ASK THE OLD BLOKE ?
The idea for this section began with a suggestion from a reader. The idea is to have a page where people can write in with questions, which I will try to answer, but which will also be published on the web-site so that other readers can offer their answers too.How does this work? Well, what happens is you can send an email by clicking the "email" button at the bottom of the page, (the address, if you want to just cut-and-paste it into your email program, is as follows: theoldbloke_bikes@yahoo.com.au) and I will publish the question, and whatever answer I might have come up with, on the page here. And if you see a question you can offer some help with, or even just an opinion, then send me an email and I will publish your reply too. 
GEAR-SHIFT PATTERN.
Ivor wrote in with an interesting question on gearboxes. “I was sitting at the lights the other day flicking the bike from 1st into 2nd, then back to 1st; and back to 2nd and back to 1st. Not intentionally; I was trying to find Neutral. I’m sure we’ve all had this problem. I’ve often wondered why it does this; why the gearbox seems to be attracted to engaging a gear rather than just being in neutral. But then I began wondering why they put neutral between 1st and 2nd. Why don’t they put neutral at the bottom? In cars you have to cross neutral on every gear-change; and I understand that’s necessary to disconnect the drive inside the box as the gears change. But a bike gearbox is different – obviously, because you don’t have to cross neutral inbetween the other gears. I remember when British bikes used to have the shift-pattern going the other way, 1st was at the top, and top was at the bottom. (Yes, I think I see why they changed that!). But even with that, neutral was always inbetween 1st and 2nd. So I am really curious – why do why do they arrange it like that?The Old Bloke’s Reply:
That’s a fascinating question. Like you, I have often had to flick my foot up and down trying to get into neutral, and the thought had occurred to me too that if neutral was at the bottom it would be easier to find. But I hadn’t gone into too much thought as to why neutral is positioned where it is. So I had to do a bit of research on this one. The first thing to say is that apparently there were some bikes that placed neutral at the bottom. A Kawasaki 100 of early 1970s vintage is one I saw mentioned a couple of times. Another source stated that in earlier times, when most gearboxes were 4-speed, having neutral at the bottom (or the top if it was British) was reasonably common. (The pattern then being N-1-2-3-4). Like you, I am old enough to remember when shift-patterns were not all the same. Some bikes (and not just the Brits) had the shift-pattern going the other way, putting 1st at the top and the others down. Just as interesting aside here, I’ve heard that most race-bikes have their gearboxes set up like that. That’s because when a racer is fanging it out of a corner and wanting to change gear as quickly as possible, it’s easier to just keep stomping down on the lever than having to hook their toe underneath to lift it up. From what I’ve read, it seems we have the Americans to thank for the standardisation we now enjoy. (Although other countries, including our own, no doubt followed suit). During the mid 1970s legislation was introduced requiring the shift pattern to position 1st one click down from neutral, with the remaining gears sequentially selected by clicking up. But to get back to your question as to why neutral is where it is. Well, if you’re having trouble finding neutral, that’s what the safety authorities wanted; they wanted neutral to be hard to find! You see, if it was too easy to find, you could end up finding it when you didn’t want it. And this is what could happen if neutral was at the bottom position. For example, say you are slowing in traffic and need to change into 1st. You click down through the gears, and as the traffic takes off you let out the clutch and …rrrRRRRR … you’ve gone too far! The engine revs, the bike stops and you get cleaned up from behind by the 4WD that was 2 metres off your back wheel! Having your bike end up in neutral when you need it to be in gear and driving is a potentially very dangerous situation. So by having neutral between 1st and 2nd it means that you are less likely to get it accidentally; you have to make a definite precise movement to get there. If it was at the bottom of the pattern it would be much easier to find, but correspondingly harder to find 1st. So you could (and probably would!) often end up in neutral when you wanted 1st; as in the example I’ve just described. Simply put, it’s much safer to be in gear when we want neutral (because we’ve got the clutch to disengage the drive) than to be in neutral when you want to be in gear. So the safety authorities introduced legislation to put neutral where it is; and while they were at it, standardise which direction the pattern went. It makes good sense when you think about it doesn’t it! (Just as well there are minds more clever than ours designing motorcycles!).COSTLY INSURANCE.
