martinkap

hmmm, so this is the famous "gold bond" thread mentioned. :beer: It seems the guys here are worried more of their packaging than the gentlemen at UPS. :D Martina, if you had replied earlier telling them how victoria secret panties prevented uncomfortable sweating (like we know it does ), i wonder how many of the boys would have been doing some catalog shopping? :P

VFRvixen, you have nailed it. I swear for Victoria secret thongs. Cannot ride in anything else :beer:

I am afraid, the gold bond thread is resurected now B)

M.

awesome. thanks for the quick info. i'll be calling them today.

You can remind him that I am the one who had the spring powdercoated to bright orange (he nailed that color amazingly - I think the spring looks better than the paint now) I am sure it will make him happy that I liked his work.

Martina

Hi J,

I have an excellent results on powdercoating my shock spring (yes, I did have my rear shock spring powder coated orange for my Hawk) with this company: http://www.grandstanddesigns.com/. Pete, the owner tried extremely hard to match the color of my bike and he did really excellent job. The communication was perfect and the spring is flawless... it is actually not easy to powdercoat a spring...

They are located at:

GrandStand Designs LLC

2435 Highway 34 Box 124

Manasquan NJ 08736

PHN: 732.722.2955

FAX: 732.722.2314

Hope that helps,

Martina

I have a set of Kobe leathers and really love them for track days. On the street, I wear a 1/2 leather, 1/2 mesh jacket.

I sweat like a south Georgia pig in August so both pieces of clothing are starting to take on a life of their own.

I can clean the outside, but how do you get the inside '2 aday football practice locker room funk' out of the inside liners and such? Neither of mine are removable.

Did you try to spray inside with something like lysol/febreeze type of spray and let it dry out? You definitely want antibacterial spray (bacterias stink) and something what smells pleasantly than original smell...

Look for the first product here:

http://www.dudco.com/Chemicals/Fabric/Fabric.html

Other than that I recommend professional leather cleaners ... Maybe over winter.

Martina

P.S. Thanks god that my sweat smells like roses :goofy:

Wow. Interesting. I'm sure that you ride harder, than me, (everyone does), but I got 6,000 outta mine. :blink: Interesting.

I think the main culprit of the life difference between the tires is the Florida's heat... Hot road will eat your tires almost twice faster.

I do run M3's on both of my bikes and I do like them but they always start sliding when still about 30% left on the rear tire - they do turn blue. A tire specialist explain to me that maybe I put them through harsh heat cycle (track days) and then let them sit and that the oils are coming out from the tire, thus turning blue and sliding a bit ... I would be interested if anyone has the same experience...

Btw, I did get about 4K from the tire before 30% left.

Martina

James Pridmore? How many kids did Reg have? I went to Reg's school at Road Atlanta several years ago. Great guy, great program.

Hm - not sure how many kids he has but I did manage to figure out that he is married ... Oh well, if you mean how many of us were there then I think something around 50 people split into two groups: 'street' and 'advanced'...

Great school, I learned a lot from many instructors plus as a bonus, Jason gives excellent hugs...

Martina

P.S. I did the 2up ride with him and it was one of the scariest things I did in my life.

According to F Spencer, the best way to heat up tires is hard application of the brakes, not swerving from side to side.

Breaking or accelaration is the only way to heat up your tires as I learned from Jason Pridmore in the STAR school this weekend. Swerving from side to side does nothing - well maybe causes crashes of noobies...

Martina

Thanks for everyone's help on this.....I checked the places suggested and was gonna' make a purchase, then the BMW / Triumph shop I first tried one on at called this morning and gave me a heck of a price. So I have an Olympia Phantom 1pc suit size Medium, Hi-Viz yellow on the way. Spending lotsa' money at shops has it's perks........ :P So if you meet "SKUUTER CLOWN" on the road in the bright flourescent yellow suit you'll know who it is............... :goofy: .....now where did I put that big red nose and floppy shoes............ :blink:

Let us know how are you satisfied with the suit once you tested (hopefully not hard tested on the pavement) :thumbsup:

Martina

Also: http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=33504

OH wow - I was so wrapped in my problem I FORGOT to do the search first ... Oyama description of how wet and soaked everything was is absolutely perfect. My story starts a bit differently but ends exactly the same - I would not be able to write it better...

So, now back on the topic - someone mentioned in Oyama thread to not use any man made chemicals on the leathers.... In local store, they had KIWI leather lotion which suppose to clean and replenish the oils in the leather, prevent drying and cracking ... They don't say what it is made off but I would say it is chemical ... Can I use it?

Martina

Thank you all for valuable info.

I have hung the leathers in my hallway (stretched a mop handle between two open doors and hung the hangers on that) and I have put my gloves on the electric fan which only circulates the air but does not heat nor shoots cold. I will put some newspapers into the boots and gloves overnight.

