First ride of 2011 tomorrow

[Big Sky]

First ride of the season tomorrow. It has been a long winter here in the Montana Rockies. Last year we were out March 2. This year it will be April 1. Low temp tomorrow is 35. We (spouse Marilyn is at pillion about 90 percent of the time) won't roll until 10 a.m. so with luck it will be nearing 40. The high is predicted to be 49, precip at 20 percent. Lots of layers, wool socks with silk liners and we should be fine. Damn, I just can't wait; like a kid at Christmas! Now I just hope I don't have to deal with difficult starting after this five-month layup. That's only really occurred once in eight years of ownership and was probably due to a slightly low battery. Maybe I'll get out the milkhouse heater and the tarp to warm it up first.

Last year I put 12,000 miles on the FJR (now has 72,000) and a couple thousand on the 1000 V-Strom - the most ever in one year for me, and that's in 33 years of riding. I sold a business July 1 last year and spent much of the rest of the summer riding, including 3,200 miles in Colorado. This year may be the least riding in many, many years since I have a deadline of Sept. 1 to complete a book I am working on that is all about motorcycle touring in Montana.

With fresh rubber last fall, fresh oil at layup with a full tank of Stabil(ized) gasoline, we will adjust tire air pressures and we should be off! I'll have to be very wary of rust on my skills and sand in the corners. Yeehaw!

 

[El Toro Joe]

I don't think that I need to tell ya to have a good time...but, have a good time

 

[carlson_mn]

Yes, I rode to work the last 3 mornings here in MN. Temps in the morning were 20, 18, and a balmy 35 this morning! Lots of funny looks from motorists. I was the only bike I saw during the day.

 

[Greb]

Have a good ride, hopefully mother nature doesn't play an April fool's joke on ya

 

[Big Sky]

I have been seeing a few shivering riders out on the street but have only seen two or three on the highways and that was during one warm day (50+) earlier in the month. We will likely run a favorite 225 mile "spring opener" loop. Some of the river valleys (Big Hole, Beaverhead, Ruby and Jefferson) should be warmer than it is here at 5,400 feet of elevation. The coldest I ever rode was 3 degrees in early December, but that was just five miles to work when I was much younger and not such a pussy.

 

[scubatech]

I have been seeing a few shivering riders out on the street but have only seen two or three on the highways and that was during one warm day (50+) earlier in the month. We will likely run a favorite 225 mile "spring opener" loop. Some of the river valleys (Big Hole, Beaverhead, Ruby and Jefferson) should be warmer than it is here at 5,400 feet of elevation. The coldest I ever rode was 3 degrees in early December, but that was just five miles to work when I was much younger and not such a pussy.

I think wisdom is a better description. I used to start water skiing April first,but early May has become more normal! That spring water is colder than fall water. Even with all the cool heated equipment most of us own it's not as much fun if we can't stop and enjoy the scenery.........at least for me anyway!

 

[pmeysemb]

Yes, I rode to work the last 3 mornings here in MN. Temps in the morning were 20, 18, and a balmy 35 this morning! Lots of funny looks from motorists. I was the only bike I saw during the day.

Me too, Matt. A bit colder than that up here in Duluth :angry2: but I can't wait for Spring any longer. I've decided my new "won't ride" low temp. is 10 above... used to be 15.

I only have about 18 miles to work, though.

Ride safe!

 

[carlson_mn]

15 mile commute through Minneapolis for me. It's nice to be able to use the carpool/motorcycle lanes now.

i'm jealous of the roads there in MT. i lived in the Paradise Valley for a short while when i was a kid and had a whole lot of fun there.

 

[wfooshee]

Um, this is the point where the Florida ******** start in, right?

My first ride of 2011 was 89 days ago, on January 1st. Haven't missed a day yet.

Of course, some of those weren't "rides" per se, just getting to work and the grocery store and what not.

But since I don't even own a car, at least I didn't until last Friday when I bought my dad's '88 Crown Vic from my stepmom, I get more "opportunity" to be on the bike than most. Certainly wouldn't be the case in Montana or Saskatchewan or some other such dreary cold place.

 

[carlson_mn]

You can keep your warm weather! I'll post back in June-August when it's 84F and a dewpoint of 55 up here and enjoying nice evenings with the sun up until 945pm

 

[Big Sky]

I'll point out, the AMA just voted the Beartooth Highway (straddles Montana/Wyoming border) as the best in the nation. Yep, we get shorted five months of riding every year, but what we do get is two or three times better (quality v. quantity) than most other places so I guess it sort of works out. We have great highways, great country, great scenery, great people, reasonable law enforcement and so little traffic, relatively speaking.

After the five months layup, the Feej engine spun over two or three times then lit on all four cylinders, like it was last ridden yesterday. The garage temp was 38. Gotta love that machine. Did 240 miles and saw only four other bikes - Harleys parked at a restaurant. Temps were between 40 and 56, traffic volumes extraordinarily low, surfaces were dusty and sandy so prudence was required. Skills had a little rust: gnashed some gears with one incredibly sloppy shift, slightly over shot a couple of corners (again, sand required judicious use of brakes), but all in all a wonderful season opener. Ass, shoulders and elbows were a little sore toward the end.

As we hit the first string of curves, it occurred to me how incredibly well sorted the FJR is, even with its current 10-year-old engineering. Yamaha got this one right! It performs now, with 72,000 miles on the odo, about the way it did when I acquired it in 2003. Yes, it represents many compromises, but the result is a hugely versatile machine that delivers reasonable comfort, ample performance and stone reliability (some would add good looks). I see no need to upgrade or try another brand.

One other note: Same as last year, that five-month old gasoline delivered about 38 mpg with mostly mild application of the throttle. Typically, we see 42-44 two-up mpg, 44-46 when we can get ethanol-free. I assume the "old" gasoline degrades in a way that yields fewer BTUs?

 

[carlson_mn]

I always get better mpg when I ride 2 up, kinda funny. Even riding solo on the interstate I have tough time not playing with the engine and winding it up now and then. The FJR BEGS for it! I did 150 miles today and I also had the same feelings today about the bike, everything about the bike just kicks ass. I was at a dealer and about 12 other S-T bikes showed up together, lots of last generation Concours and ST1100/1300s and I felt very lucky to be on the FJR. One '03 FJR was amongst them and I gave them the standard 'you know what's up' head nod. :lol:

And yes, incredibly jealous of your proximity to the Beartooth. I've heard amazing things about that stretch.

 

[Spook]

Um, this is the point where the Florida ******** start in, right?

My first ride of 2011 was 89 days ago, on January 1st. Haven't missed a day yet.

Of course, some of those weren't "rides" per se, just getting to work and the grocery store and what not.

But since I don't even own a car, at least I didn't until last Friday when I bought my dad's '88 Crown Vic from my stepmom, I get more "opportunity" to be on the bike than most. Certainly wouldn't be the case in Montana or Saskatchewan or some other such dreary cold place.

That real nice but at least we have curves to ride when we can. In fact I drive out of my drive way and start hitting the sweepers.

 

[Spook]

Got mine out for the second time this year. Did about 160 miles total. Sure was a great day for a ride but as wa said a lot of sand so ya had to be careful going into the corners especially when you could not see all the way through it.. The CT on the rear seems to slip less in these conditions than my old MC tire did but still had to be real careful.

 

[Big Sky]

I should have noted, we did that first ride last Friday. Saturday it snowed again...