Kuryakyn X-Tension Highway Peg Mount Review

Kuryakyn X-Tension Highway Peg Mount Review

One of the first modifications I did to my V-Star 1100 Classic “Mistress” was to add some front pegs. At 6’2” I needed a way to stretch out my legs on longer rides. I had really wanted to get some Lindby Custom Linbars, still do, but funds were not available. So I started looking at front pegs to add to my bike to stretch out and rest my tired dogs on.

In researching for front pegs I decided I wanted some that could be folded up out of the way when not in use, rather than the stationary kind. Looking online I ran across the Kuryakyn X-Tension Highway Peg Mounts on the Kuryakyn website. I think I looked there because several other add-ons on my V-Star were from Kuryakyn. I honestly don’t remember where I ordered them from, but I ordered them online from an online store that had a good price. They arrived safely packed in foam peanuts several days after they were ordered.

The Kuryakyn X-Tension Highway Peg Mounts measure 4 ½” long and have a 1 ¼” offset which allows the reach adjustment to be fine tuned for the rider. The metal is really stout and fully chromed. Another feature I really liked was that the actual foot landing pad is thicker on these pegs, not being just a post. This gives the foot more purchase area. The pad is also equipped with floating rubber grip strips. These peg mounts allow for the peg to be folded up when not in use.

Installation is straight forward and required no special tools, just normal SAE sockets or wrenches most folks have in their garage. Here we go again with SAE nuts and bolts for a metric bike. I mounted them right onto the front frame down-tubes. They have to be mounted high enough up that they do not interfere with the operation of the rear brake pedal on the right side and the shifter on the left. Do not forget to use the included locking washers.

The hardest part about installation is getting them mounted evenly from side to side on height and angle. You also have to tighten the bolt at the pivoting point to the right tension so that they will stay up when put up. It probably took less than an hour to install them.

Having an extra place to put your feet on long ride is well worth it. With my backrest on the Corbin seat and my feet up I feel like I am riding a recliner down the freeway. You can use the pegs with the toe or heel of your shoe or boot. Alternatively, you can just rest the whole back of your foot up on top of the peg. This gives you multiple choices on long rides when you need to move around for comfort.

I have not had any issues with the Kuryakyn X-Tension Highway Peg Mounts. I will warn you Chromaholics that it is painstaking to clean the tops of the pegs between the rubber traction inserts. I have found the easiest way is to use the very edge of a soft cleaning towel. You have to go back and forth like you are shining shoes, between the rubber inserts. Torch gives the Kuryakyn X-Tension Highway Peg Mounts a M.M.M. rating of 9.5.

Ride on,
Torch

FMC Classic Side Lace Leather Motorcycle Jacket Review

FMC Classic Side Lace Leather Motorcycle Jacket Review

When the weather got too cold to ride in my OSi Cool Mesh Jacket for my commute to work, even with the liner installed, I started looking for a leather jacket. My quests lead me to Full Boar in Hurst Texas. Unfortunately, due to the economic times, they have since gone out of business. They had the FMC brand Classic Side Lace Leather Jackets on sale. I tried a couple on for size and decided to get one a little larger than I needed. Having a larger size would allow me to dress in layers if I ever needed to ride in extremely cold weather.

The FMC jacket is manufactured for First Manufacturing Company Inc and, according to the label, made in Pakistan. This FMC jacket has the classic motorcycle styling. The outer shell is made from Top Grain Cowhide and feels very substantial. The zippers are all stout and function well. There is an abundance of pockets including two hand pockets with zippers, a small pocket watch style pocket with snap on left side, an upper zippered pocket on left side chest, (great for gun concealment), and lastly a pocket on the inside left chest panel.

The FMC Leather Jacket half belt and side leather laces make it very adjustable. The Action Back makes it much more flexible when moving about and stretching. The sleeves are long to cover your wrists when your arms are stretched out holding handle bars. The sleeves also come with a four inch zippered cuff section to open up your wrists for more room or to let more air in.

