UK brand LDM is a relative newcomer to the market with a range of affordable riding gear including this LDM ExoFlex all-weather jacket with a trendy hood.
Lorenzo, founder of LDM, says he set up the company three years ago as an online retailer of well-known motorcycle clothing brands including helmets, gloves, and accessories.
“After a couple of years, I was finding people including myself were getting fed up with the lack of innovation that’s going on among the budget-mid level motorcycle clothing brands,” he says.
“As a slightly younger biker I could see the potential to make exciting new motorbike gear using newer materials in more casual clothing items. Which is how LDM was born.
LDM ExoFlex jacket
“The whole mission is to provide good value motorcycle clothing that is more than just your normal textile or leather jacket or gloves. Everything we do is designed to be different but also practical.”
The LDM range is still quite small, but is experiencing a lot of growth in the UK and is planning to expand into European distribution next year.
You can also buy their gear through their online presence at LDMotorcycles.co.uk.
Lorenzo sent us their new ExoFlex all-weather jacket which has been inspired by the success of their softshell and leather gloves.
It’s a smart-looking and comfortable jacket that sells for £114.99 (about $A200 plus postage), but is currently on discount at just £89.99 (about $A157).
This is not a jacket for touring or racing, but a comfortable and fashionable urban jacket.
It features CE-approved impact armour in the back, shoulders and elbows with abrasion-resistant DuPont 220GSM Kevlar aramid lining.
(The back protector is level 2 EN1621 while the elbow and shoulders are level 1, but they are upgrading to level 2.)
When LDM claim it is an “all-weather” jacket, they are probably referring to UK summers. With its windproof shell and no venting, it’s too hot over about 30C on a non-faired bike.
There is no zip-out liner for winter riding, but you could easily fit a thermal underneath for cold conditions.
With some recent milder weather as well as some torrential rain courtesy of Cyclone Owen, we have been able to put the jacket to the test.
ExoFlex is a bomber-style jacket with elasticised cuffs and waistband like I used to wear when I started riding too many years ago.
It’s extremely comfortable, but I’m a bit concerned about the elasticised sleeves and bottom of the jacket riding up if I slide along the ground.
Waterproof claims
The soft-shell outer and main YKK zip are waterproof, although the elasticised sections can slowly suck in some water.
YKK zips
But you can make it properly waterproof if you overlap waterproof gloves with the cuffs and wear waterproof pants under the waistband.
Three deep, outside pockets also have waterproof zips to keep moisture off your wallet and other contents.
I proved it by carrying a tissue in each pocket to see if they became wet while riding in heavy rain. When I pulled them out later, they were still dry.
There is only one internal pocket, but it is conveniently the same shape and size as most modern plus-size phones. It also has a hole for an earphone cord.
Many modern urban motorcycle jackets now come with a drawstring hoodie section which is not only trendy but practical as it keeps the rain off your head when you take off your helmet.
It would be nice if it was detachable as the drawstrings and hoodie section flap around annoyingly at highway speeds.
Unlike many motorcycle jackets, it doesn’t feature a lot of ugly shapes, panels and labelling. That makes it suitable casual wear off the bike.
It doesn’t have any reflective material, so you might think about wearing some when riding at night.
If you need an affordable comfortable and protective jacket for urban riding and commuting, check out this LDM ExoFlex.
Gracias a todos por el apoyo! Otra noche fantástica en la cena del Official Fan Club Marc Marquez 93!
Thanks for all your support! Another great night at the Fan Club dinner!
#Level7
While Australian states are ramping up their anti-association laws that profile riders as potential outlaws, the US Senate has unanimously passed a motorcyclist anti-profiling resolution.
This follows an American Motorcyclist Association survey finding that half of American motorcyclists say they have been profiled by police pulling them over.
There is no such survey in Australia, but anecdotal evidence shows that riders have been pulled over for licence and bike checks by police.
They say only riders have been pulled over while cars and other vehicles are allowed to pass.
Police recently pulled over riders on the Gold Coast hinterland
Some have been riding cruisers and wearing similar gear to the so-called outlaw gangs or bikies, but others have been riding bikes such as adventurers, tourers and sports machines.
