it's here...

guess what showed up today?? two days after getting the news... now that's great service!!

thanks horse backstreet choppers...

who doesn't love free??

got a call from the horse backstreet choppers yesterday saying my name was pulled from a raffle - i've won some motor oil!! all they needed to know what what type of oil i'd like.

how cool is that??

(now if i could only remember what i'd entered!!)

day late…

ever wonder where the time is going?? time just seems to be flying lately. i realized it’s already february when i went to pay some bills this morning. which reminded me i needed to flip my waffle house and bike calendars over to february.

this month the waffle house calendar is giving me a free sausage biscuit. i ran out of time to use the free coupon for bert’s chili last month. i’ll be sure not to make the same mistake this month. i also have a coupon for a free waffle and i think they’re giving away something for valentine’s day. if i play it right, i can probably feed the whole family for free!!

my bike calendar is a free calendar i got from an attorney pushing his business. the calendar is supposed to be one of these bikes and babes calendars. the only problem is the models aren’t really babes. i’m wondering where they found these models. out of twelve of them only one is halfway decent. i seriously considered just leaving my calendar on that month for the whole year.

the calendar got me to thinking that either bikers will settle or my standards are a bit higher. i was talking to my wife about the quality, or lack thereof, of the models in the calendar. i don’t even know that many people but i could probably put a better calendar together…

support our troops...

got a letter in the mail yesterday from the support our troops organization... they're trying to get specialty plates printed in north carolina to support our troops. in order to start printing the plates, the state dmv requires at least three hundred applications for the plates. at this point, they have one hundred fifty applications.

the organization has decided to foot the bill for the other one hundred fifty applications. that's right, free!!! all you need to do is print an application and mail it in. support our troops will pay for the first one hundred fifty they receive on a first-come first-serve basis...

rocker...

on my way to ray price to demo the rocker c, i was questioning why i was going... i originally scheduled the demo ride because it was one of three ways to get the 105th anniversary dvd from harley. now i was wondering if this was really worth it... since it was scheduled and i was almost there, might as well go through with it...

i get there, traver gets me squared away with the paperwork and we're off... as we're leaving the parking lot, i notice how heavy the front end appears, like it just wants to flop over. this is, apparently, because of the wider rear tire and something for me to be aware of as we ride...

the seating position on the bike was comfortable although the seat itself was a little hard. i don't think i would be able to ride on it very long without taking a break.

i don't know if i like the handlebar configuration. when you're sitting on the bike, the rider is reflected in where the handlebar meets in the center. i guess for those that are vane, they can look at themselves while they're out riding around... it's just not for me...

the smooth ride made up for the hard seat. unlike my road king, the bike doesn't vibrate when you're stopped. just a nice smooth ride all around. you could feel the power when the throttle was rolled on.

the lean angle, or the lack of lean angle surprised me a bit. as we went through one sweeping turn, i was rolling on the throttle, leaning through the curve and i hear the pegs scraping a bit. well, not really the pegs, but the 'hero' tips - i think that's what traver called them. little metal tips that extend down at an angle from the end of the peg. i'm guessing these are to let the rider know they're getting close to the pegs. i was surprised because i didn't think i was really over that far.

overall, a nice bike. i enjoyed riding it. i would definitely ride it again. but i don't know that i would want to owe one. at least not before i got some other bikes...

so i came in to get a free dvd by doing a demo ride. i left having a better appreciation for the rocker. and i think i got more enjoyment from the demo ride that i will the dvd.

patriot hd open house...

went to patriot hd this weekend to attend their memorial day open house. well, not really. we went by because it was a hog pin stop...

there were a heck of a lot more people and vendors than i expected. the army was giving away lots-o-free stuff - hats, shirts, pins, lanyards, etc. the dealership was giving away their screw it bandannas.

after walking around, collecting our free stuff and seeing the sites, we headed out...





the occ army chopper...

more free stuff...

in an earlier post, i had a note to self to check the free neck gaiter link after april fifteenth because that's when the offer expired and i was curious what they might do about the link... or really the site, since the whole site was dedicated to the neck gaiter.

i can't honestly say what made me think of checking it... must have been after tax day and i needed something to cheer me up... i head over to the site and surprise, surprise, they're now giving away a hydration pack.

in order to get the hydration pack, you have to demo ride a buell. can it get any better?? i call up the dealership and schedule an demo ride. which happened to be yesterday...

the hardest part about this whole deal was choosing which bike to ride. i had to choose between the lightning, the 1125 and the ulysses. since i had ridden the ulysses before, that was out. it didn't take too long to choose the 1125, especially after all the stuff i've been reading about the redesign.

