| Author | Message | ||
     Court |
Well, it's time . . . time to get back to talking about motorcycles. As some of you know my Buell fascination started back in 1987 when I saw my first RR-1000 in Sacramento, CA at the famed Armando Magri (how many 94 year olds do you know with a myspace page?) dealership. Over the ensuing years I've ridden quite a few, perhaps as many as a thousand, different Buells, ridden in 44 states and just as Buell was working their way into what was perhaps one of the first "factory demo ride" programs, I was traveling around the country letting folks ride my Buell S2 and watching their smiles light up. I bought my first Buell in 1990 a gorgeous red RS-1200 and, in my leather jacket and chaps, rode it anywhere and everywhere I could. In June of 1990 Erik and his family made the 600 mile ride/drive (Erik on the red/white/blue RS-1200 and the family in a mini-van) trip to my house in Topeka and we had one of the early Buell owners get togethers as we assembled something like 7 RS-1200's at the Heritage House in Topeka one rainy day. It was literally a significant portion of the Buell owners in the United States and the pouring rain saw all of us pile into a van and go to lunch . . . . try putting 90% of the Buell owners in a van today. This was also the trip that resulted in one of my favorite Buell stories.
In 1991 I was riding a striking black with gold lettering 1991 RS-1200 and was hooked on Buells. By 1994 Buell's deal with HD, now, starting in February 1993, was beginning to yield bikes, to wit the fabled S2 arguably one of the most strikingly styled motorcycles of all time. . . . anyway you cut it and whatever your personal passions this bike was drop dead sexy. It was also a bike that was, for all intents and purposes, built with only minimal thought to cost. The "metric" of the day was get the damn thing built and start shipping . . we'll work on costs later" and it showed. There's a good reason that, until corporate sponsor BMW intervened and put a halt to it, that the entire top floor of the famed "The Art of The Motorcycle" exhibit was going to be devoted to a futuristic project by Erik Buell. It wasn't going to be Buell "motorcycles" but rather the future (HD's Board of Directors now knows it as the 200 year plan) of personal transportation and the undeniable human connection with "going there". Buell, an interesting company from the beginning, pioneered a new concept for a vehicle manufacturer called "the Internet" and had one of the very early www (world wide web) sites with comprehensive model information, a profile of the company, a virtual factory tour and fascinating engineering information. In fact, the early iteration had an "Owner's Chat" area until the first recall on the S2 fairing stay when an owner said something critical and HD attorneys figured out "ohmygod, they can talk back??" which ended that in a matter of days. The new company, the embodiment of every persons dream of "connecting" with Harley-Davidson and firmly in possession of the role of David taking on a world of Goliath's in the industry, immediately became the center of controversy on all the new motorcycle chat areas on the Internet. Those were the days when Erik and I, using our own names, bantered and defended the company, the exhaust and rear suspension placement, and all things into the wee hours of the night on the old CompuServe RIDE forum. It was Steve Biegler, late one night, that called the Buell the "sweepings off the Harley-Davidson factory floor" citing his VFR as the world's only real motorcycle. The Internet is a place that stokes egos and claims like a blast furnace and before long I'd called Steve out and challenged him . . . "Perhaps your right. Tell you what, bring your bike and $10,000 and meet me in East Troy. We'll each leave the $10,000 and set out to circle the United States. The first one who touches anything other than oil, tires or fuel forfeits their $10,000 to MDA". Chests were puffed, bravado ensued, sides were taken and the Buell was debated nightly into the wee hours. In the meantime, I bought an interesting thing called an Aerostich Roadcrafter suit and got home one day to find cases of parts, from the Buell engineers, labeled "R&D" with chalk markings that were luggage, fairing lowers and generally everything I needed, in my mind, to make the S-2 Thunderbolt and all day cross country machine. As the chest puffing continued folks began to note that I'd installed a J&M audio-pak with a cassette/AM/FM/CB/intercom, my bike was sprouting antennas and the test helmet (a Fuelling design) sent from Buell was sprouting