Winter is here....

[kawasaki.addict]

23k miles on a tire!! What is that tire michellen commanders? i think i am buying those when i finally break down to buy a mew set for my drifter

[Troll]

  I flipped a coin...3 out of 5, to see if I start the needed, but not welcome, winter maintenance on the Drifter. My garage is unheated, and some would say, also unlighted. I started the task today because its 1) 41 deg. and 2) they are predicting snow and temps in the teens to low 20s for the rest of the week, into next week. I have to get this stuff done, since I can't put the bike in the house......unlike some people. The W is still up and ready to ride, just in case the weather turns decent....The shot of the rear tire...a little explanation: I put these tires on in August of 2012....While the tread is not nearly as smooth as it was, there is still 3/32 of tread (1/32 above the wear bars) on the tire....after 23,756 miles. Needless to say, I'm replacing the tire with another one JUST LIKE IT!!!!

[kawasaki.addict]

Wow ratman those dont sound like friends.... so maybe your better off. I had a 16ft yamaha exciter yet boat. Basically a jet skee with 5 seats. LOVED it fast fun fuel efficient an a nice quick way to go to catalina island when the weather was nice an waves calm. Me amd the father inlaw would ride out to the oil rigs in the bay an fish next to them great times. Troll i agree having any vehicle rhat is not got a real purpose is a waist of time energy an money. We took my boat from long beach to fiesta island and sea world in sand diego great trip

[Troll]

IF I had a boat, I would have to use it to go down the Mississippi to New Orleans...most, if not all the boats around here go up and down the river, never getting farther away than a couple of miles...Fishing isn't my thing....and having any vehicle (a boat is a vehicle, after all) and not using it to travel goes against my grain....so no boat, no fishing, no problems!

[CDNRatMan]

  I scored the ultimate fishing boat, and while I had the boat I can not tell you the number of phone calls, people asking me to go fishing, I had more friends then you could count. A day on the lake and drifting with the wind and catching a nice muskie or pickerel (walleye)or even a slough shark (northern pike) I used to really enjoy it.
I woke up one day, guy called me asked me if I was planning on going fishing this weekend, said of course, he then said, how about I come along, said ok, he then asked me to pick him up, ok out of my way but ok. Get there he is ready and so is 2 boys his and a buddy's. As we are going he mentions they need bait, ok then they need to buy some food for them, ok.........dumb a$$ me asks were do you want to go, they mention a lake, about a good 2 hours north, ok, off we head. He is explaining how well he knows this lake, been there so many times he knows it intimately.
Well they were like being a guide again, they did nothing at the launch, anyway needless to say I am glad I use a handheld GPS, because he got so lost it was funny. I had a great day, I caught a couple of nice fish, but spent a lot of time untangling lines and snags.....it was about midnight by the time I got home and everything was done.
Dude had the nerve the next day to call me to go out again, I said I had chores to do like cut the grass and laundry, he got mad at me because I did not want to go fishing. Next summer I never moved the boat, no one called me, sold the boat, seems I sold all my old friends, no one calls me anymore, but I am not a driver / guide / fish cleaner / cook / life is so much easier.........

[kawasaki.addict]

Do you have a boat? I really enjoy boating wish i wasnt forced to sell my boat a few years ago.

[kawasaki.addict]

:-D i was just giving you a hard time

[CDNRatMan]

  Funny seems I am not complaining, I am used to this weather same with a boat, motorcycle, only used so long in a year, sled, ski's ice shack, only used so long then time to change......it is a normal cycle of life........

[kawasaki.addict]

On the other hand quit your bitchin my grandpa road his harley through blizzards lmao i love this old photo

[kawasaki.addict]

Wow ratman so you have a gorgeous bike that begs to be ridden an you are so cruel you make her live in an area where she can only play 5 months a year! Your a bad bad man lol

[Troll]

Talk about Winter?!  It's 24F in Maggie Valley now, and I'm pretty sure they got some of that snow the other day.  I heard the Tennessee side of the Smokies got 22 inches.

