MotoCamping Trip

Option 1 (LONG trip)

https://goo.gl/maps/Peq6L

Option 2

https://goo.gl/maps/zLdch

 

This Week's Reading - 20130506

Group Riding 101 - Motorcycle.com

Send a Mother's Day greeting with iOS's Cards app | Macworld

OS X 10.9: what we want to see from Apple's new Mac OS | News | TechRadar

Five overlooked abilities of the Finder's Path Bar | Macworld

Check a Domain Controller Configuration with DCDiag - Petri

Reasons to Use Windows 8 Client Hyper-V - Petri

Viber expands its VoIP service with new OS X app | TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog

How to automate FTP uploads | Macworld

Cars that are the most and least fun to drive - Yahoo! Autos

Top 10 Riding Tips for Noobs - Motorcycle.com News

http://blog.motorcycle.com/2013/02/26/motorcycle-news/top-10-riding-tips-for-noobs/

This Week's Reading - 20121112

Five Must-Have Windows 8 Apps - Petri

Home - AppyFridays - Free app bundle if you act before this Friday

Ducati - Model year 2013 - model year 2013 - New Ducatis, awesome new water-cooled Hypermotard, though I'll miss the sound of the air-cooled twin…  The Hypermotard would be crazy fun in the hills of West Marin/Sonoma...

Curtains for cursive? Typing replaces handwriting in schools | Crave - CNET - not at my daughter's school, but I see it coming.  I was trying to remember how to write a cursive capital 'S' (not the one I use, but the 'real' one) and had to look it up online!  I love the author's description of her own decline of handwriting:  "I used to be able to write perfectly respectable cursive, but now it has degenerated into an unholy abomination of mixed print and cursive letters, none of which are particularly readable. Every time I go grocery shopping, it turns into an exercise in code-breaking as I try to decipher my scribbled list."

Living with the iPad Mini: Three weeks and counting | iPad Atlas - CNET Reviews

Squier by Fender® USB Stratocaster Guitar - Apple Store (U.S.) - maybe it's time I picked up an axe again...

FortiOS 5 Introduction Webinar - YouTube - From a pretty neat firewall vendor (Fortinet)

Adding subscribers to your photo streams | Macworld

How to Fake Success, Friends & Sexual Partners (with photos) - YouTube

Netherlands Sets Model of Flood Prevention - NYTimes.com

Take engaging photos using the rule of thirds | TechHive

10 things you should consider when virtualizing enterprise desktops | TechRepublic

Five reasons Microsoft Lync 2013 matters | PCWorld

5 best Android and iOS benchmark tools | News | TechRadar

How to make your own Fusion Drive | Macworld

An Ode to the Honda VFR800

I've had my 1998 VFR800 for about 7 years now.  It's the first year of the 5th generation VFRs.  I purchased this motorcycle to replace my 1999 Honda CBR1100XX 'Super Blackbird.'  The XX was a great bike but I never really felt comfortable with it, even after amassing over 25k miles on it.  It as a little too wide, long, and periodically intimidating.  It was supremely fast (not quite Hayabusa fast, but close enough) and I never really warmed to it they way I did my old 1994 CBR1000 that preceded it.  While the VFR wasn't as powerful, it suited me better with the power, styling, comfort, and character.

In 1998 the 5th generation model added some pretty sizable stuff--

• increased displacement (to 781 cc)
• fuel injection
• last generation of the gear-driven camshaft engines (which produce a distinctive and intoxicating whine)
• new body styling (I never liked the 4th generation very well)

I had a 1991 VFR750 (red with white wheels) for several years that I purchased from the original owner who had added an Ohlins shock, reworked fork, stage 3 jet kit, Two Brothers left side exhaust (so the entire right wheel was open), and lots of other very tasteful additions.  That was a great bike and always got lots of looks and compliments.

