Drunken trip notes

This isn't the debrief, but just some notes on the trip, after a bomber of beer (or two).

Sturgis and the Black Hills: Fantastic roads, great for bikes or cars, but surrounded by miles and miles of nothing but flat terrain and straight roads. I loved my time there, but hated getting there. It's only 6 hours from home, but can I take the 5 hours and 275 miles of nothing to get there?

Of all the towns I passed through on this trip, I was most impressed with Torrington, WY and Valentine, NE. Torrington, WY: This little berg just hit the right notes for me. It seems to be fighting above its weight class for fast food franchises, and seems to be born by the railroad that runs through town. It's in the middle of nowhere, and I can see it getting isolated in winter. I think it'd be a good town to live in if you wanted a quiet town, but still large enough to get stuff you needed. It'd be a place to live if you never came out of your house and kept your shades drawn. Valentine, NE: a nice town, again in the middle of the plains, in the middle of nowhere, but has a lot more terrain going for it. Passing through town, it seems to also have rafting on the river as an income maker. Unline Torrington, if I lived there, I'd be out on the front porch a lot. Not sure what I'd be doing there other than rocking back forth and waving to passersbys.

Pierre, SD was also hidden in a valley so that you can't see it if you're not within a mile of town. Seems too off the beaten track to be a state capital, but it is the geographic center of the state. I'm sure government drives the economy as much as Ag does.

As I passed through a lot of towns I wondered what people did for a living in them. I kept coming back to government or agriculture. They are the county seats and the local train station. They are usually located on some terrain feature, usually the confluence of two rivers.

Space is big, really big. So is the US. If you're west of the Mississippi expect travel in hours, not miles. The further away someplace is, the harder it is to estimate how long it'll take to get there. You'd figure the math would be easy as there's few stoplights or stop signs, but anytime you have to make stops to refuel and eat, all time estimates go out the window. I didn't expect this. I Do expect this in the mountains, as you don't know what speed you'll be going at any time, and there's no straight lines between locations.

trip notes

This isn't the debrief, but just some notes on the trip, after a bomber of beer (or two).

Sturgis and the Black Hills: Fantastic roads, great for bikes or cars, but surrounded by miles and miles of nothing but flat terrain and straight roads. I loved my time there, but hated getting there. It's only 6 hours from home, but can I take the 5 hours and 275 miles of nothing to get there?

Trip mileage

I haven't refueled since Cheyenne, but here's the rest:
16.6mpg 249.3miles North Platte, NE
15.4mpg 254.6miles Pierre, SD
16.8mpg 336.2miles Pierre, SD
15.3mpg 208.5miles Deadwood, SD
Missing Cheyenne

Published with Blogger-droid v1.3.8

home again

Home 10:15pm. Mission time 2/13:00:30. ~1500 miles.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.3.8

crazy

Crazy horse memorial.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.3.7

four guys of note

taken on the grand terrace

Published with Blogger-droid v1.3.7

Wall drug

Number one turrist trap in the US.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.3.7

The deal has been made.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.3.7

State line and casino

At the NE-SD border there's a casino - hotel - gas on the Rosebud reservation.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.3.6

world's largest rail yard

Bailey yard. north platte ne

Published with Blogger-droid v1.3.6

catch and release

one bike in one out

Published with Blogger-droid v1.3.6

start

Starting mileage 40012

Published with Blogger-droid v1.3.5

blogging on the road

With this new Android app, I hope to liveblog from the road.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.3.5

2010 summer adventure pt1

Won a bike on eBay, it's located up in NE South Dakota. Bids from the shippers on eBay were around $500. I used uShip to get a bike last year, and was happy with the price, but you sacrifice a specific time window. If you're willing to wait an extra week or two, it's worth doing.
This time, I decided I'd like to go up and pick it up. It's summer, weather is nice, I've never been north of I-80 (Wyoming exempted), and hey, it's 'only two states away'. It's 13 hours away. For that time, I could make it to Vegas, Dallas, Chicago, Indy, or El Paso. 13 hours and I'm STILL in the middle of nowhere.
It'll be an adventure. I think I've roped a friend into going with me. The plan is to drive up on Sunday and pickup the bike, and take two days, via a less direct route, to drive back, hitting all the attractions in SD.
The plan is to hit:
Deadwood
Sturgis
Mount Rushmore
Crazy Horse
Wall Drug
Badlands national park
Black Hills national park
(and Devils Tower in WY)

Ever notice all these are clustered in SW SD, west of Rapid City?
The Corn Palace is a little south east of where we're going, so we'll probably pass on it. There's a go-cart place and a small amusement park near where the bike is, but again, probably pass.

