Wii Fit Antics on Vimeo <-- just a dumb video i made of jessica and me playing around on her mom's wii fit. editing, titles, transitions: all of these things so foreign!
Toshi's thread
- Thread starter Toshi
- Start date
things are winding down very, very quickly:
- getting married in 19 days (followed by two weeks of blissful vacation. i need it.)
- retaking the MSF ridercourse in 24 days
- finishing up here at UW in 92 days, and then starting radiology residency in new york on the 93rd day (yikes)
i'm going to head up to a semi-local motorcycle shop tomorrow to test fit some gear. in particular i'm looking for a helmet, as i need one prior to taking the ridercourse according to the paperwork that came in the mail this week. this is kind of lame since my previous ridercourse (and all auto racing events i've been to) had loaner helmets. not that i relish having other peoples' scalpsweat against my brow, mind you.
the astute reader will note that i used to have a snell and DOT-approved motorcycle helmet that i used to rock while on the downhill bike. i threw that away last year after one too many crashes, and because it was nearing the end of its eligibility for even local/amateur auto racing, being a M95 rated model.
in any case, i need a new helmet. most of the seattle shops have pretty horrendous reviews on yelp. one, however, doesn't: seattle cycle center. www.seattlecycle.com . plus they have the Scorpion EXO-700 Solid in high-vis yellow. it's the nerd choice, for sure, but i really like the concept of having a high-vis helmet.
let's hope it fits my huge melon.
the astute reader will note that i used to have a snell and DOT-approved motorcycle helmet that i used to rock while on the downhill bike. i threw that away last year after one too many crashes, and because it was nearing the end of its eligibility for even local/amateur auto racing, being a M95 rated model.
in any case, i need a new helmet. most of the seattle shops have pretty horrendous reviews on yelp. one, however, doesn't: seattle cycle center. www.seattlecycle.com . plus they have the Scorpion EXO-700 Solid in high-vis yellow. it's the nerd choice, for sure, but i really like the concept of having a high-vis helmet.
let's hope it fits my huge melon.
Yeah I'm with ya on the his vis..... it always iritates me that without resorting to racing leathers there really is bugger all decent riding gear out there that isn't black or dark. 
riding apparel has been bought or ordered:
Scorpion EXO-700 Neon helmet, size XL for my big melon, ordered through amazon.com today.
Olympia Gloves Cold Throttle gloves, size L, bought at Seattle Cycle Center today.
Power Trip Bravo gloves, via a past newenough.com closeout, a little small at a nominal size L.
Tour Master Transition Series 2 armored textile jacket, size L in high-viz yellow, ordered through newenough.com today
Joe Rocket Ballistic armored textile pants, size XL-short as they go over street clothes, bought at Seattle Cycle Center today.
Alpinestars Ridge waterproof riding boots with ankle protection, size 10.0, ordered through amazon.com today.
Scorpion EXO-700 Neon helmet, size XL for my big melon, ordered through amazon.com today.
Olympia Gloves Cold Throttle gloves, size L, bought at Seattle Cycle Center today.
Power Trip Bravo gloves, via a past newenough.com closeout, a little small at a nominal size L.
Tour Master Transition Series 2 armored textile jacket, size L in high-viz yellow, ordered through newenough.com today
Joe Rocket Ballistic armored textile pants, size XL-short as they go over street clothes, bought at Seattle Cycle Center today.
Alpinestars Ridge waterproof riding boots with ankle protection, size 10.0, ordered through amazon.com today.
