Archive for March, 2026

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Now Let’s Fix This Hand Guard

Monday, March 30th, 2026

So now I needed to do something about this hand guard that broke off when I dropped the bike recently.

A bit of electrical tape and I’ve got a functioning hand guard again.

Naively, I guess, I headed down to Performance Cycle hoping they would have the item in stock. Well, no, not really. I looked around and did find a few hand guards but nothing like the one I have. So I asked for help.

After a good bit of searching and researching, the (now) two guys helping me found a system specifically designed to fit all models of the Suzuki DL650 (V-Strom). Emphasis on “system.” It consisted of brackets that would need to be installed on the handlebars, steel rod running from one bracket to the other, and then an actual shield to attach to the rod. And of course, this being a motorcycle part, I’m sure I was looking at a fairly high cost, though there was no price tag to look at.

While they were doing all this digging and searching, I was standing there thinking. First, a vague memory came back to me that perhaps this was not the first time this hand guard had come off. The end where it is secured to the handlebar has a bolt, and it was the part attached by the bolt that had broken. At the other end it was just a slot that slipped onto the bar. Previously I had just slipped the intact end onto the bar and propped the other end up onto where it broke off. Maybe I could do that again.

I told the guys what I was thinking and that maybe all I really needed was some black duct tape. “Or electrical tape,” one of them helpfully suggested. Good idea; electrical tape is thin while duct tape is quite wide. Thanks guys, I’m going to try this. If it doesn’t work you may see me again.

Going out to the bike I tried just slipping the guard back into place and it stayed pretty firmly. Great. Riding home it stayed in place.

At home I wound some electrical tape around it a couple times and I think it’s going to work fine. I know I had the headlight on my 1980 Honda CB750 Custom held together with electrical tape for many years and it did just fine. I think I’m good to go here.

Biker Quote for Today

In a world full of noise, the sound of my engine is my peace.

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Posted in Biker Issues, Motorcycle Gear, Motorcycle repair, Suzuki motorcycles, V-Strom | No Comments »

Replacing The Broken Peg

Thursday, March 26th, 2026


The old peg that broke off and the jerry-rigged buddy peg in its place.

My left peg broke off when I dropped the bike up in Estes Park last Wednesday so I needed to replace it. Looking online I found exactly what I needed on eBay for all of $12, no cost for shipping. Nice.

The set of pegs arrived a couple days ago so I set about replacing them.

First I had to remove the buddy peg Bruce had moved up and held on with duct tape, and put that back where it belonged. No problem there. Then I had to bend the bracket the peg attaches to, because in order to fit that buddy peg in place it had been necessary to bend the sides of the bracket toward each other. OK, still not a problem.

I had been surprised when this peg had broken off because I had assumed they were steel but looking at it I could see it was just pot metal. The pictures on eBay looked like the new pegs were steel but when I unwrapped them I saw they, too, were pot metal. Oh well, it is what it is.


You can see the one broken flange. You can also see how the spring is supposed to go on.

Very quickly the issue became trying to crimp the spring and slip it down in the bracket and then slip the bolt through. I tried bending the two ends toward each other and slipping it down in there but it was just not happening. So I took a look at the peg on the other side to see if that might tell me something. It did, but not what I expected.

It turned out that of the two flanges on the other peg, one of them was broken off. Next time the bike gets dropped on the right side it will probably break the other one off, too. Dang pot metal. The pegs came as a set so I could have replaced them both but I figure why bother, I’ll just throw the extra new one in the bag and if I need it I’ll have it.

But what to do about the spring? I looked at it, and its function. It appears its function is to keep the peg up if you flip it up. OK. I don’t generally have any reason to flip the peg up and because I jimmyed with the bracket it is now quite snug and if I raise the peg it stays firmly in place. Who needs the spring? Not me. I’m taking the easy way out here.

So all in all it was a pretty easy fix. And I’ll know exactly what to do when and if the other peg breaks off.

Now all I need to do is fix the hand guard. Did I mention that the left handguard also broke off when I dropped the bike? It did. I have more repair to do. Dropping the bike can be such a pain.

Biker Quote for Today

Riding a motorcycle is like experiencing life in fast forward.

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Posted in Motorcycle Gear, motorcycle mechanics, motorcycle problems, Motorcycle repair, Suzuki motorcycles, V-Strom | 1 Comment »

My Travels With Charley

Monday, March 23rd, 2026


Charley on my Honda CB750 Custom.

I was going to go on the RMMRC ride on Wednesday last week but then we had a family emergency. I wasn’t going to go but Judy urged me to, saying there was no reason to skip it and she would be fine without me. So I did go.

The emergency involved her son, Charley. I can explain it in one word: fentanyl. After being on life support for 11 days he died this morning. His organs were donated to families that needed them.

While my relationship with Charley was never better than cordial, we did share some motorcycle history.

It has always been an amusing image in my mind of one time, when he was still a teenager, when he wanted a ride somewhere. I was going to go for a motorcycle ride but I told him I would give him a lift on my bike, the Honda CB750 Custom. Charley was much bigger than me so picture this big guy on the back of a bike with his knees splayed widely outward. He felt silly, and it did look silly, but I got him to where he wanted to go so he wasn’t complaining. He did remark later that his friends found it laughable.

