Topic: Goin to California

[NShahdadi]

Going to be moving to San Francisco in the near future. Know quite a few people there but none that ride. Would love to meet some fellow forum members when I get there if anyone's interested in showing me the sweet spots.

Looking forward to being around Route 1 AND being able to ride more than 6-7 months out of the year.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Do you have an aching in yer heart? Sorry LedHed here.

Look up member SCondon in the SF area. Sean has been scarce lately. Good dude. I met Sean in SF for the first time and he took us for a ride up the coast. Wonderful day.

[NShahdadi]

Haha, indeed I do. Glad you appreciate the reference.

That sounds great, I'll have to hit him up. Thanks.

[Stev-o]

Smoked my stuff And drank all of my wine
Wish I was going to California too....

Greggo is out there, Berkley I believe. 

[scottly]

Skyline Drive and Alice's Restaurant are a "must do".

[Stev-o]

Skyline Drive and Alice's Restaurant are a "must do".

Golden Gate Bridge and Charlies Place too...

http://www.charlies-place.com/PAGES/About.html

[NShahdadi]

Sweet! Keep em comin, fellas.
On a somewhat related note - how well do you guys think a well maintained (76) 550 would fare on cross country trips? I know it's not meant to be a touring bike but with frequent camping stops and a cramp buster, would you guys be willing to take a long (1-2 week) trip on a 550?

[Stev-o]

It certainly can and has been done, but not by me. Personally, I like a heavier bike on the highway, feels more substantial when getting passed by trucks.  That was one reason I sold my first 550 and bought a 750.

[goldarrow]

Wrong color code for 76 550 but still a Nice looking bike! Love the jade green color.

[NShahdadi]

Correct, Goldarrow! As seems to be the case with a lot of 76 models, the original tank and sides were/are faded as all hell  when I bought it. The original left side cover was cracked as well. I was going to paint/repair but ended up finding a tank and side covers in great shape in here on the forum in my favorite jade green color for less than the cost of a quality paint job. Looks pretty perfect to me except for a little bit of scarring from where (I'm guessing) the 75 seat sat higher up on the tank than mine does.

Stev-O - I hear that. I'm at least going to have to get a windshield before I take too many more highway trips. I'm not a big guy so the 750 feels like a bit much for me at this point. Of course, I wouldn't not buy one in a heartbeat if I came across one for the right price.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Sweet! Keep em comin, fellas.
On a somewhat related note - how well do you guys think a well maintained (76) 550 would fare on cross country trips? I know it's not meant to be a touring bike but with frequent camping stops and a cramp buster, would you guys be willing to take a long (1-2 week) trip on a 550?

Shouldn't be a problem. If you're not in a hurry stay off the Interstates and keep it under 90  Enjoy what the US really is! I can help provide ride ideas and info if you need.

[Greggo]

Riding in the city SUCKS   But, there is some GREAT riding just outside the limits.  I stay off the bridges and freeways out of self preservation

Have you found a place yet?

[70CB750]

You're gonna meet some gentle people there 

[NShahdadi]

70CB750: Gentle, eh? 

Greggo: I believe it. Never really had to ride in heavy city traffic before so I'm a bit weary of that. Super excited to be close to the beautiful CA riding outside the city.

Haven't found a place yet. My girlfriend will be going to school there so we're in the midst of searching. A little worried about finding a place where I can keep my bike, too. We'll be looking for something cheap but not necessarily in the city. Any suggestions?

[Greggo]

70CB750: Gentle, eh? 

Greggo: I believe it. Never really had to ride in heavy city traffic before so I'm a bit weary of that. Super excited to be close to the beautiful CA riding outside the city.

Haven't found a place yet. My girlfriend will be going to school there so we're in the midst of searching. A little worried about finding a place where I can keep my bike, too. We'll be looking for something cheap but not necessarily in the city. Any suggestions?

Where is she going to school?  That's the main factor you should consider...try to land close to her school, or make it easy for her to get there.  Same with work for you, if you've got that handled already.  If you're not necessarily looking to end up in the city, I'd say the East Bay, somewhere close to a BART station is probably right for you guys.  Rent in the entire area has jumped significantly over the past 5 years, and the competition is fierce for good locations - so start looking early.

