rentalguy1

http://www2.tricities.com/news/2011/jun/06/bikers-riding-good-cause-ar-1087473/

Speaking from the son's side of things, he missed you just as badly at first. Now he is just too busy to think of anything besides the current task at hand. At night he is too tired to think of anything except sleep. You may not hear from him much for the first several weeks, and unless things have drastically changed since I did basic training, he will not get any mail from home for another week or two. They do this to separate the soldier to be from his old life. Be assured that he is in very capable hands, and is undergoing a major life transition right now. He went in as your baby, but when he comes out the other side he will be a part of a very small fraternity. Be proud, because no matter how insignificant things may seem to him, he is changing the world with his decision.

Last July we buried my mother in law. About a week later, some old friends of ours lost their 14 year old son to a gun accident. He was a good kid, and had many friends. The funeral was huge. Fast forward to April 27th of this year, and we had roughly a dozen tornadoes touch down in our area in a single night, including two EF-4's. Everybody here knows someone that was affected. Chad and Edwienna, Logan's parents, and Billy Jack, a long time local tattoo artist, came up with the idea of a poker run to both memorialize Logan and benefit a family that lost everything in the Glade Spring, VA EF-4 tornado. They did it on short notice, only two weeks, and were able to get over 100 bikes to come out for the ride. At the end of the day they were able to present the benefit family with over $2000 in much needed cash. Everybody had a good time, and all bikes made the ride with both wheels down (except for one parking lot drop when a divot in the asphalt caught a front tire - no damage, though). http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/rentalguy1/Logans%20Run%202011/DSC00501.jpg (some of the bikes gathering at Billy Jack's Tattoos before the ride) http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/rentalguy1/Logans%20Run%202011/DSC00507.jpg (Panoramic shot of the first stop. We lost 15 Patriot Guard riders here. They had to attend a brother's funeral) http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/rentalguy1/Logans%20Run%202011/DSC00508.jpg (Second stop) http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/rentalguy1/Logans%20Run%202011/DSC00511.jpg (Pic of the third stop at the local biker bar - this ended up being the longest stop... http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/rentalguy1/Logans%20Run%202011/DSC00502.jpg (Just really liked this bike. Rider's son is disabled and in a wheel chair. He had a rack for the chair on the other side.) The wife has always been against motorcycles, and has always pretty much hated that I ride. I'm not sure how, but Edwienna talked her into making this run with us. We went out last week and picked out a helmet for her, and I took her for a short ride on Saturday to let her get a feel for it. Then she made the entire ride with me yesterday. She had a blast! She was amazed by the number of bikes, and really liked it when she realized that bikers make their own damn rules. She thought that it was awesome that we had road guards who would fall out and block traffic at intersections, and the looks on peoples faces when over 100 Harleys rode past. If you think one HD is loud, try 100+ in a line a half a mile long! http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/rentalguy1/Logans%20Run%202011/DSC00503.jpg (The wife waiting for the ride to begin. See her pretty pink-flamed helmet on the seat? She insists on calling it a "bucket.") I think she is hooked http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/rentalguy1/Logans%20Run%202011/DSC00512.jpg (Had to include a pic of my bike for good measure)

Best of luck! I know where you're coming from. Herniated discs at L3-4, L4-5, L5-S1, severe central canal stenosis at L5-S1, mild central canal stenosis at L4-5, severe facet joint hypertrophy (arthritis which has caused the little wing bones to grow together) and severe disc dessication (dehydration and hardening) at all three levels. I toughed it out and soldiered on when I should have gotten help, now it is inoperable, and I am left with a partially paralyzed right leg and a right foot drop. I have a few other symptoms from the nerves that are involved at that level, too. Not fun, and I'm only 38. Get the surgery, do the therapy, and don't look back...

Nice RK! Love the Root Beer!

I've lived in extreme NE TN for almost all of my life (minus time given to Unlce Sam and a few stints for employers), and I never get bored where motorcycle riding is concerned. I never get bored where boating is concerned, either. If you are a history buff, there is more than enough here to keep you searching for a lifetime. While crime is on the rise in this area, it is still only a small fraction compared to most other places. Wages are low here, comparatively speaking, but then again, so is the cost of living. We have a over-abundence of true redneck hicks. You know, the kind that still throw candy bar wrappers out the car window, and can turn any beautiful spot into a trash dump in a matter of weeks. That said, these are the people that will watch out for their neighbors and give them the shirt off their back in hard times. They are also the kind that will stand up for their friends, family and neighbors in a fight. You don't mess with folks down here, because you end up messing with a entire clan. The weather in the spring, summer, and fall is typically beautiful, and the snow in the winter is awesome. We had our once in a lifetime anomaly the other night, though. Somewhere between 7 and 12 EF2-EF4 tornadoes in our area over a 3 hour period. It was exciting, but never want to go through it again.

