| Author | Message | ||
     Reepicheep |
The only thing I would add (having thought about this same thing) is that a purpose built 1190AX won't be $7000. I'd be suprised if it was $10000. I'd guess more like $14000. I think I could take a stock SX and make it a pretty decent tourer (for me) for under $2000. | ||
| Tootal |
Now how much would you pay? That's a really tough question to answer John. You're really going to have to search yourself for what's more important in YOUR life. Nobody is going to know what's best for you. Question 1. If you get the house and can afford the payment, will you have anything left to make repairs, taxes and insurance? If you do but that is all then you are stuck there for a long time since a 30 years loan will pretty much keep you from having any equity for a long time unless you can make extra payments and it doesn't sound like you will be able to do that. If you can be comfortable with the answer to that question then that's the route I'd take. Personally, with my experiences in the past, I'd loose all my debt before I did anything. Getting that monkey off your back will give you breathing room. | ||
| Court |
Easy 1st priority - Credit cards (the debt will, at some point, catch you and bite you) 2nd priority - House (this is subject to discussion. But a house is an APPRECIATING asset and brings certain tax advantages that may aid in resolving/maintaining the credit card situation. 3rd priority - The SX. It's a depreciating asset and . . even if you buy it for $7,000, it's going to loose value the moment it goes out the dealer's door. In addition, like women, the acquisition of the SX, is going to lure you into spending more and more $$ on "things". Your course will be set based on how your personal starts align . . . my points are based on mine. I am very well aware of the fact that you situation and results may differ . . . AND that we share the very same "screw it, I'm headed to the Arctic circle" thinking. I'm behind you 100% regardless of which was you go. | ||
| Reepicheep |
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| Crusty |
Roast Beef or Cake? Why is it that when you put cake in an oven, it’s baking but when you put beef in the same oven at the same temperature, it’s called roasting? I’ve been asking myself that question a bit lately. I can’t come up with a good answer though. I guess it’s in the same vein as why baby chickens are called chicks, but baby ducks are not called dicks. Today, it’s supposed to be sunny with temps close to 70 (20º C). It would be a good day to install both the jet kit and the Ear Cannon. However, I probably won’t do either. Not from laziness, but because I want it done right. I need to replace the choke cable on my bike. It’s an easy job, but it involves removing the carburetor. So does installing the jet & needle kit. Now, to install the horn, I have to get a bracket to mount it on the left side of the bike. My current horn sits between the frame down tubes and is much smaller. The Ear Cannon won’t fit there. Now, coincidentally, the choke cable will fit into the bracket I need to buy. I also need to get a rubber isolator to attach the horn to the bracket and I’m not sure, but I think I’ll need one more piece to get it right. These are all nickel and dime items, but nickels and dimes add up pretty quickly and I’m living on short funds this month. One of my character defects/attributes is that I want it done right and I want it to look right. I hate doing a half assed job. I’ve had too many people tell me how good the Roadster looks; I don’t want to ruin the appearance by doing shoddy work. Thinking about it, I guess I could do the jet & needle today and live with the choke cable the way it is for now. The horn will definitely be put off until I can afford the rest of the pieces to do it right. The rain we’ve gotten has made the foliage colors appear. It was looking pretty drab until it started raining; now there are quite a few trees with very vibrant shades of red, gold, orange, yellow, etc. New England at this time of year is spectacular. Maybe, I should jump on the bike and disappear for a day. I wonder if there’s a good burger joint somewhere in the middle of New Hampshire or Vermont? I just looked at the forecast on Intellicast, and it’s supposed to be nice for the next couple of days. Maybe I should throw the tent and bag on the bike and just do an overnighter. Hmmm; something to think about. | ||
| Tootal |
