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dhalen32
 Moderator
644 Posts
[Mentor]
Omaha, NE
USA
Buell
XB12X Ulysses
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 Posted - 11/18/2009 : 6:06 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by gymnast
Neat Bike! Use it in good health and may it lead to much enjoyment and many excellent adventures.
It is unfortunate that the Veradero V-Twin adventure tourer is not available in the US.
Gymnast:
Honda is bringing the Deauxville to the states however. It will be called the NT700 here. Have you checked it out yet? It has the old Hawk GT engine (enlarged to 700 cc), shaft drive, hard bags and ABS is available if you wish.
Dave
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ananga73
Ex-Member
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Posted - 11/18/2009 : 6:31 AM
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Glad to hear you're healing well, and I like your confidence in going out to buy another beast although you're not yet fully recovered [;).
A very well written piece and the self analysis was excellent. My only initial angst was what I perceived to be your "nonchalance" w.r.t ATGATT however after reading some of your responses, I believe perhaps they are a little unfounded.
I see you thank God for delivering you from more serious injury although He permitted the accident to occur. I want to believe that God himself is pro ATGATT.  
Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
Amen |
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haithabu
Standard Member
235 Posts
Canmore, Alberta
Canada
Honda
Varadero
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Posted - 11/18/2009 : 10:44 AM
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| Thank you Paul. I'm not immune from making mistakes, but I try not to make the same mistake twice! |
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haithabu
Standard Member
235 Posts
Canmore, Alberta
Canada
Honda
Varadero
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Posted - 04/07/2010 : 7:20 PM
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This is an update on our status now that it's been almost 11 months since our accident. Almost one year gone. Diane's leg is almost healed. She can walk normally when she remembers but when she forgets or is tired she limps again out of habit. No visible sign of facial surgery. She triggers the alarm every time we go through airport security and has to get the pat down.
I have almost regained the strength in my left arm except for permanently limited mobility in the wrist (only 45 degreee flexion but almost full extension) and some pain when I do reverse curls. No lasting effect from my chest injuries.
Monday I picked up the motorcycle I purchased last fall as a replacement for the VN750. It is a Honda Varadero (the bigger one) and it had been sitting in storage over the winter.
The timing wasn't the best. I had booked a pick up time of 2:00 pm with Rocky Mtn Honda but what with one delay and another I didn't get out on MacLeod Trail with it until after 4:30. Those of you familiar with Calgary traffic will know that's not a good time and place for a first ride.
I was a nervous and a bit rough on the controls for the first few miles. Fortunately I had planned a route that took me on to the 22x westbound to Bragg Creek within a mile and I settled down for what should have been a more relaxing ride. The only problem was that I was paranoid of each vehicle that I passed waiting to turn out from a side road. As I approached each I would visualize it pulling out across my lane and would involuntarily slow down. But no matter how slow you go there is a point of no return beyond which you have no sure recourse should the other driver decide to pull out. I eventually decided that was part of the irreducible risk I had to accept if I wanted to continue riding.
First day jitters. I took the 1A west from Cochrane and by the time I reached Exshaw I felt a lot more in control and had gained enough confidence to do the curves at 15 km/h over the advisory limit. The bike handled them very well. The next day I took the bike into Calgary for a meeting and this time was able to deal with traffic without having to think too much consciously about its handling.
The bike: it's upright, tall, heavy and powerful. I like the seat height, which gives a commanding view of traffic. Shifting is smooth. It's not exactly flickable but it responds instantly to steering inputs from the wide handle bars and holds its line very well. The suspension handled everything the rather ripply 1A highway could throw at it without getting unsettled in the curves. Acceleration is miles ahead of any cruiser I've ridden (including the VN750) though I do miss the VN750's howl and surge in the high rpms. I don't think I've taken the Varadero over 6000 rpm yet, and that got me up to 130 km/h.
The riding position is very slightly forward, which puts relatively more weight on my arms when I brake. This is something I'll have to get used to due to the arm injury. However a winter of push ups is now paying off. The brakes are insanely good. I haven't used the ABS yet (plan to test it in the parking lot first), but the bike hauls down very fast with two fingers. I tend to end up against the gas tank when I do that so I have to train myself to use a knee grip when braking.
Gear: Full face helmet (Airoh S4), which is enduro style and therefore has a large field of vision and allows plenty of air flow. I've removed the beak for highway use. Darth Vader gloves, motocross knee guards with articulated joints that strap on above and below the knee. Protects the front of my legs from mid-thigh most of the way down my shins. Draggin jeans are back ordered. Riding boots. Hit-air jacket - remember to hook up when mounting, or you'll ride away trailing the connector cord behind you.
So I'm back in the saddle and it feels very good. Looking forward to a productive summer of riding. Diane has said she will ride with me again, but first wants me to get to the point where the bike is an extension of my body. I'm workin' on that....... |
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rayg50
Advanced Member
858 Posts
[Mentor]
NYC, NY
USA
Honda
Shadow Spirit 750DC
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Posted - 04/07/2010 : 7:49 PM
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A very much appreciated update. Glad to see things are progressing well for you and your wife. Enjoy your new ride.