Laws, such as Queensland’s ludicrously named Vicious Lawless Associates Disestablishment or “VLAD” Act of 2013, are allowing police extra powers to harass riders.
1975 Suzuki GT250M Hustler. Owner: Chris Wesney, Templeton, California.
Back in the early ’70s Suzuki was looking into the inevitable future and concentrating on getting into the four-stroke market, while still making good money from its two-strokes. And the predecessors of this GT250 Hustler had helped a lot.
Its parallel twin engine, perfectly square at 54 x 54mm bore and stroke, had first seen the light of the showroom floor in 1965 as the X-6 Hustler, a 250 tiger, which astounded the American motorcycling mind with a 90-plus-mph top speed and six-speed transmission. The engine was a simple piston-port design, with new-fangled automatic oiling, and cylinders were aluminum with iron liners.
Move forward eight years, and the rather similar GT250 Hustler appears—but with Suzuki’s Ram Air System (RAS) bolted to the top of the engine. The rubber-mounted hood was first seen on the company’s 1972 triples, the GT380 Sebring and GT550 Indy, which was the beginning of the Grand Touring series. The approach was simple enough, with this rather angular shroud aiding the cooling of the triple’s middle cylinder, sending more air through the cooling fins.
On a parallel twin this was more problematic, but useful in keeping the noise down. Two-strokes from the ’60s were notoriously rackety, especially in warm-up mode, and prone to give out a ringing and pinging sound from the fins. Strips of heat-resistant rubber were used in the 250’s cylinder-head fins to reduce the noise. All very civilized.
RAS was also a sales gimmick, giving the previous T250 model a new look. The factory was claiming the GT twin developed 31 horses at 7,000 rpm, but “Cycle” magazine used a rear-wheel dyno to measure the 1973 model’s horsepower: 22 at 7,500 rpm. The same magazine got a mere 20 horses when testing the similar 1975 version. As the humorist types back then liked to say, Suzuki was measuring power at the top of the piston.
It is true that Suzuki with this GT version had knowingly cut back on the power. This was because a major effort had been made, wise or not, to give the touring rider a quieter ride. However, it took some bright light to take the 26mm Mikuni carburetors apart and measure the slides; they had been lengthened by 6mm, which meant that full throttle was an impossibility. Two-strokes made a lot of noise from the intakes, so Suzuki used the longer slides on the GT–hence the slightly quieter engine. When found out, Suzuki immediately switched to correctly sized slides.
A battery and coil supplied the sparks, and the battery was a mere five amp/hour. Americans were coming to accept the electric leg, but because of weight and costs, no such starter was on the GT250. The rider’s left leg provided the starting mechanism, not that pushing the left-side kickstarter was much of a problem.
The engine was Suzuki solid, with the crankshaft running on three ball bearings, the one-piece connecting rods having needle bearings both top and bottom. Gasoline passed into the crankcase via that pair of Mikunis, while lubrication was done by the improved CCI (Crankcase Cylinder Injection) automatic-oiling arrangement. Just to make sure that the end bearings on the crankshaft were properly taken care of, they were pressure fed using CCI’s multipoint injection system. Compression ratio was an acceptable 7.5:1. The oil tank, part of the right side cover, held 2.8 pints and had a little window to alert the rider when oil was getting low.
Helical gears sent power rearward to a multi-disc wet clutch and then through the tranny, with its own oil supply. Sixth gear was very much an overdrive, which helped reduce noise at touring speeds.
Frame was a double cradle, with a major change from its T250 predecessor found under the four-gallon gas tank; instead of one large beam, there were now a trio of smaller tubes, strengthening the chassis and allowing for a more positive feel in the corners. The frame extended under the seat, so there was no bolt-on addition. Since this had touring pretensions, wheelbase was extended almost an inch to 52 inches for better high-speed stability.
The telescopic fork was adequate, as were the pair of adjustable shocks on the swingarm. Both wheels were 18-inchers, carrying a 3.00 tire on the front, 3.50 on the back. Front brake was a competent single disc, with a drum at the back that was activated hydraulically. Above the headlight were a speedo and tachometer. Wet weight was a hefty 350 pounds, 50 more than the original X-6.
