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Crusty
Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2017 - 06:40 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Jim; it looks easy enough to get to. Do I get a ticket from you or should I e-mail the person on the poster?
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Damnut
Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2017 - 09:07 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I have tickets with me.
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Crusty
Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2017 - 09:10 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Thoughts About The Shop


I need to go over to the shop. The battery on the Roadster is dying. It’s been a slow progression, but it keeps getting weaker. It will turn the engine over for a couple of rotations, but it loses strength pretty quickly. More often than not, I have to put it on the charger for the first start of the day. And it’s losing more of its Cold Cranking ability on a daily basis. I was hoping it would last through the winter; it’s been showing signs of dying for a while now, but it’s rapidly heading toward that Great Recycling Yard in the sky.

I called Sandra and asked how much a new battery is. She looked it up and said $106.00, but for you, a hundred. Well; I need one, so I’ll ride over and get one. Not today, though; it’s been snowing and raining and we’re supposed to get scattered showers all day long. I hate winter rain, so I’ll go over tomorrow. That’s the nice part about being retired. I can put off unpleasant things like that a lot more often than I could when I was working.

I started thinking about the shop and I thought about how it’s changed over the many years I’ve done business there. When I first discovered it, it was called Mack’s Motors. It had been run by Mack McConney (sp?) who was a local legend in motorcycling circles. Guy and Jimmy bought the business back in 1972. It was in a four bay garage in a residential area of Everett, Massachusetts. In the early ’90s, Guy moved the shop to a former box factory in Chelsea and it expanded in area by a large margin. He also changed the name to GP Motorcycle Supply. Eventually, Urban Renewal had the City buying the building under Eminent Domain, and they moved to their present location in Malden.

It’s not an antiseptically clean Emporium. Your mother wouldn’t want you to ever go in there. Kinda like the Pool hall down on Charles Street, It’s dark and greasy and cluttered. Well, the showroom and work area are well lit, but the back is dim. They have the usual Machine Shop fixtures; Bridgeport mill, lathes, drill press, valve grinders, bead, sand and other media Blasting Cabinets, and some welding equipment There’s a Lunch and general coffee and BS area (an old kitchen table with a bunch of mismatched chairs. It’s right beside a three tier rack of tires on one side and a bunch of shelves of used parts on the other. The coffee maker is right beside the cold water only sink about ten feet away.
If you want hot water, you have to go to the sink in the bathroom.

In the old days, all the Regulars got a unique name. Just off the top of my head, there were Bomber, Bozo, Zappa, Spanky, Papa Tag, Custom Joe and Cousin Joe, Swanney and a whole bunch more. Some, like Jimmy and Carl just had their own names, but if anybody else had the same name, the other person got a nickname. Guy started calling himself Guido when his son Guy grew up. That way, the two wouldn’t get confused for each other. For people like me, I still think of them as Big Guy and Little Guy. I had several different nicknames over the years, but the one that stuck is John the Miner. That name is still with me even though I stopped mining in 1997 when my ankle got crushed.

Being an independent repair shop, they tend to get quite a mix of bikes in for repair. There are newer Harleys and some custom built bikes (they’ve built quite a few over the years) but there are also a lot of 20 and 30 year old UJMs with rusted and pitted chrome, oxidized aluminum and torn seats, as well. Sometimes I think that the true motorcycle enthusiasts are on those Junkyard Specials. They ride for the love of riding. They’re not just displaying their particular type of butt jewelry. Then again, I consider myself an enthusiast, and I try to keep my bike looking good.

All in all, it’s an Old Time Shop. The people there are real and they love what they do. It’s the kind of bike shop that feels like home.
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Pwnzor
Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2017 - 09:14 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Crusty,

Amazon has much better deals on motorcycle batteries, with free delivery.