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Night Train
Moderator
1335 Posts
[Mentor]
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Canada
Harley-Davidson
03 Electra Glide Std
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Posted - 04/08/2010 : 1:58 AM
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| Haithabu, thanks for the update. I was getting ready to PM you to see how you were doing. Glad to see you are back in the saddle. No doubt your experience of the past several months will remain in your mind for some time to come. That is natural but will subside to the point that it doesn't detract from riding safely (over cautious) once you get a few miles under your belt. Have a safe and enjoyable riding season. I look forward to hearing more of your exploits as the season progresses. |
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bachman1961
Advanced Member
1408 Posts
[Mentor]
colorado springs, co
USA
Honda
CB750 NightHawk
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Posted - 04/09/2010 : 2:06 AM
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Congratulations on getting the new bike!
I've read enough of your posts to know you are cautious and will give yourself time to acclimate to that bike and the riding experience ,,, nothing to offer you there.
I remember seeing a picture of that model .. very nice looking.
As you get to know the bike and ergonomics / set up, I remember some other situations where the controls were adjusted or rotated to better accommodate the fit of the rider. If you feel some stress or strain, keep some options in mind so that any discomfort that might be a distraction can get ironed out well ahead of time.
~brian |
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Axiom2000
Moderator
973 Posts
[Mentor]
Georgetown, Delaware
USA
BMW
R1200RT/ R1200C
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Posted - 04/09/2010 : 4:48 AM
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Also add my congratulations on the new bike, I am sure making the decision to ride again was not an easy one. I noticed you now have a Hit-air jacket, after wearing it for some time I would appreciate your thoughts about it. From time to time I have considered one, but they are not cheap and I wondered how in the long run they hold up to everyday use.
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haithabu
Standard Member
235 Posts
Canmore, Alberta
Canada
Honda
Varadero
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Posted - 04/09/2010 : 11:03 AM
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Thanks guys.
The main riding adjustment I have to make is to brace myself differently against the G forces of braking. With the feet forward position on the VN750 I didn't have to give it much thought. I think when I'm riding in traffic I will start sitting forward on the seat right up against the gas tank, even though it gives me a little less leg room. That way I'm less likely to be distracted by a forward slide on the seat should I have to brake suddenly and therefore better able to maintain control for avoidance manoeuvres.
I keep missing the foot brake because it is set lower than what I am used to. That's not too much of an issue because with the linked brakes the hand lever alone does a good job of hauling down the motorcycle's speed in a balanced fashion. But I will be a little more intentional with using the pedal until my muscles "learn" its location. And I do plan to hit the parking lot once our most recent snow goes away. I want to get a feel for the machine's maximum stopping capability short of triggering ABS and to experiment with brake-and-swerve combos.
Unlike braking, handling comes very naturally to me with the Varadero because most of my previous riding experience was on standard bikes. The reason braking is an adjustment is because back in the day the brakes on the motorcycles I rode just weren't that good. With the front brake fade on the CB450 I couldn't have made myself slide forward on the seat if I tried.
The Hit-air jacket.....from the heft and finish of the EU-3 I would say that if you removed the CO2 cylinder you would still have a good quality riding jacket with the deflated rubber bladders serving as additional padding front and back. As far as effectiveness of the air bag system itself, there is really only one way to test it and I don't plan to try. I don't intend to become another testimonial if I can help it.
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rkfire
Advanced Member
673 Posts
Stratford, CT
USA
Suzuki
Bandit
Peer Review:
Blocked
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Posted - 04/09/2010 : 1:58 PM
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I'd only suggest that you can adjust that brake pedal to where you want it. If you do, you may also need to adjust the brake light switch as well.
Every bike I've owned, within weeks I have adjusted the gear shift, brake pedal, clutch and brake levers, handlebar rotation, and headlight. They get set up one size fits all, but we're not all one size. |
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Young Dai
Junior Member
28 Posts
Southend, Essex
United Kingdom
Honda
ST1100a
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Posted - 04/10/2010 : 11:53 AM
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A further option that could help with the braking issue would to be to ride consciously in a lower gear than you may be used to. That way you get deceleration from throttle control to help adjust to (relatively) small speed changes in traffic and as you reach for the brake lever you are slowing before you know it.
This technique also gives you better (read more immediate) acceleration going for gaps and overtakes than bimbling along with the motor turning at 2000rpm in 4th.
http://intrepidcommuter.blogspot.co...ine-have.htm
My Pan also has linked brakes and I initially found it a be disconcerting at a walking pace controlled by what you think is just the back brake and clutch and to have the front of the bike bobbing up and down, as you come on and off the brake pedal ! Not enough to be dangerous, just a bit unusual that's all
For my part I have never really wanted to find how or when ABS would take over, just as long as the red bar is not lit up that is good enough for me. I saw the demo where an ABS Pan two up stopped earlier than a 'Vanilla' Pan with the same speed and load, but really I think the whole point of ABS is that you shouldn't notice it.
