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International Motorcycle Show – December 14-16, 2012

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The International Motorcycle Show will be held from December 14-16 at the Washington State Convention Center, 800 Convention Place, Seattle, WA 98101. Show hours are 12/14/2012 from 3-8pm, 12/15/2012 from 9:30-8pm and 12/16/2012 from 10-5pm. Check out www.motorcycleshows.com/seattle for ticket prices and specials. The cost for tickets at the door are $15 for an adult one day pass, $6 for a child’s one day pass and children under 5 are free.

MotoVixens is planning on being there sharing a booth with Nels under the ECU Unleashed banner. Stop by, visit (discuss issues and topics of interest) and pick up a t-shirt, hat or license frame to support our ongoing endeavor to provide events and workshops that are educational and empowering. We look forward to seeing you there!

Vixens Ride!

Revzilla Announcement

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Just a quick little note that www.Revzilla.com is having a sale on Rukka (ends 12/30), First Gear, Speed and Strength and River Road (ends/ 1/15/13) all 15% off. Check it out through our link on our site. They are also offering free shipping until 11/30/12.

Good time to consider purchasing Christmas gifts or just getting a little something for yourself!

Chocolate Boosts Your Metabolism!

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What girl doesn’t love chocolate?   And with the holidays in full gear, there is a lot of it around.   So when I was perusing my November/December Fitness magazine and came across “Six Fat-Fighting Superfoods” that stated CHOCOLATE BOOSTS YOUR METABOLISM in the first sentence, I was intrigued.

As we get older, our metabolism slows down significantly and while calories can determine the success or failure of your diet, some foods can aid in helping to speed up your metabolism and help you see quicker results.  Johnny Bowden, Ph.D., and author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth states, “Foods stimulate the body to produce hormones.  Some of those hormones coax your metabolism into fat-furning mode and others make it sluggish and more apt to store fat.”  I’m going to give you the brief lowdown of the article, but the gist is this, eat healthy and splurge in moderation then you’ll not be in that self-loathing mode after the holidays are over.

Eggs:  According to Bowden, eggs are the best protein source on the planet as they contain all nine essential amino acids that your body needs to build muscle tissue.  The more muscle you have, the greater your fat-burning potential since it takes more calories to maintain muscle than fat.

Dark Chocolate:  A recent study found that eating 1.5 oz of dark chocolate (about the amount in a Hershey’s bar) reduced cortisol levels (a stress hormone found to slow down metabolism) in the body.  Researchers suspect that caffeine and theobromine may be responsible, look for chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa-the darker the more beneficial.

Sesame Seeds:  OK this one surprised me…Lignans (a plant chemical found in sesame seeds) enhances fat burning by increasing liver enzymes that break down fat.  These tiny seeds are loaded with both protein and essential fatty acids which increase the metabolic rate, they are also a rich source of minerals and fiber.  Going to ask for extra on my next sushi roll!

Smoothies:  The caveat being that it must contain whey protein powder, which contains leucine, a muscle building amino acid.  I am lactose intolerant, so this one is a no go for me, but if you aren’t there are studies that state eating whey protein can help reduce the loss of lean muscle mass which keeps your metabolism revved.  Whey protein can also be mixed into yogurt, pudding and added into the dry ingredients when you are baking muffins or cookies.

Yellow Bell Peppers:  Did you know one third of Americans are vitamin C deficient?  Our bodies need vitamin C to produce carnitine, which helps our muscles use fat for energy, which in turn boosts our metabolism.  One yellow pepper has 341 milligrmas of vitamin C, nearly 3 and a half times the amount in an orange (talk about packing a punch)!  It isn’t a surprise then that people with higher levels of vitamin C in their blood had lower BMIs and less body fat.  Slice some into a sandwich, salad or even dice and sprinkle in a soup.

Peanuts:  Obviously not going to happen if you have an allergy, but for those of you who don’t, read on.  Peanuts are rich in fiber and the process of digesting them actually burns calories too.  Peanuts, like all nuts, are high in calories so keep it to an ounce (2 tablespoons) for a snack during the day and you’ll get all the benefits it has to offer.  Also a good reason to revisit good ole PB & J!

