Random thoughts on bikes and riding

[Gary856]

Cruising bikes, mean you gotta slow down because basically you'll be trading some lean angle for comfort. I think those big engines get better mpg (at cruising speeds) so 3.2 might infact be enough before needing to get off the bike and stretch your legs... I think.

I rented an Indian Scout Bobber (1,133 cc, 100 HP) almost 3 years ago. I did 132.9 miles on one tank, put in 2.921 gallons -> 45.5 mpg. (Rode 239 miles total but didn't keep track of all the gas amount.) Pretty good gas mileage, but the range wasn't too good. BTW with the Scout Bobber I needed to stretch my back, not the legs. :laughing

With the FTR 1200 (1,203 cc, 120 HP) I rented last week, I did 100 miles on one tank, put in 2.7 gallons -> 37 mpg. Overall I averaged 36 mpg over 229 miles. (I rode 286 miles total but didn't gas up at the end.)

In comparison, my Ulysses (1,203 cc, 103 HP) averaged 44 mpg over almost 2k miles. It has a 4.4-gallon tank, so I typically fill up after 160-170 miles. To me, the Scout's engine feels more powerful than the Ulysses.

 

[Gary856]

Foam ear plugs variations

I got a box of 200-pairs of Howard Leight Laser Lite foam ear plugs. Some plugs are firmer, which blocks out noises well and could be re-used 5-6 times before losing their effectiveness, but some are softer and not seal as well right out of the bag so only marginally good for a couple of uses. Hard to say exactly but it seem more of them are on the less desirable softer side.

I looked up on YouTube to see how foam ear plugs are made. Here’s an example from a Chinese factory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2yMxTBWycg - kind of what I expected. It’s like making waffles (without the connecting ribs) in waffle iron. Liquid “batter” is dispensed into molds, the molds close and the heat cures (solidifies) the “batter” into foam plugs. The batter mix, amount and heating profile would affect the firmness of the plug; it would be interesting to have a process engineer and a QA guy to look into tightening the production variables.

 

[ScottRNelson]

I got a box of 200-pairs of Howard Leight Laser Lite foam ear plugs. Some plugs are firmer [...] but some are softer

I've tried probably two dozen different earplugs and my current favorite is:

3M E-A-Rsoft SuperFit

They're softer than the average foam earplug, so they're comfortable all day long, but they still offer 33 dB of noise reduction, so they work about as well as anything else that I've ever tried. And usually I can take them out and reinsert them half a dozen times on a ride and still have them work just as well. They always behave the same, unlike the Howard Leight plugs that I've tried in the past.

I have a case of them somewhere in my house that I haven't been able to find. But I bought another case a few months back and that one is hung on the wall above my workbench next to the motorcycles. I'll be able to find them until I use up every last one, and hopefully I've found the other ones by then.

 

[Karbon]

"backing it in/riding the front" isn't really majorly difficult to do, especially if you're just screwing around for shits and giggles.

Backing it in/sliding the rear because your making awesome lap times is another story.

 

[Gary856]

I've tried probably two dozen different earplugs and my current favorite is:

3M E-A-Rsoft SuperFit

They're softer than the average foam earplug, so they're comfortable all day long, but they still offer 33 dB of noise reduction, so they work about as well as anything else that I've ever tried. And usually I can take them out and reinsert them half a dozen times on a ride and still have them work just as well. They always behave the same, unlike the Howard Leight plugs that I've tried in the past.

I've used Laser Lite for many years and like them for the most part, but putting them in just right is such a painfully delicate and annoying process once I get them in just right I don't want to remove them until the end of the ride. Most days I could get them in right in one or two tries, some times taking several minutes, but today was the extreme. During the first 16 miles I stopped 4 times and went thru 2 new pairs; each time it got a little quieter, but still not all the way quiet, and I finally gave up. It drove me nuts.

In group rides I'm always surprised to see other riders removing their ear plugs at each stop; I figured either their bikes aren't as loud, or they have much lower noise sensitivity than I.

I looked up 3M E-A-Rsoft SuperFit on Amazon (more and more it seems like Amazon's the only place to find stuff) and damn they only come in 200-pair or more bulk pack. Worth a try if they work better.

 

[davidji]

I looked up 3M E-A-Rsoft SuperFit on Amazon (more and more it seems like Amazon's the only place to find stuff) and damn they only come in 200-pair or more bulk pack. Worth a try if they work better.

You can buy those in smaller quantities at Earplug Superstore, but better, you can by a foam earplug sampler pack, and see which ones work for you.
https://www.earplugstore.com/unfoamtrialp1.html

It sounds like you have an ear canal that's hard to insert roll-up plugs in. It's easy for most, but not for everybody. I'd do all the things (roll plug, pull the ear back) and the plugs wouldn't go in. Two steps were missing for me: use the right plug (some work for me, some don't), and wet said plug after rolling it.

I rate plugs on comfort, ease of insertion, & noise reduction. And I'll carry different ones for different situations.

The Earsoft Superfit was one of my most used plugs. Not the most comfortable for me (that's the Laser Lite), but easier to get in than that one, so I'd use it more. Easiest to insert is the Leight Pilot, but it's not a roll-up, and not comfortable for long. Short trips only for me.

A sampler pack or two would be a good way to see what works for you.

 

[Blankpage]

Ive tried every sort of foam earplug from work while riding. For me they all get the job done with no hassle. They all reduced noise by around the same amount. Some slightly more comfortable than others but all were tolerable for hours of riding and easy to remove and replace during the ride.

