Sturgis 75th (bucket list thing). What a brute among all that chrome!
I just got back from two weeks on the road, 3,200 miles. The bike performed just great.
The only concern was one day it decided to gulp almost a 1/2 quart of oil? It was a 600 mile day with some high speed freeway and several thunderstorms. For the rest of the trip, it used about an 1/8 quart of oil. Not sure how to really explain it. Do know that it will burn more at the higher speeds and possibly the level of the surface I was on.
The bike did find itself in the middle of thousands of Harleys for several days. Someone had to represent Yamaha! Although I did see one other Tenere (White). In the campground it was parked next to the road to show off the dirt and mud on it. Thought about the bikini bike wash, but I had the ex-wife with me. With the Jesse boxes on it, never worried about people scratching my bike. And the responses of the chromed out Harleys stopped next to me when I asked them if they wanted to share the mud from my bike was priceless.
99% of the Harley owners were great. Sure no one was waving, but you would never be able to use your clutch if you did. There were the wanna be badass that you had to laugh at. And several of the 1% out and about. Towards the end of the week, we left early due to the crowds, and it seemed that more of the wanna be's were starting to show up. You know, the ones that think they can ride.
I put on Shinko 705's just prior to the trip, and they handled great in the rain. Matter of fact, I found myself having to slow down to more sane speeds at times. The only thing I did not like, was there was a 20-30 yard mud flow over the road in the mountains during a storm (yeah, flash flood), and it would have been nice to switch traction control on the fly from the nanny state I had it in. I made it through, and even an old goldwing with wife and trailer made it.
Once I was out of California and Nevada, I stayed on the backroads, and I am in awe of the beauty of this country. I am a pilot (for a major LE agency), and have seen most of this country by air, but with retiring next year, my mission is to see it by ground.
This was my first major bike trip, having only done 5-600 mile trips over several days. First, I did not have a problem, although towards the end, I was ready to go home several days early due to moderate back issues that started to flare up. In reality, maybe a little too ambitious for a first trip with my back. Had I just gone to Sturgis and back on the freeways, it would have been 2,500 miles. But I couldn't do that. And yeah, I will do it again.
Trying to use my phone in a tank bag for navigation was a failure. Phone heated up...etc. Will buy a decent GPS for the next trip. Used paper maps for most of the trip (they never lose satellite signal).
90% of the bikes on the road were Harley's. Even a week after. The next most seen bikes were the GS's.
I ended up seeing Zion, Grand Canyon, Ft. Laramie, Dinosaur National park, and several other sites.
The good and bad equipment wise was not much. Phone navigation needs to be mounted on the bars or a GPS. I bought the new Sidi All Road boots and they did great, nice and dry feet. I have Tourmaster overpants and they were great also. I have the Joe Rocket Alter Ego water proof jacket and that failed, was soaking wet. Only worked when I bought a Frogg Togg jacket to put over it (I admit, I am cheap). I have a XM receiver (stratus 7) that is mounted on a plate off the windshield bar. Uses the cigarette plug and I have a little in-line volume control on a wire that goes to my seat and where I plug my earbuds in. Forgot to put the bag on it in the first storm and it still is alive. Jesse's worked great.
This trip had been planned for over a year, and boy did I have fun. Now I get to have surgery (pre-planned) on my foot next week to replace a joint. No riding for several months. About time to get my ECM taken care of.
I learned a lot and now looking forward to doing another trip next year (not during bike week). All I can say is, "we ain't getting younger".
My hat off to people like DCstrom and company on there trips.
Mark
I just got back from two weeks on the road, 3,200 miles. The bike performed just great.
The only concern was one day it decided to gulp almost a 1/2 quart of oil? It was a 600 mile day with some high speed freeway and several thunderstorms. For the rest of the trip, it used about an 1/8 quart of oil. Not sure how to really explain it. Do know that it will burn more at the higher speeds and possibly the level of the surface I was on.
The bike did find itself in the middle of thousands of Harleys for several days. Someone had to represent Yamaha! Although I did see one other Tenere (White). In the campground it was parked next to the road to show off the dirt and mud on it. Thought about the bikini bike wash, but I had the ex-wife with me. With the Jesse boxes on it, never worried about people scratching my bike. And the responses of the chromed out Harleys stopped next to me when I asked them if they wanted to share the mud from my bike was priceless.
99% of the Harley owners were great. Sure no one was waving, but you would never be able to use your clutch if you did. There were the wanna be badass that you had to laugh at. And several of the 1% out and about. Towards the end of the week, we left early due to the crowds, and it seemed that more of the wanna be's were starting to show up. You know, the ones that think they can ride.
I put on Shinko 705's just prior to the trip, and they handled great in the rain. Matter of fact, I found myself having to slow down to more sane speeds at times. The only thing I did not like, was there was a 20-30 yard mud flow over the road in the mountains during a storm (yeah, flash flood), and it would have been nice to switch traction control on the fly from the nanny state I had it in. I made it through, and even an old goldwing with wife and trailer made it.
Once I was out of California and Nevada, I stayed on the backroads, and I am in awe of the beauty of this country. I am a pilot (for a major LE agency), and have seen most of this country by air, but with retiring next year, my mission is to see it by ground.
This was my first major bike trip, having only done 5-600 mile trips over several days. First, I did not have a problem, although towards the end, I was ready to go home several days early due to moderate back issues that started to flare up. In reality, maybe a little too ambitious for a first trip with my back. Had I just gone to Sturgis and back on the freeways, it would have been 2,500 miles. But I couldn't do that. And yeah, I will do it again.
Trying to use my phone in a tank bag for navigation was a failure. Phone heated up...etc. Will buy a decent GPS for the next trip. Used paper maps for most of the trip (they never lose satellite signal).
90% of the bikes on the road were Harley's. Even a week after. The next most seen bikes were the GS's.
I ended up seeing Zion, Grand Canyon, Ft. Laramie, Dinosaur National park, and several other sites.
The good and bad equipment wise was not much. Phone navigation needs to be mounted on the bars or a GPS. I bought the new Sidi All Road boots and they did great, nice and dry feet. I have Tourmaster overpants and they were great also. I have the Joe Rocket Alter Ego water proof jacket and that failed, was soaking wet. Only worked when I bought a Frogg Togg jacket to put over it (I admit, I am cheap). I have a XM receiver (stratus 7) that is mounted on a plate off the windshield bar. Uses the cigarette plug and I have a little in-line volume control on a wire that goes to my seat and where I plug my earbuds in. Forgot to put the bag on it in the first storm and it still is alive. Jesse's worked great.
This trip had been planned for over a year, and boy did I have fun. Now I get to have surgery (pre-planned) on my foot next week to replace a joint. No riding for several months. About time to get my ECM taken care of.
I learned a lot and now looking forward to doing another trip next year (not during bike week). All I can say is, "we ain't getting younger".
My hat off to people like DCstrom and company on there trips.
Mark
