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epalm posted:In Ontario, you first get an M1 (written test, lasts 90 days, no pillion, no nighttime, 0.0 BAC), then an M2 (parking lot test, lasts 18 months, 0.0 BAC), then you can get you M (full road test, lasts forever, and I think you can have some amount of booze without the cops throwing you directly into jail, not that I would drink and ride a motorcycle). Yeah basically while the examiner is following you in the car, during the highway portion of the test, don't linger in the center lane if you can help it. Follow their instructions but if you have to react to something, do it safely and deliberately. If you can justify why you stayed in the middle lane, they'll be cool. They should go over this before you set out. If you do have to spend a while in the middle lane, generally your blocking position should be where the threat is expected to come from. On-ramp joining to your right? Use the rightmost track. Left lane ending up ahead? Use the left track. Lane position in the middle lane is dynamic and depends on traffic and road layout. I'd say you're generally more likely to have someone on your right try to come into your lane as they attempt to overtake something, but, Ontario drivers... Oh, and make sure you signal well in advance! Finger Prince fucked around with this message at 13:05 on May 8, 2013 |
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May 8, 2013 13:00
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Linedance posted:Lane position in the middle lane is dynamic and depends on traffic and road layout. Right, this is essentially what I've been trying to observe on the fly. Thanks for the tips (and any more would be greatly appreciated.
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May 8, 2013 14:59
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I've been away for a few days, just got back and there is oil soaking the floor around my front wheel. I can't really tell where it's coming from. It was fine before I left, so wtf could have happened?
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May 8, 2013 17:03
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Frankston posted:I've been away for a few days, just got back and there is oil soaking the floor around my front wheel. I can't really tell where it's coming from. It was fine before I left, so wtf could have happened? Check your fork seals Also verify it's oil and not brake fluid
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May 8, 2013 17:09
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Does anyone have experience with motorcycle tags in DC proper? Just went to get my temporary one so I could get it inspected, then get the real one, but they just assumed (I guess?) I had done this and gave me the real one valid until May 2014. Is this something I should look into or just accept? New title should be coming in the mail soon too.
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May 8, 2013 17:16
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hot sauce posted:Does anyone have experience with motorcycle tags in DC proper? Just went to get my temporary one so I could get it inspected, then get the real one, but they just assumed (I guess?) I had done this and gave me the real one valid until May 2014. Is this something I should look into or just accept? New title should be coming in the mail soon too. In TX at least they give you a receipt proving you got it inspected. I assume they just look at this form and nod and throw it out. I'd go get it inspected anyway so that you have it done but don't say any more than you have to at the DMV lest you invoke the wrath of them asking questions. Disturbing the status quo of those places is when poo poo seems to go awry.
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May 8, 2013 17:21
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Snowdens Secret posted:Check your fork seals Do you think heat could have something to do with it? I keep my bike outside under a cover, and it's been pretty cold for a long time but the past couple of days have been scorching hot.
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May 8, 2013 17:24
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JP Money posted:In TX at least they give you a receipt proving you got it inspected. I assume they just look at this form and nod and throw it out. I'd go get it inspected anyway so that you have it done but don't say any more than you have to at the DMV lest you invoke the wrath of them asking questions. Disturbing the status quo of those places is when poo poo seems to go awry. That's true which is why I'm leaning toward leaving it alone altogether. My receipt does include $10 inspection fee though, so I might just keep this along with my registration in case of being pulled over.
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May 8, 2013 17:34
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In CT if your inspection is not up to date in their database they just cancel your registration. They don't tell you, either, until you get pulled over and get a nasty ticket. I'd get the bike inspected and then verify with the DMV after a few days that everything's fine.
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May 8, 2013 17:36
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Snowdens Secret posted:In CT if your inspection is not up to date in their database they just cancel your registration. They don't tell you, either, until you get pulled over and get a nasty ticket. I'd get the bike inspected and then verify with the DMV after a few days that everything's fine. Arg, you guys are probably right in that I should get it checked out. Thing is DC is sort of the king of DMV idiots, it took 3 people once my # was called who even knew how to do a motorcycle. I think a lot of people around here just never register at all, I see bikes (mostly sportbikes) without tags on a daily basis.
