Weather is perfect

The weather seems to be cooperating, and it felt good to be on the bike today. Hopefully, we've seen the last of anti-motorcycle weather for awhile. Maybe I can plan a good day ride in the next few weeks and get some photos, too.

Back in the Saddle

It has been a long time, and I am going to try to start writing again. Since I last wrote, at least two major things have happened.

The first was my first real accident, back in November 2007 (I think). I was leaving the parking lot when someone ran in front of me. I braked hard, then dumped the bike on my left side. I ended up with a torn meniscus and had knee surgery in April 2008. It all happened at low speed and my gear (helmet, leather coat, leather chaps, boots, gloves) all did a lot to prevent it from being a lot worse.

The second was my first major road trip and rally. Kacee booked us for the Second Annual Bronze Bike Rally in Joseph, Ore in August. We left Isaac with our friends, the Burkets, in Boise, then took the bike through Hell's Canyon and to Joseph. We stayed at a small cottage at the south end of Wallowa Lake in the "Matterhorn Swiss Village." It was a lot of fun.

Getting a start on riding this year has been tougher. I keep getting on the bike, but the weather won't cooperate. There will be days of sunshine, or even just cold-but-clear days, then it will rain and hail and leave ice and snow on the ground. I'm hoping that stops soon so I can enjoy riding again.

My dad and I are planning to go to Sturgis this year. He has been a few times, but I have not. I think it will be a fun experience. I am looking forward to seeing the road from here to there and around the area. I was last in South Dakota when I was 14 or 15, so I think it will be neat to revisit.

Crunch

So, the first damage to the bike happened this week. I had just gotten through a busy Monday and was getting ready to leave the office when my phone rang. It was a woman from an office on the floor above me. She was calling to tell me that she believed she hit my motorcycle as she was backing out of a parking space. I felt my stomach tighten. She said she had already called her insurance agent to file a claim, and that I should inspect the bike and let her agent know if I found anything. I thanked her for calling, got the information, then headed out nervously to see what might have happened.
Right away, I noticed the right floorboard. It had been bent and curled under. It also appeared that the right highway peg had been flipped up and scraped. It didn't look good. I snapped a few photos with my camera phone. I went back into the office, called the woman and let her know I found some damage. I then called her insurance agent and left him a message, since it was after 5.
It looked like the bike was still in drivable condition, so I got on and headed home. As soon as I put my foot on the floorboard, it felt even worse. It now seemed like the floorboard was not only bent, but the support bolting it to the frame felt bent, too. My heel felt much closer to the pipes, so I'm sure there is a problem there.
About halfway home, I noticed there was more damage than I realized. I looked down at the head lamps and realized the right lamp assembly had been bent and twisted, too. The driving lamp and the turn signal were turned out, and the turn lamp Fat Boy logo visor I had added was bent, too. So, when I got home, I took some more photos in the driveway.
So, for the past few days, Kacee and I have been calling insurance agents and the Harley shop. It looks like the claim is going to be 100 percent covered by the other driver (I can't imagine why it would not have been; my motorcycle was parked well within the boundaries of the motorcycle parking space, and she must have really been tearing out of the adjacent space to bang up the bike like she did). Now, we're waiting for an adjuster to come look at the bike, then take it to the shop for an estimate. It's been quite an annoyance. And, to top it all off, the weather has been beautiful this week and everywhere I turn people are on their bikes and enjoying it. I, on the other hand, am cooped up in the old Jeep Cherokee until the bike is fixed.
All in all, I guess I shouldn't complain too much. It could have been a lot worse. I could have been on the bike at the time, someone could have been injured, it could have been my fault, the bike could have fallen on the ground, the bike could have fallen on the other bike next to it, the other driver could have been uninsured, the other driver could have made it a hit-and-run, and so on and so forth. At any rate, I'm hopeful it all turns out OK and maybe I'll even end up with a bit nicer stuff than I had before. Since all the items were damaged on the right side only, and I suspect the parts will have to be purchased in pairs, maybe I'll end up with some spare parts.
So, I probably won't post again until I get an estimate and a check from the insurance company. I'll be sure to post photos when all the repairs are done, too. In the meantime, I'll openly wish for the strange rain and, yes, snow storms the weathermen are predicting in the 10-day forecast. Maybe then I won't have to feel too bad about not being able to ride my bike.

Easter Weekend

I thought I'd put up some photos from the day before Easter, when I took my mother-in-law, sister-in-law and son for a few quick rides. There's a photo of me and my sister-in-law, Robyn, and a couple of me and Isaac, my son.

