I Busted My Gas Tank!

I Broke The Leg Breaker!

Okay, the photo may be slightly altered to make the affect hit a little harder, but you get the point. 

The Honda XR600R is famously, or rather, infamously, known as "the leg breaker." It's a big bike. At 591cc, this air-cooled, high compression, kickstart-only, monster makes 46 hp and over 38 ft lbs of torque in stock form. In stock running order, it weighs in at over 320 pounds. Add a 5.8 gallon aftermarket gas tank, and you can easily add another 20 pounds to that. 

Since my last dirty bike post, I took another solo ride in the National Forest, where I started getting a lot more comfortable on the bike, and felt like I was actually starting to hone some of my off-road techniques  bit. I had a good ride that day, even though I was only out there for a couple of hours. I left that day feeling pretty good about myself and my off-road riding, so when it came time to meet up with the guys the following week, I was all about it.

Physical Exertion And Dehydration

I decided to video the ride, since we were all riding together and I figured some of the other guys might like to re-live their day through my camera lens, too. The day started out great, but pretty soon after we got on the trails, one of the guys had a family emergency, and had to head home, so we made a quick run back to the trucks. After helping him get loaded up, the rest of us went back out and kept riding. Everything was going great until a log crossing, one that I had successfully crossed in my first solo ride, kicked my butt. You know how they say, that if you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough? Well, it's a good thing I'm tough. Tough or not, after that debacle, I was still pretty gassed. I took a water break, regained my composure, and started riding again. Apparently, I was stuck on that obstacle, behind the guys, for so long that one of them circled back to go look for me.

Back Together

Once we were all back together, though... the ride continued, and I was feeling a lot better. We were all riding pretty hard... even though those guys are much better off-road riders than me. One guy has been riding off-road for, easily, half his life and the other, well... he's a class-A Enduro rider. I felt like I was riding pretty good, though, and a good bit faster and more confidently than I had been, especially compared my my first couple of rides. That is, until I took a simple spill and realized that I was getting dehydrated and physically exhausted. In my defense, we had been riding for a while, and the South Mississippi sun was bearing down pretty hard. The trails were still very wet from recent rains which made the trails hot and humid, especially when stopped. I knew that I was just about spent, but I think my ego, and maybe my immature mind, wanted to keep riding. Big mistake.

Target Fixation

As a motorcycle instructor, I tell my students all about target fixation. Basically, you go where you look and, just like riding on the road, on the trails, you have to look far enough ahead to avoid any obstacles... like small trees. I could keep going on that, but instead... I think I'll let you watch for yourselves:

https://youtu.be/zSn1RQqul7w?si=S0s-OA6GOTnhw3yt

Lessons Learned

The bike didn't explode like in the movies, but finding parts for a 37 year old dirt bike can be tricky, so it did blow up my bank account a bit. I was able to find a used gas tank, but it cost me as much as a new one would have. The fuel petcocks from my old tank wouldn't fit the "new" tank, so I had to order a new one of those, too.

This little incident made me realize that my "retirement body" wasn't cutting it, so I started a workout regimen to get myself in better shape. I'm not trying to bulk up, by any means, but I do need to improve my overall strength and stamina, in case I have to push this heavy bastard out of the woods in the future. It also got me looking for a newer, smaller and more manageable off-road bike, one that will be easier to throw around on single track trails, will have better brakes, and most importantly- won't be so dang tricky to find parts for. Until that happens, though- when I'm not on my Harley, I'll still be out in the woods throwing this big hoss around, and trying my best to stay upright and, hopefully, not running into any more trees. 

Keep an eye out for some upcoming MotoReviews of my riding gear and, as always MotoReaders...

Ride Safe and Make Good Choices!

MotoReview- Rabaconda Tire Machine

MotoReview- 

Rabaconda Street Bike Tire Machine

Greetings MotoReaders! Are you ready for another MotoReview? I sure hope so, because today, I'm talking about the Rabaconda Tire Machine. I'm sure you've seen their ads on social media and on a variety of websites, and if you've seen their video ads, you must be wondering... is it really that easy to change a tire using this thing and, more importantly, is it worth the price? 

Background

Now, I've been working on my own motorcycles for several years now, and I do just about everything from basic maintenance, to upgrades, to mechanical repairs, to electronic diagnostics and repairs. The one, pretty basic, thing that I wasn't able to do though, was tire changes, and that just didn't sit right with me. Don't get me wrong, on small motorcycle tires, like what's on the Janus or Twinstar, I could easily do those with some tire irons, but if you've ever tried to change a stiff sidewall touring bike tire with irons, you know that it's worth the money to bring it to a shop. Bringing my wheels to a shop has always been a point of contention for me, though. I'd have to get the wheel off the bike, load it in the truck, drive for almost an hour to get to my closest shop, then wait for them to get around to mounting and balancing the new tire, or tires, which usually had me waiting for a couple of hours. Then, after paying the shop anywhere between $50 and $100 bucks, I'd have to drive all the way back home to put the bike back together. The worst part is the time wasted, the second worst part is the money. Not to mention, most shops have now started refusing to mount and balance walk-ins... meaning, they want you to bring your bike in so they can do the whole job. They say that it's a safety issue, that they want to be able to guarantee that the wheels are put back on the motorcycle correctly, but the real reason is, they can only charge about a half hour on a walk-in tire change, but to remove it from the bike, the job rate goes up significantly. Enter the Rabaconda.

The "Ultimate Kit"

First of all, tire machines aren't cheap, so when I decided to actually buy one last year, I gave a lot of thought to how I would, or could, use it. When I looked at all the options, I had to look at this as an investment that should be able to pay for itself over a reasonable period of time. Certain considerations were: the overall cost of the machine compared to my personal savings; the ability to pay for itself; the time saved by using it; and of course, the overall quality, craftsmanship and customer support of whatever machine that I chose.

After looking at several options, I decided to go with the Rabaconda "Ultimate Kit." Now, I also added their Balancer Kit to my order, as well... even though they offered the machine and balancer in a seperate kit. The reason why I did it this way, is because I knew that I was going to be working on other people's motorcycles, as well as my own. The "Ultimate Kit" came with several more pieces that allowed it to accommodate a variety of wheels. If I was only going to be working on my own motorcycles, I would have chosen the lesser expensive option.

