Kuryakyn X-Tension Highway Peg Mount Review

Kuryakyn X-Tension Highway Peg Mount Review

One of the first modifications I did to my V-Star 1100 Classic “Mistress” was to add some front pegs. At 6’2” I needed a way to stretch out my legs on longer rides. I had really wanted to get some Lindby Custom Linbars, still do, but funds were not available. So I started looking at front pegs to add to my bike to stretch out and rest my tired dogs on.

In researching for front pegs I decided I wanted some that could be folded up out of the way when not in use, rather than the stationary kind. Looking online I ran across the Kuryakyn X-Tension Highway Peg Mounts on the Kuryakyn website. I think I looked there because several other add-ons on my V-Star were from Kuryakyn. I honestly don’t remember where I ordered them from, but I ordered them online from an online store that had a good price. They arrived safely packed in foam peanuts several days after they were ordered.

The Kuryakyn X-Tension Highway Peg Mounts measure 4 ½” long and have a 1 ¼” offset which allows the reach adjustment to be fine tuned for the rider. The metal is really stout and fully chromed. Another feature I really liked was that the actual foot landing pad is thicker on these pegs, not being just a post. This gives the foot more purchase area. The pad is also equipped with floating rubber grip strips. These peg mounts allow for the peg to be folded up when not in use.

Installation is straight forward and required no special tools, just normal SAE sockets or wrenches most folks have in their garage. Here we go again with SAE nuts and bolts for a metric bike. I mounted them right onto the front frame down-tubes. They have to be mounted high enough up that they do not interfere with the operation of the rear brake pedal on the right side and the shifter on the left. Do not forget to use the included locking washers.

The hardest part about installation is getting them mounted evenly from side to side on height and angle. You also have to tighten the bolt at the pivoting point to the right tension so that they will stay up when put up. It probably took less than an hour to install them.

Having an extra place to put your feet on long ride is well worth it. With my backrest on the Corbin seat and my feet up I feel like I am riding a recliner down the freeway. You can use the pegs with the toe or heel of your shoe or boot. Alternatively, you can just rest the whole back of your foot up on top of the peg. This gives you multiple choices on long rides when you need to move around for comfort.

I have not had any issues with the Kuryakyn X-Tension Highway Peg Mounts. I will warn you Chromaholics that it is painstaking to clean the tops of the pegs between the rubber traction inserts. I have found the easiest way is to use the very edge of a soft cleaning towel. You have to go back and forth like you are shining shoes, between the rubber inserts. Torch gives the Kuryakyn X-Tension Highway Peg Mounts a M.M.M. rating of 9.5.

Ride on,
Torch

Stebel Nautilus Compact Dual Tone Horn

Stebel Nautilus Compact Dual Tone Horn Installation on 2003 V-Star 1100 Classic & Review

One of the items on my Christmas list last year was a Stebel Nautilus Compact Dual Tone Horn for my 2003 V-Star 1100 Classic, named Mistress. Oh, did I mention they come in chrome? When Christmas came around my dear wife informed me she had ordered the horn I wanted and an installation kit to go with it. I could hardly wait for it to come in.

It came in the next week. I learned that my wife had ordered the Stebel Nautilus Compact Dual Tone Air Horn from Twisted Throttle. She also had ordered their Plug-N-Play wiring installation kit. I checked to make sure everything was there, and it was. The Horn itself came with a relay, one mounting bolt, one mounting nut, one mounting bracket adapter for mounting the horn separate from the small air pump, and directions. Twisted Throttles wiring kit came with, pre-wired relay connector, horn ground wire, two blue Posi-Lock connectors, one 30 amp ATC fuse, one six inch wire tie, six four inch wire ties, wiring directions and electrical schematic.

I decided to install the horn when I replaced the battery on my V-Star. I started by removing my Corbin Dual Tourer seat. That is accomplished by removing both seat lean backs and the nut and washers at the rear of the seat. Then I lifted the seat assembly up from the rear while pulling the assembly rearward unhooking it from the seat holders. I made sure the fuel valve was turned to the off position, removed the fuel line, and disconnected the wiring harness going to the instrument cluster, removed the two bolts from the fuel tank bracket, removed the front ignitor unit panel quick fastener and removed the fuel tank.

With those out of the way I removed the battery side cover, disconnected the negative battery cable and then the positive cable. I went on and replaced the battery which you do not have to remove to install the Stebel Nautilus Compact Dual Tone Air Horn. I opened the wiring harness and horn packages and spread everything out ready for the install.

First I installed the relay and fuse into the wiring harness setting the relay part of the harness near where I would be mounting it under the seat. I routed the red power wire down to the battery positive cable area ready to hook up. I snaked the black and blue wires, which come twisted together, from the relay along the factory wiring harness route up to where the Original Equipment horn is located. I had previously replaced the OEM horn with a Fiamm Freeway Blaster Horn.

This is where I deviated from the instructions that came with the wiring kit. I wanted to keep the Fiamm Freeway Blaster horn hooked up so I could use both the Fiamm and the Stebel Nautilus Compact at the same time. I accomplished this by employing two Quick Splice connectors that I had on hand in my electrical supplies. I attached one to the positive, and one to the negative OEM horn wires. These simply crimp connect onto the wire using pliers. The center of the connector pinches through the wires insulation making the connection for the attached female lug. This made easy hook ups for the wiring kits male spades on the black and blue wires, blue to the positive brown horn wire and black to the negative pink horn wire.

