Do as I say...

[Chitza]

Not as I do. Wow. What a wild ride. I heard rumor of some guerrilla cone killin' and I wanted to be there. I've been battling the flu and still not 100% but maybe a little fresh air will help. I came home from work and started getting ready. Checked the BMW and pulled it out of the garage.

Everyone has heard me whine about my driveway. Truth be told, I can navigate it just fine...as long as I can be assured there is no traffic coming around the blind curve to the left. There is no reasonably flat spot to stop until you are in the road, in the lane of oncoming traffic hell bent on making it to one of only two entrance/exit points for my 12 square mile neighborhood. Hills never look as steep in photos as they are in real life, but I think I finally found an angle that shows it a little better.



Edit* For perspective, just to the left of this window is the flat spot at the end of the drive for access to the garage door. The line at the top is where the driveway ends and you are in the street.

Rear wheel vehicles cannot back out of this drive.

On the way home from work, I stopped by Home Depot and bought two traffic cones to place in the road as I exit my drive. Hopefully slowing traffic long enough for me to get out of the drive and hide the cones for next time.

So, geared up, hike the drive, place the cones, back down, turn the key and hit the button. Nothing. SOB the battery is dead. Look for jump pack. Can't find it. Take off gear. Go move cones. Back down pull the XT out. Neighbor is curious. He tosses me the keys to his Honda VLX600. He's been begging me to ride it for months. I don't know much about this bike, but why not. How bad can it be? Certainly it should do better on the interstate than the XT and I'm already late.

Well, here's the do as I say part. Don't get on an unknown bike without inspecting it 8)
No. seriously. AFTER making the 30mile or so trip down 459 in rush hour, i find:

•No brake fluid in the front reservoir
•12# of pressure in the dry rotted front tire
•Paper thin brake pads
•And too much stress on the clutch cable from aftermarket handlebars that mimicked ape hangers for a shorty like me.
•Oh, and it's a 4 speed transmission.

Suffice it to say, I do not have enough middle fingers to ride this bike.



I killed no cones last night but I had an adventure. Thankful I made it home unscathed and wiser for the next time I ride someone else's bike.

[IceCold4x4]

damn. Good points to make. Also don't let someone ride your bike if you have any clue that any of that is going on. And if you don't have a clue well i know someone that can weld that toolbox shut for ya....

[Guidedawg]

I will say, however, that I loved my VLX600 :) but it's a lot easier to go up to 5 (or 6) gears than it is to go back down.

[Chitza]

I will say, however, that I loved my VLX600 :) but it's a lot easier to go up to 5 (or 6) gears than it is to go back down.

Dawg, this is no diss on the VLX. I'm sure your bike was better maintained and a good ride. It's THIS particular, poorly maintained bike that I shouldn't have ridden.

[Guidedawg]

Oh yeah, I saw that and am guilty to taking the thread off-track, but I have a soft spot for the bike.

And yes, while I'm no wrencher by any stretch of the imagination, I would have known enough about its state not to ride it myself in the condition of your neighbor's bike, much less encourage someone else to do so!

My current bike also needs brakes, fluids, and is slipping a gear, but the tires are good and the handlebars are low.  Wanna borrow it?  ;D

[Chitza]

Think I'll pass, Dawg. I've had enough adventure for the week :D

[James L]

I have a thing about riding other peoples bike. I just don't do it, mostly. I have in the past taken someones bike around the corner (literally around the block), but I typically do not ride other peoples bike. I won't ask, and actually get some what offended if I'm asked. My bike is my baby, and I just can't see letting someone ride it.

Maybe I'm just anal retentive, I don't know, but I doubt I would end up in the situation you did. Not saying you did anything wrong. I just have a certain way of looking at it.

Glad you made it back safe......

James L

[Chitza]

This bike wasn't his baby lol. He has a Harley Fat Boy he didn't offer. He bought this bike for his grandson hoping he would ride it to school and free him from carpool. Grandson said no thanks grandpa. I think he thought I would be so enamored that I would buy it. Yeah. No thanks grandpa :D

[Chitza]

Found a casualty of my VLX ride that I didn't notice until I went riding today. *sigh*  I loved these pants



Too close to the exhaust at some point. 

[klaviator]

Bummer :-[

[KevinB]

That bike needs an exorcism.  :o

[James L]

That bike needs an exorcism.  :o

That bike needs someone to love it......

James L

[James L]

Found a casualty of my VLX ride that I didn't notice until I went riding today. *sigh*  I loved these pants



Too close to the exhaust at some point.

Just a good reason to find new pants you love better!!!

James L

[Chitza]

That bike needs an exorcism.  :o

That bike needs someone to love it......

James L

Sorry, VLX. I'm taken

[James L]

That's a nice bike.....

I see why you love it.....


James L