Pete's Motorbike Journal

Tales of my experiences with my '08 Yamaha FZ6 and '15 BMW F800GT ... daily experiences, trip planning, and statistics.

[provexcel]

The New Windscreen

It’s been a while since my last post.  Summer has come and gone, and we are well into Fall.  It’s been just over 6-months since I purchased my F800GT, and I’ve just passed the 10,000 Km mark on it.  Lots of great rides along the way.  You would think, however, that I would be finished with “Loser” stories … lessons learned … life experiences … but I haven’t.  It’s a bit of a long story though, so if you have patience, read on. If you don’t, it might be a little while until my next blog post with some busy winter months ahead.

So, … Here we go…

Thinking back to the Spring of this year, one of the first things I noticed about the F800GT when I test drove it was the amount of wind I was taking in my face over 100kms per hour. I knew I was going to have to deal with it, and would be one of the first modifications I make to the bike.

After buying the bike, we took a ride up island to visit some family.  When we got back home, I had noticeable discomfort in my shoulders and neck.  The same issues that had hampered me from going to the Grand Canyon a few years ago were back.  Before I treated my aches and pains with massage therapy sessions, I had to replace the windscreen, and soon.

So I started researching new windscreens … there were only a few options for items that would fit my style of motorbike, and the one I decided on was the ZTechnik VStream model.  It looked pretty slick, maintaining the sportiness of the bikes looks.

(Above: ZTeknik VStream Windscreen I installed on my F800GT.)

It offered an attractive option of some grooves in the windscreen that would divert the wind over my head (and hopefully my wife’s too), and around my shoulders as well.    I decided on the clear version so that the windscreen wasn’t as noticeable with the shading, and would offer the most protection being taller that the other shaded options.

So I put in the order Action Motorcycle on Esquimalt Road, and in late May my order arrived.  It seemed simple enough that I could install myself.  Of course it came with instructions that were reminiscent of my childhood days of getting a new Lego set … they provide just a few diagrams … before, during and after … maybe 7 illustrations that are supposed to be self explanatory to get the installation done.  After an hour, and with the help of a retired engineer (my dad), we got it installed.   I tucked away the stock windscreen in the box of my new one, as I won’t need that one until I sell the bike one day.

About 2-weeks after I got the windscreen installed, and taking on a few short test runs, I went for a trip with my friend Dave (See blog entry entitled “The Ride”).  During this ride, I noticed a few small notches in my dashboard tachometer casing. I thought maybe they were there on purpose … to show optimal RPM output or something (hey, I’m a numbers guy, not a mechanic).  By the end of the trip, the notches became holes, and got bigger and bigger.  I was initially thinking “Oh no, I’ve got an electrical issue and it’s melting my dashboard!” (again, I’m not a mechanic) … so when I got back home, my family was concerned (I guess I should have been more concerned about having potential electrical issues).

I ran down to my motorbike dealer, Island BMW, as soon as I could when I got back home in case there was a warranty instance.  They said it wasn’t an electrical issue, but suggested that the sun was being focused shining through the windscreen, and perhaps I should get some film put on it to resolve future melting, and maybe just put some silicon filler in the hole. A replacement plastic dashboard was going to cost me $300 for the part alone … but they would give me a discount to be able to get it at wholesale price.  In the meantime, I started covering with a reflective cover that was part of an old tank bag that I gave to a friend.

(Above: Silver cover used to keep sun from melting dashboard, and keep rain water from damaging it)

The next weekend I really started checking around on how I can resolve.  I went to Industrial Plastics … maybe I could fill the hole … but they informed me that due to the content of oils in the plastic makeup, any silicon filler would not adhere and would fall out with the vibrations of the motorbike.  I knew I needed to get filled as soon as possible, as it’s bound to rain eventually (it was an exceptionally dry summer so far), and I didn’t want to get moisture in the electronic meters.  We were hitting the road for the Thompson / Okanagan region soon, so the weather can change very quickly along the route.

It didn’t take me long before I surrendered to the realization that I was going to need to buy the replacement dashboard piece, since it didn’t look like it could be filled.

At the same time I wanted to see who could do a film for the windscreen to block the sunlight.  I didn’t think that I could do the film myself. I would make a mess of it.  Other riders suggested a spray on film, but I would make a mess of that application too.

At the recommendation of a friend, I checked out SHC who do custom wraps and film as well as a bunch of other customization services for cars.  Talking to a few people in there, we decided on a pattern that would cover the grooves (that divert the wind around me).  

So within a few weeks, I got the new dashboard piece installed, and the new film on the windscreen. I thought it looked great. Hopefully it worked the way it was supposed to.  Here it is in the following picture.  It’s a bit hard to see in the photo, but the lower portion of the windscreen has the new film applied.

(Top: View from front of bike.  Bottom: View from behind windscreen.)

The next weekend, my wife and I headed on our Thompson / Okanagan journey.  I was thankful I got the repairs done, as the weather took a turn for the worse, and dumped, … I mean really, really poured with rain between Hope and Merritt, BC.  My dash instruments stayed nice and dry with the holes now repaired.  I was still in the habit though of covering it with the waterproof tank bag cover every time I got off the bike … maybe out of habit, or maybe out of paranoia that it might happen again.    

[Side note: This is where I left off this blog entry back in July when I thought my ordeal was over.   It wasn’t … or as the saying goes “But wait! There’s more!” ]

My issue was fixed, right? Wrong.  After getting back from vacation in the Okanagan, it was still very hot.  After riding to work one day, I forgot to cover the dash instruments with tank bag cover. At the end of my work day, I went out to my bike.  Crap! It happened again … my dashboard odometer casing melted.  Sigh.  

How could this have happened?  I had the film on the windscreen.  I pointed the bike away from the sun.  What did I do wrong?!?  

One night, after an evening of playing cards, my friend, JJ, who is an astrophysicist, took a look at my problem.  I explained the scenario and the remedy I took to get the issue fixed.   It took him about 2 seconds before he asked for my cellphone so he could use the flashlight.  He shone the light on the windscreen from behind the bike, and wouldn’t you know it, a perfect cross-hairs from the reflection intersected right over the odometer where it had melted.  

After my friends left, I went and re-read the instructions that came with the windscreen (see illustration below).   Take a look at the last sentence … “Park your motorcycle facing the sun…”

What a maroon!! … I wasn’t supposed to point the bike AWAY from the sun; I was supposed to point it FACING the sun!!  Sigh (again).

Okay, what are my options? Put the original stock windscreen on and suffer more neck issues?  Order a new windscreen and be set back another bunch of money?  Try to fill it, despite being told the caulking wouldn’t be effective?  

I decided on the caulking option, along with being extra diligent about putting the tank bag cover over the odometer, and park my bike facing the sun as much as possible.  It’s been 3-months of this routine, and the caulking seems to be holding out.  It doesn’t look nice, but seems effective.  

(Above: The picture somewhat shows the caulking above the odometer (bottom left circle dial.)

Maybe one day I’ll get the odometer casing replaced, but for now I think I’ll make do with it … as long as it doesn’t show any signs of water or condensation getting into the indicators.  I guess if it does, it will be too late as the damage will be done to the instruments. We’ll see if it makes it thru the winter.  

So other than the windscreen issue, the new motorbike’s been great!  I love the handling and all the features.  One time the tire pressure in the front tire was a bit low and the warnings on the dash monitor came on to inform me.  It is reassuring knowing there’s so many safety checks happening on various aspects of my bike.  

Let’s hope I can make it through the next 6-months or 10,000 Kms without melting any other parts of the motorbike.   I am hoping to be able to share more travel stories and less of these lessons learned.  J

Moral of story?  Read instructions closer … every word.

(Above: 10,000 Km reached on F800GT - Oct 15′15)

[provexcel]

I’ve got a friend, Dave, who sometimes calls me up and says “Pete, wanna go for a long ride somewhere?” It takes me a couple of nano-seconds (and maybe a check-in with my better half) to say “Of course! Where are we going?”. Dave knows me too well though and if he gives me a few...

[provexcel]

The Ride – June’15

I’ve got a friend, Dave, who sometimes calls me up and says “Pete, wanna go for a long ride somewhere?” It takes me a couple of nano-seconds (and maybe a check-in with my better half) to say “Of course!  Where are we going?”.  Dave knows me too well though and if he gives me a few suggestions for waypoints and suggested time frames, and then I’ll go away and work out the “Microsoft Streets and Trips” turn-by-turn trip planner, along with maps, charts, tables, as well as suggested stops for the night … even gas stops.  I think the part I like best about motorbike riding, besides the actual ride, is the planning aspect.  It’s my blank slate … an empty white board , paint canvas… a fresh mound of clay to sculpt.

Two years ago Dave wanted to go for a ride , having just got his motorbike license. We headed up to Canim Lake to a cabin of our friend Bruce. A nice little 1200 km ride to get under his belt.  

