anyone go for a ride today? Pics?

[dorkburger]

Went out last night for a bit. Destination was home. As in head out and figure out a loop as I went. A little highway, a little rural. I did bring the camera, but didn't really have intentions to deal with the distraction of finding photogenic spots. It just took the ride in case something compelling appeared.

[Redman]

. . . . . . As in head out and figure out a loop as I went. . . . . . .

Good that you got out. ANd that plan is as good as any.

[Redman]

I've never ridden more than 50 miles "at once" so Saturday ......

........................ and 20 miles in the rain began and it was getting dark. ...
....

You are now a rider. (not just someone that owns a bike).

An option, rather than "not doing that again", is to get some rain gear, else you may find yourself staying home on days that turn out to be okay.

(I should figure out where this Hamburg Twsp is. SOmewhere close to US23, I gather.)

[Redman]

Morning ride.

Stopped at this boat ramp for a pic -again-, this time with fog haze.




Baked in at angle, for different pose.
Oh, so bike leant over more down the slope. I saw that ramp was wett, and algie in water so I didnt go back far enough to get rear tire in water.
(Parking lot full of trucks-trailer, so had been a lot of putt-in traffic, duck hunters I suspect due to gun shots I had heard before-at-after sunrise.)
Took a few pics.
Doah, ramp also a bit slimey. Boot slipping, could not right the bike while sitting on it.
Took a bit of finagling to get out of there. Maybe I should retire this pose. <<Sighhh>>

[GS1150Pilot]

I've never ridden more than 50 miles "at once" so Saturday I decided to take the plunge and get some real seat time in. It was a beautiful day and my wife and child were gone for the day so I had no obligations. I rode 41 miles east to eat lunch with a friend, then headed 121 miles north on backroads. The sun started going down and rain was approaching so I decided to turn back home. I wanted to take back roads home but the threat of rain was increasing and the interstate was the quickest route home, so US23 it is. 90 miles home from my location, and 20 miles in the rain began and it was getting dark. I rode 70 miles home on the interstate, at night, in the rain, with moderate traffic. It was less than ideal, but at least it wasn't very cold.

And to top it off, about 50 miles from home, two cylinders started randomly dropping out which made keeping up with traffic even more difficult. Despite the odds, I made it home safely.

Needless to say, I won't be doing that again. I'm going to pay better attention to the weather.

On a side note, the next day I looked the 850 over to see what was causing cylinders to die. Found water in the plug boots, so I guess that's next on the list. At least it's an easy fix.

Riding in weather is part of the joy of it! Just get the maintenance issues sorted and enjoy. I've said this elsewhere, but one of my all-time favorite ride memories was on the 1150, riding through a monsoon in northeastern Arizona, listening to Zeppelin. It was exhilirating and cathartic.

[Redman]

I had a part in this:

Son and DIL (Tiger1050) and daughter and SIL (FJR) went for a ride today.


Baby a little confused with this creature that seems somewhat like his mom.


Me and wife stayed home with the four grandkids (which includes a baby) . . . . for 8 hours.

.

[cowboyup3371]

Forgive me GS Resources for I have sinned; it has been two months since I last sat on either of my bikes. No, I'm not Catholic but am confirmed Episcopalian but it sure sounded like the right way to start this off. And for once, I took this time off not because I was injured but because of more important things to do. Primarily, Charmayne asked me on 1 Aug to build her a changing table but I couldn't start on it until mid-August due to work. Then, since August 13th, I have spent every day, save two, working in the shop 4-10 hours a day on the table which I'll post a picture later next week after I deliver it to her.

Yet finally today, after putting the last coats of stain on it, I was finally able to go for a ride - almost 300 miles to be exact. Stopped off at a little cafe in Charleston OH that I visited last year then went to Iron Pony to look at a Christmas gift I wanted. Then made my way to Charmayne's place via a couple of nice roads north of Newark OH in the Clay Township area. After spending some time at her place, finished the ride home on the slab since it was past dark. I really need to learn not to take pictures with my helmet on but here's the only one from the ride. I hope to get south to Kentucky before the cold weather sets in since I haven't gone yet this year.

October 2021 ride by Scott Baker, on Flickr

Oh, and for those that would like to know how Charmayne is doing, check out the Spending time with the Grandkids thread

[gbw]

IMS Nashville

Progressive's International Motorcycle Shows appears to have abandoned the large indoor shows of the past. I attended the Chicago show for many years with Joe Nardy, Wazz, TWR1776, Baatfam, and others. But those shows were dying off even before I moved away about 8 years ago. They seem to have shifted gears to outdoor shows this year and fortunately one was very near me this weekend.