Later, when he was living on his own, he had his own motorcycle. We never knew this, though, until after he had sold it. But one day, I don’t remember how it came about, he and I decided to take a ride. I was on my Concours and he rode the Honda. And yes, it really was too small a bike for him.

We rode down to Franktown, to the Stagecoach. That’s where this picture was shot. We just had a beer and rode home. No big deal, nothing eventful. But that’s the only time we ever rode together.

Just about a week before his fateful event he was telling me he figured it was time for him to have a motorcycle again. Would I help him pick out a bike? Of course I told him I’d be happy to.

Then a week later he went missing. After three days Judy filed a missing person report with the Denver police. Later that day he was located, in an intensive care unit in Thornton, on life support with irreparable brain damage.

And now you fentanyl merchants have brought tragedy to one more American family.

Biker Quote for Today

I’m sorry, I don’t have one today.

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Posted in Honda motorcycles, Kawasaki | 3 Comments »

Earliest Ever First Ride In The Hills

Thursday, March 19th, 2026


Stopped along the Peak-to-Peak.

With Denver looking at record highs it was a certainty that the RMMRC would be doing a ride. I was going to go, then I wasn’t, and then I did. I’ll tell you that story later.

The high for Wednesday was supposed to be in the 80s. In March! I still dressed warmly because you never know how much cooler it will be at higher elevations.

The plan was to ride up to the Peak-to-Peak highway, to Estes Park for lunch. I headed out and it was still a bit cool so I turned on the electric vest. When I got out to C-470 by Morrison the winds were extreme. The presence of the foothills and the hogback blocks and rechannels the wind and sometimes out there it gets fierce. It was fierce Wednesday morning. I knew, though, that once we got into the canyon we’d be more protected.

Six of us gathered at the Conoco in Golden, with one more expected. He didn’t show and we left at the designated time. This group is serious about departing when we say we intend to. We went up Golden Gate Canyon to get to the Peak-to-Peak.

Golden Gate Canyon was lousy with sand. It may have been the worst I’ve ever seen. But we got up to the Peak-to-Peak and it was completely clean. Mike, who was leading the ride, had spoken before we left about potential hazards. Sand and gravel, possibly black ice but more likely not, with probable wet corners. Of course deer. He was right. There was no ice or snow near the road but melting snow off the road drained across in places.

The wind had abated in the canyon and up on the Peak-to-Peak it was just normal. It really is that wall of rock of the foothills and the hogback. Nice. Didn’t really want to have to deal with that all the way to Estes.

It was definitely cooler in the high country and I was glad I dressed warmly. But it was a beautiful day and except for the bare deciduous trees you might have thought it was summer.

We stopped at the road down to Jamestown to say good-bye to one rider. Guess he had other things to do. Then on to Estes.

The place we intended to have lunch was not open on Wednesdays. Oops. We’ll go somewhere else. We needed to do a U-turn and while I’m normally quite good at that, sometimes my coordination is off. It was off and I dropped the bike. Dang. I was unhurt but as I rode off to where we had chosen to go I realized my left foot peg had broken off. Have you ever ridden having to free-shift? Normally you just rock your foot up on the peg to upshift but now I had to grope to find the lever and flip it up or down. But I found I could rest my foot on the portion of the bracket that did not break off.

Just as we were parking who should ride up but Gray, the guy who hadn’t shown up at the meeting place. He had gotten the time wrong, so he just came up on his own. It was just by chance that he found us. So we were back to six.

After lunch Bruce took a look at my absent peg and suggested we might move the buddy peg up to the front. He got the buddy peg off but it is not identical to the main peg and didn’t quite fit. With some jerry-rigging and duct tape, though, he worked out a kludge and I had a workable peg again. Thanks Bruce.

We started back, with plans to go down Coal Creek Canyon rather than Golden Gate Canyon, which we had come up on. Along the way we got behind a slow-moving car. Mike, who was leading, is a go-fast guy, so of course he passed. So did the rest of us, except Gray, who was in the rear. I kept watching but though he had plenty of opportunities to pass he never did. Guess he was happy just cruising on his own. So now we were five again.

We had only seen a couple riders on our way to Estes but coming back there were a lot of them out. Who’s going to pass up such a nice day?

I feared Coal Creek Canyon would be just as bad with sand as Golden Gate but in fact it was just as clear as the Peak-to-Peak. What’s with Golden Gate?

We got down to CO 93 along the foothills and the hogback and mercifully the winds had abated. And boy was it getting warm. I unzipped my jacket and my sweatshirt under it. Tipped my visor up to get more airflow through my helmet.

People started peeling off and eventually I was by myself and made my way home. When I got there Judy informed me she had taken the cats to the vet herself. Big oops! I had totally forgotten I was supposed to do that.

