Spit shone, sparkling and nearly naked (the bike that is, I was wearing winter gear) we had the last ride of 2015 surrounded by the glory of fall.
I may have jumped the gun, but as I write this post it’s snowing. It’s not the kind that will stay or even make its mark on the ground … so maybe I did or maybe I didn’t, but the Star went into storage this weekend.
Snow on the radar, snow in the clouds, Mommy, it’s over ...
Good news - today was another meeting of the Kingston Motorcycle Club at the Creekside. There was only one brave rider but there were lots in attendance and the motorcycle talk, photos and memories are giving me lots to think about over the long winter ahead.
It's a sad day when you ride it into the garage for the last time. My bikes seem so lonely sitting all winter in my garage, watching me come and go. A tank full of gas with Sta-bil and plugged into a battery tender :( I'm not looking forward to it, but I know it's coming soon.... too soon.
ReplyDeleteErik, it's even sadder when the garage is 30 kilometers away and there's no second chance! I'm done for the season.
DeleteOh well, it had to come sooner or later...
ReplyDeleteTime to start planning for next year!
Gotta see the sunny side! Where to go next year? Well, there's the entire part of this years journey I didn't get the chance to complete so I've got a good starting point.
DeleteAh, this is how your bike looks like underneath. And it's all shiny. Love the first picture! Due to the recent temperature fall in the Black Forest I am also contemplating about putting the bike away for the season.
ReplyDeleteShe is pretty under her 'mule packs' isn't she, and all that chrome sure sparkles in the sunlight! What's with the temperature/weather? We had 20 C last weekend and snow this weekend. Crazy!
DeleteSnow will be gone tomorrow and the long term forecast isn't looking good for any more rides this year. However, being an eternal optimist, I'm not putting the bike up for the season just yet.
ReplyDeleteCanajun there were a lot of optimists out today. I think more motorcycles passed me on my walk than I've seen the entire season. Hope they were all dressed warmly as the blizzard started moments later.
DeleteAlways better to put it into hibernation early than late!
ReplyDeleteNever had to truck it yet ... and don't want to have to!
DeleteSad time of year, for sure.. Hope you had a great season!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kathleen ... it was a good, albeit short, year. Here's to next year!
DeleteHere's a question: You ride a V Star 650. Since you've ridden it for several years, you must be happy with it. I'm considering getting a V Star 650, or maybe the 950, or the Honda Areo. Or some such mid-size cycle. Can you give me any advice? What are the advantages of the V Star 650? Any downsides? Many thanks!
ReplyDeleteHey David many thanks for stopping by. I can't comment on the Honda product having only sat on it at the show but am happy to tell you how I feel (totally my personal opinion) about the VStar 650 Custom...here goes (grab your coffee.)
ReplyDeleteI rode, quite by accident into the Yamaha dealership on my 650 Suzuki. I loved my Suzuki except for its small gas tank and lack of a tripometer or gas gauge. I sat on the VStar and fell in love. After 6 years touring on it I still love it.
Pros:
Peg position - comfortably not too far forward (Didn't like the Honda or Harley because I felt off balance with my feet too far forward.)
Shaft driven - for me, no maintenance is a huge plus. The mechanic does the maintenance with each oil change. No chain lubing, no frayed belts.
Have had only one mechanical issue (speedometer gear related) Yamaha and my own mechanic both said they'd never seen it before. But fixed no problem.
Seat height perfect for short legs though a little lower would make backing it up a bit easier
Has never failed to start ... but I still replaced the battery for year 6
Looks impressive ... can't tell you how many people have come up to me and said they love it. Not to mention I felt it was a little more 'finished' than the Honda Shadow I had looked at at the bike show.
Reasonable sized gas tank
Easy to add aftermarket parts like windscreen, sissy bar, luggage racks, heated grips ... yada, yada, yada
Has not burned a drop of oil in 6 years.
Cons (and I'll be honest):
That gas tank that looks huge really only holds 16 litres and I start looking for fuel around 175km. Have never actually run out of fuel since it has a reserve tank but came darn close in the middle of nowhere Idaho
That shaft drive that I love not having to lube or maintain has added an extra 128 pounds over my 650 Suzuki Savage (some of that weight is the extra 6 inches of wheel base) making it a little harder to move around. For highway travel this might not be a con as the extra weight is nice in the wake of a transport, It's only a problem maneuvering it around a campground or the garage.
I wish I had ABS brakes (though I've haven't needed them so far - I wish I had them.) Which also brings me to mention the single disc front brake. It has worked fine, but then I'm gentle on the brakes.
The extra weight degrades the acceleration and braking distance but I've adjusted my riding habits to compensate for these.
In the end ... I love it still. I hear a lot of people say they need more ccs for touring, for safety - crap! All crap! I've had the VStar up to 130kph passing on the freeway and never felt it was maxed out. It has had no problem with power climbing the Rockies or passing transports on the freeways...while I still feel I am in control of it!
Hope I've been helpful ...Happy motorcycling!
Many, many thanks. That is information I could have gotten nowhere else. Extremely helpful.
ReplyDeleteSomeday, if we ever meet, you may well find me on VStar 650.
Glad I could be of help.There are so many models to choose from these days sit on them all and maybe one will 'sing' to you when you do!
DeleteI'm on a Vespa 250, and live in Boston. I never put my scooter into storage for the winter. Rather, I house it in my garage (in preference to my car). During the winter I start it up and allow it to run for at least 15 minutes, once a week. But whenever it's feasible, I get on the highway and ride! One recent winter I was able to ride at least once every week. I'm still riding it this year as of December 13th, and hoping for a mild winter where I'll be able to ride occasionally. By not putting it into storage, I keep my options open to be able to ride if there happens to be a mild break in the weather. Some winters that break never comes. But some winters, I get lucky.
ReplyDeleteIf I only had a garage ... This winter I am seeing motorcycles on the road every day; happy motorcyclists riding in December with double digit temps and no snow. Who could have predicted this!!
ReplyDeleteLast time I was in Boston was on my 2013 Eastern Tour before heading to meet up with the late Scooter Bob. I met a number of Vespa riding moto-bloggers as Bob's goal was to meet as many bloggers as he could during his trip. (I posted about my trip through Boston ... http://ridingonavstar.blogspot.ca/2013/07/2013-eastside-story-day-4-lost-at-logan.html
If you're ever in Boston again, let me know. I've followed your blog for years, would love to meet you in person.
ReplyDeleteWill do for sure David.
Delete