[ladnar]

At 00.35 I park my train, having been lucky to miss driving the TIMOV specials after midnight.

At 00.48, I thumb the button to bring my Burgman (Normanb ~ It’s a Lardy), into purring life. She warms up while I don the warm up clothing – Widder vest the best of our 2004 purchases.

At 01.50, with 56.5 miles on the trip clock, at the yard gate, I ease the side stand down, purring ceases. All is quiet all around. Yes, I could have come home by train, but it would not have been as much fun, and I would not be making my claim at “first ride of 2005”.

A beautiful high speed ride on almost empty highway, temperature about 3C (37F), the vest is a bit warm. 2005 will no doubt find the funds for thermostat controls. So that’s my recommendation for 2005 ~ if you are purchasing heated clothing, go the extra money on the thermostat option.

 

[Randy]

I left a friends house late last night, wanted to be home for the new year, missed it by 1/2 hour.
So if I don't get first ride perhaps I get longest ride---one year on the road :?

 

[DonRich90]

The temp in southcentral PA was about 60 degrees this afternoon and it was just too nice to resist. I took the 650 out for about 2 hours and it felt GREAT! There were a lot of bikes on the road and apparently every rider was in a good mood - everyone waved back.
After taking care of my wife all week (she had major hip surgery last Monday), todays ride really gave my spirits a big boost. Now I'm ready to face the next week and the winter weather that can't be far behind.
Don

 

[billmeek]

Don,

Pass on our best wishes for a speedy revcovery to your wife.

 

[gdavis13]

It was a record 70 degrees today...

Everybody, who had a bike was out today. It was like an oasis in the middle of the winter. I actually believe it hit 75. I rode my Burgie everywhere I had to go today and it was great! I saw lots of scooters today, but they were all of the mini kind. (sigh)

 

[Pat]

I went for a short ride today with the "HOGs" at 10:00 am. We all met at the local Harley dealer, 74 Harleys and one Burgman, the only non Harley of the group. The dealership supplied the hot coffee and donuts prior to the start. The ride ended up to be approx. 20 miles to the the Lake Michigan beach for the annual "Polar Bear" plunge. The air tenp matched the water temp at 34 degrees (f). Some of my sons and grandsons took the plunge along with severial hundred others. I had great fun riding with the "Big Boys".

 

[flintbobbi]

Mount Lemon

Funny how temp's change riding...On Thursday, the wife and the kids and I hopped in our family van for a trip to Tucson - temps in the low to mid 60's and absolutely beautiful as we entered Tucson. We stopped for a picnic lunch at Piccacho Peak north of Tucson, then drove Tucson to go up the road to Mount Lemon. In Tucson, I saw 4-5 bike shops, a scooter shop that looked like it had some larger maxi-scooters in the window, and a ton of people riding.

But the twisty road up Mount Lemon, which I will ride some day, was different. Although beautiful - from dessert scape to mountain streams and pinetrees, the temp dropped fairly quickly til it was 40 degrees only half way up. We only saw one bike - a crotch rocket - on the way down. He passed us on a double yellow, in an area that was only moderately unsafe, and at only a moderately unsafe speed. At those temps, he did not look very warmly dressed.

Can't wait to take the ride myself one of these days.

 

[doug collins]

frist ride of 2005????

:cheese: Well since the sun comes up quicker in the UK,than it dose in Arkansas,I guess I don't win the frist ride in 2005 award.However (ladnar) we had a great time anyway. We went rideing with my wifes women's biker groupe. I'm amazed on how well they accept are Burgmans. The weather coudn't been better. Forcast was for a few showers. I guess we rode around 200 & something miles. Lots of cloud cover at times,but no rain.Temps rose into the 60's,it was as perfect as it gets for rideing. (Question)Is this January? We stopped at a little pub & steakhouse,up on 86 hiway in Missouri. I just had my upper teeth pulled this week and my gums are still pretty sore. So I didn't get to order steak. But I tried thier chile out. I do belive it was the best chile I've ever ate. I think the great ride and great company might have had something to do with it. There was Yamaha Roadstars,BMW"S,Harley's,Kawasaki's & are two Burgman's in the groupe. It came time for the ride to end & we were down on the interstate 540. And about 20miles of straight road. Where we would all go are separate ways. I followed this lady on a kawasaki rocket. We were at the back of the pack. When we got on the interstate she made her move to front of the pack. She could've easily out ran anyone in that groupe. However she was kind enought to let one loan Burgman stay behind her. So we took it up between 80 to 95 mile per hour. And I stayed behind her all the way back to Springdale. Before I got to my exit, I pulled up even with her waved good bye. How much more fun can one person stand,it was great!!! It was a good thing that it was January or I would have been picking the bugs out of what teeth I have left, for a week afterwards. :lol: It's going to be a greay year. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERONE!!!!

 

[ladnar]

Come on Doug, read my timings, to get the medal, I had to be on the go before the sun rose, although we do have the advantage of getting it before you, but then the Aussies steal the march on all of us.

Mine was a good ride, but yours sounds better. I would have loved to have had my first ride out of 2005 with Gail along, some other bikes, and a good place to stop off for a meal. With my shifts, a joint ride out is on hold till Sunday 9th January, so here is holding thumbs for good weather so we can tootle off for the day.

Although my dealer, 40 miles from home, now looks after a stable of 10 650's, I have never seen another 650 on the road. Seen a few 400's.

To all logging into this great website, carry on enjoying this great biking experience.

 

[pauljo]

Doug,

Sorry to hear about the teeth pulling - no fun that! But at least you are in an area where you can ride this time of year. I'm jealous!

Happy New Year

 

[pauljo]

It got up to 52° F this afternoon, so I set proper tire pressure on the 650 and rode it to the dealer to order some new tires. It just didn't seem appropriate to take the car. Not a real long ride, about 20 miles round trip. But it was my first ride this year, and it felt good! The 650 has been sitting in the garage since mid December. She ran perfectly. A little dusty to be sure, but I'll give her a bath the next time we catch a 70° day.

We've got that "Snow" word hovering in the forecast later this week. I'm hoping it will be light enough so that they don't go out and plaster the roads with salt & sand again. The roads have just gotten to the point where I'm willing to ride on them, and it would be discouraging to get set back for another few weeks.

 

[AndyL]

Riding in Ottawa (ON) +1C

Took the Burg out of the garden shed yesterday, after clearing a 3 foot snow bank at the road side, and giving the battery a half hour boost on the charger and then putting it back in. The idea was to only put it in the garage and check all out. But the weather was too nice, about 1 degC, and bright sunshine, so put air in the tyres, (N.B. It started on the first push on the button after sitting for some three months) and took it for a short spin, only 35 km yesterday and then another 40km today. Bit cooler today, and yes some electric undergarments would be nice, as there is still lots of snow on the ground, and do have to look out for the wet patches and puddles from melt of.


Andy

 

[Pete]

MY GOD MAN - THAT IS ALMOST POETRY!

Jammed thru (most) all the gears today. Just got back from a business trip and caught a cold. Not feeling too well.

You go man.

Pete

 

[Jim]

Feb 5th and Feb 12th, really odd, riding on a nice day (40 - 45 F) sunny no wind.
Ice fishing shacks on the lake, and snowmobiles running in the snow.

Nice though

 

[Sails]

Humm! Humm! Roads are wet but ice is kind of gone, should I or should I?