Electrical Issues

Upon first getting the VFR800, I immediately had some of the well-documented gremlins in the electrical system.  I should have checked the output voltage when I bought the bike because the previous owner sold it to me with a defective regulator/rectifier (R/R or RR).  I ordered up a new one and put that on and things were okay.  I also added a fairing mounted voltmeter to keep an eye on things and while the RR kept charging between 12.6 (not *really* charging, just maintaining) up to about 13.2 volts, I was always a little wary.  After a couple of years I replaced the original stator with a new factory one and for a while I saw 13.4 volts.  Then after one cold ride where I used the heated grips plus the heated vest for about 20 minutes I lost voltage at all RPMs to about 12.4 and I had melted the connector between the RR and the stator and burned up the RR, time for another.  This time I followed a forum's advice and soldered the connections seeing as how lots of people reported melted connections.  I replaced the factory ground with a high quality 8 gauge cable and soldered and pressed terminals.  For a while I would see as high as 13.6 volts but a far cry from what I would consider optimal.  I think I replaced the RR one or two more times after that and this spring I added a VFRness harness, a new factory stator, and most importantly, I deviated from replacing the RR with one I got from wiremybike.com.

With the VFRness, fresh stator, and re-tightened ground and such, I was getting 13.6 volts again.  Replacing the R/R brought me to 14.7!  Now, Fall of 2012 and about 5 months later I'm still seeing the same outstanding voltage.  I wouldn't want to go much higher as I usually consider 14.4 volts at 5,000 RPM optimal, but I don't think a couple or three tenths is going to overwhelm things.  I tried running the heated jacket and the heated grips on high at the same time and the bike was still running 14.4 volts at 5,000 RPM so it appears that this R/R is able to keep up with the load.  It looks like I'll finally be able to truly use my VFR in the cooler weather this year without fearing electrical maladies.  BTW, the manufacturer of the RR is Rick's Motorsport Electrics.  I think one of the biggest contributing factors is that the stock RR is rated for 35 amps whereas Rick's is rated for 50 amps.  That provides considerably more headroom for accessories and even the stock current requirements.  I'll still keep an eye on electrical connections and voltage state, but I feel a whole lot better about it already.


Electrical issues aside, my other modifications to the VFR include:

• Givi top rack (and I am presently using my Multistrada's top case with it)
• Staintune high-mount slip-on (sounds amazing, with or without the dB restrictor)
• Ohlins rear shock
• Y2K mirrors (the original 'condom' mirrors are ghastly)
• Throttlemeister mechanical cruise control which I've probably only used twice in the years but it looks so much better than black bar ends.
• Givi touring windscreen--not as attractive as stock but *I think* deflects more wind
• Datatel voltmeter
• two 12 volt charging outlets
• a high-current USB outlet (can charge an iPad quickly)
• RAM mount X-grip for my phone attached to the front gas tank mount
• not motorcycle specific but I added a Sena bluetooth headset unit to my helmet, I can now listen to my music and podcasts wirelessly and take calls if need be

Maintenance Items

Now in the past couple of years I've also had to replace a couple of factory bits, including the speedometer sensor, the clutch sensor switch, the neutral switch, and the kickstand switch.  All are subject to a lot of wear and at 30k + miles I suppose it's not terribly unusual.  Regular maintenance items typically include a new chain and sprocket between 14 and 17k miles (I think I've put on the 2nd one now making it the 3rd total chain).  Tires for the last couple of rounds have been Pirelli Strada but I just got the new Michelin Pilot Road 3s for the Multistrada (another sport touring tire) that will be going on at the next service in a few hundred miles so we'll see how those pan out, initial reviews from others are great.

