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Pre-Ride Checklist

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We are all guilty of it, we are busy and at the first sight of sun, we grab our helmet and go…but if it’s been a month, even a week of not riding your bike you should check your tire pressure and do a quick walk around your bike.  I recently was asked if I knew what tire pressure I was running and when the last time was that I checked, honestly, I think it had been two weeks…my tires should’ve been inflated to 30-32 lbs., but I was told that they came in at 20!  Yeah, I was both surprised and embarrassed.  Considering I spend so much time on my bike and safety is paramount, it was a wake up call that I need to be much more on top of checking them weekly.  Needless to say, every chance I get I wipe down or wash my bike after a long ride and do a quick check of everything in order to have it ready to go for my next trip out.

Whether it is a day or weekend trip just some basic precautions can make your trip go smoothly, a little preparation can make all the difference.  Firstly, check your tire pressures (check tire manufacturer and look for your tire type to get the recommended pressures to run) and look at the tread-wear indicators near the center of the tire, if they are even with the tread surface, it’s time to buy a new set.  Also look for cracks, splits and separation of tire compounds all these things mean it’s time to retire those tires.  Next, look at your wheels, if you have spokes tap them with a wrench and listen for a ting, if it thunks then it could be loose.  If there is a crack in your cast wheels, you are pretty much grounded until you order a replacement.  Take a quick check of the axle nuts and bolts too and if you should need to tighten them a quick look up will give you the torque specs on your specific bike.

Check your oil, your dealership should have shown you where the window is located and where the oil level should be.  Most bikes need to be straight up and down and not leaning on the side stand in order to properly read the level, then look around the engine and on floor for leaks.  If you see bright green drops of coolant under your bike, wipe them clean asap, pets are attracted to the ethylene glycol which is sweet tasting and poisonous, then find the source of the leak.  Also, check your brake and clutch fluid, if it’s been a while since you’ve changed it and it is starting to get an amber hue it is time to flush it out and put in some nice fresh fluid, nothing feels better than the feeling of confidence when you squeeze that lever and it delivers a perfect bite as it brings you to a smooth stop.

Quick look at forks and rear shocks, just run your finger around the forks to see whether or not the seals are leaking and use a flashlight to check the shocks for any leaks.  Inspect your chain and if you haven’t cleaned it do so to make sure that there is no rust on it.  Lube the chain and check how much give there is in the chain, if it’s more than over half a tooth’s distance (and the chain adjusters are all the way back) then it may be time to consider a new chain, otherwise you are good to go.

Get on your bike and have someone stand in back and front to make sure your lights aren’t burned out and functioning properly, they are our only means of communication to drivers so they need to be in working order.  Make sure the headlights, turn signals and brake lights work then hit the high beam and horn to make sure everything is working.  Check for any loose nuts and bolts and tighten and then if you are adding accessories like racks and luggage, make sure they are secured and nothing is dangling that could get caught in the rear wheel or sprocket.  Then lastly, but certainly not least, make sure you are gassed up, geared up and ready to go!

Vixens, get out and ride!

Distracted Drivers

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I’ve spent a lot of time lately on the street thanks to our amazing weather up in the Pacific Northwest and have noticed the increasing number of distracted drivers out there.  As riders, we are constantly scanning our environment for danger, but it is difficult to predict when someone will suddenly maneuver into us or our lane.  I can understand why some individuals are excited to join us in becoming riders, but why they end up giving up the sport completely when they either encounter a near miss or something much more severe.  It is dangerous, purely because every trip down the road is completely new, no two days are the same and we are faced with arming ourselves with the knowledge and skills necessary to allow us to continue doing the thing with love.  I stress over and over that training, constant training is important.  Just like in a job, you are constantly training to keep on top of your game, the same should be true when riding.  We tend to get lazy and just ride, but even a seasoned vet can learn a few new things to help keep his/her mind sharp to have the tools necessary for those “just in case” moments.  Here are a few sobering facts that we should all keep in mind when we get ready to go out for our rides:

