Tuesday, March 1, 2011

IMS Motorcycle Show 2011

It was about two weeks ago (Perhaps a few days more, who's counting?) some friends and I went to the Chicago IMS motorcycle show. In case you were wondering, I wasn't actually going to the bike show this year. I've been the last couple of years, don't need to buy anything, and have this long bike trip I'm planning which is taking up not enough of my time.

But one of my friends had never been, and didn't want to go alone, and offered to drive. So off we went.

Triumph was back this year, which was pretty nice. Unfortunately I don't seem to have many pictures of the place. Only my phone pictures have turned up on my computer, which I freely admit I don't understand but can't do anything about. What pictures I do have are mostly of Blue, my Limited Edition Star Wars Build-a-bear, sitting on motorcycles.
Blue sitting on the new Yamaha Super Tenere, which is a pretty nice bike. I took more pictures, but ultimately I am disappointed the non-super Tenere (lighter and with a smaller motor) isn't making the crossing. Europe gets all the cool stuff.

My friend (Deb) was looking for a new helmet, and that took up much of our time. The show is a good place to try things on and ask for opinions. It didn't take long before she discarded the helmets she had researched before arriving and started looking at new models, finally settling on the HJC RPS-10. She had to order the pattern she wanted, but I hear she is very happy with it.

Blue tried out a lot of bikes






The pink bunny is Shine, who travels with Deb sometimes. I guess bunnies don't know much about bikes, or Blue was trying to impress her. I saw him talking motorcycles with her some.


After Deb had her helmet and we sat on a few more bikes it was 9pm and time to head home. I was tired and I think I slept some of the way. Yay for not driving.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Okay, I might be back

I need to start this again, and do a better job at it as I am about to take off on my motorcycle to travel as much of the world as I can. I have been planning this for a couple years, but keeping a blog has been pretty far down on my list of things to do.

Among other things, where the blog is going to be is something of a question. I also have a website address, painonpatrol.com, but there isn't anything there. I am still working out how to put something there. I hear Wordpress is nice, but the set up page made me feel old and non-computer-savvy.

But this is about motorcycles, so that is what I should be talking about. I was going to ride my sr250but manages to damage the engine so badly that it would be cheaper to buy another one. The catch is I had decided early on I would not buy another motorcycle, restricting my choices to bikes I already owned.

With the 250 out of the equation I was left with my 1981 XS1100H and my 2007 Ural Patrol. The patrol is the popular favorite, but I worry about it's operational cost. It gets crappy gas mileage and goes through tires quickly. Yes, it is set up correctly, it doesn't go through tires any faster than any other Ural.


It does go everywhere though.

Right now I am taking the Patrol (A bike I've names Despair, in keeping with my cheerly naming theme), and am planning a longish ride to the Overland Expo in April to make sure I will be okay with what Despair brings to the table. The trip actually worries me, which is odd. The thought of taking the xs11 is soothing. Still, have to give it a try, living for a year or 4 on a bike the extra space might be nice.

I am planning on at least one post a week, so let see how that goes.