Bubba

Joe: It ain't seat height that is the problem. It's the weight up high. Us old guys are frail... You can ride the 990 any time you want. Might make you hate the Big Ten, tho. We need to get together for a romp in the NKY twisties.

Oooo!!! Hole in one?

Naw. It wouldn't be much fun for you to ban me anyway. I'm an outsider on OR and barely in the same state, +/- a couple of miles. It's WAY MORE FUN to ban your special peeps you know well and who post here daily. I've got fewer than 1000 posts in over 7 years, so that works out to less 0.4 posts per day. A 48 hour ban wouldn't cramp my style much. Plus, I'll take my Grand Sport Vette convertible to the Tesla any day, even though that E-Beast would wax the Vette's ass in a heartbeat. I would be happy to donate my points to whatever contest you decide to play, though, 'cause I totally respect the absolute authority of the mods here, unlike those asshats like @ScubaCinci et al....douchebags, the whole lot of 'em!!!

This thread has nearly as much "ghey" as the "Guess what bike I just bought" threads. Go buy something that makes you happy and then post a pic!

Tonik: Now that you've narrowed your choice down to the usual candidates, I'll throw a wrench into the works and suggest at least a passing look at the KTM 990 SMT. Like a big super-moto with a liter v-twin LC8 motor, about 125-130 HP and 425# wet. Upright seating, excellent WP suspension, Bosch ABS with Brembos, Marchesini wheels and factory luggage. I think KTM made the FI model from 2010-2013. Enough comfort to be great touring bike and enough hooligan personality to keep you amused in the twisties when you feel like either running from the popo or going to jail. FYI--I must be the only guy in the motorcycle community that didn't like the FJR. Heard all the kudos, read the glowing reports, finally bought one. Rode it for a couple years and put 15,000 miles on it and wasn't sorry to see it go when it sold. Riding it in the twisties was a whole lot like mud wrestling with a fat woman: whole of work for not much fun!

I assume that since the contest has ended, I can't get banned for posting in this thread...not that I give a FF. You guys do realize this is riding season, right? This kind of "fun" should consume you during the winter months...IJS

OK, the bracket holes are slotted and the minimum spacing (c-c) is 85 mm, the maximum is 95 mm. I have the bolts and spacers from the original kit, but you'll need to tell me if you want to go further with this. As with everything Scuba Joe owned, they are in as-new condition. I do NOT have the original waterproof inner bags (never did) but if you got any hillbilly in you--like me--I always just use 1 gal ZipLock bags to keep my stuff dry when I tour. Lemeno.

And so....you might be interested? Nice thing about the SW-Motech bags is that they don't sag when you mount them on a sport bike without any subframe or luggage mounts to keep them from drooping into the rear wheel. As a first step, I'll get the dimension of the mounting bracket holes c-c. If it isn't close or your pillion peg mounting arrangement isn't similar to the Zed, you'll need to figure out if you can fabricate some type of small bracket out of aluminum/steel plate to make the system work. I guess another option would be to see if you can buy just the frame brackets for your specific bike, but I bet that won't be cheap. Get back to you in a bit...

Not sure if you'd be interested in something different than what you're looking for, but I had these SW-Motech bags listed on OR last year and still have them. The hardware is obviously designed to fit a Kaw Z1K, but with a bit of engineering ingenuity and some aluminum plate, you could prolly make it work almost like OEM fitment. I'd take $75 just to get it out of my garage at this point.

Just about everything, from what I get reading this thread. ;o)

Not gonna claim to be know-it-all when it comes to modern FI bikes, but while you've got her unbuttoned, you might do a comprehensive check of your electrical connections and the major ground points for the wiring. Could be something like a loose ground strap or oxidized/corroded/burnt connector in the loom wreaking havoc with your voltage to the ECU or pump. Nothing says "electrical" more that an intermittent problem. Just a thought.

