Category: motorcycle

Fly

Yeah, I know, I haven’t updated lately. I’ve been a bit busy.

Work was a bit stressful last week. The Union has been in negotiations with the City for a few months now. They City obviously is having a serious financial crisis and wants the Union(s) to give back. Without our contract being open, they can’t force it but the Union clearly understands if they don’t come to the table, the City turns to layoffs. Actually, the City has already given out almost 500 pink slips.

Last week the membership voted down the 2nd negotiated compromise. My understanding is there will be no more talks. With this latest offer being rejected, the City will most likely return to laying people off. I’m not worried for my own job but I am rather sad knowing more people will be getting pink slips in such a rough economy.

I’m a bit torn on the outcome of the last vote. At first thought, it seems like people are being greedy and selfish. And while that may be true to some extent, there is more to it. Many people are scared of giving back in tough times and I can’t fault them for that. And frankly, the City has pled poverty for so long now that they are in a true financial crisis, their pleas are falling on deaf ears. Things are going to get ugly in the next few weeks. *sigh*

*

In somewhat exciting news, I went indoor skydiving this past weekend. One of the motorcycle groups I ride with decided to go and it was an awesome! Basically, its a 100 foot chamber surrounded by plexi-glass walls and a huge fan underneath. The floor is mesh wire. After instruction and suiting up, an instructor guides you to the edge and pulls you in and away you go! It is hard to describe the feeling of floating on nothing but air but it was an amazing experience. Besides having your face blown every which way, the sensations are hard to describe. I was a tiny bit apprehensive at first but upon arriving and seeing people in action, my fears melted away and I was all for it. I’m not sure I’d ever go skydiving for real but this was a good alternative. We all loved it and plan to go back and do it again soon.

There is a video coming but I’m waiting for William (links to a Facebook profile) to rip the disc and upload the files for all of us to share.

I could write more but getting sleepy and need to hit the sack. More to follow soon.

Speedy

Officer kristaki and I went for a round-a-bout ride today. I met up at his place in Richmond. [1]I’ll skip the getting lost part We started out driving over to Fremont so he could put a deposit down on a rifle he has been wanting. The guys at the gun shop were hysterical and scary all at the same time. The crowning moment was watching this very white trash couple buying his/hers guns.

Here is kristaki looking all butch. Of course, we didn’t get a pic of me dropping my bike. lol I was only moderately embarrassed. As we are pulling into the parking space, I’m making a U-turn and made the classic mistake of going too slow and over-braking. I didn’t drop it so much as laid it down. Kristaki got a kick out of seeing me do it, the bastard. I came away with only a minor scratch on the exhaust. [2]Those sliders finally came in handy On a side note, the leg workouts are paying off. It was nothing for me to lift the bike. I distinctly noticed how light it seemed.

Here I am at lunch looking very high in this pic. I won’t post the other pic of my funny face. It was not pretty. Kristaki gave me a nice compliment, telling me how big my arms were getting. He was instantly forgiven for laughing at my previous little accident. heh heh. I’ll even sport for a nice gift when he gets married later this year.

This was only the 2nd time kristaki and I have ridden together since I started riding. We rode together once a few years ago back when I still had the GS-500. Since I had virtually no idea where we were going, I let him lead and was impressed at how aggressively cautious he was. He, like me, likes to be aggressive w/o being stupid and making rash decisions. We played follow the leader weaving thru traffic and I had a blast. There was one scary part. This cadi came flying onto the freeway at I can only guess 120 mph. We were doing about 85 mph at the time and this guy easily shot passed us while entering the freeway. I’m thinking to myself how absolutely crazy he is when I see him almost crash.

He is roughly about 3 blocks ahead of us when I see him swerve across three lanes of traffic. He lost control of the car and almost flipped it over. I shit you not, two of the wheels came off the pavement at one point. Luckily for him, he managed to regain control w/o crashing or killing anyone. Kristaki and I had already moved to the far right lane to make sure we were well clear of his bullshit.

We are supposed to go on a more proper ride tomorrow. I’m hoping to take him down South Hwy 1.


