First Ride 2019

My first ride today too!

It was especially rewarding because it was also the first ride on my Yamaha Super Tenere from the dealer. Took the long way home and only turned towards home when my hands were getting cold. It wasn't until I got the bike home in the garage and was playing with the menu that I realized the bike came with heated grips from the factory. Easy to miss because you have to use the menu/screen to turn them on. I didn't see any grip buttons when I picked it up and totally forgot the ES came with hand warmers.
Dealer is probably only ten miles from my house, but somehow it took me an just over an hour to get home :)

Very pleased so far. Fits me better than the Tiger, I haven't owned a bike for about a year and have only ridden my cousins KLR in the last year. I am now planning for Spearfish in June. Hope work doesn't get in the way like it did a couple times before.
 
Congratulations Kevin. I came close to buying one of those a couple years ago when I settled on the Tiger (mostly because of the weight). I hope I don't get blasted for saying this, both of them shamed the NT on power. Sure, the NT has enough power, but my son says "Power is good, more power is better, and too much is just right".

Will we see you and your now bike in Spearfish this year?
 
I am definitely planning on Spearfish this year. I don't foresee any work conflicts yet.

I don't have enough miles on the ST yet to make any real remarks, but so far it feels like combining the NT, DR650, and tiger into one bike. Maybe after I put more miles on it and get it out of the break in miles I will try to describe it better, but in my ride today I was picking out good qualities from those other bikes. It felt worth the wait.

It may just be me being out of practice, but the only thing I found a little bit of fault was the ride wire throttle. I never had any issue with triumph ride by wire. The triumph was very precise and instant like a cable, but easily controllable. The yamaha isn't "bad", i just need more practice with it. Luckily I have most of tomorrow to practice.
 
Congratulations on the new bike, Kevin! Jim Moore really likes his Super Tenere. It's not as tall as some of the adventure bikes, but it's too heavy for me!

If you want to, you're welcome to ride to Ft Morgan and spend the night here again and ride up to Spearfish with Ken Malone and I. We're hoping we'll be meeting Jim Moore in Crawford. It sounds like his eye might be improved enough that he'll be able to ride again before long.
 
Sounds like a good plan Phil. We can iron out the details later. I might even do what I did last time and go to Great Bend the day before.

Rode the bike to KC today to visit Family for Easter. Great day to be out despite the KS crosswinds on the way back.
 
I did my first ride today. Only 60 miles, but that's a start. I did a loop around Greeley and I can tell I haven't been on the bike in several months.

That is record-breaking for a "Phil motorcycle story"
The beginning and end on the same line.!!!!!!!!!
 
Make sense??? No, but we do it anyway. Let's not get in a discussion trying to make sense out of a hobby. We'd all lose.

I spend lots of time and money making holes in perfectly good targets. Worse yet, I go to tournaments and matches and spend even more time and money to do that with other people and often become frustrated because I wanted a higher score. Make sense???

Sure!!!! It makes at least as little sense as long hard rides on a motorcycle so I can spend more money on tires and gas while wearing myself out and getting a stiff neck.

I draw the line at jumping our of airplanes.
I am a different duck in old age now. And slowing down every year. 350-400 mile days are fine. I prefer being off the interstate but some days you just have to make time...I like to stop often and even nap at rest areas. I can sit at a camp site and just watch the sun go up and down.
Chris who doesnt care about scores anymore....just being with friends camping and shooting....
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Finally, got out for the first ride of the year. It is about 60 degrees today but it will be short-lived.
The roads are full of salt/sand on all the curves, hills, and intersections
View attachment 14079

It has been busy cooing maple sap. Sap flow is exceeding my cooking capacity. Sap run is about done anyway so life can return to normal (whatever that is). We will finish with somewhere just short of 20 gallons of syrup. Now excuse me while I go have some ice cream with maple syrup on it.

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Here is the picture that was SUPPOSED to be in the first version
The last two years of my life, all I use on my Waffles are real maple surup. Life is too short for Aunt Jemima.
 
I am definitely planning on Spearfish this year. I don't foresee any work conflicts yet.

I don't have enough miles on the ST yet to make any real remarks, but so far it feels like combining the NT, DR650, and tiger into one bike. Maybe after I put more miles on it and get it out of the break in miles I will try to describe it better, but in my ride today I was picking out good qualities from those other bikes. It felt worth the wait.

