Perfect Shirts For Cooler Weather - You Will Want to Wear Them Daily!

Living in the South I get to ride my motorcycle pretty much year-round.  Ice and snow will hinder riding 5-15 days each winter with an occasional "harsh" winter adding a few more non-riding days.  The main issue when riding during late fall to early spring is dealing with the cold temperatures.  That is where a high quality flannel shirt earns it's keep.

(*** I have not received nor will I receive any discounts, commission or any form of compensation from Dixxon Flannel.  Well, unless after this they want to send me some shirts :) ***)

Six years ago my son gave me a Dixxon Flannel long sleeved shirt, but now I have several of them so it is time to share my thoughts on the Dixxon Flannel shirts.  Richard gave me the "Bixby" flannel for Christmas.  What is a "Bixby?" Dixxon.com states the "Bixby" was "inspired b the grey's of the architecture and the lush green surroundings of Big Sur."  

The company makes a limited run of each design and many have special connections and color schemes to people, musicians, places, movies or things.  For example, the "Thriller Miller" was named after MotoGP motorcycle racer Jack Miller while the "Bixby"was a nod to the beauty of Big Sur.

The "Bixby" was perfect for an October breakfast ride.

Dixxon Flannels also have designs for Black Sabbath, Freddy Kruger, Fender "Stratocaster", Slayer, Autism Awareness, The Kramer (yes, Kramer from Seinfeld), S & S Cycle, Pantera to name just a few.  Dixxon states, "With superior quality, intentional design, limited drops and badass collaboration our products sell out fast and are often featured in extremely sought after collections."  The limited drops means you'll not be dressed like the next guy.

Dixxon collaborated with Jack Miller for the "Thiller Miller"

Dixxon Flannels was started by Danny Dreyer, a former Harley Davidson technician.  Danny "has unapologetically embraced the counter-culture he grew up around motorcycles, skateboards, tattoos and hardcore-punk music." - https://www.dixxon.com/pages/about-us

Armed with the knowledge and experience of what bikers want and need from apparel he has build company that produces high quality clothing with attention to detail.  

Left to right - The "Cove", inspired by the skate park in Santa Monica and the "Kramer" are two of my favorites.

Why are these shirts now my favorite shirts of all time?  Each shirt has an exclusive colorway (color combination and design) so I don't see the same shirt at events, shops and/or rides.  The quality of the fabrics, buttons, snaps and the workmanship is top-notch.  

Each flannel comes with hidden button downs for the collars and a soft microfiber triangle sewn to the left front, inside at the shirt tail.  The microfiber comes in so handy for cleaning sunglasses, glasses or phone screens or camera lens.

The microfiber is a very useful feature of Dixxon Flannels.

The fit and feel screams "quality."  I love wearing them and I have now purchased some of the short sleeved bamboo shirts, which are made to the same high standard.

The Dixxon short sleeved shirts are also high quality

 

The flannels are great for riding in cooler weather.  Instead of wearing a t-shirt and needing a jacket once parked at the latest toy run or other event, the flannel is warm and stylish and all I need when looking at all the other motorcycles and/or visiting with friends.  

The shirts are great for riding, a night out to a football game, church, going out for dinner or hanging around the house.  

I highly recommend you try one.  They are worth it and you will end up wanting another one.

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Top 5 Videos On Biker Oz YouTube Channel

 

There is absolutely no doubt social media videos are watched a great deal.  People enjoy social media videos for various reasons and their popularity are growing.  On line business to business company finally.agency states on its website: "In general, video's are much easier to consume; they convey information quickly and simply, and remove the need for the user to read lots of text or scroll through numerous pages."

I know my amateur videos aren't the best out there, but they even get a good amount of views.  I decided to see which had the most views out of the 99 videos as of Sept 1, 2024.  I was surprised by the two most viewed. Number 4 & 5 were expected to be popular since they are about riding some of the best roads in the Colorado Rocky Mountains (6 of the top 10 are from Colorado).  The second most watched video really took me by surprise as it is about a large swap meet in Texas.  The most watched is about an awesome motorcycle that Honda no longer manufactures.