My Investment

As I said, I bought the "Ultimate Kit" in July 2025. By adding the "Balancer Kit", I paid just under $1,200 for everything. So, what did I get for my money? The "Ultimate Kit" consisted of the following:

• Street Bike Tire Changer
• Drop Center Tools (2)
• Two spindles- standard and 15 mm
• Wheel support riser brackets
• A tub of bead grease mounting lube with brush
• BMW shaft drive adapter
• Duck Head Kit for croass-spoked wheels
• Universal Big Hub Adapter
• 16" tire iron with plastic protector sleeve

The "Balancer Kit" consisted of:

• Wheel balancer
• Wall mount bracket 
• Wheel weight remover knife
• Two allen keys-one to assemble balancer and one to adjust the axle/balance shaft
• User manual (for the nerds)

Both kits come with their own storage/ carrying bags, if you might be inclined to take it with you somewhere, like a track event, for example.

The Value

The word "value" is defined by Merriam-Webster as "the amount of money that something is worth." So, how do we determine what something is worth? Well, I'm sure that everyone uses their own metrics here, but for me, I use a complicated algebraic formula, and if you know me at all, you know that is absolutely not true! No, no formulas for the ole MotoWriter, instead, I use my gut instincts. I determine value by how much time, money and effort I save by doing it myself. I also look at the overall convenience of having a set-up like this in my own garage, so when I do have someone bring their bike to me for some work to be done, I don't have to send them somewhere else for tire work. 

As I mentioned before, I'm almost an hour from my closest Harley-Davidson dealership. There's a couple of independent shops that are a little closer, but not much, so by keeping my tire work in-house, I save the most valuable resource I have- my time. As for the monetary value, I do get a little more analytical. For example, if a shop charges say, $50 per wheel for a walk-in mount and balance- that's me bringing my wheel and new tire to them, I'll drive a little more than 70 miles, there and back, with gas prices being about $4 a gallon. My old truck gets around 25 miles per gallon, so I'll have another $10 or so in fuel cost. So, for example, one tire mounted and balanced will cost me a minimum of $60 and no less than three hours of my life. That's for one tire. If I bring two tires, I don't use any more fuel, but the price of the service doubles to $120, and it's going to take even more of my time. 

For my own personal investment, I would need to do about 20 tire changes on my own motorcycles to justify my $1,200 purchase from Rabaconda. It would take decades for me to make up for what I spent, if I was only looking at the money. So what's my time worth? A lot, actually. But even with the time I'd save by having this set-up in my garage, I'd still need to do a lot more tire changes than I do, for me to feel better about such a costly tool. So, where I'm able to offset that investment a bit, is by working on other peoples bikes, helping them out and every so often, making a few bucks for my troubles. 

What Can It Do?

I can only speak to what I've done so far, but I have mounted tires on 16", 17" and 19" spoked, tube-type tires and 16", 17" and 19" tubeless mag wheels. I've changed tire widths as narrow as 130 mm, up to 180 mm and the machine handled them well. Obviously, there's a little more work to do on the tube-type tires, as you have to be extremely careful not to pinch the tube during installation, and you have to make sure the tube doesn't slip when you're lining everything up, but overall, the machine works as you'd expect. It takes some effort, but once you figure out how to do it, you should be able to change just about any common motorcycle tire using the Rabaconda. Is it as easy as an electric or hydraulic machine- no. You have to put a little muscle into it, but because the Rabaconda machine holds the wheel securely, has a ratcheting bead setter and a long handle for the bead breaker, it makes the job of changing a tire, tremendously, easier. The bead grease they provide makes mounting the new tires a lot easier, and you can use it to remove the old tire, but a spray bottle of soapy water works just as well for removal.

The Rabaconda is very well made, but it's not indestructible. In my time with it, I've bent the main spindle (it unscrews from the machine so it can be replaced easily); the little plastic end caps tend to pop out of the tubing, even though they are riveted in place; the rubber/silicone grip on the bead breaker handle slowly slips off during use; and I just recently had a clamp screw fail. Some of that could be caused by operator error, but for the price of this machine, it needs to be able to hold up against even the dumbest, clumsiest, meatheaded doofus... whoever that might be. That said though... Rabaconda's full lifetime warranty and their customer service is outstanding. I merely had to contact them, tell them what my issue was, and within a few days, the new replacement part was at my door- no questions asked. They firmly stand behind their product and that speaks volumes about this company.

Balance Is Everything

Let's talk about the balancer, really quickly. A lot of you may be thinking, "I could just use balance beads instead of buying a balancer" and to that I say, sure, you can do that. You can do a lot of things to save money, and I'm sure that most of that stuff will be okay. Balance beads are okay, but in my opinion (based on my own experiences), they are just okay. For a truly balanced tire, you need actual weights. Some people in the balance beads corner might be feeling some tension in their necks right now, and to them, I say- calm down and let me explain.

Balance beads are typically made of glass, ceramic or steel and are generally best for large, oversized tires. Because they sit in a pool inside your tire, you don't get any balancing affect until the centrifugal force of the tire spinning forces them to their respective "balance points." This means at low speeds- you don't have much, if any, balance, but on large, oversized tires (such as you might find on a 4x4), you won't notice this because the tires themselves will absorb much of the low-speed vibrations. On a motorcycle, however, with much smaller tires and much stiffer sidewalls, the imbalance at lower speeds will be a lot more noticeable. Because the beads dynamically adjust to the conditions, beads are best for Adventure bikes and are okay for some larger cruisers and touring bikes. Weights, by comparison, provide a precise and immediate balance which is best for any kind of performance machine. I don't know about you, but I consider my motorcycles to be performance machines, so I don't run balance beads, just like I don't use a car tire as a rear tire. Just because you can, it doesn't mean you should.

