Brenda H
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Everything posted by Brenda H
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High price is right. Zumos start at around $500. One reason why I've been looking at the 765 is that it is one of the few Garmins, outside of the Zumos, that will pair with a bluetooth headset and will use the bluetooth to broadcast it's navigation prompts so you don't have to watch the screen or try to hear it over traffic/wind noise. That is something that drove me nuts trying to use my Tom Tom. The sun glare made using the screen impossible and it was equally impossible to hear the prompts over the wind noise and thru my full face!
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I've been looking at getting a 765T myself. It is one of just a few GPSs that will pair with a bluetooth headset and send it's directions over the headset! Unfortunately Walmart appears to be out of them. RATS! That was a very nice price for a 765.
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There have been two biker deaths in this county in the last month or so. The most recent had taken place about the time I get off work in the morning and I drove by the scene on my way home. According to the local paper, the biker slowed down to do a right turn [with turn signals] off US 290 onto a county road and the idiot in the truck behind him rear-ended him forcing both the bike and rider into the inside lane where he/it was run over by another vehicle and killed. The other accident was a bike and a 18 wheeler, also on 290. I saw what was left of that bike and that one looked like the rig did a lane change and the bike ended up underneath the trailer. Everything above tank level was gone and a good bit of what was below was twisted. They just don't see us. I'm looking at ways to light up my RSTC like a Xmas tree. What gets me are the bikes I see that have very few not to mention very small lights that I have fun seeing in daylight or dark. By the way, anyone coming thru Brenham/Washington County here in Texas, be VERY careful. US 290 thru Brenham is in the middle of a major overhaul. They're figuring on messing things up here in town for something like 3 years. To top it off, the construction firm handing the work had two of it's crews standing idle down in Houston so they got permission to bring them up here. End result is three different construction zones, all basically running together. Access roads are one way and one lane with very limited access from the highway and parts of 290 itself will be one lane as well starting this weekend. OH FUN!! It is also cop heaven. I've seen as many as FOUR units, state, county, & local, working that stretch day or night. State Hwy 36 is not exempt either as it is part of 290 on the south and west sides of town and the northern part of the 36 bypass is having it's speed limit dropped by 10 mph. With the construction company having what looks like portable concrete plants set up along that stretch of 36, traffic up there could get real interesting too. Stay Alive Everybody!!
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:sign yeah that:
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Driver rear-ended by motorcycle discovers dazed biker in back seat
Brenda H replied to Prairiehammer's topic in Watering Hole
Sounds familiar. Had a drunk driver on I45 in Houston hit a pedestrian walking on the side of the road so hard the body ended up in the front seat. When a cop stopped him after seeing the body damage, the driver hadn't even realized that the victim was right next to him. The guy was still alive but died later at the hospital. Hope that driver enjoys his stay in Huntsville. -
Congrats on surviving someone else's stupidity! At least the newspaper got it right, she hit you!
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Sounds familiar. We carry full coverage on EVERYTHING, bikes, cars, trucks, whether they're paid for or not. My last accident but one was when the back end of my F150 broke loose coming around a curve in the rain. Ended up in the ditch after having sideswiped a tree. Truck was paid for but we'd have had to cover the damage ourselves if we did not have full coverage. My last accident also taught me the value of the PIP coverage. I spent 10 months on medical leave. If it had not been for that coverage, finances around here would have gotten real "interesting". It's also why I added short and long term disability insurance to my medical pkg. at work. Around here the more common cause of animal accidents are deer. I almost joined that select lil group yesterday when an entire herd decided to cross the road almost directly in front of me. The interesting thing there was that while I was far enough away to stop before hitting them, I wasn't too sure about the 18 wheeler that was tail-gating me at the time was going to be able to stop before hitting me! In a contest between a Nissan and Peterbuilt, the Nissan loses! Hope Tom decides to get back on the ole "horse". I go nuts without an occasional run on the Beasties.
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Hello...Newbie here...Questions about possible purchase.
