Ride it like you stole it!

My heroes have always been cowboys

2009-11-23T07:01:00.000-05:00

"I grew up a-dreamin' of bein' a cowboy,and Lovin' the cowboy ways. Pursuin' the life of my high-ridin' heroes, I burned up my childhood days." -Willie Nelson

That makes two of us Willie; I dreamed of riding across the old west's plains and prairies, past the mesas and buttes of Monument Valley and along the rim of the Grand Canyon and on to the mystical Sonora Desert.

It took me a few years to realize those dreams but I managed to fulfill them from the saddle, like my heroes had done, but with a twist as it where.

The Saddle I was sitting was firmly affixed to one of my Motorcycles; this fact in no way diminishes the joy and exhilaration of seeing the longed for landscapes of my childhood big as life before my eyes for me to drink in the beauty and the years of wondrous anticipation realized in the flesh.

The sites and landmarks of the old west form the images that formed the foundation of this life-long wander lust I so greatly enjoy and feed at every opportunity.

This morning I came across photos of two of my childhood heroes, John Wayne and Roy Rodgers and both photos show them posing with Motorcycles!

Now I don't know if they shared the same love of Motorcycling that I have but It sure warms my heart to know they at least spent some time on two powered wheels, and at some point I hope each of them had at least one Yah-hoooo moment while riding.

Roy Rodgers posing with a Honda 305 Scrambler:

John Wayne posing on a Hodaka125 Wombat:

It took me a long time to come around to long distance riding and it was this that allowed me to find myself in these places of my dreams. At times I long for the open road and not as part of some mind numbing corridor of anonymous traffic droning along between gas stops, but the Open Road, clear of traffic ahead of me and eagerly watching for what's coming over the horizon at me.

I like to think the Pony Express Riders of the 1800's shared this longing for being out there, away from everyone else and on your own for however long it takes you to traverse the distance between now and then.

The Grand Canyon

Monument Valley

Sonora Desert

Devil's Tower

Nevada Desert

Lolo Pass Idaho

I'm going to keep on riding and looking for the tracks of my heroes out in the great western expanse of our beautiful country and I'll keep an eye out for Roy & John along the road as well.

Later

Technorati Tags: Heroes - Cowboy - Riding

GL1800:New Front Brake Pads Fitted at 26k

2009-11-20T00:01:00.000-05:00

Thursday, after completing my "Honey-Do's", I decided to install a fresh set of Front Brake Pads before heading out for a ride on this fine FlatLand day.

The OEM Brake Pads have done a great job hauling this big-o-girl to a stop, but it was time for a new set and what Lady doesn't like a new pair of shoes, or two?

Fitting new front brake pads takes just a few minutes to complete, while uncovering the calipers takes a few minutes as well.

I procured the two sets of brake pads from WingStuff.com when I place orders for other items.

WingStuff.com applies discounts and free shipping when your order is a certain dollar amount. So to clear the dollar amount, I'll add a set of pads to the order, which actually reduces the overall costs of the order once shipping is free.

I'm also a V.I.P. Member at WingStuff.com and receive further discounts through the program.

LATER

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GL1800: Fitted New Tires

2009-11-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

Wednesday found me at the Bike Shop in the afternoon hours for a new set of tires.

I again took the GL1800 to R&B Motorcycles in Holiday for tire fitment where Russ had ordered the Metzeler Marathons for me.

26,000 miles on the clock and she's on her fourth set of tires. I've used Metzelers on both of my BMW's and so I gave them a try on the GL1800 and have almost 8000 miles on them now. I received great service out of these tires so I decided to replace them with the same.

I also have no doubt that using the Centramatic Continuous Wheel Balancers added usable life to these tires and made them roll smoother than any tires I’ve previously used.

LATER

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Let Your Guardian Bell Ring

2009-11-19T07:06:00.000-05:00

I'm all for a little magic or mysticism with my Motorcycling so here's a little for your enjoyment and edification.

The Guardian Bell Legend goes that a small bell attached to your motorcycle, close to the ground, catches the Evil Road Spirits.