I will go out and buy the leather conditioner (in a RiteAid?) and apply it...

Should I be afraid of a mildew?

Martina

Hi all,

I am sure you all got one day caught in the rain wearing your leathers. I am sure it is an interesting story but please, don't turn this thread into a "I need to tell you my wet story"

My wet long story short: :rolleyes:

1) my leather suit is soaked so much that if I squeeze it, water start dripping

2) my boots are waterproof but not Goretex. Unfortunately my leather pants don't go over the boots, so all the water from my legs dripped into the boots, so when I took them off and turned them over, the water was pouring out. Obviously, they don't breeze so the water is trapped inside.

3) my gloves (expensive Alpinestars gp pro) are soaked so much that water is practically dripping with no squeezing necessary.

My concerns are that the weather here is very humid (hard to dry towels in past couple days) and I really cannot efficiently hang the leathers, gloves anywhere. How should I dry the things? I can turn the heater on or the stove on and position it near by or should I spent an evening with a hairdryer? However, I am afraid that leather which dries quickly get stiff and also shrinks (it used to be old torture practice to put a wet leather tight collar on prisoners neck and as the leather dried up, the prisoner got slowly choked). However, if I do nothing the leather will dry for days or start to grow mildew. Definitely the boots are the toughest issue and the gloves are the most precious. I would hate them to be all stiff and not soft.

Any advice is very appreciate it.

Martina

Got a call from a friend that is out on a road trip to see some relatives 600 miles from home. He said the bike (VFR) has been sitting in their garage for the week that he has been visiting. He went out today to get things in order for his return trip and discovered about 6 - 8 drops of oil on the ground. After a quick look-see, he discovered the right seal is leaking a bit. I figure the heat in the closed garage forced the oil past the seal enough to have a few drops make it to the ground. Now, as the original topic questions, is their any concern in riding it home or should he get it repaired on the road before his return? I think it would be OK for now but told him I would ask the crowd here. What say ye?

An uneven level of fork fluids (one fork had just much less than other) caused my lowside in a "sort ot extreme breaking" situation. He should avoid compresing the forks as much as he can. If the fork are pushed and compress and one of the fork seals is leaking, that will result in different compression 'strength' of each fork and end up in the tank slapper or similar... So probably slow ride home is in order.

As for me, the lowside was unexpected (but the bike was 3 months new to me and I have never checked the forks) since I was not breaking super hard (I did not lock the front wheel) but it probably saved my butt in bigger scheme of the things as there were 3 deer standing in front of me.

Martina

Disclaimer: I am not a mechanic so I could be completely wrong. Maybe some of the more mechanically advanced member will chime in.

And for the record, I wear a size 13. :goofy: My Oxtar boots are 48's or 49's. :warranty:

Then your wife must be way more disappointed than even mine :goofy:

your wife wasn't disappointed last time I was in FLA....... :salesman:

Did you show her your trick where you pee a smiley face in the snow? :goofy:

Snow in Florida??? Man, I don't think he woed her that way

M.

GOt my KObe Leathers altered to fit me - only three extra cow skins needed to make it work.... can't wait to try them out and lose 30 - 40 lbs in a couple hours.

I guess I have to get me some of that special underclothing called PUG!!

See, I wear leather all the time....5'7"/ 165lbs now......back in the "textile days"....6'6"/ 273 lbs..................... :thumbsup:

I don't know skutch... you even 'shrunk'... not sure I'd want that...

I just don't see how you guys don't sweat wearing mesh either... jeebus, I ride 20 mins to work in JR mesh and I'm like a sweat ball... not even sure what ends up growing in my helmet... couldn't imagine having to wear leathers down here for the commute... in fact today, I fully protected myself by wearing a golf shirt and dockers... but I'm a wild man on the brink of destruction anyway... :rolleyes:

Makes other parts of your anatomy seem larger........................ :goofy:

:rolleyes: feet ? B)

Martina

nice buy! i hear that the kang. is much lighter and thinner than cowhide. should be real comfortable.

Yeah, I fully expected to not win the auction. I had made my mind up I wouldn't go much over that. Was sitting at 750 for over a day and I thought for sure someone was waiting till the last minute like I did. I bid with about 3 seconds to spare. My wife wants to kill me know... LOL

Do you understand that now it is you, not your wife, who owns probably the most expensive piece of clothing in your house !?! :goofy: Only hope now, that she will not come with Valentino dress home :goofy:

Nice suit and great price ! Congrats !!

