On why I chose to ride a motorcycle.

A few nights ago, I had a strange conversation with my brother (who doesn't ride a motorcycle) about transportation and getting around in Ohio. When I had mentioned that I only had one car and two motorcycles between me and Matt and that we were in the process of acquiring a second car for winter driving purposes, he responded with this:

"I don't even know why you have a motorcycle out in the Midwest anyway. You don't have to deal with the kind of traffic [like we have in California]."

I was slightly taken aback by the comment, and I had to step back a little and consider that his point of view is valid to some degree. Yes, I don't have to deal with the same level of vehicular congestion in Ohio that I faced in the Los Angeles/Orange County region of California. However, horrible traffic is not, and has never been, the primary reason of why I ride a motorcycle. In fact it had everything with to do with not being allowed to drive a car...

Taking my motorcycle gas tank to the limit...

In one of my last rides back up to Mentor a few weeks ago, I decided to take a gamble and find out how far I could really stretch Eleanor's gas tank. I left Columbus at 11:30PM on a Sunday night and rode straight up the highway without stopping, rolling into the Speedway at OH-91/US-20 in the wee hours of Monday morning.

Here's a little bit of background information (for those who are new to my blog). Eleanor is a 2007 Yamaha FJR1300A. The gas tank in an FJR1300 has a capacity of 6.6 gallons and fuel economy averages anywhere from 35-43 MPG depending on traffic and riding conditions. When I ride mostly freeway and no faster than 70MPH, I can hover in the 39-41 MPG range. I think I was pretty successful in sipping almost every drop out of her.

In hindsight, testing this theory at 2AM during a non-stop ride from Columbus to Eastlake, OH wasn't one of the wisest things to do, but at least I now know that panicking doesn't begin until after 55 miles into reserve. Whatever. I still win.