Cockpit Video - Monarch Pass, Colorado

[Patrick the Scot]

Here is a cut from the cockpit of El Tigre on Monarch Pass, late May 2006. The whole clip is about 3 minutes long. Click on the blue clip to start.



The "flash 8" video player takes about 5 secs to upload, if you don't have it.



(http://s70.photobucket.com/albums/i114/PatricktheScot/?action=view&current=MonarchPass2006.flv)

[jmoonx14]

Very cool, Patrick! I can hear those folks you passed saying, "Damn! Gotta get me one of those!". Looks like the power of the Tiger paid off on that pass. Obviously kept your speed up on all grades with a little downshift and some more throttle.



Thanks for sharing.

[Patrick the Scot]

Looks like the power of the Tiger paid off on that pass. Obviously kept your speed up on all grades with a little downshift and some more throttle.



Thanks for sharing.

The clip was about 9 minutes long from the bottom of Monarch to over the top. Unfortunately, photobucket cut my post short to only 3 minutes.  I will try to get the whole clip up.



The best part of the video is at the middle and end.  I mean, I really had El Tigre screaming at the top of the Continental Divide.  I think I crossed the top of Monarch at a really good clip.  Any more info would be an admission of guilt.



The entire time up the pass the bike had all the power I wanted, needed, and ever wished for, (well, you always want more)  The off-road pipe and tune really frees that motor, big time.  Next step is the Daytona cam.  140 HP here we come.

[JRO]

I seen a clip like that, of some nut on a sport bike, weaving in-and-out of bumper-to-bumper metro traffic, doing hunnerds and hunnerds of miles per hour.



Will you please post one like that?  I would powerful like to see some more of that death-sport type stuff.

[Tallerman]

Patrick,



Seeing that video brought back memories of Monarch Pass when I lived in Colorado. You really ate up that road.



I'd like to see a video of El Tigre eating up the road to/from Carlsbad Caverns. When I lived in Lubbock (Got my Masters Degree at TTech when I taught Pilots at Reese) I used to ride to NM and Carlsbad to see trees, roads that curved, and ground that went up and down. (I got tired of taking all the on/off ramps on the loop just to keep my tires from going square.



Keep up the good riding.

[Patrick the Scot]

Patrick,



Seeing that video brought back memories of Monarch Pass when I lived in Colorado. You really ate up that road.



I'd like to see a video of El Tigre eating up the road to/from Carlsbad Caverns. When I lived in Lubbock (Got my Masters Degree at TTech when I taught Pilots at Reese) I used to ride to NM and Carlsbad to see trees, roads that curved, and ground that went up and down. (I got tired of taking all the on/off ramps on the loop just to keep my tires from going square.



Keep up the good riding.

You got it right, you have to make over 250 miles (way less than 1 tank of fuel) in any direction to get to the good riding roads. I choose Colorado and northern New Mexico. I could go southeast to the Hill Country or southwest to Big Bend; however I want to stay as far away for there as possible: I don't need a preview of Hell.  If I thought I was going to Hell, I'd go ahead and move to the Texas Hill Country or the Big Bend so as I could get some practice.



I'm like you, I wear out the clover leafs here in order to keep the tires from being squared off. To no avail.  



Thanks for the suggestion to go down to Carlsbad. I've never been down that way.  I will check it out someday, like when it is colder.  It is just to damn hot in this god-forsaken climate.  I really do miss the summers in Vermont. Yet at the same time when Vermont or Colorado is neck deep in snow, I will be out on El Tigre. So, pick you poison.



Stay posted to this thread if you'd like, as I'm going to put up the rest of Monarch Pass.

[JRO]

I will check it out someday, like when it is colder.  It is just to damn hot in this god-forsaken climate.

The heat is easy; you just put away that armored riding suit, and carry something to drink along with you.



We've had one day of 98F, here (so far), and others in the 90's. Just plain truth - I can't handle a lot of leather, in those temps. Sunscreen, yes. Serious riding gear, no.



Today, I saw some Gsxer kid.  He took it to extremes (and it wasn't even that hot) - shorts, t-shirt, sunglasses, and flip-flops (no kidding). No helmet, and from the way he was riding, no sense, either.



In any event, I wonder just how many experienced riders can actually take the heat, dressed up in full armor.

[Patrick the Scot]

I will check it out someday, like when it is colder.  It is just to damn hot in this god-forsaken climate.

The heat is easy; you just put away that armored riding suit, and carry something to drink along with you.



We've had one day of 98F, here (so far), and others in the 90's. Just plain truth - I can't handle a lot of leather, in those temps. Sunscreen, yes. Serious riding gear, no.



In any event, I wonder just how many experienced riders can actually take the heat, dressed up in full armor.

Yeah, I think you are right.  Most riders start shucking the gear as the summer drags on.  With super-low, single-digit humidity like we have here I've found that I can wear full riding gear up to around 90 F.  In fact the other day it  was 104 F and 6% humidity.  This actually caused a 10 F windchill: so it felt like it was only 94 F.  Still to dang hot for two-wheeling in full leathers.

[mikeG15]

If you can't take the heat.............

http://www.hightechscience.org/orlan_cooling_suit.htm (http://www.hightechscience.org/orlan_cooling_suit.htm)

If you want hills, curves trees etc. come to Ireland and see the Northwest 200 - like the IOM but faster.

[thx1158]

I always wear the gear. For summer riding I swap out my Belstaff for the Triumph Raptor mesh Jacket. Works great for me! Last time I went down it was in the summer and my gear saved me from major injury....bike was trashed at 8k woth of damage but jacket, helmet, gloves and pants did the job. My gear was ripped up and abraded but my skin was not. Beyond a mild concussion and a few bruises I was fine.

[Tallerman]

When I lived in Lubbock, my hot weather destination was Taos or some other mountain community in NM. I would set out at sunup and when it got hot, I would soak my sweatshirt (worn under something more protective) and enjoy a very cold ride for the next hour. Worked great.



When I got to NM it was usually quite a bit cooler than those sun addled High Plains.



Looking forward to the entire 9 minutes (seems like my wife has said that a time or two, Hmmmmmmmm)

[Tallerman]

BTW, I live near Boston now but am moving to Albuquerque in 2-3 years. See you in Taos?



Know some of the the Tiger riders in NM?

[Patrick the Scot]

BTW, I live near Boston now but am moving to Albuquerque in 2-3 years. See you in Taos?



Know some of the the Tiger riders in NM?

Awesome, Albuquerque is a very interesting city.  



Yes, I do know some of the Tiger riders in AL, NM.  I will wager that AL has the highest per captia ownership of 2004 and newer Tigers than any metro area in the US; i.e. PJs Triumph sells the living dog out of the Tigers.  You will definitely be right at home with your Tiger. All you have to do to plug into this crowd is to meet up at PJs for a RAT ride on a Saturday morning.  I think the monster trailies are the perfect bike for the western States, and PJs sales number of the Tiger will shake this out.  You see more big trailies in the Rockies than I seen anywhere else in the US.



Let me know when as Taos is good riding.