Wilno Tavern. Now I'm hungry. Is four hours to far to drive for lunch?
Share your fondest memory of motorcycling
- Thread starter Lightcycle
- Start date
Wife and I rented a K1200LT in Vegas several years ago. Toured out to the Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon (South Rim) and back in a day.
While a little sketch being blown around by the winds that night on the way back, there is a core memory made while riding down the Interstate in AZ where the image of the road curving and undulating into the distance, with vivid red soil/green shrubs, the music that was playing over the bikes stereo and tapping my hand to the beat and seeing my wife bop her head back and forth in the mirror.
While a little sketch being blown around by the winds that night on the way back, there is a core memory made while riding down the Interstate in AZ where the image of the road curving and undulating into the distance, with vivid red soil/green shrubs, the music that was playing over the bikes stereo and tapping my hand to the beat and seeing my wife bop her head back and forth in the mirror.
Gaoler
Well-known member
Livin' on the edge...
Almost as good as stopping in Marathon Ont., gassing up and continuing 2.5 hours South to Wawa where you stop for a pee and a gas top up only to find... You have no idea where your wallet is.
You look in every possible pocket, carefully go through your tank bag, but to no avail...
You even phone the gas station in Marathon 'cuz maybe... You're hoping you left it or dropped it there and someone turned it in... No Joy.
Now your thinkin... I gotta GO BACK and look for it...
So you start putting yourself back together.. You aggressively flip the lid of your tank bag open to stow something and there, tucked into a mesh pocket you didn't even know was there is... YOUR F###ing wallet.
After many bike shows with kids in tow, I fell in love with Honda ST1100 ( I thought it was an updated Pacific Coast in error). On the Honda Pilot site I got in a side bit about motorbikes and ends up he rides an ST1100 and knows of a guy on that ST forum that is selling his, and the seller is meticulous about maintenance and care. Only thing he up Seattle way. I got the seller's email and went back and forth and said let's do it. Never been on a cross country trip before, but always talked about heading out west on a motorbike when in high school, but never happened. Sent the deposit and flew out. Seller picked me up at the airport and put me up for the night. Oh, did I mention I have never ridden an ST1100 before. Took it for a test ride, it was perfect, even though my feet could barely touch. We completed the deal at his bank with the US money order and we went to vehicle registrations and changed ownership. Back to his house load up my pack (I planned for all eventualities).
It was the last week in May and I never thought Washington state got so hot and humid. It was in the 90s and I was in stop and go traffic. Finally I pull off at a McDonald's to get an ice tea (best ice tea is in the US) and pack my backpad with ice. As I am looking at the map (no GPS back then) I thought WTF did I get myself into, I had so much distance to cover in a week to get home. Panic set in.
I slowly dragged myself into the heat and down the road. Traffic got lighter, my mood improved, the bike was flawless (except the loose nut behind the handlebars) and made it to Moses Lake. A very nice motel on the water and a great sleep. I got up had breakfast and hit the road, and it just became a joy to ride all day and stop here and there. I hadn't figured out that going on the small highways would be better and slowly discovered that. The rhythm of the day became addicting and talking to other riders or total strangers during these stops. Bike still had a Washington plate on it, and it became even more entertaining as I headed further east. Went to Yellowstone NP, Mt. Rushmore, Needles hwy etc.
This got me hooked on the West and I went out there 5 more times. Each time going a different way, both through Canada and the US. There is something about the mountains. Magic
It was the last week in May and I never thought Washington state got so hot and humid. It was in the 90s and I was in stop and go traffic. Finally I pull off at a McDonald's to get an ice tea (best ice tea is in the US) and pack my backpad with ice. As I am looking at the map (no GPS back then) I thought WTF did I get myself into, I had so much distance to cover in a week to get home. Panic set in.
I slowly dragged myself into the heat and down the road. Traffic got lighter, my mood improved, the bike was flawless (except the loose nut behind the handlebars) and made it to Moses Lake. A very nice motel on the water and a great sleep. I got up had breakfast and hit the road, and it just became a joy to ride all day and stop here and there. I hadn't figured out that going on the small highways would be better and slowly discovered that. The rhythm of the day became addicting and talking to other riders or total strangers during these stops. Bike still had a Washington plate on it, and it became even more entertaining as I headed further east. Went to Yellowstone NP, Mt. Rushmore, Needles hwy etc.
This got me hooked on the West and I went out there 5 more times. Each time going a different way, both through Canada and the US. There is something about the mountains. Magic
I think the ST1100 was actually a better bike than the ST1300 that replaced it. Lots of nice ones around if you look hard, they would make a nice daily driver.
TK4
Well-known member
And the VFR800 may be a better all-rounder than either of those two.
Actually happened to me a few months back when I had no gas gauge on the CB500F ( TFT screen failed ) I forgot a fill up and thought I had 1/4 tank. Only realized as the bike spluttered coming to a halt across the hiway from fuel. Nursed it in the next 100m and coasted to the pump. I'm still in disbelief as the fill up was just over 16L on a supposed 14.7L tank.
Except in hot weather when I felt I was riding an oven that was on....I think the ST1100 was actually a better bike than the ST1300 that replaced it. Lots of nice ones around if you look hard, they would make a nice daily driver.
But damn was it a fine ride at 150 kph on the back highways tho the bill to fill it up ran to $45 .....I still recall when my RD400 got to more than $5 for a fill up.
There is a VFR800 CrossRunner here for less that $5k....and I have no money.
I had a yellow ‘99 VFR and a red 2001. Best all around bikes I’ve ever owned. Wish I had kept the yellow one.Both the VFR and ST1300 gave off a lot of heat around your knees and inner thigh. I liked the VFR far more than the ST.