Here I am striking a nice pose on the beast. I had the sudden urge to flex but decided against it. lol
It was a very nice day for a ride, if a tad warm. I overdressed and had to “de-layer” a bit while we were stopped getting gas.

*

I finally broke down and got a Fastrak today too. I’m not sure why it took me so long to get one. Ok I do, say it with me…pro-cras-ti-nate. They’ve gone all digital so registering was a snap. The irony here is the toll booth I went thru today was broken. The guy waved me thru so I’m assuming all is good.

All in all, I was proud of myself today. Kristaki has been riding quite a few years longer than me. The first time we rode together, I sort of felt like a total amateur. Today, I felt completely at ease while we were riding.

References

References
↑1 I’ll skip the getting lost part
↑2 Those sliders finally came in handy

Wrong Turn

I went on a ride this past Saturday with the moto group. It went well except for a bit of confusion in the beginning. The group sponsor who also happened to plan the ride sort of pissed me off. He took off and left the group behind. 

The ride was supposed to be a short but scenic one thru and around the City. There were about 8 or 9 of us to start. We started at Gayway [1]Safeway on Market and headed out for Ocean beach via Golden gate park. Now, in a group this large, it is easy to get caught up w/traffic, lights, stop signs, etc. We hadn’t even made it to the park before our host was completely out of sight. We stopped and texted him to see if he was pulled over somewhere waiting for us. We didn’t hear anything so headed for the first official stopping point, which was Ocean beach. We texted again from the beach and he was already over the Golden Gate bridge! I don’t care how good of a teacher or rider he is, that was just rude.

I kept my temper in check as I am still a bit of a n00b to the group. However, several other guys were obviously annoyed and two even abandoned the ride out of frustration. The remaining 6 of us ended up driving down Hwy 1 South. [2]One of my favorite rides The ride was a bit windy but the sun was out and it was beautiful driving down the coastline. We stopped for lunch at Alice’s [3]a local biker hotspot in Woodside before heading back. Round trip, it was about 150 miles. 

Today was the first day I took the lead with the group. Normally, I stay to the rear as I don’t know all the routes that well yet. Anyway, I set a brisk pace w/o leaving anyone behind. The guys seemed to like the fact I was a little aggressive w/o being reckless.

On a side note, I sort of use the group rides to test how far along my skills have developed. I’m doing pretty good overall I think. I’m by no means an expert rider yet but I’m getting there.  And even though the accident in August was in no way my fault, I still found myself being overly timid on curves. That seems to have passed thankfully. It might of had something to do with the fact this particular route is very familiar to me. The strip from Hwy 1 off the coast along Hwy 84 is a motorcyclist’s dream come true. It has a little bit of everything; open runs, windy roads, and a variety of curves.

References

References
↑1 Safeway on Market
↑2 One of my favorite rides
↑3 a local biker hotspot in Woodside

Ride & Stuff

IMGP0949

The cliffs south of the city.  I always love taking shots like this. 

It was a beautiful day today so I decided to go for a ride. [1]I’ve been trying to remember to bring my camera more.  I had an awesome time.  It was sunny and warm and very little fog so a perfect day for it.  I had planned to ride with the group but as usual, I didn’t get up in time.  They like to ride early and you know me, I am so not a morning person.  I don’t mind though.  I enjoy exploring and don’t like feeling like I have to rush. 

IMGP0947

 

I always think of Mel Brooks’ High Anxiety when I look down like this. 

This pic was taken about 10 miles before Half Moon Bay.  I tried to geotag the pics but I couldn’t get a cell signal so far out.  I could manually do it but who has the time? lol  Anyway, I wanted to climb down but I had my riding boots on and they aren’t exactly conducive to climbing.  I didn’t think falling and breaking my neck would be a good way to end the day. lol  Click over if you wanna see more.

Continue reading Ride & Stuff

References

References
↑1 I’ve been trying to remember to bring my camera more.