The little Gremlins that find your motorcycle try to cause all kinds of problems for you.

The cavity of the bell attracts these Evil Spirits and the constant ringing drives them insane and they lose their grip and fall to the ground creating pot holes wherever they land.

The legend further goes that one should not purchase a Guardian Bell for ones own Motorcycle as this renders the Bell ineffective. Instead, you should give a Guardian Bell to your biker buddy to protect them.

It's a kind of Karmic "Pay it Forward" thing.

Ding Ding!

LATER

Technorati Tags: Guardian Bell - Motorcycle - Riding

My Favorite Friedrich Nietzsche Quotes

2009-11-18T07:09:00.000-05:00

I thought I would share some of my favorite quotes from my favorite German philosopher & philologist, Friedrich Nietzsche.

Become who you are.
- F.W. Nietzsche

It is my ambition to say in ten sentences what others say in a whole book.
- F.W. Nietzsche

There are no facts, only interpretations.
- F.W. Nietzsche

Believe me! The secret of reaping the greatest fruitfulness and the greatest enjoyment from life is to live dangerously.
- F.W. Nietzsche

The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.
- F.W. Nietzsche

There is one thing one has to have: either a soul that is cheerful by nature, or a soul made cheerful by work, love, art, and knowledge.
- F.W. Nietzsche

Against boredom even the gods contend in vain.
- F.W. Nietzsche

Is not life a thousand times too short for us to bore ourselves?
- F.W. Nietzsche

You need chaos in your soul to give birth to a dancing star.
- F.W. Nietzsche

A person is far more likely to appear to have sound character because he persistently follows his temperament than because he persistently follows his principles.
- F.W. Nietzsche

An artist chooses his subjects: that is the way he praises.
- F.W. Nietzsche

Never trust a thought that didn't come by walking.
- F.W. Nietzsche

I desire that your conjectures should not reach beyond your creative will. Could you create a god? Then do not speak to me of any gods.
- F.W. Nietzsche

Insects sting, not from malice, but because they want to live. It is the same with critics – they desire our blood, not our pain.
- F.W. Nietzsche

While dreams are the individual man's play with reality, the sculptor's art is – in a broader sense – the play with dreams.
- F.W. Nietzsche

For art to exist, for any sort of aesthetic activity or perception to exist, a certain physiological precondition is indispensable: intoxication.
- F.W. Nietzsche

Whenever I climb I am followed by a dog called 'Ego.'
- F.W. Nietzsche

The higher we soar, the smaller we seem to those who cannot fly.
- F.W. Nietzsche

Living in a constant chase after gain compels people to expend their spirit to the point of exhaustion.
- F.W. Nietzsche

No one can draw more out of things, books included, than he already knows. A man has no ears for that to which experience has given him no access.
- F.W. Nietzsche

The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude.
- F.W. Nietzsche

One has to pay dearly for immortality; one has to die several times while one is still alive.
- F.W. Nietzsche

There is one thing one has to have: either a soul that is cheerful by nature, or a soul made cheerful by work, love, art and knowledge.
- F.W. Nietzsche

Morality is the herd-instinct in the individual.
- F.W. Nietzsche

There are no moral phenomena, only a moral interpretation of phenomena.
- F.W. Nietzsche

Without music life would be a mistake.
- F.W. Nietzsche

Many a man fails as an original thinker simply because his memory is too good.
- F.W. Nietzsche

In music the passions enjoy themselves.
- F.W. Nietzsche

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.
- F.W. Nietzsche

In the true man there is a child concealed who wants to play.
- F.W. Nietzsche

I am not a human being, I am dynamite.
- F.W. Nietzsche

The author should shut his mouth when his work begins to speak.
- F.W. Nietzsche

When you look into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you.
- F.W. Nietzsche

What does not destroy me, makes me stronger.
- F.W. Nietzsche

There are highly gifted spirits who are always infertile simply because, owing to a weakness in temperament, they are too impatient to wait out their pregnancy to term.
- F.W. Nietzsche

He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.
- F.W. Nietzsche

In the mountains of truth you never climb in vain.
- F.W. Nietzsche

LATER

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Skullcandy INK'D Earbuds – Quality & Inexpensive

2009-11-17T16:36:00.001-05:00

I have been using a set of custom made earbuds that are molded to your ear.

