What did you do with your bike today?

Nothing yet today. Might take the passenger back rest off. Still only on my first pot of coffee.:smiley_drinkcoffee:

Yesterday I went out on the Capital Beltway (I 495) for the first real trip on the open highway. I did an AM commute once before but it's only 2 exits and in twilight rush hour nobody is going very fast. This time was low/med traffic and all 65 miles at highway speed. I'm still a new rider, so these are probably "well no shirt" things but...

I noticed that people try to cut me off/change lanes in to me much less since I started wearing the high viz jacket instead of the leather one. I could get used to this.

Also noticed was that my bike seemed to get uncomfortable just over 70mph, like it was vibrating and the engine was straining harder than it really wanted to. I could go all day on the back roads at 60! Maybe I was gripping too hard and/or need more comfy grips (these are pretty old and thin). Maybe it was the wind buffeting my bobble head around quite a bit in unpredictable places after ramps and bridges but not always open area where I expected cross wind.

I noticed every vehicle has a wake/turbulence. Every single one. The big rig was actually kind of fun to pass as I anticipated the wake and rode around/with it. Other cars, even small/low ones like the Miata gave me a noticeable small push.

Throttle hand cramped up a bit, and I've seen things called "cramp buster" paddles advertised - has anyone used them? I don't want cruise control or anything to stick/wedge the throttle in place (I don't even like using the car's).

This is what I posted on another forum about my Saturday morning break-in ride on the new Suzuki DL650 V-Strom:


I rode the bike for 180 miles this morning, through Mark Twain National Forest, Rolling River State Park and Table Rock Lake recreational area in Shell Knob, Missouri, right above the Arkansas border and what a ride it was!

The bike performed perfectly and reminded me how nice a light and nimble bike can be in the curves as compared to an 800+ LB monster like my Triumph Rocket 3 Roadster, that I left in the garage this morning.

I rode predominately at 55 to 60 mph, with a few miles of 70 mph thrown in and when I filled up, I was happy to see 60+- MPG!!!

I was very comfortable and liked the ergonomics and riders triangle. The seat was comfortable too. The wind screen in the center position was great, with the air flowing over the top of my helmet. The handling was fantastic and all I had to do was think to change directions as I entered into or exited a curve. The suspension was very nice and soft and soaked up some areas of local roads that I avoid on other bikes.

I love the little V-twin engine! I wear ear plugs and wear a full face helmet and when at a stop, I had to rev the engine to tell if it was even running! I really like the smoothness and torque that makes the riding fun.

The transmission is typical Suzuki: Precise, quiet and requires very little travel to select gears.

Upcoming accessories will be a Fenda Extenda, Skid plate and some larger foam grips.

I have lots of bags and travel cases to tie on the luggage rack to carry stuff.

So far I am a Happy Camper

Sam

Saturday was rainy so I spent a lot of the day home, getting some work done on my Vision, mostly cleaning and polishing, the previous owner apparently was a rider, not a cleaner, I'm slowly getting all the dirty parts cleaned for perhaps the first time since 2008!

I wanted to get full access to get the dirt and corrosion off the aluminum wheels so I took the front fenders off, and found a crack in the rear half of my fender. This is a known Vision defect, and has a recent recall on it that was never done on my bike. I was already waiting for the recall parts to come into the dealer so they could add the fender brace that prevents this. I called them and told them to add a new fender to the order.. oh well, glad I found it before the fender fell off, it's dangerous when it happens. I did get the wheels very nice and clean but it took some doing, just polish didn't do a thing so I had to get heavy duty aluminum wheel cleaner and after going through that process to get off the corrosion came back with the Mother's polish and got them looking almost like new. Next project on that bike while I wait for the fender parts is taking a bunch of the fairing parts off so I can add my new bling, I bought a set of the optional lighted Victory badges for the sides of the bike but installing them is a lot more work than I anticipated according to the isntructions, I think it's easier to change the engine than the badges

We did get in some riding eventually, went out for dinner Saturday night and since the weather had turned nice we took the bikes, about 60 miles total on the Vstars.

To Dodsfall: they are definitely pelicans. I believe the specific species is called the American White Pelican. They don't dive like the brown pelicans that you might see on the Gulf of Atlantic coast do, they basically "herd" the fish as a group and then scoop them up and swallow them whole. I guess the fish coming over the dam are stunned and thus easier to catch. I have seen flocks of pelicans at this spot in the river pretty often, but certainly not routinely. The little park on the west side of the river is a nice spot to stop to watch the birds.

For any local riders reading this thread, maybe you could share the roads you like for short local rides. The Highway 2 ride on the Rock River is about my favorite, but I also like to ride Beloit Road from Spring Creek just west of Highway 76 up to Highway 173 by Argyle. Just a few miles but at least there are some curves and elevation changes. So much of this area has just flat straight roads which are incredibly boring to ride.

When I want to spend a bit more time, one of my favorite rides is to head to New Glarus, WI and then continue north on State Highway 69, taking a left (west) on Highway 92 to Mt. Horeb. Then continue West out of Dane county and pick up County K to County H to County HH and County T. That whole area west of Madison has some great roads that make you feel you are not even in Wisconsin. Maybe continue north on 23 to Spring Green and Romeoville (I think) since that area also has great roads. But coming from Rockford these rides really need a full day to do.

I often wish I could relocate to some parts of the country where virtually all the local roads are great for motorcycling, like around Asheville, NC or in southeastern Ohio, as examples. But for now I'm stuck in Illinois.

When I headed out to work this morning, it was a cold and gray day.
By the time I was headed home this afternoon, boy had things changed!!
The temperature was up to 65 and we had big puffy clouds in a clear blue sky!
What an afternoon for a ride!!
So about 4:30 pm, I headed out on a "ride to nowhere". I had no destination in mind and wasn't even sure of where I was headed.
I have always liked the out-of-the-way back roads that meander through the countryside. And I know a lot of them in my neck of the woods. But today I managed to find some that even I had never ridden before. Beautiful country roads that wandered past farms and estates, and best of all, had LOTS of twists and turns and ups and downs!
I ended up putting on 78 miles and arrived back home just before 7 pm.
It was a MOST EXCELLENT ride!
....and tomorrow it's going to rain again. (sigh)

Funny postscript:
When I headed out, I stopped by a friend's house to see if he wanted to join me. But he and his bike were gone. Oh well.....
When I got home, my wife said that HE had stopped by MY house to see if I wanted to join HIM! LOL!!!
....missed opportunities....