Then last year, I met Dave in the Okanagan and we rode down to Washington State and across the northern portion of the Cascade loop through such towns as Winthrop , Marblemount, Port Townsend and Port Angeles … A 1200 loop with lots of adventure and great mountain scenery.  

So this year, Dave said he was interested in covering off Nakusp, Vernon, Duffy lake, … So I mapped out a route that went from the Okanagan across to Kootenay Lake back east through New Denver , Nakusp, Vernon, Merritt , Lillooet , and Whistler. … A great scenic loop covering off a bit more ground than our previous journeys … Over 2100 Kms in Total.  

I was to meet Dave in the Okanagan   He was up there for work for a few days, so would give me a chance to get up to see my mom and stepdad in Penticton.  

I also thought about others I knew . Family / Friends … Who lived along the route?  Many people I don’t get a chance to visit often, and in recent years I’ve tried to take these opportunities to get in a short visit.     

Planning these trips is always interesting. I have to see if the travel distance is achievable for each day, and how far we can go on a tank of gas.  Dave’s tank on his ’07 Suzuki V-Strom is 22 litres, while my ’15 BMW F800GT is only 15 litres.  At about 18kms per litre I get in fuel economy, that 7 litres difference is about 120 kilometers difference in range.    I get about 18km/ltr x 15ltrs = 250-300 kms per litre, depending on city vs highway travelling.  Typically within BC on most highways you should be able to make it from one major city to another for a fillup.  

So here’s what I came up with for a route over the 4-days:

·       Day 1: from Victoria (red #) to the mainland, stopping in Chilliwack for gas and lunch, then traveling east to Penticton via Highway 3, stopping in Princeton for gas, then on to Penticton.

·       Day 2: from Penticton to Oliver to meet Dave, filling with gas before leaving, then south to Osoyoos, and east thru Grand Forks stopping for gas, and to Nelson for more gas, with our final stop being in Ainsworth (#12 below) to tent for the night.

·       Day 3: From Ainsworth, north to Kaslo for breakfast, then head back west to New Denver, and up to Nakusp for gas, then south along Arrow lake to the Faquahar ferry to Needles, over to Vernon for more gas, and stopping in Merritt to tent for the night at Monck Provincial Campground.

·       Day 4: From Monck campground to Merritt for gas, and over to Lytton and Lillooet for more gas, through Duffy Lake and over to Pemberton for gas, down through Whistler

That was the plan at least … to cover 20 of Destination Highways (DH) best riding roads in BC on our route.   3 of those roads are in the DH Top 5, and 4 are in the DH Top 10.

DAY 1 (for me) - Victoria to Penticton

I began my journey by leaving home at 8AM to catch the 9AM ferry from Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen.   On the mainland, I rode Highway 17 from the ferry right to Highway 1. This route is amazing as it bypasses both Surrey and Langley.  Before leaving Vancouver Island, I was contemplating filling up first (see my “Loser List” blog), but decided I had enough fuel to make it to Chilliwack (uh-oh.). As it turned out I did, but my low fuel indicator was making me nervous.  I made it to Chilliwack, which was also where I was going to meet my cousin Lisa for lunch … but decided to fill up at the first gas station I saw … which turned out to be only about 2 kilometers from Earls at Vedder Road where we were meeting.  

After lunch (thanks cousin Lisa!), I decided that I would push right thru to Princeton along Highway 3, bypassing the usual rest stop at Manning Park so I could get to Penticton as soon as possible.  After a treat at DQ in Princeton, then a fill-up of gas at Esso, I rode on to Penticton, making it to my mom’s place at 5PM.  It was a great day of riding … a bit cloudy when leaving home, but most of the day it was sunny and warm.  I was questioning having worn my heavy new Klim jacket, but going through Manning Park pass, I was grateful I had worn it.  

Nice to get to my mom’s after a full and fast day of riding.   But it was my bike’s first stint of riding on the mainland and handled beautifully on the cornering, many decelerations and quick uphill accelerations required going through Manning Park.  Road Conditions were good, other than a bit of construction around Bridal Falls, west of Hope.  

                                                    Plan      Actual

Total Daily Time:                           9:18       8:55

Total Daily Riding Time:               6:43       4:40

Total Daily Kilometers:                 432.7    448

 Destination Highways (DH) Routes (with links to the DH website videos):

DH81 - Hwy 17 Victoria - Swartz Bay (26km)

DH44 - Hwy 3 Hope - Princeton‎ (127km)

DH78 - Hwy 3 Princeton - Hedley  (56km)

DH63 - Hwy 3A Green Mtn Rd - Kaleden (18km)

(Above: Day 1 elevation profile.  Steep going through Manning Park, then gradually going downhill to Princeton and Keremeos with a pass to get through on route to Penticton.  Below: Route from Victoria to Penticton)

Got all my stuff together … now just had to figure out how to get it on the bike!

In Princeton for my ice cream break and gas fillup!

I was just wondering where I was when this sign told me! J

DAY 2 (with Dave) - Meet Dave in Oliver and ride to Ainsworth via Osoyoos, Grand Forks, Castlegar and Nelson

Day 2 I was to meet Dave down in Oliver at 11AM. After a quick walk with my mom, and a few games of Cribbage with my uncle Joe, I took off at 10AM.  After a quick stop at the drive thru bank, which is another great invention for motorbikes so the riders don’t need to get off bike or take off helmet … I then left on a mission to find a bottle of wine for my wife. Unfortunately the VGA didn’t have the right type, and the Painted Rock winery gates were closed until 11AM.  

Eastside Road at Skaha Lake … beautiful run at lake level down to Okanagan Falls.

I met Dave at Medici’s (http://medicisgelateria.ca/) coffee shop down in Oliver … a nice little café that’s been built in an old church. A fellow there was interested in my bike, but instead of the usual questions of “what do you like about the bike?”, he asked “ what DON’T you like about the bike?”.  Couldn’t think of much … maybe the kick stand base is a little thin,… and the windscreen was a little short.  There are way more things I like about it than dislike (like power and handling and overall quality), so it’s a hard question to answer.    

Medici’s in Oliver.  Dave is on the deck in this pic.

We left Oliver about ½ hr later than expected and made it to Osoyoos by noon to fill up with gas.  We then stopped at an amazing lookout.  Heading off east from the lookout there were a few sharp corners, marked with the usual yellow signs recommending a slower speed to take them. However one of them didn’t have one of these signs, probably due to being taken out by snow plough during the winter.  I took the corner a bit fast and before I knew it, I swerved way out into the oncoming lane!  Fortunately there was no oncoming traffic, but still it was one of those heart beating moments.  

View from Lookout overlooking Osoyoos.

It’s a great ride from Osoyoos to Rock Creek, full of great cornering and fast stretches.  Also has some nice farmland, reminiscent of the “Little House on the Prairie” TV show, particularly around the area of Bridesville.  Rolling treeless hills of grassland and small lakes.   

We filled up in Grand Forks, and had a few snacks at the gas station to sustain us until dinner since we skipped lunch.  Dave said “Pete … we’re burning daylight” referencing one of our favourite John Wayne movies “The Cowboys” (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068421/), … then we made our way to Castlegar where we had a few visits to make: I wanted to see my step-sister Crystal, and Dave was visiting a friend.  I reminisced in my mind a bit as we went by the turnoff for the Nancy Greene Parkway not too far from the city.   An hour later, we were on our way, playing “Marco – Polo” on our cellphones as I gave Dave a few clues of where I was just east of town.   

Then heading on our way again, we hit Nelson and had a quick look around before deciding to persevere until we got to Ainsworth Hot Springs and eat dinner there.  We filled up with gas in Nelson, which seemed to take forever to get through.  By this time, I was really noticing the heat in my heavy duty jacket, despite all the zipper vents being fully open on it.  

We finally made it to Ainsworth via a great scenic route along Kootenay Lake.  Stopping at Woodbury Resort and Marina (http://www.woodburyresort.com/) , just north of Ainsworth Hot Springs, we set up our tents and went to JB pub (http://www.woodburyresort.com/jb-restaurant/jbs-menu/) right beside the resort for a good meal and beer.   The camp site was awesome … right on the lake, and the flowing river beside us made for nice white noise during the night.   End of day 1 of riding with Dave.  Great set of riding … good weather … good roads.

The Hero Shot .  :)

Had a great site on Kootenay Lake ... right on the lake front.  

                                                    Plan      Actual

Total Daily Time:                           5:59       8:00

Total Daily Riding Time:               4:29       5:15

Total Daily Kilometers:                 373.4      376

 Destination Highways (DH) Routes (with links to the DH website videos):

DH24 - Hwy 3 Osoyoos - Rock Creek‎ (48km)

DH79 - Hwy 3 Midway - Grand Forks (‎53km)

DH58 - Hwy 3 Grand Forks - Nancy Green Junction ‎(68km)

DH60 - Hwy 31 Balfour Ferry - Kaslo (35km)

(Above: Day 2 elevation profile.  Steep going east from Osoyoos, then again going past Christina Lake en route to Castlegar and flat approaching Kootenay Lake.  Below: Route from Penticton to Kootenay Lake)

DAY 3    Ainsworth to Merritt (Nicola Lake) via Kaslo, Nakusp, Vernon and Kamloops

This day we awoke to the bright sun shining across the lake from the east.  We watched a fellow drop a fishing line into the outflowing water from the stream beside us, and within 10-minutes he had caught about 4 fish.  Then we packed up and at about 8AM we were off to Kaslo.  

