Last ride of the season?

A few pictures from a short ride today. I think this may be it until next year.





Notice in this one I have the bars turned to the right. I did this to show my friend with a Street Glide that this bike won't tip over. Last week he was cleaning his bike and when he turned the bars all the way to the right on the side stand it tipped over. He was a bit upset. When he told the dealer what happened the dealer said "yeah, Street Glides will do that". That might have been some nice information to have. He was told Harley makes a kit you can buy that modifies the side stand so it won't tip. Just another reason I don't want a Harley.

 

I'm not giving up yet. We're still due some sort of "Indian Summer."

 

If that comes the Maxim is ready at a moments notice. I leave the battery in it since it's an AGM. I hope you're right Fitz.

 

I guess it's time to pull my Leathers out ??

 

You can leave the battery in it or not; you should still change the oil (don't over-winter with old oil) fog or oil the cylinders, and blow some penetrating oil into the mufflers (including through their drip holes) then plug the exhaust outlets. I use an oiled-up paper shop towel folded multiple times then rolled into a plug. Keeps the mud daubers (and mice) out.

I always do a compression check when I pull the plugs out to fog the cylinders (before I fog them.)

But I'm holding off. And planning to play hookey when we get a couple of nice days.

 

I want to keep them in the dining room but my wife frowns upon that. She says it would be awkward when we have guest over.

 

That, and you don't want anybody dripping chip dip on your paint.

I would recommend the living room or "den" if you have one.

My tiny rented house sports a tiny attached garage which has become a cozy, heatable man-cave. Plus, with four ex-wives, I kind of find the whole thing to be a tad overrated.

My Norton has outlasted all of them.

 

Whew, I feel for you guys....I was born and raised in upstate NY, moved to Texas with the Air Force when I was 17 and have never lived where it snowed again. That has been 38 years now. I visit, but that's it. The Northern States are sure beautiful, just not my type of living any more. I ride pretty much year round, but in the summer it can feel like riding in an oven and we get these little surprise rain showers. the summer weather forecast each day is "hot, partly cloudy with a chance of spotty showers"...hopefully the weather will be nice and it will be a short winter....

 

Great pics as usual Brad.

I'm holding out for a couple more weeks of riding. Then I move towards the Church of Clean.

 

Insulated bibs, gloves, and coat. I'll be riding until the snow sticks. A heated visor may be an investment for next year, but the RainX anti-fog works for now.

 

I'm not giving up yet, Biggs! Love how your XJ matches the leaves.

 

I find Bob Heath anti-fog spray really good, never seen a heated visor before but sounds like it could be a nice luxury. Where have you seen them?

I'll be riding throughout the winter again as per normal, though I'll try to limit bad weather trips to essential doctors/shopping etc as it's not great fun riding with numb fingers, visor coated in salt residue & slush/grit/sheet ice under the wheels. I wonder, how many of us ride year round &/or have bikes as our only transport?

 

me too

 

Most popular models of helmet have an accessory option for visors.

You can change from a clear shield, to a tinted shield, to a double shield (anti-fog). They also make heated shields, mainly for snowmobile riders.

If you check out motorcyclesuperstore.com and search for "bell revolver" (the helmet I've been looking at, I purchase a new one every 3 or 4 years, which is the reason I won't be buying the shield this year). You will see a myriad of accessories.

 

Ahh right, maybe they just don't have them in the shops so much over here then. I tend to buy helmets in person rather than online & the only visors I've seen in the UK are the clear/tinted/mirror ones...

Either we don't have as many snowmobile riders here (lol) or more likely we just have a nation of fair-weather bikers now so the local shops don't stock real winter gear :s

 

Same here. Colorado is the Rocky Mtn/ski state but our little secret is the 300+ sunny days per year. And half the state is part of the great plains - not the mountains - also where the major cities are, and me.

I manage to ride to work without needing weather-proof gear at least twice a month all winter.

Biggs: I really like that paint job. I have seen the yellow on some other maxims, but the detail in the trim is great.

Fall color rides are excellent. Looks like a good one.

 

Ride year round unless ice on the road.

 

As long as it is dry i will ride !! My seca loves the cold crisp mountain air here and runs strong !

 

I haven't had my girl out in a month. Looks like next weekend i'll put her to bed for sure.

Sucky riding season this year.

 

yea... I'm done for the year.... I got some work to do.....