Oh man, what a summer!
It has been a while since I have updated this but since getting the Ninja back on the road I was busy riding. Some points of interst:
In April, the odometer crossed 40,000km and now it sits over 46,000km.
I spent much of August and early September riding by the book to get ready to finish my Motorcycle license. (We have a graduated system).
I made a dumbass mistake on my test, focusing too much on completing an assigned maneuver - did I mention I loathe tests? Rebooked for two weeks later (access is on alternating weeks by birth month due to COVID) and passed the test while it was raining. I can ride like a normal person again!
Being end of season, and done my license I am feeling it’s finally time to upgrade to a larger bike.
My helmet was matte black and didn’t help with being seen in low-light conditions. Seeing as how I have had it now for almost 5 years it was due for replacement anyway. The RPHA10 from HJC served me well so I went with a RPHA11 Pro, the new model - in gloss white.
For riding in cooler weather, I added a pair of Klim K-Fifty One riding jeans to my gear collection.
Made for a good ride on August 22nd riding down to the Kitchener/Waterloo area to a bike shop with my friend who is working on the CB450SC, he was picking up a refurb alternator as the one in his bike was corroded. He took his truck down, I took the Ninja.
Stopped by a lake to enjoy the view - you can see the new tread of the recently mounted tires here.
As for bikes, I am still leaning in to the Adventure-Tourer segment, although with a bit of a softer start. I would really like a BMW R1250GSA (the nose of which makes me think of the Halo Warthog for whatever reason), they even have a special 40th anniversary edition this year with yellow highlights - my favorite color. However, they are 25 to 30 thousand dollars so that is not happening any time soon. In the mean time I have watched many reviews and came to realize it will be some time before I can enjoy an off-road cross-country adventure. In fact, around here I’d be hard pressed to really find anywhere off-road to go even if I wanted to, and for that I am not counting dirt roads and trails that are primarily flat and smooth.
A massive jump in CC’s would also not be wise and would be a huge penalty with insurance costs. Any Ontarian likely know how awful GTA and Brampton insurance costs are. I have a good record, and don’t qualify for further discounts until I am over 30 but the 250 still cost me $1047 for this year.
This weekend I will be taking a showroom look at a 2020 Kawasaki Versys 650 LT SE. 650CC parallel twin, still a bit sporty, upright riding, hard luggage keyed to ignition included from the factory, a bit extra suspension travel and key for me: an above average 21L fuel tank. The bike is reviewed well as being something you could ride out of the showroom and across the country (referring to the US in this case). Should be just fine for the planned trips that myself and another friend of mine have planned including Atlantic Canada and out to BC - although when is up in the air like any other travel plans.
Hey, the T intersection at Jones Baseline and Wellington Rd 124 overlooking Guelph Lake!
That’s no easy feat! Congrats! Do they still make you accelerate in a circle? I’d get a little anxious doing that in the rain. (I failed my first attempt at my motorcycle license too)
I’ve always wanted one of those BMW GS Adventure bikes. I wish I had it during my trip from Toronto to Vancouver and back. I did it on a stupid Virago 1100.
No, fortunately. I did my road test in Newmarket. DriveTest is off Harry Walker close to the 404 & Muloc. You ride South down Harry Walker, turn right at Muloc, left at the next lights, left into the neighbourhood, putter about in there a bit, pull over, get out, head down the 404 South one exit, hop off and back on North, exit at Muloc and go back to the test center. 25 minute route. Worst part was accelerating to fast lane traffic with 250CCs, which was what got me the first time. So the next time I broke the law (which they tell you not to) and went over the speed limit on the highway. :shrug: I still never want to ride on the 410 or 401 (my closest highways) - way to lethal for a bike with how people drive.
I am not sure the side street, if you say so! I have gone down 124 multiple times, never read the sign.
Usually you’ll find me meandering country roads between Brampton and Wellington road 34 to visit my one friend. Or lapping my loop North of Brampton that takes me on King and up Highway 50. Hockley Valley is nice too.