Next I snaked the yellow wires from the relay along the factory harness under the fuel tank area and down to where I was going to mount the Stebel Horn by the rear brake master cylinder. Now it was time to mount the horn assembly itself. I had picked up a scrap piece of bracket and now needed to tweak it into the correct shape and make the mounting hole for the horn larger to fit the bolt that came with the horn.

I held the metal and horn up together where I wanted to mount the horn assembly next to the rear brake master cylinder to check clearances and get some idea where to bend the bracket. I then bent the metal bracket and re checked clearances. That done, I drilled out the hole in the end where the bolt from the horn assembly would go. The other end already had a hole to mount to the rear brake master cylinder bracket. I then removed the brake master cylinder mounting bolt and added in the new horn bracket and horn ground lead supplied by the wiring kit, and reinstalled.

Now that I had the new horn mounting bracket in place I attached the Stebel Horn assembly to it using the supplied mounting bolt and nut, making sure the horn was mounted in the correct orientation and angle as per the instructions. I hooked up the yellow power wire from the relay to the Stebel Horn power connector. Next, I connected the negative black wire from the ground at the rear brake master cylinder and the just added horn bracket, to the negative connector of the Stebel Horn.

I finished up installing the new battery by connecting all the positive leads and then the negative leads. I attached the Stebel Horn relay to the frame using a tie strap. I reinstalled the fuel tank and reconnected the electrical harness. It was time to test the horn before I put everything back together on the bike. I turned the key to the on position and hit the horn button. There was a slight delay after hitting the horn button from when the Fiamm Freeway Blaster starts and the Stebel Nautilus Compact Dual Horn kicks in. It takes a split second for the Nautilus’s air pump to get pressure to the horn. It’s worth the wait.

The Stebel Nautilus Compact Dual Tone Horn is loud. It is rated at 139 decibels and I believe it’s every bit of that. It is way louder than the Fiamm Freeway Blaster. It sounds like an 18 wheelers horn. Here is an excerpt from the Twisted Throttle website:

“Keep this in mind: sound energy doubles for every 3 points you go up in the decibel scale. It means that the Stebel Nautilus horn, which produces 139 dB of sound, puts out a LOT more sound than these popular horns: - 800% of the sound energy of the more expensive 130dB FIAMM Freeway Blaster; - 600% louder than the $140, 130 dB Pro Pad Mini Beast horn; - 650% louder than the $179, 128dB Rivco dual trumpet horn.”

Lastly I used the supplied wire ties to secure all loose wiring out of the way. I buttoned up the bike in reverse order of the disassembly and got it ready again to ride.

Just the other day I had the opportunity to use the Nautilus Compact Air Horn. It was on my commute home westbound on SH183 around Hurst Texas. A vehicle whose driver was not paying attention, was unaware or uncaring started drifting over from the center lane into the fast lane while I was in it. I guess even with his window down he could not hear my

Cobra exhaust next to him above all the traffic noise. I hammered on the horn button and the Stebel responded with a very loud honk. He stopped moving into my lane but was still straddling the white line so I just sped up and got out of there.

The Nautilus Horn worked as designed and I was very happy with how loud it is above the sounds of the traffic. The installation on my V-Star 1100 Classic was not that complicated. It can be installed by someone with an average mechanical ability and electrical aptitude. Torch gives the Stebel Nautilus Compact Dual Tone Air Horn a M.M.M. Rating of 9 out of 10.

Ride on,
Torch

Attack of the U.F.M.

Attack of the U.F.M.

It all started on a sleepy autumn morning. I rode to work early, usually getting up around 4:30 – 4:40 am and left around 5:00 – 5:10 am. Needless to say I’m usually only partially awake at that time in the morning. I don my leathers and head out to the garage.

I opened the garage door and backed Mistress, my V-Star1100 Classic, out and got the rest of my gear on, gloves, face mask, clear riding glasses, and half helmet. I tucked my lunch inside my right saddlebag. It was cold enough outside that I had trouble keeping the glasses from fogging up when I breathed out my nose. I closed the garage door and proceeded to start the bike.

First I turned the ignition key all the way on. I made sure the choke, (fuel enrichment knob), was turned all the way on. Then, I made sure the fuel cut off valve was turned down to the on position remembering that if I do not turn the fuel knob back on, I will not make it out of my neighborhood with out running out of fuel and stalling the bike. Don’t ask me how I know. I pressed the cut of switch to the run position and hit the start button.

Mistress’s 1100 V-Twin roared to life. With the Cobra exhaust, you can bet my neighbors know when I leave in the morning. I slid the fuel enrichment knob, (works like a choke), over to idle her down some and headed carefully out of my driveway onto the dark, damp streets.

It was a cold, dark and foggy Monday morning. I turned out of my neighbor hood and headed eastbound on Cheek Sparger Road. I straightened out from the turn and started to accelerate. Just then, I caught some movement just barely visible at the far reaches of the headlamp and riding lights off the side of the road. At first I didn’t pay to much attention to it, thinking it’s probably just a rabbit on the side of the road hopping around.