I know we all hear that water is important in keeping us lean, but did you know that H2O boosts your metabolism because your body has to work to raise the temperature of the ingested water to match that of your core?  If you want to lost an extra 6-7 pounds a year, there is a study that was conducted at Virginia Tech, where people drank 2 glasses of water before breakfast and on average consumed 75 calories less that those who didn’t.  Consider it your calorie free appetizer!

Being in the midst of the holiday season, sharing time with family and friends and just the stresses of everyday life we can forget to take care of ourselves.  Take some time daily to just relax and tune everything out (your “me” time), it will go a long way in keeping you sane.  It is getting colder out there and riding in this type of weather poses its own challenges, but stay warm, take frequent breaks (in warm coffeeshops), carry healthy snacks to stay alert and hydrate…Vixens ride!

Carol T. Carpenter

2 Things You Shouldn’t Skimp On…

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This week is a short week so this will be my only blog for the week as we enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday with our family and friends.  I wish you all a very happy and safe Thanksgiving and hope that the weather is nice enough to get out and ride.

At the Women’s Maintenance Workshop on November 14, 2012 I asked a question:  What are the two most important things on your bike, the things you should absolutely not skimp on?  Well, for one, tires.  That is the one thing that is gripping you to the road, without good tires it doesn’t matter how well you ride, eventually your luck is gonna run out.  You need good tires!  Traction and keeping both of those tires on the road are paramount, so check the pressure and wear of your tires regularly.  Check with your dealership or the manufacturers suggested mileage on the tires and if you even are questioning it, get them looked at for an opinion.

The second thing is suspension.  Why suspension?  Well, as women we tend to be lighter and shorter than our counterparts so suspension is key to being able to feel confident on the bike.  If a bike is set up from the factory for an average 175-200lb. guy who is 5’11”, I don’t know about you, but that bike is going to be hard for me to touch the ground, it will ride like a brick, and forget about  confidence at a stop.   I always joke that riding isn’t the hard part, when it comes to being height challenged, it is the stopping.  Truth be told though, it is the stopping and the backing up, I find it incredibly hard to back into a parking space when I have no leverage.  Suspension helps with all that, it helps to allow the bike to sag when you sit so you can touch the ground.  When you are new to riding, not being able to touch the ground can be intimidating and will keep you from enjoying riding to the fullest.  You have a bike, why not have it set up to fit you so you will want to ride it more?  You wouldn’t consider wearing an outfit that didn’t fit properly right?  You would get it altered to fit you and look good on you.  Same applies for the fit of your bike except for it comes down to feeling confident on your ride.  It is not very expensive, in fact quite reasonable, it depends on the type of bike and what it will require, but talking to a suspension specialist will give you an idea of what the total cost may be.

If you don’t do anything else to your bike to start with, these two things are huge!  Of course, I could go into dynos, new exhausts, etc., but having good tires and a proper suspension setup will go a long way into you enjoying your ride.  Everything and anything else you choose to do would be like icing on the cake and what girl doesn’t like icing?  We are looking into a maintenance event that Nels puts on at his 2 Wheel Dynoworks shop in Woodinville, WA with Fluid Suspension Science for suspension sometime in January.  If you are interested, shoot me an email with your name and kind of ride and let me know.  We are trying to gauge how many women would be interested in this.

I will keep you posted as things come up and look forward to seeing you out on the road, Vixens ride!

Carol T. Carpenter

 

 

Maintenance Event – 11/14/2012

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The Women’s Maintenance Event on Wednesday at Ducati Bellevue was a huge success! Thank you ladies for your feedback, we will definitely have to make this event something we offer either once or twice a year. The next maintenance event will be focused purely on maintenance, as requested by you ladies.  It is apparent that this is a subject you all want to know more about.  I think what we tried to tackle that evening was very ambitious for the time allotted and Nels didn’t get the opportunity to really tell you in detail what he really does.  It was, however, an introduction to suspension and dynos which I hope you will continue to research and learn about.  It isn’t just for racers, but it is the reason they can ride like they do, so when you think about it why shouldn’t it apply to everyday riders?  If you look on on previous blog posts, there is a more comprehensive article/blog on suspension and dynos.