For drivers 18-29:

Accessing the internet on a cell phone while driving increased from 29% in 2009 to 48% in 2012

Reading social media while driving increased from 21% in 2009 to 36% in 2012

Updating social networks while driving increased from 20% in 2009 to 30% in 2011

Checking email while driving increased from 32% in 2009 to 43% in 2012

For all age groups:

With smartphones growing in popularity people who report webbing while driving goes down with age

Accessing the internet while on cell phone increased from 13% in 2009 to 21% in 2012

Reading social media while driving increased from 9% in 2009 to 15% in 2012

Updating social networks while driving increased from 9% in 2009 to 13% in 2012

As you can see, the facts are sobering and especially in regards to the younger age group with the combined inexperience of their driving skills.  The interesting outcome of this study was that drivers strongly agreed there should be more stringent laws prohibiting texting and emailing behind the wheel, but 66% believed that those laws are enforced to little or no degree.  The fact is it is up to us to make sure we are safe, no law can protect us from being a casualty, so be aware and ride defensively.  Make your presence known, they can’t avoid you if they can’t see you.  Lane position is key and keep out of blind spots, we have the advantage of speed here, let’s use it to get out of situations and continue to ride for many years to come.

Hope to see you out there!  Vixens Ride!

Night Riding

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I was at the Ridge Motorsports Park last month for the races and made the unfortunate mistake of leaving my iPad locked in the safe when I checked out. I figured it would be gone and would have to replace it, I called Little Creek Casino and they actually had it in their safe lost and found, kudos to their staff. Seeing I was going be back again soon, I asked them to keep it and I would pick it up when I swung through next…which happened to be this last Sunday – Monday. It was late when I checked in and the person with the key had gone home but would return the next day around 8am. I informed them I was going to be at the track and was checking out around 6:30…they said they would have it at front desk for pickup later that evening. Yeah, you know where this is going…long day at track, tired, driving in a daze on way home knowing traffic is going to suck at 5:30 through base and Tacoma…totally spaced and got home before realizing I forgot to stop and pick it up. I called them and told them to hold it and I would be in the next few days. Good reason to ride and it would be a clearing my head type of trip. It’s been a busy month and seeing our industry is seasonal, it seemed the only way I was going to be able to get my iPad back would be to go really early or later after traffic died down. Spur of the moment decision so as not to disrupt the next day I geared up and set out at 7pm on Tuesday night figuring it would be light out late.

What I thought would be an easy drive ended up in me sitting in traffic in the carpool lane through Newcastle and Renton, finally clearing up by the time I hit I-5 South. However, the rest of the way was a breeze and it made up the time spent in traffic. Got to Casino and as promised they had it ready for me to pickup. Fueled, hydrated and ate a protein bar then got back on bike. The drive home was gorgeous, it was clear the weather was going to change in the next few days as clouds littered the sky. I had my smoke visor on and it was OK until about 9pm when things were very dark and sketchy, I rode with great caution knowing cars would have a harder time seeing me and I was lane changing to avoid clusters and stay clear of idiots. Portions of the freeway are lighted and others are not, where it wasn’t was much harder to see through the visor and required a lot more focus. I concentrated more on the bold reflective line of the carpool lane to use as my guide, but never traveling without my clear visor again for night riding. Also, deer was in the back of my mind and at the speeds we were all traveling it occurred to me that I needed to be extra focused. The kicker is that it is also hypnotic to focus on that reflective line and that you need to kind of snap yourself out of it and continue checking your surroundings, lane positioning, etc. It was about 3.25 hours of straight riding and I was pretty beat as I pulled in around 10:15, if you don’t need to do night riding, don’t I did see a lot of crazy out there and used my speed to stay clear of them. However, night riding when you aren’t on some mission is beautiful, just be cautious, that is when animals like to come out and people tend to be driving under a bit of influence. Ride safely Vixens, but just Ride!

