nklr vendor friday

[Sam Teel]

Well, probably not adventure in most of you guys book but at least in mine. I've had the itch to ride for about a week now but couldn't because the weather was in the teens and I had a heavy work schedule. Yesterday was the first of my three days off and the weather NOW channel said 47 and partly cloudy. OK, get up, put on the long johns, heavy socks, start the coffee and look outside. Raining and 36 degrees. Take off the johns, socks, kiss the wife as she leaves for work and me and the bull dog go back to bed. (We have to refer to a nap as "N"-"A"-"P" or he will run to the bed and take up all the room before you can get there) Today, sposed to be 47 and partly cloudy. Get up, start the coffee, look outside. Full cloudy, 36 degrees, wet roads but no rain. WooHoo! Time to ride! Gear up and take off. I get about 1 mile and realize I left my balaclava (head sock) thing back at the house. U-turn and go back and get it. The wind inside that helmet felt like razors. I have this favorite country road that I am exploring all the side roads. One of those just kept getting smaller, narrower and more rural. At one point a couple of half-assed, half-breed Chow/Possum mutts ran out in the street and start their stuff. The first one, who looked like he should attend canine special ed, ran in FRONT of the bike. Hard braking saved his dumb butt. I continued down the road until it turned into a dirt/mud road. I have almost zero off road experience but I wanted to be a bit more adventurous than usual, so down it I went. Some folks say, and I agree, riding a motorcycle is somewhat like flying an airplane. I've done that and love it. Except I never liked stall practice. I hate that feeling of loss of control, especially full power take off stalls. This road was like that. The rear end seemed to have a mind of it's own and having to steer to accommodate the rear made the front wheel go in places I didn't want to go. Like the ditch and the trees and big rocks. As I started down a long hill I decided to turn around and go back. Wrong. Once I turned left across the mud/dirt road, I couldn't back up to go the other way. This left me with only one choice, hard right and back down the hill to look for a better place. I had to go across a rotten wooden bridge that looked like it might support a kid on tricycle. Got up some speed (zigging and zagging) and over the damn thing I went. I turned around on the other side and like a sail boat, tacked my way back up the hill. I almost was on my ass about ten times and was feeling a bit insecure. When I finally got back onto pavement I was like, "Whew, glad that's over. Off I go..." Until cross-eyed, half breed Chow/Possum mix runs right in front of me with his sidekick, just behind. I swerved to the right as much as I could, hard braking but Chow/Possum is not having a lucky day. The front tire catches him just in front of his left hindquarters. I was going about 30 I think. I was surprised at the lack of shock transmitted and the lack of effect on the bike. This was no small dog, maybe 50 pounds. C/P goes flying/spinning to my left and his sidekick passes on my right. I traveled about 100 feet and stopped to see what was up. Chow/Possum is now standing, looking at his rump and sidekick is starting down the street in my direction. I kinda felt like getting off the bike and kicking the crap out of sidekick and then going back to finish the job on C/P. But, this was not a good neighborhood. Sidekick and Chow/Possum are no problem. I live with a Pitbull and have no fear of dogs at all. (I may get bit, but in the end, I WILL prevail. Besides, I have on enough gear to make a Klingon envious) So, discretion being the better part of valor (a comforting rational) I throttled up and took off. Chow/Possum will have to convince his owner to take him to the vet I guess. On the way home I stopped at one of those highway burger joints that looked like it might have last been a Standard Oil station before becoming a "restaurant" I sat on the single bench that had so many splinters that leather was a comfort and ate one of the best burgers ever. One where the patty didn't look like it was cut using laser technology, where the onion was a slice and hot and the mustard was on one side of the bun and the ketchup was on the other. Man, that was good. I then rode back into Memphis and reserved the motorcycle trailer for next week when I go get my new/OLD Goldwing in Chicago. The guy at Uhaul looked at me as I took off my helmet and said, "Damn, man. You crazy." Yep. Sam

[Chris]

Planning a polar bear ride tomorrow. I'm curious how I'll fare. I think the high is supposed to be 18 or so. I figure I'll last either 15 minutes or a few hours.