When it is cold out you can zip in the Full Size Quilted Thinsulate Liner, unsnap the collar and fold it up, and zip the jacket all the way up. If you have something to cover your face, either full face helmet, neoprene face mask, or balaclava, the only other spot to worry about is your neck just under the Adam’s apple. If your balaclava goes down far enough it might work, otherwise you will need something else to cover that spot that the FMC Jacket does not.

The FMC Classic Side Lace Leather Motorcycle Jacket is constructed very ruggedly and is a very heavy jacket to wear. This jacket is thick, black and, in my opinion, too warm to use for rides in the Texan summer months. For Fall, Winter, and Spring commuting and rides the FMC jacket served well. The hardware is solid and I have had no issues with it through its first season of use. Torch gives the FMC Classic Side Lace Leather Motorcycle Jacket a M.M.M. rating of 9.5 out of 10.

Ride on,
Torch

Bates E02264 5" Defender Tactical Boot Review

Bates E02264 5" Defender Tactical Boot Review

Last fall I needed a pair of new shoes for work. I, of course, wanted a pair that would lend themselves to motorcycle riding as well. I had several requisites in mind, including non skid, oil resistant, slightly above ankle, and of course, Leather for protection. I started looking around at stores for something that would fit the bill, or rather, my foot.

One of my sons kept bragging about a pair of BATES boots that he had purchased on a recommendation from a local LEO, (Law Enforcement Officer). He bragged about how comfortable they were, how well they gripped the floor, and most of all, how light they were. They were lighter than the tennis shoes he used to wear out every other month because they just would not hold up. The Bates Boots were very durable. He purchased his at Academy Sports & Outdoors in Grapevine, Texas.

So one day I found myself at Academy and made it to the shoe section to see what they had and possibly try on some boots. I soon found out they had at least four different styles of Bates to choose from. They had some like my sons, 5” lace ups. They had some steel toe versions, some zip up versions and some composite toe versions. I tried on a few and soon decided I liked the versions that also had the side zipper because it made them soooo much easier to take on and off. I kind of liked the idea of having some extra toe protection so I opted for the 5” Composite Safety Toe Side Zip E02264 and made my purchase.

Here is the description from the Bates website:

The composite safety toes in these hard working boots won’t set off electronic security but definitely will add vital protection to your toes. Made with all non-metallic components, from zippers to speed lace eyelets. Featuring a breathable mesh lining, an ergonomically supportive insole and slip-resistant Ultra-Lites outsole to help prevent on-the-job injuries, these boots are value priced to not hurt your budget either. ASTM F2413-05 Rated.

Specs

Gender: Mens
Type: Boots
Height: 5"
Color: Black
Uppers: Unknown
Outsole: Enforcer Series Ultra-Lites™
Construction: Cement Construction
Toe: Composite Toe
Waterproof: No
Stealth: Yes
Weight: 3.0 lbs. per pair

I will attest to the fact that these boots are very comfortable. It did take a little time to get used to the Composite Safety Toes because of how they felt against my toes. I was not used to having a hard toed boot. These boots are very light weight. My son always told me how he had a hard time getting used to walking in such a light boot, he always wanted to high step. I had the same feeling from time to time. Both the Defenders together weigh about as much as one of my HD Pecos Boots.

The side zippered boots did cost a little more than the ones without, but the convenience is definitely worth it. You can lace the boots up how you like them and just used the zipper to take them on and off. Every few weeks the laces will work a little loose and have to be laced up tighter again. The zipper is probably my favorite feature.

These boots have great traction. I work in an Automotive Service Department and some of the floors are polished and when they are wet it can be extremely treacherous. The slip-resistance of the Bates Tactical boots Ultru-Lites outsole is extremely good. They use cement construction to attach the sole. The lugged sole is very rugged looking and may not work for formal dressing up.

The breathable mesh lining is another great feature. Bates Footwear constructed these boots with sweaty stinky feet like mine in mind. They do not completely stop my feet from sweating; after all I live in Texas. They do, however, keep my feet cooler, which prevents them from sweating as much. These boots breathe well and still do not stink. The trade off is that they are not waterproof.