They block out virtually all sound not present in the audio one may be enjoying. They work too well in fact, and approach being dangerous as you hear nothing coming from your bike, or other's bikes or cars or trucks or sirens etc.

After a lot of searching and some testing, I have found some earbuds that work amazingly well for a very inexpensive price. So cheap that I picked up three sets for under thirty dollars US.

I decided to get the Black colored earbuds as they were the least expensive and the only difference is the color.

LATER

Technorati Tags: RilySi,Ride it like you stole it,Motorcycle Riding,Motorcycle Commuting,FlatLand,Florida

I've been out Riding - Sorry for not posting

2009-11-17T12:57:00.001-05:00

I've been out riding the back roads and groves of central FlatLand over the past 5 days as the weather has been outstanding for riding.

The Iron Man Races that took place over the past weekend had most of the bicycles off of the road, making the groves a safer place to ride, for a while anyway.

Since I've been posting about riding the groves the motorcycle traffic on these roads has increased quite a bit, as has the police patrols in the area.

Since it's last service, the GL1800 has been running like a demon and eating the miles in perfect harmony with me. A well serviced motorcycle is a source of great enjoyment, especially when it has amazing power and all the accoutrements one comes to expect from a Luxury Touring Machine.

Knowing I have a Excellent Dealer and Dealer Network supporting me is also a great feeling.

Ya'll have a Great Day and Ride It Like You Stole It!

LATER

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West Coast Powersports - Excellent Customer Service

2009-11-12T18:09:00.001-05:00

I had the opportunity to drop by West Coast Powersports in Clearwater, after a Long Ride that put me back in FlatLand this afternoon.

I was dropping in to coordinate some upcoming service on the GL1800 to ensure all the bases were properly covered. As it shook out, the GL really only needed the Shaft Oil refreshed to be completely up to date.

While in the dealership, I spoke with Shawn J., the General Manager, about the Front End shimmy during deceleration. It occurs around 35 miles per hour during deceleration and stops instantly upon applying the throttle.

Shawn indicated that most, if not all GL1800's do this and that Honda accepts this shimmy as a normal condition produced by steering geometry, and that the run-out of the front tire can make it more noticeable.

Since I was already in the shop with the bike, he had it test ridden by their excellent service technician, Joe. He's the tech that's been servicing the bike and I trust his judgment.

After riding the bike he put it up on a lift to check everything out and found that the front tire has just a hint of cupping to it, which makes the shimmy more pronounced.

The tires are Metzeler Marathons I installed at 18,000 miles, and now with over 7000 miles on the tires, are still serviceable, but will require replacement in less than a thousand miles.

Shawn told me to bring it back for a checkup as soon as I mount the next set of tires, and they would check it again and continue documenting the issue(s) in case a warranty issue is building that may require replacement of the steering head bearings.

Since the bike was on the lift anyway, Shawn had Joe refresh the Shaft Oil so I wouldn't have to make another trip to get it done.

This is Excellent Customer Service, and I've been on the receiving end of enough Customer Non-Service to know, recognize and appreciate the difference!

Customer Service is a binary affair; it's either Good or Bad, with no middle ground or third choice. Delivering Excellent Customer Service is a Choice, and must be institutionalized to be maintained.

From my personal experiences; Shawn is Leading By Example and has a staff focused on delivering the high end, excellent customer service we should all expect from the businesses where we spend our money.

West Coast Powersports is doing it right, and has won my future business.

LATER

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Let the Baboon Drive!

2009-11-12T17:55:00.000-05:00

If you happen to be in need of chuckle, or a full blown belly laugh; You need to check out Ken's post entitled Let the Baboon Drive, Dammit! “The World's First Comprehensive Guide to Commuting on a Motorcycle With a Pet” over on Spot Motorcycles.

