Need another Motorcycle...

[dingbat]

All this talk takes me back to my high school rice rocket days.

Had a RD350, KZ400 and a 750H2. First thing you did was put a kill (toggle) switch on your tail light…lol

Best friend bought a CBX when they first came out. Traded that for a GS1100

Two friends killed in accidents in a year and getting sole custody of my then 4 yro daughter slowed the craziness.
Nowadays the old rice rocket buds are HD cruisers. Keep toying with the idea of joining them but the reality is that we don’t have any safe places to ride anymore. The urban jungle has taken over. Hear of a couple bike accidents a year in our local news

 

[jlh3rd]

this is my current, only , and last bike. It is an original, unrestored bike I found in 1994. It is hasn't been ridden since 1998. The original tires were then put back on. It's a show bike now.
I agree, very few safe places to ride. Cell phones and attitude, honestly, people don't care if they kill you .......I would have a road bike IF my girlfriend missed riding and had a core group of friends who did long road trips....not just ice cream runs. I prefer trips out west mainly.

 

[FLATHEAD]

this is my current, only , and last bike. It is an original, unrestored bike I found in 1994. It is hasn't been ridden since 1998. The original tires were then put back on. It's a show bike now.
I agree, very few safe places to ride. Cell phones and attitude, honestly, people don't care if they kill you .......I would have a road bike IF my girlfriend missed riding and had a core group of friends who did long road trips....not just ice cream runs. I prefer trips out west mainly.

I’ve found that on long road trips a group can be problematic. Even on just weekend trips. When you get more than three or four bikes there is always someone, a rider, a wife, a girlfriend that starts problems about going along with the plan, or makes the group uncomfortable. Having done countless road trips, some extensive I’ve learned to pick one or two like minded folks to travel with. On the long month long or longer trips I prefer to be just myself and wife as passenger. Perhaps meeting up with other friends on the road for a day or two. Sadly my long road runs are all but over these days.

 

[jlh3rd]

I agree 100%.....a "core" group to me means just a few who are like minded...rare...
We never planned where we were gonna stop...didn't know what eateries would be around...or accommodations.......mom and pop's were desired.....
fun....I miss that......

 

[aspeck]

Those triples were great bikes. That X11 isn't bad either. I grew up loving Kawasakis ... my first at age 13 was a '74 100 Enduro. Last was the KZ1000. Only a little difference ...

 

[FLATHEAD]

I agree 100%.....a "core" group to me means just a few who are like minded...rare...
We never planned where we were gonna stop...didn't know what eateries would be around...or accommodations.......mom and pop's were desired.....
fun....I miss that......

Exactly what we do no real plans. My wife and I would set out and just go. Always try to stay on two lane roads and avoid highways as much as possible.That’s the only way to really see America, though she’s dissapearing fast. The only reservation we ever really made on a long trip was in Yellowstone to have a little cabin for one night. We had two weeks of traveling before we had to be there, and a couple weeks to travel afterward. That particular trip was a most memorable one. That was before the days of cell phones and GPS in everyones pocket. Just a big zip lock full of maps and phone communication from a pay phone or hotel room. The stories I could tell.

 

[FLATHEAD]

This is how we do it. Pic opportunity in Teton
And a Rainy day out in no man’s land Utah.
Pics of pics

 

[flashback]

I didn't ride during the covid reign of terror but got out a bit this summer but father time has a way of putting a pause on long rides so I stay close to home these days..

 

[jlh3rd]

ah, stories....starting in'04...'03 electra glyde standard..........'08-'09 yamaha venture...
yep,the tetons...we rented a little skiff....took that pic......monument valley was '04.........
road the Burr Trail, utah.....probably ties with Death Valley as most memorable......
lots more........as you would know.......

 

[FLATHEAD]

ah, stories....starting in'04...'03 electra glyde standard..........'08-'09 yamaha venture...
yep,the tetons...we rented a little skiff....took that pic......monument valley was '04.........
road the Burr Trail, utah.....probably ties with Death Valley as most memorable......
lots more........as you would know.......

I’ve got an 02 e glide standard now. Have a sidecar on it. I immediately took the chain drive cams out of that twin cam and installed S&S gear drives in it the first week I had it. Was the last year for carburetor. Had your choice of carb or injection. I went with carb. The bike in the pics is a 98 EGlide standard. Was brand new. I also tore the cam out of that 80 inch EVO and put in an Andrews Before that trip. I have had them all from flatheads to twin cams That 80 inch EVO is the best motor HD ever put out. I think I had almost 100,000 miles on that bike, absolutely trouble free. It Had a hard time breathing at high altitude but still ran strong.

 

[FLATHEAD]

ah, stories....starting in'04...'03 electra glyde standard..........'08-'09 yamaha venture...
yep,the tetons...we rented a little skiff....took that pic......monument valley was '04.........
road the Burr Trail, utah.....probably ties with Death Valley as most memorable......
lots more........as you would know.......

