Maybe the last ride this year...

[glwilson]

Okay OP; I'll have as many as you'll allow me to have and or as many as you'll have!!

The weather here is supposed to be very nice the next 4 days. 60s for highs. I hope I can get at least one decent ride in.

[phenrichs]

Originally Posted by glwilson

Okay OP; I'll have as many as you'll allow me to have and or as many as you'll have!!

I'll make you a deal. I had surgery a couple years ago and I can't drink anymore. How about I bring the Jimmy Beam and you drink for both of us.
Ok I admit I can drink but only two or three before I start to feel sick. Damn I miss bourbon, and scotch.

[glwilson]

Cheers OP!

Meanstreak; hope you get to ride. Tomorrow is going to be perfect; however I have to work. The weekend is starting to look a bit "iffy" around here -- thus my last ride may end up being my last ride. (I am sure you know what I mean.)

[abbo]

Evening all- Rode about 40 miles late this afternoon to see my granddaughters. Beautiful weather- 68 and little wind. Sounds like fog and drizzle coming in for tomorrow morning. I am not putting mine away until snow is on the ground. Have a great weekend no matter what you do. ;)

[lonewolf]

dang it ! darn it ! put my bike away wed. now they are talkin 60's thru the weekend! hate to bring it back out, just put new oil in it. ok! need an opinion! have been told not to leave old oil in bike over winter ! fact or fiction?

[glwilson]

Don't know one way or the other regarding old oil. The oil I have in my bike has around 800 miles on it and I plan on leaving it in the bike. It still looks good through the oil-view; thus I am not going to worry about it.

I suppose if the oil looks dirty/dark in the viewer you should change it as the deposits, grim, and grit will just lay in the engine over the winter -- not likely a good thing.

Yesterday it was around 71 degrees. I took my small bike out for a quick 30-minute cruise to the store; but that was about it. Today was overcast and in the mid-50's thus didn't go out. I might still for one last time tomorrow if the weather is nice enough.

In either case; I will clean the bikes; and finish winterizing them. I'll finish organizing the garage and then put them away for another 5-6 months.

I may do some snowmobiling this winter if we have as much snow as we did last year. A friend of mine bought a couple new ones and is itching to get out on them -- thus I must oblige if he asks!!

I can't believe the weather we have had. 70s the past 5 days.I did ride Friday and Saturday. Today is supposed to be 70s again,hopefully I'll get out for at least a short ride.
Tomorrow morning there is a Patriot Guard Mission in town I'm planning on attending.After that the weather is supposed to be more seasonal, high 40s to low 50s, for a while. I can live with that.I am not looking forward to real winter weather.

[phenrichs]

Originally Posted by lonewolf

dang it ! darn it ! put my bike away wed. now they are talkin 60's thru the weekend! hate to bring it back out, just put new oil in it. ok! need an opinion! have been told not to leave old oil in bike over winter ! fact or fiction?

I have gone both ways and in my opinion leaving the old oil in the bike over the winter is ok ONLY if you change it right away in the spring. As a general rule I never turn the engine over until I have changed the oil in the spring. I figure over the winter all the old oil should be either in the pan or the filter by spring.
Just my opinion. I also use Stabil in the tank so I made another personal rule to change the plugs after I burn off that first tank in the spring. I know they say that stuff won't hurt the plugs but I have seen reduced performance in the spring. Might have been bad gas when I put it away but I don't chance it.

[phenrichs]

Yeah 60's and 70's for five days straight and tomorrow the weather is supposed to turn to complete sh*t for the rest of the week. They are talking about "sizeable amounts of heavy, wet snow". That is the exact phrase they used this morning. :(

[glwilson]

Yeah; only one. But, I have to tell you. I bought this container that is an insultated "mug" that holds about 1/2 of a 5th of bourbon and two cans of seven-up along with some ice. You can sip off of it for the entire evening without the ice melting.

Best of all is that you can honestly say... that you only had one drink!!

[glwilson]

PS: hope some of you guys were able to ride this past weekend and or yesterday or today. The weather in Northern Illinois was in the low 70's and absolutely great for riding.

I rode three times (all short rides) this weekend. Likely though it is all over as we are supposed to be in the low 40's from here on out.

[ponch]

Yeah, I did earlier in the week, but the weather got crappy fast enough, which fit my mood well enough. No matter. Everything is temporary.

[glwilson]

Well, definitely took my last ride today. November 9th, 2008

I cleaned out the garage; put up new "heavy-duty" shelving to re-organize my "junk"; and made room for the bikes for the winter.

Before pulling the bikes in for the winter I rode the Nomad around the neighborhood a bit. The temp was in the low 30's; thus didn't go too far; before pulling it in for the last time this year.

I hate winter!! However; as mentioned before; I will be out on a snowmobile if there is enough snow. Snowmobiling is a good way to get your "kicks" while waiting for spring to come around again.

I think I will try to go out west or south and ride this winter if at all possible. Unfortunately, I will have to rent a bike -- likely an HD since I cannot seem to find a Kawa dealer that rents.

[phenrichs]

GL I am jealous. I bought a cargo trailer for the Rally next year and have some mods to do over the winter to get it ready. I tried and tried to make room for the bike, tailer, and snowblower but just couldn't make it work. Had to put the bike in the shed. I guess the bike mods will have to wait till spring. Fortunately I have a HUGE snowblower so I can always make a path to the shed.