Well, This Won’t Look Good On My Resume’

As I get closer to finishing the current chapter in this book that is my life, I have begun the process of looking into what lies ahead for the ole’ MotoWriter. 

Now, if you’re a regular MotoReader, you know that it’s been a while since I posted anything. If you’re new to the site, you might discover that along with motorcycle-centric content, I also pepper in some life advice and do my best to send good vibes out to the world in hopes of encouraging my readers to live their best lives while being good, decent humans. 

Whichever is the case, don’t worry… I don’t have any plans of shutting down my site or putting down my metaphorical pen. After all these years of sending my words into the world via the internet, I’ve realized that, at least a few, folks like you around the world actually seem somewhat interested in what I have to say. With my little site recently reaching over 100,000 views world wide, I realize that even in my temporary absence, my loyal MotoReaders are still checking in. I appreciate you, and it’s an honor for me to be able to have a few moments of your very valuable time… so thank you, and worry not- the MotoWriter will remain in this story, and may actually get a larger part.

With all that said, let’s get down to the aforementioned resume’ comment. While I love writing this blog, it only pays in satisfaction, and I can’t pay my bills with that, so I’ve been seeking out my next payin’ gig. 

In my current career path, I’ve learned so very much, have achieved several goals and I have, hopefully, succeeded in helping some folks. I’ve dedicated nearly half of my life to making this world a little better place. I doubt that I’ll ever have the same level of job satisfaction in any other career, but every chapter must end, before a new one can begin and the sun must set, before it can rise again. Nighttime brings rest to the world, and the new day brings forth new opportunities to begin fresh. 

I’ve been intrigued by motorcycles for as long as I can remember. I’m fascinated by the diversity in the types of machines, the types of people and the bond that we all share. Being a “motorcycle person” trumps all other characteristics. Details like race, ethnicity, sex and any and all the other identifiers that our current world assigns to every one of us, become secondary to the distinct characteristic of “motorcyclist” or “biker.” Please excuse my language  for a moment… but I fu**in’ love that! 

It’s with this passion that I started writing for Harley-Davidson Forums and why I eventually started writing this blog. I have been a lifelong fan of Harley-Davidson Motorcycles and, have been a loyal rider of these iconic machines for over 15 years, after I finally reached a point in my life, when I could actually afford to buy one. I’ve been to Milwaukee and I’ve stood where Bill Harley and Arthur Davidson stood. I’ve walked the same halls on Juneau Avenue, that generations of blue collar American workers designed and built these beautiful, soul inspiring, freedom machines. I’ve learned to work on them in the same classrooms where better mechanics learned to do the same and I’ve experienced the camaraderie of being a part of a worldwide collective of enthusiasts.

To hear that this company, this brand, this iconic representation of the great American culture is in such dire straits… is tragic. Harley-Davidson has endured through financial troubles, tariffs, embargoes, ruthless competition, poor leadership, misguided CEOs and more than a few bad designs, for over 120 years. Each time, however, the MoCo has been able to pull itself up and out of the tough times, by leaning hard on it’s most important assets- it’s loyal owners and followers.

Over the past several years, however, the leaders of our beloved Motorcycle company have made some grave mistakes… and they are just now starting to feel the affects of those poor decisions. So, at risk of losing any hopes of putting “Harley-Davidson Motor Company” as an employer on my resume’… I’m putting this out there for the world, and more specifically- the executives at Harley-Davidson to hopefully read:

YOU’VE LOST TOUCH WITH US

You allowed DEI and the “woke” culture to rust the iron of Harley-Davidson’s foundation. The “woke” culture and DEI practices are like salt on the roads of Wisconsin in winter. It helps to clear the path and expose what’s underneath, but the long term affects are rust and corrosion on the frames of your motorcycles that will eventually destroy the most crucial part that holds it all together. 

Like salt on the roads- “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” practices aren’t bad… but it must be done in moderation. I can tell you, that very few people actually care about how someone else is living their personal lives. The world we live in today is quite possibly the most inclusive that it’s ever been… that is, except for those among us who thrive on division- the people that dress and act bizarre, then get offended by others who react to their bizarreness; the people that get triggered by the lyrics from an old Christmas song from 50+ years ago, but then blast the most vulgar, misogynistic, lyrics from their car stereo, while driving past public parks and playgrounds.

When celebrities speak up and give their opinions on things… I just shake my head and ask WHO CARES WHAT THEY THINK? No offense to any of them, but why does the opinion of an actor, singer, dancer, etc… matter more than that of the guy that takes your order at your favorite restaurant, or the girl that makes your coffee in the morning? Because they can act? Or sing? Or dance? Or because they are wealthy? The simple answer is, their opinion doesn’t matter any more than yours… it’s just that you, or we as a collective society, seem to need some “publicly backed” validation for our own opinions. We have become a society of sheep… afraid of our own judgement. We feel like if Jim Carrey or Keanu Reeves shares our view on something, then it somehow carries more clout. It’s a ridiculous concept. Especially considering we don’t know who these people truly are, or even share similar lifestyles. I like a lot of both of these guys movies and have followed them for several years, but they don’t live the same life as me, and I’m guessing, most of you. I’m not saying they haven’t struggled financially, but I am saying that when they were starting their careers, living in their cars, waiting tables or playing hockey, nobody gave a damn about their opinion. It wasn’t until they became famous that everybody wants to know what they think about politics, religion, fashion or whatever. Keanu Reeves is a motorcycle guy… that’s about the only thing that he and I probably have in common… and our opinion on those are probably drastically different, by looking at the designs (and prices) of his Arch Motorcycles. 