Here are my top 5 most viewed videos on my YouTube Channel - in reverse order.

5) The Million Dollar Highway (US 550) in Southwest Colorado crosses over three major passes including Red Mountain Pass - elevation 11,018 feet, Coal Bank Pass - elevation 10,640 and Molass Pass - elevation 10,910.  Amazing scenery and beautiful mountain towns of Durango, Silverton and Ouray are all part of the Million Dollar Highway. VIDEO #5

4) Independence Pass on CO 82 from Twin Lakes (east end) to Aspen is a challenging road with great vistas of Colorado's tallest mountain, Mount Elbert, and the surround mountain range.  A stop at the top of the pass offers breathtaking views.  VIDEO #4

3) Interestingly Pitkin, Colorado sits in the middle of Colorado Rockies and the video occupies the middle of the top 5.  Pitkin is a small town and the hub to a lot of ATV, 4WD and dirt/adventure bike routes.  I had some pretty good bbq while I was there.  VIDEO #3

2) The Pate Swap Meet is held at the Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas.  It started in 1972 as the South Central Swap Meet.  According to pateswapmeet.com the swap meet has 1200 for the three day event.  VIDEO #2

1) The most viewed video from my channel is my long term review of my 2012 Honda VFR1200.   The VFR 1200 sport touring motorcycle came out in 2010 and was discontinued in 2017 when Honda release the VFR1200X, an adventure bike version.  I rode my VFR1200 for almost 8 years and 72,000+ miles.  VIDEO #1

Which was your favorite video of these five?  Let me know!  Also feel free to leave suggestions in a comment, as I try to improve on technique, editing and subjects.

Subscribe to the channel to keep up to date on forthcoming videos.

Connect and follow Biker Oz on the following:

              

 

Please visit the following great companies:

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* I have personally ordered from and/or visited these businesses and based on my experiences I recommend this company.  I have an affiliate relationship with the businesses, which means if you follow this link and purchase, I will receive a small commission and will get to ride more!
 

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Why I Write A Blog And Have A YouTube Channel

 When I started riding motorcycles in 2004 I tried to read a lot of motorcycle magazines and books.  I learned a lot.  One thing I learned was some authors, especially authors of reviews, tried to be way more clever than they needed to i.e. "the engine started up with sound of a million angry hornets..."

So I started this blog September 2009 with a goal of posting straightforward, clear and useful information.  On the first post I stated "part of this blog is to give straightforward reviews of items that I have personally used, places I have eaten, roads I have traveled, and/or bikes I have ridden. At times I will use the reviews of close friends that I ride with and respect." 

 

Lower Falls in Yellowstone NP

 

I have strayed off motorcycle related topics a few time i.e. my WWII veteran dad, Honor Flight..., otherwise the gear, roads, restaurants and other items have been related to my motorcycle addiction.  I have also had some "guest posts" including one by Warren Massey author of I Just Want 2 Ride blog.

 

Dad at WWII Memorial in Washington D.C.

 

With the same goal and desire to provide useful, honest information and reviews I launched a YouTube channel "Ordinary Biker Oz". 

 

Ride on a great road in Oklahoma

The videos are much more varied and sometimes provide just a clip of a great road to ride, a neat place to visit, a motorcycle review or some other little nugget.  

 

 Indian Challenger Pursuit Review

I also post some "motovlog" videos, which are spoken blogs while riding the motorcycle.  Topics will vary.

My first vlog is about upcoming trip in June, 2017

My son riding US 129 aka The Tail of the Dragon on his own bike for the first time

 

I would like to invite you to visit the YouTube channel and give me some feedback.  I have a lot to learn about vlogging and all comments are welcome.  If you like what you see please subscribe.   

                                                              Be safe and enjoy the road. 

 

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Please visit the following great companies:

THE ESSENTIALS FOR MODERATE SELF-IMPROVEMENT

Awesome gear for every rider!

