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Congrats on the FZ6! It is a smooth ride. Not quite a Versys, but nice in its own way.

I donate platelets regularly, in fact, I'm scheduled for this Tuesday if I can beat this cough. It takes longer to donate platelets than blood, and here in Ohio, that means I get a very comfy chair, my own TV with DVD player, and lots of personalized attention. While I am eligible to give triples, I only donate a double because it takes me a heckuva lot longer for that. The reason your platelets are so valuble is that they can run an entire unit from one donor. When they spin whole blood, they only get 1/6 of that amount of platelets. Since platelets don't carry all the antigens that red blood cells do, they combine those smaller volumes into one unit, nicknamed a "six-pack." Most people tolerate those just fine, but not all. Your platelets will most likely be reserved for cancer patients, as they are more sensitive to "six-packs"

I can't say I enjoy donating, but as one cartoon says: "Fortunately, my dislike of needles is less than my love of cookies."

So, are you re-titling your blog? Starting a new one?

Wrider wrote:Definitely good to donate blood. Mom has O+ too and they hound her for blood. She doesn't mind though.
I usually donate, but in my accident, my ACL tore in half and they gave me a cadaver ACL, so I have to wait a year before I can do it.

I donated when I was in college, but then I stopped for a number of years. I don't mind the hounding so much, they are really nice about it instead of pushy like some kind of sales person. My wife even gave as well, but her AB+ isn't quite as useful - still very good as I think all blood types are in short supply.

A cadaver's ACL? Anything like "Body Parts" going on? hehe

RhadamYgg

MZ33 wrote: Congrats on the FZ6! It is a smooth ride. Not quite a Versys, but nice in its own way.

I donate platelets regularly, in fact, I'm scheduled for this Tuesday if I can beat this cough. It takes longer to donate platelets than blood, and here in Ohio, that means I get a very comfy chair, my own TV with DVD player, and lots of personalized attention. While I am eligible to give triples, I only donate a double because it takes me a heckuva lot longer for that. The reason your platelets are so valuble is that they can run an entire unit from one donor. When they spin whole blood, they only get 1/6 of that amount of platelets. Since platelets don't carry all the antigens that red blood cells do, they combine those smaller volumes into one unit, nicknamed a "six-pack." Most people tolerate those just fine, but not all. Your platelets will most likely be reserved for cancer patients, as they are more sensitive to "six-packs"

I can't say I enjoy donating, but as one cartoon says: "Fortunately, my dislike of needles is less than my love of cookies."

So, are you re-titling your blog? Starting a new one?

Hi MZ33! Its been a long time. I can re-title my blog? I'd do that rather than start a new one. I hate searching around for stuff I posted in the past - my hit rate is terrible.

Since they didn't have the platelet equipment - I gave just a regular pint, but they said in three days it is possible for me to give platelets in a blood center facility instead of one of the roaming blood drives.

So, we'll see what happens. I was hoping to have my oldest son with me so he could see the process and be acclimated to it over the years and one day start giving as well. O is a recessive trait, so since my wife is AB, the kids do not share my blood type or the high desire-ability, but it would be a good habit for them to be in to when they get old enough to donate.

The FZ is really nice, but I can definitely feel the difference in horsepower. It reminds me a lot of the Ninja 250.

RhadamYgg

Don't think of it as a difference in hp, think of it as a difference in mpg!! (Just trying to help.)

RhadamYgg wrote:The FZ is really nice, but I can definitely feel the difference in horsepower. It reminds me a lot of the Ninja 250.

you should post that over at the fz6 forum. just a guess at what'll happen.

have you taken it above 8k in any gear? the fz6 is really like two bikes in one. below 7k is pretty nice and sedate. over 8k it kicks in with a bit of power.

having said that, you should notice a difference.
b-king
1340 cc
160 hp
96.5 lb-ft of torque

fz6
600cc
90-95 hp
44 lb-ft of torque

MZ33 wrote:Don't think of it as a difference in hp, think of it as a difference in mpg!! (Just trying to help.)

Hmmmm, you know, I'm not a hp fiend... Its just a completely different experience. I understand now about when magazines review they talk about a bike that has torque to pull stumps out of the ground.

The difference may have been too much between the Ninja 250 and the B-King - call the Ninja 250 15% of the power in the B-King and the FZ6 about 50%. The FZ6 is much more comfortable - and while my wife had guessed it I didn't quite realize it - but I want a bike that there are mods out there that I can play with. I already have parts coming from various sources - mostly crash protectors, but a tail mod and I keep eyeballing the gear indicator + voltage readout....

Not sure I'd custom paint this bike - the blue actually looks really nice.

RhadamYgg

dean owens wrote:

RhadamYgg wrote:The FZ is really nice, but I can definitely feel the difference in horsepower. It reminds me a lot of the Ninja 250.

you should post that over at the fz6 forum. just a guess at what'll happen.

have you taken it above 8k in any gear? the fz6 is really like two bikes in one. below 7k is pretty nice and sedate. over 8k it kicks in with a bit of power.

having said that, you should notice a difference.
b-king
1340 cc
160 hp
96.5 lb-ft of torque

fz6
600cc
90-95 hp
44 lb-ft of torque

Hehe, no I wouldn't say it over there, but it is more of a feel and manner than - saying the FZ6 is a baby/starter bike. Funny thing about that 7K, I haven't exceeded that point yet. May ride in to work Thursday and Friday and experiment. Even with the Ninja 250 I had to learn to over drive the gears. The B-King, well, that wasn't an issue... And when I did hit 5K well... wow - even in B mode. The few times I rode in A mode it was take your breath away fast...

I'll get used to it - there are just too many advantages to the FZ6 not to like it. The title on the B-King said 180hp... But that was probably at the motor and not the wheel.

RhadamYgg

You know, the fact that I can buy hard saddle bags and a hard top case is great... Looked up the prices on the whole set from Givi and nearly had a heart attack! Over $1100 for all this stuff... Maybe I should have gone with the older high mileage concours... Except that it was kinda fat and heavy looking and I was just getting out of a fat bike and wanted something light.

Maybe I'll get it piece by piece like Radar O'Reilly. Well, I've got a fender eliminator, spools and rim stripes on the way. I'm looking for some crap plastic parts - preferably for my current bike - to practice painting. I don't want to do this bike's actual parts until I feel I can produce a really nicely painted piece - if I choose to paint this bike - but I figure learning how to do it is worth it - then I can always decide to do it later.

RhadamYgg

use searchtempest and keep checking the fz6 forum (as well as posting what you're looking for). i got my e52 top case for $150.00 and the rack for $50.00. that's a far cry from the $450.00+ i would have spend buying it new and having it shipped to me.

RhadamYgg wrote:You know, the fact that I can buy hard saddle bags and a hard top case is great... Looked up the prices on the whole set from Givi and nearly had a heart attack! Over $1100 for all this stuff...

This is why I equipped my V-strom in stages. Did the side cases one year and the top case the following year.