When you're miles away from help and need to get your bike running, how do you fix the problem? Step 1: Isolate the problem Step 2: Bypass the problem, or MacGyver a fix Step 3: Organize a permanent solution Of course, that is much easier to type than it is to do. I'm going to

After a few years on my KLR650-E, I’d say “jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none” is the most accurate overall description of Kawasaki’s long-standing dual-sport. It’s a solid enough performer both on and off the street, though not quite what I’d call ideal for either. Still, I’ve made only minor modifications, and I can basically jump on the bike

Hopefully, I’ve created enough awareness in the miles I’ve racked up since this paint job. Rewind to March earlier this year, when it was the shared birth month for my bike and I. As I customarily do for the bike and myself, I did buy a little “bike present” for the both of us. It

Three weeks and over 500 miles into this union… We aren’t supposed to make sense, the bike and I. It’s too small and narrow for me, who’s too tall for it. I thought that the first time I laid eyes on such a diminutive bike, that it looks like it should be riding me, which

Just over two and a half years ago, I inadvertently found myself having one of the most fantastic experiences of my life. SSB Yamaha Custom Showdown stall Suffice it to say, though I had only hoped to display my bike in any area they could make available for me under the Yamaha banner, what Sarah

“In chaos theory, the butterfly effect is the sensitive dependency on initial conditions in which a small change at one place in a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in a later state.” – Wikipedia This was the butterfly. So in continuation of my Brass Knuckle’s saga, my friend Rob and his crew

The holidays are here once again and boy are we excited (maybe, maybe not). Thanksgiving and Christmas can be a hectic time, and can also be a fun time with family, food, and friends. I have compiled a list of great Christmas gifts tailor-made for any motorcycle lover in your life. Heck, buy one for

Following World War 1, the auto industry began producing more affordable vehicles such as the Ford Model T. For this reason, sidecars (along with motorcycles in general) began falling out of fashion among consumers. As an example, Harley Davidson and Indian motorcycles saw one-third and two-third reductions in sales respectively from 1920 to 1922. Safety

The most accepted story about the beginnings of the sidecar, or at least its' introduction into recorded history, was by way of a competition in France aimed at solving the issue of carrying a passenger on early bicycles. The sidecar was put fourth by a French army officer by the name of Mr. M Bertoux.

Remember the days of the sidecar? When you couldn't go more than a couple blocks around town before seeing a Harley retrofitted with a dingy carriage on the side, occupied by a disgruntled dog or girlfriend who was clearly thinking "this wasn't what I was expecting when he said he rode a motorcycle". Ok well

The new Honda Nighthawk ready for action Around three years ago, my buddy John let me ride his 750 Nighthawk around town. At that time, my regular scoot was a 150cc Honda CA95. I am in the process of rebuilding that bike, and will post that build later, but that little Honda sure felt smaller

By: Jacob Wisdom I write a lot about dual sports, because personally I find them to be the most fun way to get around on two wheels. With a Stage 2 HotShots Cam and titanium Pro Circuit exhaust, my XR650R had an incredible power to weight ratio, and would scream around the streets sliding the

Step One of any ride: Pull in the clutch. As much as anything, that's what sets riding a bike apart from driving a car. This isn't about the difference between pushing on a clutch pedal and pulling in the clutch lever. It's a matter of having a clutch. In recent years, new cars sales with

I have been riding CB450's for almost 4 years now. It's a dual overhead cam motor with little things called "torsion bars" instead of valve springs. I became fascinated with the engine design, and the engine design has become fascinated with my wallet! I now am on my second CB450, since I was rear-ended while

My brother got a long-time project bike on the road this week, so I thought I would take a break of the legal mumbo-jumbo that you’ve all grown accustomed to on this blog, and share his work with my readers.  (In fairness though, I am a motorcycle accident lawyer, so legal mumbo-jumbo is kind of

On Sunday, your favorite motorcycle accident lawyer (me, I mean) drove from Pasadena up to Bakersfield, looking at yet another Harley-Davidson Dyna Wide Glide FXDWG.  This one was another Evo — but was a little newer than the last couple of bikes I had looked at.  Truth be told, based on the last Harley I

So if you’ve been following my last couple of blogs, you know that I have been pondering what to buy to replace my old Sportster.  I think, last week, I left you with me, a suspicious-by-nature motorcycle accident attorney, in Orange County, looking at a used motorcycle.  The bike, if you recall, was a 1993

Although I really haven’t made a clear decision between Harley-Davidson and Moto Guzzi, it’s feeling like it’s going to be one of the two for my next cruiser.  That said, with decidedly fewer Guzzi’s out there for sale, it’s likely that my next bike will be an Hog.     So here’s the question I’ve been

Ugh.  This should be easier than it is.  This weekend, I took a much-needed break from the office, took off the “motorcycle accident lawyer” hat, and strapped on a helmet.  No legal nonsense.  No insurance adjusters.  Just a biker looking for a new ride.  Those of you who keep up with my blog know that

If you read my blog yesterday, you know about my bad luck with my Harley Sportster, and how it died on me after just 40 or 50k miles thanks to a manufacturing defect.  Now, I’m searching for a new cruiser.  Here’s what I’ve figured out so far: I don’t need a sport bike.  I’m keeping

A few months ago, my 2004 Harley Davidson Sportster broke.  Again.  It’s a long and frustrating story, but the gist of it is this.  I bought the bike new in 2004.  I put a fair amount of money into it, and got it just the way I wanted it.  Progressive shocks and springs, high-flow air