had the ichest sunburn of all time...

Ran the boy around town doing errands after we picked up his check (thank gods one of us got paid, it's been awfully skinny around our house lately), then dropped him off at home so he can go out of town for a couple of days.

Currently fighting a migraine. First one I've had in almost two years. I was kinda hoping I was done with them, but this one promises to be a major event based on the pre-symptoms and the fact that it appears to be laughing hysterically at Imitrex. Bah.

Which logic?

Had my plans to go to a Yamaha/Kawasaki dealer shot to shit curtesy of my boss. Not only was I going to look at the new bikes but they have an '02 Yamaha 1100 classic with 10k on it for $4k.

is it just me...or does wdoll's avatar look like somthing from the game DOOM?
the old-school verion from like 1995....I like it


that was a great game

Made a pancake brekkie for the kids.

just chillin at the house then going to sister-in-laws place for a party and gettin smashed and spending the night

Getting up for starters-difficult to sleep with all the feathered, and furry children singing and meowing!

I have the utmost admiration for those that can and do adopt pets/animals of all types. To me it shows Bhudda like nature. Top drawer, Df, you are top drawer, sir.

Picked up another pair of controllers for the XBOX 360 so that HK, the girls and I could all play Monster Madness, had a little barbeque and then played the aforementioned. Now just surfing while HK watches "The Queen."

Worked out a few thoughts for work this week-end, and construction details for next week-roof repair.

Spent the day alternating between lying in bed in a dark room and venturing out when completely bored wearing sunglasses and earplugs.

ripped my KLR motor mostly apart, verified the balancer synchronization and am starting onthe home ward leg of getting it all back together.

Also bled the front and rear brakes and replaced the lines with stainless braid, PTFE-lined jobs, and Speedbleeders were installed. Looks like the front MC is toast-- looking at the possibility of rebuilding it versus putting a takeoff from a wrecked bike on in it's place. Probably the former.

I'm getting CLOSE! I can almost here it thumpin' away through the stock exhaust (not to be stock for long. I have a welder, remember? )

Partied too late last night.

Woke today with a pinched nerve in my neck/shoulder and on down. Worst one I ever had.

Still partyin........

was up until 0530 this morning working on the bike and emailing a friend who's just started riding with some tips. Why in the hell am I up at 0900?!?!!

He's been watching MotoGP and wondering how in the world it is possible to corner the way those guys do (bike heeled over about 60deg from vertical and so on). Explained it to him- basic physics, countersteering, moving off the saddle towards the inside of the corner to shift the CG and so on... then explained to him why folks don't do that as a matter of course on public roads- too much crap on the street. It's a good technique to learn- one of those "save your life" things- but not necessary for everyday use, and in fact it's something that can cause problems if you hit sand, oil, etc. In short, never ride at 10/10s on the public roads- save it for the track. Instead keep it around 5/10s or less- this way you have some reserve and aren't spending all your traction "currency". Reiterated the need for full gear- I think he's listening as he has been looking for armored boots. Attaboy-- one less squid on the streets.

Now I just need to rip him a copy of Long Way Round and get him interested in moto-touring

went to party last night and got really sick from somthing I ate (a.k.a the chicken)
anyway I have also decided I'm going to quit smoking...

Good for you Sur.. On the whole stopping smoking. What about chewing>

baby steps here...snuffy....baby steps

Went to a Yamaha/Kawaski/Harley dealer.

H-Ds are out of my price range.

The Vulcans are nice bikes and the sales rep said they have an edge on reliability over the V-Star line.

But...there's an '05 V-Star 1100 with 6k miles on it that has crash bars, sissy bar and saddle bags for a mere $6.6k versus a new Vulcan at $1k higher. I also noticed custom pipes and intake on the V-Star.

Which to choose, which to choose...

Cleaned a deck of chairs and tables-ready for work on Monday .... re-roof!

