There have been multiple days the last couple weeks I thought about taking the bike out. This up and down weather is a cruel mistress!
Who`s Riding today???
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We need an indoor arena ....,
An indoor motorcycle arena would be awesome lol. Dome off a run down city and fix er up. I would go lol
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613 Posts
I'll see what I can find ....,
This year I shook down a bagger type sport bike for most of the summer and up to a day ago give or take. It blew a fork seal, so I swapped the daily driver and parked the bagger on the rack.
I get on the daily and this is a night and day throttle response, plus I don't know if it's a worn tire or I can feel both characteristics of the steering's rake and trail response? Funny, I'm within hours of swapping bikes, and the daily felt so strange.
It more got away from me a split second or less catching the response; as if I'm throttling up the bagger. This thing is more a bottom end bullet. So that felt better darting away and playing with traffic. But the real kicker for me was how the daily felt. I had to tug more at the bars to keep it in the turn, where the bagger wouldn't need any input.
Then early morning working on the nephew's crasher, I had to run out for longer bolts. Hopped on the daily, and all of a sudden it feels like normal. The steering no longer stands out as odd. Coming back, three lane turns into two. I'm in the lane that is closing down. Car is speeding up behind me, I'm seeing that car is about to cut me off so I hammer it when the car is about 3 cars back.
I more or less pissed S/he(?) off than thinking. S/he had a chance to pass me and who knows, the car was coming up fast. HA! I made some distance, but S/he kept coming. The road was clear so S/he never caught up. And that was today's parts run... so much fun.
I get on the daily and this is a night and day throttle response, plus I don't know if it's a worn tire or I can feel both characteristics of the steering's rake and trail response? Funny, I'm within hours of swapping bikes, and the daily felt so strange.
It more got away from me a split second or less catching the response; as if I'm throttling up the bagger. This thing is more a bottom end bullet. So that felt better darting away and playing with traffic. But the real kicker for me was how the daily felt. I had to tug more at the bars to keep it in the turn, where the bagger wouldn't need any input.
Then early morning working on the nephew's crasher, I had to run out for longer bolts. Hopped on the daily, and all of a sudden it feels like normal. The steering no longer stands out as odd. Coming back, three lane turns into two. I'm in the lane that is closing down. Car is speeding up behind me, I'm seeing that car is about to cut me off so I hammer it when the car is about 3 cars back.
I more or less pissed S/he(?) off than thinking. S/he had a chance to pass me and who knows, the car was coming up fast. HA! I made some distance, but S/he kept coming. The road was clear so S/he never caught up. And that was today's parts run... so much fun.
Went for a couple rides over the holiday weekend. Afternoon temps around 50F or so. Was nice. Went out to leave for work this morning and had to stand there for a minute with the garage door open, having that internal debate about whether to ride to work. The temp would have been fine (weather app said 33°), but the roads were still wet from yesterday's rains, so decided against it. To many risk factors adding up - riding in the dark, on wet roads, temps near freezing, car drivers no longer expecting motorcycles.... Tomorrow morning supposed to be similar temps or maybe just a tad warmer. If the roads look dry, I'll maybe give one more go. That'll be a game-time decision.
I grew up watching indoor ice races at the hockey rink near me. Those guys are wild, that's a trip to watch. I think my favorite was Jay Springsteen in the big 600 class, with 5 bikes on the ice all crowding for what little space there was. Saw some guys get messed up as well, that's no good. Those inch-and-a-half ice studs do a number on a leg.
Well, I did end up riding to work on Tuesday. And it worked out quite well. Was a nice day, temps peaked around 50F or so. So I rode to work, then got a call from the dealership that my financing to buy the lease out of my Subaru was ready, so I rode 60 miles to another city to go get that done, then home again. All in all it was about a 120 mile day. I'll take it.
Too cold and damp the last two mornings, but I have hopes for tomorrow. Looks to be a nicer day (at least as predicted), so if it's dry and above freezing at 6:30, I'll be on the bike. Then they are predicting maybe even a bit warmer for over the weekend, so we'll get some riding in then as well. Michigan winters sure aren't how they used to be.
I rode mine today, only the second time ever and brought the other half with me, she hated it and said its the most uncomfortable bike she has ever been on!
Anyway on the way back gave it a squirt to see what it would do and yeah, totally fast enough to out pace most cars, I was quite pleasantly surprised with the acceleration, no super bike but no slouch.
Its a tight squeeze 2 up on a 83 750 with zero spare space between us, I'm about 240lb and she is 135lb and the backrest angle was the issue , looks cool but less than 10 miles in and I was "getting it in the ear" !
I need to loose 40lb
Anyway on the way back gave it a squirt to see what it would do and yeah, totally fast enough to out pace most cars, I was quite pleasantly surprised with the acceleration, no super bike but no slouch.
Its a tight squeeze 2 up on a 83 750 with zero spare space between us, I'm about 240lb and she is 135lb and the backrest angle was the issue , looks cool but less than 10 miles in and I was "getting it in the ear" !
I need to loose 40lb
I've been working on an old RV. I rode my Spirit to my Mom's to get the RV ready to move. I have to get the RV in good enough running condition before I decide what to do with it for sure. I already rebuilt the overhead portion. I am trying to decide whether to flat bed the back half of the RV or maybe add a 5th wheel capability or leave it as a full RV. I was thinking that a flat bed I could put motorcycle tie downs for some quick rides and some creature comforts on the ride.
Lots of the toy hauler RVs put a fold down door/ramp on the back. If you want 5th wheel plus toy hauling you could flatbed it and use one of those removable 5th wheel hitches, then use the same crossbars to tie the bike down that you use to pin the hitch on.
I did ride to work this morning. It was... brisk, as my Grandma would say. Two weather apps had it at 33°, the local weather station said 31, and the old thermometer on the wall of the garage said 32° on the money. So I averaged it out to be 32.25°F, which is technically above freezing, right? And the roads were dry, so I bundled up and off I went. It should be something like 45° for the ride home, which is fine.
As cold as it was, still better than a car. And now I have commuted to work on the bike in December.😀
We thought about it as we had a warm day.bit 40 mile winds so went christmas shopping
I am working on getting my Baby back up so I can RIDE...
Hadda flat a few weeks back and just now getting around to fix that issue...
Got the rear wheel off, broke the bead and pulled the tube outta there...
I`ll see about getting one tomorrow, as I started too late today to catch HONDA open...
BUT I WILL Be riding soon,
Dennis
80 for the high today in southwest GA
Nice Bike RUNNER69
Hadda flat a few weeks back and just now getting around to fix that issue...
Got the rear wheel off, broke the bead and pulled the tube outta there...
I`ll see about getting one tomorrow, as I started too late today to catch HONDA open...
BUT I WILL Be riding soon,
Dennis
80 for the high today in southwest GA
Nice Bike RUNNER69
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