anyone go for a ride today? Pics?

[Hayabuser]

Beautiful bike Dave.

Thanks! I resisted as long as I could....

Kool Kat 

It really is!

Ok ok....so we need a full review of the new Katana. Like now.

Hmm, a full review after only putting 10kms on it so far? Well, it's more comfortable than the original Katana!

More to follow.

[Hayabuser]

Waiting for Trevor to comment about the handlebars.... 3... 2... 1...

[gbw]

Left out early Saturday morning to return Joe's bike and recover mine from his garage. Weather ended up being nice, so we got out late morning and rode about 120 miles around the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests. Joe wanted to try out a new route off the Cherohala Skyway. It was a nice route, but turned into a dirt/gravel road. We rode it anyway because we're rugged adventures.

Here we are taking a break right after the road stopped being paved, trying to decide to turn back or not. We decided to bravely move forward.



The road ran right along the North River



Most of the road looked like this, so it was pretty easy going. Some of it was a little sketchier, but it was fine, and fun, and we didn't get stuck behind a parade of Mini Coopers like we did on the Skyway.



We stopped at the Deal Gap resort for a break before heading back to Joe's. Of course Killboy caught us on the way back. At least this time we were both on motorbikes instead of in Joe's truck.



The weather ended up being great with just a little rain, the colors in the mountains were nice, and it really was a great day riding with a good friend. Thanks Joe!

[bwringer]

Greg, good to see you got El Tigre sorted out and you and Joe got out for a nice scenic ride.

It took me a few minutes to find North River Road on a map; haven't been down that one. Nice!



Around here, the deer activity is ramping up -- LOTS more dead deer along the road in the last week or so -- so I'm sticking to the city for the next several weeks.

On November 9, 2013, I hit a seven point buck on my KLR650 south of Indy and collected my third broken left femur and second broken right wrist. I've never paid much attention to hunting and had no idea that weekend was the very height of the rut around here. Pretty much the single most dangerous day to ride.

Deer are always a danger, of course, but late October through November is much more dangerous; they're moving around a lot more trying to breed and fatten up, and paying even less attention than usual, if that's even possible for such an incredibly brainless creature. So in late fall, I can't really even enjoy myself anyway. There's a very unpleasant recording looping through my head that gets very loud and intense on days that smell of late autumn's mostly fallen leaves, and especially on crisp cloudless mornings when the sky is that intense blue unique to late fall.

Eat more venison.




I've never bothered to track my yearly mileage, but the travel restrictions this spring and summer definitely put a crimp in things. We eventually figured out how to ride in a socially distant and responsible manner and did our best to catch up.

[Jedz123]

Awesome!!!
Congrats on the Katana!
Did you swap out the GSX-S750?

[Jedz123]

Left out early Saturday morning to return Joe's bike and recover mine from his garage. Weather ended up being nice, so we got out late morning and rode about 120 miles around the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests. Joe wanted to try out a new route off the Cherohala Skyway. It was a nice route, but turned into a dirt/gravel road. We rode it anyway because we're rugged adventures.

Here we are taking a break right after the road stopped being paved, trying to decide to turn back or not. We decided to bravely move forward.



The road ran right along the North River



Most of the road looked like this, so it was pretty easy going. Some of it was a little sketchier, but it was fine, and fun, and we didn't get stuck behind a parade of Mini Coopers like we did on the Skyway.



We stopped at the Deal Gap resort for a break before heading back to Joe's. Of course Killboy caught us on the way back. At least this time we were both on motorbikes instead of in Joe's truck.



The weather ended up being great with just a little rain, the colors in the mountains were nice, and it really was a great day riding with a good friend. Thanks Joe!

Greg
Glad to see the Triumph is back!
Looks like an awesome ride!
Take care and enjoy the twilight of the season!

[Eli69]

That looks like an excellent ride Mr. GBW.

So last Friday was a total fluke. Mid 70's and sunny in between cold, rainy days of Fall. Work got "canceled".

I decided it'd be a good day for a bike n hike in the nearby Letchworth State Park.

The park is actually kinda crowded these days but it was early and I went to the East side which is less popular (and free).

Parked at a random spot, got off the bike, grabbed a beer and climbed up this hill. It's higher than it looks. Had to take a minute to breath at the top.



It's basically the inside of a big loop in the Genesee River so I walked along the edge of the gorge all the way around til I got back to where the bike was parked. Perfect walking day with great views all the way.