Honestly any edge in reliability in metric cruisers is going to be cutting a fine hair indeed.

I'm a Kawi rider, but I'd have to say the Yamaha probably isn't a bad deal either. HOWEVER-- if for a mere $1G more you get a new bike, with warranty-- there's a lot to be said for that. Even though you'd never need it

Being priced out of the Harley line isn't a bad thing. Sorry, their quality isn't up to par of their price range. Plus, they're aircooled- 100 year old tech, handle like an utter pig, etc, etc. You can get 4X the bike for 1/2 the price, honestly.

worked till 0500 on the KLR. Think I added this already, but hell, I'm tired anyway.

(funny how I'm posting about working till all hours on a Kawi bike, after talking about the dependability of metric bikes, eh? Well anything can be abused and broken-- DSPO rode this one out of oil and wiped out the top end- so I'm repairing their #%%up. And while I'm in there, howsabout a bigbore kit and cromoly rings?

Have to say, for a bike that was run low on oil and then put away with the engine open to the elements for 6.5 years, the inside of her engine is in immaculate shape.

At work now, trying to talk myself out of a lockable topbox for my 650R. Would make commuting to work SOO much easier- no more taking 5 minutes to lash my ruck to the pillion. Just toss it in the trunk and go. No worries of drowning my laptop, no crowding my genitals up against the tank, just lock the trunk and go for a ride..... not to mention, more room for touring gear when I go moto-camping.

Hey Demon-- how far are ya from Roanoke VA? Might have to see if you can get away from the girls for a weekend and pitch a tent somewhere and down some brews round a campfire as we cook up some bass we pull out of a streat somewhere.. I've plans to engage in this debauchery with dad and a friend of mine sometime when it cools off a bit (read: the no-see-ums die)

HK says that the used V-Star did have a warranty.

Been trying to figure out via the Web how to schedule the PA permit test.

I have had a numb neck and left shoulder/arm for 4 days. Today I get to try my first MRI. One doc says possible bulging disk, other says nerve. Haven't slept worth a damn for 3 days...getting a bit edgy.

You may need some good quality R&R, rather than a shot in the vertebrae, or physical therapy at this time-hunch only, not a diagnosis or prognosis.

Sounds good, but I can't lay down. That is the position that kills the most.

If you can, try a Lazy Boy chair ... one that is soft and adjusts to your back in about 15 degree angles-lever on the side to adjust the chair. There are some that are automatic too. That is, they can crank up to toss you out of the chair-this provides even more flexibility .... these are quite expense. The chair has helped me with a chronic problem with knee and back problems ... really good to sit in to promote a corrective posture situation for the back, and get the weight off of it, as opposed to flat on bed. May be worth a shot.

well hell, I just don't see how you can go wrong either way, then.

Whatever you ride-- go ATGATT. All The Gear All The Time. At a minimum, fullface helmet, armored gloves, armored jacket, armored boots. Even if it's 100 degrees out. Sweating hurts less than a skin graft, and a friend of mine had a down just yesterday that should have broken her collarbone but instead just left a large impact bruise around her shoulder where the armor took the blow and distributed a point-force impact all around the armor. You want CE-rated armor, at a minimum. Hardshell even better. Some manufacturers put simple comfort cushions in- these are not armor and not at all worth considering.

Would strongly suggest motorcycling pants as well. I need to get a pair myself, but am having a problem finding some that fit properly because I'm a fatass.

Found a new site: www.v2-forum.com for v-twin motorcycles. Posted some questions there and was told in no uncertain terms that HARLEY is the only way to go.

Talk about prejudice!

it's called denial. And they're all in it.

Harley is great if you like fashion. As far as motorcycles, it's shiney butt jewelry. Overpriced, at that.

It's like "bling" for rednecks. Gods, it pains me to use that phrase, but it's accurate.

