Not a Happy Anniversary

Five years and two days ago, I sat on my first ever motorcycle, an old Kawasaki Eliminator cruiser, and began my motorcycle journey. This weekend I was looking forward to an anniversary ride on Sunday since Saturday dawned gray and misty. Instead, in doing a seemingly good deed, I broke the R Nine T.

If you own a motorcycle, I recommend searching for hidden problems with the bike. On the BMW R Nine T the hidden problem is known as the disappearing rear brake. A full depression of the rear brake pedal and nothing happens, no caliper engagement. And why? That was perhaps the greatest mystery. The motorcycle has less than 3,000 miles on it, is kept in a garage, and isn’t ridden very hard. Yet on this gorgeous sunny, breezy Sunday, my motorcycle mysteriously broke.

The disappeared rear brake was discovered while Bill was bringing the bikes down the driveway. The Triumph waited patiently by the curb for my BMW to ride. The little garage cabbage white admired the Rocket from across the street. But my bike never made it to the curb. We tried adding brake fluid, but it was a no go, so no ride. And after the week I had at work, I really needed a relaxing ride full of butterflies (I’d spotted a bunch on the drive over).

Instead, we returned both bikes to the garage, packed up the gear, and headed home to do some research. That’s where we learned about the disappearing rear brake. What was really annoying was one of the potential causes of the disappearance was getting the ABS mechanism wet. Guess what we did on that dreary Saturday? Right, we washed and waxed the motorcycles. One would think the dealership would warn new owners that washing their motorcycle might damage one of the most important features of the motorcycle, but no.

Now the problem could be air in the brake line, so we’ll try bleeding the line first before trying to set up service. I really am screwed if the R Nine T does need service; the dealer’s service center doesn’t have any appointments open until September!

So I end this blog post with a cliffhanger—will the R Nine T rear brake get fixed? Will it need service months away? Will I get to ride next weekend? Will there be a sixth anniversary? Stay tuned!

soap bubble on front tire of motorcycle — Happy bubble on a happy motorcycle

Sudden Stops on a Spectacular Spring Ride

Spring returned in full force for today’s ride with a beautiful sunny day right around 70 degrees and with a full-frontal assault by the pollen. I wore my neck tube up over my mouth and nose to help alleviate my allergies, and that action was mostly successful, so I could enjoy the day without sneezing all afternoon.

The azaleas are reaching peak bloom, the roses are beginning to bloom, and I even saw large pink-white peonies blossoming. I spotted two monarch butterflies out enjoying the day probably as much as I was. The Japanese maples were a spectacular red as they reflected the sunlight off their leaves, and the roads were covered in the maple seed pod “helicopters.” We called them “helicopters” as kids because we would pick them up and throw them in the air to let them spin their way to the ground. I even picked up a few as I loaded the gear after the ride to relive my childhood fun.

My motorcycle ride was wonderful. My on-street U-turns were all street with my second one being super tight. Turning my head a little more has really helped tighten my U-turns; I just need to work on reaching and being comfortable at full lock. We also did the zooming figure eights with the race braking, but there was a trailer parked in the lot and it cramped my turns.

My most successful aspect of the ride was finally being able to use engine braking to aid my sudden stops. Engine braking is when I let the downshift of the engine help to slow the motorcycle. What I have to do is let out the clutch as I downshift while braking sharply. It’s a coordination effort on my part. Out of three attempts, I was successful on two. The first stop with the engine braking was within two parking spots. The second one was a goof. And the third was the best; I stopped within a parking spot and a half. It’s always fun to make a leap in skills, and I look forward to working the stops some more next week.

burgundy leaves in sunlight on a Japanese maples

Springtime Treats Ride

We’ve officially entered spring and happy motorcyclists are popping up everywhere. Riders who winterize their motorcycles have dusted them off, fueled them up, and are in the saddle again. We saw a group of six (or more) young people out on their sports bikes as well as too many Harley riders to count. The day was perfect for motorcycles; sunny skies and temperatures hovering around 70 degrees. At that temperature, as long as one isn’t sitting at traffic lights, the ride is quite comfortable with enough breeze generated to keep riders comfortable.