The Rabaconda balancer comes with everything you need, except the weights, although they do sell those now. Since adhesive weights are, for the most part, disposable, I picked up a couple of boxes from Amazon- silver and black, to match most wheels I'd be working on. I'd also recommend getting a roll of masking tape and a level (if you don't already have one). The level will help you set up the balancer nice and level before you hang the wheel, and the tape will hold the weights in place before mounting them, as you determine how much weight you need. 

Balancing the tires is both easy, and oddly satisfying. Once I got it figured out, and I was able to get my technique dialed in, I must say that it might just be my favorite part of the whole job. The Rabaconda balancer is what is referred to as a "static" balancer. That is because it uses gravity on a static wheel, or in other words- a wheel that is not in motion- to indicate the imbalance. Basically, the wheel rides on a perfectly straight and centered axle shaft, which rides on perfectly smooth bearings, and when the wheel is static, gravity will pull the heaviest part of the wheel to the bottom. Then, you just need to add the appropriate amount of weight to the opposite side of the wheel to offset the heavy side, or... you guessed it- balance it out. 

There are other static balancers out there- many of which are much cheaper than the Rabaconda. I've never tried any of them, but I can tell you that after seeing the quality of the bearings, metals, machining and tooling of the Rabaconda balancer, I can't imagine that any of those cheaper options would even come close to the same quality. A balancer, by the very nature of what it does, must be a precision made tool, so if you do look at those other options for your own shop, I'd recommend that you take a very skeptical look at the materials it's made of and the quality and precision of how it's made. The Rabaconda might be a little overpriced, I'll admit... but as I've said enough times that it could be a slogan- "cheap stuff isn't good and good stuff isn't cheap."

Pros, Cons And Recommended Add-Ons

For those of you that skipped ahead and only came here for the pros and cons, shame on you for missing out on the best parts of the blog... but here you go:

Pros- convenience, relatively easy to use (once you figure it out- instructions are for virgins), cost-savings after you do enough tire changes, quality of the machine and Rabaconda's customer service.

Cons- expensive- but will pay for itself after enough tire changes and balancing, a little awkward to use, small details could be better (plastic end caps on tubing comes off and the rubber/silicone grip on the handle slips and works itself off during normal use).

Add-Ons- In my opinion, if you are looking for a tire changer, go ahead and spring for the balancer, too. After all, if you're going to take the time to mount your own tires, why the heck wouldn't you want to balance them too? Get a box of wheel weights, a roll of masking tape and a level if you don't already have one. You can get a spray bottle from your local dollar store for next to nothing, so get one of those and fill it with soapy water to make tire removals a bit easier. You'll also need a valve stem core removal tool, for removing the valve stem core before breaking the bead. It's an inexpensive tool that you can get just about anywhere that sells bicycle tube patch kits. One other thing I didn't mention before- setting the bead can be tricky on certain tires (I'm looking at you, Harley-Davidson pre-2009 Touring models). One trick that helps, if you don't have a bead blaster, which is basically a tool that forces a high volume of air into the tire at an explosive speed, in order to get the beads sealed, then you can use a ratchet strap wrapped around the circumference of the tire to help "squish" the sidewalls out enough to get the air into the tire. This is a pain in the butt, though... so if you're going to do enough tire changes to justify it, get yourself a bead blaster. 

Final Thoughts

It took me a few months of having my Rabaconda before I really put it to use. Once I did, though, I've used it quite a lot. I've done at least 12 tires so far, and it gets easier each time I do it. Technique is key, patience helps. Personally, I value my time above all other things. It's the one thing that we have a finite amount of. If we're lucky, we get 70-75 good years in this world. No matter how much money we earn, save, borrow or steal, we can't buy more time. We have as much as God gives us, and only He knows how much that actually is. So, when it comes to saving, I choose to save my time over my money. With that said, I do understand that it takes some money to be able to make the best use of time, hence the "investment" concept. I chose to invest in the Rabaconda, because I knew how much time I've spent driving to shops and waiting for someone to do something for me, that with the right tools at my disposal, I could do for myself. I also had a reasonable idea of how much time I would spend, if I didn't make this investment. 

For me, the Rabaconda tire machine and balancer was a good investment. For the amount of money that I've saved myself, my son, and my friends, as well as the couple of hundred bucks that I've made with it, it has almost paid for itself in the first year. It might not do that for you, so you'll have to figure that out for yourself based on what you'll do with it, and based on how you value, and spend your time. What I can tell you, is that it's well made, using high quality materials, it works as claimed, folds up and stores away easily and it doesn't take up much space in the garage. I can also tell you that it works on everything from a late model Road King Special to a vintage XR600. The balancer is precise and it works flawlessly. It's like putting the icing on the cake- it's the last step, it's easier to do and it's pretty fun, too. 

For me, being able to mount and balance tires at my home garage is just one more, very valuable tool, in my toolbox. I enjoy working on motorcycles, I'm pretty good at it, and it gives me a sense of pride that I can do it myself. It also gives me the opportunity to save some of my most precious of commodities- my time. 

No matter what you choose to do, make sure it's the best use of your money, but most of all- your time.

Until next time, MotoReaders,

Ride safe and make good choices!

 

            

My First Solo Dirt Ride- Video

 

Back In The Saddle

As I mentioned in a previous post, I haven't ridden off-road in 30 or so years. When I decided to get a dirtbike again, I opted to take the economical route, and get a good used bike to keep my investment at a minimum... just in case I decided to abandon the idea. What I ended up with, was a great bike for a great price... but she's a big 'un. A 37 year old XR600R that was set up for extended desert rides, not single track trail riding. 

After word got out that I had bought an off-road machine, I was invited to ride with some guys that I used to work with, before I retired from my paying job. Now, keep in mind that my bike is older than each one of these guys, and I haven't been on a dirtbike since before most of them were born! Regardless, these guys are awesome and I couldn't wait to get on the trails with them. 

My First Ride

My first ride with them was on the local trails in the National Forest... and I had a blast. I was slow, fell over a lot and was absolutely not in the proper gear, at all. I had good off-road boots, a good off-road helmet and goggles, but that was it. The guys were great, though- they were very patient with my slow, cumbersome riding, and they even said I did pretty good for my first time out. I appreciated it, even if they were lying to me! The takeaway, though, is that I was hooked! I couldn't wait to get back out and ride again. There was just one problem though- I am retired, but they aren't, and riding single track trails in the National Forest alone isn't the smartest thing to do, especially for a novice rider like your old pal, The MotoWriter.