Can you please tell me everything you regretted about that? Seriously! My friend has been trying to push me to a cruiser “because they are the real bikes” and they are 1000% not for me. However, he is rebuilding a '82 V45 Magna that his wife may use, once his '94 Valkyrie can get across the border (bought off a family member’s estate, who unfortunately passed from COVID in NYC). The fact that most cruisers have similar or less suspension travel than my Ninja also turned me away - I don’t care how you spring it - more travel is needed!
Japanese bikes aren’t big enough for me. I’m 6’4” with heels on. You look like a tall fella too.
My other dream bike would be the biggest Harley Decker I could find.
I’m sure I’d be happy with a big BMW Adventure. It has off road capability and it can have LOTS of storage. On the Virago I was stuck with having to strap my backpack to my sissy bar and my sleeping bag was in the passenger seat. I also had two crappy little leather side bags.
Oh ya, forgot to mention Neil Peart! (he was 6’4"). Where is my head at? …
Celebrity endorsed, and Rush at that! Well that just cements it, really.
Yea, looking forward to that. The Versys’ side cases can both fit a full face helmet and there is an option top case as well. I’ve watched Zack Courts and Ari Henning from Motorcyclist magazine talk about the bike (they are both now with Revzilla) and they are both over 6’ tall. Zack did the review I linked above and Ari actually bought one himself. So I figure I should fit on the bike just fine, it will step up from the Ninja 250 very well anyway.
Sorry, I haven’t followed this thread until now since I haven’t been motorcycling for a long while. I just recognized that intersection you posted and it perked my interest.
I didn’t know about this Versys you speak of … man, that looks like a nice bike! I just checked out the 1000cc model too … I’d go for that if I were you.
I’m actually laughing out loud at one of @Victork2’s pics right now. Sorry Vic. You make that Hayabusa look like a freekin’ monster! LOL!
Yea, that’s why even the reviewers said they can hardly recommend the Versys 1000.
You get electronics but not a ton more bike for the price. Plus for that price bracket, BMW R1250GSA!
So unlike us tall guys who have limited options for bikes that actually fit us, as someone of a more normal stature to fit onto bikes you go and buy the one bike that is too big?
Well, toys are never supposed to make sense I guess!
My friend who lives in the Guelph area got my in to riding. When he was still in Brampton he called me one day in 2016 and asked if I wanted to get my license with him.
While we hunted for bikes to start on, he found out his biological father (estranged) had a bike, and he had recently heard from him after a decade or more. So at one point we had his dad’s VF500F Interceptor back at his home - it was rough. Sludge in the tank, cracked fairings, flat cracked tires…only good thing was his dad is a Honda employee.
I came up with a game plan for the fairings between some fiberglass reinforcement backside and conventional bodywork frontside - but he didn’t keep it and took it back to his dad. Figured a 500 was too much to start on, plus the insurance for a first time rider. Gas leaked out in the back of my dad’s van on that trip, despite the tarp it stunk up the van for a while - my dad wan’t happy with that! (No leak when we brought it down in the first place though).
Would’ve been a sweet ride - your photo of the big brother model brought that memory to mind!
Oh ya, it does look like a rainy forecast. Friday looks good though! … 21 and sunny with cloudy periods. Take ‘er up to Caledon and do the Forks of the Credit! Fall colors should still be out. We drove around the escarpment out by Milton this weekend and it looked amazing.
I’m sure you’ve done the Forks of the Credit already but if not, take it slow the first time and watch out for the tight hilly hairpins and speed bumps that you can thread through.
Speaking of rain, I wiped out that one time going around a bend over the Rockies. I swore so loud a farmer came out to see what was going on. I bent my front fork but she was still rideable. That terrain can be real tricky in the rain. Be careful out there man.
I spent a lot of time at Forks, I started driving and riding just before they got all serious with the 400 style speeding points signs, OPP cars hiding around corners and doubling down on the speed bumps!
I haven’t been in a while, it’s worth a go again.
Recently I took a ride through Hockley Valley, at least that’s still “open”!
Glad you and the bike made it back to two wheels on the road! I have gained some serious torrential rain and thunderstorm experience on the Ninja. I’ll just be extra careful with the Versys, and myself!
Here’s my cousin in Germany … he loves motorcycling and you can tell by his gear. I don’t think he’d appreciate me putting up his pic on the interweb so I blacked his eyes out. He got quite high up in the German Police force before he retired.
