klugness

Introduction

After buying my first motorcycle during 2012 and riding it in the Connecticut United Ride charity event (the topic of my first blog post in this series of three), I turned my attention to getting a full-fledged license to ride a motorcycle in Connecticut. (My "learner's permit"—based only on a written test—allowed me to ride solo during daylight hours in Connecticut on roads other than highways.) In order to get the real license, I was required to pass a Basic Rider's Course (sponsored by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation), including classroom instruction and on-bike instruction.

I hurried up and signed up for a class during October 2012 since the Basic Rider's Course wasn't offered in Connecticut during the colder months beginning with November.

Basic Rider's Course

My instructor for the Basic Rider's Course was an old dude named Pogey. It was clear from the beginning that he ran a tight ship.

Examples of "Pogeyisms" include:

• I SAID, you can pick out a bike and sit on it IF you have all your gear on. DON'T get on the bike if you don't have all your gear on!
• SIR, that side stand was meant to hold the weight of the bike—not the weight of you AND the bike. The first thing you should do when you get on is to let the side stand up.
• WHOSE BIKE IS THIS?? When you park the bike, you should turn the front wheel in the direction of the side stand. Leaving it straight makes the bike more unstable.

I gleaned that Pogey was more interested in making sure you knew how to ride the bike safely than in coddling your feelings. He didn't play, but by the end of the class he'd grown on me to the point that I found him rather endearing.

Klugmeister's Candy Red 2012 Honda Rebel motorcycle with foggy scenic view in Bryson City, North Carolina. Honda Rebel 250s were among the typical small bikes used in the Basic Rider Class.

Before attending the class, I was apprehensive that I might be the only "old timer" in the class (I was in my late 40s at the time) but there were a few other older guys, as well as a few women (all younger). Some of the older guys had ridden before as younger guys and were coming back to riding. The women had generally ridden two-up with current or prior boyfriends and wanted to learn to ride solo.

I was open to getting trained but also eager to spend my weekends riding rather than sitting in class. The classroom instruction was helpful for me because I wasn't particularly savvy about motorcycle controls and parts, so I was happy to learn best practices such as using both the front and rear brakes when stopping. In addition, Pogey brought in some "props" that helped tell the story of past accidents he was familiar with, which helped give the class an appreciation of the dangers of motorcycling. It was sobering.

Once we started the on-bike instruction, I felt comfortable with the bikes provided as they were mostly 250s and were similar to the bike I'd recently bought (a Candy Red Honda Rebel CMX250C). I already knew how to drive a stick-shift car, so the concept of a "friction zone" was familiar to me (though I'd never before heard the phrase). The exercises included slow speed maneuvers that grew increasingly more challenging. It was pretty unnerving to "look where you're going" when going around a curve at speed, given that the natural tendency is to look where you are.

I'd also never turned around slowly in a confined space, so I felt a sense of mastery once I started using the "counter-weight" technique. The braking exercise was also difficult due to the seemingly dizzying array of things we were expected to do as we were coming to a quick stop. We even had a to-do list for the moment immediately after stopping!

I was cautiously optimistic when it came time for the riding exam that would determine whether I passed or failed the Basic Rider Course. I struggled with the portion of the riding exam where I had to turn around in a confined space, but I managed to pass, which got me the motorcycle endorsement on my driver's license. Now I could ride to my heart's content. Woo hoo!

The Honda Rebel 250 & 450 Forum

Candy Red 2012 Honda Rebel motorcycle with view of icy rock face in north Georgia

As I began to ride the Rebel, I also joined the Honda Rebel Forum where I found some pretty helpful information about the bike and how to care for it. Sample topics include:

• Carburetor cleaning
• Heated jackets
• Using Lemon Pledge on wind screens, face shields, etc.
• Using Easy Off to clean chrome

The first two items are somewhat unique to smaller old-school bikes, while the last two are probably repeated on lots of other motorcycle forums.

Carburetor cleaning: Note the Rebel 250 has an "old school" carburetor and choke lever to warm up the bike, while the vast majority of modern bikes have electronic fuel injection. While I recognized the carb cleaning topic as potentially very helpful, I never actually cleaned my 2012 Rebel's carburetor because I rode it at least once a week even during the colder months. (Carbs get gummed up if the bike sits.)

