M4's Ride
First Service
Dropped my black beauty off at Barney's for her first service this morning. It was drizzling *just* a little bit. The roads were soaked from the rain, and the cageists slowed down to suit. not.
I pulled into the dealership's service area, and lo, they were expecting me. I was greeted by name. I like that. The service mangler said I should have my bikey back by the end of the day, which is fine, but honestly, I don't care much since it's raining, and I won't sully her with toxi-drops.
I had a chance to check out the beat-up R6 I mentioned in some earlier posts to the New Biker's forum. Some 20-ish college kid smashed up his Beautiful new Blue R6S 2 days into ownership. I checked out the odo, and it read 34. THIRTY-FOUR MILES! before smashing it to bits. I'm going to take my camera to the shop later today and snap some pix and post them, they might serve as a warning to others. The bike is totalled. Totally. Terrible.
I'm hoping my dingking(tm) kit comes in the mail today. The small knee-print I left on my gas tank during the Slip of Doom last week is really annoying me. It is small enough of a ding that nobody notices it, but I know it's there, and I want it gone.
OH. Yeah, and my framesliders will be installed when I pick up the bikey. Not that I ever intend on using them, but they will be ther when I need them. I'm sure I'll need them. Ace-hole cageists.
If the weather permits this weekend, I think I'll take bikey for a longhaul(R) up to inverness or perhaps Lakeland. Why? I hear it's a nice ride. Some small hills, and some twisties. I'm itching for a longhaul; The bike is just so damned comfortable for a supersport.
I pulled into the dealership's service area, and lo, they were expecting me. I was greeted by name. I like that. The service mangler said I should have my bikey back by the end of the day, which is fine, but honestly, I don't care much since it's raining, and I won't sully her with toxi-drops.
I had a chance to check out the beat-up R6 I mentioned in some earlier posts to the New Biker's forum. Some 20-ish college kid smashed up his Beautiful new Blue R6S 2 days into ownership. I checked out the odo, and it read 34. THIRTY-FOUR MILES! before smashing it to bits. I'm going to take my camera to the shop later today and snap some pix and post them, they might serve as a warning to others. The bike is totalled. Totally. Terrible.
I'm hoping my dingking(tm) kit comes in the mail today. The small knee-print I left on my gas tank during the Slip of Doom last week is really annoying me. It is small enough of a ding that nobody notices it, but I know it's there, and I want it gone.
OH. Yeah, and my framesliders will be installed when I pick up the bikey. Not that I ever intend on using them, but they will be ther when I need them. I'm sure I'll need them. Ace-hole cageists.
If the weather permits this weekend, I think I'll take bikey for a longhaul(R) up to inverness or perhaps Lakeland. Why? I hear it's a nice ride. Some small hills, and some twisties. I'm itching for a longhaul; The bike is just so damned comfortable for a supersport.
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Sev
- Site Supporter - Gold
- Posts: 7352
- Joined: Sun Jun 06, 2004 7:52 pm
- Sex: Male
- Location: Sherwood Park, Alberta
Yeah, I put a pair of frame slider on because I'm relatively certain that at some point I'm going to have some sort of slow speed or standing still tip. Whether it's a little patch of diesel at a stop light, or a dip in the road when I try to put my foot down. At least this way it won't cost quite so much to fix.
Of course I'm generalizing from a single example here, but everyone does that. At least I do.
[url=http://sirac-sev.blogspot.com/][img]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a227/Sevulturus/sig.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://sirac-sev.blogspot.com/][img]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a227/Sevulturus/sig.jpg[/img][/url]
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Sev
- Site Supporter - Gold
- Posts: 7352
- Joined: Sun Jun 06, 2004 7:52 pm
- Sex: Male
- Location: Sherwood Park, Alberta
You'd have to see the mount points to understand why, but I really don't consider that to be an issue with my bike.
Of course I'm generalizing from a single example here, but everyone does that. At least I do.
