The Unstoppable Mr. Frogwing
Weather: Is it Summer already? Sunny and 77°F as I type this. (25°C)
Frogwing, on vacation in the Badlands of South Dakota, last year.
Let me introduce you to the best motorbike I have ever owned.
Frogwing, as you must know by now, is a 2003 Kawasaki KLR-650 A17. The A17 designation means that it is the 17th model year manufactured for the American market.
For some twenty years now, Kawasaki Heavy Industries has built this bike with only minor updates and modifications, for use by adventurers the world over.
They also make a version for the U.S. Marine Corps, which uses a diesel engine that runs on the same fuel as the Hum-Vee and the M1 Abrams tank. After the venerable Honda 50 Super Cub, this has got to be one of the most successful motorbike designs ever, and for good reason.
As a commuter bike, it has no equal. With a five gallon tank and an engine that sips fuel at a rate of fifty miles per gallon, I can almost get by on one tank of gas per week. Performance is perfectly in line with legal speeds on public roads. But it is when those public roads become clogged with traffic or other hazards that the KLR really shines.
Our Ride to Work this morning was perfect. We left at the usual time, and took the usual route, but that was where the routine ended.
Frogwing has four times as much power and torque as the Red Baron scooter that I rode through the Winter. He sits much taller than the scooters do, which is an advantage when trying to see over or around that big fat Land Rover SUV in front of us.
But the best part comes when I see no oncoming traffic for the next quarter-mile, and decide to dispose of this ugly box of metal that stands between us and the open road ahead. On the river roads, that is as simple as selecting third gear and twisting the throttle… problem solved.
Frogwing is all about grunty, thumpety torque. There is nothing the poor yuppie bastard can do to stop us. We blow past him like he was standing still, and he honks his horn in frustration.
Awwww…. Too bad, Mr. Suit-and-Tie. The working man wins this round.
It’s so much nicer to have an unobstructed view of the road ahead. Frogwing and I don’t have to dodge potholes like I do on the scooters. We can bound right over them like nothing else on the road. But when I can see them far enough ahead, we can weave our way between them smoothly, and the ride becomes a fluid succession of moves almost resembling a dance. This morning, on my Ride to Work, I felt something approaching bliss. It was good to be back on Frogwing again.
My workday was going to be a short one. I had an appointment with the alchemists and bloodsuckers at the local clinic around lunchtime. As I get older, they seem to want to see me more often. I hate that. But it meant that I would only have to work a half-day, and then I was free to ride after the doc was through with me.
I walked out of that clinic into a sunny, warm afternoon. Frogwing started eagerly, and we roared out of that parking lot, bound for who-knows-where. Attempting to escape the metro area as quickly as possible, we headed for the highway. Bad move. There was road construction at the on-ramp, and a line of cars was waiting in front of a fellow with an orange vest and a STOP sign.
This is one of those situations that Frogwing was made for. It took me about twenty seconds to assess the tactical layout: We couldn’t creep up either side, because that would only result in sharing a lane with a pissed-off trucker, and still waiting for the construction guy to let us pass. I looked up and to my left. There was a steep grass slope between us and the highway, but no fence. Hah!
I toed the shifter into first, turned the handlebars, and gave Frogwing a big twist of throttle. We leapt up that hill like a jackrabbit on crack! I got us stopped at the top, just short of the curbing, and looked to see if any traffic was coming. When it was clear, we accelerated down the shoulder, and smoothly merged onto the highway. Can’t do that on a scooter, I’m afraid.
Heck, you can’t really do that on anything but a dual-sport, adventure bike. That’s why Frogwing is my favorite.
We had a great ride, across the river and back into Wisconsin. We hit some dirt roads that I remembered from last season, and rambled up and down the “Alphabet Roads”, which are so-named because all county roads in Wisconsin are designated by letters.
In Prescott, on the way home, we stopped at Enrique’s Taco House for a wonderful chicken fajita burrito and chips. This little place is built into a corner of the Subway, just to the left of the bridge when you’re headed east. Wisconsin Highway 35, has been crying out for a good Mexican joint for a long time. This is the only one I’m aware of at present. If anyone knows of another, please let me know?
So I’m home now, pounding out another blog entry and trying to convince myself that the scooter is the best way to go tomorrow. This is a tough choice, but I have made a commitment here. The Black Baron has a couple of development issues that I need to work on. He is a wonderful machine, and more than adequate for my daily commute. While he doesn’t have the tactical capability of Frogwing, he does burn less fuel. My testing so far has yielded sixty-five miles per gallon, and that may improve as we sort out the fuel system.
He is also a very pleasant ride in his own right. I believe the term I have used is “magic carpet”. That’s exactly what the Baron PM feels like on smooth asphalt. So yes, I will be riding a scooter again tomorrow, and for most of my commutes to come.
I’m going to save Frogwing for those occasions that need his unique capabilities. Like when I need to go out and whup some SUV ass.
April 10th, 2006 at 6:21 pm
Quit writing things like this. I keep trying to put the KLR and BMW F650 out of my mind and you go posting something like this. How do you expect me to stay content on a Vespa when you make something seem like a stallion running free on the plain…
grrrr.
steve
April 10th, 2006 at 9:53 pm
Funny, I’m seriously thinking about a scooter and getting my tranquility bucket filled up. It would be cool to take some shorter rides at a slower pace. I get on my bikes and seem to turn into a maniac these days. Guess I’m about due for a “time-out”. At least that’s what Katie says. She works with behaviourly challenged kids so she should know!
I rode up the freeway today for 3 miles to get to an off-ramp that takes me to some backroads I haven’t done in a while.
Talk about a bad-ass SUV getting it’s due: The freeway was closed because there was a Hummer on fire. The state cop on-scene was a fellow instructor and let me sneak by. Although he might not have approved of the off-road up the bank routine. Yes, the ST can do it. Wait until tomorrow’s post.
Too bad about the Hummer. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer vehicle. Burn, baby burn!!!
April 11th, 2006 at 2:51 am
Every time I look at Kawsaki’s bike line up in this country I notice that it’s missing two things. It lacks a V-twin competitor to bikes like Honda’s Firestorm and Suzuki’s SV. And it lacks a decent dual sport (as you guys call ‘em). Real Kwak fan boys would propably try to tell me that the KLE is a dual sport but it isn’t, it’s just a very poor road bike that looks a like it might manage off road; in fact it wouldn’t.
I think Kwak need to reintroduce the KLR here. Basically I’m saying: you’ve convinced me, I want a go on one!
April 11th, 2006 at 7:03 am
I was walking along East River Road yesterday just before noon and I like to try and ID bikes by sound before looking at them. The best sound I heard that day was a great single cylinder grunt coming from a green KLR – perhaps it was Frogwing???!
April 11th, 2006 at 8:09 am
Gary,
There is another benefit to owning a KLR. For some strange reason, my wife thinks its the most attractive bike I’ve ever owned. She likes its looks far better than my custom-painted cruiser.
Go figure.
April 11th, 2006 at 10:37 am
From the top…
Steve, the KLR makes a perfect compliment to your scooter. The scooter is easier to operate, more economical, and perfect for commuting and those short, relaxing trips around the neighborhood.
But when you want to get OUT THERE, and go anywhere you want, that’s when you hoist a leg over the KLR. I’m telling you, ya NEED one of these!
Dan, from reading your blog, I just don’t see you on a scooter. Of course, that’s what people would have said about me, before last Winter. But I would be very interested in reading about it if you do get one.
Mad, what exactly do they call dual-sports over there? Adventure bikes? Adventure tourers? Seems to me it was something like that…
I did not know that they don’t sell KLRs over there. That’s horrible! Does Honda still sell the Dommie? What about Suzukis DR series? Well, just get yourself over here, visit me in Minnesota, and I will let you have a go on Frogwing.
Pinecone, yup, that was probably us. We left work shortly after eleven, and that would put us on East River Road around quarter-to-twelve. Hopefully you heard us making a pass on one of those ugly SUVs.
Jim, I’ve heard the KLR called a lot of things, but attractive was never one of them. I notice that she didn’t say “beautiful” or “pretty”. Your wife is obviously a sophisticated soul. She must know by now that “chrome won’t get you home”.
Ride well,
=gc=
April 11th, 2006 at 1:02 pm
Well. in the same vein of previous comments..now I want one! A diesel even! That would just be great. Not that the scooter isn’t great, not that the BMW doesn’t do it for me, I need another one! Maybe it was riding on that fireroad this weekend (on the K100RS) but that seems like it would be way more fun on a dual sport and that KLR sounds perfect. Of course sneaking it by the wife…..hmmmm, that’s another story.
Rob
April 11th, 2006 at 2:01 pm
That was some good reading
jim
April 11th, 2006 at 5:25 pm
Rob, I feel your pain. I had to get rid of a garage full of old bikes in order to buy Frogwing. For awhile there, the KLR was my only bike. That wasn’t such a bad thing, really.
Thanks Jim. That means a lot.
Ride well,
=gc=
April 11th, 2006 at 5:51 pm
Over here I guess the call dual sports “Big Trailies” or occasionally “Adventure bikes”. Dual sport seems a good name to me.
Honda don’t sell the Dominator anymore, just the two Varaderos and the Transalp. I think Suzuki still sell the DR’s.
The dual sport I get hankerings for is the KTM Adventure, what a bike that is!
But I think when I do one of my dreamed of continent crossings I shall use a BMW F650GS, because it’s cheap, tough and ubiquitous.