John, I was curious why you needed to rejet your carb? The old engine sounded really good when I was following you at TWO. Did the new motor have a carb on it or did you use your old one? My past experience with carb jetting kits has not been too good. They seem to run better but your gas mileage takes a dump! If the kit tells you to drill the hole in the vacuum slide bigger don't do it. It will give you faster throttle response but will harm slow speed control. If your new engine came with a carb on it then you might try using your old carb on it first. Oh, one more thing, please check for intake leaks before you jet the carb. I know you're a good wrench but carbs are something I've had a lot of experience with and just wanted to throw that out there just in case. I hope you get good results, nothing like having your machine running right! | ||
| Crusty |
I rejet the carb on my S3 and it made the bike run a whole lot better. All I changed was the needle and the low speed jet, and it ran smoother and accelerated cleaner than with the stock EPA regulated setup. It also didn't hurt my mileage. There's a little bit of lag in the carb right now and it runs a bit rough at low RPMs, so for under twenty bucks, I figured doing the same thing was worth a shot. If I don't like it, I can always go back to the stock setup. | ||
| Tootal |
Ok, cool! That should do the trick. I just didn't want you to do too much! Carry on sir. | ||
| 86129squids |
"I know you're a good wrench but carbs are something I've had a lot of experience with" I'm quite experienced with intakes too. Wait, what?  I remember re-jetting my old TS125, fun times. Can't hardly do that no more. My best buddy just picked up a Dyna, one of the last years they offered carburetors... very nice pick. I'd be jealous, but- I've got my Beemer. | ||
| Crusty |
Me, Vivaldi and George Winston My favorite season is Summer. But days like today really make me consider changing my preference to Autumn. It was 77º F (25º C) this afternoon and not a cloud in the sky. The foliage is pretty close to peak around here and just riding around is almost a visual overload. Every shade of red, gold, yellow and green and all blended together (sometimes on the same tree) just assaults my vision. I was out just riding around local back roads this afternoon and I almost feel stoned from such a beautiful day. I was thinking about the Four Seasons and just why I prefer one over another. All four have their good points, but I have my preferences. Summer is tops in my list. Long days and warm to hot temperatures really appeal to me. To me Summer means travel and just living Large. Yes, it can be uncomfortable when the temps get close to three digits, but I prefer the discomfort of too hot to the discomfort of too cold. Summer is peak Racing season, and it’s also peak vacation season. The whole world opens up in Summer. Spring is second. It starts out cold and the Equinox is the shortest day of the season, but as the season progresses, the days continually get longer and the temperatures get warmer. There are truly Glorious days in the Spring that just make you feel the Joy of Living. Everything that was dead or dormant in the winter starts showing signs of life. The warmer temperatures also mean that you don’t have to be nearly immobilized by all the gear you need to wear just to go for a ride. You can feel your surroundings more. Plus, it ends on the Summer Solstice which is the first day of Summer. Autumn is third, though days like today seriously make me consider making it second. However, in spite of a few truly Magnificent days, it’s the end of a lot of things. Corn fields that were so green and full a couple of months ago are now bare of plant life. The season starts with the Autumnal Equinox, and the days keep getting shorter until the Winter Solstice. The daily high temperatures are on a steady downward trend. As the season progresses, you need to wear more and more warm and bulky gear. Then there’s all the falling leaves on the road that get really slick when it rains. And the rain aren’t warm like they are in the Summer. They’re cold and chill you right to the bones. Still, there’s a lot of beauty to take in during the season. Winter is my least favorite season. I have to wear so much gear that it’s hard to turn my head to see oncoming traffic at intersections. It takes a bit of time to get ready for a ride and it takes time to shed all my gear after a ride. I look like a colorized Stay Puffed Marshmallow man. Plus, the roads have a constant coating of salt that gets all over the bike. My poor bike doesn’t get polished like it does in the other three seasons. It gets washed more frequently, but only to get the salt and other road phlegm off. However, in spite of all the negatives, I still enjoy riding as long as the roads are clear of snow. Anyway, those are my preferences. I have friends who prefer Winter over Summer and I have other friends who hate both, but prefer Spring and Fall. I ride through all of them, but sometimes, it’s a challenge. | ||