Martina

Hey, this is Duke's wife again. Duke and his friend are still stranded and no one has called him yet. Allen's interceptor got ran off the road by a car. He highsided the top of the bike. THe bike pushed him down the highway. His gear saved him and he is okay, but now they are trapped in the middle of Arkansas. The bike will start and they think it is rideable. But, everytime they put it in gear, it dies, like the kickstand is down. Does anyone have any idea why it won't stay running? They really need help, it's getting dark. If anyone can call and help, Duke's number is 504-251-6074.

THank you, thank you, thank you.

yes it is almost 100% the kickstand switch, tell them to check if it is only a two wire switch, than by just connecting the two wires together will complete the circuit and keep the bike running.

I just talked to Duke. They are still stranded. It does not seem to be the kickstand switch. He noted that the clutch is badly bent so maybe there might be something which is disconnecting the power...

He still needs help...

I feel useless... anyone?

Martina

Bump!

Guys???

I would help but my help would not be useful. Martina

Metzler M3 ... rear tire on less heavy bike does about 5k miles. Good tracktion. Reasonable in the rain...

Martina

Great discounted boots - ankle serious support:

Alpinestars SMX3 Boots

Martina

Both of these units are about $250 off ebay, so price is not the issue. Which is best, I have read about them until delusional and it still doesn't make sense to me. I just want a decent entry leval gps, I want to rid my life of paper maps and slowly work into the world of gps. So which would you choose and why, Garmin Quest or the Magellan Roadmate 700?

I am a horrible decision maker. I can easily narrow down selection to 2 or 3 best options but then I have no idea... What I have learned over time to do is to toss a coin. First I seriously decide that what ever shows up - will be my final choice. No questioning there. Then, I decide always which side is which option and then very seriously toss the coin. As I am catching the coin, I often have some small wish in my head - it appears there always as I am catching the coin. Something like "Garmin, please..." but without the words. If that small wishfull thinking goes through my mind while the tossing process, I go with whatever I was wishing for and don't even look at the result of the toss. If my mind is blank and there is no 'little wish', then I go with whatever the toss shows.

Most important is to know, that whatever you decide, it will be a great choice. Both products are good items.

Martina

A smart choice from an awesome CEO :thumbsup: I just had a horrible experience with ordering online through a company called (botach-tactical) where I placed my order in november and three months later they have failed to send it! This is why I always plug good companies like new enough, motopak, and others.

Had exactly similar horrific experience with botach-tactical!!! Ordered by the end of September, delivered by the end of December! Newenough rocks!

Martina

OK - so I"M picturing myself at the pearly gates many many riding seasons from now - and the big guy says to me- "you know, you were a good person, you loved your family, you took care of your friends, but I can't let you in. You had to start the Gold Bond thread and it corrupted the thoughts of hundreds of Vifferati. For that, you shall return to earth - to ride a Vespa for all of eternity"........................... :blink:

HAHA ...

As I always say: "I know that I am going to hell .. Now, I just have to make sure that my friends are going with me!!!" :thumbsup: :wacko:

M.

P.S. When I saw the gold bond thread back, I have finally realized - it will never go away! :D

on the helimot chest thingo, I cant see any straps, anyone know how they stay in place?

That one on ebay looks a bit power ranger to me, and my diainese jacket has the shoulder and elbow protection anyway... i'll search for just a chest+back combo...

Not sure - I was looking more into the forcefield stuff...

I just found this though:

VERY GOOD ANALYSIS OF SAFETY OF BACK PROTECTORS WITH LINKS

and this does not look bad either:

http://www.spidi.com/spidi-jsp/index.jsp?p...EFENDER%20ARMOR

Also they have Back and Chest combo.

However, I don't think either is being offered in USA.

Martina

I plan on buying something like this for track/race days, not this brand though.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/a3j-Safety-...1QQcmdZViewItem

That is a good one Kevin!

I saw couple riders wearing this:

but that is not as nearly good as what you suggested in that ebay auction. I see only one problem, there is no manufacturer who would make good and large enough chest protectors which covers significant portion of chest and also fits WOMEN"S CURVES... :pissed:

Martina

The problem with separate back protector is that when you actually realize the urgency for chest protector, you might not be able to incorporate separate back protector and SEPARATE chest protector into your leathers. Which is my current problem.

I used my back protector once (2 track days) but at the same time I saw how badly a simple crash can turn out if one is not wearing a back protector. Broken ribs near aorta are really not good news. I don't think I will ride again without a chest protector... Well, it scares me right now to even think of riding - but I am sure that first spring rays will cure me from that one...

So, even if you not sold on the chest protector thing (and I hate that because I don't wish anyone to get similar lesson), buy a back protector which has the possibility to be combined with a chest protector.

Trust me, your love ones will thank you,

Martina

(sorry for having pathetic posts but there is a lot of emotions mixed in them ... )

P.S. My back protector is for sale - used for 2 track day in cold weather - not a drop of sweat touched it ...