The GT designation did not really live up to the bike’s touring abilities. As a solo bike, it was OK in the quarter-liter category, but with a passenger on board taking off from a stop was both a bit slow and noisy. If the engine was pulling less than four grand, a stall was quite possible, and quiet departures were not to be had. Plus the seat height of 31 inches meant a relatively tall rider was probable, leaving not much room for a passenger. The saddle was narrowed at the front, for those with challenging inseams, but not very comfortable for the rider when carrying a passenger.
In the end the GT250 Hustler, now a pussycat, only lasted three years. The RAS was removed, and the bike became simply the GT250 for the next two years–with bigger fins in the head to aid in cooling. That Ram Air System apparently served mainly to slow things down.
This 1975 model seen in the photos, in Aztec Yellow, spent much of its life in boxes and was only recently put back together–the only thing missing being the left side cover, which comes from a different year.
The latest rumour about the sale of Ducati is that Austrian manufacturer KTM may be interested in buying the iconic Italian brand.
It comes from one interview with KTM CEO Stefan Pierer in German magazine Speedweek where he expresses he is interested in Ducati.
Reports across the world now say KTM will be a likely bidder for the company.
That’s an understandable conclusion since Pierer Industries AG, a company controlled by Stefan, did buy Husaberg and Husqvarna.
KTM factory in Mattighofen
But what did Stefan really say?
Ducati is the Ferrari of the motorcycle industry. Of course, having such a brand in our group would be interesting. It is not a question of price, but it is about the topic: When does everyone realise the situation they are in.
It’s a bit of a stretch to go from someone expressing he would be interested in ownership to actually getting the wallet out.
Although, Stefan does suggest his wallet is fat enough and price is not an issue.
As for the “situation”, he is probably referring to the global slump in motorcycle sales. Perhaps he suggests more brand mergers to make companies more economically viable.
Interested parties
But is Ducati even up for sale?
Three years ago, VW hinted it may sell Ducati to help recoup multi-billion-dollar emissions scandal debts.
Since then, the debt has escalated even further. However, VW has continued to make record profits and ameliorated a lot of the debt.
At one stage, VW went so far as to accept informal bids on Ducati.
Several companies were interested and some even offered bids.
They included: Indian automotive giant Eicher Motors which owns Royal Enfield; American motorcycle and powered recreational vehicle company Polaris Industries; investment firm Bain Capital; private equity fund PAI; the Italian Benetton family through former Ducati owner Investindustrial; and even Harley-Davidson.
Then VW withdrew their unofficial sale offer.
Since then, Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali and VW board members have issued conflicting statements about whether the company is up for sale.
Meanwhile, Ducati has recorded eight consecutive years of record sales growth and looks set for its ninth.
Will this truck pull out in front of you? Watching for the front wheel to begin rolling is a more reliable predictor than making eye contact with the driver.
For those of us on two wheels, the most likely clash with another vehicle would be at an intersection with an approaching vehicle turning left across our path or a vehicle pulling into our lane from a side road, parking lot or driveway. How can we know if the driver will pull the trigger and shoot point blank into our immediate path of travel? When it comes to the anxious driver poised to pull out from our right or left, is there a way to detect the driver’s intent?
If there’s a wheel, there’s a way. Determining if a vehicle is beginning to move forward is most practical if we look to the car’s front wheel. Our brain has a much easier time detecting even the subtlest wheel rotation than it does trying to discern if the mass of the vehicle itself is moving slightly from right to left (or vice versa). See the wheel of that vehicle to your right beginning to rotate counterclockwise? Be ready; the vehicle is about to enter your lane!
But what about eye contact? Even if a driver appears to be looking directly at you, he or she may be looking beyond, never even noticing you. And, even if the driver does see you, they could easily misinterpret the distance and speed at which you are approaching, believing that you are farther away than you are.
Always anticipate the move. Even if you are confident that a driver will not pull out, be ready when they do. The way to do that is by managing your speed. Ask yourself if you could smoothly and safely stop your motorcycle to avoid contact if that driver began to pull out. Looking and anticipating while still carrying excessive speed takes away your options and limits the space and time you have to work with should the driver enter the lane ahead of you. He wheel. I mean, he will.