(Above: One of main roads in Kaslo)

(Above: Dave outside Treehouse Restaurant in Kaslo)

We stopped for breakfast at the Treehouse Restaurant (http://visitkaslo.com/the-treehouse-restaurant/) . After a light breakfast before a long day of riding, and chatting with a few of the locals, one of which was indicating they are petitioning to have noise regulations on noisy motorbikes visiting the town (they said ours were fine though), we made our way west through the pass to New Denver.  This is one of my favourite roads, heading uphill with a fast flowing river marking our way.  There were many cyclists along this route too, as being a Saturday, it seemed to be a popular activity to kick off the weekend.  Once in New Denver, we headed up to Nakusp to refuel with gas, then headed down Arrow Lake to ((the Fauquier ferry that goes across to Needles.  

(Above: Waiting for ferry at Fauquier to head to Needles.)

We just missed the ferry, but it only took ½ hour to go across and back again.  It was hot though and the bugs were starting to annoy me.   The road from Needles to Cherryville made the wait worth it though, as it twisted through a winding canyon on this amazing road which is only accessible by a small 40-car ferry.  Sometimes I think the road makers develop these highways just for motorbikes. :)

We stopped for a bit in the small town of Lumby where we had a bit of a stretch and grabbed a quick refreshment before our push to Vernon for lunch.  Vernon was the biggest city we’d been in for a while so was a bit of a shocker to have to drive through.  We found a lunch spot, then grabbed some gas and headed northwest towards Kamloops.  

Just before hitting the Trans-Canada Highway #1, we cut off and took the lesser travelled Barnhartvale Road.  It is quite a bit slower, but far more scenic with a lot of farms along the way.  A fun little road, … a bit gravelly in spots, and you have to watch for on-coming cars coming over ridges fairly quickly.  Much better than taking the ultra fast and far too straight Highway #1, which we soon hit.  

We soon hit Kamloops, then at the west end of the city, we headed south on Highway 5A towards Merritt which runs along a series of lakes and farmland. It is really quiet and has great big corners to be able to gear down and hear the sound of our engines roar through the fields.  It was pretty warm throughout the day, so the feeling of the cool Nicola Lake was welcome as we rounded the span of water towards our campsite, Monck Provincial Park campsite (http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/monck/).  It is about 20 kilometers east of Merritt, and has a really nice park and beach. The price is right for tenting at about $25 including tax.  

We set up our tents, jumped in the lake, then headed to town and ate dinner at the Grand Pub & Grill (http://grandpubandgrill.com/).   Met a guy at the pub who is cycling across Canada … Bill Brooks. (https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/directory/?user=TooOldToKnowBetter) … quite a distance, and pretty hot out to be riding!  Then we headed back to Monck for the night.  Another great day of riding with so many different types of roads and scenery.

(Above: Campsite at Monck Provincial Campsite)

                                                     Plan      Actual

Total Daily Time:                           7:53       10:45

Total Daily Riding Time:               6:08       4:40

Total Daily Kilometers:                 468        579        

 Destination Highways (DH) Routes (with links to the DH website videos):

DH05 - Hwy 31A Kaslo - New Denver‎ (46km)

DH56‎ - Hwy 6 New Denver - Nakusp (45km)

DH02 - Hwy 6 Needles Ferry‎ - Coldstream (129km)

DH68 - Barnhartvale Road ‎(27km)

‎DH31 - Hwy 5A Kamloops - Merritt (89km)

(Above: Day 3 elevation profile.  Steep going west through pass between Kaslo and New Denver, then again from Needles to Cherryville).  Below: Route from Kootenay Lake to Merritt)

DAY 4     Merritt to Victoria via Lytton, Lillooet, Duffy Lake, Pemberton and Whistler            

On the last day of riding for Dave and I together, we were woken up at about 5AM by crows.  So we packed up early and headed from Monck Provincial Park Campground to Merritt (about 20km).  We stopped for gas in Merritt, then headed along Highway 8 to Spence’s Bridge, a quiet route, mostly used by campers as it’s a bit too twisty for big trucks. 

 Then from Spence’s Bridget to Lytton is a fast segment as it is along Highway #1 going down the Fraser Canyon. However this route is ranked high on the DH routes due to the scenic river, fast pace, and quick deceleration / acceleration in and out of corners.  It’s one of my favourite stretches to ride despite the fast pace. We then stopped in Lytton for breakfast at Lyl’ Towne Deli (https://plus.google.com/102350922840158658062/about?gl=ca&hl=en), where I’ve stopped before.  They have great daily breakfast specials, and their homemade pies are amazing.  

(Above: Bikes all set to go after a gas stop in Merritt.)

After Lytton, we made our way to Lillooet.  This stretch was sandier than I recall, as I think they were trying to solidify some of the softening crack seal.  I will never forget this segment of road though as I lost my cellphone somewhere along the way … the phone was charging in my pocket and somehow fell out.  Frustrating moment for me, as I instantly lost all contacts and ability to text / message anyone, as well as lost some photos I’d taken.  Dave tried to make me feel better by jokingly suggesting he throw his phone into the middle of the road so we can take turns running over that. Ha, ha Dave.  

(Above: Train going by Spence’s Bridge)

After gassing up in Lillooet, we slowly made our way through the Duffy Lake pass … traffic was heavy and there is nowhere to pass. Eventually we got to the lake, and took a few pictures.  When I parked at the lake, I didn’t realize that we placed our bikes right in front of a bunch of people trying to photograph Duffy Lake with it’s snow capped mountains in the background.  Oh well, … we didn’t stay long.  

We made the steep descent into Pemberton valley, then from that point on it was heavy traffic again.  The road is a bit bumpier than I recall from Pemberton to Whistler. After stopping for lunch in Whistler, where Dave bought me lunch as I was still pretty sad about losing my cellphone, we quickly got on the Sea-to-Sky Highway again, as Dave realized he could make the 3:10 ferry if we moved quickly.  

(Above: Whistler Village’s Olympic Square)

I decided to stay on the mainland a few days longer to visit family, so at Horseshoe Bay, Dave and I parted ways so he could catch the Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo ferry and head back home.   He did the turnoff for the ferry, and I went into Horseshoe Bay village to find the nearest Starbucks for some WiFi signal to begin the replacement steps for a new phone, and try to find some contact info.  

Amazing how reliant on my cellphone information, … phone, email, texting, GPS, note taking, photos, Starbucks app, … crazy.  Using a few landmarks, I was able to visually find my way from Horseshoe Bay to by brothers place in Surrey.  The sun set on another day, and found a comfy bed for the night … by nephews “Cars” movie adorned twin.   Compared to the tenting mat I had been sleeping on, it was a welcome change.

                                                      Plan       Actual (Day 4-6 combined … stayed extra 2-days on mainland)

Total Daily Time:                           10:51    14:00

Total Daily Riding Time:                7:26       8.50

Total Daily Kilometers:                 545.5    709

 Destination Highways (DH) Routes (with links to the DH website videos):

DH09 - Hwy 8 Merritt - Spence ‎Bridge (55km)

DH29 - Hwy 1 Spences Bridge - Lytton ‎(36km)

‎DH40 - Hwy 12 Lytton - Lillooet (60km)

DH03 - Hwy 99 Lillooet - Pemberton ‎(90km)

DH13 - Hwy 99 Pemberton - Whistler  (27km)

DH28 - Hwy 99 Whistler - Squamish.  (43km)

DH34 - Hwy 98 Squamish - Horseshoe Bay‎. (42km)

(Above: Day 4 elevation profile.  Steep going west up from Lillooet past Duffy Lake, then steep descent into valley approaching Pemberton, then out of valley into mountains approaching Whistler and Squamish valley to Horseshoe Bay.  Below: Route from Merritt to Lower Mainland)

Anyways, it was another great ride with a good friend. Kinda sad to have it come to an end, but there will be others I’m sure.  This one covered over 2100 kilometers, many great towns and sites along the way, and at least 20 of the best roads in BC.    

My next adventure will be a series of smaller rides on the island … likely a few Port Renfrew / Cowichan Loops (see my blog post “The Loop”) … and maybe head up island to Parksville.  Next month we’ll be riding up to the Okanagan again to visit family for a bit longer than this quick visit.  

Well, I’m “burning daylight”, so will bring this to a close.  Thanks for reading, and hope you enjoyed this entry and highlights of “The Ride” that Dave and I experienced.  