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i'm getting antsy. and piaggio has their 6 month/0% apr promotion through 4/30/09! it's going to be hard to not pull the trigger for a new one with that promotion vs. a used one that's paid off in full right now.
http://piaggiousa.com/promotions.php?pid=3
(yes, the APR is HORRIBLE after 6 months but i could pay it off right now. 6 months "free financing" is just icing on the cake.)
more on the above. crossposted from my blog ( www.xanga.com/toshiclark ), as today's post is on this very topic:
Toshi said:new or used?
as the astute reader will note i have no car. this has worked out fine this year, as my seattle apartment is within easy biking distance from both of the hospitals at which i work, and seattle has both zipcar and a pretty good bus system as backups.
to wit, the zipcars that live around my apartment:
the astute reader will also note that i'm not sticking around in seattle. in the end of june i, along with my soon-to-be bride, will be moving to long island, new york. this move is non-negotiable, as it's part of my residency training process and, as such, is basically the most important thing for my career.
long island has many desirable attributes, including its proximity to new york without the problems associated with actually living in new york city, as well as its peace and relative solitude. however, what it doesn't have is zipcar: the closest zipcars will be in queens, far beyond the realm of practicality. (right now i rarely walk more then 0.3 mile to get a zipcar.)
so i'll need a car, right? wrong. i'll need something motorized, that's what. as you probably guessed from the barrage of prior posts on emissions, and, lately, safety gear, i'm planning on riding around on something with less than 4 wheels. in particular, i've settled on a three-wheeled Piaggio MP3 250. it's commercially available with a warranty and local/nationwide support, is arguably marginally safer than a 2-wheeler, and, most importantly, has the stamp of approval from the fiancée.
the question then becomes: new or used?
in the car arena this is a relatively straightforward question, with the sane answer usually being to buy a 2-3 year old mainstream used model, possibly under a certified pre-owned plan through the manufacturer. this decision is enabled by the stable used car market with plentiful supply and the availability of sane financing for both used and new car purchases.
these assumptions don't hold true in the motorcycle/scooter market. in particular, scooters are rarer, are seemingly bought and sold impulsively, and financing is a minefield: used motorcycles are basically impossible to finance at non-usurious rates. in other words, there aren't many bikes out there, people don't know their true worth due to the scarcity of transactions and the flakiness/irrationality of buyers and sellers alike, and financing is much easier to come by for new purchases. add to this the relative cheapness of both new and used machines and you have the dilemma at hand.
scenario 1: the used case
there's all of one used MP3 250 listed on the greater seattle area craigslist at the moment. Kelley Blue Book says it should be worth between $4275 trade-in and $6205 retail, yet the seller has it listed for $6750. keep in mind that it's used, a year old, and a new one runs for $7199 + TTD. basically the seller is insane yet no one has called her bluff due to the factors that i've mentioned.
assuming i could get it for $5500and that's a big assumption therei then have a year-old scooter that needs registration and insurance, and, as i mentioned, there's no financing available. basically i'll be out a solid $6000 chunk of change, but, in exchange, everything is paid off and squared away from the beginning.
scenario 2: the new case
there are two Vespa dealers around seattle: Vespa Seattle/Eastside/Big People Scooters, and Steel Dreams/Lifestyles Honda up in mount vernon, north of everett. thus there should be no availability problems, and i can be pretty sure i'd be able to get a scooter for MSRP if not a bit less.
thus we're already at $7199 MSRP, plus tax and title. however, obama's stimulus package helps me out here by allowing new scooter, motorcycle, and car sales tax to be deducted from my 2009 federal tax return.
he story's not over yet, though: piaggio has a (recurrent) promotion for 0 down, 0% APR x 6 months on new scooter purchases. i realize that the APR is absolutely loony after 6 months, but if we assume i'll responsibly pay it off in 6 months it's basically a free 6 month loan.
so there we have it: $6000 at once for something used vs. ~$1250 x 6 months for something new. the straight arithmetic says going with the used machine is the prudent choice, but the reality of month to month cashflow and the relative scarcity of used models suggests that going for the new bike makes sense.
what say the peanut gallery?
$6000 now vs $7500 in 6mo + more warranty, ease of transaction, no risk. No brainer. Buy new. One never knows where those used three wheels have been or how they've been treated.
that's what i figured. thanks for the sanity check. GE credit rejected me btw! that's who piaggio had been using for their promo financing deal. now they're using sheffield, with whom i just put in an application. if they're rejecting me i'm not sure who they're approving.
thanks! i'll be out in east meadow on long island.