Smart Or Not, I Needed To Ride

After talking to the guys and getting their gear recommendations, I went home, got on Rocky Mountain ATV & Motorcycle's website, and ordered some more gear. After it arrived, I donned my new gear and loaded the old XR into the truck. When I got to the parking area, it looked like I had the place to myself, which was good... but a bit unnerving. Thoughts of "what if.." circled my head, but the need to ride the trails was too strong, so I kicked that 600cc beast over, and set out into the woods alone. 

I took it easy... really easy, after all, riding off-road by yourself is dangerous- if you break down, or worse- crash, there's nobody there to help you. I didn't get crazy, kept myself within my own comfort level and made sure that I had my OnX Off Road App pulled up on my phone. I also brought the GoPro to document my ride so I could critique it later... and so I could share my adventure with my friends and loyal MotoReaders, once I got back home.

Now Playing... The Slow Guy Trail Ride

I'm not a racer and never claimed to be. The following video isn't exciting, and in true MotoWriter MotoVlog fashion- it's probably way too long. But, I had fun editing it and, as long as you can get through the first four and a half minutes, you can see a much better view of the trails I was riding. 

The takeaway is that I didn't crash, didn't break down and didn't get mugged by marauders or killed by a serial killer. I made it back to the truck, safe and sound, and had a great time. If you want to ride along with me on my first solo ride through the DeSoto National Forest, on The MotoWriter dirty bike, you can watch me slow crawl along the trails here:

https://youtu.be/QEEgezJiB-A?si=ohzs9NJax3LZl8pB

I made this video several weeks ago, and have since been out on the trails a couple more times. The last time with the guys, however, I ran into some trouble... literally. Check back for that one, coming soon!

Until then, MotoReaders...

Ride safe, and get dirty!

Save Your Money!

 Save Your Money!

If you are looking for cool products to make your rides more enjoyable, or feel more safe, read on!

Collaborations

Listen up MotoReaders... by now, you should know me well enough to know that I'm going to be honest with you. I never intended to get involved with "collabs" or "affiliates"... mainly because I didn't know anything about them or about how much effort I would have to put in to be a "brand ambassador", "affiliate" or "collaborator." Truth is, I figured I'd just write my little blog posts on my tiny little corner of the interwebs, and, if I was lucky... someone out there might actually read them and maybe, just maybe, get something out of them. I never intended to make money from the blog. 

Viking Bags

One day... something weird happened. I got a random contact on my website from Viking Bags. It was a representative from Viking Bags wanting to send me a free bag in return for putting a link to their website on my page. I actually thought it was a scam at first, but sure enough... they sent me a new bag, totally free, and in turn, I did a review of it and then put their link on my site. No money, no job, just an equal exchange- one bag for one review and a link to their site. Easy enough. That was in May of 2024, and I didn't give it much thought after that. This year, Viking once again, sent me another bag to review.

Unik International

In December of 2025, I got an email from Unik International, about becoming an affiliate for their company. Being familiar with the brand, having seen their products in several motorcycle shops, I looked into it. Turns out, that by my becoming an affiliate, my MotoReaders could save 15% off their orders, just by using my link. So, basically, by doing nothing special... other than clicking a link or putting in a code at checkout, someone looking to buy riding gear could save 15 cents off of every dollar they spent... that means you only pay $85 bucks for something that cost $100. That's pretty decent for doing nothing more than clicking a link or putting in a discount code at checkout.

In return for the, potentially new, stream of business that would be generated from my little corner of the interwebs, Unik would give me a small percentage, too. Wait... what? I could potentially earn a few dollars, while my MotoReaders were saving money? Sounds like a win-win for us, so I set it up.

First Manufacturing

Shortly after deciding to retire from my paying job, and well before any of the affiliate stuff got started, I bought myself a new leather riding vest. Now, you may not wear a jacket while you ride, but I can tell you from personal experience (and I can prove it with the 6" scar across my back), that you should, at a minimum, ride with a vest. If I had been wearing a vest when I crashed my Dyna, the leather of the best would have been scratched, instead of my back being sliced open when I hit the ditch. I don't know what I landed on, but I can tell you that my highside crash was violent and something cut me open clean. 

I knew that I was going to be doing a lot more riding in retirement, so I wanted to buy myself something nice, so I clicked the link in an email from First Manufacturing and ordered a vest that fit my style perfectly. I was pretty familiar with the brand, because I've seen their stuff in independent motorcycle shops, as well as, several Harley-Davidson dealerships. I know that their quality is top notch, because my wife and I already had some old vests from them (which I wasn't wearing that fateful day when I decided to ignore a "DANGEROUS CURVE AHEAD" sign). 

After becoming an affiliate for Unik, I decided to apply to be an affiliate for First Mfg, too. After all, I really like my vest and I know that it is very high quality. Next thing I know, they accepted my application and boom! Just like that, my MotoReaders got another link and discout code to save money. For First Mfg, though... my MotoReaders get a crazy 25% off! That's nothing to scoff at, folks. For a $100 vest... you only have to pay $75! As for your old pal, I get a small kickback. Not too shabby for just adding a link to my site. 

Sena Communication 

I decided to look into another product that I absolutely love- Sena Comms and, in February of this year, I got the thumbs up from them. They even sent me a new Outrush 2 helmet for free, to review. In return for my efforts, as an independent contractor for them (they do things a little different than the others), my MotoReaders get 10% off. Now, you might be thinking, "only 10%"? But, let me tell you- good, high quality comms are not cheap. Sure, you can buy comms that cost less, but as I've said before, good products aren't cheap, and cheap products aren't good. With my first Sena, the 20S Evo, I was blown away by how well it worked. My good friend and I took a motorcycle road trip a few years ago and we talked for hours on our Senas. The battery life is incredible, the sound quality is excellent and, when I'm out riding solo and Mrs. MotoWriter calls, she can hear me perfectly clear. The Sena pairs to my phone easily and quickly and doesn't lose connection- an extremely important feature if there's an emergency. The new Outrush 2 helmet is even better than my 20S Evo. The sound quality is exceptional and the helmet is very comfortable. I still use my 20S in my Nolan helmet, and even though it is 4 years old, it still works as flawlessly as it did when I took it out of the package. 