I hope that you all learned a lot and as overwhelming as it was, you took away some knowledge you will use for yourselves.  It is my mission to provide you with content in workshops that will be interesting and helpful to you, so please let me know if there is something specific you would want covered and I will make sure it is addressed.  There will be more events to come so I will keep you posted.  In the meantime, ride safe and most of all just ride!

Carol T. Carpenter

MotoVixens

Maintaining Weight

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The winter months are here, the holiday season is ramping up, it’s cold, we’re with family and friends and it’s just the perfect recipe for us to gain a few pounds. I’ve been writing a lot about moto stuff lately so I thought now would be a great time to discuss a woman’s issue: Weight.  BTW- This doesn’t mean you should eat fat free, your body needs fat to function, just the right kinds of fat.

As riders, those of us who have had our suspension setup, should be careful about too much weight gain as it will require some adjusting for our ride (later), the feel of our ride, fit of our gear, never mind the self loathing alone should deter us. The key to enjoying this season is plain and simple, portion control and moderation. This in fact should be year round for all of us as we do have the potential of more fluctuation then men do.  There was an article in the Marie Claire magazine in October 2012 that basically spoke about this and broke it down by age group.

For women in their 20’s (you lucky dogs) have a higher metabolic rate, but it can drop 5-10% by your early 20’s because of a rise in your reproductive hormones.  This means that as your body gets ready to have kids, estrogen level rise and increases your body fat.  The table they suggest is 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat.  The suggested exercise routine is at least 30 minutes of cardio 3 – 4 times a week.

For women in their 30’s, the hormones responsible for muscle and bone growth have either leveled or fallen off and the growth hormones that used to help with burning off fat, decrease significantly making it that much more difficult to lose weight (thank you mother nature).  The table suggested is 30% carbs, 35% protein, 35% fat.  The recommended exercise routine is full body conditioning, like cardio with weights, which will burn calories and build muscle at the same time.

For women in their 40’s (I am one of them), for us lucky ones, our metabolism drops more and so should our calorie requirements.  We are also approaching the M (I just can’t say or write this) word and have less estrogen which means that fat goes right to our tummy, not the hips or thighs (yippee!).  The table suggested is 25% carbs, 40% protein, 35% fat.  The recommended exercise routine is the same as in your 30’s complimented with resistance training to help with the age-related  loss of muscle mass.  I will give you an example of my own routine:  3mi run with my dog every morning, 2-3 times a week power yoga (more if time permits), CMS (Body Evo) once a week and if my boys are busy with sports, another 3 mi with the dog in the afternoons on those days.  My routine isn’t complicated and it works for me, find out what works for you and stick with it, do it daily, you’ll end up looking great and feeling better.

The basic reason for this blog is just to keep in mind it is easier to be vigilant than try to work it all off later.  We can enjoy the holiday season completely, we just have to be more mindful of our choices and key words: Portion Control.  Indulge, but in little portions, that way you can have your cake, eat a bite or two and still look and feel fabulous!  I hope this has been helpful in some way, please let me know, I would love to hear from you.

Vixens Ride (although a little less since it’s gotten so damn cold)!

Carol T. Carpenter

MotoVixens

Ethanol Free Gas

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Many gas stations carry gas with up to 10% ethanol added.  For motorcycles, the higher the ethanol content, the worst it is for your ride.  The government is currently considering making that percentage higher which would be terrible for our motorcycles and may actually cause serious damage to the engine and/or parts.

Have you ever heard of Ethanol free gas?  It increases the performance on your bike with the added benefit of better gas mileage.  It is a bit more expensive, but well worth the cost.  There is a website www.pure-gas.org that will list out the benefits of ethanol free gas as well as listings for stations in your area nationwide.  They have an iPhone app for finding these stations with an Android app coming soon.  It is not only for bikes though, it is also great for your high performance car, try it and see.  You may find you get more miles per gallon than you are getting now.  The benefits far outweigh the cost.  In addition, for those who have plastic gas tanks, it keeps the issue of expansion to a minimum.  Some motorcycle manufacturers are going to aluminum tanks to avoid this problem in future models of their bikes, check to see if your tank is made of plastic or some type of metal.

