9/11 2013

Missed the 2 million bikers to DC.   Hope to hear that is was a resounding and peaceful success.

BMW Eurosport is still discussing bink options.   They want to discuss options until they can find one that lets them off the hook.   Now they tell me that the gas tank started to melt.   This I gotta see.  Latest estimate is that the side case frame was installed wrong, allowing the left side cast to contact the exhaust.   I had reported this to Hermy's BMW, where I bought the bike, but they told me (after cloimbing under the bike) that it's just how the components are and they couldn't fix it.  Hermy;s replaced the side case and entered in the warranty log, "key/latch mechanism faulty."   That turns out to be the end of the story... detail tomorrow.

Drove down to Franklin (Otto) NC to visit BMW friend Cliff Loose and get in some off-road miles with one of his bikes.   
Suzuki 350 and I got to know each other while Cliff on his new Husky' 350 led the way up gravel twisties and switchbacks to the top of a local mountain and down the other side.   The 350 was tall and energetic and 2nd gear gave me more than enough leeway to bank the bike thru the tight corners and climb the rises and still catch up on the straights.   Somewhere there is a shift lever, but my boot struggled to find it.   All the way to the top of the run with only one dab.   Lucky I found the ground on that one...   I could throw the bike down against my knee to let it do the turns with a little throttle and then goose it back to vertical climbing away from the corner.

We reached the bottom at the west side of the mountain and Cliff said, "OK, Let's turn around and go back..."   NOT!   I know enough to enjoy the challenges and retire undefeated.   We hot-rodded back to his place on asphalt with me on a bike with no tail-lights and out of date tags...   Welcome to NC.

His honey arrived home from her day-job just after we arrived and headed to local mom-and-pop cafe for a hot meal.   Back ast his place, Cliff offered a place to pitch the tent, or floor space in his tow building.   We found a box spring and cushions and I headed to z-land beer-in-hand.   More tomorrow.