[provexcel]

Loser List

‎There was a time when a co-worker friend of mine and I shared our “Loser Stories” often at work.  These were typical events of the most recent weekend experience that we would like a “do-over” or have the option of having not done at all.  Typically they were embarrassing stories about ourselves.  Not sure why we were sharing them with each other at the expense of diminishing both of our credibilities, … but it made us both realize that we aren’t alone in trying to get things done, and that it’s okay to try something new and make a few mistakes along the way. 

Now I’m a fairly new rider compared to a few of my friends … having got my licence only 7-years ago, in October ‘08.  Hopefully I can still use that word “new”.  So I think it’s okay to make a few mistakes along the path of learning how to ride a bike, as long as I don’t hurt anyone else or myself  

Having told you this, I am now going to share for you a list of items that are some of my less becoming and proud moments of my motorcycle journey.  They are ones that I’d rather forget, and some I even cringe to re-read as it brings back the pain I felt doing them.    I’m actually not sure whether to present them to you in order of magnitude (how funny or painful they were), or on a timeline. 

Coincidentally recently was David Letterman’s retirement from the Late Show.  So I’d like to present my own Top 10 List.  Here they are in a rough order   from kinda funny / dumb to funny yet could have killed me:  

#10 Forgot to turn kill switch back on to get engine to start (’08) [Dumb] 

I had  just, and I mean just, got my Yamaha FZ6 in the fall of 2008. I decided to take it out to Dunsmuir Lodge which at the time was used for BC Government training courses (they used to have a stellar lunch buffet).  I recall it was the foggiest, and lowest visibility I’ve ever seen on the highway.  I had never ridden a motorbike on the highway and here I was taking my new bike on it!?!  Anyways I was a bit freaked out.  I made it there fine, went to my course, then at the end of the day, came outside to my bike and tried starting it.  Nothing.  I knew it had gas … checked all the stuff I knew of … kickstand was up.  Crap. Phoned my wife … “What do I do?!?”  Upon her recommendation, I phoned Action Motorcycle, and they ran thru a checklist of things.  One of them was “Did you turn off the “Kill Switch”, a switch on the handlebar the cuts off all connections on the bike and in essence “kills” the engine from working.  I flipped the switch on it, and the bike worked fine.  How embarrassed was I.  I watched a lot of people leave before me too and the parking lot was now empty.  Now I check that switch unconsciously right when I get on the bike each time.  (Lesson Learned: Know your bike before you ride.)

#09 Almost ran out of gas in Port Renfrew (’08) [Dumb]

The first time I did “The Loop” (see my previous Blog post entry), I didn’t realize there was no gas stations in Port Renfrew.  I thought that I certainly had enough gas to make it from Sooke to Port Renfrew, then in Jordan River someone told me I was wrong and that I should have filled up in Sooke.  Crap (can I say that on a blog?).  Anyways, I suddenly made every effort to save as many ounces of fuel I could for the remainder of my journey.  In Port Renfrew I mentioned my misfortune. Interrupting their laughing-fest on my behalf, I asked them if anyone has any gas I can siphon.  I managed to find a guy who ran a fishing charter business who had a huge tank of fuel in his back yard.  I don’t know what grade it was and how many years it had been in there, but I took a chance.  I paid him a fistful of cash for a fillup and was on my way.  I probably would have paid him twice as much, but nonetheless I was able to get across to Lake Cowichan.   (Lesson Learned: Know your route and where gas stops are along the way.  Also fill up when you can if in doubt.)

#08 Dropped bike at a standstill (’15)  [Funny - Scary]‎     ‎ 

Well this one just happened to me last week!  I arrived at work and as I approached the parking lot, I saw my biking friends Lu and Al’s bikes beside each other.  I thought that if I do a tight 360 degree turn, I can park right beside them and get a great “rose-next-to-two-thorns” photo of our bikes.  I got about ¾ the way thru the turn and the weight shifted to the right.  There was hardly enough time to think “Oh crap! (I used this word once, so until I hear I can’t use that on my blog, I’ll keep using), the bike was starting to go on me.  There I was, on the right side of my bike, refusing to let go of my clutch, wondering what my next step is.  I thought that if I release this clutch, my bike is going to lurch forward a foot or so while the engine dies down, … or I can use every ounce of strength to get my bike vertical.  I chose the later to preserve the paint job, got it up on 2 wheels again, hit the kill switch (see #10), reached over to the kickstand on the left side to get it deployed, and gently got the bike leaning on the kickstand.  After assessing any potential damage, the bike only sustained a minor scratch on the corner of the side luggage case.  Wow, was I fortunately.  I never did get a picture of the bikes together.  Had I released the clutch and the bike was still laying down, I guess that would have been a good shot in a way, but I’m glad I chose to risk straining my back (or pull a groin) and lift it up.  Sheesh.   (Lesson Learned: Practice doing tight turns when you get a new bike, before you need to do them.)

#07 Stared at ditch and almost rode right into it (’08) [Scary]

Another “newbie” story.  I hadn’t had my license long when I decided to do a weekend burn out to Mychosen Cafe for brunch, then did a burn out to Gillespie Road (see pinned map below), which is a great road for tuning up your technical cornering skills with some sweeping corners.  On East Sooke Road there is a sharp right-hand turn, which I now know it typically has a fair amount of gravel on it regardless of time of year.  I went to go make the turn, then went “whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa…” … pulled in the clutch and jammed on the brakes and hence the bike straightened up … and was heading for the ditch.  I barely stopped.  I was fortunate obviously for that, but also that there was no on-coming traffic as I went across the other lane.  So scary for me. Over time I’ve learned that instead of clutching (i.e. disengaging the engine) in those situations, acquire the brake (not squeeze the life out of it) to have a more controlled stop or slow-down.  Easier said than done, but comes with a bit of experience.  I swear that Vancouver Island Safety Council training has saved my life a few times, … and maybe even a bit of luck here and there.  The other piece of advice to offer is if you are unsure of road conditions … slow down. Doesn’t matter if you are riding a motorbike, car, scooter or bicycle … same advice applies.   (Lesson Learned: Your bike will go where your eyes are looking.  Keep your eyes on the horizon or as far as you can look ahead.  Also if you aren’t familiar with the road, slow down.)

(above: East Sooke Road close to Gillespie road … tight right hand turn with gravel on it.)

#06 Not wearing rain gear near Kimberly and got soaked (’09) [Dumb - Funny] 

In September of 2009, we were heading south from Fairmont HotSprings in the Columbia River valley and eventually west heading towards Kimberley.  As we passed the small town of Canal Flats, not far from our starting point for the day, it started to rain … harder and harder and harder (and harder).  The rain was so heavy and the road trenches from the trucking tires were now rivers.  I had no choice but to ride in the centre of my lane, the highest point in the road.  Despite being continually warned “don’t ride in the middle … that’s where the oil slick is” … ya well in this case it was the best of both options.  Besides, the oil tends to be disbursed within the first 10-minutes or so of a heavy rain downpour.  Anyways, despite the rain, my wife and I made it to Kimberley.  We were soaked.  We stopped at BJs coffee shop ( www.bjsrestaurant.ca/ to warm up, and the kind owner offered to put our clothes in his dryer.  Went across the street to a t-shirt store, and picked up a bright red shirt with a big puffy white moose on the front of it.  To this day it is my Canada Day shirt that I bring out every year and wear proudly.   (Lesson Learned: If in doubt, put your rain gear on.)  

#05 Gas station I thought was there along I40 was no longer in business (0’11)  [Heartrate Raiser]

In 2011, we took a nice long drive to Sedona, Arizona on the FZ6 … my longest trip so far, a 6,000km journey.  A lot of planning for me went into the trip, especially knowing how far I could make it riding on a tank of gas, and where the best stops would be for gas along the way.  I looked up the closest proximity gas stations on Google based on how far I thought I could get, leaving a bit of spare gas in the tank.  Anyhow, we were off, and on day 3 of our journey from Bakersfield to Sedona, we had filled up in Needles, CA and had lunch.  Needles is about 200 miles (320 kms) west of Flagstaff, so just a bit beyond where I’d be comfortable with, so I planned on stopping at where I thought a gas station was about 50kms west of Seligman.  I say 50kms because it was right where I thought the gas station was that my low fuel light went on.  I think my heartrate started beating very fast and could be felt through my jacket, as my wife suddenly looked over my shoulder and noticed the low fuel light too.  Anyways we continued on, as the closest stop we had passed was Kingman but it was too far back to make it.  I was starting to picture myself walking to the nearest town for a jerrycan of gas, and the vultures would be flying overhead.  I had water though at least in my hydration.  In the end, we made it to Seligman which has Route 66 going through it as well.  I will remember that town’s name, and maybe one day go back and see what else the town has to offer besides gas.    (Lesson Learned: Don’t put total trust in Google.  Maybe do a bit more research before doing remote trips.  Also bring water with you on long rides.)

(above: route from Needles to Flagstaff.  I filled up in Seligman after almost running out of gas.  I will always remember that name … Seligman.)

