Croozer Convenshun (Thunder Beach - Panama City) (one maybe **** at the end...)

[wfooshee]

This weekend past was the Spring 2014 edition of the twice-a-year Thunder Beach motorcycle rally. The weather leading up to it was horrid, record rainfalls in much of the area, but Saturday came out beautiful. I saw some of these guys riding in during the rain, too, so I've upped my respect level. A little bit. (Those who've been around may recall that I tend to make a little fun of some of these rally guys, the ones who bring the bikes down in enclosed trailers, park them out front to be seen, and maybe do a poker run and on up-and-down-the-strip, as long as they don't get up toward 3-digit miles......)

My participation in these things is usually limited to walking the parking areas looking for cool stuff to photograph. Had a fairly good time this year.

You can find my bike here because it's the one with a HELMET hanging on the mirror!



Very green Kwak



Parked at the HD- shop. Yes, I viisted the H-D shop. With 35,743 of my closest friends.



Oooh! Ahhh!



Purple Magna V-4



Um...... upholstery



Rocket III - many many many cubic centimeters



Please, no!!!!!



Midnight Special



My first 2014 in the wild, and it's an ES!!! He had less than 2000 miles on it.



I have to find an Indian somewhere. These aren't complete without an Indian!!!!!



Found that ES. Ooh, that red!!!!!!



When a V-twin-powered chopper simply isn't heavy enough!!!



The answer to a question NOBODY asked. EVER!!!!!



Another parking area. I made a 360 you can view here.



Bodywork behind the seat serves no useful purpose whatsoever!



GROM!!!!!



Only two wheels. Still possibly an answer to a question nobody asked....



Yamaha demo rides. Not skooterg's group.



Yes. I did! FZ-09



This..... is a motorcycle.



Uh...... so is this.



Damn, that Trophy is big!!!!!!



Slap a windshield and a top case on that thing and you'd have a nice highway bike. Oh, look. He DID put a screen on it!



I loves me a good spray job!!!!!



If your grips are always banging your face......



You could buy a beer from this body-paint model. I did not. Just took a picture.

 

[LKLD]

Wow, what a turnout! Looks like a good time, just looking at the different bikes. Thanks for the photo tour...well done!

 

[HotRodZilla]

Nice Walt. I always like your pictures!

 

[Bugnatr]

Good eye, thanks for the look.

 

[dcarver]

****ies! I saw ****ies! Nice report, tx for the ****ies!

 

[beemerdons]

Good eye, thanks for the look.

Very nice Walt, but where are the wet t-shirt contest photos at? Inquiring minds do want to know! jes' sayin' and nuff said!

 

[Fred W]

I must be getting old. I thought the FZ-09 was much sexier than the fat chick with flabby painted ****s. Thank goodness for the Butt Lite wrist band on her arm. That saved the look.

And what's up with the 2014ES guy's gear? It can't have been that hot since he had on his Kevlar Levi's hoodie sweatshirt, right? Doesn't he know that he's supposed to wear ATGATT and sweat his *** off for the cause?

 

[wfooshee]

The FZ-09 was sexier, and probably a much better ride!

My impressions......

Damn, that thing was TINY!!!!!! I could not see the dash without tilting my head DOWN and looking DOWN! Riding the bike and looking out at the road, there was no part of the motorcycle in my field of view!

The bars were closer to me than on the FJR, and they felt wider. I think that comes from either being closer, or not being turned towards me as much, or some of both.

Thing was LIGHT, too! Not just compared to the FJR. It was LIGHT!

Guy had to show me how to start it. No separate starter button. You slide the kill switch down from RUN to hit the starter. (Up is KILL, of course.)

Riding position is even more upright than I expected, and I think more than the FJR, what with the bars being so close. Didn't think much of it till we got to 70 on the road, and then I missed the windshield!!!!! The guy behind me on the R-1 said when I tucked it looked like I was going over the front of the bike!

Motor wasn't as smooth as I'd been led to expect. Can't complain about how strong it was, though!!!!! Seems like it turned more revs for the road speed, too. I kept wanting another gear. Even though it was in 6th! (All you morons complaining about the FJRs 5-speed, pay attention to that last sentence!) Didn't have my old-man glasses, though, so I couldn't make out those tiny digits on the tach. I could tell when the line got longer real quick, though!

Did I mention it was LIGHT??!?!?! and TINY?!?!?!?!!

Had I spent my time more wisely, I would have been around the Yammy folks longer. They also had a V-Max, a Bolt, a Super Tenere, and both versions of the FJR. Along with the standard Star cruisers, and an R-1 and an R-6.

And I've only gotten ONE email from them!!! A nice "thanks for coming" note, with nothing else in it. No bring your checkbook, you HAVE to buy something!

 

[majicmaker]

You're right, Walt. It IS Tiny! Waaay too tiny. But, the price is right...

