Changes are a'coming...

I did it.  I finally did it.

Sometime at the end of this month I'll be disengaging from the corporate teet. I've been at the end of my rope for a very long time, and finally worked up the courage to leave.  Of course, Oilburner is the impetus, and provided some great alternative views.

Oilburner has been unwell for a very long time.  He is starting to get better, with more energy, being more active, and having a better attitude.  While I haven't said anything about it...yet...Oilburner spent a couple months in Colorado last year at a national recreation area.  He really enjoyed the lifestyle, living in the travel trailer.  He enjoyed the work and the routine.  Which was what he really needed at this stage.

This year, he has found a position with the Army Corp of Engineers in Alaska.  Yes.  You have read that right.  ALASKA!!

I finally see a different life for myself.  So I am going for it.  While Oilburner is working away, I'm playing.  I'm looking to play for about 4 months or so.  BBWWWAAAHAHAHHAA

We will be driving the van, loaded with the two Honda CB500's, and pulling the travel trailer...for a jaunt through the lower 48 and settling near Fairbanks, AK for a couple months.

Funny anecdote...you know you are getting old when:

BeemerGirls doctor: calculating the longevity of birth control and mused that by the time this needs to be replaced, I won't need it anymore....
BeemerGirl:  uuummm....

Oilburner: let's go to Chik-Fil-A for lunch, maybe the regulars will be there even though it is a weekend.
BeemerGirl: you go to Chik-Fil-A enough that you have regulars?  Is that like the old guys hanging outside the general store jawin'?
Oilburner: uuummmm
BeemerGirl: well now all you need to do is make friends with some of them!!

First Ride with the CB500X

How does time pass so quickly?!?  I've been meaning to update you on the new Honda in the stable. 

Yes, I did come home to find the lovely tan Honda CB500XA in the stable.  As I hadn't test sat on it, I was afraid the fit wouldn't be right.  I'm not one to purchase things sight unseen.  I also don't care to purchase bikes unridden, but very few new bikes are serviced and available for test riding.  That seems to only be the domain of Harley Davidson and BMW.  We had read many reviews that said this bike was very comfortable for tall riders in the 6 foot range.  So I was optimistic.

Oilburner had a difficult time finding the bike.  Dealers in the area said they were in stock, but not "in stock" to look at.  They could get them from the warehouse with a deposit.  He called around and located a dealer that said they had one.  When he arrived, the salesman he talked to was not available, and the one he was working with said the bike wasn't there.  Confusion abounds.  After some searching it was uncovered that the parts department had taken the bike and was using it as their display!  As you have seen from previous pics they had a mannequin with riding clothes, gloves, helmet, boots completed decked out.  So...that is how I got the bike.  Many people had been looking for it and inquiring about it, but the salesmen didn't know where it was.  (Even the owner of that pretty GS700 from a few posts ago and called about that bike before buying the GS.)

Then comes the haggling.  Now I am hearing this all second hand and am amazed at the dickering that Oilburner did.  The price tag on the bike was NOT what the advertised price was on Cycle Trader.  The salesman tried to get around it by saying it wasn't the same bike, until they checked VINs.  No disputing it.  Oilburner had them knocking $1700 off the bike in one fell swoop.  The Cycle Trader ad also mentioned a $100 gear credit.  Again, they hemmed and hawed, but gave in and gave it to him.  Wow.  Just wow. 

The story just gets so exciting!  Makes her look that much more attractive.

All this time I'm asking Oilburner if he intends to purchase one, or if he will be content with his XR650L.  He assured me that his 650 was great, he wasn't interested and it was paid for.  Yeah, those assurances didn't last long.  He rode mine 1 mile to unload it and get into in the stable and he was smitten.  Or course, I didn't know that at the time.  As we are talking about it more on Friday, I'm commenting that it is for the best that he keeps his XR650L as there would be no way that the dealership would possibly honor the same price for a second one.

I was wrong.  Apparently, he had already ordered one that had to be brought in from Alabama.  And they gave him the same price.  The only difference was that his didn't have ABS and mine did.  Hmmm...

