Daveand Barbie

That's about the best use of a Spitball as I have ever seen. Lots of admiration your way!

Don, there is a HUGE swap meet every year, just down the road from you! It is at Mid-Ohio during Vintage Motorcycle Days. If I rush myself, I can make it through most of the spaces in a day. I have hears that is second in size only to the swap meet at Daytona. I am there every year, spending one day at the swap meet and two days picking up broken and crashed bikes.

Actually, that one is more of a "standard" seating position. Based on the photo, it has standard bars, not clip ons. I have a B12 Bandit that is quite like the 900F only faster:banana:. With lowered pegs and 1 inch bar risers, I can ride it as long as I can the Venture in complete comfort. I have ridden it to the mountains on 3 occasions and had a great time on it. Believe it or not, those bikes are in the Sport Touring category but I rather consider them more of a "hooligan"type bike for we older gents. The FJR, now that's a Sport Tourer of the highest degree. Crazy and deceptively fast and oh so comfy.

That's where you lube the muffler bearings.

You might spray a coat of sealer on before priming.

Ohio "officials" do tend to keep a closer eye on those plates, mostly because the law states that they are for vehicles used expressly for parades, club events, shows, and the like. I believe the reason the plates are looked at closer is because they cost $15 for life where a regular registration is somewhere north of $45 a year. If I am ever questioned, it is my plan to be on the way to a club meeting or to the repair shop, which is acceptable use. I guess it's all about the revenue?

The first thing I would offer is for you to help your lovely wife choose a new group of friends.

Ohio is one of those states that allows "year of manufacture" plates on vehicles that qualify for Historical registration. I have "year of manufacture" plates on one of my cars and ALWAYS carry the Historical plates in the trunk should any wierd circumstance happen. This is the result of an article in the club national publication some years ago that chronicled a very similar situation. Now, here is where the officers, which there were far too many on scene to not have known to ask questions of their brethren, messed up. No one considered that the state of Washington could possibly have a law on the books that allowed for a registration other than what they have in Nevada. They didn't realize that their fiefdom wasn't the rule of law in the universe, let alone the Galaxy. At the very best, the way the situation was handled was less than professional. at the very least, the couple needs to be compensated for their handling, and the station chief be required to grovel and beg for forgiveness in a public forum until the couple is satisfied. in the future, should I need to travel through Nevada with the car, it will be in the trailer.

Ohio does in fact honor open carry, but it is my opinion one gives up the element of surprise if you carry in plain sight. i have had a Utah non resident permit for some time, but they changed the law to require me to have an Ohio to renew, so now I have both which allows me to carry in any state that is worth visiting.

I will have to check "the library" but I believe the 100 Top Hits from the 50's is on it. I will report back.....

Eck.......you could plug a digital recorder into the audio output port of the TV and record from there. You would then have to edit to your playback device. Here is how I would do it. i have a Tascam DS-05 hand held recorder that I use for judging. It uses a SD card for storage. I would bulk record the output of the TV to the SD card, then plug it into the computer and transfer to the flash drive. You can buy the recorder for less that $100 on line or shop EBay for someone who is selling for cheap. If you go looking, stay away from the Xoom recorders because they are really clumsy to work with. I am sure there are others, just be sure they have removable storage. I did did some engineering work for a very large radio conglomerate, and as a "side benefit" I have a 500Gig hard drive full of libraries. I just go to it and create a few weeks worth of music to listen to. best to you in your quest!

Yes indeed......Card Sound is a fun ride just because. A few years back, when all the construction was going on just north of Key Largo, it was the preferred route for me.

When going to the Keys, we always use the Florida Turnpike. It runs parallel to I-95 and the volume of traffic is far less than I-95. It is a toll road, but, in my humble opinion, is well worth the cost in the reduction of traffic and hassle alone. The turnpike, along with what they call the Homestead Extension will put you right on to US1 at Florida City. From there, it is a short drive to Key Largo. We we drive the turnpike all the way from the the far north end(Wildwood) to Florida City. We have a SunPass and are able to not stop at any of the toll stations, which saves a bunch of time and fuel cost as well. At 7mpg, the cost of the toll is offset by the fuel savings(it is 80 miles shorter than going I-75) and the time savings is a plus. In in my opinion, nothing beats the turnpike.