| Ourdee |
Sonnet 97 How like a winter hath my absence been From thee, the pleasure of the fleeting year! What freezings have I felt, what dark days seen! What old December's bareness everywhere! And yet this time remov'd was summer's time, The teeming autumn, big with rich increase, Bearing the wanton burthen of the prime, Like widow'd wombs after their lords' decease: Yet this abundant issue seem'd to me But hope of orphans and unfather'd fruit; For summer and his pleasures wait on thee, And thou away, the very birds are mute; Or if they sing, 'tis with so dull a cheer That leaves look pale, dreading the winter's near. BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE I quote this one on bad days at work: Everything today has been heavy and brown. Bring me a Unicorn to ride about the town. Anne Morrow Lindbergh 1926 | ||
| Crusty |
Q&A I got an e-mail from my brother and he asked some questions about my future plans. Here’s what he wrote: I do have a question for you. In your snippets (and in this message) you talk about possibly buying a house, and I'm wondering how that would affect your finances and lifestyle. I don't mean "can you afford it", but rather, if you buy a house, will that cost you more than rent, on a monthly basis, and would that mean you couldn't travel so much? Especially considering the other costs associated with owning a home: taxes, insurance, repairs, etc. Your hot water heater *will* break at some point (or something else will), for example. So is there a tradeoff involved there? Do you need to travel as a tramp one more time (ie, your trip to the Arctic circle) and then you plan on settling down, or are you thinking that your home will just be a base for you and you will still spend the warmer months traveling the country? This is how I replied: If I get a house, it will definitely affect my lifestyle in a major way. The cost will be higher than I'm paying for rent right now, but the added space and the freedom to live the way I want to will more than compensate for that. … The rent is cheap, but I'm getting what I'm paying for. While I talk and dream about getting my own house, I'm sticking to my priorities; I'm paying the credit card down. Once it's paid off, I'll start putting money away for a down payment on a house. The Alaska trip is going to happen, but I'm not sure if it will be before I buy a house or after. Logic dictates that it should be before. I'm not getting any younger, and if I put it off too long, I'll miss my opportunity. However, acting logically has never been my strong suit. Plus, you never know what curve balls life is going to throw your way. While I'm still hoping and planning to ride to the Arctic Circle next Spring / Summer, if a great deal on a house comes by before then, I'll probably jump at it and put the trip off for another year. If I get a house in Cincinnati, which looks like the most likely location considering purchase price and taxes, I'll use it as a "Home Base" and travel out from there. I won't be living on the road like I have for the past two summers, but I'll still get to travel extensively. I have considered the additional expenses associated with owning a home. I look at taxes from previous years when I look at various listings, as well as other expenses like insurance and maintenance. (Remind me to tell you the story about when my hot water heater died, and how much bs I had to endure to get it replaced under Warranty from Home Teapot) I look at all the major items like roofs, heating systems, plumbing, etc. when I start thinking about a house. Anyway, that's how it looks to me at the present time. | ||
| Crusty |
Short Stories The foliage is magnificent around here right now. I didn’t think we were going to have good foliage this year, but the rain yesterday must have really helped. I saw more spectacular trees today than I could keep up with. I rode up to the summit of Wachusett Mountain hoping to be alone, but I forgot that today is Columbus day. There were over 200 people with their kids and dogs there. Just to keep things interesting, I made a small misstep and the toe I hurt in Canada on July 1st gave me a shot of pain to make me more careful. I forget about it most of the time; then I do something that sets it off, and I really regret it. It’s been over three months; I wonder how long it’s going to take for it to finally heal? My front tire is down to the wear bars. I was hoping that