When a good friend owns a Harley dealership, it can be dangerous to a bike junkie (and your wallet). I lost count of how many I've owned over the years (most I had at one time was 9). Sold my last one last autumn due to progressing issues with injuries from the war making me unsure about being safe on two wheels (and I'm not big on the 3-wheel variants). I may pick up another one as it's tough not having one after 30+ years of riding but any long distance trips are just going to be memories. Some of the bikes I had over the years.
Well I have been thinking about selling off my klr650. Dual sports out here are getting ridiculous prices. Looking at cruisers. Maybe sportster? Japanese bobber? Probably some good deals in fall/winter.
Although they are classified that way, in my mind a Sportster really isn't a cruiser. I would say anything in the softail line more hits that definition - but those are spendy. That being said, I've known some gals to really put some miles on their Sprties (riding from Georgia to NY, then tour VT, NH, ME before heading back in less than a week). I liked my Suzuki Boulevard (C50) way back in 2008-2010. Looks like new is still under $10k. I think the M90's are more the sporty cruiser style (bobbed rear fender and some other differences).
Wife's Son-in-Law and someone I consider a best friend ha a scary day yesterday...Took his bike to a shop to get new tires and brakes, picked up the bike and on his way home he pulled over, called the shop and told them something did not seem right. They told him to bring it back on Tuesday. He did not feel comfortable, so he got off the highway and took the back road. Wheel locked up and tossed him over the handlebars. Luckily for him he wears a helmet broken toe, wrist...heavy road rash and severe bruising. Be careful out there my friends!
Oh man...that was always my worst nightmare as a bike mechanic...fortunately I only ever had 2 incidents...1 was forgetting to put the final torque on the engine oil drain bolt...customer saw the drip right away (whew!) and then left some fork/axle pinch bolts loose once, not good, but not likely gonna cause a major problem either...customer caught that one too. The boss was cool about it because screws ups/come backs weren't common on my jobs, and he said everybody drops the ball sooner or later...just try better next time. Glad things weren't worse for your buddy!
Absolutely agree. I’ve had a comeback or two, nothing major, thank goodness. Early on I installed a fork seal upside down. It didn’t leak for the very short test ride but same day it left, he called back. I’ll never forget it. Made me realize someone’s life is riding on your work. Left at 7a, just got home at 8:34. Over 500 wet miles today. Rain gear works well, bike is trashed.
Yikes! I got new tires on a trip once, a BMW shop in Tenn, bike felt like crap afterwards, put my good gauge on the rear tire and it pegged it at 60 lbs and broke the gauge. I bought a new cheapy pencil gauge at HD across the street and it read 110! I'm guessing the tech had a hard time getting the bead to seat and forgot to reset the pressure, thing is he test rode it before I left and he had no business putting that much pressure on my wheel and brand new tire. If you need that much pressure to get the bead to seat you're doing something wrong. I called them the next day and they said whoops, sorry.
I am wringing wet. Why I waited til it was 92F in the shade to spoon on a new rear tire shows I’m an idiot. The old tire had a couple thousand miles left but we are heading to Colorado soon. New tires rock! old tire has a build code of the 36th week of 2012 it was time for it to go
Yesterday, I took advantage of what I hope will be our last summer day with 80º temps. I fired up the little Wr250x and went for a ride. I live fairly close to Namekagon Lake, so I rode around the lake. I stopped at the dam that marks the start of the Namekagon River. From the dam, at the head of the river, it's possible to kayak or canoe the 1999.2 miles downstream, all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. The Namekagon flows into the St. Croix, which flows into the Mississippi... The wife and I have kayaked several sections of the Namekagon, but we have no plans to go that far south...LOL The dam... Looking down stream from the dam... My 2008 Yamaha Wr250x A couple of kayak shots..
