The Bike's Ready, Are you?
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 4:34 am
The Bike's Ready, Are you?
By TED LATURNUS
Thursday, April 7, 2005 - Globe and Mail
You've done all you can to get your bike ready for the new season. It's sitting there, newly serviced, glistening in the sun, waiting. But how about you? Are you good to go?
Although operating a motorcycle isn't the most strenuous of activities, a certain level of preparedness and physical fitness is necessary, especially if you've been out of the saddle for six or seven months. Riding a bike is kind of like playing a round of golf: You don't really need to be in shape to enjoy it, but it helps.
One of the most important questions your have to ask yourself right off the top is: How are my eyes? Do I need glasses? This applies especially to -- ahem -- older riders.
Needless to say, you want to have the best vision you can when you're riding --this takes on particular significance at night. Several years ago, while hauling along a local highway at dusk, I was looking for a particular exit sign and literally didn't see it until I was right on top of it.
I had been on that stretch of road dozens of times, but still roared past the exit and had to ride another five klicks before I could turn around and find it again. A subsequent visit to the eye-doctor revealed that, unbeknownst to me, my eyesight had deteriorated to the point where I couldn't read anything more than 10 or 15 metres away.
It was insidious; up until that point, I hadn't given it much thought, but time and tide wait for no man and I've been wearing prescription shades (with photo-sensitive lenses) ever since.
Which leads to the whole eye-wear thing. If you wear glasses, are they suitable? Regular store-bought goggles aren't really good enough. Neither are cheap sunglasses. They can allow air to leak in around the sides, have low-grade lenses and nine times out of 10 are too light.
I use some heavy-duty plastic frames that I bought at an aviation supply store with heavy glass lenses that are shatterproof and scratch-resistant. I've done everything except feed these things through a chipper and they're still almost as good as new.
They form a kind of airtight seal around my eyes and stay put even during the harshest crosswinds.
Next up, what kind of riding are you doing? If you're a serious off-roader, for example, your forearms, legs and lower back all come into play.
Scott Summers, one of the top-rated cross-country riders in North America, undertakes an extensive workout program before he competes, including weight training, endurance bicycle riding and rollerblading.
In the gym, he says, he tries to mimic the kind of body movements he would employ if he were riding; curls are done palm-down, for example, and he focuses on lateral pull-downs, rowing and bench pressing.
Sport bikes also put a lot of stress on the lower arms and shoulders and if you're at all in doubt, take the time to do a few curls and reps.
Riding is all about stamina; you don't have to be able to bench press 200 kilograms, but you should be able to sit upright while supporting your own upper body weight. No need to get mental about this, however, if you're in half-decent shape, you should be okay.
Don't overdo it. If you're a little rusty, make that first ride of the season a relatively short one. Re-familiarizing yourself with the rules of the road is just as important as pumping yourself up. A quick little twilight run, for example, when traffic is light, is a good way of getting back into the groove.
Make sure your equipment is up to snuff. Boots watertight? All zippers and Velcro fasteners working fine? Got decent rain wear and cold weather gear? Gloves in good shape? Does your helmet still fit okay?
I once lost my helmet visor halfway through an extended road trip and spent hours trying to find a replacement. The thing was, the snap-fasteners were worn out and I hadn't paid any attention to them. Not a big deal, but I had to get off the highway and it caught me by surprise -- at 130 km/h.
Even something as trivial as an ill-fitting leather jacket or a flapping collar can turn a nice day trip into an odyssey.
Maybe it's time for a riding refresher course. Even the pros are constantly honing their skills. You may think you're Miguel Duhamel and don't need to be told anything, but you'd be wrong.
There are some excellent riding schools in Canada, and they'll instruct you in things like collision avoidance, braking techniques, reading traffic, defensive riding, and cornering techniques.
Go to http://www.safety-council.org and follow the links. Every province has its own Canada Safety Council affiliate and costs range from about $300 to $500. It's money well spent.