On Fri, Jan 09, 2004 at 03:44:06PM -0600, Sam Teel wrote: > Well, probably not adventure in most of you guys book but at least in mine. Leaving my driveway is still an adventure to me, nice trip report. Btw, when things get loose under you, stand up on the pegs, if that doesn't help, put your weight back as well. I'm still totally green riding on anything loose, but it's a lot more confidence inspiring to stand up and let the bike 'do its thing' under you while on the pegs, it puts your weight down low and at least for me I wasn't as freaked out having the bike moving freely under me than feeling all the slipping through the seat. Having the bike moving all over while being much more immobilized by sitting was no fun. Airing down the tires is as much difference in traction as putting on snow chains too. Going from street pressures in the 30's to the high teens on the stock rubber made a massive difference. Just get air back in them before you do any pavement distance. -- ___ ______ _____ __ ________ ___ / _ |< < / == / ___/__ / /_ /_ __/ / __ ____ _ ___ /__ \ / __ |/ // / ****/ (_ / _ \/ __/ / / / _ \/ // / ' \/ _ \ /__/ /_/ |_/_//_/ == \___/\___/\__/ /_/ /_//_/\_,_/_/_/_/ .__/ (_) 8600 miles*Russel Lines*Supertrapp Race* /_/ http://www.panix.com/~cesser/mybike/

[Riley]

One thing I would add about standing on the pegs...get good pegs. I was amazed at much better the bike handled when my feet weren't slipping on the pegs themselves. Riley A15 Montteal

----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris" To: "Sam Teel" Cc: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Friday, January 09, 2004 5:34 PM Subject: Re: [DSN_klr650] NKLR Adventures in the Cold > Planning a polar bear ride tomorrow. I'm curious how I'll fare. I > think the high is supposed to be 18 or so. I figure I'll last either > 15 minutes or a few hours. > > On Fri, Jan 09, 2004 at 03:44:06PM -0600, Sam Teel wrote: > > Well, probably not adventure in most of you guys book but at least in mine. > > Leaving my driveway is still an adventure to me, nice trip report. > > Btw, when things get loose under you, stand up on the pegs, if that > doesn't help, put your weight back as well. I'm still totally green > riding on anything loose, but it's a lot more confidence inspiring to > stand up and let the bike 'do its thing' under you while on the pegs, > it puts your weight down low and at least for me I wasn't as freaked > out having the bike moving freely under me than feeling all the > slipping through the seat. Having the bike moving all over while > being much more immobilized by sitting was no fun. > > Airing down the tires is as much difference in traction as putting on > snow chains too. Going from street pressures in the 30's to the high > teens on the stock rubber made a massive difference. Just get air > back in them before you do any pavement distance. > > -- > ___ ______ _____ __ ________ ___ >

[Riley]

One thing I would add about standing on the pegs...get good pegs. I was amazed at much better the bike handled when my feet weren't slipping on the pegs themselves. Riley A15 Montteal

----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris" To: "Sam Teel" Cc: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Friday, January 09, 2004 5:34 PM Subject: Re: [DSN_klr650] NKLR Adventures in the Cold > Planning a polar bear ride tomorrow. I'm curious how I'll fare. I > think the high is supposed to be 18 or so. I figure I'll last either > 15 minutes or a few hours. > > On Fri, Jan 09, 2004 at 03:44:06PM -0600, Sam Teel wrote: > > Well, probably not adventure in most of you guys book but at least in mine. > > Leaving my driveway is still an adventure to me, nice trip report. > > Btw, when things get loose under you, stand up on the pegs, if that > doesn't help, put your weight back as well. I'm still totally green > riding on anything loose, but it's a lot more confidence inspiring to > stand up and let the bike 'do its thing' under you while on the pegs, > it puts your weight down low and at least for me I wasn't as freaked > out having the bike moving freely under me than feeling all the > slipping through the seat. Having the bike moving all over while > being much more immobilized by sitting was no fun. > > Airing down the tires is as much difference in traction as putting on > snow chains too. Going from street pressures in the 30's to the high > teens on the stock rubber made a massive difference. Just get air > back in them before you do any pavement distance. > > -- > ___ ______ _____ __ ________ ___ >

[Riley]

Sorry about the multiple posts.... Riley

[Mike T]

Affirmed - getting weight on the pegs is key to lowering the center-of-gravity. If one has to do it a lot, the use of high bars can help put even more torso weight over the hips and reduce fatigue in the arms and front-end wight loading. Not just in the cold, but whenever the going gets "dirty" and unstable. DVDaze only two weekends away - Grrr! Mike 'dogman' T. A16 Las Vegas -----Original Message----- From: Chris [mailto:kingsqueak@...] Sent: Friday, January 09, 2004 2:34 PM To: Sam Teel Cc: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [DSN_klr650] NKLR Adventures in the Cold Planning a polar bear ride tomorrow. I'm curious how I'll fare. I think the high is supposed to be 18 or so. I figure I'll last either 15 minutes or a few hours.