Test Ride BMW F800ST

The other bike I tested was a used BMW F800ST. It had been lowered by the previous owner, so I could operate it easy at a stop. Started up, it had a bunch of warning lights. One was for low fuel, another for low tyre pressure. There's a button to scroll through the computer pages, but I never was able to find an Odometer or trip Odometer. The ST is sportier,with a lower windshield and a long, low reach to the handlebars. Steering was heavier than expected, and the dealer also mentioned it after riding it to service to put air in the tyre. The tyres felt triangular, meaning the bike would fall into turns instead of being neutral. Engine was smooth and quiet, but didn't seem to have much power in the lower 1/2 of its RPM range. I ended up riding it in a lower gear than I normally would. Clutch was light, but it was hard to find the engagement point. Airflow hit me below the helmet. With the forward lean, I wish it had less protection, as the air could help support my body.
The dealer also had a F650GS, which uses the same engine, but tuned for torque and not HP. I liked the short, wide reach to the bars. The suspension started tall, but with my weight settled into being only a little too high. Wind protection looks like less than the ST. I didn't test it. It's funny, but I want a bike between the two, but would have to modify either towards the 'center'.

I never did get to ride the lowered R1200GS they had. It's gone now. I would have liked to see if it has enough wind protection. I think I'd prefer it to the R1200RT, due to the lighter weight.


Overall, nice, but not for me. I want a more upright seating position, and more wind protection. In BMW model parlance, I'd want a RT not an ST. They don't make a F800RT.

Test Ride TU-250

I've read great things about the TU-250, and it's inexpensive, so I thought I'd give it a chance. It's very light, and maneuverable at low speeds, and you have a lot of lock-to-lock for some very tight turns. It's very comfortable, and that comfort makes it feel like you're going slower than you are. Suspension was fine, nothing noticeable. The rear shocks were set at 3 of 5 preload. The engine runs smoothly, but I did have trouble shifting into 5th gear twice. A firm flick of the shifter got it into 5th. Clutch feel is light. The left mirror wouldn't stay adjusted on my ride. The engine. As mentioned, smooth, and the fuel injection means easy start and smooth operation. However, at only 250cc, it has trouble making 55mph, and I'd expect with enough space it could get into the high 60s.
Compared to the Buell Blast, it's no contest. The Blast falls under my qualifications as a Real Bike- one that can do anything and go anywhere you ask of it. It may be the smallest bike to qualify. The TU-250 is more comfortable for me, and is a better 'under 40mph' bike. I think it would be the perfect delivery bike. It's a great bike to learn on.
I keep coming back to bikes I've owned (Blast, Ninja 500) as bikes that best fit me and fit the qualities I'm currently looking for in a bike. Maybe that's why I bought them in the past? As to the TU-250? So far, I've passed on it. It looks better than a Blast, but, for now, I can't see paying $3800 for an inferior bike. I wish I hadn't sold my Blast, as I don't look forward to sorting out another one, but with prices for used Blasts around $2K, I may be back in the Buell fold soon. I still have many accessories for it.

NoCO bike dealer tour

I spent the morning hitting all the moto dealers on I25.
Sat on the Suzi TU250 (MSRP $3799). Impressed, going back TUE for a test.I've read great things about it, and figure it'd be a good around town and short trip bike. Suzi says it gets 82mpg. Going to test it on TUE.
At Honda, I sat on the new VFR, and was unimpressed. Very sportbike,little touring. The NT700V (they had both the standard $9999, and the $10999 ABS models) is looking better every time I see it. It may not be 100+ HP, but it feels comfortable, has good protection and luggage.The on board computer said it's getting 38mpg, which seems what they all get these days. It might be a bit higher on a longer ride. May test it on TUE.
Went to Beemers and More on CO14, and really liked the BMW F800ST they had. It's an '08, 3K miles, and already lowered. Consignment at $9500(new is 12525 for the 'standard package model'). Again, going to test on TUE.
Finally stopped at Euro and sat on a bunch I am interested in. I was most interested in the Ducati Multistrada. They had the low seat installed, and it was still to high, but I don't know the suspension mode it was in. They say it makes no difference?!?! Sat on the R1200GS and RT, both were too high, but I know that they become OK with the lowered seat and lowered suspension setup.


Still pissed I didn't win a auction last week on a Buell Thunderbolt. This thing was loaded with every option and extras on many parts. Still, I'm in no rush for any new bike.