Q: Once again, whats the blog all about?
A: The blog, once again, is all about motorcycling in Armenia, particularly about motorcycling in Armenia from my perspective and experience.
Q: You get money through all this or something?
A: No. In fact I could, but I am not planning to make any profit through anything I do that involves riding a motorcycle.
Q: Are you in a M/C club of some sort?
A: Yuppie, I'm a proud member of the Armenian branch of Hye Riders M/C club, however this website is not anyhow affiliated with the club and is a very personal undertaking.
Q: Can you help me with buying a motorcycle?
A: Perhaps.
Q: Can you help me with fixing my motorcycle, or with finding some part for it?
A: Perhaps!
Q: I love motorcycles and I want to ride a motorcycle. Could you please teach me?
A: No, but I can find someone who can help!
Q: I am a hot chick and I want to ride a motorcycle. Could you please teach me?
A: Why not?
Q: Why don't my comments appear on your blog as I submit them?
A: Because they need to be moderated first. Once I approve them, they will appear, so there is no need to write the same comment more than once - just wait.
Q: Hey! I love Blogster! How can I promote it?
A: It's easy, if you're a blog owner: just link to the Blogster! If you want to go even further and put up a banner, why don't you ask me for a banner of the right size right here? You can also promote it by screaming about it in the streets, writing its address on your t-shirt or your vehicle, writing a virus that sets people's homepages to the Blogster, etc. Any promotion would be highly appreciated and credited!
Q: Why does the top image look so lame with a gray background and doesn't fit into the overall design of the blog?
A: Because you're using Internet Explorer (IE) version <7, which has the famous bug of displaying transparent PNGs. Use Firefox or any other browser that supports transparent PNGs, or upgrade to IE7. No, I won't replace it with a GIF. Principally.
I'll be back in a week. I'm off working now. Meh, must work!
"Man is for woman a means: the purpose is always the child. But what is woman for man?
The real man wants two different things: danger and play. Therefore he wants woman, as the most dangerous plaything." -- Excerpt from "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" by Friedrich Nietzsche,
part I, chapter XVIII, "Old And Young Women"And perhaps the motives behind irresistible attraction, addiction and passion for motorcycles are also revealed through those words.
Its still winter, so tuning up the Blogster is what I do will keep doing about motorcycling most of the time before the Season opens. This time it's the calendar at the right.
And everyone who knows me would admit - a calendar is vital for an unorganized being like me. So from now on we get all the kewl features that Google Calendar has to offer, including but not limited to event invitations, sharing, XML/iCal format etc, all used within the context of motorcycling in Armenia!
Man I am feeling so organized now... Isn't it time for my lunch already? Meh!
Rails
Even though they are being removed for the 4th year already, the rails are still there - looking innocent, but in reality very slippery and dangerous. I don't know any motorcyclist who didn't slip on a rail yet (except myself), so always keep that in mind every time you come to cross a rail. Never ever pass the rail in parallel. The closer you keep your crossing angle to 90 degrees, the less likely you are to skid. Do not rapidly accelerate or brake, when any of your wheels is (or will shortly be) on a rail. In places like Komitasi Shuka or the metro station Barekamutyun, it's better to wait until the freaking minivans finally move, rather than to get on the 4th lane between the 2 rails and push the throttle.
Pedestrians
If the rails tip may seem a bit common for all cities in the world, this one here is a bit more Yerevan-specific. Pedestrians here are like characters of a video game, who appear randomly in random locations, and your mission is to successfully dodge them (or else it's a game-over, baby). They cross the street wherever they want, whenever they want and however they want. Walking in the middle of the street and talking to friends is not a rare occasion, and the police doesn't give a flying damn. In fact, if they catch you in a really tough situation, when they're walking in the middle of the street blind-spot area, and you hardly squeeze your both brakes to stop in a centimeter from them, don't be amused if they call you a whore. Man. Also, keep in mind - no matter the situation, if you hit a pedestrian, you'll be the one blamed.