By TED LATURNUS
Thursday, April 7, 2005 - Globe and Mail
You've done all you can to get your bike ready for the new season. It's sitting there, newly serviced, glistening in the sun, waiting. But how about you? Are you good to go?
Although operating a motorcycle isn't the most strenuous of activities, a certain level of preparedness and physical fitness is necessary, especially if you've been out of the saddle for six or seven months. Riding a bike is kind of like playing a round of golf: You don't really need to be in shape to enjoy it, but it helps.
One of the most important questions your have to ask yourself right off the top is: How are my eyes? Do I need glasses? This applies especially to -- ahem -- older riders.
Needless to say, you want to have the best vision you can when you're riding --this takes on particular significance at night. Several years ago, while hauling along a local highway at dusk, I was looking for a particular exit sign and literally didn't see it until I was right on top of it.
I had been on that stretch of road dozens of times, but still roared past the exit and had to ride another five klicks before I could turn around and find it again. A subsequent visit to the eye-doctor revealed that, unbeknownst to me, my eyesight had deteriorated to the point where I couldn't read anything more than 10 or 15 metres away.
It was insidious; up until that point, I hadn't given it much thought, but time and tide wait for no man and I've been wearing prescription shades (with photo-sensitive lenses) ever since.
Which leads to the whole eye-wear thing. If you wear glasses, are they suitable? Regular store-bought goggles aren't really good enough. Neither are cheap sunglasses. They can allow air to leak in around the sides, have low-grade lenses and nine times out of 10 are too light.
I use some heavy-duty plastic frames that I bought at an aviation supply store with heavy glass lenses that are shatterproof and scratch-resistant. I've done everything except feed these things through a chipper and they're still almost as good as new.
They form a kind of airtight seal around my eyes and stay put even during the harshest crosswinds.
Next up, what kind of riding are you doing? If you're a serious off-roader, for example, your forearms, legs and lower back all come into play.
Scott Summers, one of the top-rated cross-country riders in North America, undertakes an extensive workout program before he competes, including weight training, endurance bicycle riding and rollerblading.
In the gym, he says, he tries to mimic the kind of body movements he would employ if he were riding; curls are done palm-down, for example, and he focuses on lateral pull-downs, rowing and bench pressing.
Sport bikes also put a lot of stress on the lower arms and shoulders and if you're at all in doubt, take the time to do a few curls and reps.
Riding is all about stamina; you don't have to be able to bench press 200 kilograms, but you should be able to sit upright while supporting your own upper body weight. No need to get mental about this, however, if you're in half-decent shape, you should be okay.
Don't overdo it. If you're a little rusty, make that first ride of the season a relatively short one. Re-familiarizing yourself with the rules of the road is just as important as pumping yourself up. A quick little twilight run, for example, when traffic is light, is a good way of getting back into the groove.
Make sure your equipment is up to snuff. Boots watertight? All zippers and Velcro fasteners working fine? Got decent rain wear and cold weather gear? Gloves in good shape? Does your helmet still fit okay?
I once lost my helmet visor halfway through an extended road trip and spent hours trying to find a replacement. The thing was, the snap-fasteners were worn out and I hadn't paid any attention to them. Not a big deal, but I had to get off the highway and it caught me by surprise -- at 130 km/h.
Even something as trivial as an ill-fitting leather jacket or a flapping collar can turn a nice day trip into an odyssey.
Maybe it's time for a riding refresher course. Even the pros are constantly honing their skills. You may think you're Miguel Duhamel and don't need to be told anything, but you'd be wrong.
There are some excellent riding schools in Canada, and they'll instruct you in things like collision avoidance, braking techniques, reading traffic, defensive riding, and cornering techniques.
Go to http://www.safety-council.org and follow the links. Every province has its own Canada Safety Council affiliate and costs range from about $300 to $500. It's money well spent.
So many be a advanced course would be a good idea to get back into things.