Monday, March 3, 2014

30,000 comments

Tony Tsquared left a comment to yesterday's post on motorcycles, making 30,000 comments left here by all y'all.  Thanks for stoppin gby - it wouldn't be the same place without you.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I decided I wasn't going to do this, but then decided I'd go for one last motorcycle comment. Last one, I promise.

History: I worked my way through college spinning wrenches on Hondas, Yamahas, Kawasakis, Moto Guzzis, Suzukis, BMWs, Triumphs, BSAs, Rokons (look that one up) of all shapes and sizes. Engineer by schooling and training. Did the coast-to-coast thing twice on an R90/6, and monthly commutes from the DC area to Central Florida for 3 years, first on a CB750 Honda, then the R90.

The R90 eventually wore a 9 gallon Krauser tank and a Honda 5 gallon outboard motor tank on the luggage rack (Craven bags and rack, google it) because it was the 1973 gas crisis. Beers, explanation, etc.

Current is a 2000 Honda ST1100 (google it) that's made non-stop runs between Orlando and Key West several times. Yesterday it saw a dawn-to-dusk tankful of SC, NC, TN and GA because it was 70F here and there was pavement to travel over.

I "Do Distance" and I try to do it in comfort and with reliability. FYI, the ST holds 7.6 gallons to the cap, and A Day On The Bike is the default setting. YMMV.

My recommendation to you has centered around BMW boxer twins, especially older ones (buy me a couple beers and I'll 'splain why I don't like the newer ones as much), but whatever you're comfortable with isn't my issue.

If you're happy with a Harley, that's fine with me. I would suggest avoiding any of the ones from the AMF years or shortly thereafter, but you can do your own research.

Estimates are that 4 million miles of paved roads exist in the US. Those paved roads lead to nearly infinite kinds of destinations. Each one of those destinations is some sort of adventure.

B&Bs are great. I've done motorcyle camping, and that's great, too. Life as a motorcyclist is different from a cage driver, and you have to decide which you are.

Life is an adventure. Embrace the adventure. I can assure you the adventure does not get easier as you get older. Different, certainly, no less enjoyable, certainly, but not easier.

Do it now. What you learn today will apply in the future. And the future is all you have.