I bought my GS last summer after wanting a motorcycle for years.  I rode about about 4000 miles and thought I was in for a life time of motorbiking enjoyment.  I spent the winter outfitting the bike for some light touring.  I installed junkyard bar risers, larger windscreen, hard trunk and bought saddlebags and a tank bag.  I also performed all the maintenance that a 13k mile motorcycle requires, new chain and sprockets, new tires, oil change and value check.  Thought  I was ready to ride this bike coast to coast.  Unfortunately something changed.  I have been riding very little this year, maybe 400 miles total. Not sure what caused this, but all summer I have had very little desire to get on the bike.  Maybe its been the hot weather we have had in central IL?  Or maybe it was the miserable day I spent on the bike early in the spring.  Anyway this all changed Labor Day.  I went on a 300 mile solo loop from Springfield IL to Clarence Cannon Dam  west of Hannibal MO.  It was a perfect day for motorbiking, clear blue skies, lows 70's, and fairly empty country roads.  I fell back in love with riding that day, and am kicking myself for sitting around in the pool and on the couch all summer.  I'm going to make the most of the fall weather and ride as often as possible.  I forgot my camera but did manage two iPhone shots below.  Not sure what I'm expecting from this post, just thought I'd share.

nice, what seat is that?

I think it's awesome that you re-discovered your riding passion.  Sometimes it takes just the right time and place; circumstances to re-ignite that passion.

Quote from: crzydood17 on September 07, 2011, 08:14:21 AM
nice, what seat is that?

Stock seat with a $17 ATV seat cover from walmart.  A lot of the KLR guys use it.  Really helps on longer rides. 
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-ATV-Comfort-Ride-Seat-Protector/16777864

Its been that way for thelast 2 years for me too.
Last june I got rear ended, oddly that didn't cut down my riding ... the sale of that bike in end june did.
Then I have been suffering from lack of running bike, and of course since Oct 2010 its been a short commute with no parking issues, so my riding vs car difference has really gone to 0. So I drive ... grrr some lack of committment issues I got.

Cool.
Buddha.

Quote from: CVK 81 on September 07, 2011, 08:02:17 AM
I have been riding very little this year, maybe 400 miles total. Not sure what caused this, but all summer I have had very little desire to get on the bike.  Maybe its been the hot weather we have had in central IL?  Or maybe it was the miserable day I spent on the bike early in the spring.

It was the miserable day you spent on the bike in early spring. You did something, had a negative response, so desire to do the same thing dropped.

Can also happen the first time a person does a Real Long ride in one day. They are so fatigued the physical discomfort puts them off riding. "Burned out" you could say. So they just don't feel like riding.

Anyway. Welcome back.

Michael

Thanks for sharing. I'll just add; there are days every year when it will be a nice day I think about going for a ride and then for whatever reason (usually nothing significant) I don't.  Then EVERY winter I'll be in the house, it will be -20 with 100cm of snow outside and I'll recall those days and I always regret not taking that ride

I can completely understand that. I've been using my GS for my daily driver, 50 mile round trip every day. There isn't as much joy in it as there used to be. Of course, for all of August (we moved from Anchorage to Chugiak Alaska on August 1) it's been raining almost every day...kinda kills the enjoyment. Now it's getting a bit colder out, but the weather has been a little less wet. Almost time to retire the bike for the winter.

Tonight, I was on my way home from work, just felt like really getting on it. I took off from the light a bit faster than I normally would, and wound up pulling the tire up off the ground. Needless to say, the ride home wasn't as boring as it has been.