola. She is classic black. They look so cute in the garage together. I am a Breast Cancer survivor of 5 years on October 4th and that is the day of our third annual Pink Leather and Lace Ride. Would appreciate it if you could post it on your pages. We are in Southwest Virginia and ride with folks from Eastern Kentucky and Eastern Tennessee. THANKS SO MUCH!!!!! Join
us for a ride to celebrate survivors and benefit Southwest Virginia
Cancer Center and the Wise County Relay for Life. Thursday, October 1 Dear VTwin Mama, New Technical Help Site: On September 15th, RGP introduced a new technical help site. You can post questions and receive responses from Ridley Technicians. The site also catalogs the questions in a forum where you can browse the topics for quick answers to your questions. http://ridleymotorcycle.com/ Valerie Park, Ridley Motorcycle Company Thursday, October 1 Check this out as an alternative ... WTF Helmet Hair. It may be the next best thing to having your own, without the fuss & muss!!! Anonymous (note from Mama: interesting!) Thursday, October 1 Hi VTwin Mama, I have waist length thick wavy hair -- and it really works to eliminate helmet head, itchy scalp, pressure on the forehead and seam headaches -- in that it falls lower than the helmet on the forehead and it is handcrafted one solid one piece construction -- so no seams. The satin pillowcase type material is really effective to keeping my hair smooth and shiney. The new feature of a hair pocket in the back effortlessly scoops up and protects your hair form road grime and the ravages of wind. I never leave for a ride with out it. If anyone doesn't agree I will give them all their money back. Anna Lee, Raci~Babi helmet liners Friday, October 2 VTwin Mama Re-crafts the Women's Ride Map Dear Readers, So, I am making a 3rd attempt based on the Community Walk system. The basic history, the map, and the instructions to join can now be found at http://www.vtwinmama.com/womens_ride_map.htm. The link can also be found using the Let's Ride navigation button at the top of the home page. If you are a registered member of the VTwin Mama Message Board, or are considering joining this well-managed community, contact via the map can point to your private PM/Email within the board! Look under the Ride, Ride, Ride section, Women's Motorcycle Ride Map, and read up on it. This can be found by clicking on the Message Board link in the navigation system at the top of the home page. Together we'll map out anyone, no matter what skill level, who is interested in locating women riders in their area and opt-in. Let's see what happens! I'm updating new entries as quickly as possible! Mama Saturday, October 3 Dear Petra, Dear Debbie, Saturday, October 3 Vote for the New MSF Slogan for Women! After reviewing over 550 submissions to its Ride On! Write On! contest, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) has selected the top 10 semi-finalist slogans. The public is invited to vote online at www.msf-usa.org to determine the winning slogan. Votes will be accepted until 6:00 P.M. (Pacific Standard Time) on October 15, 2009. One vote per person. See website for details. Top Ten Semi-Finalist Slogans 1. Real Divas Ride Smart Saturday, October 3 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Mark, Sometimes I can't find the original letter referenced, so let's just proceed with your clues. Ok, you hear a click. That's the starter solenoid (aka relay), which when correctly working, connects the power of the battery to the starter motor. We normally don't hear the click because the engine roars to life. The click indicates the relay is trying to do it's job. So it could be giving up the ghost (slowly, intermittently) but you don't indicate if you've tried putting in a new one and then the problem comes back. Replace it if you haven't done so already. Meanwhile, check your battery connections for corrosion or a loose connection (geez, believe it or not this seems simple enough but is often overlooked). I'd also consider that one of the battery cells is going ... so check the water levels in the cell if this is an acid battery. Batteries don't always last their full life depending a variety of storage conditions and if it sat. Check your starter motor for connection corrosion. If you have a new relay in and all looks good in the battery and connections, then I'd say you're looking at a starter motor on its way out. Give this some thought and do some checking. I realize I could be pointing out things that have already been considered by others ... but that's my KISS view on it. Sometimes its a combination of two or three things that make you chase your tail for awhile. Mama Saturday, October 3 Dear Petra, Dear Dona, The only original thread I could find, followed by a lot of responses, started with a letter from Bev posted on May 27, 2005. Take a look at those thoughts and see if something there doesn't help! By the by, the way I found this is by going down to the bottom of the VTM home page and using the Google search tool (clicking on the vtwinmama.com radio button). Yup, that's why I put it there! Mama Saturday, October 3 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Anon, I knew you could do it! Feels awesome does it not! I am glad you went at it alone instead of following someone who might have caused you to get hurt or worse. I had to go at it alone too. It is much better if you go at your pace and LEARN how to ride your own ride instead of being a speed demon! I am proud of you! Congrats! Me&MyShadow (note from Mama: it's sooo much fun to say yahoo to a sister rider!) Wednesday, October 7 Hello VTwin Mama, Wednesday, October 7 I have a 2005 Boulevard S50 (800 Intruder). I had experienced the same thing with losing power. The connections to the battery may be loose. Try tightening them . You may also want to look into installing "Star Washers." This is a topic on the IntruderAlert Cafe for people who own Intruders, but the site has been down for a week. Hopefully, they will have it back up again. Good Luck! Leah (note from VTwin Mama: that site is still down so I'm not sure what the fix will solve) From Mark: Dear Mark, You might try disconnecting the headlight temporarily (as it's the biggest drain on start-up of all the lights) and see what the bike does. At the same time, any connection to any lights, like a wire that is grounding to the frame, or a corroded connection, could be overloading the system. Yup, even a corroded bulb connection. One would think a fuse would blow, but you're not reporting that. I honestly never heard about circuit breakers in a motorcycle and assumed it was just another name for a fuse. But some online hits talked about a circuit breaker in the ignition system. So I took a look at an online parts diagram of the electrical system and saw the ignitor ... which is also called a CDI ... which is also called a black box. Fragile item, which can be damaged if water got into the box (which is why one should never power wash a motorcycle). That usually fries it, but it could be the intermittent part that's "blowing" when you try to crank things up. It's not unusual ... I'd ask the service department if they can test it out of the bike. The CDI is basically a point-less ignition. Well, I'm out of thoughts at the moment ... hopefully something in this latest rambling will point the way. Mama Thursday, October 8 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Joan, Friday, October 9 Dear Readers, The reason I'm doing this is so that new riders can easily find a women's group near them and that those who wish an individual pin on the map can do so! Whether someone is seeking women riders locally or want to say hi while they are traveling, this map is going to give you the comprehensive worldwide snapshot (once I've got it complete!). I'll be back on Monday with more letters ... hopefully carpal tunnel won't set in! Mama Dear Readers, The Women's Motorcycle Riders Map is really gaining strength ... lots of independent and regional/national level riding groups have pins stuck to the screen! I've also placed upcoming women's events on the map as well as some charity rides I had been contacted about. Take another look. use the Legend button to select the category(s) you want to view, and consider joining the map ... it really shows that there are a lot of areas of the country (and world) that simply do not have riding groups (not that everyone wants to join one), so building at the individual level is really a mission I'm dedicated to. Talking about dedication, I'm an avid "clicker" at the breast cancer site ... this month they need clicks in order to cover the mammogram cost for 500 women who otherwise would go without. So, I've changed the pink ribbon link (very top of this page) if you too would like to click. Click every day ... it's a great way to help! Mama Tuesday, October 13 G'day VTwin Mama, Dear Brien, The question you are asking is out of my league of knowledge, but that never stopped me from trying to learn as much as possible to see if I can noodle it out! Some basics first: "Motorcycle brake lines work in much the same way as car brake lines. They deliver brake fluid under pressure from the master cylinder to the brakes. When you apply the brakes in your car, brake balance is handled by a brake proportioning valve. This valve determines how much hydraulic pressure each axle requires to slow or stop the vehicle safely. On a motorcycle, the rider controls this manually by using a front and a rear brake control." Motorcycle ABS basics: "An Anti-Lock Braking System incorporates computerized sensors to determine when a wheel is on the verge of locking-up. It then gives instant instructions to the brakes to release and re-apply braking pressure (pumping) a whole bunch of times per second, while you are steadily engaging the brakes." If I recall correctly, some bikes have independent ABS on each wheel while others tie the ABS together for both wheels. Now I can make a bit more sense of the SE5 reviews I'm reading. Each of the three wheels is monitored individually for motion stability and ABS braking. To me this suggests that there is already a brake proportioning system in place because the activation of the one brake pedal at the foot looks at three sets of tire rotation information to determine correct braking balance. To verify my best guesses, I talked with Dave at Wilmington Power Sports in Wilmington, NC ... a Can-Am dealer. What a helpful person. He confirmed that yes, a master cylinder, proportioning valves, and electronic sensors are functionally tied together in a "brain." Then he gave me great news ... there is a Can Am-approved kit (made by Industrial Specialty Company) to move the braking from the foot to the right hand! So any Can Am dealer should be able to do the modification. $1250 US for the kit and Dave estimated a few hours of installation cost, but he hasn't done one yet, so that's not firm. It adds another master and slave unit and leaves the original stuff in place. Sounds good to me! Mama Wednesday, October 14 Dear Readers, Coming up at the end of this month ... I'll be putting together my annual Holiday Gift Guide for products $1 to $100. Whether you're shopping for yourself, a friend, or woman s/o, this page will have some great ideas! Have a favorite product you would like to have included? Just email me the specific website page and product name and I'll take it from there! Friday, October 16 Mane 'n Tail is the best conditioner for me. I have hair down to the middle of my back. You can put a little in your hair and the tangles brush out quite easily with a soft bristled brush. You don't need to rinse and it doesn't make your hair look oily or flat. I would imagine any leave-in conditioner would work just as well. Anonymous (note from Mama: sounds like a good product!) Friday, October 16 You may be able to find the Chief Manual at www.indianmotorcyclecommunity.com. Saturday, October 17 Dear Readers, Curious what's available?! Just hop onto the Declare Yourself page and explore. A number of items are on are sale ... and you'll see exactly what is in stock. Please also welcome