Susan wrote in with a question – or complaint – on greenslip insurance. “I’m hoping you or one of your readers can shed some light on why motorcycle greenslip insurance is so expensive. We have 2 bikes insured with QBE (the cheapest insurer for bikes) but are still paying $120 more for each bike than our car. We never carry pillions & have perfect driving / riding records, so it doesn't seem justified.”The Old Bloke’s Reply:
The cost of green-slip insurance has been a cause for great complaint from the motorcycling community for a long time. I suppose the insurance companies would claim that we are at greater risk of being injured than car drivers, so they put their premiums up accordingly. But when all other factors, such as distance traveled (usually less for a bike than a car, on average), accident history etc are taken into account, I think the amount they charge is a bit of a rip-off.The best advice I can give is to shop around. It makes a BIG difference! In NSW there is a site operated by the Motor Accidents Authority that compares prices from all major companies. Here is the URL. http://www.prices.maa.nsw.gov.au/index.php. I think there are similar sites in other states, but I don't have details. If you are outside NSW perhaps do a Google search for "greenslip comparison".With the MAA site, when you complete the on-line form you are instantly given a price from each of the major players. In my experience this has always brought the cost of greenslip insurance down to a figure that is less than what I pay for the car. (Not as much less as I reckon it should be, but still less all the same).You mention QBE. They do some good policies on comprehensive insurance I think, but I've found them to be a bit expensive with greenslips – for bikes anyway. (For cars they're not too bad). For a while now I've found GIO to be much cheaper with greenslip insurance.As a comparison, I went to the MAA site and got a quote for me and my bike. (Mine isn't due now, thankfully, but I did the exercise for comparison). The prices ranged from $324 to $644. That's almost double – a big difference! In order of cheapest to dearest, this is how the companies came in. GIO, CIC, NRMA, Alianz, QBE, Zurich, and AAMI. (There was quite a jump from Alianz to QBE). That was for me, and my bike; but I've heard other reports stating GIO as being the cheapest with greenslip insurance by a big margin. If you are able to use the MAA site (if you are in NSW), or do a similar comparison if you're not in NSW, I would be surprised if you can't get the quote down to less than the car.Of course, things that effect insurance are age (one advantage of being older – insurance gets cheaper!), accident history, driving record, whether you hold comprehensive insurance, and what no-claim-bonus you have with that, and of course, where you live. (Metropolitan areas are usually more expensive). So if you are up for rego, try checking around; it really does save you a lot of money.Anyway, over to you, readers. What’s your thoughts on this? Readers' Replies:
Russ also found GIO to be the cheapest. He writes, “I have found GIO the best for CTP insurance. I paid in November $257.76 for the Suzuki which is within a dollar of my car CTP. However for bike comprehensive I use QBE.” I think that’s the thing; as I mentioned, QBE can do a good deal with comprehensive insurance, but for greenslips with bikes they aren’t so good. Another point to make here is that Russ live sin a “rural” area, compared to myself and others quoted here who live in “city” areas. As I also said, it makes a difference where you live!Steve was up for greenslip renewal recently too. He said that he checked the web-site and then rang GIO after receiving his greenslip from QBE. He said that when he spoke to GIO, “My premium dropped by $120 to the $324 you quoted. The thing was though that according to the info from the web-site GIO's price was well over $400.” I don’t understand why there was the difference, but it was worth checking with them anyway. He adds, “It appears the web-site is only a guide and a bit of ringing around may still save money.” Ivor also found GIO to be cheapest. He writes, "QBE have been good with the car CTP, but I've found them to be a bit higher with the bike CTP. I've had comprehensive car insurance with GIO and found them to be pretty competitive. In the one accident we've had in the car they paid up very promptly too. I'd recommend them. But yes, check the web-site first."Rod wrote, “After reading the question this morning, and your answer, I checked the web site you mention (have done for years) and found that my bike is now $70 dearer than the car for CTP. The car is due for rego mid January and I set the bike renewal for the same date. Quite a difference.” I’m surprised that the bike is actually dearer than the car. GIO was also the cheapest for him, at $360.Rod later did some more checking and found that the age of the vehicle also effects the price of CTP insurance. Changing the year of his bike from 2001 to 2007 reduced the figure to $324. He then checked his car again, and changed the year model from 2005 to 2001. And the quote went up just over $30 – to exactly the same figure as the bike actually. Interesting! I believe the thinking behind this is that older vehicles are more likely to be involved in an accident and their occupants more likely to be injured; due to being potentially in worse mechanical condition, and also to the safer design of modern vehicles. (I don’t agree with it