Two bikes, one Soul

I have the two xs11s. One is a standard, all set up for touring with hard bags, music, CB, a comfy seat, extra lights, more wind protection, etc etc. And I have a couple of road trips coming up, so the standard is a natural choice.

I also have the factory Special, or just Special. It has really no weather protection, cumbersome music, no extra lights, a stiff suspension, and a tiny gas tank. Not really a design touring bike.

And yet I find myself thinking, on my upcoming road trips, I should be taking my Special, instead of the standard. I mean, I just got the standard last year, and before that I traveled with the special and had no problems. I rationalize, saying I can ride mostly during the day, so the lack of extra lights means less. I can pack less. The list goes on.

In the end, there is a simple truth. The standard is the bike I got for touring, and set up for touring, and should be touring on, regardless of my sentimental feelings towards the special. Yes, it used to be all I needed, but I used to pee in the bed too, until I discovered the bathroom was much better. The standard is better. Anything else on a long, long trip is like peeing in bed.

The Beemer

I have a 1985 k100RS. It was going to just be a temporary bike to get me through the winter, since both my XS11s were ill with mechanical or electrical problems. Obviously winter is over, and I still have the beemer.

I am really hot and cold towards it. Sometimes I think it is a great bike, and I think I would be able to get rid of the xs11s and just run the K. Then a few days later I hate it, and think I am going to stick it in the front yard with a for sale sign.

The last two days I have been riding it. No real reason, other than my Special has a dead battery, and I wanted the locking luggage. Locking luggage on a bike is a great thing, even more so when you are going to a lakefront where there will be several thousand drunk party goers.

Anyway, before these two days, I was very cold to it. To the point of mentally composing ebay ads. Now I like it again, and am glad of the money I spent on new tires. I want to figure out why the brake warning light flickers, and work on the intercom wiring.

The K bike. It is like a old girlfriend, who you hate, but every now and then find yourself in bed with. It is good, and you like it, but you always wonder when whatever happened that mad you hate her will resurface, and you have to change your phone number.

So I got engaged. It is nice to be engaged. I think. Actually, the promise was made a while ago, and so now it just must be kept. Unless one of use releases the other, I guess. I am not sure I can see that happening. Still, tomorrow is promised to none, and each day is a new discovery. Discovery about her, about me, about us. We have to keep discovering, or else we diminish in some way. Every day must be an adventure, faced without fear, but respect. And a bit of a smile.

Misery and Suffering

I have 2 xs1100s. When I got the second one, it was kinda confusing to my significant other, now my fiance, as to which was which. They looked different. One was a standard, and the other a special, but those words were meaningless to her. So I decided to name them. Misery was the special, a facotyr custum with a small gas tank and no fairing. I added an aftermarket windshield for some wind protection, but that was it. Misery, since you would be in misery if you got caught in any kinda of bad weather.

Suffering was the standard, a full dress touring bike, which woul dhave to suffer through all our road trips. The rule was simple, more than 100 miles one way, and we would take Suffering.

Both bikes broke last fall. Suffering blew and engine. Misery a wiring harness. Both have been fixed, though I got Suffering back first. Lately I have been riding Misery more. Misery was my first xs11. It is loud, with an aftermarket exhaust. A sharp note. Fast too, or seems it, the wind blowing by. I wonder sometimes why I got the other bikes. I do remember, though, when it is time to go somewhere, and the lack of luggage becomes a problem. Suffering's hard bags then seem so inviting, so perfect. but I wonder if I am missing something, behind the big windsheild listening to the xm radio and talking with my passenger with ease. Something viseral that Suffering shields me from, and Misery does not. Something about the feel of the road, and my place on it. Something that makes it all come together....

Expectations

I really try to be wonderful all the time. You would think that is a very laudible goal, but it does seem to create it's own problems. Like when I don't want to be wonderful, but a little selfish and lazy.

It's not all the time I feel that way, of course. But I do feel that way occasionally. I mean, I am used to spending most of my time alone, and I might actually need some alone time to feel healthy. Motorcycling, of course, helps. You can feel very alone on the back of a bike in the middle of nowhere. Especially when the bike stops working. But quiet evenings at home with a book, or just vegging in front of the TV is nice too.

To be selfish, or to be wonderful. I think Shakespeare had the wrong question.

Be safe, and keep the rubber side down.

More about Not Riding.

My Girlfriend goes to school in River Falls Wisconsin. Apart from being in one of the prettier areas of the state of Wisconsin, it is also over 300 miles away from my home in Milwaukee.

I try to visit her every couple of weeks, and since I prefer to ride whenever I can, this means I take my motorcycle there with some frequency. Motorcycle parking is free on campus too, which is a nice bonus.

With Valentines day this past week, it was a natural time to go and visit. The temperatures were only in the 20s, but I can easily deal with the cold, and was thinking the ride would be nice.

Then I checked the weather for the ride back.

When traveling in the Midwest in winter, a close eye has to be paid to the forecast, since we can get some pretty good snowstorms. I was traveling to RF on Monday, and returning on Thursday, in time to work at 6pm. The forecast for Thursday was very bad, with a large snowstorm across the entire state, and temps in the single digits - a little cold for riding. I did think about leaving on Wednesday instead, but the woman didn't like the idea of cutting the visit short, and so I was in my car.

There is a lesson here. I really wanted to ride the bike. In fact, the bike was packed, and I ended up bringing the saddlebags in the car. But Febuary is just a little too early in the year for longer road trips, and so I took the car. It was saver, and it is early in the year. There will be other trips.

Be safe, and keep the rubber side down.

Post V-Day

Well, the trickle pf gifts was not well received, though the chocolate went over very well. I am still alittle hurt over it, but I will live.

I like to stay at hotels, and over the last couple years have been using Country Inns just about exclusively. The beds are comfy, and they have free breakfest. Well, alot of places actually have free breakfest now, but I just like Country Inns. I would recommend them to anyone looking to travel.

I also like camping, but you can't easily camp in Wisconsin in Febuary, especially in a town when visiting your girlfriend, who's idea of roghing it is the lack of Food Network on the TV.

She really is cute, though, and not as bad as that sounds. I am sure I will hear about typing it later.

All well, Back to work. Be safe, and keep the rubber side down.