In my opinion, based on my real life experiences, having quality comms is as important as wearing proper gear. Even if you don't listen to music while riding, having turn-by-turn directions from GPS when you're navigating to a new out of the way diner, or being able to call for help when you've laid your bike down on a solo ride in the middle of nowhere is crucial. Sena gives me a small percentage on every purchase, but for my MotoReaders, 10% is significant, because if you haven't noticed, Sena products rarely go on sale. Even if they do, you can save an additional 10% off using my code. 

Why spend more, when you don't have to?

Look, I've never been one to solicit products, and I'm damn sure not going to start now, but if you are in the market for some fresh leather gear, luggage or comms, why wouldn't you save your hard earned cash? With all the craziness going on in the world and prices going up on everything, saving 10, 15 or 25 percent on products that you were already going to buy anyway, just makes sense. I'm not telling you to buy anything, but I am saying, that if you're going to, don't pay full price when you don't have to. Click the links on the right side of the page to start saving with your old pal, The MotoWriter.

Save money, buy gas, and get riding MotoReaders... until next time...

Ride Safe and Save Money!

Here's those links again:

Unik International - 15% off

First Mfg. - 25% off

Sena Comms - 10% off

Back to the Bricks

Back To The Bricks- A Return To Juneau Ave.

I'll admit that I have been pretty critical of a lot of the decisions being made by Harley-Davidson's executives over the past several years. I believe I've earned that right, after all, considering that I've given an obscene amount of money to the MoCo over the past 17 or so years. Don't get me wrong, I'm not critical of the company, but rather, some of the decisions being made by the suits in charge. So what about the latest strategic plan that was recently launched by our newest CEO? Let's take a look at what "Back To The Bricks" means, and how it might affect us.

More Roads To Harley-Davidson

Not all the ideas have been bad, for example- Matt Levatich's "More Roads To Harley-Davidson" was innovative and brought us the Livewire and the new RevMax engine powering the Pan America, the  Sportster S and the new Nightster. Truth be known, it was the first real new innovation from the Cream City motorcycle maker in decades. The downfall of that strategy was that it was terribly expensive... and the MoCo was already struggling financially. It's not that Matt's idea was bad, but it was a bit too broad and ambitious, and I don't think it quite factored in the costs of designing a new engine, tooling for the new models and the expenses of the tech in the new machines. The Livewire alone was a huge financial burden for Harley-Davidson, forcing them to price the all-electric motorcycles at a whopping $30 grand on the showroom floors. H-D purists weren't ready, and definetly weren't asking, for an electric motorcycles, and they damn sure weren't prepared to drop CVO money on a bike that didn't even look like a Harley-Davidson.

Hardwire

Enter the German. Now, I give Jochen Zeitz a really hard time, I know... but Jochen, if you're reading this, buddy... no hard feelings- jump on your bike, ride down to the Coast and let's have a beer. Seriously, you seem like a nice guy, but damn... what were you thinking with Hardwire? You were literally pricing H-D out of the grasp of its core consumer- the blue collar, working class Americans. 

Jochen's Hardwire leaned in to the concept that Harley-Davidson is, and should be marketed as, a premium brand. While one might think that this is a good thing, the problem was that his strategy leaned too far in to it- aiming to increase overall revenue by increasing the prices of the motorcycles and really focusing on the higher-end offerings like the CVOs, instead of entry or mid level motorcycles. Sure, the concept seems to work well for companies like Lamborghini, Ferrari and Bugatti... but the problem for applying those ideas to a company like Harley-Davidson, is that H-D was born and bred by the working class, for the working class, where the aformentioned companies were, and are still, built for the ultra rich. 

Jochen also saw an opportunity to cut overhead costs during the 2020 COVID pandemic, by shutting down operations at Juneau Avenue, and having everyone work remotely from home, instead. I'm sure that the original intent was to keep everyone safe from the, at the time unknown, illness that took our world hostage for months, but after seeing how much lower the power bill was at the historic site... well, let's just say that was an easy way to reduce some operational costs. It... sort of... makes sense, I suppose. Juneau Ave is a very large facility and, while it's a significantly historic campus, it is very old and I can''t imagine that it's very energy efficient. Jochen might have been able to save some money by turning the lights off, but the problem is that it's very difficult to maintain teamwork, company pride and camaraderie, when a few thousand people are working remotely- after all, how can a team win, when all the players are at different fields?

The Order To Return to Juneau

One of the first things that Artie Starrs did after taking over, was send out a company wide memo, ordering everyone that was working remotely to return to the "Bricks", the common nickname for the famous Juneau Avenue campus. Having everyone return to a central office was part of his strategic plan to get H-D back on course, and it's a great move, so I think it's kind of funny how some of the different media outlets are saying he was "forcing" them to return, like it's a bad thing. It's as if they are implying that the new CEO is doing something wrong by telling everyone that they have to report to the office again. Millions of workers, worldwide, have to report to an office, or a jobsite everyday- very few workers get to work remotely. It just makes sense for a few reasons- one in particular, is if Joe is having a problem with something, he doesn't have to try to call, Skype (is that still a thing?), or have a Teams meeting with Jill and Bob, and hope they're available, to get help. He can simply walk over to them at their workstations and ask for help, which is much more efficient. 