we gear up and after a few words of advise over the rev range and the touchy brakes, we head off. although the ride was short and i didn't really get a chance to wind it out, it sure was a lot of fun. very responsive, twist the throttle and it takes off. it's too bad we were behind slower traffic and i couldn't wind it through the turns. although, in hindsight it was probably a good thing - no tickets.

while i wouldn't want this bike for any longer trips, i could definitely see cruising around town and the back roads on it. it's definitely on my list if and when i can afford another bike. (i know, i know, dear, you get the next vehicle. how 'bout that screaming eagle over at shelton's??)

after the ride, i pick up my hydration pack and head home. on the ride home, i'm thinking this is great - not only does buell want to give me a ride on one of their bikes, they want to give me more free stuff. to top it off, the hydration pack is pretty nice. pretty good marketing, though, because i'm more interested than before...

i can't want to see what they give away after june...

peace...

i don't need no stinkin' map...

...or do i??

i've always had a fondness for paper maps. there was some sort of instant bond the first time i opened one up - even if i couldn't get it folded again. opening a map was like expanding the world, new areas to explore, new places to go.

over the years, i became adept at reading maps, quickly figuring out where i was and picking out routes to get me where i wanted to go. did i ever get lost?? sure, but that was part of the adventure.

fast forward many years... i get a gps for my bike... did i need it?? of course, not, especially since i'm an expert map reader. it's fun toy, a complement to my paper maps, certainly not a replacement.

over time, i used the gps more and more... learning how to use it, exploring the capabilities, the ease of use. it's not perfect, it did get me on the wrong road a time or two, but it could correct itself and ultimately get me where i wanted to go. but i got lost using paper maps too, so i guess i can't fault the gps too much.

the more i used the gps, the more i liked it. the more i could use it to my advantage and avoid it's disadvantages. and the more i used it, the less i used paper maps. heck, i can't even remember the last time i looked at a paper map. unless you count the pirate maps my son and i plan our adventures with...

even though i still carry paper maps on my rides, i'm thinking they're more conversational pieces, bits of history. that was until my wife, always looking for a good deal, found an offer for a free motorcycle map!! a double-whammy. not only a motorcycle map, but a free one!!!

i jump online, head over to america rides maps, and order me up a map. the hardest part was decided which one to get. the maps mostly cover western north carolina, an area i'd like to spend a couple extras riding around. and heck, with a new map, i'd have a reason to take a couple extra days.

after i ordered the map, reality started to set in. what the heck am i really going to do with this map?? after all, i have a gps. and my paper maps are just along for the ride - they don't play an active role in my riding anymore... at worst, this map would give me some ideas of roads to ride...

a couple days later, the map arrived... i tell you, i'm pretty impressed with it. first thing i noticed was the paper it's printed on. looks very durable and waterproof - an important feature when you're taking a trip on a bike for a few days. the size of the folded map is perfect - it can easily fit into a windshield bag or even a jacket pocket.

unfolding the map was like entering new worlds again, discovering roads and areas i never knew existed. i was also discovering how much was packed into this map. on one side is the maps itself. with 'featured' roads, marked in red, and easy to follow. the addition of gas stations marked on the map takes the concern out of riding and wondering when, or even if, you're going to make it to the next gas stop.

route descriptions are on the other side of the map. they contain everything you need to plan the route - mileage, turn-by-turn instructions, road types, traffic patterns and other useful information to make the trip enjoyable. there are also suggested rides, which helps take the guesswork out of creating your own perfect trip from scratch.

the next time i travel to western carolina, some things will be different... the trip will be a couple days longer and i'll be bringing this map along. not only that, i'll actually be using it to plan a couple rides around the area, taking roads i would have never found or taken with just my gps.

the america rides maps have brought the paper map back on par with the gps - more of a companion again... check them out - for five bucks you can't go wrong. hell, throw in the extra three bucks and get the waterproof.

happy ridin'...

saturday at shelton's...

we weren't doing much... contemplating how we were going to spend the day when my wife suggested a ride on the bike. now what's not to like about that?? spend some time on the bike. and, more importantly, with my favorite person.

we decided to head out to shelton's. the local hog club was having their annual chili cook-off and bike show. we called up our neighbor's to see if they wanted to ride out as well.

our neighbor lead us on back roads out to durham. when we got to shelton's, the place was getting packed. they had closed the road to cars (although some knuckleheads were still driving through), and were parking bikes along the side of the road.

we parked, hopped off the bikes and started walking towards the dealership, admiring the bikes along the way. i really wish i would have brought my camera. (sure would have made this post more interesting!!!)

