[owlie]

In addition to loosening up, don’t try to change lanes to the smooth pavement. If you make the transition at an angle narrower than 45deg, you are likely to get your tires caught on the edge and go down. When going from the rough to the smooth pavement, you want to go across the ridge as straight on as possible (like the 2×4 drill in the MSF class).

[owlie]

Heya,

Glad to hear you came out of it okay. +1 for the gear. I always think that it is more valuable to hear about how gear has saved someone’s hide than how having worn gear might have.

Owlie

[owlie]

That was good. I had to watch it a couple of times. It is amazing how quickly they go from being in control to rolling on the ground.

[owlie]

Congrats on the new bike. It looks like a blast!

[owlie]

Welcome to the group.

I bought an S40 a few months ago. The first few weeks were a challenge, but not impossible. The bike is substantially lighter than the Vulcan 500 since it is a single cylinder to the Vulcan’s V-twin. Also, height wise, I’m comparable to your wife, so I don’t think she’ll have any complaints about flat-footing it.

One thight to be aware of on the S40s is that they back fire. It doesn’t bother me, but it really annoys some people.

Best of luck!
Jodie

[owlie]

Totally cool. I love how the action builds.

[owlie]

My feelings are torn between excitement for you all that you are having some great rides (especially Munch) and jealousy. We got our first good snowfall last week (had some prior to that, but nothing that stuck), and at this point, I’m not going to have a clear driveway until March. So sad.

So keep the stories and pics coming. I’ll just have to ride my rides vicariously through y’all for a few months.

[owlie]

Very cool. The sunshine is fabulous, and I love the shot of your wheels. Looks like it was a great ride.

[owlie]

Agreed.

And if you don’t believe us. Go for a ride with them in (best if you are going 30+). Take them out after ten or fifteen minutes and ride some more. Once you’ve taken them out, you will notice pretty clearly what eternal is talking about.

[owlie]

+1

[owlie]

Out of curiosity, why is this always your solution to questions like this? And why do you assume that the poster is not in good shape?

[owlie]

Congrats on the bike.

Not sure how long a trip to Annapolis is, but if you haven’t had a ride yet where you spend an hour or so in the saddle, I wouldn’t suggest a long trip. If you do take something longer than that, be sure to plan for frequent stops to rest your legs and bum.

As for hill starts, I have to do that getting out of my drive. I practice it 3-4 times going up the drive before every ride (it is also a great reminder on the friction zone). It can be a pain the first couple of times figuring out where the right combination of clutch and rear brake is, but once you get the hang of it, you will wonder why you ever worried about being able to do it.

[owlie]

I wavered back and forth on it for a few weeks. But I was only getting out to ride once a week or so between work, weather, and other things going on. And we had to get our deck stuff inside which (for this year at least) means turning the garage into a gigantic 3-D jigsaw puzzle. But the snow is what really decided me (even if it isn’t sticking yet). I just don’t want to take the chance that the road is slicker than I think it is.

[owlie]

It really depends on the winter. If the way this one has started out is any indication, it is going to be a warm dry winter. Last year was bitterly cold and dry. The year before was warm and wet (either rain or snow or both).

Personally, I am unwilling to take the risk of riding now that the tempuratures are hovering around freezing. Even when it warms up, the icy patches on the road may or may not go away. It usually takes several days of temps in the 50s and warmer before the ice is all gone. Also, the amount of gravel on the roads increases exponentially. My windsheild has been hit three times this week on my drive in with gravel (while driving on a major highway).

As for Seattle, if you made it through the insanity last winter, I think you’ll be fine. One of my friends moved down there about two years ago from Anchorage, and she thought the local’s reaction was hilarious…

I like your snowbird idea, but I’m afraid I’d have to leave my husband. I don’t think that would work out too well….

[owlie]

Thanks for the link. We’ll see out far I get with some of it. Spark plugs? what are those for? Okay, I’m not that bad…

Generally, we have been in the mid 40s for about a month. Usually we have had our first good snow by now, but we haven’t seen any accumulation yet this year.

In Anchorage, winter generally runs in the mid 20s. At my home (which is not right on the water), we run 10-20 degrees cooler than Anchorage.

[Author]

Posts