BUB Exhaust: Product Review

A couple of years ago a company by the name of Rinehart Racing/Bub Exhaust began showing up en mass on the motorcycle scene. Although the company has been making race tuned pipes for Motorcycles since 1976 it wasn't really until recently when the general public began to take notice - it might have something to do with the pipes and mufflers becoming more affordable for the average "Joe the Biker".

There are two things I want in most motorcycles. First it needs to have that certain something... that something that makes it a part of me. It needs to have a mean, grumbling, bitchy old man thing. Second it has to have balls when I tell it to do a Ricky Bobby and "Go Fast".

I absolutely love when someone takes the technologies learned from the racing industry and transfers it to the motorcycle world. Not only did they transfer the technology - but the people at Rinehart Racing/Bub Exhaust, in my opinion, have transformed the world of motorcycle exhaust.

Around two years ago I purchased a set of the Bub Eagle Beak mufflers. The price was around $600.00 including shipping and handling. I ordered directly from Bub Exhaust. I'm certain I could have ordered directly through my local Harley Davidson dealer (but they'd already gotten enough of my money) or through one of the Custom Chrome shops but hey if you can go right to the horses mouth - why not?

I received the pipes within a few days and immediately had my Harley up in the air pulling the "Screaming Eagle" performance exhaust off and putting the Rineharts on. It took no time at all - a few bolts and it was done.

* It is recommeded that you re-chip or re-jet your bike (depending on if it's FI or Carb'd) I already had mine chipped when I put on the "Screaming Eagle" performance intake and exhaust.

I started the bike up and immediately had a completely different "note" to the exhaust. A Much deeper, richer tone. So it was time for a quick trip to around the neighborhood. The performance and horsepower increase was noticable immediately.

When rating a product I look at 5 different areas:

Craftsmanship - always important if it isn't made worth a damn it will perform the same way.

Ease of Use/Installation - the "Do I have to bloody my knuckles" syndrome - usually because some engineer that's never worked on a bike made the part impossible to put the part on without injury.

Warranty - for me it's part and parcel with craftsmanship - hell you built it now stand behind it.

Order to Receipt Time - I hate to wait. If I've bought it I want it now.

Overall Performance - okay it may have bloodied my knuckles a bit, it may have taken a bit longer to get than I wanted but does it make me happy?!

I give the Bub Exhaust System five full leather jackets for excellence in craftsmanship, ease of installation, warranty, order to receipt time and overall performance.



Rinehart Racing/Bub Exhaust, Rinehart Racing, Bub Exhaust, Custom Exhaust Systems, Motorcycle Product Reviews, Product Reviews, Exhausts, Rineharts, Screaming Eagle Kits, Motorcycles, Bikers, Motorcycle Travel

Motorcycle Safety and Awareness - Before You Hit the Road

biker babe, bikerbabes, nudes, nudebabes, motorcycle nudes, naked, sexySturgis? Daytona? Laconia or just around the corner to your local Grocer your destination does not matter if you have not learned the basics of motorcycle safety.

We have all heard the stories or personally know riders that have years of riding experience and have made mistakes.  It can happen to anyone at anytime.  By educating yourself you greatly reduce your chances or at the very least improve your abilities to identify and get out of potentially dangerous situations.  Get educated about what your doing. Yes, experience can be the best teacher in the world but making a mistake on a motorcycle can be seriously dangerous to your health.

Rider safety courses are an excellent idea for any rider. I began riding at the age of ten and over the years I have logged thousands upon thousands of miles accident free. I consider myself a very aware and safe rider. Two weeks before leaving for a cross country road trip I was hit from behind while trying to leave my neighborhood. I did ALMOST everything I should have; checked left, checked right, used my indicator... I FAILED to continuously scan all approach areas and to know where my escape route was going to be. I concentrated on traffic in front of me and not on what was coming up behind me. Unfortunately the traffic behind me did not concentrate on what was in front of them. The bright side was it was the collision was minor, I ended up with just a stiff ankle and a few repairs to the bike. Damage to my motorcycle was about $1,400.00 which the other drivers insurance took care of. I just had to deal with the inconvenience factor of taking the bike back and forth to the shop for repairs 

This only emphasizes the point that when you are riding your motorcycle you have to be constantly evaluating your riding conditions; street surface, traffic patterns, bike reaction & feel, weather, side streets, road debris, wildlife and other potential hazards that may be lurking and be prepared to act/react with a plan. The motorcycle industry has developed an acronym to help you remember how you should be identifying and reacting to situations. The acronym is SIPDE or Scan, Identify, Predict, Decide, Execute.

• Scan
  
  You should constantly be aware of what's in front, to the sides and behind you. I personally scan constantly, first forward then through the mirrors and to each side and back again; scanning my tach & speed as I go. If you don't already scan or you're new to biking; take time to develop a pattern that includes your mirrors, your controls, and the area ahead of you. You should always be on the lookout for potential hazards and escape routes - even when you are stopped for a traffic signal/stop sign. When changing lanes be sure to check your mirrors early and often. When slowing to stop, check your mirrors to ensure that other motorists behind you are aware that you're stopping. One trick that I use to get the attention of motorist behind me is to tap my brake (either front or rear) in a 3-1-3 pattern. Maintain a 10-12 second lead. Meaning that you need looking at where you'll be 10-12 seconds from now.