stickers and I was doing 300 and 400 mile shake down runs. Late one night someone observed "I think the crazy SOB from Kansas is really going to go". On July 7th , 1995 the sun rose on a gorgeous day at the new Buell factory. As I arrived from my hotel a crowd in the parking lot greeted me. These were not so much Buell owners as just plain rabid enthusiasts. Phil and Janet Kohlemainen on a Gold Wing, John Mikosh on "Janice" (a very famous Buell RSS-1200 named after Janice Joplin) and a spattering of other dyed in the wool enthusiasts. After some hanging out, we all road to Uke's in Kenosha, WI had a bit of a send-off ceremony and I recall the "you're really doing this" feeling as I sat off toward Chicago and onto Cleveland for the night on the first of 31 nights that would take me through 37 states, see me give more than 100 "demo rides", meet some of the neatest folks in the world, and do a call in "On the Road with the Buell" 15 minute radio talk spot on M-W-F during my trip. Fast forward (if anyone wants we'll come back and pick up some years) to 2003 and the introduction of the Buell XB. I took Erik aside one day (he'll deny it) and whispered to him . . . "Don't bullshit me, you never intended to build this good of a motorcycle?". Frankly processes, procedures, manufacturing and data processing and analysis had made major leaps and allowed some of the pent up ideas in Erik's head to be built effectively, economically and efficiently. The "XB" frame is an engineering marvel that has yet to be truly appreciated. Buells, right out of the showroom, were suddenly being reported to be handling on par with some of the world's most sophisticated machinery. As much as I admired the XB series, I was a "tube" guy at heart, connected by years, miles and emotion to my Buell S2 Thunderbolt. I admired the XB but my love was the Thunderbolt. By 2006 that love affair was put to the test with the introduction of the Buell XB12X Ulysses. Just what the hell was this thing? A Sportser derived motor, frame geometry akin to a GP racer, seat height that made my KTM dirt bike seem like a low-rider and the torque of a Mercedes-Benz diesel! The bike featured unparalleled comfort, a "beg to take me touring" platform that came close to making the staple BMW GS series kinda look, at $8,000 more, like well . . . no longer alone in it's class. But like all things Buell the Ulysses would require a special and unusual group of people to sing it's praises, realize it's potential and be willing to be on the leading edge of change. Less innovative folks continued to assail the muffler location (several other firms, with patents now expiring, are adopting it as the "intuitively correct location"), the perimeter brake (another firm tried to introduce it on a concept bike but was held in abeyance by patents) and the used of the V-Twin motor. As the arm chair critics espoused their view of the world there were a group of folks, perfectly content to deal with the early quirks and shortcomings of the Buell as part of the price of entry, who started riding the new Ulysses anywhere from around the block, to the North Pole, across Egypt, and from Washington, DC to Argentina the long way. I was feeling the urge to ride again and, knowing my personal weaknesses, never so much as rode a single foot on a Ulysses. I knew I was powerless to resist. By 2007 I made the mistake of sitting on one and started dreaming. Well, thanks to my wife and Erik Buell conspiring, I came home on my birthday to find a brand-spanking new Buell sitting in the driveway with a "Happy Birthday" card hanging from the handlebars. I was gone, on my maiden Ulysses voyage, and returned with a grin I'm still unable to conceal. Yep, I've had a couple of the coughs and hiccups that all motorcycles have but I'm ready to declare this Ulysses the best motorcycle I have ever owned. Now before you begin to morph that into some technical challenge to be debated or disproved, let me tell you why. This motorcycle screams at me to "just go ride the motorcycle". I don't ride fast anymore, I don't hang out much anymore. . . . the motorcycle beckons me to just soak up the world around me, enjoy fall colors, chasing friends down twisty roads and to stop, park and go look at that lake. It's making me celebrate life and the world. To me, your criteria may vary, that's much more important than 146RWHP, wheelies or a loud exhaust. Like every Ulysses owner I've already added about 4 miles of wiring, switches, gadgets and who knows what to the bike. Like a dog marking a hydrant, it would be sheer blasphemy for a Ulysses owner to show up with a Buell that had