Brenda H replied to paai1993's topic in Watering Hole
I have to second what he said. I want a RSV. Best way to learn about a bike is meet up with the folks who own one! Well, that's just what I did. I've been riding with the Houston VRO group for close to two years. I WAS riding a Yamaha 650 Custom. There are members who ride HD's, several with Goldwings. While the majority are on Royal Stars, the selection of bikes in the group cover just about every major manufacturer in the book with a 20+ year range in the bikes' ages. I also have to agree with coming to a Maintenance Day or a Meet and Eat. That's how I started, by attending a Maintenance Day on my 650. You can learn all you want about these bikes {and your own!!} at one of these shindigs. I've gotten most of the maintenance work on my 650 done at a MD. One of these days I may still get my RSV. But I have joined the Royal Star group. Thanks to a member on this site, I bought his 1996 Royal Star Tour Classic. For a 15 yr old bike, IT ROCKS! -
Several years ago my main ride was an Aprilia Atlantic maxi scooter. I luved it. If they were still selling that same bike in the US, I'd own one. Unfortunately, I laid the darn thing down in a gravel patch and messed up the plastic so much, my insurance totaled it out. Well, about halfway thru the 3 years I had it, the stator went out. This was right in the middle of Piaggio's takeover of Aprilia. The bike spent over 6 months sitting in my dealer's shop because they couldn't get the %^$%^ part. Jay, the dealer owner, kept me informed of everything that went on, including the emails, between him and the Aprilia parts warehouse then located in Atlanta. Well, I finally got so pissed off that I called them myself. First they told me that the part number I had was wrong. Then they told me that THEY HAD NO WAY OF LOOKING UP PART NUMBERS!! When I got a copy of the next email between them and Jay's dealership, guess which part number they used?? A part Jay/I should have had within 1 month max of it being ordered [Aprilia parts supply line sucked] from an outfit that couldn't find it's a** with both hands. And how can a parts supply warehouse NOT be able to look up part numbers? Fortunately for anyone with an Aprilia/Piaggio bike, Piaggio got their act together and parts usually show up within one week if it's not already in the US warehouse. A boss of mine many years ago said that people were getting so dependant on technology that they couldn't do simple math in their head. Part of my job interview with him for a cashier was just that, basic math [i passed ].
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Merlin I did not say that the ISO's on my 650 didn't cause me problems. I bought them because I couldn't ride that bike with the stock grips. They helped but they did not eliminate the problem. That has taken different tires and risers as well. I still have "fun" riding it and probably always will. The RSTC's saving grace is the manual cruise control on it. But I was having trouble just holding the grips and I'm of the opinion that it was the shape of the pads on the ISO's that was aggravating it. I'm well aware of what the angle of something can do to my hands. It's one reason why I type on a wireless "wave" keyboard even when I'm on my laptop. My hands don't like the smaller keyboard. If you see me with my backpack, the laptop is in it's compartment and the keyboard is probably sticking out of the other one! The Grip Puppies sound like a definite option. I've been looking for grips that are basically just what those create when added to the stock grips. I also find it interesting that I apparently can't buy a set of stock grips from Yamaha. Oh Well! Walter So that's what your RSTC looks like!!
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I'm looking for a set of stock grips for my '96 RSTC. The bike came with Kury ISO's and I'm of the belief that they were/are a contributing factor in the problems I was having with my carpal affected hands while riding it home this past weekend. It's kinda curious as I have ISO's on my 650 and don't have as much trouble with them as I did with the grips on the RSTC. Also, the bike came with the wind deflectors. Do I have to pull them to mount the Baron Big Bar Engine guard on the bike??? Any and all help greatly appreciated!
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I finally have the time to post this! First, a multitude of thanks to Kenny and his Lady Beth for throwing quite a shindig. Good food [was it ever!], lots of fun and the pleasure of watching our Cupcake Incognito get to work on his own bike for a change. We must do this again! Next time I will bring my own camping gear [providing I have any!] so I don't have to stay 30 miles away. It was great getting to meet new people, spend time talking RSTC's with Walter who has a '98, and just getting to see a part of the country I've not been to before. Just wish I could have done more of the actual traveling in daylight! Squidley did a brake/clutch fluid change on the TC and sync'd the carbs which it definitely needed. It was running better, certainly smoother, and I do believe my mpg is up as well. I need to find out just how far I can go on this bike before I have to start looking seriously for a gas station. I was doing stops at around 130-150 miles and not once did I put more than 4 gallons in it, most of the time not much over 3.5 gal., which I think is rather interesting mileage for a bike since my 650 rarely gets over 38mpg. The ride home was "fun", partly due to a so called asst. mgr at a Sonic who needs to learn how to add. And partly due to finding out that the bike [or was it me?] doesn't like multiple changes in road surface. Construction thru Baton Rouge had the roadbed changing every few feet in places and it made for some "interesting" minutes on a bike when I have yet to learn all of it's quirks. The light show Mother Nature was putting on south of me wasn't bad either. It took me 12 hours or so to get home where I promptly conned the hubby into buying me breakfast at the local Denny's. After which I went home and "died" for about 10 hours! Hopefully, next time I do a trip like this, I'll be better organized!!