Animals
More specifically, dogs. There are dozens of homeless dogs in Yerevan who live a hungry and miserable life and hate happy people - motorcyclists. Some of them hate the turning wheels, some of them hate the engine sound, and few of them hate the rider himself. Slowly approach the dog, then quickly accelerate away. Do not perform extraordinary actions and movements, do not kick, or else you may fall. Specifically beware of the dogs who bark at you, not the bike: they may jump on you. Also, in the suburbs of Yerevan, you may encounter calf and horses. Be very careful when you are close, or else you may get an improper and dangerous reaction.
Potholes
Hell lots of them. There usually are 3 types of potholes: worn asphalt, construction work or an open sewer. All of these are common, but if you fall into the last one, you will most definitely end up in a hospital with a permanently damaged motorcycle. Always try to dodge the potholes to the right direction (the opposite of left, not the opposite of wrong, though you could say that), and if at the end you realize you don't have enough time and space left to dodge the pothole, straighten the bike, grab the handlebar firm and get into it. Unless it's an open sewer, because in that case it's better to skid to the right and fall. Be especially careful when riding in the rain and in the nights.
Nights
Nights? They are not only the times when the potholes are totally invisible. Nights are specifically dangerous in Yerevan, because in the nights the car drivers do not stop on the red traffic light!! Why? I don't know, but they do 90kmh and don't give no shit about any single traffic regulation. The reason may be that they are late. Another reason may be that there is no traffic police in the nights. Whatever the reason, be double, triple careful when riding in the nights. Double check all crossroads before entering them. Check your mirrors with increased frequency. When crossing a crossroad, protect yourself with other vehicles going the same direction at your left and at your right. Nights are a survival, and the mission is to make it to the destination!
Minivan buses (Marshrutkas)
Minivan buses in Yerevan are called Marshrutkas and are driven by creatures called 'Marshrutka drivers'. They look like they are 'built' into their minivans, rather planted, rather: integrated! But the sad part is that the resulting 'integrated vehicle' does not have turn signals, a horn, uses the driving license of his friend, carries 40 pedestrians having a maximum limit of 15, stops randomly in random locations and occasionally has its door open when driving full-speed on the 3rd lane!! They are swearing-resistant, horn-resistant and passing-light-resistant, nothing works with them. They may turn to the 1st lane straight from the last lane without using the turn signal (which is broken anyway) just to unload a passenger on the precise coordinates. Never ride on the right lane of a minivan. Just don't get close and you'll be alright.
Trolley cables
Yes, they're high above, but sometimes they just tear apart and hang down. Believe me: a hanged down trolley rope is really hard to notice and to expect, since it is a relatively rare encounter, but it is very dangerous and will fall you down 100%! There can't really be an advice here except wearing a helmet and being always extra careful when riding on a trolleybus-enabled street.
Sand
Here's something to think about: last year most of Armenia's economic growth came from the construction sector. Here's another thing to think about: they say that sand for a motorcycle is more dangerous than ice. Now combine these two. Scary? It should be! I've had my most embarrassing fallovers because of sand, so there's a good lesson to learn – do not mess with it! Rapid braking, turning or even rapid accelerating on sand may and will fall you over, and if you're riding a shiny cruiser like I am, the nickels will be so scratched that you'll think about replacing your exhaust pipes ever since! Sand is very, very dangerous. Do not follow a construction truck carrying it. Do not ride close to construction sites. Do not ride close to the pavement. When on sand, keep the handlebar firm and straight, do not turn, brake or accelerate rapidly. Falling on sand is painful, ugly and embarrassing.
Cars
Not as extreme as the minivan buses, but in much bigger quantities than the minivans can ever be. There are different types of cars to beware of. I personally look for white 4x4 LADAs. Now I hate to overgeneralize, but the experience shows a total lack of responsibility and driving ethics among the owners of these models. I assume a serious neuropsychological paper could be written about why irresponsible asses are subconsciously attracted to the white color and shape of that specific model, but that isn't our business anyway, and we will simply try to keep away from them, as well as from any other cars with ridiculously plain license plate numbers. Police cars, ambulance and fire trucks are also quite dangerous. Another type of dangerous cars are the taxis and the cars that obviously come from a distant village of Armenia – they haven't seen a motorcycle in traffic and don't know how to react to it!
