| Author | Message | ||
     Rodclement |
OK everyone! I leave tomorrow in the morning to NC! Going down the non-fun way so I can get there quick: 95 South to 85 South West to 77 South to Rock Hill/SC On the way back I am taking my time and enjoying myself a bit: 77 North 485 West 85 West to GASTONIA 321 North 40 East (in Brookford) 77 North (past Statesville) 89 West 97 (Blue Ridge Parkway) Stonewall Jackson Highway 55 East 66 East 95 North Not sure yet if I will have some alone time while there, if I do, then I am going to hit Deal's Gap as well for a day, good thing about vacation...no plans need to be kept! I'll take pictures and keep you posted! Rod | ||
| Hughlysses |
The route up looks interesting. If you've got a little time to kill for your ride back, you could continue north on 321 until you hit the Blue Ridge Parkway and skip your I-40/I-77/89 west segment. If you're looking for short side-trips, when the BRP gets twisty, pretty much any road that crosses it will have GREAT twisties. Have a great ride- looking forward to seeing your photos. | ||
| Rodclement |
Thanks! I am using a friends ride map for the way back, they recommended the added conections from 77 to the parkway, I am game for anything and have no set time to return so I may add some stops on the way! Rod | ||
| Rodclement |
Well made it to Rock Hill, South Carolina with no issues. 11 Hours on the saddle with stops every 140 miles or so for gas and restroom...620 miles from home. I am so happy I bought this bike! It rode like a champ, riding position was perfect for me, almost like they built it for me! Only think I will change will be lower pegs. The Shoei helmet is a dream, nothing to complain at all, my neck feels great with no stiffness or pain. I added the 20$ wall mart car seat cushion suggested by another member here and my bottom felt no pain! Best tip ever! Thanks! Now its a week with my brother with little riding and then the trip back for fun! Rod | ||
| Ratbuell |
If you want on the way home, top out the Parkway...take about 5 miles of 64 into Charlottesville, take 29N to 15N. 15N takes you into MD - happy to give you a spot in Frederick to crash if you want - and you can take 15 all the way to Harrisburg. Nice ride. Very jealous. | ||
| Pnw_uly |
I added the 20$ wall mart car seat cushion suggested by another member here and my bottom felt no pain! Best tip ever! Thanks! Hey, if that was my tip, glad it worked out for you - - also looking forward to some pictures. These are great bikes, ride 'em! | ||
| Rodclement |
@pnw uly...yep! Your tip, and a perfect one! Thanks! @ratbuell, I'll look into it and let you know, thanks for the offer, I may take you up on it! Forgot to mention how electronics worked so far... I use an android based Motorola Droid 2 global phone so I used it for navigation and music via Pandora. Both worked flawlesly! Music was streamed to my headset and directions came over the music without missing a step, perfect! I also have a Garmin Nuvi as backup so I used it for trip log in, average speed (without the congested time in Charlotte) was 74mph with a top speed of 106 MPH. Lastly the blue tooth wireless stereo headset by LG was perfect! Clear and with great sound isolation, battery lasted almost 8 hours, perfect for almost any day trip, I switched to wired set for the remainder of the ride. Rod | ||
| Rodclement |
Should clarify...Google maps navigation via satelite and Pandora streaming music via 3g phone...two different apps working together in perfect harmony! Go Android! Rod | ||
| Schwara |
I do the same except instead of Pandora I just use Winamp with MP3s on the phone. I got the Pandora app but haven't played much with it yet. I've been considering going wireless (headset) so I might check out the LG. I agree that the navigation and music are handled well by the Android. I'm your travels seem to be going well. Have fun. | ||
| Schwara |
Sorry ... I'm GLAD it seems like you are enjoying the ride. Thanks for the updates. | ||
| Spacecapsule1 |
hey i live in rock hill.... you still in the area? | ||
| Rodclement |
Hi there! Still here, leaving Saturday morning, great place! Rod | ||
| Rodclement |
What a day! I rode through sun, rain, and snow! All in a 8 hour drive from SC to Waynesboro VA. So far I rode about 200 miles of the Blue Ridge Mountain and will ride the entire Skyline Drive tomorrow. Beautiful regardless of the weather, I left SC with light rain and around 50 degrees, sun came out but with a lot of wind, warmed up a bit...made it to the mountains and caught light snow acumulating on the vegetation but not on the roads...parts of sun...parts of snow...all fun! Made it to Waynesboro with night fall and 34 degrees...got a room at the Quality Inn for the night. I am typing on tablet so no pictures until I get home. Uly has been perfect all around, not one issue, not one complaint, catches everyone's eye at every gas stop...maybe it's the crazy guy riding in the snow...I am filling up at every 140 miles or so, not one fuel light warning so far so I am happy! So far it's about 1200 miles in this trip with 0 issues and a whole lotta fun! Rod | ||