Ordinary Biker Oz YouTube Channel has video reviews and more

* I have personally ordered from and/or visited this business and based on my experiences I recommend this company.  I have an affiliate relationship with this business, which means if you follow this link and purchase, I will receive a small commission and will get to ride more!

# Based on reviews, word of mouth and discussion with others I recommend this company.  I have an affiliate relationship with this business, which means if you follow this link and purchase, I will receive a small commission and will get to ride more!
 

Feedback on these businesses is appreciated.  You may comment below.

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LongTerm Indian Challenger Pursuit Review

2022 Indian Pursuit at Bishop's Castle near Rye, Colorado

After almost eight years on the Honda VFR and 72,452 miles it was time to change motorcycles.  I remarried in October 2018 and Jennifer enjoys riding, but the passenger comfort was not great for her so we wanted to get something we both could ride for longer rides, day trips and multi-day trips.

I researched numerous touring motorcycles.  I wanted the following:

1. Comfort for both of us
2. Performance i.e. good torque, good speed, smooth power delivery
3. Smooth handling, agile
   
4. Adjustable windsheild
5. Good reputation/reviews and customer service
6. Appropriate seat height - I am 5'6"
7. Not found in every neighborhood
   

I realize some of the criteria is subjective and open to personal likes and preferences so I needed to research and test ride some bikes.   I will spare you the boring details of how the decision was made, but I test rode to bagger motorcycles and landed on the Indian Challenger.  I was going to add the tour pack, passenger floorboards and a few other items.  

February and March, 2022 I was looking at the Challenger I discovered Indian had just released the Pursuit - a full tourer with the foundation being the Challenger.  This piqued my interest so I started asking questions and looking at the Pursuit.

There were no Pursuits in any NE Texas dealership in March of 2022 so I visited the Republic of Texas Indian in McKinney, TX to test ride a Challenger since the Pursuit is a Challenger with the Pursuit touring package.  The Challenger test ride was great.  I really loved the power of the 108 PowerPlus engine, the comfort and the smooth handling, especially for a cruiser-based touring bike.  After 12 years on sport touring motorcycles the handling needed to be top notched.

After communicating with three different Indian dealerships I placed my order and in a little over 2 weeks I picked up the Pursuit!     

March 25, 2022 Picked up the bike and headed to Tyler, TX

Now after 22 months I have over 22,000 miles on the Pursuit. I have ridden it in 13 states (a lot in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado), in rain, 100+ degrees, cold weather, nice weather, big cities, rural areas and various conditions in between.  Famous named roads (Tail of the Dragon, Cherohala Skyway, Talimena Drive, Million Dollar Highway, The Silver Thread, Natchez Trace...), interstates and rural roads have all been part of the journey.  Now it's time to give a honest long-term review of the 2022 Indian Challenger Pursuit.

Running up Rocky Mountian passes was no problem and was a lot of fun!

Here are a few basic specification of the Pursuit- furnished on Indian Website:

108 cu in PowerPlus engine - liquid cooled

122 HP

128 ft-lbs torque

6.0 gallon tank

Seat Height 26.5in

Wet Weight 917

Brembo brakes

Heated grips (a first for me)

7 inch Infotainment screen

I have modified, changed or added the following during this time - not all at once.

Added:

Mesh grill covers for vents and windshield vent (not really sure what to call the cutout on the bottom)

Pathfinders driving lights

Pathfinders Saddlebag running lights

FormTech phone holder

Wind Rider Seat Cover (used late spring to late fall)

Lower Fairing Storage

Changed:

Stock Headlight to Pathfinder Adaptive Headlight

Stock Seat to Indian Heated Touring Seat

First I must say the Pursuit is not the same type of motorcycle as my previous two sport touring bikes (Yamaha FJR 1300 and Honda VFR 1200).  It is longer and heavier so my thoughts and comparison is based on the cruisers I have ridden (Yamaha, Kawasaki, Harley Davidson, Suzuki, Honda and Ducati).