totally, but I think that’s their theory anyway).Bruce wrote to recommend Shannons. He had an accident (mowed down by an errant car!) and found them very good to deal with. He writes, “My insurer was Shannons. They had a cheque in my mailbox 12 days after the event, no questions, full amount. Shannons have been my principal insurer for the past 8 years, cheapest rates, best service, etc give them a try.” It’s good to hear of someone having a good experience from an insurance company! I have insurance with them too, and I like their attitude when you talk to them. Nice to know they’re good with claims too.So, Susan, we haven't been able to solve the question as to why bike CTP insurance is as expensive as it is, but at least if you shop around you'll potentially save a lot of money! Follow-Up: After reading the replies above, Susan wrote to say that she’d been doing a bit more checking. She said she re-checked the MAA web-site, changing the year model from 1994 to 2007, and it made no difference to GIO’s price. Still $501. So she called them. They said that the reason for the high price was that the bike didn’t have comprehensive insurance. So for her, QBE is still the cheapest; at $383. Their car is only $265.
She had a good point to make with this CTP insurance. She writes, “The potential for personal injury in a car (5 person carrying capacity) is far greater so I am still at a loss to justify the insurance company’s thinking.” Yes, good point! On a bike you have a maximum of 2 people potentially being injured. As she says, “Go figure!” 
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RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY…
Glen wrote in with a question about dispersing rain form visors. He writes, “Do you have any knowledge of any products that will shed water from a visor when it rains? I have tryed a product called Rain-off but it didn’t work. Then I discovered in the small print that it should not be used on perspex. I try to avoid riding in the rain but often get caught out and when I do it would be nice to see where I'm going. I use a product called Katcrap to stop the visor fogging inside, and this works well. If I could sort the outside problem it would be great.”The Old Bloke’s Reply:
Yes, rain on the visor is a difficult thing isn't it. I wish there were helmets with windscreen wipers! I asked at a local dealer, and they advised Rain-X. That's for glass too, but apparently it's also used for helmet visors. On a UK web-site I saw a little windscreen-wiper type thing that clips to your finger. (Click here to go to the web-site). My main gloves have a small ridge of rubber on the left index-finger that kind of does the same thing; but you can't ride along wiping it back and forth like a wiper, of course! I use it to just give it a wipe every so often. Another (not quite serious?) suggestion on this subject I read was to speed up and turn your head to the side! (I have tried the turning-the-head part – it does work, to an extent!).Other than that I can't help you much. Hopefully some readers might have some experience with products that work.Reader's Replies:
Rod was quick with a reply to this one. He writes, “I would suggest using VuPlex, which is used in the aviation industry. I’ve been using it for some time on both the bike screen and helmet visor to polish out fine scratches and it is also hydrophobic. A good product.” I spoke to him personally about it too, and he says it really is good, and considers it to be better than Rain-X.Another riding-acquaintance told me about this a while ago, describing how it worked on plastic screens in particular – polished out minor scratches and removed that cloudiness that you get on older bikes. His screen looked like it’d just come out of the shop! I think I’ll try some myself! Rod also supplied the web-site details. http://www.vuplex.com.au/But then, on the other hand, Noel wrote in highly recommending Rain-X. He wrote, “Rain-X’s Original protectant is an invisible and non-reflective coating. Once applied a polymer coating causes rain, sleet & snow to ‘bead up’ and roll off the glass surface. Rain-X also reduces the adhesion of bugs, mud, salt and road grime, making the visor easier to clean whilst maximising visibility. I have used this product myself over the years and it works a treat!” He says retail price is around $11.95 - $12.95. (VuPlex is more expensive, but Rod says lasts a long time). Noel says they also have an anti-fog product that is not good for visors.Tony is also a big fan of Rain-X. He writes, “Rain X is definitely the answer, I discovered it quite a number of years ago and wouldn’t be without it. I use it on my cars and motorcycle helmet (even though I barely ride in the rain!). The product is very good. As an example, if you apply to the windscreen of your car, if you were driving at 100kph in a heavy down pour you wouldn’t need to use your windscreen wipers at all, or at the very least on the intermittent setting. The same goes for your helmet visor. It works like a polish for glass or plastic, when you polish you car the water beads across the paintwork, the same applies with rain X.” He admits he sounds like he’s selling the stuff (which he isn’t!), but reckons it’s one of the best products he found for driving / riding in the rain.Like Tony, I try to avoid riding in the rain, but of course it’s inevitable that you get caught. (It rained on me the last time I was out actually). I’ve never actually considered rain-dispersant products. But I will now!