Heated jackets: I'm also glad I read the Rebel forum item about the wattage limitations of the 250's alternator, because if I'd bought a heated jacket that overtaxed the alternator I might have gotten stranded by the side of the road in the cold with a dead battery! Larger bikes can typically handle the power draw of a heated jacket, but it can be dicey with small bikes like the 250 Rebel.

Besides the 250 Rebel, the forum covered the 450 Rebel as well, but that information wasn't as robust, since the 450 was only produced in 1986 and 1987.

I found the Honda Rebel Forum helpful, but the forum is no longer as vibrant as it once was—mainly because the classic 250 model was discontinued in 2017. There's a newer Honda Rebel Forum that specializes in the redesigned Rebel model which includes 300cc, 500cc, and 1100cc variations. All of those models are substantially redesigned and have fuel injection. Alas, the classic Honda Rebel 250 can only be purchased used, as the 2016 model year was the last one produced.

Note Honda still manufactures a 250 Rebel in Japan, but it's not the classic model that was produced in the U.S. until 2016. Small motorcycles are common in Japan, as 250s are exempt from biennial vehicle inspections. Another reason that small bikes are popular in Japan is that the country doesn't suffer from the terminal engine size obsession that plagues the U.S.

The following section includes some information that I gleaned from the Honda Rebel 250 & 450 Forum. Thanks to those who posted and helped educate me about some of the information below.

Riding a Honda Rebel CMX250C

I found that riding the Rebel 250 around town was pretty fun, but the highway experience is a bit challenging for many people because the top speed of the 250 Rebel is 70-75 mph, which doesn't leave any oomph at all for passing, headwinds, or hills. Like the old Volkswagen Beetle car, however, the bike doesn't mind being driven all day long with wide open throttle (WOT, or—to use an auto term—with the "pedal to the metal").

I rode my Rebel on the highway quite a bit and didn't generally mind the relatively low top speed and getting blown around by the wind (the bike only weighs 330 pounds soaking wet), but it's a significant enough downside to cause many people not to want to own it, or to want to upgrade shortly after buying it. The bike's top speed isn't included in the bike's specs, and depends on factors that vary (including the weight of the rider, wind, etc.). I found that the bike would do about 75 mph on flat ground on the highway with limited wind and just me on it. (I weigh about 190 pounds.) Your top speed may vary. As I rode the 250 Rebel, I sometimes found myself trying to shift into 5th gear, not realizing I was already in 5th gear—but it felt like there ought to be another one!

Candy Red 2012 Honda Rebel motorcycle with scenic view

The Honda Rebel 250 also isn't very suitable for riding two-up, and the rear shock absorber only has about three inches of travel, which means you definitely feel it if you ride over a bump in the road. Obviously, since the bike competed at a very low price point (the 2012 Rebel listed for a little less than $4,200), the 250 Rebel didn't come equipped with advanced features such as anti-lock braking. In fact, the rear "drum" brake is pretty lame. The bike also doesn't have a tachometer to tell you how high the engine is revving, but it does include recommended shift speeds for each gear (in the manual) as well as "red line" speeds for each gear (on the speedo itself).

In spite of its shortcomings, I found the bike absolutely adorable.

The 250 Rebel includes these elements of "classic" (or "retro") styling:

• chrome exhaust,
• spoke wheels, and
• a teardrop-shaped tank

"Classic" is in the eye of the beholder, however, and perhaps the word "dated" may be more appropriate. The chrome exhaust of the 250 Rebel harkens back to an earlier time, so perhaps Honda viewed it as in need of an update for the 2017 redesign. The new Rebels that were introduced beginning in 2017 have more of a blacked-out look, which is perhaps considered more fresh and modern. Even so, quite a few cruisers are still equipped with chrome exhaust pipes.

Spoke wheels are rarely seen on modern sport bikes (cast wheels are far more common), but are still in common use on off road bikes, adventure bikes, and—to a lesser extent—cruisers like the 250 Honda Rebel. One of the disadvantages of spoke wheels on the classic 250 Rebel is that they require inner tubes (while tires for cast wheels are generally tubeless).

In addition, gas tank shapes have moved on from the teardrop style to more of a variety of shapes, including the "elephant man's head" seen on many sport bikes.