cancel the appt with the orthoped ricky tick. You need a appt with a neurosurgeon. You have a pinched (probably sciatic) nerve. Do get to the doc, asap, though. I wish I had 15 years ago, but I tried to "soldier on," and ended up with a severed sciatic nerve and a foot drop on the right side. I also have all kinds of other "stuff" from the severed nerve. Don't become a paraplegic without the wheelchair, like me...

I bet it doesn't have a cassette player...

Very doubtful that it is a clogged up cat. That almost never happens on late model to newer vehicles. I'll go out on a limb and say the O2 sensors need to be replaced. They are likely sending bad signals to the ECU causing the engine to lean up in a attempt run "correctly." These days (and back to the late 80's) actual mechanical problems are scarce. Most problems are computer/sensor related.

sounds like one of two things to me: 1. Way too lean. Check the gasket under the carb/throttle body, and the intake gasket. OR (more likely) 2. a vacuum leak. Check ALL the vacuum hoses. Good luck.

Sorry to hear about your spill, and I hope your knee heals quickly. You gotta get right back on that horse, though. Find you a used 125-250cc FOUR STROKE dirt bike and beat the crap out of it in a nearby field. I bought my 14 year old son a 1994 Suzuki DR125E last summer and it took him several hours to get the clutch thing settled. He can go anywhere he wants in that field now, but every time he gets a little over confident the bike shows him that isn't appropriate behavior. He still overrevs, and hasn't started changing gears yet, but that's ok. Learning to ride for most folks, and especially folks older than their teenage years, is about baby steps. Stick with it, take it slow, and you'll get the hang of it.

Gave it a proper bath over the weekend http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/rentalguy1/DSC00332.jpg http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/rentalguy1/DSC00327.jpg Of course I used it as learning experience for my son. He did do good on it I let him wash the F150 afterward. Then I picked up some more bling for it yesterday. I got chrome bezels for the dash, new teardrop mirrors with the harley script on it that matches the rest of the bike, and the nostalgic footboards, brake pad and gear shifter pads. I only had time to get the dash stuff on it today. http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/rentalguy1/DSC00349.jpg http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/rentalguy1/DSC00352.jpg http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/rentalguy1/DSC00358.jpg http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/rentalguy1/DSC00360.jpg That takes care of about half my list of goodies to buy for it. I'll start getting into the expensive goodies next time,

The DAV, VFW, and all the other service organizations are a joke. If I had relied on them, I would still be at 30%, just like I was for over a decade. Instead, I learned how to do the stuff for myself, and got it taken care of. Check out http://www.hadit.com You'll get the answers you need there.

I'm in Bristol. Just a hop, skip and a jump from ya.

professional pics...finally http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/rentalguy1/0004.jpg http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/rentalguy1/0024.jpg http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/rentalguy1/0140.jpg http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/rentalguy1/0066.jpg can you tell I'm a proud papa?

thanks for the comments. I finally got a pic of it in the sunshine: http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/rentalguy1/IMG00039-20110319-1604.jpg Trying to start the chicklet off right http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/rentalguy1/0101.jpg

was she hot in her FB pictures?

That pretty much describes the whole state. Come to think of it, that pretty much describes anything north of the Mason Dixon line, or west of Texas...