But motorcyclists like myself weren’t the only creatures out to enjoy the day. Before we headed out, I saw an osprey circling high above the river. A mile into our ride I spotted a young bald eagle diving toward the river. A few blocks later, I spotted a young cabbage white butterfly thrilled at the blooming trees and flowers, including the first bright red tulips of the spring. And yes, my little cabbage white garage friend was hanging around as we unloaded the gear.

The cherry blossoms are on full display, and I spotted white budding on the dogwoods. The azaleas will be blooming soon, and the pollen will thicken the air. I also spotted the first Canadian tiger swallowtail making its way across the road, promising more varied butterfly spotting on future rides.

Before we set out on the ride, Bill challenged me to work on turning my head even farther during a U-turn than usual and to focus on the lean out as the motorcycle turns around. By doing this, my two on-street U-turns were beautiful—a foot of tarmac between my tire and the berm. But it was a challenge, and I struggled on the gravel and had to dab on one of my turns. Even so, I managed two turns inside the two parking spaces.

I also remembered to check my rearview mirrors more through the ride, my own personal challenge. Next week my goal is to check my rearview mirror before all stops, something I should be doing but have gotten lazy about. Bill’s head turn challenge was also to make sure we aren’t getting lazy as our skills improve. As we finished our ride, our last springtime treat was a squirrel playing chicken with the Rocket. He only won because Bill came to a stop and beeped him off the road. A funny end to what was a beautiful ride—hooray for spring!

Yoshino cherry tree in full bloom with pinkish white flowers against a blue sky

Triple Whites

If you’re out on the road, I’m sure you’ve noticed an uptick in motorcycles out and about. Riders who winterize their motorcycles leap at the chance to get them out of storage and ride. Luckily for me, I’m a year-round rider, so I don’t have a withdrawal period. But I still love a beautiful day made for motorcycles which is what we were given this week.

The day before the weather surprised us with a wind shift that brought colder air in, but it didn’t last. We had a gorgeous day in the mid-70s and everywhere there were signs of spring taking over from winter. As we headed over for the ride, I spotted a small, brownish pink butterfly determinedly fluttering up the road. It was too far for me to guess the species, but it made me smile and confirmed a hope I had that as early as it was, the butterflies would be out.

Sure enough, half a mile into our ride, as I was watching a large Muscovy duck waddle across the road, the first cabbage white butterfly fluttered up on my right. Another mile up the road, as I looked to the left at a stop sign, I spotted another cabbage white in a frenzy of flutters. The camellias and daffodils are attractive, but additionally, the plum trees and sugar magnolias are beginning to bloom, giving the butterflies more options.

As we rode, we saw loads of people out walking, running, working in the yard, and playing because it was too beautiful of a day not to get out and enjoy it. And it was a restorative ride for me. I could feel joy spreading through me, chasing away the winter blahs. That joy translated into my ride. My on-street U-turns, while not the tightest, were both all pavement. My rear tire did slip a bit during the fast stop into turns drills, but I didn’t panic or dab; I just registered that my speed was sufficient to cause the backend to slip. I even successfully did the full U-turn inside the two parking spots on the gravel lot.

At some point during the ride, I registered that I was smiling. That feeling, that body-infusing joy one feels while cruising on two-wheels, that is what makes motorcycle riding so addictive—in a good way. I wonder if there is a study on the happiness of motorcycle riders and if, on average, we are generally happier than average folks.

The title of this week’s piece, Triple Whites, is a play on a popular BMW R1250/1300 GS color scheme—Triple Black. My triple whites are the cabbage white butterflies, and the third cabbage white made me happiest. As I rode my motorcycle up the driveway, across the yard the little guy fluttered toward me as if welcoming me home. I hope he’s the same butterfly that hung around last year, and I certainly hope I get to see him again during next week’s ride.

Finishing Up February with Fun

Spring is winning out over winter. While we did have some snowfall Sunday, the weather warmed back up and we had a near 60 degree day for our ride. The sun was out, the clouds were thin and stretched out, and it was another perfect day for riding motorcycles.

On our way over to the garage, we saw a young man zooming over 80 mph on his sport bike on the interstate. I realize the new MotoGP season has started, but zooming through heavy traffic is never a smart idea. And this young man only had his helmet on. His white hoodie was standard cotton, not Kevlar lined like my Klim jacket.