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May 8, 2013 17:40
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Wait you have to get your bike inspected at the DMV? That loving sucks. I thought all states had inspection stations where 3rd party people do them and give you the sticker.
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May 8, 2013 17:41
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JP Money posted:Wait you have to get your bike inspected at the DMV? That loving sucks. I thought all states had inspection stations where 3rd party people do them and give you the sticker. There is only one inspection station that I know of, separate from the DMV but still run by them. It's kind of a free for all for anything around here - for example this morning I went to the location the website specifically says to go to for motorcycle temp tags. Once I got through the line to enter they told me they don't do tags at all there and to go to another location. I told them the website had bold letters saying this address specifically and she responded "we don't do digital".
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May 8, 2013 17:47
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JP Money posted:Wait you have to get your bike inspected at the DMV? That loving sucks. I thought all states had inspection stations where 3rd party people do them and give you the sticker. What? This seems crazy exploitable. I just roll the bike up, and they verify that it has rear blinkers, a brake light, and a working headlight. If the VIN matches then everything is good to go and it's never inspected again. Though this is in Idaho, because neither of my bikes can pass emissions here in Phoenix.
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May 8, 2013 17:47
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Cars and bikes don't get emission tested where I'm living. On a bike you just pull up and they check your poo poo works and then you get the sticker. Never having to get it inspected again sounds pretty weird to me but it's probably nice. It's only like 15 dollars to get it done here every year and it's pretty much a guaranteed pass unless your car is a pile and has lights out, etc. It's not usually exploited but when I lived in PA and emissions were tested more strictly there are definitely people who would pay off the guys in small time garages to just run his own vehicle and give you the sticker for your junker car to pass. In TX I've seen some reallllll sketchy poo poo on the road that definitely doesn't deserve to be there. That's not even including "Farm Use" trucks that are probably some of the largest death traps on the road yet get exempt from inspections.
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May 8, 2013 17:55
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JP Money posted:Wait you have to get your bike inspected at the DMV? That loving sucks. I thought all states had inspection stations where 3rd party people do them and give you the sticker. Our DMV inspection is verifying the frame VIN matches the title. Technically there are inspection specs for motorbikes but I have no clue how they're enforced, unless you get pulled and a cop writes you up for something for kicks. I found two conflicting spec lists just by searching the DMV web site and they include such gems as requiring a front brake, a battery, and no more than two headlights, so there are plenty of rides on the street that don't pass.
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May 8, 2013 18:05
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Snowdens Secret posted:Our DMV inspection is verifying the frame VIN matches the title. Technically there are inspection specs for motorbikes but I have no clue how they're enforced, unless you get pulled and a cop writes you up for something for kicks. This is basically what they test for here too. I'm pretty sure they just assumed I did it, because they gave me plates with the stickers on them. I may still go over one day to see if it's correct in the system though.
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May 8, 2013 18:10
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Vehicle inspection? Pfft. Nanny states 
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May 8, 2013 18:12
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I've only had to get my old truck inspected for smog emissions, not my new(er) truck or either of the motorcycles I've owned. I live in Illinois and haven't had any issues when I've renewed my license plates or transferred titles. Do you not have to get your bike checked in Illinois? I don't see anything on the lovely DMV site.
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May 8, 2013 18:31
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The wiki page I went to only has periodic emission inspections listed for Illinois, nothing on safety or VIN inspections. Easiest way to find out is to phone up the DMV tho. Meanwhile you can all aspire to be these freedom loving states: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_inspection_in_the_United_States#States_without_safety.2C_emissions.2C_or_VIN_inspections quote:States without safety, emissions, or VIN inspections
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May 8, 2013 18:38
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gently caress. I had a caliper bolt come loose on the drz and it scored a silver stripe into my wheel. Anyone ever powder coat a rim? How much did it cost?
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May 8, 2013 18:49
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ReelBigLizard posted:KTM 690 SMC, manual states a minimum of 97RON.  How does it feel to ride a bike that uses almost the same fuel that ww2 fighter planes did?
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May 8, 2013 18:50
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If the weather is good, I might take my first ever long road trip! Pittsburgh to Toronto. Farthest away I've ever ridden otherwise is 2 hours each way. Any tips about a long-ish trip that I might not have thought of? Besides "bring water"?