Meet Oilburners bike...

We needed to break the new bikes in.  Mine had 1 mile on the clock.  His had 2.  :)  What better way to break a bike in then ride it like you stole it in the twisties.  That's how I broke the last GS in, and it hasn't leaked one drop of oil.

We grabbed Alex and went into the mountains.  Had lunch at TWoS and hit the curves hard.  Hwy 60, Hwy 180, Richard B Russell.  The boys were into the curves, so the only way I was getting pics of the bikes was to stop without them. They eventually found me.

Head on over to Flickr to see more glamour shots.  As I said, not many due to the fast paced ride.

Impression: Feels very light, even though only 100 lbs lighter than the 1200GS.  Very "flickable".  Shorter wheel-base made the twisties fun, after learning when to turn.  Never having ridden an inline engine she was very smooth to shift.  Learning to care for a chain driven bike with be fun what with lubing and adjusting on a regular basis. Love getting 54+ miles per gallon. 

Funny story: As I was not even in the state when Oilburner purchased my bike, obviously the bike is in his name.  I thought it only justified that his bike be in my name. HA!

And yes...the XR650L went up on the selling block.  More on that next time.

Remember that Honda XL600R?

A couple weeks ago I shocked the world by disclosing that we were actually reducing the stable by selling the Honda XL600R.  Trobairitz had asked if clearing space in the stable meant there might be a backfill…  I was pretty emphatic that there wasn’t going to be a replacement.  Yeah..hold that thought…

I was in some intense training in NJ Wed and Thurs of this week.  I hadn’t looked at my phone all day.  When I had a quick break at the end of the day this is what I saw that I had missed…

Of course, I looked at Oilburner’s messages first.  The three messages here were foreboding.  Then I went to another thread that had about 23 messages waiting to be read in a group chat with good friend Alex. And this is what I saw…

So guess who came home late Thursday night to see her new bike?  Guess I’m getting rid of the R1200R sooner than expected. 

P.S.  She is fun to ride…

A Mesh Day

AAAAhhhhhhh....the first time you can get out the bikes in your mesh jacket is so liberating! We didn't have to bundle up with thermals, sweaters, gators, solid jackets, and the whatnot.  The freedom of not feeling like StayPuft the Marshmallow man.  No worries about getting chilled out and making sure you have extra layers.  Just basking in the spare room in the gear.  And this is our 3 weeks of spring where the temps are perfect, the humidity is non-existent, and the pollen is low.  Trifecta!

It averaged about 80 degrees (F) and we headed to Juliette, GA.  This was only the 3rd visit this year.  We hadn't been there in years, the food wasn't terribly thrilling. But they either changed owners, got a new cook, or both, because the food is spectacular!!  So yes, that is becoming one of my favorite destinations for an RTE and there are so many nice routes to boot.  Last month our trip home saw us spending a couple miles on dirt roads (as I finally found the Enduro setting on the GS that loosens the throttle response). 

We sat on the porch for a few minutes after eating.  Just letting everything settle and freeing up the table for another in the line on the 45 minute wait list.  Saw the bike my brother drools over.

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Can this be believed??  We are actually letting go of some horses and clearing a space in the barn?  Unheard of!!  We've finally made the decision to release the pent up horses in the Honda XL600R and send it to a new and better home where it will get more attention.

I couldn't kick start the darn thing and hadn't yet gotten used to the height.  So peace be with her and hope that she gets more love and road time.

The Stable Groweth

As you are experiencing, there is this thing called life that we have to navigate. At times it seems easy. Other times kinda slap you around a little. And others knock you flat on your ass. I've just been experiencing a little slapping, but is has made me lazy.

I'm not going to attempt an all-out catch up. Too much and not enough has happened to warrant that. I will just try to move forward. :)

Long, long ago Oilburner picked up an older Honda XL600R in the hopes that I would start to pick up some off road riding skills. This was prompted by both our desires to eventually ride the Trans Labrador Highway. I'm completely game for this, but don't necessarily want to take the big, heavy GS, and without any experience. Since Oilburner learned, and grew up, on dirt bikes there isn't any concern on his skills.

