baylensman

Sorry was just getting a feel. its got 22K miles and is galaxy blue over black. I have a set of Harley mufflers for it also. Prewired for battery tender (goes with the bike) small repaired crack in the base of the trunk. new ( 1 month old) F4 custom windshield extra tall with vent. Also have two head seats for half helmets ( has head band) 12 volt compressor and flag stand.

So I've come to a cross roads. I'm a little to busy and a little to old to enjoy wrenching on my car and my bike (Nothing extremely wrong I just want everything perfect at all times, so that little squeak you all live with is something I take care of now!). Also She doesn't want to ride any more ( big reason) Parking is becoming an issue the park (many more folks with multiple vehicles in a community designed around 1 car per house hold). My ankles and Knees aren't what they used to be) Am i one weak moment from dropping that heavy beast at a light? I'm thinking of upgrading the car and bike combo to a late model V-6 automatic convertible Mustang. I want to do it for as little cash out of pocket as possible. So here's the question on my '07 with all the extra chrome LED conversions for turn signal Driving lights and headlight other LEDs on the frame and under seats. Cup holder phone holder ECT. new tire new clutch plates (sky doc conversion). Is $8k too much the prices i've been seeing in the south east are a high of $8 and low of around $5500.

I very much want to go tenting again, but SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed) says no way! We can go camping as long as there is a motel nearby! I also thought a camping trip was a bust if it didn't rain at least once. Something about sitting under the canopy listening to and watching the rain, makes me so happy.

Along the same line, I used to live in the city briefly. A neighbor guy would do this every other day. He'd take the trash and garbage and put it in a Paper bag (yes you can still get them at some markets) He'd fold the top down neatly and staple it shut. Then he write on the front of the bag "Happy birthday Marcie" and then leave it on a bench at the bus stop or on the bus it self. In three years no one ever said "hey buddy you forgot your bag" but the bag was never there 5 minutes after he'd stand up and move away.

Starting tomorrow i'm learning japanese and italian!!

Saw this might add to the http://discussionhttp://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/04/16/car-bike-or-motorcycle-depends-on-where-you-live/ if the chart won't expand for you. also saw this [h=3]Medium & heavy ICE motorcycles register fastest gains[/h]The medium and heavy internal combustion engine (ICE) motorcycle segment will register faster gains than other ICE product types through 2020, as new and replacement product sales grow in North America, Western Europe, and other mature markets. In developing nations, the number of wealthy households that can afford medium and heavy models, which are luxury items, is expected to increase sharply because of strong economic growth.

Look at engine size YAMAHA 6 Speed YAMAHA Built in reverse YAMAHA Full Infotainment with phone integration std YAMAHA Slipper Clutch YAMAHA Traction Control YAMAHA 5 Year warranty YAMAHA LED lighting YAMAHA Smart key YAMAHA Adjustable ergonomics YAMAHA is all that worth $10K If I was buying maybe? But for the general public, they look past all that at price price price. Plus the motoring public isn't really buying price anymore they're buying a monthly payment! Some of the biggest car dealers advertise LOW MONTHY PAYMENT and don't mention the ballon at the end of the loan. HUGE deals right! new KIA for $119 a month for 48 months and balance due at loan end YIKES! If YAMAHA or other had a reasonable sized true motorcycle that they marketed at $99.00 a month that a millennial could hooks his phone to, they'd be the biggest MFG in the world inside of 6 months.

You hit it on the head old bean! Why spend Harley money on a Yamaha when you can buy a Harley, just in terms of resale value its a better bet. Try and find a Yamaha coffee mug or boots anywhere other than at a Stealer ship! Harley countered the Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha v-twins right along by getting bigger and bigger motors and upgrading infotainment systems and LED head lights While we were collectively holding our manhoods, while arguing for CD players and Fuel injection on our bikes. Then they did the same to Victory by coming out with models to meet that niche. I'd be willing to bet that a rebirth of the WWII Harley front line dispatch bike is already under development to counter the Scout from Indian, and perhaps a few other retro themed models. Honda stayed with their basic bike and refined it. They know their core market and will keep and maybe pick up some of us that won't go with the HD brand. The rest of the field has lost sight and are lusting after Harleys market share by imitating instead of fragmenting. Yamaha won't pull guys of HD bikes neither will Kawasaki or Suzuki! They need to appeal to their core (Us guys) and bring in the maybes and want to be's by being different. I honestly believe if Yamaha dropped some variant of the VMAX with a 6 speed slipper clutch into a dressed frame bike with decent electronics a lot of us would finally make the move off of our 10 to 20 year old bikes, and a lot of the others who settled for the Kaw or Suz Vtwins would jump also. Heck I'd even settle for a flat plain crank in line 4 at this point. Don't get me wrong if I was forced to get a new bike I'd get the a Yamaha but maybe and FJ instead of the Venture not an HD or other brand.

I worked in the Auto industry during its demise. Now its back stronger than ever. The big three got complacent and allowed the market to fragment and a host of others jumped in doing it a little differently. The industry adapted and came roaring back. Dealerships got bought sold and consolidated due to the fact that the internet gave everyone the information as to what a car should cost, the traditional dealer making hundreds or thousands on a new car sale and refusing to adapt is gone. The same thing will happen to motorcycle dealers. They will adapt or die. Auto sales are strong again even thought the same people not driving bike are also not driving cars. More milenials don't have license or own cars than any generation since the 30's!! The fact is if a 4 wheel cage with a drop top A/C and 6 speaker stereo can get me 30 mph around town why drive a bike? (i have my reasons) The bike builders must adapt also use the tech to get us 2 wheelers in the 60 MPG range with performance, Automatic transmissions, traction contro,l ABS, Collision and lane change warning Good blue tooth and charge ports. Milenials will jump on two wheels. Right now they view bikes in general as old tech or low tech and irrelevant but not RETRO enough to be cool. I think dealers need to have multiple models and brands available and builders need to expand their lines. (4 cylinderYamaha tourer anyone). The new two front tire bikes are a bike step in the right direction. Maybe some lower saddle tire motors not scooters for the Ladies and smaller guys. How about a retractable bubble for rain protection? A lot of ideas out there.

i use these I have several one on the bike one in the car one in my desk, gives me a full recharge

What's that white flakey stuff on the seat!!!

So help me finish this song and we can post it to our friends who drive the other brand. On the first day of Christmas my Harley gave to me... A totally dead battery. On the second day of Christmas my Harley gave to me... 2 fouled plugs and A totally dead battery.. On the third day of Christmas my Harley gave to me.... Three oil puddles 2 fouled plugs and A totally dead battery. On the fourth day of Christmas my Harley gave to me... 4 loose bolts 3 oil puddles 2 fouled plugs and A totally dead battery.. you know the song lets fill out the 12 days of Xmass for our friends.

Reminds me of my first "BIG" bike. I had bought brand new in 74" a 500 cc Yamaha DOHC street bike. I'd been riding dirts and motos for years (yes even on the street, as the local police will attest to). One day I was going to see my friend who lived three houses down(we were in the country so big yards about 1/4 mile or so), I always jumped on the dirt bike and just chugged through the field and cut into his driveway from the back. Well lets just say that there is a big difference in the weight to tire width ratio on street bikes and a reason for knobs on the sidewalls of dirt bikes. Getting stuck up to the pipes, in the backyard within sight of the driveway SUCKS OUT LOUD

Yeah those 12 ounce curls will really get you!!

check the voltage at the battery with the bike running. May just be the batt not taking the charge, especially if its been sitting. Rectifier is more likely on a 1st gen bike but not unheard of on a 2nd gen. Took me about 100 miles to get used to floor boards, Its really a toe shifter with a worthless piece on the back, a lot of us cut them off. Or get another and throw the original in the garage somewhere in case the next owner wants it, after I die.

Hey even the regular doc's anymore, call you after the test to make appointment "Right away" sometimes that means 4 weeks out. Get there to say everything is normal pay your copy and let us whack your insurance for one more visit. My GF had a colonoscopy last month( early november). Doc that did the procedure came in the room and said I think its all okay but sent some samples to the lab just to be sure, when you get home call the office and get an appointment I want to see you in 2 weeks. Called that afternoon! The only open appointment slot is sometime next freaking year!! Explained that the Doc himself wanted her in sooner, they called back two days later and said all tests are normal we can wait till the January slot to see the doc, I said well if its normal why go at all? Hemming and Hawing around, no coherent answer. Guess what after the 1st of January the copay goes up and the out of pockets start all over again So we'ed be paying cash on top of whatever pittance the insurance pays! Now I know why they wanted us after the 1st.

Most Smart TV the installed apps are out od date when installed. 4 to 6 weeks sitting in a warehouse in japan taiwan or china. then another 4 weeks on container ship. then anywhere up to additional 12 weeks with customs and shipping to your store, then who knows how long its in stock? So 1/2 year out of date is easy. However upgrading a smart TV apps isn't always easy. Take a bit of Voodoo with the remote, which isn't always in the instructions, but most repair services can hack the remote to access additional on screen menu's not meant for you and me. So every one makes a buck before we get to watch TV!

Overheard at Harley shop counter. customer " Wheel is going thump thump thump....." mechanic "Well everything seemed to be in order when we took it apart" Customer " but I came in for an oil change!!!" Mechanic " oh really let me add another $100 to your bill"

Fire sticks awesome, you have to hack it a bit and download KODI to get the most out of it. Lots of youtube vids that will walk you through the process. Just DONT LET THE KIDS PROGRAM IT!!!! THERE ARE XXX OR BLUE CHANNELS THAT VAN BE DOWNLOADED..... I out grew the fire stick and bought a Media box from Amazon. roku, Youtube, netflix, hulu all preloaded. I actually crawled under the house and ran a cat 5 from the router to the box instead of using wifi. I can watch live boxing and soccer from around the world and get all the BBC channels. However, almost daily site repositories around the world are being shut down and other reopening. Some dreck about copyright infringement. I guess people are also boot legging first run movies through the Sticks now so constant security updates.