Biker Quote for Today

“It’s all part of my spirituality, as the wind softly kisses my face, and the world travels beneath me.” — Jess “Chief” Brynjulson

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Posted in Colorado motorcycle rides, Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Riders Club | 3 Comments »

Motorcycle-Related Legislation

Monday, March 16th, 2026

Kicking back after the day’s ride.

As usual, Stump, the ABATE of Colorado legislative liaison, keeps us informed of what bills the legislature is considering that would have an impact on motorcyclists. He has been tracking a few this session.

HB26-1079 (Concerning a requirement that a minor have written permission to obtain an instruction permit to drive a motorcycle) passed the House on 3rd reading unanimously with an amendment to change the title to the “Cole Bradley Act.”

HB26-1125 (Concerning the assessment of penalties against a parent when a minor violates laws concerning the usage of certain electric vehicles, and, in connection therewith, authorizing the assessment of penalties against a parent for a minor’s improper usage of an electrical assisted bicycle, electric motorcycle, electric scooter, or electric skateboard) was withdrawn by the sponsor and listed as PI.

HB26-1329 (Concerning criminalizing certain motor vehicle activities, and, in connection therewith, criminalizing and creating penalties for motor vehicle racing, street takeovers, and stunt driving) was introduced on Wednesday, 3/11 and has 2 House sponsors but no Senate sponsors at this time. It is only 15 pages long and is quite interesting to read, especially the definitions.

Then there are a few other bills that do not directly address motorcycling issues but would still affect us.

SB26-003 (Concerning expanding the scope of the “Battery Stewardship Act” to cover the end-of-life management of electric vehicle batteries) passed the S-T&E Committee and is awaiting a hearing in the S-APP Committee. As we get more Electric Vehicles (EV) on the road, we should probably start thinking of how to dispose of the used batteries.

SB26-035 (Concerning an increase of traffic violation penalties) only has one Senate sponsor and no House sponsor but it passed the S-T&E Committee and the S-APP Committee. It’s scheduled for 2nd reading in the Senate on Tuesday.

SB26-072 (Concerning increasing criminal penalties related to assaultive conduct with a motor vehicle, and, in connection therewith, adding the conduct of causing the death of another person with a motor vehicle to the crime of criminally negligent homicide) has 2 Senate sponsors, no House sponsors and is awaiting a hearing in the S-JUD Committee.

SB26-132 (Concerning a requirement that a law enforcement officer offer a voluntary preliminary screening test for alcohol to a driver) has 2 Senate sponsors and 2 House Sponsors and was assigned to the S-JUD Committee. It passed through the Senate and has been assigned to the H-JUD Committee.

So far none of these have seemed to me to call for my presence at any hearings so I haven’t been down to the capitol this session. Keep up the good work Stump.

Biker Quote for Today

Riding a motorcycle demands total presence. Focus isn’t optional. — Judith Roberts

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Posted in ABATE, Biker Issues, Electric motorcycles, Motorcycle legislation, motorcycle training | No Comments »

Where To Go On A Warm, Sunny Day?

Thursday, March 12th, 2026

Get out and ride on these nice days.

I told Judy on Monday that we will have to move.

It was a warm, sunny day and I was going to go ride but where to? We have lived in this house for 30 years; just had our 30-year anniversary of moving in a few days ago. What road in any direction have I not ridden countless times?

I headed out looping past Cherry Creek State Park and continued south on Peoria, Broncos Parkway to Chambers and then south on Chambers. I was still wondering where to go but I had just read in this morning’s Denver Post about a proposed housing development where Chambers intersects Crowfoot Valley Road. I had just written about this newly opened section of Chambers and I had assumed that with all that area now much more accessible there would inevitably be a lot more development, and soon.

Well, the article in the paper was about a group of neighboring homeowners who oppose this new development. As in “I’m on board, pull up the ladder.” A woman who was the main organizer of this opposition was quoted as saying that she could see no benefit at all to the folks who live around there of having these homes go in. Gosh, do you suppose someone who lived in that area before her development was built might have said the same thing?

So I was curious to take a look at the area the article was talking about and all I had to do was stay on Chambers. And my memory was correct. There is new development everywhere around here. There are so many homes that were not there three years ago. Anyone who thinks this is not going to continue is a bit out of touch with reality.

Anyway, with curiosity satisfied, I decided I would turn onto Crowfoot Valley Road and see just how close this new intersection is to Castle Rock. OK, that question got answered. Now I guess I’ll just keep going across I-25 over to US 85 and up on the west side of town. So basically, I headed southeast quite a ways and then looped around the south end of the metro area and came up on the west side. That’s a loop I’ve considered doing any number of times but never had before. Now I have.

US 85 eventually turns into Santa Fe and I took that north to Belleview, turned east on Belleview, and home. Nothing exciting but a nice ride on a nice day for riding. And boy did I see a lot of other bikes out, too. I’m not the only one who can’t resist. Who doesn’t want to resist. Why the heck would I resist the urge to ride on a nice day?

Biker Quote for Today

A true biker knows that roads are meant to be explored, not just traveled.

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Posted in Colorado motorcycle rides | No Comments »

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