Every company, every person for that matter, should try to practice diversity, equity and inclusion habits- recognizing the differences in people and appreciating the fact that our differences are what make us unique; treating each other fairly and not allowing personal prejudices and biases from affecting how we treat one another; and including people that are different from us to take part in the creation of advancement of a common goal, is something that good people, and good companies, do. But, like any good concept- someone put a title on it, claimed it as their own, new concept, and then started forcing extremist ideas down the throats of everyone, calling it “DEI.” The world got shamed into not being “woke.” Companies rushed to become “culturally sensitive” and the more they worked to change their “company cultures” and buy into this fabricated concept that someone else was selling to them, the more they lost. 

The fact is, that prior to the “DEI” initiatives, mandates and “woke” culture… the MoCo employed people of different races, sexual orientations, religious backgrounds, cultural backgrounds and, I’ll be willing to bet, that the vast majority of them worked well together, got along, got paid the same and felt that their diversity made them a strong workforce, felt that they were treated the same and felt included at their jobs. It wasn’t until someone from HR heard about this “new program” called “DEI”, that they started paying for the pamphlets, buying the programs and paying the DEI speakers to come in and tell people that they didn’t get along, because the DEI peddlers hadn’t “fixed them yet.” Yes, yes… DEI was being sold and the corporate hogs were buying. They forgot about the most important component of their companies… their people.

Harley-Davidson jumped into the DEI pool without floaties, and in doing so, allowed the company executives to drown the company in guilt-driven, detrimental behaviors, practices and policies. Policies, practices and behaviors that are contradictory to their core demographic of hard working, diverse, God and County loving Americans, and a whole world full of people who love, admire and respect the American culture. In trying to satisfy the DEI push into their brand, it backfired in the worst of ways- thousands of the brands most loyal enthusiasts felt insulted. Not because they were bigots, but because Jochen and his cronies insinuated that they were and shamed them for not falling for the “woke” political agenda that they were trying to force on them. 

To make matters worse- Jochen’s goal of making Harley-Davidson a “premium” brand… was inherently stupid and has cost the MoCo millions of dollars in sales. Harley-Davidson was already a premium brand… it had a diverse lineup of motorcycles that appealed to a large group of riders, and even though they were priced high, they were still (somewhat) attainable. Jochen’s goal, which has started to come to fruition, was to make them so expensive that only the elite (like him) could buy them. The MoCo execs chopped the lineup, focused on a few top-tier bikes and slowly raised the prices until they started becoming unattainable for the working class folks that have been buying and riding them for over 120 years. Honestly folks… I paid $35k for my wife’s SUV five years ago… and nearly $25k for my Road King Special, almost 10 years ago. Those numbers were, and are still, ridiculous, and they’ve only gotten worse as of the past few years. How can a motorcycle cost as much as a car? That is simply poor business practices. 

Then, to make matters worse, the boneheads decided to cut the entry and mid level models out of the lineup. The Evo powered Sportsters could be had for way less than $10k, and there were several models to choose from, that fit almost any rider’s style. The next up, and first to be killed off, was the mid-range, next step, Dyna family of big twins. Powerful, tight, fun motorcycles that were a bit bigger and added a few more options for the rider looking to step up a bit. Great motorcycles, but someone at H-D corporate decided that to would be a good financial decision to take a popular, good selling, item off the menu altogether. So, the decision was then made to take away a few popular options from the Softail lineup, but then rename a few Softails with Dyna names… and hope that no one noticed that they were paying more money… just to have a cool name like “Lowrider” or “Fat Bob” on their Softail. So, since the Dyna family (that consisted of several models to satisfy the desires of the diverse styles and personalities of Harley-Davidson big twin enthusiasts) had been cut, the obvious choice would be to add to the Softail lineup to make up the difference, right? Nope. The decision was made to cut popular models from the lineup, instead. The lineup of Softails consisted of a couple of models that carried Dyna names (Lowrider, Lowrider S, Fat Bob and Street Bob), and a Softail Standard (which was, and is, basically the same bike as the Softail Street Bob) the Heritage Softail, the Breakout and the Fat Boy. 

You may be saying, “OK MotoWriter, but what about the touring lineup?” Well… they cut it too. Incredibly popular models like the standard Road King, the Electraglide standard, Road Glide and the Electraglide were eventually severed from the lineup, and replaced with their more expensive counterparts- the Road King Special, The Ultra Classic Electraglide and the Road Glide Ultra… all of which will, after paying for tax, title, dealer set-up, freight, the sales manager’s lunch, the store manager’s bonus and the dealership’s power bill for that day, will set you back nearly $35k… yes… as much as you could get a nice, mid-range SUV for. 

Jochen’s plan to price Harley-Davidson out of business is really starting to take shape now. 

Oh, but what about the Sportster and the Pan America? Well I didn’t forget about them. The new Rev Max Sportster S and Nightster models seem to be pretty nice bikes. The Nightster is fun to ride, but it’s small… and starting at $10k for the base model and $12k for the “Special” which only offers slightly different styling, it isn’t a bad choice for a new rider that wants a Harley-Davidson… however, it’s Indian competitors give it a helluva run for it’s money, with a few models, and engine sizes, to choose from… all starting at the same price. As for the Sportster S… I’m sorry to those who like this bike, but at $15,999, it is terribly overpriced. In all fairness, I haven’t actually ridden one, I’ve only sat on one at the dealership, but after throwing a leg over it, I didn’t want to ride it… and for me, that is saying a lot, because I always want to ride a motorcycle… especially a new one that I haven’t ridden before. I do like the Pan America and while I think that they are priced a little high compared to their competitors, we will often pay a little extra for a brand we love and a well-established dealer network… call it the “Harley tax.”

Although the Pan America does create a new market of buyers and enthusiasts from the ADV crowd, that’s a niche group- not an entry, or mid, level market. The guys buying ADVs are older, middle to upper class riders who, while they can go off-road, will most likely buy these bikes for their upright riding positions, softer suspensions and more forgiving riding traits. The MoCo needs to focus on the younger guys and gals… the mid twenties to upper thirties folks that want fun, fast bikes that have some suspension, but are cool and still a little hardcore. Something that can be bought, built and customized for less than $15k. They need something to build off of, too… something like a comfortable entry level bike that they can get for $6-8k, then after a few years, trade in for the next size up for a few extra thousand. 

And as for the DEI bull crap- newsflash folks- motorcycle riders are the most diverse, equitable and inclusive group of people out there. Have you ever been to a bike night, seen groups of riders pass each other on the roads or been to a major bike event? People of every race, ethnicity, sex, social and economic background and sexual orientation are out there, waving at each other as they pass, talking to each other about their bikes, sharing stories from the road and donating their hard-earned money on good causes. Bikers and motorcyclists don’t need to be lectured about diversity, equity and inclusion… they need to be supported by the brands they love and spend their hard-earned money on. 

I know that Harley-Davidson is searching for it’s next CEO… and if the MoCo wants to hire a smart, down to earth, blue collar, guy that, with some good old fashioned common sense and American pride, will get the company back on track… I’ll be available for a very reasonable salary… but I won’t hold my breath, waiting for their call.

MotoReview- Sena 20sEVO

MotoReview- Sena 20S EVO

I know that the Sena 20S EVO is an “older” unit that has been out for a good long while, so you may be asking, why bother with reviewing this unit when Sena has released a few newer, updated comms since this one? 

Well, the answer is simple- most major motorcycle retailers are still selling the 20S EVO and, I would bet a Chic-Fil-A sammich against a Wendy’s Baconator that the 20S EVO is one of, if not the, best selling units that Sena has made, so far. Please don’t fact check this, because I’m just guessing and I don’t have either of those sammy’s to bet with. 

At a price of $269 for the single pack and $489 for the Duo Pack (as currently listed on the Sena website), it’s safe to say that Sena is still making money off of this model, so since it’s still on the market, I believe this MotoReview still has relevance for those who are looking at helmet comms. So, let’s take a look at a few of the pros and cons of this Bluetooth Communication system.

Quick disclosure and backstory

I was not, and am not, a representative, brand ambassador, paid sponsorship (or anything else cool like that) for Sena. The company didn’t send me anything to test (although they could- hint, hint) and they didn’t give me a discount to do this review- I bought and paid for them with my own dollar bills.

I picked up the 20S EVO Duo-Pack back in August 2022, in preparation for a long motorcycle trip that Mrs. MotoWriter and I were planning on taking. I wanted a simple, easy to use, reliable, and wireless, helmet communication system for our trip, since I ride Harley-Davidson’s best motorcycle, the Road King Special, which doesn’t have any on-board comms or other distractions, like some of their other Grand American Touring bikes. 

The trip was to be an epic one- a ride to the motorcycle motherland of Milwaukee, WI to attend the 120th Anniversary Celebration of the MoCo’s establishment. As these things often happen, though- we missed out on the anniversary festivities (which was for the best, since neither of us are fans of big crowds anyway), and we ended up traveling to the home of H-D by plane, on a work trip, instead. Of all the extra gear that I picked up in preparation for the motorcycle trip that never was, though, the one we used, and still use, the most is our Senas. 

Chatterbox

A long, long, long time ago, before Mrs. MotoWriter had my last name, she bought me a Chatterbox wired communication system for the bike I had back then (way back before I was cool, she was). She bought it for me so that we could talk to each other through our full face helmets when we were riding. It was cool, and it worked well, but we were tethered together, which I didn’t mind until we got off the bike and would get tangled in the wires. Needless to say, motorcycle communication systems have come a long way since then, so before I set out on dropping a few hundred of my hard-earned dollars, I did some research. 

I learned, pretty quickly, that I didn’t know anything about these “new” Bluetooth systems, so I reached out to my brother-from-another-mother (who you all know as the owner of the Bike of the Month for January 2021), Lee, who is a tech guru by trade. He had been using the 20S EVO for quite a while before I decided to buy one, so I asked him for his thoughts and he recommended it, wholeheartedly. 

Initial thoughts

I got the units on sale from my favorite online retailer, Revzilla (whom I don’t have any affiliation with, but if they wanted me to be a contributing writer, I absolutely would- hint, hint, Revzilla Execs). I don’t remember the exact price I paid, but it was close to $400 for the pair (on sale). They arrived soon after, and to my delight, they included several different mounting options. I chose the internal, wired boom microphone option for my HJC modular and for the Missus, I chose the direct boom since her helmet is a 5/8 with a removable chin bar. Installation was quick and easy for both and all we needed to do was download the Sena app to our phones to ease in the setup and Bluetooth connectivity. 