Then I noticed the anomaly is headed perpendicularly to my track on the road and will cross right in front of me. That’s when I spotted the glowing white beady eyes of this creature fixated on my Mistress and myself, reflected from the lights. As I got closer I could make out its size. It was larger than an alley cat and more like the size of a small dog. Now I could make out some large teeth and huge fangs in a pointy snout and large whiskers with foam trailing out the corners of its mouth.

Just then I realized what the Unidentified Flying Marsupial was. It was a very angry opossum running at full gallop across the road and headed straight for me. It looked like it was out for blood. For all I knew it could be rabid. I raised the angle on my right wrist and Mistress responded by slowing down some, both of us hoping to throw the attackers timing off. I just new it was going to either try to get up underneath my front tire and knock me off my bike or just jump straight up for a death grip on my throat.

My change in speed to throw off the timing ploy did not work. My next tactic was to aim my V-Star 1100 right at it. Mistress nodded in agreement. The logic in this approach was that, if I tried to hit a moving target, more than likely I would fail. The gargantuan opossum was at a full out run and just fixing to spring at me, its claws glistened in the riding lamps, when its head hit my front tire. It made a hollow thump type sound.

At this point neither one of us could adjust the momentum we had built up. The killer slid underneath the path of the bike. I could feel the rear of the bike lift up as the rear tire ran over the marsupials head. I knew it was its head because if it had been its body the back end of the motorcycle would have bounced up a lot higher.

In a flash it was over. Mistress and I had thwarted a deadly attack from a killer opossum and barely survived. I tried to glance back behind me and saw nothing on the roadway. But it was foggy and dark so I might not have been able to see it. I called my wife when I got to work and asked her if she had seen anything in the road, she leaves for work right after me, she had not. I looked closely again at the scene of the assault on my way home and saw nothing. The Attacker had made a clean get away.

Opossums are the other brown meat and tastes like chicken, I would imagine. Otherwise, they can be just another large, rodent looking, Unidentified Flying Marsupial obstacle in the road. Most of the time, you only get to see them with their little feet sticking up stiffly. Yep, they are just another obstacle you have to watch out for while riding a motorcycle in the Texas suburbs.
What is the moral of this story? Be prepared at any time, any place, and any conditions to react to changes in road conditions or obstacles in your path. Also remember, not all obstacles hold still for you. Sometimes obstacles have a mind of their own.

Ride on,
Torch

A Tale Of Two Batteries

A Tale of Two Batteries

Mistress, my ’03 V-Star was whispering in my ear. Not literally of course, but she had been getting a little slower to crank in the morning. Being in the automotive industry I recognized the symptoms. The battery was getting weak. Being the professional procrastinator that I am, I ignored her. I did start plugging her into the Battery Tender Jr. on the weekends to make sure she would start for Monday morning commutes.

Then finally it happened one day after work. It went down on a day a cold front had blown in. I went out, hopped on her and hit the start button. Nothing happened. She whispered, “I told you...” I pondered my predicament a few minutes and called my wife to send one of the boys to come pick me up in our ’98 Ford Explorer. That was embarrassing. All leathered up and my bike just wouldn’t budge. I could have jumped her off but it was just much easier to call for a ride.

The next morning I grabbed an extension cord and my Battery Tender and had my wife drop me off. Fortunately, my workplace was on her way anyway. I connected her up to let the battery be tended to and came back on lunch break to see if she would start. She did. I left the tender on until I got off work. After work the mighty 100 V-Twin roared to life and I was headed home.

OK, here is the dumb part. Any smart individual would have checked the electrical system out and/or replaced the battery then. I have never claimed to be smart. I just left it on the Battery Tender all the time at home now. I milked that old battery along like that for another month to a month and a half. I had no idea how old that battery was or how long it had been in my V-Star.

Then it happened again. It was my night to work late and a cold one at that. I got bundled up to go home and, “Click”, nothing. Another phone call and another ride home in a cage.
The next morning I repeated the battery tender procedure and rode her home. I was determined to get another battery this time.

The first place I referenced about V-Star 1100 batteries was the V-Star 1100 Riders Knowledge Base. The Knowledge Base has a wealth of information and answers to just about any question V-Star related, including some questions that haven’t even been asked yet. It had a whole section on batteries. I read you could get a larger size battery that would fit. The stock battery on a V-Star is the YT14-B4 rated at 12 Amp Hours and 135 Cold Cranking Amps. A good replacement for it is the YT14-BS rated at 12 Amp Hours and 200 Cold Cranking Amps and is only 11/16” wider. That sounded like what I wanted, so I started searching for one. Somehow I overlooked the, “Batteries Plus (local source) - $49.99 -Charlottesville, Va on 2/6/06”, Partly because I had never heard of them.