| Ratbuell |
Be careful on Skyline. 1. the speed limits are LOW. 2. They do not plow it. They close it. 3. Trees up here are falling all over the place - combination of leaves not dropping yet, plus snowfall weight. Great stuff, though. Still jealous  | ||
| Rodclement |
Well...made it home in one piece and with 0 issues with the Uly, and no speeding tickets! Bad part is that the Skyline was closed due to all the overnight snowfall and lack of plows to clean the roads...major bummer! At least I got to ride the Blue Ridge portion... Pictures and more blabbing tomorrow after I de-frost from the ride home in below freezing weather. Rod | ||
| Rodclement |
As promised...some pictures: Bike ready to go!   Gas stop in NC...gravel roads!  What the trip was for! My brother and his family!  Future Bueler!  I'm on the left with the pretty girl!  Rest stop shot!   Sights...   Snow!   Freezing!  Hotel room in Waynesboro, cheap, clean, and good shower!   View...it's snow...  Uly Popsicle! It was way below freezing in the morning!     Yeah! Skyline Drive!  Wait...it's closed...   These people have the right idea...snowballs...  Heading Home    Funny car with a cool scoot tied to the back!  That's it! All in all a good trip even if I missed the Skyline! Bike was flawless and fun! I will make the following mods in the next months based on this trip: Lowered foot pegs Adjustable wind screen Elephant ears over my bars Gear wise it was perfect, all the clothing performed well even under temps well below freezing, gloves could be better hence the elephant ears...helmet with the new thinner cheeck pads was awesome, even better than the drive down. Ride home took about 7 hours with one meal stop and the needed fuel stops, I rode a bit slower due to severe cold in some spots near Harrisburg, only part of my body that felt it were my hands... I'll log the miles and let you all know what it ended up being. Rod | ||
| Fltwistygirl |
Looks like a great trip. Glad to hear the Uly did its job with no hiccups. Both of ours seem to prefer cooler temps. Thanks for sharing! | ||
| Rodclement |
My pleasure! I am glad I own this bike! Rod | ||
| Ratbuell |
Nice ride. Still jealous. Toldya they closed Skyline when it snowed  They simply don't plow it. Part of their plan to keep the road surface as nice as possible, for as long as possible (if I remember correctly from my youth...a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away). I don't see heated grips? Get the Buell kit. OEM switchgear, easy install (plug and play), and your hands will stay nice and toasty. And, you don't have to remember to grab 'em before you leave for a trip | ||
| Rodclement |
Thanks! I was so dissapointed, I've ridden the Skyline before, just not on a Buell...It didn't even snow that much but the trees have leaves on them...heavy...and you are 100% correct...they don't plow... I'll look into the heated grips right away! Thanks! Rod | ||
| Schwara |
Rod ... do a search for Reepicheep or heated grip controller. He's been working on his own design and if I didn't already have the stock Buell grips that is most likely the way I would go. Going this route you can select a more comfortable grip than stock or possibly stay with what you have now if you like them. Mine have the heating element built into the grip itself so I can't change the grips without completely changing the heater. You can also send a line to Al @ A S B and he would let you know everything needed. I'll most likely do some combination of the above in 2012. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Hm. Not to hijack, but I might look into Reep's setup for my S2. 1" grips/bars on there, and I hate the HD rotary-dial-bar-end setup...but I have the Buell stockers on the Uly and the CR, and they are AWESOME. Have thought about adding them to the S1 and M2...but I don't really ride either one enough, and if it's that cold out I'll put on my heated gloves The gloves, by the way, also rock. Grips are awesome on those fall/spring days when you don't get home before sundown, or as a compliment to heated gloves (most gloves are heated on the backside only, where the wind hits, so you're still holding a pair of cold pieces of pipe). | ||
| 7873jake |
A S B stocks the control pod for the OEM heated grips switch and the connectors are soooo simple and easy to do-- its almost plug-n-play. The hardest part will be removing the grips and farting around with that aspect of the installation. |
