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

[Kevin D]

Thanks gentlemen.
There’s a sheet where I track my own rides: I have had 4 September finishes, 1 in October, 1 in November.
2024 I had 10 more rides after completion. I’m usually tapering in October, and fortunate to get a ride in November.
My CB runs like a top, never misses a beat but I’m going to have to get after the starter clutch, off season.
No fun to miss adventures with your ride out of service.
It will turn 107000 next time out, 2326 miles so far this year, all day rides, no overnighters.
Build date 11/70 > 55 years birthday coming up.

Stu, sounds like you have a trip coming up?
Alan, hoping you get your rides in…. I think New England has terrific fall colors, Michigan pretty good too but the weather folks are saying the lack of rain here is going to hamper the color.

[newday777]

We've been getting the same weather tracking here in NH as you this summer, not much rain this summer so we could see a weak color in the trees. The apple size is smaller from the lack of rain.

[PeWe]

#29  264 km
16-17*C when started around 11 am
Ramnäs- Skinnskatteberg- Malingsbo- Söderbärke- Fagersta- Ängelsberg - Salbohed (Kebab  takeaway home).
Partly sunny and cloudy.

The climate more like fall today. Wool under the leather jacket. Climate changes today, seasons an old way of saying

Cruising at legal speeds is fun.
Ride faster when finding out the carb setup.


0.52l/10 km (45.2 mpg) Around 80-90 kmh most of the time. (50-60mph). 70-100kmh.

Better fuel manages less fuel screws
1/8 turn less than before which makes difference  on the TMR.

Relaxing countryside roads. Rode thru Söderbärke, an idyllic small village that made me remember the Swedish culture 40-55 years ago. I understand people that move to those places.

Unfortunately no  photos of the village this time.

I stopped in Fagersta for a refuel. Same place (pump) where my brown K2 got a dead battery in June.

Stopped for a kebab with fries where they do the tastiest kebabs. In my backpack. Thin small one I have under the seat over battery.

[Kevin D]

Time for a party, I’m buyin!

[Kevin D]

In with the big guys.
What’s for dinner at the Round Table?
Per, as always, your meal is looking very good.

[Kevin D]

Hi Frank

[BenelliSEI]

#19. Cool morning, but warmed up nicely and lots of sunshine too. Rode down to Port Hope, Ontario for the annual Fall Fair. My club (Ganaraska CVMG) usually has a small display of bikes at the huge “Classic Car, Truck and HotRod Show”. Sure enough, nice turn out! The second shot is a 1969 Honda 65cc. Fellow found it virtual complete, with less than 2,000 miles on the clock, stashed in someone’s basement. What a lovely little jewel!

[BenelliSEI]

#19. Cool morning, but warmed up nicely and lots of sunshine too. Rode down to Port Hope, Ontario for the annual Fall Fair. My club (Ganaraska CVMG) usually has a small display of bikes at the huge “Classic Car, Truck and HotRod Show”. Sure enough, nice turn out! Six Hondas and a mix of others. The second shot is a 1969 Honda 65cc. Fellow found it virtual complete, with less than 2,000 miles on the clock, stashed in someone’s basement. What a lovely little jewel! Spotted a red/black 1949 FORD pickup truck that was almost totally original, including a flat head V8. Thank goodness it was not “FOR SALE”! The K1 would look good riding home in the bed….

Oops….. Here’s the little Honda pic.

[BallAquatics]

Way to go Kevin!   

[PeWe]

In with the big guys.
What’s for dinner at the Round Table?
Per, as always, your meal is looking very good.

The big guys can become even bigger!

The meal is the takeaway version of below on a plate.
It looks better on a plate. Eating home  with wine is not bad either. I had been riding for a while. The takeaway box compresses it.

I'll see if I can wait the entire winter. This restaurant is 40-45 km away from home. Ca 85km roundtrip.

Photo from another ride this year.

[Kevin D]

Dennis and Per: Thanks for the encouragement and humor. I have made one goal and had lots of fun times doing so, but on another goal I’m stuck on 100kg and my doctor is saying 90 but there’s no motorcycle rides, no delicious meals, no Moms apple pie in the pursuit of 90.

[newday777]

"No Moms apple pie"! Yikes

[Kevin D]

"No Moms apple pie"! Yikes

+1

[willbird]

#65, 62 miles


#66, 119 miles, went N to US20, then East into Toledo, South to Maumee and then took Ohio turnpike back home.

[BenelliSEI]

#20 Needed a headlight for the race car so had a cool, early morning ride to a huge wrecking yard in Oshawa, ON. The Varadero has enough fairing to be very comfortable with the Fall like weather!

[PeWe]

Dennis and Per: Thanks for the encouragement and humor. I have made one goal and had lots of fun times doing so, but on another goal I’m stuck on 100kg and my doctor is saying 90 but there’s no motorcycle rides, no delicious meals, no Moms apple pie in the pursuit of 90.

I have a summer leather jacket full of ventilation holes. It is a tight jacket. For me below 90kg. It is made of nice leather, maybe cow. But in the reality sausage skin.
I ate hamburgers most of the time 2018 and lost weight. No fries.
I need to shrink 5-6 kg.

Pasta and rice is one way to grow. Very tasty and possible to eat too much until feeling full and continue when it is so tasty.

I had a period when I only ordered Kebab in bread to skip the fries. Time to return to that habit.

More animal protein and less carbs for us adult men.
Vitamins in vegs and fruits.
A Gin Tonic contains essential stuff too.

Beer important vitamin B's. I need warmer weather for beer.
The red wine  part of the year is here.

Food is one good part of life. This together with a bike ride ++++

[BenelliSEI]

Dennis and Per: Thanks for the encouragement and humor. I have made one goal and had lots of fun times doing so, but on another goal I’m stuck on 100kg and my doctor is saying 90 but there’s no motorcycle rides, no delicious meals, no Moms apple pie in the pursuit of 90.

Kevin….. each Spring I have the same battle. The race car has a carbon fibre seat with very thin padding and absolutely no “give”. I need to be 185-190 lbs. to squeeze into it. I find a light lunch and absolutely NO eating in between meals does the trick!

[Kevin D]

Dennis and Per: Thanks for the encouragement and humor. I have made one goal and had lots of fun times doing so, but on another goal I’m stuck on 100kg and my doctor is saying 90 but there’s no motorcycle rides, no delicious meals, no Moms apple pie in the pursuit of 90.

Kevin….. each Spring I have the same battle. The race car has a carbon fibre seat with very thin padding and absolutely no “give”. I need to be 185-190 lbs. to squeeze into it. I find a light lunch and absolutely NO eating in between meals does the trick!

John I know you’re doing things right, I saw your first place in the Lexus seat recently.
 I have been trying to squelch my dinner appetite by eating an apple in the afternoon. It works, but I don’t do it often enough.

[Terry in Australia]

Well done Kevin, good job! Well ride #35 actually happened a week ago, because the weather hasn't been kind. Anyhoo, I decided that I'd rather store the Ducati in my storage unit, and keep the VMax at home, so I rode the Duke over to the storage place, swapped bikes, and took off on the Max. I must have been in a mellow mood, because I only hit 100+ or so a couple of times.

I rode out to Romsey, and stopped at their war memorial for a pic, and a cigarette.

VMax Monday 8 September 2025 3 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

I continued out thru Sunbury, past the back of the airport, then merged into the Monday afternoon traffic. The weather wasn't too bad, not much wind, and of course the Max was a pleasure to ride, with Frank's tag hanging off my handlebar, flying along at whatever speed I was doing. I'm hoping to get out again today, I need some wind therapy, so with luck I'll get #36 done today.    

VMax Monday 8 September 2025 2 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

[BallAquatics]

While not a qualifying ride, I've been having a blast on my latest project bike.  A bit of off road mixed in just for a few giggles





After doing a leak-down test, it would seem the bike needs a bit of valve work to bring it up to snuff.  Was hoping some road time would sort things out but it doesn't look like it's going to happen.  Going to go through the top end on this bike and dig out an SL100 I've had sitting around for about 40 years or so.  Should be some fun projects for the winter months.

... I only hit 100+ or so a couple of times.

Anything over about 60 mph on these small bikes feels like 100 mph! LOL

[jgger]

Terry, ain't it great being retarded, uh retired? Being able to ride when I want for fun is what I miss the most since I went back to work a year ago. I miss participating in this year's challenge, but all you guys are keeping my spirits up.  Probably won't come even close to 25 rides this year because I just can't bring myself to count commuting where I get about 450 to 500 miles a week.

With any luck I should have both jobs completed by the end of the year, then it's back to being retarded....umm retired!

[PeWe]

I'm not retired yet.  My work gives me reasons for mind resetting rides after work.

I wonder if I'll ride as often when retired.
More time for various projects. Like a CB750 build

[jgger]

Per, when you are retired, the rides have a different purpose. There is less pressure to hurry up and enjoy yourself, plus the plans can be a lot fuzzier because you make up the rules and direction as you go.

[BenelliSEI]

I'm not retired yet.  My work gives me reasons for mind resetting rides after work.

I wonder if I'll ride as often when retired.
More time for various projects. Like a CB750 build

Terry…. I’ve been “unemployed” and retired for 10 years now. I don’t know when I used to find time to work! Get there as quick as you can.

[Kevin D]

https://www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/table4c6.html

This table is what led me to retirement. The table has average life expectancy for any given age. So an average 64 year old American male has 18 years left. My day job for 40 years at the power company paid OK but was dirty difficult dangerous. It was an easy answer when I asked myself how much of that 18 yrs did I want to spend on DDD.

To contrast, my summer job here has been terrific! Riding my favorite motorbike, seeking my favorite roads, the best eats, photographing, and sharing it with you all for six years at Franks Challenge is the best job I could imagine. I’m sorry theres been no photo collages this year, there may yet be some.

Instead of preretirement after work rides(in rush hour) I’m usually out the door midmorning and home midafternoon.