Interestingly, the element of the Rebel that I found most frustrating was the low seat height—a common feature of the "cruiser" bike style. A low seat is appropriate for beginning riders and short riders (like me), as it inspires confidence to be able to put your feet flat at traffic lights, rather than tippy toes. (Tall riders will generally feel very cramped on the Rebel.) I often found myself "standing up" at traffic lights, and despite my modest height, it seemed like my crotch cleared the seat by about two feet. I also frequently felt like I was riding only about two feet above the ground—which is actually a legit feeling, since the 250 Rebel's seat is only 26.6 inches above the ground!

Low seats are common on cruisers—at 27.2 inches, the redesigned 300cc Rebel also has a low seat—but it still strikes me as interesting that many people complain about the Rebel's lack of highway speed, while I vowed to myself that my next bike had to have a higher seat!

Scenic Riding in Connecticut

But that's enough about riding the 250 Rebel in general. How about some specific destinations?

After getting the motorcycle endorsement on my license, one of the first Connecticut routes I rode—Lovely Litchfield Loop—was lovely as advertised but a bit of a shock because I had a rude awakening about the challenges of riding in a northeastern state late in the riding season, when cold weather is setting in. The temperature was about 40 degrees when I left my house that Saturday morning, so I was relieved to get a warm-up break when I stopped at a convenience store after about 1.5 hours of riding. I ordered a cup of coffee and drank it in no time flat. Thinking another cup would be good, I ordered another cup. Within 10 minutes I found that I'd gulped down three or four cups of hot coffee, which I'd never done before in my entire life. Wow.

In hindsight I believe I had started to get hypothermic from riding in the cold temperatures, and my body was planting a seed in my mind (over and over) that a cup of coffee would be good because hot liquid would warm my blood quickly. Fortunately, the temperature had risen enough by the time I resumed my ride that I didn't have any more issues that day. Unfortunately, however, that episode was not my last brush with hypothermia, as I'll share in another post.

Besides the Lovely Litchfield Loop, I'd planned several routes covering CT and the surrounding states (e.g., NH, VT, NY), but I never rode many of them because the weather got too cold, and I ended up moving to Georgia later that winter (and before I had a chance to try many of the northeastern routes).

Scenic Riding in Georgia

Six Gap (aka "Georgia's Dragon")

The north Georgia mountains are known for their curvy roads and elevation changes. One of my favorite rides for access to these twisties is Six Gap, a 77 mile figure 8 loop that passes through six mountain gaps (low passes) as shown on the very helpful map at the linked website. The ride includes lots of twists and some scenic pull-offs.

Candy Red 2012 Honda Rebel motorcycle in parking lot at Brasstown Bald

Along the route (or closeby) are Vogel State Park, Brasstown Bald, and nearby destination cities such as Dahlonega and Helen. Stopping at these locations can give you a break during your ride. Mind you, if you're averaging just 25 miles per hour, it takes about 3 hours to ride a 77 mile loop, so taking breaks makes sense.

I like to break up the ride by stopping at Vogel State Park (near intersection of GA 180 and US 129) and hiking a 1.1 mile loop trail around Lake Trahlyta which has nearby access to Trahlyta Falls.

There's a spur off of GA 180 that will take you to nearby Brasstown Bald, the highest summit in Georgia. I rode most of the way up Brasstown Bald on the paved road and then hiked the last half mile to the summit. It's interesting that spring comes later at higher elevations because I recall very little greenery during one of my visits, while spring had already sprung in Atlanta!

A word of caution about taking on a 77 mile twisty ride on a motorcycle: I discovered that navigating the twisties required a lot of concentration, and that I was mentally tired after three hours of doing that. And then I still had a 1.5 hour ride to get back to Atlanta. For this reason, I suggest breaking "six gap" into two rides on different days, which is easy to do since it's shaped in a figure 8. (It's actually shaped sort of like a squiggly pair of glasses—see the map at the Six Gap website.) I'd probably do the left loop first (the one that goes through Suches on GA 60—so great!) and save the right loop for a different day.

I thought it would be helpful at this point to include a few comments about "ride naming." The "Six Gap" ride and its variations may also be referred to variously as:

• The Georgia Dragon
• Suches Loop (motorcycleroads.com)
• Extended Suches Loop (motorcycleroads.com)

My theory is that the "Georgia's Dragon" branding is intended to try to ride the coattails of Tail of the Dragon, the section of US 129 that straddles NC and TN. With 318 turns in 11 miles, it's probably the most famous motorcycle and sports car route in the United States—so who can blame folks for adopting similar branding for Georgia's twisty route? Interestingly, the "Georgia Dragon" has lots of twisty roads but also—unlike the Tail of the Dragon—lots of elevation change. Note the "Suches Loop" on motorcycleroads.com is the left loop in "Six Gap" plus the road you take to get there from Dahlonega. The "Extended Suches Loop" is an extended ride that covers portions of "Six Gap" but is longer (106 miles) and doesn't really overlap all that much.

