JRO
Well-known member
So, I run over a 9/16" bolt, yesterday. A couple living by the highway informed me, "Lots of folks been getting flat tires, these last few days. They's been haulin' junk up and down the road."
Uh-huh. I figured this meant the Highway Dept., or some construction company dragging off something-or-other, or some salvage yard hauling away crushed autos. Nope. Going back into town, we got behind two oil-smoking, beat-up pick-up trucks, towing flatbed trailers (in gross states of alignment), loaded, haphazardly, with a virtual myriad of rusted everythingyoucanimagine scrap iron, bits of which are trailing or bouncing off in various directions.
Now I know who 'they' is, and what 'junk' means.
Scrap iron is bringing over $200 a ton. This brings every 'junkie' out of Tobacco Road, to truck whatever trade they can dig up, straight to the scrap iron company. The results to highway reliability are predictable.
I hauled the bike over to the dealership this morning, for a tire. Two tires; figured I might as well replace the front one, too. I also had them install some right-angle stems in the rims, as I am tired of nearly breaking my wrist to check the air pressure. I didn't bother to ask price. When I purchased the FJR, I checked this out. My last bike was a Triumph Tiger, with oddball sized tires, often of limited availability. The price always sucked. FJR tires are more commonly sized, and pleasingly less expensive. "Go ahead and change them both. That front one loses air, anyway."
Later, the tires are changed. 9/16" x 3" - Wow. Lucky I still have a rim, as the bolt went straight in. The bill - $427.
So much for cheaper tire changes. Inflation took care of that. And make no mistake - tire prices are directly associated with scrap... Better luck to the rest of you.
Uh-huh. I figured this meant the Highway Dept., or some construction company dragging off something-or-other, or some salvage yard hauling away crushed autos. Nope. Going back into town, we got behind two oil-smoking, beat-up pick-up trucks, towing flatbed trailers (in gross states of alignment), loaded, haphazardly, with a virtual myriad of rusted everythingyoucanimagine scrap iron, bits of which are trailing or bouncing off in various directions.
Now I know who 'they' is, and what 'junk' means.
Scrap iron is bringing over $200 a ton. This brings every 'junkie' out of Tobacco Road, to truck whatever trade they can dig up, straight to the scrap iron company. The results to highway reliability are predictable.
I hauled the bike over to the dealership this morning, for a tire. Two tires; figured I might as well replace the front one, too. I also had them install some right-angle stems in the rims, as I am tired of nearly breaking my wrist to check the air pressure. I didn't bother to ask price. When I purchased the FJR, I checked this out. My last bike was a Triumph Tiger, with oddball sized tires, often of limited availability. The price always sucked. FJR tires are more commonly sized, and pleasingly less expensive. "Go ahead and change them both. That front one loses air, anyway."
Later, the tires are changed. 9/16" x 3" - Wow. Lucky I still have a rim, as the bolt went straight in. The bill - $427.
So much for cheaper tire changes. Inflation took care of that. And make no mistake - tire prices are directly associated with scrap... Better luck to the rest of you.
