CBBaron

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.

That was my experience with the damage on my Vstrom also. I had crash bars so only the front turn signal needed replaced. And it still operated.

Craig

Sorry I did not check back in sooner, out of town.

I have the bavarian classic as pictured, it is not 2 wheel drive. Mine is a 2000my with no rust and except for the tank have not heard of anyone having rust problems.

erimille very nice beemer.

There is rust concerns for normal operation, for which I'm sure that a modern Ural works perfectly fine.

And then there is what happens if you try to use a vehicle throughout a Cleveland winter.

A winter in Cleveland involves much slush and tons of salt. Modern autos do OK but bicycles and older autos are eaten rapidly by the combination. I would not want to subject a fairly expensive motorcycle to the test.

Craig

My stupid moment was stalling a cold bike as I was pulling out of a parking lot. I was leaned enough there was no way to hold it without forward momentum.

I hopped off and tried to throw it back up by the handle bars and realized that a Vstrom is a little heavier than a Ninja 250

However it went up easy once I used proper technique. That technique you see on YouTube really does work.

When I got home I checked the idle adjustment and bumped it up a few hundred RPMs. I havn't stalled the bike sense.

Craig

A clean bike in general is deserving a compliment. I would say that they are complementing your taste in bikes, but i prefer a bike that is clean and original. Busas that are stock i complement, but stretched, lowered, and more i walk past.

But what about my slightly battered, dirty Vstrom with minimal mods?

I also get "nice bike" comments with my similarly beat and dirty commuter bicycle. Fenders, rack and lights make a bike cool? I never knew.

I mean I really like both bikes but they are functional, not what I think of "cool".

Craig

150 acres and 55 head is what you consider "a real" dairy farm??

Real as in my grand fathers primary occupation.

I realize that is barely sustainable these days but that is where my father and his siblings grew up.

Red,

Yes I realize it is possible to have a 10 acre farm with some high value crops. Sorry I just didn't see and out buildings are other indication of agriculture in the photos, nor mention of it.

It looked to me like another one of those suburbanites that moved out away from the city and had a few acres, so decided to call it a farm. Your neighbors do not make a farm. In the Middlefield area most of the Amish do not have farms and even the ones that do most of their neighbors are not farms.

However for most people your naming will probably work, so your marketing is just fine. Ignore me and my pet peeve.

Craig

I believe the sidecar wheel has a shaft to it as well

-VanDy

Depends on the Ural model. Some are 2wd and some are traditional 1wd.

If I didnt think that the Ural would rust apart in a few winters Id consider a 2wd Ural for a winter vehicle. Would handle the snow just fine and I really prefer not driving a car.

Craig

But mine is a "ranch"...lol

Sorry, grew up on a small "hobby" farm of 55 acres and my grandfather had a "real" dairy farm with about 150 acres and 55 head. So I get annoyed at people calling a residential home with a little bit of land a "farm"

Craig

Looks like a really nice country home.

GLWTS

However I would not call it a farm.

City people....sheesh.

Craig

I definitely wanted to put my foot up someone's ass for it, but shit happens...could have been a deer or a coyote.

I'm thankful I got to ride away without any harm. My shoulder is sore as fuck today, which I anticipated, but it's not seriously hurt.

Posted some pics in the OP. Doesn't look so bad, for as hard as I hit, but the bulk of the crap was the engine guards and rear rack getting mangled - they took the brunt of the damage, which I suppose is better than the frame and engine.

Glad to hear you are mostly OK.

Damage on the bike doesnt look too bad either. Road rash just gives the bike character. I've got some scratches on mine from trying to follow you and a bunch of other nuts down some dirt "roads" last summer.

Hope everything heals quickly and repairs are quick and easy.

Craig

Wood coasters opposes to steel are always going to be a rougher jerkier ride no matter age vs a steel coaster. Just the nature of the beast!

Wildcat was an all steel roller coaster but had the square rails like the old wooden roller coasters. Its the rail type that makes for a jerky ride and the wildcat definitely delivered

In any one doesnt remember the Wildcat was across from the entrance to the Iron Dragon and was that small compact roller coaster with 4 seat independent cars. Not a great coaster and not surprised they got rid of it, but I found it fun. Especially because lines were usually short. Probably it only stayed around because it took up so little space and it added to the number of roller coasters they could brag about.