Pairing the units to our phones was quick and easy. Pairing them together was a little trickier, since we’re not really tech savvy people, but we got it done pretty quickly and, mostly, painlessly. From there, we decided to try them out, so we set out on a ride to nowhere in particular. The missus was able to sit back and relax against the backrest on the “King” instead of leaning forward to talk in my ear, and I was able to ride with my head on a swivel, instead of keeping my head turned slightly to the side so I could hear what she was saying. The volume knobs were easy to manipulate while wearing gloves and the voice sound was incredibly clear. The best part (compared to that old wired Chatterbox device) is, obviously, the lack of wires, but a close second to that is the full duplex communication- it’s just like talking on the phone. 

They worked well for all of the relatively short trips that Mrs. M and I usually take on the weekends, and the batteries seem to last a long time when not in use. I used mine on a solo trip to the Appalachians in September of the same year, mainly for listening to music, and I don’t remember needing to charge the battery until the last night of the 3 day trip, which I thought was pretty impressive. The real test, however, came in June of 2023, when Lee and I took a trip to the mountains so he could see what the Tail of the Dragon and the Cherohala Skyway were all about. We met in South Alabama, and rode to north Georgia, which turned out to be over 6 hours due to weather and traffic. Since we hadn’t ridden together in several years, we talked and caught up via our Senas for just about the entire trip. The batteries lasted the entire time- which was pretty much all continuous talk time. That’s pretty damn good, in my opinion. 

Pros 

The obvious standout pro on this unit is the talk time and battery life. I can tell you that, for me anyway, there are few things as frustrating as a dead or dying battery. Not to mention, on our bikes, we’re limited on what, and how, we can charge devices. Another pro is the ease of use. I especially love that the 20S EVO is easy to manipulate with gloves. The range between units is good, maybe not great, but definitely good as long as you and your riding buddies are within a reasonable distance of each other. If you get out of range, you can simply make a phone call to tell them to catch up. Finally, the sound quality of the voice comms is excellent. The voice comes through clear and loud, and there has been no noticeable wind noise in my experiences so far. The music audio is good, but I was really hoping for a little better performance here, which will be the segue to the cons.

Cons

As I said, the music audio is good, but it’s not really that good. I’ll admit that, in my advancing age, my hearing could be declining somewhat- blame it on too many power tools, too much heavy metal music and too many motorcycle rides in half helmets. On slower roads, the volume does a better than fair job of keeping your head bobbing, but when you enter the freeway, the sound quality declines in direct correlation with your speed. The faster you go, the more the sound quality suffers. Little nuances in songs start to get lost, and, if you don’t know the song… you might not be able to discern whats even playing. It should be noted, however, that I got the 20 S EVO with the standard speakers, instead of the HD speakers. Another big drawback with mine, is I’ve had an annoying weird powering issue that I can’t quite figure out. I get a high-pitched beep, every few minutes, and then, without any other warnings, the headset powers off. Now, I know what you might be thinking- the battery is dead or going dead. Nope. This issue happens randomly and almost always happens with a fresh off the charger unit. I’ve tried searching the interweb, but I haven’t found anything that has been helpful, so far. The frustrating part is that there is no rhyme or reason for when it does it…and it doesn’t do it all the time, so most of the time, I just turn it back on and keep going. Finally, the price could be a little better. Since the 20, Sena has released a few different models, the 30, the 50 and even a 60, just to name a few off the top of my noggin. So, with all these newer, more updated units being offered, why can’t Sena drop the price on the 20 by a few hundred bucks? Well the answer to that question is simple, my friends… because they don’t need to. 

Riders like us know what we like and we know what we want. Most of us are less interested in the “newest, latest” thing and more interested in high quality parts and accessories that work the way we expect them to, and that’s exactly what the 20 S EVO does. It’s a solid, functional and reliable piece of equipment that is still a money making product for Sena. Why would they drop the price on a device that is still very desirable in the current market? With that said, $269 for a solid, well built Bluetooth communication headset may be a bit pricey, but you do get what you pay for and, like I’ve said so many times in the past- quality items aren’t cheap, and cheap items aren’t quality. I’m not suggesting that other, less expensive, Buetooth headsets aren’t well made, I’m only saying that I don’t have any experience with them to form an opinion on the matter.

Final thoughts

I’ll wrap up this MotoReview by saying this- motorcycles can be as expensive, or inexpensive, as you want them to be. You don’t have to buy a Bluetooth headset comm system- you could sneak your earbuds up and into your helmet and they would work just fine- trust me, that’s what I used to do. You also don’t have to have a leather riding jacket, good, high quality riding boots, gloves or even a decent helmet… I’ve seen plenty of people that don’t. I think that one of the most ridiculous thing I’ve seen is a guy on a CVO Street Glide with every factory option that H-D sells, riding in cheap cargo shorts, an Amazon beanie helmet and, the worst part- Crocs. This guy was riding a motorcycle that he likely dropped over $45k on, and his entire riding attire cost less than a weeks worth of coffee at Starbucks.