I found what I was looking for at CBXMAN Motorcycles. It was a Binetto YTX14-BS High Performance AGM ATV/Motorcycle Battery. I ordered it and a balaclava and waited patiently. CBXMAN shipped my order right out and I was able to watch the shipping progress online at the shipping companies web site.
The order arrived a week later and I opened the package and removed the instructions for the battery. The Binetto battery came with very vague and sparse directions. What’s a guy to do with out pictures? They ship the battery dry and you have to install the acid and charge the battery before use. I decided to wait until Saturday afternoon to install the battery. I was scheduled to work a half day and would do it after lunch.

Saturday afternoon came around and I figured out how to open all the battery acid vials and pour them simultaneously into the six separate openings. When all the acid was in I hooked it up to my Battery Tender Jr. After it had charged for a while I topped it off with a little water. This turned out to be a mistake later on. I know, I know, you are supposed to use distilled water anyway. When the Battery Tender’s light turned green I knew it was time to install it on the bike.

Battery replacement on a V-Star is fairly simple. Remove the battery cover by unscrewing it’s hex bolt, unfasten the rubber strap that holds the battery in from the bottom, disconnect the negative battery cable and any other grounding cables attached to the negative post, then remove the positive cable and any other power cables attached to the positive post.

Installation is the exact reverse. I noticed that the Binetto battery posts were not that great of quality. The posts set too low in the battery. This made it hard to install round terminals on the front side of the post without distorting or bending the eyelets. The battery did fit fine into the battery opening space on the bike. However, the battery on a V-Star does not fit level; it sets at an angle with the right side, the negative side, higher than the left. This is where the topping off of the battery became a problem. All the excess acid when the battery was tilted came out he vent hole. I had to keep hosing it off the bike with the garden hose to keep the acid off the bike.

I got the motorcycle all put back together and tested the battery by starting the bike and it started up with no squabbles. I gave her a quick bath and ran her down to the gas station for a quick feeding. It started and ran fine for one week and then the dreaded no crank happened once again, this time in the morning before my ride to work. On top of that one of my garage door hinges had broken and I had to leave her outside until I could repair the garage door.

A few days later I went back the V-Star 1100 Riders Knowledge Base and printed out the PDF files on how to check the rectifier-regulator and stator in the charging system. I did al the checks and everything on the motorcycle passed the tests. I came to the conclusion that my new Binetto battery was defective. A coworker and fellow rider, Danny heard of my predicament and suggested a store near his home called Batteries Plus.

I called a local Interstate battery store and they had one but it was another one that you had to add the acid too, or “acis” as the typo on there website says. The Interstate battery was pretty pricey also and I believe it only came with a six month warranty.

Next I called Batteries Plus on Davis Boulevard in North Richland Hills Texas. I spoke with Robert, a helpful and knowledgeable counter person, who checked to see if they had an Xtreme battery in stock the size I needed. They did not have one but they would have a stock order of them in a couple of days. I asked if they were a sealed battery and he said they were. Then Robert checked to see if they had an X2-14 Xtreme battery the size I wanted in stock. They did have one. However, they did cost a little more. He explained that the X2 battery comes with a two year warranty instead of just one. I told him I would be by after work to pick one up. Browsing around their website I found a ten percent off coupon.

I also fired off an email inquiry to Yamaha Suzuki of Texas in Hurst from their website about the cost and availability of a battery, which they have not responded to, to this day.

After work I headed straight to Batteries Plus and met Robert. He grabbed the battery off the shelf for me, it was on display, put it back in its box making sure all of the hardware was there. It came with two height adapters and two spacers and bolts for side mount cable installations. I presented my 10% off coupon and Robert said they have a 20% off coupon that comes out in the paper and he would give that to me. I was not just pleasantly surprised; I was shocked at the offer and his dedication to customer service. Trust me; I will refer anyone looking for a battery for anything to check out Batteries Plus. If you live in the D/FW area, see Robert at the North Richland Hills location.

Here is the X2-14 Xtreme Battery description from the Batteries Plus website:

Choose an X2 battery to keep you powered. Designed for the vibration in an ATV and the endurance of a touring bike. X2 batteries offer the best features; fully sealed - maintenance free, pure calcium-lead plate design for increased power, easy to install with front mount threaded terminals and extended reserve power for more accessories. Backed by a full 24 month warranty, the X2 is the perfomance battery you have been seeking. The X2-14 has specific dimensions of 5.88" x 3.44" x 5.75".

I went home and installed it that evening. (The Binetto battery would not even crank the V-Star over after being on the Battery Tender for nearly a week now.) The installation of the X2 was much easier. The whole battery had a more professional fit and finish. The posts had plenty of clearance for the terminals and the height adapters, spacers and bolts were not needed on the V-Star installation. I did not even have to charge the battery to start the bike, it came fully charged.

The failure of the Binetto battery may have been caused by me and its lack of clear directions, I do not know. It was an expensive lesson to learn. There are some things that it is just better to purchase locally rather than online. And, you get what you pay for; some things are inexpensive for a reason. My Mistress has not been complaining to me since the X2 Xtreme Battery was put in several weeks ago and she has been starting every time I ask. On a scale of 1-10, Torch gives the X2 a M.M.M. Rating of 9.5.