Click Here

Let me know if you want to use my Prime account to get one delivered.
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Crusty
Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2017 - 09:52 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Matthew, Will Amazon let me use their tools and lifts to swap out my engine? Sometimes it's a lot cheaper in the long run to pay a little more on an item. Also, I have a running account at the Shop. I can go and get a battery today and not pay until next week when I get my Social Security.

I think, in this case, the better way to go is to buy from the shop.
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Cyclonedon
Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2017 - 04:01 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I agree John but local! I ordered a battery from EBay and it crap out on me in just over two years! I got my last one from the local Harley shop located 3 miles from where I live. They come and pickup my bike fix it and deliver it back. Since I no longer have a truck or a trailer to haul my motorcycle, it's good to have a dealer that will do it for me.
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Pwnzor
Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2017 - 04:49 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I think, in this case, the better way to go is to buy from the shop.

Point taken, sir. Just trying to help.
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Ourdee
Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2017 - 06:44 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

For my Buell, I went back to Harley labeled batteries. Never really saved putting internet batteries in it.
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Zac4mac
Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2017 - 10:30 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Of all the crap that H-D sells, their batteries are among the best.
This Spring I am retiring the original batteries in my 08 1125R and my 09 XB12X.

Anytime a 12Ah battery lasts more than 5 years, you got your money's worth.
These of mine are now close to 10 years each.

Z
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Crusty
Posted on Saturday, January 21, 2017 - 09:08 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

At Sunrise On A Grey Day


I have a tendency to look at things a bit more bleakly in the morning, lately. Today, I feel especially dark. It’s a typical grey New England Winter morning. Supposedly, it’s going to get up into the low 50s and become only partly cloudy today, but I’ll believe that when I see it. It didn’t hit the forecast highs for the past couple of days, so why would they be right in today’s forecast?

I was going to wash the bike yesterday, but it was just too freakin’ raw. The closest quarter car wash is something like 12 miles away. The roads were wet with salt and other liquid ice melting chemicals, so if I had washed the bike, it would have been just as dirty when I got home.

All I can see is negatives this morning. I took Discover Card’s credit free check, and my credit score’s a lot lower than Credit Karma says it is. I tend to trust them a little more, since they are the people who give out credit cards. I don’t want another credit card, I just was curious.

I just got a couple of bills from my last Cystoscopy. The first one is a nice itemized list of expenses from the hospital. The other is a nice itemized list from the doctor. Combined with the new battery and Inspection Sticker that I owe the shop for, that really hurts my prospective budget for the next month.

I’ve managed to wear a hole in the side of the thumb on my new winter gloves. I’ve only had them for a couple of months; they should last at least for one winter. Shit.

I didn’t sleep well last night. I woke up at 2:30, and 3:30 and 4:30 and had nothing but really bizarre dreams. I guess my subconscious decided it was time to dump the garbage. I finally got up at 4:30, and I’ve been up since. I was hoping to go back to bed for a couple of hours, but that ain’t happening. I finally decided to start the coffee maker and brush my teeth around 7:00.

I’m damned if I know how I’m going to get enough cash to buy an 1190SX, set it up and ride it to the Arctic. I’m pretty sure I can come up with enough cash for a deposit. I know that the Credit Union will loan me 80% of the purchase price. Where it gets tricky is the price of the necessary modifications. Maybe I can get a price for the bike with the gearing, handle bar, ECM and foot peg changes, and get a loan for 80% of that? Still, there are a lot of other things that need to get done, too. Hand guards, windscreen, Corbin seat, making saddlebag mounts, etc. Sometimes it looks overwhelming.

And then, there’s the move to Cincinnati. That’ll be pricey. I’ll have to rent a truck to transport all my stuff. And there’s stuff I’m going to have to buy when I do move. How in the F*** am I ever going to be able to do that?

Yesterday, I was talking with someone who was saying that she and her husband wanted to move into a Seniors only community. It would be quiet and safe and they could be comfortable. They wouldn’t have to hear noisy kids or jerks playing their car stereos at 140 Db, or any other disturbing intrusions on their dull solitude. They wouldn’t have to worry about anything unsafe happening to them. And they could just wait for death while contemplating how boring and drab their lives have been. None for me, thanks.

