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Spider’s Motorcycle Adventures
- Thread starter Spider
- Start date
Thank you; 1500, I like the extra power for 2 up riding.
Where in Africa?
I was deployed to Djibouti for 6 months. I did get to go on one very brief trip to Kenya and Comoros, but not long enough to see anything cool.
Thank you for the faithful service, good to hear you have some fond memories despite the chaos. (Read your motorcycle thread)
Is anyone else thinking that KJ has the ultimate enabling thread?
Dave in KY
Shave Newbie
YES, I have to tread lightly here because you have NO IDEA of the pull to a bike for me. Started riding at 16 and rode for 30years....................................miss it nearly everydayIs anyone else thinking that KJ has the ultimate enabling thread?
The past couple of days I've been riding without the windshield. Totally different experience. And a good one. Not sure I'd want to do it on the highway, at least yet. Man, I can't imagine guys doing 75+ on the highway, with no windshield, and a half helmet. The wind burn must be crazy! But, with all things, you'd get used to it.
I just like my face too much to risk not wearing a full face helmet.
I just like my face too much to risk not wearing a full face helmet.
Word to that. I ended up going off the road at 55mph sending the bike cartwheeling and totaling it before I even had a driver license. Luckily, all I got was a chipped bone in a pinkey joint and some road rash. And my helmet was cracked right down the front. Couldn't imagine if that was my face instead.
I was a back road rider too. My bike didn't have a windscreen it was more of a workout getting batted around at 70mph than a relaxing ride.
So, this past weekend I spent the weekend with my Girlfriend in Kansas City. Rode the bike to her house which is about 85 miles.
Then we went out and bought her a helmet so we could ride together. This was the first time I’ve ever ridden with a passenger. We went out for a short ride on Sunday, about 90 miles round trip. Went well, but was super windy and straight from the side while we were on the highway. When we were finished, we stopped in an empty parking lot, and I gave her a basic lesson on how to drive it. She managed to get up to the point of riding across the parking lot in first gear with her feet up on the bike. Not bad for 10 minutes worth of lessons! But it was super hot, and we were beat up by the winds, so we called it quits at that point.
I didn’t take any pics, and I don’t ever think to stop and take pics of interesting stuff I see until it’s too late, but I did see something I’ve never seen before. One of the small towns had a water tower, and on top of it was a covering that was like halfway between a parachute and an umbrella. Very interesting. I assume to keep the sun off the tower and keep the water inside from heating up.
One the way home I drove past Kauffman Field (KC Royals) and Arrowhead Stadium (Chiefs). Missed the exit to stop and take pics of those, but eventually I’ll get those.
Overall put around 300 miles on the bike this weekend. It was hot for sure, but still fun. Can’t wait for riding this fall!
Then we went out and bought her a helmet so we could ride together. This was the first time I’ve ever ridden with a passenger. We went out for a short ride on Sunday, about 90 miles round trip. Went well, but was super windy and straight from the side while we were on the highway. When we were finished, we stopped in an empty parking lot, and I gave her a basic lesson on how to drive it. She managed to get up to the point of riding across the parking lot in first gear with her feet up on the bike. Not bad for 10 minutes worth of lessons! But it was super hot, and we were beat up by the winds, so we called it quits at that point.
I didn’t take any pics, and I don’t ever think to stop and take pics of interesting stuff I see until it’s too late, but I did see something I’ve never seen before. One of the small towns had a water tower, and on top of it was a covering that was like halfway between a parachute and an umbrella. Very interesting. I assume to keep the sun off the tower and keep the water inside from heating up.
One the way home I drove past Kauffman Field (KC Royals) and Arrowhead Stadium (Chiefs). Missed the exit to stop and take pics of those, but eventually I’ll get those.
Overall put around 300 miles on the bike this weekend. It was hot for sure, but still fun. Can’t wait for riding this fall!
Dave in KY
Shave Newbie
Good times. Thanks for sharing. I always forgot to stop for pics too although over the years I've accumulated a lot of pics. Maybe I'll start a separate thread for everyone to share motorcycle ride pics and slowly ad mine.
Mail Call....
A huge thanks to Dave in KY for sending me his old Motorcycle Jacket! It was hanging in his closet, not being used and he thought I could get some use out of it, and he was right. The fit is good, a tiny bit on the big side, but it’ll allow me to bundle up underneath if needed. It’s nice and heavy and warm, so it’ll be good when the weather cools down this fall. It’s well armored too!
Thanks Dave!
A huge thanks to Dave in KY for sending me his old Motorcycle Jacket! It was hanging in his closet, not being used and he thought I could get some use out of it, and he was right. The fit is good, a tiny bit on the big side, but it’ll allow me to bundle up underneath if needed. It’s nice and heavy and warm, so it’ll be good when the weather cools down this fall. It’s well armored too!
Thanks Dave!
Indeed!
I tried out the jacket today on my ride to work and I like it a lot. It had rained a bit this morning so it was nice and cool out, but I actually don't think the jacket will be as hot in warm weather as I thought. We'll see on the way home tonight after it warms up. But it has a lot of ventilation zippers, so it was very comfortable, much better than the leather bomber jacket I had been using. I'm digging it. It may look a bit silly, with this jacket, riding on a cruiser, but hey, it's going to get me noticed, and being seen on a bike is very important.