#04 Rode thru lightning storm in Salt Lake City.(’11) [Scary]

The same trip as above … in 2011 … we were heading back home from Sedona.  Day 2 was to take us from the Grand Canyon up to Salt Lake City.  As we were nearing Salt Lake, we saw the blackest, meanest looking cloudbank that we were on a collision course with.  The skies around us darkened, and it started to rain.  Then the lightning strikes.  I didn’t know what to do … there was so much metal around me with all these container trucks.  Surely they would get hit by lightning before me. I was travelling in the fast lane in an 6-lane highway before the rain hit. After the rain started bouncing off the road surface, and I couldn’t see out of the front of my visor as it was coming down so hard, I decided to move over a few lanes to the right and slow down.  I was also driven to get to the hotel by the fact that I needed to go to the bathroom after a gas/coffee break in Richfield (of which the Chevron station clerk was so nice by offering us a free coffee after we told her of our travelling adventures) and the hotel was clearly the highest probability of getting to a washroom the quickest.  Anyways, I managed to find my turnoff despite low visibility, get to the hotel and jump off the bike.  I asked the concierge where the hotel washroom was and they wanted me to check in before using.  My wife took care of that, and the world was a happy place again.  Gee, does there seem to be a recurring theme here? Getting old I guess.   (Lesson Learned: Well, not sure what the lesson here might be … if you can, don’t ride in lightning storms?  … or take most washroom breaks so you aren’t in a rush to get to your final destination? )

(above: route from Grand Canyon to Salt Lake City.  Surrounded by lightning just south of SLC.)

#03 Touched pipes after riding the bike (’09)  [Dumb - Painful]

Okay, this one goes in the bonehead move award nomination list.  I had washed my bike and I guess some of the polish I had used on my bike pipes hadn’t come off.  After a long ride one weekend, I got off the bike and wondered what the white stuff all over my pipes were, and bent down to wipe off with my finger.  Despite my lightning quick reflexes, my finger was quickly burnt. Dumb, Dumb, Dumb.   (Lesson Learned: Don’t touch anywhere near the engine for 30-minutes after getting off the bike, or run the risk of being a ninny like me and burning yourself.) 

#02 Took a wrong turn in Winthrop, and almost lost my passport (’14)  [Scary - Funny]

Okay this was probably more funny than scary … maybe even a touch of ridiculous.  And for your sake, this is actually 2 “Loser List” events in one item.  So the story begins in Winthrop WA, on Memorial Day weekend in May’14.  My buddy Dave and I decided to get an early start on the day and skip the continental breakfast at our cheap Virginian Hotel and get a real breakfast somewhere on the way home.  So we headed out on a nice Sunday morning … I was taking in all the scenes and farmland … what a great start to the day with the sun on my right side (that should have been our first clue)  just starting to break over the hills.  Eventually we started hitting some parks and before long saw American Flags flying outside campers and tenting areas. Dave and I stopped for a sec (see pic below … the lack of a center line should have been our second clue) … “we must be on the right road” we thought … and kept going.  Not too long after this, a deer crossed the road right between us, then we startled a moose!  Eventually the road ran out on us, and fortunately a truck pass us that we ran up upon down the road.  “Is this anywhere near Highway 20?” we asked him, and he nearly fell over with laughter.  “You are probably closer to Canada just going north a few miles, but with those bikes, you aren’t going to make it.”  We had missed our turn to go west way back in Winthrop!  Okay … that was pretty embarrassing.  But what happened next would have wrecked my day. After talking to the guy in the truck, I started on my way back to WInthrop when suddenly Dave layed into his horn. “Pete, something fell off your bike!” … it was my PASSPORT! and had fallen out of my tankbag in front of me, loosened from when getting directions.  Wow … good eye Dave.  That would have been a headache to have to meet up with the Canadian consulate or something back in Victoria to get back into my own country.  So we headed back with a roar of engines through camping country and farmland in the wee hours of a Sunday morning … which I’m sure there were a lot of happy people woken up … and arrived back in Winthrop at 8:30 … about 2-hours after we left!  I contemplated going back for the Continental Breakfast, but decided to save the embarrassment.  We found our exit and headed east … now about 1-hour being time and having to get to our Keystone Ferry over to Port Townsend at 2:30pm … and made it on time with 10-minutes to spare.  Crazy day.          (Lesson Learned: Re-check your map before hitting the road.  Try to remember the exits you are looking for.  Also a wrong turn isn’t totally wrong … sometimes they turn into a memorable adventure!)

(above: north of Winthrop, somewhere between Interstate 20 turnoff and Canada)

#01 Ran out of gas in Mount Doug Parkway (’08) [Dumb - Funny]

‎After I nearly ran out of gas in Port Renfrew (see “Loser List” item #9), I thought it would be a good idea if I tried testing how far I could go when low fuel light turns on.  When I got the low fuel indicator, I stuck a jerry can with 5-litres of fuel in it in my rear pod and waited.  Unfortunately one day when I was going through Mount Doug Parkway, my engine started sputtering then shut off … in probably the darkest location in the city.  There were no street lights around, and once I pulled the key from the ignition, my running lights shut off.  Hmm.  I felt around for my back pod and for the key slot … found the jerry can … felt back for my gas tank and then for the key opening.  Then I managed to get the nozzle into its pouring position.  Now for anyone that’s seen the gas fight scene from Zoolander, this next part will sound familiar.  Not being able to see anything, I started pouring into where I thought the hole was.  Gas was going everywhere … over my jacket, my bike pants, my bike boots.  I was now one big flammable mess and my stuff smelled like Octane 89 gas for the next few weeks.   (Lesson Learned: Maybe do some research on internet to find this info out, and perhaps just fill up more often to avoid ever running out of fuel.  However I still attest that this was a good exercise to know this info in case #5 ever happens again.)

BONUS 3 ITEMS: Okay I thought of more ... like getting bonus Reward Stars at Starbucks, you get 3 more “Loser List” items you can laugh at ... at my expense of course.

Bonus #1: Tethers not secured properly

I did up the list of 10 items, then remembered one more.  “How could I have forgotten this?!?” Probably the most potentially dangerous event that happened to me occurred in 2010 when going up Vancouver Island.  We had just passed Ladysmith, rounding a bend by the gas station, and suddenly a driver started waving at us and pointing down.  I often get people staring at me when I pass them (notice I didn’t say when I am passed) typically young kids with a fascination for bikes, or older kids with a fascination with anything that has a motor.  Anyways with the waving, it caught my wife’s attention and she looked down, and immediately frantically tapped my leg. I pulled over to the right lane and onto the shoulder.  Getting off the bike I realized the tether had loosened off and the stuff bag that I had on top of my side bags had slipped off the side and had been dragging on the road.  There was now a big hole in the stuff sack, and a pair of my wife’s running shoes suffered major road rash and were ruined.  It then occurred to me to that had the tether caught in the chain drive, the chain would have stopped and catapulted us over the handlebars and down the road.  Scary.   (Lesson Learned: Always have my wife check anything I've secured to the bike before a big trip.

Bonus #2: Glasses left behind

During my 2009 road trip, I stopped at a truck pullout just before getting to Fairmont Hot Springs in eastern BC.  I took off my glasses to get off my helmet and put them in front of me on my tankbag.  We had a break and a look at the map.  Then I got back on my helmet and took off towards our destination.  About 5 miles down the road, I noticed I forgot my glasses, so drove back to the pullout to look around, but they weren’t to be found.  So I rode the rest of the way back home over the next few days without the comfort of being able to read very much.  After this trip, I researched getting contact lenses so this type of incident never happened again. (Lesson Learned: Take my time when getting my gear back on, and check around my bike for things I may have forgotten.)  

Bonus #3: Side stand left up, so set down on top of foot

Same 2009 Road trip ... I was in the parking garage at the hotel in Whistler village.  I put my Yamaha FZ6 on its centre stand so I could secure the luggage and bags to the bike.  Unfortunately I forgot to put the side stand up when putting the bike on the centre stand, so when I pushed the bike forward to get the bike off the centre stand, the lowered side stand drove down hard into my left foot.  I would already have been a bad thing to happen as I had an extra 100 lbs loaded onto it, so it was probably about 600 lbs dropping on my foot, but making it worse was the fact that I had just had major surgery on my foot in 2008, so was still very much healing from that.  It hurt SO much!  I think I used every 4-letter bad word I could think of at the time ... some repeated many times. (Lesson Learned: Every time I put my bike up on its centre stand, e.g. when I wash my bike or do maintenance on it, I always check to ensure the side stand is up.)  

Well, there you have it folks.  I think I’ve ridiculed myself enough for one day.  I probably have more tales, but I gotta leave a few for future blog entries one day. I’m sure I’ll have more to add to this list the more I ride. That’ll have to be a new “sequel” list.

[provexcel]

How’s the New Bike?

“So How’s the Bike?”

“Pete, you’ve had the bike over a month now.  How is it?”  I am often asked this by friends and co-workers.  

TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT:

Well, since taking home the bike for the first time April 15th, I’ve been having a lot of fun with it.

Here are some of the stats so far: 

I know, I know  … *yawn*.    Okay, so you don’t like my long stories so far?

“What I mean is, how has your experience on the bike been?  Tell us some stories!”

Well first off, I always have a biking story.  Most of the time though it’s a laugh at my expense.  

Here’s one.  So as I was getting set to pick up my bike, I was thinking of getting a new tank bag.  The tank bag is like a big purse … a biker’s purse.  It holds a lot of things that you want to keep handy for when you are riding, and usually has a clear plastic sleeve on top to hold a map for your journey, and has a variety of pockets and pouches to store things, such as wallet, passports, pens, keys, Tylenol, chargers, bandages, duct tape, tools, side stand disks, … okay it really is a purse, isn’t it!?!  My old one even has a spot for a hydration bag / tube to be able to keep hydrated on long journeys.  

I had looked around at a variety of motorcycle shops for one, but couldn’t find one that was big enough but wasn’t too big.   I went into the BMW store to see what options they had for my bike.  They asked what kind of criteria I had in mind for it … I told them “Oh about 10-12 litres, carrying strap, magnetic as I don’t like the strap on kind…”  They were chuckling a bit though as they then informed me that the magnetic one wasn’t possible, as the bike “tank” (which isn’t really a tank as the fuel is on the back right portion of my motorbike) is plastic, not metal.  Darn, well there goes a whole bunch of research out the window. As I don’t want straps, I’ve decided to forego the tank bag in the end.  I’ve got enough pockets in my jacket, and lots of space in my side and top cases.  

I’ve installed a new GIVI 52 litre top case using an adapter plate to fit my specific bike.  52 litres is pretty big, but it now fits my extra big helmet.  Also offsets having to settle for smaller bags on my bike compared to my last one. Loving the extra space so far. Also put on new windscreen as the wind buffering was making my neck hurt, and was also hitting my shoulders. A few years ago, in 2011, Lisa and I took a trip down to Grand Canyon.  It was a great trip, but unfortunately it’s had a permanent effect on my shoulders that is often worked on by my physical therapist.  The new windscreen nicely diverts around me and creates a nice still pocket of air in front of me.

Weird thing about some bikes … I wonder how they decide to go with a certain style of windscreen or kickstand.  The windscreen the F800GT came with would force the rider to always ride in a tuck position in high speeds.  There is no way that an average sized rider would be able to go beyond 100kmph without feeling an impact from the wind on their shoulders and neck.  And the kickstand!? … what’s with the size of it that is smaller than a pin-head.  Do they not know that there’s 600-700lbs of weight on the bike when fully loaded?  

I also put on a tank pad which sticks on the portion of the tank right in front of where pant belts would sit and protects it so the tank doesn’t get scratched by belt buckles.  I purchased a cheap version of one from Action Motorcycles for $15, but got ridiculed by my wife for spending so much on the motorbike, then taking the cheap route for the tank pad.  So I went back out the next day and picked up the $25 model.  Sheesh.

My inaugural trip was on the weekend of Apr 18th, just a few days after getting the bike. Stopped for lunch at the Rock Cod Café … great place to have lunch.  Good food, at a good price.  However they’ve changed my favourite dish.  Instead of being Chowder in a bread bowl.  It is more like a bread bowl sitting in a mess of chowder.  Not sure why they have to pour chowder around the outside of the bowl, then put it on a plate to serve.  Oh well, I suppose I shouldn’t complain about getting too much chowder.  (Trip Info: Victoria to Cowichan Bay - 119kms – 1:45 – 68kmph Avg)

The next day I was out washing my bike for the 1st time.  I think I’ve washed about 6 times so far.  That’s what happens when you get a new vehicle.  I’m sure the washing habit will wear off over time.  Looks so shiny though.  The first time washing, it was weird that I didn’t have any chain to lubricate, therefore no oily rags.  Awesome.  However the pollen is still dropping, so every day I go out to my bike after work and there’s a sheet of powder on it.  

I am slowly getting used to the throttle.  It is very sensitive and tends to want to take off really fast if I’m not careful. Don’t want to lose my wife off the back of it!  However with the top case, that should help keep her on.  Oh, and I also like the centre stand on the F800GT … much easier to get it up onto the stand than my old FZ6.      

The bike is getting funner and funner to ride.  Cornering is great, speed is awesome and nice to have a little extra to give if a passing scenario comes up.  Heated grips has been nice to have on a few cool rides up the west coast of the island.

I still have to figure out which gas is truly best. Or rather acceptable for my bike. I was told 94 octane, but I've found that pretty limiting in my selecting a suitable has station that I can find a high enough octane grade at. So far I've only filled at Chevron, as the gas at Costco or easily doesn't have high enough octane levels.  However today I was told the 91 Octane is the way to go as it is in its purest state when shipped as is from the fuel producers.  94 Octane has additives to bring it to that level. Also I’ve heard the Techron line is not necessary a good line to have in your bike.  So I’m tempted to go with the 91 Octane fuel from now on, which will open up my options for fuel fillups.

At end of April we stopped at the Malahat restaurant which a friend from high school owns. Such a great view; great food too. Don't recall ever stopping there, but I'm glad I did this time.  Then we carried on to Ladysmith and met my niece Ashley and her kids.  One of her kids, at only 4yrs old, is an avid lover of any vehicle that looks nice, mainly big trucks, sports cars, and seems to like my motorbike.  Looking forward to getting him on the back of the bike and doing a bit of a ride one day.  Anyways, went out to the BeanTime Café, a nice little coffee shop in Ladysmith, for some hot chocolate and cookies.  Afterwards we headed off north to Bowser for a visit with my father-in-law.  After dinner we headed home.  I recall it being the Vancouver Canucks last game in the playoffs as the roads were ultra quiet with everyone watching the game, but then when we approached home back in Victoria, the game ended and a multitude of cars hit the road.  Many grumpy faces out there.  (Trip Info: Victoria to Bowser and return – 377kms – 4:40 – 81kmph Avg).

  (Above: Malahat Chalet restaurant.)

A few weeks ago, we went to Mazatlan, Mexico with the kids.  Although the trip is outside the scope of this blog focus, the one thing to mention is that there are motorbikes everywhere … and nobody wearing helmets. Most bikes are less than 100cc, probably due to licencing issues, so don’t go super fast, but fast enough that it would hurt in an accident.  I concluded that this is one place I probably never want to ride.  I was informed that in February of every year, there is a big motorcycle rally event that goes on in Mazatlan, and many people from US and Canada appear each year.  Perhaps I’ll make it down there one year on my bike, but it’s a long haul from British Columbia. 4,000 one way!  The longest distance I’ve ever travelled on a bike is 1,000, but that was on a major US interstate highway from Grants Pass down to Bakersfield.  I’m sure it would take me a lot slower pace to get down to Mazatlan.

(Above: One of many small engine bikes I saw around Mazatlan, Mexico.)

When I got back from Mexico, I took the motorbike into BMW for its 1,000 Km tune-up, and get some new LED lighting put on.  Couldn’t believe that it took 2 hours of labour for a new bike to get tuned up. At $110/hr, the final bill came to $342! Wow.  Anyways, the bike is sounding really good now.  I also got a new cover for it to replace my well worn old one.  Great to have a cover with cinches on it to get a nice snug fit to prevent it blowing off in wind gusts.  

Last week, on May 19th, I got to work, and saw Lu and Al’s bikes there, so I tried to do a clockwise tight 360 to park right beside them so I could take a photo of our three bikes side by side.  Somehow the weight got away from me … and the bike tipped over when I stopped!  My hand was still on the clutch, and I was able to right the bike, hit the kill switch, manually push down the kickstand, and set down the bike properly.  No scratches other than the right rear pod got scraped a bit.  Had I released the clutch, the bike would have lurched forward and done damage to the faring.  

On May 22, I did the Loop with Lu, Al, Shannon, Peter and David (see my last blog entry “The Ride” (http://provexcel.tumblr.com/post/119745665746/the-loop). (Highlights ... 276 Kms in 235Min (3.92 hrs) ... average pace of 70.47kms/hr.    Fastest Leg: Port Renfrew to Big Tree (87kms/hr) ... with close 2nd going between Mesachie to Duncan Starbucks (86.4kms/hr). )

(Above: Port Renfrew outside Coastal Kitchen Cafe.)

My next trip is on June 4th up to Penticton to visit my mom for a bit, then Dave Friesen and I are taking a road trip June 6th and 7th, which I will feature in a future entry.  We met last week to map out our route which will cover Kaslo, Nakusp, Vernon, Merritt, Whistler … and 1800 kilometer trip that will double my current odometer reading! Looking forward to sharing more about that journey.

Well, that’s about it … my first month or so with the new bike.  To make a long story short … Loving it so far!   

(Above: New bike with higher windscreen, cases and LED lighting added.)

