Lets ride something easy for my first 2018 ride

[ohiorider]

This afternoon was beautiful!  Pushing 70 degrees.  Humid, so it felt warmer.  Time to fire up a bike ... finally!

So, what's the easiest bike in my garage to ride?  Without a doubt, the CB1100.  Although it weighs over 500#, it feels down low, and it is easy to maneuver the bike with its broad turning radius.  She ran nicely.  It was a short run of no more than 15-20 miles on roads in my neighborhood.  Unfortunately, a winter's rest didn't soften up the suspension, so that'll be the springtime task ...... to get it right!

My buddy Tom and I have a short ride planned tomorrow.  We'll meet up in Burton, Ohio, have lunch, then (???)  I have commitments at 5pm, so it'll be a short day for me.  But from reading the weather forecast, a nice one.

Bob

[Chuck in Indiana]

I took the Monza. It's not easy.. the most dedicated riding position of my 3 Guzzis. Still, when it's on the cam from 7-9 thousand, it's my favorite Guzzi engine. What a sweet running powerplant of about 35 mousepower. 

[Darren Williams]

In a week and a half the wife and I are heading to Austin. She hates riding in even cool weather so she hasn't ridden since last October. Before she ventures out on her FJ09, I'm making her take a few warm-up rides on the CB500X. It's a great beginner/easy to ride bike.

[lucian]

Easy choice for me , the only one that has rubber, registration and inspection and is always happy to fire up when it's 35 degrees . Griso

[ohiorider]

 Rubber, registration and inspection ............... Always a good thing! 

It was so pleasant to go into the garage, warm today for the first time in months, clean off the license plates, and affix the license stickers I purchased in January.

I think the 1200 Sport will be ready to fire up, too, but the old BMW is leaking either 20w/50 or 80w/90 on the floor.  She also may need a carb rebuild ..... though I may be grasping at straws here.

Bob

[Guzzistajohn]

First this year???? really?????  How on EARTH do you take it??

[mjptexas]

A couple of shots from today’s 175 mile ride in the Hill Country.  God , I love Texas!

[lucian]

Your a lucky boy Mike. I bet those Agostini's sound sweeet.

[mjptexas]

Your a lucky boy Mike. I bet those Agostini's sound sweeet.

For those of us from that generation, it sounds like a small block Chevy with a 3/4 race cam and glass packs, especially at idle.

[lucian]

you mean like a 283 with an eidlebrock high rise and dual quads and a set of hooker headers and a six of PBR's in the back seat?

[ohiorider]

First this year???? really?????  How on EARTH do you take it??

Our weather has been really non-stop cold!  I went to our Guzzi breakfast in Kent, Ohio last Sunday, damp, spitting snow, very cold .... not a bike in the lot.  Of course, if we wanted to suffer, we could probably have ridden.  But this thing is supposed to be pleasurable .... not a military maneuver.

To answer your question .... we don't take it very well!

Bob

[Zoom Zoom]

I had a speaker take a dump at the house and ran that down to North Canton to a speaker repair guy. So, today, I'll slap the validation sticker on the bike, check the tires, set the clock and meet Bob and Tom in Burton!

John Henry

[ohiorider]

I had a speaker take a dump at the house and ran that down to North Canton to a speaker repair guy. So, today, I'll slap the validation sticker on the bike, check the tires, set the clock and meet Bob and Tom in Burton!

John Henry

This retirement thing is a  tough gig, isn't it? 

[Lannis]

I had a speaker take a dump at the house ....
John Henry

I almost stopped reading right there.  Motivational lecturers are fine, but sometimes the cost is too high .... !

Lannis

[Zoom Zoom]

Well Bob, practice, practice, practice. I got the bike ready and checked. See you in a couple hours.

Lannis, an irreplaceable Infinity manufactured back when they were still built in Denmark. I think the crossover died. I found a guy that has 100% positive reviews an hour and a half away. I have something temporary filling that channel at the moment, but looking forward to getting the correct one back in the mix. As for motivation, that would be an Eldorado1400.

John Henry

[ohiorider]

Nice first ride of the year!  Zoom Zoom, Tom, and I met up at the Coffee Corner in Burton for lunch.  Beautiful day for a ride, but we all had made some previous obligation for later in the day, so we went our own way(s) after a fun lunch.  This was probably our best day, weather-wise, for the next several days.  But, hey, one good one makes up for a lot of lousy ones.  The Sport, as always, ran beautifully!

Couple of pics of ZZ, Tom, and me.

[bad Chad]

wow, your headers are so shinny!  Mine look like they are made of dark carbon steel, rather than SS!   They do take some elbow grease to keep them sparkling!

[ohiorider]

wow, your headers are so shinny!  Mine look like they are made of dark carbon steel, rather than SS!   They do take some elbow grease to keep them sparkling!

The pipes on the 1200 Sport are really large in diameter ..... about like the Griso's pipes.  Might be double wall.  Are the B11 pipes the same construction?  (I think they would be.)

[Carlo DeSantis]

Though I've been out a few times this season, yesterday was the first time I wasn't riding through gritted teeth 

Highs in the low 60s; clear pavement; bit of a brisk wind, but hey -- not bad, all things considered.  Was able to ride a loop that I take fairly often on my way to get no-ethanol high test gas.  About 70 miles all told.

Easy choice of bike in that I only have two, and the Guzzi isn't road-ready yet.

