Motorcycle safety, musings and more.
After owning my own custom vintage bike for a year, and doing a few small maintenance projects, I decided I wanted to try my hand at my own custom build.
So, in Feburary 2017, I bought a 1982 Honda XL250R, and started tearing it down. During the process, I kept a log of my thoughts, feelings and frustrations here.
During this rebuild project, I've done plenty of hard things. I slaved over the engine with brushes and chemicals to prep it for paint. I banged up my hands tapping out bearing races, struggling for each millimeter of movement. I've made …
[Read more...] about The Hardest Thing About My First Motorcycle Project
Why do people build custom motorcycles? There's at least one obvious answer: they do it so they can have a custom motorcycle. But if all you wanted was to own a custom motorcycle, there are easier ways to get one. Maybe even less expensive …
[Read more...] about 4 Reasons You Need a Motorcycle Project (According to Science!)
It was a cumbersome job that required four hands, preferably more. J held the frame’s front end, while I gingerly eased the back into its snug fit against the engine. Paint scraped, I grimaced. Everything was smooth, jet black, and unyielding. …
[Read more...] about Emergence: The Motorcycle, The Mechanic
On this blog, I love to embrace and support beginners. After all, nobody is born knowing everything about motorcycles. But it’s important to remember that what you don’t know can hurt you. I've long believed this about riding motorcycles, which …
[Read more...] about 4 Garage Safety Lessons for Beginners (And a Bonus!)
A year ago, I looked at my life and thought, something is missing. Overall, I was happy. I had a steady, flexible job with decent pay, a picturesque little home, a goofy cat and a much-loved partner. But I was tired. Tired of circular projects …