That’s funny you rented a boat at Tetons we did that as well. The fishing rod in the pic made it half way across the country strapped to the bike and I left it in the room at Jackson lake lodge

 

[jlh3rd]

yep..that's the boat!
I bought the '03 harley because ...well...the hype. Never had a big bike, was a gold wing guy.....but nonetheless. And, a great bike. Plus my girlfriend liked getting accessories for it. However, around 35,000 miles it developed some noise in the bottom end. Dealer said I needed to get a new motor..."F" that...so i got a yamaha Venture. I am meticulous about maintenance so was pissed that the harley did that. Last road trip was Pa. - skyline Dr. - Blue Ridge parkway - Natchez trace and back. .on the yamaha....then an accident....
Yeah, the cam tensioners in the twin cam engine were a weak point and I was looking to get the geared drive cams.....
The venture was a "better" road bike....just more power....but it was top heavy......
When out west, we never encountered any negative interactions with people running the hotels, restaurants.
After the initial coast-to-coast ride in '04....we'd trailer to Co., drop the vehicles off at the dealership. then jump on the bike .....Later we used a yamaha dealer in Albuquerque.......
Just a good time.....

 

[FLATHEAD]

yep..that's the boat!
I bought the '03 harley because ...well...the hype. Never had a big bike, was a gold wing guy.....but nonetheless. And, a great bike. Plus my girlfriend liked getting accessories for it. However, around 35,000 miles it developed some noise in the bottom end. Dealer said I needed to get a new motor..."F" that...so i got a yamaha Venture. I am meticulous about maintenance so was pissed that the harley did that. Last road trip was Pa. - skyline Dr. - Blue Ridge parkway - Natchez trace and back. .on the yamaha....then an accident....
Yeah, the cam tensioners in the twin cam engine were a weak point and I was looking to get the geared drive cams.....
The venture was a "better" road bike....just more power....but it was top heavy......
When out west, we never encountered any negative interactions with people running the hotels, restaurants.
After the initial coast-to-coast ride in '04....we'd trailer to Co., drop the vehicles off at the dealership. then jump on the bike .....Later we used a yamaha dealer in Albuquerque.......
Just a good time.....

The flywheel pinion bearings on some of the twin cams in those years had problems and would Cause a catastrophic failure. Mine is still going strong 21 years later knock on wood. Wife’s family is from Co. trailering there was always a viable option, but we never took advantage of it.
First time we went to my BIL new place in co. We rolled into a town called FairPlay and came up on the street loaded with burros and girls. They were having a burro race up the side of the mountain. Burros were loaded down like a prospector would have had and the girls ran with them, very cool and unexpected. Huge party atmosphere all day.

 

[flashback]

The flywheel pinion bearings on some of the twin cams in those years had problems and would Cause a catastrophic failure. Mine is still going strong 21 years later knock on wood. Wife’s family is from Co. trailering there was always a viable option, but we never took advantage of it.
First time we went to my BIL new place in co. We rolled into a town called FairPlay and came up on the street loaded with burros and girls. They were having a burro race up the side of the mountain. Burros were loaded down like a prospector would have had and the girls ran with them, very cool and unexpected. Huge party atmosphere all day.
View attachment 373525

My 03 Yamaha roadstar is bullet proof, there are many out there with 100,000k or more. It's been a good reliable machine..

 

[FLATHEAD]

Have not road on a yammy road star or many of the imported cruisers for that matter. I was first exposed to the absolute power of the Japanese big displacement bikes in the mid 70’s. I was just a kid and had an old Honda dual sport that broke down. I was walking with my helmet and a guy rolled up on a GL1000 and gave me a lift. I was amazed at the power that thing had. Took the big jappers seriously after that.

 

[jlh3rd]

burros...yeah.....they had then running wild in Oatman, Az....Rt 66....
didn't have the girls though...

 

[Renken2000Classic]

So I've really been enjoying the new bike, and back to riding in general. Kinda bummed when I have to drive, heh, although I didn't really mind having my car out today.
It didn't take long to let me down though - had it for about a week, and the fuel pump scrapped out. It was dumping gas, and I had to trailer it home from work. Got that fixed fairly quickly.
I've had a few reminders to stay calm and mind the throttle hand... hopefully settling in to a nice routine now of just enjoying a peaceful commute as much as possible.
Gonna have to tear into it here in a week or so while the weather's cold and look for a seep that's showing up at the #1 carb. Float bowl maybe, but won't know until I take them off, when I hope it'll be obvious.
Boat's languishing out back with the tarp off... When the forecast is for lots of wind I just give up and remove it anymore if there's no rain coming with it, heh. Need to cover it again tomorrow, prob.