Keeping Clean

Well, after a week of being sick, walking in the garage and looking at
a dirty bike I had enough.

Out came the cleaning supplies and now I have a much better looking
Uly. While cleaning I think I have determined that it is indeed time
for new tires. So, time to order those up!

Reality VS Retail

So, I saw this bike a couple weeks ago.



The bike was a BMW F800S, piloted by Christian Pfeiffer in Las Vegas. He display on the bike showing it and his capabilities got me a little excited about the bike, so I thought I would go try it out.

Today I stopped by Victory BMW my local BMW dealer to give the little sucker a spin.

Well......the bike we get to ride and Christian's bike are a little different I think. The F800S is an awesome bike, well mannered, has good throttle response and is very flickable, but not the hooligan bike that I was hoping for. Oh well, we can always dream, right?

By the way, the BMW F800S is quite possibly the perfect commuter bike. It is agile, responsive and sized in a manner perfect for getting around town and through traffic.

Do Cars Make People Rude?

Yesterday I had a great day, but one particular bad part of that day was dealing with a downed rider.



The rider's name is Josh and how he came upon his misfortune that day it not really of concern, he ended up off the side of the road injured.

As riders, if we see someone down we stop, it is simple as that. There is no thought process other than , get off the road safely and get to the downed rider to make sure they are OK, or help them.

Yesterday, I had something that I never really thought about brought firmly into focus. Drivers of cages (cars and trucks) when they see a downed rider must not give a shit. I saw a least 30 vehicles drive by as we were helping Josh (probably more as I was not looking and counting them all.) I guess they were thinking, "Oh, stupid guy" or "Those things are dangerous." Who knows.

One thing is for sure, not a single person in a car or truck stopped to help, nor did anyone even bother to stop and ask if we needed help. I had to send one rider 5 miles down the road to get my wife in my truck to take Josh a mere 3/4's of a mile to the town of Tortilla Flat. Maybe people in this day and age do not realize that there still are areas that have no cell service or even telephone service, but for 10 miles in either direction of the one road to Tortilla Flat, there is none.

So, if ever find yourself driving by an accident scene and you think maybe you should ask if all is OK, stop and ask!


BTW, Josh is doing well, I say this for the rider's....who always care.

Traditions

Starting the year off with a ride is something that we love here in
the West. So much so that traditions have evolved from the casual
ride. The best thing about riding is that with two wheels you gain
many friends.

My Ride today was an annual ride that ends up in the town Tortilla Flat on AZ88 in Arizona. The road is a local favorite and many riders bring out their vintage bikes. The best part of the day is that all types of rider's get together, talk and have fun looking at cool bikes.

I can't image a better start to the year!

Making Things Right

Cleaning up a road is never a bad thing, right?



I know that I don't think that way. And neither do at least five other guys that helped me clean up one of our favorite road before the hordes of bikers were to hit it on New Year's Day.

Tortilla Flat, which is on AZ88 is a traditional spot to meet on Jan. 1 and being as such I was worried that the condition of the road in after the most recent storms would leave riders who are unfamiliar with the road in a bad way.

That bad way was lying in the road in the form of gravel and sand.

Well after today the road is a little better and a lot safer. I know that personally I will be happy for that!

One More Off The List

Bartlett Lake 12-29-2007, yep I finally have ridden this road!




Kind of interesting considering all of the places I have ridden that I had not yet been on this road. I mean heck, it is only about 40 miles from my house and within the Valley.



I guess I can chalk it up to not knowing the road and always waiting to go with someone else, but now that I have gone I can certainly say I will be going again and soon. Thanks to my friend Rick the ride was safe and enjoyable and without a performance reward.

One thing is for certain, I will be getting a RADAR detector in the coming year, it is just getting a little too easy to get nailed and liking roads with stupid speed limits does not help.

2 more days and we start another year....man they sure go fast!

Ready For More Riders?

Well, with assassinations (is it really an assassination when the person holds no office?) and all the other turmoil it seems we are headed for $4 a gallon for gasoline by Spring.



That means more people will be looking into better economy vehicles (read motorcycles.)

Hopefully as more people start riding, non-riders will start to see riders more often. Of course if we get a whole bunch of new riders maybe some day we can hope for a national lane splitting law, that will get us out of breathing fumes and off to cleaner air. I mean, that's the kind of green I am looking for.

As the year winds down, I am excited for 2008. I know, I have already stated that, but honestly if I could fast forward a few days, I probably would.