Just a few months of ownership and loving it.

The Pursuit is heavy and I can feel it until it it gets rolling.  The handling and responsiveness of the motor negates the weight.  I know I have to be mindful when stopping and/or parking.  I check for slope, angle, gravel... so that I can safely stop.

The handling stood out most to me.  Curves and switchbacks are fun and exciting.  According to TheAutopain.com the Pursuit lean angle is 31 degrees and the Harley Davidson Road Glide's is 29 degree.  My personal experience is the Pursuit will lean into curves and power through with ease.

 

July 2024 on US 129 aka The Tail of The Dragon

 

The 108 cu in PowerPlus has great torque and pulls up hills and mountains without having to slow down.  Passing others is simple with signal, a look over the shoulder and a twist of the wrist.  The power and speed comes on smoothly and with a grin.  

 

The Indian heated seat allows me to ride comfortably for miles, day after day.  I am very comfortable with the seating and handlebar positions.  The controls for the signals, horn, cruise control and the infotainment system are easily accessible.  The infotainment system is customizable which allows owners to personalize the screens to his/her liking.  

Comfort, performance and styling all in one great package

 

Motorcycles preferences are personal to each rider, but I believe the Indian Pursuit is top of the line in the cruiser based touring category.  I have had miles and miles of great riding and smiles.  If you are looking for a two up touring machine I would highly recommend the Indian Pursuit.

Here is a short video I made about my Pursuit, check it out - Pursuit Review Video. 

 

Connect and follow Biker Oz on the following:

              

 

Please visit the following great companies:

THE ESSENTIALS FOR MODERATE SELF-IMPROVEMENT

 

Awesome gear for every rider!

Ordinary Biker Oz YouTube Channel has video reviews and more

* I have personally ordered from and/or visited these businesses and based on my experiences I recommend this company.  I have an affiliate relationship with the businesses, which means if you follow this link and purchase, I will receive a small commission and will get to ride more!
 

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9 Motorcycle Myths - a guest post by Warren Massey

9 Myths About Motorcycle Riding

There are motorcycling myths that are just too good to die. Below are 9 of those myths, a few with my own commentary, which seem to hang around forever.  

1. Open-face helmets are just as good as full-face helmets: Full-face helmets provide better protection by covering the entire head, including the chin and face. They reduce head injuries by 64% and neck injuries by 36% compared to open-face helmets. Plus, they offer better noise reduction. 
2.  Using car tires on motorcycles is fine: This myth is dangerous. Car tires are incompatible with motorcycle dynamics, especially during cornering. Stick to motorcycle-specific tires for safety. While I have never seen this in person, it must be something that happens as this comes up from time to time.

3. The rear brake stops a bike better than the front brake: Actually, using the front brake is more effective and safer. Proper braking technique is crucial, and the front brake provides over 70% of a motorcycle’s stopping power.
4. Motorcycles are more dangerous than cars: While motorcycles have inherent risks, proper training, gear, and awareness can mitigate these risks. Responsible riding matters more than the vehicle type. Statistics show that more riders are injured in single vehicle crashes than in crashes with cars.
5. Helmets break necks in a crash: False. Helmets protect your head and neck. They do not cause neck injuries; they prevent them.
6. “Laying it down” is the best way to avoid a crash: No, it is not. Staying upright and using proper braking and maneuvering techniques is more effective for avoiding accidents.
7. You must be strong to ride a motorcycle: Strength matters less than skill and technique. Proper body positioning and control are essential, regardless of physical strength.
8. You can get expert skills just riding on the road.  Just riding from point a to point b over and over will only give you the skills to ride from point a to point b.  You really need to take, at least, the basic and advanced riders’ course to hone your skills.  There are other levels of training to move your skills to a higher level.  Then do the training with your passenger.
9. Loud pipes save lives: Contrary to widely held belief, loud exhaust pipes do not necessarily make you safer. Becoming a better rider through skill development and awareness is more effective for safety. While less restrictive exhausts may add some horsepower, OEM exhausts are designed for midrange performance where you spend most of your time riding. I can debate this one with myself. I have two motorcycles, one with stock pipes and one with loud pipes. Anecdotally, I see more folks look around for me as I move up in traffic when I am on my loud bike, they can almost feel the rumble. But I cannot prove it one way or another if this is really a myth.

