We’ll start with all the bits that have worn out, mostly because I’m a bad news first kind of guy. The hook and loop (commonly known by the brand name Velcro) of ten years ago could be compared to how sandals from the 1800’s compare to a sneaker from now. Let’s just say that if you have any jacket that’s 10 years old and has hook and loop then it’s most likely toast. The Commander is no exception. The cuffs loop gave out in year one and have been flapping free ever since. I don’t snug my cuff anyway. The liner loop stays closed tolerable after all these years. I had to hand stitch new loop for the storm collar because I continued to use it each year.

The second bit was the waterproof zippers on the chest vents. They are the fancy coated zippers and are laminated to the outer layer of the jacket. Like all good things the lamination has come to an end. I think I got about 8 years in before the zippers started to de-laminate. Again I hand stitched the zippers (very difficult, bytheway) and prolonged my journey.

Zipper pulls take quite a beating. Open close, open close, open close, stuck on the liner . . . dag nabbit! After 6 years I lost a vent pull. 9 years and the main pull on the jacket started to fail. Still attached but it’s only a matter of time. None of the zippers themselves have blown. Not too bad considering I close all the vents in the morning and open them in the afternoon 5 days a week.

And now the good bits. If you inspect my jacket you will notice the shell has taken all impacts without so much as a scratch (minus the two holes I burned into it years ago). I’m impressed every time I hit the ground. Full disclosure, I’ve never had a high speed letoff (don’t intend to), but I’ve been down more than once and this jacket carries on. It’s been comfortable and conforming for all these long years. I’ve always found it to be stylish and functional. The stitching has remained tight and the jacket was always ready for anything I could throw at it. Xtreme Distance Rider was as apt a sentiment as one could place on such a high quality jacket.

Unfortunately I must address the big purple elephant left in the room. Yes a purple elephant. With all the sun, rain, and more sun my once super cool black jacket is now a less cool black jacket with purple accents. I suppose I could hit it with some shoe polish, or two dozen sharpie markers, but instead I decided it was time to put the ole elephant out to pasture. Time to look for a suitable replacement.

Luckily I didn’t have to look for very long because I already knew I wanted the Scorpion Yukon jacket that came out a few years back. As luck would have it I bought one the moment my wife said I could and despite a certain carrier that shall remain unnamed for legal reasons, it arrived and was put to the test right out the gate. Check back in ten years and I’ll post up my Changing of the Guard 2.0 review. We’ll see if the Yukon can outlast the OG XDR Commander.

Mrs. Stovepipe is still wondering if I’m crazy (they have more politically correct words for it these days). And maybe I am. Crazy like a fox. It does indeed run, the gas tank is clean, and it has the original key that works for the ignition, gas hatch, two trunk locks, all four pannier locks, the CB cover lock, the radio release lock, the fairing cubby lock, and both helmet locks. In case you lost track, that is thirteen locks. ASPENCADE! This thing has a tape deck, CB radio, comm system, adjustable air suspension, and an onboard compressor to pump up tires. Stick with me and we’ll never run flat again.

The rear wheel was taken off by the PO to clean the tank and he said he put it back on without the spacers. As I discovered, the rear brake caliper bracket also wasn’t installed. I put the faux tank back on and several other pieces so I could get it back together. It almost looks complete. Not bad for one days work. I would have been able to fully assemble it except for the huge crack down the center of the rear tire. I got the spacers back on just to see how everything went but stopped there so I could mount a new tire. And that is where I am presently at. Next week I should have the title transferred and a collector plate so I can get this beast on the road.

I told Mrs. Stovepipe I would paint it so it didn’t look like a trash heap. If you consider the number of locks on this thing that’s about the number of panels that need paint too. Wish me luck.