- MSRP on the bike: $7199.
- price quoted by Vespa Seattle: $7349 - $150 "discount" to bring it to MSRP + 350 destination + 95 setup/prep + 72.50 plates/tabs + 50 document fee == $7766.50 OTD.
- price quoted by Vespa Salem: $7000 OTD.
(tax, registration, and insurance would be identical irrespective of purchase locale.)
is the prospect of $766.50 worth a trip of 218 miles each way? well, i'm on vacation in the middle of this month post-MSF ridercourse and could make this trip in a day. it'd be about 6h and a $36 ticket on the amtrak + a 3.1 mile walk or rollerblade trip across town to make it to the dealer. and, finally, it'd be about 4 hours and $7.50 in gas on an unfamiliar scooter to get home. all this looks up my alley so far, however.
at first glance i'd say the answer to that question would be "yes". if vespa seattle can do $7200 OTD then i'd go with them, but for a $766.50 difference in price i might just have to take a road trip.
I say borrow a folding bike and ride the double century the old fashioned way!
- MSRP on the bike: $7199.
- price quoted by Vespa Seattle: $7349 - $150 "discount" to bring it to MSRP + 350 destination + 95 setup/prep + 72.50 plates/tabs + 50 document fee == $7766.50 OTD.
- price quoted by Vespa Salem: $7000 OTD.
(tax, registration, and insurance would be identical irrespective of purchase locale.)
is the prospect of $766.50 worth a trip of 218 miles each way? well, i'm on vacation in the middle of this month post-MSF ridercourse and could make this trip in a day. it'd be about 6h and a $36 ticket on the amtrak + a 3.1 mile walk or rollerblade trip across town to make it to the dealer. and, finally, it'd be about 4 hours and $7.50 in gas on an unfamiliar scooter to get home. all this looks up my alley so far, however.
at first glance i'd say the answer to that question would be "yes". if vespa seattle can do $7200 OTD then i'd go with them, but for a $766.50 difference in price i might just have to take a road trip.
har.
irate2:
A. Salem. $7000 + tax OTD, but they don't participate in the 6 month/0% financing promotion. easy to get to on amtrak ($36, 5h50m). straight shot back up I-5 on the way back, 218 miles.
B. Seattle. still awaiting their counteroffer. 2 miles down the street i live on.
C. Kennewick. $7000 + tax OTD, and they participate in the financing promotion. not so easy to get to: amtrak would be $65, two trains, 9 pm arrival so would need an overnight stay. flying would be $100, doable round trip in a single day, and probably the better option. once there it'd be a relatively straightforward ride back, 226 miles.
tomorrow i'll press the more local dealers to see if they can match these remote dealers' deals.
Call me devil's advocate, but if you can't get the locals to match these other places, doesn't Jessica have a car?har.
A. Salem. $7000 + tax OTD, but they don't participate in the 6 month/0% financing promotion. easy to get to on amtrak ($36, 5h50m). straight shot back up I-5 on the way back, 218 miles.
B. Seattle. still awaiting their counteroffer. 2 miles down the street i live on.
C. Kennewick. $7000 + tax OTD, and they participate in the financing promotion. not so easy to get to: amtrak would be $65, two trains, 9 pm arrival so would need an overnight stay. flying would be $100, doable round trip in a single day, and probably the better option. once there it'd be a relatively straightforward ride back, 226 miles.
tomorrow i'll press the more local dealers to see if they can match these remote dealers' deals.
she has to work during the time at which i'd pick up the scooter. i could borrow her car, but then how would i get back with both the car and the scooter? it's not going to fit inside a corolla, heh
1) tomorrow's planned route: to the department of licensing to obtain a motorcycle learner's permit, and to les schwab to return unused tire chains. it's just under 15 miles with some elevation changes. in a car one wouldn't think twice about this route, but that's kind of the point and the reason why i ditched my car.
with all this pre-planning i must do due to my limited range and endurance i'll be all ready for an electric car with its similar limitations once it arrives! (for the record, i do hope that an electric car that i'd purchase would have more like 100-120 miles of range vs. the 15-30 that i eke out of my pack depending on pace.)
