The last time I rode was a week and a half ago, and it has since been sitting under a cover. Yes, I said the s-word, sitting. I can't leave her out there any longer. I need to get her out for a spin.
Problem. It has been raining nonstop, and I don't want to get my baby hosed. And then last night it snowed. Yes, it snowed in portland. And it's been windy as all hell also. On the way to the gym last night I saw that the KLR that's always parked on the street by my house had been blown over.
What I'm saying is that the weather is awful and I may not get her on the road. But I want to start it to give the battry some juice, run fuel through the system, and so on. Is there any point to starting her up and letting her run in her covered area for a bit, or is this all in vain? She wants to run sooooooooo bad.
Dave
:2guns: Mine has been in the garage since just after halloween. I have zero pity for you.
Buy a rainsuit, learn to ride in the rain, it will make you a smoother, faster, better and safer rider.
Quote from: scratch on March 09, 2006, 12:25:32 PM
Buy a rainsuit, learn to ride in the rain, it will make you a smoother, faster, better and safer rider.
I have a rainsuit, I just haven't tried it out. I'm worried about laying my bike down more than getting my body wet though.
I have taken the msf, so I know all about throttle control and smooth braking and clutch ease. I do have a little problem with accelerating quickly though, just because it's fun. That's something I don't want to become a habit though. Hmmmm, maybe I'll go out and practice riding in the rain tonight...assuming of course that there's no snow on the ground.
Quote from: 2005-GS500-PDX on March 09, 2006, 12:59:12 PMI'm worried about laying my bike down more than getting my body wet though. I have taken the msf, so I know all about throttle control and smooth braking and clutch ease.
Practice, practice, practice. Take it easy. Sometimes I still ride like a grandma when it's wet (but that's how you don't crash in the rain).
Quote from: 2005-GS500-PDX on March 09, 2006, 12:59:12 PMI do have a little problem with accelerating quickly though, just because it's fun. That's something I don't want to become a habit though. Hmmmm, maybe I'll go out and practice riding in the rain tonight...assuming of course that there's no snow on the ground.
Yes, yes!! That's a good way to cure yourself of your "problem"! Heh heh heh :icon_twisted:
Snow?! Heck, I rode up to snow last weekend! Picked up a mastercylinder sized chunk and rode back down, it almost lasted til the bottom.
Modified after his post on purpose: It's not my fault.
God damnit scratch, now I am thinking about putting off my application to grad school so I can go practice a little wet weather riding. Sheesh.
One worry I have, like I said, is sliding and wrecking the bike. But then again, with a lot of caution and plenty of attention, it seems that my odds of crashing would be no different than on any given day. Just a thought.
And for some reason I like saying that my bike has never been ridden in the rain. But then again, what's the point? For example, a lot of ads for bikes for sale say it has never seen the rain. So? Has it seen a garden hose and some meguiar's? Then what's the point?
Damn you. Tonight I ride. Slowly! And with everything that my experience and the msf has taught me.
Dave
Quote from: 2005-GS500-PDX on March 09, 2006, 12:59:12 PM
Quote from: scratch on March 09, 2006, 12:25:32 PM
Buy a rainsuit, learn to ride in the rain, it will make you a smoother, faster, better and safer rider.
I have a rainsuit, I just haven't tried it out. I'm worried about laying my bike down more than getting my body wet though.
you will be surprised about how sticky the tires are in wet pavement (not wet metal!)
Yes, avoid manhole covers, painted lines (when turning, or at least minimize the time you're on them, and/or keep more upright (lean your body, not the bike)), and tar snakes. Actually, always lean your body more than the bike when riding in the rain; and be sure to weigh the outside peg.
The only real difference between washing and riding in the rain is the amount of junk the bike seems to pick up. When you wash, you're cleaning it of junk. When you ride in the rain, well...rain is dirty, wet stuff tends to be more clingy, shoot I've found a cigarette butt in the c/s cavity once!
Quote from: Grainbelt on March 09, 2006, 12:18:31 PM
:2guns: Mine has been in the garage since just after halloween. I have zero pity for you.
Because it's broken? Or because you hate riding motorcycles and having fun?
Rain is something we all have to deal with eventually, you might as well get the practice ;)
Grainbelt lives in the great, frozen north; I think he'd prefer the rain over the snow he's been dealing with... cabin fever will make you crazy, but as long as he has beer... you DO have beer stockpiled, don't you, Grainbelt? :)
Beer is a MUST!
Quote from: Grainbelt on March 09, 2006, 12:18:31 PM
:2guns: Mine has been in the garage since just after halloween. I have zero pity for you.
