Sunday morning, perfect weather, the air was about 60 degrees, beautiful sunrise, another quick 50 miles. Got lots of practice maintaining proper speed and lane position setting up for long sweepers on a windy road at ~ 65mph. Got more comfortable with higher speeds on the long, empty straights. One of the best parts about a motorcycle, this rookie had discovered, is that speed bleeds off fast when you let off throttle and even faster if you sit bolt upright... Makes for fun high speed straights and safely then cresting hills (safe and legal in case there's a revenue collector on the other side of the hill.) Image Unavailable, Please Login
Great bike choice. I was thissssss close to getting one of those when they first came out but decided to go with a faired bike instead. Did you already consider a flip up helmet? They are getting really good these days. They really are nice when you do some heavy traffic slow stuff and then pop down for highway. Great to read of your adventures!
I'll remember that and try the same road. Thanks! Thanks. The fold down helmet seemed gimmicky? But maybe worth another look in the spring. My latest lessons came as a matched pair... First, upon arriving home from the grocery store, turn the key to the off position before you worry about getting the milk into the icebox. Second, push-starting a motorcycle whose key has been left in the on position for 36 hours is next to impossible on level grass or concrete.
I can give a very high recommendation for a Roof Boxer Flip Up Helmet. I wrote a small review shortly after getting mine. Roof Boxer Helmet - Oh Yeah
Where has all this motorcycle **** been all my life? I've put well over 1000 miles on the bike in 27 days. It's starting to become second nature... today I was riding it and just felt totally as one with the bike. Smooth shifting, braking, nailing the timing at stoplights by slowing to nearly a stop, but keeping my balance until the instant it turns green, smooth takeoffs, rapid & smooth upshifts & downshifts. Debating on whether to ride it the 230 miles to Dallas for the long Labor Day weekend. Longest trip so far has been 150+ miles. I might bring it in the pickup... If I don't have it with me I'll feel like I wasted a good long weekend.
I also keep reminding myself that this confidence could bite me if I start taking unnecessary chances or getting distracted or not leaving myself enough margin for error... one of the best parts to me about riding is that it is an event, from putting on the gear to choosing a route, it's like a mini adventure. I know, sounds silly. But true.
No, but the 919 is about to be. I rode the crap out of it in August, 1300+ miles total I think. It was a blast! But I've been busy/travelling the past week. About a week or so ago, I made rookie mistake... got off the bike to say howdy to a buddy and didn't set the kickstand down properly (the gutter where road/curb met was a decievingly steep angle) and as I was walking away from the bike, it toppled over to the right. DOH! Very minor damage, no paint got scratched, thanks to the "frame saver" pegs I think they're called, but still sucked and took the fun out of riding that week. So I ordered a new turn signal and brake lever... I still have my spare levers under the seat thanks to Uro's suggestion, but I think I'll put some of the CNC'd and Anodized folding/adjustable length ones on to replace the broken ones, and keep those spares as spares. Also, I've bought a new rear tire, because it was time, and I ordered a new front and rear sprocket set that alters RPM/wheelspeed ratio.... new chain too. The sprocket change should result in slightly lower RPM on the highway without giving up anything noticeable off the line. The 919 guys say that the sprocket change, combined with the Power Commander III fuel mapping I've already done, turn the 919 from a really good sport/touring bike to totally great one. So I am dropping the bike off this weekend at the motorcycle repair place to get pampered while I am busy with work next week... They'll do the oil change, change the rear tire/sprockets/chain, and check the alignment on the front because it seems a tiny hair off, after the bike fell. I am hoping to do another 1,000+ miles of pleasure riding total before it turns cold in the fall (I am a big whimp )
I needed a new back tire, front one has plenty left. The rear tire on it now is far more worn in the middle, not on the edges... I've heard it put that "it still has chicken strips". My thinking is, change rear, put a couple thousand more miles on the good front and the used rear, and then buy new matching, minty fresh rubber in the springtime. The 2 reasons I'm self-justifying this are: 1. Local craigslist seller had a non-matching brand, but correct size rear tire, 95% of the tread left, still has the nibblie things on the edge, pulled off a bike that got wrecked. I got it for $40.00. 2. I think the front end got tweaked a hair when I let it fall over. So until I am certain that the front is back to normal, any riding on the front could be wearing that tire out at a higher rate/wierd pattern. Am I being penny wise and pound foolish?
Bikes are more stout than you would think. I'd be really surprised if a tip over tweaked the front forks.
Well crap. My bike was stolen Sunday night. I rode it to my girlfriend's house Sunday before flying out of town on business. When I got there, I left the key on for 20 minutes and the battery died. The battery was really weak already and so I went searching around town for a new one. Being Sunday I didn't find one the right size, so I had to leave it there and go get on a plane. It was parked on a heavily trafficked street but very plainly out in the open, with lots of houses and businesses around. Even in the middle of the night that would be a risky place to steal a vehicle, so the thieves were pretty brazen. She was out of town Sunday night as well, but upon returning home Monday, she noticed it was gone. Police report filed, police confirmed they did not request a tow, lots of other vehicles parked on that street. I owned it, no liens.
Wow, that really sucks. I hate thieves. Around here they were stealing them by rolling them up into vans. Gone in a minute.
Well, they found it, and it was together with another stolen bike (stolen from same neighborhood here) parked at a motel about 4 hours away in the Fort Worth/Lake Worth area. No word on condition or how I can get it back, both the Lake Worth PD detective and my insurance adjuster are on vacation until Monday. They did say it looked like the ignition was popped. At this point I see it as decidedly IN-convenient that they found my bike, because I had already allowed myself to "let that one go" and think about what I might do next, motorcycle-wise. But the good news is, unless they installed a battery, they never started it and rode it. So if they managed not to lay it down, and never rode it, then I * might * get my bike back in the same condition as when it was stolen. Which would be the ideal outcome.
glad they found it, and I hope you get it back in reasonably good condition. sounds like a broken ignition housing/steering lock should be the only damage. and take some weird pleasure in knowing they stole a motorcycle only to find out it doesn't start
