EMS: Essential Motorcycle Services BBQ bike nite

Yesterday there was a break in the weather. The rain finally stopped and the sun came out just in time for our second bike night of the season



Of course I rode my mighty V-strom there and undressed to my shorts and comfortable Crocs© . The first bike night got more or less, rained out, but today there were so many bikes that they were fighting for parking space. I recognize many faces from previous meets, but I only know a handful of names.


Cheri "Blue"

Here's Cheri, she is riding her blue custom painted Concours. This is not her only bike. Many years ago I belonged to a smaller group called VROMBC.com and Julia started a girl's riding group known as "The Flying Swan Hot Chicks". They still meet on Tuesday nights and go for rides during the summer. They don't post their rides as they don't want males crashing their scene. They have a discrete way of contacting each other with ride details


BMW S1000RR

Here is BMW's super bike, I wonder who rides this beast which has been slightly modified to produce just over 200 HP ? She is also an integral part of "Free Wheelin" female motorcycle club


Alyson

Meet Alyson. She is a mean, fast biker and I don't think you could catch her . . .

Like a school Prom, with the guys on one side and the girls on the other, I heard one of the girls mentioned that she just bought that purple Trimph Street Triple 675



Another one of those female riders rode in on her Triumph America, but she just made a deal to buy "exactly" the same colour Triumph Street Triple, so now there will be two of them

I was walking about taking some snapshots and video and I turned around to see someone admiring my V-strom, so I went over and introduced myself


Sarah

It seems that she owned a 2005 V-strom for 4 years and just bought that 2011 V-strom because she wanted the security of ABS brakes. She doesn't really belong to any riding groups but she has ridden her V-strom all the way down the west coast to California



She has had problems with her Suzuki OEM side cases and wishes she had the ones I have as these are what she had on her previous bike, also they are very small


Hilton, manning the BBQ

For dinner I had a hamburger and a soda for only a $5.00 donation. It was great to see all the people, chat and look at all the bikes

MSR, crushed nail & my new babies

My bike is serviced and ready for my short trip in about 3 weeks. No, I haven't packed yet, but I know what I need to bring. I'm thinking of not bringing any tools to cut down weight, but I do need a couple of cameras, my small laptop and various chargers. My plan is to pack all this stuff and see if I have any room left for clothes. I'm thinking 2 or 3 pairs of shorts, one convertible pants and 3 T-shirts. Plus tank tops, 3 underwear and a few pairs of socks, sandals and my trademark Crocs©. The difference this year is that I will be bringing camping equipment for emergencies; Tent, pad, sleeping bag and my new MSR Whisperlite stove



As you know, I'm not one to open new 'stuff'. My new; helmet, Bluetooth communicator, JR Alter Ego jacket & Tourmaster Flex pants are all new just waiting for me to use them. My AlpineStar* riding boots I bought last August and I have only worn them once or twice. But I thought I had better figure out how to use my new liguid fuel MSR stove. I bought the MSR Whisperlite Universal which is multifuel and can also use Canister Gas. I read that Unleaded Canadian gasoline is NOT recommended for use in this stove due to the gas formulation and I didn't want to ruin my new stove, so I just happened to spot a used MSR Whisperlite internationale for sale on Craigslist, so I snapped it up



This is the old design as you notice from the wire legs. The new ones have pressed Stainless legs. Anyway mission accomplished. I managed to set it up and boil a pot of water in mere minutes using MSR Superfuel.

I'm really not that clumsy but early in May I managed to crush my finger and my nail turned black



I thought that the blood clot would clear up in a few days, when when I went to Victoria a couple of weeks later, Dr Dar told me that she thought my nail would come off. I thought to myself "how would she know", but she did and she was 100% right



The new nail is pushing the top one



The last week or so the nail was catching on my clothes and I knew if it ripped off it would hurt immensely, so I started to trim it



I would imagine it will take a few more weeks before it looks normal again. Then about a week ago I closed my car door on my right finger. I missed the nail but my finger swelled up for a couple of days and is almost normal, except for a scab where it was bleeding.

On my prev post I mentioned that we had a new bird nest in our carport area which I found while trying to clean it up. The tiny eggs looked like they only hatched a day before. I tried to make "chirping" noises but I think they can't hear yet. Then I decided to "tap" the wood and they must have sensed the vibrations. I think it's neat to see those little beaks searching for food . . .