The only metal on these boots is the zipper pull tab and slider. When zipped up there is a leather tab with hook and loop closure that covers it up so there is no metal showing that might scratch your bike. The tongue is padded and there is a large padded collar around the top which is real nice as well. Comfort is in much supply on these boots.

Soon after I started riding with the Bates boots I did notice one issue. The Composite Safety Toe makes the front of the boot taller than an ordinary boot or shoe. This made it where the boot would no longer fit under my front shifter to up-shift. Fortunately, my V-Star, "Mistress", is equipped with a heel-toe shifter, so I had to learn to start up-shifting with my heel. Now I have gotten so used to up-shifting with my heel I do it all the time no matter what shoes I am wearing.

So far the Bates Boots have held up real well and are proving themselves to be extremely durable. Not only that, they are real comfortable as well. Torch gives them a M.M.M. rating of 9 out of 10.

Ride on,
Torch

Friendship Blogger Award

Friendship Bloggers Award

A few days ago, the Baron himself, of Baron’s Life and Baron’s Photos, selected me as one of the eight bloggers to receive his Friendship Bloggers Award.

These blogs are exceedingly charming.
These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends.
They are not interested in self-aggrandizement.
Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated.
Please give more attention to these writers.

Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

Drum roll please, and without further ado, are the eight bloggers that I have chosen to bestow this award upon, not in any particular order:

Dan’s Low Rider in the Wind

Doug’s Tilted Horizons

Bam’s Bam Ridez

John’s friar’s ride

Mimi’s Mimi’s Motorcycle Journal

Becky’s Biker Chickz Blog

Smooth’s Easy Rider

Daniel Meyer’s C U Again

Memphis Shades Phenomenal Customer Service

Memphis Shades Phenomenal Customer Service

Mediocre service is easy to find these days and poor service is all too common. I work in the customer service industry and I know. I am very aware of customer service and I recognize good service when I see it and I don’t mind bragging about or tipping well, when I receive it. This is a story about phenomenal customer service.

So, there I was in the fast lane, heading home at warp 8 a month or so ago, when I notice my Memphis Shades windshield is vibrating a lot. Well, it was windier out than the campfire scene in Blazing Saddles anyway. Then I noticed the left side of the windshield appears to be flapping more than the right side. Now I’m starting to get concerned and wondering if something is wrong.

I get to my exit and stop for the light. Yes, I actually do stop on occasion. I reached up with my clutch hand, the one on my left for you non motorcyclists, and grabbed the left side of the Memphis Shades windshield and pushed and pulled on it. The whole left side was loose. I decided I would investigate further when I got home, hoping it had just come loose.

I rode into the driveway, dismounted, and inspected the windshield and how it mounted to the bike. As it turns out, the left side upper hardware that mounts the windshield to the bracket on the bike is completely missing. I torqued the remaining hardware noting ironically the use of ASE Hex head screws on my metric bike. So, I headed inside to see if I could locate some replacement hardware online.

I went straight for the Memphis Shades website. I looked up the model I had and found the hardware kit including a picture. Next, I fired off an email to Customer Service explaining my predicament. I told them of the fact that I bought the bike used with the windshield already on the bike. I informed them I was willing to purchase the missing hardware if they could direct me in the right direction. I included all the part numbers and the diagram from their website. After all, it was negligence on my part that caused it to be missing any way. Now I waited for a response.

The next day I had my email answer from Mary in Customer Service, who stated simply, “ok i will get these out.” Three days later a package arrived in the mail from Memphis Shades. I opened it and to my surprise there was two of everything I needed to repair my windshield. I also did not find any billing information, even for the shipping. I went immediately to the garage and installed the missing spacer, nut and bolt. Everything worked flawlessly and Mistress was complete once again with her Memphis Shades windshield nice and tight.

