Triumphrat

Panthermark · 04-17-2006, 08:42 PM

I received my renewal from Progressive today.....and my insurance went down $101 dollars! From $197 to $96 due in June....awesome!

The policy is still the same, but I did noticed that for some reason they listed my Bonnie as a 2005 with a 790cc engine instead of the 865cc version even though the VIN is the same. hmmmmmm

Lucky 4 me....
That extra hundred is the exact amount needed for a National Cycle Flyscreen......it must be a sign...because....

On Saturday, I did the unthinkable. I took the bike into Chicago....riding two up....on the Ike!

First, some type of screen is necessary when riding on the Eisenhower at 80+. The wind blast is a b1tch.

Second, ear plugs are a must. I would have gone deaf without them at those speeds. Tucking "under" a screen will really help.

Third, Chicago isn't called the Windy City for nothing. Temperature in the Fox Valley area when we left at 11:30. 71 degrees.
Temperature on Michigan Avenue near the lake at 12:30 56 degrees.
***!

Fourth, The Bonnie was a hit. Tons of thumbs up, and it was the talk of the pub where we ate lunch at. A place called The Twisted Spoke. A motorcycle styled bar in Wrigleyville.....awesome food!

The Sears Tower, Solider Field, Lower Wacker Drive, The Magnificent Mile, Lake Shore Drive, Navy Pier, Lincoln Park, Wrigley Field (but go ChiSox!)....what a day.....

I have to say, the upright/mid-control of the Bonnie is perfect for city riding.....but constant clutch grabbing in the city is not fun for me.

d2mini · 04-17-2006, 08:45 PM

Yeah, my progressive dropped from $550/yr to $323/yr a couple months ago. Don't know why, but I'm not questioning it.

ChuckofTahoe · 04-17-2006, 08:55 PM

Ear plugs are an absolute must when riding on freeways.

I read somewhere (I think in MCN) that riding more than fifteen minutes at freeway speeds without earplugs starts to do irreversible hearing damage. And the longer the duration, the worse the damage. It is sort of an exponential effect with the hearing damage increasing relative to duration.

I don't feel comfortable on the Bonnie at speeds north of eighty indicated MPH. The main discomfort is the feeling of potentially being blown off the back of the bike and then tumbling along the freeway at eighty MPH.

If I had one of those jumbo fairings it would probably be a breeze thourgh. I prefer going a bit slower and being comfortable. I consider the unfaired Bonnie a healthy deterrent to excessive speeding.

Silverado57 · 04-17-2006, 09:06 PM

Quote:

On 2006-04-17 18:55, ChuckofTahoe wrote:
Ear plugs are an absolute must when riding on freeways.
********************
I don't feel comfortable on the Bonnie at speeds north of eighty indicated MPH. The main discomfort is the feeling of potentially being blown off the back of the bike and then tumbling along the freeway at eighty MPH.

Chuck, it's reassuring to read this as a new rider with no one to bounce things off.
After my longest ride to date, I noticed my ears were ringing.
Time to break the ear plugs out!
I love my bike, but I'm just not ready to ride at speeds in excess of 75 mph. I'm very comfortable at 65 mph or less. Anything over that becomes quite windy - and sometimes scary.

DJ · 04-17-2006, 09:12 PM

Quote:

On 2006-04-17 18:55, ChuckofTahoe wrote:
Ear plugs are an absolute must when riding on freeways.

I read somewhere (I think in MCN) that riding more than fifteen minutes at freeway speeds without earplugs starts to do irreversible hearing damage. And the longer the duration, the worse the damage. It is sort of an exponential effect with the hearing damage increasing relative to duration.

My ears don't ring or hurt at all when/after I'm riding, maybe it's because I wear a fullface helmet. I would like to know however if I am doing damage without plugs, because I will def use them if that could be the case.

ChuckofTahoe · 04-17-2006, 09:23 PM

You definitely should wear them even with a full face helmet. I will try and find the article.

Quote:

On 2006-04-17 19:12, DJ wrote:

Quote:

On 2006-04-17 18:55, ChuckofTahoe wrote:
Ear plugs are an absolute must when riding on freeways.

I read somewhere (I think in MCN) that riding more than fifteen minutes at freeway speeds without earplugs starts to do irreversible hearing damage. And the longer the duration, the worse the damage. It is sort of an exponential effect with the hearing damage increasing relative to duration.

My ears don't ring or hurt at all when/after I'm riding, maybe it's because I wear a fullface helmet. I would like to know however if I am doing damage without plugs, because I will def use them if that could be the case.

ChuckofTahoe · 04-17-2006, 09:30 PM

I have not found the article and may have tossed whatever mag it was in. But in the article they had a very comprehensive chart that illustrated the length of time you could go at a given highway speed before permanent damage begins.

I suppose an extremely well insulated full face helmet might stave off some of this. But I recall the article made a point of saying that helmets did not offer adequate protection. In fact some helmets can actually amplify the noise.

I did find this other, less comprehensive article on wind noise and hearing loss:

www.freehearingtest.com/hia_motorcyclefacts.shtml

petemw · 04-17-2006, 10:00 PM

Mark,

At least you get to ride. I have to hold off until the end of May because of out of town business, can’t wait to get back on my bike. I’m glad you had a good ride into the city.

-Pete

Panthermark · 04-17-2006, 10:10 PM

That article reminded me that I'm down to my last pair of earplugs. I just went out to E-bay and ordered 50 pair for $7.99 shipped.

"I don't feel comfortable on the Bonnie at speeds north of eighty indicated MPH. The main discomfort is the feeling of potentially being blown off the back of the bike and then tumbling along the freeway at eighty MPH. "

Chuck, I feel the same way.
Most of my riding is either the 12 minute commute to work, or between 45-60 mph on two lane country roads that are named after the families and farmers who have lived there for generations....low pressure, high pleasure riding. Corn, cows, horses, and big red barns that need painting....that's what I like to see.

I didn't like doing 80+ on the Ike, but doing 65 on the tollway is a good way to get rear ended and run off the road...

InfX708 · 04-18-2006, 12:07 AM

Quote:

On 2006-04-17 18:45, d2mini wrote:
Yeah, my progressive dropped from $550/yr to $323/yr a couple months ago. Don't know why, but I'm not questioning it.

They are making up the deficit on my Bonnie. Still trying to figure out how an older bike with a smaller engine costs more to insure.