On Fri, Jan 09, 2004 at 03:44:06PM -0600, Sam Teel wrote: > Well, probably not adventure in most of you guys book but at least in mine. Leaving my driveway is still an adventure to me, nice trip report. Btw, when things get loose under you, stand up on the pegs, if that doesn't help, put your weight back as well. I'm still totally green riding on anything loose, but it's a lot more confidence inspiring to stand up and let the bike 'do its thing' under you while on the pegs, it puts your weight down low and at least for me I wasn't as freaked out having the bike moving freely under me than feeling all the slipping through the seat. Having the bike moving all over while being much more immobilized by sitting was no fun. Airing down the tires is as much difference in traction as putting on snow chains too. Going from street pressures in the 30's to the high teens on the stock rubber made a massive difference. Just get air back in them before you do any pavement distance. -- ___ ______ _____ __ ________ ___ / _ |< < / == / ___/__ / /_ /_ __/ / __ ____ _ ___ /__ \ / __ |/ // / ****/ (_ / _ \/ __/ / / / _ \/ // / ' \/ _ \ /__/ /_/ |_/_//_/ == \___/\___/\__/ /_/ /_//_/\_,_/_/_/_/ .__/ (_) 8600 miles*Russel Lines*Supertrapp Race* /_/ http://www.panix.com/~cesser/mybike/ List sponsored by Dual Sport News at www.dualsportnews.com. List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Unsubscribe by sending a blank message to: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com . Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DSN_klr650/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

[Mike T]

A correcto! IMS pegs are wide as well as strong! Mike 'dogman' T. A16 Las Vegas -----Original Message----- From: Riley [mailto:motoriley@...] Sent: Friday, January 09, 2004 3:32 PM To: Chris Cc: KLR Subject: Re: [DSN_klr650] NKLR Adventures in the Cold One thing I would add about standing on the pegs...get good pegs. I was amazed at much better the bike handled when my feet weren't slipping on the pegs themselves. Riley A15 Montteal

----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris" To: "Sam Teel" Cc: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Friday, January 09, 2004 5:34 PM Subject: Re: [DSN_klr650] NKLR Adventures in the Cold > Planning a polar bear ride tomorrow. I'm curious how I'll fare. I > think the high is supposed to be 18 or so. I figure I'll last either > 15 minutes or a few hours. > > On Fri, Jan 09, 2004 at 03:44:06PM -0600, Sam Teel wrote: > > Well, probably not adventure in most of you guys book but at least in mine. > > Leaving my driveway is still an adventure to me, nice trip report. > > Btw, when things get loose under you, stand up on the pegs, if that > doesn't help, put your weight back as well. I'm still totally green > riding on anything loose, but it's a lot more confidence inspiring to > stand up and let the bike 'do its thing' under you while on the pegs, > it puts your weight down low and at least for me I wasn't as freaked > out having the bike moving freely under me than feeling all the > slipping through the seat. Having the bike moving all over while > being much more immobilized by sitting was no fun. > > Airing down the tires is as much difference in traction as putting on > snow chains too. Going from street pressures in the 30's to the high > teens on the stock rubber made a massive difference. Just get air > back in them before you do any pavement distance. > > -- > ___ ______ _____ __ ________ ___ > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at www.dualsportnews.com. List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Unsubscribe by sending a blank message to: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com . Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DSN_klr650/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

[crawdad185]

Can't add anything to whats already been said about mud riding technique, but I did want to say that I got a kick out of reading your trip report. I guess Southern humor is most enjoyed by other Southerners. Give my regards to Chow/Possum on your next trip (if he's still around).

