FIRST RIDE OF THE YEAR

[ekap1200]

Hi everyone, got to finally go for a ride Monday after work. Hope this is a good sign of an early spring.
with the new clutch line the trans has shifted like it had way back around 50k or so. Thanks Don Medina...
The bike now has all new fluid lines and what a new feel it gives the brake's and clutch.
E Kap

[Chris near Kansas City]

I don't even think mine's been out of the garage yet. Might have been one day but don't remember if it was December, or November, or.....

[VoyKimmer]

I don’t even attempt to take a bike out until mid April after several hard soaking rains to wash all the salt off of the roads. My 02 is ready tho but have my 96 all apart still and have a lot of work left on it.

[krasmu]

With the break in the temps, I've been tempted but I'm holding off for another good rain. The roads are still white with salt.

[Steverides5]

Hey Gene, Sunday looks Ike a beautiful day if all goes well. I’m on call Saturday but as long as I’m not out working all night I plan on riding with the Retreads on Sunday morning. If interested shoot me a message.

[ekap1200]

Hey Gene, Sunday looks Ike a beautiful day if all goes well. I’m on call Saturday but as long as I’m not out working all night I plan on riding with the Retreads on Sunday morning. If interested shoot me a message.

Hi Steve , thought you might chime in . I did get the old gas out of the bike this week. It was a nice week with 4 days out of 7 that I rode. I did not want to be out on Sunday morning however , A bit to chilly for me , and I waited untl about 2:20 to go out. But 4 days in March ,,,, Wow It felt great and being a bit cold on Sunday had me out for a while on the back roads just a puttin along burning up the old gas. I see some farms turning over the soil aleady .Road until dark to check out the aim on the accesory lighting after lowering the beam a bit. You could see me 3/4 of a mile away. and they would just blind oncomming drivers And the voltmeter shown a .400 rise in voltage as that 8 inch harness that ties in the first connection from the main harness to the ALT's harness had never been removed and cleaned. All in all it was a great week....
Gene Kap

[Dave]

Fortunately, I live where the first ride of the year is close to New Year's Day (this year, it actually was on New Years Day). Last Sunday, I returned from spending three nights in the Big Bend area of Texas riding the roads out there for a total mileage of about 1250 miles.

[Mr Jensee]

Not my first ride this year but good to be back riding when I can. So far everything on her is original when it comes to fluid lines. I would like to replace them all eventually but I dont have access to the cash I used to have when I was getting disability payments. I love the LED headlight and driving lights. People actually see me now from a long way off. My knees are about healed and dont bother me enough to ride but now my feet are feeling the pain of neuropathy from the diabetes, even though I struggle to keep my numbers low. It is really going to hurt when the day comes in the near future when I will have to give it up completely but for now and hopefully the summer I will get to put a favorable amount of miles on Voyager. The weather this week was phenomenal
.

[cushman eagle]

Not my first ride this year but good to be back riding when I can. So far everything on her is original when it comes to fluid lines. I would like to replace them all eventually but I dont have access to the cash I used to have when I was getting disability payments. I love the LED headlight and driving lights. People actually see me now from a long way off. My knees are about healed and dont bother me enough to ride but now my feet are feeling the pain of neuropathy from the diabetes, even though I struggle to keep my numbers low. It is really going to hurt when the day comes in the near future when I will have to give it up completely but for now and hopefully the summer I will get to put a favorable amount of miles on Voyager. The weather this week was phenomenal
.

Very glad to hear you are able to ride again,that is an answer to prayer ,and a great encouragement to you
Please keep us posted ,as we care for you.

