SpeedTriple44444

I rode this Saturday evening. It's one of my favorites.

Living in the middle of nowhere, mailbox baseball is a common pass-time. I just buy the $6 plastic specials, attach them loosely to the post, and keep a spare one to throw back on when the old one is damaged. I think the fact that I replace them so quickly has taken some of the fun out of it for them, as they haven't hit it in a while.

Paul at DucRX did the front tire on my Strom. Great guy- good work- great prices.

1. My name is Stephen- spelled the Biblical way, which I think sounds cool, but I'm too hillbilly and straight to use my full first name, so it's just Steve to you, or Stevie to everyone I grew up with in my neighborhood, church, and my older relatives. 2. I've been an audiophile and music lover most of my life. By the time I was 5 I had worn out multiple record players. I had a Marantz component stereo system when I was 8 or 9 (mom and dad knew it was my thing). I started collecting records when I was 7 or 8. I have a love / hate relationship with ipods- love the convenience, hate the sound. I design and build my own audio gear. 3. I've played drums since I was 9. I played in a band in high school that won a battle of the bands and went on WNCX on the Jerry Shirley show. We were a Christian band. The first thing Jerry said to me (at 14 years old) when he found out I was the drummer was "so, you're the one that gets all the pussy!". Too funny. But true, actually. I also was in marching band on a snare drum 3 years, and quit my senior year to do more band gigs (which I've always regretted). 4. I've played guitar since I was 18 (now almost 37) and I still only know a few songs. I can play, but never tried to learn any songs for some reason. I also mess with bass guitar the same way. I can't sing to save my life, and you wouldn't want to hear me try. 5. I always wanted to be a musician and never did much planning for anything else, but real life got in the way (getting married when you're 20 will do that). I am living on my fall-back electronics training from high school vocational school, and doing well enough. 6. My wife and I just had our 15th anniversary. We have 2 kids- a boy and a girl, 7 and 6. We have been together since she was 15 and I was 16. We met at church, and then shortly after at a concert I was drumming in when she came to see the other band. 7. I am a born-again, unapologetic believer that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation and knowing God. I don't care to debate that with you, because I don't believe debating is worth much, and most people are not looking to understand it, but to attempt to tear down what they don't understand. 8. I am a total loner and have been most of my life. I've had 1 friendship (beside my wife) that I would actually consider real, and it was when I was a kid. I'm ok with that, but find that I'm perpetually misunderstood for reasons that elude me, which bothers me often. 9. I can mostly do whatever I put my mind to, excluding any kind of sport. I find that I get bored easily, and quit any project when it loses it's challenge. I then get frustrated because I never finish anything. 10. I have a low tolerance for trendy people who have to follow a crowd, or for people who are perpetually phony.

The funny thing is, a few years ago I had bumped it off the sidestand with the mower deck and smashed the left front. I epoxied it back together, until about a month ago when I replaced it with a new one. A few weeks later and I smash the other one,

I pulled a great one this past weekend. I had the bike up on a floor jack, and then put jackstands under the swingarm like I always do to pull the rear tire off. I get the tire changed out, and start to put it back on the bike, not realizing that the bike was barely balanced by the jackstands and the majority of the weight was still on the floor jack. So, getting the tire in place I bumped the right jackstand out from under the bike, and down it went. I have a hard time believing how little damage was done. The bike is a DL650 Vstrom. The right hand signal was completely and utterly destroyed. The right plastic front panel was dented in pretty far. I sat there looking at it, and suddenly "POP!" the thing pops out to it's normal shape. There is some scuffing on the panel and the signal will have to be replaced, but that was the worst of it.

Maybe. I'm in Paris Township. Gotta see what's happening.

I'm going the clip-on route. It's never felt right to me, taking it all the way over... something in the balance feels wrong. I'm hoping clip-ons help with that.

That's the NEW british shifting, lol. They have been making improvements. My bike is lacking in that way.

Read CLUNKY

I agree too. They would have been better off with a small fairing like on the Tuono than that ugliness they came up with. The new lights remind me of this:

Plusses: +More fun than should be legal on wheels +torquey motor makes you feel like a hero +unique bike that won't be mistaken for a cbrgsxrninjawhateverrocketboybike +brakes on the later models are outstanding +comfortable enough for 12 hour days on twisty roads +the sound is beautiful +single-sided swingarm makes tire changes and cleaning so easy +an easy 15 more horsepower on the later 200X models can be achieved with the right pipe and a tune. (get's you close to 130 at the wheel). +free tuning software is available. Minuses: -hard to ride it legally. It begs you to use only the rear wheel -motor is not up to current 1000cc sportbike standards in horsepower -a total lack of wind protection beats the crap out of you at high speeds (it's naked, duh). Windshield options look stupid, in my opinion. -the upright riding position that makes it so comfortable is a compromise for sport riding. It feels not-quite-right trying to ride it at a really fast pace. -the non-R suspension leaves some to be desired. It's adjustable, but for some reason I've never gotten to work quite right yet. -Odd type of single sided swingarm means you will sometimes run into trouble getting a tire put on and balanced. - doesn't fare very well in a crash. Be sure to get some protection. -shifting is a little British feeling -electrics are a little odd at times- does not like to start hot

That's about where my Road Attack is on my Strom, but with around 3K on it. I've got a Pilot Road 3 waiting to go. That Duck Doctor guy put the front on not too long ago. My last year tire looked like JRMMiii's.

I love this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVe95s6gH1s&feature=related It shows the ignorance of these people. morons.

I hope you're right about that. Rand seems like he would be a good choice. I hope he runs eventually.

I get what you're saying, but the truth is that a little less than half the people will vote for Obama, and the GOP is split. I personally don't think anything could be worse than 4 more years, including (gulp!) Romney (that was a bitter pill to swallow). If I could, I would toss the GOP and replace it with the tea party, but it isn't going to happen. Ron Paul doesn't have half a chance. This election he will be Ross Perot all over again.

exactly. And voting for Ron Paul is just like voting for Obama.

Summary of ^: Romney's plan is almost as socialist as Obama's.

Since when did this site care about accuracy or content of posts? You'll have to ban nearly everybody if you're going by that logic.

Occupy is a good thing. When the revolution starts, we will know who to shoot first.

He forgot that exes require silver bullets to kill.

What's funny about this? If you said absolutely nothing, you are correct.

He did a good job on my tire too.

^same