Nearly concurrent with the birth of the magazine you’re reading now was the introduction of a motorcycle that would become virtually synonymous with two-wheel touring, Honda’s Gold Wing. The first Wing, the GL1000, grew larger and gained displacement over the years until in 2001 it reached what some riders considered the apex of its evolution, and others saw as an unfortunate step past perfection.
Nobody complained about the engine, a smooth flat six with fuel injection, two valves per cylinder, a hundred horsepower and a torque curve that seemingly had no beginning and no end–it was just always there, whenever you twisted the loud handle. The shaft drive that had been standard since the beginning was now incorporated into a single-sided swingarm for easier rear-wheel service. Also standard was a reverse gear–not just handy but almost mandatory for maneuvering the nearly 900-pound Wing in tight spaces–and linked brakes, with ABS an extra-cost option.
From Rider, April 2009.
Where the GL1800 significantly departed from the script written by its ancestors was in the handling department. Its grace and stability at speed was almost physics-defying, giving many touring riders their first taste of dragging hard parts in the corners well before the chassis sent any alarms upstairs. The frame itself was made of aluminum spars hefty enough to support bridges, and used the engine as a stressed member. Some 2002-model frames, however, were prone to cracking, and were the subject of a factory recall.
That wasn’t the only cause for criticism of the GL1800. Some of the improvements were fine, such as a larger radiator and fans and a higher-output alternator (from 1100 watts to 1300) in 2006. But two-up riders panned the GL18’s smaller bags and trunk compared to the GL1500’s, and felt the pilot’s seat placed the passenger too far to the rear to reap the benefits of the otherwise effective fairing and windscreen. The optional airbag on 2006-and-later models raised a few eyebrows among those who already thought the big Wing was just a car without doors.
The automotive analogy almost perfectly described the GL1800’s reliability, as well as its character, which some riders say is the very definition of bland. But there’s no denying that when it comes to the used market, the Wing gets the job done as well as or better than anything in the class for the same money.
The Gold Wing graces the cover of our February 2006 issue.
They’re more likely than most bikes to have been dealer serviced for most of their lives, so ask for receipts, and have a local dealer run the VIN to make sure the bike has been brought in for all recalls and service campaigns. Leaking fork seals aren’t too common, but they are a major pain to replace, so look for oil weeping down the fork legs, and check the condition of the brake and clutch fluid; flushing and replacing the fluid in the linked brake system is another service headache.
Try every setting and button on the stereo, the intercom and the navi system, and make sure the rear shock preload adjuster works. Function-check any add-on lights and accessories, and if you’re feeling brave and the seller isn’t looking, give the ABS a workout, too. Expect to pay anywhere from $7,500 for a first-year GL1800 in fair condition up to $12,000 for a 2011 model, excluding value-adding accessories.
From Rider, February 2006.
2001-2010 Honda GL1800 Gold Wing
PROS Long on power, competence and comfort.
Reliability above average, dealers everywhere.
CONS Short on personality, low-speed maneuverability and ease of service.
Excess weight can become tiresome.
Engine: Liquid-cooled, 1,832cc flat six, fuel injected, 2 valves per cylinder Final Drive: Shaft Weight: 898 lbs. Fuel Capacity: 6.6 gals. Seat Height: 29 in.
Travel from Yuma to San Diego via historic U.S. Route 80 and the wood Plank Road, and you’ll see how unforgiving the desert can be. Photos by the author.
Picture a scene in which hearty travelers traverse barren and windswept sand dunes on roads of rough-hewn timbers. I am not talking about some prehistoric time nor am I forecasting a dystopian future. No, my friends, many still-living Americans could tell you of this strange and fascinating tale set in the American Southwest.
I recently happened upon a magazine article that mentioned a wood plank road that spanned the sand dunes linking the southernmost portions of California and Arizona. With my interest piqued, I dug deeper and discovered that the Old Plank Road was operational for more than a decade and was ultimately displaced by a paved portion of U.S. Route 80 in 1926.
