[mscuddy]

Re: Motorcycle deaths

"Down these mean streets a man must go, who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished, nor afraid." {R. Chandler}

It's getting nuts out there, and can only get worse. Good luck.

Except for short runs to the liquor store, I'm pretty much staying in the dirt.

 

[mscuddy]

Re: Motorcycle deaths

Usually after.

No, it all came to me in an instant, I think.

My senile Dodge Dakota is making expensive rattling noises, so I’ve been doing a lot of commuting via bike lately. No big thing, I’ve been riding in and around Los Angeles for a very long time. The secret has always been ride like someone’s out to kill you, i.e. on the edge of offensive riding. Most of it street riding. No freeway stuff.

But yesterday, I had to make a bike commute to San Bernardino, and back, some 45-50 miles in one direction. Usually, this kind of stuff never fazed me.

So there I was, on the 210, tootling along at around 75 miles an hour, and everything but the water truck is passing me.

And right about then, I took a good look around me (not a wise thing sometimes). It was not a pretty sight. Old ladies frozen in fear, stuck in the fast lane at 80, maniacs in 25 wheel big rigs, spewing road debris, mini-trucks, middle-trucks, maxi-trucks! All sorts of potential carnage about to coalesce. Misfits, creeps and slobs! VW Vans, Volvos!

And then it hit me: My life (at that moment) was in their hands! And all of a sudden, I got very paranoid. It was not a nice feeling. Akin to pre-race jitters, but worse.

So, I’m staying off the freeways for a while. Tear into that Dodge lower-end, and see what’s up. You need as much armor as possible, between you and the dingbats. Hell, I’m even thinking of buying a ’68 Electra 225. Fill up the fender with cement.

 

[mscuddy]

Re: Mo' parts

How true. It's the first, and last one I'll ever own. It's got the "tiny brake" option, too. Like trying to stop a '55 Century. Real POS.

 

[mscuddy]

Hey, I break-in Dynas. You can get a nice chirp out of the back tire, sometimes.



That is if the Kehin doesn't gag, and puke on itself.



Try that with your CB750!

 

[mscuddy]

Re: parts is parts

It's like they lit a fuse, when I drove out of the dealership.

About 50 miles after the "extended" warranty expired (75,000 miles) big, expensive parts started exploding. Clank.

Rear-ends, transmissions, power steering pumps, another overdrive unit...etc...etc...I have enough money invested in it to buy a small island in the Toamutu Archipelago.

Gee, that never happened with my cheap, little Japanese trucks...

I really should have known.

 

[mscuddy]

Re: Buy a Honda

Yes, the wifes new Honda Elephant (Element) should run for quite a long time, before needing any major stuff done to it.

In fact, we are a 5 Honda household, if you count the lawn mower, and my CB350.

Her old car, an Isuzu Rodeo, has 200,000 miles on it, all original major components, except for the alternator. Even has the original muffler. My niece drives it now.