Topic: 24 Rides in 2024, Frank's New Years resolution that we can all enjoy.

[BenelliSEI]

Terry….. Nice work. It looks “Just Right”.

[PeWe]

Nice ride Terry!
Beautiful photos too. Photos like that I need during our dark period here that have just started.
No problem yet. It will come with snow, cold and 2-3 months of too short days.

[bluezboy]

It’s been a lousy riding year for me, taking care of our new grandson five days a week has taken up  all of my Retirement Riding Time!
    I did take a wonderful three day trip from my home in Atlanta to Adairville, Kentucky. I rode with 14 other riders and we took the back roads through Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky.What a beautiful country I’m lucky to ride with my beautiful Pandora. 757 miles is better than nothing I guess. Hopefully next year will allow me to ride more!

[Kevin D]

Well, congratulations Grandpa, and you better pay attention it won’t be too long and the little guy will be wanting to go for a ride and go overnite camping with Grandpa.

[BenelliSEI]

Hey GrandPa….. Just you wait. The fun begins sooner than you think! Picture was my wife with the grand kids just a few years ago. He’s on a CRF230 as of a few months ago!

[Terry in Australia]

Hey GrandPa….. Just you wait. The fun begins sooner than you think! Picture was my wife with the grand kids just a few years ago. He’s on a CRF230 as of a few months ago!

That’s great John, the family that rides together, stays together!

[Terry in Australia]

Terry….. Nice work. It looks “Just Right”.

Thanks John and Per, the old girl is going great. I noticed a big paint chip on my right sidecover and realised that it has cracked so I took it off the bike and brought it home to repair today. I’m waiting for some metallic red nail polish to arrive so I can touch up the paint, hopefully it’ll be the right shade as I’m colour blind. More on that later.

[BenelliSEI]

Terry…. My daughter in law is not so thrilled, but I’m loving it. Won’t be long before my son and I can take him out on a ride together!

[Terry in Australia]

I don’t blame her John, riding bikes is a dangerous pastime, but the fact that you’re teaching those kids on dirt bikes gives them a huge advantage over other kids that have to learn on the Street on their own with no supervision. Probably like you I started on dirt bikes and felt fairly confident when I transitioned to road bikes. Good job, Grandpa!

[bluezboy]

Thanks guys, I’m hoping I can pass Pandora on to Jason when I am gone. I’m pretty his mom is going to resist me taking him for a ride until he’s older😊

[BenelliSEI]

I don’t blame her John, riding bikes is a dangerous pastime, but the fact that you’re teaching those kids on dirt bikes gives them a huge advantage over other kids that have to learn on the Street on their own with no supervision. Probably like you I started on dirt bikes and felt fairly confident when I transitioned to road bikes. Good job, Grandpa!

Terry…..They all started the same way, on the trails. When we lived in Toronto (pop. 7 M.) nobody was allowed to ride in the city. Only up here on the back roads and trails.

[willbird]

#81, 11-2-2024, 121 miles. Headed North into MI, and then East, dropped back into Ohio and then on home

#82, 11-3-2024, 158 miles, rode up near Jackson, MI and then hop skipped back towards home through a bunch of little named dots on the map that I had not visited before :-).

[Kelly E]

Thanks guys, I’m hoping I can pass Pandora on to Jason when I am gone. I’m pretty his mom is going to resist me taking him for a ride until he’s older😊

At least a little bit older.

[Terry in Australia]

Is there anything better than riding on nice warm sunny days? I woke up with a sore back and didn't relish crawling around under the wife's car replacing the exhaust system, or mowing the lawn (both of which I really need to do) but I did feel like going for a ride, so I had something to eat, dropped some painkillers, then jumped in my truck and drove over to my storage unit.

On my last ride I realised that I had a crack in my right sidecover, so repaired it yesterday. After cleaning any oily crap off the inside, I used my dremel to grind out a channel along the crack.

K0 sidecover repair 4 November 2024 1 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

I think most folks here know about the "Superglue and Bicarb soda" fix, and I've used it on many bikes over the years. This "Pratley Powda Bond" is just superglue and bicarb soda, but does a great job.

K0 sidecover repair 4 November 2024 2 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

Dribble a little superglue in the channel and sprinkle some soda into it to form a "weld puddle" (for wont of a better description) then dribble a little more superglue in it, and it dries almost instantly, and won't crack in that spot again.

K0 sidecover repair 4 November 2024 3 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

I used some metallic red nail polish to touch up the paint, but it was a fair bit darker than the paint, so didn't take a pic, one day I'll repaint both of them, but today I wanted to go for a ride, so I just put it back on the bike and fired it up. By now the back pain had settled down to a dull ache, so I decided to ride north and then west, then north again until I stopped in my "Hidden Valley" and stopped for a smoke and to take some pics.

K0 Tuesday 5 November 2024 2 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

The old K0 is just getting better and better, I just cruised along at 60-70 MPH, but on my way home I took a detour and cranked it up to the "Ton" just for fun, and then threw it around some twisties, and ran into some guys on sports bikes going in the other direction, riding much harder through the bends than me, but they all waved, which was nice. In fact, I got lots of waves today, I think the weather is just making everyone happy, it didn't matter what they were riding, most of them waved or nodded. I stayed off the freeway because when I was heading north I could see the Melbourne bound traffic crawling along for miles, so I purposely missed that mess, and enjoyed my 103 mile ride #31. I got home and am happy that my back isn't any worse for wear, and apart from the fact that I have to go to work tomorrow, I'm feeling pretty good.

K0 Tuesday 5 November 2024 1 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

[Kevin D]

The K0 is looking good too. 

[lash]

Really windy, overcast and +22c! Canada in November just crazy. Went out for ride #122 and did 222 km. Gets cold tomorrow but next week looks pretty good for getting in some more rides before it snows.

[budman]

Ride #55, 147 miles.

I didn't get to ride over the weekend.  It rained Saturday and Sunday was too windy.  There was light rain and cloudy skies yesterday too.  The tail end of that long front that runs north to south across the US right now clipped us early this morning, but hardly any rain.  It did bring some cooler temps.

I had to take a package to UPS this morning, as well as cast my votes.  As I was leaving the house and heading down the gravel road I live on I came upon a live racoon laying in the road.  I figured it probably got hit buy a car and had a really bad headache or it was sick.  I didn't see any blood or broken limbs.  I didn't want to mess with it.  I've had many run-ins with those things.  I let it be, rode into town, got my stuff taken care of and kept on riding.

I took off for a spot near Marble Falls called Dead Man's Hole that I recently discovered online.  It was a nice ride with the coolest temps so far this fall.  I had mapped out the route, but as I got closer I hit a gravel road.  I turned around and did a slight detour.  Finally got the Dead Man's Hole.  It was quite un-spectacular.  The hole was covered with a steel plate.  The plate had about a 4" hole in it.  I dropped a few rocks into it and it sounded like it was about 20' deep, though the sign says it's 155 feet deep.  It was peaceful.  I could hear the highway traffic from the highway.  I chilled for a bit and had an apple and some water.

Stopped for some gas on my way out and made my way home.  The racoon was still lying on the road when I got home, but it was flat out.  I figured it had died.  I got off the bike and I could see it breathing.  I gave it a few light taps with my boot and it raised its head, then started panting.  I was thinking about dragging it off the road, but didn't.  If it's still there in the morning I'm sure my landlord will do something about it.

[Kevin D]

Ride #34     59 miles

 An early November ride out to the lake for lunch and back, fill the tank and back home in three hours. Good thing I didn’t leave earlier or I might have been tangled in the rollover wreck on Seven mile at Dixboro. I don’t know what happened but I’m guessing a Dixboro road car was whacked by a Seven mile car. The ambo is still on site and the fireman approaches the driver door of the rolled car from time to time as if the driver is still aboard. I didn’t see either side of the rolled sUV damaged, the white car had a rumpled front end.
I don’t think I have ever seen a wreck on Seven mile, certainly not a rollover. I’m hoping all are OK.
 The autumn colors are nearly gone but I found a nice sunlit tree along Hines drive, and I just happen to have a Honda that matches up fairly well in sympathetic colors, don’t you think ?

[BenelliSEI]

Another “last ride” today. Great brunch and then off to visit a buddy who is building a vintage Willy’s drag racer. Al is the real deal. This car began as a few chalk lines on the floor of his shop. Almost everything is fabricated in his garage. 60’s Hemi up front, on alcohol! Rads are used to cool it on the return run (one man team), hidden under the floor! Looking good, it will be out next Spring.

[lash]

I made it out today too for 123 km and ride #123. Rode down to KWHonda to see about the upcoming Goldwing recall for a rotor bolt. Should be happening after January.

[BenelliSEI]

I made it out today too for 123 km and ride #123. Rode down to KWHonda to see about the upcoming Goldwing recall for a rotor bolt. Should be happening after January.

I wonder how many more we’ll get in? Today was a bonus!

[lash]

I’m guessing maybe 3 more by the end of next week. I’m also contemplating just wearing my snowmobile suit and riding the KLR all winter if there’s not enough snow for the sleds…😀

[Kevin D]

I made it out today too for 123 km and ride #123. Rode down to KWHonda to see about the upcoming Goldwing recall for a rotor bolt. Should be happening after January.

I wonder how many more we’ll get in? Today was a bonus!

Once the snow flies I’m done.
I don’t want salt on my motorcycle.
Freeze and thaw tears up the roads, I like smooth asphalt with no potholes.

[lash]

I agree for the pavement but they don’t salt the gravel roads.

[BenelliSEI]

I agree for the pavement but they don’t salt the gravel roads.

I haven’t washed the Varadero yet! Still a few more…..