My life may seem overwhelming at times, and I might get caught up in the negatives on grey winter mornings, but it’s still one hell of a lot better than that.

In the novel Glory Road by Robert Heinlein, the protagonist defeats his enemy, and as the enemy is dying, he grants the hero (Oscar) a Blessing, “You will not die in bed”. The more I think about that, the more I realize just how great a Blessing it is.

I feel better now.

(Message edited by Crusty on January 21, 2017)
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86129squids
Posted on Saturday, January 21, 2017 - 10:37 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

As much sci-fi I've consumed, I've not yet read a lot of Heinlein. I need to get back into the reading habit, if only to clear the backlog of books I have on hand... need to get back on the bicycle daily too.

John, not to be "Debbie Downer" or anything, but I'm seeing a pattern in your thinking- your focus on getting a new EBR is a noble aspiration, but, given your other goals and limitations, is it realistic? After seeing your "Tour-Sporty" and how well it's set up, how well you ride it and such, why not be content with that bike and the nice certificate of title you have with your name on it? It may not be the latest/greatest from Erik and the Elves, but it's already yours.

I dunno- personally, I'm really hoping to beat back, consolidate and minimize my debts ASAP. Saw a piece in the news the other nite about a local workshop helping folks build those trendy "mini" houses. Given the build costs of those little boxes and quality of materials nowadays, they kinda made me feel inadequate for the shoebox I live in now. However, I'll have to do the best with what I have, inadequacies or not. At least I got my insulation updated!

I wish you the best of luck no matter what you do, friend! Maybe a "farkle-fest" with that Sporty would alleviate your "need" for an EBR? Just sayin'. Go for it if ya gotta, though... I'd jump at a chance to grab a well-cared for Uly if I could!

Have a great (or at least OK) weekend, Crusticle! ; )
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Pwnzor
Posted on Saturday, January 21, 2017 - 10:07 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Just keep that EBR in your mind's eye, and it will come to you.
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Crusty
Posted on Saturday, January 21, 2017 - 10:33 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

It's going to happen. I know it will. I just don't know if it will happen in time to make the run this year. I may have to wait until next year to ride to Tuktoyaktuk. I'll give it my best shot, though. Hopefully, everything will fall into place and I'll be standing ankle deep in the Beaufort Sea before the Summer Solstice.
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Crusty
Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2017 - 08:29 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

A Tramp Looks At 66


Lately, I’ve been caught in a bit of a depression. Winter does that to me. It’s probably a bit of Seasonal Affected Disorder. That seems to be coming through in some of my Snippets, too, from some of the PMs and feedback I’ve gotten lately.

Last year, I had one hell of an argument with a friend because I was being so flighty in his opinion. Now; he stayed in an intolerable job for years because he wanted the security of a good pension and a steady job. I’ve quit more jobs than I can recall over the years. I never could nor would stay in such an intolerable situation. I can’t fathom how he did it. At the same time, he can’t grasp my attitude. I find living his way to be incomprehensible, and he feels the same way toward my lifestyle.

I’m a Tramp. I say that with pride. I’ve always loved to travel. I get restless sitting still. Yet, at the same time, I want my own home. There are things going on in my life that I don’t write about in my Snippets, but they have a strong influence in what I do. I’m also restless. I want an EBR. The Black Lightning spoke to me when I saw it at the New York Show. And I want to ride it to the Arctic Ocean. I probably will wind up with a leftover 1190SX instead of the Black Lightning, and that’s a choice that I can live with. It’s mostly a financial decision; I can save four or five grand by buying the SX and the longer travel suspension would make it a better mount for the ride I'm planning than the Black Lightning.