Craig

$2300????

So I guess you are paying for artwork

Cool concept but like mentioned about $2200 too expensive.

Craig

There's a truckstop up in Michigan that serves a 1lb BLT. We've talked about riding up there for several years now... I'm thinkin' this summer's time to walk the walk!

You just go making those statements without giving directions.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/tonys-i-75-restaurant-birch-run

Craig

I was messing with this earlier. Has anyone on here actually played Starcraft?

Played it some on a corporate network after hour many eons ago.

Never was much of a gamer but that game was a little fun.

All this talk of Banshees vs Ghosts makes me realize I had no idea what I was doing at the time.

Craig

TAG found it today. Good thing I was on the DR those roads down there are nasty. I almost got air off a few large bumps and railroad tracks. LOL

The key hint was the "scenic byway".

It the reason I found the place originally. Canal street has labels as a scenic byway and they continue past my office on East 49th. I decided to see what was "scenic" further north.

It may not be beautiful but the steelyards are a scene you dont see very often.

Craig

Ive done the same as you several times. Over work a muscle when just stating out so much that you can barely move it for several days.

Ive done it at different times to calves and biceps and Im sure a few more.

I think as you get older its a little easier for this to happen because you dont recover as quick, but also because you probably are not as active as you were when younger.

For me it just seemed to take time and stretching to recover. Once I could move again I would do some more exercises on that muscle but use lighter weight and make sure I stop sooner. Then slowly build up your work out.

Craig

Then maybe another hint is in order.

If you have driven I490 after dark I'm sure you have seen these towers lit up as they flare off the gasses from the blast furnace.

Craig

If you "loved" a Tiberon.. then you've not experienced a quality automobile. Not sure if you've heard of it' date=' but there's this little island in the south pacific... we like to call it, "Japan".[/quote']

No in the south pacific it would be New Zealand

Japan would definitely be in the NORTH Pacific

Hey I "loved" driving my Geo Metro when I was in college. Doesnt mean it was a quality vehicle or fast or comfortable. However it got 50+mpg and I could park any where. And it did surprisingly well in the snow

Craig

I'm down. Is there a more central location in neo? No idea where valley view is, we got a q-lube in north canton.

It may be a little northern but QSL Valley View is just off the intersection of I480 and I77 and at the northern end of CVNP. So it is easy to get to by freeway are more fun roads

Pretty sure I'm not available that day but if I am I'll try to make it.

Craig

Next up

From the same location

On an Ohio scenic byway.

Craig

edit: Up on further review I think these 2 pictures maybe a couple hundred yards apart. Still in the same neighborhood. Hopefully that does not cause confusion.

I had to go and confirm the location.

TAG

Chief Logan, Bath Nature Preserve, on Cleveland Massillon Rd.

Craig

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/6010

I think thats the wrong one.

Craig

repeat

Does an overpass count as a bridge? im not even sure what COVERD bridges are in Ohio, I didnt realize we even had any. most covered bridges I know of around non landlocked states and a few others. Im not playin this week(maybe this weekend) but just trying to clear up what a 'covered bridge' is for other people.

There are a ton of covered bridges in Ohio (125 according to one website I found). They are all over the state. A little bit of googling will likely find one within a half an hour of you.

Craig

I wear Tourmaster Caliber pants most of the time when riding.

They are pretty water proof except right in the crotch so work good for wet and cold days. They come in long sizes which helps to keep the bottoms from coming up over the boot top when riding and are easy to put on.

However the zipper broke in mine after about 2 years of daily use (The buttons and velcro are still sufficient so I continue to use them) and being water proof they are hot on warm days.

If your are looking more for a fair weather pant then you probably want to look else where, but I think they are a good value for an all weather commute pant.

Craig

Vstrom 650 - 50mpg city commuting, 55mpg rural roads, ~45mpg freeway.

Ninja 250 - 65-70mpg

Craig