it would last a bit longer, but I looked at it while I was up on the mountain, and it’s time to replace it. The good news is that it’s a front tire and they’re a lot cheaper than rears. The bad news is that it’s still expensive. Oh well… Ever notice that when you really like a certain tire, there’s somebody who flat hates it, and vice versa? I hated the Dunlop American Elites when I had them on the Roadster, but I’ve met several people who think they’re the best tire out there. And while I love the Michelin Commander 2s, I’ve run into people who think they’re garbage. For that matter, when I put a set of Avon Azaros on my M2, I really liked them but when I put a set on my Uly, I thought they sucked. Screwy, ain’t it? I need a BBQ fix. Maybe I should ride over to Troy, NY and hit the Dinosaur. I heard that the food at Redbones in Somerville has gone down hill. That really saddens me if it’s true. They were my favorite BBQ joint for years. I first went there in the early 90s. In the late 90s, I was eating there at least once a week. I knew all the cooks and they took good care of me. I have yet to find better brisket than what they served me. Of course, Jimmy (the guy who told me) might have gone on an off night, or he might have just got the one bad serving when he was there. Since he’s the one who brought me there the first time, I value his opinion. Maybe I’ll just go there for dinner one night and check it out for myself. I am looking forward to eating at Smoking’ Jim’s next month when we go there during Buellvemberfest. I hope the weather is decent in Suches for the Rally. Early November in Georgia should still be warm enough. I used to visit my Parents in Fayetteville, North Carolina each year for Thanksgiving, and the weather was usually warm. I hope that holds true for Veterans Day weekend in Georgia. We’ll see, I guess. | ||
| Court |
>>>The foliage is magnificent around here right now. That's a fact. >>>I need a BBQ fix. Maybe I should ride over to Troy, NY and hit the Dinosaur. Nothing wrong with that . . . . if you decide to come another 90 minutes South . . let me know and I'll fill ya up with premium bbq. I've been needing something to do lately . . a new place to work, something to do during the day and a place to think. I've been up in the Hudson Valley house hunting and just decided to make my own office. Works great . . . killer view and most excellent BBQ nearby.    You're always welcome . . . lunch is on me. Rest of the pics HERE | ||
| Crusty |
Court; I'd love to meet you for lunch! How does Thursday sound? Now; where do you want to meet? That looks like it might just be what the doctor ordered. Oh; and at what time? | ||
| Pwnzor |
I've been eating BBQ for three days straight, lunch and dinner... and those ribs are looking pretty damn good right now. I'll expect a full report! | ||
| Court |
Tell me what time is good for you . . . . I'll arrange my schedule to suit yours. If you don't see my bike out front . . . look for the green Hughes MD500 parked in the field behind. Hmmmmmm . . . where to meet . . .where to meet? How about the 2nd booth from the door? We'll change it up this time . . .we always sit at the table. | ||
| Crusty |
Court; What's the name of the restaurant, and in what city or town and state? I could just ride out to the Mass/Conn/NY three corners area, but I don't think I'd find the place very easily. Especially if I don't even know the name of it. If you want to keep the location a secret, you can always e-mail me at nmwprime*at*gmail*dot*com (Message edited by Crusty on October 12, 2016) | ||
| Court |
Big W's Roadside BBQ http://www.theforkingpig.com   | ||
| Crusty |
Does High Noon work for you? If so, I'll see you then. | ||
| Court |
I'll be there. | ||
| Court |
Crusty .... just out of meeting. ETA 12:45. | ||
| Court |
THAT was fun . . . I got 2 blocks on the road in a car . . .looked at the weather and hope on a bike. Damn glad I did. We had some awesome BBQ and agreed that the area is one of the best kept secrets around.   | ||
| Crusty |
