Bikes I like

The list is long, but...I wanted to share this photo of a bike I saw this past summer. It is a mint (or fully restored) Honda 175. Not sure of the year so, if you can ID this bike, let me know.

I spotted it in a park outside Halifax, Nova Scotia. Absolutely gorgeous! Proof that one can ride a small displacement bike happily.

Let me know what your favorite bike is.

Thanks,

Joe

Public Service ads, et al

Hi Kids!

Just a short note to let you know that I "figgered" out AdSense. Well, okay, I had some help. I met a nice young woman at an industry function and she gave some great insight. Thanks Sandy! Is it okay to plug your blog here? Let me know...

There's still so much to learn. I just printed out a small mountain of legal-ese from our friends at Google. It was part of the deal for AdSense. For now, you'll see some small public service ads in the periphery of this document. As I learn over time, I'll make some adjustments that will benefit all (but mostly YOU, dear reader).

Car problems were solved today. The Volkswagen Passat shorted itself out due to a crushed interior light. It just so happens that the fuse that controls the windows also controls the electronic "thingy" in the ignition that IDs your key. Hmm. Cars. What a pain.

Anyway, enough of that. I plan to muddle through the rest of my latest issue of Motor Cyclist magazine and dream about riding season. If you read my earlier posts, you'll see that I want a new Sport Touring bike from Yamaha. Come on. Admit it. That bike is hot!

Yes, dear cruiser friends: I would LOVE to take this ride on a Harley-Davidson Street Glide. If I win the lottery between now and August, perhaps. For now, with my bills, pending home repairs, Christmas, etc., etc. I'll aim a little lower.

I bought the Blue Beauty with Sturgis in mind. After one season (and following two sport bikes) I think it's too slow, has too small of a gas tank and lacks storage. It is the perfect bike for my normal "dubbing around" but a bit too small for a long ride. Before I put any serious money into it, I'm going to try to afford a replacement. If that fails, well, we'll see.

I guess that's it for tonight. I hope I'm not speaking to an empty room here. Let me know if you're out there. Maybe we can hook up for a ride sometime.

Peace!

PS - Big thanks to Zak, my personal mechanic. He does killer work for Porsche, VW and Audi. Later.

Bikes versus cars

What is it about cars? Why do they break down ALL the time???

Last night, late, my teenager's car wouldn't start. Granted, it's an older car but, when was the last time your motorcycle wouldn't fire? Can you recall? I can't.

Do the major bike manufacturer's make a much better/more reliable/higher quality product than car manufacturers?

I've not owned a Honda car but I can imagine that they hold up well. Even if you do ALL the services on a car, it seems like you are ALWAYS spending money on SOMETHING! Services, repairs, tire rotations, alignments, oil leaks (okay, H-D has a reputation on their older bikes). You get the idea.

The average bike rider rides his motorcycle many fewer miles than an average driver drives. I get that. But, mile per mile, I would argue that motorcycles are a much more reliable (and fuel efficient) machine. So, why don't more people ride?


Well, I had a good year this year but, compared to some, they'd call it minimal. My latest issue of Motor Cyclist magazine (THE BEST bike mag) has an article about the Iron Butt Rally. 11,000 miles in 11 days. Holy Sore Tuchas! I'd like to qualify for an Iron Butt someday, but I'll need a more comfortable ride and to be in better shape.


Finally, do any of you have any ideas as to how to attract advertisers to this space? I'd keep it relevant and on topic. Bike stuff, gear, etc. All you'd have to do is check out the links and buy something if you thought it would make your ride a better one.

Thats all for now. It's been a long day, dealing with car problems. Hope to hear from you soon.

Best regards,

Joe Rocket

Sunday

Hi All! It's Sunday night (almost) and I am only here for a few moments. I have to go burn some meat on the grill before it gets too cold and snowy to use the grill.

The long weekend is almost done and we can expect some rain and more chill in the air. I washed my bike today and threw it on a battery charger before covering it for the winter. How sad! I always feel wistful on this day. Sort of like a death...

Here's a picture of the new object of desire for me. I had been hankerin' for a Honda ST1300 for sooooooo long but did not buy one due to the cost. I saw a recent article and have spoken to some owners of the Yamaha FJR 1300 and spent a few minutes reading the specs online recently. Wow! 145 hp and a wet weight of 548 lbs. Holy crap.Here's a photo and maybe you'll get it. Of course, my cruiser friends won't understand why I am not buying a Harley Davidson....maybe it is the $25,000+ price tag!

Cheers! Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving!

Joe