• Identify
  
  Identify the situation ahead. Is there a hazard? Would you consider a side street a hazard? Probably not if you're in your car. Car's are "big"; meaning that their easily spotted by someone wanting access to the main road. Motorcycles are nearly invisible and you need to be aware of that when you ride. The same car on the side street will 99% of the time see the oncoming car, the percentage get's much lower with an oncoming motorcycle. Be ready, change lanes if you can, approach with cautious awareness that they may not see you. Are there multiple hazards ahead? Oncoming traffic, canyon road, side streets all pose their own risks scan and plan at all times. What are your escape routes? If you need to "ditch" or "lay it down" where? Options? What presents the least threat to you and your safety? Identify each situation by what represents a threat and what represents an opportunity or escape route. The motorcycle safety foundation recommends separating hazards into three separate and distinct categories.
  
  
  • 1. Other vehicles sharing the road.  
    
  • 2. Pedestrians and animals.  
    
  • 3. Stationary objects.
  
  

  With each category representing a different level of risk and each needs to be addressed by the rider differently.



• Predict
  
  Learn to anticipate what the hazard is going to do; if it's a deer nature says it's going to get startled. There's a 50/50 chance it will dart in front of you - what's your plan? Once you've formulated a plan (about 0.5sec to do, predict what might happen - I always use the worst case: Of course the deer will dart in front of me - now what? Formulate your escape route; this may be as simple as "I'm going to slow down" or as drastic as "he's crossing the road, I'm going off road." I personally feel that it's best to make my assumptions and plan based on the worse case scenario so that I'm ready for whatever happens.
  
  


• Decide
  
  Determine your course of action. Let your presence be known; using the 3-1-3 pattern is one way I make sure that I'm seen. Increase or decrease your speed speed, changing the lane your in or maybe even your direction all together. Combine any or use all three. Some riders put "whistlers" on their bikes, can't be heard by us but it is supposed to keep the deer and other wildlife out of the way. No matter what decision you make, be certain that you've account for your skill/experience level and road conditions.
  
  


• Execute
  
  Take action based on what you decided to do. If you can, separate the hazards so you're only dealing with one at a time. Continue scanning and adjust your actions based on the situation. Remember riding a motorcycle is fluid and things might change. Concentrate on the motorcycle and what you can control. Create a larger safety bubble around the motorcycle. Your safety bubble is the amount of space between you and other vehicles sharing the road with you. When following cars or trucks you should have a 4-5 second safety bubble. When in wet or adverse conditions increase this to 7-8 seconds.
  
  

  Remember to always be aware of your surroundings. Riding a motorcycle is more than just getting on and rolling down the road, road trips can and will wear you out. Take breaks, keep yourself mentally alert (you mind is key to riding safe).

  
  

Sturgis, Daytona, Laconia, motorcycle safety, motorcycle, riding, route, traffic, insurance, repairs, bike, SPIDE, route

Bikers Ultimate Porta-Potty

When I came across this "Ultimate Porta-Potty" I just had to post it! The only problem that I had was do I post it under "Tips-n-Tricks", "Maintenance" or should it be filed under "Lifestyle"?

I went with "Tips-n-Tricks"

Enjoy a bit of humor for the day!





Ultimate Porta-Potty

Packing Lite and Still Having It All

One of The Best Tricks we learned early on was to make arrangements with the hotel we were staying at so we could ship a box ahead of us.

We pack all of our clothes and other items that we can't haul with us on the road in a cooler so we won't have to be without, and we (usually) leave a little extra room so we can ship back the stuff we bought along the way. We try to time our shipment so our extra items arrive a day or two ahead of us. This also works great as a calling card for our friends that are meeting us there - they see our cooler and know we are nearly there!

Packing Trick
This one I learned while in the military. Roll your clothes, just like you would a sleeping bag. The theory is that if you roll up your jeans, T's and other clothing they will take up less space. I haven't compared packing this way versus packing with the clothes being folded but I always feel like I'm able to get a few more items in by rolling.

Are there advantages to using a cooler? I think so; it's nearly indestructable; easily identifiable; You can us it to keep drinks and snacks cold while your there, and the bonus is... it can save you money - hit the local grocery while your there, stock up the cooler and - presto! Cash Saved (versus the pub, vending machine, sandwich shop, etc.)

Motorcycle traveling

Tips and tricks on packing for the road

How do you pack for four days on the road to Sturgis or any other destination for that matter when you're traveling by motorcycle?
Can you really fit enough clothing, supplies, accessories, all the things you need and still get some of the comforts in there as well?

Yes you really can.

