Gettin' ready to roll
May. 14th, 2002 06:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tugrikOne of my bad habits has to do with trip-preparation. While most people worry about basic things like making sure bills are paid and that they've packed toothpaste and enough pairs of underwear, I find myself scrambling to spend way too much money on what I term infrastructure. I have a terrible addiction not only to building infrastructure, but in testing it and putting it to proper use.
This is feeling more and more like a pre-Burning-Man week. I'm scrambling around to check and re-check the equipment I've added to the bike, and as always I keep finding Better Ways To Do Things... which is where I get into trouble. For only a few bucks here, I could have better storage... a few more dollars there, and the comms gear becomes much more functional... and on it goes. Were this the annual trip to the desert, the items sought after would most likely be more solar or camping gear, which would get wonderful use for one week, only to be left in storage the rest of the year. I don't even want to think on how much I've spent on B'Man 'toys' that never get use outside of that week.
This time there's a slight advantage: things added to the bike will get monthly, if not daily, regular use. While I'll still feel guilty (and in fact wincing at the various bills) for buying myself a few toys, this time I'm pretty sure they'll be good for most of the year 'round.
My ex-roomie Farix said something to me that stuck pretty well. We were on the subjects of having multiple vehicles, and the reasons for chosing which one to use for any given trip. Sure, there are times when a vehicle's special abilities (or inabilities) will make it the only choice... but Farix's point was this: When there's no clear cut choice, the one you'll ride is the one that's the most fun.
Well, dear friends... I never thought I'd admit this, but the 1150GS is notably more fun.
The decision was made for three reasons. For one... the days will be short. 200-300 miles of riding isn't much at all. For two, the roads will be twisty. With the exception of the the first-day ride down and the last-day ride back, we'll be completely off the superslab, spending our time rolling around 2- (and occasionally 1-) lane backroads. For three, the "When in Rome..." argument applies. The riding characteristics of the GS will fit in much better with how the Buell guys will be spending their days... a motorcycle amongst motorcycles, instead of a two-wheeled RV. I'll save the 'Wing for use on my own, when I want to just eat up a few statelines and see some national parks or visit friends. Add in the more-fun factor of the GS, and the only thing stopping me from using it was prep that had to be done. Well, I've done that prep.
Side bags? Check. Added 'em last week. Driving lights? Check. It now has headlights that are closer to (but still not quite as good as) the 'wing; I won't fear night riding as much now. Tankbag? Upgraded, to the nifty Sahara model one, that has big tank-side panniers for Extra Stuff. Tailbag? Well, the Givi's were cheap, and I added one for $140 from off the shelf at Road Rider. Much to my surprise, I was able to use their universal mounting kit and do no modifications to the bike at all! The only thing left on the 'must haves' is the task of "Change the Tires"... which happens this Friday morning, at CalBMW. Dusty's got some new Avons on order for me, and if they don't make it in, the backup plan is to buy some Tourances from CalBMW (which they have set aside for me).
The bike is ready for the trip. I'm mostly ready myself... I just have to pick up my boots that were left at a friend's house, and pack extra clothing just-in-case as I couldn't get raingear in my size in time. It may sound stupid, but I will carry a few spare heftybags and bluetape. A few mils of ugly-taped-on plastic can do wonders for short periods of rainfall; it's only my upper thighs I worry about anyways. The jacket, gloves, and boots are water-stoppers already, and the butt is on the seat. :) Besides, this is California... and we're out of the rainy season now. I should be OK. Even if I'm not, I can handle a day in the rain... just not a solid week of it.
What's left, then? Well... now we're back to that ugly Infrastructure habit of mine. In this list are things that are not absolutely necessary for a safe and sane trip... but may well make it nicer. I've added two RAM mounts to the handlebars to support a GPS (on loan from Farix, thankfully... $400 I don't have to spend!) and a tiny camcorder (already owned). With luck I'll be able to get some on-road footage to share. I just bought an Autocom unit with the proper accessories to let Dusty and I talk over FRS (he's got a chatterbox helmet-stickon radio); tonight I install that. I thought about adding the celphone interface... but I really don't think talking on the phone while on the bike is a good idea anymore. I do it on the 'wing, and I find I dislike doing so enough that I disabled it there too.
While on the quest for Yet More Light, I added two PIAA 540's to the crash bar rails. They tilt oddly, as the brackets weren't quite meant for my model of bike. I've got no time to fab new parts before the trip, so I'll live with the odd looks for now. They're flared out and up a bit, which makes them useful while turning at night; the light shines right up the turn-path. They'll utterly blind oncoming drivers, however, so I've got a thumbswitch to only turn them on when needed. I've got a list of more stuff yet I want to strap onto the beast... but just no time, and I've already spent way too much money.