April 11th, 2006 at 10:31 pm
Gary, I’m envious; you are already commuting by bike. I thought I might do the same on Monday, but Carp called and suggested a ride in the coulees instead. I should have spent some time putting a bike on the road, but Eastlee needed some help researching a route to Plum City for the F100 club. The KLR needs a battery, and the DR wants a bodge to fix the license plate that broke in Mexico. But my schedule is simply crushing. All weekend I was out in South Dakota getting stuck in the mud, rubbing elbows with big-time moto-journalists, visiting decommissioned Minuteman launch-control sites and drinking moonshine. No time for fettling commuter rides. I guess that first ride to work will have to wait a few days.
April 12th, 2006 at 12:09 am
Hey Gary,
That was one fine piece of writing there. I too, have spent many an hour on dual sport machines. In fact I rode 3 seasons on a 78 Honda xl250s, a humble mount to say the least. But it got me all over northern Minnesota, and I mean ALL OVER. I only wish I could have spent one of those seasons with a stout 650 single chugging along instead of that tired old 250.
And I do remember the early growing pains you had with frogwing when my brother and I took you much further off the dirt roads than you ever planned to go… Sorry!
But that is another story. I can only say that ever since you coined the phrase “urban commando” it has seemed to me to fit your riding and writing style to a tee. Once again, reading your adventures brought a smile to my face and caused me to laugh out loud (for the umpteenth time).
Well done!
Eric
April 12th, 2006 at 8:52 am
Hmmm… the unstoppable Mr. Frogwing has seemed to have stopped the previously unstoppable Mr. Charpentier! There must be some “good riding” going on ’round the Twin Cities, ’cause the “good writing” seems to have slowed to the pace of a home-made mini-bike with a 3 HP Briggs & Stratton!
Speaking of slow (me), “Ridin’ and writin’ ” could have been another title entry! (for those new to the blog, the naming contest ended weeks ago)
After making the requisite safety checks on my previously hibernating bike, I took her for a short blast around a couple mile ling loop around my house along the Lake Erie shore last evening. Summer’s here and the time is right for biking in the streets!!!
I may even ride to work if the rain holds out tomorrow… (I know, I’m a wimp!)
April 12th, 2006 at 10:17 am
Gary,
I had Katie read your comment about not being able to picture me on a scooter. She agreed, the bum. Said it would be “much too sedate” for me. What is it with you people? I’m feeling slightly insulted. I can be “sedate”! Just watch:
Calm……….fidget…….fidget..fidget..fidgetfidgetfidgetfidget..aarrgh, where’s the CBR key?
April 12th, 2006 at 10:28 am
Mad, You still get the Transalp over there? That’s a sweet bike. My friend Mark Foster uses one for Ironbutt Rallies, where they do several 1,000-mile days in succession. If you can get one of those for less than the F650, you might want to consider it.
Buster, I’m the one who’s envious! First Mexico, then South Dakota, all in the space of a month… All I get to do is Ride to Work! So, do a little name-dropping here: who were the “big-time moto-journalists” you rubbed elbows with? C’mon, inquiring minds want to know.
Eric, that old XL two-fitty would have made a good winter beater, no? Do you still have it?
Yeah, it’s been a lot of fun learning to ride off-road on Frogwing. He’s a bit heavier than your little dirbikes, and single-track mud bogs aren’t his thing. But the urban environment offers all sorts of interesting challenges, if you don’t mind bending the laws a little bit.
No slack from Bro Shagg, huh? I would think you guys could understand this. It’s springtime! Don’t I want to be in the saddle, racking up some miles?
Or do I want to sit on my ass up in the attic, tapping out another: “Great weather… rode to work on dry, clean streets again today. Rode home on same. More tomorrow…”? I’ve got to go out and DO STUFF in order to keep this blog interesting. If that means I have to skip a day now and then, I guarantee we will all be better off for it.
Ride well,
=gc=
April 12th, 2006 at 10:29 am
Dan, you’ve made our point.
Ride well,
=gc=
April 12th, 2006 at 11:51 am
Gary-
My last post was with tongue firmly planted in cheek. I think we all KNOW why there hasn’t been a new thread! You’re the kinda guy that will bike through a Minnesota winter- I’d be surprised if we saw more than one or two entries before next winter!
GOOD LORD, did I just put a smiley face on something?!? Time to ride and clear the mind…
B.S.
April 12th, 2006 at 7:58 pm
Yeah, the old xl was a pretty decent winter beater, but still a bit tall and heavy. About 260lbs for that old beast. Sold it a while back and now my current off road mount is a tired old suzuki dr 250. Another former dual-sport, but now completely lacking any semblance of a street legal vehicle. It gets the job done i guess. Plus without all the street legal goodies, it is considerably lighter than in it’s original state.
As far as bending laws? They’re made to be bent. Bend but don’t break, right?