SNOW IN THE PANHANDLE! Frost warning in western Florida as far south Bradenton! Screw it I rode the damn bike anyhow!! No ice No problem. It will take more than that to get me off the bike. I foiled your evil plot there PUC mahahahaaa

Dear Santa I've been extra good. After dropping $5k on lasic and cataract surgery for the missus last week .I was hoping now that she can see clearly,you'd see your way clear to letting her enjoy riding with me again. Its really the only thing I want. Just to have my sweetie behind me when I am out cruising.

So I'm not talking about dangerous, like going too fast into a curve that you aren't familiar with. Or something like forgetting to close the lid on your saddle bag and driving for 100 miles. I'm talking about that situation were testosterone is in abundance and common sense was left at home. For me I'd have to go back to the mid 90's. The whole clan, me the wife my two kids with their spouses and everybody's pets, is in the house waiting out some tropical storm or the other. I had plywood on the windows, my car the wives and the kids all sideways in the driveway parked door to door blocking the garage and car port. Winds were sporadic but gusting to 65 or so.The rain was coming in waves every 20 minutes or so. Well I decided I wanted a can of Starbuck's expresso double shot, a cheese burger and a fresh pack of Jewel sweets and to get away for a few minutes. I walked out the front door saw all the cars and figured it was too much trouble to try and jockey one of them out for a little trip to the convince store! Not even thinking twice about the whys and wherefores. I walked over to the car port and pushed the bike out the side door, then thru the gate to the driveway. Although to myself screw the helmet. I jumped on took off and got almost to the main road when the first gust hit me. I swear the bike moved 20 feet sideways!! So what does bright boy do? I hunker down over the tank to reduce my profile and keep going! Needless to say when I got to the local 7/11 there were several cops a prepositioned ambulance the store clerk and me. The looks I got were amazing as I rounded the drive and pulled up. I didn't say a word or even nod to any body, I just walked to the sandwich counter grabbed by burger went to the case and got my expresso and asked the clerk for the cigars. On the way out of the door one of the cops in his foul weather gear steps up to me and says "boy you either got balls like a gorilla or the brains of a chimp" "now get the f$@k off my hi-ways and don't let me see you again" It was about that time that it hit me "You dumb a$$ you went for a bike ride in a freaking Hurricane"

I think also that "reliability" is one of those things that varies with one's expectations. Growing up I had a close friend who bought brand new a Subaru back in the early 80's. He wanted 4 wheel drive and didn't want to pay Jeep prices. Well his car was amazing to him. Scheduled service was remove valve cover and reset valves every 6000 mile or 10000 Kilometers. Remove head and replace gasket at every 40000 miles. Mandatory dealer serve every 10k miles where various bits and pieces were retorqued re lubed re placed as needed with a bill to match. His wife had a 1972-ish dodge with a slant six. that had never been serviced and he occasionally would change the oil if he found a deal (once a year or so) he ended up replacing the water pump at 110000 miles, and complained that the car was unreliable. I've seen similar attitudes to people who buy Hondas Lots of maintenance and by the book oil changes and back to the dealer for every squeak rattle or flutter, and pay for the privilege, all the while touting the amazing reliability!! However, the same people would complain about the second family car often bought used or handed down from the primary driver having well over 100K miles being faulty or junk because of the occasional alternator or power steering pump issue costing $125.00 installed. But on the Honda $700 for a pump at 98K miles was expected or routine. For a laugh go to a site like EDMUNDS and read the customer reviews of a nissan 350 convertible or even a Benz from the mid 80's expensive and castrophic failures are common place, but the cars are ranked higher in satisfaction than a Camaro or Mustang convertible because of fit and finish!! Me I keep my 21 year old detroit iron for a bit longer, and ride the bike every day there's no hurricane ( well i have ridden during a hurricane, whole nuther story)

I have to laff at the JD power awards anymore. There are so many classes now due to GM using $$$$ that the wards are meaningless. Watch a Bowtie comercial for a truck sometime then pause it and read the fine print. best in class horse power? fine print truck rated at 2000lbs or less using a 6 cylinder engine with automatic transmission of less than 5 forward speeds. guess what the colorado is the only truck in that class!! Ford and Dodge both have 6 speeds! easy to win HMMM. GM is not the only one to play that game the Chrysler 200 won dozens of awards for innovation and quality and is now on the do not buy list with several used car rating sites! Initial quality survey of new car buyers having never bought that brand before, taken within 90 days of purchase. I'd like real surveys, say 13 months into the "new" car, Id be willing to bet the numbers would change dramatically.