Ride on,
Torch

Fiamm Freeway Blaster Horn Installation & Review

Alternate Title: Torch’s First V-Star Mod/Upgrade

Before I started using my ’03 Yamaha V-Star 1100, I wanted to give her a good "T-CLOCS" inspection. I learned about the "T-Clocks" pre-ride checklist when I took the Motorcycle Safety Foundations Basic Riders Course. You can download your own "T-CLOCS" checklist to print and use here.

"T-CLOCS" Stands for:

T-Tires & Wheels
C-Controls
L-Lights
O-Oil
C-Chassis
S-Stands

While performing this inspection I noticed what I feel is a shocking omission on the MSF’s pre-ride inspection list. I could not find the horn listed anywhere. I even used the PDF file document search and it came up empty, so I knew it was not just my oversight. If you use their list I suggest adding, "Horn if equipped," under the lighting or control section.

So, I performed my "T-CLOCS" pre-ride inspection and hit the horn button. Mistress, (my nickname for the motorcycle,) let out a soft, timid "meep" sound. I laughed out loud. Then I remembered a real humorous thread on the V-Star 1100 Riders Forum about the 1100’s apathetic Original Equipment Model horn. Someone on the forum actually coined the sound that the OEM horn makes on a V-Star as "meep". I did not think much more about it at the time.

After commuting to work for a couple of weeks in stop and go D/FW traffic, I had to opportunity to use the horn. It was the classic cage changing into my lane without looking. For those who do not know, a cage was a vehicle driving on four or more wheels. I hit the horn button on this big, bad, Yamaha, V-Star, 1100cc monster of a bike I was riding and it responded with the anemic "meep" sound. I’m not sure the sound was even audible over all the traffic noise. I could sense the other drivers around me laughing. I knew then it was time to change out the OEM horn. It had, in fact, become the first thing that I wanted to change on the bike.

Not long after that I found myself in the local Pep Boys Auto store looking at replacement horns. I saw the Fiamm Freeway Blasters and grabbed a Low Note Horn. I figured the low note would give a larger sound, which was definitely what I wanted. I got home and read the simplistic directions. I also referenced the V-Star 1100 Riders Knowledge Base in the Horn section. It appeared that it was pretty much plug-n-play. Always remember, appearances can be deceiving. Your mileage may very, as they say.

I went to the garage and started the install. The first thing was to remove the pathetic OEM horn. It had only one bolt attaching it to the upper frame between the down tubes. Once unbolted, I pulled the electrical connector off the OEM horn and it was now off the bike. That part was easy enough.

I then compared the two horns. There were a couple differences. One was that the Fiamm Freeway Blaster wiring connectors were a lot farther apart than the OEM horn connector. I thought about this dilemma and decided I could do one of two things. I could cut the OEM plastic connector in half down the middle, or fabricate a jumper harness using spade lugs and wire. I reached for my favorite knife clipped in my left front pocket and carefully cut the wiring connector in two. My favorite knife was a Kershaw Leek Speed-Safe Assisted Opening Knife my wife had given to me for Christmas. I figured it would be less obtrusive than reaching into my right front pocket and pulling out my Kel-Tec P3AT .380 and just blasting the connector.

The second difference is that the Freeway Blaster horn is larger that the OEM horn. I held the Fiamm supplied bracket up to the bike mounting spot and noted that it was too short. Then I noticed the bracket on the OEM still attached to it. So, I removed the OEM bracket from the OEM horn and held it up with the Fiamm Horn to the V-Star. The bracket went the wrong way and the horn would not fit properly. I scratched my head, flipped the OEM bracket upside down and held the Fiamm horn back up to the bike. It looked like it would work.

I attached the OEM horn bracket upside down on the Freeway Blaster. Then I attached it to the bike, bending the bracket slightly to position it correctly. I hooked up the electrical connectors I previously had set free to the new horn. I turned the key on and hit the horn button. Now it sounded like a real horn with a much deeper sound. It was not supper loud, but was definitely louder than the OEM. You can hear a sound clip at the Fiamm website here.

I noticed that the Fiamm horn protrudes out farther than the OEM. I had read of people installing horns on motorcycles and not allowing for the fender travel. This would lead to the fender hitting the horn and damaging the paint or fender. So, as a precaution, I made one more modification to the Freeway Blaster. I took a hacksaw to the front plastic portion of the horn that sticks out and lopped it off. Now I was done.

As far as a review the Fiamm Freeway Blaster Low Note Horn works as advertised. I’ve had it on for a year now and works when called upon. Eventually I want to also install an air horn on my Mistress. Torch gives the Fiamm Freeway Blaster a MMM rating of 8 on a scale of 1-10.

