redkow97

I have always liked the Monster. What size is that one?

Well, I won the argument! ...but we're still not getting a minivan. I got the wife to admit that a minivan is the best option, and fulfills more of our needs better than the SUV she wants, but she ultimately trumped me with "I'm not paying $20,000+ for a car I'm not excited about." And I get that. For the same reason people buy a Panigale as a street bike instead of the VFR (or Monster - whatever) that would suit the task better. She wants what she wants, and she wants to look less lame on a daily basis. She knows it's a shallow and mildly irresponsible stance to take, but hearing her acknowledge it at least lets me know she's just a little vain, and not oblivious to the reality of things. So we're buying a 2013-2016 Kia Sorento or Hyundai Sante Fe. Both score excellent in safety, and they can be found with low mileage and lots of options for under $25k. The major change in that age range was a shift from the 3.5 V6 to a 3.3 V6 that makes 15 more horsepower, and gets better economy. We're ONLY looking at V6 models, and almost definitely AWD (or we may as well have gotten the minivan!). Wife doesn't care about AWD, but it's just standard on most of the used examples we're looking at, due to the trim level I want. Towing capacity (for either engine) is 3,500 lbs, which means a 6x12 wouldn't be out of the question some day. I figure 1,000 lbs for the trailer, and 2,000 lbs of cargo - but that's a ways off. We may not even keep this vehicle long enough for that to come into play. stay tuned for pics next week(?)

my dad's consumer reports account is proving useful for this. Odyssey is definitely the front-runner .

I wish there was a van that was the size of the original Toyota Sienna... I don't need 130 cubic feet of cargo space - 100 cubic feet would be fine. But i want the sliding doors and third row. Seating for 6 would be plenty, so long as all the seats stowed in the floor easily enough. Whether it appears so or not, there is a drastic difference in floor-to-ceiling height in a mini-van versus a Highlander... I would love to split the difference.

Wife was dead-set against the new car until we spent 10 hours in a small SUV on the drive home from vacation. I'm no longer "pushing" for a minivan, but I still think that's ultimately the best suited vehicle... I quoted the post above, because I have pretty much narrowed our SUV options to the Toyota Highlander, or the Nissan Pathfinder. The CVT is rated for 5,000 lbs., and the Nissan is a couple grand less than the Highlander when comparing similar age and mileage. The other front-runners are Honda Odyssey and Chyrsler T&C. The major selling point on the Honda is that it gets far superior crash ratings in the partial-offset testing... That may be worth the $5k premium on its own. Even so, I am still not "excited" about a minivan. It was less than a month ago that I was looking at "older" (2009-2011) Volvo XC90's figuring "hey, we can get a car that's safe AND classy for about $18k, if we're willing to have a higher mileage model." Then vacation happened, and space was at a premium... I think the van is going to be the way to go, until the kids can get into the car and buckle themselves in, but it's still a tough sell.

"IT'S COMIN' RIGHT FOR US!" - Uncle Jimbo (I may have yelled this on vacation, when the pond turtles swarmed the shoreline, expecting to be fed. My kid did NOT like that.)

sold?

Congratulations - it looks like your wife has good genes.

It's not unlike riding in that respect... Better to be a great rider on a SV650 than have a GSXR 1000 and not be as talented. I am still debating between a G19 and something cheaper... I don't shoot that often, and I can't decide whether the superior trigger is really worth $200 to me.

If anyone is seriously interested, my suit has been crashed, but not to the point where it's in need of repair. If someone wants to pay me the $380 to cover the CPX-C above, I would probably 'trade' straight-up. It's an RS Taichi EVO "viper" size 48 in the US and 58 in European. It's large on me (6' around 175). It fits me okay through the chest because I wear thick chest and back protectors. It's baggy in the torso and waist, and through the calves as well. This model goes new for over a grand, and I paid $650 for it (used) 4 years ago. The liner and pads have been removed every year and the liner goes through the wash machine on the gentle cycle. The leather itself has been cleaned in the tub following whatever instructions the leather cleaner had on them... It doesn't smell. There's also some extra velocro sewn onto the knee area, because the suit was twisting on my leg (like I said, too big) and I was dragging leather instead of knee puck. Relocating the puck a bit 'fixed' the issue cheaply.

I guess I view things a lot differently as a parent than I did as a kid (this has been your blatantly obvious statement of the day...), but when I think about the stuff I really internalized from my dad, I can't figure out why it was those specific moments. This is hugely frustrating as a father, because I realize that I have virtually no control over what my daughter(s) retain. Quick examples of very vivid dad memories, bits of wisdom, etc.: - Dad explains to me what a crescent wrench is, and how to properly use it. I don't recall being taught what other tools were, but that one warranted explanation for some reason. - "The easy thing to do is almost never the right thing to do." - "If you're gonna hit, hit hard." (I like this because it works when you're talking to a 5th grader about whether or not to punch a bully, and equally as well in racing, at work, etc.) - "DON'T FUCK WITH ME!" I thought it would be funny to tell my dad that I had forgotten my soccer cleats while we were already late for the game, and halfway to the field. It's the first time I remember my dad saying "fuck" in front of me. - I was obsessed with robots when I was 4 or 5. Dad made me a "robot" out of cardboard boxes, wrapping paper tubes, and other household items. I cried because it wouldn't walk, talk, etc. I think I genuinely hurt his feelings that day. We've talked about it a few times as adults. We're both over it I have similar memories with my mom, particularly her making a giant "letter chart" that showed me how to write every letter of the alphabet, so I would stop interrupting her for help every 30 seconds. She was great about making crafts for/with me. But I guess the take-away is to always assume your kids are going to remember whatever you're doing or saying, for the rest of their lives - because they might.