a new advertiser, the national women's riding organization, Women In The Wind. Becky Brown, who founded WITW 30 years ago (!), and I have been chatting back and forth by email ... I'm expecting sometime next week to announce a new venture that Becky is starting, that I know you are going to love! I can't wait to give you the details ... so make sure to "tune in" next week! Have you been clicking on the pink ribbon at the top of this page? The site is working toward providing 500 women with a free mammogram, but as of today, are only 41% toward the goal. Please click ... it helps ... and it's free! Hello Petra, During the first year after I learned to ride a motorcycle, I must have answered the question YOU ride a motorcycle????? a thousand times! And each time someone asked me, they seemed so surprised that I had to laugh. Riding a motorcycle has a definite stigma attached to it, and has historically been a male-dominated activity. So, when I responded, I used to go into a long story about how I had always wanted to ride, but never learned...and how more and more women are taking up riding... and it's a great hobby... But over time, I gave up trying to change peoples minds and simply started responding emphatically "Oh Yeah... I Ride!!" And that's where the idea for the first Confident Acknowledgements site began. While riding has traditionally been a "boys" activity, more and more women are learning to ride and experiencing all of the joy and freedom it brings. Oh Yeah... I Ride!! is dedicated to all of the ladies who have a passion for riding, and those who long to learn. Our mission is to celebrate, promote, encourage and empower women, by establishing an expectation of equality in this activity where females have been traditionally underrepresented. The idea is to get the message out that we DO ride! And there's no better way to do it than to present a universal exclamation... "Oh Yeah... I Ride!!" Dawn Conant, Founder, Confident Acknowledgements Monday, October 19 Mama, Dear crbinoh, Tuesday, October 20 Review of ABC's of Motorcycle Wrenching Dear Readers, Jasmine grew up in a mechanically-oriented family and from the very beginning she was looking at all sorts of engine parts. When she started riding in the early 1990s, her interest in the family "business" carried over to motorcycles and she's been sharing her knowledge and tips ever since. To explore more, read my review of ABC's of Motorcycle Wrenching and then consider ordering a copy. All women should know the basics ... it really does save on pulling hair out when challenges come up! Mama Tuesday, October 20 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear bikerchic, Yummy on the new bike! By all means, email me pictures (attached or embedded into the message body) ... just let me know if it "goes with" something else you sent and I'll mangle it all together! Mama Wednesday, October 21 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear LeeAnn, Dear VTwin Mama, Dear PKZ, Thursday, October 22 I am considering selling my 1981 CM400A - it is in great condition, red in color, has a Tow-Pac trike kit attached, 15,057 original miles, and runs great. Of those miles, I put 13,000 on it myself, and have had no trouble with it. It has leather-like saddlebags, windshield, and highway bars. I would like $1500 for the bike alone, or $3200 for the bike with trike kit. Will sell it either way. For pics, email me at ejmccutcheon@wildblue.net. We are located in western WV, 30 miles from Parkersburg. Only reason I am selling is because I moved up to a larger trike. I will miss my Hondamatic, as it was the first bike I learned on. It has been a lot of fun, and very reliable. Jo (note from Mama: it's always sad to let a bike go that you started out on, but honestly, after awhile it's even sadder to see it just sit while you're off frolicking on something else!) Thursday, October 22 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Jackie, The reason to remove the battery from a bike during storage is that there can be a small current drain even with the switch off ... I found this to be so true of a motorcycle with a clock, which runs no matter if the bike is on or not. So the battery is being drained to support that function. A fully discharged lead acid battery will sulfate and no longer be able to be recharged. Another reason to not just disconnect the cables is that a battery should never be allowed to freeze. From the Battery University site, "The recommended storage temperature for most batteries is 15°C (59°F). Lead-acid batteries must always be kept at full charge." So the answer to your question is that it's best to pull it from the bike and put it in a non-flammable cool part of the house on a tender system. If you're using a trickle charger, than once every month should suffice to keep it charged ... i.e. don't leave that trickle charger hooked up all the time or the thing will "gas up" and be ruined. A tender system like the Battery Tender has electronic controls that allow it to stay in place the whole storage time, but you still should pull that battery as the frozen northern tundra of Canada gets mighty cold! Mama Dear Readers, Wednesday, October 27 Hi Petra, My inspiration came from the many riders I've met over the years. So you might be asking, "Why now?" Well, I was an industrial electrician who lost her job after 30 years with the same company. The plant closed in March so I decided to finally do something I always wanted to do! As you can see in the pictures, the front says "Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly!" and the back has a pair of angel wings, which by the way, have a shimmery bling to them! The Ts are Gildan Ladies Ultra Cotton; $20 (S-XL) and $21 (2XL) and $21 (3XL, men's T style) for the short sleeve ... $25 for the long sleeve (S-2XL). The matching patch is $5, but you'll get a $1 off with a T-shirt purchase. I hope you and your readers like the idea and take a closer look at http://witw1.com/Angels to place an order! Becky Brown
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