Who Has the Dualsporter’s Back?
A little adjustment gets you back on track!
First my arms whip the weight of the bike around as my body counters. Then my body struggles to right the bike after hitting a wicked rut. And finally, I stand on my pegs and my body sucks in the energy of the vibration of a jackhammer, while chattering back to camp on a corrugated fire road at the end of a long dualsporting day.
What do all of these body-torturous, yet fun, events have in common?
The sign of a worked back.
You don’t have to be in tip top shape to have fun on a dual sport, but, damn if having a strong back helps. No matter what shape your back is in at the time of the ride, though, your best friend at the end of the day is…yeah, you guessed it, your chiropractor.
Oh, I never would have believed I’d be saying this. Even after toughing out the tweaks on my spine and back muscles for years without thinking I needed one. But, since I recently started going to this miracle worker, my whole outlook on life has been affected by the alignment of my back.
Since seeing my golden-touch Santa Monica chiropractor, Magdy, not only has the flexibility of my back improved to handle the twists of off-roading, but, coupled with better posture and breathing, I am living more in the moment and enjoying the way my body is moving through daily activity.
I’m even sleeping better!
I don’t know about other chiropractors, but Magdy’s extensive expertise and gentle and proficient manipulation of the spine, including his Eastern knowledge of meridian energy flow, lends itself to be one incredible package deal. So if you’re lucky enough to live in the LA area, do yourself a favor after the wrecked havoc your dual sport puts on your back…give Magdy a call.
Learn more about the ins and outs of chiropractic medicine as well as the discovery of preventative medicine through wellness practices at the Advanced Chiropractic Center of Los Angeles website, a subsidiary of the Arbor Vitae Wellness Center in Santa Monica.
Dr. Magdy Guirguis
Doctor of Chiropractic
1821 Wilshire Blvd, STE 501
Santa Monica, CA 90403
Ph(310)829-7339
www.advancedchiro-la.com
Why not give yourself a little comfort after putting your back to the test with this Homedic heated massaging cushion with Shiatsu rollers that’ll fit on your car/truck seat from the Rugged Rider Store.
Arai XD or Bugs in the Teeth
High grin factor!
I thought the whole purpose of the visor on an Arai XD is to keep bugs, and the like, out of my teeth. But, it does just the opposite when I’m on the trails. What’s the point of being on a bike if I’m separated from the exuberance of feeling the wind on my face and the earth’s aroma in my nose? If I wanted my senses dulled by a silencing cushion of plexi/glass then I’d climb in my car. Ultimately, having the visor down only makes me want to flip it up.
The beauty of this helmet, though, is that freedom is just a flip away. I have a choice. Plus, it’s best suited for me, because of top quality construction, light weight (3 lbs 10oz), communication ability and great visability.
I can either be protected from the elements or I can flip for freedom. With that flip, of course, comes a higher percentage of “grin factor”. Actually, I shouldn’t refer to it as the flip, but rather the non-flip, because I rarely flip it down unless behind a rooster tail or speeding down the tarmac. So, in essence, it’s not there to keep the bugs out of my teeth. It’s there to remind me that I really do want bugs in my teeth.
Check out the Arai XD at the Rugged Rider store through the links below:
Necessity is the Mother of Invention
Got milk?
Do you ever ride there and think, “Man, if only this aftermarket product were designed just a little bit better to kick in extra performance, durability or looks or maybe even all three?” Then why not go out and design it yourself. At the very least, write down those creative ideas once you climb out of the saddle.
Sure, it takes vision and follow-through to see a design all the way to market, but why not give it a shot.
How lucky we are to be in an industry where we’re all enthusiasts, passionate about what we do and support one another like a brother or sisterhood. You’d be surprised at the amount of encouragement and guidance that’s out there. Right off the bat, the two biggest resources for support of your project are the top dual sport forum websites: www.advrider.com and www.thumpertalk.com . Search the forums to start your endless trail of research. Putting time into the research gives you a leg up when it comes to knowing if someone else already had your great idea. Also, it’s good to know your competition. Then go ahead and post an idea for some feedback.
