team scooter

Doris Day was a generation or two before my time. But as a young lad I crushed on Susan Dey....

Unless I'm going out somewhere, its lounge pants and house shoes for me. I sleep in stretchy shorts.

I just rode the first 45 miles with the new clutch. So far, night and day difference. No more needing to keep it under half throttle or keeping it one or two gears lower than necessary to prevent it from slipping. I no longer need a quarter mile worth of space to pull out into traffic. And unlike my old 200cc Twinstar, the accelerator lives up to its name and not just a volume control. Starting to plan my dual sport trips for the summer without fear of needing to push it home.

My son has two snowmobile sleighs. He bought one, then a week later found this perfectly pristine refinished one. I thought that one of these would make a great, lightweight sidecar shell.

If we're talking caravans, I used to like them. Not so much as I got older. When I travel north snowmobiling, I'll pack, fill the tank and hook up the trailer the night before. Wake up at 4 am, my regular time, throw the last bits of luggage in the car, Mrs and the dogs can crawl sleepy eyed into the car, and we hit the road. We can be up there before 10 am with one gas stop, just in time for breakfast. So last February when we went up north snowmobiling, we met up with our son, DIL, and granddaughter for the ride up. I had fond memories from my childhood, of traveling north with several families, leaving before sunrise, watching the snowmo trailer lights ahead of us, etc, etc. But the new reality was, after our DIL slept in, then unnecessary delays and poor planning on their part, multiple stops for fuel, snacks and lunch, we didn't get up there until after 3 pm. Then I bit my lip when our DIL said she loved being there, but wished it didn't take all day to get up there.

What I need is a sidecar for my doggies.

25 hp? Pfft, I wish.

Thats what we're thinking. Someone bought it new, burned up the clutch, then parked it for four years. Cant imagine what that little bike went though. It was slipping the day I bought it on the way home with only 85 miles on the odometer. And I was just driving 40/45mph down country roads. Called the dealer when I got home, They blamed me, claimed I was doing burnouts with it. Yeah, I traded them my 750 cc for a 250 cc to do burnouts. Live and learn, I'll never buy used, even when it looks like new. And certainly never do business with that dealer again. Hopefully its fixed. If not I'm dumping it and going back to a Honda.

I picked up my groovy 'lil motor bike from the shop today. They saved the pieces parts.

Phone, texting, camera, flashlight, clock, alarm clock, calendar, notes, music, maps, gps, the interwebs, and watching youtubes at work.

Yep, we used to try to catch the Polkafest/Beer, Bacon and Cheese Fest in New Glarus. But its become so popular you need to buy tickets now. And it appears they've already sold out. https://www.swisstown.com/events

Tornado weather warnings on our phones are going crazy right now. So I did what any other guy would do, I went outside with my bowl of ice cream to listen to all the weather sirens going off in every direction. Looks like we're in the bull's eye.

Does he resemble the scientist in back to the future? If so thats the Bob I know. Sadly, I never even knew or asked his last name.

Alexa just interrupted our Saturday at the Seventies music to warn us that we are now under a tornado watch so....

LOL, That was a thing back then. My first used street motorcycle was a '76 CB360T. I rode it for a week before the timing chain tensioner snapped and a piston came into contact with an exhaust valve. That equals to an INSTANT stop. Luckily, my riding buddies and I knew a guy named Bob who tinkered with motorbikes out of his garage. A new exhaust valve, (the piston was surprisingly ok) a case of beer, a pizza, and we had it running and back on the road. Bob went on to repair many of our motorbikes ATCs and snowmobiles. Sadly, decades later, no one knows what ever became of Bob.

Thanks. But not having any experience with clutches, I just took it in. They readjusted it and said it was good to go. But I told them to mimic off road conditions, like riding in sand, etc. Or ride it like you're riding a 250cc bike at high revs defensively avoiding contact with soccer moms on cell phones in large SUVs. They called back and said they saw what I'm experiencing and opened up the case. And the aftermarkets don't offer anything for XT clutches (clutch kits etc) so they probably don't have known problems. They also reminded me that the 500 mile checkup, valve adjustment needed to be done. So it should be good to go afterwards.

Thanks for the reply. My guess is, the ride home from the dealer was probably still the factory oil, although they said they changed it. It was dark brown. (But they also said they replaced the battery, which they did not). When I first got it home I drained and installed Yamaha 10w40. I tried several different adjustments, but the latest setting, I had the cable adjusted with over half the travel was free play before it engaged. And it would still slip if I used over half throttle. Never had any clutch issues, or had any clutch/adjustment issues in 50 years of riding Hondas. My 42 year old Honda Twinstar still had the original clutch when I sold it last year. Anyway, the XT should be ready for pick up next week. I'll post pics of the pieces parts. Hoping to do an ATV trail/forest road trip to the UP before the black fly season starts UP there in late June. Then another trip in fall. The "original oil" after I rode it home with 90 miles on the odometer.

What would cause the clutch on my 2017 XT250 to "delaminate" or break apart. They are not known for having issues. It was stored for four years and had less than 100 miles when I bought it last summer. The clutch has been slipping since the day I brought it home.

This time its an electronic issue? Back in the '70s early 80s when the Ferds at work were all popping out of park, spinning circles in reverse, then smashing into my new Toyota pickup, they were blaming it on driver error. The company's answer was a huge sign on the dash stating to always, ALWAYS use the parking brake before leaving the drivers seat. Back then we were calling Explorers ''Exploders''.

I worked for my previous employer for over thirty years. And I'd sell all of my old trucks and my wife's old cars/minivans to my coworkers. Dozens of them. My coworkers would even call dibs on them before I sold them. I never had to suffer the trade-in insults the dealers would offer. So never mind seeing my old trucks at work everyday. During company family get togethers, parties, summer picnics, etc, there would be several of our old cars/minivans in the parking lot all at one time too.

Last night I went out to enjoy the warm temps with the dogs. It was wonderful. But the instinct of looking out for blood sucking insects kicked in big time. And they aren't even out yet.

Grass is finally turning green and the trees are starting to bud. Looks like I'll be needing to mow soon, after I pick up the sticks. Unless it snows again... Seems like more sticks than usual too. Maybe all the high winds we've had all winter? I'd be afraid to chop them with the new mower's plastic cutting deck.

Several different coats, starting with black..... And why they charge extra.

Yep, Mrs' next car will be soul red like our Miata.

The Mazda Gray is a very fine metallic. I've had people describe it as black chrome.