Dunlop D211s out, Michelin Pilot Road 2 in - GMR tire test

Traction is wonderful. Having enough traction can make the difference between life or death. Having enough traction period will get you home from another trip.

Dunlop D211's had been my choice of tire for the past year or so -that's about 17k miles worth of tires!!! As soon as I felt the amount of grip these tires had I was hooked (and the takeoff price of about $180 a pair didn't hurt either)! Handling on the busa improved dramatically - Slicing, dicing, shifting, careening down the road and through turns with the ability to "flick" the busa..yes, the busa!! For those of you who think this bike does not handle, think again. It is never given the credit it deserves. Since my bike eats through tires aka dollars, I decided it was time to replace the high performance tires and go for something that would not have me seeing my friends at Cycle Depot every 2 months! I needed a high mileage motorcycle tire that would also perform! Yes, I want it all and yes, I am comparing Dunlop track tires to Michelin road tires. In this case, the answer was a pair of Michelin Pilot Road 2 tires.

Here's a shot of my Dunlop D211 with 2473 miles on it!


On a recent ride, we had to be rescued and taken by truck back to LA due to a rainstorm in the Frazier Park area...not to mention this TIRE!!!!
Death wish, anyone?

Here's a shot of my new tire - The Dunlop Pilot Road 2 with 2CT technology! 2 compounds - a harder compound in the middle for all the sport touring I do, and a softer compound on the side for traction in the turns.



After the initial break in period, it was time for a test run to see how they compared to the Dunlop's that were stickier than flypaper. What better place than GMR on a Friday afternoon? Fate had us meet up with Adam Waheed and crew from motousa.com. Nice!

Check the video from the ride!



So what did I think about the new Pilot Road 2? They felt great really! Initially, I could not tell much of a difference, but after about 700 miles or so I was able to see differences in traction, handling, comfort, and maneuverability. The Michelin's do not have the grip that the Dunlops have when exiting corners but this is a road that we ride on, not a racetrack. There wasn't a moment on the Michelin's where I felt like I was going to lose grip in a turn, or not have the lean angle. The Pilot Road 2's are very confidence inspiring! You can definitely tell the difference when you gun it. The Michelin's are simply not as sticky as the Dunlops but they will last me much longer and not leave me stranded in a rainstorm in Gorman after only 2400 miles.

Glendora Mountain Road/Glendora Ridge Road







So far, with 700 miles on the Michelin Pilot Road 2, these new tires have been great! Check back to see how they perform in the long term test and the upcoming tour to Yosemite!

pictured above view of Azusa Canyon from Glendora Mountain Road
pictured below my riding partner and his 04 R6 behind him

Palomar Mountain S6- South Grade

Palomar Mountain S6- South Grade



View Palomar Mountain in a larger map

Los Angeles to Palomar

Technical canyons are my favorite. I prefer tight turns and
switchbacks to long sweepers- at least now with all those speeding tickets :) Anyone can go fast in a straight line and there's only
so fast you are going to go on a turn. If you are reading this
thinking I'm avoiding speed you are absolutely correct. Buy a
Hayabusa and there simply is no challenge to going fast. A few
speeding tickets later, you may learn your lesson...or not.
A fraction of in inch applied to the throttle and you are off, stars
streaking into solid lines as if you were riding star tours. With my
sport saddlebags attached and my camera mounted on the tank we headed
for a ride of a lifetime.

Palomar had come up several times in conversation as legendary and a
must ride but when I found out it was also "the most technical road in
California" I knew I had to experience it myself. I was dying to
compare it to my beloved GMR which was a mere 30 minute ride from home.
The Palomar adventure started late on a Saturday morning. Experience
shows that weekends are best avoided and there was definitely evidence
to support that this time. California Highway Patrol has a strong
presence there- 3 cops were lurking around- on the backroad of the 76,
coming down the south grade from Palomar, and at the very top but
never in the middle of the ride... Presence... We are watching in
case you get a touch of Valentino Rossi fever. By contrast I have
never seen a single cop on GMR or highway 33.

We left LA about 11 am via the 60 to the 15 to the 76. Gas is an
issue since there is no gas station on Palomar. The closest bet is
the station at Pala Casino which is about 25 miles away from Palomar.
After gassing up and finding the road up the south grade S6 we made
the necessary preparations and adjustments for the most technical
road in California. Unfortunately, my windscreen was dirty from the
LA trek and it made for some foggy video.
Since this is a very popular road there was some traffic issues. The
2nd time
up the S6 there was a CHP waiting for us to go up at the bottom of the
road. Without a doubt this would spoil any ride. I started slow and
got into it once I was at a comfortable distance from the law.
My riding partner was having an off day and was riding like a self
proclaimed wus. I would ride away and put some space between us then
would wait to make sure he was still ON the bike. Watch the video
you'll see me taking the course like it was meant to be taken, then I
would slow down dramatically and speed up when I could see my friends
r6 in the mirrors.