[url=http://sirac-sev.blogspot.com/][img]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a227/Sevulturus/sig.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://sirac-sev.blogspot.com/][img]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a227/Sevulturus/sig.jpg[/img][/url]
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blues2cruise
- Moderator
- Posts: 10182
- Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2005 4:28 pm
- Sex: Female
- Years Riding: 16
- My Motorcycle: 2000 Yamaha V-Star 1100
- Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
You mean this? That's quite the structure. Was it kinda freaky driving over it the first time? Are regular cyclists allowed to ride over that bridge?
http://www.worldhistory.com/wiki/S/Suns ... Bridge.htm
2 days of rain? I think in the last 2-1/2 months we've had maybe 10 dry days. Count your blessings. That little bit of rain will help grow nice juicy Florida oranges.
http://www.worldhistory.com/wiki/S/Suns ... Bridge.htm
2 days of rain? I think in the last 2-1/2 months we've had maybe 10 dry days. Count your blessings. That little bit of rain will help grow nice juicy Florida oranges.
I've been over the skyway twice now. What a VIEW. I'll snap a pic with my camera phone next time I go over. Traffic's typically at a stand-still at certain times during the day.blues2cruise wrote:You mean this? That's quite the structure. Was it kinda freaky driving over it the first time? Are regular cyclists allowed to ride over that bridge?
http://www.worldhistory.com/wiki/S/Suns ... Bridge.htm
2 days of rain? I think in the last 2-1/2 months we've had maybe 10 dry days. Count your blessings. That little bit of rain will help grow nice juicy Florida oranges.
Inching Toward 1,000
It's been nearly a week since my last post, and I figured I'd check in to let people know that I'm still alive and kicking.
I can't say the same for a few other bikers in St. Petersburg, there have been 2 fatal wrecks in the last week. Horrible. The weather is beautiful, and everyone wants to go out and ride. This time of year is possibly the worst to ride, since all the snowbirds from Michigan, Ohio, New Jersey, and these pesky Canadians are all crowding the roads. Compound their lousy driving skills
with the X-mas shopping freaks, and you've got a deadly cocktail.
The bike continues to Purrrrr. I've had the chance to open her up a few times on the interstate on a few of my later-night rides. Traffic tends to die off around 8:00PM, and the highways make for a nice scenic ride. Scenic in the sense that they bay is black, and about all one can see are distant lights and some stars. The bike still hasn't been pushed past 9,000RPM, typically I find myself in the 7K-8K range, but still, depending on wind conditions, that can easily push me past 100MPH for brief spurts.
I think I might consider a "doublebubble" windshield for some of the long distance riding I have planned. I have to take a full tuck to get the wind to pass over me with the factory windscreen. Based on my readings, there are a few easy-replacement sheilds that will move that air over me just a little better.
Oh. Yeah. I must write a letter to yamaha. It's going to read something like this:
There are a few after-market Xenon's I'm looking at to "repair" this G-d awful heresy.
Otherwise, I continue to enjoy my bike. Wheee.
I can't say the same for a few other bikers in St. Petersburg, there have been 2 fatal wrecks in the last week. Horrible. The weather is beautiful, and everyone wants to go out and ride. This time of year is possibly the worst to ride, since all the snowbirds from Michigan, Ohio, New Jersey, and these pesky Canadians are all crowding the roads. Compound their lousy driving skills
with the X-mas shopping freaks, and you've got a deadly cocktail.The bike continues to Purrrrr. I've had the chance to open her up a few times on the interstate on a few of my later-night rides. Traffic tends to die off around 8:00PM, and the highways make for a nice scenic ride. Scenic in the sense that they bay is black, and about all one can see are distant lights and some stars. The bike still hasn't been pushed past 9,000RPM, typically I find myself in the 7K-8K range, but still, depending on wind conditions, that can easily push me past 100MPH for brief spurts.
I think I might consider a "doublebubble" windshield for some of the long distance riding I have planned. I have to take a full tuck to get the wind to pass over me with the factory windscreen. Based on my readings, there are a few easy-replacement sheilds that will move that air over me just a little better.
