anyone go for a ride today? Pics?

[Redman]

...............................I rented a V-Strom 650 in Anchorage and took my brother up the Glenn Highway for a five hour ride,....




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Great idea. Do tell more of the story of how this all came about.

I like this picture. It shows you guys, and the bike, and the scenery, and the road ... the picture supports each of those aspects of the story.
A picture that has 3 of those is good, but you got all four.
(That is the road off in the distance, I think.)

Thanks for posting.

Dave

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[Jedz123]

The province is on fire and the sky has turned orange! This was taken at about 6pm on my way home from work today:

:tan:

Love that Van Van!

 

[Guest]

Had three Kats and two GS' out yesterday morning for the typical Saturday morning Kat ride, 11 wheels in total with perfect weather and great company. I also had the pleasure of back to back rides on two Kats which was awesome.

Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr

Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr

Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr

 

[kerrfunk]

Great idea. Do tell more of the story of how this all came about.

I like this picture. It shows you guys, and the bike, and the scenery, and the road ... the picture supports each of those aspects of the story.
A picture that has 3 of those is good, but you got all four.
(That is the road off in the distance, I think.)

Thanks for posting.

Dave

That's the Matanuska glacier in the background, stretching horizontally from my brother's helmet.

So the story. My dad collects states he's bicycled in. He turned 75 in December. I was having breakfast with him a couple months ago and he said, "Kerry, I have bicycled at least twenty miles in every state I've been in, and I've been in 49 states, but I just don't think I'll ever get to Alaska."

Well that won't do. I called my brother and said, "We've got to get Dad to Alaska for his fiftieth state."
And that's what we did. We pitched the idea to Mom and Dad, and put the plan together: Dad and his three sons, four day trip to Alaska, including renting bicycles.

Long story short (yeah, right) we four rode bicycles on Thursday morning, about 25 miles on a coastal trail around Anchorage. And just as my dad collects states he's bicycled in, I have my list of states I've ridden motorcycle in. I didn't figure Alaska was just going to happen, so I arranged to get a motorcycle for myself for a day. I got a 250 from Motoquest. Then as we got closer to the date my brother (who does not ride) said he'd like to join me, so I upgraded to the 650 ($150 for 24 hrs, unlimited miles, they had loaner gear). The highway from Anchorage to Glennallen is said to be one of the most picturesque highways, period. Glennallen is about 180 miles from Anchorage, though, and we ended up just turning around after about 120 miles.

I've never ridden with my brother, but my wife and my daughter are frequent passengers on my GS650GL -- they each have hundred-mile days with me. Chris now has a 250-mile day, which is my longest ride with a passenger. My personal longest day in the saddle is 700 miles.

Anyway, our weather was fine or better. Sixty degrees, no precipitation on us (though the roads were occasionally still wet from the morning rain). Gentle curves on a river road. And a glacier in the distance. That was satisfying.

We took a harbor cruise and saw many more glaciers, closer up, but this thread is the bike pics

 

[cowboyup3371]

That's the Matanuska glacier in the background, stretching horizontally from my brother's helmet.

So the story. My dad collects states he's bicycled in. He turned 75 in December. I was having breakfast with him a couple months ago and he said, "Kerry, I have bicycled at least twenty miles in every state I've been in, and I've been in 49 states, but I just don't think I'll ever get to Alaska."

Well that won't do. I called my brother and said, "We've got to get Dad to Alaska for his fiftieth state."
And that's what we did. We pitched the idea to Mom and Dad, and put the plan together: Dad and his three sons, four day trip to Alaska, including renting bicycles.

Long story short (yeah, right) we four rode bicycles on Thursday morning, about 25 miles on a coastal trail around Anchorage. And just as my dad collects states he's bicycled in, I have my list of states I've ridden motorcycle in. I didn't figure Alaska was just going to happen, so I arranged to get a motorcycle for myself for a day. I got a 250 from Motoquest. Then as we got closer to the date my brother (who does not ride) said he'd like to join me, so I upgraded to the 650 ($150 for 24 hrs, unlimited miles, they had loaner gear). The highway from Anchorage to Glennallen is said to be one of the most picturesque highways, period. Glennallen is about 180 miles from Anchorage, though, and we ended up just turning around after about 120 miles.

