Log your rides
 

Update in this thread after you ride. You can elaborate however you see fit, but distance, duration and any mentionable events are also good fodder for discussion. Pics and videos are most certainly welcome, as are links to other ride reports or logs (yes, even to other sites!).

It doesn't have to be in a story format, or a list or anything at all. Not even on a specific bike. Just log how you're spending your life on 2 wheels...or even sometimes 1 wheel...

Re: Log your rides
 

I'll start.

Today (02/20/2010) I rode about an hour and a half on the SV650 putting about 80 miles in the seat. Mostly interstate, but there were some side roads and a couple of distraction rides to get some pics. I rode down our main artery from the north side of Tulsa (Owasso) to the south side (to Broken Arrow).

The weather was about 45 degrees out and it was foggy with a heavy mist and some slight rain. It wasn't uncomfortable in my FG Ranier jacket and long-johns under my jeans, but it was definitely muddy on the roads due to the excessive sanding and salting they do around here in winter.

The ride was to get a few pictures for a scavenger hunt TAG-type game I participate in on a local motorcycle board here in Tulsa. Pictures of your bike in front of interesting things, and the others have to duplicate it. etc. etc.

No notable interactions except with a little girl looking at me through the back window of her mom's car at a stop light. She waved real big side to side, so I waved real big back (up/down) and she got super excited. She turned around and immediately told her mom in the front exactly what happened, mimicking the hand gestures and everything. It was funny and kinda heartwarming. ( :puke: )

http://s2.postimage.org/P461i.jpg

http://s2.postimage.org/P48wr.jpg

http://s2.postimage.org/P4dvJ.jpg

http://s2.postimage.org/P4iv0.jpg


I road for about 3 hours on Sunday as well, picking up I think my favorite of the pictures of this SV so far:

http://s2.postimage.org/P4nui.jpg

http://s3.postimage.org/wTMt0.jpg


Let's keep this going. Try and get at least a few regulars riding and posting a log of your ride, even the most mundane details help fuel the fire.

Re: Log your rides
 

I went by Hahm Motorsports today in Anaheim to pick up the replacement part for my Strat front blinker lens. No photos (shoulda taken one) but I found the place to be mostly closed. The main building has had the bike dealership names (Suzi, Yama, Kawa, Honda) stripped off and they have retreated to a much smaller former parts and service building. I didn't see any new bikes for sale in the parts building. They used to have over 1000 bikes on their showroom floor.

My impression of the place from five or six visits (I almost bought my Strat there - it was there I first saw a 2007 "new" one) was that they were, like many motorcycle dealerships, a mixed bag of short timers and lackadaisical management. I've done business now with four dealerships, Mission Motorsports, San Juan Capistrano Power or Performance Something or Other, Corona Motorsports (?) and Hahm. Mission is probably the most professionally run of the four, but I've encountered questionable employees at all of them. Having worked in the auto dealer industry, I am aware that dealerships do not necessarily represent the "best and the brightest" (and most ethical) of America, but I get a sense that many Motorcycle dealer employees feel that we're all kind of anti-establishment "buddies" and we'll understand if they don't really give a shit. I've generally found the parts guys to be the most helpful, but mostly it's a matter of me telling them specifically what I want, them taking my credit card, and then calling me when it's arrived. Most of the "advice" I've gotten has either been words of wisdom from Dr. Obvious or, the old stand by "If we have it it will be out on the shelves somewhere..." Thanks!

Hahm was the place that reneged on their verbal comittment to sell me the Strat for 12K out the door. ("Made a mistake.") Mission did meet the 12K OTD price.

Given the poopy state of the economy and the reluctance of average Joes to take on debt, especially for non-essentials, I wouldn't be surprised to see a few more of the marginal operators disappear over the next year.

Re: Log your rides
 

Nice shot with the checkered wall. I was hoping to take a nice 40 mile ride tomorrow, but rain is in the forecast. Will post when the sun comes back.

Re: Log your rides
 

I went for a ride on Saturday 2/20/2010. I took Topanga Canyon down to PCH, and then to the Santa Monica Pier. I then did a U turn and went back the way I came. There where some really dark clouds and did not feel like riding through them, that's why i went back the same route. All in all i rode about 45 miles in about 1 hour. Had a great time. Can't wait to hit the rode again.

Re: Log your rides
 

Excellent idea Patrick. Right now the only riding I get is through the forums. I will be waiting for the Olympics, ParaOlympics to end and then waiting for the road to be rideable. I did try for a ride last week but was very uneasy with the road mods for Olympic traffic flow. It is meant for cars and buses but not bikes. If the weather stayed warm enough to keep my hands warm this would be an ideal time for minor bike maintenance and such.

Re: Log your rides
 

It rained heavily all day long, but during a break (cold out though), I put both the Ninja and the Shadow around the neighborhood a couple of times each. I'm letting the GZ sit winterized right now. I didn't want to break down the stabilizer in it until I'm certain I can get a few miles on it every week or so.

Re: Log your rides
 

I really like your bike's color...
My next bike color must go to Yellow.
Thanks for the nice photos.