Ride on,
Torch

My Mistress

My Mistress is my motorcycle. It was time to take stock of what all this bike had on her. I believe that I am the third owner and the previous owners had really decked her out. It was a 2003 Yamaha Star V-Star 1100 Classic with 26,000 miles on it. Although a Classic model, She looked more like a Silverado because of all the accessories. Every time I looked at it I discovered something new. I had been keeping a running tally of all the accessories for quite some time and here is the list as best as I can discern, not in any particular order:

SS Customs Mid Range 420 Cam Kit (includes: Chubby Air Kit, Needles, and Jets)

Jardine Chrome Oil Filter Relocation Kit

Progressive Front Fork Springs

Progressive Rear Suspension Spring

Corbin Dual Touring Seat with Front & Rear Removable Backrests

Audiovox CCS100 Universal Vacuum Cruise Control

Kuryakyn Hypercharger for V-Star 1100 (vacuum is hooked up, but just for looks)

Kuryakyn ISO Grips

Kewl Metal Kewlock Grip End Helmet Locks

Star Motorcycles Floorboards with Heel & Toe Shifter

Kuryakyn Chrome Floorboard Covers

Star Motorcycles Billet Brake Brake Pedal Cover

Star Motorcycles Rear Luggage Rack

Barons Customs Sport Board Adjustable Passenger Floorboards

Star Motorcycles front Light Bar

Star Motorcycles Headlamp, Front Passing, and Front and Rear Turn Signal Visors

Clear Alternatives Clear Front Turn Signal Lenses & Amber Bulbs

Clear Alternatives Smoke Rear Turn Signal Lenses

Radiantz LED Rear Turn Signal Conversion Kit

Kuryakyn 7" Halogen Headlight Wave Cut Tri-bar with Black Dot

Kuryakyn Chrome Brake Master Cylinder Cap

Chrome Rear Brake Fluid Reservoir Cover

Kuryakyn Magnum Plus Mirrors

Kuryakyn Billet Chrome State Inspection Plate

Cobra Speedster Longs Exhaust

Memphis Shades Windshield

Memphis Shades Lowers

Laminar Lip on Windshield

Leather Three Pocket Windshield Bag With Braiding

Star Motorcycles Front Fender Trim Bumper

Custom Classic Hard Leather Bolt On Saddle Bags with Braid & Pocket

Easy Brackets Saddle Bag Quick Detachable Brackets.

Kuryakyn Chrome Neck Covers

Clocks 4 Bikes Chrome Handlebar Clock, Original Mount with White Faceplate

Clocks 4 Bikes Chrome Handlebar Thermometer, Original Mount with White Faceplate

Kuryakyn Chrome Mid-Frame Cover

Kuryakyn Lighted License Plate Frame

Kuryakyn Chrome Boomerang Frame Trim

Kuryakyn Chrome Handlebar Control Covers

Show Chrome Celestar Rear Brake Master Cylinder Cover

Kuryakyn Phantom Swingarm Chrome Cover

Avon Venom-R Tyres

Here is the list of things I have added or upgraded since I purchased her:

Replaced the OEM horn with a Black Fiamm Freeway Blaster Low Note Horn

Binetto YTX14-BS High Performance AGM ATV/Motorcycle Battery

Stebel Nautilus Compact Chrome Air Horn

Kuryakyn X-Tension Pegs

Replaced front Avon Venom-R Tyre with Metzler ME 880 Marathon

Replaced worn/missing Star Motorcycle Billet Brake Pedal Cover Rubber Inserts

Replaced one Cobra Dragster Long Exhaust tip, lost while riding

Battery Tender Connector to battery for Battery Tender Jr.

I will be writing reviews and stories of these projects and upgrades in the future. I will also be reviewing the riding gear I have picked up and used along the way.

Ride on,

Torch

Roses are Red, Legs are Blue…, What?

Alternate Title: My First Practice Session on My New Mistress.

No, there is no kinky stuff going on here. Mistress is my new V-Star 1100 Classic. I had just purchased her and had managed to ride her home in one piece. The next thing on the agenda was to get it insured.

I had filled out all kinds of online applications for an insurance quote to find out how much it was going to cost. In my searching earlier that week, I had run across a link to TWFG Insurance Services, a motorcycle insurance broker selling motorcycle insurance in multiple states. They are set up with several different insurance carriers. I had filled out their online email form and they emailed me back a reasonable quote through Progressive. My wife called them and we promptly had the insurance policy in effect.

Now that we had the bike insured it was time to practice riding. I would worry about getting the title and registration transferred over next week. I tossed on the used helmet I was temporarily using, my non-motorcycling jacket and hopped on the shiny V-Star. I was going to head up to one of the local school parking lots to practice, stops, turns, and take offs.

I let out the clutch to leave my driveway giving the bike enough throttle not to kill the engine. I was turning right out of my driveway. There is a dividing island with grass, trees, and regular curbs that starts right at my driveway. It divides our street up from that point on up to the main entrance to my subdivision.

Well, I took the right hand turn a little too wide. Maybe not just a little. Before I knew it, my bike was tracking towards the gutter and too close to the curb of the island. My MSF Basic Riding Course training kicked in about target fixation and I looked beyond to where I wanted to be, anywhere besides next to or hitting that curb. I mean, In the center of the street ahead.

My left floorboard must have just caught the curb. Mind you that I am not really traveling that fast, having just pulled out of my driveway. OK, probably faster than I should have been making a sharp right turn. This is where it got interesting. As near as I can tell, when the left floorboard caught, the front wheel, which is attached directly to the handlebars for you non-motorcyclists, slammed hard left. My hands were no longer holding those grips on those said handlebars. I suddenly felt a sharp pain from my left inner thigh just above where my knee bends. This all happened real fast, in a matter of seconds.

Right after the handlebar bottomed out on my thigh, the gyroscopic force of the motorcycle made the front wheel, with handlebars, whip straight again. Just as they straightened out somehow I managed to grab a hold of the handlebar grips again, gained control, and headed down the center of the lane. If the bike had not had a driver’s backrest I probably would have flipped off the back of the bike. I did the natural and looked around sheepishly to see if anyone had witnessed this miracle. Or, maybe I should call it an embarrassing spectacle.

I continued up to the local school parking lot as planned. I practiced stopping and then taking off right or left like I was at an intersection. Right hand turns seemed to give me the hardest time because the bike wanted to swing wide. I kept practicing until I got it down. I’m sure people in cages driving by that saw me going in circles thought I was crazy. After practicing a good while, I headed back to the house.

I did not think too much more about the incident, other than an aching feeling from my left thigh, until I went to take a shower that night. Most of my whole left thigh was a dark blue, almost black in color. Now I knew why my thigh was aching. A couple of weeks later it was just a yellowish brown in color and my wife saw it and had a fit. I just shrugged it off, and sadly noted how much longer it takes my body to heal, as I get older.


Ride on,
Torch

The First Ride Home

I had just purchased a 2003 V-Star 1100 Classic. I had the title and two sets of keys. I grabbed my leather jacket, which was not a real motorcycle jacket, and put on the black full-face helmet that my son had found in a junkyard. It was time to head for home. My wife would be following me in our 1998 Ford Explorer the 40 something miles back.

The first thing I noticed while backing the bike down the driveway was how heavy the bike was. It felt three times as heavy as the bike I used in the MSF Basic Riders Course. I'm 6'2" and weigh a good 200 something and I had to be careful not to lean it so far over that I could not get it back upright. I managed to finesse her backwards down into the street and was ready to take off.

I started her up and she roared to life underneath me. I let off the clutch and, promptly killed the engine. Hmmm, I needed to get used to that clutch and the friction zone. I took off from the first stop sign with no incident and decided to go to a parking lot to practice before taking her out on 635, the local multi-lane racetrack, I mean Interstate. I635, or LBJ as it is sometimes non-affectionately called, was named after Lynden B. Johnson and is a large freeway that circles part of north Dallas Texas. I drove for several blocks out of the neighborhood and on up to the main thoroughfare. I turned right and headed away from the direction of the Interstate and looked for a parking lot to pull into.

I pulled left into an empty parking lot with my wife following right behind. I came to a stop and turned off the bike and she asked if everything was all right. I assured her everything was fine and that I just wanted to get used to the clutch better and make a couple adjustments. I adjusted the mirrors noting that the handlebars seemed perfect for me. The previous owner must have been the same size, which would save me having to make a lot of adjustments later. Now that I could see behind me in the mirrors, I was ready to go. I started the bike back up and cautiously headed back to 635.

I came to the stoplight at 635 and got ready to turn right on red. This intersection was on a slight upward incline. I accidentally killed the roar of the mighty 1100 V-Twin again by letting out the clutch and not giving her enough throttle again. The cagers behind me now are all getting a little anxious and I’m a little flushed from embarrassment. Thinking it would take me a while to get used to how much throttle to use to get this big beast moving, I quickly restarted her and took off rapidly and sped onto the windy Interstate.

This bike had some power. When you twist the throttle you better be holding on tightly. The driver’s backrest on the Corbin Dual Tour Saddle saved me several times. Occasionally I had been caught by surprise when twisting the throttle and the bike pushed me back into the backrest. I hated to imagine what would have happened if it was not there.

Fortunately, it was a weekend, so there was not as much traffic on 635 as usual. Or, maybe I should say, rather than one gigantic parking lot, the Interstate traffic was actually moving. It didn’t take long for me to remember about the wind advisory for the day. This motorcycle had a Memphis Shades Windshield on it. Windshields on a motorcycle are nice to have to keep some of the head wind off you. The bad part of a windshield is that they act like a sail. I was headed west and the wind was gusting from the north. When the gusts were kind of hard the bike wanted to tack to the left. My knuckles whitened as I tightened my fingers around the Kuryakyn ISO grips harder.

About halfway home I checked my right side mirror to make sure my wife was still behind me, and she was. Just then, the Audiovox CCS100 Universal Vacuum Cruise Control switches, mounted on the right handlebar control box, caught my eye. This got me thinking did it work? Probably not the smartest decision being a new rider on a new bike, I took my eyes of the Freeway momentarily and tried to figure how to turn the cruise control on and then how to set it. With my eyes bouncing back and forth between where I was going and the switches, I finally decided to just start pushing buttons and on the second try got the combination between on and set correct and the cruise control kicked in. I used my new found right hand freedom to make another adjustment to my right mirror and quickly put my hand back on the grip. I pushed buttons again and turned the cruise off. I was stoked; the cruise control does indeed work.

It wasn’t long before I was north of the D/FW Airport and came to the large two-lane left hand ramp that curved up and then down to Highway 121 southbound from I635. The MSF Basic Riding Course training for taking curves was going through my head, outside, inside, outside. I was in the right hand lane and already on the outside track of the curve. As the lane started to turn I was now almost on the white line and shoulder. I was not turning fast enough and probably going way to fast for this curve being a newbie on an unfamiliar bike. Then the training kicked in again and I looked where I wanted to go and pushed the left handle bar forward. The beautiful V-Star leaned and went to the left and I leaned with it as she responded to my leading. I was right back on track and in the middle of my lane finishing the corner gracefully.