That would have made for an interesting Drift-in, to wake up to that!

Sounds more like a DRIFTED-IN!

[CDNRatMan]

     I can remember back when I had knees and was a bit younger and I had a really good time blading down the hills and racing the rush to get to the bottom of a run, I used to look for lots of fresh snow to go blading through and have fun doing it........now I tolerate it....

[DC]

Talk about Winter?!  It's 24F in Maggie Valley now, and I'm pretty sure they got some of that snow the other day.  I heard the Tennessee side of the Smokies got 22 inches.

That would have made for an interesting Drift-in, to wake up to that!

[Drift1]

Yea GB I can visit the O'L gal anytime I like , but it still not the same . You know I'm a believer in Santa .

Troll we have faith in you reaching your goal .

[CDNRatMan]

 If you continue to blame the Canadians I'll have to be against you on this one......sorry.......

[49Reo]

 :'(This is the first year my bikes will not hibernate in heated comfort. Going to have to put them in my trailer. No heat, but at least out of the weather. Any tips/suggestions from you folk on things needed to know on storing a Drifter in -40 temp? Besides checking anti-freeze strength? And pulling the battery, of course.

[49Reo]

We're rooting for ya!

[pcarrell]

Troll, you can do 89 miles standing on your head!

On second thought, there's probably a law against that!  You could still do 89 miles pretty easy though!

[Troll]

 Rode up to Centerville  (50 miles, round trip) for the Nov. ABATE meeting. Pretty good turn out, probably because the Packers aren't playing...3 other bikes beside mine. COLD...40's, but the sun was out. I'm just 89 miles short of my goal of 11,000 for the year on the Drifter....now if the Canadian weather will just hold off for a little longer

[greenbarn]

Sorry, D1, you won't have your baby under your own roof for the winter.  But at least she won't be all that far from you.  And, sounds like you have good visitation privileges 

Who knows, maybe (if you're a good boy) you'll get some mystery parts in the mail sometime over the winter to raise your spirits.  Maybe Santa will bring you something.....

[pcarrell]

 1. Nov With a coat, No Problem
2. Dec With the right gear, no problem
3. Jan perhaps / maybe, With the right gear
4. Feb perhaps / maybe, With the right gear
5. Mar With the right gear, no problem
6. Apr Might even get to ditch the coat for a ride
7. May Been riding for a while now

Been saying you need to move south!  You don't even have to go that far south.  I'm only in central Indiana!

[CDNRatMan]

I am soo sad for you to be without her for the next 4 months

the drugs do wear off

1. Nov
2. Dec
3. Jan
4. Feb
5. Mar
6. Apr   perhaps / maybe / not counting on it Easter might get to move the bike outside......
7. May  depends on the winter, but big hopes for about the 15th for riding

[kawasaki.addict]

I am soo sad for you to be without her for the next 4 months. But i am very happy for her that she gets to sleep.inside where its nice an cozy! As for here it hasn't rained it like 2 damn years!!!!!! I polished all my chrome waxed the bike and bam!!! Big ass rain storm on my home yesterday 20% chance they said F-U weather man!!! At least the ducks won their game great hockey season so far ! Glad you stayed safe with the dangerous driving conditions

[Drift1]

PC ... I was trying to ease  Ratman"s pain ... LOL .... I actually just added the heated grips to Ruby and man what a dummy I was not having heated grips yrs ago . They are the greatest thing since sliced bread .

Ratman my winter list is very short for MA-DEUCE . I need to have the seat rail fabricated to sit lower and nice and snug to the seat . I didn't even install it on the bike this year as I didn't like the way it looked , sitting up so high . After it's fabricated I'll drop it off to my buddy Jim to be powder coated . I REALLY would like to find a leather shop willing to take on a custom idea . I would like to add a cushion to the rail that looks like a clay more mine . The other fabrication is coming up with an easier way to put the sprung seat on .

[CDNRatMan]

  what mods is the fabricator doing for you?