gear
Bike
A nice old bike, this burgundy 1999 Suzuki Katana GSX750F sport-touring model. Bought it new and never been in a major accident, touch wood. After-market grip warmers add a little comfort in the local climate and switching to steel-braided brake lines front and rear improved response significantly. Suspension is slightly tweaked. A DID Extreme chain rounds out the drive train with Metzeler Roadtec Z6 tires. Ventura's Bike-Pack System assists with luggage.
GPS
Our Satellite GPS receiver is an originally branded and unlocked HTC TyTN II smartphone. Even though the model is a few years old, another phone that's so robust and supports as much good software has yet to present itself. With so much technology packed inside for work and play, the phone is a bit on the heavy side, but that doesn't come up when riding.
Essential software includes TomTom Navigator 7 for trip planning, but the freeware Noni GPSPlot captures routes.
During rides, the phone sits in a Marsee tank bag with a mini-USB cable running to a 12-volt accessory socket under the seat for power.
- O.
Camera
My trusty five-year-old Canon PowerShot A520 with 4.0 mega pixels does its job and it does it well. I point, I click and the picture almost always turns out the way I want. The camera has the right balance of simplicity and functionality.
I like that it's slightly bulky for a digital PHD (press here dummy) because it's perfect for shooting on the bike while wearing leather gloves and holding it up against the headwind. I've dropped it on concrete at least three times so it rattles a bit when I shake it but hey, it still works!
- C.