Re: Log your rides
 

Rode for about 20 minutes today on the SV. It was cold, but not blisteringly. I just picked up a new GoPro HD Motorsports HERO camera so I wanted to test a mounting position and do a video to see if there was any stability or vibration issues. Fortunately, it looks pretty decent. I have to transfer and edit the video, then I'll post it. It's nothing special though.

Re: Log your rides
 

Can't wait the video result..
I also look forward to have one of those camera.
Only worry about it is that doesn't have preview lcd screen,
but it has many mounting options that I want to have.. ha ha ha

Re: Log your rides
 

Apparently, GoPro is supposed to come out with an LCD adapter back for them this year. We'll see.

Here's the video. I only recorded in 720p, though the camera will do 1080p at 30fps natively.

[youtube:3hhhnnjz]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtfZtgD4Nec[/youtube:3hhhnnjz]

Re: Log your rides
 

Great video Patrick, I'd forgotten how flat Oklahoma is. Your bike has a great "kick", very impressive. I don't think we have any place in Northern Georgia or East Tennessee with this much flat land. It's been almost 25 years since I was in Oklahoma, loved the way the thunder "rolls" out there as it comes across the land, just doesn't ever sound like that back here. Thanks for sharing the video!

Re: Log your rides
 

Goin' a little fast in that school zone were'nt ya?

Re: Log your rides
 

Patrick you really have to get that SV into some mountain twisties. I will also add the fact that I do miss the wide open spaces of the prairies and the bright star filled nights but not enough to move back. The SV was one of the bikes I looked at before I got the Vstrom but it didn't quite fill the pack mule job description. The power to weight ratio of the SV is a real winner though.

Re: Log your rides
 

Your part of Oklahoma looks like our San Joaquin Valley.

Re: Log your rides
 

Indeed. I honestly didn't know that was a school zone until reviewing the video just now. That's a church there actually. I'm not certain why it's an SZ but I'll be more careful next time.

Thanks for pointing out my misgivings. :retard:

Re: Log your rides
 

Hi, Mr. Patrick.
It is very nice video result even with under those overcasted weather conditions.
Ha ha ha, I subscribed your YouTube channel for not missing other coming videos.

Did you mount the camera at helmet?
I like your bike's rpm meter too.. ha ha ha.
Nice camera angle and good sound add up...
I want to have those camera...soon..

Thanks for the video

Re: Log your rides
 

It was mounted on the tank with the suction cup mount that comes with it. I'm looking to find better angles for the camera, but on a naked bike, it's kinda hard.

Re: Log your rides
 

I like the mounting position. And I believe you blew right through a stop sign as well.

Re: Log your rides
 

I do have a bad habit of not stopping at stop signs around here. Mainly because everything is so flat, you can see a car coming for miles in each direction...including cops.

Re: Log your rides
 

Anyone else doing riding lately? This thread isn't just about my many traffic infractions... :whistle:

Re: Log your rides
 

I feel bad cause I'd lke to contribute, but I was in Chicago all week and this weekend it is once again raining like a motherEffer in Sunny SoCal. Howevah, on Tuesday morning, prior to going to the airport, I did ride over to the HMO to get my stitches out. I rode the entire length of the Richard Nixon Memorial Freeway (it's about two miles) (there was a cop on a BMW with a radar gun planted right about halfway up, too.) And I rode right past the Richard Nixon Presidential library. I didn't take any pictures (I still am not in the habit of shooting while riding) but I will try to post an image nonetheless. About 24 miles round trip.


http://s2.postimage.org/7i4Xr.jpg

http://s2.postimage.org/7i9WJ.jpg

Re: Log your rides
 

Did your skin burn? Mine would have.

Re: Log your rides
 

"Watergate does not bother me, does your conscience bother you now tell the truth" - Sweet Home Alabama- Allman Brothers

Re: Log your rides
 

Seems like things are happening all over the world. Can't turn the tv on without news of another catastrophy. Last night even we were on red alert. Torrential rain & winds 100mph+. Spent all morning clearing up the debris. We weren't too bad, but everyone around here is talking about the roofs that were ripped off, & the trees that were uprooted. Today the winds have died down, but we've had heavy rain all day, & we're still on red alert for tonight. :sad:

Re: Log your rides
 

Having been alive and pretty well informed at the time of things political, all things considered (and there is a lot of not so good shit to consider) I would probably take Nixon over some of the folks that have been in that office of late. The guy was grasping, abusive of power, probably a racist and and anti-Semite, but he was not afraid to tackle tough problems head on and he had (the arrogance?) of confidence to believe he could fix things. Even though he was power mad, and an egomaniac, I think he strove to do (at least in his mind) what was best for America. Like Obama, he inherited a messy war, and like today, it was a lengthy, relatively fruitless effort that wrecked our economy and divided our country. First he tried to win it by force, then he basically just shut it down. Having turned 18 in 1976, even though I am not a republican and there is no question he abused his office way beyond basic dirty politics, I will be forever grateful that both the Vietnam war and the draft ended before I had to get involved.

He was a complicated man - an interesting mix of very bad and very capable.

