friesman

My feeling is that while the chrome stuff looks nice and costs lots when new, it really doesnt add a lot of value to the bike. It does add a bit, but nowhere close to the dollar spent on the chrome or add on so dont let them say it adds value cause it doesnt add too much. Brian

Thats great, we all like to have our opinions and we are all entitlted to them. I didnt post this thread to upset anyone or to try to get my opinion or Belt Drive Bettys opinion across, but I thought it was well written enough to share with people in here as I felt that sometimes we dont give our passengers all the info when they travel with those of us that ride. Most bikers have all the info they need to make up their own mind how they want to dress, and I agree with you it is definitely their choice. But we should always take the time to make sure our passengers know all the risks before they get on. Brian

If i were you I would check in the states, and with our dollar being almost par now, you can probably find something for about the same price with about half of the mileage if you dont mind travelling to pickup a new bike. I am kinda thinking of looking stateside for a mid 2000 machine myself (sshhhhh!!!!) and I hear that importing a bike is pretty straightforward and easy as long as you have your paper work done properly. Quite a few have done it around here and are very willing to help walk you through it. Just take your time and get the right deal for you. Brian

well, youll fit right in just fine,....WELCOME!!! Brian

Havin a ruff one today...? Brian

Renee (Belt Drive Betty) has been in the Canadian biking community forever and has been writing her column and blog since 02 ( I think) She supports several biking charities and very seldom preaches. She isnt your typical journalist type. But I do like her posts and newsletters as our biking community is so much smaller in Canada she helps keep everyone up to date on what is going on. Brian I didnt post this to try and pressure anyone into gearing up, thats their choice, but it is more as a reminder to ask your passengers to gear up if they want to and have it available to them if they want it.

I read this today in Belt Drive Betty's Facebook Blog, (she runs a Canadian Bikers Newsletter and Biker Friendly Business Directory). I thought it was worth sharing with everyone and especially those who dont wear gear or ensure their passengers wear full gear. Here is her website http://www.beltdrivebetty.com I know I was young once. Of that I am quite sure. And I know when I was young I took chances some smarter than others but... I have become highly critical of those who wear things like sandals and flip flops when they ride. When I pull up beside some dude who has his gal on the back of his motorcycle - and she is wearing a bikini or shorts and a halter/tank top, sandals/flip flops and a full faced helmet I want to SCREAM - I WANT TO RAGE - I want to ask him "Do you not value the life of that pretty young thing behind you?" I have been asking you for feedback on buying new gear....today I ask about foot wear...the following story has a lot to do with why I am the way I am when it comes to my feelings about good gear. Back in the day when I was young, I was living in a little community called Mara Lake BC. My old man was a guy with the nick name of Rotten Ronnie - aptly named for the noxious gases that exploded from him after a feed of moose or deer meat...Ron is the man who taught me to ride a motorcycle. Road rash....a story of gory and disturbing proportions that I want to share with you for it is this incident that set me on the path to being an opinionated lady on this topic in many, many ways. One weekend, Ron and I had gone to Kelowna, we had had a great time and got up nice and early on the Sunday morning to head home, Ron had things around the yard he wanted to get done before work on Monday morning. There were lots of motorcycles out - it was a glorious day to ride. As we passed through Vernon, traffic began to get thicker, there was construction up ahead about 10 kilometers or so. This young buck (remember I was a lofty 24 then) pulled up beside us on his Suzuki sport bike. He had this very buxom young lady riding pillion. She was wearing a full faced helmet, a bikini and sandals. He was wearing jeans, tee, boots and a full face. I sat on my ***** pad shaking my head thinking to myself this guy really doesn't value what he has sitting behind him... Well, we leave the set of lights, the dude on the sport bike far faster than us on the our FXRS...he's gone like a rocket....as Ron and I come around a corner - just before the construction zone that is between Vernon and Armstrong - we see the carnage....my blood runs cold and I am almost sick to my stomach. There is buddy's sport bike, embedded in the trunk of a car...buddy is screaming, standing but wobbly, bleeding and road rashed...his once pretty little girlfriend is now dead. Her once buxom form is nothing more than bones now as she has no chest left, just a rib cage from doing a face plant at about 100 KMPH and skidding down the shoulder of the road into the ditch. Her one foot is gone - literally worn off from the high exit rate - she had skidded down the pavement for a good 100 feet or so before tumbling into the ditch. Rib bones and raw meat are all that were left of her. That and her un scarred, untouched face. I guess that was a consolation, at least her family could have an open casket funeral. That crash is forever etched in my mind. The howling of the rider - that of a wolf in enormous pain...the visual of this pretty, pretty girl at the set of lights only minutes before transposed over the corpse lying in the ditch that I saw will never leave my mind's eye. Now perhaps you understand all of the questions from last week about good gear - maybe it will explain a bit to you about why I get a tad opinionated on the subject of gear and helmets etc...so today the question is footwear - what brand, what style and why you chose the particular style you did. Foot wear is a very important and vital part of the gear equation in my mind...Please share with me your thoughts on choosing good footwear...