So...we bought this fun little Honda that I can't start. It is a kickstart. For the life of me, I cannot kick it over. I did enjoy riding it the one time we took it out. I worried about stalling it, though. As that would mean we would both have to dismount the bikes and have Oilburner start the Honda. In addtion, Oilburner didn't feel comfortable riding the GS. He was too afraid of dropping, or dinging, it even though I tried to make it clear that I expected that would happen. (And would let it go. :-) )

So what to do??

Purchase another motorbike, of course!!

Introducing the Honda XR650L. Purchased for me since it has an electric start. I alluded to picking this beauty up in Sept over Labor Day weekend. The bike was in Iowa, but the shop selling it was going to New Jersey and Pennsylvania for an auction. We agreed to meet in Ohio for the exchange.

I won't bore you with all of the logistics of meeting up. There were a few changes in day or time, but we were all flexible and pulled it off without any problems.

The bike was wonderful! Well maintained, quick to start, nice to look at, and had a 37 inch seat height.

Yes. You read that right. 37 inches. My inseam is 30 inches. Long story short, Oilburner has changed the shocks and cut some height off the kickstand, effectively lowering it a couple inches. I can swing a leg over it if all of the stars are aligned, the motorbike is swathed in incense, and I am wearing prayer beads.

I've taken this beauty out and enjoyed riding her. But my very first attempt to get on resulted in a wonderfully executed tuck and roll on my part, and a little nap on the Honda's part. I was very aware of the height at all intersections, and very nervous over rocks.

I could probably force myself on the Honda. Learn dirt skills into the Honda's abilities. I did that with the street bikes when I purchased an 800cc motorbike when I really wanted to start on something smaller. But I don't want to do that this time around. I want to ease in and take this slowly.

What does that mean??

Introducing the Yamaha TW200.

While reading more blogs, someone had fallen in love with this TW200, describing it as a sleeper. No, that 200CC engine isn't going too fast on the freeways, but she is nimble and sure footed on the dirt. And best of all...I can flat-foot this little thing. Yay!!

Oilburner had been perusing the ads and saw this one up for sale about an hour away from us. We look Rogey along to look at the bike, and he was actually the first to get to ride it. I'm looking forward to taking this into the backwoods and having much less fear on the gravel with those huge tires and wonderful seat height.

She really looks like a miniature dirt-bike in the garage, surrounded by the monsters. But it just makes us laugh. Now...how to downsize...

 

Rare Sightings

I've seen pictures from the group before. Once. I thought it was a little strange, but figured if that was what you were into I wasn't going to say a thing. After all, no two people are completely alike. And I am sure that my choice of bikes isn't for everyone else out there either.

However, I finally had the opportunity to see this up close, with my own eyes.

Ladies and gentlemen...how often do you get to see a recumbent sport bike??

Yes people. This is a stock, factory manufactured motorbike. The Dan Gurney Alligator was Originally introduced in 2002, this is a single cylinder (modified Honda air-cooled 710cc engine) offering 70 hp, and weighing 320 pounds.

Such a unique design for those vertically challenged (as this owner was), offering an easy on/off and low center of gravity.

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The second offering...is the brand new 2012 Night Rod Special...

We braved the 103 F temps (40C) to have lunch with our friend that just purchased this little beauty.

Note to bobskoot...aaahhhhh...the little "R" bike just purred down the roads. Took her out yesterday for a leisurely 200 miles to give her some luvin'. She replied in kind. :)

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Addendum:  For Rogey, here is how one would sit in/on it:

Photography by James Brown, taken from the web

Just Call Me Puddles

"Oh Mother of God. What the hell...ooowwwww jeez. Is there any place that doesn't friggin hurt??"  If it's this painful just soaping up my knees, screw my toes.  They aren't getting washed today.

