1st really good ride this year.

[Venturous Randy]

Yeah, I know a little late in the summer, but it was a great ride.

In the past I have usually put between 7,000 to 12,000 miles on the bike each year. This year, with the upgrade to MKII forks and rotors, along with R6 calipers and SS brake lines, I have been just putting along on getting it finished. Much of this was due to the amount of effort I was putting into getting Linda's house ready to be sold, which did sell the last of August, along to playing with the two Miatas we have, and then last month, my son got one and last week my grandson got one.

I had taken three rides, with two being 20 to 40 miles and one being about 90 miles and I have to say that even though there were some noticeable improvements in the bike, especially with the brakes, I was still feeling a bit awkward and I did not have that feeling of "being one with the bike". With having this bike almost 20 years and putting about 150,000 miles on it, I am pretty familiar with it.

But, a lot of this improved yesterday. A friend had asked me to go for a ride on Thursday and we ended up having a great ride with beautiful weather and very clear views. We rode from Johnson City, TN to Roan Mountain, which is about 6,000 feet to some real curvy roads to the Blue Ridge Parkway up to Mt Mitchell, which is 6,684 and the highest point east of the Mississippi. We then rode more back roads around Asheville, NC, back to Johnson City. The thing that really helped is we rode the north end of highway 80, which makes The Dragon look like an interstate highway, and with me leading, we rode really hard. We were coming out of every curve in 1st or 2nd gear WOT and braking at the point of almost sliding into the next curve. I really put the brake upgrades to the test and it was wonderful.

What was also great was after we stopped and took a break, I really did have that feeling that I was again, "one with the bike".

The rest of the ride was very calm and peaceful and the views were wonderful. We had a great meal at Mt Mitchell restaurant and everything was very good.

The only bad thing was, I forgot my camera.

Randy

[Yammer Dan]

Great News Randy!! I had a couple good rides this year but haven't been out since May 30th. Maybe this maybe next but........ I WILL DO IT!!!!

[Flyinfool]

Glad you got out to once again be one with the bike, I'm still looking for my first good ride of the year. Poor bike still has last years gas in it.

 

Forgetting your camera is almost as bad as @cowpuc feeding his memory card to the worms in Dons lawn.

[DragonRider]

Lately, every ride I take is a good ride, since getting the 87 and getting it running faster than I expected to, I haven't taken the trike out, if Charlene isn't up to a ride on the trike then I take the 87 out and didn't think I was really missing out, then after getting familiar with the bike, I can't get enuff of riding it.