I’ve had a few people ask me why I don’t just ride the Roadster. I took the Roadster over some dirt roads up in the Idaho Panhandle last year, and I’d have to do some serious modification to the suspension. Plus, I don’t really trust it to make the trip. After the engine let go last summer, I haven’t been able to quite get back that level of trust that I had. It’s one thing to have an engine let go in the middle of Illinois; it’s a whole lot worse to have the bike die 300 miles north of Dawson City. While I still believe that the Sportster is one of the most under rated bikes out there, I also believe that there were quite a few flawed (ever so slightly) engines the the Motor Company produced around the 2005 - 2008 area. The replacement engine in the Roadster is also a 2005. I’d spend the whole trip worrying and listening for any unusual sounds. The last point is that it has a drive belt. Belts are wonderful in that they’re clean and require very little maintenance, but one small rock that gets wedged between a belt and the sprocket can cause it to snap. I’ll be traveling over hundreds of miles of dirt roads. I’d have to convert the bike to chain drive. So, between suspension upgrades, drive changes and my fear of another engine failure, I don’t think it’s the best choice for the journey. While an EBR also isn’t the best choice for such a trip, it has chain final drive and the suspension is so much better than the Roadster’s that there’s no comparison. Also, I’m pretty loyal to Erik Buell and his motorcycles. I have a Buell Pegasus tattooed on my left bicep and I really want to be the first person to ride an EBR to the Arctic Ocean.

There’s one more factor that’s significant in my choice. My credit is not so good. After my heart surgery, I was unable to work for a few months. I went back to work as soon as I could, but I fell way behind in my mortgage, and the mortgage company foreclosed. (There’s a story there that I won’t go into, but they really lied to me and screwed me over) Anyway, on the advice of my attorney, I filed Bankruptcy. Even though I filed , I paid off a loan to my Credit Union (I told them when I took out the loan that no matter what happened, I’d pay them off.) Because of that, they’re willing to give me another loan even though my credit hasn’t recovered. For a Recreational Vehicle (they consider motorcycles as such), they’ll loan up to 80% of book value. That puts an SX within reach.

Those are a few of the reasons that I’m making the choices I think are best. There are still a lot of other influences that I don’t wish to discuss, but they also figure in to my choices significantly.

If it’s at all possible, I will be in Tuktoyaktuk this June. And I will have ridden an EBR there.
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Ourdee
Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2017 - 01:47 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Early June or late June? I ask, wondering if you are planning HC2017 into the trip? It starts June 8th this year.
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Buellish
Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2017 - 07:55 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

John,I hear there is a storm coming into your area with strong winds,are you ok?
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Crusty
Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2017 - 09:15 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

RD, I'm going to try to make Homecoming, but I don't know if I'll be able to yet.


Mike; Oh, yeah. The coast is getting battered with nearly hurricane force winds and very heavy rain, but here, it's mostly snow mixed with rain and the wind gusts are only about 40 MPH. I don't think I'll be on the bike today since the streets are so slick, but if it warms up a little and the snow melts, I might take it out to run a couple of errands. I'm starting to get cabin fever again and need to get out.

I don't want to hatchet my Counts before they chicken out, but there may be a development in the house hunt. I'll say more if it looks promising.
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Crusty
Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2017 - 06:40 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Bad News Is Good News


This morning, I sent a few people a picture of a house that looked like the house I’ve been hoping for.
This afternoon, I got an e-mail from David. This is an excerpt from that letter:

Gawd, where do I start.  Just got back from touring it with the realtor.  The floors have more ups and downs than a roller coaster.  The floor in the kitchen alone had about 5 or 6 different elevations.  The ceilings are in danger of dropping, for (I assume) water damage.  The power was not on, so there were no lights to go down into the garage, so I didn't.  Would not have wanted to anyway since the stairs were more like a ladder than a set of stairs.

Outside, the back of the house is at the base of a long, narrow yard.  That goes uphill away from the house.   Very UP hill.  With lots and lots of drainage pipes that discharge onto the property, and those all drain, (all together now) to the underside of the house.