I risked my lightweight jacket and thought I might have made a mistake. As I geared up, I thought about the Velcro straps at my cuffs and cinching them up. But I don’t normally do that with the Klim, so I didn’t, but I very quickly came to regret that decision. The cool air slid right up my sleeves and gave me a chill. I turned on the heated grips, but I wasn’t comfortable until I reached over and cinched up the sleeves. Most jackets have this cinching feature, but since walking around doesn’t cause the air to flow up our arms, I am not in the habit of cinching except with the Schott’s leather. Those sleeves have zippers to cinch in the cuffs, and I always zip those after I’ve put on my gloves. I learned another lesson in appreciating my motorcycle gear.

Our beautiful ride, however, was thwarted a bit by unusual traffic. Three times during the ride we found ourselves edging past cars that had just stopped in the roadway. Apparently it was random stop in the road day and no one told us. The worry was these stopped cars might abruptly start again and pull out without looking. I was worried about one mini-van that almost started but stopped for Bill because I wasn’t sure they would realize I was behind him. Luckily they did, but the odd traffic did put a damper on the ride and Bill cut it short.

But before it was over, I did two beautiful on-street U-turns and managed not to let my tire slip on all the little broken off branches littering one of the parking lots. The Rocket’s front tire did slip and Bill had to dab.

I thought I would see more daffodils blooming, but I think they took a beating by the arrival of second winter and are keeping their heads down. I did see my first spray of bright pink phlox blooming and more camellias are flowering. Heading over I spotted a great blue heron, but nothing but crows and buzzards during our ride. And squirrels, lots of squirrels, lots of excited squirrels out enjoying the early signs of spring. Next weekend looks to be a full-on spring day with temperatures forecasted for the mid-70s; the squirrels and I will be out loving it!

The Best Way to Spend Valentine’s Day

No fancy dress up, no heading out to a candlelit dinner, no champagne although I did get beautiful flowers that included roses. No, I got what I really wanted for Valentine’s Day—a gorgeous, sun-filled day in the upper 50s and a chance to ride.

All week long, Bill and I had been checking Saturday’s forecast, and as we got closer and closer to the weekend, the forecast kept improving with clouds disappearing Thursday and the temperature hitting over 55 by Friday night. Three weeks is a long time not to ride one’s motorcycle, and I was happy that both the weather and my health cooperated to let me out on my R Nine T.

It wasn’t just the weather suggesting that Punxsutawney Phil might have gotten it wrong. I spotted a small flock of Canadian geese as we headed over to the garage, lots of birds flitting in and out of trees, mallards in the river, and a robin zooming by. And Bill and I weren’t the only ones out taking in this spring-like day. The playground at the school was packed, some kids even wearing short sleeves and shorts in celebration of a warmer day. I was comfortable in my flannel turtleneck, leggings, and leathers, no lining needed in my Schotts. I wore my mid-weight gloves and realized I could’ve worn the light weight ones with the heated grips on, but I need more practice in the thicker gloves. And I have improved my throttle work with only one accidental roll on during the ride.

My riding skills evinced a three-week hiatus. My on-street U-turn hit the grassy berm on the first turn. And I messed up my two-parking space turn in the gravel lot, having to stop, push the motorcycle back, and regroup. I even dabbed once during a U-turn. I think in part I was a little extra zoomy during the ride having waited three weeks for the chance to zoom again.

The best part of the ride was knowing I was with my sweetheart and that he was having as much (if not more) fun as me. Looking ahead, the warm weather is planning to stick around, so hopefully I’ll stay healthy and there won’t be another hiatus in our motorcycle rides. Valentine’s Day is a day we reflect on love, and I can honestly say I absolutely love riding motorcycles!

two red and white motorcycles with hearts

If You Don’t Like the Weather, Wait a Week

One reason we don’t winterize the motorcycles is the precariousness of the mid-Atlantic coastal weather. Last week we were bundled up against the cold with our motorcycles warning us of icy conditions. Today’s ride was 74 degrees, so the summer gear was on and my R Nine T was smiling (well, I was smiling on the R Nine T). The rain had passed by earlier and, while there were a few damp patches of road in the shady spots, most of the roads had dried out. The sun even peeked out enough to require sunglasses. I can already sense the days are beginning to lengthen as the sun is higher in the sky and not shining right into my eyes.