It was not much of an eventful ride otherwise. The new bike and I made it home in one piece. My wife and youngest son later told me that I gave them a scare on the curve and also when a large truck had wanted to be in the same lane I was in. The truck incident was just normal D/FW traffic stuff. I moved into another empty lane, let the truck have the one I was in, and went around him. I thought it was a great first ride. The bike, she was getting used to me and I her. It was the start of a kind of bonding process. It was nice to have motorcycle now to ride.

Ride on,
Torch

The Hunt Was On For A Steel Steed

Now that I had my Motorcycle Riding License and new what type of bike I wanted, it was time to start looking for a bike to ride. My wife agreed we could use the funds from an upcoming Income Tax refund to pay for it. My plan was to use it to commute to work everyday which would cut down on our fuel expenses. This would also make my 1998 Ford Explorer available for one of my teenagers to drive. I would still need to purchase some more riding gear down the road.

I had already been to several dealers both new and used. I was also watching all the local inventories on-line through their websites. Two weeks before the Income tax money was to arrive I checked Craigslist one more time. My search was specifically for V-Stars this time since that is what I was leaning towards. One listing caught my eye. It was for a 2003 V-Star 1100 Classic with 26000 miles on it. The mileage did not scare me off because I had read of the V-Stars easily going over 100,000 miles. It had a short list of some of the upgrades made to it including cams, cruise, and chrome. It was a platinum and cream type color which did not look too bad. The price seemed reasonable considering the age, mileage, and accessories. It was also located in North Dallas, which is not too far from me.

The weekend came and I doubtfully called to see if it was even still available. It was, so I made an appointment to go and look at it the next Saturday. My IRS refund was supposed to come in before then by direct deposit making it possible for me to purchase it, if I liked it. It sure sounded too good in print to be true. I could hardly wait until next Saturday.

My oldest son had recently found an inexpensive full face black helmet at a junkyard. It was not in too bad of shape so I tried it on and it fit. It had a few minor scuffs and scratches on the outside. There was no structural damage indicating an impact of any kind, so, I estimated it to be safe. I took it completely apart and washed everything, liner, padding, and the inside. Now I had a helmet to use until I could purchase one that I wanted. The week before I had purchased a regular leather, non-motorcycle, jacket from a discount rack at a local Kohl's store. It would make due until I could get something better.

My refund came in that week so I withdrew the cash needed to purchase the bike in case I decided to buy it. Saturday came around and my wife, my youngest son Joshua, and myself headed to the North Dallas address to meet the friend of the seller and to see the '03 V-Star 1100. The owner of the bike was out of town at the time. It was a cool overcast day with a threat of rain. The wind was really blowing from the north and the National Weather Service had issued a Wind Advisory Warning.

We arrived at the address a little after the set time and no one was home. We waited in the Explorer for a short time and then someone drove up in a vehicle. He introduced himself as the owners friend and representative and opened the single garage door where the bike was located. Wow, there she was and what a site. He backed her out of the garage and let me look her over. He started pointing out to me a lot of the accessories that had been added to the bike. This bike was decked out. He started her up for me and she was loud. Then one of the neighborhood kids that had wandered up grabbed the throttle and twisted. He had to get after the poor kid to get him to let go. The boy was surprised by the sound and had not let go of the throttle. Did I mention how loud that exhaust sounded? Insert smile here.

I asked if I could ride her and he said no because they had heard stories of people test riding motorcycles and never coming back. I had heard these stories as well. He stated however, that if I had a helmet, he would gladly take me for a ride. I agreed and got the helmet out of the Explorer as he maneuvered the bike around and into the street so I could get on.

The owners representative , like me, was a large guy. At least as big as me at 6'2” and probably weighed as much, or more. The V-Star moved us up to speed effortlessly without a strain. We opted not to take her out onto the freeway. So instead, he made a large circle around his neighborhood. This allowed us to at least get her up to 45 mph, or so. The bike would gracefully get us up to speed in neck jerking time as you heard the mid level cams kicking in. I smiled every now and again while going through the neighborhoods. It seems that her vocal Cobra exhaust pipes made the car alarms go off as we made our way back through the neighborhood.

Far too soon the ride was over and we were back at the house where we began. I asked if he had the title and he did. I made an offer $500.00 less then the asking price. The owners representative replied no, stating that the owner had too much money invested in accessories to come down that much. However, he said the owner probably would not mind coming down off the price $250.00. Realizing that the bike plus accessories, despite the mileage, was worth a lot more, I made the deal. He got the title from inside the house, which had already been signed by the actual owner, and we counted out the cash together with my wifes help. He handed me the the OEM cams, a spare bottle of Mobile One Synthetic Motorcycle Oil, one of his business cards, and tossed me the spare keys. It was time to go. We left with me navigating the new She Beast home wards with my wife following close behind in the explorer.

Ride on,

Torch