Almost four decades later, U.S. 80 succumbed to Interstate 8. Now, the Plank Road is a fascinating, crumbling relic of the early 20th century; however, long portions of Historic U.S. 80 are still passable as an interesting alternative to I-8 from Yuma, Arizona, to San Diego, California.
That was enough for me. I dug deeper into the history of the Plank Road, researched Historic U.S. 80, charted my course and packed the bags on my BMW R 1200 GS. I was off to discover the Plank Road and ride as much of Historic U.S. Route 80 as possible from Yuma to San Diego.
The Ocean-to-Ocean Highway Bridge is the impressive opening act to the Yuma to San Diego trek. The bridge spans the Colorado River, and its 1915 completion date coincides with the Plank Road. Its name indicates its importance in the nationwide, transcontinental Ocean-to-Ocean Highway.
Yuma to El Centro – in Search of the Plank Road
The sun-drenched starting point of my ride was the history-rich city of Yuma, Arizona. Now snowbirds in massive RVs converge on the city in winter like their winged migratory counterparts. However, Yuma was once a centerpiece of the Old West, and has been a transportation hub of the Southwest for more than one hundred years.
I began my trek west at the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway Bridge, which spans the Colorado River in north Yuma. Now on the National Historical Register, the bridge was completed in 1915, which coincides with the early years of the Plank Road. The area directly surrounding the bridge is home to a cluster of historical sites. The Yuma Territorial Prison, which sits directly adjacent to the bridge, was an intriguing walk back into the rough-and-tumble Old West. The close-by Colorado River State Historic Park dates back to the late 19th century and preserves a small number of the Plank Road timbers in a display.
After riding over the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway Bridge, a quick left turn placed me immediately on Historic U.S. 80. The road took me by crumpling adobe structures, over the All-American Canal and through the sandy desert. Whereas nearby I-8 is smooth, wide and boring, Historic U.S. 80 is narrow, cracked, undulating and entertaining. It requires attention and a bit of slaloming to avoid jarring reminders that it is a historic route. The long suspension on the BMW was tailor-made for the unpredictable road conditions.
A ride on Historic U.S. 80 requires vigilance. Sand drifts, potholes and crumbling margins speak to its relegation to secondary status.
After this opening act of my Historic U.S. 80 tour, I rejoined I-8 for a bit. Portions of Historic U.S. 80 are relegated to spur status–they “spur” off of the interstate but terminate without rejoining the new route. One such spur is Grays Well Road.
The Grays Well section of the original route is now a well-paved ingress into the Imperial Sand Dunes portion of the larger geological feature known as the Algodones Dunes. These dunes are what made the Plank Road necessary in the early 1900s. After enjoying a short, beautiful ride through shining sand hills, I came to the site that contains the longest and best-preserved portion of the Old Plank Road.
What I found was a stretch of the Old Plank Road that spans the equivalent of about five football fields in length. The road is protected from potential damage by off-road vehicles with metal, sand-worthy barriers, but visitors can touch and walk the Plank Road section. The road is intriguing. It has weathered and rusted into a heaving work of art.
One can almost hear the rhythmic thumping of Model T tires when visiting the protected section of the wood Plank Road. The vast majority of nearby interstate travelers have no idea that this historic relic even exists.
So why was the timber road ever built? Quite simply, it was commercially important to have a direct route here from the growing and thriving San Diego coastal area to the west. While asphalt and concrete road building techniques of the time worked reasonably well on the harder surfaces of the area directly east of the coast, the shifting sands of the Algodones Dunes posed a huge quandary for road builders.
San Diego businessman Ed Fletcher was the driving force that ultimately led to the construction of the Plank Road. That bumpy, ever-changing, maintenance-intensive endeavor continued as the transportation solution for crossing more than six miles of the dunes from 1915 through 1926.
I walked, touched and studied the Plank Road in solitude. Not a single soul even drove by in the substantial time I spent in the surreal dunes. When I finally pulled myself away, I took another short ride on the interstate before jumping back on Historic U.S. 80 toward the California towns of Holtville and El Centro. The long, straight stretch of the historic road gave me time to ruminate on the Plank Road and the challenges of early travelers.