Weekend “Stuff”

This past weekend was rather fun.  I went for a 150 mile ride two days in a row.  The first day I went solo and the 2nd day I rode with a friend from the sports bike group.  The 2nd day was the most fun as we drove down to Big Basin park.  The views were awesome and the windy roads even better!  There was a moment when we were taking a break where this very friendly guy came over to chat with us.  I first pegged him as gay…well until his wife sauntered over.  He was very friendly.  One might say too friendly for your average straight guy.  My friend and I both thought there might have been a ‘story’ there. lol  Anyway, the rides were awesome.  I’m loving the new bike more and more every day. I am kicking myself for waiting so long to upgrade.  As for the shoulder, it is healed up nicely.  I still have some numbness around the wound from nerve damage but it is better every week. 

Friday night I also had dinner with Adam & Brad.  I hadn’t seen them in ages and it was nice to catch up.  They seem very acclimated to life in the big city now. heehee  Brad is looking rather hot as he has been hitting the gym pretty hard.

*

I finished Gears of War on the first 2 difficulty settings. The hardcore mode is proving rather difficult.  I can only imagine what “insane” mode is going to be like. lol  The online mode for this one is way ahead of the previous version.  I have to admit the game has consumed a lot of my free time as of late. 

*

TFA was in town this past week as well.  We had an awesome time, as usual.  He gave me the nicest compliment w/o even realizing it.  While I was undressing (get your mind out of my gutter), he casually mentioned, “someone’s been working out“.  It was so unrehearsed and off-the-cuff I knew he meant it vs just trying to flatter me. hehehe  So…he got it extra hard just for that, twice! 

Ride Baby Ride!

Mine is the blue/white one very left edge with the helmet sitting on it.

Today was my first big ride since the accident.  It was also my first ride with the group.  The guys made me feel welcome and we had an awesome ride. 

I was a little leery as I’ve never ridden in a group before but it was cool.  Everyone got along great and the day could not have been more beautiful.  I actually remembered to take my camera but like a dolt I forgot to put the memory card back in.  I could only snap 3 pics before the cameras internal memory was full. [1]Thank god I’m pretty right?

Apparently, the turnout was more than expected.  About 20 guys showed up this morning.  We ended up splitting into two groups.  My group wanted to do some windy roads and the other wanted speed.  Turns out the other group had a little mishap.  One of the riders slipt and fell and broke his leg.  Not too bad from what I’ve heard but OUCH! 

This was also one of the longer rides I’ve been on.  We drove just over 200 miles round trip. On my old GS500 my arms, ass, and legs would have been jello by the end.  The Gixxr was great.  It performed beautifully and I got a really good feel for the bike’s capabilities.  My wrists and back are a little sore but otherwise I’m good.  My shoulder didn’t bother me one bit. 

Now, I’m home safe and pondering my dinner choices.  Chicken, sushi, or pizza?

References

References
↑1 Thank god I’m pretty right?

Pick Me

Since my poll thingy isn’t working I thought I’d post a quick question.

What should I nickname the new bike? The beast or booboo?

*

Speaking of, I got the new bike today! Gawd! It is so hot. I kept thinking of the Men in Black movie, “old and busted..new hotness…old and busted…new hotness“. lolol Seeing it all buffed, cleaned and all sparkly, I think I dropped an egg right there in the dealership! hehehe

I do have a confession to make. I drove the bike home. I know what you are gonna say but hold on. I had every intention of letting my buddy drive it for me. That was until his truck got stolen last night. Since he was w/o a vehicle he rode his bike over [1]he has a new shiny black Yamaha R6 to the dealership. He is pretty much the only friend I had available who rides so my choices were limited. Because of limitations with the dealer holding property, I couldn’t wait. My buddy and I bantered about leaving his bike and coming back, blah blah blah. He followed me home on his bike and everything went fine.

The truth is I felt good enough to drive it the two short miles home so I did. I’d already tested myself at home a bit to see how the pressure would impact me. I was surprised how much it didn’t. Just leaning on the bike didn’t bother me at all. As long as I don’t put any torque on the shoulder, it seems to be doing remarkably well. That said, I could feel how sensitive it was and I didn’t push it. I drove straight home and put the bike away. I plan to give myself another good week before I try again. The bike is home safe in my garage now.

Ok, scold away. I know you want to. . .but don’t forget to vote first!

References

References
↑1 he has a new shiny black Yamaha R6

It’s Official!

