Update on Tour Master saddlebags

After about 6 months of riding with the Tour Master Cruiser II Slant Saddlebags I found the right side bag dangling from the safety straps. The zipper on the yoke had broken (which was odd because the bag was empty). I called Tonker.com the company that I bought the bags from and they provided me a direct contact at Tour Master. A quick call to Tour Master and a replacement yoke was sent out. All of this was very hassle-free. Based on this customer service I continue to recommend Tour Master products and the Cruiser II saddlebags.

Unfortunately, it looks like Tonker.com has gone out of business or at least the link to the site no longer works. This is too bad as they offered quality products at good prices. This is the second small online vendor that I've noticted drop off the radar recently. No doubt the economy is taking a major toll on these business owners as they try to compete with the larger discount stores.

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Loud pipes save Cop lives in Oakland

I recently made a post asking if anyone was aware of evidence supporting the claim "loud pipes save lives". Nothing conclusive came back but I did find this article from the San Francisco Chronicle on the 93 decibel pipes the Oakland PD is installing on their Harleys. According to the article, "It seems the cops just didn't feel safe on toned-down bikes." The article refers to an inconclusive study the city did on the subject. Maybe the Oakland motorcycle cops just like to sound cool?
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What is the most technically advanced part of the Harley?

Harleys are not known for being technically advanced compared to their German and Japanese competitors. Is this an accurate assessment, a bias that goes back to the earlier times or are Harleys just a throwback to a bygone time? My Sporster has a fuel injected, electronically controlled 1200 cc engine. Some of the bigger bikes have air suspension and other trick bits. So what's the deal, retro modern or dinosaur?

Do loud pipes really save lives?

Loud pipes are common on Harleys and most Harley riders are quick to say "loud pipes save lives" but is there any quantative proof to this claim? Police bikes are typically very quiet, you'd think with all the investment in training a motorcycle cop they'd put loud pipes on the bikes, if it made a difference. Are there any statistics to support this claim or is it just an excuse to make some noise?

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What makes a Harley a Harley?

What makes a Harley a Harley? Is it the "chopper" look, the V-Twin sound, or something about the ride?

Where to ride in San Diego

There are a lot of great places to ride in San Diego County from the Coastal roads to the desert out East with the mountains in between. I found a great map of roads that includes some helpful ratings on the BMW Owners Club of San Diego web site. Click the image on the bottome of the page to get the big picture. If you live in San Diego or are just coming out for a visit, print this out and cover as much road as possible.

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California Motorcycle Smog Testing Bill

Alert from the American Motorcycle Association (AMA), if you live and ride in California you need to take action on this Bill now!

Senate Bill 435 (Motorcycle Smog Testing Bill) Scheduled for Hearing on May 28th in Appropriations Committee!!

This bill, which would require all model year 2000 and newer motorcycles over 280 cc's to be smog tested every 2 years, has been scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Finance committee on May 28th.

You can find the AMA’s “click to send” message in opposition to this bill at http://capwiz.com/amacycle//issues/alert/?alertID=12937506. Even if you have previously sent a message please consider doing so again. A phone call, letter or fax to your Senator's office would also be very helpful. Go to http://www.senate.ca.gov/~newsen/senators/senators.htp to find your representatives contact information.

Go to http://info.sen.ca.gov/cgi-bin/pagequery?type=sen_bilinfo&site=sen&title=Bill+Information for the latest bill information.

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