So are y'all...

[Ginger]

Well, you're using sticky pseudo-track rubber in the winter. They're not at all designed to be running around in sub zero temperatures. My Pilot Powers, Bridgestone Battleaxes, and Pilot Races didn't give me any confidence in the cold, either. I'm running Metzler Roadtecs on the BMW now and I've had zero confidence issues or close calls (there was the whole "sideways on ice" issue, but that's a different story altogether).

Either way... can we talk about batteries and not how stupid people think I am? I know people look at this as not smart. But, I know RJ has had conversations when he was annoyed that people were asking him why he rode when they didn't think the weather was ideal... this isn't different and I think it's a little ironic that he's one of the people saying the same thing to me.

[.RJ]

this isn't different and I think it's a little ironic that he's one of the people saying the same thing to me.

I like my heated truck :lol:

[Ginger]

I like my heated jacket. Now tell me about batteries! *temper tantrum*

[.RJ]

Is there another brand besides odyssey that makes good dry cell batteries? What do the BMW dealers/service guys say?

[Ginger]

The only other brand that I know of is a BMW brand. I've got one, but it's sitting in the F4 in Vienna, so I've yet to try it in the big bike when it's this cold out. I think "are there any other brands?" was my original question....

[Ginger]

I admit, at this point I'm just stroking my ego:



The bike was hard to start again this morning, but I wasn't surprised by it, at least. I've done a little reading and really not found out that much. One Guy had a hard starting and pinging problem with his 1150GS which was solved by new/more appropriately rated plugs and water treatment. It's relevance to my issue ends with the plugs. I'll ride up to the BMW dealership tomorrow to get the reccomended Bosch units (Advance Auto doesn't seem to be much help). I missed the SnapOn guy, though, which is too bad, because they make the perfect spark plug socket for oilheads. He's going to get like, $200 from me next visit. I think I mentioned that a throttle body synch is in oder, but I'm really trying to put that off for warmer weather. The front crash bars and hulking side panels need to come off to do it. In short: not fun.

All that said, the RT is probably one of the best bikes I've ever owned (quick recap: 1989 GS500, 1987 VFR700F2, 1999 CBR600F4 [current], 1992 CR125, 2006 DR-Z400SM [current], 1998 R1100RT-P [current]). It's shockingly confident when the roads twist and elevations change (I almost jumped it on New Year's Day. It's no 100mph peg dragger like the F4 and it's certainly not going to outrun the supermoto in a parking lot, but it's nimble enough to ride. RJ will tell you his tires scared him, and I've got no doubt that they did, and terrain knowledge was a factor, but I was able to walk his 600 on our last ride. I'm not going to say that it's faster than the Honda, it's most definitely not, but I'm just trying to paint the picture fairly. When the weather changes I'm mostly indifferent. It's La-Z-Boy comfortable, blocks all the wind God's Weather Patterns can throw at me, and the electronically adjustable windshield does an excellent job of letting me determine just how much of that weather I want to experience. It's a little rough around the edges, but I can live with that. If all I had were my streetfighter Honda and supermoto, I probably would have found a way to be driving right now.

I'm starting to understand this BMW thing...

[Evan]

i had the miata on a charger all night and it was still hard to start this morning. f this weather.

[.RJ]

i had the miata on a charger all night and it was still hard to start this morning. f this weather.

Truck starts right up. Hooray big ass batteries and charging systems!

but I was able to walk his 600 on our last ride. I'm not going to say that it's faster than the Honda, it's most definitely not, but I'm just trying to paint the picture fairly

I couldnt feel my hands! :lol:

But yeah, sportbike + track tires = riding on wood blocks in the winter. If I get on it in 2nd gear it'll just spin the tire from 10k rpm on. 1st gear is useless. The next bike is getting a set of 'sport touring' things as soon as I buy it. Would be nice to get more than 5k miles out of a set of tires too.

[Ginger]

I think I'll try the Pilot Roads on the F4 next. The Metzlers work on the BMW, so they stay

[Feersty]

Great riding weather next few days.

[Ginger]

Well, I put new spark plugs in the BMW yesterday. BMW Counter Bosch units at $13 a pop... next time I'll just use the Autolites. After pulling the old plugs out, a visual inspection showed a fair amount of wear on the electrodes. The burn looked just right, though, at least that's a plus. New plugs in, no hassle. This is the reason I bought a BMW, after all. Spark plugs, valve adjustments, oil changes: they don't get any easier. It took me all of 5 minutes to do the change, and it only even took that long because I only brought one tool outside at a time.

Results? The jury is out. The bike seems easier to start, but the closest we've come to cold since I put in the new plugs is the high 30's. I'm not concerned with "warm" weather starting. The bike did seem to run smoother and pull more evenly under low RPM load (low speed 3rd gear pulls, etc). It would stumble and hesistate before, while it seems to be clear of that nonsense now. The old plugs must have been quite old to net the kind of results I seem to have gotten.

If everything goes OK w/my truck's title/registration then I'll probably pull the plastics off the BMW to do the TB sync. I don't know that it needs it, but I know that it's probably been thirty some odd thousand miles since it was done (and I can't hold on to Phil's tool forever). If I still get problems I'll probably replace the cables (for peace of mind and because the richening lever needs all the cables to have appropriate tension to work properly). If that doesn't work... I don't know, I'll find something.

Nice weather today, though. We're supposed to have a couple day's worth.

[.RJ]

Nice weather today, though

Dammit.

[Feersty]

I saw a guy riding a Harley this afternoon driving home from work, he was wearing all black. Black jacket, black pants, black helmet, tinted helmet lens.

Darwin anyone?

[Ginger]

I rode today. Black & white bike. Black jacket, black pants, black helmet. My shoes were not white, though, nor did I have a Cadillac.

[Feersty]

Maybe I just don't get it, is the chance of losing traction high, or do you just have to be super careful and you'll be fine?

[Sijray21]

Maybe I just don't get it, is the chance of losing traction high, or do you just have to be super careful and you'll be fine?

how is wearing all-black gear associated with the chance of losing traction or were you referring to visibility. careful riding > *

[Ginger]

I think he's asking/commenting on 2 separate things. It's no different than driving a car in the rain, really. If you can drive a car in the rain without locking up the brakes, spinning the tires, or sliding all over the place then you can [if you can ride] ride in the rain without any trouble.