Are there any positives?  Yes.  I made it out without injury.  I also have a northern Kentucky realtor who is actively scouring the area for me.


While it’s a bit of a disappointment, I feel really fortunate that David is there and is willing to waste his time off from work running around looking at houses for me. He knows what I want in a house and I completely trust his judgement. I still believe that the right house will appear at the right time. I just wish the right time would get here soon.

I guess this would be a good time to go listen to the Rolling Stones, You Can’t Always Get What You Want
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Crusty
Posted on Thursday, January 26, 2017 - 07:44 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Winter Sucks. Especially This Winter


For me, this has been a tougher winter than usual. I can’t really blame the weather; it’s been pretty mild for New England. While we have gotten some snow, it’s been warmer than average most days.
No; for me it’s been the level of disappointment that’s come my way. My Cardiologist has put me on Cholesterol medication (something I really didn’t want to take), And the little house in Cincinnati that just grabbed me didn’t happen. someone put an offer in before us. Then there were several other houses that either weren’t fit to live in, or were in neighborhoods it wouldn’t be healthy for me to live in. I especially got a kick out of the picture that David sent to me. It was a picture of a handwritten note taped to the door that said Rotten Floor - Stay Off.

I’ve literally spent hours reading on the Alaska Forum over on Adventure Rider learning as much as I can in preparation for my ride to the Arctic Ocean on an EBR. I’ve pondered what changes would be necessary to the bike to help insure it makes it all the way there and back. I felt driven to accomplish this ride.

A few minutes ago, I read that EBR is shutting down. Again. I have the feeling that there won’t be another Re-birth. I’d say it really sucks, but that doesn’t nearly describe how I feel.

I don’t know what I’m going to do. I suppose I could still buy an EBR, but my heart just wouldn’t be in it. Right now, I haven’t got a clue about what to get to replace the Roadster. Maybe I should just build a really strong engine from the remains of the motor that ate itself last summer. I don’t know. I can’t think straight.

I really wish I could win a big lottery, either the Mega Millions or the Powerball when there was a huge jackpot. Then I could afford to invest in EBR. I’ve never ridden a bike that felt better and made me a better rider than the bikes Erik Buell produced. Unfortunately, I don’t win lotteries or raffles or anything like that. I guess that all I can do is sit here and feel bad.

Ah Shit.
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Ourdee
Posted on Thursday, January 26, 2017 - 09:14 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Maybe an 1125?
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Crusty
Posted on Thursday, January 26, 2017 - 09:19 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I never liked the 1125. There's no reason other than I just never warmed up to it. I liked the 1190 quite a bit and fell hard for the Black Lightning. But it's not to be, I guess.
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Njloco
Posted on Friday, January 27, 2017 - 04:35 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Yeah man, felt sorry for you Crusty, I know you really wanted that Black Lightning, I was thinking of one for next year, not to be. Good news is, there are plenty of 1190's out there, I might start to consider one of those.
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Zac4mac
Posted on Friday, January 27, 2017 - 09:37 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

John, just find a good deal on an SX and fix it.
You know we'll help u do it...

There's enough machinery to keep the faithful going for at least a decade.

If you really need a part, call Court or me.
<edit>I only include Court from his own stand on these things....

Z

(Message edited by zac4mac on January 27, 2017)
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Zac4mac
Posted on Friday, January 27, 2017 - 09:47 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

This didn't feel like a fix, so...
If the SX/RX handles ANYTHING like my RS, get one.

I really want to ride my RS in the mountains but I'm desperately afraid of wadding it.
I think I need an RX.

