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Congestion toll cameras are installed, track day gear, and a gem of a road

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July 24, 2023

Together with Cross Country Cycle

Need to know…

  1. This week’s 🛞🛞 Two Wheel Tuesday is back at 18th Ward; same rule applies: NO REVVING!

  2. Bikes & Breakfast back in the Palisades @ 9W Market this coming Sunday 🥓 🥚 🍳 🏍️ 

  3. ⛔️ ⚠️ Some roads are re-opening but we’re still seeing a good number of our favorite Hudson Valley roads closed from the flooding; check the map before you go out

  4. 🏍️ The Royal Enfield 650 and Triumph’s 400’s are coming; hit up Cross Country Powersports for info

  5. 🌅 🏍️ Nothing like Golden Hour at Classic Car Club hosting Two Wheel Tuesday. Perfection.

  6. Seriously enjoying these 🏎️ ⏯️ car stories from our friends at PROJECT1; beautifully done!

  7. 🪖 🌬️ The new Alpinestars Supertech R10 is a serious contender for your top shelf

Congestion pricing so real you can 👀 see it

The truth lies somewhere between this:

“It’s a good plan,” he told The Post. “[It’s an] extremely inviting project.”

… and this:

“Murphy called the tolls “anti-environmental, anti-commuter, and anti-business.”

For real though, the equipment has already been installed on the West side of Manhattan:

I’m not saying you should tuck your plates butttttt

I get the why behind it but it’s the actual implementation that’s got us all shooketh.

Sure, Europe also loves its congestion pricing but consider two things:

  1. Motorcycles and scooters are charged a different rate

  2. In some cities, two wheeled vehicles outnumber cars 4:1 so yeah, they actually do add to congestion

Motorcycles are toys in the city (not talking about delivery scooters here; another story all together) and are outnumbered by cars 50:1 (I counted). At that ratio, I would venture to say that motorcycles actually aid congestion but at the very least, do not contribute to it. Leave us the fuck alone.

Software takes time so from what I understand, they are gearing up for a final release of this lovely tech in Spring of 2024.

And finally, a quick note on the lack of exemptions:

“However, many are asking for exemptions to the tolls – including taxi and rideshare drivers, like Uber and Lyft – but the board says there will be very few offered, as the goal is to encourage commuters to take public transportation systems into the city, according to ABC 7.”

I’m not here to complain about the prices of ride share; I’ll let those that rely on Ubers around the city comment on that. But please note the lack of exemptions for 2 wheeled vehicles. No-plate bikes are going to become the norm and I wonder if the NYPD is going to get more aggressive with taking bikes since not having a plate now means that you are likely avoiding paying tolls, especially if you’re caught with no plates around these cameras.

My track day gear…

I’m heading out to NYST this weekend with my Streetfighter V4S.

Here’s the gear I’ve got on deck:

I love all of my gear. Incredibly comfortable and indispensable. You can go more expensive (custom one-piece suit), different (one-piece and/or airbag), cheaper (everything here is more or less top-of-the-line), but the number of pieces you use on track will remain the same.

Let’s break it down:

The base layer is arguably one of the most important pieces of kit for the track. These come in a one-piece or two-piece (as pictured) and make sliding in and out of the track suit a breeze, and keeps you cool in the summer. Put the base layer on and wear it around the house. The best way I can describe the feeling is it amplifies any breeze and chills you down. It’s so good. I use Dainese’s Dry top & bottom.

The socks are use are calf-length Bombas; nothing special but make sure they’re athletic and aren’t thick. Dainese makes socks too.

  • The jacket is super comfortable and I wear on the street as well so long as the temps are below 70F.

  • The pants zip right into the jacket and are great for the track. Make sure to get the perforated variant to let some air through as you ride.

  • These gloves go inside the jacket and do take some time to break in. I only really use these on the track.

I use the Arai Corsair-X (Reset livery) with a detachable smoke visor. Helmets are head-specific and while the Arai fits great on my head, your best fit helmet might be a Shoei. Head to a dealer to try on lids.

The boots are Dainese Axial D1 but do yourself a favor and get the perforated version. My feet don’t really heat up so I’m OK with the solid variant. Keep in mind that these boots go under the pants and secure via velcro so make sure you’re getting boots to match whatever pants you are buying.

One thing I don’t list that I’d strongly recommend you try are ear plugs. I’ve tried a bunch of different ones but the ear plugs that I would recommend the most are the garden variety foam plugs. The others have either gotten stuck in my ear (worst feeling ever) or are just a pain in the ass to get a proper seal. If you’re going to use something other foam, grab the Loop Quiet plugs. Ear plugs aren’t for everyone but wearing them makes me far less worn out after each session. I’d start your first 1-2 sessions without them so you can get used to the bike on track and then wear them for the rest of the sessions.

We’ve been hit hard with flooding over the past few weeks with some roads seeing severe damage, forcing closures. Not only do we have to avoid those roads but also have to keep an eye on traffic spilling over onto the alternatives.

Riding up 684 isn’t ideal but it gets us far enough away from the mess on the West side of Bear Mountain and secondary roads. If you’re reading this after the roads have been repaired or heading out in the early morning on a weekday, feel free to change things up. Just make sure you hit the full length of 301 on the way to Cold Spring.

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