We haven't had the chance to ride much lately.  A quick trip to Cycle Gear.  Dinner with the Adventure Riders.  40 miles here or there.  Knowing we could get on the bikes this weekend was exciting.  The rain was finally surrounding the weekend...not ruining it.

Dinner at Zuffy's a couple nights back.  The proof that RichardM requested.

Since it had been so long since we have really ridden, I was thinking a nice, leisurely ride to get back into the groove and just take things easy.  Oilburner was thinking it was time to hit the dirt.  It wasn't exactly my ideal ride, I didn't want to have to "think" while riding.  But it was going to make him happy.  I still get the luxury liner GS and he has dibs on the Honda.  he he.

Friday was a late night.  We had been drooling over possible routes to the IMBC2012 in Eastern Oregon.  When we actually drug ourselves out of the house it was nearly lunchtime.  I proposed an old stand-by in the mountains that we used to visit while four-wheelin' in the Jeep.  The idea was enthusiastically accepted.  So I was thinking the jaunt to lunch, a spin around a mountain or two and then home, neat as you please.  We didn't "have" to touch dirt if we didn't want to.

Yeah.  Right.  Like that was really gonna happen.

We did make it to our lunch spot.  Nothing special.  Just Moe's ("Welcome to Moe's").  But we haven't eaten here in over a year.  We sat there enjoying the sun, realizing the day was just too perfect to content ourselves with a small run.

We started thinking of our beloved mountain trails.  Mountains and dirt roads and hiking trails that we had abandoned four years ago when I began obsessing about motorbikes.  What better time to reacquaint ourselves with some old haunts on two most capable bikes?  So yes.  We headed into the land of dirt, gravel, and trees at 2:00 pm, still an hour and a half from home.

At one point in time Oilburner offered to trade bikes while on asphalt.  I told him I would, if I could kick start the darn thing.  I hadn't had any luck in the past, but was game to try again.  No such luck...  I was sweating in my helmet and jacket.  Panting like a dog sitting in 100F heat.  Nope.  No Honda for me just yet.

I was true to my word and handed over the GS to more experienced hands.  I took over the Honda as soon as we hit the dirt.  Be damned that I couldn't turn the kick start over.  I would rather take a tumble from the light weight baby Honda than the might, heavy GS.

OK.  I can do this.  My first foray into dirt.  (for this is what I do consider my first.  I do not count the afternoon spent on Oilburners mid-80's Honda on the sandy washboard roads on California BLM land in a time before helmet laws.) Oh if only I had a helmet then...  Where I could be now??

Well manicured gravel.

So...this isn't so bad.  Yeah, there is ALOT of loose gravel and very little dirt.  And when I say loose?  Very loose, deep, not compacted at all, recently laid type of loose gravel.  Yeah, the bike was skating around a little.  I tell myself to keep my speed down, kept the weight on the pegs, steer with my feet, don't pull the handlebars, and [darn it] don't use the front brake.

That's just way too much rolling back and forth in my head!!

We finally traverse the scariest 2.5 miles of my recent life and approach a crossroad:  Cooper's Gap.

Great.  Just what I need, having to make a hard turn, on dirt, with an audience of 15 Appalachian Trail thru-hikers milling about.  I look left: where most of the hikers are congregated.  I look right: downhill.  Oh hell no!  I would rather face the laughter and applause that would result when I dump myself and my bike in front of hikers than ride downhill!

I toddled along at my normal 20 mph rate just getting comfortable with all these new thoughts and experiences.  Until I encountered another twisty downhill on ball bearings.  My thighs were clamped to that gas tank so tightly I'm surprised I didn't find "Honda" tattooed on them.  I finessed my way with the rear brake...and lived to tell the tale.  By now I was starting to have a little fun.  I still wasn't looking around and enjoying any scenery, but fun none the less.

