Gonna Buy a Motorcycle

You can ride in the sidecar and man the machine gun.

[Elspode]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Keep 3 to 4 seconds from the rear of any vehicle in front of you. More if you are traveling at higher speeds. I will watch a car pass a stationary object on the side of the road and count, One Thousand, Two Thousand, Three Thousand, Four Thousand and see how long it takes for me to pass it. If I am faster on it I try to slow.

I also shift from the right to the left depending on how traffic is in front of me. If there are few cars or cars moving slowly I tend to the right so that on coming cars can see me before they try to pass the cars in front of them, which would put them in your lane coming at you. If the on coming traffic is light, I tend to the left so the cars you are following can see you.

Every time you approach an intersection with cars waiting to enter, or an area with cars waiting to turn into the traffic, cover your front break and rear break with your hand and foot respectively in anticipation of the need for emergency breaking. Continually scan and always expect them to do the unnatural and unexpected. Assume they can't see you, always.

Check. I have always been prepared on all controls when approaching intersections. Left foot on gearshift, left hand ready to clutch for the downshift, right hand on front brake, right foot on rear brake.

When riding, I always position myself in the lane so that the maximum number of other vehicles are constantly in view.

Just got back to TF's after picking up the bike from the shop. Brakelight fixed, rear brake pedal adjusted (brakes are great), passed inspection, oil changed, and had a plastic lever installed on the throttle which allows you to keep the throttle open with your palm while you stretch your fingers - I decided that a cruise control was just not a great idea. Also got it insured today ($14.50 per month). Tomorrow AM it will be registered and fully legal!

Bike service guys were amazed at the condition of it for a 27 year old bike. They said it was the cleanest of its age they'd seen for something in fully original condition.

[TheMercenary]

Great news splode! Weather is getting better. Time to ride. I wish we lived closer so we could do a ride.

[Elspode]

Licensed, and I bought a nifty sissybar pack as well. I think I need a tuneup. Takes forever to warm up, and runs doggy as hell at low revs. Also seems to be using way too much fuel, probably due to excessive need to choke it for the first five minutes of running to get it going. Runs mostly fine when warmed up.

I'm told to start with new plugs and work my way from there.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Elspode

Licensed, and I bought a nifty sissybar pack as well. I think I need a tuneup. Takes forever to warm up, and runs doggy as hell at low revs. Also seems to be using way too much fuel, probably due to excessive need to choke it for the first five minutes of running to get it going. Runs mostly fine when warmed up.

I'm told to start with new plugs and work my way from there.

I was going to say, pull your plugs and have a look at them. Another source of common problems like that are the wires from the plugs, how old are they? Check the wires for any signs of cracking or dry rot. Anything on a wire that has dry rot should be replaced.

[Elspode]

I *love* my motorcycle. I couldn't love this thing more if it had tits and trust fund.

Now, if it would just be warmer than 42 degrees when I ride in to work in the morning.

[xoxoxoBruce]

In the meantime enjoy the protruding nipples.

[Elspode]

Took TF for her first bike ride with me this evening after I finally got around to buying her a helmet. I had protruding nipples in my back for a change.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Makes it all worth it, doesn't it.

[TheMercenary]

Splode, try to hook up on some weekends with people who are doing "Poker Runs". You can get info at any local bike shop. It was a great way for my wife and I to meet lots of new people our age who just like to ride. There may be a local club for people who own similar bikes who get together and socialize as well, you can often learn a lot from them about your bike.

[xoxoxoBruce]

If he did any more "socializing" than he does now it would probably kill him.

[Elspode]

It will be a while before I've got time to socialize any more, in any sense. This is the craziest time of the year for me. For some reason, we always end up having extra crazy stuff on top of the usual crazy stuff in early Spring. For example:

1) This weekend I went to a ball game Friday night after work.
2) Yesterday was the first major yard work day, so I spent about six hours of weeding, chainsawing, mowing and general cleanup. Did another few hours today as well.
3) Went to see America last night at one of the local casinos. It was awesome.
4) New moon ritual tonight, so I have to go downstairs and do some cleaning.
5) My kid is getting married in my backyard this coming Friday, so I have a deadline on the rest of the most obvious yard work, and I may have to put up a gazebo between now and then.
6) We are three weeks from Pagan festival, so I have much work to do in preparation for that, as always.

On top of all that, Selene is preparing to enroll in some pre-req courses so she can begin Osteopathic college in the Fall. I also have to get the gutters fixed on the Grandview house, and pay for and pick up my push mower so the youngest kid can take on the lawn care duties there. There are also some issues to address at TF's place in the next couple weeks, and I also keep her yard mowed with my rider, which I did yesterday after finishing my own mowing.

So...there won't be much recreational bike riding. I'll be happy if I can just use it to commute, which will be dicey due to the fact that we are in a ridiculously windy three day stretch here, with rain or t-storms forecast every other day for the forseeable future.

Sniff. Waaaahhh!!!

[TheMercenary]

WOW, you are busy. Congrats on the kid.

[dar512]

This guy is selling his.

[Elspode]

I don't think he's gonna get 10k for that rice burner.

"But honey...I *tried* to sell it! Can I help it that no one wanted to buy it?"