WHAT NORTON IS THIS?
Craig wrote in with this photo of his late father. He'd appreciate it if anyone can identify the bike. "Does anyone know what model Norton this is, or year model? It is a picture of my late dad in his glory days. I would like to get a tattoo of him on the bike."The Old Bloke's Reply:
I have no idea on this one, so it's over to you! With just a portion of the bike shown clearly this could be a hard ask, but I know there are people who can identfy a bike just by looking at the bolts that hold the mudgaurd on (well, almost!). So if you can help, Craig would certainly appreciate it!Reader's Replies: Martin wrote in with some info he gained from his favourite vintage bike site, Vintage Bike UK. He writes, “The pipes are on the right hand side, the forks and the tank emblem put it mid to late 30's, could even be early 40's. My choice would be a 16H, but hard to pick the year, they ran this model for many years.” He also provided a link to an image search on Google for the model. Looks pretty close to me! Thanks for all your effort Martin!
WHAT'S HAPPENING AT LAKE MACQUARIE?
Cookie says he’s an “old bloke of 63”. He lives in the Newcastle area and says that he is a member of the Lake Macquarie Ulysses Club and Teralba’s "The Old Blokes" club. He rides a 1982 Kawasaki Z 750 PI, which he says has been “slightly modified.” He says, “I’m interested in what's going on for old blokes in this area.”The Old Bloke's Reply:
The clubs you belong to should provide you with a few activities; although some clubs are more active than others. It's also worth checking with local bike shops, as they often have social rides and things happening; although on a less regular basis than the Ulysses club usually.I know we have a few readers in that area, so maybe someone canb suggest some other activities in the area?
VENTURA LUGGAGE SYSTEM
Jon, a reader from what he describes as “a rainy England”, wrote in about fitting a Ventura rack. “Just fitted my Ventura luggage using your excellent guide - thanks very much! I had a Givi set-up before but it was just unusably wide. One thing - I only bought the pack rack, and I won't have that on the bike all the time. Can you get any decent blanking plugs to stop the L brackets filling up with water?”(The photo on the left is of my system of combining a top-box and Ventura bag on a Ventura rack).The Old Bloke’s Reply:
My "excellent guide?" I have done a couple of articles on luggage, but nothing I would quite describe as a “guide”. (Or "excellent either!"). I presume you're probably referring to the details in my Blog where I fitted a top-box to the Ventura rack and later modified the system to also accept the original bag as extra luggage for touring. Anyway, I'm glad it was a help!I'm not sure about the blanking plugs; you could ask the dealer I suppose. An alternative might be the rubber "feet" you get to put on the bottom of chair legs. If you can get some that are the right diameter to slip over the end of the tube, that would work.Anyway, as I said, I'm glad you found my writings helpful! And perhaps readers might have some other suggestions on this?Readers' Replies:
Peter wrote in to say, “Ventura sell an inverted U-shaped bar which spans the mounts, forming a grab-rail. It neatens the empty frame mounts nicely, forms a grab-rail, and strengthens the unused frame mounts.” Sounds good, thanks Peter. I didn’t check with local distributors, partly because I thought the situation with British distributors might be different to what is available locally. But the product-line should be the same. Sounds like a good solution anyway! GPS SYSTEMS
Craig wrote in with a question about GPS systems. He writes, “Does anyone have any idea how to rig up a GPS on a bike? I have a 95 Yamaha XJ900. I have checked out Tomtom and Garmin bike ones, but they are way too over-priced. So I would like to rig up a car one with power source.” The Old Bloke’s Reply:
I’ve not had much experience with Sat-Nav systems; I don’t even have one for the car. I’m reminded though, of one person’s Sat-Nav solution. He said, “I sat my wife on the back, gave her a map and told her to navigate. I reckoned she’d be good at it because she’s always telling me where to go!” I’m guessing that’s probably not the sort you have in mind!Using a car-type should be quite feasible. It wouldn't be all that difficult to tap into the power circuit. You’d need a wiring diagram, or just take it to your friendly bike mechanic and it probably wouldn’t take much to wire-in an accessory type socket, or some form of connection to plug into. The main problem would be keeping it weather-proof. I’m guessing that the car type ones probably wouldn’t like being rained on! You could always take it off when it rained I suppose. Anyway, over to you, readers. Anyone have any suggestions?Readers' Replies:
This question raised quite a bit of response. Thank you! I remembered reading a detailed article (and also posts on a forum) about GPS systems, but I couldn’t locate it again. And rather than try searching further for them, I thought I’d just throw it open to our readers. And you responded with some great information!Rod was one of the first to reply. He recommended sticking to the dedicated bike models, and said, “One of the big advantages of the dedicated motorcycle units is that they can be operated with gloves on.” Good point – not much use having one if you can’t operate it! He recommended Garmin, and said that, “The Nuvi 1390 is a very good unit and available on ebay for around $300.” When it came to mounting it on the bike, he suggested a system called Ram Mounts. (Just click the link to take you to the site). I’ve looked at the site, and they are impressive looking units! He adds a further point, (which should be obvious, but it’s surprising how people often neglect it). “If powering the unit from the bike the power source should have an in-line fuse for safety.”Rod did a bit of further digging and found a NUVI 1390 on eBay for $299 with free postage from Melbourne. Of course, Craig did say that he’d checked out Garmin and found them too expensive. But maybe this is a better price, Craig? Rod said he’d purchased and used Garmin marine and aviation GPS products from GPS OZ in Mona Vale near Sydney, and found the staff very helpful. Please note: Rod adds that this is a car unit, and not waterproof.Ivor suggested that installing a car-type shouldn’t be too hard. “Most bike shops can install a power-socket (cigarette-lighter style) which would allow you to plug in a car-type GPS. As The Old Bloke said though, rain might be a problem. Maybe you could just pull over and put it in your pocket if it rains! And perhaps finding somewhere to mount it could be another problem – on the screen mightn’t be practical for reading it!” Peter agreed with me that water-proofing would be a problem with using a car-type, and suggested that vibration might also be an issue. Yes, good point.And further to this, Russell wrote in to say that he’d found that vibration was indeed a problem for car-type ones, when fitted to some bikes anyway.Now, all of this is great advice, but you’ll remember that Craig said the dedicated bike ones were too expensive. Well, Steve might have an answer to that. He wrote, “I bought one at Aldi, of all places, about 3 months ago, but it would not fit on my sports type handlebars, so I returned it for a full refund of the $149.00 price. It was weatherproof and had an earpiece for the audio. I tried it in the car to make sure it worked.” He said he couldn’t remember the brand, but I’m guessing there wouldn’t be too many to choose from at Aldi. Actually, Aldi often have these sort of things on special for a few weeks and then don’t carry the items