Day Tripper I’m a Good/Bad influence on people. Whether it’s good or bad depends on your perspective. I’m not trying to influence anyone, but I do have an effect on some people. A few days ago, I wrote in a Snippet that I needed to go for a ride and eat some BBQ. Court, on BadWeB suggested meeting for lunch at a place called Big W’s in Wingdale, New York. He posted a photo he took of someone cutting up a rack of ribs, and that was all it took. This morning, I checked the forecast on Intellicast and it said rain at 4:00 PM in Wingdale and rain at 6:00 PM here in central Massachusetts, so I figured, “no problem, I’ll be long gone before the rain starts”. Long story short - Intellicast lied and I got drenched; but I’m getting ahead of myself. I overslept this morning. I had wanted to get up at 7:00, which would leave me plenty of time for my morning routine before I had to head out. Instead, I had to rush around frantically and I got out the door later than I wanted. I went by the Credit Union and got some cash and gassed up the Roadster and headed off for the Mass. Pike. I was doing my usual 9 over whenever I could, and traffic just flowed. I really get annoyed with idiots who get in the left lane and use it for a travel lane. They go the speed limit, and won’t move over into the travel lane. I ran into a higher percentage of them than usual along with the cell phone yakkers and texters doing a slalom from one side of their lane to the other. Anyhow, I made good time, in spite of the brain dead morons. The weather was partly sunny and partly cloudy, and I even got sprinkled on for a few seconds, but it was warm and I was enjoying the ride. The Foliage colors are at peak, right now, and I saw every imaginable shade of red, orange and yellow and everything in between. It was magnificent to see all the color. Route 22 in New York runs parallel to the border with Connecticut and Massachusetts, and the area is all hills and valleys, and it’s just beautiful. I can understand wanting to live there. I’m kind of surprised that more people don’t as it’s not that far to New York City. At any rate, I found Big W’s and arrived at 11:40, which I considered perfect timing. I told Court, High Noon and I wasn’t going to be late. I waited until 12:30 and decided that Court must have had something come up, so I went inside and ordered Ribs For One. Normally, when I’m checking a BBQ joint out for the first time, I get Pulled Pork, but the picture Court had put up looked so good, I had to try the ribs. They were Excellent. And the portion was BIG. It took some effort to eat all they gave me, but I buckled down and applied myself to the task. I got Smokey Beans for a side, and while they were OK, they don’t hold a candle to either Redbones or the Dinosaur’s beans. Court arrived at 12:45 on his Uly. He’d been held up in a meeting, and got a late start. He’d posted about it on BadWeB, but I’m Technologically Challenged. I’ve got a flip phone and I don’t think I can get online with it. I definitely can’t but I’m not sure if it’s the phone’s fault or mine or, most likely, both. We sat and shot the breeze while Court started in on his lunch and I finished mine. He told me that he hadn’t gone for any real rides for a long while, but he decided to ride the Uly on the spur of the moment. (That’s that Influence thing I started this Snippet with) I seem to have that effect on people. Last Spring, it got Vern to ride down to Glitch Badness after I stopped in at his place. To get back to the lunch, about the time we finished eating, we noticed that it was raining; so we beat it outside and grabbed our jackets (which were laying on the bikes) and headed off in opposite directions. Court went south to go back (I assume) to the City, and I went north. My original plan was to take Rt. 22 North to Petersburg, NY and pick up Rt. 2 east and go over the Taconic and Mohawk Trails. However, the brief shower wasn’t brief. It turned into a heavy rain. By the time I got to the Mass Pike, I’d decided to just boot it for home. So I got on the Pike and did just that. I arrived home cold, and soggy around 5:30. I peeled off my gear and took a hot shower and started a load of laundry. I’ll be in bed fairly early this evening, I think. But it was a good ride with good food and good company. A damned good way to spend the day. | ||
| Pwnzor |
Fantastic. | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
BBQ on Badweb someone posted a pic of Pork Chops on Facebook. I may have to go out to eat tonight! | ||
| Crusty |
After the Pulled Pork at the WVBR, I'd suggest getting something different. Any other pulled pork would seem pretty lame. That certainly was some of the best Pulled Pork I've ever had. | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
Last years was better. This year wasn't bad but little dry. I like it best when it requires no sauce. | ||
| Pwnzor |
John, if you ever feel like spending a weekend in Atlanta, you're welcome to stay with us... There are a couple of really good places in the city with excellent pulled pork. DBA BBQ and Fox Bros. BBQ | ||
| Tootal |
Wow, right next to the Southeast Auto Recycle! Give's that sauce a little essence of motor oil! Yummmm! Sort of like brewing beer next to a race car!  |
