Motorcycles BS Thread 2.0

Grom tires do suck! Did it once. I have a tire stand now so I wouldn't have the same issue anymore.

Also for those where its cold putting the tire in a trash can with a heat gun will warm it up nicely

 

I have put the soon to be mounted tire on top of the hot engine from a drive of a car etc etc. Either way heating up both tires before touching them makes things WAAAAAAAY easier!

 

Wife and baby took a nap and it was sunny (still low-mid 30's though..) so I snuck out on the 701 today to try out a Christmas present. My wife got me a "light leak" lens for my camera that basically lets you lens flare at will and control it using a ring on the lens. It's a really, really awful lens optical-wise, it's a single piece of glass at the front with zero aperature or focal controls, but its pretty fun. It's made to look like a cheap disposable camera from 30 years ago. I feel less bad doing some more heavy-handed edits on the photos I got today hah. I also took some with my normal kit lens.

Anyways..

Spoiler: Large 701 photos

With the new lens, more heavily edited:




Old lens, less edited:

 

I started with the DS-X1 and wasn’t super nuts about it. Ended up only wearing it a few times and sold it to a friend for a backup. I picked up an AT-960 and have worn that considerably more. It’s not as comfy and doesn’t feel as well-made as my Shoei that I wear on the street, but I feel better using it for more adventure and dual-sort style riding. As a really good backup or a use-and-abuse adventure helmet, the Scorpion is pretty darn good. Heads up though: the shields that they claim are fog-resistant are not at all. Get the replacement shield that’s pinlock ready and put one of those in. I will eventually want to upgrade to something with better quality if I start doing long extended trips in it, but for now it’s doing everything I need it to.

 

Just got back from a New Year's Day first ride of the year. Figured I'd go move the photo tag game and give us a fresh start. Working on figuring out my riding mileage for last year to post later.

 

had every intention of doing a group ride in pismo beach starting at 9, got there, no house keys, open jacket zipper. slowly rode back on hwy 227 to home (10 mi) looking. got back, they are sitting in my unlocked truck, left them there when i filled my water bottle. happy 2025.

 

I was hoping I didn't miss out on the mileage stats!

I haven't checked the RC390 yet but I think it's around 2k miles. It started at 801 miles but I think about 1k of those miles I put on this year were on the track, so that should count for extra.

The Super Tenere started at 15,175 and ended at 28,389.

I also did another 1,068 miles for the Iron Butt Polar Bear 1000 today (SaddleSore 1000 on New Year's Day), going from Redwood City to San Diego (to the border actually) and back.

 

Nice ride for New Years!

I was sick for a couple of days and even had to call off work on Monday this week. That's only the 4th day I've called out in 12 years at this job. Working on my mileage and highlights of the year now.

 

So far this year I'm working on a perfect riding year....Let's see how that plays out.... SO, how much riding did I really do in 2024?

1977 Honda CB400F added 160 miles to the odometer or about 1 full tank of fuel
1995 Buell S2 Thunderbolt saw 253 more miles by the time I put it away for the season
2013 Yamaha FJR1300 that I bought over Thanksgiving of '23 added 7,375 miles to the already near 60k that I bought it with
2014 Yamaha FJR1300 gained 9,268 miles last year giving me a total of =

17,056 miles ridden in 2024. Those miles were covered in 249 days of riding out of the 365 available for an average miles per day of 68.5

In 2024 I participated in the GLMC Grand Tour with the theme of "What direction are we going" looking for locations with compass directions in the name. I scored 175 points in the event earning a 3rd place trophy. I entered the Team Strange GT celebrating their 40th anniversary and visited/photographed 61 race tracks earning finisher's status and a cool pin. Along with @FreshOldTaco I added the Iron Butt Association "Ride Around Pennsylvania" Saddle Sore certificate to my wall. This allowed @FreshOldTaco to earn his IBA number as we covered roughly 1106 miles in about 23 hours never leaving our home state and a significant amount of those miles were on 2 lane roads. I warned him this could be the start of a whole new form of riding for him.....

I rode in the following states: PA, DE, MD, OH, VA, WV, TN, NC, SC, GA. I really want to head further west soon. I've ridden in 32 states so far in my life.

Attended a FJR tech day in April with my 2014 where it got a full valve check and adjustment, throttle body sync, spark plugs, and coolant change all done free of charge beyond bringing my own parts. Went to Southeast Ohio in early May for another FJR ride in event. The ride around PA Iron Butt ride was done at the end of May on Memorial Day weekend. July saw me attend AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days at Mid-Ohio Sports car Course to meet IBR winner and author Wendy Crockett and get her autograph which included the doctor's note she wrote me to get out of work.



Late September was my last big trip of the season, the FJR Eastern Owner's Group meet in Maggie Valley, NC which saw roughly 60-70 FJR owners gathers at one location for a weekend of riding and hanging out. Fortunately for our group but sadly for the area we were there the weekend before Hurricane Helene hit. Many of the places we rode are now gone or permanently damaged and may never fully recover.


2024 was not my best year riding but certainly not my worst either. I made it through unscathed and with lots more memories of good times, good rides, and good friends. Hoping 2025 brings more of the same and I hope the same for all of you.

 

Nice Chuck! I'm working on my summary now... I always track mileage in maintenance records but this is the first year I logged all the days I rode. And yes we need to plan another IBA ride!

 

Fatherhood made my riding year a little different than normal. I tracked through June and then lost count when I went on leave. Mileage I can do, but it's at home haha. Through June I had ridden 79 days, probably a few more before going on leave. I was on paternity leave July/August/September, coming back to work in October when daycare drop-offs started happening and my commute rides lessened. (edit: probably ended the year around 105-115 days, napkin math) I'm guessing total mileage is probably only around 2,500 miles, mostly on the F800GS. A few hundred on the Grom, a few hundred when I had the S1000XR, and maybe a hundred so far on the 701.

 

Your priorities shifted and rightfully so.

 

so how young is too young??

 

I was just on FB and my buddy Blaine Paulus who went to Vintage Motorcycle Days in July just posted his yearly mileage info. Total miles in 2024 = 81,869 which worked out to 223.6 miles per day average as he didn't ride until February 23 following a deer strike in November of 2023.

According to his records he's now at 1,873,911 lifetime miles with a 94.42 mile per day average.

 

Here's my 2024 year in review…

I rode a total of 9,787 miles in 74 days. That's weekend riding only for the most part, and it was split pretty even between bikes:

KTM: 5,815 miles / 36 days
Husky: 3,972 miles / 38 days

Some highlights:
- RAP SaddleSore 1000 with @BkerChuck was my biggest achievement and also longest ride ever at 1,200 miles in 25 hours.

- 3 trackdays at NJMP - hadn't been there in a decade, first time on a supermoto and riding the Thunderbolt track.

- First overnight trip on the Super duke with my wife, hadn't done a moto trip with her since before my accident.

- DGR charity ride and AMA Supercross in Philly

It was a great year - enjoyed the ride and made new friends. Hope the same for you all in 2025!

 

No age, lol.

We officially gave our daughter the stacyc for christmas.

 

She got an early rider bella velio for christmas and is already loving it



I’m patiently waiting until she can ride the 12v Grom I bought a while back for her haha

 

i would have gone crazy for something like this as a toddler
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9cVbVeUX-E

 

Good lord man thats a HELL of a loop. You rode right past me!

 

right past me as well lol

nice riding @but why tho

Happy new year everyone!