after that. Still, it could be worth checking out.One of the issues with Sat-Nav systems is that you have to pay for up-dated maps. And they cost as much as some of the original units! Rod wrote in with a solution to this – especially if you do have a Garmin. There is a web-site that supplies the up-dated maps for free. Here’s the URL. http://shonkylogic.net/shonkymaps/ By the way, there is a lot of other interesting info on the site as well. Take days to read through it all! But there is some good advice on buying too.Thanks to all those who wrote in with suggestions and opinions. A couple of final points. One issue that we didn’t mention, is how often you intend to use it. If you only need it very occasionally when venturing into some out-of-the-way city back-street, then it probably isn’t worth spending a lot of money on it. If, however, you intend running it all the time, and using it often, then it might be worth stretching the budget and going for the dedicated bike units. I did a bit more searching myself and came up with an article that is worth a read. It was written in Britain (so disregard prices), but it’s worth a read. It’s on the EzineArticles web-site. (Click here). http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Choose-Your-Motorcycle-GPS-System&id=160870 PUNCTURES IN TUBED TYRES
Rick wrote in response to the article on Puncture Repair Kits. He is another reader who has tubed tyres, so the kits the article described don’t apply to his situation. He wrote, “I just wondered if any of your readers have any views or experiences with punctures in tubed tires. My XVS1100 Custom has spoked wheels and of course tubed tyres. I always carry a can of goo designed for cars only & have only ever used it once. Wonder upon wonders, it worked well enough to get me home. I left the offending screw in the rear tyre and emptied the goo into it. Pushed it back and forth a few times to distribute as per the directions on the can and proceeded to limp home with a grossly under-inflated tyre. Since I was out in the country a bit I decided to call on Johnny farmer to see if he had a compressor with which to reinflate the tyre. Ah success! The bike got me home and in fact I rode it around the next day before I took it in to get a new tube.“I am now told that you can get some green stuff called ‘Slime’ that you install as a preventative measure rather than a repair. Any thoughts or info regarding the effectiveness of this?”The Old Bloke’s Reply:
The general recommendation I hear is to not use the goo stuff because it gets onto the inside of the wheel and tyre and is hard to get off. But hey, if it gets you home...!With regards to Slime, I had heard of that being used by trail-bike riders. I looked at their web-site (http://slime.com.au/) and they have products for tubed and tubeless tyres. As you say, the product not only seals punctures, it’s also supposed to prevent them (well, prevent them from being a problem if they occur, actually). As I said, the recommendation is generally against using this sort of stuff, but I think that for many of us, removing the tyre and fitting a replacement tube would not be a practical solution. And considering that you’ve used this type of stuff and it worked (albeit with the assistance of a friendly farmer!), then I’d be chucking a can of it in the saddle-bags! Any readers have any experience with this?Readers' Replies:
Aussie wrote, “In earlier days when I went from spokes to mag wheels, I inserted anti-puncture-self wheel balancing goo which looked like bits of horse hair mixed in, well I guess it looked sort of like, Clagg!” He says he never had a puncture in all the time he ran it, and the wheels remained in balance. He says, “However, I stress that I always used a tube so that gunk never came in direct contact with my mag wheel.” Oh, and he always carries a small hand-pump. 