I remember when I was first learning to ride.  You remember...when 35 mph was like screaming down the lane with your hair on fire?  The world consisted of handlebars, front tire, and the road in front of me for the next 250 feet.  (If the road was straight.)  I conceived of obstacles only when I had to assess how much damage they could do to me if I hit it.  When Oilburner would ask if I was having fun, my standard answer was "Of course not!  I'm learning to ride dammit!  I don't have time to look at the scenery!  Now stop bugging me!"

Yeah, he got that answer again in the forest.  :)  Only this time it wasn't the road 250 feet ahead, it was only 50 feet.  How can I see where the rocks and holes are in the road, distinguishing them through all of the off again on again lanky shadows of trees?

So do you see my problem?

Once I finally realized that it is actually okay to hit most of those rocks and holes things started getting better.  Such a strange, and difficult, thing to overcome.  I mean, learning to ride on the street we are told gravel and rocks are the enemy; avoid at all costs!  Potholes are bad! But on a dirt bike?  No problem!

Hickory Flats Cemetery and Campground.  I kid you not.

Once my sense of self preservation shifted I actually did begin to enjoy myself.  Yes, I am still wussing out on the "manicured" forest service roads.  So we decide to head up to the cemetery, on a slightly less well maintained road.  This road has less loose grave, less traveled.

Here the fun starts in earnest.  Once I learned rocks can't hurt me I veered to hit every single one I could, that wasn't the equivalent of climbing a rock face.  I prefaced my intentions by yelling "ROCK!" in my helmet, then proceeded to giggle like a school girl when that nerdy boy trips over the chalk line of the football field.

There was a constant litany of "Rock!  he he he haw he" over Oilburners speakers.  A veritable laugh track from He-Haw.

But boy-oh-boy...add the water puddles!!  I am now in hog heaven!

I love water puddles.  I can't tell you just how much I love water puddles.  (Oilburner will be nodding his head vigorously as he reads this.)

I'm that girl that enjoys walking in the rain.  I will go out of my way across a parking lot to jump, planting both feet, into any puddle I can find.  I don't care if my shoes and pant legs get soaked.  I'll be laughing.  And heaven help you if you are anywhere nearby.  You are going to get wet, so watch out.

In Southern California, the land of no rain with torrential 5-minute downpours that fill up the drainage system so quickly that the street drains can't hope to catch up, blocking the outside lane of the streets kind of deluge.  I drove a 4x4 Blazer and had no fear of that lane. While people were crawling along in the inside lanes, I was flying through 8 inch deep rivers in the outside lanes, kick up SHEETS of water.  I discovered the cost of my glee in the grinding of a rusted out starter much later.  Meh...what's the cost of a starter compared to that fun?

Yeeaaahhh...there were puddles on this road...

My new war cry became "Rock!!  he he he... Puddle! (insert evil laughter here)."

It was only on the way back out that I conceived of maybe stopping with my rear tire in the puddle to attempt creating a rooster tail of mud to tag Oilburner with.  (And no, I didn't care if it also hit my bike.)  But I wasn't yet sure enough of my proverbial footing to attempt a "burnout" on the throttle.  I contented myself with making as much mess as I could for my abilities now.  The rest will come in time.  (BBbbbwwwwaaahahahahaha.)

Super Man!

As soon as we reached paved road again I was stopped and insisting on getting the GS back.  Only 30 miles of dirt, but it was a great time.

Time to change back to my GS...  :)

The overall trip was tempered by the erratic, undependable kick start on the Honda.  Sometimes it would start within the first couple kicks (for Oilburner).  Sometimes it took a couple minutes of trying.  I was reluctant to stop for photographs fearing it might stop for good in the middle of the forest.

The forest was fine.  The problem occurred on the way home.  We were on the highway to speed things along for a couple miles knowing we would need to fuel the Honda soon.  We just didn't realize how soon with the toll the highway speed was taking.  We made it to the top of the off-ramp where we actually were going to exit, when the Honda suddenly went quiet.  No warning even??  Flipping over to reserve, and no amount of kicking or swearing would alleviate the quietness of that engine.  The good news?  There is a gas station, on the right, on the other side of the overpass.  Exactly opposite where we were. And hey, it was mostly dowhill-ish to it.  The bad news?  Gonna have to push...  My multiple sclerosis training came in very handy as I was able to run behind him, flashers blinking.

