Raven’s Rides
Raven's Rides Motorcycle Blog

(more…)

There are many biker cultures and subcultures, and some involve drinking to excess. I can never understand those events that lead a group of bikes from bar to bar, because to me that always seems like inviting trouble. Not my cup of tea–or should I say my glass of beer? Maybe these riders think they can hold their liquor, but I know I can’t. So I don’t drink and ride, and use a nice cold beer as a way to unravel from the tension and excitement of the day’s riding.

I think it’s so easy to misjudge how pickled you are. At a parking lot sale a year or so back, one of the exhibitors had a pair of goggles that impaired you if your BAC were raised by, say, a couple of pints. Whoah. You had to walk a line and do a turn, then do the line again. The exhibitors were there to catch. It was the weirdest thing, and a real eye-opener. I could barely do it.

So sure, if you can handle it, have a beer with your lunch. I’ve been to biker lunches before and they last a good long while. But if you ever need to figure out whether or not you should be riding, here’s a nifty blood alcohol calculator.

The Blood Alcohol Content Level Calculator certainly isn’t anywhere akin to a real breathalyser, but you can use it as a guide and reality check.

This was a sponsored post.

(more…)

(more…)

(more…)

This is my first ever technical article. Be nice. ;)

I recently changed the front and rear brake pads on my Intruder. I also changed the rear pads back in February, which is when all these pictures were taken. The brake pads on the rear are covered by a little plastic cover that pops off with a screwdriver or other pointy tool. The front is similar, only this time you have to unfasten two screws with a Phillips screwdriver.

The uncovered brake pads await, quivering. (more…)

(more…)

(more…)

I took the bike up to Weaverville today. Many more of the fires have been contained, and the smoke is hugely reduced. This is a great relief. The air doesn’t even smell of woodsmoke any more.

It was a lovely ride. The sun was shining and the views were available–layer upon layer of mountains and valleys. Everything is still so green! I don’t know how long it will be before things start to ice up around here but I think we should enjoy this while it lasts. (more…)