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GV was wanting a sample of the "Yamaha blue" that I wanted the lettering on the RSTC patches done in. Couldn't pm the sample, a Yamaha umbrella , to him so this is another try. Hope it works!
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Well after two days of the most efffing screwups, bad luck, and general all around bull s**t , I made it to my SECOND hotel [b.Western Northpark?] in Covington about 4:30 this am. Rm 134 if someone wants to join up with me for the trip to Kenny's. I've set the alarm for 9 unless I wake up before then so I'll be getting to the shindig a lil later than I would like. It is a very LONG story which I will give all the dumb details on when I make it to Kenny's. One thing I will say, the Mustang seat on that bike was and is worth every penny Terry paid for it!! C Ya later!!
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First impressions after an almost 400 mile day . . . . . I can understand Steve's [bummer] comment about how Susi [LilSis] came back from her test ride with a Cheshire cat grin on her face. This bike is something else. I can't flat foot the RSTC any more than I can a RSTD or RSV. Will definitely have to look at my options there. Susi suggested trying the stock seat that came with the bike along with the Mustang seat that is on it. She thought it might be a bit narrower/lower. But with a 1300 mile trip ahead of me and the choice between Mustang or stock, I'll take Mustang even if the stock seat has been "Butlerized" which this one has been. It got shipped home. The bike will also need either different bars or risers. I'm at the full length of my arms and leaning forward a bit. My carpal affected hands are not "happy" with that situation. It's basically the same as the Wee Beastie before I put 4n1 risers on it. In fact I'm wondering if the risers I put on the Wee Beastie will fit this bike. HMMM?? So far the only problem I'm having is "fun" getting the bike to go into neutral when I'm stopped. I'm not sure if it's just due to the fact that I haven't gotten the hang of the bike is set up or if something is hanging up in the clutch. Well that is an issue that will be addressed at the shindig in La. More later! Time for a quick shower and a few hours sleep before heading south again.
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I'M COMING!! Picked up the "new" Not So Wee Beastie on Tuesday. Definitely different than the Wee Purple Beastie! Presented Terry with one of my VRO MoJo mugs. He thought that was pretty neat, especially with a $3500 check in it. Also got to meet up with Susi [LilSis] at Terry's house and got to ride a brief way with her on the trip home. I'll be packing up for points south later today after I get some shut eye and take the mum out to breakfast at the local Perkins. YO BOOMER!! I met up with some of your fellow CVA members at a lunch stop in Champaign on the way home from Terry's. Can't miss those vests! They were on their way home to W.Va. from the CVA Nat'l. Con. I have a "business" card for you from one Mel "Riversnipe" Neef. The whole group were on HD's. Poor guys don't know what they're missing but I wouldn't mind having that maroon Electra Glide!!
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From the album: THIS, THAT, & SOMETHING ELSE!!
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From the album: THIS, THAT, & SOMETHING ELSE!!
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From the album: THIS, THAT, & SOMETHING ELSE!!
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:sign yeah that: Hope he's feeling better or at least the pain meds are working!!
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It wasn't 14, it was 8! And the lead pilot did a great "stand up" routine! The fun was finding ourselves the ONLY prop plane in take off mode at O'Hare [and single engine at that!]. As far as I could tell, it is the only prop based airline in that whole area of the #3 concourse at O'Hare. This bunch is watching their pennies. My "boarding pass" was basically a piece of register tape and the "ticket" was VERY similar to the basic paper/cardboard ones you can buy at the local Wally World. Gettin on American at Austin was a real 3 ring circus. I had to go thru security twice as they most definitely didn't like the tool set I was carrying. I was trying to get everything I needed to bring along in my carry on luggage so I wouldn't have to pay AA $25 for ONE checked in bag. Plane was equipped with wi-fi but they wanted $10 for it. So I spent the trip using the Kindle program on my laptop to read a book [Tom Clancy]. Arrival at O'Hare was at the #3 concourse. Only problem was my arriving flight was at one end while the departing flight was at the other end. In between I had to go after my bag with the baggage claim area being somewhere else and go thru security a second time. Fun walking! I'm currently sitting in the Mum's dining room waiting to be picked up by Enterprise so I can get my rental car. BTW FF just what do you call a "small" plane? As far as commercial use goes, I don't know of any other airline using a single engine anything for passenger transport. The flight I was on was O'Hare/Decatur/St Louis and Air Choice One was running a special, Half price [in my case $25] for ANY one way ticket so the plane was full. Anyone interested in traveling in that area might just check them out. FAR more room [not to mention more comfortable seats {I took a nap}] on that lil Cessna than on any of the commercial jets in coach and a fun pair of guys flying it. As long as this outfit is still in business, I'll have a way of getting to Decatur both to and from one of the bigger airports. Getting together with Terry tomorrow to pick up the new bike!!