I’m the proud owner of a GSX-R750! [1]I’m also another 10g’s in debt. lol   I finished the loan and purchase paperwork yesterday.  Now, I just need to get the bike home.  Luckily, my buddy kristaki has generously agreed to help me (He rides too).  He is gonna come by Friday on my off day.  It will be at least a couple more weeks before I’m fit enough to drive again. 

As excited as I am, my priorities are in order.  I have no interest in getting hurt again from hopping back in the saddle too quickly, so to speak.  I’ll bide my time till I know I can ride.  I appreciate the worry and concern from everyone. 

*

Speaking of healing, I survived my first round of rehabilitation yesterday.  It was grueling but they seemed surprised at my range of motion.  I’ll be honest, I had to come home and take a vicodin afterwards.  They mostly just pushed and pulled my arm in different directions.  I had planned to take a nap but I was so amped up about the bike I couldn’t sleep.  By the end of the day, I was doing ok again.  I am a still sore today though. 

References

References
↑1 I’m also another 10g’s in debt. lol

Good Spirits

scar

It’s been a good couple of days.  Friday morning I woke up in a funk and was a bit down.  Nothing really wrong per se.  I think the being cooped up was getting to me.  Anyway, Friday afternoon my buddy Frank totally surprised me by showing up at my door unannounced.  It was just what the doctor ordered.  I couldn’t have been more delighted and it immediately put me in a better mood.  We hung out, caught up over sushi and spent the evening watching Tivo and movies. [1]He is a big fan of Jon Stewart too! 

Today, we had breakfast (and lunch) with Adam.  Afterwards, I hobbled over to Adam’s place with the group and we played MarioKart and Soul Caliber IV.  It was so nice to feel like my old self again and just enjoy hanging out.  I think it was just what the doctor ordered! 

Afterwards, Frank tagged along to help me shop for a new bike.  I’ve forged a strong relationship with a dealer here in the city.  The same guys I bought my scooter and my last bike from.  They happened to have 2 bikes I was interested in, a Yamaha R6 and a Suzuki GSXR.  I was originally leaning toward the R6 only because they told me the GSXR was red.  I do not care for red at all for a vehicle color.

Well, I got there and they had a surprised for me.  They had 2 GSXR’s.  One red and one blue!  I think I pee’d a little I was so excited.  Needless to say, I chose the Blue GSXR750.  Wahoooo!

GSXR750

Here is a pic of the exact bike.  Did you touch yourself yet?  I know I did.  I finish the paperwork this week and should be able to bring it home by Friday.  Keep your fingers crossed all goes according to plan! 

References

References
↑1 He is a big fan of Jon Stewart too!

As The World Turns…

Life is slowly returning to normal (normal as can be expected considering).  My shoulder is a mild discomfort for the most part.  That is, as long as I don’t try to lift it over my head or stretch it too much.

I’m scheduled to go back to work this Sunday on modified duty.  For clarity, I’m not rushing it.  I’m more than able to type consistently again.  Work is more than aware I am not 100% and has agreed to alter my schedule to accommodate me.  For the most part, I’ll be on channel which requires significantly less typing.  Of course, lots of Union drama has been going on since I left.  Plenty of work in that regard waiting on me.  But again, that involves my brain not my shoulder. lol

*

I got a little good news today.  The insurance company is gonna give me $3800.00 for my old bike.  I was surprised as that is slightly more than the blue book value.  Apparently, they take the selling price of the same bike from dealers in the area and then average it out.  I guess that puts the rate on my side as dealers always try to get as much as they can.  I still owe about $1100 on the old bike.  Minus that plus the deductible, fees, etc and I’m left with a little over $2000.  That is a nice down payment for a new bike. 

I’m going tomorrow to look at a R6 and and GSXR.  I know for some of you this is all greek. lol  I’m leaning toward the R6 only because it is the color I want.  My old bike was only 500ccs  The R6 is 600 and the GSXR is 750.  I actually wanted a CBR but the only two I’ve found that I like aren’t the color I like and have too many miles on’em.  There aren’t that many motorcycle dealers in SF so my options are a little limited. 

The best news of all.  I called around today and got a great rate from my credit union.  I’m already pre-approved which gives me a little bargaining power when I show up.    Wish me luck!