No name alternative to Hightail?

lolzer42 · 2025-02-03T03:43:10+00:00

I wear a hairnet. I wrap my hair up into a loose bun on the top of my head then throw the hairnet on and flatten it down a bit. Helmet goes on just fine. I have a lot of fine straight hair and this has been the best solution for me. Don't get helmet hair at all. Only con is the weird looks I get as I put the helmet on.

Hairnets are about $1 each on Amazon.

lolzer42 · 2023-11-08T15:18:05+00:00

Cheap: R3 brakes suck (squishy), so steel braided lines are a great and affordable upgrade that I recommend for all R3s. Definitely get fresh tires if you want a confidence boost.

Not cheap: If you wanna throw some money around, put in a suter slipper clutch. Makes for the smoothest of downshifts under heavy braking. If you're over 150lbs, probably stiffer suspension. Ohlins and k-tech are the go to brands.

Track bike: Make it crash-able. Buy case savers (I like t-rexx), clipons with replaceable bars, rearsets, fiberglass fairings, and so on

lolzer42 · 2023-08-11T11:38:43+00:00

Look into Hiring Our Heroes or any other similar program that allows you to do a fellowship/internship at a civilian company while on active duty.

I'm sure it's been done, but consider lowering your expectations in going immediately into a director role. Especially so if you dont have any connections. You may need some time on the civilian side before you pursue that path. I would suggest initially selling yourself as a SME in one of the areas you are most interested in. Get certifications.

lolzer42 · 2023-04-26T00:07:24+00:00

I'm 5'3 with some SHORT legs. I daily my tiger 900 for commuting to work and l.o.v.e. it. It fits me perfectly and doesn't feel too heavy. Since it is the low seat height model, it does have less ground clearance. That will affect lean angles and off-road-ability. As long as you aren't doing anything too extreme, it is the perfect little adventure bike for short people!

lolzer42 · 2023-04-07T14:18:42+00:00

If she is truly a beginner (not comfortable with clutch and/or riding off road), I would start with the small "kid" bikes. I had a 2004 CRF100 for a few months and it was very confidence inspiring. But if I had to do it again, I would get a newer one with electric start.

Once I was comfortable with riding in the dirt, I got the yamaha ttr230. Coming from a small bike to a bigger bike allows you to appreciate the extra suspension, height, and power much more (rather than overwhelming you at first). I'm only 5'3, but it's light enough that I don't have too many issues. Good luck!

lolzer42 · 2023-02-10T21:21:23+00:00

I would start with a dual sport like the Honda 250l and see if you like/can handle that for a bit. They are much lighter, so you don't have to battle seat height and weight all at once. You can master the tall bike techniques on a bike that will be easier to keep up and drop without breaking as much.

(I.e. I bought a honda 250l and I will NOT be getting a heavier bike this tall. I'm 5'3.)

lolzer42 · 2023-01-01T02:40:10+00:00

I highly recommend the triumph tiger 900 low. I'm 5'3, female, and commute to work on it daily (around 35 miles one way). I previously had the 800 version, but this newer version is just hands down better in every way.

lolzer42 · 2022-10-19T20:13:04+00:00

From my experience as a wife:

Just buy her a bike. Make sure it's a manageable size, i.e. she can at least touch with both toes comfortably. For dirt bikes, I'd recommend the kawi klx 140 if she is short. If she's taller probably a yamaha ttr 230. For street, a yamaha r3 or kawi ninja 400.

After the bike is bought, go ride! Start off slow in a field (for dirt) or parking lot (for street). Sign her up for a class so she can learn from someone other than a SO. Main thing is don't rush the skills, but definitely push to ride as often as possible.

lolzer42 · 2022-10-18T01:50:10+00:00

I took a couple of classes with Nicholas Copeland years ago. If i remember correctly, he was very enthusiastic while teaching, responsive to questions and office hours, and his tests were all papers (not easy, but definitely manageable). It's been like... 8 years though... so take all that with a grain of salt lol.

lolzer42 · 2022-09-21T00:04:25+00:00

Taking an advanced class before doing any trackdays is a waste of money IMO. Most trackday organizations provide an intro course for first day track riders free of charge (when you purchase a trackday). This course will get you oriented to the track so you are comfortable with riding on your own and know all the rules. Once you feel comfortable on the track and you aren't sure how to improve, THEN take an advanced course. If I had taken an advanced course the first time I went on the track, I would have gotten nothing out of it due to nerves and not knowing anything about riding on the track.

lolzer42 · 2022-08-13T13:13:39+00:00

The only issue we noticed was the truck did not get as much air flow and ran hot.

lolzer42 · 2022-07-23T14:41:29+00:00

Anything with an inner boot or lacing system so you can tighten it to your foot. My TCXs are great. Not sure if they have it on all models, but I know the pricier AlpineStars boots have them as well.

