WOW!

[mikedbike2002]

About a 2 months ago I was leading a Breakfast
ride. There were 2 guys behind me. Those 2 were crossing the dBl yellow & pushing to stay up with me.. Cop on a Beamer stopped us on Little T. My back was acting up that day & just getting off my bike was a hassle, made me look old & tired. The cop was surprised to find a 75 year old under the helmet! Cop was the nicest I've ever been stopped by!! He said he'd clocked us at 85 but wrote up at 61mph. I was cordial & joked around with him. By the time he left he knew my family & ridding history. He issued 3 tickets. But at the end he pulled me aside & in a round about way let me know it wouldn't cost me any points or $. Said plead not guilty & go to court The jist of it was he wouldn't show up in court, Case closed! I kept waiting for notice from the court & it never showed up but the other 2 guys got them. Waited a while & went on line to the court and no record of the ticket. Also did a phone in & no record. Waited a week & did it again. He never turned it in. Whew!! Boy did I luck out! I even shook the guys hand as we parted.

[Tetge]

Are you a magnet for cops on Beamers? But, good news about the citation. I guess that sort of balances out the time that you got the only citation and 13 others got none. So, there is some justice after all as I thought that you got a raw deal on that first citation.

That said, if you announce, by posting on this forum as some do not have access to Face Book, another breakfast ride, now that the weather is getting nice, I will ride way back behind you fast guys, carefully observing all traffic laws and just try to enjoy the nice road. It sounds as if he got you before you crossed that bridge and headed up the hill since the initial run to that point from the 7-11 is the most likely spot that anyone would run 81 mph, or even faster. Once on the climb, it is unlikely that you would hit those kinds of speeds as there are few places where it would be possible and not too many hiding places around those spots.

I attached a pic (details on the Ducati Scrambler thread) of the new bike I picked up last Saturday to your post just so you could see it. I got it as I wanted more cubes so I could cruise at the legal limit without straining. But, with the way that max enforcement appears to be going on, I am riding really carefully. I also only have put 80 miles on it thus far as my stiff and sore old 70+ year old body needs time to adjust to a new riding position.

[mikedbike2002]

Cool looking bike! I haven't ridden for 5 weeks due to lower back problems. It may be longer till I can ride! $&%&*(*()* !! I am seeing a spine specialist person (doctor) next Thursday as my GP gave up!

[Tetge]

Cool looking bike! I haven't ridden for 5 weeks due to lower back problems. It may be longer till I can ride! $&%&*(*()* !! I am seeing a spine specialist person (doctor) next Thursday as my GP gave up!

Hopefully your back will improve. I understand about the back since mine has gone out now and then and it is crippling. And I initially hurt it crashing a motorcycle in the dirt many years ago. But, it seems that the back never really fully recovers. In fact, the new KTM was making my back ache a bit so I have laid off riding it for a few days as I am finally learning, based upon prior experiences, to pay better attention to various aches and pains as I get older. Better to miss some event than to screw up your back or worsen some other injury by pushing things.

[mikedbike2002]

My lower back has been screwed for 30 years. Once or twice a year it would spasm & I would be laid up for 3 to 5 days. Other then that is was fine. This time it went out I could barely move for 2 weeks & the last 3 weeks I can drive & stuff but no motorcycle, walking, sitting in a chair, & must use a electric scooter at grocery store or Wal Mart! Problem with L4 & L5! Anyway seeing a spine guy next Thursday.

[Brakelate]

Anyone got a cool $20k laying around to donate to the "Brakelate Breakfast Ride Fund?" Seems I am going to need a full on KTM1290 Duke R just to get to the patio first, so I can gobble my Chicken Fried Gravy in the shade!

[mikedbike2002]

Don't worry I'll still be on my DRZ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tetge]

Don't worry I'll still be on my DRZ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let's hope that you are on your DR-Z as that would be good news.

And, actually, all that Brakelate really needs to do is do the safe engine mods on his DR-Z (sort of copy your set up) and gear it up as tall as possible, and get a replacement for the stock seat, and he would be ready to ride to California. A lot cheaper than a new bike.

[Brakelate]

I have (and plan to forever keep my DRZ-SM). To accommodate the type of riding I do out here, on long, flat hot/cold windy long stretches without any real corners other than well planned gentle bends in the road, designed to prevent all those big rigs and rental RVs from tipping too much I suppose, I have been tinkering on 'mods'. But they are to adapt to my new environment, without taking anything away from it's kart track or SoCal canyon road performance while adding a touch more comfort and utility.

I've already added the big "Mike" Pelican Case on the new tail rack. I keep debating the idea of shaving and modding a small tinted windscreen left over from my old VStrom to mount to the front numberplate, potentially saving me some wind buffeting and encounters with big bugs and rain drops.

The only "REAL" mod I have been sitting on for a couple years now, is the proper tuning of the suspension. The left front fork tube has started to seep, so that is a good excuse to have other things done while the components are shipped to the Supermoto tuning Guru down South. I have that beautiful Ohlins fully adjustable rear shock still in the box just begging to be set up properly and installed. So, at some point, I may remove the fork tubes and ship them both along with the fancy new shock back to the Suspension God and have them all "freshened up, with new fluids, seals and re-sprung for my intended use and full-up weight. That would be pretty tricky, as the stock suspension tuned for a 130# rider have been soft and under dampened from day one. Oddly, I have come to enjoy the plush ride, and actually am comfortable using it's excessive weight transfer and compression to my advantage on both track and over those frost-heaved, nasty "goatee" roads we end up on way back up in the sticks. I fear a big change from a high dollar, high effort swap out might actually turn it from a completely predictable "old friend" in to a stiff, overly-racy and uncomfortable ride. Even if it prevents the hard parts from dragging and provides a little feedback from both road and machine, I do not want to risk taking a "step backwards" as I really have grown to accommodate, anticipate and actually enjoy it's current ride quality and characteristics.

As far as a new bike. Who knows. IF I had the cash, not sure I would go for a big Adventure Toury bike, a SPORT-touring bike with all the bells and whistles, or just plan on trucking out to far flung rides and then offloading a big nasty Busa, 14, or even more exotic and expensive toy such as the big Duke R then add soft bags, a "touring" screen, plush saddle, bar risers and lowered pegs. But then, why do all that, when a Connie 14 or the local New, Old Stock VFR1200f would do MOST of what I need, in comfort, and at a fraction of the cost. For now, I will continue to attempt to roll on some miles on the DRZ-SM. It logged less than 1k miles last year alone, and those, all acquired basically in one weekend- the CA Vintage Ride weekends that run back to back.

But, with Norton John on a big KTM Supermoto conversion now, and Tetge packing a serious mechanical advantage as well, I am not sure how the DRZ would fare. Perhaps I could really push and stay out front. But, stationary or over conversation, I would clearly be sitting deep in 3rd place.

And you know how well I cope with such feelings.

[mikedbike2002]

I will be coming into a few bucks soon & will either buy a Honda CRF150BW & convert to SM for track only or a Honda Grom ! Leaning toward the Grom! Wadda ya tink of dat?