2) i bought all of my electric gear from justin le up at www.ebikes.ca. i highly recommend his outfit for its support and professionalism. furthermore, justin is a talented electrical engineer: he designed and manufacturers the "brains" behind my bike, the dashboard display that shows speed, energy usage, and is basically the all singing and dancing solution for lightweight electrical vehicle data display needs. (in particular it's invaluable as a "fuel gauge", showing how many Ah i've used.)
in addition to building this display, the Cycle Analyst, he designs and builds motor controllers, battery packs, and lighting systems. he rode across canada on an e-bike of his own creation last summer to demonstrate the feasibility of doing so on less than $10 CAD of electricity, to demonstrate the durability of his wares, and to meet up with the wacky people in the canadian e-bike community.
one of the novel things about his journey was that he had a camera on his handlebars set to automatically snap a photo every minute while he was on the road. these photos were compiled into a time-lapse video, and his presentation (to a group of old, white hippies in vancouver) along with the time-lapse video is mildly interesting if you're excited by the prospect of e-bikes and EVs. ok, i found it interesting. heh.
Justin - E-bike Ride Across Canada
here's the bike he used. the parts changed a bit between this photo and his actual, final setup, but this demonstrates its ingenuity/insanity
with all this pre-planning i must do due to my limited range and endurance i'll be all ready for an electric car with its similar limitations once it arrives! (for the record, i do hope that an electric car that i'd purchase would have more like 100-120 miles of range vs. the 15-30 that i eke out of my pack depending on pace.)
2) i bought all of my electric gear from justin le up at www.ebikes.ca. i highly recommend his outfit for its support and professionalism. furthermore, justin is a talented electrical engineer: he designed and manufacturers the "brains" behind my bike, the dashboard display that shows speed, energy usage, and is basically the all singing and dancing solution for lightweight electrical vehicle data display needs. (in particular it's invaluable as a "fuel gauge", showing how many Ah i've used.)
in addition to building this display, the Cycle Analyst, he designs and builds motor controllers, battery packs, and lighting systems. he rode across canada on an e-bike of his own creation last summer to demonstrate the feasibility of doing so on less than $10 CAD of electricity, to demonstrate the durability of his wares, and to meet up with the wacky people in the canadian e-bike community.
one of the novel things about his journey was that he had a camera on his handlebars set to automatically snap a photo every minute while he was on the road. these photos were compiled into a time-lapse video, and his presentation (to a group of old, white hippies in vancouver
) along with the time-lapse video is mildly interesting if you're excited by the prospect of e-bikes and EVs. ok, i found it interesting. heh.Justin - E-bike Ride Across Canada
here's the bike he used. the parts changed a bit between this photo and his actual, final setup, but this demonstrates its ingenuity/insanity
i altered my riding style from my youthful, aggressive, all-out war on cars normal stance to the lines of "cruise along at 14-20 mph while pedaling briskly". in other words, i went from riding like a 27 year old to riding more akin to a 72 year old.Toshi said:
this change in riding style greatly affected energy usage. while still averaging 14.5 mph including time spent at stoplights, etc., i managed to halve my normal Wh/mile figure:
stats for this ride:
16.99 miles
6.01 Ah
16.2 Wh/mile
thanks to this more "conventional bike"-type style, i got a good workout out of it, too. however, it wasn't a wash as compared to the road bike: i pedaled less rigorously than on a road bike, i carried around some weighty cargo in my panniers, and i averaged a higher speed than i would have on a road bike to boot—it's a hilly route and i'd expect to average 10-11 mph from past experience on similar routes. score one for the e-bike.
that said, i don't think it's safe to expect an average american (or even my fiancée) to run 17 miles worth of errands on an e-bike. it was over an hour in the saddle, it was quite cold and very wet, and riding with the cars takes a bit of nerve that only a hardened young male bike commuter typically possesses.