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May 8, 2013 18:57
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JP Money posted:gently caress. I had a caliper bolt come loose on the drz and it scored a silver stripe into my wheel. Anyone ever powder coat a rim? How much did it cost? I dont think you can just powdercoat the strip, you have to blast the existing stuff off the wheel first.
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May 8, 2013 19:09
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alnilam posted:If the weather is good, I might take my first ever long road trip! Pittsburgh to Toronto. Farthest away I've ever ridden otherwise is 2 hours each way. Earplugs and ibuprofen. Passport. Don't carry anything that will get you hassled at the border and don't pack in a way that will explode into an un-repackable mess if the Border Patrol somehow thinks they need to rifle through your poo poo. Make sure your registration and insurance are in order. Check the weather and plan accordingly, personally if it dips below 50F and I'm not prepared with layers I get distinctly uncomfortable. I would recommend Gatorade or similar over water, you need to keep salt and sugar levels ok. Granola bars / powerbars / etc are also nice. Keep in mind you're not leaving civilization, there will be gas stations and rest stops, but a drink is nice to carry if you break down and have to do a little pushing. Pittsburgh to Toronto isn't that far but make sure your bike is in good shape, check tire condition and pressure, and lube the chain if applicable.
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May 8, 2013 19:14
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alnilam posted:If the weather is good, I might take my first ever long road trip! Pittsburgh to Toronto. Farthest away I've ever ridden otherwise is 2 hours each way. Take stretch and walking breaks every hour or so. You might feel like you don't need it the first hour, but by the last hour you'll be glad you did. Avoid the highway if possible, the backroads keep your mind aware and let you move a bit more on the bike. Take ibuprofen for aches/muscle stiffness. If you do have to take the highway, make a point to move around on the bike and change your positions periodically. Have kit for emergencies (tools, flat repair, etc) and have it easily available. Last year I completely loaded my bike only to notice 1 mile down the road that my speedometer had rattled loose. I had to take everything off to get to my toolkit cause I had left it under the seat. Do a more thorough check of your bike then usual and make sure your tire pressure is good. Get to know your route a bit beforehand so if you do get lost you'll figure it out before too long. Off the top of my head... What are you riding?
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May 8, 2013 19:20
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Jim Silly-Balls posted:I dont think you can just powdercoat the strip, you have to blast the existing stuff off the wheel first. Sounds like a good place for some rim tape to me
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May 8, 2013 19:25
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My latest cross country was Austin to San Diego and back, about 1400 miles each way. In addition to the above advice I recommend putting cold/wet layers, if you're bringing them, in their own bag accessible from the top layer or outside of your other luggage. I stopped every 100 miles, which has always been a useful interval for me though this time I ran into a combination of high gas consumption caused by the high speed limits in western Texas lining up perfectly with a 40 mile gap in gas stations that was unlabeled, and I ended up going 40 miles on my ~40 mile reserve. Also, spring has sprung: I took a wasp down the back which stung me repeatedly, a bee somehow entered my boot and stung my foot making it huge, and another bee stung me in the neck. I also hit and killed a small bird, and had several needs to dodge exploded tire pieces, huge tumbleweeds, and other road debris. Be careful!
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May 8, 2013 19:36
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Spiffness posted:Sounds like a good place for some rim tape to me It's on the inside of the rim though so it'd look a bit funky to have a strip going down that way  I'm just gonna hit it with a sharpie until I figure out what I'm going to do. It really sucks, the powdercoat was spotless before this and now there's a strip down to bare aluminum underneath it.
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May 8, 2013 19:39
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Ambihelical Hexnut posted:My latest cross country was Austin to San Diego and back, about 1400 miles each way. In addition to the above advice I recommend putting cold/wet layers, if you're bringing them, in their own bag accessible from the top layer or outside of your other luggage. I stopped every 100 miles, which has always been a useful interval for me though this time I ran into a combination of high gas consumption caused by the high speed limits in western Texas lining up perfectly with a 40 mile gap in gas stations that was unlabeled, and I ended up going 40 miles on my ~40 mile reserve. Didn't you also go toe-to-toe with a deer, or was that another KTM guy?