It takes some time, planning and a bit of effort but it can be done. It doesn't matter if you are riding solo or two-up you still need to be prepared and as packed as efficiently as possible while being prepared for most everything the open road can throw at you. The first step you need to take is plan what you need to take. I suggest making a list of what you think you want to pack. Maybe even take the time right then to lay it out - see what it looks like - then revise your list. Ask yourself - do I really need that or do I just want it? I've tried to incorporate some of the tricks and tips from my travels over the years. Some were, or at least should have been, common sense. Others were learned the hard way. Before you start packing take some time and plan your route. Figure out how many miles you can or want to ride in a day. What kind of country are you riding in? How many days are you on the road before you get to your destination? What can you comfortably wear and keep your pack to a minimum? Some travelers (ummm... the one to the right) prefer to have a lot of bags (the bike that is) but very little luggage!

Things to Think About

1. Weather
2. Weather
3. and, ummm, Weather
4. What's it like when you leave?
5. What's it going to be like during the day (no you don't have to be a meteorologist but a little research won't kill you.
6. What's your route and where's it take you?
7. Your personal comfort level?
8. Sun protection - no vacation, road-trip, run, ride, or whatever you want to call it... isn't fun if you're blistering from a sunburn!

you need to consider what you realistically can carry without compromising the safety of you, your passenger & your bike in all conditions; rain, wind, and rider fatigue. A bike that's loaded down will run, ride and handle differently than riding solo without a pack.

Some Tips To Consider

1. Don't over pack. If your luggage rack says max weight 10 pounds - don't put 20. Common sense right? You see it all the time. Not only does it jeopardize your safety but it can also make your bike harder to handle and your trip ultimately less enjoyable as a result of the effort and energy wasted on fighting what your bike wants to do.

2. Use your saddlebags. I would recommend that if you don't currently have saddlebags on your bike your go buy some. This is especially true if your going for multiple days and even more so if you're riding two-up. Putting saddlebags on now will save you miles of heartache.

There are a lot of different styles and price points to choose from; over the fender: both sides are connected with a leather strap (usually 4 or 5 inches wide; Rigid mount, you can get these either in leather or fiberglass resign. In the links section I've provided a couple of suppliers that have a wide variety (style and price).

3. Pack Efficiently. Try to pick clothing that is all weather. Instead of rain gear and a cold weather jacket try a leather jacket with a zip-out liner and chaps. I've put mine through some torrential down-pours and they've kept me dry and have held up just fine.

4. Pack ahead of time. Pack your clothes a week ahead - lay it all out: see what's going to fit and what can you (or have to) sacrifice, use some extra socks to take up space that your personal items will take up when they're packed.

5. Familiarize yourself. When your luggage is packed, go put it on your bike. I suggest doing this a couple of times just to get used to how it all loads and secures. This holds true for luggage you've never used before and the set that you've owned for a while. It may have been a long cold winter and you haven't thought about packing or loading your bike for months. A few minutes of re-familiarizing yourself will make arrival and departure from the day's stop smoother. If you've never road-tripped by motorcycle before, you will, or should be, taking your luggage off your bike at the end of every day and putting it back on the next morning.

It's easier to do all of this in the comfort of your own home, garage or driveway. It sure as heck is better than trying to figure it out after 10 hours on the road with fatigue nipping at you at the end of the day.
"Ride Safe"

Motorcycle traveling

Luggage and Loading - God bless expandable bags

Let's start with the bag itself. This is key to a successful and enjoyable journey.

As you can see from the picture on the left side of your screen it doesn't look that bad. In fact, my wife rather enjoyed her padded back rest while we were on the road. The additional weight hanging off the back of the bike can throw off the geometry of the bike (your balance) so you have to use some caution and make sure that the packs are secured tightly and the weight is balanced (saddle bags & T-Bag).

I use T-Bags; the model I like most is the "Sturgis bag". The "Sturgis bag" has 4 external storage pockets and a couple of map pockets that face the rear of the motorcycle. The outer pockets come in handy for those items you need to get to during the day: camera, sunblock, maps, cell phone and Gummi Bears or other snacks. It's internal capacity of 2.5 cu.ft. with the roll-top duffle gives us ample, ok not ample we still use the saddle bags for overflow, but enough room we can feel like we're ready for about anything Mother Nature can throw at us. The "Sturgis bag" is one of the larger bags available. T-Bag and other companies make a wide variety to chose from so I'm sure there's one to fit just about any type of travel that you may be planning.

Take a look at the same picture, enlarged a bit, lightened up so the darks are easier to distinguish and finally cropped so that it's just the pack over the rear wheel. I use the strapping system that designed in to each T-bag and then I will secure it with Bungee cords and a cargo net. I use the cargo net to hold our jackets or vest. This creates additional space in the saddlebags for other items that may add too much bulk or weight over the backend of the motorcycle.

What's in there?

The answers to that are at Packing for a Road Trip, but before you jump on over keep a couple of things in mind. Weather, Weather, Weather - what's it like when you leave, during the day, where's your route take you - High & Low temps and your personal comfort level - For us, well we leave from the Arizona Desert at the end of July / beginning of August. It's 90 - 100 degrees with humidity. By nightfall we will have changed elevation several times and will be riding in 70 degree weather, probably in the rain.

We'll be in boots, jeans, chaps, a long sleeve T-shirt, I like the ones by WhiteLine, fingerless riding gloves and that day's bandana. So this takes care of one set of ride clothing - but that's not even in the bag yet... better work on that lens so we can get on with the packing!