one might note that i ended up with a few extra miles, at 17 vs. my 14.5 estimate. the reasons: i veered off my route by mistake for a short while and i added in an extra trip to the local vespa dealer after noting that i was nowhere near the capacity of the battery.
the route, with elevation at the bottom per my usual routine (albeit with the elevation data ending abruptly at 16 miles since gmaps-pedometer spazzed out):
(sorry for the crappy image quality of the map above. i used the GIMP to stitch together the above map and elevation profile and its resizing/sharpening algorithms apparently suck major ass.)
four perspectives of jessica - april 3, 2009
all with the Canon 50mm f/1.4 USM. stupid lens has a sticky focusing mechanism even after a rebuild at photo-tronics, causing it to not want to focus unless prefocused to near the desired subject distance. grr.
today's my wedding day. already had the rehearsal + rehearsal dinner yesterday, and my bachelor's party was the day before after ducking out of work a few hours early (dinner + drinks, gokarting, gameworks, ghetto irish pub, late night food). derek pearson, aka BAH on RM, will be shooting photos, and there should be a crowd of about 100.
yikes.
yikes.
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/37014
strangely prescient in response to this (real) article: http://voices.kansascity.com/node/4230
1) got married. see thread in lounge.
2) updated code and css for toshiclark.com ever so slightly. well, the font color change isn't "ever so slight", i guess, but the spacing of the header is.
3) some of the more visually interesting shots from this past week:
long bridge is long
2) updated code and css for toshiclark.com ever so slightly. well, the font color change isn't "ever so slight", i guess, but the spacing of the header is.
3) some of the more visually interesting shots from this past week:
long bridge is long
heh that last pic makes you look quite chubby. 
That shot, his "my fat neck" picture, and the others make him look like 3 entirely different people. Master of disguise?heh that last pic makes you look quite chubby.
heh that last pic makes you look quite chubby.
the 12mm lens does weird things at the periphery on full-frame cameras! plus i do have a fat neck. and a fat head. i think my XL moto helmet is a bit small, actually.
That and you look like a dorky white guy from the side. You are lucky though, I look like a dorky white guy from all angles.the 12mm lens does weird things at the periphery on full-frame cameras! plus i do have a fat neck. and a fat head. i think my XL moto helmet is a bit small, actually.
my video experiments continue:
old:
wii fit antics
woodland park zoo
new:
electric bike test ride <-- probably the best edited of the bunch
bachelor party <-- rather mediocre
random wedding clips <-- poor quality
cannon beach mini-honeymoon clips <-- a close second to the e-bike test ride video in editing and much more picturesque to boot
and a video of an entirely different sort:
old:
wii fit antics
woodland park zoo
new:
electric bike test ride <-- probably the best edited of the bunch
bachelor party <-- rather mediocre
random wedding clips <-- poor quality
cannon beach mini-honeymoon clips <-- a close second to the e-bike test ride video in editing and much more picturesque to boot
and a video of an entirely different sort:
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woot. passed the MSF course yesterday and picked up my motorcycle endorsement today. i'm officially legal to ride in all conditions now. (and the instructors said i should consider instructing myself once i get some saddle time!)
d-day for the scoot should be tomorrow, assuming it checks out on the test ride.
to revisit an earlier theme of this thread here is an absolutely amazing urban trials video. the guy must be a former bmxer. the filming is quite professional as well. good work on all fronts here.
direct link, as it is a bit larger + HQ:
embedded:
not mine but amusing:
d-day for the scoot should be tomorrow, assuming it checks out on the test ride.
to revisit an earlier theme of this thread here is an absolutely amazing urban trials video. the guy must be a former bmxer. the filming is quite professional as well. good work on all fronts here.
direct link, as it is a bit larger + HQ:
embedded:
not mine but amusing:
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i bought it and took it home! its parking space is, uh, my living room. it fits through the front door just barely, but fit it does. (a door that opens to the street/alley is one of the reasons i chose my apartment.)
domesticated scooter - april 21, 2009
domesticated scooter - april 21, 2009
full gallery here for the curious: 177 miles by land and sea - april 24, 2009
i took my first real road trip on the scooter today, visiting my parents up in port angeles.