One of the benefits of looking up routes on motorcycleroads.com is it shows the map pictorially (in addition to the written description).

Highway 28: Tri-State Tour

Route 28 is another ride I got from motorcycleroads.com, though there's also a variation of it branded as Moonshiner 28, ha ha. However, that ride is much longer (103 miles) and starts at the Tail of the Dragon. Only the last 29 miles coincide with this route.

When I rode Highway 28: Tri-State Tour, I packed my backpack for the weekend and decided to ride the Honda Rebel 250 to work and leave straight from there after work on Friday. It was summer and I got stuck in ridiculous stop-and-go Atlanta traffic on I-285 while trying to get out of town. I was sweating like a pig in the sun and was sorely tempted to take off my black riding jacket and toss it to the side of the road. I mean—what need do I have of a riding jacket if I'm going to sweat to death? Or at least that's what Esau told me.

Once I cleared the terrible stop-and-go traffic, I cruised up I-85 North toward South Carolina. Shortly after crossing the South Carolina border, I exited onto the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway (SC 11) and headed toward Walhalla, where I'd booked a motel room on the advice of Robert Plant—ha ha. I noticed that the weather had gotten significantly cooler, and I was suddenly glad that I hadn't been short-sighted enough to throw my riding jacket by the side of the road when I was immersed in relentless stop-and-go traffic in the Atlanta heat. Whew!

Candy Red 2012 Honda Rebel motorcycle kept safe and sound overnight in a South Carolina motel room

My stay in Walhalla was the first time I wheeled the Honda Rebel 250 into a motel room with me. I'd done this based on a suggestion that I'd seen on an online motorcycle forum as a clever strategy for securing a small motorcycle overnight while traveling. Since I was recently unable to find the relevant forum post (so I could cite it in this blog post), I did an online search.

Alas, rather than getting a link to the relevant online forum, I was scolded in the AI Overview for not considering the downside of my supposedly clever strategy. Hmm, I could have been held liable if something had gone wrong, such as:

• the bike's engine leaked oil (or another hazardous fluid) in the motel room,
• the bike caught on fire,
• the bike exploded, or
• the bike appeared in an unflattering South Park episode

Ok, the first reason is an obvious risk, but I made up the others. To help counteract the first risk, I put a newspaper under the bike in case there was any fluid leakage. (I know there's no newspaper in the photo so maybe I'm remembering a different trip.) Alas, I didn't follow the AI Overview's advice that I ask permission from the motel manager, but by God's grace I didn't encounter issues that time (or any of the handful of other times I pulled this outrageous stunt).

Isn't it amusing that not only did I take a course of action that artificial intelligence deems inadvisable, but I was also dumb enough to record the incident by taking a photo of the li'l red bike in the motel room? Perhaps someday I'll show the photo to my grandkids, and act like I'm some type of badass.

Hmm, where was I? Yeah, the ride was pretty cool. It was pleasantly curvaceous and touched three states (SC, the northeast corner of GA, and NC). There were some neat sightseeing opportunities in the destination city of Highlands, NC, including Bridal Veil Falls and Dry Falls. There's a wooden walkway that allows you to walk behind/underneath Dry Falls (hence the name). After completing Highway 28: Tri-State Tour, I followed my planned route back to Atlanta that took me straight from North Carolina into Georgia rather than returning to South Carolina.

It'd be fun to tell the story of my other rides in Georgia and the surrounding states but I'll need to nip the chattiness in the bud to keep this blog post from becoming so lengthy that no one has the patience to read it!

Conclusion

Suffice it to say that I did tons of riding after my move to Georgia. Ultimately I would put about 34,000 miles on the Candy Red 2012 Honda Rebel before its untimely demise in early 2017. The li'l red bike brought me riding joy out of proportion to the bike's modest price. Even when the market value of the bike dropped to an almost insignificant level, it saddened me greatly when I realized the bike didn't survive the after-effects of a December 2016 ordeal.

That is a story I'll cover in the third installment.