GEAR INDICATOR
Don describes himself as, “A 65-year old 'wanna be' and have been looking at mags, bikes etc for quite some time - yet to take the plunge!” He says he is curious as to why some bikes have a gear-indicator and some don't. He asks, “Are they a blessing to a new rider or not?" He adds, "I would imagine it would be useful, but some reports I've read don't recommend them, hence my query of you.”The Old Bloke's Reply:
There's no real hard-and-fast rule or reason why one bike has it and others don't – other than style. By that I mean cruisers don't have them because their style dictates that they run a very minimalist style of instruments panel. (They often don't have tachos, and hardly ever have fuel gauges). As for other bikes, I suppose the sportier type bikes tend to have them because you're more likely to be changing gear more often, and more likely to lose track of what gear you're in. And on a sports-bike it's more important to be in the right gear. But apart from that, it's really just a matter of how well-featured the manufacturer makes their instrument display.I think they are a good thing; and I can’t understand why anyone would not recommend them. For a beginner they’re a good thing, yes, but also for the more experienced rider too. I will admit that sometimes I've forgotten to change up into top and been riding along in a lower gear until I notice the sound / feel of the bike, or the revs being slightly higher for the road speed than they should be. (My bike doesn't have one).Of course in one sense you don't need to know what gear you're in. Just make sure that you are in the "right" gear - the engine not labouring at low revs or screaming at high revs - and change up at the appropriate time. Just keep changing up until there aren't any more! (Although one point to watch here is that if you try to change up too firmly when you're already in top, it can hurt the foot a bit).Readers' Replies:
Aussie, who has a 1981 Suzuki he’s owned since new, doesn’t like a lot of the new fancy gizmos; particularly the sort that “Assists the rider to such a degree that rider input and skill is becoming less, and are we now approaching a state where the machine does everything for us.” However his Suzuki came with a gear indicator, and he says that, especially during city riding, he was grateful for having it. He says, “My ‘purist’ mates rubbished my superfluous gimmicky gizmo while I pretended to be non-plussed, as I secretly blessed it!” These days the indicator has stopped indicating on a few of the gears, and he says, “I guess having ridden that sickle more than 230,000 ks over nigh on thirty years I have learned to get by without this small piece of assistance, but sometimes I still miss it!”WHY NO “NUMBER 2”s?
Ivor has an unusual, and rather personal, question. He says, “This might be a case of ‘Too much information!’ and I’m sure isn’t the sort of question you had in mind when you started this section, but hey, we’re all adults, and most of us are probably old adults, so I’ll ask it. These days I’m mostly a one-day rider. Usually a day-ride on the weekend if the weather is fine. Anyway, I have noticed a rather unusual occurrence that can’t be explained by pure co-incidence. The problem is this. The morning after the ride there is very little activity in the bathroom. I’m talking about what my dear old Grandmother used to refer to as “Number 2s.” Like probably a lot of us oldies, I do have the occasional problem with this, but it now seems to be a regular (no pun intended!) occurrence after going for a ride. And I’m starting to think that the ride is doing this. So I’m wondering if anyone else has experienced the same sort of thing? I’m thinking that perhaps sitting on that seat the way we do for a few hours might be doing something. Maybe all that gentle pummeling of the rear-end, that is a natural part of riding, is compacting things? Or numbing the appropriate muscles that get things moving? I’m sorry to raise this rather delicate issue, but I’m starting to worry that my riding is doing something to my body and effecting its normal functions.”The Old Bloke’s Reply:
It was a reader who suggested this section, Ivor, and I know that he had malfunctions with the machinery in mind when he did suggest it, not malfunctions of the rider! But the intention is for it to be open to any motorcycling-related issues; so your question qualifies, and is possibly one that others can relate to, or help with. So, let’s get to the particular problem.Now, it’s funny you should say that, but (and, like you, I’m thinking this is “over-sharing!”) I have sometimes noticed this myself. But I think I know why this happens; at least in my case. Perhaps this is you too. Especially as we age, it is important to keep up our intake of fluids. And no, they have to be of the clear-water type, not the brown stuff with the froth on top! During the week, when I’m at work, I make sure I have regular and sufficient water; and there is a routine I employ to do this. On the weekend though, the same routine isn’t there. I try to remember to drink water during the day but sometimes I forget and end the day with not having had the appropriate amount of water intake. And that can cause the sort of problem you mention. So for me, I think the answer is to remember to keep up the intake of water. If it’s a shorter ride (say an afternoon run) it doesn’t matter much; just make sure you still drink the required dose of H2O by the end of the