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I have begun the newbie rite of passage of watching Long Way Around. I already wanted and ADV bike, but also already realized I’m never going on that kind of trip lol.
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Sep 24, 2021 09:07
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Or in my case, I am a tall guy who wants to sit up straight and ride on gravel for 2 miles at a time so I’m leaning towards a VStrom.
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Sep 24, 2021 23:12
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Slavvy posted:Yeah so what you need is a dr650 I’ve already had this conversation. I’m 6’2”, capable but not a mechanic, and I want to sit down on a bike and have it do the things I want it to do (which includes me never having to screw with carbs). If I had an unlimited budget I’d probably at least go look at a Pan American. DR650’s look like a great bike if I’d gotten into this when I was 23, but I’m 43 and definitely never going to be more than a weekend warrior.
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Sep 25, 2021 03:42
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I'm many months or maybe even a year or two out from getting one, so I've got time to go play on some dealership bikes and maybe even go rent something somewhere. I'm not committing to anything yet, but I actually think the Vstrom 650 is a lovely bike and it's a price I think I can manage without being way more bike than I would need. I'll keep scooting about and playing on other people's bikes every so often until then.
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Sep 25, 2021 05:00
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Went and sat on some bikes today with a very clear “I am currently saving money and will buy in maybe a year or so” message. Salesperson was totally cool with that and asked good questions about what I would likely be doing, etc. Still pushed a little of their own biases, etc. but not in a way that set off any of my alarms (I’ve done enough time in sales to know the tactics and he wasn’t pushing any hard sales stuff on me). They had a VStrom, but only the 1050. I’m eager to see a 650 when they come in. The riding posture and height felt just about perfect and it didn’t feel too heavy for me to keep control of or pick up. Definitely felt the weight of it more than the other bikes since its center of gravity is higher. The Africa Twin is too fancy and felt like it was going to give me hip dysplasia. I would definitely need to trade out seats. Really felt like you were sitting in the bike rather than on it. Are KTM’s as high maintenance as I’ve been lead to believe? He admitted he’s a KTM guy and that he hasn’t had trouble out of his, but also that he’s had good fortune because he takes maintenance seriously. And it’s not that I wouldn’t, but I’m in the market for something to ride. I will probably pick up some really dumb little moped to tinker with at some point, but what I’m looking for now is riding with little to no muss or fuss. Also looked at a KLR 650 and was impressed with it. The main problems I have are that it’s the bike my partner’s husband wants and while we’re all in a long-term, happy polyamorous relationship, it is just loving weird when we match and that I hate “urban camo.” I like the dash, but I can’t help but imagine my phone falling through the opening.
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Sep 26, 2021 00:22
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I'm a good 6-12 months or more from getting my second bike (currently riding a Royal Alloy 150 scooter that I plan on keeping for city riding). I thought I'd get an idea of what insurance would cost me so I can carefully plan out what my budget will be while I pay some stuff down and build a nice down payment. The insurance company I'm already using quoted me as much as my payment will likely be for a Vstrom 650. Should I be looking for another insurance company or is this a "suck it up for a couple years and it'll get better" situation? I'm in my 40's with a relatively clean driving record and no accidents or even speeding tickets in at least 8 years. No major accidents or tickets at all, ever. When I didn't own a car for a couple years (moved across the country to a city where I didn't need one), I basically had to reset some stuff and was paying a lot more than I'd have liked for a while, but that was 7 or more years ago. At those rates, I might do a much cheaper bike and just know it's to build up another down payment so I can trade it in and up. Which I hate the idea of. I know there's no such thing as your perfect bike and there's some likelihood I'd be trading in the theoretical Vstrom at some point too, but I don't want to buy a bike knowing that's the plan. I want a warranty, so I'm sticking to new and I don't want that purchase to be a big compromise. I'm really only looking at new bikes known for their reliability for various reasons. No, I don't want a DR650. I could actually swing the insurance and payment with some adjustments, especially with some time to plan ahead. It's just more than I was expecting.
