Winter Motorcycle Plans? | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Winter Motorcycle Plans?

Can guys on giant highway couches run these? I can ride hard and can get my lean on right to the very bleeding edge of my couches abilities lol. But it's still a couch.
Yup, and you'll get a bunch of thumbs-up from everyone in the pits too. The Shannonville novice days should be especially welcoming.
 
I'll give the FJR an good looking over... and service whatever is found in need.
I think it's due for a coolant change and most certainly a brake/clutch fluid flush.
Throw in a throttle body synch and a good lube-ing where required.
I may even pull the swing arm off and get in there to check her bearings, the drive u-joint(s) etc...
 
Yup, and you'll get a bunch of thumbs-up from everyone in the pits too. The Shannonville novice days should be especially welcoming.

Remind me in the spring when these start up again then. My Goldwing buddy, my ST1100 buddy, and probably my FJR buddy would more than likely come to one of these for a days of ***** and giggles.

I love riding technical stuff. And pushing my bikes to the edge of their abilities. I just love riding a couch the other 95% of the time, so I'm not switching bikes anytime soon lol.

How strict is the tech inspection for the novice stuff? I run darkside on the rear...will that be an issue? Gear requirements? Nobody wants to see me in full leathers lol. I'm presuming all the usual racing stuff like needing to run water vs coolant isn't a thing for this level, etc?
 
If there isn't enough snow to ride my sled (there won't be I'm sure) then it'll be more of this. At some point this winter the new MSR rad should probably be installed. Still running with the JB patch and water from some swamp near Callaboogie. IMG_1012.JPG
 
Remind me in the spring when these start up again then. My Goldwing buddy, my ST1100 buddy, and probably my FJR buddy would more than likely come to one of these for a days of ***** and giggles.

I love riding technical stuff. And pushing my bikes to the edge of their abilities. I just love riding a couch the other 95% of the time, so I'm not switching bikes anytime soon lol.

How strict is the tech inspection for the novice stuff? I run darkside on the rear...will that be an issue? Gear requirements? Nobody wants to see me in full leathers lol. I'm presuming all the usual racing stuff like needing to run water vs coolant isn't a thing for this level, etc?
Tech requirements vary by organization. Shannonville's checklist is here: Motorcycle Lapping Day Rules – Shannonville Motorsport Park

It's not on the list, but the darkside tire will probably not pass tech. Antifreeze is not permitted, but I've never had mine actually checked by any org. That's possibly because it's an obvious track-only bike, and street bikes are likely to get more attention in that area. It's easy enough to change out with distilled water.

The lapping days put on by Shannonville itself only require a DOT helmet (full face, no modulars), while most other orgs require ECE or Snell. Leathers are required (two-piece is okay), and it's almost guaranteed that you will not be the silliest looking or fattest guy stuffed into a suit that day. All of the gear is one additional reason why the track schools can be a good idea, since they usually have leathers and back protectors for rent.
 
Well, I’m out unfortunately. My fulll face is a modular. I don’t do full leathers (too many cows would have to be harmed in that undertaking lol), and I’m not switching my rear tire back for just a day.

I understand and respect all the reasonings and such, but too much for me for just a single day in the end, and I know my other buddies would also be out for some of the same reasons.

Guess I’ll just have to go back to the Back of the Dragon again in VA. Lol
 
Remind me in the spring when these start up again then. My Goldwing buddy, my ST1100 buddy, and probably my FJR buddy would more than likely come to one of these for a days of ***** and giggles.

I love riding technical stuff. And pushing my bikes to the edge of their abilities. I just love riding a couch the other 95% of the time, so I'm not switching bikes anytime soon lol.

How strict is the tech inspection for the novice stuff? I run darkside on the rear...will that be an issue? Gear requirements? Nobody wants to see me in full leathers lol. I'm presuming all the usual racing stuff like needing to run water vs coolant isn't a thing for this level, etc?
How is Darkside working out? Other than far better life and no traxk use, any obvious plusses or minuses? Doing it again when this one wears out?
 
How is Darkside working out? Other than far better life and no traxk use, any obvious plusses or minuses? Doing it again when this one wears out?

I like it. I ride enough that I go through 2+ rears a season so it made sense for me - a $120 tire vs a $400 motorcycle tire that gets 3 times the life. And there’s other advantages, insanely better rear braking in emergencies, and wet road traction.

There’s some downsides, but they’re fine with me - you need to hold more counter steering through corners, and the bike doesn’t like slanted parking lots lol. Both are easily managed.

I dragged the floorboards and almost the pipes though many sweepers in WV last week and the tire is solid. In most conditions you forget it’s there honestly, the feeling is all the same.