day. If it is a full day ride (and especially if it is hot and I’ve sweated a bit) I’ll buy some bottled water while I’m out, have a drink, throw it in the top-box and stop later for another swig. And again, try to remember to keep the water-drinking routine going later in the day after I'm home. One thing you could do, especially if it is a long ride, is use one of those “camel-pack” things to keep yourself hydrated during the ride. Of course other dietary considerations like the amount of fibre in the diet, are factors too. That was another thing that I looked at. My wife usually insists on a weekly “day-off” and we have take-away on one day of the weekend. By co-incidence, this is often the day I go riding. I figured that fish-and-chips wouldn’t have the same amount of fibre as my usual wife-cooked dinners, so I now have less of that and supplement it with something from the fridge containing at least a little bit of fibre.That’s a rather long way of saying “Drink plenty of water and eat fibre-rich food,” but I think it’s at least part of the answer. Whether there are other factors going on here, I don’t know. Maybe some of our readers have some ideas on this?Readers' Replies:
Con said, “If the reader is having his rear-end pummeled by the bike, maybe it’s time to up-grade the rear suspension!” (Joking!). He continued with a good comment on the issue of water-intake. He said, “I agree you need to have plenty of water, but it mightn’t always be a good idea to have too much to drink while you’re out on a ride. Could be a case of the cure being worse than the disease! I’ve seen people have to do regular, and at times desperate, pit (yes, I’m being polite, I said ‘pit’) stops after drinking during a ride. Maybe it’d be best to reserve the water-drinking until after the ride.” Yes, when you’re out riding you’ve got to drink in moderation. If you down a litre of water just before getting on the bike you could well be looking for one of those, er, “pit” stops very soon!A couple of readers wrote in to say they had not noticed any difference in “bathroom activity” after riding.Martin said he didn’t drink a lot of water, but he had found another solution to irregularities. “An article I read on the subject of fruit did however cause me to change my eating habits considerably, as well as improving greatly my ‘regularity’. When fruit is eaten with or after a big meal the benefits are lost because the body is using so much energy trying to digest everything else. Fruit should be eaten when you feel hungry, say late mid morning or late mid afternoon. Now I eat an apple with some grapes or a pear and banana on an empty stomach. Digestion is very fast and the fibre and natural water in the fruit helps soften the waste.” He says he feels much better too, since adopting this dietary change. Sounds good; I might try that myself. I’ve always avoided eating between meals, but what Martin says makes sense. SIZE DOES MATTER!
Lindsay is having trouble finding a jacket to fit her. She writes, “I am in need of a custom-made bike jacket, because I am short (under 5ft) and have short arms. I am finding it hard to get one that fits, with the amour in the right place." She says she has checked with on-line stores, but can't find anyone who supplies custom-made jackets.She says that if they fit across her shoulders, “The sleeves are always at least 10 inches too long, which puts the elbow padding down near my wrists!” The jacket she is wearing now is a summer jacket, and being a lightweight material she was able to cut off the extra length of the sleeves and re-position the armour. But she says that would be too difficult with the thicker material of a winter jacket. At the moment she has a leather jacket that she had custom made in Singapore a long time ago, but it doesn’t have armour; and she says it’s time for something different.The Old Bloke’s Reply:
I was surprised to hear that you couldn’t find one to fit, because the major manufacturers do carry a large range of sizes. But then, of course, manufacturers of clothing do tend to make garments to a pre-determined size-to-height ratio. For example, being tall and lanky I have the opposite trouble – I usually have to buy a size too big for my body to get arms that are long enough. Anyway, I did a search on the web and found a couple of possibilities. The most promising looked to be TraXion Motorcycle Apparel, who say they make a range of textile and leather jackets to exact personal measurements. Prices seem pretty reasonable for a custom-made job too. Two Wheel Warehouse are agents for Made4U Custom Jackets, who make leather jackets on a made-to-measure basis. As with TraXion, you send them your measurements and they will make the jacket to suit you. Prices again seem to be pretty good – especially for leather and being custom-made.
So, there are a couple of suggestions. Do any readers have experience with custom-made riding gear?Readers' Replies:
Rod wrote, “Lindsay could try this site for custom-made jackets. As you see from this link they give comprehensive instructions on how to measure. Their prices look good also.” Peter had another web-site to suggest. “Your reader may also wish to consider Walden Miller, an Adelaide based company, for their custom made jackets. They make the leather jackets and pants for police motorcycle officers, and their products are very high quality.”Well there are a few options for you, Lindsay. I hope you get something that suits (and fits!). 