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Archive for the 'Vehicles' Category

45,306 Miles - Lake Nacimiento and back

Monday, November 26th, 2007

Kevict and I rode to Lake Nacimiento where we met the very smart wives, who drove there in a warm car. We camped. We came back. Full write-up to come.
Rough overview: It was freezing, it was fun, and part way there, the GS got sleepy and needed a bit of a […]

44,134 Miles - Two-up to the coast!

Monday, September 17th, 2007

The Incredibly Understanding Wife (IUW) is more “I” than ever before! Well, okay, she isn’t more incredibly. That makes no sense. She is more incrediBLE.
Why, you ask? (Do it, ask.)
Because she got on the back of the GS, and let me pilot her from La Honda out to the coast, down […]

44,078 Miles - Backroad business

Monday, September 10th, 2007

With Kevict’s new-to-him 1988 KLR 650 and my new R1150GS both screaming out to see some dirt, Kevict and I set out in the coastal mountians near my house in search of some unpaved pathways.
Seems that Gazo’s creek road turns dirty and leads to a secondary entrace to Butano state park. Nothing too challenging, […]

2001 BMW R1150GS

Wednesday, September 5th, 2007

2001 BMW R1150GS - 43,000 miles, 43,000 pounds, 43,000 times more fun than sportbikes
As I tend to do, I have recently become preoccupied by the idea of a new BMW. This time however, the manifestation of my longing has only two wheels instead of four. I don’t know how it happened, […]

1956 miles - Track day at Thunderhill

Friday, August 10th, 2007

After 8 track days this year with Speed Research, and I have learned a ton. Primary amongst those lessons is, “Don’t open the throttle all the way when you are still fully leaned over.” My scratched fairing, broken shift lever, and scuffed leathers will remind me of that learning experience for some time.
Another […]

GSX-r 600 fork swap riding impressions

Thursday, May 17th, 2007

After swapping the stock fork from my 2006 SV1000s for a 2005 GSX-R 600 unit, I took the bike to the track and had it professionally set up by a track-side suspension expert. The spring rate and oil weight (described in the swap article linked above) were spot-on, and the shorter overall length of the […]

My $900 car is for sale again

Thursday, March 1st, 2007

Apparently it hasn’t yet rusted through… Awesome!
But, the guy wants 2700 bucks for it.
I am almost tempted to buy it back. Oh wait, wait, no I’m not. Unless he will take 900 dollars, which is what I paid for it…

Fork Off!

Thursday, February 22nd, 2007

2005 GSX-R 600 fork and caliper swap onto 2006 SV1000s
Installing an upside down fork and radial calipers on a 2006 SV1000s is something many owners are interested in doing. Having just completed this swap myself, I can say with complete assurance that the actual work is quite simple, providing you start with the correct […]

107,106 miles - Brakes, wheel bearings, tires…

Thursday, February 22nd, 2007

Worked on the car with Dad, Kevict, Jonathan, Ramon and Pat-the-torquer.
Just a quick update for posterity:
Brakes:

Replaced front and rear rotors with Zimmerman (non-drilled) items
Rebuilt front and rear calipers, and removed all traces of once-red paint
Replaced PBR Deluxe pads with PBR Ultimates
Bled brakes and replaced fluid with ATE Typ 200
Replaced rotor and caliper bolts
Replaced […]

106,826 miles - Holy crap, it’s mine!

Sunday, January 21st, 2007

After longing for an M Coupe for nearly ten years, one finally followed me home. I am so excited I can hardly contain my enthusiasm. Even mundane activities, like filling up with gas, or checking the tire pressures, seem exciting with this car. I really am that big a dork.
So far, the […]