Being in central NY, our riding season is somewhat limited unless you have knobbies and a dual sport. It's been raining the past three weeks, and getting steadily colder - if it breaks past 60ºF it's "nice out" ; except it's still raining.

Anyway, the Monster is back on the road, and just in time. So it's time for the Paso to go under the knife and give those sneakers a break. Just in time too; I got around 10k on the Michelins and the rear tire shows it. I know I rode it past the safe zone but since the Monster was still getting its wrinkles ironed out - I just took it easy. No threads showing or anything, but it was getting pretty bare back there. I was fine as long as I stayed on the sidewalls - still had some tread left there! But I didn't want to shell out for a new pair of sneakers only to have her sit idle on them - come the next season, she'll be fine + dandy.

So between now & then ... it's valve service time, and Martin Brickwood's collets are going in, in place of the stock half-rings. I installed these in the Monster and love them. They supposed allow you to stretch out the valve check interval to 18k, but I still check every 6k. Doesn't hurt. They work great though. New belts too, of course. And finally going to get down and implement the wiring upgrades and put jslocum's awesome "how to tune your weber" write-up to task. Unless I can find a decent set of Mikuni's in the meantime, but still - with a couple Webers in the garage, this is a mod I can do mostly from my living room. :thumbup: Wish I could do everything else from the living room too, but that would probably mean I'd have to sleep in the garage.

So, after another great summer turning mile after mile (not that I saw it on the odometer - having busted speedo cable #3 while down at Mid-Ohio) it is with some tightening of the chest that pull the key out of old Blue for the last time this year. But I'm really looking forward to next riding season, with a fresh set of internals and a new pair of sneakers to scrub in. At least I can wax the bodywork in the house over winter, too ...

Who else has winter projects and whatcha doin'?

I have a small winter project this year... I'm moving. 600 miles north. Into a house with a shop. Not too much going on I guess :laugh:

Good luck, Mike. I hope it goes well.


That 'Pit Lane Lovelies' pic of yours in 'Apex' is often in my mind. I put my first pic, a seascape, onto photo.net the other day, and got two good comments!

I think I need to find an Elefant with knobbies for our winter months here in the snow belt ... :thumbup:

yelp, 2-day was the first i've driven to work since the middle of may. yesterday, when i got off work the windshield was covered in ice. it really wasn't a bad ride home,was all geared up and actually quite comfy. was riding along thinking about the forcast for flurries and thought ha, the weatherpeople don't know much. just then i noticed flurries. the low was expected to be 22 degrees f and going in at 3 a.m. i was worried about ice on the roads so drove the cage ( heated seats were nice tho!). low 2-nite in the teens but it's expected to be warmer this weekend so hope to ride sat and sun and as long as the weather isn't too miserable. don't have lay-away insurance so am planning to ride when i can. the davidson hasn't been washed since feb and the fuel injection seems to make cold weather riding rather effortless.
did i mention i got a '06 h-d ultra 2 weeks ago? a buddy said he never thought he'd see me on a bike with "tunes". it's got all the bells and whistles std, only option i got were heated grips. did get caught in some rain last week and it's dirty now too but haven't ridden it to work in nasty weather yet,even tho that's one reason i got it. i'm thankful for good credit and 80 hr work weeks. also hoping for a mild winter.