You may be asking why this efficiency is so important now? Well, for several reasons. First of all, efficiency equals money. Time wasted is money wasted and, let's be honest, over the past several years, money has been tight for the MoCo. Secondly, when your goal is to develop new machines, more on that later, everyone on the project needs to be present- the designers, engineers, mechanics, materials experts, and the product specialists. The same goes for the behind the scenes operators, too- the accountants, the human resources staff, the administrative assistants, and every other unsung hero working to keep the company running. When everyone is on site, including the bosses, then it becomes a work family again. A sense of pride in the company, the culture and the products will return. Leaders, good leaders, don't sit by the pool and tell everyone what to do- they lead from the front; they lead by example. If I worked for Harley-Davidson, I would be proud to ride my Harley-Davidson to work every day, knowing that it was designed at Juneau Ave, the engine was built a few miles away at the Powertrain Operations facility and that it was assembled into the big, gorgeous machine that it is, over at the Vehicle Operations facility in York, PA. It would also impress the heck out of me, if I saw the CEO of the company ride in on his own Harley-Davidson motorcycle. 

Leadership isn't granted by the title of CEO, leadership is earned from the people that work for you. A CEO has to earn the trust, and then the commitment of his, or her, people. The employees have to know that the CEO is going to do the right thing and that he will take care of the company, and also take care of them. This isn't exclusive to the CEO, either. This applies to everyone in supervisory and management positions in the company. Artie recognized that being able to see your supervisor every day, working alongside you and your team, is not just a good thing, it is mandatory for success. Back to the Bricks is more than just a power move by the new boss, it is an effort to restore a culture of accountability, company pride, and corporate success. 

Dealer Relations

Another aspect of Artie Starrs' strategy is to improve dealer relations and make them more profitable, which is an extremely smart move. As we've seen over the past few years, several Harley-Davidson dealerships have been forced to close their doors. I'm not trying to pick on Jochen again, but I can't help but think that those closures were, at least in part, his fault. One of the things I used to love about going into dealerships, was looking at the different models. When I first got into Harley-Davidson, my local dealers had, easily a half dozen Sportsters in different trims and colors, as many Dynas, and probably even more Touring machines. It was so easy to ride to the dealership on a Road King, and ride home on a Road Glide (yeah, that actually happened). It was also nice to go in, have a salesman introduce themself, then walk away to let me browse the bikes on my own, compared to the way most of them are now. 

While we were in Milwaukee last month, my son and I went into a few of the local dealerships. One was awesome- when my son and I walked in, the salesman greeted us, said "if you need anything, holler at me" then walked away. Super cool guy and if I had been in the market to buy a bike at the time, I would have bought it from him. Another, larger, dealership (I won't put them on blast here), swarmed us. Two different salesmen approached us from two different angles, like hyenas going in for the kill. One gave up immediately when we said we were just looking, but the other wouldn't leave us alone. If we walked away, he followed us. When he asked us where we were from, he immediately insulted our hometown. He tried to redeem himself after he realized what he had done, but to be completely honest, even though that shop had more inventory than the other, I still wouldn't have bought from them. Partly because of him and his insults, but also because I know that sales staff don't aggressively pursue potential customers on their own- they are directed to do that by their sales managers. They are directed to do that when the dealership is struggling. The other dealership had been around for a long time, had been well established and they were obviously doing well. The salesman was friendly, talked with us when we engaged him, then he let us look around and he didn't bother us. Even if I would have had to pay a few bucks more by buying from them, I would have just because I liked their style. 

When Jochen decided to start cutting models, reducing inventory to save money, redesigning the touring bikes and making them more expensive, dealerships that were already having trouble started struggling even more. With fewer bikes to draw people in, higher prices that scared off potential buyers or pushed them to bigger dealerships that could offer slightly better prices, and desperate owners forcing their staff to be overly aggressive to make sales and upcharge services, it created a recipe for disaster. When those dealers sought help from corporate- there was no help to be given, and they were forced to shut the doors.

Artie seems to understand the importance of the dealer network and knows that the dealerships are the places where potential customers, become Harley-Davidson customers. By recognizing the need for dealers to be successful, Artie's strategic plan should increase profitability for those independent representatives of the MoCo, as well as increase overall profitability for the company. It's a smart move. Another smart move is adding more inventory to the showrooms.

Return of the Sportster 883

SWM Stormbreaker V 1200

A major announcement this week, was Artie's claim that a new, air-cooled, 883 Sportster with flat bars, and a peanut tank will return in the 2027 model lineup. He is saying that it will be a "blank canvas for customization" and will come in around the $10k mark. Now, I'll be completely honest with you when I say that I have my doubts about how they are going to pull this off. The reason for my skepticism isn't because I don't believe him, but rather... the MoCo appears to have sold the rights to the air-cooled Evolution Sportster to SWM, who is currently building several of the 1200cc versions under the new name "Stormbreaker V". Unless, that is, the speculation that Harley sold the rights for the air-cooled Evo Sportster to the Chinese owned SWM isn't true. If our previous speculations were wrong, and SWM is, in fact, building a blatantly copied motorcycle, then Harley-Davidson has one hell of a lawsuit for copyright infringement on their hands. I've read that China doesn't have copyright laws, which is why they are able to make so many ripoff products and sell them for pennies on the dollar. But, while the Chinese company Shineray owns the controlling stock of SWM, SWM is located in Italy, which does have pretty extensive copyright laws in place. It will be interesting to see how this all pans out over the next year or so, if Shineray and SWM didn't pay for those designs.

More New Models?

Another exciting announcement from Artie this week was his claim that we will see "20 new models in the next three years." Sounds a bit like Matt Levatich's strategic plan, eh? This was something that I was excited to hear from Matt a few years ago, and the MoCo was able to get a few new models out before he was replaced by Jochen, but it was far from the goal. With the changes that Artie has made so far, I'm thinking that we might actually see a return of some of our favorites, as well as some all-new machines. We have been told that the Sprint, which is almost guaranteed at this point to be one of the Chinese made "X" bikes- the 350RA (the riding academy bike), or the 440 or 500 model. Artie has said that we will see the debut of the Sprint later this year, so we shall see.