The first time we rode up the S6 we were like, 'this is it?'. Palomar
was technical, yes, but the most technical? Definitely not long
enough. GMR wins in this category for being longer and every bit as
technical without cops. Just don't go on the weekend or expect to see
people who can't ride dressed in full Ducati leathers!



Once we made it to the top, we stopped at Mother's Kitchen to do the
obligatory butt sniffing. We spoke to a local and he told us to ride
to the lake or the observatory. We did both but still had a foul
taste in our mouths from the twisties being so short. We had ridden from LA for
6.7 miles of twisties, albeit divine twisties. My friend says that's like dating a 7 in
Irvine- not worth the ride, er down to Irvine that is.
Palomar is wonderful, straight out of the motorcycle dream book! I
only wish it weren't so far away and so short! Those 6.7 miles are
dreamy but in comparison to GMR it's not as long and gas can be an issue.
Next time I will stay there all day and ride up and down until I can't
anymore or I get arrested :)

Sport Touring Accessories - Tank Bag and Saddlebags

A big problem I have with touring accessories is that they are usually permanently attached or very close to it. Definitely not the kind of thing that you'll want to try and install or remove in the dark - or cold. I like the look of touring accessories on my bike if that's what I'm going to do but lately its more commuting days rather than sport touring.
The ideal situation is to have my Hayabusa look like the world's fastest production motorcycle when I need it but also quickly and conveniently transform into a sport touring dream for those rides where you concentrate on riding, not surviving a text messaging crush of gridlock. A back pack? That gets old really fast. Isn't the point riding not carrying stuff? Having accessories that let you concentrate on the road and appreciate the scenery will make any ride more enjoyable, especially as the miles tick away.

Enter the Fieldsheer Access magnetic tank bag. It was selling everywhere for about $55 at the lowest but somehow I found it on a closeout special at the ridiculously low price of $27.99 through Mission Motorsports (OUT OF STOCK). I opted to skip the $11 shipping and just ride down to Irvine and check out their showroom. What? A showroom? Since it wasn't some kid running a web store out of his mom's garage I decided to check out... THE SHOWROOM!! Who knows what other closeout accessories I may find? Beside, I just love traffic but I love it even more with a sweet tank bag on my bike. One that can carry my stuff, detach instantly, and leave behind a lean and mean sport bike. It has a clear top for a map, side pockets, and a handle so you can carry it when not mounted.
Do yourself a favor and stop lugging a backpack around. Get a tank bag!

So, what happens when a tank bag is not enough? How do you keep your bike lean and mean yet able to haul enough stuff for camping, a weekend for 2, or buying a whole lot of groceries? Removable saddlebags, that's how. I had seen pricey ones for sale, some really beautiful saddlebags but I didn't have the funds since I had just contributed a great deal to the CHP;) Looking on ebay and the usual google shopping had good results. I found a nice set for about $50 but they were basic, small, and plain. Instead I looked on craigslist and found a set of sport bags for $40! They have side pockets and are expandable - a quick zip and they get wider! I totally dig the look of the busa with the bags mounted! I almost didn't get them because they have a blue strip and my bike is black, but that didn't stop me. Once I put them on I was happy I had searched craigslist - $40! A little sharpie action and I had myself a bargain set of bags that looked great and are easily removable!
My sport touring busa is coming together thanks to the tank bag and saddlebags! Stay posted to see just how much stuff fits in those bags.
Initially there was some confusion with my order but Mission Motorsports was able to make good on the sale. Thank you for that Andrew from Mission Motorsports. I am digging the tank bag!

I Found a Clutch Lever for Gen II Hayabusa - $9.95!!

$9.95 (+tax+shipping) clutch lever for the Hayabusa gen II 08-09. Link below



http://stores.channeladvisor.com/bikers-planet/Items/l%20c55?&caSKU=l%20c55&caTitle=Suzuki%20SV%20TL%201000%20Bandit%201200%20Hayabusa%20CLUTCH%20LEVER

On a Highway 33 ride the other day my clutch decided to disintegrate right before crossing 2 streams!!! And so began my clutch lever search. Low price levers for the gen I busa are easy to find. Gen II levers are another story. Since the gen II Hayabusa is relatively new, it's more of a challenge finding replacement parts, let alone low priced parts. I didn't have the cash for fancy race levers so decided to go with a stock replacements.

A search on ebay and also on google shopping found me a great deal. I was lucky to find a replacement lever for less than anyone else had through a company called bikersplanet.com. They had the lever for an astonishingly low $9.95!! I placed my order in the afternoon and in less than 24 hours the clutch lever was delivered to me and then quickly installed on my busa! Less than 24 hours!! Less than 24 hours through the postal service!!! I was stunned and had to let the people at bikersplanet.com know that I had never had this level of service before ever! Not only did they have the lowest price on the handle, they exceeded my expectations with service! I highly recommend you give them a try. I am not endorsed by them or paid by them in any way. I'm simply sharing my experience with a company that deserves my and your hard earned dollars by providing low prices and excellent service! If you decide to shop there, let them know that Al. from moto.sport.touring referred you. Happy riding!