Topic: 25 Rides in 2025, Frank's New Years resolution that we can all enjoy.

[willbird]

#85, November 5th 2025, 70 miles



Went by the Credit union and grabbed some $$ to go deposit into another bank. Rode around a bit, clothing was about right for the ride length but not warm enough for all day. Did not wear any heated gear. Got a new pair of Sedici Garda pants that I am liking so far. They do a good job blocking wind.

Bill

[jgger]

Bill, are the pockets big enough to get your hands into? I looked at those in the past and IIRC they were pretty small. Just wondered if they fixed that.

[willbird]

Bill, are the pockets big enough to get your hands into? I looked at those in the past and IIRC they were pretty small. Just wondered if they fixed that.

They are still small sadly, I can get my hands in to put keys into them and grab them out. I'll put my wallet in my jacket pocket. Other than that I really like them based upon wearing one ride anyway. I have mesh for summer which are too cold now, and a pair of Joe Rocket overpants that even with jeans are way too big and no belt loops, unsafe to wear the too big ones IMHO.

The sizes/inseam of a lot of stuff is not made for a person such as myself that has a 40 waist and 32 inseam, these came out OK in that way anyway. The legs do not come fully unzipped (there is a sipper but that leaves an inner pleat still)  and I had the bright idea to blouse my socks up over anything I am wearing under such as base layer or the electric pants and that works slick as snot on a brass doorknob LOL. I bought a pair of Alpinestars Ridge v2 WP Boots a size up to be able to wear wool socks and the pants fit over them just fine. The euro sizes presume a 40" waist man will have 36 inch inseams.

Bill

[newday777]

#40 today, 11/5.  431 miles.
I left Flagstaff @8am after a breakfast of French toast and bacon,  37° to start off at, rode the I-40 to Winslow AZ to get a picture of the corner. I'm thrilled that the trailer sway is gone having removed my favorite swivel hitch and replaced it with a standard 1 7/8" coupleler and ball. I'll have to replace the bushings in my swivel hitch to use it again.
Then further east to Holbrook(WigWam Motel) to head south to Show Low, the northeast to St John's to meet up with another goldwing rider to look at the ball hitch receiver he had for sale. Then northeast through the Indian reservations of New Mexico to Grant's(big moon rising over the colorful mesas, then east to Albuquerque to another goldwing friend's new house for the night in North Rio Rancho(Albuquerque area)

[willbird]

#86, Nov6 2025 52 miles,  36F when I left the driveway, headed south to US6, West to the Ohio state line, north on Williams county 1 which turned into Dekalb county road 79 until I hit 427, took that east to Edon, OH, then north on 49 to US20, and from there on home, it was 42F when I got home. had electric pants, jacket liner, and gloves, that all worked out :-).

[jgger]

Glad you got the wobbles out of the trailer.........the journey continues!

Side note, the Eagles song originally was about a corner in Flagstaff but they decided Winslow fit better. Also the Tee Pees look a bit more modern than the ones in San Bernardino. Still pretty cool old Rt 66 stuff though.

[Kevin D]

. Ride #32   60 miles    52f

It has been a month since I have had a proper ride and today there was abundant sunshine and no distractions and I finished my leaf clean up well before noon. It was 52f and I expected further warming so I set off for points west (actually Arby’s). On Hines drive the colors are well beyond peak, many leaves on the ground. Arriving in Northville the traffic circle is half complete and new homes are rising on the building site.
Further on the horses are out and most are blanketed, it was 30f overnight. Nearing the lake my first sight is a shrink-wrapped boat in the driveway. I see one boat with two fishermen aboard…. that’s it for the entire lake: no boats in the drink, docks pulled out at the marina. I’m looking to make a nice pass through the traffic circles but a lumbering box truck exits in front just as I approach. Our paths diverge at the last circle and there’s a nice right sweeper in front of me 2nd 3rd and a wider left 4th 5th I’m on old 23 but doing better than the cars on 23N expressway but only for a bit as I slow for the new circle at M36. My eyes are wide open as I had a very bad experience here with a black Grand Cherokee right here a while back. It is smooth sailing today and I wheel in and park at Arby’s. Soon I am approached by guy interested in my CB: “is it a 72?”. Many more questions then he launches into his story:
“My dad was a Harley guy but he bought me a new 73 Bacchus Green CB750.
“Dad told me it was mine until I dropped it.
“I paid him back $25 a week and I never dropped it but I sold it a few years later.
“More recently I sought to purchase a 73 Bacchus Green and now I have one”
 He was so excited to own the same model and color bike that his dad had bought for him.
  I introduced myself and Al told me where his bike was, just across the lake. After lunch I went by his place and he rolled the 73 out for this photo. The bike is spotless and showroom clean. He didn’t know about SOHC4. If you see a new guy around here with a 73 Bacchus Green please let me know.
 I may be done for 2025, snow and colder in the forecast.

[newday777]

Very cool meeting with him Kevin.