Back at the bike I grabbed another beer and wandered down the hill a ways. I started watching my step when I saw this little guy in case there were bigger, more scary friends sunning themselves.



I came across this pond which I believe is called a Bow Lake. A spot where the river ran before it changed course possibly hundreds or even thousands of years ago.



This picture was from a different ride but is taken at a spot about half way through my walk.



The next day I was helping a friend put a roof on his barn and swear I saw snowflakes, Soooo.....

[Hayabuser]

Awesome!!!
Congrats on the Katana!
Did you swap out the GSX-S750?

It was sort of an impulse buy... a dealership out of town is owned by a Suzuki nut (lucky for him he owns a Suzuki store) and he came down to buy my '85 Katana 750 pop-up for his collection. Before he did, we were talking about the 2020 Katana and he said that he had a demo that he could bring down with him if I wanted to try it. Freaking pushers feeding off of the vulnerable! True to his word, not five minutes after I got home from work yesterday, he rolled up with this spaceship in the back of his truck. It was the first time I'd seen one in person and I have to say, I was blown away. I liked it in pictures but it's really something else in the metal.




Even at two grand off of MSRP being a demo (lightly used demo, just 260kms on the odometer), it was still pretty spendy so my visions of new Kat ownership were starting to slip away... until he took a look around my garage and threw healthy trade-in values on my 2015 GSX-S750 and 2017 VanVan200... long story short, three old bikes left and one new one stayed. So yes, the GSX-S750 is gone as is my beloved 2017 VanVan200... and the aforementioned pop-up Katana.

Now I just need to not refill my garage with more stray Suzukis. I must be strong. I must be strong.

[Jedz123]

It was sort of an impulse buy... a dealership out of town is owned by a Suzuki nut (lucky for him he owns a Suzuki store) and he came down to buy my '85 Katana 750 pop-up for his collection. Before he did, we were talking about the 2020 Katana and he said that he had a demo that he could bring down with him if I wanted to try it. Freaking pushers feeding off of the vulnerable! True to his word, not five minutes after I got home from work yesterday, he rolled up with this spaceship in the back of his truck. It was the first time I'd seen one in person and I have to say, I was blown away. I liked it in pictures but it's really something else in the metal.




Even at two grand off of MSRP being a demo (lightly used demo, just 260kms on the odometer), it was still pretty speedy so my visions of new Kat ownership were starting to slip away... until he took a look around my garage and threw healthy trade-in values on my 2015 GSX-S750 and 2017 VanVan200... long story short, three old bikes left and one new one stayed. So yes, the GSX-S750 is gone as is my beloved 2017 VanVan200... and the aforementioned pop-up Katana.

Now I just need to not refill my garage with more stray Suzukis. I must be strong. I must be strong.

Wow that's some wheeling and dealing, still think you made out like a Bandit... I mean Katana.

The moon and planets must be aligned for I did my annual mile crunching and see the TUX is just not being ridden as much as years past... only 900 miles on. I actually listed the little nifty 250 for sale the other day, likely won't sell for what i want for it before the snow flies but it will likely sell quickly next spring. Just time to refresh inventory and I'm looking hard at the CT125 hunter cub and now the H'ness Cb350, if that ever comes state side.

Bonneville will crest 100K miles some point next year although I'm going to tour duty the VMAX for a year, if I like it more. Need to install cruise control on the Max to make that more feasible, current bars give me right elbow pain on long rides. I am currently prospecting for the next high mile sport touring rig, GSX-S1000F is on that short list... Why I'd love some impressions on your new Zook!

Anyway it was an awesome story Dave! Can't wait for a more thorough write up on your impressions of the Katana.

Enjoy and ride fast!

[Burque73]

Nope, not riding today! Temperature dropped 40° in two days and we got six inches of snow. Mostly melted from the roads and sidewalks in a couple of hours though. Temps should be back up into the 60's by the weekend. Crazy weather!

[GS1150Pilot]

It dropped into the 60's here this week. Good weather for:

535605F7-B267-4D5E-AEB8-878A6983218F.jpg

[GS1150Pilot]

And so it goes:

B504526A-DFEB-4007-A3E0-C5E0B2ADB22E.jpg

[Jedz123]

Yes!!!
That Con-Rod is huge.
How goes surgery?

[GS1150Pilot]

Getting there:

E7D11EC3-C28D-4EC2-B8B1-0413CF4570EE.jpg

[Jedz123]

Dang making time!