New Bike

Just got back from the local dealer. Walked out of there a whole lot poorer.
I go back in an hour to pick up my new ST13000/ABS. Guess I'll have to sell

So how are you going to address the weaving at speed Jeff? I know two plod
riders, plus a non plod rider of the 1300's and all three rode the 1100's
previously. ALL of them have experienced the instability at around 90mph
(and I have on the test ride I had) and all of them would go back to the
1100 in a heartbeat.

Hmmm. First I've heard of it. Tires? Suspension settings? I don't really go
90 very much but I have4 been known to do so, and higher still, on occasion.
Thatks for the tip. I'll check it out.

Had no problems on the way home. Playing with the electric windscreen all
the way. ;-)

You spend a lot of time at 90 ?

Not if I can help it. I tend to fall asleep too easily these days,
particularly when I'm crawling along.

I REALLY hope you enjoy your Pan, but take care if you're a "robust" rider.

Hmmmm, I talked to my friend Fernando at Hollywood Honda, yesterday. He
agrees with you about the ST1300's instability at high speeds.

I must tell you, The BMW, R1150RT I ride has NO instability at 120MPH, or
any other speed for that matter.

The Harley, OTOH........

Better check that out with Turby. He has an ST1100 and an ST1300.

I've heard about the instability, but I spend enough time at (cough
cough)illegal(haack) speeds and I don't notice it on the 1300. I have
a bunch of other complaints about the bike, though.

Well, he can chime right in at any time. ;-)

If I weren't such a lazy procrastinator, we might have made a trade.
I'm thinking of selling the 1300. The big VStrom is a candidate to
replace it.

ah well.

If you want a bike that6 is very capable on the street and can go off-road
when needed, the Strom may be for you. It's a very well sorted out
motorcycle. Fast, functional, and a dman good buy.

You wont be going wrong if you do get one. I'd keep this one if I could
afford two bikes. Make that: Two bike "payments". ;-)

the V-Strom.

The Wife (yes, capitalized) is in France and won't be back until the 30th.

She will never leave you unattended again.

:-)

We've been married 22 years. That is a standing joke around here. I'm a
terrible man.

Or she'll just leave you.

Say, what are you going to buy her in return? And was the trip to France

I get her, or let her get, whatever she wants. Mostly I don't make too much
fuss when she wants to do something like go to France with other members of
her church for 18 days. 2 years in a row and I've built up a lot of green
stamps. ;-)

And was the trip to

business or pleasure?

Pleasure and some hard work. She volunteers to go to a retreat for
missionaries in Lyon (around there anyway) and run the kitchen, making 3 a

The French import an American to run a kitchen? heh heh heh.

day for about 40 people. These missionaries come to the retreat to
decompress after doing there thing in Africa, South America, and Europe.
Some of them are coming from some pretty sticky situations, especially the
ones from Africa. Spreading their word in countries that do not like
Christians is not easy work. While I don't necessarily think what they do is
always the right thing, I have loads of respect for their faith.

Anyway, She'll be cross-eyed for a day or two and then want to know when
we're going on an overnighter. As I've said before, she's a keeper. ;-)

Church? Missionary? Well you could say the MC might bring you closer to your

Ow. Don't say that. ;-)

maker.

Heaven help me. ;-)

Try to ride a LOT in the next 10 days, just in case :-)

You'll be wanting your wife to call my wife. I had a perfectly good
2006 HD into which I dumped an ungodly amount of upgrades last fall,
and she went and bought me a 2007 Ducati S4Rs for
Xmas/Bday/Anniversary. She'll explain to your wife how all this is
quite necessary!

That's an idea. Of course, they could just gang up on us and blow both of us
into the weeds, take the bikes and get shiney new men to ride them....

Nahhh... ;-)

Don't be givin' them wimmen any BRIGHT ideas!

I've met Tim's wife and she's quite the looker too!
She bought you that S4R...You're a lucky guy!

I am, very lucky and blessed.

Are you going to the GP again this year? I am not going to make it but
do have a hotel reserved for a cheap rate...do you need it?

Thanks, but I'm not going this year. The owner of the Spec Miata race
team that my son works on has invited me to go with them to the F1 race
at Indy, and that's going to be as far west as I get (race-wise) this
year.... I think. (Hopefully we won't have a repeat of last year's
travesty at Indy!)

You *could* tell her it followed you home and you want to keep it.

Might work. She's always taking in strays. Hell, she took me in. :-0

THAT'S THE TICKET !!!!!

PAINT A KITTEN ON IT !!!!!!

LOL :-)

Tell her you ALSO got her something that will go from 0-160 in under 2
seconds. When her eyes light up, pull out a set of bathroom scales.

OH.... no....no... no.... don't do that ...... very bad idea
..... no, don't do that right now ........ nope. Skip that one for
sure.

I really wouldn't bother telling her. If she notices that it is a
different color, just say, "oh that, yeah, it's a different bike, the

You got that right. Shhhhhhhh!

other one wasn't working for me and I bought this one."

simple really.

Better to say "I got this one", than "I bought this one". I've found that
vagueness is a key to success.

Thumper