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Take the bull by the horns

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  • Take the bull by the horns

    So my very first ride after the California Safety Course ended up being a 70mi or so trip from Pomona to Irvine and back to get a new rear tire put on from the guy I got my XS from. The tire was put on in Irvine.

    The next week I got ready for my second ride after I finished finals, a 440mi or so ride up to the Bay Area in norther California. It turned out to be quite an adventure, I left 8am in the morning and reached my destination around 11pm or so on my THIRD day of riding! On the list of things that went wrong: discovered battery acid level was too low to run bike towards the beginning of day one, had to stop for rain half-way through the second day, ran out of gas on the second day, took a 15mph spill due to some sand on the road, my right side mirror went limp (thank god for duct tape), oh and I had to replace some shirts due to my saddle bag being a bit too close to the muffler.

    That being said I did enjoy my trip. Misery remembered is adventure right? =P

    My ride back(330mi) caravaning with my family as we took my bike, my suv and the mini-van to my new apartment was much better; minus my discovery of the need for thicker gloves riding at night.

    Since then I've made the trip again after riding a bit more locally. This past summer I took the same trip, taking 101 instead of the scenic and very windy(and long) hwy1 route. So I managed to do it in TWO days this time. heh, I managed to get caught in fog and hunkered down on the roadside in my sleeping bag for several hours on the first day. I had decided that going 40mph in the dense fog while the trucks were still blazing past doing 60 was just asking to get rear-ended by far too much steel.

    I'm looking forward my next trip in a week going back down to southern California. Hoping to manage to do it in ONE day this time like I have always managed in a car.

    Ah yes, for those wondering, I've had the bike since November of last year. I'm loving every trip I take.
    Looking for an XS

    79 XS1100SF (RIP)
    - stock standard headers(stupid PO), slip-on after-market mufflers.
    - after-market rear shocks (PO installed)
    - no airbox, POD filters

    Misery remembered is ADVENTURE!

  • #2
    Re: Take the bull by the horns

    Originally posted by erithanis
    [B

    Ah yes, for those wondering, I've had the bike since November of last year. I'm loving every trip I take. [/B]
    Good for you & welcome to the XS community. Thanks for ride reports

    Labor Day at South Lake Tahoe was a good XS rally last year. I believe some of them do it every year. Highly recomend it.

    I often carry some glove liners - Wool, or some lighter strechy glove that can be worn inside my spring or medium weight gloves. Better than misery, is the fun of being comfortable in adverse conditions.
    It is a great big beautiful world out there
    Brent in GA
    Yamaha 80XS1100SG, HD Firefighter Special Edition 02 Road King, Honda 450 rat, 08 Buell 1125R tour modified, 83 goldwing parts bike gone-traded for XJ1100, 2014 HD electraglide police

    Comment


    • #3
      Since then I've learned that latex emergency gloves work as a wonderful wind break. Putting those on over my glove liners works WONDERS.

      And yes, being nice and cozy is always preferred.
      Looking for an XS

      79 XS1100SF (RIP)
      - stock standard headers(stupid PO), slip-on after-market mufflers.
      - after-market rear shocks (PO installed)
      - no airbox, POD filters

      Misery remembered is ADVENTURE!

      Comment

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