One note of caution: Don't drink anything while reading the post, unless you want to pressure-wash you're keyboard!

Go on, check it out and drop Ken a comment while your at it.

LATER

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GL1800: 24,000 Mile Service

2009-11-12T14:33:00.000-05:00

I took the GL1800 to West Coast Powersports for it's 24,000 mile service.

Joe knocked it out and had it back to me in a day. And I have the comfort of knowing it's all done correctly.

The next scheduled service is at 32,000 miles so I have a month or so of riding before the next shop visit.

LATER

Technorati Tags: RilySi,Ride it like you stole it,Motorcycle Riding,Motorcycle Commuting,FlatLand,Florida

Old Photos and Memories on Veterans Day

2009-11-11T07:41:00.000-05:00

Veterans Day this year found me thinking a lot about my Father who died in 1976 from cancer.

I dug up some old photos of him from when he was in the Navy and then the Army during WWII.

This shot is from outside a Bar in Guantanamo Cuba. It was a Photo Postcard that he sent to my Mom.

Here’s another from outside the same bar in Cuba, hanging with his buds. Third from the Left.

Here’s one from inside the bar.
I really like this photo!

This was the old man’s first motorcycle.

It is an early 1940 Simplex Service Cycle model G built by Simplex of New Orleans, La. It has a two stroke 125cc engine with a variable sheath pulley belt drive. The frame was a double loop unit much like HD including crash bars and springer fork. Thanks to Bruce Kincheloe for info on the bike!

This was when he was in the Army in Germany after the Navy.

His Second Motorcycle was issued to him as an MP.

Hanging out with buddies in Schweinfurt Germany.

Home on leave with my Mother; both so young, both long gone.

I love you both and miss you terribly.

And to my fellow Veterans, I wish you a peaceful day, and Thank You for You're Service to Our Country.

-Dave

Six Cylinders – The BMW LT Finally Grows Up

2009-11-10T07:14:00.000-05:00

Motorcycle News just reported from the EICMA Milan Show that next years BMW LT will be powered by a six cylinder engine!

Rumors have been floating around for a few years now that BMW was working on a six cylinder engine to compete with the GL1800 in displacement.

So now it looks like the "Brick" may be on it's way to the past.

The engine is a straight six – so, yes, there are six cylinders across the frame, just like the 1978 Honda CBX1000. But it doesn’t look absurdly wide.

"BMW have just revealed a concept bike at the Milan Show which features a six-cylinder engine that will appear in next year’s LT grand tourer.

BMW hinted that the concept bike itself is something of a red herring, but the 1600cc engine is not – it will appear next year powering their grand tourer. This will compete with the likes of the Honda Gold Wing, Victory Vision and Harley-Davidson Electra Glide.

The engine is a straight six – so, yes, there are six cylinders across the frame, just like the 1978 Honda CBX1000. But it doesn’t look absurdly wide, presumably because modern manufacturing techniques have let BMW cram each 266cc cylinder close to its neighbor.

BMW say the engine is extremely smooth and torquey and builds on the company’s car heritage of straight six engines." -MCN

I waited as long as I was going to, to replace the 2002 BMW K1200LT in the stable. Last January I purchased a Honda GL1800 and have never regretted the decision.

I'm sure there will be a lot of kinks to work out of the new power-plant, and the early adopters of the LT-6 will pay for it with down time and shop visits.

In the BMW Motorrad Press Release they state: "Six-cylinder power units have always had particular appeal, offering not only supreme smoothness and refinement, but also superior power and performance as well as a truly emotional driving – or, in this case, riding – experience.

A further point is that the typical sound of a straight-six almost like a turbine is absolutely incomparable, with straight-six power units at BMW having stood for fascinating engine technology in BMW cars for more than seven decades."

It's interesting that BMW still has not remedied the Final Drive design that continues to fail, stranding riders. I myself have experienced two(2) such final drive failures on my BMW's and will not consider purchasing another BMW until they pull their collective heads out of their Final Drives!

