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PJPR01

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Posts posted by PJPR01

    The great disparity in obtaining your Motorcycle Driver's license depending on which country you want to get it... share your experience!

    in Special place for banter and conversation

    Posted

    On 12/29/2020 at 9:21 AM, p6x said:

    In Europe, previously, you could ride up to 125cc with just your car driver's license. You also need an endorsement nowadays.

    To me, the biggest ripoff is the obligation to get a so-called "inspection". Motorbike owners don't take risks with poorly maintained bikes, because their lives are at play.

    And to register the Le Mans in Texas, I need to get the inspection here. Even if it was already inspected in Florida.

     

    Moto Inspections cost a whopping $7 bucks in Houston...MPH did my inspections for years but any car place can do them as well.  Sometimes where I take my cars they don’t even charge me for the 3 Guzzi inspections

    • Like 1

    Advice request: Biker's equipment from head to toe for a (old) principiante in H'town Texas (Yee Haa?)

    in Special place for banter and conversation

    Posted

    Well...in that case, we shall have to throw a welcome party Docc and have a proper escort at the Texas / Louisiana line!  

    My suggestion wasn't to prescribe anything specific, other than some OTC pain killers as I sure as hell can imagine the kink in the neck after a few hundred miles on an unfamiliar bike in a new riding position...

    Anyway...by all means disregard the suggestion if it causes any harm, just speaking from experience here...  :)

    • Thanks 1

    Advice request: Biker's equipment from head to toe for a (old) principiante in H'town Texas (Yee Haa?)

    in Special place for banter and conversation

    Posted

    1 hour ago, docc said:

    Okay, okay - that is all fun, but riding an unknown V11 from Florida to Texas in January is serious stuff.

    Wear what you want (I would not go without my Roadcrafter and Alpinestar boots), but take a pocketful of High Current OMRON relays and make certain the battery has been properly conditioned (or ship one ahead with a correct charger).

     

    ...and a pocketful of Advils as well as preventative (take them before you start to hurt), and plenty of hydration.  Personally, I would avoid I-10 as much as possible and go on parallel highways.  

    First thing I'd look at would be the tires too, and check their pressure AND age (so maybe bring a small plug kit and mini air compressor that hooks up to a cigarette lighter with you as well), and possibly a mini Lithium jump starter.  

    Advice request: Biker's equipment from head to toe for a (old) principiante in H'town Texas (Yee Haa?)

    in Special place for banter and conversation

    Posted

    17 minutes ago, p6x said:

     

    From what I understood, long rides on the 2004 Le Mans may be uncomfortable due to the foot pegs position, and the slightly forward position of the body.

    Am I going to need wrists support?

    No...but you're going to need reasonably good abdominals and back muscles so that you can support yourself in that riding position comfortably...if ever there were a bike that encourages "core" muscle development, it's the V11 Variant.

    :)

    • Like 1
    • Haha 1

    Advice request: Biker's equipment from head to toe for a (old) principiante in H'town Texas (Yee Haa?)

    in Special place for banter and conversation

    Posted

    1 hour ago, p6x said:

    Hi Paul,

    I am usually around 13+ for shoe size, depending on the brand. Medium/large for helmet; but again, some helmets are uncomfortable when wearing prescription glasses.

    I live at the limits of Spring Valley.

    I never imagined there was so many Guzzisti enthusiasts in Texas. I have been a couple of times to the Lonestar Rally in Galveston, and mainly saw HD's and Japanese bikes.

    Again, thanks for the information.

    Ok...good to hear.  Boots are definitely out then.  I have a practically brand new Nolan XL that might interest you (not modular), and if it fits, it's yours for a coffee and pastry at Fellinis and a small donation to the site here.  The guy who owned it (also Guzzisti, passed away a couple years ago) wore it two or 3 times and he also wore glasses....It's as if it were brand new.  Can send pics if you are interested.

    Spring Valley - got it!  I lived in Spring Branch less than 1/4 mile away from Spring Valley for about 5 years, still have my house down there, but we live now on the NW side again.  (Bingle/Westview area).  By the way, I presume you know that MPH (Park Row and I-10) is where you can still get great service help for your Guzzi - I presume you're familiar with Mike Haven's long history as one of the best Guzzi dealers in the U.S., but if not, he's just down the highway from you for any service or parts needs, even though he doesn't sell new bikes anymore.  Davey is the mechanic who works on Guzzis now at MPH.

    Hope the fly and ride goes well!

    A few other Guzzisti live out towards Katy, when we ride out to Brookshire or Fayetteville, we'll rope in those guys to join us from time to time.

    P.D.  Down in Texas, note that it's Yee Haw, rather than Yee-Haa!  These are important cultural nuances, as I'm sure you know!  (I'm a Californian, living in Texas for more than 23 years now!