Need to talk to my accountant how to make it a business need. (write-off)

Z

(Message edited by zac4mac on January 27, 2017)
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Crusty
Posted on Saturday, January 28, 2017 - 08:52 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

What a Surprise


In my last little Snippet, I detailed that I didn’t know if I wanted to buy an EBR, even though they’ve stopped production, or if I should build a “ strong” motor for the Roadster. Along with E-mailing my snippets out to my friends, I post them on both the XL forum and Badweb. The XL forum is centered around Sportsters and Buells and Badweb is centered around Buells and EBRs.

The folks on the XL forum think I should ride the Roadster to the Arctic Circle, while the folks on Badweb think I should get the EBR. Of course. Both forums consist of enthusiasts of a specific bike. I’d really be surprised if folks on either forum said to go with the other bike. Well; not quite. One of the people on Badweb does incredible porting on Sportster heads. I won’t go into details, but if I do decide to rebuild the XL engine, I’ll want to have him do the heads. However, he’s one of the people pushing me to go for an EBR. On the other hand, there’s a Lady on the XL forum who occasionally sends me a PM about my Snippets. She has offered some good advice in the past, and a week or two ago gave me the advice that I should get a Black Lightning, since that’s the bike I’m pretty heavily infatuated with. If I can’t afford to buy it this year, ride the Roadster North and save until I can afford to buy the Black Lightning. As usual, she made sense; given the information I put in my Snippets.

However, I don’t put all the information and details about many aspects of my life into my Snippets. There are many other things going on that can, and do, have a profound effect on my choices and actions. I try to have a reasoned and methodical approach toward achieving my goals. Sometimes, what might seem to be a hasty decision is actually the wisest choice that was thought through. Then again, sometimes the wisest choice was a huge mistake; like when I bought that Toilet of a Kumensukmi last summer.

At any rate, there are other factors to what I’m considering. In their Press Release, EBR stated that they will be honoring warranty work on any new bike sold, and somebody pointed out that just because they’ve stopped production, it doesn’t mean they’ve gone under completely. There are several manufacturers who’ve stopped production for a time, yet are still in business and selling bikes. Moto Guzzi being one of the brands mentioned. Although I fear that’s not the case with EBR.

And there’s one other factor that I think needs to be mentioned; I have a Buell Pegasus Logo tattooed on my left bicep. I got it in 2003; the year the MoFoCo wouldn’t give Buell any money to have a Homecoming (they were too busy shelling out big bucks to have that paragon of H-D ownership -Elton John perform at their Homecoming). So we enthusiasts organized and funded our own Homecoming rally. It was fairly well attended and it was done to show our love and appreciation for Erik’s bikes.

So, it boils down to the question that’s been at the core of my dilemma. Can I afford a Black Lightning? And if I can’t, do I want to ride the Roadster to Tuktoyaktuk and back? I had pretty much fixated or riding an EBR there, Will I be happy to do it on the Roadster? Sometimes chasing a dream is a slippery thing. One other thought; should I just put it off for a year, and do it in 2018? That will give me a year to get it all sorted out, no matter which way I decide to go. It also gives the Northwest Territory folks another year to improve the new road that might not even be open this June.

I need to think about it a bit more. But that Black Lightning spoke to me…
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Cyclonedon
Posted on Saturday, January 28, 2017 - 08:58 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

John, go to your local Triumph dealer and take a test ride on the T120 Bonneville. I rode one last summer and really liked it! The bike handles great, has a smooth liquid cooled motor and it's easy to get on and off of which is hard for me on most of the new motorcycles these days, possibly because of my old age! lol
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Two_seasons
Posted on Saturday, January 28, 2017 - 10:56 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Crusty wants to do it on an EBR!
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Pwnzor
Posted on Saturday, January 28, 2017 - 04:22 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Lets talk about it in person at TWoS, somewhere in the neighborhood of March 31 to April 2.
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Reepicheep
Posted on Sunday, January 29, 2017 - 10:52 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

You could do either. Read Dave Barr's book to find out where you can ride a Sportster.

Protip: If there aren't roads, just wait until the ambient temperature has been -15 F for a month or so, and then you can just ride the rivers.