[NShahdadi]

She's going to school in downtown SF at the Aveda Institute. I don't have work figured out yet but I'm pretty flexible on that front, just looking for anything at this point. Affordability is pretty crucial. A friend suggested looking for a studio in the Tenderloin area as it would be close to everything and a good way to get to know the city, especially while she's in school (5 months). Rent prices are startling high, especially coming from the midwest. We're mentally prepared for that but not quite financially, yet...

[Greggo]

She's going to school in downtown SF at the Aveda Institute. I don't have work figured out yet but I'm pretty flexible on that front, just looking for anything at this point. Affordability is pretty crucial. A friend suggested looking for a studio in the Tenderloin area as it would be close to everything and a good way to get to know the city, especially while she's in school (5 months). Rent prices are startling high, especially coming from the midwest. We're mentally prepared for that but not quite financially, yet...

If you end up in the TL, be prepared to give up your bike...either willingly to a buyer, or unwillingly to a thief in the night...Or just knocked over after a crackhead breaks off a spark plug from your motor   The Tenderloin is disgusting...then again, some folks consider it a source of pride to live in such a neighborhood.  Me? I don't like the smell of sh1t and p1ss, or being around drug addicts.  It's not a nice place to be.  Neighborhoods like the Sunset/Inner Sunset, and Ingleside are cheaper, but much more 'suburbia' than urban city type 'hoods...but they're still pricey because they're in the city limits.

The East Bay (Berkeley, Oakland (only some parts), Emeryville) is probably the place to look.  If you're close to BART, downtown SF is just minutes away..the weather's nicer, and a garage doesn't cause rent to double like in the city (exaggeration, but not far off). 

[NShahdadi]

Haha, YIKES. No thanks, either way. I'll be damned if I'm going to part with my bike. I'm totally fine with being outside of the city if it means I can have a place to keep my bike and not have to smell p&s. Nicer weather also sounds fan-freaking-tastic. Sick of living in the freezing middle of the country. I think Berkeley sounds pretty good if we can afford it but I'm not at all familiar with the area so I'm basically just going off of what I hear from friends.

I have some friends that live in Walnut Creek but they don't seem to be too keen on staying there. Sounds like it takes him about an hour to get into work in the city after his commute is all said and done.

[NShahdadi]

Greggo: Say I wasn't able to find a place with a garage/carport, are there many viable options for housing my bike safely elsewhere? Outside of the unlikely chance that a friend of mine has a place to store it...

[jamesb]

Someone told me There's a girl out there with love in her eyes and flowers in her hair.
My sister just moved from Cali she said it was expensive but she loved it.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Traffic, eh?! Wait until you ride across the Bay Bridge and that big red bridge at rush hour the first time! Visualize this - Heavy traffic, multiple lanes of it AND you're way the hell up in the sky above the water. 

[Stev-o]

Greggo - did you really have to sugar coat it?!

[NShahdadi]

If you end up in the TL, be prepared to give up your bike...either willingly to a buyer, or unwillingly to a thief in the night...Or just knocked over after a crackhead breaks off a spark plug from your motor   The Tenderloin is disgusting...then again, some folks consider it a source of pride to live in such a neighborhood.  Me? I don't like the smell of sh1t and p1ss, or being around drug addicts.  It's not a nice place to be.  Neighborhoods like the Sunset/Inner Sunset, and Ingleside are cheaper, but much more 'suburbia' than urban city type 'hoods...but they're still pricey because they're in the city limits.

Sugar? What sugar? 

Jerry: I can't wait! High in the sky sounds about right for CA, right?

[70CB750]

Traffic, eh?! Wait until you ride across the Bay Bridge and that big red bridge at rush hour the first time! Visualize this - Heavy traffic, multiple lanes of it AND you're way the hell up in the sky above the water. 

Eh?  I thought Magnito moved the bridge to Alcatraz? 

[Spike]

I see some culture shock coming...