I went back inside and fired off another email to Mary at Memphis Shades Customer Service letting her know I had received the package and asked how much money I owed them. She replied back the next day to the email, “Hi Torch, you dont owe me anything. Thanks, Mary.” I was shocked, literally. Memphis Shades had just knocked my socks off with jaw dropping, eyebrow raising customer service. I was indeed wowed. It is rare that you come across that kind of customer service anywhere, anyplace, any time.

This post is to say thanks to Mary in Customer Service and to Memphis Shades for making such a fine product and going over and above in standing behind their product and in helping someone out even when they did not have too because it definitely was not a product issue.

Ride on,
Torch

Song of the Rolling Sirens

Song of the Rolling Sirens

It was a dark spring morning and a blanket of ominous clouds hovered low in the sky making the air thick with humidity. I started the V-Star and her 1063 cc’s of v-twin power roared to life as I hit the garage door opener button to close the garage. It was 6:00 am and I was hoping my neighbors did not hate me and my Cobra exhaust as I turned out of the driveway and started on my commute to work.

Passing the local Waffle house on my way to the freeway the odors of waffles, eggs, sausage, and bacon, beckoned me to stop and eat. I sighed at what was not to be as I approached the light downshifting twice to turn onto the access road to get on the on-ramp to the two lane freeway. Three quarters of the way up the on-ramp my left turn signal was on as I shifted into third. I have decided that this was the most fun part of any ride, the acceleration to get up to speed, after all, there are no laws that limit how fast you can get up to the speed limit.

In no time I’m at the end of this stretch of highway as it makes a graceful right hand turn and merges with another section this time three lanes wide. Tending to run faster than the other traffic I again apply my left turn signal and change lanes twice double checking the lane next to me each time before changing lanes. In the fast lane I pulled in right behind another motorcyclist traveling slightly faster than me possibly on a Harley-Davidson by the sound of the engine.

I sped up a little to keep up with the other motorcyclist. Traffic is usually not too bad this time of the morning as long as you do not get stuck behind a row of vehicles all traveling the same speed so that you cannot get by in the fast lane. Some people will just not change lanes even though slower traffic is supposed keep right. Just about then is when I started to hear the Song.

An eighteen wheeler was in the middle lane and I was passing on the left tracking in the left hand side of my lane. As I drew closer the sound of their Song got louder. I glanced at all those wheels, each one almost half as tall as me. These Sirens are calling to me, luring me to look at them. I try to look away. Mistress, my bike, says, “Watch where we are going.” We were approaching a left hand curve on the highway.

I move lane position to the right side of my lane in preparation of the curve doing the outside, inside, outside track thing like I don’t really know how tight the curve is. This places me right next to the leviathans’ rear trailer wheels. I glance over and the Sirens Song is sweeter, louder, calling me closer as I strain to look away. “Look away, don’t stare at the beast,” I say to myself, probably out loud.

I’m slightly behind the rigs two sets of double tires now and nearing the apex of the curve. The muscles in my legs and arms tighten up and get stiff as the sirens voices start screaming louder at me as I fight to avert my eyes and turn my bike away from our deadly track. All I need to do is pull back slightly on the right handlebar and Mistress will respond leaning left and turning left out of that outer track but I find myself fighting the Sirens hypnotic Song. The Sirens Song is a screaming crescendo now pulling at Mistress and trying to make us crash against the mighty Leviathan.

My pulse has quickened and my breathing has almost stopped as I try to force her to turn left fighting against the handle bars that feel like hard taffy. She does not respond to manhandling and awaits the gentle counter steer command. The bike is at the apex of the curve now and we are sliding slowly closer into the mouth of the deadly Leviathan.

We are being drawn in, pulled by the voices of the alluring Sirens. Then, Mistress’s soothingly soft sultry voice cut through the panic brought about by the Song of the Sirens telling me, “Look away from the beast and look to where you want to go.” This was said not as an order, but in a matter of fact, common sense kind of way.

Nodding in agreement I hear her and obeyed, ignoring the Sirens command I forced my eyes to look away and into the far left track of the lane I’m traveling in. I relax my arms and gently push the left handle bar forward while pulling slightly back on the right. Mistress responds with a purr and immediately leaned left and headed into the left track out of the deadly path of the stampeding Leviathan. I blocked out the compelling Song of the Sirens and speed by the eighteen wheeled monster right as the corner ends.