My sons and I attended the Nashville IMs today in Lebanon TN. About 30 minutes from my place. There were some gear vendors there but the focus was on demo rides. Most of the major brands were present except Honda. Today's show was lightly attended and if I'd had time I could have ridden any bike I wanted. No waiting.



I only had time to ride 3 bikes.

Harley's PanAm. Surprisingly fun to ride.



Yamaha's Tracer 9GT. Fun bike but some weird quirks. A serious contender for my next bike.



Yamaha's elusive Tenere 700. Very willing motor and excellent ergos.



The boys and I really enjoyed ourselves. The older boy and I got to ride some Harley electric bicycles. That was certainly an interesting experience. We really like them.

The younger boy got to ride a large Stryder bike through an obstacle course. He really enjoyed that.

It was a lot of fun. I hope they decide to do it again next year. If so I'll go all 3 days and ride ALL the bikes.

[Redman]

..

I only had time to ride 3 bikes.

..

All sounds interesting, and a good day with the kids.

test ride...... there? out in the street?

[gbw]

test ride...... there? out in the street?

That's right. Here's the keys...enjoy the ride. Public roads around the venue.

The Yamaha team was leading guided tours. They had a road captain and a sweep. We left as a group, had to ride between the control riders, and they didn't put up with any tomfoolery. But they had a nice route on some twisty country roads. And while they didn't go really fast, they didn't dawdle either.

Harley on the other hand just said, "here's the bike, here's a route, have fun, see you when you get back." Their route was also very nice. Some two-lane curvy roads and stretch of I-40 so you could really open 'em up. The PanAm is a heavy bike and feels it. But there's so much torque it didn't seem to matter what gear I was in. And I'm still amazed at how quickly and effortlessly it exceeded triple digits. Harley has done a really nice job with that engine. Would be a great mill for a proper sport touring bike.

The event was a very fun way to experience multiple bikes. I really do hope they make this an annual event. Although, it seems unlikely as there were very few attendees there today. I guess turn out was better on Saturday. But still not what they'd hoped for. I hope they find better ways to promote the event. I sort of just stumbled on it and there wasn't much online chatter about it anywhere I frequent.

Zero was there with electric bikes, Triumph, Suzuki, Indian, Royal Enfield, Kawasaki, HD, Yamaha and others. Although I don't think I saw KTM or BMW. I mean seriously, there were probably 200 demo bikes there. Wish I'd had more time and really do hope they do it again next year. If they do, I'll be talking it up online more to help promote it.

[Rich82GS750TZ]

I too, stumbled onto this event, I think I saw it in one of the various MC facebook groups. I had fun at the IMS show in PA a few weeks back. Don't know what the attendance was for the whole weekend but it was pretty busy on the Saturday. I wrote about it.

https://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?262031-Progressive-IMS-Outdoors-9-11-Carlisle-PA&highlight=

[gbw]

I too, stumbled onto this event, I think I saw it in one of the various MC facebook groups. I had fun at the IMS show in PA a few weeks back. Don't know what the attendance was for the whole weekend but it was pretty busy on the Saturday. I wrote about it.
https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...-PA&highlight=

That's a good writeup. Thanks for posting it. Not sure how I missed it first time around. Also, I now have another YouTube subscription...thanks!

It's funny how you can lust after a bike a long time, then ride it, and in the first few minutes reality replaces fantasy and kills the dream. The first Versys 650 was like that for me. Wanted it bad. Test rode one. Hated it. That ended that. Even riding the Tracer GT, which I want badly, was a bit of let down in some ways. As I'm riding along I'm thinking...lots of buffeting, need a different screen, my left heal is bumping against the center stand...very distracting. This gage cluster is weird and angled wrong with too much information in too small a font. But, the actual riding was wonderful...so maybe I can forgive it its quibbles.

[rphillips]

I must have a really sheltered life. I live 10 mi. from this place & knew nothing about it till Greg's post...Guess I need to get out more.

[Eli69]

Went out yesterday for a completely random bike n hike. One of my stops was at what is called Little Rock City State Forest. Here's why:

[gbw]

I must have a really sheltered life. I live 10 mi. from this place & knew nothing about it till Greg's post...Guess I need to get out more.

I hope it happens again next year. If so, I'll see if we can get a group to go together. Maybe meet somewhere for breakfast and all ride over or something. I hope this event really takes off. I'd love to have a vibrant IMS show in Nashville every year. It's one of the few things I miss about living in Chicago.

Although, to be fair, the Chicago IMS was always in February. In the snow. So we didn't get to ride to it, and there were no test rides. Just a big convention center full of bikes to sit on and gear vendor to look at. But, It was still the highlight of the long, cold, dark, bleak, soul-deadening winter that lasted forever and sapped your very will to live.