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "Sam Teel" wrote: > Well, probably not adventure in most of you guys book but at least in mine. > > I've had the itch to ride for about a week now but couldn't because the > weather was in the teens and I had a heavy work schedule. Yesterday was the > first of my three days off and the weather NOW channel said 47 and partly > cloudy. OK, get up, put on the long johns, heavy socks, start the coffee > and look outside. Raining and 36 degrees. Take off the johns, socks, kiss > the wife as she leaves for work and me and the bull dog go back to bed. (We > have to refer to a nap as "N"-"A"-"P" or he will run to the bed and take up > all the room before you can get there) > > Today, sposed to be 47 and partly cloudy. Get up, start the coffee, look > outside. Full cloudy, 36 degrees, wet roads but no rain. WooHoo! Time to > ride! Gear up and take off. I get about 1 mile and realize I left my > balaclava (head sock) thing back at the house. U-turn and go back and get > it. The wind inside that helmet felt like razors. > > I have this favorite country road that I am exploring all the side roads. > One of those just kept getting smaller, narrower and more rural. At one > point a couple of half-assed, half-breed Chow/Possum mutts ran out in the > street and start their stuff. The first one, who looked like he should > attend canine special ed, ran in FRONT of the bike. Hard braking saved his > dumb butt. I continued down the road until it turned into a dirt/mud road. > I have almost zero off road experience but I wanted to be a bit more > adventurous than usual, so down it I went. > > Some folks say, and I agree, riding a motorcycle is somewhat like flying an > airplane. I've done that and love it. Except I never liked stall practice. > I hate that feeling of loss of control, especially full power take off > stalls. This road was like that. The rear end seemed to have a mind of > it's own and having to steer to accommodate the rear made the front wheel go > in places I didn't want to go. Like the ditch and the trees and big rocks. > As I started down a long hill I decided to turn around and go back. Wrong. > Once I turned left across the mud/dirt road, I couldn't back up to go the > other way. This left me with only one choice, hard right and back down the > hill to look for a better place. I had to go across a rotten wooden bridge > that looked like it might support a kid on tricycle. Got up some speed > (zigging and zagging) and over the damn thing I went. I turned around on > the other side and like a sail boat, tacked my way back up the hill. I > almost was on my ass about ten times and was feeling a bit insecure. > > When I finally got back onto pavement I was like, "Whew, glad that's over. > Off I go..." Until cross-eyed, half breed Chow/Possum mix runs right in > front of me with his sidekick, just behind. I swerved to the right as much > as I could, hard braking but Chow/Possum is not having a lucky day. The > front tire catches him just in front of his left hindquarters. I was going > about 30 I think. I was surprised at the lack of shock transmitted and the > lack of effect on the bike. This was no small dog, maybe 50 pounds. C/P > goes flying/spinning to my left and his sidekick passes on my right. I > traveled about 100 feet and stopped to see what was up. > > Chow/Possum is now standing, looking at his rump and sidekick is starting > down the street in my direction. I kinda felt like getting off the bike and > kicking the crap out of sidekick and then going back to finish the job on > C/P. But, this was not a good neighborhood. Sidekick and Chow/Possum are > no problem. I live with a Pitbull and have no fear of dogs at all. (I may > get bit, but in the end, I WILL prevail. Besides, I have on enough gear to > make a Klingon envious) So, discretion being the better part of valor (a > comforting rational) I throttled up and took off. Chow/Possum will have to > convince his owner to take him to the vet I guess. > > On the way home I stopped at one of those highway burger joints that looked > like it might have last been a Standard Oil station before becoming a > "restaurant" I sat on the single bench that had so many splinters that > leather was a comfort and ate one of the best burgers ever. One where the > patty didn't look like it was cut using laser technology, where the onion > was a slice and hot and the mustard was on one side of the bun and the > ketchup was on the other. Man, that was good. > > I then rode back into Memphis and reserved the motorcycle trailer for next > week when I go get my new/OLD Goldwing in Chicago. The guy at Uhaul looked > at me as I took off my helmet and said, "Damn, man. You crazy." Yep. > > Sam

[Neil Yeatman]

Posting for a friend: Checkout the Motorcycle Headlight Relay Kit at: http://jimdavis.oberro.com/html/bike_acc_.html

[bigfatgreenbike]

steel@... wrote:

>I have this favorite country road that I am exploring all the side roads. >One of those just kept getting smaller, narrower and more rural. At one >point a couple of half-assed, half-breed Chow/Possum mutts ran out in the >street and start their stuff. The first one, who looked like he should >attend canine special ed, ran in FRONT of the bike. Hard braking saved his >dumb butt. >

After T-boning a standard poodle on Bleeker St on my SR500 a few years back (on the lead no less!), the only advice I have is if the animal's center of body mass is equal or lower than the front axle, it's going under the wheels. Brake in a straight line, scrub off as much speed as possible in the interest of being humane to animals, but don't risk your own ass by swerving. Give Darwin a chance.

> I continued down the road until it turned into a dirt/mud road. >I have almost zero off road experience but I wanted to be a bit more >adventurous than usual, so down it I went. > >Some folks say, and I agree, riding a motorcycle is somewhat like flying an >airplane. I've done that and love it. Except I never liked stall practice. >I hate that feeling of loss of control, especially full power take off >stalls. This road was like that. >

Yeah, but you practice those at 5,000ft not 50. On a bike, falling down is falling down. Unless you hit something solid at speed, and then it's "crashing".

>The rear end seemed to have a mind of >it's own and having to steer to accommodate the rear made the front wheel go >in places I didn't want to go. Like the ditch and the trees and big rocks. >As I started down a long hill I decided to turn around and go back. Wrong. >Once I turned left across the mud/dirt road, I couldn't back up to go the >other way. This left me with only one choice, hard right and back down the >hill to look for a better place. I had to go across a rotten wooden bridge >that looked like it might support a kid on tricycle. Got up some speed >(zigging and zagging) and over the damn thing I went. I turned around on >the other side and like a sail boat, tacked my way back up the hill. I >almost was on my ass about ten times and was feeling a bit insecure. >

We all make different compromises with tires and suspension setup. If you're prepared to give up some peg dragging ability, there's rubber out there that could have helped. -- Devon Brooklyn, NY A15-Z '01 KLR650 '81 SR500 cafe racer "The truth's not too popular these days....." Arnold Schwarzenneger, in The Running Man