port angeles is on the olympic peninsula and is most easily accessed from seattle via the washington state ferry system. the ferries, in turn, are very friendly to motorcyclists (and scooter riders): riders may cut in front of the line of cars waiting to purchase tickets, pay less than half fare, queue up for loading in front of and independent of the cars, and embark and debark first.
me on the ferry bright and early:
the scooter at the front of the lane on the mv puyallup. yes, i got to unload before that big work truck and everyone else, for that matter:
riding to port angeles was notable for a few things. first, it was cold. very, very cold. just a few minutes before i snapped the below photo the indicated temperature was 39 degrees fahrenheit! although i brought enough layers i wasn't wearing enough of them at the start, and i was none too pleased about this. my hands, face, and torso were all freezing until i put on a balaclava, winter gloves, and an extra layer or two.
note the temperature! the orange icon shows that tilt-lock is engaged:
second, i crossed the hood canal bridge. luckily, it wasn't closed to allow tall boats to pass through, and its metal gratings were entirely dry. i've yet to ride over wet gratings but do not relish the thought of them.
route map, showing the hood canal bridge and the olympic mountain range/national park:
third, motorcyclists in small towns apparently aren't as friendly as the crowd around seattle: all of the people i passed on the road within 20 miles of port angeles were white men around age 40 on harley cruisers, in black leather, with a black beanie helmet and black sunglasses. it was as if they were in uniform! none of them returned my wave, whereas most everyone in my neck of the woods does so, even to a goofy-looking high-viz scooter rider.
one somewhat interesting part of this trip was my detour to olympic national park's boundary. not wanting to pay the entry fee and risk the frigid, possibly icy roads of deception ridge, i took a county road up into the mountains as far as i could go. the road turned into a dirt road and terminated at a gate right after crossing into the park, yielding both the photo below and a chance to practice braking on loose surfaces. feeling emboldened, i practiced locking up both the front wheels and the rear wheel in turn. it is a virtue of the MP3's design that locking up the front doesn't lead to immediate loss of stability.
as far as i could go:
lessons learned from today's road trip:
1) dress warmly when the temperature dips into the 30s and 40s! bringing extra layers is always good, and the layers that i brought weren't always ideal for layering under my snug armored jacket.
2) don't neglect the face: even with closed vents one's face can get very cold just from the air being force through the vents and through the neck. a balaclava does the trick nicely.
3) most other motorcyclists are quite friendly, except possibly those in small towns. it's amusing but not surprising to me that hayabusa riders were much more curious about my bike than those on sportsters.
4) i need a taller, wider windscreen that provides protection for my torso, head, and especially my hands. now the question becomes to go mid, high, or ridiculously high in height
5) finally, i do look like a goof, and now have photographic evidence. that's quite ok with me, however, as being noticed as a goofy looking rider is much better than not being noticed at all by an inattentive driver.
"my eyes, they burn!"
i took my first real road trip on the scooter today, visiting my parents up in port angeles.
port angeles is on the olympic peninsula and is most easily accessed from seattle via the washington state ferry system. the ferries, in turn, are very friendly to motorcyclists (and scooter riders): riders may cut in front of the line of cars waiting to purchase tickets, pay less than half fare, queue up for loading in front of and independent of the cars, and embark and debark first.
me on the ferry bright and early:
the scooter at the front of the lane on the mv puyallup. yes, i got to unload before that big work truck and everyone else, for that matter:
riding to port angeles was notable for a few things. first, it was cold. very, very cold. just a few minutes before i snapped the below photo the indicated temperature was 39 degrees fahrenheit! although i brought enough layers i wasn't wearing enough of them at the start, and i was none too pleased about this. my hands, face, and torso were all freezing until i put on a balaclava, winter gloves, and an extra layer or two.
note the temperature! the orange icon shows that tilt-lock is engaged:
second, i crossed the hood canal bridge. luckily, it wasn't closed to allow tall boats to pass through, and its metal gratings were entirely dry. i've yet to ride over wet gratings but do not relish the thought of them.