Spring Fever

So, it's been a while since my last post. My first ride of the year was just before Valentine's Day; Kacee (my wife) gave me a great gift: a full service and rear tire replacement. Nothing says "I love you" more than motorcycle parts and maintenance.
I've been riding to work every day, and I've taken a few short day trips, but nothing serious yet so far. I've taken the Arbon loop a couple of times. I live in the Indian Hills area, so I head south and through Caribou National Forest, then through the rural areas around Arbon and American Falls before joining up with I-86 and heading east back to Pocatello. I took it first by myself, then with Kacee, then with my neighbor two doors down, Ian Johnson, who rides a Sporty.
The ride with Ian was fun. I'd like to go on a few longer rides with him, so we'll have to plan something. We swapped bikes for the last few miles home, and it was a real adjustment to get on the Sportster. No floorboards, a higher center of gravity, tighter handlebar -- it was a real adjustment. Still, it's always good to experience different bikes.
I had ordered Kacee a jacket for her birthday (October 30), and it finally arrived sometime in February. It was worth the wait, since it fits her well and looks good. She's happy with it, and she's pretty much completely outfitted now. She could use her own goggles and gloves, but sunglasses and a pair of my old gloves seem to suit her pretty well for the time being.
My dad and I have only taken one ride so far this year. We went north on Highway 20 from Idaho Falls to Rexburg, then west on Highway 33 through Terreton and Mud Lake down to Howe. We then came south near Butte City, and headed east again through the Arco Desert on Highway 20 back to Idaho Falls. If we'd had more time, we would have kept heading west toward Arco. Still, it was a good ride.
We're planning a day trip for Saturday, April 28, with Kacee and my mom. It ought to be fun. It will be the first time we all go together.

Genesis

This seems a weird time to start a blog with a motorcycle theme, since the weather really prohibits much riding. That being said, maybe it makes even more sense — I can't ride, so why not write about riding for now?

I got my first motorcycle this fall. It's a 1998 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy, My dad has a 2001 Road King Classic he bought new after owning a Sportster for about four years. For awhile, he had both bikes. I went on a few rides with him and loved it.

I had grown up riding off-road motorcycles, but getting on a street bike was a totally different experience. Riding on a road became a totally new experience. Suddenly, it was a total sensory experience. The view was wider and uninterrupted. You could feel the temperature and humidity fluctuations, passing through spaces that felt warm and sticky and others that felt like chilled blasts of air. The smells and tastes of sweet hay and dusty asphalt swirled around every bend in the road. And, of course, there was the droning rumble of a V-Twin below you.

So, I lusted after a bike for five years. With each new job, promotion or salary raise, I would dream the time had come. But, there were always bills to pay and other debts to attend to, and it didn't seem like the right thing to do. All this time, my dad would casually mention to me this deal or that steal he saw in the Thrifty Nickel classifieds or at some bike show. Finally, I started getting serious about looking.

I knew I didn't want a Sporty; I'm 6'4" and 220 pounds and there's no way a small frame like that could be comfortable for the longer rides I really wanted to make. So, I watched closely and searched all the Thrifty Nickels, newspaper classifieds and online postings throughout the state an in surrounding states. Finding the kind of bike I wanted that was under $10,000 and no more than 10 years old was harder than you might think.

I finally found the right bike in Park City, Utah. This was the year Harley introduced the new Twin Cam 96 and the six-speed transmission. A lot of riders were aching to make the move, and the guy I bought my bike from was no exception. He was the second owner; a buddy of his was the original owner. The original owner had outfitted the bike for cruising, which included a Screaming Eagle carburetor kit, Vance & Heinz exhaust pipes, saddlebags, floorboards, highway pegs, a high windshield, a sissy bar and a luggage rack. It was well-maintained and I was happy to give it a new home. The owner was kind enough to trailer it up to my home in Pocatello a week later.

Almost every possible day I could ride since I got the bike, I did. Rain and cold did little to stop me, and I didn't give up riding for the year until the day after Thanksgiving when I took the 50-mile ride from my parents' home in Idaho Falls. I rode it to work and home. Then I took my wife for rides, or went on rides on my own. On the weekends, I would try to get up to Idaho Falls to see my Dad. We got two half-day rides in before the weather turned. It didn't really matter to me, as long as I was on the bike.

I've enjoyed getting all the gear together, too. I've had a few leather jackets, including a couple of nice riding ones. I already had a pair of leather gloves. So, I bought some nice harness-style motorcycle boots, a pair of leather chaps and a pair of goggles with a set of interchangeable lenses. I borrowed one of my dad's motorcycle helmets for a while (wearing a helmet was a condition my wife imposed on me if I wanted a bike, and it seemed a reasonable one) until I could order one I liked. So, now I've got all the riding gear I need. I'm working on outfitting Kacee (my wife). She has a helmet. She has a worn pair of my old leather gloves and a pair of boots that work for now. I ordered a jacket for her birthday (still waiting for it on back order) and she asked for chaps for Christmas (she got them). So, we're making progress for her, too.

One of the things I've loved that I didn't anticipate was getting some chrome for my bike. I like the Fat Boy logo, so I watched the clearance tables at area Harley shops and did some eBay searches. I got the Fat Boy logo visors for my taillight, head lamp and turning lamps. For Christmas, I got a luggage pack (similar to a T-bag). Now, I'd like to get some trim for the front and rear trim. I have some nice handle grips the previous owner put on, too. So, I'm also looking for new mirrors, possibly, and maybe a new tank panel cover. Kacee would like some passenger footboards (the pegs make her feet sore after a while).

So, I'm off to a good start. I've got a great bike and the gear has come together quickly. As soon as winter starts to pass, I'll get a full service and replace the balding rear tire. I've got at least two big trips I'd like to do next year — a rally in Sturgis or Laughlin (probably Laughlin), and something along Route 66.

I'm sure there will be plenty more to right about, but I think this paints a good background to start. I've got a lot of miles to put on the bike still before I think anyone outside my immediate family and friends can take me as serious of a rider as I feel.