[provexcel]

The Loop

Yesterday I went on my first group ride of the year.  I classify a group ride anything over 50kms when travelling with 1 or more additional rider. This ride was with 5 other motorcyclists ... most from my work building ... Lu, Al, Shannon, Peter and David.  In addition to the ‘15 F800GS that I ride, Lu’s on his ‘98 Honda VFR800, Al’s on a ‘13 Suzuki VStrom 650, Shannon’s on a ‘07 Kawasaki Versys 650, Peter’s is a 2010 Kawasaki Versys 650, and David rides a BMW ‘15 G650GS.

The ride we did yesterday is referred to as “The Loop” ... as really there is only 1 good loop to do from Victoria.  There are other long rides ... out the Peninsula, up around Cowichan, or around Shawnigan Lake to name a few, but when you zoom out on a map, they don’t have that “Loop” appearance.  

Here’s a map of The Loop provided by our friends Google:

So starting from Victoria, the loop goes to the west coast past the town of Sooke, along to Jordan River, then along to Port Renfrew where we typically stop for lunch.  Then the road heads eastward, along Harris Creek mainline which was historically a logging route.  Once hitting Lake Cowichan, we head east to Duncan for a quick coffee, then back south home to VIctoria.  The Loop can also be done counter-clockwise of course, but I prefer the views going clockwise.  Also the more technical piece is along the west coast of the island so I prefer to tackle that at the start of the ride, then finish the day with an easy run down the Island Highway from Duncan to Victoria.

My day yesterday started with a 6:00AM spin class at VI Fitness.  Perhaps not the best way to start the day prior to a long ride, (a) due to fatigue afterwards and it’s best to be alert as possible for any long journey, (b) achiness (is that a real word? not according to my spellcheck) in my legs then having to sit in a saddle all day long and (c) after consuming 2-litres of fluids during a spin class then hopping on a motorbike it means every stop I was looking for a bathroom (or tree).

After spin class, and resting a bit watching a few episodes of Big Bang Theory (I am catching up as I just starting watching about 7-years after being on TV, and am now hooked), I got myself prepared by having some extra clothing layers packed, and, believe it or not, some extra water.  Despite having plugged every portion of my insides with fluids, I never want to take a road trip without being able to have a few sips along the way to stay hydrated.  You might also have an unfortunate breakdown where you least expect it, so besides water, it might be a good idea to bring an apple and a few granola or energy bars.  I also make sure my emergency supplies are with me, such as first aid kit, flashlight, toolkit, ducttape, and even a spare cellphone battery.

I filled up with gas at Chevron as they are one of the few places that have the grade of fuel I need for my motorbike, the 94 Octane variety.  It is only a few cents more than the other levels, but my bike seems to sound better using it and the dealers recommended it too.  Maybe they get a cut from the fuel dealers, but regardless I chose to conform in this case.

Meeting up with most of the riders at UVic stadium parking lot (Lu, Shannon and Al), we proceeded to motor out McKenzie to the Island Hwy, then turned off at Colwood to pick up Peter at the 6-Mile Pub.  Then headed out Sooke Road and stopped at the Sooke Petrocan to meet our final group ride participant, David, as well as have a fuel fillup and, you guessed it, a bathroom break.  Note: after this gas station, there’s no stations until Lake Cowichan ... so if you are unsure how much gas is in your tank, get it here!  I’ve run out of gas in Port Renfrew, ... managed to find a boat owner to sell me some gas, taking a chance on its quality, and paying about twice as much as I would have at a regular gas station.  Oh well ... lesson learned.

Then we were off.  Heading right from Petrocan, we headed along Otter Point Road, a good warmup for the day.  It is a nice windy, up and down, side to side route that bypasses Sooke and gets some technical practice in.  Have to be careful at this time of year due to some gravelly spots.  There’s even a few good hills along Otter Point Road that if you go fast enough, you can get airborne! :)  

Sooke Road is always pretty put-put-puttery ... so when we finally get past Sooke, the road gets quieter and clearer, so our pace gets faster.  As we pass Point-No-Point Resort south of Jordan River, there are a few straight stretches that you can really open up the throttle and go really, really fast. I think I could even hear Lu yelling “Wooooooooo!!!” over the high revs of his Honda VFR800.  The roads were quiet, and being a Friday there wasn’t the usual trucks lining the roads waiting for their ATV riders to come back.  

Once we hit Jordan River, we crossed the bridge past the campground ... recently closed due to fear of potential Tsunami surges, but has now reopened probably due to public outcry of the closure... and stopped in front of a shut-down restaurant.  I’ve seen a few restaurants open, and close, over the years there ... but none can make a go of it as the seasonal patrons aren’t enough to keep it going.  

Here’s a view from Jordan River looking southward ... low tide.

Note: for anyone wanting to venture beyond Jordan River, a word of caution as you are heading up the hill just outside the community.  At the top of the hill you make a left-hand turn (see circled area on map below).  The road appears to open up, but is only a lure to draw you into a potential ditch or fence.  I’ve seen many tire tracks and skid marks here showing where people have wiped out.  Even knowing its there, I still have to concentrate so I don’t undershoot the corner.  Anyways, just thought I’d mention.  You can thank me later.

It’s only about 30-minutes to ride from Jordan River to Port Renfrew.  On the way is a technical, twisty section of road, however at this time of year it tends to be a bit worn away and bumpy, still showing the effects of the winter weather and trucks that frequent the route.  It’s one of my favourite parts of the Loop though.  I can’t help to think every time through all the improvements they’ve made to the road over the years that I’ve ridden it.  So many areas have been resurfaced.  A few years ago, they put in a bypass route around Sombrio to replace a worn-out bridge section that makes that portion of road much safer and much faster.  

Approaching Port Renfrew, we hit a fog back and every hill we went over, we seemed to fly into the clouds.  The moisture on the ground increased, and hence our speed decreased.  However it wasn’t around long and by the time we got to Port Renfrew it disappeared.  

We soon arrived at our destination for lunch ... The Coastal Kitchen Cafe. I’ve eaten here a few times, but never for lunch, only breakfast.  They had a good selection of choices for lunch, and my lunch (burger) tasted great.  It was a good chance to talk to my fellow riders, and warm ourselves with a hot drink before having to hit the road again.  Oh, and if you are wanting an internet signal in Port Renfrew, you have to look around.  Wasn’t one in this restaurant, but I know the Port Renfrew Hotel has free wifi.  

After leaving Port Renfrew, we started east towards Lake Cowichan.  The first time I went through this route in 2008, there was about 10-kilometers that were unpaved and there was quite a bit of gravel ... some parts were very deep.  Now the road is great ... and fast.  The start of the segment is quite bumpy though as you pass by Fairy Lake, which has a cute (and that’s probably the last time I say “cute” in my blog) little tree that is growing on a log sticking out of the water (see photo below).  Not much of a spot to stop for a photo op, but if you’re quick you can get in a quick snapshot of it.  Then you pass by Lizard Lake that has quite a few campers looking for a remote camping getaway.    

About 1/2 way from Port Renfrew to Lake Cowichan, we stopped at what is known by riders as “The BIg Tree”.  Lu always laughs at me when we stop here as I undoubtedly try to take a photo of it, and it never turns out very well as it’s too big to fit in the photo.  Anyways, for anyone who hasn’t seen it, it’s worth the stop ... at least once.  It’s a huge Spruce tree ... which I bet there’s some wood products company just drooling over it wishing they could cut it down.  For those that have already seen it, they tend to zoom by though.  It’s a good collection point though to get all the riders in your group back together again.

Here we are parked outside the entrance to access the Big Tree. 

 Leaving the Big Tree, the road opens up again, and there’s some good straight stretches to test my new windscreen for how well it re-directs the wind at high speeds.  It seems to do the trick.  

We collected again at the T in the road where the Harris Creek mainline ends and the Cowichan Lake road begins.  It’s about 5 to 10 minutes from here to the town of Lake Cowichan ... and about 35 minutes from Duncan along the Old Lake Cowichan Road.  This is a  great alternative from the usual high speed Route 18 that most drivers take.  It’s a bit “slower” but a lot more scenic to go along the Old Lake Cowichan Road.  Lu and I swapped bikes for this segment of our journey.  

In Duncan, we stopped for a quick break at Starbucks.  Afterwards we parted ways and made our way through a busy Duncan rush hour ... worsened by it being a Friday afternoon.  On a motorbike however, it is a chance to test low speed throttle and clutch control, and it is fun trying to make it through town taking advantage of smaller spaces cars wouldn’t fit into.   

Eventually making it home at about 4:30pm.   It was a great trip, good weather, and another awesome chance to hang out with some fellow bikers, improving our skills and seeing some amazing scenery that I wouldn’t have experienced otherwise without riding the motorbike. 

Below are some of the stats from my journey.  I log all trips over 50kms, and this one definitely made the cut.

 Summarizing this info above are the following key trip elements:

Highlights ... 