...and so it begins. https://www.yahoo.com/tech/u-opens-investigation-fatal-crash-tesla-203615260--finance.html

Just a note that the governor of WV has asked that 51 of the 55 counties in the state be declared disaster areas so they are eligible for federal aid. Be aware that many folks in that region are gonna be pretty damn grumpy and prolly not real accepting of out-of-state visitors for awhile. Ride safe.

@Giff74 Not trying to take business from Hoblick, but Marysville is a LONG WAY to drive to get tires mounted. Can't remember if I already mentioned the AFJ Race Shop in Cincinnati, but they're gonna be your best deal for mounting in the area. If you want close to you, try Cadre Cycles on Deerfield Rd. They have a great rep for quality service, but I have no idea what their mounting fees are.

Giff74: Sent you a PM.

BTB: Sent you a PM.

Tire pressure threads are a whole lot like "What oil should I use?" threads--everyone has an opinion. One thing that NEVER seems to get mentioned is that motorcycle tire pressure 1) isn't some fixed-in-stone number that you should set-n-forget and never change, and 2) is WAY more important to check and adjust on a bike than on a car. The sidewall pressure number isn't any sort of recommendation from the tire manufacturer--it's the MAXIMUM cold pressure that should never be exceeded for inflation, not what you should set your pressure to. Your owner's manual and the sticker on the swing arm/frame should have the recommended tire pressures listed for your bike, but this is applies to the OEM tires only, and thus could change if you switch to non-OEM tires. Air/road surface temperatures also affect how much pressure you should run, so obviously it's a good idea to check your pressures before each ride. As a general rule, you should start with your pressures set to the recommended level and then experiment around that. Hotter temps, higher speeds, and heavier loads typically mean increasing pressures anywhere from 2-5 psi (up to the max sidewall number). So, two-up riding, loaded touring, extended x-way miles mean bumping up your pressures. Cooler temps (i.e., winter riding), especially when doing spirited riding in the twisties, means lowering your pressures 1-5 psi for better traction, although this is not necessarily true if you're simply doing easy cruising. Also, realize that lower pressures mean softer tire sidewalls, which results in more flex and means they heat up more quickly and this typically results in shorter tire life. Different styles of tires are affected more or less by pressure changes, too. A high-performance road tire will have a more responsive tread and sidewall construction (for max traction) and respond to small pressure changes dramatically. Pure race tires don't work well on the street because the rubber compound needs to be "hot" for max traction (thus, tire warmers you see at the track) and typical street speeds don't generate sufficient heat in the tread to maintain max performance. Tires designed for heavy cruisers, touring bikes and ADV bikes usually have a much more stout sidewall construction to support the weight and harder tread compounds for longer tire life, and so tire pressures don't affect the performance as much.

Jason: Not sure where you're located, but I'd try the AFJ Race Shop on Eastern Ave. http://www.afjraceshop.com/services/ Obviously, if you have the skills to remove your wheels, the tire swap is gonna be cheaper. Last time I saw rates, I think it was $25/wheel off the bike, but I haven't done a set in the shop in a while. I've got an old Coates 220 changer and a static balance stand in my garage if you want to do your own. Rim scratching service at no extra cost! LOL FYI, this Tues night is the CCR Milford bike night across from MJ's on Main. I've never been to this so no idea what the crowd is like.

Dayum! Sorry to hear about your misfortune. Getting ass-packed at an intersection by a clueless cager is my biggest fear on the road these days. Heal up quickly and keep us in the loop on how your recovery goes.