not been adjusted to showcase their individuality. . . . ignore for a fact that strutting our individual tastes reveals we all have very similar tastes. But, and more importantly, the Ulysses tends to take me places that I long to see and to people I enjoy being with . . . . to that end I'm going to capture, in real time, some of those stories here. If you expect, from me, an "objective assessment" you've dialed the wrong number. I'm obsessed, not so much with the Buell motorcycle, but with the "Elves" who are Buell. What other company in the world can discover a paint match problem on a Friday afternoon and have located and resolved every mismatched heel guard in a matter of hours? Other companies, if they ever did solve the problem, would take years. Buell is a collection of very smart, very dedicated enthusiasts all willing to break rules if need be to deliver the most exciting ownership experience possible. They live by the Buell Values but, within those constraints, do whatever it takes to do their best. It is an amazing company and a corporation that truly embodies passion. Anyway . . . I'm wanting to see if I can get a couple states under my belt today . . .so I gotta run. I'm going to start sharing some photos, taken from the Ulysses, here and I may post some mini photo essays of my modifications and travels. I lack the skills some folks here have in mechanical mods but am finding everything I've done to the Ulysses to be an absolute hoot . . . here are a couple of the first "around the neighborhood" photos and I'm outta here for the day. Here are some photos . . . don’t try to ascribe any order or meaning to them . . . . they are just photos. People like stories with pictures, I mean how would you have known Tip was the dog and Mitten was the cat without photos, and it’ll give anyone who takes the time to read my ramblings a chance to see some of the things I see aboard the Buell. Ride safe, lean much, smile more . . . . Court New York City November 4, 2008                               | ||
| Rkc00 |
Court, Great write up. Love my Uly. Mike Long Island, NY 06 XB12X Red/Black | ||
| Reepicheep |
COOL! | ||
| F_skinner |
Court, I enjoyed that more than any other post on the BadWeb in a long time. Ride Safe, Frank | ||
| Jaimec |
I wish my job gave me the opportunity to take the time off for rides like that. | ||
| Road_thing |
I want, nay, make that DEMAND more photos of hot chicks in boots. I liked the swarf, too... Who's the old dude?  rt | ||
| Froggy |
You know your getting old when you put a label on your keyboard to remind you how to spell your name  Which drug dealer did they get that from? | ||
| F_skinner |
Court you have the makings of another book here. Actually a couple of books. Imagine a book dedicated to the owners of Buells, how they came to be Buell riders and what fuels their passion for Buells. Of course I would be happy reading those interesting "remind me to tell you sometime" stories from time to time. I bet you could fill more than a few chapters with those. I look forward to hearing about your adventures on the Uly. Frank | ||
| Bud_man |
Court, that's good reading! Thanks for writing, sharing and posting your pictures ... reconnecting us ... Thanks! - Bud | ||
| Fuzzy |
thanks court! think i drooled over that same bike at magri's, but got a bent vfr for $1200 instead. finally retired it last year and got an xb9r. most fun thing i've ever owned! now i'm trying to get an m2 to feel like that  p.s. does the wife know you're using her heat gun? | ||
| Coolice |
Thanks Court. This is what Badweb is about. The Buell community is a great bunch, glad to be part of it. Please share more and encourage others to do the same. | ||
| Court |
NOWHERE MAN
The time was 1997, the event was the Harley-Davidson dealer meeting, the place was San Antonio, TX and Erik and I were outfitted in the "Buell de Jour" garb which happened to be a very cool looking black long sleeve Buell turtle neck. But, the fact of the matter is, no matter how cool you look at turtleneck in 100oF makes you look like your mother dressed you. We did our deal at the dealer meeting and I retreated to spend some time sitting along the famed River Walk with a supply of the Haagen-Dazs from across the street. Some of you may have visited the River Walk and, if so, you may recall, there is a place near the Marriott Hotel where a bridge goes from the Alamo side to a small island in the middle of the river. As I sat and watched I noticed that folks were not so much taken with the beauty but rather confused when they reached what was essentially a "dead end" having walked across the