Grabbing a Sunday morning breakfast burrito during a beautiful ride in the southern California back country
One of the essential aspects of riding a motorcycle is planning awesome food during every adventure. Whether it’s just a leisurely ride to the local coffee spot or a 1/2 day ride with a stop for amazing breakfast burritos, it makes every ride so much more fun.
Riding a motorcycle is all about enjoyment, so why not combine it with something else that’s always enjoyable, namely some great food. And don’t limit yourself to just the places where other bikers hang out. The most important thing is that you like the place and the food, and it gives you a nice rest break on your ride.
I was admittedly scared the very first time I planned a solo motorcycle ride, so I set a goal of safely reaching the local donut shop for a donut and coffee. It was only a few miles away, but for a brand new motorcycle rider, it’s a good idea to take baby steps when getting used to riding. It also helps that I f***ing love donuts. I planned it for an early Sunday morning when I knew the streets would be light, and I made it without any trouble. Donut, coffee, motorcycle ride. My life felt complete, haha.
Nowadays I like taking an early morning ride through the back roads to a charming little town about 70 miles away. Shot out to Jim & Rob’s Fresh Grill in Ojai, CA, my favorite spot to get a steak and egg breakfast burrito and a bit of relaxation.
Tires are literally the only thing connecting a motorcycle to the road, so to say they’re important is a huge understatement. But for a beginner motorcycle rider it’s hard to know which tires are best, which brands are reputable, and which style of tire they should use. This is our first ever sportbike tire guide for beginners, which will hopefully answer some of these questions.
One of the best things you can do with your sportbike is take it to the local racetrack for a motorcycle track day and really let it loose. Once you’re out there flying down the straights and carving corners without the police, cliffs or SUVs to worry about, you’ll be hooked.
It seems like a daunting task to make it out to a motorcycle track day, but the good news is that it’s really not that difficult. It takes some effort, but I had so much fun my first time out that I knew the effort would always be worth it. Let’s take a deeper dive into our motorcycle track day starter guide.
My new Shoei RF-1400 helmet, replacing my old Arai Signet-Q
I have what the motorcycle helmet industry refers to as a long oval head, meaning it’s notably longer front-to-back. As a result, it’s hard for me to find helmets that fit perfectly since most helmets are made for medium oval heads. Many times I have excitedly tried on a helmet I wanted to buy, only to discover it was too tight against my forehead. For the last 10 years I have been wearing Arai helmets, specifically the older Profile and Signet Q lines which are specifically designed for long oval heads.
You should replace your helmets every five years due to degradation of the expanded polystyrene foam liner, the part of the helmet that absorbs impact in a collision. My Arai Signet Q was overdue for a replacement, so I started looking for a new helmet earlier this year. By default I was looking to buy an Arai Signet X, the new and improved successor to the Signet Q. Unfortunately I didn’t like any of the available designs, nor was I excited about its $829 price tag. Enter the Shoei RF-1400.
Positioned just below the X-Fourteen racing helmet, the RF-1400 is Shoei’s newest helmet, replacing the outgoing RF-1200. It’s a lightweight full-face helmet design designed for sport riders. It’s impressively priced at $629 for models with graphics, a full $200 less than the Arai Signet X. The only problem for me was that its predecessor, the RF-1200, was not a good fit for my head. On a whim I decided to visit my local Cycle Gear store and try the RF-1400 on, and much to my surprise, it fit very well. It seems Shoei made a slight change to the RF-1400, giving it a little more room front-to-back.
Shoei made the new RF-1400 a little longer front-to-back than the outgoing RF-1200. It fits me!
Flush with excitement, I immediately started looking for a design that I liked. Unfortunately Shoei also seemed to have trouble manufacturing enough RF-1400 helmets to meet demand, but I finally got my hands on one. Sure enough, it fits my long oval head snugly, and it also provided a few improvements over my Arai Signet Q:
It’s noticeably more aerodynamic, especially when turning my head to check blind spots
The visor port is larger, so I have a pleasantly wider viewing angle
Shoei has a more straightforward visor attachment system (changing visors on an Arai can be challenging)
I’m looking forward to my next track day with the improved aerodynamics, especially since my Arai Signet Q was unquestionably the least effective track helmet I’ve used in terms of its ability to cut through the air at high speed. It looks like Shoei has a winning helmet in the RF-1400 for sport riders with long oval heads.
Update: I did indeed take it to a track day at Willow Springs International Raceway, and it performed beautifully even at speeds over 160 MPH. This helmet is a winner.
Me tapping my helmet, captured by my friend’s GoPro who happened to be riding in the opposite direction that day
If you’re riding along the road and see your fellow motorcycle riders tapping the top of their helmets as they pass you in the opposite direction, slow down and be cautious. In most of the U.S., this is a warning that the police are nearby.
This of course could be any number of scenarios where the police would typically be present. An accident, a road closure, an officer waiting to catch speeding motorists, or an officer who’s already pulled over a speeding motorist. In any case, be sure to slow down and prepare for anything when you see this warning from other riders.
