Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 IRON BUTT MAGAZINE | Winter 2014 WEATHERPROOFING It should go without saying that all of your gear should be weatherproof to the maximum extent possible. Riding when you are cold and wet is a huge distraction. Gear that keeps you dry will make for much less stress and dry riders who can prop- erly control their body temperature are safer riders. The more you worry about whether or not your radar detec- tor will weather the third rain squall you’ve ridden through in an hour, the less attention you’ll be paying to riding. Any far- kles you add that require electricity should be triple-checked to make sure all wires are routed cleanly and safely away from anything that could bind, pinch, crease or abrade them.The last thing you need in the middle of a rainy night is a GPS or driv- ing light that keeps losing power every time you hit a bump. TIP-OVER PROTECTION Too many riders have been dismayed to see their carefully farkled machine lying on its side due to a minor tip over.Farkles are expensive and we come to rely on the advantages they pro- vide for us.Therefore we recommend putting some thought into mounting them so that they are not vulnerable to damage in the event the bike falls over. When mounting farkles, ask yourself if the planned mount- ing location would allow the item to survive a tip over.Will that expensive LED light get crushed? Will that highway peg rotate on its mount and puncture the engine case? Will that bracket hurt my leg during a minor tip over? Thinking through such scenarios while setting up your bike may save you time, money, and pain. Also, many bikes that do not come with built-in engine protection can benefit by adding aftermarket engine or frame guards. The advantages include protecting expensive plastic body parts from damage, critical engine components, expensive farkles, and providing a mounting point for highway pegs and lights. Some units provide the additional advantage of keeping a tipped over bike at an angle that makes it easier for the rider to pick it up, if necessary. SECURITY A lightweight motorcycle cover placed over your bike any time you’re resting will keep curious eyes and prying fingers away from your farkles. A lightweight cable with a combination lock is a quick and easy way to secure your riding jacket and helmet to the bike when you need to leave the bike to hike to a bonus location or to see a land- mark. No security measures will stop a determined thief, but employing a simple visual deterrent may cause them to seek an easier target. CONCLUSION In the long run, you have to decide what your priorities are and proceed according to your own plan. We can agree on top priorities like safety and comfort, but beyond arriving alive at the end of your ride, the way you farkle your bike is entirely up to you. Think things through and make sure you add them for the right reasons. FARKLING PRIORITIES