Sept 02, 2006, Took my first day trip on this GK I got last fall. Had been riding to work and going for rides in the evening or maybe a short Sunday afternoon ride locally, but this was my first day long trip.
Left here (Grand Haven Michigan) about 8 am, 58 degrees, thinking that this is why I have a full fairing bike after 20+ years of naked bikes. Even with the full fairing I still elected to wear the chaps. Pulled out thinking about the various thing at home that haven’t been done, but then think how much I have had to work on this GK (much more than I was expecting), and that I haven’t been on a day trip all year yet, and that the uncut lawn, the untrimmed bushes, the unwashed cars, the house siding needing repair, the garage door needing painting are mostly a result of spending so much time working on this bike, but its getting near end of summer and I havent been on an al day trip on this bike yet, and wife is working today, so off I go out the driveway past the uncutt lawn and the overgrown shubrery, bike is nice and shiney though …..
Headed north on US 31 (limited access, divided highway, pretty much an interstate) just buzzed along for a little over an hour thinking that I am going past a lot of nice roads some of which are along Lake Michigan, but those are roads I might go on a 2-3 hour ride, today I am headed to M-22 about 90 miles away, so this part of the ride now is just to get there to M-22. Some times I ride for the ride and other times I am just riding to get there, now I am riding just to get to the ride. Even still, though, here on what is pretty much an interstate its nice rolling hills provide elevation changes affording views over orchards and other farm land. Holiday weekend Saturday, but little traffic, see an occasional bike in the distance, maybe I catch up to it or maybe I don’t.
Just over an hour, approaching Ludington, should get some breakfast, so I ride through town, every resteraunt is packed, full of what I recognize to be mostly tourist. Usally I like to stop at local restraunts (not chain) just to catch a flavor of the local area, but this isn’t much different than what I would experience near home in Grand Haven, especially on this holiday weekend, so I opt for the quick alternative of the golden arches. In the parking lot a SUV loaded with family and vacation stuff is waiting for the mom to return with their food, the kids seem interested in the bike and my chaps. One of the boys ask if its hot to wear all that leather, I say its 60 degrees out, that’s 35 degrees less than body tempature and with 70 mph wind, no its not hot. Then he asks if “chaps” are like what cowboys wear. Meantime dad is looking annoyed like I am a bad influence on his kid or something. I am about to ask if any kid wants to sit on the bike, but the mom returns and they take off.
Back out on the road, US31 headed north it isn’t a divided highway anymore, more of a 2 lane state highway. Scottville is next town, but the highway now bypasses around, should have thought to stop there rather than Ludington, less of a tourist town. Then next town is Manistee, go thru town, and then out of town a few miles to M-22.
Turn at the big casino onto M-22, see the big parking lot with several busses and lots of cars of people at the casino (and its only 10:30 am) and then see the road sign with 35mph and the sqiggley arrow, whats wrong with all those people in there, risking their money just for a little excitement, must be some kind of additction or something, why would anybody want to do that? Anyway, I cant think of that, I am heading into these set of curves at 50 mph. What I am thinking about is the following:
- Haven’t really pushed this bike yet in too many curves.
- Wanna be available for more rides later.
- My son pavement surfing, on his face, unconcous, for about 180 feet (as the cop testified at the hearing, and as the evidence of helmet and jacket indicate).
- This bike has been in great condition for 24 years and I want it to be that way at the end of this day also.
- The ‘Harley-Davidson’ lettering on the tires.
- So I am not gonna push it too hard.
- So, 40-50%, or 15 mph above the posted sign is more than enough for this day.
M-22 goes along a couple lakes, lots of curves, although some places have lots of cottages and lots of driveways, but mostly is lots of curves thru national forest. Then it starts some up hill climbs and can tell that are getting closer to Lake Michigan, can tell by the feel of the air. Then in the distance can see a heavly wooded dune rizing up, with a definite edge falling off to what is probably the lake shore, and can see what looks like a narrow parting of the trees which is probably be the road, and that narrow partting of the trees goes toward that edge that falls off to the lake. Then the road really starts an up hill climb, and off to the left there is Lake Michigan. Near the top of the dune is a roadside scenic overlook parking lot. Complete with a boardwalk to a set of stairs up to an even higher vantage point. All this overlooking a couple hundred feet drop down to the lake, over 180 degree view to the horizon of lake, might as well be an ocean as far as the view is concerned.
I pull in and park next to a similar vintage Kawasaki KZ1100 with full Vetter fairing and bags. Chat with the fellow who said he has had the bike since new (’82) and that he is on last day of a 6 day trip around Lake Michigan.
Took a couple pictures of the GK, being a holiday weekend the lot is full of cars, so cant find a better spot to park for a better scenic picture, well not and have the bike in it too.