Surprised to read the issues some people have with foam earplugs

 

[ScottRNelson]

I've used Laser Lite for many years and like them for the most part, but putting them in just right is such a painfully delicate and annoying process once I get them in just right I don't want to remove them until the end of the ride. Most days I could get them in right in one or two tries, some times taking several minutes, but today was the extreme. During the first 16 miles I stopped 4 times and went thru 2 new pairs; each time it got a little quieter, but still not all the way quiet, and I finally gave up. It drove me nuts.

In group rides I'm always surprised to see other riders removing their ear plugs at each stop; I figured either their bikes aren't as loud, or they have much lower noise sensitivity than I.

I looked up 3M E-A-Rsoft SuperFit on Amazon (more and more it seems like Amazon's the only place to find stuff) and damn they only come in 200-pair or more bulk pack. Worth a try if they work better.

I have a harder time getting an earplug in correctly in my right ear than my left ear. Different ear canal shape or something. So most of the time at stops I only pull out the left one.

It's rare that I don't get one of the 3M earplugs in right, but it happens. Yes, it's annoying to have to stop, yank the helmet off, then try to reinsert the earplug properly.

I get my earplugs from a local AirGas store. There has always been an AirGas store nearby, wherever I've lived. I'm okay with buying $25 worth of earplugs at a time.

 

[Brentoast]

You could always get a pair of custom molded earplugs to make up for the different size ear canals. The price on those has dropped over the years so its not prohibitively expensive.

 

[N4teTheGreat]

This line of conversation prompted me to try another set of reusable plugs. I found a set with a claimed 32NRR which as I understand it should be enough to protect against hearing damage (of which I already have plenty of). Hopefully they'll fit well and effectively block sound. I've used Heros in the past but they always felt louder than foam plugs. And of course, I have been hassled more than once by CHP motor cops for wearing ear plugs and not being able to hear their commands clearly, catch 22.

 

[ScottRNelson]

You could always get a pair of custom molded earplugs to make up for the different size ear canals. The price on those has dropped over the years so its not prohibitively expensive.

I had a set made at the IMS and they didn't work right for me. They cut out the low frequency sounds, but let in the high frequency stuff. Exactly opposite of what I needed to protect my ears from wind noise.

I took them back to the same vendor the next year for "an adjustment", but it didn't help. I use what works best for me, which is the 3M E-A-Rsoft SuperFit foam earplug.

 

[Brentoast]

Yeah foam typically has been the quietest for me but I just cant bring myself to use them. Feel too guilty throwing them out. I have a pair of reusable ones that does the job fine but still doesnt beat a good pair of foamies

 

[ScottRNelson]

Yeah foam typically has been the quietest for me but I just cant bring myself to use them. Feel too guilty throwing them out.

You don't throw them out until they're all covered in ear wax and dirt that they've picked up in your riding jacket pocket. :laughing

 

[N4teTheGreat]

You don't throw them out until they're all covered in ear wax and dirt that they've picked up in your riding jacket pocket. :laughing

Even then, I usually don't throw them out until I inevitably loose one or they start looking REALLY grimy and I can't remember how long it's been since they were new.

 

[SVsick50]

Why must all the bikes I own never feel right unless I spray paint them flat black???

 

[Gary856]

You can buy those in smaller quantities at Earplug Superstore, but better, you can by a foam earplug sampler pack, and see which ones work for you.
https://www.earplugstore.com/unfoamtrialp1.html

I have a harder time getting an earplug in correctly in my right ear than my left ear. Different ear canal shape or something. So most of the time at stops I only pull out the left one.

I get my earplugs from a local AirGas store. There has always been an AirGas store nearby, wherever I've lived. I'm okay with buying $25 worth of earplugs at a time.

I have way more problem with plugs with my left ear than right ear.

Thanks for the buying info. Never heard of AirGas stores before but there's one nearby too.

 

[Gary856]

Tire pressure

On my high-400 to 500-ish lb bikes and with me being 175 lbs, no luggage, I've always used 37-38 psi for the rear tire, figuring it's a good balance between ride quality and tread life. The common wisdom is higher pressure = longer tire life. However, recently I wore out a few different rear tires in the center, with plenty of tread left on the sides, even though most of my rides are on twisty roads. This made me think the rear pressure's too high, so I lowered the pressure to 35 psi hoping to even out the center-side wear, if not to increase tire life.

It hasn't been long enough to conclude on tire life yet, but the ride quality improved unexpectedly and significantly. The rear feels more supple and the bikes' are more planted and feel really good in the corners. Why did I wait so long with this simple pressure adjustment? Complacency and stubbornness, I guess.

The front wear is just the opposite at 34 psi - they wear into a sharp v-shape on the sides (I could put a straight edge against the side of the front tire and see a 1.5"-2" wide completely flat edge) - I haven't figured out if I need to increase or decrease the front pressure to even out the wear yet. I'm guessing lowering pressure might help?

 

[Johndicezx9]

Okay... I took a quick scoot the afternoon around 1ish.

I decided to wait behind a car at a red light when I smelled cigarette smoke (which I can't stand) and saw a young woman in the car in front of me blowing the smoke out the drivers window. Okay, the light was gonna change so I could wait.

The back window was open, I figured she didn't want the car to smell (then why smoke?). But then I noticed a kid sticking their head out the back window trying to get fresh air.

Maybe it was all the years when I was a kid having to breathe my parents' 2nd hand smoke without open windows because it was cold, or whatever (mom just did her hair?), but I had to say something.

I rolled up to the driver and asked "Are you seriously smoking with your kid in the car?"

She was at first startled, said nothing, and then flicked her cigarette at me....:facepalm

At least she stopped smoking the cig.... :laughing

 

[Map8]

:laughing

 

[Johndicezx9]

:laughing

Dad smoked a pipe... :cry

:laughing