    Ci vediamo pronto as they say... :)

     

    • Like 1

    Advice request: Biker's equipment from head to toe for a (old) principiante in H'town Texas (Yee Haa?)

    in Special place for banter and conversation

    Posted

    11 hours ago, p6x said:

    I am becoming a rider again, after so many years of being inactive...

    I need to equip myself properly, and I am only familiar with a lot of oldies brands, the ones that everyone can name from memory. However, this is 2020, and there maybe other brands that are just as good.

    First of all, where do you shop for rider's gear? is Cycle Gear a good start?

    Do any of you ride with an "air bag" jacket? as in Dainese Smart Jacket?

    Is "BILT" a good brand? never heard about it before.

    I do not compromise with safety. I always ride with all the necessary PPE, and with risk, my motto is ALARP/A (As low as reasonably possible/achievable). That being said, Texas is hot and humid most of the year. I would be great to get advice and recommendation for those of you who don't ride in shorts, T shirts and flip flops...

    Thanks for chiming in...

     

     

     

    To be fair, it's only hot and humid here in Houston during the summer months, which is why you'll likely need to have gear for summer (lighter weight or mesh) vs. gear that works the rest of the year or can be used with layers.  Anywhere else in Texas will be hot, but much less humidity once you get away from the coast a bit.

    If you're looking for good brands to try, you can find lots of good gear on Ebay also, whether that's Fieldsheer, Kathmandu style jackets, Aerostitch, Joe Rocket, Alpinestar or Klim gear.  Best way would be to figure out if you're sticking to a budget.  Depending on what size gear you wear or helmet, I have some very lightly used extra boots (I think size 10.5, will check) and practically brand new helmet (Nolan in XL) that a friend of mine no longer uses and they are too big for my use.  If those are in your sizes, happy to have you take a look.  Occasionally also on Wildguzzi a fellow by the name of Bikelee has very good deals pop up on high quality gear, I've bought a few of his items...impeccable, very lightly used high quality Aerostitch items.  You can also look online for gear thru many online motorcycle vendors...tons of gear available at reasonable prices.

    Depending on where you are in Houston, let me know and can arrange to show you the gear.  Once you get your bike in your hands and are comfortable riding again, there are several of us Guzzisti who go out regularly for weekend rides/coffee/lunch.  

    Hopefully in 2021, the rallies will resume as well, there's the GRIT rally (you can also sign up on Facebook for the GRIT - Guzzi Riders in Texas) site, where we post up if we're doing a lunch somewhere around the state.  October is when the Texas GRIT rally occurs, also the Oklahoma rally (Talihina state park) and then there's Cedar Vale Kansas in May, Louisiana rally, New Mexico rally etc...)  So if you can get your V11 and self into a comfortable touring condition, those are fun events to meet other Guzzisti.

    Cheers,

    Paul

    • Like 2
    • Thanks 1

    Scura Lollipop mirrors -

    in Personal Ads

    Posted

    Thanks Footgoose!  Nice history there!

     

    Indeed...I just did a major garage overhaul (sealing the floor, painting the walls and installing some overhead racks) and now going thru a few hidden pockets of items, I may even find a few more "goodies" to offer up...although some of them will be for other Guzzis not just V11's.  Happy to help these items find a good home for items I am sure I won't use.

    Cheers and Merry Xmas all!

    • Like 2

    Buying a Stelvio

    in Newer models

    Posted

    Those tire pressures are far too low...your mileage is going to suck and quite honestly, unless you're riding offroad and want some absorption from fire roads, you're going to wear out your tires prematurely.  If the bike is vibrating at normal pressures, there's something wrong, lowering the pressure is just masking the issue.

    • Like 1

    Buying a Stelvio

    in Newer models

    Posted

    The items you are describing could be easily cured with a Guzzidiag session, resetting TPS and parameters and balancing throttle bodies properly.  Bike should be smooth enough to ride w/o that vibration, so unless something  is amiss, probably a tuneup is in order.    Post some pics when you can...Stelvio's are lovely bikes indeed.  Did it come with the 8.5 gallon tank or the smaller one?

    Side Stand Switch Not Killing

    in Technical Topics

    Posted

    The guys at Baxley must be V11 fans, notice that their Black one is called "Black Crinkle"...just perfect for the engine paint on the Scura.   Very appropriate!

    Looks like they have a whole line up of colors, might just have to get a Red one for my Red/Black Griso too!

     

    • Like 1

    Side Stand Switch Not Killing

    in Technical Topics

    Posted

    John....if you had a high quality wheel chock, you could take all of the pressure off the side stand while keeping it vertical and Bev could be drinking a cool one instead of holding the bike for you!  I always park the Scura in the chock just as a safety precaution rather than leaving it on the side stand.

    • Like 2
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