XR 650L Mods

So I have finally spent some money on the bike. I decided to start prepping it for both some more trail riding and longer distance riding.

I ditched the stock Bridgestone Trail Wing tires after 1700 miles. The rear was worn pretty flat with less than 1/4" of tread left in the middle. The front was only slightly cupped but I decided to go ahead and get a matching set and see how they wear. So on the bike now is a set of Pirelli MT21 tires and the first 70 miles on them have been great. I'm still leery about cornering hard on new tires after reading all the stories on the internet about people wiping out on slick, new tires. They corner great (in fact, they seem too good to be true) and really hook up on gravel, dirt, and grass. It feels like the back vibrates pretty hard when braking but I've not tried to pinpoint when that became noticeable and how hard I was on the back brake. Big ups to the guys over at www.litzracing.com for mounting the tires.

I also got a rear cargo rack from Moose Racing but unfortunately it only comes in silver. I had it powder coated matte black and am very happy with the results.

I decided to put some good hand guards on the bike that can take a lick (not just plastic deflectors). I was shocked when I saw the prices for bark busters but the folks over at Litz racing thought they had something that would fit but no dice. I ended up finding a list of mods on Thumper Talk that recommended a set of Tusk bars. They fit nicely, lots of clearance on the front brake's master cylinder and super easy to mount. They almost clear the ball ends on the stock levers, too. For the time being I have the bars tweaked so the levers don't hit (the levers are under the bars so I still have good hand protection). I might pick up some cheap shorties down the road...

I've ordered a Renazco seat which will be made in July... Can't wait to get something better on the tail bone!

Completed so far:

• Pirelli MT21 Rallycross tires
• Moose Racing Expedition Rear Top Rack
• Tusk D-Flex hand guards 

Coming this summer:

• Custom suede Renzaco seat
• Rotopax gas cans

Red is my favorite color

I can't believe I have put off blogging this for so long (but March does include race'n in TN). I sold my Jeep and bought a motorcycle! Happy birthday to me :D A no-frills, fun-in-the-mountains, street legal dirt bike. A Honda XR650L.

I walked into Carmax on a Friday and sold my Jeep to them, went to the airport and rented a car, and drove to Mom's house in KY and bought it the next day from Ashland Cycle Center (who, by the way, gave me an amazing deal).

Of course, the main reason I got it was because it was red. And because the oil is in the frame (called, you guessed it, an oil-in-frame (OIF) chassis) it doesn't have an oil cooler. I looked at a Suzuki DR650 but considering that I am learning how to ride I figure this bike will spend some time on its side at some point and the oil cooler on the DR looked like one more thing to break.

Surprisingly I haven't missed my vehicle at all. I remember one of my professors telling me to sell my Jeep when I moved up here and while it wasn't practical at the time it certainly isn't as bad as I thought it would be.

Without further ado...

On the trailer when I picked it up

At the country store after riding US 421 "The Snake"

Back at my in-law's house

Bike Commute

The first step to riding 80 miles on the bike in one session is to get back in the groove. And that means if the weather is above 55-60 then I have NO excuses for not being on the bike. So I headed to work Friday morning and snapped a few pics to and from. 30 miles in one day after a 4-5 month hiatus is respectable in my book.

It all started at 6 AM with a protein shake that by 7:15 when I was out and on it desperately wanted to come up for air :-/




My first stop was to snap this picture of the sunrise where Cameron Run meets the Potomac.



Trust me, these photos do NOT give this spot justice. Gravelly point is the best hidden gem in the DC Metro area in my book. You would be hard pressed to find another location in the US where you can stand on the center line of the approach path for a metropolitan airport at slightly higher elevation than the runway with an amazing view. With a Northern wind you are almost guaranteed the chance to be buzzed by a 737 or A320 screaming in at 150 kts just 80-100 feet over your head. Add to that the often cross winds and the fact that this is one of the hardest approaches in the world with 20-30 degree right turn just seconds before landing and you have an experience anyone from hard core plane geeks to the average tourist will enjoy.





Riding by the White House on the way into work is always a refreshing sight.




Finally, the sunset from the bridge where I took the sunrise photo where I495 merges with US 1 and crosses the Potomac.

Thanksgiving week on the road

What do you get when you mix a week off work, a friend's wedding at the beach, a fiancee 400 miles away, a mother 180 miles from where you spend thanksgiving, and the most horrendous traffic you have ever seen??

Geographically (and cartographically), it looks like this



About 40 hours of driving time when it was all said and done. Traffic was INSANE on I-81 today and after a complete standstill on I-81 at Wytheville we came back via I-77/I-64/US-29 (8 Hours).

Also, worth mentioning, after driving all the way to the beach I had the wrong address and missed the wedding. HA! But I did get to make it to the reception :)