bridge to the island, they seemed to expect it to go to the other side of the water. I was fascinated by the fact that they didn't relax but seemed confused, anxious and eager to go back across the bridge. I wondered if maybe we'd been so inundated with multi-tasking and teaching our children to conjugate Latin verbs while practicing Lacrosse that we'd simply lost sight of how to do nothing. As a result of that experience I wrote a long story entitled "Bridges to Nowhere" . . . er, long before THE bridge to nowhere made news. It was essentially a story that suggested there were times it was perfectly okay to do nothing, absolutely nothing. . . . simply to sit, to image, to dream and to think . I suggested we’d been coaxed into believing that, like Henry Ford’s assembly line, our measure as humans was the sum of our daily output measured in “things”. Life’s not like that and if you need to see how my theory works, go in and tell the kid you put to bed 20 minutes ago that you just felt like coming back, telling them you loved them one more time and that your love is based not on test scores, 100 yard dash times, honor roll or home runs, you just love’em. Come back and tell me if you feel like the 3 minutes were well spent or wasted. Age may dull a man's reflexes but it imbues a rewarding sort of wisdom. Wisdom, if life were a Venn diagram, in my mind, would loosely be defined as the ability to recognize the subset defined by the intersection of "low mileage bike", "great weather" and "free time". I supposed I should have worked today but the fall colors seemed to beckon the Buell. . . I was gone. In a moment I'll be "going photo" again primarily to silence the "how can you stand to live in New York City?" crowd. Today was another lush 238.8 miles, mostly in the Hudson Valley and I confess I'm not sure exactly where the heck I was. I did have, I forgot the day I was in Steve's (Jerseyguy) neighborhood, the presence of mind to periodically shoot photos of the GPS and I'm smart enough to stay on Tramp's good side lest I need to be spoon fed another dose. Another, for the "yutes" among you, benefit of age is that I ride slower. I knew the "Deer - next 39 miles" sings in this area were no joke and was riding accordingly. There, in the corner of my right eye, I was her jump and, as a result of my metered plodding along, hauled the Buell to a quick stop. She retreated, froze as if on cue, I snapped the picture and we both decided it was time to wander off our separate ways. On to the East I meandered to the horse farms of Duchess County and Western Connecticut. There aren't many days like this and for some reason, having plugged away working until noon, I wasn't able to marshal much guilt. It just seemed so easy to just get on the motorcycle and ride. A few notes to orient those of you not familiar with the area. New York Traffic is indeed bad. Think, as I explain to my Mother in Kansas, about taking all the cars in ND, SD, NE, KS, OK and 80% of TX and putting them in a single town . . . got the idea? The average time from where I commute (the worst in the USA) is about 90 minutes each way . . . you with me? The redemption is that 45 minutes, either South, West or North reveals all the reasons that Washington and his troops were so damned willing to defend this area and why folks flocked to the Hudson Valley. If you have never seen it, think of Scott's Valley on steroids. I'd not go so far as to say prettier than California but, at the risk of being ostracized for spilling the beans, it is spectacularly gorgeous. Anyway, and I hope to start getting to some of the "how I tried to screw up a perfectly good bike by modifying it" photos soon . . .come along and let me show you where I "worked today. I'm trusting that some of you, who have been riding Ulyssi for a while, are up on the meeting time and place for the Uly 12-Step group . . . . I'd prefer to wait for a bit colder weather to begin rehab but ohhhhhhh this bike is addictive. Here we go! Ride safe, lean much, smile more . . . . Court New York City November 4, 2008        NOTE: Darn right it occurred to me . . . just as I snapped this I thought . . . . "I wonder if. . . " and got the bike the heck out of there    Does this bike look at home or what?          | ||
| Coolice |
Ah the Uly doing what it does best. I see the thermometer on the barn, 60 deg.F., great riding weather. It also serves as a great pit bike too | ||
| Court |