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Oct 13, 2021 22:30
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pun pundit posted:Nobody can help you about bike insurance if we don't know what country you live in. What a dumb thing for me to forget to include. Sorry about that. I'm in the US (which may explain why it didn't occur to me to include it). Currently have Allstate, who is saying $1,856 a year of both bikes versus an online quote I just got from Progressive for ... about $300. I haven't looked at all the bells and whistles to be sure I'm making a 1:1 comparison yet, but it seems pretty clear I have much better options. edit: Even bumping to more premium coverage, I'm somewhere north of 1/3 what Allstate was quoting me. Still happy to take any advice but it sounds like I'm changing insurers whenever I get the new bike. Geekboy fucked around with this message at 23:11 on Oct 13, 2021 |
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Oct 13, 2021 23:02
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It feels like I’ve taken a step forward as I enter the long list of people sales reps call when things go on sale or there’s a shipment in.
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Oct 18, 2021 22:10
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I went for my first real ride on my new bike yesterday and saw another Harley, so I got to do a real, big boy wave instead of waving from my scooter and wondering if I’m allowed or not.
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Jan 7, 2022 21:34
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Yeah, the biggest thing I’m getting used to is using the clutch more than the gas at low speeds. I still find myself worrying I’ll burn it out because of how cars work, but that’s what patch jobs and trade ins are for. (I’m kidding. Mostly.) I have the opposite problem and had trouble finding bikes where my knees weren’t in my chest. I found a lot of advice online while trying to figure out what I could do about that as a tall rider about how to adapt a bike for a short rider, so I’m sure you’ll find good resources. I’ll second the Honda Rebel since I liked it a lot, but would have to change too many things about it for it to be cost effective for me. I’m no expert, but it seems like such a great bike and I want other people to enjoy it as much as I wish I could.
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Jan 21, 2022 20:57
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That had to be terrifying. Glad you’re okay.
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Jan 31, 2022 18:59
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I just got a pair of Rev’it gloves this week and am worried I’m becoming a simp for the company because they match my Rev’it jacket I just bought and also the jacket I got for my partner and probably the pants I’m ordering as soon as my state return comes in. It just so happens they were the company with sizes I could wear in stock when I had money in hand, but the difference between them and my Sedici and Scorpion stuff is night and day.
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Feb 13, 2022 17:40
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Prices seem arbitrary. I was quoted far less for the Harley I bought than any of the ADV bikes I looked into. Such a blatant scam.
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Feb 17, 2022 21:06
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Had my first drop on the motorcycle. Zero mph, slipped in some gravel while parking. The only time I dropped my last scooter was while parking on some leaves that were slicker than I thought. Crash bars did their job and there’s nothing but a nick in one of those and a little less paint on the mirror. And now I know I can pick it up on my own, so that’s good.
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Mar 20, 2022 01:57
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Taking my longest trip so far on Thursday, riding out into the Oregon desert fossil beds. Meeting my partner out there and we’ll tool around mostly in the car until we come home on Saturday. While I’m deciding what scenic route to take (the first option I was considering included a metal grated bridge - no thanks), what super obvious thing am I forgetting to bring along? Picked up an okay mobile tool kit and immediately moved all of it into a nice tool roll my partner got me as a “you bought a bike” present. I’ve got my Rev’it suit with thermal and rain liners. I’ve got my good gloves and boots. I’ve got a good phone mount for directions (no charger yet, but I want to do that right and I’m not going near far enough to run out of charge). I just checked the oil. Tire pressure is good. Thousands of miles from my next service interval. I’m sure that whatever is said I’ll be two hours in and think of something that’d be super helpful.