UPDATE 11/10/18

I removed the carburators to give them a good cleaning. LittleStovePipe helped get the air filter houseing disassembled, and provided emotional support while I removed the lower fairing and other bits. I didn’t get any pictures but if you can imagine me cringing in fear and disbelief. It ran pretty good for being so plugged up. Not that it ran good. I got everything blown out and brushed up. It’s a bit of a pain to get the carbs in and out so hopfully I won’t have to repeat the procedure. She runs great. Smokes like a 40’s comic villain right now which should clear up with some spirited riding. Next up is to bleed the clutch because it’s pretty well non-existent at this point.

I bought this jacket several years ago and wish I could remember exactly when. It was over five years, of that I am certain. Since then it has been my constant riding companion. I don’t even take it off when the temps jump to triple digits. And yes there is a bit of regret at that point, but I’m still alive so nah nah.

Being an atgatt (all the gear all the time) kinda guy takes some dedication and good equipment. I consider my helmet, jacket, gloves and boots to be a must wear for every ride. Over the years I acquired overpants and thank goodness I added them to my must wear list before my first accident. But lets start from the beginning

It was January of 1985 and my mother . . . Oh, too far.

I remember when my jacket arrived in the mail. I had been using a bargain riding jacket for two or three years and had started to commute to work via bike. If you’ve ever ridden in Washington you know that quality gear is a must. So there I was with my very own Scorpion XDR jacket. Decked out with that new jacket smell, it was love at first sight.

The Commander has all the hallmarks of a right fine jacket of its era. Included are a quilted liner and a wind/rain proof liner. Scorpion put thumb loop cuffs on their XDR jacket liners which was a brilliant stroke. That extra bit over the hands has been a welcome treat over the years. It also works pretty decent as a standalone shell. The quilted liner is admittedly underwhelming and spent most of its life lost in the closet. Last year I turned it into a heated liner and breathed knew life into it. The rain liner goes where the jacket goes, wether in the jacket or a case or bag. Be prepared.

The main body of the jacket has more pockets than I can use, some of them water resistant. Several of them are very spacious. There is also a pouch on the back that houses some plastic bags and my Scorpion balaclava. All this and they found room for a hydration bladder and clip for the hose. The jacket does suffer for want of ventilation when the temps are above the 80’s, but I haven’t died yet so they do work.

The shining star of this jacket, (other than the super cool looks!) is the amount of custom adjustment the jacket provides. I am roughly the diameter of a tetherball pole with biceps like the incredible hulk. I doubt you believe the bicep thing, and if you are under 25 you might have to google tetherball. I am slender with an athletic build as it is sometime referred to, and the jacket is well fitted with the amazing side adjustment strap system.

I was wearing this very jacket when I got t-boned by a white Chevy pickup. I was also wearing it when I had a low side crash on my San Diego trip. There is, to this day not so much as an abrasion mark on this jacket. It’s like voodoo magic, or some other kind of magic, you choose.

So, is it love or something else? I think it is love.

UPDATE 2021: The end has come, and gone, for The Commander. Time for a new chapter in the riding gear archive.

To tell this story properly I’d need eight root beers, one bag of marshmallows, a greasy drop light, and a full rack of slow smoked pork ribs. I’ll try and make due without any of them, but pork ribs are really good.

Back in 2014 I was cruising home from work as I often did, and still do, on a motor bike. I had just returned from a family reunion in Oregon at the Cus Bay dunes. Having packed my street helmet in the tent trailer where it was unreachable, I grabbed my shiny new bright orange dual sport helmet. If you’ve seen my reviews or read my ride report, it’s become a staple of my riding life. Well this day was the first day I rode the streets with it. It was also they day I got creamed by a pickup truck. Wear your seatbelt kids.

After an ER visit, Physical Therapy, and some emotional distress compensation, I was shopping for a new bike. Adventure was the name of the game. And you can’t play “Adventure” game without an adventure bike.

ATTENTION: This next paragraph contains information about my personal life. If you have heart issues or history of stroke please consult a physician before continuing!