I had to settle for the BMW system cases because the metal Adventure bags I want aren't out until November, dangit. At least they're cheap, in comparison. Between those, the Sahara tank bag and the total of six grille-covered lights on the front, the GS is starting to look like something out of the Road Warrior movie. I like this look, and I'm currently seeking other non-damaging (and still road-legal) modifications to further it.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
revar and Farix suggest I fur-line the main tank, with extra leather buckles and other Mad Max-esque decor. *snicker*
Personally, I'm thinking more Dark Industrial look (like the car on the cover of the Information Society album, Hack), instead of ragtag-warrior. If any of you with a sense of adventurous style have ideas, let me know. :) I figure such stylings will be something to work on later this summer. I'm not much of a tough-guy type, but I quietly like the idea of having a bike that looks like it'll knock you down and steal your lunch money.
Other pics of the stuff added, like the reflectors on the sidebags and the Givi topcase are all on my image site. The white-reflective stickers on the back are actually glossy black, until you have headlights (or a camera flash) pointed at them. It's a neat trick, and while I know how 3M does it, it still impresses me.
One piece I'm at odds with: My office has a backup person for when I'm gone... and said backup person just left on a halfweek vacation with no warning. He'll be getting chewed mightily upon his return. End result, though, is that my office will have 3 business days with absolutely no Network/IS personnel... which is just begging to have Murphy's Law come crashing down, taking the network down with it. My office's solution? They're renting a Globalstar satellite phone for me to use. I'm completely split on this situation. My personal-space side is pissy at the idea of the office calling me while I'm on vacation... but my gadget side is going "oooo... satellite telephony....", getting all big-eyed at being handed $1200 of equipment with someone else paying the airtime bill (about $1.49/minute, if you're curious). I really don't have a choice if I want to stay in good standings with my workplace, so I'll take it along. I'll just tell the other riders it's a "just in case" phone for if there's a road emergency, so they won't know I've apparently sold a part of my soul to the office.
I've turned to my fellow GS riders for help when it comes to installing the Autocom and some of the other electronics wirings... but it seems most of them either just have their dealer install things, or are the 'we don't need no steenking gadgets!' types. So far I've faired well on my own, and I'm being real careful to make everything easy to take off the bike while on-road. This way if I hit an equipment fault mid-trip I can just unplug the errant device and continue on. Tonight will be the Autocom install, and tomorrow will be testing-time for the interbike communications. I'll drop another entry in the Journal here before the midday-friday start of the trip. The laptop and camera are going with me, and with luck I'll be able to upload pics each night from the various motel rooms. I like the idea of friends being able to tag along, virtually.
Now if only I could figure out how to keep the satellite phone and not have to take office calls on it...
This is feeling more and more like a pre-Burning-Man week. I'm scrambling around to check and re-check the equipment I've added to the bike, and as always I keep finding Better Ways To Do Things... which is where I get into trouble. For only a few bucks here, I could have better storage... a few more dollars there, and the comms gear becomes much more functional... and on it goes. Were this the annual trip to the desert, the items sought after would most likely be more solar or camping gear, which would get wonderful use for one week, only to be left in storage the rest of the year. I don't even want to think on how much I've spent on B'Man 'toys' that never get use outside of that week.
This time there's a slight advantage: things added to the bike will get monthly, if not daily, regular use. While I'll still feel guilty (and in fact wincing at the various bills) for buying myself a few toys, this time I'm pretty sure they'll be good for most of the year 'round.
My ex-roomie Farix said something to me that stuck pretty well. We were on the subjects of having multiple vehicles, and the reasons for chosing which one to use for any given trip. Sure, there are times when a vehicle's special abilities (or inabilities) will make it the only choice... but Farix's point was this: When there's no clear cut choice, the one you'll ride is the one that's the most fun.
Well, dear friends... I never thought I'd admit this, but the 1150GS is notably more fun.
The decision was made for three reasons. For one... the days will be short. 200-300 miles of riding isn't much at all. For two, the roads will be twisty. With the exception of the the first-day ride down and the last-day ride back, we'll be completely off the superslab, spending our time rolling around 2- (and occasionally 1-) lane backroads. For three, the "When in Rome..." argument applies. The riding characteristics of the GS will fit in much better with how the Buell guys will be spending their days... a motorcycle amongst motorcycles, instead of a two-wheeled RV. I'll save the 'Wing for use on my own, when I want to just eat up a few statelines and see some national parks or visit friends. Add in the more-fun factor of the GS, and the only thing stopping me from using it was prep that had to be done. Well, I've done that prep.
Side bags? Check. Added 'em last week. Driving lights? Check. It now has headlights that are closer to (but still not quite as good as) the 'wing; I won't fear night riding as much now. Tankbag? Upgraded, to the nifty Sahara model one, that has big tank-side panniers for Extra Stuff. Tailbag? Well, the Givi's were cheap, and I added one for $140 from off the shelf at Road Rider. Much to my surprise, I was able to use their universal mounting kit and do no modifications to the bike at all! The only thing left on the 'must haves' is the task of "Change the Tires"... which happens this Friday morning, at CalBMW. Dusty's got some new Avons on order for me, and if they don't make it in, the backup plan is to buy some Tourances from CalBMW (which they have set aside for me).