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Mar 30, 2022 07:03
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I went with the Rev’it Sand 4 H2O. So far, so good in all Oregon climates I’ve been able to ride in with it. Haven’t done any crazy, soaking rain but I’ve been golden in the type of rain we usually get here. The one time I went across the Hawthorne bridge on my scooter was the hardest my butt has puckered in my entire life. I’m going to just avoid grated bridges when I’m on 2 wheels for probably the entirety of my existence. I do need a hydration pack and it’s been on my list of things to buy. Anything I should watch for anything besides “straps long enough to fit over my armored jacket?” Don’t mind waiting and getting a motorcycle specific one if it’s really worth it, but it definitely seems like something I should just be able to walk into REI and buy. I’ve got extra gloves and such. I’ll be sure to bring them and a bag of extra ear plugs along. And snacks. Dang. I need a tank bag, don’t I? Another thing for The List.
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Mar 30, 2022 20:58
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I went to REI and got a high viz yellow camelback that fits over my jacket. It was with the running and bicycling stuff, so it’s nice and light and I won’t hate using it for other stuff. When I’ve been riding 50 or so miles at a time I’ve noticed I’m pretty dehydrated when I stop, so I think it was worth it to prioritize that. Plus, I had my member rewards and a coupon, so it was about $40. That’s right. I bought high viz with a coupon. I think I’m ready to Dad Bike. I’ve been on Bridge of the Gods a couple times and it is, indeed, ridiculous. Highly recommend. In a car. I have some waterproof poo poo kickers I got at the Harley dealership and will need some lighter footwear soon. I love my Rev’it stuff so much I’m tempted to get their shoes, too.
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Mar 31, 2022 02:17
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I do my best to prioritize good union shops when I can. Like Powell’sohwait … Four hour ride today through the gorge and then down into Fossil. Ruled. RULED. Longest ride so far and pretty close to what I’m probably able to do without significant breaks.
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Apr 1, 2022 02:23
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First long road trip this weekend. Rode 4+ hours out to the high desert and then about the same amount of time coming back a different route. I learned so loving much about what is great and what is less than great on my Roadster this weekend. I'd put more than 1,000 miles on it already before this, but usually that was riding a max of 100 miles in a day. I'm still not sure if in a year or two I'll be trading it in or starting a fund for a second bike, but I know a hell of a lot more about what I need to work on skills-wise (and health-wise - my bum hip is a hindrance even on a bike I find comfortable) and what I'll want to watch for when I'm looking at whatever the next bike will be. Riding down Highway 97 through rolling hills and a mix of curves while giant windmills from a huge wind farm out there cast moving shadows across the road was basically everything I wanted out of buying a motorcycle.
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Apr 3, 2022 04:01
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Got my first “Sportsters are girl bikes” thrown at me because I joined a pile on mocking a guy for being butthurt that nobody likes bikes with literal Nazi poo poo on them. It’s such an uninteresting and silly insult in person, but over the internet while you’re crying that nobody understands THE CULTURE? Kinda funny.
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Apr 10, 2022 01:49
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I have similar questions because we’ve had a freak snow storm here and I really don’t want to do my union work virtual tomorrow (I’m on our bargaining team for our new contract and being in person is 10,000 times easier than everyone being virtual). I figure if it’s above freezing and it stops snowing, I’ll probably be fine since there’s been a lot of rain lately and the roads shouldn’t have oil or other buildup. All of my routes between home and the union hall are major arteries, so they’ll almost certainly be clear. I assume I’ll be safer on my scooter than on my Harley, but I am more than open to the idea I could be wrong about that. It’s also easy for me to chicken out day of or part of the way there. Virtual is always an option, even if it’s a relatively lovely one. edit: Or, I just borrow my partner’s car and rely on 20 years of driving in the Midwest in all conditions before moving out here. But that’s not nearly as fun. Geekboy fucked around with this message at 18:21 on Apr 11, 2022 |
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Apr 11, 2022 18:10
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Spiggy posted:I like GeoAlex, but he's not a talking head- just a dude that posts footage of his rides in pretty places. Maybe don't watch his channel if you don't want to consider buying an NC750. but what if I'm definitely considering buying an NC750 T Zero posted:Had a close call today. Nice save. I do my best to learn from every crash and almost-crash story I come across. Thanks for sharing.