I ran DS on my Vulcan for the last few years and went DS on the new ride about 4-5 weeks after buying it when I had used it what little remained of the tire it came with. I was surprised it certified honestly.
 
Remind me in the spring when these start up again then. My Goldwing buddy, my ST1100 buddy, and probably my FJR buddy would more than likely come to one of these for a days of ***** and giggles.

I love riding technical stuff. And pushing my bikes to the edge of their abilities. I just love riding a couch the other 95% of the time, so I'm not switching bikes anytime soon lol.

How strict is the tech inspection for the novice stuff? I run darkside on the rear...will that be an issue? Gear requirements? Nobody wants to see me in full leathers lol. I'm presuming all the usual racing stuff like needing to run water vs coolant isn't a thing for this level, etc?
Normally full leathers no coolant and lights taped up.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk
 
Well, I’m out unfortunately. My fulll face is a modular. I don’t do full leathers (too many cows would have to be harmed in that undertaking lol), and I’m not switching my rear tire back for just a day.

I understand and respect all the reasonings and such, but too much for me for just a single day in the end, and I know my other buddies would also be out for some of the same reasons.

Guess I’ll just have to go back to the Back of the Dragon again in VA. Lol
When going to that area, if you haven’t been up to Burkes Garden, the road going up and down is amazingly technical. Same goes for Robinson Tract Road a bit further away. Those are two of my all time fav’s and will ride them every time I’m in the area now.
 
Can walk you through it but some of my shadetree methods may gather judgement from the Ducati elitists
Well it’s a good thing I’m not one of them! They don’t even consider a Scrambler a Ducati…

Damn gatekeepers.
 
Well it’s a good thing I’m not one of them! They don’t even consider a Scrambler a Ducati…

Damn gatekeepers.
I think Tammy still does some Reddawn trackdays at TMP which is much closer to you than Shanny. That could be an option for you. Shannonville lapping days are often "open" meaning they don't always do groups so you're free to do as many laps as you want. That's good or bad depending on the quality of riders that show up.
I miss the track but I'm happy I gave it up for getting back in the dirt.
 
I think Tammy still does some Reddawn trackdays at TMP which is much closer to you than Shanny. That could be an option for you. Shannonville lapping days are often "open" meaning they don't always do groups so you're free to do as many laps as you want. That's good or bad depending on the quality of riders that show up.
I miss the track but I'm happy I gave it up for getting back in the dirt.
When i think about the dollars per fun spent at the track vs the dirt.... The dirt makes perfect sense. Esp with trials.
 
When i think about the dollars per fun spent at the track vs the dirt.... The dirt makes perfect sense. Esp with trials.

Maybe I should go for a bomb through the Ganaraska forest out here on my YamaCouch. What could possibly go wrong? 😆
 
Maybe I should go for a bomb through the Ganaraska forest out here on my YamaCouch. What could possibly go wrong? 😆
Holy crap. Getting that out of the sand would be a nightmare. Let me know when you're doing it and I'll grab my parents sxs to try to winch you out. Not sure if sxs is heavier than bike though, I may just winch me in.
 
Holy crap. Getting that out of the sand would be a nightmare. Let me know when you're doing it and I'll grab my parents sxs to try to winch you out. Not sure if sxs is heavier than bike though, I may just winch me in.

I actually took my VTX through the forest one day, albeit on the roads, not off through the trails. Somewhere I have a video the friend I was riding with took of me doing a rooster tailed launch in the dirt.

I keep thinking a dirt bike would be fun again (grew up riding them), but then I realize I’d probably break multiple bones and cripple myself somehow in the first 20 minutes actually riding one again. I’ll stick to my couch.
 
I actually took my VTX through the forest one day, albeit on the roads, not off through the trails. Somewhere I have a video the friend I was riding with took of me doing a rooster tailed launch in the dirt.

I keep thinking a dirt bike would be fun again (grew up riding them), but then I realize I’d probably break multiple bones and cripple myself somehow in the first 20 minutes actually riding one again. I’ll stick to my couch.
I took a CT70 through a motocross track someone had built when I was in Uni. It was not a fun experience. Suspension was entirely outgunned. If I was 100 lbs lighter, it would probably have been fun. That bike was fun for exploring and cruising around but no brap. If you get something low-strung, the ride can be fun with less adrenaline and less broken bones.

EDIT:
You could probably hitch mount a dirt bike to the couch to get an unplated bike to the trails. It would be awesome and the couch wouldn't even know it was back there.
 
Reminded me of this video.

Capabilties are inversely proportional to how much you care about the bike itself when it’s said and done lol.


“Fly like a bird, land like a piano” 😆
 

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