A bit about myself at this point. Each year my wife and I take turns deciding what to do for our anniversary. I like camping and my wife likes traveling. Our 2015 anniversary was upon us and we decided that getting a big adventure bike and riding the California coast to San Diego was the thing to do. She really had to twist my arm though to convince me. Funny side note, we almost didn’t have a bike for the trip. These things take time you know.

Everybody in the whole world knows that BMW makes adventure bikes. So does KTM, but alot of people think that is a Japanese brand for some reason. Anyway, the R1200GS was consistently rated with top marks for balancing street and dirt, and the Adventure model holds nine gallons of fuel. Since I hate filling up on gas this made good sense to me. Also, I could actually afford one at this point and figured I should get one now before something else came up.

After many months of research and searching, I found one locally at the Peninsula Motorcycle in Gorst, WA. As of this writing that wonderful shop has closed it’s doors. A moment of silence in remembrance.

I wheeled and dealed and verbally jousted my way to a succesful purchase. After adding the crash bars back on, a huge top case, and doing some service work, she was a two up riding machine. The rest, as they say, is history.

About a decade ago I bought my first pair of overpants. I was young, doe eyed, and saw the world through a bug splattered visor. I managed to grab a nice pair on clearence from the local bike shop and more than got my money’s worth. They were there for me in two crashes and I still use them today as snow pants.

After my last rider-meets-road incident, it was clear I needed new pants. By clear, I mean I could see right through the holes in the hip after the slide. I had been rocking the Scorpion Sports USA Commander XDR jacket for several years already. It was bomb proof, poop proof (dang seagulls), rain proof . . . “resistent”, and looks sharp as heck. Being a man who prefers to match, and having a more stable income, I decided it was time to buy my jacket a soul mate.

Enter stage left the Invasion overpant. Wooing me with all it’s well crafted matchy matchy square-ness. It’s as though they cut the jacket and pants from the same fancy designed, abrasion resistant, rip stop, jet black,vent zipping, ballistic nylon. It felt so right, and looked so good.

One of the draws for the invasion was a baked in waterproof shell. Being someone who rides 4 seasons, I can say with full conviction that I don’t like drop liners. The Invasion comes with a thermal drop liner for warmth, which I only use during the winter months. I just don’t like getting tangled in a hundred liners trying to get into my gear. I will be the first to point out that all things must fade, and after putting thousands of miles on my pants they need a spray repellents this year to keep yonder crotch seem dry.

As my jacket approaches the end of it’s earthly journey, my Invasion overpants will continue to provide me with many more years of well fitted, seat gripping glory. And when passing children ask how I manage to match so well, my response will always be . . . “stay in school, kids”.

Is it the overpants that make me so wise? No. But they sure do look good.

I value my hands. I may be the only one in the whole world who does. The results are inconclusive on that, but there are plenty of styles to choose from. I need leather/textile and solid knuckles with my gloves as mandatory features. This can limit the flow of air but will leave all the skin on my hands, so I consider it a win. In the end there are several good options for warm weather and the Klaw II met all my essentials and comes in at a great price.

The advantage of a short cuff is they tend to fit better on my hand. Like the proverbial glove so often mentioned. These were no exception. My hands consist of average length fingers and large square shaped palms. The only tight spots were the thumbs which tends to be consistent with other brands as well. They also rub the web of my hand on the left glove during sustained stop and go clutching. Seeing as stop and go is generally unpleasant anyway I don’t consider this an epic failing.

The seems are all double stitched. The fingers are pre-curved and have stretch panels with TPU sliders. A padded heel compliments a large panel that covers the blade of the hand for slide protection. And literally topping then off is a nice floating molded knuckle guard. These gloves fit well and have held up great, with only a light fuzzing of the of the finger panels.

All in all if you shop around you will find a great deal on a great glove, and if you are dressed like me, you’ll even match like crazy!

Oddly enough they arrive like a brick of coca-hína from a bad 80’s cop show. Inside is a nice box with the levers in bubble wrap and cut foam.