So, if you know what you want, and you don’t mind spending a few extra dollars for a high quality, well made, easy to use Bluetooth headset with a battery that will outlast your iPhone, then you can’t go wrong with the Sena 20S EVO. If you ride with, literally, anyone else… whether they are sharing a seat on your bike or if they’re riding their own, a comm system is an invaluable tool to improve your overall riding experience. Having a way to listen to your music inside your helmet, with the full controls and the full functionality of your phone for making calls, and being able to tell your buddies when you need to make a pit stop, is a helluva nice creature comfort to have.

If you’re on the fence, watch the online retailers and sign up for their mailing lists. Revzilla, for example, is always having sales and with each purchase, you earn (what they call) Zilla  Bucks, which takes a little money off your next order. Even if you have to pay full price, I think you’ll find that the Sena 20 S EVO will last you a long time and the cost will be mitigated over time.

Until next time, ride safe and make good choices!

MotoReview- Harley-Davidson backpack

                                                     

MotoReview: Harley-Davidson “Tough Terrain” Backpack

Quick details

• Price: $140
• Size: 19" x 12" x 8.5"
• Manufacturer: Athalon Sportsgear, Denver, CO USA

Cool and most notable features: attached hideaway helmet carrier; numerous pockets; lightweight; sturdy nylon material; sternum and torso straps; padded back with airflow channel; hidden compartment in rear; lockable main compartment (TSA approved); looks great; comfortable to wear; easy to handle; huge main compartment; nice finishing details.

First Impressions

 Let’s jump right into this, shall we? First of all, I’m a function over form type of guy, so whatever it is, it has to be functional first. I want it to look good, but if it doesn’t work worth a damn, then it doesn’t matter how good it looks. This pack delivers on both.

Function: It has a nice, durable shell made of honeycomb nylon, making it rip stop and water resistant, it has comfortable, padded, straps, a padded back with an airflow channel, a thick, padded top handle, a sternum strap and a torso strap, more pockets than you can fill, and a lockable main compartment that is TSA compliant. 

 Form: It has the best color combination- black and gray; it has a cool interior liner that looks like a topographical map; the bag is sturdy; has heavy duty zippers and zipper pulls that are adorned with engraved bar and shield logos. It also has a good overall feel- it feels like a well made pack. 

It also has some nice details, such as: a sewn-on Bar & Shield logo; and some small, reflective strips to offer a bit of visibility without the reflective overkill that many manufacturers like to add to their gear. The zippers are nylon with metal pulls and they seal the pack very nicely. Initially, I was a little concerned about how well they would hold up against overpacking the pack, but I have been pleasantly surprised at how tough they are and how well they hold up. The seams are all well-stitched and sturdy and all of the most common tear and damage points of a typical backpack, have all been reinforced and redesigned. Areas like the top of the bag where the straps attach. Most packs just have the straps sewn to the top of the bag, but this one has the straps made as one large piece that is sewn in across the top. This allows the weight of the pack to be evenly distributed across the top of the bag, making it more comfortable to wear, while eliminating the stress points of the straps.

A year of use

I’ve had this pack for a little over a year now and, while I don’t use it every day, when I do use it, I really use it. I have packed this thing to its capacity several times- often using it like a small suitcase; I’ve carried books and binders when I was in training classes; I’ve taken it on several flights and, on one of my last trips, I used it as my only suitcase on a trip back to the motorcycle motherland, Milwaukee, USA. 

Going through TSA screenings, wearing it in narrow airplane isles, and stuffing it under the seat in front of me, were all easily done, thanks to the slim design and the way it expands (to the back, instead of the sides). The pockets and compartments are perfect for storing all of your essentials- chewing gum, earbuds, phone, keys, glasses, water bottles… you name it, there’s probably a pocket or a compartment to hold it. 

In using it as a suitcase, I’ve easily packed several days worth of clothes in it, along with my iPad and, of course, personal hygiene essentials. Now, remember… I don’t often wear suits, so this isn’t for that, but for my normal daily wear of jeans, t-shirts and the occasional button-down shirt… this pack worked great. 

 Even when fully loaded, this pack is still very comfortable to wear. The straps are padded, the back is padded and it has a padded carry handle on top for when you need to hold on to it after taking it off. The back padding has a channel that runs along the center for airflow so that you don’t wind up with that awkward back sweat in the warmer months. If it feels a little wonky, simply buckle the chest and torso straps with the quick-release buckles, pull the strap to cinch it up and keep on truckin’. 

The material is a rip-stop nylon with a honeycomb pattern and the pack has a nice mix of textures and materials that compliment each other nicely. Like I said previously, this pack feels good.

 The bottom of the bag, which will typically get worn through from being abraded by the ground against the weight of the contents, has been reinforced with a heavier, coated nylon. But, this bag also has a little something special at the bottom- a zippered compartment that holds an integrated helmet holder. While I haven’t used this feature a lot, it is extremely handy to have if you don’t want to leave your helmet behind. It unfolds easily and has long straps and quick release buckles for ease and convenience of use, and it will accommodate just about any type and size of helmet. I’ve used it with my HJC modular and it worked very well to secure my helmet to my pack. 