If you live on the Eastside in Washington state there is a station in Issaquah, WA called The Grange.  It is located at 145 NE Gilman Blvd., Issaquah, WA 98027 and their website is www.grangesupply.com. I schedule my rides sometimes to hit the station on my way back to the house so that I am filled and ready to go the next day.  I also tend to keep a 5-gallon jug just in case, for the times I can’t go out of my way.  There are several stations in Snohomish, Everett and Seattle look them up at www.pure-gas.org.  Our rides take good care of us, let’s return the favor…Vixens Ride!

Carol T. Carpenter

 

 

 

 

Why is a Dyno important?

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I met Nels this summer at his shop in Woodinville, WA during a maintenance event that included suspension setups with Fluid Suspension Science (FS2) in addition to Nels performing Dynos on your bikes.  Nels stated that with the upgraded Termignoni exhausts I had, the only way to get the maximum performance out of my bike was to purchase a power commander with O2 optimizers.  He explained that trying to reprogram the present stock ECU would only temporarily change the system as the newer ECU’s will automatically reset to factory settings, basically undoing everything he would have done.  It would require 3-5 days depending on the timeframe the bike would need to be at Ducati to install the power commander and then it would be trucked to him to do the dyno.  The results were phenomenal, I fell in love with my bike all over again, it ran so smoothly, my clutch wasn’t slipping, taking off from a stop was no longer a required skill of keeping it right in that friction zone to keep it from stalling, the acceleration was immediate and for once I felt confident with riding my motorcycle.  I didn’t feel as if there was going to be some new surprise or “feature”I would just have to accept and work around, my bike just worked!

Carol T. Carpenter
MotoVixens

The following is an explanation of why a dyno is important for every bike straight from Nels himself:

You only have so much talent

When riding a motorcycle, we have so much to think about sometimes it can be overwhelming. We are so used to hopping in our car, closing the door, turning on the stereo and then we pretty much check out from there. It doesn’t require a lot of talent or concentration to drive our cars, especially when we have so much experience driving them. A motorcycle is much different, if we all didn’t share such a crazy love or obsession for this dangerous sport, getting from point A to point B would be much easier and safer. So the goal is to explain the importance of setting up your motorcycle. I specialize in getting the motorcycle to do what you tell it to do, when you want it to do it.

Every person is only given only so much talent (consider talent a balance in your personal bank account). We can improve on that amount of talent with practice and lessons (adding to the balance) but we also have to be aware of some of the things that require some of the little talent we have (drawing from that balance) to ride a motorcycle. For example, having bad tires, bad suspension, improper chassis setup and engine performance all rob some of your talent (drawing from your balance again) not leaving you much to figure out how to ride the bike. If you have bad tires, your focus will be on not slipping around and paying extra attention to corner speeds and road conditions (get the idea?). If you have bad suspension your bike will not properly stop, turn, or stick to the ground. If your chassis, handle bars and rear sets are not properly adjusted to you, you will be uncomfortable and not able to reach your controls or you will find your hands and feet falling asleep. In conclusion, if your engine is not running right, with the best tires, suspension and chassis setup, it can require all of your talent (your entire balance) to take off from a stop light and just get the bike just down the road (possibly putting you in the negatives in your account). If we can eliminate all the variables that rob little pieces of your talent, you can focus more on the building of your talent (being in the black, instead of in the red) and the enjoyment of riding your bike.