This picture is in front of a small cemetery in Alden, IL.  I pass this place dozens of times each year, and this year I 'm going to try to snap some pix every trip.  The trees fill out, provide a gorgeous canopy in the summer, and turn a beautiful yellow in Autumn.





Today a few of us got together for lunch, but only one of eight rode (39° and sleet).  A JB kinda guy :)

Here's to more yesterdays.  Sorta.

Best,

Carlo

[Numbercruncher]

In general terms, would this be East Texas?  I have heard many good things and had considered a fly and ride to Texas.  If I were to buy a Stelvio I would even check to see if there was a dealer in Texas with a bike in stock for a fly and ride.  But at 5'9" that Stelvio is a bit too much of a beast for me to get comfy on.  I am selling my V-Strom 650 to get a new bike and it looks like it may be a V7-III and either the Stone in blue or the Carbon black model.  I really only like the red valve covers on that bike but that is another topic for another day.

So with the V-Strom 650 going up for sale this weekend or next I took it to the dealer for service last week and that was my first ride of the season.  I escaped the rain but not the 48 degree temperatures.  I love riding like nothing else in the world but won't intentionally leave my house on a day where it is only 48 degrees and rainy.  Sure I got stuck in that going up to Alaska last year but that is Alaska. 

Come on Spring and 70 degree days.

NC

A couple of shots from today�s 175 mile ride in the Hill Country.  God , I love Texas!

[Huzo]

She hates riding in even cool weather.       I'm making her take a few warm-up rides on the CB500X.

I've just re read your post and think I understand it I need the way you intended.
Do you mean she hates riding in anything other than warm weather ?
Or
Even when it's cool weather, she hates riding.
I think the former, no ?

So how exactly do you MAKE "THE WIFE" take the bike you decide ?
If I tried to MAKE my partner take her CT 110 instead of her SV 650 S Suzuki, she'd read me my rights.
(Which would be a pretty short list.)

[Darren Williams]

I've just re read your post and think I understand it I need the way you intended.
Do you mean she hates riding in anything other than warm weather ?
Or
Even when it's cool weather, she hates riding.
I think the former, no ?

So how exactly do you MAKE "THE WIFE" take the bike you decide ?
If I tried to MAKE my partner take her CT 110 instead of her SV 650 S Suzuki, she'd read me my rights.
(Which would be a pretty short list.)

She likes to ride, but not in anything under 70 degrees. She gets cold and chilled easily.

I use this thing called logic. She understands pretty well her limitations in riding a high performance sport bike that is very easy to outride your comfort level. And the FJ is a bit taller so she can only tip-toe it. She knows it's best to ride the CB500x until she gets back in the groove after a long layoff.

Really the "make" part is more nagging to get her to do it as she stays pretty busy and the weather has not warmed enough to make her want to go out for a ride when she has had the time. We need to make the time to get a couple warmup rides before the trip.

It's true that I won't be "MAKING" her do anything against her will, just like she won't make me either. In our over 3 decade relationship we both have put our foot down so to speak when the other was getting ready to do something dumb. I like to think we take care of and look out for each other. Sorry if my poor wording confused or gave you cause to be upset. My appologies.

[oldbike54]

In general terms, would this be East Texas?  I have heard many good things and had considered a fly and ride to Texas.  If I were to buy a Stelvio I would even check to see if there was a dealer in Texas with a bike in stock for a fly and ride.  But at 5'9" that Stelvio is a bit too much of a beast for me to get comfy on.  I am selling my V-Strom 650 to get a new bike and it looks like it may be a V7-III and either the Stone in blue or the Carbon black model.  I really only like the red valve covers on that bike but that is another topic for another day.

So with the V-Strom 650 going up for sale this weekend or next I took it to the dealer for service last week and that was my first ride of the season.  I escaped the rain but not the 48 degree temperatures.  I love riding like nothing else in the world but won't intentionally leave my house on a day where it is only 48 degrees and rainy.  Sure I got stuck in that going up to Alaska last year but that is Alaska. 

Come on Spring and 70 degree days.

NC

 No , not East Texas , the Hill Country is South Central Texas , think Austin/San Antonio .

 Dusty

[Lannis]

It's true that I won't be "MAKING" her do anything against her will, just like she won't make me either. In our over 3 decade relationship we both have put our foot down so to speak when the other was getting ready to do something dumb. I like to think we take care of and look out for each other. Sorry if my poor wording confused or gave you cause to be upset. My appologies.

Well, some more accurate words to use, rather than "Make" in this situation, would be Encourage, Motivate, and/or Suggest.

Fay and I do a lot of that!

Lannis

[ohiorider]

Arrrggg!  Thanks for Friday, and its 70 degree temps and fair weather.  At the moment, two days later, it's in the low 50s and raining.  The ground is saturated, and for those who have basement sump pumps, you know it's wet when the water pouring into the sump sounds like Niagara Falls!  Tornado warning earlier this evening.  Thank God, it was nothing, even though I could hear the rarely-heard tornado sirens for a few minutes.  Coward that I am, I headed to the basement and sat on the floor next to a sturdy outside wall. 

[Lannis]

  Thank God, it was nothing, even though I could hear the rarely-heard tornado sirens for a few minutes.  Coward that I am, I headed to the basement and sat on the floor next to a sturdy outside wall.

Ain't nothin' "coward" about that!  when the warnings are on and the sirens are going, anything BUT taking cover is just stupid bravado.    Nobody's beating a tornado in a fair fight ....

Lannis