On Staff at Optimum Performance Rider Training

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Hello Vixens! I just got back from the track last night and while exhilarated, was completely beat. I was asked to join OPRT to help out yesterday through a friend of mine, Peter Drott (ironically he sold me my first bike). I was unsure as to how I could be of help, but was excited to jump on the opportunity and a day on the track, who could ask for more? Started out as all track days do bright and early, registration, tech, rider meeting, ride around and off we went! I offered help with registration and had the pleasure of meeting Jared one of the partners of OPRT who got me started on the process, he asked if I would do ride arounds and just observe. If I found someone who might need some help getting around the track after following them for a while, I would tap my tail and have them follow me. Basically I got to make sure no one was out of line and make sure safe passing was being observed by all, got to meet quite a few gals yesterday and got to lead them around the track most of the day, that was the most fun. Optimum Performance Rider Training is a 501c3 non profit organization dedicated to the enhancement of motorcycle skills, safety and awareness. Check out their site http://www.optimum-performance.org/ home for more information and for track days.

I am now on staff and will have the honor of leading riders around the track, so please join me when you can would love to see you gals out there! On a humorous note, I have to share a story…as you know a horn blows to notify riders of which level is about to go out, I obviously was either having trouble counting or hearing, don’t know which but it resulted in same outcome. I ended up riding in the 300 group, which was fine, but I was out for a while when I started getting buzzed by some really fast guys…thinking I was in the 200 group my first thoughts were geez our 200’s are getting f’n fast this afternoon! Pulled into hot pit to get ready to instruct the 100 group only to see the board say 200’s were up next, I asked the staff if the board was correct? It was then I realized that I was out in 300’s, about ready to go out in 200’s and would still have to be up to instruct the 100’s…Maybe skipping my morning coffee was not a good idea! I ended up on the track for almost and hour and was wiped out at the end of it, had me laughing that I couldn’t count the horn blows. Lesson of the story is, you definitely need to be aware and alert and know that one group could not have improved that drastically in 2 sessions. What can I say? Maybe a bit too eager to get out there and just ride, but it is for the love of the sport that I do it and I know that you gals can completely relate. Get out and ride!

Why I Advocate Track Training

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I recently bumped into some individuals who became members on my site and asked why I was purely a track related website…I had to correct them that this site was created to inform and be a resource to all types of riders. I only use the track as a training tool and heavily advocate track training purely because outside of MSF courses and even specialized on street courses, there is no where to really up your confidence at real life speeds. MSF courses are fantastic and teach you safety and maneuvering, but at very low speeds and as all riders know it is not realistic when applying it to everyday situations. It is like getting your graduation certificate and then getting that smack on the ass to say, “Good luck!” Scary as hell when confronted with a situation at speed and have to recall the training you received at say 20 mph. Having the confidence to know you can avoid these situations, corner with confidence and educating yourself (as you would in any endeavor) can only be a benefit to you. That is why I post so many track days and track school events, education and hands on learning are the only ways to improve your riding abilities and to gain the confidence you need to apply to your everyday street riding.

I have teamed up with 2 Fast Track school, Ducati Bellevue, OPRT (where I will be one of their new rider instructors) and WMST to continue my quest to educate and empower women riders. I hope that you take the opportunity MotoVixens tries so hard to provide when we bring these special events to you at discounted prices. Every time you sign up, you show the schools and dealerships you are serious about learning and they will continue to give us the opportunity to provide these events for you. Track days and events are not just for racers, many individuals sign up to hone their skills and new riders sign up to gain the confidence they need to street ride competently. I commend those individuals because they take their riding seriously and quite honestly most who try track days get hooked, they get to go way above speed limits and not worry about getting ticketed as well as not worrying about some car coming at you unexpectedly. If you never have tried a track day, join us (look in the event section) and if you have, I won’t have to twist you arm you already know it is a blast. In August I will be receiving my certification for On Street training and will be able to help you ladies in the future through WMST and possibly through private instruction. I will notify you of the details and hopefully see you out there with me soon. Vixens Ride!