after making our way in, we head for the chili. they were soliciting a dollar for the tasting. unfortunately my wife and i didn't have any cash. yeah, only two bucks and we don't have it. the pitfalls of living in an electronic world. i didn't see any card swiper device near the chili table, so we passed on the chili tasting. although i don't think we missed much since there were only two pots. looked like there had been more. i don't know if people just backed out or ran out of chili quickly.

it reminded me of the time we went to ray price for their chili cook-off. we got there about ten minutes after the event started and they were already out of chili. i don't know, seems you should have enough chili to last at least an hour...

after getting dissed on the chili, we headed over to the hot dog tent. free dogs and soda. i'm there... after choking down two dogs and a water, we decided to check out the bike show.

of course they had the whole range of bikes. some really nice bikes, some average bikes, and some bikes you wonder why people even put them in the show. maybe they're hoping to win because no one else put a bike in that category. now is when i really wish i would have brought my camera.

while making my way through the bikes, i ran into hank from widow maker custom design and repair. i think he's becoming my local favorite builder. not that i've really had a favorite, but i really like his builds. i spoke to him for a bit and need to follow up with him about getting one of his work shirts.

after visiting all the bikes and casting votes in each category... well, every category except one. i can't remember which category it was, but it only had one bike and it wasn't worth using the graphite from the pencil to make the mark on the paper. i cast my vote for eMVee as best in show.

since it was getting cloudy, our neighbors decided to head home and try to beat the rain. since we had our rain suits in the saddlebags, my wife and i decided to go into the dealership so i could pick up another free neck gaiter. which i've been using more as a beanie - makes a heck of a hat.

i was a little concerned with our decision because i know my wife hates to ride in the rain and really, really hates to get cold. but we decided to head in and check out the dealership. after walking around and watching more and more people stream inside because of the threat of rain, we decided it might be time for us to make tracks home.

when we get to the bike, we start hem-hawing about whether we need our rain gear. it's only sprinkling, very lightly. and it looks like it might pass over. what the hell?? let's ride. if it gets bad enough, we'll pull over and gear up...

the light sprinkle never really let up on the ride home. it didn't get worse either. the question became whether we would be able to make it home before the rain soaked through our clothes. i kept telling my wife to let me know if she wanted to pull over and gear up. if we waited too late and our clothes got too wet, there wouldn't be much use putting the gear on. the other problem was there really wasn't a good place to pull over... so we rode...

it turned out to be a really nice ride. sure it was raining, but this riding in the rain really isn't too bad. best of all, my wife really seemed to enjoy it. or at least she didn't mind it!! i'm sure that given the choice between riding in the sun and riding in the rain, she'd choose riding in the sun. but i don't think she'd choose not riding over riding in the rain.

the best part of the day was being able to share time with my wife - which doesn't seem to happen too much when you have kids to run all over the place... i'm looking forward to spending more time with her. and maybe one day we can even get away for a trip on the bike...

new shoes and a hat...

took the bike in for new shoes yesterday... had planned on getting both the front and rear replaced. rear needed replaced - it was in the red zone on the depth gauge. front was getting close - still in the green, but barely.

but more important than the gauge was my comfort factor... i just didn't have the confidence riding through corners. i realize i probably still had more traction going through corners that i would use, but i wasn't confident. and since motorcycling is mostly mental, i was putting myself at a disadvantage...

checking in at the dealer, their suggestion was to only replace the rear since the front still had a little left. i suggested since i had the bike in and it was close enough, i would prefer to have both replaced, even though the front probably still had some miles left in it. check-in dood says we'll let the service-dood decide. fair enough.

the bike heads towards service and i head into the dealership to pick up my free neck gaiter from buell. (note to self: check the neck gaiter link to see if it's still valid after the offer expires.) unfortunately the weather hasn't been cold enough for me to use it riding. although i did get to use it once as a beanie - worked nicely...

i decided to check out grips for the handlebar replacement i'll be doing soon. my goal was mostly to narrow down my choices. a quick scan ruled a lot out quickly. and it didn't take long to get it down to one. guess picking them out is going to be easier than i thought.

with not much else to do in the dealership, i head back to service to read a couple motorcycle rags until the bike is ready. while i'm waiting, service-dood comes out and asks about replacing the front. i could tell he's a little hesitant to replace it. he says there are a few miles left in it. when i tell him i've already got over twenty grand on it, he strongly suggests i should wait. and since i only have two thousand before my next service - i decide to go with that. when i take it in for the next service, it will definitely be replaced. while i was mostly concerned about the rear, i'll definitely feel a lot better when both are finally replace.

after a new tire and clutch adjustment, the bike comes out and is ready to ride. it feels good. i certainly have more confidence in the bike again.