If this idea is the “next best thing” and you want to keep it under wraps, then tap into the patent search on www.uspto.com (U.S. Patent and Trademark Office) to make sure you don’t step on any toes. Infringing on someone else’s design isn’t the best way to start off your new business endeavor. This free search is only an intro search, though, and should be followed up by a patent agent (more affordable than an attorney) who can give you an in-depth “Prior Art Search” to let you know about any possible design infringements.
Your patent agent will need tech drawings first to be able to describe your product in detail for the prior art search application. › Continue reading
Mod Justification
"Hmmm, get a new mod or mortar for my house?"
Ever notice that your mod list gets more attention than your house project “to do” list? Well I don’t know about you, but I definitely need a jet kit before I need the plumbing fixed on the second sink in the master bath. Heck, I’ve been using one sink for nine years now. What in the world is the rush in having a choice between two sinks, anyway?
Yeah, you don’t realize it’s mod justification until you wake up one morning and your house is falling down around your ankles. But, damn, your bike sure looks good!
It’s a convincing inner dialogue as you hear yourself say, “I’m not selling the house or refi-ing anytime soon, so why not just throw those extra bones to my baby in the garage. Baby needs a new pair of shoes, anyway…make that knobbies.”
And, then you pass that beauty in the garage, which, of course, keeps you from noticing the bald patches of ivy in the backyard. “Oh, that new irrigation system can wait; besides, it’s a lot easier to get the places that the sprinklers miss when I water with the hose. And, anymore water on that tree out front will make those roots grow even more and make that cracked driveway worse.” I think the neighbors get a kick out of seeing me get some off-road practice as I ride over that crack. Who needs a smooth driveway, anyway? Call me when it swallows my Toyota Forerunner.
Now that I remember, though, there was this one time when I took care of a home project by myself right away. It was changing the ballast for a florescent light in the garage. So, you see, paying attention to that house to-do list can be accomplished. Oh yeah, now that I think about it, I sure can read my mod list a lot better with that new garage light. Ah, motivation.
Sometimes you just have to slow down and ask yourself, “Will the mod list ever stop?”
Not as long as your house is still standing.
Need a new pair of shoes for your baby? Try these Continental TKC80’s (front)at the Rugged Rider store.
and…
Are You a Shorty One Footer or Two?
"I got it. Ain't no thang!"
I guess some of the shorter off road studs get used to sliding off their seat at a stop light with one foot on the ground, so they can maintain the optimum performance of their bike. Personally, at 5’6” with a 31” inseam I like to feel both balls of my feet on the ground for traffic riding mid week. It gives me better peace of mind with cell-distracted LA drivers coming up on my rear at a stop light.
I opted to lower my DRZ-S with a Suzuki gel seat, which shaved off 5/8”, and the #3 Kouba Link, which dropped it another 1.75”. You also need to drop the front forks to match, so that the geometry of the rake doesn’t change or changes less.
Norman Kouba provides valuable info on the three Kouba links and the recommended race sag (the difference between the unloaded suspension and the suspension with you on it) for each link at www.koubalink.com . Here’s a quote from the Kouba site FAQ’s: “They put more leverage on the rear spring and make the rear more compliant on the small stuff but may require a heavier rear spring to help prevent bottoming if a rider is very aggressive.”
Sure, when opting to lower your bike with links you take the chance of compromising suspension travel, effective spring rate (feels softer) and steering stabilization. These issues can be addressed, somewhat, with adjusting both the suspension setting and the rear shock preload, and adding a steering stabilizer. You may also need to add bar risers in the front to lower your fork tubes.
One additional thing to notice after lowering, though, is the steeper angle of the side stand. This is easily fixed after locating a new DRZ-SM kickstand, which are 1-2” shorter, because of the 17” wheels.
Since I’m a lighter chick, even after lowering my bike I don’t bottom out…even with some aggressive moves.
What it comes down to, though, is setting the bike up according to the rider and his or her type of riding. There is some info out there for the differences in the various lowering techniques, but only you know through your own experience whether it’ll work for you.
Check out motoinmoab’s www.thumpertalk.com thread for lowering your seat height…
http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=379068
Time to invest in a skid plate if you don’t have one already…especially if you lower your bike!!!!!
Check out the MSR skid plate at the Rugged Rider store.