Group Rides

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If you have never joined a group for a ride, it is an experience that can either bring you back for more or turn you away from it altogether. Trick is finding a group you will not only want to ride with, but socialize with as well, the reality is you start to become an extended family and a place you know where you are accepted. Searching for a group can be challenging and there are plenty of sites that you can peruse to find them, but join with caution, some groups are testosterone driven free for alls and will not only dare you to push your limits, but could very well end you in the hospital. Ask to ride with the groups a few time to view the dynamics, the organizers and their safety protocol. I think the biggest test in a group is how they organize their rides, how well all the organizers and assistant organizers communicate, safety briefings (especially in big groups) and the general vibe you get from everyone. If you don’t feel that they get along, time to bounce, you know that once you are on the road you may be dealing with egos jockeying for position and you don’t want to be a part of that.

Safety when riding in groups is a challenge and of extreme importance, there are always varying degrees of skill level and you want to be in a group that will cater to all and keep them relatively happy. The organizer should have a video or before every ride a pre-ride safety meeting to go over hand signals (which for the most part is the only way you are going to be able to communicate to the other riders), formations and answer questions . A good organizer will have posted the route, the gas/food breaks and basic eta from one point to another. Chances are times will vary depending on size of group, but generally speaking it runs pretty close to the times posted. There should also be a clear blueprint of what to do in an emergency (benefit of riding in a group, plenty of help) and everyone should be sporting and I.C.E. card (in case of emergency card). If you aren’t a member of the AMA, you should join up (you can find the link on my home page), it is beneficial in many ways. One being that they will tow your bike for free, but check out their site for a list of benefits. Your group should also have a list of requirements for gear they expect you to have, trust me when you go down jeans are not protection, basics should include: Protective jacket, pants, DOT approved helmet, gloves (preferably gauntlet) and boots. Most importantly though is how you will fit into the group, most groups have a core group and many other groups within sometimes bound by skill level, friendships, etc. But they should all be able to mesh together cohesively when on a ride and it should be about having fun and doing it with people you actually want to spend time with. Many friendships come from joining groups like this which is why finding the right group is so important.

I am part of several groups, but there is one that I hold very dear to my heart (Eastside Sportbikers) and I play a very active role in every chance I can get. They took me in as a rider who could barely keep her bike from tipping over (while standing on tiptoes) to being my fans as I entered my novice year of racing. They encouraged me when I was a newbie and they gained my loyalty in return, I love this group and the people in it, the friendships that have developed and the camaraderie. Those are the feelings you should get when you decide to join a group, if not, move on. There are plenty of them out there and just like finding a mate eventually you’ll find one that is “Just Right.” Meetup is a great channel to find groups in general so give it a try and find out how much fun riding in a group can be. Ride on Vixens!

Timing is everything

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Timing is EverythingFrom the sound of the blog it would sound like we are talking about timing your braking and turn entry/exit, huh? Well, it has been a while since I blogged about something health related so we are going to switch “gears” here, no pun intended. We all have a master internal timer that is our circadian clock and it keeps every bodily function on track daily. Your memory, energy level, metabolism and chances of getting sick actually change throughout the day so let’s break it down a little.

Eating breakfast within 90 minutes of waking up help get your energy levels up and revs up your metabolism, while satiating your appetite to keep you from overeating later in the day.

Getting some sunlight (at least 15 minutes) before 10am cues your brain to stop releasing melatonin which will signal your brain to wake up you up and improve your mood (I call it getting your happy rays).

Your core temperature rises between 10 and 11am and again from 5-7pm, this is when your muscle, nerves and joints warm up and you feel sharper and more energetic. Your brain also tends to be the most agile during this period so this would be prime time to tackle a challenging project at work.