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Apr 14, 2022 23:32
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My adult riding career started on a 50cc a few years ago and I have zero regrets. Great way to build confidence and skill.
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Apr 23, 2022 07:41
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Had a moment today where I was leaning into a corner and the quality of the road went to absolute poo poo part of the way through. I saw it, I backed off a little, and backed off more when I hit it and the tires bounced around a little. It really wasn’t a close call because I did everything right before I hit that rough patch, but it could have been if I hadn’t been paying attention. It was a nice feeling to nail it but also a good reminder to stay vigilant.
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Apr 24, 2022 07:51
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I have cleaned off my visor twice today, so far. A bug that hit my shoulder was so big it hurt through my armored jacket. Dudes with their face in the breeze confuse me.
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Apr 24, 2022 23:48
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The only weird thing I've noticed with my pinlock is that if it just absolutely pours buckets and I'm stuck in stop and go traffic, water will collect between the panes. Not a lot, not when I'm moving and can close the visor all the way, and not when it's raining a normal amount. Only in drenching, ridiculous rain. I assumed this was a normal thing or a peculiarity of my visor's geometry, but I guess I should ask lol.
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Apr 29, 2022 22:09
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SEKCobra posted:Some helmets say you need to have the helmet visor closed in rain, because the pinlock can't handle the pressure. In your case I would assume the pinlock to be too loose though. You can adjust the pins for a tighter fit. Thanks. I'll check on that in a bit. It only happens in super heavy rain when I have to have the visor cracked, so if I can't fix it that's still fine. Went to my first motorcycle show today. I wore my rain gear and was there between showers and so I was too warm to spend a lot of time there so I think I'm going back to look around more closely on Sunday. The only demos seem to be Indian (if I come home with an Indian motorcycle, my indigenous Mexican partner will murder me) and Zero (pricey toys), so I'm a little disappointed about that. Maybe I'm just too precious, but I can't bring myself to be interested in the Washington Redskins of motorcycles. I'd also never even consider looking twice at a Fat Boy. Now I'm looking up bespoke riding gear brands online and still being annoyed no one is making quite what I want. Most name brand motorcycle stuff is way too straight and the stuff that isn't ... isn't really what I'm going for.
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Apr 30, 2022 05:35
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I would also need to be 6 inches shorter and weigh 150 pounds less. Even when I was in great shape, a lot of this stuff would have been too small. Belly shirts abound. I actually really love playing with color. Everything is so drab, even when it’s kind of stylish. It isn’t cool to wear, like, teal, I guess?
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Apr 30, 2022 17:37
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I already need to clean the road grime and bug guts off my black and mostly off-white Rev’it Sand pants and jacket.. I managed to find stuff I don’t hate aesthetically, but even if I find someone to make me something custom, their options are still all just “leather, flannel, or denim.” edit: I've seen some cool gloves and boots/shoes, at least. Geekboy fucked around with this message at 22:24 on Apr 30, 2022 |
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Apr 30, 2022 22:08
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Not really what I need, but these rule. I'm very happy this guy exists.
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Apr 30, 2022 22:45
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pastor of muppets posted:If you cross shop women's gear then your color options expand to black and pink! Hey, now. Occasionally there's a nice purple! Conclusion: Straight people need to not be allowed to make motorcycle gear for the next 20 years.
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May 1, 2022 00:51
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Well, that’s disappointing to hear. Found a company that makes gear I think my partner would love (she has her MSF scheduled in June and rode scooters for years) and they make exactly the shirt I want, but in a big guy cut and maybe in brighter colors. Anyone know anything about Wind and Throttle? I can also move this to the gear thread, but we were talking about it here, so … edit: Looks like they're actually more of a distributor of smaller brands. That shirt is made by an Australian company who does make men's clothing, but not at a size that would work. It's a start, at least? Geekboy fucked around with this message at 02:26 on May 2, 2022 |
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May 2, 2022 01:50
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Rev’it was the only brand I could affordably find good gear as a tall, fat person. That wasn’t STREET & STEEL JUSTICE THIN BLUE LINE GUN POCKET EDITION, I mean.
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May 2, 2022 20:10
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I respect the hell out of that, but that just solidified I’m never buying something without a warranty. Maybe ever. Goddamn. Okay, I’m never going to be without a bike that has a warranty. I reserve the right to also have a project on the side, but never without a main bike to just get around when I want/need to.
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May 6, 2022 18:17
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I feel like my back tire wasn’t showing any wear and now it definitely is. Front tire still looks fricking new. The wear is so down the middle of the tire that I am a little self-conscious about it. I plan on checking the tire pressure before I ride again, but it hadn’t lost any when I’d checked it before. It looks like this is a Shinko 705 dual sport tire, which appears to be the cheapest brand at Cycle Gear. This seems like a bad match for a 2017 Roadster that I don’t intend to ride on more than a few gravel roads at a trailhead here and there (at least not for another year or two) but that I’ll primarily be riding on backroads and the occasional freeway. I thought I had more time before I went tire shopping, but I guess not. I’m all about safety, so I don’t want to push it on a bad tire, but I’m also not exactly flush at the moment. How long do you think I have left and what do folks recommend as a good 90+% cruiser tire? I will probably trade the bike in next year, so I’ll admit I have some temptation to get the same $150 tire and slap on there so it matches the front, but y’all know better than I do. I am probably going to stick to stuff I can get at Cycle Gear because I know it’s a bit of a pain to find folks who will do a tire swap around here. Geekboy fucked around with this message at 19:29 on May 7, 2022 |
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May 7, 2022 19:08
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By the time I actually go off road, I probably will. Looking more closely at the tires today had me asking the same, "what the hell?" question. Welp. Guess I'm trying to find $300 or so for a good back tire. If I can, I'll replace the front tire with something more appropriate in the next few months. edit: I think it's that they're literally some of the cheapest tires at the most convenient place in town. Dog Case posted:"Can you put some of these on my bike? I saw a bunch of scramblers and trackers with them on Instagram and they look pretty sweet" also this
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May 7, 2022 19:25
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With my intention being to sell the bike next year, it’s real tempting to put the same tire on so I don’t have to replace the front, too. Or I can darkside it and give Slavvy an aneurism. edit: Ordered the suggested Michelin tire, which means I've got to replace the front as soon as I'm able so they are the same style and keeps me from betting against myself and how long I'll be keeping the bike. My plan is to probably trade it in next year, but if for some reason I can't or decide not to, I'd just be kicking the lovely tires problem down the road. Geekboy fucked around with this message at 19:06 on May 8, 2022 |
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May 8, 2022 06:47
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I try to never let the dumb poo poo I see other riders do make me overconfident, but it's a nice feeling knowing they almost died doing a thing you wouldn't have tried in the first place. I had the new back tire mounted, but haven't put the wheel back on the bike yet (busy week), but now I think I'm going to order the front tire while they're still on sale so I can do that 100 miles or so on two new tires instead of breaking in the back and then the front. Just pull off the band-aid. Should I bother taking the gently worn dual sport front tire home to try to sell it? Or should I just let them recycle it for a few bucks and not worry about it?
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May 14, 2022 18:31
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Michelin Commanders installed and mounted back on the bike (front and rear). Planning a leisurely ride somewhere today to break them in after I wipe them down with an old towel or something. Anything I should know about breaking in new tires beyond “take it easy for a bit, dummy?”
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May 21, 2022 17:35
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| # ¿ May 2, 2024 05:41 |
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It’s a thing people said to do on the internet. I don’t know what a dry towel will do that walking it out of the driveway on semi-rough cement wouldn’t do. I was admittedly using a cheapo tire gauge, but did I really just have to take, like, 20 psi out of the rear tire? Would they really have overinflated it that much? The good news is that I found everything necessary to fill the tire back up a little. I hadn’t used those bits on the air compressor in a while, so had to hunt them down. Easier next time.
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May 21, 2022 21:02
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