route map, showing the hood canal bridge and the olympic mountain range/national park:
third, motorcyclists in small towns apparently aren't as friendly as the crowd around seattle: all of the people i passed on the road within 20 miles of port angeles were white men around age 40 on harley cruisers, in black leather, with a black beanie helmet and black sunglasses. it was as if they were in uniform! none of them returned my wave, whereas most everyone in my neck of the woods does so, even to a goofy-looking high-viz scooter rider.
one somewhat interesting part of this trip was my detour to olympic national park's boundary. not wanting to pay the entry fee and risk the frigid, possibly icy roads of deception ridge, i took a county road up into the mountains as far as i could go. the road turned into a dirt road and terminated at a gate right after crossing into the park, yielding both the photo below and a chance to practice braking on loose surfaces. feeling emboldened, i practiced locking up both the front wheels and the rear wheel in turn. it is a virtue of the MP3's design that locking up the front doesn't lead to immediate loss of stability.
as far as i could go:
lessons learned from today's road trip:
1) dress warmly when the temperature dips into the 30s and 40s! bringing extra layers is always good, and the layers that i brought weren't always ideal for layering under my snug armored jacket.
2) don't neglect the face: even with closed vents one's face can get very cold just from the air being force through the vents and through the neck. a balaclava does the trick nicely.
3) most other motorcyclists are quite friendly, except possibly those in small towns. it's amusing but not surprising to me that hayabusa riders were much more curious about my bike than those on sportsters.
4) i need a taller, wider windscreen that provides protection for my torso, head, and especially my hands. now the question becomes to go mid, high, or ridiculously high in height
5) finally, i do look like a goof, and now have photographic evidence. that's quite ok with me, however, as being noticed as a goofy looking rider is much better than not being noticed at all by an inattentive driver.
"my eyes, they burn!"
Nice ride report.
I'm not surprised that the Harley riders have an attitude..... I've ridden in 6 different countries from Europe to Asia to NZ and Harley riders all had the same crappy attitude for some reason??
I'd be guessing that with the twin front wheels wet gratings won't be much of a problem for ya.
I'm not surprised that the Harley riders have an attitude..... I've ridden in 6 different countries from Europe to Asia to NZ and Harley riders all had the same crappy attitude for some reason??
I'd be guessing that with the twin front wheels wet gratings won't be much of a problem for ya.
heh What a perfect day.....
It's raining
It's windy
I'm hungover as hell from the gig last night (mates band had an album release party last night)
And now I have a 2 hour road trip to go see/test ride a bike I'm thinking of buying.....
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=213797039
lol optimum conditions for such a trip!!!
It's raining
It's windy
I'm hungover as hell from the gig last night (mates band had an album release party last night)
And now I have a 2 hour road trip to go see/test ride a bike I'm thinking of buying.....
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=213797039
lol optimum conditions for such a trip!!!
ooh, i do like the old bmws. and new ones, for that matter. why a 4 vs. the twin?
Well the K series bikes are utterly bombproof (esp the gearbox)
Fast as all hell (factory new the 0-60mph was in the 3-4 second range), it's kind of like comparing a 1000cc car to a V8.
Shaft drive for low maintainence
A lot smoother, the 2pot ones have a lot more vibration.
They are a lot heavier but I can live with that.
The shaft drive, reliability and lower vibration make it a better bike for longer trips and I want a bike I can go touring on.
I'll also have a look at this one on the way back
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=213205851
Fast as all hell (factory new the 0-60mph was in the 3-4 second range), it's kind of like comparing a 1000cc car to a V8.
Shaft drive for low maintainence
A lot smoother, the 2pot ones have a lot more vibration.
They are a lot heavier but I can live with that.
The shaft drive, reliability and lower vibration make it a better bike for longer trips and I want a bike I can go touring on.
I'll also have a look at this one on the way back
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=213205851
Where's "C" collapsed on the sidewalk from exhaustion?