Have a medical procedure before noon, there are studies that show physicians are most alert before noon thus making fewer mistakes in the morning. Scheduling a doctor’s appointment in the morning is also beneficial as they are more alert to catch anything suspicious during your examination.

Between noon and 2pm your body temperature naturally dips causing you to feel sleepy, go for a walk to help overcome this lull.

If you are going to cheat on your diet, do it between 11am and 2pm, it allows enough time for your body to burn off the excess calories and get back on track before bedtime.

Between 5 and 6pm our body temperature peaks which means you are most agile and less likely to get injured, your hand-eye coordination is the sharpest, lung function is high, muscle fibers are warm and your mood is brighter. Did you know that this is the time of day when Olympic records tend to be set?

If you are going to grab a drink after work keep it between 4pm and 8pm, even better reason to hit happy hour now! This allows the alcohol to metabolize before you sleep, any later and you are more likely to toss and turn all night. Eating dinner before 8pm helps your body metabolize the food well before you turn in for the night, if you have too many late nights, it causes a change in metabolism and insulin production which will eventually lead to weight gain. Our bodies are designed to sleep when the sun goes down, so don’t mess with mother nature or she will get you back with added pounds.

Apply anti-perspirant at bedtime, the chemicals that keep you from sweating are better absorbed when your skin is dry. Most people apply it when their skin is damp after a morning shower, but if you use it at night it’ll plug your sweat ducts and help you stay fresh for 24 hours.

In the middle of the night we tend to be most creative, so if you find you can’t sleep, let your mind wander and come up with ideas or solutions. While it is not wise to do this often, on occasion it can help you solve a difficult issue you may be struggling with while putting it to rest and then allowing you to sleep more solid.

For more information, check out “The Body Clock Guide to Better Health” by Michael Smolensky and Lynne Lamberg.

June 10, 2013 Women’s Track Event

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IMG_1073I could never have imagined that a simple idea and dream of sharing my love of riding could open an opportunity to bring this love to other women. This idea has blossomed into partnering with Ducati Bellevue, 2-Fast Track Days and Instruction and WMST to bring you events, instruction and clinics geared toward empowering women riders. Monday, June 10th was MotoVixen’s first Women’s Track Event and I couldn’t have asked for better weather, people and track to be on. It was an amazing and exhausting day. Mark DeGross of 2 Fast led the classroom sessions and his instructors (special thanks to Steve-O, Scott, Davey and Jason) took 2-3 gals under their belts to guide them around the track like ducks in a row.IMG_1074 It was reminiscent of those ski schools we went on as little kids behind the lead instructor, remember those? I had fun going around the track to break in my new ride to come up on the tail group and watch them, pass and come up on next group and so on. Throughout the day, I watched each gal improve, not only with their skills, but with their confidence as well. I saw the excitement in their eyes and some were so bouncy from it you could tell that they were going to crash on the way home once that adrenaline wore off. Luckily they all heeded my suggestion in having Ducati transport their bikes (which they did for free) and drove to the track so they wouldn’t have to ride home after a long day.

IMG_1075I took some pictures but not nearly enough, however, there were plenty of cameras and videos being taken so I knew we’d be covered. In fact Jason Tanaka took professional pictures (which he says will be linked to his website at www.jasontanaka.com on Friday) and there are some videos that will be posted on youTube in the next week from other track participants. I will try to get as much information as I can and relay it as I get it. If you have pictures or videos you would like to contribute to the site, email it to me (caroltcarpenter@motovixens.com) and I’ll see if we can include a special section on the site to include all of them. The one thing though that the pictures can’t capture are our ear to ear smiles in our helmets, the feeling of accomplishment and the excitement pinging from every fiber of our being. There is nothing like riding on the track, if you haven’t, please try it. Just do it with a reputable company and not an open track day at a track where it is a complete free for all, that is where most crashes happen. We are just so fortunate to have the support of the best companies in the PNW behind us and a curriculum that has been proven to work.