The Magri dealership has a spectacular history. I don't know if you recall Bill St. Claire, but he is the one I credit with introducing me to Buell. I had a Grand National race team at the time and we were in Sacramento for "The Mile", an annual trek we made. Scott Parker, Mike Patterson and I checked into the Red Lion and went over the Sacto HD. The RR-1000 was one of two they had ordered. One was at a customers home but one was on display on a large ramp in the showroom and I was absolutely smitten with it. We were doing Arden Fair Mall across the street at the time and I was a regular in the Margri showroom I also enjoyed the people at Sacto HD. At the time I owned quite a few bikes. The first bike I bought was a 1987-1/2 Sportster "Hugger", some may recall the $3,995.00 deal where you got $3,995.00 value for your trade if you traded to a Big Twin within a year. I owned 9 bikes by the end of the year. At the time I was learning a lot about dealers . . . I walked into the Harley dealer in Shawnee Mission, KS one day and asked if they had a black mirror for a 1977 XLCR. They looked at me, the guy said "yeah, right, as if you have one", a comment likely in reference to me being in a suit and tie, and I walked out. The next week in Sacto, I asked at the counter and the guy scratches his head and says "I think we ordered a pair of those 10 years ago that no one ever picked up". A few minutes later he comes out, hands me the mirrors and says "take'em . . who the hell am I going to sell them to?" I had the same experience in Oklahoma City buying 0.010 oversize pistons for my XR-1000. In my travels I've visited a lot of dealers, both officially and unofficially. It was kinda cool that Rich Teerlink used to send me plane tickets and invite me to attend dealer meetings when I was running my construction business. He called me in 1987 and told me "I want you there just to get your perspective" and, although some of the dealers and folks from Buell Distribution Corp were put off by my presence I learned some things about dealer politics and how much mindset and attitude mattered. One of the better dealers, and I'm telling you nothing you don't know, was Mike Shattuck. Mike, like some of the better dealers now, was the product of coming through the ranks. Not only did he know the company but he was an enthusiast in the truest sense. During the Harley-Davidson 85th Anniversary I met Mike and Rich Teerlink at the Kansas-Colorado border and welcomed the group of several hundred Harley's bound from California toward Milwaukee, with a proclamation (the only one during the 85th) from Mike Hayden, a friend of mine who was Governor at the time. We rode for 3 more days and during that time Bill, I and two others spilt off from the crowd and meandered the back roads to Milwaukee, me on my FLHTC and he on an FXR. My current thinking is shaped by a lot of dealer experiences ranging from a half dozen visits to Latus during the early years, to stopping in on Bill Bomberger for a hurry up oil change, to going to Lemon Mountain to eat pie and visit with a Buell dealer who was struggling and wanted to "shift the paradigm". Some of the experiences have been good, some alarmingly poor. I suspect that we'll see some real changes in the Buell dealer model in the coming 36 months. Buell has grown wiser and, for the first time, Harley-Davidson has placed an executive at Buell who brings talent and who's primary goal is Buell's success not simply returning to HD unscathed at the conclusion of his Buell tenure. If you've not met Jon Flickinger, you should. In addition to being a damn skilled rider (I still find joy in what he did to the Honda rider at Mid-Ohio) in his own right he is a smart, seasoned business executive, a true family guy with rooted values, a genuinely nice person and a guy who will sit and listen, agree or disagree. Talent is in place. The Technology exists and is no longer in it's infancy and Buell has the mind set to do amazing things using experience as a tool to guide them rather than a constraint to limit them. I've been spending a lot of time boning up on management and personnel issues and the changing face of service delivery. The speed at which we now move information, and frankly parts, dictates a change in the business model. We may be talking more about this here. The possibilities are fascinating. | ||
| Fuzzy |