Last week was

Father's day and we started out our day by going out for breakfast



We could have gone anywhere, but I didn't feel like lining up and fight for parking, so we just went to our usual place for my eggs benedict. During good weather we go out more often to enjoy the day. During times of bad weather we stay home and make our own meals.

I like it when I don't have to drive


Relaxing in the passenger seat

While Father's day was actually on Sunday, our daughter invited the family over for my special dinner on Saturday night, and our granddaughter was in charge of making



her most excellent dessert. For dinner on Sunday I was treated to a home-made prawn dinner



we prepare very simple meals, just prawns over lettuce



Stir fried prawns with lots of cilantro (my favourite), and lots of lemon juice, with a coke float for dessert

We are in the midst of a renovation and all of our junk was piled/stored in my carport, which has limited access. Right now all of our vehicles have to be parked on the street so I have no covered parking for a few months. Even my V-strom is out on the street so I purchased a bike cover to keep it hidden. I spent some time trying to clean up an area so I could park my bike undercover. I have just enough room to ride it on the sidewalk, between the houses



In the process of tidying up, sorting and throwing stuff away I came across a small bird's nest. It is probably a sparrow, or other small bird and it looks like 5 or 6 eggs have recently hatched.



I didn't wish to disturb them and I noticed the mother bird flying around waiting for me to leave. I made a little noise and immediately 5 or 6 beaks were opening and closing looking for food



I think they were about a day old. This gives me an excuse to not clean up anymore, as I don't want the mother bird to abandon her babies.

I have passed this Steveston Harbour sign many times, but today I stopped for a photo



It wasn't a great day and rain was forecast. We have had torrential rains for the past few weeks and there is lots of pooling water

David: the scooter commuter from Montreal, PQ

It was like a dream. It was like it never happened. It was a whirlwind of activity on a Friday night when we first met back in May, nearly a month has passed since David visited Vancouver and on a Sunny Friday evening, it ended like this . . .


David Masse

We ended up at the Richmond Night Market for dinner.

Starting at the beginning, we physically met late in the afternoon and went for a short scooter ride to Steveston to burn an hour or so. You can read about it HERE The plan was to meet around 6:30p at Rideaway Motors where Gary and the RTE Gang would be waiting. We had planned to give David an official escort to the market



When it comes to food, or eating you can always count on members of the Vancouverscootering.com to tag along.



After introductions we get suited up and David, not used to riding in a Group is waiting in anticipation . . . He's probably thinking "what have I got myself into"



These riders are used to riding together and we sandwiched David in the middle of our group. We encountered heavy, aggressive traffic as we neared the market and the guys went into blocking and aggressive mode for a bit to keep us all together. I think David was impressed



Here we are on our final approach towards the parking area. We are early but traffic is at a standstill

From my limited time with David, I observed that he is usually smiling when he has food in his mouth. There were so many varieties of this and that to try



I don't think they have anything like this in Montreal, where he is from



The Richmond night market is only open on Weekends; Friday, Saturday & Sunday NIGHTS, and holiday Mondays, during the few months of summer



It didn't seem that busy when we first arrived, but soon the isles were hard to navigate



David's smiling again, he must have more food on that plate



Many of these Asian delicacies are labour intensive to prepare



Notice that David is easy to spot in a crowd, he is taller than most



The smell of good food makes you hungry. It is hard to visit this Market without filling your stomach. I usually have something small to eat while I walk around looking for my dinner. Most of the food prepared here can be eaten with either your fingers or these long wooden sticks.



Not that I noticed but I think David was eating continuously for the whole 2 hours we were there.

Here's a quick photo of the RTE gang. (RTE = Ride To Eat)



PS: to DAR . . . The RTE Gang wished you were here. They really miss you

EDIT: ****************** almost forgot the video

A non commute day

The other day I posted photos of my commute, it was actually a challenge issued by Martha, living amoung Tourists (blog).

On Friday I dropped by my dealer to see what options I had with installing Highway Pegs



Of course I had my bike with me and I ended up with a chromed cruiser bar which I posted here I still have a few things to buy before my trip next month with the big item being a new pair of riding pants. I wasn't super happy with my Joe Rocket Alter Ego riding pants. I have had them for a few years and they are wearing out. Perhaps I shouldn't have bought one size larger but I had the idea to wear my work slacks underneath so I could ride to work and just remove them. But being one size too large means that the padding is not in the right position which is made worse because during the summer I wear shorts underneath, making them more baggy.