IMG_1084The day was so successful that there will be an announcement on Ducati’s website of another Women’s Track Event coming up on September 23, 2013 with a new rider’s clinic on September 19, 2013 to be headed by Mark DeGross and myself. I am looking forward to some returning ladies and many new ladies, spread the word. We will perfect this program for both returning and new ladies, you will not be disappointed, ask any of the gals that attended. If you have comments, concerns or suggestions please leave them here, I want to hear everything from complaints to raves.

Round 2 at The Ridge

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Round 2 started out with the weather doing the rain/sun dance and at times was so iffy most of us weren’t sure if we were going to be swapping our rains out to slick/DOT’s, but that is the guessing game we play in this sport we love. After our practice sessions for our Novice group we hunkered down to relax before the races began and the skies decided to open up and just pour, so much for the mostly sunny with the chance of showers forecast. Some racers decided to brave the elements others decided to pull out, but my philosophy is if you are here, you should compete and I was in no matter what the weather was going to bring. The races were exciting, the speeds the experts race are just mind boggling and the precision they handle their bikes with is really amazing. I’ve asked Mark DeGross about how they know their bikes so well and his response has been time and time again, seat time, track time and practice. Note to self-gotta get more of all of that to be the rider I envision myself to be. I am not competing to be in the AMA, I am not competing even to really place, but I am competing to prove to myself that I can ride with some of the best boys around.

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Then came time for our race and at the sound of the horn and looking at the schedule I bolted on my bike to start/finish only to be frantically waved off by the staff to return to pit. Getting off my bike, taking off my helmet and earplugs, I walked over to another racer to find out that they were running behind. So back to pit to wait again to race, heart pounding and nerves uneasy. Watching the track, we saw the checkered flag raise and the last lap was up, the winners came in one by one to a roaring crowd and I started the process of gearing up yet again. Now it was our practice lap, then to grid, then off we went in one flurry as the light went out. I was in great position and I knew I had this race pretty comfortably in the middle of the group, the really fast guys were up in front and the really slow guys were in the back. Then the red flag went up after my first lap and passing another corner came the ambulance flag, a rider was down and an ambulance was on the track, we all had to get off the track and regrid. This time my start was poor and instead of just keeping my head and my patience to just be strategic I took unnecessary risks and paid the price, I was the next one to go down, I lowsided on turn 15 at The Ridge. At the time I was in shock, I couldn’t believe how fast it all happened, but after I got my bearings I got up and looked at the damage. I was fine, a little banged up, but my bike was not in the pristine shape it was in when I came…the nature of the race/competition. The disappointment was devastating, the ride home was full of replaying the incident and what happened, but I knew I wanted to make up for the loss of my poor start and I chose to make too many risky decisions. I know that if I had just been more patient and waited I wouldn’t have crashed, but that is something I can only work on in future races and I suppose you can even say I can apply that to real life.

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The lesson I learned from this race was patience, that alone would have allowed me to come home with my bike intact, a finish under my belt (point system) and no soreness from the crash (totally worth it alone). Ride CHIC (Confident, Hard and In Control)… Vixens Ride!

Basic Motorcycle Maintenance

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Hey Gals! Always on the lookout for classes to get you motorcycle literate. Lake Washington Institute of Technology is offering a 6 week class every Wednesday night on motorcycle maintenance, so if you are interested, contact Susie Jacobsen and sign up:

Motorcycle Maintenance
Item: B234-9035
Don Dale
5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Room: East Building E158
Sessions: 7 W
Location: 11605 132nd Ave NE Kirkland, WA 98034
4/24/2013 – 6/5/2013
Fee: $219.00

Contact:
Susie Jacobsen
Admin Asst IV; Extended Learning
Phone 425.739.8112

Vixens Ride!