Wilsons Sandbox

Yesterday, I rode a 1989 Honda TransAlp that was for sale. I would have given the seller his minimum price of $2,500 had it not spent the last year by the Pacific Ocean under a cover instead of in a garage. The corrosion was everywhere. Such a shame. The seller had neglected a wonderful machine. He bought it in pristine condition from someone else and had used it as a commuter and basically done nothing to it for a couple of years. It was smooth, powerful, very light handling, just a gem to ride. My KLR feels crude in comparison. Today, I took my crude KLR out on the local Sierra foothill roads (created in motorcycle heaven) and refreshed my mind on why it is so well loved. I took corners fast enough to get the pulse racing on the paved and the nervous sweat going on the gravel. At the stream crossings I cleaned off the mud from my boots and the skid plate. The current on one crossing kept pushing me sideways but the KLR didn't stall and powered on through. Got a steam bath. I rode my favorite twisty, hilly, thriller road and then stopped at my local motorcycle mechanic's shop. I ordered a new chain, sprockets and brake pads. He's a one-man operation and deserves my business because I need him more than the big dealership in Sacramento. 19,000 miles on my bike and these components are still original, a testament to the bike's reliability. When I got home, I put the bike on the Dual- Star centerstand and cleaned the chain. The end of a brief but high quality ride. A ride I think the KLR handled overall better than a TransAlp would have. I'm lusting for a V- Strom 650, but the KLR will never be sold. Never.