Much of Historic U.S. 80 runs parallel with and in close proximity to the interstate, but it is worlds apart in terms of traffic and fun. There are remnants and ruins of structures that were left to languish in the desert heat when traffic was rerouted to the newer and faster interstate.
Historic U.S. 80 runs through the hearts of both Holtville and El Centro, as both were supremely important to the commerce and trade of the time. Either of these cities can serve as a gas and food stop on this route; I found a hotel in El Centro just off the Historic U.S. 80 route.
The Cleveland National Forest spans 460,000 acres of desert and chaparral.
Ocotillo to Laguna Junction – on the Winding Road
While fascinating and historically rich, the prior day’s ride was, for the most part, straight. Motorcyclists, by nature, love curves and that is what this next leg of my ride on Historic U.S. 80 had to offer.
After a breakfast of huevos rancheros in El Centro, I made my way to Ocotillo. After rolling through the town, named after a type of cactus, I rode a nicely curvy stretch of I-8 until I came to the exit for the Desert View Tower. The tall, eclectic stone structure, which dates back to the time of the Plank Road, sits on another Historic U.S. 80 spur west of the interstate.
After a short visit to the tower, I crossed the interstate to the south onto a long, intact loop of Historic U.S. 80. The road is instantly winding and remains coiled for miles of highly entertaining riding. The little desert oasis town of Jacumba Hot Springs is home to its namesake spring, a few colorful buildings and a clothing-optional resort. I am sure to everyone’s delight I opted to stay clothed and keep riding.
The GS is right at home with several brethren outside the Jacumba Spa Restaurant.
At a few points along the route, the tall international border “wall” could be seen to the south and there were sporadic signs warning that the region is subject to illegal drug trafficking. However, from the rolling perspective of a motorcycle saddle, there is a slow-paced calm to the area.
I rode through several small clusters of humanity and miles of unspoiled nature toward the Campo Indian Reservation and the Cleveland National Forest. The road conditions are variable and there are sections of concrete as well as reasonably maintained asphalt. However, from a pure riding perspective, I found this to be the most entertaining stretch of the route.
The Jacumba section just north of the U.S./Mexico border is the most curvy and entertaining of the ride.
Laguna Junction to the Beautiful Balboa Park
At Laguna Junction, Historic U.S. 80 runs north of the interstate for a while as it winds to the west. I passed through the small towns of Guatay and Descanso Junction, and the increased elevation of 4,000 feet brought with it a nice mix of oak and pine trees. Where Historic U.S. 80 melds back into I-8, I could see several now impassable portions of the old road in the mountains to my right.
From this point on through Alpine, El Cajon and La Mesa, Historic U.S. 80 flirts with and becomes the interstate and other roads intermittently. The ride in this stretch was much more frenetic and filled with traffic than the rest of the route, and rolled through historic commercial districts and residential communities as the ride became increasingly urban.
The entrance of the stunning Balboa Park is an impressive foreshadowing of the treasures within.
After several miles of this suburban jockeying, I rolled to the end of my tour as I entered the stunningly beautiful Balboa Park. The “Jewel of San Diego” spells the approximate end of the Historic U.S. 80, and a perfect end to the ride. The lush natural environment combined with fantastic museums and entertainment venues like the Old Globe Theater make Balboa one of the most delightful parks in the Southwest.
My final stop was the San Diego Automotive Museum in Balboa Park, which houses a nice collection of historic motorcycles alongside vintage and unique cars and trucks. Fittingly, the museum features a creative display dedicated to the Old Plank Road, which brings it to life and provides a fine overview of this significant part of transportation history.
The San Diego Automotive Museum in Balboa Park features a current exhibition that brings the Plank Road to life.Historic photos and staged exhibits in the museum show the wonders and challenges of crossing the Imperial Dunes.
Riding Considerations
Being a desert region, this ride is best made from fall to spring. The summer months are sweltering. Road conditions are extremely variable as there are sections of both asphalt and concrete. Potholes, sand and some broken tarmac should be expected. For a detailed series of route maps, visit americanroads.us/ushighways/ushighway80.html.
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