I bought my bike in 2006ish, and had my brother riding almost immediately. After he got a bike, our dad found a clean and cheap GS500 to spend time with us. That never really panned out. He rode it twice (I rode it more than he did) and sold it for what he paid. He's more into golf. SMH. But he does ask about racing, etc. If my kids want to ride, I think that will draw him into it more. Neither of my girls will be required to ride, but both of them are going to know how, damnit.

I spent some real time messing w/ the drive wheel issue on Sunday, and I think i have it figured out. There's 'slack' in the power-drive system that allows the wheel to slide 4-5mm inward on the axle. The drive gear is fixed at the end of said axle, so when the wheel 'slides' inward, it's only half-engaged with the drive sprocket. That seems to have led to premature wear. My initial fix was to "machine" a 5mm spacer out of sheets of scrap aluminum. That has helped, because it keeps the wheel in place and keeps the drive gear fully engaged ...or it would, if it weren't worn. I spent $23 on a new gear and drive pawl. Should be here Thursday. If that doesn't completely remedy the issue, then I'm stumped, and in trouble...

damn. if someone wants to buy my RS Taichi suit (it's big on me), I would have to take a serious look at these! Pretty sure i should be wearing a 42.

Gas for the bikes is almost nonexistent too. Travel is your only real fuel cost. If you show up with a full tank of gas on race day, there is virtually no way humanly possible for you to turn enough laps to run out. Endurance day would be the lone exception, but we don't do fuel stops on the 2-hour.

$100. I think technically is $75 plus $25 deposit, but you're unlikely to collect the deposit... If I can find a newer bike, I might start renting mine out for $50 + deposit.

parenting is the most important job in the world, and there's no job interview. But yeah, back on topic. Bikes are good. Except expensive ones.

Are we to a point where the majority of ORDN members have a kid or kids? I am afraid I'm entering a phase in my life where the bike(s) will take a back seat (ironic pun intended) to kids. I have every intention of bringing my girls riding and racing when they're old enough, but until then, my oldest is starting to ask "is daddy at work?" when I'm at the track, and throwing #2 into the mix in September means that the wife isn't going to be thrilled about me being gone for anything until I can take the kids with me. Maybe I need to start my own "talk my wife into a toy hauler" thread

you're making me feel better about my recent purchase. The 140cc Briggs & Stratton crate motor that was on my last mower was okay, but the 179cc Kawasaki on this one doesn't seem to notice when I go through grass that would stall my old mower, and stalled my dad's Honda i was borrowing. The internet says it's rated for 8.75hp, which I find hilarious, given that my 'race bike' is 100cc and might make 6hp if I'm lucky The Kawasaki/Craftsman also has 6 forward speeds, whereas the bike has 5. The only logical conclusion is to race the mower.

I have seen some pretty badass homemade trailers, but to do it safely requires fabrication skills I lack. Perhaps we're not envisioning the same type of setup, but I think your best option would be to get a full wheel, swing-arm, and shock from a dirt bike, then build your trailer frame where the motorcycle would have been, and secure the 'hitch' to your axle or swing-arm. A single-wheel trailer means it will lean with the bike. to stay legal, I think you're going to need trailer lights.

The last paragraph of that article is the best thing i've read all day.

Husqvarna shouldn't break like that... For what you paid for the unit, I would expect it to be worth repairing. The small engine/mower shops I have been calling seem like great little businesses to support. I forget what your trailer situation is these days, but I would have it fixed, or at least consider that before replacing it.

ha - i would actually really like to try one of those.

Biblical flooding hits a small town, and this one guy, Mike, refuses to leave his house. the Red Cross comes by with a bus (wheels half under water) and says, "Sir, we're here to evacuate you." Mike says, "no thanks. God will provide." So 20 hour later, the fire department comes by with a boat. They yell to Mike, who is in his 2nd-floor window: "Sir, you need to come with us. The flood waters have trapped you on the 2nd floor of your house." Mike refuses. "God will provide." By the next morning, Mike is on his roof, and a coast-guard helicopter comes to rescue him. Mike refuses again, and is swept away by flood waters a few hours later. He drowns. In heaven, Mike says to god, "God!!! What happened? I had faith - I told everyone you would provide for me, and you let me die!" God says, "Mike, I sent you a bus, I sent the fire department, and I sent the coast guard with a helicopter. I let you die?" I think I made it clear that I'm not a church guy, but carrying a firearm isn't incongruent with faith.

I try not to put-down churches or church-goers. I try. I don't always succeed. The majority of 'churchy' people are decent folks. Sometimes they're even great folks. My parents are active in their church, and (shockingly) haven't even given me a hard time about our daughter not being baptized. I struggle to see the point of all the ceremony, but I wouldn't particularly care if my mom had my kid baptized - I might even go see it happen, but it wouldn't be any sort of big deal to me, nor am I going to participate and lie about promising to raise her in the catholic faith. It doesn't 'offend' me, because I don't derive any meaning from it.