Weather and Durability 

Full disclosure- I haven’t drenched this pack in the pouring rain, but I have worn it in a couple of moderate rain storms for 15-20 minutes at a time and it has resisted the water intrusion, pretty well. Nothing inside got wet, but I can’t say that it wouldn’t, given a more concentrated exposure. I will say, however, that I wouldn’t be afraid of wearing this pack on a road trip and riding through a rain storm with it… I just wouldn’t have any electronics at the top near the zippers. Speaking of electronics- I try to bring my iPad with me on trips, so that I can do some writing when the moments are right for it. When you’re traveling, you don’t necessarily want to open up, and start digging around in, your bag to get to your laptop or tablet. After all, you don’t want your private garments becoming public garments. This pack keeps your bag contents private, by having a large, flat, “hidden” zippered compartment in the back, between the shoulder straps and the main compartment. It opens from the side and, when its closed, if you didn’t know it was there, you wouldn’t notice it. It’s a great place to slide your tablet, a notebook, and maybe even a slim laptop, into for quick access.

I haven’t tried to tear this pack up, but I certainly haven’t babied it, either. I believe in actually using gear because that’s the best way to see how good it actually is. With that said, it is holding up to the abuse, quite well. After a year of, sometimes hard, use this pack doesn’t show any signs of wear. The seams are all intact, the zippers all pull smoothly and close tightly, and the outside surface and inner linings of the bag still look, for lack of a better description, new. 

Pros

This bag is, almost, all pros. Seriously. I can’t find much to complain about for the kind of use I have put this pack through. It’s about as ideal of a bag as I could ask for. It’s strong, well made and is proving to be more and more durable with each use. If your’e looking for a cheap pack, this isn’t it, but if you’re looking for a nice, quality, motorcycle-oriented backpack, then you can’t go wrong with this one. 

Cons

The only real “complaint” on this pack would be the “Harley Tax”, aka, the price. It seems that everything that Harley-Davidson makes, or anything that is branded with the H-D logo, that is worth having is no less than a hundred bucks. Having that in mind, I don’t mind spending a little extra if I know that what I’m getting is of good quality. At $140 USD, the pack is a little pricey, but considering that you can’t get it anywhere else (Athalon makes it, exclusively for the MoCo), the H-D pricing isn’t so bad. Let’s face it, any really high quality bag is going to cost you anyway, so what’s a few extra bucks toward keeping an American company running a little longer? Especially if those few extra bucks will get you a long lasting piece of gear that will likely survive just about anything you throw at it.

Final thoughts 

I’m not a particularly difficult person to please when it comes to gear, parts, equipment, clothes, boots, and so on. Just give me what I’m paying for. Whether it’s a good pair of boots, a nice set of handlebars, a good jacket or an overall great motorcycle, I just want the quality, performance and durability that I’m expecting to get for the price I’ve paid. I work hard for my money, and I’m sure you do too, so it’s not too much to ask that we are getting a fair trade for our hard-earned wages. If you’ve read, or watched, any of my reviews, you’ve no doubt noticed a trend toward the positive. That’s because I try to make good, well thought out decisions before I drop cash on something. That’s not to say that I don’t sometimes buy a dud or expect something to be better than expected, but overall I do try to do some research before I spend money. This pack was no exception- I read the reviews on the H-D site and tried to weed through those that were given in exchange for a free backpack, and those that were written after unreasonable expectations weren't met. 

Overall, if you’re looking for a high quality backpack that will do, almost, anything you need it to do and look good doing it, then you need to head on over to the Harley-Davidson website and pick one of these awesome packs up, before they sell out and, in true H-D fashion, are gone forever. 

Pack light, travel often and until next time, MotoReaders… 

…ride safe and make good choices!

      

Dyna update

The MotoWriter Dyna 

As many of you know, last year, I crashed my Dyna Street Bob (affectionately known as the MotoWriter Dyna). 

For those new to the blog (or missed the original post)- basically, I was riding on a road that I knew had a dangerous intersection, where gravel from an intersecting road washes into a curve of the main road. While I wasn’t speeding, I should have slowed down more than I did, because I wound up encountering the gravel that was perfectly in line with my front tire. In what turned out to be a failed attempt to avoid it, I lost control, high-sided and won a busted bike, a gnarly cut across my back and some bruised internal organs as reward for my carelessness.

Once the insurance company and I settled up (I chose to keep the scoot and rebuild it), I set out to tearing it down and repairing it, piece by piece. Now, I’m not rich by any means, but I’m not poor, either. I chose to do the work myself because I enjoy it. Besides, if God gave me the confidence to try, and the ability to succeed, why on earth would I pay someone else to do it?

Tear down

The tear down involved taking the bike down, basically, to a unicycle. The forks, triple-trees, tank, seat, and a bunch of small, miscellaneous parts came off. From there, I inspected each piece, determined what was damaged and what wasn’t, and then made a list of what I needed. Fortunately, the frame was solid, straight and undamaged (which was my biggest fear), and the tank wasn’t dented, just scratched up on the low side. 

In removing the triple trees, I found that the neck bearings were worn out and unusable, but I’m not sure if that was a result of the crash or simply a previously unseen result of, prior to my ownership, neglect. Either way, those were replaced. I found a set of “new” take-off handlebars that I picked up at a pretty good price, and I found a nice set of “new” take-off fork sliders (these things couldn’t have had more than 100 miles on them when they were swapped out). I picked up a nice, used clutch perch, a new set of levers, a new pair of fork tubes and a couple of fork rebuild kits from my local Harley-Davidson shop. The front wheel and wheel bearings were good, as were the front and rear fenders. The exhaust survived, but the heat shield was tweaked and a clamp bracket was broken, so I repaired that and massaged the heat shield back into shape. 

