So, I’ve become pretty comfortable on my daily ~35 mile commute (each way) but there’s always new ready-to-kill-me obstacles. This mornings were *two* abscent minded cagers changing lanes and a LADDER in the middle of the freeway.

I wish I had captured a picture of that gigantic thing. It was almost fun, though, because I spotted it a couple seconds before I needed to react. thus was able to gracefully glide around the death-trap with a grin on my face and the throttle held steady.

Here’s your friendly PSA: stay aware out there, your reflexes are the first and last defense on the road.

having just passed 700 miles (it started at 1!) and getting the ehh-ok at the 600 mile service - $170, overpriced oil change much? - I’ve noticed the bike running more and more smoothly and enjoying it more as well. from shifting to the power curve everything seems less jittery.

part of this I am sure is myself improving my own skill and familarity with how my bike operates. the other part, I assume, is the break-in process progressing.

the biggest observed win is the shifting - I had some serious qualms with the jolty shifting. especially going from neutral to first while stopped (I know not the safest idea, I only go there at long lights and after there is someone stopped behind me.) the transmission would stick in neutral, I could not kick into first at all… often right when a light would turn green. because of this, I forced it once or twice before figuring out that all I needed to do is let off the clutch the slightest bit while pushing down (normal pressure) on the shifter and it would slip right into gear. also, first to second seems a bit smoother, and I find myself using the clutch with less and less tension while shifting.

as a majority of my engine break-in is complete (again, I assume,) I have been riding at higher rpm (i.e. going faster, yay!) on the freeway. cruising at ~5500 rpm in 6th feels pretty solid with a good amount of engine breaking (if/when needed) and an equally good amount of ready-torque when I need it.

only farkle have on the bike so far is a madstat windshield mount. I bought it to help with wind issues however I do not feel that they are “resolved.” I am still using the stock windshield and think that it may be just too small to provide the amount of protection and calm-wind-pocket I want on my commute. I am currently undecided which after-market windshield to purchase…

my OEM hand guards come today… can’t wait to put them on. I am also considering these stock mirror replacements - emgo mark ii mirrors - that I’ve seen a couple times and looks like a cheap and effective farkle.

I’ve always had an issue sticking to doing push ups regularly due to my bum elbow (it’s like arthritus/tennis-elbow/nerve damage but not.) it’s always been something I’d like to accomplish - that is, being able to do a shitload and reap all the benefits (superficial and otherwise.) I’ve seen firsthand how effective they are as one of my best buds has immaculate pecs and push ups are basically all he does (for exercise.)

onehundredpushups is a fitness plan of that sort.

so first “fix” the bum elbow, then invest six weeks in pushup training.
yeeah!

If you’re a lark, apt to wake as early as 6am, and go to sleep around 9 or 10 pm, you’re going to feel your nap need around 1 or 1:30 pm. If you’re an owl, preferring to go to bed after midnight or 1am, and to wake around 8 or 9am, your afternoon “sleep gate” will open later, closer to 2:30 or 3pm.

I am an owl. larks are weird, imo.

view the entire nap graphicy goodness at boston.com

as I work from home today, naturally still in my underwear, I’m overjoyed to not be stuck in the grind.

since purchasing my V-Strom from cyclewest, who assured me I was getting the bike on a “buddy deal,” I have received two return calls as a result of my multi-dealership inquiries back in april. the 2008 v-strom 650 abs has arrived, in great(er) numbers.

so much for getting it to me ahead of the game, jerkwads.

in believing them, I totally tossed out the negotiation card as well and paid premium. I’m not that upset about it because I love the bike, but it still ticks me off. so much so that I’m abandoning the “maintenance plan” and quite likely the “extended warranty” the dealership offered me.

I believed scarcity would drive up the cost regardless of dealership (which I suppose, may still be true…)

cest la ve~

quick-background:
I finally got my brand-spankin’ new 2008 DL650 last week (after writing about only one final contender and two months of waiting for it to arrive from the factory.)

I broke in the first ~50 miles (proper engine break-in is super important) using a combination of techniques found here, here, and the user’s manual (though not really.)

I changed my oil & filter yesterday, accidentally overfilled it then promptly drained the excess (very irritating thing to do..) I’m using a stock suzuki oil filter and valvoline 10w-40 oil for the next ~500 miles - until my 600 mile service which I expect will be by the mid-end of this month.

pros summary:
fucking fun. a very different experience than riding my ‘87 Yamaha Virago (a 700cc.) the handling is very tight and I generally always feel safe on my Wee. the breaks are astounding: I’m much more likely to fly off the bike by breaking than accelerating.

a few cons:
I can confirm that there is a lot of ‘helmet buffeting’ that is pretty headache inducing in large doses. I plan on tweaking to kingdom-come in efforts to fix but at this point, the issue is not so bad reducing the fun I am having is lessened any. milage during break in is crap. there is a lot of vacuum’y sounds from the bike at all rpms that I’m a little leary of. the dealership I purchased from is pretty shitty; also, I didn’t get a great deal on the bike.

my ride to work - through the woods, over the hills and straddle the cliffs overlooking the shore.
absolutely awesome ride for twisties:

link to googlemaps route

hit 186,000 miles on my ‘91 benz which I purchased at 133K.
I have yet *knocks very-hard on wood* to have any major repairs. on my ~75 mile a day commute I use about ~2.3 gal. of gas. not too shabby for a 17 year old car.

as much as I’d like to think I don’t need the Internet’s validation of a purchase in order to actually make one, that’d be fallacy. I grep the web for insight from those who’ve purchased what I want for any tidbit of information they wish to impart.

In general, this grepping does one of two things: 1) makes me ever excited to the point where I don’t really care what I pay anymore (to a firm degree..) or 2) discourages me from that particular model, brand, product altogether.

these two links lend to #1. I want it I want it I want it.

first of all, wow… I can’t help but imagine how I would have handled such an experience. after going batshit crazy for a number of hours, I imagine a spiritual awakening (of sorts) and a heck of a lot of praying. I hope he was a bad man who deserved it, got his come-uppins or karma, and is changed for the better.

secondly, what the fuck?! how does this even happen today - what with a) emergency elevator-phones b) a SECURITY CAMERA; no one checks at all? c) cell phones - granted the guy was on a cig break, must not have had it on him… sheesh!

TRAPPED - The New Yorker
[ via waxy.org ]

update: I purchased this bike!

Needs
(and what the V-Strom offers):

- comfort: upright riding position, feet flat on the ground at stop, no major fatigue from just cruising
(fairly hard to judge from intarweb reviews and a brief sit on it at the dealership)

- great mpg: would love 60+
(concensus seems to be ~52)

- safety: high speed travel with crazy commuter cagers and the occasional lane splitting
(ABS! full frontal fairing.. additional safety accessories available)

- sports-like torque, great 0-60 - top speed no where near as important
(still need to test ride it… but reviewers and various tidbits from around the web show it on the slow side from what I’d like)

- love the way it looks: cruiser appeal with the protection of a touring bike, great color paint
(it almost has it all… it’s a teensy bit too bug-like lookin’ but compared to the alternatives hardly an issue)

- passenger comfort, storage
(the girlfriend wants to feel safe & secure too! laptop & lunch needs a safe place while I ride)

Big consideration: 75-90% highway travel (commute ~70 miles a weekday)

a concise video review of a very-similar model:

a short thread on how much I’m shooting for at the dealership.

official suzuki DL650 V-strom product page of the exact bike I will purchase (most likely.)

but… Master of Puppets, And Justice For All, Metallica (black album), and Ride the Lightning will forever be absolute works of musical genius.

my generation’s Classical Music.