So let’s get to the part I do…the engine is the heart of the motorcycle and it’s critical that the motorcycle does what you tell it to do. I will help you to create a relationship with your bike that connects the rear tire directly to your wrist, there should be no reason that your motorcycle does not do exactly what you ask it to. So, that is where I come in. My primary tool is called a Dynamometer. Everyone calls it a “Dyno” for short. The dyno is a diagnostic tool that allows us to simulate riding the bike on the road in a controlled setting. While riding the bike on the dyno, I hook your bike up to numerous computer systems that allow me to see exactly whats going on with your engine and engine management system. With a few extra tools and parts we can make changes and make the bike run better. By dyno tuning the bike, I am simulating riding the bike and making changes to the engine management system until the bike runs perfectly. My goal is to connect your wrist to the bikes rear tire and get it doing exactly what you tell it to when you ask it to smoothly and without hesitation.

-Fuel economy, ride-ability and power in same program

By dyno tuning we can obtain better fuel economy, ride-ability and extra power all at the same time. Dynos are not just about making the bike faster like most people think, it is about optimizing your bike’s various functions. Horsepower is translated to energy, but it is the only measuring tool I have to see if the changes I made are correct. If I am dyno tuning and the horsepower goes up and gets smoother, I know I’ve made the correct changes. If the horsepower goes down, then it is an indicator I made an incorrect adjustment. The benefits of increasing the horsepower are not just to go faster, it will enhance all throttle inputs and help you in all riding conditions. For example, if you are riding on the freeway and it requires 20% throttle to maintain 60mph, by increasing the horsepower through dyno tuning, it may only require 12% throttle to maintain the same speed. With that said, fuel economy will be substantially improved.

-Confidence building

Dyno tuning your motorcycle can help boost your confidence. On most modern motorcycles, when you take off from a stoplight, the bike will chug, vibrate the handlebars and at times even stall. This requires you to twist on the throttle, rev the bike and burn the clutch just to get it going. It can be very unnerving to deal with a problem like this, especially in a parking lot at slow speeds. An example of a bike needing dyno tuning is when you are on the freeway or in a corner and the bike will surge, causing you to go on and off the throttle back and forth just to get the bike to do what you want. Dyno tuning can fix these issues and give you the confidence that your bike will respond to you, allowing you to smoothly let out the clutch and take off with very little throttle. Imagine cruising on the freeway, with barely any effort, holding one constant speed, relaxing and enjoying the ride instead of trying to just stay at the right speed.  That is how dyno tuning can help you build confidence with your ride.

-Less service and maintenance 

With a properly dyno tuned bike, you will not only make the bike run better but can prolong the time period between servicing and maintenance. Your current tune-up, parts, oil change, tires, brakes, throttle cables, and engine can last substantially longer. With the engine running smoother and now burning the proper amount of fuel, we have seen oil changes for as far as 5000-10000 miles, spark plugs go 25,000-30,000 miles and engines seem to last indefinitely. We can also use the dyno to diagnose problems and even forsee future problems. It can tell us if we need spark plugs, valve adjustments, problems with a slipping clutch, timing belts and engine rebuilds.

Dyno tuning usually requires purchasing programmers, resistors or parts but is worth it in the long run. On all bikes, no matter if they are brand new or in complete stock format, dyno tuning is important. The more mods you put on your bike, the further away you get from the stock exhaust and other components, the more critical dyno tuning becomes.  When you have combined purchasing and installing performance parts, programmers and dyno tuning, you will find it will enhance your riding experience so much you will fall in love with your motorcycle all over again. That is the ultimate goal: To get more people on their bike and loving the ride.

Nels with 2Wheel DynoWorks

425-269-5332

2wheeldynoworks.com

About MotoVixens

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MotoVixens was founded by Carol Carpenter after discovering that education and resources for women riders is not only difficult to find, but scattered throughout various online resources.  Once a rider finishes their (BRC) Basic Rider’s Course and receives their endorsement, it’s basically up to you to put your seat time in and learn on the fly.  The fact is that learning in a parking lot is no match to what you are about to encounter on the street.  Women riders have a burning desire to learn and excel so it was only natural that MotoVixens was created to fulfill that need.

We are an online resource where you can learn about subjects women face as riders that can be quite diverse including websites that carry women’s gear, choosing motorcycles, riding schools (beyond the BRC), track days/schools, special offers for members, health and safety, links to special events (currently only in Seattle) and articles related to women and motorcycling.