I was grateful for my 50/50 tires. There had been some roadwork during the week, and I rode over several patches of gravel. I had my guardian angel bell attached under the chassis, and I hoped since I had my helmet vents open and the visor cracked, I might hear a jingle. But no such luck; I only heard the roar of the boxer cylinders. But I felt its protection as I worked on my turns in the gravel lot. The slight slips of the tires as I came around did not cause me worry as I balanced the motorcycle.

My turns went extremely well during today’s ride. My on-street U-turns were all pavement. And I really enjoyed our fast braking into turns drill, feeling the acceleration and then the dive as I hauled on the brakes then let up. I can understand why people love to race motorcycles.

Bill and I weren’t the only riders out enjoying the day. As we were conducting our fast-braking drill, a rider on a bright yellow Harley-Davidson Pan America rode by giving us the motorcycle salute. That was the first Pan America I’ve seen on the road, and I liked the color as the bright yellow nearly matched the bright yellow on my R Nine T.

It was still winter as far as the animals were concerned. I spotted some vultures up riding the thermals, and we had one squirrel crossing. But other than the ubiquitous crows, there was not much wildlife about. The camellias are blooming, adding their reds and pinks to the browns and greens.

Unbeknownst to me, as we were heading back to the garage, Bill put me to a test. We have a left turn out of the fancy neighborhood into my parents’. There was a car ahead turning the opposite left from us and Bill turned in front of that. But by the time I came to the left turn, there was another car coming up from behind and moving around the left-turning car. If I were crazy, I would’ve accelerated and zoomed into the turn in front of the car, but instead I slowed down into first gear and waited for the car to pass. Afterwards, as we were taking off our gear, Bill told me I had done what he had hoped I would do—deal with the intersection on my own and not just follow him blindly.

It can be a danger when riding with another or others to fall into trailing mode and just do what the leader does. Luckily for me, I have a leader who’s very conscientious of my limited riding experience. However, I am practicing my riding skills every week, and I will be out next week, when winter returns, working on my motorcycle skills.

My R Nine T Thinks I’m Crazy

Happy New Year! And happy semiquincentennial year for the USA! I look forward to an exciting year ahead with lots of amazing rides.

Today’s ride, however, was amazingly cold. In theory the temperature was 41 degrees, but with the wind chill and the cloud cover, it felt much colder. I had finally added the lining to Rev’It Factor 4 thermal lined waterproof pants my warm neck sleeve. I did wear my Klim liner gloves underneath my mid-weight gloves, and Bill led us on a shorter ride.

When we head out, I check my odometer to see how far we go. Today, when I looked down, I saw a flashing 37. After a moment, I noticed the flashing snowflake to the right, and I realized the motorcycle was telling me it was too cold to ride. This happened once before during a ride (Even My Motorcycle Thinks It’s Too Cold to Ride) when my BMW flashed between 34 and 37 for the temperature. Today, it held mostly steady at 37 but did dip down to 36 and rise to 39. The point of this warning is that there is the potential for ice on the roads. Now, we haven’t had any rain in over a week, so ice wasn’t a risk. But as smart as the R Nine T is, it isn’t smart enough to know that (yet).

So despite the cold and the gray skies (the sun made an attempt to shine through but gave up rather quickly), I was mostly comfortable as we rode. Except for my fingertips. Because I have learned to pre-load the front brake, my index and middle finger are on the brake lever and not on the heated grips. Several times during the ride when I was on a straightaway, I brought my grip onto the heated grips to defrost my fingertips, but I found the position uncomfortable and I appreciated the irony.

Four and a half years ago when I sat on the Kawasaki Eliminator, the idea of not having all five fingers on the handlebars was unthinkable. But over the years, I’ve learned how to pre-load and now, pre-loading is the natural, comfortable riding position and five-finger grip on the handlebars feels wrong. But pre-loading in cold weather riding is incredibly uncomfortable, so I started thinking why doesn’t someone invented heated brake and clutch levers for motorcycles? Perhaps because they are made of metal usually, it’s not really a good idea, but a heated brake and clutch lever would make winter rides a bit more enjoyable.

As it was, I rode with the occasional attempt to defrost my fingertips. There were Christmas decorations still up for those you remember that the twelve days of Christmas are from Christmas to the Epiphany. Two interesting ones are a giant bear and a giant penguin seemingly made out of fur like a stuffed toy. But I realized that in fact they are inflatables with the fuzzy surface which makes more sense as they are at least fifteen feet tall.