I've never ridden with my brother, but my wife and my daughter are frequent passengers on my GS650GL -- they each have hundred-mile days with me. Chris now has a 250-mile day, which is my longest ride with a passenger. My personal longest day in the saddle is 700 miles.

Anyway, our weather was fine or better. Sixty degrees, no precipitation on us (though the roads were occasionally still wet from the morning rain). Gentle curves on a river road. And a glacier in the distance. That was satisfying.

We took a harbor cruise and saw many more glaciers, closer up, but this thread is the bike pics

That is a fantastic story and I'm very jealous of the relationship you have with your brother. My hat's off to you

 

[cowboyup3371]

This morning started off like all others in that I had to get two kids off to work while Charmayne ran off to take care of her client (she's a Certified Nursing Assistant since late June); but, then it got busy. We moved Lou and my wife's mustang she recently bought from the barn we moved into not two weeks ago and over to a new one. This after some significant differences of opinion between the barn owner and us. Once that was completed and lunch had, I decided I needed to get out for an iron horse ride too .

Charmayne and I already have a Cardo Smartpack Bluetooth system between us but I felt it would have been a good idea to buy a CB to maintain communications with Steve and Bonita during the Brown County ride. Although the radio worked great, I had problems with the Bluetooth adapter returning main control back to my connection with Charmayne when I wasn't talking on the CB so I never used it. I haven't had a lot of time since getting my bike operational again to make the run back up to Sierra Electronics in Troy until today so on went the gear. The 55 mile ride up there and short ten minutes I spent up there resulted in the guy giving some good tips to try once Charmayne and I can get out for a ride again. However, I didn't really want to head home the same way I went so I took the long way home through Xenia. The ride was nice and traffic was sparse but still eventful. A couple of good long sections of road had fresh loose gravel amidst the construction signs that definitely played tricks with me especially through one particular twisty section. Of course, there is also nothing better than coming out of a curve and suddenly be staring down a young doe. Fortunately she ran back into the woods and I continued home to finish out a nice 140 mile day

A stop between Fairborn and Xenia

Ride to Troy by Scott Baker, on Flickr

 

[Burque73]

After Utah's Monument Valley yesterday, I headed over to see the exact point where the borders of all four states come together.

Not sure why I was drawn there, it's just a concrete slab. Neat if your a surveyer I suppose, but I'm not, so down the road I went. It was cool passing through four states in such a short stretch. On to Flora Vista to visit my uncle who's about 18 years into a battle with Parkinson's for the night. It was nice to visit and catch up on things.
Woke up this morning to more rain and noticed the oil level getting low so off to wally world for a quart of rotella. A very nice ride back to Albuquerque from there. In all 875 mile trip with no issues.

 

[Burque73]

We have had a beautiful time. Epic. The purpose of our trip was to "collect" my Dad's fiftieth state and for him to get his fiftieth state riding bicycle in as well! I now have thirteen states on motorcycle.

The V-Strom 650 was fine, but I miss my GS650GL. The VS was topheavy. I think I figured out that the fuel injection made the throttle very sensitive, which was not to my liking, but you'd get used to it. Also there's a toggle switch that toggles the display for odometer, Trip 1, Trip 2, and gas mileage. The toggle switch got toggled accidentally every time I pulled the clutch in all the way (design flaw), and sometimes when I reset the turn signal too. Sometimes the display told me the time, sometimes the temp. I didn't know how to select that.

My brother had a fine viewing position and he had grab handles too. It was bulky for him to mount the bike with me on it and the sidebags. We rode for 5-6 hours, so he was up there a long time. I was able to get 195 miles on the tank, with two grown men riding highway speeds.

