Wow, interesting read and some fascinating perspectives.
What pops to mind are the lyrics from an old Don Henley song The Garden of Allah: "There are no facts, there is no truth, only data to be manipulated"
::012::
Thanks for the images and description of events.....I love a good Ride About.
I noticed most of you guys pack the way I used too, everything stacked on the seat and rack. I does save weight and prevents you from over packing.
That's actually opposite of my experience here in Oregon. The area BMW dealerships have some well trained/experienced mechanics while the Big 4 dealerships have little to no experienced mechanics. Most folks that I know avoid the dealerships for service work because of that. Even finding a...
Laid off in Los Alamos?! When I worked there in the 80's that town had so much money floating around they could pay people to sit at a coffee shop........
.....sorry you are without work.....
My KLR has enough power to ride two up....all day at 70. Now if blasting by a line of cars, uphill in the blink of the eye is a priority then I'm SOL.....
I'll admit I'm a snob and I ride a KLR also. I generally don't initiate a wave during the summer months but during the PNWet winters I do. It's a rider/poser ratio thing for me.
I think something happens during ownership of any motorcycle that either sets-the-hook or drives people away...kinda like a horse. I've owned many bikes over the course of almost 50 years of a serious addiction. The KLR is one of those bikes I've done some great things on and it set the hook...
I think Mr Petes new friend wasn't telling everyone to not check their valves, but that it may be fine to just ride it. If you want to check them routinely then by god do it. If not, odds may be in your favor that they won't close up and burn before your first 100K.
I'll check mine...
Small island, maybe you know the "Machon's". I ride with one here in Oregon that has at least one brother still riding the hell out his bikes around the island....Cheers!