I joined 04-02-2008 after picking up my 85 VR over the winter that year. I enjoyed everyone in here so much i decided to go down to Morro Bay Calif, later that summer to meet a few of the bunch and had a great time!! It doesnt seem to matter where I am, or where I meet up with Venturerider people, they are always a lot of fun and very giving people. (welll,,,, maybe except for the swelled head troublemaker out in BC....) Brian

Well Dan , we dont want them either, and as far as being outside, theyre in Vancouver and its probably warmer there in winter than about north half of Texas.....so they wont freeze real quick, just start to smell bad...lol Brian

changed mind

I have always thought Randy Quaid was a little out there, but loved the parts he played in the movies like cousin Eddie in Christmas Vacation and a couple others, but what the heck is wrong with him now? Is it too much drugs and alcohol or just a need for attention. Here is an article today where Randy and his wife were arrested in Vancouver for some charges in California for breaking and entering and now they are asking Canada for asylum? Weird! http://www.leaderpost.com/business/Randy+Quaid+seeks+Canadian+asylum/3713231/story.html Brian

Does it look like i am worried about eating too much food on a cruise? lol woohoo bring it on! Brake Pad- we are in Miami in the Ramada miami Airport north, Hialeau i think..my spelling sucks.... i will give you a call when things get closer, it will be great to meet up.....but I gotta warn ya, i am travelling with a few crazies....lol! I am looking forward to this vacation, it will be the first one Joanne and I will be away together and my first warm winter vacation in a couple of years... Brian

we are all happy that youre ok, and hope your thumb helas fast and painlessly. Brian

Well,Gene..... I am sure if you play your cards right you could have them pay you to leave your clothes on Brian:rotfl:

Its that time of year again! Its time to book a winter vacation! THis year Joanne and I and a few friends have booked a 9 day cruise leaving out of Miami in January. We are on the Norwegian Dawn and cruising to Samana in the Dominican, St Kitts, Tortola, St. John's Antigua and a few other spots I cant remember right now. Ive never been on a cruise before and am looking forward to it! We are in Miami a couple of days early to wander around at see what is happening in Miami. I know its not a bike vacation, but it gets darn hard to plan a bike vacation in Dec, Jan and Feb, which are the only months I didnt ride my bike last year. So does anyone else have plans to get away over the winter bRIAN

somehow the chrome ring around the headlight looks different to me.....but what do i know, I ride a G1.. Brian

And we are glad youre here Rentalguy Brian

I am thinking it would be your amp too. Brian

Have you looked at the Spyder, its different but i know a couple of guys that have them and they say they like them. I was looking at the RT as I wasnt sure about being able to continue riding a bike with 2 wheels and i gotta say the RT touring pak looks nice and it comes with its own trailer painted to match. http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/731/4464/Motorcycle-Article/2010-Can-Am-Spyder-RT-First-Look.aspx Brian

I am betting some of the people in here are prolly gonna live longer if they ever need resuscitating now that they wont have to do mouth to mouth.... ......If youve ever seen the pics of this group you know what i mean:stickpoke: Brian

Nope , in their clutch cable... Brian

I think we are making way too big a deal over border crossings on this thread as its a non event 99.999 % of the time. Brian

Thats great that he is fine, falling into a grain bin doesnt usually have happy endings.... Brian

One more thought, i dont know how long you plan on being in North America, but if youre going to be here a long time, maybe get your Doctor to list all your meds and what the doses are, and possible a rough estimate of how many pills might be needed while you all are over here. It may help to do some math for a customs guy that figures you have a lot of meds with you. To be honest, dont over analyze the customs thing as hundreds of thousands of people a day enter North America so anything you can do to make the agents job easier will help you out. Another thing I have found that helps re-entering Canada is having an envelope for receipts (including hotels) and I itemize stuff on the outside of the envelope so they can see at a glance what I have spent and how long ive been in the country. Brian

You will have to go into US customs on arrival next summer.and I think Customs procedures are pretty similar going into the US or Canada. So no brown stuff should be flying around, just make sure your meds are in original packages so customs can identify them. Basically if you dont bother them and dont have anything to hide you will be fine, i cross with my meds all the time, I have been into the US tons of times and only had issues coming home once and that was a Canadian Customs officer on his first day.... I think its the old story where 99.999 % of the time everything is fine, and its that .0001% that we all hear about. Its kinda like this forum....most of the posts are negative or wanting to get help to fix, we hardly ever post when things go as they should, and its a good experience. I am sure you will have no issues getting into the US or Canada. , BUT if we like you guys when youre here, we might not let you leave! lol Brian