Decide to head back out on the road, rather than climb the steps for more scenic picture, is kinda warm in the full sun with leather on and now approaching 70 degrees. So head out furter north on M-22, more curvey roads mostley down hill now.
Get into Empire about noon. Am concidering to continue further north on M-22 where I haven’t been before, I understand the road is great, better even than what I have gone on and goes along Lake Michigan more. Or to turn around and run that part of M-22 the other way and then take some nice other roads back home. But I decide to head east on M-72 into Traverse City to visit an old college friend and his kids who now lives in Wisconsin that I know is visiting his mom in TC. M-72 is straight, but lots of elevation changes with interesting views, more orchards, then a steeper descent complete with a “truck runoff” before getting to the west arm of Traverse Bay.
My visit with my friend is more a story of two electrical engineers trying to do plumbing, and involves water running out of ceiling tiles, but we do get to talk for a while and I do get to talk with the kids for a while.
Well, I do need to get back home at a certain time, so about mid afternoon, I head back south on the most direct, most straight state highways. It is in mid 70s, and a bit warm behind that big fairing wearing the leather jacket. A few times I stand up on the pegs to catch the wind to cool off, and do get cooled off in a few seconds, but the wind blast is almost surprizing, man, this is what is like all those past 20+ years without a fairing, quess I don’t miss that part too much. I do get home in time for my daughters visit at 6pm.
By this time I am somewhat tired, my right wrist hurts, my shoulders are a bit sore. Man, I get this big full fairing bike so that I can ride longer and further, my son calls it an old man’s bike. And after just over 300 miles with about 7 hours riding in a day, I am tired, but it was fun. Am disappointed that I got so tired and my wrist and shoulders hurt, gee, maybe I might have to do something drastic like regular excersize or something. But what I have done is to order a pair of Grand Touring grips like I has been on my GS850G that I have had for 14 years.
This was suppose to be a story describing the road and the ride on M-22, but I have yammered on about other things. I also notice that I refere to the bike as “this GK”. Quess I am still annoyed at how much unexpected work I have had to do on this GK, and it still doesn’t seem to be running as well as I think it should. After having the trusty 850G for 14 years, this GK is “this GK”.
Anyway, if you are concidering a ride in Michigan, I would say for you to concider M-22, look at a map in along the northwest part (well, northwest part of the lower pennusula). Actaully, its probably the other way around, M-22 and the Macinaw Bridge and the UP are probably WHY you would want to make a trip to Michigan. And if you do, let me know, maybe I can meet you and show you some roads along Lake Michigan on way to M-22.
For now, Lets see if I can find those pruning clippers.
DAVE
Left here (Grand Haven Michigan) about 8 am, 58 degrees, thinking that this is why I have a full fairing bike after 20+ years of naked bikes. Even with the full fairing I still elected to wear the chaps. Pulled out thinking about the various thing at home that haven’t been done, but then think how much I have had to work on this GK (much more than I was expecting), and that I haven’t been on a day trip all year yet, and that the uncut lawn, the untrimmed bushes, the unwashed cars, the house siding needing repair, the garage door needing painting are mostly a result of spending so much time working on this bike, but its getting near end of summer and I havent been on an al day trip on this bike yet, and wife is working today, so off I go out the driveway past the uncutt lawn and the overgrown shubrery, bike is nice and shiney though …..
Headed north on US 31 (limited access, divided highway, pretty much an interstate) just buzzed along for a little over an hour thinking that I am going past a lot of nice roads some of which are along Lake Michigan, but those are roads I might go on a 2-3 hour ride, today I am headed to M-22 about 90 miles away, so this part of the ride now is just to get there to M-22. Some times I ride for the ride and other times I am just riding to get there, now I am riding just to get to the ride. Even still, though, here on what is pretty much an interstate its nice rolling hills provide elevation changes affording views over orchards and other farm land. Holiday weekend Saturday, but little traffic, see an occasional bike in the distance, maybe I catch up to it or maybe I don’t.
Just over an hour, approaching Ludington, should get some breakfast, so I ride through town, every resteraunt is packed, full of what I recognize to be mostly tourist. Usally I like to stop at local restraunts (not chain) just to catch a flavor of the local area, but this isn’t much different than what I would experience near home in Grand Haven, especially on this holiday weekend, so I opt for the quick alternative of the golden arches. In the parking lot a SUV loaded with family and vacation stuff is waiting for the mom to return with their food, the kids seem interested in the bike and my chaps. One of the boys ask if its hot to wear all that leather, I say its 60 degrees out, that’s 35 degrees less than body tempature and with 70 mph wind, no its not hot. Then he asks if “chaps” are like what cowboys wear. Meantime dad is looking annoyed like I am a bad influence on his kid or something. I am about to ask if any kid wants to sit on the bike, but the mom returns and they take off.