Dick, his wife Connie and I stayed up until 11 last night catching up from when we last saw each other in 2017 and again this morning over breakfast before Dick and I went out to the garage to investigate my leaking final drive on the wing. It didn't appear to serious other than the brake pads are soaked.....the fluid level was still at the top of the threads, it has some fine particles in it, no serious noise spinning it with the motor in 5th gear for a while. The leak appears to be from the seal on the wheel driven side, probably #14 or #29.
So I put the wheel back on, packed up and Dick and I headed out as he needed a ride. We rode up around the upper side of the valley perimeter loop to catch old Rt 66 for a few miles, got gas and headed east on I-40 to Clines Corner where Dick had decided to go to and return back home. I continued east on 40 to Santa Rosa as I wanted to check out the Blue Hole as I had read of it. It is a natural spring pushing out a 3' stream of 61°F fresh blue water constantly. The wind had picked up to 40 mph so I didn't jump in for a swim( and it was 57°F ambient temp). I had a snack and water and got on the US84 South to Clovis at sunset where I'm camping. A shorter day as we didn't get on the road until about 11.
Ride # 41 today 11/6/25 for 240 miles

[BenelliSEI]

Stu….. keep enjoying the ride!

Kevin….. what a great encounter. Nice looking bike!

[newday777]

#42 today 11/7. 289 miles. 43°F this morning at 7am and a breeze out of the east. Stopped there in Clovis NM after packing up the trailer and rode @ 8miles from the campground for a good local restaurant cowboy breakfast of 3 eggs, hash browns, bacon and sourdough toast and a cup of tea.(sorry no pictures today, was on the phone when it was brought to the table).
It warmed up to 87° riding southeast through Texas to my friend's in San Angelo.
We made some calls to some bike shops and found a final drive so I went and bought it and I'll probably put it on Monday. There's a ride in the morning after breakfast, I'll have to clean the rotor and inspect it in the morning to be sure all is well for the ride as there was some grinding noise as I moved the bike tonight after dark. I think it is dirt from the long dirt driveway might be stuck in the oil soaked caliper?

[grcamna2]

#42 today 11/7. 289 miles. 43°F this morning at 7am and a breeze out of the east. Stopped there in Clovis NM after packing up the trailer and rode @ 8miles from the campground for a good local restaurant cowboy breakfast of 3 eggs, hash browns, bacon and sourdough toast and a cup of tea.(sorry no pictures today, was on the phone when it was brought to the table).
It warmed up to 87° riding southeast through Texas to my friend's in San Angelo.
We made some calls to some bike shops and found a final drive so I went and bought it and I'll probably put it on Monday. There's a ride in the morning after breakfast, I'll have to clean the rotor and inspect it in the morning to be sure all is well for the ride as there was some grinding noise as I moved the bike tonight after dark. I think it is dirt from the long dirt driveway might be stuck in the oil soaked caliper?

Great ride reports:road trips are excellent.
Will you replace the rear final drive complete assembly ?

[willbird]

#87, November 8th 2025. 66 miles.

Worked 230am to 10am, saw a few sprinkles of rain on the way home, perfect day to sit in the recliner and watch some TV....or get suited up and go for a ride. headed over through Archbold, OH, then South to Defiance, OH66 makes a jog that always kind of pisses me off LOL so instead of jogging I just kept heading South the found this.

Sign approaching says "St Micheal's Ridge", I had seen the steeple miles before so knew what to expect but it was still kind of neat, no affiliation just a neat old historic building. Construction started in 1893 and was completed in 1902

[ofreen]

A few pix from ride #9.  It was getting a little late in the day when starting out, 98 miles.

A little Halloween road art -



This dude saw me as competition I guess, since he approached me after I stopped.  I have a video I may upload if I get around to it. Comical.


Harvests are mostly done around here -


Some nice light as the sun set -





A railroad bridge over the Snake now a footbridge that I have posted before -


Swan Falls dam -

[newday777]

#42 today 11/7. 289 miles. 43°F this morning at 7am and a breeze out of the east. Stopped there in Clovis NM after packing up the trailer and rode @ 8miles from the campground for a good local restaurant cowboy breakfast of 3 eggs, hash browns, bacon and sourdough toast and a cup of tea.(sorry no pictures today, was on the phone when it was brought to the table).
It warmed up to 87° riding southeast through Texas to my friend's in San Angelo.
We made some calls to some bike shops and found a final drive so I went and bought it and I'll probably put it on Monday. There's a ride in the morning after breakfast, I'll have to clean the rotor and inspect it in the morning to be sure all is well for the ride as there was some grinding noise as I moved the bike tonight after dark. I think it is dirt from the long dirt driveway might be stuck in the oil soaked caliper?

Great ride reports:road trips are excellent.
Will you replace the rear final drive complete assembly ?

Just got back from new friends that offered their garage, tools, lift and lots of help. 2.5 hrs to do the swap. Rode back to my friend's and it sounds good. No leaks, a great condition rotor and pads in it too.

[newday777]

#43 11/8/25 167 miles today. 43°F at sun up. 56°F at 7:30, 87° by 4:30.
This morning started off at 6:30 spraying the final drive, rotor and back brake pads on the goldwing with brake cleaner, then on the road at 7:30 to go get gas with my friend Steve and meet up with the others, 3 spiders and 4 bikes and a chase truck, close to San Angelo to ride 35 miles to Ballinger for a buffet breakfast (it wasn't as good as it was put up to be, but eatable. We had a good ride around the area of 121 miles plus I had another 20 miles to and from the ride, and then another 26 miles to one of the guys house, AJ, to get the use of his M/C jack and tools too. Leo and his son arrived there too to help out. It took 2.5 hrs to complete the process. All better now with the final drive.