The bike is ready for the trip. I'm mostly ready myself... I just have to pick up my boots that were left at a friend's house, and pack extra clothing just-in-case as I couldn't get raingear in my size in time. It may sound stupid, but I will carry a few spare heftybags and bluetape. A few mils of ugly-taped-on plastic can do wonders for short periods of rainfall; it's only my upper thighs I worry about anyways. The jacket, gloves, and boots are water-stoppers already, and the butt is on the seat. :) Besides, this is California... and we're out of the rainy season now. I should be OK. Even if I'm not, I can handle a day in the rain... just not a solid week of it.
What's left, then? Well... now we're back to that ugly Infrastructure habit of mine. In this list are things that are not absolutely necessary for a safe and sane trip... but may well make it nicer. I've added two RAM mounts to the handlebars to support a GPS (on loan from Farix, thankfully... $400 I don't have to spend!) and a tiny camcorder (already owned). With luck I'll be able to get some on-road footage to share. I just bought an Autocom unit with the proper accessories to let Dusty and I talk over FRS (he's got a chatterbox helmet-stickon radio); tonight I install that. I thought about adding the celphone interface... but I really don't think talking on the phone while on the bike is a good idea anymore. I do it on the 'wing, and I find I dislike doing so enough that I disabled it there too.
While on the quest for Yet More Light, I added two PIAA 540's to the crash bar rails. They tilt oddly, as the brackets weren't quite meant for my model of bike. I've got no time to fab new parts before the trip, so I'll live with the odd looks for now. They're flared out and up a bit, which makes them useful while turning at night; the light shines right up the turn-path. They'll utterly blind oncoming drivers, however, so I've got a thumbswitch to only turn them on when needed. I've got a list of more stuff yet I want to strap onto the beast... but just no time, and I've already spent way too much money.
I had to settle for the BMW system cases because the metal Adventure bags I want aren't out until November, dangit. At least they're cheap, in comparison. Between those, the Sahara tank bag and the total of six grille-covered lights on the front, the GS is starting to look like something out of the Road Warrior movie. I like this look, and I'm currently seeking other non-damaging (and still road-legal) modifications to further it.
revar and Farix suggest I fur-line the main tank, with extra leather buckles and other Mad Max-esque decor. *snicker*Personally, I'm thinking more Dark Industrial look (like the car on the cover of the Information Society album, Hack), instead of ragtag-warrior. If any of you with a sense of adventurous style have ideas, let me know. :) I figure such stylings will be something to work on later this summer. I'm not much of a tough-guy type, but I quietly like the idea of having a bike that looks like it'll knock you down and steal your lunch money.
Other pics of the stuff added, like the reflectors on the sidebags and the Givi topcase are all on my image site. The white-reflective stickers on the back are actually glossy black, until you have headlights (or a camera flash) pointed at them. It's a neat trick, and while I know how 3M does it, it still impresses me.
One piece I'm at odds with: My office has a backup person for when I'm gone... and said backup person just left on a halfweek vacation with no warning. He'll be getting chewed mightily upon his return. End result, though, is that my office will have 3 business days with absolutely no Network/IS personnel... which is just begging to have Murphy's Law come crashing down, taking the network down with it. My office's solution? They're renting a Globalstar satellite phone for me to use. I'm completely split on this situation. My personal-space side is pissy at the idea of the office calling me while I'm on vacation... but my gadget side is going "oooo... satellite telephony....", getting all big-eyed at being handed $1200 of equipment with someone else paying the airtime bill (about $1.49/minute, if you're curious). I really don't have a choice if I want to stay in good standings with my workplace, so I'll take it along. I'll just tell the other riders it's a "just in case" phone for if there's a road emergency, so they won't know I've apparently sold a part of my soul to the office.
I've turned to my fellow GS riders for help when it comes to installing the Autocom and some of the other electronics wirings... but it seems most of them either just have their dealer install things, or are the 'we don't need no steenking gadgets!' types. So far I've faired well on my own, and I'm being real careful to make everything easy to take off the bike while on-road. This way if I hit an equipment fault mid-trip I can just unplug the errant device and continue on. Tonight will be the Autocom install, and tomorrow will be testing-time for the interbike communications. I'll drop another entry in the Journal here before the midday-friday start of the trip. The laptop and camera are going with me, and with luck I'll be able to upload pics each night from the various motel rooms. I like the idea of friends being able to tag along, virtually.
Now if only I could figure out how to keep the satellite phone and not have to take office calls on it...
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2002-05-14 11:01 pm (UTC)Hopefully your trip will go better than most invasions too.
no subject
Date: 2002-05-14 11:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-05-14 11:31 pm (UTC)Burning Man's Playa is about as hospitable to life as the artic. Okay, not QUITE that bad but it is HARSH.
no subject
Date: 2002-05-15 08:54 am (UTC)