LATER

Technorati Tags: RilySi,Ride it like you stole it,Motorcycle Riding,Motorcycle Commuting,FlatLand,Florida

GL1800: The GPS Now Has Latest Map Set from Garmin

2009-11-10T06:17:00.000-05:00

Last Wednesday, I posted a piece entitled:

The GL1800’s GPS has an Old Map Set from 2006 in which I lamented the Old Map Data on my New Motorcycle GPS and my attempt to get an update via Honda North America, only to be told “the maps the GoldWings Nav system came with are the latest available”.

Well, SURPRISE Honda North America, You Are Wrong!

Here is a shot of the GPS Screen showing the Map Data and Version of the Data on the CF Card that came with the new GoldWing.

And here is a photo of the GPS Screen showing the Map Data and Version of the CF Card I updated with the Latest Map Data available from Garmin.

I’m now enjoying the Latest Map Detail as well as the Latest Point Of Interest Data not only for the Lower 48 of the United States, but All of the Lower 48, Alaska and All of Canada; Puerto Rico as well but whose counting.

Dave’s first rule of Customer Service: “Thou Shalt Not Bullshit You’re Customer, less ye lose credibility and Future Business.”

LATER

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Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake Roadkill

2009-11-10T05:18:00.000-05:00

While out riding this afternoon, I came around a corner and slithering across the road was a Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake.

I tried to miss him but there was a car coming the opposite direction and I plowed right through him.

This bad boy was just over five feet in length as measured using my size 13 shoes.

Too bad I killed him, was not my intention. I was sure as hell not going to wreck the bike avoiding him.

The old adage goes; "If you can eat it in one meal, hit it.", and I did.

Other than ruining old Jake NoSholders’ day; I had a great ride under these heavy overcast sky's.

LATER

Technorati Tags: RilySi,Ride it like you stole it,Motorcycle Riding,Motorcycle Commuting,FlatLand,Florida

Trying To Reason with Hurricane Season - Ida

2009-11-09T10:49:00.001-05:00

Ida, What kind of name is that for a Tropical Storm?

Well as I sit here at the Casa writing this post, the winds from Ida are increasing as is the cloud cover. Rain is building out in the Gulf of FlatLand as Ida heads North towards Mobile Bay.

The rains will start here shortly as Ida is now due West of us and predicted to make a hard Easterly turn and cross Florida up near Tallahassee and then go ripping East towards Jacksonville.

We here in FlatLand can always use the water but the storm surge will screw up the beaches pretty good.

"Squalls out on the Gulf-stream, big storms a coming soon - JB"

LATER

Technorati Tags: RilySi,Ride it like you stole it,Motorcycle Riding,Motorcycle Commuting,FlatLand,Florida

GL1800: Maintenance & Modifications

2009-11-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Motorcycle add-ons (Farkles) have been arriving at the Casa for fitting to the GL1800.

I have ordered several items that will improve the Motorcycles Conspicuity and there by increase my chances of being seen by cagers:

I have also ordered items to extend the bikes audio capabilities:

I have also ordered items to improve ergonomics/wind protection:

I will also detail adhoc Modifications and work-around's here:

Other GL1800 Related Information / Posts:

Scheduled Maintenance & Wear Items:

LATER

Technorati Tags: RilySi,Ride it like you stole it,Motorcycle Riding,Motorcycle Commuting,FlatLand,Florida

GL1800: Reflectors Replaced with LED Lighting

2009-11-09T07:56:00.000-05:00

While the GL1800 was in the shop for service, I had them install these three reflector replacements with reflectors that are LED lighted and are wired to the Brake Lights and the Front Turn Signals.

The Reflectors on each side of the Front Wheel are now wired into the Front Turn Signals and flash opposite of that sides Turn Signals.

I’m all for adding more lights when & where it makes sense to do so, and there was just no visible turn signals when seen from the sides.

With a nice clean look, I think I’ll keep em’.