We did have one crazy street crossing squirrel who darted out in front of us coming and going. And I did spot a falcon being chased by some crows, but mostly it was a quiet ride. I did get to wave to a few people who waved at us, a man out raking leaves and boy about twelve years old. I remember being fascinated by motorcycles as a kid, and I’m very happy that I’ve allowed myself to learn to ride because it is in trying new things that we keep sharp and have fun! My new year’s resolution for 2026 is to not sweat the small stuff, and to help me with that resolution, I plan on channeling my motorcycle riding vibes. I will be creating many positive vibes this year.

Motorcycle dashboard showiong cold weather. — Cold weather warning on the Triumph Rocket display.

Getting Back to the Gravel

It was a day for motorcycles. I spotted almost ten motorcycles of various models as we headed over for our own ride, and I spotted even more on the way home. Tuesday, Veterans Day, had given us a taste of the coming winter, and I think motorcycle riders wanted to grab the great riding weather while they could. The skies were cloudy but no rain was forecasted, and the temperatures were in the upper 60s.

The sun did peak out every now and then as we rode, conveniently as I snapped a photo of one of my favorite autumn trees (see picture). But it was cloudy enough I didn’t wear my sunglasses under my tinted visor. The gray light softened the autumn colors and would’ve made for a peaceful, calm ride, except we had a quick stop not even a half mile into our ride when a cat darted in front of the Rocket’s front tire. That cat kept one of its lives thanks to Bill’s quick reaction.

The squirrels, for the most part, kept themselves in the yards except near the end of our ride when one felt extra daring. Again, it’s a good thing we practice fast stops and swerves. I spotted one tiny cabbage white butterfly determinedly working its way across road. I remarked last year that it seems the cabbage whites are the first and last butterflies of the season.

We headed into the gravel lot to give me more practice, and I felt more comfortable and confident. The small slips of the rear tire were not as nerve-racking as last week, and I even tried my U-turn inside the two parking spots. I had a large smile on my face as gave Bill the thumbs up to signal an end to my gravel practice. I’m glad I get the opportunity to put the 50/50 tires on a surface other than the asphalt. (50/50 tires are half for road and half for off-road.)

As we headed back to the garage, I glanced out over the water and spotted several egrets sitting atop the pylons on a pier. I realize that as we ease into winter, the wildlife views will become even sparser, but then maybe there will be less fast-stop drama too!

shades of gold on tree leaves — Elm tree with golden leaves

Happy Fall Y’All!

After a tough week at work, I was eager to ride, and I was given a gorgeous day of partly cloudy skies and 70 degrees. I was back in the Klim jacket, and I enjoyed a cool and comfortable therapeutic ride.

The squirrels were a little less squirrelly today; they crossed the roads in progressive leaps well out in front of us. I had fun creating wakes in the leaves along the roadway, and the autumn colors are nearing peak, so the sun was glinting of gorgeous burgundies, greens, golds, and umbers. Next week may actually be peak colors, though some of the Japanese maples are already there.

We did encounter three golf carts out on the roads during our ride, and Mr. Recumbent Bicycle was out again, but this ride he had the sense to have someone in front on a regular bike to help with visibility. I’m not sure what’s going on with the golf carts. There are plenty of neighborhood sidewalks for walking, and the day was perfect for taking a stroll. But when I thought about it, aren’t the golf carters doing what Bill and I are but in their own fashion? Aren’t they out riding in the elements, enjoying the feel of the cool air blowing across them, the lack of barriers between them and nature? So while the carts’ puttering speeds are a little annoying, I didn’t mind them so much. I recognized them as fellow riders of a sort.

Of course in a golf cart one can’t do cool U-turns with a lean or feel the slosh of the rear tire riding on gravel. I went in the gravel lot and have noticed a loss of confidence on that surface. I mentioned that to Bill after our ride, and he suggested we include the gravel lot more often. I still managed some tight U-turns on the gravel, but I didn’t try the two parking spots because there were some large branches down and the gravel was obstacle enough.

The only butterfly I spotted was a little cabbage white darting over the fence as I put on my riding boots. We have some mid-40 degree days forecasted for the upcoming week, so my butterfly spotting is just about over for this year. But that just makes me look forward to my upcoming rides.