With the weather so nice today (75, sunny, dry), I figured that to hell with my lack of a headlight for the time being...I was riding daggumit. So I took my newly-naked GS out for a roughly 100 mile joyride in between doing chores and laying in the hammock. It was a combination of twisties through the back roads and wide open highways in the country up north of here where the roads are long, straight, flat, and the scenery is cool. Heck, I went to parts of the county I've never been to in the 17 years I've lived here. I had no idea where some of those roads went...but that's what having a bike is all about.
Man, once the fairing comes off, it's like having a whole new bike. I love it!!! Looking at the gauges and not seeing anything but road in front of them is awesome. I was also suprised at how comfortable it was to be 70+ mph on a naked bike...not nearly as rough as I would have imagined. The best part, though, is my new mirrors. I picked up two bar end mirrors from Third Eye for about $25 total, and they are awesome. Clear picture even at speed, no vibration, they don't move around...just perfect. Big improvement over my original stock F mirrors, with which I couldn't see behind me without leaning to the side to see around the reflection of my shoulders/elbows. Big thumbs up to Third Eye.