Breathing once again my pulse starts to slow as I take the exit to get to work. Once at work and calmed down, I had time to reflect on what had just transpired on my normal boring commute. Call it what you want, Target Fixation or the Song of the Siren, your bike will go, maybe subconsciously, where you look. Is Target Fixation just an excuse, a Myth, or an Urban Legend? Having first hand battled it and won, I think not. So, glance at obstacles just long enough to recognize them for what they are and then look back where you want to go. If you don’t, you may succumb to the call of the Sirens, and smash into the very obstacle you are staring at, and trying desperately to avoid.

Ride on,
Torch

May 2009 Proclaimed Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

2009 MOTORCYCLE SAFETY AWARENESS MONTH NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 5/20/2009
CONTACT: Torch

Midlife Motorcycle Madness Promotes “Sharing the Road” with Motorcycles by Joining Efforts with State and Federal Partners

May 2009 Proclaimed Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.

Bedford, Texas – Motorcyclists fatalities have steadily increased over the past decade. In fact, in 2007, there was a seven percent increase in fatalities from 4,837 in 2006, to 5,154.

That’s why Midlife Motorcycle Madness announced today that they are joining with other federal, State and local highway safety, law enforcement, and motorcycle organizations in proclaiming May 2009 as “Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.” All motorists are reminded to safely “Share the Road” with motorcycles and to be extra alert when driving to help keep motorcyclists safe. Motorcyclists are reminded to make themselves visible to other motorists in case other drivers are not looking out for motorcycle riders.

“As the weather improves, more and more motorcyclists are hitting the roads. And with that in mind, drivers of all vehicles, whether you’re driving an SUV, passenger car or truck, need to be extra attentive and make sure you “Share the Road,”’ said Torch. “Motorcycles are some of the smallest vehicles on our roads, often hidden in a vehicle’s blind spot so everyone needs to really look out for them.”

It’s crucial that motorists always make a visual check for motorcycles by checking mirrors and blind spots before entering or leaving a lane of traffic and at intersections.

“Motorcyclists have responsibilities, too,” said Torch. “They should follow the rules of the roadway, be alert to other drivers, and always wear a DOT-compliant helmet and other protective gear.”

Torch said that motorcyclists are much more vulnerable than passenger vehicle occupants in the event of a crash. He said that research shows that per vehicle mile traveled, motorcyclists are about 37 times more likely than a passenger car occupant to die in a traffic crash.

Torch offered several tips for drivers to help keep motorcyclists safe on our roadways:

* Remember the motorcycle is a vehicle with all of the rights and privileges of any other motor vehicle on the roadway. Always allow a motorcyclist the full lane width—never try to share a lane;

* Always make a visual check for motorcycles by checking mirrors and blind spots before entering or leaving a lane of traffic and at intersections;

* Always signal your intentions before changing lanes or merging with traffic;

* Don’t be fooled by a flashing turn signal on a mo­torcycle – motorcycle signals are often not self-canceling and riders sometimes forget to turn them off. Wait to be sure the motorcycle is going to turn before you proceed;

* Allow more following distance, three or four sec­onds, when behind a motorcycle, so the motorcyclist has enough time to maneuver or stop in an emer­gency. And don’t tailgate. In dry conditions, motorcycles can stop more quickly than cars.

Torch said motorcyclists can increase their safety by:

* Avoid riding in poor weather conditions.

* Wearing brightly colored protective gear and a DOT-compliant helmet;

* Using turn signals for every turn or lane change, even if the rider thinks no one will see it;

* Combining hand and turn signals to draw more attention to themselves;

* Using reflective tape and stickers to increase conspicuity; and

* Positioning themselves in the lane where they will be most visible to other drivers.

Our message to all drivers and motorcyclists is: make this the first year in recent years when motorcycle fatalities do not increase. Help to share in the responsibility and do your part by safely “Sharing the Road.”

Ride on,

Torch