+1
You really need to let you bike sit for a couple months at least, BEFORE you have the right to complain about having PMS...
Parked Motorcycle Syndrome.
This is my first winter with a bike, and I've already got it BAAAAAAAAD.
I still don't see how you guys can park for the winter.
...and before anyone says something about snow and ice I rode my TL ALL winter...rain, ice, sleet, snow, racoons, whatever.
I'm happy for you, Mak, but I don't think you live in my neck of the woods. Unless you have sharp studs in your bike tyres, you'd never make it out of your street after a dump of the white stuff that we get. Cars just pack it down into a bumpy path. Salt, black ice, slush. I care too much for my ride to expose my bike to that stuff.
That said, it's currently raining here. Temperature may break 50°F today, eliminitaing all that crap I just mentioned. Will be sunny later today. If it's dry when the sun comes up, I may just throw a leg over and take the bike to work today. If not, looks like I'll br riding this weekend. :thumb: March 12th is the earliest I've started the season -- may well beat that by a day. Yippie!!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/redshift/blueMCsmilie.gif)
Its been since December when I last rode. And it looks like it might be another week untill I am back on the bike. At least your bike dosent't look like this:
(http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f319/toobrie/gs500f/gs500f058.jpg)
(http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f319/toobrie/gs500f/gs500f063.jpg)
My roommates might be suprised when they get back from Spring Break and see a motorcycle taken apart in the living room.
^Now THIS is a guy who has his priorities in order; motorcycle maintenance BEFORE (or maybe instead of) spring break!
10 days?
10 Days??
10 DAYS?????????
I can do 10 days standing on my head.
Try living in Wisconsin.
Yep.... mine's been away since last November. Last night I dug it out from under its cover in the garage. Taking it in for some service tomorrow. Now that it's out and I can see it, I want to ride! :icon_razz:
we2
[32
they actually accent the light blue of the side of the bike quite nice, ordered black, sent blue and had already cut the old ones off so i kept them, they grow on you after awhile
[2
Quote from: gsmetal on March 10, 2006, 05:54:37 AM
I can do 10 days standing on my head.
Try living in Wisconsin.
Did I know you live in Brookfield?? My parents live in Pewaukee and thats where my bike is hiding in the garage too... I need to get back there soon to get my bike... maybe next weekend since the 17th is my mom's b-day
OK, let me say that "riding seasons" do not exist. They're akin to the boogie monster, tooth fairy, and poorly-dressed homersexuals: things adults say to scare the shaZam! out of little kids.
I decided to go for a spin last night. It had rained and snowed all day, but all that was on the ground was water. I got geared up and when I got outside, it suddenly stopped raining. And didn't rain at all in the hour I was on the bike. That made me upset because I wanted to test the wet weather riding, as well as my rain gear, but whatever. So I got in a nice, rainless ride.
This morning I awoke to snowfall, but no accumulation. The lovely newspeople said it was 36 degrees, so chilly but not frigid and iced-over. I was trying to decide what to do, so I looked at my WWSD wristband and thought "yeah, what WOULD Scratch do?" And I decided that he would ride, and so would I.
What was I making such a huge deal about? The roads were wet but I had great traction, the streets actually seemed emptier than when it's not raining, and my rain suit kept me dry as a bone. I'm kicking myself for letting the bike sit for even one day; I'd be well over 5K miles by now, which would be awesome.
So the bike is awesome in the rain (well, maybe it's partially the rider...), and I'm pretty much only going to drive my car now when I go to the grocery store or when I go to the bar. NO, NOT so I can get shitty and drive home. So I can park it and leave it.
Dave :cheers:
I rode mine to work today, first ride this year. Well actually yesterday was, I took the day off. Got the bike fixed (one of the diaphrams on the top of the carb came out of the grooves). Then rode last night.
I don't ride in the cold, rain, snow, etc. Why? Because I don't want to, and I'm old enough to not have to do anything I don't want to, well except for when my wife starts batting her eyes. Then I better do what I'm told. LOL
Been a while, how's everyone doing?
:laugh:
Welcome back, Jimbo!
GS-PDX - Glad you had a good time! I, too, get kinda bummed when I get all dressed up for a ride in the rain and it doesn't rain. :icon_razz: Nothin' like good clean rain to keep/wash off the road spray of other vehicles, and yes, there are fewer people on the road in inclement weather, which is kinda nice when you want to go visit your favorite twisty roads and want to be all alone (or with a goup of other rain riders :) 8) :icon_mrgreen: :cookoo: :thumb: O0). Also, I find that people tend to stay away from me more, because they think I'm going to crash (or I ride like a noob :icon_lol:) :thumb:.