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May 8, 2013 19:40
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Ambihelical Hexnut posted:My latest cross country was Austin to San Diego and back, about 1400 miles each way. In addition to the above advice I recommend putting cold/wet layers, if you're bringing them, in their own bag accessible from the top layer or outside of your other luggage. I stopped every 100 miles, which has always been a useful interval for me though this time I ran into a combination of high gas consumption caused by the high speed limits in western Texas lining up perfectly with a 40 mile gap in gas stations that was unlabeled, and I ended up going 40 miles on my ~40 mile reserve. Do you think I should have a fuel itinerary for the leg between Roswell NM and San Antonio, some of which will be I-10?
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May 8, 2013 19:41
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JP Money posted:It's on the inside of the rim though so it'd look a bit funky to have a strip going down that way Supermoto rules are different! In reality, blasting and re-powder coating is a expensive pain. Your options are to live with it, sharpie it in or cover it up. Do something stupid with it, it's a supermoto, who cares. Grab a bunch of star stickers and spangle banner the bitch.
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May 8, 2013 20:23
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Spiffness posted:Supermoto rules are different! I'm not usually into silly wheels. I'd consider going the 50/50 paint route but that's a lot of money for something so useless. I'm just going to go to Advance and grab a black paint pen and hope for the best. I'll snap a pic of the damage before I do that though.
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May 8, 2013 20:34
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Safety Dance posted:Didn't you also go toe-to-toe with a deer, or was that another KTM guy? That was me, and this was the same bike. I am way behind on making "kill" stickers for my fairing. On the trip back I took a freeway onramp and passed about four deer that were eyeballing me from the edge of the asphalt; the wild kingdom wants to see me dead. clutchpuck posted:Do you think I should have a fuel itinerary for the leg between Roswell NM and San Antonio, some of which will be I-10? It had never been a problem on the major highways for me before that time, if you're going over half your max fuel range between stops I'd make an itinerary for the rural bits or just carry an extra gallon of gas. The 80mph speed limit and 85-90mph traffic in that region might have your fuel economy drop as mine did.
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May 8, 2013 20:59
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The entire purpose of a supermoto is to plaster it in dakka. I'm on the fence between Winnie the Pooh and Animaniacs stickers when I eventually get mine. 
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May 8, 2013 21:05
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That's not my thing. I've never been into the "painting my wheels hot pink would be so sick!" kind of crowd. It's not worth it to me to plaster it in stickers from every company on earth. I'd rather just keep it clean and working in good order while I rip around town being dumb.
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May 8, 2013 21:12
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Thanks for the long trip advice, all! Long trips are the main reason I got a motorcycle in the first place  nsaP posted:What are you riding? 2007 Kawasaki Vulcan 500. Had it since august, first bike, in pretty good shape as far as I can tell.
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May 8, 2013 21:16
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M42 posted:
Turns out I was wrong, it's actually ok on 95, but where I got confused is that my KTM manual calls this "Super Unleaded", which here in Britain refers to 97RON and above. Looks like I've been buying 97 for 4 years and 22000mi for absolutely no reason. Oh well, no harm done other than my wallet.
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May 8, 2013 23:47
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M42 posted:
Hell I am not very far off, technology-wise, from those fighter planes. Sounds like a P-47, too. Feels good.
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May 9, 2013 00:08
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nsaP posted:The wiki page I went to only has periodic emission inspections listed for Illinois, nothing on safety or VIN inspections. Easiest way to find out is to phone up the DMV tho. Ohio gives no fucks about motorcycle inspections of any kind either. Edit- Apparently if you live in cleveland they do. kenny powerzzz fucked around with this message at 00:23 on May 9, 2013 |
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May 9, 2013 00:10
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ReelBigLizard posted:Turns out I was wrong, it's actually ok on 95, but where I got confused is that my KTM manual calls this "Super Unleaded", which here in Britain refers to 97RON and above. Looks like I've been buying 97 for 4 years and 22000mi for absolutely no reason. Oh well, no harm done other than my wallet. You can always justify it as being one of the reasons you were capable of getting 22,000 miles out of a 690 without catastrophic engine failure. I mean, it makes as much sense as using their specific oil, right? 
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May 9, 2013 00:19
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