Newcomb’s Ranch, the venerable motorhead hangout on Angeles Crest Highway
Newcomb’s Ranch has been closed ever since the start of the pandemic in the spring of 2020, and it looks to stay that way until it changes hands. The ever-popular mountain road restaurant / bar / gathering place has a long history, and another chapter will be added as its current owners look to sell the iconic hangout to the right buyer.
I can’t count the number of times I’ve ridden the 26 miles up the famed, twisting Angeles Crest Highway to arrive at the forested treasure that is Newcomb’s Ranch. Its expansive parking lot is a natural magnet for motorcyclists and car enthusiasts to show off their rides. It’s not unusual for Jay Leno to show up occasionally in one of his McLarens or other rare supercars, all too eager to meet and greet his fellow motorheads. And it’s a wonderful place to grab a bite and relax while soaking in the pine forest air. It’s very strange to arrive there now; the parking lot is still accessible and used as a gathering spot, but the closed restaurant definitely takes the energy out of the place.
I’m grateful that Freddie Rundall was a good owner; he was always polite, engaging, patient, and eagerly shared road condition information with everyone there. It’s not the easiest restaurant to manage, and it definitely has its seasonal swings. I wish him well and hope he finds a great buyer for this classic roadside gathering place just a beautiful ride away from the heart of Los Angeles.
Nailed it! My newish Dunlop Q3+ with a nail in it. Dammit.
After returning home from my last ride, I noticed a medium sized nail right in the tread of my newish Dunlop Q3+ rear tire. I have no idea how long it was there, only that it wasn’t flat and I made it home. I check tire pressures frequently, so I knew it was recent.
My first thought was “shit!”, followed by a half-witted thought that maybe I could just plug it instead of having to spend my hard-earned money on a new one. But once my logic kicked in and slapped that silly idea out of my head, I jumped on RevZilla and ordered a new tire.
Plugging the tire would be a definite necessity if I was far from home and just needed to get it back safely. It’s even possible to ride a long way on a plugged tire, but understand that once punctured, a tire’s integrity and speed rating are compromised to some degree. If you do plug a puncture, ride home at a safe speed and get it replaced as soon as possible.
That said, I recommend watching FortNine’s excellent video comparing the different types of plugs. And if you’re looking for a decent kit to carry, here’s what I recommend. If you absolutely can’t afford a new tire, a permanent plug is best, not the rope plug kit I just linked. A permanent plug requires the tire to be removed from the wheel so the patch can be applied from the inside.
My Kriega R3 fanny pack easily holds a water bottle so I can take hydration breaks.
Riding a motorcycle safely requires concentration and hydration is a huge help, especially in hot weather. Dehydration contributes to fatigue, impaired judgment, slow reaction times, dizziness, or worse. These are seemingly obvious things to avoid when doing something that requires concentration and balance, so it’s critical to stay hydrated when riding motorcycles.
Here are a few tips to stay hydrated when riding motorcycles, since you can’t exactly grab your Gatorade bottle from the cup holder like you can while driving your car.
Drink some water before your ride.
Stick a bottle of water or sport drink in your carrying bag of choice. That might be a tank bag, tail bag, motorcyle-specific backpack, or even a motorcycle fanny pack (bum bag for our UK mates). A good place to shop for those things is Revzilla.
In hot weather, sweating causes the loss of salt, potassium, and other important nutrients. Grab a Gatorade or similar sport drink to replenish yourself and stay sharp.
Schedule strategic stops in your ride to take a few sips.
Make more frequent hydration stops when it gets hot.
If you feel thirsty during your ride, slow down a little and find a safe place to stop and hydrate.
If you feel dehydrated and it’s affecting your riding, slow down, find somewhere safe and shady to stop, and take a long hydration break.
Do not underestimate the danger of dehydration, especially when doing something as demanding as riding a motorcycle. Keep yourself out of trouble and keep yourself well hydrated during every ride.
The dirty Ohlins shock absorber on my Aprilia RSV4 Factory
Often overlooked but critically important, the suspension on a motorcycle helps soak up bumps and keep the tires firmly planted. Poorly adjusted suspension makes for nervous riding, but well-adjusted suspension can make every ride better, especially in the turns. This is our summary of motorcycle suspension basics for beginners, namely what you’d see on modern sportbikes or standards.
For excellent beginner bikes like those on our list of best beginner sportbikes for 2021, the suspension is typically not adjustable except for the rear shock absorber’s spring preload. This means you have to live with the suspension as-is, but the setup is generally soft and forgiving. Adjustable suspension components are costlier, so don’t expect to see them until you buy a more expensive motorcycle. But it’s still important to understand what the components do and what type of adjustments are available.
If you’re a beginner motorcycle rider, it might be hard to figure out which brands of helmets, jackets, gloves, and boots are legitimately good brands for sportbike riders. As with equipment for any activity or sport, there are many to choose from, with varying degrees of price, quality, and cool factor.
This is by no means an exhaustive list, nor does it mean that brands not appearing here are bad. It’s just a list of the brands that we like, purchase, and believe in. Don’t even think about wearing gear that isn’t made for motorcycle riding. Work boots and gloves are not going to fare well in a crash and will add to your list of injuries.
