Sharks and Phantoms, Gear Review

So here's a quick entry to give some product feedback/first impressions. I've had my eye on a Shark helmet for quite a while. I stopped into Motoliberty about a year ago and was really impressed by features and fit of the RSR but couldn't quite convince myself that the improved safety features and ventilation really warranted the increase in cost. I recently started checking prices again and thanks to an ebay transaction that got refunded thanks to a break-in I decided to call Motoliberty again and see what they might have in stock. I guess patience can sometimes pay off as they were offering a pretty good discount on their display models. I went ahead and purchased a dark tinted mirror visor.

Shark RSR 2 - Foggy Legend Black:




Riding impressions after a quick hour jaunt:
The first thing that jumps out when you're wearing the helmet is how much lighter it feels. I've been very pleased with the Scorpion Exo 400 and 700's but there's a noticeable weight savings with the Shark. It also has superb aerodynamics. The cheek pads are much snugger than on my Scorpion and seem to come forward further than the Scorpion. We'll see how this feels after the helmet has had a chance to break-in. The Shark also seems to have a snugger fit at the base of the back of the head. All in all the fit seems snugger and holds more of my head inside the helmt.

Once under way I was really impressed by how well air vents through the helmet. The vent on top of the helmet especially seemed to channel a lot of air over the top of my head. Since the temperatures didn't get above 85 during the quick ride, I can't be sure how well it would deal with a more typical summer day but it did seem to be as good if not better than the Scorpion. The final feature that I really liked was the free range of adjustment you have for the visor position. It doesn't have the ratchet points that are typical on most helmets. With the RSR there is constant tension that allows you to position the visor at any point in the range of travel. This will likely be one of the best features for hot summer days.


Olympia Phantom riding impressions:


I just love this thing. Where to start... First, it's so easy to get in and out of it thanks to zippers on the legs that come all the way to the hips. Once inside the suit, the venting system is fantastic. There are zippers along the arms and in the chest that allow you to open air vents that bring fresh air into and around the suit.



The day was fairly mild for a late June summer morning, but I really got plenty of air inside the suit. Once underway, the suit is really comfortable and doesn't flap around at all thanks to adjusters on the arms and the torso that allow you to snug up the fit. It's also nice having cargo pockets in the thighs that give you quick access to a wallet or cell phone.

I really am looking forward to trying this suit on a longer trip in a few weeks.

Nina Meets the Squid Squad

I know you really shouldn't have to have a reason to ride but it doesn't hurt to have one, even a pretty thin one. Such as...

"Since one of the Granbury guys just picked up a new bike, I'm thinking about heading out early Saturday to join them for a ride."

I know it's not really that compelling but with the forecast calling for temps in the lower 90's you've got to get out on the road.

Bright and early today I suited up and made the trek back down to Granbury to hook up with the G-Town Squid Squad for a run to Cranfills Gap.


I pulled into Montes Burritos on 377 in Granbury and right behind me were Misfire, Tye, Doug, Jeff and Diana. I'd ridden with Misfire, Tye and Doug before. As introductions were made it turns out that Jeff is a friend of Chad's and Diana is Doug's daughter. Inside we met a friend of Doug's named Bill and settled in to breakfast. This time I made sure to try the Pirate Breakfast burrito and it really hit the spot. Next time I'll likely ask them to add avacados. Just a quick tip, the green salsa is really good but carries some pretty good heat.

Pretty close to 9:30, we wrapped up breakfast and saddled up and headed off to top off tanks and hit the road. For a late June Texas summer day, you couldn't have asked for nicer weather. The trek down 51 was nice and the pace was very manageable. Once we got south of 67, the pace picked up and the Daytona finally got a chance to stretch it's legs. The roads down there really are some of the best in North Texas. Nice elevation changes, high speed sweepers, low speed tighter turns with mutiple transitions. I really need to rig up my video camera next time I head down there.

It was nice seeing Doug ride with his daughter Diana. It made me think about hopefully one day before too long taking my own girls for rides with me. Though obviously at a much more moderate pace.

Anyway the day was fantastic and I really have come to enjoy riding with the Squid Squad and company. Maybe I'll be able to talk them into a trip down to Bandera to blitz the Hill Country sometime this Fall.

Anyway, onto the pictures.

Misfire's new ride:



A sea of Zookies with a sprinkling of Euros:



The Non-Zooks:




The Riders:




And apparently Bandit really missed me and thought my sweaty leathers smelled great:

So a few wrong turns...

Although a small tank bag sure seems to fit the Daytona, it really doesn't do the job when you need a decent map of the area. I had several folded print outs that I had prepared the night before thinking they'd fit the bill.

This morning I headed out to Benbrook and met Whysmista from the SBN forums for a quick ride down to Granbury by way of FM 5 and Hwy 51. After spending some time talking at Starbuck's we finally saddled up and headed out. I checked my various little maps and thought I knew how to get us where we were going. Well as the map below of our actual ride shows, I missed a few turns here and there and got turned around at least once. Even with the wrong turns, it was a nice ride and FM 5 seems like a nice warm up for a day that may head south of Granbury.



At the end of the ride we ended up back at the Starbuck's on I-20 and 377 where we talked a little longer and I snapped a few pictures.

Nina really liked Melissa

Ok, three things from today's ride.



1. Nina really liked Melissa. Today I took a round about way and made my way north of Greenville and found a great stretch of road from Wolfe City to Melissa. The road surface was really smooth and except for some roadkill here and there was mostly clear with a nice combination of wide long sweepers and tight transition twisty stuff. And though the road really invited the inner hooligan to come out and play, it just took one unexpected dip in the middle of fast paced left hander to remind me that it's always best to keep the hooligan on a short leash on roads that are unfamiliar.

2. 250 miles on the Daytona is near the upper end of what's currently comfortable. Guess that doesn't need a lot of extra explanation, but without a throttlemeister or some other similar mod, I can't see doing long miles on consecutive days.


3. An epiphany. So I'm cruising along on some random FM road, wishing I had a tank bag with a map so I'd have a better idea of where I'm really going when I realize that as long as I'm still headed North, it doesn't really matter that much where I am exactly. The weather was perfect (mid 80's). The roads had very light traffic. The asphalt was smooth and clear. And the throaty sound of the triple had a perma-grin on my face. That's about the point where I realized that I wasn't even sure what time it was and you know... it really didn't matter, the moment was perfect. Then it struck me, lately so much of my day has a faint but incessant tick-tock reminding me that no matter how many lists, no matter the sophistication of the calendar, there just isn't enough time. Tick-tock... time always marching by, sometimes sneaking past, but on a good ride something changes. As you transition from a tight right into a tight left or as you set a line through a long sweeper it feels like not only can you catch time, you can pulse the pass trigger and fly right past time. The tick-tock fades into the distance somewhere behind you and all that's left is the the distinct growl of the triple's intake opening up and the increased blurr of the passing countryside.


-**Route Map**-