Caught in the rain

It finally happened. I knew it would, it was just a matter of time. I went out to pick up a few things at the grocery store and when I got out, a downpour was occurring. I waited a little, hoping the rain would stop and it didn't. I waited a little longer and it seemed to let up. So, I made my way home. It was a short distance, but the road didn't drain well and there were deep puddles everywhere. I tried to stay on the high road and was mostly successful. This incident makes it even more imperative that rain gear is obtained. As I proceeded home, the rain worsened. Hail might have even been involved; it was hard to tell as the velocity was high. Lightning was striking in the distance and the wind was increasing rapidly. These symptoms sometimes suggest tornado. This didn't occur today, thankfully, but the threat made the bike go faster. Arriving at home, soaking wet, but safe, was a good sight. The rain gear hasn't been decide upon, yet. Stay tuned...

Addition to the bike

The F650 got a top case. I paid a little too much for it, but it's a big case; it'll hold 2 helmets and some small stuff. I still need side cases, but I will wait 'till a good deal comes along. It is a Givi case that fits onto the Givi rack, mounted on my bike. It fits well, even on the rough roads it stays on tight. I got lucky as the case colors match the bike, silver and black.

Another Quabbin Ride

I met my friend George in Framingham at 8 in the morning. Actually I was a little early and so was he. We stopped in Shrewsbury to fill up the gas tanks then off we rode. We stopped at the end of the Worcester Airport runway in Leicester for a short break. Then it was out towards New Salem, where we had a quick breakfast. We stopped along the way to take in the view, from a nice quiet spot on the hill. We saw many police cars in speed traps along the way, many more than usual. It was because of the bicycle race. We got lucky and choose the correct way, because the race was going the other way. We would've been caught behind them and spent the next two or three hours just putting along. All in all, it was a very enjoyable ride; the weather was great! One hundred and fifty miles went by rather quickly. Get out there and enjoy riding season while you can!

Mid April Saturday Ride

I went to ride out with my motorcycle club, the Yankee Beemers, on their first ride of the season, the Gould's Sugar House. The weather report said a good chance of rain and cool. I don't mind the cool, but the rain didn't thrill me. I started out from my house at 14,082 on my bike's odometer and made it almost to the Worcester Airport end of the runway (a place I like to stop for a break) before it started clouding over. I didn't want to get caught in the rain because I didn't have any rain gear and my tires have just a few too many miles on them for me to feel comfortable riding on wet roads, When the clouds got heavy, I decided that it would be in my best interest to start back home. I made it back before the rain started; there will be more weekends and more nice days. For now, I'll keep it closer to home.

Early season Sunday ride

Took a short ride today. Stayed local, but I put about 70 miles on the clock. Nothing special; I just want to burn up the old gas. It was chilly, but bearable. The wind was quite hardy, gusting to 35 mph. All things considered, it was nice to get out on the bike again.

First ride of the year

I finally got my bike out of the cellar. Had a nice day and I took advantage of it. I rode out to a few friends houses, then rode out to my dad's house but he wasn't home (probably at the airport), then I had a nice quite ride down roads with little or no traffic, over the back roads, to my house. Overall, I just did a short ride, about 80-90 miles. It was a great day and I had a great ride. It's a nice way to start off the riding season!
The F650GS ran well; it started right up. After starting the first time in five months, it died. I turned the key off, waited about 10 seconds, then started it again. It didn't need starting again until I was ready to leave my friend's house, and it fired right up and took off. I'm very happy with my acquisition of this motorcycle.

End of the Season

It was a sad weekend. The F650 finally made it to the basement storage area. That means the riding is done for the year. The roads have been getting icy and the salt has hit the streets. I don't like the resulting corrosion from riding in very hazardous conditions, so the bike stays in hibernation until the stuff goes away. To recap the year, I got the bike near the end of May and rode it into November. I put about 6k-7k on it commuting to work and weekend rides. I had the 12k service done and replaced the sprockets and chain. I had some great fun riding around Massachusetts as I only had a permit, not a license for most of the summer.
See you next year!