LATER

Technorati Tags: RilySi,Ride it like you stole it,Motorcycle Riding,Motorcycle Commuting,FlatLand,Florida

GL1800: Kuryakyn Luggage Rack Installed

2009-11-09T07:55:00.000-05:00

While I had the GL1800 in the shop for service, I had them install this luggage rack for me.

I decided to throw them the installation work to support the dealer and because if they screwed it up, they would fix it as well.

I picked up the rack on sale from Wingstuff.com a while back and it’s been sitting on the bench in the to-do pile.

I also purchased the Risers to raise the rack nicely above the spoiler.

Now I have more options for strapping on luggage & bags when I travel, not that it ever kept me from doing so!

LATER

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Boutique Bikers – South Park Style

2009-11-09T07:00:00.000-05:00

How's you’re day going so far? Having any fun yet?

Ok, it's Monday Morning, the weekends behind you, and the riding you did Saturday & Sunday is just a fond memory.

On one of the boards I frequent, a buddy posted a link to the South Park Harley Episode and I damn near wet myself watching it.

Officially, it's called the F-Word Episode, and it's full of F-Words and a heck of a lot more.

Plug in your headphones and surf on over to the link above; just don't drink or eat anything while watching it, unless you just enjoy cleaning your computer.

The show is in three part that auto play with a couple of short commercials. Try not to laugh out loud when you see characters you know!

LATER

Technorati Tags: RilySi,Ride it like you stole it,Motorcycle Riding,Motorcycle Commuting,FlatLand,Florida

A day of Motorcycle Riding and Testing Bluetooth Stereo

2009-11-04T20:51:00.001-05:00

First thing this morning I rode the GL1800 to Clearwater and to the Honda Powersports Dealer for her 2nd 12,000 mile service at 24,000 and change.

I purchased a pre-paid service plan that covers Six Services.

With this, the 2nd service, the plan is paid for so the next four are on the house. I also took a few farkles along for them to install while servicing the bike.

Once I made it back North to the Casa, I readied the GS for a long ride over several hours to test ride the new Bluetooth Stereo Transmitter / Receiver Gimmick.

I charged them last night as the directions suggested. I was underway at 11:25 and rode for Six hours, taking breaks, and all the while listening to the XM radio over wireless Bluetooth and using my custom molded ear phones/plugs.

I listened for about seven & a half hours before the receiver died. That’s pretty good service.

I started out with the transmitter in the crossbar pouch but quickly found that close proximity to the Garmin GSM Antenna caused signal loss on the XM antenna.

I moved the transmitter down to a small pouch on the left side of the tank deck and it worked great.

During stops I just climbed off the bike, no longer dealing with wires, and I'm sold on it.

You can see the transmitter in the lower left of the shot in the side pocket bag.

The Garmin Antenna is on the Right handlebar and all worked well with this setup.

One of the locations I like to stop for a break is on a bridge over the Withlacoochee river.

The Cypress that line the banks are awesome, and the water is stained dark by the tannins from the vegetation.

I enjoyed another fine day of riding the R1200GS Adventure and the new Bluetooth wireless solution is here to stay.

I purchased the XTERASYS XB202 Bluetooth Stereo Audio Transmitter & Receiver at techsunny.com.

LATER

Technorati Tags: RilySi,Ride it like you stole it,Motorcycle Riding,Motorcycle Commuting,FlatLand,Florida

Exploring Flatland Enjoying The R1200GS Adventure

2009-11-03T17:11:00.001-05:00

Hello All, I've been out riding the back roads on the R1200GS Adventure.

I've been riding the GS for the last week or so and dang if I didn't go and fall in love all over again!

The HP to Weight Ratio, amazing torque and the available lean angle greater than some sport bikes makes the GS an amazing riding machine.

When you add the high capacity fuel tanks you give this lady some long legs for adventure riding or when you just want to eat some miles.

While out riding the curves of Eastern Pasco county, we tend to blast on past the dirt roads. Ok, Dirt is a stretch, the roads are sand and hard pack that you really don't want to take you prized cruiser or even Luxury Touring bike down. Ruts, bumps, washes, rocks and sand of every flavor and depth as well as good old mud.