I've read through midrsv's thread comparing the GL1800 to the VR and thought maybe it would help some that may be on the fence over a trade for a HD. I traded my 1988 VR and 2007 Sportster Custom for a 2011 HD FLHTCU (Ultra Classic Electra Glide) two weeks ago, and there are some pretty big differences in the two. I've only ridden about 200 miles (odometer read 11 miles when I signed the papers) on the Harley, but here is what I have noticed so far: At a Glance While the Venture is a good looking bike, it is distinctively 1980's. The lines and sharp angles, combined with "futuristic" (for the times) design of the dash panel, these bikes scream "Knight Rider." Of course, these bikes are 22+ years old, and the majority of them show their age. Mine did as well, but unless you were very close to it, or looking for blemishes, you wouldn't have noticed them. Overall, it was a older bike that I was proud to own. The Ultra is brand spanking new, and you can tell. There are no blemishes, and it has that new bike smell. Make that "were no blemishes." On the second ride, I didn't realize the muzzle of my 1911 was sticking out and it made a small scuff on the top of the seat. The paint is a sharper color than the VR, but I don't think the quality and craftsmanship are any better. Their is a lot to be said about the classic look of the bat wing fairing and passing lamps, though. I guess that is why the majority of other manufacturers have been copying them for a decade or more. Ergonomically Speaking My first few rides on the Yamaha were a bit tedious, but I had gotten very comfortable on the VR in the short time I owned it. I had been riding all my life, but had never even sat on a touring bike until I bought this one. The handlebars were very comfortable, and the gauges were easy to identify and read. If the sun was in the right place, though, you could get a slight glare on the instruments. The only thing I ever found a bit awkward was operating the cruise control. The remote for the radio system, and the PTT button for the intercom were both perfectly positioned, though. Both saw a lot of usage on my bike. The Ultra has a more classic design, and that makes the instruments much easier to read for me. There are no dummy lights on this bike, and this makes the dash look less cluttered. Honestly, though, a gear indicator would be nice for the six speed tranny. It does have a little "6" on the speedometer, at least. The handlebars are a more classic design, and a tad wider than the VR. This may make a difference for some, but not to me. The stock grips are more comfortable to me, but then again they are new. While the activation switch for the cruise control is no better or worse than the VR, the remaining controls are more awkward to me. They seem to be positioned too close to the grip to operate comfortably with the thumb, and I don't think there is a cancel button. Power is Everything This is a "apples and oranges" comparison, since they are totally different engines. The numbers that I have found are 97HP for the V4 and 95HP for the V twin. So, even though the Ultra has a extra 294cc's, the VR makes more power. Of course these are both theoretical numbers, measured at the crank. Dyno results for the Twin Cam 96B show 63HP at the rear wheel. I have no idea what the numbers are for the V4. I do know what the "butt dyno" has to say though, and that is the V4 is quicker, but the V twin has more torque. The roll on response of the 96B TC is much quicker than the V4, especially in a higher gear at highway speeds. I'm going to guess that this is due to the fact that the new bike is fuel injected rather than quad carbed. While this makes for quicker and sharper throttle response, and removes the need to choke the crap out of a cold bike, it does present it's own set of problems. This mostly comes in to play for the tinkerer, who likes to tune their bike periodically. It can still be done on the Harley, but requires a computer to do so. The cost for repairs is much higher as well. The exhaust setup on the VR is, of course, dual two-into-ones, and the HD has true duals. The latter means a less stifled engine. The V4 engine has that common, metric bike sound. Nothing special about it, unless that constant puff from a slightly out of tune carb qualifies. The 96B has that distinctive Harley sound. Not so much out of the box. The EPA has our bikes so over-regulated these days that even a big twin HD sounds like a Singer sewing machine from the factory. A set of 3.5" Rinehart slip-ons woke her right up, though. I know many criticize the MOCO for this and that, but if you don't like the sound of Harley Davidson at idle, then you seriously need to have your testosterone levels checked. Where the Rubber Meets the Road When talking about a touring bike, the following is where it's at; comfort and handling. Both of these bikes are top notch in their element. Even at 22 years old, my VR was super comfortable. With a seat height of 30.9", the VR is nearly 2" taller than the HD. As a rider that is on the shorter side of average at 5'9", with short legs (30" inseam), both are a bit hairy when at a stop. The VR, though, had front and rear air shocks that were super easily adjustable. The rider can set up the height of the bike before startup, and have no worries about stopping on the ride. The Harley is adjustable in the rear, but it is a much more involves process that requires tools to do so. Of course, lowering the suspension means diminishing the ride quality to some degree, so I ended up just dealing with the tip-toe stopping on both. In the area of balance, the HD wins hands down. The very first thing I noticed about the Yamaha was that it liked to walk at slow speeds, and even a little bit at cruising speed. A fork brace lessened this problem at cruise, but you just had to learn to handle the beast in a parking lot. Neither of these is a issue on the Harley. Once it starts moving you can almost let go of the handlebars. Both have comfortable stock seat configurations, but the seat seems much wider on the Ultra. This can get uncomfortable for a rider with short legs, but can be corrected by whipping out the checkbook.My son claims the passenger seating is better on the HD, even though he gave up armrests on the new bike. The floorboards for the rider are much more comfortable than the oversized pegs on the VR, and the riding position seems to be slightly more stretched out on the Harley. Creature Comforts Hey, it's a touring bike, it's supposed to have all the bells and whistles. If I wanted a hard core bike I would have kept the Sporty. Both bikes have about the same amount of storage capacity. The key difference here is in the operation of the saddlebags and trunk. The saddlebag lids on the VR have to come all the way off for access, where the HD lids are hinged and open to the outside, so you can handle your stuff without looking for a place to store your lids. The hard bags on the HD are very easily removed for access to the rear wheel and exhaust as well. The trunk on the HD opens to the side, meaning the passenger doesn't have to get off the bike in order to access your gear. It's hard to compare the electronics on the two bikes, because of the new technology that exists now. I can say that the speakers were shot on my VR. I ended up listening to the radio through the headset, which may as well have been someone singing into a tin can. The Harmon Kardon sound system on the HD is worlds above the Yamaha system. It still has the intercom, the CB, and the AM/FM tuner, but also adds in a weather band, a single disc CD player, and a auxiliary input for a IPod/MP3 player. The front speakers are larger than the VR, and there is a set of rear speakers of the same size. The audio controls are actually easier to access than the remote on the VR was. Also, the intercom is VOX, which is nice, but can cause some problems with the exhaust note of the V Twin. The passenger controls are split up on the HD, with some on each side of the tour pak. Overall Impression I'm still finding it difficult to compare these two bike to each other. The age difference, and the difference in the new technology just make them too different, even though they are similar in a lot ways. The older Yamaha was a little quicker, and maybe even a little more comfortable, but I was interested in a touring bike to take longer rides on in comfort. That, to me, really means having all the bells and whistles operating the way they are supposed to, in addition to a bike that is mechanically reliable without having to throw a lot of money at. While I considered throwing some money at the Yamaha, it dawned on me that no matter how well maintained it might be, it is still a 22+ year old bike with 50,000 miles on the frame and engine. It was also becoming difficult to find parts for since there weren't a lot of them made to begin with. Being a skin flint at heart, I had a very hard time justifying the $23,500 price tag on the new bike. I still have a hard time with that, even though I know I can afford it. It all boils down to each rider has to have what they want, as much as what they need. Hope this helps a bit, and I will try to add to it as I ride the new bike more. I know there is a lot that I have missed here, so if there is a question I will do my best to answer it.