Pretty much reduced my choice to either the Vulcan or the V-Star 1100. Also began studying for my permit test. Plan on takingit on the 16th and hopefully getting the bike on the 18th. There's a PAMSP (Same thing as the MSF) that starts on the 20th.

Note to pavement: Here I come!

woke up about 7am, went downstairs, let the dog out....finished my DQ Blizzard from last night...let the dog in...fell asleep on the couch...woke up about 10 mins ago...not a bad start to a good day

It's so nice to take a nap on the couch.

as I say...nothing bad can happen on the saftey-safe...(couch)

We finally got to sleep in for the first time in days! Followed by breakfast in bed and a series of cheesy horror movies. Now I'm home "getting gussied up" for a party in a couple of hours.

worked till 0000. Home at 0100.

Worked on the KLR till about 0400 a bit at a time- do a step, step inside where it's cool, read up on the next step, go out and do it.Got the valvetrain all positioned.

Woke up at 1000. Back to work on the bike about 1130, final torquing everything down and threadlocking everything. Eh, shit, a couple nuts short-- off to Ace for more stainless hardware, aq .25" ratchet extension,the grocery for Key West line juice and the Class-6 next door for soe Southern Comfort bourbon. Back home, final assembly of all the whirly bits and top off the motor. YAY!

Found out I'm short an ignition coil. so I can't fire her off today. FUCK!!

Ripped 4 Netflix movies...

and 4 bushdvd.com movies.

Looks like rain any minute. Still haven't got the transmission in my Blazer done. Need to fabricate a couple brackets for my filtration kit and weld them to the crossmember. Once I get the KLR off the lift and can move it outside I can fab a centerstand for it and keep it in the garage.

Which means I'll need to pack everything into those military shipping containers I scored at work and put 'em in the shed out back, giving me beaucoup room in my garage- which'll the be taken up by the KLR, the 650R, and a diesel I'll soon be bringin' from my storage unit to go through in prep for the transplant into the Jeep. Not doing a full rebuild if I can avoid it. Will pop off the bottom end, plastigage the journals, mic out the bores, maybe pull a piston if there seems to be any scuffinf of the crosshatching in the cylinders. Replace the gaskets, seals, freezeplugs, put ARP studs in the mains, rods, and heads, and a new oil pump in the bottom. Put a hardened OP driveshaft in, carbon-fiber headgaskets with SS wire beads round the cylinders, degrease and descale the outside of the block, paint it, and put it in.

Should cost me about $500, max, if there's no surprises.

Got my MRI back. Bulging disks at C6/C7, some arthritic spurring and some angry nerves. I get prednisone, PT and Vicodin!!!

Last night was my first night of sleep in about a week. Still hurts like hell, but the vicodin at least takes the edge off.

As has been my routine of late...visited a motorcycle dealer with HK and the kids. This is the same one I went to on Monday, where there was an '02 1100 for $4500. That bike is gone but guess what i found inside?

The V-Star 1300s are on sale for $300 less than the 1100s. Hmmmmm...

Sad thing is, they started out quite a bit more than the 1100. I have heard they are very nice bikes, but never seen or ridden one.

They list for $10k, it's a promotional thing. They have 3 in stock.

mowed grass, and watched Band of Brothers on the history channel
not a bad day

Go for it and ride it on over.

Asked the salesman to run the numbers on the Yamaha 1100 Classic, Custom and the 1300.

There was also a used 1100 Silverado in burgundy for $7100.

That is out-the-door price?

I would go for it, that is a great bike.

Here is some casual reading...http://forums.delphiforums.com/vstar1100/messages.

Not including sales tax.

The Custom is $8900, the Classic is $9200 and the big boy is $8800.

Given that...the 1300 may be hard to beat.

Read more here...http://forums.delphiforums.com/vstar1300/messages.

Decided to convince HK that the 1300 is the way to go.

How are the color choices for it?

Black, cobalt blue and candy apple red.

You do realize that black bikes are the coolest (and fastest).