We fueled up, it started up.  I didn't want to tempt fate by turning it off.  I just wanted to continue home.  We were still 45 minutes from home.  After the grunt labor Oilburner wanted to take a breather.  Yeah...that "breather" lasted about half an hour as he wailed and wailed on that kick start to no avail.  He thought he was tired and thirsty after pushing the machine for 300 yds?  He was plum worn out and breathless after trying to start it.

We eventually made it home, well after dark, and very grumpy with the machine and a few near misses with cars on the way home.  Since then Oilburner has replaced the chain, sprockets, chain guides, pulse generator (for that pesky kick starter), stator, and a couple other parts I can't remember.  The inside of the engine is very clean and has been well maintained in the past.  The new pulse generator means it usually starts on the third kick...for him.  I haven't yet tried my luck at it again.

Look how clean its guts are!

Pulse Generator

As for those 30 miles and thigh tight death grip?  Oh my goodness I was damn sore the next morning!!!  The toes did not get washed.

Basking in the sun of the day.

Sparkling dust.  If only it were solid gold.

Dirty, sandy, grimy, gritting chain.

Carburetors and Fuel Petcocks

So what happens when someone has become spoiled on his state of the art, fuel injected, luxury liner on two wheels and is put on a 1986 Honda duel sport?  He completely forgets about carburetors and fuel petcocks that need to be turned into the proper position...

I figured he had stalled the machine when he didn't follow me through the right hand turn out of the parking lot.  But I could see his frustration level skyrocketing when it died again a quarter mile down the road at the next light.  His furious kick starting wasn't having effect.  Luckily there wasn't anyone on the road behind us.  I just pulled over and headed for the gas station.  He was there jumping up and down on that kick start lever to save his life.

I was curious to see if he would pull it over to the gas station and just kick it over on its side.  (He had spent all day Saturday trying to kick start that darn machine.  You would think the fact that it wasn't getting any spark would have saved him tons of kicking.)

It didn't take him long to realize that the fuel petcock was in the "Off" position.  Well...it didn't take him much longer...hehe

Just goes to show that you have to relearn some things on those older vehicles that you used to be proficient on.  :)

Four's a Herd

If two is company.  And three is a crowd.  What is four? 

Apparently, a nice start to a herd...

The poor little thing is relegated to the patio for a couple days until we can make some space in the garage.

Oilburner and I have been wondering lately just how two of us are going to go adventure riding?  I realize that he is ok with taking his RT(A) on some dirt roads.  I'm sure he would be capable of taking it through some pretty interesting areas.  But whenever I think about some of the places I am interested in exploring, I don't want to ask him to take the RT(A) down those roads.  I'd be too afraid of what might happen...

He's just been too darn jealous.

We knew we would end up getting something that would allow us both to get out and dirty.  We've always just wondering what it might be.  I figured it would be some old, beat up thing that would allow me to learn to ride the dirt.  And so it is. 

I still think that 600cc is large for off-roading.  At least to learn on.  But the important thing is that the cc's will allow us to ride the bike to the trail instead of trailering it there.  So what I think is going to happen will be Oilburner riding this on the highways and byways to reach the dirt...and then we can switch bikes.  I'll ride on the comfort of the GS saddled, cushy shocked shiny luxury liner.  :)

Some of you have been posting some of your pictures of the "basket case" bikes.  And we are wondering if this will be one of them.  Luckily the thing runs great.  Oilburner is torn between just getting it out and riding or taking it apart and cleaning all the little pieces and prettying her up again.  I'm more of the camp of just riding it right now and having some fun.  Clean it up next winter.  Maybe. 

Oh yeah.  Oilburner wants to make sure that I point out that I got the brand new, pretty, shiny big GS and he gets stuck with this old, dirty, rusty bucket o' bolts.  I told him that you all would only say "that is as it should be".  :)