I can tell you from experience, that Miatas are as near bulletproof as anything I have ever encountered. I bought a totaled '96 in 1997 with 13K on it, rebuilt it, flogged it, got hit head on in it in 2002, rebuilt it, and sold it in 2012 with 165K on it. It is still running today. Since it was a '96, it came with 14" wheels on it and I changed to 15" tires with a lower profile, which made it handle even better. I have owned any number of sports cars over the years, and the comment that the Miata is the current day MGB is somewhat off base. The Miata is, in all respects better than the MGB. I have owned a '67, '71, '72, '72 GT, and '75 and none of the compare. Now, the Healey is a different story. One of these fall or spring weekends, I will drive the Healey over to the BRP and give it a go. I appreciate cars that go and also turn. I have included photos of a couple of my other toys that I have built.

I have had a class C and own a class A gas right now. We have been in a motorhome since 1992. My purpose in buyng the MH was as a tow vehicle to support my racing effort. I towed a 24 foot trailer with car, tools, and spares all over the eastern US without issue. That trailer, loaded weighed 7000 or so pounds. We also tow a 6X12 enclosed trailer when we go to the keys. It has a washer/dryer stack, a freezer, 2 motorcycles, and whatever other things will fit. My guess it that it weighs 3000 and the motorhome doesn't seem to notice it. The 460 V8 in the 28 foot Class C got 12 towing and 14 running without the trailer. The V10 in the 34 foot Class A gets 7 towing the big trailer and 8 with the little trailer or without it. Our Class A has a living room slide and none in the bedroom. I consider the slide a very important part in that it adds a tremendous amount of room, not only percieved, but also in reality.

I ran across this and thought it might be worth sharing here. It could be an interesting answer as to the "wet ground" issues. Connect Tree Tent, Fresh Green | Daily Steals

I have one and used it at Skyline so far. Planning on wearing it out this summer. Along with my Golden Buckeye card, I am ready!

Well Mike, I should share a bit here. During our winter hiatus at Key West in 2007, I sat on an FJR at the Yamaha dealer and said to myself, "I want this, no, I need this." I was also looking at a brandy new 2005 Connie at another dealer where he was asking $200 off list for a then 3 year old piece that had sun faded from sitting in the wndow. Needless to say, I continued riding my Honda Nighthawks until 2010 when I decided to go up to something more of a "touring model" that the lovely Barbie could ride with me. She has this beautiful Honda Ascot that is basically relegated to Key West grocery getter, so I thought this might be the answer. I bought a beautiful 1990 VR with 11K miles that has been absolutely bulletproof. However, after our first trip of 800 miles over 3 days, she decided the saddle wasn't to her liking, and hasn't ridden much with me since. I have enjoyed that big girl for over 20K miles since I have had her and still ride her when weather protection, riding with my girlfriend(granddaughter), or other situations require. The on board heat, cruise, stereo, and other amenities are really nice. Along the way, I picked up a 2003 Suzuki Bandit 1200S for a steal, and it meets my "hooligan" needs whenever the notion strikes. Many would call it a "Sport Tourer" much like the VFR and others. I have had it out on week long blasts through the mountains with soft luggage, and it is very capable. Then....... For some unexplained reasons, I was surfing along in Craigslist back in April, and there it was........2007 Yamaha FJR that was barely broken in. I don't know why, but I knew I had to have it. I drove to just south of Louisville 2 days later and picked it up. 7 years old and 7K miles. Yep, just enough to keep it limbered up. Now, this one is all farkled up to include a Rifle touring windscreen, an aftermarket top triple clamp that moves the bars up and back, a Pirate's Lair backrest for the pillion, and the creme de la creme Russell Day Long saddle. The cool thing about it is that the PO is exactly the same height and weight as me, so everything fits perfectly. Now, to get to the comparison. -The VR is definately a heavier bike, but it has the same basic riding position as the FJR. Both are comfy, but the Russell is so far beyond in comfort than anything else I have ever parked my buns on. I use an Airhawk if I am going to be on the VR for more than a couple of hours. - I really like the ability to move the windscreen to different levels. With the Rifle all the way up, the ride is completely silent as to wind noise. It also is superb rain coverage. I have been in some pretty heavy rain and have been kept mostly dry all the way down to my legs. - My VR is no handling or running pig. It has upgraded fork springs, a heavy fork brace, SS brake and clutch lines, upgraded brake pads, Dingy TCI, and Dingy battery cables. Of course, the driveline is fantastic in it's power delivery and flexibility. On a ride in KY a couple of years ago, MIDSRV(Dennis) pulled out of a stop on his late model GW and dropped the hammer on it. He didn't pull away from me and we run them up past 100 before lifting. The FJR?, it just rips! Power delivery is more immediate, much like the Bandit, but more refined. The pull when you roll it on is huge, and it doesn't seem to have a limit. Mine seems to like to cruise at 4000 RPM, which is 80 mph. At cruise, it delivers 45 - 46 mpg. The FJR will out accelerate and out handle my VR, but, it is 200 pounds lighter. Touring vs SPORT touring. Last summer, I took a trip with a friend this summer on his SV650. We went from WVa through KY, TN, to NC all on back roads. We hit the top of the Dragon at 9 p.m. and tore through it as it was deserted. That trip was 2000 miles, and he was never able to shake me through any of the twisties we were on. It is a VERY capable bike. I am planning a 6 week tour of the western US this summer, and have been debating which bike to take. I have decided to ride the FJR.