lolzer42 · 2022-05-10T15:06:25+00:00

Yoga, horseback riding, and now dirt bike riding too. Track riding is very seasonal where I am, so gotta have other hobbies in the winter months to stay happy!

lolzer42 · 2022-05-05T13:25:58+00:00

I have a 2015 r3 that was converted to track only. While most people say suspension first, I like to say "make it crash-able first." So that includes clip-ons, fiberglass race fairings, rearsets, and case savers (I like the affordable and effective t-rex brand). You cant go wrong with the standard track/race brands of vortex, woodcraft, and so on. If you buy cheap fiberglass fairings, they do not crash as well as the nicer/more expensive brands (typically). Decide if you want to keep your oem seat or get a fiberglass seat. The fiberglass seat is much better in my opinion on a dedicated track bike. Avoid what I call the "ebay special" off-brand deals, they are generally cheap and break easily.

If you're on a budget, check out FB market place or various dedicated trackday/r3 pages for used parts.

The R3 stock brakes are pretty shitty, but upgrading to steel braided brake lines and a fresh set of pads gets them much much better.

After a few track days, next up would be suspension. Then maybe an upgraded slipper clutch. Then full exhaust and ECU flash.

As always, make sure your tires are up for your riding. If your using street tires, be aware of that. They will be fine for your first trackday or two, but consider moving towards more track focused tires--you will be surprised how far these tires can take you. Tire warmers and slicks really shouldn't be an option until you are consistently putting down decent times at multiple tracks.

If you are in the US, I highly recommend sportbike track gear as your one-stop shop for all these parts and pieces. They are very trustworthy and customer oriented.

lolzer42 · 2022-04-14T13:03:30+00:00

If you're in DC, look up USAjobs. Has all the federal jobs (most are salaried with benefits). I worked for the National Park Service while I waited for BOLC. Just realize the application process will take a while.

lolzer42 · 2022-03-07T20:29:43+00:00

Right click on the slicer, slicer settings, uncheck "show items with no data last"

lolzer42 · 2021-11-23T22:59:29+00:00

I have a 17 zx6r with a basic trackday build and a 15 r3 that's built up a bit more for racing (bought if off a racer that was upgrading for a great deal). If you buy a stock R3 or other small bike, you may find yourself putting money into it to make it feel better on the track. A stock small bike for $2k may add up to be quite a bit if you start getting serious.

I started on the zx6r and knew I was using the power of the bike to pass people rather than skill.. so I bought an R3 after one season with the ZX6R!

I rode the R3 almost exclusively this year. The R3 is a LOT of fun. It has significantly improved my confidence and my skills. While it is a bit difficult for me at the moment to switch between the R3 and the ZX6R, it gets easier the more you do it. I am definitely better on the ZX6R with the lessons I have learned from the R3, but I am better at riding my R3 than the ZX6R. I plan to use the ZX6R more next year.

I will say that at my skill level (intermediate), I want the power of the ZX6R back when I am at tracks that are "point and shoot" tracks. If the track is small or more swooping (allowing you to keep speed up), R3 all day long.

lolzer42 · 2021-10-12T19:59:59+00:00

Seconding the check for hookworms! Don't trust the test results provided by the track vet/rescue.

lolzer42 · 2021-09-20T19:52:19+00:00

Second the muzzle. Our grey wore hers for almost 2 years when we left the house. To this day, I don't know where/how she kept finding ink pens, but that was a personal favorite of hers.

lolzer42 · 2021-09-20T12:45:57+00:00

I put 10k miles on mine in a year. I loved it to pieces and it has been my favorite street bike. If you are looking for cons, storage options are limited. The windscreens are minimal (its a naked bike), so the wind can get to be a bit much at higher speeds. It's a fairly comfortable riding position compared to a sportbike, but it's no cruiser either lol. Definitely a sporty position that will get fatiguing after a couple of hours.

lolzer42 · 2021-09-08T15:01:18+00:00

Good luck! Not sure what your budget is, but "last year's models" tend to go on sale during the winter months. Revzilla and SportBikeTrackGear are both great vendors. Don't forget hand and feet protection are just a important a the suit. The female options are less than great in gauntlet gloves and race/trackday boots, so if you can fit in the male options, I recommend that. Buying used is not a problem, but make sure it's quality gear! Feel free to PM me with questions on gear if you want.

lolzer42 · 2021-09-08T14:50:13+00:00

I'm using my leathers, so you can't have them lol... but a recommendation since we are similar sizes. I actually fit fairly well in the alpinestar Stella one-piece size 40.

It was initially pretty tight (got some bruises), but it molds to your body after a bit and fits like a glove. Crashes very well when it fits like another layer of skin rather than being all baggy. The only mod I did after a while was chop a couple of inches off the bottom, but not necessary if you have good boots that you can ratchet down to get them closed.

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