Oh. Yeah. I must write a letter to yamaha. It's going to read something like this:
I swear, I must be told a few times a day, and G-d help me if I ride at night, that I have a bulb burned out. It's just a waste of time now to correct the friendly people, "No, it's not burned out. It's really just a STUPID DESIGN on Yamaha's part. The japanese get most things right, but boy-o, when they do something wrong, it's AWFUL!"m4lu6 wrote:What a beatiful piece of modern machinery! This motorcycle is without equal. The balance, the styling, the POWER. But what were you thinking when you designed this cycle to have only ONE BLOODY LIGHT on with low beams?!
There are a few after-market Xenon's I'm looking at to "repair" this G-d awful heresy.
Otherwise, I continue to enjoy my bike. Wheee.
Return from the Deep Freeze
I left Thursday of last week for a quick trip to Nebraska to set up my brother's new computer. He got himself into the 21st century with a new Mac PowerBook Bling-tanium. Nice. Oh, and a 23" LCD to go along with it. Also nice. Anyhow, I lost no time riding, since it was apparently raining all weekend here. Hah. Well, I got a nice dose of 12F. I really feel bad for you peeps in the Northern Climes. If I lived in Montana, or Canada, or anyplace that got below 50F for any length of time, I think I'd go stir crazy.
Anyway. I just got back from my first ride since coming home to Sunny Florida. Just a quick 30 mile spin around the city. I am starting to open up the bike a little more, and I must say, HOLY FRIJOLES this bike is a COMPLETELY different animal past 8000 RPM. I've just tipped the tach at 9000 and change going down The Service Road, and it's almost as if this bike wants to go airborne. A precursory ride down the road to ensure that there were no cars (there never are this time of night, but one never knows what lurks behind a shrub) indicated that the run back might want a little more juice. And a little more juice I had. I can't believe how I went from 45MPH to 135 in what seemed like just a few seconds... well... it was just a few seconds. I hit about 9300 in 6th, and let off the throttle. Back down to a stately 90mph, I started to sit up in the seat, get a little wind resistance working in my favor, and back down to the legal limit, 60.
While it's energizing and just absolutely sexual going flat out at that speed, and knowing the bike has even more to offer, there is a creeping sense of fear at that speed.
Not that I fear the cops, they don't come 'round those parts. It's not fear of traffic, nay, it's the fear that I have absolutely no business going that fast at my current skill level.
I have resolved to get my ace down to Homestead or Jennings as soon as springtime comes, and get some real training under my belt. I really want to find out what this machine is capable of in the right environment.
Yay.
Anyway. I just got back from my first ride since coming home to Sunny Florida. Just a quick 30 mile spin around the city. I am starting to open up the bike a little more, and I must say, HOLY FRIJOLES this bike is a COMPLETELY different animal past 8000 RPM. I've just tipped the tach at 9000 and change going down The Service Road, and it's almost as if this bike wants to go airborne. A precursory ride down the road to ensure that there were no cars (there never are this time of night, but one never knows what lurks behind a shrub) indicated that the run back might want a little more juice. And a little more juice I had. I can't believe how I went from 45MPH to 135 in what seemed like just a few seconds... well... it was just a few seconds. I hit about 9300 in 6th, and let off the throttle. Back down to a stately 90mph, I started to sit up in the seat, get a little wind resistance working in my favor, and back down to the legal limit, 60.
While it's energizing and just absolutely sexual going flat out at that speed, and knowing the bike has even more to offer, there is a creeping sense of fear at that speed.
Not that I fear the cops, they don't come 'round those parts. It's not fear of traffic, nay, it's the fear that I have absolutely no business going that fast at my current skill level.
I have resolved to get my ace down to Homestead or Jennings as soon as springtime comes, and get some real training under my belt. I really want to find out what this machine is capable of in the right environment.
Yay.