Fresh meat for the Utah 1088!

[Warchild]

Yep.... it started life like this, totaled in a deerstrike, with a Salvage title only:

And about $2300 later, looks like this:

The saddlebags, rear cowling and fuel tank are 2003 Liquid Silver from the salvage bike. The rest is '04 Cerulean Silver bodywork from my original Timex FJR, replaced when I sold the bike away in 2004.

 

[RadioHowie]

Hope you've washed that rear wheel since then. At least once, anyway.

 

[exskibum]

My only question regarding this thread is in regards to this picture:

Howie, I thought sure you were going to comment again on your theory about blind women and FJR pilots. Pretty excellent proof in that pic, too, methinks.

 

[Warchild]

Pretty excellent proof in that pic, too, methinks.

Thanks, Rich.... yes, she is totally smokin' hot, without a doubt.

Therefore, she must be completely blind, to be wanting to hang with my mugg.....

 

[exskibum]

WC -- getting her shitfaced drunk is a ploy we've all used from time to time. None of them can see with sufficient good wine in the equation.

Speaking of hydration solutions the easy way -- I take the 3 liter bladder out of a Camelback pack and put it in the top of my tank bag, with the hose out of a rear corner where the two zippers meet. From there, I can drink from it or pass the mouthpiece back to Judy under my arm to Judy. I've seen even bigger dromedary bladders by another manufacturer at REI.

 

[Randy]

This 2-up riding stuff on the FJR is proving to be a whole new world, and I might need to tap on our 2-up veterans for advice on a few issues.
Even simple things like hydration while riding 2-up... water bottles that reside on the pillion seat or footpegs are obviously out. I am loathe to put a camelback in the tankbag. The rack on the lid of the Givi topbox looks inviting, but putting a gallon of water that high up (and that far aft of the rear axle) seems like a sub-optimal way to go. Really need to nail this down, but it's 7 days until showtime.... crap.....

Seriously???? You've done a gazillion miles solo and now you have a pillion (won't guess her weight, but, i'll say that she's MAYBE a touch over 100 lbs) and the weight of an extra gallon of water concerns you?

 

[RadioHowie]

(waiting to be put in "time out")

Hey, who's the hot babe drinkin' wine with the orangutan???

 

[RadioHowie]

WC -- getting her shitfaced drunk is a ploy we've all used from time to time. None of them can see with sufficient good wine in the equation.

Speaking of hydration solutions the easy way -- I take the 3 liter bladder out of a one of my Camelbacks and put it in the top of my tank bag, with the hose out of a rear corner where the two zippers meet. From there, I can drink from it or pass the mouthpiece back to Judy under my arm.

Why is Judy under your arm? And is she blind too?

 

[exskibum]

Why is Judy under your arm? And is she blind too?

No, she's behind me, the hydration hose is under my arm, and yes, Judy is also blind.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Or has there been a front end plasticectomy performed on your 03?

Didn't you donate to Project Deer Slayer? We bought him this FJR...remember...in Gold Room days when we were all doing acid and promoting free love?

:lol: :lol:

Yeah, I think that was before SkooterG's time, and back when there was just WFO and EOM...

...and back when there was a big poster named Uncle Fester.

 

[Warchild]

Seriously???? You've done a gazillion miles solo and now you have a pillion (won't guess her weight, but, i'll say that she's MAYBE a touch over 100 lbs) and the weight of an extra gallon of water concerns you?

All weight is a concern. Weight that high up, and that far aft of the rear axle is a concern. Though it's certainly not a show stopper by any means.

The water jug I have been using for years sits upright, so this just adds to wind drag. What would be simply ideal is to fabricate and/or modify an existing insulated water jug such that it sits squat and low. Then reliably affix it to the Givi top rack.

Not sure I can properly address this issue prior to showtime... I'll be doing good to finish the Bluetooth project in time to head to Salt Lake City.

 

[Warchild]

Here's a little update on this Bluetooth adventure....

Turns out these Bluetooth Intercom units are made by Whistler, the same folks that make the radar detectors:

It does allow "pairing" with a cell phone, and you can choose between automatic or manual call acceptance. Since this is Bluetooth Version 2.0 using the A2DP protocol, you can hear stereo music if your cell phone offers it. These are 2 channel units; one is for the intercom, so on the other channel can be used for any Bluetooth-enabled device (GPS system, MP3 player, Bluetooth Adapter, etc).

As with most of these systems, the microphone is a VOX arrangement. I am at the height of the ass-pain in this process: actual headset installation. It's not going too bad on her HJC helmet, but this is proving to be a bitch on my Shoei RF-900....

On a positive note, I am encouraged that the manual indicates that a fully charged battery offers ~ 180 hours in "stand-by" mode (when VOX is not running), or ~14 hours in constant operation mode (speaking/music/intercom). We'll see how these numbers compare to real-world performance about this time next week....

 

[tmc]

I am at the height of the ass-pain in this process: actual headset installation. It's not going too bad on her HJC helmet, but this is proving to be a bitch on my Shoei RF-900....

Fun.

I installed a Scala set in my wife's RF-900. PITA, but you have to get aggressive with it. I used a bicycle tire lever (plastic) to SHOVE the wire under the pads at the base, and used the "slits" at the back of the helmet to wire in the speakers. I think I got away without using the "soft" side of the velcro - I just used the rough side and stuck the speaker to the liner that way. I pulled back the liner from the inside and jammed the excess wire wherever I could.

Last but not least, I used that same tire lever to JAM the unit's clamp under the padding.

Total pain in the ass, but when I was done it all worked perfectly.

The BEST PART?!?!?! The RF-900 and my wife's head disagree 100% about comfort. So I got to remove all of it after I spent all that time getting it in there. YAY! :yahoo: :angry:

 

[puppychow]

Back to the tires discussion. How are you guys managing to get ~12,000 miles off a rear PR2? Mine just rolled over ~5500 miles and it is down very close to the wear bars, got maybe another 1000 miles left in it. I run 42 psi cold pressure in the rear tire. I admit sometimes I am heavy handed on the throttle but not all the time.

 

[user 213]

Back to the tires discussion. How are you guys managing to get ~12,000 miles off a rear PR2? Mine just rolled over ~5500 miles and it is down very close to the wear bars, got maybe another 1000 miles left in it. I run 42 psi cold pressure in the rear tire. I admit sometimes I am heavy handed on the throttle but not all the time.

While road surface, temperatures and terrain all impact tread life, the bulk of the difference is in the right wrist & fingers. Braking in and powering out, hard acceleration and braking all lead to faster tire wear. Riding The Pace will seriously increase tread life.

 

[wheatonFJR]

individual tire mileage is dependent on so many factors...

 

[airboss]

The presence of smoke rollin' off the back tire usually indicates shorter tread life.

 

[user 213]

The presence of smoke rollin' off the back tire usually indicates shorter tread life.

As does the presence of a big bald guy with an evil grin sitting on the bike.

 

[Warchild]

I am suspicious that this year's Utah 1088 is not going to be quite as warm as we are used to.....

A high of only 83 degrees on Game Day?

Perhaps that traditional sucker bonus down in Las Vegas might be more attractive to try to find some warmth....

 

[LDRydr]

I am suspicious that this year's Utah 1088 is not going to be quite as warm as we are used to.....

At least it will be dry, unlike here in the PacNorWet :angry2: