Gummiente's Blog!

[CentralOzzy]

Woke up early and washed the Harley in prep for a Saturday ride.

When we went back outside I saw black, ugly clouds on the horizon approaching fast, so I decided to head for home while they continued on. Had a good ride back until 10km from my garage... it POURED down on me and got my bike all dirty again.
After drying off, I went out to the garage to carry on with the Dnepr repairs. You can read about it here.

You realize of course that by washing your bike, you set off a self-targeting 'Weather Chain Reaction' which ultimately caused your OWN downfall?

[Gummiente]

You realize of course that by washing your bike, you set off a self-targeting 'Weather Chain Reaction' which ultimately caused your OWN downfall?

Yeah, I know. Jeez, you'd figure after 23 years straight of riding that I'd have learned by now.

[Gummiente]

Reverse Discrimination

I know many of you have a common complaint that Harley riders never wave to you. Heck, before I owned one it annoyed the heck out of me, too. But I always wave no matter what you or I are riding... and since I bought the Harley I've experienced the lack of a return wave more from riders of other makes than from Harleys.

Case in point: Angie and I did a test run of the route we'll be taking our friends on for tomorrow's Chili Run we're hosting. Despite the nice weather we didn't see ANY other bikes out there until 3/4 of the way through the 180km route. We came through the small tourist town of Westport and noticed a group of about 10 bikes on the roadside in front of a cafe. The riders were in the process of suiting up and they all turned to look as we approached (no, my pipes are not THAT loud). There were a few BMW's and a smattering of metric cruisers and as we passed by I gave a friendly wave to all of them.

And got nothing in return except some blank stares. O-kayyy... whatever. Then we made a left onto the main highway at the next intersection and passed by a gas station that is a popular stop for bikes. HUGE crowd of bikes there, at least 30 of them this time, and as we rode past I smiled and waved. Nothing in return. Not even a nod. They were all looking at us, too - and I could see many metric cruisers amongst the Gold Wings and BMW's so it obviously some kind of non brand specific club, but Harleys were noticeably absent.

Ok, so, maybe the majority of them have been routinely ignored by Harley riders to the point that it was time for some payback. Fair enough. But Angie was riding behind me on her Kawasaki Vulcan 800 Classic, surely she should have received at least a couple of waves... but no. She told me when we returned home that not one in the crowd made an effort to acknowledge her, they just stood there and stared as we went by.

I'm thankful that the people we're riding with tomorrow aren't as stuck up as this bunch was.

[Telesque]

Reverse Discrimination et al.

I've always thought of it as Sport vs. Cruiser, really. Not sure I could tell the difference between a FLHT and a VTX at 120 km/h. But that's just me being ignorant, I suppose. I tend to think people often substitute 'Harley' when all they really mean is 'Cruiser'. But who knows?

[Gummiente]

So I'm riding home on the Parkway yesterday and come up to a car stopped behind a school bus that had its lights flashing. I knew that the bus would make several stops along this route and seeing as how it was a hot day (+27C finally!!!) I wasn't too keen on sitting behind it roasting in the heat and sucking in diesel fumes while waiting for all the kids to be dropped off. Apparently the car driver was in the same frame of mind, because he started edging out over the center lane for a look as soon as the bus started moving.

There were no passing zones for the next klick or so but finally one came up, only there was oncoming traffic so the car couldn't pull out to pass. But he kept edging over the centerline and at one point the way was finally clear... but he wandered back behind the bus again. I geared down and signalled, then moved out to pass him and the bus. My sixth sense alarm went off inside my head and sure enough, the car starts moving over towards me just as I pass his left rear quarter panel - I'm right in his blind spot now and he kept coming. So I nailed it and veered to the left, blasting by him just in time. My peripheral vision caught his startled reaction and I took a quick glance back at him before passing the bus... I had obviously scared the bejeezus out of him, because I could see dinner-plate eyes and white knuckles on the steering wheel. He pulled out and passed the bus a few minutes later, then caught up to and followed behind me for awhile before backing off. Probably taking down my licence plate number. And I can't say as I'd blame him for doing that.

It was a real stupid move on my part. I know that road well and there are many places to pass, I probably only would have suffered through one or two stops behind the bus before being able to pass safely around it. I was in no hurry to get home, no appointments to attend, nothing planned for the evening... I should have been content to just cruise along and take inthe sunshine. And I should have waited until I knew for sure that the car was or wasn't going to pass before making my move.

[Gummiente]

The gentleman that originally built my Dnepr engine showed up as promised tonight to take a look at the damage. His diagnosis is: shot small end bushings, damaged cylinder barrels and bent pushrods resulting from an overheated and over-revved motor. He now has both cylinder heads, barrels, pistons, wristpins, lifters and pushrods in his posession and will be working his magic on them in the next few weeks - and will be charging me the cost of parts only. There was evidence that the previous owner had disassembled the motor to put some high temp RTV in certain spots, so his offer to rebuild is even more generous considering that someone else had been mucking about inside it. He did ask me several pointed questions about how I treated my Irina, though, but I answered honestly and he seemed satisfied with that. I haven't abused my poor Irina and I think he realised it as we talked throughout the 2 hours he was here.

So in 3-4 weeks I should have everything back and be ready to roll once again. Possibly new barrels and pistons, too, depending upon the clearance once he hones the gouges out first. Seems there was more damage in there than I had originally thought. Oh, and he'll be using my saddlebag mounting system - he was really impressed with that.

[CentralOzzy]

I geared down and signalled, then moved out to pass him and the bus. My sixth sense alarm went off inside my head and sure enough, the car starts moving over towards me just as I pass his left rear quarter panel - I'm right in his blind spot now and he kept coming. So I nailed it and veered to the left, blasting by him just in time.

I have done what you did countless times. I get very impatient (well I used to in the city, not so much now) with other road users, geez if they don't go....I will. To a point I still will 'go around' a 'stalled' (as in still thinking) vehicle because I CAN! All you did was go when you could as well, but the catch is you had a real good idea what was to occur, same here, but your ready for it when it does happen.

I'd like to know how many experienced riders would just sit back & inhale those fumes at 20 KPH....NOT ME PAL, I'm gone.

On another level, I consider a bus a hazardous obstacle which I'd rather put behind me, along with that car driver, so what it all boils down to is, you went because you could. OK so you didn't have to but that's the way it goes when you just don't want to be stuck behind a bus!

[Gummiente]

We had a great ride yesterday! We went to some of the local wineries to restock our wine rack in the dining room. You can read about it on my website: http://www.gummiente.ca/

[Gummiente]

BIRDS!!! What is it with these things? I have had more of them smash into me these first few months of the riding season than in all of my previous 23 years on two wheels. Yesterday I had something small, feathery and yellow (escaped budgie, maybe?) literally explode all over the windshield, then not 5km down the road a robin ended his life under my front wheel. Today's total was one sparrow and one robin... and all week I've been dive bombed by other robins and a couple of blackbirds. This is getting ridiculous. Is there some kind of "bird whistle" out there that would help? Hey, if it works for deer...

Speaking of which, I took the 401 (a major divided highway in eastern Ontario) this morning and halfway to work I saw a deer right beside the road, just wandering around and munching on the greenery without a care in the world. There is so much traffic along this route that the deer have become accustomed to the noise and every morning there are fresh killed carcasses lining the shoulders and mashed all over the lanes. Stupid friggin' animals.

[blair]

Evolution in action.

It's when they learn to drive we'll have to watch out.