Welcome to the area. Certainly NOT California....but then, we're not gonna fall into the sea within the next decade or so. ;o) There's lots of great riding south of the river in NKY, and obviously southeastern OH. I'd be happy to put together a route of 100-200 miles and show you around some of the local twisties. I've been riding for over 50 years, which of course makes me old...but not necessarily wise. I'm in far southwest corner of Hamilton Cty and can be across the river in 20 minutes, so if you see a day that looks good for some two-wheel playtime, lemeno. Also, if you haven't found the few local MC websites yet check out AssfaultJunkies.com and LocalRiders.com for other folks to hook up with. AFJ is prolly more of what you're looking for, as many of the members are 20s-40s and racers; LR forum isn't as large, but there is a pretty dedicated core of riders, most of whom are older and very skilled (not talking Goldwing riders here!). Neither of the forums are quite as active as OR, but just another resource for finding like-minded riders. My username on those forums is Icantdrive55. If you do FB, check out Cincinnati Cafe Racers. Closed group but easy to join. Some places to meet in the Cinti area: best option is Fuel Coffee 8-12 Saturday mornings, mix of cars and bikes; The Comet in Northside every Tuesday after work, an eclectic mix of old guys/hipsters/scooter trash with quirky barmaids, abysmal service, and burritos bigger than your head; Quaker Steak & Lube Bike nights, Thursdays at Colerain and Florence, Wednesdays at Milford, mostly a "loud-pipes-save-lives" crowd with pirates, cuts, doo-rags, chrome and tassels. Tuesdays - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1) Weekly: Comet Bike Night (Northside) 6pm-?? 2) Every other week (ish): North East Bike Night @ MJs on Main (old town Milford) 5:30pm-7:30pm Watch for events posted by hosts. Wednesdays - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1) The Root Beer Stand (Sharonville) 5:30-7:30pm Matthew & Curtgenerally help organize this. Thursdays - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1) Last Thursday of the month: Cincinnati Euro Bike Night across from MJs on Main (Milford) 6-8pm 2) Knock Back in the Nati (Downtown) 6-8:30pm Knockback Nat's Neighborhood Bar = ask about CCR drink specials from CCR bartender Ben Groh. Saturdays - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1) Cars (Bikes) and Coffee at Fuel Coffee Cincinnati 8:00AM - Noon 2) Second Saturday of the month: Open ride leaving from Fuel Coffee Cincinnati @ 11am

TP: Hey man, welcome home!!! Thanks for your service. Oh, BTW....nice upgrade to the garage, too. I wish an old man like me was "mature" enough to ride one of those monsters, but I'm afraid it'd kill me quickly. LOL. Glad to see you've been infected with the goat path disease from our rides in NKY. Riding the smooth roads with big high-speed sweepers is fun, but I always come back more refreshed when I plunk around on the back roads at sane speeds as opposed to screaming thru the countryside at triple digits. Since we last rode together, I picked up a KTM 990 SMT. Really fun bike--essentially a super-moto with 125 HP--but I gotta hunch it won't be long before I get my first "performance award" in many years.... Ride safe and have a great summer.

Yup. This ^^^. You could get around the issue by "selling" or gifting the car to your son--since you've indicated it'll be his anyway--and transferring the title to his name. That would allow you to do a plate transfer to the new vehicle.

Unpaved section is at the very top of the road as it crests the mountain. About 4 miles of gravel, but pretty smooth and graded last time I was down there. Not a problem even on a sport bike as long as you take it easy. Use Googlemap Streetview function to see the exact section where the gravel starts/ends.

Please tell Phil that Bubba from LocalRiders says "hey" Have fun there--it's a great place to settle in. Great breakfasts and dinners on the weekends, too!!! Be sure to run the south side of 215 from the BRP to Rosman and 281/Canada Rd from 64 at Lake Toxaway to all the way to Tuckasegee. Some of the best twisty runs in the area!!!

Your insurance agent should be able to provide you a document to send to the state showing suspension of use. I put my Vette to bed every Dec--with a current/valid OH registration--and suspend the collision and liability over the winter, only keeping comprehensive active. They will provide a letter for state insurance purposes in the event proof is asked for by the BMV. Once your yearly sticker expires, there shouldn't be any question about insurance, and you should be able to simply apply for new plates and validation sticker when you plan on bringing it back to life.