Back out on the road, US31 headed north it isn’t a divided highway anymore, more of a 2 lane state highway. Scottville is next town, but the highway now bypasses around, should have thought to stop there rather than Ludington, less of a tourist town. Then next town is Manistee, go thru town, and then out of town a few miles to M-22.
Turn at the big casino onto M-22, see the big parking lot with several busses and lots of cars of people at the casino (and its only 10:30 am) and then see the road sign with 35mph and the sqiggley arrow, whats wrong with all those people in there, risking their money just for a little excitement, must be some kind of additction or something, why would anybody want to do that? Anyway, I cant think of that, I am heading into these set of curves at 50 mph. What I am thinking about is the following:
- Haven’t really pushed this bike yet in too many curves.
- Wanna be available for more rides later.
- My son pavement surfing, on his face, unconcous, for about 180 feet (as the cop testified at the hearing, and as the evidence of helmet and jacket indicate).
- This bike has been in great condition for 24 years and I want it to be that way at the end of this day also.
- The ‘Harley-Davidson’ lettering on the tires.
- So I am not gonna push it too hard.
- So, 40-50%, or 15 mph above the posted sign is more than enough for this day.
M-22 goes along a couple lakes, lots of curves, although some places have lots of cottages and lots of driveways, but mostly is lots of curves thru national forest. Then it starts some up hill climbs and can tell that are getting closer to Lake Michigan, can tell by the feel of the air. Then in the distance can see a heavly wooded dune rizing up, with a definite edge falling off to what is probably the lake shore, and can see what looks like a narrow parting of the trees which is probably be the road, and that narrow partting of the trees goes toward that edge that falls off to the lake. Then the road really starts an up hill climb, and off to the left there is Lake Michigan. Near the top of the dune is a roadside scenic overlook parking lot. Complete with a boardwalk to a set of stairs up to an even higher vantage point. All this overlooking a couple hundred feet drop down to the lake, over 180 degree view to the horizon of lake, might as well be an ocean as far as the view is concerned.
I pull in and park next to a similar vintage Kawasaki KZ1100 with full Vetter fairing and bags. Chat with the fellow who said he has had the bike since new (’82) and that he is on last day of a 6 day trip around Lake Michigan.
Took a couple pictures of the GK, being a holiday weekend the lot is full of cars, so cant find a better spot to park for a better scenic picture, well not and have the bike in it too.
Decide to head back out on the road, rather than climb the steps for more scenic picture, is kinda warm in the full sun with leather on and now approaching 70 degrees. So head out furter north on M-22, more curvey roads mostley down hill now.
Get into Empire about noon. Am concidering to continue further north on M-22 where I haven’t been before, I understand the road is great, better even than what I have gone on and goes along Lake Michigan more. Or to turn around and run that part of M-22 the other way and then take some nice other roads back home. But I decide to head east on M-72 into Traverse City to visit an old college friend and his kids who now lives in Wisconsin that I know is visiting his mom in TC. M-72 is straight, but lots of elevation changes with interesting views, more orchards, then a steeper descent complete with a “truck runoff” before getting to the west arm of Traverse Bay.
My visit with my friend is more a story of two electrical engineers trying to do plumbing, and involves water running out of ceiling tiles, but we do get to talk for a while and I do get to talk with the kids for a while.
Well, I do need to get back home at a certain time, so about mid afternoon, I head back south on the most direct, most straight state highways. It is in mid 70s, and a bit warm behind that big fairing wearing the leather jacket. A few times I stand up on the pegs to catch the wind to cool off, and do get cooled off in a few seconds, but the wind blast is almost surprizing, man, this is what is like all those past 20+ years without a fairing, quess I don’t miss that part too much. I do get home in time for my daughters visit at 6pm.
By this time I am somewhat tired, my right wrist hurts, my shoulders are a bit sore. Man, I get this big full fairing bike so that I can ride longer and further, my son calls it an old man’s bike. And after just over 300 miles with about 7 hours riding in a day, I am tired, but it was fun. Am disappointed that I got so tired and my wrist and shoulders hurt, gee, maybe I might have to do something drastic like regular excersize or something. But what I have done is to order a pair of Grand Touring grips like I has been on my GS850G that I have had for 14 years.
This was suppose to be a story describing the road and the ride on M-22, but I have yammered on about other things. I also notice that I refere to the bike as “this GK”. Quess I am still annoyed at how much unexpected work I have had to do on this GK, and it still doesn’t seem to be running as well as I think it should. After having the trusty 850G for 14 years, this GK is “this GK”.
Anyway, if you are concidering a ride in Michigan, I would say for you to concider M-22, look at a map in along the northwest part (well, northwest part of the lower pennusula). Actaully, its probably the other way around, M-22 and the Macinaw Bridge and the UP are probably WHY you would want to make a trip to Michigan. And if you do, let me know, maybe I can meet you and show you some roads along Lake Michigan on way to M-22.
For now, Lets see if I can find those pruning clippers.
DAVE
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