Phaedrus's Get-Ready-For-Spring Thread

[Phaedrus]

Yup, it is that time of year again. Time to start preparing myself for riding season, w00t! I won't be getting the bike out until March, but that is only a few weeks away.

I've done a few things to get ready so far:

1) I got a new helmet today. It is a CKX Modular, XXL, blue. Yeah yeah, I've read the "modular helmet debates". I bought one anyway. It is so incredibly comfortable. It is replacing the AGV snowmobile helmet that I've been using. It was only $150 at the local bike shop. I already love it.

2) My first set of riding gloves, Joe Rocket brand. I got them on NewEnough.com for $30-something I think. I like them because they fit well, are comfortable, and claim to be waterproof. We'll see come rainy March and April.

Here is a pic of the gloves and helmet:



3) I ordered a set of ProGrip 719's, blue on Ebay. They were like $15 by the time I got done with shipping. I'll post a pic when I get'em or when I get'em installed.

4) I ordered a brand new battery, figured it is about time even though the stock one might still have a little bit of life in it. I got a good deal on it so I figured it would be foolish to pass it up. No pic because I don't have it yet, but even if I did..that is pretty boring 

5) I ordered a 15 tooth sprocket from my local Suzuki dealer. It should be in sometime next week. I got the genuine suzuki one for a couple dollars more, it come out to like $22 with tax and everything. We'll see how it goes.

I've got some more things to do but I'll get to them soon. 

[Alphamazing]

Are those gloves.. ALL LEATHER?

Glad you can finally start riding again! The 15T Suzuki sprocket for the F model came out to $22? That's only $7 or so more compared to a Sprocket Specialists price, and that doesn't include shipping on the SS stuff. You'll probably come out ahead because you KNOW it will fit.

Yay no more winter for you!

[Phaedrus]

No, the gloves are not all leather. They are textile/leather combo, like my riding jacket. Here is the link to the gloves:

http://www.newenough.com/joe_rocket_hard_drive_glove_page.htm

And yeah, the Suzuki sprocket was a little more than the aftermarket. They gave me a choice. They even said the OEM one would cost more and take a few more days to get here, but I told them it was fine. No hurry, I've still got another couple weeks before I put it on. The parts persons aid the Suzuki one is "sturdier" than aftermarket, too. Whatever that is supposed to mean.

[Alphamazing]

Hmm. Those gloves have textile in between the fingers. If you go down, that textile will be the first thing to disintergrate to the asphalt. Be careful, okay?

[makenzie71]

I just bought these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=8036868654&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT
^these were too cool not to buy...now I'll remember which hand is the fast one, and which one is the slow one!  No more of those embarassing switcharoos!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=4612541912&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4611223990&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT

I've also finnished my first SSSA kit and I'm in the process of painting the TL's tank.

I've also got a set of TL1000R forks, 6-pot calipers, Brembo rear caliper, K5 GSXR1000 radial master cylinder and a couple other little tid-bits on the way to install.

[Phaedrus]

Thanks for the concern. I am always careful. I don't ride like a maniac anyways. Just ask any of the people I've ridden with from this site. I'm pokey. They could be made out of saran wrap and still be better than what I've always used; nothing.   I'll give'em a shot. When i went down at 30mph, my hands were the first thing to hit the ground. It hurt like hell. I can only imagine what would happen if I were doing 60-70mph  

[makenzie71]

As long as the contact surface on the gloves is leather they should be fine.  It's not often you land between your index and middle fingers...

I'd have still bought solid leather, though...or like what I just bought.  They're put together with bullet proof kevlar thread!

[Alphamazing]

As long as the contact surface on the gloves is leather they should be fine.  It's not often you land between your index and middle fingers...

I'd have still bought solid leather, though...or like what I just bought.  They're put together with bullet proof kevlar thread!

Not necessarily true. The gloves I had that failed had a leather palm (the contact area) but the fingers of the glove rotated, got destroyed by the asphalt, and then destroyed my finger.

[Alphamazing]

Phaedrus, you need to read this thread:
http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=20659.0

It's my experience with textile gloves. Be careful, it's got a graphic picture.

[makenzie71]

The palm's not the only contact area...I mean palm, wrist, back and fingers.  Even with textile sides, a sturdy propper glove will not twist the material around on your fingers.  One of the first things I always test with a glove is if I can twist the fingers around.

[annguyen1981]

5) I ordered a 15 tooth sprocket from my local Suzuki dealer. It should be in sometime next week. I got the genuine suzuki one for a couple dollars more, it come out to like $22 with tax and everything. We'll see how it goes.

I'm assuming that this is the rear tire sprocket, right?  How easy is it to change from stock to 15t?

[makenzie71]

15th is front sprocket.  Neither the rear or front are hard to change at all.


To add:  I've also started doing 200 pushups and 100 150lb curls per day, as well as a quick 1 mile run ever couple days.  This is makes for a substantial wear-n-tear endurance while riding.

[annguyen1981]

Thankz for the clarification Mak.

[Phaedrus]

No, it is the front. The rear has a lot more teeth. I am not sure how easy, but I've heard it only takes about 15-20 minutes. Which means it will take me about an hour.  

I'll post the part # and take pics and write downthe steps while I am installing it in case anyone cares.

[pantablo]

get ready for spring? you doing some spring cleaning? you mean some of you dont ride all winter in 70F temps like here?

[Alphamazing]

get ready for spring? you doing some spring cleaning? you mean some of you dont ride all winter in 70F temps like here?

It hit 85 here the other day!

[skoozi12]

hahaha....

One of the lawyers sent me down to Dearborn (about 40 mins from here) to pick something up from the courthouse (he let me take his BMW too, weirdo) and I realized that I would be like 2 miles from the Moto store (the bigger one) so I stopped by the court super quick like and I jumped into the stealer to see what they had in stock.  Well what do you know?  They had a shiny blue '06.  

The point is:

My ready for spring mod happened today...I went and sat on an '06 and made motor noises.  It was hot.  I'm still lookin for a tex jacket though.

I might need a nap/

[scratch]

To add:  I've also started doing 200 pushups and 100 150lb curls per day, as well as a quick 1 mile run ever couple days.  This is makes for a substantial wear-n-tear endurance while riding.

And, I'll add that doing squats will help greatly when you have to stand on your pegs for bumpy goat trails.

[flyingbeagle71]

get ready for spring? you doing some spring cleaning? you mean some of you dont ride all winter in 70F temps like here?

It hit 85 here the other day!

You guys suck!  It was like high of 15 today, tonight it's down around 0.  The only riding I've been doing is in my dreams and GTA! 

I am sooo sick of winter!!

[Phaedrus]

Yeah, we were greeted by a cold front this weekend, but I am not going to let it discourage me.  In fact, is is about 6 degrees right now. That is pretty chilly. The cold front should be gone by early this week. I am still waiting on my sprocket, grips, etc., anyways. Hah.

10 more days till march  March is still pretty bad, and there is usually atleast one freak lake effect snow storm. I call March teh bipolar month, since it can vary to crazy snowstorms to bright, sunny relatively warm days.

I just want to be ready to take advantage of those bright, sunny, relatively warm days