Future Upgrades

Seeing as how I'm probably not replacing the VFR in the near future (though there's a Ducati Multistrada 1200 ABS living next stall over), I've recently ordered up a SW-Motech/Bags-Connection 'Engage' tank bag and electrical kit from twistedthrottle.com to replace my well-worn Cortech tank bag with the broken zippers and sagging liner.  It's been on a few bikes and has served its duty.  I put a different SW-Motech bag on my Ducati and the fit and finish are outstanding, the best I've ever seen on motorcycle luggage but it is after all, a German company.  I also ordered up a high-beam modulator, just to demonstrate that I'm becoming an older, cautious rider who wants to be seen while commuting.  I'm actually pretty excited to see how much more visible I become with this.
What's left?  Well, I always fantasize about an RC51 front-end on the bike but that's more complicated and expensive than I probably need for a bike that I use to commute with 90% of the time.  I would like to improve the front end for better feel so I'm leaning toward the Traxion cartridge overhaul.  I need to get a price on that and maybe that will be a winter project for me...

General Ownership Experience

The electrical stuff has left me wary for a long time with my VFR, even though I've never toured on it, I still don't want to be stranded on a back road or on a busy highway going to work or San Francisco.  Now with a few really solid months of good electrical, I'm feeling a renewed enthusiasm for my VFR.  I checked out some ads for the 6th Generation VFR800 but the VTEC engine and funky front end leave me cold.  Then when the VFR1200 came out I was so horribly disappointed.  The RC30/45 pedigreed 'Interceptor' is now a giant 1200cc shaftie with an optional automatic transmission?!?  Tragic, absolutely tragic.  As Mary Shelley would have said, 'an abomination in the eyes of God.'

My particular VFR800 returns almost entirely consistent 38 mpg (US) on my mixed motoring commute with freeway travel in the morning with ~15 miles of 75-85 mph riding and then 5 miles of lane-sharing at 30-40 mph.  About half the time my return commute is backroads with speeds varying from 25 mph to 65 mph and very little steady state cruising.  On the track I usually see 25-30 mpg.  I always run 91 octane fuel and oil changes are 3-5000 miles with Mobil One and the stock Honda oil filters.

So, with my renewed enthusiasm, I'm enjoying my VFR more and more of late, looking at it more in the garage (still wishing for another 30 or 40 HP).  It's a glorious sounding, still attractively styled, reasonably quick, nice handling, extremely comfortable, and classic sporty sport touring bike.  As others have said, it's kind of the James Bond of motorcycles.  It's not really a master of any one aspect of motorcycling but it does a lot of things really really well.  Mine is approaching 37k miles on the clock, about 30k of those mine.  I got a fair deal on it and it really hasn't depreciated much since I bought it though it's dramatically improved in many regards.  If I could, I'd buy two or three more clean 5th generation bikes and store them as replacements because I think it will be a while before I find something that truly replaces the VFR of the 5th Generation in my heart.

May 1, 2012 Sear's Point CLASS Track Day

On May 1 I attended Reg Pridmore's CLASS school at Sear's Point - Infineon.

Not your traditional technology post but I had to comment on it.  I used Harry's Laptimer Pro to do the video and overlays.

My best timed run was a 2:11:85, which I was pretty happy with overall.

Photos and videos here.

This Week's Reading - 20120123

Five apps for crapware cleanup | TechRepublic

Five tools for getting rid of duplicate files | TechRepublic

DIY: Two-step process for blocking spam in WordPress | TechRepublic

5 Ways to Encourage Responsible, Productive Behavior in Your Kids | PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement

Daily Mac App: AirBeam

http://www.wimp.com/mountaintop/ - Crazy mountain top motorcycle ride!

10 problems with outsourcing IT | TechRepublic

 

Ducati creates a short film with the iPhone 4

Amazing that the video was shot solely with an iPhone, also amazing ride on the Multistrada, I think I'd like one of those....

 

Ducati creates a short film with the iPhone 4: "

Filed under: Video, iPhone

I have to eat my words -- despite my belief before launch that an iPhone 4 wouldn't be hard to find without a preorder, I'm still waiting to get the chance to buy one. But I got to play with another one last night (that screen!), and just like every other time I've had a chance to use it, I've been very impressed by the back camera. Both stills and HD video look really amazing when taken with that thing. Here's another example: the Ducati motorcycle team filmed the entire commercial above on eight different iPhone 4s over a period of four days -- watching it in HD shows off just what this camera is capable of.