For 1st and 2nd gen Miata(1990-1999) Miata.net is the place.

In my garages, there is: 1 - 1990 Venture Royale 1 - 1984 Honda VT500Ft Ascot(Barbie's) 1 - 2003 Suzuki Bandit 1200S 1 - 2007 Yamaha FJR 1 - 2006 Scooter(Barbie's) In the basement, yet to be photographed is: 1 - 1973 Bultaco Sherpa T(the one I rode in the Scottish) 1 - 1972 Bultaco Alpina 1 - 1972 Montesa Cota 123(Barbies) I may get down to the basement sometime over the holidays. If not, maybe next spring....... Barbie keeps saying I need to sell something, it's just so difficult for her to understand male needs. Maybe if I told her I would need to channel the affection I show toward the bikes with .........then again, maybe not.

My first car was a 57 210 2 door that I bought in 1967 for $20. Another one that "if I knew then what I know now" My dad had 2 56s when I was a kid that I loved.

Only in the garage? does the basement count? does the trailer parked next to the garage count?

This got me to thinking......I have some acres in TN that are near some of the magnificent roads that everyone loves. This location is in the middle of The Southern Dozen. http://www.southerndozen.com I could offer a camping spot there for our members in the event they might want to ride for multiple days there. Is that what you were thinking?

And to address staying with members and friends along the way, an occasional night along the way by invitation would be a great adventure, but asking someone for lodging would be something I couldn't bring myself to do. I would feel I was imposing on people. Guess I am just weird that way.

Thank you to everyone for the lively discussion! All the personal experiences shared have been enlightening to say the least. to better clarify my dilemma......we have a nice motor home and have spent the winters in the Keys for 8 years after I retired the first time so I am no stranger to camping. I could see the pull behind camper, but I would then have to store it after I got home, and would probably end up selling it. Still, it is a viable option but would be one more thing to have to deal with on the road. Sleeping under the the stars still has some allure, we did it on the boat in off the Keys on multiple occasions which was more than therapeutic, but it wasn't a tent. Now, the real question......I bought(stole) a pristine FJR last spring and have grown really close it it. My first trip was a week at the Gap with a friend on a sport bike. I wore him out trying to run off from me on all the fun roads there. Miss FIJI sits there in the garage and whispers "pick me, pick me". It can haul as much stuff as the Venture and could be just a blast in the mountains on this trip. Then again, the Venture is no slouch either, it is a 1st Gen you see..... Even though I retired from racing a couple of years ago, I didn't get all the hooligan worked out of my system in those 20 years. what to do, what to do........