 

[beemerdons]

I must be getting old. I thought the FZ-09 was much sexier than the fat chick with flabby painted ****s…

Damnit to hell Fred those fat chicks with flabby painted ****s need loving too, that's what we Irishmen Old Michael and Chuy are for! jes' sayin' and nuff said!

 

[Fred W]

Do not under any circumstances attempt to make comparisons between an FZ-09 and an FJR1300. These bikes are what you see in the dictionary under "Apples and Oranges". Two completely different purposes. If the FJR scratches every itch that you have for a motorcycle now then there is absolutely no point in even looking at the FZ, cause it is going to come up short on a lot of counts on your list.

However, if you have a little irresponsible hoon buried somewhere in your middle aged psyche, then one of these things would be like having a hypermotard without the Italian mortgage.

 

[Aasland]

If the FJR scratches every itch that you have for a motorcycle now then there is absolutely no point in even looking at the FZ, cause it is going to come up short on a lot of counts on your list.

I think you nailed it, Fred. I've been ruminating over getting a different bike for a while, but I can't ever justify it. Your statement just zero'd it in for me.

I think what the FJR does really well is that there aren't any itches left. It addresses all the shortcomings I've had with other bikes. Wind protection? check. Luggage? Check. Comfort? Check. Check. It also handles reasonably well. But there's still something missing ... I just don't get excited about it. It doesn't have the wonderful harmony of the Honda V4's. It isn't sexy like the F4 Senna. It doesn't have the punch of a Ninja 1000. It doesn't rip through corners like an SV650. It doesn't impress like the Multistrada. But it is low maintenance and it carries me and my luggage through any non-frozen weather from coast to coast in more comfort than any of those other machines and then just disappears and lets me enjoy where I am at. No bike "has it all" and I need to settle for the compromises that work for me. I guess it's a good reason to have more than one bike.

Sort of like marriage. Wife may not be a supermodel or Mensa member or an acclaimed chef, but despite her age and weight she has a great attitude, is low maintenance and doesn't get in the way of enjoying life, like some spouses I know. I don't have the money or space for a second one though.

 

[Fred W]

:lol: Yeah, thank goodness monogamy doesn't apply to motorcycles. I wouldn't be able to afford the alimony payments!

 

[Aasland]

I must be getting old. I thought the FZ-09 was much sexier than the fat chick with flabby painted ****s. Thank goodness for the Butt Lite wrist band on her arm. That saved the look.

That ain't fat by midwestern standards!

I'm not about to dis a pretty young girl who wants to show us her ta-ta's just because she's carrying a few extra pounds. Beats the snot out of the obese 50 year old's doing the same at Sturgis.

 

[wfooshee]

I must be getting old. I thought the FZ-09 was much sexier than the fat chick with flabby painted ****s. Thank goodness for the Butt Lite wrist band on her arm. That saved the look.

Beats the snot out of the obese 50 year old's doing the same at Sturgis.

When was beemerdons at Sturgis??!?!?!

 

[beemerdons]

I must be getting old. I thought the FZ-09 was much sexier than the fat chick with flabby painted ****s. Thank goodness for the Butt Lite wrist band on her arm. That saved the look.

Beats the snot out of the obese 50 65 year old's doing the same at Sturgis.

When was beemerdons at Sturgis??!?!?!

Only twice Walt Baby, the year I got back from overseas in the Army: 1971. Then again thirty years later in 2001, if I do Sturgis every 30 years that's just fine with me! jes' sayin' and nuff said!

 

[rushes]

I must be getting old. I thought the FZ-09 was much sexier than the fat chick with flabby painted ****s. Thank goodness for the Butt Lite wrist band on her arm. That saved the look.

That ain't fat by midwestern standards!

I'm not about to dis a pretty young girl who wants to show us her ta-ta's just because she's carrying a few extra pounds. Beats the snot out of the obese 50 year old's doing the same at Sturgis.

One mans fat and flabby is another mans soft and cuddly...

I think she's pretty. A bit young, but she looks fine to me.

 

[beemerdons]

I must be getting old. I thought the FZ-09 was much sexier than the fat chick with flabby painted ****s. Thank goodness for the Butt Lite wrist band on her arm. That saved the look.

That ain't fat by midwestern standards!

I'm not about to dis a pretty young girl who wants to show us her ta-ta's just because she's carrying a few extra pounds. Beats the snot out of the obese 50 year old's doing the same at Sturgis.

One mans fat and flabby is another mans soft and cuddly...

I think she's pretty. A bit young, but she looks fine to me.

This statement right here is why our rushes is the smartest damn individual on the FJR Forum, ionbeam isn't even close to Russ! jes' sayin' and nuff said!

 

[Fred W]

Yeah, that's what I'm going for... the soft and cuddly look.