[ekap1200]

Mike , great to hear your getting somewhat better. And Loren , well ; glad to hear you back safe and sound. 2 weeks in the sunshine cures the winter blues.....
They are claiming a warm afternoon of 60 deg today. I am getting ready to go out and ride a bit.
More news this evening....
Gene Kap

[cranky]

... have a good'un Gene!!! It's great to have spring and
summer trapped in front of us!!! Bring it!!! GBG

[cushman eagle]

Mike , great to hear your getting somewhat better. And Loren , well ; glad to hear you back safe and sound. 2 weeks in the sunshine cures the winter blues.....
They are claiming a warm afternoon of 60 deg today. I am getting ready to go out and ride a bit.
More news this evening....
Gene Kap

Thank you Gene,I got 120 mile on my new rear e-4 this weekend
But yes,work started already last wednesday,and more to come---how soon is the rally?

[ekap1200]

Another great day, but one can't tell what it's going to be.... Saturday ; you could have paid me and I would not have gone out. But Sunday afternoon came along with not a cloud in the sky and above 40 .... So out I went for 174 miles . It was the best ride so far this new year. and with the fresh gas we are right back at 50 per gallon. Covered every county in Southern New Jersey..
And then the cloud cover came in and the temps dropped quick. Today back to the cold with wind and rain. It just can't be predicted , one day nice one day not so nice. I'll take as they come, At least the rain had cleared the roads of the calcium and salt...hoping we are done with that crap.
Gene Kap.

[HMB Don]

On Sunday just returned from a ride. It was three days and it was for lunch with Trisha's Motor Maids. I was in Marion, NC which is 350 miles from our house so a 700 mile ride. I can sure tell I'm aging, because I got numb butt, that normally doesn't happen. When we got home the temp was 69, when we left on Friday the weather was perfect with the temp at 57.

So for the year I'm at 1400 miles. We had a New Years day ride with the temps in the 50's AM and almost 70 in the PM. We then did a cold winter weekend ride in the middle of January. This was a two day ride of 400 miles, the first day was warm 47 but on the return home, the morning was 29 and stayed that cold until we were 50 miles from home when it warmed to the 40's and then the high of 45 as we rode into Wilmington.

That day both Trisha and I had our electric liners and gloves on the high settings, heated grips on high, electric seats were on high. I wasn't cold but I also wasn't comfortable. I'm hoping that's the last cold ride ever.

[VoyKimmer]

Wow, all this talk of first rides give me the itch to ride but right now it’s 33 deg out. I’m to old for that but think I will put the batteries back in the bikes and maybe start one and pretend.

[VoyKimmer]

Changed the fuel filter and the air filter replaced And installed new battery on the 2002 today and got it started. Really getting the itch now but it’s 29 deg and snowing so we will see when I can get out for a run.

[ekap1200]

Changed the fuel filter and the air filter replaced And installed new battery on the 2002 today and got it started. Really getting the itch now but it’s 29 deg and snowing so we will see when I can get out for a run.

WOW , 29 is way too cold for me...... I got lucky yesterday afternoon with the temp about 70 in the sun and our son came and purswaded me to take a short ride , So I got to get another 104 miles in before the temps and barometer started to drop. 98,462 on the bike now. I may see 100 K before the rally. Today is a rain out with much colder temps and just came in from turning the heater back on in the shop. Yesterday was the first day I got to work in the shop with the doors open, Not today..........looking out the window there is nothing but cloud cover and not a glimpse of sunshine.

And I am so upset I can't get outdoors for Marie's outdoor hunny-do-list

[vxiirider]

Mary Jane and I got our first trike ride in today, last year was April 23rd. Did not go far but had a great time and stopped at a local dairy for some great ice cream. Considering our combined age of 161 we are really fortunate to be able to ride and still enjoy life together. Hope to see many of you in Summersville in June.

[cranky]

... keep leading the way!!! You're 7 ahead of me and I hope to ride for many
more years!!!! My VROC sig line says: Eat right and exercise - use it or lose it
and I live by it!!!! ... onward.....

[VoyKimmer]

Got my first real ride in today. Yesterday I took the 2002 out for a short ride to the VA . Found a couple small leaks I fixed. Today went for a 200 plus ride. Bike ran flawlessly. Great ride . It was good to get out for good shakedown run for both the bike and me.