Well, these are just the type of road conditions the GS chews up and spits out.

Having the choice of staying on the blacktop or taking that dirt side road that leads to another and another is really one of the best of bread qualities of the R1200GS Adventure.

Another instrument I've added to the GS that makes the time in the saddle a more satisfying experience is the Garmin 376C Color map GPS with built in Sirius/XM Radio as well as Radar.

Having music, news and weather, not to mention Navigation at the touch of a button really rounds out the riding experience for me.

I love being able to knock out 400 miles between fuel stops but I still stop often and take breaks, it keeps you fresh and sharp.

I've been plugging my custom molded ear phones/plugs directly into the GPS for the audio, but this has it's drawbacks, like forgetting to unplug the earbuds before yanking the plugs out of your ears by stepping a foot away from the bike.

To remedy this, I've ordered a Stereo Bluetooth transmitter/receiver pair with 3.5mm input/output. Now when I get off the bike I can walk away and still listen to the music, or for instance go into a store to buy a cold drink while out of range of the transmitter; all while still wearing my ear plugs. It's the little things that make it more enjoyable LOL!

Well, as I sit here at the Casa writing this post, the FedEx man delivered the Bluetooth gimmick and I can't wait to get it integrated.

Another cool thing about this setup is that it moves between bikes in seconds extending the benefit of the setup for me.

Hmmmm, I feel a long distance ride on the R1200GS Adventure coming on...

LATER

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Killboy Photos of Me on Deal’s Gap

2009-10-31T17:09:00.001-04:00

I received the photos taken by the Pros at Killboy.com of one or two of my passes on Deal's Gap.

LATER

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The Prophetic and Ironic - Things That Make Me Go Hummm

2009-10-30T21:09:00.001-04:00

Again, today I had the opportunity to head east to the grove roads of Pasco's North East corner.

And while out enjoying the day, I happen to find this street sign combination somewhat Prophetic and Ironic, not to mention a tad funny.

With a small cooler full of Diet Mt. Dew I rode about 300 miles today. What a beautiful day for riding in FlatLand.

LATER

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Riding around FlatLand - with Photos

2009-10-29T21:39:00.001-04:00

I managed to get my Honey-Do list down to a manageable number of miracles so I went for a nice ride on the R1200GS Adventure this afternoon.

As you can see in the above photos, "FlatLand" as I call it, has a few curves here and there. Not exactly "Deal's Gap" but not exactly Flat and Curveless either.

LATER

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R1200GS Adventure – Ready To Ride

2009-10-27T16:52:00.001-04:00

Back a couple of weeks ago, I replaced the battery in the 2006 R1200GS Adventure as Florida weather tends to eat batteries about every two years.

I then started prepping for this past weeks road trip on the GL1800, and enjoyed every mile of the trip.

I got back to the R1200GS Adventure today and rode her to the auto parts shop for some Sea Foam and some Lucas Octane Booster. I next stopped at a local service station for a fresh tank of gas, after adding the Sea Foam and some octane booster. I also added about 4 ounces of Sea Foam to the Engine Oil for good measure and to to rid the crankcase of any moisture.

After filling up I headed down the only twisties to be found in West Pasco County and within a couple of miles the R1200GS was again purring like a kitten and producing all the torque one would hope for. Sea Foam works almost instantly when you add it to the fuel and really does a good cleaning of the fuel system, top end and rings.

Tomorrow, I'll be taking a couple of hundred mile ride on the R1200GS, just to get re-acquainted with her. I really enjoy the major differences between the GL1800 and the R1200GS, as the GS weighs about half of what the GL1800 does and produces the same HP and Torque with the mods I've fitted, and the available lean angle of the R1200GS is almost twice that of the GoldWing. The 9 gallon tanks give her some long legs for the type of riding I enjoy.

Yup, your right, I'm spoiled having two fabulous motorcycles to ride.

LATER

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