My mission last Saturday was to find a pair of riding pants. I had already been to most of the dealers and looked at what they had but nothing caught my fancy. Most often when I arrive on my bike (at the Dealer) I am already wearing riding attire and I find it tedious to have to remove all my gear and then get a headache trying on all the stuff, and then having to gear up again to go someplace else.

Last Week I had to go to Surrey for a business meeting, so I had my work slacks on. I made a quick stop to another dealer that I don't often get a chance to visit and they had some sizes of Tourmaster Flex Pants in stock. I liked the way the panels remove to reveal a full mesh pants underneath but I just didn't feel like trying them on as it would take too much time, and I had to rush back to work in time to go home.

I thought it best to return on Saturday wearing what I would normally wear during the summer and see how they fit. In 100°F weather I like to wear shorts and tank top, so that's what I wore when I left the house



and of course my Wokova unshoes , my barefoot but "non-barefoot looking" sandals. I also wanted to look at the pre-owned Suzuki SV650nK4 which you see in the photo above. It is ugly looking with handpainted tank but had a newer engine with only 17K kilometers on the clock. It is fuel injected and has recent tires. A spare bike fits into my retirement plan. I wanted something cost effective & reliable which I could ship across the country, fly and ride from there, and not be without a bike at home while the "spare" goes back and forth to who knows where

anyway back to the Tourmaster Flex Pants



I must have spent an hour trying them on, taking out both liners and checking how they fit, and then zipping everything back. While I was there Greg came into the store to check on a new helmet. Greg is a founding member of the Suzuki Owners Club of North America SOCNA I also had a chance to socialize with the owner of Motorcycle World, a club sponsor so I was hoping to get a club discount.

Needless to say, I bought them and took them home. I can't wait until I actually start wearing them. So now I am set for hot weather. I will use these Tourmaster Flex Pants with my new Joe Rocket Alter Ego 11.0 ballistic riding jacket. Both pieces will strip down to bare essentials, ie: turn into full mesh . I am not sure how transparent the mesh is as it will determine what I can get away with wearing underneath

11 mm wrench and some U-bolts

Lots happening this weekend but we'll start with Sunday, Father's Day



The sun didn't last long but it didn't rain. I like Sundays as it is a non-riding day and I get to wear, or not wear, what I want, not all that bulky riding gear & riding boots, but rather shorts and sandals. I love my unshoes, Wokova minimalist sandals. They have Zero rise, sort of like walking barefoot. It takes a bit of muscle build-up and having to take shorter steps so your heal doesn't "HIT" the pavement first. It forces you into a better posture and is easier on your joints. "No Shoes, No Shirt" no problem, as it appears you are wearing something, rather than nothing.



I am still working on my list of things to do before I go on my multi-day bike trip next month. I have been wanting "highway pegs" installed but the problem is that I have GIVI crash bars which taper in towards the body under the gas tank, and you need BOW legs to reach them. If I had the Touratech crash bars they have off the shelf solutions as their bars are vertical, making them easier to install. The dealer where I purchased my bike had a McGyver solution and suggested I purchase these chromed cruiser style



and connect them to the lower connecting bar. I wished they weren't chrome as my bike is all black but then he said I could paint bomb them, on top of the chrome.



It seems solid enough, and I know that those GIVI bars are capable of supporting the weight of the 'Strom (don't ask me how I know) , and the only pressure is just my legs resting on them, so I'll give it a try and see how they work out. I seem to get a cramp every once in a while inside my inner leg and I need a way to change my leg position once in a while.



I went to HD: Home Depot and picked up some U-bolts, flat & lock washers so I could get it installed



I decided to use 3 - U-bolts. One on each side and one in the middle



It is basically a bar, made from 7/8" square steel and has hinged foot pegs at each end . It wasn't a very warm day but the sun came out again and I like to be comfortable (= wear less) when I work



There you have it . . . easy peasey. It was a simple installation. I overpaid for the bar but if it works, I will be very happy



and here's what it looks like in "static" action mode. It should also work wearing riding boots.