First Aid Should Always Come First

On a recent two-week, 4,000 KM motorcycle trip across British Columbia, through the Rocky Mountains and half-way into Alberta and back, I made sure my Triumph Tiger 800 was in good working order. I packed some extra oil, chain cleaner and lube and two different tire repair kits for the journey. Fortunately, I did not get a flat and the trip went well; however, it about a month after returning, I realized that I had not packed a repair kit for me or my riding partner. Learning First Aid and proudly displaying a First Aid certificate had always been on my 'to do' list but I guess I had procrastinated so long I had forgotten about it. By chance, I came upon the following website http://www.traumatech.com and enrolled in a weekend Standard First Aid /CPR/ AED Level C Canadian Red Cross course.  Now I feel I have at least a degree of competence and confidence in the event of an emergency. But that's not enough. You need to have access to a good First Aid kit, too, if you are to be most effective, in addition to a phone to call 9-1-1 and an AED if needed. Disappointed with the drug-store type first aid kits around, I created my own based on what I learned in the course.

According to British Columbia Occupational Health & Safety Guidelines, my First Aid kit is better than basic and pretty much equivalent to a Level 1. The Level is determined by a combination of factors, such as occupational risk and distance to a hospital. The criteria are not really applicable to my situation and I customized my kit based on what I learned and could afford. It cost about $60 in total on top of the $150 for the course and text. But my riding jacket costs more than that, and I think the investment is just as valuable. If I had $2,000 to spare, I'd buy an AED to complete the kit, but I don't. However, I do know how to use one if necessary and that's more than I knew before. Naturally, I hope I never need to spring into action or require aid for myself, but it's not realistic for anyone who spends any length of time on the roads to delude himself into thinking that nothing is going to happen to him and nobody will ever need his help. The course and the kit have increased my sense of security and peace of mind, and that makes for an enjoyable ride.

Motorcycle Winterization and a Happy New Year to All

The first week of December, on a dry sunny day, I took one final, short ride on my Triumph Tiger 800 to visit a friend. The next day, I cleaned it well. The chain looked silver and new. I greased it, filled the tank and added stabilizer and then removed the battery.
About every 10 days, I charge the battery so it will be good to use when I reinstall it in early March. I did not remove the spark plugs as recommended by the owner's manual. That's alot of trouble. The bike is only a few months old and it will be serviced in the spring.

So there in the parkade my saphire blue Tiger rests on its centre stand for approximately 13 weeks until I can safely and comfortably ride it again. 2014 will be another year of wonderful riding and commaraderie, but also, unfortunately, tragedy for many who are not so lucky or careful on the roads. Let's hope they are few and not all too tragic. Do your best to make sure 2014 is a happy new year for you and all those around you each and every day. Take care of your bike and practice safe riding. I'm looking forward to utilizing the new GoPro camera I got for my birthday recently and a major trip through the Canadian Rockies in late June.

Riding Upstream with Due Care and Attention

A motorcycle rally celebrating West Coast aboriginal food and culture began at Trev Deeley Motorcycles in Vancouver Sunday September 15th and ran up along the Sea-to-Sky highway to Chances Casino in Squamish, B.C. Known as the Salmon Run Motorcycle Rally, riders were welcomed and blessed by First Nations dancers and a drummer before lining up and heading off for a salmon al fresco lunch at Chances Casino. Fortunately, the weather held up long enough for us to make a round trip without getting wet. I found myself somewhat like a fish out of water as a Triumph owner in red mingling with a hundred or so black covered Harley riders. Although there were only a dozen or so other bikes like Honda, Kawasaki or BMWs, all makes were welcome on this particular ride.

I was a little concerned about riding in such a large entourage, but once we got onto the highway everyone more or less broke off and road at their own pace. For me, that pace was brisk, but not overly fast like most of the other bikes that passed me along the way. The Sea-to-Sky highway is winding and undulating with merging on-ramps, distractingly beautiful scenery and intersects a couple towns like Lions' Bay and Porteau Cove. Could I have exceeded the speed limit even more than I already had? Yes, but that would have been careless and being careless is not me. My spirit guide was with me all the way.
For more Salmon Run photos, click on my profile above and check out the photo album.

Triumph Keys: Get with the Program!

Here's another unfortunate experience or two that I share regarding the original Triumph dealer I purchased my 2013 Tiger 800 from, Pacific Motosports  It's also a bit of a continuation of my previous video about the top box installation.   A copy of the Pre-Delivery Checklist is available. I have since also received a purchased copy of the Triumph Service Manual, but it is dated 2010 and does not include any information on the electronics or computerized components so I am disappointed with it. I still love the bike, but the support from Triumph or lack thereof leaves much to be desired. Time will tell if it is as good a bike as I think it is now, I suppose, and I hope I am never disappointed on that front as long as I own it.