While serving in Uncle Sam's Traveling Air Circus (aka USAF) I racked up several traffic tickets on base and was labeled an "Habitual Problem Driver". This designation forced me to take several mandatory driving courses, and although I did not appreciate it at the time, I find myself using those learned techniques to this day. The lessons must have sunk into my thick skull as my only traffic accident occured in 1981 and my last traffic ticket was earned in 1986.

So yeah, motorcycle safety training is a great idea. Learning to watch out for unattentive drivers and avoiding problems is a skill.

In the off-season, I hunt coyote. I leave my .22 in the vault and get the
22-250 and go shoot coyotes it helps keep in toon for the pigs&chickens.

Hey! I was just kidding. I don't want Jason to get hurt although his new gun is really sweet. We just miss shooting with him. Hope to see you at TSC next month.

Byron

Made a final decision on the bike. Getting this 2007 Yamaha R6S from a guy at work. He bought it new a couple months ago (less than 700 miles on it) and spent a fair amount on upgrades but now needs cash so he is selling it cheap. It put out about 123 horsepower in stock form, so I'm sure it's a few notches above that now. I'm going to be a little on the overly cautious side with that much power in a 357lb bike until I get to know it a lot better. I have no doubt I'll love it, but I'm guessing that the new barrel for my 1712 and my trip to Southern Nationals next year might be tossed back into the "wish" pile. The bike feels great to me but I was undecided about buying such a new bike that I'd cry over scratching, but then I realized that it would match my smallbore rifle and my shoot vest, so I had to buy it. I really need to get cracking on finding a backpack tall enough to get my taken-apart 1712 into so I can ride the bike to the Tacoma and Pe Ell matches.

It's a beauty! Please be careful... Road rash is distracting when you're trying to shoot.

Jason,
It's a beauty...keep her blue and no scratches.

mary

I thought the idea was to PEDAL the bike to work!

Jason,

How about a blue saddle scabbard?

dwl wrote:I thought the idea was to PEDAL the bike to work!

I did that, and will probably do it again when time and weather allows. It takes me a couple hours to pedal the ~30 miles to work and then two more to pedal that far home, though. Taking four hours out of a day isn't something that I have time for very often. The idea with the new bike is to make my commute more fun, faster (riding a motorcycle = me in the HOV lane), and actually save money due to savings in gas over driving my SUV.

Pete wrote:Jason,

How about a blue saddle scabbard?

Umm.. there ain't exactly a lot of room for a saddle scabbard on a sportbike, and I'm trying to find a backpack design to hide the fact that I'm carrying a gun. I think a guy on a racing design motorcyle that's obviously carrying a gun would be too much temptation to resist for these western-WA anti-gun liberal cops to resist. I'd get stopped so they could find something that I was doing wrong.

Nice bike Jason!!! It matches your lightspeed as well. Have fun and keep the rubber side down.

I've got an off season project as well. Getting my Annie built up. Have to wait till after hunting season to be able to get the parts down to Metalhead. Can't wait till its done. This is like being a little kid waiting for christmas except you know what your getting and it isnt underware or a pink bunny suit from aunt clarice

I love that movie.

Hey, Jason!

My sister rides an R6s. Over 150 on the straight. Hold on tight!

Young client came by the office this spring on a nice day. He was riding his R6, nice bike. I had my VTX 1800 parked in the parking lot and offered him to ride it. He loved it, came back in and offered me his keys to the R6. Was kind of him, but no place to store my tummy while riding.....Have fun Jason....Remember, only ride on the sunny, dry days there in the Pacific Northwest.

Kitty