After rebuilding the forks and installing the new neck bearings, I put the front end back together and then I rewarded myself with a nice cold Miller High Life… because let’s face it… making a motorcycle out of a unicycle is worthy of the reward of the “champagne of beers.”

Once the front end was back together, I set out to cleaning up the tank scratches. I had some paint left over from the quarter fairing that I installed before the crash (R.I.P. to the fairing, as it did not survive the crash, nor did it make the final cut of replacement parts). I tried painting a patch area, but that effort failed, so I put that on the back burner and decided to make sure the damn thing would run and ride again, instead. I’m glad I did, because I was seriously considering selling or trading the Dyna until I fired her up for the first time since the crash. The 96” Twin Cam came to life easily and it ran and rode great- so great, in fact, that I have ridden it several times over the last month… funky paint and all. Riding it reminded me how much I actually like this motorcycle.

After riding it a few times, I decided to dedicate a day (today) to repainting the tank. Over the past few months, I’ve been trying to decide if I should change the color, or maybe do a cool design, or maybe even swap the tank badges for decals. Ultimately, it was Mrs. MotoWriter that reminded me what one of the guys at the Harley-Davidson Museum said to me, when we were talking about the MotoWriter Dyna. He told me that, since Dynas are no longer made, and since so many of them have been hacked up and made into stunt bikes and racing machines, that a (mostly) stock Dyna Street Bob in Brilliant Silver paint, was likely to become a pretty valuable machine one day. Now, he may have just been telling me that to make me feel better about my relatively boring silver bike, but it did make me start looking for others like it. To my surprise, I didn’t find many silver Street Bobs out there. Like the guy said, most Dynas I’ve come across have been turned into wheelie and stunt machines (which is a trend that I can’t stand… maybe I’m just getting old, but public streets where my family drives just isn’t the place for f*@%ing around on a 600+ pound projectile that is precariously balanced on one wheel by a SQUID that doesn’t believe, or doesn’t care, that he could lose control and kill himself or someone else- rant over).

As of today

So that brings me to today. I took the tank off, prepped it for paint and have begun laying the metallic goodness down (I’m between color coats as I type this). After I finish the color coats, I’ll go over it with several coats of clear until I’m satisfied with the results, then I’ll let it set for a few days before I finish it up and get the badges back on, and get it mounted back on the bike.

Stay tuned for more photos once it’s back together and ready to hit the open road again. Until then, ride safe and avoid making the same mistakes I did!

MotoReview- Viking Bag’s Dagr Sissy Bar Bag

MotoReview- Viking Bags’ Dagr Sissy Bar Bag

Well, MotoReaders, as promised, I humbly submit to you, my review of the Viking Bags 22L Dagr sissy bar bag! 

Okay, first off- in the interest of FULL disclosure- I did not buy this bag, I do not work for Viking Bags, I am not related to anyone (that I know of) that works for Viking Bags and I do not own any stock in Viking Bags, nor will I benefit from a positive review of, or suffer from a negative review of, this bag (or any other items I review on my site). That said, let’s get to it, shall we?

Initial impression

 When I arrived home from work today, I was excited to see a decent sized brown box, waiting for me at my driveway. I anxiously picked it up and noticed that it had a little heft to it… again, a wave of pleasant surprise and satisfaction washed over me. Once inside, I opened the box to find a nice sized bag wrapped in a clear plastic bag that was tied. Had it been raining, I’m confident that the cardboard box’s contents would have been safe and dry inside. After plucking the bag out of the box and unwrapping it like an impatient child at Christmas, I removed the hefty, well made and very sturdy bag from it’s plastic cocoon. 

I, gratuitously, decided that the best place to take some photos of the bag was on my work bench, where I’ve been working on resurrecting the MotoWriter Dyna, which, if you haven’t heard (or, read about here on the site, yet… click the link here —>>) I crashed a few months back. Yes, I must also admit that the MotoWriter wall sign, that my good friend Nick over at The Wood Shop made for me, makes for a nice background detail… again, I know it’s gratuitous, but hey, I’m grown and I do what I want! 

Digging in

Hearing a distinct rattle when handling the bag, I feverishly began unzipping the compartments to see what goodies the bag contained. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the two side pockets are big. Not, “hold a pair of jeans” big, but definitely “keep your phone, GPS, keys, wallet, Snicker bars, and maybe even some miscellaneous H-D poker chips or challenge coins” big. The best part is, that there are two of them and they are equally large, not like some of those bags that have the random sized compartments that make no real sense. The main compartment held the culprits of the rattling sound- a rain cover, a shoulder strap and two (2) smaller straps for tying the bag to your bike in, probably, any way that you might want. 

In this photo, I’ve got them propped open with a marker (on one side) and a roll of painter’s tape (on the other side). The main compartment is big and has plenty of room for a couple of pairs of socks, underwear and maybe a t-shirt or two if you pack them tight enough (disclaimer- I wear a size large t-shirt, so I can make it work… if you’re bigger than that, it might get tricky for you). Viking also claims that the bag will hold “31 cans”… but I’ve yet to try that, as I’m more of a bourbon man. The “flap” (if you can even call it that) opens up and it has two detachable straps on either side to keep it from flopping open and dumping it’s contents. They are adjustable, so if you only want it to open a little bit, you can. If you want it to open all the way, adjust them out or simply unclip them. I, very loosely, refer to the flap as a “flap” because it doesn’t “flap” at all. There isn’t anything on this bag that is “flappy”, actually. The “flap” is very well made and semi-rigid to keep the contents of the bag safe, while helping to maintain the bag’s shape. On the inside, it has a mesh, zipper close, compartment that could be used for any small items you don’t want falling out of, or getting mixed up in, the main compartment. Did I mention the security? No? Well, I will. The main compartment can be closed and secured with a small padlock- think, “TSA approved.” It won’t keep anyone from stealing your bag, but it will prevent anyone from rooting through your bag and gawking at your weird under britches that have the hearts printed on them. 

