Motorcycle Diaries 2008.12.30

AKA, 50 Degrees is Too Cold for Regular Riding Gear

Tuesday, 12/30, GSX ODO 7954
Out.
Notable: Safe to say that this is the last good riding day of 2008 in this part of town. At 50 and sunny, it was too tempting to stay in... but without cold-weather gear, it's too chilly to stay out for long. An uneventful wrapup to a good riding season.

Sunday, 12/28, GSX ODO 7947
Fosters for lunch, and Starbucks for coffee.
Notable: Overcast but "warm" (mid to high 60s), with clearing clouds and a beautiful sunset. One more "last day" of the season.

Saturday, 12/27, GSX ODO 7932
Out - gas from Shell and back.
Notable: Late afternoon, but the sun is out and it's still just above 60 degrees (my "minimum" comfortable riding temp). After nearly two months away, I'd forgotten how light the handling of the bike really is... the rumble of the inline-4 pulling down the road really is something to hear; not as loud as a Harley, but much easier for anyone to appreciate (i.e., enjoy)... like the sound of a slowly passing Ferarri... on two wheels. :-) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEe5N12L1Us perhaps? My laptop is nearly dead, so I can't hear the clip....)

Update: [New computer...] Yep! The clip above is just about right.

This clip isn't like any sound I've heard from my bike (really!) but it's pretty awesome: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_t038mHs_M. Maxing out the RPMs in 1st gear will put the bike at 100 MPH, so to hear these sounds while moving, in any other gear than first, you'd have to be traveling between 120 and 180 MPH!