They are sold by about two dozen no name companies that rebrand the same thing over and over. I bought the MZS ones from ebay. They have a slight texture, you know for better grip on the top of the lever. Yes the top, that part that doesn’t really get used. Anyway, I paid $10 less on ebay than amazon wanted, so for $22 shipped to my door in under a week I did pretty good for myself.

Well, short is a bit of a stretch and since the same guy is machining all the inexpensive ones this is what you get. Three fingers if you want them. Would be nice to see a true short lever pop up. So they obviously aren’t doing any good sitting in the box. Time for the install. As a side note I chose to leave my handguards in place.

First things first on the brake side, move the throttle cable out of its clip and adjust it out of the way. Then remove the bolt holding the lever on. No picture but there is a nut on the bottom of the bolt so grab an 8mm wrench or socket too. Give the lever a firm pull the separate the linkage from its socket. 

You’ll need to press out the brass bushing so you can transfer the linkage to the new lever. I used the same torx bit to remove the bolt and press out the bushing.

Ah, the infamous spring I read so much about but was never photographed in the wild. Make sure you point the linkage in a safe direction and keep a finger over the end so it doesn’t pop out when the bushing comes free. It isn’t under an extreme load, but enough to take flight should the occasion call for it.

I took the opportunity to clean up the linkage. If you like dirt then they go back together all the same with it still on. I recon this will be the one and only time mine get “the treatment”. The brake has a dogleg on the end while the clutch does not.

Getting the brass bushing back in is the most difficult part and required a few light taps with an implement of force. Again the torx socket bit is great. Keep in mind our old friend the spring is keeping tension on the linkage and preventing the hole from lining up.

Both linkages came out with some grease so they got some new white lithium grease before going back in. Once you get the socket back in the slot just give it a firm push until it seats. Line up the bushing and get the bolt and nut snugged down.

Final install check revealed the bolts that hold the lever pivot were not tight. They tighten with a nylock nut on the underside and it appears easiest for the manufacturer to secure them without snugging them down. I took care of this myself to tighten up the feel of the levers. There did not appear to be any risk of separation due to the use of the nylock nut.

Done! The other side is exactly the same. Which is a shame because I took picture of both with my greasy hands the whole time. These are amazing and I would suggest everyone get a pair of aftermarket levers. The adjusments make setup a breeze and my clutching is much smoother. They come in short and long, even adjustable. For $22 bucks it might be the best farkle bought this year.

Step one of course was removing the caliper and pulling the old rotor off. Caliper is super easy to remove. The rotor requires a bit of heat to each bolt and a torx bit long enought to clear the housing. I used a butane torch and a torx bit in an extension driver with a bit of painters tape to protect the final drive.

Out with the old and in with the new. Wavy rotors look waaaay cooler than OEM. Oh yeah, and they dissipate heat better or some such. After the old rotor came off the bolts got the wire brush treatment and the bolt holes needed some cleaning to remove the old thread locking compound.

Once everything is cleaned up, including removal of the coating on the new rotor, time to install. New thread locker is needed for each bolt.

Back in the way it came out. I fitted the first bolt and snugged it down so I could spin the rotor an do the opposing bolt to prevent the rotor from flopping everywhere. Once you snug them all up they get an inital torque of 12 nm, then a final of 30 nm.

Braking brand recommends new pads to bed in a new rotor. Lucky me I hads some. What no one ever mentions is the perfect storm they both make. I’m still amazed I even got the caliper back on with those new pads. Almost took longer than the whole rest of the process. 

My caliper pad pin is pretty well at its service limit by next pad change. I greased the caliper with moly at all the good spots and will order a new pin set with my next pads.

200 mile break in after the inital bed in process. I commute on my bike so that was about a week but it feels like forever. With the new short levers I installed the brakes feel great and work great too. We’ll see how they do now the rain is back. I’ll post an update after some good wet weather commuting.