Stay tuned as we work to include your state onto our website.  We will not list or review any business unless we have attended or checked them out ourselves, when we tweet we are in your area and the business under review, please let us know your personal experience as it will sway our decision to list them on our site.  This is your chance to help other women make well-informed decisions, have a voice and for businesses in this industry to be accountable for their actions.  It is our mission to help empower women to become more confident and proficient riders one woman at a time.  Our motto is Ride C.H.I.C. – Confident, Hard and In Control.

SO VIXENS, LET’S RIDE!!!!!

Carol T. Carpenter
MotoVixens

WINTERIZING for Modern Motorcycles

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There is an easy way to winterize your bike (my favorite way), take it to your dealership or if you don’t know where to take it you can call Ducati Bellevue (425-882-4300) and get an estimate on what it would cost to winterize your bike and have them do it for you! However, if you wish to get your hands dirty and really get to know your bike or if you have a friend, relative, significant other, etc who is mechanically inclined and wants to help you, then here are the steps. If you know someone who owns a bike and could use this blog, you can also send them a copy of this post for their reference on how to do it properly, this applies to every type of bike and was prepared by David Rookaird, Service Manager of Bellevue Ducati.

  • Add fuel stabilizer
  • Change your oil and filter
  • Charge your battery and have battery charger leads installed
  • Tire pressures and tires inspected
  • Lube all pivots/ chain
  • Clean

Add fuel stabilizer to a tank of gas at least a half or more full, then run it up to the service station (yes, with it in your bike) and fill up the rest of the tank. Run home and begin the process of changing your oil and filter. (Reason for changing oil when hot; all the contaminants are now suspended in the hot oil and will mostly come out with the oil change). Add oil and run the bike for a few moments and then let sit and recheck the oil level and top off as necessary. If your bike is a carbureted bike, then the next step is to be done regardless of how long you are going to let it sit. Drain the carburetors, at the bottom of each carb is a drain screw, open this and let drain into a old rag. (Be careful gas is highly volatile and will ignite into a big “OH S**T” :0 moment!) If you truly have a modern bike with fuel injection then the fuel and tank system is done.

Clean your bike and remove the seat to clean under that too. While cleaning make notes of how things look under the seat. (this is important since some areas have issues with mice or rats and they like to hide and chew things up under and around seats, you want to be able to see if these issue’s are occurring and take care of them before it’s too late). Now, you should have a battery tender, some newer bikes have leads installed others require installation, ask if you are unsure. The best charger I have found is the C-tek charger and is available at most motorcycle stores or Amazon. It will come with different hooks ups to charge your battery properly. Keep it on the charger all the time it won’t cook the battery. If you choose to ride occasionally then you still want the battery on a tender/charger leads. One of the biggest misconceptions of winterizing the bikes is to run them every week for brief periods to keep the juices flowing, this in fact can be bad for the motor and electrics. This is particularly bad for the motor if you don’t run the bike up to operating temp’s properly, then condensation will occur inside. In addition, what can happen is that the battery will get discharged and never really become recharged properly during that brief run time.

Now is a good time to walk around the bike and look for any issues. Reason? So when the weather does become nice and you want to ride, your ride will be ready for you… Clean and lube the chain, clean the bike in general, you would be surprised that when cleaning the stuff you can find wrong. Fill the tires up to normal pressures recommended by the dealer and in today’s times with radial tires it is not necessary to lift the wheels or bike off the ground. In the old days and with bikes that use bia-ply tires, this becomes a issue. The weight of the bike will sometimes flat spot the tires and cause a slight out of round issue but typically will go away with a few minutes of riding. Clean and lube all pivots, clutch and brake levers, switches and side stand and center stand if so equipped. Lube all the locks. Clean again. Take a old rag and dab it with WD-40 and wipe the fork tubes down, be careful not to get WD-40 on the brakes and tires.

Your bike is now ready for a hibernation period that can last anywhere from 1 week to a couple years, just depends on how the weather is and how much you want to ride in the colder temperatures.

Carol T. Carpenter
MotoVixens