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"ROY" Rogers Airport?? Sorry guy, dear old Leonard Sly [if memory serves Rogers real name] has very little to do with that airport. The OKC airport is named for Oklahoma's favorite son, WILL Rogers! It is or was the 3rd largest airport in land mass in the US. Seems somebody finally got the idea that having a bunch more land than you needed was a good idea so you don't end up with folks living right at the end of your runways! The hubby used to ride back when he was "young and stupid" [his words]. I've been trying to get him to at least get his mc license so we could ride together but no go. When his aunt found out I was riding a bike, I was subjected to a half hour lecture telling me in NO uncertain terms that I should sell my bike as it would get me killed. He was also instructed not to allow me to spend HIS money on MY bike! As it's not HIS money that pays for it, that's not a problem .
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Another long post!! OH FUN!! As some of you know, I'm buying TopCat's '96 RSTC. I'm flying out of Austin on Sunday to Chicago's O'Hare and then on what will be the "wild" part of the trip, flying down to my Mum's in Decatur, Ill. on a VERY small airline that flies CESSNA Caravans!! I've never been in a small plane before so it could be quite an experience! I'm hoping that Chicago doesn't throw a monkey wrench into things like they did the last time I flew up there by grounding all small planes coming in and out of the airport. The last time I flew home, while on the trip back, the flight I was on got grounded at Champaign, about 50 miles from Decatur as they were not going to be allowed to land at O'Hare. I was lucky in that I still had an aunt living there at the time and I spent the night at her place. Well the trip to the Mum's is a direct flight but O'Hare lives up to Chicago's "Windy City" nickname, sometimes with a vengeance! The hubby flew up to Minneapolis this past week. His flight path took him thru O'Hare and he had to stay at the St Louis airport for several hours for that reason. Now the part of the trip that I may need help with is the "going home" part as I'm riding the bike back. The "new" Not So Wee Beastie hasn't been ridden much since TopCat bought it 2 years ago. I'm making a not so small detour on my way home to make the MD at KBran's place in Louisiana so that the bike can get a fairly thorough going over before I head for Brenham from there. Plans are to stop at Blytheville, Ark. on the 30th and make it the rest of the way to Covington, La. on July 1st for the gathering at Kenny's in Bogalusa the next day. The route is Decatur - Springfield, Ill. - St. Louis - stop at Blytheville, Ar. - cross the Big Muddy at Memphis - then straight down I 55 to I 12 and Covington. I've made a point of basically splitting the trip to Covington in half so in case of trouble or bad weather, I'd have the time to pull over and wait it out. One reason why I did not decide on the direct route due south from Decatur is that it goes right thru the middle of Cairo, Ill where all the flooding has been. I'd appreciate knowing about anyone along the route who can lend a hand if I have problems with the bike. I'd also be more than interested in semi-scheduling breakfast, lunch, or dinner with any VRO members along the route depending on what time I pass thru their neck of the woods. I'm hoping Mother Nature decides not to dump on me while I'm on the road [just do it at home PLEASE!!] but that hasn't stopped me from packing both sets of rain gear! I will post how my travels are doing and let everyone know just how the "new" Beastie is working out. C YA!!
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Any independent lady riders interested in sharing a room at the Super 8 in Covington?? I'll be there both Fri and Saturday nites. And as for those pygmies, Heaven help the BPD!!!
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Mini Carb Float adj. Day SE Texas
Brenda H replied to Kregerdoodle's topic in Royal Star Venture Tech Talk ('99 - '13)
Count me in!! For once I won't miss one of these. Will head for points south in the AM. It will be one of my last rides on the Wee Beastie as I head for Illinois next weekend to help out the Mum and pick up the "new" bike. BTW ABC13 in Houston predicts 101* tomorrow!! C Ya!!