So it comes down to what you WANT to do.
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Crusty
Posted on Sunday, January 29, 2017 - 10:56 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I’ll Let You Be In My Dream…


In the Bob Dylan song, Talkin’ World War III Blues, there’s a line, “I'll let you be in my dreams if I can be in yours”. I’ve always like that line and now I get to use part of it as a title for a Snippet.

Like everybody I know, I have several dreams going on at the same time One of the dreams I have that’s pertinent to my present situation is riding to Tuktoyaktuk; either on an EBR or the Roadster. That breaks down into two sub dreams; A) Buying either an EBR Black Lightning, or getting an 1190 SX and modifying it; and B) riding the Roadster either with the engine that’s in it or rebuilding the blown engine with parts that will insure it lives as long as a Sportster should.

Both of these scenarios require a bit of work. If I decide to ride the Roadster, then I’ll want to convert it to chain final drive. That’s pretty straightforward. There are some other things I’ll want to do, but they’re also not major. A headlight guard to keep flying rocks from breaking the lens and some hand guards to keep flying rocks from breaking my hand and maybe a crash bar. I’ll be riding well over 1000 miles on dirt roads

Now, to be completely honest, I don’t really trust the engine that’s in the Roadster. I know that the engine should last for way over 100,000 miles, and Parrothead has over 200K on his without ever having to work on it, but my subconscious doesn’t listen to reason. And even if I rebuild the blown engine, I don’t know if I’ll enjoy riding to the Arctic on the Roadster. Then again, I’ll probably get over the fear along the way and it will be an Adventure. Also, if the engine gives me no problems, it will just add to the feeling of accomplishment that I’ll get from making the trip. Difficulties and fears overcome always add to the satisfaction.

An EBR brings its own set of difficulties. I’ll have to modify it to make it a comfortable traveling machine. I’ll have to buy a Corbin seat. I’ll have to devise my own set of saddlebag mounts, which means that I’ll have to remove the secondary muffler. That means that I’ll have to have the ECM reprogrammed or buy an ECM that’s programmed to make the engine run right. If I get a Black Lightning, it will have the right gearing, foot pegs and handlebars, If I get the “Regular” SX, I’ll have to source and change them out. I already bought a set of radiator and oil cooler guards to keep rocks from puncturing those parts. As on the Roadster, I’ll have to put hand guards and a headlight protector on it.

There are other things that will have an effect on my decisions. One thing is that I can’t find an “Adventure Touring” tire in the right size for the rear wheel of the Roadster. If it comes down to that, I’ll just put a Dirty tire on my front wheel and use the Commander II that’s already on the rear. It’s funny, but there are a number of tire choices for the EBR, but not the Roadster.

There’s one other Dream that I haven’t gone into yet. I’m looking for a house in Cincinnati. I really want my own home. I’m fortunate in that my brother David is willing to do all the running around that’s involved in House Hunting. We’ve had several long discussions about what I consider the ideal house for me at the present time. I find potential houses on Realtor. com and send him the information. David knows what to look for and has had some observations that, had I been there, I might have missed. Moving is never cheap. When we find the right house, I’ll have to rent a U-Haul truck and bring all my stuff to Cincy. Add the other inevitable costs in and the cost of moving could squash my trip to the Arctic.

So that’s what’s twisting my mind up so much. That’s also why I need to consider waiting to go to Tuktoyaktuk until next year. If I wait, I’ll probably be settled into my new digs, and I’ll either have a rebuilt motor in the Roadster or I’ll have an EBR in the garage along side the Roadster and the trip will be much more affordable.

One other thing; If I do get the house (and that looks pretty probable) and I don’t heard North this year, I’ll be able to attend a sh*tload of Flat track events this summer. There are something like a dozen races that are within a day’s ride of Cincinnati. Of course, if I do head North, I can always hit those races next year. That sounds like a win-win situation.
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