most of the names you mention are lost on me, but i'm betting the guy scratching his head was ernie, armando's brother. he ran the parts dept. and from what i heard was a lot easier going than armando most of my magri stories are from my folks. my pop ran i think class c back in the 40's and left my mom a motorcycle shop selling mostly used harley parts. armando always swore she was selling nothing but stolen parts, but ernie always treated her right. i grew up on mostly jap bikes but always had hopes for buell (and the vr1000, dammit!(by the way, scott parker's streeter is up on ebay again, if anybody has money)). i fall down a lot, so never spend much on my bikes and price of used buells is so far in the dumps i finally broke down and got a couple. passed them around to the guys at work, and have at least one of them looking for one too don't know what happened to the sacramento mile, just know i miss it. and sacto hd isn't a buell distributer anymore, so have to go to folsom or rocklin . they haven't sneered at me too bad yet at parts counter when i say buell. haven't tried service department yet. xbr headlights is only bone i have with bikes so far. i just hope this economy doesn't throw a wrench in the 200 yr. plan, that man can build a motorcycle! (Message edited by fuzzy on November 05, 2008) | ||
| Panhead_dan |
Court, I'm used to you stating "remind me to tell you sometime" right when you have something interesting to say. There seems to have been a profound change in you. Or is this just a pet project of yours? (please say no to that) I think it's because of your birthday present. It has moved you, I think. If I had known this would happen, I would have bought you one LAST YEAR!!! Enjoy and keep posting. Life is shorter than we think. Dan | ||
| Court |
There seems to have been a profound change in you. I've gotten fat, stupid and old. . . . thanks for pointing that out! Actually I am starting to write again. Years ago, I used to, each week, write a story about Buells, some of the interesting experiences, fascinating people and wonderful places they've taken me. It became the 2 wheeled equivalent of Prairie Home Companion and was a reminder that Buell is so much more than "just" a motorcycle company. I've got the end is sight, next June, for school. I'm riding again (shooting for 1,000 miles this week) and each and everyday on the bike is like a celebration. It's not so much that I want to share as I'm simply unable to keep it all in. It's fun to bring some human flavor to the experience. Life is short. Erik and I have both been dealt, over the years, with some tough hands and some tragic losses. They all seem to come at the worst time. I get fascinated with the human condition that always sees the positive side of things. I'll be writing more, have already got the outline etched out for the next book and it's going to be a doozy. It;s getting on time to tell the stories of the John Mikosh's, Jim Bantz's, Don Chases and Buell owners around the world. Other than a faint glance or passing reference on the internet I'm afraid that if I don't tell you that you may never know what Dris is doing in The Netherlands . . . arguably one of the most passionate of Buell groups in the world. You need to know more about the Devil Stars, Giorgio and the group at Tribu'6800 and Tommy in South Africa. You don't know it, but you live everywhere . . . you deserve to meet yourself. In addition, I am deep into an introspective writing for some future Buell ideas. Thinking, the art of thought, is a rare art form anymore. Do you ever dream? Perhaps I need share some Bryce Courtenay with you . . . .perhaps start fine tuning your receive crystal. . . . . remind me to tell you sometime. The good, or bad depending on your perspective, is that I have a case of my Buell writings from years ago including some of the all time favorites like "I had to cry today". Denise is the only one who would remember them, she, Chauly and George George Callobre were the only ones around back then . . . that's damn near a threat, eh? | ||
| Reepicheep |
 I miss Hans. But I am a better person for having known him. I only wish I had met him in person. My father in law, who is a very important person to me, just got diagnosed with recurrent malignant pancreatic cancer. He had beat it for two fantastic years. That same cancer killed both his parents, and ironically, killed my grandfather as well. I am celebrating who he is, and what he did, and looking forward to spending as much time as he can manage with him over the next two months. I have a lot left to learn, and not much more time to learn it. I have to pass it on to his grandkids. Its hard, but I am deeply appreciative for who he is and what he has done. His imminent death does not leave me empty. Rather, it reminds me, that life is very, very, good. Thanks for putting things in focus Court! You are a lot smarter then you look | ||
| Vampress |