My thoughts exactly. Street racing, even for fun, sux. Too many die from it every year. But, if you wanna let him run it, take it to the local drag strip. Expect to get beat, though. I know nothing of the current sport bike lineup, but I have ridden plenty of the older ones. My last one was a 2002 ZX-6R. Even bone stock it would touch 75mph in first gear at redline, and well over 100 mph in second. The first gen I just traded in would have never touched it, even if it had been gone completely through and race tuned. Don't even get me started on the twisties. The Ninja was built for that, and is ridiculously nimble. When you think you can't go over any farther, you probably still have 4-6 inches before you hear scraping. It's the only class of bike that I've ever ridden where you actually add more throttle to tighten up in a turn. They are a blast to ride...when going over the mountain at a high rate of speed. But, I like I said, I see several each year die in my area pulling that stuff. The Venture is infinitely more comfortable for those of us that have realized that riding isn't a race, but should be done at a pace you can actually enjoy. I'd much rather take a long, slower ride than see who can make it from Holston Valley to Shady on the Snake the fastest. Just my $.02

fella, I back up every word I say, and I have the scars and literature to prove it. If you wanna roll over for someone who pushes dope on your children, go ahead. Not taking a stand against this repugnant behavior is the same as condoning it. Like I said before, I don't wear a vest when riding. I don't belong to a club. I don't need either one of them. I also said that if I somehow found myself in their house, I would abide by their rules. That's only logical. If I'm hassled or threatened, by one of them, or anyone else, while minding my own business, then may God help them.

I have a patch, too. It's on the right shoulder of a old coat hanging in the back of the closet. There's a few other trinkets on it as well. I don't need to see it to remember who I am, though.

what I'm saying, exactly. I've read in the news how these guys fight, and I've experienced worse. To the fellow who said my attitude was infantile, and that I only talk tough on the interwebs...try me.

never said all... said most. last i checked, it was still illegal to manufacture, traffic, or sell drugs and trade illegal arms.

Same here. I don't think you are championing the lifestyle. I also agree that if you are on their turf (bar or whatever), you should abide by there rules. Out on the open road is a different story, however. It should also be pointed out that while most of them are criminal, they are usually quick to help a stranded motorist, especially another biker, so long as they're not a rival mouseketeer.