People often only remember Nixon for Watergate, and I suppose that is fair. But this was a guy who lost a very close race (some would say fixed) to JFK, beat Ronald Reagan out for the Republican nomination in 1968 and eked out a win in a tough three way race that included George Wallace, who mostly siphoned off votes that might have gone to Nixon. His reelection, wasn't even close.

Re: Log your rides
 

Short ride today looking for something cool. Also wanted to try the handlebar mount on the GoPro in photo mode.


http://s4.postimage.org/EHDKi.jpg

Re: Log your rides
 

Did about a 55 miler after work and racquetball to one of my local hangouts, Alta Coffee. It's in Newport Beach (kind of looks like "The OC" did on TV, it's the high priced Real Estate.) Might have posted about it before. A friend does a singer/songwriter showcase there and I know most of the performers. Took a few iphone shots.

If you look close in one of them I think you can see the Strat parked outside.

http://s2.postimage.org/j4z8r.jpg

http://s2.postimage.org/j4BDA.jpg

http://s2.postimage.org/j4E7J.jpg

Re: Log your rides
 

Looks like a cool way to spend some time.

Re: Log your rides
 

Have they a resident nurse to do the bandaging/taping/stitching, so you don't scare the other customers away? :lol: :lol: :lol: :banana: :banana: :smoke:

Re: Log your rides
 

110 mile ride yesterday on the Beemer. No pictures. Even though it was sunny and hit 50 degrees, things are pretty drab looking around here. Snow is mostly gone right now, and what is left is dirty. Everything else not man-made is brown except the evergreens. This is about the least photogenic time of the year. The GZ is prepped for Winter storage, and like Patrick I don't want to start riding it until it's warm enough to ride without electric clothes on a regular basis. Anyway, I rode out to North Hampton to the Beemer dealership there to drop off a tool they sent me by mistake along with a large order of stuff to do maintenance. That was just an excuse to go for a ride of course. I took 101 out and back, about 70 mph for most of the ride both ways. Did a little fine tuning on the bike when I got back. A good day all around.

Re: Log your rides
 

My memory ain't so good, but aren't you the Alan that crashed his GZ into (or was crashed into) something/someone twice in the space of a few months?

Face is all healed up and I took two out of three yestiddy, smartass. No new lacerations. But, thanks for the concern!

Re: Log your rides
 

71 miles today, no Interstate, and nothing worth photographing. Snowed a little this morning, but no accumulation. Some of the roads were dry by the afternoon, and it got up to 40 degrees for a little while. I wanted to hit the 1000 mile mark on the bike, and it's up to 1031 now. And I just got it Jan 20th. In New Hampshire. And it was gone for a week for its 600 mile service.

I'm not sure it's a good idea to talk about politics here. But, maybe 40 year old politics aren't too threatening. I turned 22 in 1968, and had just graduated from college. The democratic convention was a riot, literally, by the counter culture folks and by the police in response. It was a horror show, and damaged Hubert Humphrey's chances of winning. I was not a huge fan of Nixon at the time. I was a young radical, and dead set against him. '68 was also the year I got a 1-O classification (conscientious objector), and started alternative service working for a hospital in Boston.

In retrospect, I think Nixon was a mixed bag. Certainly no dirtier than most of today's crowd, but he did lower the standards at the time, as did JFK before him. What I do know for sure is that Nixon will never get a fair shake from today's main stream media. The movie Oliver Stone made about him was nothing more than a left wing hatchet job. Nixon was definitely an interesting character, and did some very good things, which are not what he is known or remembered for.

Re: Log your rides
 

I put down about 20 miles today, just for a couple of pictures and some time outside while the weather is cooperative. Took a video and will probably post it later tonight. Not much to say about the ride though, other than it was a little chilly at speed.

http://s1.postimage.org/l3kci.jpg

http://s4.postimage.org/OAgAS.jpg

Re: Log your rides
 

Here's the video from today. New angle for those with a knee fetish.

[youtube:1rvtp0qk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu-FBhsVDhk[/youtube:1rvtp0qk]

Re: Log your rides
 

Yes, but I'VE got a bike made up of all new parts now! :whistle: :tongue: :ride: ( :crash: )

Re: Log your rides
 

Frankenzuki?

Re: Log your rides
 

Rode around for about an hour today on the Shadow. Just trying to get in some seat time while the weather is freaking beautiful. It probably won't last though.

Here's a video, including a little twisty riding in the parking lot near the middle. It's a fun ride with lots of peg scraping.

[youtube:3fohlfyd]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMnj7nep4-8[/youtube:3fohlfyd]

Re: Log your rides
 

Hi, Mr. Patrick.
Those new videos are neat; especially rear view angle.
To the other members >> try to watch in YouTube these videos, then you can have much better video experiences.
Better qualities than small embeded video.. ha ha ha

Re: Log your rides
 

Good suggestion. [strike:2xpyv9qu]I will try and fix the embed code on the board tonight to display the HD and higher quality selections.[/strike:2xpyv9qu]

Fixed the code. Now HD is embedded into the board. It'd still be nice to go to the Youtube page and comment/rate though... :rawk: