kenno

I got my welcome message June 14th, my 60-day membership should have expired mid-August, right? I may be living on borrowed time. I will say my "so long" now. So long! Safe riding to all you bikers out there. K

2012, and in 2013 as well, the CAD was better than par. 5yrs, not so long ago, recent times as far as I am concerned. K

Went for a ride on the SVTC last night, needed carrots. As if you need a reason, am I right? We arrived home after dark and I was a bit surprised that the handlebar controls were not backlit. I guess I grew used to that in the era I rode GL1500/1800 bikes. I can't see it being a problem, there are not too many switches to memorize but I was struggling to dim the high beams -- funny I could turn them on OK, only off being the minor issue. On the 'wings there always seemed to be a bulb out somewhere.... Ended up getting potatoes and mushrooms, and romaine, so that's good. Kenno

There was little point in looking into the invoice too deeply, no matter what it cost, I was paying 1000 deductible. As it turned out, they were able to recover about 150 bucks of their costs, so I "only" owed them 850 or thereabouts. The worst part was going without a bike for the last month-and-a-half of last season, so I am making up for it now. Now, exactly why did I come into this room? I do that too. I just finished doing the first oil change. On the SVTC, there are 27 drain bolts and 11 places to put oil. That may be an exaggeration. I could not get a torque wrench on the crankcase drain plugs, so here's hoping I guessed right with the wrench. That oil at about 1300kms or 800 miles was still looking new, at least in the oil tank. The stuff I drained out f the crankcase looked a bit on the gray side of things. I used Yamalube.... Kenno

Sorry about the scratch, but thank you for the insight, I was curious about the topple characteristic, you know, without actually setting it gently down (only to learn I probably need a friend to help lift it) -- is that why Yammaco sells those lid protectors? Thank you. Kenno

Some days I feel like the least serious rider out there. I am on my bike, I am wearing a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, it might have a Minion on it, and a slogan saying "DO I LOOK LIKE I CARE?" or "STOP BOTHERING ME, I'M BUSY" and Chucks on my dogs. My stereo is blaring loud, I may be the only biker ON THE PLANET listening to a mix of Shadowplay (Joy Division,) Just Another Girl (The Killers,) Unstoppable (Sia,) and Perfect Kiss (New Order.) I have sunglasses inside my helmet but my face shield is open. My windshield is all the way down, those air deflectors point right in my face. I don't have a place to go of a thing to do, but here I am, burning gas and soaking up UV rays, making noise. Serious stuff, huh? I have bought a few 2dn-hand bikes over the years, 6 of the 14 I have owned in fact. There are distinct merits to both. I have often considered that my desire to buy new not only makes it possible for someone to soon own a bike I traded in, but another used bike is slowly being introduced to the market. Thank you. Kenno

You probably already know that parts are more expensive in Canada, some of it is currency, most of it is greed. During recent times the CAD was "worth more" than the USD we did not see drops in price for Canadian items. There are a few odd exceptions, I can always buy bike tires cheaper in Canada. I bought the oil and filter to do the 1st oil change on my SVTC at a Yamaha dealer in Houlton Maine 2 days ago, the dealer nearest my home in Canada, wanted $10/quart and $23.99 for the filter, but in the US I paid $5.99 for 2 quarts, $20 for 4 quarts, and $46 in total including the filter and state sales tax. If you do currency conversion at 1.30x $46 becomes $59.80. The total if bought in Canada would be $73.99 + $11.10 tax being $85.09. International shopping saved me $25, plus I got me some 93 Octane and a Whoopie Pie donut and Dunkin Donuts. Can you say cafe racer? Thank you. Kenno

You raise an excellent point. Once the insurance is involved, their policy (tee hee) is to use "That model year or newer" parts. In a way it is nice the parts all come painted up, that eliminates one hassle, matching colours, but if I went through the exercise to replace only the "must be replaced" parts and leave the odd "no one will notice anyway" stuff as is, it would have rendered a different cost, maybe not even go through the insurance. I have a big "but" though, it is nice to put it back the way it was, and trading it in at the same dealer who checked the damage and replaced the parts meant there was no "oooh, you dropped it huh?" bs to deal with. An expensive lesson with $1000 deductible, I back out of the garage more carefully. I have set aside the offending rock, I call it the 1000-dollar rock, and I look for rocks that may have grown larger and rake them up. My dream it to one day place a nice concrete pad outside the front of my garage, but that is why we dream. Thank you. Kenno

That was my last bike, it took a while for the muffler to come in. they got it done in 53 days, from September 13, 2017 to November 5, 2017. It was very cold when I rode it back home. Thank you for your concern. Kenno

Many for-sale bikes have the expression "never dropped" in the ad, but not mine. That is because I dropped it while on uneven ground trying to back it out of my garage. I reached down to touch the ground and because of the slope, there was no ground to be found, at least not at first. I was abruptly spat on the ground and over it went. You might have noticed the bikes falls over on its side, wheels in the air, so much for low centre-of-gravity. I called roadside assistance (nice thing about owning a BMW bike) and a tow truck came, the operator helped me lift the bike. I could not get it off the ground alone. When I saw the damage, I got the tow truck operator to take it to the dealer (2.5h away) which is included in the roadside assistance, and shortly after this arrived: Yes, that says $8337.55, so now you know what happens if the bike falls over. "Case Cover" is the outer lid of the hard bag, "Case Lid" is the inner piece with the hinges. "Front Left" is the upper side fairing where the K1600 GTL logo sits. "Muffler" is the pipe and canister from driver foot pegs back. "Left Engine" is the engine guard, which apparently protects the engine AND NOTHING ELSE from damage in a tiny fall. You might notice the Labour is 100 off (109.95x10 = 1099.50 not 1199.50) but who can be that picky? BMWs are known to have expensive replacement parts, the 435 in the photo, for instance, I hit a deer at 110 km/h (70mph) and lost the left front headlight among other things, 8 parts comprise the headlight (LED) and the cost to replace them was $5119.62. No kidding. I put the bike through my insurance, counts as an at-fault so my rate went up. On the bright side, the "accident" did not affect the trade in value. I should get crash protection to the SVTC -- has anyone seen any crash bars for the SVTC to specifically protect the hard bags in case of a topple or low speed drop? Kenno

Heading to the US, the last road before the border is Taint Lane. Just saying.

Best way to see what the new bike is all about? Go for a ride. Saturday we went to Bangor, Me for a drive, there and back amounts to 556kms or just about 350 miles. At least the way I do it -- takes about 6 1/2 hours of in-the-seat time and is a great mix of roads. We cross the international border in the sleepy Maine town of Orient. On the way there I ride at a casual pace, following the speed limits closely some at 25mph,some at 55mph, and on the way back, via I-95, less casual at 75mph, and then another hour thereabouts on NB-95 and the TransCanada Highway at 110km/h to a town just 20 minutes from home, then 80 km/h following a secondary highway along the Saint John river home. We have done this jaunt countless times dating back to the summer of 2007. It was hot out by our standards, 86 degrees F, the bike while not yet technically broken in with about 500kms on it performed swimmingly, I realized 52 miles per imperial gallon (not those tiny US gallons) which would translate to about 42 mpg using the smaller US gallon, so not too bad for a mix of driving, two up, hot out, and using over half a tank of fuel for the calculation. I guess it is the US quart that is smaller, gallon still equals 4 quarts, in Canada a quart is 40 ounces not 32. We had lunch at our favourite restaurant in Bangor and enjoyed a pair of official coffee breaks, one on the way there in Lincoln, Me, and one on the way back in Houlton, Me. No waiting at the border, Orient Me sees on average 3 vehicles per hour. The biggest issue for us is explaining why we are crossing here, but when I explain it is more about the ride getting there, it all makes perfect sense: choose 100 minutes at 75mph covering 186kms or 129 minutes at 55mph covering 169kms, the extra half hour wins every time. My bottom was a bit sore from damp jeans, it was 86 degrees out, perspiration abounds. The best testimonial from my passenger came at the mid-point of our interstate ride home, where I asked if we needed to stop for a break and stretch our legs – she said no, keep going. I get more out of that that any online video test ride or numbers off the brochure, comfort is a fickle entity, and it can be a bit tough to get it just right. Now with just over 1000kms on the SVTC, less than 600kms to go until fully broken in. Call me crazy, but I follow the guidelines in the manual. I have kept it in T mode and I try to remember to shift at the points mentioned in the manual, at least until break-in is complete. Kenno

True dat!

Thank you. My patience runs hot and cold. I can wait for winter, can't wait for summer. That was not supposed to be a joke but as I look back at it it is kind of funny. I don't mind waiting for something if the wait is worth it, and it always seems in retrospect you can only recall the good memories. For instance, my friend the engineer and I went on an overnight trip across the border, mostly for something to do, and when he recalls it he mentions the cool morning air and the autumn leaves in full colour, not the fact that he was battling a massive head cold and could barely tolerate his head in his helmet. Years from now I may recall the Friday we went for our SVTC and how nice a ride it was, at least the way home, with those other details being lost where they belong. I went to my insurance guy yesterday, it was 86 degrees out, I got a bit of a burn on my arms, and I was a bit nervous parking the new bike at a meter downtown, but I had a coffee with my wife, put on a few clicks, got some incredible stares, and lots of "what is that?" oriented questions. The clock is up over 400kms now, we went for ANOTHER ride in the evening, no complaints about getting on and off the bike, which is wonderful because when the bike itself is the challenge in the ride, that brings the enjoyment down. Might go for another ride today. I love the TV interface! I know people toss the work 'intuitive' around hither and yon but trust me, it is hard to build a computer interface (and this it what this is) that is easy to use AND efficient. Maybe it is because I have built computer interfaces for more than 30 years but I find it not just easy to use, but they have figured out how to use it based on glances at the screen. Naturally it is key that you know roughly where things are but once that hurdle is overcome, it is a nice system. Kenno

Thank you. So far, I am enjoying it very much, and my passenger says it's not as bumpy as our other bikes, which is huge, if you consider the shape of the roads around here these days. Have fun on your ride and or course ride safe. My safety strategy has nothing to do with conspicuity, I adhere to a simple rule of road safety - stay away from other vehicles, if that means I have to overtake to do it, then I will thanks. Kenno

Just vegetating for the weekend. Now that I have the bike in hand, I can install my cup holder. What says "Civilized" more than a cup holder? LED headlights? Nope. Rear wheel liftoff mitigation? Maybe. K

Your hopes have been answered! Mrs. and me hopped on the K1600 for our final ride and rode it 2 1/2 hours to the dealer. We arrived at around 3:30 and left for home with the TC around 7pm. They close at 5:30 on Fridays. The Quebec shop had PDI'd the bike, and as well, a local mechanic looked it over. Luckily they have put an Eluder through the shop. The initial PDI had put the front rim on reversed, but a road test revealed an ABS glitch, which was then rectified. The local shop also ditched the battery, put in a new one. It is the 4th bike I have bought from this dealer, although it has been through 3 names and as many owners. I find them lazily conscientious, they do a really good job with what's in front of them, but can't deal with diversions. Any sign of "out of the ordinary" can spook them. We got our financing through Yamaha, and as I had hoped, we ended up with a small drop in payment. My strategy was to ask for a specific monthly payment, rather than demand this reduction for the new bike and that value for trade. In the end they had to discount the TC $2,700 and give me $21,500 for my K1600. Just for comparison, my local Yamaha offered me $19,000 on trade and $0 discount and missed my target payment by $60. Also for comparison, my local Honda shop offered me $14,000 on trade and promised to work with me a bit on the price of the Gold Wing, so there's that. The dealership gave us a $250 accessory/apparel credit as well, and out of pocket we paid for a 5yr tire/rim protection plan for $460 (399+tax). Yes, sales tax here is 15% which is how we can afford free health care. The ride home was just wonderful, I had to work to keep the "grin" from my face, serious stuff and all that, with my wife on back. She complained about the leather seat on the K1600 being too slippery, but I am pleased to report that is no problem with the TC. And the drop in noise is startling. We used our Senas for comm and I honestly had to turn it down because of the lack of engine/wind/background noise. The TC is QUIET compared to the K1600. We grabbed a Sammy at Subway and one, after another, after another, after another, person stopped to look, to ask, to admire. Feels good to pick a winner. People also stop to look at the K1600, but they look at it like you cross bred a dog with a cat, and they ask things like "does it lift its leg in the litter box?" and "does it come when you call it and ignore you when it gets there?" Another interesting comparison, you felt "in" the k1600, not on it, if that makes any sense, the tank and saddle engulfed you, the passenger was close, like a sport bike, and the dash and windshield were "right there," but the TC feels more like a motorbike, and when you look around you see things that look "normal." With the new bike I have a couple issues so small they are not worth complaining about, there was no manual for the "bike" part of the bike, got the one for the TV. I have an electronic version of the owners manual I downloaded a few weeks ago. Second, the loop to pull for the operator backrest remote latch was left hidden from reach under the seat, which I removed and reinstalled and that's that. With the motor oil filler under the seat, looks like it is good to familiarize myself with its removal sooner anyway. I used the sure park to put the TC in the garage when we got home. Nifty. I have had 3 bikes with a reverse, this is the first with sure park. Another first for me, I rode home with a passenger. I normally reserve my first ride for me alone, you know, to get used to the bike and such, so that was new. On the one hand, it was more responsibility, but on the other hand, it was nice to have someone to talk to. She heard a lot of "this bike this" and that bike that" sort of speak, but I just could not help compare. Today I have to bring the bike into town to shore up my insurance. I am going to put some tunes on a USB device and roll in style. I had to wait too long to get it, and maybe I hade to call for updates too frequently along the way, but in the end, it was worth the wait. Kenno

Late yesterday I received a call from my salesman, he says the courier assures him the bike will arrive in the morning (today) Friday, the 13th, nice day to go get the new bike. It's 9:30am local time and I have not heard a peep out of them. K

I thought I was doing pretty well, I didn't even notice the orange one. Sorry. That one looks to me like it says "Fast Buck" but I can't see the 'u' - I hear you can't get a fast buck from a slow horse... I promise no more rodeo references. K

Do you have any other questions? In the spirit of "teach a man to fish" I share this: I visited images.google.com and searched for "horse in a sidecar". I found the video from which the image was lifted and watched it about 20 times. I could only read the word "silver." I searched for "rodeo invention" (he looked like a cowboy to me) and found a news site with a different video and a clearer image, I could read "Silver Herb" and "Prod" and clearly make out the leaf. Once more to search google images and I searched for "Silver Health Prod" and it was one the first page of results. I saved the file to my desktop, opened it in Windows Paint, resized it to 50% original size, saved it, then uploaded it. News report wad found here: http://www.kmvt.com/content/news/Lincoln-486989971.html K

You make an excellent point. In a similar vein, I was asked why was I not using Massey-Ferguson "brand" oil in my tractor, and I asked back "Precisely where is their refinery?" and that was the end of that line of questioning. I used Honda oil in my Gold wings, and Honda Marine Oil in my outboard motor, Kawasaki M4 (that's mineral oil, you know) in my ZX-10R, Yamalube in my FJR1300, and BMW oil in my BMW, and funny thing, it all seemed to work out OK. The BMW Oil is rebranded Shell, pretty sure. Based on the price, I assume it is laced with unobtainium. Shell Rotella in my Massey-Ferguson, at least until they get a refinery. $210 for a 5G pail, and you need 2. Yikes! As far as I know, the Honda, Kawasaki, and Yamaha oil refineries are located half way between Idoubtistan and Yeahrightisburg. K

Thank you. You are very kind. To show this kind of support to a stranger is something remarkable. The cheapest ($739.51) short notice flight I could get departs Fredericton at 7:00pm tonight and arrives 12:25am tomorrow. Still want to pick me up? Indeed I have to trade my BWM to make this deal. After I close the deal I might even reveal why this dealership is the place for me to do the deal regardless their approach, let's say they made me an offer other dealers would find easy to refuse. K

This is a good idea. I like free stuff. Another update, they found the motorcycle, it went 7h (mostly) the wrong way 655km to a Day & Ross terminal in Quebec City. They (not certain who "they" is) say it will be at the dealership Thursday, Friday at the latest. This is the third Friday in a row I have been scheduled (surely in pencil) to pick up my new bike. What's the weather report for the weekend? Calling for rain both days, typical. K

A very disappointing update: Another week of great riding weather has come and gone, still no sign of the Venture. I call the dealer and speak to my salesman every day but Sunday and the Holiday July 1. The bike was picked up from the Quebec dealer around July 3nd, Tuesday night, by a contracted courier, and both the dealership and the shipping company (who contracted out the shipment) have no idea where the crate is. It has been 18 days since my test ride, the day my dealer discovered they can "have" the bike in Quebec. It has been 28 days since I signed the bill of sale, that was supposed to initiate a "real" search for an bike. It was a solid week before when I informed the salesman of my decision to buy, but apparently that was not sufficient to make anything happen. I would rank my customer experience as "if they don't have the bike you want on their showroom floor, keep looking" or numerically, 2/10. Have you ever had one of those experiences with a merchant that just screams "walk away, go now, don't look back, count your blessings, cut your losses, they're trying to tell me something, their heart just isn't in it, learn your lesson," but you still hung in there grasping to a shred of hope, clinging to a mere shot at redemption, positive it's the rest of the heard that's gone nuts? I do it all the time. K

Two Weeks since that other dealer said I could have it, the bike left in a crate night-before-last. The VIN ends in JA000145. Is that early in production? I had a bike once that was No. 26 off the line. I saw a Valkyrie that ended 000013(, a brave and unsuperstitious man bought that one). Can't say too much nice about my dealer. It's a six hour drive, each way, I even offered to go get it for them, no takers. I really hope it is not all banged up by the French Fry couriers. I understand they have a whack of fibreglass shower enclosures at their "yard Sale" (read: botched delivery) every year. I really hate their French fries too. Always taste like they have been cooked three times. That's because they have. It is just a theory, but I believe they boil the potatoes, extrude the mashed into shape and brown them a bit in a fat fryer, then finally, when the consumer is about to eat them, once more in the fryer or oven or microwave. It is 88 and sunny out, and I just want to go for a ride. Maybe it will be ready tomorrow. K