·       Distance: 276 Kms

·       Duration: 235 Min (3.92 hrs)

·       Average pace:  70.47 kms/hr.    

·       Fastest Leg: Port Renfrew to Big Tree (87kms/hr) ... with close 2nd going between Mesachie to Duncan Starbucks (86.4kms/hr). 

Until next time, hope you get out and explore some of our great surroundings around the province.  Looking forward to hearing all about your road trip adventures one day!

[provexcel]

New Bike - Purchase Influences

I’ve now shared some pictures of my old bike, and explained the reasons for getting a new one.  Thought I’d share my considerations when deciding on which new motorbike was best for me.  

I started by creating two lists: 

What I liked about the old motorbike (FZ6)

What I wanted in a new one … the good stuff from the old, plus wish lists of things which would have been nice along the way.

1. Some of the things I liked on my old Yamaha FZ6 were:

large volume of luggage space … Top case had 46 litres, and each side bag was 35 litres, for a total of 116 litres. Needed lots of space for touring, and enough room to bring home my laptop from work. 

hand protection from wind/rocks … I liked the protection my hands had, mainly as a buffer against the wind, especially during the colder months of the year.  Also occasionally the hand guards protected me from rocks that were coming my way.   I have well padded motorbike gloves but it still hurts when the bike is travelling at 120 kmph, and the rock is coming at you at 100 kmph.  

gas mileage - I liked how I could get 350 kms or so highway driving out of a tank of gas.  Very useful in those occasions going across desert highways and not being sure when the next fillup is going to be.

fuel tank size - linked to the gas mileage I guess … 19.5 litre tank is a good size in comparison to bikes of similar styles. It's saved me a few times from running out of gas when I knew I should have filled at that last stop.  Lesson learned … another story, another day.

foot pegs comfortable position - the pegs were at a good location for long trips … close to under the knee, not too far back, and not too far forward

handle bar not too low / not too high - the handle bar was at the right height … felt much like being on a mountain bike.  

Some of the things I wanted when getting a new bike were:

Comfortable Seat - those long trips are tough using the stock seat that comes with the bikes

Ease of add-on - auxiliary outlets (eg. Heated vests)

More power than my FZ6 - something that can hit the higher speed levels with less workup time.

Keeping weight down for commuting purposes (not too big)

Good low speed control, but good high speed that it doesn’t seem over worked

Heated grips - for those cold winter months of riding.

Looking sporty, but not too low down seating

Visibility (clothing and/or bike lighting/reflection/colour)

Centre stand - for times when I'm needing to do bike maintenance, or when the ground looks too soft for just the side stand.

Traction control

Suspension adjustable

Sound - not too loud - already need earplugs at higher rpms. Don't want to go deaf.

1000C or less in displacement size.  For both insurance purposes and for control at city driving speeds.

Passenger side handles … either for somewhere to hold onto, or somewhere to attach things to the bike.

Potential GPS connectivity - ease of attaching things to the bike, either by location of battery, or places on bike to plug into.

Pipes and engine parts not too low … didn't want bottoming out issues.

Good wind protection - buffering against our head and shoulders has been an issue in the past.

Helmet clips for side of bike - so we don't need to carry our helmets with us when we have a pit stop.

I looked at few bikes ...  Ones that met the style I liked, price, and criteria.  I considered used ones, but seem to go back to the new ones with the warranties they offer, and I know they haven't been dropped and slid across the pavement somewhere.  

The three I narrowed it down to were the Yamaha FJ09, Honda VFR800 and the BMW F800GT.  The FJ09 had a gold plating on the forks that didn't seem to fit in with the rest of the bike colours , plus it was cherry red ... wasn’t too font of the colour.  The VFR was actually too expensive, even when compared to the BMW. I would also have had to wait for demo days at Action or SG Power to test the bikes I liked.  

However at Island BMW, I could test any bike, they had bikes that met the colour criteria, and the price was much better. And after a few test drives, a solo ride in late March and another in early April with my wife, we decided the F800GT met most of our criteria on our list.    It was missing the helmet clips, and the wind protection wasn't as much, but these are easy workarounds that can be easily resolved.  It also had less space in the bags, but we ordered a larger top case to offset the reduced side bag space.

So we settled on the F800GT.  It was ordered in early April and arrived on April 15th ... in a box.   Didn’t realize it comes in a box!  I’ll add some photos. 

Overhead view of F800GT.  Still some work to do on it before turning it over to the new owner (me!).  :)

New F800GT straight out of the box ... some assembly required.  :)

Finished product ... Apr 15th.

[provexcel]

Top Left: Port Hardy ‘13

Top Right: South of Spence Bridge ‘14 - 80,000 Kms

Bott Left: Heading Home ‘14 

Bott Right: Saying goodbye to the FZ6 Apr’15 ... sad day.  :(

[provexcel]

[provexcel]

Upper: Port Renfrew Hotel

Top Row L-R: 1. Yellow Lake near Okanagan’10, 2. Naramata’10, 3. Harris Creek’10

Middle Row L-R: 1. 40000 Km Mark, 2. Mt Shasta in background ‘11, 3. Jerome AZ 50,000 kms

Bottom Row L-R: 1. Sedona ‘11, 2. Grand Canyon ‘11 , 3. Sedona ‘11.

[provexcel]

Top: ‘08 Yamaha FZ6 (Fazer)

Top L-R - 1. me on FZ6 on day of purchase 2. Sasquatch perhaps?  Between Port Renfrew and Lake Cowichan on bridge above Harris Creek. 3. Hurricane Ridge

Middle L-R - 1. 10,000 Kms at Sidney by the Sea, 2. Duffy Lake’09, 3. Salmon Arm ... last time I ever tented on a motorbike trip. 

Bottom L-R - 1. Nancy Greene Parkway at 20,000Km mark, 2. Penticton BC getting on a fully loaded bike. 3. by McNeill bay where chairs sit on point ... 30,000 Kms.

[provexcel]

I BOUGHT A NEW MOTORBIKE!

So I was looking to buy a new bike.  I guess the title gives it away that I bought one.  

My old one, a 2008 Yamaha FZ6, was starting to show a lot of wear.  After 4 sets of tires, which I changed out after every 17,000 kms or so, it needed a new set once again.  Besides it's usual spring tuneup, it required another set of chain and sprocket as well.  Really starting to run rough at low speeds.  The tank bags were also leaking on the left side … nothing that couldn't be resolved short term with a plastic bag, but annoying not being able to keep gear in it (chain lube, rags, bungee net, visors… things I like to keep with the bike.   It had about 87,000 kms of distance on it too … about 13,000 per year.  It was hard to part with though.  After that distance I really got to know the Fazer … every sound, knock, ping, rattle, …   I liked the high pitched sound it made at about 7500 rpms, going along a straight stretch, and the fit of it seemed to be perfect for me style wise.    It had brought so many great trips for my wife Lisa and I over the years.  I don't have a list compiled of the top 10 trips I've taken on the FZ6 in terms of distance … but I do have the top 10 months of travel since having the bike and generally the areas that were covered in that month from the city I live in, ... Victoria, BC, Canada.  

Here it is, with a brief description of the destinations for those months:

So as mentioned, I am giving up my old bike for a new one.  So this blog is to share basically 3 areas of my journey:

my day-to-day experiences and observations 

some trip planning and documenting my journeys

stats.  as you will learn about me, if you don’t already know, it’s all about the stats.

By the way, here is a photo of my old bike ... 2008 Yamaha FZ6, with 87,000 kms put on it.  So many memories. *sigh*

By the way, did I mention stats?  I like to track ‘em .... lots of them.  So when I started biking, I had access to a ton of more stat material.  

Here’s the litres per every 100 kilometers ... clearly a metric devised by salespeople to put a positive spin on fuel consumption.  Why not just kilometers per litre ... something we all understand?!?  Oh well ... since its used by bike magazines and websites everywhere, here were the stats for my FZ6 ... roughly 5.8 litres per every 100kms.  Not the best around, but much better than any car could achieve.  

Okay ... another, more practical view is perhaps the Average Kilometers per Litre ... now that I can relate to.  If I put X litres of fuel in my tank, how far can I go.  If I get 17.2 kilometers per litre ... and can fit 19 litres into my tank, then my range is about 325kms or so.   Now there’s a useful stat ... and for a guy that’s run out of fuel a few times, even more applicable.  I’ll get into some of those stories one day.  

This next graphic is perhaps one I’m not as proud of, but maybe just a natural occurence.  Perhaps when anyone gets a new bike, they ride ride ride it as much as possible to get used to it, and show it off to their friends ... maybe go on a few long journeys ... then it tends to sit a bit more.  For me, it was on a steady declining balance with a set of long trips (see chart above), then levelling off towards amounts equal to my weekly commute, which I’ll get into more details of later as well. 

Anyways, come back for more stories, trip planning and stats in upcoming entries.  Feel free to ask questions, suggest tips for content, or just provide your own comments and observations.  I look forward to sharing my experiences.