Remember, understanding these myths may help you become a safer and more informed rider!

If you have a Motorcycle Myth riders should be aware of let me know in the comments. - Oz

About Warren Massey – Warren began riding motorcycles at the age of 5, according to his mom, and has never looked back!  Warren started his blog IJustWant2Ride.com in 2013 and currently has over 20,000 followers. Warren is also a co-host on the world’s longest running motorcycle podcast “The DawgHouse Motorcycle Radio” which has run weekly for 16 years. 

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* I have personally ordered from and/or visited these businesses and based on my experiences I recommend this company.  I have an affiliate relationship with the businesses, which means if you follow this link and purchase, I will receive a small commission and will get to ride more!
 

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Rider to Rider Communications

 

Beat The Heat Tour 2023 at Lizard Head Pass, Colorado

Group rides can be a lot of fun but when a group is large it can be helpful to have communication with at least one other rider to help ensure the group is doing well and staying together.  Although, for me the primary season I started using a Bluetooth communication set up was for music and in extreme cases the ability to make a call or receive a call while still moving, the ability to have up to date information about my group when I am leading is also important.

My first Bluetooth device was a Sena 20S I purchased in January 2016 and reviewed a three months later.  That Sena was a good system.  I used it up until the spring of 2023, I even removed the Sena from my helmet and took it with me to Italy when I rented a BMW (and helmet) and rode in the Alps for a week.

In the Spring of 2023 my wife's Sena 10S was not working well and battery life had degraded greatly.  The 20S had served me well, but it time for a pair of new Bluetooth headsets.  Of course all the research showed me the top two brands were Sena and Cardo.  There are pros and cons with both brands and their different models.  After a good amount of research and some input from friends I decided on switching to the Cardo Packtalk.  Now over a year later what do I think?

Arai Nicky Hayden and Cardo Packtalk

 

Here are some of the notable differences that I like:

     1) Cardo is Waterproof - Sena 20S water resistant (On various trips the Sena got wet and kept working, but I always took it off if the rain was going to hard or for a long time).

     2) The Cardo is slimmer so it does not stick out from the helmet as much as the Sena.

I love the slim Cardo Packtalk.

     3) Cardo mesh system connects easily with other Cardo's and with a little work it connects with Sena systems. 

     4) The JBL speakers that come with the Packtalk are great!  When using the Sena I would plug in headbuds to the Sena and use them because even with my full face helmet the music was difficult to hear.  (I understand Sena has upgrade and now has much better speakers.)

     5) Taking the Packtalk off the helmet and replacing it is very easy.

 

Of course there are other difference but the five above are the ones that standout to me. 

The controls are very easy to use even with a riding gloves.  The sound quality is great!  The Cardo Packtalk has voice activation for Siri so I can talk to Siri without using any of the controls.  This feature is really nice to skip a song, have a text read, compose a text, make a call...

Sleek and yet easy to control and use.

 

So after riding over 23,000 miles with the Cardo as my communication system I have no regrets.  The battery life has been great and the system has worked flawlessly.

If you need a high quality Bluetooth communication system I highly recommend the Cardo Packtalk.

Connect and follow Biker Oz on the following:

              

 

Please visit the following great companies:

THE ESSENTIALS FOR MODERATE SELF-IMPROVEMENT

 

Awesome gear for every rider!

Ordinary Biker Oz YouTube Channel has video reviews and more

* I have personally ordered from and/or visited these businesses and based on my experiences I recommend this company.  I have an affiliate relationship with the businesses, which means if you follow this link and purchase, I will receive a small commission and will get to ride more!
 

Feedback on these businesses is appreciated.  You may comment below.

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