30000 service…

the trip to dc for rolling thunder finally put me over 30k… and looking back at my last service, i haven’t been riding very much - gotta start riding more…

took the bike to ray price to have them do the service – a big one this time. in addition to the normal oil/filter change, gaskets and plugs, they also, replaced all the brake pads, mounted a new rear tire, replaced the steering head beams and a cam bearing kits. the best part, other than finally getting the bike back was it’s was all free!!! what?!?!?! because i’m a preferred customer. okay, i did have to pay to become a preferred customer, but the cost of this one service was more than i paid to become a preferred customer.

and… the above doesn’t include the cost of the rental i got when my bike was in for service – a crossbones this time.

i like the looks of this bike, the mini-apes, the tires, the solo seat. but i don’t like the ride. what really surprised me at first was how much i feel like i’m sitting *on* the bike. even with my road king, i feel like i’m more in the bike than on the bike.

another thing that really surprised me was the lean angle around corners – as in the non-existence of. i was surprised when i drug the floorboards just leaving the dealership. i don’t know if it’s something i could get used to. of course, i wouldn’t want to think about having to replace the boards every year or so because i ground them off.

i’m glad i got the opportunity to ride the bike as long as i did. the more i rode it, the more i got used to it. but that might have been because i was just itching to ride and, since my bike was in for service, i made due with what was available.

rolling thunder xxii…

finally changed up the routine of watching everyone head out for rolling thunder by actually participating this year…

it was a moving and amazing event. the masses of people, the number of motorcycles, the sites and sounds are unforgettable. unfortunately it doesn’t seem the same can be said of the pow/mia’s from the viet nam war.

the events recapped in pictures:

pre-ride festivities

gathering at a friend’s house before heading out… as always, thanks to wayne and theresa for their hospitality…

the ride out…

lining up…

…and riding to dc…

the “protest”

hanging our before the parade begins…

a hitch-hiker found it’s way to the rally – although i don’t think it fared too well…

our view of the parade…

 

miscellaneous stuff…

michelle smith sighting…

post rolling thunder party

and finally back at wayne and theresa’s for the after-party… not too much to report from the party other than this funny story. at least it was funny at the time. and probably funnier when you know the characters involved… with that, a quick introduction to jamie…

jamie’s not your normal homo-phobe… he likes to instigate trouble but doesn’t do so well when the tables are turned. for instance, he wanted to buy a helmet sicker to place on someone’s helmet. he wouldn’t even buy the sticker, sending me to do the dirty work. not only that, he had to be clear of the vendor’s tent when i made the purchase. now, if that sticker was placed on his helmet, he would most likely end up burning the helmet and getting a new one…

during a recent gathering, the guys were commenting and admiring the view on a well endowed female. jamie was jumping up and down in order to get a glimpse of sites. eventually the guys picked jamie up by his elbows to partake in the view.

to help jamie out in the long term, they devised a solution…

you can check out the 2009 ride map to see the route - this one in green...