I'll also tell you that I've noticed some other interesting things, too. Harley-Davidson corporate has been posting job listings in some interesting fields, such as toolmakers, designers and engineers for frame, exhaust, manufacturing, materials, and powertrain. At the surface, these might just look like the MoCo is replacing people who have quit (or been fired), but for the creatively speculative mind like mine, they could also indicate the MoCo's desire, or need, to get fresh people in, in order to design a new engine, frame, exhaust, etc. for an all-new machine. Positions like toolmakers, for example, could indicate that they need to create new tooling for new machines, after all, why would they need to re-tool existing models?  Toolmakers, for those of you who may not know, don't make wrenches and ratchets, they make the specific tools used to form parts, like fuel tanks, frames, engine cases, etc. The MoCo's need for new tooling, is a clue that something new is coming, whether it's a newly redesigned Road King, a return of a twin shock Dyna model or an all-new model like we saw with the RevMax bikes. Either way, it's pretty exciting.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I feel like things are looking up in the 414 and I have a gut feeling that Artie Starrs is gonna do great things for our beloved MoCo. I'm hopeful that we are going to see a resurgence of success. Maybe we'll some stronger dealers, improvements in overall quality, a return of some previously successful models, and maybe even some cool new models that will get more riders turned on to this iconic American company. Who knows, maybe I'm being naive and overly hopeful, but as we celebrate 250 years of American freedom, I feel like the best way to celebrate freedom and independence, is on the back of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. 

I may be reaching here, but I have a feeling that we are going to see the Eagle soaring high, once again. I sure hope so, anyway. 

Until next time MotoReaders...

Ride safe, and make good choices!

MotoReview! Viking Bag 45L Tactical XL Motorcycle Backpack

Viking Bags 45L Tactical XL Motorcycle Backpack

Greetings loyal MotoReaders! It's time for another...

MotoReview!

Today, I'll be talking about the new Viking Bags 45L Tactical XL Motorcycle Backpack. This is gonna be a super fresh review, too... because I'm writing this from my hotel room in the hometown of Harley-Davidson motorcycles- Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The squeaky cheese is frying and the pretzels are baking as I type this... so let's not waste any time!

Full Transparency

You guys already know that I believe in full disclosure, and as such- I'll tell you that I did not buy this pack. Honestly, I wasn't even looking for a new pack, so when Viking Bags reached out to me last month and offered to send me their new Extra Large Tactical Backpack, I was a little shocked, to say the least. But, I was happy to accept the offer since I'm pretty familiar with them and the quality of their products. Besides... one of the best ways, for me anyway, to truly give my MotoReaders an unbiased review of a product is when I do get it for free. 

I know what you might be thinking... if I get something for free, wouldn't I be biased in favor of the company that gave it to me? Nope. Not at all. Don't get me wrong- I won't bash the companies that send me stuff to test and review- after all, they do trust me to do a fair and honest review of their products and they're showing that trust by sending the stuff to me for free-zies. When I buy a product, by comparison, I've already done the research before I shell out my own hard-earned cash-ola, so when I review a product that I bought, it will inherently have some bias- either good or bad, based on how much I've invested, as well as, how happy (or unhappy) I am with it.  Everyone gets a fair, honest, and unbiased review from me on their product... but I won't beat up a company that is asking me for my opinion.

45L - Tactical XL Motorcycle Sissy Bar Backpack

That name is a mouthful, I know. I got this bag after I got back from my recent trip to Daytona so I didn't get to use it for that trip. I did, however, get it in plenty of time for my trip to Milwaukee... and what better way to beat up a brand new pack, and put it through it's paces, than on a multi-flight trip a thousand miles from home? I mean, what's the worst thing that could happen- catastrophic failure of the backpack causing my worn-out socks and questionable condition underwear to spill out in front of hundreds of strangers at an airport? Sure, that would be less than ideal... but so far, we're in good shape and the pack is holding up great.

Updated already

Now, one thing I've noticed already, is that it looks like Viking Bags has already updated/upgraded the pack from the design I have. From what I can tell, the newest version has two extra straps/buckles on each side, to sort of cinch it all tight when packed- a feature mine does not have. Everything else looks to be the same, but I think it's really cool that someone at Viking said, 'ya know... let's make this a bit better real quick.' Now, I don't know how long this pack has been out because, well, like I already said- I wasn't looking for a new pack, so I haven't been perusing the sites lately. But, regardless... the new version is what you'll get if you start shopping for one now. 

The materials

First and foremost, the most important feature of any good product is the materials it's made of. Cheap materials will make any product useless, regardless of how well those cheap materials are put together. This pack is made of strong, really strong, thick Cordura. You can feel the quality in the body and straps of the pack. I haven't taken a stab at it, but I'd be willing to bet it's puncture resistant and ripstop, too.

The second most important feature of any product, is the way that it's made- the stitching, the reinforcements, the gussets, the padding and so on. This pack, again, doesn't disappoint. It's really well made. I don't like to check my luggage, so I tend to pack what I need into the smallest, most carry-on-able luggage that I can. With that said, I had this pack STUFFED TIGHT. I'm sure the good folks at Viking Bags might discourage this... but I had to lean on the closed bag, just so I could get the zipper closed.

Let's back up a bit

I feel like I need to quantify my last statement a bit by explaining this bag's capacity. They say it's XL... or 45 Liters. I don't measure bags like that, so I'll give you my measurement method, instead.

My typical retirement wardrobe now consists of jeans, t-shirts, and riding boots, pretty much on a daily basis. I do like to dress a little nicer for certain occasions, so I will also wear some button-down garage shirts (don't judge me- I'm retired). I'm in Milwaukee for 3 weeks and the hotel I'm staying in has an on-site laundry facility, so fortunately, I have the ability to wash and rewear my clothes during this stay. I don't, however, want to be in the laundry room every other day, so the goal was to pack a week's worth of clothes. 

In packing for this trip, I initially tried stuffing everything in my other name-brand backpack which, normally fits everything I need... but I guess this trip was one day too long, and it couldn't handle the job, so I decided to take a chance and try the Viking Bag. This is what I was able to get inside the new pack: 

• one fresh pair of Levi's blue jeans, 
• 6 of my favorite T-shirts, 
• 2 button down garage shirts, 
• 6 days of fresh socks, 
• and, because I'm not an animal- 6 days of fresh underwear.