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haithabu
Standard Member
235 Posts
Canmore, Alberta
Canada
Honda
Varadero
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Posted - 04/10/2010 : 6:30 PM
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quote:
For my part I have never really wanted to find how or when ABS would take over, just as long as the red bar is not lit up that is good enough for me. I saw the demo where an ABS Pan two up stopped earlier than a 'Vanilla' Pan with the same speed and load, but really I think the whole point of ABS is that you shouldn't notice it.
True. For me it's more a matter of getting a feel for the bike under maximum braking effort. Once you trigger ABS of course you're not going to stop any faster. But if you know where that line is then you can back off and know you have some traction to spare for steering. |
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scottrnelson
Advanced Member
5258 Posts
[Mentor]
Pleasanton, CA
USA
KTM
990 Adv, ST2, XR650L
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Posted - 04/10/2010 : 7:43 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by haithabu
Once you trigger ABS of course you're not going to stop any faster.
Unless it's damp or dirty, then you'll stop faster than you could otherwise. That's where ABS would be a big advantage to me as a rider. |
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haithabu
Standard Member
235 Posts
Canmore, Alberta
Canada
Honda
Varadero
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Posted - 04/12/2010 : 10:58 AM
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quote:
Unless it's damp or dirty, then you'll stop faster than you could otherwise.
No doubt about that. Even on clean dry pavement I believe I can stop faster in a straight line with ABS because I can immediately use all of my traction without the need to modulate or to leave some traction on the table as a safety margin.
What I meant is, for me having ABS is no substitute for learning how to manage my traction in stopping situations. If I ever have to brake quickly in a curve or in a situation where I need to steer while braking, I have to be able to apply the brakes forcefully without triggering ABS, in order to have something left to steer with.
What I found during PLP yesterday was that on this model of motorcycle there is no feedback on the controls when ABS is activated. The only way I can tell when it begins working on clean pavement is that when I progressively apply the brakes, the point at which the rate of deceleration stops increasing is when ABS has kicked in.
I will add that when I took the bike on Spray Lakes road after PLP I found that the Varadero version of ABS works equally well on firm gravel as on pavement. It hauled my speed down very quickly, no muss no fuss.
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The Postman
Junior Member
62 Posts
Baltimore, MD
USA
Suzuki
Power Cruiser
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Posted - 05/01/2010 : 7:44 AM
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| I expect ABS to become pretty much standard of mandatory as more studies show the mitigating effects they have on accidents. |
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James R. Davis
Administrator
14930 Posts
[Mentor]
Houston, TX
USA
Honda
GoldWing 1500
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Posted - 05/01/2010 : 8:43 AM
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quote:
I expect ABS to become pretty much standard of mandatory as more studies show the mitigating effects they have on accidents.
Well, that was assumed to be true of ABS on cars as well and led to a mandatory ABS standard in the states some years ago. Then studies showed that cars with ABS actually had MORE accidents - and they were 'different' in nature than those without ABS as they were more often off-roadway collisions. Seems that people without ABS jumped on their brakes, locked their wheels, and skidded into a collision (or not), while those with ABS jumped on their brakes, did NOT lock their wheels, believed that they had more control of their vehicles than they did, and OVER-STEERED THEM RIGHT OFF THE ROADWAYS.
The law requiring ABS was then repealed.
As to ABS on motorcycles ... the jury is still out on whether they are net beneficial or problematic when a motorcycle is in a turn.
Consider that all the ABS sensors can do is determine a difference in speed of the rear wheel versus the front wheel. Skidding and sliding are different (sliding is to the side). But also recognize that the front and rear tires are cutting DIFFERENT radii in a turn. The rear tire is riding on a smaller radius turn than is the front tire (the rear tire is always 'cutting the corner', if you will) which means that there is ALWAYS a difference in speeds between the front and rear wheels while in a turn. |
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Daddio
Senior Member
470 Posts
[Mentor]
Calera, AL
USA
Suzuki
Bandit 1250
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Posted - 05/01/2010 : 6:12 PM
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I would hope the systems would also use some extremly simple logic.
if wheel 1 is 0 then is wheel 2 also 0
if wheel 2 also zero then all is ok
if wheel 2 is not 0 then you are in wheel lock. activate system.
A simple difference in wheel speed could also be explained by most bikes have different radius tires front and back. The larger tire will of course have a lower angular rate of speed. |
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Robus
Standard Member
107 Posts
Chicago, IL
USA
BMW
R1200RT
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Posted - 06/11/2010 : 1:02 AM
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Glad to hear that the two of you are on your way to a full recovery. Congratulations on your new ride.
Interesting that your crash was almost identical to gdickelman's. If his account didn't bring the lesson home, then your's sealed it: See a gap in a line of traffic, expect something to be coming through it. |
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