Your writing is almost as amazing as it would seem, the feelings that inspired it have been. The pictures are a stunning reflection of the life that passes us all by every day, without so much as a hand in the air for attention. Therefore most of us probably don't pay it the heed it really deserves. I love the randomness of it all. Just pics of the things you see, show your meanderings. It is truly beautiful. I love stories, an insight into what makes everything worthwhile, into anothers' thoughts, into other lives and loves. The things we feel are important should be shared, to inspire others. What makes them even more special, is if they are told with the right words, the right inflections, and a light heart. Nice. V | ||
| Ratbuell |
Court - thank you for sharing your writing and photography with us. May the Muse (Ulysses?) continue to inspire you (Message edited by ratbuell on November 06, 2008) | ||
| Road_thing |
Court: as always, I enjoyed reading your prose. But where are the hot chicks in boots? There had better be some in the "how can you stand to live in NYC" photo-essay or you could could be looking at some serious consequences! rt | ||
| 2008xb12scg |
Great pics/tales! BTW boots rock! | ||
| Cyclonedon |
"I've gotten fat, stupid and old. . . . thanks for pointing that out!" Hey Court! That's not so bad as long as your having fun and enjoying life. It sure seems that you are anyway! Keep the great pictures coming and remember to ride safe. | ||
| Dano_12s |
Court,thanks for the pics.+reality of your time in the saddle of the XT.Looking forward to more!This thread just might make me get some kind of high speed internet(just became available)Some things in life really make you appreciate how time is spent. | ||
| Court |
I am having fun and enjoying life. This, I am hoping, is the best life I'm ever going to have. Ever notice how some folks act like they are "window shopping" and will come back later, do things, and commit later? It's a mindest. Some things in life really DO make you appreciate how you spend your time. These photos, as an example, are simply nothing more than my drive home from school last night. I seem to spend a good portion of each day absolutely fascinated. A motorcycle is a catalyst capable of elevating that feeling. It is an amazing life . . .                   | ||
| Road_thing |
OK, "hot mannequins in a store window" just doesn't cut it. You'll be hearing from my attorney... rt | ||
| Bombardier |
A boot lover eh? | ||
| Road_thing |
Well, sure--who isn't? But mostly I just like to harass Court.  rt | ||
| Court |
Shot about 200 great photos today. The REAL President was here doing his Veteran's Day gig aboard the deck on the newly renovated Intrepid and my duties called me all about the city so I carpe'd the ol' diem . . We have a motorcycle question to tend to as we move this thread from a crash course with the gutter back to a thread about my Ulysses and adventures aboard it. The pics however help you to see the riding environment I see daily. First . while we're in the gutter. . I had to tell Suzy . . "Boots damnit, I said BOOTS, like you wear, not "Bootsie" the frickin' dog"  This is the best I could do today from the window. . .  Now . . out of the Gutter . . .  First . . to the phones. The question was: QUESTION: Will a 15" laptop fit in the side case of the Buell Outdoorsman® luggage. ANSWER: Yes, quite easily.  COMMENT: I would NEVER carry a laptop in this fashion, although it would work and the 15.4" T-61 ThinkPad fits with plenty of room to wrap in a towel or neoprene. I **think** (there are others here far more knowledgeable) I'd be inclined to spread the weight of the laptop over it's greatest surface area by laying in flat and I generally lay it, in an Aerostich Fleece sleeve or Neoprene, on a fleece jacket. The high amplitude, low frequency signature vibration of the twin is the natural enemy of the edge seated IC. Okay . . a couple last "city pics" and I promise to start moving the pics toward motorcycle stuff. But, I confess part of the fun of the darn Ulysses is the places it'll take you. . . ADVENTURE? . . you bet! Now THIS would be the Carrier Landing to beat ALL CARRIER LANDINGS! I snapped some pics, about a month ago, of the Concorde SST being lifted by a crane onto the other end of the deck.  And a couple . . . well, just. . . stuff.    | ||
| Svh |
I have the Journey bags and my laptop fits in the top case nicely in my laptop backpack. Seems to protect it well from the vibes. SR-71 is a sweet plane if you have never been up close to one make sure you take the Intrepid tour to see it. I saw the other one that is still on display at the Smithsonian at Dulles Airport in DC. Amazing the size of those engines. Great pics again Court thanks |