It may just be me being out of practice, but the only thing I found a little bit of fault was the ride wire throttle. I never had any issue with triumph ride by wire. The triumph was very precise and instant like a cable, but easily controllable. The yamaha isn't "bad", i just need more practice with it. Luckily I have most of tomorrow to practice.
Would love to see you at Spearfish again! Maybe your ride by wire is on sport mode instead of "Old Man" mode? My FJR never sees Sport mode...too twitchy.
 
Congratulations on the new bike, Kevin! Jim Moore really likes his Super Tenere. It's not as tall as some of the adventure bikes, but it's too heavy for me!

If you want to, you're welcome to ride to Ft Morgan and spend the night here again and ride up to Spearfish with Ken Malone and I. We're hoping we'll be meeting Jim Moore in Crawford. It sounds like his eye might be improved enough that he'll be able to ride again before long.
I think the sup10 is a nice looking bike but its .3 inches taller seat height than my XT and lots heavier. And its not inexpensive. Still, if it lost 1.5 in seat height, 80 lbs, 400 ccs, and $2,000, its shaft and cruise control would make it THE adventure bike to beat. Same with the Versys 1000 LT, which doesnt have a shaft but does have a nice seating position.
 
Congratulations Kevin. I came close to buying one of those a couple years ago when I settled on the Tiger (mostly because of the weight). I hope I don't get blasted for saying this, both of them shamed the NT on power. Sure, the NT has enough power, but my son says "Power is good, more power is better, and too much is just right".

Will we see you and your now bike in Spearfish this year?
I would trade 50 of my 150 hp on my FJR for 80 lbs of weight any day of the week. Power is nice but I just dont use it that often. Its like the ONE ring of power...it just gets you into trouble.
 
Thanks Crhis. I understand the aversion to the weight issue, but so far it hasn't been a problem. Once underway it doesn't feel heavy at all and it has a lower COG. In some ways it feels lighter than my tiger 800 did. The tiger simply carried it's weight higher. The ST also gets on the centerstand easier than the tiger too. When the day comes that I have to pick it up.....Then I might be cursing the weight. My Tiger was an XCX which had the taller suspension. I think the XR versions with their 19" wheels and lower height would be better. When I was shopping for bikes I was down to Tiger XR, Vstrom, and Super Tenere. I splurged and got the big comfy one. :)
 
Sounds like a good plan Phil. We can iron out the details later. I might even do what I did last time and go to Great Bend the day before.

Rode the bike to KC today to visit Family for Easter. Great day to be out despite the KS crosswinds on the way back.

Keep enjoying the new bike and we'll work stuff out as time goes by!
 
I think the sup10 is a nice looking bike but its .3 inches taller seat height than my XT and lots heavier. And its not inexpensive. Still, if it lost 1.5 in seat height, 80 lbs, 400 ccs, and $2,000, its shaft and cruise control would make it THE adventure bike to beat.

Chris, what's the XT? Your sig line only mentions the FJR, NT, and DL650.
 
Thanks Crhis. I understand the aversion to the weight issue, but so far it hasn't been a problem. Once underway it doesn't feel heavy at all and it has a lower COG. In some ways it feels lighter than my tiger 800 did. The tiger simply carried it's weight higher. The ST also gets on the centerstand easier than the tiger too. When the day comes that I have to pick it up.....Then I might be cursing the weight. My Tiger was an XCX which had the taller suspension. I think the XR versions with their 19" wheels and lower height would be better. When I was shopping for bikes I was down to Tiger XR, Vstrom, and Super Tenere. I splurged and got the big comfy one. :)
As Phil says, Enjoy it while you can! Seasoned citizens like Phil and I find that our strength and balance are affected by age. The Vstrom I have is a joy...the NT is fine but with a touring load, you have to pay attention paddling around gas pumps. My FJR is a wonderful bike but I wouldnt try and paddle it around without motorcycle boots, and paying good attention to the CG. Once you get it above 5 mph, its a wonderful bike. Below 5 mph its like wrestling with a greased bear....
 
Not my first ride of the year, my 3rd but definitely the one with the best weather so far ... nice temps, no traffic, incredible roads...

 
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