They did use the Owle Bubo, which explains some of the better shots a little bit. And you can also see that slight shudder so common to low-end HD cameras, especially when the camera pans quickly or tries to capture fast motion. But especially without color correction, the images still look terrific for a camera on your phone. The audio is great as well, but I'm not convinced they did that with only a phone. The final video was edited together in Adobe Premiere, just because 'there were enough unknowns' without trying to use iMovie on iPhone for the first time.

TUAWDucati creates a short film with the iPhone 4 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments



iPhone - Ducati - Unofficial Apple Weblog - Apple - Owle Bubo"

 

(Via The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW).)

Honda's Building a Hybrid Motorcycle

Honda's Building a Hybrid Motorcycle: "You knew it would happen. Look for it in showrooms as early as 2010.









Wired.com

"

(Via Wired: Top Stories.)

Ride the World's Best Motorcycle Roads

Admittedly I think I've missed out on some of the NorCal roads but I'll have to check them out. I do have some favorites that aren't on here, such has Highway 4 over Ebbett's Pass, particularly going up from Markleeville, CA. Look out for the minivans around blind corners but it's outstanding--technical, steep, and pretty. Sonora Pass, Highway 108 is also amazing. Going East - West is my favorite approach but it's all great. Highway 128 from Cloverdale to Highway 1 is a nice road--smooth and technical. Highway 49 most any stretch would be great if it weren't so packed with cars and cops, it's really a great highway but it's also really hot in the summer.

Ride the World's Best Motorcycle Roads: "Anyone who's spent any time on a motorcycle has a favorite road. Here are some of ours. Tell us some of yours.

"

(Via Clippings.)

On Commuting

After moving back to California I have a 22 mile commute each direction. We could have moved closer to work but we really like Petaluma. If I had a job any further south we would probably move but I consider it an acceptable commute, particularly by motorcycle where I can take back roads (at least when there's daylight after work) and I can split lanes once I get to the traffic congestion. As much as I like the area driving/riding it day after day can get a little boring. I recently wired my motorcycle helmet with thin Chatterbox earphones that I inserted into the space behind my ears in the helmet and have been listening to podcasts on my iPod. I find the podcasts perfect because I can pay attention to the road without big volume changes in the audio and am still able to pay attention to the podcast. Lately I've been going through the Vintage Airstream Podcasts and am really enjoying them. I seldom have the time at home to sit pay attention to a 50 minute podcast so this really works out nicely. Of course when I finish those I'll have to delve back into my Click and Clack, The Tappet Brothers.

Motorcycle Therapy

The last couple of months have been a whirlwind and most of my free time has been occupied with job searching. I was thinking of going camping this weekend but Carrie didn't much feel like it and she suggested a long motorcycle ride. That sounded like a pretty good idea so I headed out for a good ride on the VFR. I set up a new playlist on the iPod and I was off. I headed out toward Bodega Bay and north on Highway 1 (PCH) up to Mendocino and then back down Highway 128 to Cloverdale and back to Petaluma on 101. I left around noon and didn't eat anything until I got to Cloverdale around 3:30 PM. I guess that's what happens when you're having fun. There are few things like an all-day ride to clear your head. Highway 1 is a spectacular road--one where you want to take in the amazing scenery but also where you want to maximize the ride by hitting all the corners just right. It was mostly foggy on the ride up with the slightly slimy mist that gathers on the visor. It gave me good time to think about the job search and the current options. I can't say that I drew any conclusions but I feel like I have a better sense of the pros and cons of each. For me there are few things more satisfying than a full day's ride on some outstanding roads. Thanks to Carrie for the suggestion and giving me the afternoon to amuse myself!