I look forward to my 650GL and to collecting more states! Oh, this rental was about $150, 24 hrs, unlimited miles.

Just reread this and wanted to mention something. When we ride together (with the side stand down and me standing close by) my passenger climbs on first and scoots back, then I hop on.

 

[kerrfunk]

Just reread this and wanted to mention something. When we ride together (with the side stand down and me standing close by) my passenger climbs on first and scoots back, then I hop on.

We tried it both ways. Me mounting first is the way I ride with my wife and daughter, and since Chris doesn't drive motorcycle he was uncomfortable mounting solo anyway.

 

[Guest]

I always go hang out at my mechanic's shop on Saturday. I have been trying to rotate what bike I take to keep them both running right. I stopped at a convenience store to get my weekly Mountain Dew, when a guy pulled up behind me in a Bentley GT convertible. He started giving me all sorts of praise about the bike (Suzuki, this time.) I'm really surprised by this. Not that the bike doesn't look nice, but that people don't clump them in with all the crotch rockets out there.

It looked like this:

 

[Boriqua]

Went out with the wife along Apache Trail to Saguaro Lake. Stopped to take some pix at canyon lake. Bike ran awesome but I forgot those skinny front legs on the Suzuki get to bouncing over rough roads. Still an awesome ride on some winding road in the early cool morning with some beautiful desert vistas. Some of those saguaro are two story tall easy.

The wife says this is her favorite bike of the many we have owned over the years.

 

[dorkburger]

Boriqua, I'm not sure how I missed it, but your bike looks great.

 

[Boriqua]

Boriqua, I'm not sure how I missed it, but your bike looks great.

Thanks!! I am in negotiations to remove the sissy bar because I hate the look of sissy bars but I think I will have to acquiesce and be happy that my significant other loves to go out riding and not only doesn't have a problem with my need to be on two wheels but encourages it. I wouldn't have gotten this one or poured so much time into making it road worthy had she not said after visiting it .. I think we should get it!! ... when I said .. I think its going to be a lot of work!!

Got it towed home and .. yea .. she was right! Its freagin cool and people stop me at lights to tell me about their memories of similar bikes.

and I was right .. it was a bit of work but the forum was an invaluable resource.

I guess if a woman in her 60's cant wait for the next motorbike ride and wants to keep the damn sissy bar .. I should keep my mouth shut and motor on.

 

[storm 64]

I was out for a ride today. I decided to stop at the Iron Bridge Inn for something to eat. As I was pulling in the parking lot, I noticed a older gentleman watching me. As I was taking off my helmet he walked over to talk to me. Before I could say anything he says. "1979 GS1000 chain drive. The muscle car of motorcycles." He goes on saying how he use to have one years ago. He was very impressed with the condition of my motorcycle. Then he tells me that I handle the motorcycle well. I think it's fun meeting people while riding my old GS☺

 

[cowboyup3371]

when a guy pulled up behind me in a Bentley GT convertible.

It looked like this:

Great looking car; it reminded me of this one that I got behind for a little while yesterday - The Tesla Model X SUV

 

[jjbmxer]

Cowboy is that one of those truck lite 27270c on your bike, how do like it

 

[cowboyup3371]

Cowboy is that one of those truck lite 27270c on your bike, how do like it

Yes. I used to cringe anytime I would have to ride at night; the first night ride I took last year after I installed it left a huge ear to ear grin on my face. Well worth the money I spent

 

[kerrfunk]

Four days and no pictures. Sad times, these are.

I don't have a picture today either, but I rode my 650 for the first time in twelve days, and oh was it nice to be back in my saddle again, even if only for a 5-mile round trip. Granted, I did have a 250-mile ride a week ago on a renter, but I do like my bike.

Maybe more miles tonight or tomorrow!

 

[lurch12_2000]

In search of new ponds to launch the canoe or kayak at, I took out the "new" GS850G for a ride.

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[Jedz123]

A new one?