Vardevar
If you are a local, you can skip this and jump to the last two sentences. If you're a foreigner, Vardevar is a national Armenian holiday that has roots in pagan Armenian culture. We can call it a 'national heritage'. Vardevar is celebrated on the third Sunday of the July month. The problem is in the means of its celebration. Basically most of Armenians come out to the streets on that day with gallons of water and pour it on each other violently. However, since civil society (in a broad meaning) is in its stage of establishment yet in Armenia, these people do not know when to stop, when to do and when to not do. This causes numerous road accidents and injuries. Needless to say, motorcyclists attract an even brighter attention and have less chances of passing unspotted. Simply put, riders in Armenia do not ride on Vardevar. Period.
Woopie? What is that at the right? Something gray? Maybe a dirty spot? Hell no, that's the new section called 'Roads I've Been On' - and it is exactly what it says it is!!
Click to open, red roads are marked as visited, the rest is yet an adventure, simple as that. Envy me? Join for the rest!
Well well. Time to move on I guess to a more serious stuff. Let's see what do we have to do for the Season'07.
- Replace the front wheel. It's not really worn yet, but a brand new one would feel more confident on gravel. Should be Dunlop, stock. Will cost too much. Darn.
- Replace the engine valve bands. Enough burning oil. 40 euros. Replacement is free.
- Replace the drive chain. Totally worn. Will cost around 100 euros if stock, and perhaps twice less if bought on eBay.
- Purchase a new helmet. Current helmet is in a perfect condition, but its safety period (3 years) is passed. Besides I want to move to a less-noob half-helmet or 1/4 (current one is 3/4). Gonna cost around 50 euros, half helmets are fortunately cheap.
- Purchase new gloves! Current gloves are worn, besides I'm tired of full gloves and I want some cut-finger experience as a real cruiser guy. How about I just cut their worn fingers?
- Replaceable hand patch for the coat! I've had this idea for a while already, its about time I implement it!
- Replace turn signals with stock. Around 40 euros. Sick of them braking down with every pothole.
- Buy a new motorcycle!!! BUY A NEW ONE! 500cc-700cc cruiser, I want a new motorcycle! Oh Lord, I want a new higher-cc motorcycle. Will take a loan and buy it, whatever.
- Accordingly, sell my Rebel. "I will sell this house today... I will sell this house... today."
- Re-obtain my lost A-class driving license document. Should cost around AMD14,000.
- Not have a single crash during the season. God help me ride safe.
- Replace the headlight with a more powerful one.
- Replace the battery.
- Buy new spark-plugs!
- Travel, travel, travel
- Blog, blog, blog
- Have fun.
This list will be updated during the season. Points will be marked upon being complete. That's all, so far. Be safe, have fun.
For those non-illuminated - this is my blog about motorcycling in Armenia. I'm quite proud, too, to be confident that it must be the first and only one in Armenia by this time (and most likely for another couple of years as well, Welcome to Armenia, Noah's Route, Your Route). This is a place where I am going to post most of my motorcycling experience throughout the season, bunch of valuable tips for motorcycling in Armenia, any bike-for-sales that happen to take place in my reality, all surely combined with multimedia (that's a fancy way of saying pics, sounds and videos) for you to enjoy!
The reason, I guess, is to promote motorcycling in Armenia. However it seems to be a reason that is too noble (and pathetic) for a dude like me, so it might as well be just keeping all the experience I need written somewhere, so that I can refer to it later for my personal needs. And keeping it blogged helps me keep my own HD free of garbage. Why not have the blog posts private then? Because they are public by default, so why bother!
Cinque.. quattro.. tre.. duo.. uno.. Gia!!
That's right, YAFP MCMXII, and I'm starting my MCMXIIth attempt of Blogging (should we call this a Blogster2?), with a deep belief (as always) that this time it will be luckier than the previous times. Considering all the cutting-edge tools and technologies that I have at my disposal with Google, this blog has all the chances! Considering on the other hand my personal irresponsibility, laziness and the frequency at which the world (including motorcycling) does not make any sense to me, it will perish just like the ones before it!
However, I am hopeful that the technologies will overwhelm the rest. I want to be blogging. Even if only for a season. If only for a season... must... blog... Aaargh!!!
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