I'm taking a trip down to Branson this weekend, which is about 3 hours ( 170 miles) away. I'm planning on taking the bike for that trip. Can't wait!
I'm taking a trip down to Branson this weekend, which is about 3 hours ( 170 miles) away. I'm planning on taking the bike for that trip. Can't wait!
Awesome that the jacket is going to work out. I guess that Dave guy is okay!
Dave in KY
Shave Newbie
Glad it's working out for you. Still have my leathers in case bikelessness changes down the road for me. I felt like you about wearing it with a cruiser when I first got it but quickly got over how I looked to others and focused on my comfort and safety. Safe travels
Hey all!
So I rode my bike to Branson, MO for the Bingo Conference this weekend. But I almost didn't due to weather.
I had been watching the weather closely trying to see if riding was a good idea or not. There had been a chance or rain on Sunday, and I didn't feel like riding home in the rain, so it was iffy all week. I looked on Friday Morning before heading to work, and it said rain in Branson, Friday afternoon (when I'd be getting there) and Sunday morning, then rain back home early afternoon. That told me I'd be driving in it the whole ride home. So I drove my vehicle to work and planned on skipping the bike.
Well, I was really bummed, so when I left work, I checked the weather again, and it looked better. No rain for Friday afternoon, and the rain chance was pushed to later in the day on Sunday. So, if it held, I'd be fine. So I took the gamble, and decided to ride. So I had to go home first and switch from my vehicle to the bike and repack a little.
I say gamble, especially because the weather here in MO is quite unpredictable, and can (and will) change 12 times in ten minutes. I gambled with the rationalization that at least the trend was that the situation was improving. But it could easily swing the other way, and I'd be screwed (or at least very wet) on the way home.
So, the ride down was very nice, overcast most of the ride. Looked like rain on the horizon as I was nearing Branson, but it never happened. But it did get cooler during the ride which was nice. It was about a 170 mile ride, and with gas stops took about 3 hours. I really only would have needed 1 stop for gas, but I had also planned on filling up before I left. But since I took off from home I ended up filling up about 45 miles from home on my way there, and then I still needed 1 more planned stop. I needed that planned stop anyway just to rest for a few minutes.
It was my longest ride to date, and I was very surprised that I wasn't more tired. The ride went much better than I though it could have. Wen't about 80 most of the way there. As you approach Branson, the landscape get really hilly. Well, more than just hilly, long ups and downs through the valleys of the Ozark Mountains. (And by the way, Stirling's Ozark Mountain soap smells NOTHING like the actual Ozark Mountains, FYI.) Since the area I"m from is very flat, this part of the drive was very fun.
I'll be headed back home tomorrow morning. And looking at the weather, my gamble paid off. It's not supposed to rain anywhere on my trip until about 1PM, and I should be home by 11am.
I'll report back if there is anything interesting to say about the trip home.
So I rode my bike to Branson, MO for the Bingo Conference this weekend. But I almost didn't due to weather.
I had been watching the weather closely trying to see if riding was a good idea or not. There had been a chance or rain on Sunday, and I didn't feel like riding home in the rain, so it was iffy all week. I looked on Friday Morning before heading to work, and it said rain in Branson, Friday afternoon (when I'd be getting there) and Sunday morning, then rain back home early afternoon. That told me I'd be driving in it the whole ride home. So I drove my vehicle to work and planned on skipping the bike.
Well, I was really bummed, so when I left work, I checked the weather again, and it looked better. No rain for Friday afternoon, and the rain chance was pushed to later in the day on Sunday. So, if it held, I'd be fine. So I took the gamble, and decided to ride. So I had to go home first and switch from my vehicle to the bike and repack a little.
I say gamble, especially because the weather here in MO is quite unpredictable, and can (and will) change 12 times in ten minutes. I gambled with the rationalization that at least the trend was that the situation was improving. But it could easily swing the other way, and I'd be screwed (or at least very wet) on the way home.
So, the ride down was very nice, overcast most of the ride. Looked like rain on the horizon as I was nearing Branson, but it never happened. But it did get cooler during the ride which was nice. It was about a 170 mile ride, and with gas stops took about 3 hours. I really only would have needed 1 stop for gas, but I had also planned on filling up before I left. But since I took off from home I ended up filling up about 45 miles from home on my way there, and then I still needed 1 more planned stop. I needed that planned stop anyway just to rest for a few minutes.
It was my longest ride to date, and I was very surprised that I wasn't more tired. The ride went much better than I though it could have. Wen't about 80 most of the way there. As you approach Branson, the landscape get really hilly. Well, more than just hilly, long ups and downs through the valleys of the Ozark Mountains. (And by the way, Stirling's Ozark Mountain soap smells NOTHING like the actual Ozark Mountains, FYI.) Since the area I"m from is very flat, this part of the drive was very fun.
I'll be headed back home tomorrow morning. And looking at the weather, my gamble paid off. It's not supposed to rain anywhere on my trip until about 1PM, and I should be home by 11am.
I'll report back if there is anything interesting to say about the trip home.