I also packed charging cords and cubes, an external SSD for my laptop, a card reader, earbuds, a bathroom bag with all the necessary essentials to not look or smell like I'm living out of a backpack for 3 weeks, reading glasses because I'm getting old, and some over-the-counter medicines because I'm prone to migraines (and I refuse to take Rx meds to control them) and I'm just getting over a cold that has been wreaking havoc on my sinuses for the past week. This pack does have a laptop sleeve, but I chose to carry my laptop separately because I knew I was gonna be crushing this pack to close it and I didn't want to risk damaging my new 'puter. 

Carrying Options

The carrying options are, somewhat, limited for what I'm using it for on this trip. But... remember that this was designed as a sissy bar backpack and not as a piece of airline luggage. When I first got it, I did attach it to the sissy bar on my Dyna Street Bob... and it fit well and was easy to secure, but this was a fly-not-ride trip, so here we are.

As for carrying- it obviously has two backpack straps, but, it also has a chest strap, too. I think they may have redesigned the waist strap, in the newest version, too... because while mine has straps at the waist, they look a little different than what's shown on the new pack. Either way, I don't usually use a waist strap when I use a backpack, so that's a non-issue for me. There is a strong, well stitched and padded handle at the top of the pack, too, for when you need to take the pack off and carry it. The backpack's shoulder straps tuck away inside a compartment on the back of the pack, too for whenever you want to mount it on your bike. This is especially important because you don't want the shoulder straps of a backpack flopping around in the wind while you're riding. 

Pockets, Pockets and Pockets Galore!

I like pockets and compartments on a pack. The more the better and this pack has plenty. It has mesh pockets on the inside of the main compartment, one even has a zipper closure. The secondary compartment has mesh pockets in it, and the third, exterior, compartment has some sewn-in pockets on the inside of it. The smaller, top exterior compartment is easily accessible and, all of the compartments of the pack have dual heavy-duty zippers with rubber coated zipper pulls, on each one. There are two bottle pockets, one on each side of the pack, each with a toggle-locking drawstring-closure. The front and sides of the pack also have molle style attachment slots to accommodate anything else you might want, or need, to attach to the outside of the pack and, as an added benefit- the top of the pack has a velcro panel to attach your personal identifiers such as nametapes, flag, or your favorite tactical unicorn patch- do your thing, I don't judge. The pack even comes with an embroidered US flag patch and a rubberized Viking Bags identifier patch to start you off.

Other Cool Features

Another really cool feature of this pack is the way the main compartment opens- a full 180º, which makes packing (and unpacking) this pack a breeze. The bag also has a cord pass-thru grommet at the top in case you need to run a cord through the pack for any reason. The pack also has loops sewn into the webbing in case you want to adjust any of the mounting points, or add extras. Another cool feature is the TSA approved lockable main compartment. Unfortunately, the main compartment is the only one that has the interlocking padlock zipper pulls but if you need, or want, you can run a small cable lock through the rubber zipper pulls to secure them. Viking Bags also includes, at no extra charge, a hard-sided sunglasses case and a stowable wet bag, both of which can be stored on the molle and the sunglasses case even has a clip so you can attach it to one of the D-ring loops on the pack. 

 

Speaking of TSA, the bag is just the right size... if not a little bit too big for standard airline carry-on sizing regulations. Height and width is well within the standards, but it's a little thicker than the standard 9" requirement, at about 11-ish inches deep... just enough for a rookie TSA officer or an overzealous boarding agent to jam you up and make you check it. I was fortunate enough to have some really cool, laid back folks that I dealt with at boarding, though... so I had no issues. 

Pricing & Value

Okay... let's get down to brass tacks on cost and value of the pack. The folks at Viking Bags offer two options of the "Tactical Large Motorcycle Backpack"- the XL 45L, and the L 30L. Both packs look to have, almost, all of the same features but the 30 is just obviously a bit smaller. The 30 is priced at $149.99, currently marked down to $126.99 for their Spring sale; while the 45L has a regular price of $168.74, and it is currently on sale for $142.99.

Personally, I like to compare products to products when determining price to value. Doing so gives me a tactile, real world value that I can quantify easily... kind of like asking, "what else can I get for the same price?" So, by comparison... my other backpack, that I have been using for the past couple of years as my primary bag, set me back a smooth $140. Apples to apples... they are both really great, well built, bags. Now, my other pack is closer in size to the Viking Bags 30L, so capacity is about the same, too (although the Viking is a little easier to sort and organize than my other pack and it has more features). My point here is that the price of the 30L, and the 45L, Viking Bags are priced appropriately compared to their other, high quality, competitors. 

Can you get a bag that is less expensive? I have no doubt. There are hundreds (if not thousands) of retailers online that offer cheaper products... but rushing through the concourse, trying to make your connection... or worse... running down the interstate at 75 mph... isn't the place to discover how poorly that cheaper bag is made. The bottom line is, what it's always been, you get what you pay for. Good products aren't cheap and cheap products aren't good. That's not to say that you have to spend a ton of money to get a good product, but high quality materials cost money and highly skilled workers don't work for free. 

Final Thoughts

Overall, even though I didn't buy this bag, and I wasn't looking for a new bag when I got this one, it's proving to be a high quality bag that is priced fairly. Honestly, I wouldn't hesitate to buy this bag... especially for the current sale price of $149. Another great thing about Viking Bags, too... is that they are always having sales, so bookmarking their website, and checking on their current promotions from time-to-time, could help you keep some of your hard-earned dollars in your pockets.

 

At this point, I've done quite a few of my MotoReviews on a variety of products and I know you guys might be thinking, "geez, when is he gonna give us a stinker review?" Well, if I'm being completely honest- hopefully never! I know that a product that sucks will eventually find me, but this one isn't it. I like this pack, quite a lot, actually. As a matter of fact, it might be my new favorite piece of luggage. 

The local cuisine of the 414 is calling my name, and I've got some motorcycles to see, so until next time MotoReaders....

Ride safe and make good choices!

(Just a subtle reminder, too... I embed links in my posts and I encourage you to check those out as you're reading. Also- don't forget that you can click the links on the upper right hand side of the page to save some money on products like First Mfg, Sena and Unik by using my affiliate links and discount codes. Keep an eye on that sidebar, too... as I'm hoping to add more affilates, too)