Inside the main compartment is another zipper that runs along the entire inner wall. Snooping around and unzipping it, reveals the inner plastic “wall” that gives rigidity to the outside of the bag and maintains the overall shape. The plastic is thick, maybe 3/16” or just a tiny bit thinner and its made of a nice flexible ABS plastic that really looks like it can take a beating without shattering or cracking. The top of the bag has a sewn-in, and riveted, nylon strap handle that has a plastic “comfort strap” (that’s what I’m calling it… maybe the folks at Viking Bags can use that). The handle is well made and will, no doubt, be able to easily hold up to all of the weight that can be crammed into this bag- be it 31 cans of your favorite beverage, or all of those “heart” boxers that your aunt Susie gave you for your birthday.

The intelligent design didn’t stop at the back of the bag either. The strap to attach it to the sissy bar is wide and thick and will easily fit over most sissy bars (or back rests for you folks that are offended by the word “sissy”). It comes with something that, if I’m being honest, I’ve never seen before- two vertical, and removable, metal rods. The rods are used to adjust for the width of your bike’s sissy bar- a very cool feature and one that was very well planned and, from what I can tell so far, very well executed. There are D rings on the rear of the bag that can be used with the straps provided, to secure the bag to your bike, or, convert the bag into a backpack! Very cool! 

Overall Thoughts

My overall first impression of the Dagr bag is that it is very well made. It has what I like to call “smart engineering and design” all throughout. It’s obvious that whoever designed this bag, did so intentionally. The name, Dagr, is an old Norse word meaning, basically, “day” and that’s exactly what this bag is perfect for (although, I can see myself using it on overnight trips, too). 

Quality is top notch- the stitching is sturdy and the materials are very nice- a mix of nylon rip-stop and a rugged, rubber composite that blends very well into the design, making this bag not only functional, but attractive. The size is perfect for holding a variety of necessities on a road trip- sunglasses (and reading glasses for those of us who are getting a little older these days), sunscreen, gloves, snacks, and whatever else you want, or need, to bring along to make your trip a little better. 

While the MotoWriter Road King has big, cavernous saddlebags and a detachable trunk for my longer trips, I plan on using this bag on the MotoWriter Street Bob, once it’s put back together and ready for road trippin’ again, that is.

Durability, longevity and affordability 

I can’t, personally, speak on affordability, as I didn’t actually buy this bag, but I can tell you that, for the msrp of $69.99, and a current promotion (as of today) of $59.41, I think it’s a steal. This is a bag that you will keep from bike to bike until your significant other or one of your kids (or grandkids) decide to “appropriate” it for their own use. It looks good and is well made. 

As for the durability or the longevity of the bag, I obviously won’t be able to speak on this yet, either, as I just got this thing today. I will honestly be surprised if it doesn’t outlast some of my other gear (and maybe even one of my bikes), but I’ll do a proper follow-up review in 6 months, and another one at a year, to give you some updates on it, in case you’re still not convinced. 

Final thoughts

I’ll leave you with this to ponder- how much do you spend at the coffee shop every month? How much do you spend on fast food? How much do you give to your co-workers’ kids that are always selling cookies or doing some other kind of fund raisers? If you’re an average person, I’d be willing to bet that you could buy two of these bags a month, every month, for what you spend in coffee and fast food alone. So, why not take a chance and get a bag that will, absolutely, last longer than all those McBurgers and Starspressos. Go check out Viking Bags (by clicking the link at the top right of this page) or by clicking here and check out what they have to offer. 

Instead of spending a hundred bucks a month for some overpriced drinks or some, potentially cold, fries that will only give you joy, happiness or satisfaction for a few moments, take a break from the drive-thru line for a few weeks and buy yourself a bag that, I suspect, will give you years of service. Hell, what’s the worst that could happen? If you only use it for one year’s worth of road trips, it will still have given you more use than those deep fried fart sticks and that chalky ass, coffee flavored, sugar water. Make your coffee at home and brown bag your lunch for a month and get something that will actually bring you some joy- the Viking Bags Dagr sissy bar bag. (<<— shameless plug, but click the link and check it out for yourself!)

Now, I better get back to working on the MotoWriter Street Bob, so I can put this bag to good use before the next review!

Until next time, MotoReaders… ride safe and make good choices!

Updates coming soon!

Hey MotoReaders!

I’m super busy at the moment, but I wanted to drop a quick post to let you know that I’ve been working (literally) and getting some fresh new content for the ole website while doing so. In the next few weeks, I’ll have some new ride reviews on the new 121ci vvt CVO Road Glide, the new Lowrider ST and the Pan America. I’ll also throw in an update on the status of the MotoWriter Dyna and I might even talk about some other cool stuff that I’ve been doing lately. 

Drop a comment and let me know which review you’d like to see first, then check back soon!

Till then- ride safe and make good choices!