2007 Michigan GS500 Meet & Group Ride

[denman]

ok i'll bite what kind of new bike did ya get?

[manofthefield]

I swear, every single day this week the forecast has changed between rain or no rain for saturday... it's been driving me nuts.  I'd probably go rain or no rain, but I figure no one else would show up which would be no fun.

Right now it says no rain, so tomorrow it will say rain, and by the time saturday actually gets here, there should be no rain.  So I think we're all set   (manofthefield knocks on all the wood he can find)

[RedShift]

I'm still in, regardless of how it may seem due to my absence.  (Funny how work life gets in the way of motorcycling.  )

If I haven't posted a retraction by 08:00 on Saturday, you can bet a 6'4" guy wearing a RED Joe Rocket jacket carrying a white helmet will be somewhere on the grounds of Grattan Raceway by 11:00.  I can only stay in the area 'til 14:00 as I have to be back well before dinner as have something going on that evening.

Hope to get some sight-seeing, see some Audi's and a piece of the track, chat with ya'll (nope, not Texan -- just thought it fit in the sentence), have a spot of lunch and maybe get a short group ride in before departing.

I just plan to get a good day's ride in and have an interesting day.  I'm feeling this rain will be a distant memory, with sun and warm temperatures.  Looking forward to meeting as many as can make it.

Ride safe...

[darb85]

have fun folks!! Rev once for me!

[vantec6040]

Alrighty, things are looking good for me this weekend. I'll probably be taking off around 8 Saturday morning, not sure if someones going with me or not yet. And as for the rain, its going to be a warm day so we'll all dry soon enough.

flyingbeagle71: No better way to learn about your bike than in a nice thunderstorm! Of the two bikes that i've bought, both times there were un-holy amounts of rain . . .

darb85: Will do 

See you all on Saturday!

[flyingbeagle71]

ok i'll bite what kind of new bike did ya get?

I got a SV650S and it's sweet!  Still have the GS, but I'm having engine troubles, it's making a weird knocking noise.  I'm going to start ripping it apart again in my spare time.  Now that I've got the SV though, not much incentive to get it up and running...

[denman]

hey y'all(yes texan)it's going to be sunny,it better be!   im the old bald dude in the joerocket with a white helmet,lookin lost.

[manofthefield]

I'm this guy  5'-8" reddish hair

answers to: Mike, Michael, Red, manofthefield, hey you! ....

[RedShift]

I'm this 6'4" guy.  Answers to Roy and Hey You as well.  Looks like Michael& I have something in common.  See you tomorrow, and bring that neat Orange GS500.   

Roy...

[RedShift]

Good Morning Michigan GS500 Riders -- Dress warmly.  I'm leaving in about an hour, and it'll be about 48°F (9°C) and mostly cloudy, and relatively high humidity due to the recent rain. 

Wind Chill is acceptable if you dress for it.  Layers is the Key Word.  It is supposed to hit the high 60's today, but you won't see it this morning.  Dress for the here and now.   

Oh, and check your bike for tyre condition, pressure, oil, lights, etc.  T-CLOCK's.

Lastly, bring some water and a snack to munch on.  Rest if you've got a long way to travel, even if it's just 5-10 minutes to stretch.

See you at the track by about 11:00.  Will try to be conspicious.   

[denman]

hey y'all sorry i missed y'all i road around for 120 some miles,then said rip it,i was frezzzzzing. i just got lost,thats pretty bad seeing that the track is like 50 miles or so from me.    i just got home and im still cold,have fun out there.

[RedShift]

Sorry you missed us, Denman.  The morning was indeed a chilly ride (the bike thermometer said 51°F when I left).  It was a whole lot more pleasant on the way back.  Will post a couple of pictures later.

Roy...

PS. Got 58.45 MPG over the 221 mile round trip.

[vantec6040]

Whew! Is my butt sore or what 

Jeremy and I just got back, and man was it a nice day. Started off REALLY cold (I feel for you Denman, I had multiple layers and was still numb) but was an awesome ride back. It was really nice to meet Mike & Roy (those were good subs) and was really cool seeing all the cars.

We stopped again on the way back and rested for about 45 minutes then went the rest of the way home (I put my mask back on after Roy's bee scare) and it was so nice I almost didn't want to stop riding . . . almost. My next purchase is going to be a Sargeant lol

Hope to be seeing more people at the next event!

--Jeremiah

[denman]

we need to ride up north next time.     may 5th is the muskegon spring run,at mt garfield 9:00 i do know how to get there.    see y'all

[denman]

may 5th is wrong it's the 6th.  i will be there taking photos of old jap bikes.

[RedShift]

Hey folks, here are a few viewable items to remember (advertise) our visit to Grattan Raceway.

First photo is representative of the hour or two we spent talking motorcycles while cars whizzed by:



We hung around the end of the main straight-away.  Was quite fun seeing drivers braking hard so as to make the 135° turn.  There is a special odor emitted from brake pads and disks that you just don't get anywhere else.  For all I know we were exposed to deadly doses of asbestos.     Although this was an Audi event, we saw more than a few Porsches, BMWs, a Miata, a couple of Corvettes, and someone in a Ford Focus that was doing their best to keep up.     Great fuin to watch.

I was fussing with the camera and finally figured out how to properly take a movie representative of the action at the track:

GS500 Riders watching Grattan Racing

By 1:30 we were getting hungry and decided that the four of us would be all that we'd meet.  We mounted our steeds and headed off to Ionia, some 30 miles away.  The four of us eventually hit town and after a bit of exploring, we found Olivera's Pizzeria & Restaurant, 119 N Dexter St, Ionia, MI.  As Jeremiah has already said, we ate well.  Great food and fine company.

Here's what we looked like afterwards:



From left to right we have Jeremy, Jeremiah (vantec6040), Michael (manofthefield), and unfortunately me at the business-side of the camera.  All Suzuki, but Jeremy & Jeremiah were riding SV650's. Michael and I had GS500's.

We went our separate ways, Michael back to GR, and the rest of us to St. John's and beyond.  I trailed the SV's and had to stop for 30 seconds to let a Bee out of my helmet.     It and I parted company without a scratch (or sting).  (I hear Bee's are having a hard time -- no need to add to the problem.)

I had a great time and promised to get together another time or two this season.  Let the discussion of where and when  begin.

Cheers.   

[manofthefield]

Good pics Roy.  To bad there was no one around to get you in the pictures too.  Nice review of the events of the day; it'll definitely help me remember it better and hopefully entice more to come out next time.  Glad to hear you and the bee parted ways peacefully. 

[darb85]

look for my 2007 Michigan Ride 2.0 post, lets start planning the second one!

[vantec6040]

To bad there was no one around to get you in the pictures too.

]

I actually DO have a picture of Roy . . . its just that he's looking the other way 

And then my camera died . . . lol


Edit: BTW, whatever happened to flyingbeagle71?

[RedShift]

To bad there was no one around to get you in the pictures too.

]

I actually DO have a picture of Roy . . . its just that he's looking the other way 
...

Probably my better side.